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News9msn.com Below is the complete email conversation that Adelaide man David Thorne claims he had with a utility company chasing payment of an overdue bill.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.19pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,
Our records indicate that your account is overdue by the amount of $233.95. If you have already made this payment please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.37pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,
I do not have any money so am sending you this drawing I did of a spider instead. I value the drawing at $233.95 so trust that this settles the matter.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.07am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,
Thankyou for contacting us. Unfortunately we are unable to accept drawings as payment and your account remains in arrears of $233.95. Please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.32am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,
Can I have my drawing of a spider back then please.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.42am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear David,
You emailed the drawing to me. Do you want me to email it back to you?

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.56am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,

Yes please.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 12.14pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Attached

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 09.22am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Whose spider is that?

Dear Jane, Are you sure this drawing of a spider is the one I sent you? This spider only has seven legs and I do not feel I would have made such an elementary mistake when I drew it.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.03am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David, Yes it is the same drawing. I copied and pasted it from the email you sent me on the 8th. David your account is still overdue by the amount of $233.95. Please make this payment as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.05am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Automated Out of Office Response

Thankyou for contacting me. I am currently away on leave, traveling through time and will be returning last week.

Regards, David.
From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.08am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Hello, I am back and have read through your emails and accept that despite missing a leg, that drawing of a spider may indeed be the one I sent you. I realise with hindsight that it is possible you rejected the drawing of a spider due to this obvious limb ommission but did not point it out in an effort to avoid hurting my feelings. As such, I am sending you a revised drawing with the correct number of legs as full payment for any amount outstanding. I trust this will bring the matter to a conclusion.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 2.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David, As I have stated, we do not accept drawings in lei of money for accounts outstanding. We accept cheque, bank cheque, money order or cash. Please make a payment this week to avoid incurring any additional fees.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 3.17pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

I understand and will definately make a payment this week if I remember. As you have not accepted my second drawing as payment, please return the drawing to me as soon as possible. It was silly of me to assume I could provide you with something of completely no value whatsoever, waste your time and then attach such a large amount to it.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Tuesday 14 Oct 2008 11.18am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Attached

Wow, I must say, I knew the economy was in bad shape but this is kind of ridiculous. How the hell am I supposed to pay my bills when companies aren’t even accepting drawings anymore. This stuff really pisses me off but, this guy took it with pride. I mean, he pulled the “traveling through time” card. Call me crazy but that is classic. This guys outlook on people looking for money has completely changed my strategy. No more Mr. Nice Guy from me.

–Thanks to BarStoolSports.com for the article

And that is all I have to say about that.

And wait…. It gets SO much better!

CALLING ALL UNSIGNED BANDS!!! EMERGENZA is a type of battle of the bands that is taking place in 150 cities across America and Europe. Check out their website for all of the details, but overall this is a pretty cool thing. Unsigned bands of all kinds get to go head to head and the finalists (whom are chosen by audience reactions) will go up against a “professional” judge.

The competitions are sponsored by companies such as Sabian, D’addario, and Marshall. For all of you in the Boston area, here are some upcoming dates where Emergenza has been booked:

Let me say it is quite a feat in itself to be a funny musician. Now add in the ability to be funny and an incredible musician and that’s just damn near impossible. The Pat Jordan Band has accomplished the impossible. The song Hugs Not Drugs is one of the catchiest tunes I’ve heard in a while and if you listen to the lyrics you’ll be laughing out loud with very little control. Even though the Pat Jordan Band has a great sense of humor not every song is all laughs. The song Get Go shows off their knack for also writing serious lyrics while still making an incredible song. Keep your eyes on this band, these guys have a lot of potential. If you live in, or are visiting California (particularly the Santa Rosa area) they’ve got a bunch of shows so check out their MySpace for the dates. I personally have never seen them live, but I read some great reviews on iTunes about their live performance and you can catch a preview below.

FORGIVE ME, I FORGET

LUCKY LOSER

And if that didn’t convince you then here’s a little something from the Pat Jordan Band’s website about their shows:

“a pat jordan band concert is more than just music. it’s more than just a good time. it’s seeing, and getting to know a man with a guitar. hearing his words, finding his melodies, and letting it take you over.

also? it’s about getting drunk.”

First off I would like to congratulate President-elect Barack Obama on sweeping the election. During his speech last night he proclaimed “Change Has Come To America!”… I truly hope he is right. In the meantime, I have found this article on cnn.com discussing some challenges that Obama must face as he transitions into the White House. The topics discussed are:

Iran: The sizzling file that cannot wait

Iraq: Trouble, trouble everywhere

Syria: Diplomacy or pressure in the new era?

The rise of fundamentalism

The Arab-Israeli conflict

Oil and the economy

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/05/mideast.reaction/index.html

This article makes it east to understand just how much is riding on the shoulders of President-elect Barack Obama.

I’ve got to admit that searching for music I haven’t heard yet that strikes me as something particularly unique is difficult, especially with my recent workload. Due to my busy schedule I haven’t been able to do nearly as much music searching as I’d like to so it’s always nice when something just seems to fall right into my lap. I received a friend request on MySpace the other day from a group called The Hustle that simply told me to check them out and see if I liked it. Well, “like” was an understatement of my reaction. The Hustle combines the beautiful female vocals of Nora Whittaker with the rhythmic rhymes from male rapper Kuf Knotz. And if that isn’t enough, the two duet over a live band containing Tom Copson (lead guitar), Kurtis Shakemore (bass), Bradlee Beats (drums) and DJ Kingspin on the turntables.

With such a unique sound its difficult to stop listening. It’s even more difficult to put into words how incredible this group is. Purchase their 7 song EP “The 4, 5, 6″ on ITunes and check out their MySpace for a few tracks as well. My personal favorites are Run Wit Me, which is receiving radio play throughout Philly currently, and Philadelphia an ode to their city. Below are a few videos

WORLD CAFE LIVE

GOOD MORNING

A belated Happy Halloween is in order and I must say no matter how old I get Halloween will always be just as fun.

PROVIDENCE. Some people dress for success. When Brian Hartley was picked up for drunken driving in Barrington, he was dressed for arrest. The 22-year-old Hartley, of 237 Oaklawn Ave., in Providence, told the police he was “going to the next party” after they stopped his car because he was seen swerving on Nayatt Road just after midnight Friday.

He was still wearing his Halloween costume, dressed as a convict.

In some other strange news…

BANBAN, Saudi Arabia - The contestants scampered down the tiny runway, bleating at their admirers. However, instead of winning a cup and a tiara, some of the finalists in the first Saudi beauty pageant featuring locally bred sheep were auctioned off to bidders, some of whom traveled to the kingdom for Thursday night’s event. The event’s organizer, Faisal al-Saadoun, said connoisseurs have an eye for attractive sheep. “Just like humans, sheep shouldn’t have fat in unwanted places,” said al-Saadoun, a prominent businessman. “They should also be tall.”

In the past few years, beauty pageants involving camels and goats — which, together with sheep, symbolize Bedouin lifestyle — have been held across the kingdom.

I had no stuff like this existed, but if I had I would definitely check this type of thing out. I wonder if there are different sections where the sheep get judged on talents, a formal wear section and even the typically overlooked swimsuit section. I’d have to imagine there was otherwise I don’t see how the highest bidder spent 450,000 riyals ($120,650) on just one sheep.

And to wrap things up with some music related news…

YAHOO - Lil’ Wayne has become the subject of a death hoax, after a fake BBC News page appeared to claim the rapper had been shot dead.

According to the fake site, Wayne was supposed to have been killed in the early hours of Saturday (November 1) morning, following a despite between the Bloods and Crips gangs.

The page claimed the rapper had been pronounced dead after being shot six times.

The hoax caused rumors of Wayne’s murder to circulate around the Internet over the weekend until several sites, most notably Perezhilton.com, went out of the way to state that the rapper is still very much alive.

When one of my room mates told me they had heard Lil’ Wayne died I was not the least bit shocked. The amount of drugs this man consumes in one day could kill an elephant. When he told me he was shot? Still not all that shocked. Knowing how the rap game works though, I’m assuming Lil’ Wayne will rap about how he survived a fake near death experience and then all rappers will come out of the woodwork faking their deaths to boost their career. Mark my words.

P.S. Remember, U.S. citizens, get out and VOTE tomorrow!

Today I spent an unusually long amount time searching for some new music for this week. I went onto myspace (even though I can’t stand their music searching system) and searched for just a solid rock band with a really tight groove. I am happy to say that after all my searching, I was in fact able to find what I was looking for.

The bridge has a southern rock feel with a touch of soul. The music is very tight creating a great groove and the vocals are warm, although I think they could be a bit more ruff (a la Dickie Betts of The Allman Brothers). The slide guitar adds a nice touch and the horn section adds a nice texture to the music. Overall I think I’m on to something with this band.

The Bridge has a very classic southern rock sound, but has also  somehow found a way to put just enough spin on it to keep me coming back for more. They just released a new album on October 21st called Blind Man’s Hill and is touring all over the east coast, eventually taking the trip out to Colorado. 

OCTOBER
25 York, PA - Capitol Theatre 
31 Richmond, - VA Canal Club 

NOVEMBER 
1 Newark, DE - East End Cafe 
6 Knoxville, TN - World Grotto 
7 Asheville, NC - Emerald Lounge 
8 Boone, NC - Boone Saloon 
11 Seattle, WA - High Dive
12 Portland, OR - Goodfoot 
13 Portland, OR - Goodfoot 
14 Eugene, OR - Fenario Gallery 
15 Eugene, OR - Fenario Gallery 
26 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live

DECEMBER 
4 Charlotte, NC - Double Door 
5 Charleston, SC - The Pour House
6 Raleigh, NC - Berkeley Cafe 
26 Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere (w/ NPC)
27 Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live 
28 Richmond, VA - The National (w/ DSO)
29 Norfolk, VA - The Norva (w/ DSO)
31 Baltimore, MD - Mothers New Years Eve Ball @ Sheraton Ballroom

To listen to the bridge, go to www.myspace.com/thebridgebaltimore or www.thebridgemusic.com

After last weekends wild antics at University of Delaware, I decided that just wasn’t enough and made my way to UMass Amherst this weekend. I’m becoming some sort of large, state school nomad with no large state school to call my own. Supposedly this was the weekend between homecoming and Halloween where everyone just relaxed and/or went home. If what I saw was “relaxing” then I am concerned for people’s lives. The tailgating scene before the football game was anything but calm and the experience was capped off by seeing a girl walking and talking casually to some guy while at the same time urinating herself. Can you say classy?

In other news…

ATLANTA - A contest that would pay $10,000 to an engaged couple, as long as they abstain from premarital sex, hasn’t gotten any takers. The deadline for the Marriage for a Lifetime contest is Oct. 31. The prize includes free flowers, invitations and other wedding treats.

This absolutely shocks me! No, not the fact that there are no couples on the verge of marriage that are abstinent, but that no one has tried to fake it. I mean there are people robbing banks out there and they haven’t thought to pretend they haven’t had sex with a “significant other.” Maybe the $10,000, free flowers, invitations and wedding crap isn’t enough. Bump up the prize to an all inclusive trip to Vegas and I guarantee you the entrants will be comin’ out the woodwork.

Now for something a little more music related check out this trailer for the upcoming movie “Notorious” about the life of rapper Notorious B.I.G. from his birth to his death by gunshot on March 9, 1997. This movie looks incredible, but don’t trust me, take a look for yourself:

That’s all for now, remember the election is right around the corner so don’t forget to vote!

As you all know, I judge musicians based on how awesome their facial hair is. With these standards Herman Dune might be the greatest duo of all time, incorporating both moustache and oversized beard into a talented music group. In all seriousness, Herman Dune has got some great music using acoustic guitar and variety of other instruments ranging from (what appears to be) recorder to maracas in the live performances I’ve been checking out for the past few hours. Personally, just because I love live music, I chose to post these two YouTube videos of the duo performing live on Indie 103 in Los Angeles but I also encourage you to check out some recordings on their website as well as a bunch of other videos they’ve got on YouTube.

Try To Think About Me

Next Year in Zion

And also check out their newest music video directed by Toben Seymour
My Home is Nowhere Without You

If you like what you hear, check out their tour dates because they are gonna be playing at a lot of places throughout the U.S. and Europe