Nov
28
2005

The Sun's Going To Say Goodnight

Stephen Ashbrook live

(Add / View Comments) (0)Monday, November 28, 2005 - 09:30:29 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
King Of Queens is back on the air - I guess that officially signals that summer is here. [wink] Screw the calendar, if King Of Queens is on, it's summer. [wink] It seems like I haven't seen Doug and Carey since summer 2003 / 2004. I probably need to fire up my PVR, because I'm not always home by 7pm. God knows there's barely anything else worth watching, so having a bunch of King Of Queen's taped to watch I'm sure will be a good thing.

Currently I'm listening to Stephen Ashbrook's Last Exit show from Sept 30th, checking it for any cliches before I put it on CD (finally!). The sky earlier was burning red - overcast clouds, pouring an eerie orange glow from the sunset all over, which seemed to set the mood perfectly for listening to Ashbrook.

His guitar on Kansas City is nothing short amazing. I'm suprised it's never stood out to me before. And let's not forget the incredibly fitting "four month" reference - which most certainly did stand out to me the night of the broadcast. [wink]

The section of the show where the band take a break is always awesome - Lullabye, Clover Cigarette and Kansas City. And that's nothing against Ashbrook's band - there is just something about Stephen and an acoustic guitar.
Though, anything lead of by Lullabye can't go to far wrong. An absolute Ashbrook / Satellite classic.

I'd totally forgotten Ashbrook did Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Lance Diamond with the Goo Goo Dolls) that night, almost as much of a suprise just now as when I first listened to the broadcast.

It was also funny when Watch You Through Your Window really hit me - an awesome version on this show. Funny because it's one of the reasons it took me 7 years before I liked Ashbrook. It was one of the tracks from the self titled Satellite disc that put me off Ashbrook, because he seemed so perverted. On this show, it's one of my favorites - well one of many!

Listening to this show immediately makes me think what an excellent performer and song writer Stephen is. And hence spins me out still, especially having such emotions listening to this show, that 1996 through to circa 2002 I really couldn't stomach Stephen or Satellite. Now listening to an Ashbrook show (or disc) is nothing short of a religious experience. It's funny how things can change. Certainly a change for the best.

I hope the next time I'm in Tempe, Stephen decides to return 'home' also. I'd really love to catch him live.

Things are much better when we're together...
Now Playing: Stephen Ashbrook - Lullabye (Live - 09/30/2005 - Last Exit, Tempe, AZ)
Nov
24
2005

If I Had A Million Dollars...

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 10:04:52 am
(Posted Under: Music Music)
I would not buy the Barenaked Ladies latest album on a USB stick.

Not that I have a problem with their funky distribution method. However, the embrasing of MP3 (read: lossy) to sell audio is quite disturbing. Not something that is new per se, but with the recent launch of iTunes, the swing to lossy audio as the norm is quite disturbing.

Sure, Joe Public isn't going to care either way. That's a battle that can never be won. However, the music industry (including artists, labels and merchants, who should know better) deeming MP3 an acceptable format is a very scary thing. Years ago, it was more of a rarity. I remember when the Gas Giants album was released, it was released initally as a MP3 download for a month, after which it was released in 16bit 44kHz stereo, on CD. While I didn't per se agree with it (again, like the BNL album, hypewise it was kinda cool), it was a hype thing, vs. manditory MP3, and the proper lossless audio was available for purchase after a month. However, we're rapidly approaching (if not already there) a world where lossless audio is not an option. And more importantly, we're paying for an inferior product.

Sure, I have a great deal of my CD's ripped as MP3 for convinence. But MP3 is only acceptable because I have the original pristine audio on my bookcase, that I can go to whenever I like, as I see fit. Only having MP3 copied of these albums just wouldn't cut it.

What's worse, is that lossless digital formats exist (FLAC, SHN), and if the music industry (and consumers) must be cool, hip and techy, and purchase music via download, these formats should be used in preference to the lossy and inferier MP3 format. How much moneey is spent by studios (and hence artists and labels) for state of the art recording equipment - only to have the quality compromised by MP3 compression. The music industry as a whole should be ashamed of themselves. Firstly on principle, to forgo quality (which they should be upholding), and secondly for marketing an inferior product to the unknowing public.

At the end of the day, if Joe Clueless wants to fork out his hard earned for MP3 quality audio, that his problem. My concern is, for how much longer can I walk into a music store and buy a liquid polycarbonate injected silver disc with pristine 44kHz 16bit audio etched into the surface? Not for a whole lot longer I fear.

Ths music industry needs to be sat down and told that no matter how much illegal downloading of MP3 music that happens, MP3 is not an acceptable way to distribute and sell music.
Nov
12
2005

Female Vocals On "Think I'm In"

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 03:35:11 pm
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Given how much I've listened to Scott & Troy's performance at the Black Mood's CD release, it was bizarre listening to the studio (or 'studio' [smile]) version of Think I'm In. I've gotten so used to the live version, listening to this version was quite bizarre, which is funny given I'd heard this version verse. (Well, excluding literally seeing Johnson play it live, which was the first time I'd heard it). What REALLY stood out, which I've never noticed before, is the backing vocals. Sounds like a female. I wonder who.

Speaking of brother Johnson, my secret Arizona contact tells me that he, T-Roy and the Ironbear (PH) are heading to the studio. Way cool! I really hope that happens!
Now Playing: Scott Johnson & Troy Dixon - Think I'm In! (Live - Laruel Canyon CD Release)
Nov
12
2005

Where For Art Thou Ebuild?

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 03:10:38 pm
(Posted Under: Linux Linux, Gentoo Linux Gentoo Linux)
One annoying thing with Gentoo (or moreso Portage) is the death of ebuilds - that is, that after time ebuilds disappear out of portage.

Y'know, if I bork my kernel sources, I might just want to remerge them. Sure, the 2.6.8 kernel is reasonably old, but since it's the kernel I've got installed, as crazy as it might be [wink], I might just want to remerge it.

It wasn't a huge problem, since I backup portage each time I do an emerge sync (which in itself is kinda a pain in the ass), for this exact reason. A technique I've always employeed on my server, since about this time last year - when I was setting up a server at work, and had to replicate the environment we'd been using, and had trouble finding an ebuild for the right version of mod_ssl, as it was no longer in portage. I ended up one after searching the web for about an hour. Since then I've religiously backup portage before doing emerge sync's. (And hence is why I emerge sync fairly infrequently).

What portage does (removing old ebuilds) isn't inherently wrong, because admitadly never removing ebuilds would result in a huge amount of files in /usr/portage. Of course, ebuilds are quite small in size, but sure, you'd end up with a crap load of files. However, it's kinda crazy, and certainly, annoying that ebuilds for packages that are installed disappear. Especially for things that you're likely to bork, like kernel sources. [wink]

The solution, or the one I use anyway, is to backup portage (excluding distfiles/) each time I sync, and whenever I need an old ebuild, extract it and dump it into /usr/local/portage, which I've set up as a portage overlay. At least this way, you only have to do it once. Not that it's hard, or that time consuming, but it can be a pain to find the ebuild, set up the directory, copy the required files, and then generate a digest.

Anyways, I'm just bitchin' like a...bitch. [smile] I think that's the only minor annoyance I have with Gentoo.

Furthermore, last night I was trying to add some iptables modules to the 2.6.8 kernel - which unfortantely didn't work to well. h323_conntrack, which worked, however I don't seem to be able to get it to actually work. And pptp_conntrack, which I coudln't get to patch properly, nor find a patch-o-matic version that would patch properly with gentoo-dev-sources-2.6.8. I did notice last week when the 2.6.14 kernel was released, pptp_conntrack was merged into the mainline kernel. I probably should just upgrade my kernel. But 2.6.8 has been good to me, and it means I'd have to reboot. [wink]
Now Playing: Scott Johnson & Troy Dixon - Stop! (Live - Laruel Canyon CD Release)
Nov
12
2005

Shocking!

(Add / View Comments) (0)Saturday, November 12, 2005 - 02:36:40 pm
(Posted Under: Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/summeraz/Halloween/Yucca.jpg

Scott Johnson with an acoustic guitar! [wink] Okay, so Corey Gloden in a thong is pretty shocking and disturbing also. [smile]

But seriously, how often do you see brother Johnson with an acoustic guitar? That's right, not that often.
Now Playing: Frontline - The Black Moods (Live - Lariel Canyon CD Release)
Nov
09
2005

SCO Demands Linux 2.7 Kernel Information

(Add / View Comments) (0)Wednesday, November 9, 2005 - 09:54:17 am
(Posted Under: Geek, Linux Linux)
Via Slashdot SCO Demands Linux 2.7 Kernel Information...

Hilarious, because <stoner_voice>like, there is no 2.7 Linux Kernel</stoner_voice>

At first I felt out of the loop, not knowing that there 2.7 kernel. As it turns out, SCO is just stupid. [razz]
Nov
03
2005

Firefox 1.5RC1

Drag and Drop tab ordering

(Add / View Comments) (0)Thursday, November 3, 2005 - 09:23:04 am
(Posted Under: Geek, Firefox Firefox)
Over the weekend I was thinking how cool it'd be if you could re-order browser tabs. Sometimes I'll open a tab as an afterthought, and would prefer it to be the first tab in the list. But not enough to close everything and start again.

I see that Firefox 1.5RC1 is out today, and one of the updates is drag and drop ordering of tabs. Exactly what I want! Too cool.

Unfortunately my favorite extensions don't yet work with 1.5RC1 (EditCSS, Header Monitor, LiveHTTPHeaders), but hopefully they'll be updated soon.
Nov
02
2005

Gin Blossoms Sessions Postponed

(Add / View Comments) (0)Wednesday, November 2, 2005 - 08:56:19 am
(Posted Under: Music Music, Tempe Music Scene Tempe Music Scene)
Gin Blossoms Recording Sessions Postponed.

How fitting... Not that John's girlfriend taking ill is a laughing matter at all, but still, it's hilarious that the band finally actually gets to Memphis, and the sessions are postponed.
Nov
01
2005

No, Page 2 Please!

(Add / View Comments) (0)Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 11:34:58 pm
(Posted Under: Geek)
While looking for a information on using javascript and the rel attribute in anchor tags to open links in a new window, the Web Standards way, I came across a Site Point page, with an interest quirk...

I read through page one, and clicked to go to page 2. Err, page 2. Page 2 please! Rather than taking me to page 2 of the article, clicking the link instead continually brought up a pop-up window, for a free download of Dreamweaver. As tempting as that might be, I would just like to read page 2! [wink]

It took a while, figuring at first that the pop-up was a clickthrough, I worked out what was going on.

Site Point ImageTabbing around, it became obvious that the Dreamweaver ad at the bottom of the page has a higher z-index that the text on the page, and while it looked like you're clicking the href'ed '2', the click is actually being caught by the Dreamweave image. Closing Firefox's search toolbar moved the image down, and made the page anchor clickable. Interesting quirk though.

While I have no doubt that this is just an overlooked quirk on Sitepoint's webpage, however I wonder how long this is used for evil.
Now Playing: Luck & Trouble - Change The Station
Nov
01
2005

Two Thoughts On Google

(Add / View Comments) (0)Tuesday, November 1, 2005 - 12:10:26 am
(Posted Under: Geek)
So in the past I've known to liken Google to the Diablo. Okay, okay, call it the Diablo! [smile]

Not that I haven't somewhat changed my tune (and using Firefox am now using Google directly for a search engine), but two things are certainly cool about Google.
  1. The event styled logo - just plain cool. I'm sure I've missed the majority of them in the past, but I just hit the Halloween one.
  2. The second point suprises me - how bare bones their search page is. This is a good thing. This is a great thing. However, it still suprises me, for someone who has grown so big to have such a non bastardized page. Even if I still thought they were the Diablo, I'd have to give 'em that! [smile]
On a search related note, on the weekend when I downloaded Firefox, I did a search in Netscape. Hmm, yes, because apparently www.firefox.com is too hard to remember! [wink] *Shrug*. Search engines make you lazy! (Okay, the issue was actually going to www.firefox.org. But regardless, did I really need to do a search? [smile]).

Anywho, I threw "?firefox" in Netscape's location bar, which uses Netscape Search (Powered By Google). Top result? Download Netscape 7.2 Browser. Hmmm, there is something not quite right about that. [smile]

On a related Netscape note, I also went to their page to check that what i previously blogged regarding the lack of changelogs was still accurate. It amazed me that it was questionable about whether they still made a browser! [wink] Oh yeah, call of the dogs, there's a single link to the browser, buried in all that other junk. [wink]
Now Playing: Ghetto Cowgirl - Excuses For Losers

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