Romney P.S.

Speaking of Mitt Romney, I just heard that his former hang-out, Bain Capital in Boston, is buying the Guitar Center chain of music gear stores for almost $2 billion. About 20 years ago I had a job opportunity at Bain, doing computer work, when Romney was the top man there.

I was called out of the blue with a big sales pitch and an offer that was pretty much a “name your price” deal. This was during the days of the so-called Massachusetts Miracle, and the $$$ amount that was quoted as being “no problem” was twice my base pay at the time. The guy who called from Bain identified himself, gave me his title and phone number, etc., but he wouldn’t tell me how he’d heard about me until I was on board. I don’t like playing games, not when it comes to a job, so I declined.

Just days before that call, I’d fixed a networking problem that had stumped everybody else at a Boston hospital. My guess is that word got around. But I stayed put working where I was, which is where I still am, and it was the right decision.

Mitt Romney, Scientologist?

A couple of months ago, Stephen Colbert featured a video clip where presidential candidate Mitt Romney professed to have enjoyed the book “Battlefield Earth,” by the late L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer and founder of the Church of Scientology. I’ve never seen the movie, starring Scientologist John Travolta, because it’s supposed to be a real clunker, but I read the book, in its first hardcover printing no less, and I agree with Romney. It’s a lot of fun!

Colbert On Carell

Last week, former Daily Show regular Steve Carell was Jon Stewart’s guest, pitching his new movie, Evan Almighty. Former Daily Show regular and on-screen nemesis of Carell, Stephen Colbert, comments…
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/JUN07/ColbertOnCarell.flv 400 300]

Fantastic FiOS

The shortest FiOS TV review is “GET IT IF YOU CAN!” The only weakness is the free video on demand selection. Here’s a bit of FiOS TV SD (Standard Definition) video from last night’s Red Sox game (reduced to 400×300, of course, with lossy compression). They lost to the Padres 6-1. Last time I made some screen caps and the Sox lost then, too. Most of my friends are Sox fans, and they’re a superstitious lot, so I promise to stop watching the games and jinxing them.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/JUN07/RedSoxSanDiego.flv 400 300]

For myself, not having XM or Sirius, Music Choice adds significantly to the value of FiOS TV. The selection is great (although a Folk station would be welcome) and the Dolby Digital sound quality is faultless. I’ve just hooked up my CCrane FM transmitter, so the audio from FiOS TV is being broadcast throughout the house, and the Music Choice channel of the moment is anywhere I want, including the bedroom clock radio.

Music Choice

The Many Moods of Mad Murry Wilson

Here is an exquisitely painful audio experience. It’s from the Beach Boys recording session for “Help Me Rhonda.” Also present in the studio was the insufferable one-eyed Wilson father, Murry. Listen to this and you’ll know why one-eared son Brian fired his father as manager of the band.

Murry Wilson

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/JUN07/MurryWilson.mp3]

Thanks to WFMU for making this timeless recording available.