Monthly Archives: April 2015

Ed, Edd and Eddie or: Will Your Wild Away

30 Thursday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

If you’re not familiar with Eddie Garcia, then you’re not “in the know.” Eddie was the guest on last night’s The Less Desirables and he was a hoot. He sat and talked to Eug and I about his music, his radio life and just life in general. We heard a lot about the history of Jews & Catholics and we touched on some of what he’s doing now – his release, if you will – 1970s Film Stock.  We also talked about his work on the local NPR station, WFDD, 88.5.  Eddie’s quality dude and this area is blessed to have him on. Funny, talented and down to earth would be a good description, I think.

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Eddie Garcia on The Less Desirables

Now, I’m not going to go deep into what we talked about because you’ll have to listen to the show to hear the dealio. But, Eddie imbibed on some beer, stated his favorite shows of all time and his favorite movies of all. Usually, Eugene and I ask for 3 of each but he couldn’t limit them down.  He couldn’t just say “these three.” I think it was easier a list for TV than it was for films.  Eddie’s passionate about his music, that’s for sure and we heard two songs from his body of work: “Civilized” by Jews & Catholics and “Sling for Skeletons” by 1970s Film Stock.

The interview was great and his thoughts on a lot of what we talked about was insightful, fun and witty. Just a great guest, I say. If you haven’t listened to this week’s webisode yet, then what are you waiting on!? Get steppin’, Chester! You can listen to it streaming on the website, on iTunes, Podcast Pickle, Podfeed or Stitcher. You can subscribe and the new ones are always waiting on you on Thursday mornings. Drop us a line via email, Twitter or the Facebook page (you can find all the addresses and info on the website) and tell us what you think or send hate mail, as well.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Will your wild away. Lets pretend we’re civilized. We’ll make an instant pact to not look back until the end of time. Will your wild away.” – Eddie Garcia, “Civilized” by Jews & Catholics

Bare A$$ Blonde Ale or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

29 Wednesday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

City Beverage, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables presents Bare A$$ Blonde All from DuClaw Brewing Company. We have had many DuClaw beers on TLD. I think the entire month of January was DuClaw beers. We’ve had Sweet Baby Jesus, the chocolate peanut butter porter. We’ve had Serum, the double IPA. Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, EuForia Toffee Nut Brown Ale and Naked Fish Raspberry Chocolate Stout.  Some were hits and some were misses but DuClaw is here to stay.

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Bare A$$ Blonde Ale by DuClaw Brewing

So this, the Bare A$$ Blonde Ale is low-gravity, only 5% it’s light in color and a malty/less-hoppy flavor with a thinner body/mouthfeel (that’s on the carton Eugene!). I have admitted many times that I prefer my beers heavier, but I’ll try anything DuClaw does at least once. I may not like it and not go back, but you never know.

Have you had Bare A$$ Blonde Ale? What did you think? Perhaps you should go get a sixer and try it whilst listening to the show? Mosey on down to City Beverage, located at 915 Burke Street in Winston-Salem. Find more info about them on their website. Tomorrow, Thursday, April 30, City Bev will have an in-house tasting with Foothills Brewing. You should definitely go by and give it a taste.  Anywhat! When you get or try or taste or buy bunches of Bare A$$ Blonde Ale, let us know what you think, we await your reviews!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“First brewed in 1996 as part of our original line-up, and still available year round, Bare Ass Blonde Ale is undisputed as our most popular beer.” – DuClaw’s Website description.

Cut, Paste, Edit or: I Think I’m Turning Legalese

28 Tuesday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

Whew! My eyes are cross-eyed, now. I just spent the better part of two hours retyping only select pages of a rental agreement for ma père and ma mère in conjunction as a piece of property that they own (they own several pieces).  Only select pages you ask?

grammar

Yep…

Yeah, only select pages. They had an agreement that they had used from another renter and the lawyers had drawn that up.  There was only certain parts that needed to be changed. Now, there may be some program that allows you to scan a hard copy document and then edit said document but I don’t know of it, or how. But, because I knew he had a deadline and I type about 80-90 wpm on a good day, I told him to bring it to me.  Now, the original document was from a form that the attorney’s use, a “fill-in-the-blank-and-output-a-complete-document” type form. So it was probably some custom made thingy and I had to try to match the format, justification, font and spacing, all whilst working around Word 2013’s insistence that its own format was going to be used.  I had to do some kerning and that sucked.  Also, I had to take into account that pages 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9 were good, so I only had to do certain pages. The negative of that?  I had to make sure it didn’t look like there was a sentence fragment that looked chopped off at the end of a page.

For example, the line: “Upon termination of this Lease, the Tenant shall surrender the Premises in good and clean condition and repair, excepting only normal wear and tear and damage by fire and other casualty damage by insurance and paid to the Landlord.” is used in the document.  Not a problem except that on page ‘9’ begins the part: “…by fire and other casualty…”  On the original, the “…wear and tear and damage…”  goes to the end of the page because it was in the form that way.  There was really no way to keep it from having “…damage…” from being in the middle of the page on that bottom line. Some of it just will have to be dealt with. I told ma père that he’ll eventually need to have the whole thing retyped, either by me or the lawyer. He said okay.  The editor in me also had a hard time not fixing the problems I saw from the original document. I had to make sure that I wasn’t stepping on the legalese but there were commas and semicolons that had no business being in there. Oxford commas and the after-period double space were prevalent, too.

I’m sure that there are some typesetters or Word experts (I thought I was) that could tell me how to skirt around this and that there’s probably some prog or app that will allow the scanning and editing of a hard copy, and I’d love to hear that for future reference but I did what I had to do.  Let me know if you have suggestions.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“My life needs editing.” – Mort Sahl

Looking at the Barrel of an Armalite or: Like I Am Home Again (RS part 18)

27 Monday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

So, the last segment had its share of misses among the few hits, for me.  Like I said in the last post, there will be a lot of questions I ask about why this or why that are making the list and why this far up.  Let’s move on with the next victims section, shall we?

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“Tonight’s the Night” by Neil Young

#330 – Tonight’s the Night by Neil Young. The title song mentions Bruce Berry and Mr. Berry was a roadie for Neil and he had overdosed. This was a tribute to him. I think I read, too that one of the members of his band, Crazy Horse had ODed before these songs were written.  Most of them, anyway.  “Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown” was recorded live and features, Danny Whitten (the fallen “Horse”) on vocals. This album in whole shows some deep emotion for Mr. Young. I believe it to be difficult for him and there’s not really any joy on this disc.  “Mellow My Mind” seems a cry for help, and a desperate one at that. It’s almost like he’s crying the entire song, and that may be figurative or literal but it’s definitely there.  I hate the circumstances but the events did lead to a powerful and wonderful album. This one definitely belongs on the list. Dug.

#329 – In the Jungle Groove by James Brown. Compilation album. Nope.

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“Daydream Nation” by Sonic Youth

#328 – Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth. The BCPF loves Sonic Youth. I believe that I can see that to some extent, it is a bit up her alley.  Me, at least on this album, couldn’t figure out what in the wide world of sports was going on.  It sounded great through the studio monitor, rumbling but not too. But, what the heck was it?  Of the first six songs, FOUR of them were at seven minutes or more. The ones that weren’t…?  I don’t know.I was looking forward to hearing this because of my wife’s tales of admiration.  I didn’t get much out of this, I wonder if she did.  I’ll have to ask her about it. And after asking her about it, she said she was probably more into the idea of Sonic Youth more than their music. I haven’t peeked ahead but I’m wondering if John Cage will be on this list? If not, then that’s a rip off.  I’m not a fan of this, although I hoped I would be. Did not dig.

#327 – Exile in Guyville by Liz Phair. This is better. At the end of the last album I was about to put my head through a cement block wall. You hear that? Music. Singing. A relief. We’ve got a long way to go before we get to Exile on Main Street from the Rolling Stones but Phair has said this is a song-by-song response to that album. Main Street has 18 songs, Guyville has 18 songs (the original, anyway).  Supposedly this was meant to be on pace with M.S. even though I don’t think that it’s a direct response. Whatever floats her boat, I guess.  She doesn’t really hold back on this, either.  Girl Power comes through on songs like “6’1″,” “F*ck and Run,” “Girls! Girls! Girls!” and “Divorce Song.” She also lets you know what you’re going to get from her and how it’s gonna either be the best thing you’ve had or that it’s going to be a bit painful in the song “Flower.” And she lays her relationship frustrations out in complete honesty in the final song, “Strange Loop.” Phair is more than fair, I dig it.

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“Disintegration” by The Cure

#326 – Disintegration by The Cure. Ok, so I clarified and The BCPF said that this is one of her favorite albums of all time. Her words exactly were “yep. Top 10 definitely. Maybe even Top 5.” She then added, “You better like it!” I notice while looking at it that I see several songs I’m already familiar with and I like those.  Right off the bat I love the grandeur of “Plain Song” the opening cut. It’s massive in sound and poised, which is a great thing.  I think Robert Smith and company get lauded as goth way too much. There are moments in their stuff that he’s a bit dark and I can see why people say that, but for the most part there’s an elegance to his music, especially around this time.  Lots of ambiance in this record, too. My faves are everyone’s faves: “Pictures of You,” “Lovesong,” and “Lullaby.” I’m also a fan of “Disintegration” and “The Same Deep Water As You.” Dug, The BCPF… Dug.

#325 – Slowhand by Eric Clapton. I know I’ve publicly expressed my disinterest in Eric Clapton on many an occasion, and I’m not about to change my tune, necessarily but I will say, there are some good songs on this album.  “Cocaine” is a great tune (even if he didn’t write it). “Lay Down Sally” gives the listener a good bounce and it’s funny, at least to me, when the crazy overdubs come out of nowhere.  It’s a bit heavy on the country side than I expected from “Slowhands” but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  I have to admit that I feel like gagging when I hear “Wonderful Tonight.” That’s such a sappy song in every way. There are times when I think he sounds like Kenny Rogers singing, too. Or heck, is that Leonard Nimoy? I’m sorry Mr. Spock, didn’t mean to offend you. Now, on “The Core,” I really enjoy Marcy Levy’s vocals in the duet with Clapton. That song rocks. Also, Yvonne Elliman is all over this album with backup vocals and harmonies.  Overall, I dug the album.

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“Station to Station” by David Bowie

#324 – Station to Station by David Bowie. It takes a while but the opening (title) song finally jumps in after a wall of sound effects.  Ten minutes. That’s a long tune, indeed. Bowie referred to himself as the Thin White Duke in the first lines of “Station to Station.” Even though he started using that character prior to the album, the album is where this really took off. “Golden Years” is a “hit” but it has never been one that I hang on, generally skipping over. I’m wondering if REM’s Michael Stipe took the “angel” part in “Golden Years” to use in “Crush with Eyeliner” from their Monster album? No, he doesn’t say ‘angel’ per se, but it is reminiscent of that.  “TVC15” reminds me of Talking Heads, at least in some parts. It heavies up and has some hints of the Soul genre. I love the ’70s almost-disco that plays here on “Stay.” Sounds like something from an action film in that same time period (’76 or so). I’ve always been hit-or-miss with Bowie, leaning more toward the hits both before and post this record. I know it will be odd, but the first thing I ever heard from Bowie was “Blue Jean” which didn’t come until almost 10 years later.  Where I’m from in WV didn’t play this kind of music on the radio and I just wasn’t exposed to it. I’m still hit-or-miss, but this was an alright album. Dug.

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“Ghost in the Machine” by The Police

#323 – Ghost in the Machine by The Police. Ah, The Police… how I love thee. Let me count the ways: “Spirits in the Material World,” “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic,” “Invisible Sun,” “Demolition Man,” “Too Much Information,” “One World (Not Three),” “Omegaman.” It’s Sting. It’s Stewart Copeland (who’s amazing). It’s Andy Summers, who I think is quite underrated. I didn’t listen to this one in order because I listen to the Message in a Box box set about once a quarter, so that’s the caveat of this rating.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Police. This is no exception.

#322 – Sail Away by Randy Newman. I’m really happy with the Randy Newman stuff I’ve gotten to hear in this list, so far. I’m sure this isn’t the end of it by any means. I’m trying to get if there’s irony, snark or sarcasm in the title track. It’s one of them and I’m thinking it’s sarcasm with bits of the others. I’m loving the Americana aspects, especially in “Lonely at the Top.”  It goes from the Dixie Jazz to a more gospelesque style with awesome orchestration.  I feel like I should be leaned against a light post on a dirty street corner with “Last Night I Had a Dream.” I love that dirty blues/jazz genre of stuff. Newman’s piano work is masterful, ragtime-laden, quaint and in your face all at the same time. “Political Science” is a bit of political satire telling the listener, “let’s drop the big one and see what happens.” How about we don’t? I love, too, “You Can Leave Your Hat On,” but I think I’m much fonder of the Joe Cocker version that played in 9 1/2 Weeks. But, it’s interesting to hear the original. It’s a sexy song. A darn good album, indeed. Dug!

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“Pink Moon” by Nick Drake

#321 – Pink Moon by Nick Drake. Two 1972 albums in a row. I know this is a favorite of The BCPF. She put the title track on a “mix tape” for me when we were just friends, when it was really ONLY “Friend” that the “F” stood for.  I love the title track, it’s so The BCPF, maybe that’s why I love it so. The songs are all so short I don’t have time to comment on them before they move on. But, that’s not a bad thing.  A graceful guitar and somewhat grim lyrics make for a full-sounding, beautifully written and performed album. The BCPF usually knows the good stuff with just a few misses, this is no such miss. This is amazing. I will say I love listening to it.

Not counting the James Brown comp, there’s only one true miss which was Sonic Youth. There are still some that make me wonder why they’re where they are, either up or down, on the overall list. Some great finds, Liz Phair, Randy Newman and definitely Nick Drake.  It’s been a mostly fun segment.  We’ll start on the next soon.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I saw it written and I saw it say
Pink moon is on its way
And none of you stand so tall
Pink moon gonna get you all” – “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake from Pink Moon

Silent Sunday or: Wedded Bliss

26 Sunday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

Yesterday, The BCPF and I helped celebrate two good friends as we witnessed them get married in the tiny, but beautifully quaint Mt. Pleasant church in Tanglewood Park in Clemmons followed by the reception at the park’s clubhouse ballroom next door.

The service itself was accompanied by a string duo of Corine Brouwer on violin and J. Alexandra Johnson on cello. I dig me some Alex. She’s always awesome to watch, no matter what style she’s playing. My favorite was “Rondeau” from Mouret. I think the duo of pastors spent more time praying that administering vows, but hey, it wasn’t my wedding. I was just glad to be there.

Beth & Neal Goode (Photo© Jennifer Chapman)

Beth & Neal Goode (Photo© Jennifer Chapman)

We then moved to the clubhouse and had fantastic hors d’oeuvres and munchies along with some good Barefoot wine. There was beer but I didn’t have any. The Arancini di Riso, bacon-wrapped scallops, cheeses, caprese salad and the Shrimp Napoleon were delightful. I mean, truly, delightful. Seeing Tamara Sykes-Davis and Chef Janis Karathanas and Janis’ daughter Tina Faughnan, who were making sure all the glasses were filled and oversaw the event, was a great addition. The main meal was served in the ballroom with fish and roast beef with salad and veggies from Providence Catering (that’s where the hors d’oeuvres came from, too). Chef Jeff Bacon has his people doing righteous work, for sure.

Music was provided via Beth & Neal and basically everyone’s favorite local band, Mediocre Bad Guys (who’ve been played on The Less Desirables more than any other artists). I got up and did some back up with them for a few songs.  All in all, it was a fantastic evening celebrating friends, food and music. A great evening indeed. Cheers to you Beth & Neal Goode!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“There’s a big difference between falling in love with someone and falling in love with someone and getting married. Usually, after you get married, you fall in love with the person even more.” – Dave Grohl

Carrie (2013) or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

25 Saturday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, brought to you by a/perture Cinema, is Carrie. This is the 2013 version starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. IMDb lists the synopsis as: A re-imagining [sic] of the classic horror tale about Carrie White, a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother, who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom..

I read Stephen King’s first novel, Carrie in about 24 hours. I loved the book and I really enjoyed the first incarnation of the film in 1976 (which was only about a 2 years after the novel) with Sissy Spacek, William Katt, Amy Irving and John Travolta. I think Chloe Grace Moretz plays an awesome Carrie and Julianne Moore does a great adaptation of Carrie’s mother, played by Piper Laurie in the original feature. As great a job that Nancy Allen did as Chris Hargensen in 1976, I think Portia Doubleday played a whole new level of evil as she was unrelenting and ruthless. The blood was more realistic, although it wasn’t shy of such in 1976. The special effects were more plausible since you have the benefit of CGI. The acting, while not star-studded as the original would become (none were big stars just yet), was on point and in some ways better.  The original is dated and this is modern.

All-in-all the film, which was directed by Kimberly Pierce, was really, really good, in my opinion, and I do recommend it. I saw it on Netflix and I rate it 4 stars. Let me know what you think of this, the original or any films that you’d want me to review for the future.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Boys, boys, after the blood… comes the boys. Sniffing, slobbering like dogs.” – Margaret White (Julianne Moore) Carrie (2013).

Hit the Showers or: A Royal Pain in the Pocketbook

24 Friday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

Is it just me or are the Kansas City Royals (always the underdogs and always a team that I at least root for) falling apart? Are they a group of thugs? And by thugs, I’m not stereotyping any ethnic groups (I don’t think/talk like that), I mean just plain bullies or instigators; goons, if you will. I hope that’s not the case. Baseball is a man’s sport, yes, but being a man doesn’t mean you have to let your testosterone run roughshod all over everyone else.

Kansas City Royals v Chicago White Sox

Who me? (photo© Getty Images)

I’m going to be honest and say I don’t really know all the details but from what I’ve read, the White Sox and Athletics aren’t free of fault, but what is it about KC that makes the teams lose their minds? From what I can tell, it’s just a bunch of bad decisions that seemingly garner retaliation. I know there is bending rules, modes of play that are extra physical and what have you, but when it seems you’re out to get someone, especially when it could be potentially career-threatening, or worse, is that worth it? It’s a danged game.

TC brought up the question on Fan Interference if there should be harsher punishments for retaliation. I think there should be. You have a guy slide into 2nd Base and it’s rudimentary to try to disrupt the possibility of a double play. That’s the game. But, when you try to take someone out, and I mean OUT, then that’s a problem. Not only is it detrimental to the game, there’s a possibility of ending someone’s career, a blown knee, a testicular accident, and so on. But, okay, so it happened. The 2nd Baseman thinks it was intentional and he goes to the dugout and complains. That base runner gets up to bat the next time and the pitcher tries to ping him in the head with a 90 MPH fast ball. Madness ensues and the benches clear. People get punched, injured, ejected, etc. What good did that do? Then the next inning when the last pitching team is up to bat, the attacked player’s team then tries to beam a batter. It’s one-upping constantly. When does it end? If you get hit with a 90 MPH fast ball to the skull, there is a very good chance you can get a concussion, lose eyesight, perhaps permanently, or even a slight chance of death. Is that worth it. If that happens and it can be proven it was intentional, there should be murder charges brought, I think.  I don’t know if this scenario is what happened with KC or not, but it doesn’t matter. Something happened.

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Fan Interference Podcast

A totally different team next, Chicago White Sox and it’s who can show the other “what for” the best. There is no what for to show! Can’t you play the game for the game, you wusses? Play baseball. Leave dodgeball for the recreation leagues and Ben Stiller. Grow up and quit being cowards.  One thing the White Sox/Royals game showed was unsportsmanlike behavior on both Royals pitcher, Yordano Ventura, and White Sox outfielder, Adam Eton. Eaton supposedly said something to Ventura when he hit a hot hopper back to the mound. As Eton was on the way to first, Ventura said something to Eton which cleared the benches but it seemed like everyone gained control.  According to Yahoo! Sports, however, that was short lived. Yahoo! Sports says: “White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija went after Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain, causing a scrum on the field. As Samardzija charged at Cain, one Royals player, possibly Edinson Volquez, took a swing at Samardzija. Samardzija was eventually separated from the fray.” That’s crazy. Several people were ejected, and rightly so.

To bring a point back around, I think yes, there should be more strict punishment for retaliation.  I know it’s hard to prove retaliation as opposed to unintentional. I get that. But, like TC said, if you can throw 30-50 pitches consistently with great control, that one probably wasn’t really an “oopsie.” Punishment for me should be severe. If you go for a batter’s head, I think it should 30 games, minimum. Not only that, you should be fined a substantial amount. On top of that, the manager of the team should serve a suspension of some degree and also have a fine levied. Also, the team should have a fine equal to the player and managers with possibilities of draft pick losses (not that they mean that much in baseball).  Why the manager and the team? The team has to do something to reign in the staff. The manager, whilst he may or may not have given the order to sic’em, he needs to get control of the team and encourage the best play from the team. Let it roll off your back and move on. The manager is just that: THE MANAGER. Manage. Now if you hit someone in the back or in the legs, well that’s baseball. Taking someone out isn’t, but you can still be ejected for it and fined. The bottom line is: get them where it hurts them – the pocketbook.  That is the only way that Major League Baseball is going to get control of this pandemic situation. Again, I say, GROW UP! Then again, I may be totally off base on this one, but I at least believe what I believe; see it how I see it. Okay, rant over. Soapbox going back in the corner.

Until tomorrow, same blog time…
Scorp out!

—
“Sometimes boys will be boys and I think that was a situation where we had some excitement.” – Adam Eton (via @scottmerkin on Twitter)

State of the Network or: The Way It Is

23 Thursday Apr 2015

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Salutations™!!

Just wanted to give a State of the Network address, if I may. By Network I mean The Less Desirables Network and its shows: The Less Desirables, Electric Camel Pod, Fan Interference, Tart & Tangy Triad and The Beer Dads…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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The Less Desirables

The Less Desirables are still trucking strong as we’re booked into June. I’ll be filling additional spots in the next few weeks, so if you know someone of interest, a local mover and shaker, a celebrity, a kooky someone that you’d like to hear (or they’d like to hear themselves) on a cool pop culture podcast with a couple of goofballs, then by all means, let me know! There’s free beer in it for them. Ask Britney Lowery of Triad Intrepreneur or Caitlin Weaver from the Winston-Salem Jaycees. They got free beer last night! That show was fun. TLD is available on Wednesday evenings, usually by 11pm, although our guarantee has always been and continues to be 6am Thursday morning.

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Electric Camel Pod

Have you seen the new logo for Electric Camel Pod? I played around with some Photoshop stuff and I must say I was pretty proud of it. Chad Nance was, too. He approved it right away and we started using it immediately. I changed the Network logo first thing and then inserted it on the Network pages on both TLD and Tart & Tangy Triad’s websites. I wanted it to keep the theme of Camel City Dispatch’s logo but something that you’d see in some ’80s club or seedy alley.  Again, I was happy and very proud. This week we interviewed two directors from RiverRun International Film Festival, Tom Roach (of 120 Days) and Neil Creque Williams (of David’s Reverie). Great hearing of their films. Recorded on Wednesdays and “officially” released on Thursdays although Stitcher and iTunes are available early Wednesday evening.

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Fan Interference

Fan Interference is going to be doing an NFL Draft Preview this coming Monday where TC and Brian Formica predict and debate the way they see the draft playing out. What teams need or who they think will go where, that’s what you’ll hear. We’re hoping Formica will become a fixture on the show. If sports talk is your thing, then be sure to listen in. Recorded on Monday, released on Monday. See how that works!?

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Tart & Tangy Triad

Tart & Tangy Triad continues to be a source of food news and views in the area. Nikki Miller-Ka is constantly giving us local food gossip and Stephanie continues to bring trends and food history. I’m hoping we start bringing chefs in again and doing more interviews with them, especially since we have “phone in” capabilities. You can hear the newest webisodes on Tuesday evenings and 2 years of archives streaming from the website.

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The Beer Dads

The Beer Dads Podcast is growing at a great pace. It’s the only show on the Network that isn’t time stamped and doesn’t have to do with current events as much as issues that parents deal with, especially dads and their points of view, all whilst we enjoy delicious libations. We are very close to getting a presenting sponsor and we couldn’t be happier about that. Listeners (at least downloads) are up and the shows are a ball to do.  We’ll have more guests on the show and with the phone in capabilities it will allow us many more opportunities for quality guests. We have recently purchased a URL that will be used in the very near future. Those are released on Thursdays (like today) so check them out.

So that’s the lowdown on what The Less Desirables Network has been and is up to. All the current shows are available on iTunes and Stitcher and on the Network tabs on both Tart & Tangy Triad and The Less Desirables websites.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“You have to stay updated on trends, social things and pop culture, you need to stay with the times and keep evolving.” – Corey Feldman

Früh Bock or: The Less Desirables Beer of the Week

22 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Beer

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Salutations™!!

City Beverage, the Official Beer Sponsor of The Less Desirables presents this week’s Beer of the Week, Früh Bock Spring Bock Beer from Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte. I’m hit or miss with Bocks as of late, but we’ll see. Olde Meck does a great job with their beers and whilst they have a little bit of trouble with service at the brewpub, their beers are generally on spot.

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Früh Bock by Olde Meck Brewery

This is from the Olde Meck website: Spring – Fruh Bock (pron. “Froo Bock”) – Literally “Early” Bock, Fruh is also short for Fruehling which is the German word for Spring.  This deep golden Bock lager is malty sweet with a touch of fruity, almost citrusy notes that linger on the palate.  And although  this Helles Bock/Maibock-style beer has a higher alcohol content, it is not at all obvious to the taste.  More than a month of lagering results in a very smooth character.  Frueh is the perfect beer for those transitional days where the cold winds of winter are still battling it out with the warm breezes of spring.

I like malty and I like higher alcohol content, though only 6%, really not what I think of as higher gravity, that’s usually reserved for over 7% for me.  We’ll see, thought.  Tune in to hear how we liked it. Hear it on iTunes or Stitcher or have it stream from our website. Better yet, listen to us after you’ve got to City Beverage to get your own and drink it whilst listening. City Bev is located at 915 Burke Street in Winston-Salem.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“OMB is still here today, brewing and delivering fresh, ultra-premium beer weekly to the greater Charlotte region.  It turns out the people in Charlotte weren’t different from everyone else, and did need their own brewery after all.” – Olde Meck’s Website

Heart Wellness or: Empty Bellies No More

21 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Life as We Know It

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Salutations™!!

So, I went to have my ultrasound done today, my echo-cardiogram, and the good news is I’m not pregnant!  Um, wait wrong ultrasound. My heart, according to the technician, looked pretty good.  Now, that doesn’t mean much of anything because it has to be viewed by the cardiologist to be official. So the word is “officially” still out. But, all the extra salads, strawberries, blueberries, fish, etc. I’ve been eating in addition to trying to take extra steps in the day (stairs instead of elevator, walking to accessible places downtown instead of driving, etc.) must be paying off, at least as far as I can tell.

Now that that is out of the way, I’m going to move on to the other topic for today: Empty Bowls.  Empty Bowls is the big fundraising event of the year for Second Harvest Food Bank. I’m not going to spend a lot of time going into details about hunger, because really you should already know that there are families here in our community that are hungry. I don’t mean they just have a hankerin’, I mean that they take turns in the family eating. Maybe it’s the kids, Scotty and Sally today (yes, just once) and Mom and Dad tomorrow, or they’re the kids on the block that are not happy it’s the weekend and they’re out of school. At least in school they get breakfast and lunch of some kind. Dear Reader, there are people that are truly starving in our community, perhaps your next door neighbor.

Empty Bowls will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22 from 11-2 and you can still get tickets (before 5pm 4/21/15) for $25 in advance by going to hungernwnc.org. Any tickets you buy will be held at Will Call. After 5pm, it’s $35 and you’ll have to purchase them at the door. It’s held at the Millennium Center in Downtown Winston-Salem. There will be shuttle service from the parking lot (First Presbyterian Church on Cherry/Marshall) to the Millennium Center. What do you get for your money?  One, you’re helping a great cause. Two, you get soup from awesome restaurants around town. Three, you get to take home a piece of art; a bowl made by local artisans. It’s a great cause and somehow I pulled off being called a “celebrity server.” I’m going to be a “Floor Ambassador” from 1030-1230 (until…) so I’ll be schmoozing people up whilst they enjoy the event. There are other community celebs, such as, Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, Chad Nance of Camel City Dispatch, local TV personalities, food people, etc. Really, you shouldn’t miss it. You can read the write up I did for The Man Who Ate the Town: A Food Blog by clicking here.

So I hope to see you all out there. ALL of you! Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“The bowl that each guest selects is not used at the event. It remains empty as a reminder of our neighbors struggling against hunger.” – James Caldwell, Development Manger of Special Events for Second Harvest Food Bank