After seeing enough live acts to last a lifetime and a classic Pink Floyd set followed by Stevie Wonder...I'm almost speechless. of course I'll drop this photo of Joss Stone to make me even more speechless.

I'm also very regretful. Cameron and I were talking and we should've planned a trip with our friends to go to Philadelphia. I hate missing an event like this that I could have went to, especially when I know 4 people that would be down for the trip. I would've even dealt with Cam's insistence on bringing the Confederate flag with us. BTW Cam will probably blog something as well [Link].

Nonetheless I feel like I witnessed history, I can appreciate this more than Live Aid because I was so young when that event happened. But this was great. I even enjoyed listening to the popular French and Italian acts online during the day. I think AOL will archive the concerts for about a week so check out Pink Floyd over and over again like I will.

Oh yeah, in the spirit of world poverty, I'm going to be "sharing" an assload of files on WinMX to fill up my MP3 player.

Great day, great music. I wish Bono could've jumped in the middle of each act and did some self-awareness 20-minute rant. Bono cracks me up. I also like the new G&R/STP comp band because Scott Weiland and Slash also make me laugh everytime I see them. Still everything was great, the Jay-Z/Linkin Park set was money, it was also the only set MTV showed without interruption since their marketing prowess is behind that EP ($$$$). And Madonna is jacked. I'm convinced she's on roids. Her biceps are twice as big as mine.

I'm disappointed it didn't rain because it should always rain at these mega concert events and I'm disappointed that Cam, Abe, Sarah, Angie and myself (the YIG 5) couldn't make it either. I think we would've had a blast and took a million pictures. Maybe next time.

I hope your North American weekend has been good so far.

Since Cameron is too afraid to respond on the entitlement generation, I'll leave him something easier.

Jessica Simpson is being run through the ringer by Christian groups based on the release on her most recent video, a (terrible) remake of "The Boots Are Made for Walking". Simpson, who's been quick to admit her decline as a singing talent, was basically relagated to gratuitously shaking her ass. Not that *I'm* complaining mind you.

The Resistances spokesman John Conner is quoted by New York website the Bosh as saying: "She should be ashamed of herself. It's disappointing to have Jessica, a pastor's daughter and Christian role model, join the ranks of the 'singing strippers' such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. "She has one of the most beautiful voices, and is a very beautiful girl, but it's sad to see her whore her self out like this. What's worse is that pastor Joe Simpson is Jessica's manager, as well as her father."

We can definitely save the discussions for Joe Simpson's evangelical qualifications later. Not sure how many pastors would brag about their daughter's "rack" with the famous quote: "Those babies are Double Ds".

However, to keep this entry visually pleasing, read the short story and then check out the video for yourself...and check it out a second time for a response.


Jessica Slammed by Christian Groups [Teen Today]
"These Boots Are Made for Walking" [Egotastic!]

Well 20-40 somethings, we've finally gotten our label -- The entitlement generational. Sounds flattering doesn't it? Well here's how it's describe in an AP story that was released this weekend.

Now, deserved or not, this latest generation is being pegged, too - as one with shockingly high expectations for salary, job flexibility and duties but little willingness to take on grunt work or remain loyal to a company.

"We're seeing an epidemic of people who are having a hard time making the transition to work - kids who had too much success early in life and who've become accustomed to instant gratification," says Dr. Mel Levine, a pediatrics professor at the University of North Carolina Medical School and author of a book on the topic called "Ready or Not, Here Life Comes."

The first part of this is especially true in my business. For the most part the readers of this blog are professionals. I have a few journalists here, Mudge is some sort of marketing savant, Cameron is in law school, Brent is a professor, Fire is some tech guy, Dave is an IT freak.

So we're all in good careers and many of our careers don't lend themselves to company loyalty. If Brent is offered more money and tenure at another school, he'll take that job. I'm currently on a jobhunt for a larger paper, Dave almost moved to Florida for job purposes. I think the blame is going to the wrong place, the market today is oversaturated and a lot more competitive so everyone's trying to continue to move up rather than stay comfortable in one place until those employers move you out for someone younger and cheaper.

And let's not be mistaken, situations like Enron are on our minds. Many of those guys invested years and funds into a company that turned out to be unstable. We're pretty hellbent on not becoming unemployed and broke in our early 40s.

We're also natural entrepreneurs. The internet has given many of us this belief that we're just a few steps away from big-time salaries. Hell look at the Gawker empire. Nick Denton just has 13 blogs run by pretty compotent people and he sells a shitload of advertising for them. Combine that with a limited overhead and you have a money-making venture. That's the mark of this generation.

It's easy to write this group off as the selfish group who wants the house without the mortgage, but it not true. We're just better at the corporate game. They were a time when the worker stuck with his job despite being underpaid because it was a sense of pride. Not anymore, many of us want our market value and sometimes it takes hopping from place to place to get it.

Enjoy the story, it's a good read.


Working With The Entitlement Generation [AP]

Two related major losses this week in the world of voiceover acting.

On June 25 Paul Winchell passed away at the age of 82, he was the voice of Tigger, from Winnie the Pooh fame. [CNN]

The same day, probably just a few hours difference, John Fiedler died at the age of 80. He was the voice of Piglet. [CNN]