Li TianQi of the ministry of Weather today said he wanted to let U.S. President Barack Obama know where he stood in China.  Calling upon MOW resources, Li made sure that the rain would be pouring upon Obama’s visit.  Why make it rain, we asked him.

“It’s quite simple-lah.”  Li is quoted.  “Remember the nice beautiful clouds during the National Day in Beijing?  We did that.  Now it was time to let the U.S. President know of our influence.”  Temperatures dropped in Shanghai during Obama’s visit, in which he visited both government officials asking him things like “You like chinese food?” and “Busha bad-la.  You think so?” and school children asking about the latest state of affairs between Sino-U.S. relations.

When asked what’s next for the Ministry of Weather, Xue Shangdi, vice minister said, “I believe Mr. Li wants to ensure a New Moon for the Spring Festival, but he’s still rather touchy on the whole ‘eclipse’ incident“.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Time, when asked why it’s dark in Shanghai at 5 in the afternoon, merely replied that time zones are a very complicated matter.  “It’ll take time.”

The Keep, Revisited

Posted: 19th November 2009 by Eric D in SinoPenn
Tags: , , ,

It’s taken me only 2 weeks to get to 99.4% on the flac’s. I’ll be damned if it’s been another week or so, and it’s still at 99.4%. It doesn’t really matter much though. After 20 years, I do indeed have that music that I’ve been after for so long!

I can edit the 0.6% at this point if I need to. Thank you , Tangerine Dream & Edgar Froese and company! You’ve done SO WELL with music! To me personally, much more than you probably realize.

Edit:  How’s this for timing?  The last 0.6% finished 5 minutes ago!  2 Hours after I posted this!  I have the ENTIRE SOUNDTRACK to a movie my father and I have been hunting for for over 23 YEARS!  I’m looking forward to when we kick back for a beer and blast it on his stereo in the Lunatic Fringe bar!

So close yet so far… (The Keep)

Posted: 12th November 2009 by Eric D in SinoPenn
Tags: , , ,

I deleted the original post referencing this piece, but now I figure, if Edgar or the movie studio is going to sue me for copyright infringement, so be it.

I’m still trying to get that elusive Tangerine Dream soundtrack for “The Keep”. It’s been at 99.4% for over a week.  Granted, it is enough to make my own tracks if needed.

Edgar Froese’s (or maybe not his) forums seemed to have banned me before I even got a chance to ask a question about it.

from ***@gmx.com
sender-time Sent at 7:34 PM (GMT+02:00). Current time there: 1:46 PM. ✆
reply-to ***@gmx.com
to ***me@**me.com
date Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 7:34 PM
subject Welcome to Tangerine Dream Forums
mailed-by smtp.srv207.twosteps.net

The email itself basically said that they’d let me on the forum once an admin gave the okay.  And that’s how long it’s been, including an email to the @gmx.com email address asking when if ever they actually check their email. Seriously guys, I’m not a spammer.  Just a fan is all.

I reference this track:

[podcast]http://www.sinopenn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/SinoPenn-I-NEED-THIS-TRACK.mp3[/podcast]

The idea behind this particular piece, soundtrack and movie (really, it’s all three) is due to my father way back in the ’80′s.  My parents divorced when I was like 3 or so.  When I was young, my father had custody for the occasional weekend, and one of the things we did together was watch movies.  Generally it was movies that my mother would never want to watch.

My mother and I thought “Flight of the Navigator”, “Escape from Witch Mountain” and “The Cat from Outer Space” as well as any James Bond movie were great movies.  But then there were things like “Creature”, “Dune”, “The Beastmaster”, “The Keep” and “Firestarter”  as well as any other Stephen King movie, which I watched with the old man.

The last two titles there just happened to share the same soundtrack.  Tangerine Dream.  Brian Eno is in there somewhere for “The Keep” as he and David Byrne also did “Mea Culpa” together back in 1983 as well as Eno’s music for “Dune”.

I was always good at getting music, but the one thing that eluded me was the soundtrack for “The Keep”.  My father had lots of Tangerine Dream vinyls and tapes.  I got my own eventually as well as I got older. But that “Keep” soundtrack was always elusive.  No shop ever had that soundtrack.

Fast Forward about 23 years.

I found it!  And I GOT IT!  Almost.  As I said, 99.4%.  Only 0.6% more to go before I can burn myself a CD & send it back to my father.

It’s been at 99.4% for about 3 weeks now, so most likely I’ll edit the last 0.6% myself and send it back as is, but just once, while I still can, I’d like to watch that movie again with him for old times sake, then play that music in his downstairs bar in full Dolby Surround Sound at full blast.  This time, the neighbors can call the cops on ME for the noise.  I fear time is running short.

Bubba’s Chili Cookoff

Posted: 4th November 2009 by Eric D in SinoPenn
Tags: , , ,

Was at Bubba’s this weekend.  Every year for the fourth year in a row, the Chili Cookoff is held at Bubba’s Texas Saloon.  Teams from both restaurants in Shanghai to individuals & groups sign up to cook in the cookoff, competing for Best Chili as judged by the judges, as well as Peoples’ Choice.  The people’s choice award tends to go to the team with the most flair, or in some cases, the ones who gives out the most shots.
Anyways, below are some pics.  The rest are on my Picasa Photo Gallery.

Me with Lacy (left) and Cindy (right) two of the hottest waitresses in China!

Me with Lacy (left) and Cindy (center) two of the hottest waitresses in China!

Tabasco, the 2009 Judges' Pick

Tabasco, the 2009 Judges' Pick

Chris, Cap't Jack et al.

Chris, Cap't Jack et al.

They were also in the band.

They were also in the band.

Ken, also known as the "Bubba" of Bubba's Texas Saloon

Ken, also known as the "Bubba" of Bubba's Texas Saloon

Philip, Lars, Bob & Janet, from left to right.

Philip, Lars, Bob & Janet, from left to right.

AOLSystemMsg: Go AWAY!!

Posted: 3rd November 2009 by Eric D in SinoPenn
Tags: , , ,

Everytime I use my vpn, it pops up. Gawd! AOL, just let me block the damn thing.

Holy Shit!

Posted: 30th October 2009 by Eric D in SinoPenn
Tags: , ,

Holy Shit!

Sorry, Sienna! Couldn’t resist this one!