Another Blog?

I know, your saying "You gotta be freakin' kidding me, you hardly write for THIS blog." I know, and I'm not sure how it'll go. But, I eat out a lot. Too much really, but that's another issue. I eat out a lot, and sometimes it's great, and sometimes it's crap. I've often wanted to have a way to let people know what I was experiencing, to praise the good, and offer some criticism for the bad.
So, I've started "Eating I.E.", a place where I can offer up an informal review of the places I've been. If you aren't local, I don't know that it has anything to offer you, save you can see just how often I eat out. But I thought I'd announce it, since I've eaten out three times since last Thursday. This is no competition for West's great Caddywampus Cafe where West manages to cook for himself (and the family).
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

I wish I would have thought of it.

Freakin' Awesome!!!!
Link To Orginal
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

Bleh.

So, I'm sick. Grandma has the baby. I should have lots of time to blog. But no. I'm feeling like death. I don't want to. But... now I have become sick of my bed. I need to DO something.

So, what's going on? I'll tell you what I just heard that makes me excited. There is a rumor going around that iTunes is going to introduce a subscription plan. All you can eat for something like 20 bucks a month.
Now, I can't say that I have always been so poor I could never buy music. But, I was always spending my cash on surfboards, strings, canvas, and other things that made it hard to keep up with my music purchases. In addition, having to buy the Metallica catalog 3 or 4 times, and still not have it today made acquiring new music problematic.
Well, my tastes have changed over the years, and there are literally stacks of music I'd love to have.
I fell in love with the music of Africa, from guys like Ayub Ogada and Papa Wemba. But I can't drop 12 bucks a CD for all of the stuff I want right now. But, if this rumor is true, I will literally fill an iPod with world music. And a lot of singular hits from bands whos cds I never bought. The Foo-Fighters "Everlong" comes to mind, a song I will probably play a dozen, maybe 20 times times and never listen to again. I'm like that. Certain songs are like stuffing a candybar in your face. It's great tasting, but after a while all that sugar makes you sick.
Now, this wouldn't be the first service to go "all you can eat", but I just happen to LIKE iTunes, and my iPod. I don't want a Zune, or a Sansa or a Nomad. Just give me a subscription service that works with my iPod, and I'll be happy.

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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

A functional music model

I typed up a bit about the Crossroads concert I watched the other day. Well, I didn't pay for that, obviously. It was free, I tivoed it, and I skipped all the PBS pledgedrive stuff. In a way, it was as if I downloaded it off the bit torrent. So, what's my point?
John Mayer. I never listened to the guy before. he performed "Gravity", a song that surely must be a hit for him, because it has a great hook. I instantly went to his site, where I listened to most of the album, again for free. I loved it. So much so that I fired up iTunes and bought the special edition of "Continuum" with bonus live tracks. I never would have done this if I had not been exposed to most of the album for free. The RIAA needs to forget about theives. They will always find a way to steal. The industry needs to focus on exposing people like me to music they will gladly buy if given the chance. That is, they need to provide a good product, then let me check it out. I have an iPod. I don't listen to the radio any more. But if my buddy could have sent me "Gravity" to listen to, I would have bought John Mayer a long time ago. File sharing is not the enemy.
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

An old flame...

I DVRed Eric Clapton's Cross Roads Chicago concert on "Great Performances". So far, I've watched Sonny Landreth burn the place down, A very tasteful Robert Cray and now am watching a Texas favorite Jimmie Lee Vaughn with blues legend Hubert Sumlin. BB King is walking to the stage.
Why isn't there more stuff like this on tv?

Ok, not every note is perfect. And when I'm practicing, I can do a lot of this stuff. But there is something transcendent about a guy like BB bending the the hell out of a note. Something greater than the sum of a good guitar and a good amp on a good day. And there is something life affirming about watching people, musicians, of different colors and creeds blending so easily, so effortlessly.

What I like so much about American music like Blues, Jazz, and Country (although slightly less so these days) is that it is so profoundly respectful and mindful of it's own heritage. I'm pretty sure guys like Vaughn, Robert Cray, and certainly Jeff Beck and Derek Trucks could tear BB a new one any day, and twice on sunday. But, there is a very open acknowledgment that the only reason they can do that is the hours spent listening to and learning BB's licks early on. So, there is always respect for the likes of a BB, a Robert Johnson, a John Lee Hooker. By contrast, who has ever heard Yngwie give props to ANYONE?

Well, it's getting hard to type and watch, so I'm gonna go spend some time with the blues.

:::EDIT::: OMG!!!! Albert Lee!!!!!!!!
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

Sayin' Hi (and a dumb product name)

I know, I have been gone a while. Real life has taken over. We've been getting the band ready for our first real gig since a major personnel shake up. First Katie, then I and then Ann got sick. I've been working on some art work and shooting photos. (when I had the time and health).
So, I just watched a commercial for a new acid reflux product. I have acid reflux, so I watched the whole thing. And something I have always felt turns out to be true.

I firmly believe that when you are about to take a product to market you must, and I mean MUST consult a 13 year old boy (or me) to make sure your product name does not have any unintended interpretations.

AciPhex. What the HELL were they thinking?!?!?! If you don't see the problem, it's better that way.
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

Eddie Van Halen Shreds!!!!

This guy, St. Sanders, has edited several excellent concert videos, my favorite by far being the Iron Maiden Shreds video, but for most of my audience here, the Eddie footage will be the best. Here is Eddie playing as you've never seen him before! Thanks to Sean Johnson for hooking me up.

Less 5150, more 10-51. If you know what I mean.
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

Pure Evil, NSFW, you been warned

This is evil. It's perverse. It is without merit. It is disturbing and wrong. I highly recommend you don't click this link. It's not safe for work. It's not something a Christian can condone. You have been warned.

...But, it's one of the funniest damn things I ever saw. "Why Daddy shouldn't buy baby clothes. You've really, really been warned.
Link.

I can't believe I started the New year with this.
....but I'm still laughing.
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

My friend Flickr

I've been shooting a lot the last few days and have something like 120 new images up on Flickr. My personal photostream can be found here. Platypibri's Photos. Riverside actually has it's moments where it is quite beautiful. I did a couple camera safaris to Fairmount Park and The Hidden Valley Wildlife Reserve which runs under and along Van Buren out towards Mira Loma. Here's a panoram I shot there.

If you get a chance to check them out, let me know.


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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal

Tangle of Lights

Before you get to trim the tree, you start with this. I think next year I will be a capitalist consumer pig and just buy all new lights. Still, it has it's own kind of beauty.
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And that's enough for now.

Brian Norwood

Platypi Online: The Platypus Portal