New Year Thread

I know, I know. Last week you were saying to yourselves, "Where's the Top 10 (Plus 1)?" Well, the holidays threw a wrench into things and I was out on the road unable to blog my fingers away. This week will be another break in the madness, as New Year's Day will take us out of the blogosphere.

But, it's not all bad news. We'll be back next week with #8 on the list.

In addition, over on the mother site we posted the Bekan resolutions. Hopefully we can follow them. Enjoy!

Happy New Year!

Partners of Bekan (with Graphics!)

Well, it's time for my monthly pitch for you to join the Partners of Bekan program over at the mother site. This time around, however, I have some numbers for you to marvel at.

See, this Bekan program was launched in an effort to aid us all in receiving more hits on our own websites. By backlinking to each other's reputable company web pages, we have created the opportunity to both give you more of our site's visitors and receive the same in return...at no cost.

Such is the beauty of the Partners of Bekan program, no money ever needs to exchange hands. All we ask in return for our help is your help. This way we can spread our advertising across the web at no cost.

Here are some details of what the Bekan website brings in on an average month.

We hope you strongly consider this proposal. We feel we can help both of our companies and the local community through this effort. If you or anyone you know is interested, please contact me at blangen@bekan.com. Thank you.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

With a new year right around the corner, I want to hear from you. Either email me or leave your responses in the comments.

What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? What did you accomplish in 2009 that you are proud of? What do you hope to accomplish in 2010? How good/bad of a year was 2009?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Bekan Email List

Well Christmas has come and passed, and hopefully you got what you were looking for. However, now the time for business has arrived. Enroll yourself in Bekan Insurance Group's email savings list and you can get on the right track to money-saving plans everywhere.

Think of opening your email on a cold Monday morning and seeing a special for your Indiana business insurance savings. Or what about checking your email tomorrow morning and finding savings on Schererville auto insurance.

These are the types of things that can happen when you add yourself to the Bekan email list. Email me today at blangen@bekan.com and get yourself saving right away.

The Top 10 (Plus 1): Arcade Fire

Though only having recorded two albums (similar to my 10B band, Cassino), Arcade Fire comes in at #9 due to their massive influence on my life through those releases. Headed up by Win Butler and his wife, Regine Chassagne, Arcade Fire comes from Montreal, Canada. A group of seven musicians, Arcade Fire is renowned for putting on high-energy shows that leaves crowds in pools of sweat, awe and pure joy.

The live performances are just a piece of the puzzle, though. Arcade Fire's two albums have been so positively reviewed, I am simply salivating at the opportunity to listen to their next foray (which is supposedly going to be released mid-2010...). Their first release, Funeral, has been widely hailed as a top 5 album of the decade. It has gone on to take home album of the year (in 2004) from many publications, and is ranked almost universally in the top 5 or 10 of albums of the decade (Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Paste, Stereogum and many more). Five singles came from the landmark album, but those alone do not do it justice. If you want to be completely blown away, listen to Funeral all the way through. It's ten songs of joy, heartbreak and everything in between. There is not a weak song to point to. It is a masterpiece. However, if I have to pick just one song from the album, I'll take the arena rocking "Rebellion (Lies)". Take a listen and see if you don't dig deeper.



The second release from the Canadian indie-rockers was titled Neon Bible and was released in 2007 to more critical acclaim. While not packed with non-stop enjoyment like it's predecessor, Neon Bible still packs a great punch. With songs like "Intervention", "(Antichrist Television Blues)", "Keep the Car Running", "My Body is a Cage" and "No Cars Go", it debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, a tremendous success. Again, almost universally, another Arcade Fire album was reviewed as top 5 of the year. The band was gaining steam and going full boar ahead.

That is where we stand now with the fantastic Northerners. I can honestly say that I have not been this excited for a band's next release in years. Let's just hope it follows up on their previous success.

Finally, here is my favorite song from Neon Bible. Enjoy.

Be a Partner of Bekan!

Music lists of the year and decade are pouring out of all places right now and I couldn't be more excited. One of my favorite times of the year is seeing how critics review the music I loved through the year.

This year there was tons of music, but a French band named Phoenix took me for the best ride of them all. Their album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, was widely hailed as a great album and had some of the most memorable singles of the year as well.

So, how does this relate to Bekan Insurance Group? Well, this was our first year of delving deeper into the internet market. The results have been great to this point. Developing contact bases with more and more people while still delivering our legendary service to customers has been fantastic. Our website is gaining steam and getting more and more visitors. Things are looking up.

Additionally we have launched our Partners of Bekan program. With over 500 new visitors a month, we offer links on our website to yours...at no cost. Just do the same for us and you will have additional traffic just like that. If you are interested, contact me at blangen@bekan.com and we can get started. We look forward to seeing you soon.

While I haven't yet decided on my song of the year, this is a pretty good bet to be in my top 5. It's the aforementioned Phoenix's "1901." Take a listen.

Share Your Email Address

Bekan Insurance Group does tons of great things. From activities in the community to insurance policy savings to employing local, homegrown talent, we are responsible for helping our local community. Now, you can help out as well, and even save yourself a few bucks in the process.

Send us an email from your email address (if we don't already have it) and you will be enrolled in special savings, monthly newsletters, hidden offers and more. What better way to save BIG than to join QuoteBIG.com. Why not save a few dollars right around the holiday season this way.

If you (or anyone you know) are interested, please send an email to blangen@bekan.com and we will add you to the email list immediately. Thank you!

Looking for Insurance Savings?

Searching for home and auto insurance? At Bekan Insurance Group you can get a free quote instantly through our live quoting system. We will run your information through up to 20 of the top carriers in the country. Insurance companies like Grange, Allied, Travelers, Pekin, Safeco and many more will all run your quote. When they are complete, one of our Certified Internet Agents will contact you with an opportunity for you to start saving.

If you would rather talk to one of our dedicated agents, call us toll-free at 800.894.8225. We can't wait to start helping you today!

Start Saving for Your Business!

Apart from all of Bekan Insurance Group's great products (auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, health insurance, 401K, and tons of other financial services), one stands out the most: business insurance.

Our rates on business or commercial insurance policies are bar-none, the best around. Insuring your business is very important, for any day problems can strike and leave you in a world of trouble if you are not insured. However, covering yourself with comprehensive commercial insurance coverage will solve all of that. Our business insurance products include commercial auto, general liability, worker's compensation, and more. We also offer umbrella policies to cover all of your needs in one lump sum.

You can find great deals on Indiana business insurance and have your company start saving cash today. Call us at 800.894.8225 to start saving today with one of our dedicated agents, or visit us at our website and start saving with one of our Certified Internet Agents today. We can't wait to start helping you today!

The Top 10 (Plus 1) - Spoon

Coming in at 10A on the list (don't look into the A & B ranks, they came in dead even for my 10th favorite band) is Spoon. Spoon hails from Austin, Texas, a hotbed for excellent American music. Many critics have tried to pin down their indie-rock style, but their music mixes in jazz, blues, funk, rock and just about everything else under the sun. To this day, they have released six full length albums, with a seventh due in early 2010.

Lead singer Britt Daniel heads up the band, using his quirky voice and creative songwriting that has lead Spoon to the top of many critics' favorite lists and even Billboard Top 10 lists. Spoon's debut album, Telephono, hit in 1996, and was re-released in 2006, even reaching #36 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart. They followed up early critical acclaim with A Series of Sneaks in 1998 and Girls Can Tell in 2001. Girls Can Tell gave Spoon their first album that reached near-mainstream critical acclaim, and it reached #46 on the Top Indie Albums chart. Popular songs "Chicago at Night" and "Everything Hits at Once" came from this album.

With their first taste of success, Spoon released Kill the Moonlight in 2002, only boosting their indie credibility. Fans and critics alike hailed the album as the future of music, and it reached #23 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart. Pitchfork raved about the album, ranking it #19 of the 2000's - quite the accomplishment. Singles "The Way We Get By" and "Paper Tiger" also allowed Spoon to see the spotlight a bit more with a more mainstream audience.

Spoon's followup, Gimme Fiction, added a legit driving force to the band's portfolio. It reached #1 on Billboard's Indie Albums and #44 on the Billboard 200, their first addition to the mainstream list. Singles "I Summon You" and "I Turn My Camera On" were reveled for the successful creativity and named as top songs of the year by critics from all walks of the musical field.

The band's biggest mainstream success landed in their sixth album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. The album came in at #10 on the Billboard 200, their highest ranking to date. Great songs flowed off the record easily, and between this and Gimme Fiction, you have my two favorite Spoon releases. Songs like "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb", "Don't You Evah" and "Don't Make Me a Target" all had success, but the headliner from their top album was "The Underdog". Now, I could go into a full length essay on the song; I love it so much. However, for your sake, I'll leave it in this space and let you decide for yourself. Trust me, you should listen to every song I've listed here. They all have such great flavor and sound.



Finally, Spoon plans to release their seventh studio album, Transference, January 19, 2010. Nearly everyone involved in the indie-rock world is waiting patiently for this, and we even got our first taste a few weeks back with the release of the first single off the album, "Written in Reverse". It appears to be more of the same for the Texans, and they should expect even more mainstream success this time around.

To wrap it up, there's just one small thing to add. The band absolutely rocks live. They put on a phenomenal show touching on each of their albums, providing a great look into how the band has evolved throughout the years while still entertaining the crowd. If you get the time, look into Spoon. You won't regret it.

Next week - #9 on The Top 10 (Plus 1). Check back to see who it is.

Vegassssssss

For this gloomy and cold Thursday, I'll leave just a short post.

A week from tomorrow, I'll be flying out of Milwaukee to Las Vegas. It will be my first time in Vegas, and hopefully it will not be my last. This is just an outreach post to all of you who have been to Sin City before. What are the must-sees while I am there? Where do I have to eat? Where are the best deals?

Yes, I know. Kind of self-centered, but leave your favorite Vegas story in the thread. The best one will be entered into our drawing for a free iPod Touch.

Wrap Me Up!

The weather is bitter and it's just December. Christmas has not even come to save us from our winter woes yet. We are going to have to crank up the thermostat at home and we still haven't rebounded from the economic downturn. What are we going to do?

Either run for the hills (in this case, make sure the hills are in a warm client with a relative) or purchase an electric blanket. Believe me, I bought one just about a month ago to gear up for the winter chill and it has made quite a difference. In addition to this, the United States Department of Energy rates a heated blanket as the most energy efficient item you can own in your home.

Sounds like a good way to stay toasty and keep our bills low, eh?

Also, if you are looking for affordable home, auto, business and life insurance in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin, you can always come to us at Bekan Insurance Group and start saving immediately. We'll see you soon!

Print Media is (Almost) Dead

The news as we have known it for the past century may be coming to an absolute halt. With nearly every newspaper in America operating at a loss, is the day of print media dead? What does that mean for aspiring journalists?

The answer many experts have is the internet age. With the emergence of blogs and up to the second news outlets online, there is a much smaller need for a daily newspaper that can only update us for yesterday's news. But, does that mean the industry is going to be gone in the near future?

Not according to many people plugged into the situation. Nearly everyone feels there will always be a spot for journalists and reporters to make their living gathering the news, it will just be in a whole different light.

If there's one thing I can say it's that I'm glad I didn't pursue my dream of going to journalism school. I don't envy you folks, especially when I can break the news and tell stories online...and reach an audience without sitting in a news room. I wish all journalists and reporters the best, because the coming years will be very telling for where your industry is headed. Save it, and do the whole world a favor.

Monday is Today

Some news and notes as we are now 18 days from Christmas...

Real time news from Google? Indeed, it is. Google launched their real-time updating software into the already gigantic Google applications and now we will be treated to news updating by the second. Pretty cool - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8400230.stm

For baseball geeks, the 2009 Winter Meetings started today in Indianapolis. Expect trade talk galore, and this site has it all - http://mlbtraderumors.com

Not the most important of news, but it's the BOSS! Bruce Springsteen got honored at the White House, and you'll get to see it December 29th on CBS. Lots of good honorees here - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8398675.stm

So, in only a way Bruce can do it, here's our song of the day: Springsteen's "Atlantic City." The video operator disabled embedding, so you'll have to click the link. It's still very much worth it.

The Top 10 (Plus 1) - Cassino

In the personal series that will give you nothing but inside information on my love for music (and primarily nothing about insurance), I will begin my Top 10 Bands of all time. Of course, because I'm non-committal, I had to toss in an additional name to my list. So, starting today and going for 11 weeks, it's The Top 10 (Plus 1) Countdown. Today, band 10B: Cassino.

Starting from the roots of punk rock band Northstar, a forward thinking band stuck in a genre heading way downhill. From this, lead singer and guitarist Nick Torres and Tyler Odom created the folk-rock band Cassino in 2005 to warm critical success.

Cassino released their debut album, Sounds of Salvation, in 2007 and followed it up with recently released, Kingprince. Through the years, not much touring has developed to this point. Their shows often use both Cassino and a few Northstar songs as well as a few covers. With their newly released second album, we should see more in the near future.

Although Cassino has only released two albums, I could honestly not find a way to leave them out of my top 10. Their music is so beautiful that it can absolutely bring me out of any bad mood. Their soothing sound makes for a great atmosphere boost to any lazy day.

I only expect the best out of them in the coming years, and hopefully they will even rise higher on this list.

To check them out, visit their MySpace page and listen to a few songs. My personal favorite is "New Jerusalem."



(Ed. Note - Coming next week, the other #10 band on the list. Check back to see more.)

Vacation Spot

On a chilly December night, I have just a quick question on your Thursday evening. Where would you most like to go on vacation to this weekend?

My pick would have to be the Bahamas. Warm temperatures, beautiful beaches and the sunny weather is just a perfect respite from the cold winter.

Song of the day - James McMurtry's "No More Buffalo" performed live. A nice song for a cold night. Fast forward to the :30 second mark to begin.

Saving Cash in December

If you are reading here, you most likely read over at the BIG blog. However, for you special individuals who missed out on the December money saving ways. Check this out.

December Fun & Savings

Tell me what you think about it.

Song of the day - Pete Yorn's "I Can't Hear Anyone." Enjoy.

December Begins

Well, we're back with a few words and links. Here's to hoping you had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend.

• Although the Lowell Red Devils could not pull of a state championship victory, their valiant effort gave us hope that Lowell will once again dominate the high school football ranks next season. Thank you for a great season Red Devils.

• The weather is chilly, my hands are freezing just typing this, and the U.S. Department of Energy has these tips for you to save you a few bucks in the current cold season. Here are some really basic things everyone can do to help save the environment and pocket a bit more cash in the meantime.
  

• One of my top 10 favorite bands just released a new album, Kingprince. If you want to know more about Cassino, check in later this week for the first entry in my Top 10 Artists look.

I'll leave you with the song of the day, from the aforementioned Cassino. This is off their first album, Sounds of Salvation, it's "New Jerusalem." A real masterpiece. Enjoy it.