Wednesday, January 14, 2009

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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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

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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Monday, January 12, 2009

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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Friday, January 09, 2009

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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Thursday, January 08, 2009

Joe the Gentile

The deification of Republican losers continues its methodical march.

On this episode we see tax dodging, medical bill paying deadbeat, McCain/V-PILF poster child, not really a plumber, not really named 'Joe', Joe the Fuckwad ascended into the plush Republican Welfare system as a 'war correspondent'..... yes, 'war correspondent' for the hacktackular conservative 'news organization' quote, quote, Pajamas TV.

Oy fucking vey.

I hate it when they so parody themselves that they make it hard for me to snark.

Joe is about a month away from a gig at FAUX News.

Joe the Plumber to become war correspondent:

"TOLEDO, Ohio – Joe The Plumber is putting down his wrenches and picking up a reporter's notebook.

The Ohio man who became a household name during the presidential campaign says he is heading to Israel as a war correspondent for the conservative Web site pjtv.com.

Samuel J. Wurzelbacher (WUR'-zuhl-bah-kur) says he'll spend 10 days covering the fighting.

He tells WNWO-TV in Toledo that he wants to let Israel's ''Average Joes' share their story.'"

And Joe further pisses me off by taking the top story on today's post because THIS is the top story of 2009 so far, IMO.

And make no mistake, porn is one of the largest industries in the U.S.... um, so I hear. Yeah.

Larry Flynt is a freaking genius. He'll push this thing till politicians from all walks have to comment publicly on it.

Porn Bailout: Larry Flynt, Joe Francis Seeking Government Money:

"With all this economic misery and people losing all that money, sex is the farthest thing from their mind,' Flynt says. 'It's time for Congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America.'

Francis sees his industry like the big three automakers, only BIGGER: 'Congress seems willing to help shore up our nation's most important businesses; we feel we deserve the same consideration.'"
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Shitty Democrats.

Goal for the next couple of years: 1. Continue to kick Republican ass. 2. Rid the Democrats of the mushy fakers with primary battles and replace them with new, fresh progressives.

Bush-Enablers Feinstein and Rockefeller are running scared (UPDATED)

Ex-agent: Feinstein wrong, CIA needs an 'adult in charge'

You did all of Bush's bidding the past 8 years, Reid. You damn well better 'work for Obama'.

I will be donating to the Republican running against Reid in 2009. He needs to go and go fast. He's awful.

TheHill.com - Reid: ‘I don’t work for Obama’:

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Watch Wal-Mart spread like a cancer throughout the land.

Evil.

Watching the Growth of Walmart Across America

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This man's shrinkage is perfectly understandable.

Vail Chairlift Accident Leaves Man Dangling Pantless (PHOTOS)

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Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Let the Door Hit You

After living in a city where there is never a need to drive drunk, I'm now terrified to have even just one drink if I'm in another town and am driving a car.

The threat of a DUI abolishes any and all fun in places where mass transit doesn't exist or isn't necessarily viable.

Transit sans cars equals good economics for the spirits industry.

Going Green For Beer: Poor Mass Transit In The US Makes Alcohol More Dangerous:

"President-Elect Barack Obama is under pressure from all sides to create exactly the right kind of economic stimulus package -- some want it green, some want it huge, some say it has to be both (a trillion dollars? ouch!). Early talk had the stimulus going to revamp and green US infrastructure. Better transportation and better energy transmission.

Now there's another argument in favor of improving transportation in the US -- beer:

Driving under the influence of alcohol is a very serious matter. But count me among those who enjoy a good brew or single malt from time to time, so I am not without sympathy for those who find it difficult to enjoy themselves in a world where options other than driving are limited."
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Favorite coming in at #3.

America's Most and Least Favorite Cities - Yahoo! Real Estate: "San Francisco

Rank: 3
Workers who would like to move there: 9%
Median household income: $68,023
Median home value: $766,985
Annual home price change: -5.5%

San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world (it's also one of the most expensive). It's a progressive city with a vibrant economy, a vibrant arts and cultural scene, and a busy seaport. The University of California, San Francisco is one of the nation's top medical colleges. The city has become a biotech and technology center like neighboring Silicon Valley. The city's top attributes, according to the survey, were the environment (climate, parks, natural features, etc.), entertainment options, residents' background, talents and perspectives, and professional/personal opportunities."
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Buh-bye. Get the fuck out. Let the door hit you in the ass and pretty much everywhere else on your way out.

Bush starts packing to leave White House

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The U.S. needs to get over the 'Israel can do no wrong' delusion.

Israel shells near UN school, killing at least 30:

"Israeli mortar shells struck outside a U.N. school where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge on Tuesday, killing at least 30 people — many of them children whose parents wailed in grief at a hospital filled with dead and wounded."
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Keep an eye on this kid. He's got the type of gumption that leads to great things.

If I was 6 years old and missed the bus, I'm hiding out in the woods all day building a fort.

6-year-old misses bus, takes family car, crashes:

"A 6-year-old Virginia boy who missed his bus tried to drive to school in his family's sedan — and crashed."
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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Rip Torn on the High Seas

One more day to donate to Nuci's Space.

Even if you won't be at the shows, dig deep and donate at least $10 to this very important organization.

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"Don't piss off the Boys from Alabama
You know they won't let it slide"


Decatur, Ala., organized crime unit chief missing:

"Authorities searched Monday for the head of a northern Alabama city's organized crime unit, who was last seen working late Friday and then vanished, leaving signs of a struggle in his office."
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Well, of course he's facing charges. His name is 'Rip Torn' for Buddha's sake!

Rip Torn faces drunken driving charges in Conn.

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Not sure how much of this applies to a city like San Francisco. Plenty of green space, and amazing views around every corner.

Still, an interesting read.

How the city hurts your brain - Boston.com:

"One of the main forces at work is a stark lack of nature, which is surprisingly beneficial for the brain. Studies have demonstrated, for instance, that hospital patients recover more quickly when they can see trees from their windows, and that women living in public housing are better able to focus when their apartment overlooks a grassy courtyard. Even these fleeting glimpses of nature improve brain performance, it seems, because they provide a mental break from the urban roil."
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Another interesting read.

Diaries of swashbuckling hero who rescued Robinson Crusoe unearthed - Telegraph:

"A 300-year-old journal of a British explorer who saved the real-life Robinson Crusoe and defeated pirates of the Caribbean has been discovered."
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Ah, funny beer commercials, oh how I adore thee.



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Monday, January 05, 2009

Dig Deep to Donate

Here's a note from Patterson regarding the Nuci's benefit. The raffle is still going. Even though I'll not be at the show, I'm in for 2 raffle tickets today. Anyone want to match me?

Nuci's Space.

Y'ALL:

HAPPY DAMNED NEW YEAR.

We hope everyone out there has an amazing and prosperous 2009.

Remember we are on the home stretch for time to bid on the set list for our annual Nuci's Space Benefit.

Remember, the highest bidder gets to pick 12 songs for the show on Thursday Jan. 15th at The Fabulous 40 Watt Club.

That auction ends on Jan 4th.

Or if you prefer, you can buy a chance on a raffle, the winner of which gets to pick 8 songs for same show.

The raffle is on Jan. 7th.

As a little added incentive, we've invited our original bass player / vocalist Adam Howell to be at the show, which means thatthe song he and I co-wrote LATE FOR CHURCH is eligible for the set list that evening.

This will be only the second time since 1998 that we have performed that song.

We hope everyone has had a safe and wonderful Holiday Season.

Santa came to see me and brought me a new turntable, a couple of books and DVDs and a copy of the new Deerhunter album (which I have been playing non-stop).

Hope he brought all of you what you wanted also.

Get those bids in and See You at The Rock Show(s)

Bah Humbucker,
Patterson Hood
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Let's get back into the political swing of things, shall we.

I've long hammered the point that why would one ever vote for a party that believes that governing is the problem, not a solution?

Oh, and the race bating is kind of an issue too. Will be interesting to see the Republicans attempt an Extreme Party Makeover. Even more interesting will be those who will buy their tripe.

Lip stick on a pig, indeed.

Op-Ed Columnist - Bigger Than Bush - NYTimes.com:

"The fault, however, lies not in Republicans’ stars but in themselves. Forty years ago the G.O.P. decided, in effect, to make itself the party of racial backlash. And everything that has happened in recent years, from the choice of Mr. Bush as the party’s champion, to the Bush administration’s pervasive incompetence, to the party’s shrinking base, is a consequence of that decision.

If the Bush administration became a byword for policy bungles, for government by the unqualified, well, it was just following the advice of leading conservative think tanks: after the 2000 election the Heritage Foundation specifically urged the new team to “make appointments based on loyalty first and expertise second.”

Contempt for expertise, in turn, rested on contempt for government in general. “Government is not the solution to our problem,” declared Ronald Reagan. “Government is the problem.” So why worry about governing well?"
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I'll go with 'douche-bags'.

Looking for a word - Paul Krugman Blog - NYTimes.com:

"Unusually, I’m having a vocabulary problem. There has to be some word for the kind of person who considers his mild discomfort the equivalent of torture, crippling injury, or death for other people. But I can’t think of it.

What brings this to mind is this from Alberto Gonzales:

"I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror".

This reminded me of Laura Bush’s remark on carnage in Iraq:

"And believe me, no one suffers more than their president and I do when we watch this".

Remember this. And remember, too, that for long years these people were considered heroic patriots, defenders of the nation."
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Voluntary. Yeah, we'll see how long that last.

Lipitor stick on a pig.

No More Goodies for Doctors From Drug Makers :

"Starting Jan. 1, the pharmaceutical industry has agreed to a voluntary moratorium on the kind of branded goodies — Viagra pens, Zoloft soap dispensers, Lipitor mugs — that were meant to foster good will and, some would say, encourage doctors to prescribe more of the drugs."
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I don't know anything about this guy, but I'm glad to see a non-career politician jump into the fray.

Often, the best individuals to govern this country never get the opportunity or decide that they don't want to deal with the 'politics' in order to 'govern'. That, or they're simply priced out from ever seeking office.

The Associated Press: Colo. gov names schools chief for Senate vacancy:

"That's what colleagues are saying about the Yale-educated lawyer, a quick study who won't need long to navigate Congress, even though Bennet has never held public office. Bennet was named Saturday by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter as his choice to fill the remaining two years of the Senate term of Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, who is awaiting confirmation as interior secretary for President-elect Barack Obama."
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The future governor of Alabama. He's got my vote.

TMZ.com:

"This may be the very best police report of 2008. When Charles Barkley was busted in Arizona early this morning for DUI, he told cops he ran a stop sign because he was in a hurry to get some oral sex.

According to the officer who wrote the report, 'He told me that he ran the stop sign because he was in a hurry to pick up the girl I saw get in the passenger seat.'

The officer continues: 'He asked me to admit that she was 'hot.' He asked me, 'You want the truth?' When I told him I did he said, 'I was gonna drive around the corner and get a b**w job. He then explained that she had given him a 'b**w job' one week earlier and said it was the best one he had ever had in his life.'"
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Perfect Timing?

Conn. man's last lotto ticket wins $10M for widow:

"On the day that Donald Peters died, he unknowingly provided financial security for his wife of 59 years and their family.

Peters bought two Connecticut Lottery tickets at a local 7-Eleven store on Nov. 1 as part of a 20-year tradition he shared with his wife Charlotte. Later that day, the 79-year-old retired hat factory worker suffered a fatal heart attack while working in his yard in Danbury."
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Friday, January 02, 2009

DBT Week in Review - 1/2/09

DBT!

I did some work on the blog yesterday. Here's a page that lists all of the DBT WIRs. Enjoy:

Alabama Ass Whuppin': DBT Week in Review Archive

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The best music of 2008. (3) - By Robert Christgau, Ann Powers, and Jody Rosen - Slate Magazine

I have plenty to say about Girl Talk, Auto-Tune, Lil Wayne, all that. Please give me the chance to take up those discussions. But I promised myself that in my first post I'd put in a good word for the most underrated album of the year. I've been playing the Drive-By Truckers' Brighter Than Creation's Dark for more than a year—it was one of my last reviews before Rolling Stone offed me. It never quits. Anyone who knows the band knows what songwriters Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley can be. Here they're never anything else—they have three songs in the top 25, Lil Wayne only one. Hood's best work is about what Obama calls the middle class—small-time entrepreneurs, the local gay guy, a couple of GIs. Cooley's focus is more countercultural—the rocker's life. The compassion in these songs is never-ending, and the melodies range from better-than-average to unforgettable. Stylistically, however, they're kind of retro boogie, Skynyrd sans soloists, and Hood's rough voice wouldn't pull you in if the words didn't. Maybe that's why they've been shut out in the year-end lists of Blender, Spin, or Stone. It's an outrage nevertheless.
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Patterson’s Rounding Out The Year (2008) - Drive-By Truckers MySpace Blog

Patterson’s Perspective (2008) - Drive-By Truckers MySpace Blog

Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation's Dark (2008): Reviews

List of Year End List - 2008 - Drive-By Truckers MySpace Blog

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Beyonce and DBT in the same paragraph. Nice.

Bloomberg.com: Arts and Culture:

"Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Beyonce Knowles, having got tired of being sexy, decided to imagine she was a guy. The Drive-By Truckers used blistering rock to document the lives of people who were already hurting well before the recession struck.

They were among those in 2008 to make American records that have great merit. Any of them would make surprising gifts."
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Bettye Lavette

ANTI- BETTYE LAVETTE STEALS THE SHOW AT THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS:

"BETTYE WOWS FELLOW ARTISTS INCLUDING DAVE GROHL AND HONOREE PETE TOWNSHEND; BETTYE NOMINATED FOR BLUES MUSIC AWARD FOR ‘CONTEMPORARY BLUES FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR'

BETTYE LAVETTE wasn't the biggest name on stage at the recent Kennedy Center Honors, but her typically gut-wrenching performance of The Who's 'Love Reign O'er Me' provided one of the evening's most spectacular moments."
Bettye's performance starts around the 2:30 minute mark.



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Dexateens

The Best Americana Music of 2008 - PopMatters Picks: The Best Music of 2008 | PopMatters:

"The Dexateens offer Lost and Found for free on their website, but it’s hardly a throwaway album. Loud and brash, the disc features snaky, intertwined guitars that recall the Stones at their meanest and most vintage, and the Drive-by Truckers at their loudest. Bathing their songs in an Alabama drawl, the Dexateens make a racket that serves notice: They might just be one of the next great American rock bands."
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Music I Like

The Steepwater Band - Chicago, Illinois - Rock / Americana / Blues

They have shared the stage with acts as diverse as Buddy Guy, Wilco, Gov't Mule, Cheap Trick, The Redwalls, Taj Mahal, Bon Jovi, Rose Hill Drive, Bad Company, King’s X, Drive-By Truckers, and Heart. In 2005, the band made its European debut, performing at the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, and returned the following two years for club-and-festival tours to heavily attended shows.

It was a serendipitous meeting at a Black Crowes concert that brought friends Winters and Bowers together with Massey. A decade later in May ‘08, the three found themselves in California recording Grace and Melody, their fourth full-length studio album, with Grammy winner Marc Ford as producer-the musician widely regarded as The Black Crowes' finest guitarist and integral to their prime years. The Steepwater Band met Ford while sharing a bill at a festival in Spain in the summer of '07. They invited Ford to sit in on Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer," a song banned in Spain for years. A friendship was forged and Ford expressed interest in collaborating with the band shortly after producing the critically acclaimed debut album from Ryan Bingham, Mescalito (Lost Highway 2007).
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Rise Up Howling Werewolf - MUSCLE SHOALS, Alabama - Garage / Psychobilly / Rockabilly

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Music

Metacritic: Best Albums of 2008

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Sweet dreams are made of this. Who am I to disagree.

Eurythmics' Dave Stewart Designs, Launches $1400 Vibrator

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'Cause Microsoft sucks.

'Zune 30 Midnight Meltdown' Angers Music Lovers (NewsFactor) by NewsFactor: Yahoo! Tech:
"While the rumor mill is focused on Apple developing a larger-screen iPod touch, the blogosphere is churning with angry reports about frozen 30GB Microsoft Zunes."
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2008: Album Sales Plunged, Downloads Up:

"Ironically, as digital downloads grew, vinyl album sales also climbed. In 2008, more vinyl albums were purchased (1.88 million) than any other year since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991."
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Jeff Price: The Democratization of the Music Industry

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Rock songwriter Delaney Bramlett dies in LA at 69:

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Music - The New Pop Music Revolution - Pitching Products - NYTimes.com

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Web site lets fans sing with the King:

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AC/DC News on Yahoo! Music:
"Medical experts in Australia have warned that headbanging is likely to be behind a silent epidemic of head- and neck-related injuries.

Dr. Andrew McIntosh, biomedical and injury expert at the University Of New South Wales, carried out research into headbanging, and published his findings in the British Medical Journal.

McIntosh issued a stark warning to music fans who headbang.

'We identified a definite risk of mild traumatic brain injury from headbanging,' he said. 'We would suggest a proper public health warning, as for smoking.'

The report calls for fans to wear neck braces when headbanging in order to protect themselves from injury. McIntosh also recommended listening to less intense music, reports The Herald.
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Thursday, January 01, 2009

Let's Do it All Again - 2009

Happy New Years!

No hangover here, folks. Ha!

Hangover Myths Slideshow: The Truth Behind Hangover Cures and Remedies

Watch some football, stuff yourself then take a couple of naps. That's an order.



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Party likes its.... er... 2009.



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2009 will be brilliant, y'all.



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