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Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
Live free or die!
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July 02, 2004
"The Air, the Sunshine & the Rain"
You know, the LEAST that you can do is thank the Lord
For the air, the sunshine and the rain
MORE
posted by Al at 7/02/2004 01:41:00 AM
June 29, 2004
Radio is the sound salvation
Or so Elvis said.
Mike Kole, however, is disappointed with current developments in Indianapolis radio.
posted by Al at 6/29/2004 04:07:00 AM
C2 - Coca Cola makes an outstanding brand extension
Generally, y'all erudite readers can find me reviewing music, literature, earth shaking political events, and other Very Important Products. Today, that will include Very Important Soft Drinks, specifically the new C2 Coca Cola.
It's easy and good sport to mock the cola wars. For starters, the Coca Cola corporation selling its sugar water makes an extremely convenient stand in for mocking empty corporate consumerism, and all that good, righteous pinko stuff.
Plus, in recent years, they've added bunches of variations within their same products, so called "brand extensions." For example, you've got Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coke, Diet Caffeine Free Coke. Then make it cherry or vanilla -- and start running through the variations again. Jebus Jumpin Criminy.
Now there's the "low carb" C2 brand. It's billed as "low carb" meaning that it has half the calories of standard Coca Cola.
This does not particularly impress me. It's STILL a bunch of sugar that you don't need. If I were really interested in low carbs, I'd be drinking, oh I don't know, how about... WATER.
Of course, there's Diet Coke, but that stuff is just plain nasty. Besides which, I don't need the aspartame turning into formaldehyde in my gut. I'd rather drink city water.
Nonetheless, I'm giving C2 Coke a big thumbs up for one critical reason: this stuff tastes really good. It is NOT a nasty diet soda with artificial sweeteners. Apparently what they've done is simply make regular delicious stalwart Coca Cola - but cut the sugar in half.
Now, like any patriotic American, I've enjoyed Coke all my life. However, with age I have found myself with less taste for sugar. Not like I don't like pastries and such, but I don't need or WANT quite the utterly ridiculous amounts of sugar in the Standard American Diet (SAD, as it's called by pious health geeks).
Coke is good, but the stuff is AWFULLY sweet to start with. Cutting the sugar in half actually makes it TASTE BETTER.
Don't kid yourself that this is really a "diet" item - though it's an improvement relative to Coke Classic. Try a bottle of this stuff though, and see if it doesn't just plain TASTE better than other colas.
posted by Al at 6/29/2004 03:58:00 AM
File under "TANSTAAFL"
What IS the stupidest, most insulting to voter's intelligence political ad so for this year? FIND OUT
posted by Al at 6/29/2004 03:56:00 AM
June 28, 2004
New album releases, week of 6-29-04
If anyone really loved me, they'd plunk down $135 to buy me the new Paul Simon Studio Recordings 1972-2000. They don't have track listings yet at Amazon, but this is a Rhino set, and apparently includes bonus material. 99% of the time, I don't care about demos and alternate takes- but this is Paul Simon. I'd be REAL interested in some alternate takes of, say, "Graceland" or "Adios Hermanos."
Probably the most likely new, mainstream pop pick comes from Brandy, called Afrodisiac.
Dave Matthews has a new live album, Gorge. With two CDs and a DVD for $23, the price ain't bad for fans. I'm not a big fan, but this looks like a pretty decent package.
The Cure has an eponymous new studio album, lucky number 13 for them. Mostly though, the invocation of their name just makes me want to listen to the Ben Folds song.
Dwight Yoakam peaks my interest with a cleverly titled collection of covers, Dwight's Used Records. This isn't his first, but he's really good. Indeed, it occurs to me that he may be better as an interpreter than as a songwriter. He's probably the best country music male vocalist working today, and he definitely recorded the definitive version of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." This time out, he's got a couple of fairly obvious things, such as "Understand Your Man" and "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" - as well as some less obvious choices, such as "The Loco-Motion." I bet he does a mean "Paradise."
CLICK HERE for the complete list of this week's major new releases. Labels: new_album_releases
posted by Al at 6/28/2004 11:51:00 PM
Done deal in Iraq!
Here's some interesting strategery: Bright and early and two days ahead of schedule, Paul Bremer on behalf of the US has officially handed off power to the new Iraqi interim government.
From his statement:
"As recognized in U.N. Security Council resolution 1546, the Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist on June 28th, at which point the occupation will end and the Iraqi interim government will assume and exercise full sovereign authority on behalf of the Iraqi people. I welcome Iraq's steps to take its rightful place of equality and honor among the free nations of the world. Sincerely, L. Paul Bremer, ex-administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority."
Looks good on the administration, being ahead of schedule.
This also tends to cut off the insurgents and opposition. Hey, might as well chuck it in. It's a done deal now. Heck, they don't even get to try to bomb the transfer ceremony. I'm sure they were looking forward to it.
Congratulations and best wishes to the people of Iraq.
posted by Al at 6/28/2004 04:47:00 AM
June 27, 2004
Michael Moore is rock rulin'
Any way you want to slice it, Michael Moore has made a major commercial achievement with Fahrenheit 9/11.
It's the #1 movie at the box office this weekend, with about $21.8 million. No documentary has ever done that before. Not that this comes from 868 theaters - less than a third the number of screens of the number two film.
After one weekend, he already has the biggest box office ever for any documentary, edging past the total box office of Bowling for Columbine.
Anyway you want to look at it, Moore has a hit film. I'd like to slap the taste out of mouth about half the time, but this film release was orchestrated absolutely brilliantly. He really created an event. That ginned up supposed corporate oppression from Disney was PERFECT marketing. It all came together just right.
Congratulations, Mr Moore.
posted by Al at 6/27/2004 11:18:00 PM
Eugene Kemple - Model Christian
I found myself at a funeral home last week, talking to the son of a late elder of the church I attended 30 years ago.
I just sent some love out for Brother Eugene Kemple. FULL STORY HERE
posted by Al at 6/27/2004 02:23:00 AM
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