Blue Sky On Mars

Mike Bayer and others have been involved in a pretty significant rejiggering (that’s the technical term) of SQLAlchemy. Much of the common user API is unchanged, but some of the pieces have become considerably more flexible. Additionally, Mike has rolled out a new site: SQLAlchemy - The Database Toolkit for Python

SQLAlchemy has a strong community, which provides patches and updates on a regular basis. Included with SQLAlchemy are several user-supplied extensions, including ActiveMapper, SqlSoup and SelectResults. SQLAlchemy is involved in a high-profile integration with TurboGears, is growing in popularity within the Zope community, and is under evaluation to be the underlying database API used by Trac.

So, in answer to Eliza’s question, according to the SQLAlchemy web page, TurboGears is indeed looking at SQLAlchemy

Beyond just looking at it, TurboGears already features SQLAlchemy integration (and work is underway to ensure that TurboGears works properly with the latest releases of  SQLAlchemy).

I didn’t want it to get too far into 2006 before I put my latest annual favorite songs list up. This is my third annual list. The first list had 9 songs, the second had 19 and this one has 24. I have no idea what that means. Is the music getting better? Are my standards going down? Who cares? I just know that these 24 songs provided primo enjoyment for my ears this past year.

• “Get Back” by Ludacris from Red Light District. I don’t know what it is, but certain songs in which the singer is talking tough just make me laugh. This is one of those… I have a feeling Ludacris doesn’t take himself too seriously here, because the video shows him with these crazy oversized arms.
  
• “Beautiful”, “Raining Again” by Moby from Hotel. Beautiful: . Raining Again:
• “Since U Been Gone”, “Addicted” by Kelly Clarkson from Breakaway. Honorable mention to “Behind The Hazel Eyes” and “Hear Me”. I listened to a lot of Kelly Clarkson this year. These were some excellent tracks. Well written, produced and performed. Some of the best pop of the decade. Since U Been Gone: . Addicted:
• “No Surprise” by Theory of a Deadman from Gasoline. A good bit of rock from people who, at least on record, hit the right notes and can even harmonize. Good lyrics, too.
• “Lonely No More”, “This Is How A Heart Breaks” by Rob Thomas from Something to Be. More great pop with a unique sound that cut through a lot of the other stuff on the air waves. Unless you were listening to “adult contemporary” stations. In which case, Rob Thomas was apparently all you got to hear this year (in between Kelly Clarkson songs, that is.) Lonely No More: . This Is How A Heart Breaks:
• “Flashdance” by Deep Dish from the Flashdance EP. Though the music gets a little repetitive (and the entire first verse is repeated again!), the music is at least interesting and the singer sings with a great swagger. The “he’s lucky he just walked on by” lyrics are clever, too.
• “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” by the Black Eyed Peas from Monkey Business. Anyone who sounds like a horse in the middle of their song is having a good time. Even releasing a single with the word “phunk” (which was replaced by “mess” for some stations) shows a group that’s out to have a good time.
• “Sugar (Gimme Some)” by Trick Daddy and a cast of thousands. More well-produced rap-pop.
• “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani from Love. Angel. Music. Baby..
• “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)” by Garbage from Beautifulgarbage. Though Garbage had a new album out in 2005, this is from their previous release, but I hadn’t heard it before 2005. I just love the sound of this song, and it’s a real shame that Beautifulgarbage was a relative failure.
• “Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day from American Idiot. Last year’s “Boulevard” is easily the better song, but this is still a solid track. Honorable mention to “Holiday” as well.
• “Precious”, “Suffer Well”, “A Pain That I’m Used To”, “John The Revelator” by Depeche Mode from Playing the Angel. I’m a big Depeche Mode fan. Overall, Playing the Angel doesn’t stand up as well as Violator or Ultra for me. But, there are some standout tracks, like the lead single “Precious”. Precious: Suffer Well: A Pain That I’m Used to: John the Revelator:
• Confessions on a Dance Floor by Madonna. This is easily Madonna’s best album since Ray of Light. The whole album is quite listenable, but there are still standout tracks. Hung Up: Sorry: Jump: I Love New York:
• “Gold Digger” by Kanye West with Jamie Foxx from Late Registration.
• “We Be Burning” by Sean Paul from The Trinity.

Over the years, I’ve done a variety of reviews. I’ve also consumed a lot more books, music, movies and websites than I’ve managed to review or mention here. I’ve decided that I’d really like to highlight some of the great things that I’ve found along the way.

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