What's on your mind now?

[Bob]

The the Colorado shooter, I wonder if you can really punish someone like that.  If they're already not rational or not quite there mentally... Yes, you could just kill them, but is life in prison really going to punish them?

[Bob]

Cool.  Does this mean we don't need mice anymore?  Once everything because usable via touch?

[oxy60]

The the Colorado shooter, I wonder if you can really punish someone like that.  If they're already not rational or not quite there mentally... Yes, you could just kill them, but is life in prison really going to punish them?

When was the  last execution in CO? Memo to DA: take the deal and lock him up for life. Save us a ton of money and keep us safe.

[Bob]

I would think it would be cheaper to execute him and be done with it.  Unless there's something of value he can provide to society.  If not, execute, harvest organs... whatever can be of any use at all.


Otherwise, I'm thinking about sloths.

[lloyd_cdb]

Do they harvest organs? Aren't most executions lethal injection nowadays?  I don't think I'd want one of those organs.  They should go back to decapitation, just for harvesting purposes.

[outin]

I would think it would be cheaper to execute him and be done with it. 

Actually not. There's a lot of reasearch on this and execution ends up being more expensive than life in prison. In US that is, in some other countries they just do it, short trial, no appeals or anything, that's cheap.

[chopin2015]

Actually not. There's a lot of reasearch on this and execution ends up being more expensive than life in prison. In US that is, in some other countries they just do it, short trial, no appeals or anything, that's cheap.

that's a fun fact

[outin]

that's a fun fact

I doubt everyone finds it fun...certainly not those on death row...

Most criminologists who base their opinions on research would advice against death penalty for a few main reasons:
- It's expensive
- It doesn't work as a deterrent
- Mistakes happen every now and then in the juridical process
- It's arbitrary and the probability of getting death penalty depends highly on demographical factors
I guess the main benefit of death penalty is that it satisfies the hunger for revenge and punishment that large part of the voting population have.

[49410enrique]

I doubt everyone finds it fun...certainly not those on death row...

Most criminologists who base their opinions on research would advice against death penalty for a few main reasons:
- It's expensive
- It doesn't work as a deterrent
- Mistakes happen every now and then in the juridical process
- It's arbitrary and the probability of getting death penalty depends highly on demographical factors
I guess the main benefit of death penalty is that it satisfies the hunger for revenge and punishment that large part of the voting population have.

that and as Steven Levitt points out in his in depth study of 'the numbers' in his book Freakonomics ("A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything"), it actually turns out that being on death row is safer(with regards to dying) than being out on the streets commiting the crimes that will get you arrested inthe first place:

excerpt from chapter 3 of his book:

...The gang members were strongly advised against using the product themselves, advice that was enforced by beatings if necessary.) Foot soldiers also risked arrest and, more worrisome, violence. Using the gang’s financial documents and the rest of Venkatesh’s research, it is possible to construct an adverse-events index of J. T.’s gang during the four years in question. The results are astonishingly bleak. If you were a member of J. T.’s gang for all four years, here is the typical fate you would have faced during that period:
 •Number of times arrested 5.9
 •Number of nonfatal wounds or injuries 2.4 (not including injuries meted out by the gang itself for rules violations)
 •Chance of being killed 1 in 4
 
A 1-in-4 chance of being killed! Compare these odds to being a timber cutter, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics calls the most dangerous job in the United States. Over four years’ time, a timber cutter would stand only a 1-in-200 chance of being killed. Or compare the crack dealer’s odds to those of a death row inmate in Texas, which executes more prisoners than any other state. In 2003, Texas put to death twenty-four inmates—or just 5 percent of the nearly 500 inmates on its death row during that time. Which means that you stand a greater chance of dying while dealing crack in a Chicago housing project than you do while sitting on death row in Texas

[Bob]

Maybe some slave labor then.  Have them work all day making iPhones or something.

[ruvidoetostinato]

Laundry is on my mind.  I need socks.  Socks are in the dryer.  Waiting for my socks.

[49410enrique]

[mahlermaniac]

Feeling moody and sad about my wrist problems and not being able to play the piano. To have been given this awesome gift and not be able to play it is worse than not having it at all

[chopin2015]

Watts love got to do with it

[lloyd_cdb]

Feeling moody and sad about my wrist problems and not being able to play the piano. To have been given this awesome gift and not be able to play it is worse than not having it at all

I feel your pain. Literally. It's annoying having to limit myself to less and less time everyday.  Time to spend more time at the physical therapist.

Watts love got to do with it

<3

[Bob]

The value of finger exercises, even played without making a sound on the key tops.

[oxy60]

Feeling moody and sad about my wrist problems and not being able to play the piano. To have been given this awesome gift and not be able to play it is worse than not having it at all

The gift is transferable to another instrument that doesn't require so much finger dexterity, for example a trombone. Don't laugh. Life is about making fall back plans.

[lloyd_cdb]

definitely true.  When I get really annoyed, I play guitar.  I'm left handed, so I have a lefty guitar though.

[oxy60]

definitely true.  When I get really annoyed, I play guitar.  I'm left handed, so I have a lefty guitar though.

That is very special. What styles do you play?

[lloyd_cdb]

That is very special. What styles do you play?

Started with classical, but now I tend to stick to blues with the occasionally classic rock songs thrown in.  I was contemplating learning flamenco for the shits'n'giggles.  It would be very entertaining to bust out at a party, but I doubt I have enough talent for that.  It's always been a secondary instrument to piano.

[oxy60]

There are blues jams happening all over the world for all ages. Most of the time they play basic 12 bar with only 1,5, and 4 chords (like Green Onions). You might enjoy participating for a couple of tunes. You can always minimize your participation by offering to play 2nd guitar without solos (just strumming those chords on quarter notes).

It just might change your life...

[Bob]

Darnit.  The Chinese are going to start building their own Death Star.  We're going to fall behind now....

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/isnt-petition-response-youre-looking

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Today is a glorius day. 

Today, a man who has inspired hatred in America has now been arrested and is in jail.

His name is Chief Keef.

[j_menz]

Today is a glorius day. 

Today, a man who has inspired hatred in America has now been arrested and is in jail.

His name is Chief Keef.

One rapper down, so many more to go.....

[rachmaninoff_forever]

One rapper down, so many more to go.....

Hmmmm, who's next?

Wacka Flocka?  He inspires quite a bit of hatred.

What about Rick Ross? 

Or Cassidy?  He's not as popular as the other two, but he preaches worse stuff.

[49410enrique]

'i should buy a keytar'....

[oxy60]

Does anyone own a "keytar?"

[Bob]

*Bob tries to channel Seinfeld.*

Golden mean?  Should it be the Golden Nice?  Should we be equally nice to everyone and not equally mean?  Isn't that a bit pessimistic?

[Bob]

https://sourcefednews.com/amazing-animated-short-created-by-one-man/

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Dude the freaking LUCKIEST thing happened to me today!

Okay, so apparently for U of I auditions, you have to be able to harmonize right?  And I was talking to someone about the audition process there when he got admitted last year, and he was like, 'yeah man, they have you sightreed, play a couple scales, and they made me harmonize happy Birthday.

Now...  I can't harmonize.  Well, I can, I just suck at it.  I can't do it on the spot or else it sounds terrible.  I actually have to you know...  Think.  

So yesterday, I was talking to my music theory teacher, and I was like, 'dude I can't freaking harmonize!!!'.  And he was like, 'look dude, all you have to do is use these three chords, and you're set'.  So he kinda showed me how to do it, and I was like, 'okay thanks bro'.  And then later on, I was like, 'dude, there's no way I'm gonna pass this harmonizing test.  I suck at it too much  I know that the guy who auditioned there last year had to harmonize happy birthday.  I'll just learn it so in the unlikely event they actually make me harmonize happy birthday, I'll be prepared'.

Now after I came up with my chord progression, my teacher added a little fancy stuff to it, and I had it memorized.

...
...
...

They had me freaking harmonize happy birthday!!!

I passed he freaking harmonization test without being able t harmonize!!!

[chopin2015]

Dude, thats rad! What did they have u sight read?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Dude, thats rad! What did they have u sight read?

Some crazy ass, extra over convoluted romantic piece.

That *** sightreading freaking ran me into the ground!

Like, I'm not a very good sightreader, but after a certain point in time, enough is enough. 

But hopefully my ACTUAL audition cancels that out so I break even.

[chopin2015]

Some crazy ass, extra over convoluted romantic piece.

That *** sightreading freaking ran me into the ground!

Like, I'm not a very good sightreader, but after a certain point in time, enough is enough. 

But hopefully my ACTUAL audition cancels that out so I break even.

Ah, thats ok dude, man im pretty nervous about my audition in 2 weeks.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Ah, thats ok dude, man im pretty nervous about my audition in 2 weeks.

Where are you auditioning?

And what are you playing?

[chopin2015]

Where are you auditioning?

And what are you playing?

Im auditioning locally.
Im playing p and f in cmoll book 1
Chopin op 25 no 11
Debussy la plus que lente

My reading is lame, dude. Im scared! The etude freaking can ruin my life! Its sooo hard 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Im auditioning locally.
Im playing p and f in cmoll book 1
Chopin op 25 no 11
Debussy la plus que lente

My reading is lame, dude. Im scared! The etude freaking can ruin my life! Its sooo hard 

Look, dude you'll be fine.

Usually the people who are like outrageously nervous during auditions crash and burn.

The day of your audition, you should pretend like you're freaking kickass even if you're not.  Just pretentious that you're a professional pianist.

Kinda like...

Okay, I gotta take care of this audition real quick.  I have a photoshoot at 3, and I have rehearsal with the CSO at 5, and a concert at 7.

[chopin2015]

Haha! Ok! Thanks dude! What kind of piano did u play on?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Haha! Ok! Thanks dude! What kind of piano did u play on?

A nice Steinway D.

I was in this small room with two pianos next to each other and the teachers were just chilling out.  One of the guys were sitting on the window, the lady was chilling on the couch, and one guy was sitting on the table.

I was upset that I didn't get to play on the Steinway D on the stage.

No but yeah, like while you're playing, they're gonna freaking cut you off and tell you to play something else.  What the heck?!  They cut me off the Liszt before I got to any hard parts, so I didn't get to show off.

[49410enrique]

sloth kong 


slothtronaut


sir sloth

[chopin2015]

A nice Steinway D.

I was in this small room with two pianos next to each other and the teachers were just chilling out.  One of the guys were sitting on the window, the lady was chilling on the couch, and one guy was sitting on the table.

I was upset that I didn't get to play on the Steinway D on the stage.

No but yeah, like while you're playing, they're gonna freaking cut you off and tell you to play something else.  What the heck?!  They cut me off the Liszt before I got to any hard parts, so I didn't get to show off.

Oh, so in the lesson rooms? I have heard of that. Thats cool! Maybe theyll cut me off in the etude! I hope so. Did they cut you off on each piece? After how long?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Oh, so in the lesson rooms? I have heard of that. Thats cool! Maybe theyll cut me off in the etude! I hope so. Did they cut you off on each piece? After how long?

They made me play the whole Bach, not even half of the Beethoven, and like 1/3 of the Liszt.  But my playing time was like a lot shorter than th girl before me.

[chopin2015]

They made me play the whole Bach, not even half of the Beethoven, and like 1/3 of the Liszt.  But my playing time was like a lot shorter than th girl before me.

Sweeet! Ill play the whole bach too, then the debussy, and the etude last!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Sweeet! Ill play the whole bach too, then the debussy, and the etude last!

Well that depends if they let you choose.

My teacher said that if you started off with Bach, then he'll bet money that they'll make you go in order.

[chopin2015]

Thats craaazy!

[littletune]

Well the thread in which I wrote this has been delited (and thank you for worrying about me  but it's not that bad, things like that get in and then out of my head really quickly), so some of what I wrote won't make much sense (cause it was written as an answer to a post) but I want to post it anyway, cause this is what I think. And no I don't think it would be better to kill people than to kill animals, it's horrible that people hurt other people and other animals. Hurting someone is hurting someone no matter how different they are and no matter what species they are. If someone can hurt an animal they can hurt a human too in a different situation. It is all the same thing!
The reason why I wanted to comment is because I'm getting really really annoyed with people talking about animals as if they're something less!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And saying "people acting like animals" is a really stupid thing! First of all people ARE animals, a different kind of an animal (not necessarily in a good way), but for sure  nothing better and higher and godlike!!!!!!!     And for sure you can not predict how other species would act if they had a human like brain! There are lots of species that are a lot more peaceful and gentle than humans or the species from which humans evolved! So how can you say people use intelligence like animals would?  You do not know how other animals would use it!!!!!!!!! Maybe they would do much better than human race!
And no, sex is not why humans are the way they are! The reason for all the horrible things people do is exactly because people think in that way like: we are something better! and it doesn't really matter who they see as something less, maybe everyone, maybe people who are not from their family or people who are not from their class or people who are not from their country or people who are not the same race or people of other religions OR other living beings!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is alll the same! it is all the same way of thinking! It is always me and others, us and those who are different!!!!!!!!! And this way of thinking is what is the reason for all the horrible things people do and for all the suffering that people have caused! I don't understand how people can be so proud of being humans! No other animal has ever caused so much pain sadness and suffering as people have!!!!! And still these humans keep thinking and imagining how they're great and special and godlike! I am going to throw up!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can people not see how rediculous they're being?! (and I know not all people are so horrible, but humans in general are! It's sad!). Please people won't you just start using your brain in the right way finally?! I mean you've had thousands of years already? How much more do you need!!? 

[m1469]

Would you like to know what has been one of the most fun and intensely interesting things for me to start teaching lately?  Composition.  I have taught a high school class this last semester and learned a lot about how to teach it better, and will be offering it anew for next semester (which starts on Monday!), and I'm really looking forward to it.  I also drifted into having a composition private student, as it turns out.  It's really thrilling, actually, and I find having taught first year Theory a few years back is really helpful - all of that combined is really providing a new perspective for me to consider composition from.  There's this extra feeling in teaching composition that is exciting for me to think of really seeing an individual express their musical thoughts in this way.  

[ahinton]

Would you like to know what has been one of the most fun and intensely interesting things for me to start teaching lately?  Composition.  I have taught a high school class this last semester and learned a lot about how to teach it better, and will be offering it anew for next semester (which starts on Monday!), and I'm really looking forward to it.  I also drifted into having a composition private student, as it turns out.  It's really thrilling, actually, and I find having taught first year Theory a few years back is really helpful - all of that combined is really providing a new perspective for me to consider composition from.  There's this extra feeling in teaching composition that is exciting for me to think of really seeing an individual express their musical thoughts in this way.

I wish you luck; I could no more teach composition than I could fly (though I'd be the first to admit that this fact is no one's fault but my own)...

Best,

Alistair

[Bob]

How do you teach it if you don't do it?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I have another audition next Friday.  Get to skip school!

[ahinton]

How do you teach it if you don't do it?

You don't, I guess; on the other hand, doing it doesn't automatically presume the ability to teach it.

Best,

Alistair