NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Perform First Space-Earth Flute DuetSpace used to be about buzz-cut patriots putting boots to moon to teach those rascally Russkies a lesson, but now it's just nerds studying gravity and rich idiots buying their way up. Who cares anymore? NASA needs to find a way to make space hip and modern and culturally relevant again:
"Coleman, an amateur flutist, and Anderson played a portion of the song 'Bourree,' an arrangement of which Anderson and Jethro Tull performed during their 1969 US tour as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped on the moon. Coleman played her part from 220 miles above Earth late last week. Anderson played his part while on tour in Perm, Russia, during the weekend. The two parts were then joined."
Bravo, NASA. A guy played a flute at (maybe) the same time as an astronaut. If that doesn't drum up interest in our ignored and underfunded space program, I don't know what will.
Effects of Innovative Mask Confirm Scientific Research
True audiophiles will pay any price for technology that claims to improve the fidelity of their music, even if that price is in the tens of thousands of dollars and the claims are demonstrably false. Now, there's a cheap, scientifically researched audiophile product that lets hi-fi nerds experience greater audio clarity without breaking the bank — just by covering their eyes!
"Musicmask completely shuts out light, while allowing the eyes to remain open. Our hearing is more alert with open eyes than with closed ones. . . . The idea for Musicmask came about during a meditation session in a darkened room. The music played sounded particularly spatial. When the light was switched on later, the spatial effect was diminished. Supported by scientific research, Musicmask was then developed."
This sound-enhancing breakthrough can be yours for $44.95. Its ergonomic design ensures a listening experience far more comfortable than pulling your hat over your eyes, and the fact that you get to spend money on it makes it twice as satisfying as turning off the lights.
PR Company's Ongoing Search for the Next Great Female Rapper Uncovers Ugly Truth: Many Rising Female Rap Artists Choose Themes of Sex and Materialism over Substance and Creativity
When S&H Public Relations decided to celebrate Women's History Month by putting out a call for undiscovered female rappers, they thought they'd find the next Lauryn Hill. What they got was something else entirely:
"These rappers think that the only way to compete in this industry is to sell sex. In a way, they're correct if all they're interested in is 15 minutes of fame. But what we're looking for is someone who has what it takes to make a long-term impact."
If I happen to meet any great unsigned female rappers — well, Da Brat probably lost her deal by now, but she doesn't count — I'll be sure to point them to this rinky-dink PR firm so they can be passive-aggressively scolded over the wire for trying to succeed on the same terms as most male rappers.
Ziggy Marley Letter: Why 4/20 Matters
Not quite a press release, but an item from the related "open letter" genre, which, for the purpose of cramming it into this column, I'll say is kind of like a press release.
