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eve_primeI was surprised to see someone I used to know being featured in the New York Times Magazine last Sunday. Randal O'Toole had an office in the basement of the EMU (the UO student union building) back when I was participating in student government (helping the ASUO president put together a guide to student programs), and he often came and talked to me. His main interest at the time was forest economics, and I had the impression that he wanted me to be a lot less ignorant about the topics that interested him so that we could debate them. Mostly I remember that he kept wanting me to defend my daydream about someday owning some land in the country. Anyway, he's an economist who is both seriously interested in environmental protection and a libertarian, which is a very unusual combination. He founded the Thoreau Institute, Thoreau having been pro-environment and anti-government, of course. These days, according to the NYT article, he (ROT, not HDT) is focused on transportation issues, ways to deal with related environmental problems without forcing people into mass transit (which isn't all that effective).
NYT article "The Automotist Manifesto" (but it's only free 'til midnight Saturday EDT)
I was talking to our violinist-neighbor Dan this afternoon; he was putting out his final recycling and leaving for Sacramento later today. It's incredible how serious musicians have to make such financial sacrifices for their careers. The Eugene Symphony pays $4,000 a year, which one can supplement by working for the Mozart Players and the opera, for maybe another $3,000 total. Then there's the Bach Festival, maybe another $3,000. And beyond that, one has to supplement by taking on students, but even if one's completely maxed out on students and charging $40 an hour, that's still only $25,000 a year to live on. And this is after investing far more time and money over the years in developing this career than a doctor or lawyer would have. And a violin good enough to play in a symphony orchestra costs $50,000 at a minimum. So if a person really focuses on classical performance, and doesn't dilute their interests by spending time with, say, composing, or teaching in public schools, then it's a major challenge to get by, even with full-time employment.
NYT article "The Automotist Manifesto" (but it's only free 'til midnight Saturday EDT)
I was talking to our violinist-neighbor Dan this afternoon; he was putting out his final recycling and leaving for Sacramento later today. It's incredible how serious musicians have to make such financial sacrifices for their careers. The Eugene Symphony pays $4,000 a year, which one can supplement by working for the Mozart Players and the opera, for maybe another $3,000 total. Then there's the Bach Festival, maybe another $3,000. And beyond that, one has to supplement by taking on students, but even if one's completely maxed out on students and charging $40 an hour, that's still only $25,000 a year to live on. And this is after investing far more time and money over the years in developing this career than a doctor or lawyer would have. And a violin good enough to play in a symphony orchestra costs $50,000 at a minimum. So if a person really focuses on classical performance, and doesn't dilute their interests by spending time with, say, composing, or teaching in public schools, then it's a major challenge to get by, even with full-time employment.