So I've got this friend. He's a budding singer/songwriter, and he moved out to LA a little while ago to try and make a name for himself.  He's a super talented guy, but he doesn't have a web site or myspace page yet (we're working on it), so I told him if he sent me a track I'd be more than happy to post it on my blog, and solicit some honest feedback from my readers.

The track he sent is called 'Flyin' High'. It's from a forth-coming EP of the same name. He actually submitted it to the American Idol songwriting competition last season, and it was in the top 10. So. He's gonna go places. Take a listen, and let me know what you think. And be honest, you know? He's trying to improve, so any comments or criticisms will be welcomed.  Enjoy, and have a great weekend! -d

Title: Flyin' High
Artist: MGU
Album: Flyin' High EP
Time: 3:24

bad parents: ones who let their kid drive his power wheels out on street with real cars.
great kids: ones who can do a 1-point parallel parking job.

bad parents: ones who film their kids getting frustrated while trying to get dressed instead of helping them.
great kids: ones who get frustrated while trying to get dressed.

bad parents: ones who let their infant children watch beyonce videos.
great kids: ones who can dance like beyonce.

bad parents: ones who are so cheap that instead of buying their kids toys, they try to amuse them by ripping newspaper.
great kids: ones who get their first ROFL from ripping newspaper.

[smile]

"Bears are soulless, godless, rampaging killing machines. They are Satan's minions and the true symbol of evil."  -S. Colbert

though the folks at fox news frequently find themselves at odds with mr. colbert's politics, not even rupert murdoch can deny the threat that bears pose to our american way of life. i heard murdoch himself personally shepherded this hard-hitting expose through the necessary hoops to get it to air.  i think he even made the bear.

(note: sorry if this is old news. it just made me laugh so hard this morning that i wept. wept for fear of bears. and for the state of american journalism.)

the always magical teej introduced me to the sneeze, a blog which is often funny, occasionally offensive, and even brilliant from time to time. the latter is the case with 'the mystery of the face on the buttocks'. i really hope things like this are par for the parenting course. if so, i'm gonna totally kill as a dad. -d

today i'd like to take the opportunity to draw your attention to two pretty serious social issues that were brought to the forefront of my consciousness thanks to two insightful blogs.  i present them to you now.

the family:
liberal america, in their continuing crusade against the family, consistently uses its firm stronghold on the arts to embarrass and humiliate our hallowed institution.  in this case, they use their political sway with amateur and department store photographers in an effort to take that once-sacred genealogical artifact - the family photo - and turn it into something shameful.  this has been taking place under the radar for years now.  but fortunately, the intrepid spirits at AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com have been quietly cataloging these offenses over what appear to be multiple decades, and are finally bringing their findings into the light of day.  i present a few examples, in hopes that it will be sufficient to inspire action on all our parts.  (i don't think a letter to a senator is out of the question).

wind power
in their efforts to convince the nation of the "negative environmental effects" of "dirty coal" and "fossil fuels", the left wing media is constantly shoving new forms "green energy" down our throats.  touting their "small carbon footprints" and alleged lack of a "downside", they consistently gloss over the harsh realities of these hazardous -- and even deadly -- new sources of power.  to wit, conservative animal meat activists The Goatmasters ("All God's creatures deserve a chance to be digested") have posted on their blog a stunning new exposé on the negative -- and even deadly -- effects of Taiwanese wind turbines on the sleeping patterns of local goats:  goatkillers: the true cost of green energy.  you may want to spend your entire memorial day weekend sleeping in protest.  i know i will. -d    

the world economy is crumbling.  our nation is being torn apart by brutal (if occasionally amusing) bipartisan politics.  where there's not war, there's a drought.  where there's not terrorism, there's civil unrest.  religion and culture are firmly at each others throats, the whole materialistic world is going to hell in a prada bag, and yet...so long as stuff like this is happening somewhere in the world, even if it is totally unspontaneous and underwritten by some huge dutch corporation, somehow it makes me feel like things are gonna be okay.  happy friday everyone.  -d  (thanks allie)

and if anybody knows where i can get that super hot remix, please let me know.

congrats to sniar nire for nabbing the last UYT.  (the answer was massachusetts.)  here's todays:

also, here's a cool video from an israeli singer who i've seen a few times on the hotel cafe circuit, and actually gotten to know a little bit.  cool guy and a real creative video. -d

of course my little sister was the first one to cruise in with the answers to yesterday's Use Your Toboggan (UYT - which answers btw were monkey business, hit the road, smarty pants, puppy love, and hold your horses).  of course she was.  why wouldn't she?  she is the best.  well done HNN.  today's was lame, but here's one from a few days ago that was entertaining:

also you know when you're looking to make a big change (like say, moving, for example) and it's pretty much a done deal but you're still always looking for little signs to confirm that it's all gonna work out perfectly?  little signs like the person you hope to move in with posting (and raving about) your favorite movie trailer since 'i heart huckabees' on their blog, without the two of you ever even discussing it?  oh yeah.  it's all coming together.

over christmas i spent a few days with the family at a little ski resort in maryland called wisp.  the snow was crap, but skiing with my brother and tubing with the rats n' weenies were both very nice.  runner-up for the best moment of the week came on a particular ski run that passed right by the house we stayed in.  (it was fantastic - when we got tired, we just stopped in the middle of the run, took of our skis, and walked into the backyard.)  anyways, so it's the morning of our last day there, my brother and i are skiing, and my sisters and their families are just about to leave.  so my bro and i come cruising down this run to say goodbye, and there, lined up on the side of the slope, is the whole fam, yelling and cheering for us.  fantastic.  turns out everything is better with a cheering squad.  too bad only lame football and basketball players get them.  like they need the ego boost.  we swim team kids sure could have used some of that support.  we're the ones who had to walk around in speedos for pete's sake.

anyway, the winner for best moment of the week came the night before during the greatest game of cranium, probably in the history of the game.  my little sister and i were on a team, and due to some really unfortunate dice rolling and a few weak cameo performances, we trailed the whole game.  but as the other teams got lazy and insisted upon picking star performer cards, they kept drawing club craniums, which my sister and i just kept winning.  long story shorter, we ended up in the middle with one other team, and it came down to this typically obscure data head question:

What did Dr. Samuel Johnson call "a triumph of hope over experience"?

1. the publication of his dictionary
2. his journey to Scotland
3. marrying a second time
4. his terminally ill son's miraculous recovery

i was clueless.  but my little sister, without batting an eye, announced the answer was 'c', citing the fact that 'marrying a second time was such a "cranium" answer'.  which of course it was, thus wrapping up the greatest comeback in cranium history.  (incidentally that data head card is now in my wallet.  it comes with me everywhere i go.)

for my birthday this year, my little sister gave me the '365 days of cranium' calendar, which provides a new cranium activity everyday.  (she says it was to commemorate the victory.  i think she just wants to keep me in shape for inevitable XMAS'09 rematch.)  but then she got jealous, and started IMing me to know what the clue for the day was.  so here's what i'm gonna do.  everyday there is a fun creative clue, i'll put it up on the blog.  first person to put the right answer in the comments gets a shoutout when i post the answer, and a smidgeon of my respect.  here's the first one.  enjoy.  -d

apparently this is old news, but it's new to me so shut up.  ladies and gents, i present chris dane owens. 

in case that didn't make any sense, here's an excerpt from a pop and hiss interview CDO gave that clears everything up:

My character is part of the witches kingdom, which is the second kingdom. I’m actually part of their army and an enforcer, a general, if you will. I meet that young lady Arra who is secretly being trained by the angels and they hand her a book. That book is the book of golden symbols which can only be understood by the spirit, by the living soul. She’s being trained secretly to be the queen of this realm, to overthrow the forces of darkness. My character actually meets her and falls in love with her and decides to leave the dark side, so he has an epiphany.

much better.  happy friday. -d  (and thank you, sarah.  thank you.)

PS. and also, i challenge anyone to find footage of a less convincing heterosexual kiss anywhere on the www. the gauntlet has been thrown down.