There was a bug in a function I wrote yesterday to import large CSV (comma-delimited) files into a gsl_matrix structure. This annoyed the crap out of me because I knew the code was good but the control wouldn’t enter my while loops to import. And now, I know why. (more…)

Now that my seminar is done and I’m back to doing a lot of programming/simulations work on various project, I thought I’d write a post consisting of a number of various technical things I have found useful and/or informative in the past few months. So, here it goes. (more…)

I’ll be up late tonight and each night until tuesday working on my departmental analytical chemistry seminar. While after the seminar I’ll be sure to post information and probably some slides, I thought I’d put up my abstract for purposes of possible public interest (I won’t include the references … you’ll just have to wonder). If you’re not interested in my abstract, don’t stop reading! There’s something clever afterwards! (more…)

Pointing out flaws in the mighty Pitchfork is pretty pase at this point and I have always tried to avoid it. Pitchfork was exciting and wonderful when I first found it but now it is the last place I look for new music. I would like to think that I was above the “Best New Music” section in all of its pomposity in shaping indie stardom but its still one of the easiest places to find quality new music as long as you are kind of familiar with the general tone of Pitchfork. However, a series of events and articles have finally pushed me over the brink. I have always been suspect of both the cult of fandom associated with PF and equally suspect of the rabid anti-PF crowd. The basis for my denunciation is that PF has the uncanny ability to hype empty bands, the top 100 or 200 lists are really getting stale, they have published reviews by Ms. Shepherd whom I can’t abide, and they continually give acts like (freakin) Justin Timberlake extremely high marks for no other reason, it seems, than to court the mainstream or not to be too indie (PC anti-rockism perhaps?). Instead of cursing the darkness it is time to light a candle. Here is a rundown of my favorite non-PF sites to catch a few good music reviews. (more…)

If you’re reading this (and at this point you don’t much have a choice), vdov.net has been moved to its new home, a machine named ‘ives’. It’s sad to see smashy go but the future of vdov.net looks great. Currently both the vdov.net blogs and vdov.net galleries are running bleeding-edge subversion trunks with a host of new features that I am enjoying. Props to Alec for really coming through and setting up great vhost functionality for vdov.net, thened.net, and our newest affiliate and colo partner sphericalchicken.net (Jason Green). Dopefulhopefiend.com, another long-time vdov.net affiliate, has yet to be moved to its new home, but will be shortly. Sphericalchicken.net will be up and running soon. I’m hoping that before smashy is shut down it will have reached 500 days of uptime (494 right now). We’ll see. Cheers.

To kick off this review I would like to start with one of the most improbable (and Indiana connected) stories I have come across in music recently. I thought that Beirut’s Zach Condon had a good tale with his young, gypsy meeting, Europe traveling, musical odyssey. However, the founder of Young God Records Michael Gira has a 10x more incredible story behind him. The man went from being in an Israeli adult prison to being in the Swans to having his own label. A very indirect path. However, somehow Gira hooked up with Akron/Family who proivided backups for labelmates (on Gira’s Young Gods) The Angels of Light and then came into their own with an Angels of Light-Akron/Family split LP a year ago. Akron/Family fits into a burgeoning new American folk movement. They have a neo-tribalism about them that fits well with acts like John Wilkes Booze, Vdov local Chicago favorites The Bird Names, Wooden Wand, and to a lesser although far more written about connection to Devandra Banhart (former labelmate). They have an captivating and spiritual sound that shines out from the Angels of Light’s more conventional “country-folk” sound, making their solo debut much anticipated. (more…)

As you all know normally I don’t allow swearing in my own or in any others’ posts here at vdov.net, but my current frustration with FedEx warrents some rule-breaking. FedEx F**KING sucks. Let me repeat that, they really, REALLY F**KING SUCK. Last Thursday I ordered an nice, wonderful new 80GB iPod to be delivered by FedEx ground service to my office here at Purdue. I spend more time at my office than I do at home, so this makes sense — in fact, I always have packages delivered to me here at work. I awoke to news last Saturday that my package was on a FedEx truck for delivery. In an excited and hurried frenzy, I shower and make my way into work. Now, as it turns out, I can’t really recieve packages at work on the weekend, so this wasn’t really FedEx’s fault. The next part of the story, however, is absolutely 100% their fault. (more…)