No! No! No! Please, Floyd. Say it ain’t so! I hate myself for thinking this, but when the UCI announced yesterday that one rider had tested positive for a banned substance during this year’s Tour, I immediately thought the worst—was it possible that Floyd’s Stage 17 epic was simply too spectacular? Like, illegal spectacular? My […]
Daniel Wakin has a delightful article in today’s Times about James Levine’s Tanglewood performance of “The Soldier’s Tale” by Stravinsky, featuring Milton, Elliott, and John. This anecdote, in which Mr. Carter relates his previous experience in the role of the soldier, is especially amusing:
Mr. Carter, who had been a friend of Stravinsky, offered that he […]
Hot off the presses is the second edition of Take A Friend To The Orchestra, a collection of essays by bloggers, critics, musicians, administrators, and patrons, the fruits of Drew McManus’ yearly internet initiative of the same name over at Adaptistration. I’m thrilled to be included in the book. Order yours today!
An appropriate image on the eve of the Tour’s first big day in the mountains. Will there be a major sorting out tomorrow? I’m not even going to hazard a guess. However, I’ll wager that Rasmussen puts in a big KOM bid on Thursday. [Image courtesy of Brother Pachucki.]
I’ve seen plenty of cycling videos over the years—many Tours de France, several Giros, spring classics, Hell On Wheels, and so on, and on, and on. However, I recently watched a DVD that became immediately one of my all-time favorites: PRO - A Feature Documentary. Here’s a brief synopsis from the film’s website: “Using [the […]
Here’s a common question: why do cyclists shave their legs? Many people think that cyclists shave their legs to reduce drag, much like a swimmer. However, cutting through the wind and slicing through the water are somewhat different and as a result, shaved legs have almost no effect on aerodynamics. I always answer this question […]
Tonight is Tanabata, the Japanese star festival, celebrating the once-a-year meeting of Orihime and Hikoboshi.
Long long ago, on the west bank of the Milky Way, there lived a beautiful girl Orihime. She was a skilled weaver and worked very hard every day. Tentei, the Emperor of the sky was very happy with her diligence […]
Was I the only one to have to read today’s headline, “Crack Found In Shuttle’s Foam Insulation,” more than once? Maybe it’s because I’m moving back to Baltimore soon . . .
Well, it’s Tour de France time again and readers who usually stop by for music will know that the frequency of cycling posts for the next 2 1/2 weeks will probably outnumber posts about music. In addition to checking the usual daily cycling sources, cycling fans might want to take a trip over to a […]