I’ve changed the “Recently” section in the right panel to contain access to the blog database for easier updates.  Previously, I had the “Recent Books” and “Recent Albums” information stored within the web site layout for the right panel and found that it was too much of a pain to update.  By moving the data into the database, I can quickly post new or change the existing information without dealing with the site layout.  Hopefully, this should help me to update this information quickly and more often.

Prior this change, I had had the same list of albums for several weeks now even though I had in fact been listening to some newer ones.  I still listen to The Fray, so I didn’t mind it as much, but some of the newer ones definitely deserve their day in the sun.  In particular, I’ve been listening a lot to WBOS Studio 7 Live from the Archives Volume 4.  WBOS is a Boston radio station that plays a good mix of adult contemporary music.  They also host live on-air sessions at a Boston studio called Studio 7 from where the tracks on the Archives album were recorded.  Years ago, another boston station, WBCN used to release a similar type of disc called the WBCN Naked Disc, but they don’t seem to do that any more.  Not only do the WBOS Archives albums feature some of the best of current artists, the songs are often recorded as rare, acoustic versions which may actually sound better than the original releases.  This makes the collection a good deal even for someone who already has most of the tracks through the artists’ albums or from downloads.  The Studio 7 albums sell out quickly and WBOS doesn’t rerelease them once they sell out, so if interested you should buy one while still available.

The current Studio 7 album features:

1. One Man Wrecking Machine - Guster
2. Colorful - Rocco DeLuca & The Burden
3. How We Operate - Gomez
4. Let Me Go - Sonya Kitchell
5. Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray
6. Move By Yourself - Donavon Frankenreiter
7. Mandolin Moon - Sister Hazel
8. Beautiful Wreck - Shawn Mullins
9. Black Horse & The Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
10. Ordinary - The Alternate Routes
11. Save Yourself - Greg Johnson
12. Boston - Augustana
13. Nothing Left To Lose - Mat Kearney
14. Stronger - Mieka Pauley

Starting next week, TVLand will be airing its top 100 list of television catch phrases on its network.  However, you don’t have to wait for the marathon to begin and can view their list online on their web site, TVLand.com.  Like most top lists, you may have a problem with some of the selections (The Simple Life and How I Met Your Mother?), but I did see a few favorites like numbers 48, “Danger Will Robinson” from Lost In Space; 79, “Holy crap!” from Everybody Loves Raymond; 77, “I’m Rich James, bitch!” from Chappelle’s Show; 32, “No soup for you” from Seinfeld; and 98, “I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl” from Newhart.  Some of the selections in the list also link to video of the catch phrase in action.

http://www.tvland.com/originals/catchphrases/quotes.jhtml

Sports Temples of Boston is a section within the Boston Public Library’s amazing web site.  It includes a brief history of each of the sites that comprise the history of sports within Boston and a detail list of available photographs.  There are over 440 images of Fenway Park, nearly 300 of the Boston Garden, and hundreds of others from the past and present.  A large portion of the collection includes sites that no longer exist and would seem out of place in modern Boston, like the Charles River Speedway and the Cyclorama on Tremont Street.  It’s an interesting look at Boston sports history through photography.

http://sportstemples.bpl.org/