The Daily Sabbatical
Music, Books, and Assorted Maunderings

This is for Pedro and Ana.
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Hypnosis is a strange phenomenon, bound to invite skepticism.  Now, with technologies such as fMRIs, some of that skepticism can be assuaged.  A recent study by a group at the Weizmann Institute in Israel confirms the fact that at least in the case of post-hypnotic amnesia ("PHA," in which subjects are hypnotised to forget something until a cancelling command is uttered) pre-conscious brain behavior is significantly modified.
In the study, a group of subjects susceptible to this hypnotism were asked to watch a movie after… Read More

Fans of Field Music take note: the Brewis brothers are pursuing separate projects that are easily as good as recent FM output.  The Week That Was is lead by Peter Brewis, and it has a sort of 80s epic feel that reminds me at times of Tears for Fears and the early Peter Gabriel/Genesis.  For those who are cringing: stop!  TWTW is no mere repeat and they don't deserve to be simply lumped in with the wave of 80s revivalists. If you don't like the sort of scenic rock driven by keyboards and minor keys, you can probably leave these guys… Read More

Nothing makes me happier than a purchase out of the blue that turns out to be a highlight of the year.  Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is a transplanted Oregonian--and a current Brooklynite--who has completely blown my mind.  None of the comparisons I am apt to make do him justice--Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Walkmen come to mind, but great as those bands are I don't sense in them the purity of inspiration that I get from Robinson.  He's like a Bob Dylan who rocks.  I'm not going to say any more,… Read More

From Scientific American

When we feel like we don't have command of our own fate, our brains often invent patterns that offer a sense of self-control. Some folks knock on wood or step over cracks in the sidewalk. Scientists call this illusory pattern perception. Work published in the October 3rd issue of the journal Science offers a look inside our heads as they try to make us feel less helpless.

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin devised six experiments to test students' reactions to different situations… Read More

I was watching Fox News last night--I was feeling guilty about watching so much MSNBC, alright!--I noticed some blustering idiot making fun of Biden for calling the people of Bosnia "Bosniaks" or "Bosniacs." 
Before making fun of him, perhaps they should check something like the Oxford English Dictionary which includes "Bosniacs" as an acceptable alternative to "Bosnians."  Or hell, just Google either "Bosniaks" or "Bosniacs" and notice how many Bosnian organizations self-proclaim as Bosniak organizations.
Either these people haven't done their research, or they are full of shit, or both.  I vote for the last option.Read More

This is a really good list.  Of course the fact that every man should read them doesn't imply that not every woman should read them.  Many of these books I would recommend to anyone.  Raymond Carver, Blood Meridian, John Cheever, Revolutionary Road...how good can it get?  I'm a fan of a surprising number of there. Thanks to Kerry for letting me know about this! Read More

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You heard it here first: More Than It Hurts You will be nominated for the National Book Award this year.  It reminds me of no book more than The Corrections, which despite the Franzen backlash is a masterpiece.   Strauss might not have attained the perfect touch Franzen achieved in that novel, but More Than It Hurts You shares its general profile and spirit, while also being an unpredictable page turner. The story centers around a possible case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.  If you… Read More