Currently Listening too...

If you don't already know this I'm a big fan of Grey's (Yea you read that right) and the music played during the episodes. While browsing on Rhapsody's playlist central, I found the playlist for season 1 and season 2.  I don't know who took the time out of their very busy day to compile the list but I appreciate it.  I like them both, but season 2 playist has become my default Non Damien rice music. So I figured I would share.  Other Playlists I have include O.C. Season 1 & 2, Entourage Season 1 & 2, Songs produced by the Neptunes and one named "Dublin City Transit" which is basically alot of European song writers and band.

If you have a favorite playlist, please share. Always looking for new music.

Press the play button to list to 25 songs. I think you skip around but i'm not sure.

Playlist   Click on the play button below to listen to this playlist
	Grey's Anatomy Season 2
	Track  Artist  I Want Candy  Bow Wow Wow  Step Away From The Cliff  Blue-eyed Son  Looking At The World From The Bottom Of A Well  Mike Doughty  Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)  Esthero  Feel So Free  Ivy  The City (Soundtrack)  Joe Purdy  Suddenly I See  KT Tunstall  Just A Ride  Jem  Beautiful (Single)  Goldfrapp  What Can I Say  Brandi Carlile  Sleep  Get Set Go  Ruby Blue  Roisin Murphy  Fools In Love  Inara George  Song Beneath The Song  Maria Taylor  Catch My Disease  Ben Lee  I Fought The Angels  The Delgados  Infinity  Merrick  When I Come Home  Blue-eyed Son  I Hear The Bells  Mike Doughty  Not Tonight  Tegan and Sara  Don't Forget Me  Way Out West  Blood and Peanut Butter  Bc Camplight  The City Limits  Umbrellas  Today Has Been Okay  Emiliana Torrini  Chewing Gum (Vocal mix)  Annie  Since You've Been Around  Rosie Thomas  Other Side Of The World  KT Tunstall  No Sleep Tonight  The Faders  Bang Bang To The Rock'N'Roll  Gabin  I Melt With You  Nouvelle Vague  New Song (From Me To You)  Dressy Bessy  Serenade  Emiliana Torrini  Too Hard  Mark McAdam  Not going anywhere  Keren Ann  Sad Eyes  Josh Rouse  Lotion  Greenskeepers  Crying Shame  Get Set Go  You And Me  Lifehouse  High (Album Version)  James Blunt  Tears And Rain (Album Version)  James Blunt  Sunnyroad  Emiliana Torrini  War On Sound (Edit)  Moonbabies  Hide Another Mistake  The 88  Ride  Cary Brothers  Break Your Mama's Back  Slow Runner  Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix)  Metric  I Got Some Moves  Sam Winch  Someone To Love  Kate Earl  Scratch  Kendall Payne  Just In Case  Leeroy Stagger  Miniature Disasters  KT Tunstall  In The Sun  Joseph Arthur  Stay Where You Are  Ambulance Ltd.  World Spins Madly On  The Weepies  Back In The Wild  Greenskeepers  Breathe (2 AM)  Anna Nalick

New JibJab Video

What We Call the News | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

[via TechCrunch]

Not as funny as the other ones but still pretty good.

Currently listening to...

John Mayer - comfortable

This probably ranks as my Top 10 favorites songs of all time. Can't get sick it.  I have to credit my friend Don for introducing me to John Mayer's music back in college. I do prefer listening to his acoustic stuff instead stuff produced in the studio.

The 5 (or more) Percent.

He believes that some percentage of whites—perhaps 5 percent or so, intent on being seen as less biased than they may be—will claim to support a nonwhite candidate when they actually do not.

[ Ronald Walters - Newsweek ]

For those of you who don't follow politics, many studies (as well as election results) have shown that black candidates poll 5 percent (some say the figure is higher. so I’m using the least conservative figure) higher than they receive votes. Many, like the professor quoted above, say that it because some white voters say that they plan to vote for black candidates when they intentions of doing so. Over the last year or so I’ve be fascinated by this. Not because the black politicians are not receiving the votes, but by why people, no matter their race, feel the need to conceal their real feelings about a certain candidate because of his/her skin color. I really want to know when this got started. Have the candidates been closing the gap outside predominately black areas? Some suggest they have. What are current campaigns doing to address this issue? Let’s face if they are not aware of it, they shouldn’t be running a campaign. More importantly have we become a society so obsessed to politically correctness that some voters are afraid of telling how to actually feel about a certain candidate? If that is the case we are doing so at our own detriment.

Let’s use Obama as an example (this is not an endorsement). If polls do not reveal that is he in fact trailing his white counterparts then his campaign does not have a chance to go an education campaign to address the concerns (assuming they are valid) of those people that comprise the 5 percent. As a result, he loses the election. Not only do we fail to make history, but would also fail, once again, to address deep-rooted racial issues in this country on a national scale using various news outlets and different mediums and without involving the evermore powerless NAACP (another organization I’m not a fan right now) and their stomp speech.

As I look to enter the political arena someday this is something I will continue to monitor.

My dilema with the Red Cross...

Ever since I've turned 18, I've not been a fan of the red cross.  As a matter of fact it's that top of list of organizations(not corporations) that I dislike.  Why do dislike the red cross?  They won't let me know give blood because I'm from Cameroon.

HIV, AIDS
You should not give blood if you have AIDS or have ever had a positive HIV test, or if you have done something that puts you at risk for becoming infected with HIV.

You are at risk for getting infected if you:

• have ever used needles to take drugs, steroids, or anything not prescribed by your doctor
• are a male who has had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977
• have ever taken money, drugs or other payment for sex since 1977
• have had sexual contact in the past 12 months with anyone described above
• received clotting factor concentrates for a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia
• were born in, or lived in, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea,Gabon, Niger, or Nigeria, since 1977.
• since 1977, received a blood transfusion or medical treatment with a blood product in any of these countries, or
• had sex with anyone who, since 1977, was born in or lived in any of these countries. Learn more about HIV Group O, and the specific African countries where it is found.

[Red Cross - Blood Donations Eligibility Guidelines]

I would understand the guidelines if it allowed for exceptions but as far as know they don't (I've been on this is a blood drive organized back in college).  So in situation like the one today where local bloods banks are experiencing a shortage in blood and have to delay surgeries, I can not give blood even tho I'm perfectly healthy have about decade worth of AMERICAN medical records to back up my claims.  Fine I will keep my blood,  suckas!  The two things really irk are these overreaching guidelines are:

• In case of a emergency where a family member may be involved, the hospitals may refuse to accept my blood because I don't meet to the guidelines above.  How messed up is that? 
• If I want to donate blood, I could easily lie on the form and there is no way for them to double check the information I've provided.  I have to lie to do something good? How backwards is that?

This really pisses me off.  Although I would not call for a boycott of the Red Cross, I think there should should a way by which I can ask for a exemption or lobby the organization to change its guidelines.

Currently listening to...

I found out about predo the lion while reading this entry from the plugg.  They seem to have something similar to what I've been doing the past couple of Fridays, where each of the contributors picks the song of the week.  I listened to all the  recommendations but  Options, by Pedro the lion, caught my attention more than the rest because of its' lyrics that were posted on the entry.

I can never divorce you
Without a good reason
And though I may never have to
It’s good to have options

But for now I need you…

I don't know why but the those lyrics speak volume to me and made me want to listen to the rest of the album.  I rhapsodied (that's a new word) them and listend the rest of the album, Control,  and I couldn't get myself to stop listening (maybe because I was at work and I was busy).    The all knowing from Rhapsody categorize them under on the indie rock. If  I had to describe their sounds I would say more emo than anything else.   

Rhapsody says:

Pedro the Lion are the brainchild of David Bazan, who proves himself to be a thought-provoking, ambitious songwriter. He even makes a "concept" album about the machinations of a scheming, self-righteous politician and his drunkard of a brother sound like an intimate confession of personal tragedies and foibles. His voice is full of a tangible world-weariness, and his metaphorical lyrics jump out with real power. The band's music is spartan, as Bazan arranges many songs for only his voice and guitar: other tracks find him playing bass, drums and simple keyboard lines. This minimal setting allows for the dynamic shifts to have greater impact as he alternates between folkie, melodic tunes and up-tempo rockers rife with lovely, intertwining harmonies between the guitar, bass and vocals. Other numbers are slow and melancholic, sometimes recalling the austere work of Bedhead. Bazan's music doesn't always hand the listener answers on a silver platter, but for those willing to invest a little time, this is rich and rewarding Indie Rock.

- Will Lerner

On a parting note, If you like indie music, The Judge and I remcommend that you check out Daytrotter. They have alot of content about indie music as well as MP3s that you can download free of charge. And their albumg reviews are much better than mine with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. On the off chance that you also like to attend concerts and you have itunes, you should download iConcertCal, it will create a personalized calendar of upcoming concerts in your arear based on your music library. I love when geeks come up with usefull stuff.

Currently listening to...

There's nothing in hip-hop that has the impact of Biggie's voice. Instantly familiar yet always awe-inspiring, his deep baritone is the sonic equivalent of a mean mug, seemingly sneering at his enemies and critics. But there is also a sensuality there. While it's hard to believe a 300-pound, cross-eyed ex-crack dealer from Brooklyn could be a sex symbol, "Big Poppa" and "One More Chance" are among hip-hop's smoothest hustles, layering silk-sheet tenderness on top of swaggering braggadocio. This comp was released on the 10th anniversary of his death, and he'll be forever missed.

[Sam Chennault]

I couldn't have said it any better. I do question some of the choices on the album but I think they did a good a job finding the right balance between the hardcore hip hop listener and the mainstream/party hip hop.

300

The day has finally come. Too bad no imax showings around here. Another movie I will be checking out is namesake (IMDB).

African leaders continually do the continent a disservice

Nigerian ruling party presidential candidate heads to Germany for medical treatment

LAGOS, Nigeria: With just weeks to go before Nigeria's presidential vote, the governing party candidate arrived in Germany on Wednesday for medical treatment and was in stable condition, his spokesman said.

[ International Herald Tribune ]

To most of you, this headlines doesn't mean much. Who cares if a Nigerian presidential candidate went to Europe to get some medical treatment? Well to me and  a couple of others out there it means much more. It means that this guy who is about to be elected president of one of the most oil rich country in the world doesn't trust his own country's health care system to get a simple check up (On a radio interview yesterday with the BBC, he confirmed that it was his annual check up). Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be for the American health care system if Obama, Kennedy, Guliani, or McCain were to fly to another country to get a simple check up?  It's really pathetic that with all the oil profits over the last few years, the country can not build one hospital deemed good enough by its political leaders to get a simple check up.  What is the average Nigerian who can't afford to fly to Europe going to do?   And why would a  Nigerian doctor practicing abroad go back to practice in his/her birth country when it's quite obvious that the members of the elite class have no faith in the practitioners and the system.  To be fair to this guy, he is not the only African leader to do this.  It's a pretty prominent practice amongst African  leaders.  The point I'm trying to make here is that this is deplorable.  At some point, African leaders will have to stop fleeing to Europe for all their needs/wants and will have to invest in their respective country and show some faith to in their fellow country men's skills and abilities. If they do not do this, the brain drainage in Africa will continue and the continent will never realize its potential. 

What to keep and what to shred...

One of my goals this year is to become more financially responsible and therefore increase my net worth.  Part of becoming financially responsible means keep track of papers and such, especially for those days the computers are feeling sick.  I'm always debating whether or not  to keep certain pieces of paper.  In this article, the author recommends that the following be kept:

Your will, living will and durable power of attorney.

Life insurance policies, including policies with your employer.

Insurance, and any death benefits that are due you as a veteran of the armed services.

Retirement plan documents from your pension, profit sharing, 401(k), and IRAs, along with annual statements.

Records of nondeductible contributions made to your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan or IRA.

Separation and divorce documents.

Real estate deeds, titles and property surveys.

Military records.

Tax returns and supporting data for at least the last seven years after the original return is filed.

For investments, keep buy/sell trade confirmations to show when each security was bought and sold, the price you paid and commission charged.

Dividend reinvesting statements (for seven years after you file your tax return showing a gain or loss( Receipts for major purchases like jewelry, furniture, etc.

Receipts for items under warranty until the warranty expires.

Pay stubs – until the end of the year when you compare the year end totals with the amounts shown on the W2 form you get from your employer.

While I agree with most of the list, I think one should also keep school transcripts, medical records and other major contracts (i.e. Student load terms, car loans terms). Other than I say have fun with your shredder. I know I enjoy playing with mine.   In another article on the same site, another article has suggestion of items that you want might want to keep in safe.  Those include:

Copy of your will

Copy of insurance policies

Titles to your house and cars

Detailed list of bank and brokerage accounts, CDs and credit cards

Marriage license / Divorce decree

Expensive, rarely-worn jewelry

Birth certificates

Family heirlooms

Stock and bond certificates

I've thought many times about getting a safe, especially one with multiple bolts like the one in the movies, but I've not been able to justify the expense to myself. But not I have all sorts of reasons.

Currently listening to...

Judge says:

This week's installment of "Currently Listening to..." is a recommendation from another friend whose cd collection I would gladly trade for mine.  The Bees (U.S.) 2006 release "High Society" is rated as Power Pop by Rhapsody, a rating that makes absolutely no sense to me.  I really can't tell power pop apart from most adult alternative.  I guess it's pop music that rocks a little bit.  Maybe more drums?  The first two songs sound more like the Eagles than anything else and the third is reminiscent of some Beach Boys songs.  Their best song, Imaginary Girl, I suspect is secretly a Beatles song.  Fun fact: The Bees is also a band in England and so The Bees ( U.S.) is their official band name.  You can visit them at www.beesmusic.com.  I'd probably spend the money on this album.