Death In the Marching Band – Hazing Law Not Enforced

Although illegal in most states, hazing kills people in the USA when they join some groups.

These groups can be community clubs, military groups, churches, athletic teams, marching bands, places of employment – and who knows how many others?

Why are we not safe to join a group and enjoy our membership afterwards? Shy must some of us die from forced drinking (tied up and alcohol forced down our throats), fractured skulls, drownings, beatings, and other initiation rites.

Most US States (44) and the Philippines have anti-hazing laws, but they are not always enforced.  It is unthinkable that a young person might work hard to gain membership in a famous marching band, only to die because of it.

A new type of legal practice wants to end hazing across America - School and Hazing Law. Access this link for examples:

By 2012, 44 US States Had Anti-Hazing Laws; – Not All Enforced

Let’s Stand Beside Elvis A While…

Many stories are published about Elvis, Priscilla, daughter Lisa Marie, and all the rest of the Presleys -  at Graceland, in Hollywood, and elsewhere.  Lisa Marie’s own daughter became a high fashion model at age 14. The whole family is famous and will probably always be in American music and fashion history.

What Elvis began in his short career touched America. It touched the whole world with an understanding and hope for the dream of the working man and working woman. It is a dream of success in a free land. – Can we still do that in the turbulent Early 21st Century?

Memphis, Tennessee: The Greatest Place to Stand Near Elvis

 

This link above leads to a story about one blue-collar working friend of mine and all his journeys to Graceland, until he also died too young – just like Elvis. My friend was one of the best Elvis Tribute Artists I ever heard and I’m glad I told him so during the last substantial conversation I ever had with him.  That makes things a little easier now without him, but not overly much.

 

Say what you need to say before your friends die on you.

You’ll be glad you said those words. 

 

Dedicated to Robert A. Franklin (Jan. 30, 1953 – August 18, 2011)

Hip-Hop? World Choir Games 2012

Parodies and Covers

Parodies are extremely popular. Venetian Princess has recorded over a dozen parodies of pop singers’ work, complete with signature costumes. Others have done this as well.

Other growing vocal genres today include the choir and acapella group, both showcased in reality shows. One of the best covers of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance is done by the male acapella group On the Rocks at the University of Oregon - go Ducks! Listen to them at the link below and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. The Sing Off television reality competition show has given acapella music a boost around the world.

High school, colleges, and community choirs have risen, thanks to television contests. Following the trend in Europe, Columbus OH has its own Complaints Choir that sings its complaints to the city at special performances.  But the big news is that CINCINNATI is holding the World Choir Games for 2012, from July 4 – 14. You may even hear some Hip Hop.

“Singing together to bring nations together”

See what’s on the Top 100 List at Billboard: 

Hip-Hop? Not! World Choir Games 2012 in Cincinnati.

Hot Music Genres In America

What’s Hot?

What is the most popular type of music in America? During the last week of each year, radio stations ready their Top 100 Hits for the ending twelve months. Radio stations specializing in genres from Classical to Rock and Roll, Alternative Jazz, and Country will produce a Top 100 List for their radio stations to play on New Year’s Eve, backwards from 100 to 1. Some stations even put together a Top 100 Novelty Songs.

Billboard Magazine publishes a weekly Hot 100, along wiht at least 50 Music Charts 

Top 10 Most Popular Hits from the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of 2010 are at  Top 5 Hot Music Genres.

Sing Off with Berklee College

The Sing-Off is a TV competition of  top a cappella groups – street corner doo-wap to the Wiffenpoofs in white tie and tails.  Premiering December 14, 2009 on NBC, it was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The second season is 100 times better!  

Nick Lachey‎, winner of Dancing With the Stars hosts with judges Ben Folds, Shawn Stockman, and Nicole Scherzinger.

December 6, 2010 brought 10 great a capella groups from Yale’s Wiffenpoofs, On the Rocks with 15 men parodying Lady Gaga and doing a better job, a 1960s street corner group, and  Committed, a gospel group that sang pop for the first time and brought down the house and the judges with a Maroon Five Number.  

Berklee College of Music sent their group Pitch Slapped, who reached #2 in college a capella championships in 2010.

Berklee, Brookline, and Pitch Slapped on Sing Off

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Access the link above for videos and a rundown on Berklee and the 107,000 jobs in the area.

New Christmas Traditions

For non-traditional families and for singles, many options are available for making your own Christmas Memories. Make Christmas your own holiday, whether it is faith-based or secular, or a little of both.

Thai article contains at least 4 great ideas for your new Christmas traditions:

Christmas and Song for New Traditions

Lights, music, meditative silence, and family fun can make Christmas your best memory all year.  

Christmas Barn in Ohio

How big can a Nativity Scene be?

Moravian Christmas – Life Size Nativity Festival

The Moravian Church presents itself as the Oldest Protestant Church in the world, founded 60 years before Martin Luther’s 95 Theses found their place on the cathedral door of Catholicism.

The Christmas Eve ceremony for the Moravian church in Columbus OH at Promise Church has  occurred in The Ohio Bicentennial Barn in Delaware County. The barn itself is over 100 years old and its farm over 200. As a special project, people painted it to commemorate Ohio’s Bicentennial of Statehood.

On some Christmas Eves, the barn transforms into a life-sized Nativity in which the pastor preaches the Christmas story. It is a refreshing way of celebrating Christmas Eve in a place like that in which the Christ Child was born.

22nd Annual Wild Lights

22nd Annual Wild Lights Festival at the Columbus Zoo w/ Disney on Ice http://ow.ly/39E2f ^PI

If you are in Columbus, Ohio anytime between November 19, 2010 and January 1, 2011 then visit Wildlights at the Zoo on Riverside Drive north of O’Shaughnessey Dam Bridge. Disney on Ice will present skating entertainment and animatronics in a Living Evergreen Tree of music.

There is SO much to do and see at Wildlights this year.  Many new features, lots of new music and acting, comedy, good food, free crafts, decorate your own cookie, have a photo with a reindeer and two dozen other events. If you don’t go anywhere else this Christmas, go here. Tuesday weekly is 1/2 off tickets for Senior Citizens, which are already about 1/2 off. Kids under 2, free all the time. Look at the link for more information.

Communism and Music

Communist China is reportedly still prescribing the musical works and productions that its peoples may enjoy, all else being unacceptable. It was similar in Old Russia before the October Revolution and in the USSR until the 1960s – but even into the 1980s in some aspects, before the Berlin Wall came down. Happily for the West, we welcomed their “rejects.”

Composers and musicians fled to Western Eruope and then to the USA – right into the arms of the McCarthy Committee and its witch hunts — But in LA and West Hollywood, Igor Stravinsky and George Balanchine shone with talent and collaboration between themselves and among others of their artistic talents.

One of the grand results was

FANTASIA   

Safe Halloween Fun – Ohio

BOO! – Whether you celebrate Halloween or not, you can have a good time in Central Ohio during the last weekend in October.

Harvest Festivals, community/structured Halloween parties, Neewollah Turn It Around, Fall Festivals, and plan old club house parties are everywhere. One of Columbus’ favorites in the Highball Halloween held in the Short North on two blocks of High Street, blocked off by police blockades and monitored by officers and volunteers.

Between 2nd Ave. and 4th Ave., costume parades and contests begin with the kids and progress to adults, even including Pets and Their Owners!  Bring your dog or cat or ferret or parrot and compete for cash prizes.  Food, music, dancing and kids’ crafts area add to the fun form 3PM to Midnight.

Check out the following link for six or seven safe and fun late-October celebnratoions in Columbus:

Halloween, Neewollah, or Fall Festival –

It All can be Safe and Fun