DBT Week in Review - 1/30/09

DBT! DBT! DBT!

DBT is going to the land down under. Where the women glow and the men plunder:

Drive-By Truckers Tour Dates

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Words from the Hood:

Drive-By Truckers:

"Y'ALL:

Just a quick note to thank everyone who helped make our 2009 get off to such an amazing start.

All 3 nights of our Athens GA 40 Watt Homecoming SOLD OUT (1st time ever) as did Baltimore and Richmond.

THANK YOU!!!"......

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Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers digs on Levon : Boombox : Metro Pulse:

"Patterson Hood’s Drive-By Truckers are still touring in support of their eighth album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, released in January 2008, and the Athens, Ga., alt-country/Southern rock combo has found a new way to keep themselves entertained. “We just got a new turntable for the bus and have been hitting the stores on this run and playing records non-stop,” Hood says. “Here is a sample of what’s been spinning in the back lounge.”"

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Let there be Truckers - Variety:

"There's a young lady passed out in the men's bathroom. Somebody should call her friends.'

Realizing that I was in slightly over my head, I directed the gentleman to the nearest staff member. It was 10 o'clock, and the night was just getting started. Already there had been casualties. The crowd was starting to stretch their drinking muscles, for the hometown heroes had returned. Drive-By Truckers was playing tonight."

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Check out Righteous Path

Austin City Limits - Drive-By Truckers followed by Ryan Bingham

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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Now THIS is an interesting interview. Not your usual pap.

Jason Isbell < 20 Questions | PopMatters:

"2. The fictional character most like you?
Probably Newman’s Eddie Felson from The Hustler. I drink a lot and I play a lot of pool, and it’s interesting to note the similarities between a road player and a traveling musician. I also sympathize with the idea of chasing a singular, seemingly unattainable goal, only to realize the costs once you’ve accomplished that goal."

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MySpace.com Blogs - Tickets for the Florence, AL CD Release - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit MySpace Blog:

"Tickets for the Shoals Theater show on Valentine's Day are now available at DP's Classic Grill on North Montgomery Avenue in Sheffield AND at Pegasus Records in Florence. Please buy some.
-Jason"

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Baxendale

Some nice pics of Colfax.

Colfax Guitar Shop

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Film

Wherein my very first acting agent gets name checked by very none the less (none lesser) than Perez Hilton.

And Tonya ain't a 'newcomer'. She was my agent when I was 17. She's been at this a while. "Over night sensation after 25 years" and all.

Perez Hilton: Faye Dunaway Puts Hilary Duff On Blast!:

"Upon hearing of a Bonnie and Clyde remake directed by newcomer Tonya S. Holly and starring Hilary Duff, the original film's star, Faye Dunaway, reportedly said, ''Couldn't they at least cast a real actress?'"

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Music I Like

Diggin the Howlies especially 'Angeline'

Howlies on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

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Music

Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist dies at Florida home:

"Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboard player Billy Powell, who played on such hits as 'Sweet Home Alabama' and survived the 1977 plane crash that killed three band members, died Wednesday. He was 56."

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Obama's Secret Record Collection : Rolling Stone:

"When Barack Obama moved into the White House on January 20th, he gained access to five chefs, a private bowling alley — and a killer collection of classic LPs. Stored in the basement of the executive mansion is the official White House Record Library: several hundred LPs that include landmark albums in rock (Led Zeppelin IV, the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed), punk (the Ramones' Rocket to Russia, the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols), cult classics (Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica, the Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin) and disco. Not to mention records by Santana, Neil Young, Talking Heads, Isaac Hayes, Elton John, the Cars and Barry Manilow."

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Great video

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Super Hippies

Excellent read:

Daily Kos: What We Need Are More Hippies

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Mmmmm. Brains.

MRIs reveal possible source of woman's super-memory - USATODAY.com:

"A Southern California man employed in the entertainment business is the fourth person verified by scientists to have an ultra-rare memory gift: He recalls in detail most days of his life, as well as the day and date of key public events, says Larry Cahill, who co-leads a project on people with super-memory."

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Not good.

Trees dying in the West at record rate:

"01-22) 11:30 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- Trees are dying faster than ever in the old-growth forests of California and the mountains of the West, a phenomenon scientists say is linked to rising regional temperatures and the destructive forces of early snowmelt, drought, forest fires and deadly insect infestations brought on by global warming."

Also, not good.

Clearer skies over Europe as fog halved in 30 years

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You are what you eat.

2008 Food Products Hall of Shame

Foods You Can Trust Hall of Fame

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Poison Pork Chops

Check this out. 60% of Alabamians support President Obama.

60%. For Real.

Amazing.

I guess Bama really does heart Obama.

SurveyUSA News Poll #15066

Geography: Alabama

Data Collected: 01/20/2009 - 01/21/2009

Release Date: 01/22/2009

Sponsor:

WKRG-TV Mobile-Pensacola

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Again with the 'Amen'.

Why, why, why.

Op-Ed Columnist - The Same Old Song - NYTimes.com:

"When the G.O.P. talks, nobody should listen. Republicans have argued, with the collaboration of much of the media, that they could radically cut taxes while simultaneously balancing the federal budget, when, in fact, big income-tax cuts inevitably lead to big budget deficits. We listened to the G.O.P. and what do we have now? A trillion-dollar-plus deficit and an economy in shambles.

This is the party that preached fiscal discipline and then cut taxes in time of war. This is the party that still wants to put the torch to Social Security and Medicare. This is a party that, given a choice between Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, would choose Ronald Reagan in a heartbeat.

Why is anyone still listening?"

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Not just plain old blowfish. Blowfish balls.

Blowfish poisoning sends 7 to hospital in Japan:

"Blowfish testicles prepared by an unauthorized chef sickened seven diners in northern Japan and three remained hospitalized Tuesday after eating the poisonous delicacy.

The owner of the restaurant in Tsuruoka city, who is also the chef, had no license to serve blowfish and was being questioned on suspicion of professional negligence, police official Yoshihito Iwase said.

Blowfish, while extremely poisonous if not prepared properly, is considered a delicacy in Japan and is consumed by thrill-seeking gourmets.

Iwase said the seven men ordered sashimi and grilled blowfish testicles at the restaurant Monday night."

Something like this should never happen.

Didn't the lessons of Homer teach these people anything.

"Fugu Me!

"I've never heard of a poison pork chop"!

The Simpsons - Poison Blowfish Sushi

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Uber NY Giants fan loses it after his team doesn't make the Super Bowl this year... and his good friends caught it all on tape to show to the world.

I love the chick that comes up behind him and calls him a pussy.

Some naughty language so NSFW.

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Regardless of what you think of the actual song, this video is pretty bad ass.

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Bailout Recipients Hosted Call To Defeat Key Labor Bill

Bailout Recipients Hosted Call To Defeat Key Labor Bill: "Three days after receiving $25 billion in federal bailout funds, Bank of America Corp. hosted a conference call with conservative activists and business officials to organize opposition to the U.S. labor community's top legislative priority.

Participants on the October 17 call -- including at least one representative from another bailout recipient, AIG -- were urged to persuade their clients to send 'large contributions' to groups working against the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), as well as to vulnerable Senate Republicans, who could help block passage of the bill."

Too Easy to Find

I want to party at Obama's house. I call DJ!

Obama's Secret Record Collection : Rolling Stone:

"When Barack Obama moved into the White House on January 20th, he gained access to five chefs, a private bowling alley — and a killer collection of classic LPs. Stored in the basement of the executive mansion is the official White House Record Library: several hundred LPs that include landmark albums in rock (Led Zeppelin IV, the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed), punk (the Ramones' Rocket to Russia, the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols), cult classics (Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica, the Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin) and disco. Not to mention records by Santana, Neil Young, Talking Heads, Isaac Hayes, Elton John, the Cars and Barry Manilow."

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Sometimes it seems we are getting a little too connected.

I Am Here: One Man's Experiment With the Location-Aware Lifestyle:

"To test whether I was being paranoid, I ran a little experiment. On a sunny Saturday, I spotted a woman in Golden Gate Park taking a photo with a 3G iPhone. Because iPhones embed geodata into photos that users upload to Flickr or Picasa, iPhone shots can be automatically placed on a map. At home I searched the Flickr map, and score—a shot from today. I clicked through to the user's photostream and determined it was the woman I had seen earlier. After adjusting the settings so that only her shots appeared on the map, I saw a cluster of images in one location. Clicking on them revealed photos of an apartment interior—a bedroom, a kitchen, a filthy living room. Now I know where she lives."

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"What good is the truth if you can't tell a lie, baby"

Lies Take Longer Than Truths:

"A new technique that separates truth from lies finds it takes about 30 percent longer to fib."

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Finally!

3D porn to revolutionise industry; World; LIVENEWS.com.au:

"Hong Kong film makers are preparing to leave filmgoers goggle-eyed by releasing the world's first pornographic movie in 3D, a news report said on Sunday."

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Now, THIS is a wrestling move. This guy would kick Mickey Rourke's ass.

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We Won

I'm liking this...

Obama to GOP: 'I won' - Jonathan Martin and Carol E. Lee - Politico.com:

"President Obama listened to Republican gripes about his stimulus package during a meeting with congressional leaders Friday morning - but he also left no doubt about who's in charge of these negotiations. 'I won,' Obama noted matter-of-factly, according to sources familiar with the conversation."

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....but whether the Dems can act like they 'won' is another issue entirely.

Amen, amen, amen to what Duncan writes:

Eschaton:

"Bipartisanship Sucks

I actually hope every Republican votes against the stimulus package, and I hope that instead of trying to please them the Obama team comes up with what they think the right package will be. The Republicans should lay out a competing vision, which won't pass because they aren't in charge. Then, 2 and 4 years from now voters can judge the results and if they aren't pretty they'll know who to blame and decide that the competing vision would have been a better one.

With bipartisanship you'll not only get a compromise that sucks, when it's time to throw the bums out no one will be quite sure which party should be blamed. Then what new candidates do is just run against some generic 'Washington.'

Democrats have the presidency and big majorities. Instead of hiding behind the spread-the-blame-around tactic, they should announce their vision and run with it."

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Great profile on Rhambo

Partisan, Playful and Profane, Obama Aide Tries to Hold It In:

"How will the feisty, bombastic and at times impulsive former congressman blend with the cool, collegial and deliberate culture of Obama World? And one that is trying to foster bipartisanship? This is someone who once wrote in Campaign and Elections magazine that “the untainted Republican has not yet been invented” and who two years ago — according to a book about Mr. Emanuel (“The Thumpin’ ” by Naftali Bendavid) — announced to his staff that Republicans are “bad people who deserve a two-by-four upside their heads.”"

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No would could ever of predicted.... oh, wait, yeah we did predict.

Former NSA Analyst: NSA ‘Monitored All Communications’ Of Americans, Targeted Journalists:

"Last night on MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann,” former analyst for the National Security Agency Russell Tice revealed that the NSA had collected “monitored all communications” of Americans and specifically targeted journalists."

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Sacrilege.

And Trader Joe's is the finest grocery store in existence.

Tax hike would put Chuck over its famed Two Bucks:

"Is this the end of Two Buck Chuck?

A proposal to raise the state tax on wine to a level more than six times higher to help close California's giant budget deficit would kill the $1.99 price for Charles Shaw wine, said Fred Franzia, who created the famous label sold by the Trader Joe's grocery chain."

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Cool.

NASA discovers evidence of possible 'life on Mars':

"WASHINGTON (AFP) – Plumes of methane gas detected on Mars could be a sign of geological or biological activity -- and possibly the latest indication that life can be sustained on the Red Planet, according to a study released Thursday."

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Via Shayne. Heart attack goodness... with pictures.

Bacon and Cheese Roll - FoodProof

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DBT Week in Review - 1/23/09

How cool is this. If my love for the band wasn't so great, my jealousy would be overwhelming.

Via Chris P.

D.C. stop for Drive-By Truckers :

"Jim Messina, deputy chief of staff to President Obama, is a fan of the band and attended the party at the band's invitation, frontman Patterson Hood said from the band's tour bus, now on its way to New Haven, Conn.

'We met Jim in New York in November when we played the two nights there right after the election,' Hood said. 'He spent his off days going to both Drive-By Truckers shows. So we've just been getting to know him a little bit.'

Apparently Messina's not the only Truckers fan in the nation's capital - the band was invited to play one of the inaugural balls on Tuesday night, as well. But the band already had signed on to play the party and wasn't able to do both.

'So we kinda ended up missing out on an opportunity to actually play for Obama,' Hood said."

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525 Worldwide:

"Booker T :: Potato Hole tracklisting:

01. Pound It Out
02. She Breaks
03. Hey Ya
04. Native New Yorker
05. Nan
06. Warped Sister
07. Get Behind The Mule
08. Reunion Time
09. Potato Hole
10. Space City"

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Booker T. emerges from his 'Hole' - USATODAY.com

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Booker T Jones on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads:

"The album rolls through a selection of far-ranging compositions, each separate and distinct pieces that, by turn, manifest his characteristic adoration of the groove, exploring and exploiting each mood to the limit. Whether it's a case of cosmological serenity or funky staccato chicken peck work-outs, Jones' melodic vision and expansive arrangements are delivered with a mesmerizing quality. The album also pushes into sometime previously unvisited-by Jones territory: lead track 'Pound It Out' is a brawny, relentless exercise in hard rock, an intense, driving song that's far more of a head-banger than a blast of steam-heated soul.

If that seems out of place, you don't really know Mr. Jones; 'I like rock music, always have.' he said. 'Otis [Redding] did too, and we were getting into it a bit, but couldn't really do it back then. It just wasn't right for Stax.' The statement is more than a bit provocative, but the musician tosses out such revelations like carelessly hurled thunderbolts, an arsenal accrued over the course of his remarkable career."

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Some great threads over on NB regarding the Athens weekend.

Also, a newbie requests info on Rock Show protocol and the fine folks at NB come through in spades.

NineBullets.org - Message Board • View topic - New to the Road:

"Is there anything you 'seasoned veterans' can suggest to a rookie? Anything standard protocol I should be made aware of? Is there any special lingo or rituals that really make the shows especially great? Do the 'regulars' do anything unique? What exactly is Cooleyville?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!"

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Daniel has posted some great pics of the 40 Watt homecoming shows at AthensRockShow.com

January 2009

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Partial Late for Church Live!

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Smokin'

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Nuci's Space

If you aren't already aware of the Nuci's Space vs. City of Athens non-profit tax status, catch up here:

Alabama Ass Whuppin': 1.20.09 - Better Angels of our Nature

More on the matter.

Plexus goes a courtin' for Nuci's Space : Stephanie Sharp, President - Plexus

And of course the wonderful work DBT/DBT fans have done for/with Nuci's

Nuci's Space - Resource Center and Climate Controlled Practice Spaces for Musicians

Now, it is your job, dear reader, to send a nice note to the City of Athens stating that their position in this matter 'stinks' and that they should drop the case.

Be nice.

Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Official Web Site

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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

I've been listening to the new record for a month now and it is simply divine. I've got a bunch of notes for a review if I can ever get around to writing it.

Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit | The Tripwire

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Dexateens

Want to kill some time today? Elliot from the Dexateens turns us on to a Van Halen/Astroids game.

MySpace.com Blogs - VAN HALEN video game - Dexateens MySpace Blog:

"VAN HALEN video game

my buddy chuck sent me this link today.
http://shitbagz.com/
if you like Van Halen, you will have fun with this.
if you lik Van Halen, but hate sammy hagar, you are gonna LOVE this."

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Will Johnson

The Obama song that Will did for this project is incredible. Free download at the link.

'Mortal Men' Creators Craft A Song For Obama : NPR Music:

"Singer Will Johnson picks up the thought.

'It could have been easy to, after the last eight years, write a little more embittered type of song,' Johnson says.

Johnson is best-known for his work with the Texas band Centro-matic. He volunteered to sing the lead vocals on Kiefer's song, joining a long list of indie-rock performers who made guest appearances on the original Of Great and Mortal Men. Johnson says the new song looks forward instead of whining about the past."

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Music I Like

Abraham on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

Alabamica on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads:

"Mattias played with The Nymphet Noodlers, and The Hellacopters. Ludde plays drums for The (International) Noise Conspiracy. Nikke plays the P Bass for The National Teatern, and also played in Tottas Bluesband. J.R. was with The Quadrajets, and The Immortal Lee County Killers. Per plays in Division of Laura Lee, and RepoMan."

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Music

Springsteen: Music Can Influence Society:

"NEW YORK — Bruce Springsteen would like to think that music played a small part in helping Barack Obama become president."

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I thought stabbings were included in the ticket price.

Four Stabbed At After-Party For Biggie Smalls Movie "Notorious"

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Now this is a badass commercial.

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'Bama Hearts Obama

Best. Picture. Evah.

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About what you'd expect.

AP Releases Text of Bush's "Desk" Letter to Obama!

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My peeps get a shout out for the first time ever!

Obama first president to acknowledge non-believers:

"In a myriad of firsts, one of the more striking -- but least noticed -- was President Barack Obama's tip of the hat to religious non-believers."

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They should but I'll believe it when I see it.

Senate Democrats Threaten To Shut Republicans Out

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Weird.

Nazi angel of death Josef Mengele 'created twin town in Brazil' - Telegraph:

"The Nazi doctor Josef Mengele is responsible for the astonishing number of twins in a small Brazilian town, an Argentine historian has claimed."

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Because knowledge is power.

San Francisco News - How 'douchebag' became everyone's favorite insult - page 1 - SF Weekly:

"Anyone with cable television or an Internet hookup knows all too well that this is the dawning of the age of the douchebag. While the term for a feminine hygiene implement traces its history back to 1685, its slang incarnation now proliferates on the airwaves and the Web. Face it: We're surrounded by douchebags.

This comes as no surprise to the nation's linguists. They even have a term for this sort of thing: pejoration. That's when a neutral word takes on a negative meaning. The Oxford English Dictionary traces this process back to 1967, when 'douchebag' was a popular epithet for 'an unattractive coed'; it has since morphed into 'a general term of disparagement, esp. for an unattractive or boring person.'"

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Hilarious. NSFW if your boss is uptight about condom balloon animal gettin' it on.


Get It On by Durex Condoms ... R-Rated NSFC - Amazing videos are here

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Anti-terror law invoked for unruly behavior - Yahoo! News

Anti-terror law invoked for unruly behavior - Yahoo! News: "LOS ANGELES – Many of the more than 200 people convicted under airline anti-terrorism provisions of the 2001 USA Patriot Act engaged only in profanity or drunken behavior, not attempts to hijack a plane or commit violence, according to a report published Tuesday.

Those convicted include a Lakewood man accused of arguing with a flight attendant who believed he was indulging in sexual activity, and a woman who spanked her two children and angrily threw a can at the ground when confronted by a flight attendant, the Los Angeles Times said.

'We have gone completely berserk on this issue,' said Charles Slepian, a New York security consultant. 'These are not threats to national security or threats to aircraft, but we use that as an excuse.'"

The Taxman Needs to Goeth

Here's some follow up information on the Nuci's Space/Athens/Clarke County tax issue I blogged about yesterday:

Alabama Ass Whuppin': 1.20.09 - Better Angels of our Nature

Editorial: Don't deny tax exemption for Nuci's Space | Athens Banner-Herald:

"If, as the old saying goes, insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result each time, then the Athens-Clarke County government's insistence on continuing a legal battle aimed at denying a property tax exemption to local nonprofit Nu�i's Space is, well ... insane."

According to this part of the editorial, it seems Nuci's is within their legal rights to be exempt from a property tax so I'm not sure why the ACC Unified Government is pitching a bitch.

"In 2007, the facility's executive director applied for a property tax exemption under a relatively new addition to state law that exempts nonprofits from property taxes even if they operate like a business. That law was added to the books in 2006, after winning overwhelming approval - by a 68 percent to 32 percent margin - in a 2006 statewide referendum."

The conclusion of the editorial pretty much nails it:

"Yet, despite the unmitigated clarity of the state law, despite a court ruling, despite the assessment of a board of citizens, and despite the fact that the federal government has granted nonprofit status to Nuci's Space, the Athens-Clarke County government stubbornly insists there is some issue at stake, an issue of such overweening importance that it justifies a continuing crusade against a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping a group of people who make Athens the unique community it is.

It's time to stop the madness. The county Board of Assessors should drop this case - now."

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Here's a rebuttal editorial. Doesn't seem to hold much water, especially when author asks us to trust him and the tax board.

Yeah... right.

Winders: Tax challenge could be a good thing:

"Trust me, inspection of all will strengthen the entire system. In this case, the coming of the taxman should be a welcome sight."

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So do some civic duty today and send an email to the ACC. Be nice (This really stinks) but express your opinion on why the ACC would want to create such an unbelievable image issue for themselves.

Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Official Web Site

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I wish everyday could be like yesterday.

TV was like a best of BET marathon and it was awesome. I'm sick of seeing so much of whitey on the tube.

Check out the new Whitehouse.gov site. There's seems to be some kind of CHANGE to it:

Welcome to the White House

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Why elections matter.

WHouse stops pending Bush regulations for review:

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama's new administration ordered all federal agencies and departments on Tuesday to stop any pending regulations until they can be reviewed by incoming staff, halting last-minute Bush orders in their tracks."

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Front pages from around the world. My favorite is posted below the link.

Daily Kos: Wednesdays Front Pages. International Edition. (updated)

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And here's a real prayer. Rick Warren's was as awful as he is.

Rev. Lowery knocked it out of the park.

While I was thoroughly put off by the inclusion of Rick Warren, having Lowery follow him up was a clear contradiction. Obama is a smart guy even when he pisses me off a bit.

Crooks and Liars:

"Rev. Lowery's benediction, on the other hand, was surprisingly fiery, especially from the lips of an 87-year-old. Its wrapup was spine-tingling:

Help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid; when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right.

Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen."

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A main vein street in San Francisco is named 'Bush' Street. Yesterday morning someone took Obama stickers and placed them over all of the street signs on Bush.

Check out the pictures.

Inaugural Journey Blog

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1.20.09 - Better Angels of our Nature

Today is the day. It still doesn't feel real yet.

I woke up really early to knock out some work and the blog before the festivities begin.

Still. not. real. Waiting for it to kick in.....

Four-day inauguration: Schedule and details

Tuesday, Jan.20, 2009 is Inauguration Day, including the swearing-in ceremony, a parade and countless inaugural balls.

Swearing-in ceremony festivities commence at 10:00 a.m. EST, 7:00 a.m. PST. Highlights include:
• Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren (Douchebag - Godland)
• Musical Selection: Aretha Franklin
• Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden will be sworn into office
• Musical Selection: John Williams with Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma , Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill
• President-elect Barack H. Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln’s Inaugural Bible
• Inaugural Address
• President Obama escorts outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony
• Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
• Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
• The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"

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This just popped up on YouTube from the weekend shows in Athens.

Is there any question as to why Mr. Hood is a hero of mine.

This is one of the finest rants of all time. I only wish I could rant half as good as this.

Perfection.

In the spirit of national service.... local service being national service.

City of Athens, you have a problem:



So, in short, the City of Athens, GA is attempting to label Nuci's Space as something other than a non-profit so that the City can then tax Nuci's properties.

While it is important for the locals to start hammering the in-boxes and phones of Athens City Gov, us folks who don't live their can pitch in and send some emails and phone calls ourselves. When the City of Athens realizes that they have an image problem outside of the boundaries of Clarke County, things will start happenings.

More on this tomorrow, but here's a contact list for Athen's City Gov:

ACC Phone Listings

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Obama tells daughters he ran for president for them, all children

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This is a pretty cool story.

Obama Photo Mystery Solved! - The Daily Beast:

"After several months of digging, I wrote an inquiry on my blog on January 14 asking if anyone knew the answer to the mystery. That day, a computer programmer named Mike Cramer sent me a link to his Flickr page. Cramer had traced the picture back to a 2007 story on Time.com that credited the photo to one Jonathan Daniel of Getty Images. Cramer also showed how the picture was flipped, making the source almost unrecognizable. “I stretched the original a bit (really, a tiny amount) and flipped it horizontally, but didn't need to rotate it at all,” he wrote on Flickr.

Agency photographers are not easy to get a hold of, but I managed to contact Jonathan Daniel via email. To my surprise, he responded that he was positive he was not the photographer who took the picture. The plot thickened."

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Mr. President, it's cold outside:

It's cold, maybe even freezing. Sometimes it snows. So why do we have to have a huge outdoor event to inaugurate a new president on January 20? Our first president, George Washington, was smart enough to get himself inaugurated on a more balmy April 30, 1789. What went wrong?"

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How exactly does the president-elect get all his stuff into the White House?:

"After Barack Obama is sworn in on Jan. 20, he and his family will move into the White House. But how exactly will the president-elect get all his belongings into his new home? Will he hire movers?

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Obama Open House Set For Day After Inauguration:

"WASHINGTON — Barack Obama plans to open his White House doors to the public on his first full day of his presidency, Jan. 21."

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Time to get some work done.

Obama returns night-owl presidency:

"It’s a throwback to Bill Clinton’s cramming-for-an-exam style, a shift from George W. Bush’s early-bird routine. Aides expect the workload to be so intense, at least for the early months, that they’re trying to formalize ways to help staffers stay in touch with spouses and kids – with ideas under consideration that include inviting family members into the White House for casual after-hours meals."

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Bush wrote 'Eat mor Chiken' and P.S.'d with a fart joke.

Bush leaves note for Obama in Oval Office

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You know your prez when Hennessy names a Cognac after you.

This Is a Special Keepsake Inauguration Column :

"The new items include bottles of Hennessy Cognac, bearing labels that read “44”;"

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Hero vs Zero

Hero is a term that's thrown around too, too much.

In this case, this man is the very definition of 'hero'.

And he's from the Bay Area too.....

Bay Area pilot hailed as hero in N.Y. plane crash

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5 white-knuckled minutes aboard Flight 1549

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Some vid of the landing.



The landing and rescue start around the 2 minute mark on this one:

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This is a great point made by a DK diarist.

Though, it wasn't a 'miracle'. This was training and focus and a commitment to excellence that has been so sorely lacking in this country.

Daily Kos: This Miracle Brought to You by America's Unions:

"They're calling it a miracle--the successful landing of a US Airways jet in the Hudson and subsequent rescue of all 155 passengers. They're detailing the heroism of all involved, starting with the pilot and including cabin crew, ferry crews, and first responders. What they're not telling you is that just about every single one of these heros is a union member."

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Funny because if he had time... It'd be true.

Via: Dapper Dave

The plane that crashed into the Hudson River may have been brought down by Canada geese---so Bush has announced we are invading Mexico."

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The very last 24 hours to take America's Number 1 Zero to the tool shed.

I won't miss bashing this SOB and his evil bunch of croonies one bit. Neither will anyone else apparently.

Bush's Final Approval Rating: 22 Percent, CBS News/N.Y. Times Poll Finds President Will Leave Office With Lowest Final Approval Rating Ever - CBS News:

"(CBS) President Bush will leave office as one of the most unpopular departing presidents in history, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll showing Mr. Bush's final approval rating at 22 percent."

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I say this is about right.

The Bush Verdict Is In:

"He took the nation to a war of choice under false pretenses -- and left troops in harm's way on two fields of battle. He embraced torture as an interrogation tactic and turned the world's champion of human dignity into an outlaw nation and international pariah. He watched with detachment as a major American city went under water. He was ostensibly at the helm as the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression took hold. He went from being the most popular to the most disappointing president, having squandered a unique opportunity to unite the country and even the world behind a shared agenda after Sept. 11. He set a new precedent for avoiding the general public in favor of screened audiences and seemed to occupy an alternate reality. He took his own political party from seeming permanent majority status to where it is today. And he deliberately politicized the federal government, circumvented the traditional policymaking process, ignored expert advice and suppressed dissent, leaving behind a broken government."

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Daily Kos: Bush Drops Fake Cowboy Shtick:

"George Bush bought his 'ranch' down in Crawford in 1999 shortly before he started running for president. And now that he's done with politics, he is moving out of there as soon as he possibly can. The Bushes have bought a new home in a tony neighborhood (and until recently a whites-only community) in Dallas. So, what happened to retiring down to the ranch?

Well, it's what most of us suspected - all total bullshit. He was never a cowboy. That ranch had nothing on it. No cows, no farming, just a lot of bullshit brush that Bush pretended to clear (for what fucking purpose?). The ranch was always a political gimmick. It was purchased so that Bush could play the role of the Texas cowboy when in fact he has always been the Andover cheerleader."

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But while he'll be gone in 24 hours, he will not be forgotten.

They must be held accountable. Must. MUST.

Past is prologue

Op-Ed Columnist - Forgive and Forget? - NYTimes.com:

"Why, then, shouldn’t we have an official inquiry into abuses during the Bush years?

One answer you hear is that pursuing the truth would be divisive, that it would exacerbate partisanship. But if partisanship is so terrible, shouldn’t there be some penalty for the Bush administration’s politicization of every aspect of government?

Alternatively, we’re told that we don’t have to dwell on past abuses, because we won’t repeat them. But no important figure in the Bush administration, or among that administration’s political allies, has expressed remorse for breaking the law. What makes anyone think that they or their political heirs won’t do it all over again, given the chance?

In fact, we’ve already seen this movie. During the Reagan years, the Iran-contra conspirators violated the Constitution in the name of national security. But the first President Bush pardoned the major malefactors, and when the White House finally changed hands the political and media establishment gave Bill Clinton the same advice it’s giving Mr. Obama: let sleeping scandals lie. Sure enough, the second Bush administration picked up right where the Iran-contra conspirators left off — which isn’t too surprising when you bear in mind that Mr. Bush actually hired some of those conspirators."

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Agreed.

Robert Creamer: The One Big Thing George W. Bush Did Right:

"History will record that George W. Bush made one critically important contribution to our country -- and to the entire world. He and his administration provided unquestionable proof of the bankruptcy of radical-conservative ideology, and set the stage for a qualitatively different progressive era in American politics."

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One last dig via Letterman:

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DBT Week in Review - 1/16/09

Nuci's Auction

For all you lucky devils in Athens today, be sure to drop by the Nuci's Space Auction. Click the link below for some of the grand items up for bid.

Nu�i's Space - Resource Center and Climate Controlled Practice Spaces for Musicians:

"Drive-By Truckers pre-party and auction

Date: January 17, 2009
Time: 5:00 PM"

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Spooner Oldham

Big congrats to Spooner for his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Oldham heads to hall of fame | TimesDaily.com | Florence, AL:

"Oldham follows in the footsteps of other Shoals musicians who have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including 'The Father of Rock 'n' Roll' Sam Phillips, who was inducted in 1986. Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, as a member of The Grateful Dead, was inducted in 1994, and Percy Sledge in 2005. Producer Jerry Wexler, who was involved in the early days of the Muscle Shoals sound, was inducted in 1987."

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Did some digging on YouTube. Below is a list of songs and artists Spooner has written/worked with.

YouTube - Janis Joplin - A Woman Left Lonely

YouTube - Out of Left Field by Percy Sledge

YouTube - THE BOX TOPS - Cry Like A Baby

YouTube - the sweet inspiration-sweet inspiration-1968-

YouTube - irma thomas - let's do it over - Something Good The Muscle

YouTube - Rolling Stones-You Better Move On

YouTube - Arthur Alexander - You better move on

YouTube - Jewel - You Were Meant For Me

YouTube - Neil Young: Heart of Gold Theatrical Trailer

YouTube - Lonely Women Make Good Lovers

YouTube - I'm your puppet - James and Bobby Purify

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DBT!

Truckers Re-enter Studio on JamBase:

"'It's a good time for the band, and we are going back into the studio a week from today' shares Hood from his home in Athens, GA. 'Everybody is getting along. We played 168 shows this year without anybody hating each other. That is no small accomplishment being cooped up with that many rednecks for that long in such small quarters,' jokes Hood with some laughter.

'The chemistry is real good and because of John Neff, who is a new creative force in this band, I have been writing some really weird and out there songs. I am really looking forward to getting together next week to see what happens,' says Hood. 'We are going to record for nine days and then start a group of shows. We are doing three nights here at home including a big benefit we do every year for a local charity. Then we are going to go to Washington to see Obama get inaugurated. It is a pretty cool time.'"

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Soundtrack to the New Old South : Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture:

"Sometime in the early 1990’s, while attending an event called a “song swap” in Athens, Georgia, I met an extraordinarily gifted songwriter named Patterson Hood. The swap itself was essentially a weekly gathering of aspiring tunesmiths sharing their latest creations; we would sit in a circle and each play our songs, the other musicians joining in if they had the chops or the inclination. Everything was going fine—just another evening of pleasant mediocrity—until the slightly pudgy guy with a five-o’clock shadow and food stains down his shirt had his turn. Stomping his foot on the wooden floor in time with the music, he strummed his battered acoustic guitar and sang:"

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NoDepression.com:
"THE NODEPRESSION.COM TOP 40 ALBUMS OF 2008

1. Alejandro Escovedo, Real Animal (Back Porch/Manhattan) -- 88 -- 14
2. Hayes Carll, Trouble In Mind (Lost Highway) -- 44 -- 6
3. Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation's Dark (New West) -- 43.5 -- 8
4. My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges (ATO) -- 39 -- 5
5. Ben Sollee, Learning To Bend (self) -- 37.5 -- 5
6. Lucinda Williams, Little Honey (Lost Highway) -- 37 -- 7
7. Shelby Lynne, Just A Little Lovin' (Lost Highway) -- 37 -- 6
8. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! (Anti-) -- 37 -- 6
9. Randy Newman, Harps And Angels (Nonesuch) -- 36 -- 6
10. Kathleen Edwards, Asking For Flowers (Zoe/Rounder) -- 35 -- 6"

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Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

EXCLUSIVE NEW DOWNLOAD: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Seven Mile Island

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Music

My Take On Music:

"Ask a guitarist how often they change their strings and you’ll get a variety of answers. Gigging musicians will often change them before every show. Some obsessive casual players (like me) change them every few weeks. Others only change them when a string breaks. And a few only change them when the old ones have become COATED with rust."

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Randall, named Fender Stratocaster guitar, dies:

"Don Randall, the marketing dynamo who gave Fender's Stratocaster guitar its name and led the brand to onstage ubiquity, has died."

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I'm going with Stripper Idol.

'American Idol' sues over 'Stripper Idol' contest

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I'm just hoping for the day that Ted has a gun 'accident'.

The Raw Story | Ted Nugent wants to be Obama's drug czar:

"'[A]s America's Drug Czar, I would put a big hurt on the drug kingpins and consumers like they have never seen,' he concludes. 'Every American who smokes dope, manufactures, buys or sells meth or uses any illegal drugs is aiding and abetting the enemies of America. Case closed. This spiritual inbreeding and cannibalism must be identified, admitted to and stopped immediately. America can, and must do this.'"

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Hungry Like the Mountian Lion

Congratulations to one of the sweetest and most talented men on the planet. Well deserved.

I'll be looking at this honor a bit more in-depth in tomorrow's DBT WIR.

Oldham heads to hall of fame | TimesDaily.com | Florence, AL:

"Spooner Oldham has spent 50 years in the music business, and in April he will be recognized for his legendary career when he's inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

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Jack Bauer! Jack Bauer! Jack Bauer!

Fantasy land they remain.

Brandon Friedman: Distraught Conservatives Retreating into the Realm of Fantasy:

"I'm not a psychologist, but this is really fascinating if you put it all together: It appears that distraught conservative pundits and bloggers are actually in the midst of collectively retreating into the world of fantasy as a psychological defense mechanism. Let's take a look at three recent exhibits that illustrate what I'm talking about."

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Speaking of Republicans... and redundant, redundant.

Feces-throwing monkey on the loose in Tampa Bay

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Good! The only Republican I'll be pulling for in aught 10.

Conservative group takes on Reid - Alex Isenstadt - Politico.com:

"A conservative organization is set to launch an all-out effort aimed at beating Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2010."

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Real America. Small town values. V-PILF land.

Too much sex.... Too much Jesus.

The Stranger | Slog | "A Pedophile's Paradise":

"This morning, 43 Alaskan Natives filed a lawsuit against the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), claiming a widespread conspiracy to dump pedophile priests in small Alaskan towns and shelter them from exposure."

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A block away from one of my old digs and right on my old mountain bike trail.

Mountain lion in Bennett Valley . Santa Rosa, CA:

"A mountain lion apparently is prowling the hills sandwiched between Santa Rosa’s Bennett Valley Golf Course and Annadel State Park, an area filled with dozens of homes.

The remains of a deer were found Friday near in a home’s backyard in the hillside neighborhood, which backs into open space."

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This is very cool.

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Alabama Getaway

Left hazy suicide note.... Jumped out of his plane and parachuted to the ground in Alabama.... Plane left flying unmanned.... crashes into swamp near homes... hidden motorcycle....

Oh yeah, this one has it all. If only a white girl had been kidnapped, along with, all of your TV news media could run it 24/7.

Marcus Schrenker, Hedge Funder Who Allegedly Tried To Fake His Own Death, Hid Motorcycle In Alabama (VIDEO):

"NDIANAPOLIS -- Federal marshals on Tuesday pressed their search for an investment manager they believe faked a distress call before parachuting from his plane over Alabama and disappeared on a motorcycle he had stashed in advance."

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It is rare when any Democratic legislative body pulls off something this good.

But I'm not sure why the Repubs in Tennessee are calling him a liar. He pledged to vote for a Republican and he did. Just happens that he voted for himself.

Naifeh Outflanks Republicans On House Speaker - Breaking News - Chattanoogan.com:

"Republicans finally got a Speaker of the House, but not the one they wanted on Tuesday afternoon. Republican Kent Williams of Carter County voted for himself and got the support of all 49 Democrats to hold off Rep. Mumpower, who was the expected choice.

Republicans booed as the votes were tallied and they realized that Democrats, under former long time House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, had engineered the surprise maneuver.

All 50 Republicans, including Rep. Williams, had signed a pledge agreeing to vote for a Republican for House Speaker.

Some GOP members called Rep. Williams a 'liar' and other epithets."

More on the reasoning for the move:

Daily Kos: State of the Nation:

"In the last election, a bunch of belligerent right-wing radicals tried to bully Rep. Williams (a moderate) into taking far-right stands -- going so far as to threaten boycotts on his family business, etc.

Well, Rep. Williams had had enough of bullies and blowhards destroying the Republican Party from within. And the Democrats knew it. So the Democrats approached Rep. Williams about being the new House Speaker."

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This is how you make light rail work in a city that is car based.

Provide a map to all of the drinking establishments along the route.

Light Rail Beer | Find Bars Near the Phoenix Light Rail. Get Home Safely.

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Brilliant

Student auctions off virginity for offers of more than �2.5 million - Telegraph

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Deep Fried Bacon and Rich Nuts

We've got some seriously messed up priorities in this country.

My god, people, hasn't anyone learned the lessons of War Games!!! I mean, Matthew Broderick almost never learned how to swim because of nukes. And Ally Sheedy was going to teach him!

Oh the humanity.

Seriously, doh, this if fucked up.

Revealed: US spends more than $52 billion a year on nukes:

"The amount of money spent on America's nuclear programs dwarfs the amount spent on diplomacy and foreign assistance (combined), effectively leaving US diplomatic efforts abroad in the long shadow of America's ballistic missiles."

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Maybe not my 12 biggest, but funny none-the-less.

Your 12 Biggest Questions About Hollywood, Answered:

"Q: Hey, remember that movie American Carol, by that guy David Zucker, that was really going to sock it to liberals? What happened with that?

A: It made over $150 million dollars because it touched something deep, deep inside the American heart. They're working on a sequel right now.

Q: Really?

A: Nah, I'm just fucking with you. It died like Michael Savage on TV.

Q: I was in Toys 'R' Us the other day, and it looks like no one bought any of the Wall-E toys for Christmas. If that stuff gets thrown in a landfill, and some robot digs it up in the future, what kind of irony will it be?

A: Situational irony."

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Pffft. Give me a steady diet of deep-fried bacon and butter and I'll walk across my lawn.

My kind of explorers.

Explorers say they set record in South Pole trek:

"SYDNEY, Australia – A trio of Canadian adventurers said Friday they have set a new record for fastest trek across Antarctica to the South Pole, after suffering through whiteout conditions, temperatures as low as minus 40 — and a steady diet of deep-fried bacon and butter."

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Time off for good behavior.

Police say masked man waited in line to rob bank:

"Police Captain Rick Myers says it's unusual for a masked robber to wait in line at a bank."

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And this relates to me how?

Cha-Ching! About 30 years more worth of 'Cha-Ching'!

Deez retirement fund nuts.

Pursuit of stem cells lead to testicles:

"Stanford researchers have isolated powerful stem cells from human testes and say the cells could ultimately yield a wide variety of human tissues including cells of the nervous system, the liver, heart, skin and blood vessels."

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An Eye for an Eye

Rash of Alabama news hitting the national wire lately....

No Lurleen was she.....

Former Alabama first lady Cornelia Wallace dies:

"MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Former Alabama first lady Cornelia Wallace, who threw herself over Gov. George C. Wallace when he was shot in a 1972 assassination attempt, has died in Sebring, Fla. She was 69."

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I'm very much down with this 'podunk' town. Though, shouldn't you create the renewable energy before you create the renewable energy museum.

Hell, close enough. Give 'em the cash!

Why a Tiny Alabama Town Wants a $375 Million Chunk of the Stimulus:

"There's certainly no denying that Edwardsville has big ambitions. Through the various proposals, which include a renewable energy museum, scenic railroad, and vineyards, these small Alabama communities envision themselves becoming a cutting-edge demonstration project for energy sustainability and a hub for tourism.

'I know we look like some little Podunk town, and by the census, we are,' Phillips says. 'But we really think we've done some amazingly progressive things in the past two years.'"

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Couple of things here. Clean coal? Everybody who bought that load, raise your hand. If you're hand's raised, you, ma'am or sir, are a dumbass.

Also: TVA transformed the South. It supplied both of my grandfathers with means to support and raise families. TVA hasn't seen many upgrades to its infrastructure. A bunch of band aides but no serious overhaul.

Expect more of this unless infrastructure is fixed.

SECOND TVA SPILL: Dam Breaks At Alabama Coal Plant

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In 'What the hell is wrong with people' news....

Give your wife a kidney then she goes and cheats on you. Hello country song.

NY man demands estranged wife pay him for kidney

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I don't think she did much research on this. That, or she had a massive supply of Visine.

Dude was sick, but his eyes were crystal clear.

Woman allegedly tries to kill hubby with eye drops:

"A 40-year-old southwest Missouri woman is accused of trying to kill her husband by spiking his tea with a half bottle of Visine eye drops."

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He'd previously done the same with his other eye.

A little Monday Morning Gross out for ya.

Texas death row inmate pulls out eye, eats it:

"HOUSTON – A Texas death row inmate with a history of mental problems pulled out his only good eye and told authorities he ate it.

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DBT Week in Review - 1/9/09

DBT!

Congrats and job well done to both Jimmy and Peter. This is a great cause and the reward is something really special.

Make those picks count, boys!

Nuci's Space - Resource Center and Climate Controlled Practice Spaces for Musicians:

"AUCTION WINNER!
Jimmy C: $1500
Jimmy gets to choose 12 songs for DBT's setlist on Thursday, January 15th!

RAFFLE WINNER
Peter Halblieb gets to choose 8 songs towards the set."

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Nuci's Space - Resource Center and Climate Controlled Practice Spaces for Musicians:

"You can bid on The Hold Steady/Drive-By Truckers stage backdrop
from 2008's ROCK ROLL MEANS WELL TOUR!"

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Here's a YouTube Top Gear tribute using 18 Wheels of Love.

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Band from NorCal covering Nine Bullets with their own twist on the lyrics.

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Scott Baxendale

Bad Bax playing some Elvis.

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Marah

Boo! No West Coast date.

MARAH ON TOUR IN THE USA! FEBRARY 2009 - Marah MySpace Blog:

"Happy New Year! We are pleased to announce our first US Tour since the release of 2008's critically acclaimed 'Angels of Destruction!' Although we are currently at Sixteen Ton Recording Studio in Nashville with our old friend Ray Kennedy mixing up a fantastic new record, it is our New Year's wish to return to the nightclubs this February to warm up new material and celebrate the old songs. After a year of touring Europe and the UK, we feel this is long overdue and we are anxious to reunite with our American fans.

Despite the absence of brother Serge Bielanko who is on maternity leave (it's a girl!) Marah will be touring as a folkypunkrock four piece: Dave Bielanko (lead vocals/guitar/banjo), long-time member Christine Smith (piano/bvs/accordian), and introducing stateside... Brooklyn's one and only Johnny 'whaddyagot?' Pisano on the stand-up bass, and the great Martin Lynds from Nashville on the drums. Expect shows to be long, comprehensive sweaty affairs...

Viva la future!

Go-bama!

More banjo!"

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Lynam

Lynam is a band out of Birmingham and are friends of a good friend of mine. They're getting some MTV play on 'A Double Shot at Love'.

Good on 'em.

Lynam On MTV - LYNAM MySpace Blog:

"MTV has been really supportive of the new CD 'Tragic City Symphony'. They have been using our music in their number 1 rated reality show 'A Double Shot At Love'. Check it out!"

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Music

I'm a bit late to the show on this one.

Here's what happens when, over the holidays, one decides to watch 15 minutes of VH1's Top 100 Hard Rock Songs of all time.

4 hours later.... I watched all 100 songs.

A great internet Cinderella story.

I ask my buddy from the P.I. who was bigger. Manny Pacquiao or Arnel Pineda. He went with Manny, but Arnel may be a close 2nd.

Journey's YouTube Lead Singer - TIME:

"How Journey found Pineda is a Cinderella tale of the Internet era"

"Thirty-three years after its birth, Journey is getting a second wind from an unexpected place. In December, the band signed on new lead vocalist Arnel Pineda, a Filipino singer who they found leading a Manila cover band on YouTube. Six months later, the band has kicked off a tour of Europe and the U.S. and released Revelation, a new album featuring original songs and re-recorded classics that has already shot up to the fifth highest-selling album in the U.S. since its debut two weeks ago."

I grew up a Journey fan. Say what you will but their first 2 albums are awesome.

Also, I sang 'Faithfully' for choral competitions back in high school. Granted, it was an octave or two lower than the original, but..... "High way run...." Oh, yeah.

Check out Arnel singing 'Don't Stop Believing' live:



Also, here's a version of Faithfully. Arnel is spot-on.

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Marriott's Sam Phillips suite new home to historic guitar | TimesDaily.com | Florence, AL:

"FLORENCE - All Gibson Les Paul guitars are one of a kind, but a certain Les Paul, now sitting behind a protective glass case in the Sam Phillips suite at the Marriott Shoals Hotel, has a backstory to prove it.

“This was given to Sam by Gibson to honor 50 years of rock ’n’ roll and 50 years of Sun Studios,” said Jerry Phillips, youngest son of Sam Phillips, Florence native and music pioneer known worldwide as the “Father of Rock ’n’ Roll.”

The guitar was presented to the hotel by Jerry Phillips and legendary guitarist Scotty Moore, who played with Elvis Presley, undoubtedly Sam Phillips’ best known artist.

“It’s as good as it gets,” guitarist Christian Turner said about the Les Paul. “It’s rock ’n’ roll heaven.”"

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2 arrested in burglary at Gregg Allman's Ga. home :

"SAVANNAH, Ga. – Gregg Allman almost had a few less silver dollars after someone broke into his southeast Georgia home and stole a coin collection, knives and unreleased concert recordings, police said."

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Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton found dead in Ann Arbor home | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press:

"The world didn’t always give Ron Asheton his proper dues. But the Stooges guitarist certainly paid his dues to the world, helping transform the sound of rock music.

Fans and fellow musicians are mourning the death of Asheton, who was found dead early Tuesday at his home in Ann Arbor. The death remains under investigation, though foul play is not suspected, said Ann Arbor Police Sgt. Brad Hill."

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Apple Cuts Copy Protection and Prices on iTunes - NYTimes.com:

"Apple gave the record labels that flexibility on pricing as it got them to agree to sell all songs free of ''digital rights management,'' or DRM, technology that limits people's ability to copy songs or move them to multiple computers. Apple had been offering a limited selection of songs without DRM, but by the end of this quarter, the company said, all 10 million songs in its library will be available that way."

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Passengers pounce on man who made threats aboard L.A.-bound flight - Los Angeles Times:

"'I thought this guy was going to open the door. I was thinking, 'I'm not going to go down with the plane,' ' said Llewellyn, 26, a 6-foot guitarist, who was flying into Los Angeles from Atlanta on Wednesday morning for a TV appearance with hip-hop artist Asher Roth."

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Calling in Sick - GetBack:

"Everyone needs a break. I get that. Just tell me straight. Let me know you can't take it. Or let me know that your tour wasn't selling enough tickets so you had to pull the plug. Or you had better things to do. Whatever the reason, If you're gonna call in sick to work, at least come up with a good excuse. You hear me, Jeremy Piven? That 'mercury toxicity' thing was WAY lame."

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I met Garrin Benfield, a really good San Francisco, singer/song writer, when I hired him as an exam proctor at the Law School where I use to work.

Garrin wrote a nice piece in JamBase recently on The Dead.

Phil & Friends/RatDog | 12.31.08 | S.F. on JamBase:

"Editor's Note: We thought it would be fun to have a local San Francisco musician with deep roots in the Grateful Dead world review Phil and Bobby's NYE celebration. Through the eyes of singer-guitarist Garrin Benfield, we give you an artist's perspective on The Dead circa 2009."

And, it looks like the remaining Dead will be touring again soon with Warren Haynes on guitar.

Grateful Dead Alum To Tour:

"LOS ANGELES — It looks like the old Dead are gettin' on.

Surviving members of the Grateful Dead say they'll regroup for a 19-city tour, their first since 2004, beginning April 12 in Greensboro, N.C.

The group, which now just calls itself The Dead, announced its plans Thursday.

Original band members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann have toured sporadically since the 1995 death of guitarist Jerry Garcia, but struggled to get along personally and artistically. They told Rolling Stone in November that they've worked out their differences, aided by a successful October benefit concert in Pennsylvania for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Warren Haynes joins the Dead on lead guitar, and Jeff Chimenti will play keyboards."

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