Just when you think you have the duct tape and binder twine adjusted just right to keep everything running, the darn chewing gum lets go and the whole thing goes kaput.

The stream server has a dead power supply. I have to go on tour tomorrow with The Burning Hell so won't have time to fix it until sometime next weekend. Rats.

Sorry folks - that's the way it goes when we have no budget, and exactly one person doing all the geek work. In the meantime, why don't you listen to Trent Radio instead?

It seems the free music section and the Facebook application that relies on it are currently broken. Thanks for the error reports folks. We'll try to get that up and running again Real Soon Now.

You've always wanted to learn how to play the Ukulele, but never had a chord book. Well now, you do. In fact, you have more than just a chord book, you have a complete chord dictionary for left and right handed ukulele and baritone ukulele!

Thanks to Dr. Stephen Luke for the donation of these fantastic chord books. Drop him a line and tell him how fantastic they are. Check out the ukulele page over here - or from the ukulele! link in the top bar.

From the wonderful world of the web, I got the following email from someone named "JohnP" :

Hi guys, I saw some info about your partnership in helping Paul Moore's
Ukulele's for Peace project. I did a little music video up on YouTube to
help promote his great cause, and found you when I was doing a little
research. Anyway, thought you might like to take a look at it, or pass it
along to help spread the word: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QsXUtUOiig

So here's the video:

John, if you're reading this, what the heck is that instrument you're playing in the video? I want one :)

All of us at RFP and (if I may be so bold) all the people in Peterborough who've heard would like to wish our entrepid traveller Mathias Kom a safe and productive journey. For those of you who don't know, Mathias is off to Israel to work with an organization called Ukuleles for Peace. See the article here for more info about our partnersip with the good folks at Ukuleles for Peace.

As some bonus news, the band that I play in with Mathias and a motley mob of Peterborough folks called The Burning Hell has just been signed to weewerk records!. It's quite an honour to share a label with so many great bands.

You use it. You love it. Facebook.

We have cobbled together two little facebook doodads to help you fill your "well, I really should be working but..." time.

The first one gives you a a free random song from our Free Music section.

To include it in your facebook account, visit this link and add the application. Please share this application with your friends.

The next one gives you easy access to the latest postings on RFP from your facebook page. Now you can keep up with what's going on over here without having to go visit the website. See something you're interested in? Cilck the 'read more' link and you'll get the whole article.

Support RFP by installing this little application - you can include this app in your profile by going to this link and installing it. Please share with those who might be interested.

Radio Free Network is pleased to announce that through one of our many tentacles (this one named Mathias Kom) we have formed a partnership with Ukuleles for Peace! We're very excited to be involved with such a great project, and even more excited that it involves Ukuleles! I wonder if Banjolele's count...

Anyhow - from Mathias, here's a blurb about Ukuleles for Peace:

As a grassroots organization operating in Israel, the goal of Ukuleles For Peace is to bring Jewish and Arab children together to play in an orchestra with ukuleles, kazoos and other fun instruments. The students meet once a week in their schools, and get together for regular performances, singing in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Simply by playing together in a fun and safe environment, the children themselves create further opportunities for inter-community activities and understanding, and parents and members of the communities get involved in the program and in one another's lives.

With the help of Radio Free Network and Peterborough musician Mathias Kom, Ukuleles For Peace will

Last night I was lucky enough to be able to take in "The Show that Hank Drank" at the Pig's Ear Tavern - a great multi-artist celebration of Hank's music anchored by long-time Peterborough music scene fixtures The County Boys.

The legend goes.... Hank had a show at the Brock Street Arena - where the price chopper is now. He stopped off at the Pig's Ear for some refreshment and being Hank, got completely hammered. So hammered in fact, that although accounts vary of how many songs he got through vary (three seems to be the most common I've heard) he soon fell off the stage and was "escorted" out of town by the RCMP and an angry mob.

As Radio Free Network's project list grows, it's getting to be a bit of a chore for our interested listeners to flip from site to site to see what is going on with our other streams. Now, you can listen to any of the Radio Free Network stations you want, all from one convenient little widget. Check it out:

You can visit any of our station project websites by clicking the "Visit" link next to its name in the widget. Want to include this player widget in your own Facebook or Myspace account? We'd really appreciate it if you did.. Just cut and paste this code:

<object width="335" height="331" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0"> <param name="movie" value="http://radiofreenetwork.ca/player/multistationplayer.swf" /> <embed src="http://radiofreenetwork.ca/player/multistationplayer.swf" width="335" height="331" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /> </object>

That code will embed the player in your web page -- that's it - you're done. Thanks, and enjoy this easy new way to enjoy all of our programming.

I got a lovely email recently via our feedback page from Thushara Dharmawickrama in Sri Lanka. Thushara was telling me a bit about a program they operate in partnership with One World Radio working with rural youth to produce their own contests for local villgers.

Thushara wanted our help and guidance in getting their broadcasts streaming on the Internet. A few emails later, they have all the info they'll need to get up online, and we'll be continuing to support them from half a world away through any technical hurdles that pop up along the way. We're happy to have the opportunity to work with One World Radio and with Thushara and crew. Shout outs to Shakeel & Kedar too.

Once they get up and rolling, we'll be sure to post a link to their station so we can all enjoy it.

Until then, enjoy these photos which Thushara sent to me of their recent community radio youth camp: