Life Through The Lens of SharkByte

Drugs Are Bad...Mm'kay?

2012-02-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

On the eve of Music's biggest night, the world lost of one our most beloved, celebrated and respected voices, as Whitney Houston was found dead at 48. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Whitney is the most awarded female artist of all time, with with two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards and 22 American Music Awards among a total of 415 career awards through 2010. She is also one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with more than 170 million combined albums, singles, and videos sold worldwide.

Another accolade that may never be surpassed is her standard-setting rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, performed at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa Bay in 1991. Due to overwhelming response to her rendition, it was released as a commercial single and video of her performance, and reached the Top 20 on the US Hot 100, making her the only act to turn the national anthem into a pop hit of that magnitude. Houston donated all her share of the proceeds to the American Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund. Her rendition was considered the benchmark for singers and critically acclaimed. Rolling Stone commented that "her singing stirs such strong patriotism. Unforgettable", and the performance ranked No. 1 on the 25 most memorable music moments in NFL history list.

Unfortunately, her mainstream appeal began to fade by the late 90's as missed performances and weight loss led to rumors of drug use which were later confirmed. In 2000 at a Hawaii airport, Marijuana was found in both Whitney's and husband Bobby Brown's luggage. In a 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer, Whitney addressed the rumored drug use and firmly denied tabloid reports that she had used crack cocaine. "Crack is cheap. I make too much for me to ever smoke crack," she said. "Let's get that straight, OK? I don't do crack. I don't do that. Crack is whack." She also told Diane that she was determined not to let drugs become a problem in her life again, but when asked if she will completely stay off drugs, she said "Well, I'm not going to tell you that," but added that she is not self-destructive and does not want to die.

Prior to the Diane Sawyer interview, back in 2001, Whitney had just signed the biggest record deal in Music history, for $100M to deliver six new albums. The first album on the new contract, "Just Whitney" was released in December 2002, which went Platinum in the U.S. and sold 3 million albums worldwide but remains her least successful album. In 2006, Whitney separated from husband Bobby Brown, and quickly filed for divorce, gaining custody of their only daughter, Bobbi Kristina, when the divorce finalized in April 2007. Whitney gave her first interview in 7 years with Oprah in September 2009, after just releasing her album "I Look To You", with her best opening-week sales of 305,000 copies, marking Houston's first number 1 album since The Bodyguard soundtrack, and Houston's first studio album to reach number 1 since her 1987 album "Whitney". During the interview she admitted to using drugs with her husband, including Marijuana laced with Cocaine, and said that "By 1996, doing drugs was an everyday thing...I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself."

In December 2009, Whitney began what would become her last tour, billed as the "Nothing But Love World Tour", her first in over 10 years. Whitney canceled some concerts due to illness and received widespread negative reviews from fans who were disappointed in the quality of her voice and performance.

Her final days were filled with both joyous and erratic behavior from Whitney, as she and daughter Bobbi attended a party for Grammy nominee Kelly Price at the nightclub Tru Hollywood where she and Price performed a duet, her final performance. Later that night, she was involved in a tense exchange with X-Factor finalist Stacy Francis and R&B singer Ray J and was escorted from the club, appearing disheveled and agitated. As reported by TMZ, she spent most of Friday night at the bar of the Beverly Hilton Hotel with friends, drinking and being very loud. Whitney was staying at the hotel to attend music industry executive Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy bash on Saturday. On Saturday, during morning or early afternoon, Whitney spoke to her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, and spoke with her mother just 30 minutes before she was found unresponsive in the bathtub by hotel security. Police, who were already onsite in preparation for Clive's party, arrived quickly and after 20 minutes of CPR she was pronounced dead at 3:55pm. Officials have reported that she died from what appears to be a combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs mixed with alcohol.

Whitney's death is one of many alcohol and drug-related tragedies that have shaken the entertainment industry and the fans of its most beloved talents. The list is long and distinguished, yet no matter how shocking or tragic, the pattern continues. Her untimely death, like many before her, is a haunting reminder that no one is immune to the long-lasting harm that drugs can do. Even after years without using, even the slightest relapse or an evening of heavy drinking is all it can take, once the damage has been done.

Regardless of her struggles, Whitney's legacy will always be her stunning voice and film success, both of which shattered racial barriers and captured the attention and respect of her fans and her peers. To remember her any other way would be a dishonor to the indelible mark she's left on the world.

The Second Coming of the Seattle Music Scene

2012-01-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

For those who embraced the Grunge movement, otherwise known as the Seattle Music Scene, which saw its peak during the 90's, prepare yourself for the second coming as a trio of the biggest bands of that era could all be releasing new music this year.

Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains are all on schedule to have new music ready this year, an assumed unplanned but very exciting alignment of their individual timeline. In 2011, Pearl Jam celebrated the 20th anniversary of the release of their massively successful debut album "Ten" in fine style by headlining a series of shows featuring many guest appearances. During that year, the band also began working on a new album to follow their 2009 release "Backspacer". The band also released reissued versions of their second and third albums, Vs. and Vitalogy, respectively, in 2011 as part of the celebration. They had previously reissued "Ten" in 2009, in a number of fan-friendly and budget-friendly variations. Before that, at the dawn of 2010, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell announced that the band's hiatus had ended, and new music was being written. The band played several shows and worked on new material, which is tentatively scheduled for a 2012 release. Back in 2007, Alice In Chains returned with an impressive album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", its title track a stunning tribute to founding member and singer Layne Staley who died tragically 5 years before. After touring for the album, the band returned to the studio and has been working on new music, which could be released this year as well.

Another band of that area, widely recognized as the most popular, was Nirvana, who disbanded following the death of singer/guitarist/lyricist Kurt Cobain, the result of an alleged suicide. Drummer Dave Grohl formed his own band called Foo Fighters, with Dave on lead guitar and vocals, and Foo Fighters released "Wasting Light" in 2011, nominated for album of the year at the 54th Grammy Awards.

While Soundgarden took a hiatus and Alice In Chains and Nirvana both disbanded due to the tragic loss of their frontman, Pearl Jam remained active and is one of my all-time favorite bands. Over the last couple of years, through the reissues of their early albums and Backspacer and their anniversary shows, it's easy to see that these guys are really grateful to have lasted and are more solid than ever. With an album already behind them since their return, and a positive outlook on the future, the second chapter in the career of Alice In Chains may prove to be a lasting one as well. Only time will tell if the return of Soundgarden will last, but fan reaction to their first shows since reforming have been very positive.

There are many highly anticipated albums being released this year, but for me, none more highly anticipated than the ones from these three bands. Please share your excitement for new music from these bands, or any other releases you're waiting for.

Rock N Roll Train(wreck)

2012-01-03T09:37:00.001-08:00

After years of silence, Van Halen has finally given their fans something to "Jump" about!

On December 26th, the official Van Halen website posted a video showing new footage of the band rehearsing at the Roxy, as details of a new tour scrolled along the screen and classic Van Halen tracks played. Just before New Year's Eve, a promotional image of a train with the vintage Van Halen logo showed up on several websites, and was seen on New Year's Eve in Times Square, indicating the release date of their new album as February 7th, 2012. Tickets for the upcoming tour go on sale January 10th, which also marks the premiere of the first single and video from the album.

The biggest news for Van Halen fans is that this is the first full album recorded with original frontman David Lee Roth in 28 years. Two tracks were recorded with Roth in 1996 for their "Best Of Volume 1" hits collection, but a heated exchange backstage at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards ended any reunion possibilities, until 2007. Unfortunately for fans of the original lineup, bassist and founding member Michael Anthony was replaced by Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang, which Anthony had not been told officially and learned while reading news about the tour online. The 2007-2008 tour is the band's most profitable tour to date despite the lineup change, although it's been widely speculated that the band used recordings of Anthony's backing vocals.

Former frontman Sammy Hagar (1985-1996) has been very vocal about how poorly Anthony was treated by Eddie, first in 2004 when he forced Anthony to take a significant pay cut and sign away his rights to any future earnings, and again by replacing him as retribution for playing with Hagar during Van Halen's silent years. Hagar also slammed Eddie's decision to use his son on tour, stating that the current lineup is not what the fans want to see. Judging from comments on sites like Blabbermouth.net, the Red Rocker is exactly right. Meanwhile, since being ousted from Van Halen, Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar have been busy enjoying the success of their band Chickenfoot, whose debut was certified Gold. They are currently touring in support of their second album, titled "III", which Hagar calls "the best album I've ever made."

Despite his unflattering remarks towards Eddie in his tell-all memoir "Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock", Sammy maintained confidence that he and Michael Anthony would be in Van Halen again, going as far as calling it "inevitable", mostly due to his disbelief in the possibility that they could actually finish an album with Roth. With the arrival of news of the upcoming Van Halen album, it seems that the least likely reunion at this point is one that involves Anthony or Hagar but the steady success of Chickenfoot compared to the slow progress of Van Halen proves that they're right where they should be.

For fans of Van Halen, the wait is finally over and January 10th will either be a day of excitement or disappointment. While I agree with Van Halen's most loyal fans that the true Van Halen sound exists in their early days, I favor Sammy's vocals and prefer the music made during his tenure. Either way, it's not the same without Michael Anthony in the band and that fact is made clear on Chickenfoot's second album, in which Anthony's vocals are more present than ever as he and Sammy are locked in like never before. Like Sammy, I hope that for the benefit of Van Halen's fans that this new album is nothing short of spectacular. If not, I'm sure Chickenfoot would be honored to let Van Halen open for their next tour.

**UPDATE 1-12-2012**

The first single is "Tattoo", which can be seen and heard on the Van Halen website, and the title of the album is "A Different Kind of Truth". The song "Tattoo" is actually a reworking of a track performed live in '77 called "Down In Flames". Another track on the album, "She's The Woman", is also an older song, it first appeared on the demo that got them their first record contract.

"Making Time" in 2012

2012-01-02T10:34:00.001-08:00

I'd like to start by wishing everyone a Happy New Year. To those who made a resolution, I hope you achieve it, and for those who don't believe in them I hope you enjoy some unplanned success. As with every year, I'm always hoping to expand my audience so if you enjoy something you've read here please refer others, and I encourage everyone to leave comments.

With the arrival of 2012, despite the doomsday hype, I find myself unusually empowered and optimistic that I can make some real positive changes in my life; changes that will help me overcome the obstacles that left previous years feeling unfulfilled.

I think there is one theme that everyone can relate to regarding the balance between work and home life, and that theme is "making time". While everyday life should never feel like something that "gets in the way" of spending time with family and friends or doing what makes you happy, it is easy to slip into a routine without realizing how much time has passed since you saw a friend or did something outside of that routine. In order to balance it all you need to "make time" to fit everything in. Being part of a large family means that I have a lot of people to make time for, including friends. The responsibility to "make time" is never for one person to carry, but shared by both people in any relationship, whether it's between spouses, siblings, friends, anyone. It's easy to feel left out or ignored or even insignificant to someone if you always rely on that person to make time for you. I know that I can do much better to make time for the people in my life, and I'm sure many others would agree that they could as well.

Another change I'm hoping to make is to feel better about myself than I have before by eliminating some bad habits and characteristics, and improving myself physically. I think the ability to make others happy starts with being happy about yourself, not to say that overall I'm not pleased with who I am but most of us would agree there's always something we can improve.

I'd love to hear some feedback from those who agree or disagree with "making time", as well as what resolutions you may have and what obstacles may stand in the way.

The iPhone Killer (for Android fans)

2011-12-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

Limited edition white Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket

Not long after my recent post regarding the flood of ultra-powerful smartphones on the market, AT&T announced the December 4th release of the white version of their first 4G LTE phone, the Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket. Luckily, my upgrade eligibility came just before its release so I was able to get my hands on it and if there ever was an "iPhone killer" it is this phone!

After seeing photos of the non-LTE Galaxy S2 in white overseas, I began scouring the Internet for news of a U.S. release. The Skyrocket had already been released in black but the lack of LTE coverage in my area had me leaning towards the non-LTE Galaxy S2, until the white version arrived. Of course there were other factors that went into my choice to go for the Skyrocket, mainly the fact that I was able to get it for $149 ($100 less than most retailers) by purchasing from Parrot Cellular (price valid through the month of December), and once the LTE network is up, I'll instantly benefit from it while others have to wait to get an LTE-capable phone (no, the iPhone 4S is not). Oh, who am I kidding, I just had to have it in white!

Now, in all fairness, I came from an iPhone 3G to the Skyrocket, so the obvious reaction would be that the iPhone is completely inferior. The only fair way to put these phones up against each other is to compare the Skyrocket with Apple's latest, the iPhone 4S. Side by side, the casual user would not notice much difference at all in terms of performance. My wife has the iPhone 4S and we tried our own "benchmark" test, by aiming our browsers at the same site and launching in unison, and there was a negligible difference. Most hardware specs matter only to technology insiders who use programs to measure performance to a much higher standard than the vast majority of phone users.

Here is a breakdown of the key performance and design factors for both phones.

Display:
Skyrocket - 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and 207 ppi pixel density.
iPhone 4S - 3.5-inch TFT Retina multi-touch display with resolution of 960 x 640 pixels at 326 ppi density.

Size:
Skyrocket - 129.8 x 68.8 x 9.5 mm dimension and weighs 130.5 grams
iPhone - 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm and weighs 140 grams

Processor:
Skyrocket - 1.5 GHz Scorpion dual-core processor, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm APQ8060 Snapdragon chipset with 1GB RAM.
iPhone 4S - A5 chipset, powered by 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, 512MB RAM, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU.

Operating System:
iPhone 4S - iOS 5 with 200 new features including the Siri virtual assistant and iCloud.
Skyrocket - Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread*.
*It is expected that Skyrocket can be upgraded to the latest version, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, in early 2012. Ice Cream Sandwich is a combination of Gingerbread and Honeycomb in one unit.

Camera:
Both phones sport a rear-facing 8-megapixel LED flash camera with 1080p HD video capture.
For video calls, Skyrocket sports a 2-megapixel front-facing camera while iPhone 4S comes with a secondary VGA camera.

3G/4G:
Skyrocket - HSDPA 21.1 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps and 4G LTE support.
iPhone 4S - HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.8 Mbps support and 800, 1900 MHz technology.

Storage:
Skyrocket - fixed 16 GB internal SD, external microSD card support of up to 32GB.
iPhone 4S - fixed 16/32/64 GB internal storage.

WLAN/Bluetooth/USB:
Skyrocket - Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 3.0 version with EDR stereo along with mini USB 2.0 version.
iPhone 4S - Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth version 4.0 with A2DP along with USB version 2.0.

Battery:
iPhone 4S - Li-Po 1420 mAh battery, with 8 hours of talk time on 3G networks, up to 14 hours on 2G networks (GSM) and a standby time of 200 hours.
Skyrocket - Li-ion 1850 mAh battery.

What do these specs mean?
Here's a more summarized breakdown which explains how these specs translate to the user experience.

The retina display on the iPhone 4S is an inch smaller but remarkably crisp thanks to greater pixel density and resolution, which just means it's closer to HD quality. The larger size of the Skyrocket display makes everything appear larger but not necessarily better, although the deeply saturated colors on Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus display are very impressive. For most users, it's a matter of size preference because both displays offer excellent quality. The larger size for me was immediately appreciated, but I had no idea just how much of a difference it made until I picked up my old iPhone and suddenly found myself squinting to see the content; I'm officially spoiled by the extra inch of screen! Of course the larger screen on the Skyrocket also leads to a considerably larger phone overall. It has been mentioned that the Skyrocket is too large to use one-handed and I suppose for those who have smaller hands that can be true. The difference in weight is considerable, and has led to criticism for the Skyrocket for having a "cheap, plastic feel" compared to iPhone's solid metal and glass outer shell. I enjoy how light the Skyrocket is and I don't agree with those who think that weighing less despite a significantly larger frame translates to inferior quality.

The 8 megapixel camera on both phones features an LED flash and both produce very sharp pictures. The iPhone seems to have an edge thanks to image stabilization, as the Skyrocket suffers from lack of focus with slight movement, and a bluish tint on pictures that are not taken in well-lit areas. The front-facing camera on both allows for video chat, but the Face Time app that comes on the iPhone cannot run over the cellular network so if you do not have WiFi at home, download Tango from the App Store, also available on the Android Market. The Tango app is free and allows for video calls without requiring a WiFi connection.

Regarding processor speed and RAM, on paper the Skyrocket comes out way ahead but to the majority of users, both phones will be remarkably fast and only by using Quandrant benchmark apps will you see a visual indicator that one is superior to the other. In fact, even with a slower clock speed at 1.2GHz, the non-LTE Galaxy S2 repeatedly beats the Skyrocket on benchmark tests but you would never know the difference otherwise.

Putting performance aside, it all comes down to the operating system to decide which phone is the right choose. For those who do not need to customize more than their wallpaper, and like a simple user-friendly interface, Apple iOS is the best choice. The Android OS is the clear winner for those who like to have full control of all settings on their phone. There are many features on the Android OS that lead to a much fuller user experience, such as Social Hub which merges Twitter, Facebook and email accounts into one convenient location. There is also Media Hub, which allows the user to rent or buy full length movies to watch at their convenience. On the other hand, the Siri virtual assistant, a new feature for the Apple iOS 5, provides a great deal of entertainment for Apple fans. Siri can complete a number of tasks, from setting alarms and birthday reminders to scheduling meetings, but most users are impressed by how intuitive and humorous Siri can be. When asking Siri a question like "guess what", you may get a response of "you won the lottery, right?", or if you ask "what are you wearing", Siri responds "Aluminosilicate glass and stainless steel. Nice huh?".

One key difference between the two phones is the expandable memory available on the Skyrocket. Some argue that the iPhone wins because its 64GB configuration means more available memory than the Skyrocket's internal 16GB with a 32GB external micro SD, for a total of 48GB. However, once you reach the limit on any of the configurations you choose for the iPhone, you have to start chipping away at installed media. If you fill up your micro SD on the Skyrocket, pull it out and start a new one. As someone who used my iPhone as an iPod as well, the ability to throw in additional space for music basically guaranteed I'd be switching to an Android-based phone.

Of course, the most important factor is battery life since no measure of performance matters if your phone dies halfway through the day. Both phones are challenged in this area, as my wife and I find ourselves plugging in our phones during the day with normal use. Both OS providers have claimed to have updates that address battery usage issues, but let's face it, these are basically mini-computers that are performing a number of memory intensive tasks at any given time. The Skyrocket is more powerful than some desktop computers I've owned, so to expect long battery life if you're using your apps and web browsing throughout the day is unrealistic.

To summarize, if you want a phone with full customization ability, a large beautiful display, expandable memory, and the ability to take advantage of greatly increased speed when the LTE market arrives in your area, the Skyrocket is the winner. If you like a more simplified experience, with enough settings available to feel like you have adequate control of your phone, also with a beautiful display, and the entertaining Siri assistant to crack jokes with, you can't go wrong with the iPhone 4S. Both phones provide enough power to make web browsing and applications very enjoyable, as long as you're not viewing pages with Flash-enabled videos (sorry Apple fans, no Flash support for iPhone).

**UPDATE 12-21-2011**
After having some time to play with the Skyrocket, I'd like to share a few tips/tricks and some feedback on what I love about the phone, as well as areas for improvement. For the first few days I was constantly tweaking settings, downloading apps and moving them around, playing with wallpapers, games and tools so I was getting into low battery territory by early afternoon. This was a cause for concern but I learned how to maximize battery life with a few tricks. Using the settings widget, I can toggle GPS and Wireless off with one-touch, so I can leave them disabled until needed. This saves a lot of battery life, because with those functions on, the phone is constantly tracking location and searching for available networks even if you are not in need. Live wallpapers are very nice to look at, especially one like Koi Pond, but of course they will constantly drain battery, as they are running even when the phone is locked and the screen is "off". Auto-brightness is also not a feature to leave turned on, as your phone will constantly be adjusting brightness based on the ambient light in your surroundings.

Regarding apps and running processes, Android allows users to control what is running on the phone with Task Killer. From within any app, by hitting the "home" button you are not exiting the app to get to the home screen. However, using the "back" button all the way to the home screen will exit out completely, which you can confirm by checking the running applications. Another trick, which most Android users probably know already, is the swipe feature available in Contacts. Whether in the Contacts folder or while viewing your call log or messaging screen, you can swipe to the right on the contact's name to call them (using whatever is set as their "default" number), or swipe left to send a text message. I've conveniently configured my seven home screens to feature most of what I would need to access an app for so a quick swipe across my home screens provides a quick fix of information. Direct dial and Direct message shortcuts are real time savers as well, which are available by holding your finger on any of the home screens and choosing the shortcut option.

One feature I use regularly is the Power Saving mode, which you can set to engage specific battery-saving actions once you reach a certain point in battery life. This helps save your phone from dying if you're a few hours away from a charger when you get the low battery warning. For music, I use Winamp which allows me to import my iTunes playlists to WinAmp on my desktop and then wirelessly sync to my phone (while both are connected to the same network). Of course, with the use of the microSD, I can just copy mp3's straight over, but it seems that WinAmp does not recognize artist information. That's my update (for now).

A Musical Change of Pace

2011-11-29T14:02:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, as I've mentioned before, I enjoy exchanging the crunching guitars and double kick drum action that typically fills my ears for something a bit less hectic, musically speaking. A few artists, some new and some old, have been filling more space on my iPod as I branch out and let my ears recover.

Following the release of Adele's debut album "19" in 2008, the British soul powerhouse started earning praise. The album won her 2 Grammy Awards including Best New Artist. Her second album "21" kicks of with "Rolling In The Deep", the song that got everyone talking about her with its haunting buildup and message of empowerment for anyone amidst a breakup. Her music caught the eye of a friend of mine and it wasn't long before I gave in. After seeing a mashup of two of Adele's songs, "Someone Like You" and "Rumor Has It" on the TV show Glee, I knew I had to give her album a try. The contrast between "Rolling In The Deep" and "Someone Like You" brilliantly bookends the album as the first and last tracks. Her strength in the opening track, a bit of a "tell off", is stripped away in "Someone Like You", a vulnerable take on the relationship that inspired much of the material on the album. A stripped down cover of "Lovesong" by The Cure is a welcome surprise, and "Turning Tables" and "Rumor Has It" are other highlights on the album.

Vocal problems caused Adele to cancel two planned tours in October 2011, and she underwent laser microsurgery in early November. She has already written seven songs for her next album which she intends to write, record, produce and master all on her own and says she wants it to be acoustic and piano-led, as much of "21" is. Her performance at Royal Albert Hall is available on Blu-Ray, DVD and CD formats, and according to reviews is a very intimate performance filled with very colorful banter from the singer. The setlist covers songs from both albums as well as a few covers.

Another current artist I've favored recently is Lady Antebellum. The title track from their second album, "Need You Now", is instantly catchy and probably the song that most will know them for. Their latest album "Own The Night" is an excellent followup, which kicks off with the title track followed by the album's first single "Just A Kiss". I think my wife has already worn a groove in the CD after only a week.

A recent release from an artist whose popularity peaked in the 80's caught my attention and after giving a listen, I'd categorize Christopher Cross's 2011 album "Doctor Faith" as a "return to form" or "rebirth". Chris' 1980 self-titled debut album swept the Grammy Awards that year, and his hit "Sailing" is one of my favorite songs of all-time. That album has several great songs and a few guest spots, including Don Henley, Michael McDonald and guitarist Eric Johnson. Chris brought McDonald and Johnson back for "Doctor Faith", so in that sense he's come full circle back to the beginning and the tone of the album mirrors that concept.

While there is certainly no shortage of great music from my favorite Rock bands, and even new releases already planned for 2012, I'm still on the lookout for new music and these artists and albums have found their way in.

What new artists or albums have your attention lately?

There's An App For That!

2011-11-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

Since its introduction in 2007 the iPhone has set the standard for the future of mobile communication, and its design and functionality have become the template for all competitors to follow. The use of applications (known as Apps) has transformed cell phones into handheld computers capable of far more than making calls. The phrase "there's an app for that" became popular in its reference to the nearly limitless variety of applications available which allow users to interact with Social Media, follow sports, news and weather, scan barcodes, check gas prices, even use your phone as a credit card (coming soon).

At the height of its popularity, the iPhone met its match with the arrival of the Android OS which can run on an impressive selection of devices, unlike Apple's iOS for which the iPhone is the only option to cell phone users. The staying power of the iPhone comes from the continued evolution of its design along with a very user friendly interface with intuitive features. However, Android phones are becoming more popular in recent times thanks to the restrictive nature of Apple's OS which allows for very little customization. Android users have full control of the layout and operation of their device, a strategy that has led to a steady climb in sales for Android-based phones.

While Apple was basking in popularity, Android developers have been working tirelessly to catch up with the momentum, and they are within close range with nearly 400,000 Apps available now and an estimated 580,000 apps available by the end of 2011. The iTunes App Store is estimated to have 500,000+ apps based on figures from Apple insiders. Apple does have the jump on the number of Apps downloaded with more than 18 billion (compared to 7 billion from the Android Market) but with the current variety of phones running Android, and its increasing popularity, that gap will also close rapidly.

Since the recent release of the 5th generation of iPhone, the 4S, along with a plethora of Android-based phones, manufacturers of Droid phones are no longer in competition with the iPhone but rather going head to head in a competition of hardware specifications. This is where the average user gets completely lost in a sea of unfamiliar techie lingo and those in the business drool over the latest and greatest hardware. A few of the most discussed hardware features are battery life, screen size, screen resolution and processor speed. For me, this is the point where phones are not longer being sold as talking devices, but as handheld computers.

Believe it or not, there are still some people who buy cell phones for mobile talking and couldn't care less about Apps or texting or Internet browsing. For the rest of us, things like battery life and browsing speed play a significant role in which phone we buy, and right now the variety of phones is so vast that consumers are more confused than ever when it comes to which phone is the right choice for their intended use.

Speaking from personal experience, and as someone who does a lot of research before making any electronics purchases, I've changed my mind several times while hunting for my next phone, since I am currently looking for a replacement for my 3rd generation iPhone, the 3G. The iPhone has been good for me although I've noticed a steady decline in performance over the past few months, and it doesn't help that I've played with a few of the more powerful Android devices lately. Once I learned of the opportunities for tweaking the Android OS, I knew my days as an iPhone user were numbered, and trust me I've been counting the days until I'm eligible for an upgrade. Regarding screen size, I was hooked on the Samsung Infuse which boasts a stunning 4.5" Super Amoled Plus screen with vivid colors and crisp images. Shortly after, they released the Galaxy S2 which was immediately labeled an "iPhone killer" for its impressive specs and features and for its widely applauded performance. The Galaxy screen size is merely .2 inches smaller but the internal goodies more than compensate. Much to the disappointment of the millions of new Galaxy S2 owners, Samsung also released a revised version they call "Skyrocket" with the same screen as the Infuse, a faster processor and 4G LTE capability, although LTE coverage is very limited right now. For those unfamiliar with LTE, it stands for Long Term Evolution and is a standard for data speeds over the network. Coverage with 4G LTE speeds is only in a handful of states in the U.S. so for those outside of the LTE coverage area, there is basically no benefit to owning the Skyrocket unless an additional .2 inches of screen size is absolutely crucial to your experience. You can see how easily it is to become confused regarding which set of features and specs is right for you, and will keep you happy for the next two years for those on contract plans.

There's so much information out there that only technology insiders will understand, so the best advice I can give would be to go to a store like Best Buy or Radio Shack, whose employees are very knowledgeable about the different phones and do not work on commission so their advice is based solely on what they know about the pros/cons and what feedback they've received about the phones they've sold. It took me a while to decide on a phone, mostly because the new iPhone 4S is very attractive, and with the Siri Virtual Assistant (who is quite sassy) it's a solid device. However, being a bit of a geek and watching all of the comparisons I've learned what works best for me and the "tweak factor" on Android phones is enough to convince me to at least give them a try. I'll be posting a full review with screenshots of my new Samsung Galaxy S2, stay tuned!

One small observation I have to make, which is what inspired me to write about the current cell phone market, is how cell phones are the perfect example of how we've become enslaved to the Internet and technology. I've written about the negative impact of technology before, mostly referring to kids and video games, but the cell phone (which was invented to allow people to stay in touch easier) takes it even further. An example of this would be the iPhone's reputation for poor battery life, and no complaints refer to talk time because apparently cell phones are being purchased for anything but talking. If Alexander Graham Bell were around to see texting, he'd send out a mass text that read "WTF".

The Aftermath of a Rock N' Roll Divorce

2011-10-19T09:57:00.001-07:00

Nearly every rock band has compared the musical relationship between its members to a marriage, so the aftermath of a breakup can easily be compared to a divorce, leaving the fans divided. My friend Dan Dedekian brought this scenario to my attention as a song from Van Halen's "OU812" album played on his iPod and it left him wondering "when a band breaks up, why are the fans forced to pick a side?".

Speaking of band breakups, the most obvious example in Rock music would be the 1996 departure of Sammy Hagar from Van Halen after 11 years, the result of a bitter feud between Sammy and Eddie Van Halen. When Sammy had joined the band in 1985, fans were already divided, as the followers of his solo career embraced the union while fans of the original lineup labeled the band "Van Hagar" for their disapproval of his influence on the musical direction of the band. When news broke that Sammy was no longer in Van Halen, his fans followed him on the revival of his solo career, while fans of the original era took to message boards, expressing their disapproval of the music Hagar made with the band and accusing him of ruining Van Halen. Unfortunately for those who chose to take Eddie's side after the breakup, Van Halen has released very little music over the years aside from one poorly received album and a handful of tracks recorded for hits compilations. However, the wait may finally be over, as a newly recorded album with original frontman David Lee Roth is in the mixing stages and is due for an early 2012 release. Meanwhile, Sammy released 6 solo albums before forming Chickenfoot with original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, along with guitarist Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, with two hugely successful albums under their belt already.

As a fan of Van Halen's music from both eras, like my friend Dan, it's hard to understand the need to choose a side rather than embracing the music made by both Roth and Hagar as important parts of the catalog. Sammy, who typically pushed to include only a few of the Roth-era tracks on the setlists during his tenure, performed more Roth-era tracks on their 2004 "reunion" tour as he finally came to appreciate all of the music from the band's history. Eddie Van Halen, on the other hand, has tried to make fans forget about the Hagar era of the band, and even gone as far as editing album artwork on the band's webpage, replacing Anthony's face with his son Wolfgang, who replaced Anthony on bass. Yet the song that played when Eddie married current wife Janie was "When It's Love" from the Hagar era of the band, proof that even he cannot deny the music he made with Sammy.

Picking sides after the breakup of a band is basically a way of saying that you're not a fan of that band, but only of certain members. Slash's departure from Guns 'N' Roses (also in 1996) started a domino effect that left Axl Rose as the sole member to carry on the name. His attempt over the years to hang on to the success of the music that the original lineup created is as desperate and sad as the music on the one album he's since released as "Guns 'N' Roses", the once mythical "Chinese Democracy". The current lineup of G 'N R is at best a solid tribute band, at least on the nights Axl doesn't storm off stage in true diva fashion. Meanwhile, all other original members have been involved in a number of projects like Velvet Revolver. Slash released a solo album in 2010 with a number of guest vocalists and is working on a followup, while Velvet Revolver searches for a new singer.

Eddie Van Halen treats his frontmen like singers for hire, as he's recorded albums with 3 different ones, and in the end it was those singers that went on to make new music while Eddie waited for the next to come along. Axl Rose felt that he was the only member needed to carry on the name of the band whose debut album is on every Top Rock Albums list, yet he's seen no success since the departure of Slash and the other members that followed. There is a lesson to be learned here, not just for the over-inflated egos of Rock's most prolific figures, but for those who choose to follow them.

If it ain't broke.......

2011-10-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

Gone In Sixty Seconds, Cape Fear, Father of the Bride, Ocean's Eleven, The Italian Job, The Fly, Clash of the Titans; the list goes on and on. These films have something in common, an unfortunate trend that is now spreading through Hollywood like a horrible strain of Writers' Block, and it is the REMAKE VIRUS.

Those films, and many others, have been remade and some very closely to the original, leaving fans of the originals wondering "why bother?". I feel that there are only two reasons to make a film that already exists; to send a message to the filmmaker of the original that you can do it better, or to share a favorite film with a new audience using today's advanced filmmaking tools. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, at least that's the excuse that filmmakers of the latest string of upcoming remakes will use. Among those coming soon to theaters or currently in the works are Footloose, Dirty Dancing, Overboard, Point Break, Total Recall and Wargames. These are just some of the more popular titles falling under the cinematic guillotine as Hollywood producers rely on the success of classics, using the built-in fan base of the originals, to create big draws for remakes. I'm a big fan of seeing a fresh take on a new idea, but only if it's needed.

For example, John Carpenter's 1978 horror classic "Halloween" is held in high regards by horror fans and filmmakers, but would barely cause the slightest stir for today's desensitized youth. Rob Zombie, having written and directed two well-received horror films, took on the original Halloween and unleashed a new Michael Myers in his brutally reinvigorated vision. Going against his vow to make only one Halloween film, he followed up his own remake with a sequel that took the aggressive tone of the first even further, allowing him to conclude his vision and keep other filmmakers from compromising it with unworthy sequels. I think this kind of remake is very worthwhile because it was approached with a great deal of appreciation and respect for the original but also brought something new to it that took nothing away from the appeal of the original, and in fact created renewed interest in it.

On the other hand, you take films like "Footloose" and "Dirty Dancing", both being classic films of the 80's which were huge launching pads for the cast. While a remake of Dirty Dancing is only in the planning stages, Footloose hits theaters October 14th with Julianne Hough, widely known for her years on Dancing With The Stars, and professional dancer Kenny Wormald. The trailer for the film reveals a Southern treatment, while many of the original film's elements remain intact. Movies like Footloose and Dirty Dancing are timeless and nostalgic and not the kind of movies that can be made better simply from being made modern. The storyline and early breakout performances will keep these originals towering over the remakes, especially once released on Blu-Ray which will only enhance their superiority.

Furthermore, for any film with a large fan base it should be recognized that those fans are loyal and likely very skeptical that any remake could ever come close to the original. I can't think of a better example of this than "Point Break", the surfer/cop action hit starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, which achieved cult-like status among fans. On the same day I saw the news that this remake was coming, I got a text from my friend Dan Dedekian, filled with disgust and disbelief, which perfectly mirrored my own feelings. I'm willing to accept it as coincidence that Point Break, Dirty Dancing and Red Dawn originally starred Patrick Swayze, who passed away in September 2009 after a long battle with Pancreatic Cancer, and are all in various stages of being remade. Note to Hollywood: if you wish to retain this illusion of coincidence, make sure nobody ever remakes "Ghost" or those groaning shadowy figures from the original will likely hunt down everyone involved and haul them off to the underworld, where Christian Bale should be for ruining the Batman and Terminator franchises.

Another of Dan's favorites is "Top Gun", the film that fueled his own need for speed, and upon thinking of the possibility of a remake we shared a sentiment of "they f'n better not even try". Luckily, no remake of Top Gun is in the works but the original is getting the 3D treatment, due for theatrical release in 2012, and a sequel with a Cruise cameo is in the works.

Moving on, don't even get me started on "Overboard", the most adorable excuse ever to cast a Hollywood couple opposite each other, starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, otherwise known as the most successful unmarried couple in Hollywood (Sorry Gene, but even before you put a ring on it you were beat by a few years). It's been reported that the remake of Overboard will star Jennifer Lopez in Hawn's role and is to be produced by Will Smith; no male lead has been announced. No doubt J.Lo is the right choice for the uppity snob role, as she is infamous for her diva-like backstage demands, but judging from her Rom-Com history this remake will fall way short, as any remake of Overboard would.

Regarding the constantly confusing Ah-nold Sci-Fi thriller "Total Recall", I've got nothing bad to say about seeing this done better as it can't be any worse.

Obviously, I'm a mixed bag when it comes to where my thumb points for a remake, but this theme of taking well-known and loved 80's classics using them to launch the careers of today's newcomers is, like, so 30 years ago. Seriously, it's time to let some no-name fresh writers get their scripts on the desks of starving producers and directors before someone casts Megan Fox as the computer-generated bimbo in a remake of "Weird Science" and I have to put my fist through my 42". I'd rather see a remake of "Sixteen Candles"....better yet, the sequel, titled "The Return of Long Duck Dong"!

The Evolution of Chickenfoot

2011-09-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Chickenfoot is about to release their second album, titled "Chickenfoot III", due in stores on Tuesday, September 27th. The album was named in reference to the huge musical leap forward from their debut. “I am very proud of the new album,” says lead singer Sammy Hagar. “We're calling the album Chickenfoot III because it's so good, the songs are so tight, it's like we jumped right past having to make a second record.” He's also called it the best album he's ever made, a bold statement considering his catalog as as both a solo artist and frontman includes 24 albums and spans nearly 4 decades.

The band, dubbed a "supergroup", was formed when Sammy was jamming with his buddy and former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony on bass and drummer Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, at his Cabo Wabo Cantina. They felt the music was worth putting on record so Sammy invited guitarist Joe Satriani, who had been involved with Sammy in another supergroup known as Planet Us, with Journey guitarist Neal Schon. Chickenfoot released their self-titled debut in 2009, which was certified Gold, and released a live DVD titled "Get Your Buzz On", basically a live representation of their debut album in its entirety, along with 2 cover songs and a track from the Deluxe Edition of their album.

In January 2011, the band entered the studio to start work on their second album, and in May drummer Chad Smith tweeted that he had finished the last two tracks on the album. Sammy announced the working album title as "IV", which was later changed to "Chickenfoot III".
The first single "Big Foot" was released on iTunes and Amazon in August, followed by a series of podcasts, one for each track on the album. The podcasts feature behind the scenes footage of the band discussing the songwriting process, and provides audio samples for the track being discussed.

After listening to "Chickenfoot III" from start to finish, I completely understand the huge hype that Sammy has built around it. Furthermore, I think this album is better than any of the 4 albums that Sammy recorded during his time in Van Halen. The evolution of the band between their debut and this album is so profound, you'll instantly recognize how much tighter these guys are after touring together. The variety on this album is huge and the songs have much more depth and a more layered sound than on their debut.

Here is my track-by-track review (including comments and personal rating on a 0-10 scale):

1. Last Temptation - 9/10 Among the best rockers on the album
Solid opening rocker featuring Satriani's signature guitar sound soaring over the intro, leading to a heavy rolling anthem-style build before bursting into the chorus, heavily layered with Michael Anthony's backing vocals.

2. Alright Alright - 7/10 Fun, upbeat party-style jam
Jam-style intro with verses focused on Sammy's vocals and Chad's steady pounding of the snare, with Satriani and Anthony in sync. Song has a bit of a party vibe, sounds like something you may expect from Huey Lewis.

3. Different Devil - 10/10 Best backing vocals, one of Sammy's best ballads ever
Uptempo ballad with more of a pop sound, opening with acoustic strumming beneath Michael Anthony's sweeping vocals and Sammy at his melodic best as the song builds to a huge chorus and an excellent guitar solo.

4. Up Next - 10/10 Fast, loud, big rocker
Excellent rocking intro with huge bass and drums and sharp guitars and big backing vocals, amazing solo, signature Satriani.

5. Lighten Up - 9/10 Meaty rocker
Slightly frantic intro builds and builds until it breaks into huge guitar/bass groove with heavy cymbal action and a lot of playful guitar activity from Satriani.

6. Come Closer - 9/10 R&B-laced rock ballad
Michael Anthony's bass and Chad's drums kick this song off with a very bluesy foundation, and Satriani's guitar glides right along with the chorus, very nice effect.

7. Three And A Half Letters - 7/10 Spoken-word style rocker with rowdy chorus
Sammy reads letters sent by fans over huge bass groove and drums, each verse separated by raucous chorus including some of Chad's biggest drums.

8. Big Foot - 10/10 Huge rocker, solid steady intro, big backing vocals
Amazing intro, all players locked in, Sammy's signature wail with Michael Anthony's backing vocals on full display. Awesome breakdown with guitar and drum leading to Satriani's solo.

9. Dubai Blues - 8/10 Best drum/bass on album
Chad and Mike are fully in sync on this track, great backing vocals and Sammy's highs are as high as ever.

10. Something Gone Wrong - 10/10 Excellent acoustic blues track
Very bluesy, almost like a Memphis blues or Louisiana Bayou kind of sound, some banjo, acoustic and Joe's electric all blended seamlessly as Sammy sings in sync.

While most bands have a hard time following a successful debut album, this will be the one to beat for Chickenfoot, and sets the bar pretty high for rock albums in general. This album is a perfect example of what happens when you put together a group of musicians who are all playing at the top of their game, and do it for the love of playing music.

Never Forget (10 Years Later)

2011-09-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

What started out as any other day ended notoriously as one of the darkest days in United States history.
The World Trade Center reduced to a cloud of smoke and ash as the people of New York, and all over
the world, watched in horror; the result of coordinated terrorist suicide attacks which took the lives of
nearly 3,000 Americans. The images of that day live in our memory forever; the haunting footage of
planes slicing through the towers, people covered in dust running from the wreckage, firemen
scrambling to find survivors.

September 11, 2001 is not only remembered for the attacks, but for the sense of unity that made being
an American mean more on that day, and the days following. On that day, regardless of nationality,
sexuality, political or religious views, we were all Americans and we showed the rest of the world just
how important it was to all of us. It could be described as a humanity makeover, but the most simple
and honest observation of the aftermath is people acting with the kind of compassion we're all born
with before ignorance and intolerance separate us.

I remember the day well, but I choose to remember how proud I was, and still am to this day, to be an
American. I choose to remember the kind of humanity and union that was displayed as the passengers of
Flight 93 came together to fight back, to prevent more tragedy. That is the real story of 9/11, the
united voice of Americans that told our enemies with pride that they did not break us, they did not
weaken us, they only made us stronger as a nation. "Never Forget", the words used to represent that
day, are meant to remind us all to remember. Not just to remember those lost but to remember the
America we can be and what we're capable of when tragedy strikes, how we were able to pull together
and ignore the differences that keep us divided when we're not vulnerable.

The man who ordered the attacks, Osama Bin Laden, is dead. Does it mean anything? Probably not to
most, but for some it may provide a sense of closure, of justice, of vengeance. For the men and women
of our military, it probably means victory, and it means that the sacrifice of nearly 5,000 U.S. troops
was not in vain. Our military continues to fight, because more than anyone else they are proud of our
country and feel that it's worth fighting for and they give the ultimate sacrifice for us. Every day as
they fight for our freedom, the people of our armed forces represent the very best of what this country
stands for. On 9/11, our actions showed the world what this country is all about. Never forget.

"Get Ready...."

2011-07-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

I posted back in January that Van Halen had entered the studio with producer John Shanks to record the first album of all new material since 1998's "III", which was the only album recorded with Extreme/Hurtsmile frontman Gary Cherone. Since that time, few updates have come from the Van Halen compound, but Sammy Hagar told MTV that "It's not going so good. That's what I've heard through the grapevine, that they've already fired one producer, and Eddie and Dave can't be in the same room together. If they can't be in the same room how can they make a record?." Sammy went on to say that he thought the unflattering comments he made about Eddie may "put a fire under their asses" and push them to make new music for their fans.

Some time later, Van Halen News Desk stated that "Everything is going great and that Van Halen are nearing completion on the new album." Recently, producer/engineer Ross Hogarth has stated "The whole VAN HALEN record has been recorded and we're all excited," and that "it's the killing side of Van Halen at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave, and the band is on fire." On July 2nd, DavidLeeRoth.com stated simply, "Get Ready...", giving further affirmation that new music from the band is coming, and fueling rumors that a single may be released soon; the album is slated for a tentative release in the fall. It's been reported that the album is in the mixing stages now, and Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti, a friend of Wolfgang Van Halen, got to hear the album played live in the studio. "What makes it so great is that they took what they could from all their old demos back in the '80s and pretty much did what they could to create songs out of old ideas, so it sounds like vintage Van Halen," Tremonti said. "I didn't hear any vocals — David was not there. It was just the three of them. The music sounded like very authentic, old-school Van Halen." Tremonti's comments have sparked a lot of controversy from fans on sites like Blabbermouth.net, claiming that the creative energy of the band is lost since they're going through old material, but most fans interpreted the comments to say that Van Halen is using old riffs to inspire the new music, but to give it a vintage feel since the tapes are from the early days.

I've expressed my opinion on that site, and basically I feel that it is exciting that new music is coming from Van Halen after so long, but I find it hard to accept that they'll truly achieve their signature sound without Michael Anthony, original bassist and a major contributor to their vocal sound. The band allegedly dubbed in Michael Anthony's vocals on their highly successful 2007-2008 "reunion" tour, since they replaced Michael Anthony with Eddie's son Wolfgang. I'll admit that I've always favored and sided with Sammy Hagar. Sammy has had a solid career both in and out of Van Halen, and he and Michael have played music together for many years, and currently in their new supergroup Chickenfoot, whose sophomore album is due September 27th, around the same time as the expected Van Halen release. At one point, Sammy has expressed interest in having Chickenfoot open for Van Halen on their next tour, which would truly be the "Best of Both Worlds", especially if Sam and Mikey joined Ed and Al for a few Hagar-era songs.

Godsmack frontman Sully Erna was interviewed recently and talked about the competitive side of rock. "I feel that there are a little bit too many egos out there when it comes to rock music, because everyone wants to swing the big dick, everyone wants to have the belt and think they're the king and they have a bigger draw than anybody. It's silly. Everybody needs to just come down and embrace it for what it is."

I think if Ed and Dave could drop their egos and embrace just how much it would mean to their fans, a Chickenfoot/Van Halen tour would probably be the highest grossing tour of the decade. Unfortunately, for fans of either side, or both sides, I think that's just wishful thinking. For now, I will wait curiously to hear the music that has everyone on the Van Halen side bursting with enthusiasm, but I'm betting on a better album from Chickenfoot.
I hope, for the sake of Van Halen fans, that I'm proven wrong.

(Where is the) Justice for Caylee Anthony?

2011-07-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

The decomposed remains of Caylee Anthony, the 2-year old daughter of Casey Anthony, and granddaughter to George and Cindy Anthony, were found in a garbage bag in a wooded area of Florida in December 2008, nearly 5 months after she was reported missing by Cindy. It was determined when examining the skull that duct tape had been placed over the mouth and wrapped around.

June 16, 2008 was the last time that George and Cindy Anthony claim to have seen their granddaughter. Cindy said that they asked repeatedly to see Caylee and were told by Casey that she was busy with a work assignment and that Caylee would be with a nanny, who was later revealed as someone who had never even met Casey or anyone in the Anthony family. In the days after Casey took her daughter from her parents, who believed Casey to be on a work assignment, she was captured in photos out partying with a boyfriend and seen on surveillance tapes shopping at several stores. On July 2nd, Casey Anthony received a tattoo from an artist who testified that he had known Casey for years. Casey told him that her daughter Caylee was with a nanny but when making another appointment she said Caylee would come with her. The tattoo reads "Bella Vita", which translates to beautiful life in Italian.

On July 15th, George went to pick up Casey's car after he had received a letter indicating that it had been towed after being abandoned at a Check Cashing store.  When he arrived at the tow yard, George and an attendant noticed a foul odor, believed to be that of a decomposing body, coming from the trunk.  Once the trunk was opened, a bag of trash was found but no remains. Later that day, after having told her parents that Caylee was with a fictitious nanny, she told her parents then that the nanny had kidnapped Caylee who she'd not seen in 31 days. Cindy called 911 to report Caylee missing and to have Casey arrested for stealing the car and money. Casey took authorities to where she claimed to drop Caylee off, which was a vacant apartment. She also told them she worked at Universal Studios but when she was taken there it was found that she hadn't worked there for 2 years. Casey was arrested on July 16th on suspicion of murder and charged with giving false statements, child neglect, and obstruction of a criminal investigation. After roughly one month of incarceration, Casey was released in hopes that she would cooperate with the investigation into the disappearance of her daughter, only to be arrested a week later for forgery, fraudulent use of personal information, petty theft for forging $700 worth of checks, and using friends' credit cards without permission. When Caylee's remains were found in December, the death was ruled a homicide but cause of death was listed as undetermined.

The prosecution alleged that Casey used Chloroform to render Caylee unconscious and placed duct tape over her mouth to suffocate her, and left her remains in the trunk of her car for days before disposing of it. During the investigation, Internet tracking history revealed Google searches for "how to make Chloroform", "neck breaking" and "death" found on Casey Anthony's computer, although Cindy later said that she had done the searches for Chloroform. The prosecution focused on Casey's activity in the days when Caylee was missing, partying and getting the tattoo, celebrating her freedom from parental responsibility. The defense built their case around a photo showing Caylee opening the sliding glass door at the Anthony home by herself, and defense attorney Baez stressed that there were no child locks on the doors. Cindy and George both testified that Caylee could get out of the house easily but Cindy said that Caylee could not place the ladder by the side of the pool by herself. Baez alleges that Cindy may have left the ladder out the night before and alleged that Caylee's death was an accidental drowning which was covered up by George to protect Casey from charges of neglect. The prosecution's closing arguments reminded the jury of the personal items found with the body, including a Winnie The Pooh blanket which matched bedding from George and Cindy's house, and suggested that Casey put the bag of trash in the car as a decoy to throw people off from the smell of Caylee's body.  Lead Prosecutor Linda Burdick's final comments in her closing argument were "Whose life was better without Caylee?", stressing how George and Cindy Anthony were wondering where their daughter and granddaughter were in June and July 2008, the same time Casey was staying at her boyfriend’s apartment while Caylee's body was decomposing in the woods. "That’s the only question you need to answer in considering why Caylee Marie Anthony was left on the side of the road dead." She then put up a split screen to show the jury two pictures, one of Casey Anthony partying, and the other of the "Bella Vita" tattoo that Casey got weeks after Caylee died. Casey Anthony was found not guilty on all charges of neglect and murder, and only convicted of lying to authorities. She was sentenced to 1 year of jail and $1000 for each of the four counts of lying. With credit for time already served, she will be released July 17th.

Jurors have expressed that they were sick to their stomach to come to the verdict of not guilty but that they did not feel that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that this was murder, rather than the cover-up of an accidental drowning as the defense alleged. During the trial, it was determined that Casey Anthony is a liar, as she was charged with 4 counts of lying to police, and that she lied to her family about Caylee's whereabouts. The nanny "Zanny", who Casey claims to have left Caylee with, testified in court that she had never met Casey and had no connection to the family. Caylee's body was found in a laundry bag, inside of a garbage bag, with duct tape over her mouth.  The items used to dispose of Caylee and found with her remains (duct tape of a rare brand, one bag from a twin set of laundry bags, missing blanket) came from Anthony home and garage where Casey and her boyfriend had broken into.  Cindy Anthony called 911 twice, first to have Casey arrested for stealing money and a car and then again when she says that Casey admitted that Caylee had been missing for 31 days. However, Cindy also said in the 2nd call she hadn't seen Caylee since the 8th, which was 8 days longer than George said was the last time they saw Caylee. Cindy testified in court that it was she, not Casey, who searched for Chloroform on Google on days when she left work early. If "Zanny" the nanny had never met Casey or the Anthony family, how did Casey know of her name to use and if she had never met the family why didn't George and Cindy ask who she was?  If Caylee had drowned, the duct tape would have been placed over her mouth only to confuse investigators, but why would George Anthony use duct tape from his own garage to cover Caylee's mouth, and a laundry bag from his own garage to dispose of her body? If Caylee had drowned, but Casey didn't know about it, her partying wouldn't have seemed all that strange, just letting off steam while parents watched Caylee, but why use the story then that the nanny had Caylee which would then obviously be a lie if Caylee was at their house?

There is no sensible reason to believe that Caylee drowned and the Anthony family decided to come up with this elaborate hoax rather than just calling 911 to try to save Caylee. For me, evidence suggests that Casey Anthony broke into her parents' garage and took the items used to dispose of Caylee's body, killed her and planned on her body decomposing so badly (she had been looking up "death" on Google, which may have given information on how long it takes for a body to fully decompose) that no remains would ever be found. She planned on blaming it on the nanny, which is why she took police to a vacant apartment but didn't realize she may end up being found and testifying that she had never met Casey. The lies were told to keep police busy investigating while the body decomposed.  Since she did not testify, as if she would have told the truth on the stand, none of these issues could be discussed. If this was a simple matter of Caylee drowning, her body would not have been found double stuffed in a bag and with duct tape wrapped around her skull. The information that Cindy gives in her 2nd 911 call does not match what George says about when they last saw Caylee, which should have been further reviewed.  One side is covering for the other, but it seems as though either Casey or her parents have killed Caylee Anthony and the unfortunate lesson learned from this trial is that lying enough to keep police scratching their heads will create enough doubt to overwhelm any evidence against you.

2012: The End (of what?)

2011-05-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

As the "end of the world" approaches, interpreted as December 21, 2012, the number of articles covering the unknown significance of that date have increased, and have inspired me to present some challenges to many theories on the forthcoming event, along with some information for those unfamiliar with the mythology surrounding it.

The common thread of most theories that predict 'Doomsday' in December 2012 is tied to the Mayan Calendar, which follows a "long count" system. The Long Count calendar identifies a date by counting the number of days from the Mayan creation date (August 11, 3114 BC) and the calendar happens to end after Baktun 13. A Baktun equals 144,000 days (approximately 5125 years) and Baktun 13 ends on or around December 21, 2012, at which time the calendar will go to the next Baktun, like the odometer turning over on your car. As proof that the Mayans did not predict Baktun 13 as the end of the world, there are Mayan names for periods of time longer than 13 Baktuns (example: 20 baktuns = 1 piktun). Furthermore, even if the Mayans did believe that the world would come to an end at the end of the Long Count there is no reason to assume they had any special knowledge which would give them the insight to make such a prediction accurately.

Another popular myth regarding an impending catastrophe comes in the form of Nibiru, a somewhat mythical planet which is said to collide with Earth, causing the type of damage that led to the extinction of dinosaurs. First of all, if there are any planetary events which could pose a threat to our existence, NASA would be the first source for anything to back that up and here's what they have to say about the 2012 predictions:

"The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012. Then these two fables were linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the Winter Solstice in 2012 -- hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012."

Notice how they say "when nothing happened, the date was moved forward", coincidentally tied to the end of a cycle of the Mayan calendar, which is believed to be the end of all things. This sounds like a feeble attempt on behalf of whomever made the 2003 prediction to retain credibility by changing the date to align with another date of alleged significance.

Yet another theory for the catastrophic events set to take place comes from Winter Solstice, at which point the Sun is said to align with our galactic plane. The theory is that the close proximity could reverse the rotation of the Earth which would cause monumental earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Each December, the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy but that is an annual event of no consequence.

In summary, misinterpretation of the end of a cycle on the ancient Mayan calendar is mostly to blame for widespread belief that life as we know it will cease to exist on December 21, 2012. Once considering the facts, it is up to everyone out there to decide what they believe, but there is no proof or scientific evidence that the end of our current "world age" and the end of the current cycle of the long count calendar are meant to be interpreted as direct predictions of any catastrophic event.

America's Most Wanted: Who's Next?

2011-05-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

Nearly a decade ago, on September 11th, 2001, the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history claimed more than 3,000 lives. It was announced yesterday that Osama Bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind behind the attacks, was located and killed in a raid, thanks to intelligence obtained 8 months ago. On Friday, April 29th, President Obama signed the order to carry out the mission which occurred May 1st in the late night hours in Bin Laden's Pakistan compound. No U.S. personnel were killed in the raid; four adult males were killed: bin Laden, his son, and his two couriers. This event will not end the war on terrorism, but it is the single most significant victory in America's fight, and for those who lost family and friends on the day that is known worldwide only as "9/11", it is certainly welcome news that may not bring closure but will mean justice. This victory sends a very important message that our persistence will always prevail against those who challenge us and threaten our Freedom. Al-Qaida may not dissemble immediately but the death of their founder will certainly take its toll, along with our continued pursuit of any new leaders who may step into his role.

Every generation has events that are etched into their memory, such where they were when they heard the news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and now our generation will remember where we were on the day that the most hated man in America was killed. Last night, as we arrived home from dinner for my wife's birthday, her parents had been listening to Fox News on the radio and her Dad told us "They killed Bin Laden". We watched as President Obama announced the news; He praised U.S. military and intelligence professionals for working “tirelessly to achieve this outcome.” To the families of 9/11 victims, he noted that the U.S. has “never forgotten your loss.” He called former President George W. Bush to give him the news.

On the drive to work this morning, expecting to hear more details about the events and listeners calling in to celebrate, I was disappointed to hear many accuse Obama of accepting sole credit for this achievement. Osama Bin Laden has been a target during both the Clinton and Bush administrations, well before the 9/11 attacks, and while Bush dedicated his entire time in office to the capture of Bin Laden, he was not successful, but not for lack of trying. The simple fact is we didn't have the right intelligence that led to a successful capture until August of last year, when two of Bin Laden's most trusted couriers were tracked, leading us to the compound where he was hiding out. Obama was briefed on this intelligence and once there was enough confidence in that location, he ordered the raid. I watched the same news report that everyone else saw, and heard the same words directly from Obama himself, and at no point did I hear the words "I have killed Osama Bin Laden", or "I have won the fight against terrorism." Regardless of who is in office or who signed the order, justice has been served and this is what Americans should be focusing on. This victory belongs to none other than our Armed Forces, who have sacrificed and fought and will continue to fight.

Quality of Mercy?

2011-03-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

For those of you following my blog, whether from the beginning or starting just a few months back, you've probably noticed a pattern of my speaking out against the terrible theme of leniency in many court cases, ironically all involving abductions of children.

The latest case is that of Jaycee Dugard who was kidnapped at the age of 11 in 1991 by Phillip and Nancy Garrido and held for 18 years in series of tents built in their backyard. During her captivity, Dugard gave birth to two daughters, the first when she was 14 years old, the second one 3 years later; Phillip Garrido is the father of both. After several missed opportunities to return Jaycee to her family over the years, she was discovered by authorities in August 2009. After their arrest, the Garridos pled not guilty to the charges of kidnapping, sexual assault and false imprisonment.

They have now confessed to the abduction of Jaycee Dugard. In a statement given during a press conference on February 28th, Nancy Garrido's attorney Stephen Tapson said "Mr. and Mrs. Garrido have given full, complete statements to the Sheriff's Department in the last month. Been honest with them, frankly, in hope of mercy on behalf of Mr. Garrido for Mrs. Garrido. Unfortunately, the quality of mercy is strained in El Dorado County." Tapson said Nancy Garrido admitted to the kidnapping but was not involved in any sex crimes against Dugard.

Upon hearing the string of words "the quality of mercy is strained", I was outraged. My previous blog post on the subject of Leniency stated my opinion that leniency and mercy are the reason that known offenders are allowed multiple opportunities to commit the same crimes, and Phillip Garrido is a prime example. He has a criminal record including sexual assault and kidnapping and reports of spousal abuse to his first wife, whom he kidnapped when she tried to leave him. His first arrest came in 1972 on sexual assault charges when he was 21 years old but his victim refused to testify so that case never made it to court. Just four years later, he kidnapped a woman in South Lake Tahoe (the same location where Jaycee Dugard was abducted) and took her to a Reno, NV warehouse where he sexually assaulted her. In a 1976 court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, Garrido was diagnosed as a "sexual deviant and chronic drug abuser." In court, Garrido testified that he masturbated in his car by the side of grammar schools and high schools while watching young girls. Garrido was convicted in March 1977 and in June he began what was supposed to be a 50-year sentence at Leavenworth Federal Prison at the age of 26. Four years into his sentence, he met Nancy who was visiting her uncle, also incarcerated at Leavenworth, and they were married. Eleven years later, Phillip was released from Leavenworth to Nevada State Prison, where he served only 11 months of a 5 years-to-life sentence before being transferred to federal parole authorities in Antioch, CA, where he established the residence where Jaycee was held captive.

This case was perfect storm of careless leniency given to a man who was arrested for rape, convicted for kidnapping and rape, and who admitted in court to behavior that supported the evaluations that diagnosed him a sexual deviant. According to his sentence for the first kidnapping conviction, he should have been in Federal prison until 2027, at which time he would have been 76 years old. Thanks to the the parole system and poor handling of his supervision by a number of offices, Jaycee's parents missed 18 years of her life and she was stripped of her adolescence, forced to bare children, now fatherless and traumatized and unable to comprehend what is happening to them.

As for Nancy Garrido's attorney and his statement about the "quality of mercy" in the area where the trial is taking place, just 15 minutes up the hill from where I sit as I write this, the fact that Nancy did not sexually assault Jaycee Dugard earns her no merit. Nancy is a spineless coward who should have immediately informed authorities when her husband brought home a girl he abducted. Apparently being an accomplice to sexual assault, abduction and statutory rape doesn't matter when using the excuse that she was under the influence of mind control. Phillip currently faces 440 years in prison and Nancy faces about half of that, but her attorney believes that "she should be able to walk on the beach probably with a walker at some point in time before she dies." In my opinion, the fact that the Garridos haven't been raped or forced to live in an outdoor tent and they're not sitting on the chair right now shows as much mercy as they could ever expect, and far more than they deserve.

Obsolescence: Can any technology escape?

2011-02-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

In the ever-changing and rapidly growing world of technology, particularly in media and entertainment, the latest innovations are already making the breakthroughs of the past few decades (even the past few years) obsolete. Growing up, I played Atari on a console TV, had about 12 channels to choose from, wrote letters to family and friends and put them in the mailbox, and listened to music on cassettes. In today's tech-savvy world, we are spoiled by technologies that bring immediate results, like cell phones, instant messaging, and flat panel TV's with stunning clarity, known as High Definition, that are capable of streaming movies directly over wireless Internet.

When I purchased our first "flat-panel" TV (named for their thin profile), just shy of 6 years ago, only a few models were available and the price for a unit that had High Definition capability was $1000 more than standard definition. The picture tube TV's we had been using for the past 20-30 years that preceded flat panels were still in stores with many available models, but now every unit sold in stores is a flat-panel model, and all of them are High Definition with varying levels of resolution. Flat panel technology has not only improved drastically since it was first introduced, but it has also become more and more affordable over the years, making High Definition available for everyone to enjoy. For example, in 2005 we paid $2400 for a 42" plasma TV with 480p resolution, called "enhanced definition". Today, a 42" full HD plasma of equal or greater quality sells for around $700 and an LCD model with a 32" screen is less than half of that, around $325.

Gaming has drastically changed in a relatively short amount of time, as the Atari, which was popular in the early 80's, was replaced by the original Nintendo towards the middle to end of the 80's, an 8-bit gaming system with what were considered vastly impressive graphics at the time. Once the Nintendo reached the height of its popularity, Sega introduced the Genesis around 1991, a 16-bit system that took graphics to another level. Soon after, the two companies competed heavily for years with new models (Super Nintendo, Nintendo GameCube vs. Sega Genesis CD, Sega Dreamcast) until Sony took the gaming world by storm in March of 2000 with its Playstation, which boasted graphics with nearly photo-realistic graphics, particularly on sporting games. Playing Madden NFL on a Playstation was the closest thing to watching a game on TV. Shortly after Sony introduced the Playstation 2 to improve upon its initial model, Microsoft introduced the XBox, with similarly stunning graphics. In 2006, Sony released the increasingly popular Playstation 3, which doubles as a Blu-Ray disc player, however the PS2 remains the best-selling game console of all time. Nintendo then marked a significant comeback with the Wii, which introduced movement interaction with the use of a handheld Wii remote which picked up the user's movements and integrated them into the game for a unique experience. Once this became the newest trend in gaming, XBox released the Kinect system which took the concept of the Wii a step further by eliminating the need for a handheld remote.

In the music world, before mp3's and iTunes, when a new album was being released by an artist you would purchase it at a music retailer. When CD's were introduced, the sound quality and ease of track navigation made cassettes vanish almost instantly. Although I don't think CD's will ever become obsolete, they're now becoming less used thanks to Internet downloading. Today, you can download new music to a number of devices the moment it's available through iTunes or Amazon (or illegally for those who don't believe in supporting the artists whose music enhances your life). Thanks to the Internet, artists can keep fans informed of progress on the next album to be released, rather than waiting for your favorite group's name to appear on the "Coming Soon" board at the store, which is what we all did in the days before digital music and the Internet.

For those familiar with computer technology, the frequent changes in standards for what is considered the "latest and greatest" occur so often that a computer you buy one day will be considered nearly obsolete just a year later. New processors and components are released several times throughout the year that are significantly faster and of higher quality than earlier models as manufacturers scramble to keep up with the latest advances in gaming and media. Along with personal computers came the Internet, which was widely popularized by AOL, which many users thought was "The Internet" rather than just a service provider. Emails and online chatting gave users the ability to have conversations in real-time or through emails which could be passed within minutes, rather than through the postal service, now called "snail mail". Now there are 100's of ISP's (Internet Service Provider) across the United States, all offering connection at different speeds and different prices to keep you connected on any budget.

The auto industry has certainly been paying attention as many of the today's greatest gadgets are being integrated in the latest models. Bluetooth technology allows seamless integration of cell phones for hand free communication (not counting texting while driving). Car stereo systems have hard drives that can store music permanently so you don't have to fumble through your CD's to change artists, and the best part is that all can be done by voice command. Today's cars can park themselves, tell you how close you are to an object when driving in reverse, and with services like OnStar you're never alone in case of an emergency. If that's not enough, thanks to phone applications, you can unlock, lock and start your car from your phone, as popularized in the commercial for the new Chevrolet Cruze.

Of course, the most obvious widespread example of today's technology is the cell phone (originally known as a "mobile phone"). They started as a bag with a very large antenna and a receiver with a cord attached just like what you'd have hanging on the wall at home. That changed to a large brick-shaped unit that looked like something used in the Military. From there, the trend was to make them as compact and trendy as possible, with fashionable accessories such as interchangeable faceplates and covers. However, they were still just phones. Then came instant messaging, which was already popular on personal computers, known as "chatting". Today's variety of cellular phones boasts an incredible list of features such as video conferencing, email, Internet access, and with the introduction of "apps" users can play games and pull from an unlimited library of tools and utilities.

While we take advantage of these new advancements, many of the items we relied on before the Internet and cell phones are falling into obsolescence....Taken from an April 2010 New York Times article: Newspaper circulation has been in decline for many years, but the drop accelerated in 2007 and even more rapidly through the recession. While the Internet is widely cited for the drop-off, the lower circulation figures have resulted in part from a conscious decision by publishers to focus on the most loyal and profitable readers, often raising prices and limiting discounts.
The newspaper isn't the only item that is slipping into obscurity.
According to a recent article on Businessweek.com, U.S. magazine sales at newsstands and other retailers fell at a faster pace in the second half of 2010 than they did in the first half. Single-copy sales fell 7.3 percent to 32.7 million in the July-December period, compared with a year earlier. Single-copy sales offer an important gauge of the industry's health. Many titles sell heavily discounted subscriptions, so full-price newsstand copies tend to be the better indication of a magazine's vitality. Magazine sales dropped during the recession as readers saved extra cash. But the industry is also getting pressured by an increasing amount of free material to read on the Web including online versions of magazines and newspapers, and blogs.

The introduction of the iPad, Kindle, and similar "e-readers" found a market for people who love to read but don't like carrying around books and magazines. Users can scan their favorite newspapers, magazines and books on a stylish, portable screen than can hold 1000's of publications. The iPad is a larger version of the iPod, with music, Internet and e-reader technology all folded into one device.

Considering all of these incredible advancements, and how they've completely reinvented the earliest concepts of their kind, we can begin to wonder about the next generation of innovation that will make today's technology obsolete.

20 Years After "Ten", Pearl Jam celebrates their anniversary

2011-02-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

They played their first show on October 22, 1990, with a short setlist of freshly written tracks that would appear on their legendary debut album, "Ten", and this year marks Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary of its release, in elaborate fan-pleasing fashion.

It all started with a 3-track demo of instrumentals, recorded by former Mother Love Bone members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, along with former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron and guitarist friend Mike McCready. The tape was given to San Diego surfer Eddie Vedder by his friend Jack Irons, who was the original drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Eddie recorded his vocals over the instrumentals, and mailed the cassette, which became known as the "Momma-son Trilogy" with the 3 songs that became "Once", "Alive" and "Footsteps" back. Jeff, impressed with the results, called Stone, and they invited Vedder out to Seattle and Pearl Jam was formed, with drummer Dave Krusen. Krusen left the band before "Ten" was released, due to personal problems. Dave Abruzzesse came in and played on the next two albums before he was replaced by Jack Irons, who played on the following two albums before medical issues forced him to leave, at which time Matt Cameron officially joined the band, bringing the lineup full circle. After twenty years, over 60 million albums sold from 9 albums, a massive fan base, and no signs of stopping, Pearl Jam is using 2011 to celebrate the past and gear up for the future.

Pearl Jam got the anniversary celebration started when they reissued their massively successful debut album "Ten" on March 24, 2009, in four editions. Earlier this year, they released their 2nd live compilation album, "Live On Ten Legs", and another release is coming March 29th as their next two albums, Vs. and Vitalogy, are being reissued in three editions, similar to the "Ten" reissue treatment. The anniversary extravaganza continues with the documentary film "PJ20" by director Cameron Crowe, due late summer, which chronicles the band's entire career. Around the time that Crowe’s movie opens, Pearl Jam are planning some kind of two-day festival event somewhere in the middle of the country, with multiple bands and Pearl Jam headlining both nights. "We've played enough festivals that we know what makes them exciting," bassist Jeff Ament told Rolling Stone. "We want to give people places to go that aren't necessarily musical — second stages and all that kind of stuff. We're asking our friends if they want to play a couple of shows with us."

While the band is obviously proud and excited to celebrate the success from their first 20 years, it's the next chapter they really look forward to. “Ed and I were just going through old photos, journals and clippings for the box set,” says Ament. “By the end, we were both like, ‘Ugh, we’re done with the past for a while.’ We’re ready to work on new songs and get excited about what’s ahead.” I was very pleased with the Deluxe Edition of the Ten reissue so I can't wait to get the same package for Vs./Vitalogy. When Pearl Jam performed "Animal" for the first time at the 1993 MTV VMA's, it instantly became my anthem, mainly for its raucous energy, and "Daughter" remains one of my very favorite tracks of theirs, both are from the Vs. album. Similarly, Vitalogy hosts some great songs, some of their darkest. My favorites from that album are Corduroy, Nothingman, Betterman and Tremor Christ. If this pattern of reissues, continues, I'll be mostly excited to see "Yield" get the special treatment because it is my favorite Pearl Jam album, and if they double it up with its predecessor "No Code", even better.

Being only 20 years into their career, some may say these guys are a little premature to celebrate since many bands have been going for twice as long without making such a big deal about it. However, I think of Rush, who embarked on a 30th anniversary tour and released a DVD of that tour with a ton of extras. I think they played better than ever on that tour and I believe it had a lot to do with those guys celebrating the music they've made together. I think this anniversary celebration with all of its releases is a great way to give something cool to the fans and re-energize the band for the next 20 years (hopefully). Normally I have a huge problem with bands who reissue their old material because I feel it's just a way to get people to buy the same stuff again with different packaging, but Pearl Jam listens to their fans and these reissues are assembled with the concept of "what would the fans want". See you at the record store on March 29th, and THANK YOU PEARL JAM!

Leniency, what is it good for? (absolutely nothing)

2011-02-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

It hasn't quite been 2 years since 8-year old Sandra Cantu was murdered by a Sunday School teacher in Tracy, California, her body found stuffed into a suitcase and dropped in an irrigation pond. Today, the body of 4-year old Juliani Cardenas was found in a canal near Santa Nella, CA. He was abducted 2 weeks ago in broad daylight from his grandmother's home in Patterson, CA, by his mother's ex-boyfriend Jose Esteban Rodriguez. The Amber Alert for Juliani spread quickly on the news after the abduction, and digital highway signs were lit up with the license plate and description of the car that Rodriguez was driving, which turned up days ago, in the same canal that the boy's body surfaced in today. Rodriguez has an extensive criminal history, including a 1999 involuntary manslaughter conviction. He also has been arrested on suspicion of assault and battery and unlawful sexual intercourse. We can thank the leniency of our judicial system, for allowing him to be set free, for Juliani's death.

The Sandra Cantu case came almost exactly 8 years after the bodies of Laci and Conner Peterson were discovered in a marina, a case which received national coverage. Scott Peterson, Laci's husband, was sentenced to death by lethal injection, but remains on death row while his case is on appeal; he maintains his innocence. The convicted murderer and rapist of Sandra Cantu, Melissa Huckaby, entered a guilty plea to spare her life, and now sits in prison for a life sentence, fed by taxpayer dollars just like Scott. I'm guessing the same will happen if Rodriguez is caught and convicted for the murder of young Juliani and pleas guilty. However, reports indicate that the body of Rodriguez is expected to also be found in the canal, which would not only make him a murderer but a coward for taking his own life and not giving justice to the family, as if today's laws ever bring real justice in these cases anyhow.

When news of Sandra's abduction spread, before her body was discovered and her killer was identified, I posted my idea of a new kind of justice system for handling these kinds of crimes, along with many others. It wasn't quite "eye for an eye", but much further into the "zero tolerance" mentality than our current system.

Example: under my policy, anyone convicted of murder is either executed or incarcerated in solitary confinement for life, and that choice is made by the family of the victim. Furthermore, all assets of the convicted are liquidated and put into an account which covers the costs of incarceration until those funds are exhausted, at which time our government either continues funding or orders execution.

I've sent that proposal to a number of offices of authority, and got no response, unsurprisingly. It seems that our justice system appears adequate for those in power, the only ones who are capable of changing the laws so real justice can be brought down upon those who decide to take a life. In the end, it's all about rights and there is no logical reason that anyone should be allowed rights once they are convicted of the crime they are accused of. There should be no plea process, no opportunity for those convicted to be heard. There is no such thing as justice for these families while the convicted killers of their loved ones are allowed the choice to live, because incarceration is no real consolation. It's unfathomable that someone can take a life and still have any input for how their sentence is carried out by entering a plea to spare them from the death penalty, such as Melissa Huckaby was; the killer is extended the right to live, while their innocent victim didn't get that choice.

Regardless of being considered naive or unrealistic, I am going to continue to send my proposal to all forms and offices of government until some kind of reaction and consideration is achieved. I'm appalled and disgusted by the leniency that is extended to murderers, rapists, child abductors and repeat offenders as they fill our prisons and are fed 3 square meals a day and watch television and have access to the Internet. There are innocent people walking the street, homeless and hungry, and they may be looked down upon for having no ambition to better themselves but they didn't murder anyone. Imagine how easily we could end hunger if our tax money went into food banks and soup kitchens, rather than paying the tab for the luxuries that prisoners are allowed.

In summary, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family of Juliani Cardenas, and my hope that his killer is captured and that it may bring some sense of peace to your family. Also, I hope that time has brought some healing to the Rocha and Cantu families.

I know that not every story makes the news, so my thoughts are with all who have suffered the loss of a child or loved one at the hands of a senseless homicide, as these families have. Perhaps one day our laws will change to put some fear back into those who have cruel intentions; one can only hope.

Everybody Wants Some (even 27 years later?)

2011-01-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

Grammy-winning producer John Shanks has confirmed via Twitter that he is working with Van Halen on the band's upcoming studio album. The group is allegedly planning on recording the next CD at John Shanks' Henson studio as well as the band's 5150 studio, making it the first time Van Halen will track an LP outside its own studio since it was built in 1983. That was the story posted on Blabbermouth.net on January 21, 2011, after Shanks uploaded a pic of Eddie's 5150 amp with the message "here we go kids....vh" on Twitter. Previous stories of plans to record a new album following the 2007-2008 tour had been dismissed as rumors by Eddie's wife on the Van Halen News Desk, so while the smart fans will wait for official word from Eddie and Alex themselves, it appears that for the first time since Roth has returned to the band a new album is definitely in the works.

While this is an exciting development for Van Halen fans, it is not the reunion that fans of the original lineup have been waiting 27 years for, since original bassist Michael Anthony was replaced by Eddie's son Wolfgang. According to some reports, it was Wolfgang who got the ball rolling to get Roth back in the studio after he, Eddie and Alex had been jamming on some early VH material. It was announced in 2007 that Van Halen would go on tour with David Lee Roth, which Michael heard about on the Internet. Rather than taking any jabs at his former bandmates, he urged fans to go easy on Wolfgang, calling the bassist "a great kid" and adding, "Don't judge him too harshly — I'm sure he'll do just fine." The tour grossed over $93M, making it the most profitable tour to date for Van Halen.

Since the end of the 2004 tour with Sammy Hagar, Michael and Sammy have been playing together regularly, including with Chickenfoot, the band they co-founded with guitarist Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. Micheal announced recently at NAMM that recording would begin for the 2nd Chickenfoot album on January 29th, so although he is not recording WITH Van Halen, they are both recording new music. I am mildly curious about a new VH album, mostly because I did enjoy the 2 tracks that Roth recorded for the "Best of Volume 1" album in 1996, but ultimately I think Chickenfoot is a much stronger unit who have benefited from Sammy and Michael's continued playing through the years while Ed and Alex have fallen into obscurity. Van Halen's next album can be nothing short of perfection if they are ever to be a relevant presense in Rock music again, and without Michael Anthony that is almost impossible.

I would love to hear from Roth era fans about your thoughts on the '07-'08 tour and the new album in the works. I'd also love to hear from Hagar era fans like me who think VH is OVER!

What Is And What Should Never Be

2011-01-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

September 25th, 1980, the day that legendary drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham passed away, marked the official demise of Led Zeppelin as a unit and Robert Plant, the admittedly aging frontman who has turned to Bluegrass in recent years, insists it stay that way despite overwhelming enthusiasm 30 years later for new music.

After a one-off "reunion" show at London's 02 Arena in 2007, which included Plant and Zeppelin bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, along with Jason Bonham filling his father's shoes (quite ably), conversations were rampant about a possible tour with this lineup, the closest possible thing to Led Zeppelin. In the time following the reunion show, writing sessions took place between Bonham, Page and Jones who intended to tour with a new frontman. Singers were auditioned, including favorite Myles Kennedy, frontman of Creed spin-off Alter Bridge, before the reunion was scrapped. So far, nothing has come of the songs that were written, some of them co-penned with Kennedy, and you can bet you won't hear Plant's voice on any new recordings.

During an early 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, Plant discussed the 02 Arena reunion show and tour rumors by saying "It was an amazing evening. The preparations for it were fraught and intense, but the last rehearsal was really, really good, for all that it represented and all that we were trying to capture. But I've gone so far somewhere else that I almost can't relate to it...It's a bit of a pain in the pisser, to be honest. Who cares? I know people care, but think about it from my angle — soon, I'm going to need help crossing the street." In a previous interview from December 2010, when asked about the 2007 show he replied "I really had a wonderful time," said Plant. "It was the best Led Zeppelin gig since 1975." When asked if he would do it again, Plant replied, "I don't think so. You've got to have a lot in common with the people you're working with at this time in your life. Everything has to move on and forward, in all relationships." Plant's turn to Bluegrass won him Grammy gold with the album "Raising Sand" he recorded with Alison Krauss, which he followed up with "Band of Joy" that continued the pattern of change.

Jason Bonham wrapped a 39-city North American tour of his critically acclaimed "Led Zeppelin Experience" in December of 2010 and has talked of a 2nd leg coming this Spring. Just before the tour wrapped, Jason sat down during part of the "Mark and Brian Christmas Show" on KLOS and was asked about a possible DVD release of the 02 show. "Nothing is official, as yet. I only know that because Robert had said that he'd watched it. I really do hope that it eventually will see the light of day. It's just nice to know that Robert had seen it, so I knew something, but it was nice that he rang up and said, 'Wow, it sounded great.' Fingers crossed, everybody…fingers crossed."

One popular opinion among rock fans chiming in on forums is that the legacy of Led Zeppelin should be left alone, untarnished by any future actions of the surviving bandmates (which would not be considered "Led Zeppelin" anyhow). Personally, as an admirer of the Coverdale/Page album, a successful collaboration between Page and Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale, I could envision him to be a good candidate for new material. Until Page, Jones and Bonham revisit the material they wrote with any kind of intent to move forward, and until the DVD release of the 02 Arena reunion show is announced, we have to rely on what's already out there, and if you ask me, things could be a lot worse (are you listening, Steven Tyler?).

Raise Your Glass for Number 1 (1/1/11)

2011-01-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

Another year has gone by, a year full of accomplishments, progress and promise for the years to come. I'm not a fan of paying much attention to the past, but I have to use last year's resolution to write "no less than one new post per week" as an example of why I hate resolutions so I won't be announcing any for 2011.

Just so you don't think I'm starting the new year completely void of optimism, I will say that our accomplishment of becoming homeowners after our year and a half battle (see previous post), has left me feeling that luck is finally on our side. Although our son still calls our home "the new house" we've settled in quite well. Progress slowed down a bit after moving in, but the work that is left can be done over time and with the housing market as it is we will be here for a while.

If there is one promise, NOT a resolution, I can make for 2011 is that I will be taking the 1st place trophy home from the annual Sawyer Rib-Off. I have mastered the smoker, and I will have plenty of opportunities to practice before Memorial Day on the new one I got for Christmas. I won't make any promises to write more, but I will make a conscious effort to take opportunities to throw up more posts than I did last year (11 posts in 365 days is just pathetic!) and much more consistently. After all, we should be doing what makes us happy and passing up the chance to write on my blog as I work through lunch to pick up slack for someone's bad planning certainly does not qualify.

Best of luck all of you who still make resolutions and I wish you all a Happy New Year. Please leave comments when you stop by, and ideas for new posts!

SharkByte's All-Encompassing Guide To Homebuying (A Top Bytes Premiere)

2010-11-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

Fourteen months passed by between the time we got our first offer accepted on a house and when we closed Escrow on the house we now call home.  Throughout the homebuying process we learned a lot and I want to share what we learned with my readers, and hope that you'll pass on the information I provide with any of your friends or family who may be looking to buy their first home.

I'm using this post to introduce a new series I'll be sharing, called Top Bytes. I've written reviews before about restaurants and businesses but I've experienced some exceptional customer service that inspired me to start this new series which is far more than a simple rant/rave style review. With each new Top Bytes post, I'll share a business or individual whose services are exceptional and someone I would personally recommend with confidence as the first choice in their field to handle your needs (think of it as my personal version of the SuperPages).

During the process of buying our first home we had the privilege of working with two incredible people in the real estate world, and since this is my first Top Bytes post, I'll be featuring them both. The first is Deanna Orr, of Lyon Real Estate. I was referred to Deanna through her husband, whom I work with, and after dealing with a bad Short Sale situation (aren't they all?) my wife and I began working with her.  The level of service that she provided and the knowledge that she passed on to us was invaluable, and she is as personable as she is professional. Through Deanna, we were introduced to Evelyne Jamet from Vitek Mortgage. Deanna told us that one of the things she appreciates about Evelyne is how she treats every client the same, regardless of your credit situation or budget. If your credit score is not good enough to qualify you for a loan, Evelyne will take the time to help you get your credit up, when others may just turn you away with no advice. Even if your score is good enough, she can help you improve it further so that you can get the best rate possible when it's time to lock it in. For anyone looking to purchase a home, whether you are a first-time buyer or not, I highly recommend Deanna Orr from Lyon Real Estate and Evelyne Jamet from Vitek Mortgage.

I also have another name to include as a Top Byte, and for very good reason.  Folsom Parkshore Self Storage is the only storage facility I would recommend for outstanding customer service in the greater Sacramento area. Although I've moved out of Folsom, I would still go there because of how nice they were and how helpful they are for their customers. We had one unit there already filled and when we went shopping for appliances we found a refrigerator that was part of a package we liked that was being sold as a floor model, but we had to take delivery immediately rather than wait until we got into a house.  I arranged the delivery and called ahead to the storage place to secure a unit, and asked the appliance store for a 1hr call ahead so I'd have time to run over and secure the unit before the fridge arrived. However, just 20 minutes after I received the "1hr call ahead", the appliance guys were already leaving the storage place. When I arrived, the people in the office had accepted delivery, put one of their own locks on the unit and had the paperwork waiting for me in the office. I know that many storage facilities will take deliveries but I didn't even have to ask. Beyond that, they were very reasonable with rates and gave me a generous discount off the 2nd unit since I had another unit, and let me apply my deposit on both units. There are so many companies out there who treat their customers like just another payment coming in each month, but the people at Parkshore Self Storage in Folsom know what real customer service is.

Now that we have the Top Bytes taken care of, here is a checklist for prospective homebuyers that will help you prepare for buying a home, gathered from our experience:

1. Do not plan to buy a home without having a clear understanding of what you can afford
If you know ahead of time what your max monthly payment should be, it will help you decide how much to offer on a house and how much room you have in your budget. This way, if you find a house that may be a little beyond your personal budget but within the limits of your loan approval amount, you'll know whether you can make it work without having to guess and later regret it.

2. Do not start working with an agent until you are pre-qualified for a loan by a reputable bank
Responsible agents won't even allow you to make an offer until they have a pre-qual letter from your bank of choice, although pre-qualification means nothing.  The best thing to do is to have a bank run your credit through a manual underwriter, who can qualify you up to a specific amount. This is what we did with Vitek since we had received an automated approval from another bank only to be declined when it was run through manually when we were in contract. If you have your credit run manually, the only thing left to chance is what you do in the time between receiving approval and close of escrow. For example, if you bounce checks and your new bank statements come in with a bunch of overdrafts, most likely you will be declined. In fact, if you do not have at least two months without any overdraft on your bank statements, wait until you do before submitting your information to be run through underwriting.

3. There is no such thing as an "approved" Short Sale
In addition to that statement, I would basically recommend avoiding Short Sale homes completely. For those of you who do not understand, "Short Sale" does not mean a sale that happens really fast, in fact it is quite the opposite. A Short Sale is a home being listed for less than the owners owe on their mortgage.  The seller must provide proof of hardship to their bank during the approval process, which does not happen ahead of time, but only once the seller has accepted your offer and it is submitted to their bank. Just to clarify, if you make an offer on a Short Sale home and your offer is accepted, you are not in escrow. You are waiting for the bank to decide to take a loss on the house so that you can get it at your offer price. If you find a Short Sale listing that claims to be approved, that means that the bank had approved the previous offer and they will usually tell you what it was (Ex. "Short Sale approved at 205K). However, the moment that contract is cancelled, the approval process starts over, and you will likely wait months for an answer. Furthermore, some agents will list the house for 10-15K less than previous approval to attract buyers, so that is another thing to watch out for (ask if it was previously approved and for how much) because if you end up offering list price that was 10K-15K below previous bank approval, your chances for getting a new approval for less are terrible.  The first house we got an offer accepted on was a Short Sale, and we waited 5 months for the approval only to find out that an auction was scheduled that we were never notified about. Many times this happens, as the foreclosure/auction process is in place in the background and while waiting for bank approval you're really fighting the clock to see if the bank will issue approval in time to cancel the foreclosure. The 2nd Short Sale situation we got into was practically handed to us, the agent told us how much to offer based on the previous approval amount (previous buyer had to back out for personal reasons). We were told to expect about 30 days, yet it took another 4-5 months and then the buyers pulled out because their agent did not explain the Short Sale process to them and the paperwork that came with the approval said that they could be liable for the deficiency balance. Needless to say, that was the last Short Sale we offered on. The general lesson is that if you have any kind of deadline for getting into a house, do not offer on a Short Sale. Furthermore, you could find yourself stuck in a Short Sale contract if your agent's firm does not allow multiple offers on the table (making offer on one home while in contract on another) so you'd have to pull out of Short Sale and risk losing it just so you could make an offer on another listing, and may not get that one either.

4. Always make your strongest offer when you find a house that you really love
Many buyers (myself included) assume that in this market, which is considered a buyers' market, banks are thankful to get any offers just to make a sale. This is absolutely untrue, and there is a huge inventory of foreclosed homes that aren't even being listed yet that prove it. Banks are not desperate for offers, so if you're looking at bank-owned homes, which many will be with the market as it is, you need to make your strongest offer possible. From personal experience, if you are shopping in the 150K-200K range, every house that is even moderately "move-in ready" will have at least 5 offers in within a few days of listing.  You have to remember also that on every house you may be competing with cash offers and different loan types. Additionally, it's a waste of time for you, your agent, and the listing agent if you are planning on submitting a low offer earlier than 60-90 days on the market. I had heard 10% within list price to be considered a reasonable offer, but in the 150K-200K range, there is so much competition that you may find it necessary to offer slightly over listing price to get a house if you really want it. The appraisal will protect you from overpaying, because your lending bank will not approve the loan if the house doesn't appraise for what you're offering.

5. Be sure you love a house enough to spend a few hundred dollars on inspections for nothing
What I mean by this is that not every house you get in contract on will be a sure thing just because you get an offer accepted. You may have to get a few inspections done before you realize there is a problem, or you may get through inspections and seller has to pull house off market, or you could have a problem with your loan and have to rescind your offer. Because of this, you can expect to possibly lose 4-500 dollars from inspection fees between general home inspection, roof inspection, pest inspection, and chimney inspection (if there is one); they are non-refundable. In other words, if you just throw out offers on a house because every one that falls through could put you $500 behind if you get far enough into the process.

6. Do not ask for seller contribution unless you are making an offer above list price
For me, I liked the idea of having my closing costs taken care of by the seller so that way I knew that whatever amount we were going to apply as down payment, that is roughly what would be due at signing. This helps you budget your reserves for improvements, incidentals (be prepared for a lot of them). However, keep in mind that if you make an offer and ask for money back the bank will look at your "net offer". For example, if the list price is 160K and you offer list price but ask for 5K back for closing costs, the bank sees your offer as 155K. If you want to stick near list price for a strong offer, you need to offer over list price to offset that money back you're requesting. This is the tactic we used, as we offered a few thousand over list price and asked for money back so our offer was still very close to list but we got our closing costs covered.

7. When looking at homes, try not to focus on decorations as much as structural/working condition
The best example for this tip is that no matter what house we were going to buy, we were going to put new flooring in so I didn't even care what was on the floor. But to take that further, you want to look at the house as the canvas for your personal tastes, because it is not likely you'll find a house that is decorated as you would do yourself. If you like the floorplan of the house and it's condition is good overall, with no structural faults or operational problems, you can take time to put your own touches on a house. This is something that both me and my wife struggled with. We were trying to find houses that were move in ready and in perfect condition cosmetically and probably passed up a lot of houses with that kind of thinking. It's OK to have a few things that are important to you, like the shape of the kitchen or whether there is a large master tub, or even a space to put a large tub in, but if you pass up a great house because the light fixtures are bad or the countertop is ugly (but in good shape) you are not buying wisely. The house we ended up with had the floorplan my wife loved best, that we had seen a few other times, but happened to be the one in the best condition of them all. However, the kitchen is quite outdated, as well as the light fixtures and the carpet was stained. We replaced the floor, painted and put in new light fixtures and it dramatically changed the house into the kind of house we were trying to find before. Of course, you may not have the budget for a lot of "remodeling" early on, so you need to decide what is most important and choose your projects. I would recommend getting the more involved projects done early if you can afford to (flooring, plumbing, painting). Small touches like fixtures are easy to change out over time without interrupting much, but if you move in and decide to change the floor, you have to remove all furniture so it would be much bigger inconvenience afterwards.

8. Pick the worst house on the best street
This may seem like a contradiction to the previous tip, but what I'm really saying is don't buy a beautiful house that is on a questionable street. You can change pretty much anything you want about your house, but you have no power over your surroundings. If you drive onto a street that gives you a bad feeling, don't force yourself to buy there just because the house is in perfect shape. When renting, we dealt with heavy partying and loud noises constantly so we would have been just as miserable if we had found a gorgeous house but with the same problem on that street. One way to ensure that this won't happen to you is to drive by the house at different times of the day. Your agent may recommend this to you as well, and will probably ask that you drive by a house before going on a viewing of it because pictures can be quite deceiving. This happened to us a few times, we thought that between the pictures of the house and the fact that we had been in that area before it was safe, but the second we pulled up to the house we knew we had wasted our time and our agent's time by not driving by before. Even on a street that you like, certain activities may not happen until late at night, like you may see the house in the morning when neighbors are away at work, and come home to find that they have a rock band practicing in their garage every night.

9. Keep in touch with your lender and always be prepared with paperwork
The client/lender relationship is very important from the day you get your offer accepted to the day you sign papers to close Escrow. You will have a better experience by checking in to make sure that the lender and underwriter has everything they need to process your loan efficiently. You will be asked to provide a lot of paperwork, including explanation letters for any collections or negative accounts on your credit report, and current bank statements and pay stubs. If you ensure that they're never waiting on you to get them what they need, you are giving yourself the best chance to get into your new home with as little stress and few delays as possible; just remember, they can only work as fast as you allow them to.

10. Have fun shopping for your new home!
OK, I'll be honest, I really just threw this is an excuse to round out my list, but even with all of the obstacles and rules and tips that come along with buying a home, it should still be fun. If you follow my tips, and more importantly the advice of your agent and lender, I can almost guarantee a stress-free experience that will end with you in a home of your own.

**None of the information provided in this post is to be taken as legal advice, but as information shared from one buyer's experience. Always consult with your lender and a licensed real estate agent if you have questions about the statements above.**

"So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it."

2010-09-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

There are 8,760 hours in a year, with roughly 3,000 spent asleep and another 2-3,000 spent at work to take care of our obligations so we can afford to enjoy the time that's left for us, which is never enough to achieve all of the things we need to do, and certainly not for all that we'd like to do. For me, being able to write as much as I set out for at the beginning of this year is one of the things I just haven't had time to do.

It's certainly not for lack of having things to say that I've been absent from providing new material, but lately it seems that I can't make the time to sit down and get an idea started before I'm pulled away by one thing or another. Our year and a half long pursuit to become homeowners has just finally ended, as we receive keys today. It wasn't until we found the right team to help us achieve our goal that things really started working for us, rather than against us. With this hurdle soon behind us, I'm hoping I can re-commit myself to my writing. Of course, the long process of making this house our home will likely play a part in derailing that idea, just like work and house hunting did for my resolution to write two new posts each week back in January. Just to really make that point hit home, this is only my 12th post in the 38 weeks since I made that resolution (do the math).

I don't know how time gets away from us, but it almost feels as though we're taking it for granted if we can let it go by without making it all count for something. Of course it all does count for something, whether we achieve promotions at work from the effort we put in, or watch our kids reach another milestone. It just feels that no matter how much we do in a day, there is always something left to do but the domino effect is surprisingly motivating rather than discouraging. If we were able to achieve everything we wanted to get done in a day, what next?

I can do my job blindfolded and in my sleep, yet every day brings a challenge and has me rushing and hustling to complete more work that I should be able to in a day. On some days I feel very productive and on the other days, I wish I had used my time more wisely or used it to do something important. Regardless of what is accomplished at work or at home, there is just not enough time for it all. Anyone else have that problem?

Don't Call It A Comeback

2010-07-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's been 17 years and change since KoRn hit the music scene, and with 8 albums under their belt, 32 million copies sold, 2 Grammy Awards and a new lineup KoRn has just released their 9th album, titled "KoRn III: Remember Who You Are". The title refers to their first two albums recorded with Ross Robinson who returned for the new album, as though they're picking up where they left off with him. Many will call this album a "return to form" or "rebirth" or even a comeback, but KoRn never left; they just lost touch with what got them started. Guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer said "You can lose focus of why you wanted to start playing music in the beginning because you can get caught up in the money and the fame and the traveling. It’s kind of like, ‘OK, let’s hit the reset button.’"

After the release of their first hits compilation, "Greatest Hits, Vol.1", founding member and guitarist Brian "Head" Welch left the band to pursue religious interests. The band went on to record "See You On The Other Side", their first album as a four-piece band, before drummer David Silveria left on an "indefinite hiatus", eventually replaced by Ray Luzier who is on the new album. Bassist Fieldy has expressed excitement over the new direction of KoRn, "Ray is like the missing KoRn member we never had", going on to say "We know what we're doing on stage with each other, and everybody's on the same page. I've waited my whole career for KoRn to sound like we do now."

The verdict is in, and I couldn't agree more with Fieldy's comments. This album has KoRn sounding fierce, tight and focused and they've rediscovered that raw aggression found in their earlier albums. The first single and album opener (after "Uber Time" intro), "Oildale (Leave Me Alone)", is like an explosion from the first note, opening the floodgates for the raw energy that has been missed for many years. The video for the song and the photographs in the album artwork were shot in the fields of an oil refinery just outside of Bakersfield, CA where the group was founded, and ironically where Munky's father's was transferred to for work which led them to move to the area. The second track "Pop A Pill" sounds straight off the first or second album, a complete and perfect nod to their early days, followed by "Fear Is A Place To Live" which could have easily been on "Issues" or "Untouchables". The album never lets up, every track paying homage to the past with renewed energy.

I wish they would have found Ray 2 albums ago, and made this on the heels of "Take A Look In The Mirror" which is a great album, but the last to feature the original lineup. Making this album then would have saved us from "See You On The Other Side" and the "Untitled" album which played out merely as contract obligations, with only about 5 decent tracks total between the two. If the new album is any indication of what the future may hold for KoRn, these guys are just getting started. I highly recommend this album, next to Follow The Leader and Issues, it's among my favorites already.

Notes about Special Edition: The DVD features in-studio music videos for each track on the album which contains footage of the making of the album, but all edited in, so there are no interviews or insights by the band. There are 3 bonus tracks, one of which is a live performance of "Blind". Honestly, I don't think these bonus features give any added value to this release. The music speaks for itself so just buy the album.

Tool: The Live Experience

2010-07-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Arco Arena Sacramento, CA 7-13-2010

I've been to a hefty number of concerts, mostly in my 20's, but I've never had an experience like the one I had last night when the lights went out at Arco Arena, standing just 10 rows from the stage as the crowd ignited in anticipation of the sonic assault we were about to receive. I've never been that close for a big show like that, although I have seen Cake from just a few feet at a "secret gig" they did back in '98. Like many of Tool's songs, a slow rise of buzzing energy was building up inside, waiting for the music to start when Tool took the stage and launched into Third Eye, which set the mood and tone for the evening. They wasted no time moving on to Jambi, its frantic intro sending the crowd into a fist-pumping, foot-stomping frenzy (myself included). For a band who releases an album every 5 years, they play tight and fierce, as though they never lose the momentum from their last outing.

After a brief interlude song, the intro notes to Stinkfist, one of my favorites, began and that is when I was hit with that wave of bliss that rushes over you at a live show, only 3 songs in. The video played on the giant screens behind the band, giving fans a visual treat to accompany the songs that had us all in a daze. Anyone who knows about Tool and has seen their videos knows that their imagery is nearly as bold as their sound, mostly consisting of stop-motion animation, and seeing those images on the screens behind the band during their show takes the experience to another level. Next up was Vicarious, which begins with an intro that epitomizes the undeniable signature sound of Tool, and is another of my favorites of theirs. A couple of ho-hum tracks went by, Eon Blue Apocalypse and The Patient, before Intolerance, the first song off their first album and coincidentally, the first song I put on the new Tool mix I burned yesterday for the ride there. Next up was Schism, which also begins with one of those unmistakable intros, this one with a rolling bassline and the line "I know the pieces fit, cuz I watched them fall away", the video playing with footage so bizarre you get lost in trying to figure out what you're looking at. The last song before intermission was Forty-Six & 2 which they played flawlessly, another of my favorites.

The band members left the stage after Forty-Six & 2 while a bunch of crew members brought out a 2nd drum set out towards the edge of the stage. The drummer and bassist from openers Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, led by former Dead Kennedys frontman, took the stage and launched into a very extended jam version of Lateralus, after an improvised bass jam between the JBGSM and Justin from Tool. Before launching into Ænima, the final song of the evening which basically talks about the end of the world and Los Angeles being flushed away, Maynard said "It's all going to be alright." Maynard left the stage with a big wave after the song ended, and Danny Carey (drummer) showed off his Kings jersey to which he received a huge roar from the crowd before he, Adam (guitar) and Justin (bass) walked out onto the stage and waved to the crowd, all with huge smiles on their face.

There were a couple of songs I would have liked to hear, such as The Grudge and Sober, but overall this was an amazing night. I have only seen Tool once before, back in 1998, so I can't make much of a valid gauge of this performance against many others but I can say that they sounded like they're ready to go make another masterpiece and you better believe I'll be seeing them on their next outing.

Complete setlist:
Timothy Leary Intro
Third Eye (extended)
Jambi
(-) Ions
Stinkfist (extended)
Vicarious
Eon Blue Apocalypse
The Patient
Intolerance (extended)
Schism (extended)
Forty Six & 2
-intermission-
Lateralus (extended with drummer and bassist from JBGSM)
Ænema

Something For Everybody

2010-07-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

The results from Devo's song study led to the "88% focus group approved" LP "Something For Everybody" in stores and on iTunes and Amazon.com. There are 4 versions, but only one version made it to retail stores, which has a slightly altered tracklist from what was announced at the press conference. There is a deluxe digital version with all 16 tracks from which the final 12 were chosen for the retail version. There is also the digital download of the 12 tracks that received the most votes, which is the tracklist announced at the press conference after the Song Study closed. An explanation was posted on the Club Devo website, and the basic message was that Devo took their fans input and then took creative control and included the songs they felt should be included on the album. Strangely, the track which received the most votes in the Song Study, "Watch Us Work It" did not make it on the retail release. This was very frustrating to me, until I bought the CD and gave it a listen.

I still feel that they should have traded with the less popular songs first in order to get the ones they wanted on the album, being that "Work It" is one of their best tracks ever, and would have been among the top few on the album. However, I must say that I was far more impressed with the album as a whole than I would have expected with the absence of that track. From start to finish, Devo manage to retain their signature 80's sound, while managing to sound "Fresh" at the same time. Standout tracks include "Later Is Now", "Don't Shoot (I'm A Man)", "Cameo" and "Human Rocket", and a song I hadn't enjoyed from the 30-second Song Study clip, "No Place Like Home".

Overall, I do agree with the band's decision to ultimately decide the tracklisting since it is their music, but I wish they would have made the "fan-approved" version available in stores, not just through digital download. This may be a digital era for music, but many music fans like myself still want the physical CD in hand, with album artwork and liner notes. Besides, you get the best of both worlds when buying the CD, because you can rip it to your computer and have the tracks digitally just as you would if you downloaded from iTunes. No matter how you acquire new music, this new release from Devo deserves its place on your CD shelf or iPod. This album lives up to its title, not just in the songs but in the many available versions available.

The Lost Boys draw True Blood in the Twilight

2010-06-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Drama and fangs and blood, oh my!

The entertainment world has discovered that vampires are hip once again, and two women are responsible for the recent resurgence of interest that has dominated on both the silver screen and TV's across America. First came Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels which were adapted into HBO's Original Series True Blood, coming to life in all its blood-drenched sexual glory as only HBO could have done it. Building on the momentum of True Blood, Stephenie Meyer introduced her Twilight series which became an instant phenomenon, launching Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner into Beatles-like megastardom.

While these two pop culture staples have brought vampires back to the mainstream, it was the 1987 film The Lost Boys that first made being a vampire hip and cool. Directed by Joel Schumaker and filmed in Santa Cruz, California with extensive footage of the legendary Beach Boardwalk as the backdrop (almost a character itself), it followed a gang of teenage vampires in the fictional town Santa Carla. The movie's tagline "Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire" flipped the Dracula image on its head and showed these immortal killers as a bunch of partying kids. Corey Feldman and Corey Haim, later dubbed "The Coreys", found a new level of fame from this movie and Keifer Sutherland's vampire leader role is one of his most memorable.

The Lost Boys, for me, is the movie that changed everything we felt about vampires, making the immortal bloodthirsty lifestyle almost desirable. Of course, the first time I saw it I was quite young and the scenes heavy on gushing blood were viewed through the cracks between my fingers. Twilight has been successful for the love story between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, and the conflicts between Edward and Bella's longtime friend Jacob Black as they fight for her love. The "southern" aspect of the Sookie Stackhouse storyline gives True Blood an interesting and unique flavor all its own, which helps separate it from Twilight and other vampire shows/movies. However, I think The Lost Boys opened doors and rolled out the red carpet for a new take on vampires and holds its place well among these new franchises.

For those of you who are looking for an opportunity to experience the legacy of The Lost Boys, there will be a showing of the movie on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, hosted by Corey Feldman, and preceded by a performance of Corey's band. Details below...

Lost Boys Outdoor Movie Event with Special Guest Corey Feldman
Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The 1987 Lost Boys was filmed in Santa Cruz with many big scenes right here at the Boardwalk. The campy vampire film stars Keifer Sutherland, Jason Patric, and ”The Two Coreys”: Corey Haim and Corey Feldman!

Special Guest actor Corey Feldman will introduce the free show!
6:30pm- FREE performance by Corey Feldman & his band, TRUTH MOVEMENT, on the Beach Bandstand followed by a meet & greet
9:00pm- FREE movie screening
Bring a low back beach chair or beach blanket. Seating is first come- first served.

Freedom Of Choice (Is What You Got)

2010-04-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

If someone were to ask me what band I think best defined the sound of the 80's, you might expect me to say Madonna or Prince, or maybe Duran Duran. Even though they represent some of my favorite music from that decade, and beyond, it is the signature sound of New Wave pioneers Devo that, for me, best represents the 80's as a musical movement.

It has been nearly 30 years since Devo released their "Freedom Of Choice" album in July 1980, featuring the hit title track, along with super-smash hit "Whip It" and "Girl U Want". The wait for new material is finally over, with upcoming album "Something For Everybody" slated for a June 2010 release. The first glimpse of new Devo material came in a commercial for Dell laptops, featuring parts of the song "Watch Us Work It", which was selected by Dell from a number of tracks the group was working on. The song features a sample drum track from the song "The Super Thing" off their 1981 album New Traditionalists, and a video was created for the track, parts of which were incorporated into the Dell commercial.

After hearing that track, I became increasingly interested in the upcoming album's progress and began searching for information about its release and other track information. A second track was released, "Don't Shoot (I'm A Man)", and a video was made for it and played on a screen during live performances. In anticipation for the new album's release, Devo has created a website called the Devo Song Study, created to allow fans to preview the 16 tracks that have been recorded and select 12 of those to be included on the new album. I found it easy to select the standout tracks, and I'm glad they chose to include "Work It" in the study as I feel it's the strongest of the new material and ultimately among my very favorites of theirs. Upon selecting the 12 tracks, participants have the opportunity to enter some personal information and some comments, as well as a personal picture. The next page is a large graph showing the updated results and the "bars" in the graph are made up of the photos of those who have participated.

After completing my selections and exiting the Song Study page, I was very impressed with the bands' inclusion of fan input, especially regarding such an important decision. The final tracklisting of a new release is usually compiled with great care and input by the music label and the artist; mostly because the labels are pushing "singles" these days. I've seen several interviews regarding the release of albums in which the artist is either forced to include or exclude certain tracks as decided by the label executives. In similar fashion, the email I received from the band with the link to the Song Study even mentioned that the 16 tracks recorded "at the request of corporate leadership, must be narrowed down to 12 for the official album release". With this song study, not only does Devo get an idea of the type of songs fans want to hear from the results, they will get an early forecast of album sales, if those voting were to purchase the album.

I wish more bands would show this kind of interest in what the fans want when it comes to new releases. For many fans, such as myself, a new release from a favorite band is a big deal and core fans follow the progress of that next album with great interest. With the slump of album sales the music industry has faced in this digital age, fan input should be more important than ever if it will lead to improved album sales. Of course, many would say that kind of process would take the creative control away from the artist forcing them to sell out and stop making music they wanted to make in favor of selling records. However, I think there is a healthy balance that could be achieved from letting fans hear a few tracks prior to release to get a feel for how it could be received, as Devo has done here. Perhaps an enthusiastic response could inspire a new track, or make the label change their mind about a track they had decided to leave off. Ultimately, I think that the artists should have full creative control, since it is their sound and vision that the fans are following. Having said that, I do see an opportunity for artists to learn from this Song Study that giving fans a voice can help them become more successful without giving up their identity.

Chicken Soup For The Headbanger's Soul

2010-04-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

While fans of hard Rock music, like myself, love the window-rattling, fist-pumping drive of loud, grinding guitars and pounding drums, there are moments when we need something to cleanse our palate, like a jar of coffee beans in a perfume store.

There are many songs from a wide variety of artists that I turn to for this kind of aural therapy, but there is one such artist that I favor above all others and she goes by the name Sade. I was first introduced to Sade by my uncle Paul, who is also a big fan of Rock music but his collection was never limited to one genre. I never went to his house without a few blank cassettes in my pocket, eager to capture the latest and greatest. I remember first hearing "Smooth Operator" and "Sweetest Taboo" when MTV was in full swing with the big hair bands of the 80's and even back then it was as refreshing as I find it today.

At the dawn of the new millennium Sade released "Lovers Rock", which hosts some of my favorite songs of hers, namely "King of Sorrow" and "Every Word". I've never seen her live but I've heard her live album "Lovers Live" and she sounds every bit as good if not better than she does on her albums. Ten years later, "Soldier Of Love" was released and the title track really grabbed my attention so I got the CD on its release date, February 9, 2010. Once again, I was very pleased and each song has grown on me significantly. Favorite songs include the title track as well as " Morning Bird", "Long Hard Road" and "Skin".

Early in her music career, Sade kept the wait time between releases very short; her first 4 albums came between 1984 and 1992, with her first 2 released in the same year in the U.S. However, after her 1992 release, "Love Deluxe", 8 years passed until her "Lovers Rock" was released and then another 9 years and change before "Soldier Of Love". In March 2009, Maxwell, a fellow Sony Music recording artist and longtime friend and collaborator with Sade bandmate Stuart Matthewman, sent a message to fans via his private Facebook page in which he indicated that he had heard some of Sade's new recordings, saying, "Trust me, it's so monolithic it'll shake you in your shoes!" In June 2009, near the end of the recording process, a source from her Sony label said "She is in the studio and the album will come when it is ready. You don't wait for years for one and then rush it." That approach has obviously paid off, and not just for her fans. Sade's 2000 release, "Lovers Rock," sold 3,881,000 copies in the U.S. and the prior album, 1992's "Love Deluxe," sold 3,407,000. Since her debut, Sade has sold nearly 17 million units in the U.S. alone.

"Soldier Of Love" is Sade's first No. 1 album in 24 years, and some believe it's her long absence that played a huge part in its success. To promote her new album, Sade gave very few interviews but sang on several shows and it appears that her reticence keeps people wanting more. Doc Wynter, vice president of urban programming for Clear Channel Radio, said “The audience was really thirsting to hear more of her music”. *Insert cheesy Gatorade analogy here*.

For me, Sade is simply one of those artists that can soothe my inner beast and change my outlook on nearly any situation, and though Pearl Jam, who remains my favorite band of all time, certainly has their share of songs that have that affect on me, Sade will always be that escape I need when my ears are ringing from the noise of the world, or from the Rock that rattles my car windows.

Flying Cars & Trips To Mars

2010-03-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the 80's, watching cartoons like The Jetsons with its flying cars gave an ambitious glimpse of what the future may look like. At the turn of the 90's, Total Recall talked about vacations on Mars, and the year 2015 seemed light years ahead in Back To The Future II.

Here we are in 2010; our cars are still on the ground, there is no "Hoverboard", and Mars is still just the "Red Planet" you won't find on Hotwire.com. However, looking back 30 years makes it impressively clear how far we've come. I used to wake up on Saturdays and turn on one of the 12 channels we had on our old console TV. Later, we got "Cable TV" which meant there was now a box on the TV that we'd switch from A to B and we got about 20-30 channels, MTV being the one I watched most often (back when they actually showed music videos). Today, regardless of which service you use, there are hundreds of channels available, now in stunning HD. I first saw a preview of High Definition TV at a Good Guys store in Fresno around 1999, just as expensive as it was impressive. Today, more than one-third of homes in the United States have an HD TV, and the average home has more televisions than residents.

Cars still run on the ground, on gas, just as they did before. However, new Hybrid models use electric cells to drive the engine and fuel consumption is drastically cut, which also helps make the cars run cleaner with less or zero emissions. Just like plugging in your cell phone at night, you pull up to the mall, plug in your car and go shopping. For cars, I think this is about as advanced as we're going to get for awhile, thanks to those greedy folks who do their part to make sure our reliance on gasoline stays strong.

Computer technology is the best example, and most obvious, of the progress made over the past 30 years. We had a small computer lab at my elementary school, and the computer was the Apple IIGS, released in 1986 with a cost of $1000; the processor ran at 2.8 MHz*, with 1 MB** (expandable up to 8 MB) of RAM. When comparing those specs to the computers available today, especially for those familiar with the numbers, it's a miracle those computers even turned on. Today's systems have processors that run 10 times faster (in GHz range). A typical system today runs at 3GHz (*3GHz = 3000MHz) with 3-4 GB of RAM (**3GB = 3072MB), with a cost varying between $600-1000. Resolution was another shortcoming in those days, with the maximum available for the IIGS being 640x200 (# of pixels on screen). One of the more standard resolutions for computer monitors today is 1280x1024; High Definition with 1080p is 1920×1080. As a result of this amazing progress, more people have home computers than ever and the introduction of the World Wide Web in 1996 led to a new way of accessing information and communicating. Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook have hundreds of millions of users, many of them connected wirelessly from a Starbucks as they read this blog.

Rush singer Geddy Lee sang "invisible airwaves crackle with life", in the song "The Spirit of Radio" back in 1980, talking about radio (obviously). Today, 30 years later, Geddy's words are more relevant than ever, with FM/AM radio broadcasting, satellite radio (XM), cell phones, wireless Internet, and GPS filling the airwaves.

Unfortunately, technology has also led to generations of kids with anti-social behavior and heavy dependence on cell phones and other gadgets, which is covered in another post I've done HERE. Sadly, regardless of all the technology we're now surrounded by, and how far we've come, there is still no cure for AIDS, or Alzheimer's Disease or Cancer; are we really focusing our efforts on the right things? As an Intel employee, I'm surrounded by images and slogans such as "It's not what we make. It's what we make possible", and "Sponsors of Tomorrow". Unless we stop looking for the next big thing and turn our attention to the diseases that are robbing family and friends from us, tomorrow is about as certain as jumping in your space car for a trip to Mars.

*Thanks to Dan Dedekian for the concept/inspiration of this post.*

Sharks: Maneaters or Victims of Mankind?

2010-03-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

I'm not exactly sure when my love of sharks began as they captured my interest but, unlike my faith in mankind and its treatment of our animals and sea life, it is stronger than ever.

Since my youngest days that I can remember, sharks have been labeled as a "maneater" and movies like "Jaws" certainly capitalized on that idea, supporting the lies that we've all been told for years. The reputation that sharks have been given for years, and the lies that are being told about them, were challenged by biologist and photographer Rob Stewart in "Sharkwater", a film that reveals the truth about sharks with graphic footage and stunning photography.

The tagline "the truth will surface" rings true as a series of statistics are presented at different parts of the film, which prove that all theories about sharks and their tendencies towards attacking are completely inaccurate. At one point, it's even stated that less people die from shark attacks than from accidents involving soda vending machines.

One statistic not included in the film, but that I find both fascinating and eye-opening:
It is estimated that a person's chance of getting attacked by a shark is 1 in 11.5 million, and a person's chance of getting killed by a shark is 1 in 264.1 million. The annual number of people who drown is 3,306, as the annual number of shark fatalities is 1. In comparison, humans kill 100 million sharks each year.

Shark finning is to blame for a huge percentage of shark deaths every year. During one of the more graphic portions of Sharkwater, footage captures poachers pulling small sharks from the ocean onto their boat. They slice off the dorsal fin and throw the sharks back; they fall to the ocean floor, suffering in pain until they're eaten alive or die from blood loss. I watched this footage with tears in my eyes and disgust in my heart, and feeling shame for being part of this human race that is capable of such cruel behavior, and all for status. Shark fin soup is a delicacy in China and other Asian countries, and those who serve it are held in high regard. Finning is illegal in 16 countries but still goes on in other areas with high concentration of sharks in their waters like Costa Rica where the fight against finning continues. Finning reminds me of the scene in "Dances With Wolves" where Kevin Costner's character reaches the top of a hill where he is met with the saddening vision of buffalo carcases laying in the field, having been killed for nothing more than their hides. One pound of dried shark fin can retail for $300 or more. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry, and responsible for more than 100 million shark deaths annually.

If there is one species that has earned their rightful place on Earth, it is the shark. They have been swimming in our oceans for 400 million years, since before the dinosaurs, and survived the mass extinction events that wiped out the dinosaurs. Crocodiles kill as many people in one year as are killed from 100 years of shark attacks, yet crocodiles are protected. Of the 307 shark species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 50 are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, but only the white, whale and basking sharks are protected internationally.

There are people out there who believe that sharks are nothing more than mindless killing machines, yet only 20 percent of all shark species are able to hurt people and the number of deaths by shark attack per year is 1, as mentioned above. Most people would agree that they would not dare walk into a lion's den or a bear cave, mostly out of fear but also respect. There is no difference between that scenario and a diver or surfer entering the ocean. The ocean is home to whales, dolphins, sharks, fish and many other species of creatures. From below the surface a surfer on a board looks like a seal, which is the prey of sharks. Sharks need to eat to survive, just like all species. Sharks are very intelligent but they rely on other senses as much as or more than sight.

There are different types of attacks, and ways to prevent being attacked. The different types of attacks are provoked (humans touching shark), unprovoked (no reason for attack), hit-and-run (shark bites and leaves), sneak attack (in deep waters, can be fatal), and bite-and-bump attack (shark bumps before biting, usually exploratory). The sneak attack is most similar to the scenario I mentioned above where a shark attacks because the subject appears to be prey, like a seal (closely resembled by surfer on board). The shark will surge from the depths towards the surface, attacking from below. Footage from many sources shows this type of attack on a seal, in which the shark's body fully breaches the water. Sharks are the ultimate ocean predator so they have little fear of any creature they cross paths with. They do not have sensitive limbs like we do, so their only means of exploring a foreign object or creature is to bite it. Sharks normally make one swift attack and then retreat to wait for the victim to die or exhaust itself before returning to feed. This protects the shark from injury from a wounded and aggressive target; in cases of bites on humans, it allows humans time to get out of the water and survive.

There are ways to greatly reduce (not eliminate) the risk of being attacked by a shark:

Avoid the water at dawn, dusk or late night, when sharks tend to feed
Avoid areas where sharks generally populate, such as murky waters and drop-offs
Do not enter the water with open wounds (no bleeding)
Always swim in groups if you're in areas known to be inhabited by sharks, and in general
Always obey authority in the area who may be familiar with shark behavior
Sharks are usually found nearby in areas where Dolphins are, they eat the same food
Use common sense and respect the fact that all sharks are wild animals and we are entering their home and cannot predict their behavior

In the time it takes you to watch the Sharkwater film, more than 15,000 sharks will have been killed. Shark populations have been reduced by 90 percent over the last 50 years, proving that they could easily be wiped out with a few years of human greed in the finning industry.

Number of deaths from sharks per year: 5
Bees/wasps: 53
Elephants and tigers: 100
execution: 2400
illegal drugs: 22,000
road accidents: 1.2M
starvation 8M

The campaign against sharks is also a campaign against humanity and the environment, as sharks play a vital role in the ocean's ecosystem. It is the result of greed and ignorance that sharks are now endangered and at high risk for extinction our lifetime, which will have consequences that we cannot possibly imagine. Anyone who wishes to debate the truth about sharks with me, or to share information or stories, please feel free to contact me via email or comments. Increasing our knowledge about sharks, and continued support for the organizations that protect them, is their only hope for continued survival, and for ours.

Greatest NFL Quarterback Ever?

2010-02-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

Contrary to what is being said among sports writers, is not Peyton Manning (Sorry Peyton, check back with us when the Winter Olympics open in Hell).

Super Bowl XLIV revealed yet another example of a well-celebrated and heavily-favored leader who did not hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy in victory. In fact, Manning wasn't even on the field for the ceremony or even the traditional congratulatory handshakes exchanged between players; he left the moment the clock ran out, without paying any respect to Saints organization. Drew Brees led the Saints to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history (with a 40-yard game-winning kick by Garrett Hartley) and earned his first ring, coming back from a scoreless 1st quarter and 10-point deficit. The last instance would be just two years earlier when the undefeated Patriots blew a perfect season in their loss against Peyton's brother Eli and the New York Giants.

Meanwhile, Peyton is being groomed as the "best of all time" among analysts and others, such as Mike Florio who wrote the article in the link below. The article below is summarized with the line "With two more, it'll be a no-brainer — Manning will be regarded as the best of all time." That title is reserved for a certain 49er, as my friend Dan Dedekian has said. It was Dan who made me aware that Peyton was being praised in such ways, which is both premature and ignorant, and I just could not resist blowing the whistle on this myth.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2010-02-03/best-nfl-qb-ever-another-super-bowl-title-and-its-peyton-manning

The article, written before Super Bowl XLIV, relies heavily on stats like total passing yards. It mentions how Manning is on John Elway's heels for total yards and presumes he will surpass him soon. Joe Montana played for 14 seasons, accumulating approximately 40,000 passing yards. Peyton Manning has played for 12 seasons and accumulated approximately 50,000 passing yards so far. All that proves is that the guy likes to throw a lot of passes, but when comparing his yardage to Montana, it's clear to see that Montana's throws resulted in much more than just statistics.

Joe Montana made 4 Super Bowl appearances and has 4 rings to show for it. In his four Super Bowls, Montana completed 83 of 122 passes for 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns with no interceptions, and is the only player ever to win three Super Bowl MVP awards. He has lost only 5 fumbles in his entire NFL career.

Peyton Manning has 1 ring, out of only 2 visits in nearly the same number of seasons playing, having thrown an interception in both games. He has lost 17 fumbles in his career. While he may be on his way to being ranked among the best quarterbacks in NFL history, he had better get very busy achieving perfection to earn the right to have his name mentioned in the same sentence as Joe Montana, who is arguably the greatest NFL quarterback ever.

Prove me wrong, I dare you.

Beyond The Swinging Doors

2010-01-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've often wondered what kind of mischief ensues beyond the swinging doors that lead to restaurant kitchens. Watching movies like "Waiting" has always made me wish I knew the "rules" that you must follow to avoid having your dinner vandalized. After seeing an article on Yahoo titled "Secrets your waiter won't tell you", I found a refreshing blog, written by a veteran server, that provides interesting and amusing stories and plenty of inside secrets.

"Server Not Slave" is the title of the blog and I've added it to my sidebar as one of my faves to visit, and hope everyone checks it out and spreads the word. It's written from the perspective of a server who has seen it all...the rude diners, the odd requests, last-second changes that cause chaos in the kitchen, etc.. What is so surprising to me is that it doesn't come off as an angry server trash-talking customers that have pissed him off, but rather an inside look at what servers appreciate and are dealing with and what you can expect under many different scenarios.

The idea of this blog could seem like a "how to behave in a restaurant" guide but it's more like a lesson in avoiding situations that can lead to bad service. Honestly, who wouldn't want to go out to eat, with the tips and tricks that will get you the best service possible? You can bet that your server will appreciate the obvious effort you're making and will take care of you that much more.

**If you have any horror stories or experiences from dining out, please share them in comments.**

Taylor Swift: A New Breed

2010-01-05T09:04:00.000-08:00

Although I am someone who enjoys nearly all types of music, most would be surprised to hear me praise an artist like Taylor Swift when Korn and Alice In Chains have my car windows rattling on most days and my earphones are humming with Ice Cube or Eminem. However, it's hard not to be impressed with the Miley-like explosion of Taylor's career, especially in the year 2009.

I hadn't really heard of her until "Love Story" was in heavy rotation on the radio and the song inevitably began sticking in my ears. After seeing a few performances and a Dateline special with a backstage peek at preparations for her headlining tour, it was obvious that this girl will be around for a very long time. She's already received top honors at the CMA awards and even managed to make history as the first country star to win an MTV VMA award, and the events that followed showed us all once more why we love to hate Kanye West.

For me, much of Taylor's appeal comes from being a music artist who writes her own material and has achieved enormous success, yet miraculously manages to leave the house with her underwear in place and avoid the drug/alcohol scene. She is known for writing the names of exes into her songs, which she joked about during her SNL monologue, while taking the opportunity to blast infamous ex Joe Jonas as "that guy who broke up with me on the phone".

At age 19, Swift embarked on her first headlining tour, which she planned down to the last detail, then became the youngest artist to ever both be nominated for, and win, the award for Entertainer of the Year from the Country Music Association Awards. That was one of 5 she won in 2009, including Best Female Vocalist and Album of the Year. The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards are just around the corner, and I'm betting on another string of awards for this "Fearless" superstar.

Back In The Saddle

2010-01-04T16:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to my readers (all *3 of you)!

The holidays were just as relaxing and welcomed as they were stressful but I survived. After a day at Disneyland the week before Christmas, an annoying tickle in my throat turned into Bronchitis and I spent the last two weeks fighting back coughing fits while trying to enjoy my time off. Thankfully, just in time to get back to work, I am cough-free with a sense of renewed enthusiasm for the year ahead.

My first priority is a commitment to making time for the things that make me happiest. Among them is sharing my thoughts with everyone here, so I promise no less than one new post per week, and I'm hoping to have even more. In order for me to achieve this goal, I'd appreciate some feedback on what you've enjoyed and what you'd like to see more of so that I can build a bank of ideas for new topics and ideas. After all, I don't write this blog for me, I write it for anyone who cares to listen, anyone who wants to be entertained, even those who accidentally find themselves here. Also, I have to mention comments; they are like Christmas presents that I get to open all year long, so please share your thoughts about anything you see here whether you have something nice to say or you want to tell me I'm an idiot (I can take it). I wish you all the best of luck and success in this new year, and I hope that my words provide some level of entertainment for all who wish to sift through my thoughts.

*Regarding my comment about my 3 readers, I truly hope that there are more than 3 people reading this on any kind of regular basis and I'm pretty sure there are. For those of you who check in from time to time, your time is appreciated. I hope you share this with friends and family who take some kind of pleasure from visiting.

Economy: The New Four-Letter Word

2009-10-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's nearly inescapable, around every corner of every supermarket, gas station and workspace, as widespread as the Swine Flu or the California wildfires; no matter where you turn someone is talking about "The Economy". It's almost like a steamy Hollywood rumor or a new movie you saw during the coming attractions, "have you heard about 'The Economy'?", or maybe a viral video being passed around. For those of you who think I'm exaggerating, I've heard mention of it 3 times this morning in the 2 hours since I've been at work.

Throughout my life, I've heard about "The Economy" in many different stages and conditions. During the Clinton administration, I heard it described as "strong, stable, booming". I've heard about events that helped to "boost" the economy, like the Sammy Sosa/Mark McGuire home run battle that generated impressive memorabilia sales, until talk of steroids brought the game to its knees thanks to a washed-up former slugger with no code of honor and an empty bank account. Lately, words like "crumbling", and "sluggish" are heard regularly when talking about today's economy.

President Obama spoke of "The Economy" and the need for repair during his nomination speech, clearly stating that "it may not get done in one year, or even one term", yet people have the nerve to wonder why he hasn't made everyone rich in less than a year of office, when G.W. was given a full 8 years to do his damage. However, this is neither a rave about our current president or a rant against our "ex".

The economy, in my own interpretation, is a complex system of corporations and investors, and consumers, all buying into the collective force known as "The Economy". Political parties, such as the Democratic and Republican parties separate those who wish to help the rich stay rich from those in the working middle class who are trying to level the playing field a bit; at least that is my understanding of it. These political parties are really just grown-up versions of the same cliques we dealt with in school. The Republicans are the popular kids who drive nice cars and go to prom, and the Democrats are the kids that are picked on by the Republicans for being unpopular, uncool, and for coming from "working class" parents.

The economy is at its strongest when people are making purchases, spending money on the things that improve our everyday life. Black Friday, the infamous day after Thanksgiving which kicks off the holiday shopping season, is usually a good indicator of the strength of our economy. The new NRF's (National Retail Federation) Black Friday survey for 2009, conducted by BIGresearch, shows that 195 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 172 million last year. However, the average spending over the weekend dropped to $343.31 per person from $372.57 last year. There is some very simple logic involved in creating a strong economy, and it involves the percentage of American families who can afford to spend the kind of money that helps to boost our economy. Basically, there is an elite group of people who make enough money to put into our economy, beyond simple staples of living. According to a number of reports, less than 10% of the American population makes more 100K or more per year. That means that unless those people are out buying in bulk and making large purchases on a regular basis, the economy will never be strong because they are a "minority" among consumers.

In recent news, there is widespread criticism of President Obama's efforts to revive our economic situation, even though the housing market is already on the rebound thanks to the Homebuyer Tax Credit and its extension into June of 2010. For now, the upward climb of "The Economy" is slow but increasingly steady and hopefully in the new year pop culture events will reclaim their spotlight in break rooms across America.

Backyard Customs: Reader's Choice Winner 2009

2009-10-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento News and Review hosts an annual "Best of Sacramento" issue with favorite picks of local businesses by readers and editors ranging from best smoothie to best pet salon. Being that I live in Folsom, I look to the Folsom/El Dorado Hills edition of Style Magazine for local favorites and they've just released their Reader's Choice 2009 Awards.

Backyard Customs, owned and operated by Jarrod Zehner, got the top award for "Best Landscaper" in the Reader's Choice issue. Jarrod left the corporate world a few years back to start the business, and that decision is obviously paying off. Backyard Customs offers a wide variety of services like design and installation, maintenance, fencing and concrete, water features and irrigation, and more. They even have a connection with John Deere Landscaping for financing options. The website offers great before/after shots of their previous jobs and is laid out well for easy navigation. When you're ready to transform your yard into a amazing retreat, or give your house the curb appeal it needs to fetch top dollar, be sure to call Backyard Customs and tell 'em SharkByte sent you!*

For the full list of Folsom/El Dorado Hills Style Reader's Choice 2009 winners, click HERE

*This is not a paid advertisement and any tracking is for the purpose of marketing research.

Lucky Penny: A Love Story

2009-09-21T09:02:00.001-07:00

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Daren Carter"

On September 19, 2009, Daren and Kim completed the first chapter of their incredible story by becoming man and wife. I was among the select group of friends and family who had the privilege of sharing their day; I also had the honor of coordinating the music for the ceremony and sharing DJ duties at the reception (a previously unrealized skill). Daren has been one of my closest friends since meeting at Tenaya Middle School in Fresno 20 years ago. We've seen each other through some doomed relationships in the past but when he introduced Kim to my wife Kacy and me, like many others have said, I was instantly aware of the amazing connection between them.

It all started on a night out with friends, back in early 2006. Victor, a former classmate of ours, knew one of Kim's friends so he began talking to their group. Daren returned from the restroom when he and Kim made eye contact and began talking, both feeling a strong connection from the beginning; Daren has described their first meeting as "love at first sight". As the evening came to an end, Kim noticed a penny on the floor laying "heads up" and gave it to Daren, she told him "this is a lucky penny". Kim was in a relationship at the time so they went their separate ways that night but Daren gave her his number in case they would get a second chance someday. He knew from how things were going that they both hoped they'd meet again when timing would be on their side. He went home, frustrated that they couldn't go out together but confident that they would see each other again.

Two years later, Daren received a text message on his phone that read "lucky penny". He knew it was Kim, and they made plans to have drinks the following weekend. That evening, Daren asked Kim to reach into his pocket and she pulled out that lucky penny she gave him when they first met. For me, a very interesting and important factor in their reunion is that he was newly single when he got her text, having just ended a difficult relationship. Timing kept them apart after that first night but he became available just in time for them to reconnect. Regardless of timing, I'm pretty sure that nothing would have kept him from answering the message he waited two years for.

Not long after they began dating officially, he brought Kim to my dad's house to meet us, around early Spring of 2008. Later that year, they had a holiday party; I thought he may have been using that as a chance to pop the question because I knew just as well as he did that she was the one for him. I asked him before the party and he said "no, but don't worry I'll tell you when I do." Just two months later he called to tell me that he had the ring and on Valentine's Day she said yes. On their wedding day, with Daren's Best Man Kevin, his friend for 30 years, by his side and Stacey, Daren's cousin, by Kim's side, Daren's lucky penny lived up to its name.

Call A Plumber, The Music Industry Is Leaking

2009-09-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

There is a wave of leaks plaguing the music industry, but it's not coming from the bathroom sinks in record label offices. In the industry, the distribution of new music before it's planned release date is known as a leak. Some are intentional, like MTV's "The Leak", in which new albums are made available to preview before they're released meant as a catalyst to boost early album sales. However, the problem comes when the new releases hit the Internet for downloading before they're released in stores which puts an early halt to album sales. There are probably thousands of sources that host a wide range of albums for free, but most of them are old releases and most site owners urge visitors to purchase the album after listening. Of course, good intentions only go so far so many people build up their music libraries without supporting the artist. Any site owner who provides access to download full albums and expects visitors to still go buy the album is foolishly idealistic, being that in an iPod and mp3 world, many just want the music files. Personally, I love having the actual album artwork and being able to read the liner notes. My friend Tony, author of "Tony's Hazy Concert Memories" in my sidebar, has a home office and on one wall stands a large wooden storage unit which hosts his entire CD collection. To see the colored spines of his CD cases adorning his wall, filled with the incredible music that is the soundtrack to his life, is incredible.

I think back to the days before the Internet when MTV and radio were the only outlets for hearing new music from your favorite artists and the premiere of a new music video was highly anticipated. The Internet is an invaluable tool but, as with anything, it can be a dangerous resource for those who misuse it. Unfortunately, there are people out there who do not believe that artists should receive due payment for their work and they post new music to be taken, and there are plenty of takers. Some artists have fought back, as Eminem did when he released his album "The Eminem Show" on a Sunday, two days before its planned release, when news spread that his album was available on the Internet. Tuesday has long been the standard day for new releases to hit stores, although Fridays would be better being "payday" for most people. From time to time, artists will release their album on other days like Friday or Sunday, like Pearl Jam whose new release Backspacer hits stores September 20th, this Sunday. I'm not sure if it's a way of putting extra attention on their album for its unusual release date or, like with Eminem, an attempt to get people in the stores who cannot wait any longer and will resort to downloading illegally.

A serious lack of security at the recording studios is the real problem here, because if any accountability or protection were in place this could not possibly happen. First of all, no studio should allow cell phones, recording devices or storage devices in the mixing room or recording area. Next, the media on which the music is recorded should be locked away after each session with access allowed to only the artist and the producer. Once it leaves the studio, when the finished mastered copy is prepared for duplication and packaging, there needs to be some monitoring done there as well to ensure none of the copies are taken. If those kinds of practices were in place, there would be no excuse for music to be leaked, but obviously there is some carelessness involved in the recording process these days. I don't know much about the industry or the numbers involved in making a record, but I've heard different artists say in interviews that some studios and artists have to sell a minimum number of albums before they even make profit. That should be enough incentive for artists to keep a closer watch on their work and for label execs to protect their investment better.

In the hobbled economy we're facing, people have less money to spend on luxury items like entertainment (music, movies, theme park visits, etc) and these people who leak new music are taking advantage of the common desire to get more for less these days. However, artists deserve their paycheck like anyone else and with new releases being sold for just $9.99 I think everyone can afford to support their favorite artists, even if they have the opportunity to get it for free. You can bet I'll be in the store this Sunday to buy Pearl Jam's new CD as well as back to get the new Alice In Chains CD a week later, even though I could go download them.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ARTISTS BY PURCHASING THEIR MUSIC

Halloween 2: Rob Zombie's Brutal Final Chapter

2009-09-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Rob Zombie made Halloween his own in 2007 after being approached by Dimension Films, and rather than let someone else continue his vision, he has returned to finish it himself in brutal, bloody, squirm in your seat fashion.

Being that he firmly repeated he was only doing one film, I took the ending of his first Halloween film as the true ending to his story as a standalone vision. That was until I started seeing images of an "H2" movie poster and reports that he signed on to make the sequel to his film. I walked away from the first one thinking that Rob had recreated this character to be so terrifying that it re-defined the series and couldn't wait to see how he would continue that. I had no idea just how far he was going to take his vision of making Michael Myers a truly terrifying character.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Do not read anything between these two spoiler alert warnings if you don't want to know the details of the film. Highlight the blank area below to reveal the details.

The film opens with a quick flashback to a young Michael Myers in the mental institution having lunch with his mother Deborah Myers, played again by Rob's wife Sheri Moon. His time in the institution followed the murdering rampage that occurred when he killed his older sister and her boyfriend along with his mother's boyfriend in the first film. Unfortunately, for those of us who saw his first film we see a new actor in the young character role. This is my only gripe for this film, as I hate seeing actors replaced in a series if anything for the sheer purpose of continuity. However, I understand that perhaps Daeg Farch, who played young Michael in his first Halloween film, now looks too old to have reprised his role and the director has to find a way to move on. After the short flashback, the movie picks up the moment after the first one had ended, with a blood-stained and traumatized Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton)walking down the middle of the street after having "killed" Michael Myers. Laurie is taken to the hospital where she is stripped down and cleaned while doctors prepare to close up her many wounds and a fingernail removal provides the first squirm-worthy moment. We then see Myers' body being transported when he escapes in one of the most graphic scenes of the film.

The film follows Laurie Strode in the aftermath of her encounter from the first film, examining how tortured she is in believing she killed Michael but the fact that he may still be alive being that "no body was found". Meanwhile, Michael kills takes one victim after another and the killing scenes are so brutally realistic and violent even the hardcore horror fans will find themselves in shock. A few examples include Michael stomping a man's head in, snapping a man's forearm leaving him screaming while he runs from Michael holding his dangling arm, impaling a few drunken hunters on the deer antlers that adorn their truck, and the beheading of one of the men who were transporting him when he escaped.

**END OF SPOILER ALERT**

There are plot details below but more observational than revealing

We learn while following Laurie that her dreams are haunted with visions of Michael coming after her, leaving a trail of disfigured victims behind along the way. She struggles with the idea that she killed Michael but somehow he could still be after her and that idea lives in her dreams. Some of these dream sequences, especially near the end of the film are reminiscent of something that would have come from his "House of 1,000 Corpses" movie for their very strange figures and styling. Of course, using the scenes as Laurie's dreams allowed Rob a lot of freedom to go as far as he wanted to in the realm of strange which he took full advantage of. Many of the sequences, both being Laurie's dreams and visions that Michael has, are those of his dead mother Deborah all in white with a horse, surrounded by a backlit glow. For me, the scenes with Deborah are too similar to the Friday The 13th scenes with the mother of Jason Voorhees (most notably from "Freddy Vs. Jason").

I have seen a natural evolution in the four films directed and written by Rob Zombie and while none of them are perfect, they all stand alone as incredible films. His first film, House of 1,000 Corpses, was like a trip through a psychedelic haunted house following the twisted Firefly family while its sequel, The Devil's Rejects, left the colors behind and turned to cinematic grit with a far more violent approach to the rampages of the family on the run. The Halloween film released in 2007 showed how Rob was able to take a known character and storyline and turn it into something new and fresh, revealing a backstory to the origin of Michael Myers as a killer. This new Halloween film turns the volume way up as we see just how violent and scary Michael Myers is as he brutally and graphically murders anyone in his path as he seeks out Laurie. Rob's killer is a large, powerful man and the angry grunts that Michael lets out while slashing his victims shows what a brute killing force he is. As Otis says in the "House" film, "the boogeyman is real, and you found him." For those of you who have seen it, I'd love to hear your opinion on the film and on my review and for those who have yet to see it, prepare yourself for a new breed of killer in this revived Michael Myers.

Front To Back(Spacer) Review

2009-09-14T08:34:00.000-07:00

Pearl Jam's new album Backspacer is due in Target stores, as well as independent retailers, this Sunday September 20th. Thanks to a plethora of sources that have leaked the album online, I already have the full album surging through my earphones and will be sharing a track-by-track preview of the album. Of course, I will be at my local Target bright and early Sunday morning because I still support artists by purchasing their music.

It is only out of sheer impatience that I am taking advantage of this leak, but I urge everyone out there to go buy the album and support the artists that make the music you love. New releases are only $9.99 at Target and Best Buy, and some independent retailers like Dimple Records in the Sacramento area. Long gone are the days when music fans have to shell out 16 bucks for a new CD, now that retail giants like Tower Records have met their demise. I'm not saying that any given album may not be worth that much money. Pearl Jam's eight previous albums if purchased at $15 bucks a piece comes out to $135. I got most of them for less but I would have paid more than double that price for all they've given me. The point is that a great album can be enjoyed for several years and you'll get much more out of it than the must-have Coach purse that will end up in the bottom of your closet and every artist deserves to be paid for their work.

Backspacer is Pearl Jam's ninth studio release, not counting compilations or live material, and the first since their 1998 release Yield to be recorded with producer Brendan O'Brien. He reconnected with the band when he helped put together the reissue of the band's classic album Ten with a remixed version of the album combined with the remastered original, in various packages and formats. It was sometime in July when I heard parts of the first single "The Fixer" during a baseball TV spot, and started scouring the Internet for more clips. It wasn't long before I heard the full song and then saw them perform "Got Some" on the premiere of the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Soon after, clips of other songs started popping up everywhere and the September release date finally started to feel within reach. Here is my review of the album, track by track.

1. Gonna See My Friend
This strong opening of the album opener, much like "Breakerfall" did for Binaural, tells you that these guys are energized and ready to have some fun. Eddie's abrasive, shouted delivery gives the song an in-your-face presence without being excessive. The song ends, just as frantically as it began, at a concise 2:48.

2. Got Some
I love this track for many reasons; immediately for the fact that Jeff's bass playing jumps out at you and it's great to hear him so prominently. The layers of Mike and Stone on guitar over Jeff's bass and Matt's drums are both chaotic and systematic at the same time. I love the growl in Eddie's vocals and as they mix with Jeff's heavy bass lines I immediately feel a heavy punk influence. As mentioned before, it was performed on Conan O' Brien's show but until hearing it on the album you can't really appreciate this track. One of my favorites on the album, coming in at exactly 3:00.

3. The Fixer
By the way this track opens, I picture this as a better album opener for the way it draws you straight in. An obvious first single, it reveals itself as optimistic and even "pop", never falling short of making its mark as the first track most listeners will want to hear again. The track has been unusually described as "Super poppy", "Just plain fun", "Surprisingly optimistic" and "Catchy as hell" by the media while others have speculated that President Obama is the subject of the song (the fixer). I love how the track "begins again" as it approaches the 2 minute mark just long enough to run the chorus again for those who aren't ready for it to end. This track lives up to all of the unexpected praise it's received and feels like a significant change in the direction of the band, accomplished in just 2:56.

4. Johnny Guitar
The energy continues with this track, vocals dipping and rising along with swaying guitars and nice pace change just past the 1:00 mark with thick spacial guitars and deep bass lines. Another heavy hitter and my favorite on the album; fades out just before 2:50.

5. Just Breathe
This track sounds as if it were an outtake from Eddie's Into The Wild soundtrack album and the acoustic guitar reminds me of "Dust In The Wind" by Kansas which is met with organ and later by Jeff's bass and a string arrangement. The first "slow" track on the album, definitely up there with the best of its kind in their catalog. This could be a good pre-show warm up song for Eddie to play at their shows like he's done with tracks like "Dead Man", and is the first track on the album to break the 3-minute mark at 3:33.

6. Amongst The Waves
A nicely paced track with Jeff's bass front and center again, the track ironically builds like a wave (think "Given To Fly" from Yield) as it reaches a crescendo. Excellent guitar solo from Mike McCready, which I'm sure he'll shred on live, ending to the lyric "riding high amongst the waves". One of the longer tracks on the album, just shy of 4:00.

7. Unthought Known
Intro nearly reminiscent of "Love Boat Captain" from Riot Act with strumming guitar beneath Eddie's building vocals, rising with piano and drums before exploding into a beautiful peak with all members coming together, eventually returning to single guitar following Eddie's voice to the finish at 4:08.

8. Supersonic
Fast, fun, furious, reminds me of "Mankind" from No Code. The song goes faster and faster (true to its name) until it breaks down to an incredible heavy jam, with a nice McCready solo thrown in, before returning to its locomotive pace as it comes to the close at 2:36.

9. Speed Of Sound
Starts off like a slow ballad before a beat kicks in, a very different track from nearly anything they've done before. I think a more stripped down version may have suited the song better as the beat seems a bit forced; rounds out at 3:30.

10. Force Of Nature
A paced drum intro reminds me of "Urgent" from Foreigner just before the buzzing guitars give way to Eddie's vocals, later interlaced with that familiar click of the cowbell. I really enjoy this track, for no particular reason beyond the fact that it's just a solid track, lyrically and musically. The pace and vocal styling could be compared to Steve Winwood's "While You See A Chance"; track comes to a close at 4:02.

11. The End
The closing track, a sweeping ballad filled with strings behind Eddie's soaring vocals and acoustic guitar. A bit haunting at times, admittedly by Eddie himself from interviews, the track ends abruptly at 2:52 after the line "I'm here, but not much longer".

You'll notice I included the duration of each track, simply to elaborate on something Eddie has mentioned in their "Backspacer short" video, in which he said "we've certainly made our excessive records". Guitarist Mike McCready went on to say that the album is "tight and concise." The total duration of the whole album is just past 36 minutes, and that wouldn't usually matter until you consider bands like Metallica who boast 70 minutes plus on their albums and it may make some people feel short-changed to wait for a new release that you can play all the way through on a moderate work commute. That is definitely not the case with this album because however brief it may seem, it makes up for it in all the right ways. I highly suggest setting aside 40 minutes for yourself uninterrupted to find a pair of nice headphones and give this album your full attention.

The Ten album is easily a classic and a huge fan favorite, but I have held Yield to be my personal favorite album since its release. I was at the midnight sale the night before its release date and played it endlessly for days. I still love it tremendously, and "Given To Fly" was the inspiration for a poem I wrote for a family who lost their son. I'm not sure if it's purely coincidence that this is the first album since my beloved Yield done with O'Brien, but I have to say after hearing this album it is growing on my quickly and could be a close tie with Yield. This is an excellent Pearl Jam album that any fan of rock music, not just of Pearl Jam, should have in their collection.

Grunge Is Alive (Again)

2009-09-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

For several years following the demise of the Seattle "Grunge" scene, Pearl Jam has proudly and successfully held their ground as the last band standing. However, one band from that era is ready to reclaim their rightful place in the spotlight; that band is Alice In Chains.

Following the tragic death of Layne Staley in April of 2002, the remaining members of Alice In Chains (founder/guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney) were forced to take a break and it wasn't until a Tsunami benefit show in 2005 that they reunited, with the help of various guest singers. The benefit show sparked a reunion tour, introducing William Duvall as a new member of the band; a previous tourmate from Jerry's solo projects. Upon reuniting for the tour, drummer Sean Kinney expressed interest in recording new material but was hesitant to move on as Alice In Chains out of respect for Layne. However, it wasn't long before the band announced that they were recording with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Stone Sour) for a Summer 2009 release; their first in 14 years, not including a number of compilations.

The album, titled "Black Gives Way To Blue", is set for release on September 29th. Its first single "A Looking In View" does well to mimic the signature sound previously created by combining Jerry and Layne's vocals in haunting harmonies. The song is dark and heavy and certainly the farthest thing from playing it safe that the band could have done for their first venture with the new lineup. The second single, "Check My Brain", is Jerry's story of moving from Seattle to Los Angeles, and is every bit as strong but not quite as heavy as "View". The title track of the album, a stirring tribute to Layne, features piano by Elton John who graciously accepted Jerry's request to play on the song after receiving an email from him explaining the song's meaning. Jerry and Elton have expressed a great deal of mutual respect in separate interviews regarding the guest spot, so the possibility of Elton playing on the track was far more feasible than Jerry had originally thought.

For me, Alice In Chains is the unsung hero of the Grunge era of rock. Pearl Jam may be my favorite band, but the sound created by Alice In Chains with Layne and now while moving on is every bit as important to the legacy of that huge movement and to me personally and I can't wait to hear the album from beginning to end. I remember playing the CD of their MTV Unplugged show and my dad (who wasn't really a fan) ended up keeping it because he was so blown away by it. When it was released on DVD, I watched it for the first time in a dark room surrounded by candles and hardly blinked for the whole performance. The bottom line is that these guys aren't out to replace Layne Staley, they're a group of musicians who fought to save their struggling friend and by moving on they can celebrate the music they made with him, while creating new music for the people who want to listen. For the haters, imagine if AC/DC quit when Bon Scott died; enough said.

One last thought....
While I eagerly anticipate Pearl Jam's release "Backspacer" on September 20th, in addition to the new Alice In Chains record, I think "A Looking In View" should win the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards January 31, 2010.

**UPDATED**
After writing this post in anticipation for the release of the new album from Alice In Chains, I've had the chance to hear it all the way through. Along with "A Looking In View" and "Check My Brain", strong tracks include "Acid Bubble" and the first acoustic track "Your Decision". You can hear new vocalist Duvall shine on "Last Of My Kind" while he proves his worth without trying to be a Layne clone.

However, as great of a heavy rock album this is and as great of a job they did to capture the sound that everyone loves, it's the stunning title track that really grabs me. It's beautifully written and played and the tone is set from the beginning, as Jerry Cantrell says goodbye to their friend. Elton's piano provides the perfect background for Jerry's sweeping guitars and vocals; a very worthy tribute.

"Lay down, black gives way to blue....lay down, I'll remember you."

Breastfeeding For Toddlers?

2009-08-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

On my way to work this morning I heard my favorite morning show hosts discussing a new breastfeeding doll, which comes with a halter top that a toddler girl wears with flowers to represent where the doll would "latch on" even though there is no physical connection. The doll makes "sucking" noises as though the child were breastfeeding it.

The purpose of this doll, assumingly, is to help eliminate the "stigma" related to breastfeeding by most women. I'm guessing the designer felt that if we have young girls use this doll to pretend they are actually breastfeeding that later in life when they become mothers they'll think back to how easy it was with their doll. However, there are far more problems with the idea behind this doll than using children to promote breastfeeding.

First of all, teen pregnancy is a huge problem and it all starts with girls who are careless about becoming sexual but also girls who think they're ready to be mothers far too early. Promoting breastfeeding by having small children use this doll is not only inappropriate, but it requires something that is not always going to be built-in; parental supervision and interaction. A toy like this needs to come with the understanding that it is strictly for pretend and breastfeeding is something that adult mothers do to feed their baby. Toddlers are curious, their brains are growing rapidly and this doll could create inappropriate behavior between boy and girl toddlers.

Furthermore, there is a huge difference between this pretend breastfeeding with this doll and what mothers will go through when they choose to breastfeed their child. Some women do have an early objection to breastfeeding before they try and they would be the target audience for the idea behind this doll. However, if the nutritional benefits involved with breastfeeding are not good enough reason for a mother to try, no pretend doll could change their mind. Most nurses who promote and urge new mothers to breastfeed will even say that if you can at least do it for two weeks to get all of the good nutrients then it's better than not at all. The bottom line is that breastfeeding is something that an adult mother does, not a proper activity between a toddler and her doll.

DMB Press On With(out) GrooGrux King

2009-07-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Dave Matthews Band have released "Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King" on June 2, 2009, but the namesake of the album, saxophonist Leroi Moore, passed away as a result of injuries suffered after an ATV accident last June.

On August 19th, 2008, nearly two months after the actual accident, Leroi was not feeling well and was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The rest of the band honored Leroi at a Staples Center show that night, with Dave making an announcement after the first song "Bartender" finished, "Our good friend LeRoi Moore passed on and gave his ghost up today and we will miss him forever." Near the end of the show, he told a story about the first time he heard Leroi play. He said that Leroi had a bit to drink and he leaned against the cash register because "standing had become somewhat of a chore," and "he played the most beautiful version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" I ever heard in my whole life." Dave went on to say "that's the day that I fell in love with him, and I'm still in love with him, through the thick and the thin." The band stuck mainly to favorite tracks of Leroi's at their first show with out him. Leroi's final show with the band was on June 28th, just two days before the accident, and occurred in their home state of Virginia. The band released the performance as Live Trax Volume 14 and all proceeds from the sale of his album are being donated to Moore's favorite charities and organizations.

According to drummer Carter Beauford, the name GrooGrux was a made-up word used to describe the wild sound created by Leroi and himself, along with collaborators Tim Reynolds and Tim Wicks. The "Big Whiskey" comes from a New Orleans drunk who would play harmonica to earn money to buy a "big whiskey". One of Leroi's favorite cities was New Orleans, as revealed on the DVD documentary "Scenes From Big Whiskey" which is included in the deluxe package of the album, so the band made a point of spending time there to add that sound to the album. The documentary focuses on the recording of the album but also follows each member and their reaction to Leroi's passing, as well as how the band regrouped after tension formed in off-time.

While "Before These Crowded Streets" will probably always be my favorite album of theirs, "GrooGrux" is something that every DMB fan should own and is quite unique from previous releases. It's clearly evident when watching the documentary that all members are quite proud of this album, with Dave saying "if this is the last album I make, it's the only one I want people to hear". For the band and its fans, this album will hold sentimental value for including Leroi's final recordings but this album has far more to love than just nostalgia. The opening of the album is an opening called "Grux" which features Leroi tooling on the sax over Carter's rhythmic drums, leading directly into the lively and raucous "Shake Me Like A Monkey", a song that will have the fans on their feet and singing in their car. The vibe continues with the upbeat "Funny The Way It Is" and slows down for a track before picking up the pace again on "Why I Am", during which Dave sings "still here dancing with GrooGrux King". Other favorites include "Spaceman" with a heavy bass groove from Stefan Lessard and bluesy guitar fills from Tim Reynolds, the New Orleans bayou-laden sound on "Alligator Pie", and the stripped down sound of "My Baby Blue" featuring Dave's vocals over a single guitar which plays on the DVD as the band talks about Leroi.

It's hard to believe while listening to this album that any tension could have existed as the sound reveals collaborative celebration of musicianship with each member pouring themselves into each track, and Leroi's presence is scattered brilliantly throughout.

The King Of Pop: Unparalleled, Undisputed, Irreplacable

2009-06-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

"And when the groove is dead and gone
You know that love survives
So we can rock forever, on"
- Michael Jackson

In an infamously devastating week for the entertainment industry, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett passed away just two days apart. The world was still reeling from the news that Farrah Fawcett had passed away on June 25th when just hours later news came in of a third death; Michael Jackson, the King Of Pop, is dead at 50.

Michael was merely weeks away from the opening of the "This Is It" tour at London's O2 Arena, where rock legends Led Zeppelin reunited for a one-time show in December 2007. The tour would include 50 shows and was widely speculated to be his last. On June 25th, two days after a rehearsal at the Staples Center, he collapsed at a rented mansion in Los Angeles and after attempts at resuscitating him by his personal physician, and further unsuccessful attempts by paramedics en route to the hospital, he was pronounced dead at 2:25pm.

Recent interviews with Lisa Marie Presley reveal that during her short marriage to Michael, they had a conversation in which Michael shared an eerie insight to his fate. She said "He stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like Elvis, the way he did.'" This scene is all too familiar for Lisa Marie as her father, Elvis Presley, known as "The King", died at his home just one day before he was due to start his next tour. It reminded her of that long-ago talk she had with Jackson. "I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the cause of death and what may have led up to it," she wrote on her blog. "And the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears. "A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened."

I was at work when a friend came by my desk and said "did you hear that Michael Jackson died?" and my first thought was hoax because I just couldn't believe that we could have two celebrity deaths in the same day and a 3rd in the same week. The news online stated that he was in a coma but quickly changed to confirm that he had passed away. I guess it's strange to say that you're "shocked" at the fact that anyone has died but sometimes you just can't imagine a world without them. It seems that millions were not prepared for a world without Michael even though his image has been greatly damaged from the molestation charges against him from years ago.

My earliest memories of knowing about Michael Jackson was when I was 8 and my parents used to go to some friends' house to play poker, usually Saturday nights. I would hang out in their "living room" which, back in the 80's, was a room with furniture you never sat on and existed strictly for ornamental purposes. They had an old console TV and a portable VCR, and their son had the "Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller" on VHS. I watched it nearly every time I went to their house, and I was pretty young but was more fascinated than I ever was frightened. The video was presented in its long form at 14 minutes, following the making-of documentary. I also remember laying in my room in the dark listening to Vincent Price's rap in the middle of the Thriller song and that actually did scare me pretty good; I always made sure to have the curtains in my room closed. I remember my sister having a special LP version of Thriller with the album cover on the album itself.

In 1987, some of the biggest albums in rock history were released. Albums such as Def Leppard's "Hysteria" and Guns N Roses' debut "Appetite For Destruction", "Kick" by INXS, Midnight Oil's "Diesel and Dust" and U2's "The Joshua Tree" were dominating the radio. Michael released his "Bad" album during this time and even though I was in rock mode I still got the tape. It seems that Michael was paying attention to the music around him because songs like "Dirty Diana" and "Smooth Criminal" had a more aggressive sound leaning towards rock more than pop, and are two of my favorite tracks of his. "Diana" features a rock solo by Steve Stevens, and Michael occasionally teamed up with GnR guitarist Slash for live performances of the song. The video for "Criminal" features some of Jackson's best dance moves including the anti-gravity lean. Not all of the album was aggressive though, as his "Man In The Mirror" ballad included a heartbreaking video that focuses on starved children and poverty overseas. Jackson was honored for the stunning visual creativity that his videos captured when MTV renamed their Video Vanguard Award, which celebrated excellence in music videos, to include his name.

For his next album "Dangerous", Michael released a string of videos that were full of cameos from popular stars, ranging from Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson to Naomi Campbell and Macaulay Culkin. The video for "Black Or White" debuted on prime-time network television, which was a new strategy for releasing a music video. I think the Dangerous album is Jackson's most edgy, creative, and diverse in his entire catalog and it's my favorite of his for many reasons. I'm listening to the album right now as I write this, and it sounds like it could have been released yesterday. The "rock" tracks are fast and aggressive, the ballads are strong and the sound is all 100% signature Michael Jackson. I know many prefer the early disco sound on "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" and those are two of my very favorite songs of his but I think he really tapped into his deep creative genius on the Dangerous album.

After the Dangerous tour, scandal plagued Jackson in the form of a molestation trial and his image never really recovered from it. His trial, in my opinion, was a repeat of the O.J. Simpson trial. In both cases, they were found not guilty on all charges and acquitted, yet the public completely changed their opinion of both figures. O.J.'s impressive career in the NFL started coming into question and Michael's music and talent became overshadowed by speculation that he was indeed guilty of molestation. Various online forums were filled by people posting rude messages celebrating the passing of Michael Jackson all focused on the allegations that were brought against him years ago, in spite of his being found innocent.

No matter what anybody says or wants to believe about Michael Jackson, regardless of his medical or mental problems, he will always be the King Of Pop and his catalog is one of the greatest in the history of music. "Thriller" continues to be the best-selling album in the world and may never be surpassed. In retrospect, that is exactly the lofty goal that Michael hoped that this album would achieve when recording began. Michael Jackson is an artist whose talent and vision are the likes of which may never be seen again.

A Wii Bit Of Fun

2009-06-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

When I was 12 years old, my mom got me the original Nintendo game system and I still have it to this day. After being packed away I brought it back out recently and acquired all of my favorite games on Ebay, but once again it sits dormant. Along with the original Nintendo, I had a Sega Genesis which I loved a million times more but sold it during a moment of stupidity several years ago. When my wife Kacy and I got our first place together, we thought it would be fun to get a Playstation 2 so we did. We got a few games and played it once in a while but now only I use it to play Madden football games. A few months ago, the Genesis bug bit me again and bought one from a family that was selling theirs. Unfortunately it was so used I couldn't get it to work and returned it.

Fast forward to the past weekend when Kacy gets home from being out of town and I open the trunk of our car to find a Wii system with the Wii Active set, a generous gift from her aunt Kellie. Upon seeing the Wii Active box I told her "have fun with that", as I had no interest in it, not knowing that we got the system with the Wii Sports game which includes bowling, tennis, boxing, baseball, and golf. I got the Wii hooked up, and we were bowling in minutes, at which time I joked about calling in sick to work the next day. Last night, I played at least 6 games of bowling, one after the other; I just couldn't stop playing!

Years ago, I remember seeing simulations of virtual reality systems where you'd stand in a spot and move your arms and you'd be boxing in a game. The Wii is essentially a virtual reality system, in which you actually hold the game controller as you would a baseball bat, or golf club and go through the motions you would if you were actually playing the game. In bowling, you take the steps in the approach and swing your arm just as you would if you were at the alley. I remember my dad saying how amazed he was at the progress made in video games back when I had my Sega Genesis, comparing it to my Nintendo and my old Atari system. Even back when the Genesis was new, the difference was amazing and the colors were sharp and vivid and gameplay was impressive.

The Wii has completely changed video games and included a whole new demographic. Video game systems aren't just for kids anymore, adults can go bowling without leaving the house and people who wish to get in shape but can't afford pricey memberships can do so in their living room in privacy while having fun. I had to eat my words on this one for sure, and already have a long list of games I want to get for the Wii and can't wait for when Gavin is old enough to enjoy it with us.

Chickenfoot Puts The Foot Down

2009-06-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Chickenfoot released their self-titled debut album on Friday June 5th, 2009. It all started as a casual jam session between Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony in post-Van Halen bliss, and drummer Chad Smith during a hiatus from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They called up guitar legend Joe Satriani to join the fun, and this album is the culmination of the inspiring sessions.

Hagar, Anthony, and Satriani had previously united for what would have been Planet Us, a supergroup including Neal Schon and Dean Castronovo of Journey. The project was terminated when the Van Halen brothers invited Sammy and Michael to record new tracks for a beefed-up hits collection and tour in support of the release. Planet Us only made a few appearances and recorded only two tracks, "Vertigo" and "Peeping Through A Hole". Vertigo was considered for the first Spiderman film before being turned down by Sony for being too heavy. Both tracks were renamed and included on Hagar's "Cosmic Universal Fashion" album which came years later.

Leading up to the release of the album, which was originally slated for June 9th then moved to June 5th and dubbed "Foot Day" by the band, a preview of every track was available on Facebook in a series called "The 12 Days of Chickenfoot". In each installment, a new track was previewed after each member discussed their take on its sound and conception. The slow reveal process used by the band was genius, giving fans just enough to wet their appetite and keep the buzz strong.

The album opens with Satriani tooling around on the guitar, leading into opening track "Avenida Revolution" which was written about people crossing the border. It's a good track but for me it's the second track, "Soap On A Rope", that really opens things up and shows what these guys can do and I feel it would have made a better opener. The agenda is clear from the start: upbeat, fast, loud rock and it keeps its pace all the way through the first eight tracks, including "Oh Yeah!", "Sexy Little Thing" and "Down The Drain" which are my favorite tracks on the album. After the onslaught of steady rock, things slow down for "Learning To Fall" which Sammy considers the best love song he's ever written. The song is about learning to love again after being burned and it's a good track with a guitar solo that is signature Satriani. However, I think Sammy made far better ballads with Van Halen and with the kind of chemistry they have on the early tracks, a ballad seems out of place on this album. They bring the rock back with "Turnin' Left", which is made for the road and features fast chunky picking on the guitar with an aggressive vibe. They end the album with "Future In The Past", a track that starts as a ballad but gains speed quickly. It's the only track that features some funk influence from Smith's regular gig. In the song, the band claims to be "savin' the best for last" but that's hardly the case as most of the early tracks are the standouts.

This is truly a collaborative effort and each member's talents are put right out front on every track on this album. The vocal harmonies between Hagar and Anthony are stronger on this album than they were on any Van Halen album. Chad Smith may be known for the funk-laden rock he produces with Red Hot Chili Peppers but he is a hard rock drummer to the core and it shows in full force. Chad and Michael lay a solid foundation upon which Satriani unleashes his collaborative genius which has been hidden until now. As a solo instrumental artist, Joe has released an impressive catalog of perfectly layered music with very few vocal tracks that stands on its own. To hear him lend his style to a project like this will open many eyes. Unlike Roth, who failed to move on after Van Halen and hung on to every chance to revisit the past, Hagar has never stopped making music and at 61 he sounds better than ever. Sammy Hagar is the Energizer bunny of rock and shows no signs of slowing down.

It's an unfortunate pattern that most "supergroups" follow as they fizzle out after a couple of releases, Damn Yankees and Velvet Revolver being prime examples with two albums each. Audioslave gave us three albums although I think the middle one is a throwaway. Typically, these unions are formed as an escape when creative differences get in the way and some members need to do their own thing. I'm hoping that we'll get at least one more album from Chickenfoot, which Sammy has already alluded to. For now we have this great album to enjoy and with any luck we can see the guys when they "put the foot down" on tour. The current setlist is pretty exclusive to Chickenfoot material and a few covers including "Bad Motor Scooter" from Sammy's Montrose era. According to reports, the setlist may open up to include songs from each member's resume.

I give this album "nine on a ten scale" and it ranks among my top 3 favorite albums in the supergroup genre along with Audioslave's debut and the one album released by Temple Of The Dog, both groups featuring Soundgarden's Chris Cornell on vocals. Sammy once compared the strength of Chickenfoot's music to that of Led Zeppelin; until Zep reunites I think Chickenfoot is the next best thing.

What is the Montauk Monster?!

2009-05-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

My wife called me over to our computer the other night to show me pictures of this mysterious "monster" that supposedly washed ashore in New York. It's face is pointed like a bird, but it's body resembles a large hairless dog. In July of 2008, an article was written in The Independent, a local NY area publication, about the discovery of the creature by a woman and her three friends. An early speculation concluded that the creature was the mutated result of an experiment at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.

On August 1,2008, Jeff Corwin appeared on Fox News and claimed that upon close inspection of the photograph, he feels sure the monster is merely a raccoon or dog that has decomposed slightly. Darren Naish, a British paleontologist, agreed that if real, the creature was a raccoon. Naish says that "claims that the limb proportions of the Montauk carcass are unlike those of raccoons are not correct", and on his blog he furnishes an illustration of an intact raccoon corpse drawn over the corpse in the photograph.

Second sighting
In a May 14, 2009 article on Newsday.com, Nicky Papers, a culinary school student from West Islip who runs the www.montauk-monster.com blog blog, said a couple from Southold contacted him after they saw the body on the Founders Landing Park shore last Wednesday. He and a friend drove there and saw a three-foot long animal corpse with a pointy snout and hooves lying in the surf."It smelled horrible," Papers said. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before. I don't think the pictures do it justice." Papers said the couple shoved the carcass with a stick into a white garbage bag and took it away. They later told him they'd put the carcass on ice at an undisclosed Southold location, Papers said.

PHOTO GALLERY COMPARISON OF "NEW" MONSTER VS. ORIGINAL SIGHTING

I think that decomposition is the key role in the mystery of whatever this creature was before it died. It most closely resembles a dog, which has a snout, and the hair would fall away when the skin dies. I use Snopes.com for debunking the many rumors or hoaxes that travel around the Internet whenever I receive a forwarded message. However, they can neither confirm or deny it's origin or whether it's an actual creature or not.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Local Music

2009-05-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

On June 12th, Resolve To Burn will be playing at The Boardwalk in Orangevale, a venue they're no strangers to. I've known the singer Aaron for quite a while and I've followed his musical endeavors with great interest. A few recent lineup changes should bring an interesting new twist to their sound and their approach and I look forward to seeing a great show!

6/12/2009 8:00 PM at The Boardwalk - 100.5 The Zone Presents
Orangevale, 95662

Life: An Analytical Observation

2009-05-07T08:13:00.000-07:00

For every individual brought into the world, life starts with no purpose or meaning; just the knowledge that we're all perishable items and it will end just when you've made a name for yourself, a journey with no real destination. We are not allowed to choose our parents, and not allowed to make our own decisions until the age of 18 because that's what some old men in wigs decided hundreds of years ago. We're all here as the result of a couple or individual who decided to expand their family, or the aftermath of some irresponsible fun.

We're allowed a short period to grasp the concept of why we're here and what it all means when we're told we must go to school because knowledge is power and there is no future without it. After eighteen years of school, we're told that it wasn't enough and we have at least four more years of "higher education" before we can become a functioning member of society. During that time or shortly after, along with the pressures of living up to lofty expectations thrust upon us, we're supposed to find a "soulmate" because supposedly everyone has a counterpart. Yes, in a world filled with six billion people, growing at the rate of one person per second, we need to keep our eyes open for one person. Only a tailor who lives on a farm would find the irony in that scenario.

At some point during adolescence, we learn that privilege requires responsibility, so in order to be allowed to drive a car we need to take tests and acquire a license. The same process is required to catch a fish or fly a plane but nowhere along the line do you need to pass any tests to become a parent, which is why our planet grows at the rate I mentioned above. If that seems odd, don't worry it gets even better; if nature prevents you from having children of your own, you can adopt a child. That's when the paperwork and judgement comes into play because only when you decide to raise someone else's child are your abilities questioned beforehand.

Somewhere between adolescence and adulthood, we all reach a point where we make a conscious decision about the kind of person we want to be. This decision plays a key role in what kind of life we lead and how we affect those around us. This is not related to what we want to do with our life, our occupation or social standing. The kind of person you decide to be can impact everyone in the world so you really have to decide whether you want the impact to be favorable or not. For example, at some point I decided to take the "nice guy" route; perhaps it was even predetermined that I would end up that way but it's paid off greatly as I've actually been thanked for being who I am. Unfortunately, being allowed to make that kind of decision brings the opportunity for the kind of pain and suffering that exists in the world today. If only that were more like one of those things that we just accept like parents or rules.

When you follow the rules of society and achieve success, you'll be able to afford a nice family home in a desirable area ("desirable" open to interpretation). This is the path of least resistance, following a straight line from the graduation of high school to the steady completion of college and entering the workforce at a salary which is three or four times more than what minimum wage pays. Of course, if you decide to pave your own road and refuse to follow this formula you may not be entitled to the same level of success regardless of how hard you work. Inevitably, this means that once you've left the cliques of high school you will find that they never end and everyone fits into some "class" in society and are judged by that.

As I mentioned in the beginning, several years into your life when you can enjoy your position in the world, things are taken away from you. In may situations, it starts happening much earlier than that. The people you've collected as friends to help you through the rollercoaster ride, along with family members, leave you before you're able to truly appreciate them or communicate how much you do. You watch your children grow, hoping that you've done well, and watch them raise their own; then you have to leave. I suppose the world isn't big enough to keep everyone around forever, so what if you had a choice coming in?

As you read this, I can see into your mind and extract the very question you're asking, "what is all of this leading to?", and I'll graciously answer. The question is......"If Life were for sale, would you buy it"? If you were to read about this "product" called Life, would you subscribe to it? That idea hit me in the shower one day and more than a year later, I've finally been able to piece it all together in this forum. By now, most would say that this comes off like a rant from a bitter person, unloved and alone with nothing to show for their life. Perhaps, but it's really nothing more than an observation about the peculiar experience we all share as we rent space on Earth in an effort to make our mark on it.

Personally, I think it it very frustrating to know that someday I won't be able to look into my son's eyes or to hear a favorite song again, or enjoy a movie with my wife or a friend. Perhaps that comes with losing someone and feeling frustration for them for the things that they have lost. However, I find it more rewarding to think of how fortunate I am right now to be able to hear a favorite song, to play with my son and see my eyes in him, to enjoy time with my wife and my friends. That is what Life is to me, and to answer my own question, yes I would subscribe.

Another Sad Ending.....

2009-04-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

The body of 8-year old Sandra Cantu was found yesterday in a large piece of luggage that surfaced after an irrigation canal was drained, not far from where she was taken in Tracy, CA. I referred to this case in my earlier post "Crime And (Suitable) Punishment" as an example of the kind of tragedies that should trigger a nationwide policy against crime with very stiff punishment.

It's deeply saddening to know that people are capable of causing any harm to a child, let alone taking a life so early. What's even worse to think about is how these people walk among the crowds, just like anyone else. They are met with smiles and greetings as they pass by on the sidewalk, hiding the monster within. Like many others, I held on to foolish optimism as I followed the story hoping that she would turn up somewhere. In my gut, I somehow knew what was coming though, especially when the container turned up.

The only hope now in bringing justice to the family lies in the evidence collected on site. The investigation team took a lot of care to evaluate the area around the location of the bag, trying to piece together the events that led to its placement. I'm guessing that the killer wasn't expecting the bag to turn up so quickly, if at all, so perhaps some carelessness took place in handling it. It's not like real justice will ever come in a case like this anyhow, not even when the inmates carry out their own system on the inside. As strange as it is, inmates have their own "grading" system and they look down upon molesters and killers of children just like everyone else but they take it a step further with physical justice.

Being a father, I cannot imagine having my child ripped away only to be found later with the same gruesome ending. To randomly take a life is a cowardly act but to take the life of a child, to rob them of their future and life's opportunities, is not only cowardly but inhuman. Therefore, I don't think those convicted of such crimes deserve any rights because rights exist to protect humans, Americans. If you see my previous post, I outlined my version of a proper punishment system and maybe it's more foolish optimism on my part but I think we'd see tragedies like this happen a lot less if a system like mine were in place. For the sake of the family of Sandra Cantu, I truly hope that the person responsible for this is brought to the highest level of justice.

Pearl Jam Looks Back With Reissue

2009-04-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

My favorite band, Pearl Jam, has reissued their classic debut album "Ten" and opened the vault to include impressive extras such as their previously unreleased MTV Unplugged performance on DVD. There are four editions of this reissue package to choose from, depending on how much you want to spend and what kind of extras are most important to you.
The details of the reissue packages below are taken directly from the band's website:

Legacy Edition (2-disc set in mini-LP style slipcase):
Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: "Brother," "Just a Girl," "State of Love and Trust," "Breath and a Scream," "2,000 Mile Blues" and "Evil Little Goat"
Re-designed packaging

Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD specially designed hardbound package):
Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: "Brother," "Just a Girl," "State of Love and Trust," "Breath and a Scream," "2,000 Mile Blues" and "Evil Little Goat"
DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of "Oceans" with 5.1 surround sound audio remix

Vinyl Collection (2-LP set)
LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl
LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien

Super Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD, 4 LPs and replica cassette in linen-covered, slip-cased clamshell box):
Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: "Brother," "Just a Girl," "State of Love and Trust," "Breath and a Scream," "2,000 Mile Blues" and "Evil Little Goat"
DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of "Oceans" with 5.1 surround sound audio remix
LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl
LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien
LP 3 & 4: Drop in the Park – Live at Magnuson Park in Seattle on September 20, 1992 (audio mixed by Brendan O’Brien)
Cassette: replica of original "Momma-Son" Pearl Jam demo cassette featuring "Alive," "Once" and "Footsteps"
Package also includes an Eddie Vedder-style composition notebook filled with replica personal notes, images and mementos from the collections of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, a vellum envelope with replicated era-specific ephemera from Pearl Jam’s early work and a two-sided print commemorating the Drop in the Park concert.

Upon hearing the news of this reissue, I was both excited and nostalgic in equal parts. This band started just like any other, born in the early 90's from the Seattle scene that became known as the "Grunge" movement. They're the only band from the era to survive and they've done so by constantly evolving, with only a few changes in the lineup on the drums. What excited me most about the release of these packages was the inclusion of the Unplugged performance on DVD. I originally purchased "Ten" the day after watching Unplugged, and I remember the feeling I had upon seeing that performance as though it was yesterday.

I think the guys did a great job of considering what kind of extras their fans would want; the fans' demand for the Unplugged DVD is the primary reason for its inclusion. However, I was disappointed that the Super Deluxe Edition included the recordings on both vinyl and CD because I wanted all of the extra memorabilia but have no use for LP's. For that reason, I went with the Deluxe Edition for both versions of the album on CD and the Unplugged DVD. The replicated demo cassette is a huge piece of the band's history and the notebook with pictures and notes by members would be fun to explore while "Ten" plays, telling the story of the band. They would have been nice to have, but I'm enjoying this package very much.

I've listened to the remastered original album and the remixed version and the remixed version definitely highlights the raw energy of the band more than the polished original, although the differences are fairly subtle. Producer Brendan O'Brien had a lot of respect for the original so he was careful not to change the structure of any of the album but rather to enhance the sound in parts. I think he did a fine job and I'm glad he's on the mixing board for their next album of new material. Overall, this is a great gift for Pearl Jam fans and from what I understand they will reissue more of their albums but not with the kind of red carpet treatment that "Ten" got as this album deserves special attention. It will forever be a "Must Own" album for my collection, for good reason.

Crime And (Suitable) Punishment

2009-03-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

We live in a world where people steal children from their homes, a world where people rob and kill others for little more than the clothes on their back and a few dollars in their wallet, a world where people are dumb enough to think they can get away with such crimes or basically just don't care. What if the punishment for such crimes was so unimaginable that everyone would be literally terrified of breaking the law? If every prison/jail were run by Joseph M. Arpaio, known as "America's Toughest Sheriff," I think we'd see a huge drop in crime across the board. I'll share some of the details of his tactics later.

The local news where I live reported that a girl was last seen Friday after leaving a friend's house near Tracy, California. Kidnappings are almost as common as car theft these days, just go into the local WalMart and see the wall of missing children. Of course, this is not merely a rant against kidnapping and those who commit such an inhumane and unforgivable crime. I guess seeing another child's face on the screen and reports of possible abduction really got me fired up about making punishment across the board far less merciful. Upon watching the update this morning regarding the Tracy girl, my wife and I were talking about what kind of people commit such acts. She believes that anyone who would kidnap a child or commit any kind of sexual act with them or kill anyone has to be mentally ill.

My response, in speaking of harsher punishment, was "what if anyone who committed a specific crime received an automatic life sentence, had all assets sold off to help pay for their confinement, and their family became responsible financially for the emotional trauma of the victim and the family of the victim"? Of course, then I realized that even some of the most notorious criminals came from perfectly sane and law-abiding parents and that would not be fair justice. The next question is... "are killers and criminals born or made"? There are definitely different types of killers and criminals, like those who kill out of necessity and those who kill to satisfy an impulse. Regardless of the reason behind committing a crime that involves any level of harm to another person, there has to be some kind of screening that can be done during the teen years to "weed out" kids with questionable thoughts before they do any harm or grow into a dangerous person. I'm sure the first objection to a screening system would be "how would it be funded" which is really sad, or maybe some would feel it's damaging or intrusive. Possibly.....but what if a controlled group of students from schools all across the U.S., or even just in high crime areas, were monitored and screened and the results showed a drop in crime among people that age in that area?

Referring back to Arizona's Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, his approach to inmate treatment would be considered harsh and bordering on inhumane. If you ask me, anyone who is capable of murdering someone outside of true self-defense, or taking a child from their home either to hold them hostage or kill them, deserves to be treated in the most inhumane way possible. One of Joe's inmate facilities has been described as "a cockroach-infested hellhole" and "hell on Earth". Joe has made prison exactly what it should be, and that's the last place anyone would want to be; he makes everyone there very clear about what rights they have (or don't have). In 2007, Joe instituted an in-house radio station he calls KJOE. The radio station broadcasts classical music, opera, Frank Sinatra hits, patriotic music and educational programming. It operates from the basement of the county jail for five days a week, four hours each day. He set up "Tent City" as an extension of the Maricopa County Jail in an effort to tackle over-crowding without building a new jail. During the extreme temperatures in Phoenix, the tents have been recorded in temperatures up to 150 degrees. During the summer of 2003, complaining inmates were told by Arpaio "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and the soldiers are living in tents and they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your mouths."

Of course, there would be no real progress in society if people avoided committing crimes for no reason other than to avoid going to such a place. However, if it keeps children safe and rape and murder down, it doesn't really matter why it's not happening. Perhaps we could give those who commit any of the serious offenses a choice of life imprisonment at one of Joe's facilities or a lethal injection to save taxpayers' money. Of course, that would mean they still have rights and those should be lost upon conviction anyhow. The message overall is that we've failed at giving people sufficient motivation to avoid committing crimes and given inmates' rights undeservedly. Had Mr. Arpaio been appointed the Department of Justice chief long ago and given full control to assign punishment for all crimes I think millions of murder, rape and abduction victims just might be here today. Perhaps some day we'll stop protecting those who have taken lives and damaged the emotional health of others and make it clear that it's not only illegal but not tolerated.

My proposal for the future handling of a handful of crimes:

Murder (of any kind): life imprisonment in solitary confinement or lethal injection, decided by parent or spouse of victim, and liquidation of all assets to pay for incarceration or given to family of victim if offender is executed.

Rape (1st offense): minimum 25 years imprisonment, liquidation of all assets to pay for incarceration and emotional therapy for victim, mandatory registration as sex offender, regular monitoring and counseling to confirm rehabilitation from first offense. First offense refers only to rape of an adult, if offender commits rape on minor, 2nd offense charges automatically apply.

Rape (2nd offense): life imprisonment in solitary confinement

Abduction (not including any physical harm): minimum 25 years imprisonment, liquidation of all assets to pay for incarceration and emotional trauma suffered by family and abductee, regular monitoring and counseling to confirm rehabilitation from first offense.

Abduction (including sexual assault or other assault): minimum 50 years up to life imprisonment, liquidation of all assets to pay for incarceration and emotional trauma suffered by family and abductee, mandatory registration as sex offender, regular monitoring and counseling to confirm rehabilitation from first offense. In the event that sexual assault is repeated from prior Rape offense, solitary confinement is included in sentence.

Assault (shooting/stabbing/battery): minimum 25 years imprisonment, liquidation of all assets to pay for incarceration and medical bills of victim assuming survival. Mandatory anger management sessions and counseling. In the event of death of victim from injuries, refer to Murder charges.

Burglary: minimum 25 years imprisonment and liability to up to four times the amount of property damage and stolen property.

Now, just imagine if that were a nationwide policy against crime!!

Stand By Your Man

2009-03-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

Rush Limbaugh has recently voiced his disapproval of President Obama's policies loud and clear, going as far as saying that he wants our new president to fail. Personally, I have always found Mr. Limbaugh to be an annoying blob who spews nonsense in a desperate attempt to feel relevant. This latest attack on Obama, in my opinion, shows just how un-American he can be as he preaches to the invertebrates of America. Rush's rants have rarely gone unchallenged, as he's been verbally destroyed by Keith Olbermann as seen HERE, and probably many others.

Everyone who voted Bush into office, as well as those who voted to keep him around for a second term, were proven wrong; myself included. Of course, voting for Bush was hardly a vote for prosperity or hope; more like choosing least terrible candidate.

Barack Obama has been our 44th president for 66 days, and has been made to justify his actions as if he's the one responsible for the stumbling economy he willingly accepted as his challenge, along with many other difficult tasks he'll face. He literally carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and unless all Americans get behind him and allow him to do what he was voted into office to do, our economy and our future are at risk. Many claim that he's not upholding promises he made during his campaign, at least not to exact specifications. I find his answers and his actions completely appropriate considering the fact that he has to completely reverse 8 years worth of damage.

The barrage of questions he received at his last televised press conferences were primarily focused on the economy and his budget proposal. He responded to the negative reception of his plan by saying that that he's being criticized for his plan, yet no one came up with a better budget. In the film The 40 Year Old Virgin, Jay says to Andy "What has felt right for you doesn't work! You need to try some wrong, dawg." I think there is a direct similarity to the state of the world right now as we watch Obama take steps to bring the world back around to a Clinton-Era economy, which was very strong. People fear change but obviously what went on in the White House throughout the Bush administration did not work.

As I said before, just after Obama won the election, the best we can do to show our support as Americans is to give him a chance to turn things around. As for the Rush Limbaughs of the world, your rants are not only un-American but they're unwelcome and you should only spew your ignorance if you're willing to concede after you've removed your foot from your mouth.

Debt-Free, But Too Stoned To Notice

2009-02-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco has introduced a bill to legalize Marijuana for recreational use; a previous proposition made medicinal marijuana legal in 1996. Apparently Mr. Ammiano has been partaking if that's the best idea our local government can come up with as a solution to recovering from its massive debt. It's no surprise that the idea comes from a representative of the city known for heavy usage and high tolerance for it. Previously in 2006, Ammiano introduced similar legislation based on a measure passed by 64 percent of city voters back in 1978 that called for an end to marijuana arrests and prosecutions. "The public would be better off to stop wasting money arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning people for marijuana, and to start collecting tax money from them instead," said Dale Gieringer of NORML's California chapter (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).

The new proposal from Ammiano would regulate marijuana like alcohol, with people over 21 years old allowed to grow, buy, sell and possess cannabis (all of which is barred by federal law). According to an Obama transition team blog, the president "is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana". That basically means that any outcome from this new proposal will still be subject to Federal consideration. The idea is definitely facing its fair share of disapproval; a lobbyist for key police associations in the state called it "a bad idea whose time has not come." John Lovell, who represents the California Peace Officers' Association, California Police Chiefs Association and California Narcotic Officers' Association, said "The last thing our society needs is yet more legal intoxicants. We've got enough social problems now when people aren't in charge of all five of their senses."

However, Ammiano has the support of San Francisco Sheriff Michael Hennessey, and Betty Yee who chairs the state Board of Equalization which collects taxes in California. An analysis by the agency concluded the state would collect $1.3 billion a year from tax revenues and a $50-an-ounce levy on retail sales if marijuana were legal. The analysis also concluded that legalizing marijuana would drop its street value by 50 percent and increase consumption of the substance by 40 percent. A spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates for reform in marijuana laws and is backing Ammiano's proposal, said any expected increase in consumption is a "false notion."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
In what imaginary world would the increased accessibility to a popular, mind-numbing drug not increase the number of users and its consumption in general? The war on drugs has cost hundreds of billions of dollars over a long period of time, and now actual lawmakers are telling us to ignore decades worth of anti-drug campaigns as they roll over in order to make a profit. According to DrugSense.org, the U.S. federal government spent over $19 billion dollars in 2003 on the War on Drugs, at a rate of about $600 per second and another $30 billion was spent by state and local governments. More than 3 billion dollars (and counting) has been spent on the war on drugs so far this year. Personally, I feel that marijuana usage plays a huge role in every problem our society faces today. Many users are unmotivated, unable to hold steady employment, and careless about following the law (obvious being that recreational use is illegal). I have known people who have used on a regular basis, and some who cannot go a single day without it. Above The Influence provides detailed information about the effects of marijuana use and all risks involved, as well as many other drugs.

My main concern with the proposal of legalized marijuana is that many kids will have much easier access to the drug if anyone over 21 can purchase it legally. Drugs are basically a vehicle for irresponsibility, as the primary purpose of using is to fall under the blanket of a mind-numbing stupor. Just as alcohol impairs judgement and lowers inhibition, legal users will be much more likely to pass the habit on to underage friends. That means hard-working students, even in their early teens, will become increasingly approached by users who got drugs from older friends/family and now try to pass it around or pressure others to use. The notion that only those of age will be the ones using the drug is just as absurd as the idea of legalizing it, and an increase of consumption is not only likely, it's certain. I'm sure popular fast-food restaurants such as Taco Bell, and the makers of all snack food and frozen foods, would enjoy the huge boost in revenue as a result of legalization as "the munchies" take hold of its users. However, if people weren't spending their money to get high in the first place, they'd be doing their part to boost the economy or at least paying the bills they avoid so they can afford their next fix. I'd love to hear your opinion on this, whether in favor of legalization or opposed.

Chickenfoot & A Brief History of Supergroups

2009-02-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

Supergroup is the title given to a group of established musicians who form a band and collaborate on an album, or even a song. Typically, the projects last as long as 2 or 3 albums before the artists return to their previous situation but the music spawned by these collaborations is typically greater than the sum of its parts. Here are a few of the most well-known supergroups.

CHICKENFOOT
The newest group to follow this trend is Chickenfoot, a collaboration of Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony of Van Halen fame joined by drummer Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and guitar virtuoso Joe "Satch" Satriani. While their first project is not due out until April, my early prediction is that this album will be a huge success, perhaps the best rock album of the year. As a longtime Van Halen fan, mostly during Hagar's era, I've been very pleased to see Sammy and Michael remain bandmates and friends in the aftermath of rock's most notorious breakup. They tour together regularly and Michael has become an almost permanent fixture of Sammy's lineup. Cabo Wabo, the bar that Sammy purchased from Van Halen after the group opened it together in the late 80's, sees its share of guest performers during Sammy's birthday bash and New Year's Eve shows. Chad Smith is among the regular guests that come to jam with Sammy and his band, The Waboritas. While The Wabos remain Sammy's official band, he definitely enjoys collaborating with many artists like Smith, along with Kenny Chesney, Chad Kroeger of Nickelback and more.

Chad Smith is one hell of a drummer and a perfect fit for the energy of this group. The funk influence he brings from the Chili Peppers sound will add a new dimension to the guitar-driven rock that we're used to hearing from Sammy and Joe Satriani. Hearing Joe perform as part of a group will be an interesting transition to witness as he is known for guitar instrumentals. A short-lived supergroup which was an early form of Chickenfoot, known as Planet US, included Hagar and Anthony with Neal Schon and Deen Castronovo from Journey; Satriani was to be included in the Planet Us lineup after Slash declined the offer to join. Hagar previously worked with Schon on his solo albums and on the single album released by Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve, known as HSAS in 1984.

AUDIOSLAVE
Before Chickenfoot, there have been a number of noteworthy supergroups. The most recent example was Audioslave, which consisted of Rage Against The Machine with Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell in place of original member Zach De La Rocha. Audioslave recorded three albums, toured extensively, and made history as the first American rock band to play in Cuba. Their music boasted the typical ferocity of the RATM sound with a more melodic vocal approach provided by Cornell, in place of the rap-style delivery of De La Rocha. Their self-titled debut was brilliant from start to finish, followed by unworthy followup album "Out Of Exile". The band finished strong with "Revelations" before ending their relationship and Rage went on to reconcile with their original singer in time to headline the Coachella Music Festival for a one-time reunion.

VELVET REVOLVER
Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum of Guns N Roses formed Velvet Revolver in 2002 with singer Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots. They went on to record two albums and tour before Weiland's behavior led to his return to STP while the others continue looking for a new frontman.

TEMPLE OF THE DOG
Formed as a tribute to the late Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone, Temple Of The Dog joined key members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam for one album. Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron of Soundgarden, along with Mike McCready, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam recorded an album that epitomizes the Seattle sound that was dominating the radio at the time. The sound is very guitar-driven but incredibly melodic at the same time, mainly in part to the poetic delivery of singer Chris Cornell. Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder joined Cornell on the radio hit "Hunger Strike", but the album boasts a number of strong tracks, many of which received heavy rotation. This album is a must-have for any fan of Pearl Jam or Soundgarden, or any fan of good rock music.

COVERDALE/PAGE
Less of a supergroup and more of an incredibly dynamic duo, Coverdale/Page recorded one amazing album. Of course the duo was Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale. Coverdale's vocals were eerily similar to Robert Plant on the album and the guitar playing was some of Page's best blues-rock riffs. The album mixed electric and acoustic guitars with Coverdale's rustic and blues-laden vocals effortlessly and remains one of my favorite rock albums ever released.

DAMN YANKEES
Damn Yankees, one of my favorite supergroups, released their double-platinum selling self-titled debut in 1990. The group was formed by Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Tommy Shaw of Styx, along with Ted Nugent and drummer/painter Michael Cartellone. Their hit "High Enough", a rock ballad from the debut album, was Nugent's only #1 single to date despite a long and successful solo career leading up to joining Damn Yankees. The second album also went platinum with lead single and title track "Don't Tread" but the album mostly relied on ballads as the band departed from its bluesy guitar rock from the first release. They only recorded the two albums before Nugent revived his solo career leaving Shaw and Blades to record their own album later.

TRAVELING WILBURYS
The earliest example of a supergroup I can think of came in the form of the Traveling Wilburys, made up of Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and George Harrison. The collaboration was known as a "happy accident" starting with a meal between Roy Orbison, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne. The group came together at Bob Dylan's home studio to record a b-side for the single release of Harrison's "This Is Love". Tom Petty's involvement came by chance as Harrison had left his guitar at Petty's house. The band decided that the resulting song, "Handle With Care", was too good to be released as "single filler" and a full album was recorded and released in 1998 just before Orbison's death. The album, "Volume 1" was a surprise hit of the year, earning a Grammy for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group. A second album was recorded and released two years later, titled "Volume 3" as a joke by George Harrison and was the last album of new material released by the band.

For me, the most intriguing aspect of a supergroup is the chance to see performers collaborate with others and create music that they may have never thought to attempt before. The best supergroups utilize each member's key strengths to create true collaborations, and I think that is what we can expect from Chickenfoot. Sammy Hagar has likened the strength of their music to that of Led Zeppelin simply stating "it's that good" while Michael Anthony says that hearing Satriani play as part of a band and collaborating with the other members will amaze people. There is no telling if this will be a "one-off" project, meaning it will only generate one album before the members return to their solo career or band. To hear a sample of what to expect from the Chickenfoot album coming in April, visit their webpage at www.chickenfoot.us.

Confidence Pays......in Billion$

2009-02-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

While driving by the row of car dealers in my area, it's easy to see why automakers needed the multi-billion dollar bailout they received as their massive new car inventory sits in the rain; a sign of overzealous forecasting amidst a crashing economy.

The auto industry relies largely walk-in customers buying impulsively, but I don't see the necessity for dealerships to have every model they make, in every color, with every option package, all sitting on their lot. I suppose the automakers were either oblivious to the economic free fall which dominated headlines in every publication available, or ignored it completely. Reports have stated that CEO's and their excessive use of company perks are to blame. I'm bad with money too, but I've yet to receive money from taxpayers to resolve my shortcomings.

I've seen reports of automakers laying off employees by the thousands, while other companies close specific locations in an attempt to cut losses down. Perhaps if millions of dollars in new car inventory weren't sitting out in the rain, people would still have jobs, could still afford their mortgage and would still feel secure enough to do their part in boosting the economy and investing. Instead, the big shots of these car companies are taking vacations, using limousines to get from one place to another, and then getting it all paid for by YOU AND ME when the company's balance sheet dips into the red.

I remember a store called Consumers from my early years, where everything was bought from a catalog and you basically walked up to a counter and picked up your item. Of course if the automakers only built cars to fill orders, they'd never survive. However, if an inventory cap were placed on dealerships, automakers would not have such a surplus of cars sitting on the lot which would mean much less impact if sales stop or slow down at any point. As a result, companies could afford to keep their employees on being that they don't have years' worth of salaries invested in rows of cars sitting on the back lot of dealerships everywhere.

I'm no expert in economics, but this is a simple matter of supply vs. demand and the anyone who's been paying attention to the economy during Bush's last years could easily see that demand went down as the recession continues. Now that these car companies got their massive stimulus package AKA bailout, it's time they take responsibility for their mistakes and end the greedy ways of thinking that got them into their situation.

"Did someone just order a Victorian straight up?"

2009-01-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

According to many of the women on CafeMom, a social network for mothers similar to MySpace or Facebook, the oldest tradition of women serving their man is still very much alive. I've heard stories of women who feel it's nearly forbidden to call their husband at work, and a large number of these women feel that their husband's work is done when he arrives home from his job. In terms of finances, some have an allowance given to them and others feel guilty even asking for money.

My wife informed me this morning that I'm one of the only husbands of CafeMom who does dishes or any kind of housework. Part of me is shocked that there are women who still have the service mentality, but then I realize that it takes the combination of a woman raised into this kind of thinking being married to a man who demands or even allows it. I suppose if a couple had no children and the woman wanted to serve all of her husband's needs because he provided a lavish lifestyle, that would be her way of showing her appreciation. In my opinion, the old fashioned mentality of woman serving her man goes against the kind of independence and equality that huge numbers of women have fought for. I certainly don't think that is the kind of relationship to bring children into, as it would most likely lead to women with no goals or dreams of their own and men who expect the same kind of treatment.

This reminds me of "Mona Lisa Smile", in which Julia Roberts is teaching at an all-girl school only to learn that it's a finishing school and the intention of many of the girls is to become nothing more than a housewife. Television shows such as Wife Swap demonstrate this situation regularly, as husbands and their wives learn that the housewife/servant scenario is not common practice when the man who's used to being served is told that he's lazy and the man who is used to doing his fair share is told that his wife is the lazy one who should be taking care of him.

Personally, as a father and husband I feel that I have two roles and my work is certainly not done each day when I arrive home from work just because I generate a paycheck. If the women who actually feel that serving their husband and maintaining the housewife persona is right and makes them happy, then there's really nothing wrong with it. I just know that I'd feel guilty if my wife felt so unsupported at home that she wouldn't dare call me at work or ask for help because she felt it was her sole responsibility. It's unfortunate that there are men out there who allow their women to serve them in such ways, and those who demand it. Some call it emasculating when a man does "a woman's work" but we're not living in the Victorian age when women were expected to serve and basically had no rights. My wife does what she can throughout the day in terms of housework, when she's not caring for our son (which is a job all in itself) and I do what I can to help. She does not have to ask for money, in fact she carries around the only ATM card.

There really is no right or wrong household dynamic, but for the sake of progress and respecting that husband and wife are equals I think the servant attitude is really best left in the age in which it was last considered common practice.

Changing Of The Guards

2009-01-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

My eyes are filled with prideful tears as our new president is sworn in and now addresses the country for the first time as our leader. With each new inauguration, I am filled with a sense of hope and optimism, acknowledging of the history of the nation and how far we've come, but never as much as today. The significance of today's ceremony is monumental, not only for the change that we need and voted for, but for the historical value in welcoming the first African American in the highest office.

I hope all who are not ready to embrace our new president will open their minds and accept that we made the right decision when prosperity returns to America. While I cannot guarantee that President Obama will be the one to lead us in the right direction, I haven't felt that we had anyone in office who could achieve that task in a very long time.

Forgive me for possibly adding more value to this moment than it holds, but I feel that the gesture made in putting Barack Obama into office is a huge step forward in the battle against racism which to this day remains my most hated movement or way of living.

Forgive The Silence.....

2009-01-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

While the holidays are typically enjoyed as a time to relax and recharge the batteries for the next year, mine were filled with a mix of family tragedy and family drama which left me far too busy to sit down and provide you with any new material. I apologize for the "dead air" and I'm prepared to post far more often this year to make up for it.

Every year, resolutions are made and broken; usually in the same month. I've decided that my resolution will be to not need a resolution in order to achieve the goals I seek for myself and my family this year. First and foremost, buying our first home is heavy on our minds and, beyond that, finally achieving a healthy weight and maintaining it.

A personal goal of mine is to finally perch atop a stool behind a drum kit and see whether I've got what it takes or if I'll forever suffer the fate of playing air drums in my car knowing I couldn't hack it. I want to use this year to regain some of myself that's been lost over the years, for no reason other than me letting it slip away and turning my focus on my family. Perhaps some of who I used to be should stay in the past, but one key trait has stayed with me is my love of music and if I don't fully pursue my dream, I am not staying true to myself. A birthday gift from my sister was drum lessons from a local studio, at least enough to get me started. I've yet to get started and cash in on my gift and I feel like now is as good of a time as any. In my ultimate dream, I would become a studio musician working with local groups and then release my own solo CD. Fortune and fame are not what I seek, but rather the thrill of playing for any kind of crowd. OK, so a little fortune would be nice......

For now, I'll just enjoy watching our boy Gavin run around our place like a madman and see his personality change every day as it has, steadily. Whether there is a future in music for me or not, the present is quite enjoyable. For all of you, I hope this near year fulfills dreams and brings more happiness for everyone out there.

Join The Cause

2008-11-20T15:24:00.000-08:00

My mom was taken away shortly before her 57th birthday last year. She never got to meet my son, wasn't able to form a relationship with my wife, or meet her parents. Instead, she had to live hundreds of miles away in Oregon for the last few years of her life, living under a blanket of confusion because she was too young for most health coverage plans in California that provide care for Alzheimer's patients. The care I speak of is not treatment because to date there is still no treatment for the disease. The care I speak of is simply making her as comfortable as possible and keeping her from wandering off and getting lost, or trying to prevent the crippling seizures that most patients have to endure.

That is not an advertisement, that is the truth coming from me. I'm not writing this to gain sympathy or condolences from anyone, I'm doing it because I have a responsibility to do all I can to prevent this from happening to my friends and family and their friends and families. Please take a minute to visit the Alzheimer's Association website and learn how you can help send a message to our new president to focus more funding to research so we can find a way to prevent this from tearing families apart.

Obama victory

2008-11-12T10:37:00.001-08:00

(HQ) Barack Obama Victory Speech November 4, 2008 - The top video clips of the week are here

"Change Has Come To America"

2008-11-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

Whether the outcome of this year's presidential election reflected your vote or biggest fear realized, no one can ignore the sheer historical value it represents. Throughout the campaign, I heard questions like "why does it have to be about race?" and again while watching the crowds of African Americans celebrating with tears flowing from their eyes. This campaign was always going to be about race, from the first moment that our new president entered the race. Had Barack Obama lost the election, we probably would have seen an even greater divide among races than we still face today, even in the wake of this unparalleled display of acceptance. Accusations of racism would have spread nationwide, for there were many people who openly expressed their choice to vote for McCain simply for him being white; a clear indication of the level of ignorance involved with racism.

I was overcome with immense pride upon seeing the results unfold before me, seeing history being made and hoping that this gesture would mark the beginning of the end of racism. I realize that, just like terrorism, racism is something that may never go away completely. We can only hope that over time the collection of people who continue their ignorant views will become small enough to be entirely insignificant. Hearing Obama talk about an elderly black woman he met during his campaign really made me realize the impact of his victory. She is more than one hundred years old and recalls a time when looking a white person in the eye could be considered dangerous for her. She remembers the time when she was not allowed to vote, because she was a woman but furthermore because she was black. People like her can remind us of just how far we've come, along with the vision of Reverend Jesse Jackson standing in the crowd in Chicago with tears in his eyes, probably remembering the day that his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was shot down one floor above the parking lot where he stood.

Inexperience was widely documented as the main concern and a key factor in the decision to vote against Obama by many. I find that to be a ridiculous topic because no one has experience at running our country until they're in office. A long career in Congress may give you more political knowledge, but does not guarantee a more fit candidate for the most powerful seat in the nation, if not the world. Only time will tell, and no one can say what will happen or how long it will take, so the best thing we can do is to stand behind the clear decision to put Barack Obama in command for the next four years.

Be Heard......Vote!!

2008-11-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

There is no better way to let yourself be heard than to vote, and this year I feel that it is more important than ever. Our country has approached a fork in the road that leads to our future, and each direction represents a significantly different outcome based on the leader we choose today. Furthermore, I feel that it is important that we see people voting in record numbers this year so our next president knows that he was put into office because it was clearly what the consensus wanted. Four years ago, Bush's re-election victory over John Kerry prompted him to announce that he would let the results dictate the direction of the country for the next 4 years. At the time, I'm guessing he was just glad he was able to stay in office and didn't realize that he was simply the best choice we had among two poor candidates; the lesser of two evils as many say. I'm hoping that the results from this year's election show that there is a clear direction that the majority of voters want for this country and our next leader takes notice.

Unfortunately, I know that many will not vote at all or will vote against Barack Obama because he is an African American. That saddens and infuriates me simultaneously because America is supposed to be about opportunity and prosperity and none of that rings true when people are still living in the past. Anyone who knows me well can confirm that I hate racism and all who live as racists. I believe that if you hate someone based on nothing more than the color of their skin, or judge them by the actions of others, I have the right to hate you for nothing more than your ridiculous way of thinking. I also know that many will say that they're voting for Obama but will secretly vote for McCain because they don't want to admit their bigotry.

One vote which is highly sought after by candidates is the college vote which I've heard recently is difficult to obtain, as many college students do not vote because of how difficult it is when they're attending schools away from home. I find that a bit disturbing, being that a college student faces many obstacles throughout their academic years and considering the importance of having everyone vote who is able to. I don't believe that laziness is an acceptable excuse for removing yourself from a decision that affects everyone, especially if you plan to have an opinion about the results.

Few things in life bother me more than people who complain about a situation without taking action to stop it. On that note, I say that anyone who has a problem with the state of our country yet does not vote today loses all rights to comment about what happens next.

Protect Marriage.......from what?

2008-10-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

"Protect Marriage" is the message I see on many cars as I drive to work each day, displayed proudly by the sea of homophobes and stubborn, close-minded individuals whom I share the road with. No doubt the core of this issue is religious, while most will quote the bible in saying that marriage is defined as the union of man and woman. My problem with that way of thinking is that the bible is not the blueprint for life for many people. Furthermore, I find it cruel and offensive to fight something that has no real effect on those voting in favor but causes such frustration and sadness for the targets of this kind of discrimination. If a same sex couple gets married tomorrow, nobody is affected by it, at least not negatively. Who has the right to say who can and cannot legally be joined together as any man and wife are? NOBODY, that's who.

The tagline for Proposition 8 is "Restoring marriage and protecting California children". First of all, who says that the institution of marriage needs restoration? The need for restoration comes only when something is damaged and the divorce rate for California is the only sign that marriage is in trouble; gay unions are not to blame for that. The second part is infuriating to me, "protecting California children". What exactly are we protecting our children from, gay people walking the street hand in hand and blissfully wed? Homosexuality is not like the flu, it's not something you pick up if a gay rights parade marches by so there is really no need to "protect" our children from gay married couples. If you really want to protect your children, protect their rights because anyone can have a gay child and how would you feel if your vote meant that your own child could not be married to the one they love?

You might think that if I didn't have any gay friends I would not be so vocal about this; you'd be wrong. I'd like anyone who is thinking of voting in support of Prop 8 to think of how life would be if you couldn't marry the person you love because you were born "different". That's really what it comes down to, a "shift" that occurs sometime in the womb when your gender assigns itself mistakenly. By no fault is anyone born into homosexuality but society has decided to try and make life harder for them simply because their sexual preference is different.

I believe there is nothing more pathetic, useless, and ignorant than the movement to support Proposition 8.

Don't Vote........

2008-10-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

....Unless you care about a future, and not just your future.

**Pause the music player at the bottom of the page before starting the video.**

Never Forget, 7 Years Later

2008-09-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's been 7 years since the day I woke up to the sound of my uncle on the answering machine telling me to turn on the TV. I was going to Heald at the time, living up at my dad's house and he was out of town for work. I came downstairs and turned on the TV and stood in shock watching as flames engulfed one of the towers and a plane hit the other. As many times as they replayed footage of the plane hitting the tower, I just couldn't believe it really happened. Beyond that, if I were to believe that what I was seeing was real, I couldn't understand why.

The instructors at Heald just let us deal with that was going on and mostly we just watched the news for the next few days. That whole week was pretty much a blur as everyone went on with their lives, but now under a daze of disbelief and sorrow for what had happened. What I do remember, and will never forget, was just how unified everyone became in the wake of one of the worst tragedies in U.S. history, almost as an act of defiance to show that we stand together no matter what happens. I really wish the unity that was displayed in the fallout of 9/11 had become the template for society to follow where people are courteous, helpful and respectful of all others, not just in difficult times. It may sound like a fool's dream, but I refuse to accept that all people cannot get along if everyone makes the effort. Unfortunately, ignorance will forever be the fuel that lights the flames of separation that start with religious and racial differences.

Regardless of the differences that separate us all, we collectively owe it to our fallen heroes and troops overseas to pay respect and give thanks for the sacrifices they've made to protect us. As a father, I think about the children born after 9/11 who never met their mother or father because they were either lost in the attacks on the World Trade Center, on the planes that crashed, or killed in combat in Iraq. The war in Iraq has claimed more than 3,000 American troops, in combat alone, who went overseas to serve their country and protect us so please take a moment and remember them. Furthermore, as much as I'd like to see our troops home and safe I think it would be a huge dishonor to those who died to simply pull out and not let us finish what we started, or at least continue the fight. I used to think that our fallen troops will have died in vain if we simply pull out of Iraq without finishing the job, but then I realized that if they fought for something they believed in and served their country, that could never be the case.

All we can do is to make sure that every single person who has died as a result of 9/11 is remembered and that everyone does their part to be a better citizen of the planet, because the best way to honor the lost ones is to fulfill the dream that they died trying to accomplish.

Chris Rock: One Funny Motherf***er

2008-09-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night of Labor Day weekend this year, I joined my dad in Vegas for a Teppan Yaki dinner at Caesar's Palace followed by the comic arsenal of Chris Rock.

I've admired Chris' expletive-laced humor for many years, but not for its vulgar content. When I first saw his HBO special "Bigger and Blacker", I realized that Chris has got his finger planted firmly on the pulse of America and seamlessly translates the current state of union into side-splitting humor. From his stance on the OJ trial to his famous "civil war among black people" and the current candidate race for presidency, Chris Rock delivers his spin, taking the mundane nature of any topic and unleashes its comic value upon his audience.

Let's face it, if all you want to hear is bad language without really saying much, go see Andrew "Dice" Clay's act. I used to love Dice but then when I heard Chris Rock, who actually has something to say still delivering the language I found funny from Dice, I changed sides. My generation has seen some of the worlds' greatest comics in their prime, who have now passed on. Of course, the immediate example that comes to mind is George Carlin. George's rant-style comedy was so accurate and angry in its delivery at times that he appeared to know something about everything, and know how to fix what was wrong with it. I think Chris Rock is the best comic out right now, the new Carlin for my generation.

"Comic Genius" is not a title that is appointed randomly, but I think it's one that Chris has earned over time. Of course, this kind of genius is much different that that of the collective group of scientists that sent us to the moon, but it takes a kind of genius to use the events of the world and show us all the humor that lingers beyond the surface. Hats off to you, Chris Rock, for keeping us all smiling and being the anti-depressant for the world.

Baby Mama Drama: The Future of the USA?

2008-09-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

Upon reading a blog from my friend Pamm, author of "Adventures in Fairbanks, Alaska", I feel it necessary to address my state of mind regarding the presidential race which will decide the fate of our nation indefinitely.

While I have nothing against Sarah Palin personally, aside from the fact that she's introduced baby mama drama to politics, I do feel that McCain's choosing of Palin as his running mate was a publicity stunt. On the other side, I've heard Obama's running mate Joe Biden referred to as a "safe pick" by more than one person. I have to disagree because I know for fact that there were very strategic reasons that led to Obama's choice to pick Biden, primarily his experience with foreign policy.

Among the many points of inexperience which plagues both candidates, one main concern is the lack of experience that Sarah Palin has with Economics, being that Alaska's budget has not recently, if ever, been in need of repair. The residents of Alaska receive large amounts of money every year, a direct reflection of the strength of the state's economy. If you completely ignore the her shortcomings in terms of what she can accomplish in office, how about the huge dose of irony and hypocracy involved in Palin's stance on abstinence while she has a pregnant teenage daughter at home? If Sarah's message isn't being heard by her own family, how will she get her point across to an entire nation?

I will admit, in all humility and honesty, that I have been in favor of Obama since day one but that does not mean I represent a biased vote. I'm all about progression, so this election is the ultimate springboard for that ideal being that Obama will be the first African American to take office, unless McCain wins and Palin will become the first female to take office in the event of McCain's passing during his term which is a near certainty.

What I expect from this change of leaders is a different approach to politics all around from whomever takes office. I want to see a government that actually serves its people and listens to their demands, without allowing kickbacks and corrupt funding to be the steering wheel for the direction our country will take. Being that McCain has supported nearly every decision made by President Bush, I can't imagine we'll see anything different than we have for the last 8 years. I see everyone bashing President Bush left and right, when nearly everyone voted for him (maybe not against Gore, but certainly against Kerry). Bush was the lesser of two evils for both terms, but I don't believe the other candidates could have done any better given the circumstances. The only thing that I fault our president for is focusing far too much on a foreign country than the one he was elected to serve, and our economy has suffered greatly as a result of the hundreds of billions of dollars that we've sent overseas.

I do hope that McCain and Obama respect the troops overseas and the families of those who were lost in this war against terrorism by allowing them to continue the fight. Perhaps we can find a way to put more balance between the focus on the war in Iraq and the battle to revive the most powerful nation in the world.

For Mom

2008-08-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's been one year since I got the phone call, the one that I knew was coming but had no intention of accepting until I heard the words from my sister; Mom died. It was early in the morning on this day one year ago when I was told that my mom's battle with Alzheimer's Disease ended, as my wife held our 2-month old son Gavin, and I started dealing with the pain I've felt every day since then. I remember being strong for the first few minutes until my dad called and just hearing his voice forced all of my emotions out and it took everything I had just to answer his questions. Trying to speak at her funeral service proved harder than I imagined, and once again my emotions took my voice. I've yet to reach the point when I can think about her without shedding tears, mainly out of frustration but also out of sadness that she never got to meet my son, her third grandson. Underneath the tears is a great deal of pride and great memories and I am happy when I think about her, but also very sad to think of how hard it was for her in the early stages to deal with knowing what she was facing.

At the age of 56, Mom should have been close to retirement, or working very limited hours just to keep busy, and enjoying visits with my son and my nephews. As much as it saddens me, it also angers me just how cruel life can be sometimes. I've had to watch two very important people in my life and my father's life get ripped away from us in similar fashion. Charlie Kraus, a very dear family friend and practically a second father to my dad, passed away from the effects of Lou Gehrig Disease and his son Randy has struggled with Parkinson's for several years now. I can't imagine a more painful or frustrating end to life than to have your body or mind taken from you well before nature should be taking its course. In my mom's case, I think her problems started much earlier than we all were aware of but simply forgetting things once in a while is so common in everyone that the warning signs didn't appear to be cause for concern.

Mom will forever be remembered for her laughter, her kindness, and her generosity, and also for her courage and ability to keep smiling and laughing despite living under the blanket of confusion that Alzheimer's causes. It's so hard to believe that a year has gone by already, until I think of how much Gavin has grown and how fast the time goes when you have a child. After considering that, it all makes sense but still seems hard to swallow. I'm not a very spiritual or religious person, and only been to church for weddings aside from a few visits with my wife and her parents. However, I fail to accept that she is just gone and I try to envision her being able to see me and my family doing well and seeing my Papouli who she missed dearly, and I never got to meet although I wear his ring proudly. I've seen her in dreams since she left and I don't know if that was just her way of letting me know she's OK but whatever the reason I look forward to her next visit. I love you, Mom.