Okay...NOOOOOWW you can do it..

Now you can play Christmas Music.

Now people can decorate their homes/yards with holiday flair.

Now stores can put up holiday lights, fixtures, trees, menorahs et all...go for it.

Now there can be even more traffic on the road.

Warning. I WILL be saying "MERRY CHRISTMAS" so deal with it.

finally..

Now stores can put out Valentines stuff.

26 shopping days till Christmas.....

No Age - Middle East Downstairs November 24, 2008

The review I did for the No Age show is up. You can find it
here.

Kudos to Joshua for the great pictures on the site as well. Hope you will stop over.

Oh..real quick...

Well Thanksgiving is tomorrow and its going to be great on many levels. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact I did NOT hear that stupid Adam Sandler Thanksgiving song. Thank good news.

I am lucky to be around good friends and family this weekend.

Actually working in the office on "Black Friday" but I will be off on Monday for "How much did we actually spend this weekend Monday". I think it is time that the Monday got a name. Like Ahh Shit Monday, or My credit is in the crapper Monday..

For those that celebrate have a great thanksgiving. Those that do not, enjoy the rest of the week.

-march

Off to see...

The band No Age tonight at the Middle East. Actually getting pretty excited..considering 3-4 hrs ago I didn't even know I was going.

Some people say day-dreaming's for the lazy minded fools

Well it is Friday. So that must mean a few things..mostly the start to your day can be found with a new installment of Forgotten Disc Friday.

Not sure how many of you download stuff, but there have been a lot of cease and desist orders going around on mp3 sites..so grab em fast as they will be coming down quicker from now on.

Most of you will know this weeks entry.

Have a good week.
-March

Murder By Death - Cafe 939 Boston MA November 15, 2008

Murder By Death
w/William Elliott Whitmore
Cafe 939, Boston, MA
Saturday, November 15, 2008

I have some exciting news. After a few years of reviewing shows I have caught the attention of a great music based web page.

A few weeks ago, they asked if I'd like to write for them. I happily accepted for many reasons (one being the site looks great) and a series of other reasons.

So, I will use this blog at times to let you know if I have written something, not to say you should not check out the site anyway, but you get the idea.

Link to the direct article is here, but the main page is here

I am excited about this opportunity. Thanks to Josh and Josh at mel.opho.be.com for this chance, and Mike at Cafe 939 for the pass to review the show.

Cheetah Girls - DCU Center, Worcester MA November 17,2008

The Cheetah Girls
w/The Clique Girls
DCU Center, Worcester, MA
Monday, November 17, 2008

I never saw Nirvana live, but I have seen the Cheetah Girls live, not once..but twice. Some long time readers may remember the last time little march and I rocked out.

This time around, the little older and little wiser little march and I decided to rock out once more. Her interest has tapered off some, but the ride to the show she seemed pretty anxious about getting there.

We walked in to the venue and I decided that if we were going to do "merch" lets do it now. She had one look and said she didn't think she wanted anything. Perfect. We brought this battery powered glow stick with us, that we bought at one of the Disney sanctioned events we have been to, so that saved me even more money. All she wanted was fried dough..so we did that.

We sat in our seats, pretty low off to the side of the stage about 1/2 way back in the venue. A few moments later the Clique Girlz came on stage. The three sisters performed about 35 minutes totally backed by drum tracks et all. Sort of what you'd expect honestly. They didn't really have any good hooky pop song though. Dunno..they could be huge in 6 months for all I know.

The PA announcer said the Cheetahs would be on in about 20 minutes so Little March says "Bathroom"..so I said "LETS GOOOOOOOOOO". We got in line, and I could not convince her to come in to the mens room to go. There was hardly any males at this show..but she held fast on staying in line...so be it. We were back in our seats with a few moments the Cheetah Girls arrived.

Barring a blow by blow song by song review lets just say..it is a total Disney Production. You get costume changes, dancers doing robotic and limbless dance moves, you get screams..ohhh do you get screams. They had video screens, popped up in the middle of the venue flanked by dancers, and walked back through the crowd. They had chandeliers drop drop from the rafters that they climbed in to and were taken up off the stage.

If you were a 9 1/2 year old..this was a pretty freaking great show.

The show wrapped up shortly after 9pm so we didn't have to worry too much about a late bed time on a school night.

We both had fun, but I am not sure she needs to do it again, which is also fine.

I heard a rumor but I didn't say a word....

A new installment of Forgotten Disc Friday is now up.

Some may know this band, in name at least. It is a shame they never got their "just due" here in America.

-also-

In some exciting, or not so exciting news I was served my first cease and desist order for that site. Seems Depeche Mode was not fans of me having 3 mp3s up there to be downloaded.

I am frustrated with the whole article being pulled by blogger. A few reasons:

1) In every FDF I indicate in the disclaimer that if there are issues with the mp3 to please contact me and I will remove. I was never told.

2) The whole post is gone. Deleted. Not just the mp3's..but all the test..i think I have it saved though..hmmm

3) the email was dated October 23rd telling me..but the entry on this blog was back in January. I rarely have mp3's up for more than 3 weeks.

Oh well, I understand that it is their property and I am not here to cause problems. So, if its mp3's you want..grab em fast..you never know. This site may end up going dark!

Thanks as always for reading, and of course thanks for the support!

-march

Uggh..my toes curl up in my shoes when I read this...

Time to blow the dust off the "Jackass Award". There are no curse words..honestly.
Cell Phones for Soldiers Stolen.

Seriously??? When you see FIVE HUNDRED probably not so new cell phones...LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!

Veterans Day...

One of the posts that I am most proud of can be read
here (pt1) and here (pt2). Neither is very long, but I hope you will read them once more. I realize it says "Memorial Day" but honestly, is one or two days really even enough.

Thank you to all Veterans.

In the News...

A Florida family who decorated their home with flags and balloons to welcome their daughter home from Iraq had their decorations confiscated by their housing association. According to the committee, "Welcome Home" sings might be construed as "political" statements in support of the war, and thus violated the rules.

An aide to the governor of New York is blaming a $300,000 unpaid tax bill on a rare medical condition called "late filing syndrome".

A bi-monthly New Mexico newspaper printed its October 26-Nov 8th issue with the headline "Obama Wins". The paper urged folks to vote, "even if we did spoil the ending for you".

An Oregon teenager said she didn't see the police officer trying to pull her over for driving 107 Mph...because she was too busy talking on her cell phone.

Heather Mills has already spent $15 Million of her settlement from divorcing Paul McCartney in just seven months.

Some pre-election stuff:
Obama spent 250 million on local cable and network television commercials over the past five months. He spent more on ads during this time than such giant brands as Burger King, Apple and the Gap. New York Times.

In Early November 194 newspapers endorsed Obama to 92 for McCain. - Editor and Publisher

The sale of firearms and ammo has jumped close to 10% in the recent months. Fears of a looming Democrats will impose new gun control measures. - Washington Post.

Despite five straight losing quarters and 70% fall in its stock price in 2008, Merrill Lynch has set aside 6.7 billion for year end employee bonuses. Bloomberg.com

The third installment of High School Musical raked in $42 million its opening weekend, the best ever for a musical. Since 2006 the franchise has lifted Disney's operating profits by an estimated 100 million dollars. - Wall St Journal

Only 1/2 of the NBA's 30 teams are "profitable", down from 20 last year. USA Today

Fees for bounced checks and cash withdraws form an out of network ATM rose again his year according to Bankrate.com. The average cost of using another bank's ATM is now $3.43, while a fee for a bounced check is on average $28.95, up 2.5% from a year ago. Business Week.

Grapples the earth with her fingers and her mouth

A new installment of Forgotten Disc Friday is now up.

Many of the readers will know this band, at least in name.

Also, last weeks was a MASSIVE hit. I had over 150 combined downloads of the tracks. It might be chicken scratch to most music blog sites, but this was pretty monumental for the site. The hits are also WAY up. I hope it continues, cuz like this blog (and that) sometimes you wonder if anyone else reads em except you! (I know SOME of you do..but you know what I mean).

Thanks as always for reading, and of course thanks for the support!

-march

Amazon.com does some good..

I was checking something out on Amazon.com yesterday and right on the main page was news they were going to work on cutting down the packaging their items come in.

Check out this link to see the amazing amount of "crap" that toys are packed with that they hope to eliminate.

There is an example here.

Thank you..on many levels. Mostly you are saving me about 10hrs on Christmas Day opening toys!

There was something I was supposed to do today...

What the heck was it? Sheesh, I wish I had some method of having robots call me at home to remind me what I was supposed to do today.

buy a goat?
no..ummm oh a boat..nope..can't do that...
dig that moat I have always wanted...hmmmmm

Oh well..it will come to me tomorrow. I can take care of it then.

Let me offer some advice...

Okay, so chances are you are sick and tired of being offered candy, eating candy and whatever else it is you do with candy. Now that the dust has settled and the smashed pumpkins have been cleaned up..what to do with all this candy?

My idea..save it. It doesn't go bad "that fast" and I am sure...if you give it 2 weeks people will be back looking for candy.

Just a suggestion....oh..if you are looking to get rid of Peanut Butter Cups..please send them to me..I will help you out.

-March