Bibliophilia: Rocket Robinson and the Pharaoh’s Fortune – Sean O’Neill

Rocket Robinson and the Pharaoh’s Fortune – Sean O’Neill

I grabbed this to check out as something to possibly recommend for my biblio-adiaphoros nephew.

And while I would indeed recommend it to pre-teen readers (male or female), it was good fun for this middle aged reader as well. It put me in the mind of TinTin and the comparison to Indiana Jones seems almost inevitable given the hold the character has in popular culture.

Rocket is a boy whose father is with the State Dept. who gets posted to Cairo in the 1930’s. While exploring the city with his pet monkey Screech, he meets Nuri, a street urchin and together they get drawn into a mystery. Otto von Stürm is a German criminal on the hunt for a pharaoh’s tomb with the aid of his henchmen. Adventure ensues.

S.o.t.D. - We Are I.E. – Lenny Dee Ice

We Are I.E. – Lenny Dee Ice

This is cited by some as the first “jungle” track. Although properly released in 1991, it was floating around for a while before that.

Bibliophilia: - Tales of An Imperfect Future – Alfonso Font

Tales of An Imperfect Future – Alfonso Font

The gritty pen and ink drawings of Spanish artist Alfonso Font are quintessentially late 1970’s comic art. Think Metal Hurlant or 2000AD. Milo Manara comes to mind.

While stylistically it seems a little bit dated now, the stories are really quite clever. It’s a collection of short stories of biting satire. The bridge that connects them all is the device of a hideous alien who comments on the folly of humanity and their self destructive capacity.

A messenger runs in to announce to a group of military, political and religious leaders congratulating one another on the success of their implacable killing machine that has destroyed their foes, that the ship has been spotted returning to Earth. Two stiffs sent to a planet to observe the suitability of human life on it, are being driven around the bend by the non stop rain, and possibly being driven to their death by their only companion, a talking computer. A brave warrior battling and defeating monsters to save his people and his beloved princess, has the virtual reality helmet removed and we find this diversion was his reward from his employer for a few decades of loyal service. A captain of military industry convinces the political rulers of his calculus that a war must continue forever for the good of the economy, as injured soldiers pine for an end while lying in the mud. A family living in a dystopian wasteland are unaware they are about to become the prey of televised reality show hunters who are out for ratings and organs to harvest for the ultra-wealthy.

This and several other stories offer up some ominous satire to ponder. The art, while certainly of an era, is obviously the work of a talented illustrator.

S.o.t.D. - Freak – X-Dream

Freak – X-Dream

Hang on!

S.o.t.D. - The Second Room (A-Trip) – X-Dream

The Second Room (A-Trip) – X-Dream

When it was a relatively newish phenomenon, I liked quite a bit of Goa, or psychedelic trance. After a while a lot of it started to seem like utterly derivative cheese though. And I have a list of stuff that I liked back in the day and a lot of that doesn’t even appeal to me any more. Maybe I’m just not in the right head space any more. 

One act comes to mind though from that era that I can and do still listen to quite happily: X-Dream. Great workout, running, biking music. 

S.o.t.D. - Don’t Go (Dusky Remix) – Justin Martin

Don’t Go (Dusky Remix) – Justin Martin

Fun party starter.

Bibliophilia: Hitchens vs. Blair: Be It Resolved Religion Is A Force For Good In The World

Hitchens vs. Blair: Be It Resolved Religion Is A Force For Good In The World

This was a debate that took place on November 26th, 2010 at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto.

They’re both intelligent men, and capable public speakers. But Hitchens used his rapier like wit and sharp verbal barbs to keep Blair on his hind feet.

“I never like to miss out a chance to congratulate someone on being humorous, if only unintentionally. It’s very touching for Tony to say that he recently went to a meeting that bridged a religious divide in Northern Ireland. Well, where does the religious divide come from?”

While the debate is well worth watching, this 70 page transcript (with an interview at the end with each participant) is a very nice accompaniment.

S.o.t.D. - Discover – Hurricos

Discover – Hurricos

Deep roller.

S.o.t.D. - Lady Science (NYC Sunrise) – Soul Capsule

Lady Science (NYC Sunrise) – Soul Capsule

S.o.t.D. - Colt – Dense & Pika

Colt – Dense & Pika

The piano elements change this up from a 4 on the floor tech-house stomper to something a bit more refined.

S.o.t.D. - I Remember – Deadmau5 & Kaskade (feat. Haley Gibby)

I Remember – Deadmau5 & Kaskade (feat. Haley Gibby)

I had never heard much by Deadmau5 that I liked. It just seemed like the end of the electronic music spectrum that did nothing for me. Superstar DJs, and that whole over the top mega club / corporate “rave” scene aren’t really my cup of tea. And he seemed like a bit of an attention whore. 

Clicked on this. Might not have if it hadn’t been for the Kaskade name. Boy, am I glad I did. Really euphoric music.

S.o.t.D. - Something In The Air [Bonobo Remix] – Maya Jane Coles

Something In The Air (Bonobo Remix) – Maya Jane Coles

If I didn’t know who this was I might think Burial and Herbert collaborated on a track. But no! It’s Bonobo adding his touch to what was already a total groover.

I’ve had the original of this up before.

To me this is an almost perfectly structured piece of music. The tempo, the vocal samples, the sounds used – just exquisite.

S.o.t.D. - Faxing Berlin (Grifta Dubstep Remix) – Deadmau5

Faxing Berlin (Grifta Dubstep Remix) – Deadmau5

Not sure I have much of an opinion of Deadmau5, but I checked this out for Grifta’s contribution.

S.o.t.D. - Cross Hands (Hidden Orchestra Remix) – Piano Interrupted

Cross Hands (Hidden Orchestra Remix) – Piano Interrupted

Yummers! If you dig Bonobo (and what sane person wouldn’t?), you’ll like this. It’s that stand up bass that really adds something great to a track, and this is a perfect example.

S.o.t.D. - We Are The People (Sonic Shockwave Remix) – Empire of the Sun

We Are The People (Sonic Shockwave Remix) – Empire of the Sun

S.o.t.D. - The Way – Grifta

The Way – Grifta

Languid hip hop with a drum and bass vibe. Or is that chilled out drum and bass with a bit of a hip hop vibe to it. Whatever the definition is, it’s another corker from Mr. Grifta.

S.o.t.D. - o-ton-left – Swimmingpool

o-ton-left – Swimmingpool

So obscure that a search never turned it up – for years – but at last, it has shown up.

Klever Kutter Karrier 2

I had one of the earlier models of this, and got a new model recently. Same basic idea, but it’s a bit bigger, so didn’t fit in the pouch I had made for the previous model.

Like the first one, I added a fob to help pull it out of the pouch / serve as a finger loop / identify it as mine.

Close up of the lanyard knot.

A co-worker liked what I had done and asked if I could put a neon green fob on. I only had about a foot of neon green paracord, that had already had the core taken out, which doesn’t really lend itself to doing the lanyard knot. So I put a spiral sinnet on instead.

The only webbing I had laying around that would fit was some 2.75" webbing. A bit wider than I wanted, but it was the quickest route to take. Not pretty, but it does the trick. (The previous version on the right.)

Being a bit wider, means I can also stick a pen in there.

Bibliophilia: Exit Plan – Larry Bond

Exit Plan – Larry Bond

I have in past admitted to this genre being a fun indulgence. But lately some of the stalwarts of the genre have started to seem a bit long in the tooth. 

I have seen some other books by this author, but other than that, I was unfamiliar with him. I was given a bunch of books recently, including this.

What I liked about it was that it seemed somewhat plausible. Instead of the lone protagonist defeating overwhelming numbers of crazed religious goons, this book deals with a team and the odd guys out, (the subs executive officer who in a pinch had to pilot the mini sub that had an onboard fire, stranding him and the others), that has to pull together to help get 2 Iranian defectors back to the submarine they are cut off from. The “bad guys’ weren’t too cartoony evil, the “good guys” were human and fallible, and it included some submarine warfare in addition to the small team tactics.

I enjoyed it and will be checking out some of his other work.

Aaron Gough Custom Knives

If you have an interest in knives and knife making, this maker, Aaron Gough, has some very informative videos. 11 hours of footage was shot during the creation of this knife, which itself took 14 hours to make, and was edited down over 4 days into a 12 minute video.


The set up he uses is really slick. (Despite an Australian accent, I noticed a Loblaws No Name Extra Virgin Olive Oil can being used to quench steel and a Shoppers Drug Mart Life brand bottle of rubbing alcohol. Hhmmmhhh... I wonder if he’s in Canada. And indeed, he is in Toronto.) 


His other videos are really good too. The knife testing one in particular.

http://goughcustom.com

S.o.t.D. - Embrace (Legion of Green Men Remix) – Shen (feat. Kinnie Starr)

Embrace (Legion of Green Men Remix) – Shen (feat. Kinnie Starr)

My pals LoGM did a remix of this dreamy song in their signature gronkular style.

This track was also featured previously with Deadbeats take on it.

S.o.t.D. - Motivation – Visage

Motivation – Visage

Another one in honour of Steve Strange’s death. And another one that had a big impact on the budding music geek in me when I first heard this.

S.o.t.D. - I’m Still Searching – Visage

I’m Still Searching – Visage

Just heard Steve Strange died today. This was the B-side on a 7" picture disc that my synth obsessed younger self really dug. More than 30 years later it still sounds good.

S.o.t.D. - Caravane (Lezzi Baba Remix) – El Kado

Caravane (Lezzi Baba Remix) – El Kado

A track I heard on internet radio years ago and a periodic search on YT never turned it up – until now. Chilled lounge with flamenco guitar.

S.o.t.D. - Body Shine – Bill Hendrix

Body Shine – Bill Hendrix

A huge tune from Hooj Choon. Couldn’t resist. But it sure is a stomper. From 98.

S.o.t.D. - Inside Your Mind (feat. Carmody) – Nick Leng

Inside Your Mind (feat. Carmody) – Nick Leng

As the description states quite correctly, “Gushing with blissful vibes”. 

S.o.t.D. - Different Grooves – Source Direct

Different Grooves – Source Direct

Another totally infectious groover from misters Aslett and Baker.

Modular Gear For The Rest Of Us: Mission Workshop

Continuing my series chronicling examples of modular carry equipment geared to non-military endeavours.

Mission Workshop is a California bag and clothing maker. Catering to a clientelle that rides fixies rather than Humvees, they have their own take on a modular system, called the Arkiv System. It’s a proprietary system, based on vertical rails. The base is a roll top pack, with three options available – the R2, the R6 and the R8, the numbers corresponding to the number of rails. On to these can be added a variety of pouches.

It’s an interesting take on the idea, but if there is a drawback it’s that Mission seems to be the only manufacturer to offer any pouches compatible with the system. With PALS/MOLLE there are easily a hundred manufacturers offering pouches that will mount to it.

They, like so many manufacturers, frustrate me to no end by not showing the back of the pouch. What is this attachment system? What does it look like? How does it work? They have a video which purports to show how it works, and really doesn’t. Adventure Journal has what seem to be the only decent photos of the system. Metal trucks slide down what appears to be a webbing covered stay that is affixed down the center.

http://missionworkshop.com/products/arkiv-system-bags/

Bibliophilia: Multiple Warheads (Book One, Alphabet to Infinity) – Brandon Graham

Multiple Warheads (Book One, Alphabet to Infinity) – Brandon Graham

If Moebius was feeling particularly punny, took 500 micrograms of LSD, and drew manga with some porny elements set in an alternate universe Soviet Union hinterland. Not sure how else to describe it. Each page has lots of elements to look at, and they’re lots of fun to look at. But the story was so convoluted and lacking cohesion that I stopped reading after about 50 pages and just flipped through the rest, enjoying the imaginative world building and densely packed visual elements. Maybe not fair of me to judge it solely on appearance, but the story just went nowhere.

S.o.t.D. - Ascend A Fall – Zoviet France

Ascend A Fall – Zoviet France

Interesting outfit out of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Hard to pin down – dissonant, ambient, experimental, industrial, given to ethnomusicological exploration. 

I had the chance to see them live twice in Toronto in 1990 – once at the Horseshoe Tavern (not an optimal venue to experience them in), and then a few months later at the Euclid Theatre (great venue to experience them in). First show was in a bar with disinterested people drinking and talking, the second in an old theatre with great acoustics and a respectful and appreciative audience.

Their records were often noteworthy because of the unusual packaging – one was sandwiched between tar paper, another in a burlap sack, another in tinfoil. The CD this track was taken from, Just An Illusion, came in a quasi-wooden cigar box. 

I only ever managed to get a handful of recordings from them, but this track was my favourite from the ones I did get.

S.o.t.D. - Risico – Grifta

Risico – Grifta

Another stellar track from Grifta, who it appears is capable of tackling a number of genres with aplomb.

S.o.t.D. - Fuse – Decoder

Fuse – Decoder

S.o.t.D. - Ego – Burial & Four Tet (feat. Thom Yorke)

Ego – Burial & Four Tet (feat. Thom Yorke)

Quite a roster.

S.o.t.D. - Luminous Axiom (Mumukshu Remix) – Desert Dwellers

Luminous Axiom (Mumukshu Remix) – Desert Dwellers

Psy-chillaxing.

S.o.t.D. - Bein (James Ruskin Remix) – Lucy

Bein (James Ruskin Remix) – Lucy

S.o.t.D. - Underwater Communications – Jonny L

Underwater Communications – Jonny L

Some incredibly crisp breaks and fine drum programming from Mr. L, who I’m surprised I haven’t had on here yet.