DBT WIR - 9/28/07

Largehearted Boy, who awes me with the quality and amount of content he produces on his blog... seriously, he makes me ashamed to even call myself a blogger.... has come up with a great series of artists interviewing other artist.

In the latest edition DBT cover artist and all around badass Wes Freed Interviews writer Dallas Hudgens with the Dixie Butcher, Jyl Freed chipping in a question or two.

Jyl turned me on to Dallas earlier this year and connected Dallas and I via email. Dallas was kind enough to send me a signed copy of his book Drive Like Hell and I loved it. Really, really loved it.

I want to be in the film version so bad.

Here's my write up on Drive Like Hell back in Feburary.

Check out Dallas Hudgens website and his upcoming book Season of Gene.

Also, here's LHB's archive of artist on artist interviews:

Largehearted Boy: Interviews Archives

While we're talking Wes, he's got some really special DBT art work for sale:

CD Art- Wes Freed:

"For the first time ever, with the blessing of The Drive-by Truckers, Wes is going to sell a couple of pieces of original artwork that The Drive-by Truckers made official use of. We'll be selling them through the website, first come, first served. "

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Warm in the Wake is opening up for DBT tonight and tomorrow night.

If you've recently broken a toe or two then you SHOULD NOT listen to this band. Yer metatarsal malady will only be worsen by the foot flapping tunes produced by this Decatur, Georgia based band.

I dig it.

A base of Beatles, a dash of Deathcab, cup of Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, sprinkle on some Flaming Lips.... some of the boys are from Alabama.... currently making music in Georgia (and we know how good that combo is).

Get to the show early and be sure to check out Warm in the Wake opening for DBT.

Their MySpace page has a free download of their song American Prehistoric

Here's an EPK giving you some background

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Scene of the Crime. SCENE OF THE CRIME, y'all. I mean GD!

The more I listen the more I'm discovering. What an incredible record. Better go buy one if you ain't already.

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Jason Isbell is still finding things that rock:

JasonIsbellMusic MySpace Blog

My contribution was Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.

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Music

Last Outlaw Standing: A Talk With Billy Joe Shaver

Mark Knopfler Talks About his New Album, "Kill to Get Crimson"

Something to look forward to in old age... doing whatever the eff you want.

Rod Stewart wears his gong for breakfast down the caff

Variety.com - Scorsese to direct Harrison film

Bruce Springsteen's 'Magic' Has Anti-War Message

Jay-Z, Kanye, none of the Rap Moguls can compare with Dre. Two of the greatest rap albums ever (Chronic and 2000... which came out a decade apart) are Dres.

Dr. Dre, mix marathon man - Los Angeles Times

The Sex Pistols News on Yahoo! Music

Tecktonik dance craze takes Paris by storm

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Fightin' Giraffes

YES! A big fat asterisk for a steriod fat asshole.

Sometimes there is justice in the world.

Hank Aaron remains the all-time home run king.

Bonds ball going to Cooperstown-with asterisk:

"(09-26) 07:20 PDT NEW YORK -- Barry Bonds' record-breaking home-run ball will be sent to the baseball Hall of Fame with an asterisk, the New York fashion designer who won the famed orb said today, citing an online vote that drew more than 10 million votes. Some 47 percent of those voting believe the ball should be permanently branded to acknowledge the public's suspicion that he used steroids, said Mark Ecko, who had set up a Web site for fans to vote on the ball's fate. About 34 percent had wanted it sent to the Hall of Fame directly while 19 percent wanted it banished forever by blasting it into space."

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Since I started with some San Francisco related news I thought I'd share some pics I snapped during a bike yesterday after work. We've had ridiculously beautiful weather of late.'

Golden Gate Bridge - Marin Headlands. Just beyond those first hills is the Tennessee Valley.

Watching the ships roll out.

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Winning hearts and minds by treating them like wild turkey shoot?!?

U.S. snipers accused of 'baiting' Iraqis

WASHINGTON - Army snipers hunting insurgents in Iraq were under orders to "bait" their targets with suspicious materials, such as detonation cords, and then kill whoever picked up the items, according to the defense attorney for a soldier accused of planting evidence on an Iraqi he killed. Gary Myers, an attorney for Sgt. Evan Vela, said his client had acted "pursuant to orders."

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Caught a big hawk just chillin' in a tree. Probably full of pigeon and rat. Umm-mmm.

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Sigh. Stupid, stupid mfer.

Bush Defends No Child Left Behind: "Childrens Do Learn":

"'The No Child Left Behind Act is working,' Bush said with first lady Laura Bush, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) and School Chancellor Joel Klein at his side. 'I say that because the nation's report card says it's working. Scores are improving, in some instances hitting all-time highs.' ad_icon A few moments later, he added, 'As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.' The official White House transcript later corrected the statement to 'children.'"

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Immigrant point. Yes, we honor our immigrants here.

Purty view of my neighborhood.

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When giraffes attack. Man, this is pretty brutal. I've never seen anything like this on Discovery.

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Alcatraz and the Palace of Fine Arts

Smokin' Legs

These are the Republican nutjobs that O'Lielly, Pill-popper Lush and the rest of the propaganda machine incite to violence with their BS. Shite like this boils my blood.

Consider me a violent progressive/liberal. Any f'ing conservative meat head that would rather use his fists than his mouth, look me up. I'll be happy to stomp your ass. Unfortunately it is the only thing you understand.

POSs plain and simple. Scum of the f'ing earth.

Check out the pictures, too.

The People Who Assaulted a Gold Star Father on September 15th:

"Carlos Arredondo, 47 year old father of two sons, arrived in the nation's capitol on Monday, 09/10/07 to share a memorial he has made to honor for his eldest son, Alex.

Carlos has visited thirty of the United States with the traveling memorial to his son Alexander. Lcpl. Alexander S. Arredondo, USMC was killed on 08/25/04. He was 20 years and 20 days old. The memorial consists of a casket, poster- size photographs of Alex when he graduated from boot camp, before his second tour in Iraq, lying in state at his wake, and a photo of Alex with his younger brother Brian. Saturday, September 15, 2007 consisted of first a rally, a march towards the capitol and then a die-in.

Carlos pulled the memorial along the march route approaching the rotunda near the capitol building. Several of the marchers requested for him to speak about the memorial where a crowd gathered around him. After finishing, several people walked with Carlos as he pulled the memorial. Several pictures of Alex dressed in his blues were attached to the display. As Carlos passed counter protesters, one man ripped a picture of Alex from the memorial. Carlos leaped on the man to retrieve the picture. It was at that point that approximately five others all began to attack Carlos by kicking him in the head, legs, stomach and back."

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When good journalist sell their souls.

When traditional media is broken....

Never, ever has this story been discredited. Never. Ever.

DAN RATHER: TASED AND CONFUSED Greg Palast

In September 2004 when Rather cowered, Bush was riding high in the polls. Now, with Bush’s approval ratings are below smallpox, Rather has come out of hiding to shoot at the lame duck. Thanks, Dan.

It began on September 8, 2004, when Rather, on CBS, ran a story that Daddy Bush Senior had, in 1968, put in the fix to get his baby George out of the Vietnam War and into the Texas Air National Guard. Little George then rode out the war defending Houston from Viet Cong attack.

The story is stone-cold solid. I know, because we ran it on BBC Television a year before CBS (see that broadcast here). BBC has never retracted a word of it.

But CBS caved. So did Dan.

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When traditional media works like it is suppose to.... exposing hypocrisy.

David Shuster should have his own show.

Blackburn tries to filibuster but Shuster ain't letting it happen.

"When has a newspaper ad ever killed anyone".

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Nuh, uh. We retain Jeebuseseses's's Survival Instincts.... wait... don't think Jeebus was all that good at survival..... nevermind.

Modern Humans Retain Caveman's Survival Instincts:

"Like hunter-gatherers in the jungle, modern humans are still experts at spotting predators and prey, despite the developed world's safe suburbs and indoor lifestyle, a new study suggests.

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Use hickory wood and a sweet sauce for the tastiest legs.

Best part is the owner of the leg is coming to reclaim it.

Man Buys Smoker, Finds Human Leg Inside:

"A man who bought a smoker Tuesday at an auction of abandoned items might have thought twice had he looked inside first."

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Scene of the Crime

SCENE OF THE CRIME

The Great Lady of Soul Bettye LaVette's Scene of the Crime drops today and she's backed by the incredible Drive-by Truckers. Below is a neat inside look at the making of the album. Give it a look:

Making 'Scene of the Crime'


Photo: Kevin Kile

Check out pictures from the sessions.

Here's a link to some additional media if you want to see and hear Bettye belt 'em out.

Go to your local music store today and pick up a copy.

Here's your link to Amazon and Bettye's site to make purchase.

Support damn good music!

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Since its a good day with good music I'll keep the news light. Although, I've got one story in my pocket that pisses me off more than usually. I'm sure you'll be equally outraged when you read it tomorrow.

Barbara Bush and a pool boy... **shudder**..... *wreeetch*

Interesting article on class division fo' realz.

The former president's pool boy:

"'I look at the biggest middle finger in the world all day,' is his more succinct explanation. I ask Razsa if he has a monologue loaded up, in the event that his next encounter was at closer range. To my surprise, the idea doesn't appeal. 'What do you say? 'Thanks for School of the Americas, and Iran-Contra, and NAFTA, and shipping all those jobs overseas, and arming Saddam, and funding the Taliban?' What do you say -- 'You're a jerk?' There's nothing that can be put into a sentence that would capture the lives these people have taken, and the way of life that's been taken.'"

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Yahoo has come up with a 'People on the Web' series that I'm finding pretty consistently interesting. Here's the latest. Definitely check out the accompanying video.

People of the Web - Strokes of Genius:

"Phil Hansen stubbornly adheres to one artistic cliche. He's willing to suffer for his art. Asked to provide a photo for Yahoo! News, Phil Hansen couldn't resist creating a composite image. Take the giant portrait he made of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il as a protest against nuclear proliferation. He applied 6,000 adhesive bandages on a plywood backdrop. Then, using a quart-sized bag of his own blood, he painted Kim's face on the exposed gauze. His sister-in-law, a doctor, helped him draw the 500ml he needed."

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Science fiction or science fact?!?

Germs taken to space come back deadlier:

"WASHINGTON - It sounds like the plot for a scary B-movie: Germs go into space on a rocket and come back stronger and deadlier than ever. Except, it really happened."

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Cheetos, well d'uh. Everyone knows Cheetos ain't good for ya. Doritos is where all the nutrients be hangin'.

Mood Foods:

"Your brain depends on a variety of nutrients to keep itself balanced. Cheetos and beer are not on the list. The scoop on six snacks that will help kick your mind into gear"

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Scared of Horses

Check out my buddy Shipper. He made the New York Times. That's him on the left. Wet suits in Palau are for pussies.

Here's the article that goes with the pic. I've dove Blue Corner twice and Blue Hole to Blue Corner once.

Blue Heaven for Big Fish - New York Times

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Keep talking, Shrub. Every time you open your pie hole progressive causes reap a windfall.

Bush raises half a million for MoveOn - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth:

From Eli Pariser, the Executive Director of MoveOn. Dear MoveOn member, Yesterday, an amazing thing happened. After the Senate's shameful vote, and after President Bush called MoveOn 'disgusting,' our email started to fill up with messages like this one: I'm currently in Iraq. I do not agree with this war, and if I did support this war, it would not matter. You have the RIGHT to speak the truth. We KNOW that you support us. Thank you for speaking out for being our voice. We do not have a voice. We are overshooted by those who say that we soldiers do not support organizations like MoveOn. WE DO. YOU ARE OUR voice. And then came the donations. By midnight, over 12,000 people had donated $500,000—more than we've raised any day this year—for our new ad calling out the Republicans who blocked adequate rest for troops headed back to Iraq."

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He ain't the only one cryin'.

Supreme Court author: Justice Souter wept when he thought of Bush v. Gore:

"When Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court, appeared on Thursday's Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert grilled him about the meaning of the book's title. 'Do they have secret handshakes? Is it like the Da Vinci Code? Are there bizarre sexual rites going on there?' Toobin had to admit he wasn't aware of any secrets of that kind, but did confide that 'Justice Souter was so upset about the result in Bush v. Gore that not only did he almost resign the Court because he was so upset, but there were times when he thought about the case and he wept.' 'You say the justices have tried to put the decision of Bush v. Gore behind them and move on,' Colbert said. 'That sounds like one of those movies where a bunch of frat brothers inadvertently kill a prostitute and then later she comes back and haunts them and kills them one by one. Is that it? Are they haunted by that decision?'"

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All hat and no cattle.... and scared of horses. Still wanna have a beer with this putz?

Bush should of heeded Cooley's advice:

And I ain’t gonna crawl upon no high horse
Cause I got thrown off of one
when I was young and I ain’t no cowboy
so I ain’t going where I don’t belong.
DBT - Pin Hits the Shell

George Bush the Texan is 'scared of horses' :

"President Bush may like to be seen as a swaggering tough guy with a penchant for manly outdoor pursuits, but in a new book one of his closest allies has said he is afraid of horses. George W Bush saddles up, but where is the horse? Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, derided his political friend as a 'windshield cowboy' – a cowboy who prefers to drive – and 'the cockiest guy I have ever met in my life'. He recalled a meeting in Mexico shortly after both men had been elected when Mr Fox offered Mr Bush a ride on a 'big palomino' horse. Mr Fox, who left office in December, recalled Mr Bush 'backing away' from the animal. ''A horse lover can always tell when others don't share our passion,' he said, according to the Washington Post."

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Telemarketers: they have your number

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The cherished dinner hour void of telemarketers could vanish next year for millions of people when phone numbers begin dropping off the national Do Not Call list.

The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees the list, says there is a simple fix. But some lawmakers think it is a hassle to expect people to re-register their phone numbers every five years.

Numbers placed on the registry, begun in June 2003, are valid for five years. For the millions of people who signed onto the list in its early days, their numbers will automatically drop off beginning next June if they do not enroll again.

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That's got to hurt.

Redwood City man ID'd as acid-vat victim:

(09-23) 13:17 PDT REDWOOD CITY -- San Mateo County Coroner's officials have identified 18-year-old Fernando Jimenez Gonzalez of Redwood City as the man who drowned in a vat of sulfuric acid at a Redwood City factory early this morning. Gonzalez's body was discovered at Coastal Circuits Factory on Tacoma Way at around 1:45 a.m. by his father after Gonzalez didn't arrive home, according to a Redwood City police spokesman."

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It's never too early, right? Always noon somewhere....

The Manhattan project: A bartender spills his secrets on the king of cocktails:

"The dry gin martini is often heralded as the king of cocktails, but it's the Manhattan that's the true sovereign of the V-shaped glass. The martini, a mere pretender to the throne, was far more interesting prior to Prohibition - when vermouth made up a full third of the drink and it just wasn't a martini without orange bitters. The Manhattan, on the other hand, is a drink to be reckoned with."

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DBT WIR - 9/21/07

Due to my own recent loss, I wanted to start out today's DBT WIR with one of the most beautiful memorials I have ever seen. Matt Pence's photography (I'd love to hang out with Matt for about a week and pick his brain about all things photographic) paired with Centro's I See Through You create an extremely touching memorial to Cater Albrecht.

Centro-matic:

Carter Albrecht was our friend. He made our lives richer whenever we were lucky enough to be in his presence. He also inspired us with his musical brilliance and his personal integrity. We will miss him dearly. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. sincerely, Matt, Mark, Will, and Scott These photos were taken at the Echo Lab, where Carter worked on commercial and film music with me (Matt). He composed music there, with Will Johnson, Robert Gomez and, most especially, Danny Balis. It was a real joy to see the Danny and Carter tag team, musically and personally. I will miss it very much, and I want to send a personal consolation to Danny, who I know is wounded deeply from this event. Carter was photographed by me. Matt Pence.

Click here for the slideshow.

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Need to get political. Go sign this, please. Remember it is "We the People" not "They the military".

MoveOn.org Political Action: Statement: I will fight back

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Movies

Jenn B. supplied the camera and make-up for this horrorific short.

Dracula Must Die

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Of course, you must go see Randy and the Mob. They're our special friends.

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Apple - Trailers - Walk Hard - Trailer 1:

"America loves Cox! But behind the music is the up-and-down-and-up-again story of a musician whose songs would change a nation. On his rock ‘n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 22 kids and 14 stepkids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to – and then kicks – every drug known to man… but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman – longtime backup singer Darlene (Jenna Fischer)."

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Patterson Hood

Scene of the Crime recording session

Pitchfork: Forkcast:

"New Music: Bettye LaVette With Drive-By-Truckers: 'Before the Money Came (The Battle of Bettye LaVette)' [MP3/Stream] Now's about the time I'd give you a little background on Bettye LaVette, the seen-it-all soul singer who is three years and two albums into a comeback. But she doesn't need my help or anyone else's. A musical autobiography, 'Before the Money Came (The Battle of Bettye LaVette)' recounts her childhood growing up poor, her early days in the business ('I was singing r&b back in 62, before you were born, and your momma, too'), her first glimpses of fame ('I knew David Ruffin when he was hopeless/ Sleepin' on my floor before he crossed over'), her dog days ('Record deals kept falling apart/ One with Atlantic nearly broke my heart'), and her recent resurgence. It's a Wikipedia page set to music, and she delivers every note with the gritty self-assurance that only comes with lots of experience. Amping up a dirty Muscle Shoals groove, her backing band-- Drive-By Truckers-- get a few riffs in edgewise but know enough to stand back and let LaVette do her thing. MP3:> Bettye LaVette: 'Before the Money Came (The Battle of Bettye LaVette)' [from The Scene of the Crime; due 09/25/07 on Anti]"

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Excellent article and whoever took the pictures used with the article must be some sort of God.

JamBase > Articles > Patterson Hood | 09.11 | Santa Cruz:

dbts : Message: Patterson in Santa Cruz:

"A great show last night. Patterson was in fine spirits. Very small crowd (not surprising, as Santa Cruz is not a ROCK town and there was little in the way of promotion) but that made for an intimate show. Some great stories. Some great songs. Some new material - it sounds like the new record will hit the streets in Feb. 2008. Got a chance to say Hi again and slip him a copy of our CD and a band T Shirt. Patterson is really a great ambassador for the art of ROCK, storytelling, and the joy of music. Although the crowd was small, I hope that DBT decides to make it this way some day. Nat www.symptomsofawetguitar.com"

dbts : Message: Patterson in LA:

"Patterson played a great show here last night. Hotel Caf�is a really small venue, and he went on really early (8:30?!). But his short set had a great selection of songs including a Big Star cover, the new one he wrote for the film Randy and The Mob, and the all mighty Let There Be Rock. However, the two highlights for me were The Opening Act, which I am really excited to hear on the new record, and by far my favorite version of The Night GG Allin Came to Town. He spoke a little about the new record, and he seemed really really excited about it. He mentioned that it will be coming out in February and I think he said he’d back out this way the week it’s released. Lots of fun. -JC"

I started a review for Patterson's SF show but due to circumstances it never got finish. Way to drop the ball, JPW.

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Jason Isbell

Jason has cool stuff for sell. Go forth and buy cool stuff.

Jason's gussied up his MySpace. Check it out.

Oh, and Jason, this Amanda Shires you've been playing with.... What do I need to do to get some digits? Yowza, she is.

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The Drams

The Drams - To Love Somebody

Add to My Profile | More Videos

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TheDrams : Message: Drams' show pics - Granada & Stubbs:

"Hey everyone – The shows this weekend were incredible! You can see lots of pictures on my MySpace page in 2 different albums (Granada & Stubbs):

Be sure to check out the one of Chad playing sax with The Theater Fire (a great band out of Ft. Worth). Nicholas – It was nice meeting you!! ~ Michelle ~"

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Lauderdale

MySpace.com: Read Bulletin:

" Hey everybody, Just letting you all know that 2 of our songs, 'Back Home' and 'The Edge' will be in the film 'Like Moles, Like Rats'. It was shot in Huntsville last summer and was directed by my buddy, Jim Torres. 'The Edge' is an alternate version than the one that appears on our album. We did a full-band version for the film.

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Sons of Roswell

MySpace.com: Read Bulletin:

"Our showcase will be broadcast live via www.synchronicitylive.com. Just go to the site tomorrow around 9:30 Eastern time and search our band name and we'll be there playing live. Check the site out a little early and register for a profile first of course, then all viewing pleasure is yours. The band with the most viewers during a showcase at Atlanta gets a hefty cash prize. Please keep this in mind, we would appreciate something like that."

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Music

I promise this will NOT smell anything like Teen Spirit.

Courtney Love to launch her own perfume

I'm Learning To Share!: A Musical Celebration in San Francisco

Eddie Vedder: Fatherhood 'Fueled My Anger'

Sex Pistols announce 30th anniversary gig

Led Zeppelin set for reunion gig in London

Give it up for world's best air guitarist

Stevie Nicks: a survivor's story

Rapper Foxy Brown gets 1 year in jail

Three Bay Area residents accused of illegally downloading music

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Don't Head-Butt the Baby

My tank is truly empty at the moment so I'll just throw up a few things.

First, there's some of this (really a good, short read):

Paul Krugman - Op-Ed Columnist - New York Times Blog:

"Middle class America: That’s the country I grew up in. It was a society without extremes of wealth or poverty, a society of broadly shared prosperity, partly because strong unions, a high minimum wage, and a progressive tax system helped limit inequality. It was also a society in which political bipartisanship meant something: in spite of all the turmoil of Vietnam and the civil rights movement, in spite of the sinister machinations of Nixon and his henchmen, it was an era in which Democrats and Republicans agreed on basic values and could cooperate across party lines."

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Then some of this (kick the baby! Don't kick the baby)

Police: Irate Woman Throws Baby At Trooper:

"NORTH EAST, Md. -- A Maryland mother was arraigned on drug and child abuse charges after police said she threw her 6-month-old child across a room at a police officer."

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Then some more of this.... (tough time of the year to be a baby)

Robber Grabs Toddler During Bank Heist:

"A bank robber grabbed a toddler and held the boy at gunpoint while demanding thousands of dollars from a teller, authorities said. The startling scene was captured on surveillance video that shows the little boy staring up at the gun."

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Then a little of this (look Ma, no hands... or arms... Or... 'I can kill a man with my bare... ummm...')

Autopsy: Head-Butt Didn't Cause Death:

"A man died of a heart attack after being head-butted by an armless man during a fight over a woman, and no felony charges will be filed, authorities said Wednesday. Investigators said they made the determination after learning that Charles Keith Teer, 49, had heart problems long before the confrontation with William Russell Redfern, an artist who has won recognition for drawings he does with his feet."

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Then a little sporting wackiness from the Braves:

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Sweet Home Ala-Come-buy-Stuff-Bama

The show must go on.... I guess.

Thanks to all the emails and posts, folks. It really is much appreciated.

I'm way backed up on emails, etc so if you've sent me one in the past few days, I'll be responding shortly.

.........

Wow. It took Alabama this long to come up with this idea. A song I have heard on the jukebox anywhere I've ever been. It was even playing at a bar in Palau once.

And check out this amount of cash the state is spending on this marketing plan... 4.5 million! This will be the sweetest 1 week marketing campaign evah.

Lynyrd Skynyrd song to be tourism theme:

"ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - At the start of 'Sweet Home Alabama,' Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant shouts 'Turn it up!' And that's what the state of Alabama plans to do with its new tourism campaign.

Gov. Bob Riley has announced that Alabama's tourism agency will use the line 'Sweet Home Alabama' to market the state in 2008. State Tourism Director Lee Sentell said the line — used first in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song in 1974 and then in the 2002 movie starring Reese Witherspoon — will be featured throughout the state's $4.5 million marking program next year. The campaign symbol is a red, blue, yellow and white logo with the words 'sweet' and 'home' flanking the stylized word 'Alabama.'"

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I voted for branding it with an asterick and I hope you will too.

Bonds ball winner asks public what to do with it:

(09-17) 14:29 PDT SAN FRANCISCO - The man who bought Barry Bonds' record-breaking home-run ball is giving the public a chance to brand it with an asterisk and send it to baseball's Hall of Fame - or to blast it into outer space.

Marc Ecko, a fashion designer with a history of coming up with stunts, says it's not a joke. After paying $752,467 for the ball at an online auction that wrapped up Saturday, Ecko said today that he is taking votes at a Web site - www.vote756.com - and giving people three choices: -- Send the ball directly to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. -- Send it to Cooperstown after branding it with an asterisk that would acknowledge the public's suspicion that the Giants slugger used steroids to boost his strength. -- Put the ball on a rocket ship and launch it into space. Ecko says he will follow the will of the people. Votes will be taken until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 25."

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Leave General Petraeus Alone

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Mildly funny, though NSFW unless you have ear phones (ain't no nekkid people just a lot, and I mean a lot of cuss words). I've used many of these in the past few days and a few not mentioned.

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Marcus Hixon Wilson - 1920-2007

In loving memory of my grandfather who passed away last night.

Marcus Hixon Wilson - 1920-2007

Marcus Wilson Obituarie

Marcus, born Aug. 3, 1920, in Villa Rica, Ga., was a graduate of Oglethorpe University. He entered the Navy in 1942, obtaining the rank of lieutenant, and was released from active duty in 1945. He was captain of an aircraft rescue boat in the South Pacific. He was employed with Tennessee Vally Authority for 36 years. He also was a member and deacon of First Baptist Church, an original member of Turtle Point Yacht and Country Club, greens chairman for 17 years, president of Southern Turf Association for three terms and an avid golfer and outdoorsman.

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"Seems like everyone I know, is gettin' cancer every year...."

Love you and will miss you, Granddad. I hear there's never a three-putt where you've gone and that all of your drives will be 300+ yards.....

No more Granddads..... damn.

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Cooley's Birthday and Randy and the Mob

Waaaay too fuzzy this morning. Full DBT WIR coming Monday.

Happy Birthday to the Stroker Ace, Mike Cooley! 29 never sounded so good!

Check out an old post about Cooley's Birthday.

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From Jenn B:

Hey everybody,

I have a couple of friends who are releasing a movie next week. It's called Randy and the Mob, and it is hilarious. Read a little story about it here.

My friends Ray McKinnon and Walt Goggins have asked me to help spread the word and I am glad to do so - it's a great movie. It's not a big movie, so they really need to have some turnout at the theatres. If you possibly can, go see it! And pass this along to anyone you know who might be interested. Support independent and small films!

If you want more history, continue reading. Otherwise, I'd love it if you'd check out the trailer, and go see the movie in a theatre near you if you like it.

In 2001, Ray McKinnon won an Oscar for his first short film, The Accountant. It was such a great piece of film that my longtime friend Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers wrote one of his best songs about it, a little rocker called "Sinkhole". Ray loved the Truckers' music, and put a couple of their songs in his last film, " Chrystal". Patterson now has a song on the Randy and the Mob soundtrack.

Ray's buddy and co-producer, Walton Goggins, played Detective Shane Vendrell on "The Sheild", and plays a lead role in Randy and the Mob along with Ray (who actually plays two roles - twin brothers). Both men have been in countless movies and TV shows. You probably saw Ray in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou as Holly Hunter's "bonified" new fiancee, Vernon T. Waldrip, or as Reverend H.W. Smith on "Deadwood". His wife Lisa Blount is a main character in Randy and the Mob; you'll recognize her from several movies and shows too (I first noticed her in An Officer and a Gentleman). Tim DeKay, who played Jonesy on "Carnivale", has a great role, and there's even an appearance by Burt Reynolds!

Ray, Walt and the rest are some of the finest people I have ever met. You could do much worse than supporting these fine artists. Personally I think everyone should own a copy of The Accountant; it's a breathtakingly good short film that I show to everyone I get a chance to. I hope you go see Randy and the Mob, too. It'll make you laugh!

Thanks for your time,

-Jenn

If a man builds a machine and that machine conspires with another machine built by another man, are those men conspiring? -The Accountant, 2001

Feisty Guillotine

So the new Apple mini iPod commercial has been haunting me for about a week now. My head snaps to the TV screen whenever it comes on. Something about that songs grabs my attention and fast.

I've been trying to guess who the hell it is because I can't see the person on that tiny-ass iPod screen on my tiny-ass TV screen. First I thought it was Bjork.

So, I says to Mable, I says..... (sorry, Simpson's reference). The boob tube was on last night as I'm grading papers and the commercial comes on and my head snaps and I, again, wonder, who the hell is that. I catch one lyric and through the magic of 'Googling' (if you haven't heard of it you should really try it. You can find all sorts of things through the 'Google' oracle) I discover the artist in question and I do believe I have been once again smitten by a foreign chanteuse.

The artist is named Feist (Leslie Feist to be exact) who just came out with a solo album. She is also a member of the Canadian band Broken Social Scene (never heard of them before but they have a nice, retro New Wave type a sound. I grew up on much New Wave, so the sound, if done well, appeals to me).

I dig it. I really, really dig it.

This year we've had DeClinehouse, then Sia, now Feist. Something about these females from another country sangin' all pretty that just eats me up.

Check her out, here's her MySpace.

MySpace.com - Feist - Toronto, CA - Indie / Folk / Alternative

Here's the video for her Apple song, 1,2,3,4.



Many more tunes from Feist and Broken Social Scene on YouTube.

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I had to start off with some tunes today because the next Tube is about the most depressing thing I've seen in a while. There's hope at the end, though.

Must see:

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Nail on head.

Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brain - Los Angeles Times

Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found that liberals tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservatives because of how their brains work.

Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent in their judgments whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to political situations but also influence everyday decisions.
.......

Participants were college students whose politics ranged from "very liberal" to "very conservative." They were instructed to tap a keyboard when an M appeared on a computer monitor and to refrain from tapping when they saw a W.

M appeared four times more frequently than W, conditioning participants to press a key in knee-jerk fashion whenever they saw a letter.

Each participant was wired to an electroencephalograph that recorded activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, the part of the brain that detects conflicts between a habitual tendency (pressing a key) and a more appropriate response (not pressing the key). Liberals had more brain activity and made fewer mistakes than conservatives when they saw a W, researchers said. Liberals and conservatives were equally accurate in recognizing M.

Researchers got the same results when they repeated the experiment in reverse, asking another set of participants to tap when a W appeared.

Analyzing the data, Sulloway said liberals were 4.9 times as likely as conservatives to show activity in the brain circuits that deal with conflicts, and 2.2 times as likely to score in the top half of the distribution for accuracy.

Based on the results, he said, liberals could be expected to more readily accept new social, scientific or religious ideas.

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Commitment to a cause.

They also found a betamax wrapped in his arms.

Man Builds Guillotine to Kill Himself:

"The body of a 41-year-old man was found in a wooded area next to a guillotine he built and used to kill himself, police said. The man, from the Detroit suburb of Melvindale, was discovered Monday by workers from a shopping center near his home."

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Baby Dram #1

Got the following text message yesterday:

Thomas Drake Harper
Born 3:55 p.m.
6lbs, 3 ozs.
Mom in great spirits.
Dad stupified.

Congrats Tony and Mrs. Tony Harper on the addition of a baby Dram to the mix.

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How we roll in CA. If the Feds ain't gonna fix it.....

Facing South: California House shows how we can help the Gulf Coast

The two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina has passed -- and people around the country saw that the people of the Gulf Coast are still in deep crisis. People ask me: what can we do now?

In our recent report Blueprint for Gulf Renewal, we outline concrete steps our national leaders can take to get the Gulf Coast back on its feet and ensure justice for all Gulf residents, not just special interests.

And yesterday, the California state house showed how people across the country can help push a new agenda for the Gulf. After months of mobilizing by students and other activists, the state assembly voted to support passage of a Gulf Coast Civic Works Project -- a visionary plan to create 100,000 good-paying jobs to rebuild the region (and one of the lead recommendations of our report).

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God is a Democrat.

Hugh Hefner Uncut: DETAILS Article on men.style.com:

"Q: You’re a lifelong Democrat. Who’s your favorite candidate?
A: Either Obama or, er . . . Hilton.
Q: Paris?!
A: Yes! She’d make a great First Lady! No, I mean Hillary. I’ve given to both those campaigns equally."

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This article is about cockfighting. How can I not post something that has 'cockfighting' in it.... and chicks in bikinis firing high powered weapons. I wish I had of come up with the idea first... Probably did come up with the idea first... just didn't do anything about it.

Always more fun to think about doing things than to actually do them.

People of the Web - Playing Chicken:

"MIAMI - Ask Jason Atkins about the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal, and his reaction is anger and disgust. 'I just thought, you know, [he's] gotta be the worst criminal I've ever seen,' he says. 'Girls and Guns' is among the features on Jason Atkins' ToughSportsLive Web site. Animal rights advocates might find that response surprising, because Atkins's Web network, ToughSportsLive.com, features live cockfighting from Puerto Rico — which, while legal there, is banned now in all 50 U.S. states. 'Our ultimate goal is to be a cultural website,' Atkins says of the site. 'To produce and show the world's various cultural sporting events.' So far, those cultural sporting events mostly involve blood and bikinis. In addition to cockfighting (which is shown on LiveCockfights.com, a subchannel of ToughSportsLive), ToughSportsLive offers broadcasts of bare knuckles, no rules Brazilian jujitsu matches dubbed 'Rio Heroes,' and what Atkins says is a sport made for America, 'Girls and Guns,' in which women wearing bikinis accessorized with double-thigh holsters and high-healed combat boots compete in a shoot-off of weapons that could easily outfit an American combat platoon in Iraq — everything from M-249 SAWs to Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifles."

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This is been an amazing (thought sad) story to watch from not too afar. The Sierra Nevada's ain't no joke. They'll swallow you up if given the chance.

Search for Fossett turns up wrecks of 8 other small planes:

An experienced pilot takes off in a single-engine plane on a clear day for a short flight to the Sierra Nevada and is never heard from again. Officials search for him without success, and his family is tormented by questions about his fate that nobody can answer. It's a familiar story, of course, because the headlines have been flooded with the so-far-unsuccessful search for millionaire aviator Steve Fossett, who took to the air Sept. 1 and remains missing in northern Nevada. But this one isn't a week old; it happened 43 years ago. And the massive hunt for Fossett may help resolve the enduring mystery surrounding Charles Ogle, then 41, who lifted off from Oakland in August 1964 but vanished en route to Reno."

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Interesting....

Higher gasoline price seen trimming down Americans - Yahoo! News

And on the flip side....

News from The Associated Press:

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- The 100-pound woman who holds the world lobster-eating title will be trying her hand at burritos in a contest far from the land of TexMex. The diminutive Sonya Thomas of Alexandria, Va., is coming to Maine for the Costa Vida World Burrito Eating Championship on Sept. 22 at the Mexican restaurant."

Burrito eating championship... in Maine. That's like having a pigs-feet eating contest in Napa, CA.

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Surge My Ass

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Home Unsold, Mortgage Brokers Open Brothel, Police: Westchester Couple, Unable To Sell House, Turn It Into A House Of Prostitution:

"CBS/AP) The downturn in the housing market appears to have driven two New York homeowners to desperate, illegal measures when their house went unsold. Police say the Westchester County couple, both mortgage brokers, turned their home into a brothel. Robert Werner, 34, and Heather Mazzenga, 32, were arrested at the three-bedroom home Friday night and were charged with promoting prostitution. Four women, ranging in age from 21 to 30, are charged with misdemeanor counts of prostitution and practicing massage without a license. "

Fred Thompson as Freddie Kruger

Woot! PHood tonight in San Francisco.

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Couple of sporting notes before I get to the outrage....

Hell yeah, Roll Tide!

Braves not being on TBS.... hard to imagine.

Don't Watch TBS In 2008 and beyond Petition

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"Good to be at OPEC" (It's APEC jackass). "... Austrian Troops..." (It's Australian troops, jackass).

And the kicker... he almost falls off the stage.

So, so embarrassing. No wonder the rest of the world hates us.

Bush has bad day at Sydney Opera House

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A bloody, f'ing wishing well for sure.

Daily Kos: Pennies of War:

"The Iraq War has always functioned as bloody wishing well. You throw Americans down the hole in exchange for a wish: a fervent wish for a region transformed, and a country rebirthed, and a legacy untarnished. If it doesn't work, do it again. American lives continue to be the cold commerce of foreign policy failures, the spent loose change of patriotism."

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I wasn't even going to ever mention the Dawn of the Dead character that's running for prezNit until he popped off with this stupid shite.

He Fred, America was freakin' founded on dissent you gd moron. We wouldn't even be a country with your 'logic' (and I use that term very loosely).

Fred Thompson's alternate reality:

"You know that tea tax seems a bit unfair and it kinda pisses me off and I really want to raise hell about it, but.... If I spoke up and raised hell there may be a 'heavy price' to pay and it may make the British look 'weak' and I don't want to embarrass them in front of the other countries... so I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut and go along to get along" - George Washington (some dude who never amounted to shite a couple of hundred years ago but was a patriot for keeping his gd mouth shut).

Suitcase bombs?!? Really?!? Watch much '24', Freddie? If you want to scare people, Freddie just STFU and put your face on camera. No need to speak.

F off Fred Thompson.

Fred Thompson: Dissent makes US 'weak,' carries 'heavy price':

"In his first interview since declaring his presidential candidacy, Fred Thompson repeatedly warned against the perils of a 'weak and divided' nation, raised the specter of unspecified terrorists with suitcase bombs, and expressed a willingness to employ nuclear weapons against Iran. 'If you're politically committed against this war and to do something to further harm the president, the way the Democrats seem to be in Congress, then anything [in the Petraeus Report] that's a mixed message is going to be seized upon in a negative way,' Thompson told Fox News on Thursday. 'If we look weak and divided in this country, we're going to pay a heavy price for it in the future,' he went on. 'We're living in the era of the suitcase bomb. And they're not going to go away. They're here now, they're armed and dangerous, and they're trying to get weapons of mass destruction.' When asked about Iran, Thompson replied, 'They're killing our people as we speak. ... We cannot allow this to go on forever. ... Within the next few years, most experts think, well on their way to making a nuclear weapon. ... I don't know how much stark the situation could be. They perceive us as being weak, they perceive us as being divided, and they think they could get away with anything.'"

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Crack Tax gets whacked.

Jeebus, just make it legal already then you can actually collect taxes on it. Shite ain't hard to figure out.

My Way News - Appeals Court Tosses Tenn.'s 'Crack Tax'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee's tax on illegal drugs is "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable," an appeals court declared in ruling the "crack tax" was unconstitutional because it derives revenue from illegal activities.

The law allows the state to go after the belongings of people who are caught with illegal drugs or alcohol that don't bear the special tax stamps, regardless of the outcome of their criminal cases.

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You've got to be pretty damn desperate to get discount plastic surgery.

Pair Arrested for Alleged Home Surgeries:

"A couple were arrested after authorities said they performed illegal and disfiguring cosmetic surgeries in their filthy home, filled with drugs and syringes. Ha Nguyen, 48, and Zbigniew Makowski, 62, were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of practicing medicine without a license and child endangerment. Four children were removed from their home by child-welfare officials, authorities said."

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DBT WIR - 9/07/2007

A little WIR rant...

Here's a case where the 'free market' hasn't developed their technological infrastructure and therefore can't service their customers. So what do they do? They drop customers who use too much of their product. And keep in mind that the air ways including TV/Phone/Interent etc are PUBLIC. We the freakin' people own them.

A functioning government with intelligent people running it, applying smart regulation is needed in order to protect the consumer.

For my life I've never understood why anyone would rather put their trust in a business (let the free market decide conservatism) rather than an elected government. I'm the first to admit that both can be pretty incompetent, but at least you can vote stupid mofo's out of government.

Regulation can work. Regulation is needed. Governments can work. Governments are needed.

Shutting Down Big Downloaders:

"The rapid growth of online videos, music and games has created a new Internet sin: using it too much. Comcast has punished some transgressors by cutting off their Internet service arguing that excessive downloaders hog Internet capacity and slow down the network for other customers. The company declines to reveal its download limits"

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ACL Fest: Meet the Bands - Patterson Hood:

"Austin Music Source: How do you plan to cope with Austin summer heat, will it cramp your onstage style?

Patterson Hood: I cope by drinking LOTS of water and LOTS of very cold beer. I used to drink the blood of teenaged runaways in the summer, but my wife found that really creepy and made me stop."

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Shoals songwriter nominated | TimesDaily.com - Florence, AL:

"A hit song written by a Shoals native now residing in Nashville has been nominated for The Country Music Association's Song of the Year. Chris Tompkins co-wrote 'Before He Cheats' with Josh Kear and the song became a number one hit on the Billboard country charts for Carrie Underwood. The Song of the Year award goes to the writer and the primary publisher. Tompkins is a former resident of Muscle Shoals and has been working in Nashville as a songwriter since about 2000. 'Before He Cheats' has also been nominated for Single of the Year and Video of the Year."

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Keeping the sound alive | TimesDaily.com| Florence, AL

Donnie Fritts, who was on the ground floor when the Muscle Shoals music industry was launched nearly 50 years ago, has been selected for induction into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Fritts, a Florence native who earned fame as a songwriter and music visionary, is one of five people who will make up the 12th hall of fame induction class. The others are Muscle Shoals native Boyd Bennitt, who wrote and sang the first two teenage rock 'n' roll hits; Huntsville native Ernie Ashworth, who was a country music songwriter; Fairfield native Cleveland Eaton, a renowned jazz bassist and composer; and Montgomery native Tommy Shaw, who played guitar with the group Styx.

The formal announcement of the inductees will be made today in Montgomery. The event, which will include performances from numerous individuals and groups with Alabama ties, will be Feb. 22 at the Renaissance Hotel and Spa convention center. The induction banquet will mark the grand opening of the convention center in Montgomery.

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Sons of Roswell

"For one month we are a Coca-Cola mycoke.com featured artist. Click on the link above, enter the site and go to 'Media Central' and click on the 'Rock' link. Thanks!"

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dbts : Message: Japancakes (no DBT):

"Japancakes has two new records coming out this fall, Giving Machines and Loveless. Give them a listen - you won't be disappointed!! The music is beautiful and inspiring. The downloadable version of the first release, Giving Machines, is available now on iTunes for only $7.92!! CD's will be available soon online and in stores for $16.95. Press release from Darla Records: JAPANCAKES' new Giving Machines & cover of MBV's Loveless. 8/25/2007 Darla has two new Japancakes records to offer this Fall. Athens, GA based experimental, instrumental, Americana group, Japancakes will have new album, Giving Machines, out 10/2. Then on 11/13 Darla will release Japancakes' cover My Bloody Valentine's classic Loveless record with pedal steel and cello in place of vocal and lead melodies - and without any distortion. A ballsy move for sure and it turned out great too. Super fun! You can pre-order both titles now. We'll ship mail order customers as early as possible. Giving Machines is available via iTunes 9/3. http://www.darla.com/news/index.asp#53 Please show your support and forward this email on to your friends and family!!"

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Audra Brown

MySpace.com: Read Bulletin:

"This Friday nite, September 7, come and join me at the World Famous Buccanner Lounge on Monroe here in Memphis. I will be on stage at 9pm opening for the Double Shovel, whose sweet sounds I cannot get enough of!! Also, I will be playing in Peabody Park (COoper YOung neighborhood) this Sunday as part of the Six Flags Over Midtown Festival. A family festival with many rides and games for kids along with free food, drink and music. Those Darlins will be the headliners and they are awesome so come and join the fun this Sunday from noon to 5!!!"

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dbts : Message: My Teenage Daughter:

"I just caught her secretly listening to DBT! I'm excited and thinking there might be hope for her after all. She's at the age where anything coming from dear ol' mom SUCKS!! Which, unfortunately, to her can even mean the DBT. But I just came home and caught her with 'Sinkhole' blaring and I heard her voice over the music, blaring out every word. Hmmmm . . . how does she know them? Ha! I could definitely think of much worse things to come home to!"

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Member of New Bohemians fatally shot:

"DALLAS - Jeffrey Carter Albrecht, a keyboard player for the band Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, was shot to death early Monday while trying to kick in the door of his girlfriend's neighbor, police said. ADVERTISEMENT The neighbor believed a burglar was trying to break in and fired a shot through the door around 4 a.m., Dallas police spokesman Sgt. Gil Cerda said. Albrecht, 34, died at the scene. It was not clear why Albrecht went to the house and the case is under investigation. No arrests have been made."

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Your e-mails: A tenor for heaven's choir:

"(CNN) -- Luciano Pavarotti died Thursday at the age of 71 after suffering from pancreatic cancer. I-Report contributors shared their memories of the famed opera tenor. Here is a selection of those stories:"

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Rock stars more likely to die prematurely - Yahoo! News:

LONDON (Reuters) - Rock stars -- notorious for their "crash and burn" lifestyles -- really are more likely than other people to die before reaching old age.

"It found that musicians were most at risk in the first five years after achieving fame, with death rates more than three times higher than normal. Hendrix, Bon Scott of AC/DC and punk rocker Sid Vicious all died within five years of hitting the big time, said Bellis. Among British artists the risk of dying remains high until around 25 years after their first success, when they return to near normal life expectancy. That bodes well for rock survivors like The Who's 63-year-old Roger Daltrey, who famously first sang 'I hope I die before I get old' in the song 'My Generation' back in 1965."

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Glitter to ask Vietnam for amnesty: lawyer:

"HANOI (AFP) - British pop singer Gary Glitter, jailed in Vietnam for child molestation, will ask the communist government to free him later this month in an amnesty, his lawyer said Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT Click here to find out more! The disgraced 1970s pop star has been behind bars since late 2005 and was sentenced to three years' jail in March 2006 for committing obscene acts with two girls, then aged 11 and 12, in a southern Vietnamese resort town. 'I hope Glitter will be given amnesty later this month to mark national day on September 2,' Glitter's lawyer Le Thanh Kinh told AFP."

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'Thriller' prisoners prepare to make 'Electric Dreams' come true:

"The sea of orange moves with an urgent rhythm as music booms in the early morning light. The dancers twirl in unison, every movement carefully choreographed. But what's most striking about these dancers are that most are accused murderers, rapists and drug dealers. They dance their jig behind prison walls. They are led by a choreographer who is accused of mass murder. One of their biggest stars is a transsexual, awaiting trial on methamphetamine dealing charges. Welcome to the Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines. Once infamous for its gang violence, the prison is now famous for its dancing prisoners. Their hard work has spawned one of the unlikeliest hits on the Internet -- a reworking of Michael Jackson's 1980s smash hit video 'Thriller.' Filmed by the prison boss, it has drawn more than 6 million hits on YouTube.

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Apple - Trailers - Great World of Sound:

"An audience-pleasing riff on the dirty underbelly of the American Idol phenomenon, GREAT WORLD OF SOUND stars Patrick Healy and Kene Holliday as Martin and Clarence, two normal southern guys who get caught up in the excitement of a record industry talent scouting scheme. Unemployed one day and record producers the next, Martin and Clarence have a blast signing new acts and hit the road looking for the next big thing. But what happens once the checks are cashed? Craig Zobel’s independent film bona fides are firmly in place: he served on the crew of David Gordon Green’s early films, and Green serves as executive producer of GREAT WORLD OF SOUND. But it may be more helpful to go into GREAT WORLD OF SOUND knowing that Zobel has recently made a living between films by working on reality TV shows like The Apprentice. “I became fascinated by how desperate people were to get on TV, but how little they seemed to care about how they were portrayed once they got there,” he says"

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Hang Drum - Viral Videos - SPIKE Powered by IFILM

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Mr. Microphone - Commercials - SPIKE Powered by IFILM

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Chimera Bomb

Hey Pelosi. Why don't you go buy another table.... preferably today.... one that has f'ing impeachment on it. Might be a good idea, you know.

Monday starts Cheney's ad campaign for bombing Iran. Call your congress people and preemptively raise hell.

There is no way nukes were 'accidentaly' put on a B-52 and flown across the U.S. Somebody leaked this to alert the nation.

Staging Nuke for Iran?

So I called a old friend and retired B-52 pilot and asked him. What he told me offers one compelling case of circumstantial evidence. My buddy, let’s call him Jack D. Ripper, reminded me that the only times you put weapons on a plane is when they are on alert or if you are tasked to move the weapons to a specific site.

Then he told me something I had not heard before.

Barksdale Air Force Base is being used as a jumping off point for Middle East operations. Gee, why would we want cruise missile nukes at Barksdale Air Force Base. Can’t imagine we would need to use them in Iraq. Why would we want to preposition nuclear weapons at a base conducting Middle East operations?

His final point was to observe that someone on the inside obviously leaked the info that the planes were carrying nukes. A B-52 landing at Barksdale is a non-event. A B-52 landing with nukes. That is something else.

Now maybe there is an innocent explanation for this? I can’t think of one. What is certain is that the pilots of this plane did not just make a last minute decision to strap on some nukes and take them for a joy ride. We need some tough questions and clear answers. What the hell is going on? Did someone at Barksdale try to indirectly warn the American people that the Bush Administration is staging nukes for Iran? I don’t know, but it is a question worth asking.

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It is up to the people because the press is in their pocket.

Will the Press Again Serve as 'Surge Protectors'?

(September 05, 2007) -- Over the next week, much will be written, pro and con, about General Petraeus’s report on the progress of the “surge” in Iraq and President Bush’s response. Since both men have pretty much already announced, or at least rehearsed, what they are going to say, the suspense is not exactly crippling. I’ll be writing more later, but for now I’d simply like to address the media’s responsibility to address, over the next few days, this key moment in our recent history with a steady gaze – which, as I will recount, was sadly lacking last winter in the weeks before the “surge” was announced.

Essentially, that Bush decision – and his rejection of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations at that time -- was the most tragic turn in this war since the original invasion, and like its overall performance in the run-up to the 2003 attack, the press (with notable exceptions) failed miserably.

Starting last November, some of us warned that Bush was bent on sending more troops to Iraq, but leading pundits and editorialists didn’t seem very alarmed about the prospect, embracing the notion that Bush, instead, would embrace the Iraq Study Group report as a face-saver -- even though the White House was already talking about sending more troops. When they did start to take that seriously, the media largely bought into the White House’s “surge” slogan rather than the more appropriate “escalation,” which some Democrats promoted.

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Unbelievable. Well, believable, but it should be unbelievable.

Think Progress � Group sues White House over missing e-mails.:

"The National Security Archive today filed a lawsuit charging that the White House “abandoned an automatic archiving system for its e-mail in 2002 and did not replace it,” resulting in the loss of approximately five million e-mails between March 2003 and Oct. 2005. In May, the watchdog group CREW also filed a lawsuit seeking information about the “missing” e-mails."

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"To the f'ing rich man all poor people look the same....."

Nice economy, Bush.

Economic expansion has failed to boost most wages:

"NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The economic expansion that began six years ago has failed to benefit most workers, according to a report from the nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute, released Monday. Productivity growth, although slower of late, has been strong since 2000. After a sluggish start in the period, employment has picked up, although at a slower pace than in past recoveries. Yet, that growth hasn't transferred to workers' paychecks, particularly for workers at the lower and middle end of the pay scale, the report found.

Jobless claims rise more than expected After rising quickly in the second half of the 1990s, most workers real wages have been stagnant in the 2000s, especially since 2003."

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Hell yeah! Chimeras. I'm all for it. I want to clone/chimera myself into a human-tiger.

Britain approves human-animal embryo research:

"LONDON (Reuters) - British regulators decided on Wednesday to permit in principle the creation of hybrid human-animal embryos for research into illnesses such as Parkinson's, Motor Neurone Disease and Alzheimer's. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said it had agreed to allow a specific kind of inter-species hybrid, created by injecting human DNA into a hollowed-out animal egg cell. The resulting 'cytoplasmic hybrid' embryo, or 'cybrid' would be 99.9 percent human and 0.1 percent animal. The HFEA is believed to be the first regulator in the world to explicitly approve such human-animal embryos, a spokeswoman for the authority said. Some countries, such as Australia, have banned them."

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Cool new shite from Apple.

Apple's Fall Updates: New iPods and More:

"What, you hadn't heard this was coming? Apple rolled out a lot of new stuff today. Welcome Apple fanboys and haters alike. Here's the gist of what's new with the iPod, iPhone, and iTunes, straight outta Apple!"

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In a city full of them, this is kinda funny.

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