End the War on Freedom - Entertainment

Lyrics Alone

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:23:21 +0000

Lyrics Alone is a web site I built over the last week. It is blazingly fast for viewing lyrics, served as text-only static html files, and it's very easy for anyone to add new artists and lyrics. I'm counting on you my readers, and word of mouth, and Google, to make it into a major resource for song lyrics on the web. Click that link, or the image below, to read the story of why I added yet another to the hundreds (thousands?) of lyrics sites out there. And post some lyrics.

Full disclosure: I intend to add Amazon and iTunes text links, with referral payments, to the artist and lyric pages, as they're posted. I hope that revenue from those referrals will support my hosting costs, and maybe buy a new toy now and then. Or maybe I'll get lucky...

How I Ran an Ad on Fox News

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:04:40 +0000

Seth Stevenson at Slate V reports on using Google TV Ads, a method to get your own ad on TV for not too much bread. For $1,300 total budget, they created a video ad and a web site. It was aired 7 times on late-night reruns of the Glenn Beck show on Fox, 54 times on 4 different cable networks, viewed by 1.3 million people, and they got 1,000 web site visits.

Award-Winning Comic Thriller, Lady Magdalene’s, Released By Amazon.com Video On Demand

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:52:54 +0000

J. Neil Schulman's film about a federal agent and a Nevada brothel, starring Nichelle Nichols, "Uhuru" on the original Star Trek, is available for download or streaming at Amazon. The movie web site is LadyMagdalenes.com.

I watched it, while recovering from the flu. Amazon's streaming player worked flawlessly on my Mac over my 150 kbyte/sec DSL line. It was entertaining, non-political, humorous, had good music, and was definitely low-budget.

I didn't know that Nichelle Nichols could sing. She was good. And the violin playing was excellent.

I was surprised at the mainstream 9/11 theme, but it was used in a non-political, and humorous, manner.

All-in-all a pleasant use of two hours and three dollars (Amazon's 7-day rental price).

Imogen Heap: Hide and Seek

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:21:56 +0000

Imogen Heap at YouTube - Tweeted by John Perry Barlow, who saw her at the Filmore. Electronic, ambient, strong female voice. Magic. I bought the "Speak for Yourself" album, which includes this song, from iTunes. Her latest album, "Ellipse", also sounds good, from the 30-second iTunes clips.

Pokerface: Peace or War

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:21:18 +0000

Six years after their previous album, "Made in America", Pokerface has released a new one. Peace or War contains 13 new tracks, 61 1/2 minutes of protest rock. Two of them are available for sampling, as MP3. You can order the CD here, for $20, shipped. Or order the MP3 version, for download, here, for $10. Listening to the MP3 version as I type this. CD on order. In case you forgot, I'm a big fan. And this is one fine album.

SodaPopStop.com

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:27:20 +0000

Chow.com at YouTube - John Nese, the proprietor of Galcos Soda Pop Stop in LA, talks about soda. He sells about 500 different kinds, sweetened with sugar cane sugar, whenever possible. You can order it via UPS ground at SodaPopStop.com. This guy's sheer joy is infectious. Don't miss it.

Remake of The Prisoner on AMC

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:48:28 +0000

AMC is doing a remake of "The Prisoner", the classic sixties series starring Patrick McGoohan. Six episodes, two per night on three consecutive nights, starting November 15. Available online the day after broadcast. Stars Ian McKellen as Number Two and Jim Caviezel as Number Six. Video preview available now.

To whet your whistle, AMC has online video of the original series, at www.amctv.com/videos/the-prisoner-1960s-video.

Hulu Desktop

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:52:04 +0000

I waste a goodly amount of time each week watching video, mostly television shows, on hulu.com. I discovered yesterday, that they've got a beta application, Hulu Desktop, that makes viewing simpler than from a web browser. Finding new shows and movies is easier on the web, but Hulu Desktop works better for viewing, and can be controlled remotely (though there's a bug they're working on in that functionality for Snow Leopard, Mac OS 10.6.x).

Now if they'd only finish their iPhone app, rumored to be in the works back in April.

David Gilmour "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" Opening Solo

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:38:11 +0000

YouTube - incredible live performance of Pink Floyd with David Crosby and Graham Nash at Royal Albert Hall in 2007. David Gilmour plays the opening guitar solo of "Shine of You Crazy Diamond". DVD Available from Amazon for $18, or $27 for Blu-ray: Remember That Night - Live from the Royal Albert Hall (2007). [grabbe]

Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett RIP

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:54:52 +0000

Today, Michael Jackson died of a heart attack at age 50, and Farah Fawcett died after a long bout with cancer at age 62. Rest in Peace. Blessings to their families.

Warwick Corvette Fretless Bass

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:37:12 +0000

My son got a nice graduation present from my mother. He used it today to buy a Warwick Corvette Fretless Bass Guitar. The local Guitar Center had it on sale for about 30% off. Nice ax. And he already plays it pretty well in tune. I'm a trombone player. I notice that.

There are some nice high-res photos taken by somebody else here. Below are three crops of a photo I took of my son with his new ax.

Danny Macaskill: Skateboard Tricks on a Bicycle

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:06:48 +0000

Danny Macaskill does amazing stuff on a bicycle. More videos in the "Media" section of InspiredBycycles.com, and in the "More From" and "Related Videos" sections on the YouTube page below. More equipment and videos at TartyBikes.co.uk.

Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009

Google's Happy Birthday to Samuel Morse

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:45:11 +0000

Google's image today is their name, "Google", in Morse code, linked to a search for "Samuel Morse".

9 Artists Who Will Blow Your Mind

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:41:51 +0000

Deputy Dog has a set of amazing photo-realistic sculptures and paintings. [root]

Painting of Tica - Airbrush on unknown surface, 2007

Playing For Change | Song Around The World "One Love"

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:34:24 +0000

Concord Music Group has created a video of musicians around the world adding their voices and instruments to a rendition of Bob Marley's "One Love". Will be available on CD/DVD and iTunes. Glorious! [root]

More at PlayingForChange.com