HashOut

The founders of Chesky Records recently launched a high-resolution digital music store called HDtracks. HDtracks downloads allow the discerning listener to truly hear the poetry of the music and embrace the full sonic texture and rich tapestry of the works as originally intended by the musicians who worked so hard to create them. HDtracks’ uncompressed and lossless music files are as good as CD quality and, unlike what other music sites offer, come with complete artwork and PDF liner notes.

When I first downloaded one of my own 96/24 albums and played it back on my home system, I was not prepared for what I heard. I have never heard any disc with this caliber of clarity, sound staging, and openness in the top end. The sound had none of the digital artifacts we all hate, so the sound was totally relaxed. These one-to-one HDtracks files sounded exactly like the master recordings I was accustomed to hearing in the studio. Then I downloaded a Reference Recordings album and could not believe what I was hearing. After all these years, to hear a Keith Johnson and Tam Henderson recording in 96/24 – it blew me away. Hi-res files on hard drives are a major step forward in sound. - David Chesky

HDtracks is now offering 96/24 digital music downloads. These files are available as FLAC files. The price will be $15.98 for a high-resolution album and $2.49 for a track.

HDtracks’ first offerings are from some of the best audiophile labels in the world such as Chesky, 2L, Dorian, and Reference Recordings. Now audiophiles will be able to hear, for the first time ever in high-resolution, the brilliant work of legendary Reference Recordings team, Tam Henderson and Keith Johnson.

HDtracks will also offer 96/24 recordings of legendary rock band, The Kinks, mastered by Grammy Award winning engineer, Alan Silverman. The Kinks files for HDtracks were sourced from high-resolution PCM transfers made off an Ampex ATR 102 reproduced under direct supervision by Ray Davies. The tape transport was hard-wired right into a Pacific Microsonics A/D converter – the brainchild of audio grand wizard and HDtracks contributor, Keith O. Johnson and one of the finest converters ever produced. Mastering was minimal with no additional conversions. “As I prepared the files for release on HDtracks,” Silverman says, “I was struck by how big, full, and ‘analog’ they sound in the best sense of the word. Kinks fans ENJOY!”

HDtracks tracks will be adding new artists in 96/24 every day.

Directors: Larry and Andy Wachowski
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Ji Hoon Jung
Language: English
Year: 2008

If there ever was a Hollywood equivalent of a Bollywood masala movie, then it definitely is Speed Racer. An English film based on the Japanese anime series created by Tatsuo Yoshida, Speed Racer takes the cake when it comes to over-the-top entertainment and you will come out of it thoroughly satisfied. Continue reading »

Author: Tommy Hilfiger and George Lois
Publisher: Universe Publishing
Pages: 335

After hitting our stores, television sets, lifestyles and government with its style of marketing, America has now reached our coffee tables. Or some coffee tables, rather, for Iconic America by Tommy Hilfiger and George Lois is certainly not for the masses. Even among the elite few, it will be like a Shakespeare or Mein Kampf — flaunted but never opened. Continue reading »

Who else has had enough? I know I can’t stand the damn things.

Sure, people want to be heard. But chain letters are the wrong way to make yourself heard. First, they’re annoying. Second, they often have heaps of images and clog up your email inbox, and third: I think this is the most important part of my message, why do you have to send a message to someone to tell them that you’re their friend? Wouldn’t they know already if they are? Continue reading »

Over the past few years I have been reading the Harry Potter series, and I have noticed some key similarities between the prejudice and racism in the “wizarding world” and the “real world”. One example of this would be the existence of Death Eaters in the wizarding world, and the Nazis of the real world. Another example would be Voldemorts role in the wizarding world, compared to his muggle* counter part Adolf Hitler. There are other minor details I have noticed that I will discus later. Continue reading »

• Currency notes are made out of cotton paper.
• There is more cotton grown globally than any other non-edible crop.
• The majority of cotton, by weight, ends up in our food supply. Cottonseed oil is used in everything from cookies to canned tuna.

Continue reading »

As you might have noticed on my various blogs, images hosted on Flickr display a “THIS PHOTO IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE” message. I have no clue as to why this has happened. I have written to Flickr, using their contact page, asking for an explanation. Let’s hope I get a reply soon.

This should warn all you guys hosting your images out there on Flickr to take a backup of all your images either on your hard drive or another photo hosting service like Picasa Web Albums or AOL Pictures.

There are also a lot of Flickr Backup tools available on the Internet. Just google to find one that suits your needs.

You and your loved ones may die because of a disease just because researchers couldn’t pay the hefty amount to the gene patent holder for a license.

Gene patent holders charge exorbitantly for a license. The patent holders block any competitor’s test too! They own the genes. Nobody else can test for it. In fact, you can’t even donate your own breast cancer gene to another scientist without the permission. The gene may exist in your body, but is now owned by the patent holder. Continue reading »

You might have been missing my presence on the blog for a while now. So you know now what’s been keeping me busy. By the way, aren’t you glad you wouldn’t have to type that long URL from now on! I am more than just excited. Continue reading »