New Primal Scream
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Primal Scream ditch electronic sound

They give a taste of their new direction at one-off show

The setlist was:

'Country Girl'
'Cars'
'Jailbird'
'Shoot Speed Kill Light'
'Detroit'
'Nitty Gritty'
'Suicide Sally'
'Kill All Hippies'
'Bomb Drops'
'Hole In My Heart'
'Medication'
'Rocks'
'Kowalski'
'Swastika Eyes'
'Moving On Up'
'Slip Inside This House'
'Accelerator'
'Skull X'
'Gimme Some Truth'
'Sick City'

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This is interesting since the last interview I read about them had Bobby saying all the previous music before XTRMNTR was shite and going forward it would only be the harder electronic sound. I don't have a problem with going back to the rock n roll, as long as the hippy sound is gone. The guitar sound is great and they would include one song on the last few cds that flirted with that style. This is another cd to add to this years list of can't wait releases. We also have the new Pearl Jam that should be very good.

Posted by mardenhill 1/31/2006 09:19:00 AM 1 comments    

1 Weel Til Superbowl
Sunday, January 29, 2006

I headed downtown today to get an idea of what the city has been doing in preparation for the superbowl. It was very grey and getting dark when I took the pictures so they have been edited a bit with iPhoto but the content is still the same.

Picture 1 is the Ren Cen building, GM's headquarters with the logo on the windows. They had a big baseball crashing thru during the all star game last summer.

Picture 2 is on Woodward looking down towards the center of the action. There are tents on all sides of the Compuware building and this will be where the Snowblast will take place.

Picture 3 is looking the other direction on Woodward down towards the State, Fox and Comerica Park. I love the trees and fenced in boxes, a couple years ago this strip of Woodward was a dump full of bums and abandoned buildings.

Picture 4 is Campus Maritus ice skating rink with the big Ford logo in the middle. It was too warm and wet to be out skating today. In the summer they cover the rink with grass and make it a little lounge area with a stage.

Picture 5 is a broader picture and the Ernst & Young is a new building within the last year.

Picture 6 is another look at Woodward and the new storefronts going in. Right now there are empty ones that will probably be used for parties, a few permanant stores and the rest are official superbowl suvenier shops. After this is over, I can see a lot of things moving in making Woodward walkable once again. There were a few high end clothing stores on Woodward and also in the stores below Compuware, not something I was expecting.

There is a high end breakfast restaurant there, it looked pretty cool when I walked by. There is also a new tapas place over by the State called Proof, it was where Sibley Shoes used to be.

I didn't try going over by the stadium since I figured all the roads would be closed but will take more pictures when I go down on Friday during the day. The city is coming along, I can see people coming back down afterwards and more things opening.

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2006 06:45:00 PM 3 comments    

Detroit & The Superbowl

That is a pretty cool logo, I don't care about football but it looks way badass with the Detroit below it. I found it over on gizmodo with the writeup below. The wankers are worried about cables freezing, not sure why that is such a big deal. The game is indoors and they don't seem to have problems broadcasting the Olympics in high def, last time I checked skiing was outside. Someone also made the point that if the cables freeze at 30-35 degrees then a good portion of the country would be without HD every winter. I think its just another knock on Detroit so if they screw anything up they can blame the city. The cables outside will be insulated, thats a no brainer and I assume games at Green Bay have been broadcasted without any problems. With this weekend's weather I don't think it will be a problem at all, I am just worried its going to be too warm for the Winter SnowBlast downtown.
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This year’s Super Bowl in Detroit is set to be the largest HD test so far, with ABC showing it in high definition using all kinds of new equipment. ABC sprang for an RF HD camera, which will bless us with wireless high definition video feeds of events in and out of the stadium where a wired HD camera just couldn’t go. Behind the players benches and in the stands, for example. Also being used are high-end camera lenses with Canon’s advanced Optical Image Stabilization system, perfect for long shots and extreme close-ups.

The HD gear will be backed up with several Sony slo-mo cameras, plus a Panasonic camera for the ESPN SkyCam, a Panasonic POV, and Harris encoders and decoders. Sounds like a great set-up, except engineers are beginning to worry that the weather in Detroit may freeze the wires and cables. Why isn’t this thing in Florida again?

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2006 04:52:00 PM 2 comments    

Hagel on Spying

Karl Rove wants the American public to believe only one political party disagrees with Bush’s warrantless domestic spying program. But this morning on ABC’s This Week, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) said the program was illegal:

HAGEL: I don’t believe, from what I’ve heard, but I’m going to give the administration an opportunity to explain it, that he has the authority now to do what he’s doing. Now, maybe he can convince me otherwise, but that’s OK.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But not yet.

HAGEL: Not yet. But that’s OK. If he needs more authority, he just can’t unilaterally decide that that 1978 law is out of date and he will be the guardian of America and he will violate that law. He needs to come back, work with us, work with the courts if he has to, and we will do what we need to do to protect the civil liberties of this country and the national security of this country.

Hagel joins other prominent conservatives — including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) — who have questioned the legal basis of Bush’s warrantless domestic surveillance program.

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Before going out for breakfast I watch Howard Dean on Fox's Sundy morning where he did a great job tearing down the republican spin. Chris Wallace was a bit suprised during the interview, he wasn't able to control it and push Dean into a corner. This is what more dems need to do on TV, I have said it before and will continue to say it, the party is full of a bunch of pansy asses who are afraid to get a little aggressive when needed. 2002 was a bad election cycle but it did clean house for us, it gave use new leadership in the house and senate that was badly needed. This is one of the reasons most people don't like Dean, he comes across too gruff but with that he nails down his talking points. He usually has to come back and rephrase things this a problem but it does give him more face time in front of the camera. Dean hit back on charges that the Abramoff scandal is a bipartisan one. He did say that if any Dem is found to have been influenced by Abramoff they are in trouble and won't be protected.

Getting back to Hagel, he is not one of my favorite senators but I do respect him and I love the fact that he is coming out swinging. Its also his way of getting his name out there for the 08 election because I see him running and possibly getting the VP ticket if he is defeated in the primaries. Bush will try and defend the warrantless spying this tuesday and I hope the country can see thru his lies. Dean said it well this morning, the dems want the administration to spy on the terrorists but in order to find those communications you need to tap a whole lot of phone calls. Some of those phone calls are innocent and without a warrant that is illegal. I dont trust this administration when they say they are only listening in on the calls from terrorists, they are listening on more that that and will find a way to use it to their advantage. The impeachment word has been thrown around and the more the press talks about it the more it forces the citizens of this country to actually ignore the spin and look at the real issue here.

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2006 03:12:00 PM 1 comments    

CocoRosie

I was browsing thru eMusic looking to spend the rest of my downloads when I came across the cd La Maison de Mon Reve by CocoRosie. The description sounded interesing so I went out to allmusic to find out who they were. Well CocoRosie are 2 sisters who blend folk and indie rock with a bit of electronica. Think Beth Orton at the very beginning and add a bit of pretentious indie rock to the sound. This cd came out in 04 and they released Noah's Ark last year, I will have to get that next month when my downloads reset.

Not every song is great, some of it is a bit sparse. Its not as atmospheric as I was hoping for but there are still some good songs. This cd reminds me a lot of Beth Gibbon's solo cd from last year, she was the singer of Portishead. There is a lot of genre jumping and a bit of torch singing going on here which can hurt a cd at times.

Another new cd I found was Electric Presidents, if you a fan of Air you should like this one. The 1st song Good Morning Hyprocrite sounds like it came from Talkie Walkie, lush vocals with soothing beats. The next song takes a stab at a melody and gives it a bit of a backbone. The vocals stay soft throughout the whole cd and the electronic soundscape sways from ambient to radio friendly. I can see this cd getting some good press, I think Pitchfork might give it a good review but you never know. Chances are if I like the cd Pitchfork trashes it and vice versa.

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2006 02:18:00 PM 0 comments    

Antics Remixes

Last year our favorite New York band, not the Strokes the good one Interpol released a remix ep of Antics. It features 4 songs and is pretty good. eMusic had it so I downloaded this afternoon and I am happy with my purchase. The 1st song Narc (Paul Banks remix) features just a guitar, singing and a bit of ambient background noise. The 2nd song Not Even Jail (Daniel Kessler remix) is pretty music the song with a bit of top level mismash going on. Its not great, kinda weak but I really like the original song one of the best on the cd. Track 3 Length of Love features Bob Mould and is very DFA sounding. The song sounds like it belongs on the last LCD Soundsystem cd, but I do say that in a positive light since its the best song on the ep. The last track was a remix by Carlos and is Public Pervert. It starts out with a basic electronic drum beat and highlights the guitar and keyboard of the song. The vocals are sparse and chorus only for the most part. This is nice since it actually feels like a remix rather than an amateur dj throwing down a breakbeat record overtop the original song. Each member of the band gets a shot at a song and I give it up to track 3. Sorry Daniel, your song was the weakest, stick to your guitar and leave the electronics to the pros.

I am glad that the ep was released separate so you didn't have to buy the whole cd over again. This is another reason why I love digital files so much, I don't have to dig out the cd to play just 1 or 2 of the tracks. I can now put track 1 & 3 on my ipod with the rest of the Interpol songs and listen to it whenever I want.

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2006 01:48:00 PM 2 comments    

Passage To India and other Cuisines

If you are looking for some good Indian food you should check out Passage to India in Berkley. Its on 12 mile and the front of the building looks really run down but don't worry the food is great. You park in the back and enter thru the alley, there is no entry in the front. I can't remember the name of my dish but it had shrimp and was made with coconut milk and a bunch of spices. The flavor was very good, it started out sweet and hit you with heat at the end. Erika had tandoori chicken which was probably the best I have ever had.

While on local cuisine, we went to Como's in Ferndale Friday nite, not worth it at all but it was a birthday dinner. The waiter sucked and the food was ok not very warm by the time we got it. We were seated upstairs which I never knew they had one but that might be part of it. The prices are pretty high and I think since it has been there forever people just accept it and pay. I would rather go to Pasquales on Woodward, its cheaper and they at least give you bread with your meal.

This morning we went to the Fly Trap in Ferndale for breakfast, they are probably the best place in town if you want a gourmet meal. I had the gingerbread waffles and a side of potatoes, a perfect blend of sweet and savory. Toast is down the street from the Fly Trap but its not worth it, we tried it last year and it was more expensive and the food wasn't as good.

Posted by mardenhill 1/29/2006 01:18:00 PM 3 comments    

Bush's PR Blitz
Friday, January 27, 2006

Three Months Of Non-Stop PR Gets You...

Three Out Of Five Say The Country Is Seriously Off Course...
70% Do Not Support Spying On Ordinary Americans…
61% Unfavorably View GOP Congress, Highest Number In 10 Years...
76% Say Bush Should Disclose His Ties To Indicted GOP Lobbyist Abramoff...

Posted by mardenhill 1/27/2006 12:44:00 PM 1 comments    

Best British Album Of All Time
Thursday, January 26, 2006

NME's best British album of all time revealed

The city of Manchester should take a bow...

The Stone Roses' 1989 self-titled debut album has been voted the best British album of all time by NME's writers.

The poll to establish the 100 greatest British albums ever has the indie legends at the top, just pipping fellow Mancunians The Smiths at two with their 1986 effort 'The Queen Is Dead', and Oasis, who are at Three with their 1994 debut 'Definitely Maybe'.

Arctic Monkeys make an appearance at Number Five in the week that their first album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' looks set to become the fastest selling UK debut album of all time.


The Top Ten is as follows:
1. The Stone Roses 'The Stone Roses'
2. The Smiths 'The Queen Is Dead'
3. Oasis 'Definitely Maybe'
4. Sex Pistols 'Never Mind The Bollocks'
5. Arctic Monkeys 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'
6. Blur 'Modern Life Is Rubbish'
7. Pulp 'Different Class'
8. The Clash 'London Calling'
9. The Beatles 'Revolver'
10. The Libertines 'Up The Bracket'

The full 100 is featured in this week's issue of NME, dated January 28, on sale in all good newsagents now.

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I agree with the list except for the Artic Monkeys, I have tried to listen to the cd a few times but its crap, I don't know what the hype is all about. I would replace that cd with Suede's debut, which is in the list but probably somewhere between 10-20. I am looking forward to seeing the full list and to see how many of the 100 I have and what didn't make it

Posted by mardenhill 1/26/2006 11:30:00 AM 4 comments    

Spector and Alito
Wednesday, January 25, 2006

I was listening to crazy Randi Rhodes on my way home from work today and she made a very good point regarding Alito and the NSA senate hearings. She caught it on PBS during their political show and put 2 and 2 together. One of the reasons Arlen Spector may be giving Alitio a pass on the Supreme Court appointment may be that he wants the NSA hearings so bad that he will make a deal to get them. Spector has mentioned the word "Impeachment" on the sunday talk shows a couple weeks ago and that got everyone wondering why. Spector isn't one to spout off without having a reason why and this may be it. The white house wants the NSA hearings in the Intelligence committee where their buddy Sen Roberts will try and bury the investigation. Spector wants it so bad that he is willing to let Alito pass just so he can have the investigation where it belongs in the Judicial committee. If Spector gets his way, him and other members on the committe who are very critical of the illegal program will not give Bush and Co a free pass on this issue. If Spector and the committee deem that Bush broke the law then articles of impeachment would have to be drawn up in the House of Representatives.

Don't let the administration try and spin the issue, its still domestic spying no matter what they say. What pisses me off even more is that the FISA court are just a few doors down from the Attorney General in the white house so there should be no reason they are not involved. I also heard that since Bush is a "War Time" president that he has 15 days not just the 3 we know about regarding FISA. I don't know if that is true but if it is there is no excuse for him.

I can't wait for February, the hearings are going to rock and the Abramoff scandal just keeps on inching along. Don't forget this summer we have Scooter Libby's trial to look forward to.

Posted by mardenhill 1/25/2006 09:40:00 PM 1 comments    

Mark West Pinot
Tuesday, January 24, 2006

http://www.markwestwines.com/Cause.html

I just opened a bottle of the Mark West Pinot Noir and I have to tell ya, for $14 this stuff is great. My fav pinots come from Oregon but you are hard pressed to find one for under $30 so I have moved south to California where the $10-$20 bottles are plentiful. I love this website, it starts out with the cause and manifesto, it reminds me of the Columbia Crest from WA with the whole people power but this stuff is actually good. The bouquet is full of juicy blackberrys and currants and you have a hint of spice on the taste. Its not too earthy or thin like some MI and New Zealand pinots but it is nowhere near as heavy as a Rex Hill or Elk Cove from OR. This wine could easily be enjoyed with any pasta dish or just on its own. Below is a bit from their site.
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For too long we have waited for affordable Pinot. For too long we have endured Merlot. For too long we have simply been denied the choice.

Pinot for the People. It is so much more than a call to arms. It is philosophy in action so join the revolution.

We do not ask for thin, uninspired plonk to satisfy our desire for Pinot. We expect more from this noble grape.

We demand rich, fruit-inspired, easy-drinking wine worthy of the Thanksgiving table and affordable enough to serve with tonight’s pizza.

Good Pinot shouldn’t leave you out on the streets. We demand a Pinot we can proudly serve to friends, family, bosses, in-laws, neighbors and fellow revolutionaries.

Mark West has heard the people… the time has come… Pinot for the People.

Posted by mardenhill 1/24/2006 08:14:00 PM 1 comments    

Impeachment?

A conservative rag had this to say on Bush's Domestic Spying controversy,

Impeachment hearings: The White House prepares for the worst

"A coalition in Congress is being formed to support impeachment," an administration source said."

http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/impeachment.htm

Will this happen, probably not but it is nice to see the admin on the defensive on this issue. The last few days the repubs and talking heads have been trying to re-frame the issue as "Electronic Surveillance
of Terrorists" rather than what it is "Warrantless Domestic Spying". You will hear this over and over and they hope it will stick and change the tone of the argument. Its more of you are either with us or against us, if don't support spying then you are aiding and abbeding the terrorists. I think the public is against Bush on this one and with his admission of the program and the fact that he said he will continue it will only hurt him.

Bush will get his Alito thru but he is going to take a hit on the spying and the Abramoff scandals. This will not bode well for 06 unless the Dems completely blow it. I don't see that happening but you never know, the Dems are known for shooting themselves in the foot.

BTW, there are pics of Bush and Abramoff together and I think there will be enough evidence to back it up that Bush knew Jack and is part of this mess.

Posted by mardenhill 1/24/2006 01:16:00 PM 2 comments    

M. Lawrence Sparklings
Monday, January 23, 2006

Another good MI wine comes from the L. Mawby vineyards up in LeeLanau Peninsula. They specialize in sparklings and have 2 distinct brands, L. Mawby and M. Lawrence. I have had 2 from the M. Lawrence labe, Sex the brut rose and Fizz a demi sec. Both are amazing sparklings for the price, you are looking at about $12-$14 depending where u buy them and both are made with pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. The sex has a red hue to it and is a bit on the sweeter side. The demi sec also is on the sweeter side but is the traditional golden color. There is also the US and Sandpiper blends which are bruts and extra drys, I havn't tried them but would like to. At the wine tasting last year I had another MI sparkling that I had to pour out because it was so bad and they were charging $30 a bottle. This stuff is better and since they only do sparklings they can focus on quality. I have a bottle of the Blanc de Blanc under the L. Mawby label but havn't opened it, after having the Fizz this weekend, I am interested in tasting it. This is one vineyard I want to check out this summer, we had a great time at Domaine Chandon a couple years ago in Napa and I think this will be almost as good.

http://www.lmawby.com/buy/wines.asp

Posted by mardenhill 1/23/2006 10:40:00 AM 4 comments    

Ciccone Vineyards - Leelanau, MI

I had the Pinot Noir from Ciccone Vineyards this weekend and it wasn't bad. Ciccone is up in the Leelanau Peninsula and is the father of Madonna. The pinot reminded me of the New Zealand wines, they are lighter in color, not very bold and earthy but decent. I am used to pinots from Oregon and California which are deeper in color and flavor and these are a little like kool aid. I really like a lot of whites that are coming out of MI but the reds still need a bit of work. The Cabernet Franc's are good and the pinots are on their way up. If you like Beaujolais which is the pinot grape you will like MI reds. If you want something a bit more heavy and full bodied, pick up an Oregon pinot.
http://www.cicconevineyards.com/default.htm

Posted by mardenhill 1/23/2006 09:30:00 AM 1 comments    

Tom Cruise vs South Park
Friday, January 20, 2006

The show, in which Nicole Kidman and Cruise's fellow Scientologist John Travolta are depicted attempting to coax an animated version of the actor out of a closet, caused controversy when broadcast in the U.S.

The cartoon Kidman tells Cruise, "Don't you think this has gone on long enough? It's time for you to come out of the closet. You're not fooling anyone"—referring to allegations about Cruise's sexuality.

According to TheRegister.co.uk, Paramount has agreed not to show the episode again, after Cruise complained.

A source tells the site, "Tom is famously very litigious and will go to great lengths to protect his reputation. Tom was said not to like the episode and Paramount just didn't dare risk showing it again. It's a shame that UK audiences will never see it because it's very funny."

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Well I am glad that I did get to see the episode here in the States before it will be pulled, I have a feeling there is a lawsuit preventing Comedy Central from airing it again. They just didn't poke fun at Tom Cruise, they also hit John Travolta, R Kelly and the whole Scientology cult and their beliefs. Was it over the top, yeah a bit but it was funny and nothing was said that hasn't been printed before.

Posted by mardenhill 1/20/2006 12:12:00 PM 3 comments    

We Have Lift Off
Thursday, January 19, 2006

The New Horizon's probe to Pluto has launched and it was successful. Watching the launch was amazing, no plutonium spills so we are safe. Now all we need to do is wait for another 10 years to see our 9th planet up close and personal. The rocket reached speeds of 16,000 mph and for those of you who are interested in the speed of light below are some numbers and facts.....

• The nearest star (other than the Sun) is 4.3 light years away.

• Our galaxy (the Milky Way) is about 100,000 light years in diameter.

• The distance to the galaxy M87 in the Virgo cluster is 50 million light years.

• The distance to most distant object seen in the universe is about 18 billion light years

A light year is 5,865,696,000,000 miles (9,460,800,000,000 kilometers). That's a long way!

Posted by mardenhill 1/19/2006 02:15:00 PM 4 comments    

New Horizon's Probe

Last nite I watched a show I taped from the other day regarding the Pluto mission. It was really cool because they went into detail on how the probe was built, what instruments are on it and how long it will take to relay data. With Pluto being so far away it will take 4.5 hrs each way to pass data so all commands needed to be programmed before hand since mission control would not be able to manuever the probe during the fly by. Speaking about the fly by, thats all its going to be, less than a day for this to occur. The probe is traveling at too high of a speed for it to start orbiting Pluto so they have 1 shot to get it right. Beyond Pluto, you have the Kuiper Belt region, this is where more ice dwarfs lie and more info on how our solar system came to be.

I also learned that our 10th planet which is bigger than Pluto has been named Xena, the astronomers wanted to use the letter X and also wanted a mythological woman's name. Well Xena isn't really what you would call mythological but it was the only thing they could come up with.

The launch is back on for today, yesterday's storms knocked out power in Maryland which delayed it another day. The window is from 1:08pm to 3:07pm for today's launch, I will keep you updated.

Posted by mardenhill 1/19/2006 08:17:00 AM 2 comments    

White Stripes Vs The Simpsons
Wednesday, January 18, 2006

White Stripes 'Simpsons' episode details emerge

Duo appear in "Jazzy" themed episode of show

Details have emerged about the White Stripes guest appearance on 'The Simpsons'.

The episode will be called 'Jazzy And The Pussycats' and will feature Jack and Meg playing themselves. The duo meet up with Bart in a parody of their video for 'The Hardest Button to Button'.

According to MTV.com the episode will follow Bart as he attempts to become a jazz drummer, much to the dismay of sister Lisa.

In March 2003, Meg said: "A guest appearance would be amazing. I wouldn't want to be in a Lisa episode. They're kind of boring. Maybe a Homer one would be better."

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Our favorite Detroit duo move from lego figures to cartoons with 4 fingers, not sure if that will impact Jack's guitar playing or not. Should be a good episode.

Posted by mardenhill 1/18/2006 05:07:00 PM 2 comments    

Dick Morris

A Different Kind of Scandal

Dick Morris looks at the polls and concludes the public's reaction to the Jack Abramoff scandal is unlike most other Washington scandals. "Because this scandal is both partisan and local it will have a searing political impact. Nor should the recipients of Abramoff’s dubious generosity dismiss their acceptance of his donations by saying it doesn’t matter because everybody took his money."

"Those who did get contributions from him are in for an Election Day surprise."

"Washington scandals come and go. But, about every decade or so, they metastasize into massive national affairs that embrace an entire political party... The 2006 elections look to be another of these decadal bloodlettings, victimizing, this time, the Republicans."
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Our favorite Democrat turned Republican Dick Morris. 90% of the time what he says is bullshit, he even wrote a book stating that it will be Condi vs Hillary in 08 but this time he may be right. Check out www.mediamatters.org and you can find a large number of his quotes/predictions, it will keep you amused for hours. I have to agree with Dick on this one, the issue isn't going away and it has been proven that this is a Republican Scandal even though the radical right's talking heads say otherwise. More and more will go down, and there are reports of Abramoff in the WhiteHouse. This is perfect for the Dems and I am going to be pissed if they screw this one up.

Posted by mardenhill 1/18/2006 03:18:00 PM 1 comments    

When I'm 41
Tuesday, January 17, 2006

NASA taking fast track to Pluto

New Horizons will reach a speed of about 47,000 miles per hour during its 10-year trip to Pluto. According to The Physics Factbook, a bullet from a large-caliber rifle travels at about 1,500 meters or 5,000 feet per second -- about 3,400 miles per hour.

It took Apollo 11 three days to reach the moon in 1969. New Horizons will fly by it about nine hours after launch and reach Jupiter in a little more than a year, the space agency said.

If all goes as planned, it will then execute a "gravity assist" maneuver, slingshotting around Jupiter to pick up speed.

The maneuver will increase New Horizons' speed to 21 kilometers per second -- 47,000 miles per hour, NASA said.

From there it will travel nine more years in more or less a straight line to Pluto.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/01/17/pluto.mission/index.html
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There is a lot of controversy surrounding this launch with the chance of plutonium covering southern florida but all the impact assessments show its a pretty low chance. This is cool and I think the benifits outweight the risks. We are talking about sending a probe to Pluto and passing thru the Kuiper Belt. There is debris in this belt believed to have come from the origin of the solar system and along with the latest comet dust mission, all the pieces are coming together. Forget trips to Yellowstone, within our lifetime it will be trips to Neptune and its surrounding moons.

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Launch was scrubbed for today, the winds were too high. It is back on for tomorrow at 1:16pm

Posted by mardenhill 1/17/2006 02:23:00 PM 4 comments    

Why The Sharper Image Should Be Banned

Here is yet again another reason why we should close down all Sharper Images and Brookstone stores.

Luxurious iJoy® ZipConnect™ Massage Chair blends music and massage into the ultimate relaxation experience!

Joy® ZipConnect™ includes a FREE ZipConnect module (with convenient retractable 18-inch cable and mini stereo plug) for playing any iPod, MP3, portable CD or satellite radio — any audio source with a headphone jack!

The universal FREE ZipConnect module is interchangeable with available Made for iPod modules that charge as they play.

Listen to your iPod or MP3 through the chair's excellent built-in stereo speakers in the headrest and a powered subwoofer in the base.

Incredibly realistic Human Touch™ Technology (HTT®) Robotic Massage® feels amazingly like the hands of a skilled — and tireless — masseuse.

Replicates the actual back-massage techniques used by massage therapists and chiropractic professionals — smooth Rolling, deep Kneading, tapping Percussion and therapeutic Compression.
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It can be yours for the low, low price for $699. I like gadgets but this is bad, very bad.

Posted by mardenhill 1/17/2006 08:40:00 AM 3 comments    

Ralph Reed and Jack Abramoff
Monday, January 16, 2006

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/15/AR2006011500915_pf.html

Similarly damaging has been a torrent of e-mails revealed during the investigation that shows a side of Reed that some former supporters say cannot be reconciled with his professed Christian values.

"After reading the e-mail, it became pretty obvious he was putting money before God," said Phil Dacosta, a Georgia Christian Coalition member who had initially backed Reed. "We are righteously casting him out."

Among those e-mails was one from Reed to Abramoff in late 1998: "I need to start humping in corporate accounts! . . . I'm counting on you to help me with some contacts." Within months, Abramoff hired him to lobby on behalf of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws, who were seeking to prevent competitors from setting up facilities in nearby Alabama.

In 1999, Reed e-mailed Abramoff after submitting a bill for $120,000 and warning that he would need as much as $300,000 more: "We are opening the bomb bays and holding nothing back."

In 2004, when the casino payments to Reed were disclosed, Reed issued a statement declaring "no direct knowledge of their [Abramoff's law firm's] clients or interests." In 2005, however, Senate investigators released a 1999 e-mail from Abramoff to Reed explicitly citing the client: "It would be really helpful if you could get me invoices [for services performed] as soon as possible so I can get Choctaw to get us checks ASAP."

One of the most damaging e-mails was sent by Abramoff to partner Michael Scanlon, complaining about Reed's billing practices and expenditure claims: "He is a bad version of us! No more money for him." Scanlon and Abramoff have pleaded guilty to defrauding clients.

Posted by mardenhill 1/16/2006 09:18:00 AM 1 comments    

A Real Hero, Congressmen Murtha
Sunday, January 15, 2006

Its happening again, this time the right wing smear machine is swiftboating Congressmen Murtha because he has the balls to stand up to this corrupt administration on Iraq. The right wing news paper CyberCast News Service is claiming that Murtha doesn't deserve his purple heart medals that he earned in Vietnam. Murtha served in Korea, volunteered to go to Vietnam, did any of the current crooks in office ever go themselves? No, Cheney, George and Rummy all conveniently got out of service. Murtha already came out against the swiftboating but it was just a simple quote, he needs to get out on the national scene and tear this newspaper down. All the bloggers and CNN need to expose this just like they rightfully took out Pat Robertson. This will continue and it will happen to returning soldiers who plan on running for seats as Democrats. You connect all the dots and the trail leads right back to the White House and our good buddy Karl Rove.

Bush knows that he is screwed come November and will now use Iran to scare the country into voting republican again. How will he do it, well none other than manipulate the terror alerts and leak that credible threats are coming from Iran. He will continue to swiftboat any person who disagrees with him, hell he will even spy on them. John Kerry screwed up when he didn't come out swinging against the attacks and I blame his pathetic campaign manager. The repubs saw that it worked once so they are trying it again.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/13/AR2006011301736.html

Murtha was on CBS this evening and came out swinging against King George and his Iraq policy or lackthereof.
....................
Asked who these insurgents are, Murtha says they are Iraqis. "Ninety-three percent of the insurgents are Iraqis. A very small percentage are foreign fighters. The Iraqis know who they are. Once we’re out of there, they’ll eliminate ‘em,” he says.

The White House isn’t as confident that Iraqis will drive out the foreign fighters, but Murtha says U.S. troops are now caught in the middle of an Iraqi civil war, not the fight against terrorists that the White House keeps talking about.

"They take Iraq and then they talk about terrorism," Murtha says. "We’re diverting ourselves away from the war, the war on terrorism, when we’re fighting an insurgency in Iraq."

Posted by mardenhill 1/15/2006 10:30:00 PM 2 comments    

Spiritualized

I was tagging my mp3 artwork again and came across Spritualized, just like the Catherine Wheel, I hadn't listened to them in a while. I am now listening to Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space and its amazing. Jason Pierce the mastermind behind Spiritualized got his start with Spacemen 3, a hypnotic, drug riddled, noise rock group. Spiritualized took Jason to a new level, he incorporated more members and added orchestration to his sound. Take the droning of Pink Floyd add lots of fuzzed out guitars and a bit of noise, throw in some violins and piano and you have Spiritualized. After their live cd, Jason fired his band and recorded Let It Come Down with a 100 piece orchestra. This cd took a while to get into, the noise level was gone and that was the best part of Spiritualized. I think a good comparison for this cd is Nick Cave's - The Boatman Calls because both musicians completely changed the tone and wrote songs that pulled at your heart. Spiritualized did come out with Amazing Grace, a stripped down almost garage rock cd but it lacked in many ways.

Posted by mardenhill 1/15/2006 07:45:00 PM 0 comments    

The Catherine Wheel
Saturday, January 14, 2006

Thanks to Joel I have re-discovered The Catherine Wheel, well I never really forgot about them just hadn't listened for a long time. Joel had Rob Dickinson on his myspace as a friend which led me to pull out Adam & Eve probably my favorite cd of theirs. The Catherine Wheel go back to the early 90s and their most famous song was "Black Metallic" off of Ferment. I actually won a contest back in high school for their debut cd, at the Record Exchange there was a drawing that I entered and got a poster and the cd. Catherine Wheel had some radio play but it was never anything that would propel them into stardom just enough to keep them on the radar. Crank, their 2nd release was amazing, it a mix of heavy fuzzed out guitar and beautiful melodies. By their 3rd cd, they lost a lot of the shoegazer stuff and put together a rockin cd which was on par with the current American music scene. It was good but it seemed like they were losing their sound. Luckily for Adam & Eve the Catherine Wheel went back to the lush landscape that made them such a great band and put out their most melodic and amazing cd to date. "Delicious" has you singing along with lyrics "I think I was Bruce Lee, I mighta been Michael Cane". When it comes to the ballads Rob doesn't sound like a pansy british wanker, he is able to sing hard then bring it down to orchestra level. Every song on this cd is great, I won't write about them all just take my word for it. The Catherine Wheel also released a b-sides cd Like Cats And Dogs and for as much people write about it you would think this was their White Album. I admit the cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" is downright perfect, the rest of the cd good but not great. In 2000 came Wishville the worst cd they ever made, it was back to the Happy Days heavy guitar but was so thin that I could never get thru the whole cd. I do like a few of the tracks on it, but overall not really worth it. This spelled the end of Catherine Wheel, they broke up never to be heard of again. Rob Dickinson released a solo record last year, I don't know much about it but I do want to hear it.

I have also been told by my friend Jen that its my fault that Catherine Wheel broke up, I went and saw them in concert and that was it. For as many times that the band toured I missed every one of their shows so I was convinced that I would never see them. Finally in 2000 they came to St Andys where I got to see them perform and it was probably the next day that they broke up. When I get the solo cd I will post a review to let you know if its worth it or not.

Posted by mardenhill 1/14/2006 03:54:00 PM 1 comments    

Give 'Em Hell Harry.....
Friday, January 13, 2006

If we can beat mob, we can fight DeLay-style politics

Experience in Las Vegas similar to D.C. corruption
Jan. 12, 2006, 8:39PM

By SEN. HARRY REID

In 1977, I was appointed chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission. It was a difficult time for the gaming industry and Las Vegas, which were being overrun by organized crime. To that point in my life, I had served in the Nevada Assembly and even as lieutenant governor, but nothing prepared me for my fight with the mob.

Over the next few years, there would be threats on my life, bribes, FBI stings and even a car bomb placed in my family's station wagon. It was a terrifying experience, but at the end of the day, we cleaned up Las Vegas and ushered in a new era of responsibility.

My term on the gaming commission came to an end in 1981, and when it did, I thought I had seen such corruption for the last time. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. It is not quite the mafia of Las Vegas in the 1970s, but what is happening today in Washington is every bit as corrupt and the consequences for our country have been severe.

Our nation's capital has been overrun by organized crime — Tom DeLay-style.

More...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/3584174.html
...............

Way to go Harry. Since Sen Reid took over the reins of the Democratic party, he has brought it back from the dead and pumped life back into it. Harry doesn't back down from a challenge and has on a number of occasions put Sen Frist in his place. Now Harry has come out swinging against Delay and "The Hammer" has no-one to turn to for help on this. All his friends have abandoned him and since Delay was just a bully in the House he is on his own and won't fight by himself. Delay will whine to the media and play the victim, he will cry that everyone is picking on him and that its not fair. This is going to be fun to watch the downfall of one of the most corrupt individuals in Washington since Nixon. I would love to see Delay behind bars by the end of the year but him losing his re-election will be enough to make my day.

Sen Reid has already destroyed Sen Frist and his chances for any presidental nomination, now he is over picking House members off one by one. I admit both Pelosi and Reid don't seem like ideal party leaders but once you see them in action, your opinion changes. Reid has been on a Red State tour and has done a great job and hopefully he has converted some repubs over to our side and shown them the light.

Posted by mardenhill 1/13/2006 04:49:00 PM 0 comments    

Sisters Of Mercy

Just got an email from ticketmaster yesterday regarding The Sisters Of Mercy show at the State. For those of you who are not familiar with them their most popular song was "This Corrosion". This song has been played every weekend at City Club for the last 18 years and will probably be on rotation til the club finally closes its doors. All the young and old goth kids will be out in full force and the patchuli will be strong enough that anyone in a 10 mile radius should close their windows. I think it would be a fun show but Stereolab is the night before and I would rather see them. Sisters Of Mercy had a few other songs that were really cool but I don't think its worth the ticket price I know they will be commanding so its Stereolab for me.

Posted by mardenhill 1/13/2006 09:16:00 AM 3 comments    

Dodge Caliber
Thursday, January 12, 2006

Here is a picture of the new Dodge Caliber coming out this year. This is replacing the Neon and is pretty cool. It features a spot for your ipod and you can control it thru your steering wheel. It also has some flip out speakers so if you are tailgating you can focus the music out. I have only seen pictures but I am interested to see it in person. DCX also has the Jeep Compass coming out which is on the same platform and probably similar features. I still have a few payments left on the Focus and I think I am going to hold out til next year but for someone in the market I think this will be a good car to get. Its starting at $14K and should have some good gas mileage.

As for the Auto Show it starts this weekend but ends before the Superbowl is in town. They decided that it would be too much to have it run alongside the game so they kept them separate.

Posted by mardenhill 1/12/2006 04:44:00 PM 1 comments    

Happy 500th Post
Wednesday, January 11, 2006

I have made it to my 500th post, it has taken me 1 year and 5 months to reach but I did it. Its amazing that I have been able to write about music, politics, technology, wine and other random stuff for so long and I don't see it ending anytime soon. My visitor count also passed 500 the other day, I am currently at 531 views since October. Watch out Drudge by summer I should be pulling in thousands of hits and soon after that millions.

I have tried both the email and audio posts but I am not too fond of them, being able to add graphics and links to my postings is too important to leave out. My next form of blogging will be that of video blogging, there are a few sites out there that you can post video for free. I am going to give it a try and see what it does for my blog. I need to figure out a way to print it all and publish my work, I could be sitting on a goldmine and not even know it.

Posted by mardenhill 1/11/2006 05:12:00 PM 1 comments    

Levi Plus iPod =?

Levi Strauss debuts iPod-ready jeans

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Call it the 21st Century watch pocket.

Denim giant Levi Strauss said Tuesday it had designed jeans compatible with the iPod music player, featuring a joystick in the watch pocket to operate the device.

The Levi's RedWire DLX Jeans for men and women, which will be available this fall, also have a built-in docking cradle for the iPod and retractable headphones. Pricing was not immediately available.

Apple Computer Inc's iPod is the No. 1 digital music player.

The company Tuesday attributed a 63 percent jump in holiday quarter sales in part to the iPod's popularity and said 42 million of the devices have been sold to date.

Levi's is not the first company to feature iPod-friendly apparel, although it may be the first to make iPod-compatible jeans.

Haute couture fashion houses began featuring pricey iPod carrying cases after the device's 2001 launch, while outdoor company Burton Snowboards unveiled what it called the first iPod-compatible waterproof snowboarding jacket in 2003.

Last fall Los Angeles-based manufacturer Kenpo launched men's jackets selling at Macy's for between $275 and $350, featuring iPod controls on the sleeve.

.....................

I love my ipod but I don't think I will be buying jeans specifically made for it. This is a bit over the top but there are people out there who would purchase such a thing. The snowboard jacket is practical, I have skied with an ipod and it is a pain reaching into your pocket to switch songs or adjust the volume.

Posted by mardenhill 1/11/2006 04:43:00 PM 0 comments    

Good Job Pat......

Maybe jackass Robertson should have thought about his business dealings before he opened his fat mouth to swiftboat Ariel Sharon. What a tool, looks like he is out of his theme park and credibility.

Israel pulls plug on Pat Robertson deal

Officials angry over evangelical leader's comments about Sharon's stroke

JERUSALEM - Israel won't do business with Pat Robertson after the evangelical leader suggested Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke was divine punishment, a tourism official said Wednesday, putting into doubt plans to develop a large Christian tourism center in northern Israel.

Avi Hartuv, spokesman for Israel's tourism minister, said officials are furious with Robertson's suggestion that the stroke was retribution for Sharon's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last summer. "We can't accept this kind of statement," Hartuv said.

Robertson is leading a group of evangelicals who have pledged to raise $50 million to build the Christian Heritage Center in Israel's northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught.

Posted by mardenhill 1/11/2006 11:11:00 AM 3 comments    

Mac World 2006
Tuesday, January 10, 2006

New Mac Laptop
The new mac laptop replaces the powerbook and is called Macbook Pro. It features an intel duo core chip and will come with iSight camera, iLife 06, Front Row 2.o and apple remote. This will be one cool laptop but also starts at $1999 so its a bit expensive. The imac got upgraded to a duo core intel chip also and is 2x faster than the latest imac. The macbook pro laptop is 4x faster with the latest intel chip.

The iLife suite was upgraded to include iWeb which allows you to publish your own webpages and blogs with your own photos, music and video. Basically taking all the free stuff out on the web and integrating it into an easy to use format for those who need help living digitally. iLife 06 will sell for $79 and might be worth the upgrade. Some very cool stats are below, its amazing that Apple was able to revolutionize the digital music world when no one said it could be done.

135 Shops around the world. 26 million visitors during holiday quarter
Retail stores had their first $1 billion quarter this past quarter
Total revenues 5.7 billion total. Now let's talk about the iPod
4.5 million sold during holiday 2004, for 2005 holiday sold 14 million
Over 100 sold every minute through the quarter
42 total million iPods sold since the it was first released. 32 million in 2005
850 million songs sold. 3 million songs a day are being sold. Over 1 billion songs per year rate 83% market share
Television show sales doing well. 8 million sold since Oct 12th. Added bowl games

Posted by mardenhill 1/10/2006 02:08:00 PM 2 comments    

BBDO Day

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Declares January 10, 2006 'BBDO Day' in the City of New York

Salutes Agency's Accomplishments as 'Agency of the Year;' Caps Record-Setting Performance in 2005

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has proclaimed Tuesday, January 10, 2006 as "BBDO Day" in New York City in honor of the agency's record-setting performance during 2005. The agency was named "U.S. Agency of the Year" by the trade publication Advertising Age, "Global Agency of the Year" by Adweek magazine, and "Advertising Network of the Year" by Campaign, the leading advertising industry journal in the UK.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060110/nytu013.html?.v=32

........................

This is the company I work for, our agency does all of Chrysler's advertising but the New York office has some pretty big accounts. A good portion of Superbowl ads come from NY, they have the Visa, Pepsi, Mitsubshi, Nike, Mini, M&Ms, Guiness and FedEx as clients. So take a minute to congratulate me on my day, its like having a 2nd birthday. I may not make the commercials but I help support the infrastructue of the agency and without me, this place would be back to pencils and paper.

Posted by mardenhill 1/10/2006 09:36:00 AM 3 comments    

Mac World 2006 San Francisco
Monday, January 09, 2006

Tomorrow will be another Mac World and this is where lots of products and updates are presented. The rumor mill has the long awaited intel chips in laptops and mac minis. There is also talk of updated mac mini's with front row installed and other good stuff. Nothing big on the ipods since they just released the video ipod but there will be an update to .mac with a space to build your own websites most likely. There are also rumors that apple will be releasing a 42 inch and 50 inch plasma displays but this is the most contested one out on the net. Overall there isn't a lot of "gadget" news more behind the scenes and hardware upgrades but you never know. I will be blogging tomorrow about the new stuff so stay tuned...

Posted by mardenhill 1/09/2006 03:39:00 PM 1 comments    

Justic Sunday III

Santorum Rails Against Alito Opposition

"Justice Sunday III" was held in the state where Alito, generally supported by conservatives, sits on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the No. 3 Senate Republican, told the gathering that liberal judges are "destroying traditional morality, creating a new moral code and prohibiting any dissent."

"The only way to restore this republic our founders envisioned is to elevate honorable jurists like Samuel Alito," Santorum said. "Unfortunately, the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee seem poised to drag these hearings into the gutter, so they can continue their far left judicial activism on the Supreme Court."

http://www.wral.com/apnationalnews/5937427/detail.html

............................

Didn't Santorum learn from Justice Sunday I and II that if u get involved your career takes a turn for the worse? Look at JS I, Sen Frist spoke and I think 2005 was not a year he would like to reflect back on. JS II featured Tom Delay, I don't need to say anything more about that one. So Santorum is up to bat for JS III, he is trailing his challenger in his senate race is this the way you want to come across to your constitutents? I tell ya, all the Dems need to do is throw up a commercial with good ole Pat Robertson's famous quotes and pics of republicans at the JS events and you have total anniliation of church and state.

Posted by mardenhill 1/09/2006 08:34:00 AM 2 comments    

No More iTrip......

Chrysler Group and Apple announce iPod integration

The Chrysler Group on Sunday announced that it will be the first American automaker to provide full iPod integration as an option in most of its 2006 models, with over three million 2006 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models offering seamless iPod connectively beginning this spring.

Exhibiting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, the auto maker said drivers will be able to select and listen to their music by artist, album or playlist with either radio or steering wheel controls. Selections will also appear on the radio's display screen.

"We're thrilled that over three million Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge automobiles will offer great iPod connectivity in 2006," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. "Over 40 percent of all cars sold in the US in 2006 will offer iPod connectivity."

Chrysler joins 16 other auto makers that currently offer iPod integration in their veichles.

"Customers have been asking for iPod connectivity and we're excited to make it available to so many of our vehicles in 2006," said Randy Ewers, director, Mopar Accessories Portfolio Team. "We're providing the largest number and range of automobiles with iPod support of any automaker, allowing Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge owners to bring and listen to their entire music collections."

The optional iPod Integration Kit for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge model lines will be available to customers for US$175 plus installation. In addition, the solution can be retrofit to many model year 2005 vehicles, Chrysler said.
........................................
Its about time, now everyone can throw away those crappy itrip receivers, with how long this took you would think u needed to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. As usual the auto industry are light years behind reality and they thought this should be a feature in luxury cars. If they did any research they would have seen that the ipod crowd were younger and drove cars below the $30K price tag. Put adapters in these cars and you would sell them like hotcakes, but did it happen, no. And you have to wonder what morons are running these companies, don't they have kids that have ipods and want to listen to them in the car? Maybe Ford's 2007 announcement will be that in 2008 they will incorporate the ipod adapter. Hey Bill Ford Jr, this is why you didn't win car or truck of the year....

Posted by mardenhill 1/09/2006 08:11:00 AM 2 comments    

Hey Rep Ney What Are You Up To?
Saturday, January 07, 2006

Ney: Congress’s “Ethics” Instructor

Conservatives are off to a bad start on their pledge to “improve transparency and accountability” in the House and Senate.

Not only has Frist tapped Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) — a key player in the K Street Project — to craft a conservative version of lobbying reform, the House has tasked one of its most corrupt members instruct new lawmakers on ethics:

Before they take their seats in the House of Representatives, newly elected lawmakers come to Washington for a weeklong orientation that includes a briefing on congressional ethics. Presiding over their instruction is the chairman of the House Administration Committee, who since 2001 has been Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio.

Ney has been named as Representative #1 in the plea agreeements of both Abramoff and his partner, Michael Scanlon, detailing lavish gifts, travel, and contributions from the lobbyists in return for Ney’s cooperation in Congress. You can find more details of Ney’s extensive ties to Abramoff here.

................................
So you got Santorum in charge of drafting new legislation on lobbying and you have Rep Ney in charge of ethics orientation, this is one of the funniest things I have ever read. When you thought the republiscums couldn't sink any lower.

Posted by mardenhill 1/07/2006 05:59:00 PM 2 comments    

BYE BYE DELAY!!!!!!!

These officials said DeLay, R-Texas, was preparing a letter informing fellow House Republicans of his decision. These officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they did not want to pre-empt the formal announcement.

Posted by mardenhill 1/07/2006 12:56:00 PM 0 comments    

Its The 90's All Over Again

Oasis Vs Franz Ferdinand - Alex hits back

Singer compares Liam Gallagher to a "young girl"

Alex Kapranos has hit back at Liam Gallagher after the Oasis singer compared him to Right Said Fred.

In interviews following the release of Oasis' most recent album 'Don't Believe The Truth' Liam has spoken out about various bands, including Franz, Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party.

Until now, Alex Kapranos has held his tongue. But the Franz Ferdinand singer is quoted in today's tabloid press as comparing Liam to a "neurotic young girl at a high school".

He reportedly said: "He knows he can get in the papers from being as obnoxious as he can. When I read the press that surrounded them earlier in 2005, it sounded like an extremely anxious, neurotic young girl at a high school who though that she had younger, better looking competition and was just bitching about everything about her.

"I think everybody, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, every contemporary band was at the end of some form of vitriol from him. I'm not particularly bothered by him, it just seems like bitchery from cheap neurosis."

..................

I loved the Oasis vs Blur war of the 90s good to see there is a new battle brewing. Alex is right tho, Liam is whining a bit here. Now if Liam went after bands like The Futureheads, The Subways, Artic Monkeys, Brakes, The Rakes and the countless other post punk crap bands then I would be supporting him on this front. Bloc Party and Franz are 2 of the best bands coming out of the UK right now, there are a few others out there but for the most part the scene has been muddled up with tons of junk that blow big donkey nads. Look at Babyshambles why do they deserve the press that they get, their music is shit and its all just because of their drug addict lead singer. I am glad that Kasabian are mates with Liam, it makes me believe that he does still recognise there are other good bands out there besides his own.

Posted by mardenhill 1/07/2006 11:43:00 AM 2 comments    

Bird On A Wire

Disgraced Congressman 'Wore a Wire' [Time Magazine]

Disgraced Congressman 'Wore a Wire'

Posted by mardenhill 1/07/2006 10:15:00 AM 6 comments    

Wine Shipping in Michigan Update
Friday, January 06, 2006

Wine Shipping in Michigan Update:

A fresh new year awaits, and what are people talking about? The new Michigan wine shipping law, but also Michigan vodka, Michigan Pinot Noir and Left Foot Charley.

The big shipping question is this: When will out-of-state winery Web sites (listen up, California) add MI to their list of legal states? According to Ken Wozniak, director of executive services for the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, it will probably happen as soon as they apply for a shipper’s license (cost: $100) and the MLCC gets its ducks lined up on exactly how a shipper should proceed.

Wozniak said the MLCC has fielded inquiries from California wineries, as well as Washington state and one from the East. But to date, nobody has applied. He was hopeful the state would have its procedures finalized in the next 30 days.

http://info.detnews.com/wine/columns/silfven/details.cfm?id=324

Posted by mardenhill 1/06/2006 09:43:00 AM 2 comments    

Dean Sets Record
Thursday, January 05, 2006

Dean sets new fundraising record for Dem Party....

Posted by mardenhill 1/05/2006 05:10:00 PM 2 comments    

Pat Robertson At It Again

Robertson: Sharon punished for dividing Israel The Rev. Pat Robertson said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is being punished by God for dividing the Land of Israel. Robertson, speaking on the “700 Club” on Thursday, suggested Sharon, who is currently in an induced coma, and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, assassinated by an Israeli extremist in 1995, were being treated with enmity by God for dividing Israel. “He was dividing God’s land,” Robertson said. “And I would say, Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the E.U., the United Nations or the United States of America. God says, This land belongs to me. You better leave it alone.”

......................................... I tell ya, Pat is like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going. How many more times does this guy have to say such stupid things before people wakeup and kick him off the airwaves? He has the right to spread his hate, it is a free country but we also have the right to expose him for what he really is, a full fledge member of the American Taliban......

Posted by mardenhill 1/05/2006 02:23:00 PM 2 comments