Dragged Kicking And Screaming Into The Modern Era

Been trying to avoid this......Now what do I do? I now have ONE MySpace Friend. Should I get more? How many more? What do I do with them all? Host a party?

I am SO out of it.....

[UPDATE: Now, two!]

Anna & Caitlin & Gabriel, And Special Guests Derren Raser Band Perform This Saturday

Left: Derren Raser (photo: K.C. Alfred, San Diego Union-Tribune).

Rehearsal last night sounded just great with DMTC's Young Performers' Theater (YPT) chanteuses, Anna Miles and Caitlin Humphreys! Gabriel Moctezuma will also sing along with Anna for one of the songs.

Derren Raser and his band from San Diego will also perform. Listen for Derren Saturday morning on KDVS radio, at 9 a.m.





Here are details:
-------------------------------------
DMTC Concert Series
Saturday, June 9, 2007, 7:30pm

Purchase Tickets on-line at DMTC.

Derren Raser returns from San Diego to perform again at Davis Musical Theatre Company (DMTC), with special opening singers, DMTC's Young Performers Theatre's Caitlin Humphreys and Anna Miles.

Davis Musical Theatre Company’s “Keep the Music Playing in Your Community” concert series hosts folk/pop/jazz sensation Derren Raser at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 9th, at DMTC’s Hoblit Performing Arts Center, 607 Pena Drive, Davis. Derren Raser performed previously at DMTC on February 10, 2007 and we heartily welcome him back! Two DMTC Young Performers, Caitlin Humphreys and Anna Miles, will open the concert, accompanied by regular DMTC pianist Erik Daniells and the DMTC Band.

ARTIST INFORMATION:

Derren Raser (Website):

**One of Music Connection Magazine's “Top 100 Unsigned Artists of 2006”**Award winner at 2006's John Lennon Songwriting Contest.An old soul in a new age, Derren Raser stands out from the monotonous fray of popular music. Witty, well-spoken and wise beyond his 20-something years, singer-songwriter Raser will move you with his thoughtful lyrics and haunting melodies. His ballads are old-fashioned folk stories and beautiful tributes to love lost and found.Combining lively folk-rock and classic singer-songwriter traditions with the hard edge of contemporary pop and rock influences, Derren Raser has honed a cutting edge sound that is immediately both fresh and familiar. Born and raised in suburban Kansas, Derren has undertaken the Southern California music scene and emerged with his wholesome Midwestern sensibilities intact. He employs a thoughtful, sincere approach to songwriting and performing - his dynamic live performances have been described as “emotive expression that is nearly flawless in its purity" (Jake Sibley--944 Magazine). His guitar work is centered on pristine and intelligent arrangements, each note painstakingly placed to complement the stark clarity of his unmistakable voice.

Raser is a regular on both the San Diego and Los Angeles music scenes, and is constantly working to bring his unique music to new audiences. Derren and his music have recently been featured on NPR’s “All Songs Considered,” and have appeared in 944 Magazine, Union Tribune, the Troubadour, Olathe Daily News, and numerous online publications. Raser's 2006 album, “King of I’ll Tell You Next Week” has been hailed as “awash with talent!” (Andrew Salyer--www.upbeatmusic.com) and “wildly entertaining” (Craig Yerkes--the S.D. Troubadour).

Anna Miles
Anna Miles, a sophomore at Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, has performed in numerous local musical theater with Davis Musical Theatre Company (‘Wendy’ in “Peter Pan”; ‘Mayzie LaBird’ in “Suessical’, and as ‘Belle’ in DMTC’s Young Performer Theatre's forthcoming Summer 2007 production of “Disney’s Beauty And The Beast”). She recently won much critical attention at Sacramento Theatre Company (STC), as ‘Scout’ in “To Kill A Mockingbird” and ‘Fan’ in “A Christmas Carol”. She has also performed with Sacramento's Runaway Stage Production's Storybook Children's Theatre (“Hansel and Gretel”).

Caitlin Humphreys
Caitlin Humphreys, a sophomore at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville, has performed in numerous local musical theater with Davis Musical Theatre Company (e.g., ‘Jan’ in “Grease”; ‘Captain Hook’ in “Peter Pan”; ‘Bird Girl’ in “Suessical”, and as ‘Mrs. Potts’ in DMTC’s Young Performer Theatre's forthcoming Summer 2007 production of “Disney’s Beauty And The Beast”). She recently won much attention as the lead in Solano Youth Theatre's production of “Cinderella”. She also has performed with Fairfield's Missouri Street Theatre (e.g., ‘Allison’ in “Breakfast Club”, ‘Sarah’ in “Holiday Express”, etc.) and at Will C. Wood High School.
Caitlin and Anna, both age 16, are not only among the strongest Young Performers at DMTC, but are friends as well.

DMTC CONCERT MISSION GOALS:
In addition to Davis Musical Theatre Company’s (DMTC) Main Stage and Young Performers Theater (YPT) musical productions, DMTC now presents concerts showcasing talented local, regional, and touring artists. The artists selected will vary in musical style, but all will be fantastic, and all concerts will be family-friendly events.

DMTC goals in presenting these concerts are:
· Raise funds to support DMTC youth education/community outreach and to keep the American musical theater art form alive in Davis and accessible to everyone. DMTC is a non-profit 501(c)3, all volunteer community theater company with a 22-year history of excellence in artistic achievement and community service.
· Support talented local, regional, and touring artists, raising public awareness of their great work and keep their music playing too.
· Enrich the community by providing affordable, outstanding musical entertainment in a family-friendly environment.

Letting Sleeping Ducks Lie

UCD's Putah Creek park, last Saturday.

I found my camera again! Now I can update the "Urinetown" post!






Fun in front of UCD's Main Theatre!

Kylie 2008 USA Tour In Works

My hopes are rising!:

Elle: Some good news for you, Kylie will be touring the USA in 2008!!
Marc: Kylie is going to tour here? Yippee!
Elle: Yes, that's what she plans as US fans have complained for years that she hasn't toured there so her plans are to tour next year for the album, taking on the USA!!

Elle's Explanation

"Elle" explains her role in the premature appearance of brand-new Kylie tracks on the Internet (in comments for this post). Her explanation is so bizarre that it can't possibly be true, yet that very bizarreness must mean it can't possibly be false.

It must be fun working there at Parlophone/EMI!

Just The Most Entertaining Storm

The SE Australian spinning storm system is endlessly entertaining. I'm getting nothing done, just watching it spin, trying to decide which way it's going to go next.

Yesterday, the center of circulation cycled northwestward, back into central New South Wales (NSW). The storm has weakened considerably, but the center of circulation crossed back into Queensland, near Hungerford NSW, in the far west, earlier today. The storm has been pumping much moisture into central NSW, which can only help the drought situation in the Murray/Darling River basin, but it has also caused no end of chaos in Newcastle (with coal freighters running aground in the surf) and in Sydney, with heavy rains and winds.

All day long, the storm's been at a saddle of high pressure. The money is still on the center of circulation sweeping eastward, over Brisbane (with chances of thunderstorms), tonight or tomorrow, but there is a chance it could abruptly change direction and head south instead, towards Victoria (I hope for this outcome because it would be almost completely unexpected, and it would rattle the meteorologists).

The low pressure system over NSW, and the high pressure system SW of Tasmania, are like two cogs in a watch, or better yet, like matter and antimatter, self-destructing upon collision in a blinding flash of light.

Putin Springs A Surprise

Very clever! Probably caught Bush completely flat-footed:

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin today offered to set up a joint Russian-US anti-missile base to end a crisis between the two countries as Group of Eight leaders agreed a face-saving compromise on climate change.

Mr Putin wrong-footed Mr Bush with his offer to share control of the system from a radar base in Azerbaijan rather than in Europe.

The Russian President sprang his surprise offer at a one-to-one with Mr Bush, which both sides described as constructive and non-confrontational despite a dramatic war of words in the run-up to the G8 meeting in Germany.

Mr Putin had threatened to retarget Russian nuclear missiles at Europe if the US went ahead with plans to locate interceptor rockets in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic, while Mr Bush warned Mr Putin to stop “hyperventilating” over the issue.

Have You Seen My Camera?

It's like, lost, or something....

Derren Raser Hits The Road Today

For Saturday's concert at DMTC! Buy your tickets now at dmtc.org!

Extra Credit

Reading my blog, Gabe detects .... an inconsistency. Citing my previous Kylie post:

Gabe: "Just tell me where to send my credit card info when the project's completed."

Hmmm...I seem to remember someone complaining about a certain politician being "sold out" to MBNA (a reference to an intemperate remark I made regarding Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware).

Sounds like "someone" is sold out to a credit card company as well...

Marc: Sold out to the credit card habit, but not to the credit card companies (I hope, provided the two can be distinguished.....)

Gabe: That’s right. I have to make a distinction between the drug addict, and the drug dealer, and the drug trade. It’s not your fault. You’re just a pawn of the system. They made you do it. The charge for annoying you with be $12.00 with a discretionary fee of $3.00. Have a nice day.

Marc: Give credit (and a lot of it) when credit is due.....

Central NSW Coast Now Gets Hammered

The rains ended in Brisbane. Strong mid-latitude storms like this one occur several times in a typical Sacramento, California winter, but they are rarer closer to the equator, and apparently fairly uncommon in Brisbane: I'm surprised to discover it was the wettest storm in Brisbane's dam catchment areas in nearly two years:

The Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine dams received their best falls since October 2005, but many more days of rain are needed before supplies begin increasing, SEQWater operations manager Rob Drury said.

``While last night's rainfall is welcomed, another 50 to 60mm is needed overnight to start significant inflows into the dams,'' Mr Drury said.

The storm's power is now being directed at the rain-impoverished central NSW coast. Lots of chaos today in Newcastle and Sydney makes for an ungrateful populace, though:

WHILE torrential rain has caused flight delays in Sydney and flash-flooding on the NSW Central Coast and in Sydney's south, it has failed to raise dam levels.

...The State Emergency Service (SES) has received 30 calls for assistance, mainly from people at Kincumber, near Woy Woy on the Central Coast, and at Canterbury in southern Sydney.

"We do expect to get more requests for assistance coming from the public," SES spokesman Phil Campbell said.

"But as this low pressure system develops off the coast, if that does result in some very strong winds, then that can bring down trees and can increase our call load significantly."

The storms began on the Central Coast and are moving through Sydney as they head south.

Areas of Sydney's north shore have recorded up to 70mm of rain since 9am (AEST) yesterday, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

The western and southwestern suburbs have received up to 50mm during the same period.

But little rain has fallen over the Warragamba catchment area, which supplies Sydney's water, although some is expected over the next two days.

Novakula Channels A Negative Edwards Vibe

Which just makes me like Edwards more. The more the Establishment Democrats signal that they won't challenge Bush directly on the Iraq War, the more likely a movement towards John Edwards becomes:

The dynamic performance by John Edwards in Sunday's Democratic presidential debate, assailing his competitors for the nomination, got high marks from political reporters, Republican politicians and left-wing activists. But not from the Democratic establishment. Once their great hope for the future, Edwards now is massively unpopular among party regulars, who neither like nor trust him.

The performances at the Goffstown, N.H., event by the two front-runners, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, were error-free if a little leaden. Edwards, the third man in the big presidential field, supplied the fireworks by taking on Clinton and Obama. On the surface, he seems a perfect candidate: eloquent, smart, handsome and shrewd. Is he reminiscent of the two slick Southerners who were the only Democrats elected president in the past 40 years? Yet the prospect of an Edwards-led ticket evokes deep apprehension inside the party that he would be another flawed nominee.

His nomination is not that remote a possibility. For decades, Democratic leaders have exerted little influence on the making of the party's nominee, with decisions ceded to primary voters. Edwards is staking everything on the Iowa caucuses, where he periodically leads in the polls. If he begins the delegate selection process with a victory there, he could be unstoppable (as John Kerry was after he won Iowa).

Even though Edwards may end up being the party's nominee, prominent Democrats are surprisingly candid about him. Mark Siegel, a 35-year party insider, told me: "He came to Washington as a 'New Democrat,' but he's not that kind of Democrat anymore. He's into class warfare."

Edwards has not worn well with party colleagues. Campaign consultant Bob Shrum was enthusiastic about Edwards after working on his 1998 Senate victory in North Carolina and unsuccessfully advised Gore to make him his 2000 running mate. But Shrum chose Kerry over Edwards as his 2004 presidential client. In his newly published memoir, "No Excuses: Concessions of a Serial Campaigner," Shrum explains: "I was coming to believe he wasn't ready; he was a Clinton who hadn't read the books."

...The ardor for a politically accident-prone Edwards has also cooled in the labor movement, where an endorsement from the Change to Win coalition led by Andrew Stern and James P. Hoffa is now far less likely than it was in December. Hoffa reportedly still regards Edwards as the most pro-labor presidential candidate but doubts whether he can be nominated.

So Edwards must rely on true believers who will brave the bitter Iowa cold in the dark of night to attend caucuses. That's the kind of voter impressed by Edwards lashing out at Obama and especially Clinton on the war. Iowa Democrats in 2004 pulled back from catastrophe at the 11th hour and abandoned Howard Dean when they contemplated the impact of a Dean victory. Party leaders hope Iowans will take a similarly hard look at John Edwards.

Theft, Or Marketing, Or Something Else?

Dunno, but it's probably good marketing, nonetheless. Kylie denies it, calling it 'disheartening'. Won't make any difference to me. Just tell me where to send my credit card info when the project's completed:

ONE song leaked online looks like carelessness, but when up to 10 demos linked to Kylie Minogue's new album are circulating in cyberspace, it feels like marketing.

Minogue's post-cancer comeback project has been a leaky vessel since November 2004 when a song she wrote with New York glam pop act the Scissor Sisters appeared online.

But in the past fortnight, five new songs have been uploaded onto file sharing sites, while fan sites are claiming that a three-CD set of 49 demos exists for those canny enough to track them down.

It adds up to an audio scrapbook of works in progress, including a song written for Kylie by Boy George and a rumoured cover of Culture Club's 1980s hit Victims.

But should we think we're so lucky? More likely we're just being had, by a cunning cyber age twist on the old record company ruse of manipulating what gets played where.

Leaking online might not be as obvious as bribing disc jockeys to play songs, but it might be just as effective.

"She and her record company leaked the tracks deliberately," said music industry analyst Phil Tripp, who runs Australian music consultancy Immedia!

"It's the newest gimmick in the industry, the leaking of tracks. It's the new marketing black. It's at a time when she needs as much positive press as she can get. Not just her, but everyone in the industry. You need as much exposure as you can get, and you need as much advance publicity as possible."

The music blogs agree. "We don't really approve of leaked tracks flying around the web before an album's even been completed," said British music site Pop Justice but, in the case of Kylie Minogue, the constant, relentless barrage of leaked material seems suspiciously intentional.

...Although YouTube has already pulled many of the fan-made videos for the demo songs, at the insistence of the record label, and some of the file-sharing sites have blocked the pirate downloads, the songs have already been widely distributed by Minogue's active online fan base, through forums and blogs.

Kylie impersonator Lucy Holmes, the singer in tribute band 100%Kylie, discovered new tracks Stars, Fool For You and Sensitized more than a week ago on one of the fan sites.

"It's classic Kylie pop," says Holmes. "She's staying true to her pop roots." Holmes doesn't think the leaks will hurt future sales. "Not many people get to hear them," she says. "They just get to hear about them. It's just a little entree, a little tease."

Gag Me!

So Murdoch buys MySpace, and he's the genius? Plus, as Ailes well knows, no one is afraid of Fox (just ask the Bancrofts), it's just Democrats do not want to lend legitimacy to scurvy propaganda outfits, no matter how much money they dump into the Congressional Black Caucus. And gag me with this most undemocratic gathering singing paeans to democracy!:

Mr. Murdoch hosted the 9th annual presentation of the Eric Breindel awards for opinion writing alongside Fox News boss Roger Ailes and Newsweek senior editor Lally Weymouth.

Ms. Weymouth glowingly introduced Mayor Bloomberg.

“Everybody in New York that I know thinks he’s a brilliant mayor,” she said. “And everyone thinks he would be a brilliant president.”

“Nine years ago, who would have thought this would be one of the most prestigious awards in journalism?” Mayor Bloomberg said. “But, then again, nine years ago, who would have guessed the hottest thing on television would be a national talent show called American Idol. Or that the highest-rated news program would be one calling itself a 'No Spin Zone.' Or the most popular site on the Internet would be an interactive photo album called MySpace.”

“What will Mr. Murdoch think of next?” he asked. “I guess you’ll just have to ask the Bancroft family.”

...“We’ve become increasingly successful, and yet we’ve been increasingly criticized," [Mr. Ailes] said to the crowd about his company. "Sometimes for being too pro-American. Sometimes we’re too pro-Israel. Sometimes too pro-democracy.

"I’ve been quoted as saying, ‘This is a great country.’ A lot of people are trying to get in, nobody’s trying to get out. The press is an essential pillar of that democracy. The press didn’t invent democracy. Democracy invented freedom of the press. So we will investigate anything and find the truth, and report it, but we do not get up every morning, assuming that our country is guilty. We just happen to like democracy."

And he had some choice words for Democratic candidates who have decided not to debate on Fox.

“The candidates that can’t face Fox, can’t face Al Qaeda,” said Mr. Ailes. “And that’s what’s coming.”

For The Older Set

The younger set call these arcades:

When Chester Cohen visited the Conservatory Senior Living community in Keller last year, he was impressed that it has not one, but two fitness centers.

The first comes equipped with exercise gear to keep the blood circulating and the muscles toned – stationary bikes, treadmills and weights.

But the second appealed to the 85-year-old even more. It houses a brain fitness program to keep the mind sharp.

Mr. Cohen and his wife of 52 years, Hazel, moved in and signed up for the eight-week brain training program, developed by Posit Science Corp.

After completing the 40 hours of computer exercises, the two say they're better at remembering names and concentrating on what people tell them.

"I'm having fewer senior moments," Mr. Cohen said.

..."Scientists once thought that the brain was hard-wired at birth and that some cognitive abilities began declining early in life," said Dr. Sandra Chapman, director of the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas at Dallas. "We now know that good nutrition, physical exercise and mental stimulation can improve the brain's functioning at any age."

Memory Loss

I have trouble with names. Other people have trouble with dates. There is help....

Cyclone Gonu

Wow, it's going to go right across the Straits of Hormuz! :

Thousands of people fled low-lying areas Tuesday as the strongest cyclone to threaten the Arabian Peninsula in 60 years barreled toward the oil-rich Persian Gulf—with southern Iran next in its path.

Cyclone Gonu was expected to skirt the region's biggest oil installations but could disrupt shipping in the Straits of Hormuz, causing a spike in prices, oil analysts said.

..."If the storm hits Iran, it's a much bigger story than Oman, given how much bigger an oil producer Iran is," said Antoine Haff of FIMAT USA, a brokerage unit of Societe Generale. "At a minimum, it's likely to affect tanker traffic and to shut down some Omani oil production as a precautionary measure."

Late Tuesday, Cyclone Gonu, packing winds of 120 mph and gusts up to 150 mph, was churning northwest through the Indian Ocean about 265 miles southeast of Oman's capital, Muscat, according to AccuWeather.com meteorologist Donn Washburn. Rain from its outer edges was reaching some coastal areas, although the storm was weakening as it roared through an area with shallower water and drier air.

Gonu, which means a bag made of palm leaves in the language of the Maldives, is predicted to brush by the east coast of Oman and head to the Gulf of Oman, with heavy rains and strong winds forecast over the country to its capital, Muscat, Washburn said. The cyclone was expected to hit land in southeastern Iran late Wednesday or early Thursday, Washburn said.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center, a U.S. military task force that tracks storms in the Pacific and Indian oceans, predicted rough seas in the Straits of Hormuz, the transport route for two-fifths of the world's oil and the southern entrance to the Gulf.

A Great Day In Brisbane

I have some quibbles with the storm. It's a little too far east for best effect, so SW Queensland isn't seeing the rain, some interior places aren't seeing that much, and it's raining like heck over the ocean where it does little good.

On the other hand, it's raining heavily right now right in the dam catchment areas, so even if the ground soaks up a lot of runoff, Brisbane's water supply will get a bump. And there's more rain forecast tomorrow too. Some isolated places are forecast to get more than 4 inches of rain, total, from the storm.

But it will end after that, unfortunately, with a quiet week forecast afterwards. And it will be time soon enough to burn yet more incense to the Southern Hemisphere Rain Gods, who have been so unrelentingly cruel to this corner of the world for the last decade.

"High School Musical" - DVD

Cute show - not terribly memorable by my taste, but I can see why people like it. The trademark Disney approach of using appealing people energetically doing fun stuff - the Cheetah Girls, for example - is used to great effect here.

There are a few funny lines, such as:

Man, that music isn't hip-hop, okay, or rock, or anything essential to culture. It's show music. It's all costumes and makeup... oh, dude, it's frightening.

Nevertheless, there aren't as many funny lines as there could have been, a testament to clumsy writing, a feature not only of new Disney, but old Disney too, from way, way back. Not as funny as 'Clueless', but it's got great dancing.

Actually what got my attention was the location of the story - Albuquerque! For Disney to set a full-length movie musical in my home city is something completely unexpected, like the time I returned to Corrales (just outside Albuquerque) and discovered people had built a trotting track for llamas. I'm overjoyed with the extra effort, but what could they possibly have been thinking? Too bad the home high school is "East High": all the cool people live on the west side of town in Albuquerque (I'm from West Mesa High School, Class of 1974). But I digress....

Looking at the background mountains in the outdoor locations, I could tell they had filmed it somewhere else other than Albuquerque. It didn't look like California either. Where was it filmed?

According to imdb, it was filmed in Salt Lake City and Murray, Utah. And the high school? It's East High School in Salt Lake City, not far from the University of Utah! I used to ride my bike past that place every day when I lived there (1989-90)!

Indeed, in the Science Club Garden scenes, at the base of the background mountains, you can see wavecut benches, artifacts of the last Ice Age, when giant Lake Bonneville, precursor to today's shriveled Great Salt Lake, filled the entire valley with water. Those benches are most-prominent on the SE side of the valley, and indeed, that's where the camera was pointing.

The real East High School team name is the Leopards: in the movie, it was the Wildcats. Of course, the University of Arizona team name is Wildcats, and indeed, in the movie, I thought I could see the U of A mascot, Wilbur The Wildcat, dancing in the background (I went to U of A from 1980 to 1988).

It's strange how the various threads of your life rearrange after awhile, like DNA, into unexpected combinations.

The DVD features an extra disc, with several signature dances choreographed, so you can dance along with it, as I was doing at 2 a.m. this morning, distressing the dog with my clumsy mimicking, molasses tempo, and ineffective waving.

Don't Think 'Irresponsible' Thoughts

MSNBC says it's 'out of context', so just flush it clean out of your mind:

Video of MSNBC's Joe Scarborough bantering on the cable news network Friday about whether Fred Thompson's wife "works the pole" is sparking criticism of Scarborough from the right, left and in between.

A spokesman for the news network said this afternoon, though, that the comment has been taken out of context and that it is "irresponsible" to suggest Scarborough was employing sexual innuendo. "Works the pole" could have been a reference to poles that some strippers use in their acts. MSNBC says it was a reference to an exercise routine that a growing number of women are performing.