May 8, 2026 - Review published on NPR Fresh Air by Justin Chang Some movies will forever change the way you look at plants. Unsurprisingly, many of them are thrillers and science-fiction films, like Little Shop of Horrors, The Day of the Triffids, or, more recently, the mind-controlling flower freakout Little Joe. You could probably... Continue Reading →
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman testifies during a hearing held by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies to review NASA's Fiscal Year 2027 budget request, Monday, April 27, 2026, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington. (Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky) NASA chief Jared Isaacman says he's fighting for Pluto: 'I... Continue Reading →
By Hankookilbo - Published Apr 13, 2026 Hankook Ilbo, Korea Visitors crowd the Yeongnangho Cherry Blossom Festival around Yeongnangho Lake in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, April 11. Yonhap {Ken Gray - As a child growing up in Victoria on Harlow Drive my street was drenched in pink cherry blossoms every March of April. I have fond... Continue Reading →
NASA I donโt get it. We went round the moon first in 1968 and have the pictures to prove it. They were shot with a Hasselblad medium format (2ยผ square) film camera โ best in class. We all wanted one. Absolutely โcost the moon.โ Lived with what we had at the time. Okay, we went... Continue Reading →
Another in the series: โStories from Somewhereโ by Ken Gray Barricade โ (from French barrique 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. The day has finally arrived. After many weeks of planning, our small group of... Continue Reading →
Recently published in The Guardian [Ken Gray] Many of us organ students in the 1970s worked for Victoria BC Organ Builder, Hugo Spilker. Part of our duties involved visiting local churches with Hugo to hold console keys as he tuned the organ pipes in the loft. While some pipes are built of wood, a majority... Continue Reading →
Elizabeth White, from Facebook โ Sen. Mark Kelly is responding after the Department of Defense initiated a formal retirement grade determination and issued a Letter of Censure to reduce his retired military rank and corresponding pension. The move came after Kelly publicly criticized the Trump administration. Here is Mark Kellyโs full statement, shared verbatim: (Senator... Continue Reading →
What will they think of next? Canโt people just let dogs be dogs? Oh no. For some folks itโs not enough to just select a breed, find a good breeder, and invite a new dog into a household. Worked for me, so very well, for many years, and still does. No need for imitations; just... Continue Reading →
A number of student organists in Victoria during the mid-1970s worked for local organ builder, Hugo Spilker. We loved playing the organ โ I speak here of large instruments placed in downtown churches, many comprising four manuals and a pedal division โ These were not small electronic substitutes which proliferate where I live today in... Continue Reading →
Pianist-composer Fazฤฑl Say premieres his 'Mother Earth' Piano Concerto with the Philharmonic Orchestra this weekend Days before itโs London premiere, Turkish pianist-composer Fazฤฑl Say talks about his powerful Piano Concerto 'Mother Earth' - a work inspired by the climate crisis and the urgent need to protect our planet. The work premieres Sunday 30 November with... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 