Edward's May 2019 Mix

This one is a long one which is surprising that summer’s here and I spend more time outside. It appears I really can spin plates on outstretched fingers as good as any circus clown. I’m still much involved with my guitar, putting in time each day. I’m looking to pick up a chorus pedal. I have to get that Robert Smith The Cure sound, and what better way than a Boss Super Chorus pedal? 

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot: I’m about 4/5 of the way through this 19^th century tome. It concerns the plight of a girl, Maggie Tulliver, whose father a local miller for a small English village loses everything to bankruptcy. Our protagonist, Maggie, has a well above average intellect, but is denied going through advanced education because she’s a girl, meanwhile, her brother, Tom, who would rather be out fishing and chasing things through the woods is forced to attend higher education in such things as Greek and Latin. Eliot’s writing is somewhat stilted. (I have to use the dictionary to ascertain the meaning of some disused and archaic words—but this is a good thing!) She’s a bit windy in this one, taking several pages to describe something a modern writer would execute in a paragraph. This is one of those books, however, I’ll be glad to say I have read when it’s done.

Star Trek: The Animated Series on DVD: Produced in 1973, I remember watching these on Saturday mornings and finding them rather dry. Now that I’m seeing them again, they are compelling episodes voiced by the cast of the original series. Though they may not fit into the perfect Star Trek canon, D.C., and the animation is nothing to write home about, but those stories! Wow! Good stuff. Some of the episodes are even continual story lines from previous episodes of the classic series. Mudd, from the “Mudd’s Women” episode makes an appearance, as does the Tribbles, and there’s even a revisit to the rest and relaxation planet in which Dr. McCoy was near mortally wounded by a knight on horseback. This is well worth watching if you’re a fan of the original series. D.C. Fontana, famed Star Trek writer, including some of these episodes, said it best: “This is the fourth season the fans didn’t get.”

Magician by Raymond E. Feist: Many thank yous to my good friend, David Tidwell, for turning me onto this book. He always tells me the story of how he was in Operation Desert Storm and they were marching through the Middle Eastern dunes. Their officer in charge would call for a break, and he would set his pack down and use it as a chair, eagerly pulling his copy of this novel out of his side desert camo fatigue pocket and lose himself in a different world for ten minutes. I can understand that, reading this book about a young lad taken into apprenticeship by the castle royalty’s official magician. The main character, Pug, suffers a lack of confidence and a multitude of frustration as he attempts to learn his craft amid enduring a crush by the castle Duke’s spoiled princess daughter. This is not  in-depth as George R. R. Martin’s Song of Fire and Ice series, but definitely not as laborious to read.

Battletech on PC: When I recently found this on PC Gamer Magazines list of the best real time strategy games to play I decided it was time for a revisit. I had initially started it last year but got lost along the way. I was so lost coming back to it that I simply started over. It was a bit more smoothly sailing because I somewhat knew what to expect. I got caught up quickly. I didn’t know much about the famous Battletech or Mechwarrior series, and that’s okay. You don’t need to have prior knowledge of the legacy game/novel series to enjoy this. Actually, I could see this being a springboard into the whole world of Mechwarrior.

Silent Hunter 4: Wolves of the Pacific on PC: I embarked on a campaign over two years ago and pretty much shelved the game. I decided to pick up where I left off. I was doing well, sinking my share of Japanese merchant ships. And then I got swooped by two Japanese zeros that left my hull in a state of disrepair and killed several of my sailors. I immediately quick saved, thinking I could ride it out. I sunk. So I reloaded my quick save, and immediately perished. Doh! And as luck would have it, this was the only save I had. Will I ever learn my lesson? Saving in the middle of a death is probably the worst thing that can happen in a PC game. I ate my crow pie, and started over. I just finished my first campaign and earned a medal for my troubles. For what it is, piloting a death bringing weapon of war, this is a glamorous simulation of World War II American submarine warfare. Despite its 2007 release, the game still looks amazing at 1440p and the undulating waves are still capable of inducing seasickness, a malady I knew well from experience. 

Industry Stranger to Stranger on cassette: Who would have thought I’d be writing a mix about a cassette tape? My daughter has a cheap cassette player I recently discovered and I popped in this cassette because it had been almost 30 years since I’d heard it. Industry was a band utilizing heavy synth (super 1980ish) and  similar to Duran Duran without all of the fanfare (or the fame.) I discovered their album in the Philippines. It was almost eerie listening to this cassette and becoming nostalgic. Cassette tapes are trying to make a sort of resurgence. I’m not seeing it, myself. CD technology usurped it for a reason. 44.1 kHz/16 bit CDs still continue to be my favorite medium and probably will be for some time. 

Star Wars: A New Hope on Blu Ray: I watched this a few years ago on DVD and swore it couldn’t get any better. Now that I’ve seen it on Blu Ray I beg to differ. The storybook edition I have is the collector’s edition to have, as it’s filled with extra features and is complete with the first six movies. The Blu Ray edition is sparkling pristine. I’m seeing dents and blemishes on C3PO’s exterior I’d never noticed before. Oddly, after having seen this so many times I’m starting to see things probably better left unseen. Mark Hamill’s acting is amateurish in some scenes to the point it seems he’s emitting lines as if he’s in a high school play. Indeed, his performances improved with time. 

Dragon Age II on PC: I’m still having fun with this one. From what my workmates say, I’m about 2/3 of the way through. I’m knocking out a lot of side quests, trying to level up for the main story. In typical Bioware fashion I’m getting a real kick out of the characters and their bantering with each other. There are a few “FedEx” quests, going out to retrieve items, but even these are interesting to do. Several reviewers hated the “consolitis” that seemed to infect this game, but I actually like being able to click on a city on the map and have it list what quests need to be completed there. Such a mechanic saves a lot of unnecessary footwork.

Indianapolis by Lynn Vincent & Sara Vladic: This book tells one of the worst stories I’ve ever encountered. The aftermath of the sinking of one of the US Navy’s finest cruisers in July of 1945, and the aftermath of the survivors who weren’t rescued for four days afterward. After the third day, the life jackets of the single survivors became so waterlogged the men were up to their chins in the sea. And then the sharks came. They came so thick that they didn’t even have to tread water. They could simply stand on the backs of the sharks to keep afloat. I’ve read Dan Kurzman’s famous Fatal Voyage which was well researched at the time (1990) but Indianapolis goes into more detail with the repercussions and the aftermath of the Navy’s cover up. (No surprise there!) Recently the US Navy had to answer for a rash of incidents involving ships collisions. It was revealed the sailors weren’t getting enough sleep. They weren’t allowed to. This sounds like the Navy I remember. The poor sailors aboard the USS Indianapolis, when rescued were not allowed to tell anybody their ship had sunk, nor were they allowed to correspond to anybody the location of the hospital they were in.

Third Eye Blind “Third Eye Blind” on CD: It’s been years since I’ve listened to this. I’m surprised how good it is. This really is an amazing album! It plays like a greatest hits album; there are no B-side songs on it whatsoever

. Incidentally, the band’s first album holds a one time record of being given the most money by a recording label given to an unsigned band. It’s a shame that every subsequent album after gained a little less traction than the one before it, but I read they are still touring/recording. Then of course there was the odious underhanded trick that Stephan Jenkins did to co-founder Kevin Cadagon. The two men founded the band together, but Jenkins covertly registered the name of the band under his name alone so he would get all royalties and entitlements. And then of course, Cadagon was dismissed from the band. I may not add anymore of their albums to my catalog, but this one is a fine listen worthy of anybody’s collection.

Edward's April 2019 Mix

April was busy. My free time was put to some good use though, good music, good reading, good movies, and of course, good gaming! I finally finished two series I had been watching which always fills me with a sense of accomplishment. And as visible on my GoodReads.com page I'm well on my way in my goal of knocking out 18 books this year. That may change, however, with George Eliot's tome-like, The Mill on the Floss. I'm really harboring an interest in board games which is strange because I have hardly anybody to play them with. Ah, the non-perks of working an off shift. I'm still contemplating a new PC. I'm just waiting for those 2080 cards to go down just a tad more in price.

1.     The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot: And so begins another foray into great 19^th century literature. Published in 1850 this almost autobiographical tale of a miller’s daughter growing up in rural England is some of Eliot’s best work. The story concerns Maggie Tulliver, the girl, who has both beauty and brains, but is dismissed for any formal education because she’s a girl. Her brother, whom she idolizes is being groomed for scholarly learning at an academy despite his more obtuse demeanor and desire to play with pocketknives and fish, and chase through the woods. I’m only in to the first 100 pages, and the book is sending me to the dictionary a lot, but so far I’m well immersed.

2.     The Hurt Locker on Blu Ray: This is a thinking man’s take on modern Middle East warfare. Interestingly, it was directed by Katherine Bigelow, a woman, who as a matter of fact is James Cameron’s ex-wife. Jeremy Renner plays a bomb defuser who carries a flippant attitude toward the dangers of his work which puts him at odds with his fellow soldiers. The movie seems to capture the authenticity of US Army soldiers being deployed to Iraq, but the main star of this show is the Barret Light .50 that appears in a sniper duel halfway into the movie.

 

3.     Pet Sematary at the theater: This was an entertaining deviation from Stephen King’s famous novel, and an even further departure from the original 1989 film. Metacritic gave the film a 57. This is a rather tepid score for a movie I really enjoyed. Amy Seimetz gave a brilliant performance as Rachel Creed, the little girl star of the show, (and enough of a lookalike to actor, Matthew Lilliard to be his daughter. I was surprised she was not) who is at odds with her parents who each take separate stands in explaining the concept of death to her. And when little Rachel meets the concept head on we are filled with terror and then horror when we see what she does with it. Liberties are taken from King’s novel, but in a good way.  

4.     Boston Boston on DSD: Weighing in at hefty 1.49 GB and 24.99 on the ol’ wallet, from HD Tracks this one is for the pure snob audiophiles. I bought this album to put my DAP through its paces. I realize the human ear is only capable of so many frequencies, and the dynamic range of this album In this format far exceeds these, but I have to admit, this album sounds pristine beautiful. I believe this edition is the best I’ve ever heard, and believe me, I grew up on this album. When the organ subsides on “Foreplay/Long Time,” and the drum kicks in to welcome that amazing high E string guitar, it was an utter moment of aural bliss. 

 5.     Lost: Season 4 on Blu Ray: I finally knocked out the 4^th season. I’m still very much enjoying the series, especially with more science fiction mechanics stepping in. There were several episodes flash forwarding to events happening in the future (after an apparent rescue of the survivors) which is slightly disconcerting, and one has to be careful of bathroom breaks because important plot movements are bound to be missed. The show had an uncanny ability to make me hate one character in an episode, and then to go into backstory about that character in the next episode and finding they ingratiate themselves to me again. I love when art, whether it be literature, oil paintings or shows make me feel this way. I guess that’s what it’s all about. 

6.     The Last Samurai on Blu Ray: I saw this when it first came out in the early oughts and enjoyed it then. I watched it with my parents this month and found it equally as enjoyable, given they had never seen it. It’s along the same lines as Dances with Wolves and Avatar, but I got so involved watching it I never took notice. Tom Cruise portrays jaded US Calvary soldier, Nathan Algren, who is sent to Japan as an advisor against the ancient Samurai. He is captured by his new enemy and becomes smitten with their ways, eventually joining them to combat the very sources who hired him in the first place. The movie depicts a 19^th century Japan that makes me sad it didn’t stay that way. Change is the only constant, and “The Land of the Rising Sun,” is not exempted from it either. This movie shows that in a most bittersweet manner.

7.     Project Cars  on PC: Much like its estranged cousin, Assetto Corsa, this is a revered car racing simulation adored by its fans. I was prompted to pick this up by my Steam friend from across the pond, Ausmerica so we could do some online racing. “It will be fun,” he said. “It will be challenging,” he said. “We’ll be on equal footing,” he said. The truth is, I suck at online racing. I’ve only come close to beating him one time and he came from behind on the last lap, I bounced into a wall and sat there in frustration gunning my engine (in a go-kart of all things) trying to find reverse and get back on the track. Doh! Still, this game is a joy to play against the AI racers. The tracks are gorgeous, the cars are magnificent, and the sunshine looks so real I’m tempted to don my Ray-Bans. If you’re torn between this game and Assetto Corsa I’d say the latter might be a tad more realistic from a physics standpoint. They both seem to handle about the same. Just do like me. Pick up both of them!

8.     World War II in Color on Netflix : This is an excellent narrative on layman’s terms of the whole of the last good war. The series takes no biases either way, and in pure journalistic fashion tells it like it was from both sides. I had no idea the Germans would slaughter the population in cities they were about to lose back to the allies. I didn’t know the Russians raped women AND children when they marauded Germany. And I didn’t know the Japanese had no intention of surrendering after the first atomic bomb was dropped. Each episode is about fifty minutes long and covers one aspect/theater of the war. If you have any interest in Word War II, this will set it on fire.

9.     Hitman Codename:47 on PC: Yeah, I know I’m a masochist because I play so many difficult PC games. The thing is, I want to play the newer Hitman series, but I just don’t feel right doing it without going through all of the legacy games in the series. And brother, let me tell you, this one is hard. I’m thinking back to my Dark Souls days. I’m only into the 5^th mission, but with no in-game saves or stupid console-style checkpoints I’m struggling. I’ve made twenty-one attempts so far on this fifth mission. Typically, when I do get killed and fail the mission I’m laughing so hard because I did something so foolish I don’t even get angry. When I’m on my 70^th attempt I’ll see if I still feel that way. Released in 2000, the game has a great art style, and that coupled with the music reminds me of one of my other favorite games from 2000, Deus Ex. I’m always pushing it just to see how “intelligent” the AI really is. They seem to be pretty sharp. I trip one alarm and the whole flock of them scramble to meet me in the closet where I’ve been hiding. Suspect!