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News

Book Focuses on SAS I/O Functions

February 22, 2016

The book Routine SAS Low-Level I/O Programming will be available March 22, 2016.

Bah & the Humbugs 2011 Podcast

December 21, 2011

This year’s Bah & the Humbugs podcast features two new tracks.

New Christmas Song, “Snow in the Window”

December 7, 2011

Rick Aster’s newest Christmas song was written during Thanksgiving week, just in time to record an attic video of the song and release it for the Christmas season. The song says that whenever life seems difficult or hopeless, that’s the time to stop and think about Christmas.

12/19/87 on CD

November 17, 2011

The first Bah & the Humbugs concert ever recorded is now available on CD.

A Small Book for Working With Big Data

August 12, 2011

The 6th edition of Professional SAS Programmer’s Pocket Reference is updated and streamlined, in keeping with the theme of a nimble approach to “big data.”

Rick Aster Presents the “Secrets” of SAS Programming

September 21, 2010

Nineteen years is ages in the computing world, so when it came time for author Rick Aster to prepare a new edition Professional SAS Programming Secrets, first released in 1991, it took more than a few adjustments to bring the book up to date.

Different Worlds Anthology Launches

April 14, 2010

differentworldsanthology.com

The Different Worlds anthology podcast is underway with its first episode online. The anthology is a series of short fiction pieces, many of them fantasy and science fiction, inspired by the music of Asia featuring John Payne. It is edited by Jeri Unselt, who is also reading several of the stories. The podcast includes snippets of the music.

One of the later installments will be a science fiction story by Rick Aster, inspired by the Asia song “Ghost in the Mirror.” Rick wrote the “Ghost in the Mirror” story at the end of December.

Different Worlds anthology: http://www.differentworldsanthology.com.

Ringdale Inc.’s new strategy enlightening

February 19, 2010

This Austin Business Journal story quotes Rick Aster on trends in LED lighting.

Bah & the Humbugs on the Radio

December 25, 2009

Bah & the Humbugs were on the radio and recorded new songs and a new podcast.

Shane’s Mane: Reading and Riding

December 8, 2009

The new Nicole Drumheller Gargus story book Shane’s Mane has a can-do attitude about riding a horse, and reading a book.

The book features several K. Sundance photos and a graphic design by Rick Aster.

In the story, written for early readers, a girl named Orla worries that she can’t read. She also worries that, if she can’t read, she’ll never learn to ride a horse, or do anything that matters.

In the end, Orla finds out that learning to do things is partly a matter of not worrying so much.

Shane’s Mane includes K. Sundance photos taken around a real horse farm, along with several taken along a trail from the point of view of a rider.

The Pigeon Creek book is set for a new year release.

Bah & the Humbugs at WXPN

December 6, 2009

On December 5, Bah & the Humbugs taped an in-studio concert segment to air on WXPN on Christmas Eve.

New Book Fear of Nothing: You Can Look at Clutter and Know What to Do

January 1, 2009

Fear of Nothing

Today is the release day for the first self-improvement book from Rick Aster. If clutter gets in your way and you don’t know what to do, Fear of Nothing has the answer.

The new hardcover book is now available for online orders at sites such as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, and if it proves itself online, it may eventually be available in stores.

Fear of Nothing has its own web page where you can find out more about it. The Fear of Nothing page at http://www.fearofnothing.net is easily found from links on the home page of the rickaster.com web site.

Catching Up With Bah & the Humbugs

December 17, 2008

Although there is no new Humbugs album this year, Humbugs fans are buzzing about a movie, a new song, and Christmas messages from aliens.

Bah & the Humbugs Podcast Makes Contact With Space Aliens

December 10, 2008

Rick Aster plays Einstein Holiday, a teenage podcaster who can’t wait to get a text message from space aliens.

Ticket cover

K. Sundance Apple Season Photos

October 22, 2008

A K. Sundance photo showing how apple butter is cooked appeared on a newspaper supplement cover this week, with four more photos inside. Montgomery Newspapers readers can look for the photos of Bauman’s Apple Cider in the October 22–23 Ticket entertainment supplement, which appears in 11 newspapers around Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Ticket story

Bah & the Humbugs Podcast Available

December 19, 2007

This year’s Bah & the Humbugs podcast features Rick Aster as Big Jerry.

Bah & the Humbugs on Dr. Demento

December 14, 2007

The Bah & the Humbugs song “Christmas in April” can be heard on Dr. Demento’s radio program this weekend.

Bah & the Humbugs List “The 12 Symptoms of Christmas”

November 16, 2007

The first details on this year’s Bah & the Humbugs album.

“Quit Your Day Job” in Showcase

April 16, 2007

Rick Aster was in Nashville April 14 for some vocal training. While he was there, he performed his song “Quit Your Day Job” in a showcase.

It was the first time this song had been performed in front of an audience, and it was well received even though, as you would expect in Nashville, it was a room filled mostly with country music fans.

The trip coincided with the biggest storm of the season, but Rick says the high winds and rain had only a slight impact on his travel.

Rick Aster Explains the “Humbug Shuffle”

December 26, 2006

“. . . a great way to keep smiling at Christmas.”

Humbugs Record “A Very Commercial Christmas”

November 24, 2006

The new Bah & the Humbugs podcast is centered around an all-commercial radio station.


Background

Rick Aster

The story of Rick Aster and the origin of his approach to music.

Backstage

The starting point for the behind-the-scenes look at the technical side of Rick Aster’s work.