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Nabokov King, Queen, Knave to be followed by Voinovich's Moscow 2042, which just showed up.

I'm surprised at how upset I am, but I really felt NO got away with a lot of dirty plays. I probably watched 3 minutes tops, and every time I wandered by the tube, they were putting another late hit on Favre. Oh, wait, I did see that ridiculous pass interference play in OT. So between playing dirty and the refs giving the game to NO in OT, I am definitely pulling for the Colts.

What a total bullshit call. I can't stand these pass interference calls. When the league went in this direction, I really lost all interest in it.

Bombay Bicycle Club: Emergency Contraception Blues Yeah mostly because of the title, but it's the first cut off "I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose," which isn't a bad album at all in the indie vein.

Most CDs sold off to Dusty Groove or Reckless. Price drop on the remaining CDs. I have one more to add 6 Vandermark/McPhee/Kessler A Meeting in Chicago (Okka) I'll be listing some ECM LPs pretty soon.

Well, this will probably get yanked to politics, but someone has shredded Yo-Yo Ma playing at Obama's inauguration: . What really sells it is the hideous clarinet playing -- and someone in the crowd hacking up a lung.

Cairo Modern by Naguib Mahfouz Wondrak and other stories by Stefan Zweig Hopefully followed by Moscow 2042 by Voinovich (it's still in the mail but should arrive soon)

I don't know who books it, but you might look into Green Mill as well, esp. since you are talking about four months out. I could probably make it to the Velvet, but the Green Mill is a lot closer.

A short, but interesting, analysis of Rohmer's technique from Slate: Slate piece

I actually pulled the plug on my son watching Foster's Home, since he was adopting some of the annoying characteristics of Blue, despite my warnings. He's almost a year older, so I might try again. He's not nearly as interested in Backyardigans as he used to be, which is too bad, as I think it is one of the best of the current kids' shows. However, he has started getting into Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel. I'm really digging this one, since it is so absurd (the two young kids -- apparently half-brothers -- build something crazy in the backyard, but it always disappears by the time their mom gets home to the annoyance of their sister who wants to "bust" them). Also, their pet platypus is actually a secret agent. It's interesting to see that the writers have decided to stretch a bit in season 2 (or perhaps 3) and vary the formula a bit. This is one where the writers are clearly adding in lines meant for adults, kind of like the classic cartoons. The arch villain has dialogue like "It's a conundrum, isn't it?" Or a friend's mother stops the pair from firing up a blow torch and getting her ring out of the drain, saying "I'll call my regular plumber; he's bonded." I know we aren't supposed to ever say things are better now than when we were kids (and this is largely true), the contemporary cartoons are certainly better than the cartoons when I was growing up (He-Man, Thundercats, etc.) Neither are as good as Looney Tunes, of course, but those are from the era before, so I can't really claim them. They've become almost timeless.

One of the last major figures from the New Wave movement has passed away: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jan/11/eric-rohmer-death I have to admit that I have sort of skimmed his films and not watched them in a serious way, but I will try to rectify that soon.

Probably the last two additions: 6 Russell Gunn Gunn Fu (w/ Greg Tardy & Stefon Harris) 6 Elvin Jones And Then Again/Midnight Walk (Collectibles) Hold has been lifted on Impressed 2 for anyone with an interest in obscure British jazz cuts.

I've updated the list with lower prices and added the following: 5 Count Basie in London 5 Cyrille/Dresser/Ehrlich C/D/E 5 Hot Club of Detroit Night Town 15 Oscar Pettiford First Bass (IAJRC) light scratches, do not affect play 7 Oscar Pettiford Manhattan Jazz Suite (Lonehill) includes Barry Galbraith Guitar and the Wind 6 Sadao Watanabe Jazz Samba 6 Sadao Watanabe Bossa Nova '67 Most CDs will be taken around to the local stores next weekend, so this is essentially the last week of the sale. Thanks for looking!

I actually went three winters in two different apartments without any heat at all. This might have been understandable south of the Mason-Dixon line, but this was Newark, NJ (old cold water flats that had been grandfathered in, I guess, though I did have hot water in the sinks and tub). I suppose technically the second apartment had a kind of built-in space heater in the kitchen, but since this was a railroad car type layout, and I spend my time in the front, it would have been pointless to run. So indeed I could see my breath inside the apartment much of the time. I tell this to my wife anytime we discuss lowering the thermostat, but she has the advantage over me, since we have small children who can't regulate their body temperature as well, so the heat stays on...

Head's up on this program, which looks pretty good: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pl1q4 Even the other cuts (not off of Iyer's new album or live) look like they are quality (mostly Jason Moran or Nasheen Waits). It isn't available for Listen Again until roughly mid afternoon on Sunday, then will be up for 7 days.

Man I almost wish I didn't have the set already, so I could take advantage of this deal. I probably paid $50 for the CDs and booklet but no box. Of course, I have been able to enjoy the music for something like 10 years in the meantime. However, I did take advantage of Newbury's price for the UA Bergman box (Persona, Hour of the Wolf, Passion of Anna, Serpent's Egg) for $25. http://www.amazon.com/Bergman-Special-Collection-Persona-Serpents/dp/B0001MIK6I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1263086675&sr=8-2

Of all the Atwood novels, I like Cat's Eye the best, which is so rooted in Toronto as a place. Haven't read that in ages and should give it a go, though it would have to go towards the bottom of the list. I have reasonably high expectations for Oryx and Crake and its follow-up, The Year of the Flood, but haven't read them yet. I finally wrapped up The Master and Margarita (two different translations). For most of the time, the experiment worked well and I really got much more out of comparing the two. At the last 5-10% though, my energy was flagging, and I just wanted to be done. This also may reflect the structure of the novel, which is frenetic pretty much from start until the last 15% when the bacchanal ends and the devil and his retinue leave Moscow. If you aren't of a religious persuasion, the ending can feel like a bit of a let down. Still, a great novel that I would encourage anyone to read. I am reading a very short novel by Voinovich called The Fur Hat, which is an ideal companion piece. There is this writer of turgid fiction who, upon hearing the Writers' Union is giving out hats, applies for one and instead of a fox (or even rabbit) hat is given a living tom cat as his hat. It is also very much in line with Gogol's The Overcoat, though marginally less surreal.

Not to stick up for the NFL, but is it possible that they don't allow WCs to play their own division winner, unless that would mean forcing the top teams that would otherwise get a bye to play? I'm certainly not an expert in this, but it is hard to imagine all the NFL owners would just look the other way...

Don't know if anyone has come across this before, but I've seen my first DVD-R sold on Amazon -- 1000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse: http://www.amazon.com/thousand-eyes-of-dr-mabuse/dp/B002MZZUGK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1262540946&sr=1-5 Looks to be on the sketchy side to me, but what do I know...

I've taken many of these to the local shop, so I'll try to update what's left over the weekend. I did want to gauge if there is any interest in some LPs from ECM, mostly Gary Burton, Ralph Towner or Jack DeJohnette. I picked these up from Reckless, and they weren't kidding when they said they were near mint. I'm in the midst of transferring them to CDR now, but they could be yours by next week...

Price reduced to $175 (+ shipping) through Jan. 5.

This show is only up for 2 more days, but it might be worth a listen: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pd812 esp. if like me you are wondering whether the Bing set would find a place in your heart. I can't tell how far back this program was developed and recorded, but it does not feature a single track off the Bing Crosby Mosaic.* What a wasted opportunity. I would certainly have delayed the program if necessary to include a track or two off the set (or asked Mosaic to send some kind of advance copy). I'm not even sure they mention the new set. Oh well, I guess I'll find out tonight. * And while the Bing Crosby-David Bowie duet on Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth is not a bad track, how jazzy is it really...

Facebook scams are popular too. I don't have Facebook or anything like that, so it is pretty obvious when I get an email saying there is something wrong with my Facebook account.

I'm interested in the following 2, if still available. Houston Person - The Opening Round (The Groove Masters Series) (Savant) w/J.DeFranceso, B.Purdie, R.Jones, T.Wormworth $4 Lew Tabackin Quartet - I'll Be Seeing You (Concord) $6 I can't manage to get PMs working from work, so will send something out tonight. Sorry. Eric

Columbia Small Group Swing Sessions currently for sale.