McDonalds Opens In Africa

Thank you

Post 349 for Father's Day

"I'm looking for someone to change my life...I'm looking for a miracle in my life and if you could see what it's done to me..."
The Moody Blues

Post 348 for Father's Day

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."- Mark Twain

The Ten Greatest Drunks in History

Who's gonna tell you this stuff? Huh?
I am right here.

Stephen Colbert owns a representative

Note to US Congressmen: If you co-sponsor a bill requiring the 10 Commandments be displayed in the House and the Senate (so that we "don't lose a sense of our direction") you better know all ten when Stephen Colbert asks you to name them.

Here is the link. Oops

In Praise of...Colin Montgomerie

I was watching golf yesterday and I heard one of the announcers say something about how Colin Montgomerie was one of the least liked guys on the circuit, seems he's an arrogant Brit (ooh, and aren't those the worst kind).
On September 13, 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11, Colin was in town for a pro event at the Bellreive in St. Louis. They cancelled the event and that day, I did an all day telethon at the Galleria to raise money for Backstoppers, an organization that donates money to widows and families of fallen officers, paramedics and firefighters.
I saw him walk in the door and knew his reputation. He approached the table where we were and asked what was going on, I told him and he immediately whipped out his checkbook and wrote a check for $5,000. I know he makes that in a day, but I thought he was generous and I told him so. He said "I love America".

Post Number 344 for Father's Day

"My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life."
- Lee Iacocca

Post Number 343 for Father's Day

"I felt something impossible for me to explain in words. Then when they took her away, it hit me. I got scared all over again and began to feel giddy. Then it came to me -- I was a father."
- Nat King Cole

(for you, coop)

Sports Illustrated's Top Photos of The Year

Going into town from the farm on a Saturday morning meant the day was sweet. Fountain Dr. Pepper's from Norman's Rexall Drug(see earlier post), shooting pool, getting NEW comic books, cherry shakes from the Dairy Queen and the new SI would be out. I would buy it then ride home and read it.
Still love SI.
Here's their award winning photos from 2000-now.

Clear Channel Now Thinking About One Second Spots

From smays.com

:30's, :60's and :01's
In early 2005, I linked to an Adrants item about Cadillac trying out five second commercials (and made the obvious reference to Max Headroom). According to Advertising Age, Clear Channel is considering one-second commercials (called Blinks)

The Blinks could be used in a number of ways. Clear Channel's Creative Services Group crafted a demonstration spot using the McDonald's jingle, and placed it between one hip-hop song and another. The group also created a Blink for BMW's Mini Cooper with a horn honking and man's voice saying "Mini," and placed it before miniaturized news reports. (Neither marketer has a deal with Clear Channel for Blinks.) Other audio mnemonics that could use Blinks are the Intel chime and the NBC bells.

Sounds like a publicity stunt but who knows. Not sure how this syncs with CC's "less clutter" philosophy. If anybody has heard one of these (or, better still, could send me a wee air-check), gimme a shout. [Thanks, Jackie]

Steak and Shake has been doing this for years....."bean crock".

Wikipedia's Comprehensive List of Problems Solved By MacGyver

Loved the show. Warning!! Plot spoilers abound. Here's the list.

Blue Dress+Wind=Trouble

I love Toni Braxton. I think she is one beautiful lady and sings like a bird. When I was working in Smooth Jazz radio, I played her stuff a lot. During opening ceremonies for the World Cup in Germany, it apparently was a very windy day....

Song Rip-Off Update

I was watching the NBA gane last night. I never watch pro basketball until the playoffs, then I love watching the pros. I heard "Magic Bus" for some car company and thought to myself, does Pete Townshend really need all of this money? I used to love Pete and The Who and thought they epitomized what rock and roll was about...loud and not pretentious at all. How wrong I was about Pete. He has sold his soul to the corporate machine. Just about every popular Who song has been stolen for something to do with cars, TV shows, you name it, Pete's sold it.

What the hell does "Oye Como Va" have to do with Honda's? When I interviewed Carlos Santana many years ago, he said "Oye Como Va" was the song that Tito Puente started his "Houseparty" with on Saturday nights broadcasting on the "X" out of Mexico. It is now selling cars. I guess I can't blame Carlos, it's not his song and maybe Tito's family needs the money....

I have cut up my Chase card due to the fact that "All You Need Is Love" is now thier theme song. Outrageous!! Did Micheal do this or was it Paul? If Paul agreed, than he's even more greedy that I previously thought. I about shot my water through my nose when I heard this. I'm seriously steamed that future generations will associate "All You Need Is Love" with a credit card.

Why Advertise?

In a column this morning, Bill McClellan wrote an article about something that I have been wondering about. Why does Ameren advertise? Are there choices in electric companies? I don't understand the need for them to be buying commercials with my money. They also throw a lot of money to lobbyists on both sides of the state congressional isle. What is the point? We have no choice when it comes to electric power.

Another question...why does MOdot run spots? Do we have a choice when it comes to fixing our roads? I didn't think so. This is a blatant attempt to spend the taxpayers money foolishly.

In Praise Of....A.R.S.

I thought the Atlanta Rhythm Section would be superstars. Formed out of the band that once was The Classics 4 (Stormy)(Spooky), this studio band caught me with "Doraville" from 1974. I caught the bug big time with "Dog Days" and was hooked. I never got to see them live, I just loved the smooth style and laid back playing that personified their music. Here are my fave ARS tunes....

1. "Sky High"
2. "Doraville"
3. "Crazy"
4. "Georgia Rhythm"
5. "Spooky"

As good as it ever got.

Blender’s list of the 50 Dumbest Rock Star Purchases

See the list here.

Er...uh..I'm jes' sayin...

It looks like wha?
This aerial photo taken from the Polk County assessor’s Web page shows the city of Des Moines’ detention basin at 2617 Easton Blvd. The basin, constructed about two years ago, helps prevent flooding, according to Des Moines City Engineer Jeb Brewer.

Brush With Greatness Part Ten

I think you know who these guys are...Taken in 1990 backstage at Kemper Arena in KC.

Funny

Kudos to the Kids and other crap I am thinking about

Paul has been accepted to Aeronautical Engineering School. We are talking NASA here. Not just aerospace but aeronautics. He has also embarked on his first solo road trip to the east coast. He will be doing a service project for Notre Dame over the summer. Get this...he will be building a back yard while living in the house owned by some hot shot stock market executive in Fairfield Ct. He has the house by himself each weekend while these guys go to "Cape Cod". Tough project huh? I think my summer projects always included detassling corn and bugs the size of your head. It's not rocket science...oh, wait it is!
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Emily has earned excellent grades her final semester of junior year. A 3.75 for the semester, nice job. She is slowly stepping away, I think we can all feel it. She is not long for this house.
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Jess is hopefully getting her feet underneath her and getting settled to what life is like after college. I apologize in advance for the numerous panic attacks and the feeling of terror that she is about to experience.
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The job front remains static. I have declined some things due to the fact that they just won't work and I am not that interested. It HAS to be the right move and I am sure it will come along. I have prayed about it a great deal. God will send me where God wants me to go. I would like to go southwest of here, but only time will tell.

Tivo Time

The Deadliest Catch.


This has been my favorite TV show lately. I have seen all of the shows and now I am watching them in reruns. I will set up my season pass to make sure I don't miss any more. This is the story of a group of crab boats that fish for Alaskan King Crab north of the Bering Strait. I guess I watch this because this looks like a challenging way to make some serious dough. I actually thought I might like to do this until the narrator said that the guys were up for 36 hours straight catching crab. I am too old for that.


Windfall





This show looks like it may have some promise. A group of friends win a huge sum of money in the lottery and we get to watch as (apparently) their lives change much more than we can imagine. I have a season pass all set up. I will watch the first show tonight and report. I hope NBC doesn't screw it up. The first show has promise, although I am the only one in the family who thinks so. I have taken the bait and I will report how this goes. Another interesting show, may be too many plot lines though, we will see.

My Friend Bill Page

I found out I lost another friend today. When Bill Page was in the news department at KBOA in Kennett, he routinely told me how happy he was. He was being paid a pretty nice salary and in return, Bill gave them his heart and soul. During the tornados that touched down in Caruthersville, Bill did a 36 hour shift. He thought it was what newsmen did. Shortly after that, he was fired for "budgetary reasons". He was heartbroken and emailed me to say so. (See a previous post)He decided to become a police dispatcher and emailed me a couple of weeks ago to tell me how much he liked his new job, he missed radio. I only met Bill twice. Once at the MBA in Kansas City (he won a bunch of times) and once in Kennett at the station. He died yesterday. Whatever the cause was, Bill died of a broken heart more than anything else. It immediately reminded me of the story about Coach "Bear" Bryant of Alabama, who coached the tide forever and finally when he retired, he died. Bill was a professional newsman. I think he would like to have been known like that.
Here is the announcement of Bill's death in the local paper.

Phoebe Cates

The picture on the left was taken in 1989. The one on the right, at the premeire of "A Prairie Home Companion", held over the weekend. We dig Kevin Kline at our house (a was a graduate of Priory)and apparently, life is treating him well, too.
She looks basically the same. Beautiful woman, always has been.

Two Types of Yoga

I love yoga..



Redneck Yoga..

Ouch, this one hurts.

Rest in Peace Billy Preston. How cool were you? You got the chance to jam with the Beatles on the rooftop. You got to be the "fifth Beatle." You did that amazing keyboard in "Get Back". You were the only person other than the Beatles to get a credit on their records. As I sit here listening to "Outa Space" (a #2 song in July of 1972, "Lean On Me was number one.), I say a prayer for your family. Apparently, you've been in a coma for awhile. Thank you for your music, your smile and that very very cool afro.

He seemed to me to be a very happy guy, it looked like he smiled a lot. Apparently, he had many battles with the demons that we all face.

Billy Preston was 59.

Weekend Crap

This is almost day 110 into what I call as "Operation Ground Zero". It is an opportunity to start again and reenergize the thought process in the somewhat new age of 50. It has been that long since a have had a drink. "How do I feel? " some people have asked. I feel great. I have also dropped 28 pounds, so that may have something to do with it.
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What will be the future of HD radio? It is very expensive right now to buy a receiver, but I also remember when blank video tapes were ten bucks a piece. I hope that the radio companies (and I think mine will) be bold enough to offer something other than the same tired 500 song playlist. I have witnessed the diffrence between HD and analog, and I can't wait to hear Steely Dan's "Aja"... or "Crime of the Century" by Supertramp on one. When I was working in a stereo store in the late 70s, those were the two albums that were sonically miles ahead of their peers. Those would be the LPs we would test stereos.
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Congrats again to the people at the Arch. Less than 1 point behind KMOX in the 12+ demos. That's frickin cool. Some of The Arch music isn't for me, but there in lies the popularity. It's not for everyone some of the time, but for most folks most of the time, and that has translated into a real winning formula. I don't think the other stations still know what hit them.
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St. Peterfest in Kirkwood tonight. Nothing like a parish festival to get into summer. I think I will go easy on the food and drink this year. It will be fun, though, just to get the latest gossip in the neighborhood.

I Never Knew...

THIS MAY COME AS A SURPRISE TO THOSE OF YOU NOT LIVING IN LAS VEGAS,
BUT THERE ARE MORE CATHOLIC CHURCHES THAN CASINOS (in Vegas).

NOT SURPRISINGLY, SOME WORSHIPPERS AT SUNDAY SERVICES WILL GIVE
CASINO CHIPS RATHER THAN CASH WHEN THE BASKET IS PASSED.

SINCE THEY GET CHIPS FROM MANY DIFFERENT CASINOS, THE CHURCHES HAVE
DEVISED A METHOD TO COLLECT THE OFFERINGS.

TH E CHURCHES SEND ALL THEIR COLLECTED CHIPS TO A NEARBY FRANCISCAN
MONASTERY FOR SORTING AND THEN THE CHIPS ARE TAKEN TO THE CASINOS OF
ORIGIN AND CASHED IN.

THIS IS DONE BY THE CHIP MONKS.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING DID YOU?

OWNED.

Thanks KK

Ways To Stop Being a Fucking Idiot

This list is not for you, our well-behaved and handsome readers. It's for all your friends and enemies who don't mind acting like major a-holes. Please forward this helpful list to them and hopefully their unsavory conduct will cease.
• If you are able to read while exercising, stop reading. You are not really exercising.
• If you find yourself enjoying bad blues performed by Bruce Willis, John Goodman or Jim Belushi, stop it. And throw away your Planet Hollywood jacket while you're at it.
• If it takes more than $45 to fill up your gas tank, stop it. Pour the gas on the outside of the vehicle and light a match.
• If you constantly worry aloud about catching SARS or West Nile, stop it. The eight cigarettes you have at lunch everyday will kill you first.
• If you are Toby Keith, stop it. Breathing, that is.
• If you are an office clockwatcher who decides what to talk about based on the day of the week and its relation to the weekend, i.e. "I hate Mondays"; "Wednesday, Hump day!" and "It's Thursday, which is almost Friday! Yay!" Stop it. Please follow me out behind the dumpsters. I want you to meet someone.
• If you put "shizzle" at the end of every word and you are not Snoop Dogg, stop it. It's about as funny as "Waaazzz-up!"
• If your fulltime job is selling crap on eBay, stop it. We don't need to bid on your sister's half-used acne medication.
• If you talk about your fraternity or sorority days ad nauseam, stop it. We already know your best days are hopelessly behind you.
• If you feel the need to yap on your cell phone in a restaurant, stop it. Leave the restaurant, continue yapping and walk directly into traffic.
• If you scold others for yawning, stop it. Take the hint (it's you).
• If you proudly state, "I really don't watch TV," stop it you liar. You watch TV every waking second you are not downloading porn.
• If you wear anything that says "WWJD," stop it. One thing Jesus wouldn't do is wear a chintzy WWJD bracelet purchased at Bea's Hallmark in the strip mall.
• If you do a month's worth of banking at my ATM when I just need to get a 20 spot, stop it. I have a gun pointed at our back, step aside and take your business inside the bank.
• If you proudly proclaim Top Gun, Scarface or Pretty Women is your favorite movie, stop it. Imitating people on "Cribs" is not a good idea.
• If you act like your work place is an episode of "The Real World," stop it. The real, real world doesn't need your drama fits (but still feel free to dress like a stripper).
• If you are a guy more than 17 years of age and choose to drink a fruity alcohol malt beverage, stop it. You did not earn the right and privilege to be drunk.

I stole this from here.

The Top Ten Unintentionally Gay Videos

Can be found here.

Regarding the first person on the list; there was nothing unintentional about it.
I know first hand...(shaddup!).

Very Funny...