nattering about singing

I have been meaning to post all week to let people know this. Particularly those of you who sang madrigals with me in college. Remember "Set Me As a Seal"?? (Even though we didn't sing it during my tenure there, it remains my of my favorites of the group's repertoire.)

Well, my chorus is doing a memorial concert on 9/11/04, and we are singing "Memorial" by Rene Clausen, which was written last year as a 9/11 tribute for the American Choral Directors Association convention (or something like that). It is pretty amazing music - very much into the wordpainting idea (such as when the towers fall....). It ends with this gorgeous prayer that is sung in English, Hebrew, Arabic, and Latin (between all the voices). The whole piece is utterly gorgeous and very cool.

Incidentally, the concert will be a joint concert with our local symphony and a symphony and chorale from Kiev in the Ukraine. How cool is that? We'll do the Clausen piece, plus the 1812 Overture (which apparently has a *choral* section), and probably *whoopdedoo* God Bless America.

But the Clausen piece will definitely be the highlight. And that's what I wanted to brag about. :)

This sucks

FDA Corrupts Science with Ideology, Denies Women Essential Access to Plan B® Emergency Contraception

FDA Ignores Own Expert Panel Recommendation and Comprehensive Data Showing Plan B Is Safe and Effective

May 6, 2004

NEW YORK CITY — Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) today condemned the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to deny Plan B® emergency contraception (EC) over-the-counter status. The major public health setback will prevent American women from accessing a much-needed safe and effective back-up method for preventing unintended pregnancies.

See more at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about/pr/040506_EC.html

Don't these people get it? They say they want people to have fewer abortions, and then deny them easy access to the means to make that happen.

Period. That's all this is about. This is an incredibly safe medication - there are practically no contraindications. And it will not harm an existing pregnancy. AND - the big fear in opponents' minds is that east availability will make people more promiscuous, but research has disproved that as well.

I loathe this administration.