An Idea - Boycott the BCS

I love college football but I hate the BCS.

It is around this time of year that the best college football teams in the country finish their season with bowl games. Yes, bowl games. Not a tournament but bowl games with most of them being absolutely meaningless. Why are they meaningless? Well if you win at least 6 games in a 12 game season you are eligible for a bowl game. Not a very high standard if you ask me. So if you are a college football team with a 6-6 record you can play in a meaningless game against a team with an 8-4 record. Why play these meaningless games? Profit. Profit? Yes, it's all about money. Surprised? I bet not. TV endorsements, promotions, ticket sales, vacation sales, merchandise and blah blah blah... are all very alluring.

There are many people across the country that believe college football would be better served with a tournament. I am not going to argue for or against a football tournament. Side note - get a dam tournament! Please!

The BCS believes that the system in place is the best system for the game, the students athletes and the participating universities. With the current system in place, some question whether or not the bowl system determines the best game or even the best team as the National Champion. With only bowl games remaining, five teams have an undefeated record. Four of the remaining undefeated teams will compete against one another in bowl games; Texas vs. Alabama in the national championship game and TCU vs. Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Undefeated Cincinnati will face one loss Florida. When the final whistle blows on all the bowl games, there will be the chance that 3 teams remain undefeated but only one will be named the BCS national champion; Alabama or Texas.

Is that fair? Umm, No. Does anybody care? Yes. Will this bogus system ever change or adopt a playoff to the right the wrong? Things are not looking up. Here is my suggestion to TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati... BOYCOTT THE BCS Bowl games.

What? Woah!

Yes! Boycott the games. Sure you might lose the millions of dollars from company sponsors and the national publicity that not only helps your football program but those interested in your academic institution. If you are going to be cheated so easily and casually without remorse then why not make a statement by boycotting a biased and unfair system. How huge of a statement would that be? I am sure you would get plenty of publicity from a well established and managed boycott of the games in which your argument for a playoff can be placed front and center. If the three undefeated teams not playing for a national championship decided that the system is unjust and not worthy of partaking in then I would not only laugh my rear off but I would also cheer and respect the guts it would take to make that stand.

It might seem rash and it could only work if TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati stood united and choose not to participate in the bowl games. One cannot stand alone but if all three should stand together in an attempt to fight the system then this could be straw that broke the camel's back.

Boycott the BCS - Cincinnati, Boise State, TCU. You can do it!

monk - a love story?

Tonight I spent my evening watching the series finale of Monk. The show premiered in 2002 and after eight seasons with over 120 episodes the crime solving comedy solved its last and most important case.

Monk stars Tony Shalhoub as a detective that suffers from extreme obsessive compulsive disorder and an array of phobias. His mental illness is exacerbated by the murder of his wife. Every episode he would come face to face with an unsolvable crime and due to his mental condition, was able to discover and uncover clues ignored by others.

I don't really want to recap the episodes or anything. In truth the show was nothing more than easy entertainment. the show in some ways capitalized on exaggerating his illness. Much of the crime investigations weren't all that difficult and in some ways many of the episodes were modeled after another pretty good crime show, Columbo. I was not a die hard fan. In fact, there are probably two or three seasons worth of episodes that I have missed but I hope that does not diminish my gratitude.

I guess all that I care to say is goodbye. Goodbye to a television show. Tony Shalhoub has been one of the best actors on television for the past 20 years and he was nothing short of brilliant on Monk. It was a sweet and charming show. A show I could watch with my father or mother. a show with a central character that was easy to like, applaud and so I did. It gave me hundreds of chuckles while sharing an endearing quality that many shows lack.

We, I rooted for Monk not simply because of his profession or his illness but because of the tragic events which escalated his illness; the murder of his wife along with his incapability at solving the crime. The affection for his wife was not told verbally at every turn but an effect we, the viewer saw in every episode as he struggled to shake hands with strangers or fight dirt, avoid undercooked food or keep his clothing wrinkle free. In the end, Monk was not a show about solving crimes but a show displaying the effect love has on the body, heart and mind and the lengths one will go to prevent that love from dying.

thank Tony Shalhoub, USA Network and those who kept the show going.

I'm Sick of Car Companies Not Giving Me What I Want

Every day I watch TV. Every day I watch car commercials promote the fabulous new features on current models. Features like a rear view cameras to prevent accidents while going in reverse. My suggestion would be, learn how to become a better driver. Features like rain sensing wipers for the days I go blind behind the wheel. Or cars that self park because I have become too lazy to do anything even park or find a valet.

I am Sick of Car Companies Not Giving Me What I Want.

I do not need heated seats or an 8 speed transmission. I do not need television screens on the back of head rests or auto dimming rear view mirrors.

I want my car to be safe and I want have SUPER FANTASTIC AWESOME GAS MILEAGE. I could care less for good gas mileage. It's the end of 2009 and 30-34 miles to the gallon doesn't cut it. Technology is dazzling and can do tremendous things, so i find it unfortunate and unbelievable that car companies have not been able to come up with a car that has better than good gas mileage.

What do I want? I want a car that gets a 100 miles per gallon. Invent a car with 100 miles per gallon and I promise you people will line up to buy it. Sell me a car that gets 100 miles per gallon and with a 13 gallon tank and I can drive from Cleveland to Miami, New York City to New Orleans or Seattle to Los Angeles on 1 fill up. If it is that easy for long road trips think how much easier your daily commutes to work will be. How nice would it be to to stop by the local pump once month or so?

Build me a car that can travel 100 miles per gallon and make it affordable to the masses and build it in the United States of America and then I will be excited. I don't know why Americans aren't going crazy and demanding for this fantasy to become a reality.

I cannot take another car commercial promoting something we don't need. Sure, luxury is nice but I would rather have a fuel efficient car over a smart car. I would rather have a fuel efficient car over a luxury car. I am smart enough and do not need my car to be smart for me. I don't make enough money for luxury and would love not spend hundreds of dollars a year on gasoline.

till then... Car companies... all of you... go fuck yourself.

And I Say This with Every Amount of Sincerity I Can Muster .... to the summer past... FUCK YOU!

Usually summer is a time to embrace the warmth of the sun and a sunny disposition but this summer has meant nothing but personal rejection, creative failures, financial dependence, romantic alienation, family turmoil and the actualization that life is a very fragile thing.

to the summer of 2009 - Fuck You !

that is all I can really say. I cannot change the heartbreak. I cannot change the minds of others. I cannot vanquish illness with a thought. I can cope and move forward but with a message to days past - Fuck You!

It might seem immature for an adult(?) to vent his frustrations with a shout, a finger and a new mentality to deny past events of any thoughtful consideration but I am not sure what else to do. It was a horrible summer, maybe the worst of my life. I welcome the fall and the chance for something better.

as fall approaches I can embrace what happens next and hope rock bottom has turned to rock solid. What happens next... A birthday to celebrate moral victory over defeat, a moment to give thanks for family and friends not lost or forgotten, and a holiday that I hope unifies those I see frequently with those I wish to see more of. Preparations for new adventures, new cities, new friends and new ideas all coming soon to a landscape near you.


To the selfish and cowardly this was not your fault but my salute is in your honor - Fuck You! To those who think I am simply not ready - Fuck You! To those who think I should change who I am to reflect your beliefs and ideals - Fuck You!

To those who are suffering through similar struggles, for better or for worse - I understand and wish you the best of luck. To those who believe in me and support me - Thank you.

U2 360 Tour

When U2 released their new album No Line On The Horizon back in early March there was not a lot of buzz generated by the group and their efforts. Hailed by some and hated by others, it lacked a gimmick like their previous two albums. All that You Can't Leave Behind was a comeback for the band; a return to basics and pop song writing. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb had the huge Apple I-Pod campaign surrounding it. Early hype for the new record created the notion that this would be the best record of their storied career. It is not their best record and not even their best record released this decade. So since the album had generated little buzz, the band sought out to create a tour that would put everyone on notice... U2 has arrived (again) and still rocks.

In the past two decades U2 has welcomed bold stage designs for their concerts; the dark industrial look of the ZooTV/Zooropa tour, the McDonalds arch, the lemon disco ball and the neon of the PopMart tour and now the Claw. The Claw is a huge stage piece of brilliant design and awe inspiring magnitude.



The Claw allows the band to perform for the entire audience at any stadium. It is not like most stages that only allow 75% of the audience to enjoy the show. Not one corner of the stadium would be neglected as the band moved across the circular stage trying to reach out to every corner of the audience.

The band started out with four tracks off of the new record and would push through much of the show with songs from the new millennium. They dipped in the well of their classics, playing "One," "Where the Streets Have No Name," and "Pride (In the Name of Love)." They finished off "Beautiful Day," with an impromptu version of the Beatles classic "Blackbird" and even threw in a bit of "Oliver's Army" during the break of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Live favorites like "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "New Year's Day" were pushed aside for songs like "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" which have not been performed stateside for over 15 years. The band displayed that they could continue to perform at a high level. Even the remix dance hall version of "I'm Going to Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" sounded fresh and hip, besting the bands previous attempts to turn a stadium into a dance floor.

Unfortunately while the Edge, Adam and Larry performed at a high level, Bono lacked the urgency and sincerity of past performances. He was energetic and grand like typical Bono but lacked the ferocity of previous tours. Bono has thrived when pushed by social commitment, emotional burden or the perception that the band has lost its relevance. 80's Bono was pushed by a will to succeed, the death of his mother and social causes. 90's Bono was fueled by the constant reinvention of the band. In 2000 Bono was pushed by what he acknowledged as the bands efforts and re-application to be the world's greatest band. A few years later Bono was motivated by the threat of middle age and the passing of his father. What fuels Bono now? His earnest push for social change seems watered down. His ability to create clever slogans has turned into a weakness that does nothing but commercialize his cause. Videos of a war torn middle east during "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and a video clips of Africa trying to cope through AIDS and malaria seem to induce sympathy rather than social change. Even the moving tribute to Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi during "Walk On" felt a bit out of place. Some have criticized the band for inviting politics and social agenda on this tour while the 120 semi's used to haul the massive stage leave a massive carbon footprint. It is hard to criticize a band trying to do good especially when the criticism is that they could do a better job of being good people and promoting causes many neglect. Should we blame them for our high expectations? I think not.

Despite the show lacking some of the sincerity and intimacy of their two previous tours or the media overload of the 90's mega-tours, U2's 360 tour was a joyous event. Bono constantly promoting the notion that, "all you need is love" and a spaceship if handy was inspiring. Hope and possibility was in the air, sponsored by ingenuity and clapping hands. The sound and stage were dynamic but never overshadowed the band's love of performing. If anything U2 might not be pushing new boundaries but refuse to settle. They could get away with playing their standards in arenas and making a 20,000 people seem like a few hundred but choose to dazzle 65,000 people like they were 65,000 fans united by their belief in the band and their music. Grand spectacle is what the band wants to deliver and maybe grand spectacle is what rock music needs. Congratulations U2 for a good show and a job well done.



the setlist

"Breathe"
"No Line on the Horizon"
"Get On Your Boots"
"Magnificent"
"Beautiful Day/Blackbird"
"Elevation"
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
"Stand by Me"
"Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of"
"Unknown Caller"
"The Unforgettable Fire"
"City of Blinding Lights"
"Vertigo"
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"
"Sunday Bloody Sunday"
"Pride (In the Name of Love)"
"MLK"
"Walk On"
"Where the Streets Have No Name"
Africa Interlude
"One
"Bad/Fool to Cry/40"
"Ultraviolet (Light My Way"
"With or Without You"

I Believe in Beatles and Me

This past week, for the first time the Beatles release their catalog in its entirety with digitally mastered sound. For some it has been a long, long wait. It is a project four years in the making and 22 years overdue, as a group of engineers in London at Abbey Road Studios with careful supervision done by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr try to revamp, clean and perfect the sound of the most influential group in music history.

I don't think it is my job to tell you how important the Beatles are or what their music means to people. I can tell you that in the eyes of this blogger, they are the most important and greatest band of any time. I don't think there is another group as large, important, successful, idolized, revered, and influential as the Beatles. Recording 13 albums in 8 years, each with it's own sound, identity, soul, and of course breakthrough songs.

Like many my age, the Beatles were introduced to me by my parents. I was born 12 years after their official breakup and 2 years after the murder of John Lennon. A reunion was never in the cards. I never saw a live performance or had the initial thrill of their performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. As a young boy, I discovered the Beatles in my mother's car. She had the Beatles 1962-66 (also known as the Red Album) on cassette. It was a collection of their pop hits. She would play it most of the time when she drove me to school or McDonalds, to a friends house or to the store. I didn't really know who the Beatles were or what their songs meant to the billions have that enjoyed listening to their music for almost 4 decades. I thought the music was catchy and would rather listen to them over Michael Bolton or Patsy Cline. Now, I feel differently about Patsy Cline. As time passed, a new car was purchased and the cassettes were traded in for compact discs. Even though things had changed, my shy hum with the whisper of my mother singing the songs was still present in her new car.

My father never sang the Beatles with me. He was never a huge fan of rock and roll. Much of his life he declared his distaste for the musical form. Consistently showing his disapproval of rock music, he was quick to make note that rock music began and ended with the Beatles. If the classic Beatles hit, "Yesterday" has been recorded over 3,000 times by as many artists then my father was able to present me various salsa, latin folk and jazz versions of the smash hit. To this day, rock may not begin and end with the Beatles but according to my father there is little need to go elsewhere to satisfy your rock urge.

As I grew older the pop nature of songs like "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" were delightful but not as satisfying as "Strawberry Fields Forever" or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." As a boy I didn't understand why the White Album was so important and now I understand its importance to music but I still try to unravel its effect upon me. As I grow older the same songs that had such a large effect upon me have new meanings and old favorites cement their influence.

It is hard to find people my age that appreciate the Beatles. It might not be hard to find people but it is hard for me to find friends, colleagues or music fans that will sit with me and smoke a cigarette while listening to the White Album. I don't know many who will sing the night away to Rubber Soul and Revolver. Or anyone who will toast the sunrise to "Here Comes the Sun" with a nice bottle of whiskey. I don't know many people I can connect with on the topic of music. Nor can I find anyone to share the experience of singing the Beatles the way I had with my mother on those car rides or debating the merits of rock music with my father.

It is easy to dismiss the Beatles. It seems easy to neglect their significance or how delightful their music sounds. Before their albums were re-released I had forgotten how joyous some of the songs were. It has been so easy to sit in an uncomfortable chair, worried about everything in this life and ignore all of it while listening Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I think it is easy to dismiss the mythology of the Beatles or forget how four young men with uniquely different identities, perspectives and personalities created some of the most memorable music of this or any century. The Beatles might not only be the best band in the history of music but possibly its best story.

to the Beatles... thank you.

some side notes.

favorite Beatle during the band years - John

favorite Beatle post band years and as solo artist - George

favorite Album - battle between Abbey Road and Rubber Soul

Favorite Songs (because it is impossible to pick one so here is about ten or so)

"Here Comes the Sun"

"I Want You (She's so Heavy"

"A Day In the Life"

"In My Life"

"I'll Follow the Sun"

"I've Just Seen a Face"

"The Fool On the Hill"

"Strawberry Fields Forever"

"Don't Let Me Down"
"Get Back"

it's too hard to choose... i cannot choose all of them

me... who is that? the return

some have said that this blog does not allow people to understand me or know me on a personal level, so here it goes.

Within weeks I will be 27 years old. I don't like discussing my birthday. I am not a big fan of celebrating my birthday. I don't even tell people when my birthday is as an attempt to avoid anything that might occur. I will not mention what day my birthday is. It doesn't make me feel older but it does make me feel displeased with my accomplishments.

For the first time since my freshman year in college I am unemployed. Throughout my life, I have worked as an assistant to a maintenance man, a doughnut shop clerk, record store manager, production assistant for a TV documentary, fitness aid at a gym, and a sales clerk for a clothing store but my business card has me listed as super awesome guy. I used to love working. I really enjoyed being productive, having a schedule, making paper and feeling valuable to something or someone. My last two jobs have taught me the importance of working for good people, a good company and for good reason because otherwise you just get taken advantage of. I won't deny it, I'm a bit bitter.

Some suggest that I have not been happy with my recent labor because I am not doing what I love. I would love to write. I would love to write and make a living from it. I have recently entered writing competitions and was rejected. Before my rejection I had doubts about my abilities and now my doubts have ballooned like a wet sponge or perhaps like a balloon. I want to write movies. Like all writers, I don't think that I am pinned down to one style or genre. It's a bullshit claim we all like to subscribe to and promote. One day I hope to pay homage to the directors that have inspired me... Keaton, Chaplin, Godard, Truffaut, Cassavettes, Fellini and many more. I love the cinema and at one time it filled this empty mind with ideas, my directionless heart with motivation and my dull spirit with entertainment.

Am I an artist? I don't know. Am I writer? I cannot answer that either. Some suggest that one needs to have an audience to be a writer or an artist. Others suggest that an audience cannot validate my ambitions and dreams. I am fickle when determining which one of these notions is correct or fits me best. I do know this... I write because I love it. It is a relief. It might be the only thing I do with some ability and I am better at it now than I was ten years ago and hope to be better tomorrow than I am today.

I have been a bit down as of late but I am trying to make my way back to happiness. Death, failure and girls have been on my mind a lot of as late. Those are not necessarily synonymous with one another. I have never had anyone close to me die. I do not know what I would do if death came in the mail or knocked at my door. As of late everything effects me emotionally. My emotions have been on a roller coaster ride and I hate roller coasters.

Changing topic. I believe in moderation and balance. I am a libra and some suggest that as a cause. I don't know. I dismiss astrology but check it every now and then thinking it might give me a leg up on certain situations. I think balance is key to good government, good relationships, and even a good meal. I think trying to define yourself by one thing or one ideology is silly. Everyone has some good and some bad, and it is up to the individual to decide which path to follow. Am I saying this world is a grey one as opposed to a black and white one? It might be all three.

I am a liberal or a democrat. I hate political association. Political parties didn't work for George Washington and they don't work for me. I love history and feel more people should learn about the past. I strongly endorse the notion that you cannot know where you are going if you do not know where you have been. I believe that government belongs to the people, not one group of persons or even several different groups of people. Government belongs to everyone and should do its best to reflect and work for the people. In the end, we are all in this together.

All this might be a little vague but I have been accused of similar crimes. I do not let many get close but I am trying to correct the errors of my past. To be honest, reading my blog might be one of the best ways, if not the best way to understand how I think. I do fear being vulnerable to too many people and for that reason I try to keep my private life private. I don't always succeed.

Let me hit you with some basic facts to end this blog. I write but I am a horrible speller and proof reader. You can catch me several times a day, at the mall or at the gym playing air guitar. I hope to give my children absurd names as if I were a celebrity. I want to learn to tango dance. I recently started collecting post cards and beer brand coasters. Silence scares me. I love sitting on the passenger seat and looking out the window of a moving car. Curdle is my least favorite word. I believe in aliens, vampires and other possible monsters. I have never seen an alien, vampire or other possible monsters. I do not think you can ever have too much of a good thing. I think accents are overrated. Part one of this series was written in may and note to self - sequels are rarely as good as the original. It seems like nothing is made in America anymore and I hate that. I enjoy drinking out of mugs, pints and jars. I waste water to enjoy long and hot showers. I want to dress like Cary Grant. I believe in the power of the mixtape. I want a tattoo but don't know what. I wonder if there ever was a purpose for learning cursive. I think love or being in love can have mythical powers filled with lightning bolts, the ability to heal and defy gravity. And like you, I'm just trying to do the best I can with what I've got.

Air Compressed Car - Madness !

In India and France scientists and engineers are doing wonderful things with science, technology and magic. No, not magic but ingenuity. These mad men of the laboratory are trying to help society commute from point A to point B and back by using air compressed cars. AIR COMPRESSED CARS!!!! The insanity!

This is not a new idea. In fact, the air compressed car has been in the works since the late 1990's and could be on the market sometime next year. I cannot explain the science of how it works because I might not do it justice but I can tell you in era where fuel efficiency is a hot topic, the air compressed car will hopefully set the world on fire.

Pending on the model of your air compressed car, it can reach speeds of 65-90 mph. An air tank should be able to fuel the car for 125 miles and cost about $3 dollars to fill. There is even an option in which the car can refuel itself by purchasing a specifically designed air compressor for the home.

The benefits of this car are the decrease in CO2 emissions and an alternative fuel source to power public and private transportation. Air or most specifically compressed air is not a rare commodity, thus allowing a steady price for consumers rather than the consistently fluctuating price of gasoline. Simply put, the air compressed car is better for the environment and your wallet.

I don't think this is the only solution but it can be a viable alternative. Why can't Americans embrace the automobile and the air compressed car? Why must there only be one type of car to drive or one way to manufacture a form of transportation?

I don't want to think of Americans as selfish and shallow. I don't think Americans only want to drive large, fuel hungry automobiles that do nothing but show off or over-compensate for other qualities they lack. I don't think Americans are speed junkies and only care to drive fast cars so they can land fast women/men. I'm tired of Americans coming up for excuses why alternative forms of transportation like the air compressed car cannot work. I wish more Americans could start to think openly about how this could work or maybe more importantly, why it should work.

Who's The Man - a golden era of Hip Hop and MTV!

Who's the Man? was the first film released by MTV Films in 1993. The film would star Yo! MTV Raps hosts Ed Lover and Dr. Dre. (no, the other Dr. Dre) The movie stars the two VJ's in a comedy about crime, community struggles, the desire to get rich and of course, hip hop. With a tagline that reads, "the first hip hop whodunnit?" it was a film that represents the glory days of hip hop music and the golden era of MTV.

MTV was at its peak, proving that it was more than music television but a cultural revolution. Hip Hop blew passed the notion that it was just a phase by becoming a dominant musical art form. At the time these two forces seemed unstoppable and this movie was bound to be a huge success.

The movie's plot focuses on two barbers (Dre. and Lover) working out of harlem and failing to give their costumers quality haircuts. They believe they are misunderstood stylistic geniuses and would be respected if they had money, lots of money. Their boss Nick (and father figure) is sick and tired of their antics. Nick fires them and forces them into the police academy as an attempt to get Dre and Lover to be more mature and responsible for themselves. At the same, Nick organizes community groups and protest the businesses that are making it difficult for blacks to live in Harlem. This might seem a bit heavy for an MTV release but then you realize that Dr. Dre and Ed Lover are just a hip hop version of Abbott and Costello. That comparison might be a stretch but after all (the brilliant - ha ha ha) Roger Ebert thought this movie was so enjoyable that a franchise like Cheech and Chong was on the rise. Some of the familiar faces in the film included such MTV regular and Hip Hop icons as

MTV regulars include:

Dennis Leary

Colin Quinn

Bill Bellamy

Kurt Loder

Fab 5 Freddy

Karen Duffy

Hip Hop Icons include:

Humpty Hump (also known as Shock G)

Heavy D

Queen Latifah

Salt-n-Pepa

Busta Rhymes

Melle Mel

Eric B. & Rakim

C.L. Smooth

Pete Rock

Kid Capri

Kris Kross

Naughty by Nature

The Guru

KRS-One

Ice-T

House of Pain

Cypress Hill

Flavor Flav

I enjoy the movie for several reasons. I grew up in a suburban household and then believed that hip hop was more than cool but exciting. I was somewhat naive. At the time, the portrait painted by MC's like Rakim or Chuck D seemed adventures rather than the drab conquests of suburban life. Of course at the age of 10 it was much more difficult to understand the hardships of inner city life, racial oppression and economic strife.

As a child I responded easily and immediately to the juvenile humor and crazed antics within the motion picture. As I watch the film again, many years after my first viewing I realize that despite some flaws, it does one thing exceptionally well and that is present the city that gave birth to hip hop. In a movie that lacks the polish of recent pictures involving musical acts, Who's the Man does a fantastic job of representing hip hop. In the film, it's hard to ignore the low lit concert halls, the dirty city streets, the low income housing and the auto body shop that looks like a body shop rather than a Pimp My Ride car haven. It's not just hip hop stereotypes or over simplifications. Who's The Man is not cinema verite but refuses to disrespect Harlem, New York City, Hip Hop or its heroes by cleaning the image of the city or those who not only benefit from hip hop but live by its legacy.

Good For You - You Fail at Life. A drunken tale of false reporting

In La Plata County, Colorado a 59 year old man was charged $30,000 for falsely reporting an airplane crash. Harsh? Not exactly, considering the man was drunk at time and convinced he was talking to a friend and not an emergency operator. The large fine was due to the 50 emergency workers that were called to the scene to assist, rescue, and aid those hurt in the accident. Law enforcement typically does not act kindly to being punk'd.

So... Good for You, Mr. 59 year old man that falsely reported a crime and got charged a large sum of money because you were to drunk and stupid to realize what was actually going on. You sir, fail at life.

But wait, could this be the whole story? An alternative notion.

A year prior witnesses claim to have seen a UFO crash by the nearby Colorado river (estimated 162 mile distance) Could another UFO been mistaken for the airplane crash in La Plata County? With a patsy in place, did the FBI and local law officials cover up this intergalactic incident? It is no coincidence that most photos of UFO's are out of focus and those claiming to have seen aliens or unidentified flying objects have a history of mental illness or drug use. The cover up, if at all, is already a success.

In all seriousness. Thank goodness there was no plane crash but there is a valuable lesson to be learned. Drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive. Don't drink and falsely report airplane crashes costing you thousands of dollars. If you drink responsibly, you might not fail at life.

good day to you.

original story reported by the Durango Herald, USA and other media outlets.

Why NASCAR May Hurt the Economy

at the NASCAR brickyard race this weekend 43 cars were racing. 43 cars using gasoline to race 400 miles. I could not find how much gasoline the average race car uses nor could I find the average miles per gallon but according to a few web pages the average car gets between 4-6 miles per gallon. Yes, 4-6 miles per gallon and has about 20-25 gallons in each tank. So for the sake of this blog we shall say that the average car runs at 5 miles per gallon with 25 gallons in every automobile. So if all 43 cars finish the race, 4300 gallons of gasoline would have been used for one race. 4300 gallons!

Just to make sure you remember... 4300 gallons of gas. If I were to put that gas in my car then I could drive from New York City to Los Angeles (at 30 mpg) 47 times. 47 times !!! In my hometown gas is currently $2.49 per gallon. So based on our figures, the cost to fuel this race was over $10,700. According to the 2009 projected federal poverty guidelines, a person in the district of Columbia can apply for government assistance if he/she earns less than $10,830.

I don't want to talk about whether or not NASCAR or any form of auto racing is actually a sport. I am not going to doubt that millions of people love watching and partaking in these events. It is a skill/sport and there are statistics that show auto racing is the most popular sport in the United States. This is what scares me... NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races per year, with varying distances and number of racers but in the end thousands and thousands, maybe even millions of gallons of important gasoline is used to fuel these automobiles. I don't know if NASCAR has a green project but maybe it should. I don't think the government is planning on trying to decrease the fuel emissions at the race track but maybe they should. American car companies seem to have no trouble creating a special engine with 750 horsepower but apparently cannot make a special engine that gets over 50 miles to the gallon and I know they should.

It seems that plenty of people are willing to complain about how much certain athletes are making in every sport but I rarely hear people complain about how much gas goes wasted on the race track. I constantly hear complaints about the price of gasoline, arguments against and for fuel independence and yet no one seems to mind that auto racing uses more gasoline in one day than most use for the entire life of their automobile. In an economy that has seen better days and many people unhappy with the cost of gasoline, does the enjoyment of auto racing outweigh the cost? I am not so sure it does.

to my friends... thank you

I know this cannot embody the thanks I owe but I can consider a step.


I am not going to dive into the depths of what I have been thinking but I will say this, the 26th year of my life has been one of the most difficult years of my short existence. It has been a very hard year. Sadness seems to be a dish served frequently. I have been kicked and kicked and then as I feel the momentum shift, a strong wind knocks me down once again. My recent days have been lacking any remorse as they even kick me while I am face down in the ground. I have not been strong enough to brush these pains off as it it were dirt on my shoulder. The past few month have been very hard.

It has been in these past few months when good friends, old and new, near and far have come to me to offer their hands in friendship, a hug to console, and an ear to listen to the trouble I'm going through. I don't talk very much or openly about what I am feeling. I have never been good at allowing people to see what lies underneath. Many know of my reluctance to speak openly about what I feel but that has not detoured many of my friends from wanting to listen and help.

Feeling like a failure in more ways than one, doubting my skills and abilities, broke and broken, I have been feeling very much alone. It is a naive thing to feel alone in your sadness. It is the silly trap of sadness and a naive way to think that no one can understand, relate or share your pain. I have not been alone except when I choose to be. I have not been alone because my friends have been there for me.

Many of my friends have proven ever present and greatly important. Never allowing me to hang my head in defeat. Never allowing me to swallow my misery. Reminding me that I have talents and skills that are worth exploring and need to be appreciated. Reminding me that I am a good man and good things can and will happen. My friends have been more than a raft to float upon but also provided the sail to help push me in new directions. Whether they are involved in a night of mayhem and tomfoolery, helping me find a better job or even helping me navigate through my thoughts and feeling, without my friends this past year would have been a year lost with little hope for the next.

Being lucky or feeling lucky might dismiss all of this as chance and does not describe how I truly feel. I am very proud and honored to have friends that care for me, help me and believe in me. They represent the best parts of living and I only hope that I can be as good of a friend to them as they have been to me. I won't deny that I am still a bit down but a change is going to come. I will rise. I will smile again and that smile will be a consistent occurrence on my face.

thanks to those who have been there... thank you, oh so very much.

kills 99.9% of germs... good but not good enough!

Ok, so we have all seen the commercials were a cleaning product claims to kill 99.9% of germs. well that may seem adequate for you, killing a vast majority of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses but if there as infinite amount of germs out there in this world then isn't that .1 percent rather large?

what germs are they not killing and why aren't they telling us? let's just throw out a number... there are 1 BILLION germs on this planet and if that were true than Lysol, Clorox and other products are still leaving 100,000 germs out there to feed on the public. I know it is a marketing ploy and I know no nitwit can ever prove this to be true or false but I am not as confident in the cleaning power of such tools as hand soaps and cleaning wipes.

I guess this is just me urging you not to believe all the bullshit you hear. That .1 percent might be larger than you can ever know. Who knows what germs it does and doesn't kill? Shoot, the common cold doesn't even have a cure! Science, what have you done for me lately? Just kidding. But with medical issues like the swine flu and other diseases out there, it is important to be safe but also aware that safety might be nothing more than an allusion.

Please wash your hands, take care of yourself, family and friends. Safe is much better than sorry.

Your boyfriend/girlfriend, like a notebook, should come with paper.

So a few days ago I went to lunch at a Boston Market and it was delicious. The meal and the company was delightful. I can say the company was a treat because I was with my dear friend Amy. Amy is in town from Vegas. She left me in Ohio to suffer through my romantic troubles alone but in doing so she bettered her quality of life and met someone that brings her a happiness previously unaware to her. I can forget my selfish pity party and forgive her. But in all sincerity, no matter what kind of mess I am in romantically Amy has a gift to explain to me my trouble and remind me that my affection should be directed to someone deserving of it.

As I swim in the misery pool that is my love life, Amy is dancing in the ballroom of romantic bliss. She has a man who treats her well and she is happy. I asked her what about her new man makes him such a stud. Before she responded I had to interject. I told her the first thing she says cannot be the words, " he is a nice guy." I don't know about you but I find it a little disturbing when someone, male or female is dating someone new and the first thing they can say about that individual is that they are "nice."

I find it silly, if you are with someone and happy that the first word you would use to describe them is "nice." I find it silly because I would hope the person you date is nice. It should come standard. Being nice should be a prerequisite. I would honestly hope that the person you are dating is nice. If anything an attraction should start with the other person being nice. As a man, I tend to think that women are attracted to assholes but that is not the purpose of this blog. I just think that when you describe the person you are dating, the one you are happy with, or the one you hope sticks around and can build a future with, that your description starts off with something more specific than "nice." If I ask you, who you are dating, I hope "nice" is not the first word used to describe them because I had already assumed such a thing or else why would you be romantically linked with that person. When you are dating someone, them being nice should come automatically, as if you were buying a notebook... it should come with paper.

Your relationship, like a notebook should come with paper. Yes, maybe I am saying that nice is to relationships as paper is to notebooks. Or maybe I am suggesting that when you are out and about looking for someone to fall for, think of that time you went out and bought your last notebook, the first thing you did was make sure it had paper.

Now, like notebooks there are plenty of fish out in the sea. There are notebooks with 100 pages, 200 pages, 80, 90, 150 and for some reason there are even notebooks with 138 pages. Not only can you judge how much paper or niceness you want in your notebook but you can determine the size of your notebook as well. Your notebook can be 5 x 7, 6 x 9, or 8.5 x 12. I swear these measurements are simply the size of notebooks not human anatomy. Notebooks come in all sizes and colors. Notebooks are available with subject dividers and subject dividers that perform a double duty as folders. College ruled, Legal ruled (what the fuck?), wide ruled or maybe graph paper? One subject, two, three, four or even five subject notebooks. Plastic cover or cardboard? Advanced wirebound, wirebound, or maybe you want your notebook bound with stitching or glue. Fuck, maybe you don't want your binding on the left side because you are left handed and care for your binding on the right or on top like a legal pad. Or maybe you are just looney enough to invest in as much paper you want and put it in a three ring binder. Notebooks for drawing or writing, for business or personal, for daily use or when the moment suits you... there is a notebook for everybody.

All I am saying is, if you want to be with someone they should be nice, like when you buy a notebook I hope it comes with paper. Your new romantic fascination may be nicer than your previous efforts but I hope your attraction to that person is based off the unique characteristics that can only exist in the eyes of the person you love. I hope you love that person because they understand your off beat sense of humor or because the pieces of gold and grey in their green eyes never stop surprising you. I hope you love that person because after you've had a bad day they know all you need is a kiss and a space in between their arms to find peace. I hope you are with that person because their smile is infectious. They push you, believe in you, and make the effort seem effortless. Or because the best vacation is the day you share in bed. I hope you love them because they love you for who you are and want to become, plus they will be with you for every moment of that journey. In truth, there are many reasons to like or love someone and I hope you are not settling for someone who is nice because any decent human being deserves that and much more. I am happy for my friend Amy who has found the person who makes her most happy and from what I hear, he comes with plenty of paper too.

me... who is that?

some have said that my blog does not allow people to understand me or know me on a personal level so here it goes.

as of may 25 2009, I am 26 years, some months and some days old. I feel older but on occasion act like a 15 year old girl. My body parts suggest that I am male. I am attracted to women, so society would suggest that I am straight. I have been in love, more than once so lightning can strike twice. I would say it has struck four times. Love has allowed me to be bold and stupid. I have been bad in relationships and those have failed. I have been great in relationships and those have failed. I am not sure what success is. Recent history would suggest that sharks bite with sharp teeth.

As a child my favorite sport was basketball. As an emerging adult, my favorite sport is baseball. I root for the Red Sox even though I am not from Boston or new england. I love sports which surprises some. I once had a decent or moderate collection of sport playing cards. I plan to pass those on to my children. I do not have any children, yet. 'Yet' does not mean that I am expecting at the current moment but hopeful that one day I will have created a better version of me. Hopefully a child of mine will posses some of the skill in athletics that I was never strong enough to nurture.

As of today I have 24,199 songs on my i-tunes. The most played song at 103 spins is "Gentle on My Mind" by Johnny Cash with Glen Campbell. I still buy CD's. I went to school to study film but Hollywood doesn't make anything that interests me anymore. My favorite movie is The Third Man. Movies are movies, films are movies, movies can be films, and I am pretentious. There isn't much to watch on television anymore either. I hate reality TV and I hate YouTube. Music and movies might be the only stable thing I have in this life.

I love useless facts like Hawaii being the only state in the US with a royal palace or that manatees despite given the nickname of "sea cow" are more closely related to elephants. Or if you fill a container with 14% sawdust and 86% water and freeze it, you get something with similar strength and durability to that of concrete. I think knowledge has no limits other than the limits we impose on it. I dislike it when people think they are always right or that there way of thought is the only acceptable way to think. I think liking something or enjoying something doesn't mean that it is right, good or justified. "just because," is never a suitable answer for enjoying something or believing in something else.

I have my faults. I am paranoid. I can be distant and cold. I dislike most children and refused to be swayed by the argument that they are young or cute therefore their annoying habits are acceptable. While on the topic of children, I think most parents shouldn't be parents and I am very close to believing that some sort of test should be given to those wanting children.

I drink. I prefer quality beer when my bank account allows it. I prefer cheap beer when my bank account is empty. I drink as a social activity but do not shy away from the solitary moments of drinking. It sometimes turns sadness into a smile and other times turns a blank stare into tears. When I am sad, I enjoy strumming on my guitar or sitting down to write. I haven't been writing very much as of late which has allowed me to practice my poor guitar playing. I am not being modest.

maybe these are vague but I have been accused of similar crimes. I don't let many get close and allow very few get close enough to see the wrinkles around my eyes, the imperfections of my smile and the shadows behind my words.

let me hit you with some basic facts to end this blog. I wish I was well read. I love going to the zoo. I am afraid of the ocean. I prefer pie over cake. I never knew my grandparents and fear my children will share a similar fate. I speak spanish poorly. I put too much sugar in my coffee and tea. I agree with the person that said America's greatest inventions are the constitution, jazz and baseball. I love the static puff of sound from worn speakers when placing a record under the needle and flicking the on switch. I feel the first climb to 10,000 feet of air travel is unsettling. A quality back scratch might be more satisfying than winning $50 from a scratch off lotto ticket. I think spelling bees are cruel. There is something delicate yet sturdy about a ranch home on a vast piece of land that I admire. I am rather vain but lacking genuine confidence in my appearance. I suck at crossword puzzles. I hate losing. I fear disappointing my parents. I am a grown man with stuffed animals. I cuff my jeans. I talk to my car like it is my therapist. And like you, I am just trying to do the best I can with what I've got.

a few suggestions to fix the NBA

it seems like everyone loves the NBA. Well I don't. As a kid, I grew up in awe of Michael Jordan and the fastest growing sport in the world. I wanted to play roundball more than anything as a pre-teen and dreamt of last second heroics. My fascination started at the tender age of four when my brother had taught me how to dribble and shot a basketball. I had never experienced a joy greater than that but since high school my love for basketball has been diminished. why ? Has the game ultimately suffered since Michael Jordan retired or is it a game that was created with flaws that may never be corrected?

my problems

1.the game. I didn't realize it as a child but basketball may be the only sport in which the first 3 quarters of the game have no relevance what so ever. Leads in basketball generally diminish. Scoring 8, 10 or sometimes 15 points with little or no response is not uncommon. So why watch an entire game? it is because basketball is a sport that thrives on a score that is constantly in flux. A constantly changing score keeps people excited and into a game but at the same time a 10 point lead at the end of the half is meaningless. I would even dare to say that a 10 point lead is not safe unless there is under 90 seconds left in the game e and there have been instances in the game with 90 seconds remaining that no lead is safe. This is where the excitment is drawn, a game in which victory could come to either team, but you achieve nothing by claiming victory in the first, second or third quarters, but after 48 minutes. Basketball is not like football or baseball, soccer or hockey in which the strategy to maintain a lead or come from behind drastically change. So with why watch a basketball game when the fourth quarter is all you really need?

2. The lottery. The NBA lottery is a joke. It does not grant the team with the worst record the first pick in the annual draft. Therefore a team that suffers through a regular season with the most losses may be punished for no good reason other than to create excitment for a draft that lacks. The last time a team with the worst record recieved the number 1 overall pick was 2004 and the Orlanda Magic then picked Dwight Howard. Five years later, the Magic are contending for a spot in the NBA finals. The reason why the NBA draft lacks is that rarely does any team find a player that will bring immediate impact after the 5th pick.

SO why is it fair that team with the worst record can wind up with the 14th pick in the draft when a team that was a game or two away from the playoffs could be selecting the first pick? People accept this because that is the system and without the lottery the draft is lacking any drama or buzz to rival that of the NFL. My suggestion would be to modify the lottery. Allow only the three teams with the fewest wins to compete for the top selection while the remaining selections are based upon record. I think this is fair and even though it might not create as much excitement, it might squash many of the claims that the lottery is fixed or rigged to propell certain struggling organizations to the forefront of the Association.

3. the playoffs. there are 32 teams in the NFL and twelve make the playoffs. there are 30 teams in Major league baseball and only 8 make the playoffs. Hockey and basketball have 30 teams and of those 16 teams make the playoffs; that is over 50%. Why are some teams that finish with a record below .500 able to contend for a championship? A team with a losing record has made the playoffs every year since the 2004-2005 season. Is that a problem or just coincidence? Is there a power divide between the two conferences that allows this? Is it a coincidence that the 9th place team in the Western conference would have the fifth best record in the East? Is there a a problem when six teams in the Western conference achieved over 50 wins and only three teams in the East were able to accomplish the same? Some feel this is natural but I am a little more skeptical.

4. the officiating. Basketball has the worst officiating in sports. During the playoffs, the officiating is not only bad but it is controversial. three men are responsible for calling the game while on the football field or baseball diamond, twice or three times as many officials enforce the rules of the game. Many question how, when or why referees enforce the rules of the game but in basketball unlike baseball the refs can dictate the game. Calls are questioned, calls are missed and the consistency of calls within the game, or from game to game is consistently questioned. The NBA is talking about adding challenges with instant replay like the NFL but my suggestion is a bit easier. Why not, at least in the playoffs, add a fourth official? four pairs of eyes must be better than three. Allow the refs to discuss possible questionable calls. I don't think many will object to a ref over rulling another or allowing the team of officials to deliberate a call for 15 seconds. I think a fourth ref seems like an easy solution that might alleviate some of the problems but I am sure NBA hasn't considered it and some union might be against it. A fourth ref is what we need, at least for the most important games of the year, like the playoffs.




I could go on about the image of the NBA or basketball. I could talk about the problems of letting young men at the age of 19 or 20 enter a league in which they will not only enter the spotlight like never before but make millions of dollars doing so. I can talk about the leagues promotion of individuals over teams or how commissioner David Stern runs the league like an a parent blind to the faults of his children. I won't discuss any of that. Basketball is a great game. I, like many others just hope for a few modifications and these are my suggestions.

What Ever Happened to My Rock and Roll - 5 bands that Rock

Ever wonder what happened to Rock and Roll? do you feel that pop music is making your rock soft? Do you feel that hip hop is lacking the passion you need from the blood and sweat of Rock'n'Roll. Country music is not rock and roll. do you feel that your Rock music is kind of bland, doesn't kick, doesn't push, doesn't rock? Is your rock music a generic blend of Aerosmith wanna-be and Nickelback wanna-be sounds with no originality what so ever? Is your rock ruined by too many keyboards, piano solos, new age crap or cray baby antics... Emo is not rock music! Well if all or any of these are true than I have a cure for your Summer Rock and Roll Blues...

5 Bands that Rock. Bands that stick to their guns and their guns are firing ROCK.

1. Kings of Leon - Composed of three brothers and their cousin, the Followill family make up this Nashville outfit that went from the simple southern guitar rock sounds of their debut, Youth and Young Manhood to the Epic sounds of their fourth release Only by Night. From Nashville, the Kings of Leon have toured with U2, Pearl Jam, Oasis, the Strokes, and Bob Dylan. They broke away from the Lynyrd Skynyrd comparisons to formulate their own sound combing the dirty southern rock sound ("Molly Chambers"), garage rock ("My Party") anthem rock ("On Call") and even discovered an inner U2 with the song, "Use Somebody." Even the ballads rock as their songs never stray far from the guitar. Jared Followill's bass lines pulse and push much of the music forward, causing your hips to sway while singer Caleb brings a tremendous amount of soul to his understated lyrics. Quite possibly the best things about this band is that with four albums every fan has a hard time choosing which their favorite might be.

Favorite Album: Aha Shake Heartbreak

Favorite Song: "Soft"

2. The Gaslight Anthem - Sure, they are only two albums into what I hope will be an amazing catalog but the Gaslight Anthem provide that jersey shore rock music that we all need in life. Imagine if Bruce Springsteen had grown up listening to the Ramones and the Replacements, the result would then be the Gaslight Anthem. Bruce Springsteen wearing Chuck Taylor's, leather jackets and a fist in the air bringing the sky to shambles. Last year's the '59 Sound might be one of the best albums while driving down the open highway that I've heard, in a long time. Brian Fallon does plenty of name dropping of old girlfriends, lost loves and broken hearts than maybe anyone... Sorry Bruce. Fallon sings of old cars, music icons, tattoos, radio songs and youthful exuberance... what more could you want?

Favorite Album: The '59 Sound

Favorite Song: "Casanova, Baby!"

3. the Black Keys - This blues outfit from Akron, Ohio is just two guys, Dan Auerbach on vocals/guitar and Patrick Carney on the drums. With five albums to their credit along with an Ep celebrating the songs of Junior Kimbrough, the band started out playing the blues, which evolved into blues rock but in the end it all just kicks ass. Robert Plant, Josh Homme and Thom Yorke are big fans of the Black Keys and so should you. The best thing about the Black Keys is that they continue to grow and get better. Five albums in the can and each one is better than the last. They brought on super producer and beat maker Danger Mouse to produce their last effort, Attack and Release which must be considered their best album to date. Their mixture of blues and rock can be subtle, huge, delicate or sexy. Their band composition might be similar to the White Stripes but their sound is uniquely their own.

Favorite Album: Attack and Release

Favorite Song: "All Hands Against His Own"

4. The Raveonettes - So what if they are Danish? So what if they sing a majority of their songs in two part harmonies? Imagine if the Velvet Underground, the Jesus and Mary Chain and Buddy Holly adopted a rock band and the beautiful monster that would come to be would be the Raveonettes. Throw in a splash of surf rock and you are golden like hash browns. The Raveonettes like their rock and roll dressed in black, distortion and feedback. It is slick but sexual. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo sing with an ease and softeness that might be confused for lacking passion but that couldn't be further from the truth. With their vocals passing through like an easy ocean breeze the juxtaposition of the noise from their guitars, hard, fuzzy, loud, distorted, contained and maniacal displaces any sense of peace or ease.

Favorite Album: Pretty in Black
Favorite Song: "Do You Believe Her"

5. Drive-By-Truckers - Athens, Georgia first gave the world R.E.M. and now they can take credit for the Drive-By-Truckers. Another southern rock outfit but unlike Kings of Leon, the Truckers may never leave the dirt and roll of their southern sound. They have incorporated a fiddle, stand up bass, and mandolin to their musical landscape and are deeply rooted in the sounds that surround them. These guys love Lynyrd Skynyrd, and have filled the alternative country void left by Uncle Tupelo. Imagine if Wilco never got soft or imagine if Wilco had some balls. This Rock outfit might be the hardest working act in the business that no one seems to know about even with 7 albums in the past 13 years plus a live record. Not only do they tour extensively but they also worked as the studio band for the most recent Bettye LaVette album, The Scene of the Crime. An album combing soul, country and rock as the Truckers create a fuller sound to aid in the soulful curiousities of LaVette.

Favorite Album: Decoration Day
Favorite Song: "Where the Devil Don't Stay"



I hope you enjoyed this list... there are plenty of other good bands doing rock music these days, i just wrote about a few of them. Rock as of late has strayed from some of the simplicity that made it great. Experimentation is pretty great but often i wonder... What happened to my rock and roll?


if you know of any rock bands that needs some attention, let your voice be heard. music saves so save music !

Network ... A Great Movie in 1976, a Great Movie Today

Howard Beale said it best.... 

Isn't it remarkable? Network was released in 1976 and it still rings true in many ways. It is a movie forgotten by many despite making arguments about the media that still register within our minds and imaginations. 

The film follows a news anchor and his spiral towards self destruction, as his best friend tries to remove the spot light forced upon him, network executives try to provide him an audience and reap the benefits. It is satire to a degree but comes off as precise social criticism. It is hard to denounce the film as far-fetched or exaggerated when much of seems as real as the dirt underneath our fingers nails. 

I remember being a young teenage boy about 10 years ago and discovering this film for the first time. Angry about everything with no rhyme or reason, I was like many teenagers who felt alienated, confused about a world beyond my reach... Network did not provide any answers but it gave me questions. Network still doesn't provide any answers but many of the questions I asked 10 years ago still fester in my mind. Will I find a good job? Can I find truth on the television or believe what I've read in newspaper? Are politicians working to benefit the community rather than themselves? Well, to be honest. I didn't worry about those things at the age of 16 but I do worry about them now. At 16, I identified with the anger and at 26, I identify with the simple truth that life is hard and the answers aren't always easy to find or easy to handle. At 26, I don't see it as anger but as frustration. Like the world in 1976, there is plenty to be frustrated about in 2009. Maybe the frustration is maddening because it never seems to go away? This life or any life is never made easy. 

I love this film and I would recommend watching it. Please, rent or purchase. You will never see me promote illegal downloads. If you love art, music or film, support it and don't steal it. 

Starbucks a Spy Haven?

Have you ever wondered why there are so many Starbucks? Seriously, why are there so many? Is it possible that Starbucks is a front for government operatives, spooks, spies and watchmen? Yes!

Have you ever wondered why you might find 3 or 4 Starbucks locations within 1 mile radius? Surprised, but in small towns across America they are everywhere. There are three located within the Palm Beach Gardens Mall which by no means is larger than the average mall, after all it's only two floors.  In New York City there are over 250 Starbucks locations; Chicago, 153; Miami, 58; Dallas, 51; Los Angeles, 153; Denver, 131; Atlanta, 57; Boston, 97 and somehow Seattle only has 103 places to order your favorite venti coffee. By the by, Venti means '20 ounces' in Italian, which is fitting because by ordering a Venti beverage, you have ordered 20 ounces of beverage. 

So why are there so many of these cafes pumping the last great legal addictive stimulant?  Is it because these coffee shops are really hubs for classified and sophisticated materials used for our nation's national security? After the 1990's, in the Bush America, Starbucks was opening a new location daily until this past summer when on july 1, 2008, Starbucks announced the closing of over 600 locations. Despite closing over 600 locations, the coffee ringleader was still opening stores in better markets. This announcement of store closing and more site specific openings came just 4 weeks after (President) Barack Obama won the Democratic Nomination. 

President Bush was criticized for his do anything at all costs mentality for National Security. From invasion of privacy to the arrests to innocents all in the pursuit of some kind of justice, and Starbucks might have become a front for government badges. Your local barista keeping an eye on us all and controlling us with sweetened coffee, sultry pastries, and mix cd's with subliminal messages. Sooner or later there will be tracking devices in the thermal coffee mugs purchased for your night stand or car. Or worse, like a video camera in the new coffee grinder purchased for the pound of your favorite bella vista coffee beans.

Thank goodness for new proposed ideas and plans on how to keep our nation safe. Starbucks might still be a front for spooks and fingermen, so be careful of what you say or do within those walls. I know the soothing sounds of Diana Krall or the full flavor of pumpkin spice latte can weaken anyone but try to maintain yourself and be a rock. Starbucks was clever in attempting to mask these closing in a crippling economy but I am not fooled. I am watching you Starbucks! 

Woodstock #4... how about a new idea?

Yes! A 40th anniversary of Woodstock this May? No!

it hasn't been planned, or booked or financed but that doesn't mean that there aren't people trying to make it happen. 

are you excited? especially since the promoters are trying to get original acts from the original Woodstock to perform, like Joe Cocker and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. How is this not happening? 

don't you remember the easily forgettable 25th anniversary Woodstock? How could you forget the horrific events that occurred during the 5th anniversary of the 25th anniversary of Woodstock? I believe there were riots, fires, mass violence and danger that goes beyond the thrill of rock and roll. 

let me get serious for a moment....

Does this seem like a bad idea? No, it's a festival and festivals like Coachella or Bonnaroo have been widely successful without creating havoc. Is it a good idea? to some it might be, others might not care and in the background, somebody is making money. 

the organizers of this event, if it does occur might try to promote the idea of peace, love and rock and roll but in a musical climate were politics and social awareness seem taboo what would be the message - hope, political correctness and pop? I am not bashing hope, being PC or pop music but the only time musicians have the brass to say anything political these days is during a presidential voting year. And bringing back Joe Cocker wouldn't do much to create the original feeling of love, CSN & Y cannot recreate peace and I doubt much of today's generation could name 5 tunes by either of those artists. In the end isn't it about making money? 

is there a need for another Woodstock when there are plenty of other options for music festivals like SXSW, Coachella, Bonaroo, Lollapalooza, Langerado (cancelled this year) and the Newport Folk Festival? 

Woodstock is a memory, a story, and a myth slightly disfigured by the commercialism of the two previous concert events but the original still has a place in the cosmic landscape of musical relevance and the 60's. I think we se should try creating new memories and stories that will become the stuff myths and legends are made of. just a thought. 

It's Like That And That's the Way It Is... Run-DMC and Hip Hop

On April 4 this year the first great act in Hip Hop music will be celebrated and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cheers to Run-DMC, along with Jam Master Jay they would pave the way for LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Def Jam Records and many more acts to follow. They pioneered Rap Rock with their version of "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith while they made Kangol and Adidas the hip thing to wear.

Run-DMC not only made rap music something special for your feet but crafted a message for your ears, heart and mind. with their induction to the Rock Hall I am reminded of one song that proves how great they were. "It's like That" was released in 1983 and is still relevant. Its simple beat never stops being catchy and despite sounding retro or 80's, it does not deter it from being an unbelievable pop tune or club hit. Don't dismiss the retro sound, current acts like Common and Kanye West are banking on capturing the 80's hip hop sound again, unfortunately acts like Afrika Bambaataa, Curtis Blow or Run-DMC can only teach so much about how it should or can be done.

In my lifetime I have heard many arguments against hip hop. Some stating that it is not music, or that it takes little talent to create and perform, or that it is not relevant. First, it is music. Second, from personal experience it is very hard to create and I have never tried to perform it. Thirdly, it is relevant. Try telling Chuck D that hip hop is not relevant. Tell that to Nas or the Roots, Eminem or Mos Def. Hip Hop might be dominated by club anthems about gang violence, bling, rims, bitches/hoes and keeping it real but hip hop is urban folk music. It is the music of a people, by the people and made for all the people. That is what great music is, that is what great rock is or great soul or country or hip hop is.

In 1983, "It's Like That," speaks of economic uncertainty, high unemployment, war, racism and the difficulties of the rat race. It reminds us that love doesn't buy you cloths and that we all face the hardships of life. It pushes to the center that success starts at home, at work, at school or at church. The simplicity of youth has passed, unity might be fragile but despite our glasses blurred, we are all in this together and "it's like that and that's the way it is."

Thank you Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay.

A reason why parents might be more stupid than you think...

Now, when you read this sign what comes up to mind?

.... are you unaware that parents love their children?
.... are you shocked and amazed that parents would love their children at all?
.... are you shocked and amazed that parents would love their children even if they are playing in the dangerous suburban streets, where the speed limit that this sign is posted is a rampaging 35mph?

.... are you dumbfounded that somebody found a need to produce and hang this sign a priority?

you know what I think? I think parents should teach there kids not to play on the street or at least any street where in coming traffic is a high probability. I think drivers driving should be more concerned about where they are driving and be mindful of children at play. I would like to give the human race a little more credit and think that parents are teaching their children what they should and should not be doing, like they should not be playing on roads with heavy traffic. I would like to think that when driving, the driver's first responsibility is safety.

studies estimate that there are over 6 million car accidents per year and over 45,000 of them result in death but does that mean we need a sign to state the obvious? I am sick of stupid drivers and there are lot of them. I am sick of parents who blame there child's death on everyone but themselves. Car accidents are not a laughing matter and generally are the fault of more than one person. Nobody can be careful all the time and sometimes the one mistake made can be the most costly.

I hate signs like this for many reasons. For parents, it does not show your children that you love them... if anything it is a lazy way to suggest that if an accident does occur it is the driver's fault instead of your own for allowing your children to play in the street. For the driver, you should be following the speed limit regulated by law enforcement at all times.

Are we better of for having the sign? Possibly, but I think it is a sad state of affairs when we need the sign.

U2 for me and you - An Album Review

No Line on the Horizon is the 12th studio album by U2. After twelve albums and over 30 years as a band one might wonder whether or not U2 still has any relevance, musically and commercially or if they, like many other bands of equalled success are simply trying to cash in.

The band's recent success has had some critics suggesting that the band has lost it's edge, relevance and thirst for making important music. U2 before 2000 was if anything an adventure in music. The journey beginning with the youthful exuberance and simplicity of their debut, Boy. It would continue with the post punk sound and social relevance brought upon by War and the Unforgettable Fire. To some the journey would reach it's peak when the band explored America, classic rock and definitions of spirituality in The Joshua Tree. For others, the peak of the mountain would be Achtung Baby, the album that saved the band from internal turmoil. It was an album covered in layers of fuzzy guitars and dance grooves, along with Zooropa, the two albums explored the bands more intimate conflicts such as the sacrifices of faith, devotion, love as well as the idea of solitude in a digital age.  Pop (a personal favorite, despite poor reviews) would be the bands confession on commercialism and the guilt brought upon excess and ignorance presented in techno-color and techno music. After Pop and the Popmart tour received mixed reviews, U2 would emerge triumphantly in 2000 with All That You Can't Leave Behind. It was a back to basics return for U2, an album comprised of pop songs reminding many fans of the inspired and hopeful U2 of the 80's. U2 would continue this rejuvenation with How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in 2004. Both albums would have some of the personal touches of their 90's work as Bono would explore themes brought upon by his father's death but many would find the music as well as the lyrics complacent. The two previous efforts were comprised of well crafted, signature pop songs that did nothing to challenge the band but simply staple their legacy.

Since 2000 some have wondered whether or not U2 could push the envelope once again. Some forget or casually dismiss that 15 - 20 years ago U2 was one of the great and innovating bands of their time. Before Nirvana or Radiohead, before Coldplay and TV On the Radio,  U2 was a leading force in creating new sights and sounds for the musical landscape. Much of that innovation seems to have been lost on their previous two records but...No More!

No Line On the Horizon is a welcomed return of a band wanting to shake things up. It no longer plays on the successful sounds of their previous records. Instead U2 have chosen a path somewhat reminiscent of their Zooropa era sound. Zooropa which is clearly the bands darkest album filled with dance hooks, keyboards and pulsing bass lines is the younger brother to this new record. Or if you will the album you got drunk to the evening prior. No Line On the Horizon could easily be seen as a follow up, or the hang over cure. 3 of 4 best (and absolutely fantastic) tracks, "Magnificent," "Fez-Being Born" and the title track all have a familiarity to them that jump start where Zooropa left off. There is a drive, a punch and a reach to the sky on these new recordings that was missing from Zooropa. The synth on the title track reminiscent of some of the U2 b-sides of the early 90's, while "Magnificent" starts off like a New Order track, only to be broken by Bono's soaring vocal. "Fez-Being Born" begins with a Bono shouting from a distance, "let me in the sound," a theme repeated throughout the album. As if Bono and company have been left off the guest list.  If you are yearning for the U2 of the early 90's but crave their current optimism then these tracks are for you.

"Moment of Surrender" is an absolutely beautiful song. It is a soulful harmony with musical touches that might remind some of the U2/Eno collaboration, Passengers: Original Soundtrack 1. It is also a reminder, like the track "White As Snow" that U2 can write a decent ballad while trying to reach for the stars or a warm blanket instead of the top 40 charts. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" is really the only pure single on the record and it is the most catchy U2 song since, "Beautiful Day."

"Unknown Caller" is an interesting concept but falls a little flat at times, due to some vague lyrics. It is a song in which a dazed figure receives messages from his phone via caller or text to push forward. The song never achieves the darkness or the heroic rise that it should call for. "Breathe" is a frantic song that is quite solid as well as the the confessional, "Cedars of Lebanon."

The albums two weakest moments are the tracks, "Get On Your Boots" and "Stand Up Comedy." Why, "Get On Your Boots" would serves as the first single is beyond me. Both songs try to promote opposition to those who oppress and open arms to love but Bono has written many lines that don't make sense or do not correlate with one another. If getting on your boots is the one thing we must do, to take charge then why don't we know how beautiful you are, as the music suggests in "Get On Your Boots." Not to mention the other occasional lyrical missteps. "Stand Up Comedy" references the Twin Towers and Napoleon and with each reference comes the "what?" response. It is a shame because both songs have a great sound. "Boots" is the most theatrical and glam song that the band has written since, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me."

Is it the definitive U2 record? Absolutely not. Is it their best record ever? Absolutely not but if anything it could have been. After making two of the best albums in the past 30 years, (The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby) it is a delight and honor to suggest that U2, can still make volatile music. With many doubters spitting in their face, while those they have inspired copycatting their way to musical supremacy (yes, you Coldplay) U2 does not seem ready or happy to simply coast into the sunset. It is an album that displays many of the bands musical strengths like the simplicity and muscular drive of the Edge's guitar work. Larry Mullen Jr. (drums) and Adam Clayton (bass) understand their roles as time keeper and hip shaker but there is such a clean precision to their craft that one must deaf not to appreciate their craft. Inspired, concerned, informed, romantic, questions with one answer, love. 

The title of this new record, No Line on The Horizon might suggest that U2's music and personality are not easily defined. Like the photo by Hiroshi Sugimoto used as the album cover may suggest, U2's music follows a diverse path in which the sky and the ocean collide into one, where the depths of the ocean and the limitless sky fade into one another and we become lost, not knowing where the journey truly ends or begins.

the Grammy Awards and why they suck!

I don’t know about you but I hate the Grammy Awards. I am not a big fan of most awards shows but I hate the Grammy awards because like most awards shows the Grammy’s do nothing but kiss industry ass. The Grammy awards are nothing but the music industry self-gratifying itself.

 

Here are some of my arguments.

 

The Non-Winners Argument - Sure, there is nothing wrong with a good debate about who wins awards and who doesn’t, why or how the award is won and so forth but here is a list of bands/artists that have never won a Grammy.

 

Led Zeppelin

Diana Ross

Queen

Neil Young (including Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

Bob Marley

Grateful Dead

The Doors

Lynyrd Skynyrd

The Who

Tupac

The Smiths

Sly and the Family Stone

Public Enemy

 

            Pretty impressive list, isn’t it? Also consider that the Clash hadn’t won a grammy until 2002, long after their career as a band was over. It took Steely Dan almost 30 years of recording to win their first grammy. Jimmy Cliff has only one Grammy. David Bowie has just one Grammy Award for best music video in 1984. Nirvana and Black Sabbath have only one victory while The Kinks, New Order, and the Cure don’t have any Grammy wins.

 

            Just Because You Win Doesn’t Mean You Are Any Good Argument – yes, winning might mean something like it was your year or you didn’t offend too many people with your music but there is a bias to these things. The Beatles, for instance is considered by many to be the greatest band of all time and they have only 7 Grammy awards. Sting, with or without the Police has almost double that at 13, which is the same amount of awards that Michael Jackson has won. Paul Simon has 12. Sheryl Crow has 9. Eric Clapton has 17. Norah Jones has 9. Not to discredit my two favorite artists, U2 and Bruce Springsteen but combined the two acts have 40 Grammy awards. Are any of these artists greater or more important than The Beatles? I am sure some of the artists above deserve some of their awards but I find it hard to believe that those who have never won, great acts like Sly and the Family Stone or the Who could not get any love.

 

            The Best New Artist Argument – Winning the Best New Artists can be a blessing or a curse. Since 1960 there have been artists like Jose Feliciano, Marvin Hamlisch, A Taste of Honey, Marc Cohn, Hootie and The Blowfish, and Shelby Lynne that have faded into obscurity since winning the award. Many of the nominees over the years have not fared very well either… do you remember Timi Yuro or Morris Albert? How about Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band? Nu Shooz? The Kentucky Headhunters? The Tony Rich Project? Heck, believe it or not Robin Williams was nominated for a Best New Artists Grammy.

Let us not forget that some artists when nominated weren’t exactly new. Fountains of Wayne were nominated for the award in 2004 after they had released their third album. Feist had won fans across the country and a Grammy nomination for best new artists in 2008 even though her debut album was released in 1999 with another album released in 2004 and a remix album in 2006.

 

 

            110 winners Argument- This year awards will be given out for 110 categories. Wow, can you even think of that many genres of music? I cannot. Is there really a necessity for an award given to the Best Surround Sound Album or an award for Best Album Notes? Is it necessary to have two spoken word categories, one for children and the other for adults? And do not get me started on why there are separate awards for contemporary and traditional world music, contemporary and traditional folk music and contemporary and traditional blues. What is the difference between the best R8B album and the best contemporary R&B album? The same question could be asked for best pop vocal and best traditional pop vocal. I don’t know why there is a separate award for Tropical Latin album and Urban Latin Album? Why is there a separate award for best Rock/Rap gospel album, best pop contemporary gospel album, best southern, country or bluegrass gospel album, best traditional gospel album and best contemporary R&B gospel album?  Oh I think I know why there are so many separate categories and nominations…. It is because with more nominees comes more winners and quite possibly bigger record sales. If you didn’t know, Grammy awards promote records sales and if you don’t believe me just keep reading.

 

Maybe these arguments don’t convince you at all. Maybe you love the Grammy Awards that much and could care less whether or not a mistake is made here or there. Maybe you think all those artists who never won a Grammy should not have won any. Maybe you think that the Grammy Awards are free from error.

 

If you are like me then you think the Grammy’s suck and they are nothing but a giant advert and campaign to sell more records. USA Today reported in 2007 that Grammy winners and performers had a boost in their record sales the week after the ceremony. Some artists had a small but still noticeable bump of 19% while acts like the Dixie Chicks had an increase in sales by 714%. That is no laughing matter. The Red Hot Chili Peppers had 194% increase. John Mayer had 182% increase. Artists like John Legend, Gnarls Barkley, Tony Bennet and Mary J. Blige all experienced increased sales of over 100%. Digital sales and radio audiences also increased following the 2007 Grammys.

 

I don’t know how much faith you put in the Grammy’s but maybe, just maybe after this or after your own careful examination you will think twice about the value of a Grammy award.