“I’m Just Saying”

Oklahoma finally has tattoos.  We finally got rid of one of our archaic and pointless laws banning something. This is exciting to me, because I have always wanted to get a tattoo.  I am not sure when I will get it, or if I will get it in Oklahoma, but it is good to know that I can if I want.  The law was stupid in the first place.  My understanding is that it was first enacted for safety purposes to guard against the spread of diseases.  The problem with this law was that people were going to get tattoos in anyway, and by forcing them to do it in underground parlors, the government had no control.  So this was basically a law that could have potentially done more harm than good.  Congratulations to Oklahoma for crawling out of the dark ages and saying hello to modern society and technology.  I would much rather have people getting tattoos in a sterile environment with professionals than getting them in the backroom of a bar with a needle and Indian ink. (more…)

Tom Haggard, you suck, and now everybody knows it.  It seems like there are no shortage of these hypocrites who are willing to preach to the masses about the sins they are committing while at the same time, committing those very sins themselves.  Tom Haggard was a huge proponent against homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and now it has been discovered that he was a participant in the very sins that he was against.  I understand that nobody is perfect, but I don’t understand how somebody can go through their normal day carrying such an inexcusable lie.  The same goes for the numbers of Catholic priests who have been participants in child molestation or any other act that they profess to be against.  It is stories of men and women like this who give organized religion a bad name.  Nobody likes a hypocrite, nobody.

I have never considered my self a fashion expert.  Nor am I normally the one to comment on anybody else’s choice in fashion.  Everybody has their own choice.  But sometimes there is movement that is so irritating that you must vent on it.  This year I have to say something.  What is the deal with girls wearing those crazy furry, Eskimo-looking boots and sweatpants?  Yeah, I said it, and you know exactly what I am talking about.  If you don’t, consider yourself lucky.  First of all, I am not sure what the furry boots are about in the first place.  I am sure they are great for the Arctic. They were probably standard footwear when our ancestors hiked across the frozen bridge from Eastern Asia, but what are girls doing wearing these things in Oklahoma?  I am sure that some dingy blonde in Hollywood started this trend, see Jessica Simpson.  Even through all that, I can stomach the boots.  Everyone makes make mistakes.  (more…)

I am writing this because for the first time in a while, I am happy for America. I am happy because people actually spoke with their vote this time. It is abundantly obvious that this country needed a change. American displeasure with the way our beloved country has been ran has been swelling and it all came to a head this Tuesday when voters not only gave Democrats the control of the House, but also the Senate. This means that Democrats finally have major control in D.C. This newfound control was apparent no more than a day later when Donald Rumsfeld resigned. Was this a coincidence? I would think not. Rumsfeld may have gotten a taste of things to come, and wanted no part of it. (more…)

Mason Jennings is a singer/songwriter who has recently burst on the scene with his hit single, “Be Here Now”. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of hearing this, or any of his other songs, you are in for a surprise. Jennings reminds me of a younger Bob Dylan. I know that it is hard to even use Dylan’s name when describing another artist. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying Jennings is anywhere Dylan’s level, but he does have the same singing style. He is the epytome of the genre. His songs range from folk to rock and all have something relaxing about them. I unfortunately haven’t had the pleasure of seeing him live, but can’t wait for my chance. To learn more about this up-and-coming artist, and to sample some of his music, go to www.masonjennings.com or www.myspace.com/masonjennings.

Those of you who have not listened to Arctic Monkeys yet should start today. If you like simple, British rock and roll, then they are a band for you. These four teenagers new album, “Whatever People Say I Am, That Is What I Am Not” is a great album from start to finish. It follows them through a night of fighting, drinking and everything else that they seem to get themselves through during a typical night in urban England. Most of their songs are short, but pack a lot of punch and are all catchy. My favorite would have to be “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor” and “Scummy Man.” You can learn more about them on their Web site, www.arcticmonkeys.com.

I am sure that by now most people have seen the video or heard the radio comments made by Rush Limbaugh toward Michael J. Fox and his involvement in various Democratic candidates’ political messages in favor of stem cell research. For those of you who do not know, you can read a transcript of his comments at any of the online news sources. Basically he was accusing Fox of exaggerating the effects of his Parkinson’s disease in order to gain sympathy for his candidate and in turn the Democratic Party. This is not only cold-hearted, but appalling. And is not even the fact that he even said it. The worst part of this story is that Limbaugh has thousands of followers who hand on his every word. Never mind his documented addiction to illegal, prescription drugs, or his racist comments on Monday Night Football not too long ago, people will still listen to anything he has to say just for the simple fact that he is who he is.
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If you like real, classic rock and roll, then you have to check out Wolfmother. This band reminds me of when I was younger and used to listen to the all of my dad’s old classic rock albums. I was raised on Led Zepplin and Wolfmother may be our generation’s version. Wolfmother is a true power trio consisting of members: Myles Heskett, Andrew Stockdale and Chris Ross. It is amazing to hear their sound and to believe that it is only a three man band. This band truly brings the listener back to the glory days of rock. Those days when it was okay to be a little wild and write songs about epic battles between white unicorns and the powers of evil. Even the album art harkens back to the good old days. I have always lamented the fact that I was not able to experience the late 60’s and early 70’s rock revolution, but as long as there are bands like Wolfmother, I still have a chance of experiencing some semblance of real life rock before I die. You can listen to the new EP “Wolfmother” on their site: www.wolfmother.com. They also have a Myspace site: www.myspace.com/wolfmother.

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