VBS: Gil Scott-Heron, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised".

As a general rule, I don't share the songs everyone associates with a given artist.

Ain't nobody ever heard of Gil Scott-Heron who doesn't know this song.
But. But.

It's like "Stairway To Heaven", ya know? Yes, it's world-famous. Yes, it's emblematic of an art few have actually taken seriously. Yes, it narrows and restricts its artist, making of them a caricature.

But. GOT-*DAM*.
It's not Scott-Heron's only song on my VBS. I actually prefer the other one, "Lady Day & John Coltrane". But "Revolution" is an absolutely world-changing take. I just wish all the people who knew it also knew how phenomenal a writer/performer this man is.

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More from @GeePawHill

16 Jan
On the cover of Hofstadter's famous _Godel, Escher, and Bach_, there's a photo of an artifact he made, called a "trip-let". The trip-let, when lit from three different angles, produces shadows that spell out "G", "E", and "B".

Let's talk about software design. A photo of two "trip-l...
Before we dig in: I love to think & talk about geekery, but it's comfort food, not my most important story. Take a break, enjoy this thread, but please stay in the larger game with me, which isn't changing code, it's changing the world.

Black Lives Matter.
I was recently asked to prepare some content around the topic of software design. There are a lot of ideas out there about "good" software design and "bad", and about rules or the lack thereof. It's a rich topic, a lifetime game.
Read 32 tweets
15 Jan
Another VBS, this time not quite random, but triggered by another convo here.

George Benson, "Masquerade".

Benson's covering Leon Russell here. If you've never heard Russell's original, you should, as it's very different but very the same and very brilliant.
Benson released this album, Breezin', in '76. And the whole album is lovely, super accessible, with several "pop-suitable" takes on it. And the critics, holy shit, they just hated it. A quote of me from the other thread . . .
Read 5 tweets
14 Jan
I guess my question is this: if the Republican minority can prevent anything even remotely good or coherent from happening, why is it so important that I ensure that there's a Democratic majority?
I mean, look, you're gonna come at me with "this is the most important vote of your life", which, be honest, may not be the tops but is still right up there with "Free Bird" in the all-time overplay list.
And I gotta be straight, here.

I don't believe you.

I think you want to be elected more than you want to care for your constituency. I think you want to be elected more than you want to tell the truth.

I think you want to be elected.
Read 4 tweets
6 Jan
Hmmm. I reference my playlist, the VBS (Very Best Shit), with some regularity. In the last couple of days, several have inquired whether I have published it.

I have not.

There are 517 takes on it. Some of them are, well, deprecated. But if I do one a day, in no order...
Idunno, tho. I mean. One's VBS list is inevitably intimate. Do I even trust y'all enough to share it? And what about the logistics? I mean, I don't want you to just see the artist/title, I want you to hear the take. Most are available, but surely not all.
I don't listen to the VBS all the time. I mostly listen to "all the songs I have online". I turn to the VBS when I need comfort.
Read 15 tweets
6 Jan
The weirdest thing about being a teacher for young geek minds: I am teaching them things, like small steps, a walking skeleton, a making app, reliance on spikes, and even TDD itself, that their actual first jobs will most likely forbid them to do.
The young'uns I work with are actually nearly all hire-able as is, after 18 months of instruction, without any intervention from me. I mean, not exaggerating, these are good young geeks, clever and motivated and energetic and articulate.
No. The problem they're gonna face when they get to The Show isn't technical or intellectual at all. No language or framework or OS or library or algorithm is gonna daunt them, not for long. These kids are unquestionably well on their way to being professional geeks.
Read 12 tweets
5 Jan
Tears for Fears, "Everybody Wants To Rule The World".

In a meandering conversation this morning, multi-slack, music from just before and after this one.

Do you know this is on my VBS (Very Best Shit) playlist, with only maybe 300 other songs?

Tears for Fears was never the band for me. But this song is just lovely.
"It's my own design. It's my own remorse."
Read 5 tweets

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