Jarred's World

In Time

2011-10-30T18:34:00.002-06:00

I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is high-concept, allegorical piece of science fiction that takes the concept of "time is money" to its coldly logical conclusion.

The film truly makes it feel like you are in a dystopian future, everything from the direction to the set-design to the music and acting make you feel like you are there.

In Time really stays with you and makes you ask serious questions about the role of money and class in our society. Sometimes it takes an absurd premise to get us to look in the mirror and have a serious discussion.

I would love to talk in more specifics, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, so SEE THIS MOVIE, leave me a comment about what you liked and we can talk about it more in-depth in a future blog.

The Kinda-Sorta review of "Mylo Xyloto" by Coldplay

2011-10-27T22:06:00.003-06:00

I am not a music critic. Well, I know what I like and I am critical of what I don't, so I suppose I am. But you know what I mean, I'm no Ben Fong-Torres.

When I get a new album from one of my favorite artists, I live with it. Just wear it out in the car, listen to it during slow moments at work and fall asleep to it at night.

Coldplay's new album, "Mylo Xyloto" is what I have been living with lately. Instead of writing big long paragraphs that try to sum up the feeling and experience of music, I will break it down song-by-song by highlighting what I think are the best lyrics in each song. This should be pretty interesting because Coldplay are often criticized for their lyrics. This doesn't really bother me because I never found lyrics important until I started listening to Bob Dylan a few years back and now, I love a good line in a song, and I think Coldplay has some up their sleeves.

See, I'll Kinda-Sorta review it : )

1. Mylo Xyloto: an instrumental lead into...

2. Hurts Like Heaven: Written in graffiti on a bridge in a park/Do you ever get the feeling that you're missing the mark?/ It's so cold, so cold/It's so cold, so cold
(a great summation of one of the worst feelings you can have)

3. Paradise: When she was just a girl/ she expected the world/But it flew away from her reach/so she ran away in her sleep
(girl or boy, this is a sad realization to have, no matter what juncture of life you have it)

4. Charlie Brown: In my scarecrow dreams/when they smash my heart into smithereens
(A pretty grim line in an upbeat song)

5. Us Against the World: Through chaos as it swirls/its just us against the world
(not a lot of lines I liked in this one, but I do enjoy the structure of this stanza at the end)

6. MMIX: An instrumental lead into...

7. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall: I turn the music up/I'm on a roll this time/and Heaven is in sight
(isn't that what listening to a great song is all about?)

8. Major Minus: They got one eye watching you/one eye on what you do
(so, both eyes are watching this person. ok. GREAT music on this one, but daft lyrics)

9.U.F.O.: Lord I don't know which way I am going/which way the river's gonna flow
(a very relatable line, but weak lyrics in this one)

10. Princess of China: nothing to read here, move along

11. Up In Flames: two lyrical clunkers in a row

12. A Hopeful Transmission: instrumental lead into...

13. Don't Let it Break Your Heart: When you're tired of racing/and you find you never left the start/Come on baby/don't let it break your heart
(words of encouragement that apply to any situation in life that feels like a treadmill)

14. Up With the Birds: A simple plot/but I know one day/good things are coming our way/oh, yeah
(a great positive message to close the album on)

This is probably the third or fourth best album they've done, but that's still a whole lot better than most music out there.

Mylo Xyloto? I recommend it, enjoy the album and let me know what you think!

Average Joe's Reviews

2011-10-27T16:31:00.007-06:00

Just wanted to share with everyone my good buddy Average Joe. He's a common man who enjoys movies, tv shows and sports. And he loves to talk about them. Lemme know what you think!

Star Wars wrap up and Soccer Talk

2011-10-25T20:17:00.003-06:00

Recently we wrapped up the Star Wars Saga in the Rego house with a viewing of Return of the Jedi. Micah really enjoyed it and felt like the Ewoks were "so cute". First kid Anakin and then the Ewoks, Lucas makes something for everyone in these movies.

As I watched the exciting rescue of Han sequence at the beginning for the one thousandth time, something occurred to me. Why didn't Luke just have his lightsaber the entire time? He should've walked in, tried to talk Jabba into releasing Han and then cut the place up if that didn't work. Instead, we get the elaborate plan involving the lightsaber hidden in R2-D2 and I guess, hope, that they get taken out on a Sail Barge so that he can use it? Lame Lucas, lame.

In other news, it has come to my attention that some people in my family (cough, Cousin Tony, cough) don't think soccer players are tough or that it is a gritty sport. Look, I realize that the diving in soccer gives the sport a bad name, but let me share some videos that dispel that pansy image. Have a great night!

Plus David Beckham is playing for the Galaxy with a stress fracture in one of his vertebrae. So, I think some soccer players are plenty gritty!

What did you think about these videos???

Blogs coming soon

2011-10-21T13:18:00.001-06:00

Topics will include: the final installment in Mr. and Mrs. Rego's journey through the Star Wars Saga, Return of the Jedi. Correcting some misconceptions about soccer and toughness.

Watch this space!!

Saturday Night Live

2011-10-16T00:27:00.003-06:00

I am a huge fan of SNL. Always have been, probably always will be. Like most people, I feel like that quality goes up and down, sometimes even within a single episode. Bottom line is, I typically find myself laughing and that is really the whole point, am I wrong?

However, tonight's show with Anna Faris was VERY bad. It was just lazy and even poorly performed. I was so thoroughly unamused that I actually became somewhat angry and I thought to myself, "writers were required for this?" Amazingly TWENTY FOUR people are employed as "writers" for this show! Allow me elaborate on why this is so baffling to me.

The last two skits on the show featured Anna Faris introducing her new boyfriend to her parents. He was dressed like a contemporary of Henry VIII, grinned like a maniac and then fell asleep on the couch. That was it. The next skit had Faris and Kristen Wiig going to a book store to ogle a Ferrari calendar with male models.

That's when everything clicked for me. They don't actually write anything. These two dozen, allegedly funny people must sit in a room and just say random ideas. Then they figure, since funny people perform on the show, they will fill in the blanks as best they can.

In that spirit, I used my twitter feed (@JarredsWorld) to reach out to the SNL team and let them know that, for much cheaper, I can do the work of TWENTY FOUR "writers". I sent them 50 sketch ideas. Please let me know what you think and please feel free to contribute your own.

Ready-made SNL sketch ideas

1. Guy clips his toenails
2. Eating
3. Going to work
4. talk show
5. A political sketch
6. Being in a library
7. Watching television
8. Nightmares
9. Talking
10. Walking
11. Running
12. Jumping
13. Standing still
14. Local news
15. Driving
16. Scandal
17. Rap music
18. lighting candles
19. blogging
20.youtube
21. jokes
22. dogwalking
23. reading
24. writing
25. musical parody
26. decorating
27. interior decorating
28.british accent
29. faecbook
30. twitter
31. myspace
32. be edgy
33. boston accent
34. brooklyn accent
35. george w bush accent
36. dancing
37. birding
38. typewriters
39. lady antebellum
40. solitary confinement
41. blackberry 4
2. cranberry
43. blueberry
44.sweat
45. flu
46. lectures
47. orienteering
48. planking
49. subways
50. stamps

Note to NBC: any similarity to actual SNL ideas is purely coincidental. Please do not get all lawyer on me like you did with Conan.

Me: Han is frozen in carbonite Micah: Well I don't like that one bit

2011-10-14T21:27:00.002-06:00

The wife and I just finished watching Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. What a great film, from the Hoth battle to Luke's meeting with Yoda to the final sequence on Cloud City, it just never lets up. This movie is the peak of the second trilogy and to see the camaraderie and humor flying back and forth between Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, C-3PO and R2-D2 is just a treat. Yoda, Ben and Lando are also great.

Mrs. Rego reacts to everything so brilliantly with the excitement and innocence of the first-time viewer that she is. It has really made the films seem fresh to a Star Wars veteran like me. I highly recommend watching Star Wars movies with a rookie!

Another gem of a discussion with my wife, which I will paraphrase below:

Micah: Do you think that anyone saw it coming that Vader was Luke's father?

Me: Nope.

Micah: Surely there was one person in the theater who figured it out before they told you.

Me: I don't think so.

Micah: I would have been that person. : ) I love her so much!!

Mrs. Rego's verdict on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back: B+

Bonus Star Wars thought to ponder/discuss below:
It just hit me tonight that Luke is one of the only human characters with a "normal" first name, let's run down a list shall we? We shall.

Episode I: Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Padme, Anakin, Shmi, Mace, Finis (bonus blog points if anyone can tell me who that is, without cheating)

Episode II: Jango, Cleigg, Owen (finally another normal one) Beru

Episode III: Bail

Episode IV: Han, Leia, Wedge, Biggs

Episode V: Dak, Janson, Landon

Episode VI: Mon

Strange list, wouldn't you say??

Check out my wife's blog!

2011-10-14T11:14:00.001-06:00

Mrs. Rego has some great pictures up from our wedding three weeks ago today.

Married life has been so GREAT and I cannot wait for many more weeks with my beautiful, lovely, amazing and wonderful wife!

http://rockiesrazorback.blogspot.com/

"Not the younglings" and "Harrison Ford is so young"

2011-10-12T20:51:00.003-06:00

Today my wife and I watched Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It has been an absolute treat to watch the reactions of someone who has not seen Star Wars before. Watching Mrs. Rego's horrified reactions to Anakin's slaughter of the children at the Jedi Temple and his immolation on Mustafar was awesome because she reacted exactly like I did almost seven years ago.

Sidebar: Almost seven years since Episode III came out?! That means I am less than a Presidential term away from my ten year high school anniversary!

Episode III remains a very tight, well acted and emotional film for me. I know people out there disagree, but I felt that the final fall of Anakin was told so well and I just love how blatantly over-the-top EVIL Ian McDiarmid plays Palpatine. What can I say, I am a sucker for theatrical performances by elderly British actors (see: Stewart, Patrick and McKellen, Ian). Hayden Christensen really brought his A game as well. To see how complete his fall is and how deep his hatred runs for Obi Wan, I don't know how you can be a fan of Star Wars and not be impacted by that. I knew we had a hit on our hands when Mrs. Rego said, as soon as the credits started, "That was intense, I want to watch the next one right now."

Mrs. Rego's verdict on Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: A-

A New Hope is instantly a more upbeat film than Revenge of the Sith. We both laughed and enjoyed the interplay between C-3PO and R2-D2. Mrs. Rego enjoyed the less wooden and more lively nature of this group of characters. She also laughed in disbelief at how young Harrison Ford is in this film. This is a great, self-contained little action film. Frankly, if you watched just this film and were not even aware of the existence of a larger story, you would walk away from it more than satisfied.

After watching the first three movies, the one thing that really stands out is the poor, old-man quality of Obi Wan and Darth Vader's final lightsaber duel. The Missus looked at me part way through and said, "this lightsaber fight is not as exciting as the others." I assured her that things pick up in the next two movies.

Mrs. Rego's verdict on Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope: B+

My wife thinks Star Wars music is "campy"

2011-10-11T22:19:00.002-06:00

Tonight the wife and I continued our journey through the Star Wars Saga by watching Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Mrs. Rego felt that the plot was a bit confusing and that it took too long to get to the action. She also stated that she felt the music was "campy". Now, I was a little taken aback by this because I truly feel that the music is consistently great and memorable throughout all six films. We are only two movies in and already my wife liked young Anakin Skywalker and found the music "campy". Next thing you know, she won't like the Empire Strikes Back.

I think it was a much stronger effort than Episode I, the political intrigue was better handled than in Episode I and the action scenes were, once again, top-notch. However, the movie is practically done-in by the ridiculousness of the Anakin Padme romance. I don't feel that the acting is as atrocious as some people feel, there is only so much that can be done with crummy material like this.

You literally go from one scene of them alone with Anakin coming on nice and strong to Padme and she shuts him down, indicating to him that his approach is making her uncomfortable.
The very next scene we have of them alone (probably all of five minutes later) is more of the same. Anakin overeager and coming on too strong. But this time, inexplicably to the audience, Padme decides that this is now the way to her heart. within an hour they are madly in love and, within an hour and a half, they are getting married. Nothing done by Anakin on the screen should have made Padme change her feelings or her reactions in any way, shape, or form.

The whole romance is proof positive that George Lucas had no idea how to get Anakin and Padme together. It is a shame that such a creative man could not delegate the task of scripting the romance to someone who knew what they were doing. I mean, I found Ana Farris and Chris Evans a more believable couple in What's Your Number? a frothy rom-com I saw yesterday and will likely not remember one year from now.

Mrs. Rego's verdict on Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones: B

My wife does not like Jar Jar Binks (also some thoughts on Tim Tebow)

2011-10-09T23:29:00.002-06:00

I am a big fan of the Star Wars saga. I have watched all six films numerous times over the years, (Episode III is my favorite for the record) and I think that the entire saga is one of the most multi-layered and epic cinematic journeys you can take.

My lovely wife, as a gift on our wedding day, bought me all of the films on Blu Ray. She has not seen any of the Star Wars movies. Enter a cozy Sunday night with nothing else on the agenda and I suggest that we start at the beginning and watch Episode I The Phantom Menace. Now, I know some of you are going to be saying, "Jarred, why did you not have your wife start at Episode IV??" To that I would say, "She wanted to start at Episode I." This will also be interesting for me, because I have never watched the films in this order before.

This is the first time I have sat through Episode I in quite a while. I saw it in the movie theater approximately 10 times in 1999. Before you pass out from shock, I was only 12 so that should justify my enthusiasm a little, right?

Long story short, this is a MUCH worse movie than I remember. The plot is a very tedious political story that serves to move from one happenstance to the next to get all the characters into place for the start of the real action. I have no problem with movies setting up future adventures, but the set-up does not need to be as belabored as it felt here.

The first half hour until we get to Tatooine and meet Anakin Skywalker is very painful. My wife was confused and not at all amused by Jar Jar Binks and the other assorted, baby-talking aliens. Furthermore, I thought I was in for the ridiculing of a lifetime for enjoying Star Wars once the action shifted to Tatooine. After all, who actually likes Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker?? My wife. She happens to think he was "so cute" and she could not wait to see what turns him into an evil Sith. She was very troubled that this poor cute little kid would become Darth Vader.

In these moments, while my wife professed her love for little kid Anakin, it really hit me why Star Wars is so popular. Simply put, there is something for everyone in these films. Think about this the next time you are watching a Star Wars movie and something super cheesy happens, someone out there, they may even be your spouse, likes and enjoys what is happening on the screen. And that is what great movies are all about.

Mrs Rego's verdict on Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace: She really liked it and thought it was action-packed. However, the acting was wooden. Grade: B-

Now, let's talk about Tim Tebow. Just a quick reminder for everyone out there...the Denver Broncos LOST today to the San Diego Chargers. 29-24. This was not a game of golf, the lowest score did, in fact, lose. Having clarified that the Denver Broncos did NOT win their football game today, I want to address the members of the Tim Tebow Cult masquerading as Denver Broncos fans. I am sick of you. I am sick of a group of posers who sit on their hands doing nothing but booing the offense until their guy comes into the game. I have nothing against Tim Tebow, I find him to be a stand-up guy and an exciting football player, but the reaction of the crowd at Mile High today really crystallized my anger.

10 of 23 passing 113 yards 1 TD 1 INT a 55.2 QB rating and a LOSS. These were the combined numbers of the Broncos QB effort this afternoon. Kyle Orton in the first half+Tim Tebow in the second half=these numbers. Despite this performance, and this is what really sticks in my craw, at the end of the game, the crowd is on its feet chanting "TEBOW! TEBOW! TEBOW!"

Someone please explain how this makes any sense. Because I GUARANTEE that if Kyle Orton had played the entire game and the Broncos lost by 5 points and and that was his stat line, the crowd would be booing him out of the building. I hope someone takes time in the comments page or sends me a facebook message or follows me on twitter (@JarredsWorld) and tells me why I'm wrong or tells me what I am missing. A loss is a loss. It does not matter if you lose by five or by twenty-five.

Star Wars and Tim Tebow, two very popular topics. Blog hits, here I come.

Operation Enduring Freedom

2011-10-07T17:49:00.003-06:00

Ten years ago today we launched Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the 9/11 attacks. I think it is fairly obvious that freedom has endured.

I want to list, in tribute and thanks, the nations that have supported Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan over this last decade.

1. Afghanistan: The Security Forces of this reformed nation have suffered the most casualties in the fight to liberate their country from terror.

2. Albania: 286 troops serving in Kabul and in western Afghanistan.

3. Armenia: 126 troops serving in northern Afghanistan.

4. Australia: 1550 troops serving in Kabul and co-commanding Uruzgan Province.

5. Austria: 3 troops serving in Kabul.

6. Azerbaijan: 94 troops serving in Kabul.

7. Bahrain: Primary port for the US Naval Fifth Fleet's role in Operation Enduring Freedom.

8. Belgium: 521 troops serving in Kabul and in northern and southern Afghanistan.

9. Bosnia & Herzegovina: 55 troops serving in northern Afghanistan.

10. Bulgaria: 602 troops serving in Kabul and western Afghanistan.

11. Canada: 520 troops serving in Kabul and co-commanding Kandahar Province.

12. Croatia: 317 troops serving in Kabul and northern Afghanistan.

13. Cyprus: Allows the use of its airspace and airbases in support of Allied air efforts in Afghanistan.

14. Czech Republic: 620 troops serving in Kabul.

15. Denmark: 750 troops serving in Kabul and co-commanding Helmand Province.

16. Estonia: 159 troops serving in Kabul and Helmand Province.

17. Finland: 156 troops serving in Kabul and northern Afghanistan.

18. France: 3935 troops serving in Kabul, commanding Kapisa Province, training police in northern Afghanistan and serving in the eastern and southern regions.

19. Georgia: 937 troops serving in Kabul and co-commanding Helmand Province.

20. Germany: 4998 serving in Kabul and commanding the northern quadrant of Afghanistan.

21. Greece: 158 troops serving in Kabul.

22. Hungary: 433 troops serving in Kabul.

23. Iceland: 4 troops serving in Kabul.

24. India: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

25. Ireland: Has allowed use of territory for military refueling and have 7 troops serving in Kabul.

26. Italy: 3916 troops serving in Kabul and commanding the western quadrant of Afghanistan.

27. Kuwait: Has allowed use of territory for military staging.

28. Kyrgyzstan: Has allowed use of territory for military staging.

29. Latvia: 173 troops serving in Kabul and northern Afghanistan.

30. Lithuania: 235 troops serving in Kabul.

31. Luxembourg: 10 troops serving in Kabul.

32. Macedonia: 163 troops serving in Kabul.

33. Malaysia: 46 troops serving in eastern Afghanistan.

34. Montenegro: 36 troops serving in northern Afghanistan.

35. Netherlands: 183 troops serving in Kabul and southern Afghanistan.

36. New Zealand: 188 troops serving in Kabul.

37. Norway: 428 troops serving in Kabul and northern Afghanistan.

38. Oman: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

39. Pakistan: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

40. Poland: 2580 troops serving in Kabul and controlling Ghazni Province.

41. Portugal: 140 troops serving in Kabul.

42. Qatar: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

43. Romania: 1948 troops serving in Kabul and co-command of Zabul Province.

44. Russia: Has allowed use of airspace for military overflights.

45. Singapore: 38 troops serving in Kabul and southern Afghanistan.

46. Slovakia: 309 troops serving in Kabul and Kandahar Province.

47. Slovenia: 78 troops serving in Kabul and western Afghanistan.

48. South Korea: 350 troops serving in eastern Afghanistan.

49. Spain: 1523 troops serving in Kabul and in command of Badghis Province

50. Sweden: 500 troops serving in Kabul and northern Afghanistan.

51. Switzerland: troops participated in peacekeeping efforts between 2003 and 2008.

52. Tajikistan: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

53. Thailand: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

54. Tonga: 55 troops serving in Helman Province.

55. Turkey: 1840 troops serving in command of Kabul.

56. Turkmenistan: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

57. Ukraine: 23 troops serving in Kabul.

58. United Arab Emirates: 35 troops serving in Kabul and southern and eastern Afghanistan.

59. United Kingdom: 9500 troops serving in Kabul, southern Afghanistan and co-commanding Helmand Province.

60. United States: 90,000 troops serving in Kabul and commanding eastern, southern and southwestern Afghanistan.

61. Uzbekistan: Has allowed use of territory and bases for military staging.

When you break it down like that, it is easy to see that this is a pan-global effort to achieve the goal of making Afghanistan a friendly and stable state in the Middle East that will never again harbor or support major, international terror groups.

People can question why we are in Afghanistan and that is the reason. Just because someone does not like the answer that is given does not mean it is an illegitimate answer or that it is not a goal worth achieving.

As you reflect on this somber anniversary, please keep the loved ones of all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in this war in your thoughts and prayers.

The Stuff on My Bookshelf

2011-10-06T22:16:00.004-06:00

I am sitting here at our freshly internet ready new (used) computer. It is set up in a lofted area of our rental home that is strangely under-illuminated. Thankfully, computer monitors are self-illuminating. Unfortunately, keyboards are not, so that is the reason for any potential misspellings.

I sit at this desk surrounded by two large bookshelves and the thought occurred to me that a good way to get to know me would be give you a rundown of the books that are on the shelves.

From top to bottom, left to right:

1. The Windsor Tapestry by Compton Mackenzie: This is a fascinating contemporary biography of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce in The King's Speech. The book is extensive and written in a very pompous English. A fun, but dense read.

2. The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell: A Christmas present, this makes a compelling case for Jesus Christ. I haven't finished it yet, but it is a very scholarly work that speaks to the historicity of Christ.

3. My Year in Iraq by Ambassador L. Paul Bremer: Another gift I have not read. It gives a firsthand account of a very important period in the history of two countries. On a related note, I have met L. Paul Bremer, he is approximately 4 feet 2, 125 pounds.

4. The War for Late Night by Bill Carter: A fantastic book that takes readers inside the Jay Leno vs. Conan O'Brien struggle for The Tonight Show and all of the politics and intrigue that went into NBC's final (stupid) decision.

5. Whiter Shades of Pale by Christian Lander: HYSTERICAL. If you are like me and find guilt-ridden, pretentious, twenty(or thirty)something liberals a fascinating specimen of humanity, you will love this satirical guide. It is written by a "white person" as an instruction manual for minorities potentially interacting with "white people".

6. The Faith of George W. Bush by Stephen Mansfield: Purchased at a garage sale, this is another one not yet read. The faith journey of President Bush is one that is a triumphant example of the power of faith in life and I cannot wait to discover more from this book.

7-9. (My wife's books) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

10. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: Another in the line outside the Books I Have to Read nightclub.

11. The Focus on the Family Complete Book of Baby and Child Care

12. Know and Unknown by Donald Rumsfeld: Comprehensive, important, knowledgeable and dense, much like the man himself. I have not yet finished this book, but it is a valuable piece of history.

13. Emily Post on Etiquette by Elizabeth Post: A fascinating and hilarious window on a rapidly fading era. Let's just say that none of us are getting into the Emily Post Etiquette Hall of Fame any time soon. And, ironically, it is probably not for any of the reasons that you think you would.

14. Space Shuttle the First 20 Years by the Smithsonian Museum: Great pictures, great stories from the astronauts and just a fantastic introduction to the Space Shuttle program.

15. Black Americans in Congress 1870-2007 by the US House of Representatives: Apparently, money was appropriated five years ago for this book to be published. A very dull account of the fantastic progress made by African Americans at the national political level.

16. Paul McCartney Playing the Great Beatles Bass Lines by Tony Bacon and Gareth Morgan: The perfect book for Beatles fans looking to learn the bass. Sheet music, tabs, pictures and the story behind each song is present.

17. Seinfeld The Totally Unauthorized Tribute by David Wild: This is the kind of book you buy when you are 13 years old and the internet still makes noises when you turn it on.

18. The Secret File of the Duke of Windsor The Private Papers 1937-1972 by Michael Bloch: I was not aware I had this book until writing this blog. I believe it was a gift. Coming soon: The Secret File of The Duke of Windsor review post...

19. The Second World War by John Keegan: The best, most comprehensive single text on World War II.

20. Courage and Consequence by Karl Rove: A window into the mind of a political genius. If you are interested in politics, this is a book you must read. People ignore Karl Rove and his techniques and expertise at their own political peril.

21. King George VI His Life and Reign by John W. Wheeler-Bennett: A wonderful, old style biography of the hero of The King's Speech. If you enjoyed that movie (and how could you not?) this is a great place to learn more about "Bertie".

22. The Queen by Ann Morrow: A slight biography of Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of her Silver Jubilee in 1977. Another unread pick from an estate sale.

23. Holy Bible NIV: The first Bible I ever purchased, I don't go back to it much when since I realized that my church uses NKJV, I am sure an exploration of NIV awaits my future.

24. Conservative Victory by Sean Hannity: A very lazy, cut-and-paste book. Sean Hannity is not a good writer or a very good pundit. His one quality is his enthusiasm and I do not feel that comes across well in this book. Something quick to read if you have a 45 minute plane flight and you already read your magazine at the gate.

25. Guitar Chords Edited by Jake Jackson: The gateway to me playing through many songs once on my guitar.

26. Lost and Loster in Translation Signspotting III Compiled by Doug Lansky: A very funny gift showing signs that either make no sense or generally mangle the English language.

27. A Man on the Moon The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts by Andrew Chaikin: One of my favorite books. Simply put, the best book ever written on America's single greatest and most awe-inspiring accomplishment. This is the most-read and most dog-eared book I own and I challenge anyone to not walk away from this book a certified Space Enthusiast.

28. Chronicle of the Russian Tsars by David Warnes: One of my few remaining textbooks from college (most were not purchased, others were returned for .0001% of their actual value). This is a great introduction to the doomed Russian Royal Family.

29. Borat Touristic Guidings to Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan: A funny visual companion to one of the funniest movies of all time.

30. Revolution in the Head The Beatles Records and the Sixties by Ian Macdonald: An in-depth song-by-song analysis/critique of the Beatles. However, if you are a fan of Paul McCartney, do not bother. Apparantly, Macdonald feels that one half of the greatest songwriting partnership ever is dead weight. In case you have not realized it yet, I am a HUGE Beatle fan and a big time McCartney fan.
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31. The Decline and Fall of the British Empire 1781-1997 by Piers Brendon: A good book on one of my favorite historical subjects.

32. The Queen Mother by William Shawcross: I have not read this yet, but it is supposed to be the definitive biography of the wife of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II.

33. American Ally by Con Coughlin: Tells the under-appreciated story of how firm, honorable an important an ally Tony Blair and the UK were to the USA in the early stages of the War on Terror. A great tribute to our best friend and ally in the world.

34. The All-American Boys by Walter Cunningham: The autobiography of the Apollo 7 Lunar Module Pilot. As a rule, I love all astronaut autobiographies, but this is near the bottom of my list because the mission Cunningham served on was not the most exciting when compared to the missions of other astronaut authors.

35. Bob Dylan in America by Sean Wilentz: A dense social history of Bob Dylan and his connections to America. Not for Bob beginners.

36. The Hardy Boyz by Matt and Jeff Hardy: I also love autobiographies of WWE wrestlers. Matt and Jeff are no longer with the company, but this was an enjoyable account of their time in the WWE.

37. Hulk Hogan by Hulk Hogan: When I first started watching wrestling in 2002, Hogan was one of my very favorites and I loved this book when it first came out. Once I learned more about the truth, this book transformed from an autobiography into a how-to lie pathologically book. Still a fun read.

38. Revolution in the Air The Songs of Bob Dylan 1957-1973: A great song-by-song analysis of Dylan in chronological order, a must have for Dylan fans.

39. Pinheads and Patriots by Bill O'Reilly: A very enjoyable and easy to read structure make this a very accessible political book.

40. How the Left Swiftboated America by John Gibson: Started to read this, got distracted by other books and never returned to it. I remember it being pretty good.

41. The Ezekiel Option by Joel Rosenberg: A fictional thriller that was loaned to me, I need to return it.

42. Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin: A great insider's account of the 2008 Presidential Election. A must-read for politicos.

43. Decision Points by George W. Bush: The autobiography of my favorite President. He does a great job of putting you in the moments of all of the key decisions in his life. An account of the right man at the right time for America.

44. A Journey by Tony Blair: The autobiography of my second favorite politician of all-time. The single most dense and difficult prose I have ever read in a piece of non-fiction. Very hard to get into, very rewarding when you do, but I only recommend it for fans of Blair and British politics.

45. Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander: see a Whiter Shade of Pale #5

46. For Love of Politics by Sally Bedell Smith: An account of the Clinton White House. Unread and taken from the closet at my old radio station.

47. Beckham Both Feet on the Ground by David Beckham: The autobiography of my favorite soccer player. A great read but it stops in about 2005. Becks has had so much in his career since then, I hope he writes a sequel one day.

48. Drummed Out! The Sacking of Pete Best by Spencer Leigh: Hands up, how many of you knew the Beatles had a drummer before Ringo (luckiest man in show business) Starr? Well the Beatles original drummer as they were at the very cusp of fame was a great guy named Pete Best. I have been to his house in Liverpool, no big deal. This oral history explains why petty jealousy, not a lack of drumming ability, caused Pete to miss out on the greatest rock and roll ride of all time.

49. Dictionary of Idioms by Marvin Terban: I have never seen this book before in my life.

50. The Year of Living Biblically One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs: A fantastic story, A.J. Jacobs is one of the best authors I have ever read and I cannot wait for his next book. I also enjoy how the story starts with a man disconnected from his faith and doing the project to write a book. By the end, he has drawn closer and more devout to his faith, God sometimes works in the most interesting ways.

51. New Believer's Bible NLT: My first Bible, given to me by Pastor Al Pittman at the Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs after I was saved on November 21, 2010.

52. The Rough Guide to Manchester United 2002-2003 Season by Jim White and Andy Mitten: Rough Guides are the best-kept secret in comprehensive, informational non-fiction. This example is no exception, a great gift (but pick a newer edition) for the new Manchester United fan in your life.

53-59. (my wife's books) The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson, Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina, Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon, The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, Crazy/Love by Francis Chan, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

60. My Life in France by Julia Child: I am a man. I like this book. They are not mutually exclusive.

61. A Short Constitutional History of England by C.W. Prosser and M. Sharp: A good book that shows how the English system of government really works.

62. The Blue Print by Adam Schrager and Rob Witwer: If you are a Republican in Colorado, this shows you why our state is now blue and, if you don't know why something is the way it is, you cannot hope to fix it. Anyone in the Colorado Republican Party should have to read this book.

63-64. The Barmy British Empire and The Awesome Egyptians by Terry Deary: Two great children's history books.

65. Teach Yourself The British Empire by Michael Lynch: A straightforward and easy to read introduction to the history of the Empire.

66. The Death of Kings A Medical History of the Kings and Queens of England by Clifford Brewer: A very interesting book that should be avoided by non-English nerds at all costs.

67. The Colorado Avalanche 2005-2006 Media Guide: On that eclectic note, these have been the contents of my bookshelves. There are hundreds more books not on these shelves.

Talk to you soon!

Back to blogging

2011-10-04T11:30:00.002-06:00

I am back from my honeymoon, refreshed and ready to blog. "A honeymoon, wait, what?!" you say. Well since I last wrote in the late Mesozoic Era, I married my beautiful wife. She has a blog that you should check out at http://rockiesrazorback.blogspot.com/!

Be back soon with more for you to read!

2011 Colorado Rockies Opening Day Roster Analysis

2011-03-31T23:32:00.000-06:00

2011 COLORADO ROCKIES THOUGHTS

As you may not know, since I was pigeonholed into political talk when last we spoke, I am a huge sports fan. Here's what I think of the Rox Opening Day roster, let me know what you think!

RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS
1. Matt Belisle: Quality man who can fill many spots in the bullpen
2. Rafael Betancourt: One of the best set-up men in baseball and I am glad he will be around for us, no matter who ends up closing
3. Jhoulys Chacin: All the talent in the world and, at his age, could be a mainstay in our rotation for years to come
4. Jason Hammel: The most underrated starting pitcher in baseball. There, I said it. I think he will surprise a lot of people this year
5. Ubaldo Jimenez: The best pitcher in the NL and he will be closer to how he was in the first half of last year than in the second half
6. Matt Lindstrom: I don't know much about him, but I am excited to see what he has
7. Felipe Paulino: see above
8. Esmil Rogers: Has the 5th starter spot and I hope he uses his gifts to justify Jim Tracy's faith in him
9. Huston Street: He will be the most scrutinized pitcher on the roster (rightly so) and he needs to prove that he still has what it takes to be the elite closer that we need

LEFT-HANDED PITCHERS
1. Jorge De La Rosa: Can (and I think will) be every bit as good as Ubaldo, but from the left. I cannot WAIT to see him pitch
2. Franklin Morales: If he has dealt with his control issues, he is an invaluable asset to the team. However, if he cannot fix them, he is a huge liability
3. Matt Reynolds: Good option to have in the pen

CATCHERS
1. Chris Ianetta: Average defense and arm, good with the pitching staff, terrible at the plate lately. If he can't prove himself this time, he could be gone before the season is over
2. Jose Morales: I don't know much about him, but he will certainly be in the mix pushing Ianetta for the starting job

INFIELDERS
1. Jason Giambi: VERY happy he is back. Great eyes at the plate and clutch late in the game. He will continue to be a great leader/teacher in the clubhouse, I just hope the steroids trial of Barry Bonds isn't too much of a distraction
2. Todd Helton: Has aged but he is in good shape this spring and will want to wipe away bad memories from last year. Still great defensively and a MAJOR leader on and off the field
3. Jonathan Herrera: Highly touted new arrival who can play all over the infield. It will be interesting to see what he brings to the table.
4. Jose Lopez: Will likely play 2B and I hope he can develop a good defensive chemistry with Tulo in the middle
5. Ian Stewart: Another guy with some competition and a lot to prove after a lackluster 2010 season.
6. Troy Tulowitzki: One of the top 10 players in baseball, just needs to stay off the DL and he will move into the top 5. He is a leader on and off the field and he won't make the O'Dowds regret splashing the cash to keep him a Rockie for life
7. Ty Wigginton: Another highly touted infielder, will likely be in the 1B mix with Helton and ahead of Giambi on that particular depth chart

OUTFIELDERS
1. Dexter Fowler: Great speed, great range, great athleticism and good arm. He needs to be a better lead-off man at the plate
2. Carlos Gonzalez: Another Top 10 player, will threaten for the Triple Crown once again. Another guy who is worth every penny of his new contract and I am both shocked and ecstatic that things worked out for him to stay
3. Ryan Spilborghs: An underrated hustle player who will put up better numbers with more at-bats.
4. Seth Smith: If he can fix his problems against left-handers, he will find himself in the line-up more often than not.

There you have it, my basic analysis on the Opening Day roster. Let's have fun cheering our Rockies onto their first NL West title! GO ROCKIES!! What do you guys think???

Muhammad Miguel Ali Hasan Interview

2010-12-23T10:17:00.002-07:00

This is the lengthy interview I covered last night on the show.

You will feel confused, upset, baffled and amused but one thing you should NOT feel when reading this article is anything approaching regret that Muhammad Miguel Ali Hasan is no longer a member of the Republican Party.

http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/992367-innerview-with-muhammad-ali-hasan

Bush Tax Cuts Help Middle Class More!

2010-12-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Folks, I have been saying this for years and know I can point you to some math backing it up!

http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/14/tax-cuts-rich-george-w-bush-opinions-contributors-clifford-asness.html?boxes=Homepagechannels

Lousy 2012 GOP Candidates

2010-11-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here's the article I was talking about Friday night!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-11-25/can-sarah-palin-mitt-romney-or-anyone-else-win-2012-white-house-nomination/full/

Help support a great cause and Producer Chris

2010-11-26T20:57:00.001-07:00

One of our KVOR staff members Chris Richardson is taking a polar plunge for charity on Saturday December 4th. He needs your help to raise money for the Special Olympics here in Colorado.

So help support a great cause and a great guy today!!

http://www.firstgiving.com/chrisrichardson2

My thoughts on children and airport security

2010-11-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

This morning on The Richard Randall Show, my position on airport security and children was misrepresented in a major way due to a misunderstanding between Richard and myself. Richard believed that my position was that children are reacting in a hysterical way because they were not being made sufficiently docile enough by their parents. That is NOT the point I was trying to make about parents and their responsibilities to their children when it comes to airport security.

I agree that a system that requires pat-downs or scans of lots of little kids is a flawed one and could use some changes. The answer to that is contacting your incoming Congressmen who will make up the Republican Majority and force them to make changes to the system and the law. Protests accomplish nothing but delay, anger and trauma because there is little to no legal recourse to avoid scans or patdowns.

So, given that the CURRENT security choice in many airports is one that says Full Body Scans or Patdowns, any parent that elects to send their children through the Pat Down procedure rather than the Body Scan is, I feel, making a terrible parenting decision, is using their children to make a political statement, and is the cause of their child suffering more trauma than they would face going through a scanner.

We will be talking about this tonight on my show at 10pm on AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com but I felt that as quick a clarification as possible was needed in order to make my point crystal clear. I have nothing but the highest repect for the listeners and believed they needed to hear my true and complete point.

Thanks for your time and Happy Thanksgiving!

Joe Biden Interview with GQ

2010-11-24T08:09:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe this man is a heartbeat away!

This is the article I am going to be discussing tonight, for those of you keeping score at home

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/politics/201012/joe-biden-interview-vice-president-obama

Sarah Palin Profile from NYT Magazine

2010-11-18T08:40:00.003-07:00

Here is the article I was talking about last night. Some very disturbing things in here politically-speaking. I just don't think she is the person to lead us to victory

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/magazine/21palin-t.html

But what do you think? Can Sarah Palin win the Presidential Election in 2012??

Inspiring Veteran's Day Story

2010-11-12T17:51:00.002-07:00

There is nothing more inspiring than a heroic Vet!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/10/AR2010111008002.html

Liberal Bush Bashing Returns!

2010-11-11T11:04:00.003-07:00

Here is the George W Bush article called "Delusion Points" that I've been talking about this week. It's written by Stephen Walt who is a blowhard professor from Harvard. Read this and think about how twisted and bitter liberals are when it comes to George W Bush.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/11/08/delusion_points

Obama's whiny Vanity Fair profile article

2010-08-19T11:28:00.001-06:00

Folks, as promised, here it is. Read it and weep for yourselves

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2010/09/broken-washington-201009?currentPage=1

Jake Shirk on the show TONIGHT!!

2010-07-19T12:17:00.001-06:00

Police Chief and El Paso County Sheriff Candidate Jake Shirk stops by the show tonight at 10pm on AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com!

LIVING LIKE A LIBERAL

2010-07-14T12:28:00.003-06:00

As promised, here is the article by Matt Labash from the new issue of the Weekly Standard called "Living Like a Liberal" a hilarious and informative read!

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/living-liberal

Don't miss the Friday Night Free For All

2010-07-09T21:35:00.000-06:00

Tune in tonight at 10pm on AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com for the Friday Night Free-for-All!! We'll discuss anything that has been on your mind this week in politics!

Calvin Coolidge's Speech

2010-07-05T07:34:00.001-06:00

Here is the link. This is, simply put, one of the better speech's I have ever read. It is President Coolidge's remarks on the 150th anniversary of America in 1926.

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=41

HAPPY 4th!

2010-07-04T12:44:00.003-06:00

Make sure you tune in tonight at 9pm to AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com for the big Independence Day spectacular Sunday-night finale of the Jarred Rego Show!

Tune in Tonight!

2010-06-30T20:16:00.001-06:00

Joe Biden calls you a Nazi! Tonight at 10pm on AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com!

Owen Hill on the show TONIGHT!

2010-06-24T21:23:00.001-06:00

Join me and my special guest, State Senate candidate Owen Hill on the show tonight at 10pm on AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com!

USOC Community Appreciation Day!

2010-06-24T11:23:00.002-06:00

Come join me at the Olympic Training Center at 10am this Saturday, June the 26th for the USOC Community Appreciation Day. I will be broadcasting live and would love, not only to meet you, but for you to come out and appreciate and see this great event taking place in the heart of our city!

Meet and get autographs from Olympians, Paralympians, and Olympic hopefuls!

See awesome sports demos, including a BMX half-pipe and skiing aerialists

Live music, food, vendors, and drinks all this and more Saturday June 26th, join me at 10am!!

SPRINGS SPREE

2010-06-18T13:42:00.002-06:00

Come on out to Memorial Park this weekend for SPRINGS SPREE. Make sure you visit the KVOR booth sponsored by TERRASCAPES INC. We'd all love to meet you-the best listeners in radio!

I'll be there between 1 and 7pm on Satuday the 19th. See you there!

Respond to the President's speech LIVE tonight!!

2010-06-15T10:48:00.000-06:00

Make sure you tune in tonight at 10pm on AM 740 KVOR and kvor.com. We'll have all of the LIVE AND LOCAL reaction to President Obama Oval Office address on the Gulf Oil Spill, don't miss it!!

Fascinating on so many levels

2010-06-10T22:01:00.001-06:00

This is an interview with shock South Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Alvin Greene. Greene is an unemployed 32 year-old military vet who held no events, had no signs, no debates, no website, no fundraising and no ads and he won 60% of the vote and 100,000 vote!

SIZZLING SUMMER SALE!

2010-06-08T11:08:00.000-06:00

If you want a chance to grow your business in a cost-effective way, make sure you take part in Citadel Communications SIZZLING SUMMER SALE! On Wednesday, June 9th, you can get the best, most efficient advertising deals in town. Don't miss a chance to advertise on AM 740 KVOR and our sister stations 95.1 The New Cat Country, 98.1 KKFM,98.9 Magic FM, 92.9 Peak FM, and AM1300 The Sports Animal. Call us at 593-2700 and ask to speak with Darci right away!

Arlen Specter, back to the right??

2010-05-28T11:09:00.002-06:00

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-05-26/specter-to-shift-rightward-after-senate-primary-loss/

This was an interesting article that I didn't have a chance to get to on the show last night. I think that it is possible that Specter could shift back to the right on some issues, but all this shows you is that Specter is only focused on himself and doesn't do a good job of attempting to REPRESENT his constitiuents

DYLAN

2010-05-24T10:42:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday to Bob Dylan, he is 69 years old today. While I don't always agree with his politics, he is a fascinating person who makes powerful and important music. He is, arguably, the best singer-songwriter that the United States has ever had.

24!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-05-24T10:41:00.002-06:00

I can't wait to see how it all wraps up tonight! It has always been a show very much of its time and one that I have enjoyed week-in and week-out for the last 8 years and I am really sad to see it go!

Do Your Research

2010-05-19T10:55:00.002-06:00

I would caution people out there who are happy about Rand Paul's victory in the Kentucky GOP Primary to do some research into his past positions, particularly his opinion of things like Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Patriot Act, and just make sure that his views align with yours before you become too excited.

Pictures from my flight on the B-17 "Liberty Belle" Part 5

2010-05-18T00:23:00.001-06:00