Books: Columbine

Columbine by Dave Cullen

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a thorough and well-written book that delves into the events, causes, and aftermath of the Columbine tragedy. It has been 10 years since the massacre inflicted by Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, and answers as to why they did it are still murky. There are many misconceptions about that day, and this book does an excellent job of sorting out the truth, and debunking many of the rumors. 13 students died, many were wounded, and Cullen tells their stories. He explores the nature of psychotics and suggests that any thought that this was a revenge killing are completely false. He explores the journals and videos left behind by the killers and gets to an underlying truth, one that is perhaps unsatisfying to those who need a “why?”: they were disturbed, not motivated by the same desires that motivate normal people, and it is quite possible that nothing could have stopped this (save, of course, preventing the easy access to firearms that allowed it to take shape).

It is tragedy, but there are tales of hope within. Patrick Ireland, the boy who was seen stumbling out the window, has a story that is downright inspiring. After he was shot, he was unable to walk or speak properly. It looked like he would have permanent brain damage and maybe, if he was lucky, he might be able to walk with a crutch, and the occasional support of a wheelchair. But months and months of hard work and a fierce determination led him to a remarkable recovery and today, he lives a life where his injuries do not define him. Now he walks on his own, and the wheelchair is gone.



Reading this, I found myself getting a little pissed at a lot of the people who blamed video games, violent movies, “liberals” and the like for this tragedy. I also got angry at the media for how they picked up and reported the myths, which spread and became like truth. Get past the bullshit. Read this and find out the truth.




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Nerdfest Videos are up!

Videos from my most recent performance at Nerdfest 3D are up! Please check out the show you missed! Or re-live the show you made! Note that there are some brand new songs that are not on any of my albums.

Videos courtesy of Miltonius Prime (thanks!)

http://www.myspace.com/miltoniusprime


Frustrating Conversationalist
Sandwich
Old and Cranky
Forget about Youth in Asia
Sit Down, Shut Up
I am a Champion
STDs
I Love Crack
Wash the Dish
Lotion
Man Friend

Notes on Nerdfest, Davey G.

notes from Nerdfest 3D, The Windup Space, Saturday June 6th.

Openers.

Oh, my, what can I say? Well, for starters, I opened a show for the first time in awhile--it’s what I asked for, I guess, when I said “just don’t put me on last.” Opening has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are the low expectations that make it possible to rise above. How many times in your life have you been to a show where the opening band blows away the headliner? I can think of maybe two or three times that has happened over a good 20 years of going to shows. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it is truly a special thing.
Then there are the disadvantages of going first. Those low expectations also mean that many people may not bother to show up early, or (even worse) they don’t pay any attention to you.
But for this show, I can say that I had the right crowd, and I think I managed to score a hit. I’ve played some of my new songs at least two or three times now, they’re still not quite stuck in my brain yet (note cards, note cards). I played “Get a load of THAT guy,” “Old and Cranky,” “Sit Down, Shut Up,” and “Frustrating Conversationalist,” as well as all the old classics, and the reception was good.

The Lotion Bit.

I hadn’t done the lotion bit in awhile. The show in March was cold, the show in May was…probably not the best audience (kids). But this time, I had prepped a particularly watery and messy mix, which made for a spectacular show on the floor of the Windup Space (sorry, Russell) and by the end, I had spent another whole bottle on the longest running gimmick of the Davey G and the Keyboard show.

Oh, Crap.
Not long after this, I realized that I had misplaced my wedding ring…it occurred to me that perhaps in the messiness of the lotion bit, it might have slipped off my usually otherwise dry and fat finger. I made the obligatory PA announcement… “uh, hey, if anyone finds my ring…you know, it’s kind of important…looks like a circle…”

Whew.
It turned up just a few hours later. When I was unloading my gear, I did a careful search of everything, and then it turned up inside my keyboard box. So it did not come off during the lotion bit, after all…

Closers.
All in all, a good show, a good crowd. Thanks to everyone who showed up, helped me out, thanks to the Windup Space and Save Vs. Poison for inviting me to play. Maybe I’ll see you next year???

Thanks for reading!
--Davey G.

Ps--there is a video of this show, when I get the URL I will post it here or in another post on the blog.