(Photo by Jokin BCN) Like many other humans equipped with a heart, soul, and ears, I spend several hours of every day using music to stimulate and interact with my higher consciousness. Between 1994 and 2003, my music life severed its analog roots and moved almost entirely onto my PC. Now, Web 2.0 is relocating music again -- this time to my web browser, where I can listen to, discover, discuss, label, share, store, broadcast, and even make music right inside Firefox, at home or remotely. For those of us who feel lost among the millions of users on Facebook at any given moment, music-oriented communities like MOG and Last.fm provide more specific social networks, full of people more like me. And these "social music" sites do a lot more than just allow you to create a profile with a photo and witty description of yourself. In addition to offering thousands of free radio stations, Last.fm and the Music Genome Project-powered Pandora track what you're listening to and allow you to rate songs and artists. They then make recommendations in the form of customized radio stations based around your listening habits and ratings, and then (here's the social part) you can share your listening preferences and stations with your online buddies. MOG provides users a platform to publish reviews and thoughts about artists, albums, and songs. Along the same lines, MyStrands allows users to tag songs, albums, and artists with non-academic (but still meaningful and searchable) descriptors like "soaring," "amiable," and "awesome to the maximum" -- an appropriate subgenre for R.E.M., and one more meaningful to me than the generic "college rock." Want to create your own free radio station and share your music thoughts and preferences? Check out our growing Social Music category in the Yahoo! Directory, and watch for the next installment of our series on Music 2.0. Suggested Sites... The Hype Machine - searches music-blog discussions and creates Internet radio stations based on the most-discussed artists and songs. Streampad - listen to your own music from anywhere in the world, stream concerts, create playlists, and see what your friends are listening to. Deezer - listen to albums and songs and share your playlists and musical tastes with the community. Musicovery - recommendation service that allows listeners to create a radio station by selecting genres, eras, popularity, moods, and colors. Lala - upload music, share songs with friends, and discover new music.

Directory categories: Social Music, Internet Broadcasts, Music News and Media, Music Downloads

Archived under: Communities, Entertainment, File Sharing, Internet, Internet Radio, Music, Radio, Social Networking, Society and Culture, Technology, Web 2.0

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"Over the Rainbow" (by AZRainman) On June 22, 1969, the world lost a singular performer. The untimely death of Judy Garland sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, but one group in particular reacted deeply to the loss. Gay men had always been an important part of her fanbase and, apocryphal or not, her death is often considered the flashpoint that sparked the Stonewall riots, ushering in an age of gay liberation. Recent years have seen a Judy backlash in the queer community. Many modern gays bristle at the outmoded images of effeminate queens swooning over Garland's campy and tragic melodrama. Today, the anxiety of coming out has been eased by the mainstreaming of gay and lesbian life through music, movies, and such TV shows as "Will and Grace" and "The L Word." Debates over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and same-sex marriage have propelled LGBT issues out of the closet and into the limelight. Whether pro- or anti-, people are talking openly about homosexuality -- something that couldn't be done in the 1950s and '60s, when many homosexuals personalized the dichotomy of Judy's vulnerable and tragic offstage persona and the dynamic diva in the spotlight. This generation no longer connects to the extravagant emotionality of camp (so integral to the experience of older gays), rendering inert the old icons. We'd venture that most young gay men have a deeper affinity for Britney over Judy; emo over opera; and Abercrombie and Fitch over antiquing. As times change, so does our iconography, but what lies beneath is pretty much the same. We call upon even the most self-actualized Judy-hater to consider her most enduring and widely-loved performance as a lost and lonely kid discovering that acceptance cannot be found, but must be discovered within one's self. That's the kind of iconic message that all "friends of Dorothy," young or old, can relate to. Suggested Sites... Judy Garland Museum - official site of the historic birthplace and museum dedicated to Judy Garland. There's no place like home! The Judy Garland Database - exhaustive resources including biography, photograph gallery, FAQ, and an index of Garland's film, musical, television, and radio work. Judy Garland - The Live Performances - tribute to Garland's television and concert career, with reviews, Q&A, photographs, and timeline. Stonewall Veterans' Association - celebrating the Stonewall Rebellion of June 1969, when gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenderists, and friends decided to fight back. People With a History - online guide to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans history.

Directory categories: Judy Garland, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT), LGBT Issues and Causes, Stonewall Riots, The Wizard of Oz

Archived under: Actors, Anniversaries, Biographies, Celebrities, Communities, Cultures, Dead Celebrities, Entertainment, Gay History, Gay Pride, Judy Garland, LGBT, Society and Culture

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(Photo by Daniela) Perhaps it seems a wee bit ironic that we're featuring International Clothesline Week exactly one week after railing against superfluous observances, but our initial snickering at its apparent absurdity gave way to appreciation and respect. This observance benefits both our planet and our clothes. In urban America, clotheslines seem a vestige of simpler times and rural living, but this is certainly not the case the world over. Clotheslines are a common sight in many cities, and are a necessity more than a choice. But for those of us who do have the choice of dryer versus clothesline, we propose that the clothesline should be the champ. Instead of wasting precious natural resources on the energy consumed by a dryer, get some sun-time and your very own photo op. You'll save money on your energy bill while saving your clothes from the damaging effects of a dryer's heat. Yard or no, plenty of clever contraptions are available for your abode. And if you're feeling mischievous and want to be a rebel, know that you might even be breaking the law. So without getting arrested or fined, fight the good fight for our planet and be part of the clothesline comeback. Your jeans and Martha Stewart will thank you. Suggested Sites... Project Laundry List - advocating simple lifestyle changes to reduce dependence on energy sources. The Clothesline Shop - find the perfect clothesline today. U.S. Department of Energy: Laundry Tips - tips for reducing laundry energy consumption. The Clothesline Book - featuring laundry secrets and clothesline art.

Directory categories: Eco-Friendly Shopping and Services, Environment and Nature Organizations, Energy Conservation and Efficiency, Solar Power

Archived under: Clotheslines, Clothing and Accessories, Energy, Environment, Global Warming, Green Living, Green Products, Society and Culture

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Dr. Ruth at Brown University, 2007 The world is certainly in no short supply of sex therapists, but one has managed to transcend most of her peers and establish herself as the preeminent go-to girl for all things hot, bothered, and otherwise. With her grandmotherly charm, diminutive stature, and thick Teutonic lilt, Dr. Ruth Westheimer (who was born on this day in 1928) might seem more suited to doling out sausage recipes than sexual advice. To some, listening to her frank counsel might be akin to dildo shopping with Grandma, but perhaps it's exactly her maternal nature and harmless countenance that make her so accessible and popular. Her younger years, however, gave no hint to the budding sexpert she was to become. An orphan of the Holocaust, Karola Ruth Siegel studied psychology at the Sorbonne, taught kindergarten in Paris, emigrated to the U.S., and earned numerous advanced degrees in sociology and education before a stint with Planned Parenthood incited her interest in human sexuality. Her wildly successful radio program "Sexually Speaking," in which she shot straight from the hip on all matters of sexuality, premiered in 1980 on WYNY FM, and led to Dr. Ruth becoming a household (specifically bedroom) name. And where did she learn such straight shooting? In her first career at the age of 17, as a lethal sniper with the Jewish military group Haganah, fighting for Israel's independence. Now, at 80 years old, not only can she dish out a healthy dose of sexual guidance, but she can still "load a Sten automatic rifle in a single minute, blindfolded." We think that's hot. Suggested Sites... DrRuth.com - official site of the world's preeminent sexpert. Get some! The Dr. Ruth Page - fansite dedicated to Dr. Ruth, highlighting dozens of clips from her successful radio program, "Sexually Speaking." Salon.com: Sex - sex-related articles and features from the literary minds at Salon.com. The Kinsey Institute - promoting interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender, and reproduction. Sexuality.org: Society for Human Sexuality - sex-positive resource and repository of sex education materials.

Directory categories: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Sexuality, Sexology, Sex Products and Services, Sex Therapy Clinics and Practices

Archived under: Authors, Education, Health, Radio, Sex and Sexuality, Society and Culture

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Let's celebrate something! (Photo by ShipBoy) Everybody needs a month -- or so it would seem. Aside from the obligatory commercial promotions by various industries, every month of the year finds itself besieged by a barrage of organizations, causes, and hobbies. Now, far be it from us to say who can and cannot have a party, but here at The Spark we're all feeling a little national-monthed-out. There's only so much preposterousness one can take, and the following have pushed us to our limits and beyond: January - Prune Breakfast Month (a.k.a. Work From Home for the Sake of Others Month) February - Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month (ummmm...) March - National Frozen Food Month (at least these folks are upfront about the holiday's purpose) April - Fresh Florida Tomato Month (advertising ideas, anyone?) May - National Sweet Vidalia Month (onions need love, too) June -National Accordion Awareness Month (people are perfectly aware of this instrument, whether friend or foe) July - National Baked Beans Month (we again kindly request that you remain at home) August - Studious Behavior Awareness Month (we're pretty sure this one doesn't even exist, but several websites happily include it on their holiday calendars) September - Hug a Texas Chef Month (see also How to Get Punched Month) October - National Toilet Tank Repair Month (by the time you've made it through months of prunes, tomatoes, and beans, chances are that sucker's going to need some help) November - National Georgia Pecan Month (since those Florida tomatoes stole April) December - International Calendar Awareness Month (and it coincides with holiday shopping!) Still haven't had enough? Well we have, and we're officially declaring June Give Us a Break Month. Suggested Sites... Holidays on the Net - find holidays to your heart's content. Wikipedia: List of Commemorative Days - possibly the genesis of many a dubious observance. Commemorative Observances - the Congressional Research Service's list of national observances.

Directory categories: Holiday Humor, Holidays by Month, Holiday Calendars, Holiday Entertaining

Archived under: Calendars, Events, Fanatics, Festivals, Holidays, Society and Culture

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