Siriusly! You Just Don't Get It.

For over 20 years I have been a fan of the Howard Stern Show. Following the show wherever I could pick up a signal and when he moved to Sirius satellite radio I was the first in line to get a new one. Anyone who listens to the show on a regular basis gets it. Everyday you get to sit in with a group and have honest discussions about pop culture, news, politics, bowel movements, women or physical ailments. What you get is honest discussions and opinions that aren't held back. When his contract is up at the end of this year there is going to be a huge void in world of entertainment. The honesty that is on the show is null and void anywhere else. Every other show is fake people, acting fake and sugar coating every situation. No one says what they think and that is why they are so forgettable. Two things happened today in the Stern world the first being the Tiger Woods Mistress Beauty Pageant. The second being the backlash over the comments made about 26 year old Gabourey Sadibe.

Let's take care of Tiger first. It's amazing in this day and age not one reporter broke the story about Tiger and his fooling around. Every sports reporter acted shocked about the news. This is another show of fake news people lying to themselves and lying to the public. They all are afraid to speak the truth. Then the women get labeled and stereotyped all together. Today everyone got to learn a little bit more about Tiger and some of the girls he was involved with. Stern's master interviewing skills brought out the human element in each of these ladies that no other interviewer would dare to compare.

Now let's discuss the Precious comments that seem to upset so many. I will agree that the comments were somewhat harsh, but if you are familiar with the show you would understand that you are sitting in on honest conversation. Why isn't blame placed on the lazy reporters who can't do their own investigating have to take something said on the Stern show and offer it up as news. People are only upset because making comments of overweight people isn't acceptable. Is someone acts crazy and obviously needs help the world feels free to talk openly about such and such acting weird or crazy. For example Gary Busey or Joaquin Phoenix. If someone needs help and has a problem mentally people will speak up. But a topic such as weight is unacceptable.

The USA is plagued with obesity problems and a food industry that is poisoning our society. Diabetes, food allergies, cancer are due to the food that we eat. When asked what she was doing after the awards Gabourey said she was going to get something to eat at Chic-fil-A. If we ignore the problem and fail to state the obvious what will the media say when she drops dead with a big chicken nugget in her heart.

Propaganda Gran Prix

This is just more bullshit propaganda against Toyota. Never in history has an all out ad campaign been waged with such vigor against a car maker. The guy driving the car looked like he was a cop himself. Let's instill more fear to take Toyota off of the top and then wait for the ad campaign to start rolling to buy GM or Ford automobiles.

Why don't they put an all out media blitz on what McDonald's and the other fast food poison factories, and what they are doing to the health of Americans.

We should learn from experience that when so much noise is placed in a certain direction, there is usually motive or it's a misdirection of something else taking place.

Time and Patience: A Table Story

They don't make things the way they used to.  Around the turn of the century (1900 century) a man doing time in prison J. Sidna Allen made a table out of wood.  The table consisted of 75,000 pieces of wood with a natural wood finish.  No paint and no stain were used and the colors are defined by the different types of wood.

My great grandfather read about this story and made a similar table consisting of 35,000 pieces of wood.  There are eight different types of wood to make the design, however this table had a wood finish applied.

The story goes that they don't make things the way they used to.  Maybe they can but what is missing is a little time and patience. 

Society, Psychology and Pants on the Ground

During a conference call the other day our discussion turned from business to the topic of Pants on the Ground.  The song performed by Larry Platt the 63 year old who at one time marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and is an activist in Atlanta.  He was inspired to write the song when one day he was walking down the street and he saw a guy with a pacifier, baby bottle and a baby walking and his pants were on the ground.  Hence looking like a fool with your pants on the ground.

It has plagued me since his appearance why everyone is finding this so funny?  It has become an instant hit everywhere in society and in pop culture.  Just the other day using the rest room at an Office Depot written on the bathroom wall was the song.  There I was with my pants on the ground reading looking like a fool with your pants on the ground.  Let me say I did not hate the performance and I liked Larry and what he brought to the table.  I just felt his message was more serious and is an important one and didn't understand where I was missing the joke.

We all know Larry is referring to basically the yo boy look.  Pants hanging down below your butt so that your boxers are sticking out and hat tilted sideways etc. etc.  The history of this fashion statement began when young kids in the LA went to prison.  They were so young that the issued prison garb didn't fit and since belts were forbidden the new inmates pants would literally fall to the ground.  This stirred excitement amongst the other inmates and brought on a whole new generation of pedophilia and prison gang rape.  Belts were forbidden because they could be used to hang oneself or another.  This look of hanging pants entered civilian life when these young kids were released from prison and due to lack of funds had to borrow clothes from older siblings which didn't fit and pow!  A whole new look was born.

Through history there have been many looks that have spread through the mainstream.  

1.  The Virgin:  Madonna

2.  The Neo:  The Matrix

3.  Ducky:  Pretty in Pink

4.  Glam:  Any Hair Band from the 80's

5.  The Jimmy Page:  Long curly permed hair

6.  Hippy:  The Grateful Dead

7.  The Fan:  Any face painter, jersey wearing sports fanatic

During our conversation what we discovered about Pants on the Ground is that in this day and age of living in fear it is a way to tell the ridiculous looking fools to pick your pants up.  Basically mommy saying sit up straight and get your act together.  American Idol took this sentiment and injected it into american society like heroin into a fresh vein.  Larry gave America a way to tell these individuals you look like a fool and get your act together.   

In an interview on The View Larry said he hopes his message of personal responsibility doesn't get lost in his popularity. 

One thing Larry did do is now whenever a yo boy is out in public walking around he will self consciously be thinking do they think I am a fool for having my pants on the ground.  Thanks Larry.  America Loves You!

Death by Dishwasher

I would like to argue the point of how to properly load the utensils in a dishwasher.  Consumer Reports states that utensils should be loaded handles down with knives facing downward.  I would disagree.  First those pesky forks can be a pain when reaching down to unload the silverware.  But more importantly in this day and age with swine flu and most germs being spread through contact with the hands.  One of the biggest medical breakthroughs of modern science was for doctors to wash their hands.  This simple task alone reduced deaths and disease.

On another note there was an episode of Lost where Sayid went to get Hurley and there were some bad guys and Sayid kills one of the guys by throwing him on an open dishwasher loaded with knives all facing up. I read in another blog who the hell puts knives face up in a dishwasher?  I want to pose the question who puts any silverware in a dishwasher without the handles facing up?

Menthol Box: 2004 Commentary

    At the close of the summer of 2004 my wife I took a trip to Montclair New Jersey to visit her friend.  The first night we had an incredible mexican dinner with the best tasting margaritas that have ever crossed my lips.   I had to supply the silver patron tequila since in this particular town you have to bring your own alcohol to restaurants.  After dinner the ladies headed back home while myself and Gilbert (name changed to protect the innocent) headed to a bar called Jakes for some after dinner drinks.

    When we first arrived the bar was fairly empty.  After a couple of beers and a shot of sambucca the young crowd started filling in.  Montclair State is the local college, the same college that Carmela Soprano attended.  I learned of this fact later on from a rerun episode where the dean from Meadows college was hitting them up for a $50,000 donation.  Tony finally caved in and made the donation.  I am getting off track here.  After a bathroom break I noticed a band was setting up for the evening's entertainment.  I was a little apprehensive about the band.  You see here I am at 35 years of age sitting in a college town bar.  Thoughts raced my mind, would I know any of the songs that they are going to play or would I be able to relate to the type of music they would play.

    If you have ever gone to a nightclub to see a band you know they  never start playing before midnight.  So finally midnight rolls around and the band starts to play.  Wow, to my surprise I know this song it's Rush from the 2112 album.  Second song is a classic from Led Zepplin, which is followed up by an Alice in Chains song titled the Rooster.  To my surprise this goes on all night long.  I know every single song and the college crowd 16 years my junior loves it.  Chicago, Chili Peppers, Neil Young, Smiths, Metallica Usher, U2, Dr. Dre and the list goes on and on.

    It just goes to prove my point that there is a lack of quality talent being promoted today.  The college crowd isn't buying it and the bands from the past are standing the test of time.  Let's find some new artist that invoke the passion that bands from 10 to 20 years ago possessed.  And let's give a round of applause to bands like Mentol Box for giving the crowd young and old something worth listening to.    

Is Lynyrd Skynyrd still Lynyrd Skynyrd?

Can Lynyrd Skynyrd still call themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd.  The legendary rock band named their band after their high school gym coach, became famous in the early 1970's.  Famous for hits such as Gimme Three Steps, Sweet Home Alabama and what song is it you want to hear?  Free Bird.
Three members were killed in a plane crash in 1977 taking the lead singer and song writer of the bands life, Ronnie Van Zant.  The band reformed in 1987 and has been touring ever since.

Today their is only one living member from the original lineup still in the band.Gary Rossington.  Over the years there has been a total of 25 members part of the band.  Can a band still be the same band with only one member remaining?  When Def Leppard's drummer lost his arm in a car accident, they didn't just replace him with another drummer.  Wouldn't it be safe to say that Lynyrd Skynyrd is today more of a tribute band.  The question is at what point is a band no longer a band or that original band.  If the Beatles lost two members could they still be the Beatles.  Can Ringo (Peace & Love) go out and start a band today and call themselves the Beatles?
I think not.  It is about time that Lynyrd Skynyrd retired the name.  They need to pay respects to the original members and to all the fans of Skynyrd and put it to rest.

Pop Quiz!

  Which picture is the band Lynyrd Skynyrd as seen in concert today?

Original Band Members on First Album

1972–1973

• Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
• Gary Rossington – guitars
• Allen Collins – guitars
• Ed King – guitars
• Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals
• Billy Powell – keyboards