The Weekend Starts Here...

Book Review: The Principle of The Path

2011-06-25T07:51:00.003-05:00

Title: The Principle of The Path
Author: Andy Stanley
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Rating: ***** (5 Stars)

Self-help books are a dime a dozen. I’m sure this isn’t news to anyone, so wading through the useless, over-obvious or the more dangerous, complete fallacies, is a skill in and of itself. I can’t believe how often I hear about well meaning Christian friends who get caught up in the Eckhart Tolles or and take those concepts as an addendum to their Christian walk or completely disregard the faith of their childhood for a new more fashionable and less “restricting” faith fad.

This book will probably not become Oprah’s book-club pick, nor will it likely gain the worldwide attention that Eckhart Tolle’s books have, but it should. Andy Stanley has captured a principle so important and vital to our lives that it can’t be ignored and if you read this book, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree.

The thing about principles is this, a principle is a principle whether you know it (and how to apply it’s rules) or not. You don’t need to know a principle exists in order for it to work or to benefit or be affected by the outcome. The principle applies it’s rules to the situation regardless of how you respond. The best example of this in the book is when Andy refers to Archimedes’ principle that “…any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.” This principle exists whether you know it or not, just ask any child who saw a pool full of people swimming, decided it looked like fun, jumped in and immediately sank to the bottom! The child hadn’t been taught the principle of buoyancy, but if he/she had learned what Archimedes knew about floatation AND (the most important part) applied it to his/her situation, their outcome would be much different and more enjoyable!

So, what if we could know the outcome of every situation and how to apply the principle of the path to every aspect of our lives. According to Stanley, we have already fallen victim or conquered situations in our lives by inadvertently applying the rules of the principle of the path or ignoring them. Andy Stanley’s conversational approach to this concept affords an easy (but no less informational) read about improving every aspect of our life by understanding that no matter what decision we make, we are on a path and our decision has the potential to alter that path for the good or the not-so-good.

Take the time, read the book and enjoy Andy’s relaxed and matter-of-fact writing style. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and I know you’ll be the better for it. A very highly recommended book.

Book Review: Couples Who Pray by Suire Rushnell & Louise DuART

2011-06-10T23:01:00.002-05:00

Title: Couples Who Pray
Author: Squire Rushnell & Louise DuART
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Couples Who Pray: The Most Intimate Act Between A Man and a Woman

This book intrigued me because it listed quite a few celebrity couples such as Denzel & Pauletta Washington, Donna Summer and Bruce Sudano as well as Scott and Tracie Hamilton. The reason for my intrigue was two-fold. I wanted to know how and why these people were involved in this book and secondly, and maybe even a little skeptically, I wanted to know if this book was just an attempt to cash in on the wave of pseudo spirituality that Oprah’s camp seems to capitalize on. Do you want to know my thoughts? Read on…

The book plain and simply makes a good case of the need for prayer in a marriage. I wholeheartedly agree. Although often repetitive, the book makes a good argument that not many could argue with even if you were looking at this from a purely “Spiritual” or worldly meditative perspective. At the very root of it all, the act of prayer is intimate; involving your marital partner in honest and heartfelt prayer can only improve your relationship.

If I have any issues with this book it would be that there were times I couldn’t relate to some of the stories from the couples. In particular, a story comes to mind where one couple talks about a discussion they had in a casino while they were on vacation. This bothered me slightly, as a born-again Christian, I was always taught that gambling is wrong so I left this story a little confused. My only other complaint about this book would be that it comes off just a little too watered down for my tastes. I understand the need to appeal to a mainstream audience, but I’m afraid there’s not enough meat for the Christian audience and quite possibly just a little too much for a complete non-Christian to stay engaged until the end.

The perfect audience for this book would be an engaged or newly wed couple with a background in the church. Maybe they’ve slipped away during their college years or haven’t really committed themselves to their faith. For those who have been married and grown up in the church, there are probably better places to spend your money.

Book Review: Jesus Calling - 365 Devotions For Kids

2010-12-08T21:03:00.002-06:00

Title: Jesus Calling 365 Devotions For Kids
Author: Sarah Young
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Devotional books for kids are tricky. Where do you draw the line between age groups? What is appropriate for one age group isn’t always understood or even appropriate for children a few years younger or older. Jesus Calling is a beautiful hardcover modern book of brief but poignant devotionals for kids aged 10 and up. The tone is upbeat, funky and directed towards slowing down and listening to God speak. Some of the topics include; feeling afraid, the importance of prayer, Heaven, the beauty of creation and God’s unchanging love. The book is well designed in a web 2.0 style with sparse, but smart imagery and a great color scheme. Each daily devotion is dated and includes an opening scripture verse, a short dialogue and a few “read on your own” passages that pertain to the text. I suggest ages 10 years and up for this as the concepts (although they aren’t culturally advanced), may just go over the head of younger children. Writer Sarah Young does a great job putting concepts in terms for this age and it is refreshing to see a non-licensed, tie-in product that just exists for what it is. This would make a fanastic keep-sake devotional for Christmas, birthdays or an anytime gift!

Ever Wonder About the Scads of Cheap Earphones & Earbuds You See?

2010-09-13T22:13:00.002-05:00

Here's a great article from Engadget about what you're really buying when you pick up a pair of SkullyCandy or any of the similiar earbuds out there.

Book Review: The Money Answer Book

2010-08-04T16:49:00.004-05:00

Title: The Money Answer Book
Author: David Ramsey
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

In A Nutshell: Clear, concise questions and answers in a direct, no-nonsense approach from a renowned and well respected financial expert.

Ever had a question about your finances and wish someone you could actually trust was around to answer it? Not like a bank or credit advisor, often even family members or relatives have skewed advice or old fashioned wisdom for the way we should handle our own finances.

At 26 years of age, David Ramsey experienced fortune to the tune of a four million dollar real estate portfolio and lost it by the age of 30. Years later, he restored his financial status and now through his nationally syndicated call-in radio show, dispenses financial wisdom daily to millions of listeners.
Now with his new book, the Money Answer Book, you can have Dave Ramsey’s sound financial advice in your purse, computer bag or backpack! Dave has taken all the toughest and most popular questions regarding money, budgeting, credit cards, mortgages, loans and bankruptcy and compiled them into an amazing little book. The most important aspect of this book is that it is written in short, question and answer style divided by topic and chapter. The delivery is what everyone comes to expect and love about Dave Ramsey, no nonsense, honest and to the point.

If there was ever a starting point to getting control of your money and beginning a better financial future, it’s with this new book by David Ramsey, The Money Answer Book.

Book Review: The Map By David Murrow

2010-04-21T09:54:00.005-05:00

Title: The Map
Author: By David Murrow
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

In A Nutshell: Death, Adventure and a sunday-school lesson thrown in for good measure from David Murrow, Author of Why Men Hate Going To Church. A roadmap is found that is said to contain the world's greatest discovery since the dead sea scrolls!

Although I haven't read Murrow's first book Why Men Hate Going To Church, I was familiar with the premise. The Map is a loosely based sequel, although it stands on it's own just fine.

From the first page, the book is a page turner giving the reader a quick briefing on what has happened to the author since the success of his previous book. Things take a quick turn when David meets an odd stranger while speaking at a small church in the UK. From here the book turns mysterious and you begin to wonder if what you are reading is reality or fiction. Without giving much away, I'll say that the adventure ends just over half-way through the book and the author confesses that his adventure was a made-up story. I felt that this detracted from the book in a BIG way and I must admit, I felt a little confused.

Murrow is a great writer in both fiction and non-fiction. But I just couldn't help but be confused by the design of this book. It's almost as if the author felt the need to make up a story so that we would accept his concept of a biblical map for men to follow. While I enjoyed both sides of the book, I would have much preferred The Map to be either a practical non-fiction book or a novel with a possible practical study guide. The split personality concept of this book was just too hard for me to accept.

My Apple Announcement Predictions

2010-01-26T12:34:00.004-06:00

A lot has been speculated about what Apple's next product announcement will reveal. Will it be a tablet, a new phone, both? Since Apple is very tight-lipped about it's announcements, no one really knows what will be shown at tomorrow's press event.

Here's my thoughts on what Apple will announce:

iLife 10 - It's time for an iLife update. At this stage in the game with the rumored tablet, iLife will need to be updated to work properly with the OS running on the tablet (which is reported to be a version of the iPhone OS). I also believe that we will see a version of iLife released to the App store (either for free or a small fee) for the iphone. Since we already have video editing and a decent camera on the iphone, I think Apple will take things to the next level and implement a version of iPhoto (replacing the camera roll) as well as a basic version of iMovie. This would line up with one aspect of the creative element to Apple's press for the announcement.

iPhone OS 4.0 - A major iPhone OS update is needed in order to take advantage of the thousands of apps already available in the App store. To do this and to maintain continuity across their product family, Apple will need to make the tablet and the iPhone play nice together. It wouldn't make sense for them to build a new OS ONLY to exist on the tablet. This is also likely a cost cutting measure for Apple. If the tablet runs on the iPhone OS architecture, it can also utilize lower cost hardware, which in turn keeps the price low(er), which is essential for this product to be a success.

E-BOOKS, E-MAGAZINES, E-NEWSPAPERS OH MY! - The iTunes Store will be updated to become more of an online outlet to sell all forms of Newspapers, magazines and digital books with subscription models for magazines and newspapers. So, you'll pick up your tablet in the morning and read the New York Times or your Time Magazine subscription will come full color (ads included) every other week to your device and be ready to read whenever you wish. The tablet will be front and center as the preferred device to read and view these publications on with it's large multi-touch screen, but more than likely this will also apply to the iPhone as well. If these new digital books, magazines and newspapers are in the iTunes store they will almost definitely be available on your iPhone with the ability to share between devices. Just one more reason for apple to make things universal across the iphone and tablet OS's.

The Tablet - So much has been said about this, I'm almost afraid to put my own opinion out there! I disagree with a lot of what TWIT and MacBreak Weekly are saying about this.

Here are my own opinions on what will make up the tablet.

Multiple Tablet Models - This product will be dead at the gate if it exists solely as a carrier subsidized product (meaning that you purchase it on a contract just like your cell phone.) Forums all over the internet are rife with people stating they will not purchase a product (no matter how great it is, if it requires a contract and monthly fee). So I believe there will be a high end model for 3G networks which makes for instant purchase and delivery of books/magazines/newspapers (see next bulletpoint), available on a subscription plan, likely with an OLED screen (which, is less battery intensive than traditional LCDs) as well as a more basic model with wifi and a traditional LCD screen offered as a one time purchase. NOW....Here's the clincher! I'm going to predict that the high end model of the tablet will be offered at a lower initial price than the basic model simply because the high end tablet will be subsidized by a Cellular company, so if you're paying for it over a 2 or 3 year contract, the initial price will be lower. This will make all the gadget freaks think long and hard about the extra bells and whistles that Apple may sink into this higher end tablet before they make their decision and may be the best way for Apple to persuade customers into another long term contract.
Stereo Speakers - This is a no brainer. Need I say more?
Single Docking Port - There have been rumours that the tablet will include two docking ports for landscape and portrait mode. I don't think Steve's minimalist personality would allow for two ports (which could potentially create repair issues down the road) I believe the tablet will feature a landscape docking port. My reason is that pictures in portrait mode will still be viewable, you can still turn the device sideways and view content in portrait mode, but I believe that 3rd party docks, and potentially any new devices that will utilize the tablet as a control interface (if this becomes a possibility) will use the tablet in native (landscape mode).
Two Wireless Receivers - Wifi (for the basic model) and 3G for the subsidized model.
Ports - No USB or firewire ports.
Web Access - There will be the same basic internet functionality available in the iPhone such as Youtube, Email, Safari etc. Apple will not make this device without the same internet functionality as the iPhone.
Style - The tablet will feature the same style as the iMacs and current line of Macbooks. Glass and metal with a glowing mac symbol on the back.

Whatever happens, It'll be a major milestone for the company and a huge game changer in a variety of ways. I'll be watching for sure. What are your thoughts?

Bluetooth Headset Nightmares & Reviews

2009-11-15T17:34:00.009-06:00

Sharper Image Headset

Price: $29.99

Battery Life: 5-8 hrs talktime / 150-180 hrs standby

Range: 3 FEET (according to manual)

So I've been on a mission to find a decent bluetooth headset these last few weeks. I started out going cheap ($20-$30.00) range and ended up with a very small model from Sharper Image. This headset is packaged VERY impressively (in the same style as the high end jawbone headsets) with heavy plastic cubes displaying the tiny headset on the top and 4 small screws holding the box together (the box actually requires a tiny screwdriver to open).

This headset is literally not much bigger than my thumbprint. The entire piece is less than an inch in length and appears quite high-end looking. The button on the front at first glance looks like it's made from light metal. When you touch it, you'll be disappointed to discover that it's made from light silver plastic and jiggles around when you put your finger on it.

There was really nothing on the outer box that suggested range or battery longevity (that should have been my first clue to stay away!). Inside however, the specs were laid out. Battery life was typical of most headsets 5-8 hours talktime and (150-180 standby). The most shocking spec. though was the range (distance that you can use the headset from your phone). The range on the sharper image bluetooth headset was 3 FEET!!

I didn't actually read all this until after I cracked open the package and charged the unit up. Unfortunatly, I never experienced this headset functioning on my iPhone 3GS as it would not pair with the headset. I tried several times (powering down the phone, turning off bluetooth mode and turning off headset). After contacting Sharper Image Technical Support (which is AlcaTel). I was asked to ship the unit back to Sharper Image (pay shipping) and they would send me out a new, more compatible model. It seems I wasn't the first customer to have this problem!

After pairing the headset with my wife's LG Shine, I found the audio quality to be very low, with significant delay and I also noticed that holding the phone in my hand straight away from the earpiece gave so much static that it all but disconnected the phonecall. So, I've learned my lesson. No longer will I be swept away by small, tiny and cute little tech gadgets from kitschy executive toy companys.

Once I returned the Sharper Image model (Against the Store's policy)I went across the street to our local mall and checked out the "Cell Booth" kiosk which sells phones from all cellular phone companies and offers a pretty decent selection of accessories. At this point, I realized I was going to have to raise the bar a little bit and probably spend a little more money if I wanted to stay away from the cheap little bluetooth models with the interchangeable plastic faceplates and crappy designs...

Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435a
Price: $49.99
Battery Life: 8 hrs talktime / 180 hrs standby
Range: 10 METERS (according to manual)

So I walked out with this model from Sony Ericsson. A very nice over-the-ear style headset (almost like a traditional hearing aid) with great rubberized arm for bending around your ear and an earpiece that swivels in about an 80degree angle to accommodate a comfortable placement inside your ear. Typically, from what I've read online, this headset retails for a lot more in a lot of places. And, my particular box had been repriced 3 times with a starting price of $149.99. So I figured I was getting a significantly higher quality headset. The unit charged in 2 hours and paired instantly with my iPhone. I made a quick phonecall and recieved a call with no problem. The controls are a little tricky to get used to since the buttons are located at the top of your ear. But sound quality was very good. Actually, impressive. There was no delay and noise cancellation was beautiful. I was thrilled. Until it dropped it's first call.

I was sitting at home and had the headset out and my phone rang. So I put the headset on and answered the call. We talked for a few minutes and with no warning, the headset stopped responding and I realized that the headset had not turned off, but had reverted back to my iPhone. I continued the call with the handset and just chalked it up to a fluke. Later on, while I was with my kids at the Santa Claus parade, I experienced exactly the same thing. A few minutes in and the audio goes out and goes back to the handset. So, back to the kiosk we go.

Nokia BH900

Price: $49.99

Battery Life: 8 hrs talktime / 180 hrs standby

Range: 10 METERS (according to manual)

Back we went to the kiosk. After really liking the quality and style of the Sony Ericsson model, I was really tempted to just exchange for the same headset. But, I didn't want to risk having the same issues with a new headset. So I opted this time for a slightly larger headset from Nokia. The BH900. This retailed originally for $99.99. It features a sliding boom mic and the headset itself hangs over your ear without sitting inside. I am not a fan of this particular style, so right off the bat I was apprehensive. The size was a bit of an issue too. This is not the small headset that I've been attracted to. This unit looks more like a mouse gnawing on your ear. As much as I'd like to tell you how the unit performed, I can't. When I plugged the headset in to charge, I got a green light. According to the manual I should have seen a red flashing light indicating charge mode. After more than two hours of being plugged in, I still had a green light. I unplugged the headset and pushed the power button. Nothing. I tried replugging in the headset, tried a new outlet, nothing. I was able to get a flashing green light if I plugged the headset in and pushed the power button. But as soon as I unplugged the headset, it went dead.

So, now I am 0 for 3. I am considering going for another price boost (to $99.00). I will post more on this story as I try to find a working and decent functioning bluetooth headset.

Brabus Motorcycle!

2009-11-09T11:33:00.007-06:00

Brabus is a company that specializes in tuning already amazing cars (Maybachs, Mercedes) and making them even more amazing (But mostly faster). Lately, they have expanded into pimping out luxury yachts and specialized vehicles (law enforcement or mobile offices for the elite). But I was very surprised to see this parked at my local Starbucks.

As it turns out, the bike's owner is runs an ad agency. The agency was contacted to do some creative marketing for the Brabus company. The campaign centred around a vehicle that brabus would never manufacture. And so this bike was created. Apparently, the only one in existence. With a top speed of 300 mph.

I captured these pictures with my iPhone. The owner is a fan of Brabus products (and owns others). I didn't get too indepth taking pictures with the bike (and blurred the owners license plates). But it has a very "naked" design concept. Bare handlebars and foot operated break pedals. Speedometer is mounted between the oversized (but necessary) gas tank and the handlebars. Everything is made out of carbon fibre. Also, not in the picture is a Nitrous Oxide cannister on the ride side of the bike near where the rider's knees would be.

Any readers with knowledge of these types of bikes are welcome to comment. I really don't know a lot more about this particular bike (engine size or actual horsepower). I only got to chat with the owner a few minutes. But I did get to hear him start the bike and pull out of the parkinglot. The engine sounded much like a tuned Ferarri or Porsche revving at high RPM's. Not throaty and deep like a harley and not high pitched or whiney like a japanese crotch rocket. Very much in between.

That's all I got. Hope to see some comments and thoughts.

Marley Coffee

2009-07-03T14:31:00.006-05:00

I came across something the other day that nearly melted my brain! Readers of this blog (if there are any left!) probably already know of my love for all styles of music (although Reggae is pretty dear to me) and you definitely know of my coffee addiction and love for all kinds of new and different coffees. Well, this changes EVERYTHING!

It turns out that Rohan Marley, a child of Reggae Legend Bob Marley has opened his very own plantation under the Marley name. "The Marley Estate sits atop the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, long revered as the region with the world’s most desirable coffee beans. Rohan remembers his grandmother drying their wild coffee berries in the sun, hulling and roasting them for her own cup of coffee each morning. Marley Coffee is determined to deliver that same intoxicating aroma and rich, smooth flavor into every cup that bears the Marley name. Marley Coffee offers a unique line of single origin and blended coffees. We produce and source the finest beans from the top growing regions in the world; Blue Mountain Jamaica, Central America, Indonesia and the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe. Our ITAL Coffee's are certified organic and sustainably grown." - www.marleycoffee.com

WHAT?!! I can buy coffee from Bob Marley's son? How crazy is that? To say that I'm excited about this is a grand understatement. We are planning to order some this week!

Rohan Marley currently offers five different blends each with unique names all befitting of coffee from the estate of Jamaica's most famous!

Jammin' Java Organic Bold Full City Roast."Sultry, smoky, sweet, and yet unexpectedly smooth brew will leave you wanting more. Full bodied with traces of earthy overtones, dark chocolate berries that produce a zingy acidity and rich lingering finish." - www.marleycoffee.comMystic Morning Wakeup Medium Roast. "This rich but snappy coffee is medium to full bodied with wonderful acidity. Aromas and tastes of cocoa, spice, cedar, cinnamon and cooked pumpkin gives you the perfect morning kick." - www.marleycoffee.com

One Love Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. "From the birthplace of coffee, One Love’s floral aromas unfold with hints of blueberry, cocoa and spice with a medium body and bright acidity. It tantalizes the palette leaving a profound cherry finish." - www.marleycoffee.com

Lively Up! 5 Bean Organic Espresso Blend. "Our exquisite 5-bean espresso is dynamically balanced and rich in body. Its dense, abundant taste leaves a long, savory finish with flavors of cocoa, candied fruit and buttery caramel notes. Enjoy as espresso, drip or press." - www.marleycoffee.com

Simmer Down Organic Swiss Water Decaf. "Aromas of cocoa, nutmeg, star anise and spices of the West Indies fill this cup. Simmer Down reveals chocolate, and smoky tastes with great body and mild acidity leaving a peppery finish." - www.marleycoffee.com

If you're a music fan or coffee drinker, you owe it to yourself to check this out! If you get some before I do, Please!!! post a comment with your review on the coffee you purchased and what it was like! As soon as we get our order I will be putting a full review of each blend on this blog.

Stay tuned! In the meantime, if you'd like to order some Marley Coffee click on the links to go directly to their online store!

1500 Records and a New Blog...

2009-01-17T16:26:00.004-06:00

For those who don't know. I started this year without my Dad. He passed away boxing day (december 26, 2008). It was very unexpected and he was quite young (at 60) to leave us so soon. However, we were very blessed to spend quality time with him throughout the Christmas season and as a family who trusts in God, we also rest knowing that he is now without pain and suffering and that someday we will see him again.

I have recently begun the arduous task of converting my Dad's vinyl collection of over 1500 titles onto CD/Hard drive. I started this last night figuring that it would take me most of this year due to my schedule and family responsibilities. I came across a few gems that I would like to post here. So I will begin posting some of his old Southern Gospel and a few of his classical/Orchestra albums on this blog.

Keep your RSS reader locked to that blog for albums as I complete them.

More on this later.

Jeff.

Muppet Kits At FAO Schwartz!!!

2008-12-05T10:34:00.003-06:00

Just noticed this via one of my favorite tech/gadget blogs. Starting in February, F.A.O. Schwartz will allow you to design and create your very own Muppet! Using either the online Muppet creator (at F.A.O. Schwartz beginning in February 2009) or in the form of a workbook/kit, you will be able to choose from physical features (nose, eyes, hair, clothing, body shape, head, etc.) and make a unique muppet character that you can either have shipped (3-5 Weeks) or you can take your gift card to the F.A.O. Schwartz store in New York City and have it made on the spot! At only 130.00, for a 16" rod and arm muppet, this is pretty amazing! I think I will have to add a custom muppet to my collection in the new year!

Reuben Turns Into The Hulk

2008-11-17T14:11:00.001-06:00

iPhone Observations

2008-08-06T11:44:00.004-05:00

After a couple weeks, I have a few things to say about the iPhone. First, Apple nailed it with the world's best convergence device. Let's be honest. It's a phone, but it does so much more. I find myself thinking of it as a tablet computer. In fact, I sometimes get frustrated when I can't do things I can normally do on my powerbook and then I have to remind myself that it's my phone?!

The Camera...
The camera takes great pictures for a 2MP camera, and better still, the iPhone's display shows the pictures off like they were taken on a high end SLR. Beautiful color, great clarity. I have found myself resorting to this camera more often than Carolann's 7MP Sony.

The GPS...
The fact that Apple saw fit to include this in the 3G was special. This little GPS receiver kicks serious tale! I have put it to the test numerous times and found it to be 100% on the nose every time. Since TomTom and TeleNav have already made waves in the press stating that they are already running versions of their voice navigated GPS software on the iPhone. Rumours of Apple's major OS update (2.1) on the iPhone suggest that it will add directional awareness to the Maps application which would make this a very viable reality. Apple is really going to put a large dent into the dedicated GPS market when something running on their phone is equally as good, not to mention all the extra integrated features that come along with the iPhone.

The Phone...
I haven't noticed much in the way of any big improvements over the actual phone itself. It is very clear sounding, has nice tone and great noise cancelling...but so did my Blackberry 8100. What I am missing so far in this department is voice dialing....which is kind of a novelty, but is really handy when I am rocking a bluetooth headset. The bluetooth side of the phone is genius. Apple has added a prompt when the phone rings (if your Bluetooth headset is activated) that asks you if you would like to take the call on your headset, speakerphone or on the phone itself. This is genius for anyone who has woken up to the phone ringing and grabbed the phone and yelled "Hello...HELLO" into the phone only to see the headset flashing away on the nightstand.

I WOULD like a slightly louder ringer, but I imagine this could be fixed with a different ringtone as well. The other issue I have is I am not overly impressed by having to purchase my ringtones in the Apple Store. I expect an app to come along shortly to alleviate this. I was able to make a pile of pretty sick ringtones on my blackberry using Audacity and just add them whenever I felt the need.

Battery...
It just plain sucks compared to most smartphones. My Blackberry 8100 would forever even with heavy usage. However, the iPhone has packed a ton of new (very power intensive) features that the BB 8100 didn't have, and so for this, I can mostly forgive the battery issues.

The iPod...
Brilliant. Wide screen movies look stunning, music sounds great and I love having a spare 8gig ipod along with my 80gig Classic in case I have to step out of the house and the kids are falling to sleep listening to the lullaby playlist. Only one added feature I would like to see here....The ability to purchase songs on 3G through the Music store. Currently, you have to be connected to Wifi.

Now....Here's what I would love to see for Apps...

Wifi/MAP Mashup...
I would love an app that whenever a wifi network is detected, it would prompt me (or do it automatically) to save it's location (GPS coordinates) on a map so that the next time I am in that particular neighbourhood, I could pull up the Wifi overlay and see where all of the open Wifi networks are located. Brilliant? Yes.

A.D.D'ers Lifesaver...
Since you can already pull up a contacts address info and view it on the map from your contacts list, how about an application that allows you to enter an appointment into iCal (with complete address information and time of appointment) and have iCal display a reminder that notices your current GPS coordinates and the coordinates of your appointment destination and then tells you...."You have an appointment at __________ location, In order to be on time, you must leave in 5,10,15 minutes...or RIGHT NOW!". I can see this saving my bacon many times over!

Any thoughts?

Leapfrog Didj Educational Gaming Console

2008-07-08T12:29:00.003-05:00

Leapfrog has just released the latest and greatest gadget for edutaining your 6-10yr old kids. The Leapfrog Didj Console looks pretty substantial and has great possibilities when it comes to long trips and times when you prefer not to put your kids in front of a movie or traditional game console. Leapfrog has always produced high end products with great ideas at the outset, but sometimes abandons the product line too soon, ending in frustration for parents attemping to pick out a new title for their obsolete product. The Leapfrog Didj connects via USB to your Mac or PC through the Leapfrog Connect service so that kids can customize games and interact in different ways. Time will tell if the availability of cartridges and range of supporting software proves this to be an outstanding product instead of a nice idea. I've contacted Leapfrog for a demo, As soon as I get a hands on, I'll post a greater review.

Jeff.

Jim Houser Speaks After Steven Curtis Chapman's Tragic Loss

2008-06-14T00:35:00.000-05:00

I still regularly check Jim Houser's blog for updates on the Chapman family to see how they are doing and progressing in trying to cope with the loss of such an incredibly beautiful and vibrant little girl. Here are 2 interviews (in 3 parts) and a brief look into Jim's role and how the Chapman's are clinging to God through this time. These were recorded very shortly after Maria Sue's death.

Part 1 - Jim Houser Interview

Part 2 - Jim Houser Interview

2nd Interview With Jim Houser

L3 Communications

2008-06-11T14:00:00.001-05:00

A new development in the Car PC situation. We were driving through town yesterday and I noticed a business in one of the more industrial sections of town that looked oddly familiar...at least the signage and logo did. The sign said L3 and it had a familiar circular logo. I completely forgot about it until later that night when I did a search online for the company. Not believing my eyes, I went over and grabbed the flat panel screen and PC that I had purchased on ebay and couldn't believe it. The company that made the computer and flat panel I had purchased (randomly) from Ebay had an office right in our town of 19,000 people!

So, I hopped in the car and paid them a visit! I showed up around 4pm yesterday, was not able to get in the front door (it was locked) so I went to the side and someone answered and I began my story of needing 2 power cables for the panel and the PC. He explained that their office only handled aerospace systems (supporting Trenton's military base) and that I would need to get a hold of the office in Mississauga. He also directed me to two other electronics supply businesses in a nearby city that could help. He was really friendly (much more so than the woman who answered the phone and told me unless I was an agency that I would not be getting help from them).

Anyway, this week I will be taking the computer into an electronics supply store to look into getting a proprietary power cable for the monitor and flat panel.

Stay tuned!

That's What She Said...

2008-06-11T00:23:00.003-05:00

On friday Emily babysat for us while my wife Carolann and I went out for a much needed daytrip to Kingston just to get away from the house and see some different scenery. We were passing by a city park/field. Our conversation went like this.

C: WHAT ARE THEY DOING??!

Me: Who?

C: Them (pointing to football players in full uniform, playing....football)

Me: Uhh, They're playing football

C: WHAT? IT'S JUNE!!!

2008-06-05T13:18:00.002-05:00

To mark my Car PC project, instead of setting up a whole new blog, I have decided to tag my posts more carefully and keep the traffic coming to one place. Of course, my ADD brain could have this idea without a flood of grander ideas on how best to visually seperate Car PC posts from ADD Parenting posts to Recommendation Posts....So here's the first of some headers that I will use from now on to visually divide the topics on this blog. Nothing overly fancy...Just functional.

Two 2 Year olds, a 4 Year old Boy and a 6 Year old Girl...Yes we are familiar with the Magic Eraser.

2008-06-04T20:23:00.010-05:00

One day during naptime, I all of the sudden realized that A...it was just past the time when the twin tornadoes should be arousing from their glorious two hour morning respite...I mean naptime and B) it was very very quiet. So I went upstairs and discover this....

And this...

Yea....and this...

Now....Where's that blue crayon.

Maria Sue Chapman

2008-06-02T06:10:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since my last post...I seem to be saying that a lot. But it just occured to me that my last post was the day Maria Sue Chapman was killed tragically in the family's driveway in Tennessee. Without sounding over-dramatic, that hit home pretty hard for us. Our daughter Mabel-Kate is a year older than Maria Sue and I just can't imagine the pain and loss that family is experiencing. I have been keeping up with Jim houser (Steven's manager) by reading his blog. He has daily contact with the Chapman's and writes a little about what it's like for them right now. Actually, Jim's blog was the only outlet the press had for quotes or information about Maria's death.

I've also been going back through some of Steven's video blog which has some great and funny glimpses into live with the Chapmans and insights into songs, staff members and lots of videos about kids! I have included a very relevant intro to the song Cinderella. I think given recent events, it ties in well. Also, an acoustic version of the song Cinderella.

Never Underestimate The Power of the Force in a 2 year Old!

2008-05-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in my interview on Jumping Monkeys Episode 46 "The Weekend Starts Here.
I've been having some fun trying to figure out a new nap schedule for the Demolition Twins. This morning around 11am, I scooped them up and attempted to lay them down for naps. As much as I detest them, I bought those cruel Safety First Door handle covers so that once they were able to climb out of their cribs they could not open the door and wander the house. Marley was the first to demonstrate this and Lauren followed soon after. Today started out normal, I gave them half a bottle, laid them down and gave them the speech. "Don't get out of your bed...Stay in your bed please, It's nap time, lay down and go to sleep...etc..." Today, after about an hour of silence, Marley came down stairs proudly holding this in two pieces in her hand. It seems she is on to our tricks and won't be fooled again. Oi.

When Mornings Attack

2008-05-20T12:21:00.004-05:00

This morning was a little nuts. Carolann was working early this morning which meant I was in charge of the morning wake-up call. Since I'm not always 100% intelligent before my first pot of coffee, Things can get interesting when I wake up and attempt to ready the troops.

I got my wake-up call from Mabel-Kate who came in to our room frantically stating that she was going to be late. This is always my worst nightmare, since we're down to only one vehicle until our van gets fixed, this would mean she would be here for the day unless Carolann came home early from work. Neither would be perfect solutions. I leapt out of bed, checked my blackberry for time and immediately flipped out the toaster, popped in some bread and started making her lunch. Carolann had already packed snacks and drink in her lunch bag so I was more than halfway there. I got toast buttered and on a plate and she was happily eating. I checked the clock again, it was only 5 minutes from the last time I looked so I was doing well. Taking a look at MK I noticed that she had a pretty funky hair situation....This was not going to be fun. Do you think I could find a hairbrush? Where did they go? Who doesn't have hairbrushes when they need them? Don't they just give them out at the hospital when you have a baby girl along with the pink hat and mittens? There was no finding a hairbrush and I was surely running out of time, I grabbed a number 4 comb from my hair trimmers (very loose comb) and started combing out her hair. This, did not go well for MK. She recoiled in horror at the sight of the comb and began a fit of rage that would make a spoiled celebrity jealous. It was becoming clear that her hair was not going to cooperate. Dreading that we were going to miss her bus, I checked the clock again and did a doubletake. It was only 7:00am. We had gotten up at 6:30. When exactly.....the time on our kitchen iPod dock, stove clock, microwave and blackberry all started to display different times I can't be sure, but it sure made for an interesting morning.

Well, she was not going to school with tangled hair. I grabbed a towel, shampoo and held an emergency hair wash. She wasn't crazy about this idea either, she laid down on the kitchen counter and I held her head while she alternated between howling and giggling for the next 10 minutes. Finally we got the soap out and towel dried her hair and then went through the equally tramautizing hair drying routine which normally consists of me blow drying her hair with one hand and flipping her hair through my fingers while I pull her hands away and tell her that its almost over. Once it was over, she looked cute and despite our hour of free time, I just got her out to the bus stop stop before the scheduled pick up time.

The Weekend Starts Here on Jumping Monkeys With Leo Laporte & Megan Morrone

2008-05-18T20:43:00.005-05:00

Just thought I'd post a note and let everyone know that the latest episode of Jumping Monkeys is online and available through itunes and I'm in it!

I got the amazing privilege of talking to Leo Laporte from Tech TV (the Screen Savers, Call for Help and now the TWIT podcast network) and Megan Morrone (Tech TV/TWIT) on Jumping Monkeys! We talk about kids, parenting, twins, ADD and technology. So check it out! Full show notes are available at Megan's blog www.jumpingmonkeys.com.

Download the MP3 Here

Canadian Olympic Clothing Revealed....Gangsta

2008-05-18T12:29:00.012-05:00

Ever since Roots, Canada's pride and joy clothier lost the Canadian contract to clothe the Atlhletes, I think the style factor has gone a little downhill. Roots' "Poor Boy" hat from Nagano attracted huge attention to the company and led to the Canadians becoming the style Belles of the ball. I mean, at least...if we can't score medals we can look good while we're losing right?

What exactly the crucial decision making team of hotshots were thinking when they decided that ZELLERS was a worthy successor to design the Canadian's hallowed threads is far beyond me. To be fair, HBC Holdings owns the Bay, Zellers and Home Outfitters. But, let's be honest...none of those companies really embody the height of fashion....do they? This year, however...The collective Canadian Clothing gods have lost their collective minds. Because this year, while the US has upped their game and graduated from Roots to Ralph Lauren (a logical progression), Canada has opted for a fashion that can only be described as......

Well, if the Canadian flag and the fifty dollar bill puked on a gang of thugs from Queen and
Jarvis, you might get a sense for what our glorious athletic peeps will be sportin' while rolling through Beijing's olympic village....Ice Ice Baby.
Is this for real? Are we really going to make our athletes who are representing our country at the World's biggest sporting event go out like this? I mean, check out the white Home Hardware painter's cap that Girl-left is wearing. It comes complete with a dollar-store amber plastic peak! Now that's sexy! And what's up with the Zoolander guy second to the left? The model on the far left in this picture is looking like "Dude, I'm getting paid to be in these clothes for 5 minutes, but you guys aren't getting paid squat and you have to wear them for 2 weeks?! Sorry."

While the US is sporting white Ralph Lauren V-neck sweaters and a more dignified Country Club look and France's athletes will look like they went through wardrobe and makeup, our athletes are going to be the pinnacle of style with the Beijing bloods and crips! Anyone have anything to say about this?

Do You Own A Blackberry?

2008-05-16T14:41:00.005-05:00

There's nice perks to being a blackberry owner! If you go over to www.blackberry.com, signup and click on the owner's lounge, you can get a free 5.00 giftcard from Starbucks! I've been registered at the site for a year now, so the offer is open to new and existing members!

Enjoy!

Make Your Own Poptarts!

2008-05-10T10:51:00.001-05:00

I saw this over at Planet Green. Check it out and make your own poptarts!

Coffee & Technology....What else is there?

2008-05-08T14:25:00.005-05:00

Getting ready for my interview with Leo and Megan Morrone's show Jumping Monkeys on the TWIT network. I don't use Skype regularly, but am pretty familiar with it, so I am just spending the next half hour to hour tweaking and making sure everything is running quickly and without any audio hiccups. I'll provide a link to the show once it's edited and released. Looking forward to talking about blended families and the fun of raising kids with ADD.

I am considering starting to work with Guru.com and possibly Elance. I am a little skeptical about the amount of projects I can take on as I have no idea how competitive things are on either site, but I am willing to take a chance and open a paid account.

I've also started work on developing the next Baby Chill Cd.

OROS(R) Methylphenidate in Adults with ADHD: New Insights

2008-05-07T12:40:00.000-05:00

OROS(R) Methylphenidate in Adults with ADHD: New Insights
New information about the longterm effects of ritalin in adults.

The Baby Chill CD is Here!

2008-05-07T08:57:00.003-05:00

The Baby Chill CD is very simply, a proven tool for relaxing upset or colichy babies! Comprised of white and pink noise, this CD may not make sense at first, but if you are a new parent or expecting, there is no better time than now to grab on to one of these CDs for the car or nursery.

How does it work? It's pretty easy! During pregnancy your baby hears a mish-mash of sounds in the womb. White noise reminds your baby of the noise that comforted and lulled it to sleep. Just like a relaxation CD with ocean waves or sounds of the rainforest, the baby chill CD is a comforting sound that almost instantly stops crying and restlessness.

For maximum effectiveness, we recommend getting one of these before your baby is born or as soon after as possible. The earlier you begin to use the Baby Chill CD with your baby, the more effective it will be. We have found that babies who have not been exposed to white noise until 4-6 months after birth are not as receptive to white noise.

We are not scientists, doctors or child development experts, but as parents of 7 children we have found a surefire way to soothe an upset baby. If you would like your own copy of the Baby Chill CD, click on the album image to purchase one in our online store.

Happy Thirty-Secondy-ith? Birthday

2008-05-05T11:32:00.005-05:00

That's the kind of day it feels like. I am guilty of procrastinating beyond the normal borders of acceptable procrastination. Today is my 32nd birthday and I've just seen the wife off to work and gotten lunch for MK and Drummerboy. They are happily eating in the kitchen of the place we moved to in late February. It is comfortable enough...our house. But it hasn't been without it's share of nightmares. Like, we were without hydro for a day while the landlord attempted to determine why our fuses kept blowing....Could it be because the glass fuses from the early 17th century could be slightly outdated? Nah, that couldn't be it? Then, the same day as Carolann's spa party, our sump pump either stopped working or failed to come on...The verdict is still out on that, and we ended up with 3.5 inches of water in our basement. Luckily, with kids in tow, we discovered it early, got the landlord involved and cleaned up just in time for Carolann's party. For about 2 weeks afterwards our pump ran 24/7 pumping out what was laying around the outside of our house and apparently what was in the water table underneath until things got to a manageable level. I've never seen so much water!

MK is enjoying her new school and the drummerboy pestered us until we set his drums up and now he's happily banging out beats to all the songs he hears on TV and the radio.

Two days ago we were pre-celebrating my birthday with family and noticed just as parents were arriving that there was water in the basement....again. Yes. This time coming from a new hole in the wall! This water is muddy so we can only assume it is from standing water outside our house. The landlord has not shown up yet and I think he's kind of scared, this place as nice as it is, hasn't been without a ton of headaches. But that's another story altogether. Updates should be regular from now on. I will get to the other reason for the long delay when I attempt to record the whole Rogers Home Phone debacle.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Things I Never Thought My 4 Year Old Would Say...

2008-02-12T13:27:00.000-06:00

Coming upstairs from the playroom today, Our only boy (4) matter-0f-factly announced to his mom the following:

"Mommy, Daddy would like a French Press and I would like an espresso."

To which my wife responded..."Coming right up!"

Our 5 Year Old The Computer Wiz!

2008-02-11T12:00:00.000-06:00

Our 5 year old came home Friday telling us about her day at school. As it turns out, the teacher took her class to the computer lab to spend some time on the internet learning how to use the computers and surfing some kid-friendly sites online. Apparently a lot of the kids did not know how to turn on their computers and log in to Windows XP. So our daughter logged herself in and googled to Nick Jr. and then proceeded to get the entire class logged in and to the Nick Jr. site.

To see her navigate the internet and our computers is quite exciting for me. She is learning to read and write, but long before this, (at the age of 4 and even a litttle earlier) she was able to recognize the shape of her favorite website in Firefox's address bar history. So, by looking at how long the website was ie. www.disney.com or www.treehousetv.com or www.nickjr.com she could arrow down to the one she wanted and usually even before breakfast she would have had some quality quiet time pointing and clicking through learning sites, coloring pages and listening to songs and watching videos of her favorite characters and TV shows. Lately, a new trick for her has been to drag some of her favorite animated DVDs to the computer and key the title into google and clicking the top result, which 99.9% of the time leads to exactly what she is looking for. I am sure this has lead to a faster understanding of words, spelling, letter recognition and great computer skills.

Whenever we go shopping, she sees the V-Tech kid laptops and Fisher Price computers but I am certain she would get bored very quickly since she can so easily get around a real machine. At some point I think I will break down and pick up a Mac Clamshell laptop equipped with Wifi to let her use as I think this is the cheapest way to get her a real machine and not break the bank. She is efficient in both XP and OS X so I have no doubt that she'll be able to handle a Mac on her own. Anyone got a spare iBook Clamshell laptop kicking around? :)

Lullabies You Will Love!

2008-02-09T12:43:00.000-06:00

I am a huge lover of chill and ambient music. It's a huge stress reliever, a good way to end the day and for obvious reasons I've always gravitated towards music with a low angst factor. My kids? They are no different, so I've compiled a list of kid-approved bed-time CDs that are pretty parent friendly too. In fact, I guarantee you'll find yourself spinning these when the little ones aren't around!

Plumb - Blink
www.plumbinfo.com
This album is about as sweet as they come and I have to admit, I kind of teared up the first time I heard it. It's obvious that Tiffany Arbuckle (AKA Plumb) had her children in mind when she recorded her latest album Blink. This album does not rock quite like her previous albums CandyCoatedWaterDrops or Chaotic Resolve. It's a collection of very calming, melodic and well-produced, electronic flavoured lullabies. There are some old hymn-standards here, as well as some very thoughtful, original tracks that will make any parent love the arrangements and sentiments expressed in all of the songs. My 5 year old daughter asks for this album every night at bedtime and can sing all the songs up to track 5 or 6. Yea, after that, she's out. This is guaranteed to be a big hit with kids and parents. Pick it up on iTunes or Amazon.com

The Innocence Mission - Now The Day Is Over
www.theinnocencemission.com
If you aren't familiar with The Innocence Missions's unique and beautifully peaceful music, do yourself a favor and splurge on as many of the albums from their discography as possible! Absolutely any one of their albums could and has been used for bedtimes at our house, as a matter of fact. We made a point of playing one of their albums during quiet times and bedtime for my wife and I during the 9 months she was pregnant with our first child. Karen and Don Peris (they are married), together create the most beautiful and often haunting songs. Karen's poetry reminisces about childhood memories and conjures up images of those old orange-tinted photographs with the rounded corners. Now The Day Is Over is a collection of songs (original and covers) that Karen would sing to their daughter before bed. You will enjoy Karen's unique child-like voice accompanied by Don's sparse but beautiful guitar work on familiar songs such as Over The Rainbow, What a Wonderful World, Moon River and Edelweiss. I can't speak enough for how much I know you'll love The Innocence Mission! Also available on iTunes and Amazon.

Zero 7 - Simple Things
www.zero7.co.uk
I'm not sure why, but for me...to put myself on the line by revealing a personal treasure such as my most favorite album is a scary thing. I mean...There it is...Now you know what I consider to be great music...what if you don't like it?

The great thing about Zero 7 is...I can't imagine ANYONE not liking this. In fact, I implore you to go to iTunes and cop a listen to some of these tracks and try not to get hooked. The music reminds me of warm days, blissful summer evenings and an awareness that despite all the worries of my own little world (like bills and kids and parenting and school lunches and report cards), that life is still good, I have a wonderful family and for the next 60 minutes or so all is right with the world. This is a must have for parents. Your kids will love the downtempo melodies and you will wonder where this album has been all your life!

So there it is, a little glimpse into the music that makes our life go around. I will be posting another entry soon about an all-together different bedtime CD that I actually made myself. Stay tuned for more about the Baby Chill CD!

JVC GR-D33U - No Lens Cap Error

2008-01-25T19:05:00.000-06:00

Well, Today is looking up! A year or two ago, Carolann and I had purchased a Digital Camcorder for capturing some memories of the kids and to send some DVDs to the relatives. The JVC GR-D33U that we bought was a display model, although in great shape. When we got it home, we realized one thing however, that the lens cap was missing! You can read about the whole lens cap debacle here.
So for a work related thing, I pulled it out, only having used it for less than 5 hours total and it started giving me a blank screen and a "No Lens Cap" error. I found this a little ironic and a bit disturbing to say the least after the intial situation. After a few shakes and bangs the video comes back online to the delight of those watching a fundraising concert which was being streamed online through the camera that I love to hate. So we get to the end of the event, I grab the camera to have a look at the real problem and I simply get a blurry screen. No more errors, no more "No Lens Cap" error. Just fuzz.

Since we generally live pretty modestly this wasn't going to end in me just going out and dropping another hot wad of cash on a new Camcorder. I thought about putting it up on Ebay and just letting it go with no reserve, but figured I'd only get maybe 20 bucks for it...If I was lucky. Good thing I kept it though, Today I googled the camera and came up with a plethora of pages full of the very error I recieved. It seems that EVERYONE was getting this issue due to a faulty Sony CC imager. Go figure? Unfortunatly I had not found this early enough to squeeze a call of to JVC, but you know I'll be on it first thing Monday morning! Apparantly the company has offered to fix the problem free of charge! It'll be nice to have my camera back, The kids are getting so big and we feel guilty if we don't capture their antics a little at a time.

Oh, and if anyone else reaches this through google (as It is where I get the bulk of my hits) and has the same problem, here is the link... http://www.jvcservice.com/service/CustNoticeCamcorder.asp?PgReq=DspDtaDtl&MdlNbr=GR-D33US&Pgm=CCD

Jamie Oliver's "Best Turkey Ever" Recipe

2008-01-22T22:22:00.000-06:00

Tonight we finally got a chance to try a recipe for Turkey that we got online just before Christmas. Things got too busy and crazy to try it in time, so we are just getting around to it now. But are we glad we did! Here's a pic and I've included a link to the recipe here.

Saying Goodbye to Flickr!

2008-01-21T13:13:00.000-06:00

I've been frustrated by Flickr's limitations for it's free users. I started looking a while ago and found Zooomr. This service has the same featureset as Flickr and doesn't punish it's free users and beg for money. The uploader is slicker than sn..well, it's pretty slick. I threw 70-80 photos into it at once and it didn't even bat an eye, uploaded all my photos and it's still moving through my over 200 photos that I deleted from my Flickr account this morning. It's also getting the 1.6 gigs of photos that have been sitting in my iPhoto albums. I love it. I will be sending everyone I can to this service and supporting them as much as I can.

Canadian Tire...NOW You've Crossed The Line.

2008-01-11T00:48:00.000-06:00

Readers of this blog (and I know you're out there in the thousands!) will know that I have not had a great deal of success dealing with our neighborhood Canadian Tire store.

Does anyone remember this story - http://addcast.blogspot.com/2006/12/canadian-tire-oh-how-i-hate-thee.html or this one - http://addcast.blogspot.com/2006/02/canadian-tire-sucks.html or how about this one - http://addcast.blogspot.com/2006/01/van-almost-go-go.html
This time, the issue is not with me, it is with my daughter, who found herself on the receiving end of a particular parts counter employee who is just lucky I wasn't the one standing beside her when he lost his mind and snapped at her for drumming her fingers on the counter while my wife waited for him to take his time to help no one in particular, while she herself needed assistance with some engine oil additive. More on this after my calls to the store and corporate.

Jeff.

2008-01-07T12:20:00.000-06:00

ERIC VOLZ RELEASED AND IN HIDING!

2007-12-31T13:55:00.000-06:00

I've been following the story of Eric Volz and his wrongful arrest and inprisonment in Nicaragua for a year now. I just checked up on his story and was extremely pleased to hear that the judge has been ordered to release Eric immediately. In case you haven't heard about what has happened to Eric Volz and his incredibly horrific past 12 months, check out the video and then visit www.friendsofericvolz.com to check out the CNN newsfeed of his release and current updates on his situation.

In case you aren't sure who Eric Volz is, he is son of the Christian Rock band the 77's founding bass player Jan Eric Volz.

Here's To All The Stupid People of 2007

2007-12-29T23:13:00.000-06:00

You know who you are.

The 2007 Darwin Awards

Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.

Here is the glorious winner:

1. When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach , California , would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan , at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

In the interest of bettering mankind, please share these with your friends and family... unless of course one of these individuals by chance is a distant relative or long-lost friend. In that case, be glad they are distant and hope they remain lost.

*** Remember... They walk among us!!! ***

Lauren Sings Jingle Bells PT II

2007-11-28T21:55:00.000-06:00

Mabel-Kate kind of stole the show in the first one. But Lauren pulls it together and kicks it up a notch in this one. If we get her to sing the whole thing, you know it'll be available on iTunes before Christmas!

Lauren Sings Jingle Bells

2007-11-28T21:37:00.000-06:00

We captured this today during snack time when Lauren (not yet two) decided to belt out Jingle Bells while we sat back and picked our chins up off the floor.

Be careful, this is so cute it'll rot your teeth.

Jeff.

Help Reuben Get To CMTC! (Canadian Modelling & Talent Competition)

2007-11-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before. Reuben's mother agency, Mod Elle has chosen Reuben to be among the few to represent their agency at the 16th Annual CMTC Canada's biggest Modelling and talent competition in May 2008. In order to pay for such a trip (hotels/registration/photo shoots/etc) Mod Elle sets up accounts for each of their models so that they can receieve donations from friends and family to offset the costs involved. In order for Reuben to attend, he will require one photo shoot in January as well as a portfolio and to cover his registration costs.

So we've set up a secure donation box on Jeff's blog to help cover these costs. If you donate, using the Chip In widget on the right side we'll send you updates and pictures on Reuben's progress and let you know how he does at the Competition in May. You never know, before long you'll see him in commercials or print ads! Some pretty big names have already seen him and are beginning to talk!

So help a boy out, you can donate by practically any credit card and all the money will be transferred to Mod Elle's account and 100% of it allocated to Reuben's costs for the convention.

NewWorldSon On The Go Tour

2007-11-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

My man Joel Parisien and NewWorldSon doing their thing on the Newsboys Go Tour 2007. Check the video.

A Flight Attendant With A Sense of Humour

2007-11-03T16:34:00.000-05:00

One of the artists I work with on a regular basis is preparing to launch a new tour with a specific theme. While searching for ideas and inspiration I came across this very funny Youtube video of a flight attendant going through the normally monotonous in-flight announcements. Check out the video.

Pay What You Think It's Worth? How About Getting What You Deserve?

2007-10-12T13:37:00.000-05:00

So, Radiohead's new Marketing concept for selling their latest album In Rainbows has got me thinking...For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm talking about follow the link and do your homework...then come back and read my post. :)

I think their concept is brilliant and that it quite possibly should be considered seriously as a model for the entire Recording Industry.... However, I offer one small addition to this thought. Because, I am happy to pay Radiohead, The Who, The Rolling Stones, or Madonna exactly what I think the album is worth and, for most of those artists I likely would be paying pretty close to what the album would have retailed in stores anyway, except that I'd be paying that money directly to the artist so that they are getting my 10-15 bucks instead of the usual 30 cents the artist gets after all of the proceeds go to the other involved parties who literally had nothing to do with the vision or conception of the music or lyrics. Except, for one thing. If someone decided to check out a Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson album (remember her?) and find that it is absolutely trash (big surprise?) then I feel (if this concept is to be adopted in it's entirety) that the listeners, having wasted 72 minutes of their lives to decide how much the album is worth, upon finding it to be a complete loss of an hour and 12 minutes, and more yet, that they never would have purchased it in the first place if they had known it was that bad, should be compensated based on what their current, calculated hourly rate of pay is.

Think about this for a minute....How long would it take for Artists to re-think the re-gurgitated garbage that passes for Country, Pop and Rap to stop "dropping joints" every time they get out of jail to make back the money they lost while they were doing time in the big house?

Very quickly, the talented, gifted songwriters would rise to the top (because they are making the most money, giving them more money and resources to better themselves even further), while The Britney's, Jessica Simpson's, BackStreet Boys and NSync's would be pulling double-shifts at the 7-11 and playing shows for foodbank donations to pay for all the time they wasted from the garbage that they produced. Maybe we should add a tax on the plastic, sand and foil used to make those CD's that end up polluting our environment and encourage a disc-less, more sanitary future? In a short time, the industry (and the music buyers) would get a little well deserved break from the smeg (smeg=commercial pop/rap/country) that is overproduced, re-hashed and wasting brain cells, while the brilliant Artists (like the Radioheads, Mat Kearney's, MuteMaths etc) are getting nominated for Grammies, winning lifetime achievement awards and thanking God for a gift that actually came from Him in the first place!

That's all I have to say.

Jeff.

2007-10-11T10:52:00.000-05:00

Wow, So I haven't blogged in a while, Things have gotten pretty busy around here. Over the course of the summer, I launched a new Artist Agency for managing, booking and marketing new, existing and professional musicians, models and Christian ministries. We launched with the signing of Award Winning Male Vocalist Andrew Martin. This was an exciting venture for us. Having been involved in other aspects of the industry, this was a logical and strategic step for us.

Also, Reuben's modelling career has gotten a start with his enrollment at Mode Elle Modelling Agency and his acceptance to the Canadian Modelling & Talent Competition in May. We are looking forward to that weekend and we just hope his bangs grow back in time after he recently visited Mabel-Kate's drive-thru hair salon.

Mabel-Kate is enjoying her second year of school and is now going for a full day. We held Reuben back this year, he is definitely smart enough, but we are a little concerned about his father's ADD-like tendencies. :) So, we are experimenting this year with a little homeschooling and along with that, Reuben enjoys a morning coffee with me. How cool is that?

If you think I'm crazy for giving coffee to my dear distracted child, Check out this link. We can't believe the difference it has made in his day.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_caffeine_do_to_an_ADHD_child

Next year, he will go all day with Mabel-Kate and we are confident that with both of them being a year older and taking the same bus to school will help Reuben not wind up hitchhiking down the 401 or wandering through someone's backyard while the teacher had their back turned!

Anyway, That's all the time I could steal away between work and the precious quiet moments that I have while Thelma & Louise (Marley & Lauren) are sleeping. They are getting to be quite a handful and growing smarter every day!

More later...

Jeff.

Reuben Bound For The Canadian Model & Talent Competition May 2008

2007-08-29T13:05:00.000-05:00

Well, Reuben has blown our minds! He enrolled at ModElle Modelling Agency 2 weeks ago and entered his first fashion show in Belleville and a week later has been accepted to represent the ModElle Agency at the top modelling convention in Canada!

The phone call just came today and we are so excited! Now the work begins, photo-shoots, portfolios, comp-cards! The competition is stiffer than ever this year and so we're still in shock that it's all happening! Reuben doesn't really understand it all yet, but he really enjoys the classes and being with the kids and all the social elements. Mom and Dad have their work cut out for them between now and May!

Ever Wonder Why They Call It A Wake? Or Why The Bride Carries Flowers At A Wedding?

2007-08-29T10:57:00.000-05:00

How Things Used To Be

Next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children - last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Houses had thatched roofs - thick straw, piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice, rats, and bugs) lived in the roof.

When it rained it became slippery, and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof, hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (the straw left over after threshing grain) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more and more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. To prevent this, a piece of wood was placed in the entrance way - hence a "thresh hold."

They cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite awhile, -- hence the rhyme, "peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach on to the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Most people did not have pewter plates, but had trenchers (a piece of wood with the middle scooped out like a bowl). Often trenchers were made from stale bread that was so old and hard that they could use them for quite some time. Trenchers were never washed and a lot of times worms and mold got into the wood and old bread. After eating off wormy, moldy trenchers, one would get "trench mouth."

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, "the upper crust."

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up hence, the custom of holding a "wake."

England is old and small and they started out running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell.

Thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered "a dead ringer." And that's the truth.

FreedomFest Canada 2007

2007-08-22T14:03:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was a crazy one. We left home around 10:30 or so heading for Barrie and before we'd even left town we were stuck in traffic! Once we'd gotten on the 401 I pretty much pulled out all the stops and bolted for Barrie. About 10 mins into Hwy 400 we slowed to to a stop and watched 4 police cruisers going the wrong way down the collector's dodging cars to slide around the median and assist an accident involving a Go Transit bus and a Good Humor Ice Cream truck. The Ice Cream truck was in pretty bad shape as we drove by and the driver was pretty banged up. Once we arrived at Burl's Creek we pretty much sprang into action, my first order of business was to jump in a car and take Clay Crosse to a nearby church to change and freshen up before his set. He was running a little late and so I got him to the church and back before it was time for him to go on. Back at the main gate Carolann, Judy Rivard and Paul were selling tickets, checking in artists and media people as the festival got underway.

My job as Media Coordinator was to make sure that the media who had registered with the festival got access for photos and interviews. This proved to be a bit more difficult as time wore on due to a late start and a main stage which was running a bit behind schedule. Nevertheless, I managed to eat dinner with Phil Keaggy and Randy Stonehill and met up with Trevor McNevan from Thousand Foot Krutch as the night wore on.

Saturday was more of the same as more people/press arrived and interviews had been scheduled for each of the artists. Towards the end of the day, Bryan Duncan arrived in one of the volunteer's vans and so I accompanied him to the mainstage. This was something I had been looking forward to for most of the summer, a chance to spend a little time with someone I talk to regularly through email and love as a real guy and incredible vocalist. Time has certainly not slowed him down! He was just as quick and witty as ever taking the stage after checking a few patches on the mainstage keyboard, a few guitar strums and literally no sound check. He performed a 45 min set to an enthusiastic audience and sold some product over at the merch tent with Carolann heading up the merch table. Once the show was over, Bryan signed some autographs, met with some fans and we headed over to Starbucks on Essa St. to chill with some people he had met on his previous tour to Canada.

After a late night coffee, Carolann and I picked up a pizza and headed back to Georgian College Suites with Bryan, got him checked in and ate a quick supper and set our alarm for 3:45am in order to get Bryan back to the airport for his flight back to L.A. The drive was humorous and relaxed and we got to spend another hour with an absolute musical hero of ours. After seeing our boy off with a hug, we cruised back to the hotel and caught some Z's before checking out at 11:00am. Once we checked out we hit another nearby starbucks, browsed the 400 Market, scored a few deals and headed for home.

Here's a video from part of Bryan's set at Freedomfest. More to come.

Jeff.

DIY - How To Clean Your Camera's Smartcard (SD) Reader

2007-07-27T16:08:00.000-05:00

I have a Fuji Finepix 4800Z that I bought on Ebay and have used faithfully for 5 years. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the camera, it has a metal composite body and has taken it's share of falls and drops (one even landing on the interlocking brick patio right before I went into the Press Pit at a Carlos Santana concert) with no issues whatsoever. If you ever need a spare I highly recommend it as a hardy alternative to all the plastic garbage out there. At only 2.4 Megapixel, it definitely isn't the best image quality around, but it sure takes a beating!

Anyway, Just before my trip to California, my camera stopped reading SD Cards! I was not happy, and I figured the camera was done for! I tried a different SD Card and noticed the same errors were coming up. As a matter of fact, no matter what kind of media card I inserted only gave me the same errors. Finally, figuring that I had nothing to lose, I decided I would attempt to clean the slot where the media cards went. Ocassionally, I could get it to recognize the odd card and I figured that this could be the cause of my problems. So I folded a 3x5 Index card to the proper size of the card slot (folded over a few times for thickness) and dabbed some rubbing alcohol on the card and let it dry. Then, I carefully inserted the card, working it back and forth a few times and noticing the card getting a little rough, I took it out and dabbed alcohol on the other end and inserted it again, working it back and forth to get the area clean. Not noticing any dirt or hairs or anything in the slot made me a little disapointed and I figured I was shooting blanks, but after I inserted the first SD Card.....Nothing, same error. So I cleaned the card itself of with one of the cards I had pushed into the camera and tried again. PROGRESS! The card read the images and took pictures with no problems whatsoever! I tried the next card, progress again! All my cards now work in the camera! So...if you find yourself in the same situation and you think you're dead in the water, try this, or now I believe you can actually buy SD card cleaning kits, but I'm sure they are quite similar in style to what I made myself for nothing!

Good Luck!

When Idiots Go Hunting...

2007-07-27T03:00:00.000-05:00

Two hunters from Michigan
(true story)

This is from a radio program, a true report of an incident in Michigan:

A guy buys a brand new Lincoln Navigator for $42,500 and has $560 monthly payments. He and a friend go duck hunting in winter, and of course all the lakes are frozen. These two guys go out on the lake with the guns, the dog, and of course the new vehicle. They drive out onto the lake ice and get ready.

Now, they want to make some kind of a natural landing area for the ducks, something for the decoys to float on. In order to make a hole large enough to look like something a wandering duck would fly down and land on, it is going to take a little more effort than an ice hole drill.

So, out of the back of the new Navigator comes a stick of dynamite with a short, 40-second fuse. Now these two Rocket Scientists do take into consideration that they want to place the stick of dynamite on the ice at a location far from where they are standing (and the new Navigator), because they don't want to take the risk of slipping on the ice when they run from the burning fuse and possibly go up in smoke with the resulting blast. They light the 40-second fuse and throw the dynamite.

Remember a couple of paragraphs back when I mentioned the vehicle, the guns and the dog? Let's talk about the dog: A highly trained Black Lab used for RETRIEVING. Especially things thrown by the owner.

You guessed it, the dog takes off at a high rate of doggy speed on the ice and captures the stick of dynamite with the burning 40-second fuse about the time it hits the ice. The two men yell, scream, wave their arms and wonder what to do now.

The dog, cheered on, keeps coming. One of the guys grabs the shotgun and shoots the dog. The shotgun is loaded with # 8 buckshot, hardly big enough to stop a Black Lab. The dog stops for a moment, slightly confused, but continues on. Another shot and this time the dog, still standing, becomes really confused and of course terrified, thinking these two geniuses have gone insane.

The dog takes off to find cover, under the brand new Navigator. ----BOOM!---- Dog and
Navigator are blown to bits and sink to the bottom of the lake in a very large hole, leaving the two idiots standing there with this "I can't believe this happened" look on their faces.

The insurance company says that sinking a vehicle in a lake by illegal use of explosives is not covered. He still had yet to make the first of those $560 a month payments!

And you thought your day was not going well?

Daryl's Bachelor Party

2007-07-19T19:04:00.001-05:00

We played it casual and hit the city of San Francisco doing a few touristy things, seeing the sights and then met up with the rest of the guys at Wipeout on Pier 39. Then we hit the San Francisco Brewing Co. right across the boardwalk for an americano and walked to a Municiple Bus stop and hitched a midnight ride to Daryl's friend Nick's apartment downtown. There we went to Naan & Curry (a 24hr indian restaurant) for a late night snack and went back and went to bed and caught Bart and were back in Dublin by noon. Here's a video of an amazingly talented street artist that we saw. He worked only with spray paint and scrap pieces of paper that he tore from magazines. The video shows a piece he did from start to finish. They were selling for 20.00 each.

Sights Seen:

Zoot Suit Store - The coolest place in SF - They've designed custom suits for American Idol, The Rocking Highliners, Rosie O'Donnell, The Sopranos, Jim Carey and tons of other TV Networks, Shows and movies.

Nasty Prostitute - She was working the corner at 4pm then actually leaned into a car to talk to a guy.
Transvestite - Enough Said.
Almost kicked a pigeon.
A Celebrity store with signed guitars and paraphanelia (they had a $10,000 guitar signed by a ton of guitar legends including Jimmy Page and another one by Stevie Ray Vaughn)
The Seals on Pier 39
Homeless Guy - He actually had a sign that said "Need Money for Prostitute"
Alcatraz from across the bay
Golden Gate Bridge (through the fog)

Lots more....I'll post more video later

A Tour of Daryl and Sam's Apartment

2007-07-18T15:23:00.000-05:00

A quick tour of the apartment before I head out for my morning coffee!

Dublin, CA

2007-07-18T03:28:00.000-05:00

Dublin California, where I am currently staying, is a beautiful little city in Northern California situated between San Ramon & Pleasanton in the Tri-Valley region of San Francisco's East Bay.

I'm always amazed at this place, at only 14 square miles, it houses over 41,000 people and has only been an incorporated city since 1982! Compared to my hometown of Belleville, Ontario which is over 90 square miles with a population of 43,000 people (2005 Stat.) that's a pretty impressive number of people crammed into 14 square miles!

I'm almost near the end of my stay here, I've had close to two weeks! It's been probably 7 years since I've been here before and it's amazing how much I've remembered from my last visit! We were able to take a drive out to Livermore which is just south of Dublin a few days back and I had forgotten how much Livermore reminded me of Picton, it's very much farm and wine country, unlike Dublin, you can visit roadside farm stands for fresh vegetables and get a much greater view of the surrounding mountains. World famous wineries are also located here, as well as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory which is responsible for the development and safety of the US's Nuclear weapons as well as other bioscience, energy, defense and environmental programs. Quite an amazing place!

It is late and I'm tired, tomorrow I will take you on my morning commute. I have some work to take care of online, so I'll be staying around the apartment tomorrow. I'll upload a video of my morning commute to my favourite spot nearby.

Ciao for Now!

Jeff

Rockin' It Across the USA

2007-07-11T12:45:00.000-05:00

Today had the beginnings of a very long day. Carolann and Jessica and I struck out last night for Rochester at approximately 8PM and ended up at Rochester International Airport at 4AM-ish. For me, things weren't so bad, I had a long wait until my first flight but Carolann and Jessica struck it right back for home so they both could make it for work at 9 and 10. What a wife!

I lucked out and ended up catching a very early flight at around 7AM and landed an hour later in Washington DC! As soon as I got in, I booked it to my connecting gate and got on the standby list again and was once again, rewarded with another seat to Charlotte! I landed in Charlotte only an hour after my first flight would have left Rochester Airport, got a Quint Venti Americano at one of at least two Starbucks in the Charlotte airport and cranked up the free wifi!

I could have done the exact same thing, except my bags did not get standby tags on them so, I would have to go to baggage claim, check them in again and go through security and only for a flight that lands in San Francisco one hour earlier than my original flight. So, I have 4 hours to kill on my mac with free internet? DUH? So far things have been interesting, I encountered some rudeness in Rochester and Washington (Mostly in DC), but due to a great book I've been reading at home by a great author (I'll tell you more about it later), a little eye contact and some (Very) polite responses to their questions and I was whisked through the standby lists and on to my flights. Amazing how disarming a little polite attitude can give you!

More after I land in San Francisco....And to all who will be waiting, I'll be right on schedule!

I Got The Desktop Blues....

2007-07-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

Come on, you know you want the desktop blues too!

http://www.desktopblues.lichtlabor.ch/desktopblues0013.swf

Man beats up 'vampire' peacock

2007-07-01T09:33:00.001-05:00

Hmm...Maybe he works for PUTA? People for the Unethic...nevermind.

NEW YORK (AP) -- A peacock that roamed into the parking lot of a Burger King in New York City was beaten by a man who insisted it was a vampire.

Animal control officials in Staten Island say the bird was beaten so fiercely that most of its tail feathers fell out and it had to be euthanized.

The seven-year-old male peacock wandered into the restaurant parking lot and perched on a car hood last week. Charmed employees had been feeding it bread when the man appeared.

A restaurant worker says the man grabbed the bird by the neck, hurled it to the ground and started stomping it. She says when he was asked what he was doing, he responded, "'I'm killing a vampire!"'

Employees called police, but the man ran when he saw them.

Teaching Children About Worship

2007-06-14T14:42:00.000-05:00

Today was a cool day, being a Home-Dad is cool and since my wife sucks at cleaning the house and would rather be a 9-5'er, I am happy to use my superhuman (ADD) multi-tasking abilities to keep the house clean, run a promotion business and look after a pre-schooler and 3 toddlers.

Today we were listening to Kathryn Scott's Satisfy album (you must get this album). She's the amazing writer behind Vineyard's Hungry album and the song "This Is The Air I Breathe". She continues to lead worship and write amazing things. We were listening to "Breathe On Me Now" and Mabel-Kate (5) was singing the words. She has heard this song many times at church and loves the words. She very much loves our worship times at church and the music and memorizes every word! Suddenly she looked at me and in mid-song...asked me a question. Our conversation went something like this.

"What does satisfy mean?"
"Hmm...You know when you eat supper and you're full and you say mmmm...that was good?"
"Yes" (Nodding head)
"Well, that means you are satisfied. When you've taken all that you can take and are filled and can't take in anymore? You are satisfied...Do you know what I mean?"
"Yes" (nodding excitedly)
Then she went back to coloring her picture...
Hmmm...Taken so much that you can't take in anymore...I'm getting goosebumps.

Check out these lyrics again.

When my soul has cried its tears And my heart begins to faint Will You draw near Will You meet with me When my days are filled with longing And my spirit groans and waits Will You draw near Will You meet with me I'm calling and waiting Your presence Lord is life to me Breathe on me now as I bow down I'm desperate Lord for more of You Come satisfy until I Am even more in need of You When my dreams have been forgotten And my hope begins to fade Will You draw near Will You meet with me When my days are filled with searching And my strength has given way Will You draw near Will You meet with me
- Kathryn Scott

I Stole Gas Today....Well...Almost.

2007-06-11T20:52:00.000-05:00

So, the other day my Ritalin ran out and I called to renew it, but forgot to pick it up at the Pharmacy. Jenn called and had a breakdown in front of Scooperman (our friendly neighbourhood Ice Cream joint) so I jumped in the car and went to give her battery a boost. On my way back to the house I stopped at our Sunoco and put 10.00 in to keep me runnin'. In a hurry and not in my normal (much more relaxed and aware state of mind) I pumped 10.00 worth of gas, put the cap on and went home. That was at 4:00pm. It was at 8Pm that I went to pickup Jessica from work that I was standing in line for a drink and realized that I had gotten gas, but funny....I don't remember paying for it. I checked my pocket for the 10.00 that SHOULD have been left over and found a 20.00. I almost laughed out loud when I realized what had happened and when Jessica and I got back in the car I told her I had to go and pay for the gas I had stolen earlier in the day. When I got there the big White-bearded friendly old guy who works there came out smiling holding out his hand. I laughed and nervously tried to explain that I wouldn't have thought about driving away without paying for gas and yet, that's exactly what I did. So I went in, paid them and learned that they had called the police, but since they weren't able to get my plates I probably wouldn't hear from them. Oi.

Jeff.

Bono Snubbed By Stephen Harper

2007-06-11T13:35:00.000-05:00

Yea, So it appears our government is doing Canada's part to lessen the poverty and debt from 3rd world nations. It took huge strides towards progress recently when Bono was told Stephen Harper was too busy to meet with him, President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a Group of 8 summit.

Lovely.

Think Like A Genius

2007-06-09T08:53:00.000-05:00

Not that I am a genius...Far from it, I wouldn't even speculate where my IQ is at now. However, there is a few things that run parallel in an ADD'ers brain to how Einstein thought. For example, it's a well known fact, that if you give almost anyone with ADD a few subjects in a minute or two they'll tell you how they are related or connected. Einstein did that to solve problems, he found the relationships in dissimilar objects. Here's a few other ways that Einstein used his brain and thought patterns to solve problems and be...well, a genius. It's speculated that he had ADD too!

The Funniest Bit From The Short-lived Martin Short Show.

2007-04-25T22:44:00.000-05:00

This is probably the funniest sketch I've ever seen from The Martin Short show. Definitely one of the funniest things I've ever seen period. A real lucky find on Youtube!

Letus Productions Is Pleased to Announce "An Evening with Lynda Randle" on May 6th in Trenton, ON!

2007-04-24T12:57:00.000-05:00

Letus Productions & Maracle Mohawk Gift Centre Proudly Announces "An Evening With Lynda Randle"
Featuring Guest Artist Andrew Martin
7PM May 6th 2007
Trenton High School Auditorium
15 Fourth Ave. Trenton, Ontario

Advance Tickets: $16.00 Available at http://www.ticketwindow.ca/
Tickets By Phone 1-877-700-3130
Tickets at the Door - $20.00
*Children 10 and under free
Group sales - 1 free ticket for every 10 in your group (ADV. tickets only)

NOTE TO CHURCHES: CLICK HERE FOR A SMALL 2X3 BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENT SMALL ENOUGH TO ADD TO YOUR CHURCH'S BULLETIN!

Imagine An Ad Free City!

2007-04-16T18:38:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine what would happen if your city passed a law banning all forms of media and advertising? Billboards, posters, bus/vehicle signs and more would become illegal! Sau Paulo Brazil did this very thing! The law was passed in December of 2006 and covers even things like airplanes towing banners! Below is a flickr feed of a resident's experience of an ad free city!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonydemarco/sets/72157600075508212/

I can definitely see the benefits of less visual clutter in a city. While driving through Toronto I find the relentless billboards and advertising a bit overstimulating. I saw an ad for a tax service being flashed on the hubcaps of someone's tires as they raced across Highway 401?!

The battle of Brazil is not over however, countless legal battles are about to ensue starting with the fact that the city does not own the airspace over Sau Paulo and therefore cannot dictate laws that govern planes and airborn forms of advertisement from flying their ads over the city.

The Spirituality of Jim Henson

2007-03-29T00:07:00.000-05:00

I don't usually go around over spiritualizing , but this begged to be discussed.
Jim Henson: I think there are lots of ways of leading very good lives and growing spiritually. This process of growth goes on whether we believe in it or not.t

Jim Henson: "I spend a few minutes in meditation and prayer each morning. I find that this really helps me to start the day with a good frame of reference. As part of my prayers, I thank whoever is helping me - I'm sure that somebody or something is - I express gratitude for all my blessings and try to forgive the people that I'm feeling negative toward. I try hard not to judge anyone, and I try to bless everyone who is part of my life, particularly anyone with whom I am having any problems."
For a non-christian, or at least someone who doesn't profess to be a christian, this is a pretty cool attitude to have. Blessing those people you are having issues with, forgiving the people you feel negative toward? Expressing gratitude to whoever is helping me? Could it be that Jim was never offered Christ and yet, he prayed to Him and talked to Him daily? How many of us (as professing Christians) can say we talk to God, bless our enemies and try not to judge each other....DAILY?

I loved this guy. Easy to see why he's one of my heroes. Not just for the muppets, but for his intense, never ending creativity, commitment to creating the best and entertaining...not just children, but also children at heart. I firmly believe that Jim was a big part in the style of humour that Disney makes such a big part of their work. The kind of humour that makes children laugh so hard they cry, but at the same time throws something in there that Adults totally die over. Everyone gets entertained in their own way. Jim was doing this long before Disney.

Jeff.

Drew Marshall On 100 Huntley Street

2007-03-14T00:19:00.000-05:00

At first I was shocked when I was told about Drew's appearance on 100 Hundred Huntley Street. I even tried to justify my opinion for why I thought Drew (based on someone else's unbiased re-telling of the interview) was inappropriate and obnoxious. I would here like to say, that after seeing this interview, I've had to pick my chin up off the desk...Not because of Drew's seemingly obnoxious or disrespectful behaviour, but by how well he spoke into EXACTLY how I was feeling. Disillusioned by church, pastors and the Greater-Than-Thou! Drew was dead on. In the realm of all things Christianity and CHURCH, it's about time the left confronted the right and asked some reality questions. Drew did this, maybe he was a little rough...but you know what? We're rough, I'm disillusioned and worried at what the church has become and I'm even more heartbroken and scared at where it's going. What do I tell my kids? How do I teach them to look out for nasty people who call themselves christians and insist on grudging and blackmailing and absolutely tearing down others. Drew, it's about time man....Where were you 100 years ago?

As for Norm's comment in response? All I can say is, that "deer-in-the-headlights" face looking at the camera seems oddly familiar. I think I saw that same look on one very insecure man.

Johnny Cash - Hurt

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One other thing. This video was also posted on the Drew Marshall site is Johnny Cash's last video before he died. It is simply, the best most real music video I've ever seen and I still get teary watching it. Good for Johnny Cash to take a song written by a self-confessed satanist and turn it into something Godly as only Johnny could. Watch the video! It's a tear jerker.

For letters and comments in response to the video, check them all here.

My Top 2 Pick for American Idol 2007

2007-02-22T19:52:00.000-06:00

No words, just check out that voice.

Jeff.

Say Hello To My Friend...The Knitting Freak

2007-02-19T22:03:00.000-06:00

I have a friend...I've known her for a long time. But I've started noticing some unhealthy behaviour in my friend. It started out sort of slow with some yarn she bought on Ebay...then it escalated when she started seeking out new and elusive yarns. The thought of which, makes me want to drop a few of my own skeins. The behaviour didn't stop there. She managed to involve her poor husband into her obsession, now he's encouraging this behaviour by building gadgets to exacerbate the situation. Why her husband would encourage this obsession is beyond me, but the list of gizmos and contraptions this nice man has built her would make any knitting freak drop her knitpick circulars in envy. The list has grown to spinning wheels and lazy kates and the newest, a Spunky Eclectic Corriedale roving which sounds to me more like a rare breed of wandering horses.

This obsession has taken her on trips to farms where she can score fresh skeins? I get my skeins from my dealer...he hasn't done me wrong yet.

Part of me wonders where this obession will end? If you want my thoughts? I think before the year is out, she'll tear down the pool, plow over the yard and begin buying and selling rare breeds of sheep and goats in efforts to bio-engineer the worlds best wool, combining the DNA from all the best goats to chemically create the UBERGOAT. This I'm sure would revolutionize the knitting industry causing a near crisis in almost every industry imaginable. I'm seeing Knitting Needle Landmarks, A World Yarn Depository and knitting needle ringtones...Imagine standing in line at Starbucks waiting for your Quint Venti Americano and hearing that annoying clicking sound...you turn around to see who has the audacity to actually whip out her knitting needles and throw down in the line at Starbucks only to see a funky 30-something yacking to her other knitting friends about the Fair-Trade Knitting bloggers/Save the Alapacas/Make Sweaters Not War Convention she's about to attend.

that's it for now.

Jeff.

49th Annual Grammy Awards - Best Performance!

2007-02-13T00:59:00.000-06:00

Yours truly nearly died in his chair Sunday night when John Mayer, Corinne Bailey Rae & John Legend sang together in a 3 song montage of each of the singer/songwriters' hits. John Legend was great, but get a load of John Mayer playing while Corinne sings "Like A Star" and Corinne singing on Mayer's "Gravity".

Wow!

KT Tunstall - Black Horse & A Cherry Tree Live

2007-02-11T11:19:00.000-06:00

I saw this a year ago on Conan. KT Tunstall is using a loop pedal to record a loop of herself to build all the parts to her song. She starts off by tapping the guitar and pushes a button on her pedal to start playing it back while she records more loops over top. Eventually, she plays a few different loops on her guitar and then ends up looping her own vocals over top of each other. This is talent. I saw Phil Keaggy do this live and was impressed, but this is a young girl pulling it off live without a hitch. To be able to do this at all is impressive, to be able to pull it off live without a pause is incredible.

Check it out!

It's a Miracle! I'm CURED!

2007-02-07T12:49:00.000-06:00

File this one under.....Sheeeyah...RIIIIGHT.

The Rev. Ted Haggard emerged from three weeks of intensive counseling convinced he is "completely heterosexual" and told an oversight board that his sexual contact with men was limited to his accuser.

That is according to one of the disgraced pastor's overseers, who on Monday revealed new details about where Haggard has been and where he is headed.

The Rev. Tim Ralph of Larkspur also said the four-man oversight board strongly urged Haggard to go into secular work instead of Christian ministry if Haggard and his wife follow through on plans to earn master's degrees in psychology.

Haggard broke a three-month silence in e-mails over the weekend to select members of his former church. New Life Church interim senior pastor Ross Parsley forwarded Haggard's message to the wider church body Monday.

In the message, Haggard revealed that he and his wife, Gayle, intend to leave Colorado Springs and pursue master's degrees through online courses.

Haggard mentioned Missouri and Iowa as possible destinations. Another oversight board member, the Rev. Mike Ware of Westminster, said the group recommended the move out of town, and the Haggards agreed.

"This is a good place for Ted," Ware said. "It's hard to heal in Colorado Springs right now. It's like an open wound. He needs to get somewhere he can get the wound healed."

Haggard, 50, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was fired from the church he built from nothing into a 14,000-member congregation after a former male prostitute in Denver alleged a three-year cash-for-sex relationship.

Haggard admitted to "sexual immorality" and a long battle against feelings contrary to his beliefs. He admitted buying methamphetamine but said he never used it. Haggard did not respond to interview requests.

Among other things, the overseers urged Haggard to enter a 12-step
Ted Haggard was fired for "sexual immorality." The church had no clear succession plan.
program for sexual addiction, Ware said.

Ralph said three weeks of counseling at an undisclosed Arizona treatment center helped Haggard immensely and left Haggard sure of one thing.

"He is completely heterosexual," Ralph said. "That is something he discovered. It was the acting- out situations where things took place. It wasn't a constant thing."

Why Haggard chose to act out in that manner is something Haggard and his advisers are trying to discern, Ralph said.

In investigating Haggard's assertion that his extramarital sexual contact was limited to former male escort Mike Jones, the board talked to people close to Haggard and found no evidence contradicting him, Ralph said.

"If we're going to be proved wrong, somebody else is going to come forward, and that usually happens really quickly," he said. "We're into this thing over 90 days, and it hasn't happened."

Steering Haggard away from a return to ministry was based, in part, on Haggard's high profile, Ralph said. He cited biblical passages about holding influential figures to a higher standard.

"Nobody is saying he can't go back into ministry," Ralph said. "Somewhere down the road, that could very well happen, and that would be wonderful."

Counseling continues

Haggard is being asked to join a church wherever the couple moves and continue the Christian counseling he receives twice a week, Ralph said.

The oversight board that includes Ralph is focusing on New Life Church's future but continues to counsel Haggard.

What has been termed Haggard's "restoration" is being overseen by another panel: H.B. London, who runs a Focus on the Family ministry to pastors, and megachurch pastors Tommy Barnett and Jack Hayford.

London said he was not surprised Haggard was considering the psychological field.

"Many of us that go into the healing, helping professions do so out of some sort of dysfunction or traumatic event in our lives, and we want to do what we can to help other people avoid what we've gone through," he said. "He is certainly gifted and intelligent and has an intuitive side to him. And he has life experience. Those are good credentials."

OHL HOCKEY BRAWL - SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY!!!! Belleville Bulls Vs. Kingston Frontenacs

2007-02-01T19:55:00.000-06:00

In case you missed this, I was there folks...the best Belleville/Kingston matchup I've ever seen. peep the video here and then check out the nasty penalties that got dealt out. Note the times, All within seconds of each other! 1 Second advanced on the clock each time they dropped the puck!

Bliss.

3 - KGN Moon, 19:08 - Charging , 2 min
3 - KGN Moon, 19:08 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Nyholm, 19:08 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Nyholm, 19:08 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - BELV Pageau, 19:08 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - BELV Pageau, 19:08 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - BELV Pelech, 19:08 - Instigator , 2 min
3 - BELV Pelech, 19:08 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - BELV Pelech, 19:08 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
3 - BELV Pelech, 19:08 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - BELV Pelech, 19:08 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Bochek, 19:09 - Instigator , 2 min (PP)
3 - KGN Bochek, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Bochek, 19:09 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Bochek, 19:09 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Bolt, 19:09 - Instigator , 2 min
3 - KGN Bolt, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Bolt, 19:09 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Bolt, 19:09 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Stevens, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Stewart, 19:09 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Wallingford, 19:09 - Instigator , 2 min
3 - KGN Wallingford, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Wallingford, 19:09 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Wallingford, 19:09 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - BELV Blunden, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - BELV Cianfrini, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - BELV Neal, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - BELV Tangradi, 19:09 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Sciacca, 19:10 - Instigator , 2 min
3 - KGN Sciacca, 19:10 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Sciacca, 19:10 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 0 min
3 - KGN Sciacca, 19:10 - Game Misconduct , 0 min
3 - BELV Beleskey, 19:10 - Fighting , 5 min
3 - KGN Auffrey, 19:20 - Cross Checking , 2 min

By the way, The final was 5-1 for Belleville!

I CAN'T HELP SHOUTING OUT 'BOMB' AT AIRPORT CHECKS

2007-01-11T08:07:00.000-06:00

I CAN'T HELP SHOUTING OUT 'BOMB' AT AIRPORT CHECKS

New documentary follows group of Scots Tourette's sufferers on trip to Paris

By Annie Brown

TERRORISM has brought its own peculiar curse to Tourette's sufferer John Davidson, who now has the compulsion to shout "Bomb" during security alerts.

It's just another part of the condition explored in a new documentary that follows a group of young Scots sufferers on a bus trip to Paris.

Leading the group is John, 35, the Galashiels star of the ground-breaking 1989 documentary, John's Not Mad, which demystified the condition more than any other.

The film, with actor Keith Allen, sees John and the youngsters visit the hospital where Gilles de la Tourette first diagnosed the condition in 1885.

As John meanders around Notre Dame, Keith slips in the subject of terrorism and the subsequent high security alert into the conversation.

This triggers a series of related outbursts from John, who shouts "bomb" and "Bin Laden", startling the tourists.

Allen could be accused of manipulating the situation but John didn't feel exploited.

He said: "I think he wanted the public to see exactly how hard it can be when a Tourette starts shouting in the middle of a high-security alert.

"There have been occasions when Tourette sufferers have being going through airport security and they have shouted "al Qaeda" or "there is a bomb".

"Terrorism is such a taboo subject, so that will make us shout more about it."

Now when John is flying, he calls ahead and disability assistance escorts him through.

He is used to his condition causing shock.

When he met Prince Charles, he called him a "f***ing parasite" and when he was a pallbearer at his grandfather's funeral he told mourners "I am Satan", as he carried the coffin.

Tourette's manifests itself in a variety of ways and in involuntary twitches and tics.

They are either motor reflexes, such as blinking, head jerking and possibly hitting, or vocal, such as random outbursts of swearing or references to anything taboo.

Sufferers are also quite often blighted with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

John was keen to make the programme in a bid to raise awareness about the condition and he is happy with the final product.

He said: "It verges on that very fine line between taking the mickey and laughing with us but, the more I watched it, the more I got to like it."

The youngsters were unimpressed with Robin Hood star Keith, until they discovered he was the dad of pop starlet Lily Allen.

The actor and presenter's style of documentary making has been criticised for being self-indulgent but, this time, he was up against several children with ADHD, also vying for attention.

John said: "I think he found it quite difficult. He told us at the start to remember this was the Keith Allen show and we respected that.

"That's just his ego but he got on really well with the kids."

The children's condition meant they shouted "pencil c**k" at Keith and they called the black bus driver Dixon, a "n****r". But they weren't offended because they understood it was their condition. John also bonded with Keith but one of his physical tics compelled him to regularly punch him in the privates. At one point in the programme, Keith goes shopping for a cricket box for protection.

John said: "He was terrified of being hit."

When the group first gathered at Waverley Station in Edinburgh, many of the young people had never met anyone else with Tourette's before.

To then get on a train and head for London and onwards by bus and ferry to Paris was a huge step for the kids, some of whom had never been abroad before.

John said: "When they first met, they were quite withdrawn, very shy and they were suppressing their tics a lot.

"It was about half way into the rail journey when people started to relax that the tics appeared, as they knew the people they were with would understand."

THE documentary makers decided to put them on a 1950s red Routemaster bus, unable to travel above 39 miles an hour.

John explained: "It was a bit daft and very confined and we found it hard, at first, to be in such close proximity to each other because of the motor and vocal tics.

"It was opening a whole can of worms on that bus but everyone settled into their own space and loved it."

The visit to the H(TM)pital de la Piti-Salptrire in Paris thrilled some youngsters but a doctor there was met with a barrage of "boring" and "shut up" taunts during a talk on the condition.

John said: "Some of the young people weren't ready to take in what he was saying, because they were still just coming to terms with their condition. Tourette's is a journey and they'll one day look back at the importance of visiting that hospital."

For John, it had always been an ambition to visit the place where his condition had been given a name. "It was an emotional time for me," he said.

"If it wasn't for Gilles de la Tourette discovering the condition, we may still be classed as psychiatric patients in institutions."

John despairs Tourette's is still often portrayed as funny. He admits there is an amusing side to it but points out the condition has ruined the lives of many sufferers.

The children in the programme are charming and intelligent, as is John, but they are heavily burdened by the condition.

David Irving, 15, told how one teacher had locked him in a cupboard for swearing.

He said: "My condition has matured but, when I was little, it saw me crawling about the classroom making animal noises. I didn't know what was wrong with me."

Many also have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and David said he will get, what he calls, silent thought tics.

He explained: "I might be walking through a park and, in my head, I see a television with a news flash, 'boy killed in park'.

"I will then be convinced it is going to happen."

John says he also exhausts himself obsessing that his dogs will die, or that he has done something wrong, triggering a panic attack.

There are times when he's constantly apologising for offending people. His tics on occasion barely surface, usually when he is active or concentrating on something.

During our interview, he behaves normally bar the odd interjection of "rape".

"I am fine if I am focused," he said.

During sex, he doesn't tic because it is an all-consuming emotion but he has found it difficult to hold down relationships. Despite coming to terms with his condition, it can still be tough.

"There will still be days I go home and have a cry because it has been such a stressful day," he admitted.

The trip had a hugely positive impact on the kids and they hope to raise funds to go away again.

"They've come back with self-confidence, self-esteem and a greater understanding of their condition by simply being with other people with Tourette's. I just hope people will watch the TV programme and understand it really is no joke."

For information or donations see www.tourettescotland.org. Tourette de France, Channel 4, tonight at 10pm.

How To Repair Scratched DVDs/CDs/CDROMS & Disc Based Video Games

2007-01-06T00:25:00.000-06:00

I met a friend the other day for coffee and I mentioned that I amassed a collection of scratched DVD's due to general wear and tear and kids leaving them out..etc. One particular PS/2 game had also gotten damaged when (the second) PS/2 left it's position on top of the stereo and landed on the floor with the DVD going flying across the floor and getting some pretty good marks on the bottom. He confirmed something I've always heard, that you can repair scratched discs with toothpaste! You MUST use white toothpaste (not gel) and with a little bit of water and a piece of cotton rag (clean and soft//jersey knit works the best). Dab a little bit of toothpaste onto the cloth and add a drop of water, begin to rub the mixture onto the bottom side of the disc and run in the direction of the curve of the Disc over the scratch. In other words, don't rub from centre to edge, go with the circle. Since toothpaste is an abrasive, this will produce a very delicate sandpaper effect on your DVD buffing out the scratch or scuff. You will notice that the bottom of the DVD will appear more scratched than before but they are gentle enough that the laser will be able to read over the scratches. Buff and rub into the scratch (Not applying too much pressure) until the scratch has disappeared. This will work for most surface scratches.

A further great tip for scratched CDs (this hasn't been tested on games or CDROMS) is if your CD has a scratch that reaches through to the other side (if you hold your CD up to the light and look carefully, you'll be able to see if there are scratches or pinholes that have damaged the actual reflective material inside the disc. Using a black sharpie marker, dot the scratch or pinhole with the sharpie on the label side. Basically, all this is doing is covering the light so that the laser doesn't shine through and get confused as it's reading the disc. This isn't a complete fix, but generally will allow your CD player to play through without causing an unwanted remix :)

Good Luck!

Canadian Tire - Oh How I Hate Thee

2006-12-03T23:35:00.000-06:00

Nothing can really express how much I can't stand this icon of crappy Canadian retail.

The other day, Carolann and I decided to go down to our Canadian Tire store in Picton to take advantage of their big door crasher sale. There were a few big items that were being advertised at pretty good prices. There was an HP Digital camera for under $100.00 and a few other items like battery boosters, pressure sprayers and the new Dora doll. We got in a bit early, the store was already starting to fill with people chattering nervously and eyeing store employees to be sure they were in the centre of the action. Eventually lines started to form for various items and soon an announcement on the P.A. system told customers for each of the various items to line up in their respective aisles. As the line for the digital camera (we were in) was not in the correct aisle, our entire line went scrambling to another area of the store and we ended up a little further ahead in line for our camera (about 15-20 customers away from the front) and since couples were lining up together, we expected we likely had a good chance at grabbing one, knowing full well that the stores didn't stock great quanities of these things for these sales. Well, we heard that the employee would come to our aisle and pass out the items (One per customer of course). Yea. Right.

We heard the doors open, saw the line move awkwardly forward, heard the commotion and the frustrated people turning away...This is what went down.

The aisle manager or whatever they call the overweight guy with the different colored skin-tight shirt who's worked there for 30 years told the new part-time after school (getting a job while I'm home at University) guy that had the cameras to go out the doors and wait until he got into the aisle to start giving cameras to the customers. Well, as soon as he opened the doors, he was accosted by some determined over-the-hill-we only go into town at christmas- ladies who nearly broke the poor guy's arm taking (between the 3 or 4 of them) all 8. Yes, 8 of the entire store's stock of digital cameras for the big "Door Crasher" sale.

Not really wanting or needing an HP digital camera, but always up for a good deal, I was not really bothered by the fact that I didn't get my hands on one, but what did frustrate me was this ridiculous way that Canadian Tire treats their employees. At least in the US for Black Friday, stores advertise their quanities so that people waiting in lines (30 or 50 people back) can go home if they know there's no chance of getting a piece of the big sale. We could have spent our time in other ways instead of wandering around a store waiting for a big sale and then walking out empty handed.

So this year, go get your windshield washer fluid, gas line anti-freeze at Walmart instead of Canadian Tire and stick it to the worst spawn of Satan Corporation Canada has ever given birth to.

Merry Christmas.

Rock Like Hello Kelly - Win a Hello Kelly iPod Contest

2006-12-03T22:42:00.000-06:00

LETUS PRODUCTIONS
SS12 72 Nery Ave//Picton Ontario K0K 2T0
www.letusproductions.blogspot.com
Phone - 613.827.3105
letusproductions@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff McCann
Email: letusproductions@gmail.com
Letus Productions Announces The "Win A Hello Kelly iPod Contest"
Can YOU Rock Like Hello Kelly?

Belleville, ON December 1, 2006 -- Letus Productions, an event production company from the Quinte area, joins Premier Artist Consulting Services, Compassion Canada, UCB Canada and band Hello Kelly to launch the “Win A Hello Kelly iPod Contest.” Hello Kelly fans are encouraged to enter the contest by recording themselves or as a group singing the lead vocals to the band’s hit “Favorite Arcade.”

Contest entrants will be supplied with a free instrumental mp3 download of Favorite Arcade with lyrics by visiting www.myspace.com/hellokelly. Submissions for the contest begin on December 1st 2006 and will close at midnight on January 31st, 2007. The top three semi-finalists will be chosen by Letus Productions and will be invited to perform the song at Hello Kelly’s “Green Things Grow Tour” show in Belleville, Ontario on Friday February 16, 2007 where the winner will be chosen live by the audience and rewarded with a limited edition, Hello Kelly laser engraved 2GB iPod Nano preloaded with the band’s entire discography including their new EP Green Things Grow! Prizes will also be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place winners including prizes from Ben & Jerry’s!

Letus Productions’ Founder Jeff McCann is excited at what this contest will accomplish.
“The Quinte area, Ontario and you could even say that Canada is very fickle when it comes to attending concerts. Concert attendance is at an all time low in this area. This contest is an attempt to reach out to Hello Kelly’s core fans and appeal to them in a new way. We hope that by launching this contest, it will create a huge buzz for the upcoming Hello Kelly tour in February.”

There is no cost to enter and participate in the contest, simply visit www.myspace.com/hellokelly or www.letusproductions.blogspot.com for complete contest guidelines and details.

###

Busy Busy Busy

2006-11-06T23:23:00.000-06:00

Wow, things have gotten almost out of hand around here! Since the week before last we were travelling to Belleville every day from Wednesday to this past Sunday. Every day solid for a week and a half! I don't even want to know how many km that was or how much it cost us in gas!

On the other hand, exciting things are happening in our church and I have been moving into a "production" role in our church. Audio/Video and media is important to our church. We are now producing our messages in a radio broadcast format (music/intros etc) and our services now feature regular "commercials" for upcoming events, new sermon series' and usually a video clip to illustrate an important point. It's a real passion for me to do this and I have actually almost totally left the sound/mixing side of the services (running sound) to concentrate more on these elements. it's a lot of fun and I really enjoy blazing new ground (at least for our church).

I'll try and get our latest sermon intro on Stewardship posted here.

More later,
Jeff.

It Pays To Speak Up!

2006-10-24T05:43:00.000-05:00

Early this summer, we were at a consignment store in Belleville that sells kids/baby items. I found this VideoNow Jr. video player (it's like a mini-dvd player that plays special discs you can buy at most Toy stores) that looked to be in pretty good shape marked for I think it was about 9.00. I quickly (no questions asked) whipped out 10 bucks and paid her and showed Carolann..(these things retailed a year ago at Toys R' Us for 100.00) and have since dropped to between 30 and 50 depending on where you get them. She was thrilled and we threw it in a bag and forgot about it until we got home. After throwing some new batteries in it, we found it to be defective. We called Playskool and asked them about it, telling them we'd picked up this VideoNow player for a good price but it was defective and what should we do? They barely let us get our story out and took our address down and a few weeks later we found this Fedexed right to the door. Playskool, apologizing for a defective unit, sent us 2 packages of VideoNow discs (3 in each box), a brand new VideoNow Jr. player (same color as ours) and some my little pony candy. So yea, we were thrilled. So...the next time you buy something or a product is not exactly how you think it should be...Speak up! Call up the company and politely explain to them you are disapointed or unhappy with your experience. You may be surprised by what they'll say! This also goes for things that you are really happy about. If you have a good experience with something, take the time and let someone know. We regularly get coupons, free gifts and sample products in the mail from companies we've talked to about how great their stuff is, In fact, I've started a blog about it and you can check it out at www.babyexperiment.blogspot.com

Shocking!

2006-10-15T22:18:00.000-05:00

A family's mini-van gets struck by up to a billion volts of electricity while driving home on the 401. What's almost more shocking is that the situation was totally captured on video by a family driving in a vehicle behind the van. All the people in the van were completely okay and the van suffered nothing more than a melted antennae.

I Couldn't Help Myself.

2006-10-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

Baby Merchant?? My favourite line. "No one at all has to know that the parents who brought her, bought her from the..." Everybody on the chorus!

"Baby Merchant...Tots R' Us
I'll give you all the service and no damn fuss
You give the Baby Merchant just a week or two...
I'll have your baby for you."

Cop Rock....Ahh Yes...

2006-10-04T14:49:00.000-05:00

Explain to me again, why they cancelled this?

More Childhood...You Must Remember This?

2006-10-04T03:49:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I scoured hardcore for this one, Do you remember? Strangely enough this was considered Japanese animation back in the day? Apparently there are still VHS tapes and some people have made them into DVDs and selling them on Ebay. If anyone has these, let me know, I'd love to grab some episodes and check them out all over again. But for now, check out the intro. Every night at 7pm, oh yes...I would never miss it!

More coming...

Does This Ever Get Old?

2006-10-03T15:50:00.000-05:00

I used to sit in absolute fascination during Sesame Street. I would do nothing except watch in awe at Big Bird and Bert & Ernie and would wish (I was 5/6) I could go there. It's a street right? Well, then I should be able to go there! As I got older I became aware of the Muppets thanks to Henson crossing over the two shows and began to watch the Muppet Show. Later on, I became interested in performing puppetry and have travelled all across the United States, performed in hundreds of churches in over half of the states in the USA. After returning from the States (training and performing), I began to perform more in Canada, and even though I haven't nearly touched as much of Canada as I have of the US, I look forward to performing more and more in Canada again and ministering to Children.

Here's one of my favourite Sesame Street clips. The martians. This is classic! Enjoy, and let me know your memories of this! I LOVE HEARING FROM PEOPLE!

Singer Swallows The Microphone

2006-10-01T18:24:00.000-05:00

As a sound man, if I've said it once....I've said it a thousand times. Don't swallow the microphone! And this is why!

Hello, There it is...My Childhood!

2006-09-30T23:21:00.000-05:00

Reuben

2006-09-28T23:23:00.001-05:00

So I haven't written in a bit, there's a reason for that. Yep, you're lookin' at him. Reuben has been displaying a combination of natural 3 yr old terrorism, a little toddler rebellion (his sister has left him for Pre-School during the days) and just plain mischief.

Here's a little taste of what has happened in the past 2 months. While at my parents for a stay, Reuben escaped momentarily from our sight and was found naked "skating and swimming" in a pool of shampoo and baby powder that he had emptied onto the bathroom linoleum for that express purpose. He seems to like bathroom floors for some reason because last week he baptized ours with nail polish (a nice big patch). You know what gets nail polish off the bathroom floor? Wait for it......Nail polish remover.

The one that nearly brought Carolann to tears was her gift from our awesome-est friends ever Ann & Andrew who bought Carolann some gourmet Adagio Tea for Christmas. Reuben was "cooking" in the kitchen and decided that all the flavours of Carolann's Adagio tea would go well with 2 full garlic bulbs into Carolann's Ingenui-Tea Tea maker. Needless to say, the loose tea is garbage and we were able to spare the garlic and the tea maker.

Need more? How about emptying an entire container of Vasoline onto our Duvet cover and bedsheets. Know what gets Vasoline grease marks off a duvet cover and bed sheets? Wait for it.......Nothing.

Reuben has also managed to plug our downstairs toilet for the second time this summer. The first time it was Bob the Builder's Hammer shaped bath soap that the village maintenance guy fished out of the pipes (after removing the toilet bowl from the floor) this time, I pray it's something that can be removed with having to call him again. The latest situation? Reuben filled our slow cooker with Alphabet pasta and honey. Oh, I almost forgot...he also emptied a container of fabric paint on the white chair in our living room. Yea, nothing gets fabric paint out of a white chair either.

So that's that.

Celebrity Designer Ty Pennington to Host ADHD Experts On Call Program

2006-09-19T13:28:00.001-05:00

Ty Joins the Nation's ADHD Experts to Answer Questions About Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) NEW YORK, September 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To help patients, families and caregivers better understand Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Shire Pharmaceuticals Inc., will host the eighth annual ADHD Experts on Call on September 20, 2006, from 8 A.M. to midnight EDT. Celebrity designer Ty Pennington, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, is back for the third year in a row to talk about his experience managing the disorder. Some of the nation's top ADHD experts will answer questions at the toll-free telephone hotline, 1-888-ASK-ADHD.

The hotline will provide live access to English- and Spanish-speaking experts including health care professionals, educators and advocates who can answer questions regarding the disorder. In addition, a confidential, one-on-one on-line forum will be available at www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com throughout the day.

September 20, 2006 is also national ADHD Awareness Day. In honor of ADHD Awareness Day, Ty Pennington will join Dr. Robert Findling, Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University, for an hour-long webcast to educate the community about this real and treatable disorder. The free webcast will take place live from ADHD Experts on Call from noon to 1 P.M. EDT on September 20, and it will be hosted on www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com. Those joining the webcast will be able to ask Ty Pennington and Dr. Findling questions about ADHD and its treatment.

"I know what's it's like to grow up with ADHD and how important it is for parents, caregivers and patients, to have access to accurate information," said Ty Pennington, host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TM. "I loved being part of ADHD Experts on Call last year, and I am excited about the many people we will impact this year. I hope that by working with all of these great people and sharing how support and treatment have made a difference in my life, I'll help other kids and families understand that there are people out there ready to help them and that it's possible to live a productive life with ADHD."

Over the last seven years, the ADHD Experts on Call have fielded tens of thousands of inquiries and have helped many people better understand the condition and how to manage it.

With school back in swing, parents and teachers may suspect that their child or student has ADHD. ADHD Experts on Call provides a valuable resource to both parents and teachers who may not be familiar with ADHD, and the many treatment options available. In addition, many adults still deal with the symptoms and long-term effects of ADHD, and may want to call and learn about ways to manage their symptoms of ADHD. While the experts participating in ADHD Experts on Call cannot provide specific medical advice for patients or parents or recommend a particular course of action, they will provide helpful information on topics such as:

- How teachers may approach parents if they suspect a student has ADHD;

- How parents can approach teachers about their child's ADHD-related needs;

- How to manage ADHD as an all-day disorder: before, during and after school;

- How to recognize ADHD symptoms in adolescents and adults;

- How to manage ADHD in the workplace;

- The need for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ADHD in children and adults; and

- Common myths and misconceptions about ADHD.

"While this program doesn't replace a physician visit, parents and adult patients can learn valuable information about ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, support groups and treatment options that can help them better understand the disorder," said Dr. Findling.

Practical Jokes

2006-09-18T22:08:00.000-05:00

Carolann and I went to a surprise birthday party for Colin Leaver who happens to be a YFC worker here in our area. The party was held at the Gary McDonald's house (YFC Director) and was well attended by a good group of YFC workers from around the area, pastors, parents of youth and good friends. Gary and his wife Denise were out at a wedding and wouldn't be home until 10pm so we decided since Gary is a good practical joker that we should return the favour! I can't remember exactly who's idea it was, but some ideas were thrown around and the consensus was to completely strip his office (pictures/bookshelves/computer/desk and all the knick knacks) and completely rebuild it in his garage. It took about 15-20 minutes to remove the three large (law office style) bookshelves that covered the back wall of his office along with the large desk, globe and computer workstation...Oh, and pictures!

The garage proved to be a perfect place to set up our new office (Denise had been after Gary to clean it earlier that day). I was really impressed with Amy (Gary's daughter) who saw what we were up to, mildly protested and then gave in when she saw that we were serious. Andrew, Gary's son was a great sport and even helped us plan and excute our devious scheme.

We got everything set up and left to enjoy the rest of the evening, a great time was had and we eventually ended up around the campfire yacking, playing games and really enjoying each other. When it came close to 10, we left the fire and congregated around the garage (inside) and waited for headlights to show up. When the car rounded the driveway, we shut the lights out and waited for Gary to come up the driveway. As he got to the garage door, we hit the door opener and waited for the door to reveal his face...At first, he looked confused and then a big smile came across his face as he saw all of us standing there and marvelling in our great joke. He said, wow, this is a lot of work for a 2 minute reaction. Was it worth it? Laughing, we said for sure! He was impressed and relieved at the same time when we all pitched in to get his office back to normal. 15 minutes later and we were back in the house, office back to normal and I even had a chance to set up his internet on his office computer (we tried to reconnect it, as we thought it had already been online only to find out that the computer never did connect to the internet). So my buddy Chris Burke, another YFC worker and fellow Mac user jumped online, I pulled the network card out and in 5 minutes we had Gary's machine online and connected to the internet through his wireless internet connection. Overall, it was a great night and a wonderful...safe...non-destructive practical joke! The best!

Not Myself

2006-09-17T19:17:00.000-05:00

This started out as a deeply personal post, but I couldn't seem to bring myself to publish it. So I will leave it and possibly "marinate" on it for awhile before I attempt something like it again.

I was watching Extreme Home Makeover and it made me cry. Yes, this big dumb idiot gets all teary when this show comes on. This particular one killed me. Ty Pennington, the show's regular host was away and had been replaced for this episode with a deaf host. She signed and could talk a little and was really cool. The family was living in a very small house and consisted of 2 daughters and mother, father and grandmother. The 2 daughters were either going or were legally blind, the father was deaf and the grandmother was legally blind. Wow.

So they found this software that listens to your voice (one person speaks into a microphone) and the deaf person watches the laptop screen while real video of someone signing, actually signs what the person speaking into the mic is saying. ummmm Hello? Unreal.

The most touching part was not the moment that they demonstrated the software to the family, but the moment where one of the designers turned his head away from the deaf host (So she could not read his lips) and spoke to her (the computer signed what he was saying perfectly). This made the host break down because she knew how incredible this technology was. That she could know what someone was saying to her without having to read lips.

Yea, I'm a sap...Watch the show! :)

Are You A Head Shaver?

2006-09-14T13:42:00.000-05:00

I've been shaving my head for about 5 years now and I've developed a pretty good system. For the purposes of a good blog post, I thought I'd share with whoever reads this, what I use day to day...

Just lately I discovered L'Oreal Paris' Men's Expert series of products. Generally, I'm not loyal to any one product or product line, but this particular line of products seem to make sense to me. The first is their shave gel.

L'Oreal Paris Men's Expert Anti-Irritation Shave Foam - This is great stuff. For the record, I hate shaving gel! I don't find that it foams up as nicely as well...foam. This stuff actually starts out as gel and with the little screen-like attachment on the nozzle, it comes out as a nice foam. It smells great and since it's an anti-irritation formula, it helps with in-grown hairs and redness from razorburn. The price is easily in range of the other Gilette shave gels, but a much superior product!

Gilette M3 Power Nitro - This razor seems to be the standard among male head shavers, or at least the non-powered Gilette Mach 3 Turbo model is considered the head shaving standard. The powered model vibrates as you shave and I'm not exactly sure if it makes a huge difference, but it appeals to my gadget obsession. But, I have one good tip for anyone using the M3 Nitro...Don't buy the branded Gilette M3 Nitro refill blades! They are priced ridiculously higher (8 to 10 dollars difference) than the Mach 3 Turbo refills and with the exception of a different colored aloe strip (green for M3 Nitro/Blue for Mach 3 Turbo) there is no physical difference between the M3 Nitro refill blades and the Gilette Mach 3 Turbo blades!

Lush Razorantium - "This is the shaving cream for stubborn stubble, that strong, tough stuff that beats razors into submission and makes shaving foams look like Graham Norton trouncing Mike Tyson (at conversational skills, obviously). Razorantium's allied forces of linseed mucilage, almond oil, cocoa butter, glycerin and shea butter make your bristles soften and surrender to your razor blade. This one is so thick and mucilaginous that your razor can slide right out of your hand..." This is great stuff! It's got a great feel and leaves your scalp really smooth. It's really expensive (17.99/8.1 oz) but it's worth it! Visit Lush Canada for all natural soaps/gels/bath bombs and other cosmetic products! I also am completely obsessed with their "Demon In The Dark" soap! It's mint and green apple together. The smell of someone showering with this soap will overtake not only your bathroom, but your entire house. It's an absolute dream to use. You will never be the same, I promise! The price is 6.99/100g. I also recommend not leaving this in the shower (get a soap container with a snap-on lid and stick it in your shaving kit) so that it doesn't melt in the shower. Also, a shower scrubby (a manly color!) will help prolong the life of this soap (you'll want to stretch it out as far as possible!).

L'Oreal Paris Men's Expert Dark Circle Eraser - This is great. I've always had dark circles under my eyes and have been told by parents that it's a genetic thing. Finally, a low-cost ($12.99CDN) solution to dark circles for guys! I've seen other products on the market that cost up to $80.00 and not being able to afford that price, have just dealt with the problem. I can honestly say this stuff really works! Within about 30 mins of applying this, there will be a visible difference in the dark circles under your eyes. It's great and at 13 bucks, it's well worth the difference that it makes to my face!

Nivea Men's Deep Cleansing Facial Scrub - I don't use this every day, but if I go for a week or two without shaving (I generally shave every 3-4 days) I can get a decent growth on my head. I use this after I take the bulk of my growth off with my electric clippers and before I use the razor to "bic" the rest. The sandy-grit/gel texture of this stuff gets right in and cleanses your pores and leaves you tingly clean. Good when you've got a build up of dead skin or shampoo from having too much hair.

Other things to have on hand when shaving, a Styptic stick. Whenever I change blades (usually after about 4 or 5 shaves) I end up with a little nick here and there from razor burn. One swipe of the styptic stick cauterizes any flesh wounds and prevents embarassment when you get to the office!

Shaving tips?

1. If you go against the grain (the direction your hair grows) you can generally take two swipes over the same place. After that you'll get razor burn. If you can, try not to go against the direction of growth. This will greatly diminish ingrown hairs. I can't seem to get the same end result when I shave with the direction of hair growth, but if you can, you'll be the better for it!

2. Get a good quality shaving cream. Gel vs Foam is a personal choice and generally doesn't make much difference in the final result. Oil is actually better, I've never used it, but from what I've been told and read, it's a better shave.

3. Keep your electric clippers sharp and well oiled. Take your clippers into a knife sharpening store when you start to feel pulling. Oiling them is really important. Just put 2 or 3 spots of oil on the blades after you finish shaving. Keep those puppies clean too!

4. Throw a towel over the sink if you are going to use your clippers. This makes clean up fast. Just don't bundle up the towel and throw it in the dirty laundy pile without getting rid of the hair....yea, I've done it...messy.

5. If you are new to head shaving, it'll take a few weeks to get used to shaving yourself without a mirror or someone to handle the back of your head. I generally just go by touch. Grab the clippers around the head/blades (they don't cut, just vibrate your hand a little) and guide it in straight lines to the top just over the curve of your head. This way when you do the top there's a little overlap and you don't get a patch across the back middle of your head. Also, when you are "bic-ing" the sides of your head above your ears, remember that your hair grows in a different direction than the top of your head, so you have to shave in a different direction to really get down to the skin, otherwise you'll end up with stubble that is slightly longer than the rest. :)

Anyways, Long post (there seems to be a pattern forming here) but I hope someone found it interesting.

Blessings,

The Music - The Soundtrack Of My Life

2006-09-13T14:40:00.000-05:00

There is no way to slow the mounting cold weather that is coming (except to relocate to a more tropical climate) but I have a few coping strategies that help my brain. Most of them are just romanticized ideas that I have conjured up to remind me of other things....like palm trees and cocount oil.

1. Starbucks Coffee (For the temporary, this has been wonderfully replaced by Peets thanks to my geographically spoiled friends Daryl & Sam from Dublin, California.

2. Music. I have a two and a half hour playlist of just chill music that puts me in a wonderful mood. If you are looking for music to get you through Fall & Winter you can do no better than the following...

Zero 7 - Probably what gets the most play in my cd players right now. They've just recorded a new album called "The Garden" which is a radical departure from their previous works. If you want best chill experience from this great band, get Simple Things or When It Falls.

Donavon Frankenreiter - Great surfer and friend of Jack Johnson with music along the same lines.
Jack Johnson - How can you argue with the guy who recorded the entire Curious George sountrack? Wonderfully relaxing acoustic singer/songwriter.

Corinne Bailey Rae is a new female singer/songwriter from the UK with a great summery/soul/roots/jazzy album. Great stuff for summer evenings. All our kids know this entire album and even our 3 and 4 year olds request this in the car! They know all the words!

KD Lang - Don't judge me on this. She recorded a really great album called Invincible Summer which is great lazy electronic influenced pop. I'm not a big fan of her other works, so trust me on this, it's a truly great album!

Chillout 2001 - A Compilation album of more electronic styled chill. But great nonetheless. A big favourite of my wife!

Christafari's Dub/Sound/Power album is a great reggae dub version of their album Word Sound & Power. Christafari is probably Christian music's premiere reggae band and very talented artists. Mark Mohr is a friend. Very relaxing.

Mono - Formica Blues - A true treasure in my collection. This album is one of a kind! The band that recorded this formed long enough to record this album and disbanded. They have since gone on to record other projects, but nothing that resembles this wonderful french/jazzy trip-hop. It's really great stuff and incredibly relaxing and enjoyable. I highly recommend buying this as it will soon disappear and be impossible to find!

Jai - Heaven - Another one of a kind! This guy came out of nowhere and recorded this incredible jazzy/slow-trip hop album with the most unreal falsetto voice ever heard on a guy. I guarantee you will grab the album cover and do a double take when Jai starts to sing. Extremely relaxing. I watched a Much Music interview with him one time where he cited many triphop outfits as inspirations for this album (Future Sound of London among others). I was totally taken with his smokey/jazzy/late-nite london club sound and bought the album. After this was recorded he totally disappeared off the map and literally no one knows where he is or what he is doing now! I think this album is actually out of print. (Little Note: I happened to be browsing our little hospital auxillery store in our very small town this summer and found 3 brand new copies of this album and picked them all up for under 1.00 total.) I will hang on to them in the event I wear out my original copy!

Chicane - Chilled. I have always known about Chicane, but this album is a little slower and nicer ambient/chill than their other fare. Chicane is mostly a DJ outfit with your typical banging club tracks. But occasionaly they take a break and record some really nice relaxing stuff. This is a great album and I love every track on this album.

Yoshinori Sunahara - Pan Am: The Sound of The 70's - Ever wondered what the 70's really sounded like? This is a really wonderful sounding album. It's full of really great chilled sounds and soundscapes of the 70's with a really unique vibe. Highly recommended.

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue - My favourite Miles Davis project. Enough said. I got the wonderful oppourtunity to chill with Bryan Duncan on the way for coffee at Starbucks to this album. He's also a huge fan!

Are you still here? Sorry about the long post, but I guarantee that if you pick up any one of these albums, you'll be glad you did!

Portishead - Self titled. One of their best. Another of my favourite artists. Very moody. Some would say depressing, but the immense creativity and atmosphere on this album gives it a very uplifting feel, at least for me. I could listen to this album forever. Another standout album of theirs is Dummy, their debut album. They are also planning to release a new album (their first in 8 years) very shortly.

Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust - Probably the best of their career. Morcheeba is a lot like Zero 7 and Portishead (they all come from the same general area in the UK) in that they were originally formed by DJ's wanting to give a more vocal/organic feel to their music so they hired vocalists. The cool part with all of these groups is that they hired very talented and gifted vocalists. Skye is the vocalist on this album from Morcheeba. She went on to record I believe 2 more albums with the guys of Morcheeba but left and the band hasn't been the same and has since gone through 2 lead singers trying to regain their loss. Definitely not the same as they were on this album and their followup Big Calm. Also a good album. Similar in scope to Portishead but a little lighter, more fun feel and Skye has one of the smoothest sweetest voices you'll ever hear, I promise!

Future Sound of London - Dead Cities - This album is quite different from the rest. Definitely a unique style. The guys are pretty much Potheads for lack of a better term who record a real mishmash of sounds/loops and atmospheric elements to create their music. This is definintely one of the more melodic albums they've ever done. They basically re-invent themselves with each full length album. This one is definitely my favourite. Anything prior to this has more of a club feel (steady bass beat) and everything after this album just gets really weird. I find this relaxing, but some would find it spooky. I think my familiarity with it makes me enjoy relaxing to it.

Mozez - Another of the Zero 7 vocalists. An amazing voice and incredible vibe. I really love this album. He's featured on When It Falls as well (the followup album to Simple Things).

Beth Gibbons - Out of Season - The long awaited solo album from the Portishead vocalist! This was recorded a few years back right in the middle of the drought all of us Portishead fans were experiencing when the band disappeared and did not immediately record another album. This is not exactly Portishead, more rootsy/organic stuff flavoured with vintage choral sounds (like old horror movies) but less spooky and more nostalgic. Great stuff. It also features Rustin Mann, the guitarist from Talk Talk.

Dido - Great trip hop vocalist who got a lot of mainstream attention when Eminem sampled her for one of his songs. I think this sort of spoiled her to her underground following, she has kind of fizzled since. But, the best of her albums by far! Slightly more commercialized/Slow/Trip-hop/pop.

De Phazz - I don't even know readily how to describe these guys. It's definitely chill, but I wouldn't say downtempo, they have a really unique Jazz sound with a lot of latin and soul. Almost a bossa-nova vibe. Very cool stuff and chill-worthy.

EarthRise.Ntone.1 - A Great compilation from Instinct Records. This album is so ambient that it's barely music and more sound effects and loops. But considered the best of the series. Highly recommended if you are in a mood to listen to something, but don't necessarily want a steady barrage of music/guitars or anything blaring. This a mixed up collection of really great beats and extremely downtempo tracks.

Glow - The Innocence Mission - Seriously go and buy anything by this group fronted by Karen Peris and husband Don Peris. Simply the most satisfying, low-key wonderful music ever made. If you love singer/songwriter and peaceful quiet, reflective with buckets of emotion, this is the stuff. I discovered this band when they were featured on the most unlikely of soundtracks for their style of music, the Empire Records soundtrack. Karen has a unique, very childlike voice and writes the most poetic/thoughtful and simply beautiful lyrics. Depending on the album there may or may not be drums and generally the arrangements consist of an acoustic guitar with piano and sometimes a pipe organ or standup bass. Very simple, very beautiful and an absolute joy to listen to. Any of their albums are amazing, but Glow and Lakes of Canada as well as Umbrella and Birds of My Neighborhood, Befriended and if you want to do your kids a favour, pick up their lullabye album. Brilliant! You'll love it too...I promise!

Barabara Lahr - Lyrical Amusement - She's the lead vocalist from the earlier mentioned De Phazz. Although this album is considerably different than the De Phazz albums, it's great stuff and she's largely considered German's best trip-hop artist. I think she has now started producing and has another new album out.

Other things that keep me sane through the winter...hmm...Message In A Bottle (the movie) is somehow like a narcotic for me. I usually throw it in the DVD player and cover up and drift off to sleep late on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Caleb Deschanel is the most amazing cinematographer ever and is responsible for a few really great movies like The Passion, Fly Away Home and Message In A Bottle. The movies however, aren't as great as the scenery and images that he creates with light. The lighting and colors in Message and Passion are breathtaking and if worth taking a second look.

Well, I'm definitely stopping here. I've gone on way too long for any normal human being. If you are still reading this and read all the way through, you should be rewarded. Drop me a message in the comments if you see anything you like or end up purchasing any of the items through these links to Amazon.

Mabel-Kate...Preschool?

2006-08-22T03:58:00.000-05:00

Even as the last weeks of summer still linger I begrudge the cooler weather... As a kid, I used to absolutely dread fall. Fall meant everything about my life would change for 9 months until June rolled around again and I regained my freedom. Fall meant school, schedules, rush, routine, sweaters, colored trees and brisk cool winds. Fall meant winter was very close which meant that dusty/dirt smell that the furnace made when it came on the first few times, cold mornings, frosted windows, frozen nose hairs, winter jackets and breathless walks to school.

As a father, I haven't lost that feeling of dread that starts to creep in around the end of August. I thought I would? But now, as my Mabel-Kate begins to talk excitedly about Pre-school, I (ME) am the one dreading the schedule, the routine, the days spent wondering if she is okay, if she misses home and all the things that I thought about when I should have been thinking about school. There really is no slowing down after the school starts. Pre-school might as well be like Jr. Wall Street. There is so many new things to learn! How to make friends, how to play nice, share, color in the lines, recognize shapes, memorize the alphabet. What happens next? Public school/high school/boys/careers...(okay I'm going to puke in my mouth). The years are sailing by and I'm trying desperately to keep up. I have so many fatherly questions about her and her life and my job as a parent so far. Will she be like me? Will she pay attention? Will she miss me? Have we prepared her enough? Will she grow up to be sucessful? What will the other kids think of her, will she be cool? Do they have cool in Preschool?

Honestly, it is definitely more taxing on my emotions than hers to watch her go away 3 days a week to preschool and know that she will be out of my immediate watch, beyond my instant protection and in someone else's probably less careful...care. This daddy doesn't let go easy!?

I already know what you are thinking...Don't say it. She will never date...

Great Windows Tip! Remove Windows-Update Uninstall Folders and free up hundreds of MB

2006-08-14T02:53:00.000-05:00

What a great tip! Each Windows Update creates an Uninstall folder on your system. If you are sure that you want to stick with your updates and security patches, this little script will find and remove all Windows-Update Uninstall folders and entries from Software>Uninstall. Especially handy for those that have to struggle with tiny HDs.

read more | digg story

Top Ten Tips for Parenting ADHD and Spirited Kids from The Gift of ADHD

2006-08-14T00:20:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tips for Parenting ADHD and Spirited Kids from The Gift of ADHD

read more | digg story

Crocs' ugly shoes score a pretty payday

2006-08-13T23:34:00.000-05:00

They're the hottest thing to hit the streets this season, but will the company still be standing after the fad fades?

By Jessica Seid, CNNMoney.com staff writer

August 9 2006: 3:56 PM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Crocs, the colorful resin clogs, are the biggest footwear fad since Ugg boots, and equally as ugly. But will they be able to sustain the same long-term success that Uggs' homely sheepskin designs have enjoyed?

Crocs Inc. (Charts) started just four years ago when three Boulder, Colo.-based founders decided to market a shoe developed and manufactured by Foam Creations, Inc.

The chunky shoes, which cost about $30 a pair, are made with a proprietary resin which softens as it warms, and molds to the wearer's foot - making them surprisingly comfortable.

The shoes, which were originally intended for boating because of their slip-resistant soles, have ventilation holes near the toes and are odor resistant, another big plus.

In addition to being well-suited for nurses, food servers, bartenders and cooks, the clogs have become increasingly popular with both kids and adults across the country. Lately, even celebrities like Terri Hatcher and Jack Nicholson have been photographed in their Crocs.

Crocs, which debuted as a public company on Feb. 13 in an offering that raised $207.9 million, said last week that its second-quarter profit surged thanks to strong demand domestically and abroad.

Income grew to $15.7 million, or 39 cents per share, up from $3.3 million, or 10 cents per share in the period a year before.

Those results widely beat Wall Street's expectations of a 22 cents per share profit, and Crocs also set its third-quarter guidance above the Street's projections.

"Our second quarter results were much stronger than we anticipated due to increased demand for our footwear both domestically and overseas," President and Chief Executive Ron Snyder said in a statement.

The stock rallied immediately after the earnings report, to trade near $32 on the electronic brokerage network Inet.

But, more recently, the stock moved down nearly 6 percent in active trading on Monday and down another 3 percent on Tuesday on the news that Croc has a secondary stock offering of more than 7 million shares scheduled to price on Aug. 16

Shares closed Tuesday at $25.40, down about 7 percent since the stock's closing price on the first day of trading.

A flash in the pan or a future for Crocs?

"Clearly the way the stock reacted in the wake of their stellar quarter, people think this is a fad that's not going to last, but they're just getting started," said Lori Wachs, a fund manager at Delaware Investments.

And Wachs, among others, points to Uggs as the ultimate example. Uggs maker Deckers Outdoor Corp (Charts) proved that its boots could withstand the fleeting fancy of teenagers, with sales that are still going strong after several years, despite outgrowing their of-the-moment appeal.

Crocs is doing everything it can to make sure it stays in the game as well.

The company is actively fueling growth with new styles and distribution deals, like its recent deal with Walt Disney Co. (Charts) to introduce a limited edition line of footwear featuring Disney characters.

But even the most loyal Croc wearers agree that the shoes are really ugly, leading some to wonder if it's only a matter of time before the masses realize that the emperor has no clothes - or at least no taste.

However, even if the fad does fade among kids and teens, as most do, there's still a high probability that Baby Boomers and professionals will keep shuffling in their shoes thanks to their extreme comfort and durability.

Hey, if Uggs can do it, why can't Crocs?

The Thing With The Ring

2006-08-11T14:13:00.000-05:00

A little backstory will help out anyone who might be reading this...

2 years before we got married, I went into a small jewellers in Picton to inquire about custom designed rings. I had an idea that I had never seen in a ring before and wanted to make a unique wedding ring that my wife (no girlfriend at the time) would be the only bearer of. I sat down with the wife and co-owner of the store at their computer and we designed a wedding ring out of an infinity symbol (a sideways figure 8). The woman thought this was a wonderful idea and we both agreed it would make a great wedding ring. I nearly forgot about that day when I proposed to my wife 2 years later until we thought about what rings we wanted. I went back to the jewelry store and lo and behold the saved profile of my wedding ring that I had designed (as a bachelor) for my future wife was still in their computer system. I brought my wife in (who was thrilled) and we made some personal changes so that it would fit her personality and style a little better. A clay sculpture was made and the diamonds were temporarily placed to give us an idea of how the ring would look once it was made. Another few changes were made and my ring was concieved about the same time. My wife's ring is an infinity symbol sitting on a band of white gold with small diamonds set flush in the ring all around the symbol with a larger diamond set in a round setting in the middle where the symbol crosses over. My wedding band is a wide white gold band (flat on top) with infinity symbols carved into the gold around the entire band and small diamonds once again sitting in the center of each symbol. The husband and designer/owner of the store was very taken with my idea and thrilled to make the rings for us.

Fast Forward 5 Years later...

My band has begun to fit very small (I lost a lot of weight before we got married) and since I have gained it back, has begun to irritate my finger. I took it off to heal my finger and while it was off, my wife suggested we take it in and have it re-sized. When we came in, the owner and designer instantly recognized us and immediately showed her my ring and said "See (name of salesperson) this is where the whole infinity ring line started from." Carolann laughed and I looked at him, knowing full well that he was serious! I said, "Oh, did you make some afterwards?" He said, "Oh yea! I liked the idea so much I designed a few and showed our supplier and he made a few and we sold them instantly! So now they are included in his main line and is in catalogs all across North America!" and he waved his hands like a proud father! I chuckled a little (obviously miffed) and continued our discussion, gave them our current address info for my ring, got my reciept and left with my wife. Once we got out of the store we both lamented at how insensitive it was for this guy to take our idea and turn it into a cash cow for his store. The whole purpose for us going to this particular jeweller was to make something unique that no one else would have and he does exactly what we were hoping to avoid by mass manufacturing an entire line of rings designed on my idea.

So, now I'm not sure what to do. Do I call the patent office? Do I contact a lawyer? What are my rights? I actually have prior art when it comes to proving my designs. I have a printed graphic and design of my ring the day it was made over 7 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if the actual profile was still sitting on the computer in the Picton store. Any thoughts?

The Starbucks Mystery

2006-08-11T02:02:00.000-05:00

So, Tonight we were in town. We ate at Montana's since friends of ours (Al & Carolyn Thompson) gave me 30.00 worth of Montana's gift certificates for my birthday! Thanks Al & Carolyn! We stopped into Starbucks for our coffee and noticed that they have new coffee scoops for sale. Since we already had one, we checked them out to see what the difference was. The new ones are considerably bigger! The weird part is, they are both labelled as containing the exact same measurement at 2 Tablespoons. They actually had our scoop there too (in the same bin) and we held them up together and you can actually fit our scoop into the newer one! There is that big a difference. Weird?! Stamped in the metal handle on both scoops is the same measurement @ 2 tablespoons and they were priced the same. All the baristas were stumped and could not understand why. I must get to the bottom of this. I will find out!

Also, if you have left a pot of coffee out too long and want it's cold, Don't throw it out!!!!

Three Great tips for cold coffee (5 hours or more in a stainless steel carafe)

1. Drink it! - Pour a full mug and stick it in the microwave for a minute and a half and put a pinch of salt in your mug. This will take the bitterness (warmed over taste) of your coffee and it will taste as good as new! You can do this with guests and they'll never know!

2. Throw it in your garden. Coffee and coffee grounds left over from your pot of coffee is like gourmet fertilizer for your garden!

3. Iced Coffee! - Fill your ice cube trays with coffee and throw them back in the freezer! Then when you feel like a cold summery Iced Coffee drink, throw some of the coffee cubes in the blender, some milk, chocolate syrup and blend until smooth. For some extra flavour and thickness you can substitute the milk for Ice cream. Have fun!

Glenn Kaiser Band Attracts 200 to Belleville, Ontario

2006-08-09T01:22:00.000-05:00

So the Glenn Kaiser show was great! Probably one of the best concerts I have been involved with, definitely the best show I've put on myself and easily the most organized. My friends Sam and Daryl were there to witness the magic and it was really great to see Wendi (Glenn's wife) and Glenn and Troy and Ed from the band. My good friend Bim put on a great solo set and the Bethlehem Blues Collective totally blew the audience away with their fun blues/rock and roll. Easily the best I've ever seen them. Wayne McFaul was our soundman and I can't even believe how great things sounded that night. Great tone, nice effects and overall, a really beautiful sounding show.

Glenn and band had a few issues getting to the venue (direction-wise) but it proved to be a little hickup and pushed us back an hour or so. Basically, they showed up shortly before the show and rushed to get plugged in and setup. So we delayed setup and soundcheck until intermission, took a long intermission to include a soundcheck and we were off to the races again. Glenn and band played a nice long set that included some great moments, good words and some serious blues/rock. I ducked in and out throughout the whole show and was able to catch some really nice licks.

The funniest moment of the show came when Troy Montroy came to me and asked directions to the Starbucks (very close). At first, I looked stunned and sort of in disbelief. He said, It's only a few minutes back that way...and I looked at him and said no...I want to go with you! I said, you don't realize that you asked like the biggest Starbucks junkey in entire place. So we jumped in the van and I yacked about how funny it was that he was asking me about directions to Starbucks. Just before we got there, I said...you're laughing at me, but I said, I'm going to walk in there and they will know exactly what I want before I even open my mouth! They laughed again and we all jumped out to go in. As I'm standing in line, we're laughing and making jokes and one of the baristas comes in and says "Your wife called....You forgot to ask her what she wanted..." I couldn't make this up?!

Classic. The churches really blew me away with this show. They gave overwhelming support, some even sold their tickets and gave the money back to us and were really helpful. Our corporate sponsor Richard Wright law Office was more than thrilled with the turnout and wants to do it again! I love that guy to death and was so glad that he was a part of this event. Richard had a faith-defining moment in his life 27 years ago at a Glenn Kaiser show and told me that he was able to thank Glenn for his 27 years. Definitely a God thing!

Our other big concern was the accomodations. I rented the band a bed and breakfast for the night (the entire bed and breakfast belonged to them) with a stocked refrigerator and kitchen. They were thrilled! I was so glad to be a small blessing to them in return for being such a huge blessing to us!

All in all, I am still gushing over what was a huge day for us. Oh, I almost forgot...Yahweh Harvest Outreach Center put on the food for the bands and cooked a wonderful warm chicken caesar salad. What an amazing meal! They had cold bottled water, fresh greens and warmed chicken and german chocolate cake. It went over like absolute gang busters. I was totally blessed by them. They are wonderful people. I told them I would go down and do a children's time for them. I must make good on my promise.