Category: music

07/04/09 04:45 - 58ºF - ID#49182

Transformed

The new movie may not be much to write home about (quite literally, I didn't), but the soundtrack to both movies are worth writing to the world about. They are nothing short of phenomenal. Something about them is compelling and worth listening to, time and again - especially the score from the first movie.

No doubt this amazing keyboardist feels the same. He combines two of Steve Jablonsky's finest pieces from the score to the first film and transfoms them with his personal touch into one fluent passionate piece.

And a final track to illustrate just how derailed and completely baffling the second movie was...

Permalink: Transformed.html
Words: 145
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: tourism

06/27/09 10:59 - 69ºF - ID#49097

The falcon baby that fell out!

A friend sent me this picture of the falcon baby that fell out of its nest on one of the towers at University at Buffalo, last week.

Strangely, it reminds me of a puppy who has done something mischievous!

dimartiste writes at 02:24:17 07/05/09 - Comment #49729: WOW what a great picture! The falcon is in that moment just before the look of I meant to do that! Thank you for sharing. Good Luck on your proposal. Keep us updated!

tinypliny writes at 02:14:47 07/02/09 - Comment #49629: The falcon baby is now under expert care and doing well according to latest reports. :)

lukamagnotta writes at 02:10:02 07/02/09 - Comment #49628: aww, thats so sad! i love animals.

tinypliny writes at 09:44:53 07/01/09 - Comment #49564: Nice! Can't wait to hear your defence stories! :) Unfortunately, it's not time for my thesis defence yet. It's only a proposal "defence" (I just call it a proposal but I have heard a ton of people call it a defence - I don't think it is, though.) I am still quite a distance from the real final dissertation defence.

My dear university (UofR) believes in 130+ page proposals (with everything and the kitchen sink thrown in. Just the result-tables are not in there). At this rate, I am beginning to doubt if there will be anything left to write when I actually reach the final dissertation defence!

I am having trouble aligning my committee's schedules as well. I bet even rearranging the skies for planetary goodwill might not do the trick. ;)

businesscheese writes at 04:41:18 06/30/09 - Comment #49541: Tentatively scheduled for September 4th. I wanted to have it earlier, but summer is impossible to schedule with faculty vacations and all. Hey, at least someone gets to go on vacation.

When will yours be?!

Doctors in da house!!! We should live blog simultaneous defense parties in NYC and B'lo.

tinypliny writes at 03:38:46 06/30/09 - Comment #49535: I sent my first draft in and I just have one more chapter to go (and a few references to fix). Then it's committee meetings and formal proposal time!! :) Massive good luck with yours? When is the defence?

businesscheese writes at 01:38:52 06/30/09 - Comment #49531: I want one!

How's the thesis writing going for you?

tinypliny writes at 12:51:22 06/27/09 - Comment #49436: I think they have rescued it and its in safe hands. :)

jim writes at 11:28:21 06/27/09 - Comment #49433: That is so cute! It's ok right?

Permalink: The_falcon_baby_that_fell_out_.html
Words: 41
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: music

06/25/09 02:52 - 67ºF - ID#49076

Time is a Traveler

::Download Flash Video::

An awesome memory that floated past me once more today. Peter Allen's Tenterfield Saddler.

Permalink: Time_is_a_Traveler.html
Words: 16
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: art

06/21/09 11:40 - 63ºF - ID#49025

Unfledged Cadence

Permalink: Unfledged_Cadence.html
Words: 2
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: music

06/18/09 08:42 - 58ºF - ID#49001

Clint Mansell = Linkin Park. No, Really!

How can you not draw this conclusion hearing these two tunes??!

Exhibit A: Clint Mansell: Stay With Me (The Fountain OST, 2006)

Exhibit B: Linkin Park: Numb (Meteora, 2003)

They are so strangely similar. Though one is "rock"-ish and the other is "classical"-ish the underlying notes, repetition and rhythm share such a very strong resemblance. I wish I knew music theory to be able to analyze these tunes further.

Was Clint Mansell "inspired by" (of all the bands on this planet) Linkin Park??! The possibility completely blows my mind.

PS: (e:boxerboi), I can't wait for your journal. And you know which one! :)

Permalink: Clint_Mansell_Linkin_Park_No_Really_.html
Words: 121
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: science

06/13/09 03:55 - 68ºF - ID#48962

A Letter of Thanks to James!

The event was a HUGE success! We ran out of saliva kits! Nearly 700 people signed up in around 5 hours. If you are still interested in contributing your might to this massive effort against cancer, we are thinking about setting up another recruitment event at the Ride for Roswell event! Watch this space!!!

(e:mike) and (e:libertad), thanks so much for making it! I am so sorry we wrapped it up earlier than we thought - we hardly expected such an enthusiastic response! People were so motivated they dragged their entire teams to sign up! I think I must have consented more than 200 people personally. I feel drunk with happiness that people still believe in honest population research. I swear, I felt my life was worth living when I saw so many people. (e:James), I was delirious when I saw you! Thank you SO MUCH for coming and donating!! You ROCK! m/ :)

Permalink: A_Letter_of_Thanks_to_James_.html
Words: 155
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: science

06/12/09 04:49 - 68ºF - ID#48908

Spit for the CURE!!! TOMORROW!!!

It's time to join the fight against cancer, everyone!! It's time to spit it out of our planet! Quite literally...

We are asking you for a donation of a teensy bit of your saliva and a bit of your time for Cancer Research.

With the help of the saliva you donate, we can pool together information from a large number of people with and without cancer and find answers to the question of why some people get cancer while others don't.

With the help of the questionnaire we send you to fill out, we will try and figure out what kind of lifestyle changes will reduce the risk of cancer.

Though you won't personally benefit from donating your saliva, this is your chance to make a personal difference against cancer!

Your small and personal but incredibly valuable gift to cancer research will go a long long way!!!!

We need more weapons than ever to fight this scourge called cancer! Pitch in and spit it out!!!!

See you all at Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure at Delaware Park's Rose Garden tomorrow morning!! Comment, drop me an email, post a chat if you have any questions!!

Together, we can research this evil little disease out! :)

Come and spit for the cure!! June 13 (Saturday, 7:00 AM to 1:00PM, Delaware Park Rose Gardens)

Permalink: Spit_for_the_CURE_TOMORROW_.html
Words: 238
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: eating in

06/10/09 02:03 - 54ºF - ID#48881

Microwave Trouble

My microwave just decided to throw in its nukey little towel. The turntable won't stop turning and the light won't shut off till I pull the door open. It doesn't start heating till I push the start button but the turn table and the light keep going as long as the door is shut. This is creepy so I have unplugged it.

... which has made me realize what a shocking amount of dependency I have on my microwave. It's especially disturbing considering I just started using a microwave around three years ago. I remember having had to consult a manual to figure out how the contraption worked the first time I used it.

Permalink: Microwave_Trouble.html
Words: 115
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: the odes

05/30/09 06:59 - 63ºF - ID#48796

Australia

Permalink: Australia.html
Words: 2
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: grocery

05/29/09 09:05 - ID#48791

The Root of the Matter.

Earlier this evening, I made a pit stop at PriceRite for Ginger - a tiny piece of it that weighed less than a third of a pound. I think the ominous sign was when the cashier checking out my groceries pointed at the twisted little piece of root and asked me what it was.

Personally, I think no one on this planet should go through their life without getting acquainted with ginger. I was debating the pros and cons of telling her what an awesome seasoning the tiny root makes but I stopped mid-thought when I saw my total bill. I was expecting a bill of less than $10 but I got billed twice the amount:

I would have walked out without making a fuss about any of this but I felt really ridiculous paying $6.46 for a piece of ginger as big as my thumb! I asked her to re-check. She weighed it twice but the total didn't change. One of the managers ambled over and agreed that it was an unreasonable amount to pay for ginger. After what looked like some super-involved physics and computing research, they found that the scale added more than 2lb to everything.

At that point, I should have just left that ginger piece on the counter, asked them for a refund and walked out. Quite unfortunately, however, my frugal shopping senses kicked in. I noticed that I had paid $6.47 for 3 medium tomatoes. I asked them if they could reweigh the other produce on my list.

For some mysterious reason the manager told me: "I will do the tomatoes but I am definitely not doing the onions!" My mind started meandering toward possible reasons. Did he have a massive allergy to onions? Did the peeling and almost psoriatic red onion skins gross him out? Was he psychologically traumatized by the flavour of onions? Why single out onions? Was he French? I was almost ready to pay this extra $10 to know the answer to this conundrum.