Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Painting of Kevin Curran


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Sarah Palin for President in 2012!

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Now that we are less than a week away from the ascendancy of Next President Barack Obama, it's time we started lining up the 2012 contest. Who better to lead the Republicans and run against BHO in 2012 than Governor Sarah Palin? Maybe we can even recruit Sean Hannity, Rev. Rick Warren or David Duke as her running mate?
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Robot Vs. John Coltrane - Playing Giant Steps

This is a video of a robot in Japan playing John Coltrane's amazing "Giant Steps." To hear John Coltrane play the same tune, see the post immediately below this one (or, go here). The robotic version, is of course, rote and totally lacking in the dynamics and variety--and maybe, especially, the insane energy--of 'Trane's incredible solo. Clearly, they used the notation from Trane's solo, and it is more or less in the same rhythmic time, It shows both how great John Coltrane actually was, and how far automated music still has to go.




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John Coltrane: an unbelievable video of Giant Steps



Giant Steps is an early John Coltrane song. This video by Dan Cohen matches the notation to his actual playing in real time. I don't know if it's software, or hand-done.

It's interesting at the head of the song, but when John takes his solo, it becomes completely insane, and beautiful. I never really thought about it before, but this tune is just one hairy solo, bracketed by a short beginning and end (well, a little piano soloing too). Giant Steps is, as I said, early Coltrane, before he put his incredible quartet together. This is a must see video!



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Monday, January 12, 2009

Covers and Videos of Dave Wakeling's great English Beat song Save It For Later

Pete Townsend:




Pearl Jam (fragment):



Ivan Katz performs SIFL on a Martin Backpacker:




Harvey Danger (A Seattle band who had some big hits in the '90s):


Best Friends Forever? Obama: "I can't quit you Rick Warren!" Shame on the Saddleback quid pro quo.


"Do we rock, or what, Barack?"


By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor
All This Is That News Service

The abject disgust among the electorate (including my segment) over Next President Obama's choice to deliver the inaugural invocation is a dark cloud hovering over the inauguration "festivities." Reverend Rick Warren, leader of the Saddleback megachurch in Southern California, strongly supported and worked for the state constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage in California.

It is impossible to grok Obama not getting the symbolism of making Warren part of his swearing-in. I didn't even write about this until now because I was sure that, after a decent interval, Obama would come to his senses and uninvite Warren. It is particularly galling after the success of Proposition 8 in California. Didn't Warren and his crowd get what they wanted? How is it Obama gives his blessing to rub salt into the wound using the White House as a platform? I shouldn't be surprised. We know from the debates and other statements that Obama also does not support gay marriage. Why are we shocked when he embraces a theologian who thinks likewise?

"Man, if I'm elected on November 4th, you are going to
be my sky pilot Inauguration Day."

What does the Presidential transition team say about Obama's choice of a reactionary bigot to lead the prayers on His Big Day? Basically: "You press creeps are making a mountain out of a molehill. And besides, we're also going to have a gay marching band."

As foolish as this is, and as insensitively as Obama is behaving toward one of his key constituencies, we all know the reason for Obama's invitation: this is a quid pro quo for Rick Warren standing him in front of his conservative congregation during the Presidential campaign.

"You slay me, dude!"

In return for a little consideration during the campaign, BHO, in turn, sent an arctic blast at gay citizens, despite his oft-repeated promise during the campaign, that gays were a part of his America, too. He left off the last part of that promise: "as long as they don't get uppity."

Obama insiders mention the gay marching band (you've got to be f***ing kidding me), and point out to anyone who asks that the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, a civil rights veteran and supporter of gay rights will close the inaugural ceremony. By that line of reasoning, we could have a Nazi deliver the invocation as long as we closed it with a Jew. By appointing a minister who has compared same-sex marriage to incest, pedophilia, and polygamy to speak, Obama has sullied this day, which we thought was about inclusion and bringing everyone into the big tent.


"You and I can work together, pal."



The whole shameful episode is inexplicable. It makes you wonder, who will be the next old friend thrown under the bus when it becomes expedient?
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Painting: The Lonely Sea


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Sunday, January 11, 2009

Painting: Danger


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Video Clip - A wonderfully overacted shootout from The Big Racket

This B Movie, The Big Racket, has slipped into the public domain. It includes this action sequence, with some of the funniest over-acting I've ever seen in any movie. This film has bathos to spare. I wish I could find a copy of the entire movie. . .(hint, hint, all you DIVX hackers). . .


Saturday, January 10, 2009

From GraphJam: People you meet on the web


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This Week's F.B.I. Ten Most Wanted Fugitive: James G. Bulger (Bonus: video)

As you know from previous posts, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has embraced the internet, and now offers multimedia Most Wanted Posters. While I always enjoyed the ones in the Post Office, these new digital versions include audio, video, maps, and even photoshopped photos showing how a fugitive might look in disguise, or many years later. Today's fugitive is clearly a mobbed-up guy, JAMES J. BULGER. The flyer and a surveillance video appear below:
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