Nickelback plan for Thanksgiving in Detroit

Nickelback responds to NFL Petition from Nickelback

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget!We the People Need to Remember 9/11

I'll never forget the events of 9/11.

I was staying at the W hotel in Chicago, where I had flown in for the band Soil's CD release party for the album Scars, one of several great records that was to be released that day.

My college roommate and his girlfriend had driven down from Milwaukee the night before and spent the night in the room, and our cellphones started ringing shortly after 7:45 am - and we ignored them. But Christian's mother is persistent. He finally answered, half asleep, and I heard, "yes mother, we'll turn on the news when we wake up..." He then mumbled something about a plane crashing into the World Trade Center, which we all assumed was a prop plane or twin engine... We commented on the tragedy, but weren't awake enough to really grasp the potential gravity of the situation.

Then my girlfriend called from Los Angeles, and considering it was barely sunrise there, I knew I had to answer - she told me to turn on CNN. At this point, it was about ten minutes after American Airlines Flight 11 had impacted the World Trade Center North Tower.

My college roommate and I were political nuts and news junkies - and we, like most Americans, never even thought to imagine that the first crash was a terrorist attack.

Then we watched United Airlines Flight 175 fly into the World Trade Center South Tower live.

How much have the events of that morning changed our lives? When we went to bed on September 10, 2011, we lived in a country where terrorism wasn't even a consideration. When we woke up the next morning, terrorism became the new assumption.

From the moment that second plane impacted the World Trade Center, every horrific act of the next decade has been a suspected act of terrorism until proven otherwise.

So there we sat for the next several hours, sitting in the hotel room glued to CNN in awe of the events unfolding before us.



For me it hit even closer to home - I'm New York at heart, and was raised an hour north of the city. I had moved from Manhattan to Los Angeles a few months earlier, and watching the chaos that enveloped what I still consider home, I felt paralyzed by despair and hopelessness.

Then the Pentagon was hit by American Airlines Flight 77, and the rumors started - the next plane is heading for the Capitol... The White House... The Sears Tower... The Sears Tower was located only a few blocks from our hotel in downtown Chicago, and our lobby became something of an evacuation hotbed.

Soil were flying home from Florida for the night's release party at the time of the attacks, and it took us the better part of the morning to confirm they were alive and well. We were lucky to even find out - it seemed like everyone I knew on the East Coast had a personal connection to the attacks, and very few people had answers.

Cell phones weren't working in Manhattan, and those who were safe had virtually no way to communicate with their loved ones. I had an acquaintance who, for three days, we thought died in one of the towers - it took him that long to start reaching out to people after the initial shock of the day's events had subsided and he'd finally been reunited with his wife and children in New Jersey.

Streets and highways were closed. Mass transit shut down. It was a war zone in lower Manhattan, and New York was bracing itself for any potential attacks that might come next.

In wake of the three successful attacks, when United Airlines Flight 93 did a nosedive into a desolate field near Shanksville, PA, instantly killing everyone on board, its passengers became instant heroes, sacrificing themselves to spare America yet another symbolic battle scar on the most horrific day of our young country's history.

Realizing that I wouldn't be returning to L.A. anytime soon, I drove back to Milwaukee with my roommate that afternoon on what was the emptiest I94 I've ever experienced. We went to grab a few drinks that night, and the feeling in the off-the-beaten-path Milwaukee bar couldn't be more somber.

New York was attacked, but America felt the pain. People who knew New York from little more than Friends and Seinfeld episodes felt united as a people. I'm not talking about me and my roommate, who had eaten in the World Trade Center Windows on the World restaurant a few years earlier with his grandmother - I'm talking about people who had never left a two hour radius of their Midwest home, but suddenly felt a patriotism like never before.

If there was good to come from the attacks, that was it - America was united in tragedy. We weren't Democrats and Republicans, we were Americans. We weren't an East Coast and West Coast looking down our noses at each other with superiority complexes, we were bookends of a great nation standing united, tall, proud and together. In the weeks that followed, all the political bullshit that tears our country apart was nothing but a hazy mist in our rear view mirror.

We were Americans, and we were one people. We believed in our government, and we believed in each other. We embraced the freedom that makes our country great, and we understood what that freedom meant to the rest of the world. We weren't afraid to be strong, because we had no other option.

For the first time, my generation had to be strong because my generation couldn't be weak. We were raised soft, but now we knew what it meant to live hard... Not as hard as our ancestors, but this was our test, and we would rise from the ashes.

Or so we thought.

In time, America forgot. Republicans returned to their role as boogeyman, and Democrats returned to their pulpits, preaching that the only way to be a country again is to change the very principals our nation was built upon.

Americans soon forgot what it was like to be one nation under God (whoever that God may be), because it is easier to be a nation divided. It is easier to blame the other side than it is to fight for change, and it is easier to live in the now than it is to learn from our past and build for a better future.

9/11 changed America - but we live in a country with Attention Deficit Disorder. We live in a land where it is easier to read the headline than it is to understand the story. And we live in a country where it is easier to make excuses than it is to hunker down and get the job done.

America changed, but it didn't take long for America to change back.

America forgot.

America needs to remember - and America needs to never forget what happened on September 11, 2001.

Happy Fourth of July!

Freedom doesn't come without a price - as we celebrate our independence, let's take a moment to remember the price we've paid and the responsibilities we have... Happy fourth of July!

SLASH AND BURN @ SUPER BOWL XLVBlack Eyed Peas pack serious halftime heat

The only thing I found annoying about the Black Eyed Peas halftime performance during yesterday's Super Bowl, was the outpouring of hyperbole and criticism that followed.

We live in a culture of hatred and entitlement, and I'm finding it harder and harder to disguise my disgust. It used to be you needed a modicum of training, etiquette and professionalism to be a critic. Now all you need is an internet connection.

Spelling, grammar and any hint of education are optional, and typically frowned upon.

Just because you and all of your like-minded friends may agree that you hate the Black Eyed Peas, does not mean that the Black Eyed Peas suck. It just means that you don't like the Black Eyed Peas. I follow a disproportional number of rock fans on Twitter, and I could have predicted their reaction before the halftime show even started. But that was tame compared to the reaction at the party I was at, where I was standing between members of the Guns N Roses camp.

The tough crowd got even tougher when the "Sweet Child O' Mine" cover started and Fergie delivered a little Axl Rose slither as she cozied up alongside Slash, GnR's iconic ex-guitarist.

I'm an Axl Rose loyalist to the core - but, admittedly, even that collaboration didn't bother me that much. The Super Bowl halftime show is arguably the biggest stage there is in music - can you blame the Black Eyed Peas for pulling out all the stops?

Unfortunately, they didn't sound great. But it's the halftime SHOW, not the halftime CONCERT. The spectacle was huge, and it delivered. No, maybe the performers didn't deliver as well as they - and others - may have liked, but if you are watching the Super Bowl with the sole intention of critiquing ads and the halftime show, you're part of today's problem, not part of the solution.

The Super Bowl is a worldwide institution and, in a lot of ways, its prevailing hooplah has come to represent everything that's wrong with America as we spiral through the 21st century as a culture of lemmings that care more about being heard, than about right, fair or even articulate.

I never got the guy's name, but I had a great conversation in the third quarter about how much money was spent on advertising, and where all that advertising money comes from... Us.

We're in a recession, but we're still fueling an economy that continues to cater to excess at a time when we should be dialing our habits down. I don't care how much money Budweiser pays to license a classic Elton John song, their product still tastes more like stale piss to me than it does beer.

Which brings me back to the Black Eyed Peas...

They are a pop music phenomenon, not a live music staple. Their songs are built around club beats and designed for dance floors, not live performances. And if you want to compare them musically to any other act that's performed halftime in recent memory, you're just advertising your own tunnel vision.

Black Eyed Peas are a production team, not a rock band. And they're damn good at what they do. In fact, they are amongst the best. That show last night was visually stunning, even if the vocals fell a little flat. But you know what? At least they were singing (or trying, as the case may be) - I'd rather relish the effort amidst the spectacle, than watch a lip-sync laughathon.

It didn't take a sound engineer to know there were sound problems. All their mics cut out at one point or another, and that's not the band's fault. Who knows what they were actually hearing on stage? Am I making excuses? Yes, I am - but I tuned in to watch the Super Bowl, not play armchair quarterback and pass judgment on the bells and whistles that surrounded the game.

Last night's game was a phenomenal steak dinner. The Black Eyes Peas performance was akin to finding some wilted lettuce in a salad that is highlighted by some superb blue cheese dressing.

If you're tuning into the Super Bowl to get your music fix, I feel sorry for you - there's so much more out there, you just need to open your ears and listen. And if you're one of those people screaming that the Black Eyed Peas suck and are a musical travesty, maybe it's time to look beyond your own short-sightedness.

They don't suck,they're just not your thing. To the masses that are not metal fans, Slipknot suck so hard they should change their name to Hoover. That doesn't make me appreciate them any less. Green Day is the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to me - that doesn't mean that they suck, it just means that they're not my thing.

To each their own... But we live in America, where people are incapable of compromise. It's all or nothing, and our way or the highway.

If you're liberal, all conservatives are evil. Period.

And if you're a rock fan watching the Black Eyed Peas during the Super Bowl, you've judged them before you even stop to consider the very nature of what they do, or how they do it. Yes, their performance wasn't perfect, but they were playing the Super Bowl, not the Grammy Awards.

It was a football game, and they provided a halftime spectacle - and an excellent one at that. To say that Fergie can't sing is just flat-out wrong - she can sing, even if she wasn't in top form Sunday night.

If you would care to discuss how your definition of music is different than a Black Eyed Peas fan's definition of music, that's another story altogether - but, again, we are talking about opinions, not facts.

I just think back to how I felt growing up, being a fan of heavy metal and having people talk down to me because that wasn't what they consider "real" music.

I remember how it felt when people would tell me that Metallica sucked, when in fact they were just scared and intimidated of the band and what they stood for. They said they aren't music, they're noise. Those judgmental people helped shape me into the person I am today - and those memories are what make me want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

As Dan Akroyd said in the cinematic opus Spies Like Us - we mock what we don't understand.

As for the Super Bowl? Don't hate the playas just cuz you don't like the game.

And as for me? I like the Black Eyed Peas, and all the boom boom pow they deliver.

Every time Michael Vick gets hit,an angel dog earns its wings...

I believe that Michael Vick deserves a second chance in life, I just don't believe that he deserves a second chance to play in the National Football League.

He facilitated and expedited the rape of dogs, where females were bound to poles so that they could be forcefully and violently impregnated. The puppies were then raised and trained to be fighters and killers, neglected to sharpen their survival instincts, and tortured to instill a horrifying sense of fear and tolerance of pain.

Then the dogs were pitted against each other for Michael Vick and his crew's sadistic pleasure and gambling enjoyment.

If the losing dogs were lucky, they'd be killed in cold blood.

The dogs that weren't killed, were left alive to be tortured and abused more, only to fight another day.

This wasn't a momentary lapse in judgment on Michael Vick's part, and it wasn't an accident. It was premeditated, callously calculated, and carried out with painstaking attention to every heinous detail.

Over, and over, and over again.

This isn't about what Michael Vick allegedly did, this is about what he confessed to doing. There's no grey area in what may or may not have happened - it happened, and he's not denying a single bit of it.

According to a court of law, he served his legal debt to society. But what about his moral debt to society? The debt that can't be paid off by a donation to the Humane Society, or by visiting a handful of inner-city schools and trying to explain why what he did was wrong, despite the fact that he still makes excuses for his behavior.

Because, in the end, it didn't matter that what he did was wrong - when the time came to be held accountable for deciding to embrace being a thug instead of a professional athlete and role model, the Philadelphia Eagles welcomed him back with opened arms.

And when that opportunity turned into one of the most remarkable physical comebacks in the history of professional sports, Barack Obama - the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, and the man that hung his election on a mantra of hope - called the Eagles' owner to commend the team for giving Michael Vick a second chance.

Because everybody deserves a second chance.

Bullshit.

Michael Vick has been coddled since the day his opportunistic handlers realized he was a goldmine of athletic potential.

Money. Gifts. Attention. Excuses.

All in abundance. All without accountability.

He received a scholarship to Virginia Tech, and every opportunity in the world to advance his lot in life. To improve the world of those around him. And to be an example for others to emulate.

Instead, he chose to remain a thug. A thug who could tuck a football under his arm and run - a thug with carte blanche to take his miscreant ways off the street, and behind closed doors.

Should Michael Vick get a second chance? Of course he should - in life. Not in the National Football League.

America is a country in crisis, and our youth need role models to emulate, not a path of excuses defined by moral cop-outs.

Michael Vick was given every opportunity to rise above the culture he claims dictated his behavior and handling of dogs. Yet he chose to defy those opportunities, and mock the establishment that presented him with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to cash in a golden ticket.

Let his second chance at success be outside the National Football League. Let him use the college education that he got for free... What? He didn't graduate? Maybe he should have thought of that before he entered the NFL following his sophomore year of college.

He strapped his entire future to a professional sport that, even in failure, could make him enough money to last a lifetime. Yet he respected that sport so little that he needed to raise, train, torture and kill dogs for personal fulfillment.

It doesn't matter how many schools he speaks to, the real message to those students is loud and clear - you can make a grave, calculated, callous and criminal mistake so heinous that the end result would make anyone with a conscience's stomach curdle, and as long as you can blame your upbringing, even the President of the United States will have your back.

America needs to stop making excuses, and America needs to stop accepting excuses.

America needs to stand for something, or we'll fall for anything.

And right now, we're falling hard.

I've boycotted the Philadelphia Eagles all season long, refusing to watch or support any team that would give an opportunity to a man that epitomizes everything I think is wrong with America today.

I have also boycotted Nike since they announced that they would again endorse Michael Vick. If Nike choose to make him a face of their company, Nike are making a bold statement that they don't want me buying their clothing.

I am breaking my Philadelphia Eagles boycott to watch my Green Bay Packers make the trip to the City of Brotherly Thugs for the opening round of the playoffs.

Not because I want to watch Michael Vick, but because I want to watch the Green Bay Packers - a team I grew to love as a college student in Milwaukee, where they played half their home games. And a team I learned to love even more when I covered them for the Associated Press in the mid-'90s.

Make no mistake, the game is about more than football for me - it is a battle for control of America's moral compass. A compass that may be cracked, but a compass that can still be repaired.

I am not, and will not, end my boycott of Nike.

We need to stand for something, or we'll fall for anything.

And America needs to stop falling.

Cake go green

The band Cake are going the distance once again. This time, it's for the environment.

Best known for their hit singles "The Distance," "Never Enough" and their 2007 B-sides and Rarities compilation featuring covers of Frank Sinatra, Black Sabbath and Kenny Rogers, Cake are the indie darlings of alternative music.

Their sixth studio album, currently scheduled for a Spring 2010 release, will be entirely green, as Cake are writing, rehearsing and recording the album solely with solar power.

To finish reading this article and watch a video of Cake transforming their studio to solar energy, please click here.

Paul Gargano is the National Music Examiner for eXaminer.com.
Click here to visit his Examiner homepage.

The Last Week In Tweets

Selections from my last week on Twitter. Among items not included in the recap are the bacon kid's dance remix, a McDonalds value meal that you won't find on the menu, and week two of the NFL... Want to join the fun? Feel free to Twit along with me @PaulGargano.




Jackasses of the week:
Kanye West & Terry Moran





• Let's lock Kanye West and Michael Vick in a steel cage and make them fight to the death... Then kill the winner.
(2:10 AM Sep 14th from web)

• I am not offended by bold statements. I am offended that bold statements need be toned down for people who can't think boldy.
(7:08 AM Sep 14th from web, in response to a Facebook debate
over the literal translation of the above statement)

• Word of the day: Churlish. I encourage everyone to use it in a sentence today (for example, to describe Kanye West)...
(7:45 AM Sep 14th from web)

• Kanye strikes again, but this time it's personal: http://tinyurl.com/rc48sw (thanks to @AdamsWorldBlog for pointing it out)
(3:13 PM Sep 16th from web)

• Terry Moran Twittering President Obama's off-the-record calling of Kanye a "jackass" is completely unacceptable.
(8:45 AM Sep 15th from web)

• "Credible" journalism needs to start with the audience: Demand integrity, and stop supporting the tactics of TMZ and Perez.
(8:48 AM Sep 15th from web)




This week's TV theme?
Boobs on the tube...




• New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills are rocking the old-school uniforms tonight on Monday Night Football, I love it!
(3:51 PM Sep 14th from web)

• True Blood finale was a letdown. I felt distant from characters during season two, and wasn't left aching for season three.
(1:39 AM Sep 15th from web)

• Why are most of the guys on Survivor: Somoa wearing only underwear? Except for Russell, he's wearing underwear and a hat.
(10:03 PM Sep 17th from TwitterBerry)

• I probably shouldn't be eating brownies and ice cream and drinking wine while watching The Biggest Loser, right?
(10:20 PM Sep 17th from TwitterBerry)

• Hung season finale could have been better - Too much setup, not enough laughs. Great show though, can't wait for season two!
(10:34 PM Sep 18th from TwitterBerry)

• Gross! RT @AdamsWorldBlog Why not combine the two? RT @PaulGargano My wife wants to watch Golden Girls instead of Lingerie Football League.
(10:50 PM Sep 18th from TwitterBerry)

• Watching season premier of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" -
Shouldn't it be called "Curb Yo Enthusiasm"?
(10:42 PM Sep 20th from TwitterBerry)




RIP Patrick Swayze




• "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." Patrick Swayze dies after long battle with pancreatic cancer. RIP http://tinyurl.com/l2vb9d
(5:09 PM Sep 14th from web)

• Dance, dance dirty, play hockey, move a penny without touching it, rob banks, surf, bounce at bars #ThingsPatrickSwayzeDid
(12:42 AM Sep 20th from TwitterBerry)

• I knew I forgot something: Wong Fu! RT @maidenman664 Don't forget dressing like a woman too #ThingsPatrickSwayzeDid
(12:59 AM Sep 20th from web)









• Megadeth "Endgame" (released today) is AMAZING.
Dave Mustaine is razor sharp and guitarist Chris Broderick shreds.
Best lineup since '98.
(3:33 PM Sep 15th from web)

• If Metallica's 12th studio album is half as good as Megadeth's "Endgame" (their 12th), I'll eat my copy of "Re-Load."
(5:59 PM Sep 18th from web)

• Megadeth has 12 studio albums, and only 4 were recorded with same band! "Peace" "So What" & "Rust" = all different lineups!
(5:21 PM Sep 19th from web)




• President Jimmy Carter blames "You lie!" on racism... Can we blame Carter's statement on senility? http://tinyurl.com/qov6k4
(11:05 AM Sep 16th from web)




• Read article on new lava planet (http://tinyurl.com/otguyb) and started wondering how matter began.
Now I have a headache.
(11:30 AM Sep 16th from web)




• KITTIE "In The Black"
came out yesterday.
Best album yet from queens of metal, a churning blend of melodic, prog and death.
(4:29 PM Sep 16th from web)







The Metal Edge Years...






• It depends, there are many... As a fan? Journalist? Fun? RT @bigmillion of all your yrs @ Metal Edge, what's yer fav memory?
(11:43 AM Sep 19th from web)

• Fun: Seeing @SebastianBach on B'way w/ @IAmJericho, Adrian Smith & sig others RT @bigmillion what's yer fav Metal Edge mems?
(2:27 PM Sep 19th from web)

• Fan: Flying in twin-engine w/ Bruce Dickinson, friendship with Queensryce... RT @bigmillion what's yer fav Metal Edge mems?
(2:30 PM Sep 19th from web)

• Journalist: 9/11 tribute issue, Dimebag tribute, Megadeth Behind the Music... RT @bigmillion what's yer fav Metal Edge mems?
(2:33 PM Sep 19th from web)

• So many more, including KISS, Ozzy, Drowning Pool, @ZakkWyldeBLS, Poison...
RT @bigmillion what's yer fav Metal Edge mems?
(2:43 PM Sep 19th from web)

• Forgot HUGE one: Writing back cov of David Lee Roth's autobiog. DLR is my muse. RT @bigmillion what's yer fav Metal Edge mems?
(3:04 PM Sep 19th from web)




Want to be a music writer?





• Never stop writing, never stop growing, and never forget why you love music... RT @bigmillion advice to get in music media biz?
(3:14 PM Sep 19th from web)

• Blogs are the new magazines, start your own! Be unique, be yourself, make it an extension of you... (re @bigmillion advice?)
(3:22 PM Sep 19th from web)

• Writers 3 worst enemies: Complacency, bad grammar and not editing your work. Respect your audience! (re @bigmillion advice?)
(3:28 PM Sep 19th from web)












• I'm in checkout line behind a blind person - It's amazing the things we take for granted... Like being able to see and hear.
(6:47 PM Sep 19th from TwitterBerry)

• After watching the blind guy, I'm not going to get angry about the fact that after 15 min in line, I left my wallet at home.
(6:50 PM Sep 19th from TwitterBerry)

Follow Paul Gargano on Twitter: @PaulGargano

The Last Week In Tweets

Selections from my last week in the world of Twitter. Not included in these festivities are the kid who loves bacon, protecting your chicken from Dokken, and a lot of back-and-forth about vampires... Want to join the fun? Feel free to Twit along with me @PaulGargano.



• You think? That white
album idea seems dicey.
RT @BielerBros68 I think this Beatles thing might just catch on, not sure...
(9:34 AM Sep 9th from web)





President Obama's Congressional speech
on health care reform:




• "Build on what works and fix what doesn't"
-President Obama on Health Care Reform
(5:31 PM Sep 9th from web)

• We interrupt the President for this breaking news: RT @THR
Ellen DeGeneres joins 'Idol' as fourth judge http://bit.ly/bL4bL
(5:35 PM Sep 9th from web)

• "To my Progressive friends... And to my Republican friends..."
Did I miss the memo that all Democrats are now "Progressive"?
(5:45 PM Sep 9th from web)

• Why am I cynical? Because politics are just like grade school: Everybody claps when someone else gets bullied or picked on.
(5:55 PM Sep 9th from web)

• Ellen is new 'American Idol' judge after Rosie, Pat Buchanan,
Tracii Guns and the Indian from the Village People declined...
(12:18 AM Sep 10th from web)





Remembering 9/11:





• Remember how you felt on September 11, 2001? Never forget... #WTC RT @sportsguy33 My 9/14/01 column: http://bit.ly/xoZvo
(10:05 AM Sep 11th from web)

• Nobody who died on 9/11 got a second chance. Freedom is a privilege, not a right. Respect it. http://tinyurl.com/l2xzfv #WTC
(10:06 AM Sep 11th from web)

• RT @realbrookewhite 9/11 reminds me to keep perspective...
it prompted us to be better people,more grateful & respectful...
lets not forget
(10:41 AM Sep 11th from web)





Season premier of the
Melrose Place remake:




• The new Melrose Place is the worst show EVER...
And I can't stop watching.
(10:35 PM Sep 11th from TwitterBerry)

• Melrose Place just gets worse and worse, but the force field protecting the remote from me just gets stronger and stronger.
(10:42 PM Sep 11th from TwitterBerry)

• New strategy: Fast forward through Melrose Place and watch the commercials... I like the new Kohls campaign, good writing.
(10:49 PM Sep 11th from TwitterBerry)

• Warning: Don't move to Melrose Place, because everybody there is shady and can't be trusted. People tend to die there, too.
(11:10 PM Sep 11th from TwitterBerry)













• Just got my special edition @ZakkWyldeBLS Cabbage Patch Kid. Smells kinda funky, but it's fun to cuddle with...
(3:08 PM Sep 12th from web)

• Just messing around... RT @nikkinana so is there really a Zakk Wylde cabbage patch doll or were you just messing with us?
(8:01 PM Sep 12th from TwitterBerry)




• The US takes the concert experience for granted. Want proof? Watch the South American scenes in "Flight 666"
- Goosebumps.
(7:44 PM Sep 12th from TwitterBerry)









The vampire phenomenon:





• Finally all caught up with True Blood in time for Sunday's finale...
It was all believable until they made the vampires fly.
(12:38 AM Sep 12th from TwitterBerry)

• Do the "Vampire Diaries" writers think nobody else saw "The Crow"? Not only are some lines the same, there's also a crow...
(11:37 PM Sep 12th from TwitterBerry)

• Pop-culture vampire question: With all the women there are to prey on, why do they need to always fight over the same one?
(11:47 PM Sep 12th from TwitterBerry)





Opening weekend
of the NFL season:




• @TheRealTMR @EricStangel And what's the lesson that Vick, Burress, Stallworth, McNair, and Marshall are sending the kids?
(12:10 PM Sep 12th from TwitterBerry) in response to:
Brett Favre named captain. A lesson 4 you kids, You can show up late and still be rewarded over those who put their time in
(by @EricStangel, 11:00 AM Sep 12th from web )

• Close your eyes: Harry Connick Jr sounds just like Frank Sinatra. Now open your eyes... He looks like Morton Downey Jr...
(5:39 PM Sep 10th from web, during NBC pre-game kickoff)

• Al Michaels during Titans defense intros: "We'll start putting up sub-titles next week." WOW! (Cue up Rev Al Sharpton...)
(5:53 PM Sep 10th from web)

• Already sick of hearing "noise, intensity, nerves" a factor for @Mark_Sanchez this year - USC is akin to an NFL franchise!
(10:46 AM Sep 13th from TwitterBerry)

• Everytime Favre gets sacked, it'll be because he missed training camp? Please... When he made training camp, he threw INTs!
(11:32 AM Sep 13th from TwitterBerry)

• Donovan McNabb has a broken rib? Defenses are warming up for Michael Vick. I can't wait for justice to be served NFL style.
(2:39 PM Sep 13th from TwitterBerry)

• Frank Gore was so open on that 49ers touchdown, they should change his number to 7-11. Way to blow the coverage, Cardinals.
(4:13 PM Sep 13th from TwitterBerry)

Follow Paul Gargano on Twitter: @PaulGargano

Never Forget...

...the lives lost, sacrifices made, hardships fought and struggles overcome to assure our freedom in the face of adversity, and our strength in the wake of terror...


Always remember September 11, 2001.

Can an Apple a Day Keep Politicians at Bay?

In his speech to Congress yesterday, our President charted his course for health care reform, providing all the right soundbites to help convince the country that his initiatives are a vital step towards a greater America.

And in the grand scheme of things, he sounded quite convincing.

The problem is, while broad sweeping strokes sound good in prime time, it's the devil in the details that results in political deadlocks.

On Wednesday, that devil proved to be Representative Joe Wilson (pictured above), the South Carolina Republican who yelled, "You lie!" in the midst of President Obama's comments regarding illegal aliens and health care benefits.

While there is no denying that what Wilson said was unprofessional and out of line, there is also no denying that Democrats are guilty of the same behavior. Difference is, when more than half the chamber does it collectively, it's seen as acceptable. When one person does it on his own, it's an uncalled for voice of dissent.

Every time President Obama paid reference to our former President in a negative light, made any suggestion of partisan chicanery, or gestured any remotely conservative ideal with even a fleeting tone of sarcasm, every Democrat in the room leapt to their feet to voice their approval with a thunderous round of applause.

And every Republican sat in their seat and sulked.

It's like grade school all over again.

The bullies have the power, and it's a mob rules mentality. If you don't like getting picked on, get off the playground.

Problem is, these are grown men we're talking about, not adolescents starving for attention. Instead of pushing, shoving, tripping and punching, we have snide remarks cloaked in speeches, rapturous support of any mockery of the other side, and a generally uncomfortable feeling for those of us trying to educate ourselves while we watch from home.

Does a mention of health care reform really need to reference the war in Iraq? It's apples and oranges, and political bait-and-switch at its best.

How do we sway people to a cause that needs more support in public opinion polls? Remind them that it's not nearly as bad as the war the last President started... "You mean you can spend this much money on a war in Iraq, but you can't spend less money on health care?"

If only it was that simple.

In theory, I believe everything President Obama is saying about our country's need for health care reform. Problem is, I'm so turned off by the grand-standing mentality that is rampant in politics, I find it hard to truly get inspired to do more than be cynical.

A friend of mine who works for a prominent politician likened his allegiance to his party to my being a fan of the New York Yankees or Green Bay Packers. "This is my sports," he's told me on more than one occasion. "And I'm going to cheer for my side just like you cheer for your favorite team."

Not quite.

When I heard that the Packers might have been interested in signing convicted animal abuser and killer Michael Vick this summer, I swore on principal that I'd no longer be a fan of the team if management made the decision to bring the scumbag to Green Bay.

My friend, on the other hand, told me that - and I quote - "any Democratic initiative is better than any Republican initiative, regardless of what it accomplishes."

That's what being tied to a party is all about, he tells me.

And that is why I swear allegiance to no political party.

It's all a joke. It's a bunch of grade school bullies puffing their chests and playing the role of peacock, engaging in alpha-male posturing that makes them feel better about themselves, and leaves the American people to pay the tab.

There is no sound argument against the need for radical changes to our country's health care infrastructure. Yet rather than working together for the best interests of the people that elect them, our sworn leaders are nit-picking and playing Polly Anna as they hide behind Robert's Rules of Order.

The unfortunate reality is, too many of today's politicians are coming across as little more than rhetoric spewing mouthpieces who'd rather cloak their insecurities in partisan policy than work together towards a common goal.

We need a new health care system in this country. What we don't need, is the years of prolonged drama that it will take to get us there.

Unfortunately, it appears that we can't have one without the other.

Hey California, How's That Budget Coming?

I'll be the first to admit that I don't fully understand the intricacies of government spending. But that's alright, because clearly our own government doesn't, either.

I live in California, where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of fiscal emergency. What does that mean? It means that the state is in dire financial straits, and our elected leaders have demonstrated nothing but an embarrassing inability to approve a budget that even hints at helping California emerge from its current financial doldrums.

How bad are things? California is operating under a deficit of more than $25.0 billion, a figure that is almost a quarter of the state's total operating funds. In simple terms, that means that the state of California has spent $125 for every $100 it has allocated for spending. When you're talking about a budget in the billions, that's a lot of dollars. And according to the BBC, that deficit could increase to over $30.0 billion by September.

What does this mean to you and I?

A friend of mine just got her tax refund in the mail - Instead of a check, she received an IOU.

That's right, that state of California issued her an IOU for the refund she was owed for money she had already paid in withholding.

How does that work? Theoretically, the IOU she received can be deposited in the bank, but the funds won't be paid by the state treasury until the state budget is approved. In other words, that IOU is worth less than that "I'll get you next time" that your friend promised when you picked up the tab at the bar the other night.

At least you can count on your friends.

Political rhetoric aside - because we all know that the other side is always to blame - this issue boils down to a simple fact: The people that we elect to do a job, are not doing their job. Period. End of story.

In the real world - meaning, everywhere but government - operations grind to a halt without an approved budget. And people lose their jobs when those budgets aren't established and adhered to.

When I worked as a department head at one of America's leading internet companies a few short years ago, I was told that my employee reviews couldn't be processed until a new budget was in place. A month after my proposed raises were submitted (and approved), my entire department was laid off - despite the fact that we were one of the most productive teams at the company. It was no doubt a hard choice by the higher-ups, and it had bitter ramifications, but even I can admit that it was a necessary choice given the site's fiscal concerns.

Hard times call for hard decisions, and nowhere is that more evident than in today's trying economic times.

But in the state of California, nobody seems willing to take responsibility for the necessary compromises and hard choices when it comes to our budget. Why? Because the decisions won't be popular, and nobody wants to look like they are rescinding promises that they made to attain their elected positions.

Unfortunately, it's too late to worry about public perception. It's time to get the job done, regardless of how it may be perceived by the media, and regardless of how it might effect one's chance at reelection.

Politicians aren't elected to their offices with the expectation that they'll be reelected, they are elected with the expectation that they will serve their term with the best interests of their constituents in mind... Reelection is their reward for a job well done.

Somebody needs to remind our politicians that their reelection is in the hands of cash-strapped Californians who are receiving IOUs instead of tax returns.

Michael Jackson Memorial: Paying The Bill

There's one simple rule that is the basis of financial responsibility: Don't spend money that you don't have.

Critics are up in arms over the $1.4 million in expenses that were incurred by the city of Los Angeles as a result of Tuesday morning's Michael Jackson memorial held at the Staples Center.

But how are these expenses any different than any other event that is held at the downtown arena? Whether it be the Grammy Awards, a Los Angeles Lakers game, hockey or a concert?

When you're one of the biggest metropolitan centers in the world, you incur operating expenses. And when you are the entertainment capital of the world, it is not unrealistic for those expenses to include police details for a memorial service for the world's most widely-recognized and celebrated entertainer.

To be clear, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, $1.1 million of that $1.4 million figure was overtime pay for the 4,173 police officers that secured the Staples Center, Forest Lawn cemetery, and other areas that attracted fans and media.

Let's break that down, shall we? There were 4,173 law enforcement and public safety officials hired to work overtime by the city of Los Angeles, at a total cost of $1.1 million. That amounts to an average of $263.20 per employee. More specifically, it's $32.95/hour for an eight-hour shift. If overtime is time-and-a-half, that means the law enforcement officials were paid at a base rate of $21.97/hour.

And we're supposed to feel sorry for the city of Los Angeles because they don't have the financial where-with-all to pay them? You couldn't pay me $210.97/hour to do a police officer's job in some parts of this city - I definitely don't begrudge them a day of overtime to maintain security at the most media-saturated event of the internet age.

There's no point in arguing that $1.4 million is a small price to pay for the publicity the city received for a live event that went off without a hitch before one of - if not the - biggest worldwide audiences in history. And it's also pointless to dwell on the estimated $4.0 million in income for local businesses in the form of food sales, parking, shopping, hotels and transportation, as speculated by Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

If you had told the city of Los Angeles beforehand that they could pay $1.1 million to guarantee an incident-free memorial, or roll the dice with crowd control and take their chances, don't you think they would have gladly paid the $1.1 million?

Of course they would have... If they had it.

Need we be reminded that the reason they don't have the money, is because they are incapable of balancing a budget, there are moratoriums on spending, and the city is mired in a fiscal black hole where more than one-in-ten of its citizens are unemployed?

Which brings us back to my initial statement: If you can't afford to spend money you don't have, DON'T SPEND IT!

The memorial wasn't planned overnight, and someone, somewhere, should have talked to organizers about the costs inherent in the event. Had that been done, properly, solutions could have been explored in advance.

For instance: More than 1.6 million fans registered for the opportunity to receive a pair of the 17,500 free tickets to the memorial. Had the organizers charged a $1 processing fee for each request (which would have been easy to do - tickets were issued by Ticketmaster, and they know a thing or two about service charges) that total would have covered all of the city's expenses... With money to spare.

A nominal fee might have also prevented people from registering for tickets if they weren't serious about going... So maybe you charge a $3 registration fee - if that vetted two thirds of the applicants, it still would have netted $1.5 million and covered the city's costs for the event... With money to spare.

I don't know any Michael Jackson fans that wouldn't have paid $3 for an opportunity to attend his memorial service.

You might argue that it's easy to come up with solutions after the fact. That may be true. But that doesn't change the fact that somebody didn't do their job in preventing the problem.

Had I been presented the situation in the days before the memorial, I know that I would have offered that solution in a matter of minutes. How many other solutions were never explored?

It's not rocket science, it's just common sense.

Unfortunately, common sense seems pretty hard to come by when it comes to fiscal planning and spending in the state of California.

PS: If the city of Los Angeles wants to cry that they can't afford to pay the 4,173 law enforcement officers they hired to maintain order, they might want to make sure all 4,173 were necessary. Judging from the urgency of his stance, I'm guessing this guy wasn't texting for back-up...

Michael Jackson Memorial: My Thoughts

"We will never, ever understand what he endured, not being able to walk down the street without a crowd gathering around him, being judged, ridiculed... How much pain can one take? Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone..."
-Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson's brother

Watching today's Michael Jackson memorial, it wasn't Michael Jackson that I felt sorry for, it was the people that are so fast to ridicule him, so fast to condemn him, and so fast to play judge, jury and executioner, despite the fact that so much of what they think they know is rooted in speculation.

I feel sorry for those people, because most of them will never know the pleasure that Michael Jackson brought the world. I feel sorry for those people because they are too scared to feel anything but anger and shame. They don't know the joy that springs to life in a catalog of recordings that spans more than five decades. They know only that it is easier to mock what they don't understand.

But isn't that the world that we live in? If we took the time to understand, there wouldn't be war. Even worse, if we took the time to try and understand, we might come to the hard realization that we can't all be right all the time, and that the world we live in isn't black and white.

And if the world isn't black or white, where do we fit in?

Michael Jackson wanted the world to know that you didn't need to fit in, and that it didn't matter whether you were black or white. Michael Jackson created a world that was colorblind. Not because the world really was colorblind, but because he taught us to be colorblind.

He helped us realize that the world could be colorblind, which is half the battle.

"Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Black Star Square, in Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and in Birmingham, England, we are missing Michael Jackson," said Queen Latifah, the first speaker of the morning's memorial. "But we do know we had him. And we are the world."

Michael Jackson touched our world. And by touching the world, he made it a better place.

"When Michael started it was a different world, but because Michael kept going, because he didn't accept limitations, because he refused to let people decide his boundaries, he opened up the whole world," rang the Reverend Al Sharpton with a rhythmic flow following a breathtaking performance of "Will You Be There" by Jennifer Hudson. "It was Michael Jackson that brought blacks and whites and Asians and Latinos together. It was Michael Jackson that made us sing 'We Are The World' and feed the hungry long before Live Aid... He created a comfort level where people who felt they were separate were interconnected with his music...

"Michael made us love each other. Michael taught us to stand with each other. There are those that like to dig around mess. But millions around the world, we're going to uphold his message. It's not about mess, it's about his love message. As you climb up steep mountains, sometimes you scar your knee. Sometimes you break the skin. But don't focus on the scars, focus on the journey. Michael beat 'em. Michael rose to the top. He outsang his cynics. He outdanced his doubters. He outperformed the pessimists. Every time he got knocked down, he got back up. Every time you counted him out, he came back in. Michael never stopped!

"...Some came today to say goodbye to Michael. I came to say thank you. Thank you because you never stopped. Thank you because you never gave up. Thank you because you tore down our divisions. Thank you because you eradicated failure. Thank you because you gave us hope!"

And thank you for creating music that gave so many of us the spirit to keep on going. Music that lifted us up when we were down. Music that brought us solace when we felt alone. Music that brought us together when we were apart. And music that made us realize we weren't alone.

It's easy to make fun of Michael Jackson. He's different. He wasn't like you or me. And he didn't try to be. He was a human being, and while he knew that he wasn't perfect, he embraced his differences because he knew that the could make a change.

Even if that change was only made one person at a time.

As John Mayer laid into the delicate intricacies of "Human Nature," the five strings of his guitar replacing the poetic palate of Michael Jackson's warm vocals, I didn't understand his placement amidst the memorial. But once I reflected on the nuances of his appearance, it made so much more sense...

Appearing on Larry King Live early this evening, he said that he was performing not just for himself, but for all of his fans. Standing on the Staples Center stage, John Mayer wasn't telling a story about who Michael Jackson was to him as person, he was relaying who Michael Jackson was to him as an artist. And Michael Jackson means that same thing to all of us that love his music.

We are enchanted by his ability to capture that brilliant spark that made us all feel so human, and translate it into the most beautiful of music.

Music that was transcendent, and music that made us smile. Just like Brooke Shields smiled as she told stories about her friendship with Michael, and the laughter they shared. "Although our hearts are aching, we need to look up, where he is undoubtedly perched in the crescent moon, and we need to smile," she said.

And then Jermaine Jackson performed Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," his brother's favorite song. It was a song that rang true to Michael Jackson's heart, but did anyone ever ask themselves why?

Because even Michael Jackson needed to smile. Michael was only human, just like the rest of us.

It's easy to forget that he's not a sideshow, he's a man. He's a brother. He's a son. And he's a father. And while a cynical segment of America mocks his loss, all his family can do is mourn.

When Michael's 11-year-old daughter stepped in front of Janet Jackson to make a comment at the close of the ceremony, she not only touched the world, she melted its heart.

"Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine," said Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, trying to choke back tears that couldn't be contained. "And I just want to say I love him so much!"

Michael Jackson may have touched our hearts with his music, but his spirit, love and passion lived in the hearts of his family and friends.

The world may have lost an icon, but the Jackson 5 have been reduced to four. Katherine and Joseph Jackson have outlived their son. And the three Jackson children have lost their parent.

While there are a lot of people who deserve our sorrow, as his fans, we deserve it the least.

Michael's message and music will endure for as long as we keep it alive. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, let's be thankful for the gift he gave us, and send a special prayer for the people who knew of him as more than just an icon. The people that lost a family member, a parent, and a friend.

And, yes, take a moment to pray for the people who don't know what they've lost. They are the ones that might need it the most.

In my darkest hour, in my deepest despair
Will you still care, will you be there
In my trials and my tribulations
Through our doubts and frustrations
In my violence, in my turbulence
Through my fear and my confessions
In my anguish, in my pains
through my joy, and my sorrow
In the promise of another tomorrow
I'll never let you part
for you're always in my heart
-"Will You Be There" (Michael Jackson)

Michael Jackson Memorial: The Twitters

I was torn this morning, not knowing whether to attend the Michael Jackson memorial in person, or to watch it on television, not a part of the Staples Center congregation in downtown Los Angeles, but a part of a bigger celebration, that of tens of millions of fans worldwide who were touched by the biggest entertainment icon the world will ever know. My indecision forced a decision, and I have no regrets. I watched from my desk, digesting it all and sharing what I experienced with the online community. Here is my experience of the Michael Jackson memorial, as told via my Twitter account...

The motorcade is pulling into the Staples Center now... The hearse didn't use a blinker. I hope it doesn't get pulled over.

The motorcade is an eerie procession of dozens of black limousines wrapped around the Staples Center as they pull in. Surreal image.

CNN analyst Bryan Monroe agrees with me: "Off The Wall" is his favorite Michael Jackson album.

Based on posthumous sales and projections, CNN is reporting that that the Michael Jackson estate could be completely debt free within months

Smokey Robinson is opening the ceremony by reading a statement prepared by Diana Ross, who is not in attendance

It is astonishing how many people worldwide, so many cultures and languages, are celebrating Michael Jackson's life right now, all together

2200 credentialed journalists are covering the Michael Jackson memorial and surrounding events today.

Gospel choir sings "no more crying, we are going to see the King," casket is rolled to center stage shortly after 1030 am PST...

Mariah Carey singing "I'll Be There" - I'm sure this isn't the last time I'll have goosebumps watching from home. Must be magical there.

Queen Latifah "representing all the fans... Michael never felt distant... Michael was the biggest star on Earth... A human being first"

Lionel Richie singing "Jesus Is Love" ...Is he in training to be a Minister?

Berry Gordy on Michael Jackson: "King of Pop isn't big enough for him, I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that has ever lived!"

My dog doesn't care that I'm glued to TV, she wants to go out... I told her to be reverent of the moment - she went and curled in her bed!

Video montage ended with "You Are Not Alone," goosebump moment number three... WOW. Here's comes Stevie Wonder...

Stevie Wonder performing "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer"

Kobe Bryant: Michael Jackson in Guiness Book of World Records for most charities supported by a pop star.

Magic Johnson: "Michael made me a better point guard and basketball player..."

Magic: "Chef brought me out grilled chicken, and brought Michael a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken...That was a greatest moment in my life"

Jennifer Hudson "Will You Be There" - Holy gospel pipes, she is owning it! CNN showing footage of people dancing in churches. Mo goosebumps!

Michael Jackson voiceover at end of "Will You Be There" - I'm shocked the ovation wasn't bigger, unless people too stunned to respond...

Rev Al Sharpton "It was Michael Jackson that brought blacks and whites and Asians together... Michael Jackson made us sing We Are The World"

Rev Al Sharpton: "Michael outsang his cynics, Michael outdanced his doubters..."

Rev Al Sharpton to Jackson children: "There was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what he had to deal with!" Standing Ovation

Based on the tribute Reverend Al Sharpton just gave, I'd join his church...

NEWS FLASH: John Mayer owns a tie... And he's wearing it while he plays "Human Nature"

John Mayer has a smile as wide as I've ever seen. He's the first white person to take the stage, and has as much soul as anyone. Goosebumps.

Other than him being @JohnMayer, not sure what his connection to Michael Jackson was, but it worked... Brooke Shields up now, talking, teary

Brooke Shields: "I used to tease him that I started when I was 11 months old and he started when he was five, he was a slacker..."

BS: "We never filmed a video or recorded a song, but we laughed... MJ's laugh was the sweetest and purest laugh of anyone I'd ever known"

Brooke: "I said, 'What up with the glove?' If you're going to hold my hand, it better be with the other hand..." VERY nice tribute...

Brooke: "He was referred to as the King, but I always thought of him as the little prince..." (read excerpt from book "The Little Prince")

Brooke Shields closed with mention of "Smile," now Jermaine Jackson singing with one white sequined glove... Both powerful and tender...

Martin Luther King III and Bernice King... I just ran to get a cup of coffee--I wonder if they're selling concessions in the Staples Center?

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX): "On behalf of representatives, we know law, and we know that people are innocent until proven otherwise..."

Usher performing "Gone Too Soon" at side of casket. Very emotional performance... Smokey Robinson up now, remembering meeting Jackson 5

Okay, I'll bite... Who is Shaheen Jafarghol, and why is he singing "Who's Loving You"? I guess there had to be someone I wouldn't know...

Shaheen Jafarghol sang "Who's Loving You" on Britiain's Got Talent this season, and Michael Jackson personally invited him to London shows

"We Are The World" This is going to be HUGE...

Ok, "We Are The World" wasn't huge, singing was done by his touring band. "Heal The World" now. MJ's kids, more kids, and all guests onstage

Jesse Jackson has ZERO rhythm (just saying)

I wasn't blown away by "We Are The World" or "Heal The World," but Michael has to be beaming down on the Staples Center right now...

Jermaine Jackson: "We thank you. We thank you very much."

Marlon Jackson: "A part of you will live forever in all of us..."

Paris Jackson: "My daddy has been the best father I could imagine, and I love him so much!" (forget goosebumps, now I'm crying)

As they wheel the casket out to instrumental "Man in the Mirror" there is a lone spotlight on an empty microphone at center stage...

Larry King: "It exceeded any expectations I had..." Said Al Sharpton was the standout of event. Looks like I wasn't alone in that thought!

The memorial was such a moving celebration of everything Michael Jackson represented as an artist and entertainer. Phenomenal.

It feels so good to revel in the joy and magic Michael Jackson brought the world, not the tragedy America encouraged and sensationalized.

I love it! There's some guy in a Lamb Of God t-shirt being talked to on CNN as he leaves the Staples Center...

I would love to see a picture of what the sky looks like above the Staples Center... There have to be too many helicopters to count!

Michael Jackson demonstrates America's divide: Half want to defile him, and the other half want to celebrate him. I'll celebrate, thank you.

If this clip doesn't break your heart, you don't have a heart: http://tinyurl.com/mrohqd

Michael Jackson memorial highlights (for me): Rev Al Sharpton, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Hudson and Magic Johnson. And, of course, Paris. RIP


Follow Paul Gargano on Twitter: @PaulGargano