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World Music
The term “World Music” is a catch-all used in this country to cover all sorts of music, with the only common thread being that it’s from somewhere else. Kind of a U.S.-centric version of the old New York bit about there being New York City and the rest is all upstate.To help better define this ambiguous category, Lakewood Public Library has attached additional labels identifying country of origin. Not that all music from the same nation will be similar, but it gives you a little better idea of what type of music you might expect to hear.
My trip around the musical globe started with the group Mana on “Revolucion De Amor.” While the instrumentation certainly illustrates the Latin roots, this would probably be a good start for many wanting to expand their musical tastes because it’s also presented in a rock/pop backdrop, which probably also makes it a bit homogenized for anyone who regularly listens to Latin music.The Gipsy Kings’ (Spain/Portugal) “Somos Gitanos” is closer to what musical outsiders like myself would consider typical Latin music, very guitar-based and quickly-paced. The vocals are fine, yet the track that just stood out to me was the mostly instrument (only a couple lines of lyrics) “Felices Dias,” which has a melodic hook that doesn’t let go. Apparently, they’re ubiquitous within the Mexican restaurant trade, but I doubt if many diners would discern what particular band is being played while they eat burritos and sip margaritas.
A different type of gypsy can be heard on “Gypsy Music From Bulgaria,” by Ibro Lolov & His Gypsy Orchestra. Listening to these violin-laden tunes, you almost feel like your part of some traveling vagabonds. For me, it conjures up visions of the Bela Lugosi’s character and the other gypsies in the original version “The Wolf Man” with Lon Chaney Jr.
It’s a short trip geographically to the “living Hungarian folk music” of Muzsikas’ “Elo Nepzene,” but the music, still leaning heavily on the violin, is significantly different. Instead of dance tunes, these songs are slower and use fewer percussive elements. At times the style seems to suggest a Middle Eastern sound and even sometimes could be mistaken for Celtic.Heading to the Middle East, we have Farid El Atrache in a three-track live performance. The music certainly has an Arab feel, but it’s clear that it serves mainly as the vehicle for the singer, whose style takes a bit getting used to, it certainly isn’t like any crooner you’d hear on these shores. One to try if you’re looking for something different. Also in the Middle East region is Abdulkarim Abdulkadir, a bit similar in singing style, however, a little more direct in delivery, with only far less of the extending, undulating tones used by Farid El Atrache. The music’s also a little more upbeat, and likely more accessible for the unitiated as well.
Also under the Middle East banner is “Blue Flame” by Simon Shaheen & Qantara. The instruments are more of a mixture of styles, yet display the Middle East influence. Even a bit popish at times, it likely can find acceptance among a wider audience that the previous Middle East selections.
Peppino D’Agostino gets the dreaded label “international” for “Venus Over Venice,” an acoustic-guitar set of mostly slower-tempo instrumentals, kind of like Al DiMeola played at the wrong (slower) speed. What’s nice is that there are some accessible melodies, rather than a strictly a show of guitar virtuosity.When I first heard “world music,” it was in reference to music from Africa, so it wasn’t a surprise when I saw that “Sunshine Day” by Osibisa was billed as “the 70s Afro-Funk act who virtually invented World Music.” Actually, it doesn’t sound too different from other music of the day, Santana in particular, although with more horns and less guitar, seeing as that’s Santana’s gig. Definitely has that ’70s groove going.Baaba maal’s “missing you” ditches the horns and sets vocals that must be French (judging from the writing in the booklet) on top of light drumming and guitar strumming. While I’m certainly far from being an expert, this is closer to my (and I’m guessing most people’s) expectations of African music.
Although included under the world label, reggae’s certainly in a little different category in that it has been recognized here as a style of its own and can even be found in its own section in some stores. One of the library’s reggae discs is the collection “Reggae Sunsplash: Montego Bay Mashdown,” which contains modern genre leaders such as Aswad and Dennis Brown and at least one tune familiar to the masses – Inner Circle’s “Bad Boys,” aka the theme from the “Cops” television show.
While Sheila Chandra’s (India) “Weaving My Ancestors’ Voices” does what sounds like tribal scatsinging on a couple “Speaking in Tongues” tracks, on most of the disc her voice is somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth Frazier of the 1980s alternative band the Cocteau Twins. Sparse musically, this is for fans of voice.India’s also the country of origin for Temple of Sound’s “People’s Colony.” The group has a contemporary pop sound, yet clearly displays native influences. Like Mana is for the Latin style, this is probably one of the more accessible inroads into Indian music.
The Poozies, labeled the UK’s premiere all-female traditional group on the back of “Raise Your Head (A Retrospective),” are more of the plaintive type and given toward harmonies rather than the rollicking Celtic sounds of a band like the Pogues or local favorites Brigid’s Cross.Perhaps the best known of the groups under the world heading is Irish band The Chieftains. I checked out the 2000 disc “Water From the Well” and found it to fit somewhere between the Poozies and the Pogues – lively, but only occasionally raucous. The band that gave us the professional debut of Michael Flatley has survived the ups and downs of trends and continues to be the standard bearer for traditional Irish music.
Another long-running Irish band can be sampled on “The Best of The Dubliners.” Maybe it was the recording quality of the songs, many 35 years old, but it sounds a bit dated at time, which I guess might just give it a little more authenticity. Clearly a band that stands by Irish musical traditions.
Perhaps the most curious CD I checked out was “Glucklich, A Collection of Rare German Fusion Grooves With a Brazilian Flavour,” a title that just screams for you to find out what it means. The reality isn’t quite as interesting as all that, although its loungy vibe bounces along nicely at times, with a hint of Esquieval, a personal choice when going for the retro/lounge feel.For “The Sound of Brazil” itself, there’s a disc of that title by De Tarde, Vendo O Mar. Apparently Brazil sounds like an easy-going, jazzy rhythm that reminded me of the early Everything But the Girl stuff, to cite a source closer to my point of reference.
It may be part of the United States, but Hawaii certainly has a native sound of its own, as can be heard on “Vintage Hawaiian Treasures: Tahitian Drums & Dancers,” which could be sub-titled music for a beach party or an episode of “Gilligan’s Island.” Just the stuff if you want that island feeling.
Our trip around the world heads back here for Native American band Medicine Dream on “Tomegan Gospem.” I’m not sure if it was the voice or the many slower melodies, but I kept thinking Jackson Browne through this one. But there are also a couple of instruments and chant-like, drum-driven songs to provide the Native American influence.A few weeks ago, I noticed a posting at lakewoodbuzz.com praising the depth of the library’s CD collection. You can definitely spend a long time explored the world music that’s available.
October 2003Halloween
Halloween’s not just for kids anymore. In terms of decorating, it became the second biggest day for sales (behind Christmas) a few years ago, as adults have become fond of planting creepy hands digging their way out of the ground and affixing skeletons to their front doors.
Even those who think they’re too old for things such as haunted houses opt for activities such as the North Coast Ghost Tour, a three-hour ride taking in local sites like the Erie Street Cemetery and Franklin Castle.
If you prefer discovering haunted sites for yourself, there’s the “Haunted Ohio” series by author Chris Woodyard. Each of the four volumes not only presents campfire-worthy tales of things that go bump in the night, but also lists haunted spots that are open to the public, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and Squire’s Castle in the Cleveland Metroparks North Chagrin Reservation.Each book is broken into chapters compiling short anecdotes Woodyard received about ghosts in various settings, from “Home is Where the Haunt Is” to “Dearly Departed” – tales of specters seeking loved ones. There’s also an index of stories by location, so you can go straight to the “Haunted Ohio II” tale about the ghost of a little girl spotted on the stairs of a Lakewood house wearing a floor-length gown from the turn of the century, when the house was built.
Woodyard also wrote the “Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Haunted Ohio,” which goes into more detail about sites such as the Mansfield Reformatory, Gray’s Armory and the Old Stone House on the Lake in Marblehead. Directions and visitor information are provided for skeptics who would like to see these otherworldly spirits before they believe them.“Haunted Heartland,” by Beth Scott and Michael Norman also favors brief descriptions of events, this time derived from several states. Ohio highlights include a Columbus girl whose psychokinetic powers enable appliances to function without electricity and, of course, the ghosts of Franklin Castle, referred to as the “House of Evil,” although the narrative concedes that much of the castle’s legacy is strictly the stuff of legend.
“Tristate Terrors” professes to recount tales of famous female ghosts from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, but states such as Illinois and California somehow get thrown into the mix. Perhaps the most interesting dealt with the Everleigh sisters and their brothels. But these aren’t so much ghost stories as much as historical tales that end with a brief description of where the person’s ghost now presumably resides.
If you’re more of a participant than an observer, there are several guides to start you on your ethereal journey.” The Paranormal Investigator’s Handbook” has tips for interviewing, spotting hoaxes and how to set up and conduct a vigil to record ghostly activity. While you might not believe in the validity of out of body experiences, contact with spirits or other such activities explained in this book, it’s nonetheless interesting to review these far out concepts within the framework of well-structured, textbook-like guidelines.
“The Ghost Hunter’s Guidebook” is a less outlined, but thorough review of all things needed to start out in search of Casper and his friends. Author Troy Taylor addresses topics as what a ghost is (an actual spirit or residual energy), a history of researchers and how to scare up subject material.
“So Alive, So Dead” tells of the paranormal investigations of local ghostbuster Mary Ann, frequently hired to rid houses and businesses of unwanted and unearthly guests. Library supporters may remember her being the guest of honor at a fundraiser a few years ago.
For the most intellectually inclined, “Encounters with the Paranormal” is a collection of writings that investigate the science behind all sorts of spooky stuff, including UFOs, vampires and the intriguingly titled “Why reationists Don’t Go to Psychic Fairs.”This treatise attempts to explain how learned scientists can accept theories such as creationism and other fantastic science beliefs despite a lack of hard evidence. But perhaps the most interesting tidbit I picked up from this book was the fact that William Marston, creator of the comic book character Wonder Woman, also invented the polygraph test. So, Wonder Woman’s golden lasso was really her own form of administering the truth test.
Historical buffs can check out “The Real Halloween,” which tells about how the holiday was derived from Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the end of warmer weather and the growing season and the coming winter. Despite church attempts to do away with the practice (mainly because it’s not religious, not that it’s satanic), the tradition continued. All Saints Day was moved to Nov. 1 to put an end to the celebration, which then started on a set date of Oct. 31 – All Hallow’s Eve. Witches, vampires, werewolves and other related topics are similarly covered and there are also plenty of games, crafts, recipes and Halloween activities.
Another historical reference, “Halloween,” by Silver Ravenwolf, covers everything Halloween, from the day’s origins to its superstitions, recipes, even Halloween collectibles. It’s more of a quick-hitting reference tool than an in-depth presentation, but it certainly covers a wide range of topics – where else can you find pumpkin seed divinations for parties?
Just as Halloween appeals to a variety of interests – horror fans, candy lovers and people who just like to dress up – the selection of related books are sure to include something to get excited about.
Innovative Design
The phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” certainly applies when it comes to design. I’ve sat through many a public meeting in which developers, city officials and residents debated the merits of this color, that roof or which window. Sometimes criticisms seem valid, other times just a matter of personal taste. Just a guess, but I’d imagine Lakewood would look a lot different if residents could afford (and receive city approval) for their dream homes. I’m sure the many creative types in the city would enjoy some of the buildings in Lakewood Public Library’s books covering innovative architecture and design.
“The Language of Post-Modern Architecture” often reads like it was written by a college professor (and it was), with treatises on various styles from that smug point of view outside of the industry. However, that attitude by Charles Jencks also provides some nice slams, such as criticizing one architect’s “fetish for details and esoteric meaning” in an odd-shaped corner to a building. Even Rock Hall designer I.M. Pei is taken to task for the Everson Museum in Syracuse, whose geometric shapes Jencks says could serve for a warehouse, theaters or a church.
Although unusual buildings are covered, there are also plenty of more ordinary-looking office towers and the like, whereas “Experimental Houses” by Nicolas Pople focuses directly out of the mainstream, whether it’s space-age solar homes looking like they belong on Tatooine (Luke Skywalker’s planet in “Star Wars”) or prefabricated units that look like rows of drawers stacked together, there’s little here that would ever pass muster with the Lakewood Board of Zoning Appeals. Still, some aren’t quite so far out and most people would probably find at least one acceptable to actually live in.
“Xtreme Houses,” by Courtenay Smith and Sean Topham, goes even further, with prototypes dwellings of every odd shape and construction imaginable, including a house with living areas that are renovated cars. While many of these concepts may never make it to Main Street, there are some creative approaches to issues such as lack of space that doubtlessly are being incorporated in larger cities.
“Big & Green: Toward Sustainable Architecture in the 21st Century”
outlines the need to design structures that require fewer resources, such as for heating and cooling, and highlights innovations toward that goal. One surprise inclusion was the Virginia headquarters of the old Best Products chain, a building resembling the big-box stores so hated today. Not that there was anything unique in the design of the building itself, just that much vegetation was kept around the site, providing “an example of how anonymous commercial structures can be enlivened by local ecosystems.”If you’re more inclined to study the past than look to the future, try “Main Street to Miracle Mile: American Roadside Architecture,” a history of the United States’ growth as evidenced through the evolution of the automobile and its effect on development. In addition to reviewing roadside scenery, author Chester H. Liebs also provides insight into issues such as the introduction of the supermarket, a major change from the days in which employees collected all of the customers’ goods from shelves inaccessible to the public.
If instead of looking at other people’s buildings you’d rather focus on your own living space, how about checking out the “Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color” (Pantone is a graphic design company) has lots of rich images and explanations of how to use color to convey messages, as viewed by Leatrice Eiseman, billed as a “color guru” and expert on the psychology of color.
Perhaps you’re looking for a more complete vision of how to arrange your dwelling space. There’s always feng shui, the growingly popular Chinese practice designed to achieve harmony with nature.To an outsider (such as myself), feng shui resembles a cult devoted to the accumulation of mirrors. Still, I tried to keep an open mind while reading “Feng Shui: The Art of Placement,” which details the origins of the practice and how it was used to address the topography of the land for maximum benefit. Author Sarah Rossbach takes the initial view of the outsider, attempting to unveil the mysteries behind the need to turn a bed this way or orient an entrance in a certain manner. She’s a believer, but brings an explorative attitude that keeps things interesting for nonbelievers.
“Lillian Tool’s Easy-To-Use Feng Shui” is for the already converted and more of a reference tool to figure out which flowers to display or where to plant in the yard. For example, I did not realize that having a toilet in the southwest corner of a home could cause bad energy that translates into people having a hard time getting married. But I suppose design philosophers must like the end products, and are a matter of personal opinion and one size really shouldn’t fit all. Just remember to channel some positive energy if you need to get someone else’s approval.
Enneagrams
I’ve never been a big believer in self-help guides, mainly because they appeal to people who seem to be externally searching for something to explain everything and tell them what to do, when those kinds of answers only come institutively.
Also, maybe it’s the identical twin in me, but I refuse to believe that people can be easily categorized in large groups when we are so much more complex beings. Although I have to admit that the market research studies conducted for the library by Claritas make me question how individual we really are, because they do a remarkably good job at defining types and predicting their spending habits.
Which brings me to the subject at hand, the vast number of self-discovery books dedicated to the study of the enneagram, usually used in reference to a psychological system that breaks down human behavior into nine personality types – perfectionist, giver, performer, romantic, observer, trooper, epicure, boss and mediator (or similar designations). Introduced to the Western World in the last 100 years, the enneagram supposedly has an ancient history stretching back hundreds of years. However, none of the books I scoured detailed any ancient practices, so it’s likely that at least the enneagram as currently presented is a more modern practice.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. There’s no universal rule that anything ancient must have merit and anything recent lacks credibility.
The person often credited for bringing the enneagram to the United States is psychologist Claudio Naranjo, who brought the teachings of Oscar Ichazo over from Chile. In “Transformation Through Insight: Enneatypes in Life, Literature and Clinical Practice,” he details cases involving patients of the nine enneagram types and how these people were transformed using a combination of Gestalt therapy and enneagram studies.Naranjo incorporates comic strips, stories from patients and even a passage from a detective novel to illustrate behaviors associated with the nine types. Still, it’s a very analytical book that probably would be best enjoyed by readers already familiar with the concept of enneagrams.
Naranjo may have brought the enneagram here, but Helen Palmer is widely acknowledged as the person responsible for popularizing the concept.
One of the foremost advocates of the enneagram, Palmer is author of “The Enneagram in Love & Work,” which delves into what to expect from people of these various traits when interacting in romantic or workplace settings.
I must admit, I did find myself in many of the characteristics of the observer, although not all of them.Palmer does allow that people cross into other types in certain situations, so some allowance is made for individuality. As far as knowing what to do once you recognize your type, she focuses more on what to expect, rather than exactly what to do in response. This may be a bit frustrating to people expecting clear answers, but it seems a more realistic approach to expect guidelines that must be then be interpreted and adapted to the specific situation.
Another good introductory book would be “Personality Traits: Using the Enneagram For Self-Discovery” by Don Richard Riso (also the author of the basic-approached “Enneagram Transformations: Releases and Affirmations for Healing Your Personality Type”) and Russ Hudson. It’s labeled a “definitive guide” and goes in-depth into the personality types and manifest traits of those types.
Although it’s a lengthy tome, it’s broken down into chapters for the specific types and delves into behaviors in a straightforward manner, avoiding the circular presentation inherent in several other enneagram books. It’s intended to be more of a useful tool for self-discovery that an exploration into the significance of the enneagram.
That’s the realm of “The Secret of the Enneagram: Mapping the Personality,” which devotes less space to enneagram types and more to how they relate to charkas, the laws of the colour circle and the entire cosmos. By the way, we live on enneagram point two, which the Earth shares with its moon.
Enneagrams are generally used to explore personalities and behaviors, but the same nine-pointed approach has been utilized for other purposes, as in “The Enneagram of Parenting,” which separates children according to nine types – perfectionist, helper, achiever, romantic, observer, questioner, adventurer, asserter and peacemaker.
Elizabeth Wagele described these types and presents ways to deal with 10 common problems that develop, such as getting to school on time for helpers, who may be distracted may trying to help a kitten they find on the way, for example.” Facets of Unity: The Enneagram of Holy Ideas.” Author A.H. Almaas underlines that he calls the “Diamond Approach” to the Holy Ideas and suggests that enneagram types represented fixations that are ego-based and must be remedied in order for the individual to follow the path to holy enlightenment.
Almaas is cited as an influence by Sandra Maitri in “The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul.” While the title implies a religious tone, it’s actually an in-depth look at the characteristics of nine ennea-types, broken down into areas of resentment, flattery, vanity, melancholy, stinginess, cowardice, planning, revenge and indolence.
Maitri includes a chapter to help figure out your ennea-type and diagrams illustrating tendencies relating those points on the enneagram, such as traps, avoidance and anti-self actions.However, if you’d rather be less immersed in enneagram lore and more in a direct connection to religion, “Parables and the Enneagram” by Clarence Thomson might be more suitable. Thomson focuses on the basic nine personality types and interprets the passages from the Bible in terms of what can be learned by people of those types.
For example, a passage about allowing wheat and weeds to grow is a parable about how to deal with faults, rather than simply insist that we get rid of them. Thomson says that enneagram twos may be proud and need-searching, for example, but those faults may be necessary to produce the generous side shown by twos.
I’ll admit that it can be fun to research your type and read what these books have to say about that personality, but it’s sometimes a matter of simply acknowledging what you are and what you might need to do. If you stress too much, for instance, find ways to reduce stress.I suppose, as some of the authors suggest, that some people need help in truthfully identifying themselves. Then again, there are always those beyond help - the 2 percent or so who just answer “don’t know” in every poll taken since the dawn of time. I wonder what enneagram type they’re in.
UFO's
Belief in things outside of the norm is nothing unusual at Lakewood Public Library, which has hosted talks on all sorts of strange subjects in its Wild Ideas Lectures.Back in 2000, Executive Director Kenneth Warren presented a lecture on “Archetypes, Archons and Egregores,” exploring group psychology and magical energies that control our world.
Another program, “This Overshadowed Planet,” addressed the question of whether we’ve been invaded or watched by otherworldly beings.With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the library’s collection is full of books covering outer space from every conceivable angle.
One such volume, “The Mothman Prophecies” by John Keel, was “based on true events” and made into a movie with Richard Gere. It tells about a West Virginia bridge that crashed, killing several people, and its possible connection to UFOs and a red-eyed “bird man” sighted by locals. Although he doesn’t make a definitive judgment, Keel chalks such sightings as simply part of being human, with the inference being that these things exist in some other reality created in people’s minds.
Keel doesn’t get a kind review of his work in “The Roswell Encyclopedia,” at least under the heading for Japanese Balloon Bombs. In this not always easy to reference some of all things related to the New Mexico site of the infamous 1947 UFO sightings, author Kevin Randle notes that Keel dismissed the object as one of the devices sent over during wartime by the Japanese. However, Randle notes that there would have been no reason to keep the balloon bombs a secret after World War II (the government asked media outlets to keep quiet so Japan wouldn’t realize that the balloons actually reached these shores). He also says Keel ignored reports of metal found at the crash site and the volume of debris, which was far beyond what could be expected from a 33-foot diameter balloon.
In “Return of the Gods,” Erich Von Daniken (author of “Chariots of the Gods”) starts with a possible future tale to illustrate how far-fetched things can seem depending on your viewpoint. This tale of the future takes place after a catastrophic event and surviving generations try to discern what the world was like previously through scraps of existing information, such as a story handed down about people riding in the bellies of giant birds (airplanes).Using this as a starting point, he examines religions and traditions and indicates where they may suggest extraterrestrial contact.
People who claim contact with alien beings are included in Psychiatric and Paranormal Aspects of UFOlogy” by Berthold Schwarz. The book profiles people with paranormal experiences, whether it’s witnessing Bigfoot, being taken in an alien craft or possessing psychic abilities.These brief tales are fairly straightforward, yet bring the human-interest angle by focusing on the people who had these experiences.
Wondering how there can be so many tales of visitations, yet the general public still isn’t convinced? As George Andrews states in “Extra-Terrestrial Friends and Foes,” information is purposely released in a way to cause their authenticity to be suspect. He cites a TV program, “UFO Cover-Up … Live!” in which true stories are told in what appears to be a news-worthy format, only to be subtly discredited by inappropriate music, having interviewees read from cue cards (making their words sound stilted and less believable) and other production techniques.
Among other related subjects, Andrews ponders whether Adolf Hitler and the Nazis might have attempted an alien alliance in Hitler’s quest for world domination. “The Gulf Breeze Sightings,” by Ed and Frances Walters, is a first-person (or first-couple as it were) account of UFOs witness in Florida in 1987.Various scientific experts support their claim by stating they see no evidence of a hoax or anything suggesting the couple’s claims and photos are not authentic. However, I doubt most people who do not believe already will find any definitive proof of alien visitors in this book.
Whitley Strieber, who told of his close encounter of an alien kind in “Communion: A True Story,” provides further “proof” of extraterrestrial beings in “Confirmation: The Hard Evidence of Aliens Among Us.” A series of UFO sightings in Mexico, people with implants from abductions and more are chronicled. However, despite going beyond other books by giving information and photos about implants, there’s still likely no smoking gun to convince people who aren’t fans of “The X-Files.” John Mack puts a human face on abductees in “Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens,” providing in-depth glimpses into the people who are coping with their memories and feeling out of place in a world that basically thinks they’re crazy.Admissions by Mack that he initially did not believe in alien beings and spaceships help lend credibility to his findings, suggesting that maybe there is something going on.
But perhaps the book most likely to sway the non-believer would be “The Day After Roswell,” by retired Army Col. Philip Corso. When an Army officer talks about conspiracies, you’re inclined to expect he knows something about the subject.Unless you think he’s a little delusional or making up events to sell books, it’s convincing to read that he actually saw the body of alien taken from the Roswell crash site and later was in charge of alien artifacts and how they could be adapted for military purposes.According to Corso, alien technology help give us lasers, circuit chips for computers and Kevlar material for bulletproof vests. He even suggests that the Cold War existed to provide reason for military spending that was really being used toward developing a defense system – Reagan’s “Star Wars” plan – that would protect the United States and Soviet Union from alien invasion.
Supposedly, that system – which has nothing to do with defending missile attacks initiated on Earth, according to Corso – is now in place, pointing outward to form a protective barrier around the planet.
Then again, Corso may still be working on behalf of the government, even if he’s not aware of that possibility. In “Revelations: Alien Contact and Human Deception,” Jacques Vallee surmises that some alien sightings and encounters are actually elaborate hoaxes created by the government in order to make actually occurrences seem less believable. Vallee laments that there has not been serious scientific research into UFOs, partly because UFO believers harm their own cause by molding results to fit their theories. His view on alien biological testing was particularly interesting – he noted that alien scientists possessing technology typically associated with the visitors would be in position to control labs and research facilities to create their hybrid species and wouldn’t have a need to run test after test on humans to learn about our biology.
Not every book dealing with space is so far out there, however. In “Asteroids,” Curtis Peebles gives a history and outlines the significance of what he said astronomers ignored as space “vermin” for much of the 20th Century. It may be a little too in-depth for casual sky observers, but Peebles provides a nice rundown of space exploration and hits popular culture by addressing possible “Armageddon” in a chapter describing the impact of fragments hitting Jupiter.Also on the scientific (as opposed to the fantastic) end of this realm is “The Extravagant Universe.” Author Robert Kirshner outlines the theory that the universe is expanding due to the influence of a dark energy.
There is much mathematical data, stuff such as the Hubble Constant, but Kirshner livens things up where possible with a few stories that bring out the human side of scientists studying this area of astronomy.If you’re still wondering what might be possible, “Beyond Star Trek” will at least set you straight regarding how Hollywood depicts outer space and alien encounters.
Lawrence Krauss examines the physics behind such films as “Independence Day,” noting, for instance, that the sheer gravitational force of the massive alien mother ship could have wrecked devastation on the Earth simply by remaining in orbit about the planet, causing tidal waves, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
After reading all sorts of claims presented as absolute proof, it could provide a nice break to read something based on known mathematical truths.Of course, there’s always the possibility that what we consider to be true is actually just another theory. With all of the various theories circulating, it’s hard to zero in on the truth.
I suppose, as “The X-Files” slogan says, “The Truth is Out There.” I’m just not sure where.Revolutionaries
To many Americans, the Fourth of July is a day for food and fireworks. Those who acknowledge its historical significance generally view it in terms of a day to celebrate our government and its leaders, rather than the ideals and concepts on which it the country was formed.
The irony is that our Founding Fathers would probably be thought of by most people today as dangerous radicals more inclined to be lumped with fringe-type groups like militias than praised as visionaries. Although it’s viewed as a positive word when used to describe the Revolutionary War, things that are revolutionary are generally seen as something to be avoided because they’re so out of step with the mainstream/status quo.
Of course, what seems revolutionary at the time can later seem quite ordinary, as you can tell from some selections from Lakewood Public Library’s books on various revolutionaries.Coming of age after the hippie revolution, the riots at the Democratic Nation Convention were only something I vaguely heard about and David Dellinger, author of “From Yale to Jail: The Life Story of a Moral Dissenter” did’t even make the radar screen.
It seems incredible now that a war protester would be so unjustly treated by a judicial system that denies due process to those who dare question the establishment, but I suppose that’s only because of the impression left by the Vietnam-era dissenters. Then again, I suppose people being held as potential terror suspects now probably think things haven’t change much.
Although it’s written by one of the main leaders of the anti-war movement, he doesn’t attempt to deify himself and writes in a straightforward narrative that puts the emphasis on what was happening, rather than pontificating about its significance.
For a more colorful read, try “The Best of Abbie Hoffman,” one of Dellinger’s co-defendants with the so-called Chicago Eight. Hoffman interjects references to movies and popular culture, interviews himself and generally writes in a free-flowing style that makes it read more like rambling letters to a friend than a structured novel.
My favorite part is his various tips on how to get things free. Of course, many of them involved illegal activities, such as taking furniture from the lobbies of apartment buildings. Still, it’s amusing to see the ways to get by on nothing, all the while sticking it to the man whose corporate towers were viewed in those days as enemy compounds.
Richard Rorty would probably prefer those days to today. In “Achieving Our Country,” he writes about the American Left’s departure from addressing everyday life to concentrating solely on “High Theory,” shirking a responsibility to move society forward.
Rorty attempts to rally individuals to action, even invoking nation pride to do so, all the while advocating that nations of the world eventually give way to a world federation – the one world order that so many people fear. While I understand wanting to maintain sovereign status, I find it interesting that people view Heaven as a Utopian society where everyone is equal, which sounds much more like a worldwide government or socialist system than the democratic society we live in.
While people disdain socialism, it’s communism that really gets Americans irate. To learn what the Red Menace was all about, pick up “Trotsky,” by Dmitri Volkogonov, a Russian official with access to classified documents.
Although Trotsky was expulsed from the Communist Party under Stalin and went into exile, he was instrumental in framing the foundation for communism and is still thought of as one of its leaders.
Volkogonov argues that, had Trotsky assumed power, his leadership might have been as brutal as that of Stalin. As for military strategy, Trotsky believed in blocking units which would shoot their comrades in the frontline should they fail to charge.The Russian Revolution and more are covered in “Blood of Revolution,” which traces from the French Revolution of 1792 to the Rise of Ayatollah Khomeni in 1979.
Author Erik Durschmied doesn’t just cover the seizing of power, he provides the backdrop for the revolution by revealing the power struggles and problems allowing for the ascension of the new regime.
Whereas “Blood of Revolution” is a chronicle of active revolution, “Guy Debord and the Situationist International” delves heavily into the theoretical, presenting a series of essays from Big Thinkers who disdained bourgeois values and sought to distance themselves from capitalist society.
The Situationists kind of remind me of those people everyone knew in college who suddenly discovered books and immersed themselves in information for the purpose of becoming an intellectual.
Then again, maybe it’s just a French thing – in the biography “Guy Debord: Revolutionary,” author Len Bracken notes that Debord and the Situationist International never really caught on in the English-speaking world.
Bracken presents some interesting concepts of his own in “The Arch Conspirator.”For example, he advocates the universal cancellation of debt, with the argument that such action lead to prosperity for 5th Century Greece.
He also pushes Anti-Labor Day and the idea of an eventual end to work. All this sounds good, but it’s hard to imagine being able to live with no money. Of course, Bracken mentions at one point of having an $18-an-hour government job that wasn’t about the money. Although he doesn’t state so, it’s apparent from the first chapter with him in Russia as a teenager that he’s the son of someone with a political job and connections, which implies a privileged upbringing.
If you’re inclined to start your own uprising, maybe “Rules by Radicals” by Saul Alinsky would be good reading material. While the 1971 tome seems a bit too rooted in the hippie era at times, many of the strategies and tactics for inspiring a revolutionary movement appear to be valid for any time period.
Then again, maybe all this sort of thing seems a bit too radical and a little reading about the good ol’ American Revolution would best serve to stoke the patriotic fervor. In “The Radicalism of the American Revolution,” Gordon Wood affirms my belief that the Founding Fathers were much more radical than many people might think.Wood says the revolution here was different than in France or other countries because it was not a case of the downtrodden underclass rising up to overthrow an unjust government. Instead, Colonial Americans were rather well off and wanted change more for intellectual, rather than social reasons. However, he maintains that the amount of social change that came about eclipsed and was far more radical than resulted from any other revolution.
What do you know, a book that actually backs up my premise. Maybe it’s just that I’m not as radical as I might have thought.Exams
I’m sure those students who just went through finals or are dreading upcoming exams would like some secrets to successful studying. Judging from the liberally highlighted used books I bought back in my college days, I would say lack of focus on specific areas of utmost importance might be a problem, but certainly the most important key to learning is remembering. Lakewood Public Library has books that describe just how that old gray matter works, including several that provide tips on ways to help yours work a bit better.“How the Mind Works,” by Steven Pinker, dissects the brain and its functions in all sorts of ways – looking at ways we visualize concepts, probing the nature of thinking and even the Darwin/creationism debate, with the author squarely on the side of evolution, although acknowledging that there are still gaps we need to fill to explain the process.
Pinker looks at the challenge of why robots can’t be programmed to think like humans and uses it as a springboard for his theory that the brain is not a singular mass, but is actually a series of organs designed to carry out different functions.
While very analytical, “How the Mind Works” draws on all manner of sources, including references to MTV slogans, sports, even the Peanuts comic strip, to illuminate concepts in a familiar light.
“Kinds of Minds: Toward an Understanding of Consciousness,” by Daniel Dennett, is more of scholarly read, questioning and providing possibilities for the mind.Dennett starts with the evolution of man and the mind, considering how thought was forged and whether other organisms have minds and, if so, if we can grasp the minds that might exist in other entities. Along the way, he addresses topics such as intentional thought versus automated action and presents a series of steps in which the human brain developed. Forget the ginko biloba, according to Monique Le Poncin’s “Brain Fitness,” the path to memory retention lies within practice. The thinking is that the mind is a muscle and must be regularly exercised to maintain it ability to function properly.
The book shows brain scans indicating how portions of the mind have been reactivated in people. At the very least, the series of exercises and memory tests in the book should prove interesting to anyone who likes to see how they rate.
Instead of focusing on exercises to improve memory, “The Seven Sins of Memory,” by Daniel Schacter, examines ways in which our memories fail. The malfunctions mentioned in the title are: transience, or the weakening of memories caused over time; absent-mindedness, such as being preoccupied so as to forget where you put the keys; blocking – having a piece of information, such as a movie title or a person’s name, in your mind by not being able to retrieve it when called upon; misattribution, a lapse in memory that serves as a common source of urban legends that someone “remembers” reading in a newspaper account; suggestibility, a memory placed by comments or leading questions; bias, adapting memories to adjust to things we have since learned; and persistence, something we try to forget and cannot erase from our minds.
Schacter explores how these errors are created and even ponders whether they are vices or virtues that actually serve a useful purpose.
Judging from acknowledgments to people like Arnold Schwarzeneger and William Shatner, Dr. Robert Goldman, author of “Brain Fitness,” has some star power among his followers.Goldman’s philosophy is basically that anyone can improve their minds, particularly in regard to fighting the effects of aging on intelligence. He’s a firm believer in a mind-body connection and ways to combat stress are a frequent topic of discussion.
He also addresses subjects such as “brain foods,” the various types of learning and identifying which works best for you and provides many tests for readers to check their mental acuity.
It may be the title of one of his films, but Schwarzeneger has nothing to do with “Total Recall” a memory building book by Joan Minninger. Broken down into easily identifiable sections, the book even addresses issues such as when it’s good to forget, such as letting go of negative memories rather than dwelling on them.
“Total Recall” is filled with lots of mental exercises and amusing stories, a particular favorite dealing with other memory experts who advise a way to remember Einstein’s theory of relativity involving a memory table and the words “he, scale, ham, sea and Noah.” Minninger suggests that, just perhaps, it might be easier to just remember that E=mc2.
If you’re having trouble remembering specific things, Minninger has sections with tips on remembering what you hear, names, faces, dates, formulas, memorizing speeches and even how to study.
Dominic O’Brien, author of “Learn to Remember,” reveals that he was not a very good student and told he lacked potential, so he resigned himself to his place on the academic scale. However, he maintains that anyone can increase their intelligence by training their memory.
“Learn to Remember” gives the requisite coverage to how the brain functions and provides plenty of tests, many of which are more reflective and conditioning-orientated rather than the straightforward memorization and other tasks set forth in many of the other memory-building books.
Particularly interesting were the many shaded (for easy recognition) areas giving a little insight into memories, such as the term flashbulb memories (what were you doing when Kennedy was shot?, etc.) and déjà vu (which may be the mind filling in blanks by sharing details from previous experience).On the cover of “How to Develop A Super Power Memory,” it notes that author Harry Lorayne is the “co-star of infomercial's with Dick Cavett.” Since infomercials are often crass, laughable shills for shoddy products like hair in a can, it’s not an attractive selling point.
Nonetheless, the book does start out with a grabber by throwing brain-teasing tests at you from the onset, plus playing to the reader’s ego by using an obvious recognition test – the colors on a traffic light – and suggesting that only people gifted in powers of observation are certain about the placement of the red, yellow and green lights.
There are various systems given to remember things, all of which deal with association and usually pegwords that refer to the numbers, dates, names or other item you wish to learn to remember better. I’m not sure if they help and they sometimes suffer from what he charges that other systems do – become so cumbersome as to cause you to remember more than the thing it is that the system is supposed to aid you in remembering.
Kevin Trudeau’s “Mega Memory” (“As seen on TV”) is a “program” to help people fine tune their memory. I don’t know in what form it was on TV, but I’m assuming an infomercial was involved.
It read a bit like a gung-ho motivational book, but, on the positive side, it’s pretty simple to follow and could prove useful to some people. In essence, Trudeau believes people think in terms of pictures and he uses those mental pictures as a means for remembering things.
At least it’s entertaining, a quality “Your Memory: A User’s Guide” could use a bit more of at times. Psychologist Alan Baddeley clearly sought to write a comprehensive tome on the subject and provides sufficient history and study of the brain and memorization.
There are also some tests to help improve memory, but I’m betting most people looking for such help would seek one of the earlier-mentioned volumes instead. This is more for an advanced student of the mind than a novice seeking to learn a few tricks to make memorization easier.
Of course, you could skip the books altogether and take some of the aforementioned herbal supplement ginko biloba, billed as a memory enhancer. However, the federal government doesn’t regulate herbal supplements, so you’re taking companies at their word that such products work.Doctors have their doubts – a study presented in the Aug. 21, 2002 Journal of the American Medical Association showed no measurable benefit among people given ginko biloba versus a group given placebos. Naturally, herbalists will argue that the medical community is biased against herbs, which may be true. Then again, the billion-dollar herbal industry just might have a bias of its own.
My bet is that the many brain experts who suggest it’s a muscle to be exercised like any other are right and, like people attempting to tone their bodies, you have to put some time in at the mental gym rather than expect a miracle diet pill to do the trick.
Dreams
An advance apology for the bad pun, but the vast volumes devoted to dreams has awakened me to the realization that people look at dreams as much more than just a pleasant diversion or, in the case of nightmares, a mild disturbance.
Sure, I knew there were people who liked to interpret their dreams, either because they’re curious or they’re searching for something their subconscious might be attempting to reveal.
However, I never, ah, had an unconscious vision that there were people who believe that the dreamworld was another universe with its own properties or that dreams were foreshadowing the future. There are even those who maintain that we can shape our dreams to manipulate the future.
“Healing Dreams” by Marc Ian Barasch doesn’t attach importance to all dreams, but suggests that there are special “healing dreams” that go beyond the ordinary and have a deeper purpose for the dreamer.
In his case, gruesome visions of maniacs cutting his throat led him to suspect what turned out to be a cancerous thyroid mass that was then removed through surgery. The experience sustained his previously held belief in a mind-body connection.
In the book, he reveals stories of dream visions by others and delves into the dream state and beliefs philosophers have held about dreams and their connection to the waking world.
“The Dream Encyclopedia” is as it sounds, an A-Z collection of terms and people associated with dreams. Much emphasis is placed on the roles of dreams in various religions and philosophies.
The back of the book is devoted to a dream symbol dictionary, with short breakdowns of what meaning a person, place, object or animal might convey.
“A Witches Book of Dreams,” by Karri Allrich, might have a magical title, but it’s for the new age/spiritual type of witch, not the fairy tale kind. It’s mostly about the healing power of dreams and gets into symbols to recognize how animals or other dream manifestations are representations of some life realization.
The author suggests forming a dream circle and interpreting dreams with friends. However, readers with a casual interest in the subject will probably be most interested in a handy dictionary of dream meanings, such as a baby representing a new beginning in a positive way and a car signifying the journey to life, with the ease/difficulty of the trip indicating how things are going.
In “The Art of Dreaming,” Carlos Castaneda writes that the world is comprised of energy and a person needs to perceive of everything as being energy first, objects second, before being able to accept a state that leads to the dreaming.
You see, there are dreams and then there is dreaming. One exists in everyone, while the other is achieved by people who can negotiate the seven gates of dreaming and enter another world.
All of the talk of sorcery and sensory seems a bit out there, but Castaneda says that’s because the way a rational, Western mind views things and he writes about his ability to grasp the teachings of his mentor, don Juan Matus, a Mexican Yaqui Indian sorcerer who taught him about the nature and role of perception in influencing the world around us.
Robert Moss is among those who believe you can control your dreams and, in turn, influence your “real” life. In Dreaming True,” he cites examples of people who have done just that, including Underground Railroad heroine Harriet Tubman, who followed a path to freedom that had been established in her dreams. And not just her dreaming of something better for slaves, no she saw things such as a specific point where it would be easy to cross a river she hadn’t seem before, for example.
Moss provides tips for how to interact with your dreams, presents a theory on seven levels of dreaming and explains that dreams show futures, but those are only possibilities and can be changed through appropriate action.
Gayle Delaney, author of “All About Dreams,” also believes dreams can be directed to shape futures, but she acknowledges that much still needs to be learned about the nature of dreams.Instead of focusing on only one theory, she presents an overview of thinking on the dream state and her own Dream Interview method to help people analyze their own dreams and interpretations, rather than follow another’s viewpoint.
If you’d like to delve deeper into academic theory, “The Functions of Dreaming,” a compendium of writings of psychiatrists, professors and sleep experts, covers all sorts of topics from why dreams are repetitive and how dreams relate to stress.
Of course, you could go directly to one of the sources for much of dream research – C.G. Jung, a student of Sigmund Freud whose analysis of dreams has influenced countless researchers.
“Dreams” compiles a half dozen of Jung’s papers, including “The Analysis of Dreams,” which breaks down dream meanings in actual patient studies.
“Death Dreams” by Kenneth Kramer takes an interesting approach regarding dreams specifically dealing with death. He suggests that these dreams are a way of preparing people for the transition from life as we know if to the state of being after death.In a chapter on “700 Deaths,” he breaks down themes in death dreams and provides numerical data regarding who dies in the dream (the dreamer or another person) and how (murder, with 171 responses was the runaway “winner”).
Whether you think dreams have some deep meaning or not, everyone knows they are mined for subject material by artists, poets and filmmakers. “The Committee of Sleep” explores this territory, revealing nuggets like the trio of dreams that served as inspiration for “The Brother From Another Planet,” for example.It’s not just a collection of dream-inspired artistry, the book also gives an overview of leaders of various schools of thought and gets into the mind/body connection.
According to Lucy Goodison, too many books on the topic are written by men and take a man’s perspective, which she argues is different than that of a woman.
She also states that many dream experts lump women together as if the analysis was sort of a one-size-fits-all approach. In “The Dreams of Women,” she covers a variety of topics from dream techniques to group training to mythology and shares several dream accounts from women.
I’m sure part of the reason for the wide variety of beliefs and approaches to dreaming is because it will likely always remain a mystery as to why we have dreams and if they serve some grand purpose.It may take a particularly open mind to buy the notion that it’s a doorway to another plane of existence, but it’s easy to accept that there’s some symbolism on the surface that reflects our hopes or fears.
The problem with believing that dreams hold some key to shape our lives for the better is that it assumes that we know more of what we truly want and make better decisions when we’re unconscious. While I suppose that could be true, I just don’t know if I’m ready to admit that I actually know more when I’m sleeping that when I’m awake.
Pets
The person's pet is another's nuisance. Nowhere is that more apparent than in looking through some of the books available on caring for animals. While they may never replace Shadow or Fluffy as the family favorite, there are all sorts of creatures that have been kept by people who want something a little different in their choice of domestic companion.
Reptiles, for example, are common enough that a snake or two would wiggle its way into the Lakewood police blotter from time to time, as frantic owners scoured apartment buildings to retrieve the pets before panicked neighbors came across them.
According to Lenny Flank Jr., author of "The Snake," 7 percent of American families have at least one reptile, usually a snake. He lists the best and worst snakes to keep as pets, with venomous and wild-captured snakes topping the not a good idea list. However, the list isn't just about dangerous snakes, Flank writes that green snakes are commonly sold as pets, but don't live long because owners have trouble finding enough food for it - they eat only insects, and often only hairless caterpillars. Corn and rat snakes are considered the best because of their docile, good natures.
The book also provides the expected feeding and care tips, as well as advice to check local laws to see if there are any restriction on number/length of snakes.
Another popular reptile is the iguana, although I seem to recall an instance that made the news about a man taking his pet into a McDonalds, an act that convinced staff that he really wasn't deserving of a break that day. In "Iguana Iguana, Guide for Successful Captive Care," Fredric L. Frye notes that they are very responsive and adapt well to captivity.
Of course, that involves sufficient cage space, light, heat, water and so forth.Frye doesn't delve much into what makes an iguana a good pet - the book's more geared toward people who have already decided on an iguana and want to know where to go from there. Much information is devoted to feeding and nutrition and treating various maladies.
"Keeping Bees" by John Vivian is a step-by-step guide to becoming a beekeeper, including tips on what equipment to get, how to use it and where it should be situated for proper relations with the neighbors.
I can't imagine many people keep bees just to collect honey. It's not very practical and it's not like honey's so terribly expensive or such an everyday necessity that it becomes economically beneficial to harvest your own. No, I imagine beekeepers are motivated by the desire to watch the colony interact and be in charge of a societal structure. In that manner, they become something like pets, although more of the watching kind that the actual petting variety.
I'm sure every beekeepers been stung quite a few times. Vivian said the reaction's really no big deal, unless you're allergic. Which brings to mind the so-called "killer bee" or Africanized honeybee. Vivian said the real difference between these and other bees is that they're unusually aggressive, although their stings are no worse. It's just they're more likely to sting, will chase people further to defend the hive and will pack up and leave if disturbed by human activity, making them a poor choice for raising and unsuitable for agricultural purposes because they can't be counted on to pollinate flowers of farm crops.
Killer or not, bees may be a bit much for most people. Maybe worms would be more the right speed. Yeah, they're not just for fishing anymore, witness Mary Appelhof's "Worms Eat My Garbage." Appelhof keeps a box inside her house for vermicomposting - turning food waste into something to spread over the garden and help things grow. She shares all sorts of information on what type of bin to use (plastic or wood), what worms work best and even explains the sex life of a worm, complete with diagrams showing the cocoons from which offspring will hatch.
If worms are disgusting to many people, at least they’re not usually considered all that scary, unlike the subject of “Tarantulas and Other Arachnids,” which de-mystifies the spider by noting that they’re actually very shy creatures, more likely to retreat than attack.
Still, part of the attractive of tarantulas is their ability to inspire fear, which is noted – they are quite poisonous, although not lethal to humans, and possess the ability to kill and eat sparrows and other small birds.
There are even tips on caring for tarantulas. For example, petroleum jelly can be used to plug small puncture wounds. Household remedies are probably necessary sometimes – I doubt there are many veterinarians who specialize in arachnids.Although less frightening to the neighbors, the Sandhill Crane seemed just as odd of a pet choice for cattle rancher Dayton Hyde. In “Sandy: The Sandhill Crane Who Joined Our Family,” the Oregon resident writes about how he worked to save the birds from extinction and how they – especially one he rescued from a river and named Sandy - bonded with him and became part of his extended family.
Extremely sensitive people may find it tough to read about Sandy’s tragic final flight, but there are plenty of light-hearted stories along the way about the interaction between the bird and Hyde’s family, particularly the author’s attempts to illustrate flying by running along with the bird.
Cats are a much more common choice as pets, but are not always normal, as John C. Wright recognizes in “Is Your Cat Crazy? Solutions from a Cat Therapist.”Various types of behavior are illustrated through woeful tales of frustrated owners who need help dealing with cats who attack, eat clothes and generally exhibit unwanted tendencies.
The book explains the influences that the cats are responding to and what can be done to address the situation triggering the unwanted behavior. Some, such as cats expressing dominance over a new rival, seem obvious, while other problems, such as a cat clawing and biting its owner because she carried the scent of a stray cat that was hanging around the neighborhood, are not as readily apparent.
Because of the interesting style of storytelling, this book would probably be good reading even for cat owners with well-behaved pets.
Finally, it’s on to “man’s best friend.” While I'm as leery of dogs as any former paperboy would be, no rundown of pet books would be complete without a mention of man's best friend (whoever came up with that probably wasn't a delivery person). Desmond Morris' "Dogs: The Ultimate Dictionary of Over 1,000 Dog Breeds" should have enough information to satisfy any pooch preference, from Aberdeen terrier to Zulu dog.
There's not a lot of in-depth information about any one breed, but the capsule rundowns of breed backgrounds and characteristics could provide a long flipping frenzy for curious sorts who wonder exactly what kind of dog that was in the Westminster show or which breeds could best be relied on to guard the old homestead.
Caring for dogs and cats is also covered in “Pet Allergies: Remedies for an Epidemic,” a title intended to create shock that “millions of domestic pets are going down, like the Titanic” because of an unrecognized threat.
According to authors Alfred Plechner and Martin Zucker, improperly designed commercial pet food and breeding habits have combined to create animals with damaged immune systems.Some dog foods are alleged to be 25 percent sugar, creating canine sugar junkies. The authors also indicate that beef maybe shouldn’t be what’s for dinner for your pet – they claim that beef is at the top of their “allergic hit list” because of the harmful antigen protein molecule in less than choice cuts.
They have found a fan in none other than William Shatner, who wrote the book’s foreword. Shatner writes that a vet was about to put his dog down and he sought a second opinion from Plechner, who advised a change in food that addressed what was believed to be a beef allergy.
If you’re not sure of what type of pet to own, “The International Encyclopedia of Pet Care” has plenty of information about rabbits, hamsters, rats, iguanas, canaries, frogs, goldfish, scorpions and just about any other creature kept as a pet.
While dogs and cats warrant the most coverage, the sections dealing with other pets cover basic stats, traits and care and feeding tips, such as picking up a scorpion only by the base of the tail and with forceps.
True Crime
As disgusted as people are by crime - politicians know well how a campaign steeped in “safety” can sell - we just can’t seem to get enough crime news.
Long before the current “reality TV” trend, “Cops” was bringing true crime, in all of its exposed-drywall squalor, into living rooms of curious viewers.
In my years reporting for the Lakewood Sun Post, people often mentioned to me that the police blotter was their favorite part of the paper and a must-read every week.
So it should come as no surprise that there are many tales of true crime among the books at Lakewood Public Library.
If you fancy yourself a sleuth, how about giving it a go at one of the most famous unsolved cases with “The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Companion,” by Stewart P. Evans and Keith Skinner.
Unlike books by “ripperologists” pointing fingers at this madman or that royal connection, this book makes no claims of any sort, merely providing all of the source material - police reports, news accounts, etc. - to allow the reader to conduct an independent study of the murders.
As such, it provides many details left out of other tomes designed to serve as framework for a particular hypothesis. For instance, there were 11 victims comprising what’s known at the Whitechapel Murders from 1888-1891 and anywhere from three to six are considered to be the work of “Jack the Ripper.” Most books simply state as fact that there were five victims.
While not as famous as that London crime spree, Cleveland has its own unsolved serial killer case often compared to the Ripper in the “torso murders,” the subject of books such as “Torso: The Story of Eliot Ness and the Search for a Psychopathic Killer” and “In the Wake of the Butcher: Cleveland’s Torso Murders.”“The Butcher,” by James Jessen Badal, is the more dramatic of the pair, taking the reader through the various discoveries of bodies along the lake and in the train yard area given the now cryptically sounding moniker of Kingsbury Run. A few grisly photos add to the chilling account of the 12 (and sometimes argued even more) murders that occurred from 1921 or later (depending on the official body count) until 1950.
“Torso,” by Steven Nickel, focuses on the fabled crimefighter and former Lakewood resident (Ness once lived in the former Vernon Stouffer residence in Clifton Lagoons) and how failing to solve the series of 12 murders stained an otherwise stellar career.
Although it appears to be a fairly complete account of the case, it’s a bit dry at times and could use a little more zest to build momentum.
That’s where John Stark Bellamy II excels. The Cuyahoga County Public Library employee and local crime historian writes with such flair that it’s easy to wonder why people like “The Phantom Flapper Killer” and cases like the “Murder on Millionaire’s Row” aren’t more familiar.
Bellamy writes in a style that brings a taste of the era to the reader, such as expressions like a person being “in his cups” rather than simply drunken. Whether it’s “They Died Crawling,” “The Maniac in the Bushes” or “The Corpse in the Cellar,” a collection of his crime stories is sure to entertain.
“The Maniac in the Bushes” includes the torso murders, which is broken down into segments spliced between the other true tales of Cleveland-area crime.Local tales are also revealed in the “Haunted Ohio” series of books by Chris Woodyard. The books are basically compilations of short stories about ghostly encounters throughout the state, although much of the emphasis is on the Columbus area and parts south.
There is a Lakewood ghost story in “Haunted Ohio II” -- titled “There was a Little Girl...” The brief entry tells about how two families who occupied a house had independently seen a little girl wearing a turn-of-the-century gown. The girl would disappear if you came too close, according to witnesses, as told to a neighbor who worked for General Electric. Unfortunately, the author failed to include an address (perhaps to dissuade gawkers), so don’t expect to pay the place a visit.
Another book with appeal for those with short attention spans is “The Encyclopedia of Occult and Supernatural Murder,” by Brian Lane. It’s arranged alphabetically by topic or killer, so it’s easy to quickly find a subject of interest and get a thumbnail account of what the case was about.
On the positive side, the book draws its listings from all over the world, providing information about some cases that might not have received as much publicity here. However, as the author notes, everything can’t be included and it might omit what you’re looking for. I know I was expecting to find something about Jeffrey Lungren and the Kirtland murders.For something with a little different approach, “Victim: The Other Side of Murder” by Gary Kinder is one of those “can’t put down” books that intrigues as it repels in telling how a ghastly Utah murder changed the lives of the survivors and families, rather than focusing on the killers themselves.
In chronicling a victim’s daily struggles to recover and how the incident shattered families, Kinder argues that victims are forgotten and left to cope on their own, while tax dollars are spent to feed, house and provide attorneys for killers whose rights are defended through years of appeals, while victims’ rights are largely ignored.While “Victim” is more of a harrowing tale, “The Poet and the Murderer” reads closer to a mystery novel, only is a true account of an art forger who gets deep into debt and feels his only way out is homemade pipe bombs delivered to a creditor and an unrelated person, just to get police off the scent.
After reading about the crimes recounted in these books, it’s easy to wonder how human beings can commit such atrocities. That’s just what James Waller attempts to explain in “Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing.”
Waller, a professor of psychology, argues that it isn’t just a few aberrant people who have the potential to commit inhuman acts, but that capacity lies within all of us, waiting for the right (or wrong) conditions to be nurtured.
While there is a certain segment of the population that can be influenced, particularly under pressure to go along with the crowd or follow orders (as happened under the Nazis), I’m sure most people would argue that they don’t have a hidden killer inside that can emerge under certain circumstances.Still, there must be some explanation for what would appear to be unexplainable to most people. Maybe that’s the fascination with true crime - trying to figure out what triggers a seemingly normal person (so many news accounts quote people on what a nice person the killer seemed to be) to do such unspeakable things.
Movies
If you’ve interested in movies out of the mainstream, but aren’t quite sure what you’re getting into, try reading up on samurai, independent and cult flicks first with some of Lakewood Public Library’s books on films.
“The Samurai Film,” by Alain Silver, isn’t just a rundown of cinematic sword-carriers, it’s also a history of Japanese warrior culture. For instance, the author explains that samurai didn’t start as the heroic, leader type, but were mere employees of feudal lords - samurai’s original meaning being “servant.”
For Shogun Warrior fans, I also learned that shogun is a field marshal in support of the shogunate, or military government. In addition to history, there are chapters devoted to topics such as the films of famous samurai filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and a glossary of terms.
More modern, but still likely to be considered ancient by modern moviegoers, is the subject covered in “The Speed of Sound: Hollywood and the Talkie Revolution,” by Scott Eyman. The book chronicles how sound transformed the movie industry from the first few lines of dialogue spoken by Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer.”
It may seem silly now, but there was a struggle to take films into the talking era, particularly with the required vocal training established stars needed to continue working.
In the “no matter how much things change department,” it was interesting to note that only two theaters were capable of playing “The Jazz Singer” when it opened and theaters were pushed to adapt their systems to meet the new technology — much like George Lucas nudging theaters with the introduction of Dolby sound with “Star Wars” and with digital technology with “The Phantom Menace.”
Speaking of places far, far away, learned about “The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made” in a book by David Hughes. Topics covered include the struggle to bring “Spider-Man” to the screen (the book, published in 2001, noted that things appeared to be moving forward for what would be the 2002 blockbuster), along with fellow comic heroes Superman, Fantastic Four (made and never released) and the Watchmen.
One curious chapter revealed how “Night Skies,” what was to be a Steven Spielberg tale of aliens who terrorize a rural family, ended up as the mega-hit “E.T.,” with a decidedly more friendly extraterrestrial.
Naturally, “E.T.” wouldn’t qualify for the next tome, “Cult Movies,” by Karl and Philip French. They come up with a curious definition of “cult,” however, with hits like “Casablanca,” “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Some Like It Hot” and “On the Waterfront” alongside “Eraserhead,” “This Island Earth” and others typically included in cult film lists.
Films are given the basic summary treatment, but there are a couple extras thrown in, such as odd facts and choice quotes such as the “This is Spinal Tap” line “How more black could it be? The answer is none. None more black.” Sadly, they omitted the whole bit about the amps that “go to 11.”
A staple of cult films are horror titles, the subject of David J. Skal’s “The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror.” Skal’s name should be familiar to fans of the Universal Monster films — he’s featured on the documentaries included on many recent DVD releases of the classic monster titles.
Skal projects the public’s fascination with horror against the times they’re responding to (World Wars, the Cold War), even suggesting a link between a current rise in vampire films to AIDS fears. In addition to attempting to figure out the fascination with horror, he delves into the personalities behind the films, like Tod Browning (“Freaks”), Bela Lugosi (“Dracula”) and the ubiquitous Vincent Price.
The book provides a complete overview of the genre, even getting into the growth of toys and the legendary Aurora models in the 1960s, all the while presenting the information and anecdotes in the framework of their time.Star-struck readers may want to peruse “Toxic Fame,” by Joey Berlin. It’s a collection of quotes from stars on their celebrity status, encounters with fans, rumors and the misguided “jackals of the press” (I need to defend my occupation, although I’m sure there are plenty of wild animals among journalists).
Comments come from such illustrious sources as Pauly Shore — “People are always wanting me to smoke bud with them, or hook me up with chicks. It’s like I’m the Spuds MacKenzie of humans.” There are some revealing, relevant quotes to be sure, but still more are blather of the variety of Melanie Griffith freaking out because she had no idea so many people died in the Holocaust and Robert Downey, Jr. espousing on the temptations of stardom and how a sense of accomplishment is really between you and God.
Surprisingly enough, one of the more lucid entries came from a particularly unlikely source — Yoko Ono, whose quote about an author trying to discredit her and John Lennon was far more intelligible than her lyrics ever were. She said “Now I don’t know what that does to anybody. Maybe he’s got some principle that there shouldn’t be any legends, any myths, any statues, because that’s wrong. I can understand that. People should trust in themselves, not in a legend, not in a statue. We believed that, too, but they don’t have to defame our names to do that.”
In contrast to the thumb-through, quick-reading of “Toxic Fame,” an in-depth look at a specific part of film history is covered in “Psychiatry and the Cinema,” which traces how the professional has been presented in movies like the German silent “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” and “Silence of the Lambs.” HBO’s “The Sopranos” and the current sequel “Analyze That” prove that Glen O. Gabbard and Krin Gabbard hit on a subject that remains topical.
Although the authors believe psychiatry is a natural for the big screen, they also bemoan how the occupation has been misrepresented. They discuss all types of stereotypes and complain that psychiatrists are too often presented as quacks, evil or even as impossibly all-knowing. However, they do suggest that there was a “Golden Era” during the 1950s and early 1960s when psychiatrists were presented in a rational light. But that was viewed as ended by radical free-thinking of the later ’60s.
The book doesn’t address television depictions, however, so there’s no mention of Dr. Melfi (“The Sopranos”), often cited as a good example of how these professionals actually deal with patients.
On the even more esoteric end, there’s “Film Culture Reader,” a collection of stories from Film Culture magazine. It reads like it’s for high-brow film buffs, after all who else would want to read essays about the avant-garde, the New American Cinema and people like Carl Dreyer, a filmmaker so familiar (as least to the writer of the article) that his first name is not even mentioned. Not that he may not be a quality artist, it’s just that he’s not a first-name basis. Like them or not, at least you know who’s being talked about when with the one-named Madonna or Cher.
“The Unkindest Cut” by Movieline writer Joe Queenan chronicles how a film critic went into the business by making his own low-budget flick, “Twelve Steps to Death.” He goes into things like what other films he thought about making, including “Jaws V,” featuring a bloodthirsty, shark-eating man, before deciding to take on people who blame their dysfunction on anything but themselves—they’re fat because of genetics, lazy because of Chronic Lateness Syndrome, etc.
Queenan talks about selling out—giving whatever credits needed to secure financing, for instance—and the various pitfalls along the way to getting a film made. Even after it’s finally done, he suffers the indignity of bad reviews and the film ultimately never gets released commercially.If reading that’s not enough to turn you off from creating your own masterpiece, check out “The Independent Film & Videomaker’s Guide,” by Michael Wiese, the producer of the “Star Wars” spoof “Hardware Wars.”
Wiese’s doesn’t sugar-coat the work required to make a picture, but suggests it is possible and gives steps to achieve that goal, including tips on finding investors, putting together a summary, production schedule, budget and finding distributors and markets. These steps are shown through process of getting three films released—“Hardware Wars,” the documentary “Dolphin” and “The Radiance of Light,” a short film derived from the works of an artist who dealt with the religious experience of light.
It’s very business-like—Wiese presents his own resume, outlines, budgets and the like so you can adapt the documents to your own project.
His professed goal is to encourage more independent filmmakers and get people to take chances in making movies. Judging from the books I’ve reviewed, there’s a whole lot of people out there interested in swimming away from mainstream fare and eager to see what there is to offer outside of the big-budget box office bonanzas.
2002 Archive: Dec'02 || Nov. '02 || Oct. '02 || Sept. '02 || Aug. '02 || Jul. '02 || Mar. '02 || Feb. '02 || Jan. '02 || Dec.'01
True confession time - me, the electro/industrial DJ known as Edit, once disdained anything beyond guitars and acoustic drums as not being “real” music, whatever that means.
Then again, I was in my early teens and living in the suburbs, so I was doing what comes naturally. Thankfully, I’ve learned to expand my musical tastes since and discovered the industrial scene centered locally in Lakewood, which once was home to two clubs, the now deceased Tyr and the long-running Chamber, part of the DeFrasia family’s Phantasy complex.
Lakewood Public Library has catered to this segment of the populace for years by carrying compact discs from bands like Spahn Ranch, Apoptygma Berzerk, Front Line Assembly and Funker Vogt. I’ve had people tell me (without knowing my connection to the library) about what a great selection of alternative/underground music the library has, not just in regards to industrial bands, but punk, electronica and garage as well.
The library continues to refresh its collection by adding new material, including a recent purchase of many of the synthpop and industrial acts you can hear played at the Chamber and even some that aren’t well known by DJs.
A good starting off point for people who aren’t well versed in the genre are the three compilation CDs in “Critical Mass” series from Metropolis. Not merely “hits” collections, they strike a nice balance between club hits, alternative mixes and introducing new acts.
Highlights among the newest CDs in the collection include the self-titled “Dismantled,” an act which earned its recording contract by winning a contest for remixes of Wumpscut’s “Wreath of Barbs.” Dismantled combines an atmospheric quality with an edge, creating a sound that not only appeals to the dancefloor set, but also has won over people I know who don’t normally listen to industrial music.
The library also has the aforementioned “Wreath of Barbs” by Wumpscut, certainly one of the noteworthy releases in recent years. German industrial legend Rudy Ratzinger came up with a release to please all of his fans, mixing melodic hooks among grittier sounds to come up with what might be his best-received work since “Bunker Gate Seven.”Also on the harder edge is Hocico, a Mexican (imagine that) duo that recently played the Phantasy. “Signos de Aberracion” is probably their strongest effort to date and just might be the best industrial release of last year (although technically released in 2001, it was only imported here last fall). The driving sound should appeal to fans of one of the earliest industrial artists, Skinny Puppy.
Other library additions include the latest Funker Vogt release — “Survivor,” E-Craft’s “Electrocution,” Accessory’s “Deadline” (with the Chamber favorite “War of Emotions”) and Feindflug, a lesser-known act with a bit of a noisy edge and driving, militaristic beats.
More toward the synthpop end of the spectrum, there’s “Tales from Another World” from Beborn Beton, “No Sleep Demon” by Seabound, “Spectators” by Wolfsheim and “Remixed” by de/vision. All should appeal to people who lean toward alternative music or new wave and are looking for an updated sound. Wolfsheim, for example, brings to mind Depeche Mode, although there certainly isn’t an attempt to create a sound-alike band.
Also new are discs from some of the current industrial giants - Covenant, Assemblage 23 and VNV Nation.
“Northern Light” returns Covenant to dance floors with “Call the Ships to Port” and also features “Invisible and Silent,” a slower tune with a nonetheless catchy melody and “We Stand Alone,” reminiscent of some of their earlier danceable material.
Assemblage 23’s “Failure” contains what has to be considered a landmark industrial track in “Disappoint,” bringing together a moving beat, unforgettable melody and meaningful lyrics to create something that’s already considered an industrial standard.
As perhaps the current standard bearer, VNV Nation is sort of a lightning rod for opinions. People love them or hate them, although I suspect some of the people leaning toward the latter do so more because the band’s become too popular to maintain that “insider” status so important to many fans of things outside of the mainstream. Still, VNV’s popular for a reason, which can be heard on “Future Perfect.” Although not as strong throughout as the classic “Empires,” its still has its share of moments, including the epic “Beloved.”
Old school fans may have interest in “Remixes from the Underground” a collection of Clan of Xymox tunes done by Angels & Agony, Iris, Front Line Assembly, Cut.Rate.Box, In Strict Confidence and others. Unfortunately, the two-disc set covers only the release “Notes from the Underground” — it would have been interesting to hear a modern take on classics like “Imagination” or “Muscovite Mosquito.”
Other newly-added CDs include “Advanced Decay” by Cesium 137 and “Technicolor” by Columbus-based Dubok, both of which are a little too down tempo for most dance floors, but should appeal to people who like their music on the experimental side.
Which brings to mind how far industrial music has come since the days of Throbbing Gristle (later to be known as Psychic TV), Depeche Mode and Skinny Puppy, which brought experiments in noise and sound, pop sensibility and a harder edge, respectively, to the early industrial landscape.
With the availability of affordable recording equipment, samples and the like, we’re now in probably the best era for industrial music, with all sorts of people making interesting music. Of course, not all of it’s good, but there are plenty of standouts if you look for them and are willing to try something that done mostly without guitars (although some bands, like Front Line Assembly, have found a way to meld guitars into the industrial mix).
As a fan of the punk’s first go-around, hanging at places like the Pop Shop, Cleveland Underground and Lakefront, I see some similarities between that scene and this one — the anti-star philosophy that anyone can make music, which is more about the songs themselves than any extended displays of instrumental virtuosity.
And with the wide range of styles comprising the goth/industrial spectrum, there’s bound to be something for just about any taste, except maybe teenage suburbs boys hooked on heavy metal. Give them a few years.
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In Lakewood Public Library terms, "weird science" isn't Anthony Michael Hall wearing a bra on his head. Strange as that movie scene is, it doesn't really qualify among the various philosophies, discoveries and theories that comprise the library's Weird Science collection.
Before getting to quarks and time warps (again), I'd like to get one thing out of the way - while these theories may seem out there, so does Darwinism or Creationism to people on the other side of that debate. Not that I'm necessarily a believer in the concepts presented in these books, but just to remind readers to keep an open mind to possibilities. Who knows for sure? Maybe there is a Force that binds us together and we're really made up of the midichlorians, as the Star Wars movies suggest. Then again, some of these ideas do seem at least a little crackpot, but they can still be interesting reading, nonetheless.
We'll start our consciousness-expanding journey with "Cosmos and Consciousness," a book by physicist Stephen Blaha that explores all sort of areas, including quantum computers, quarks and Turing machines. One of this book's strengths is that the author intentionally wrote for a mixed audience, presenting what he calls a "light reading" approach to much of the material to make it suitable for people new to the topics.
Of personal interest was a chapter explaining the origin of the Ankh, which Blaha maintains was inspired by the shape of a comet.By the way, quarks are a small building block of matter, believed to exist by physicists. Atoms contain a nucleus, which is comprised of nucleons, which is made up of quarks, or so the theory goes. Blaha also gets into how we understand reality and its relationship to language. Pretty heady stuff.
Let's move on to another dimension, "The Fifth Dimension." Not the "Age of Aquarius" group, either, but the John Gregorek book about the universe.
His primary purpose is to get readers to go beyond a linear approach and perceive the universe through a multi-dimensional viewpoint. The explanations, including using a piece of paper to present the concept of infinity (if we were a spot of the paper, how would it appear to you when flat, rolled up, etc.), serve to provide perspective to allow you to think beyond traditional boundaries. The thought is that everything changes based on your vantage point, so adopting a view from another point of focus can open a door to other possibilities. At least that's the way I read it.
Other dimensions are also addressed in "Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps and the 10th Dimension." Michio Kaku refers to a carp pond he visited as a child and thought about how the fish perceived their limited world. Thus, we are the fish in terms of looking at hyperspace, other dimensions and subjects beyond our immediate scope of reference.
Kaku writes about things like wormholes, which can connect places of different times (allowing time travel) and produces convincingly scientific evidence that suggests time travel could be possible, only that we lack the resources, particularly money, to test principles that have been concocted.
He also talks about creation, noting that the Big Bang theory still doesn't address what occurred before the "cosmic echo" was introduced.Time travel's the specific focus of "Time Travel in Einstein's Universe" by J. Richard Gott, who maintains that Einstein showed that time travel was possible, given the principles of physics. Naturally, the challenge is to take time travel from the conceptual level to actuality.
Gott also writes about wormholes, first developed for the Carl Sagan novel "Contact." Sagan enlisted a professor to ensure that the tale didn't violate physical laws and wound up sparking new interest in the concept of wormholes by starting debates about how the rift could remain open long enough and under what circumstances humans might survive the journey.
References to Star Trek and other science fiction favorites are sprinkled among theories such as curved space to keep things interesting. Of course, there's no concrete evidence given as to how time travel can work, but Gott believes that a civilization must first be adept at interstellar travel before making the leap through time.
Other worlds also are the domain of "Here Be Dragons: The Scientific Quest for Extraterrestrial Life." Authors David Koerner and Simon LeVay start looking for life elsewhere by reviewing the history of life here, including the existence of dinosaurs, whose fossilized remains cannot predate Adam and Eve, according to Creationist belief. In fact, the great beasts were around only a few hundred years ago - referred to as "dragons" during the Middle Ages.
The origins of Earth are important in that they provide a blueprint for how life might exist elsewhere. This book covers many theories and goes into detail on building blocks, chemical reactions and other requirements for sustaining life on other planets. It's more about possibilities than hard facts - even the conclusions section notes that many beliefs put forth in the growing study of astrobiology will likely fall by the wayside. But it certainly gives the reader something to think about.
Staying back on Earth, Pat Delgado and Colin Andrews consider "Circular Evidence: A Detailed Investigation of the Flattened Swirled Crops Phenomenon." There are plenty of pictures of crop circles, as well as dates, details and evidence from studies.
The authors maintain a neutral stance on the phenomenon, addresses theories such as a connection with UFOs, but not stating opinion on the matter. However, they are clear to point out that these circles are difficult or impossible to reproduce without damaging some of the crops - they make a point to note that in all cases there is no damage to the wheat fields. That's the primary factor that separates hoaxes from the true crop circles, according to believers.
Compared to other fields of study under the "weird science" label, cloning's no longer an abstraction. Sure, it's a long way from Dolly the sheep to human clones, but the progress thus far definitely makes it appear to be possible, which seems further supported by the public outcry about the ethics of such science. Why the fuss if it's beyond our reach?
"The Cloning Sourcebook" devotes many of its pages to the ethics of cloning and the issues it brings up in terms of public policy. Topics covered include things like whether the U.S. Constitution provides the right for people to have a child through cloning. It protects individuals from government intrusion into the decision of whether to bear a child and courts have upheld the right of infertile couples to undergo medically-assisted reproduction, so cloning appears to be no great stretch of that right, according to the book.
There are also chapters outlining the history of cloning and up-to-date (as of the 2001 publication date) report on current research.
Even if they're unfamiliar with the science behind cloning, most people are aware of the concepts. That's probably not the case with the ideas covered by "Anti-Gravity and the World Grid," the back cover of which boasts that inside you will "discover the secrets of the world grid of power spots and vortex areas!"
The world grid refers to primary energy lines to which the Earth and its energies are organized. Author David Hatcher Childress, who served as editor for the book's collected writings, reckons that ancient sites were placed in certain locales with the grid in mind.According to these reports, the Earth Grid system is not only something scientists have studied for at least a thousand years, it's also considered credible enough to be the subject of government research. Still, I can't help but notice a certain parallel to the space sagas mentioned previously - maybe the Grid inspired the concept of the Force.
Even if you're a believer of the Grid, the book contains some interesting diagrams, including several relating to the communications experiments of Nikola Tesla, UFO stories from Weekly World News and the like and drawing and patent information on circular, flying-saucer type aircraft.
Whereas the Grid deals with planetary forces controlling people, other "Weird Science" selections place the emphasis and the abilities of humans to influence their surrounding, primarily through the powers of the brain.
It doesn't answer that my burning question - do paradigms ever stand still?, but "Quantum Mind: The Edge Between Physics and Psychology" purports to be science's most important paradigm shift, according to one of the blurbs touting the tome.
Chapters like "The Tao of Mathematics" and the "The Math of Dreaming" view math not as an objective analysis, but a subjective psychological process - the notion being that it can be altered by your perception.
Author Arnold Mindell writes about a consensus reality - what most people view as everyday life. In an interesting chapter on "Dreambody: Two Kinds of Death," he discusses disturbances of attention and two approaches to them in terms of approaching a forest.In one, you are your ordinary self and fear encountering a bear, causing you to be dazed for a period of time as an electron is annihilated by its antimatter positron. In a fluid approach, you follow a continuous path and realize your fantasy about the bear is a call to let go of your self temporarily and enter an altered state in which you shape-shift into becoming the bear.
By this analysis, death to an ordinary person is feared, whereas the shape-shift is fluid of the reality of whatever it experiences. A somewhat interesting theory, although it does seem to be skewed to grant an elevated status to the believers, as opposed to those teeming masses who can't comprehend these higher planes of thought.
If you're interested in developing your mind, you might want to delve into your mental skills with the "Psychic Development Workbook: How to Awaken & Use Your ESP." The thought is that everyone has some extra-sensory perception; it's just a matter of honing natural abilities. Rodney Davies admits that ESP's properties can seem like magic, which is why scientists disregard it as myth. However, he argues that even what we call reality is actually an illusion, with our sense organs gathering information and our brains presenting it in a form we can recognize.
The book's a mixture of history, with stories about people like Soviet mentalist/telepath Wolf Messing, and tests to determine your own aptitude for clairvoyance, telepathy and the like.
Expanding human abilities are also explored in "The Future of the Body: Explorations into the Further Evolution of Human Nature" by Michael Murphy. He suggests that many of the topics under the "Weird Science" heading are dismissed because they don't tie directly into existing branches of physical science, because scientists want to connect the dots, as it were. He suggests that fields of study should be continued on their own terms, without the bias to reduce them to established science.
Regarding evolution, Murphy suggests that process comes in the form of minor and major leaps, rather than gradual change - that's why their are gaps in fossil re-creations of evolution. He also believes that the next great leap forward will come through extraordinary human development, such as ESP and extraordinary communication abilities.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this book is that it touches about an area ignored by the other books I reviewed - sports, which the author likens to a Western form of yoga for its transformative quality. The chapter gets into the history of sport and its evolution, including the advancing of athletic records for track and field and other disciplines.
That reminds me of an interview I had with one of the physicians working with the Cleveland Indians. He was convinced that professional athletes were vastly different physically that the average person, with the notion that you're a born athlete or not. Doesn't give a lot of hope to many people dreaming about the big leagues, but it does seem to fit in with the idea the gifted athletes represent a form of evolution.
After all this, I'm not sure what to believe. I doubt if any of these books will convince skeptics, but they provide something to think about for people who have open minds and want to discover. If nothing else, you can get some ideas about what directions science fiction might take.
Instead of taking two aspirins and calling the doctor in the morning, it's become take some herbal supplements and forget about that physician.
Let me get my bias out of the way here - I'm convinced that alternative medicine, herbs, vitamins and other patient-driven solutions can be helpful and I've been known to try a few in my quest to avoid the doctor's office.
However, I'm also leery of many claims being made by people selling products that are not tested (because the Food and Drug Administration doesn't regulate supplements). What's worse, people take these supplements based on claims of being "all natural," with the misguided notion that something "natural" can't hurt you.
Since they also are likely taking pills to avoid doctors, supplement users either don't see a doctor or don't tell the doctor about the herb or whatever, leading to potentially dangerous interactions with prescription medications. A recent Health Scout News report noted how even physicians have much to learn about herbs and other dietary supplements. The article also contained a great quote summing up the public's perception of supplements. "People think if something is sold over-the-counter or it's all natural that it's safe, and that's not necessarily true. Hemlock and arsenic are natural," said New York University Medical Center nutritionist Samantha Heller.
Another recent news account revealed that ginko biloba, long heralded as a memory booster, was ineffective in a medical study published in the August 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
What this all means isn't necessarily that supplements or alternative approaches to health can't be successful, but that it's best to read up before rushing ahead down a path that may lead to more problems than solutions.
Lakewood Public Library's collection includes books covering all realms of alternative health practices.
"The Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing," by nutritionist Gary Null, is an A-Z, or actually an A-V (Aging to Vitamin Drips) listing of medical conditions and potential treatments. It even encompasses learning disorders and alcoholism among the maladies addressed within.As you might expect, Null disdains traditional medicine for the most part, allowing that it's necessary, but that its crisis-oriented approach isn't suited for chronic conditions and doesn't do enough to promote prevention.
Homeopathic and herbal remedies abound. However, Null does caution that some supplements may be useful on a temporary basis, but may also cause more problems if used continually as a preventive measure.
"The Best Alternative Medicine: What Works? What Does Not?," by professor of medicine Kenneth Pelletier, deals with complementary and alternative medicine, referred to as CAM, as attempts to quantify which approaches are most effective.
One point I have to agree with Pelletier on is that he sees people who favor traditional and alternative medicine as unyielding opposites whose contrasting claims leave frustrated patients in the middle of confusion.Clearly, he's a believer in MindBody medicine, the notion that the body cannot be treated separately from the mind. He outlines practices such as hypnosis, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and music therapy, giving examples of what these approaches have been successful/unsuccessful in treating and provides results of relevant studies to support his arguments.
There's also a handy index of ailments and suggested remedies for quick reference.Rudolph Ballentine, creator of the Center for Holistic Medicine in New York City, is author of "Radical Healing," which is more of a history/explanation of herbs, homeopathy, nutrition and the roles they play in maintaining health. It's not all a dry read - he intersperses vignettes involving specific people and how they responded to various treatments. However, this is more for those wanting to learn about medicine and approaches to healing than people looking to remedy a particular ailment.
Herbs are the focus of "The Green Pharmacy" by James A. Duke. Bladder infections, insect bites, insomnia, pain and stroke are just some of the problems that can be solved with herbs, according to the author, who maintains that herbs can treat conditions pharmaceuticals cannot touch. He reasons that herbs would be more popular, but drugs companies can't patent them, so they take the medicinally-active molecules out to tinker with and devise their own drugs.
He adds that prescribed drugs aren't all bad, but that herbs should be given their due.Remedies are given rankings according to which are most highly recommended. For headaches, bay leaves, feverfew and willow are given top ranking. One drawback with this book is there is no easily-reference area with detailed descriptions of each herb. It appears to be geared toward the converted - people who are familiar with herbs and believers in their healing properties.
A more introductory-level guide to herbs is "Herbal Remedies for Dummies," an easy-to-read reference of what they do and how they can be used. Despite its seemingly casual approach, it actually has a more complete rundown of herbs (including illustrations) than many other books on herbs. Michael Castleman's "Blended Medicine: The Best Choices in Healing" takes the premise that several different medical practices have merit and people would do well to consider all options. The thought is that some non-conventional approaches can even work in conjunction with mainstream medicine.
Homeopathy, herbs, music therapy, yoga and more are outlined in separate chapters to introduce these concepts to readers who may be unfamiliar with them.
Castleman gives choices of treatment for various conditions, ranking them by listing "best choices" first, followed by "good choices."
For high blood pressure, for example, nutrition ranks of foremost importance, with advice to skimp on salt and sugar, get adequate calcium and vitamin C and eat bananas, oranges and other foods with good sodium to potassium ratios.
That section is followed by ones explaining how supplements, exercise, Tai Chi and Qigong, Yoga and other steps can help lower blood pressure. Medical measures are also addressed, with a brief rundown of diuretics and other drugs that can be prescribed for people with high blood pressure. "The Family Guide to Homeopathy," by Andrew Lockie, tells how homeopathy works with nature to treat the whole individual. The book is intended to serve as a homeopathic first aid guide, providing solutions for self-treatment, but the author also suggests that people visit a professional homeopath on occasion for additional guidance.
Lockie stresses the important role prevention plays in homeopathy and the need to exercise, eat well and maintain healthy habits. As for the remedies, herbs play a large role, as do minerals and animal and human tissues - dog saliva and spiders are among remedies listed in the book.
One drawback is that no explanation is given as to how a treatment works to address an ailment. It would be nice to know how apis (venom from a bee sting) works to remedy a detached retina, for example.
For people fearful of treading too deep into alternative medicine, aromatherapy may provide a good solution because it's external. However, as Jeanne Rose notes in "The Aromatherapy Book," all plants and their essential oils can be harmful if used improperly or in excess.
According to Rose, Aromatherapy was used back in the days of Cleopatra, at least since 400 B.C. She lists which oils to use to address which problems, including the best options (tea tree oil for acne, eucalyptus oil for bronchitis). There are also detailed descriptions of many oils and information on measuring for scent recipes. There's also a charter giving the best times of days to treat certain conditions - it's best to address lung issues from 3-5 a.m., for example.
Another ancient health practice is the subject of "Ayurvedic Secrets to Longevity and Total Health," describing the natural medicine of India. The book goes through the many components of Ayurveda, including diet, exercise, supplements, massage and meditation.
First, learn your body type - Vata, Pitta, Kapha and all combinations thereof - and follow guidelines as to the diet that's best suited for you.
Other chapters deal with strengthening immune systems, revitalizing with herbs, managing temper and stress and achieving your ideal body weight. While Ayurveda and other practices incorporate nutrition into their routines, food is the focus in "Super Healing Foods" and "The Macrobiotic Way."
The latter features some discussion of exercise, it's mostly about eating whole grains, vegetables and how to prepare them "to achieve balance and harmony in the body and with the environment."
One sample menu starts with a breakfast of soft rice cereal, fried tofu, steamed broccoli and bancha tea, followed by a lunch of Millet croquettes, Chinese-style vegetables, rice bran pickles and more bancha tea. For dinner, it's lentil soup, pressure-cooked brown rice, kinpura carrots and burdock, boiled mustard greens, red radish pickles, raisin-nut cookies and grain coffee. No mention of whether you can get that to go.
"Super Healing Foods" isn't as concentrated on plants and herbs, but includes avocados, berries, onions, walnuts and other foods I've actually heard of and even tasted. The book is split into sections on foods and their healing properties and a listing of health problems and related food "cures." Nutritional self-defense is mentioned as a good way to avoid cancer, for example. Pectin (a fruit and vegetable fiber), tofu, carrot juice and cole slaw are provided as helpful foods, while the author advises avoidance of coffee and alcohol.
While there's a lot of health advice and philosophies out there, I can't really say there's something for everyone, unless I missed the one on indulging in all of your favorite foods, ignoring pain because It'll probably just go away anyway and generally doing whatever you want. Nevertheless, most people can find something that can be of help in at least one of these or the library's other books on self-help medical practices. The trick is to find what works for you, instead of chasing the latest approach.I have this friend, see, who has this other friend whose brother's cousin's college roommate heard about this guy who bought a Corvette for $100 from a woman who was trying to get back at her husband for having an affair.
Such is the stuff of legends - urban legends. I was told this one (although not quite as far removed from the "source" as presented above), known as "The Bargain Sports Car" or similar moniker. It was relayed to me as a "true" story, the way many urban legends are spread. Never mind that the teller didn't know the name of the fortunate buyer and, of course, there was no way to verify the information. It was just accepted as truth.
Meanwhile, the same story was repeated all over the country as various prices, with all sorts of car models, but always a sports car at an unbelievable deal. There must be a lot of scorned women willing to sacrifice monetary gain for a small degree of revenge.
Lakewood Public Library has several books chronicling tales of urban folklore, or legends as they are commonly known. Clearly, the authoritative source on the subject is Jan Harold Brunvand, author of "The Choking Doberman," "The Truth Never Stands in the Way of a Good Story," "The Vanishing Hitchhiker," "Too Good To Be True: The Colossal Book of Urban Legends" and other titles available at the library.
By the way, if you prefer graphic novels, Brunvard's stories had been adapted in illustrated form in "The Big Book of Urban Legends," also available at the library.
Some books, like Brunvard's, attempt to give context to the fables, while others are simply recounts of the various myths that are often circulated. Then there's "Did You Hear About the Girl Who ...?," which concentrates solely on legends dealing with human sexuality as a means to inform people who may believe that it's not possible to get pregnant the first time or some such misinformation. Not all topics in this book are true folklore. However, authors Mariamne Whatley and Elissa Henken do cover some familiar tales, such as the one night stand who turns out to be a kidney thief, the AIDS-infected needle and numerous legends about people caught naked or "in the act."
According to Brunvard, urban legends are moralistic tales created to warn/advise about behavior and reinforce traditional roles - it's suggested that the "Kentucky Fried Rat" illustrates what occurs when women abandon their duties as food preparers. In this tale, the wife discovers that her piece of chicken is in reality a breaded, deep-fried rat. Of course, this story didn't make the news because the family was paid a settlement to keep quiet.
That's also given as the rationale behind "The Everlasting Light Bulb," presented in the collecton "Spiders in the Hairdo," by David Holt and Bill Mooney. A man whose light bulb lasted for 70 years was offered $4,000 for it by a company that accidentally let one of its experimental bulbs get mixed into a regular shipment. This is another one I heard, although I was only told that a company developed such a bulb, but refused to market their invention because they would lose money if light bulbs didn't have to be replaced.
Brunvard maintains that anyone reading these stories will find at least one they recognize and were told as if it were true. That's probably the case, particularly with how often these legends are perpetuated by the media.
Yes, as hard as it is to believe (and disappointing for journalists like myself), many newspapers have printed accounts of legends as news stories. From reading some of Brunvand's books, it appears that this is a regular occurrence. Sometimes, as in "The Bargain Sports Car," it was in Ann Landers' column (as a $50 Porsche), but they've even made the editorial section. According to Brunvand, the San Diego Union used a legend about a thief stealing a trunk containing a dead dog as proof that crime doesn't pay - in an editorial, no less. In the tale, the dog's in the trunk because it's being taken to be disposed of by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals by someone who was watching the dog for a friend.
A tale circulating locally in recent years was "Lights Out," about a supposed gang initiation in which the gang members drive around with headlights off and will chase down and kill occupants of the first car and flash their headlights back. Brunvand said the legend was widely circulated in 1993, so it must have been a little late getting here. I received this one in e-mail form - a popular modern twist on the urban legend.
"Netlore," as it's known, recycles some of the old legends and has created many new ones as well. If you have e-mail, you've been sent the claims of how Bill Gates will pay you all sorts of money if you keep forwarding the chain e-mail so he can do his "beta testing."
One particular piece of such nonsense involving a terrorist attack scheduled for last Halloween was circulated throughout a local school district within days, rapidly creating chaos. And this was forwarded to me from a college-educated, otherwise rational person who just went along with a warning coming from someone they don't know.
Here's how it went - "My friend's friend was dating a guy from Afghanistan up until a month ago. She had a date with him around 9/6 and was stood up. She was understandably upset and went to his home to find it completely emptied. On 9/10, she received a letter from her boyfriend explaining that he wished he could tell her why he had left and that he was sorry it had to be like that. The part worth mentioning is that he BEGGED her not to get on any commercial airlines on 9/11 and to not to go any malls on Halloween. As soon as everything happened on the 11th, she called the FBI and has since turned over the letter."
Naturally, it's far removed from the source, who even then relies on a "friend of a friend," a phrase so common in urban legends that it's known by the acronym of FOAF.
Whenever I get this stuff, I simply check out the real story from a websites like www.breakthechain.org and www.urbanlegends.about.com (which has a useful ranking of the 25 most widely-spread myths of the moment). Then I let the rumor monger know the truth in hopes of stemming the tide of paranoia. These stories are fun, but far too many people accept them as truth.
But there's no mistaking their entertainment value - that's why movies have been made dealing with the topic. The 1998 film "Urban Legend" is available at the library on DVD and uses a few common legends as the framework for one of those hip, self-aware horror flicks that have been cranked out ever since the popularity of the first "Scream" movie.
Enjoy reading these stories, but please don't repeat/send any warnings about alligators in the sewers, little dogs that turn out to actually be rats or men dressed as superheroes who knocked themselves out headboards while trying to spice up their sex lives. If truth's stranger than fiction, that's probably because the fiction gets repeated so many times.
If not for a man named J.C.R. Licklider you might not be reading this now. I had no idea who the guy was before picking up "The Dream Machine," M. Mitchell Waldrop's account of free-thinking engineers who pioneered the personal computer. The book is one of many Lakewood Public Library has on computer/Internet technology and how to use it.
Although it's a bit jargon-laded and shifts confusingly between this project and that one, this lab in Massachusetts and that one in California, "The Dream Machine" gives a real sense of the obstacles faced in moving from the mainframe behemoths of the 1950s and '60s to the modern computers in classrooms, libraries, workplaces and homes.
The visionaries like Licklider were right in predicting their work would revolutionize society, but it's clear that not everyone shared in that dream and different circumstances could have shuttled the endeavor. For a rather technical subject, it's a surprisingly compelling read. It still seems strange sometimes that the oddball geeks I knew with their electronic bulletin boards were on to something that the mass populace would eventually embrace so fondly.
Immerse yourself further into cyberspace with "Minds, Machines and the Multiverse: The Quest for the Quantum Computer," by Julian Brown. The very technical tome follows the trail of scientists seeking to create an advanced generation of computers that would go as far beyond current models as the Xbox video game system is to the old Colaco "Pong."
Hubert L. Dreyfus writes about the possibilities of going still further - creating an artifical intelligence - in "What Computers Still Can't Do," a revised edition of the 1972 book, "What Computers Can't Do." Dreyfus suggests that computers need to function on an entirely different level, getting away from digital processing functions. He offers no guarantees that another approach will work, but that it's now clear that AI will not be produced merely by following the present scientific path.
Other books dealing with AI include "Machinery of the Mind: Inside the New Science of Artifical Intelligence," a look at leaders and theories surrounding what is referred to as knowledge engineering, "Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence" and "AI: The Tumultuous History of the Search for Artificial Intelligence," which breaks down the history, concepts and barriers involving AI into clearly-defined subsections, a techique that's lacking in many AI primers.
If you're curious about how to make sense of technology and how it's changed society, pick up "Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities and Software," in which author Steven Johnson describes how society bands together to adapt to a situation and achieve a higher level of intelligence. Theory is brought to a more understandable level through references to video gaming and, oddly enough, pornography - both of which he said are largely responsible for pushing advances in technology through consumer demand.
Ray Kurzwell also writes about the dynamics of humans and technology in "When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence: The Age of Spiritual Machines." Through conversations with a computer, he provides predictions indicating what life will be like in 2009, 2019, 2029 and 2099, as computers continue to evolve and transform human society.
While those projections are interesting, most people probably aren't as concerned with computer-related theories as much as figuring out how to use the machines they have, much like a non-gearhead cares less about working on a car or how it operates, but wants to use to get to a destination. Plenty of helpful books in the library will guide you in the right direction, whether it's Internet research or using a PalmPilot.
I've never understood the phenomenon that is the "Complete Idiot's" and "Dummies" series. Who really wants a book that degrades you for needing it? Title aside, "DSL For Dummies" is a thorough guide through the LAN, TCP/IP and Kbps world of alphabet computer soup to faster Internet connections.
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Online Genealogy" is probably very useful for people who know little or nothing about the Web, as it coaches you through from step one, assuming no prior knowledge of the Internet.This book's most helpful as an organizational tool, presenting tactics for research and ways to keep track of data so you stay on a direct path toward your goal and providing tips regarding searches of databases like RootsWeb, census records, cemetery records, everything short of vinyl records. I suppose as far as things for idiots go, this subject probably makes good sense to address in this form because tracing your family's genealogy does seem to be a rather daunting task from an outsider's perspective.
The same simple, get-you-started approach is taken in "Health Online," which takes the reader through the basics of the Web and e-mail and provides listings of helpful sites, support groups and electronic mailing lists devoted to all sorts of health conditions and diseases.
PalmPilot owners can use "Teach Yourself PalmPilot and Palm III" to acquaint themselves to the electronic organizers. It's a handy reference tool that breaks things down into clear sections if there's a particular function that may not be clear to the owner.
"PalmPilot: The Ultimate Guide" is as it sounds - much more comprehensive. It covers not only the organizer's intended functions, but also explains how people have adapted them to serve other uses, including programs to aid searches, and a shortcut to allow you to transfer an electronic "business card" to another PalmPilot device within a yard - a handy function at networking sessions.
"Cybergrrl! A Woman's Guide to the World Wide Web" is just as it sounds - a listing of Web sites and user groups, along with biographies of Internet site operators, and tips on how to find things. "Sams Teach Yourself E-Travel" deals mostly with finding information and booking vacations online, but also offers plenty of tips about travel in general, like sections on putting an itinerary together and deciding how long of a trip is needed.
It may seem odd to read books about the Internet, but, regardless of predictions to the contrary, it doesn't look like the 'Net's about to make books obsolete anytime soon. According to a March 2002 survey from the American Library Association, more patrons use libraries to take out books (67 percent of patrons) than for any other reason. As Lakewood Public Library director Kenneth Warren has been known to say, "The book is still king."(Top)
July 2002
Everyone wants to look beautiful, it's just that it often seems like too much time and expense to achieve just the right look. That's where Lakewood Public Library's "The People's Spa" collection comes in. Taking a cue from the notion of libraries being "The People's University," this collection allows do-it-yourself types to tackle those issues relating to hair, skin, makeup and the like.In the hair realm, there's "Andre Talks Hair," by Andre Walker, or as he seems to bring up whenever possible, "the hairstylist of Oprah Winfrey." There are some good tips amidst the name-dropping, particulary one of my wife's (a hairdresser herself) most-often cited gripes - unrealistic customers who come into her salon wanting a certain "look" that's popular, without any consideration of whether that fits their personality, style or appearance.
As Walker states, "Which brings me to another of my pet peeves. When it comes to hair, people aren't individual enough. They go to a salon and come out ridiculous, trying to keep up with the latest 'do."
Instead, he describes certain types of hair: straight, wavy, curly and kinky and provides care and feeding tips and styling options that work with what you have. He also addresses some of the myths relating to hair, such as daily washing will dry hair out and, conversely, shampooing daily can make the hair oiler. As he explains, there are oily and dry types within each hair category and not all require the same maintenance.
Many of the same user-friendly advice is delivered in "The Mane Thing," by Kevin Mancuso, who also addresses the four types of hair and related myths. However, "The Mane Thing" is set up more as a quick-glance type reference tool, with specific instructions on achieving particular hairstyles. It's in-depth to the point of explaining various pins and clips and how they're used.
With the hair done, it's time to think about makeup. Apparently Paula Begoun has revolutionized the cosmetics industry. From reading "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me," you get the sense that all eyes are on her and every salesperson knows her and are waging war with her as foot soldiers under direction of the evil cosmetics empire.Still, there's probably some truth to tales about counter help mentioning that "psycho up in Seattle." You can see why her straightforward, well-arranged volume of brief critiques of name brand cosmetics would generate a sizeable following. Anyone using skin care, makeup, lipstick, etc. would undoubtably be curious to see how there favorites stack up.
Begoun also gives some good general-purpose advice, such as stick with something that works for you rather than chase the newest marketing sensation, don't trust claims about anti-aging creams (or many manufacturers' claims in general), stay away from the sun (which has the biggest influence on skin and aging) and that moisturizers aren't necessary for all women (many of whom overmoisterize).On the downside, she's hopelessly stuck in soccer mom mode - as she states, she's not into the "new" styles kids are going for - glossy, glittery makeup from Hard Candy, Urban Decay and the like. But she at least seems to give these companies a fair shake in evaluating their products, all the while saying she doesn't know why anyone would wear this hideous stuff. Inserting opinion is nothing new for her, however, as a previous book was titled "Blue Eyeshadow Should Absolutely Be Illegal."
While that seemed like an easy statement to agree with, blue eyeshadow may work with certain people and certain looks, judging from the models with that color tint around their eyes in "Making Faces," by professional makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin. The book tells everything you'd want to know about eyebrows, eyelashes and lips and how to choose and apply eyeliner, concealer, blush, etc. to achieve desired looks. Clearly, he's into bold looks and encourages women to experiment a bit. If nothing else, "Making Faces" should have women thinking about creating a total look with regard to the image they're intending to project with their makeup. By the way, Aucoin died in May of a rare pituitary condition. In memory of Aucoin, the 1300 Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street, Cleveland, has an art show that "explores the sexual and political subtext of cosmetics." "Throwing Shade" opened June 28 and runs through July 19.
If you're looking to get away from the traditional beauty treatments, consider "Absolute Beauty: Radiant Skin and Inner Harmony Through the Ancient Secrets of Ayurveda," by Pratima Raichur, a doctor of naturopathy who takes a complete body/mind approach to care and treatment of skin.
Ayurveda has been around for thousands of years, according to the author. Still, remember that just because something's been around for a long time or takes a "natural" approach doesn't always guarantee success.
Regardless of whether this kind of thing is for you, there's some common-sense information about nutrition, meditation and various ways to bring the body (and skin) into harmony, along with suggested treatments for certain conditions.
Whereas "Absolute Beauty" isn't set up to be a quick reference tool, but an overview of a tradition and its philosophical tenants, "Inner Health, Outer Beauty" by Jane Campise takes more of a quick-hit, USA Today style of packing in short bursts of information.Practically any health topic, from alternative therapies to diet, skin care and makeup application is addressed in capsulized form. For example, Do you find it tricky to apply eyeliner? "Dot eyeliner along the lash lines and use a fine-tipped brush to join the dots. This is the easiest and most effective way to achieve a straight line," the book suggests.
"Beautiful Face, Beautiful Body" by Jaqulene Harper-Roth is a collection of recipes for skin and hair. A "Chamomile-Oat Compress" sound good? It might, if your skin becomes irritated in cold weather. Oatmeal's also used in "Dilly's Grit Scrub," which will help your skin "glow with good health for days."
There are also juices and shakes to help the skin by enhancing its natural beauty, according to the author, billed as a qualified holistic nutritionist and accredited homeopath. Rather trust a medical doctor? How about "The Youth Corridor," from plastic surgeon Gerald Imber. Now you may say to yourself, "Self, what does a plastic surgeon know about keeping yourself healthy? Don't they just fix up what people have wrecked?"
His approach is to get people to address now what could become problems later. By "youth corridor," he means the time period in which you maintain a youthful appearance. Tips to extend this time frame include some obvious things, like not smoking, but he also advises not to run because of the hazards of total lack of body fat, which leads to laxity of the skin, he says.
"The Youth Corridor" provides a routine for maintaining skin and a guide for what to expect when you reach certain age milestones.
There are other options besides creams, potions and surgery to help you look young, including "Timeless Face: 30 Days to a Younger You Through Face Reading, Acupressure and Toning." Author Ellae Elinwood presents facial exercises in the form of expressions (surprise, "I'm not peeking," "let me think) that are designed to tone portions of your facial skin. She also lists causes of the problems the exercises are supposed to cure/prevent and provides ways to correct the situation, many having more to do with matters of the mind rather than body.
If you're looking to ways to create a new you (or help maintain the former/current one), perhaps a visit to "The People's Spa" is in order.
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Horror movies aren't just for Halloween anymore. Look at the theater listings - "Blade 2" gets released in March and the lastest installment in the Friday the 13th series, "Jason X," is coming on April 26. Of course, the Blade movies are toward the action end of the spectrum, while the latest Jason Voorhees vehicle takes the killer into a space/science fiction mode, but that just shows the variety of material under the umbrella heading of "horror."
The genre hasn't always been a niche market inhabited by slashers and smug teen ensemble casts. Way back in the days of the 1930s and 1940s, horror movies were the most popular films. And Universal Studios ruled Hollywood.
Lakewood Public Library has many of these classics, either on videocassette, DVD or both. Of course, Bela Lugosi's there in "Dracula" (video), which established many of the myths still being followed in vampire movies. "Bride of Frankenstein" (video) is often cited as the best of the bunch and considered one of the rare sequels to be better than the 1931 original, "Frankenstein" (video). I'd debate that one, but they're both quite good and letting the monster speak in the sequel definitely took the character to a different level and set the films apart.
Two underrated entries in the Universal series are the original "Mummy" with Boris Karloff (video/DVD) and "Invisible Man" (video/DVD). As with the other of the classic eight Universal monsters films, the DVD versions of these contain documentaries about the characters and running commentary by film historians.
The library also has the other appearance of Bela Lugosi as Dracula, in "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (DVD/video), in which the comedy duo also run into Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolfman and Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein monster. Despite its slapstick approach, it's received some critical acclaim and the monsters are at least somewhat true to their classic portrayals, something that wasn't always the case in latter Abbott and Costello/monster features.
After draining all the lifeblood from its monsters with various team-ups and sequels of sometimes dubious quality, the horror movie faded away for a couple of decades, until England's Hammer Studios came along in 1958 with Christopher Lee as the pointy-toothed one in "Horror of Dracula."
Unfortunately, the library doesn't have that one in its collection (but you can get it and many other horror titles, including many too gory for the library, at B-Ware video in Madison Village). The library does have "The Hammer Collection," which lists two Lee features - "Satanic Rites of Dracula" and "Count Dracula and His Vampire Brides" - among its titles, according to the library's catalogue (the collection is fairly popular and doesn't stick around long).
Hammer brought a dark tone, considerable blood-letting and a certain European style to its horror. If you're interested in digging deeper into the horror genre, check out some of the Hammer stuff or the big Italian directors of the era - Mario Bava and Dario Argento. Unfortunately, the library doesn't own anything yet from Bava, whose "Black Sunday" with B-movie queen Barbara Steele in 1961 is considered one of the greats and a personal favorite of director Tim Burton.
Lakewood Library does have what many people consider Argento's masterpiece, "Suspiria" (DVD). More suspense than the action picture modern audiences probably expect, it's unsettlingly creepy and features one of the great soundtracks of all time. "Deep Red" also gets some nods as Argento's best, but library patrons will have to settle for Apoptygma Berzerk's song of the same title on "7."I'm assuming the song is a tribute, since the lyrics certainly address an Argento-type scenario.
If you're concerned with what the kids are into these days, check out the Evil Dead trilogy - "Evil Dead" (DVD), "Evil Dead II" (DVD) and "Army of Darkness" (DVD/video). These cult flicks are becoming so popular, it's hard to refer to them as "cult" anymore. I read an interview recently with actor Bruce Campbell, who couldn't believe the recognition he's received in the past few years. The first film's more straightforward horror, while the latter two crank up the satire, with Campbell's over-the-top delivery and some utterly ridiculous situations with gore galore.My cult favorite might be the made-for-TV "Night Stalker" (video), in which Darren McGavin plays a crusading journalist unearthing the truth behind a vampire living in 1970s Los Vegas.The pilot paved the way for a TV series filled with monsters and mysteries and served as an inspiration for the "X-Files" series.But there's also "Dark Shadows" (video) for those who prefer a gothic soap opera. By the way, the TV series is finally making it to DVD release May 28th in a four-disc, 40-episode set for those who need a Barnabas Collins fix.
Among the more modern fare, there's the familiar "Scream" (DVD), "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (DVD/video), "Silence of the Lambs" (DVD/video) and the like, but the library also has "Shadow of the Vampire" (video), a decent fictional account of the making of the German silent vampire classic "Nosferatu." Lakewood Library also has "Nosferatu" on DVD as part of the "Masterworks of the German Cinema" set, which also contains "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Both films were immortalized in plastic a couple years back as part of the Aztech Toyz Silent Screamers line, another illustration of just how popular horror has become. Another more recent movie, "Stigmata" (DVD/video) does a very nice job of addressing questions of faith, an issue covered in a more frightening manner by "The Exorcist" (DVD/video) about 25
years earlier."Blair Witch Project" (DVD/video) stirred up a lot of fuss, and deservedly so, although there's been the expected backlash against it that occurs whenever something gets too big too fast. Check out the DVD for the fantastic TV documentary "Curse of the Blair Witch." The sequel, "Book of Shadows," (DVD) gets a bad rap, mainly because lightning didn't strike twice and there wasn't the same fuss about it. But it's a fairly suspensful thriller with a decent premise of taking tourists on a hunt for the Blair Witch.
Hopefully, all of these titles give you something to sink your teeth into (couldn't resist), but there's so much more - from Vincent Price to Alfred Hitchcock and low-budget fare from people like Roger Corman, not to mention many other movies I've not heard of yet. Patrons can learn more about horror movies with several books, including "The Vampire Film:Nosferatu to Bram Stoker's Dracula," "The Best, Worst and Most Unusual Horror Films," "English Gothic:A Century of Horror Cinema," "The Gore Galore Video Quiz Book of Terrifying Fun" and more. And you can show off your bloodlust with movie T-shirts from Kristoff at Suburban Misfits, located on Madison Avenue in Madison Village, or at a new store, Abnormals Anonymous, on Madison Avenue just west of Warren Road.
All this talk of monsters reminds me of one of my early influences, the old kiddie monster show "The Bobby Van Show" and its stock ending - "The castle lights are growing dim. There's no one left but me and him. When next we meet in Frankenstone, don't come alone." Good stuff.
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There's a certain segment of the population who scorn any music without at least two guitars (preferably three) and a live drummer. You know the kind of people - they lament that there's no good music out today and yet haven't listened to anything in years that wasn't performed by a musician or group that was formed before 1980, let alone 1990.
When you broaden your musical horizons, you find all kinds of interesting sounds. Although I generally detest rap and country for instance, I'm certain that there are some artists producing quality stuff within these genres. It reminds me of the old days when Dave Kendall hosted MTV's "120 Minutes" alternative music program and introduced an Everything But the Girl video by stating that it might not fit the tastes of most people watching that show, but he had to admit they're good at what they do.
In those days that was big band (the library has that cd, "Baby the Stars Shine Bright"), but nowadays EBTG has evolved to something even more removed from that old time rock 'n' roll - drum 'n' bass (the library also has their latest releases in this genre, like "Temperamental").
I won't pretend to know all the differences between trip hop, trance, acid jazz, techno, house, big beat, drum 'n' bass and whatever other subheadings being used under the umbrella label of "electronica," but suffice to say that Lakewood Public Library has an outstanding selection in pretty much all of these areas.
For a thorough review of electronic music and its various forms, trying checking out "Modulations - A History of Electronic Music" by Peter Shapiro or "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - The History of the Disc Jockey" by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton. Or peruse Urb, Future Music, Electronic Musician, Mixmag or other magazine the library subscribes to.
The library even has a DVD, "Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage," that tells the story of Russian electronic music pioneer Leon Theremin, whom I'm guessing was the inspiration for the early Covenant single "Theremin."
My history with electronic music basically starts with the ambient stuff being produced in the '70s and '80s by Brian Eno and the '80s industrial/noise outfit Throbbing Gristle. Eno, whose works like "Music For Airports" (1978) shaped electronic music with its minimalist approach, is also well-known for being a founder of Roxy Music and collaborating with David Bowie on a trio of albums in the late 1970s. The library has several Eno discs, including joint efforts with artists like Harold Budd.
With Throbbing Gristle, who later went on to become Psychic TV, it was more about checking out what the buzz was about surrounding an act that basically started the industrial scene, which in those days of the late 1970s was more about creating sounds and experimentation than what currently goes by the label of industrial music. Get a reading on their sound from the library's "First Annual Report of Throbbing Gristle."
Electronic music today centers on the rave/club scene, no longer confined to old warehouses, but now housed in ultra-cool places were the funky beats are laid down by oh-so-musically-aware DJ's who have become the artists, attracting clubbers to hear their freestylings. I'm guessing that whole scene (and the mandatory trappings like glow sticks and ecstasy) scares many people away from sampling any electronica.
Nevertheless, chances are you've at least dabbled in music from some of the more accessible artists of the genre, like Crystal Method, Chemical Brothers or Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook), who started as the bassist for the English alternative rock band the Housemartins (think "Happy Hour").
"Rockafella Skank" and "Praise You" off of "You've Come A Long Way Baby" (in the library's collection) received heavy radio play. Chemical Brothers, represented in the collection by "Dig Your Own Hole," "Exit Planet Dust" and more, had a megahit with "Block Rockin' Beats."
While not achieving that level of radio airplay, Crystal Method has a nice sense of melody that makes "Vegas" (their 1997 full-length debut) a good introduction for people just straying off of the mountain of rock music.
The library also has Crystal Method's latest, the "You Know It's Hard" EP. It's a bit less melodic and more drum 'n' base oriented than the material on "Vegas."
A leader in the acid house movement is 808 State, the band perhaps best known by the 1990 hit "Cubik," a tune with the kind of killer melody that leaves you humming. Lakewood Public Library has the 1988 debut, "Newbuild," a disc chalk full of the kind of repetitive beats and synth passages that evoke a downtown nightspot where suits line up for pricey drinks, if you're into that sort of thing.
"Mixed Signals," a new release from instrumental/experimental rock group Tristeza, takes more of an atmospheric, minimalist angle.
From a bit on the outside looking in, it seems that much of current electronic music is about the samplers, discs full of tracks from all different artists to showcase the various sounds that are out there.
The library has several of these compilations, such as Supa dj dmitry "Scream of Consciousness." It's more a grab-bag, with a lot of techno and acid house, but throwing in a few more atmospheric numbers, including a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." Although all the tracks are remixed by the DJ, they are from a number of artists originally.
"Transit," a trance collection, is a sort of hits package, gathered and mixed by Dave Dresden. It has many danceable tracks and listeners with any familiarity with trance should at least find something recognizable. It's also probably a good starting point for newbies.
There's a good chance someone new to electronic music should at least find something palatable within the library's collection. And fans of the scene should have plenty to rave about beyond the old standards. Best of all, you can explore new sounds and it doesn't cost you a thing if you discover it doesn't suit your taste. That's always been the beautiful thing about picking up music at the library - no worrying that the cd you buy might just collect dust.(Top)
Whether it was true appreciation or simply a realization that they needed to appear relevant, the powers that be at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum finally decided to bestow induction honors on a band I actually own a record by - the Ramones, who will officially enter the Hall at a March 18 ceremony in New York.
Of course, it could also be a case of paying tribute to singer Joey Ramone, who died of cancer last April. It could also be a post-Sept. 11 attempt at giving New York one of its own to celebrate. Whatever the reason, you take what you can get. Anything that keeps from adding more Tom Pettys to the place is a welcome relief.
It might sound odd to say of a band known for two-minute songs dealing with subjects like "I Wanna Sniff Some Glue," but the Ramones was also a fairly safe choice. They were named #2, behind the rock deities (to seemingly everyone else) collectively known as the Beatles, in Spin Magazine's list of the top 50 bands of all time. They're from New York, which fits the extremely U.S.-centric mindset of the Hall. And, for all of their legitimate punk charms, the group doesn't have the political snarl of bands like the Sex Pistols, which the Hall passed over for selection on the same ballot. Which isn't to say that the Ramones were not influential or were undeserving.
Library patrons who have any doubts should check out "Rocket to Russia," a 1977 release containing the classics "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" and "Teenage Lobotomy," or 1978's "Road to Ruin," with "I Wanna Be Sedated and "I Just Want To Have Something To Do," a song recently covered by grunge rockers Pearl Jam for a vinyl (yes, vinyl) single that's being sent out to fan club members. Lakewood Public Library also has the anthology "Ramones Mania" if you want to review all of the hits, and the 1981 video "Ramones Around the World" if you want to catch them on one of their frequent tours.
They helped provide a much-needed shakeup to the world of arena rock and are one of what seems to be an ever-evolving list of bands created with starting the punk movement (fellow New York scene leader Richard Hell is often cited as well). But, as fun as much of their catalogue may be, the Ramones weren't particularly innovative, so listening to them can get monotonous after a while. Punk hit the Cleveland scene a few years late (at places like the Lakefront, Cleveland Underground and the Pop Shop, a small venue below the old Agora where Madison Village entrepreneur Chris Andrews booked the acts).
By that time, England grabbed ahold of the punk movement and, as the story goes, used it to fuel a rebellion against high unemployment rates that made it appear as if they had "no future," to quote the Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen." Back in the old days of the late '70s and early '80s, my tastes went more for the English punk variety, stuff like the Jam, which started punk and evolved through mod, power pop and various sounds over the years.
The library has an extensive collection from the English group most likely to be the next punk Hall inductee, the Clash. MTV may have turned them into a pop band in the 1980s with "Combat Rock" tracks "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go," but the Clash was punk as they came back in the days of their self-titled 1979 release, featuring "White Riot" and "Career Opportunities." Their two-disc (at least in album form) "London Calling" is actually a case in which the critics get it right - it's a truly landmark work that's solid all the way through and fuses punk, ska and other elements into a cohesive mix. But, if you're more of a punker in a traditionalist, straightforward-vein, Lakewood library features compact discs from the English contemporaries of the Ramones, including the Damned discs "Best of the Damned" and their 1985 foray into the gothic realm, "Phantasmagoria." Harder still are American acts Iggy & the Stooges, whose 1973 release "Raw Power" is often cited as one of the groundbreaking release in rock 'n' roll history, and just as frequently debated as to whether it's truly punk or merely hard rock.I lean toward the later, mainly because it's a precursor to the movement and more of an influence than anything else, but it's interesting to note that a similar-sounding group that formed in 1976, Cleveland's own Dead Boys, never seems to have its punk lineage called into question.
Stiv Bators and the gang are represented at the library by "Raw "Younger Louder + Snottier" and "Night of the Living Dead Boys." Then there's Black Flag (the library has three discs, including one with the classic "Six Pack") and Dead Kennedys, represented by "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables." Black Flag might better be described as hardcore, which in case you didn't know, is basically punk reved up to almost incomprehensible speed, while Dead Kennedys has one of the odder-sounding vocalists in Jello Biafra.
An acquired taste I never quite digested, what I've heard of the Dead Kennedys has a hint of surf undercurrents, so perhaps it's a good choice for fans of the Ghastly Ones or other current surf punkers, a movement that really caught steam in the 1980s with the Cramps, another band well represented in the library collection, including their best-known work, "Bad Music for Bad People."
At the poppier side of things, the library has a few works by the Buzzcocks, including a best of collection called "Operators Manual" that does a good job of compiling the band's two-minute wonders. Even non-punkers should recognize tracks like "Ever Fallen in Love," redone several years back by the Fine Young Cannibals, and "What Do I Get?," turned soundtrack for an SUV commercial. But perhaps the old standard punk act that's most popular nowadays is the Misfits. I'm sure many of the T-shirts and lunchboxes, action figures, etc. sell because of the cool skull logo, but you can find Misfits stuff owned by all sorts of kids much too young to have listened to the band in its Glenn Danzig-fronted heyday. With their trademark two-minute songs filled with horror and B-movie imagery, they're sort of a Hollywood version of the Ramones.
Check out five Misfits CD's at the library, including the 1983 classic, "Walk Among Us." Regardless of your taste, the punk genre is more extensive than you might think and Lakewood Public Library has a nice sampling of the old school stuff. Just don't expect to be seeing much mention of these bands at that museum down by the lake. A concession's one thing, but it's always going to be more about who sold the most records. Which I'm sure is just fine with all of the punks out there.
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It's a good time to be a geek. Maybe it's the universal realization that the Internet is actually an incredibly useful tool, but many other things once restricted to the realm of geekdom are not only becoming acceptable, they've achieved "cool" status.
"Lord of the Rings" rules the box office, electronic gadgetry abounds and single-minded fanaticism is heralded on the television show "Beat the Geeks." In this enlightened age, adults are openly reading comic books, once relegated to geek status. The social stigma has been removed - people who read comics can also get dates. Imagine that. Of course, comic books of today are geared more toward adults anyway. That's why those marketing geniuses came up with terms like "graphic novels." Somehow, it sounds a little more inviting than "funny books." Go figure.
Lakewood Public Library has been buying graphic novels (stories written specifically for the more novel-like format) and trade paperbacks (several issues of a comic compiled in one volume) for a couple of years now, with a very positive response. As with other library materials, the emphasis has been away from the mainstream - lots of Vertigo and Paradox Press titles and things like Ronan Dirge's goth "Lenore." However, the big guns like Batman and Spiderman are also well represented.
The library's latest purchase of trade paperbacks includes several volumes of the Dark Horse's "Lone Wolf and Cub," a manga title written by "Crying Freeman" author Kazuo Koika. Fans of anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comic books) or Japanese culture in general would probably enjoy these tales of a masterless samarai, or ronin, who traverses the country with his young son and his swords for hire. Clearly a lot of work was done to get the language and culture of medieval Japan correctly, but it's not quite my cup of sake, as it were. It does have a stylish way of presenting the violence inherent in some much of the genre.
"The Authority," a Wildstorm comics offering representative of a lot of the new breed of superhero teams, is featured in "Under New Management." It's superheroism on a grand scale, with fully-developed plotlines featuring characters with rough edges. No simple good guy fights bad guy and saves the day. While OK, this book suffered from taking itself a little too seriously. It strives to be complex, yet the various elements seem more obtrusive than clever. A little less would probably go a lot further.
Authority author Warren Ellis is also the mind behind Spider Jerusalem in "Transmetropolitan," a series about drug-crazed gonzo journalist who turns his pessimistic prose on ills of the world. Hunter S. Thompson is an obvious reference point for this character, who ratchets the mayhem up several notches beyond what Gary Trudeau did in his own homage to Thompson in the form of "Doonesbury" regular Uncle Duke. "I Hate It Here" finds Spider Jerusalem covering a political campaign and has a certain pop culture hipness to it, although Ellis could probably be a tad more subdued here as well. It seems to try to be cool, which everyone knows isn't the way to go about achieving that objective. Nevertheless, it's still a good rip job on an easy mark - the marketing of politicians.
At the other end of the spectrum is "Past Lives," a graphic novel featuring television characters Angel and Buffy, the vampire slayer. This book doesn't try to overwhelm with hipness, savvy or intellectualism, it's more of all-out slugfest in the old comic book tradition and a pretty good read, particularly for fans of the respective shows. Anyone who wants to see just how far comic books have come in regards to the quality of writing should peruse new trade paperbacks compiled for the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time.The comic book giant let fans vote and re-released the top 25 so readers could collect the classics. Alas, patrons can't see the top five, which were released individually, because the library doesn't buy single-copy comic books, mostly because they couldn't withstand of rigors that comes with repeat reading.
The trade paperbacks, which collect four stories in each, are interesting in that they can contain a modern X-Men story alongside a 1960s-era Captain America tale, allowing for a quick comparison of just how far the industry has evolved. Unfortunately, the voting was skewed toward first issues and first appearances, as could be expected. The problem is that many of these landmark issues are memorable for only those reasons, not because of particularly good storylines. Other new purchases include Batman in "Thrillkiller," a story transplanting the dark knight into a beatnik environment, a few trade paperbacks featuring Sergio Aragones' comically boneheaded barbarian Groo the Wanderer, the anime classic Akira, several Spiderman volumes and some small press favorites like "Bone" and "Powers: Who Killed Retro Girl," written by Cleveland's own Brian Michael Bendis.
Whatever your taste, proudly pick them out and don't hesitate to read them in public. These days, instead of being ostracized, you're probably more likely to be greeted by a fellow fan. Comic books sure have come a long way.
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Welcome to "Selections from the Collection" where patrons can learn about new programs and purchases tailored for the discriminating, counterculture types that call Lakewood home. Whether it's going to vintage boutiques to get cool clothes not found at the mall stores or buying music at independent shops, this significant segment of the city has tastes that stray from the mainstream.
Noticing the shifting demographics of the city through surveys from marketing analyst Claritas Inc., Lakewood Public Library has reached out to this audience with materials rarely, if ever, found at other libraries and certainly not in the quantity that Lakewood Public Library possesses. These items include a good sampling of graphic novels, the "Out of the World" video collection of sci-fi, cult classics and Bollywood movies and a compact disc catalog featuring punk, rockabilly, trance, gothic, industrial, darkwave, electronica and other sounds of the underground.
Library manager Kenneth Warren deserves credit for picking up on the changing tastes of Lakewood residents and adjusting purchases two years ago to start addressing their needs. It may seem obvious to people in the scene, but many people pass by the individual eclectic shops and think nothing of it, not taking in the bigger picture and getting the point that there must be a customer base supporting places like cult/alternative video store B-Ware, record shops like Chris' Warped Records, Mindwave and My Mind's Eye, clothing stores like the Mission Boutique and Chain Link Addiction, nightclubs such as the Phantasy, Chamber, Manja and Blind Lemon and not one, but two stores devoted to Japanimation - Retropolis and Atomic Eye.
A good portion of the patrons of these stores live in Lakewood and do so because it has an atmosphere unlike other suburbs, particularly the green pastures of Avon Lake, Strongsville and other destinations desired by other people.But that version of suburbia seems plastic to these Lakewood residents, many in their 20s and 30s and much more apt to venture out at night and less likely to sit home and watch TV in quiet seclusion.
In Lakewood, neighbors are out on porches, walking down streets, basically being visibly active, in stark contrast to places where it's so spread out that no one walks and people rarely see their neighbors. This buzz of activity gives the city a vibrancy that can't be matched in suburbs too spread out to harness that kind of energy. These are the reasons creative-types - actors, artists, musicians - like to call Lakewood home.
One musician friend who recently moved to Lakewood didn't consider living anywhere else. He had to be closer to the scene, where it seemed everyone he associates with lived already. Lakewood Public Library has a good handle on what to buy to serve this audience. However, the problem can be letting people know what's there. That's the point of this column. There are some indications word is spreading. The other day, a friend told me that someone was talking to her about all of the great industrial music he found at the library, of all places. She didn't say what he took out, but she said his tastes ran toward the harder end of the industrial spectrum - Wumpscut, Laibach, Front Line Assembly - all represented in the library's catalog. I'm told that these CD, video, DVD and graphic novel collections have been doing well, so there will be more purchases of similar content in the future.
If this is what you want, come to the library, borrow these things and keep a good thing going. There are stores catering to your tastes, now there's a library as well.
