Wednesday, February 29, 2012

So Rare

Jimmy Dorsey, Big Band leader
(29 February 1904 - 12 June 1957)

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Jimmy Dorsey (alto sax) 1957 -
with the Artie Malvin Singers
- So Rare (Herst)

iOS Device Ringtone Download

Jimmy Dorsey, sax
with the Artie Malvin Singers (1957)
- So Rare (Herst)

Leapin' Rossini Crescendo!

Today marks Rossini's 220th birthday anniversary.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini
Italian-born classical composer of
opera, chamber, sacred, and instrumental music
(29 February 1792 - 13 November 1868)

Neville Marriner
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (1966)
String Sonata No. 2 in A minor, III - Allegro (Rossini)
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.

The Amalfi Coast at Night, Italy

Night Song at Amalfi
Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933)

I asked the heaven of stars
What I should give my love -
It answered me with silence,
Silence above.

I asked the darkened sea
Down where the fishes go -
It answered me with silence,
Silence below.

Oh, I could give him weeping,
Or I could give him song -
But how can I give silence
My whole life long?

Monday, February 27, 2012

First Early Spring Blooms, 2012

Home Garden Daffodil Collage, 27 February 2012

Daffodils (1913)
Edith Howes

Oh the golden daffodils,
That open in the spring,
When gorse blooms out on all the hills,
And birds begin to sing!

They nod their heads, their yellow heads,
All down the garden walk;
As if they wish to leave their beds,
And run about, and talk.

Suppose they could! What jolly fun
To see them run and play!
Like golden children from the sun,
Come down to spend the day.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Frank Bridge Birthday Anniversary

Frank Bridge
English violinst and neo-classical composer
(26 February 1879 - 10 January 1941)

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Sir Adrian Boult
London Philharmonic Orchestra (1978)
- Rosemary (Bridge)


Dr Flynn Speaks Out

Source: News Herald, 5 February 2012, Panama City, FL


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Viens, descendons ensemble

Léo Delibes
French composer of
ballets, operas, and stage scores
(21 February 1836 - 16 January 1891)

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All Angels (Sung in French, 2006)
- Flower Duet (opera Lakmé) Sous le dôme épais (Delibes)

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Linstances of Consequence

Now the rest of the story. A friend's older female relation, with whom I am also acquainted, is the confidant of Jeremy Lin's mother. The two Christian ladies have been the closest of friends even before Knicks' new and sensational point guard was born.

Indeed, the winter of Knicks discontent made glorious summer by this son of Lin. And all the clouds that lowered upon the Garden, in the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Amazon Wants My Canon SD 780 IS Camera


Apparently, the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Digital Elph - a camera which I own - is a much sought after item these days. I bought this camera in 2010 from Amazon for USD $169.00. In today's email, Amazon wanted me to trade in the said camera for a paltry gift card of $58.50.

There is an economic reason why this trade-in offer. Amazon wants to sell more electronics itself for better profit margins than getting some percentage of sales from its vendor-associates. The latter are selling more stuff than its host, according to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

If anything, the Canon SD780 IS camera has retained its value and then some. On Amazon, a vendor is pricing the new PowerShot SD780 IS at USD $519.00; the lowest price for a used one sells at about $110.00.

Compact digital cameras with viewfinders are not being made these days. That is why they are hard to find, and therefore more expensive than the LCD only models.

Surely, my Canon SD780 IS compact digital camera can be sold at more than $58.50. I am holding on to my two Canon PowerShot Digital Elph cameras. They both have viewfinders and LCD displays. One also shoots video in the Windows .AVI, the other in the QuickTime .MOV format.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Trust Thou Thy Love

Wishing You a Happy Valentine's Day 2012!

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Eric Hammerstein, London Promenade Orchestra (1987)
- Là ci darem la mano (Mozart)


Trust Thou Thy Love

Trust thou thy Love: if she be proud, is she not sweet?
Trust thou thy Love: if she be mute, is she not pure?
Lay thou thy soul full in her hands, low at her feet;
Fail, Sun and Breath!—yet, for thy peace, She shall endure.

—John Ruskin (1819-1900)

Thoughts to Ponder

Elements of the Democratic Party

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

My First Free Kindle e-Book


The thing about the Amazon Prime member free book lending library is nice but not without limitations. One can borrow a Kindle e-book from the lending library and keep it for as long as needed, sans a due date. The drawback is only one book per month can be borrowed. There is no book exchanging once a it is checked out for the month. One can only return the book. There are no exceptions to the policy. To minimize the chance of checking out a wrong book, or having an afterthought, download and peruse a sample version of the prospective book first.

Today is only the seventh date of February, and already I have finished reading on the Kindle Fire John Miller's historical fiction, "The First Assassin." A good read. No new Kindle free book for remainder of the month. Oh well.

Being somewhat of a voracious readers, it is fortunate I have unread e-books installed in my other mobile devices, not to mentioned printed books (remember those?), many unread, too, stashed on the bookshelves.

Having many books in my possession, its an embarrassment of riches, really. It's no privation at all of my not having free access to another Kindle e-book.

I Hear Leaves Drinking Rain


Ritenour and Carlton, (1995)
After the Rain
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.


The Rain
William H. Davies
1918

I hear leaves drinking Rain;
I hear rich leaves on top
Giving the poor beneath
Drop after drop;
'Tis a sweet noise to hear
These green leaves drinking near.
And when the Sun comes out,
After this Rain shall stop,
A wondrous Light will fill
Each dark, round drop;
I hope the Sun shines bright;
'Twill be a lovely sight.

Monday, February 06, 2012

God Save the Queen

Elizabeth II
Diamond Julilee Reign
6 February 1952 -

Title as of 29 May 1953:
Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor

(By the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith)