| |
| |
|
|
Music Information |
|
|
|
Thomas Jefferson and the Chinese Gong
While Richard Nixon's diplomatic visit to China may have created a minor thaw in Sino-US relations, he was not the first President to try to get in sync with the Chinese. Thomas Jefferson preceded him by close to two centuries. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, happened to be (in contrast to the current US President) an intelligent man, amazing inventor and, as DNA tests have shown, most likely a randy advocate of miscegenation. We now may envision that when the Continental Congress celebrated Thanksgiving together, which type of meat - light or dark - Jefferson put on his plate. Now if you look at the tails side of a nickel, you can see a picture of TJ's Monticello home. But what the nickel doesn't show us is the unique interior of his Virginia manse. The inside of Monticello is much more eclectic: animal skins, Native American artifacts, painted floors the color of green grass. I'm certain that the "design team" of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition would appreciate it. But the specific objet d'Jefferson that is of interest to the Gong Aficionado is "The Great Clock." Originally Jefferson designed it for a home in Philadelphia, but the ropes on the large weights that drive the clock were much too long for the client's home. So TJ brought it to Monticello and created a clock that could mark time across the entire plantation. Now to fit this Great Clock and its lengthy ropes into his home, TJ did what any man would do who wasn't worried about selling his home in two years when interest rates went up, he cut a big hole in the floor, so the ropes could hang down into the basement. So how does this all relate to Gongs? Well, the chimes of this clock were made from a large Chinese Gong! And according to his 'employees of enforced servitude,' the chimes could be heard over three miles away. I am certain many a slave work song was sung to coincide with the hourly gonging. "Go down Moses, way down in Egypt land?Tell Ol' Pharoah, to let my people Gong. Let my people Gong!" The clock still tells time, and the Chinese Gong still rings. Here's to solid manufacturing! Thankfully, there are no slaves using it to tell time anymore. In 1967 the Supreme Court ruled on Loving vs. Virginia and forced all states to allow interracial marriage. Too little, too late for Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. Andrew Borakove is a media writer and the proprietor of Gongs Unlimited, the only internet store devoted solely to gongs. http://www.gongs-unlimited.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Music - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Legal Free Music Downloads - Songs You Want at No Cost It's all over the news these days. Download music from the Internet and you could be sued, fined, and/or go to jail. Surf Waves With Jack Johnson Lately I've been listening to some pretty cool music by some beach bum named Jack Johnson. The tunes he plays really touch a chord within me. Guide to Finding Music Online Are you frustrated because finding your favorite songs on the net has become more of a chore than an enjoyable activity? Read this simple guide to finding music online and your troubles will be out of mind before you download your next Green Day hit!MP3s are compressed music files that are one-tenth the size of regular audio files. As a normal audio file requires about 40 megabytes to download, and MP3 requires four. How I Learned How To Play The Guitar After Giving Up In Disgust I was 17 at the time (the Beatles era), and it was considered cool to play the guitar. I had a little training in music in elementary school where I had learned how to play the trumpet. Music Licensing: The Cold Cash Facts About Money for your Music Where music meets licensing, there's money to be made. How much money? "I have synched quite a few thousand songs into productions over the years," states Peter Jansson of Janssongs, Inc. The First Step and Most Important Thing in Learning Guitar Most of the guitar lovers playing guitar for few years but still unsatisfied with their progress. They feel like still stand at the starting point and can't enjoy their playing. Avoiding Injuries When Playing Guitar To avoid any sort of injuries when playing guitar a common sense approach is recommended. Just what do I mean by that?Well, there are many simple and obvious precautions you can take that will prevent most injuries. Self-Expression Without Criticism When I was 9 years old I played the Saxophone and thought I was pretty good at it. Unfortunately, I had a teacher who didn't think so and he went out of his way to make sure I knew how he felt. Automatic Control of Chords CORRECT PRACTICE IS INDISPENSABLE!Your success or failure at the keyboard may well hinge on how quickly and accurately you can memorize a new chord. To be really efficient at this you must use your eyes, your ears, and the muscles of your hands. How to Buy an Electric Guitar For most of us, making any major purchase, such as a new refrigerator, or a new car, is a cacophony of options and confusion; do we want the silver one or the black one? How much can we afford to spend? Will it last over time? If nothing else, we at least know what we need these appliances to do: the microwave needs to make the food hot quickly, the car needs to get us from one place to the other without breaking down. When confronted with the purchase of a new guitar, even experienced guitarists can have trouble deciding what exactly they want and need. Tips on Performing Your Music for Others Have you ever dreamed of performing a piece you created for others. Imagining that they are captivated and held spellbound by the music? If you have, you know that it can be a long road from actually coming up with something, practicing it, and then giving it to an audience. Composing George Winston Style If you're a fan of New Age piano, no doubt you've listened to some of George Winston's music. What I find fascinating about his songs is how he creates them. Rhapsody Music Downloads Part II - A pleasant experience? Welcome back to Part II of Rhapsody Music Downloads! I hope you took an opportunity to enjoy the first week of your two-week trial. Must have been a joy to stream and download online music by the truckloads. Top Rap Song After months of email and posts, we've finally compiled and rated what you submitted as the top rap songs of all time. At first we tried to rank these, but we realized that due to the diverse nature of these songs it seemed unfair to do so. Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the few electric basses to have earned the accolade "classic" as a title for itself. The Rickenbacker 4000 Series guitar is attributed for creating new dimensions of bass playing capabilities. The Flower Garden and New Age Piano Music If you've ever looked at a flower garden, not only its beauty may have captivated you, but also its overall arrangement.There may have been some tulips or roses combined with other flowers or plants. All About Eminem Marshall Mathers, was born October 17, 72, and could be by far the most notorious and recognised rap music musicians of this age, having the alias Slimshady. Slim Shady is perhaps best known for being one of the very few influencial white rappers in the hip hop industry, and not only one of the most critically acclaimed. Bang on Your Drum All Day Long - Without Annoying Your Neighbors! Bang! Bam! Bang! Have you always wanted to play the drums, but are afraid your neighbors would call the police on you?Do you want to bang on your drum all day, but are worried you'll drive you loved ones away. Don't worry; your dreams of becoming the next great drummer can still come true! There are quick and easy ways to help keep your family, friends, and neighbors happy while still allowing you to drum it up. What is Music? That's a fair question!Basically, you can call music any noise that is set to either a rythm as in percussions or that follows a melodic line of some sort.Our early ancestors sitting outside the cave by the fire, after a hard day of gathering and hunting food, probably made music by tapping bones together or blowing in sea shells. Effective Band Rehearsal If your band is in rehearsals, either preparing for gigging, or practising new songs to add to your repertoire, the chances are you will have to hire a rehearsal room. The costs of hiring a room can soon mount up if you don't organise your time effectively.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
