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Like most Beatles fans, I’m a bit torn about the remastered albums being released in September. I mean, do I really need to purchase ANOTHER set of CDs that I already own? As a fan, I really DO want to get the newly remastered versions but I don’t think my wallet can take the hit. I’ll definitely wait to hear the verdict on whether there’s a clear distinct difference in the audio quality. and although it would be great to just get the whole entire set, I might just end up choosing specific titles that are my personal must-haves: Abbey Road, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers and the White Album.

additional tidbits about the CDs:
- release date: September 9, 2009
- each release features extended liner notes, original artwork and additional rare photos
- each release will contain a short “making of” documentary
- besides the original studio albums, Past Masters Vol. I and II will be released as well
- a box set of the CDs will be released. one set in stereo. a separate set in mono.
- the complete remastered titles are: Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night, Beatles for Sale, Help!, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles (The White Album), Abbey Road, Let It Be, Past Masters, Yellow Submarine
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I grew up listening to “Weird Al” back in the early 80′s so whenever I hear that he’s coming out with new material now, it just takes me back to those oh-so-innocent times of members-only jackets and parachute pants. Man, who would have thought back then that “Weird Al” would still be going strong in 2009!!

Here’s his latest single Skipper Dan which is currently available on iTunes and Amazon.com.

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Are you ready for some FOOTBALL? FANTASY FOOTBALL, that is! Now that millions of enthusiasts across the country are participating in leagues each year, large social events are being held specifically for these fantasy sports players. As a matter of fact, there’s even a Las Vegas Fantasy Football Superdraft taking place next month during August 27th – 30th. Fantasy football not only increases viewership on all televised games, it also helps forge long lasting bond between friends, colleagues and other league members. It’s no longer some past-time between a few buddies in some dark basement. Thanks to the internet and high powered websites, fantasy football has become mainstream and more popular than ever. So why not celebrate this national sensation by *going big* this year and taking your league to Las Vegas for the SuperDraft?

As the whole world knows, Vegas is where things happen and when thousands of FF players converge together for a four day weekend, the excitement factor simply goes through the roof. Not only do you get a chance to exchange tips and strategies with other enthusiasts, there will be some lavish parties plus special performances by George Clinton with Parliment/Funkadelic and rapper Flo Rida. More importantly, special draft rooms will be set aside for every league to go in and have a unique VIP draft experience during the four day event. The SuperDraft is the way live drafts are meant to be done – with fun, excitement, good food and a lot of flair. Round up your league players and reserve your rooms now. Check out the Las Vegas SuperDraft website for more information.

It’s a bit sad to see that the gorgeously animated Dragon Hunters didn’t find a wider audience. I guess that’s what separates indie films with the marketing power of the majors like Disney and Dreamworks. My kids watched the DVD last week and I noticed that the kids were going back for third and fourth viewings. Usually, they’d be satisfied with a movie after maybe a second run-through so it was a bit surprising to me to see them wanting to watch this particular movie over and over again. So, I sat down and watched Dragon Hunters with them and realized how breathtaking the visuals are. The unique look of the various dragons in the film as well as the detail that went into the landscapes and castles are fresh and inventive and not the typical fare that one would normally see in a children’s animated film.

The film is a CG-animated adaptation of a french TV series which follows a gentle warrior named Lian-Chu along with Gwizdo and a rabbit/dog type creature named Hector. They encounter a little girl named Zoe who’s home is being threatened by the World Gobbler dragon. I’ll admit that the storyline and dialogue are a bit weak here but my take on this is that the movie just HAS to be seen and not heard. People, give this NON-Pixar movie a chance!
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retroGrade: B
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While visiting the in-laws last week during our family vacation, I had the chance to tag along with my brother-in-law to see how he ran his mobile dog grooming business. After being laid off about a year ago, he recently decided to do something totally different and I have to say, I admire the risk he took to start up his own business. He has his own customized van and I rode along with him one afternoon to see what it took to satisfy his clients. I watched in awe as he expertly handled a great dane and kept the dog calm and steady as he bathed and groomed the behemoth in the van. I learned that he swears by an all natural dog shampoo made by Dinovite called DogOsuds. My brother-in-law used the whole gamut of other brands out there but found that DogOSuds works best in leaving a dog looking and smelling absolutely fresh and clean. Not only that but since it’s all natural, it won’t leave the dog’s skin dry or irritated. And believe it or not, the shampoo is also great for removing skunk odor!

I’m so glad my brother-in-law found something that he really enjoys doing now. Like what a lot of folks experienced when losing their jobs, things looked pretty grim for him initially especially with the job market the way it is right now. Not that dog grooming is recession-proof but there seems to always be a need for this type of work. So I wish my good ol’ brother-in-law much success in his new venture.

My 12 year old son keeps on complaining that the cell phone that I’ve provided for him is too old school. The boy is *12* so I figured that I’d put him on a pay-as-you-go plan on Boost Mobile so that he could learn to be a responsible cell phone user. I made it sort of a “game”, you see. The “game” is basically for him to make the $20 that I’ve added to his account, last for three months. At the end of the three months, I add another $20 to the account. It’s pretty much the typical routine for thrifty individuals on these types of pre-paid cell plans. But for young kids nowadays with itchy-texting fingers, $20 every three months just won’t do. To help limit the use of the cell phone, I initially got him a no-nonsense Motorola i776 which is very basic with no-frills whatsoever. My son wasn’t impressed and hated being seen with the “oh-so-yesterday” clam-shell design.

Well, there appears to be a new option in the Boost Mobile world, and it’s called the Motorola Clutch (i465). It’s a bit more stylish, especially for a Motorola phone, and is the first iDEN phone with a full QWERTY keyboard. My son has been asking for it ever sincing noticing it on the Boost website. A buddy at work recently ordered one so I got a chance to check it out first-hand. It’s surprisingly small for a phone that features a full keyboard. the screen size is a bit small though and so is the keyboard. But I guess the size would be perfect for my 12 year old. It does seem to be a step up from the i776 since it has video recording capabilities but at VGA resolution, it’s a bit underwhelming. The surprising feature for me is the built-in alarm clock and calculator which were both sorely missed on the i776.

But the big dilemma for me personally is the fact that I’m trying to teach my son to control his cell phone usage and this new phone with its QWERTY keyboard, will probably encourage him to do the exact opposite and text more often. The i465 is probably a good choice for those on the $50 a month unlimited plan on Boost but not for those trying to minimize their usage on the pay-as-you-go plan.

sorry son but it looks like you’ll have to continue using the i776 for now.
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Time is running out for those that haven’t entered the Its a BluWorld contest that’s being held by the makers of BluFrog energy drink. Like I mentioned in a previous blog post, I entered the drawing simply by blogging about the contest. For those that don’t have a blog, they can still enter by posting a comment on their website. The other option is to tweet about the contest on Twitter and including #bluworld and http://bit.ly/UiiJy in the tweet. You can even do all three options to triple your chances of winning.
There are some great prizes being offered including a XBox 360 Elite package, a trip to the Winter X Games in Aspen and even a Richard Petty Racing Experience. But I’m hoping to win the trip to Lollapalooza 2009 myself. As you probably know just by reading some of my blog posts here on RetroBlog, I’m *into music* so a chance to see bands like Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys and Fleet Foxes is right up my alley. But what really sweetens the deal for me is the fact that the music festival is in Chicago which is my hometown and I would just love to win the chance to go back to the city I grew up in and enjoy the three day musicfest in lovely Grant Park. Man, if I’m lucky enough to win, I could just see myself jumping for joy like a little kid at Christmas which ain’t a pretty sight when you’re a middle-aged man like me! Anyway, the deadline for the BluFrog drawing is July 17th so be sure to sign up for the contest before then. Find out more at ItsaBluWorld.com.

The full length debut by Polly and the Billets Doux titled “Fiction, Half Truths and Downright Lies” is an absolute joy to listen to. From the energetic guitar intro that kick-starts the album in “Follow My Feet” to the bluegrass rhythms of album closer “Back to Earth”, the band takes the listener on a blissful journey of americana/roots music. At first glance, one would think they’re from middle-America but surprisingly Polly and the Billets Doux hail from Winchester, England. No need to worry though, their retro-americana sound doesn’t feel like a gimmick or a ploy for attention. The love and respect for this style of music really shines through in their enthusiastic performances and lovely vocal harmonies. All the elements of a great album are present here – strong material, solid performances, great vocals and a sense of excitement and fun.

Take the album opener for example:I just go where my feet take me, I just wander where my legs decide, and I know that life won’t break me ’cause I’ll take it all in my stride.
Right after Polly Perry sings that first verse, the band makes an abrupt left turn into a totally different feel and rhythm. It definitely takes the listener by surprise and that type of fearlessness and sense of adventure make the album all the more fun and enjoyable to listen to. The band keeps it varied by mixing in jazz, folk, R&B and country through the course of the album. But even with all the different elements and influences, Polly Perry’s strong voice and Andrew Steen’s signature semi-hollow body guitar sound keep things from sounding too disjointed.

I also have to give “props” to producer/engineer Lewis Childs for creating a “live sounding” record which compliments this style of music and gives the songs a raw immediacy that’s very appealing. It’s definitely a notable contrast in this day and age of over-digitized pro-tooled junk that gets passed off as music nowadays.

Find out more about the band by heading over to PollyandtheBilletsDoux.co.uk

retroGrade: A

album: Fiction, Half Truths and Downright Lies
artist: Polly and the Billets Doux
produced by: Lewis Childs, Paul Isaac
release date: August 10, 2009
label: Bleak Mouse Records

TrackList:
1. Follow My Feet
2. To Be a Fighter
3. Charmed
4. The Cup and the Lip
5. I Would Ask
6. The Rounder
7. Don’t Trouble Trouble
8. Lead Me On
9. The City and the Sailor
10. Back to Earth

personal favorites include: “Follow My Feet”, “To Be Fighter”, “The Cup and the Lip”, “The Rounder” and “The City and the Sailor”
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