R.I.P. Bobby Hebb

"Sunny" was written and proformed by Bobby Hebb. It is one of the most covered popular songs, with hundreds of versions released. BMI rates "Sunny" number 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century".

"Sunny" has been covered by, among others, Boney M, Cher, Georgie Fame, Johnny Rivers, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, the Electric Flag, The Four Seasons, the Four Tops, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Les McCann, Dusty Springfield, and The Alex Trio featuring David Wise.

Hebb wrote the song after suffering a double tragedy - a national loss followed by a personal one: On 22 November 1963, the day after US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Hebb's older brother Harold was killed in a knife fight outside a Nashville nightclub. Hebb was devastated by both events and many critics say that those events inspired the tune. Others claims Bobby wrote the song for God.

"Sunny" was recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York City and released as a single in 1966. It met an immediate success, which resulted in Hebb touring in 1966 with The Beatles.

Bobby Hebb died on August 3rd, 2010 at the age of 72.

1962 "gorilla glass" Could Be Corning's Next Bonanza Seller

This is fascinating stuff. I wonder why it sat around for forty eight years?

CORNING, N.Y. (AP) -- An ultra-strong glass that has been looking for a purpose since its invention in 1962 is poised to become a multibillion-dollar bonanza for Corning Inc.

Manu Katché - Pieces Of Emotion

Beautiful song by drummer Manu Katché "Pieces Of Emotion" from his 2007 "Playground" album on ECM Records. I have all of Manu's albums and each one makes a strong musical statement.

Larry Young - Unity

On "Unity" jazz organist Larry Young began to display some of the angular drive that made him a natural for the jazz-rock explosion to come barely four years later. While about as far from the groove jazz of Jimmy Smith as you could get, Young hadn't made the complete leap into freeform jazz-rock either. Here he finds himself in very distinguished company: drummer Elvin Jones, trumpeter Woody Shaw, and saxman Joe Henderson. Young was clearly taken by the explorations of saxophonists Coleman and Coltrane, as well as the tonal expressionism put in place by Sonny Rollins and the hard-edged modal music of Miles Davis and his young quintet. But the sound here is all Young: the rhythmic thrusting pulses shoved up against Henderson and Shaw as the framework for a melody that never actually emerges ("Zoltan" -- one of three Shaw tunes here), the skipping chords he uses to supplant the harmony in "Monk's Dream," and also the reiterating of front-line phrases a half step behind the beat to create an echo effect and leave a tonal trace on the soloists as they emerge into the tunes (Henderson's "If" and Shaw's "The Moontrane"). All of these are Young trademarks, displayed when he was still very young, yet enough of a wiseacre to try to drive a group of musicians as seasoned as this -- and he succeeded each and every time. As a soloist, Young is at his best on Shaw's "Beyond All Limits" and the classic nugget "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise." In his breaks, Young uses the middle register as a place of departure, staggering arpeggios against chords against harmonic inversions that swing plenty and still comes out at all angles. Unity proved that Young's debut, Into Somethin', was no fluke, and that he could play with the lions. And as an album, it holds up even better than some of the work by his sidemen here.  ~AllMusic

1965 release

Joe Henderson Sax (Tenor)
Nat Hentoff Liner Notes
Elvin Jones Drums
Alfred Lion Producer
Ron McMaster Digital Transfers
Reid Miles Design, Cover Design
Woody Shaw Trumpet, Drums
Rudy Van Gelder Engineer
Larry Young Organ, Organ (Hammond)

Wolfgang Haffner - Shapes

"Having played on ACT albums by everyone from Nils Landgren (featured here) and Viktoria Tolstoy to the late Albert Mangelsdorff, drummer Wolfgang Haffner is adept at tailoring his percussive contributions to individual requirements.

His own tastes, however, judged by the twelve compositions he's included on this, his debut album as a leader, lead him to that mix of ambient sounds, minimalism and drum-programme music frequently described as nu jazz.

His strong backbeats, slurping and slithering electronic percussion, washes of synthesised sound and chattering/insect swarm effects form the backdrop for a series of simple melodic hooks and haunting fragments of tunes, sometimes stated by Lars Danielsson's acoustic bass, at other times by Landgren's crooning trombone, Sebastian Studnitzky's trumpet or acoustic piano, or Frank Kuruc's acoustic guitar.

The result is a fascinating, at times downright mesmeric selection of textures and timbres underpinned by Haffner's drums and effects, the music's jazz elements (the odd solo on ethereal muted trumpet or luminously delicate acoustic piano) leavening a sound mix that occasionally veers too close to being an end in itself, but which usually works well as a gelling agent. Mood music, certainly, but tellingly informed by a jazz sensibility".

Wolfgang Haffner – drums, keyboards, programming
Nils Landgren – trombone
Sebastian Studnitzky – trumpet, piano, keyboards
Frank Kuruc – acoustic & electric guitar
Lars Danielsson – acoustic & electric bass, cello

Recorded by Lars Nilsson at Nilento, Gothenburg,
October 17-19, 2005
Mastered by Peter Heider at Ü-Raum, Nürnberg, Germany
Produced by Nils Landgren & Wolfgang Haffner

The Wind Machine Guitar Duo - A Show Of Hands

Pick a favorite guitar style: flat-picking, finger-picking, jazz, swing, classical. "A Show of Hands" can offer a taste of each. Steve Mesple and Joe Scott are guitarists and co-founders of the group Wind Machine and instrumentalists par excellence. "A Show of Hands" is a collection of duets and solo pieces that exhibit their remarkable skill and dexterity, as well as their ear for the subtleties and intricacies in the sound of various guitar styles. It is amazing how much music two guitars, and two guitar masters, can make. This is one of those pleasant "sunny afternoon" sort of albums that grows on you with each listen. My personal favorites are "Final Frontier" and "Journey Home".


1994 release

Kevin Clock Producer, Engineer
Steve Cruz Art Direction, Layout Design
John Magnie Accordion
Dave Mesplé Artwork
Ethan Mesple Percussion
Steve Mesplé Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Guitar (Steel), Producer, Guitar (Classical), Guitjo, Guitar (Double Neck)
Taylor Mesple Keyboards
Michael Olson Fretless Bass
Joe Scott Guitar, Vocals, Producer, Guitjo, Guitar (Double Neck)
D.W. Stevens Guitar

Mikey Dread - Beyond World War III

Mikey Dread has long stood among reggae's most multi-faceted artists, and this album shows him in all his guises: DJ, mixer, producer, and toaster. Like many fellow producers from his home country of Jamaica, Dread is equally comfortable behind the board or in front of it, which further blurs the line between artist and producer. That's not a problem for someone boasting such nimble talents. The assertive opener "Break Down the Walls" gets the proceedings off to an authoritative start. Although Dread's famed sing-scat is an acquired taste, it suits the mood ("We need some action now, down in a Babylon/and the sooner is the better").Dread's vocals are poised and self-assured; he sings when he feels like it, and lets his ping-ponging freestyle raps carry the track when he doesn't. The latter quality is most pronounced on hardcore dub exercises like "The Jumping Master," on which Dread playfully talks up the abilities of his backing musicians and mixing knob-twiddling peers like Scientist (who's compared to another "jumping master," the comic book hero Spiderman). "Israel (12 Tribe) Stylee" and "Mental Slavery" go still further up the heart of dub darkness, boosted by enough vocal echo and tape effects to light up a video arcade, which is part of the genre's cut-and-paste charm. But Dread's hardly some po-faced roots purist, or he wouldn't try his hand at more straightforward pop-reggae grooves like "Jah Jah Love (In the Morning)," and "Rockers Delight." As usual, there's no lack of top-flight musicians to boost the cause, including drummer Style Scott, bassist Flabba Holt and Roots Radics rhythm ace Bingy Bunny. Dread marshals his musical artillery to unsettling effect on the title cut, which matter-of-factly ticks off man's march to a global reckoning. A cutoff in mid-sentence provides a powerful closing note for an album that sounds as fresh and innovative as it did 20 years ago.  ~AllMusic

1981 release 

Gladstone Anderson	Piano
Noel Sowell Bailey	Guitar
Adrian Boot	Photography
Doctor Overton Brown	Mixing
Dalton Browne	Guitar (Rhythm)
Dalton Brownie	Guitar (Rhythm)
Bingy Bunny	Guitar (Rhythm)
Watty Burnett	Vocals (bckgr)
Mikey Dread	Arranger, Producer
Edi Fitzroy	Vocals (bckgr)
Jeremy Green	Mixing Assistant, Editing Assistant, Remix Assistant
Felix "Deadly" Headley	Sax (Alto)
Bongo Herman	Percussion
Flabba Holt	Bass
George Lawrence	Artwork, Sleeve Art
Lancelot "Maxie" McKenzie	Engineer
Sugar Minott	Drums
Anthony Nelson	Organ
Bill Price	Editing, Remixing, Mixing
Style Scott	Drums
Scully	Percussion
Earl Sixteen	Vocals (bckgr)
Mervyn Williams	Engineer

Lacie Rugged XL 1TB

As time goes on, some of us amass a huge amount of files and have to search annually for new solutions. I had a Lacie rugged external 320GB hard drive for all of just a few months before I had to purchase a new Lacie Rugged XL with 1TB capacity. We'll see how long this one lasts. ; )

I am a fan of all things rugged. Style, sexiness and other atheistic fluff means nothing, but if its solid under the hood then that works for me. Kind of like car....what use are those Emerson Fitipaldi rims if you are stuck on the side of the road because a computer chip under the hood won't work?

This advanced hard disk features aluminum casing, which provides superior protection on your desk or anywhere else you use a computer. Its extremely resistant and tough design comes complete with a rubber sleeve, internal bumper, and heat dissipating features, making the LaCie Rugged XL both sturdy and effective. With versatile Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and the lightning-fast eSATA 3Gb/s interface means this thing will be as fast as it is reliable.

review - Stargate Universe

"Stargate Universe" follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational, exploration team unable to return to Earth after an evacuation to the ancient spaceship Destiny (launched a million years ago), which is traveling in a distant corner of the universe.

One part "Lost" and a few parts "Battlestar Galactica" and "Star Trek: Voyager", "SGU" was a show I didn't expect to like, but do. I enjoyed the 1994 movie even though that was a bit thin on plot and the "Stargate SG-1" series on Showtime before it moved to what is now called the SyFy Channel. "Stargate Atlantis" lost me real fast and once I heard there was going to be another series I paid little attention, but glad I did.

To coin a tired Hollywood catchphrase this is a "dark and edgy" show, perhaps created to fill the dark and edgy void left by the excellent "Battlestar Galactica". Like "Galactica" and "Lost" these people are in a situation not of their making and their attitude towards this shows from week to week. The characters on "Star Trek: Voyager" were never true to their dire situation and that problem is ironed out nicely on "SGU".

The acting on the show is good, but their hasn't been a strong episode to showcase the obvious talent here. By that I mean the program is still in the establishment phase with star Robert Carlyle (Dr. Rush) carrying most of the dramatic load. The frequent flashbacks will remind you of "Lost", which took their flashback que from the 1954 John Wayne film "The High And The Mighty".

I have a feeling by toward the end of the current season we are gong to see some better stuff here. Right now, SGU is one of the better SF shows on TV. If it is given a chance to grow the way "Galactica" and 'Lost" did we may have another SF show worth remembering.

review - Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me

Wanda Sykes second solo stand-up on HBO "I'ma Be Me" is another triumph in her already storied career of winning Emmys for writing, sports commentary and making a president laugh. Recorded in August before a live audience at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the show bowed on October 10th to critical acclaim and what I can only assume was a ratings win for HBO.

As always, Wanda (who at times reminds me a great deal of Chris Rock...not a bad thing at all) covers a variety of topics from motherhood, her sexuality, aging, body fat bikini waxing and a hilarious bit on being an entertainer on a gay cruise.

Just when some of the bits started to drag just a bit, Wanda came back swinging with lines that are still playing in my head.

HBO has adhered to a questionable format for stand-up comedians over the past few years. No disrespect to Sykes of course, but most comedians on the channel seem to work off a prepared template of topics which always include a bit or two about gay rights, global warming, abortion, man bashing (regardless of the gender of the comedian) and other leftist "talking points" that appear to be a requirement to do stand-up on today's HBO. Gone are the days of an Eddie Murphy, Andrew Dice Clay or others cut from that cloth who shot from the non-corporate hip. By and large Sykes' routine is hers, but you can bet this routine would not have made it on the air without a few creative concessions.

"I'ma Be Me" is sure to garner some kind of nomination as it is THAT funny and raunchy in Syke's patented acerbic style.

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the most famous 19th century African American. His life was a testament to the courage and persistence that serves as an inspiration to those who struggle in the cause of liberty and justice. Visitors to the site learn about his efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for rights for all oppressed people.

In 1877 Frederick Douglass purchased the home which he named Cedar Hill. This location was authorized Sept. 5, 1962, as Frederick Douglass Home; and re-designated Feb. 12, 1988 as the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, D.C.

Frederick Douglass' life spanned nearly eighty years, from the time that slavery was universal in American states to the time it was becoming a memory. Douglass freed himself from slavery and through decades of tireless efforts he helped to free millions more.

review - Splice

"Splice" is a science fiction/horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube) and starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, who portray young scientists and lovers who begin involving human DNA in their splicing of animal genes.

Sometimes funny, shocking and disturbing all at once, "Splice" is a-not-too-thinly-veiled commentary about where the science of genetics is heading (or already HAS headed depending on what you read) and how we must take complete responsibility for what we create.

Unlike most of the sub-par films that pass themselves off as science fiction and horror these days, "Splice" is refreshingly cast with age appropriate actors who are believable in their roles and approach to science. The star of the film and hardest acting challenge however is by Delphine Chanéac who plays Dren, a genetic by-product of the modern day Frankensteins. Through finely executed scenes of computer generated prestidigitation, emotive eyes and taking mime to new levels, Chanéac's Dren is both sensual, childlike and scary at the same time.

Anyone looking for hollow thrills a la "Species" is going to be disappointed. "Splice" is a serious film and an emotional one to boot. And there's sex...unconventional sex. The centerpiece of the movie is a creature which goes through a dramatic evolutionary process. And while there are those who feel the film may have gone too far, there is another quarter of perhaps jaded folks who assume the narrative didn't go far enough. Guess you can't have it both ways.

By the time you read this, "Splice" may have already given up its seat in the multiplex for more profitable yet mentally bankrupt fare. Give it a shot though if this is your thing. I was pleasantly surprised.

review - Covert Affairs

"Covert Affairs" is a USA Network spy series starring Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham. The pliot episode aired this past Tuesday 7/13/10 with "limited commercial interruption". While USA is known for lighter fare ( only if you ignore the endless "Law & Order SVU" reruns), I actually got into this thing. While comparisons to "Alias" (a show I never watched) will be inevitable, "Covert Affairs" carves out its own niche with two likeable leads and a swift narrative which flies by so fast there isn't much time to notice the blurred scenery.

Perabo stars as young CIA trainee, Annie Walker, who is mysteriously sent out into the field. Auggie Anderson (Gorham) is a blind officer and is Annie's guide in her new life. I admit to not knowing much about Piper Perabo, but I have seen Christopher Gorham on other shows and his character is tremendously funny and knowing as Auggie. And what's not to love about a character who is an admitted fan of Charles Mingus?

The show may not win any awards, but the USA Network obviously doesn't seem to care. With the network's ever growing audience, viewership is telling the industry USA is on the right track with their "character" based programming. Dramatic heavy lifting isn't always necessary to make for good entertainment.

review - Justified

FX has been my channel of choice for a number of years now as the cable channel keeps cranking out watchable television (The Shield, The Riches, Damages, Rescue Me, 30 Days, Sons Of Anarchy). Once I heard they were going to do a series about Elmore Leonard's "Justified" AND that he was going to be an executive producer was good news indeed.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is a 19th century-style but modern-day officer who enforces a highly individualized brand of justice. This in turn places a target on Given's back with criminals and puts him at odds with his bosses in the U.S. Marshals Service. As a result of his having eagerly shot a Miami fugitive in a "justified" shooting in his South Florida assignment, he gets reassigned to the district covering his rural Eastern Kentucky mining hometown of Harlan County.

"Justified" effectively captures the feel of the deep south as well as pretty much nailing what you would call a typical Elmore character. They don't grow in the typical linear sense, but steadfastly occupy their given station in life and are true to whatever situation happens along.

With a mix of slightly dry humor and edge-of-the-seat drama, this is yet another freshman series that will happily be back for a sophomore year. Let's hope "Justified" stays on the track laid down so far. This is a really good show.

review - Men Of A Certain Age

For those of us who are frustrated by the dearth of TV programs for adult males, look no further than the comedy-drama "Men Of A Certain Age" on
TNT. With "Sons Of Anarchy" on hiatus till the fall and the football season heating up while it winds down, "Grey's Anatomy" type shows just don't cut the mustard.

The series follows the bonds of friendship between three college friends –
Joe, Owen and Terry – who are now in their late 40s/early 50s. Joe (Ray
Romano) is a slightly neurotic divorced father of two (Brittany Curran as Lucy, and Braeden Lemasters as Albert) who hoped to become a pro golfer but now owns a party store. Owen (Andre Braugher) is an overstressed, diabetic husband and father, who is a car salesman at his dad's dealership. Terry (Scott Bakula) is a struggling actor dating a much younger woman.

Like some people, I didn't tune in because of Ray Romano. I never watched
his comedy series "Everybody Loves Raymond". Anything with Andre Braugher
in it is always worth a look for his acting ability alone. And me being ever the science fiction fan, its always nice to see the underrated Scott Bakula ("Quantum Leap", "Enterprise"). I didn't know what to expect from this odd combination of talent, but what a show this has turned out to be. While the style can be overtly comic at times, its is never at the expense of the show's level of reality and balanced dramatic scenes.

One of the best news programs on television that doesn't get the full recognition it deserves, "Men Of A Certain Age" hit the ball out of the park from its pilot episode. With well scripted American dramas in short supply, you owe it to yourself to tune in and see what good writing/acting is all abo

Terra A20 Netbook

The Terra A20 Ubuntu netbook from Zareason is a great Linux machine with all the custom options you want. The A20 has a thin stylish case, with many color options for those enamoured with aesthetics. Under the hood there is even room for an internal 3G cellular modem for mobile broadband on the go (which I gleefully had installed). There is also an Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz processor, up to 2 GB of memory and a variety of options for the hard disk.

Rather than install the latest version of Ubuntu, I opted for Linux Mint 8. Ubuntu is solid, but I am of the opinion that Mint has gone its OS cousin a few steps further.

Boot time is a strong plus for this little gadget. Windows-based laptops tend to be afflicted by boot time creep. With every new application and driver you load you'll see the time from hitting the power button to a useful computer slowly creep up. The Zareason Terra A20 goes from power on to login screen in a 45 seconds. Type in your user name and password and you can be up and running in another 10 seconds. Works for me.

The biggest seller for me however was Zareason's customer support. It blows everyone else out of the water bar-none. What helps is the fact that this Berkeley, California based company is still quite small. The last time I called support I spoke directly with the CTO who walked me through part of an install (I am still new to Linux but learning more and more each day).

Go to http://www.zareason.com/shop/product.php?productid=16216&cat=250&page=1 and check out the options for the A20. While the battery life leaves much to be desired (I ordered and extra one just in case) and the speakers are not the greatest, what counts if the high level of functionality and customer support. Simply one of the best machines out there. And the lack of media attention for this netbook and Zareason in general is not for lack of competency. The Windows-based competition out there has every reason to be nervous about this up and coming company.

review - Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire" is one of the most emotionally riveting films I have seen in years. The story is fiction, but the lives the movie portrays are all too real and that's what makes it a tough pill to swallow. Hearing about stories like these is of course a lot easier than having to live through this hell.

Set in Harlem in 1987, the films shows Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) as an obese,illiterate, sexually abused, welfare-dependent, 16-year-old junior high school student with a Down syndrome daughter and another child on the way. Both pregnancies were caused by her father. Precious' demonic welfare cheat of a mother, Mary (played powerfully by Mo'Nique), attempts to drop a television on her daughter's head after Precious and her baby roll down several flights of tenement stairs. And that is no the half of it. Mo'Nique is sure to be nominated for an Oscar. Mariah Carey's turn as a social worker is also sure to get a nomination as well. Precious did well at the Sundance Film Festival where it earned the top awards in drama, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize.

The most wrenching scene comes late in the film where there is a confrontation between Mo'Nique's character, Mariah Carey's horrified social worker with Precious looking on. You could have heard a pin drop in the theater.

If "Precious" has a lasting cinematic legacy, it may be in inspiring people to become social workers, taking advantage of educational opportunities and hold the feet of the welfare state to the fire for institutionalizing indolence.

review - Treme

Set three months after the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans, Treme (treh-may) is a multi-layered drama created by David Simon (The Wire, Homicide: Life On The Street, The Corner, Generation Kill) and Eric Overmyer. The basic gist of the show tells the story of frazzled residents in the Treme neighborhood (which includes musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians, and ordinary New Orleanians) and how they are trying to rebuild their lives, homes and unique culture in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane.

Treme premiered back in April and was promptly renewed by HBO for a second season right after the 80-minute pilot aired. I couldn't be more happy. Granted I went in thinking that if Simon and his crew could create a narrative masterpiece like "The Wire", it was a safe bet "Treme" was going to be just as good. Well, almost.

While the pilot was very impressive, it didn't hit me the same way "The Wire's" start did. Granted they are completely different shows, but "Treme" casts its net a bit wider in regards to many not quite yet developed characters. Now that the first season has ended, those individual stories are starting to coalesce into something very compelling.

Music is up front and center on this show and for once in a TV series, we get to hear some great jazz, blues, zydeco, etc. Musicians like Trombone Shorty, McCoy Tyner and Elvis Costello (and others) are always on hand to give the show more weight when it comes to how serious the creators are about the production. Let's hope a soundtrack is released one day. I also have a sneaking feeling we may see Wynton Marsalis or other musicians who hail from New Orleans.

Do yourself a favor and try to catch this show On-Demand, Hulu or wherever before the second season rolls around. "Treme" starts off slowly, but by the third show you will be duly rewarded.

review - Psych

"Psych" made its fifth season premiere last night 7/14/10. For the uninitiated, the show is a criminal comedy-drama mystery television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network (and criminally ripped off by "The Mentalist").

James Roday stars as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and detective instincts allow him to convince people he solves cases with psychic abilities. Also on hand are Dulé Hill as Shawn's best friend, straight man and reluctant partner Burton "Gus" Guster, as well as Corbin Bernsen as Shawn's harried father, Henry.

I have enjoyed this show from day one...all the catch-phrases, witty retorts, obscure 80's references and overall good writing make "Psych" a fun hour. It is also the only show on TV I can think of right now with a catchy theme song during the opening credits "I Know You Know" by The Friendly Indians, series creator Steve Franks' band. What has it been, like 30 years since a show's theme song stuck in your head?

Now that "Monk" is off the air, "Psych" is USA's senior series. While there are those who say the cracks are starting to show in the program, it keeps grabbing more and more fans by the month. No doubt there will be a 6th season.

review - Food, Inc.

"Food, Inc." (2009) is a compelling documentary film directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner. The film examines corporate farming in the United States, concluding agribusiness produces food which is unhealthy in way that is abusive of animals and environmentally-harmful. Narrated by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, I was surprised at the candor of the presentation.

Speaking of narration, I always go into this type of documentary with stereotyped trepidation because of presentation. New documentaries about corporate misdeeds are so left of center you can smell the stir fried tofu a mile away. "Food, Inc's." narration was noticeably absent of the neutered, asexual drone spoken on the bare threshold of audibility. Another plus in the film's favor was no endorsement from the Sundance Film Festival, which means these guys took the gloves off and are ready to hold some calloused feet to the fire. Lawsuits from the corporations called out here also gave the production some street cred.

"Food, Inc." comes at you in three distinct parts. The first segment examines the industrial production of meat (chicken, beef, and pork), calling it inhumane and economically and environmentally unsustainable. Part two looks at the industrial production of grains and vegetables (mostly corn and soy beans), again labeling this economically and environmentally unsustainable. The film's third and final segment is about the economic and legal power of the major food companies, such as food libel laws, whose livelihoods are based on supplying cheap but contaminated food, the heavy use of petroleum-based chemicals (largely pesticides and fertilizers), and the promotion of unhealthy food consumption habits by the American public.

So there you have it. Also of note is that "Food, Inc." was one of the few films of this type that implicated not only the Bush administration, but also held the Clinton administration accountable for a series of misdeeds. You usually don't see that and I have seen plenty of these documentaries. Fair and balanced indeed....check this out if you have 93 minutes and hamburgers to munch on.

review - Rescue Me

"Rescue Me" is one of my favorite television programs. FX is still on a creative roll with shows like this one, "Sons Of Anarchy" and "Justified". Now in its sixth season, "Rescue Me" is still lighting dramatic fires.

For those of you who may not know, the comedy/drama centers on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictional Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse. Primary focus is on the series star, Denis Leary (playing firefighter Tommy Gavin). He is ill-tempered, self-destructive, hypocritical, manipulative, a relapsed alcoholic and most importantly, funny. Top that off, the guy has to deal with an ever troublesome family as they deal with real life issues, either with post 9/11 trauma or domestic problems. Tommy has to struggle with the loss of his cousin and best friend Jimmy Keefe, who died on September 11, 2001, and frequently visits Tommy in visions.

One of the best things about the show is the in-house banter between the guys in the firehouse. Reminds me of my days in the military and hanging around with people unfettered by political correctness. They call life as they see it, much to the chagrin of others. But when you have a job like this for a living, you deserve to let off a little steam.

Because of that frank "talk" and other controversial situations, "Rescue Me" has been pretty much ignored by Emmy voters and the mainstream press. Even with plenty of comedic elements each episode balancing out the drama, viewers are hell bent on looking at other things. I have my theories on this but I digress.

Now for the bad news. FX is ending the show once its seventh season comes to a close in 2011, marking the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks in 2001. I am confident the show will end in grand fashion, but a bit disheartened that yet another quality show goes under the radar (like "The Wire" did and others). So check it out while you can, its a great ride.

review - Inception

Science fiction films in the 21st century fall into two distinct camps, with the "popcorn movie" up front and center. Chock full of CGI car chases, explosions and a narrative always set in the "near future". This is done in part to conveniently product place, market new gadgets and a hip-hopish soundtrack for an audience of people under 30. Pulling up the rear are high-minded SF films where no one in the audience is under 30, hopefully a significant amount of narrative exposition and no one eats popcorn. Its an "LSD movie" like "2001" where little is said, right?

Well "Inception" falls into the latter category and consumption of psychedelics will only spoil the fun. And people do talk. Written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight and the excellent Memento). The story centers on Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a thief who enters the dreams of others to obtain information that is otherwise inaccessible. Cobb's abilities have cost him his family and nationality, but a chance at redemption as well as regaining his old life is promised when Cobb and his team of specialists are hired to plant an idea in a target's subconscious. "Inception" refers to the task of planting an idea rather than stealing one, a concept that Cobb is less acquainted with.

It was nice for a change to see a genre film wear brains on its sleeve. The film's multi-level dream-state approach may be a bit confounding if you aren't paying attention....something a steady diet of poor SF/action/horror films (and popcorn) we can lay partial blame on.

Christopher Nolan has put together a very good film. Sure there are holes if you look for them, but when you can marry state-of-the-art visuals, an intriguing story and a some character pathos into something that happens to make money, you have a winner.

Linux Mint 8 - Helena

Linux Mint is one of the surprise operating systems of the past year. Originally launched as a variant of Ubuntu with integrated media codecs, Linux Mint has now developed into one of the most user-friendly distributions on the market, complete with a custom desktop and menus, several unique configuration tools, a web-based package installation interface and a number of different editions.

I have a netbook and PC (picture right) which have the most recent version of Linux Mint (8 - Helena). After several frustrating years working with Windows and other add-ons that provided little to no security, I took the Linux plunge and have no regrets. The OS boots up and powers down quickly, there is no need for antivirus (nothing is perfect of course, so feel free to install your protection of choice) and most importantly, its FREE.

Designed primarily for home users, the out-of-the-box functionality of Mint is nothing short of amazing. Anything you could possibly want is already here. I had this system up and running from a bootable CD is about six minutes.

Linux Mint 9 - Isadora was released back in May and from what I have heard its a winner. Linux Mint 10, based on the upcoming Ubuntu 10.10 “Maverick Meerkat”, will be released in November this year under the codename “Julia”.

For now, go to http://www.linuxmint.com/start/helena/ and browse around. Take the OS for a test drive.....you can always download the system and boot from a flash drive or CD/DVD without having to load the system on your machine.

Trace Minerals Research Electrolyte Stamina Tablets

Unlike the heat loving southerners I'm surrounded by, yours truly hates summer weather. When the thermometer starts to approach and rise above my body temperature, its time to hibernate or grab a bottle of these excellent tablets I have been using for almost 20 years.

Electrolyte Stamina is a dietary supplement that is ideal for sports performance, people working in high temperatures, and anyone expecting to experience high levels of fluid loss. What this stuff does is replenish your body's lost nutrients during activity so you can perform at your best. These nutrients (P-5-P and L-Taurine help get magnesium into the cells more effectively) help conduct the electrical energies and balance fluid absorption and pressure throughout the body so you can feel recharged.

I have been a profuse sweater my whole life and still of the opinion snowy mountains are better than hot sandy beaches! For years salt tablets helped me along, but Electrolyte Stamina tablets have really done the trick. With weather being what it is here in the south eastern part of the United States, staying hydrated and supported by this product will take off the edge.

Miles Davis - E.S.P.

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet — saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams — gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop. Miles had been moving toward this direction in the two years preceding the release of ESP and he had recorded with everyone outside of Shorter prior to this record, but his addition galvanizes the group, pushing them toward music that was recognizably bop but as adventurous as jazz's avant-garde. Outwardly, this music doesn't take as many risks as Coltrane or Ornette Coleman's recordings of the mid-'60s, but by borrowing some of the same theories — a de-emphasis of composition in favor of sheer improvisation, elastic definitions of tonality — they created a unique sound that came to define the very sound of modern jazz. Certainly, many musicians have returned to this group for inspiration, but their recordings remain fresh, because they exist at this fine dividing line between standard bop and avant. On ESP, they tilt a bit toward conventional hard bop (something that's apparent toward the end of the record), largely because this is their first effort, but the fact is, this difference between this album and hard bop from the early '60s is remarkable. This is exploratory music, whether it's rushing by in a flurry of notes or elegantly reclining in Hancock's calm yet complex chords. The compositions are brilliantly structured as well, encouraging such free-form exploration with their elliptical yet memorable themes. This quintet may have cut more adventurous records, but ESP remains one of their very best albums.   ~ AllMusic


1965 release

Penny Armstrong Coordination
Bob Belden Liner Notes, Reissue Producer
Michael Berniker Coordination
Ron Carter Bass
Bob Cato Photography
Michael Cuscuna Reissue Producer
Miles Davis Trumpet
Tim Geelan Remixing
Herbie Hancock Piano
Randall Martin Reissue Design
Gary Pacheco Coordination
Seth Rothstein Project Director
Gene Santoro Liner Notes
Rob Schwarz Mastering
Wayne Shorter Sax (Tenor)
Irving Townsend Producer, Original Recording Producer
Mark Wilder Mastering
Tony Williams Drums

Morton Gould - Kern / Porter Favorites

The work of composers Jerome Kern and Cole Porter are given a tasteful orchestral pop makeover by Morton Gould and his orchestra. Recorded at Manhattan Center around 1957-1958 and re-released after Gould's death in 1996, "Kern/Porter Favorites" is of its time in style and approach yet still holds up well today. Standout tracks for are the Kern compositions "Jockey On The Carousel" and "I Dream Too Much" both from the 1936 film "I Dream Too Much". Relaxing sounds for a sunny afternoon. Enjoy!

review- Dinner For Schmucks

I was in desperate need of comedic diversion this afternoon and the news headlines just weren't doing the trick this time around. So I caved in and ventured out to the multiplex for Hollywood's latest remake "Dinner For Schmucks". Raggedy narrative notwithstanding, the movie was full of enough laughs to make me not regret taking the cinematic plunge.

Loosely based on the 1998 French film "The Dinner Game" (which was adapted from a stage play of the same name), "Dinner For Schmucks" stars Paul Rudd as Tim Conrad, a rising executive who "succeeds" in finding the perfect guest in an IRS employee Barry Speck (Steve Carell), for his boss's monthly event: a so-called "dinner for idiots". The gathering offers certain advantages to the executive who shows up with the biggest buffoon.

With the usual requisite doses of some crude sexual content, partial nudity and profanity, there are parts in this movie that are laugh-out-loud funny. Steve Carell carries the picture of course, but the rest of the cast are up to the challenge. The actual "dinner" comes toward the end. I wondered how different things would have been if the dinner were more the centerpiece of the film.