Here’s a cover of “I Should be Laughing” written by Patty Smyth and Glen Burtnik. Recorded Monday, June 28, 2021 at River Song Music. Continue reading “I Should Be Laughing, Mark Urso (Video)”
I Should Be Laughing, Mark Urso (Video)
He’s Gone (Audio) – Mark Urso w Band
Grateful Dead Cover Time
Practice session 6/27/21,
Mark Urso with Brandon Raimondo on guitar, and Brandon Lanphear doing percussion, performing “He’s Gone” at River Song Music.
Just Press Play!
We’re getting ready for a gig in downtown Norwich this Friday, July 2nd. Brandon L. will be playing percussion with me while Brandon R. does some amazing glass-blowing art right on the side of the street!
Here’s Brandon last time at the Continue reading “He’s Gone (Audio) – Mark Urso w Band”
More Fun w/Words; Leftist Synonym List
Which Direction Are You?
Leftist is a word that describes “a person with left-wing political views.” My dad reminded me the word “sinister” means “left.”
According to professor Barry Clark, left-wing supporters “claim that human development flourishes when individuals engage in cooperative, mutually respectful relations that can thrive only when excessive differences in status, power, and wealth are eliminated,” which description attempts to be an unbiased overview, and feels pretty good. At a glance, everyone should hug a tree; why not?
Tree-hugging is sinister? Where are you going with this, Mark?
The Evolution of Language
Remember, as I mentioned recently in another article about words, it’s not the words we’re re-inventing, it’s the meaning of the words. Very clever and lefterly … leftish … sinister, yea!
If you’re left-handed, as most of my friends are for some reason, don’t take it personally! For me, your left hand is on the right side, and this is more about your character than your handshake! The perfect thing about being sinister is, it’s most ideal if it’s not really obvious, so secret handshakes can be done with the right- or left-hands, as can be swing-dancing and cake-baking, so please carry on using all hands available.
We may need them.
The point of this article is reminiscent of one of my favorite movies, “Labyrinth,” in which a lost young girl in a maze is told confidently “Things are not always what they seem!”
But it’s much subtler than a wink.
And we begin to enter the maze that is the real “left,” upon referencing the so-called “Urban Dictionary,” a shameless project where words are reconsidered and redefined based simply on popular opinion (which is done privately by popular people). If you know the word, but no longer know its meaning, go urban dictionary. In there, a “leftist” is “A person belonging to the political left and usually identifying with the radical, anti capitalist, or revolutionary sectors of left politics. Includes anarchists, marxists, communists, socialists, and all other explicitly radical left ideologies.”
An example is given thus: “That guy’s a total leftist, his pantry is full of Molotov cocktails and nothing else.”
It used to be hippies chanting about peace while dancing and smoking pot, Continue reading “More Fun w/Words; Leftist Synonym List”
Critical Race Theory – Dropping the Names of Those Who Wish to Brainwash Your Children – RI and CT Included
CRT Teachers Called Out
Now they’re coming for your children, and right under your nose. And they’re cheating and lying. All in the name of Critical Race Theory.
And they’re winning. So far.
But the developments are not going unnoticed.
It’s already well underway. The movement, referred to as “CRT,” or “Critical Race Theory,“ a racist dogma as old as prostitution, has found modern supporters in emboldened leftists bent on ruining America.
The awkward thing is, Democrats and leftists have just completed a year-long training for American parents, during which many bad teachers were exposed and during which parents were trained to home-school. I’m sure if the CRT agenda is not completely quashed, public schools in America will never be the same again, and thousands of families will pull their children out of public schools, while calling the cops on the porn-pushers, filing lawsuits Continue reading “Critical Race Theory – Dropping the Names of Those Who Wish to Brainwash Your Children – RI and CT Included”
Welcome Singapore! (Language Warning!) (语言警告)
This website is currently getting an unusually high number of hits from Singapore and Beijing. I don’t know why.
I hope they like my sense of humor. Eh, really, I don’t care.
I also got banned from Twitter for 12 hours today, which I should survive handily, for saying something mean about Lori Lightfoot, who is a domestic terrorist in my opinion, based on how she encourages rampant crime in her otherwise beautiful American city, Chicago. In the latest upheaval of normalcy, in a city where weekly death counts rival major world wars, a gang pulled a family out of their car and shot them, Continue reading “Welcome Singapore! (Language Warning!) (语言警告)”
Sugar Band Dance Party (Music Video)
Today’s entertainment comes with no doctor’s warning, though your consumption of Sugar is guaranteed to increase dramatically. Thanks for joining me for a very sweet article. It’s all about two videos of the band Sugar, performing in North Stonington and Mystic, Ct.!
The first video is from the archives, from 2019’s North Stonington Agricultural Fair, where Sugar took us on a ride that pleasantly lasted until the sun went down. Marcy Kelly is joined by Natalia Rosso.
The second video is also Sugar, with Marcy and Rickie Louise Miller doing lead vocals, from this year, June 5, 2021 at the Mystic Seaport Museum grounds, where I was able to fly all the way across an enormous field using my handheld gimbal video camera. I walked at least a couple hundred feet; it’s a great flyover! And the crowd was friendly and fun; Continue reading “Sugar Band Dance Party (Music Video)”
Lump – 20th Century Kids (Music Video)
The Story
Before we dive in to this quick lesson in how to properly attack your audience (to create excitement and obtain the coveted big applause at the end), a two-minute excursion into the best part of the 1990’s, I have two observations I’d like to share. Then the video … (maybe a couple …)
Two Observations
1. This is just like Boston punk rock from when I was in college in the 1980’s, and I hope it’s as much fun for you to discover today as it was for me back then! This is the industrial evolution of the bands I was recently enjoying on my original vinyl record “Beserkley Chartbusters, Volume 1,” which I remember like yesterday buying in Chestnut Hill, MA, a record that would become a collectible masterpiece, a basket of some of the most offbeat oddballs who somehow graced the radio waves but you’ve still never heard of.
This song, the original “Lump” (1995) by the band “The Presidents Continue reading “Lump – 20th Century Kids (Music Video)”
Don’t Start Now, Sugar (Music Video)
New Sugar footage!
This is from this past weekend at the Mystic Seaport. Continue reading “Don’t Start Now, Sugar (Music Video)”
There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back, Sugar, Mystic, June 2021 (Music Video)
An outstanding rendition of Shawn Mendes’ “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” performed by some of the region’s most talented musicians, featuring Rickie Louise Miller on vocal, with Marcy Kelly and Sugar, the band that fills the dance floor, every time, on the first note.
This footage is essentially unedited. The camera guy did good, and didn’t need to splice his way to a smooth and enjoyable experience. All I did was some color correction; shot with a single camera, no splices. There was a great turnout for the outdoor show at the Mystic Seaport, and as happens sometimes, Marcy let Rickie take the wheel for much of the show; Marcy manages the band but it’s a two-girl show with three girls sharing the duties, which, in my opinion, has led to some endlessly fascinating combinations of style and personality, and a hugely wide basket of tunes. And when Marcy lets go of the reins, she has lots of time to dance! Just watch! 🙂
Continue reading “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back, Sugar, Mystic, June 2021 (Music Video)”
Sugar – Kings & Queens (Music Video)
A top-notch rendition of Ava Max’s “Kings & Queens,” live by Sugar in Mystic, CT. Recorded Saturday, June 6, 2021 by Mark Urso for River Song Music. Continue reading “Sugar – Kings & Queens (Music Video)”
Sugar Band, Mystic CT, Levitating
Live Music Video, 2021
Sugar, featuring Marcy Kelly and Rickie Louise Miller on lead vocals, live at the Mystic Seaport Museum, Saturday, June 5, 2021 Continue reading “Sugar Band, Mystic CT, Levitating”
The Era of the New Word
The New Word Order
As if the English language didn’t have enough words. New ones keep popping up, forcing many of the unsavvy to go for the slang dictionary for guidance! They’re discovering new words, as well as words that lost favor sometime during the twenty-first century, when we were all busy worrying about normal, ordinary things like hurricanes, volcanoes, cave rescues and winning the lotto. Some of the most creative among us were inventing new words and finding new uses for old ones. Shamelessly, the word “narcissist” quietly became a top search term during the 2010’s, and within the next decade the world’s vocabulary became overrun with words like “racist,” “plague,” “alien” and even “armageddon!” Is it a sign of the times?
Sure is! The most important thing is for all us older folks to get on board. The most dynamic and durable of the new words out there are not confusing acronyms or initialized shortenings … they’re our own words, words that have enjoyed a proud place in Webster’s dictionary, and now are being rejuvenated by anxious, bright young people, to describe the modern plight.
Be careful! If you fall into the wrong discussion forum on the world wide web, you may feel as if everyone is a gaslighting narcissist. Try to keep perspective while browsing, and please use my easy-to-understand guide, here:
List of Important and New Words
Gaslighting: Manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.
Narcissist: A person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of Continue reading “The Era of the New Word”
How the Internet has Changed the World for the Worse (A List)
As fun as the Internet can be, it’s not without its modern pitfalls!
Some can be life-changing!
Below, for your enjoyment, is my list of the 20 worst things the Internet has brought along with it into our lives, living rooms and social environments! The web began being notoriously untrustworthy, but over the past 20 years it’s undergone a passionate redesign with trust in mind! Once users began to trust, spend, share and forget about the untrustworthy … that was the perfect time, it seems, to turn the tables again, this time back to being untrustworthy. The second time, having built our trust, is the charm.
The Worst Things the Internet
Has Brought Along With it
People can insult other people in public, with no need to be face to face. This is done often on Facebook and similar platforms, and done by people who, without the Internet, would never behave that way.
Every insult, every killing, every fire, makes someone with a video camera feel famous.
People who represent small minorities get “followers” from all around the world Continue reading “How the Internet has Changed the World for the Worse (A List)”
Just Another Filler Article: The Benefits of Books
I’ve always enjoyed books. Magazines, too. I like to page turn.
So when someone asked about physical books versus ebooks recently in an online forum, I feathered through the pages of my mind to come up with a suitable answer. It’s a celebration of paper and ink!
Here’s Why Books Are Better
If you’re really young, books have surprising pop-up animals and firetrucks that jump out when you open each page! They require no batteries, so your parents won’t have any excuse reading Green Eggs and Ham to you every night, and if they skip a page, you’ll be able to catch them!
All the words are the same as in e-books, so little ones can get a head start, before they turn four and get their own iPhone! Which reminds me, if you spill juicy nutritional baby foods and liquids on regular paper books, they still work.
When you’re a preteen, you can stand on the books Continue reading “Just Another Filler Article: The Benefits of Books”