The school yearly raises funds by hiring out student volunteers to work around the community. The school gets an hourly rate from the locals. We've considered hiring a kid to work around the house, but we don't have much for them to do.
In AIDS News
The AP reports an AIDS vaccine cocktail has shown some success in a 16,000-person trial.
In Music News
The nominees for next year's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced. Let me speak on this.
First-time nominees:
KISS -- No. They took the theatre of Alice Cooper and David Bowie and made it cartoony while pretending it was dark and cosmic. They neither advanced a musical genre nor added anything to rock and roll.
Red Hot Chili Peppers -- Yes. They did fuse sloppy punk and '70s funk into something new, and it went big. They enjoyed the explosion of indy music in the '90s. They almost single handed dragged SoCal rock into national dominance. The late '90s bands, including Green Day and No Doubt, owe their souls to the Chilis.
Genesis -- Iffy. If we're talking the entire work of the band, yes. With Peter Gabriel, they continued prog rock's early' 70s march. And when Gabriel left, the band went pop. I'd argue that Gabriel should be inducted for his total work, including his advocacy of world music. If induction is influenced by reocrd sales, then, yes, Genesis has earned it. But for "rock and roll," no. They haven't done rock in almost 30 years.
Hollies -- I know exactly two songs: Bus Stop and Long Cool Woman. I have to pass.
LL Cool J -- Yes. I love LL. He hit MTV right when my ears wanted new music, and he has maintained a respectability in a genre that shifts quickly. I attribute his success to his producers, but his content showed rap could deliver ballads on par with those from soul and R&B. he expanded the genre, and that earns a spot.
Jimmy Cliff -- Yes. I know nothing of reggae, and I know this guy's name. That's gotta be good for something.
Returning Candidates
ABBA -- Yes. All they did was move the world from disco to New Wave and '80s pop single handedly. Madonna and Blondie would be trivia questions without them. As significant to music as the Temptations and Led Zepplin.
The Chantels, Darlene Love, Laura Nyro -- Don't know them.
The Stooges -- Yes. The Rolling Stones to the Ramones' Beatles.
Donna Summer -- No. She's a product of producers, the real power of disco.
The hall will only accept five inductees, and I'd go with ABBA, Cliff, The Chilis, LL Cool J, and The Stooges.
Picture of the Day
An Ira Glass image I did not make.
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