phishtaper

had the chance to have diner with Karl Willanger after the Philly show, what a humble nice person, truly a class act.

sweet! how'd ya manage that? and what did he eat?

I caught them in toronto at the opera house a couple weeks ago. was a great show! some old and some new tunes.

Beatles-like, but different, I agree. and the Brit-pop/folk connection to his earlier work with the Waterboys was really apparent too. the new CD is a concept album, about media in the future, and it comes with a matching DVD - nice to grab it for just $15 at the show.

i'd seen him once before, maybe 12 years ago. it was just as good this time. although, the predominantly male crowd was all in their 40s and up, with maybe 10 people under 30yo almost felt like a private vip show.

I don't understand why you would even bother posting this message if you have no idea what diazinon is, or how to answer Willy's question?

Wow, are you serious? You seem to have really misread my post. I praised Willy for asking, I wasnt being sarcastic. And yes, I do actually know what diazinon is - and its dangerous. I just didnt think it necessary to haul out the US Dept of Labour, Material Safety Data Sheet. Diazinon WAS a common, commercially available, topically applied (powder), neuro-organic pesticide. It is a suspected carcinogen, associated with respiratory illnesses, potentially fatal in high dose, and in most compounds, has already been banned in many jurisdictions, including some in Canada and the US. Along with 2,4-D, it is often referenced as one of the more problematic substances still in use on commercial, and some residential, properties today. Most recent studies of residential, cosmetic pesticide use will reference it near the top of their lists. I didnt think I needed to say all this (or mention the fact that my Master's thesis focused on remediation of an industrially-toxified, potable aquifer).

My admission of ignorance was about alternative treatment of dogwood, not the toxicity of diazinon. I thought it was clear that the purpose of my post was to praise his asking for alternative treatments.

And I am not accusing anyone of being anti-environment, including his neighbour. People become accustomed to using various substances, and I have no doubt his neighbour was being supportive without realizing the dangers of the chemical.

But, please accept my apology for not staying ON topic - like your post. Jeesh, indeed.

i like the fact that you came here asking for alternatives, rather than just spraying right away. (let me guess, your neighbour also has their lawn sprayed by WeedMan 3x a year too?) i avoid chemicals on my lawn whenever possible (and diazinon sounds pretty nasty).

personally, i'll live with some dandelions or a few dead plants, rather than contributing to the poisioning of local water sources and/or local wildlife - my humble version of "thinking globally, acting locally". (re: the dogwood, no idea, sorry).

im listening to this now and all I can say is ... Wow.

this is gonna be some show!

another thing to consider is that if you do get a car deck with Sat built-in, your subscription will be tied to that unit only. you would then have to get a second unit and pay for a second subscription to be able to listen in the house (assuming your car deck stays in the car).

we survived quite well on one plug'n'play unit for a while - taking it in and out of the car and paying for just one subscription. we only got the second unit because of the two cars - ie., so we both can listen to it in both cars.

for sure, directly integrated/wired units are better than ones that rely on FM transmission, but they also require additional units / subscriptions to listen elsewhere.

we've had Sirius since late Dec, 2005. got it for howard and have really enjoyed having him in his new format. well worth the costs, just for him alone. we subbed thru sir-us, originally just to ensure access to howard (but now available on sir-can). though, sir-can still seems to be much slower to do everything than sir-us (equipment, units, features, etc.).

LOTS of really good music! that was kinda the expected, but surprizingly impressive, bonus for now having to pay for howard. my fav's are 26 - Left of Center (alternative, college type stuff with artists like sufjan stevens, lily ally, feist); 22 - First Wave (new wave from the 80s like duran duran, depeche mode); 17 - Jam On (phish, dead, moe) and 70 to 73 - various jazz channels. yeah, i agree, playlists are a bit repetitive in the short term, but they do switch up over time. i found that used to bother me, but I quickly discovered that a good song I actually like is only one, maybe two, pre-sets away. its NOTHING like regular radio where you spend more time looking for tunes, than listening to them. i never listen to regular radio anymore. and playing CDs in the car less often too. a really cool feature as well is that most of these stations also have regular, weekly live broadcasts, which are fun to listen to at home in the evening.

the gear - we have two Sportster Replay plug'n'play's, each with a car base, and one additional home base inside. the Sportster Replays have one of the best built-in FM-transmitters, so we just transmit to 88.1 and tune the FM tuner in the car to that and listen thru the original car stereo. the antennna cable is tucked under trim and set on the back dash. works great. never had a problem.

inside the house, the base is 1/8"/RCA wired into the stereo, using the supplied cable. mostly we listen thru the main stereo, but various small FM radios around the house are just tuned to 88.1 and they works great too. the biggest issue at home is the antenna. the supplied antenna is generally not strong enough, so you should consider getting the outdoor (terk sir-6) antenna. trees, buildings, roofs DO block the signal, so consider that as well when "placing". overall, none of it is hugely high-tech (mini-jacks, uses FM transmission, etc.) which was actually a cause for some concerns re: quality of sound, but it has not been a problem at all. it actually sounds quite decent.

we can also listen to it all online, at work, etc. one online connection per subscription, via pswd streaming. overall, getting all the gear set up was a bit of a hassle and a real learning experience (especially antennas), but its been well worth it.

Big Sugar, opening for Blues Traveller at Varsity Arena (UofT) in 95. It was insanely loud and is the primary reason why I wear earplugs at every show I go to now. Loud for the sake of loud is just stupid.

Are you talking about 'AppleTree'? Thats what my doc joined and it blows...well not for him as he has way less paper work.

I hadn't heard of AppleTree, but having just looked at its website, Im guessing that its private specialized care in the Ottawa area, and not fully-public primary care. It seems to be a collective of various practitioners that specialize in dental, physio, eye, diagnostic, etc..

Is this your "regular" doctor? My guess is that they would probably be a specialist of some sort (perhaps in addition to their regular practice), but I have no idea.

What I was refering to is the new way that the delivery of primary health care (ie., physicals, sore throats, "my arm hurts when I do this") has been structurally reorganized in Ontario. I think that AppleTree is more in the new wave of private collectives of practitioners (whose services, quite confusingly, are paid for thru OHIP, your own employers' insurance plan, and possibly some out of pocket user fees - a $15 fee for a massage, sorta thing, maybe).

For sure, its starting to get quite messy in health care as to delivery and pay. Quite messy.

In Ontario, patients now go to "Family Health Teams", not one individual physician, per se. [Technically, you still "sign up" with one team member.] Depending on where you are, there will be several of these "teams" in your area, each consisting of several physicians, sometimes actually located in different (nearby) offices. This way, if your doctor is away or booked, you can still book with one of the other docs on the team for all primary care issues. Each team is also required to set up after-hours access as well.

The odd thing is that all teams make you sign an exclusivity agreement, stating that you will not go to another doctor outside of the team, which would include any other after-hours, walk-in clinics. In other words, you agree to go to one set of doctors, and no-one else. It has its pluses and minuses, but the biggest advantages are that its easier to sign up with a member of a "team" than with one specific physician, and you can usually book an appointment quicker.

If you have identified one doc you particularly like, but they are not taking new patients, check to see who else is on their team and consider signing up with one of them. That way you will still have some access to the one doc that you initially wanted, if they happen to be available that day, etc.. Choosing a physician is actually a really important thing, I think, so its good that you are taking the time to ask. Cheers.

The Sun is an instrument of terror.

and an instrument of blowout stereo sales and sex phone lines. be fair now

tragic events.

um, when did this place become Scotiabank Place? when I first read this thread title, I pictured Pete Townshend windmilling on the teller counter in some local branch.

im thinking of leasing part of the sidewalk out in front of work, putting up a big neon sign that says "Jamband Way" and levying a "sidewalk maintenance fee" of ten pennies to walk on it. :crazy:

statistically you're right freak but unfortunately a city need be more than just a number.

yes, it must have a stoplight and a video store / gas station. oh oh, and a martini bar.

It's funny you say UP because I have been thinking that this is basically Haute Musique, like haute couture or haute cuisine. Up as opposed to base (low). Small portions, big price points, great materials, intense presentation....

... and to think I went to the Albion for dinner! basse cuisine, indeed. i didnt realize it was the irony that made my burger and fries so delicious.

agreed, Zero. thankfully, im not involved in the politics or administration. ive volunteered in the past and I know people who help run things, but have never held any "position". so in that, you and I have different experiences, no doubt. i like to simply attend and drink in the various spirits. my previous post was more to just share my thoughts on the performances themselves, not the festival, per se. sounds like the Bang performance was great - Im sorry I missed it.

re: uppity - yeah, I overstated my thoughts and should have said that all jazzfests have elements of uppitiness (or is that simply "up"? ) but at the GJF, because of its relatively (very) small size, the up is more overt, both in terms of other attendees and programming. i still think that up is at all jazzfests, but normally, plebes like me who dont wanna pay $450 to see Ella Fitzgerald at The Openning Gala or attend stuffy workshops which take place at many other jazzfests (Toronto and New Orleans included), aren't exposed to up all that much there. at GJF, one cannot help but be exposed to up, its pervasive (and likely intentional).

agreed, the GJF programming is not intended to be popular - i think thats an intentionally carved niche. perhaps they should just change the name of it to the Guelph Terribly Challenging, Not Always Enjoyable, But Probably Memorable and Provocative, Avant Garde Sound Festival But hey, people still talk about the world-infamous Sainkho Namtchylak fiasco from 2004.

... besides, what is a "Jazz Festival" anyway? Purists in Toronto have complained about MMW being included in the TJF for years. And my best ever show at a New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was actually Mars Volta in a small late-night theater show - not exactly a 'jazz' band

I wonder if the powers that be read this.

Guelph - Great city, nice seedy underbelly to keep things interesting and edgy. Hard to see myself there post-university but if I was going to raise a family I would be more than happy to move back there

yes, please come back our CPQ (Cool People Quotient) has been falling of late. but be warned, it's probably not the same place now.

Guelph and Kingston? great TOWNS. ...What's wrong with towns? nothing.

i agree, but sadly, a lot of towns turn into cities ... or worse ... bedroom communities for nearby cities. Guelph is at a turning point right now. It's in real danger of losing its sense of town.

its so bad that most here don't seem to care that Nestles is sucking dry the aquifer south of town while the pro-development council makes plans to pipe in our water from Lake Erie to accommodate the thousands who have recently moved here from Mississauga.

btw, some really nice thoughts in your posts, Beats and One, and in everyone else's.

How big is Massey Hall?

Can ticket purchasing wait a month or what?

Any ideas?

2800 (but only 1500 actually worth sitting in).

Yes. Tickets went on pre-sale on Aug 16 and regular sale on Aug 21 thru the Massey Hall website. You can get decent tix, as of right now, so I would guess you'd be able to get good tickets for a while still.

Martin solo is a little too unpredictable for me, although moments are indeed brilliant. I like the Rheos, always have, always will. Some great nights have been spent with these guys and their musical friends.

This will be a very very special evening.

keep saying hi to people on the street. that should be considered normal behaviour.

in Geneva, just smiling or laughing in public is considered abnormal. they'd lock you up for actually saying hi. :crazy:

fwiw, I like toronto.

This sounds really cool! I HIGHLY recommend butterflies. VERY cool place to be, surrounded by all the pretty little buggers. Be sure to take a camera.

Here's a pic I took at the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory a couple years ago:

There were thousands of them all around you. Amazing. The experience is even better when 'enhanced'.

I will be the first one to admit that when it comes to Jazzfests, Im as technically knowledgable as a stone. I never know when the "song" ends and when to begin clapping. I have no idea who has played with whom, or who invented what style. So, I just show up without much thought. This year I got three very different performances, all on the Saturday. And I enjoyed them all.

The 10:30am Paul Plimley (piano), Tommy Babin (bass) and Hamid Drake (drums) performance at the beautiful little Guelph Youth Music Center was well worth getting out of bed for. Drake has become THE festival favourite over the past few years and for good reason. He's not only a brilliant and inventive improvizationalist, he's just plain fun to watch. (Who 'plays' the cymbal stand?!) Babin provided solid and groovy support on bass, but the highlight of the show was the quirky and, at times, comically frantic playing of Plimley. Smiling from ear to ear throughout the show, bed-headed and casually beltless, Plimley treated us to melody, dissonance, and some mighty fine piano string plucking, complete with a slide. Together, these three competent musicians provided a fun start to the day.

The main Saturday night performance at the Guelph River Run Center featured a double bill with György Szabados (piano) & Vladimir Tarasov (drums) and then Steve Coleman & The Five Elements. Szabados and Tarasov, both making their debut performances in North America were wondrous to see. Hungarian and Lithuanian musical legends, respectively, these two 60- or 70-somethings gave us a lesson in unorthodox and free form improv. Szabadoz looked like he just stepped out of WWII, spine completely erect, surgically attacking and massaging the keys (and strings as well - what's with jazz pianists who like to get INSIDE the piano?). Tarasov was an offbeat, grandfather-type drummer with Einstein hair who you just couldnt help but love. A starkly beautiful performance, and one that the artists themselves seemed quite grateful for.

Next came saxophonist Steve Coleman & The Five Elements. Arranged in a semi-circle, each with a music stand (what exactly are they reading?), and half in bare feet, 'youth' came out and took over the stage for the second half of the evening. Featuring a collective of a female vocalist, trumpet, trombone, bass, drums, Coleman has surrounded himself with some very talented young artists. Some interesting and catchy playing, but my empty stomach got the better of me and I didnt stay till the end - which went on a bit too long from what I understand.

Finally, I hauled my tired butt over to the late night performance of Bell Orchestre in the basement of the adjacent church. Knowing that the players were part of the Arcade Fire scene was promising. But, alas, the dimness of the basement, their matching white outfits, their ethereal sound, and jaunt through the audience proved to be a little too much (or too little) for me, so I only stayed an hour. Interestingly, even the kids standing along the side walls stood motionless. Not that the tunage was all that dancey, but it seemed as if someone had mischievously gassed the audience with muscle relaxant. Or maybe it was the Pad Thai noodles they were serving.

And speaking of muscle relaxant - I understand the criticism that the festival is 'uppity', but really, what jazzfest isnt? It is what it is - people attend for all sorts of reasons (and from quite far away if the license plates in the parking lots are any indication). And I, for one, am just glad that I can catch these sorts of shows only a few blocks from my own bed, without having to fly down to New Orleans or fight the 401 to Montreal.

All in all, a B+ (mostly for Paul Plimley).

Cheers!

mmmmmmmmm, yummy when's dinner? :grin:

Our bass player and I, in unison, replied, "Best smoked meat in the universe." Unrehearsed.

for those who have eaten at Schwartz's, no explanation is necessary. for those who haven't, none is possible

... or, was that the Grateful Dead?

so, on your way out of town Paul, drive up St Laurent to Schwartz's, grab one set to eat right then, and another for the road. then keep driving a few blocks up to the plateau to St Viateur for bagels. It's all pretty much on the way to the highway. Trust me, a 30 minute investment will bring hours of "mmmmmm". dont be intimidated by the line-up either at Schwartz's.

old monteral is really nice too for a meal one night. a bit pricey there and would probably be full of touristes, but its beautiful just to grab a creme glace and walk around in the evening. the Prince Arthur area is fun for loads of decent restaurants, and its closed to cars, so good to just stroll too. and dont forget, you can bring your own wine to any restaurant in the city.

Enjoy the most beautiful city in North America!

i love montreal. always a great time there. heading out in a few weeks for the Raconteurs show. i think le swimming is closed now, but metropolis, les foufounes electriques and club soda might have something interesting. check out:

http://www.montrealmusicscene.com

http://www.montreal-clubs.com

http://www.toutmontreal.com/english/eguide/bars/bymusic.html

and definately, Schwartz's Deli on St Laurent for the best smoked meat sammiches in this half of the galaxy. and bagels from st viateur (or any of the others close by). yum. im jealous.

I had a great time too. Was there for the whole thing, missing just the pre-noon stuff on Saturday and Sunday (oops, on that one). Highlights for me included Feist, Dubblestandart, and Justin Nozuka's unscheduled 20min 'tween set on the main stage. The Sarah Harmer, Leslie Feist, Mia Dyson, Rebecca Campbell & Oh Susanna acoustic workshop at the sun stage (a fully solar powered stage) on Sunday afternoon was a lot of fun too, especially seeing Oh Suzanna playing the Canadian Six String Nation Guitar - a really cool guitar constructed of bits of Canadian history that was on display all weekend.

Brutally! hot, thank gawd for gatorade. Met up with lots of friends, food was great (for the most part) but man, this is starting to get a bit crowded. First time I've ever seen a line to actually get into one of the side tent stages. And beer lines? Ugh, forget it. And what was with those crazy bikes people were riding? :crazy: I stupidly waited until they only had the Ginger ice cream left. (oops on that one too) Overall, another great Hillside, with loads of smiling faces and earsfull of wonderful tunes.

Thanks for everything, Hillside!

dead tour ... good friends, good music, good times. we were lucky. bobby welcomed ya, but the fat man kept ya comin' back.

thank you, jerry. thank you, vince.

Did you know you can write a letter to one of his family members (im not sure which one) and say that you are one of his childern and they will send you a dollar bill.

what if I write a million, billion times?