Day 6 And Counting.....
Wednesday, February 28, 2007

We are on day 6 of the jury deliberations in the Scooter Libby trial and all the talking heads think it looks bad for good ole Scooter. We had 1 jurer dismissed for being exposed to the media and today we had a note go to the judge for clarification on an issue. I don't know what that really means but David Schuster seems to think its something big. I don't know if we will have a decision before the end of the day but there is always tomorrow.....

Posted by mardenhill 2/28/2007 04:08:00 PM 7 comments    

Labels: Politics

Unkle - Burn My Shadow

I have 5 downloads left on eMusic for the month and was looking for a way to spend them wisely. I stumbled across this track from Unkle. Its called "Burn My Shadow" and is found on their new 4 cd box set of remixes. The track is almost 12 minutes long but what I found interesting was the guest vocalist. One of the things I like about Unkle are their selection of singers, they always have people you would never expect. They are an outlet for anyone who wants to dabble in electronic but not do so on their own.

Anyways this song features Ian Astbury of The Cult fame and that was probably the last person I would expect to be singing. He doesn't have a lot of lyrics but he does sound pretty cool with a dark electronic beat. I still think my favorite Unkle song has to be "Eye For An Eye" something about that song just never gets old.

Posted by mardenhill 2/28/2007 02:36:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Goosecross Discussion Revisited

I guess my posting regarding Gooscross touched a nerve. I will start from the beginning on how I arrived at my decision. Back in Sept 05 I was out in San Fran for work and took a day trip to Napa. Since I was by myself and wanted to hit vineyards off the beaten path I asked for a suggestion from the local tourist kiosk. I was heading up to Nichelini vineyard but had a little bit of time to kill beforehand. This is when I stopped into Goosecross and sampled their wine. I was told that their zin was amazing and to also check out their cab. I didn't think the wine was bad it was the price. Now Goosecross are lower than most vineyards in Napa which I appreciate but $30 for the zin was too much. I had tasted better zins at $20 and didn't think it warranted the extra money. Same for the cab, too much for how it tasted. I imagine the Aeros is amazing but I am not in the $100+ market for wine. The people at Goosecross were very nice but I decided on 1 bottle and that was the Viognier. There are very few stores around here who sell Goosecross and I don't see myself dropping that much money for shipping on a wine I am not 100% sold on. I will say they are probably the friendliest and least pretentious vineyard out there (next to Miner who is one of my faves) and that is good in my book. If you follow my postings I tend to stay away from most major label things be it music or wine and the Mondavi's and Coppola's of the world don't excite me.

Some of my favorites in Napa are Rutherford Hills (really only for their Zinfandel Port, liquid gold in my opinion), Miner Family Vineyards, Nichelini (who are about 20 minutes up in the mountains off the side of the road) and Elyse (a bit pretentious but good wine). There are other excellent wines from Napa I just havn’t been to their vineyards. I also enjoy Sonoma and a great vineyard is Trentadue (another only for their ports) and Cline. The people at Cline are very nice and pricewise you can’t beat it.

If you find yourself out in Napa take a drive up to Nichelini it’s a cool ride up and the wine is very cheap. Unfortunately the site doesn't list everything they had while I was there but nothing was more than $30 a bottle.

Any questions, comments feel free to post.....

http://templates.earthstores.com/template13/list.asp?id=6E696368&cat=15567

http://www.minerwines.com/index.html

http://www.elysewinery.com/

http://www.rutherfordhill.com/ourwines/port.asp

http://www.trentadue.com/wines_display.php?id=43

http://www.clinecellars.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=view&CFID=431129&CFTOKEN=83223315

Posted by mardenhill 2/28/2007 12:37:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Got Tickets!!!!

Its about time my Best Buy Rewards Zone has come in handy. I signed up for the program a couple years ago when we bought our digital video camera since I would end up getting back $20 for the purchase. I rarely shop at Best Buy so the card is pretty much useless until now. Best Buy is sponsoring the Police tour and I just found out that there was a pre sale code for members. I logged in this morning, got my code and tickets. They were $100 a piece (ouch) but I had to do it....

Posted by mardenhill 2/28/2007 10:50:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

The American Taliban At Its Best
Tuesday, February 27, 2007

If its not Pat Roberston spouting off nonsense its Rev. Jerry Falwell. Gotta love this tool, he has his Republican talking points down and will do anything to discredit Al Gore and our progress so far. According to him its more important to demonize gays and preserve the "sancity of marriage" than to save our planet.

I decided to google some quotes from Falwell to show how much of a nut this guy really is.

"I am such a strong admirer and supporter of George W. Bush that if he suggested eliminating the income tax or doubling it, I would vote yes on first blush."

"I believe that global warming is a myth. And so, therefore, I have no conscience problems at all and I'm going to buy a Suburban next time."

"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."

"AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals."

"I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

"I do not believe the homosexual community deserves minority status. One's misbehavior does not qualify him or her for minority status. Blacks, Hispanics, women, etc., are God-ordained minorities who do indeed deserve minority status."

............................................................................

LYNCHBURG, Va. The Reverend Jerry Falwell says global warming is "Satan's attempt to redirect the church's primary focus" from evangelism to environmentalism. Falwell told his Baptist congregation in Lynchburg yesterday that "the jury is still out" on whether humans are causing -- or could stop -- global warming.

Posted by mardenhill 2/27/2007 01:54:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

The National - Boxer (2007)

Posted by mardenhill 2/27/2007 11:46:00 AM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Jill Cunniff - City Beach (2007)

Jill Cunniff of Luscious Jackson fame has released her new solo record and you can read my review plus listen to a couple tracks over at The Record Room.

http://www.therecordroom.blogspot.com/

Posted by mardenhill 2/27/2007 07:51:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

2003 Braunstein Mitterjoch Zweigelt
Sunday, February 25, 2007

(pronounced: Ts-vye-gelt)

This is another red from the Austrian wine flight and I have to say its much better than the 1st red I tried. It has great color, dark purple and a nice nose. You can smell a bit of cherry and spice and both flavors are present in the taste. The back of the bottle compared the Zweigelt a Syrah and I can see it. The earthiness and spice are the same but the finish is completely different. My only complaint is the lack of depth at the end, I feel like the wine goes down but doesn't really leave you with anything. This wine is not as thin as Michigan reds but its on par with some from New Zealand. With the reds gone from our flight, its now onto the whites and dessert wines. We have an excellent TBA and ice wine in our wine fridge that I can't wait to open. We also have a late harvest Gruner Veltliner that should be amazing.

Posted by mardenhill 2/25/2007 10:13:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Oscar Nite

I did it again, made it thru another year without seeing any Oscar nominated movies. Well I did see Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" which is up for best documentary but that's different. Very seldom do I ever see the movies that are in the best of catagory and I take pride in that. I don't really do it on purpose, we just never go out to the movies. I did promise Erika I would take her to the Harry Potter film this summer and who knows that may make the Oscars.

Posted by mardenhill 2/25/2007 08:11:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Movies

The Police Reunion Tour

I found out this weekend that The Police have scheduled a Detroit date and that is July 17th at the Palace. Tickets go on sale this coming Saturday with prices starting at $55. I got this info from a friend who heard it on the radio and at the Palace Friday nite. I checked the Police website but there is no mention, if this changes I will post an update.....

https://tickets.thepolicetour.com/

Posted by mardenhill 2/25/2007 07:50:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

2004 Goosecross Viognier

I am not a big fan of Goosecross Cellars, I was directed to their vineyard my last time in Napa and was very disappointed. Out of all their wines I walked out with a bottle of Viognier and vowed never to return to the label.

Goosecross has a great online presence, an inviting website, podcasts and mass emailings but their wine doesn't warrant the prices. This is one vineyard using Napa Valley to its advantage by charging inflated prices for their product. I am not saying their stuff sucks but I am saying $30+ for reds are not worth it. I paid about $25 for the Viognier and while its a lot for a white, I did enjoy it. You had some great tropical flavors present and it had a hint of cream and sweetness which paired well with spicy food. The finish was a bit alcoholic tho, this wine stands at 14.5% and you could really taste it.

My new favorite whites are Vouvarys (Chenin Blancs), rich and creamy Reislings and Gewertzraminers. The richer the wine the better. I went thru a phase of Sauv Blancs since I was bored of Chardonnays but find myself going back to that style.

http://www.goosecross.com/

Posted by mardenhill 2/25/2007 10:59:00 AM 3 comments    

Labels: Wine

Some Mac Rumors
Friday, February 23, 2007

courtesy of engadget.com. This is a moc up of a mac, its not official but it would be cool.
....................................

We're not holding our breath on this one. MacScoop is promising some sweeping changes to Apple's Mac lineup, including a black iMac, 8-core Mac Pro, ultraportable MacBook Pro and a 15-inch MacBook. MacScoop even conjectures the aging Cinema Displays could be due for a refresh, and seems to think a Mac OS X Leopard release in late March is in the cards.

Posted by mardenhill 2/23/2007 09:03:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

2000 Chateau Bel Air Haut-Medoc
Thursday, February 22, 2007

It was that time again, time to open another 2000 Bordeaux from the cellar. This time around I pulled out a $14 Chateau Bel Air from the Haut-Medoc region. Its a pretty good bottle, you have a great nose, some dark plum color and a deep and lasting flavor. You can taste the oak and some vanilla but also a bit of tannins and some black currant. With it being on the Left Bank, you have more cabernet than merlot in the blend which is what I prefer. It does have a bit of a backbone with some spice and earth and with it going on 7 years the harsh bitterness has faded some.

http://www.medoc-wines.com/default-eng.htm

Posted by mardenhill 2/22/2007 08:53:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Welcome To My New Template

Its not quite finished but I think I am happy with my new template. I found this free template out on the web and you can see more by accessing GeckoandFly and Andreas Viklund the designer of the site. I officially moved my blog to the new blogger and now I am using widgets and labels. If you are interested in seeing all my posts on music or wine, you can click on the side and it will sort them for you. At the bottom of the page you will hit older posts to see more. My tags do not go back to day 1, I havn't got that ambitious in tagging my history. You can still see older postings by clicking in my history which is broken down by month. I hope you enjoy my new look.

Posted by mardenhill 2/22/2007 12:12:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Its Jury Time
Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Yesterday we had closing arguments in the Scooter Libby trial and it will now go to the jury. In a perfect world, Libby would be convicted but I am not holding my breathe. Fitz presented an excellent case while the defense stumbled thru. They also caved on their promise to put both Libby and Cheney on the stand. Lets hope the jury gets this right and convicts Libby, that way Fitz can try to get him to flip on Cheney. If not then he is one loyal idiot who deserves a jail sentence. If we get jail time, I expect Libby to be pardoned at the end of Bush's presidency. With sentencing I expect Libby to serve at least 1 year in the pokey.

Posted by mardenhill 2/21/2007 08:49:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Happy Paczki Day
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Well since its Fat Tuesday I decided to be lazy and recycle my Paczki posting from a year ago. I did change the photo tho and will most likely limit myself to one today....
.........................

Its Fat Tuesday and time to celebrate by eating a paczki. Although I am not Catholic I grew up in Wyandotte, a Polish/Catholic Detroit suburb. Wyandotte is known for its bars and churches, both are the highest per capita in the area. All summer long the Polish churches have their festivals, perogies, cheap beer, bingo and polka, life doesn't get much better. Well I am off to enjoy my paczki, maybe even a 2nd later on today.......

Posted by mardenhill 2/20/2007 08:45:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Misc

Palazzo di Bocce
Sunday, February 18, 2007

http://www.palazzodibocce.com/index.html

Last nite we played indoor bocce at the Palazzo di Bocce in Auburn Hills down the street from the Palace. We went for a birthday party and had a blast. The facility has 10 indoor courts, full bar and a restaurant. Pricewise its a bit spendy but it was also something we have never done before. You start off by throwing the little silver pallino which has to make it about half way down the court. Then you have teams like shuffleboard and take turns throwing the bocce balls. You try to get as close as you can to the pallino and knock the other team out of the way. Most people have played lawn bocce and its the same but its a lot harder indoors. You have to be patient with your throws since the balls roll and roll and roll on the surface. If you are a fan of shuffleboard you will love this.

Posted by mardenhill 2/18/2007 06:48:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Sports

Can I Get A Snickers With That iPod

While at the mall yesterday we stumbled across this vending machine in Macys next to the escalators. I can see accessories but what person in their right mind would pop $200-$300+ into a vending machine for an iPod? What makes this even funnier is that the Apple store is no more than 500 ft down to the right. Maybe there are places this can work but not at Somerset.

Posted by mardenhill 2/18/2007 06:41:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Portrait Of A Panderer
Saturday, February 17, 2007

This would be none other than Sen. John McCain the world's biggest panderer who will do anything to become president. Now I used to respect the guy but the last few years has changed it all. McCain claimed he was a maverick, an outsider but he has proven himself a weasel willing to do anything for the ultimate prize. The Senate has a scheduled vote on the non binding Iraq escalation legislation for today and guess what, McCain is skipping it in favor of campaigning.

"It's nothing more than a partisan stunt and an evasion of our responsibilities," "...when all we're doing is debating a meaningless, a meaningless resolution."

Yep way to go McCain, ignore your responsibilities while others reshuffle their schedules. It just goes to show how shallow McCain really is and how he does not deserve to be president. Btw, he is off to South Carolina on Sunday to go play house with the American Taliban and preach abstinence to a bunch of teens. The best part will be watching McCain compete for the moral vote only to be shot down at the finish line.

Posted by mardenhill 2/17/2007 12:09:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

The Worse Band Combo Ever Breaks Up
Friday, February 16, 2007

In a statement he said: "Due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences, I am permanently leaving the band Audioslave.

"I wish the other three members nothing but the best in all of their future endeavours."Other members of the band- guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk - have reunited with singer Zack de la Rocha to resurrect their former band Rage Against The Machine.

........................................................

The idea of Audioslave was a disaster from day one and should have never been formed. Chris chickened out at the very beginning but then followed thru with it. We were tortured with 2 cds and constant radio play. I am not dissing Chris Cornell and the original members of Rage all are great musicians but together they were awful. Its good to know that Chris is gone and Zack is back in, now Rage can get their anger on and piss off the current administration.

Maybe just maybe there could be a Soundgarden reunion in the future. Everyone is reforming these days and I wonder if Chris thinks he better jump in now before its too late. One small problem tho, Matt Cameron the drummer of Soundgarden is now with Pearl Jam.

The rumor mill has been churning big time and there is talk of an original Guns N Roses reunion. Why we are on the topic of GnR, "Chinese Democracy" may actually be released next month.....

Posted by mardenhill 2/16/2007 03:04:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Almost Ready
Thursday, February 15, 2007

Posted by mardenhill 2/15/2007 09:35:00 AM 2 comments    

Labels: Music

New Symbol

Welcome to the new radiation symbol being proposed by the IAEA. After 5 years of interviewing 1600 people in 11 countries they felt the need to add the running man, skull and crossbones and emitting radiation waves. In all serious its probably a good idea but come on, 5 years to draw that? Does that mean I will have to get my radiation tattoo updated?

Posted by mardenhill 2/15/2007 09:04:00 AM 1 comments    

Labels: Science

Weather Update
Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Well I finished shoveling our sidewalk and driveway but I don't think it will make much of a difference. The wind and snow are still blowing and everything I did will probably be covered back up in a few hours. Oh well, at least it will be easier to shovel later on tonight or tomorrow morning. Life in the midwest.......

Posted by mardenhill 2/13/2007 06:09:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Weather

Latest Weather Forcast

The snow is a coming.....

We are expecting 5-8 inches in Metro Detroit area by tomorrow. We are not at the 12 ft that Upstate NY had but its still snow that I will be shoveling for the next 2 days...

Posted by mardenhill 2/13/2007 03:52:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Science

The Police Reunion Tour

As of now there are plans for a Detroit show but no official date. I have heard that the show will most likely be at Comerica Park and below is info on prices and pre sale. I happen to be a member of the Best Buy Reward Zone but so are most others. I don't know how useful it will really be but if it does more or less guarentee me tickets then its worth it.....

.....................................................

The North American leg of the tour is being sponsored by Best Buy, and ticket prices are set at $225, $90 and $50. In the U.S., members of Best Buy's Reward Zone program who have a membership that was activated before February 1 will have the opportunity to buy tickets prior to the general public. Pre-sale tickets will be available through Ticketmaster a few days before general ticket sales begin for each date. There will be a 4 ticket limit per person for all arena shows and a 6 ticket.

Posted by mardenhill 2/13/2007 12:28:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Move Over Live 8

Al Gore expected to launch music event

Posted by mardenhill 2/13/2007 09:20:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music, Politics

Why You Should Throw Out Your Trash
Monday, February 12, 2007

I hate seeing cars like this and here is a perfect reason why. Some crazy lady in Cape Cod, Mass had so much trash in her car that pieces fell onto the brake and gas pedals causing her to lose control. She drove over curbs, entered a freeway, crashed into other cars and ended up in a gas station. Besides being disgusting its dangerous and cops should pull people over ticketing them and arresting if needed. Now I don't like govt in my personal business anymore than the next libertarian but come on, you need to draw the line somehere. These sick slobs need to know they are endangering more than themselves with their filth.

http://www.local6.com/news/10991469/detail.html

Posted by mardenhill 2/12/2007 09:42:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Misc

Some Sneak Peaks

Posted by mardenhill 2/12/2007 04:23:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Son Volt Update

Son Volt has announced its first tour of the year, a seven-week trek across the U.S.

The band will be supporting a new album, The Search, due March 6. It's the group's second release since frontman Jay Farrar recruited an entirely new lineup in 2004. The 35-date tour will begin March 26 at The Nightlight in Bellingham, Wash. The itinerary winds around the country for nearly two months, covering clubs and theatres including Chicago's Vic Theatre and Irving Plaza in NYC. They'll finish May 19 with a Boys and Girls Club benefit in Raleigh, N.C.

After a lengthy hiatus, Son Volt released Okemah and the Melody of Riot in 2005, touring extensively through summer of last year.

http://www.sonvolt.net/
..................................

As usual Detroit is left out, its getting really frustrating, all the bands I want to see are skipping my faire city. We have a huge selection of crap bands and worthless junk playing every weekend but nothing I'm interested in. Besides the other releases I spoke of in my previous post we also have Son Volt and Wilco to look forward to...

You can hear 30 second previews on their website of the new cd....

Posted by mardenhill 2/12/2007 10:03:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

2007 Is Shaping Up....

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds get to work on new album

Aussie singer also unveils side-project plans

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have started working on a new album.

Aussie singer Cave says his band have started writing the follow up to 2004's 'Abattoir Blues/The Lyre Of Orpheus', and are hoping to record the LP later this year.

He said: "Now I'm writing the new Bad Seeds album. We're going to record it either June or July. There's a lot going on. And everyone else has their own stuff as well."

Cave is also currently preparing to unleash his side-project Grinderman's debut album.

The band's new single 'No Pussy Blues' is out on February 19 before their self-titled LP is released on March 5, reports BBC 6 Music.

.................................................

2007 is shaping up to being a great year for music. We havn't even got the full debut of Griderman and Nick Cave is talking about another Bad Seeds record. The rumored Guttertwins cd may see the light of day, that being Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli. Now if Stereolab drops a new cd and tour, that would make my year....

Posted by mardenhill 2/12/2007 09:34:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

2003 Helix Pomatia Columbia Valley
Friday, February 09, 2007

I would like to thank my friend Kent out in Seattle for this bottle of wine. Its from the Reininger Vineyard in Walla Walla, Washington. The grapes come from Columbia Valley and are a blend of the grapes below. Flavorwise its big, bold and zesty. You have a great nose and tons of fruit up front. They linger thru the finish but are structured enough not to be too jammy. You have some black cherry, spice and low tannins. Reds like these are great all year round, not too powerful for the summer but still big enough to enjoy on those cold winter nights.









Vineyards
Ash Hollow, Clifton Hill, Patina, Pepper Bridge, Phinney Hill, Pleasant, Sundance, Seven Hills Vineyard

Blend
50% Cabernet Sauvignon
27% Merlot

16% Syrah

7% Cabernet Franc

Cooperage

53% American Oak, 47% French Oak
Bottled August 2005
pH 3.54
Total acidity 0.61 g/100ml
Cases Produced 2,207

Posted by mardenhill 2/09/2007 09:42:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Dino's Back!!

Dinosaur Jr. reveal new album details
'Beyond' is first album from the original trio in 18 years

The original line-up of Dinosaur Jr. have announced details of their first studio album in 18 years.

The group, consisting of J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph, release 'Beyond' on April 30.

The original incarnation of Dinosaur Jr issued three albums, 'Dinosaur', 'You're Living All Over Me' and 'Bug', before bassist Barlow left.

The group recorded the album at guitarist J Mascis's Bisquiteen Studios.

The full tracklisting of 'Beyond' is:

'Almost Ready'
'Crumble'
'Pick Me Up'
'Back To Your Heart'
'This Is All I Came To Do'
'Been There All The Time'
'It's Me'
'We're Not Alone'
'I Got Lost'
'Lightning Bulb'
'What If I Knew
.........................................

Althought I did not see Dino Jr on their reunion tour I still love the band and I am really excited to hear what their new record will sound like. Dino Jr shows are crazy loud and when you don't think it can get any louder they turn it up some more. Think Spinal Tap with the amp at 11. The last time I saw them it was inside at the State Theatre and I made myself wear ear plugs. Everyone has a fav Dino song and I have been racking my brain today to figure out which one is mine. Right now its between "Freak Scene" and "The Wagon"......

http://www.dinosaurjr.com/

Posted by mardenhill 2/09/2007 01:40:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Wait! Don't Throw Out Those LPs Just Yet
Thursday, February 08, 2007

A Japanese company is releasing this really cool product in Japan this month, no word if it will ever end up over here or what the price would be. Anyways, the product is a turntable for all your old records and it has the ability to rip them into MP3s. There is a cd burner and ports for USB flash drives. Currently you can rip your records but you need to buy a converter box and plug a record player into a computer to do so. I would love to rip all my vinyl into MP3 but I still like the idea of having a turntable. This would be the best of both worlds...

Posted by mardenhill 2/08/2007 09:04:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Another Reason Why Walmart.....
Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Yet another reason why Walmart are a bunch of idiots and don't belong in the digital realm. The morons over at Walmart who setup this site forgot to include testing of Firefox as a web browser. The 2nd page that you can read is Safari the exclusive browser for the Mac which just goes to show how stupid these people are. Mac users will not be able to download the movies but they can see the page just fine. Now Firefox is a browser for both Mac and PC, millions use it due to the laundry list of problems with IE but its rendered useless. Doesn't Walmart test these things out beforehand? Is this a deal with Microsoft to lock out Firefox and keep everyone using IE? If so, then that is more of a reason to stop using IE. Walmart did score a good selection of movies, 3000 compared to Apple's 600 but pricewise they are the same as the dvd format. None of these people have learned but who am I to say what people want. I guess being a consumer doesn't factor into their equation.....

I have faith that Apple will increase their selection and win out in the end, its just a matter of time...

Posted by mardenhill 2/07/2007 08:23:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Did Steve Jobs Just Say That?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007

"The Internet has made such leaks far more damaging, since a single leak can be spread worldwide in less than a minute," he wrote. "Such leaks can rapidly result in software programs available as free downloads on the Internet which will disable the DRM protection so that formerly protected songs can be played on unauthorized players."

As a result, Jobs said that Apple has concluded that if it licenses FairPlay to others, "it can no longer guarantee to protect the music it licenses from the big four music companies." A more suitable alternative, he said, would be to abolish DRMs entirely, creating a world where every online store sells DRM-free music that would play on any digital music player from any company.

"This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat," Jobs wrote. "If the big four music companies would license Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store."
..............................................

Wow, Jobs admitting that he would go DRM free if the record labels agreed to it. I like the idea of this, now drop the price a little and you have a deal. eMusic can sell its songs DRM free and for 25 cents a piece, why can't iTunes? The iPod would still be king since no other device can come close to its ease of use. Jobs seems to get his way and lets hope he can pull a rabbit out of his hat and give us this gift.

Posted by mardenhill 2/06/2007 08:35:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Technology

The Furst - Pinot Blanc 2004
Monday, February 05, 2007

Posted by mardenhill 2/05/2007 09:31:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Only The Names Have Been Changed

Stereophonics man announces solo tour
Kelly Jones plays song from his solo album

Stereophonics Kelly Jones has announced details of this first solo tour.

The singer will be playing tracks from his first solo album 'Only The Names Have Been Changed', which is currently available via iTunes. The album will be released on March 26.

Jones will play:

Cardiff Coal Exchange (March 25)
York Opera House (26)
Gateshead Sage Centre (28)
Dublin Vicar St (30)
Manchester Opera House (April 1)
Glasgow Old Fruit Market (2)
Birmingham Alexandra Theatre (3)
London Codagan Hall (5,6).
.......................................

Before you get too excited all the dates above are in the UK. The Stereophonics are on V2 records which distributes thru eMusic but this cd is not listed. You can get every Stereophonics cd and single but not Kelly's solo. I will wait it out to see if its added to eMusic in the next couple weeks. I did check out the 30 second previews on iTunes and so far I am not impressed. Its pretty acoustic and I don't see a big difference between his solo work and the Stereophonics. I do like the fact that every song is named for a woman. I won't completely write it off since I am only hearing previews but I have a feeling this one may end up along side Tim Burgess, Rhett Miller and Richard Ashcroft....

Posted by mardenhill 2/05/2007 09:11:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Cool Box Set
Sunday, February 04, 2007

Rhino Records has released a very cool Goth box set entitled "A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box". Its 53 tracks over 3 cd and 1 dvd with videos. Looking thru the tracks I thought I may be able to duplicate the box set myself but unfortunately only had 15 songs. With that said it goes to show how deep this one goes. There are cuts from The Cure, Siouxsie, Nick Cave, Joy Division, JAMC, Echo and Peter Murphy. From there it dives deeper into the realm of black leather and lace. You have Ministry, Throbbing Gristle, Flesh For Lulu, Cranes, The Bolshoi, Killing Joke, Alien Sex Fiend, Tones On Tail, Skinny Puppy and Christian Death. The list goes on and this is a must have for anyone who was a fan of the Goth/Industrial scene throughout the 80s and early 90s. While you are picking up this one don't forget about "Left of The Dial, Dispatches of the 80's Underground" one of my fav box sets of all time.

http://www.rhino.com/store/ProductDetail.lasso?Number=73374

Posted by mardenhill 2/04/2007 09:23:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

The Face Of Hyprocrisy
Saturday, February 03, 2007

Here you have the Republican Senate leadership of Mitch McConnell Trent Lott and John Kyle out whining about big bad Harry Reid. The 49 Republican senators have threatened to filibuster a bill written by one of their own John Warner over a non-binding resolution on the troop surge. For starters, its a non-binding and it was watered down to get the RINOs on board. What happened to the mavericks, where's Warner, Hagel and Collins who are supposed to be Republican willing to stand up? Just like I thought, cowards all of them. And they used to say the Dems were a bunch of wusses who couldn't make a coherent decision. These pathetic scumbags beat their chest in opposition to the president but back down just like good little lemmings when told to. Thats right, the Republican party are a bunch of followers who are afraid to stand up for what they believe in. They meekly speak out, get admonished and run for cover. Spineless, heartless cowards all of them....

And the kicker, the filibuster they hated so much before has become their best friend.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/washington/03cong.html?ei=5088&en=6614a0d847bf9121&ex=1328158800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1170519668-UpKtPRnubizc%2BywyngK8Vg

Posted by mardenhill 2/03/2007 05:32:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

New Travis
Friday, February 02, 2007

Travis announce new album
'The Boy With No Name' to be released in May

Travis will release their new album 'The Boy With No Name' on May 7.

It will be the follow up to 2003's '12 Memories' and will be proceeded by the single 'Closer' on April 23.

Of the new album, frontman Fran Healy said: "After a time of feeling stuck we feel we can do anything. We've come through the dark places and it feels like we've found our muse once more."

Speaking about working with long-time collaborator Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, guitarist Dougie Payne said: "We trust Nigel and fear him. If Nigel doesn't think something is any good he'll say."

The tracklisting for the album is:

'3 Times And You Lose'
'Selfish Jean'
'Closer'
'Big Chair'
'Battleships'
'Eyes Wide Open'
'My Eyes'
'One Night'
'Out In Space'
'Colder'
'New Amsterdam'

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Lets hope its a better release than "12 Memories" which was a real disappointment. There are a few good songs but overall it was not that good.

Posted by mardenhill 2/02/2007 12:03:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Sonic Chair
Thursday, February 01, 2007

With a website all in German (except for the English PDA you can download) some company brings you the Sonic Chair. You can plug in your ipod, laptop or gaming system and listen away with noise cancelling speakers. You can enjoy your own personal concert of any artist of your choosing or listen to an audiobook without being interupted by the family pet. Besides looking cool this chair is functional which makes me want to get one. As for a cost, who knows, but does it really matter?

http://www.sonicchair.de/index.htm

Posted by mardenhill 2/01/2007 09:44:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Wenzel Bankraften Blaufrankisch 2001

In the realm of a red Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc or Malbec, Blaufrankisch is widely planted around Austria and is used to produce dry, fruity red wines with fine spices backed by blackberry and cherry aromas and tones of liquorice. Blaufrankisch buds early, ripens late, don‘t like the cold, and when it‘s unripe, it gets pretty vegetal. All that said, Blaufrakisch produces very tasty, lighter drinking reds whose firm tannins make it worthy of aging. A Blaufrankisch pairs great with BBQ.
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I broke into the Austrian wine this evening and decided to try something I have never heard of let alone pronounce. The grape is Blaufrankisch and as you can see from the description above, its a pretty light and fruity red. Upon first taste I was not too impressed, with it being in the basement it was also pretty cold. After a half hour the wine started to open. It has a great nose and some of that spice started to show thru. I will be interested to see how it holds up and will re-taste again tomorrow evening. I am not expecting knockout reds from Austria which is fine since the really good stuff are the Gruner Veltliners, Reislings and dessert wines. The TBA has been calling my name and I have been counting down the days until we open it.

Posted by mardenhill 2/01/2007 09:32:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine