What Could You Do With a TRILLION Dollars?

Interesting question huh? Well, Rob Simpson from Tennessee wanted to find out.  Specifically, he and his team wanted to find out what other ways America could spend the equavalent of the 1 Trillion dollars already spent on the War in Iraq.  Now listen, I am not writing this post as a response against the Iraq War or anything like that.  I am just intrigued with how much money has been spent and how no one seems to be amped about it.  We’ve been there a long time and continue to spend and spend.  Besides the book, the other impetus of this post is the national debt sign in New York City.  Recently, the administrators of the sign had to remove the dollar sign to make room for another number…that is not good friends.

Anyway, some highlights from Simpson’s book.  Not going to Iraq and using the money in the US, would allow for:
-Free college tuition for every current high school student OR
-Pay for enough cancer screenings and vaccinations to save over 100,000 Americans a year OR
-Produce enough ethanol and cellulosic ethanol to virtually eliminate our dependence on Middle-East oil

This stuff blows my mind, especially the tuition part.  Think about it, is all I ask.  Now, if you would like, you can have a chance to spend a trillion and help the world.  Try this page, it is unique.  The only minor hiccup is that when it comes to ‘quantity’ for certain purchases, 999 is as high as you can go.  I promise you, it is harder than you think.  I did it and some of my purchases were absurd. Keep in mind that with Simpson’s notes above, those ORs were what you could do that purchase OR another.  On the website and from my purchases below, things were cumulative:
-I bought every NFL Franchise
-Fed over 50,000 malnourished kids from birth to their 18th birthday
-Financed over 1,200 Hollywood movies at $150 million a pop
-I bought 38 Oil Companies at $16 billion a pop
-I built over 16,000 Habitat for Humanity houses at $60,000 apiece
-I got 2,400 Bentley’s and Saleen’s respectively
-I built 6 airports at the price of $4.8 billion apiece
AND AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SEVEN ABOVE PURCHASES ARE STILL CUMULATIVE WITH PLENTY OF MONEY LEFT TO SPEND
http://www.whatwecouldhavedonewiththemoney.com/

I hope this stuff made you think.  I know that it has made me think a lot.

Better Things To Watch

I did not bring a TV to Maine and I have yet to purchase one.  I am lucky to have friends who will let me watch shows on their sets from time to time, so I usually get my fix.  One thing I have noticed when watching real TV  (and not the hulu.com and netflix.com reality that I live in), is the complete influx of political ads out right now.  I would imagine that many of you are sick of these commercials.  Therefore, today, I am going to include a few of my favorite YouTube videos.  Now you can watch some hilarious stuff that is endorsed by someone cool…me.  Enjoy.

The Whistle Go WOO (This is the greatest news report ever.  I want to hangout with Bub Rubb and Lil Sis)

Bear on Trampoline…I love this.

While Not a YouTube Specific Video, This Just Makes Me Smile.  Watch as Harry Caray Reviews 1997. (Note-Colin Quinn is called Norm a few times…this was Quinn’s first time as Weekend Update host after Norm MacDonald was fired)

Have Been Busy, But Am Still Rockin’

Hello all, I am writing this post from the library.  I am taking a quick break from some research to post some updates on life over the last week and change.  I have been quite busy out here.  Over the weekend our department hosted a history conference with the University of New Brunswick.  The theme was quite broad, “The Changing Face of History.”  Students from not only UNB and UMaine, but from Marquette, Mississippi State, and a few other universities presented papers on their respective research.  The vibe was relaxed and the format was panel style with paper presentations along with Q&A.  I moderated a panel and learned much on the topics of environmental history and border relations between Maine and Canada.  The conference will be held in New Brunswick next year and I hope to present.  Myself along with a departmental colleague have been nominated to put on the conference when it returns to UMaine in 2010. 

I have made some breakthroughs on the MA thesis front.  I plan to study Herman B Wells and his role in Post-WWII occupied Germany.  We are required to have a three-member committee and I have been blessed enough to find that group.  My advisor is a historian focused in foreign policy/relations and the two other committee members are experts in Germany and contemporary US history.  I am on the very, very front-end of this process and things will most likely shift somewhat.  With that said, my committee is on-board and feel like my topic is quite original shows strong potential. 

Alright, no TOP TEN today, but some are brewing.  I must get back to work.  However, I cannot leave without some music that I am currently jamming to. 
1) The Killers first record, “Hot Fuss” This is a great record, has a rigid, almost methodical quality about it.  If you have it, give it a whirl.

2) Christ Whitley’s 2003 record, “Hotel Vast Horizon.”  In my overall, top 50 songs of all-time, this record contains two, Breaking Your Fall and Hotel Vast Horizon. These two songs are not only strong lyrically, but are hauntingly special musically. 

Alright, I am out for now.  I am preparing for tomorrow’s forecast of a 38° with an 80% chance of a rain/snowy/windy mix.  It’s on friends and tomorrow is only October 22nd. 

One final thing.  Ok, actually two.  If you have not been watching the 5th season of The Office you are missing out.  This season is excellent and with the addition of Amy Ryan, the show has gone even further.  Also, my historical writing is getting stronger (not really reflected in this blog).  I am using stronger word effiecency and my professors are taking notice.

Thank you for reading.

Johnny Cash Conclusion & ‘That Guy’

There are many uses for the phrase ‘that guy.’  This phrase gets a negative connotation most of the time, but today I am going to illustrate a different type of ‘that guy.’  I must also say that I am not sure of the female equavalant.  Naturally one would say, ‘that girl’ as a follow-up, but I am not sure if it is used that way.

Anyway, there is a ‘that guy’ floor in graduate housing.  *Ok, this just in…the weather is great today and that stupid ICE CREAM TRUCK is driving around…boo boo boo* And I’m back… There is dude on my floor who is really nice when we pass each other in the hallway.  We usually exchange pleasantries, but we are at a name stalemate.  You see, during the opening days of the semester we did not meet each other.  Now that we are in the 5th week of school, we just say, “how are you man?” or “What’s up dude?”  There is this awkward, ‘we don’t know each other’s name’ vibe, so we just rely on basic phrases to say hello.  He’s ‘that guy’ who’s nice, but I do not know his name. I would imagine that others may have someone like that in your office or neighborhood.

Alright, now the conclusion to my TOP TEN JOHNNY CASH SONGS ACCORDING TO ME and MY iPOD (PART I) inspired by “I Walk the Line”:

6) Ring of FireThis song (attached vid is w/out the trumpets, but with Willie Nelson, so it’s just as amazing) is a classic through and through.  Written by June Carter and inspired by her attraction to Johnny, this song lives on today.  One thing to watch in the attached video is something fairly unique to the way JC played guitar.  If you look at his strumming arm, it is often wrapped around the side of the guitar, which if you have tried to play guitar before, can be challenging.  This is just a side piece that I find interesting.  Also, for your listening pleasure, I am attaching a cover of this tune by the band, Social Distortion.  I like this band a lot and I feel as though this is a fair version of the cover. I dig Social D…more on them in the future. Suffice it say, they put on a great live show…saw them in 2005.

7) Cocaine Blues This story of an arrest with JCs story as the loose framework is just an irreverent tune.  I dig the story and how it’s played live.  I could not find a great video for this on YouTube, but it’s all good.  Dial it up on iTunes or something, it’s a great jam.

#8 Long Black Veil This song is another great story from JC.  The story is sad, but has a strong element of integrity to it. The attached video is a bonus.  The bonus lies in the duet with Joni Mitchell.

9) Get Rhythm I love this song.  One of Johnny Cash’s first hit records, this song is just a toe-tapping song that honestly should include someone blowing on a jug.  This song also has a fun story and is slightly motivational.

10) Rusty Cage This is a cover of a early-90s, Soundgarden song. I really like JC’s take on this tune.  Again, another special thank you must go out to Rick Rubin for getting Cash back out into the world with these recordings. A classic part of this tune is when the full-band comes in and JC still sounds tough.

There you have it, the completion of my Top Ten Johnny Cash songs.  Thank you for reading.  Future topics in upcoming blog posts include, more music (Top Ten Foo Fighters, Jars of Clay, and romantic tunes) also, some things on the election.

Great Weather Today-NEW TOP TEN (PART ONE)

It is 64 degrees with a light-breeze and all kinds of sunshine.  The day is a slice of fried gold. Ok, you may be thinking, “why aren’t you outside?”

Well, I will be heading that way to read here in a few minutes.  I had another Top Ten list pop into my head, so I had to type baby…

Some caveats to this, and other lists to follow.  1) The list will be generated solely by using the random function on my iPod.  A list comes to my head once a song perks my interest.  2) These are only songs I have on my iPod.

This list is generated by “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash.  This is the TOP TEN JOHNNY CASH SONGS ACCORDING TO ME and MY iPOD (PART I):

1) A Boy Named Sue This is my favorite Johnny Cash song.  He obviously has so many tunes that are legendary, but this song gets at the heart of what I believe Johnny Cash stood for.  He stood for being tough, diligent, a great story teller, letting the music craft around the story, and writing tunes that resonate greatly with the audience.

2) Hurt JC covering this great song by Nine Inch Nails is my second favorite ever.   The attached video is powerful and I get choked up when I watch.  If I could be lucky enough to have a woman who loves me like June Carter Cash loved Johnny Cash at that stage, life would be pretty great.  Just watch as he sings and she stands gazing.  It’s a powerful video and JC does what any artist should do with a cover and that is take it to the next level.  We should all be eternally grateful to Rick Rubin for tapping into JCs genius at that late-stage of his career.

3) I Walk the Line When Cash first wrote this song he did not have a drummer.  You’ll hear in early recordings a snare sound.  That is Johnny using a piece of paper in the neck to simulate the snare sound.  This is another great Cash song that highlights his simplicity of range and message conveyance.

4) Jackson Originally a song performed and written by June Carter’s former spouse, this song became a staple of Johnny and June’s duets.  This song paints a great story of how a couple got married, but the fire is dying, so the man is going to Jackson to sow some proverbial oats.  The woman is laughing saying that you are going to do nothing of the sort.  The video here just shows the chemistry between them.

5) 25 Minutes to Go Again, going with the storytelling setup, this song is perfect.  This song tells the story of a man who’s headed to the gallows in 25 minutes.  You get to hear all of the final steps of the man’s life.  I love this song…there are rebel JC moments and just a great story.  I could not find a good video here, but if you have not heard the song, you should check it out.

This concludes the PART ONE of the Johnny Cash Top Ten.  The final five will be arriving tomorrow.

A couple of notes.  First, if you know some people that would enjoy this blog, please send it out.  I would love to spread the love of music.  Second, as always, I appreciate and love getting feedback, so hit me up.

Thank you for reading.

Tuesday the 7th and TOP TEN Conclusion

The election is four weeks away my friends. I truly hope that all of you reading have registered to vote and plan to vote.  I will not say that I do not care who you vote for because I have my own thoughts on the matter.  Nonetheless, voting is our sacred franchise.  Please make sure you hit the polls.  As both tickets have exclaimed, this is the most important election in the last generation or even more.

So, back by popular demand (this is just blatant propaganda-no one is demanding this, but I digress) is the conclusion to Top 10 Songs (PART II) With a Great Intro That is Essential to the Overall Song-Because of GNR’s Sweet Child O’ Mine (This is the catalyst song)

6) In Bloom Nirvana Like many of its colleagues on the list, this song comes at you from many angles.  The first is the strong, edgy intro that feeds into a great song.  Utilizing a hypnotizing bass line and stronger than you realize drumming, this song is fantastic.  Also, the video, shot with real-1960s cameras, is irreverent and also respectful to the b/w television time frame.

7) Baba O’Riley The Who This song is one of my all time favorite songs, period.  This song’s intro is nothing short of magnificent.  You have a great bass line from John Entwistle, legendary riffs from Pete Townshend (not too mention his pioneering use of the synth in the early-70s), Keith Moon’s straight-forward drumming, and then of course the Roger Dawltry’s range and angst.  The video I have attached capture’s the entire band in their rock glory.  Pete does not come in with the guitar until the 1:50 mark.  Just watch his aura of rock swagger, it is awesome.  “Teenage wasteland/It’s only teenage wasteland/they’re all WASTED…riff riff riff“  Great song, ’nuff said.

#8 Guerilla Radio Rage Against the Machine This band founded on political radicalism and QUESTIONING things that you should not question is, in my opinion underrated for their contributions to rock.  My own agenda aside, the intro to this song is powerful and plays to the strengths of the band.  These strengths are anger, diverse music backgrounds, and political unrest.  The video with the first link is one that was on MTV.  Rage was on Dave Letterman back in the day, outside on 53rd St and here is the vid.  I love that Dave had them on and that the crowd was able to go for it.  Side note from me…the half-sleeve tats of bassist, Tim Commerford are amazing.

9) My Name is Jonas Weezer I will admit to start that the vid quality is not that great, but I forgot that Rivers Cuomo used to rock the bowl cut.  Nevertheless, this song is one of the best on the ‘Blue’ album.  I remember loving (still do) every track on that record.  This song just rocks and has some strong riffs.

10) Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing Chris Issak There are not many people cooler than Chris Issak.  This dude just breathes cool.  The suits, swagger, not going to lie, I have a bit of a mancrush on him.  With that said, this song is so good.  In fact, it has been good even before Stanley Kubrick used it in that picture with the Scientologist and Nicole Kidman. You be wondering, “Lucas, why no video here?” That is a great question.  If you have seen other Chris Issak videos such as the one for Wicked Games you would know that they tend to be a bit scandalous.  Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing falls into that category and I could not find a live version that highlighted the intro.

So, this completes the first top 10 list.  What have we learned?  Well, knowing is half the battle.  Those flipping GI Joes were right.  Also, I learned something while compiling this list.  Do not walk with your iPod in your back left pocket and subsequently try to go to the next song.  Why?  Because it looks like your playing with your butt, especially if the random function is not playing a song you want-prompting multiple adjustments or you have to adjust the volume.  I got some funny looks walking yesterday.

Thanks for reading.

Music Monday Baby…And Some Other Stuff

Hello Friends.  I hope this finds everyone coming off of a great weekend.

Mine was pretty good.  Did some homework, watched some baseball, kicked it with some friends, slept, and saw a movie.  Oh, played some football too.  I saw How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.   I really enjoyed the film.  Simon Pegg and Jeff Bridges are two actors that I will watch no matter what.  I think more Americans should be exposed to British comedians (I know Jeff B. is not British). I appreciate their style and approach in the way they phrase things. Also they have a way of being shy and honest at the same time.  And seriously, Megan Fox, well, she is beautiful…she’s in the film too.

What else is shaking?  Well, I think the network/Internet connection up here is sub-par at best.  I often have to refresh a window that is going too slow or if I am watching TV (i.e. my comp through the Web) it will stutter on itself.

I am knee-deep in school at the moment.  It’s funny, I have an 8-10 page paper due in two-weeks that is about how I am going to write a 20 page paper at the end of the semester.  Oh, I got an A- on my first larger paper that was due.

Ok, I have been thinking of how I would like to discuss music on the blog and at least for the time being I have a new strategy.  I am going to let my iPod be the catalyst for each post’s list. As I listen on random, the first song that makes me think of a list, that is where I go.  The list will be eclectic and most likely not something you would see on VH1 or anywhere else.  Right now I am sitting on 7,330 songs, which is a great, diverse base.  So, without further ado, here is PART ONE of the first Top 10 list:
Top 10 Songs (PART I) With a Great Intro That is Essential to the Overall Song-Because of GNR’s Sweet Child O’ Mine (This is the catalyst song)

1) Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns N’ Roses This song is just great, no matter what and it serves as the driving force behind today’s list.  I love this tune at about the 2:50 mark. I miss this version of GnR.

2) Seven Nation Army The White Stripes This song is a double-threat.  It starts with an excellent lead-in beat and the video is creative. The title of this song refers to what Jack White used to call the Salvation Army when he was a kid.  Oh, also, I have a crush on Meg White…cute woman on the drums=alright by me.

3) Barracuda Heart In my opinion, if you do not like this song, someone should punch you in the face then give you a hug and finally, give you another shot to get it right.  This song, about Ann Wilson’s process of dealing with an unruly fan holds up to this very day.  Ann’s killer range on this tune coupled with Nancy Wilson’s killer riffs are magic, enough said. Side note for bonus coverage.  At the 2007, VH1 Rock Honors (partly honoring Heart), Alice in Chain’s new lineup played this tune with Gretchen Wilson on leads…she can sing.  Notice when Nancy Wilson comes out and gives a nod of approval to Gretchen’s vocals, it’s great.

4) Monkeywrench Foo Fighters The Foos dropped this song on their second record and I still remember where I was when I heard it for the first time.  I was watching 120 Minutes, by now, probably a long-forgotten show on MTV that made Sunday later-nights awesome.  Anyway, this video came on with that opening set of riffs and I was hooked.  This is a great tune and also, the first record with Taylor Hawkins on the sticks.  Oh, super-bonus points if you know the song DG is listening to on the elevator…actually, it is not that tough, so it will just be bonus and not super-bonus.

5) Walk Pantera This song’s first riff by Dimebag Darrell Abbott is just monster.  Seemingly simple, it just punches you with its rawness.  Couple that riff with Phil Anselmo’s angry, pissed voice  and you have awesomeness.  I listen to this song a lot when I run…I have been known to just let it repeat and repeat.  If you are ever angry and want to vent, this is your jam.

Well, there you have part one of the Top 10 Songs With a Great Intro That is Essential to the
Overall Song-Because of GNR’s Sweet Child O’ Mine (This is the catalyst
song). I will complete the last 5 later this week…so be ready.

Thanks for reading and always, I appreciate your comments/feedback.