I saw this pretty little juvenile Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) on my hike through Rutland State Park. Isn’t she cute?
Monthly Archives: August 2015
Matt’s Picks: AA= #1 (All Animals Are Equal)
Recently, I have decided to listen again to one of my all time favorite albums by one of my all time favorite artists, AA= (All Animals Are Equal) aka Takeshi Ueda. His first album under the moniker of AA= is the appropriately tited #1. The name AA= is a direct reference to George Orwell’s Animal Farm and even the mascot for AA= is a pig. The pig motif is present in all of AA=’s artwork and music videos. I ordered #1 when it was initially released in 2009. It is a masterpiece of fast-paced hard electronic rock music.
The tone of the album is pessimistic, but ends with a feeling of hope. The intro track titled “4Legs Good, 2Legs Bad” is pretty down on the human race, outlining the seven deadly sins before going right into the second track named “I hate human.” The third track is the lead single, “Peace!!!” It has a message about taking action if change is going to occur. Each track keeps with the theme of all animals being equal and eventually the human animal is added into the mix. The final track “R.I.P.” is all about saying goodbye to each of the deadly sins after equality has (hopefully) been achieved.
Overall I would give #1 a rating of AA+. The hard and fast electronic sound is not for everyone, but I absolutely love it. Standout tracks include: “Peace!!!,” “Loser,” “Roots,” “All Animals Are Equal,” and “Starry Night.” Give this one a listen.
Spooky Sunday: Prison Camp Rd.
Hello dear readers. This is the first in a new series of reviews about investigating abandoned places. Today I visited Prison Camp Rd. in Rutland, Massachusetts. Prison Camp Rd. is located on the grounds of Rutland State Park. During the warmer seasons, you can drive the 2 miles to the site. I chose to walk the road. Upon arriving, one can see some cement structures where some of the old buildings used to be.
The largest structure appears to have been used for storage. Graffiti is pervasive at the site. Inside is always nice and cool. Not far from here is a free standing building that one can climb (carefully) up onto the roof. Back toward the road is an old tunnel one can walk down. Be careful as the pathway to the entrance has large holes where one could accidentally fall down into the tunnel. I met some fellow adventurers and showed them how to access the tunnel in the safest manner possible. I have been to this location multiple times, but have not experienced anything otherworldly. It is just a cool place to visit if you have some time and the curiosity to explore. If you go, be careful and have fun.
the mint tea drinkers society 