Dave James

Starship Troopers is the template for how to make a really bad movie out of a really good book. Robert Heinlein probably hasn't stopped spinning in his grave since the film was released.

Motel Hell.

None of these come close to Puppets on the Pulpit:

The NYT Sunday Magazine had an article about Young a couple of weeks ago that included a discussion of his audio development work. What you have to worry about is that he's sinking a lot of time and money into a medium that's probably not going to have much broad based appeal. There can't be more than a handful of younger people out there who give a rat's ass about sound other than that they have access to it. iPods, for all their convenience, have pretty much put quality reproduction on the back burner. Kudos to Young for fighting the good fight and caring enough to do it. I just hope he's not flogging a dead horse.

I love the guy. I don't care if he's a jerk. Considering how little actual talent he has, he's done quite well. You've got to give him at least some credit for that.

The Ring Cycle?

My Dad sang in the chorus of local opera company here in Portland, Oregon. I can remember going up to Washington Park where they would perform outdoors. I specifically recall them doing Samson & Delilah. Occasionally, big name singers would come through town and the company my Dad was with would back them up. The one name I can recall performing here was Salvatore Baccoloni who was quite a well-known Italian bass. As I recall, the performed The Barber of Seville. This would have been in the late '50's. Try finding anything even close to this now on a local level. It just doesn't exist.

This is as cool a gadget play as you're likely to see.

I'm sure MLB would much rather let a bad call stand than mess with an already tight schedule. Sorta sounds like Bud Selig doesn't it.

They've already turned it down.

MLB is going to have their hands full explaining this. The rule is very clear. The infielder has be able to catch the ball with an ordinary effort. What in the world was the left field ump thinking? I don't blame the Braves fans for losing their cool. An unbelievable call.

For anyone who might be interested, David Lemieux, he of Dave's Picks and well known Dead archivist, is doing a live chat on the 'net today at 4:00 Pacific Time. Here's a link: My link

I can't imagine a more deserving bunch than the Butterfield Band. The blurb underneath their picture talks about all the old blues players that the band helped recognize, but they were way more than that. East/West is one of my all-time top 5 albums. Give a nod to the title track and Work Song if you haven't listened to either on for awhile and you'll surely see that there's a lot more going on here than just the blues. With all due respect to all the Joan Jett fans out there, that's about the last band I can think of that belongs in the HOF. What did they ever do besides I Love Rock 'n Roll? A one trick, one dimensional pony if ever there was one, and not a very good one at that.

Even though these Mosaic sets will belong to your daughter, you will be responsible for their safe keeping while she grows into her legacy. Of course, as a steward of the music, you will be required you to play them from time to time to ensure that they are remain fully functional and to validate the investment you've made in your daughter's future. It's the least you can do.

The best Mosaic deal I ever stumbled into was the 4-CD Benny Goodman set (box, book and CD's, all in mint condition) that I found in a local jazz store for $45.00. This was before dealers realized the intrinsic value of OOP Mosaics and before eBay cornered the market. In other words, a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.

I'd also go with the Quebec Hardee, but for $65 each, if I had to, I'd set up shop at a freeway entrance for a half a day and get both.

As a matter of principle, I've never bought one of their releases and I won't until they spell their name correctly. It's C-O-L-L-E-C-T-I-B-L-E-S, dammit, with an I not an A.

I think 1941 is generous. Kristallnacht took place in November of 1938, three months after the Evian Conference. Quite a number of Jews were killed during the two nights of rioting and some 30,000 were arrested and hauled off to Dachau. If not 1938, then 1939 at the latest with the ghettoization of Polish Jews. While that may not be a death camp in the true sense of that disgusting term, for all intents and purposes, that's exactly what it was.

No offense, but Hitler is probably the last person in the history of the world who could be taken at his word. His hatred for the Jews was so visceral and all encompassing that the idea of letting them just pick up and leave is absurd.

It's a shame that the music can't be separated from the politics.

Winifred Wagner, Richard Wagner's British born daughter-in-law, was an ardent supporter of Hitler. Allegedly, he proposed marriage to her on two different occasions.

Rusty but real referees will officiate the game tonight between Baltimore and Cleveland. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/sports/football/nfl-and-referees-reach-labor-deal.html?hp

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If this continues, the acronym NFL (Not For Long) won't apply to its players, but to the league itself. I can't imagine any major sport in this country (and I'm excluding the NBA since it's already irretrievably out of control) giving itself a bigger black eye than pro football did last night.

Given tonight's debacle, I'd be surprised if the NFL refs and the league don't settle before Thursday night's game.

I haven't had much to say about baseball this season, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the incredibly hot streak now being authored by Ichiro Suzuki. In his last six games, he's hitting .700 (14 for 20) with three home runs and five stolen bases. Since he joined the Yankees 55 games ago, he's batting .327. I'd call that a pretty nice pick-up considering that Seattle is still paying about 90% of his salary.