My Lazy Liver

2009-02-19T21:53:00.003-05:00

The 40s had to be a truly scary time for a woman. How can I make fun of an ad that reads like this? "Romance is all bound up with feminine daintiness. Even the most loving husband may find it difficult to forget - or forgive- a wife's carelessness, or ignorance, about intimate personal cleanliness. That's why so many women use 'Lysol' regularly." No wonder our grandparents were sometimes so screwed up!
And yes. Lysol used to be used.. "down there".

2009-02-13T21:35:00.000-05:00

This is insanely disturbing on many levels, but OH, I love it so.

2009-02-08T14:06:00.004-05:00

Look, mom! Wait. What the hell are those other things on the plate? Yes. The height of food technology. Skinless Weiners. Skinless weiners and weird round things, and long things wrapped in red. Ick. Would it be appropriate to feed skinless weiners to a hairless cat? And what, pray tell, actually held them together? That's probably a question that's best left unanswered.

2009-02-04T23:16:00.002-05:00

Oh! It's been too long. I'm so sorry! So for today, it's short and sweet. From May, 1967.

Sadly, that ad is all too true. Hello, bailout!

2009-01-21T08:15:00.003-05:00

Oh, for the love of.... really? PANTIES? This poor child. I hope he was paid handsomely for this. Being known as the "Staydry panties" boy, can be awfully damaging!
Bonus-- even in 62, the zip code system wasn't in place, so it still has that old timey addressey feel!

2009-01-18T21:25:00.003-05:00

No! No! This will never do! Our A.D.D. generation will never make it through that story! Make it simple! Make it snappy! I have to admit, when I see these ads with the mini novel attached, I sometimes wonder how that approach would work with newer products. I doubt the form will ever make a comeback. Now it's buy, buy buy! buy now! Buy quickly! 25 cents off! Limited time!! Special offer! No C.O.D.s!

2009-01-16T18:59:00.002-05:00

AARGH! Who doesn't hate "Sandpaper Throat"? I DO! I've got it! I hate being sick! Yuck! I wish I could shop for medicine that was this easy to choose. Sandpaper throat? Yep. Got it. The closest we get now is the "nighttime sniffling sneezing stuffy head so you can get your rest medicine". Back in 1946, it was all so simple! I guess this approach didn't necessarily catch on, or I'm sure we would have heard of hose nose, faucet eyes, and gravel lips.
By the way, some of us really DO look like that when we feel miserable, too. Waaah!

2009-01-12T07:33:00.003-05:00

Going back to 1940 for a moment, I found out how to get continuous action in feminine hygiene. ZONITORS! As best as I can tell, this stuff hung around in one from or another until at least the late 50s. Overall, the 40s seemed like an interesting and experimental time in feminine hygiene. From Lysol feminine hygiene (yes, it existed!) to this, all sorts of methods were tried. To quote from the ad- these dainty, snow-white suppositories spread a greaseless, protective coating... Non-caustic, contain no poison. Poison. POISON! Poison was a problem in feminine hygiene? AH! Yeah, just hand me those new Tampax, would ya? BTW, when was the last time anyone used the word caustic. Epecially "down there"?

2009-01-09T08:25:00.002-05:00

AGH! The torture of simple piles! From 1942 we dig up this little gem. Before we talked about everything in it's simple clinical form, we had great little euphemisms. For those unaware, "piles" are hemorrhoids. For those brave enough to read the text of the ad, let me give you a glimpse of how awful those things can be. According to the ad, Pazo "lubricates hardened, dry parts."
And the best part of all? If you don't want to use suppositories, simply use their "pile pipe" to put the Pazo where it needs to go! Now that we don't use the term piles, what would you call the applicator? The hemorrhoid heaver? The butt .. er... yeah...
For what it's worth, if I had those things, I'd probably look as bad as that woman does at the top. I, too, would be thankful for relief from pain!
A quick google leads me to believe the ointment is now available by prescription only. Must be good stuff!

2009-01-07T19:58:00.003-05:00

MMMMMM!!!! What could possibly go better with a burger than... ummm wine?
Speaking as a non drinker... I mean.. really? No. You're joshin' me, right?

2009-01-05T20:19:00.003-05:00

Mrs. Butterworth. Remember her? She's the syrup I grew up with. Just dig that crazy lady shaped bottle! Funny thing about Mrs. Butterworth. About 40 years ago, 1963 to be exact, her syrup had actual maple syrup in it! 2% to be exact, but that's not bad! As far as I can tell, even then it was mostly sugar, leading off with 80% sugar syrup and 14% corn syrup. Throw in some water, salt, and other goodies, and you've got a damn fine product there, yesiree. Compare that with the modern formula.

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Molasses, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative) Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Citric Acid, Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors.

Hm. We seem to have lost the actual syrup in our maple syrup! Gotta love America!

2009-01-03T17:51:00.003-05:00

Now really, aren't nut biting squirrels always funny? From my little stash of great commercials comes this gem from Trident. Really quite amusing for a gum, I must say. I have to admit, I'd have liked to have been in the room when that idea was being pitched. How do you find any way to connect carnivorous squirrels and sugarless gum? I guess that's why they're there, and I'm here, eh?

2009-01-02T13:28:00.003-05:00

The horror. The horror. Since I skipped New Years Day, I thought I would start the new year the next day on a rather extraordinary note. I have a rather strong stomach, but even I had to go "EEWWWWW" after reading what this ad had to say. I mean, why wouldn't a girl want to swim at that time of the------OH! Ick! Ick! Ick! Ick! Ick!
Click on the picture for a larger version. To add insult to injury, in the little box, the last item is "no odor". I guess there's something to be said for the soft sell.

2008-12-31T15:28:00.002-05:00

Oh my. Oh my oh my! I worked long and hard to find the proper note upon which to end the year. After browsing, perusing, and studying my current collection, I decided on this little gem. The Waldorf is long gone, even though Scott is still around. What that would seem to mean is that the recommendation of a toilet paper by a child too young to use it just doesn't work. I am a bit concerned about this ad for a number of reasons, though. This child appears to be making a great effort to recommend this product to his mother. Had he taken the time to potty train himself? How long has he been talking? Are his parents about to be sued for child neglect? I'm telling you, Mother- It's Wonderful! Mother? Mother! Listen to me, damn you! This toilet paper is wonderful! Don't you see? Look as I wipe my little bottom! Mother! Look here, mother!Blast!
Hm. Apparently all talking babies sound like Stewie Griffin. Whoda thunkit?

2008-12-30T12:50:00.002-05:00

Are you ready? I'll bet you not only didn't know about this daily jury, I'll bet you weren't aware of those pesky B.O. issues, either!
This ad raises several questions for me. Who was it that ultimately intimated to Betty that she had these B.O. issues? Is she aware that her aroma is the talk of the town? Will she go for the man who could go for her in a big way now that she doesn't stink?
Find out for yourself! Lifebuoy, believe it or not, is actually available from a limited number of online outlets. Try it and see if your B.O. is knocked out. Don't be guilty of B.O. Yeah. You won't find taglines like that anymore, kids. That's a long way from Zestfully clean, I'll tell ya what!

2008-12-29T07:36:00.002-05:00

Curses! How on earth can I reinvent this blog, and then completely ignore one of the ads that served as my inspiration?

One of my favorite types of ads are those that go to great lengths to explain your illness away. Back in '42, people were cursed with lazy livers! Get that bile function going, people! Put those bowels in high gear!

I've never known anyone to be diagnosed with lazy liver, nor do I expect anyone to be. Maybe old Dr. Edwards ideas never caught on. If they had, we'd surely have heard about other ailments such as lazy pancreas, bitchy spleen, or upset colon.

Anyway, that ad was my inspiration for this site. I think it is a great example of vintage advertising, and really just quite silly.

2008-12-28T14:35:00.005-05:00

What better way to end 2008 than to choose a new direction? That direction will be geared towards vintage ads. I'm not spinnin' the tunes at FHB anymore, and I have this wonderful space just sitting here. Let's get to it!

So here is an interesting start. From 1942 we have Bon Ami cleanser. Their little chickie mascot is cute enough, and has gone a long way towards keeping this brand around.
There is something terribly terribly wrong with this picture, though. The woman doing the cleaning is raving about how much she loves Bon Ami, and look who she's talking to. Her friend who stands idly by doing her nails while her friend toils to scrub daddy's sweat stains out of the tub. She may be openly raving about how wonderful the cleanser is, but the look on her face says it all. Once she's done, she's going to stab her friend to death with that emery board, and then clean up the mess with Bon Ami!

2007-09-30T14:32:00.001-04:00

Your Score: Ravenous Brain

Your brains craves 58 % Exploration, 68 % Affiliation, 64 % Recreation and 66 % Sensation

Congratulations for attaining such a rare score!

We have determined that you have a Ravenous Brain. When it comes to craving stimulation your brain just can't get enough. It takes a little extra for you to feel content in all four dimensions because your brain wants it all. In fact there are some days where it can be difficult for your brain to feel fully stimulated.

Above Average Systems: Exploration, Affiliation, Recreation & Sensation

Exploration

Our Exploration system helps us to organize our searching and learning behaviors. If you are trying to look for an object or new information then the Exploration system is helping you out. When it gets properly stimulated then you will feel emotions such as curiosity and inquisitiveness.

Affiliation

Our Affiliation system helps us to organize our bonding and connecting behaviors. If you are strengthening your relationship with someone then your Affiliation system is helping you out. When it gets properly stimulated you will feel that you are loved and that you belong.

Recreation

Our Recreation system helps us to organize our playing, joking and goofing around behaviors. Whenever you are trying to play a game or let go from the stresses of the day your Recreation system is helping you out. When it gets properly activated you feel a sense of relaxed jubilation and carefree optimism.

Sensation

Our Sensation system helps us to organize our sexual arousal and pleasure seeking behaviors. This is one of the smoothest running systems in the brain, easily capable of fading in the background as it operates. When it gets properly activated your can feel the chemistry between yourself and another person.

Secondary System: None

Thank you for taking this test. You have the chance to scroll down to near the bottom of this page and give it a positive rating. Even one positive vote helps.

Link: The Optimal Stimulation Test written by alexandertru on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

2007-09-03T20:41:00.000-04:00

The flickr gods cometh.

Wow. I haven't been inspired to blog for a while... but maybe tonight is the night. ehh.. naah... I'll wait a bit. I think I'd rather have the thoughts composed.

2007-03-09T16:23:00.001-05:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

2007-02-15T11:46:00.000-05:00

Short N Sweet.
n fun too!

You scored as Psychology. You should be a Psychology major!

Psychology

92%

Engineering

83%

Sociology

75%

Mathematics

67%

Linguistics

67%

Anthropology

67%

Chemistry

58%

Theater

58%

Philosophy

58%

Art

58%

English

50%

Journalism

50%

Dance

42%

Biology

33%

What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3)
created with QuizFarm.com

2006-10-30T20:16:00.000-05:00

The internets continue to evolve and change in strange and mysterious ways...

Youtube is a phenomenon. So much so that Google bought 'em. Google tried google video, but Youtube did it faster and better.

It's funny how the same concept is handled by X number of parties, but only a few really take off. E-mail is a good example. Lycos, Excite, Yahoo, Hotmail are some of the old standbys. Of the 4, Yahoo is probably the biggest and most successful.

Random thought Monday..

2006-08-16T17:51:00.000-04:00

First off... I'd like to tip my hat to a mister Donavan Freberg. I recently stumbled across one of his sites, and it's been one of my new favorite destinations. Over the years he's blogged about a great many things, but as of late he has been doing some video and audio stuff as well. http://babyboyfreberg.typepad.com/ is where you'll find it. I could dress that link up, but I'll let it speak for itself. Check it out.

Now my rant for the day. I'm currently waiting for a shipment from a seller on Amazon.com. My last experience was a bad one. I ordered an "as new" book that arrived with almost no packing and it was damaged. I recently ordered a CD for wifey. I hope they ship fast and ship nice.
I've done a lot of business on Ebay over the years, and in a way it represents the worst in human nature. Primarily because instead of feedback being left logically and honestly, a seller waits to see what sort of feedback he gets BEFORE he leaves feedback about the buyer.
So if as a buyer, you pay immediately and leave bad feedback, you may still receive bad feedback even though you were just being honest. It's a pretty shitty deal. I am happy to say that I stay above the fray. If I sell you an item and you pay quickly, you get good feedback. If you like what I sold you, leave me the honest feedback. If I screwed up, people should know about it.

I guess that's about it. I've had that chewing at my gut for some time. What the hell. Let's add some entertainment to this shindig.

2006-06-23T20:45:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's age. Maybe it's cynism. Maybe it's both.

I am just finding as I get older that it is increasingly difficult to keep my mouth shut when stupidity stares me in the face. Unfortunately, with the internet and forums galore, not only does stupidity stare me in the face, but it sticks its tongue up my nose as well. Bleah.

Case #1. I just switched my cel service from Cingular to Sprint. I found a cool board called sprintusers.com. Cool in the fact that people talk about all things Sprint. Uncool in that many users are extraordinarily stupid with way too much time and money on their hands. The majority of people seem to think Sprint is the devil and are determined to get something for nothing. Other people blame every single problem they have on Sprint. Still others are completely clueless, creating threads like "Should I go to Sprint?"

Yeah, dumb shit. Figure it out. How lazy must you be to just post on a board instead of doing any actual research?

Of course that's just the tip of the iceberg. Our country is getting MUCH worse WAY too fast.
Quiz-- how much has congress voted itself in raises since it raised the minimum wage to 5.15/hr? 30 GRAND a year. Yep. They can't seem to find it in their hearts to make sure people are paid a living wage, but by god, they make sure to take care of themselves!

here in Indiana (Yes, I know I didn't capitalize. I'm on a roll. Fuck it.) I saw a state rep car with a #30 license plate. I'm sure they are coded, and I'd like to find out who it is. It was a nice new shiny Pontiac Solstice. Nice to know where my tax dollars are going.

But don't get me started..

2006-04-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's been so long since I've posted, I nearly forgot my login information!

Update for those interested.. my activity with WFHB is near nil. Well, at nil, actually. Maybe under new guidance I'll set foot in there.

In the future I hope to find a way to host and share some old sounds I've collected over the years. Specifically odd and random tunes from old Dr. Demento shows and a lot of Neil Rogers bits from my days in Florida.

More to come!

2005-12-04T20:40:00.000-05:00

Yowza, yowza, yowza!
It's another playlist! From 12-2-05 1-3am on WFHB! Here are the tunes that tickled me that morning..

Twink --- Monkeyshines
The Fiery Furnaces --- My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found
Negativland --- Over the hiccups
Don Bowman --- Dear Fred
Face to Face --- Sunny Side of the Street
Sweet --- Fox on the Run
Electrocute --- Venus Fly Trap
Blink 182 --- I Miss You
A Band of Bees --- Chicken Payback
William Shatner --- Ideal Woman
Boy With a Fish --- Boxers
George Michael --- Freedom 90
Gorillaz --- Last Living Souls
Fatboy Slim --- The Joker
Prince --- Cream
Jtiom --- Bloated Floater
The Creatures --- Standing There
The Beatles --- She Said She Said
Ultravox --- Vienna
Robbie Fulks --- Godfrey
That 1 Guy --- Birds
Adrian Belew --- The Lone Rhinocerous
Bebe --- Que Nadie Me Levante La Vos
Falco --- Rock Me Amadeus
Romeo Void --- Never Say Never
Love & Rockets --- So Alive
Fun Boy Three w/Bananarama --- It ain't what you do (it's the way that you do it)
Devo --- Peek a boo
Yes --- I've Seen All Good People
Cake --- Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps
Stevie Wonder --- Superstition
Ringo Starr --- Oh My My
Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby Jive Den

2005-12-03T10:27:00.000-05:00

Playlist for 11-18-05 3-6 am WFHB
A Band of Bees --- The Russian
The Cubby Creatures --- Wallet
Rusell Wolff --- Nipple
Rip Slyme --- Five Fishes
Franz Ferdinand --- Evil and a Heathen
Polyphonic Spree --- Hold Me Now
David Bowie --- I'm Afraid of Americans
Adrian Belew --- Big Electric Cat
The English Beat --- Mirror in the Bathroom
Quincy Jones/Bill Cosby --- Along Came Mister Nobody (Ursula 1000 remix)
The Cure --- Close to Me
Alice Cooper & the Bee Gees --- Because
TMBG --- Damn Good Times
Ok Go --- a million ways
Electrocute --- Venus Fly Trap
Falter Bramnk --- Blind Circle
William Shatner --- Common People
Frank Zappa --- Be in my Video
That 1 Guy --- One
Barenaked Ladies --- Who Needs Sleep?
Triplets of Belleville --- Belleville Rendez Vous
Elvis Costello --- Couldn't Call it Unexpected No. 4
Fatboy Slim --- Payback
The Fiery Furnaces --- My Dog Was Lost But Now He's Found
Ben Folds --- Zak and Sara
Young Fresh Fellows --- Black Betty
Big Fish Ensemble --- I Am Woman
Falco --- Rock me Amadeus
Squirrel Nut Zippers --- Trou Macacq
Fleetwood Mac --- Tusk
Paul McCartney --- Helen Wheels

And the last hour was some good old time radio...

2005-11-29T14:09:00.000-05:00

Quick note on MP3 players..

If you have one with a large capacity, be prepared to keep backups of the songs elsewhere.

I have a Nomad Zen Xtra 30GB which I had filled with a LOT of music.

Turns out that to update the firmware you have to backup EVERYTHING because it all gets erased.

Remember..knowing is half the battle!

2005-11-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

Electrocute -- Troublesome Bubblegum

Let me start by quoting from the book of Gregg. Hoo-wah! If there is one thing I truly appreciate, it's apt naming. As a matter of fact, this blog may take on a new title soon to reflect the new musical content. But that's not why we're here now, is it?
We're here today to talk about a raw, rocking, jaw dropping, fist pounding, crotch grabbing girl band. I think it's pretty important that I note the fact that generally speaking, I am not a huge fan of girl bands. I kind of dig Shonen Knife, and The Sugar Twins are a nice change of pace, but Electrocute ripped my head off and set it on my ragged bleeding neck--backwards! These are the girls "Superfreak" was written about.

Let's get this out of the way. This disc is about two things. Sex and fun. Got it? As a matter of fact, this is the first disc I had ever listened to where I was ready to write it off as "great disc but not suitable for airplay!"
--It's at this point I really should mention that I review these discs for WFHB in Bloomington, Indiana, so airplay is always a consideration.--
I knew something was up when I had the first track kicked on and I heard "You've got bad habits as bad as your skin." They had my attention. To be more concise, this disc is replete with witty lyrics, solid guitars and some decently used synth.

And the album title couldn't be more appropriate. Troublesome Bubblegum indeed! This is indeed pop with a hard, sharp, biting edge. Many of the songs have an obvious adult theme to them, and with no apologies. With the exception of North 14, this disc keeps rocking, pumping, and screwing all the way to the end. Trust me, given the content of these songs, that's a very appropriate euphamism. There are some change ups here and there as they hit a retro techno dance vibe, but for the most part it's hard rocking guitars and slightly distorted and ever so fuzzy lyrics. This is one I'd like to crank up hard next spring with the windows down, just because.

A all the way, baby!

2005-11-12T10:24:00.000-05:00

Psycho Pop Vol. 1 (Various Artists)

Well, I think I've had something happen that hasn't happened in quite some time. A disc grabbed me by the balls and wouldn't let go. This release from Acidsoxx music features a multitude of artists, many of whom you probably haven't heard of. I know I haven't. Jtiom, Maise, Waxen W. Wane among others.
The best description I could think of was a lot of techno blended with so many other sounds. From crazy trippy circus music on Blind Circle to the strange lyrics of The Sandbox Legacy, there is nowhere these artists are afraid to go. One big plus is the way this thing commands your attention right off the bat with Bloated Floater. There were faint hints of familiarity throughout. The offbeat tones and rhythm of Hippopatames Sous Leau reminded me of Frank Zappa in his heydey. I also caught a couple of tunes that had a hint of Todd Rundgren in one case, and King Missile in another.
If I had to pick on one track, it would be I Like Girls. It was a bit nonsenical in the overall song structure. It just didn't blow my dress up. Conversely, No Job and I Hardly Know were two outstanding songs hiding towards the end of the disc. They are noticably different from other tunes on this disc and sort of sneak up on you just when you think you have a feel for what is going on here. As much as I like the tempo of this disc, the step to something more downtempo and casual was very welcome.
There are a couple of "FCC" tracks that contain some cursing and sexual references, but it's an otherwise great disc. I'm completely impressed for so many reasons, mostly because of the originality involved.
Easy......EASY....A...

2005-11-09T08:39:00.000-05:00

Acid House Kings -- Sing Along With Acid House Kings

I must admit, I really don't know where to begin this review. There is normally some feature of a disc that screams to be called out first. Maybe the lyrics are particularly deep. Maybe the guitar wails. AHK aren't the sort of band who put out that sort of music. Sing Along With is filled with tunes that keep you company as you're cleaning the house or walking the dog. It's good for those times when you want music, but you don't really want to pay attention to it.
In short, the two words that come to mind are silly and fluffy. It's pretty smooth easygoing pop, but doesn't do a lot to distinguish itself. Based on the bands influence by Burt Bachrach and the like, the tunes evoke a bit of a 60's retro feel, more in some tracks than others. Do What You Wanna Do is one of those that has a bit more of an obvious retro vibe to it. I also consider it one of the better tracks.
There aren't really too many songs that stand out, and are all very similar, for the most part. There are several I thought would be appropriate as background music in a Scooby Doo chase scene. I'm not sure if that's intentional or not, but it should give a clue as to how much my mind wandered as I listened. It wandered mostly in the latter half, but that's more than enough.
All in all, it's not a BAD disc, but a fair one. I suppose this is one I can truly write off by simply saying it might be the hot diggity bomb for some folks, but not for me.
My final grade--- B-

2005-11-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

Miguel Mendez -- My Girlfriend is Melting

I'm going to guess right off the bat that you have probably never heard of Miguel Mendez. Quite frankly, neither had I until I checked out this disc. When picking music to review, there are several criteria involved. Catchy name? Interesting disc title? Thoughtful track titles? And finally, I give it a quick listen at the station.
Naturally, I'm going to be attracted to a disc called "My Girlfriend is Melting". I had no idea what to expect going in. I tucked it into my computer and started up the first track. "Melancholy and Moody" I noted, along with "mostly guitar".
Those 4 words describe about 80% of this disc, but that's not necessarily bad. These songs are.... well... thoughtful. They are also solo. From what I can tell, Miguel probably did most of this himself, layering different tracks. Most consist of one or two guitar tracks, but we are occasionally treated to a piano, some tambourine, and the random maracas!
The entire disc is relatively simple, and quite transfixing to watch on Winamp.
Oddly enough, as steady and slow as the pace is, there are some tracks that slow it down even more, so don't count on this as a party disc. Think of this more as music to take in when you're lounging around without much to do.
While there are several tracks that I liked more than the rest, one in particular stands out, and that is Number Race. It's simple, hypnotic, and a bit repetitive, but in a Philip Glass sort of way.

Towards the end I found myself wondering how some of these songs would sound with either larger arrangements or backup singers. Maybe if Miguel finds some success, he'll try a few new things. Either way, I'd give him another listen
Final grade--- B

2005-11-05T07:49:00.000-05:00

The Bad Plus -- Suspicious Activity

Ahh... I giggled like a schoolgirl when I saw this disc in the old WFHB library. I first heard these guys several years ago when I had a regular show. I thought they had a great sound then, and I think they have a great sound now.
For those not familiar, The Bad Plus consists of three instruments, a drum, piano, and bass. The Bad Plus can say more with these three instruments than most bands can with four times the members!
For anyone already familiar with TBP, this is more good stuff worth tracking down. For those unfamiliar, TBP is a sweet little jazzy trio that walk a fine line between jazz and rock. Their pieces, while familiarly jazzy, often hit a crazy uptempo sweet spot. Sometimes they settle back down and behave, other times they flit all around the room, forcing you to keep up. While all the tracks were very good, two caught my attention for completely different reasons.

Lost of Love- I'd swear this track SPOKE the title, which is difficult when there are no lyrics involved. You'd just have to hear it to know what I mean.

(Theme From)Chariots of Fire - True to form, there is a cover included. This one has a bit looser interpretation than the rest, but once the intro is out of the way, you'll recognize some of the original tune in there.

As of this posting, the disc seems to be on sale online if you know where to look. Since I'm doing this for free, I'll point you nowhere. And I'll also give this sucker an easy A!

Aside from "The Empire Strikes Backwards", every song on here is fresh and frenetic. The track I mentioned is nice, but it's a sound I have heard from TBP many times before, so I take off a tenth of a point for that. The other track that stands out in a less positive way is Knows the Difference. It sort of wanders and never really goes anywhere. Instead, it sort of stumbles into a creek and drowns.

If you plan on getting this disc and importing the tunes, be ready. You CAN import them, but the disc includes a degree of copy protection that still allows you to burn a disc and load tunes into your system. In other words, you gotta do it their way.

2005-10-24T15:36:00.000-05:00

Applied Communications -- Uhh Sort Of
--a follow up--
Max has provided two links for those interested in checking out his stuff! He's got a pretty unique sound and they're worth checking out!
Try let's make my bed
and
operation:load up on pussy

Am I full of shit or not? You decide!

2005-10-23T13:47:00.000-05:00

Madden 06 for the PSP.

Here is some information I just pulled from Nomadgamer. Apparantly EA doesn't want to let people pass along pretty important information. If you have Madden for the psp and it doesn't work, read the following closely.

If you are serious about your EA issues you need to contact NFL Licensing:

(212) 450-2000

or snailmail them at:

National Football League - Licensing
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017

This is where we have leverage - after all, EA has sold us the game, so they don't care a whole lot about fixing it (obviously). But the NFL has some very strict licensing agreements, and sub-par work is always something they watch for.

FYI, I called the NFL office and spoke to Jonathan Zimmer, he asked that all complaints be emailed to him at jonathan.zimmer@nfl.com, he will collect these and present them to the NFL's licensing department.

again, that's courtesy of Nomadgamer.com

2005-10-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

NNNJ --- Monkey Straddle

Oh! Good stuff. I feel like Chuck Barris on the Gong Show. This disc (clap)- This disc is something special. If you're in the mood for a good solid groove, this is a great disc to groove to. It somehow got placed in the international section at the station, but it's actually electronica. I've not heard much of this genre, and realize that even within it, sounds and music can vary greatly. This is the slow groovy end of it. Most of the tunes are slow to mid tempo, and the later tunes have a slightly more techno feel to 'em. The early tunes are just good slow groove. Fiji Geesus is a personal favorite, partially because I have developed a fondness for the asian sound. There was a lot of thought and creativity that went into this release, and it shows in the strangely named tunes. For example track nine is listed as nnnj and the track is a smiley face.
Track ten is titled "1205<-->180a".
Many bands I hear have a pretty singular and unique sound, so it's hard to pigeonhole 'em by saying I'd RIYL so and so, but in this case, I can say that if you like Art of Noise in the later years and Lemon Jelly, you'll probably like these guys as well. Dub trance, with a lot of trance.

Easy A.

2005-10-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

Applied Communications--- Uhh Sort Of

This would SORT OF be good if this kid did more than piece together random instruments and sounds while yelling into a microphone.

In short, this piece of crap is a reminder that ANYONE can put out a CD. Quite honestly, I couldn't listen to the whole thing to give it a review, so I'll pass along a few impressions...

I'm somehow reminded of the person who is not as important as he thinks he is. The person that isn't as good as they think they are. That's who this kid is. He thinks he's talented, when in reality he's just another shmuck with too much time and nowhere to direct his energies. Noise, noise, noise, that's about all this thing amounts to. Maybe if he listened to some Negativland he might find a more creative way to take that cacophony of sounds and make them into something slightly more pleasant.

Need I bother to grade? F-

2005-10-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

MP3 players..

This is a subject I have wanted to touch on for some time. Supposedly the Ipod has revolutionized digital music. Maybe in some way it has. It's cool. It's stylish. It's also an example of style over substance.
Let's face it. Apple has garnered HUGE attention with this thing, and rightly so. In a time when MP3 players are nothing more than a little box with a chip in them, Apple trots out the Ipod to much fanfare making everyone else in the industry stand up and take notice. I don't know what the current capacity is, but I've heard recent ads for 2 and 3 gigabyte models for Ovation, who have the coolest commercials. It is probably not widely known that the original Ipod had a built in battery that had a very limited life. To get it replaced you had to (I think) send the unit back, and it cost a small fortune. Fast forward ahead. Many companies trot into the field or improve their existing product. For some time I had a nice little RCA that held a few hours worth of music. After a year or two it started to crap out on me, so I decided it was time to upgrade. My personal choice was a Creative Zen Nomad with 30GB of musical storage goodness.
No, it doesn't have the Ipods flair or style. What it does have is the ability to handle WMV and mp3 files and the ability to work with most players, including real audio and windows media player. You can also transport files directly to and from it. I've probably had it over a year now, and I've not had a single problem. I almost went with a Dell, but decided on this instead. I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm glad. It's got a nice case and an easily replaceable battery to accompany the lovely blue glowing screen. All in all, I'm thrilled.
So for anyone who is considering a player in the future, shop carefully and look at what sorts of files you will use. If you see yourself buying a lot of music from Itunes, you may want to consider the Ipod as is handles the native AAC format. Everyone else has to burn the tracks to CD and then import them again. Not bad for the occasional file, but not something I'd want to do for hours on end.

Coming soon----Applied Communications "Uhh Sort Of" review

2005-10-10T15:03:00.000-05:00

Spookie Daly Pride -- Medicine Chest

Now, I have to admit that sometimes I have a vague idea of what to expect when I listen to a disc. Sometimes I don't. It can be a complete crap shoot. If you've never shot a crap, try it and you'll have some idea what I'm talking about.
Medicine Chest is a disc that I thought was going to be fun, humorous and upbeat. Why? Well, the write up from Funzalo records (yes, that's their name, kids!) screams in all caps "THE MOST FUN YOU WILL HAVE WITH YOUR CLOTHES ON!!)
Was it? Well, not exactly. I didn't pop a chub, I didn't laugh, I didn't peek out the window to see if there was anyone I could share this with. Fun? Yeah. I suppose. I've had more fun with my clothes on, I'll tell you that!
These guys actually aren't bad, with a sound you'd probably hear at the local live music bar. They sing about some fairly adult topics. One track sings to us about the joy of "bumping uglies". Another tells us of the "Boogity Man" and how he was messin' with someone's girl. There is a nice little remake of Little Red Riding hood on here, but the highlight for me was the final track "You've been gone for so long gone". It stood out for a number of reasons, all of which are good.
The biggest downfall are the repetitive choruses. I don't know how long these guys have been writing songs, but I would challenge them to reduce those a bit. They make a great song good and a good song bearable. That ain't good.
I must be in a stingy mood. It probably deserves a B, but I gave it a B-.

2005-10-07T08:20:00.000-05:00

Giant Drag-- Hearts and Unicorns

As I listen to the final tracks on this disc, preparing to write the informal WFHB cd review, I find that I have either become overly critical of music or writers are shills. I'm leaning a little more towards the latter, but I have found that I have become a bit more critical with time.

Hearts and Unicorns, according to some web reviews, may as well be the second coming of Jesus H youknowwho. What do I hear? A not uninteresting grunge duo who have at least 4 bass players they use throughout this disc. The band is formally made up of two people, but the cd jacket reads otherwise. There are at least 6 other musicians who contribute.

This is my first experience listening to Giant Drag who have a previously released EP. Quite frankly, this disc doesn't do anything for me. As I said, it's not uninteresting, but it's not something that makes me want to give it another listen immediately. But there is also an interesting irony in this disc. The sound is undoubtedly grunge. I call it girl grunge only because of the vocalist. The grunge is practically throwaway stuff. On other tracks where the tempo is slowed and the guitar is turned down a few levels, these guys shine. If the disc were composed of more tracks like Cordial Invitation and Blunt Picket Fence with specks of Kevin is Gay thrown it, this thing would be a winner. As it is, it's an also ran. Those online reviews I speak of seem to think otherwise, so methinks there's something rotten in online review-ville.

Final rating--- B-

2005-10-01T16:47:00.000-05:00

The Caribbean

Plastic Explosives

Ignatz, where are you?
(Previous line for my amusement only.)

The Caribbean is a group with an interesting and unique sound. Their disc Plastic Explosives lures us in with some nice dreamy guitar and a soft faraway feel. The songs venture hither and yon, reminding me at times of Architecture in Helsinki. I'm too lazy for links. I just like to highlight pertinent names. At first glance, 18 tracks makes this disc look loaded, but at least 6 or so are only a minute or less. They are a bit harder to describe than the rest of the disc. Some involve conversation, whistling, and very short musical interludes. All in all, this is a very smooth and laid back disc. What's particularly pleasing are the tracks towards the middle and end that go with a slightly offbeat and ear catching rhythm. It works. This wouldn't find heavy rotation in my MP3 player, but it's not at all bad.
Clermont compares them to Simon and Garfunkle, The Shins and The Dismemberment Plan. I've only heard of one of these groups and have to disagree. I haven't written my official review of the disc yet, but so far I'm leaning towards a B+.

2005-10-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

OK GO
Oh No
A proper yet brief review.

This was an interesting little twist. Most of the bands I get a chance to listen to are bands that I have not heard of in any way shape or form. The same could be said for OK GO until Saturday night about two weeks ago. They were the musical guest on MAD tv. Two things got my attention. First, the song was really good. Second, they made no bones about lip synching it. They had a.. well.. dance routine set up instead, if you can call it that. It was fun and it showed that these guys have a sense of humor. Musically, they are all business. OK GO is another modern group that reminds us that while rock is continually and subtly changing, it is not dead by any means. The CD Oh No rocks almost all the way through from beginning to end, taking a breather every now and then before hitting it's stride at the end. The easy single of the bunch is A Million Ways. All in all, this disc got an easy A. There are many reasons a disc can be considered good. Deep lyrics, catchy riffs, originality and more. This one earns it musically. Nothing deep here. Just good catchy rock. OK GO for it.

2005-09-30T20:07:00.000-05:00

OK GO

Oh No.

Nice rockin' disc.
More details later.

Why later?

I've spent two days reloading TWO computers from the ground up. Not fun.

2005-09-15T15:32:00.000-05:00

Ghostland Observatory

What the heck. Let's go for broke. I just took in a dose of Ghostland Observatory. Instead of elaborating, I'm going to cut and paste my review.

Review: If you are a fan of 80’s synth music, then I’ve got the disc for you! GO starts out sounding like Devo on acid. A high energy guitar/synth combo that’s very heavy on the synth. These guys definitely have their own sound going. Whether or not that is a good thing is purely subjective, but they seem to have their fans. Most tracks are pretty upbeat with low doses of frenetic energy.

/nuff said.

2005-09-15T15:25:00.000-05:00

From the mailbox-- "As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the
PayPal system. We recently noticed the following issue on your account:

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and if you click the link you go to this addy--

http://www.zpfminibike.net/.tcpsupport/index.php

which is one of the ...HUNDREDS..they seem to be using. I get this damn thing nearly every week now... watch out for 'em..

2005-09-15T14:26:00.000-05:00

The Coral
---The Invisible Invasion

I just had a chance to review this disc but will not comment on any of the content.

Instead, a warning.

This disc has a copy protection system that makes it INCOMPATIBLE with Ipod players. Apparantly they have some kind of crapola agreement that involves windows security and wmv files, which are Microsoft specific. If it were some other system, I'd be okay with it, but because I'm against people being used as guinea pigs. From what I understand, there is no statement on the package warning people that this may be an issue.

2005-09-12T20:52:00.000-05:00

The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
i bet you say that to all the boys

Now there's an intro that's more than a mouthful! It's also the title of my latest review. the SYGC have a self titled self released disc that is a wonderfully pleasant amalgam of sounds. From a raw, gutteral male vocal early on to the rock pop sound they pull up later on the disc, there are very few bases left uncovered. I term the overall sound "mellow pop" for lack of a better term. Think of brit pop without the brit. Got it? Good.

What made this such a pleasant change of pace for me is the fact that the lyrics actually seem to mean something. These seem like a bunch that has lived a colorful life and has a story to tell, some of which has made it to this disc. It's a great listen, and great tempos to keep you going if you are out and about. While one or two of the tracks slow down, most of them are up tempo and well worth a listen. A all the way, baby!

2005-09-04T10:41:00.000-05:00

Fountains of Wayne- Out of State Plates

Now here is a two disc set that didn't need to be released. I did not read the notes very thoroughly, but gave both discs a run through. It seems to be a compilation of recordings that were made but never released or only saw limited distribution. As a whole, it is entirely forgettable, but upon closer inspection, there are a few noteworthy tracks, albeit for completely different reasons. Of the 30 tracks on this set, only 28 are songs, and a few are remakes. Oddly enough, those seem to be the best of the bunch, with a major exception. For some reason these guys decided "..Baby one more time" by Britney Spears deserved to be remade. This is a song that didn't need to see the light of day the first time around. On a more positive note, Trains and Boats and Planes, a Burt Bacharach tune has a nice "Simon and Garfunkle" sound to it. There is a nice ELO remake of "Can't Get it out of My Head" as well.

Disc two has even less worth mentioning. Today's Teardrops, an old Gene Pitney tune once performed by Ricky Nelson is a nice change of pace, as is Half a Woman. Those are pretty much it. There are a couple decent Christmas tunes and an absurdly short Chanukah piece mixed in as well.

Overall, I have to give it a C. Maybe these guys should have waited a few more years to put out this type of release.

2005-09-04T07:17:00.000-05:00

NO NEWS on Hurricane Katrina here.

With that out of the way, I can get to the business at hand. New review! But first, a little shoutout to the person who left a comment about The Cubby Creatures. Thanks! I don't dance, but Wallet would make me dance as well. Music has a much different effect on me. It inspires me. It moves me. It brings me "up". Some of my more often listened to people/groups are--

Frank Zappa
The Beatles
Gorillaz
Black Eyed Peas

Those are probably the specific ones I can name without just listing genres and stuff.

Anyway, today the disc is Le Fun by The Tah Dahs.

Le Fun is Le Correct! This isn't bubblegum pop by any stretch of the imagination. It is fun, interesting, lyrics driven pop that is very rewarding if you take the time to listen to the lyrics. They are simple yet thoughtful. They are fun without being over the top. Nothing stands out as a hit single, but there are some catchy tunes on this disc. I would definitely like to hear a future release from these guys. ---Grade --A

My picks on this disc are--

Alcoholic
Why'd it take so long for you to fall in love with me
New York
The Clap

2005-08-18T13:38:00.000-05:00

Well, here's my first rather discouraging update. It's now been one week since I went downtown to approach a county council member about the process of asking for funds. Again, I left my name and number with two people. How many calls did I get? None! Pretty insane, huh?

Oh..and since I'm writing about things that piss me off lately, I'd like to add a few choice words about Old National Bank and their lust to get your dollar. I incurred many penalties and much wrath after I made a boo boo. In case you are not aware, it is up to the banks discretion as to whether or not they waive any funds. These guys wouldn't budge a fucking inch. Supposedly a person at one branch was going to contact the branch where I opened it. Why? Because only the ORIGINAL branch can do anything! Crap on a cracker.

So, needless to say, life is kind of fucked up right now. I think it's a pretty good snapshot of the country as a whole. Elected officials who don't give a rats ass along with big business who don't give a goat's testicle. That pretty well sums it up.

In other news, I had the chance to hear Gabby LaLa, another asian artist. Do you like Shonen Knife and/or Pizzicato Five? If so, you may like Gabby. Nothing special on her new disc, whatever the hell it's called. Something about getting what you wish for.. or being careful, or some such thing. I have the attention span of a retarded dwarf flea, so you may have to figure it out on your own. Anyway, not a bad disc, but nothing special. Fun and fluffy with some George Harrison inspired sitar thrown in here and there for good measure. It beats sitting in your car on a hot day.

2005-08-12T11:06:00.000-05:00

Crime and Punishment

Well, I think I'm getting ready to head down a rather interesting road and I thought I would take the time to document the process on here as it happens in the hopes that maybe it will help someone else out there.

Background: We have lived on the west side of Bloomington for several years now. For the most part, it's not bad. You get the loud boom cars once or twice a day, and sometimes in the middle of the night. There are apartments nearby that look nice but seem to contain folks of a rather undesirable nature. I have not wanted to admit this, but I think it's time. About a year and a half ago, I owned a soft top jeep. I never locked it because I didn't want the top torn up. Well, finally someone decided they could really use my stereo, and trashed my dash in the process. After replacing it with a factory unit, it was gotten into again, and so was my wife's vehicle. Each and every time we called the sheriff to make a report.
--NOTE-- The apartments around us are under city jurisdiction. We are technically county because we have not been annexed. Therefore, the city WILL NOT answer calls to our home.
Anyway, our vehicles had been rifled through a few times, but we only suffered the single theft. This morning my door was ajar ( I had forgotten to lock it) and there were a few items in the drivers seat that shouldn't have been. Yep. Again.
So now I've had enough. I have been told several times that there are ever only about 3-4 sheriff deputies on duty at a time. They are responsible for any and everything outside the city limits. The Bloomington police, on the other hand, have much greater numbers and are only responsible for activity within the city limits.

SO...that brings us to today. What I've basically been told is that a car would drive by if it could, but it was unlikely. The sheriff receives pretty paltry funding, except for seat belt enforcement. Don't get me started on that. I made a point to check into the county commisioners office as well as the sheriff's office. A lady at the CC office took my name and number and would have someone get back to me. She also had me speak to someone in the auditor's office. I then went to the sheriff's office to see if it was possible to obtain crime statistics so I would have some hard numbers to go in with.

My goal? I would like to get funding for at least one or two officers, preferably during the night. Will I have to make a stink? Probably. Am I ready? I sure as hell hope so.

So at this point, I am awaiting a call from a county commisioner, and I need to call a woman who works in the office at the Monroe County Sherriff's dept. I have her name and number, now it's a matter of remembering.

I'll do my best to document the experience on here. Will I need a petition? Will I need to attend meetings? Will I get shot down before I even begin? I don't know what it will take, but I've had enough. I'm surely not the only person this is happening to. Bloomington calls itself a "Safe and civil city" but that has yet to be determined. Judging from the amount of graffiti, it's certainly a decorated one! Stay tuned!

2005-07-28T17:02:00.000-05:00

WOW.
Wowwee wow wow.

Yeah, there's a ton of current events stuff I have wanted to talk about. Yeah, I have my own issues I'd like to put out there, but most of all, I would like to turn you on to THE BEES!

I just got a chance to hear the disc Free The Bees.

WOW!

This is a disc that takes the history of rock and snuggles it warmly, giving it cocoa and crackers. These guys create a sound so pure, you would swear you were listening to a group from 40-50 years ago. The Bees are saying, "We love this music and you're going to love it too!"

There's not a bad track on this thing, and most of them are outstanding! I encourage each and every one of you to tell some friends, and have them tell some friends and so on!

Or, at the very least, check out Itunes and see if they have any tracks available. If you want to pick and choose, I'd like to start you off with--

No Atmosphere
Chicken payback
The Russian.

Now go!

2005-07-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

The Cubby Creatures
After The Deprogramming

Well, this was a nice little disc to listen to! Apparantly The Cubby Creatures are the musical arm of "The Cubby", a San Fransisco based art collective. Please don't confuse "The Cubby" with "Mr. Cub"..old what's his name..some ball player who's name I don't see fit to remember.

ANYway... long story short, this disc is really cool. I've had the opportunity to catch some new sounds like Architecture in Helsinki among others, and these guys have a good thing going, even though they're from SF. I'm not knocking the place, I just don't ever expect much good to come out of there. They touch on various styles ranging from 60's garage bands to syrupy 80's ballads. But they do it well, so it's alright. Really. My personal favorite was a fun track called "Wallet".
Want to know more about them? Then click here.

2005-06-24T08:07:00.000-05:00

Rowf.
I've had so many thoughts brewing around in my little head lately and haven't had the gumption to post 'em. Why? Hell if I know, but I'll see if I can rattle off a few random thoughts. I don't think this qualifies so much as a rant as it does general observations...

--I was watching an old episode of What's My Line recently from back in the 50's. If you recall, most people in show biz who were often in the public eye were generally intelligent, well mannered, and well spoken. It was a wonderful time when we had class. Somehow... over the years something has happened. Instead of portraying the best America has to offer, we now take the worst garbage we can produce and throw it on the screen. Examples? Suuuuuure.... The latest of course being the runaway bitch. She commits a crime. Felony? She doesn't have to pay FULL restitution, then she gets an interview with Katie Couric, who I have lost ALL respect for, and some book deal or something.
THE WOMAN RAN FROM HER WEDDING AND LIED ABOUT A CRIME. This is not a hero.
I want to be a Hilton. This gem of a show is ALSO on NBC. You too can model your life after a slutty heiress with more boobs than talent and brains.
The Nanny and Supernanny are both prime examples of exploiting dumb ass Americans who are dying to be on TV, even if it is to show what shitty parents they are! Nothing like reveling in others misery, eh?
On the plus side, there is plenty of harmless quasi-reality entertainment out there. Yes, our culture, such as it is, is constantly changing. I just hope we don't shove it into the gutter full force. Either way, we are still headed downhill. Looking at how much has changed in My lifetime, what can we expect the next 30 years to be like? Just getting through the first 4 is going to be a challenge, given what we have in the white house.
SPEAKING of which... the republicans are continuing to show their true colors. Between Hostettlers recent remarks and now the Democrats being forced to hold hearings in a basement, the GOP is doing everything they can to shit on whoever they can while they can. Apparantly they forget that normally what goes around comes around. It won't though. Why? Dems are, in the end, too classy to pull the same stunt. That's why they aren't calling for Bush's impeachment as they should. Well, that and the fact that they would all be labled as anti-american. The GOP seems to enjoy wallowing in modern McCarthyism.

Okay. Now I'm depressed. That's enough for today.... bleah.. I need food.

2005-06-12T07:27:00.000-05:00

Ooh. Fun! Scroll to bottom!

Well....fun being relative... let's change that to... vaguely interesting..

2005-06-03T17:06:00.000-05:00

Luke 9:23-Take up your cross: "I am a Lion,with some Otter,very little Retriever and almost no Beaver. "

I couldn't help but stick this in here. I did a google search on out of balance mowers and somehow I found the old blog of a reborn christian.

My burning question, after reading some of the entries is this.

How can someone who has 3 children have almost no beaver?!!?

2005-06-03T10:57:00.000-05:00

Vote To Impeach Bush: A Message from Ramsey Clark

This is rather timely. Apparantly there is some momentum being gained in the online movement to impeach George W Bush. Please read this and give it SERIOUS consideration.

It's not a matter of tit for tat. Look at the standard that has been set. The republicans wanted to impeach Clinton for lying under oath about a blow job. We have been lied to now about a war which has cost BILLIONS of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives..

Welcome to the new Viet Nam. Don't you think it's high time we stepped up and did something about it?

2005-06-02T12:16:00.000-05:00

Ben Folds
Songs for Silverman

Meh. I was a bit disappointed with this effort. It's not bad, but I like hard rockin' and cursin' Ben Folds. This was not that.

Without much further ado, I give it 3 out of 5 piano keys...

2005-05-31T19:34:00.000-05:00

Every now and then I get a little report that tells me how many people are(n't) reading this. So either I am subjecting myself to a lesson in futility or I am showing the world how dense I am. (Despcription of dense,stupid, etc... doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time.) Ah well... maybe I need to stick in some subtle keywords. Sex. Boobie. Wahoo. Ying Yang.

In case you hadn't heard, the new Star Wars movie opened recently. Did you see the 1st and 2nd of the new movies? They sucked. They sucked ass. They sucked big hairy monkey ass. I watched return of the clones on fox a few weeks ago. There was something very specific I noticed that was pointed out in a recent playboy article. (Hmm.. Didn't I actually capitalize my proper nouns back in the day?) In Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, you have a reality and an atmosphere that they could not recreate with CGI. They tried, but it just didn't work. I am lucky enough to own the original 3 movies on VHS, before Lucas decided he was going to tinker with his babies. I hope to watch them soon and remind myself of what made those original three movies special EWOKS! No...no... just some snazzy writing, some cool special effects, and a guy in a big black mask. Not Rick Moranis. I entertained the idea of going to see it, but like a bad tuna sandwich, this too, shall pass.

I did go to see Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. Not bad. Not the books, but not bad.

Surely there is other news. One thing I will make a point of mentioning is that if you are in Bloomington IN, avoid Royal Toyota at all costs! I got a REALLY bad deal there last year, and they are very shifty in the used car department. Don't find out the hard way like I did! I would be happy to share any details, should anyone be curious.

I think that's a good catch up post for now. Somewhere out there, Gina is getting it together, Paige is shopping, and I'm sitting around with my thumb up my ass.

Stick to your strengths. I do.

2005-05-11T13:56:00.000-05:00

Does the Real ID act contain a Constitution-busting Trojan horse?

Wow. If you read enough about Real ID, you might crap your pants, just like me.

Welcome the evil republican overlords, for they have come to control us.

2005-05-05T15:42:00.000-05:00

This ought to be an interesting post. I've been trying for a half hour to nap, and between dogs checking out every little sound and the phone ringing, it just hasn't happened.

Anyway, if you get a chance, tune in C-span one afternoon when they are broadcasting the British PM in a Q&A session. It is such a huge contrast to the staged "town halls" that dickweed holds as a rah rah session when he wants positive feedback on his agenda. Quite honestly, it even puts a legitimate town hall meeting to shame in that questions are not screened, and it is more of a wide open and candid forum. Tony Blair is often called to the carpet on various issues, but is able to answer the questions intelligently and coherently. No prepared script, no set answers. None of that stuff. It's really quite fascinating. I believe the elections in Britain are being held even as I type this. Assuming the voters over there have even a smidgen more common sense than us here in America, I don't see Tony Blair winning re-election. I believe he's probably done a lot of good for the country, but I think when he stepped into Iraq, he stepped into a huge steaming dog turd of a problem.

The difference between them and us... they know a dog turd when they see it.

2005-05-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

Kyle Hollingsworth--Never Odd or Even
a brief review.

My reviews will actually be a bit out of order, but since I just finished this disc, I thought it would be a good place to start.
Kyle Hollingsworth is/was the keyboardist from The String Cheese Incident.I haven't heard many of their tunes, but from what I can remember, it was pretty good stuff. This disc, however, is fair to midland depending on your tastes. Most of the tunes are pretty laid back with a bluesy/jazzy feel to them. There are a few exceptions, but not enough for my taste. My favorite track was Boo Boo's Pik-a-nik. It had wonderful zest and flavor to it. Many of the other tracks sort of sounded like he was going through the motions. Most of it is nothing you haven't heard before. That's why I can't put this in the "bad" category. For some, it will probably be a good listen. For my tastes, I'll pick a tune or two and leave the rest. -----------overall, B

2005-04-30T12:42:00.000-05:00

Jesus F-in' Christ!!

I really wish there was a better way to put that...

Stupid me changed banks and went from a Mastercard debit to a Visa. Guess what? Apparantly Visa has gotten extraordinarily anal about letting you deposit to gambling sites or even some transfer services.

Hmm.. It's MY money, why don't you let me do what I want with it!!!!

Ugh... that is all.

2005-04-29T05:52:00.000-05:00

Williamsburg Civic Association -- Arlington Pediatric Center

Quick update---THIS...is the winner of "most inappropriate logo" for 2004. Nice of 'em to change their page!

2005-04-26T12:05:00.000-05:00

What is a man?

Okay, kids. Time for another bona fide 100% certified stark raving rant.
George Carlin has talked about it. I think I've made reference to it once or twice. The pussification of America.
Before I go any further with this, let me note very briefly what I do. I'm a merchandiser. When new products hit the shelves, I am often one of the first to see them. Today I happened across "mens" grooming. Why do I put men in quotes? Because, quite frankly, no real "MAN" would be caught dead using some of this stuff. What is happening now is the skin care companies have learned that the new generations of boys like to primp, preen, and pluck just as much as the gals! What does that give us? Skin toners, under eye cream.. in short, WOMEN'S SKIN CARE.

Why is this an issue with me? I guess it's because this country is no longer producing "MEN". Let me tell you something about real men...

With a MAN, his word is his bond.
A MAN doesn't worry about the wrinkles and such that come with age.
A MAN often has calluses on his hands.
AND..he doesn't care.
A MAN is not afraid to get hurt once in a while.
A MAN will mow the lawn, cut down those limbs, get up and check the roof, clean the gutters, wash the car, and do some other odd jobs around the house--on the same day!

Men don't worry that their skin is a little dry. They don't care if their hair isn't quite right. Men get dirty when they work on their car. Men cut down a tree and then go fishing. Men wear the same clothes for days at a time. Trust me on this.

But todays boys aren't destined to do that. After mommy and daddy pay for college, AND room and board...AND transportation, they hit the real world at the ripe old age of twenty something without a clue in the world.

Now, I'm not exactly Lumberjack John, but I wouldn't be caught DEAD using some of the crap they are coming out with. Give me soap to wash, shampoo to wash my hair, an a fresh blade and some gel to shave. I'm good. And you know what? I DO work on my car when I can. I take apart and fix my lawnmower. I cut down small trees. (I cut down trees. I wear suspenders and a braaaa.. I wish I'd been a girlie.. just like my dear mama...)..sorry..suddenly had Monty Python running through my head.

Anyway, if you are a guy reading this, look at yourself and the world around you. Yes, we are in a technological age, but we shouldn't forget our roots. Once upon a time, a man took pride in being a little dirty and grizzled. It meant something. Now you have to be pretty and smell good.

There's really....really...something wrong with that.

2005-04-24T06:24:00.000-05:00

The Almighty Dollar

For no particular reason, I've been thinking about the past just a little bit more lately. I was somewhat inspired to create a lengthy post, and was further inspired this morning by a Sunday comic I just read. The comic commented on the evolution of newspapers. Newspapers used to have in depth reporting. They wanted to make a difference. Now it's about how much money they can make and nothing more. Some still have local reporters on the beat, but now it's about the stories that jump out and make themselves known more often than not. The days of investigative journalism seem to be gone. I know our local paper seems to be turning into some sort of entertainment rag. There are only a handful of local reporters and most of the stories are AP stories. Needless to say, I don't read it much.

But you know what? That's not even the primary topic of my post. The original inspiration came after poking around online and reading about old shows like Big Blue Marble, 3-2-1 Contact, and others.

I grew up in the 70's. Back then, like newspapers, television felt a responsibility towards children and our society. TV has always been about advertising and revenue, but once upon a time it was also about GENUINE kids programming. I still have memories of the 15 minute educational shows on PBS that schools would record and play for classes like Vegetable Soup, Inside/Out and others. If you search online for these sorts of things you will find many people roughly my age who have fond memories of these and often ask the universal question, where are those shows now? I suppose with luck they are buried in a vault somewhere. At worst, they're gone forever.
Have kids really changed so much that we can't create shows similar to what we grew up with? Mr. Wizard? Captain Kangaroo? Electric Company? These, in hindsight, were all brilliant!
So if you are old enough to remember any of these shows, ask yourself what happened. Why aren't kids exposed to the same positive influences they once were? I know one of the answers.

We stopped trying.

Somehow, the "experts" had all the answers. Even worse, the tv execs had their own answers. Kill the captain and go with news! Hell, you can't even really find Saturday morning cartoons anymore! With the advent of cable and cartoons on every day of the week, the ritual of waking up early Saturday to watch cartoons is gone. Too bad.

I'm just glad I was a kid in the 70's. All you younger folks don't know what you missed.

Now pardon me while I curl up with my Schoolhouse Rock tapes..

2005-04-21T20:43:00.000-05:00

Ahh... as everything goes to hell in a handbasket, it's time to celebrate national high five day.

WHAT!??!

Yeah...yeah... I think things like that pretty much show what a weenie country this is turning into.

On the other hand, I think it may be topped...because NEXT WEEK.. is. National assistant something or other day! Yep... Kroger radio is playing some insipid ad.. talking about things you can get to thank your assistant.. ugh.. since saying "Thanks" just isn't enough.

Wait.. what am I saying? In modern day corporate culture, that just doesn't happen.

I think that's it for now. I was just reminded of the high five BS and had to say something. It wasn't much, but it was something.

2005-04-16T19:22:00.000-05:00

The Seattle Times: Nation & World: U.S. eliminates annual terrorism report

You know, every time I think I've seen it all, I'm surprised yet again.

Guess what? 2004 was the WORST year EVER for international terrorist attacks! Thanks to the one and only idiot in the white house. What is their solution? Team up with other countries to come up with a plan? Stand up and be counted for? NO! The answer is not to publish any more reports which may potentially expose your corrupt and inept administration. Please....please..read on for more... click!

2005-04-15T16:08:00.000-05:00

Gina writes again!

Okay.

So Gina is this crazy longtime friend of mine who I met online AGES ago. It seems like ages anyway.

To be clear, I mean the time is crazy, not the girl.

Dig?

So anyway, and I am hoping she reads this, I used to chat with her once in a blue moon. She was great!

I like to think that through the course of my life I have met just the right person at just the right time, thereby proving that life is no accident, although it is still a bit of a cosmic joke on all of us. She is on my extraordinarily short list of people who fall into that category.

In the hopes that she IS actually reading this, a quick THANK YOU G must be said. She rocks. Check out her blog, but bring a drink. The girl can type.

I actually have some copies of some pieces she was writing but have never received permission to share them, so they sit in a folder for my eyes only.

Sorry. The ADD seems to be kicking in.

Anyway, She's one of those cool people who I have gotten to know online (as much as you can, I suppose) and haven't heard from in a long time. Such is the side effect of technology, I suppose. You meet people in this cyber realm and move on as life grabs you and pulls you kicking and screaming into your next adventure. Friends come and go, but I like to remind people that when I'm your friend, I'm your friend for life. Deal with it.

2005-04-13T15:30:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been forever and a day since I've done any regular posting, so I guess this is as good a start as any.

Today's review--- bunky--born to be a motorcycle.

This is a pretty good disc overall. I am just old enough that I almost called this an album! It is reminiscent of many 80's alt rock groups such as the creatures. If you throw out the two VERY slow tracks, it's great overall, but they kind of throw a monkey wrench into things. Otherwise, I would highly recommend it, particularly track 8 "Glass of Water" for those of you who would like a taste.

2005-03-25T13:21:00.000-05:00

Random thought of the day.

Why is it that we still categorize dogs in various ways, such as behavior and temperament, but in our overly PC society we can no longer talk about people the same way?

Remember when you could talk about the ...well... guy... with the thing... who liked to do that thing a lot... because he was so good at... doing that stuff... that only they can do..

you know...

2005-03-25T06:52:00.000-05:00

Williamsburg Civic Association -- Arlington Pediatric Center

First of all, I make no bones about using links I've found on FARK. Hey, it's easier to get to them from here later on anyway!

As stated on FARK, this wins the "Most Inappropriate Company Logo Award"

2005-02-26T15:17:00.000-05:00

Rainbow - Twangers Clip - TV Episode - innuendo Script with Zippy Bungle George Geoffrey: "Geoffrey (to camera) ' Hello everyone, today we are talking about playing'

Bungle: 'Playing with each other, Geoffrey?'

Geoffrey: 'Yes Bungle, do you have a special friend that you like to play with?'

George: 'Yesterday we played with our balls.

Are we going to play with our friend's balls today?'

Bungle: 'Yes, and we can play with our twangers as well.'

Geoffrey (to camera): Have you seen Bungles twanger?

Zippy: 'Oh I have, I showed him how to pluck with it.'

Bungle: 'It's my plucking instrument.'

Geoffrey asks the audience if they can pluck like Bungle
"

These are actual quotes from the best childrens show clip EVER. It works best with a high speed connection. If you are on dial up it may take a little while to load, but it's worth it!

2005-02-22T16:37:00.000-05:00

MutantPop ~ View topic - DJ NoNo - Just Lose The Accordions: "It's called 'Just Lose The Accordion' and it's terrible"

Actually, it's terrific. Go and check that thing out. Weird Al meets Eminem..sorta...

2005-02-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

The Neil Rogers Show: "'Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.'

Julius Caesar"

2005-01-06T11:18:00.000-05:00

Random thought of the day:

Keeping in mind that George Dubya is looking at thinning out social security and encouraging people to "invest" because 'publicans don't believe in this social safety net to take care of our aged.

How much do you wanna bet that these are the same guys that bitch and moan when their roads aren't plowed in the winter? Hmm...so the city should be taking care of you now....bastards...

2004-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Have you seen these annoying ads for Jamster.com? Well, I finally decided to check it out. Upon finding the terms and conditions, I found this piece. Check out the last sentence.

"To unsubscribe, text "STOP" to 88888 or go to "My Clubs" under "My Jamster!" on www.jamster.co.uk or send an Email to billing@jamster.co.uk. The termination shall become effective immediately upon termination."

Wow. Clear as mud. Gotta love it.

2004-12-28T13:02:00.000-05:00

Well, kids... Christmas has come and gone. Hope yours was swell! We were pretty much socked in for the weekend. Almost 2 feet of snow will do that to you! The single digit temps helped as well.
BUT that's not why I'm posting today! I'm posting because I had a chance to review the new disc by The Presidents of the United States of America (boy, that ought to stick me in a few search engines!) Love Everybody.

The guys still have a pretty good sound. It is consistent with what we have heard before, but for some reason, the overall message is a little positive. Given that Lump was such a unique piece, I expected a little more songs of that ilk. There are one or two which may make you cringe if you really pay attention to the lyrics. Most of them will just have you tapping your toe and ignoring any words that come out of their mouths. The lyrics are generally pretty forgettable, although there are a couple of nicely written pieces in there. I determined it to be "copper clad fluff". It's fluff with a little bit of an edge. Again, not bad stuff.

Short and sweet is the way to keep those reviews, ain't it? I'd love to hear comments!

2004-12-22T10:50:00.000-05:00

Lazyboy TV

is an interesting little cd. When I first started listening I immediately thought of Chumbawamba. While there may be a hint of similarity, these guys definitely have their own sound. When I heard the dance beats I was sure it was going to go disco on me, but that never happened. Instead I was treated to all kinds of miscellaneous trivia. I learned such things as "the only book more published than the bible was the Ikea catalog" and ....well... many other things my brain hasn't quite been able to absorb upon first listen. The lyrics are 60-80 percent spoken word depending on which track you happen to be listening to. They are all very entertaining and engaging. I found myself really paying attention to every word.
Interestingly enough, there is a remake of "Desiderata" that is done very well. My preference will always be for the National Lampoon version, Deteriorata. There is also a track that is very detailed about terms for types of marijuana and how to make a joint.

All in all, I would give this 4 1/2 out of 5 stars, had I any stars to give. Seeing as how I have none, I shall give it a hearty "HI-YO-Tinfoil!!!" which will be lost on any of you who have not had a chance to watch the Lone Ranger. Shame on you.

2004-12-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

BTW...slight change in the title. The official name will stay the same for now.

"Monkeys are funny" is showing up in too many places.

BTW.. in my first post I said Jeeps rock. Wrong. They suck.

2004-12-21T22:04:00.000-05:00

Fatgirlfilms
is definitely a blog worth checking out. I don't think she's posted much lately, but the girl has got something to say. As proof, she has said it in a few independent films.
My goal is still to put together one or two of those someday, but I suppose real life has to take over once in a while. Work, remodeling, and soon a child will dominate.

Remember. When all else fails, tuck your head between your legs and breathe deeply. It won't really help, but at least you'll feel lightheaded.

2004-12-16T07:24:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...Christmas...and ordering online.
Be careful if you use a site like Amazon.com to order from resellers. I've bought from Ebay, I've bought from half.com and others, and I've never had a problem like I did on Amazon. The seller goes by Melissawyers@hotmail.com.

I bought a book advertised as "new" and received something with almost no packing and a nice dent on the top of the spine. PLUS she shipped 10+ days after she was supposed to!

Okay...enough venting... just watch out... some of these resellers take NO responsibility for their shipping practices.

2004-12-15T14:18:00.000-05:00

Hmm... Where shall I begin?
I think I'll start this short post with a note about the poor state of education in general in this country. Have you seen what has happened to spelling? I don't know what is worse, seeing "ostrage" for ostrich or the following ...and I quote...

"Minor nusances"..... ARGH.. spelling used to be just a pet peeve. It's soon to grow into a full fledged obsession. ARGH!

AND.... I thought I would put up a brief 2 sentence or so review of a recent release. I have just begun to review CD's for the station and thought it wouldn't hurt to put some of the info on here. Maybe I can turn someone on to something they haven't heard before!

Today's selection is Dufus. The album is Ball of Design. Overall it's a pretty good little disc. It doesn't live up to the hype included in the literature, but it is pretty solid nonetheless. Think "The Barenaked Ladies meet Frank Zappa and then go out and get drunk with Captain Beefheart". That is the best comparison I can think of at the moment. None of the tracks keep the same tempo throughout wihich can be good or bad. It's mostly good, though. It tends to work more often than not.

I'll be reviewing more in the future. I currently have new releases by The Presidents of the United States of America and Circus Mind awaiting review. After a brief preview, Circus Mind may be a fairly forgettable album. We'll see.

A

2004-12-14T07:13:00.000-05:00

Wow. America. If at first you don't succeed, eliminate the competition.

This is pretty nutty. In the world of videogames there are a couple of big names. EA with Madden Football and Sega/ESPN. This past year found the ESPN games hitting the shelves at 20 bucks a pop while EA has been around 50. What is the end result? Does ESPN consider raising their prices? Does EA consider lowering theirs? Nope. EA buys exclusive rights to the NFL names for 5 years. Thanks guys. Time to boycott EA, kids!

2004-12-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

Okay.
Pardon me if I repeat myself. I made the mistake of flipping channels and staying on FOX news for more than the 2 seconds it deserves, and that's being generous.
IBM is joining a long list of companies that is doing away with pensions. Of course good old dubya is still dreaming of privatizing social security, throwing millions into unforeseen problems.
ANYWAY... to make a long story short, the anchor's quote was something along the lines of "IBM is doing away with pensions, essentially telling people they are responsible for setting up their own retirement".
I suppose you could look at it that way....OR... realize that pensions are from a time when a company rewarded you for your years of service. That's why you had to work for a long time in order to be fully vested. You see, once upon a time a company...say it with me now.. offered COMPENSATION for the time you gave to them. Now they expect it from you. Hence the upside down crazy setup we now live in.
I would expound, but methinks the wife is home from work!
Happy holidays, y'all!

2004-12-08T11:39:00.000-05:00

Wow.
I am officially amazed. I am also becoming more ashamed to be an American. I just receievd my new copy of Consumer reports, and in it they review 4-5 large sedans including the Ford 500 and the Chrysler 300. While I am not the poster boy for saving energy or fuel, I have always made some attempt to drive a vehicle that gets...well... decent mileage. Keep in mind that I remember the day when Volkswagen Rabbits and Datsun B210's roamed the earth getting around 30mpg. Are you even remotely interested in what these big behemoths get? Well, the good news is that the high end is roughly 25+ mpg. Sadly, the low end floats around 10 - 11.

Even though I probably shouldn't be surprised, I guess I am. I would have thought with gas prices spiking and warnings that overall supplies of oil were indeed finite that we would make SOME attempt at improved fuel economy. Guess it's just not in the cards.

Hey, kids... do a brutha a favuh and click an ad, wouldja?

2004-12-03T07:55:00.000-05:00

CNN.com - Report: 44% of Americans medicated - Dec 2, 2004

Assuming a significant percentage of these are for mental illness, I think I've just discovered the secret to the Bush reelection!

Rant time--

How on earth to people continue to be so stupid and gullible? I've seen more ribbons on cars than I care to admit. Remember when you used to "tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree" to honor a loved one in the service? It made a statement. It was something special. What do we have now? Cheap little magnets that "support our troops" and "support our country".
Let me set things somewhat straight. The troops are NOT protecting our freedom. They are killing Iraqis left and right IN IRAQ. Why is this significant? Because NO IRAQIS had anything to do with 9-11. I realize this will fall on deaf eyes, but it has to be said.

Anyway, for those of you with the magnetic jingoistic ribbons on your car, all you have successfully done is make some other company just a little richer. Those have nothing to do with patriotism. They're all about making a buck. That's what this country is all about. The only question is, why don't more people point this out? Oh.. wait.. that's right... we are currently in the middle of the new McCarthyism where you don't DARE question the president and his motives.

Sheep.

2004-11-30T07:26:00.000-05:00

Big Bang did not create space; it is infinite and eternal- new study

How about a new update?! See if you can wrap your brain around that article.

Seems like I had some various random thoughts to pass along, but so far, I got nuttin'.

Guess it may be a while! No one is reading this damn thing anyway!

2004-11-04T22:32:00.000-05:00

You know... just poking around the internet here and there, I happened across an article that "issues of moral values, terrorism boost Bush" according to MSN.

Nice to know what America's morals are. Lying and deception just to name a few. Somehow we've re-elected a person who has lied countless time just about the war. I think if we dig deeper we'd find a LOT more.

Just for the record, when I say we, it's the ..er.. royal we... I voted for Kerry.

America, you got what you deserved. I only hope that the people that voted for Bush lose their jobs, pensions, insurance, and retirement. Then when their kids go to fight overseas, that'll be the hat trick!

Not that I'm mad or anything, mind you...

2004-10-24T21:49:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Engrish.com!

Well, it took me a while, but I finally remembered this little slice O heaven!

2004-10-24T10:24:00.000-05:00

CBC News Indepth: US Election 2004:

PLEASE...when you have a few minutes, check out this interview with Bill Maher.. exerpt below..

"Because you're being logical, dear. You're not thinking like an American. OK? Johnny Depp said this was a stupid country. And then he made me very mad and he took it back. Well, I say it. I don't take it back. It's stupid. Really stupid. It's about the marketing, don't you know? It's not about what's real. It's about what they market to people. I mean, they were able to morph bin Laden into Hussein. Do you think they can't give, make a little debt go away? That's something people don't even care about in the first place"

2004-10-21T06:26:00.000-05:00

From an e-mail I just received, a great quote--

""Back in 2000 a Republican friend warned me that if I voted for Al Gore and he won, the stock market would tank, we'd lose millions of jobs, and our military would be totally overstretched. You know what? I did vote for Gore, he did win, and I'll be damned if all those things didn't come true!" - James Carville"

BTW---a couple of random thoughts I've been holding on to...

What the hell is it with DEATH in a frickin' kids movie? I went to see A Shark Tale with our neighbor boy. A key moment in the movie is a shark getting nailed by an anchor and dying! Wow. No wonder every generation is a little more fucked up than the last...

Speaking of that movie, if you are a fan of animation, look forward to some interesting things coming out within this next year or so. It seems to be hot right now! Oddly enough, I wouldn't mind takin' the kid to see the Spongebob movie. At least no one DIES.. I'm pretty sure. Patrick probably gets a pretty mean wedgie, though.

2004-10-13T18:42:00.000-05:00

Hoo hah!
Fall is here and it's time to crank up the old wood stove! Comfy in here tonight!

As the deadline approaches for this years election we're revving up for the last presidential debate! With luck, America will watch objectively and make a proper judgement call. It's only the future of our country at stake! As a matter of fact, the debates themselves are... well.. debateable for a couple of reasons. This site , for example, calls into question certain details in Dubya's wardrobe.

And of course for sheer entertainment, don't forget poland!

2004-10-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

Richmond Illustration Inc. ... Caricature and Cartoon Art Studios: Home Page

Tom Richmond is a guy who is a great caricaturist and has, for some time now, been a regular contributor to MAD magazine. There is some wonderful art on this site as well as a page full of pictures OF him done by other caricature artists. Give it a look! Maybe you'll be inspired!

2004-10-12T11:21:00.000-05:00

2004-10-12T11:04:00.001-05:00

HAPPY!

Well it would appear that persistance can pay off. After much rooting and fretting, I finally figured out how to access my old profile! I'll jus say windows safe mode, and ownership.

Forgive any obvious typing errors. While the yellow type may look cool on the black, it's hell to look at on a white background!

Before I forget.. and I'm crossing my fingers that this link will work KUDZU by Doug Marlette

2004-10-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

2004-10-11T19:15:00.000-05:00

MUSICMATCH.COM promotes piracy!!

Sound too far fetched? Au contraire, mon frer! (Ah.. spelling shmelling)
Consider this. My computer pretty much got absolutely trashed. SO trashed that my entire PROFILE seems to have been eaten alive. Keep in mind that I've had to reload windows several times on both computers and have always been able to retrieve my old information. Not this time! Something nasty got in there and did some big damage!

ANYWAY.. my point here is that in the FAQ section of Musicmatch where they address lost downloads, their attitude basically says "according to the terms of our agreement, once they are yours you need to keep track of them." and they will NOT replace them.
What does this mean in laymans terms?
Pop those CD copies in and replace those old COPY PROTECTED WMV files with free for all MP3s that can be copied anytime and anywhere! fa fa fa!

2004-10-11T16:53:00.000-05:00

Man....
Most of the time life is pretty good, and once in a while it gives you a GIANT kick in the nuts.

Besides the massive issues with a used car I just bought, I just had to reload windows in my primary computer for the umpteenth time. Now I can't access my old profile which means .. well.. HOURS of work could be down the drain. *sigh*

If there is a plus side, a LOT of kinks got worked out in the process.

Thank you, Billy boy gates.

2004-10-10T18:44:00.000-05:00

gigglechick.com : v.26

So.. is it sort of a vicious circle sort of thing to have a link to ANOTHER blog? Not in this case. No one reads mine! This one even got a little mention on MSNBC, apparantly, which caused the webmistress to exclaim "HOLY SHIT!"

No, I'm not paraphrasing. That's an actual quote. I think. I don't remember too well these days.

Hopefully soon I can put up some samples of my latest project. Not doing so much of the radio stuff lately, but I AM trying to put together a rather smarmy and cooleroo retro ad site. The way it's going, the page design may be the easy part!
(Of course I SAY that now... just wait til I actually try.. blah!)