I just got my census form today and while I haven't been dreading it, I have been wondering about the questions they ask that get people all up in arms.  Now that I am looking it over, I'm wondering if I got the right form.  There's nothing here that sends up any red flags, just general questions about who I am and where I live.  Did I miss something?  Is there some special DNA collection material in the paper itself?  Are my fingers populated with atom-sized microchips from touching the form?

It's funny how people have so much to say about the census and how it's a violation of privacy, but will answer considerably more personal questions on Facebook.  This is asking about residence, age, gender and race.  Pretty much it's all data that can be posited by anybody.  This data also serves a purpose in our states and cities.  Everybody who visits my blog can tell that I'm a 36 year-old white, male homeowner.  Is this a problem?  As far as I can tell, there is nothing here that can not be found out about me from other means.

Bite the bullet, fill it out, mail it back.  That's it.  At least they don't make us pay for postage to mail it back.  Oh yeah, it's also required by the constitution.  This data cannot be used for prosecution purposes and is not shared with anybody.  Doing so would deter people from participating in the census.

I am going to try to entertain you with the second chapter of The Time Traveler's Handbook.  This chapter deals with actually leaving.  I kind of liked this chapter when I wrote it.

Chapter 2--Going on Vacation

It's now time to take off for the past and a fabulous vacation.  It's hard to know exactly what one might encounter, but preparation is key.  Make sure the time machine is locked up securely and out of sight of any curious third parties.  Remember where it's parked, though, as it is necessary to returning home.  Keep in mind, what happens in the past does not mean it stays in the past.  Aging is a concern, too, because the human body continues to age no matter where in time it happens to be.  Finally, when coming home it is important not to get back earlier than the initial departure time because if one person talks to him/herself it could spoil the whole trip.

Things were different in the past, so it's difficult to tell what one will encounter when arriving in the past.  Some times may be easier than others.  Coming in during the late-1600's have pitfalls due to the superstitions of the time.  Arriving in the middle of a war could result in death.  Prehistoric man could go one of two ways, either the cave-persons will get scared and kill the time travelers or or revere them as gods (which may not be all bad).  Pretty much, it's hit or miss on the people (or other beings), but it makes for an exciting trip.

Remember to stow the time machine in an inconspicuous location and don't forget to lock it up.  The last thing history needs is a rogue figure changing things around.  It also would not be be good to lose the time machine as it makes it much more difficult, though not impossible, to get back to the present.  Communication from one time period to another is under investigation, the current technology means it is only possible to find another time traveler in the past and hitch a ride home.  This is, however, a rare occurence so keeping tabs on the time machine is a wise move.  Being prepared and keeping the time machine safe are important, but there are some more important things to keep in mind.

One must keep in mind not to touch anything when traveling backward in time.  Any action in the past can affect the present.  It could also stand to reason that further back one travels in time, the smaller actions could impact the present more.  It would also be a good idea to keep far away from relatives as any contact may affect present and future generations (no offense).  This means that anything that happens in the past does not necessarily stay in the past (this isn't Vegas).  If the time traveler meets an unfortunate end in the past, then he/she will not be returning to the present.  This is, of course, a matter of debate if time traveling with another person since it would be easy enough for the non-dead member of the party to return to a minute or two prior to initial departure to warn the soon-to-be-dead party.  It is thought that the instance of the same person appearing twice in the same plane of existence could cause the fabric of space and time to collapse.  Because the idea has never been tested (for obvious reasons) it is only deemed, "NOT RECOMMENDED," by the TTA.

Aging is a consideration to keep in mind.  Five years in the past will cause five years of aging on the time traveler.  This would definitely be something to remember, especially if trying to hide a trip in time from somebody, but this will have to wait for the ethics guide.  Aging cannot be halted in time.  The TTA has tried to research the idea, but a solution has yet to be found.

The time traveler must be ready for anything as the people of the past may not be so welcoming to mysterious newcomers.  One must keep the time machine safe and secure as it is the only realistic means of returning to the present.  Touching things in the past may (and most likely, will) affect the present and future.  This goes especially for people of the past.  Death is a definite possibility and reversing it is difficult if not impossible.  Aging is always a concern for the time traveler as the human body will age no matter what time it is.  The most important thing is, though, have fun in the past.

There you have it.  I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  I will post the third and final later this week if I can't think of anything else.

This was it. The title was quite prophetic at the time as Roger Waters would take his leave after a few years of high tensions. It is believed that the tensions began as far back as Wish You Were Here and the expectation of topping the success of Dark Side of the Moon. By the time of The Wall, Richard Wright was nothing more than a hired hand, getting kicked out of the band officially and not even appearing on The Final Cut. This album is sometimes referred to as an unofficial Roger Waters solo album since he wrote, arranged, produced and sang almost the whole thing.

The Final Cut is an angry album, reflecting Waters' disdain for the world governments for the wars and the loss of his father during World War II. Many of the songs take shots at world leaders from both the US and Britain. Originally, it was supposed to be the soundtrack for The Wall, but the Falklands conflict began and Waters rewrote the album. Initial reviews for the album were mostly negative, but with time it seems it has been more accepted.

1. The Post War Dream
2. Your Possible Pasts
3. One of the Few
4. The Hero's Return
5. The Gunner's Dream
6. Paranoid Eyes
7. Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert
8. The Fletcher Memorial Home
9. Southampton Dock
10. The Final Cut
11. Not Now John
12. Two Suns in the Sunset

This is the first CD I bought after I got a CD player. I owned it on cassette, but it died due to overplay. Now, don't get me wrong, this album is not for the casual fan at all (even less so than Animals). I love this album because of the satirical theme and the a lot of the musical work, especially Gilmour's guitar work on the title track. It's definitely worth a listen if only to hear an decide for yourself. Some of you may be disappointed, others may be impressed.

So there you have it, a whole week of Pink Floyd from the beginning of their progressive style to the end of an era and a look at one of the greatest albums of all time. I enjoyed writing about some of my favorite albums all week, but now I must think about what's coming next week.

By far, The Wall is the most popular Pink Floyd album, and while I think it is a great album, it not my number one. It does have a lot of great songs and spawned a great midnight movie. Two of my favorite songs are actually from the movie, those being "The Tigers Broke Free" and "What Shall We Do Now?" which was too long for the album (it starts out with "Empty Spaces"). This is only the second double album they recorded (the first was "Ummagumma").

The Wall is another concept album this time about a musician, named Pink Floyd, who had too many drugs, too many tours and too much of life and builds a wall in his mind. The climax of the story is "The Trial" which takes place completely in Pink's mind. The story is brilliant and music is excellent, but I think it's also a bit too overplayed over the years.

Disc 1
1. In the Flesh?
2. The Thin Ice
3. Another Brick in the Wall: Part 1
4. The Happiest Days of Our Lives
5. Another Brick in the Wall: Part 2
6. Mother
7. Goodbye Blue Sky
8. Empty Spaces
9. Young Lust
10. One of My Turns
11. Don't Leave Me Now
12. Another Brick in the Wall: Part 3
13. Goodbye Cruel World

Disc 2
1. Hey You
2. Is There Anybody Out There?
3. Nobody Home
4. Vera
5. Bring the Boys Back Home
6. Comfortably Numb
7. The Show Must Go On
8. In the Flesh
9. Run Like Hell
10. Waiting for the Worms
11. Stop
12. The Trial
13. Outside the Wall

This is another album that I heard thanks to my mom. I did borrow, but she never asked for it back which is always fine with me. Eventually, I would see the movie at a neighbor's house and then bought it for myself. Don't get me wrong, I do love this album, but Dark Side of the Moon and Meddle are both superior in my humble opinion. If you have only heard "Another Brick in the Wall: Part 2" then you're missing out on a lot of great music. Tomorrow is the end, the final album in this series.

This album signalled the beginning of the end for Pink Floyd as they were unable to top the success of Dark Side of the Moon and tensions were running high. Animals is another concept album based loosely around Orwell's Animal Farm that begins and ends with a love song that represents hope for the world. The first and last songs are only about a minute and a half, while the others range from ten to seventeen minutes.

1. Pigs on the Wing 1
2. Dogs
3. Pigs (Three Different Ones)
4. Sheep
5. Pigs on the Wing 2

 

 

 

Musically, I love this album. Animals contains some great guitar work and the keyboard solo at the beginning of "Sheep". It's not quite an album for those who only like the popular songs since nothing from this album gets any radio play and hasn't been performed in concert since the tour to promote it. If you are a real Pink Floyd fan, then you already have this album, but if you don't then pick it up.

This follow-up album to Dark Side of the Moon continues on the theme of madness, but more specifically with former bandmate Syd Barrett who would leave the band after a drug-induced breakdown. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" begins and ends this album and accounts for 26 minutes of the total play time and ends with a four and a half minute keyboard section that is one of my favorite instrumental sections. "Have a Cigar" was sung by folk singer Roy Harper because Gilmour didn't want to sing it and Waters had burned out his voice.

1. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-5)
2. Welcome to the Machine
3. Have a Cigar
4. Wish You Were Here
5. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 6-9)

 

 

 

This album was simply a result of wanting to hear more Pink Floyd and it does not disappoint. The guitar solos at the beginning of "Shine On..." are far bluesier than anything on Dark Side which is something I love (one day I'll talk about the blues). This is a great album to chill out to at the end of a rough day since it's a bit slower and doesn't have any really loud moments to knock you out of a relaxed state (like the clocks in Dark Side). This one gets a definite recommendation from me and all Pink Floyd fans.  By the way, this album is my cover art.  Have a good evening.

37 years ago today this album was released and remains a staple for music lovers to this very day.  I could use such cliche terms as Musical Tour de Force, but that just isn't saying enough.  Best. Album. Ever.  I think that says it all.  This was Pink Floyd's first foray into the world of concept albums and it was a success.  The main theme of it is madness, from the amount of time in the day to money to war, it can all lead to the same place.

1. Speak to Me
2. Breathe
3. On the Run
4. Time
5. The Great Gig in the Sky
6. Money
7. Us and Them
8. Any Colour You Like
9. Brain Damage
10. Eclipse

This album has plenty of stories behind it, including the random voices heard throughout the album.  All of the phrases were read from note cards by people who were at Abbey Road studios during the recording sessions (Paul and Linda McCartney did get recorded, but it was not used on the album.  Clare Torry, who is the female vocal on "The Great Gig in the Sky" actually apologized to Waters and Gilmour after she finished recording.  That also happens to be my favorite song off of this album.

I borrowed this album off my mom and immediately fell in love with it and even though she had two copies of it, one was badly worn out from overplay, I had to buy my own copy.  It was a pleasure.  It was also one of my first CD's (but not THE first, that comes later this week) and I did buy the 30th anniversary edition back 2003.  I have watched The Wizard of Oz with the album and while it is intriguing, the idea of actually recording an entire album to sync up with a movie I feel it is only a coincidence.  This album (or CD or tape) is a must-have.