Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Air Guitar Champ

This is what I am talking about!

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Pecan Sandys: Fakes or Freaking Sweet?


I am an avid surfer of music sites, scouring endless sites searching for great new artists. In the past few months, one band has caught my eye numerous times. These fresh artists were featured in, just to name a few, MTV Summer's Eve Fresh hit list, BONGO Music Rad 12, and Everything 80's music review. The band I Speak of is the Pecan Sandys. They are touted as the 3rd or 4th best 80s cover band in America. After seeing their press photos and hearing them rock, I wanted to place them at number 2 in my book. I thought that they could someday be number one, but would have a lot of work to do to surpass The Leg Warmers of the Virginia/Maryland area. For an audio visual perception example of the Pecan Sandys imagine 'Don't Stop Believing' sung by Journey, but with Angus Young on Lead Vocals and Alf on the Drums. Since this Band so enthralled me, I had to check out their live show. If it was a good as their Internet MP3s, then they would stand a chance to Pass the Leg Warmers. I found their next gig in their hometown. It was on a Thursday night at an Island Bar in Corpus Christi, Texas. A band with so much recent publicity playing on a Thursday night seemed odd to me, but i presses on non the less. Once I got to Texas, I wanted to fit in. So I rented a truck and a driver. I sprawled out in the bed of the truck, free flowing at 65 mph. It was a great way to get ready for some good 80s jamming. I get to the bar and there are not many people there. I start thinking that I might be way ahead on the hip music curve than everyone else. Am I the only one in here excited for the show? 9 pm rolls around and no Pecan Sandys in sight. Finally, around 1015, they come rolling in, complete with Long hair wigs and snarled, yet happy faces. The MC takes the mike and says "Tina and Jasmine" to the stage. I was confused. The duo of drunk girls then began karaoke singing 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'. So I was even more perplexed when the Sandys were called up next. They sang 'Every Rose has its Thorn' on karaoke and then quietly had a seat at a front table. I was still confused, but dang that was a good performance. Throughout the night the band waited their turn and sang another 80's rock song on the karaoke machine. This band may be a sham, but they still sing like angels and rock like demons. If I could imagine that they do more than just sing karaoke in a island bar wearing fake hair and press on tattoos, they may just be the next Dan Brown of 80s rock.




The Leg Warmers

Judge for yourself who should be number one.

http://myspace.com/pecansandys

http://legwarmers.com/


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Chickens on Motorcycles in Asia


This topic can be approached from two avenues of thought. The first an intellectual jaaunt into an important world discussion. It is based on a problem that has plagued the globe and forced constant action to be taken by the western world. I am of course speaking of the ever growing problem of people in Asia tying live chickens to motorcycles. This atrocity seems to stab the heart of any honest human being. How cruel it is to keep these chickens tied to a motorcycle. I know what you thinking, wouldn't it be fun, just like Texans free flowing in the back of a truck. The answer is no, and the world press has expressed its concern.



From http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/1818

Over a dozen live chickens and ducks are tied to a motorcycle in Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown. Small livestock raised on nearby farms are delivered to market this way so that customers can buy them alive. The buyers can choose the healthiest birds, keep the animals alive until they are needed for food, and be assured of purchasing “fresh meat.” These kinds of livestock transport and storage methods are practical in Southeast Asia where refrigeration is not readily available. The ducks and chickens, however, appear less than comfortable as they are tied in every direction across the top of the motorcycle.

From http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/2007/07/713683/

Local people who are hired to transport chickens assemble the poultry in Bai Gianh area near Huu Nghi (Friendship) bordergate, from which they are then hauled to Lang Son city. Previously, the transport of imported poultry took place all day and night. Bicycles and motorcycles carrying chickens could be seen moving on National Highway 1A without being stopped by the law enforcement agency. Lorries were even hired to carry the chickens to Lang Son City’s Hoang Dong area and Deo Giang Van Vi road. From Lang Son province, the chickens were again split up and sent to other areas.It was 3am. We saw the chickens transported to Po Mo bus station near the Lang Son cement plant. From there, they were carried to Bac Giang province and then once again divided between other localities by motorcycle drivers. By the light of our flashlight, dirty chickens packed in bamboo cages looked exhausted. We followed a motorcycle carrying them without any trouble on the way to Thuong Tin district, Ha Tay province, about 30km away from Hanoi.

Oh the horror!!! Dirty chickens packed in bamboo cages looked exhausted. At least give them a shower and don't make them do so muchexercise. You need them healthy and clean so you can make a delicious Cơm gàrau thơm dish for the family. We, or at least someone reading this, needs to lobby Washington to end this high speed chicken suffering. We can not stand for this epidemic of chickens on motorcycles. Oh and if you were wondering what the second avenue of thought to approach this topic from is. It is the research of what you will find when you enter chickens riding motorcycles into Google. The outcome is not as upbeat and exciting as the search parameters.



Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Texas, Buckle up or Die


It is a cemented, well advertised law in the state of Texas that you must wear a seat belt. The advertisements tote a intimidating Man of the law staring judgingly into the eyes of the viewer. The actual slogan escapes me, but "Buckle up, or Die" will work. Not to be confused with their acclaimed "Don't be a bonehead" campaign against leaving your keys in your car. The law is definitely firm on the seat belts. I do not think they are implying that you jeopardize your safety when you ignore your belt. Rather they will probably shoot you if you have beltless chest. Which I am all for. If you do not value your life, it should be taken away. We can take away mistreated children. Why not mistreated lives. All logic aside, I will never vocalize an argument for or against seat belt laws. There are different types of laws in every state and every body has to have an opinion on it. They rope it in with the "important discussion items" like taxes and Yankees managers. However Texas, as usual, has an interesting twist. It is 100 % legal to ride in the bed of a truck. Everyone has one and guess what you can jump in the back and let the freeway air flow through your hair. Just avoid that rusty shovel near your calve. As a side note this is awesome. One you can chill in the back of a truck, its like a convert able you can lie down in. When you need to go somewhere, for example to paint a house, you can fit like 10 people in a car that usually only holds three. Yet unfortunately I must dethrone this joyful privilege. You will get a ticket (ie shot) for not locking your seat belt on in the cab, yet you can free flow in an open bed going down the highway at 65 mph. I guess your free nature will allow you to catapult to safety when the car crashes. You will be shot so far into the air that you will probably make it safely to a hayfield or nice pillow factory.
















Discussion links:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/seatbelt.htm

http://www.buckleuptexas.com/about/laws_restraint.asp

You ever wonder why dogs eat bugs?



Well i do, that is for sure. Its not like they don't know bugs are bad for you. Obviously they have that little common sense. They do eat there own throw up, but ya know, thats acceptable. When they eat a cricket though, that is where the line is drawn. Is it a matter of them being sophisticated like the French? I am, of course, referring to their undesirable habit of eating gourmet bugs. Chocolate covered ants. Butterscotch covered centipedes. Toffee Moths. All i am saying is that our dogs need to stop this behavior. It is bad enough the French are munching on Strawberry Glazed praying Mantis. The only delectable insect treat I would consider eating would be a honey dipped Bee sans the stinger obviously. It would be the working force dipped in the product, which would make the ageless delicacy ever more so satisfying. Dogs need to stay away from the honey dipped bees though, so that there are more left over for me. Some nay Sayers may say that they have never seen a dog eat a bug before. This is because they are pretty darn sneaky about it. They know it wrong. They know they should be gnawing a beef bone instead. So they keep it hidden from there owners. Dogs are smarter than you think, except for the fact that they eat bugs, despite knowing its ill repute in society. It would be perfect if dogs enjoyed ticks. They could solve their hunger and infestation problem. Killing two stones with one bird. Of course than the ticks inside would probably be worse than on the outside. Just like heart worms are bad news.




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