Updated Garden Pictures
Monday, July 31, 2006

Chili Peppers & Habenero Peppers

Green Beans & Cucumbers

Tomatoes & Herb Garden

Here are some pictures of our garden, its been taking off and we have picked a bunch of stuff so far. We pulled up some carrots, cucumbers and radishes the other day. We have a ton of different herbs going so if anyone needs some just let us know. Click on any picture for a better look.

Posted by mardenhill 7/31/2006 07:52:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Garden

Welcome To The Family

I would like to welcome the newest member to the Sutton household, Mr. Waterheater. Yesterday while doing a load of laundry our old waterheater decided to spring a leak. It was over 20 years old so it was time to go and hence our new one today. I would like to thank Home Depot for delivering and installing. The last time I attempted plumbing, I had to call in a plumber to correct and finish my work, not a proud moment in my life. I admit it, when it comes to home repair, I can paint and do a few of the small things, otherwise its outsourced to the professionals.

You need your computer fixed, your house setup wireless, any electronic gadget configured I can help you there......

Posted by mardenhill 7/31/2006 07:38:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Misc

New Kasabian
Sunday, July 30, 2006

Kasabian just reached number 1 with their new single Empire on NME's top 10. I just went to their website and was able to listen to it thru the video and its very good. Its starts off with a good bass line then goes into full assault. There are strings on the chorus which breaks into a sticatto rhythm. It reminds me of a Primal Scream bassline but then gets chopped up a bit. I am pretty happy with the single so far which bodes well for the upcoming album.



Check out the new Kasabian single on their website, http://www.kasabian.co.uk/home/
or myspace at http://www.myspace.com/kasabian

Posted by mardenhill 7/30/2006 07:52:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Big Ole Dud

The Killers strike out with their new single off their 2nd cd Sam's Town. The song "When You Were Young" rips off the boss Bruce Springsteen back in his Born To Run days. Its full of keyboards that overpower everything and tired vocals that only grab you when he repeats the word Jesus. The facial hair won't do it either, just growing a beard will not hide you from the crap your 1st cd gave us. I never understood how these guys got the attention of the masses, their 1st single was good I will give you that but the rest of the cd was terrible. They took everything that was great from the 80s and tried to repackage it into 3 minute sound bytes.

Maybe I will be proven wrong and their 2nd cd be something worthwhile. Judging from this single, if it's the best they got then I don't see it happening.

Posted by mardenhill 7/30/2006 02:23:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Magnapop

I was listening to Woxy Vintage internet radio when I heard Magnapop's "Open The Door" and decided it was time to do a review of their last cd Mouthfeel. Magnapop had the attention of the college music scene back in the early 90s. Discovered by Michael Stipe and who's debut cd was produced by Bob Mould, you can't get a better start than that. Although Mouthfeel came out the beginning of last year, it was an 8 year hiatus between albums for them so my review is not too late.

Mouthfeel starts off with "We're Faded" and with lyrics "we're faded, but not out of sight" you know you are in for a treat. Magnapop captured the perfect balance between male/female bands. Their music has punk and pop elements, topped off with duo female vocals. Track 3 "Pretend I'm There" sounds like a b-side to their last record, a bit of the lighter side but not over produced. They keep the punkpop feel going with "Satellite" one of the best songs on the record. "California" reminds me a lot of the theme song for the OC which really gets on my nerves and sticks in my head so I tend to skip this one.

Listening to Magnapop takes you back to an era where there was no Nu Metal, Rap Metal, wanna be Emo and crappy post punk. The early 90's had some great stuff but once '96 hit things went downhill. Magnapop put out their last recording and Radiohead surfaced a year later with their art rock "Kid A" which pretty much sucked. '96 was the transitional year between what was good and what was over the horizon. Radio became dominated by Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty, Sugar Ray, Collective Soul, Semisonic and Tonic. That was painful but nothing prepared us for the crap that would soon follow. By the late 90s Kid Rock broke out and you had Limp Bizkit, Korn, Deftones and Staind to name a few. Music had hit the wall and I was afraid there was no recovering. Luckily a little Detroit band named The White Stripes swooped in and saved the day. They ushered in the era of garage rock and the indie rock crossover to the masses.

Sorry for the tangent but my point to all of this is, from the late 90s until a few years ago, there was not a lot of good music out there. The Brit Rock music scene had their staples Oasis, Supergrass, Pulp, Blur but the new stuff coming out was not that good. The US music scene was dominated by crap and the only stuff making a difference was the Indie Rock scene. Being a college DJ from '95-'98 was my only saving grace since I was able to play good music on the airwaves for everyone to listen to. Ok, maybe the 10 people who tuned in, but it was a start. The Indie Rock scene has since gone thru a transformation from pretentious to one level below mainstream. This is why the little kids these days are all into Emo. Music tends to cycle every 10 years so I have a feeling we might be in for another downturn starting next year. Lets hope not but with the invention of the iPod, we can weather the storm with all our favorites at our fingertips......

Posted by mardenhill 7/30/2006 09:41:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Hey Mel Shut The F*** Up
Saturday, July 29, 2006

Its amazing what happens when you drink the conservative kool-aid, you become a freak who gets arrested and spouts off anti-semitic remarks. Good ole Mel Gibson, the cool guy from Lethal Weapon turned religious nut got arrested for drunk driving and went off about jews. I have no love for the guy and when he makes an ass out of himself like this, it just begs to be lampooned.

Is it me or is Mel looking a bit like Saddam Houssein these days? Below are some of his famous quotes......

Once inside the car, a source directly connected with the case says Gibson began banging himself against the seat. The report says Gibson told the deputy, "You mother f****r. I'm going to f*** you." The report also says "Gibson almost continually [sic] threatened me saying he 'owns Malibu' and will spend all of his money to 'get even' with me."

The report says Gibson then launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements: "F*****g Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Gibson then asked the deputy, "Are you a Jew?"

We're told Gibson took two blood alcohol tests, which were videotaped, and continued saying how "f****d" he was and how he was going to "f***" Deputy Mee.

Posted by mardenhill 7/29/2006 04:26:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Misc

Granholm In Wyandotte

Jennifer Granholm did a rally downriver in Bishop Park this afternoon and I went down to check it out. She got there about 2:15pm and was still there talking with people at 3pm when I left. She gave her usual stump speech about job creation and moving forward to a warm reception. There were maybe 200+ people there, a pretty good turnout for it being 150 degrees out. Debbie Stabenow was there but spoke before I arrived. I got to briefly talk to her which was really cool and got a few pictures taken. They were all action ones, so I apologise for the stupid look on my face, I was talking. They were also filming so there may be some footage used for campaign commercials and ads which would be very cool.

Posted by mardenhill 7/29/2006 04:09:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Record Reviews
Friday, July 28, 2006

http://www.therecordroom.blogspot.com/

If you are looking for some good new/old record reviews check out this site, its pretty cool. The blogger Ben and Will are very good at picking out cds to review and both have other sites they contribute to....

I have added it to my list on the right side just in case you lose the bookmark.....

Posted by mardenhill 7/28/2006 11:46:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Another Fine Day

Its time to review a new cd and today its Golden Smog, the supergroup side project. At different times members of the Jayhawks, Soul Asylum, The Replacements, Wilco and the Honeydogs. Their latest cd "Another Fine Day" sports Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Gary Louris of The Jayhawks and Dan Murphy of Soul Asylum. Some members are more prevelant than others on this cd so the sound is a bit all over the board. It starts off with "You Make It Easy" a total Jayhawks song with a minor chord throughout. There is a ton of pop on the sound, you would think the Posies were back in the Alt Country saddle. "Another Fine Day" is Wilco, the fuzz guitar rock of the last 2 records and the twang of "Being There". Track 5 "Corvette" is a rockin song probably the best on the disc. It has the energy of a classic Fountains of Wayne with a bit of 70s rock thrown in for good measure. Its really a grownup record, all the members have made their name in their respected bands and its just a jam session between friends. There isn't anything groundbreaking coming from it but that doesn't mean its bad either. Its a great background record, it makes you feel good and gives you a toe tappin beat that keeps you interested. The 90s are gone and so is the Alt Country scene but little gems will pop up here and there which makes for a good trip down memory lane......

Posted by mardenhill 7/28/2006 04:15:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Latest Bloomings

Here are the last 2 things blooming in my yard, the stargazer lilies and the black eyed susans. I have a few daisies still open but those should be gone soon. This spring was a very warm one and a ton of our stuff bloomed early leaving us with the month of august being mostly green. At least we have the garden and we will also be gone for the 2nd half of the month. Overall I was happy with this years landscaping and already have plans for next year......

Posted by mardenhill 7/28/2006 03:55:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Garden

Fiddleheads

Last nite Erika's mom and aunt came into town and we went to Fiddleheads for dinner, a newer restaurant in the metro detroit area. It was very good, a bit on the pricy side but the food was worth it. I had the halibut which had a mushroom reduction over a bed of french lentils. I was very pleased with my meal and think it was worth the $21 price tag. Their wine list is nice, they have a large number of bottles and a decent selection by the glass. Unfortunately their website is not too informative, hopefully they add to it soon. If you are looking for a new gourmet restaurant in the area check this one out....

http://www.fiddleheadsroyaloak.com/home.html

Posted by mardenhill 7/28/2006 02:35:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Restaurants

Screw The Bastards
Thursday, July 27, 2006

You gotta love it, Metallica the biggest sellout band on the planet has finally come to embrace the digital revolution. A few years back you had Lars Ulrich rail against Napster and the swapping of songs. This was funny since they were pirates at the beginning of their career trading tapes with the fans. They also used the argument about wanting to preserve the album format and by jumping on the digital bandwagon, this would speed up the demise. Sorry Metallica, if you are really interested in the vinyl world, you are in the wrong genre, its the indie rock and electronic music that is preserving this format.

Anyways, the sellouts have placed their entire catalog on iTunes hoping to cash in on the digital revolution. Now I think its great that bands are using iTunes, its an easy distribution point and a number of musicians do exclusives just for it. When you have a band who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the digital world, I say screw em, we don't want you here. You had ample time to give your fans what they wanted but u walked away, now its our turn to walk away from you. Btw, that last record, St Anger, it was probably the worst thing ever committed to the history of music, you should be ashamed of yourselves. You are nothing, just trash like your music......

Posted by mardenhill 7/27/2006 02:24:00 PM 3 comments    

Labels: Music

Good News For Jenny

Its not great news but its a start. What's interesting about all of this, DeVos has dumped $10 million in commericals but cannot break over 50%. Lets hope when Jenny starts campaigning she can knock DeVos back to the west side and to his pryamid scheme of a company, Amway.
..................

In Michigan, Granholm Takes Back Lead

Though most recent polls show Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) trailing Dick DeVos (R) in her re-election bid -- including one from yesterday -- a new Detroit News/WXYZ-TV poll finds the incumbent back in the lead, 47% to 44% with 9% undecided.

In fact, the lead "is Granholm's first since February, when DeVos started a nonstop TV ad barrage that to date has cost him more than $10 million. The Granholm campaign has yet to air a commercial, but the Democratic Party has spent more than $2 million on ads on her behalf."

However, with a margin of error of 4 percentage points, the race is still essentially deadlocked.

Posted by mardenhill 7/27/2006 11:59:00 AM 2 comments    

Labels: Politics

The Kills
Wednesday, July 26, 2006

I rediscovered the Kills the last week, I had their cd "No Wow" in my car and decided to listen again. I forgot how great of a band they are and its only 2 people VV and Hotel. The Kills came out during the White Stripes era but don't confuse the two. There is only a guitar and a drum machine here and its not like they will be playing Carnegie Hall anytime soon. The music is simple but its real. VV reminds me of Justine Frishmann (Elastica fame) with her ability to blend both sex and rocknroll together. VV's intoxicating vocals keeps you hypnotized throughout the cd. Their debut, "Keep On Your Meanside" focuses on the raw sound coming from a distorted guitar and brash, in your face lyrics. By their 2nd cd, The Kills expanded on their sound, they didn't add members, just added some melody into their sound. It starts out with "No Wow" a building banter between VV and Hotel, with VV kicking his ass. Track 2 "Love Is A Deserter" has VV exhibiting her control over the masses with her swagger. One of my favorite tracks "Rodeo Town" has VV exposing her soul and letting down her guard. You can hear her really singing here which is great.

I am waiting for their next cd, I am interested in seeing what they come up with. I saw them on their 1st trip to Detroit and it was a good show, the chemistry between the 2 rivals the stripes. In the meantime, check out their site, they just built a new one and its really cool.
http://www.thekills.tv

Posted by mardenhill 7/26/2006 02:29:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Anderson Cooper

If you ever wondered what Anderson Cooper from CNN listens to well here it is. Anderson recently put together a celebrity playlist of his favorite songs for iTunes. I love to read these, I like to see what musicians and actors/actresses are into. Anderson's songs say a lot about him as a person. He is well rounded in the music world and still loves his college days with The Pogues, REM, U2, The Clash and New Order. He dips into the new world of indie rock with +/- and also goes after the pioneers of the scene with Pavement and Yo La Tengo. Anderson keeps his finger on the pulse of whats going on in the music world, yeah he gets caught up in the moment with crappy bands like the Smashing Pumpkins but makes up for it with his other selections. From this list you can deduct that he would be a pretty cool person to hang out with....

1. Summer In Siam 3:50 The Pogues Streams of Whiskey - Live In Leysin, Switzerland 1991
2. Set the Ray to Jerry 4:10 Smashing Pumpkins Rarities and B-Sides
3. New Year's Day 5:35 U2 War
4. Feeling Good 2:53 Nina Simone Four Women: The Complete Nina Simone on Philips Recordings
5. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? 4:00 R.E.M. In Time - The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003
6. Move On Up (Extended Version) 8:56 Curtis Mayfield Curtis
7. You've Just Got It All 4:25 Plus/Minus (+/-) Holding Patterns
8. Pressure Drop 3:24 The Clash Clash on Broadway
9. Tive Razão 4:32 Seu Jorge Cru
10. Coffee & TV 5:18 Blur The Best of Blur
11. You Can Have It All 4:37 Yo La Tengo Prisoners of Love - A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003 (Box Set)
12. Summer Babe 3:21 Pavement Slanted and Enchanted - Luxe and Reduxe
13. Speed Trials 3:15 Elliott Smith Speed Trials - EP
14. Crystal 4:16 New Order Singles
15. Ko Ko 4:59 Charlie Parker Bird of Paradise

Posted by mardenhill 7/26/2006 01:00:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Misc

Well Its About Time

Monday an anonymous politican came out swinging against the president and the republican party, by the end of the day speculation ended. Yesterday leutinent governer of Maryland Michael Steele admitted it was him. Some of the statements are below. Now as much as I agree with Steele's view of the party and this administration I wonder if he is trying to play the outsider card to win a victory on his senate race. He can say he is a conservative but has nothing to do with this crowd. He may win over some people but I am onto his strategy and I don't think it will work. To be an outsider you need to be completely removed from politics, sorry Steele you are not.

I do love the latest Bush/Republican bashing going on, it has now become cool to hate Bush. I just want to remind you I have been there since the beginning, no jumping on the bandwagon for me. I hope this trend continues and sweeps the dems into power because we need a change and one fast.
.........................................

"It's an impediment. It's a hurdle I have to overcome," Steele, who is running in a Democratic-leaning state, said of his GOP label, according to Tuesday's edition of The Washington Post. "I've got an 'R' here, a scarlet letter."

The newspaper quoted the unnamed candidate as saying the Iraq war "didn't work" and "we didn't prepare for the peace," that the response to Hurricane Katrina was "a monumental failure of government," and that "there's a palpable frustration right now in the country."

Of Republicans who control Congress, the candidate said: "We've lost our way, we've gone to the well and we drank the water, and we shouldn't have."

"You don't go to Congress to become the party that you've been fighting for 40 years," he said, lamenting "the spending, the finger-pointing, not getting the bills passed" and counseled: "Just shut up and get something done."

Asked if he wanted Bush to campaign for him, the candidate initially said, "well, you know, I don't know" and then, noting the president's low popularity in his state, said: "To be honest with you, probably not."

Posted by mardenhill 7/26/2006 12:25:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I just opened this bombastic white and it knocked my socks off. Its from the Rhone region of France and is a blend of 5 grapes. I only recognise grenache blanc and rousanne the others are completely new to me. The flavor is full bodied, lots of alcohol 14% but has a sweetness to it. I am new to the Rhone region, I have had a few but not enough to really know whats going on. This is my new fall project to explore southern French wines.



Chateauneuf-du-Pape
CLOS DES PAPES 2001

Location Southern Rhone Valley, France Appellation AOC Chateauneuf-du-Pape Grape

Varietal 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Rousanne, 20% Clairette, 20% Bourbolence, 20% Picpoul

General Description This wine exhibits an apricot/peach-scented nose, ripe fruit and plenty of power, body and alcohol. Mouth-filling. Its size suggests longevity but it is meant to be consumed quickly. Food Recommendations Poultry, Pork, Light game

Posted by mardenhill 7/25/2006 10:21:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Proof That I Am Right

Other than my neighbor everyone else thinks I am crazy when I tell them the 696 expressway changes my local weather. Well here is some proof to backup my claim. As you can see the rain is above 696 around the Berkley and Royal Oak area. The reason, cumulus clouds rise from the heat of the road to push weaker storms northward. If a huge weather pattern is coming thru then we get rain, otherwise its just our neighbors north and south of us who do. These vertical clouds have been my arch enemy every summer. While they keep the sky blue they also keep me watering twice a day.

Posted by mardenhill 7/25/2006 12:40:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Misc

Stop The Clocks

Posted by mardenhill 7/25/2006 11:22:00 AM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Senator Jackass
Monday, July 24, 2006

Posted by mardenhill 7/24/2006 04:27:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Detroit
Sunday, July 23, 2006

I went downtown this morning to take a few more pictures for our livingroom and this was one of the best ones I shot. Its of the Ren Center, General Motor's headquarters. I was on the riverwalk which is looking very good these days. They have from behind Joe Louis all the way down past the Ren Cen open and by fall it should be past Chene Park and to Eastern Market. I was very suprised to see how much development is going on south of Wayne State on the other side of the Lodge. There are a bunch of new condos/houses going up there. They are also building new condos behind the original ones on Woodward and 75 and the MGM casino construction looks great. I saw my fare share of scary hookers and drug dealers in some spots but hey its Detroit, something would be wrong if they were gone.

Posted by mardenhill 7/23/2006 08:16:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Detroit

Late Harvest

Last nite Erika and I opened up a late harvest chardonnay from Epiphany Cellars. It was a 1997 that I picked up from the Red Wagon's moving sale, I got it for 30% off. The wine was excellent, it was very thick with hits of honey and apricot with a long finish. We had it with some creme brule and raspberry sauce, a last minute decison when we ran to Trader Joes 5 minutes before it closed. Being a dessert wine, its already very sweet but this one was well balanced. It was not over the top and I think anyone who is anti-dessert wine would enjoy this one. Being a chardonnay grape, it will not be as sweet as those made with semillon, sauv blanc, riesling or gewurztraminer.

Posted by mardenhill 7/23/2006 10:39:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Chateau La Cariziere Muscadet Sur Lie 2005
Thursday, July 20, 2006

Posted by mardenhill 7/20/2006 10:15:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Wine

Punch An Emo

I would like to thank my friend Denise for this picture. Too bad June 6th has passed but I say we should make it a once a month engagement. Anything to make fun of emo rats is good in my book. Kids these days are so far off base from where emo originated, for the last time, dashboard confessional and bright eyes are not EMO!!!!!!!!

Bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Jets To Brazil, Joan Of Arc, The Promise Ring and Built To Spill are the true sound.

This new crop of pseudo emo bands are as crappy as the latest brit rock garbage. Maybe I'm getting old and bitter but come on, the whole post punk scene has come and gone. Futureheads, Rakes, Art Brut, Zutons, Cribs, Artic Monkey's you all suck. Pete Doherty and his heroin addiction is not news, its a lame attempt at making a name since his music sucks ass so bad.

Like I said before, Kasabian and the Editors are the only ones who can keep the brit rock scene from plunging into the ocean, lets hope their followups don't flop......

Posted by mardenhill 7/20/2006 02:43:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Bird Flu Free

Afraid of the bird flu? Avoiding Chinese restaurants just because there may have been a batch of tainted chicken here in Troy, MI? Fear not, Kim's restaurant on 18 mile and Livernois in Troy, MI nonetheless have posted on their billboard an important message. Tinsway was the importer who allegedly brought infected meat from China over here. Did it happen, was it true, no one really knows but as long as Kim's is bird flu free, i'm happy.

Now its time to dive right in to that tasty fried chicken pieces covered in sauce. Don't forget the egg roll, drenched in plum sauce the best part of any Chinese dinner.

If you have never been to Kim's, don't expect too much, its a step up from mall Chinese but not by a lot. I couldn't resist posting the picture tho, its one of those things u see on the internet and cannot believe its true.

Posted by mardenhill 7/20/2006 02:18:00 PM 0 comments    

iPod Rumors

The latest rumors on the iPod front are new colors and cases for the nanos and bigger hard drives for the iPod video. Here is a picture of the nano with an alloy metal enclosure. Is this a real picture, probably not, but you get the idea. I hope they bring back the colors since everyone loved the mini just for that reason. Size is supposed to be bumped to 6 and 8 gig and the iPod video may come in at 40 and 80 gig. The refresh may occur next month at the Worldwide Developers Conference but as you know these are all just rumors.

http://www.gizmodo.com/

Posted by mardenhill 7/20/2006 10:35:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Chalk Up Another Win For The Tiges

It wasn't looking good yesterday when the Tigers were down 2-1 in the 5th to the Chicago White Sox. With 2 outs and bases loaded Monroe stepped up to bat and sent one into the stands. This grand slam brought the Tigers into the lead where they finished the game up on top. The Tiges are still in 1st place, now 4.5 games ahead of the White Sox. They have struggled against the top tier teams so far this year, winning some games but usually losing the series. We needed this win, we need to show the rest of the country the Tigers are not a fluke this year, we are the real deal. Way to go Monroe, thanks for sticking it to them....

Posted by mardenhill 7/20/2006 09:12:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Tigers

Church Signs
Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Need a break this afternoon, check out the site below to create your own church signs.

http://www.churchsigngenerator.com/

Posted by mardenhill 7/19/2006 02:07:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Misc

New Badly Drawn Boy Coming

Badly Drawn Boy returns

Damon Gough confirms new album details

Badly Drawn Boy has announced details of his long-awaited return.

After a two-year absence, the Bolton -born singer-songwriter - real name Damon Gough - is to release fifth album 'Born In The UK' on October 23.

The album will be his first for new label EMI, after splitting from XL after the release of 2004's 'One Plus One Is One'.

Tracks lined up for the album include the Springsteen-inspired title track 'Born In The UK', 'Degrees Of Separation', 'Nothing's Going To Change My Mind', 'Promises' and 'Times Of Times'.

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

Badly Drawn Boy's last cd was pretty lame, not sure what was going on there. I still love his 1st one, its a classic that I would add to the list "If I were stranded on a desert island, what would be on my ipod". I saw him twice on that cd, the 1st time was at the magic bag and he just played some of his stuff, covers and just babbled on with the crowd. It was an iteresting nite to say the least. We saw him the 2nd time at St Andys and it was a bit more structured, more songs not as much banter.

Posted by mardenhill 7/19/2006 12:54:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

The Wave Of Change Is Coming

Poor Ralphy Reed lost his bid to become leiutentant governer in Georgia yesterday. Thank you voters for sending this piece of trash back into the whole where he crawled from. Anytime someone from the American Taliban tries to run for office, its our duty to keep them from succeeding. Ralph was the worst of the bunch, he screwed over his own people to make money and climb to the top. Lets hope this is the last we ever see of Ralph and his kind.....

Posted by mardenhill 7/19/2006 12:10:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Kasabian Split
Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Kasabian Announce The Departure Of Chris Karloff

Posted by mardenhill 7/18/2006 05:04:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Merkie, Looks Like You Need Some Luvin

Here are some pictures of Bush giving German Chancellor Angela Merkel a rub down at the G8 summit a few days ago. While the middle east burns, Bush hands out free massages.....

The German press are probably having a field day with this one..

Posted by mardenhill 7/18/2006 02:13:00 PM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Lets Cross Our Fingers

Today could be the day we are finally done with the scumbag known as Ralph Reed. Ralph started his journey back in college with buddy Jack Abramoff and went off to head the Christian Coalition. With Jack's help Ralph swindled the religious right out of millions for his political gain.

Ralph is running for lieutenant governer of Georgia, not a big position but one that could by the next election put him in the governer's seat. Fast forward a few years and you have a young, charismatic leader ready to take the plunge into the big seat. Its time to stop Ralph now before he takes his twisted world view and corrupt practices any further. Ralph has even stooped so low as to blame the Indians for his troubles.

"I would have been happy if they [Abramoff's tribal clients] paid me directly. They were the ones who made the decision that I would be paid through nonprofits."

Lets hope the good citizens of Georgia send this wretched sleazeball back to the gutter and far away from any public office. The American Taliban needs to be stopped.

Posted by mardenhill 7/18/2006 09:42:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Politics

Skid Row
Monday, July 17, 2006

I just checked the Skid Row homepage and Sabastian Bach is no longer with the band. He was replaced years ago, I guess I need to keep up. So its a no go for Thursday, if no Sebastian then no Skid Row. The other 2 are not worth seeing either...

Posted by mardenhill 7/17/2006 05:11:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Music

Speaking Of Good Shows......

This Thursday we can take a trip back to the good ole 80's. I would be up for seeing Skid Row, Slaughter had 1 good song and it wasn't really that good anyways. Tesla, well they are the "Modern Day Cowboy" and can woo you with "Love Song" . If anyone is interested let me know, I think I may be up for this one.....


$5 Lawn Ticket to Tesla with Special Guests Skid Row and Slaughter, Including Parking

Purchase a Lawn ticket for $5 or Upgrade to a great Pavilion seat for $25.50 (Regularly priced at $35.50). Price includes parking.

Location: DTE Energy Music Theatre Event Date: 07/20/2006

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

But wait, I just found REO Speedwagon for tomorrow nite, decisions, decisions.......

See REO Speedwagon with Special Guest Loverboy for Only $5, Including Parking

Posted by mardenhill 7/17/2006 09:09:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Hey Man, Can I Borrow $5

This is what happens when you blow your cover on Saturday Night Live and expose yourself for the fraud that you are. You end up with $5 lawn seats because your show cannot sell out. At this point, the corporate discounters need to step in to fill up the place. If anyone is interested, I can get you tickets to this show. Most of the discount shows I have access to are pretty lame but there are a few good ones here and there.





Exclusive Discount to Ashlee Simpson with Special Guest Ashley Parker Angel

Purchase a Lawn ticket for $5, or get a great Pavilion seat for just $20 (Regularly priced at $39.50). Price includes parking. Offer good while supplies last.
Location: DTE Energy Music Theatre

Posted by mardenhill 7/17/2006 09:02:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

And There Are Still Some Who Say.......
Sunday, July 16, 2006

Hello, Global Warming folks, not a pretty map....

Today it was 95 in the metro Detroit area and tomorrow will be the same. Its normal for this area to get heat waves but it was 90 friggin degrees in the U.P..

Al Gore, please save us........

In other news, either the heat or something is chewing on the leaves of our pepper plants and its pissing me off. We have had chipmunks, rabbits and possums in our yard this summer. All the other vegetables are doing fine except the peppers, I hope they can survive but I am not sure.

Posted by mardenhill 7/16/2006 10:13:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Misc

Anthony Bourdain Stranded In Lebanon
Saturday, July 15, 2006

Erika and I love Anthony Bourdain, his current show on the Travel Channel "No Reservations" is amazing. Anthony travels the world experiencing local cusine and by the end of each show convinces you that country is a place you need to visit. I just read on the internet that he was filming in Beirut for an episode when the bombing started.........

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07142006/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm

"Our network, our friends and our families just want us out of here as soon as possible," Bourdain told Page Six yesterday afternoon, as Israeli shells exploded in the distance. "We're not getting a show out of this . . . I just wanna hang out and drink at the bar. The mojitos here are great.

"They're bombing right now in southern Beirut. I can hear the explosions. The thing is, the people here are really, really nice and totally embarrassed by Hezbollah and horrified by the bombings."

After spending Monday and Tuesday eating his way through Beirut and befriending locals, Bourdain and his crew partied at local nightclubs into the wee hours. "This is a party town," he explained. "Everyone in this city is [bleeping] gorgeous. It's like L.A. It's a totally international, sophisticated city. Everyone speaks English and throws dollars around."

Posted by mardenhill 7/15/2006 11:52:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Misc

Welcome To The World Of N

The future is N and it has arrived. If you are a bit confused let me explain. The wireless protocols out there are A,B,G and now N. Currently the majority of people use wireless G which is backwards compatible with B. N promises to close the gap with those dreaded dead zones and pump up your speed. This router gives you better encryption and depending on the size of your house the elimination of additional access points.

The catch, since most laptops do not have the N protocol built in, you will need to buy a wireless card for $99 plus the router for $129.

• Internet-sharing Router and 4-port Switch, with a built in speed and range enhanced Wireless Access Point
• MIMO technology uses multiple radios to create a robust signal that travels up to 4 times farther and reduces dead spots
• Up to 12 times faster than Wireless-G, but also works great with Wireless-G and -B devices
• Advanced wireless security with up to 256-bit encryption, and your network protected from Internet attacks by a powerful SPI firewall

Posted by mardenhill 7/15/2006 11:34:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Technology

Sound Mirrors

If you have never heard of Coldcut, they are the creators of the Ninja Tune and NTone trip hop record labels. Some of the best trip hop came from Ninja Tune throughout the 90s. The duo Coldcut have released their own music along with producing/working on others in the trip hop community. Their latest cd, Sound Mirrors is a collage of different sounds. It stays true to the underground beats but strays at times with different vocal styles.

Track 1 "Everything Is Under Control" starts off with Jon Spencer (Blues Explosion fame) and his trademark swagger. Its a politically motivated song, attacking current US and world policy with a rockin beat. The rest of the cd winds around underground rap, spoken word, and house beats. I found this cd hard to listen to straight thru, its more of a pick and choose. Track 6 "Whistle And Prayer" is a stripped down, haunting song reminicent of old Tricky. The cd concludes with track 12 "Sound Mirrors" a beautiful trip hop instrumental full of piano, scratchy beats and a building cresendo.

Posted by mardenhill 7/15/2006 11:05:00 AM 0 comments    

Labels: Music

Chateau Bonnet
Friday, July 14, 2006

If you are looking for a good French White Bordeaux, check out Chateau Bonnet, its a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. It is from the appellation Entre-Deux-Mers within the Bordeaux region. It is very clean with lots of mineral and citrus. It is also very crisp like you would expect from a Sauv Blanc but has a more tart flavor coming from the Semillon.

Posted by mardenhill 7/14/2006 11:07:00 AM 3 comments    

Labels: Wine

Fun With The Camera Phone
Thursday, July 13, 2006

My friend Joe has a Trailblazer and had to fill up today. I have a 4 cylinder Focus and get pissed when I am over $30, poor Joe here was well over $50. I don't expect prices to drop this summer so I am bracing for $3.50 gas. I hope my prediction does not come true but looking at oil prices and the lastest violence in the Middle East, its very easy for Big Oil to gouge us yet again......

Posted by mardenhill 7/13/2006 04:04:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Technology

Hey Al You Rock

I would like to thank Al Gore who personally sent me this sticker for my car. Ok, it as from the Democratic Party but Al's name was on the envelope along with his signature. Its about time the Dems have some good bumper stickers for us to display, I am tired of the lameass old ones we are stuck with every couple years.......

Posted by mardenhill 7/13/2006 02:28:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Politics

New Blog
Wednesday, July 12, 2006

I would like to thank Joel for his help with my blog. He had links on the side of his with pictures and I wanted the same. He sent me the code and with a little bit of tweaking I was able to add music and books. I will change them up as time goes on, if you are interested just post a comment and I can send you the code. Its really easy once you get the hang of it.

btw, check out Joel's blog at: http://www.littlebunsblog.blogspot.com/

Posted by mardenhill 7/12/2006 05:07:00 PM 1 comments    

Labels: Technology

NovakGate

I do like to watch Joe Scarborough once in a while and at times agree with him. I was very suprised to come across this quote from him. I happen to remember at the very beginning of the story breaking, Joe dissing the whole thing and siding with the admin. Maybe its MSNBC and their quest to topple Fox News that Joe is looking at the truth once again. Besides Joe, you have Keith Olbermann fighting with Bill O'riley and Tucker Carlson calling out the Fox news cycle and Anderson Cooper, (well he is CNN but its a cable ratings war going on). MSNBC is dumping a lot of its shows for taped programming and keeping the good ones which may prove helpful in overtaking Fox and CNN.
.............................
Conservative Scarborough: 'Accidental' leak story 'garbage'

Fox News and some right-wing commentators are spinning columnist Robert Novak's version of the CIA leak story as true and accurate, according to Republican commentatory Joe Scarborough.

Novak has claimed the leak was "accidental" and was not a personal attack on Joe Wilson for discrediting the claim that Iraq was trying to buy uranium for use in nuclear weapons. Scarborough disagrees that the leak of Valerie Plame's covert status was "accidental", calling it "garbage".

Scarborough goes on to say:

Posted by mardenhill 7/12/2006 02:48:00 PM 3 comments    

Labels: Politics

Cool New Song

I am listing to Woxy, not the Vintage station but the new music one, yeah I know its not like me. I just heard this really cool song called "Over and Over" by Hot Chip. I did a bit of research on them and they are from London and have signed to the DFA record label. So if you cannot get enough of the "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House" check out this song you will love it. I can see the rest of the cd getting a bit dull, the LCD Soundsystem does. There are some great tracks but I can only handle that indie rock/electrodance sound for so long.


The Hot Chip song has the toe tappin beat with a bit of New Order mixed in. I imagine Woxy will have it on heavy rotation, they tend to when it comes to stuff like this. Stay tuned to the station to check it out.

www.woxy.com

Posted by mardenhill 7/12/2006 10:02:00 AM 3 comments    

Labels: Music