"I hope that's bubble gum, dear'"

30 years ago today, Elvis Presley died at the age of 42. His life was the epitome of the American Dream. A poor kid from the South goes on to change popular music and to influence the world.

I was never an Elvis fan growing up. I felt his music really did not fit with the Metal bands I was listening to at the time. Then I heard the album "An Afternoon in the Garden." This is a recording of a daytime concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is more of a sound check than a full-blown concert. After that album, I started to collect more and more of his live recordings. After he left Memphis and Sun Studios, I feel his records were a bit over produced. Too clean for the King of Rock'n'Roll.

Several years ago I was able to go to Memphis and visit Graceland. It is a weird place, part museum, part shrine. You have to see it for yourself. I could not possible describe it. Today, 30,000 people are there from around the world to pay tribute to a kid from Mississippi. Strange days indeed.

I would tell you to look past the kitsch. Ignore the stories of excesses and focus on the music. You must hear for yourself why Elvis is the king. Long live the king!

Take it to the Bridge

On CNN.com the headline reads:

"Bridge victims: Athlete, 'chatterbox,' student"

Although we are saddened by the loss, we are quite relieved because they just would not shut up. I mean really. They went on and on, it was very annoying. Did we want them be on a bridge that collapsed? No, not really. I mean who thinks a bridge is going to collapse?

When wishing harm upon someone, I really do not think that the whole "collapsing bridge" scenario comes to mind. Car accidents, fires...that sort of thing is more your usual go-to harm wishes.

Plus it's difficult to really work into the flow of conversation. "I hope they are on a bridge that collapses and falls in to the Mississippi river." That's tough.

The lesson here is to really be nice to everyone. Because some day you could die when on a bridge that collapses and the media will be looking for someone to say something about you. Do you really want your online epitaph to call you a "chatterbox?"