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Archive | January 16, 2015
January 16, 2015  

Update On Oliver Mtukudzi Who Will Be In Dartmouth (N.H.) HOP On January 30.

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by Anura Guruge

Other Related posts:
>> Oliver coming to Dartmouth Jan. 2015.

+++++ Search for ‘Hop‘ for other related posts using sidebar search —>>>

Music from his LATEST album, his 63rd. Yes, sixty-third. Click to listen to the music at YouTube. Alas there is no video. Just great audio. Listen to it. His beat and sound are unmistakable.

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Reaction in his native Zimbabwe to the release of this the 63rd album. Click to access original coverage.

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More interesting coverage. Click to access original.

Very UPLIFTING 18:10 minute of the delightful Oliver from an October 2013 NPR concert. On YouTube. Click to access. Interesting the video description says ‘acoustic’ guitar in hand. Appears to be plugged into an amp to my eyes. The backing on this … is spectacular. ENJOY.

All of this material provided by Rebecca Bailey,
the very talented and conscientious Publicity Coordinator/Writer
for the Hopkins Center for the Arts (at Dartmouth).

As I said in my original post, I have been an avid fan of Oliver’s since the early 2000s. I have 2 of his CDs right by me here at my desk. I only have 9 CDs up here — and two of those are Oliver’s. That says it all.

He will be great. A natural entertainer. Immense, innate talent. This will be a concert you will remember for the rest of your life. Trust me. I know this stuff.

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January 16, 2015  

Lytro Illum A Whole New Paradigm In Digital Camera: Take The Picture, Do The Focusing Later With Software.

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by Anura Guruge

Other Related posts:
>> Search ‘camera’, ‘Panasonic’, ‘Canon’ & ‘Samsung’ for other related posts >>>>

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The Lytro Illum ‘fixed (no) focus’ camera. Click image to access official product page.

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Click to ENLARGE. Before and after with the Lytro Illum. The raw picture it takes is not focused. It has all the light information but no focal point. You focus the raw image, whichever way you want it, using software — so you can have different focal points with the SAME picture.

Over the last couple of months not only have I been subscribing to some photography magazines, I have been studying them in earnest — as is invariably my wont when I get interested in a topic. Deep dive immersion. The last few magazines, over the last two weeks have all had thumbnail previews of the Lytro camera.

I understood it as soon as I read the very short, preliminary brief.

Though I loathe having to mess around with digital images after I have shot the picture, I fully appreciate that this is the real future of digital photography.

This does away with the need to stop and think when you are taking a picture. You don’t have to worry about focusing and the ‘depth of field’ (and with that ISO, aperture & shutter settings). You basically point the ONE, fixed lens at the image you want captured and let the HUGE senor capture all the light information.

Then using software you apply the focusing parameters. The picture comes alive at that point. Plus, of course, you can apply as many different setting as you want. So starting with one raw image you can end up with multiple very different images, each with its unique depth of field.

Appeals to me. IF I had a spare $1,600 I would get one. Probably give it to Devanee and tell her just to capture images in the general direction I am shooting with my camera — whatever that might be. Perfect for her. So settings to deal with. Just point and shoot. Then we can, at a later time, work on the focused images.

Magic.

Not sure I would want it as my main camera. I might. Right now, with Samsung in the dog house, I am thinking about a Pentax K-3. But that Samsung NX1 still beckons. But that is a different story. Really not going to get a camera right now. No time. Must get this current book done. Then I can think cameras — and it is likely that Pentax will have a new camera by then. That might have my name on it.

January 16, 2015  

Anthony Melchiorri Really Must Do A “The Grand Budapest Hotel” — IMPOSSIBLE!

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by Anura Guruge

Related posts:
>> Hit on Twitter.
>> ‘Woodstock Lodge’ for sale.
>> Anthony Melchiorri responds.
>> ‘Woodstock Lodge’ on ‘Hotel Impossible’.

++++ Search on ‘hotel’ & ‘TV’ for other related posts >>>>

Click to ENLARGE and savor.

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Hit me like a thunderclap this morning whilst I was lying in bed, drinking my coffee, listening to the depressing Swiss Franc shenanigans on CNBC and reading the ‘Market Watch’ headlines on my pad. Saw the headline that “The Grand Budapest Hotel” had been nominated for 9 Oscars — but none involving the acting cast. I had just looked at my blog stats, as I am wont to do first thing in the morning, to make sure that there is nothing that I have to take care of ASAP. Anthony Melchiorri’s name always features in my stats, since November, because of my few ‘Woodstock Lodge‘ posts continue to draw traffic. I had written about the “Grand” just two days earlier and the night prior we had been raving about it at dinner with Shane Selling before we got around to flying the drone in the house.

That was it. Anthony Melchiorri REALLY should do an IMPOSSIBLE ‘episode’ at “The Grand Budapest Hotel”. From what I can see there are two broad options:

1. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” producers do a sequel, using the same sets in Germany, with Anthony. That would be a hoot.

2. “Hotel Impossible” can get the rights and then using the magic of digital technology, essentially the same as that used with “Roger Rabbit” decades ago, can have Anthony and Blanche Garcia doing the Grand.

budantposterPerfect. The storyline lends itself perfectly. The movie starts off by talking of the Grand being in decline. So what better than to call in Anthony Melchiorri to do his magic. Lets face it — and Anthony will spot this in seconds. They don’t have an online reservation system or even a Website! You can just see Anthony making sure that that gets fixed. Plus those cracked tiles around the baths. Oh, Anthony will be in his element. The scene I want to see his Anthony and Blanche Garcia squeezed in Zero’s room with Anthony waving his arms wanting a makeover.

If Richard Rawling’s can tale “Fast N’ Loud” and make it into ‘Demolition Theater‘, Anthony should make some “Hotel Virtually Impossible” episodes — starting with the Grand.

bobanthavt1aThen Bob is his uncle. And it could even be Bob Newhart. How about Anthony and Blanche doing Bob Newhart’s “Stratford Inn” in Middlebury, Vermont? You can see that … right? [I have, long time ago, stayed at the “Waybury Inn” — which is the real Inn in Middlebury. I am sure it needs an update by now.]

So … this is the future for Hotel Impossible, having Anthony virtually fix up fictional hotels. P.S., Given that this post will be timestamped I will want a cut of the action.

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