Welcome to the April 2007 edition of the McCartney.com newsletter.
(created by Martin Nethercutt)

Dear Alan ,

Hello and welcome to the April 2007 edition of the McCartney newsletter.

Before we dive into this month's edition, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the victims and families of the Virginia Tech massacre.

May all of you find peace in these troubled times. God bless you all!

Introducing Steve Tyrell 2007!

Our team of designers and programmers have just completed and launched the new web site for jazz legend Steve Tyrell. The site is Steve's personal Presidential Library. From childhood photos and pics with celebrities, to his entire discography and movies archive, this site takes an entire afternoon to explore. Get in the mood for love and check out: Stevetyrell.com

L to R Dale Jensen, Ruth McCartney, Cheech Marin and Natalya

What a great event it was!

The first ever Las Vegas Champ Car Grand Prix was held downtown, in the old part of Las Vegas near the Fremont Experience. Here you see Dale Jensen (Co-Founder Las Vegas Grand Prix), Ruth, Cheech Marin and his charming young lady from St. Petersburg, enjoying a celebrity charity poker tournament at Binion's Casino. All proceeds went to benefit the Jenyon Foundation, created by Dale and partner Brad Yonover.

The Jenyon Foundation, Inc. is named after the owners of the Vegas Grand Prix, Dale Jensen and Yonover. Their company, DDB Ventures, is also putting on the Grand Prix Arizona , a similar event, in December 2007. The foundation will work with similar charities for the Arizona festival. The foundation will also donate money raised at the celebrity poker tournament to benefit Keep Memory Alive, among other charitable organizations.

Client Spotlight of the Month

The SeaVenture Resort, one of the premier California beach front hotels, offers luxury accommodations in Pismo Beach, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. With miles of clean, pristine sand and surf, a perfect climate, and a convenient location off Highway 101, Pismo Beach remains surprisingly quiet and quaint, one of California’s best-kept secrets.

Within the resort, marble finishes and custom furniture lend a casual elegance unique among Pismo Beach hotels. Your comfortable room, with private balcony and hot tub, will refresh you from the day’s outdoor activities: surfing, kayaking, bicycling, fishing, golf, as well as shopping for antiques in town. Stretch out on the warm sands of Pismo Beach and stroll on the boardwalk to the pier, just to catch the sunset and a sea breeze.

A few minutes drive from the resort you will find wine tasting at the best California wineries. A short drive north up Highway One brings you to the charming towns of San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, and Cambria, as well as spectacular Hearst Castle and the rugged coastline of Big Sur. It's also a GREAT place to have a corporate retreat or even get married!

Movie Spotlight

Interview with Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon) and Ruth McCartney

In this rare interview with Kevin Cronin, Ruth asks about the latest album release "Find Your Own Way Home", which was then called "Happy Ending".

Kevin walks her through the complicated process of song writing, recording and deciding on the new material which the band started in 2004.

This interview was recorded in Blue Moon Studios Malibu, California in 2006. We are also happy to report that the new McCartney designed REO Speedwagon web site just launched. Using integrated iFanz Content Management tools, REO are able to handle their own content, images and other media independently. Thanks to the MMI team, Christian, Mike, Kyle, Peter, Ryan and Richard.

More about the new album, the new web site and much much more, check out: Speedwagon.com and "Find Your Own Way Home". We reckon it's some of the best new music we've both heard in over a decade.

"FYI/Film Your Issue is an unprecedented, ambitious outreach to young Americans to engage them in the public dialogue about pressing issues of importance, locally or nationally.

We want to know what young people think, we want to empower the next generation of leaders to understand how their single voices can influence the public debate, and — as hoakey as it sounds — to understand the power of democracy — where every voice counts.

It doesn't always feel that way — like individually we can make a difference, or even collectively.

Sometimes voices get drowned out because of special interests, because of majority votes, because the time is not yet right for a collective consciousness to manifest the level of equality we know is the profound truth of the higher consciousness.
We are all equal. We all deserve protection by our government. Animals shouldn't be abused. There shouldn't be pollution. Nobody should suffer without healthcare or food or shelter.

We want to encourage young people, no matter how disaffected, cynical or disillusioned — and there is every reason to be cynical and disillusioned — yet, yet .... We have to fight, to speak up, to believe, to believe things can be better."

The project is sponsored by Yahoo! and JumpCut. Visit their site here. 

iFanz sponsors the 2007 Winery Music Awards

Our dear friend Kathy Kelly is once again presenting the Winery Music Awards. iFanz is a foundation sponsor to the event, letting all iFanz Music Artists know that it's time again to submit their materials to enter this year's competition. Ruth and Martin will be part of the panel of judges and critique style, performance and writing. Good luck to all of you and watch out Simon and Paula!

 
Winery Music Awards Judges & Show Hosts
2007 Winery Music Awards Co-Hosts
- Andrew Firestone - Janie Terrazas

2007 Winery Music Awards Judges
- Chris Andrews - Roy Braverman - Elizabeth Brooks
- Tom Cartwright - Timothy Drury - Bob Engel
- Jake Hooker - David Hunt - Stacie Jacob
- Adam Lazarre - Ruth McCartney - Brian Panella
- Marc Rashba

About the Winery Music Awards
"One of the Central Coast's most successful music events ever among local artists will be returning in 2007. Held on the grounds of select Paso Robles wineries, the Winery Music Awards competition showcases the best original, unsigned music artists in California and beyond with a backdrop of grapevines, stacks of wine barrels and the smell of fermenting wine in the air.

The artists compete for significant prizes contributed by a variety of sponsor companies within and outside the music industry. A panel of notable judges influential in the music, entertainment and wine industries votes its choices for best artists of the competition. Artists are judged in the categories of originality, musicianship and, most importantly, marketability to the wine-consuming market. The competition is open to the music genres of : jazz, rock, blues, new age, acoustic, country, folk, soft rock, reggae' and adult contemporary.

The Winery Music Awards Elimination Round concert competitions are held on one Saturday each month from June to September, with the Final competition and Awards presentation in October."

www.winerymusicawards.com 

Movie News

Our good friend Margit Pfeiffer just finished the sound design, foley and mixing for Grindhouse.

Two full length feature horror movies written by Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez put together as a two film feature. Including fake movie trailers in between both movies. Go Margit!

This month's recipe is unique, it comes from actress and close friend Iva Franks, who had enough of the latest dog food fiasco.

"This is for all my dog loving friends...I will no longer be buying food, I'll be making it. It is also less expensive..."
Deb's super duper dog recipe. (If you have small dogs you'll want to freeze some of this.)

2 lbs ground turkey (organic on all meats to avoid preservatives)
1 pint chicken livers
1 can beef broth
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1/2 package of mixed vegetables, blended
2 cups oats
3 cups brown rice
dash of salt
10 cups of water

Cook turkey and livers together in a separate pan, save drippings.

Cook oats and brown rice in water, add salt, olive oil and mixed vegetables along with beef broth.

Cook until completely thickened, add turkey and chicken livers.
Stir together and store in storable plastic bowls. This is enough for 2 dogs for 1 entire week. You can certainly freeze this and thaw out as needed.

Just fyi, I cook for them once a week. It is completely worth it because I know exactly what they are eating. I also microwave their food for about 30 seconds and stir well before feeding. I can promise you, with the chicken livers added, your dogs will love it."

Tech Tips of the Month

Google's Hidden Easter Egg

Here's something you don't see very day, Especially not if you're stock is more than $400 per share. Follow the steps below and find the Easter Egg.

1. go to www.google.com
2. click on "maps"
3. click on "get directions"
4. type "New York" in the first box (the "from" box)
5. type "London" in the second box (the "to" box)
6. scroll down to step #24

Vixy.net

Description:
Vixy is a website that provides 3 services; it can download YouTube and other embedded FLV videos straight into a number of different video formats, including iPod MP4, and it can Generate video RSS feeds or video Podcasts using either a YouTube URL or keyword search.

I’ve been looking for a good solution for how to download YouTube videos into iPod MP4 video for some time, and this is certainly it. I’ve found some software that does this, but the quality of the MP4 video was rather poor. I am happy to report that Vixy’s video conversions are simply excellent.Note that Vixy allows download into a number of formats. In addition to iPod MP4, it supports DivX encoded AVI, 3GP for Mobile, and Mac MOV format.

Or if you are interested in only downloading the audio track into MP3 it can do that as well. I somehow expect that the list of supported formats will continue to grow.Vixy is also an excellent resource for creating video RSS feeds. I used it to create a feed by keyword search and it did a great job. The RSS feed will update automatically whenever new videos are posted that are related to your search term. This service is really cool, really fast, and, if you have an iPod and are interested in YouTube videos, it is simply a gift.

iFanz® Artist Spotlight

Jimi Speaks HENDRIX: JIMI SPEAKS – The Album - OUT NOW! Hendrix fans listen up! My good friend and producing partner Marino de Silva and I just released the Jimi Speaks project for our Steven Rosen presents iConz of Rock series. Hear the Voodoo Child speak on Burning Guitars, UFOs, Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll! The album features rare and unreleased interviews with JIMI HENDRIX, and includes interviews with MITCH MITCHELL, NOEL REDDING, EDDIE KRAMER and BILLY COX....all conducted by veteran rock journo Steven Rosen. The luxury CD booklet contains contributions from MICK JAGGER, CARLOS SANTANA, PAUL McCARTNEY, KEITH RICHARDS, MILES DAVIS, PETE TOWNSHEND, MARINO DE SILVA, and BILL GRAHAM. Liner notes are written by STEVEN ROSEN and Grammy-winning producer LARRY COHN. BUY IT HERE. You are listening to a trance dance, drum and bass remix of the project, using voice over elements. Brought to you by: D.J. Poison (Santino de Silva) and DJ #9 from the U.K. featuring the guitar hooks of Marino. Cheers, lads and thanks! Next time we're over the pond, the fish n' chips are on us!