Website Wednesday - Congress.org's Megavote

You probably can't believe that I'm about to write about a government run website for something of value and worth. But don't worry, this isn't going to be some political rant (yet) about health care or the economy. This is me informing you about what I likely consider to be one of the most important information sources I can possibly tell you about.

Congress.org has a newsletter called MegaVote that is specifically about your Representatives & Senators and how they vote on every issue in Congress. You can become more actively involved with your government as you track how your elected official spends their time in Washington. Did they even vote? With this tool you can see if they did and how they chose to vote on that issue. Sign up for the newsletter today and enjoy knowing a little more about your Congress member when the mid-term elections come up around a year from now. 

(The rant . . . ) With MegaVote I've been watching my elected official for about five or so years now. I have noticed a trend with one of my Senators. Senator John Ensign (another Senator caught in an affair recently) consistingly votes NO on everything. It doesn't matter what the vote is on, he votes NO, that is if he is even there as he wasn't during the voting through of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Being disappointed in his decisions the entire time I've been a Nevadan, I cannot say enough bad things about Sen. Ensign. Funny enough he is the one that I've written the most about issues over the years seeing his vote needing the most assistance and guidance. I always got back a standard issue reply message from his office. (. . . rant officially over)

Without MegaVote I would never no how bad this man's decisions really have been and continue to be. So sign up for MegaVote and begin tracking your Representatives and Senators today. You'll thank me later if you find odd trends in your elected officials like I have. Sign up today.

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Tuesday Brewsday - Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is the second largest craft brewery in the country. It was founded by Ken Grossman and Paul Casumi in 1979. They developed one of the cornerstones of the craft brewery movement along with Sam Koch's Samuel Adams. Their flagship beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was first brewed in late 1980 and is considered by the Beer Judging Certification Program (BJCP) Guidelines to be the best commercially available example of American Pale Ale. According to  Sierra Nevada's website, "It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor." If you've never tasted a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I highly suggest you run down to your local liquor store and buy one. It is likely one of the few craft beers available in all 50 states.

However wonderful their pale ale may be, they brew many other styles excellently as well. In fact it was recently announced that they were teaming up with the hottest craft brewery at the moment, Dogfish Head of Milton, Delware. They will brew two beers in "Life & Limb" series, called 'Life & Limb' and 'Limb & Life'. The description of both beers from the press release is here:

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics—brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast—a blend of both breweries’ house strains—bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew. If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years.  Life & Limb will be available in 24-oz. bottles and limited draft starting this November.

Limb & Life is a companion to the big beer—an acorn off the larger tree. It is a 5% ABV small beer—a low-gravity beer made using the residual sugar as “second runnings” from the first larger brew, fortified with American hops.  This is a session beer. Its big brother is a sipper. Limb & Life will be a limited draft-only product, a prelude to the bigger beer, available in select bars and restaurants this October. 

The two beers will be brewed at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., in Chico, CA and released through the Sierra Nevada distribution network.

Since 1998 Ken Grossman has been the sole head of Sierra Nevada and continues to one of the key persons in the world of craft beer. There have been rumors of their corporate buyout, but to this day they are independently owned and operated. So keep a look out at your local beer freezer for the Sierra Nevada family of beers including their all new beer with Dogfish Head Brewery.

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Mad About Music Mondays - Playing For Change

Playing for Change is an inspirational musical project put together by film director Mark Johnson. The project originated four years ago on the Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade as he recorded street musician Roger Ridley singing "Stand by Me". He then traveled the globe recording mostly street artists performing in their element. He reinforced these performances by a handful of more-polished acts (several choirs, and even U2's Bono.)

 

He not only put together an album of wonderful songs featuring artists from virtually every corner of the globe, but he documented most of this on film for the movie, "Peace Through Music." I saw a good portion of this film on PBS in September as he was promoting this entire project. I was deeply moved by the story of Roger Ridley who Mark Johnson says is the spirit behind this project.

Roger Ridley was a street musician that inspired Mark Johnson to pursue this project. Roger was so humble in his nature that while being filmed and recorded for an international music project he never revealed such to his wife. Shortly before the project's release Roger was sent a DVD of Stand By Me cut and edited with all of the musicians worldwide. Roger called Mark after being drawn to tears while watching it and he couldn't believe that Mark had actually put it all together.

Shortly after Roger passed away from a heart condition, his wife still not knowing about the performance or project at all. His wife while still mourning for her husband, went to the TV for some entertainment. Pressing a wrong button on the controller she had pressed play on the DVD player. Roger's copy of Stand by Me still in the DVD player started to play for his widowed wife. She was overemotional and immediately called Mark to thank him for Roger's involvement in such a worldly project. Now we all have the ability to enjoy Roger's performances for all time in the music of Playing for Change and the documentary about it's making Peace Through Music. Without further ado, here is the crown jewel of this project, Roger Ridley and other musicians from around the World playing Ben E. King's classic Stand By Me.

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Streaming Sundays - Terry Fator: Live in Las Vegas

The newest headliner on the Las Vegas Strip is the unbelievable ventriloquist Terry Fator. He was the winner of the second season of America's Got Talent in 2007. As a result he got the $1 million prize and was due to have a short stint in the Jubilee show at the Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas. Bally's pulled out of the deal at the last minute. He then scheduled two shows in October 2007 that sold-out almost immediately. He then had to add an addtional show in December to meet the overwhelming demand for his tickets.

The Las Vegas Hilton then resigned Terry to a five-month long, three shows a month headlining gig for the sum of $1.5 million. In March of 2008 Terry was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show along with Simon Cowell. After his performance Simon Cowell referred to Terry as one of the, "two most talented people on the planet." As we all know that type of praise does not come easy from some like Simon Cowell.

In May 2008 Terry signed a $100 million, five-year deal to be the headliner at The Mirage casino/hotel in Las Vegas. Ever since he began his gig at The Mirage, Terry has received rave reviews as a performer on the Las Vegas Strip. He recently released a DVD featuring his many talents. I have that entire performance for you below. So sit back and get ready to laugh as you watch TERRY FATOR: LIVE IN LAS VEGAS:

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Forgetful Fridays - Nevermind

This is still the same featured Friday article I have been writing but it finally has a cool name like the rest. Forgetful Fridays, as it now will be known, is a reference to me either not knowing the location of these CD's, or me not even knowing who I lent it out to and thus who to ask for it back. So Forgetful Fridays is still about those lost CD's and songs that you long for so dearly.

This week's song is from Nirvana's Nevermind. I know how this CD was removed from my possession but I have no clue who committed the crime. At a party at my house in high school (that I didn't throw or attend, mind you) I had my 101 Disc CD Player raided and the better contents of which taken forever. I could go on about that, "but that's a different story altogether," to quote Del Preston from Wayne's World 2. Alas, Nevermind was nevermore for me and I've never managed to go out and spend the several thousand it would take to replace all of those albums in CD form and now sit here longing to hear them in the full glory. I have recently downloaded the album but its just not the same. When you can pop in a CD, sit back, admire the album art, read the liner notes, and sing along with the lyrics inside. Albums are supposed to be experiences that you take in and not something that you download in an instant as you brush your teeth and comb your hair.

I'm all for the insurance that your track will play through without skipping back for songs but you lose in intimate relationship with the artist when you take that all away. I'm sure that purists will even insist that it was all lost when we went away from vinyl. I love the fact that more bands are re-releasing and re-mastering their works on vinyl as the technology grows in popularity again.

Well enough of my hot air, lets get to the music. This week's track is "Something in the Way" by Nirvana off of the aforementioned Nevermind album. The track stuck out like a sore thumb on the album. The entire album were rocking downtrodden songs that the grunge genre became known for, however this song was soft, melodic, almost like a plea for someone to notice Kurt's immense ability as a real musician. By placing this song on the album the band showed their range and how they weren't just a bunch of screaming rockers. Nirvana never made a video for this song so I'm using footage from the iconic Unplugged: Live from New York concert.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana . . .

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Guest Blogger Thursdays - Spencer G.

How to get TV, Internet and a Phone with Long Distance Calling for about $40 a month!!
Yeah it sounded too good to be true to me too, BUT IT'S NOT! Ask President Grant!

Most things you read about that seem too be good to be true leave the $$$ issue out 'till the very end, so I will get the money part out of the way first. Plain and simple- You have to get high speed internet, and this may cost you about 40 bucks a month. Oh, you already have it? Great!