LATEST ADDITIONS

You know, because, at first, all I had was the Arcam Solo, and the Arcam Solo does everything. It's a good-looking, easy-to-use, single-box multi-purpose solution; a CD playing, AM/FM receiving, integrated amplifying dreamboat of a component. It does everything I want it to do, does it all very well, and takes up almost no space and draws very little attention to itself while doing it. I love it. If you're interested in a fun and easy, one-stop ride into the high-end, then I think you should definitely get to know the Solo. But, like <a href="http://gpn.unl.edu/rainbow/">Reading Rainbow</a>, you don't have to take my word for it. I can't go assuming authority around here. I may not know audio all that well yet, but I know cool. And the Arcam Solo is cool. Art Dudley, who is way smarter than me about this, and most other stuff, also liked it. <a href="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/705arcam/index.html">He said</a>:

Beethoven conducts <I>Fidelio</I>, Louis Spohr remembers in the February 7, 1865 edition of <I>The Guardian</I>.

Addicting website featuring Don Ellis' stunning photographs and words (sometimes) and layout (mostly) that "clarifies" the statement.

I'm fascinated by blimps. I've also always wondered why they weren't used more for hauling cargo, especially stuff that didn't fit neatly into road-width containers. <I>National Geographic</I> says I'm not the only one.

Watched <I>I Robot</I> while practicing work avoidance yesterday. What a steaming pile of crap based on the title of a book with the same name! You know a movie's in bad shape when even it sqaunders Will Smith's considerable charm, but <I>I Robot</I>'s biggest flaw was that it abandoned almost everything from Asimov,except the three laws (good) and a very 1940's view of what robots would be. Who needs mechanical manservants when everyday objects perform more and more of our chores?

<b>Me:</b> We're gonna go see <a href="http://www.brokebackmountainmovie.com/getflash.html">Brokeback Mountain</a> tonight.<br>
<b>Elizabeth:</b> [Gasp of horror!]<br>
<b>Me:</b> What? What's with the gasp of horror?<br>
<b>Elizabeth:</b> Steel yourself.<br>
<b>Me:</b> Why? Am I gonna cry? I'm not afraid of crying. I cry all the time, anyway.<br>
<b>Elizabeth:</b> No, I don't think you're going to cry. But you might wince. A lot.<br>
<b>Me:</b> Oh.<br>

Stephen Brown argues that Sid Vicious and Mozart shared the quality of primitivism, by which he means the winnowing away of unnecessary complications. I see his point with Sid, but in Mozart's case, I see it as the essence of the refining fire. Still, a good read and well-argued, even though, IMHO, wrong.