Random thoughts from Dave Haber inspired by today's news and whatever
else may be happening in his little corner of the internet.
Yada Yada Yada [Posted by Dave Haber on Thursday, 08/21/08 9:39 am] [Permalink] [Digg This]
All over the mass media today is the news that Microsoft has paid Jerry Seinfeld $10 million to star in a new advertising campaign for Windows Vista to counteract Apple's popular "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" commercials.
But wait! I seem to remember...
Yes! All those years on TV, Jerry HAD A MAC IN HIS APARTMENT! You can see the Apple Macintosh Classic II (this was the early 90's, after all) quite clearly in this picture from one of the episodes of the TV show.
So, it seems, for $10 million, anyone can be convinced to change teams. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
MP3 Milestones [Posted by Dave Haber on Saturday, 08/16/08 5:13 pm] [Permalink] [Digg This]
Well, it took me more than 3 years, and I never thought I'd do it, but today, my iTunes music collection exceeded the disk space of my 4GB iPod Mini.
And that's not even counting the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings soundtracks!
I guess it's time for a new one, now. But, will it be an iPod classic, 20 times my current storage at $249, or an iPod touch, just twice my current storage space but ultra-cool?
Stay tuned...
Eight days a week today [Posted by Dave Haber on Friday, 08/08/08 8:08 am] [Permalink] [Digg This]
Right now, it's eight minutes and eight seconds past 8 o'clock on August 8, 2008 on the Pacific coast of the United States. That's 08:08:08 08/08/08!
A date like this will happen only four times more in our lifetimes (09/09/09, 10/10/10, 11/11/11 and 12/12/12).
8 is supposed to be the luckiest number in China, but some decidedly unlucky things have happened in this day in history.
On this day in 1963, Britain's "Great Train Robbery" took place as thieves made off with 2.6 million pounds in banknotes. John Lennon mentions this in the movie A Hard Day's Night.
And as the Beatles were reaching the zenith of their career, on this day in 1968, Richard M. Nixon was nominated for president at the Republican national convention in Miami Beach, Florida. Ironically, also on 08/08, on Aug. 8, 1974, President Nixon announced he would resign following damaging new revelations in the Watergate scandal.
Hope your 08/08/08 is going better than those days!
Roman Jailhouse Rock [Posted by Dave Haber on Wednesday, 07/30/08 2:02 pm] [Permalink] [Digg This]
The dashing chiselled features, swept back hair and perky bouffant. Definitely something you'd expect to find at Graceland, right?
Wrong. This carving of Elvis was created around 1800 years ago, and is in fact a genuine marble acroterion, an architectural ornament that would have been found decorating the corners of a sarcophagus, a stone tomb or burial chamber in the 2nd century AD.
It is part of a collection owned by Graham Geddes in Melbourne, and is estimated to be worth about $60,000. It goes on sale at auction in October.
Hunka-hunka burnin love not included.
New condos to go up near Capitol Tower despite complaints [Posted by Dave Haber on Thursday, 07/17/08 1:11 pm] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Digg This]
Despite complaints from recording industry professionals and concerned local citizens, the Los Angeles City Council has approved condo development near the Capitol Records building in Hollywood.
Sound engineers were worried construction would interfere with musicians recording in the nearby studio in the basement of the Capitol Records tower. But according to Billboard, construction will only go ahead under a few conditions. Activities are banned after 10 a.m. within 40 feet of the building, a sound baffle is also being installed, and there will be ongoing noise and vibration monitoring during the project, which also includes an underground parking garage.
EMI released a statement saying the agreement is favorable, adding that it will "protect the acoustic integrity and operations of the Capitol Records Studios and ensure it continues as one of the world's premiere recording facilities, as it has for more than 50 years."
Update: City council meeting to save Capitol moved again! [Posted by Dave Haber on Wednesday, 06/18/08 4:28 pm] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Digg This]
According to an article today in the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles City Planning Council meeting scheduled to discuss the matter of constuction near the Capitol Tower in Hollywood HAS BEEN MOVED AGAIN!
Originally set for June 10, then moved to June 17, the meeting is now scheduled for June 24.
If you are in the Los Angeles area, you can help save the Capitol Studios by attending the meeting on Tuesday, June 24 at 2 p.m., at the Los Angeles City Hall, 200 North Spring Street, Hearing Room 350.
Click here to read more about why Beatles fans are needed to help save the Capitol Recording Studios!
Domo Arigato, Mr. Rocko Roboto [Posted by Dave Haber on Wednesday, 06/18/08 2:54 pm] [Permalink] [Digg This]
You won't believe this unless you play the video for yourself.
This is The Trons, billed as the first fully autonomous robotic band. This is not electronic music, this is electronics playing music. Sort of reminds me of crude Disney animatronics, except these robots actually are doing what they appear to be doing!
The robotic members of The Trons go by the names Ham (vox and rhythm guitar), Wiggy (single string lead guitar), Swamp (drums) and Fifi (one-handed keyboards). The song in the video above is called "Sister Robot".
If you think about it, with what would be required to make robot fingers do something like actually play a guitar, this is pretty impressive. And also a little bit scary.
Half of America not yet ready to switch to digital [Posted by Dave Haber on Wednesday, 06/11/08 4:26 pm] [Permalink] [Digg This]
According to a new report released yesterday by the government, nearly half of TV owners in the U.S. are not ready to switch to the new digital TV broadcasts.
On February 17, 2009, full-power TV stations in the US are required to stop all analog TV broadcasts. But there are still 70 million TV sets in the US who's only connection to a signal is an analog antenna. Without a converter box, these viewers will not be able to get the new digital signals.
The new reports state that up to 50% of the TV owners in the US have not yet purchased a converter box, or a newer, digital TV.
Is it likely the majority of the 35 million TV viewers have not yet done so will get a new TV or a converter box in the next eight months? What will happen when all these people lose the ability to watch TV? What will happen to the TV stations with the loss of all those viewers?
I don't know the answer to these questions, but I think that February 17 is going to a very interesting day, a day long remembered. I don't think analog TV is going to "go quietly".
Help save the Capitol Records recording studios! [Posted by Dave Haber on Sunday, 06/08/08 3:42 pm] [Permalink] [Related Posts] [Digg This]
Recently, we learned that Hollywood's historical Capitol Records Tower and Studios are threatened by the new construction of a neighboring 16-story building and parking garage. Tests have indicated that the construction would have a detrimental sonic impact on both Capitol's underground echo chambers and on the historic studios themselves and might even force the closure of Capitol Studios.
Now, thanks to the vocal support of many in the recording community, EMI/Capitol and the building's developer have agreed to mitigation efforts on the construction and operation of the parking garage.
However, help is still needed from Beatles fans, Beach Boys fans and members of the music and recording industries. If you are in the Los Angeles area and are available to support Capitol Studios, you can help by attending a Planning Council meeting next Tuesday, June 17.
Capitol needs your help to bring music community presence to the appeal by Capitol Records/EMI against a recent permit grant that will allow construction of a 16-story building and adjacent underground parking lot within feet of the Capitol Tower and Capitol Studios.
According to an EMI spokesperson, "People who are concerned about the development are encouraged by Capitol/EMI to show up at the Planning Committee meeting as the Committee members will have to ratify the restrictions and may impose further requirements on the developer. In addition, compliance with the mitigation agreement will depend on both the commitment of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) to the agreement and the community's demand that its concerns be taken seriously."
Please show your support by attending the LA City Council's Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee meeting, which is being held on Tuesday, June 17 at 2 p.m., at the Los Angeles City Hall, 200 North Spring Street, Hearing Room 350.
Last week I paid 3.99/9 for gas in Canoga Park. Ah, the good old days, because now, in my part of the San Fernando valley, gas cannot be found for lower than $4.00.
I paid 4.27/9 for gas this morning in Woodland Hills. Across the street, a "no-name" gas station was selling regular for 4.34/9.
I don't know if oil companies are making obscene profits, but something sure does seem to be out of control here. There must be something wrong when a gallon of gas is the same price as a gallon of milk...
