LTE 2.0

[Sue71]

The Stray Cats & The J. Geils Band were/are underrated. Discuss.

[Lavabe]

The Stray Cats & The J. Geils Band were/are underrated. Discuss.

Brian Setzer is the Mozart of the 1980s generation.

[Bostondevil]

You're just saying that cause you've got cat class and you've got cat style. ;)

[YmoBeThere]

I have two cats...but have been very busy the last few days.

[captmojo]

,,,The J. Geils Band were/are underrated. Discuss.

Oobah Goobah wid da green teeth?
J. Geils "Full House", I wore the grooves out!

[YmoBeThere]

I have two cats...but have been very busy the last few days.

(I don't really know any stray cats)

[DukeUsul]

No, it's actually ooo-sul.

The name is taken from a character in Frank Herbert's Dune. If you want to hear it pronounced, here's a clip from the very horrible David Lynch (1984) film adaptation. The bearded guy says Usul when Kyle MacLachlan walks up to him (about 0:39) and then again later around 3:00.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld2DMsyy0go

Its far older association is with regard to Islamic law. The term usul ul fiqh refers to the fundamentals or origins of Islamic law (where "usul" refers to fundamentals and "fiqh" is law). I doubled in religion and history at Duke, and my undergrad advisor is a fairly renowned scholar of Islam, so this is what I always think of when I read your handle.
Does the notion of fundamentals or origins have anything to do with the Dune character (I've never read the book or seen the film)?

It actually does. Herbert weaves a lot of Islamic religion and culture into his novel. It's a sci-fi story set way in the future, but the people that Usul belonged to (actually he was "adopted" into their culture) are meant to be descendants of Muslims. So there are many words he has these people use in the novels that are taken from Islam and Arabic. In the book they describe usul meaning "the base of the pillar" - which I can see being quite similar to its meaning as "fundamentals."

If you are curious, here is a list of Dune terminology. You may notice a lot pulled from Islam and Arabic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dune_terminology

And an article on the novel's Arabic and Islamic themes.
http://baheyeldin.com/literature/arabic ... -dune.html

It's a fantastic novel and one of the great classics of Sci-Fi. Some sci-fi novels are about spaceships and lasers. This one really isn't about the technologies. It's about the people, power struggles, slavery, essential resources, ecology, politics.

[DukeUsul]

Wilson from that second link:

Fremen: 'The base of the pillar.' This is the name given to Paul by the Fremem Chieftain Stilgar. The Arabic root A-S-L means "base". Usul is the plural, and is used for "basis", "principles", "methods" as well, like in Usul Al Fiqh which is the science of principles of jurisprudence.

FYI: The Fremen are the people in the novel who adopt and give Usul his name.

[wilson]

It's a fantastic novel and one of the great classics of Sci-Fi. Some sci-fi novels are about spaceships and lasers. This one really isn't about the technologies. It's about the people, power struggles, slavery, essential resources, ecology, politics.

I've often said the same about both Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, pretty much the only two works of sci-fi/fantasy I've ever really gotten into. I really should give Dune a shot someday.

[DukeUsul]

It's a fantastic novel and one of the great classics of Sci-Fi. Some sci-fi novels are about spaceships and lasers. This one really isn't about the technologies. It's about the people, power struggles, slavery, essential resources, ecology, politics.

I've often said the same about both Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, pretty much the only two works of sci-fi/fantasy I've ever really gotten into. I really should give Dune a shot someday.

Would you like me to send you an article on how the half of Star Wars that wasn't taken from Tolkien was actually taken from Herbert?

Definitely give Dune a shot.

[DukeUsul]

But not the film. The book. The film is tripe. Fun tripe, but tripe nonetheless.

[wilson]

But not the film. The book. The film is tripe. Fun tripe, but tripe nonetheless.

I'll be honest: It's gonna take an act of God for me to get through the book anytime soon. I am planning a couple of interludes of a day or two in the near future where I'm not going to do much, though. I really will try.
Or at least I'll think about trying.

[DukeUsul]

But not the film. The book. The film is tripe. Fun tripe, but tripe nonetheless.

I'll be honest: It's gonna take an act of God for me to get through the book anytime soon. I am planning a couple of interludes of a day or two in the near future where I'm not going to do much, though. I really will try.
Or at least I'll think about trying.

What are you doing something important right now? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The Stray Cats & The J. Geils Band were/are underrated. Discuss.

I LOVE J. Geils Band! First I Look at the Purse was a great driving song.

I saw them live over at State at their Joe College Weekend in April 1974or5? Also saw Rare Earth, who was my favorite band at the time - Get Ready, another great driving song!

[DevilAlumna]

I watched part of the Children of Dune DVD series with Mr. DA. It was interesting and visually appealing, but since I didn't know much of the story, I was really just digging a young, shirtless James McAvoy.



He's aged nicely.



But why is he always shirtless?



I'm not complaining, mind you.

[Bostondevil]

I've been into a shirtless Josh Holloway a lot lately.

[DevilAlumna]

I've been into a shirtless Josh Holloway a lot lately.

Worthy, very worthy.



But what will George think of this mental infidelity?

[DevilAlumna]

Hey, I finally broke 300 posts. I'm like the anti-PW over here, in comparison to my DBR stats. (I've virtually stopped posting over there, and I'm still not falling very far in the ranks.)

[DevilAlumna]

At the risk of having three posts uninterrupted here (and thus looking like a PW):

I was wondering on the drive home, does 9F have relevance here?

I mean, it does come from the DBR Handy Pocket Reference.

I think here, GTH,C,GTH would pretty much be 1A.

Pirates are probably 1b, with lemurs 1c?

[Bostondevil]

But we have Ozzie and wherever Ozzie goes, 9F is relevant.

Don't worry, George remains my one and only 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. I've just been watching so much 'Lost' that I've developped an appreciation for a shirtless Mr. Holloway. Have you been reading my thread on the DBR?