Covid-19 Epidemic 2020

Posted on Monday, May 04, 2020
Well, it looks like we are in the final month of the virus outbreak, and businesses are starting to open back up again.

I've got to say, this has been completely horrible for me. I'm an entertainer, event DJ, and a musician. So, guess what? I have been out of work since March 15th, 2020.

I am glad we had some kind of money put back to get us through this tough time, I know many others that weren't so fortunate.
Sadly, I had to move many dates I had booked earlier in the year towards the end of the year. So, this will be real fun trying to play catch-up. But, I am sure everything will work out just fine.

One thing that bothers me about this epidemic is I noticed some of the local governments around the country sure were violating some natural rights. I suspect there will be a ton of lawsuits headed to court after this situation is over.

I feel the government at the federal level and local levels were misinformed about the stats about the virus, as I view the news coverage every day. If this holds true and the numbers were skewed for some sort of agenda, I hope the American people hold everyone involved accountable.

In my state, I feel the governor handled the situation in a good manner up to a point. I do understand completely our state Constitution and the federal Constitution does not authorize the government to shutdown human rights over a virus. The government can make suggestions and give guidelines. But there is not lawful authority that gives the government the power to restrict natural rights.

Exede Wildblue ViaSat Inc. Satellite Internet

Posted on Sunday, December 18, 2016

If you are not familiar with Exede Wildblue ViaSat Inc. internet service provider I would say it is a just “OK” service. When I say just “OK”, I mean it’s very average and intermittent. The speeds are average and it shuts off a lot.

I have been using this internet provider from over 4 years because I live in a rural area where there is no high speed internet access. I still don’t have high speed internet access with Exede WildBlue either like they claim. I subscribe to their 25 Gig of data at a whopping $140 a month and until about 3 months ago it seemed to be enough data to last until the next billing cycle. Now I feel the company is putting a squeeze on my data plan, because now I’m using my data up faster than ever before. I have not changed any of my habits either; I’m doing the same tasks I have done over the last 4 years. All of the sudden over the last 3 months I am receiving notices when I reach 70% of my data. Now I’m at 100% only two days after I reached the 70%.

One positive is that my plan offers an unmetered time period between 12AM and 5AM. So this is when I have the opportunity to watch videos, upload and download. The negative part is the hours to do this; you have to be a night owl to utilize this part of the service. Sadly, service drops off 3 to 4 times a month during these hours so I can barely even use the service.
So, I kind of see this internet provider as not very reliable at all. Oh and when you contact their customer service they use Voice over IP, so it is pretty troublesome trying to discuss billing or any issues you are having.

Currently I am looking at other internet service providers to see if I can find a better solution for my internet access. So far they all seem like really bad deals for the consumer out of the other two competitors I have looked at so far, Hughesnet and Dish.

To me it seems like these internet service providers are all milking customers for all they can get and providing as little as they can. This is like a bad dream and I strongly feel there needs to be a better solution for everyone to gain good reliable internet access without being charged an arm and a leg to do it.

If you are not familiar with Exede Wildblue ViaSat Inc. internet service provider I would say it is a just “OK” service. When I say just “OK”, I mean it’s very average and intermittent. The speeds are average and it shuts off a lot.

I have been using this internet provider from over 4 years because I live in a rural area where there is no high speed internet access. I still don’t have high speed internet access with Exede WildBlue either like they claim. I subscribe to their 25 Gig of data at a whopping $140 a month and until about 3 months ago it seemed to be enough data to last until the next billing cycle. Now I feel the company is putting a squeeze on my data plan, because now I’m using my data up faster than ever before. I have not changed any of my habits either; I’m doing the same tasks I have done over the last 4 years. All of the sudden over the last 3 months I am receiving notices when I reach 70% of my data. Now I’m at 100% only two days after I reached the 70%.

One positive is that my plan offers an unmetered time period between 12AM and 5AM. So this is when I have the opportunity to watch videos, upload and download. The negative part is the hours to do this; you have to be a night owl to utilize this part of the service. Sadly, service drops off 3 to 4 times a month during these hours so I can barely even use the service.

So, I kind of see this internet provider as not very reliable at all. Oh and when you contact their customer service they use Voice over IP, so it is pretty troublesome trying to discuss billing or any issues you are having.
Currently I am looking at other internet service providers to see if I can find a better solution for my internet access. So far they all seem like really bad deals for the consumer out of the other two competitors I have looked at so far, Hughesnet and Dish.

To me it seems like these internet service providers are all milking customers for all they can get and providing as little as they can. This is like a bad dream and I strongly feel there needs to be a better solution for everyone to gain good reliable internet access without being charged an arm and a leg to do it.

If you run an internet based business from your home I feel these internet service providers are strangling these types of business from growing.

For instance, in 2009 I created an internet broadcast that I was streaming from a home computer. I was with AT&T at the time and streamed for about 3 months, then all of the sudden I started seeing my internet bill climb. I was told after calling this service provider that I had a 150 Gig cap and when I went over the cap I am then charged $10 for 1 GIG (Gigabit). So guess what happened? I had to shut down the broadcast and find an alternative way to stream it. I eventually did find a cheaper way to do this, thank the Lord. It is still streaming 7 years later. But no thanks to AT&T or any other major internet service provider.

With all the technology we possess and the brilliant people we have working in the internet provider industry, it is a shame we let just a handful of large corporations control all internet access and reap massive profits.

Should we not all have equal access to the internet? Should we not be able to create new ideas and concepts or just plain enjoy the internet without being charged very expensive prices to be a part of it?
This is just like the stronghold electric companies have on electricity. Nikola Tesla once had a dream that everyone could have free electricity or at least a portion of it. But of course some viewed it as a way to reap massive profit. Seems to me if society is to grow in to something positive, profit should have no place in this type of growth. I would say “Profiting” in general brings out a negative side.

Again about technology, we have many communication satellites spinning around the earth, some of these satellites could be used for free internet access or donate a small fee for internet access. This should be an open source project, not a profit maker. As of now we are all being ripped off and held down by the ones holding the keys to the internet. Mankind has a way of casting itself in to servitude and this is no different in my opinion.

I would like to also add that it would be a bad idea to have the government stick its legislation and regulations in to the internet. It would then be a complete mess, of course it already is a mess and if you research I’m sure there is already a big government hand in the middle of our internet. When I mention Open Source that means the people make it work. That is always the best solution and I hope it will be possible some day.

Just a note: As I was adding this post to get it ready to upload at Midnight, my internet completely shutdown. It is now 11:37 PM on a Sunday evening. When I see my intenet conection come back online I will post the time it reconnected and hopefully upload this post.
UPDATE: My internet finally came back online at 12:11 AM, So I will upload now.

I love being the DJ at Weddings in Arkansas

Posted on Wednesday, December 14, 2016

I've been DJing for a real long time, and I have to say I really enjoy doing it. Out of all the events, I have worked over the years in Arkansas nothing is more entertaining and pleasing than witnessing two people joining together in matrimony.

I especially enjoy the wedding reception were both sides of the families and friends join together to celebrate a couple's new beginning. The tears of joy and laughter are truly touching, sometimes I still kind of get choked up when I start a father and daughter dance. I suppose it's because I am a father of some beautiful young ladies, and one day I will be the Dad dancing and giving away his daughter. Yep, I almost teared up just now.

I do DJ other types of events like corporate parties, birthdays, social events and holiday get-togethers, and I do enjoy working these types of events as well. But for the most part, these other types of events don't have a deep connection such as a wedding. Even though a lot of things are basically the same, such as the food and some decor. A wedding has a spiritual connection and touching moments that just surpasses any other type of event.

Because I have been working as a DJ at weddings for many years, I have actually witnessed up to three generations of families members take their vows in marriage. I've also had the opportunity to see every child in a family get married. I am very fortunate that all of my clients have contacted me over the years to DJ their family events. It is a true honor and I will always keep that close to my heart. Opps! there I go again, almost tearing up.

Thank you for reading my post today and if you ever need a DJ for your wedding day or for any other type of occasion, please consider contacting me. It would be an honor for me to be a part of your event.

Wayne Willems 501-249-3103 me@waynewillems.com

Why I Really Like Facebook

Posted on Monday, December 05, 2016

I've been a Facebook user since 2009, before that I was an avid Myspace user. MySpace was the best thing I've ever come across to market music, that's why I liked it so much. Prior to 2009, I didn't really grasp Facebook or why I should even start using it. Myspace was rockin' at the time and then all the sudden it went down hill fast.

If I remember correctly they changed their entire formatting of the social website and it was a real turnoff to a lot of users. So like everyone else I moved over and started using Facebook on a daily basis.

You know I'm really glad I made the move over to Facebook, it has been a wonderful tool and is a great place to keep in touch with friends and family on a daily timeline. It's totally wonderful seeing all the posts and different views people have, sometimes it even gets a bit annoying. That's when I take a break for a little while or work on one of my FB pages.

I receive a lot of alternative news on my wall feed every day as well and it has really shined a light on things I've never really been concerned about, Like politics, science, history, activism, crime and a whole lot of stuff.

I believe Facebook is a very useful tool in many different ways. Hopefully, it will be around for a long time. Now that it is here and just about everyone is a part of it, I couldn't imagine not having FB around.
I do look forward to waking in the morning and seeing the news and all of my friend's posts.

My Band Liquid Kitty

Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2016

I just want to tell you about my band "Liquid Kitty", we formed around 2011 in Little Rock, Arkansas. It started off as a five piece band with two guitar players, bass player, drums and lead singer/keyboard player. After a few member changes during that year, the band turned in to a four piece.

I personally believe this is a better option, because I get to play all the guitar parts since the other guitar player moved on. It was cool at one point having two guitar players. But, the band was starting to move towards current dance music, along with playing classic rock.

It's just fun to mix up different styles of music and crowds with a mixed aged group, such as a wedding were people attending could range from 2 years old to 80 years old. It's best to have some variety on your song list. Liquid Kitty has a huge song list as of 2015, we have over 300 songs we play from genres like: Country, Classic Rock, Blues, Motown, R&B, Top, Pop and we even play some Frank Sinatra and other Contemporary Jazz songs.

Like I mentioned, it's really fun playing all of these different tunes. The best part about performing and learning this music is the band members of Liquid Kitty. They have no issues about learning or playing any song, that's a really awesome thing. Because, I've been in many bands over the years and there is usally one or two members that like to whine about learning songs or playing them live. Not these folks, they will learn and play any song.

We have been pretty much focusing on weddings and corporate events over the last couple of years. But, we do on occasion perform at a local venue. We really don't want the title of "Bar Band", all of us have played in many bands that just perform local bars. It's kind of a road to nowhere for a band and to be perfectly honest, a lot of bars don't treat bands with respect. But, some local venues will take care of the bands and treat them right. The respect is appreciated when given and we give it back during our shows!

I will have to say, performing private, corporate events and festivals is a whole lot of fun. The people are always so friendly and giving to us, we love these kinds of events and the people who throw them. The vibe is just so much better for our band to perform around, everyone is happy and ready to party!

You may have guessed, I kind of like to ramble on about my band. It's only because I have been blessed to perform with such talented musicians and really good hearted people.

If you would like to learn more about my band "LIQUID KITTY", visit our website.

Thanks for stopping by and reading this, if you have an event and need a band call on us. We'd be happy to perform for you and your guests.

Visit Liquid Kitty band from little Rock, Arkansas
www.liquidkittyband.com

Karaoke in Arkansas

Posted on Tuesday, July 05, 2016

Why Karaoke is a cool idea in Arkansas?

Over the many years that I have been an entertainer here in Arkansas I have always taken notice of karaoke. I've found a good reason to like karaoke over the years, as some musicians don't speak to kind of it. I find it very useful to upcoming singers, how else would they have a band if they don't have one.. right?

Singing a long with a radio or mp3 is just fine because you are singing right along with the artist. But, when you take the artists voice away it's a whole different ball of wax. You are now on your own to try and sing like the artist with all their little slurs and phrasings. Not easy for most, for some it's a breeze. I call it a gift for the one's that can just carry a tune right from the get go!

But, really for anyone trying to start out singing no matter what age you maybe, karaoke is a great way to start. Heck, it's not easy putting a band together just to sing your favorite tunes. I know this from experience.. LOL!

So, I am in total support of anyone that sings karaoke, especially in Arkansas.. Keep singing, you'll be great one day!

Hire me for your next party, I've got a huge selection of karaoke!

Visit Karaoke Arkansas website if you get a moment: www.karaokearkansas.com

Wayne

One Man Band - Live | Arkansas Party Entertainment

Posted on Friday, August 19, 2016

Have you had the opportunity to check my act called "One Man Band - Live"?, I can't tell you how much I really enjoy performing this fun little act for parties and weddings. It is a blast and everyone seems to really like what I am doing with it.

I started One Man Band - Live about 6 years years ago, creating backing tracks to play along with, I'm a guitarist/vocalist and have been a musician/DJ for many years. So, I decided to combine the two acts for my clients that work with really strict budgets for entertainment. At first I got some really odds responses when I first started mentioning this act, but that all changed after the first time I actually went and performed for a party of 300. The looks I got and the compliments I received made putting this project together well worth the trouble. When I say trouble, it's a lot of work creating backing tracks. Because most of the 100 songs I play with are created solely by me, all instruments and backing vocals.

To present, I have performed this act at all types of functions all over the state of Arkansas and plan on performing for many more years. It's fun and affordable, you can set this act up anywhere and let the party begin. If you would like to learn more visit the website "One Man Band - Live", hire me for $450 - 4 hours of live music and DJ music, I'll even emcee your event.

Some Tips For Building A Professional Website

Posted on Monday, September 12, 2016

For those who occur to be working away at internet site design and style make use from the appropriate graphics to complete the job. Keep in mind, bitmap photos are large in most instances do not work nicely, PNGs perform fine. For screenshots, text buttons, together with other non-photographic pictures, use PNG if your image has higher than 256 colors, and GIF otherwise. For images, you could possibly use JPEG photos.

Use JavaScript to incorporate a custom font with your webpages. Libraries like Typekit and Google Web Fonts guarantee it really is uncomplicated to include things like esoteric fonts on webpages, even when most visitors don't have those fonts on their computer systems. It functions by embedding the font itself into JavaScript in order that it are usually decoded via the client promptly.

Steer clear of working with OnExit popups inside your web-site. This tactic is mainly utilized by on-line marketers who occur to be trying a last-ditch make an effort to obtain a sale. Word about these sorts of popups circumvent, and they may kill your reputation staying a marketer. Mozilla has taken actions to suppress the written text on these popups, citing security dangers.

Stay away from so-called "mystery meat navigation". This calls for working with unlabeled pictures and also other components for the site's navigation. The majority of the time, the visitor is needed to mouse more than the buttons to even see the items they do. Navigation is much better kept uncomplicated. Use text hyperlinks along the prime or on the left side of the page.

Keep away from looking for to add every single new gadget to your web site. It might be tempting to generate your website appear top edge by such as every single new net style choice available but it can wind up turning people today off. Very simple will ordinarily full the process lots better than the usual flashy layout.

It might nicely look quite, but steer clear of having way also quite a few animations within your web page. Obtaining your sales splash web page rotate, spin and blink may appear cool for you, even so it is going to most likely drive possible viewers away. Anytime you add way too lots of flashy splashes for example that, it could make your web page appear amateurish which is not your message you need to convey.

Check out Little Rock Entertainment Agency

Posted on Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Many years ago I pondered with a conception of starting my very own entertainment business, only because I had been an entertainer already for many years. It was no doubt one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life. I had no idea were to begin, but knew with all my heart and soul this was my destiny.

After doing a lot of homework about booking entertainers, marketing entertainment which at the time was very expensive because the internet was just really starting to get popular. I rounded up some really good performers from around the State of Arkansas and asked if they would be interested in future event bookings. Most all of the entertainers jumped on board with my new idea, because a lot of them knew me from being a musician/DJ over the years.

Â Well, I bought a pretty good sized advertisement in the local phone book for several hundred dollars for one year. Made up a bunch of nice looking business cards and brochures, then waited for the phone to ring.

Well, guess what? It was over two months before the phone rang with my first inquiry, I was so excited when the person on the end of the line said "Is this the place I can get cassette tapes duplicated?". My jaw dropped, I said "No sir, we provide bands and DJs to events". The guy was puzzled and said ok and the line went dead. I didn't even have time to present him the marketing spill I had worked on for over a month.

I wasn't real happy about that phone call at the time, but unfortunately it wasn't the only phone call I received like that. I believe over the course of a year I had that advertisement running my phone rang three times with calls just like that.

During this time period I was still playing local bars with my band MUDD and passing out business cards and brochures while telling everyone about my new business. I was surviving, but not really making a living as of yet.

At the time, I kept hearing people saying www this and that.com "Hey, have you seen my website?".
Well, I bought a computer and then started looking on the World Wide Web as everyone called it at the time, looking for information to create a website. I had no clue, never in my life did I ever think, Hey.. I going to have a website!

Well, after a lot of researching and leaping over the big learning curve. I finally had a website and it looked pretty good for my first website, so I thought any way... Not! It was actually pretty horrible and didn't get much attention at all. But, at this time people kept boasting about the internet being the wave of the future.

So, I really buckled down and learned how to build a nice functional website that would attract customers looking for entertainment. I also learn about SEO search engine optimization, building banner ads and social internet marketing. Myspace was just starting out and got huge, my page was great! I had followers galore and business started coming in at a steady pace. I could finally see all the hard work was worth all I had devoted to it.

Well, that's my story how it all began and I'm still going strong.. But, entertainment is not all I do know days. Since I had to learn all of these skills just to get a business I started in the corner of my bedroom off the ground.. Yes, it's true!
I provide these services and many more to anyone trying to grow their idea or business. It's a lot of fun helping people from all walks of life and providing entertainment to events.

Thank you for reading this article.
If you ever need and entertainment or web services just let me know. I'm here to help!

Wayne

Little Rock Entertainment Agency - Live Bands | DJs | Karaoke and more!

Why you should join the Libertarian Party?

Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2016

One good reason to join the Libertarian party is to stop the two party system from growing any bigger. Another good reason is because it's time to do this.

The two parties have had a very long run and it is way overdue for a third party to step into the limelight. The government has grown so big and bloated the American people can not honestly say that it even represents the people anymore.

One issue that ticks my crawl right off the bat

Every year at least 40,000 new laws and regulations hit the books to hinder the business and trade in our country. With pretty much no new laws to regulate or minimize the government or politicians. In most cases, these laws are pushed by big corporations so they can squash competition (The Little Guy). Totally not what our country is supposed to be about and the founders never intended for the government being used as a tool to hinder entrepreneurship (Entrepreneurship has traditionally been defined as the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which typically begins as a small business, such as a startup company, offering a product, process or service for sale or hire, and the people who do so are called 'entrepreneurs'). But it is totally happening and has been for a long time.

We need government out of the way so the people can function in an orderly manner in a Free Market. This is what was intended by the founders of this country. People freely trading with one another along with determining the pricing and products and services. No corporation handouts or government subsidies, just letting the free market operate in an organic environment.

I'm really just talking about one main issue here, there are many issues we should discuss. But to me, this is a very big issue because this is stagnating our countries economy and our personal wellbeing. It's just not right or actually morally correct to let the government pick winners and losers while the rest of the country has to sit on the sidelines.

Hopefully, in the future, I will discuss other reasons why I think everyone should consider joining the Libertarian party. I would really like to see a lot more people step up and run for office as libertarian candidates. 2016 election had many Libertarian candidates running for office in all 50 states. This is a great thing and I want to see more of it.

Learn more about the Libertarian Party:
www.lpar.org