From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V7 #10 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Wednesday, January 10 2001 Volume 07 : Number 010 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: New CDs, old slippers... [Neal Copperman ] Stephenson Research ["Chris Stack" ] Today's your birthday, friend... [Mike Matthews ] Jeff Noon, etc. ["Adam K." ] best of ommission and knots and crosses [dave ] jan hellriegel & xena [karen hester ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 23:33:02 -0700 From: Neal Copperman Subject: Re: New CDs, old slippers... Hey Andrew, Just wanted to let you know that the Wendy Rule CD's arrived just fine. Will pass a couple on to Jeff soon. Probably won't listen to mine for a bit, as I just got back from Denver. This is notable in that Jeff told me I should check out this really good new used store there, and I bought a huge pile of discs. Later, neal np: world music show on kunm ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 02:24:29 -0500 From: "Chris Stack" Subject: Stephenson Research For those interested in Neal Stephenson's research for Cryptonomicon... Right before the book came out, Neal wrote an article in Wired magazine (mostly) about the folks who string fiberoptic cable around the globe. The article was nearly as long as the book ;) I don't know if they have any online archive of articles, but it may be worth a look. ~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~ Chris Stack www.stackdigital.com chris@stackdigital.com ~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~ Understanding that which is at our door, is the first step towards understanding that which lies beyond. -Hypatia ~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~-*-~ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 03:00:05 -0500 (EST) From: Mike Matthews Subject: Today's your birthday, friend... i*i*i*i*i*i i*i*i*i*i*i *************** *****HAPPY********* **************BIRTHDAY********* *************************************************** *************************************************************************** ******************** Greg Bossert (bossert@fuaim.com) ********************* *************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Greg Bossert Tue January 09 1962 OfTheTimes Troy J. Shadbolt Thu January 14 1971 Capricorn Chris Sampson Wed January 15 1964 Void where prohibited Dennis G Parslow Fri January 17 1964 ...of the Saint Ross Alford Thu January 17 1957 Positive Nancy Whitney Mon January 19 1959 slippery when wet Sarah Noelle Pratt Ferguson Tue January 20 1970 Seanympf-Aquarius David Beery Tue January 20 1976 drum Terry Partis Sun January 22 1933 Rocker Sarah McLachlan Sun January 28 1968 Aquarius Ilka Heber Mon February 01 1965 Mermaid Bob Lovejoy Sun February 02 1947 Aquarius Diane Burke Sat February 02 1963 slow children Timothy S. Devine Tue February 03 1970 Aquarius Stephen Thomas Fri February 04 1966 Aquarius - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 10:43:32 -0000 From: "Adam K." Subject: Jeff Noon, etc. "Sorry this isn't really ecto related" Fret not -- one of the joys, I feel about the ecto group is the variety of topics that can be discussed, from technological stuff, to literature, films and -- even ---- music. Sometimes even Happy Rhodes' music. I'm glad I found some people who like Jeff Noon. I found Vurt in a discount book shop and picked it up for a couple of quid. Not really being a cyber-punk fan (I've read a couple of Gibson's, but that's about it) I read it, had a bit of difficulty with it, but loved it all the same --- the weirdness of imagination, the haunting ending -- I got sucked into his off-kilter, bleak and black-humoured world in a way that Stephenson never even came close to doing for me. However, I also found Automated Alice a little dull, copying the prose style of the original a little too closely, but it DOES help if you've read the first two --- the recurring themes and in-jokes make it a bit more interesting. Needle in the Groove is the first I've read of his that has thrilled me as much as Vurt (Nymphomation went a bit off the rails at the end, for my tastes) and I heartily recommend it. It was published over here by Anchor, but I've read that they got taken over by someone else. Curiously, almost all my Noon books are published by different companies, in fact. As for Cobralingus, this is the first I've heard of it -- I'll be keeping my eye out for it. By the way -- is anyone familiar with Scott Bradfield and know if he's got a new one out soon? (And, by the way, never mind Cap'n Crunch -- do they still make King Vitamin?) nr - about to start Norwegian Wood by Harukai Murakami np - Green World by Dar Williams (I'm sure I'm not the first one to mention this -- but doesn't that first track sound like it's about to burst into ABBA's "Dancing Queen"?) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2001 17:53:39 -0500 From: dave Subject: best of ommission and knots and crosses Being brain dead at least part of the time I forgot one CD I wanted to include in my best of 2000 list, Shakira - MTV Unplugged (was reminded when I saw she was nominated for an American Music Award) Also, I finally picked up a copy of the Knots and Crosses CD 'There Was a Time' which is a compilation of remixed and remastered songs from their 2 out of print CDs with 2 new songs added. http://www.signature-sounds.com/knotsandcrosses/ K&C vocalist Carol Noonan has also recently released a CD (I notice Merrie Amsterberg appears on one track) and her webpage lists a tour date for Carol with Knots and Crosses in Waterville Main on January 13. http://www.carolnoonanmusic.com/ dave ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 18:00:28 +1300 From: karen hester Subject: jan hellriegel & xena >From: meredith >Subject: Re: Jan Hellriegel and sparkling lights >I didn't get a chance to mention this when woj brought it up before, but I >was completely floored to find that this musical Jan Hellriegel is the same >woman who is pretty universally regarded throughout Xena fandom as the >worst actress ever to get a speaking part on the show (and believe me, >that's saying something :). I was *so* glad to hear that she's got >something worthwhile to fall back on. :) Ha! It must be annoying for overseas viewers that there is such a small pool of actors to draw on down here, and they've certainly dipped into the dregs many times. We get to play the fun "where have I seen them before?" game when we know we've seen that particular God/Demon/Amazon/Warlord advertising something, in theatre, listened to them as radio announcers, or, especially, seen them in the wretched local hospital soap opera 'Shortland Street'. Back when Xena and Hercules were played on a tv station that we could receive, that is. I'm hoping Peter Jackson doesn't rely on all the same people for Lord of the Rings bit parts - there was much sniggering during _Frighteners_ as we recognised Shortland Street nurse so-n-so playing a reporter, receptionist whatsit playing a dead wife etc. >Why do musicians think they can act, and vice-versa? Sure, there are a >fair number of artists who are successful at both, but there are so many >more disasters to tally ... And many who paint, sculpt, direct (shudder) ... I guess music videos are to blame for all the wannabe Actors and Directors. The musicians who earn (or luck out) the luxury of time mightn't want to adjust to structured work or working for someone else ... but the misplaced vanity of many of their projects .. and the strange assumption that they can cross over from one artform to another at the same level without going through years of the acting or art equivalent of music lessons, playing seedy bars to a disinterested audience, learning the craft. Then there're the art school graduates like PJ Harvey who are better at music - I haven't come across any review of her 'sculpture' (painted rocks and delicately strewn seaweed etc) that suggests she has talent there, so I'm glad she crossed over. Karen. ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V7 #10 *************************