S$# 005 Eurythmics | When Tomorrow Comes

The Eurythmics' 1986 album Revenge had a lot of great songs on it, but When Tomorrow Comes is my favourite of the bunch.

Annie Lennox's voice sounds particularly fluid and Dave Stewart's guitar work gives the song a folk rock feel.

Underneath your dreamlit eyes
Shades of sleep have driven you away.
The moon is pale outside
And you are far from here.
Breathing shifts your careless head
Untroubled by the chaos of our lives.
Another day - another night
Has taken you again my dear.
And you know that I'm gonna be the one
Who'll be there
When you need someone to depend upon
When tomorrow comes...

When Tomorrow Comes is featured on Revenge (the remaster of which also has a live acoustic version of the song), as well as Greatest Hits and Ultimate Collection.

Did I dream about these?

There are lots of movies and TV shows that are never made. They may be talked about; there may be screen treatments floating around; there might even be completed scripts. But the celluloid never gets an image on it.

Here are three movie projects that I'm sure I read or heard about at one time, many years ago. Or was I dreaming?

• Ron Howard was going to direct a movie inspired by Anne Murray's hit song “You Needed Me, and his Happy Days colleague Anson Williams (Potsie) was going to star. (A script may have been written by a guy named Craig Buck.)


• Sonja Smits was going to star as a ghost in a tragic film set in Newfoundland.


• Olivia Newton-John was going to play the wife of an industrialist in 19th Century Australia, in a mini-series.

Maybe these projects were talked about. Maybe not.

A$# 005 Beatles | Let It Be

I was going to write about a Jethro Tull album this week, but since this is the anniversary of the famous Rooftop Concert today (it happened on January 30, 1969), I thought I should cast the spotlight on Let It Be, the album recorded during the Get Back sessions that turbulent first month of 1969, but not released until more than a year later.

Much has been written about those turbulent times, how it really spelled the end for the Fabs. But the rooftop concert showed that the Beatles could still rock out, and the album - which didn't contain any performances from that "gig" (just a few spoken bits like "Thanks Mo" and John's "hope we passed the audition" line) - has some great moments on it.

Much has also been written about the impact of three of the Beatles agreeing to bringing in producer Phil Spector to oversee the final production on the album, a move that angered Paul McCartney.

The strings and choirs may have presented a song like The Long And Winding Road in a much different way than Paul intended, but the song is just too strong to ultimately suffer from the over-treatment. If you've ever heard the alt versions of the song on Anthology 3, Let It Be Naked or any bootlegs, you'll hear the differences of course. But the majesty of the song still comes through on the LIB album version.

Ditto the title song. Let It Be became just as much an anthem as Hey Jude. It's plaintive and introspective, yet ultimately it's a redemptive song, poignant perhaps as it grew out of such a negative atmosphere among the Fab Four.

The other real jewel of the album is Across The Universe. This recording is not actually from the Get Back sessions, but it fits in with the other songs, with its themes like "Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup / They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe".

Other strong songs include George's two tracks, I Me Mine and For You Blue, plus Get Back, Two Of Us and I've Got A Feeling. Maggie Mae and Dig It stick closely to the "back to their roots" idea.

For some interesting reading about the Rooftop Concert, check out this tribute site. I would also recommend listening to some of the outtakes that have been released unofficially, as well as the early Glyn Johns compilations of the album and the revisionist Let It Be Naked.You should see the LIB movie too, if you can find a copy on VHS. The DVD release has been delayed so many times, I figure it will come out for the 50th anniversary.

The tracklist of the LIB album is:
1. Two Of Us
2. Dig A Pony
3. Across The Universe
4. I Me Mine
5. Dig It
6. Let It Be
7. Maggie Mae
8. I've Got A Feeling
9. One After 909
10. The Long And Winding Road
11. For You Blue
12. Get Back

And Spock said ....

"I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose."
- Mr. Spock, Squire Of Gothos, Star Trek TOS, Season 1

Miscellaneous ramblings for January 27

To WA Mozart:

Happy 250th Birthday. Your work stands up after all these years.

For F:

The rules can be changed: Kobayashi Maru.

Helpful quote #1:

It's instinctive. The instinct can be fought. We're human beings with the blood of a million savage years on our hands, but we can stop it. We can admit that we're killers, but we won't kill today. That's all it takes -- knowing that we won't kill today.
- James T. Kirk, A Taste Of Armageddon, Star Trek TOS, Season 1

Helpful quote #2:

Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'...

Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
- Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A Changin'

Plus the name of an album by Men Without Hats (if only it could come true (but guess what; it can)):

The Adventures of Women And Men Without Hate In The 21st Century

Like no porpoise could ever do

Sometimes when you hear a song for the first time, there’s something in the lyrics that doesn’t make sense. When you find out later what the real lyrics are, and you realize your original thought was way off. (A mishearing of a phrase is called a mondegreen”. Wikipedia has a good definition, with examples.)

When I first heard Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called To Say I Love You more than 20 years ago, I thought I heard one very–odd sounding line: “To fill your heart like no porpoise could ever do.”

I knew he wasn’t singing about sea mammals. The next time I heard the song, I figured out what he was really saying: “To fill your heart like no three words could ever do.”

It just goes to show you; one’s brain can come up with really silly things.

Dana Delany

China Beach is one of my all-time favourite TV shows. The series, which ran from 1988 – 1991, was set at an American base in the Vietnam war, and it looked at that conflict mostly from the point of view of several women characters.

The show had a great ensemble cast. But it was Dana Delany as Lt. Colleen McMurphy that really made the show so great. She is a wonderfully talented actor - she even won an Emmy for her role. Though she’s done some interesting roles since, there’s never been anything, imho, that topped her role.

Useful links: a China Beach tribute page and Dana Delany’s official site.

Two of the photos above are from China Beach. One is not.

Lack of class

In the hours after the polling stations close and the votes are counted, the nation watches the results unfold on TV. During that time, the leaders give their concession speeches, then the one with the most seats gives the victory speech. I was tuned in to the English CBC network. Just after Paul Martin finished his concession speech, Peter Mansbridge announced that Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe had given his speech during Martin’s speech. They then played a recording of Duceppe’s remarks.

I know that there is no love lost between Duceppe and Martin, or the Bloc and the Liberals. But what the heck was Duceppe thinking? Why on Earth would he deliver his address when one of the other party leaders – the Prime Minister, in fact – was giving his? I’m quite sure it was not a simple scheduling error. This was a slap in the face not just to the Liberals, but to everyone in Canada, including Quebecois.

It was extremely rude and showed a real lack of class on the part of Duceppe and his organizers.

The numbers . . .

I was disappointed, but not surprised, that the Conservatives won the federal election. My discontent was mitigated somewhat, though, by the final seat count, subject to recounts in a few close-to-call ridings:

Conservative	124
Liberal	103
BQ	51
NDP	29
Independent	1
Total	308

As widely predicted, the Conservatives got a minority. But the NDP got 10 more seats than last time, the Liberals didn’t lose as many as a lot of people expected, and the Bloc lost a few. There are significant numbers of progressive forces that might be able to keep the most right-wing policies of the government from getting too far. We’ll have to wait and see how this minority 39th Parliament plays out in the months ahead.

S$# 004 Beatles | If You’ve Got Trouble

On February 18, 1965, the Fabs stepped into Studio 2 at Abbey Road to record, among other tracks that day, Ringo’s vocal outing for the upcoming Help! album. It was one of the more bizarre numbers in the Lennon-McCartney oeuvre, and it remained unreleased for more than 30 years.

Writing in 1987 in The Beatles Recording Sessions, Fab historian Mark Lewisohn wrote:

It was not one of the better Lennon-McCartney numbers by any stretch of the imagination, nor was it brilliantly performed in the one and only take… There was a fine moment of humour, however. Ringo had a tendency to shout something akin to “Take it, George!” when it came to the middle eight instrumental breaks of his songs. In If You’ve Got Trouble, perhaps sensing that the song needed some vital boosting, Ringo pleads “Aah, rock on, anybody!”

It is this idiosyncratic nature of the song that makes it fun. It’s no Yesterday or You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, but it shows a quirky side of the Beatles that one didn’t often hear. I’m glad it was included in the Anthology 2 set.

A$# 004 Electric Light Orchestra | Time

I’ll get straight to the point about this record: Time, the 1981 album by ELO, is a masterpiece.

It came out after the group was at its commercial peak (A New World Record through Discovery) and its critical nadir (Discovery and Xanadu), so it didn’t stir a whole lot of fuss, despite single Hold On Tight making it into the top 10 on the singles charts. Many fans had moved on to other artists, and some of the remaining fans were distressed that synthesizers had largely displaced the trademark ELO strings on many tracks. Also, this was from the period that Jeff Lynne has called the group’s contractual obligation era. To him, this album is not among his greatest accomplishments.

Why, then, do I make so much fuss about this album? Well, first of all, I’m not alone. Reviewer Robert Burrow calls it “the last truly great album from the Electric Light Orchestra” at Amazon.ca, and many customers there concur.

Time is a sci-fi concept album about a traveller displaced in time and space, a man who finds the future to be cold and alienating, but manages in the end to find hope and redemption. There is not a tight narrative to the set; rather, it speaks more of feelings and impressions, rather than plot points.

Plus, Jeff Lynne has written some of his most masterful songs here. From the vocoder-voiced opening track, Prologue – "Just on the border of your waking mind / There lies... Another time / Where darkness and light are one" – through to the rousing 50s-style rocker, Hold On Tight, and then a succinct wrap-up in Epilogue, Jeff presents a series of great songs that add up to more than the sum of their parts.

He sings about one-way tickets to the moon, cybernetic lovers, a computer that metes out justice, and plastic flowers. My all-time favourite ELO song is here – The Way Life’s Meant To Be. Our time traveller looks around at this brave new world and realizes he is a stranger in a strange land:

Although it's only a day since I was taken away
And left standing here looking in wonder
(It's your life, it's your life)
Ah, the ground at my feet, maybe it's just the old street
But everything that I know lies under
(It's your life, it's your life)
And when I see what they've done
To this place that was home
Shame is all that I feel
Oh, and I wonder (oh, I wonder)
Yes, I wonder (wonder, wonder, wonder, wonder)
Is this the way life's meant to be?

In the end, though, the traveller, even if he can’t get back home, finds his humanity and optimism for the future. In the dreamy 21st Century Man, the traveller learns he is not of that time (“Though you ride on the wheels of tomorrow / You still wander the fields of your sorrow”), he faces the future courageously, because he can "Hold On Tight" to his dreams.

The lyrics are not the only strength of the album. Jeff and his colleagues played exceptionally on this recording, from the swirling synths to boisterous guitars.

To me this is the perfect metaphor for alienation and disaffection, with a dash of hope. Time is a brilliantly conceived and executed pop music novel.

The bonus tracks on the CD are just as excellent. The Bouncer is very bouncy (a stripper’s theme, perhaps?), and When Time Stood Still is atmospheric and moody. Julie Don’t Live Here is probably the most infectious track of the whole disc.

Track listing:
1. Prologue
2. Twilight
3. Yours Truly, 2095
4. Ticket To The Moon
5. The Way Life's Meant To Be
6. Another Heart Breaks
7. Rain Is Falling
8. From The End Of The World
9. The Lights Go Down
10. Here Is The News
11. 21st Century Man
12. Hold On Tight
13. Epilogue
plus bonus tracks on CD:
14. The Bouncer
15. When Time Stood Still
16. Julie Don't Live Here

Music for the ballot box

As Canadians go to the polls today (I'm going to go after work), I have a few à propos tunes to listen to:

• Election Day - Arcadia
• I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician - The Byrds
• Vote For Me - The Move

Down to the wire ...

Everyone seems to be predicting that the Conservatives will win in Canada's election tomorrow.

I hope they don't get a majority. I hope that progressive forces vote in substantial enough numbers to ensure a Parliament will be able to keep Steven Harper and his allies in check.

Whatever your views are - if you're a Canadian, please vote on January 23.

ccTLDs

Have you ever seen a domain suffix that you don't recognize? Maybe it's a geographic code. Many commercial sites uses suffixes like .to (Tonga), .tv (Tuvalu) or .ws (Western Samoa). They are country code top level domains or ccTLDs. Here's a list of them.

code	territory
.ac	Ascension Island
.ad	Andorra
.ae	United Arab Emirates
.af	Afghanistan
.ag	Antigua and Barbuda
.ai	Anguilla
.al	Albania
.am	Armenia
.an	Netherlands Antilles
.ao	Angola
.aq	Antarctica
.ar	Argentina
.as	American Samoa
.at	Austria
.au	Australia
.aw	Aruba
.az	Azerbaijan
.ba	Bosnia and Herzegovina
.bb	Barbados
.bd	Bangladesh
.be	Belgium
.bf	Burkina Faso
.bg	Bulgaria
.bh	Bahrain
.bi	Burundi
.bj	Benin
.bm	Bermuda
.bn	Brunei Darussalam
.bo	Bolivia
.br	Brazil
.bs	Bahamas
.bt	Bhutan
.bv	Bouvet Island
.bw	Botswana
.by	Belarus
.bz	Belize
.ca	Canada
.cc	Cocos (Keeling) Islands
.cd	Congo, Democratic Republic of the
.cf	Central African Republic
.cg	Congo, Republic of
.ch	Switzerland
.ci	Cote d'Ivoire
.ck	Cook Islands
.cl	Chile
.cm	Cameroon
.cn	China
.co	Colombia
.cr	Costa Rica
.cu	Cuba
.cv	Cap Verde
.cx	Christmas Island
.cy	Cyprus
.cz	Czech Republic
.de	Germany
.dj	Djibouti
.dk	Denmark
.dm	Dominica
.do	Dominican Republic
.dz	Algeria
.ec	Ecuador
.ee	Estonia
.eg	Egypt
.eh	Western Sahara
.er	Eritrea
.es	Spain
.et	Ethiopia
.fi	Finland
.fj	Fiji
.fk	Falkland Islands (Malvina)
.fm	Micronesia, Federal State of
.fo	Faroe Islands
.fr	France
.ga	Gabon
.gd	Grenada
.ge	Georgia
.gf	French Guiana
.gg	Guernsey
.gh	Ghana
.gi	Gibraltar
.gl	Greenland
.gm	Gambia
.gn	Guinea
.gp	Guadeloupe
.gq	Equatorial Guinea
.gr	Greece
.gs	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
.gt	Guatemala
.gu	Guam
.gw	Guinea-Bissau
.gy	Guyana
.hk	Hong Kong
.hm	Heard and McDonald Islands
.hn	Honduras
.hr	Croatia/Hrvatska
.ht	Haiti
.hu	Hungary
.id	Indonesia
.ie	Ireland
.il	Israel
.im	Isle of Man
.in	India
.io	British Indian Ocean Territory
.iq	Iraq
.ir	Iran (Islamic Republic of)
.is	Iceland
.it	Italy
.je	Jersey
.jm	Jamaica
.jo	Jordan
.jp	Japan
.ke	Kenya
.kg	Kyrgyzstan
.kh	Cambodia
.ki	Kiribati
.km	Comoros
.kn	Saint Kitts and Nevis
.kp	Korea, Democratic People's Republic
.kr	Korea, Republic of
.kw	Kuwait
.ky	Cayman Islands
.kz	Kazakhstan
.la	Lao People's Democratic Republic
.lb	Lebanon
.lc	Saint Lucia
.li	Liechtenstein
.lk	Sri Lanka
.lr	Liberia
.ls	Lesotho
.lt	Lithuania
.lu	Luxembourg
.lv	Latvia
.ly	Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
.ma	Morocco
.mc	Monaco
.md	Moldova, Republic of
.mg	Madagascar
.mh	Marshall Islands
.mk	Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic
.ml	Mali
.mm	Myanmar
.mn	Mongolia
.mo	Macau
.mp	Northern Mariana Islands
.mq	Martinique
.mr	Mauritania
.ms	Montserrat
.mt	Malta
.mu	Mauritius
.mv	Maldives
.mw	Malawi
.mx	Mexico
.my	Malaysia
.mz	Mozambique
.na	Namibia
.nc	New Caledonia
.ne	Niger
.nf	Norfolk Island
.ng	Nigeria
.ni	Nicaragua
.nl	Netherlands
.no	Norway
.np	Nepal
.nr	Nauru
.nu	Niue
.nz	New Zealand
.om	Oman
.pa	Panama
.pe	Peru
.pf	French Polynesia
.pg	Papua New Guinea
.ph	Philippines
.pk	Pakistan
.pl	Poland
.pm	St. Pierre and Miquelon
.pn	Pitcairn Island
.pr	Puerto Rico
.ps	Palestinian Territories
.pt	Portugal
.pw	Palau
.py	Paraguay
.qa	Qatar
.re	Reunion Island
.ro	Romania
.ru	Russian Federation
.rw	Rwanda
.sa	Saudi Arabia
.sb	Solomon Islands
.sc	Seychelles
.sd	Sudan
.se	Sweden
.sg	Singapore
.sh	St. Helena
.si	Slovenia
.sj	Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
.sk	Slovak Republic
.sl	Sierra Leone
.sm	San Marino
.sn	Senegal
.so	Somalia
.sr	Suriname
.st	Sao Tome and Principe
.sv	El Salvador
.sy	Syrian Arab Republic
.sz	Swaziland
.tc	Turks and Caicos Islands
.td	Chad
.tf	French Southern Territories
.tg	Togo
.th	Thailand
.tj	Tajikistan
.tk	Tokelau
.tm	Turkmenistan
.tn	Tunisia
.to	Tonga
.tp	East Timor
.tr	Turkey
.tt	Trinidad and Tobago
.tv	Tuvalu
.tw	Taiwan
.tz	Tanzania
.ua	Ukraine
.ug	Uganda
.uk	United Kingdom
.um	US Minor Outlying Islands
.us	United States
.uy	Uruguay
.uz	Uzbekistan
.va	Holy See (City Vatican State)
.vc	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
.ve	Venezuela
.vg	Virgin Islands (British)
.vi	Virgin Islands (USA)
.vn	Vietnam
.vu	Vanuatu
.wf	Wallis and Futuna Islands
.ws	Western Samoa
.ye	Yemen
.yt	Mayotte
.yu	Yugoslavia
.za	South Africa
.zm	Zambia
.zw	Zimbabwe

Ideas for a cold Saturday night in January

Here are two of my sayings.

Most of human history is pretty disgusting. We have to learn from it so that, as a species, we can grow up and be civilized.

The unspoken rule about health care funding: Even if we allocated 100% of government spending towards health care, we will still all die anyway.

And or &

Have you ever noticed in the credits for a movied that when there are multiple writers listed, sometimes the names are separated by an ampersand, sometimes by the word "and"? Sometimes, if there are several people listed, the credit may contain both the symbol and word.

It all boils down to whether the writers worked together on the script, or separately at different stages. If it's the ampersand, the writers collaborated. If it's the word, they did not work together.

Here's an excerpt from a standard independent production agreeement put out by the Writers Guild of Canada:

When the names of more than one individual appear in the credits or subsidiary writing credits for a production, the names of the members of a Team shall be separated by an ampersand ("&"). All other Writers' names shall be separated by the word "and". When Writers' names are separated by the word "and", the names of the Writers shall appear in the order in which they were engaged on the production.

The same convention is used by the Writers Guild of America.

Icelandic male names

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a list of Icelandic female names. For the sake of completeness, and gender equality, here is a list of male names that have been used in Iceland. There are 1,152 names on the list.

• A-alsteinn
• Abel
• Abraham
• Adalbjorn
• Adalsteinn
• Adam
• Addi
• Adolf
• Adrian
• Aegir
• Aevar
• Aevarr
• Aggi
• Agnar
• Agni
• Agust
• Aki
• Albert
• Aldar
• Alex
• Alexander
• Alexius
• Alfgeir
• Alfgrimur
• Alfons
• Alfre
• Alfred
• Alfreo
• Alfur
• Allan
• Alli
• Almar
• Alrekur
• Alvar
• Alvin
• Amundi
• Anders
• Andreas
• Andres
• Andri
• Anes
• Angantyr
• Annar
• Annel
• Annes
• Anton
• Antonius
• Aoalsteinn
• Arbjartur
• Arbjorn
• Arelius
• Arent
• Ari
• Ariel
• Arilius
• Arinbjorn
• Arius
• Armann
• Arnaldur
• Arnar
• Arnberg
• Arnbergur
• Arnbjorn
• Arndor
• Arnfinnur
• Arngeir
• Arngrimur
• Arni
• Arnkell
• Arnlaugur
• Arnljotur
• Arnmundur
• Arnoddur
• Arnold
• Arnor
• ArnPor
• Arnsteinn
• Arnulfur
• Aron
• Arsaell
• Arthur
• As
• Asberg
• Asbergur
• Asbjorn
• Asgautur
• Asgeir
• Asgrimur
• Asi
• Askell
• Askur
• Aslakur
• Aslaugur
• Asmar
• Asmundur
• Asolfur
• Aspar
• Astbjorn
• Astgeir
• Astmar
• Astmundur
• AstPor
• Astvaldur
• Astvin
• Asvaldur
• Atli
• Audunn
• Austar
• Austmann
• Austri
• Axel
• Baering
• Baeringur
• Baldur
• Baldvin
• Baltasar
• Barri
• Baugur
• Beggi
• Beinteinn
• Beitir
• Bekan
• Benedikt
• Benjamin
• Benoni
• Benony
• Bent
• Berent
• Berg
• Bergmann
• Bergmar
• Bergmundur
• BergPor
• Bergsteinn
• Bergsveinn
• Bergur
• Bergvin
• Bernhard
• Bernodus
• Bersi
• Bertel
• Bessi
• Betuel
• Bibbi
• Birgir
• Birkir
• Birnir
• Bjargar
• Bjargmundur
• Bjarkar
• Bjarki
• Bjarmar
• Bjarmi
• Bjarnar
• Bjarnfinnur
• Bjarni
• Bjarnleifur
• Bjartmann
• Bjartmar
• Bjartur
• Bjolan
• Bjorgolfur
• Bjorgulfur
• Bjorgvin
• Bjorn
• Bjornolfur
• Bjossi
• Blaengur
• Blaer
• Blaevar
• Bo-var
• Boas
• Bogi
• Bolli
• Boovar
• Borgar
• BorgPor
• Borkur
• Botolfur
• Bragi
• Brandur
• Breki
• Bresi
• Brimar
• Brimir
• Brjann
• Broddi
• Bryngeir
• Brynjar
• Brynjolfur
• Brynjulfur
• Brynleifur
• Bui
• Burkni
• Cecil
• Christian
• Da-i
• Dabbi
• Dagbjartur
• Dagfinnur
• Dagur
• Dalmann
• Dalmar
• Damjan
• Dan
• Daniel
• Danival
• Daoi
• Darius
• Darri
• Davi
• Davio
• Diddi
• Dofri
• Domaldi
• Domaldur
• Donald
• Donaldur
• Dor
• Dori
• Draupnir
• Drengur
• Dufgus
• Dugfus
• Dui
• Dvalinn
• Dyri
• Dyrmundur
• Edgar
• Edilon
• Edvard
• Edward
• Efraim
• Eggeri
• Eggert
• Egil
• Egill
• Ei-ur
• Eilifur
• Einar
• Einir
• Eiour
• Eirikur
• Elberg
• Eldar
• Eldgrimur
• Eldjarn
• Eldur
• Elfar
• Eli
• Elias
• Elieser
• Elimar
• Elinor
• Elis
• Ellert
• Elli
• Elmar
• Elvar
• Emanuel
• Emil
• Engilbert
• Engilbjartur
• Enok
• Eric
• Erik
• Erlendur
• Erling
• Erlingur
• Ernir
• Ernst
• Erpur
• Esjar
• Eskil
• Esra
• Evert
• Eyberg
• Eyjolfur
• Eylaugur
• Eyleifur
• Eymar
• Eymundur
• Eypor
• Eyrikur
• Eysteinn
• Eyvar
• Eyvi
• Eyvindur
• Fafnir
• Falur
• Fannar
• Fannberg
• Felix
• Ferdinand
• Feykir
• Filippus
• Fin
• Finn
• Finnbjorn
• Finnbogi
• Finngeir
• Finnlaugur
• Finnur
• Fjalar
• Fjalarr
• Fjolmundur
• Fjolnir
• Fjornir
• Flemming
• Floki
• Flosi
• Flovent
• Forni
• Frank
• Franklin
• Frann
• Frans
• Franz
• Frar
• Freymar
• Freyr
• Freysteinn
• Fri-bjorn
• Fri-jon
• Fri-rik
• Fridrik
• Frimann
• Friobjorn
• Friojon
• Friorik
• Fritz
• Frosti
• Funi
• Fylkir
• Galdur
• Gamaliel
• Gar-ar
• Garibaldi
• Garoar
• Garpur
• Gaukur
• Gauti
• Gautrekur
• Gautur
• Geir
• Geirfinnur
• Geirlaugur
• Geirleifur
• Geirmundur
• Gellir
• Georg
• Gerald
• Geri
• Gestur
• Gigjar
• Gilbert
• Gilmar
• Gils
• Gisli
• Gissur
• Gizur
• Gloi
• Glumur
• Gnyr
• Gottskalk
• Gottsveinn
• Grankell
• Gregor
• Greipur
• Gretar
• Grettir
• Grimar
• Grimkell
• Grimlaugur
• Grimolfur
• Grimulfur
• Grimur
• Gu-bergur
• Gu-bjartur
• Gu-brandur
• Gu-jon
• Gu-laugur
• Gu-mundur
• Gu-ni
• Gu-steinn
• Gu-var-ur
• Gudberd
• Gudjon
• Gunnar
• Gunnberg
• Gunnbjorn
• Gunngeir
• Gunnlaugur
• Gunnleifur
• Gunnolfur
• Gunnoli
• Gunnsteinn
• Gunnvaldur
• Guobergur
• Guobjartur
• Guobrandur
• Guojon
• Guolaugur
• Guomundur
• Guoni
• Guovarour
• Gustaf
• Gustav
• Guthrum
• Guttormur
• Gylfi
• Gymir
• Haengur
• Hafberg
• Hafgrimur
• Hafhidar
• Hafli-i
• Haflioi
• HafPor
• Hafsteinn
• Hagalin
• Hakon
• Haleygur
• Halfdan
• Hallberg
• Hallbjorn
• Halldor
• Hallgeir
• Hallgils
• Hallgrimur
• Halli
• Hallkell
• Hallmann
• Hallmar
• Hallmundur
• Hallsteinn
• Hallur
• Hamar
• Hamundur
• Hannes
• Hannibal
• Hans
• Harald
• Haraldur
• Harekur
• Harlaugur
• Harri
• Harry
• Hartmann
• Hasteinn
• Hauksteinn
• Haukur
• Havar
• Hei-ar
• Heikir
• Heimir
• Heinrekur
• Heioar
• Hektor
• Helgi
• Hemmert
• Hendrik
• Henning
• Henrik
• Henry
• Herbert
• Herbjorn
• Herfinnur
• Hergeir
• Hergill
• Hergils
• Herjolfur
• Herlaugur
• Herleifur
• Herluf
• Hermann
• Hermundur
• Hersir
• Hersteinn
• Hersveinn
• Hervar
• Hervin
• Hilbert
• Hildibrandur
• Hildimar
• Hildimundur
• Hildingur
• Hildir
• Hilmar
• Hilmir
• Hinrik
• Hiram
• Hjallkar
• Hjalmar
• Hjalmtor
• Hjalmtyr
• Hjalmur
• Hjalti
• Hjorleifur
• Hjortur
• Hjorvar
• Hler
• Hlifar
• Hlini
• Hljomur
• Hlynur
• Hnefill
• Hnikar
• Hogni
• Holger
• Hollis
• Holm
• Holmar
• Holmbert
• Holmfastur
• Holmgeir
• Holmgrimur
• Holmkell
• Holmsteinn
• Holti
• Hor-ur
• Hordur
• Horour
• Hoseas
• Hoskuldur
• Hraerekur
• Hrafn
• Hrafnar
• Hrafnkell
• Hrannar
• Hrei-ar
• Hreinn
• Hreioar
• Hringur
• Hroaldur
• Hroar
• Hrobjartur
• Hroi
• Hrolfur
• Hrollaugur
• Hrolleifur
• Hromundur
• Hrutur
• Hubert
• Hugi
• Huginn
• Hugleikur
• Hugo
• Huldar
• Humi
• Hunbogi
• Huni
• Hunn
• Imi
• Ingi
• Ingiberg
• Ingibergur
• Ingibjartur
• Ingibjorn
• Ingileifur
• Ingimagn
• Ingimar
• Ingimundur
• Ingjaldur
• Ingolfur
• Ingvaldur
• Ingvar
• Ingvi
• Isak
• Isar
• Isholm
• Isidor
• Isleifur
• Isolfur
• Ivan
• Ivar
• Jakob
• Jakop
• Jan
• Janus
• Jarl
• Jason
• Jatgeir
• Jatmundur
• Jenni
• Jens
• Jes
• Joakim
• Joann
• Jochum
• Joel
• Johan
• Johann
• Johannes
• Joi
• Jokull
• Jomundur
• Jon
• Jonas
• Jonatan
• Jonbjorn
• Jongeir
• Jonmundur
• Jonsteinn
• Jorgen
• Jormundur
• Jorundur
• Jorvar
• Jorvi
• Josafat
• Josavin
• Josef
• Josep
• Josteinn
• Josua
• Juli
• Julian
• Julius
• Junius
• Kaleb
• Kalli
• Kalman
• Kalmann
• Kaprasius
• Kar
• Karel
• Kari
• Karl
• Karli
• Karvel
• Katarinus
• Kato
• Ketilbjorn
• Ketill
• Kiddi
• Kjalar
• Kjallakur
• Kjaran
• Kjartan
• Kjolbye
• Klaengur
• Klemens
• Klemenz
• Knorr
• Knutur
• Kolbeinn
• Kolbjorn
• Kolgrimur
• Kolmar
• Kolskeggur
• Konra
• Konrao
• Kopur
• Kormakur
• Kornelius
• Kort
• Kristberg
• Kristbergur
• Kristbjorn
• Kristdor
• Kristens
• Krister
• Kristfinnur
• Kristgeir
• Kristinn
• Kristjan
• Kristjon
• Kristlaugur
• Kristleifur
• Kristmann
• Kristmar
• Kristmundur
• Kristofer
• Kristvin
• Kvaran
• Kveldulfur
• Lar
• Larus
• Laufar
• Lauritz
• Leif
• Leifur
• Leiknir
• Leo
• Leon
• Leonard
• Leonhard
• Leopold
• Levi
• Liljar
• Linberg
• Lindar
• Lindberg
• Lini
• Ljotur
• Loftur
• Logi
• Loki
• Lorens
• Lu-vik
• Ludvig
• Lukas
• Lulli
• Luter
• Luther
• Ly-ur
• Lyour
• Lytingur
• Maggi
• Magni
• Magnus
• Manfred
• Mani
• Mar
• Marel
• Margeir
• Margrimur
• Mari
• Marias
• Marino
• Maris
• Marius
• Marjon
• Markus
• Maron
• Marsellius
• Marteinn
• Martin
• Marus
• Marvin
• Mathias
• Matthias
• Max
• Mekkino
• Melkolmur
• Methusalem
• Metusalem
• Meyvant
• Michael
• Mikael
• Mimir
• Mor-ur
• Moses
• Muggur
• Muli
• Muni
• Myrkjartan
• Myrkvi
• Nannulf
• Natan
• Natanael
• Neisti
• Neptunus
• Niels
• Nikolai
• Nikulas
• Nils
• Njall
• Noi
• Nokkvi
• Noni
• Nonni
• Norbert
• Normann
• Numi
• O-inn
• Oddbjorn
• Oddgeir
• Oddi
• Oddkell
• Oddleifur
• Oddmar
• Oddsteinn
• Oddur
• Ofeigur
• Ogri
• Okto
• Olaf
• Olafur
• Olgeir
• Oli
• Oliver
• Olivert
• Olnir
• Olver
• Olvir
• Omar
• Omi
• Omoflur
• Onundur
• Ooin
• Orlygur
• Ormar
• Ormur
• Orn
• Ornolfur
• Ornulfur
• Orri
• Orvar
• Oskar
• Ossur
• Osvald
• Osvaldur
• Osvifur
• Otkell
• Otri
• Ottar
• Otti
• Otto
• Pal
• Pall
• Palli
• Palmar
• Palmi
• Patrekur
• Patrik
• Per
• Pesi
• Peter
• Petur
• Pjetur
• Por
• Porarinn
• Porbjorn
• Porgeir
• Porgrimur
• Porhallur
• Porir
• Porkell
• Porleifur
• Pormar
• Porour
• Porsteinn
• Porvaldur
• Prostur
• Rafn
• Rafnar
• Rafnkell
• Raggi
• Ragnar
• Randver
• Rannver
• Reginbaldur
• Reginn
• Reidar
• Reimar
• Reinar
• Reynald
• Reynir
• Reyr
• Richard
• Robert
• Rognvaldur
• Rognvar
• Rokkvi
• Rolant
• Rolf
• Rosant
• Rosar
• Rosberg
• Rosi
• Rosinberg
• Rosinkar
• Rosinkrans
• Rosmundur
• Ruben
• Rudolf
• Runar
• Runolfur
• Rurik
• Rutur
• Saeberg
• Saebergur
• Saebjorn
• Saemundur
• Saer
• Saevaldur
• Saevar
• Saevin
• Sakarias
• Salmar
• Salomon
• Salvar
• Samson
• Samuel
• Sandri
• Sandur
• Sebastian
• Sesar
• Sesil
• Sig-ur
• Sigbergur
• Sigbjartur
• Sigbjorn
• Sigdor
• Sigfastur
• Sigfinnur
• Sigfus
• Siggeir
• Siggi
• Sighvatur
• Siglaugur
• Sigmar
• Sigmundur
• Signar
• Sigour
• Sigrikur
• Sigsteinn
• Sigtryggur
• Sigur-ur
• Sigurbaldur
• Sigurbergur
• Sigurbjarni
• Sigurbjartur
• Sigurbjorn
• Sigurbrandur
• Sigurdor
• Sigurfinnur
• Sigurgeir
• Sigurgestur
• Sigurgisli
• Sigurgrimur
• Sigurhans
• Sigurhjortur
• Sigurjon
• Sigurkarl
• Sigurlaugur
• Sigurleifur
• Sigurlinni
• Sigurmann
• Sigurmar
• Sigurmundur
• Siguroddur
• Siguroli
• Sigurour
• Sigurpall
• Sigursteinn
• Sigursveinn
• Sigurvaldi
• Sigurvin
• Sigvaldi
• Simon
• Sindri
• Sjafnar
• Skaeringur
• Skafti
• Skapti
• Skefill
• Skeggi
• Skirnir
• Skjoldur
• Skorri
• Skuli
• Skuta
• Smari
• Snaebjorn
• Snaeholm
• Snaelaugur
• Snaer
• Snaevar
• Snjolaugur
• Snjolfur
• Snorri
• Soffanias
• Sofonias
• Sofus
• Solberg
• Solbjartur
• Solbjorn
• Solimann
• Solmundur
• Solon
• Solvar
• Solvi
• Solvin
• Soren
• Sorli
• Stanley
• Starri
• Stebbi
• Stefan
• Stefnir
• Steinar
• Steinarr
• Steinberg
• Steinbergur
• Steinbjorn
• Steindor
• Steinfinnur
• Steingrimur
• Steini
• Steinkell
• Steinmann
• Steinmar
• Steinn
• Steinolfur
• Stigur
• Storolfur
• Sturla
• Sturlaugur
• Styr
• Styrbjorn
• Styrkar
• Styrmir
• Sudberdur
• Sumarli-i
• Svafar
• Svafnir
• Svan
• Svanberg
• Svanbergur
• Svanbjorn
• Svangeir
• Svanholm
• Svanlaugur
• Svanur
• Svavar
• Svein
• Sveinberg
• Sveinbjorn
• Sveinjon
• Sveinlaugur
• Sveinmar
• Sveinn
• Sveinungi
• Svenni
• Sverrir
• Svolnir
• Teitur
• Theodor
• Thor
• Thorberg
• Thorhallur
• Thorolfur
• Thorsteinn
• Timoteus
• Tindur
• Tjorfi
• Tjorvi
• Tobias
• Tomas
• Tor
• Torfi
• Toti
• Trausti
• Tristan
• Trostan
• Trumann
• Tryggvi
• Tumas
• Tumi
• Tyr
• Tyrfingur
• Uggi
• Ulfar
• Ulfkell
• Ulfljotur
• Ulfur
• Ulli
• Ulrich
• Ulrik
• Uni
• Unnar
• Unndor
• Unnsteinn
• Vagn
• Valberg
• Valbergur
• Valbjorn
• Valbrandur
• Valdemar
• Valdi
• Valdimar
• Valdor
• Valentin
• Valentinus
• Valgeir
• Valli
• Valmar
• Valmundur
• Valsteinn
• Valtor
• Valtyr
• Valur
• Vatnar
• Vebjorn
• Vegeir
• Veigar
• Vekell
• Velaugur
• Vemundur
• Ver
• Vermundur
• Vestar
• Vesteinn
• Vestmar
• Veturli-i
• Vi-ar
• Vi-ir
• Victor
• Vifill
• Vigfus
• Viggo
• Viglundur
• Vignir
• Vigri
• Vigsteinn
• Vikar
• Vikingur
• Viktor
• Vilberg
• Vilbergur
• Vilhelm
• Vilhjalmur
• Viljar
• Vilji
• Villi
• Vilmar
• Vilmundur
• Vimundur
• Vioar
• Vioir
• Virgill
• Voggur
• Volundur
• Vopni
• Vorm
• Wilhelm
• Willard
• William
• Willum
• Ymir
• Yngvar
• Yngvi
• Yrar
• Yrkill
• Zophonias
• Zor-ur
• Zor
• Zorarinn
• Zorbjorn
• Zorgeir
• Zorgrimur
• Zorhallur
• Zorir
• Zorkell
• Zorleifur
• Zormar
• Zorolfur
• Zorsteinn
• Zorvaldur
• Zrostur

Encryption

Guvf zrffntr unf orra rapelcgrq hfvat EBG13, n flfgrz gung fhofgvghgrf gur yrggre gung bpphef guvegrra yrggref nsgre gur vagraqrq yrggre. Be fbzrguvat yvxr gung. Ohg gurer'f ab terng frperg urer. Frr uggc://ra.jvxvcrqvn.bet/jvxv/EBG13

The power and powers of 2

I'm not a mathematician, but I like numbers. The powers of 2 are particularly interesting, whether in base 10 or binary. Here are some examples:

exponent	base 10	binary
0	1	1
1	2	10
2	4	100
3	8	1000
4	16	10000
5	32	100000
6	64	1000000
7	128	10000000
8	256	100000000
9	512	10000000000
10	1024	10000000000

Wikipedia has this to say:

Powers of 2 are important in computer science; for example, there are 2ⁿ possible values for a variable that takes n bits to store in memory. They occur so commonly that SI prefixes are commonly reinterpreted to refer to them: 1 kilobyte = 2¹⁰ = 1024 bytes. As the standard meanings of the prefixes also occur, confusion may result, and in 1998 the International Electrotechnical Commission approved a set of binary prefixes. For instance, the prefix for multiples of 1024 is kibi-, so 1024 bytes is 1 kibibyte. Other prefixes are mebi-, gibi-, and tebi-.

What about 2 itself? The word two has two homonyms - to & too. 2 is the only even prime number. Two's company. Paul McCartney wrote a song called One And One Is Two, and another called Two Of Us. The Eurythmics put out an album called We Too Are One that featured a song called We Two Are One. Canada has a $2 coin.

Some more factoids from Wikipedia:

• Despite being a prime, two is also a highly composite number, because it has more divisors than one. The next highly composite number is four.
• Two is a factor of ten, so vulgar fractions with 2 in the denominator do not yield infinite decimal expansions, as is the case with most primes.
• Two is the base of the simplest numeral system in which natural numbers can be written concisely, the binary system widely used in computers.
• The square root of 2 was the first known irrational number.
• The designation of the Trans-Canada Highway in most of the province of New Brunswick is 2.
• Two is the DVD region in Europe, South Africa, the Middle East and Japan.
• Two is the first digit of international telephone dialing codes primarily for countries in Africa. On most phones, the 2 key is associated with the letters A, B, and C, but on the BlackBerry it is the key for T and Y.
• The atomic number of helium [my favourite element] is 2.

There are so many interesting things about the number 2!

S$# 003 Police | Dead End Job

The punk influence in the Police was quite evident in Dead End Job, an early non-album b-side. (It was the flip of Can't Stand Losing You, released in September 1978.)

Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers produced an amazing body of work during their short time together as the Police. So you may be asking: why did I choose this obscure number for the song spotlight?

Dead End Job has a gleaming roughness about the song, like an uncut diamond that has sharp edges on it. Sting observed in the liner notes of the Message In A Box collection that the track, a Sting-Copeland- Summers collaboration, "was the best song we had back then. I loved that riff, it was quite a release."

The song is a rant against the tribulations of unchallenging employment, and it contains some scat vocals that lend to the atmosphere of the song, melding with that punk-style riff.

Check it out on the Message In A Box 4-CD set.

Ringo's many all-starrs

I like lists. Here's a list of the various configurations of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Bands, from 1989 through 2003:

1. Clarence Clemons, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Dr John, Jim Keltner, Nils Lofgren, Billy Preston, Joe Walsh
2. Timmy Cappello, Burton Cummings, Dave Edmunds, Todd Rundgren, Timothy B. Schmidt, Zak Starkey, Joe Walsh
3. Randy Bachman, Felix Caveliere, John Entwistle, Mark Farner, Billy Preston, Mark Rivera, Zak Starkey
4. Gary Brooker, Jack Bruce, Peter Frampton, Simon Kirke, Mark Rivera
5. Gary Brooker, Jack Bruce, Timmy Cappello, Simon Kirke, Todd Rundgren
6. Jack Bruce, Dave Edmunds, Simon Kirke, Mark Rivera
7. Sheila E, Roger Hodgson, Ian Hunter, Howard Jones, Greg Lake, Mark Rivera
8. Paul Carrack, Sheila E, Colin Hay, Mark Rivera, John Waite

Or to put it another way, here are all the artists listed alphabetically, followed by the number of All-Starr Bands they've played in - it's in brackets - and finally the numbers of which configurations they performed with.

Randy Bachman (1) 3
Gary Brooker (2) 4, 5
Jack Bruce (3) 4, 5, 6
Timmy Cappello (2) 2, 5
Paul Carrack (1) 8
Felix Caveliere (1) 3
Clarence Clemons (1) 1
Burton Cummings (1) 2
Rick Danko (1) 1
Sheila E (2) 7, 8
Dave Edmunds (2) 2, 6
John Entwistle (1) 3
Mark Farner (1) 3
Peter Frampton (1) 4
Colin Hay (1) 8
Levon Helm (1) 1
Roger Hodgson (1) 7
Ian Hunter (1) 7
Dr John (1) 1
Howard Jones (1) 7
Jim Keltner (1) 1
Simon Kirke (3) 4, 5, 6
Greg Lake (1) 7
Nils Lofgren (1) 1
Billy Preston (2) 1, 3
Mark Rivera (5) 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
Todd Rundgren (2) 2, 5
Timothy B. Schmidt (1) 2
Zak Starkey (2) 2, 3
John Waite (1) 8
Joe Walsh (2) 1, 2

What a lot of talent! That's 31 musicians in total, including Randy and Burton (unfortunately not at the same time, though). You'll see that Mark Rivera has played the most times (five); 20 musicians have played in just one band; eight have played twice, and two artists have had three tours of duty.

Sheila E is one heck of a percussionist. She’s also the only woman to play with any of the line-ups.

Apparently plans are in the works for a 2006 tour. Rumours are that Sheila E will be back, plus Colin Blunstone from the Zombies. Nothing’s confirmed yet. Stay tuned.

Rock on, Ringo!

A$# 003 Paul McCartney | Flaming Pie

Flaming Pie is one of Paul McCartney’s best albums. Originally released in 1997, it garnered many good reviews, debuted at a respectable position in the charts (perhaps because it followed relatively soon after the Beatles Anthology series) and was nominated for the Grammy for album of the year. These days, though, it seems to be a forgotten high point in Macca’s up-and-down post-Beatles career. (I would argue that’s it’s been much more up than down, but that is not the common wisdom.)

One ingredient that FP serves up in significant quantities is a feeling that often seems to be vague in many McCartney recordings – personal candour. He’s never been a writer of confessional songs in the same way John was, but on many songs here he seems to be very frank and honest while reflecting on his life. Take tracks like The Songs We Were Singing, Great Day, Somedays and even Little Willow; we get a glimpse of Paul growing older, reflecting on his musical accomplishments with his former comrades (TSWWS) and the fragility of human life (Somedays and LW). His wife Linda was battling cancer at the time, and one gets the feeling he knew just how vulnerable we humans are at times like that.

From Somedays:

Don't ask me where I found that picture on the wall
How much it cost or what it's worth
Sometimes I laugh
Laugh to think how young we were

We don't need anybody else
To tell us what is real
Inside each one of us is love
And we know how it feels

Somedays I cry,
I cry for those who live in fear
Somedays I don't
I don't remember why I'm here

The liner notes also outline another facet of McCartney’s genius. He tells us that he wrote Somedays in about two hours. For anyone who thinks Paul lost his talent after the Fabs split, this is just one song of many that refutes such silly thoughts.

The album serves up lots of other musical treats too, such as the fruits of collaborations with Ringo, George Martin, Steve Miller and – a special treat for me – Jeff Lynne. The songs range from fast-paced cookers to gentle acoustic numbers. The standouts for me are Beautiful Night and the wonderful, folkie Calico Skies. It’s one of my top-five Macca underrated gems.

Track listing:
1. The Songs We Were Singing
2. The World Tonight
3. If You Wanna
4. Somedays
5. Young Boy
6. Calico Skies
7. Flaming Pie
8. Heaven On A Sunday
9. Used To Be Bad
10. Souvenir
11. Little Willow
12. Really Love You
13. Beautiful Night
14. Great Day

Fun with phone numbers, part 2

Most of us are familiar with the use of 555 as the prefix for fictional North American telephone numbers in movies, tv shows and other media. I found some neat further information about this topic at Wikipedia.

Phone companies began encouraging studios to use the unassigned 555 prefix because people with numbers that matched those used in a film/show/book/song would get inundated with calls.

Did you know that only the numbers 555-0100 through 555-0199 are set aside for for fictional use? Other numbers in the 555 range have been released for actual assignment.

Also, the producers of some tv shows, such as 24 and Sex And The City, use real numbers that they have actually acquired. If you call the number, you might get a voice message from one of the characters on the show. I wonder if HBO still has the SATC numbers now that the show is out of production?

One last bit of info: the Simpsons' phone number is 555-3226 (as told in the the Mr. Plow episode).

Fun with phone numbers, part 1

The 519 area of southern Ontario will soon be joining the growing number of regions that have an area code overlay. The lucky number will be 226.

With the overlay comes 10-digit dialing for local numbers. Starting June 17, 2006, callers who dial 7 digits will get a recorded message telling them that mandatory 10-digit dialing is coming. That date is October 14, 2006.

It's a good thing most of us have touchtone phones now. Imagine actually dialing the extra 3 digits. Oh well, that's progress.

If you're in 519, remember to reprogram your speed dial, fax machine etc.

We've known about this coming for awhile, but now it seems a lot closer. End of public service announcement.

S$# 002 Guess Who | Of A Dropping Pin

It may not be surprising that I would cast my song spotlight on Of A Dropping Pin, a song first recorded on the cusp of The Guess Who’s transition from perpetual underdogs to international phenoms.

When I began seriously investigating the TGW back catalogue a couple of years ago, it was OADP, along with A Wednesday In Your Garden, that really caught my ear. These two tracks have in fact become my two favourite Guess Who songs.

OADP was the product of the growing song-writing collaboration of Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings (many composed on Saturdays in Burton’s grandma’s parlour). A mid-tempo rocker with catchy (if somewhat cryptic) lyrics, Of A Dropping Pin is a powerful piece of post-psychedelic pop. It was first released as a single in the fall of 1968 (just as the guys were off to New York City to record their breakthrough LP, Wheatfield Soul).

Can I be somewhere when I'm nowhere
Gaze through a diabetic eye
Can I put down the right to be put down
And never known the right to try
I'd leave and take my pride with me
And find something I could carry it in
But all that breaks the stillness here
Is the sound of a dropping pin.

As Winnipeg writer and TGW historian John Einarson noted, the song “was truly an artistic if not commercial knockout. Of A Dropping Pin was one of the most sophisticated collaborations, both instrumentally and especially lyrically, between the two songwriters. On this record, [producer] Jack [Richardson]’s savvy for arrangement and Burton’s blossoming lyrical talents bore fruit. That it fared even worse at #97 was a fate undeserving such a fine recording.”

The group rerecorded Of A Dropping Pin in the spring of 1969 for the Canned Wheat album. (The newer recording was also released as the b-side of the Maple Fudge single.) On CD you can find version 2 on Ultimate Collection and the remastered Canned Wheat. Also, the amazing This Time Long Ago 2-disc set contains an early version of the song recorded for the CBC’s Let’s Go program.

A$# 002 Blue Rodeo | Tremolo

Blue Rodeo have recorded many brilliant albums since Outskirts in 1987. Their 1997 effort Tremolo is one of my favourites.

The band’s approach on this album was to treat each recording session as a blank slate. From the liner notes: “‘For Tremolo, the band had no knowledge of the songs before we entered the studio,’ says songwriter-vocalist Jim Cuddy. ‘We just went in without a lot of rehearsal and cut a song a day.’”

The results are there to here. From the protest-song hit It Could Happen To You to the country-folkie opener Moon & Tree to the raucous closer Graveyard, Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor and their colleagues serve up 14 wonderful tracks. Other standouts include the ethereal Disappear and the melodic Fallen From Grace.

Track listing:
1. Moon & Tree
2. Shed My Skin
3. No Miracle, No Dazzle
4. Falling Down Blue
5. I Could Never Be That Man
6. Beautiful Blue
7. Fallen From Grace
8. Me & Baz
9. Disappear
10. It Could Happen To You
11. Dragging On
12. Brother Andre's Heart
13. Frogs' Lullaby
14. Graveyard

Rock me gently ... on a weekend morning

I turned on CBC Radio 1’s Fresh Air program this morning to a really cool surprise. Andy Kim was performing a live acoustic version of his 1974 hit Rock Me Gently, with singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith accompanying.

I have always loved this song.

In 1996, a 4-CD set of Canadian music called Oh What A Feeling was released. It featured most of the biggest Canadian tracks of the 70s (as well as some 60s, 80s and 90s), by artists from giants such as The Guess Who, Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot to newer artists such as Blue Rodeo and Alanis Morissette.

But the very first track I played was disc 3, track 21 – Rock Me Gently. I had searched for Andy Kim CDs but could not find any. So I was glad to be able to hear it.

It was even more cool to hear him on the radio this morning. Andy’s profile has been rising again lately; he’s even played in my neck of the woods, though I didn’t have the opportunity to attend. He’s got a number of concerts booked for 2006 at many locations in Canada, and some dates in the US.

His official web site is at www.andykimmusic.com.

Dear Mr. Harper

I will not vote for your party. Despite your efforts to put forth a more moderate persona and stance on issues, I still do not trust you or your party.

1) You have promised to re-open the same-sex marriage debate and hold a free vote in Parliament to restore the traditional definition of marriage. Yet you say you will not invoke the Notwithstanding clause to override any decision by the Supreme Court of Canada.

But the law will inevitably be struck down. Superior and appellate courts in almost all the provinces declared the traditional definition of marriage as unconstitutional. They will not change their mind simply because a reactionary Parliament has passed a new bill banning gays and lesbians from marrying. If the common law traditional definition violated the Charter of Rights, a legislative one will too. And the Supreme Court of Canada will not disagree with those courts, even if you get the opportunity to appoint a few right-wingers. You would have to use the Notwithstanding clause to keep the law functioning.

This issue is decided, Mr. Harper. How dare you propose to re-open it, and to move backwards, to take rights away from people. This is not acceptable from a person who wants to be Prime Minister of Canada.

2) I remember the nine years in Ontario of the so-called common sense of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, and witnessed how that practically destroyed the social fabric of Ontario by demonizing and attacking the poor and the vulnerable. Your party is cut from the same cloth. You and your colleagues don’t seem to get it that taxes are the price we pay to have a civilized society, and that we need a strong government to lead, to govern in the public interest.

So I will not vote for your party, Mr. Harper. I’d rather eat my ballot.

aPpLejAm

Plug me in. I remember Jeep. Thanks for the pepperoni.

Words of wisdom

If you think that entropy ain't what it used to be, or if you're not sure that Heisenberg may (or may not) have slept here, check out some of the quotes at Eclipse's General Signature Quote Collection.

Icelandic female names

Here is a list of 1,138 Icelandic names for females. It includes
Bjork, Inga and Vigdis.

• A-albjorg
• A-alhei-ur
• Adalbjorg
• Adda
• Addy
• Aesa
• Agata
• Agatha
• Agla
• Agnea
• Agnes
• Agusta
• Agustina
• Alba
• Alberta
• Albina
• Alda
• Aldis
• Alexandra
• Alexandria
• Alexia
• Alfa
• Alfdis
• Alfey
• Alfhildur
• Alfifa
• Alfrun
• Alfsol
• Alice
• Alida
• Alis
• Alisa
• Alla
• Alma
• Alrun
• Alvilda
• Alyssa
• Amalia
• Amanda
• Amelia
• Amy
• Andra
• Andrea
• Anetta
• Angela
• Angelika
• Anika
• Anita
• Anja
• Ann
• Anna
• Annabella
• Anne
• Annetta
• Anney
• Annika
• Anny
• Antonia
• Aoalheiour
• Arbjorg
• Arbjort
• Ardis
• Arelia
• Arey
• Arin
• Arina
• Arinbjorg
• Aris
• Armey
• Arna
• Arnbjorg
• Arnborg
• Arndis
• Arney
• Arnfinna
• Arngunnur
• Arnhei-ur
• Arnheiour
• Arnhildur
• Arnina
• Arnkatla
• Arnlaug
• Arnleif
• Arnljot
• Arnora
• Arnrun
• Arny
• Arora
• Arsol
• Arveig
• Asa
• Asbjorg
• Asborg
• Asdis
• Ashildur
• Asla
• Aslaug
• Asleif
• Asny
• Asrun
• Assa
• Asta
• Astbjorg
• Astbjort
• Astdis
• Asthildur
• Astri-ur
• Astrid
• Astriour
• Astros
• Astrun
• Astveig
• Asvor
• Atena
• Athena
• Atla
• Au-bjorg
• Au-ur
• Auobjorg
• Auour
• Axelia
• Baldina
• Baldvina
• Bara
• Barbara
• Begga
• Belinda
• Bella
• Benedikta
• Bengta
• Benna
• Benney
• Benny
• Benta
• Bentina
• Bera
• Bergdis
• Bergey
• Berghildur
• Berglaug
• Berglin
• Berglind
• Bergljot
• Bergny
• Bergpora
• Bergrin
• Bergros
• Bergrun
• Berta
• Bertha
• Bessi
• Beta
• Betty
• Bina
• Birgit
• Birgitta
• Birna
• Birta
• Birtna
• Bjargey
• Bjarghildur
• Bjarglind
• Bjarkey
• Bjarklind
• Bjarndis
• Bjarney
• Bjarnhildur
• Bjarnlaug
• Bjarnrun
• Bjarnveig
• Bjartey
• Bjartmey
• Bjorg
• Bjorghildur
• Bjork
• Bjort
• Blaedis
• Blomey
• Boel
• Bogey
• Boghildur
• Borg
• Borghildur
• Borgny
• Borgrun
• Bothildur
• Bra
• Braga
• Brak
• Branddis
• Briana
• Briet
• Brimdis
• Brimhildur
• Brimrun
• Britt
• Britta
• Bryndis
• Brynhildur
• Brynja
• Bylgja
• Cecilia
• Charlotta
• Christina
• Clara
• Dagbjorg
• Dagbjort
• Dagmar
• Dagmey
• Dagny
• Dagrun
• Daldis
• Dalla
• Dalros
• Dana
• Daney
• Dania
• Daniela
• Daniella
• Debora
• Dia
• Diana
• Dianna
• Didda
• Dilja
• Dis
• Disa
• Dogg
• Domhildur
• Donna
• Dora
• Dorotea
• Dorothea
• Draumey
• Drifa
• Drofn
• Droplaug
• Drott
• Dua
• Dufa
• Duna
• Dyrfinna
• Dyrleif
• Dyrley
• Dyrunn
• Edda
• Edil
• Edit
• Edith
• Efemia
• Egedia
• Eggrun
• Egla
• Eik
• Eindis
• Einey
• Einhildur
• Einrun
• Eir
• Eirdis
• Eirfinna
• Eirika
• Eirny
• Eldbjorg
• Eldey
• Eleina
• Elena
• Elenora
• Elfa
• Elfur
• Elia
• Eliana
• Elin
• Elina
• Elinbjorg
• Elinbjort
• Elinborg
• Elingunnur
• Elinora
• Elinros
• Elisa
• Elisabet
• Elisabeth
• Elka
• Ella
• Ellen
• Ellisif
• Elly
• Elma
• Elna
• Elon-Ebba
• Elsa
• Elsabet
• Elsie
• Elsy
• Elva
• Elvira
• Elvy
• Embla
• Emelia
• Emeliana
• Emilia
• Emiliana
• Emilianna
• Emily
• Emma
• Emy
• Eneka
• Enika
• Enja
• Enola
• Erika
• Erla
• Erlen
• Erlin
• Erna
• Esja
• Ester
• Esther
• Etna
• Eva
• Evfemia
• Evita
• Evlalia
• Eybjorg
• Eydis
• Eyglo
• Eyja
• Eyjalin
• Eyleif
• Eyros
• Eyrun
• Eyveig
• Eyvor
• Faida
• Fanney
• Fannlaug
• Fanny
• Fifa
• Filippia
• Finna
• Finnbjorg
• Finnboga
• Finnborg
• Finndis
• Finney
• Finnlaug
• Fjola
• Flora
• Folda
• Fonn
• Fransiska
• Franziska
• Freydis
• Freyger-ur
• Freygerour
• Freyja
• Freylaug
• Freyleif
• Fri-a
• Fri-ger-ur
• Fri-rika
• Frigg
• Frioa
• Friogerour
• Fura
• Fylgakona
• Fylgja
• Gabriella
• Gauja
• Gauthildur
• Gefjun
• Gefn
• Geirbjorg
• Geirdis
• Geirfinna
• Geirhildur
• Geirlaug
• Geirny
• Geirpru-ur
• Geirrun
• Ger-a
• Ger-ur
• Gestny
• Gestrun
• Gigja
• Gislina
• Gislunn
• Gissunn
• Gjaflaug
• Glo
• Globjort
• Glodis
• Gloey
• Gna
• Goa
• Gogo
• Greta
• Grima
• Grimhildur
• Groa
• Gu-bjorg
• Gu-finna
• Gu-laug
• Gu-ny
• Gu-ri-ur
• Gu-run
• Gudbjorg
• Gudridur
• Gudrun
• Gullbra
• Gullveig
• Gunna
• Gunnbjorg
• Gunnbjort
• Gunnborg
• Gunndis
• Gunnella
• Gunnfri-ur
• Gunnfriour
• Gunnhildur
• Gunnlaug
• Gunnleif
• Gunnrun
• Gunnur
• Gunnveig
• Gunnvor
• Gunny
• Gunvor
• Guobjorg
• Guolaug
• Guony
• Guoriour
• Guorun
• Gurney
• Gurry
• Guthbjorg
• Gy-a
• Gyoa
• Haddy
• Hafbjorg
• Hafborg
• Hafdis
• Hafey
• Haflina
• Hafros
• Hafrun
• Hafsteina
• Hakonia
• Halla
• Hallbera
• Hallbjorg
• Halldis
• Halldora
• Hallkatla
• Hallveig
• Hallvor
• Hanna
• Hansina
• Harpa
• Heba
• Heertha
• Hei-a
• Hei-bjort
• Hei-dis
• Hei-run
• Hei-ur
• Heioa
• Heiobjort
• Heiorun
• Heiour
• Hekla
• Helen
• Helena
• Helga
• Helma
• Henny
• Henrietta
• Hera
• Herbjorg
• Herbjort
• Herborg
• Herdis
• Hermina
• Herta
• Hertha
• Hervor
• Hilda
• Hildigunnur
• Hildisif
• Hildur
• Hilma
• Himinbjorg
• Hind
• Hjalmdis
• Hjalmey
• Hjalmros
• Hjalmrun
• Hjalmveig
• Hjaltey
• Hjordis
• Hjorny
• Hledis
• Hlif
• Hlin
• Hlokk
• Hodd
• Hogna
• Holmbjorg
• Holmdis
• Horn
• Hrafnborg
• Hrafndis
• Hrafndis
• Hrafney
• Hrafnhildur
• Hrafnkatla
• Hrafnlaug
• Hrafntinna
• Hrefna
• Hreindis
• Hrolfdis
• Hronn
• Hrund
• Hugborg
• Hugljuf
• Hugrun
• Huld
• Hulda
• Huldis
• Huldrun
• Hunbjorg
• Hvonn
• Ida
• Ilmur
• Ima
• Imba
• Imma
• Ina
• Inda
• India
• Indiana
• Indira
• Indlaug
• Indra
• Inga
• Ingeborg
• Inger
• Ingibjorg
• Ingibjort
• Ingiborg
• Ingifinna
• Ingiger-ur
• Ingigerour
• Ingilaug
• Ingileif
• Ingilin
• Ingimunda
• Ingrid
• Ingrun
• Ingunn
• Ingveldur
• Inna
• Ir
• Irena
• Iris
• Irja
• Irma
• Irpa
• Irunn
• Isabel
• Isabella
• Isadora
• Isafold
• Isbjorg
• Isdis
• Isey
• Isfold
• Ishildur
• Isis
• Islaug
• Isleif
• Isol
• Isold
• Isrun
• Iva
• Jakobina
• Jana
• Jara
• Jarmila
• Jarnbra
• Jarpru-ur
• Jasmin
• Jenna
• Jenny
• Jensina
• Jessy
• Jodis
• Johanna
• Jokulros
• Jolin
• Jona
• Jonanna
• Jonasina
• Jonbjorg
• Jondis
• Joney
• Jonina
• Joninna
• Jonny
• Jony
• Jora
• Jorlaug
• Jorunn
• Josefina
• Judit
• Judith
• Julia
• Juliana
• Julianna
• Julie-Andrea
• Junia
• Kaja
• Kamilla
• Kara
• Karen
• Karin
• Karitas
• Karla
• Karlotta
• Karolin
• Karolina
• Kata
• Katarina
• Katherine
• Kathinka
• Katinka
• Katla
• Katrin
• Ketilbjorg
• Kiddy
• Kirstin
• Kjalvor
• Klara
• Kleopatra
• Kolbjorg
• Kolbra
• Kolbrun
• Koldis
• Kolfinna
• Kolfreyja
• Kolgrima
• Kolka
• Kolla
• Konkordia
• Konny
• Kornelia
• Kria
• Krista
• Kristbjorg
• Kristborg
• Kristel
• Kristensa
• Kristey
• Kristiana
• Kristin
• Kristina
• Kristine
• Kristjana
• Kristlaug
• Kristlin
• Kristlind
• Kristny
• Kristros
• Kristrun
• Kristveig
• Kristvina
• Laela
• Lara
• Larensina
• Larey
• Laufey
• Laufhildur
• Lea
• Leanne-Tara
• Lena
• Lif
• Lilja
• Lill
• Lillian
• Lilly
• Lily
• Lin
• Lina
• Lind
• Linda
• Lineik
• Liney
• Linhildur
• Lisa
• Lisbet
• Lisebet
• Listalin
• Liv
• Lizzie
• Ljosbjorg
• Ljosbra
• Ljotunn
• Loa
• Lofthaena
• Logey
• Lola
• Loreley
• Lorey
• Lotta
• Louisa
• Lousie
• Lovisa
• Lucia
• Luisa
• Lukka
• Lydia
• Mabil
• Maeja
• Magdalena
• Magga
• Maggey
• Maggy
• Magna
• Magndis
• Magnea
• Magney
• Magnhildur
• Magnusina
• Magny
• Maidis
• Maja
• Malen
• Malena
• Malfri-ur
• Malfriour
• Malhildur
• Malin
• Manadis
• Maney
• Mardis
• Maren
• Marey
• Margret
• Margrjet
• Margunnur
• Mari
• Maria
• Mariana
• Marianna
• Marie
• Marin
• Marina
• Marinella
• Marit
• Mariuerla
• Marja
• Marolina
• Marselia
• Marselina
• Marsibil
• Marsilia
• Marta
• Martha
• Mary
• Mattea
• Matthea
• Matthia
• Matthildur
• Mattina
• Mekkin
• Melkorka
• Melros
• Messiana
• Metta
• Mey
• Milla
• Minerva
• Minney
• Minny
• Mira
• Mirjam
• Mirra
• Mist
• Mjoll
• Moey
• Mona
• Monika
• Mork
• Munda
• Myrra
• Nana
• Nanna
• Naomi
• Natalia
• Nattsol
• Nelly
• Nikolina
• Nina
• Ninna
• Njala
• Njola
• Nora
• Norma
• Nott
• Oddbjorg
• Oddhildur
• Oddlaug
• Oddleif
• Oddny
• Oddrun
• Ogn
• Oktavia
• Olafia
• Olafina
• Olga
• Olina
• Olla
• Olof
• Olrun
• Olveig
• Orbrun
• Ork
• Osk
• Osp
• Otkatla
• Pala
• Paldis
• Paley
• Palin
• Palina
• Palmey
• Palrun
• Pam
• Pat
• Perla
• Peta
• Petra
• Petrea
• Petrina
• Petrun
• Petrunella
• Polly
• Pora
• Poranna
• Porbjorg
• Pordis
• Porey
• Porhildur
• Porunn
• Priska
• Puriour
• Pyri
• Ragga
• Ragna
• Ragney
• Ragnhei-ur
• Ragnheidur
• Ragnheiour
• Ragnhildur
• Rakel
• Ran
• Randalin
• Rannveig
• Rebekka
• Regina
• Renata
• Rikey
• Rin
• Rita
• Roberta
• Rogn
• Ros
• Rosa
• Rosalind
• Rosanna
• Rosbjorg
• Rosborg
• Roselia
• Rosey
• Roshildur
• Rosinkara
• Roskva
• Roslaug
• Roslin
• Rosmary
• Rosmunda
• Rosny
• Run
• Runa
• Runny
• Rut
• Ruth
• Sabrina
• Saebjorg
• Saebjort
• Saeborg
• Saedis
• Saefinna
• Saehildur
• Saelaug
• Saemunda
• Saeros
• Saerun
• Saeunn
• Saevor
• Saga
• Salbjorg
• Saldis
• Salina
• Salka
• Salma
• Salny
• Salome
• Salvor
• Sandra
• Sara
• Sasha
• Selja
• Selma
• Senia
• Sesilia
• Sesselia
• Sesselja
• Shellyn
• Sia
• Sif
• Sigdis
• Sigga
• Sigmunda
• Signy
• Sigri-ur
• Sigridur
• Sigriour
• Sigrros
• Sigrun
• Sigurast
• Sigurbirna
• Sigurbjorg
• Sigurbjort
• Sigurborg
• Sigurdis
• Sigurdrif
• Sigurdrifa
• Sigurey
• Sigurfinna
• Sigurhanna
• Sigurhildur
• Sigurjona
• Sigurlaug
• Sigurleif
• Sigurlin
• Sigurlina
• Sigurmunda
• Sigurosk
• Sigurros
• Sigursteina
• Sigurveig
• Sigurvina
• Sigyn
• Silfa
• Silfrun
• Silja
• Silka
• Silva
• Silvia
• Simonia
• Sirri
• Sirry
• Sisi
• Sita
• Sjofn
• Skulina
• Snaebjorg
• Snaebjort
• Snaeborg
• Snaebra
• Snaedis
• Snaelaug
• Snaeros
• Snaerun
• Snjolaug
• Snorra
• Snot
• Soffia
• Sofia
• Sol
• Sola
• Solbjorg
• Solbjort
• Solborg
• Solbra
• Soldis
• Soldis
• Soldogg
• Soley
• Solhildur
• Sollilja
• Solny
• Solrun
• Solva
• Solveig
• Solvey
• Solvor
• Sonja
• Stefania
• Steina
• Steinbjorg
• Steindora
• Steiney
• Steinhildur
• Steinlaug
• Steinpora
• Steinros
• Steinunn
• Steinvor
• Stella
• Stina
• Stjarna
• Sumarros
• Sunna
• Sunnefa
• Sunneva
• Sunniva
• Susanna
• Svafa
• Svala
• Svana
• Svanbjorg
• Svanbjort
• Svanborg
• Svandis
• Svanhildur
• Svanhvit
• Svanlaug
• Svava
• Sveina
• Sveinbjorg
• Sveinborg
• Sveindis
• Sveiney
• Sveinhildur
• Sveinlaug
• Sveinrun
• Sveinsina
• Sveinveig
• Sylgja
• Sylvia
• Systa
• Tanja
• Tara
• Tekla
• Telma
• Teresa
• Thea
• Thelma
• Theodora
• Thordis
• Tibra
• Tina
• Tindra
• Tinna
• Tirsa
• Todda
• Toka
• Tomasina
• Torfey
• Torfhildur
• Tota
• Tryggva
• Ulfhildur
• Ulfrun
• Ulla
• Una
• Undina
• Unna
• Unnbjorg
• Unndis
• Unnur
• Ursula
• Vaka
• Vala
• Valbjorg
• Valbjork
• Valborg
• Valdis
• Valentina
• Valeria
• Valey
• Valhildur
• Valny
• Valros
• Valrun
• Valva
• Valy
• Vebjorg
• Vedis
• Veiga
• Velaug
• Venus
• Veny
• Vera
• Veronika
• Victoria
• Vif
• Vigdis
• Vigdogg
• Vigga
• Viktoria
• Vilborg
• Vildis
• Vilhelmina
• Villa
• Vilma
• Von
• Vordis
• Wali
• Ylfur
• Ylja
• Ylva
• Ynja
• Yr
• Yrja
• Yrr
• Yrsa
• Zeesie
• Zora
• Zorbjorg
• Zordis
• Zorey
• Zorunn
• Zuri-ur
• Zyri

S$# 001 Byrds | She Don't Care About Time

The lead single for the Byrds' second album in 1965 was the title tune - Turn! Turn! Turn!, a jingly-jangly reading of Pete Seeger's reading of Ecclesiastes.

The b-side is also a great number. She Don't Care About Time was written by vocalist Gene Clark; it was recorded August 23, 1965. It includes the ever-present 12-string Rickenbacker sound by Roger McGuinn, but it's the vocals that are the real strength of the song.

Hallways and staircases everyday to climb
To go up to my white walled room out on the end of time
Where I can be with my love for she is all that is mine
And she'll always be there, my love don't care about time

The song is featured as a bonus track on the 1996 remaster of Turn! Turn! Turn! (Actually, there are two versions - the commercial release and an earlier version with a more prominent vocal, plus harmonica solo.)

It's George Martin's birthday

Happy Birthday to Sir George Martin, who turns 80 today. (He was born January 3, 1926.)

If any person can lay claim to the title "fifth Beatle", surely it is George. He nurtured their talent and creativity, from creating superb arrangements and performing occasional instrumental accompaniment to co-ordinating the realization of their more audacious and demanding audio wishes.

A$# 001 Beatles | Please Please Me

From the vibrant "one, two, three, foouur" count-in of I Saw Her Standing There to the frenetic, ripped-up-voice energy of Twist And Shout, the Fabs' first album, Please Please Me, is a roaring debut, showing the nascent magnetism, versatility, sheer magnitude of talent and genius that the Beatles would develop throughout their career together.

The early strength in the Lennon/McCartney songwriting shows in their first two singles (Love Me Do, Please Please Me) to raucous rockers like I Saw Her... and gems like Ask Me Why and There's A Place. They may not be as sophisticated as their later, more complex songs, but the spirit is there.

It's amazing that 10 of the 14 songs were recorded in one day, February 11, 1963. As Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn has said: "There can scarcely have been 585 more productive minutes in the history of recorded music. For in that time, the Beatles recorded all ten new songs for their first long-player. Together with the four sides of their first two singles, a 14-song album was born."

Track listing:
1. I Saw Her Standing There
2. Misery
3. Anna (Go to Him)
4. Chains
5. Boys
6. Ask Me Why
7. Please Please Me
8. Love Me Do
9. P.S. I Love You
10. Baby It's You
11. Do You Want To Know A Secret
12. Taste Of Honey
13. There's A Place
14. Twist and Shout

It still stands up more than 40 years later.

Preview

Although it's my intention to use this blog as a stream of consciousness, I do plan some regular features. Look for an album spotlight (A$# xxx) on Mondays and a song spotlight (S$# xxx) on Tuesdays. I hope you enjoy them.

Imagine vanity plates

You can preview what a vanity plate would look like without having to put up the money up first.

At ACME License Maker, you can select any Canadian province or US state, input your message and generate an image of the plate.