“But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.
in World War II only 15 to 20 percent of riflemen ever fired their guns. The rest? Running messages, helping people load ammunition, tending to buddies—but not aiming a rifle at someone nearby and pulling a trigger. Psychologists of warfare emphasize how, in the heat of battle, people don’t shoot another human out of hatred or obedience, or even from knowing that this enemy is trying to kill them. Instead it’s the pseudokinship of bands of brothers—to protect your buddies, to not let the guys next to you down. But outside those motivations, humans show a strong natural aversion to killing at close range.Sapolsky, Robert M.. Behave (p. 645). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
What a fantastic performance! It was truly moving with layers and layers of symbolic personas and the philosophical undertow. Mozart died around 10 weeks after writing the Magic Flute. Maybe I attended this opera in the nick of time!
Tuesday, 11/9/2021
(With fever and chills)
After all the inept pointless comments you've received during a recent discussion over PETTY matters, it is you and the cup of tea and the universe of beautiful things that will embrace you. As long as you stand by your rationale and maintain an open-minded attitude and do not let dogma take over, these encounters will strengthen your personality. It is you and the discipline inside that you decide the winner, not them and their agenda. This is a nice study in tolerance and being receptive.
In the end, you remain and your mind, intellect, ego, and memory. You remain and your subtle body.
Pedram
11/6/2021
Very sad news. Pat Martino, the legendary jazz guitarist, was a musician I discovered when I was fervently exploring the realms of jazz guitar. The first album I listened to was the 1972 "The Visit". Afterward, I listened to 1968 "East" and then the 1974 "Consciousness".
His masterful music always absorbed my attention. The key event that made his career more intriguing is the brain injury that led to his amnesia. The memory loss forced Mr. Martino to re-learn all his previous music. This was an uphill battle but boy how fruitful and inspiring all this endeavor turned out to be.
Rest in peace!
Pedram, 11/2/2021
Watched this gothic masterpiece last Sunday. What a pleasant surprise it was. There are certain works that are decades ahead of their time both conceptually and stylistically. And no surprise, the reaction to most of them was pretty damning. But in long term, adventurous endeavors are appreciated.
Black Sunday (1960)
Directed by: Mario Bava
Starring: Barbara Steele, John Richardson, and Andrea Checchi
Ethics ingrained in a lifestyle, maybe that is all I ever desired. Going toward the apogee of our capacity!
Pedram
10/24/2021
Another outstanding evening with the Pittsburgh Symphonic orchestra. (PSO)
The program comprised Beethoven's Egmont, the "Wings of the Dream" or (Aile du Songe) by Kaija Saariaho, and Mendelssohn's Scottish symphony. The contemporary piece was composed by the Finnish musician, Kaija Saariaho, (born 1952), and is a concerto for flute and orchestra. It was superbly played by the principal flute of PSA, Lorna McGhee. Beautiful music resembling the flight of a bird.
Sunday, harbored a lot of emotions as I was constantly wrestling with recent developments in my life.
Pedram, 10/17/2021
Over the years, as I read and learned more about history, I came to realize how unfortunate the course of the historical events have developed for Afghanistan and Afghans. I see Afghans as very kind, gracious, and hard-working people. They definitely deserve better living conditions. The unity I feel has blossomed between Iranians (and people from many other countries) and Afghans, the solidarity with Afghans was impressive, so real, and so heart-warming. But I hope in real life this can result in a better situation for all Afghans. To expect politics to understand and acknowledge the fundamental rights of innocent men, women, and children is too much to ask?
This was a group of top-notch musicians and accordingly, they selected a very nice repertoire. There were songs by a number of Jazz legends: Victor Young and Ed Washington ("My Foolish Heart"), Walter Bishop Jr., James Williams (hailing from Memphis), ...
It was a wonderful evening with beautiful tunes.
Thomas Wendt Quintet:
James Moore – trumpet
Jeff Bush – trombone
Deanna Witkowski – piano
Tony DePaolis – bass
Thomas Wendt on Drums
Many pulses, actions, feedbacks are innocuous in nature. The world surrounding us, all the deceitful pleasures, or the dark waves encroaching our peaceful shores, the insults we receive, everything, all in all
they are just worth...
... forgetting,
and forgoing
Picture: Southside, 7/24/21
Last Sunday was a fascinating performance and more importantly a celebration of a new season in our social functions.
The playlist included the following:
Whatever tears apart that elegant high-hat hubris and the delirious "Know All" attitude, is a step toward enlightenment.
I listen to the tunes, carried by the wind
You are here, vividly and omnipresently,
Lost the taste for rusted joy,
and the colorful fabrics of the universe,
I saw through the smiles,
I walked through the frowns,
I shrugged off the indifference,
I fathomed the depth of despair,
Onward and upward,
To where light devours
Pedram
4/18/2021
What an astonishing album. A crossover of Rock, Metal, and Jazz. Highly sophisticated music lines and very technical. This 2016 album was lost in the shuffle for a while.
There are philosophical qualms to the detriment of everyday normal life. Most of them are unnecessary, excessive, and manageable.
I am a staunch believer in baby steps. As Michael K. Williams put it more accurately "concrete baby steps". That is the way civil society moves forward and evolves. Peaceful, calm, and yet exciting. Pretty much all the elements of modern civilization share commonalities such as gradual formation. The temple so to speak is built by these small but sustainable actions. Those are the most productive ones as history has shown.
Pedram
1/5/2021
