Evan Baran, the man who blogged.

3, count it, three blogs this week.

This is more of a quick statement so I can sleep this weekend thinking I have met my goal.

Today I had the chance to listen to the new Van Halen album “A Different Kind of Truth.”

I’m not a big Van Halen fan. I put them in the same category as Aerosmith when it coems to bands I don’t listen to. I don’t actually have a name for the category, but just for the sake of giving it a name, let’s call it Hortence.

This isn’t a review of the album by any means. I’m not going to break down every song and talk about them, nor am I going to reference Sammy Hagar. Well maybe, I don’t like Sammy Hagar Van Halen. That version is in a different category than Hortence, we will call that category of music Gertrude.

The first single “Tattoo” might be one of the worst songs on the album. Let’s get that out of the way right now.

Best song on the album, “Stay Frosty.” I found myself tapping my foot the whole time. Starts out acoustic and ends with some shredding. Can you dig it?

May the force be with you.

ETB

I’m not one to fall for scams, that was until the other night.

I was watching the Oiler game the other night when my phone rang. I hate answering calls that show up Blocked. I think there is a total of 4 people in my contacts whose numbers show up that way and 9 times out of 10 it’s my sister calling.

It started off as a very typical phone call.

I answer, “Hello.”

This is the only thing that is normal, which I didn’t realize until afterwards.

The guy on the other end of the line starts trying to sell me RSEP’s. Sure, that sound like it could be a normal thing, especially when he uses a maternity store that my wife shopped at before our baby was born.

So I reckon she gave them my information to maybe win something or to be called when it comes to this kind of stuff.

The guy goes on to ask if my wife is home, which she was, but i said no. So he started giving me all this info and wanted to send out some papers and more information on their services. Still seems legit to me so I give him my address.

I know, I’m stupid.

Let me rewind a few days. I get a call on our house phone from some dude telling me there is an issue with my computer and he needs to give me some info so he can help me fix the problem. I ask him which virus my Mac has to which he said that it was a really bad one and he just needs me to log on to my computer so he can fix it. All I would have to do is give him certain info like the serial code and it will be good to go. I tell him I have a PC, swear at him and he hangs up.

So there I am, all proud of myself for letting lose on the greasy mother F-er.

Next day I get this weird call that I started telling you about.

After giving the guy my address, and my son’s name he tells me his boss will be calling me to set up an in person interview. He says his bosses names in Brian Baker. Common name. Should have clued in right from the beginning, but alas, I’m an idiot.

The whole time, I’m really only half paying attention to him because I’m watching the Oilers beat the Av’s. He ends by saying he will be calling back tomorrow night to talk to my wife.

This is where we say good-bye.

Then the house phone rings.

It’s my dad and he says he just got a call looking for my wife at their house in Wolseley.

This is where I kick myself knowing I have totally screwed up for not using the full capability of my PVR.

Personal Video Recorder, you can pause and rewind live television.

I’m such an idiot.

Obviously this is a shortened version of the story, but one you can the just of.

So beware of these scamming mother F-ers. If they are trying to get some info from you and the caller ID shows up as Blocked, there’s a good chance they are slime.

Also, always remember to use you PVR!!!

ETB

I know I said I was going to blog at least 3 times a week but I have some excises.

Seriously, I am fine.

When the second week of the year rolled around I was all ready to get my blog on, but then my kid decided to make an early cameo. Only 9 days, so not early at all, but earlier than I anticipated.  So then I was off from the 11-24.

Now seeing as the 24th was a Tuesday, that means it was a short work week. I gave my self some leeway during short work weeks.

So here we are, my first actual full week of work, and my first actual week of reaching my goal of 3 blogs or more.

I’m not going to put a load in to this blog at all, I’ll leave that up to Fear Factor!

Check it out here!

But maybe you have.

At least one person has though and that’s why they decided to use Photoshop.

Check it out!

ETB

I told myself last year at this time I was going to blog more.

I lost.

This year I am going to tell myself the same thing, but I am not going to fail. I’m not going  to set myself up to fail though. Instead of every day, I’m going to shoot for 3 times a week.

Except this week , there’s only 4 days, and that seems like a lot of work for the first week of the year.

With that, here’s what 2012 is going to bring.

My kid, which could be at anytime. This is terrifying on a lot of levels.

But something you can actually look forward to is new music from some great bands.

Ones I’m looking forward to that are guaranteed.

Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Rush, Alice In Chains, Three Days Grace,  Slash and Deftones.

Three that are possible for 2012 that I will be stoked if they come out, Tool, System of a Down and Metallica

Ones that have potential to be good that I’ll still listen too.

Offspring, Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Halestorm, Killswitch Engage and Papa Roach.

One that I think I might like even though I’m not a huge fan, Van Halen.

One that I won’t even bother to go near, Aerosmith.

Did you hear the solo crap Steven Tyler called music?

When was the last time that band could even be considered rock? Sure, “Honkin’ on Bobo” was a good album, but that was all covers so it doesn’t count.

So there you have it, the good, mediocore and down right crap that you have to look forward to when it comes to music in 2012!

ETB

Remember Ron Artest?

That dude was nuts, and I’m sure most people thought to themselves, “Can this guy get any crazier?”

The answer is yes.

Here are two more reasons why I say this.

1. He is no longer Ron Artest. He now goes by Metta World Peace. That’s right, the back of his jersey will now say World Peace. He has legally changed his name to that.

2. Click here to watch a video of his teeth!

I love Guns N’ Roses.

I’m sure you and I could argue all day that the line-up of G N’ R that exists right now is just as good as it use to be.

Sure I will listen to your argument that it’s not the same, because it’s not. They were all characters that played a major part in the band. But when you talk musicianship, the line up is amazing.

But I digress.

We aren’t talking about that, we are talking about the fact that Axl decided to through a curve ball in to the set list in Nashville the other night.

The band hasn’t play “Civil War” in 18 years.

After seeing the pictures that were posted on Twitter, I don’t blame her dad for making her take them down.

You don’t know what I’m talking about, then this is a must for you!

The good fad, or the bad?

The bad?

Okay, I can do that.

This needs to stop!!

and this

It’s kind of like putting clothes on an animal. You think it’s cute, but they’re embarrassed by it too.

You know what’s a fad that doesn’t need to stop?

This one right here?

I hate self images. Sure we have all taken them, but when you replace the phone with a pop tart, it’s AWESOME!!!!

Check out Self Pop Tart right here and enjoy!

This actually  is no laughing matter.

It’s hard to believe that people would actually do this to themselves, but sometimes life is all about survival of the fittest, and well, these people aren’t fit.

So here is your warning.

***THE PICTURES AND LINKS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE ARE VERY DISTURBING. THEY ARE NSFW. DISCRETION IS ADVISED*****

Let’s start off with the name of the drug shall we?

Krokodil. You do it once, it makes your skin look like that of, you guessed it, a crocodile!

It doesn’t stop there though.

Basically it’s the drug that eats people. Once you see the pictures you will see what I mean. It turns people in to zombies. Seriously!

It’s a drug fad that has started in Russia. It’s really cheap and usually heroin users are the ones that are using it.

I’m going to warn you again…If you have a weak stomach, this is not for you.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

That isn’t a special effect, it’s what the drug does to a person within a couple of MONTHS!

Remember in Elementary School when you would always hear the teachers telling you to
Just Say NO.” Well here is another reason why.

So instead of writing more about this, I’m going to put in a bunch of links that contain videos and more information about this horrific drug.

This is your last warning…the links are extremely disturbing, especially for younger people.

HERE

HERE

There’s also HERE

HERE

And HERE

And one more HERE