http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2012/01/album-stream-wire--.html

Discussions on another thread have made me reinvestigate Manfred Mann. I've got a greatest hits which, sure enough, contains all the hits I remember but I'd be interested in hearing more.

Is there a decent box set or 'The Complete...' available of either the Paul Jones or Mike D'Abo years? I remember, back in the day they released a lot of EPs and a couple of instrumental albums.

This was from the SFTW mail out but I think it deserves a wider circulation :-)

I have an audiobook in .m4b format that I'd like to burn onto CDs. Any ideas how I could do this?

Direct burn to CD? Convert .m4b to .mp3s? Any thoughts?

Thanks

Hardly a matter of earth-shattering importance, but what's happening with the loathsome Sausage Sandwhich Game? During the summer it was replaced with something called 'Posession Battleships'. I missed a few episodes of the show and, suddenly, the SSG is back and I have to fast-forward through the podcast.

Anyone able to enlighten me?

Sorry if this has been posted before, but let's fill ourselves with Christmas cheer.

Welcome back to the Aspidistra & Hatstand, one and all. It's Christmas time and we've not been open for a while. (A little local difficulty over us not being licensed, technically).

Our Artistic Director, Mr James Blast has designed and developed our beautiful sign:

The main bar is open now, serving a range of Real Ales and some Imaginary ones too. Through in the Cocktail Lounge we have Mojitos and many other drinks on offer. I will also be manning the Gaggia so that those who prefer a coffee can join in the fun.

I'm starting the night with a glass of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (it's the family wine) and I'm putting the Beat Poets on the jukebox.

So please, come away in - what festive tune will you put on the jukebox and what are you having to drink ?

After much deliberation, I've just taken delivery of a Roomba 'robotic' vacuum cleaner. Although friends have raved about them for years, I've never been really convinced it could be ss good as they said, but decided to take the plunge anyway.

I'd compare it to an iPad or iPod - until you've got one, you can't appreciate how wonderful it is.

It wakes up every night at 01:30 and vacuums pretty much the entire ground floor of my house, putting itself back to bed in it's docking station when its done.

It cleans at least as well as my old Dyson and, based on the contents of its dust bin, it's getting more dirt out of the carpet than the Dyson ever did.

It won't replace a proper vacuum cleaner - it can't do stairs - but it's perfect for a daily 'fill-in' clean of the main floor areas.

They key thing is, the FPO approves of it as well, rather than thinking its just a gadget! :-). It does, however come with a radio control so you can manually drive it around but, of course, I don't do that and just leave it to explore of its own accord.

...and, yes, the cats love riding on it. :-)

Mary Jo Fisher is an Australian Senator. A while back she was arrested for stealing groceries from a supermarket and taking a swipe at the security guard that tried to stop her. A notable character, if you will.

Earlier this year she gave a speech in the Senate that was one of the weirdest, gripping and flat-out crazy performances you’ll ever see. She’s serious. And it’s in Hansard. Ladies and Gentlemen, a leader of our nation:

Inspired, I confess, by another website.

...so here's an HP scanner playing Little Drummer Boy.

Enjoy :-)

None more analogue!

It is (very nearly) the first Friday of the month.

So, ladies and gentlemen of The Massive, please gather round and share, what have you heard, read, and seen this month, and is there anything else you'd like to tell us about ?

Just idly leafing through YouTube and I came across this. It never fails to raise a smile from me

...and Terry Bozzio is a beast of a drummer

Went for my daily radiotherapy appointment today only to be told that my haemoglobin levels are low and so, to ensure the effectiveness of the radiotherapy, they want to change my blood! How neat is that, and I don't even need to go to a Swiss clinic to have it done! Eat your heart out, Keef.

Remember those NME Cover Cassettes ? I have fond memories of Little Imp, in particular

Some kind soul has digitised them all.

http://pressplayandrecord.wordpress.com/

I remember stimpy of this parish was looking for one.

It'll be fun to hear them again!