New Phones

Our family went off of the land line phone a few years back, but since then, we were waiting until our plan expired so we could all get on the same plan and get new cell phones for all of us.

We didn't have messaging so whenever someone would text us we would incur a cost. this changed with the new plan and we made sure to get unlimited texting. It's amazing to me to see just how many texts the kids get. I've read stories of how dad's are shocked about the texting that their kids did and they have to pay some outrageous bill. According to a Nielson studies, the average teen texts 1,742 messages per month. That would equate to about $350 if you didn't have texting.

So we all got unlimited texting which is kind of funny for me as my current phone is a so old... how old is it? It's so old that it has a rotary dial.

Kidding asides, the phone I got was a LG VX9200. The reason for this is that the keyboard is easier to text with and it has all kids of cool feature.

Eagle Has Landed

What do Neil Armstrong, Gerald Ford, Wynton Marsalis, Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates, Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs) and Danial Smith all have in common?

They are all Eagle Scouts. Big Dan met with the Eagle Review Board just hours before his 18th birthday and passed the last interview.

I can’t begin to tell him how proud I am of his accomplishment as I admire him and anyone else that deticates himself to getting this honor. You see, as a male gets to be a teenager, many different distractions stop most of us from attaining this feat. Only about 4% of all scouts become Eagles and that translates to only .5% of the US male population.

Dan came down to the last few months and was proded, scolded and eventually grounded to ensure the completion of this feat. He may not seem to understand why this is a big deal, but he will when he gets older. This honor is something that no one can take away from you. It’s a great line to put on a resume, it’s a way to break the ice during an interview and your Eagle Scout project helped many people of your community.

Hot or Not Hot

Nicole Richie

Music Monday - Jane's Addiction

Jane's Addiction - Mountain Song

Jane's Addiction is an alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band consists of Perry Farrell (vocals), Dave Navarro (guitar), Eric Avery (bass) and Stephen Perkins (drums). They are one of the early pioneers of alternative and have undergone several breakups. Flee of Red Hot Chilli Peppers was a member of the Addiction from 1997 - 2001. Dave Navarro also was part of the Chilli Peppers for a few year. The band members have varied musical style and have roots in varied genres including gothic rock and heavy metal. So who was Jane? The name of the band came from Perry Farrell's housemate, Jane Bainter, who was addicted to drugs. I guess the name fits. Their initial farewell tour launched the first Lollapalooza festival that was an alternative rock showcase of several music acts

"Mountain Song" was released on their 1988 album Nothing's Shocking. The song is about two significant girls in Perry Farrell's life who died. The music video was banned from MTV because of nudity scenes and scenes of teen girls dancing in diapers. The song was also named the 71st best hard rock song of all time by VH1. Navaro's guitar riffs and Farrell's vocals propel the the song from start to end. Speaking of the start, the bass line is a interesting and sublime until the heavy guitar joins in. The video... nothing to write home about.

Jane's Addiction - New Music - More Music Videos

uhhwaa ohhhhh
Comin down the mountain
One of many children
Everybody held their own opinion
Everybody held their own opinion
Holding it back
it Hurts so bad
Jumping out of my flesh
And I say Ahhhh

cash in

cash in now , honey
cash in now
cash in now , baby
cash in now , honey
cash in that smell
cash in now baby
oh ohh ohh oh ohhhhhhhhh

I was coming down the mountain
i met a child man she had good mind
we had the same opinion
we had the same opinion
She was holding it back
it Hurt so bad
Jumping out of my flesh
and i say Ahhhhh

you beter cash in

cash in now , honey
cash in now
cash in now , baby
yeaaaah
cash in now , honey
cash in this smell
cash in now baby
oh ohh ohh oh ohhhhhhhhh

(vocal noises along with guitar solo)

woo woo whoa whoa whoa yeah
woo woo whoa whoa whoa yeah
woo woo whoa whoa whoa yeah
woo woo whoa whoa whoa yeah
(ah ahhh ahhs off to the end)

Could be Funny

I like some of the lines on the trailer... They are so true. I may need to watch it.

Ten Best Guitarists?

Click the embedded image and read along on the rant. Let's see if these guys can play along with the last five minutes of this song?



I see that Time Magazine online listed the ten greatest guitar players. I know that most of you are saying... what the heck... Time Magazine??? I would agree with you that Time is not the most renowned source for music, but I guess these guys must have not been real busy this week to come with this lame list. First off, they have eleven guys on their top ten list. Who do they think they are.... Spinal Tap?

Some of the guys on the list I agree with, but then again I could almost go to any human (and some dogs) and ask them who they thought should be on the list and I would agree with them just as much.

Some of the comments that these guys came up with made me laugh and in some casses scrath my head. So let's begin with my critique of the list.

1. JIMI HENDRIX
The greatest of all time? Nope... not on my watch. He's great, but let's face it, he does not have a really long list of songs.

2. SLASH
Time gave him extra point because of his hat. Are you freaking kidding me. I like his style and his music but let's not make this a circus by giving him points for his hat. Way too high on the list

3. B.B. KING
Can't complain with the choice of Lucilee and her master... maybe a few pegs to high.

4. KEITH RICHARDS
Ok, here is the big problem with this list... Time states that Richards is the "creator of more memorable riffs -- '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction', 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' 'Gimme Shelter', 'Start Me Up', etc. -- than anyone else in rock 'n' roll." I agree, but that does not deserving of him being on the list. Give the same riffs to the anyone on the list and they would play it just as well. Heck, he's not even the best guitar player in the Rolling Stones. I can't believe he's on the list.

5. ERIC CLAPTON
Excellent choice, I can't complain.

6. JIMMY PAGE
Time get's it right again. Page was and is revolutionary. Could have been higher

7. CHUCK BERRY
Yes he is the father of rock-'n'-roll guitar players. Could be my Mr. Eleven.

8. LES PAUL
Not only an excellent player, but also the creator of the solid body guitar. eight is about right for him.

9. YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
Who???? I googled him after and listened to him. Yes he is an excellent player, but I couldn't agree more with Time when they said that "the great bulk of his music is so fast that it's unlistenable." Therefore, can't be on the list. Right?

10. PRINCE
I could go eight way with him... a self made player that patterned himself after Hendrix.

11. JOHNNY RAMONE
So Mr. Eleven is Johnny Ramone... Johnny Ramone?!?! Yep the guy from the Ramones. Ok when you stop laughing. Let's see who they could have added instead of Johnny and some of the others.

Stevie Ray Vaughan
Carlos Santana
George Harrison
Mark Knopfler
Joe Perry
Pete Townshend
Eddie Van Halen
David Gilmour
Randy Rhoads
Angus Young
Kirk Hammet

And those are just eleven lead guitar players of bands that I like.

Stud or Dud

Will Smith

Music Monday - Hoobastank

Hoobatank - The Reason

Formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills California, with singer Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen, Hoobastank is an alternative rock post grunge band. Their big break came in 2004 when as the reason started to climb the charts, the song was featured in the final episode of Friends.

The video is kind of cool as it is about a heist.

I like the way the song starts out melodically with the lyrics and guitar and the use of a edgier chorus.

Lester Polsfuss

Lester William Polsfuss was born in Waukesha Wisconsin in 1915 and died yesterday at the ripe age of 94. Lester, better known as Les, was related to the family that founded Blatz beer, but that is not why I’m writing this entry. He was better known for his invention and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005. His invention is what most young boys hope to pick when they are in their adolescence age.

You see Les grew up to be a musician and was an inventor of sorts. He recorded several hits during the mid 40’5 through 2008 when he finally won a Grammy.

Given such a long career, he was able to influence hundreds if not thousands of musicians. If you’re not aware of his work, maybe you’re more aware of the work done by others on a guitar that still bears his name… Les Paul

Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin)
Joe Perry (Aerosmith)
Eric Clapton
David "The Edge" Evans (U2)
Saul "Slash" Hudson (Guns N’ Roses)
Carlos Santana (Santana)
Jimi Hendrix
Pete Townshend (The Who)
David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
Kirk Hammett (Metallica)

I know that I left off all sorts of great musicians, but the above list is the guys that I feel made a difference in my understanding of guitar.

Best "Super" Suits Ever

Below is a rundown of what I consider the best suits that were made. These suits gave the wearer special and almost in some casses super powers. Of course my definition of a superhero is that you can't be one unless you have super power. Superman is and Batman is not a superhero...

So anyways let's start with the countdown.

#10 Darth Vader


#9 Venom


#8 Inspector Gadget


#7 Steel


#6 The Greatest American Hero


#5 Spawn


#4 Robocop


#3 Green Goblin


#2 Batman


#1 Ironman


So that's my list. Who do you think should be number one, who is on the list that is not deserving and who is off the list that should be on the list?

Stud or Dud

Matthew McConaughey

S. P. I. T. N.

Have you heard of Trina Thompson?

Apparently, the new grad of Monroe collage can't seem to find a job. Instead of blaming the economy or the fact that she was not the class valedictorian, she blames the collage for not finding her a job. She states that the collage is "supposed to say, ‘I got this student, her attendance is good, her GPA is all right — can you interview this person?’ They’re not doing that,” so she has decided to sue the collage for her complete $70,000 tuition as well as $2,000 for her stress.

Give me a break Trina... stress... welcome to big league. Here we don't start to cry if everything doesn't go our way. Here we laugh at stress and you want to get paid for it? Oh and by the way your 2.7 GPA in the IT field is not what opens doors so you may want to look at another way to bolster your resume.

Sunshine, it's time to wake up and smell the frappuccino. I mean you've been out of school for a WHOLE three months. What are you going to do? Maybe you should stop looking for the quick paycheck and actually look for a job instead. If you find it though like most recent grads try these tips...

Get into grad school
Work as an intern (free) in the industry you want to join
Work on campus as a teachers assistant or tutor
Volunteer
Join a networking group like LinkedIn
Join a professional society
Finally, look for a job in a different part of the country or world.

The only thing for sure that will be an outcome of this is that she will not be asked for money by her Alma matter. Oh, by the way 70 grand for an IT degree, you went to Monroe collage not Harvard right?

What Have You Given Up?

As the economy keeps spiraling out of control and the recessions is turning into a full fledged depression most of us have started to give up things in our lives. MSN had a poll that asked what have we given up. Below is a list and the percentage of people that gave different luxuries. Note that the respondents could vote for more than one thing.

21% Eating out
15% Travel
13% Salon/beauty products
12% My own place/future home
9% Shopping for fun
8% Cable
7% Going out to the movies
6% Health or car insurance
5% Coffee out
5% Peace of mind/sense of security or freedom
3% Having a child
3% Hobbies (pets)
3% Spontaneity
2% Hopes for retirement
2% Private school for my child
2% Time with my family