Home
About this Journal
Current Month
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031
Aug. 26th, 2009 @ 09:36 pm Prog rock lives
Tags: , ,
The band Transatlantic--a prog rock supergroup containing members of Marillion, Dream Theatre, The Flower Kings, and Neal Morse, formerly of Spock's Beard--are releasing their first album in nearly 9 years.

It has one song on it.

That one song is 77 minutes long.

Oooh, yeah.

The only remaining question is how much will it cost on iTunes?

(Actually, there's a 2-disc special addition with 8 additional songs--including a cover of Genesis' "Return of the Giant Hogweed"--but the one-disc version is the one song.)
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Jun. 22nd, 2009 @ 08:46 pm Things that will never happen to me
Current Music: Marillion - Fantastic Place | Powered by Last.fm
Tags: , ,
I've always dreamed about finding an amazing Hammond Organ at a garage sale, for a discount price, and fixing it up nice and good.

But now, that dream is cast aside for the dream of finding a Hammond Novachord.

I saw this and thought, hey, it'd be cool to do that. But then I realized this guy is a professional analog synth restorer and modder, and it's likely way out of my league. Which means there's no way you could afford a restored one. And used ones, well it sounds like that after 70 years the electrolytic capacitors leak PCBs all over the place and basically make the things toxic as well as unplayable (whereas an old Hammond Organ usually just needs a good cleaning and lubrication and the tonewheels will still work.)

But still, wow. The thing sounds cool. And it'd look great in the living room.
About this Entry
klaatu
1 comment
Say something smart
Link
Jun. 12th, 2009 @ 08:44 pm (no subject)
Tags:
I've mentioned my Aunt Fay before here, and I still think about her a lot even though she's been gone over a year. Such an inspiration in so many ways.

( Read more... )
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Jun. 4th, 2009 @ 12:36 am Breaking Bad Season Two
Tags: , , ,
Oh my.

This is one brilliant piece of TV. Bryan Cranston is a national treasure. So is Vince Gilligan.

I just saw the season finale, and I don't want to give anything away, but the way everything was woven together was frustrating and satisfying all at once.

They'll probably start rerunning them on AMC. If you missed it the first time, watch it. I don't know if I've ever seen a TV drama that is as intense.
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
May. 2nd, 2009 @ 10:28 pm A real blog post. A meme, even
Tags: , , , ,
To combat LJ neglect, I asked [info]nemo_wistar to tag me for a meme:

The meme goes like this: Comment to this post and I will give you 5 subjects/things I associate you with. Then post this in your LJ and elaborate on the subjects given.

( And here we go )
About this Entry
klaatu
5 comments
Say something smart
Link
Apr. 6th, 2009 @ 02:00 pm Why I went to Montreal this weekend
Besides great music, because there's a chance something like this would happen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8faAk8W242I
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Feb. 18th, 2009 @ 01:56 pm And in one sentence, my son unknowingly skewers Wikipedia
Current Music: T-Bone Burnett - Blinded By The Darkness | Powered by Last.fm
Today at breakfast (we'd been staying at a hotel while our floors were getting finished at home):

Boy: This hotel is made out of pork chops and steak!
Me: How do you know that?
Boy: I read it online!
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Jan. 31st, 2009 @ 09:09 am Hi-larious
Tags:
I'm a 3rd degree connection to Barack Obama on LinkedIn.

Also, a 3rd degree connection to Kevin Bacon.
About this Entry
klaatu
1 comment
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 27th, 2008 @ 11:07 am Wegmans
Tags: ,
Those of you who have a nearby Wegmans that's a special, exciting grocery store don't appreciate that in Rochester, it's just a regular grocery store.

I went shopping yesterday. I wanted to drive to the "nice" Wegmans near my in-laws since they have a better selection. Last year when I did this at Christmas, I thought I knew where it was, but I didn't. I went the wrong way. Thing was, it was no big deal because I just ended up at another Wegmans and shopped there. This year I made sure I got directions.
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 10th, 2008 @ 06:17 am Name the Band, part 2

DSC04210
Originally uploaded by Jedimentat44
Okay, you know the game. Name this band. Although it looks like they (update) fired the ironically eyeglassed prettyboy since the last time I saw them.
About this Entry
klaatu
4 comments
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 6th, 2008 @ 02:40 pm This is very funny
Current Music: Marillion - Happiness Is The Road | Powered by Last.fm
Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are
About this Entry
klaatu
1 comment
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 4th, 2008 @ 11:57 pm Not to be a pessimist, but
Tags:
All the anti-gay marriage questions are winning right now, as well as a gay adoption ban in Arkansas.

At least South Dakota is doing the right thing.
About this Entry
klaatu
2 comments
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 4th, 2008 @ 09:47 pm what it's looking like
Tags:
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 4th, 2008 @ 10:34 am Political humor
Current Music: Portishead - Threads | Powered by Last.fm
I've always liked this:

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/futurama-207-nixons-back/2460605255
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Nov. 4th, 2008 @ 09:39 am Voted
Current Music: Rush - Malignant Narcissism - De Slagwerker | Powered by Last.fm
Tags:
Voted just before 7 this morning. In my comfortable suburban district there's never any problems, or any line. It was busier than usual but by no means crowded.

I took the kid. He took a very big interest in coming with me. He double checked my choices and pushed the "Cast Vote" button (he even noticed I went off-ticket in a local race).

I've been thinking a lot about my aunt. We lost her this spring. She was 92 and lived in Florida. We were going to visit her for the last time when she passed away. While visting with my cousin (there was to be no service, just cremation and spreading of her ashes back in Sicily), she told me my aunt had been giving $25 a month to Obama since he announced his candidacy. My aunt was an amazing woman for a lot of reasons, and the thought that she had seen something in Obama worth committing to really meant a lot to me. So in a way, my vote was for her too.

Please don't forget to vote today.
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Oct. 31st, 2008 @ 02:48 pm (no subject)
Current Music: Thomas Dolby - Mulu the Rain Forest | Powered by Last.fm
I like this song.
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Oct. 30th, 2008 @ 10:56 am 30 Rock season 3 premieres at 9:30 tonight
Tags: ,
And just to remind you, this is one of many reasons you should be watching it.
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link
Oct. 28th, 2008 @ 10:07 pm Steve Martin rental
Tags: ,
Steve Martin is asking $28,000 a week to rent out his villa on the Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy.

I'm so totally thinking this is a great idea. If I could get 10 friends or so to go along with me it's even not completely outrageous.

Oh, wait. Steve Martin probably won't be there? It won't be like that movie? I won't be able to have him do my favorite scenes all week, or have him say "WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" every time he tries to walk by me?

Never mind.
About this Entry
klaatu
1 comment
Say something smart
Link
Oct. 15th, 2008 @ 10:33 pm The last debate
Obama was calm, rational, collected. He didn't let McCain goad him at all, responding only when necessary,and in a way that was reassuring and reflective.

The question is which one of these people do you want sitting in the Oval Office making tough decisions during a crisis? I think it's pretty clear.
About this Entry
mccain debate
3 comments
Say something smart
Link
Oct. 9th, 2008 @ 09:12 pm Next time I'm in Oklahoma
I'm going to seek out Wayne Coyne's house. Interestingly, when I lived in Oklahoma City I knew a lot of people named Coyne. Perhaps they were related. I also appreciate that his wife worked in a Long John Silver's when he met her. We used to eat at LJS all the time when I lived there.
About this Entry
klaatu
Say something smart
Link