Fiddle String Chart

                       

STRING COLOR ENDS
BRAND	PEG_E	PEG_A	PEG_D	PEG_G	PEG_C	TAILPIECE_E	TAILPIECE_A	TAILPIECE_D	TAILPIECE_G	TAILPIECE_C
CHINESE	PINK	AQUA	BLUE	BLACK		PINK	AQUA	BLUE	BLACK
CORELLI---INTERMEDIATE	BLUE	BLACK	PURPLE	YELLOW	RED	AQUA--BLACK	AQUA--BLACK	AQUA--BLACK	AQUA--BLACK	AQUA--BLACK
CORELLI----MEDIUM	BLUE	BLACK	PURPLE	YELLOW	RED	PURPLE--BLACK	PURPLE--BLACK	PURPLE--BLACK	PURPLE--BLACK	PURPLE--BLACK
DIADDARIO--HELICORE	GREEN	BLACK	YELLOW	RED	PURPLE	BLUE--YELLOW	BLUE--YELLOW	BLUE--YELLOW	BLUE--YELLOW
DIADDARIO----PRELUDE	GREEN	BLACK	YELLOW	RED	PURPLE	RED	RED	RED	RED
DIADDARIO----PROARTE	GREEN	BLACK	YELLOW	RED	PURPLE	RED--BLUE	RED--BLUE	RED--BLUE	RED--BLUE	RED--BLUE
DIADDARIO----QUANTUM	GREEN	BLACK	YELLOW	RED	PURPLE	BLUE	BLUE	BLUE	BLUE
DIADDARIO----ZYEX		BLACK	YELLOW	RED	PURPLE	PINK--BLUE	PINK--BLUE	PINK--BLUE	PINK--BLUE
EURO	GREEN	GREEN	GREEN	GREEN		GREEN	GREEN--RED	GREEN--GREEN	GREEN--BLUE
GOLBROKAT	YELLOW					GOLD
BRAND	PEG_E	PEG_A	PEG_D	PEG_G	PEG_C	TAILPIECE_E	TAILPIECE_A	TAILPIECE_D	TAILPIECE_G	TAILPIECE_C
HUAYIN (CHINESE)	GRAY	PURPLE	GREEN	BROWN		BROWN	BROWN	BROWN	BROWN	BROWN
HUAYIN (CHINESE)---NEW	PINK	PINK	PINK	PINK		YELLOW--PURPLE	YELLOW--GREEN	YELLOW--BROWN	YELLOW--MAROON
JARGAR DOLCE--FORTE--/MEDIUM	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE	AQUA--RED--BLUE
LARSEN	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	BLUE	GOLD--BLUE	GOLD--BLUE	GOLD--BLUE
LEWIS	PURPLE	YELLOW	RED	GREEN		BLUE	BLUE	BLUE	BLUE
PIRASTRO---BLACK LABEL	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	BLACK	BLACK	BLACK	BLACK	BLACK
PIRASTRO----CHROMECORE	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	DARK GREEN	DARK GREEN	DARK GREEN	DARK GREEN
PIRASTRO----EUDOXA	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	GRAY--PURPLE	GRAY--PURPLE	GRAY--PURPLE	GRAY--PURPLE	GRAY--PURPLE
PIRASTRO----FLAT CHROME	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	PURPLE--WHITE	PURPLE--WHITE	PURPLE--WHITE	PURPLE--WHITE	PURPLE--WHITE
PIRASTRO----FLEXOCORE	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	YELLOW--MAROON	YELLOW--MAROON	YELLOW--MAROON	YELLOW--MAROON	YELLOW--MAROON
BRAND	PEG_E	PEG_A	PEG_D	PEG_G	PEG_C	TAILPIECE_E	TAILPIECE_A	TAILPIECE_D	TAILPIECE_G	TAILPIECE_C
PIRASTRO-----GOLD   LABEL	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	YELLOW	WHITE--GOLD	WHITE--GOLD	WHITE--GOLD
PIRASTRO----OBLIGATO		BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	RED--BLACK	RED--BLACK	RED--BLACK	RED--BLACK
PIRASTRO----PIRANITO	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	GRAY	GRAY	GRAY	GRAY	GRAY
PIRASTRO----PIRRAZI	GREEN	BLACK	PINK	BROWN	PURPLE	GREEN	GREEN--BLACK	GREEN--BLACK	GREEN--BLACK
PIRASTRO----SYNOXA	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	PINK--WHITE	PINK--WHITE	PINK--WHITE	PINK--WHITE	PINK--WHITE
PIRASTRO----TONICA	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	RED--WHITE	RED--WHITE	RED--WHITE	RED--WHITE
PIRASTRO----VIOLINO	GREEN	BLACK	RED	BROWN	PURPLE	BLUE	BLUE--BLACK	BLUE--BLACK	BLUE--BLACK
PRIM	PURPLE	PURPLE	GREEN	RED	BLUE	OLIVE GREEN	OLIVE GREEN	OLIVE GREEN	OLIVE GREEN	OLIVE GREEN
RAO--(LEWIS)	GREEN	BLACK	YELLOW	RED		GREEN	GREEN	GREEN	GREEN
BRAND	PEG_E	PEG_A	PEG_D	PEG_G	PEG_C	TAILPIECE_E	TAILPIECE_A	TAILPIECE_D	TAILPIECE_G	TAILPIECE_C
SUPER SENSITIVE ---RED LABEL	RED	BLUE	GRAY	GREEN	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED
SUPER SENSITIVE     OCTAVA	RED	BLUE	GRAY	GREEN	RED	BLUE--BLACK	BLUE--BLACK	BLUE--BLACK	BLUE--BLACK	BLUE--BLACK
THOMASTIC---BELCANTO				ORANGE	ORANGE				ORANGE	ORANGE
THOMASTIC----DOMINANT	PURPLE	PURPLE	PURPLE	PURPLE	PURPLE	PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN	YELLOW	RED
THOMASTIC----INFELD-BLUE	PURPLE	BLUE	BLUE	BLUE	BLUE	PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN	YELLOW	RED
THOMASTIC-----INFELD-RED	PURPLE	RED	RED	RED	RED	PURPLE	BLUE	GREEN	YELLOW	RED
THOMASTIC----SPIROCORE	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED	RED
WESTMINSTER	GREEN--PURPLE--BLACK					GREEN--PURPLE--BLACK

 String Descriptions -

Corelli - Synthetic core - Excellent balance and volume, easy playing, immediate response.

Helicore - multi strand steel core - quick response, warm clear sound with good longevity.

Prelude -  steel core -  clear bright sound with quick response

ProArte - nylon core - warm sound with good bow response

Zyex - synthetic core - warm sound with good bow response, very stable

Jargar - steel core - Bright full sound with quick response

Larsen - synthetic core - very warm but powerful

Chromcor - stranded steel core - warmer clear sound with quick response

Obligato - synthetic core - warm, brilliant, clear and focused sound

Piranito - steel core - great student string

Pirazzi - synthetic - warm sound with wide dynamic range, intense and brilliant colorations and quick response.

Synoza - synthetic core - big sound, rich in overtones, rounded stable tone.

Tonica - synthetic core - big rich overtones, very good response.

Violino - round big sound with great projection - great student string

Prim - steel core - bright powerful sound

Belcanto - exceptional balance of tension, projection, and tonality

Dominant - Perlon core - feel of gut with exceptional stability, clear, rich in overtones

Infeld Blue - synthetic core - Brilliant strong and clear

Infeld Red - synthetic core - Warm strong and clear

Spirocore - steel spiral core - round, bright and powerful

Genetic Research on Jews

I recently purchased two books on genetic research on Jews and one on Khazaria. I finished the first book, Jacob's Legacy: A Genetic View of Jewish History by David B. Goldstein. The other two books are Abraham's Children: Race, Identity, and the DNA of the Chosen People by Jon Entine and The Jews of Khazaria by Kevin Alan Brook.

Professor Goldstein studies several questions such as the existence of a Y chromosome gene common to descendants of Jewish priests (Cohen), genetic evidence that Jewish woman did not intermarry with non-Jews for a very long time, and genetic diseases common to Jews. For me, however, the most interesting chapter is on his study of Ashkenazi Levites. Goldstein is staunchly Zionist, but seems to be a reputable and honest scientist. He says that he was initially dismissive of Arthur Koestler's thesis that the Khazars are key to the origin of Ashkenazi Jewry. "I am no longer so sure. The Khazar connection seems no more far-fetched than the spectacular continuity of the Cohen line or the apparent presence of Jewish genetic signatures in a South African Bantu people. And then there is that troubling Y chromosome that is so common in the Ashkenazi Levites but seemingly nowhere else to be found. I cannot claim that the evidence proves a Khazari connection. But it does raise the possibility, and I confess that, although I cannot prove it yet, the idea does now seem to me plausible, if not likely." More on this as my studies continue.

Too Big to Fail? Let Them Fail

This strange notion that financial institutions or corporations cannot be allowed to fail deserves close scrutiny, especially since we are the ones paying for it. The reason these institutions were failing is that they are dysfunctional, as is our entire current economic system. Throwing money at them does not address the dysfunctions, it preserves them. It's classic throwing good money after bad. We should not be spending a penny to preserve and prolong this economic system, which not only impoverishes the vast majority but makes it impossible to address issues such as global warming. If a bank fails, that need not cause human suffering if the government takes it over and reorganizes it to serve its customers and taxpayers. We live in the era of the death of the market. Markets are dying precisely because they are not free but are instead manipulated by the superwealthy for their own benefit despite the fact that this manipulation is completely destructive. Only by  abandoning old shibboleths such as the free market rules, big government is necessarily bad, taxation discourages entrepreneurs can we move forward. The market is not free. The problem with government is not its size but who controls it and in whose interest it operates. Taxes on the very rich will not stifle growth but will allow a government that represents its citizens to finance green technology, education, renewal of infrastructure, single payer health care, and many other things we desperately need. Some will say that this sounds like socialism. So what? Capitalism increasingly sounds like death and destruction for the human species.

The Next War in the Middle East

I have a friend in Beirut who reports to me on what al-Jazeerah and the Lebanese and Israeli media are reporting. Also, I heard a recent interview with Robert Fisk which says essentially the same thing. Israel is planning a new war against Lebanon and perhaps also Syria and Hamas at the same time in the coming months. I have heard December 2010 and January 2011 mentioned.

I have not noticed any coverage of this pending conflagration mentioned in the major media. Here is how I see the dangers. Israel was unable to defeat Hezbolleh in 2006 and Hamas in 2009, though tremendous loss of life and damage to buildings and infrastructure occurred in both invasions. Hezbolleh is certainly stronger now militarily than it was in 2006; reports say that Hezbolleh can launch 1,000 rockets a day for 6 months. Hezbolleh's leader, who is noted for doing what he says he will do, has said that if Israel destroys a building in Lebanon, he will destroy a building in Israel. If Israel destroys a town, he will destroy a town. Note also that Syria has Scud missiles.

Therefore, in such a war, Israel will face far more substantial deaths and damage than in any previous war. Israel cannot win such a war. The irony is that the insane leaders of Israel know all this, but they are planning to go ahead anyway.

A war along these lines will cause tremendous human suffering and is to be avoided for that reason alone. However, there is a greater risk. What will the US government do when Israel suffers tremendously damaging attacks? Since the US public is not being prepared in advance for the likelihood of this war, there exists the possibility that the Obama administration, already stretched to the limit by the unsuccessful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, would nevertheless commit troops and other military resources to intervene on Israel's behalf saying there is no time for lengthy discussion. How would Iran react to that?

This scenario promises to up the ante considerably both now and in the future. Anger at the US government would likely escalate considerably with many unforeseen consequences.

The time to discuss this impending danger is now before it happens. Oppose the Israeli war on its neighbors. Oppose any US intervention in such a war.

The Conundrum of Afghanistan

In contemporary Afghanistan, we have a government of religious fanatical warlords fighting the Taliban, which is fueled by a very similar religious fanaticism. No matter who wins, the Afghan people will be ruled by religious fanatics. So, there are two questions. Why is the US government engaged in such a war, especially when it appears that the two groups of religious fanatics are quite capable of uniting? The second question is how did things come to this pass?

Once upon a time, in 1979, Afghanistan had a secular government trying to introduce reforms which would free women from traditional oppression, spread education, etc. That government was far from perfect and probably pursued those objectives in a heavyhanded way which helped unite opposition. Threatened by that opposition, the secular government called on their neighbor, the Soviet Union, to help keep them in power. The Soviet Union came to their aid in an even more heavyhanded manner and found itself in a disastrous war. Meanwhile, the United States armed and trained religious fanatics to fight the government and its Soviet backers.

So, the US government helped eliminate the most prominent secular forces and greatly strengthened the forces of religious fanaticism which became the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other groups. Then the US government selected a group of warlords and tried to impose them on a population which likely would prefer to live in a secular state, considering that that is who they elected long ago.

If any or all of this strikes you as insane, you are correct. Any serious analysis of the US war in Afghanistan leads to the conclusion that it was irrational to begin it and it is irrational to continue it. Even from the standpoint of US imperial and finance capital objectives, it is a lose-lose situation.

Such a war has a momentum of its own. Once it squanders lives, resources, money on such a misguided venture, a government has to be forced to abandon it. It will never do it simply by coming to its senses. Only a strong peace movement, like the one which helped the Vietnamese end that war, can do that.