Notices by Strange Attractor (strangeattractor@refactorcamp.org), page 21

@nindokag

I think I like the approach that Steven Saylor takes in his historical ancient Roman mysteries - a secret history of Rome. Things match up with the historical record, but other plausible things happen that are not in the record, but consistent with it. The plot is usually a murder mystery, but with lots of secret political machinations, and implicit comparisons to how things are done today vs then.

51 communities across Ontario had to extend voting for a whole extra DAY because voting was unavailable due to third-party for-profit computer systems. Not counting other communities, such as Cambridge in Waterloo region, that extended voting hours on Monday because of the problems.

This is not a good way to hold an election at all.

What a mess from all of the online voting, electronic in-person voting, phone voting, power outages, server unavailability, etc. in Monday night's municipal elections! I live in Kitchener-Waterloo, and although I had a paper ballot, it was counted by a machine, and I won't know the regional chair results until Wednesday because of all of the screw-ups in other municipalities in the region.

Anyone know of Canadian advocacy groups for elections using paper ballots counted by people? Paper ballots are still used federally and provincially here, but other methods have started to be used for municipal elections.

@Elmkast

I think a lot of people working on creative projects work this way. For example, composer Austin Wintory says he's a better curator than writer - he composes a lot of things, then chooses the better ones.

I think some people figure it out as they get older. They do fewer things, but each thing they do works really well. At least, I've noticed this in some musicians who have been at it for decades. Their earlier work has more stuff in it, but less effective.

@riga

Do you usually eat apples raw, or do you tend to cook things with apples?

@riga

If I don't find Cortlands, I look for McIntosh, Northern Spy, Fuji. I like Galas, but they are a bit sweeter than I prefer. I don't think I've had Ambrosia.

@Elmkast

You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed some of them.

@Elmkast

Quebecois music:

Lindberg, sung by Louise Forestier (who makes excellent airplane noises) and Roberty Charlebois
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Mwjz-2yY8

Pauline Julien singing La Vie A Mort. That song slows down in the middle, speeds up, then leaves a few beats out of the time signature every few bars near the end (that was sort of a Metis and aboriginal thing that made it into some mainstream Quebec music). Maybe it's a bit lively for a rainy day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQTFbiO_c0I

For jazz, I have a bit harder time ignoring it while working, but here are some that might be nice on a rainy day

Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald Love is Here to Stay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2zSdYsRwnc

Sarah Vaughan singing Mancini
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msKksi_ktKE

Christina Grimmie singing songs on the Matchbreaker soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebzOZzGqYds&index=1&list=PLkLimRXN6NKyizyj-J2R-Jdgn_vKFpZlP

@Elmkast

Classical music that has been pretty good in the background for me, without taking too much attention away from working on something or having a conversation.

piano: Naida Cole's album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL_GoYNUgMQ&index=8&list=PLkLimRXN6NKzVEJvEOjyVTGGaAZQCvRul

orchestral: Borodin's symphonies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQab0wyY58U

guitar: Pepe Romero playing Tarrega's Recuerdos de la Alhambra, or playing Vivaldi's lute concertos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPVUFRGVglw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSz8rcNCNuY

@Elmkast

I was in a mood lately where I couldn't figure out what I wanted to listen to. I thought it was classical music, but it wasn't satisfying at that moment (I usually like it a lot), then I listened to classical Chinese music, then to vocaloid music, which finally hit the spot.

I listened to a bunch of songs on this Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjlj9mKi1E-huwuNX3louzw

@Elmkast

Also, the second track on this album, the one called Party In The Bathroom has Montreal in the lyrics. It was made by a musician from Toronto who samples sounds from the environment. His previous album used Toronto subway tones. This song has Canadian rapper More Or Less talking from a bathroom in Montreal. It's been in my head for a week.
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/amtunes4

@Elmkast

Here are some relaxing instrumental songs from the Legend of Heroes video games. Video game music is designed to be on in the background while doing something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syvoXTW8nr8