Hey, kids, it's Tuesday and there's an entry of the Phile. Wot? How are you? God, can you believe October is almost over? This year went by so quick. This time last year I was mostly in bed after breaking my humerus in four places, and all on Oxy. I didn't know the difference between Sandy Hook and Hurricane Sandy. Actually I did, but that whole thing was a blur. McDonald restaurants worldwide will stop providing Heinz ketchup for its customers, possibly due to the appointment of former Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees as new chief of H. J. Heinz Company this past June. The decision will certainly anger many fast food customers, who will likely not be at all assuaged to learn that McDonald’s actually stopped using Heinz ketchup in U.S. locations many years ago. Burger King's parent bought Heinz, so McDonald's dropped their ketchup. Then they called them a whore and then unfriended them on Facebook. Ohio State’s marching band delivered a tour de force halftime performance Saturday, marching in formation so as to flawlessly render with their bodies a Tyrannosaurus Rex and Harry Potter, as well as breathing more life into the character of Superman than was managed by Henry Cavill in Man of Steel. Glenn Greenwald and Germán Aranda, using information released by Edward Snowden, revealed yesterday in El Mundo that the U.S. National Security Agency collected data from 60 million phone calls in Spain over the course of 30 days last year, which some people might say is a mind-boggling statistic. And if they say it on the telephone, chances are quite high that the NSA will know about it inmediatamente. I mentioned this yesterday and I have to mention it again... former Velvet Underground frontman, godfather of alternate rock music and proud purveyor of the white guy afro Lou Reed died yesterday at the age of 71, possible due to a "liver-related ailment." His influence upon modern music is incalculably immense and he will be greatly missed. He leaves behind a large discography of influential and moving genre-spanning music, as well as some shitty album he did with Metallica. "Hey, white boy. Whatcha doin' uptown?" St. Peter asked Lou Reed in heaven. Dylan Grall, a 23 year old Wisconsin man, was arrested on two counts of battery with a hate crime enhancer, after approaching two men Sunday morning and beating them up for speaking Spanish. According to Grall, he didn't hit anyone but did indeed warn those Spanish-speaking a-holes to speak English. Only a witness says the two men were actually speaking Hebrew. Lesson learned: don't limit yourself to Spanish-speaking minorities. There are plenty of immigrants out there to hate. Alright, wanna see something odd?
Paris Hilton went to the Playboy Mansion’s Halloween Party as Miley Cyrus. Crazy, eh? Hey, Apple lovers, did you see the new Apple ad they just revealed?
Yup. I went to the store yesterday and I was surprised what they were selling in the toy section.
I thought to myself is that Marvel theme Barcardi? That is not the only thing wrong. Check this out...
That's great if you are gonna get married on Halloween. Yesterday I mentioned the new Captain America film. I think they are doing it all wrong. If I was making a Captain America movie Cap would look like this...
You're welcome, fellas. Okay, this is the last entry for October and all this month I have been showing you some breast cancer awareness posters that are creative and controversial. Wanna see the last and final one?
Apparently the agaseke is a Rwandan basket especially used by women to carry things. In two days it is Halloween and if you still don't know what costume you should or should not get, here is one...
Grab a bag of tortilla chips, open a can of salsa, and show off your spiciness in this traditional Mexican Style costume. This funny costume comes with a colorful sarape, a traditional sombrero, and a giant mustache that is sure to get you laughs both north and south of the border. Besides the obviously offensive description, they also say that it's a "traditional" costume. And now for this week's...
Top Phive Similarities Between "Grand Theft Auto V" And The Obamacare Website
5. Can easily suck up hours of your free time.
4. Highly anticipated release that's been denounced by Conservatives.
3. Transports users to a surreal, nightmarish world where the lives and well-being of others have no worth.
2. Hookers, drug dealers and pimps end up getting the worst treatment.
And the number one thing similar between "Grand Theft Auto V" and the Obamacare website is...
1. Kathleen Sebelius has only a vague understanding of how it works.
Alright, speaking of Obamacare a phriend of the Phile wanted to come on and mention something about it. So, please welcome back to the Phile Health Care Campaign Manager for Organizing for Action... Erin Hannigan.
Me: Hello, Erin, welcome back to the Phile. Man, there's a lot of debate about this Obamacare, isn't there?
Erin: Hello, Jason, and yes, in the midst of all of the debate around Obamacare, it's easy to lose sight of what the law really does.
Me: Are people seeing the benefits of it yet?
Erin: Millions of Americans are seeing the benefits.
Me: Okay, so, you wanted to ask the Phile readers something about Obamacare, am I right? I am not sure you'll get an answer, but go ahead.
Erin: We want to hear directly from your readers about their health care experience.
Me: Okay, how would they do this? I hope it's easy, Erin.
Erin: This is super easy, and should only take a minute or two. Answer our short Obamacare survey today.
Me: I'm gonna be the devil's advocate here... isn't health care reform just a website?
Erin: No matter what you hear from the talking heads, health care reform is much more than just a website.
Me: Okay, for the people that don't know, tell them what Obamacare does.
Erin: Obamacare makes lifetime limits and pre-existing conditions a thing of the past. Several preventive health services are now available at no cost within most insurance plans.
Me: Is this good for old people?
Erin: Many seniors are already saving hundreds of dollars a year on their prescriptions.
Me: And young people, Erin, like you?
Erin: Young Americans, up to age 26, are covered under their parents' insurance.
Me: And people without insurance?
Erin: Millions of uninsured Americans have access to purchase affordable health care, many for the first time. Via phone, mail, in person, and online, people can shop among affordable health insurance options.
Me: So, how long do you think the OFA has to teach Americans these facts?
Erin: OFA supporters are going to spend the next five months making sure people have the facts... and that the people who need insurance know how to get it.
Me: I guess that's why we want to hear from my readers about your experience, and what you're hearing from friends and family members.
Erin: Yes, you are right. Fill out this quick survey today: my.barackobama.com/ACA-Survey.
Me: Thanks, Erin.
Erin: Thank you, Jason.
Today's pheatured guest is the lead singer for the English band Mr Shirz, whose self-titled CD and new single "No Prophecy" is available on iTunes. Please welcome to the Phile... Mikey Shiraz.
Me: Hey there, Mikey, welcome to the Phile. How are you?
Mikey: Very good, thanks for asking. Hope you cats are well too!
Me: Cats? You kids are from England, right? What part?
Mikey: Indeed we are, we are from the Northern town of Huddersfield. A sweet place that is also the biggest town in Europe (Huddersfield fact!)
Me: Have you ever been to the States yet?
Mikey: Yes indeed we have, we toured there a few years ago for six weeks, we hit mainly the west coast and a few in the deep south! It was wicked fun and long drives!
Me: Alright, I have to ask you about the band name. You all have the last name Shiraz, or is that just the band name?
Mikey: We all have the last name Shiraz. You earn the name when joining the band. You must wear the name with pride and even if you are silly enough to ever leave the ranks of the band, the name stays on you like a tattoo.
Me: So, you're not all related?
Mikey: Not through blood. Or anything else but yeah, why not.
Me: Who is in the band then?
Mikey: We have actually just had a line up change due to our original drummer Rob Shiraz sadly getting sick and no longer being able to play. We have also brought in a new guitarist. So we have me or Mikey Shiraz, I'm the vocalist. Tim Shiraz on lead guitar. Tori Shiraz on bass. Sam 'Tiny-Steps' Shiraz on rhythm guitar. Iain Shiraz on drums.
Me: You have a female in the band, which is cool.
Mikey: Indeed we do, Tori our bassist, by far the most talented out of the lot of us. She is amazingly smart and her favourite movie is Jaws!
Me: Okay, let's talk about your new CD "Mr. Shiraz". Being a self-titled release is this your first?
Mikey: It's not. We have had a few EPs released. Our first album had the catchy title "I'm Invincible, I'm Built Like a Sherman Tank, Somebody Try and STOP ME!". I think this is like our fourth.
Me: How long have you kids been together playing?
Mikey: Well, me and Tori have been playing together as Mr Shiraz since the year 2000. Tim joined in 2005. Iain and Sam are both new boys joining this year.
Me: There's two of you on vocals, am I right? Do you each write your own part?
Mikey: Actually just me on vocals now, we have had points in the past when we split them but the new songs we have been doing are suited to just the one. Writing wise in the past it would vary, we would sometimes write together or i'd write it all or they would. Now all lyrics are done by me. I mean those cats write the music so really I should do... haha.
Me: You kids remind me of Faith No More or Sublime, both bands from America. Are they bands you're into?
Mikey: You have just named two of my top five bands ever so nice one!!!! Faith No More are a band, I believe to be the greatest of all time, Mike Patton is GOD!
Me: What bands from the U.K. do you listen to?
Mikey: U.K. wise it's mostly bands that we play with that I listen to... Cavorts, Random Hand, The Human Project. I do love Therapy?, Biffy Clyro are rad, Skindred, Gallows, Spy Catcher. There are a lot of wicked bands around.
Me: I saw that you guys opened for The Aquabats. I don't know to much about them, but a friend of mine is a big fan. Are they from England as well?
Mikey: Nope, The Aquabats are from the good ol' USA. I believe Travis Barker was once their drummer.
Me: They all dress up in the same clothes, like super heroes or something, am I right?
Mikey: Indeed you are, they are real, true superheroes.
Me: How was it opening for them?
Mikey: It was good fun. It was at The Cockpit in Leeds which is a wicked venue, also it was Iain's first gig with us. He did wicked!
Me: Was that the best show you have played?
Mikey: It was fun but not the best. We have been pretty lucky over the years to play things like Leeds Festival twice, tour Europe, tour America (as a huge grunge fan, playing Seattle is pretty high on my list) and supporting some true legends such as Alkaline Trio, Therapy?, Bouncing Souls, Reel Big Fish, Skindred, etc. We have just had so much fun its impossible to pin down the all time best.
Me: As well as the new album you have a new single "No Prophecy" which is not on the new album. Was it supposed to be?
Mikey: It wasn't no. We actually wrote the album AGES ago so a lot of it was the waiting game that happens with most albums, all the legal boring stuff that delays it. "No Prophecy" is one we wrote with the new line-up and we felt it important to get it out ASAP to give people a peek of whats to come!
Me: Are you working on a new album already?
Mikey: We are. It took almost six years between our first and second but we are now recording the new one in just a few weeks to get out for before Christmas! Thats right. Two in one year! The new record will be called "God Hates Mr Shiraz".
Me: You have a released a 15 minute movie short to go with the new song. Was is it about?
Mikey: Its not been released yet, but yes indeed. It will be out on Halloween. It is round the idea of cults. I have always had a big interest in the mentality of religious cults. the song "No Prophecy" was actually based around something I was watching on the Westboro Baptist Church. So it is about a cult leader talking to the congregation about his problems with the world and well, when its out you will see, lets just say that shit gets crazy!
Me: Where can a Phile reader see this video?
Mikey: It will be on YouTube, I'm sure we will spam social media... haha. We have quite a few videos out already if people care to see, they are all readily available on YouTube.
Me: I have to ask you about the album cover for the album... what does it mean? A hot girl hugging and kissing a squid man?
Mikey: Haha. Well, I'm not really sure to be 100% honest. I had an idea of what I wanted, a concept for the art work and tried to relay that to a bunch of different artists I know to see who would come up with the best idea. James Hughes did the one you speak about. The second I saw it I just fell in love with it. Also I love calimari and hot girls.
Me: Speaking of a hot girl... explain this.
Me: Who is that, and were you guys really on the cover of the magazine? I'm confused.
Mikey: Haha... that girl is actress Mila Kunis. A very beautiful lady. The picture of us on Rolling Stone Magazine is sadly fake. It was a press thing that was made to advertise the video we did for "Let It Burn" when we battled a fire breathing dinosaur. Hope that clears it up.
Me: Mila Kunis! I see that now. I am so stupid. Alright, so on the Phile I ask random questions thanks to Tabletopics. Are you ready? This is dumb. What was your favorite childhood meal?
Mikey: Erm... fishfingers, chips and spaghetti hoops or Super-Noodles. OOOOooooooH no no, Spaghetti Bolognese. Loved that as a kid.
Me: Mikey, thanks so much for being on the Phile. Go ahead and mention your website and please come back again. Take care. was this fun?
Mikey: Thanks for having us, it was fun, different questions. You can find us all over the net, come join us on Facebook... facebook.com/mrshiraz667 or on Twitter... mrshiraz. Cheers, cats.
Cats? Okay, then. That about does it for this entry. Thanks to Erin Harringan... you don't have to do that survey if you don't want to by the way. And Mikey Shiraz. There's only gonna be one entry of the Phile next weekend and that is on Sunday with Andreas Vanderbraindrain, lead singer of another British band The Tuesday Club. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. Have a safe Halloween.
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