IPWology

V-Day

2012-02-16T08:22:00.001-08:00

So for St. Valentine's Day I cooked Fishie and myself cajun shrimp pasta in alfredo sauce with tomatoes and basil. Then we went and meet our friend JP at pub quiz. We come in second and won $5.75. It might not be the most "romantic" valentine day, but I felt it was a nice one.

Best of Jackson Party 2012

2012-02-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

So, Back on the 29th of January, Mary a.k.a. Fishie and I got cleaned up and went to a party. The Best of Jackson party to be exact. We got in because I got good showing as Best/Worst Curmudgeon in Jackson. What I can I say, my crankiness proceeds me.
Still a fun time was had by all. We got to see alot of people, eat alot of good/free food and drink alot(probably to much). Sadly (or maybe not) this maybe the only photographic evidence that Fishie and I were there.

Fishie accepted the award for our favorite bar, Fenians

This is a photo of me getting ready. I have to get approval from Fishie before we go out. So I phote and email my look to her.

More Pictures & Videos from the Party at:
JFP Gallery
Scene Around Jackson as run by Sexy Black Man Pat
Best of Jackson (FOX40)
Best of Jackson (WLBT)

Space Gorilla Wolf MuthaFucker

2012-02-03T09:51:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen it, check out Attack The Block!

Help Get The Goon Made!

2012-01-31T06:02:00.000-08:00

Eric Powell'sThe Goon is by far my favoirte comic book being made today. Everyone I have shown it to, has become a fan because of its warped humor, fun violence, and social commentary.
Now BLUR studios and David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Girl with the Dragon Tatoo) want to make it into a movie. But nobody in Hollyweird is listening to them. Sign the petition to to help show support for my favorite book.

Best of Jackson 2012

2012-01-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

I got good showing in The Jackson Free Press-Best of Jackson 2012 for Best Curmudgeon! I just want to thank all the people and things that annoy me. That would be women, men, kids, old people, blacks, whites, asians, latinos, gay people, straight people, smart people, dumb people, living people, dead people, cats, other peoples dogs, cars, trains, planes, trees, grass, cheese, vegetable, hot days, cold nights, etc, etc, &
Darn-Phooey on you kids for not voting me best curmudgeon in Jackson!
You just voted for Bert Case cause he is on the Tell-E-Vision.
Who the hell is Chris Jones anyway?
Kenneth Stokes....okay you got me there.....

5 Musical Acts You Should Know About in 2012

2012-01-13T12:19:00.000-08:00

The Alabama Shakes rock, plan and simple. Southern rock with a awesome Memphis soul twist.

You will want to compare Boom Chick to The White Stripes and that is not total unjustified. A male guitar playing lead and a female drummer, playing a fuzzy blues rock. Still,there is just an unmeasurable difference in the sounds of the two. This New York duo, just bring a bit of a psychedelic twist to some Bo Diddly blues riffs. They are currently selling a 7' purple vinyl via their bandcamp page. Give Frank & Moselle a try!

Dr. Dog reminds me of an early Flaming Lips with more of a Fuz-Rock/60s Frat Rock/Folk feel. If you understand what I mean, good for you, because I got no idea(?). Still they have a good sound and are definitely a band to watch this year. Their new album Be the Void will be out Feb. 7, 2012

Chiddy Bang are a hip hop group that I have only just started to listen to. But they have a fun, smart style that I thing is missing from most of the Hip Hop community today. They release their first studio album, Breakfest, on Feb. 28, 2012

If you are a fan of Flogging Molly, The Dropkick Murphies, Gogol Bordello, or the Zydepunks, you should do yourself a favor and try to catch a Whiskey of the Damned show. They are out of tour and might be hitting a Pub/Bar/Club near you.They combine a fun and funny vibe with hard Irish Folk Punk.

Just Some Suggestions....

2011-12-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

Advice is like shit. Everyone has it and it stinking.
But here are a few suggestion I have learn about life. And I learned them the hard way, by living them.

Balances: Most thing in life can be boiled down to a balance of time verse resource. We do it ever day and we don't even realize it. Individuals do it. Families do it. Governments do it. You balance your need to work verse your time spent with family and friends. Balancing your personal needs verse those of your family and/or community. Governments balance the need of their citizens with the resources to serve them.

Be a Whole Person First: I hate the saying "Soul Mate" or two parts of the same soul or one soul in two bodies. It always sounds like half of your soul is missing and that makes you half a person. You should be a happy, whole person first. Don't depend on someone else to make you happy and complete. You will attract complete and whole people to you because you a happy and complete. This will lead to a higher standard of people around you that will lead to higher quality of relationships in your life.
Simply put .5 + .5 = 1 verse 1 + 1 = 2

It's Just Stuff: Mississippi Singer/Song Writer Cary Hudson wrote of song a few days after Hurricane Katrina call "Just Stuff". After that disaster, people learn what was TRULY important to them. You don't need Cars, Big Houses, Cash, Gold or Diamonds to be happy and define who you are. Car are just a way to get from point A to point B. Cash is just paper. Gold is just a metal and Diamonds are just rocks. Those things only have value because people give them value. It is nice to have a new this or a classic that, but don't measure your worth by those thinks. Because stuff can be stolen or sometimes it just might blow away.

If you are bored, it is because you are boring: If you are bored, it is because you are not interesting enough to find something to do. It doesn't matter if you live in Elk City, OK; Detroit Lake, MN; Denver, CO; N.O.L.A.; or N.Y.C. If you are can't find something the do, the problem is not the place but the people that live there. Stop waiting for other people to make your community or "scene" better, Do It Yourself. Your town doesn't have a club, Open one. Bands you like don't play in your town, Start one. Want to bring regional or nation acts to your area, support your local one. Stop complaining and start doing something about it. You will find that you won't be bored anymore, even if you fail....which leads us to....

Leap before you look: It can be scary and that is okay. But sometimes you just got to stop wondering or worrying and DO IT! It is always best to know what you are jumping into, but you will never have all the facts. The problem with this is knowing when to jump in and when to not jump in. Sorry, can't help you with that, but the rewards for success always out weight the fear of failure.

So, what are you doing with the last year of your life

2011-12-20T07:27:00.000-08:00

So, in some peoples theory we have only one more year to live.
According to the Mayan calender the world will end on December 21, 2011.
I am the first to acknowledge that the world is a pretty fucked up place, right now.
We have massive natural & ecological disasters; Social upheaval and political revolution all around the world; and the continued rise of virus and disease that could and maybe should wipe out the human population. There are those that will say Obama administration is that start of the Anti-Christ (to which I point and laugh, BWAHAHAHA).

Basically people are freaking out over the end of the world because of the shitty state of our world. Well I hate to say it, but we only have ourselves to blame for the state of the world. Anyway, worrying about the end of the world is kinda useless.

If it is truly the biblical end of the world then is nothing you can do to stop it. Just live the best life you can and make peace with our God. If you don't believe it is an Apocalypse of biblical proportions, first you should look up what that word really means, and then just be prepared (See my Zombie Apocalypse post for example). That would just be the fall of human civilization.

Whatever your belief about 12/21/2012, I pose you this question. If you had only one year of life left, what would you do? Would you strive to do better, to make the world the best possible place you could? Or would you go out and do whatever you wanted, to make yourself happy because you know there will be little consequence for your actions?

The Official Countdown

So, what are you doing for the Zombie Apocalypse

2011-12-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

Soooo, if you have been watching The Walking Dead, & if you haven't you should be, it is almost inevitable to to start thinking or talking about what you would do during the robot vampire zombie Nazi apocalypse (If nothing else, its a fun mental exercise).
So I thought I would share with you (the almost no one how reads this) what my plan is.

First, be prepared!
1. Exercise. The first rule in Zombieland was cardio for a reason.
2. Be prepared to move.
3. Travel light and know where you are going.
4. Groups are good, but only if everyone is of a similar mindset and manageable size.
5. Have strong, tear resistant clothing that cover a lot of your body. A good pair of running shoes(see #1) for open spaces, road ways, fields, anywhere with a long line of sight; and a good set of heavy boots for close quarter stuff like woods and cities. You never know when you will have to kick a zombie.

Weapons, my set of post-zombie apocalypse weapons would be.
1. .38 pistol, for close quarter head shot (Remember to always aim for the head!)
2. Steyr TMP sub machine gun pistol. For more crowd control/large groups. Again always aim for the head.
3. Precision-rifle with scope for long range head shots
4. As many bullets for above guns that I can fit in a backpack.
5. A throwing knife
6. A hunting knife
7. A sword or ax, cause they don't run out of bullets
8. Sharping stone for edged weapons

Misc. Equipment:
1. Sub zero sleeping bag and tent
2. Matches and a magnifying glass for starting fires
3. Water purifying tablets

My plan:
Steal a big truck with a 60+ gallon tank and get to the coast. Then steal one of those large sailboats and put out to sea. Zombie lore is pretty unclear about zombies reaction to water. They can either float or walk on the bottom (They don't breath), but can't really swim. From the boat, I can make raids on coastal towns for supplies and I can always fish while I am out to sea. I might be able to find a small island with no zombies and do some farming. Hopefully I would have a group or can find other survivors, to start a colony on these island. At this point it should just be a matter of waiting for the zombies to die off. They are still dead bodies, they should rot away in a after a few months after the outbreak.

For more helpful hints and suggestion go to the CDC zombie page, link in the title, and yes it is a real CDC page. There are also many, website, book, and films to give you ideas...like this one

Time vs Money

2011-12-13T08:41:00.001-08:00

Is it better to have a job that you make a lot of money, but are working more hours & are stressed out. Or to work a job for less pay but have more free time & have less stress? While I like my current job okay, it isn't a dream career or anything.
In my current job I have regular hours, little stress, but I do it for very little pay.
I have been contacted with a opportunity to take a job back in the restaurant business for double what I make now. The problem with restaurant jobs is they are mainly night and weekend work. Plus it is a job on your feet 8 to 10 hours a day.
But, I am losing money to working at my current job. I am so broke most of the time that when I do have free time I can't afford to do anything. Or I worry about how I will pay my bills.
So I am back to my question, my free time verse financial security?
I don't lead a exciting life. I don't need ALOT of money, but I do want to buy a house and don't want to freak out everytime an unexpected bill shows up.
I don't know......

The New Black Friday Rule

2011-11-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

Have I got a Black Friday Deal for you! You don't have to wait in line all night to save a few dollars. Want to hear this deal? STAY HOME! Enjoy the time off. Sleep late and cuddle with you spouse. Get down on the floor and play with your kids. Take the whole family for a morning walk and then cook breakfast together. Talk to your grandparents, you will miss them when they are gone, or even scarier talk to your parents. Don't waste your time and money fighting to save a few dollars on things you don't really need. If you needed them you probably would already have them. RELAX and ENJOY the holiday

Save the Internet!

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

Hopefully this will be the last political thing I write for awhile, but if you don't stand up and protect your rights, "They" will try to take them from you.

I want creative people to be paid for their work. I do. Just not at the expense of my freedom of speech. I think the Internet has become a huge tool in the area of human expression. To give the government the ability to shut down or edit websites for "fear" that some one, some where, might see a movie or hear a song for free is insane. This bill is so vague in its wording that it will give 1984ish powers to the government to control the flow of information on the Internet. And that is what these seems like to me, an attempt to legalize the control of information on the World Wide Web. If you don't want the government to have control over what you do with your body, why would to trust them to have control over what you know with your mind.
Contact your Congress Person & your Senator and tell them no to S.O.P.A and the Protect IP act.

Dragon Age: Redemption

2011-11-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

I'm not a gamer. But I respect the creativity that goes into video games. Now video games are inspiring people to create shows. Street Fighter has a short fan film called Legacy, that is better than either movie based on the game. Mortal Kombat has a short series, also called Legacy, that is pretty freak'n cool. Then there is mind bending awesomeness of the Portal short that came out a few months ago. Now Dragons Age has a prequel to their new game. This series was written, produced, and stars the uber geek goddess, Felicia Day!

The End of an Era...Or the beginning of a Revolution...

2011-11-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

So early this morning, NYPD evicted the Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park. They said it was health and safety reason. This effectively ends the two month protest that started there and then spread across the country, then the world.The fact that cities are now working together to oppose the Occupy Movement, seems to legitimise the movement. Like the old saying goes, "judge a man by the quality of his enemies." By no means do I think that this eviction will last, but it is good moment to reflect on the Occupy/99% movement so far.

I got mixed feeling about the whole Occupy movement.

I applaud the sheer number of people who stood up and said The System is broken. Because it is. The Rich are getting Richer and the Poor are getting Poorer. And for the first time in 400 years the middle class is shrinking.

Why are giant companies and institutions getting bailed out with our money? Why do these mega-corps that make Billions in profit not have to pay taxes? Have these huge companies just bought off our government? How does a company like BP still make billions in profit after destroying the ecology of an entire region? I know these are complex issues that don't have a simple answer. But they are questions that need to be asked. More importantly, they are question that need to be addressed by our political official. Because, at least in theory, they represent us the people. And the people are angry. That should scary the shit of the 1%, including most of our politicians. Because when the number of the poor and hungry become to great, the poor and hungry will start to eat the rich.

Still the 99% movement has problems. The movement doesn't have a goal or any type of organization. It is just people, alot of people, scream that the system is broken. They don't seem to have anything better to replace it. Criticism is easy, getting out there and creating a replacement is going to be the real work. Do they want to convert to Communism? Socialism? Darwinism? To have total debt forgiveness or set the credit ratings back to 0? Currently, they are like a man watching his house burn down. Instead of picking up a shovel or hose to fight it, they are just talking about the fire. It is all very passive for a political movement, which is probably why politicians in Washington DC treat it like a joke.

Still we live in the information age. If all these people across the world could be pulled together, including the revolutions that are taking place in the Middle East, I think alot of change could get made. We all want a better world, so let try to make it! That leave the question of, How and into What???

Bit of a Nerd Moment or two.......

2011-11-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

Sorry, thought this was pretty cool. All of this was fan made, and it will help if you know some DW history.

Dalek Tales: Eps 1

Dalek Tales: Eps 2

Dalek Tales will be continued....or so they say

Dr. Who Anima

Again everything here is fan made and not by me. But is fun to watch!

No. 26

2011-11-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

I don't like to write about Politic to much, but this legitimately scares me.

If you don't know what Amendment/Constitutional Initiative #26, it state:

Initiative #26 would amend the Mississippi Constitution to define the word “person” or “persons”, as those terms are used in Article III of the state constitution, to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof.

Now, just for the record, I must state that I am against abortion as a form of birth control. But, one of the most important things to me, are my rights and freedoms. I can't stand by while any social, religious, or governmental body dictates to me what I can or can't do with my body. That probably sounds strange coming from a guy, but to limit my choices and/or my doctors choices is just stupid. That is why it is call "pro-choice" and not "pro-abortion".

While this law might be meant as an anti-abortion law, it isn't. As I read it, anything that would hurt a fetus would be criminal. That is one of the BIG problems with this law. It is vague and open for interpretation. Birth control pills, life saving surgeries, fertilization practices could become a crime or at least open to criminal investigation. A miscarriage might be seen as murder and the law also make no provision for the welfare of the mother.

There is also a serious flaw in the logic of the conservative right that is backing this law. This will not end abortion. Abortion did not magicial appear because of Roe vs Wade. Records of abortion go back at least as far as ancient Greece. All the end of medical abortions will do is drive it underground. The rise of unsafe and unsanitary abortion practices will take their place. Everything from wire hangs into the uterus, to needles full of salt water directly to the fetus have been used in the past. They will be used again. This will not only endanger the fetus but the mother as well.

Another factor, and this one just pisses my off, is Personhood USA isn't from Mississippi. They are from Colorado. Where this law was defeated twice. So they moved the fight here. Why? We are last in education & health care, but lead the nation in poverty, teen pregnancy & infant mortality. We are also a highly conservative state with a large religious base. They came here because they think we are uneducated religious fanatics. Except many religious (Catholics, Episcopalians) and conservative group (Like the State Republican Governor) have come out against this law, as has every major medical group. But there is a very real chance this could pass.

That lead to my next problem, Who will care for all these new children? Conservatives in general are for smaller government. Yet, the passage of this law will see the need to double or triple the size of social services in Mississippi. Who will pay for all of this? You and Me. The tax payers of this state. I wish that everyone who votes Yes on this, became legally responsible for taking in and raising all the new children. I think they might be less inclined to vote for it, if they had to be held directly accountable for it.

So, if the newly fertilized eggs are now people, do they count on the census? Can we included them on our taxes? Would we grant citizenship to a fetus, if born from illegal immigrant parents? Will it effect the tax base? Will people want to move to or stay in a state that limits their health options?

There are to many, "ifs", "maybes" and "could bes" in this law. It is any attempt to legislate morality, based on small, narrow minded, but vocal group. Historical speaking that has always turned out well *cough* Nazi Germany.

All this law will do is limit the rights of women in Mississippi. If you are going to take rights away from women, how long is it till they legalize lynch of African Americans again? Or the public beating of Homosexuals? When you start removing rights of one group, how long will it be before they remove the rights of all groups.

The Lost Writing #2

2011-11-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

Same as before, I got an interview and the JFP & a few others turned it down. I did the interview about mid-September for an October 1st show here in Jackson.

Scott H Biram Interview

Scott H Biram, as his website puts it is, “no candy-ass singer/songwriter …, sweetly strumming songs about girls with big eyes and dusty highways. HELL NO!!! His singing, yodeling, growling, leering and brash preachin’ and hollerin’ is accompanied by sloppy riffs and licks from his 1959 Gibson guitar and pounding backbeat brought forth by his amplified left foot.” He is also the second feature artist in Ardenland Productions Duling Hall concert series here in Jackson.

Biram’s music has been described as everything from depression era death metal to the missing link between Hank Williams Sr. and Slayer. This has earned him a wide audience around the world. He has played all over the United States and Europe for over a decade. His music has been feature in TV shows like Dog the Bounty Hunter and Sons of Anarchy, plus movies like The Darwin Awards, Seven Signs: Music, Myth and the American South and The Folk Singer: A Tale of Men, Music and America. Artists like Hank Williams III, Nashville Pussy, and Shooter Jennings have covered or featured Biram’s music on their albums.

As he prepares for his south eastern United States tour, I got to speak with him about his past, what he is working on now and about his first time playing Jackson.

Musically speaking what were your influences growing up and how have they helped form your sound?

Influences are all over the place. I’m a pretty big music connoisseur. My dad got me listening to a lot of great music when I was a kid. I grew up listening to Leadbelly, Doc Watson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and you name it. Then thru high school and stuff like that, I liked And Still the Day and all the punk rock standards. Black Flag was a big influence on me. I learn to play guitar listening to old Metallica records. I got a lot of family members that played instruments too when I was a kid.
As far as becoming a one man band or getting into the kind of music that I play, I was in punk rock band all in high school. And then blue grass bands in college, then it all kinda melted together and turned into whatever the hell it has turned into. People ask me what my music sound like, its hard to say, but I tell I’m a good cross between Jerry Reed, Bill Monroe, Muddy Waters and Black Flag.

You touched on being a one man band, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being a one man band? Do you miss playing with other musician as a band?

All the time. Its one thing when you are on stage when you are in a band and something really cool happens. You can look over at your buddy and get a grin on everybody, knowing that you pulled something off. But there is nobody up there to look at but the crowd, and they are usually drunk. But the advantage is definitely, freedom to do whatever I want. I don’t have to find a practice space; I can sing to myself in the car or play my guitar in the living room or whatever. I don’t have to split the money; I can switch songs in the middle of a song if I want to and play something else. The disadvantages are I have to carry all this shit myself. I got my friend Skinny Mini that helps load in and out, that helps. I got more stuff than most three piece bands and it’s just me. Sometimes I wish I was just a folk singer, but I would be playing at coffee shops and I don’t care for that to much.

Do you ever think about forming or playing with a band?

I have people play on a lot of my records. The Black Diamond Heavies, they’re friends of mine, played on my last record, and we did a full band set up. Then we toured together, they would leave their stuff on stage, then I would play my show, then at the end they would come up and we would play three or four songs together. I get asked this question a lot, I would put together a band, it just has to be the right thing and the right circumstance. Right now this one man band thing is working out pretty good, I’m holding my own.

In 2003, you were in a head on collision with an 18 wheeler, how did that effect you and your music?

It’s something that happened, it hurt and it messed up my body pretty bad. I got rods and pins in all my limbs except my left arm but I can still walk. I’m grateful for that, thankful for being here most of the time. I got a people coming up to me and saying ‘I don’t know how you did it, that’s crazy. How you get through that?’ Anybody would get through it. You just got to do what you got to do.

You are known to be a fan of the “Truck Driver lifestyle”. How did that come about?

It’s a few things, I have always worn these trucker hats sense I was a little kid. My grandfather always wore them. I use to play on the CB all the time when I was a kid. I really like the way that sound is, the way it sounds coming out of the CB radio mic. Being on the road all the time, staring straight down the highway, pretty much constantly, year round. I have found that being a musician on the road is very similar to being a trucker on the road. You are driving somewhere everyday for long period of time. You got to get there and unload. The only difference is I got to play a show at the end too.
I like truck drivers. Sometimes I wish they would get the hell out of my way or stop trying to run me over. For the most part I like truck drivers.

You have a new album coming out on October 11th, is there anything you want to say about it? Anything new and different on it?

It’s similar to my other records. I think ever record I have put out so far, it kinda steps up to other level each time, another notch. I’m learning more about production and honing my song writing skills. I’ve been writing songs since I was seven or eight year’s old and playing guitar for 25 years or something like that. It gets better and better ever time I think. I worked really hard on this one. I think the collection of songs I came up with are pretty good. We are doing a lot more promotional stuff this time.
We just shot the second video the other day in Kentucky. The first one we film “Want My Mojo Back”, I just saw that one today, it looks pretty good. We put out a seven inch vinyl single, with a B side that is not going to be on the record. It comes with a downloadable track that is not on the record. The LP when it comes out will have some extra download stuff, extra songs. I went in thinking I was going to record 12 songs and I ended up with 23. So I had to cut it down to 13. Now we are just using the extras as bonus tracks.

Is there anything you look forward to about playing in Jackson?

I’m on the road 150 tour dates a year, I have only played in Mississippi like four times and it has always been in Hattiesburg, I’m glad to be hitting Jackson, and getting out there. I’ve never been there, I’ve driven through it, I’m excited to play some blues in real blues country. I look forward to play some new song, preview them for ya’ll.

You can come out and see the show at 662 Duling Street on October 1st, at 9pm.
Get tickets for $10 at the coliseum box office or at ticketmaster.com. For more information call 601-292-7121 or visit www.ardenland.net
You can get a free song from the new album Bad Ingredients at http://www.scottbiram.com to get a preview of what the show will be like.

The Lost Writings #1

2011-11-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

So I am trying my hand at being a freelance music writer.
I went out and got one interview on my own and was assigned one bye the JFP editors.
Strangely, neither one was published. There are/will be alot of reason for this. Some are my fault, some are editorial decision that are beyond me, some will probably be a fucked up situation outside of anyones control. But Whatever!
This first one is for a show that is happening here in Jackson on Friday. Enjoy!

If there is a phrase to describe Graham Colton, that phrase is, “Down to Earth”. Talking to the man is less like talking to a musician and more like talking to a buddy after work while catching a beer. Still, Graham has led a very story book life. He was once a high school football star; now is a successful touring musician and environmental activist.

Graham was born in late 1981 in Oklahoma City, where he went to high school at the Heritage Hall School. He was the football teams quarter back and led the school to an undefeated state championship with his friend and teammate Wes Welker, who is currently a wide receiver for the New England Patriots. After high school, Graham went to Southern Methodist University, where he played local bars, pubs and coffee house. With this local fan base, he recorded his first demo that eventually came into the hands of the Counting Crow’s Adam Duritz who asked him to open for them on tour. After that, Graham and his band opened for Better than Ezra, Train, John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and Kelly Clarkson. He has played on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and the Today Show. His music has been featured on TV channels like HBO, ABC Family, and Oprah’s TV network.

Graham is currently on tour to support his album, Pacific Coat Eyes vol. 2,with his Go Natural tour. He is currently crossing the south eastern U.S. doing stripped down, intimate shows. He is doing all this while promoting Compressed Natural Gas as a fuel source for his tour. You can follow his tour diary and blog at CNGnow.com. We caught up to him the night before his tour started.

Growing up what were your musical influences?

The biggest influences I had were the bands that I had when I got my drivers license. I remember when I was 16 and I left the DMV and I sort of had that moment of freedom. I put the Counting Crows record in there and bands like the Wallflowers, any thing that was post-grunge. I just felt like these are groups that resembled the classic, greats. People like Tom Petty and The Beatles. It was definitely ironic that bout five, six years later I was touring with most of these people. So it was just one of those things that, early on I got to live out my dreams.

Who are you listening to now?

It definitely changes. One of my favorite artists is a Mississippi guy, Charlie Mars.. I’ve know Charlie forever. We have been doing it awhile, but consider ourselves new artists. I definitely always have Tom Petty in the ipod. A band called Dawes and an artist called Kathleen Edwards, who in my opinion is, as close the next Tom Petty as you are going to get. And she is a girl.

How did you transition from high school quarter back to musician and how does that influence your music?

Growing up in Oklahoma, its kinda like a religion down here, same as the south, playing football is what you do. But for me I loved Friday nights more than I loved practice. My passion was always music, I was always thinking about where I was going to play after the game and on Saturday night. Wes would help me round up my friends when I would play at a Mexican restaurant every Saturday night after the game.

I get interviewed a lot about Wes and my story, we had a very “Friday Night Lights” kind of experience. We won the state title and went undefeated. It was a really magical time because it is like being in a band; you are right next to your friends. You are competing. It wasn’t just the stuff on the field that finds its way into songs. There is nothing like being in high school and playing sports with your buddies, the comrade is second to none. In a way being on tour feels like that. Going into these towns and being on stage, it is just a great experience.

You have toured with a lot of big name and diverse acts, both solo and with your band. Has time on the road affected your outlook and songwriting?

I think as I was just starting out, getting to go out on tour with the Counting Crows for off and on two years. Fortunately, when you spend that much time with any band you are going to absorb the best of what they do. And fortunately Counting Crows, in my opinion, is one of the best bands of all times. Bands like them and Better than Ezra are huge, big brother to me. Between them and Counting Crows, I would say I wear their influence on my sleeve. I think you will hear a lot of those bands in my music and you know what I don’t really apologies for it. I learned so much from those guys and still kinda ride their coat tails. It’s a big part of the songs that I’m writing now.

Have you always been environmental conscience or is that a more recent cause?

It has always been part of my life, but I have never taking a stand like this before. To be honest it really started kinda backward for me. When you are an artist like me, and there are many artists and bands out there at my level. As CD sales don’t do what they use to anymore, the business itself is at such a time of change, you got to do what you can to get your music to people. The way that I have found is you got to keep touring. With the price of gas it is really hard for guys like me to gas up the van, with the guys, and go from town to town for a long period of time when you are paying fours bucks a gallon. I got to thinking, what can I do to be a voice for other musicians, as you know, there are not many other business where guys tour around in planes, trains and automobiles. I approached the CNGnow.com people here in Oklahoma and told them what I want to do. I felt like it was a good marriage of educating people bout the environmental positive of natural gas and also to be honest, it is easier on the pocket book.

Are you meeting with fans before or after shows to promote it?

The coolest thing is, all this is meant to be, obviously I am not playing arenas yet. It is going to be intimate venues, small clubs, and theaters. So much of what I do is about just getting to talk to people. I definitely feel like, every show I do I talk to people after the show. If I can throw out some information and some statistics on how much money I am saving and how much better it is for the environment, maybe people will be a voice and we can make some changes.

Come catch Graham Colton with Matthew Mayfield play at Hal n Mal’s Red Room on November 4th. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Yeah, I know. Hunter S Thompson, I'm not!

So What Happened to ROCKtober???

2011-11-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

The simple answer is Life happened.
When I started doing ROCKtober a few years ago, I had less going on in my life.
Now, I have a completely different type of job, a full time girlfriend, I'm raising a puppy, I am trying to run everyday to prepare for the Warrior Dash in April, I have a "second job" as a freelance music writer, and a few other project that I am not ready to talk about yet.
I just ran out of time and energy.

ROCKtober Day 14: The Gories

2011-10-14T06:10:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 14:The Gories

ROCKtober Day 13: The Melvins

2011-10-13T10:06:00.001-07:00

ROCKtober Day 13:The Melvins

ROCKtober Day 12: Sonic Youth

2011-10-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 12:Sonic Youth

ROCKtober Day 11: The Pixies

2011-10-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 11:The Pixies

ROCKtober Day 10: Best Coast

2011-10-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 10:Best Coast

ROCKtober Day 9: Guitar Wolf

2011-10-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 9:Guitar Wolf ROCKS!!!!

ROCKtober Day 8: The Ramones

2011-10-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 8: The Ramones

ROCKtober Day 7: The Mermen

2011-10-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 7:The Mermen

ROCKtober Day 6: The Ventures

2011-10-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 6 (better late than never): The Ventures

ROCKtober Day 5: Dick Dale

2011-10-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 5: Dick Dale

ROCKtober Day 4: Link Wray

2011-10-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 4: Link Wray

What....You thought I was done.....

2011-10-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

So funny for this fanboy I had to steal it.

Haven't post of Dr. Who in a week. Didn't want people to think I am a music posting Robot

ROCKtober Day 3: Jerry Lee Lewis

2011-10-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 3:Jerry Lee Lewis

ROCKtober Day 2: The Animals

2011-10-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

ROCKtober Day 2The Animals

Happy ROCKtober!!! Day 1

2011-09-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

So a year ago I wrote my manifesto. And this year I plan to expand my effort. To include Google+, Facebook and the blogosphere! So get ready for thirty one days of Rock'n music and just a wee bit of info.

ROCKtober Day 1:The Zombies

Don't Spit the Water Pilot

2011-09-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

Don't Spit the Water! Pilot Episode from Blewt! Productions on Vimeo.

Chicago comedy show.

The Brown Coats are Coming

2011-09-28T10:14:00.001-07:00

If you are a fan of Firefly/Serenity, Science Fiction, or just clever/good Hip-Hop. Go check out Adam WarRock newest mixtape.

Song of the Day

2011-09-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

Todays song is in some ways a response to Erica Reids post today. She put up Feist 1,2,3,4. I understand why Erica put it up. It is a bounce, happy, colorful song. It is just the type of spirit lifter that Erica needs right now.
Still I prefer Feist, when she was with Broken Social Scene.

Run On, My Friend....

2011-09-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

I believe the secret to life is balance.
Not just a good physical sense of balance, but the yin and yang of life. For every un-good thing you do (working, drinking, etc) you should have good things in your life (Love, Music, Health, etc).
Because my friend Erica is hurt and can barely walk, I figured this would be a good time to get a little more Universal Balance. So as of today I am running again. I have been wanting to get back into it, sense the summer heat seems to have broken. Giving Erica some Universal Karma seemed like a good bonus.
I am not going to be posting times and mile like I did for my Lenton Disciple, but if something interesting happens, like the Warrior Dash out side of Baton Rouge in the Spring of 2012, I will post of photos here.
Lil Reid,I am glad you are on the mend.

Nerdgasm!

2011-09-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

I was going to try and not write about Doctor Who anymore, but this prequel is to weird not to.

Might as well threw up the trailer too.

At least after this you all will not have to "hear" me "talk" about this for awhile.

20 years ago today....

2011-09-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

Nirvana released their second album, Nevermind.

Take a second and think about that...I'll wait.

20 YEARS AGO TODAY, NIRVANA RELEASED THE MOST IMPORTANT ALBUM OF MY GENERATION, NEVERMIND!!!. I feel old just writing that. I feel really old when I hear any song from Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden etc, etc, on the classic rock radio station.

This freaks me out. Not just because I know people who are under 20 and were not alive when this album came out, but because I see people/kids that worship this album/band. This leads to the question of "why"? Why is this one of those albums that is so important, kids are still listening to it 2 decades later. People talk about how it was new style of music that expressed the underachiever and "loser" POV. That it was a direct counter point to the big hair, excess bands of the 1980s.

There is some truth in all of this, but alot of falsehood too. Nirvana, sonically speaking, didn't do anything that bands like The Pixies, The Melvins, Sonic Youth, and The Lemonheads weren't already doing before them. And all of these bands were just playing music that was based on the punk rock/new wave and America hard core scene from the late 70s and early 80s. All of these bands, plus many more kept the "underground" scene in America going. As they toured, they inspired the local people to start their own bands, in their own scenes.So there was no real innovation in the sound of the band. The whole "grunge" thing was just the triumph of the Punk Rock ideal. DIY!

It is true that Nevermind doesn't sound polished. But that is only in comparison to what had ruled popular music before it. What rock'n roll was on top 40 radio was over excessive, over blowin rock artist. Groups that took 2 to 3 years to record an album to get it to sound perfect (I'm looking at you Axel Rose). But Nevermind only sounds unpolished when compared to those works. The producer Butch Vig was a successful, if small time music producer. When put against other "underground" rock artist, or more classic Americana recording, the shiny of Nevermind starts to show threw.

So if it wasn't a musical innovation, why is Nevermind not just the top rock album of the 1990s, but the top album of the 1990s. Well first, its a good record. It has alot of good songs, that are catchy, but not annoying. There is a darkness and edge that "keeps it real" but isn't so heavy as to be suicidal depressing. Nirvana and Nevermind, was a band of Kismet. They were the right people, in the right place, at the right time, with the right sound.

And the good thing about the success of Nevermind is that it helped bring other similar bands into the popular consciences. You might never have heard of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and The Smashing Pumpkins if not for the success of Nevermind. Of course that is a two edged sword. For ever good band that rose from wake of Nevermind's success, you had crappy copy cat artist like Bush and Silver Chair.

So it seems that the cultural importance of Nirvana's Nevermind is more important than the actual content or success of the album itself. Of course when the cultural metronome swings to far one way, it must swing to far the opposite way. This is how we ended up with the Boy Bands, Pop Princess, and Nu Metal that ruled the late 90s (but that is a topic for another day).

Of course I have had 20 years to think about all these opinions and sense I think music works in cycles maybe that maybe that means that the children that have been raise on Nirvana are about to break thru to popular culture. But for now I am just going to pull out my copy of Nevermind and rock it like I did in 1992. When I was 15 and just started driving, with the stereo rock'n loud.

Bow Ties are Cool

2011-09-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

If you get the reference
then you know why this is funny.
If not, to bad, so sad.
Hopefully, you will get to see
the rest soon.
It's pretty easy to figure out.
If you know me well enough.

R.I.P. R.E.M.

2011-09-21T15:03:00.001-07:00

I haven't done a song of the day in a while. But this feels like a good reason and a good song to do it with.

Today R.E.M. announced they were breaking up.

Yeah, I barely cared either. R.E.M. as a band has not been "relevant" in while. Probably a decade. But there was a time, oh so long ago, that they not only were the biggest band on the planet, they were the best band on the planet. The were "alternative" before there was alternative, back when it was called "college rock"(cause only college radio stations played them). I remember rocking out to Document & Green long before mainstream culture found them with Out of Time. (At this point I do feel the need to explain, I am not cool. I just had older friends with better musical taste.) So while I feel R.E.M. would have been better served legacy wise to have done the Dec 31st, 1999 concert and then called it quiets. I thank them for the memories, the good music, and for being an example that helped kick off the "alternative" music explosion of the early 1990s.
Cause those were Rock'n years and I miss the quality of the music from that era( I'm now puttin on my old man pants).

Here is the last song I really remember from R.E.M.

Changing My Email.

2011-09-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

I've had some problems with my email addresses lately.
And the fact that I have two home email address and one work email address is not helping.
So I am consolidating my email into one account. If I have a working email for you, I will email it to you. If not, get in touch with me and I will find a way to send it to you.

Who Dat ready for some football?

2011-09-08T15:56:00.001-07:00

Who's ready for some football? My Black and Gold puppy, Saint Scrappy of the Who Dat, is ready for some football (I am too). Geaux Saints! Beat them Cheese Heads!

Just for the record....

2011-09-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

I think I am about to do something stupid.
Mary and I got tickets to see Drive By Truckers in NOLA a few months ago.
But now there is a tropical storm. I am about to drive into a tropical storm to go see a show. I don't think I will die, but damn, is this a stupid idea. But it is either that, or waste $50 tickets and $100 hotel room that is already paid for.
Wish Me Luck!

Covered Up #4

2011-08-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back to Covered Up!
I started this series of articles years ago, but it got a little side tracked by real life. So I have to thank the great song "She's Not There" for returning me to this series.

Written by The Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent in mid 1964, it is listed as #297 of Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 500 songs of all time.

While the song has never really fallen out of favor, the last few year have seen an up swing the songs profile. The first example of this is on the show Glee. While I have no great love for this show, when they dip into pop culture history for a song, they usually do it well.

While the Glee cover will probably introduce the song to a whole new generation, it is this cover by Nick Cave and Neko Case that is what is truly awesome. While holding to the style and flavor of the original recording, it clearly has been made their own. Especially Nick Cave, who as always, brings his own twisted vocal style to the song.

And while not a true cover, Malcolm McLaren's "About Her", that mashes up of The Zombies original and Bessie Smith's cover of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" was featured on the Kill Bill vol 2 soundtrack, and is pretty damn cool

Song of the Day

2011-08-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a song for a few day. I hate when "real" life gets in the way of my plans and schemes. But here is a beautiful "country" song to listen to as the last light of the day fades away.

BLACK DYNAMITE!!! DYNAMITE!!!

2011-08-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen the live action Black Dynamite movie, you should run out to the video store (do they still have video stories?) and get it. Its a great homage/parody of 70s blaxploitation movies. And it look like Cartoon Network is making a Adult Swim cartoon out of it.

The cartoon doesn't seem to have the tongue in cheek/wink to the camera flavor the live action movie had. It plays up the action more along the line of the Venture Brothers, which given its animation style serves it well.
By the Way, REALLY!!! not safe for children

Gawd! It's Hot!

2011-08-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

Anyone who does believe in Global Warming just needs to step a foot outside my house. Me and the dog just got back from our daily walk. It was 94 degrees at 9 in the morning. The lowest heat index this week was 105 degrees. In Clarksdale, MS the heat index was 122 degrees. It's insane!
To make it weirder, seemingly as a way to over compensate, winters seem to be getting colder. It snowed here three times. That may not be anything in other parts of the country/world, but it is like the Apocalypse here.

Anyway this song is good description of summer right now...

SWEET !!!

2011-08-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

Got to let my geek flag fly! Series 6 part 2 starts on Aug 27th! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!

And the American version

Talkin' bout the Blues

2011-08-01T19:22:00.001-07:00

Top of the Hops 2011

2011-07-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

So...its been about 24 hours sense TotH 2011 ended and I think I am fully recovered.
Mary and I, arrived at the convention center at 11am and waited around for an Alcohol Beverage Control class to begin. On the plus side I am again legal to serve alcohol in Mississippi. But the class took to long and and the organization was poor. So when I was given my assignment as a "monitor" I took it to heart. I gathered volunteers for my booth and reorganized then as I saw fit to best use the people I had. I think for the most parts it went well. We poured 2 oz samples of dozens of beers for 5 hours, all the while sneaking a drink here and there. The day started out at 1pm with the VIPs and by 530pm the crowd (and more than a few of us) were pretty drunk. Sense I was walking in a circling monitoring (get it!) my booths I was still some what sober. And at 5pm the organizer, Jessica, told us to get our cases ready. That is to fill a empty case with what every beer we wanted and was already open. So for the last hour I snaked back and forth all over the floor, snagging beers to try for Mary and myself. I caught a bit of static taking it out to the car, but I got around those problems. So I have spent this afternoon, sipping on a selection of my $40 of premium beer. While I my not have had the typical TotHs experience, I am still working on test beer 24 hours later for free. WINNING!!!

Bad Luck & Karma, Hard Work & Trouble

2011-07-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

I don't know bout you, but sometimes I do stupid things. Like, have a bad day, get a lil bit drunk, and then post shit on the Internet. Yeah, not my brightest hour either. But sometimes out of these drunken' dumb ass moments comes a moment of true awesomeness!
So in one of those moments that convince me there is a God....

The above video is of one of my favorite "artist", Mr. Scott H Biram. If you want his life story, you can google it, but the man is awesome. In that whiskey soaked, southern fried way. I have been listen to him for about a decade, he gives me hope that a drunk fool like me can be more than I am.

Now after I moved back to Jackson, MS in Sept. of 2010. I some how came to the attention of a local guy who was/is a music promoter in Jackson (on a side note, and I still have not asked him, but I think he helped bring the R.O.A.R. tour to Jackson back in '97. Which might be the single best day of music in this cities history). I have been to a number of shows he has promoted. Show that range from singer song writer presentations at a local church to surf rock at the local Mexican Catina. He befriended me on Facebook.

Now with those two facts in mind. I had a bad day at work. To deal with it,I had a whiskey, a few beers, and played on Facebook and Youtube to pass the time. Sense the closing of the Thirsty Hippo in H'burg, I have really wished some one would pick up alot of the artist that they brought threw the area. My favorite being Scott H Biram. So I posted a video on Facebook and made a smart ass remark about how I wish a local promoter would pick up SHB for a show. Un/Fortunately, I put Ardens name in the post. I didn't know that Facebook had just started automatically, posting to the persons page you had typed in (Facepalm!).

I guess Arden liked the video because now he is promoting a show for SHB in Jackson. And not just in Jackson, but in strolling distance of my house. So I feel a good bit responsible for this show (and not just because I feel he is doing it for me {which I know is stupid} but because if this show succeeds, I might talk him into other shows, like Th' Legendary Shack Shakers).

So to help promote the show, at least among my circle, I am contemplating a pre-show party/ BBQ. Some some slow cooked pork ribs grilled with peach bbq sauce, some sweet baked beans, and fried okra. It would be BYOB, but to eat you had to walk to the show with me. It feels like a plan, an diabolical, evil plan......

Song of the Day

2011-07-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Florence & the Machine's very cool cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away". It has a 2nd line/New Orleans feel, cause it was recorded in NOLA while they were on tour.

Song of the Day

2011-07-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

I am sure you will hear alot of jokes about how maybe she should have gone to Rehab. But not here. I hope that God can ease her troubled soul and that she finds the peace in death that she did not find in life.
As Mary and I were driving today, she stated that she did not understand the people who use drunks. She understood, or so she says, the power it seems to have in freeing up inhibitions, but not the effect to consume a persons whole life
The only answer that I could come up with was that the drugs filled some kinda hole in their life. As I thought on it some more, I thought about how we fill our lives with stuff. Addiction is a very real problem, but it usually starts from some psychological need. Does the drive to succeed or the desperation of failure force us to find some way to fill the void. Some people fill those voids with alcohol, drugs, sex, work, religion, etc, etc...but all of those things are transitory and escapist because they are used for the wrong reasons.

I don't have any answers or conclusions, just some thoughts on the nature of our nature.

So what you listening to....

2011-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Damn! I haven't done one of these in a long while.....

RAVE ON , BUDDY HOLLY – various artist
Let’s face it, tribute albums suck. They are anchored by one or two big names and ten to twelve bands you wish you had never heard of. Luckily the tribute album “Rave On Buddy Holly” is the exception to the rule. The album features a diverse line of performers putting their spins on classic Buddy Holly songs. There are classic rock legends like Paul McCartney and Lou Reed; punk rock icons like Patti Smith and John Doe; top 40 performers like Cee Lo Green and Kid Rock; Americana players like Justin Townes Earl and My Morning Jacket; and modern rock darlings like The Black Keys and Florence + The Machine. While they all put their spin on their songs, they all show the power and timelessness of Holly’s music.
Buddy Holly’s career was short but powerful. His death in a plane crash at 22 has passed into Rock n Roll legend. But the legacy of music he left in those few short years that he recorded has affected popular music sense that day. The Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon both credit Holly as a major influence. The punk rock movement used Holly as an example of the simple straight forward song writing that they wanted to move back to. Many a modern Americana and Country song can find their roots in Holly’s straight forward song style.
But as with any tribute album the individual artist put their own spin on the songs.
Paul McCartney puts a wild, almost rockabilly spin on “It’s So Easy”, while Kid Rock puts an almost Motown spin on “Well All Right”. Lou Reed drops a very punk rock version of “Peggy Sue” on the album, while Patti Smith produces a beautiful version of “Words of Love”. Justin Townes Earl and She & Him both produce very faithful but modern (maybe because they are very faithful) take on there respective songs.
Don’t get me wrong, there are clunkers on the album. But maybe that is Buddy Holly’s lesson to us. Too many “artist” nowadays have album with 2 or 3 singles and 10 songs to fill the space. Buddy Holly’s music treasured ever song for ever note on an album. Cause you never know when it might be your last one.

13 CHAMBERS – WUGAZI

The mash up album is a bit of a cliché nowadays. The problem with clichés albums is that so few are done well. Too many are done with mixing top 40 hits together. While this might be fine for the crowd in the club, to be listened to outside of that environment, it takes a little more imagination.
And that is the beauty of this mash up. One group is a socio-political punk rock group from the late 1980s/early 1990s. The other is militant late 1990s New York Hip Hop. When you take two cult classic groups, that are deeply defended by their fans, and mix them together, you had better make it good. If you fail, one group of fans or the other will crucify you. Luckily, Cecil Otter and Swiss Andy mix the two with skill and respect.
As someone who has seen both Fugazi and Wu-Tang live, I can say that there is a balance between the two groups. While the lyrical content might lean to Wu-Tang, the backing tracks are clearly identifiable to Fugazi fans. Sense Fugazi has never lent itself to, well anything, its just nice to hear them brought back into the popular culture.

VARIOUS MIXTAPES from www.adamwarrock.com – Adam WarRock

The easiest way to describe Adam WarRock is to not describe him. But for those who have to have labels, Nerdcore might do. You don’t need to know comic books and Sci-Fi to like his music, but it will help.
He doesn’t use the geeky reference for the nothing. As any good Sci-Fi author he makes social commentary using the thinly valid reference of the Sci-Fi/ Fantasy genre. But he does it with the skill of any social conscience rapper that is producing today.
You can clearly hear the influence of Public Enemy and 2Pac in not just the lyrically style but the rhythm of his beats.
And given that most of his music is free, I hope that you will give him a chance to prove himself. Because, if you don’t, that says more about you than it does about this man’s skill

Songs of the Day

2011-07-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

As you read the last post, you may or may not have gotten that I am a bit burned on Social Media Networks. So I think I will return to my blog where I KNOW nobody is reading it.
I have done things in the past to try and increase my activity. Some things worked, Some things didn't. One of the key things in my life is Music. So one way I thought I might be more active on my blog is to do a song of the day.
With today being my first shot, I thought I would throw out 2 songs

for 7/22/11

and then for yesterday 7/21/11

Me and Social Networking

2011-07-22T06:10:00.000-07:00

You know as many social networks that I am on, I am really terrible at staying connected to people. I mean I got hundreds of "friends" on varies social networks, but actually knowing what is going on with people if hard. Epically because a large number of my friends live hundreds of miles away.But I get annoyed when people post stuff every 5 minutes about nothing. I don't need a hundred pictures of you and your BF/GF making out at the club, or of your kids, and I don't care if you all you do is wine about how hard your life is. This doesn't tell me anything about how you are doing, so why should I care.

I also think social networks might be the new addiction. As I said I have been a few different platforms of social networking. The first was Friendster. Yeah, I was on Friendster (Thanks Brian Floyd). I didn't think much of it. I don't think I even fill out my profile, etc. but of course this was back when the Internet was not part of our everyday life. It was for geeks and rich people.

Then of course I was on Myspace(Remember Myspace?). I now equated myspace to a gate way drug like marijuana. Everybody did it, at least once. And as it became more popular, it got bigger and flasher. You could add music & videos, which I liked, and flashy graphic, polls, etc, etc, which I hated. Myspace, much like all gateway drugs, was mainly used by the young and because young people like all the flashy stuff, Myspace marketed itself to those young people. Unfortunately for MySpace, this left many an old user/better educated user left out. So they moved on to the next thing to get their "fix".

The rise of Facebook is well documented. There are books and movies about it, so I won't go into that. But one part of its success I think can be linked to the rise of another device, the Smart Phone. The simplicity of Facebook format lent itself well to the date exchange rate of smart phone. You could look at your Facebook account without losing much of the quality of Facebook on a PC. This has lead to people being on their Facebook accounts all the time. They need to be on their accounts and to know what is going on at all times.

Nothing breeds rivalry like success.And now Google has come out with their social network, Google+. They have taken alot of Facebooks ideas and simplified them even more. It might be the "morphine" and that help ween people off the "heroin" that is Facebook.

I wonder, with the addition of Skype and video phones, if I will ever stay better connect to people. Or if people can truly stay in your life, when they are not part of it day to day? Basically, this is my apology to people for not staying in touch better. Alot of that has to do with my view of life. I view life like a path. Your/Our paths may cross, run parallel, merge, deverge to run in oppoiste directions, or just to cross again late. You can jump off your path and cut a new one, but you are still on your own path. So to all the people I knew, know or will know, I wish you well and hope our paths cross again soon.
The History and observations are just ramblings.

I still thank God I'm not on Twitter!

Restaurant Customer Etiquette

2011-07-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

This is my dummy article (meaning it will probably never see print) for a restaurant reviewer job. I thought all my former restaurant people would enjoy it
One of the main reasons I got into the restaurant business so many years ago was because I like food. I like cooking. I like eating. I like going out to eat. I like sharing a meal with good friends and having a good time. You and your friends should have a fun and relaxing time when you go out to eat. Still having worked in restaurants for years I have come to notice some general mistakes that restaurant patrons make. If you go into a restaurant, just keep these hints in mind and it will make for a better all around experience for everyone.

The first mistakes most restaurant goers make is not tipping or tipping poorly. There are a lot of saying in the restaurant business, but for a server, the mother of all of these saying is, “if you can’t tip 15% to 20% on your ticket, you can’t afford to go out to eat.” It seems most people don’t know that the average server makes between $2.13 and $3.15 per hourly rate. They have to make the difference up in tips. Even after that, most restaurants require the servers to tip out the bar and bussing staff between .5% to 1% of the servers total sales for the night. Then of course they have to declare what they made for the tax man. Of course the quality of the serves should reflect the quality of the tip. But keep in mind that you are not the server’s only customer and that the server is not in control of everything that happens in the restaurant. And no matter how well intended, religious tracts and wooden coins are not a substitute for money.

The next most common mistake restaurant patrons make is to get mad. This doesn’t help you. EVER! It does not matter why you are mad, if you come in mad or something happens in the restaurant to make you mad. Losing your cool and yelling at the staff is not going to make it any better. If something does go wrong, the management and staff are going to do everything in their power to correct it. The best thing you can do is relax and calmly tell the staff what the problem is. Servers will usually go above and beyond for people who treat them with some respect, but will treat “problem” customers like they are carrying the plague. Take responsibility for your table, state if it is separate checks, what condiments you all will need, who all needs refills. Talk to your server. Communicate with them. Odds are they spend twenty to forty hours a week in that restaurant. They can tell you what to get, what not to get, what is good, and what is just okay.

Try something different! If all you want is a burger or chicken tenders, you can go to fast food places for that. If you are taking the time to go to a seat down restaurant, try something that the restaurant specializes in. But don’t get mad if you don’t like it and don’t ask for anything to replace it, if you have had more than a few bits. Again, talk to your server. They should know the menu backwards and forwards. They can make suggestion based on everything from how hungry you are to who is cooking in the kitchen.

Special order or “Going off the menu” is generally frowned upon in the restaurant business. When I was a line cook, we had a saying, “This isn’t burger king, you can’t have it your way.” Restaurant set up their menus in ever specific ways, for very specific reasons. Depending on the type of restaurant, foods are grouped together for bring out specific flavors, to highlight some specific ingredient, or to speed up production time,. Most restaurants will do a special order, especially if it is for dietary reason, but understand that it will take longer to do. Sense most restaurants wait till their whole order is ready to serve to take it to the table, the special order will be holding the whole party’s food up. If you are looking to “go off menu”, I highly recommend not going during peak time (Friday & Saturday night, Sunday lunch, and any holidays).

Customers rarely understand that the hostess is one of the most important people working in the restaurant. It isn’t her fault that there is an hours worth of people ahead of you. But she does control when you get sat, where you get sat, who your server is. This will determines the quality of your service at the table. If you are put on a long wait, you can always decide to try another place. But if you want to tough it out, send some one form you party to get some drinks from the bar, get a menu and start reading over it, and stay with in ear shot of the host/hostess. Get the drinks to help pass the time. Read the menu so that you will know what you want when you are sat, and stay close to the host stand, cause if you miss your seating, you go to the bottom of the list again.

If you bring children to the restaurant, control them. If you don’t let them scream, smash crackers and pour out all the salt, pepper and sugar at home, don’t let them do it at a restaurant. Children are always welcome at restaurants, its why there are kid menu’s. But just because you don’t have to clean up after them, doesn’t mean that some one else wants to do it.

And last, don’t hit on your server. No matter how hot or cute you think you are being, the server is being nice to you because it is their job. They probably have heard everything you have to say, hundreds of time, so don’t. Be respectful and don’t grab for them. This will get you kick out, usually be the very large and angry kitchen staff. But if you just have to give it a try, at the end of meal, put your name and number in with the bill (with a good tip, because it matters). You will either get a call or you won’t. If there is a “spark” between you and your server, let the server make the first move.

At the end of the day restaurant workers want, what everyone else wants, to pay their bills, to be treated with respect, and to have some fun. If you keep these few little hints in mind and experience of going out to eat will be better for everyone involved. Remember, relax, its just food.

.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

2011-07-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

You are not free. You do not have freedom.
What you have are liberties and responsibilities.
It is true that liberties are payed for in the blood and sweat of good men and women. Not just the soldiers that fight, but the builders that build, the doctors who heal, or the farmers that works the Earth.
You also have responsibilities. To guard these liberties by exercising those liberties. To use them against any and all who would limit, undermine, pervert, or take away those liberties. Be they social organizations, religious movement or government body. You have a responsibility to guard your liberties, not just for yourself but for ALL those here today or ALL those yet to come

Radio Songs Gone Wild

2011-06-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

Don't get get me wrong I really like both of these songs, but if they don't start playing them a bit less I might have to go crazy!

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So, what are you doing for the apocolypse tomorrow

2011-05-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

I thought I would get up early and run. Cause you want to look good when you meet your maker. Then make some pancakes, cause they are heavenly.After that I might read me some comic books. Got to luv those comic books. After that may sip on some whiskey and play (badly) on my guitar. Maybe I will be able to see this weeks Doctor Who before the Rapture at 6pm. Is that 6pm GST? EST? CST? HHhhmmm...? If I am not taken in the Rapture, then hopefully I can go meet Nikki Frost and Loot Be-Bop Record Store. Soon after, I should meet Fish for a Crawfish boil and then the ROLLERDERBY!!! After that I will probably just get drunk till I fall asleep.

Newest Member of the Family!

2011-05-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

Introducing, Scrappy Williams!(During Football season he will be called Saint Scrappy. Cause he is Black & Gold! A Who Dat Doggie!)

Yeah! I'm a dog owner again. It makes me very happy. I got thank Erin Pearson for helping me get him. It's weird, I have had the dog less than two day and more than one person has point out the similarities between Scrappy and I. Neither Big or Small, Fat nor Skinny. A bit Wild and Cute! Quick but Silly! Lazy but Energetic! Easily distracted but smarter than you think. Yep, it all sounds like me in dog form. Here is to many more year with my new lil buddy, Scrappy Williams!

Acoustic Wednesdays

2011-05-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

Blues Monday was two days ago! The Rock n Roll Weekend is days away. So put down your electric and pick up your acoustic.
Mike Ness - Story of My Life

Foo Fighters - Times Like These

Not a fan of this band, but they kill this cover
Paramore - Use Somebody (by Kings of Leon)

This is a song I didn't really like when it come out all those MANY years ago, but now I have come to enjoy
David Gray - Babylon

Scott H Biram - Still Drunk Still Crazy Still Blue

Lenten Discipline Day 40

2011-04-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

Day 40 & The End of Lent, sense I made my personal goal yesterday and Lent is ending I let my run be light and easy only 3.5 miles in 45 minutes.

Lenten Discipline Day 39

2011-04-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Day 39, 5.01 miles in 55 minutes. I have reached my personal goal for this Lenten Discipline, 5 miles in under an hours. Being sent home an hour early from work seemed like a good sign to really push it and get my goal a day early.

Lenten Discipline Day 38

2011-04-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

Day 38, 4.23 miles in 45 minutes. Thanks to my new running shoes that cost me my whole sales bonus.

Lenten Discipline Day 37

2011-04-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Day 37, 1.6 mile in 18 minutes and then my right disintegrated. That is just my luck!

Lenten Discipline Day 36

2011-04-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

Day 36, 4.21 miles in 45 minutes.WooHooo!!!!

Lenten Discipline Day 35

2011-04-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

Day 35, 4 miles in 45 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 34

2011-04-16T07:05:00.001-07:00

Day 34, 2.65 miles in 30 minutes. Woke up late and have alot to do today. No time to really push myself.

Lenten Discipline Day 33

2011-04-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Day 33, 4.07 miles in 45 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 32

2011-04-14T15:56:00.002-07:00

Day 32, 4.05 miles in 45 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 31

2011-04-14T15:56:00.001-07:00

Day 31, 4.06 miles in 45 minute. YEAH!!!

Lenten Discipline Day 30

2011-04-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

Day 30, 4.0 miles in 45 minutes. Total opposite of yesterday.

Lenten Discipline Day 29

2011-04-11T17:49:00.001-07:00

Day 29, only 2.55 miles in 30 minutes. Just couldn't find my groove and not very motivated today. Hopefully tomorrow will be better

Lenten Discipline Day 28

2011-04-09T05:35:00.001-07:00

Day 28, 3.5 miles in 40 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 27

2011-04-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

Day 27, 3.53 miles in 40 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 26

2011-04-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Day 26, 2.5 miles in 30 minutes. Didn't push myself to hard today.

Lenten Discipline Day 25

2011-04-06T17:23:00.001-07:00

Day 25, 3.51 miles in 40 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 24

2011-04-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

Day 24, 3.5 miles in 40.5 minutes. And I feel okay.

Lenten Discipline Day 23

2011-04-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

Day 23, 2.5 miles in 31.5 minutes. Don't know what is wrong. I got a cramp 5 minutes in to the run, but I have not eaten in hours. My ankles are killing me and the weather is shit!

Day 23 (Take 2), I was really unhappy with my first run. So I ate dinner, stretched out really good, and tried again. I slowed my pace and work on the consistency. I only made 2.53 miles in 30 minutes, but the quality of the run was better

Lenten Discipline Day 22

2011-04-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post Saturdays run here.

Day 22, 2.68 miles in 30 minutes

THE RAMONES vs SCIENCE FICTION = WINNING!

2011-04-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

*WARNING: This is so stupid it might make you think

THE RAMONES from Zoltan on Vimeo.

** NOTICE: I did not make this or own any rights to anything in it. But,DAMN, do I wish I had made this.
The Ramones live in '78! 26 songs in 54 minutes, all set to B-movie/sci-fi trailer.

Lenten Discipline Day 21

2011-04-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

Day 21, only 2.66 miles in 30 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 20 (Half Way There)

2011-04-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

Day 20 (half way thru Lent), 3 miles in 33 minutes. Getting better

Lenten Discipline Day 19

2011-03-30T15:27:00.001-07:00

Day 19, Only 2.6 miles in 30 minutes. I got alot to do tonight!

Lenten Discipline Day 18

2011-03-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Day 18, 3.05 miles in 35 minutes. WOOOOOHHHHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

For all the musicians out there...

2011-03-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

I totally jacked this from the internet, but I have enough musician friends and know enough music lover that I figured I would share

A guy calls the musicians' guild to get a quote on a 6 piece band for a wedding. The rep says "Off the top of my head, about $2000".He says"WHAT? FOR MUSIC?. "The rep responds " I'll tell you what. Call the plumbers' union & ask for six plumbers to work from 6 to midnight on a Saturday night. Whatever they charge you, we'll work for half." Pass it on! (From Absolute Underground TV)

Lenten Discipline Day 17

2011-03-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

Day 17, didn't think I would get much of a run in today, so I thought I would work on my running "form". Worked on lengthing my stride, keeping my back straight and breathing in threw the nose and out of the mouth.
I got 2.61 miles in 30 minutes and I feel GREAT!!! The theme for todays run was provided by The Japandroids!

Two Funny Vidoes

2011-03-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Found both of these awhile back, but still thought they were funny enough to share

Lenten Discipline Day 16

2011-03-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Day 16, went ahead and knocked my run out, so I can escape from the "royal" yams. Experimented with my pace today, got 2.6 miles in 30 minutes. Listening to the RZA helped too!

Lenten Discipline Day 15

2011-03-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Day 15, a bit unfocused but a kept a steady pace. 2.56 miles in 30 minutes

BTW can anyone make me a black t-shirt for tomorrow with, "JXN Hates Royal Yams" in big white letters?

Lenten Discipline Day 14

2011-03-24T18:15:00.001-07:00

Day 14, kept a good, steady, and even pace, and got 2.56 miles in 30 minutes. I feel good.

Lenten Discipline Day 13

2011-03-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Day 13, I knew I couldn't keep up yesterdays pace, only 2.52 miles in 30 minutes

Lenten Discipline Day 12

2011-03-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

Day 12, todays run anthem was provided by Led Zeppelin, and is probable how I kicked out 2.84 miles in thirty minutes. Guess that means I'm getting better.

Lenten Discipline Day 11

2011-03-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

Day 11, fell off my pace a bit. Couldn't find my groove, even the sweet bassline and guitar riffs of Fugazi didn't help, till the last five minutes. Only made 2.4 miles in 30 minutes. BBBBBOOOOOOOOOO for me!!!

Lenten Discipline Day 10

2011-03-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Day 10, no specific time, no specific distance. It's day 3 of St. Patricks celebrations, and today was the parade. Did alot of walking but nothing I can report.
Luckily the lord is forgiving of our short comings.
I am wiped out and ready to sleep all day tomorrow.

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey

2011-03-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

YYYYYYEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
A new Doctor Who short. I loves this show, and have sense I was kid. The shows the makes these shorts for Red Nose Day, which is a annual British telethon. the shorts are so good because they are fun and to the point.

Part 1 Space

Part 2 Time

Time Crash - New Who's love letter to Classic Who

The first one from 2005. Its the first appearance of Doctor #10

Lenten Discipline Day 9

2011-03-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

Day 9, and I feel like ass after last night, 2.5 miles in 30 minutes 15 seconds