So Much for Keeping Promises

According the Barack Obama's campaign website, he promised not to speed through any legislation.

Here is the quote from the website:

"Too often bills are rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them. As president, Obama will not sign ANY non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for FIVE days."

However, he recently signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act without ever having posted it on the White House website, 2 days after the Act passed the House.

Basically this bill overturns a Supreme Court decision stating that said workers could not sue for pay discrimination.  First of all, if the Supreme Court has decided on something, does that not make it a done issue?  Can even the President overturn something the Supreme Court does? Perhaps I am a little rusty on my 3 branches of government but doesn't the Supreme Court basically say what is and is not constitutional or not? If the Supreme Court says a law is okay, can someone else come along and tell them that it is not? Maybe I am wrong but I don't think I am. I think when it comes to laws, the Court is pretty much the final say on whether it is constitutional or not....unless the Court itself overturns its own decision.

Looking at it another way, okay the bill itself has been around for a while and it was posted on Obama's website during his campaign.  So maybe I am being nit picky but he did promise no laws will be signed unless the public has had a chance to read it first on the White House webiste, unless it is an emergency.  To me, this bill does not seem like an emergency and I know that people have to have had a chance to read the bill itself while it was still being tossed around in the House but the fact is that it was never posted to the White House website and a promise is a promise.

So like the title says...so much for keeping promises. So much for him being a "different type" of politician. 

Obama & Me

Here is the plain truth about President Obama and how I have or have not supported him. I am writing this for the benefit of those that might be confused about my attitude toward and about him *wink*

When he first decided he wanted to run for President, I did not support him. In fact, quite simply I did not trust him.

During the primaries, I actually favored several candidates because I just really could not make up my mind who I liked based on what I had read about them. At one point, I supported Fred Thompson. I liked him and I trusted him. But once he left the race, I scrambled and started reading more about the other candidates for both parties. Still didn't trust Obama. After searching, I briefly supported Mike Huckabee and even more briefly supported Mitt Romney.

However, my feelings of distrust for any of them led me back to how I have usually felt about the two parties and I began looking at the several independent candidates instead. This eventually led me to side with Ralph Nader.

Then, during the Presidential campaign, there was a brief time in which I did in fact support Obama. Honestly, the only thing that compelled me toward him was (1) that I did not trust McCain either, I thought his policies would just be an extension of George W. Bush and I really did not want that; and (2) I had a feeling of not wanting to "waste my vote" by voting for an independent. Bad move on my part.

However, as I said, this was a brief moment and I quickly came back to my senses and went back to support Mr. Nader.

So the election was over. Obama got elected. What is done is done. I did not trust the guy but he is our President now, like it or not. I will support him as the leader of our country until I am given a good reason not to. That does not mean that I will support all of his policies. I will just support him as leader and hope that he does not fail us.

Time will tell what becomes of that hope.

Any questions?

Films of the 1990s

Yup, I tried doing the essentials again with the 1990s and came up, once again, with way too long a list. So here is not only the top grossing films of the 90s but the winners of the Academy Award for Best Picture in its respective year.

1990
Home Alone - grossed $285 million very sad that this movie made that much money
Best Picture - Dances With Wolves

1991
Terminator 2: Judgement Day - $204 million
Best Picture - The Silence of the Lambs

1992
Aladdin - $217 million interesting that a cartoon made this much
Best Picture - Unforgiven

1993
Jurassic Park - $357 million
Best Picture - Schindler's List

1994
Forrest Gump - $329 million
Best Picture - Forrest Gump

1995
Toy Story - $191 million another animated flick...interesting
Best Picture - Braveheart

1996
Independence Day - $306 million
Best Picture - The English Patient

1997
Titanic - $1.8 billion sadly, the highest grossing film of all time
Best Picture - Titanic

1998
Armageddon - $553 million
Best Picture - Shakespeare in Love

1999
Star Wars 1: The Phantom Menace - $924 million
Best Picture - American Beauty

Who Threw the First Punch?

There is a lot of talk lately about President Obama's so-called "attack" on Rush Limbaugh. First off, as I have stated numerous times, it was not an attack.  However, even if it were, who exactly threw the first "punch"?

Back in March 2007, Rush referred to Obama as a "magic negro" and then on his radio show played a parody of "Puff the Magic Dragon" titled "Barack the Magic Negro." To me this is pretty tasteless.

On the day of Obama's inauguration, Rush said not only that he wanted Obama to fail but that it would be better in the long run if he did.

This is quite possibly the most ignorant thing I have ever heard come out of Limbaugh's mouth. Better for the country if he failed? That is completely ridiculous!

It was nearly a week after the inauguration that President Obama told Congress (jokingly I might add) that they couldn't "just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."

Now, if anyone wants to talk about anyone attacking another person I would have to say calling some a magic negro and saying it would be better for the country if he were to fail trumps a mis-interpreted statement like the President's.

I will say this again for those that need it repeated to them.......Barack Obama did NOT attack Rush Limbaugh personally. He was trying to make a point that politics and legislation should not be decided based on the rantings of a conservative shock-jock radio talk show host. Limbaugh is not the great mind that ultra-conservatives think he is.

NHL Update (Jan 28)

League Standings

1. San Jose
   
2. Boston
   
3. Detroit
   
4. Washington
   
5. New Jersey
   
6. Calgary
   
7. NY Rangers
   
8. Chicago
   
9. Montreal
   
10. Philadelphia
    
11. Buffalo
    
12. Phoenix
    

Sadly, the Canucks have dropped to 19th. So much for that purchase of Mats Sundin making a big difference with the team this year.(

Eastern Conference

1. Boston
   
2. Washington
   
3. New Jersey
   
4. NY Rangers
   
5. Montreal
   

Western Conference

1. San Jose
   
2. Detroit
   
3. Calgary
   
4. Chicago
   
5. Phoenix
   

In the Northwest?

1. Calgary Flames: 47-29 w/ 62 pts
   
2. Minnesota Wild: 47-24 w/ 51 pts
   
3. Edmonton Oilers: 47-24 w/ 51pts
   
4. Vancouver Canucks: 49-22 w/ 51 pts
   
5. Colorado Avalanche: 48-23 w/ 47 pts
   

The Northwest looks like a pretty tight race!

League Leaders

Points

1. Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) - 71
   
2. Crosby (Penguins) - 64
   
3. Ovechkin (Capitals) - 60
   

Goals

1. Alex Ovechkin (Washington) - 31
   
2. Carter (Flyers) - 30
   
3. Vanek (Sabres) - 29
   

Save %

1. Tim Thomas (Bruins) - .934
   
2. Anderson (Panthers) - .930
   
3. Fernandez (Bruins) - .928
   

Wins

1. Miikka Kiprusoff (Flames) - 29
   
2. Nabokov (Sharks) - 26
   
3. Lundqvist (Rangers) - 24
   

Top Grossing Films of the 1980s (in lieu of an Essentials post)

I had started to do a sequel to my Essential Movies of the 70s with one for the 1980s but after getting about halfway through that decade I realized that it would be near impossible to put together a good list for that decade, there are entirely too many good films that came out in that decade. I might try again with the 1990s and see how that works but for now I am going to list the top grossing films of the 1980s (by year) and add a few comments as I see fit.

• The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - grossed $209 million (approximately)
  
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - $209 million
  
• E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) - $359 million
  
• Return of the Jedi (1983) - $252 million
  
• Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - $234 million
  
• Ghostbusters (1984) - $229 million not far behind the leader that year
  
• Back to the Future (1985) - $210 million
  
• Top Gun (1986) - $176 million apparently not as many people in 86 were out watching movies, the top grossing film of the year didn't even top $200 million.
  
• Three Men and a Bay (1987) - $167 million 
  
• Rain Man (1988) - $172 million
  
• Batman (1989) - $251 million
  

What I find interesting is that of the top grossing films of each year, 60% of them are sci-fi type movies.

Currently Reading: Introduction to Christianity

TITLE: Introduction to Christianity

AUTHOR: Joseph Ratzinger

YEAR PUBLISHED: 1968

PUBLISHED BY: Communio Books/Ignatius Press

I recently read a biography about the current Pope and decided to read some of his writings. I ended up starting off with this one. I thought it would be interesting to get Pope Benedict's take on the essentials.

So far I am not disappointed with the book. He writes in a way that is just a tad hard to follow but I have been making my way through it. The guy is apparently very well-educated (of course, I already knew that having read his biography lol!).

Anyway, here is a really cool quote I got out of it so far:

"Faith is not a recitation of doctrines, an acceptance of theories about things of which in themselves one knows nothing and therefore asserts something all the louder....it signifies an 'about turn' by the whole person that from then on constantly structures one's existence....it is a conversion, an about turn, a shift of being...."

Significant Achievements of the War in Iraq

Here are some significant "achievements" of that war:

4236 American Deaths
30984 Americans Wounded*
1307319 Iraqi Deaths
Over $600 billion of spent

* 30984 is the “official” count. It is estimated that this # is closer to 100,000.

If victory means needless death and suffering and one of the causes of the fall of our economy, we definitely achieved victory!

Essential Bad Religion

I do not listen to this band as much as I used to, I am not sure why really. But I used to really love this band. However, I will say that I was somewhat disappointed in their newest album, New Maps of Hell. I was not all that impressed with it.

Anyway.....before I go onto the list, I would like to tell everyone not to let the name of the band fool them. The band themselves are not necessarily anti-religion. Their songs focus more on social and political issues and are more about anti-conformity than anything else.

Anyway here is the list of the Essential Bad Religion:

1. 21st Century Digital Boy (Stranger Than Fiction)*
   
2. A Walk (The Gray Race)
   
3. All Good Soldiers (Recipe for Hate)
   
4. Along the Way (Back to the Known)
   
5. American Jesus (Recipe for Hate)
   
6. Change of Ideas (No Control)
   
7. Do What You Want (Suffer)
   
8. Drunk Sincerity (The Gray Race)
   
9. Generator (Generator)
   
10. Give You Nothing (Suffer)
    
11. Hear It (No Substance)
    
12. I Love My Computer (New America)
    
13. I Want Something More (No Control)
    
14. I Want to Conquer the World (No Control)
    
15. In So Many Ways (No Substance)
    
16. Individual (Stranger Than Fiction)
    
17. Infected (Stranger Than Fiction)
    
18. Inner Logic (Stranger Than Fiction)
    
19. It Must Look Pretty Appealing (No Control)
    
20. Leaders and Followers (Clerks Soundtrack)
    
21. Let Them Eat War (The Empire Strikes First)
    
22. Marked (Stranger Than Fiction)
    
23. Modern Day Catastrophists (Recipe for Hate)
    
24. Modern Man (Against the Grain)
    
25. New Dark Ages (New Maps of Hell)
    
26. Only Entertainment (Generator)
    
27. Operation Rescue (Against the Grain)
    
28. Portrait of Authority (Recipe for Hate)
    
29. Punk Rock Song (The Gray Race)
    
30. Shades of Truth (No Substance)
    
31. Sorrow (Process of Belief)
    
32. Spirit Shine (The Gray Race)
    
33. Stranger Than Fiction (Stranger Than Fiction)
    
34. Struck a Nerve (Recipe for Hate)
    
35. Suffer (Suffer)
    
36. The Answer (Generator)
    
37. The Hopeless Housewife (New America)
    
38. The Streets of America (The Gray Race)
    
39. We're Only Gonna Die (How Could Hell Be Any Worse?)
    
40. What It Is (Stranger Than Fiction)
    
41. Yesterday (Back to the Known)
    
42. You Are the Government (Suffer)

* This song was also released on the album Against the Grain. I like the version of Stranger Than Fiction better.

What is a private citizen?

This is in response to the several blogs going around in regards to the President's comments toward Rush Limbaugh.

A fellow blogger has stated that is it wrong for President Obama to attack a private citizen. I agree. However, point #1, I don't think that Rush is a private citizen. Point # 2, Obama was not attacking him.

To me a private citizen is someone like me. Just a normal citizen that goes to a job, pays their rent, pays their taxes. Nothing really special about them. Rush, however, I do not consider a private citizen. In my opinion, no celebrity is a private citizen. Any person that has taken a job where everything they say and do thrusts them in the public spotlight can no longer call themselves a private citizen. Think about all the actors and rock stars that the media is constantly going on and on about their personal lives. They are not public citizens. Rush is no different. He is a celebrity. A lot of people (unfortunately) take everything he says as gospel (lack of a better term). People look up to him. People listen to his radio show. People watch his TV show (is that even still on by the way?). He is NOT a private citizen.

On to Point #2. The President did not attack him. The point I think he was trying to make is that people that only listen to this sort of political commentary are not getting the full picture of politics and with basing all of their political opinions on the rantings a person like Rush (I would include others like Hannity in this group) it is going to be much harder for these people to work together with the "other side" to get things done. It works the other way to. If a person is only listening to or watching liberal talk show hosts, they are getting biased information as well. In no way does any of this mean I am "attacking" a particular person and I do not think that President Obama was "attacking" anyone.

Any thoughts?

Essential Hard Rock Songs

It appears that I am really starting to run out of ideas for these thing but here is another attempt.

This is a list of Essential Songs by "Hard Rock" bands.

Hard Rock is that music that is not quite pop-rock and not quite heavy metal. It is a heavy form of rock music that is typically (but not always) laden with keyboards.

So here is the list.

1. Amanda (Boston)
   
2. Any Way You Want It (Journey)
   
3. Bad Company (Bad Company)
   
4. Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
   
5. Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent)
   
6. Don't Stop Believing (Journey)
   
7. Don't Tell Me You Love Me (Night Ranger)
   
8. Dream Police (Cheap Trick)
   
9. Hang Tough (Tesla) 
   
10. High On You (Survivor)
    
11. I Can't Hold Back (Survivor)
    
12. I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick)
    
13. Keep On Loving You (REO Speedwagon)
    
14. Love Song (Tesla) 
    
15. More Than a Feeling (Boston)
    
16. Paradise By the Dashboard Light (Meat Loaf)
    
17. Sister Christian (Night Ranger)
    
18. Stone Cold (Rainbow)
    
19. Stranglehold (Ted Nugent)
    
20. Surrender (Cheap Trick)
    
21. We Are the Champions (Queen)
    
22. We Will Rock You (Queen)
    

What is really funny to me now is that looking at this list hardly any of these bands had keyboards in the music. Hmmm....ok apparently I have no idea what I am talking about.  Okay hard rock is a very generic term but like I said I am running out of ideas. This could very well be the last one of these.

Spotlight on Christiantiy: Habitat for Humanity

Here is a very well known organization that few people know is actually a Christian organization.  

It was founded in 1976 in Americus GA whose goals were to build houses for those in need.

Construction is done entirely out of volunteer labor and the houses are sold at no profit. They are built entirely out of materials found in whatever local area they are building the house in.

You can read more about this organization at their official website, www.habitat.org.

Essential Pop Punk Albums

I got this idea from Dave earlier tonight.  Thanks Dave!

Pop punk is essentially a genre of music that fuses elements of pop music and punk rock. I have compiled this list in order of the album's release date. 

1. All the Stuff and More Vol 1 (Ramones)
   
2. All the Stuff and More Vol 2 (Ramones)
   
3. Somery (Descendents)
   
4. My Brain Hurts (Screeching Weasel)
   
5. Anthem for a New Tomorrow (Screeching Weasel)
   
6. Dookie (Green Day)
   
7. Born to Quit (Smoking Popes)
   
8. Leche Con Carne (No Use for a Name)
   
9. Everything Sucks (Descendents)
   
10. Face to Face (Face to Face)
    
11. Bark Like a Dog (Screeching Weasel)
    
12. Have A Ball (Me First and the Gimme Gimmes)
    
13. Destination Failure (Smoking Popes)
    
14. Eve 6 (Eve 6)
    
15. Horrorscope (Eve 6)
    
16. Warning (Green Day)
    
17. Take a Break (Me First and the Gimme Gimmes)
    
18. Before Everything and After (MxPx)
    
19. American Idiot (Green Day)
    
20. Panic (MxPx)
    
21. Love Their Country (Me First and the Gimme Gimmes)
    

Comments on the Obama Inaugural Address

Here I have finally decided to comment on the Inaugural Address of our country's newest President.

Below are some highlights from it and a bit of commentary on them:

"Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility ....."

Really? You think? How long did it take you to figure that one out?

"On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recrimination and worn-out dogmas that for far long long have strangled our politics."

Only time will tell how far this "proclamation" turns out.

"....our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."

I agree, I think it is high time our government stop catering to the special interests that represent such a small minority of the country's population.

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works...."

Sure. But considering that big government does not work.......

He goes on to mention after this bit about restoring the "vital trust between people and their government." That sounds good in theory but really naive. I am not optimistic enough in ANY elected official to believe they can restore trust between me and the government. That damage was done long ago and quite honestly is beyond repair. Nice sound bite though.

"And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more."

It could happen.

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy."

I wonder how many citizens of Muslim nations believe that and if so, are they willing to do something about it?

Well, the man has some interesting ideas. How about we all forget our petty differences. Forget about our reds and blues. Our Democrats and Republicans. Our conservatives and liberals.

That is all.....for now....

By the way, you can read the entire address here.

Quote of the Day

In typical partisan fashion, Red says:

"I hope President O fails in everything he attempts since I disagree with everything he has proposed...not it's not un-American."

Come on! Really? You hope he fails in EVERYTHING he does?!?

I understand the disagreement part. You are right. Disagreement is not un-American. I don't know anyone that I have talked to that agrees with EVERYTHING that Obama stands for, myself included, but hoping he fails at everything? Is that really necessary?

That statement is just asinine Red. Can't you try to be just a little bit optimistic?

NHL Update (Jan 16)

League Standings

1. San Jose
   
2. Boston
   
3. Detroit
   
4. Washington
   
5. Montreal
   
6. New Jersey
   
7. Chicago
   
8. Calgary
   
9. NY Rangers
   
10. Philadelphia
    
11. Buffalo
    
12. Anaheim
    

Sadly, the Canucks dropped to 16th. :o(

Eastern Conference

1. Boston
   
2. Washington
   
3. New Jersey
   
4. Montreal
   
5. NY Rangers
   

Western Conference

1. San Jose
   
2. Detroit
   
3. Calgary
   
4. Chicago
   
5. Anaheim
   

In the Northwest?

1. Calgary Flames: 45-27 w/ 58 pts
   
2. Vancouver Canucks: 47-22 w/ 50 pts
   
3. Minnesota Wild: 45-23 w/ 49 pts
   
4. Edmonton Oilers: 45-23 w/ 49 pts
   
5. Colorado Avalanche: 46-23 w/ 47 pts
   

League Leaders

Points

1. Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) - 69
   
2. Ovechkin (Washington) - 59
   
3. Crosby (Penguins) - 59
   

Goals

1. Alex Ovechkin (Washington) - 31
   
2. Carter (Flyers) - 30
   
3. Vanek (Sabres) - 28
   

Save %

1. Tim Thomas (Bruins) - .934
   
2. Mason (Blue Jackets) - .932
   
3. Hiller (Ducks) - .930
   

Wins

1. Miikka Kiprusoff (Flames) - 27
   
2. Nabokov (Sharks) - 24
   
3. Lundqvist (Rangers) - 23
   

Results of the Hulk Poll

5 people voted on this one and Edward Norton from 2008's The Incredible Hulk beat out Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno from the popular television series by one vote.

Eric Bana from the 2003 Ang Lee Hulk movie received 0 votes.

Thanks for voting!

Top 6 of 6

I think it has been a little over 6 months since I have updated my favorite stuff. 

Here is my most recent list (in no particular order just as they came to me).  Enjoy!

1.  MOVIES

• High Fidelity
  
• Batman Begins
  
• The Departed
  
• Mother Night
  
• A Few Good Men
  
• Dogma
  

2.  BOOKS

• Jesus Wants to Save Christians (Rob Bell)
  
• This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti)
  
• Batman Year One (Frank Miller)
  
• Animal Farm (George Orwell)
  
• Mother Night (Kurt Vonnegut)
  
• The Barbarian Way (Erwin McManus)
  

3.  ALBUMS

• Weezer - Weezer (blue)
  
• Weezer - Weezer (green)
  
• U2 - The Joshua Tree
  
• Emery - I'm Only a Man
  
• Descendents - Everything Sucks
  
• Stavesacre - How to Live With a Curse
  

4.  SPORTS TEAMS

• Seattle Seahawks
  
• New England Patriots
  
• Seattle Mariners
  
• Boston Red Sox
  
• Vancouver Canucks
  
• Chicago Blackhawks
  

5.  ACTORS

• John Cusack
  
• Harrison Ford
  
• Gary Oldman
  
• Adam Sandler
  
• George Clooney
  
• Winona Ryder
  

6.  COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS

• Batman
  
• Captain Marvel (Shazam)
  
• Punisher
  
• Spider-Man
  
• Hulk
  
• Doctor Doom
  

Lyrics to 'Merican

Good song Brad!

Here is one that you may or may not know:

We flipped our finger to the king of England
Stole our country from the indians
With God on our side and guns in our hands
We took it for our own

A nation dedicated to liberty
Justice and equality
Does it look that way to you?
It doesn't look that way to me
The sickest joke I know

Listen up man I'll tell you who I am
I'm just another stupid American
You don't wanna listen you don't wanna understand
So finish up your drink and go home

I come from the land of Ben Franklin
Twain and Poe and Walt Whitman
Otis Redding, Ellington
The country that I love
But it's the land of the slaves and the Ku Klux Klan
Haymarket riot and the Great Depression
Joe McCarty, Vietnam
The sickest joke I know

Listen up man I'll tell you who I am
I'm just another stupid American
You don't wanna listen you don't wanna understand
So finish up your drink and go home

I'm proud and ashamed every fourth of July
You got to know the truth before you say that you've got pride

Now the cops got tanks cuz the kids got guns
Shrinks pushing pills on everyone
Cancer from the ocean cancer from the sun
Straight to hell we go

Listen up man I'll tell you who I am
I'm just another stupid American
You don't wanna listen you don't wanna understand
So finish up your drink and go home

This is a song by Descendents from the 2004 album Cool To Be You and written by Karl Alvarez.

Essential Albums of the 1990s!

I have really been pondering whether or not I was ready to tackle such a decade as this to put together an "Essentials" post on.

I mean, this was a decade of some really really great music and trying to put all of the really good ones together would really take some digging and even still it would end up being a very long list.

So I decided finally to go and undertake the project so here it is.

The Essential Album of the 1990s!

1. Achtung Baby (U2)
   
2. Aftertaste (Helmet)
   
3. Against the Grain (Bad Religion)
   
4. American Lesion (Greg Graffin)
   
5. American Thighs (Veruca Salt)
   
6. Americana (Offsping)
   
7. Angel Dust (Faith No More)
   
8. Anthem for a New Tomorrow (Screeching Weasel)
   
9. Automatic for the People (R.E.M.)
   
10. Bark Like a Dog (Screeching Weasel)
    
11. Bat Out of Hell II (Meat Loaf)
    
12. Become What You Are (Juliana Hatfield)
    
13. Breaking Things (All)
    
14. Bricks Are Heavy (L7)
    
15. Broken (Nine Inch Nails)
    
16. California (Mr Bungle)
    
17. Californication (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
    
18. Core (Stone Temple Pilots)
    
19. Dirt (Alice in Chains)
    
20. Divine Intervention (Slayer)
    
21. Dookie (Green Day)
    
22. Empire (Queensryche)
    
23. Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? (Cranberries)
    
24. Evil Empire (Rage Against the Machine)
    
25. Face to Face (Face to Face)
    
26. Facelift (Alice in Chains)
    
27. Five Man Acoustical Jam (Tesla)
    
28. Flood (They Might Be Giants)
    
29. Foo Fighters (Foo Fighters)
    
30. Fossils (Dinosaur Jr)
    
31. Generator (Bad Religion)
    
32. GodWeenSatan: The Oneness (Ween)
    
33. Hooray for Boobies (The Bloodhound Gang)
    
34. Houdini (The Melvins)
    
35. How the Gods Kill (Danzig)
    
36. Images and Words (Dream Theater)
    
37. In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (Ministry)
    
38. Incesticide (Nirvana)
    
39. Ixnay on the Hombre (Offsping)
    
40. Leche Con Carne (No Use For a Name)
    
41. Let's Face It (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones)
    
42. Lucifuge (Danzig)
    
43. Monster (R.E.M.)
    
44. My Brain Hurts (Screeching Weasel)
    
45. Nevermind (Nirvana)
    
46. No Need to Argue (Cranberries)
    
47. Out of Time (R.E.M.)
    
48. Passion and Warfare (Steve Vai)
    
49. Point No. 1 (Chevelle)
    
50. Psalm 69 (Ministry)
    
51. Pummel (All)
    
52. Punk in Drublic (NOFX)
    
53. Purple (Stone Temple Pilots)
    
54. Purple (Stone Temple Pilots)
    
55. Rage Against the Machine (Rage Against the Machine)
    
56. Recipe for Hate (Bad Religion)
    
57. Repeater (Fugazi)
    
58. Rust in Peace (Megadeth)
    
59. Sailing the Seas of Cheese (Primus)
    
60. Scumdogs of the Universe (GWAR)
    
61. Short Bus (Filter)
    
62. Siamese Dream (Smashing Pumpkins)
    
63. So Long and Thanks for the Shoes (NOFX)
    
64. So Tonight That I Might See (Mazzy Star)
    
65. Social Distortion (Social Distortion)
    
66. Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (Social Distortion)
    
67. Sound of White Noise (Anthrax)
    
68. Stranger Than Fiction (Bad Religion)
    
69. Superunknown (Soundgarden)
    
70. Ten (Pearl Jam)
    
71. The Bootlicker (The Melvins)
    
72. The Colour and the Shape (Foo Fighters)
    
73. The Division Bell (Pink Floyd)
    
74. The Gang's All Here (Dropkick Murphys)
    
75. The Gray Race (Bad Religion)
    
76. The Maggot (The Melvins)
    
77. Throwing Copper (Live)
    
78. Too High Too Die (Meat Puppets)
    
79. Trompe le Monde (Pixies)
    
80. Undertow (Tool)
    
81. Violator (Depeche Mode)
    
82. Vision Thing (Sisters of Mercy)
    
83. Vs (Pearl Jam)
    
84. Weezer (Weezer)
    
85. Weight (Rollins Band)
    
86. Where You Been? (Dinosaur Jr)
    
87. White Light White Heat White Trash (Social Distortion)
    
88. Why Do Birds Sing? (Violent Femmes)
    

Bush Did Something Good!!!

You ever heard of PEPFAR?

It stands for Presidents Emergency Plan For Aids Relief.

Technically, you can't give President Bush ALL of the credit for the good this program has done but he DID authorize it. That should count for something. Right?

So what is it?

It is a commitment by the Bush Administration to fight the global AIDS problem with an initial funding amount of $15 billion for 5 years. The goal of the program was to provide retro viral drugs to 2 million people who were infected with HIV.

In 2008, its budget was increased to $48 billion until 2013.

Its focus is primarily Africa but aid is also given to infected peoples in places like Haiti and Vietnam.

It supports prevention programs such as ABC (Abstain, Be faithful, use Condoms) and other programs that focus on blood safety, injection safety, counseling and education.

There are critics of the program but all in all in my opinion I think this is a great program and I am glad to see that Bush actually does have a social conscience. Who knew? :)

Here are some places you can read more about the program:

 Wiki article 

Official Website

Currently Reading: Watchmen

TITLE:  Watchmen

AUTHOR:  Alan Moore

ARTIST:  Dave Gibbons

PUBLISHER:  DC Comics

YEAR PUBLISHED:  1986

It has taken me forever but I have finally gotten around to starting what is considered by many to be one of the best graphic novels of all time.

In fact, on the cover of the copy I have, it says it is one of TIME magazine's 100 Best Novels.

We shall soon see if it lives up to the hype.

Is FGO scared of a gay OPM director?

FGO's article here claims that President-elect Obama's appointing of a gay man as the Director for the Office of Personnel Management is "foreboding news for Churches and Christians."

Was this man appointed based solely on the fact that he was gay and Obama wanted to appoint a "token" gay person into a key position or is this man truly qualified for the job? If the later is the case, than what is the problem?

Does he think that non-gays are in jeopardy of getting jobs? Does he think this man is so shallow that he will make sure that only gay people get hired by the federal government just to spite the heterosexual community?

During his tenure as National Zoo Director, did John Berry ever display this type of behavior?

I understand his traditional (albeit archaic) shying away from the gay community due to the fact that he says they are sinners. However by his logic if you are going to deny a gay person a particular job than you must also deny that same right to a liar (basically any politician) an adulterer (man politicians) or someone that eats meat on a Friday.

Come on man, can we just get off the gay bashing? Please?!?

The man is obviously qualified for the job. Just leave it at that and leave your personal beliefs out of the equation. Does the fact that he is gay affect you or someone you know personally? If not, leave the man alone.

The Return of the iPod Shuffle!

I have not done one of these in a long time!

1. O Girlfriend – Weezer (from Weezer)
2. Necktie Remedy – Project 86 (And the Rest Will Follow)
3. One of My Lies – Green Day (Kerplunk!)
4. Uptown Girl – Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (Have a Ball)
5. Fire Woman – The Cult (Sonic Temple)
6. Fortunate Son – Pearl Jam (Live in Australia)
7. When You Speak We Will Know You – Fighting Jacks (demo)
8. Selling the Drama – Live (Throwing Copper)
9. Like I Care – Helmet (Aftertaste)
10. We Want the Airwaves – Ramones (Pleasant Dreams)
11. Hammerhead – Offspring (Rise and Fall Rage and Grace)
12. High School Confidential - Jerry Lee Lewis
13. Welcome to Janesville – Smoking Popes (Live at Lollapalooza 2006)
    

Horny Teachers 1, Parents and Students 0?

A Washington appeals court ruled that Washington state law does not bar teachers from having consensual sex with students.

Read the article here at the Seattle Times.

Granted, they are talking about students that are at least 18 years old.

Granted, specific rules for the state's teachers clearly states that they may not make sexual advances toward their pupils, not matter how old they might be.

The problem I have with this is although sex with a person that is of age is not technically illegal, it is most certainly highly unethical and probably should be illegal.

However, on the other hand this goes back to that whole legislating morality thing that I have often commented against.

This ruling was made in response to an appeal by former teacher Matthew Hirschfelder who was charged with sexual misconduct with a minor. According to the article, several teachers have been prosecuted for having sex with 18 year old students.

What do you folks think?

Essential Albums of the 1970s

Here is a sequel of sorts to this one.

Essential albums that were released in the 1970s.

1. After the Gold Rush (Neil Young)
   
2. At Budokan (Cheap Trick)
   
3. Bad Company (Bad Company)
   
4. Band on the Run (Paul McCartney and the Wings)
   
5. Bat Out of Hell (Meat Loaf)
   
6. Boston (Boston)
   
7. Candy-O (The Cars)
   
8. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes (Jimmy Buffet)
   
9. Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd)
   
10. Destroyer (Kiss)
    
11. End of the Century (Ramones)
    
12. Harvest (Neil Young)
    
13. Hot Rocks (Rolling Stones)
    
14. Imagine (John Lennon)
    
15. Kids Are Alright (The Who)
    
16. Kiss (Kiss)
    
17. L.A. Woman (The Doors)
    
18. Let It Be (The Beatles)
    
19. London Calling (The Clash)
    
20. Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy (The Who)
    
21. Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag)
    
22. Never Mind the Bullocks (Sex Pistols)
    
23. Outlandos d'Amour (The Police)
    
24. Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
    
25. Ramones (Ramones)
    
26. Regatta de Blanc (The Police)
    
27. Rocket to Russia (Ramones)
    
28. Rumours (Fleetweed Mac)
    
29. Sabotage (Black Sabbath)
    
30. The Stranger (Billy Joel)
    
31. The Wall (Pink Floyd)
    
32. Toys in the Attic (Aerosmith)
    
33. Van Halen (Van Halen)
    
34. Who's Next (The Who)
    
35. Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
    

Israel Bombing Medical Facilities?

Has anyone read about this?

Is anyone in the United States government asking Israel WTH?

Seems to me if this country wants our continued support I would tell them to knock this crap off. There is NO reason they should be bombing hospitals or shooting at ambulance crews. According to this article Israel is denying that they have shot at any medical personnel but the article also talks about an actual medic that was shot at by soldiers 4 times this week!

I find it hard to support Israel’s actions when I read stuff like this.

Any thoughts?

Poll of the Week: Best Hulk

Going back to movies on this one.

Who do you think was the best actor(s) to portray the comic book character The Hulk?

Was it Bill Bixby / Lou Ferrigno from the Incredible Hulk TV series?

Was it Eric Bana from the 2003 Ang Lee movie?

Was it Edward Norton in the 2009 Incredible Hulk movie?

Happy voting!

EW's 25 Great Comedies From the Past 25 Years

This is from the newest issue of Entertainment Weekly. I found the article online as well here.

1. Ghostbusters
   
2. National Lampoons Vacation
   
3. Beverly Hills Cop
   
4. This is Spinal Tap
   
5. Office Space
   
6. South Park: Bigger, Longer and UncutS I don't think this movie really deserves to be on the list. Just my opinion though.
   
7. There's Something About Mary
   
8. The Big Lebowski I saw it. Wasn't terribly impressed. Decent movie I suppose. Did not find it that funny though.
   
9. A Fish Called Wanda
   
10. Dazed and Confused This is one of those movies that you either love or you don't. For me..eh..
    
11. The 40 Year Old Virgin
    
12. When Harry Met Sally
    
13. Waiting for Guffman Never saw it
    
14. Wedding Crashers Never seen this one either although I had intended to at one time.
    
15. Trading Places
    
16. Superbad Never saw it
    
17. Tropic Thunder I want to see this one too.
    
18. Napoleon Dynamite I just don't get it. I did not laugh once at this film. Stupid.
    
19. Clueless eh, was okay
    
20. Best in Show Never heard of it
    
21. Clerks
    
22. Old School
    
23. Austin Powers
    
24. Naked Gun Should have been further up the list
    
25. Withnail and I Again, never even heard of it
    

Results of The "Butt Rock" Poll

Here are the results of the Best "Butt Rock" Band poll.

Poison won with 2 votes.

Motley Crue, Dokken and Bon Jovi each received 1 vote a piece. There were 2 votes for other but only one person bothered to tell me in the comments who they were voting for so the other one is essentially disqualified.

Thanks for voting!

Essential Rap Music

Yeah that's right, you read the title right. Rap Music. Quite a bit out of character for me. I initially got the idea earlier today when my wife Jesica was listening to some old school rap tunes on iTunes. I actually thought of the idea mostly as a joke, sort of an inside joke known only to me but after getting a text message from Dave I let him in on the joke and then actually decided to go ahead and give it a try, thinking it would be a very short list. I guess the joke was on me, this list ended up being fairly long.

Anyway, here is the list. Enjoy!

1. 6 N the Mornin (Ice T) Rhyme Pays 
   
2. Baby Got Back (Sir Mix A Lot) Mack Daddy 
   
3. Body Count (Ice T) O.G. Original Gangster 
   
4. Bring the Noise (Public Enemy) It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 
   
5. Bust A Move (Young MC) Stone Cold Rhymin' 
   
6. Don't Believe the Hype (Public Enemy) It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 
   
7. Doowutchyalike (Digital Underground) Sex Packets 
   
8. Fight For Your Right (Beastie Boys) License to Ill 
   
9. Fight the Power (Public Enemy) Fear of a Black Planet 
   
10. Follow the Leader (Eric B & Rakim) Follow the Leader 
    
11. Funky Cold Medina (Tone Loc) Loced After Dark 
    
12. Girls Aint Nothing But Trouble (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) Rock the House 
    
13. How Ya Like Me Now (Kool Moe Dee) How Ya Like Me Now 
    
14. I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) And In This Corner 
    
15. I'm Your Pusher (Ice T) Power 
    
16. Insane in the Brain (Cypress Hill) Black Sunday 
    
17. It Takes Two (Rob Base & DJ Easy Rock) It Takes Two 
    
18. It's Tricky (Run DMC) Raising Hell 
    
19. Jump Around (House of Pain) House of Pain 
    
20. Just a Friend (Biz Markie) The Biz Never Sleeps 
    
21. Let the Rhythm Hit Em (Eric B & Rakim) Let the Rhythm Hit Em 
    
22. Mama Said Knock You Out (LL Cool J) Mama Said Knock You Out
    
23. Me Myself and I (De La Soul) 3 Feet High and Rising
    
24. Midnight (Ice T) O.G. Original Gangster 
    
25. Nightmare on My Street (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper 
    
26. No Sleep Till Brooklyn (Beastie Boys) License to Ill 
    
27. Now That We Found Love (Heavy D) Peaceful Journey 
    
28. O.G. Original Gangster (Ice T) O.G. Original Gangster 
    
29. Parents Just Don't Understand (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper
    
30. Posse on Broadway (Sir Mix A Lot) Swass 
    
31. Principal's Office (Young MC) Stone Cold Rhymin' 
    
32. Run's House (Run DMC) Tougher Than Leather 
    
33. Sabotage (Beastie Boys) Ill Communication 
    
34. So What'cha Want (Beastie Boys) Check Your Head 
    
35. Stop the Violence (Boogie Down Productions) By All Means Necessary 
    
36. Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A.) Straight Outta Compton 
    
37. Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince) Homebase 
    
38. Sure Shot (Beastie Boys) Ill Communication 
    
39. The Humpty Dance (Digital Underground) Sex Packets 
    
40. Top O the Morning to Ya (House of Pain) House of Pain 
    
41. Walk This Way (Run DMC) Raising Hell 
    
42. Wild Thing (Tone Loc) Loced After Dark 
    
43. Wild Wild West (Kool Moe Dee) How Ya Like Me Now
    

Essential California Punk Rock

I have to say up front...this is a really flipping long list!

I also need to point out before you read it and realize something missing...I did NOT include any songs by Descendents/All because this band got their own Essentials list. If I had not already done a list for them, all of the songs on that list most certainly would have ended up on this one as well.

Also, NOFX is not on this list either because they were on the previous Essential Epitaph list.

So without further yapping, here is the list. Enjoy!

1. 21st Century Digital Boy (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
   
2. A Walk (Bad Religion) The Gray Race 
   
3. All Good Soldiers (Bad Religion) Recipe for Hate 
   
4. All I Want (Offspring) Ixnay on the Hombre 
   
5. Along the Way (Bad Religion) Back to the Known 
   
6. American Jesus (Bad Religion) Recipe for Hate 
   
7. Annihilate This Week (Black Flag) Annihilate This Week 
   
8. Bad Luck (Social Distortion) Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell 
   
9. Bad Religion (Bad Religion) Bad Religion 
   
10. Beat Me Senseless (Circle Jerks) VI 
    
11. Better Off Dead (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
    
12. Bloodstains (Agent Orange) Living in Darkness 
    
13. Born to Lose (Social Distortion) Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell 
    
14. California Uber Alles (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
    
15. Casualty Vampire (Circle Jerks) VI 
    
16. Change of Ideas (Bad Religion) No Control 
    
17. Chemical Warfare (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
    
18. Cold Feelings (Social Distortion) Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell 
    
19. Damaged II (Black Flag) Damaged 
    
20. Dear Lover (Social Distortion) White Light White Heat White Trash 
    
21. Do What You Want (Bad Religion) Suffer 
    
22. Don't Drag Me Down (Social Distortion) White Light White Heat White Trash 
    
23. Down Here (Social Distortion) White Light White Heat White Trash 
    
24. Drinking and Driving (Black Flag) Wasted...Again 
    
25. Drunk Sincerity (Bad Religion) The Gray Race 
    
26. Everything Turns Grey (Agent Orange) Living in Darkness 
    
27. Fortunate Son (Circle Jerks) VI 
    
28. Forward to Death (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
    
29. Generator (Bad Religion) Generator 
    
30. Gimme Gimme Gimme (Black Flag) Damaged 
    
31. Give You Nothing (Bad Religion) Suffer 
    
32. Gone Away (Offspring) Ixnay on the Hombre 
    
33. Hammerhead (Offspring) Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace 
    
34. Heaven is Falling (Bad Religion) Generator 
    
35. Hit That (Offspring) Splinter 
    
36. Holiday in Cambodia (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
    
37. I Fought the Law (Dead Kennedys) Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death 
    
38. I Love My Computer (Bad Religion) New America 
    
39. I Wanna Destroy You (Circle Jerks) Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities 
    
40. I Want Something More (Bad Religion) No Control 
    
41. I Want to Conquer the World (Bad Religion) No Control 
    
42. I Was Wrong (Social Distortion) White Light White Heat White Trash 
    
43. I've Heard It Before (Black Flag) Six Pack 
    
44. In So Many Ways (Bad Religion) No Substance 
    
45. Incomplete (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
    
46. Individual (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
    
47. Infected (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
    
48. Inner Logic (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
    
49. It Must Look Pretty Appealing (Bad Religion) No Control 
    
50. Jealous Again (Black Flag) Jealous Again 
    
51. Kill the Poor (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
    
52. Leaders and Followers (Bad Religion) Clerks Soundtrack 
    
53. Let Them Eat War (Bad Religion) The Empire Strikes First 
    
54. Let's Lynch the Landlord (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
    
55. Lexicon Devil (Germs) GI 
    
56. Life is Cheap (Flipper) Generic Flipper 
    
57. Loose Nut (Black Flag) Loose Nut 
    
58. Marked (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
    
59. Million Miles Away (Offspring) Conspiracy of One 
    
60. Miserlou (Agent Orange) Living in Darkness 
    
61. Modern Day Catastrophists (Bad Religion) Recipe for Hate 
    
62. Modern Man (Bad Religion) Against the Grain 
    
63. Mommys Little Monster (Social Distortion) Mommys Little Monster 
    
64. Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag) Nervous Breakdown 
    
65. New Dark Ages (Bad Religion) New Maps of Hell 
    
66. Night of the Living Rednecks (Dead Kennedys) Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death 
    
67. No Control (Bad Religion) No Control 
    
68. Only Entertainment (Bad Religion) Generator 
    
69. Operation Rescue (Bad Religion) Against the Grain 
    
70. Patty's Killing Me (Circle Jerks) VI 
    
71. Police Story (Black Flag) Damaged 
    
72. Police Truck (Dead Kennedys) Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death 
    
73. Pretty Fly for a White Guy (Offspring) Americana 
    
74. Prison Bound (Social Distortion) Live at the Roxy 
    
75. Pull My Strings (Dead Kennedys) Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death 
    
76. Punk Rock Song (Bad Religion) The Gray Race 
    
77. Rawhide (Dead Kennedys) In God We Trust Inc 
    
78. Reach for the Sky (Social Distortion) Sex Love and Rock n Roll 
    
79. Recipe for Hate (Bad Religion) Recipe for Hate 
    
80. Ring of Fire (Social Distortion) Social Distortion 
    
81. Rise Above (Black Flag) Damaged 
    
82. Sanity (Bad Religion) No Control 
    
83. Sick Boys (Social Distortion) Social Distortion 
    
84. Sinister Rogue (Bad Religion) The Empire Strikes First 
    
85. Six Pack (Black Flag) Six Pack 
    
86. Slip It In (Black Flag) Slip It In 
    
87. So Far Away (Social Distortion) Social Distortion 
    
88. Sorrow (Bad Religion) Process of Belief 
    
89. Spare Me the Details (Offspring) Splinter 
    
90. Story of My Life (Social Distortion) Social Distortion 
    
91. Struck a Nerve (Bad Religion) Recipe for Hate 
    
92. Suffer (Bad Religion) Suffer 
    
93. T.V. Party (Black Flag) Damaged 
    
94. Take This Job and Shove It (Dead Kennedys) Bedtime for Democracy 
    
95. Teenage Electric (Circle Jerks) Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities 
    
96. Telling Them (Social Distortion) Mommys Little Monster 
    
97. Ten in 2010 (Bad Religion) The Gray Race 
    
98. The Answer (Bad Religion) Generator 
    
99. The Creeps (Social Distortion) Mommys Little Monster 
    
100. The Handshake (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
     
101. The Hopeless Housewife (Bad Religion) New America 
     
102. The Kids Aren't Alright (Offspring) Americana 
     
103. The Last Goodbye (Agent Orange) Living in Darkness 
     
104. The Light, The Sound, The Rhythm, The Noise (Flipper) Gone Fishin' 
     
105. Tiny Voices (Bad Religion) Stranger Than Fiction 
     
106. Tomorrow (Bad Religion) Generator 
     
107. Too Drunk... (Dead Kennedys) Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death 
     
108. Under My Thumb (Social Distortion) Mainliner 
     
109. Urban Struggle (Vandals) Peace Through Vandalism 
     
110. Viva Las Vegas (Dead Kennedys) Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 
     
111. Want You Bad (Offspring) Conspiracy of One 
     
112. Wasted (Black Flag) Nervous Breakdown 
     
113. Way of the World (Flipper) Generic Flipper 
     
114. We're Only Gonna Die (Bad Religion) How Could Hell Be Any Worse? 
     
115. We've Got A Bigger Problem Now (Dead Kennedys) In God We Trust Inc 
     
116. When the Angels Sing (Social Distortion) White Light White Heat White Trash 
     
117. White Minority (Black Flag) Jealous Again 
     
118. Yesterday (Bad Religion) Back to the Known 
     
119. You Are the Government (Bad Religion) Suffer 
     
120. You Let Me Down (Black Flag) I Can See You 
     
121. You're Gonna Go Far Kids (Offspring) Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace 
     

NHL Update (Jan 9)

League Standings

1. Boston
   
2. San Jose
   
3. Detroit
   
4. Washington
   
5. Montreal
   
6. Calgary
   
7. Philadelphia
   
8. New York Rangers
   
9. Chicago
   
10. New Jersey
    
11. Vancouver
    
12. Buffalo
    

Eastern Conference

1. Boston
   
2. Washington
   
3. Philadelphia
   
4. Montreal
   
5. New York Rangers
   

Western Conference

1. San Jose
   
2. Detroit
   
3. Calgary
   
4. Chicago
   
5. Vancouver
   

What's going on in the Northwest?

1. Calgary Flames: 41-25 w/ 54 pts
   
2. Vancouver Canucks: 42-22 w/ 49 pts
   
3. Minnesota Wild: 40-20 w/ 43 pts
   
4. Colorado Avalanche: 41-21 w/ 43 pts
   
5. Edmonton Oilers: 40-19 w/ 41 pts
   

League Leaders

Points

1. Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) - 63
   
2. Ovechkin (Capitals) - 53
   
3. Crosby (Penguins) - 53
   

Goals

1. Alex Ovechkin (Capitals) - 27
   
2. Carter (Flyers) - 27
   
3. Vanek (Sabres) - 27
   

Save %

1. Steve Mason (Blue Jackets) - .938
   
2. Anderson (Panthers) - .933
   
3. Thomas (Bruins) - .932
   

Wins

1. Miikka Kiprusoff (Flames) - 25
   
2. Nabokov (Sharks) - 22
   
3. Lundqvist (Rangers) - 20
   

Crazy Hair Day

That's my girl with the crazy hair!

MxPx: DOTM and Essentials

This post is a combination of a discography of the moment and a list of "Essential" MxPx songs.  

MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington. The band was formed when the members were only 15 years old in 1992 and were signed to the Tooth & Nail label the next year.

You can read more about them at Wiki or at their Official website.

Enjoy!

DOTM

Pokinatcha
Released in October 1994 by Tooth & Nail.
Recorded at Avast in Seattle, WA.
Produced by Aaron Sprinkle.
Band lineup:
Mike Herrera - bass/vocals; Andy Husted - guitar; Yuri Ruley - drums.
Tracks: 21

Teenage Politics
Released in July 1995 by Tooth & Nail.
Recorded at Avast.
Produced by Bob Moon and MxPx.
Lineup changes:
Andy Husted was replaced by Tom Wisniewski.
Tracks: 19

On the Cover
Released in November 1995 by Tooth & Nail.
Recorded at Avast.
Produced by Bob Moon and MxPx.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 8

Life in General
Released in November 1996 by Tooth & Nail.
Recorded at West Beach Studios in Hollywood, CA.
Produced by Steve Kravac.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 17

Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo
Released in June 1998 by A&M
Recorded at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, WA.
Produced by Steve Kravac.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 16

Let It Happen
Released in November 1998 by Tooth & Nail.
Consists of material recorded prior to signing to A&M released as B-sides.
Produced by Steve Kravac and Bob Moon.
Tracks: 32

At the Show
Live album released in July 1999 by Tooth & Nail.
Produced by Stephen Egerton and Bill Stevenson.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 23

The Ever Passing Moment
Released in May 2000 by A&M.
Produced by Jerry Finn.
No lineup changes. Guest guitar done by Stephen Egerton.
Tracks: 15

The Renaissance
Released in May 2001 by Fat Wreck Chords.
Produced by Yuri Ruley and Tom Wisniewski.
Tracks: 9

Ten Years and Running
Compilation album released in May 2002 by Tooth & Nail.
Tracks: 19

Before Everything & After
Released in September 2003 by A&M.
Produced by Ron Fair and Dave Jerden.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 17

Panic
Released in June 2005 by Side One Dummy Records.
Produced by Stephen Egerton and Gavin MacKillop.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 14

Let's Rock
Compilation album released in November 2006 by Side One Dummy.
Tracks: 12

Secret Weapon
Released in July 2007 by Tooth & Nail.
Produced by Aaron Sprinkle.
No lineup changes.
Tracks: 16

ESSENTIALS

1. Chick Magnet (Life in General)
   
2. Cold Streets (Panic)
   
3. Don't Walk Away (Before Everything & After)
   
4. Everything Sucks (Before Everything & After)
   
5. Heard the Sound (Panic)
   
6. Late Again (Panic)
   
7. Move to Bremerton (Life in General)
   
8. My Life Story (The Ever Passing Moment)
   
9. Oh Donna (Let it Happen)
   
10. On the Outs (Before Everything & After)
    
11. Play It Loud (Before Everything & After)
    
12. Secret Weapon (Secret Weapon)
    
13. Shut it Down (Secret Weapon)
    
14. Sick Boy (Let it Happen)
    
15. Summer of '69 (On the Cover)
    
16. Take On Me (On the Cover)
    
17. The Capitol (Before Everything & After)
    
18. The Darkest Places (Panic)
    
19. The KKK Took My Baby Away (At the Show)
    
20. The Story (Panic)
    
21. Top of the Charts (Secret Weapon)
    
22. Well Adjusted (Before Everything & After)
    
23. Wrecking Hotel Rooms (Panic)
    
24. You Make Me, Me (Before Everything & After)
    
25. You're Not Alone (Before Everything & After)
    

Poll of the Week: Best "Butt Rock" Band

I noticed the other day that I have not done one of these in a while. So now that everyone has somewhat recovered from the holidays, here is another one for your enjoyment.

This one is sort of a spin off from my recent post about essential "butt rock" music.

Who do you think was the best "butt rock" band.

As always, if you choose "Other" please comment with your choice. Thanks. Enjoy!

Man Sues Airline and Wins!

zTruth posted this article about a man who forced to cover up his tee shirt because it has Arabic writing on it.

Apparently this guy sued the airline and won $240,000.

I say good for him and good for the ACLU.

That is just ridiculous. Making someone remove their shirt because it has foreign language text on it? Come on! Serves the airline right for that crap!

Let's look at this from the other side of the coin. How would you feel if, as an American, you were visiting, for example, Saudi Arabia and upon trying to board a plane back to the states were told to remove your tee shirt because it said something like God Bless the USA or something to that effect? You would be screaming for some one's head.

I say if an Arab-American is proud of his heritage and wants to wear a tee shirt in support of that heritage, NOBODY has the right to tell him otherwise. And the whole thing about making the others on the plane feel uncomfortable, those morons just need to get over themselves!

Essential Butt Rock

I am not sure exactly where I first heard the term "butt rock" but it is basically just a term used to describe the hard rock acts of the 1980s and early 1990s. Another term I think these bands got stapled with was glam rock although not all of them were technically glam rock. In any case, it is a pretty big list and I actually could probably come up with more but I thought I would stop with what I had and I could always add more later if I wanted to.

In any case, here is my list of Essential Butt Rock Songs. Enjoy!

1. 18 and Life (Skid Row) Skid Row 
   
2. Alone Again (Dokken) Tooth and Nail 
   
3. Always There For You (Stryper) In God We Trust 
   
4. Bathroom Wall (Faster Pussycat) Faster Pussycat 
   
5. Big City Nights (Scorpions) Love at First Sting 
   
6. Bringin on the Heartbreak (Def Leppard) High n Dry 
   
7. Calling On You (Stryper) To Hell With the Devil 
   
8. Cherry Pie (Warrant) Cherry Pie 
   
9. Civil War (Guns N Roses) Use Your Illusion 2 
   
10. Don't Cry (Guns N Roses) Use Your Illusion 1 
    
11. Don't Know What You Got (Cinderella) Long Cold Winter 
    
12. Dream Warriors (Dokken) Back for the Attack 
    
13. Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison) Open Up and Say...Ahh! 
    
14. Fool for Your Loving (Whitesnake) Slip of the Tongue 
    
15. Girls Girls Girls (Motley Crue) Girls Girls Girls 
    
16. Gypsy Road (Cinderella) Long Cold Winter 
    
17. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad (Def Leppard) Adrenalize 
    
18. Here I Go Again (Whitesnake) Whitesnake 
    
19. Home Sweet Home (Motley Crue) Theater of Pain 
    
20. Hot Love (Twisted Sister) Love is for Suckers 
    
21. I Remember You (Skid Row) Skid Row 
    
22. I Wanna Rock (Twisted Sister) Stay Hungry 
    
23. I Want Action (Poison) Look What the Cat Dragged In 
    
24. In God We Trust (Stryper) In God We Trust 
    
25. In My Dreams (Dokken) Under Lock and Key 
    
26. Into the Fire (Dokken) Tooth and Nail 
    
27. Is This Love? (Whitesnake) Whitesnake 
    
28. It's My Life (Bon Jovi) Crush 
    
29. Little Fighter (White Lion) Big Game 
    
30. Livin on a Prayer (Bon Jovi) Slippery When Wet 
    
31. Looks That Kill (Motley Crue) Shout at the Devil 
    
32. Madalaine (Winger) Winger 
    
33. No One Like You (Scorpions) Blackout 
    
34. Nobody's Fool (Cinderella) Night Songs 
    
35. Nothing But a Good Time (Poison) Open Up and Say...Ahh! 
    
36. November Rain (Guns N Roses) Use Your Illusion 1 
    
37. Paris is Burning (Dokken) Breaking the Chains 
    
38. Photograph (Def Leppard) Pyromania 
    
39. Promises (Def Leppard) Euphoria 
    
40. Rock You Like a Hurricane (Scorpions) Love at First Sting 
    
41. Round and Round (RATT) Out of the Cellar 
    
42. Runaway (Bon Jovi) Bon Jovi 
    
43. Seventeen (Winger) Winger 
    
44. Shake Me (Cinderella) Night Songs 
    
45. Shout at the Devil (Motley Crue) Shout at the Devil 
    
46. Slide It In (Whitesnake) Slide It In 
    
47. Soldiers Under Command (Stryper) Soldiers Under Command 
    
48. Somebody Save Me (Cinderella) Night Songs 
    
49. Something to Believe In (Poison) Flesh and Blood 
    
50. Still Loving You (Scorpions) Love at First Sting 
    
51. Still of the Night (Whitesnake) Whitesnake 
    
52. Sweet Child O Mine (Guns N Roses) Appetite for Destruction 
    
53. Talk Dirty To Me (Poison) Look What the Cat Dragged In 
    
54. The Final Countdown (Europe) The Final Countdown 
    
55. To Be With You (Mr. Big) Lean Into It 
    
56. To Hell With the Devil (Stryper) To Hell With the Devil 
    
57. Too Fast for Love (Motley Crue) Too Fast for Love 
    
58. Too Young to Fall in Love (Motley Crue) Shout at the Devil 
    
59. Tooth and Nail (Dokken) Tooth and Nail 
    
60. Uncle Tom's Cabin (Warrant) Cherry Pie 
    
61. Wait (White Lion) Pride 
    
62. Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi) Slippery When Wet 
    
63. Wasted Time (Skid Row) Slave to the Grind 
    
64. We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister) Stay Hungry 
    
65. When the Children Cry (White Lion) Pride 
    
66. You Could Be Mine (Guns N Roses) Use Your Illusion 2 
    
67. Youth Gone Wild (Skid Row) Skid Row 
    

Essential Washington Albums

Here is a list of albums that have been released by recording artists, bands, etc..that are based out of Washington state.

1. Before Everything & After (MxPx)
   
2. Black Lines to Battlefields (Acceptance)
   
3. Bleach (Nirvana)
   
4. Demon Hunter (Demon Hunter)
   
5. Dirt (Alice in Chains)
   
6. Facelift (Alice in Chains)
   
7. Foo Fighters (Foo Fighters)
   
8. I'm Only a Man (Emery)
   
9. In Utero (Nirvana)
   
10. Operation Mindcrime (Queensryche)
    
11. Panic (MxPx)
    
12. Phantoms (Acceptance)
    
13. Singles (Melvins)
    
14. Superunknown (Soundgarden)
    
15. Swass (Sir Mix-a-Lot)
    
16. Ten (Pearl Jam)
    
17. Ten Years and Running (MxPx)
    
18. The CD Version of the First Two Records (Bikini Kill)
    
19. The Essential Heart (Heart)
    
20. The Question (Emery)
    
21. Vs (Pearl Jam)
    

Essential Albums of the 1980s

Here is one off the beaten path. Not a specific band. Not even a specific label. But a specific era.

This is a list of Essential Albums that were released in the 1980s. Enjoy!

1. 1984 (Van Halen)
   
2. 5150 (Van Halen)
   
3. Among the Living (Anthrax)
   
4. Back in Black (AC/DC)
   
5. Beauty and the Beat (The Go-Gos)
   
6. Bleach (Nirvana)
   
7. Boy (U2)
   
8. British Steel (Judas Priest)
   
9. Document (R.E.M.)
   
10. Doolittle (Pixies)
    
11. Fugazi (Fugazi)
    
12. Generic Flipper (Flipper)
    
13. Heartbeat City (The Cars)
    
14. Holy Diver (Dio)
    
15. Love at First Sting (Scorpions)
    
16. Master of Puppets (Metallica)
    
17. Milo Goes to College (Descendents)
    
18. Minor Threat (Minor Threat)
    
19. Momentary Lapse of Reason (Pink Floyd)
    
20. No Control (Bad Religion)
    
21. Operation Mindcrime (Queensryche)
    
22. Somewhere in Time (Iron Maiden)
    
23. Sonic Temple (The Cult)
    
24. South of Heaven (Slayer)
    
25. Surfer Rosa (Pixies)
    
26. Synchronicity (Police)
    
27. The Joshua Tree (U2)
    
28. The Unforgettable Fire (U2)
    
29. Third Stage (Boston)
    
30. To Hell With the Devil (Stryper) 
    
31. Violent Femmes (Violent Femmes)
    

Another Top Superhero Films List

I have tackled this subject a few times myself. Here is Moviefone's take on it.

• Superman II
  
• Incredibles
  
• Batman (1989)
  
• Superman
  
• X-Men
  
• Spider-Man
  
• X2
  
• Iron Man
  
• Batman Begins
  
• Spider-Man II
  

Here is my list on the same subject (although I only have the Top 9 - darn Top 10ers! LoL!)

Interestingly enough, Moviefone and I share many of the same movies in our Top 10 list. X2 was okay, but not good enough for my list and Spider-Man 2 being at the top of their list I will never understand. The folks at Moviefone of course list theirs in order of preference which I rarely do. I do not like to show favoritism in my comic book movies (with the exception of Batman Begins that is). But how Spider-Man 2 is a better movie than its prequel is bad enough but saying that it is a better movie than Batman Begins?!? They have got to be kidding!

Speaking of which, if I were to update my list, I would probably end up taking one off my list and replacing with with The Dark Knight. I am not sure which of my current list I would replace though. Perhaps Superman Returns.

Interesting post script here (well sort of a post script). Moviefone also listed the Top 10 Worst Superhero Movies:

• Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Yeah, that was a pretty horrible movie.
  
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen I was not really aware that this was a super-hero movie per se but it wasn't all that great a movie. Probably not deserving of the title worst.
  
• The Punisher (2004) Absolutely disagree with them! The Dolph Lundgren version was way worse and did not make this list. In fact in this article, the writer actually says that the Dolph Lundgren version is "Superman compared to the 2004 version." Whoever wrote this one was obviously drunk!
  
• Daredevil Yeah, this was pretty awful too.
  
• Supergirl Once again, I will have to agree
  
• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Yup
  
• Ghost Rider Uh-huh
  
• Elektra Never seen it but if it is a spin-off of Daredevil, probably isn't Oscar potential.
  
• Batman & Robin Pretty crummy movie. Shameful for the franchise.
  
• Catwoman Never seen this one either but heard terrible things about it.