Sunday, December 30, 2012

the DAR.FM service is down :-(

This is the web site I use to record netcast radio stations and is my favorite source of music.  I wonder if this is for maintenance or if it has gone out of business?

12/30/12 10PM PST update: rumour that the site will return on Jan 1
New Year's Day: it's back up!

Another Rosenfeld hits the mark

Seth Rosenfeld's Subversives is a tremendous book about the rise of radicalism at Berkeley in the early Sixties, the history of the FBI and the rise of Reagan.  I'm about half-way through the book and could not recommend it more for anyone who wants to understand how J. Edgar Hoover manipulated our history, how Reagan rose to power, and where student radicalism originated.  This Rosenfeld is a friend of a friend and comes highly recommended.

listening to solo piano by Craig Taborn

Avenging Angel is a superb, although austere, release - highly recommended!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Art Rosenfeld adds another top prize to his list

President Obama honors Berkeley scientist (and my former boss) with top award for spear-heading energy conservation research.  It can be legitimately argued that Art reduced US business and family spending on energy by $1 trillion over the last forty years.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

birthday concert

Considering going to Hopmonk in Sebastopol to listen to Charlie Hunter , he of the custom 8 string guitar, and Scott Amendola, an awesome drummer!

Friday, December 14, 2012

The A Team

I'm taking lessons in the Alexander technique.  This came about because I became aware of postural and tension issues in the course of meditating and as contributors to frequent headaches.  Its a good way to learn a more natural way of moving and sitting and I highly recommend it!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

TV--

I have reduced my TV viewing time each week recently in order to do more things that are more valuable to me.   As of this week I am ditching The Good Wife and Parenthood.  I think both have been dumbed down this season and aren't worth watching any more...  Still interesting to me are Homeland, Bill Moyers and Democracy Now - go figure :-)

Image is what matters

Reading further in Aaron's blog I found some cool things about QR codes and vCards.  Let me say right off the bat this is really nerdy and mostly for sadams.uk and co :-)

I plan to use the ZFS file system on Linux some day

When I do, I will reference this series of how tos by Aaron Topence.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Will Bernard Trio

Will Bernard and his trio are playing December 13 at the Sweet Water in Mill Valley.  I bought a ticket!

Update: fun show, great venue!  Tip: they are playing a long late-night set tonight in San Francisco, augmented by the Jazz Mafia Horns, which should make for a great night of greasy, funky soul-jazz!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Kelly ends swing classes at Al Monte after 25 years

Sara and I plan to attend the celebration tonight

Dreams

Last night I dreamed I visited a high tech research lab. Most of the dream was about my attempts to turn off the systems by voice control and face recognition.  At the end I noticed a pre-release version of a secret new line of Vaxen.

I woke with the song "Someone That I Used to Know" running through my brain... :-)

Saturday, December 1, 2012

cozy rainy day

On a grey and rainy day, Sara and cuddle up and watch more of the transcendently expressive US Open Swing Dance Championships - lyrical, musical, sophisticated, beyond any West Coast Swing dancing we've ever seen!  Ordered the DVD and plan to show it to friends - it can be appreciated without a background in dance!
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