Chinatown Herbal Shops

Ever pass a Chinese herbal medicine shop and wonder what all those bizarre ingredients are? Well, wonder no more. Leon Letoto of Hawaii Healing Garden Festival recently took us on a Chinatown tour to help demystify them.

Paul Newman

Paul Newman has passed away at 83. The 10-time Academy Award nominee, star of such classics as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, won the Oscar in 1987 for his role in The Color of Money. He also was the recipient of two honorary statues.

The actor's career spanned six decades, including roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and Fort Apache: the Bronx (1981). Newman retired from acting in 2007, saying he was no longer able to perform as well as he would like. His most recent work includes his supporting actor Oscar-nominated role in 2002's Road to Perdition, a Tony-winning turn in 2002's Broadway production of Our Town, an Emmy- and Golden Globe-earning performance in the 2005 miniseries Empire Falls, and voicing a character in 2006's Pixar animation feature Cars.

He leaves behind his wife, Oscar-winning actress Joanne Woodward, five children, two grandsons, and his older brother, Arthur.

Pandora

While reading that Paul McCartney is about to perform a concert in Israel, I wondered if there was an internet radio station devoted to Beatles music.

There sure is.

Then searching for other music (like Sinatra), I came across Pandora, the music genome project, that lets you create your own radio station.

Beatles, Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Michael Buble, Buddy Holly. William Hung didn't turn out too well, but John Stevens came up with a Jane Monheit/Michael Buble duet. Pretty Cool.

[9/25/08] So I'm happily listening to Pandora, then I read that rising royalty rates might shut it down.

[6/12/09] After downloading the VLC Media Player, I see shoutcast radio features a station, S K Y FM that plays Beatles tribute music. Playable on the VLC Media Player and via the link.

[2/2/11] I did a search for Bossa N' Chicago and came to last.fm which seems pretty similar to Pandora.

[3/17/13] Here's another cool music site via frwr_news.  http://megazip.com/
Another in the increasingly commercial streaming aggregator sites. They're easy to spot, lots of ads, all music is provided by YouTube and Vimeo and TuneIn and the download function always comes with advertising conditions. Nevertheless it's a decent enough interface with lots of luscious music for playlists and streaming.

You're allowed to search via artist or album (as well as song).

[3/21/13] Now trying spotify since it was mentioned in this article.  So far, so good.

[5/2/13] and don't forget grooveshark (mentioned earlier in the blog somewhere -- it's also on my tv page)

Johnny Cash

[split from Michael Buble post]

[Michael Buble is] now on my short list of music to buy (along with the Johnny Cash tribute albums -- while I wait for TNT to one day replay or otherwise make available their All-Star Tribute).

[9/3/08] I see that Johnny Cash's performances on the TNT Special is on youtube (search for Johnny Cash TNT Special, also on scalos.webs.com).

What's on the Show (viewed on my shaky video tape)
Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson Jackson/Orange Blossom Special
Jon Voigt speaks
Chris Isaak singing Guess Things Happen That Way / short history / Get Rhythm
John Carter Cash speaks
Willie Nelson - I Still Miss Someone
June Carter Cash Ring of Fire
Bob Dylan Train of Love
Jon Voigt retrospective
Mavericks Man In Black (end of Chris Isaak video)
Kris Kristofferson - Ballad of Ira Hayes
Trisha Yearwood (with Kris) Sunday Morning Coming Down
Larry Gatlin introduces Brooks & Dunn (Ghost)Riders in the Sky
Lyle Lovett - Tennessee Flat Top Box
Bruce Springstein Give My Love To Rose
Emmylou Harris with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sheryl Crow, and Marty Stuart - Flesh and Blood (comparing to my tape, though it says Kindred Spirits CD, it's actually from the show)
Kevin Bacon retrospective
Wyclef Jean Delia's Gone
Dave Matthews with Emmy Lou Harris - The Long Black Veil
Rosanne Cash - retrospective
Marty Stuart & The Fairfield Four - Belshazzar
U2 Don't Take Your Guns To Town
Tim Robbins introduces Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues (he kind of looked like Bill Dana]
Johnny Cash and friends I Walk The Line

(Hey, the tape isn't as bad as I thought, though really jittery at the beginning.)

[11/4/12] Some of the links above are dead.  But here's an updated listing from raulmalo.com (thanks!)