No twist off wine

GET THE REALLY GOOD WINE.

Grampy Steve

If the first glass of wine is good, whatever comes next really doesn't matter.

I have attended parties, where when you arrive are given a nice glass of wine (top shelf stuff - bottles are out). But when you receive a re-fill, it comes from a carafe.

The carafe is filled from BOX O WINE.

This week at work there have been big semi trucks and box trucks parked in a roped off area at the bottom of the employee parking lot. We were all like wtf is going on? Turns out this morning when I went into work, the Extreme Home Makeover bus was in between the trucks! I was running late like always, but I took notice to a lot of construction type guys and a bunch of activity at the trucks. I did get a glimpse of something with colors parked behind the one truck, but I had to bounce before I was late. I found out that the thing with colors was the bus when I got into work. Even better yet, the family that's getting the makeover - the guy who passed away, Andy, was a client of my sisters. Everyone was so gutted when we heard the story of what happened to Andy and his wife and daughter, so this is a very happy day :-)

Originally Published: 7/29/2010 12:17:00 PM Tilden widow to have house renovated by 'Extreme Makeover'

A Tilden Township woman whose husband died just nine hours before she gave birth to their first child will have her house renovated courtesy of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

Host Ty Pennington and the design team surprised Trisha Urban and her daughter, Cora, 1, this morning at a carnival at the Cochranville Fire Company in Chester County, media spokesman Jeff Woytovich said shortly after noon.

Urban had received a raffle ticket during the carnival. When her raffle number was selected, she went onto stage and the Extreme Makeover bus pulled up, Woytovich said.

The raffle ticket was all planned, he said.

"We all ran up on stage, and the rest of build team ran up to stage," he said. "Ty was talking to Trisha and Cora, and her mother and sister."

Urban's husband, Andrew, died on Feb. 5, 2009 - nearly nine hours before she gave birth to the couple's first child, Cora Catherine, now 1.

Before they planned to leave for the hospital, Andrew stepped outside to feed the family's goats, horses and other animals.

When he didn't return, Trisha, found him outside, collapsed near the front gate.

She called 9-1-1. Both were taken to Reading Hospital.

Andrew, also know as Andy, had a congenital heart defect and was pronounced dead of heart attack at 12:53 p.m.

Trisha gave birth eight hours and 26 minutes later.

The couple had plans to renovate their 18 century log home on Hex Highway, which was unsafe for a child.

The basement was moldy. Electrical outlets hung off the walls. Holes were plugged with foam.

Developers who said they would remodel the home for free later pulled out because of the economy.

The economy is so bad that:

. I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

. I ordered a burger at McDonald's and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"

. CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

. Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

. My ATM gave me an IOU!

. I bought a toaster oven and my free gift with purchase was a bank.

. If the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.

. McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer.

. Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America .

. Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.

. My cousin had an exorcism but couldn't afford to pay for it, and they re-possessed her!

. Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.

. A picture is now only worth 200 words.

. They renamed Wall Street " Wal-Mart Street ."

. When Bill and Hillary travel together, they now have to share a room.

. The Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas is now managed by Somali pirates.

. Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh Great! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 trillion disappear!

And, finally...

. I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc., I called the Suicide Hotline. I got a call center in Pakistan , and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck...

Aww chelle, that's very good news for that fambly!! Yay!! :)

Zinc, funneh, and sadly true, lol!

LOL Borlos, I love the "swagger" Joe has in yer WWE video, that's hilarious!! I tweeted him the link so maybe he can check it out and see what you did, lol!! That's great!

lmao @ "Joe's" giant hands!!

I know!!! So funny!! And did u notice the swivel hips? LOL!

Borlos - that was great! I think Joe looked odd without a guitar though......:0)

Happy Friday peeps!

FFF!!! = Finally ~~ Friday > insert yer own middle word ;-)

Hey Joe - Livin' for the music!

Check out my second killer Chickenfoot video ("Going Down") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIUqg5-lb8w - the first one is still one of the top 3 fan videos at Chickenfoot.us - which is "Down The Drain" and now I've made one even slicker; "Going Down" from the first Chickenfoot live performance at the Wabo, before production of the album. Apparently there were three songs played and this version of "Going Down" is the best I've ever heard. And the next best one was Los Tres Gusanos, of which I made a YouTube video for also. I hope you like this one as much as I do.

I still believe strongly that the next Chickenfoot album should be called "Spontaneous" or "Spontaneous Organization" or (to capitalize on the grandiose idea for an invention I sent you before) "Spontaneous OrganiMAtion". As in the production of "Down the Drain" and the vision I had for the "new CD player" which would put a holographic image of the band (a la Princess Leia projected from R2) coming out of the player. Futuristic technology!

God Blesses You, God Blessed You.

My right index finger is KILLING ME!!!! I was playing my guitar for almost 3 hours!! I have a really numb feeling in it. It feels like there is no skin on it. Whenever I try to play i can feel it rubbing on the strings.... hope it dosent hurt much longer. I wonder what if Joe's fingers hurt after his first show!!! Hahaha. Just a thought.

I don't post very often, just keep caught up on stuff.

I was perusing YouTube today and I found This video, it freakin' blew my mind away. I've never even seen this video or even heard about it, and this is fairly recent material.

I honestly don't think I have ever heard a better jam performance than that, I could listen to that piece hundreds of times and not get board.

Joe, why weren't we informed of this? It's awesome, you need to do more of this kind of thing, I don't think I have ever seen you play more entranced before, but also nice look without the glasses for a change...

I am sure you've all seen this before, just thought I should post...I'm running around showing all my friends...lol

WhammyFreak- It may not be recent video but it is as you say....... AWESOME ! Never tire of watching that vid. Thanks for posting & please continue to share. :-)

I guess when I say recent, I think in terms of the last 3-4 years, this was officially done in 2006.

But yeah, I mean to say it's not from the SWTA or FIABD time period or anything, thats all I was making note of.

I have watched that vid like 4 times tonight alone...I hope that doesn't make me obsessed.

Hey Do The Stu / Austin !!

Just saw this - and thought you might enjoy it.

MASSIVE GALLERY OF LIVE RUSH PHOTOS PUBLISHED:

Rock photographer Matt Becker of Melodic Rock Concerts traveled to Philadelphia on Wednesday night to capture Rush in action on their Time Machine Tour.

A full gallery of over 50 photos is available at this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/melodicrockconcerts/sets/72157624565285370/, and the review can be seen at this location: http://melodicrockconcerts.com/2010/07/23/live-review-rush-still-astounds-no-time-machine-required/

His latest email posts

Mike Keneally, Marco Minnemann and friend at Slab City, CA on May 27, 2010.

Mike's Satriani Tour, Vai Piano Shows & Evidence of Humanity CD/DVD!

Careful with that! It's inky!

It's Wednesday afternoon and I'm back. Back in the land of devising new Vai piano arrangements, inch by inch. It's not easy living in this land, but what I'm hearing is crazy. This week is devoted to "Under It All." Intense. I'll be playing three new piano arrangements, and four older ones, at the Steve Vai festival in Groningen in October. It'll be the first time I've ever done live performances of these arrangements. I'll be in fighting trim as a keyboardist, because in order to do those two performances for the Vai festival, I have to take a break for three days from the Joe Satriani European tour that I'll be playing keyboards on.

The Satriani tour. In response to a lot of questions: yeb, I'll be touring with the Satriani band late this year and early next. I'm extremely excited to tour with this group, as I had such an amazingly good time making Joe's new album (the mixes for it are just finished, and the release date is scheduled for just before the tour starts in October).

The two shows I won't be able to play with Joe, because of the Vai solo piano gigs, are the ones in Glasgow and Birmingham - sorry not to be able to make those, but Jem Godfrey will be subbing for me at those gigs and he is superb.

You will find the relevant data, as it currently exists, regarding the Satriani tour and the Vai festival performances, elsewhere in this cunningly designed newsletter!

Mike Keneally/Marco Minnemann Evidence of Humanity CD/DVD Pre-sale coming soon to MooseMart.com! And! We are nearing completion of the video-editing phase on the DVD which will accompany the new CD Evidence of Humanity, by me and Marco Minnemann. This album is my entry in the Marco Minnemann Normalizer 2 series, in which a variety of artists create an album's worth of music to accompany the same 51-minute improvised drum solo. Already released have been albums by John Czajkowski, Trey Gunn, Kerry Chicoine, Alex Machacek and Marco's own take on it. All completely different albums, which all use the same drum track in wildly divergent ways. Now, a bit later than I'd expected to finish it, here comes my version...

...and since it took a while for me to finish, and it's been two years already since the music on Disc 1 (the CD) was recorded, we decided a more current collaboration would round out the package nicely. We videotaped a 54-minute live duo improv that Marco and I did a few weeks ago (and also videotaped a bass overdub I did a few days later), and this additional album-length musical performance appears on Disc 2 (the DVD), Elements Of A Manatee. The DVD also features interview footage with Marco and me talking about the making of Evidence of Humanity, about the entire Normalizer 2 concept, and an oodle of additional topics, conducted in the car on the way to the album cover photo shoot at the Salton Sea.

Mike Keneally Concert Calendar

Wednesday, September 15, 2010 Mike Keneally Band with special guest The Bryan Beller Band

THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME BAND

Mike Keneally - guitar/keys/vocals Bryan Beller - bass Rick Musallam - guitar/backing vocals Griff Peters - guitar Joe Travers - drums

The Baked Potato 3787 Cahuenga Blvd. West Studio City, CA 91604 Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Shows: 9:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Tickets $20 Info: 818-980-1615

Mike on keyboards with Joe Satriani in Europe*

* Mike won't be performing at these two Satriani shows; he'll be in Holland with Steve Vai (see below)