Corey Smith

Ricky Sharples asked:


Bluegrass music is an offshoot of the country and western musical genre. As with country music, bluegrass has its foundation in the music of Ireland, Scotland and England. If bluegrass is centered on one area of the USA, it is Appalachia. The people are of Irish and Scottish descent and in their music instrumental virtuosity is not a poor relation of singing. In most forms of popular music the instruments back up the vocalist, but in bluegrass the vocals and the instruments are all just members of the team. In a bluegrass band everybody is expected to take a solo just as they do in a jazz band. The instruments associated with bluegrass music are acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle and bass.

The main thing to remember if you want to learn to play bluegrass scales is to learn some tunes. That is what music is made of. The scales are just the foundation of melodies and you need to be able to break out of the confinement of your scale as soon as possible. The other thing learning tunes is good for is developing right hand speed. As you can tell from listening to bluegrass music, speed flatpicking is essential.

If you are interested in learning bluegrass music and you would like to start by learning scales, start with the major scales in the open position. Do not bother with going up the neck of the guitar yet because learning your scales in the open position is crucial for playing bluegrass solos. Learn the scale in the key of G first, then C, D, F, A and E. Learn the keys one at a time so that you are comfortable with one before you go onto the next key. As with all musical learning, the more work you put into it at the beginning, the greater the rewards and the quicker your progress.

When you sit down each day to practice your scales, spend five or ten minutes going up and down the scale alternately. Then experiment a little. Try playing the scale by skipping some notes or playing the notes randomly. You need to become very familiar with the major scale because bluegrass solos rely on major keys. To get further into bluegrass guitar scales, find examples of the major pentatonic and the major diatonic scale.

 

Another basic scale that is important in bluegrass, blues, country and rock music is the minor pentatonic scale. It has five notes, should be learned in all positions on the guitar neck in all keys, and has been used for lead solos by every guitar player known to man. It is also popularly known as the blues scale. If you do not know much about modes, do an internet search to get some idea of the difference between a scale and a mode. If you have trouble understanding the theory, do not worry, just try playing.

The mixolydian mode is a good “scale” to practice on also:

  E—————————————————————-0—–1—–3

  B————————————————-0—–1—–3—————

  G—————————————-0—-2——————————-

  D————————0—–2—–3—————————————-

  A——–0—–2—-3———————————————————

  E–3————————————————————————–

 

To get more in-depth knowledge of bluegrass guitar scales, some great bluegrass guitar players to listen to are Vassar Clements, Doc Watson, Darol Anger, Clarence White, Norman Blake and Sam Bush.

Attila Jancsina asked:


The Commonwealth of Kentucky is known for its magnificent caves, longest navigable bodies of waters, the two largest man-made lakes that can be found in the east of the Mississippi river, bourbon distilleries, blue grass music, and highly-diverse environment rich in natural resources. More importantly, Kentucky is known as the “Bluegrass” State, as the region is abundant with bluegrass, may it be in lawns or in the pastures.

Thoroughbred horses are also one of the most famous features of Kentucky. With pastures covered with plenty of bluegrass, horse breeding and horse racing became one of the main attractions of this region. Kentucky is known to have produced the best race horses breed in the renowned horse ranches all over the state.

If interested in setting up your own ranch, Kentucky is one of the places most conducive to breeding thoroughbred horses. The region has several areas suitable for starting a farm or ranch. There are a number of available farm and grazing lands are abundant with bluegrass.

Accordingly, here are several factors one must consider before setting up a horse farm or ranch, whether it is for leisure or profit. They are the farm land, grazing land, breed of horses, ranch planning, fencing, labor, capital and time.

Farm or Ranch Planning

The primary thing to do is to lay down an extensive plan. Careful planning leads to a well-organized ranch or farm. There is a basic difference between a ranch and a farm. A farm usually breeds horses for farm work while ranches breed and train horses for races. Write down all the things that are needed in setting up the farm, including the startup cost and possible future expenses such as maintenance. If the budget is limited, the ranch may not be in full form in a short period of time. This is better than sacrificing the quality of the farm and the horses it will breed.

Increase Knowledge in Farm or Ranch Management

Knowledge is an important factor in ranch or farm management. Learn the basics in breeding horses, such as the diet and different types of sickness together with their symptoms. Read books and other materials that tell about horses and proper breeding techniques. Attend seminars on ranch or farm management. It is also an advantage to seek the help of those experts in horse breeding and ranch management.

Find a Suitable Place to Construct the Farm or Ranch

The ranch should be situated in land near pastures. It should be large enough to include a barn, stable, horse exerciser, round pen and outdoor riding area. There should be a road accessible to high traffic areas such as the barns and paddock gates. It is also advisable to place the stable in elevated places for proper drainage and convenience. It is easier to cart a wheel barrow full of manure and other waste in a downward slope. Accordingly, firstkentuckyfsbo offers an extensive list of available lands suitable for setting up a farm or ranch in the Kentucky area.

Fence the Whole Ranch

The whole perimeter of the land should be fenced, which should be periodically maintained. This may entail extra cost but it is a necessary expenditure. In the event that horses got out of the stable especially at night, it is necessary to prevent them from ending up in the streets. Other accidents might also happen when the horses roam out of the farm. The fences will keep the horses inside the farm even if they got out at night. However, the fence should be checked from time to time in case repair is needed.

Importance of Grazing Land



Horses should not be confined in stables. They are social animals and needs to be let out in the open. They need to interact with other horses. A pasture abundant with grass is very beneficial to the proper growth of horses.

Safety of Horses



Also, a vital consideration in starting a horse ranch is the safety of the horses. The farm must have a good lay-out that will ensure precautions to prevent accidents. Regular consultation with a veterinarian is also advisable. The whole ecosystem around the farm should also be protected. Birds and frogs are natural predators of flies, which are considered as pests to horses.

Have Enough Farm Hands

Last, but not the least, have enough number of laborers. Horse breeding is a labor-intensive endeavor. Although this is probably one of the main source of expenditure, having adequate number of farm hands will ensure proper breeding and maintenance of the farm. There are too many chores around the farm that it will not be economical to do all of it without help. Maintaining a ranch is a serious business, even if it is not established for profit. Necessary steps should be taken to ensure the ranch or farm’s proper development.

Vikram Singh Chadha asked:


Modern day bluegrass patriarch Del McCoury adds a new dimension to his role as a musical leader on July 8, 2008 when his family owned McCoury Music label, distributed by powerhouse RED Distribution (a division of SonyBMG) releases Moneyland, a timely multi-artist collection that offers a hard-hitting look at today’s economic injustice through a thoughtful selection of six new (or newly recorded) songs, mixed with eight neglected gems and classic favorites. Framed by excerpts from two of Franklin Roosevelt’s Depression-era “fireside chats,” Moneyland revitalizes country and bluegrass music’s connections to the lives of hardworking people in ways that honor the past, look to the future and challenge listeners to act in the present.

Moneyland’s musical bookends are found in Bernard “Slim” Smith’s Depression era classic, “Breadline Blues,” as the original 1931 recording at the start of the album is matched by a new “Breadline Blues 2008,” featuring McCoury, the legendary Mac Wiseman, Grammy winner Tim O’Brien and the harmonies of Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. Between the two, the collection explores the hardships of rural and small town working people and their families. Familiar names and songs abound–the Del McCoury Band brings two original songs to the table, Country Music Hall of Famer Merle Haggard supplies the 1973 classic “If We Make It Through December” and the more recent “What Happened?,” which appeared on his McCoury Music bluegrass debut of last year, and the set includes Emmylou Harris’s and Rodney Crowell’s glistening take on his “Mama’s Hungry Eyes”–but there’s also room for Dan Tyminski’s 2001 recording of “Carry Me Across The Mountain,” based on a true Depression era story, Haggard and Marty Stuart’s searing “Farmer’s Blues,” Chris Knight’s “A Train Not Running,” a more recent tale of economic devastation, and more. Yet whether new or old, bluegrass, country or something else, each song contributes to the profound impact of Moneyland.

That impact is more than musical, and it doesn’t take long to learn that for McCoury, the new album is more than just a thematic collection–it’s a project that reflects deep and abiding concerns shaped both by observation and experience. “I grew up on a farm myself, back during the late ’40s, and we raised everything. We raised hogs and chickens, had dairy cows, we shipped milk. Times were good for the farmer in those days, but now the farmers are just hanging on…by their fingernails.”

“It’s sad to me that country kids can’t stay in their hometowns any more. There’s no opportunity, there are no jobs, there’s just nothing. And at the other end of life, there are a lot of people losing the pensions they worked for–that happened to my wife, Jean–and there are more people relying on Social Security than ever. You know, we have a little fun on this album with that Beatles song, ‘When I’m 64,’ but really, it’s no joke. It used to seem like 60 was really old, but nowadays, it feels more like middle age, and to have a lot of years ahead of you without being sure that what you spent a lifetime working for, like a pension or Social Security, is going to be there–well, that just doesn’t seem right.”

Yet as pointed as the critique is, and as sharp as the thoughts and stories embedded in Moneyland’s songs are, Del and his associates–his manager, Stan Strickland shares executive producer credits with Del, while Strickland produced the project with Del’s sons, Rob and Ronnie–never lose sight of two key points: first, that the album’s musical artistry be as compelling and irresistible as its sentiments are strong, and second, that it be not only critical, but inspirational, too. While Moneyland’s stories may tell of trials and even desperation, they’re never without hope–along with plenty of incisive wit and flashes of humor.

“Moneyland has a message that people need to hear and think about,” McCoury says reflectively. “And, especially in an election year, take action on. This isn’t about party politics, it’s about doing what’s best for our country and everyone in it, not just a lucky few.”

For more information, please visit www.mccourymusic.com.

Gary Tooth asked:


The humble harmonica has to be one of the easiest musical instruments to master in the world. Okay, so there are some great Folk and Blues musicians out there that can make this little mouth piece talk their language, but what I’m talking about here is for Joe Average, without a musical bone in his body, being able to knock out a melody in no time at all. What other instrument allows you to do that? You really can learn how to play the harmonica in a matter of days or weeks, depending on your commitment.

Most instruments require you get a beginners book, or if you’re really enthusiastic, a private tutor or perhaps joining a local class so that you can get a head start with your strumming, blowing, picking, or beating, depending what it is you’re trying to master. But with the pocked sized mouth organ, there’s no such learning curve. Just pick one up from your local music store and learn to play the harmonica your way.

I remember the time I purchased my first ever harmonica. It was back in the 1980’s when I was bumming my way around the world, that I struck a fascination with the sounds and notes that could be plucked from this musical mouthpiece. It all began when I came across this Danish couple who were journeying through Western Asia.

Tucked away in their backpacks were an Irish tin whistle and a tuppeny ha’penny harmonica. After dinner one evening, on the outskirts of the Chitwan jungle of Nepal, they began to entertain a small group of us happy hippies with their music. It was at this exact moment in time that I fell in love with, and made a decision to, learn to play the harmonica.

It was some weeks later before I found a place to purchase one. Funnily enough, there’s not a lot of call for music stores in the foot hills of the Himalayas or along the swamps of India, so it wasn’t until I’d landed in Georgetown, on the Malaysian island of Penang, that I found a rickety little shop that had harmonicas on sale for a mere two dollars a piece. I could hardly wait to get started, and so rushed off excitedly to my grimy guest house where I began to lean to play my new toy.

It proved to be a great companion on my travels. The first tune I knocked out was the Christmas carol ‘Silent Night’. Well it was December! But soon afterwards I was doing impressive little instrumentals and jamming sessions with fellow travelers who were trudging the circuit with bulky guitars strapped to their backs.

Whether you’re planning a long trip, or just looking for something to do outside the virtual world of a computer, then why not learn to play the harmonica? It’ll give you heaps of fun without the frustration that comes with more serious musical instruments. Hey, who knows where it could lead you Mr. Dylan!

If you really get a knack for the hand harp, you could then progress onto to say Chicago Blues, Country, Bluegrass, Folk, or even some unique style of your own. Good luck!

ryan@thesatellitetvguide.com asked:


Satellite TV Programming

With more than 375 channels to choose from, satellite TV programming offers far more TV listings and viewing options than cable or over-the-air TV.

Satellite TV also gives you access to music channels, pay-per-view movies, sports packages, adult channels, and international programming.

DISH Network Satellite TV Programming

DISH Network programming packages start at $19.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes: African, Arabic, Armenian, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, South Asian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu channels.

DISH Network has the biggest variety of movies, music, and shows and the most HD (high definition) programming of the two satellite TV providers.

Here are DISH Network’s current satellite TV programming packages:

Dish Family Pak

This package includes the following program channels:

Angel One, Animal Planet, Biography Channel, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, BYUTV, CCT-9, CCT-E&F, CNN Headline News, Colours TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, CSTV, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times, DIY, EWTN, Fine Living, Food Network, FOX News Channel, Great American Country (GAC), Hallmark, Hallmark Movie Channel, HSN, Kids Tunes, NASA, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (West), Nicdelodeon Games & Sports, Nicktoons, QVD, RFDTV, Shop at Home, Shop NBC, TBN, The Outdoor Channel, The Science Channel, The Weather Channel, TV Land.

America’s Top 60 ($29.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels:

ABC Family, America’s Prevue TV, Angel One, Arts & Entertainment (A&E), Beauty & Fashion Channel, BYUTV, Cable News Network (CNN), Cartoon Network, CCTV-9, Classic Arts Showcase, CNBC, Colours TV, Comedy Central, Country Music Television, Court TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Daystar, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), Documentary Channel, Drive TV, E! Entertainment Television, ESPN Alternate, ESPN2 Alternate, ESPNews, ESPN, Eternal Word Television Network, FEC/PAEC, Food Network, Free Speech TV, Good Samaritan Network, Headline News Network, Healthy Living Channel, The History Channel, HITN, Holistic Television Network, Home & Garden Television, The Home Shopping Network, Horseracing TV, iSHOP, Jewelry Television, The Learning Channel, Lifetime, Link TV, Men’s Channel, Music Television (MTV), Music Television 2 (MTV2), NASA, Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (West), Northern Arizona University/University House, Pentagon Channel, QVC Shopping Network, Research Channel, RFDTV, The Sci-Fi Channel, Shop At Home, Shop NBC, Spike TV, The Travel Channel, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Turner Broadcast System (TBS), Turner Network Television (TNT), TV Games Network, TV Guide Channel, TV Land, TV Outlet Mall, University Of California, University Of Washington, USA Network, VH1, The Weather Channel.

America’s Top 120 ($39.99 per month)

This package includes all of the channels in the America’s Top 60 package, plus the following program channels:

Altitude Sports & Entertainment, American Movie Classics (AMC), Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television (BET), Bravo, CD-70S Songbook, CD-Acoustic Crossroads, CD-Adult Alternative, CD-Adult Contemporary, CD-Adult Favorites, CD-Big Band Era, CD-Blues, CD-BYU Radio Network, CD-Classic Rock, CD Classic Ambience, CD-Contemporary Christian, CD-Contemporary Instrumentals, CD-Contemporary Jazz Flavors, CD-Country Classics, CD-Country Currents, CD-Easy

Instrumentals CD-Euro Style, CD-Fiesta Mexicana, CD-Hawaiian Music, CD-Hot Hits, CD-Jazz Traditions, CD-JukeBox Gold, CD-Kid Tunes, CD-Latin Styles, CD-Light Classical, CD-Modern Rock Alternative, CD-New Age, CD-New Country, CD-NUJAZZ, CD-Power Rock, CD-Reggae, CD-Urban Beat, College Sports Television, Comcast Sports Net Chicago, Comcast Sports Net West, Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic, Discovery Health, ESPN Classic, FOX News Channel, FOX Pittsburgh 2, FOX Sports, FOX Sports Arizona, FOX Sports Bay Area, FOX Sports Cincinnati, FOX Sports Detroit, FOX Sports Florida, FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports New England, FOX Sports New York, FOX Sports Northwest, FOX Sports North, FOX Sports Ohio, FOX Sports Pittsburgh, FOX Sports Rocky Mountain, FOX Sports South West, FOX Sports South, FOX Sports West, FOX Sports West 2, FOX Soccer Channel, Fuse, FX, G4, Galavison, Game Show Network, Independent Film Channel, International Music Feed, Madison Square Garden, MSNBC, New England Sports Network (NESN), NFL Network, Noggin, Oxygen, Pax TV, Sirius BBC Radio 1, Sirius Boombox, Sirius Elcis, Sirius Love Songs, Sirius Margaritaville, Sirius Underground Garage, Sirius 60’s Vibration - 60’s Hits, Sirius Alt Nation - Alternative Rock, Sirius Area 63, Sirius Back Spin - Old Skool Rap, Sirius Big 80’s - 80’s Hits, Sirius Bluegrass - Bluegrass Music, Sirius Blues - Classic Blues, Sirius Broadway’s Best - Broadway Musicals, Sirius Buzzsaw - Classic Hard Rock, Sirius Classic Rewind - Recent Rock, Sirius Classic Vinyl - Early Rock, Sirius Classical Voices - Opera, Sirius Disorder - Free Form Rock, Sirius Faction - Rock/Hip Hop/Punk, Sirius First Wave - Classic Alternative, Sirius Hair Nation - 80’s Hair Bands, Sirius Hard Attack - Heavy Metal, Sirius Heart & Soul - R&B Hits, Sirius Hip Hop Nation - Uncut Hip Hop, Sirius Hot Jamz - Jam Bands, Sirius Jazz Cafe - Smooth Jazz, Sirius Left of Center - College Rock, Sirius Mexicana - Refional Mexican, Sirius Moving Easy - Easy Listening Hits, Sirius Octand - Pure Hard Rock, Sirius Outlaw Country, Sirius Planet Jazz - Contemporary Jazz, Sirius Pops - Classical Favorites, Sirius Praise - Gospel Music, Sirius Prime Country - 80’s & 90’s Country, Sirius Pure Jazz - Classic Jazz, Sirius Remiz - Dance Club Mix, Sirius Revolution - Christian Rock, Sirius Runbon - Reggae & Tropical, Sirius Shade 45, Sirius Gold 50’s & 60’s Hits, Sirius Hits One - Top 40 Hits, Sirius Soul Revue - Classical Soul, Sirius Spa 73 - New Age, Sirius Spectrum - Worls Class Rock, Sirius Spirit - Christian Hits, Sirius Standard Time - Standards, Sirius Symphony Hall - Symphonies, Sirius Super Shuffle, Sirius The Bridge - Mellow Rock, Sirius The Coffee House, Sirius The Globe, Sirius The Pulse - The 90’s & Now, Sirius The Roadhouse - Classic Country, Sirius The Strobe - Classic Disco, Sirius The Vault - Deep Cuts Classic Rock, Sirius Totally 70’s - 70’s Hits, Sirius Universo Latino - Latin Pop Mix, SiTV, Soap Net, The Speed Channel, Sports Alternate 1, Sports Alternate 2, Sports Alternate 3, Sports Alternate 4, Sunshine Network, Telefutura East, Telefutura West, Toon Disney, Turner Classic Movies, Turner South, Univision, Univision West, WE: Women’s Entertainment, WGN Superstation.

America’s Top 180 ($39.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the America’s Top 120 package, plus the following:

7890 - 4 Decades of Music, Biography, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, CNBC World, Discovery Health, Discovery Home, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Dish Music - 50’s & 60’s Hits, Dish Music - 70’s Hits, Dish Music - 80’s Hits, Dish Music- All That Jazz, Dish Music - Beach Party, Dish Music - Classic Soul, Dish Music - Country Music One, Dish Music - Expressions, Dish Music - Hitline, Dish Music - Hot FM, Dish Music - Italia, Dish Music - Love Songs, Dish Music - Moodscapes, Dish Music - New Orleans Jazz, Dish Music - Piano & Guitar, Dish Music - Roadhouse, Dish Music - Tropical Breezes, Dish Music - Urban Adult, Do It Yourself Network, Encore

(West), Encore Action, Encore Love, Encore Mysteries, Encore Wam, Encore Westerns, ESPNNU, Fine Living, FOX Movie Channel, FOX Reality TV, FOX Soccer Channel, The Golf Channel, GOL TV, Great American Country, Hallmark Channel, History Channel International, Lifetime Movie Network, Military Channel, The Movie Channel (West), MUN2, National Geographic Channel, Nick Toons, Nickelodeon Games & Sports, The Outdoor Channel, The Science Channel, TMC Extra West, VH1 Classic, Wisdom Television.

America’s Everything Pak ($74.99)

This package includes all the channels in the America’s Top 180 package, plus the following movie channels (31 movie channels in all):

Showtime Unlimited Package, Starz! Super Pak, HBO Package, Cinemax Package.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DISH Network, click on the links below.

DIRECTV Satellite TV Programming

DIRECTV satellite TV programming starts at $41.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes Chinese, Filipino, Italian, South Asian, Spanish, and Vietnamese channels.

DIRECTV has the most sports program packages of the two satellite TV providers, including the popular NFL Sunday Ticket.

Here are DIRECTV’s current satellite TV programming packages:

Total Choice ($41.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels:

A&E Network, ABC Family, America’s Store, American Movie Classics (AMC), Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television(BET), Bloomberg Television, Bravo, BYU TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, The Church Channel, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Country Music Television (CMT), Court TV, Current TV, Daystar, DIRECTV FREEVIEW Events, Discovery Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), E! Entertainment Television, ESPN, ESPN CLASSIC, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, EWTN, FINE LIVING, Fit TV, Food Network, Fox Movie Channel, Fox News Channel, Fuse, FX, G4 Videogame TV, Galavisión, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Headline News, HITN TV, Home & Garden Television, i Independent Television, Independent Film Channel, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Link TV, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, National Geographic Channel, NFL Network, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (West), Noggin/The N, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), Oxygen, PBS You, QVC, RFD TV, SCI FI Channel, Shop At Home, ShopNBC, SOAPnet, Speed Channel, Spike TV, Superstation WGN, TBS Superstation, The Church Channel, The History Channel, The Learning Channel, The Weather Channel, The Word, TNT, Toon Disney, TRAVEL CHANNEL, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner South, TV Guide Channel, TV Land, TV One, Univision, USA Network, VH1, WE: Women’s Entertainment, World Harvest Television, XM: America, XM: Audio Visions, XM: Beyond Jazz, XM: Bluegrass Junction, XM: Bluesville, XM: BPM, XM: Chrome, XM: Cinemagic, XM: Deep Tracks, XM: Ethel, XM: Frank’s Place, XM: Hank’s Place, XM: Highway 16, XM: KISS, XM: Lucy, XM: MIX, XM: Nashville!, XM: RAW - XL, XM: Real Jazz, XM: Soul Street, XM: Special X, XM: Spirit, XM: Squizz - XL, XM: Suite 62, XM: Sunny, XM: The 40s, XM: The 50s, XM: The 60s, XM: The 70s, XM: The 80s, XM: The 90s, XM: The Blend, XM: The City, XM: The Fish, XM: The Flow, XM: The Heart, XM: The Joint, XM: The Loft, XM: The Move, XM: The Rhyme - XL, XM: The System, XM: Top 20 on 20, XM: Top Tracks, XM: VOX, XM: Watercolors, XM: World Zone, XM: X Country, XM: XM Café, XM: XM Classics, XM: XM Pops

Total Choice Plus ($46.99 per month)

This package includes all the Total Choice programs, plus the following channels:

The Biography Channel, Boomerang, Discovery Home & Leisure, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Wings, DIY - Do It Yourself Network, Fuel, History International, PBS KIDS, The Science Channel, SOAPNet.

Total Choice Premier ($96.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the Total Choice Plus package, plus the following program channels:

Action, BLACK STARZ!, Cinemax (East), Cinemax (West), Comcast SportsNet (Mid-Atlantic), CSTV: College Sports Television, Empire Sports Network, Encore® (West), Encore® (East), FLIX, Fox Sports World, The Golf Channel, HBO, HBO (West), HBO Family, HBO Family (West), HBO HDTV, HBO Latino, HBO Signature, HBO2, HBO2 (West), Love Stories, Madison Square Garden (MSG), MoreMAX, The Movie Channel, The Movie Channel West, Mystery, NBA TV, New England Sports Network, The Outdoor Channel, SHOWTIME East, SHOWTIME Extreme, SHOWTIME HDTV, SHOWTIME Showcase, SHOWTIME TOO, SHOWTIME West, STARZ! (East), STARZ! (West), STARZ! Theater (East), Sundance Channel, Sunshine Network, True Stories, VH1 Classic, WAM!, Westerns, YES Network.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DIRECTV, click on the links below.

Click on the following link for more information on free satellite TV systems and service, or these links for programming information, ordering information, and the latest special offers from DISH Network satellite TV or DIRECTV satellite TV.

Jimmy Cox asked:


Lawns are not so puzzling if viewed as populations of grass plants which have the usual plant requirements for growth and survival. Simple reasoning then suggests timing and frequency of fertilization, steady mowing - not so severe as to cut away large portions of vital green leaf - seasonal weeding to lessen competition for the grass and other practices appropriate for the kind of grass planted.

Today even the most amateurish lawn owner can procure effective, ready-to-use products, with the directions for use simply stated on the package. Laborious practices have fallen before science and research.

Soils and Seedbed

Lawn making, like any gardening, is helped by good soils. But a little extra attention can make up for poorer soil, so don’t be disheartened should your lawn be upon subsoil from a basement excavation. Fertilizer and grass roots can turn this into “topsoil,” and in most cases purchase of topsoil is not necessary.

For a new lawn, till the soil several inches deep, breaking up the compacted layers. Grade and rake level, with the land sloped for drainage away from the house. Avoid steep slopes, impoundments, obstructions that will be in the way of mowing convenience. The surface need not be pulverized; in fact a dusty fineness will cake, inhibiting sprouting and leading to soil wash.

Incorporate ample plant food. This is the last chance to get fertilizer into the root zone without disturbing the grass. Almost any complete fertilizer is suitable, but especially should phosphorus be mixed in. Phosphorous is “fixed” by soil, will not move readily downward from the top. Twenty pounds of 12-12-12, or something equivalent, to 1,000 sq. ft. is not a heavy rate for most seedbeds.

Choice of Grass

Next comes the all-important choice of grass. The kind of grass will determine the appearance of the lawn, and guide maintenance practices.

For the northern area there are three main grasses - Kentucky bluegrasses, red fescues, and bentgrasses. Bentgrass requires extra attention, and is best left to the specialist. Kentucky bluegrass and red fescue have similar growth habits and make good companions. The bluegrasses do best in open situations and on good soil, while the red fescues are adaptable

The short-lived ryegrasses and coarse tall fescues (Kentucky 31 and Alta) are frequent ingredients of inexpensive mixtures. They are quick to sprout, but smother the slower permanent grasses. With mulching commonly practiced nowadays, there is little need for quick nurse grasses in a seed mixture. Reject seed mixtures which contain more than a very minor per cent of rye grass, and don’t use tall fescues at all for fine lawns.

Watering

Constant moisture is vital to sprout seed or start new sprigs. Established and well fertilized turf rarely dies from lack of water. Of course, during summer drought grass tends to brown, and then watering determines whether the lawn will be green or not. Obviously, watering can help the weeds as well as the grass.

Mowing

Bermudas, Zoysias and bents have low trailing growth, can be mowed rather closely (usually 3/4 to 1 inch). Blue-grasses, the Fescues, St. Augustine, Carpet and Bahia prefer somewhat higher mowing (1 to 3 inches; the more difficult the climate, the more is high mowing apt to help the grass). Centipede is intermediate.

For close mowing, reel mowers usually are preferred; they do a precision job.

7 Basic Steps to Having a Good Lawn

1. Prepare a good seedbed for a new lawn, amply fertilized.

2. Choose quality grass - bluegrass mixtures in the North, sprigs or seed of choice in the South.

3. Mulch the seedbed after seeding, then water regularly until the new grass is established.

4. Mow whenever the grass grows an inch, and keep it mowed (high in

difficult climates).

5. Fertilize generously, especially at seasons just preceding greatest grass growth.

6. Weed if needed, by hand or chemically. If the latter, follow product

directions carefully.

7. Above all, plan procedures so as to not overtax time or budget, so that you can really enjoy having a lawn.

Follow these guidelines and you will have a lawn to be proud of.

Temp asked:


For those in search of a beautiful landscape with various activities to take your mind off your problems, or if you just want to have a good time with friends and family, look no further than Maggie Valley. With its ideal location adjacent to the national park of the Great Smoky Mountains plus two national forests, you can engage in different outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, camping, and horseback riding. The nearby Cataloochee Valley also offers the treat of having an encounter with the elk, which, after a period of absence, have returned to the park. Also, if you plan on visiting Maggie Valley, you might also want to look at Smoky Mountain Homes, Asheville Luxury Homes while enjoying some Maggie Valley Tours, as well as a good game of golf with Golf NC.

Here are various activities that you can enjoy while in Maggie Valley.

1. Pursuit Field. The paintball field can become paradise for children over the age of 12 who want to engage in war games with other children. Parents can sit on observer areas while their kids have a good time under the sun. The package includes a jumpsuit, goggles, a gun, and ammunition of 100 paintballs. If you are a sports aficionado, do not miss trying out playing a good game of golf in NC.

2. Stompin’ Ground. The whole family can enjoy the performing company’s authentic and unique mountain music and dancing. For those who love to dance, you can have line dancing, clogging, square dancing, and two-stepping with country bluegrass or gospel music as your accompaniment. If you have no confidence yet in your dancing skills, you can schedule pre-show dance lessons.

3. Maggie Valley Opry. They are open every night from May up to October. Your auditory senses will be treated to traditional Appalachian bluegrass music that includes accompaniment for a banjo by a world-famous picker.

4. Carolina Nights Dinner Theater. While dining, you will be treated to a spectacular show with performers in breath-taking costumes bathed in high-tech lighting and sound system. They perform music that varies from country and gospel to bluegrass, and they also have comedies and magic shows.

5. Cataloochee Snowboard and Slo Parade. As a way to celebrate the year’s end, the locals put on an awe-inspiring show of colored flares that travel down the mountain. For parade-goers, refreshments are served at the lodge, free of charge, before the parade begins.

6. Cataloochee Ski Area. Maggie Valley also offers a top-quality ski area, with a triple chairlift on all of its four lifts, a park that features a snowtube, ten slopes, and a vertical drop that is 740 feet from the ground. You can also avail of the equipment in its rental shop.

7. Wheels Through Time. A motorcycle museum that boasts of a collection of more than 250 rare antique motorcycles and automobiles, this site will no doubt delight lovers of antiques and high-powered engines.

8. Ghost Town in the Sky. An amusement park built around the wildwest theme, this site can only be reached through a chair lift or inclined railway that brings the guests to the top of the mountain.

There are certainly a lot of things to do as you visit Maggie Valley in North Carolina, however make sure that you would not miss looking at Smoky Mountain Homes and Asheville Luxury Homes, as you find out that living in Maggie Valley might be just what you are looking for. Also make sure that you would take the time to go on some Maggie Valley Tours and golfing with Golf NC.

Evan Wooldridge asked:


Watering a lawn in the proper manner is one of the most misunderstood and most neccessary steps in keeping up a healthy, attractive lawn. Most people water there lawn too long and not often enough.

Here are some awesome guidlines

to ensure a the most effective and efficient method to properly water your lawn. First of all soak your lawn only to the depth of the root zone and no further. Each time you water you should moisten the soil to a depth of 6-8 in. when watering bluegrass and 8-11 in. on other grasses. This will ensure that you wter only to the grass’s active root zone. The length of time and amount of water it will take to moisten the root zone depend on soil type and the irrigation system. Sandy soils will be penetrated more quickly and more deeply than clay and other softer soils.

To determine the length of time required to moisten your lawn’s root zone:

This is an awesome formula given by a well known University…Run the sprinklers for 15 minutes. Twenty-four hours later, dig a small hole in the ground or use a probe to determine how deeply the soil is moistened. You will use this information to determine how long to water each time. To calculate the number of minutes to water the lawn divide 120 by the depth of the moistened soil in inches. For example, if the water soaked in 4 in., figure 120/4 = 30 minutes. It would take an hour to soak in eight inches. If it soaked in 6 in., the lawn should be watered for 20 minutes (120/6 in. = 20 minutes). However, bluegrass has a shallower root system than other grasses; it needs to be soaked to a depth of only 6-8 in. (instead of 8-12 in). Take the second example above: In 15 minutes, water soaked in 6 in. You would need to water a bluegrass lawn for only 15 minutes instead of the 20 minutes calculated for other types of grass. Once the length of the watering period is established, use the same period each time you water, no matter what the season. If water starts to run off the lawn before the end of the watering period, turn the water off for one hour and let the water soak in; then turn the sprinklers back on and finish watering.

Runoff is sometimes caused by excess thatch. If thatch is more than 1/2 in. thick, the lawn should be dethatched. Dethatch cool-season lawns (bluegrass or fescue) in early spring or late summer. Dethatch bermudagrass lawns in late spring. Proper mowing, watering and fertilization can reduce the buildup of thatch. To reduce thatch buildup, avoid overwatering the lawn.

When the lawn needs water the grass will take on a bluish or dull green color and the blades will begin to fold or roll. Footprints will remain visible after the lawn is walked on. Tree and shrub roots competing with the turf will require additional water. Once a month soak the soil very deep to encourage tree and shrub root development below the turf root zone. Leave the sprinklers on three times the normal time or use a soaker hose under the entire tree canopy. The best time of day to water is in the early morning. Less water evaporates if lawns are watered when temperatures are cool and winds are calm. These conditions occur most frequently in early morning. Late afternoon and evening watering also reduces evaporation losses if winds are calm, but tends to encourage disease because the grass stays moist all night. Many of the fungus diseases that affect grass require water droplets or high humidity to sporulate and infect the plants. Midday watering is more convenient for many people and does not harm the lawn. However, more water is lost to evaporation. In most situations sprinklers are the most effective way to water lawns. Flood irrigation can also be used on level lawns where a water source is available. Sprinkler spray patterns should overlap 80-100% depending on the type of sprinkler system that is installed. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper sprinkler installation. A good system must provide even water distribution to all grassed areas. The water must be applied to only the grassed areas, not to walls, sidewalks, driveways or streets. Use the can test described above to gauge uniformity. Most sprinkler heads have a spring adjustment to control the flow of water. Sprinklers that water less than a full circle can be adjusted to direct water away from walls and paved areas. If some sprinkler heads have been replaced, it may be necessary to replace all of the sprinkler heads in order to achieve uniform application. Maybe this will assist you in watering your lawn.

David asked:


There’s something instinctual in human beings that causes us to be fascinated by caves and caverns. In the days when being eaten by a bear at 25 was considered having “had a pretty good run”, a good cave was the equivalent of a 3 bedroom in the suburbs with a fenced in yard and a 2-car garage. Perhaps that ancestral memory is what makes Carter Caves State Resort Park so appealing. Or maybe they’re just cool.

Carter Caves is located 30 miles west of Ashland, Kentucky. It is home to more than 20 spectacular caverns. These subterranean wonders sprawl beneath the forested Appalachian hills, and can be explored via a number of lighted and unlighted cave tours. A small fee is charged for tours to aid in the park’s upkeep. Special tours for beginning and experienced spelunkers are also available (schedule ahead).

Among the most impressive caves is Cascade Cave, with its exceptionally beautiful underground waterfall (which towers over 30 feet high), X Cave (named for the shape of its passages), which is noted for its many astounding rock formations, and Saltpeter Cave, a spot rich in early Kentucky history. The largest cave in the park is Bat Cave. This huge cavern is the winter home of thousands of rare bats, and as such is toured only during the summer.

Carter Caves State Resort Park has plenty of fun to offer visitors aboveground as well. Guests can hike along 20 miles of wooded nature trails and enjoy great Kentucky scenery; the trails range from easy to difficult levels, so there’s something for hikers of every age and ability. Boating enthusiasts can take a relaxing canoe trip down Tygart’s Creek. Anglers will be thrilled by the opportunities at Carter Caves Lake, Kentucky’s only trophy bass lake, which is home to bluegill, catfish, and crappie in addition to largemouth bass. Golfers are invited to test their skills on the resort’s gorgeous 9-hole regulation golf course, then enjoy a break at its fully-equipped pro shop, where they can get rental riding carts, pull carts, clubs and more (the course is open year-round, weather permitting).

Guests who want to spend more than a few hours at Carter Caves State Resort Park have lots of excellent lodging choices. Lewis Caveland Lodge is an attractive fieldstone lodge that offers 28 rooms with full amenities. The 10 newly built cottages are beautiful 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom affairs with automatic dishwashers, microwave ovens and covered decks with scenic views of the hills. The tent and sleeping bag crowd can hit one of the campground’s 89 campsites and enjoy the 1st-class utilities, which include a dump station, and two central service buildings with rest rooms and showers.

Whether you’re after outdoor fun, natural splendor or just a few days respite from the rat-race, you just can’t top a trip to the Bluegrass State and Kentucky’s Carter Caves State Resort Park.

Ricky Sharples asked:


As rock and roll continued to take over the world in the nineteen seventies, the plectrum-wielding lead guitar player became fixed in the minds of music lovers. This style of guitar playing originated in the nineteen thirties with jazz guitar players like Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt, and reached a wider audience through prominent guitarists like Charlie Christian, Les Paul and Hank Marvin.

It was inevitable that a generation of “lead guitarists” would be born from the rich musical tradition of bluegrass. In fact there were already famous flatpickers in bluegrass music with names like George Shuffler, Don Reno, and Bill Napier. During the nineteen sixties and nineteen seventies flatpicking guitar players like Clarence White, Tony Rice, Norman Blake, Larry Sparks, Charles Sawtelle, and Russ Barenberg rose to prominence.

To get some insight into the evolution of flatpicking guitar playing, it might help to look at how Doc Watson, whose guitar playing career began in the nineteen fifties, contributed to the use of flatpicking guitar in bluegrass music. It was simply that the band he was working with did not have a fiddle player and Doc was not able to become a good fiddle player himself. So because he enjoyed fiddle tunes, he simply learnt how to play them on the guitar.

Another astounding flatpicker is David Grier. The son of an accomplished banjo player, David was shown a few chords by his father and allowed to develop his love and talent for music naturally. As a result he never learnt to read guitar tab or conventional music notation.

And where did the first bluegrass guitar album come from? Dan Crary. Dan, if not the father of bluegrass guitar, is at least one of its uncles. Many bluegrass standards were recorded with the guitar for the first time by Dan Crary.

Now to get onto more technical stuff, let us look at what a flatpick is and how to use it. A flatpick is made of tortoiseshell, plastic or nylon. If you want to learn to be a flatpicking guitar soloist, you will need to learn to use a thick pick. If you are like most guitar players you will be using a light to medium weight pick. For flatpicking solos you will have a much greater control over your playing by getting used to using a heavier weight pick. The main advantage to flatpicking over fingerpicking is tone. A steel string acoustic guitar sounds much nicer using a flatpick compared to fingerpicks, and using nails is totally out of the question. You will also gain speed much quicker if you use a flatpick. Playing fast with right hand finger picking techniques takes alot of intense practice.

One question you are going to be confronted with as your flatpicking guitar technique develops is whether to play using your hand and forearm as one unit holding alot of tension in your wrist, or to play with your wrist relaxed. There are guitar players who swear by either of these ways of playing and some who use both. Generally speaking the advantage of having a stiff wrist is speed. A relaxed wrist does not take as readily to playing fast but many guitarists feel that it gives then greater control.

The thing you need to do if you are thinking about learning flatpicking is to widen your knowledge of the genre by listening to a range of guitar players. Jesse McReynolds, Clarence White and Tony Rice are a few flatpicker guitarists to look out for but I am sure you will find many more as you explore this wonderful musical genre yourself.