FILM: LINCOLN and ARGO

Saw both Lincoln and Argo recently via Netflix and thought there were both at the top of current movie making.

Argo was a nail-biter and was relatively a-political treatment of events in Iran in 1979.  The movie is "based on a true event," there was some license taken.  Click here for the Wikipedia link.

Lincoln was another Speilberg masterpiece.  Also significant were the differences in politics of the two major parties of the period.  Seemingly 180 degrees from the current situation.  Remarkable performances by an all star cast.  Click here for the Wikipedia link.

CABLE TELEVISION: Get this...An Engineering Contest

NOBODY EVER TOLD ME

Amidst Dancing with America's got CSI, there is some good programming out there.  OK, I am partial to the Food and Cooking Networks.  On the Science channel, I came across something incredible.  AN ENGINEERING PROGRAM.  Not PAWN Stars.

America is supposed to celebrate and elevate STUPID.  And truly be emotional, feeling and shallow.  Tabloid News and Miley Cyrus Diets.  Live the Dumb, Passive Life.

Big Brain Theory is not that.  Engineering whiz kids choose up sides and compete to build a project within three days.   These peole DO things.  Math skills are critical to solving the challenge.  Geeks will eat this up.  

Commercial sponsors seen are Boeing and Rosetta Stone, not Tide and Pep Boys Oil Changes.

SCIENCE CHANNEL:  Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius   SCI

JA

GREAT MUSIC: an out of control iPOD

Sometimes, putting the iPOD on shuffle is a terrific thing.  I have almost 4000 tunes in the iTunes library and it is hard to put them all in appropriate playlists.  Most tunes have been copied from my CDs or LPs.  I have paid about $300 to the artists for new stuff I find on iTunes.  That's about three dinners for two.  I am happy to pay a royalty, I did not steal new material. 

However, tonight, I came across three ENTIRELY UNLRELATED tunes that are worth writing about.  My tastes stray far off the top 40 so you are not expected to be familiar with these artists.  I am not stuck in the 1970s either.  Suffice to say they all have SUBSTANTIAL FOLLOWINGS as they fly under the music radar.

1. Hotel Luna - Suzanne Ciani

She was one of the original artists on Peter Bauman's Private Music label.  Peter Bauman was one of the original membes of TANGERINE DREAM.  Private music was birthed around the time of Windham Hill, in the mid 1980's.  That was around the time when Yanni was their first breakout artist. 

Hotel Luna is a hotel on the island of Capri where Ciani stayed while composing her self-titled CD about her Italian heratige.  We stumbled onto Hotel Luna back in 2004 on a trip to the Amalfi coast.  Brings back fond memories but this is a great tune anyway.  explore Suzanne if you do not know her.  This is a soft, romantic tune.  From the Hotel Luna CD.

2 The Great Debate - Dream Theater

Hmmm.  Progressive Metal Music and STEM CELL RESEARCH. That is the subject of the 12 minute suite.  They debate it in a song.  Many voice overs, this is a song not for the "low information voter."  A rousing tour de force of Dream Theater.  On the Six Degrees of Separation collection.

3. Return To The Realm Of Eternal Renewal - Steve Hackett

Most of you are familiar with Steve Hackett as the lead guitar of early Genesis.  He has been a favorite of this author since the early 1970s.  This piece is an original classical acoustic solo guitar piece.   Wonderful, will put you in quiet contemplative mood.  On the Metamorphosis CD.