S.o.t.D. - Get Ready [All Junglists] (Kosine & Dialect Remix) – Rebel MC

Get Ready [All Junglists] (Kosine & Dialect Remix) – Rebel MC

I wasn’t ready for hearing jungle for the first time. I recovered quickly.

Popular Science Archive

All 140 years of Popular Science available online - for free!

www.popsci.com/archives

S.o.t.D. - Sarangi - NumberNin6

Sarangi - NumberNin6

Dubby track with some nice middle eastern touches.

S.o.t.D. - Vacuum – Conforce

Vacuum – Conforce

A dub-techy soft shoe shuffler.

S.o.t.D. - Gimme Some Lovin’ – The Blues Brothers

Gimme Some Lovin’ – The Blues Brothers

High energy cover of the rocking Spencer Davis Group hit.

S.o.t.D. - Parks on Fire – Trifonic

Parks on Fire – Trifonic

A level of production sophistication on par with stuff like Tipper, Ochre, Bluetech, Lusine, Bassnectar.

The whole track is amazing, but after the 4:30 mark, when those little whooshing wind sounds pop up a few times - especially nice.

S.o.t.D. - String Track (Changing Faces Bootleg) – Bachelors of Science

String Track (Changing Faces Bootleg) – Bachelors of Science

Bouncy D&B.

S.o.t.D. - Calling – Trifonic

Calling – Trifonic

The description calls this “Quite possibly one of the most beautiful tracks I have ever heard!” – and I am inclined to agree. This artist should be scoring movies.

Falcons Catching Prey

I admit to having a huge thing for critter cams. I haven’t had a TV in a long time, but I occasionally house sit for friends who do. With the novelty of cable access, I gravitate towards science or technology or nature or history shows and documentaries. Several times in years past I have marvelled at images brought back by seals and narwhals and raptors that have small cameras mounted to them. To be able to see what they see is one of those things I’m grateful to modern technology for.

This footage of falcons (in what looks to be the Netherlands - although the researcher is at an American university) catching crows is awe inspiring. The imagery suffers from some scenes of vertigo inducing pitching and yawing of the horizon as the camera is jostled on the birds back as it moves itself about seeking out its quarry. And then there is the not so pleasant sounds of wind whistling past a microphone. But when it locks on and dives for prey the scene levels out and the wind is ignorable. The last minute or so as a few falcons team up to hunt crows among a tree lined road with flat empty fields beside it, is truly breathtaking.



And you can read the article published about the findings revealed by the cameras in the Journal of Experimental Biology, “Falcons pursue prey using visual motion cues: new perspectives from animal-borne cameras” by Suzanne Amador Kane and Marjon Zamani.

S.o.t.D. - Point In Time – Lake People

Point In Time – Lake People

If I was playing a set which featured Lusine, this would complement it nicely.

S.o.t.D. - The Visitors – Orange N Blue

The Visitors – Orange N Blue

The 3 minute intro is all right, but after that it really kicks into gear. Apollo mission dialogue sampled in tracks is something I always enjoy. Cool space mission imagery in the vid too.

S.o.t.D. - White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes

White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes

Always cool to see a plasticene stop motion video, but the vocal harmonies on this are particularly nice.

S.o.t.D. - Now You Has Jazz – Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong

Now You Has Jazz – Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong

Take a Cole Porter song, then add these guys, plus the under rated talents of Billy Kyle on piano and you have a winner.

S.o.t.D. - Trippy (feat. Damar) – Fanu

Trippy (feat. Damar) – Fanu

This whole track is a humdinger, but the point at about 2:30 when it starts to really kick in - mmmmm.

Mysteries In Science: Ballistics Explained

I was trying to explain the differences between various bullets to a friend, and I was quite happy with how I explained it all, the ballistics involved. This video showed up when I went looking for some documentaries to watch for an hour. Looks to be from the 1950’s but does a good job of explaining it to a lay person. I think I touched on all the highlights, but showing this would have been easier.

U-Haul Super Graphics

That’s what they call those illustrations of the tourist attractions, historical interludes, and geological quirks in various provinces and states they put on the side of their trucks and trailers. There are examples of current and past illustrations, the older ones appear to be going back about a quarter century.

An example for the province I reside in.

They are all vector graphics, and done in Illustrator and the artist is Steve King.

http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics/3/Commemorative

http://www.kingillustration.com/u-haul-graphics.html

Bibliophilia: Fall of Giants & Winter of the World – Ken Follett

Fall of Giants – Ken Follett

Winter of the World – Ken Follett

I think the only other Follett book I’ve ever read was Eye of the Needle, and that was a long time ago. 

If you like learning a bit more about history, but would like it packaged in a grandiose multi-family, multi-generational romance, this is for you. Dealing with Welsh, English, German, Russian and American families and how their lives intersect, it covers the grand sweep of the years leading up to WW1 and the Russian Revolution, and then subsequently the interwar years, Depression and WW2.

I enjoyed them enough, but mainly because of the aspects of history I wasn’t so familiar with. Albeit that they are episodes told through fictional accounts, I think having that history presented through the eyes of the individual characters makes it a bit more graspable than an over-all view presented in a standard history book.

Not the best things I’ve ever read, but I liked them enough that I will read the third one when it comes out.

S.o.t.D. - All I Have Is Memories – Martyn

All I Have Is Memories – Martyn

Sounds a bit like the bridge when the people making garage started making dubstep. That bassline makes this worth it.

S.o.t.D. - Next to You (Maya Jane Coles remix) – Marvin Zeyss

Next to You (Maya Jane Coles remix) – Marvin Zeyss

Another one to make a room groove.

S.o.t.D. - Olearia (Fingers In The Noise Remix) – Lars Leonhard

Olearia (Fingers In The Noise Remix) – Lars Leonhard

Chillout, but with an edge to it.

S.o.t.D. - Too Much Heaven (feat. MNEK) – DEVolution

Too Much Heaven (feat. MNEK) – DEVolution

Can’t get too much of this track. Funky with a great vocalist.

S.o.t.D. - Falling The Same Way – Sandwell District

Falling The Same Way – Sandwell District

Enveloping, atmospheric ambient techno. Best track off Feed Forward.

S.o.t.D. - Everywhere You Go (Ricardo Villalobos Celestial Voice Resurrection Mix) – Mari Kvien Brunvoll

Everywhere You Go (Ricardo Villalobos Celestial Voice Resurrection Mix) – Mari Kvien Brunvoll

Hypnotic.

S.o.t.D. - Prairie Girl – Rah Rah

Prairie Girl – Rah Rah

Rocking track from this Regina, Saskatchewan band that retains some country-ish and folky tinges.

S.o.t.D. - Natsu – Maya Jane Coles

Natsu – Maya Jane Coles

This lass knows how to craft fun tunes that get a whole room smiling and moving.

S.o.t.D. - Beautiful – Makoto & S.P.Y.

Beautiful – Makoto & S.P.Y.

Liquidy.

The nature of a relationship

It hit me like an icepick in the forehead yesterday. Because it is so obvious and that it had never occurred to me before.

“You’d better love me.
I know what you’re up to.
I can hurt you.
If you disobey me, there will be consequences.
I’m watching you.
You belong to me.
I’ll punish you if you don’t do what I command you to.
Your life was incomplete until I came into your life.
I can cause your death.
If you don’t love me and only me I’ll punish you.
I’ll always be here.
If you leave me I’ll kill you.
Only I can love you as much as I do.”

What am I describing here? What do these words sound like? A relationship with god, or a relationship with an abusive boyfriend/husband?

Yet proselytizing religious types want us to believe that we should enter into a relationship with this “entity”. Or fundamentalists convince us that this entity is real, and that we have no say in the matter of having a relationship with it.

S.o.t.D. - Travellers (Beat Pharmacy Dub) – The Timewriter

Travellers (Beat Pharmacy Dub) – The Timewriter

I liked the original – I liked the remix.

S.o.t.D. - Travellers – The Timewriter

Travellers – The Timewriter

There are a lot of sub genres in House, but what this fella (and his compadre TLB jr.) offers is among my very favourite. Smooth, funky, no vocals, guaranteed to make a room move.

Lowdown on Water Storage Infographic

And in case it doesn’t show up properly, the source.
http://www.foodinsurance.com/join-the-discussion/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Lowdown-on-Water-Storage-Infographic1.jpg

S.o.t.D. - Stuffy – Duke Robillard & Herb Ellis

Stuffy – Duke Robillard & Herb Ellis

Not very stuffy at all actually.

S.o.t.D. - New Life – Fresh & Low

New Life – Fresh & Low

Good times.

S.o.t.D. - Where The Heart Is – Jeremy

Where The Heart Is – Jeremy

The label this is on, Driftwood Records, was run by Jean F. Cochois (aka The Timewriter) & Norman Feller (aka Terry Lee Brown Jr. & Nor Elle). Sadly the label only ran from 00 to 02. I’m not too sure, but I believe that the two of them may be responsible for this track. What I am certain of is that this is really groovy deep house.

S.o.t.D. - Gotham – Ten Walls

Gotham – Ten Walls

Don’t know what the heck genre this is supposed to be, but I dig it. All that matters.

S.o.t.D. - Anonym Vectors – Dublicator

Anonym Vectors – Dublicator

Lush ambience. Has a bit of a Detroit feel to it.

Bibliophilia - The Criminals’s Handbook: A Practical Guide to Surviving Arrest and Incarceration in Canada – C. W. Michael

The Criminals’s Handbook: A Practical Guide to Surviving Arrest and Incarceration in Canada – C. W. Michael

I’ve never been to prison, been on trial, been arrested, or even been hassled by the police. I’m a good boy. But that isn’t to say I might not at some point have to deal with the police or legal system. Not planning on it, but it never hurts to learn a little bit about the justice / incarceration system in Canada.  

Written by a man (from the east end of the city I reside in) with a lot of time in prison, he lays out the realities of what to expect if you’re ever arrested, charged, tried and possibly incarcerated. 

What I mainly learned from this book is that it is best not to break laws, but if you ever do - deliberately or inadvertently - and you live in Canada - this is a very educational book to have delved into before it happens. Trying to navigate that system from a position of ignorance is not something you ever want to do. Hope I never need any of the info, but I feel better for knowing a little more about a world I hadn’t known that much about.

( {Addition on Sunday, November 1st, 2015}
I have just learned that the author of this book is a pseudonym for Christopher Watts, grade A scumbag with a history of drugged, restrained rape of teenage girls, impersonation, escape from custody and a host of other criminal activities. His most recent jail stint was for the manslaughter, sexual assault and sexual interference in the 2001 death of a 13-year-old.

Doesn’t make the information in here less valid. But it was written by a narcissistic, violent, psychopathic pedophile. Just thought people should know what they’re dealing with.
Some people need to be beaten with sticks.)

S.o.t.D. - Lights (feat. Aruna) (5vel Remix) – Myon & Shane 54

Lights (feat. Aruna) (5vel Remix) – Myon & Shane 54

Much better than the original.

S.o.t.D. - (Back Home Again In) Indiana – Lester Young Trio

(Back Home Again In) Indiana – Lester Young Trio

Really superb trio - Young on tenor sax, Red Callender on bass and Nat Cole on piano. Shame they didn’t record more together.

Bibliophilia: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life – Bryan Lee O’Malley

Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life – Bryan Lee O’Malley

What compelled me to grab this was the description in the back where the author/artist talks about growing up in London, Ontario. Call The Office, New Yorker Cinema, CHRW Radio were mentioned, as well as going to see a band at “a little dive” called The Whippet Lounge. Considering that was my pal Jay’s place, I had to read it just for that.

Other than that, a bit geeky, angsty teen stuff, but enjoyable enough. Not sure it was compelling enough to make me want to read any of the subsequent ones though.

S.o.t.D. - Speak Low (Bent remix) – Billie Holiday

Speak Low (Bent remix) – Billie Holiday

Any of the Verve Remixed series are great. This is one of the gems found on #3.