Another Motivational Poster

Movies We'd Like To See (with apologies to Mad Magazine)

The Frozen Tundra

It's been cold as hell here. If that makes any sense. This is one of the windiest places I've ever been. It seems the wind blows all of the time. It was 17 degrees here today. But it's nothing like my bud Steve Konrad who lives in Minneapolis.



It seems there is a basketball game going on all of the time in the place where I play. It is literally a five minute walk from here. I went down there tonight at six thirty and bingo! I was in for the next three games. Only one guy about my age. The rest are truly young enough to be my kids. There is something about the zen of basketball to me. If I focus and concentrate on what I am supposed to do, I can make a decent play more often than not. If I kind find that groove, I can just relax and let the game come to me. It's amazing what a game of basketball with kids more than half your age will do for your focus and concentration. I had a very good game tonight, made more than I missed, didn't get hurt and didn't embarrass myself. Three games full blast! What a rush!
The weight on the digital scale on Monday night was 188.9. I'll weigh every Monday night and we'll see what I can do. 185 by January one would be nice.



Personal observations...I think Mike Greenberg at ESPN is one of the most talented guys on the air. He was on at 6am when I got up and right before I left for the gym, he was anchoring a newscast, Straight ahead broadcaster.

On the other hand, I can't stand Jay Bilas. I believe I have another post on him somewhere. He used the phrase ..."YA GOTTA BE A MAN!!!" tonight. Calm down dude. We all know you are a homer to the ACC and especially Duke. Sit down and shut up. Oh that stupid Greg Oden commercial for ESPN the magazine? Just stop, please.

Abbott Christopher Jamison

I was reading my favorite radio website the other day and the resident pundit who goes by the name of Sid Dithers was lamenting about the deteroration of society. He quoted Abbot Christopher Jamison's book "Finding Happiness". Father Christopher is one of my favorite people. I have stayed at Worth Abbey (just south of London) the past two times I have been there. He is a great guy to just hang and talk to and my family adores him. He has become quite the published author with "Finding Sanctuary" one of my favorite reads. I find it very funny that Father Christopher has created quite the kerfuffel with this. But, as always with him, he's so right. Here's Sid Dithers' commentary and it's quite spot on. My daughter loves him, Gladys feels the same way, and I dig the guy, too. And, since he has a google alert, he'll be directed to this page. Looking forward to seeing you this summer, Father.

Christopher Jamison, the Abbot of Worth in West Sussex, has accused Disney of "exploiting spirituality" to sell its products and of turning Disneyland into a modern day pilgrimage site... He argues that it pretends to provide stories with a moral message, but has actually helped to create a more materialistic culture...AT LAST, something in the modern world that we can ALL support the Catholics on... In a guide to helping people find happiness, the abbot, who starred in the hit-BBC series The Monastery, warns that society is in danger of losing its soul because of growing consumerism and the decline of religion... He suggests that many people have become obsessed with work, sex and eating in an attempt to ignore their underlying unhappiness, and criticises corporations and industries that have benefited from promoting false notions of fulfilment...And WHO does THAT (INTENTIONALLY thru CHILDREN!) more than the exploitive low-breds at Disney??? Jamison, who has been tipped as a contender to succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor as the next Archbishop of Westminster, targets the behaviour of Disney in particular, which he says is "a classic example" of how consumerism is being sold as an alternative to finding happiness in traditional morality... While he acknowledges that Disney stories carry messages showing good triumphing over evil, he argues this is part of a ploy to persuade people that they should buy Disney products in order to be "a good and happy family"...BULLSEYE, Padre!!!...Although "BRAINWASH" is a more accurate description...Hell, their radio network is NOTHING but a gigantic commercial for all of their over-priced sh*t!!! He cites films such as "Sleeping Beauty" and "101 Dalmatians" that feature moral battles, but get into children's imaginations and make them greedy for the merchandise that goes with them...AND for recognizing the comparison between Karen Carroll to Cruella DeVille... "The message behind every movie and book, behind every theme park and T-shirt is that our children's world needs Disney," he says. "So they absolutely must go to see the next Disney movie, which we'll also want to give them on DVD as a birthday present. "They will be happier if they live the full Disney experience; and thousands of families around the world buy into this deeper message as they flock to Disneyland." He continues: "This is the new pilgrimage that children desire, a rite of passage into the meaning of life according to Disney. "Where once morality and meaning were available as part of our free cultural inheritance, now corporations sell them to us as products."...Yeah, THAT and how to be a snotty, little sh*thead to your parents... Jamison, who is one of Britain's most prominent Catholic clerics, claims that brands such as Disney market themselves to be about more than mere materialism to create an addiction to consumption... "This is basically the commercial exploitation of spirituality," he says, adding that as a result Disney and other corporations "inhabit our imagination"... "Once planted there they can make us endlessly greedy. And that is exactly what they are doing."...And THIS says NOTHING about how they try to "expand" the brand by pushing the envelope CONTINUALLY with edgier content... The Walt Disney Company, founded in 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is one of the world's biggest entertainment companies... It owns 11 theme parks and several television networks, while its Hollywood studios have produced more than 200 feature films... Last week, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, expressed similar concerns about the direction of society when he said that social cohesion has been eradicated due to "rampant consumerism and individualism"...WHEN is the LAST Disney thing that attempted to induce kids to do ANYTHING for their moms and dads, MUCH LESS anyone else???...Its ALL about promoting selfishness, and it DIRECTLY impacts the culture...It sure helps to explain the popularity of reality TV with the younger audience...THIS audience has been WEENED on watching rude behavior being passed off as 'acceptable'... Jamison's new book, "Finding Happiness", suggests that many of the answers can be found by people living more simply... The book, published this week, urges people to reject the superficial temptations offered by contemporary culture....Good luck with THAT, Padre...THAT motherf*cker will sell like magazine subscriptions... He criticises the obsession with celebrity, which he blames for creating jealousy and a society in which people are dissatisfied with their life... "Celebrity news magazines do no apparent external harm, but are a complete waste of interior time and space. "Envy tells us to stop facing the challenges of the present life and to live in some future fantasy... Such envy drives a large part of our consumer culture."... The fractured reality that philistines like Paris Hilton influence ANYONE tells us all we need to know about our moral deterioration...People need to learn to control their thoughts, and practice more self-discipline and self-control in their life, he says... He says there are "eight thoughts" which need to be controlled to help people to discover happiness. Six of them (anger, pride, gluttony, lust, greed, and spiritual apathy or sloth) are found among the list of deadly sins... To this he adds sadness and vanity... Or in other words, "all the fun stuff" that Disney shamelessly promotes...Maybe the Catholics can use THIS GREAT ISSUE to rebound!!!...Or AT LEAST get us some better cartoons!!!

News From China... what?

2,700-year-old marijuana found in Chinese tomb

Stash seems to have been intended for buried shaman to use in the afterlife
Nov 27, 2008 01:23 PM
OTTAWA – Researchers say they have located the world's oldest stash of marijuana, in a tomb in a remote part of China.
The cache of cannabis is about 2,700 years old and was clearly ``cultivated for psychoactive purposes," rather than as fibre for clothing or as food, says a research paper in the Journal of Experimental Botany.
The 789 grams of dried cannabis was buried alongside a light-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian man, likely a shaman of the Gushi culture, near Turpan in northwestern China.
The extremely dry conditions and alkaline soil acted as preservatives, allowing a team of scientists to carefully analyze the stash, which still looked green though it had lost its distinctive odour.
"To our knowledge, these investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent," says the newly published paper, whose lead author was American neurologist Dr. Ethan B. Russo.
Remnants of cannabis have been found in ancient Egypt and other sites, and the substance has been referred to by authors such as the Greek historian Herodotus. But the tomb stash is the oldest so far that could be thoroughly tested for its properties.
The 18 researchers, most of them based in China, subjected the cannabis to a battery of tests, including carbon dating and genetic analysis. Scientists also tried to germinate 100 of the seeds found in the cache, without success.
The marijuana was found to have a relatively high content of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis, but the sample was too old to determine a precise percentage.
Researchers also could not determine whether the cannabis was smoked or ingested, as there were no pipes or other clues in the tomb of the shaman, who was about 45 years old.
The large cache was contained in a leather basket and in a wooden bowl, and was likely meant to be used by the shaman in the afterlife.
"This materially is unequivocally cannabis, and no material has previously had this degree of analysis possible," Russo said in an interview from Missoula, Mont.
"It was common practice in burials to provide materials needed for the afterlife. No hemp or seeds were provided for fabric or food. Rather, cannabis as medicine or for visionary purposes was supplied."
The tomb also contained bridles, archery equipment and a harp, confirming the man's high social standing.
Russo is a full-time consultant with GW Pharmaceuticals, which makes Sativex, a cannabis-based medicine approved in Canada for pain linked to multiple sclerosis and cancer.
The company operates a cannabis-testing laboratory at a secret location in southern England to monitor crop quality for producing Sativex, and allowed Russo use of the facility for tests on 11 grams of the tomb cannabis.
Researchers needed about 10 months to cut red tape barring the transfer of the cannabis to England from China, Russo said.
The inter-disciplinary study was published this week by the British-based botany journal, which uses independent reviewers to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of all submitted papers.
The substance has been found in two of the 500 Gushi tombs excavated so far in northwestern China, indicating that cannabis was either restricted for use by a few individuals or was administered as a medicine to others through shamans, Russo said.
"It certainly does indicate that cannabis has been used by man for a variety of purposes for thousands of years."
Russo, who had a neurology practice for 20 years, has previously published studies examining the history of cannabis.
"I hope we can avoid some of the political liabilities of the issue," he said, referring to his latest paper.
The region of China where the tomb is located, Xinjiang, is considered an original source of many cannabis strains worldwide.

R I P Bill Drake

1937-2008
Radio legend BILL DRAKE has died from lung cancer at age 71 in LOS ANGELES.

DRAKE, born PHILIP YARBROUGH chose his last name from among his relatives' surnames, because it rhymed with "WAKE", the station in ATLANTA, where he worked as a programmer and disc-jockey in the late 1950s, writes WIKIPEDIA. Later, BARTELL BROADCASTING, who owned WAKE -- that he had programmed to number one, transferred him to KYA in SAN FRANCISCO, which also became number one. It was later at KYNO in FRESNO that he met GENE CHENAULT, who became his business partner. Together, the pair developed highly influential radio programming strategies and tactics, as well as working with future "Boss Jocks."

DRAKE-CHENAULT perfected the Top 40 radio format, which had been created by TODD STORZ, GORDON MCCLENDON and other radio programmers in the late 1950s, which took a set list of popular songs and repeated them all day long, ensuring the widest possible audience for the station's music. Jingles, news updates, traffic, and other features were designed to make Top 40 radio particularly attractive to car listeners. By early 1964, the era of the BRITISH Invasion, Top 40 radio had become the dominant radio format for NORTH AMERICAN listeners and quickly swept much of the WESTERN world.

DRAKE streamlined the Top 40 format, using modern methods, such as market research and ratings demographics, to maximize the number of listeners. He believed in forward momentum, limiting the amount of disc jockey chatter, the number of advertisements and playing only the top hits, as opposed to less-organized programming methods of the past. DRAKE created concepts such as 20/20 News and counter programming, by playing music sweeps, while his competitors aired news. DRAKE-CHENAULT controlled everything from the specific DJs that were hired, to radio contests, visual logos, promotions and commercial policy. DRAKE essentially put radio back into the hands of programming, instead of sales. DRAKE hired the JOHNNY MANN SINGERS to produce the BOSS RADIO jingles, ensuring a bright, high-energy sound that engaged the listener, while providing a bridge from song to song, as well as a smooth transition from songs to commercials.

Most of the great things about radio in your childhood was fashioned after Mr. Drake in some way. Dude had one the best, booming voices ever.

It's All About The Message...

In advertising, it's about reach, frequency and especially the message...I'm sure this is unforgettable if you are in LA.

It's Crazee!!

Brush With Greatness number 17

One of my favorite musicains and one of my favorite interviews. Mr. Wubba Gubba, none other than one of the hardest working guys in concert, Mr. Peter Wolf. I had a thousand questions and he answered all of them. Having been in radio for years, he "got it" and will go down as one of my favorite people ever. June 1996

Moving Day(s)... er Weeks

As we incorporate furniture left by the passing of Joanie, we are in a "if we haven't used it in five years, let's pitch it" mode. We are moving furniture from her apartment to our house, then loading our crap to the girls house and unloading her stuff at Goodwill. So, I have been tearing through crap in the house at an alarming rate. I have found stuff I haven't seen or used in years. The caracature at the right was drawn in 1995 by somebody somewhere. Just thought it was interesting as it has been locked in a drawer somewhere out of sight for all these years.

I played basketball yesterday before the Thanskgiving meal was consumed so I am heading back today and giving it another go. The scale said 193. That's unacceptable. I must find time in the upcoming months to get the weight down. I need to schedule the time to take care of it. If I can lose 3 pounds in December, 5 in January and 5 in February, that should help a great deal. By the middle of May, I should be back at fighting shape whatever that means.

While in the beginning phase of eliminating clutter at the hacienda, I still have not found my pictures of the trip to Abbey Road to meet Alan Parsons OR the pictures I have of Yoko and me. I cannot, for the life of me, understand where they have disappeared.

Too Drunk

That's Gonna Hurt

Hard to Believe

This is Kelly Pickler, she's an average country singer...at least she's got that going for her.

What's Your Body's MPG?

33.5 miles per gallon

Created by The Car Connection

I stole this from Jason Mac's radio station website. It's very cool. I get 33.5 mpg, how about you?

Merry Happy

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Reminiscing Part 2

When my life is said and done, this song will end up in my top 10 of all time. Residing at about number 7 or 8, for reasons unknown to even me, this one one of my all time faves...still gets me to this day. They were never better than this song.

Bailout, Shmailout

Damn. Everyone has a hand out. The big three want big cash. Where have you guys been for the last thirty years? The first spike in oil was in 1973. That's 35 years ago. Where were the visionaries from Detroit then? Why did you keep making cars that
a) sucked and
b) sucked
if the car makers would have thought ahead, there would have been no oil problem because we would be using far less. Lazy, sloppy, inefficient and now it's finally caught up with them. As a former shop steward, I hate to cast aspersions on my brethren, but I wish all would have gotten along through the years.
Every commercial I see for the F150 pickup with 16 miles per gallon, I wonder why. Where's the beef? The hybrids? Electrics? Hydrogen? Propane? Natural Gas? Solar? and wind? cars? My 2004 Mazda 3 with 130,000 miles on it still gets 36 mpg. It's one of the very few foriegn cars I have owned and I wouldn't trade it for anything. $10,000 and still rockin'. Hey Detroit, where ya been? Why haven't you been making cars that Americans need?

Just Reminiscing

It's not this video but about a week after his performance on Midnight Special (where he was presented a gold record for "Bad Bad Leroy Brown")he and Maury were killed in a plane crash. There is a previous post about where I was when I heard the news. I'll never forget it.

Lil OReilly (I Can't Get Enough)

26 Letters 12 Chords

Quite a surprise from one Dave Mason. Apparently, he's been working on this release for the past six years or so in between his massive road work schedule. "Good 2 You" sounds excatly like Clapton. That's not a bad thing, for sure, but just different for Dave. He has played with Clapton, and Hendrix and Harrison and...
"World of Hinger" could have been done by Justin Timberlake or Timbaland and is QUITE the departure. "You're Standing in My Light" is cool, funky Dave and "How Do I Get To Heaven" is circa 1972 Dave with Willie Nelson on guitar. "Full Circle and Then" along with the instrumental "El Toro" is classic Dave. "Pink Lipstick" features the line, ...."she's much too young, for I'm in trouble, she's a woman now" which is a bit creepy coming from a guy his age. But still, a song full of hooks. "Ain't Your Legs Tired Baby (Cause You Keep Runnin Through My Mind)" is a fun, funky, nice workout. "That's Love" is another new sounding, funk piece that my daughter would even like, very modern, hip feel. This one almost sounds like he's trying to emulate Santana's "Smooth".
I gotta hand it to the old guy, the first time I heard this I went...wha? Where's Dave? Dave is back but he doesn't sound like Dave. I can't say I don't like it, I really appreciate his balls for taking chances and trying something new.

C+ when I first heard it, now definately an A.

If I Was A Terrorist (A James Pence Video)

Do You Have Gaps In Your Knowledge?

My friend from Nashburg, Dr. Sardonicus (and his twelve dreams) came up with this cool brain power exercise.

Do You Have Gaps In Your Knowledge?

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

There Are 0 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge:

No Gaps!

Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge:

Philosophy
Religion
Economics
Literature
History
Science
Art

Aint too bad for a farm boy, huh?

DoN't HAte mE

About the video: That song has been stuck in my head since last week, so you're welcome for sharing my torture with you. I'm passing it on to you because it's haunting me and will probably kill me in seven days. It's the Scanners movie all over again,

Down Time

I haven't blogged in a while. I am knee deep into a top secret project. It is taking a great deal of my time.

I made a presentation yesterday in Davenport and it went very well. While there, I saw my Aunt Jane again and she said no one has come to visit her since I saw her the last part of September. If that happens to me, shoot me so full of morphine that I'll be swimming in the stuff. Watch TV and eat. That's about all she does. Cryin shame.

It's budget time. I haven't done this in a while. Ought to be interesting to see what 2009 brings.

Can it be 2009? 1979 was thirty years ago? How can this be? Time marches on and slows for no one.

Here's a band you have never heard of. Fronted by Marty Balin in 1973, they released one (1) album and then disappeared. Very interesting, it sounds like a cross between Jefferson Starship and the Grateful Dead. Apparently, this was done during a drunken weekend and while Marty Balin was in between Starship stints. "Driftin" is a fine tune and the one I heard on late night radio. There are a couple more really interesting songs and done in a very laid back, relaxed atmosphere. Bodacious D. F. is the name of the one time one shot band.

How low will the stock market go and how much money will I lose in my holdings this year? I am a man of meager stature, thrifty and frugal. I do not have a car payment and I do not live beyond my means. Yet, lately, when I open my envelopes from Fidelity, The Hartford...etc, I lose money and a lot of it. That being said..where's MY bailout?

I have been a Dave Mason fan since 1970. A HUGE fan since about 1972. This new album of his sounds refreshed and Dave actually hungry to break new ground. There are songs on this release that sound nothing like him . There is one kinda weird song about him falling in love with a very young girl and there is one that sounds like Justin Timberlake could have recorded it. I am not sure whether that is a good thing or not. Dave sounds different and at this stage of his career, that may not be a bad thing. A FULL review will follow this weekend.

And That's How The Fight Got Started

1: When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take
her someplace expensive.....so, I took her to a gas
station..... and that's how the fight started....

2: I tried to talk my wife into buying a case of Miller
Light for $14.95.. Instead, she bought a jar of cold cream
for $7.95. I told her the beer would make her look better at
night than the cold cream. And that's how the fight
started.

3: After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to
apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter
asked me for my driver's license to verify my age. I
looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at
home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would
have to go home and come back later. The woman said,
'Unbutton your shirt'. So I opened my shirt
revealing my curly silver hair. She said, 'That silver
hair on your chest is proof enough for me' and she
processed my Social Security application. When I got home, I
excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social
Security office. She said, 'You should have dropped your
pants. You might have gotten disability, too'. And
that's how the fight started.....

4: My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school
reunion, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her
drink as she sat alone at a nearby table. My wife asked,
'Do you know her?' 'Yes,' I sighed,
'She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to
drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I
hear she hasn't been sober since' 'My God!'
says my wife, 'Who would think a person could go on
celebrating that long?'
And that's how the fight started.....

5: I rear-ended a car this morning. So, there we were
alongside the road and slowly the other driver got out of
his car. You know how sometimes you just get soooo stressed
and little things just seem funny? Yeah, well I couldn't
believe it.... he was a DWARF!!! He stormed over to my car,
looked up at me, and shouted, 'I AM NOT HAPPY!!!'
So, I looked down at him and said, 'Well, then which one
are you?' And that's how the fight started.....

6: I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some
reason, took my order first. 'I'll have the strip
steak, medium rare, please.' He said, 'Aren't
you worried about the mad cow?' 'Nah, she can order
for herself.' And that's how the fight started.....

11/11/08

...we'll always be brothers in arms...."

You Want Change With That?

I'll have mine supersized, please.

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Beginning Radio

...and after all these years, it's pretty much the same.

Sunday! Sunday!

Here it is Sunday night and here is what I think (for anyone who cares).


I am still a huge fan of Kurt Warner. When the Rams play the Cardinals, I'm rooting for Kurt. Even when the Rams aren't playing the Cardinals, I am rooting for Kurt. There have a been a couple of posts I have made talking about how I think he is one of the best passers in the history of the game. He dissected the Rams today. I really am in awe of a guy like that who lives his life the right way and absolutely kicks ass on the football field.

The first batch of the seasonal chili expedition has been completed. Excellent vintage, not too hot. I'll wait to bring out the hot stuff later. Nice and seasoned, may be some of the best chili I have ever made.

My kids made budget last month. We are building great momentum for future plans in Bloomington. Can't say how much I enjoy my team. I have compared my sales staff to the 1990 Atlanta Braves. On that team were Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Greg Maddox and Steve Avery. They turned out to be very good but at that time, they hadn't pitched much yet. Bingo. My guys haven't pitched much yet but I expect them to win 10 divisional championships in a row.

The "Saved By Zero" ad campaign from Toyota is a zero. Loved The Fixx and thought they were one of the highlights of the eighties. The work they did on their own and with Tina Turner really impressed me. I have a past post on my favorite Fixx songs. This ad campaign is a dud.

We're getting ready to lauch a deep tracks channel on my classic rock FM's website. Should be up and running by January one. Let me know if you have any requests.

Saw the movie "W" last night. I wish I could get those two hours back. Nine trailers before the movie started. Nine. Wow. Liked the first 45 minutes or so of the movie, then...meh. I'd give it a "C" at best. There was literally nothing else to watch at the theatres. That sucks.

Longest Running Sitcom Ever

The Simpsons, TV's longest-running American sitcom, is on tap for at least three more seasons, The New York Post reports.

"The cast is signed for three more years, so I would now say it's about a 90 percent chance we'll come back for at least one of those three," Al Jean, the show's executive producer, said. "I actually think it's better than a 50 percent chance we'll do three more years of this at least."

Should the triple renewal follow through, that would put the animated series at 23 years old - raise your hand if you're younger than it! - which would give it sole bragging rights as the longest-running scripted series, of any genre, ever.

At the moment, The Simpsons is tied with 20-season-long Gunsmoke for the honor. You know they totally want to break the tie.

Are you excited to be staying in Springfield? And will The Simpsons ever end?

English is Dum

This guy is 102 and he nails it. Very funny.