The weird sound generator!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Return of the Messiah
After his recent stint on the sidelines , lets hope El Nino gets on from the start and picks up where he left off against Fulham at Anfield tommorow..... all hail!
Roisin Dubh.....
Just like to thank Gugai and the Roisin Dubh for having us last Saturday night. First gig in a long while and it went swimmingly. We'll be back down the 18th of December all going well.
In other news....check this out.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M1D30gS7Z8U
Good idea...you know....for the kids!
K
In other news....check this out.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M1D30gS7Z8U
Good idea...you know....for the kids!
K
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
President Obama
That wind you might have felt this morning was the collective sigh of relief from around the world. It's official......Obama is the new American President. How he plans to tackle the economic crisis, the fighting of a war on two fronts and the imminent shortage of water in the U.S.A remains to be seen. But for now......let's be happy that a man who less then a century ago wouldn't have been allowed to vote is now in charge of the United Sates of America. I only hope that he lives up to his promises.....
K
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Legal case against God thrown out
A judge has thrown out a case against God - as the Almighty doesn't have an official address and legal papers can't be served.
Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers filed the lawsuit last year seeking a permanent injunction against God who he said made terrorist threats against him and his Omaha constituents.
Additionally, he said God inspired fear and caused "widespread death, destruction and terrorisation of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants".
The US politician said his case was over the fact that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they have money or not.
However, Douglas County District Court Judge Marlon Polk ruled that under state law a plaintiff must have access to the defendant for a lawsuit to move forward - and this would be rather tricky under the circumstances.
Judge Polk said: "Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant this action will be dismissed with prejudice."
But Senator Chambers, a law school graduate, thinks he's found a hole in the judge's ruling.
He said: "The court itself acknowledges the existence of God. A consequence of that acknowledgement is a recognition of God's omniscience.
"Since God knows everything, God has notice of this lawsuit."
Senator Chambers, who has served a record 38 years in the Nebraska Legislature, has 30 days to decide whether to appeal.
The US politician said his case was over the fact that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they have money or not.
However, Douglas County District Court Judge Marlon Polk ruled that under state law a plaintiff must have access to the defendant for a lawsuit to move forward - and this would be rather tricky under the circumstances.
Judge Polk said: "Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant this action will be dismissed with prejudice."
But Senator Chambers, a law school graduate, thinks he's found a hole in the judge's ruling.
He said: "The court itself acknowledges the existence of God. A consequence of that acknowledgement is a recognition of God's omniscience.
"Since God knows everything, God has notice of this lawsuit."
Senator Chambers, who has served a record 38 years in the Nebraska Legislature, has 30 days to decide whether to appeal.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Grrrrrrunch!
Apparently the above clock ran out of digits.........Excuse me if I don't shed a tear.
K
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Wrong, wrong, wrong....on many levels. Still, you gotta raise your hands to him.........
BERLIN (AFP) - The world's only recipient of two full arms in a transplant appeared in public Wednesday to talk about the success of the procedure, calling the feeling of being whole again "indescribable".
Karl Merk, a dairy farmer, gave a press conference with his doctors at the teaching hospital of the Technical University in the southern German city of Munich, where he underwent the transplant managed by a 40-strong medical team.
Six years ago a work accident had led to the amputation of both his arms.
"The feeling is indescribable," Merk, 54, said as he showed off the new limbs, which are being supported by a special "corset" while the healing continues. "Every day I gain more mobility."
Since the amputation, Merk was reliant on round-the-clock care. Two attempts to use prostheses failed.
Discouraged, Merk said he had heard about advances in transplant science on television and sought advice at the university's Rechts der Isar Clinic. Then the search for a donor began.
"It was hard -- I waited by the phone and every time it rang I thought 'the time has come.' And after three months it did," he said in a thick Bavarian dialect.
He said he most looked forward to being able to eventually feed and dress himself "and cruise around a little on my rollerblades".
The medical team said hand and lower arm transplants were still rare and that the Munich operation, by attaching an elbow joint as well as an upper arm, posed a greater challenge for the immune and circulatory systems.
"Never before was such a large amount of foreign tissue transplanted to a person," Merk's doctors said in a statement on the 15-hour surgery.
Doctors have been closely monitoring Merk's progress as he undergoes physical therapy as well as psychological counselling in the aftermath of the gruelling procedure -- a world first -- which was conducted July 25 and 26.
Five teams working in two operating theatres gathered at 10:00 pm the night of the operation, one on each side of the patient and the donor, who had died only hours before. A fifth group removed a leg vein from the donor.
The first step was to expose the muscle, nerves and blood vessels to be connected. Before the bones of the donor could be cut, blood vessels in his arms were filled with a cooled preservation solution.
Both the donor's arms were then removed exactly at the point matching Merk's arm stumps. First the bones were joined, then arteries and veins to ensure blood circulation as quickly as possible.
The surgeons attached the muscles and tendons, then the nerves and finally the skin.
The doctors said there had been "no sign" that Merk's body was rejecting the foreign tissue, as was feared before the procedure, and added that his scars were healing well.
They said their main focus now was to ensure the regeneration of Merk's nerves and to prevent degeneration of his muscles until he has real mobility, which could take up to two years.
For now, Merk can only feel "tingling" in the arms.
The head of the transplant team, Christoph Hoehnke, had told reporters in August after the operation that he was deeply moved when Merk's wife went to his bedside and instinctively reached for his hands.
"They look just like they used to," she said, according to Hoehnke.
Hoehnke said Wednesday he hoped to be able to send Merk back to his dairy farm in four to six weeks.
"I am confident our patient will be able to fulfil one of his biggest wishes one day and drink a glass of milk with his own hands," he said.
Merk said his years of total helplessness had taught him to take the long view in life.
"After six years without arms nothing fazes you," he said.
Karl Merk, a dairy farmer, gave a press conference with his doctors at the teaching hospital of the Technical University in the southern German city of Munich, where he underwent the transplant managed by a 40-strong medical team.
Six years ago a work accident had led to the amputation of both his arms.
"The feeling is indescribable," Merk, 54, said as he showed off the new limbs, which are being supported by a special "corset" while the healing continues. "Every day I gain more mobility."
Since the amputation, Merk was reliant on round-the-clock care. Two attempts to use prostheses failed.
Discouraged, Merk said he had heard about advances in transplant science on television and sought advice at the university's Rechts der Isar Clinic. Then the search for a donor began.
"It was hard -- I waited by the phone and every time it rang I thought 'the time has come.' And after three months it did," he said in a thick Bavarian dialect.
He said he most looked forward to being able to eventually feed and dress himself "and cruise around a little on my rollerblades".
The medical team said hand and lower arm transplants were still rare and that the Munich operation, by attaching an elbow joint as well as an upper arm, posed a greater challenge for the immune and circulatory systems.
"Never before was such a large amount of foreign tissue transplanted to a person," Merk's doctors said in a statement on the 15-hour surgery.
Doctors have been closely monitoring Merk's progress as he undergoes physical therapy as well as psychological counselling in the aftermath of the gruelling procedure -- a world first -- which was conducted July 25 and 26.
Five teams working in two operating theatres gathered at 10:00 pm the night of the operation, one on each side of the patient and the donor, who had died only hours before. A fifth group removed a leg vein from the donor.
The first step was to expose the muscle, nerves and blood vessels to be connected. Before the bones of the donor could be cut, blood vessels in his arms were filled with a cooled preservation solution.
Both the donor's arms were then removed exactly at the point matching Merk's arm stumps. First the bones were joined, then arteries and veins to ensure blood circulation as quickly as possible.
The surgeons attached the muscles and tendons, then the nerves and finally the skin.
The doctors said there had been "no sign" that Merk's body was rejecting the foreign tissue, as was feared before the procedure, and added that his scars were healing well.
They said their main focus now was to ensure the regeneration of Merk's nerves and to prevent degeneration of his muscles until he has real mobility, which could take up to two years.
For now, Merk can only feel "tingling" in the arms.
The head of the transplant team, Christoph Hoehnke, had told reporters in August after the operation that he was deeply moved when Merk's wife went to his bedside and instinctively reached for his hands.
"They look just like they used to," she said, according to Hoehnke.
Hoehnke said Wednesday he hoped to be able to send Merk back to his dairy farm in four to six weeks.
"I am confident our patient will be able to fulfil one of his biggest wishes one day and drink a glass of milk with his own hands," he said.
Merk said his years of total helplessness had taught him to take the long view in life.
"After six years without arms nothing fazes you," he said.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Mercury Prize winners Elbow!
There's hope for us all.....We had the pleasure of supporting Elbow when they came to Dublin a few years back. Really good people and a really great band. Well done lads, you deserve it!
In other news.....We're all still alive! Yeaaaaaaaa.
Just as well for Elbow. How sick would that be. 'Yeaaaa, we won the Mercury music prize.......What you mean black ho' (viiiip)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Hadron Collider
That’s great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane -
Lenny Bruce is not afraid. Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn -
world serves its own needs, don’t misserve your own needs. Feed it up a knock,
speed, grunt no, strength no. Ladder structure clatter with fear of height,
down height. Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for
hire and a combat site. Left her, wasn’t coming in a hurry with the furies
breathing down your neck. Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered
crop. Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population,
common group, but it’ll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves it's
own needs, listen to your heart bleed. Tell me with the rapture and the
reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright
light, feeling pretty psyched.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
Six o’clock - TV hour. Don’t get caught in foreign tower. Slash and burn,
return, listen to yourself churn. Lock him in uniform and book burning,
blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle,
light a motive. Step down, step down. Watch a heel crush, crush. Uh oh,
this means no fear - cavalier. Renegade and steer clear! A tournament,
a tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives
and I decline.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide. Mountains sit in a line.
Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You symbiotic, patriotic,
slam, but neck, right? Right.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...fine...
(It’s time I had some time alone)
Lenny Bruce is not afraid. Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn -
world serves its own needs, don’t misserve your own needs. Feed it up a knock,
speed, grunt no, strength no. Ladder structure clatter with fear of height,
down height. Wire in a fire, represent the seven games in a government for
hire and a combat site. Left her, wasn’t coming in a hurry with the furies
breathing down your neck. Team by team reporters baffled, trump, tethered
crop. Look at that low plane! Fine then. Uh oh, overflow, population,
common group, but it’ll do. Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves it's
own needs, listen to your heart bleed. Tell me with the rapture and the
reverent in the right - right. You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright
light, feeling pretty psyched.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
Six o’clock - TV hour. Don’t get caught in foreign tower. Slash and burn,
return, listen to yourself churn. Lock him in uniform and book burning,
blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle,
light a motive. Step down, step down. Watch a heel crush, crush. Uh oh,
this means no fear - cavalier. Renegade and steer clear! A tournament,
a tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives
and I decline.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide. Mountains sit in a line.
Leonard Bernstein. Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom! You symbiotic, patriotic,
slam, but neck, right? Right.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...fine...
(It’s time I had some time alone)
If this blog is updated on Thursday then it clearly isn't.....We wait with bated breath....
Friday, September 5, 2008
Republican Convention......
I don't pretend to know a whole lot about American politics (except when drunk...) but this image was taken at last Monday's Republican convention in Minnesota. Kind of iconic don't you think.....with Liberty & Justice for all..........
K
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Electric Picnic
Hope the weather holds for all you picnicers out there! Make sure you check out the legendary 'My Bloody Valentine' and eat plenty of Burritos. They're awesome. Fingers crossed we'll be on the stage next year.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
News just in........
It's still raining...........Grrrrrrrrrrrr. These lads never tried their machine in ireland.
K
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Summer in the City
It's mid summer (well, technically just past it) in Dublin's fair city and it's overcast and drizzling. We've had four (count em') four days of sunny weather since the end of June. I found this song.....I think it sums it up..........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtIxDfBOmUs&feature=related
And in a related matter. This guy is nuts.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oGMR9irekY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtIxDfBOmUs&feature=related
And in a related matter. This guy is nuts.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oGMR9irekY
Friday, July 25, 2008
I have an addictive personality........
I'm currently hooked on this........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iSG6U2YcQ0&feature=related
Great buzz all together.
K
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iSG6U2YcQ0&feature=related
Great buzz all together.
K
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Only in a world this shitty...
I work for a large American multinational computer manufacturer here in Dublin.I just asked one my managers a simple question which could have been answered with a simple yes or no. I could tell immediately that he didnt have a clue. Instead of acknowledging this he said ' lets take this offline and do a deep dive on it ' . He's not alone , they all speak like this. There's loads of them too , even the bulk of the younger guys are in on it. Fridays is 'casual dress' day .Most of them arrive looking like a variation of this chap to the right.....young go-getters...
And Jesus wept....
Bren
Guitaret.
Hey folks,
If anyone finds our site and has one of these fella's let us know. We'll haggle.
Analog Festival , Dublin
Last weekend saw the return of the annual Analog festival to Dublin. The roster this year included an evening of pirate songs and sea shanties on the Friday in the rather very nice surroundings of Grand Canal Square. Performers included the ever chirpy Lou Reed , Tim Robbins , Shane McGowan and Neil Hannon among others . I didnt make it down on Friday night , but by all accounts the place was half empty. I guess an evening of pirate songs wasn't as big a draw as the organisers envisaged , despite the performers. Id say Lou was delighted...
Saturday saw a triple bill that included noise rockers Liars , Danish experimantalists Efterklang and jazz rock Legends Tortoise. Liars came on stage at 7.30 with people still coming in in dribs and drabs. Try as they might their brand of agit-rock just didnt come off in the daylight - I wont be harsh and say they bombed , just that Id imagine they'd have been better suited to a dingy club type affair. Next up were Efterklang.I had seen these guys in a small club in Brighton a few months back when we were over recording our own record and was absolutely blown away. My main reason for going along was to see if they could pull it off twice. They didnt dissapoint. Numbering 8 members ( 5 core members and 3 additional live musicians ) , there music is a blend of choral harmonies , glitch electronica and postrock. They make music that come only come from that part of the world but they have the crowd in the palm of their hand within about 10 mins.. check them out at www.myspace.com/efterklang Tortosie followed and it waas clear by the reaction of the crowd that they were held in high esteem . That whole jazz fusion thing isnt really for me , but I enjoyed their set from a performance point of view I guess. the trade offs between the two drummers were particularly great..... right, thats me for now , better get back to work , my boss is giving me the evils... Bren
Saturday saw a triple bill that included noise rockers Liars , Danish experimantalists Efterklang and jazz rock Legends Tortoise. Liars came on stage at 7.30 with people still coming in in dribs and drabs. Try as they might their brand of agit-rock just didnt come off in the daylight - I wont be harsh and say they bombed , just that Id imagine they'd have been better suited to a dingy club type affair. Next up were Efterklang.I had seen these guys in a small club in Brighton a few months back when we were over recording our own record and was absolutely blown away. My main reason for going along was to see if they could pull it off twice. They didnt dissapoint. Numbering 8 members ( 5 core members and 3 additional live musicians ) , there music is a blend of choral harmonies , glitch electronica and postrock. They make music that come only come from that part of the world but they have the crowd in the palm of their hand within about 10 mins.. check them out at www.myspace.com/efterklang Tortosie followed and it waas clear by the reaction of the crowd that they were held in high esteem . That whole jazz fusion thing isnt really for me , but I enjoyed their set from a performance point of view I guess. the trade offs between the two drummers were particularly great..... right, thats me for now , better get back to work , my boss is giving me the evils... Bren
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Album notes.....
Hello all,
My names Ken and I'm one of the members of 8Ball. After a long sabbatical we've emerged from hiding with a new album under our belts. We're all very proud of the record 'With all your friends' and we plan to have it released in the near future. You can check out some of the tracks on our myspace page www.myspace.com/8balltheband.
We recorded the album with Mr. Ian Caple in the sleepy surroundings of East Sussex. We had two weeks and a tight budget but I think we achieved what we set out to do. Along the way we discovered some new sounds and toys. Chief among these was a discontinued instrument known as a guitaret. You'll be able to hear it on Rooftops and Soulsaver. If anyone has one for sale please do get in touch.
For those of you who don't know us we've been compared to SFA - OK!, Yo La Tengo, Crosby Stills and Nash and even DJ Shadow. The new album has elements of Soul, Techno, Pop and even Lo-Fi Rock. I would really like to know who invents these terminology's. They're always so wrong. Probably best to leave it up to you, the listener.
Hope you enjoy
K
My names Ken and I'm one of the members of 8Ball. After a long sabbatical we've emerged from hiding with a new album under our belts. We're all very proud of the record 'With all your friends' and we plan to have it released in the near future. You can check out some of the tracks on our myspace page www.myspace.com/8balltheband.
We recorded the album with Mr. Ian Caple in the sleepy surroundings of East Sussex. We had two weeks and a tight budget but I think we achieved what we set out to do. Along the way we discovered some new sounds and toys. Chief among these was a discontinued instrument known as a guitaret. You'll be able to hear it on Rooftops and Soulsaver. If anyone has one for sale please do get in touch.
For those of you who don't know us we've been compared to SFA - OK!, Yo La Tengo, Crosby Stills and Nash and even DJ Shadow. The new album has elements of Soul, Techno, Pop and even Lo-Fi Rock. I would really like to know who invents these terminology's. They're always so wrong. Probably best to leave it up to you, the listener.
Hope you enjoy
K
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