Although copyright and fair use have traditionally been seen as the specialized purview of lawyers and big media conglomerates, it has become increasingly clear that such terms are beginning to hold importance for anyone and everyone who consumes and produces culture. Particularly during the last few decades, we’ve seen a massive and important transformation in [...]

The focus of this blog is orchestral electronic music. This genre strikes me as significant to contemporary times in more than obvious ways. For example, an obvious observation of this genre would be that it mixes the old instances of music with new technology, say, strings with a synthesized beat. There are [...]

10 ½ . You know the hacks for check out lines at your local Target.
10. The employees at the Starbucks next to that Target know you.
9. Every single xmas and birthday present you have received for the past four years is a Starbucks gift card, and you now own the ENTIRE Starbucks gift card line-up.
8. [...]

From a semiotic perspective, the word “freedom” may be the most slippery of all signifiers. Throughout the history of the American media, it has been most commonly and strategically utilized by politicians as a dangerous simulacrum: conjuring up romantic images of flag-waving, battle-waging, apple pie patriotism, while using the powerful reassurance of these images to [...]

10. Alcamy; Origin: American; Meaning: Alternate spelling of Alchemy; Guaranteed: Your kid will fail chemistry.
9. Cloud, Cricket, Denim… Please refrain from naming your child after the first random object that pops into your little brain.
8. Butch
7. Aim; Origin: American; Meaning: Direct toward target… or “My parents are social networking whores.”
6. Dude; Origin: American; Meaning: Man, [...]