Adam Says: i am calm like a BOMB!

I will say it... I AM STOKED!!! The greatest band in the world (at least according to my CD collection in high school) is getting back together and doing a number of shows this summer! No I am not talking about those living fossils in the Police I am talking about Rage Against the Machine (for some odd reason I am fighting the urge to drop curse words into their name ala Jimmy Fallon on the VMA's when he introduced "Guns N @#$(ing Roses") Alright so Rage says "hey lets reunite for Coachella." mostly because Audioslave is now no more and so boom they do it and Coachella is totally sold out so now they are adding tour dates with the WU-Tang Clan... those of you below the twenty one mark may not know that they did this once before in a ground breaking series of concerts that ultimately fell apart because Wu Tang members got arrested and stuff like that... Wow I am totally pumped I hope they do more than Cali/NYC dates (though that's all I know of right now) The LA Times has done a piece on them that I will paste bellow, but they got it all wrong because they talk about this like its some big outdated over the hill rock star reunion gig for money... anyone who knows Rage knows that these guys are still in their prime still relevant and they would never do anything just for money.... Awesomeness... completely GNARLY!.... www.ratm.com

Rage Against the Machine adds more dates

The reformed band will Rock the Bells with Wu-Tang Clan on a summer tour.

By Geoff Boucher
Times Staff Writer

February 24, 2007

It turns out Rage Against the Machine will play more than one show after all--the seminal L.A. band will join the Wu-Tang Clan for three shows under the banner of Rock the Bells, the acclaimed hip-hop festival that kicks off in New York on July 28 and hits Southern California on Aug. 11.

That local show will be at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino while the third show, on Aug. 18, will be in San Francisco. The sites of the New York and San Francisco shows as well as ticket sales information will be announced by organizers on Monday.

Rage is already the closing-night headliner of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 29 in Indio, a festival that sold out 80 days in advance due to the pent-up fan demand for the Los Angeles band. Rage played their last show in 2000.

That Coachella show was announced as a "one-and-done" affair but the quick sellout and the harsh-priced ticket scalping already underway are among the factors in the added shows, according to sources close to the band. There's also the historical punch of performing with Wu-Tang Clan, one of the most ambitious and influential hip-hop outfits ever.

"Rage will do four shows and just four in 2007," said Chang Weisberg, the founder of Guerilla Union and organizer of Rock the Bells. "Coachella is first, that's the granddaddy. And now these three with the Wu-Tang Clan represent a very, very special thing."

The New York hip-hop collective has already announced the planned summer release of "8 Diagrams," the Clan's first album since "Iron Flag" in 2001. The album will feature new contributions from eight of the nine members from its classic line-up: RZA, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, GZA, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa. The ninth member, the late ODB, who died in 2005, will appear in the form of previously recorded material.

RZA said in a released statement in November that the contemporary doldrums of hip-hop demand a return by the flamboyant and potent Clan: "People want something that gives them an adrenaline rush. We're here to supply that fix. How could hip-hop be dead if Wu-Tang is forever? We're here to revive the spirit and the economics and bring in a wave of energy that has lately dissipated."

More details on the shows, including an on-sale date, will come Monday via the "Kevin & Bean" morning show on KROQ-FM (106.7), the powerhouse rock station in Los Angeles.

Fans have been hopeful that Rage will tour but, according to Weisberg, these three new dates and the Coachella appearance are the extent of the current comeback. Rage helped launch Coachella in 1999 when the band co-headlined the inaugural edition of the huge festival.

Rage guitarist Tom Morello has said that the reunion is driven in part by politics and a desire by him and his compatriots to rally young people against President Bush, the war in Iraq and the Republican Party.

When Rage split, frontman Zack de la Rocha went solo while Morello, drummer Brad Wilk and bassist Tim Commerford went on as Audioslave, adding singer Chris Cornell and releasing three albums. That band's future came into question with the recent Rage reunion stirrings and likely ended altogether with the Feb. 15 announcement by Cornell that he is moving on due to "irresolvable personality conflicts and musical differences."

Morello, meanwhile, is also launching a new solo career as the Nightwatchman, the stage name he uses for his aggressive and largely acoustic protest music. His album, "One Man Revolution," is due in stores April 24 and he will tour in the spring.

If Rage as a whole also tours soon it would add to a summer of major reunions hitting the road; the members of the Police and Genesis have set aside their famous quarrels and are gearing up for road runs, while the notoriously fractious Eagles are finishing their first studio album since 1979 and are expected to tour as well.
If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at latimes.com/archives.

Adam and Jeremy Say: Raiders of the Lost Tomb

So we recieved this email the other day from a cable provider:

As you may have heard, Discovery hosted a press conference in New York City this morning to discuss what arguably might be one of the most important archeological finds in human history. THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS, from executive producer James Cameron and director Simcha Jacobovici will air on the Discovery Channel on Sunday, March 4 at 9pm (ET) and on Discovery en Español on Sunday, March 18 at 9pm (ET/PT). This two-hour documentary exclusively reveals limestone ossuaries (bone boxes) and physical evidence found in a 2,000 year old tomb in Talpiot, Jerusalem that may have once held the remains of Jesus of Nazareth and his family. The film presents the latest evidence from world-renowned experts in Aramaic script, ancient DNA analysis, forensics, archaeology and statistics. Among the major discoveries chronicled in the program is new evidence that Jesus and Mary Magdalene may have had a son named Judah. For over 20 years, the Discovery Channel has been dedicated to a very simple mission: to explore the world, to satisfy curiosity and to support the biggest and boldest explorations that seek to answer the world's enduring mysteries. Throughout the production of THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS and now, the Discovery Channel has remained an impartial presenter without a point of view. Rather, it is our responsibility to provide a forum for credible information and research to be discussed and we allow our viewers to draw their own conclusions. However, because of the sensitive subject of the documentary and in conjunction with the publicity that this topic could generate, it can be reasonably assumed that Discovery could become the focus of a public discussion...

At first we didn't know what to think of it. I think we all can agree that making a claim that questions the diety of Christ is going to be contreversal, and call us suckers because we are tempted to watch this little escapade. Though we must admit to being very skeptical for a number of reasons... one: this is television (we never believe what we see on tv), two: this is James Cameron (that's the guy who forced Titanic on us), three: As Christians we believe Jesus Christ was crucified but then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven (making it imposible to find His remains.) So don't be suprised if we pan this latter, just as we are not suprised that such a conterversal topic (in the mold of the awful Davinci Code) ((yes I know that was an adhommiom attack)) would already be generating press at places like YAHOO "News." So we leave it to you; what do you think? Is this just more Davinci Code hype? Or is this something we should pay attention to?

If you want to look into this show further check out the Discovery Channel website.

Adam Says: Create Your Own Happiness

The following Essay was read by Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne on NPR this morning as part of the radio essay series "This I Believe." I will admit to not being a huge Lips fan or even a fan of Coyne, but I do admire his artistic fervor and childlike perspective; you can go to the NPR website and here him read it for yourself.

I believe we have the power to create our own happiness. I believe the real magic in the world is done by humans. I believe normal life is extraordinary.
I was sitting in my car at a stoplight intersection listening to the radio. I was, I guess, lost in the moment, thinking how happy I was to be inside my nice warm car. It was cold and windy outside, and I thought, "Life is good."
Now, this was a long light. As I waited, I noticed two people huddled together at the bus stop. To my eyes, they looked uncomfortable; they looked cold and they looked poor. Their coats looked like they came from a thrift store. They weren't wearing stuff from The Gap. I knew it because I'd been there.
The couple seemed to be doing their best to keep warm. They were huddled together, and I thought to myself, "Oh, those poor people in that punishing wind."
But then I saw their faces. Yes, they were huddling, but they were also laughing. They looked to be sharing a good joke, and suddenly, instead of pitying them, I envied them. I thought, "Huh, what's so funny?" They didn't notice the wind. They weren't worried about their clothes. They weren't looking at my car thinking, "I wish I had that."
You know when a single moment feels like an hour? Well, in that moment, I realized I had assumed this couple needed my pity, but they didn't. I assumed things were all bad for them, but they weren't. And I understood we all have the power to make moments of happiness happen.
Now, maybe that's easy for me to say. I feel lucky to have fans around the world, a house with a roof and a wife who puts up with me. But I felt this way even when I was working at Long John Silver's. I worked there for 11 years as a fry cook. When you work at a place that long, you see teenagers coming in on their first dates; then they're married; then they're bringing in their kids. You witness whole sections of people's lives.
In the beginning, it seemed like a dead end job. But at least I had a job. And frankly, it was easy. After two weeks, I knew all I needed to know, and it freed my mind. The job allowed me to dream about what my life could become.
The first year I worked there, we got robbed. I lay on the floor. I thought I was going to die. I didn't think I stood a chance. But everything turned out all right. A lot of people look at life as a series of miserable tasks, but after that, I didn't.
I believe this is something all of us can do: Try to be happy within the context of the life we are actually living. Happiness is not a situation to be longed for or a convergence of lucky happenstance. Through the power of our own minds, we can help ourselves. This I believe.

Adam Says: I have a secret and I cannot keep it.

Have you ever had a secret you were just dying to tell? Maybe not, but apperntly there are a lot of people who have... by now you have all heard of postsecret; it is an online art/community project where people send in hand made post cards with their deepest and darkest secrets on them. To be sure the art is not allways great and the secrets not always "juicy," but the project always seems to hit a nerve one way or the other... and the best part is that you can make your own postcard to send your secret to the world! As I mentioned before many of you already knew this because its been plastered all over USA Today and NPR and such but for those of you who have not had the chance to visit the site check it out and see what you think www.postsecret.blogspot.com

Well that should give you an idea... if you want to see more or share your own secret visit the site www.postsecret.blogspot.com

Adam and Jeremy Say: We are the arsons who burn your Cities down

I'm sure you all know by now the new Anberlin album Cities hit the stores last week. Here is an Adam and Jeremy dialogue of our first impressions of the record.

Jeremy: i picked it up over the weekend. i love it! if i had to summarize them as a band, i would say that have put together a sound that is really good/talented and fun to listen to, and they are really good at creating and playing it.

Adam: Yeah, I really love this album. its much fuller in sound and subject matter than their first two albums... but I think they fall into a category that most bands shy from these days and that would be the plain old rock n roll... sure there are some emotive themes and sure there is some pop sound, and every once in a while you catch a punk vibe, but really it's a median of pure rock n roll

Jeremy: did you get the DVD also? that was really cool to see the making of it. and when they were talking to the drummer and how he felt this was his strongest album, i had to strongly agree with that. before i even saw the video, i could feel the drums were tighter and more important to the sound of the songs.

Adam: I think before they just put rocket fuel in the tank and ran with it... I really feel like everyone took more time to think this one out.

Jeremy: good call. i hate saying a band has matured, but i do think they have almost perfected their sound and are really good at writing and performing songs that make you want to dance... make you think... make you angry... push the envelope... songs that have a point, and opinion, or at the very least something to say.

Adam: Amen... I also really like how they embrace their faith, but don't force it into the spot light... instead they let you discover it without letting you miss it.

Adam Says:Adaopt... Please

As a Pro-Life individual I believe that Pre-Born Children should be protected, but as a Pro-Life individual I also believe that protection should extended to all of Gods Children, which in turn means I oppose the Death Penalty and I oppose war that isn't singularly intended to protect the lives of others. I know this makes me a freak to most of you but, don't tune me out just yet.

I would hate to say that I just oppose this and that and not give a reasonable solution or alternative to the course of action I oppose. When it comes to the issue of abortion I feel that adoption is the most constructive, positive and proactive solution we can offer/take part in. I wont get into my whole apology for adoption but I did want to give you this link to a great informational piece on the pros and cons of adoptions, replete with links and jump off points for the entire topic. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7370

Adam Says: We're gonna need a bigger boat

great white shark

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The great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, also known as white pointer, white shark, or white death, is an exceptionally large lamniforme shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans. Reaching lengths of about 6 metres (20 ft) and weighing almost 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb), the great white shark is the world's largest known predatory fish. It is the only known surviving species of its genus, Carcharodon. They are also regarded as an apex predator with its only real threats from humans and occasionally Killer Whales, which have been known to feed on great whites.

Honestly I have the most irrational of fears when it comes to sharks... I mean I can't even go into the ocean without freaking out about them, but then I see a video like this and realize that maybe its not so crazy to worry about them... I mean imagine a school bus with razor sharp teeth... thats pretty much what you get when you see a full grown great white shark... totally frightening and totally fascinating at the same time.

Jeremy Says:Proof the World is Doomed

As we all know by now B. Spears has strived for yet another attempt at attention(negative or positive) by shaving her head bald.


I know, thats very judgmental of me to say that she only wants attention, because she could, of course, just love the way bald women look....i dont think so.

And now, we see everyone's attempt to make some cash on this bizarre event.

Other than the bloated media coverage , the salon, at which she had her lovely locks trimmed, is now auctioning off her hair for a minimum offer of $1,000,000!

Sure it's kinda neat to have celebrity relics to show off to your friends and neighbors, but paying
that much money for someone's hair is insane.

I'll have to admit I'm not surprised Britney is approaching the deep end, and I'm also not surprised people are trying to make money anyway they can, but i am doomingly surprised that we are at a point where people will pay that much money for someone's hair....i mean its just dead skin cells after all.

Best of luck to Britney and her road to recovery in rehab. Let's just hope we dont see her ripping up pictures of the pope at her next concert

Adam and Jeremy Say: Vote for God and He will cut taxes

So Berg got an email forward the other day that touted the blatant Christian values that supposedly correspond to the thirteen folds in a American Flag during a military flag folding. The email was littered with images like this

And touted values like eternal life, and Christian Honor; well you can read the whole thing here at the Snopes website who, as it turns out, have proven that the whole thing is nothing more than an urban legend.

The whole thing got me thinking about the issue of national allegiance and religious allegiance... I mean this email is a perfect example of religious zealotry gone way out to pasture, but it highlights a group of religious people who want to make God a political figure who should be elected President of the Untied States, and I have a problem with this.

I mean as an American I am happy to be part of this country, and I do feel blessed but too often I find Americans have this Hebrew complex... like they want to be God's Chosen people, and in fact only the Israelites where chosen as a people/nation specially by to God to represent Him. Now that doesn't mean we are not special because I mos def think that God gave His Son Jesus to "the world" so that none "shall perish but have eternal life;" I just happen to be of the opinion that God sent Jesus to bless the entier world with His message of Love and the gift of Eternal Life... That's why I got so stoked a few weeks ago when I found this bumpers sticker online...

I think it gets the point across that God is not an American entity... He is far larger than that, and as Jesus pointed out, He wants us to Love Him first and Secondly Love others (meaning everyone... even our enemies)

Adam and Jeremy Say: Relient K on the Way, Anberlin Here to Stay!

Relient K drops their new album "Five Score and Seven Years Ago" March 6th. To say we are stoked would be a major understatement. The video for the first single "Must Have Done Something Right" is on the loose right now... its a little more pop than we are accustomed to from these Ohioans but it still has all the fun we have come to expect! www.relientk.com

OH! and if you have yet to pick up the latest album from Adam and Jeremy Fav's Anberlin go out and do it TODAY! "Cities" their latest album dropped yesterday and its AWESOME BABY (Thank you Dicky V) www.anberlin.com

Jeremy Says: Christian MTV

Call your cable provider today and ask for the Gospel Music Channel. I don't really care much for the name, because when i hear "Gospel Music" I think Kirk Franklin and old fashioned cheesy music.

BUT

The Gospel Music Channel reaches out to everyone and has snagged me with a couple of their shows: "Rock Block" and Metalhead". Both shows play music videos from current and older christian rock bands, and its nice to finally something other than Justin Timberlake in the music video realm.
What makes it even better is that they are very similar to MTV starting out with a very small budget. So much so, they can't afford to hire a VJ, so it's nothing but Music Videos all the time! Finally music television that is actually music television.

P.S. nothing against kirk franklin, but when you need rock, you need rock.
P.S.S. I recommend sending them an email from the website and giving them feedback. ive already requested to see videos from specific bands, and they actually took the time to respond to me.

Adam and Jeremy Say: National Pancake Day!

Today, February 20th, is National Pancake Day and to celebrate IHop is giving away free pancakes! That's right head over to IHop and get a free short stack and in the process donate to the Children's Miracle Network and help out a great cause... seriously though Free Pancakes! That's something Adam and Jeremy will always get behind!

Adam Says: Archenemy

I have found my nemisis, my archenemy, the bane of my existence, the rival to rival all others...
Thats right the standard american toilet has been a thorn in my side for the better part of four days...including all three of my three day weekend days... As many of you may know my wife and I purchased a house in Richmond Virginia last fall, and we got a wicked good deal because the house needed some work... soon after we bought the house we found a small hole in the bathroom floor... cause for concern yes, but the rest of the floor was in good shape so I made a quick fix and moved on... this was my first mistake. Also soon after our purchase we noticed that the toilet had an audible leak... needless to say we let this go for several months... actually until Friday night when I decided to go to the Lowe's and pick up a new rubber flapper to try and stop the leaking noise.... well that did no good, so my wife and I decided to gut the whole tank and start over... so once more back to the Lowe's... this could go on for a while so let me shorten it up... after no fewer than seven trips to the Lowe's we finally came to the realization that we needed to replace the whole thing! Which then led me to make the stupidest decision of my entire life... I decided to also fix the floor in the process... urgh! Things were discovered... flanges where bought... plywood was cut... tile was cut and cut and cut... washers were tightened... obviously we were without a toilet and for the most part without water all weekend long... actually I was so stressed by the whole thing that it caused me to set up a new calming mood mix on the Itunes full of all the tuned down folk and acoustic music I could find... and once I completed the blasted project at roughly 530 this evening I put on my Pump Up mix to celebrate... oh yes nothing gets me going like Trick Daddy screaming "Lets Go!" To sum the whole thing up... buy a new home with all plastic plumbing. Am I the only one who has to deal with these home owner headaches?

Adam Says: Dwight Howard Stickerized that Dunk!

Last night my boy Dwight Howard put up the nastiest dunk I have ever seen during the All Star Slam Dunk Contest! He lept 12' 6" in the air and planted a sticker of his face with the inscription "All Things Through Christ Phil 4:13" a reference to Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is officially a shout out to the 6' 11" Center from Orlando for finding a creative way to show off his amazing leaping ability after the NBA Front Office told him he could not have the rim raised to 12 feet for one of his dunks... and second and more importantly this is a shout out to Howard for living his faith on the biggest stage he has yet been given... he could have just put the silly sticker up there but he went the extra mile to give God the glory for his talent in one of the most self gratifying events the NBA has to offer... its sick man just sick... Check it out again... its an amazing dunk!

Adam Says: Mars Hill and a New Years Resolution

I wanted to say a big thanks to Tess for dropping this link To the Mars Hill Website.
For those of you who don't know Mars Hill is the community/church begun by Rob Bell who also wrote Velvet Elvis one of my favorite books on the Christian Faith. She pointed out a great series of sermons Rob did on "Peace Makers" that goes along really well with the discussion Jeremy and I have been having about the war in Iraq. Check out the audio series title Calling All Peace Makers and make up your own mind.

On a vastly different side note let me talk about my New Years resolution... "New Years Resolution? Its February!" You may say; and you are correct, but the Chinese New Year is actually on February 18th, which was really convenient for me because I didn't make my resolution until like January 14h.... at any rate my resolution was to take a picture once a day for a whole year.... not of anything in particular and really at any time during the day I want to take it... once again I admit to ripping of the 3191 girls... link to the right... but I thought it was a great idea so I am taking it and running like I stole it... so at any rate this may turn into an interesting photoblog/art experiment or it could turn into a bunch of really bad photos taken by my D50 and D70 either way it should be worth checking out once or twice... so I look forward to seeing some of your comments about my resolution in the coming days weeks months... well YEAR.

Adam Says: Proof the World is Doomed

It is Friday so we once again offer you more proof that the World is Doomed! If you don't know what GhostRiding is well check out this video and you may get some idea... but think about without the moron destroying a fire hydrant and smashing his truck.

Adam and Jeremy Say: Iraq! War! Urgh! Part 3 (The End)

Adam: Dude let me take this in another direction; over the weekend I was reading Mathew 5,6 and 7; Jesus' Sermon on the Mount; and I hit the part about loving your enemies and I suddenly wanted to feel all vindicated... like "that's right we need to love not fight," but then I was given some revelation this morning... we should love our enemies and leave the war stuff the governments.... As Christians we should reach out to those who have been hurt by war, or for that matter bad men like Saddam Hussein. The world is a fallen place and because of that we all have to suffer and to say that we can fix that suffering by causing more suffering is crazy... peace by way of war... you're the Derek Webb fan you know what I am saying there... but I think its interesting how Jesus didn't view the world through a political lens, sure he took on religious leadership but the government he viewed as an institution placed there by God and so he gave it the respect it was due "Give unto Creaser what is Creasers." So I think maybe Christians are looking at this in the wrong way... In Mathew 5 when Jesus speaks about the attributes he wants in his followers he does not say he wants people who strive for justice and equality, he says he wants people who are meek and who want righteousness and peace, he wants people who are willing to suffer and sacrifice in His Name; and I think we lose that when we get wrapped up in government and military affairs... People in Iraq are dieing... at least 75 more were killed in a bomb attack the other day... soldiers from all sides are giving there lives so that there can be peace and I admire that but it doesn't mean I need to support the cause of death... instead I support the cause of Christ... I support those who support the wounded, I support those who support the hungry, I support those who support the homeless, the widowed, sad, broken, and lost. There is an entire country there that has known nothing but pain and suffering for a very long time and I don't think the best way to help them is to send in the army... though sending in the army has made it possible for us to send in the Word of God... we need people who are willing to bare the Cross of Christ to "lay down their lives" for the Iraqi people and I am not saying just going there to give out Bibles or preach the Gospel... I am talking about feeding the hungry, healing the sick, rebuilding schools and hospitals, taking care of the widowed and the fatherless... there is a world there that has known only hate from their leaders and from their religion it is time Christians stood up and showed them what love truly looks like... and maybe it wont do any good... maybe people will try to kill us, maybe people will try to stop us, maybe they will destroy the buildings and burn the food, and kill the women and children, but we are to expect that... Christ told us that would happen, but maybe it is time that Christians, and specifically American Christians, to follow Christ's example and forgo this world with the glory of the next one in mind.

Jeremy: I agree. This goes back to when I use to rant about how Christians shouldn't be a part of the military. Because how on earth could you love your enemy if all you do is train to one day kill them....and then killing them? That doesn't sound anything like love to me. But then I had a long thought out conversation with my fellow brother in Christ who is a US marine (also, an author and strong theologian). He explained it like, how can we love our neighbor if we are willfully ignorant to the fact that evil men (our enemies) are killing people in our own backyard while we are out "loving our enemies"? I think in situations like that, it comes down to choosing the greater love. and no, I don't think we can just sit back and say God is sovereign and will protect who he wants to protect, etc. he made us beings of action, and I think, sometimes the right action is defending the weak against evil men. I think going to Iraq and Afghanistan to love on those people is an awesome idea. Jesus commands us to reach out to the poor and oppressed.
That reminds me of this.....
We usually think of international missions as sending people into the African bush or jungles of South America. however, the facts show that you can travel miles into the jungles of brazil down a remote river and find people doing bible studies in a straw hut, but you can also walk down the streets in the capital of Afghanistan and talk to people who have never hear the name of Jesus. (This comes from a first hand account of the pastor at Rivers Edge church in Lynchburg, VA)

Adam: I am still not seeing it man, but that's okay we don't have to agree on everything, at least we agree on the important issue of loving people. Your comment of about Brazil there brings up an interesting side note... our church has been housing a missionary couple that is leaving this week to go to Brazil... but not go into the jungle but instead is going to one of its metropolitan areas to minister to business men there... because the area is internationally mixed they will dealing with people on their common ground... business... I think that was such an awesome way to reach a community.

Adam Says: Ants?

The Internet is an amazing vehicle to disseminate information. I am always amazed by what I can find on it. One thing that strikes me as funny are the different topics people find important... like this guy who has a blog devoted to ants... ants? Yep... I don't get it but you might.

ant-things.blogspot.com

Adam and Jeremy Say: Iraq! War! Urgh! Part 2

Adam: This is a picture of my brother’s friend Eric who is in the Air Force. He is a helicopter gunner who in December had his right eye and part of his face blown off by a bullet. This is a serious personal reminder to me that people are having their lives altered forever... or even worse are being killed every day over there... Americans and Iraqis, and that's what is so terrible about this war... this war is killing people... and I wish that wasn't something that happens but in this fallen world I don't see an end to war in general... I just wish we could end this particular war.

Jeremy: War will always be a part of humanity. The hard part is deciding how to keep it minimal. There are things we can do to help prevent some war, but 20/20 hindsight is the only way to really know the best way to do that. History says that if you want peace, you have to fend off and rid yourself of those that desire war. Ironically enough, sometimes that means waging war to kill those people. I think humanity has come a long way in trying to find peace, and maybe someday everyone will realize that the best way to get what you want is to fairly negotiate instead of pulling the trigger.

Adam: Yes but we didn't even wait for some one to attack us... its hard to qualify right now because war is something countries or factions do... its so gray when a country declares war on terrorist... that doesn't define you enemy... that doesn't make it possible to win.

Jeremy: 911 was an attack on us. There are zillions of links with the terrorists behind the 9-11 attacks with the terrorists in Iraq. Even though Saddam wasn't an Al Qaeda member, he allied with them by providing a safe haven in his country for them to operate. Plus, he had a history of very aggressive behavior that needed to be reconciled before he did something else. It was only a matter of time. Its hard for me to say, but I also agree that we shouldn't attack someone unless they have attacked us first. It sucks just sitting around knowing there are maniacs out there that are going to attack us, but we can’t just go around eliminating everyone we think might be a threat. Saddam, I think, is an exception because of his history and the links to terrorism that made him more than just a threat.

Adam: Okay I need you to not quote anything you have heard from FOX News for a little while... links between Saddam and Terrorist where sketchy at best... and if you want to take down every psychotic dictator who threatens someone then there is a list a mile long of countries we would have to invade... that cant be a reason to start a war... If Saddam had attacked us I would get it... I even got going after the Taliban Government that Funded 911, but if you want to talk about funding... talk about the Saudi's they are one of the biggest backers of terrorist groups and we don't attack them... My feeling is that we just didn't have a strong enough case for war... not like that has stopped us before... WW1... but I just don't think... "Saddam was a bad guy and there may be a terrorist link." Is a reason... Do I think Saddam needed to be stopped... yes... but I also think the whole government of Sudan should be taken out... and the North Korean Government... I think Iran has issues that needed to be addressed... but then I think someone like Chavez in Venezuela is being cast as this communist bad guy... guess what he doesn't like us... but he is making it possible for the poor in his country to live and to have healthcare and to work... so I say he is doing something right...I am ranting at this point... but I think the problem boils down the grayness of the matter... can we see black in white here... or are we just dealing with shades of gray?

Jeremy: Gray. It’s all gray....or is it grey?
Al Zarqawi was the number 2 guy in al Qaeda, right? Zarqawi ran operations in Iraq....freely. I don’t have to watch fox news to understand that if a=b, and b=c, then a=c. that seems black and white to me. I don't care about some Venezuelan dude, just like I don't care about Castro....they don't have a hand in killing Americans. I agree with you about stopping Sudan and north Korea and Iran, but we cant go to war with all those countries just because they suck(as you and I both know). Even though they pose a threat to us, I don't think they pose as big a threat as those supporting terrorists. Or if they do, I don't care, because we are in a war with terrorists right now. If North Korea had attacked us before 9/11, I would be more concerned with them, but I doubt a war with them would have lasted this long. It’s unfortunate that we are not at war with a particular country like Korea, because it would be such an easier war to understand and support. Alas, we are Americans and don't like supporting anything unless it’s easy.
In the 90s, I was often curious about what the next big war would be. Funny, I thought us and china would have been in WWIII before we got in a turkey shoot with a bunch of gorillas.

Adam: Nearly 3,000 people died in the combined September 11, 2001 attack
42,636 people died in auto accidents in US in 2005
200,000 people have died in the genocide in Sudan
Between 600,000 and 1million people died from starvation in North Korea between 1995 and 2000

Statistically speaking what is our biggest problem?

Jeremy: When you say "our" biggest problem, I'm assuming you mean the world’s biggest problem. I guess it would be the one with the highest statistics, but that was kinda like comparing apples to oranges. You can’t really compare the deaths of people in 911 to people in car accidents or those killed by abortions. I don't think you can get the US military involved in an intersocial issue with other countries. We can’t invade Korea just because they don't know how to keep their own people alive. That doesn't threaten us. If Sudan has plans to spread its genocide into other countries, then I can see why it might be a problem for us, but if they want to just kill each other, then other than my moral obligations as a Christian, I don't see what America can do about that.

Jeremy Says: Gotta Love Nerd War

If you are not a math wizz or computer nerd, you may have not heard of this sweet website thinkgeek.com.

But I recomend all citizens dumb and smart to swing over there and spend a few usless minutes browsing.

One discovery I stumbled upon is this awesome marshmellow gun(see picture below)

You can also upgrade to the wicked marshmellow blaster for those essential shotgun spray shots, and dont enter any office without the Sonic Grenade!

Count on Adam and Jeremy owning this weaponry and always beware of nija attacks!

Adam and Jeremy Say: Iraq! War! Urgh! Part 1

This is how the conversation began… you will have to wait to see how it ends.

Jeremy: What do you think would happen if the United States had a massive withdrawal tomorrow of all our troops and military presence in the Middle East?

Adam: What would really change? Are they not already shooting each other? Are they not already blowing up innocent people? I think the only reason we are there is to ensure that another dictator does not rise and take control of that country; well that and to help protect Israel.

Jeremy: Well, if nothing would change, then I don’t think there really is a reason for us to hang around there anymore. I don't think we are going to find WMD unless we invade Syria and Iran. I think there would be an all out Civil War if another dictator tried to take over. I know you could say that there already is a civil war going on, but you know what I mean. I'm tired of sitting around there playing police. I think they have enough government and military now to fight off the insurgents as those pop up. I think Israel can take care of itself from all immediate threats, and we could always be there within the day to back them up if something happened. I guess the only thing we couldn't stop is a nuclear attack on Israel. But, then again, we probably couldn’t stop that on American soil either. I think if terrorists had nuclear weapons, they would have already used them, and it’s only a matter of time until the French of Syrians sell them the technology and supplies to make them.

Jeremy Says: Support the Troops!

This may just be a network ploy just to gain viewers, but its cool none the less. I have two friends over there, and ill be watching to see if they have a message. its a big deal for a network to sacrifice all its commercial time for one day, so try to show some support. rock on!

Adam Says: Proof the World is Doomed

I blame this on Chuck Norris, Teengae Mutant Ninja Turtles, and MacGyver.

Adam Says: Good Morning

So this is a rather involved story, but try to stick with me and you will receive a rich reward. About a month ago I ran into an old high school acquaintance on facebook, or my space, or xanga, or some other site of that ilk. Since Tess and I were no more than acquaintances there was not much to catch up on... just the usually socially accepted niceties. While going through with these social practices I became aware of a blog that Tess kept; Parasol Party. Tess is a pretty interesting person so you may want to visit the blog just out of interest, but what caught my eye was a post she made about the photo blog 3191... Imagine that there were two artistic/crafty girlfriends that moved 3191 miles apart, and then imagine that they both loved getting up early... are you with me... so to keep in touch they decide to both take a picture every morning and then they post them together on a photoblog (3191.) If that line of thought excites you visit their blog now... if it does not... well you should still visit it, because, as you can see above, they have managed to capture some of the most beautiful moments a morning can produce and they are letting us all in on it! In fact this amazing blog is part of the reason I decided to make my new years resolution; to take a picture a day and make it into a photo blog... I promise more on that later but for now visit 3191.

Jeremy Says:There is nothing really to say about this

crazy frenchman

Adam Says: Colts and Jesus Win

I will freely admit that I was rooting for the Colts to win, and one of the reasons I wanted to see them win the Super Bowl was their coach Tony Dungy. It is almost remarkable to have a coach in the NFL who is renownd for having a strong character and moral foundation. Literally everyone who talks about coach Dungy talks about him with respect, and the more I hear from him the more I understand why. Coach Dungy is an out spoken and strong Christian who has earned the respect of the NFL with the help of Jesus Christ by acting as Christ would act. I really hope all of you take the time to visit www.beyondtheultimate.org and check out coach Dungy's story... for that matter check out Lovie Smiths as well, both of these men are an encouragment to me as a Christian, and I hope their stories speak to you as well.

Adam Says: Chevelle will not make you laugh...

So Berg is out of action for a few days so let me drop some knowledge real quick and then, if you are really good, maybe later I will give you more of the DL.

Two months from now Chevelle will be releasing a brand new album. Jeremy and I can both agree that Chevelle is an amazing rock band... and while they may not be critical darlings they do lay down the wood on the lost are of the rock song so log on to www.chevelleinc.com and check out their brand new single... NOW!

This evening I introduced my wife to the funniest website in the whole world... at this very moment she is harassing me because she claims she had a hand in finding them... alas all she did was remind me how funny this site is. Barats and Bereta are a hilarious student film making duo from Gonzaga University, which is in Washington state. log on and see the funny. www.baratsandbereta.com

Jeremy Says:Proof the World is doomed

I'm sure many of you by now have seen the you tube video with the bridezilla going crazy over her terrible haricut. I'm only giving you the link to the video, because i dont think it deerves another outlet to be seen like the adam and jeremy blog.
unfortunatly, i was stuck watching Good Morning America this morning, and they were talking about this video, and how it seemed to be a big thing that was impacting our culture in a huge way(seriously, they did say "impacting our culture").
now, im not going to complain about how the whole video was a hoax and how the girls are big fakers, because that happens all the time, and we know better than to believe everything we see on the internet.
what i think it is completly stupid is how the "old broadcast media" is giving it so much attention that would make the lead story on GMA this morning! just watching the anchors made me sick about how they were trying to blow this into a huge story, and they were even interviewing all the girls who made the movie, and asking them if they thought this movie would be so huge. its time for the old skool news sources to die.
ugh.....stupid ABC

Adam Says: Threadless Design.

Later today we will present more proof that the world is doomed, but until then I offer you a startlingly cool image I found while browsing the t-shirts at www.threadless.com ... Go check out the site and find your own sweet design.

Adam Says: Let it SNOW!

So the snow is coming to Richmond... and no "the snow" is not a hot new indie band... its actually supposed to snow here at any moment. Jeremy has already been snowed out in Ashville so let me offer you a grab bag of information sure to warm your snow-y afternoon.

We recently talked about the new Anberlin album "Cities" which drops this month. Well now I am doubly stoked because Anberlin is making a run to the 930 Club Friday the 23rd! You can bet I will be there and you can also bet I will be screaming "OHHHHHH" along when they play their new single "Godspeed," the show is only $14 so you better show up if your are in the DC area... You DON'T want to miss out.

Yesterday we featured a video from one of my new fav's My Brightest Diamond well I just found out that she will be touring with my uber-fav the Decemberist and better still they will be appearing in Norfolk at the Norva on Sunday April 1st! Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am! (Come on DSL connection don't fail me now!)

For those of you in Richmond VA this Friday evening come out to Broad Street in the evening for Richmond's wonderful art walk, First Fridays, the event features some great artists and a really cool atmoshpere. Kira and I are particularly found of the Ada Gallery on Broad so when you come out make sure you stop by there and see what amazing works they are displaying this month.

One last thing... maybe... You need to visit my favorite photo blog Istoica. these guys do great work and they have let the world know about it every day with their blog. They are based out of Toronto if I am not mistaken, and that has become one of the factors that has led Kira and I to plan our next vacation for that art/culture rich city.

That should be enough to wet your pallet for today... tomorrow more proof that the world is doomed until then check out Jeremy and My discussion on abortion; it is a topic that is important to us and we think you should give it some thought of your own.