Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Getting Schooled by Karma

Everyone has pet peeves or things that make them nuts for no real reason. One pet peeve of mine is people who misspell the word lose as loose and vice versa. I have no real explanation as to why, but when I see someone write "He is loosing the race." it makes me want to scream.

So today, I received this email:

"Hey, on your website you misspell "stationery" (with an 'e') as "stationary" (with an 'a'). Spelled that way, 'stationary' means standing still. With an e it's the stuff you write on."


For the past 12 years I have been misspelling "stationery!" I don't think I ever realized or noticed that it was misspelled! I just pictured this guy going through the site, pulling his hair and screaming "Aaaacckkkk!!!" He couldn't take it anymore and let me know. And believe me it was appreciated. Color me red! I feel so foolish now.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Today is a great day to be alive!

I am so overwhelmed with emotion I can't put it into words. Suffice to say I am glad to particpate in a historic moment, feel proud and optimistic for the first time in years.
"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction."

-- Barack Obama

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Indie 103.1 left the dial

On my many excursions to Southern California, I can't wait until I pass Calabassas so that I can get enough reception to listen to Indie 103.1. Where I live, all the channels are owned by ClearChannel, which is why they all play the same crap music, usually around 25 songs, then rotate them ad nauseum.

I found out today that they went off the airwaves this morning. Lucky for me I knew this because I have been listening to Jonesy's Jukebox at 12 bells for years now via their internet streaming station.

I checked out their website today to see what the haps was, they posted this message:
"Indie Activist:


This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience -


Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option --- to play the corporate radio game.


We have decided not to play that game any longer. Rather than changing the sound, spirit, and soul of what has made Indie 103.1 great Indie 103.1 will bid farewell to the terrestrial airwaves and take an alternative course.


This could only be done on the Internet, a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives; be it grunge, punk, or alternative - simply put, only the best music.


For those of you with a computer at home or at work, log on to www.indie1031.com and listen to the new Indie 103.1 - which is really the old Indie 103.1, not the version of Indie 103.1 we are removing from the broadcast airwaves.


We thank our listeners and advertisers for their support of the greatest radio station ever conceived, and look forward to continuing to deliver the famed Indie 103.1 music and spirit over the Internet to passionate music listeners around the world."
Although this makes my drive a little suckier, at least I still have normalcy at home. It is such a great station as they play all genres of music, have several specialty shows all akin to the college radio days of old. Except on this station the shows are hosted by real rock stars: Joe Escalante (of the Vandals) hosts the morning show, Steve Jones (of the Sex Pistols) has Jonesy's Jukebox and Jonesy's Jukebox Jury 12 -2 weekdays, Dave Navarro has a show Dark Matter on Wednesday from 12am - 2am, Henry Rollins hosts a show Harmony in My Head on Saturdays 8pm - 10pm. So if you have a chance to listen via the interweb, I highly reccommend it.