Yeah man, I too have had a few bad batches of seeds, ESPECIALLY if they are bag seeds. I am currently seeing some progress from my last germination efforts.

I used this method to germinate

1. Stack 3-4 paper towels together - fold them in half
2. Place the seeds on one half - refold
3. Apply water -generously- enough to dampen all the towels
4. Insert the towels into a zip-lock bag or Tupperware container
5. Place the package somewhere warm and dark (a heating pad expedites)
6. Check the seeds every 12 hours for a reaction
7. At first visible sign of the tap root ?? plant it in soil
8. Using a pen or pencil to poke a whole in the soil ?? ¼- ½? Depth
9. Place the seedling into the hole and cover
10. In 1.5-2 days you should see your sapling reaching for the stars