Good Music Is Back
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Back in the 90s a new station emerged in Detroit under the name "The River". It was classic alternative and roots rock but after a while turned to boring adult contemporary. I had thought it went off the air but this afternoon while driving around with my friend I rediscovered the station. I heard new songs from Son Volt, Wilco, Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse. I also heard classic Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cult and David Bowie. And it doesn't end there, I also heard some Ben Harper, Tragically Hip and Allman Brothers. The range of music on the station is classic alternative, new indie rock, roots rock, classic rock and alt country. All great music and its about time since radio has been lacking in the Motor City. The River is owned by the Chum radio group who own 89X and a few of their DJs are now over there. Being Canadian owned, you still get 10 minutes every hour of Canadian bands. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.
Posted by mardenhill 3/31/2007 10:19:00 PM 1 comments
Labels: Music
Linne Calodo Problem Child 2005
Thursday, March 29, 2007
71% Zinfandel, 17% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre - Spring Release 2007.
A Zinfandel-dominated wine that is robust yet balanced - a vintage marked by high levels of acidity and natural, structured tannins, the Zinfandel needed a little rounding out. This was achieved by a modest dose of Syrah, that cut the acidity and added meaty qualities to the explosive fruit. The addition of Mourvedre aids in bringing the wine back to earth with subtle hints of pepper and garden herbs. This wine can be enjoyed by itself or with any robust spice driven meal. Drink now or over the next 2-5 years.
http://www.linnecalodo.com/home.php
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Wow, this is a killer wine and I had the honor of drinking a bottle. It clocks in at $50 and comes from the Paso Robles region in California. Like the description above, its a blend of Zin, Syrah and Mourvedre with the emphasis on the Zin. You can tell how the Syrah balances out the Zin and tones down the sometimes overpowering fruit flavor. Unlike cheap Zins where it can be candy sweet, this wine has a fruit taste dripping in alcohol and oak. The finish is huge and the spice lingers on the back of your tongue and down your throat. I loved this wine and would definitely drink again.
Posted by mardenhill 3/29/2007 09:34:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
Whats Your Cell Phone Personality
A survey of cellphone users in Australia, conducted by Panorama and released by Nielsen Media Research, has proved what pretty much everyone already knew: people are likely to base broad, stereotypical assumptions about you on your cellphone, just like they do with everything else you use and wear. We're guessing this breaks down a bit differently in Aussieland, but here's how mobile users tend to associate down under:
Nokia: Family-minded, middle aged managers, balance seekers, health conscious
Motorola: Fashion conscious, under 24, fun seekers, individualistic
Sony Ericsson: Ambitious young men, professionals, success driven, individualistic
LG: Favorite of mums, stay-at-home parents, success driven, harmony seekers
Samsung: Young women, career focused, success driven, fun seekers
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Lets see, my first 3 cell phones were Nokia then I regressed and went to a Motorola Razr, what does that say about me? I wonder if Australians were flooded with the cheap Razrs like us here because that breakdown would definitely be much different. I do find it funny that the
"men's phone" is Sony Ericsson because I can't name one person here who uses one. A few years ago I bought one but took it back the very next day for a Nokia because it sucked so bad.
Posted by mardenhill 3/29/2007 08:14:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
The Monday's Return
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
This is something I wasn't expecting and adds to the great year 2007 is shaping up to be. Wow, new Happy Mondays that is really cool. I do miss Black Grape tho, I thought they had a good thing going there. The Mondays are playing Coachella and don't have any shows back in the UK for almost a month. Does that mean the band may stay stateside and play some shows? We can only hope. Will they play Detroit? Yeah thats a funny one, that would be the day...
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From Pitchforkmedia
Fans of Factory Records, sunshine party-pop, and drugs have considerable cause for celebration as yesterday, Monday, March 26, Happy Mondays revealed their intentions to return to the dangerous world of releasing full-length albums.
According to NME.com, their as-yet-untitled LP-- which technically follows up 1992's regrettable ...Yes Please-- will be heralded by a new single in June. As Happy frontman Shaun Ryder told the British weekly, "I'm not the world's best salesman, me...I'm not a salesman at all. I think it's a really great album."
The Mondays-- who reunited in present form back in 2004 and contributed new single "Playground Superstar" to the 2005 Goal! film soundtrack-- tapped Howie B and Sonny Levine to produce their comeback album, which will bear the stamp of new Happy Mondays home Sanctuary Records.
Posted by mardenhill 3/28/2007 08:28:00 AM 0 comments
Whoops...McCain Got Caught
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
I find this story really funny since McCain is 100% responsible for the fallout. One of his staffers took a free template for MySpace pages but didn't include the credit to the layout designer. Common courtesy states that if you take a free template for a blog or MySpace page you should leave on the created by. Well I guess McCain is above all that and to make matters worse used the images that resided on the creator's web server. The creator was forced to pay the bandwidth charges since Mcain's staff didn't replace the photos and let every hit go back to the server. Since the images were stored on the web server, one was replaced with the message above for everyone to see.
Once again you have people who have no experience with the internet trying to use it as a campaign tool. Let this be a lesson to other candidates, play by the rules or get burned. You think the Hillary/Apple ad was something just wait it will get much worse.
You can the defense behind the prank below....
Posted by mardenhill 3/27/2007 03:55:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
New Grant Lee Phillips
iTunes is pissing me off this morning, I was all set to buy the new Grant Lee Phillips cd and I got the following error. The store says expected date is March 27th, well today is March 27th so where is it? I have been patiently waiting for months for the new cd and now I can't even buy it. Unfortunately Grant's new record label is not on eMusic so I am stuck either going to the store or buying it off of iTunes. If they don't get it straightened out by lunch time its Best Buy for me...
Posted by mardenhill 3/27/2007 09:17:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Music
This Week
Monday, March 26, 2007
WWE will hold Wrestlemania in Detroit this year at Ford Field and althought it will not be as big as the Superbowl, it will be a good injection of much needed cash for downtown. I am not really looking forward to Wrestlemania since the main events are a bit boring. Shawn Michaels is wrestling John Cena and its about time they took the belt from Cena and gave it to someone else. Unfortunately the person in question is Shawn Michaels the biggest loser and the most annoying wrestler next to John Cena. Shawn will win and no one cares. The 2nd main event is the Undertaker vs Batista, both are good wrestlers but the Undertaker is undefeated in all his Wrestlemania events and will no doubt win here as well. So you have both main events already decided and if they go the other way it would be the biggest mistake WWE could make. WWE needs to get over these geezers and start promoting the next generation of wrestlers. The championship belts should be given to Randy Orton and Carlito. If Chris Jericho comes back he deserves the belt as well.
Posted by mardenhill 3/26/2007 07:00:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Detroit
9 Days
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Although I don't have tickets for opening day I still plan on watching the game whether it be at work or somewhere else. Its going to be an interesting season for the Tigers, we were caught off guard last year and now the expectation to perform is extremely high. For many years the Tigers only sold out opening day and the Yankees, now its close to every game. I do miss our Friday nites when we would go up to the stadium, buy the cheapest ticket and sit anywhere but if the Tigers can pull another amazing season, I will take the latter.
Posted by mardenhill 3/24/2007 10:15:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Tigers
Camera Update
Went to Costco but they didn't have my 3 choices so it was off to Best Buy. Now I am not a huge fan of Best Buy since their staff are usually dopes off the street with no experience but this time I was pleasantly suprised. They had an excellent camera man who knew his stuff. He answered just about every question I had. The store had all 3 models on display so I was able to get a feel for each camera. After talking with the guy I decided that the Panasonic was out and it was between the Canon and Casio. The Canon is very easy to use but the menus are a bit outdated and the screen is only 2.5". The Casio is sleek and slim, has the bigger LCD and icon menu structure. At this time I am leaning towards the Casio but there is still time to change my mind. Both cameras have great reviews and both are about the same price.
Posted by mardenhill 3/24/2007 01:08:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
Decisions, Decisions
We are looking at a new camera and I have narrowed down the choices to the following three.
Panasonic Lumix-DMC-FX07K
Canon PowerShot SD1000
Casio Exilm Card-EX-S770
All are 7.1 megapixels, compact/slim design, image stabilization, 3x optical zoom, extrabright LCD display (for outoor viewing) and fast shutter/recovery speed.
The differences are the LCD screen size and viewfinder. Casio has the largest LCD screen at 2.8" and the other two are only 2.5". Only the Canon has a viewfinder the other two use the LCD to take the photos. This isn't that big of a deal since most people look at the back of the camera when taking photos but it is a concern when you are outside. Since all of them have the extrabright screen that shouldn't matter anymore.
The last part comes down to comfort, ease of use and look. I love the Canon for the square design, love the Casio for the larger LCD and love the Panasonic for the better image stabilization. All three are roughly the same size, all pocket cameras but the Canon is the smallest. If anyone has any input on the three cameras feel free to post a comment. As for price, all are about the same.
Posted by mardenhill 3/24/2007 10:02:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
Kali Hart Vineyard Chardonnay 2005
Thursday, March 22, 2007
I jumped in blind to this one, Ed at Simply Wine just got it in and wanted me to try it. Its the 2nd label from Talbott Vineyards which is out in Monterey County, California. Price wise you are looking at $15-$18 a bottle which can be a lot for an everyday drinking Chardonnay but its worth every penny.
You have a mouthful of fruit up front with lots of tropical flavors bursting thru. If you are not a fan of the over oaked chards of Australia and 90s California you will enjoy this one. There is a slight oak flavor but the pear and butter stand out. The finish is long and lingers on your tongue. This wine is very rich and would go well with crab legs.
http://www.talbottvineyards.biz/index.html
Posted by mardenhill 3/22/2007 09:46:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
Al Gore Goes To Washington
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Gore testified today in front of congress regarding our greatest threat Global Warming. Part of me wants Al to run for president and the other part wants him to keep what he is doing since he could have a bigger impact. Below is a recap of his day in congress.
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Gore advised lawmakers to cut carbon dioxide and other warming gases 90 percent by 2050 to avert a crisis. Doing that, he said, will require a ban on any new coal-burning power plants — a major source of industrial carbon dioxide — that lack state-of-the-art controls to capture the gases.
He said he foresees a revolution in small-scale electricity producers for replacing coal, likening the development to what the Internet has done for the exchange of information. He also advocated tougher fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks.
"There is a sense of hope in this country that this United States Congress will rise to the occasion and present meaningful solutions to this crisis," he said. "Our world faces a true planetary emergency. I know the phrase sounds shrill, and I know it's a challenge to the moral imagination."
Gore favors a "cap-and-trade" program for the U.S. economy, not just specific sectors such as electricity or manufacturing, which would set an overall limit on warming emissions but allow industry to meet the target by trading pollution allowances.
"Trust the market, make it work for us," he said.
Posted by mardenhill 3/21/2007 12:58:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
Congress 1 White House 0
The House Judiciary subcommittee just approved supoenas for both Karl Rove and Harriet Miers regarding Gonzalesgate. Tomorrow the senate is expected to do the same. The white house tried to extend an olive branch yesterday to congress in the form of closed doors, no oath, no transcript private meetings for the executive staff. Come on, anyone can see that with no transcript and no oath its all lies and misdirection. If congress gets them under oath and behind closed doors then I will be fine otherwise its a showdown and I have my popcorn ready.
Bush believes that he can pull off a Clinton here when Bill went head to head with Newt Gingrich and shut down the govt over the budget. Problem here, the country was on Bill's side not Newts and the country is now on congress's side with this scandal. Bush is up against the wall and has nowhere to turn. The spinmeisters will be out in full force and will try to make us believe no president has ever sent their people to congress in open committee. Lets talk about Clinton, Hillary and penty of his staff were under oath and in the spotlight, why is it now different.
If Bush wants a fight I say go for it....
Posted by mardenhill 3/21/2007 12:03:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
And The Hammer.......
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Alberto Gonzales's days are numbered. Bush is scheduled to give a speech today at 5:45pm either he will replace Alberto or try to calm the scandal. If Bush says Alberto is a good man and deserves to stay it will be a few days from now that Alberto has decided to step down and here is his replacement. If Bush was smart he would just replace him today and try to save face.
Btw, the senate today voted 94-2 to strip a provision from the Patriot Act that allowed the Attorney General to bypass the senate on confirmation of US Attorneys. This was placed into the Patriot Act during the renewal process and the AG planned on using his new found power. Too bad it didn't work and the blow back may cost him his job. Good riddance I say, the tool supported the torture of people, the Patriot Act and was Bush's personal lapdog. One by one they all fall down.
Next in line is Karl Rove......
Posted by mardenhill 3/20/2007 03:45:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
Some Mac Rumors
Appleinsider claims that the next version of Apple's iMac will showcase "striking new industrial designs aimed at leaving both competitors and onlookers smitten.
"The new designs are said to be sleeker and slimmer than the current iMac designs, however, the new looks may only be deployed on the 20" and 24" models, leaving the 17" model's future uncertain.
The rumor site has no solid timeframe for the release of the new iMacs, but our Buyer's Guide suggests the iMac is overdue for an update, with the last update being delivered in September 2006.
This would represent the 4th major iMac design revision since its introduction. (Original, iMac G4, Current)
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I have been thinking of what the "Industrial Design" could look like. We have a ton of lofts going up all around the metro Detroit area and it leads me to think the cases could have an exposed or steel look to them. Now that Apple has made white cool its now time to mix it up and go for a new color. The Mac Pro towers are industrial looking but those have been around for 3 years so it has to be something new. Maybe a mix of brick and steel will be the new iMacs and the transparent styling of the old eMacs could be back. Or maybe I am completely off and have no clue. I think its the latter and will have to wait for some leaked photos to surface.
Posted by mardenhill 3/20/2007 11:31:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
Trans Am - Sex Change (2007)
Monday, March 19, 2007
I just posted a review of the latest Trans Am record "Sex Change" over at the Record Room, go check it out....
http://therecordroom.blogspot.com/
Posted by mardenhill 3/19/2007 10:11:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Paso Robles Zin
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Here is another great wine from the Paso Robles region of California. Its from Rosenblum Cellars and retails for about $18. Its a full bodied Zin with 15.6% alcohol and goes great with salmon, bbq or just on its own. Right off the bat you can tell its a bigger and bolder Zin, there isn't the candy flavor that destroys many cheap bottles. There is fruit here but its not over powering and you can taste a smoky quality to the wine. The oak flavors come thru and the wine is more structured. The finish is long and the spice lingers on your tongue. For the price I would probably take the Norman Estates Monster over this one but the Rosenblum was by no means a dud. I really enjoyed this bottle and if the other is not available definitely check this one out.
http://www.rosenblumcellars.com/index.html
Posted by mardenhill 3/18/2007 09:23:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
New Von Bondies
The Von Bondies have posted a new song, well about 1:22 minutes of a song on their Myspace page. This is considered a rough cut but I think a good way to guage what their new cd will sound like. I happen to like what I have heard, its more melodic but not over the top like the new Killers. You still have the dual male/female vocals which is what makes the Von Bondies so good and a hint of surf guitar. The raw power and garage rock sound has run its course and I think Von Bondies know if they are to survive they need to adapt a bit. Will this make my top 20, we shall wait and see.
Posted by mardenhill 3/18/2007 01:14:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Valerie Plame's Testimony
Friday, March 16, 2007
“In the run-up to the war with Iraq, I worked in the Counterproliferation Division of the CIA, still as a covert officer whose affiliation with the CIA was classified,” Plame sad in her opening testimony.
She added, “While I helped to manage and run secret worldwide operations against this WMD target from CIA headquarters in Washington, I also traveled to foreign countries on secret missions to find vital intelligence.”
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Valerie was in front of Congress this morning and testified to her actual role at the CIA. Too bad its Friday and the story could end up getting buried this weekend but you never know. I want to see all the talking heads all the pathetic pundits out there try and tell Valerie she doesn't know what she is talking about and didn't know her own job.
But Fox news will still hold to their story that Novak knew her true identity and that Valerie is just clueless. Its amazing how low these scumbags will go to protect their precious emperor but those days are coming to a close. I really hope this continues on as a story and tortures this administration for weeks and months to come.
Its time to get some big shooters on the TV to continue the pressure because the republicans will just throw up the tired talking points that Fitz didn't charge anyone therefore its a non story. Valerie was covert plain and simple.
Posted by mardenhill 3/16/2007 12:28:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
No Opening Day
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thank you for participating in the online random drawing for the opportunity to purchase tickets to Opening Day at Comerica Park.
We are sorry to inform you that your entry was not selected in this drawing.
Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you at Comerica Park in 2007.
The Detroit Tigers
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This is the email I just received today regarding the lottery for Detroit Tigers Opening Day tickets. I understand its the fair thing to do but it sucks, I wanted to go and I think I had a good chance at tickets. Oh well, I guess I will be watching the game on TV rather than in person.
Posted by mardenhill 3/15/2007 08:49:00 PM 2 comments
Labels: Tigers
When You Are Ready To Smash Things
Today has been a miserable day so far and I had reached my boiling point. We are in the process of a huge lease refresh which involves imaging new computers, configuring, backing up the data to them from the previous ones, backing up the old computers and erasing those. Its been a long week and lots of time involved with each machine. Anyways that is not my complaint, its the other things I am responsible for and those are mobile handheld devices. I had a Blackberry that I had to provision and for 2 hours it continued to fail. I added all these exceptions in the junk mail settings to prevent the message from being intercepted, deleted off the server multiple times and finally when I was ready to throw it against the wall the stupid thing decided to work. At that point I needed something to relax me after all this frustration and I put on the Polyphonic Spree. Now I am not a huge fan, I can listen to a few songs here and there but its a little too much for me. Today it was perfect and I can think clearly again. The sunshine pop, cult-choir brought me back to life.
While we are on the subject of the Poly Spree, they have a new cd coming out in June which is supposed to be very good. I also discovered a new band that will rival the Spree and they are I'm From Barcelona. I posted a song and a little review over at the Record Room.
http://www.therecordroom.blogspot.com/
Posted by mardenhill 3/15/2007 12:12:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
Dean & Britta
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Dean Wareham is back and has released a 2nd cd with his wife Britta Phillips. If you are not familiar with Dean he was the lead singer of Luna and one of the founding members of the quintessential indie rock bands Galaxie 500. Together they have released Back Numbers a collection of new songs available on iTunes and your local record store. Unfortunately its not on eMusic but the cd is on my short list of ones to pick up very soon.
Back Numbers has the feel of Luna but is a bit more relaxed with a space age lounge feel going on. The melodies are plush and soothing with an underlying electronic feel. Britta's voice is soft and blends well with Dean's leaving you feeling calm and happy.
While reading their website I found out that Britta who joined Luna back in '99 was the the singing voice of Jem from Jem & The Holograms the 80's children's cartoon. Britta was also an actress and played in a few other bands. The two are touring over the next month but there are no Detroit stops go figure. I think there are more bands not coming to Detroit than are coming here and it really sucks. Now if Grant Lee bails on us I will be really mad. You can take a listen to "Singer Sing" here and you can also find a few more songs on their Myspace page below.
http://www.deanandbritta.com/
http://www.myspace.com/deanandbritta
Posted by mardenhill 3/13/2007 10:34:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Tschermonegg Cuvee Styria 2003
Monday, March 12, 2007
A blend of 55% Welschriesling, 25% Muller Thurgau, 10% Gelber Muskateller, and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, balancing together what is best about the Styrian region.
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This was another wine from our Austrian wine flight and I decided it was about time to break into some more whites. Pricewise its pretty cheap, $9 a bottle but the taste was much more. You had some pear, a bit of tart and lots of mineral. It was very light and paired well with the fish we had. Some grapes are new to me and I wonder what they taste like on their own.
Posted by mardenhill 3/12/2007 10:44:00 PM 1 comments
Labels: Wine
Son Volt - The Search (2007)
Son Volt released their new cd The Search this past Tuesday and I couldn't wait to get a copy. Unfortunately eMusic didn't have it and I really didn't want to resort to iTunes unless I had to. I took a trip to Best Buy who happened to have it on sale for $9.99 with a bonus 3 song cd included. I had to drive to a 2nd Best Buy since the first was sold out (they had 5 copies). I got my cd and have been listening ever since.
You can find my review over at the Record Room.
http://therecordroom.blogspot.com/
Posted by mardenhill 3/12/2007 10:19:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Some REM News
REM are to record their 14th studio album with Grammy-winning producer Jacknife Lee, the man behind recent LPs by Bloc Party and Snow Patrol. Singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills hope to release the follow-up to 2004's 'Around The Sun' before the end of the year.
Lee said of his new challenge: "REM are consistently one of the great bands, if not the greatest. The new songs they've written are some of their most exciting and visceral yet. They're a beacon for any band wishing to remain honest and challenging."
The band's original line-up - Stipe, Buck, Mills and original drummer Bill Berry, who quit in 1997 - will today (March 12) be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder in a ceremony at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
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This is good news, new REM by the end of the year and their induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. I have always been a huge REM fan and personally love their last few records no matter what people say. I hope this record gets them back on the road since I could really use an REM show in the near future....
Posted by mardenhill 3/12/2007 10:30:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Next To Fall?
Sunday, March 11, 2007
When you are Attorney General you are counsel for the constitution and the rest of the country not your former boss. Well Alberto Gonzales couldn't separate the two and is now on the hot seat. With the firing of prosecutors who were appointed by Bush but not hard enough on democrats being exposed, Alberto has a lot of questions to answer. Its about time each and every one of this president's political hacks are torn apart and forced to resign. Alberto may be a great person, a great friend and great lawyer but that doesn't make you a great Attorney General. When you are play politics with people's lives and do the bidding of your former employer you cannot and do no deserve to be the US AG. Lets hope Alberto exits stage left this week and then we can focus on Rove and Cheney. I am sick and tired of all these losers out there whining about the Libby trial and that he should be pardoned, that the media had no right to expose Walter Reed and that Ann Coulter was just joking. Conservatism in its current form needs to be destroyed and everyone who represents it removed from power. Its going to be great when all these neocons try to distance themselves from the Bush Doctrine five to ten years down the road. I will be there to remind them each and every day how they carried this president's water and sold the American public on the war.
One by one, they all fall down....
Posted by mardenhill 3/11/2007 07:26:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
Punkrocker
Saturday, March 10, 2007
LCD Soundsystem, yeah that was so last year. The new kids on the block are the Teddybears and they are here to get your indie rock ass movin and shakin. Before you get all bent out of shape I am being sarcastic and one of the things I love to do is to make fun of indie rock hipsters who are too cool to dance to pop music but will get a groove on with the likes of LCD. The Teddybears released their cd Soft Machine back in September of '06 but thanks to Cadillac they are now on the scene.
The other day I was watching tv and saw a commercial for Cadillac and they featured the song "Punkrocker" and I was blown away. I didn't care about the commercial itself all I wanted to do was hear the song. Thankfully our DVR allows you to rewind and I listened to the 30 seconds a few more times. I had no idea who it was and used Google to search for the lyrics "I'm A Punk Rocker Yes I Am" and this is where I found the Teddybears. You should recognize the vocals its none other than Iggy Pop. The Teddybears cd features a number of guest vocalists and they are responsible for the beats.
The single of the year for '06 was Hot Chip's "Over And Over" a hypnotic electrobeat that swirled in your head for days. I didn't think I would ever find a song to replace that but this "Punkrocker" has come close and might be the single for '07. Check out the video below, its worth watching.
http://www.teddybearsrock.com/
Posted by mardenhill 3/10/2007 09:24:00 AM 1 comments
Labels: Music
Daylight Savings
Thursday, March 08, 2007
This weekend we will "Spring Forward" 3 weeks earlier for Day Light Savings time which will being our total to 8 months off of standard time and 4 on. We will adjust in November after Halloween this year.
On my way home today NPR had an interesting report regarding the switch. Congress wants us to believe its to conserve energy but that is so far from the truth. The real reason we are doing it and the reason it was started in the 1st place was to appease the Chamber of Commerce by giving people more time to shop. When its still light out on your way home from work, people are more apt to go shopping. You may not be at home with the lights on but you will be in your car expending much more energy and money. Many industries have reported gains in sales due to the time change. I know its a cynical way to look at it but its the truth.
Congress has bundled in a clause that states if this additional change doesn't produce results then next year they will go back to what we had. Is congress mad? Don't they realize the hell they have put all of us IT folks thru the last week? We have been scrambling to patch servers, computers, blackberrys and smart phones just because of this change. To go back and do it all over again next year is stupid and I will be up on Capital Hill letting them know that they are a bunch of morons....
What happens if we extend it past the 8/4 month ratio and end up back at 12 months ahead? Does this mean we are in the Future?
Posted by mardenhill 3/08/2007 06:05:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Technology
Why I Love WOXY Vintage
The last half hour of Woxy Vintage has been great, you had Spiritualized, Love and Rockets, Flesh For Lulu, Dino Jr, Afghan Whigs and now the Ass Ponys. I have noticed a pattern tho whenever the Whigs are played they are followed by the Ass Ponys. Must have something to do with the whole Ohio connection.
Posted by mardenhill 3/08/2007 12:34:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Music
The National Playing Detroit
http://www.americanmary.com/
I just checked the National's website and they are heading to Detroit this summer. They will be playing the Magic Stick June 6th so mark your calendars. Their new cd The Boxer will be out May 22nd and iTunes has a couple EPs that are not available on eMusic.
Posted by mardenhill 3/08/2007 08:59:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Music
Fox News, Yeah That Other Station
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Posted by mardenhill 3/07/2007 12:00:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
Air - Pocker Symphony (2007)
I know its only March but the new Air cd Pocket Symphony is the best release of the year. On the 1st listen its easy to say that Air is going back to the basics and drawing from their debut but its more complicated than that. Yes there is the soundtrack style that blends moody beats with layered keyboards and sexy voices but there is more. Pocket Symphony is more organic, you can hear non electronic instruments blend in and take the lead. You also have a bit of the orient in the songs, subtle arrangements and instruments that make you feel like you are relaxing on the other side of the world.
The cd opens with “Space Maker” a beautiful track that rivals most songs from Moon Safari. The acoustic guitar strums along and is accompanied by a piano all wrapped in a lush and warm layer of keyboards. You have a mix of vocals on this record, both female and male are present and a few big names are Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) and Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy). The 1st time I listened to the Jarvis song I was a bit disappointed since it was very slow and subtle but I have grown to love it. The song teeters between a Pulp b-side and an Air song with both adding their own strengths. Track 4 “Napalm Love” is one of the best tracks on the cd, the combination of female vocals, hypnotic electronic beats and tweaked Asian sound rivals “Sexy Boy”. At times the cd drifts from dark melodies to almost childlike lullabies but never becomes boring. You can tell every sound has been handcrafted and assembled in such a way that even though it is mellow its still alluring. Air didn’t write another Moon Safari and I don’t expect them to. They wrote an amazing record that carrys on the tradition of soundtrack electronic great for background music and even better on an ipod.
Rating 9/10
Posted by mardenhill 3/07/2007 10:49:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Music
LIBBY GUILTY
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
UPDATE: LIBBY'S GUILTY!!!!
Up to 25 years, 1 million in fines and sentencing begins on June 25th. Now I don't expect Libby to serve much time, he will be pardoned by Bush and with appeals may never see the inside of a jail cell.....
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At 12PM the jury is ready to announce their verdict in the Libby perjury trial....
Posted by mardenhill 3/06/2007 11:44:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Politics
New Placebo Via iTunes
Monday, March 05, 2007
Placebo are releasing all their covers thru iTunes starting today (in the UK) and most likely tomorrow here in the US. I have heard most of the covers before but checked my collection and only have "Johnny And Mary" and "20th Century Boy" which is live. I think this will be one I will download thru iTunes since Placebo usually does a good job with covers....
Posted by mardenhill 3/05/2007 03:22:00 PM 1 comments
Labels: Music
Its That Time Again
New Ryan Adams
'Easy Tiger' is out June 5
Ryan Adams has revealed the tracks that will make it on to his ninth studio album, set for release in June. 'Easy Tiger' is the follow-up to 2006's '29' , and will feature 13 tracks, which will be titled:
'Everybody Knows'
'The Sun Also Sets'
'Halloween Head'
'Off Broadway'
'Two Hearts'
'Tears Of Gold'
'These Girls''Two'
'I Taught Myself How To Grow Old'
'Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.'
'Rip Off''Pearls On A String'
Posted by mardenhill 3/05/2007 11:42:00 AM 2 comments
Labels: Music
Douro Gouvyas 1997
Sunday, March 04, 2007
For starters I am going in blind here on this Portuguese wine, I am not familiar with the region or the grapes. The bottle says Vinho Tinto red wine vin rouge which basically translates to a red blend made of Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Francesa. The back of the bottle also states it was aged in Portuguese oak barrels and bottled without fining or filtering to preserve its character. Only 5000 bottles of this vintage and mine happens to be stamped with number 4762.The wine itself is a dark ruby color and has a ripe nose. Being 10 years old I was expecting a full bodied earthy flavor with lots of structure and backbone. Upon tasting I got about half of that. Its sweeter than I was expecting and there is a bit of spice lingering at the finish. Its very smooth with little tannin and harsh favors. I was expecting it to be smooth but not so sweet. This will definitely be a wine I will try again tomorrow to see how much has changed. I had it open and poured for about 30 minutes before drinking.
If you are interested in the bottle you can find it at Simply Wine in Birmingham for about $15.
Posted by mardenhill 3/04/2007 09:14:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Wine
Michael Connelly - Echo Park
I have now moved onto the latest Michael Connelly book Echo Park which came out in 2006. I have been a big fan of Michael for a number of years now and really enjoy his detective personas. This one continues on with Harry Bosch his most famous character. These books are not hard reading, you don't need a PHD to comprehend but they are fun. They are fast paced, hard boiled detective novels in the vein of the vintage pulps from the 30s and 40s. I need to get reading tho because I just checked Michael's website and he has new book coming out in May. That means I have til October to get this one done and receive the next one for my birthday.
http://www.michaelconnelly.com/index.html
Posted by mardenhill 3/04/2007 03:03:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Books
Douglas Coupland - jPod
http://www.jpod.info/
I have finally finished jPod and highly recommend it to everyone. It took me a while to read, I get easily distracted and found other things to do besides reading. This doesn't mean the book was bad, I really enjoyed it. On the surface its a lot like Microserfs one of his books from the 90s but once you get reading it takes a completely different turn. Absurd scenario's, disfunction families, off beat humor and societal references are all present in this book. Its a comedy, quite different than his last few books but more avant garde than anything before. Douglas did a great job with his characters and the crazy situations they find themselves in. He also included himself as a character which was something new and it reminded me of the last Brett Easton Ellis book Lunar Park. Douglas wasn't the plot of the book just a small character but reading my 2 favorite authors pretty much back to back with the same concept was quite weird.
I was out on Coupland's website and found out he has a new book slated for release this fall entitled The Gum Thief but cannot find any info on the plot. I googled the title and came across some story that a woman in her 40s has been on a crime spree stealing gum around Toronto. Now I have no idea if this will play into Coupland's book or if its just a coincidence but with him you never know....
http://www.coupland.com/index.html
Posted by mardenhill 3/04/2007 02:11:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Books
Update: Lunar Eclipse
Saturday, March 03, 2007
It doesn't look like we will be seeing anything here in MI. We are covered in clouds and its snowing out and I don't see it clearing in 45 minutes. Bummer....
Posted by mardenhill 3/03/2007 05:17:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Science
Lunar Eclipse
LONDON (AP) - The moon will turn shades of amber and crimson Saturday night as it passes behind the Earth's shadow in the first total lunar eclipse in three years.
The eclipse will be at least partly visible from Asia to the Americas, although those in Europe, Africa and the Middle East will have the best view. Lunar eclipses occur when Earth passes between the sun and the moon, blocking the sun's light. The event is rare because the moon spends most of its time either above or below the plane of Earth's orbit.
Although it will pass completely under Earth's shadow, light from the sun will still reach the moon after being refracted through Earth's atmosphere, giving the moon an eerie dark reddish tinge.
Earth's shadow will begin moving across the moon at 3:18 p.m. EST Saturday, with the total eclipse occurring at 5:44 p.m. EST and lasting more than an hour.
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Not sure how much of this we will be able to see but its something to keep your eye out for tonight. I have seen them in the past and they are really cool, lets hope we don't get some crazy cloud cover that blocks what chance we have to see anything. If we get a good sighting I will try to take some real pics or possibly some video footage....
Posted by mardenhill 3/03/2007 09:28:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Science
Happy Birthday Faygo
Friday, March 02, 2007
Faygo was founded by two Russian immigrants - bakers - who adapted cake frosting recipes into a unique carbonated soft drink that's still sold today.
Faygo is more than a Detroit icon. Its beverages are bottled in Detroit and at plants across the country. Redpop, Rock & Rye, Creme Soda and up to 42 other flavors are sold in most states east of the Mississippi River. Its all-time best-seller? Redpop.
Over the years, Faygo has held onto its niche in the competitive beverage market, up against giants like Coke and Pepsi and a wide array of new drinks, from bottled water to energy beverages.
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Its always good to see a Detroit brand still around and selling strong. I remember drinking Faygo as a kid, it was cheaper than any other pop so we would get it. In addition you had all the cool flavors to choose from. Another favorite pop as a kid was Towne Club, it had dozens of flavors to choose from and you would hit the store, pick out your flavors and bring the bottles and wooden crate back when finished. Unfortunately Towne Club is no longer around but as a kid I would look forward to my birthdays since I was allowed to pick out pop for the party.
Posted by mardenhill 3/02/2007 12:27:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Detroit
Detroit Tigers Opening Day
Thursday, March 01, 2007
They decided to change Opening Day tickets and now everyone who is interested has to summit a form for a random lottery. Starting tomorrow at 9am you can fill out the form and you have a week to do so. This really sucks since I think I would have a better shot at getting tix on sat morning. I guess we will see, maybe my luck will carry on and they will draw my name.
Posted by mardenhill 3/01/2007 09:25:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Tigers
