yone's smart enough not to kill it instantly by posting illegal or > >> offensive material; arguments stay offsite; let's keep it focused; etc) > > and > >> are printed on the front page. Registration is automatic (ie open to any > >> PARIS user, past
my default project and use this as my new plugin manager within >Paris. Just being able to reorganize the order of plugins by = dragging/ >dropping, is worth it. >Not sure yet, but this plugin could solve the instability >everyone experiences with paris and certain plugins. >It's available here: > > http://pagesperso-orange.fr/vb-audio/us/products/dxrack/dxra ck.htm > >Scroll to the bottom of the page to get the freeware 4-slot >version. >
charset=3Diso-8859-1"> Hi Kim, This program makes lots of things = better in=20 Paris when working.&nbsp; It's a great = find. &nbsp; I think Dimitrios told us about this a = while=20 back. I tried it along with Senderella and = something=20 else and my C drive stopped working.&nbsp; I = was never=20 sure which program was the problem for = me.&nbsp;&nbsp;I=20 have been very timid about new programs=20 integrating with Paris ever since. &nbsp; Just be careful and ghost your machine = asap=20 if <
br /> you haven't already. Tom B. &nbsp; <BLOCKQUOTE=20 style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> "Kim W." &lt;<A href=3D"mailto:no@way.com">no@way.com&gt; = wrote in=20 message <A=20 = href=3D"news:48060ef7$1@linux">news:48060ef7$1@linux... Oops= , gave=20 a little wrong information. The ffx-4 is a DX plugin manager, in = the form=20 of a DX plugin. (not a vst plugin, as indicated). The rest still = stands. "Kim W." &lt;<A = href=3D"mailto:no@way.com">no@way.com&gt;=20 wrote: &gt; &gt;Greetings. &gt;For those of you with DirectX = plugin=20 woes, I have come across a &gt;wonderful DX wrapper plugin (vst), = which has=20 saved my bacon yet &gt;again with certain combinations of plugins = causing=20 popping, and &gt;even loss of audio. &gt;This is a freeware VST = plugin=20 which allows you to chain up to four &gt;DX plugins, using just one = Paris=20 Native FX slot. &gt;Better still, you can save these combinations = as a=20 preset. &gt;Even better, you can simply drag and drop the plugins = to=20 rearrange &gt
amp;gt;I'm going to set up a = template=20 with one of these on every channel &gt;of my default project and = use this=20 as my new plugin manager within &gt;Paris. Just being able to = reorganize=20 the order of plugins by dragging/ &gt;dropping, is worth = it. &gt;Not=20 sure yet, but this plugin could solve the instability &gt;everyone=20 experiences with paris and certain plugins. &gt;It's available=20 = here: &gt; &gt;http://pagesperso-orange.fr/vb-audi
806e28f$1@linux... >>> >>> >>> So... >>> >>> The Telco says it's not their problem. I say it's not mine. >>> >>> It MIGHT be the cable from the street to the house, but who knows. >>> >>> Suffice to say I'm going to have to get them back again, and at a time > >>> when >>> I can be present and check their work. >>> >>> That said, the group, for me at least, usually works, which is, err, >>> better >>> than usually not working. ;o) >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Kim. >> >> >what's good out there?Hi LaMont, It's not weak hits that cause the problem so much as the lousy signal-to-noise ratio caused by weak hits - like too much hat in the snare mic, too much general drum noise in the kick mic. Plus, the guy I was trying to fix loved to play intricate little snare and tom fills that, even with a good drummer, would be tricky for Drumagog to track. Gantt "LaMont" <jjdpro@gmail.com> wrote: > >Hi Gantt, I those cases where you are mixung weak "hits' drums, the beauty >of DAWs is that you can easily add gain or even normaliz the track, then >add Drumagog.. Works like a charm.. > >So, to the contrary, When I get weak hitting drums, I just Noramliz, or add >gain..Then Gog > >"Gantt Kushner&quo
nttmann@comcast.net> wrote: > >Hi LaMont, > >It's not weak hits that cause the problem so much as the lousy signal-to-noise >ratio caused by weak hits - like too much hat in the snare mic, too much >general drum noise in the kick mic. Plus, the guy I was trying to fix loved >to play intricate little snare and tom fills that, even with a good drummer, >would be tricky for Drumagog to track. You probably need to get yourself some Ddrum triggers & a good e-kit brain with highly adjustable sensitivity parameters for something like that, then. Even if the e-kit sounds aren't what you're going to end up using, what you can do is track the MIDI output from the brain, then insert your drum VSTi of choice. NeilThanks for the link Bill. Maybe it'll start some reflective conversations in the broadcasting world. Cheers, -Jamie www.JamieKrutz.com Bill L wrote: > http://adage.com/brightcove/single.php?title=1506582278 > > Right on.What Neil said, except don't try to record the MIDI into PARIS. When I tried that, the timing was off. Use another DAW for MIDI. Cheers, -Jamie www.JamieKrutz.com Neil wrote: > "Gantt Kushner" <ganttmann@comcast.net> wrote: >> Hi LaMont, >> >> It's not weak hits that cause the problem so much as the lousy signal-to-noise >> ratio caused by weak hits - like too much hat in the snare mic, too much >> general drum noise in the kick mic. Plus, the guy I was trying to fix loved >> to play intricate little snare and tom fills that, even with a good drummer, >> would be tricky for Drumagog to track. > > > You probably need to get yourself some Ddrum triggers & a good > e-kit brain with highly adjustable sensitivity parameters for > something like that, then. Even if the e-kit sounds aren't what > you're going to end up using, what you can do is track the MIDI > output from the brain, then insert your drum VSTi of choice. > > NeilThad, I think he blew the right notes this time. Did you listen? TCB wrote: > Hollywood blowhard. > > Bill L <bill@billlorentzen.com> wrote: >> http://adage.com/brightcove/single.php?title=1506582278 >> >> Right on. >I've thought long and hard about whether or not to switch my Paris activities to PC. I suspect I'd bet a lot more horsepower and, maybe, more stability. I've all but stopped using my UAD-1 cards because they began making so many strange noises running on my Mac. I'd love to be able to use the new Powered plugins and the newer Waves stuff that I already own in Paris! I've done some asking around about what would be involved with putting together a Paris PC but I didn't get very serious about it. I wonder what it would cost... Gantt Kerry Galloway <kg@kerrygalloway.com> wrote: >I hope it's not controversial to say this, but - I mean, I love Macs and >I've been a big advocate all my life - but I see the writing on the wall and >I've completely abandoned the thought of going back to running it on a Mac >myself. > >If I shop smart, I have no doubt that few-years-old-but-known-PARIS-friendly >PC can be found that would run rings around my old beige G3 setup - for not >much more than "free if you take it away" prices - and allow me the g
ht open up for PARIS in the future, >enabling currently-unseen workarounds and functionality (Wormhole, >FaderWorks, VFX-4), will be locked to PCs. > >Although my own situation is simply that - my own situation - it also seems >a good idea to me right now for me to help encourage our small pool of >developers to focus their limited time and resources on one platform. > >So there it is; one guy's opinion :D > >- KerryI agree with a fair bit of the NAB speech, but I find 'artists' going on about politics insufferable. If they really care about this stuff join a campaign or run for office. TCB Bill L <bill@billlorentzen.com> wrote: >Thad, I think he blew the right notes this time. Did you listen? > >TCB wrote: >> Hollywood blowhard. >> >> Bill L <bill@billlorentzen.com> wrote: >>> http://adage.com/brightcove/single.php?title=1506582278 >>> >>> Right on. >>If you were content to take just a modest speedbump up, just to get in the game - I bet you could do worse than buying a used, known-PARIS-friendly PC for peanuts off a PARIS user that had upgraded - that's what I thought of doing. After all - PARIS worked on Pentium 166s; some six-year-old cinderblock running a lean, stripped-out XP is probably going to seem like the Millennium Falcon to it, and be noticeably faster than an older Mac. That'd get you into the XP game dirt cheap, with at least the same level of functionality you have today and probably more, and with a minimum of disruption. Wonder if anyone's sitting on a solid old PARIS PC that's been gathering dust because it's a sub-$200 unit that's "not worth the effort of selling"? I was considering asking that very same thing on the "for sale" group. I don't know about strange noises - but one thing that I found was impossible to do on a Mac that I badly desired to was "upgrade the power supply". After all that painful experience taught the PARIS community about PARIS' absolute need for robust power supplies and cool running temperatures, a lot of crashes I used to have in my attic studio snapped into focus - but no dice. So given PARIS' historical finicky nature with too-small power supplies, that was one of the first things I wanted to make certain was solid as a rock on a PC. - Kerry On 4/17/08 1:44 PM, in article 4807b6be$1@linux, "Gantt Kushner" <ganttmann@comcast.net> wrote: > > I've thought long and hard about whether or not to switch my Paris activities > to PC. I suspect I'd bet a lot more horsepower and, maybe, more stability. > I've all but stopped using my UAD-1 cards because they began making so many > strange noises running on my Mac. I'd love to be able to use the new Powered > plugins and the newer Waves stuff that I already own in Paris! I've done > some asking around about what would be involved with putting together a Paris > PC but I didn't get very serious about it. I wonder what it would cost... > > Gantt > > Kerry Galloway <kg@kerrygalloway.com> wrote: > >> I hope it's not controversial to say this, but - I mean, I love Macs and >> I've been a big advocate all my life - but I see the writing on the wall > and >> I've completely abandoned the thought of going back to running it on a Mac >> myself. >> >> If I shop smart, I have no doubt that few-years-old-but-known-PARIS-friendly >> PC can be found that would run rings around my old beige G3 setup - for > not >> much more than "free if you take it away" prices - and allow me the greater >> flexibility of a far more modern OS with software and plugins still in >> development. >> >> It will of course mean leaving the Mac for running PARIS (I'd still run >> Logic 8 on my dual G5 for virtual instrument production and everything else, >> make the PARIS rig a fairly stripped-down dedicated DAW and use a dual KVM >> switcher to toggle between them) - but all things considered I'd vastly >> prefer jumping to XP on a four-year-old computer that still has some upgrade >> potential to jumping back to OS9 on a nine-year old one that has virtually >> none. >> >> And as nobody has been writing new software for Mac OS9.x for years, all
>>>>> >>>>>As far as OSX 10.5, pretty cool so far. I'm glad Apple finally got >>>>>around to supporting multiple desktops, I've been missing that since >>>>>BeOS... >>>>> >>>>>So my preliminary conclusions are that the MBP is a nice laptop, and the >>>> >>>>>G5 still does pretty well for an old timer. Nice to have a couple of >>>>>boxes to divide the work. >>>>> >>>>>Next week I'll tackle installing all the Native Instruments stuff onto >>>>>the MBP. >>>>> >>>>>Cheers, >>>>> -Jamie >>>>> www.JamieKrutz.com >>>> >>> >>> >> > >Maybe you know this already - but when I was running PARIS on my G3 I found this extension an essential piece of kit for seamless Mac/PC PARIS session compatibility - Joliet Volume Access > News > > Important: This is software for the "dead" Mac OS 9 system. > It does not work with Mac OS X! > > > All versions are now free! See below. > > Version 2.1 is ready. New features include: > > Support for discs with more than 2GB in size, such as DVDs > Support for HFS+ long names: You can now optionally preserve the original > names, even if they're longer than 31 chars, provided you want to use them > with Mac OS X or other Mac OS 9 tools that support long names (such as > Kilometre Browser and ZipIt) > Fixed a crashing bug that would occur when mounting a CD with non-roman > characters in the volume names while using a non-roman script system. > Time stamps are now correct again (there were offset by a few hours depending > on the difference to GMT). > Note that while this version appears to be still a beta test version, many > people have tried it and no new problems have been found. So, I suggest that > you use this new version 2.1b5 instead of the 2.0.3 version, and ignore the > "beta" warnings in the accompanying note. http://www.tempel.org/joliet/ Solved a couple of thorny filename issues for me back in the day. If you have any concerns about stability etc, enable it in your extensions while you do transfers and I reckon you can turn it off after. - Kerry On 4/18/08 11:58 AM, in article 4808ef73$1@linux, "James McCloskey" <excelsm@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Thanks guys for the responses! The reason I asked the question about the > Mac to PC Paris file is, I'm thinking about recording with a Paris Mac and > Mixing with a Paris PC, plus I have a lot on archived Mac Paris files. I'm > planning on moving a external hard drive with the files between the two > systems. > I guess I just need to do it when I have time. > > "Aaron Allen" <know-spam@not_here.dude> wrote: >> I've done it for others. The only snag I've seen is converting the file > >> types if you used native Mac file writes, and I think that was protools > >> specific though I could certainly be wrong on that from memory. For those > >> file transfers, MacOpener seems to work well for other folks.. no Mac's > in >> my studio, so I'm limited on that knowledge. I believe Brian T posted in > the >> past a full 'how to' in the newsgroup if you can search for it or someone > >> archived it (thinking John B or Steve Artguy here) to the web. >> Tell you what, send me a PPJ and the file types on a DVD and I'll see if > I >> can't just open 'em up here on the PC. You still got my address? >> >> AA >> >> >> "James McCloskey" <excelsm@hotmail.com> wrote in message >> news:4808248d$1@linux... >>> >>> Aaron, what are your thoughts on opening Mac Paris projects/files in a > >>> Paris >>> PC machine? >>> >>> "Aaron Allen" <know-spam@not_here.dude> wrote: >>>> If you're still serious about building an XP box for Paris, I'm still >>>> onboard to help you configure it up, if you run into any snags. >>>> . >>>&g
op, and >> the >>>>>> >>>>>>> G5 still does pretty well for an old timer. Nice to have a couple of >>>>>>> boxes to divide the work. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Next week I'll tackle installing all the Native Instruments stuff onto >>>>>>> the MBP. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>> -Jamie >>>>>>> www.JamieKrutz.com >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> >HI James, James McCloskey wrote: > Chris, I'm glad you recognize Apples quality when it comes to components. > In the PC world, when you look at a SOYO MOBO SOYO yuck and an Intel MOBO there is > a definite difference in price, and I assume quality. Apple as I know it, > is using Intel MOBOs in their lap tops and I guess desk tops??? With all > the stuff Apple is having built in the FoxConn Plant in China, and all of > the defective iPods out of the box I hear about, I have to think Apple's > quality is not quite what it once was. Apple uses Quanta for building the Mac Book Pros (same as we use). They use Intel and Foxconn for Mac Pros. Currently Foxconn I believe make the mobo for the Mac Pro. Intel might have helped them with the design but they could not have produced it cheap enough. Some of the newer higher end HP Quad Xeon systems are using a mobo custom built for them by Foxconn. Foxconn is one of if not the biggest customer OEM manufacturers. I believe Apple still has reasonably > good quality, however. I for one, think their prices should reflect their > savings, but that is a whole other subject. On the MAC pros I think their pricing is on the mark for the type of hardware they are using. The laptops and IMACs should be lower in price. About the only custom about the laptops and the shells. The guts are already in normal PC laptops. The only thing that sends Mac Pros sky rocketing in price of a si
br /> >> Of the 'big four' Adams is probably the most likable, and the second >> easiest >> to understand. His appetites and vices were modest, his opinions were >> fairly >> straightforward and honest. It's good to see him getting a day in the sun, >> it's richly deserved. >> >> TCB >> >> Bill L <bill@billlorentzen.com> wrote: >>>Kerry, I don't think Thad has a problem with his being an artist. >>> >>>Actually I do think we all have a responsibility to say what we believe >> >>>and what we think will be of value to others. Great artists have >>>powerful voices and they absolutely should communicate for the >>>betterment of society and the future of the civilization. Frankly I >>>would much rather hear heart felt opinions from an intelligent actor >>>like Tim Robbins (Erik the Viking!) than the compromised party line we >>>hear from most pragmatic politicians. >>> >>>Has anyone been watching the John Adams HBO series? Even at the birth of >> >>>our Republic we had bankers' pawns like Hamilton scheming to put the >>>country into debt with an expensive army and war. >>> >>>Kerry Galloway wrote: >>>> Wait a sec. Aren't the bulk of PARIS NG contributors "artists" too, >>>> pretty >>>> much by definition? >>>> >>>> :D >>>> >>>> - Kerry >>>> >>>> >>>> On 4/17/08 1:49 PM, in article 4807b7be$1@linux, "TCB" >>>> <nobody@ishere.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I agree with a fair bit of the NAB speech, but I find 'artists' going >> on about >>>>> politics insufferable. If they really care about this stuff join a >>>>> campaign >>>>> or run for office. >>>>> >>>>> TCB >>>>> >>>>> Bill L <bill@billlorentzen.com> wrote: >>>>>> Thad, I think he blew the right notes this time. Did you listen? >>>>>> >>>>>> TCB wrote: >>>>>>> Hollywood blowhard. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Bill L <bill@billlorentzen.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> http://adage.com/brightcove/single.php?title=1506582278 >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Right on. >>>> >> >Surprise Surprise. They didn't arrive. I'm very angry now and will post in a moment. ;o) ;oP "Kim" <hiddensounds@hotmail.com> wrote: > > >Tech should be here shortly, at which point he'll no doubt rip everything >apart and stuff, but we should be good again in about two hours from post >date, if not before. > >Cheers, >Kim.it's nice to see your on-site tech support rivals our's in Canada hehehe "Kim" <hiddensounds@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:480c6288$1@linux... > > > Surprise Surprise. They didn't arrive. > > I'm very angry now and will post in a moment. ;o) ;oP > > "Kim" <hiddensounds@hotmail.com> wrote: >> >> >>Tech should be here shortly, at which point he'll no doubt rip everything >>apart and stuff, but we should be good again in about two hours from post >>date, if not before. >> >>Cheers, >>Kim. >"Don Nafe" <dnafe@rogers.com> wrote: >it's nice to see your on-site tech support rivals our's in Canada ARGHHHhhhh!!! ;oP Hehe, now that I've got THAT out of my system. ;o) Yerrs... so the GOOD news is that I seem to have found a way to wire the internet so that it works almost properly. It's got me bamboozled that the internet works when wired direct, the phone works on VOIP, and I've tried two line filters, and still the main phone line won't work, but the point is that the group should be better until it's resolved, I think, unless it's just pure luck. The internet is going near full speed though, and hasn't done that for a good couple of weeks. So the tech was supposed to arrive between 5pm and 7pm, which meant I had to get an hour off work. At 6:40 I called the telco who said that the tech had been dispatched, but the telco isn't allowed to contact them until they are officially late, ie after 7pm. So I call at 7 and speak to a girl who puts me on hold to contact the tech, and then the hold music disappears and after about 5 minutes I hang up and call back. I speak to another girl who then explains that it's too late, the tech won't be attending. I explain that this is unacceptable, but she insisted that it was, and that is how telecommunications works here. So I told them I would pay for after hours after this girl kept saying "I'll let them know you'll prefer a Saturday" and I kept saying "No, not prefer. I can't take any more time off work. I can ONLY do Saturday or after hours". This went through several repetitions until I emphasized after hours to her, mostly just so she'd take the word "prefer" out of her message. Anyhow, enough already.<br
ech support rivals our's in Canada >>=20 >> ARGHHHhhhh!!! ;oP >>=20 >> Hehe, now that I've got THAT out of my system. ;o) >>=20 >> Yerrs... so the GOOD news is that I seem to have found a way to = wire the >> internet so that it works almost properly. It's got me bamboozled = that the >> internet works when wired direct, the phone works on VOIP, and I've = tried >> two line filters, and still the main phone line won't work, but the = point >> is that the group should be better until it's resolved, I think, = unless it's >> just pure luck. The internet is going near full speed though, and = hasn't >> done that for a good couple of weeks. >>=20 >> So the tech was supposed to arri
r /> = >for now=20 > is more than enouph) these will be remembered with every new=20 > project. Just remember to have the button in the OFF state. 5. = >Even if=20 > you use FFX4 and/or chainer or other wrpper on other slots = >faderworks will=20 > do whatever is asked to do. 6 HERE IS HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS: The = >default=20 > status of the plugin is to ignore the latency status for = >the track=20 > you are putting the plugin. For instance. A. You put a waves = >renvox=20 > on track 1 on slot two either standalone or from withing the FFX4 = >or=20 > chainer... Now the actual latency this plugin introduces is 64=20 > samples. That MEANS that all other Paris audio tracks are 64 = >samples ahead=20 > of track 1 or if you like ,track 1 is 64 sample latent. NOW = >having in=20 > mind that you have put Faderworks on every track then BY = >JUST pushing the=20 > ON button track 1 of the Waves renvox preset then Faderworks DELAYS = >all=20 > other Paris audio tracks by 64 samples LEAVING intact the = >audio track 1 for=20 > which faderworks ignores the latency. OVERALL latency is displayed = >on every=20 > track too !! It even substract latency !!!! So by putting a = >waves=20 > rencomp (64 samples) on track 2 that does NOT mean that faderworks = >will=20 > delay all others again by 64 samples !! , thus overall latency WILL = >REMAIN=20 > at 64 samples, ONLY track 2 which was already 64 samples latent = >because of=20 > track 1 now faderworks just SUBSTRACTS that 64 samples for this = >track=20 > !! Anyone understood what I typed in here ? = >:) Regards, Dimitrios=20 > eff H <<A=20 > href=3D"mailto:jkhoover@excite.com">jkhoover@excite.com>=20 > wrote: >Dimitrios > >How does this function with = >plugins=20 > inside a wrapper, for example >autotune wrapped inside=20 > FFX4? > >JH > >wrote: >> I tried the = >beta1=20 > and it is marvelous. >> It holds 64 presets with latencies so = >you can=20 > just click the on button anytime >> you load the=20 > plugin... >> Regards, >> Dimitrios > I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, = >and=20 >you? <A=20 >href=3D"http://www.polesoft.com/refer.html">http://www.polesoft.com/refer= >.html > >Don, I sure wish some people had listened to Richard Gere. Today, 7 years later, we might not be fighting a wrong headed war - we might be spreading civilization through the same area with the far more powerful, profitable and welcome means of helping our fellow human beings. Gere is a Buddhist. Buddha spread civilization throughout Asia with a loving message of help and hope. In the words of the poet, "What's so funny about love, peace and understanding?" The unfortunate reaction of "an eye for an eye" is the knee jerk of the insane. A sane person knows nothing is gained by putting out your brother's eye. We fell hook, line and sinker for the terrorists' ploy and did precisely what they wanted, spreading chaos to the millions who they could not possibly themselves affect with their small numbers and meager resources. What idiocy our country showed. Hindsight is supposed to be 20/20. Have we not learned a thing from it? DC wrote: > I remember Richard Gere going all holier-than-thou-because-I-am- > a-pacifist on the "Concert for NYC" stage after 911... > The crowd of cops, firepeople, widows and the general bereaved > booed him right off the stage. It was a great moment. > > Now, no matter how you come down on the issue of violence > and the concept of "just war", Gere was using his fame as a > platform to jam his views down the throats of the proles. > I am here to tell you that millions of us won't put up with that > anymore. > > I don't care what my doctor thinks of Jessica Simpson, and > I don't care what Jessica thinks of socialized medicine. > > DCBut that's not the point, Don. You didn't agree with the message. Calling him an elitist is a convenient way to dismiss it. My point is that even though I agree with a lot of what Robbins said I don't take him seriously as an authority on anything. Had Richard Gere snarled out a call for a crusade against the muslim hordes I'm guessing you would have been fine with that. TCB "DC" <dc@spammersinhell.com> wrote: > >I remember Richard Gere going all holier-than-thou-because-I-am- >a-pacifist on the "Concert for NYC" stage after 911... >The crowd of cops, firepeople, widows and the general bereaved >booed him right off the stage. It was a great moment. > >Now, no matter how you come down on the issue of violence >and the concept of "just war", Gere was using his fame as a >platform to jam his views down the throats of the proles. >I am here to tell you that millions of us won't put up with that >anymore. > >I don't care what my doctor thinks of Jessica Simpson, and >I don't care what Jessica thinks of socialized medicine. > >DCWhy would you think I would pay attention to politicians when reading and thinking about politics and current affairs? OK, to give only a few examples. I read William S. Lind religiously. He is a hidebound cultural conservative (which I abhor) but he's deeply read in European military history and has done groundbreaking work on current war fighting theory. I read Brian Clough and Stan Goff (both very much liberals) about counter insurgency because in addition to being highly educated they actually fought in counter insurgencies for the US and Australia respectively. I read everything I can by Robert Fisk and Patrick Cockburn because they speak good Arabic and have been reporting from the middle east for over 20 years each. They're generally 'left' though both are truly reporters, they try to report what's happening. I read everything I can by Mike Whitney because he's so damn funny, his bits about the Iranian oil borse still bring tears to my eyes. At the more macro level I read Pat Buchanan (again, not into the catholic cultural conservatism, but he's a genuine anti-empire conservative),<b