The video surveillance people were in again today. We could say they are quite impressed by our operation. They could do a lot worse for more money just about anywhere in this town. The fact that we are established and have lots of free parking still keeps us competitive with downtown. I’m just no sure, beyond a finder’s fee, what my position in this new operation would be. Major software is involved, but does it need configuration? Can a flunky be trained to do that?It is still fascinating technology. I’m aware of the big brother aspects and at the same time that the technology is not self-limiting. If it can be used wrongly, somebody in America will do so. We do not have many laws that limit excesses of this type, nor any control of what it is used for once in place. The new video cameras, called (I think) “IP” cameras have the computer smarts built right into the camera housing, retailing for around the $450 mark. And they are amazing. Utterly amazing.
To continue with my look into a lotto machine from last day, it appears they are another bleeding hearts organization at first glance--which is all I intend to give them. The primary concern for new outlets is the number of handicapped parking spaces. It averages 2% of the available parking. I repeat that as far as I am concerned, handicapped parking is the obsession of the woefully guilty-minded. If you feel compelled to treat anybody special, fine, but the moment you compel others to do the same, up yours. As long as the handicapped receive free government money and special privileges, they can expect nothing more from me. Like most people, I’m all for giving them a break. I’m all against being forced to do so through regulation.
My final analysis of the netbook computers is to avoid them completely. There is a reason they come without any type of warranty coverage. The further I look into them, the more they become a bad concept now being dumped on the gullible.
My cigar boxes are missing. Aha, some say, we didn’t know you smoked. To them, I say go back and read what I just said about the handicapped. I don’t smoke. A guy up the street brings them in, and I used them for tea bags, keys, stamps, etc. They are well built and some of them are surprisingly elaborate. I put fifteen of them under my cabinet for the next time I was in with my car, and they walked off. Later I find out that one of my top customers just helped herself. That’s okay since it was her.
Since it was rent week, I did not perform [a musical show because the audience is broke]. That means the last consecutive eight Fridays is the longest stretch I have ever spent at home on that day. I did stop in to check on things at Jimbos, the place was empty except for the regulars. I talked with Eddie for fifteen minutes, basically saying next Friday is a go whether he’s ready or not. We don’t have a drum box yet, but that won’t stop me. If we get another rehearsal this weekend, we’ll have a good two hours of material.
I downloaded the tunes Gina listed, and they are all very similar to her typical material. That is, tagless non-innovative studio music by raspy female vocalists, every tune slow and draggy. Uninspired with heavy, obscure messages, no catchy melodies “that a working man could whistle”. It sounds like strings of cliché riffs from rock school, making it hard to tell if the songs were written last year or last century. The bass lines to this type of music generally suck. That means I either have to custom write new bass lines, which I don’t get paid extra for, or stand there pumping out “bastard bass” (rapid-fire root notes, the sure sign of second-rate beginners that guitarists just adore).
What? I used some jargon? Let me check. Yes, I did. The word “tagless”. Known by many other terms, tags are the usually short musical passages that make the song not only original, but unique. The opening riff to “Folsom Prison” is a prime example. Or the classic riff to “Smoke On The Water”. One can identify such music instantly upon hearing one or two notes. The longest tag I am aware of is the intro to “Proud Mary”. Part of my point is that I cannot think of a single piece of recent music that has distinctive tags, yet tags are a necessary component of all the classics. Guitarists love tagless music. I just listened to Pink’s “Who Knew” five minutes ago and cannot recall the melody.
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