Top 10 Power Ballads of all Friggin' Time, Dood!

So, I just scored a new jukebox for the basement and it's going over near the pool table. Good Times are awaiting!!!

One wouldn't think that getting a jukebox would be such be a mentally challenging event. But think about it, with so much great music out there, so many rockin' tunes, how possibly does one choose a limited number of tracks to fill it up? Pretty tough huh?

I'm gonna start off with some power ballads. Classics, gotta fill up on some classics first then move into some B-sides, Heavy Metal, oldies and maybe some weird obscure stuff. Here's my list of top 10 power ballads I'm gonna load into the machine. Feel free to comment and perhaps add your own top 10.

10. "Beth" - KISS

9. 'I Want to Know What Love Is' - Foreigner

8. 'You Give Love a Bad Name' - Bon Jovi

7. 'Amanda' -Boston

6. 'Is This Love?' - Whitesnake

5. 'Stairway to Heaven' - Led Zepplin

4. 'Keep on Loving You' - REO Speedwagon

3. 'Still Loving You' - Scorpions

2. 'Sister Christian' - Night Ranger

1. 'Love Hurts' - Nazareth

But Mies, Where's the Diving Board?

I have many favorite things. Two things I really consider to be among my favorites are architecture and infrastructure. I get especially excited when some of my favorite things work together creating something beautiful and perhaps unexpected which may add another layer of meaning. Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House is an example that has just recently been demonstrated as such during last weeks storms in the midwest United States.


The Farnsworth house is located near Plano IL, situated in a flood plain facing the Fox River. Given the site is subject to occasional flooding Mies used an ordering system of piers which elevated the main floor 5'-3" off of the ground. This iconic mid-century modern home floats over the site while the buildings perpedicular cross axis confronts the river head on with an entry, elevated patio and a wide set of stairs as if to invite and flirt with the river. Well, last week the river took the house up on its invite and these pretty photos showed up in my in-box.



Since these pixs were emailed with a thread longer than the wall of China I have no idea on the source of these images. I'd like to be able thank and give credit to whomever took these pixs. If anyone knows please post a comment. If you'd like to know more about the Farnsworth House you can visit the home page and Landmarks Illinois news page. Thanks to Israel Kandarian for initially emailing the pixs.

One California Day

Man, I love watchin' surf flixs. Granted, not as much as I enjoy being in the surf, but it can help get the stoke going and get you through the periods when there's no swell of interest.

A new surf flix titled "One California Day" by Mark Jeremias and Jason Baffa has recently released and is now playing at selected theaters. Their previous surf flixs have been real enjoyable with cool narratives, no attitude and, of course, bitchin' surf. This one is a collection of surf stories that attempts to embody the California surf experience and tradition.

Filmed in 16mm color and featuring individual surfers for selected areas along the California coast, the flix showcases Alex Knost (Orange County), Dane Perlee (Santa Cruz), Devon Howard (Cardiff), Jimmy Gamboa (Malibu), Joe Curren (Santa Barbara), Joel Tudor (San Diego), the Malloy Bros (Central California), Tyler Hatzikian (El Segundo) & Tyler Warren (Dana Point).

They got super lucky with a huge stoke on SoCal's Big Wednesday, which was the swell of the decade in early 2007 and lasted about a week. You can visit the flixs website and watch the trailer here.

Keep on makin' bacon

As much as I'm interested in keeping with the bacon theme, I am speechless and somewhat mortified that some jackass concocted this foul sounding drink - Ladies and Gent's it's the 'Bacon Martini.' If you just said 'Oh Fuck', well that pretty much sums it up. Here's the recipe:

"Lightly mist martini glass with vermouth, and rim the edge with bacon grease. In a cocktail shaker, mix 3oz vodka, one dash tobasco, and one dash olive juice. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Skim excess bacon grease from surface of cocktail. Garnish with one slice of bacon."

Read more here.

Bacon Tomb

I enjoy eating a meal in the basement. It's relaxing to have a bite while reading a book or listening to music. Other times the boys come on over for some 49er's action with bowls of chips and dip. Whatever the occasion, food is often consumed down here and not all of it leaves. Believe me, I've found plenty of petrified food and crumbs 'o plenty in the shag rug and between the couch cushions. None of it ever intentionally placed.

Well, some dude actually got curious enough to make a lexan case for a bacon strip and an egg. Here's the results one year later. Great pixs, Yummm!!!!