No Pity Party

I have a great life, filled with great friends, and a healthy family. That makes me better off than 99.7% of the world's population. There is no doubt. I just don't like what has happened this summer and how I have been treated by prospective employers. Being treated rudely is par for the course when it comes to radio people. Program directors are known for ignoring people who come to them in need of a job that they have posted. I have sent out probably 25 resumes and auditions this summer, and have recieved a reply on 3. The "coin flip" and two rejection letters. Even out of the radio business, however, I find most HR people and personnel departments are less civil and downright rude sometimes. I applied for a job at Balke/Brown here in St. Louis for a position that I thought I was qualified for and received a response that was basically..."who the hell do you think you are for applying for THIS job?" Just rude. I hope that someday, the cosmic tumblers of the karma Master lock gets turned and the shoe is on the other foot. I will keep fighting....

Cruel Summer

I don't remember a summer that has been as cruel as much as this one. From the beginning(I was one of two candidates for a great job and I lost on a "coin flip", spraining my ankle so badly that it still is swollen), to yesterday ("I don't have anything for you, I just wanted to meet the guy I grew up listening to"). My days are full of disappointment and my nights are full of sleepless dreams that make no sense. Hallucenogenic might be the right term, how else would you describe a dream about riding the bus of death with a driver that looks like Johnny Cash? It seems that I am the butt of a cosmic joke and God, in his infinate wisdom, is punishing me for past sins and maybe even past life mistakes. I have the song "Galileo" by the Indigo Girls running through my head. My head hurts from trying to figure out the next move and my heart aches for my family who has had to endure this ride with me. I haven't had a drink in six months and I sure would like one. I have applied for jobs all over town and been turned down becasue I don't have the correct last name. "Hey, you're a legend in this town"..really? Can I have a job? No, sorry, nothing here. "Someone from personel will call you tomorrow". Great. Waiting...waiting. My father did the same job over and over and over and over for 30 years. God, I wish I had that kind of security. All I need is ten years and with my family's history, I'll probably be dead then. While there have been some musical finds this summer (Cheap Trick, Stevie Williams, Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris), the high points have been few and far between. I have taken two Hogan personality tests (true or false...I want to learn to deep sea dive..I am a calm person..I think your appearance is important...people tend to like me) and obviously flunked them both. I have been dismissed by the railroad because of my age(sure, sure, we DON'T discriminate by age)and other times just because. I have had rude rejection letters and well written ones. This summer has been the summer of my discontent, the boulevard of broken dreams, the summer that makes me wonder if anything will come my way. It has taken away my self confidence and thoroughly eroded my self esteem. The jobs and the pay have dwindled in radio so badly, it makes me wonder if I can even make ends meet anymore. If not for the saving grace of my family (the ones that are still speaking to me) and the wonderful distraction that is basketball, I would have lost my mind. I have no idea where I am going and how this summer will end up (oh great joy, we still have another month left)but I will keep plugging along and hope that something miraculous will take place, something that God will plant in front of me, someone or something that will save my life. Shit, even Pluto gets kicked out of the club this summer. How cruel is that? Running out of money, running on faith. It's my blog, my journal, for whimsical stuff, fun stuff and stuff that hurts. This summer has hurt, there is no getting around it. I just hope to walk away with scars that will heal. I hope to walk away at all.
Cue Mr. Springsteen...

It's rainin' but there ain't a cloud in the sky
Musta been a tear from your eye
Everything'll be okay
Funny thought I felt a sweet summer breeze
Musta been you sighin' so deep
Don't worry we're gonna find a way

I'm waitin', waitin' on a sunny day
Gonna chase the clouds away
Waitin' on a sunny day

Without you I'm workin' with the rain fallin' down
Half a party in a one dog town
I need you to chase the blues away
Without you I'm a drummer girl that can't keep a beat
And ice cream truck on a deserted street
I hope that you're coming to stay

I'm waitin', waitin' on a sunny day
Gonna chase the clouds away
Waitin' on a sunny day

Hard times baby, well they come to tell us all
Sure as the tickin' of the clock on the wall
Sure as the turnin' of the night into day
Your smile girl, brings the mornin' light to my eyes
Lifts away the blues when I rise
I hope that you're coming to stay

Abbott and Costello on Computers...

You have to be old enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too old to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this. For those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch,
"Who's on First" might have turned out something like this:

Costello calls to buy a computer from Abbott

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac

COSTELLO: I told you, my name is Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm
sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need.

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "W" if you don't start with some
straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I
can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer. How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money

ABBOTT: Why not THEY OWN IT!




(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off

ABBOTT: Click on "START".............

A Great Musical Find

One of the cool things about voice tracking an internet smooth jazz station is the fact I get exposed to music I wouldn't normally hear. Some of it is pretty pedestrian, but Stevie Williams is one of the baddest bass players I have ever heard. In the spirit of Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius and Abraham Laboriel, this cat is just plain B-A-D.
This is one of the best CDs I have heard in the last five years. "Open Up Your Heart" kicks off the CD and is the first thing that caught my ear, extremely funky with a keyboard that sounds like a freight train, Steve Winwood would be proud of this. An incredibly catchy tune that sets the stage. "Today I Stop" sounds like Rufus with Chaka Khan, soulful and sweet. "Lo-Fi" starts with the sounds of a scratchy record and you swear the turntable os on the wrong speed. Where did this creativity come from? Incredible bass playing and a rhythm section that sounds like thunder. "Living Under The Sun" has turned into my favorite track on this recording and my favorite song this summer. Uplifting, funky, sweet with a piano solo and trumpet played with heart and passion. Where did this guy come from? "Just A Little More" sounds like a 1970s soul song that could have been done by Marvin Gaye. If your toes don't tap to this, you need help. Could have been a big hit if released 30 years ago. "Skyward Bound" sounds just like Jaco did when he was alive. This track is as about as laidback as you can get. The melody here reminds me of a hot summer day, the consistency of molasses. "Nursery Bass (The Special Children)" Nice feeling here, a bit of a throwaway if there is one on this release, but a sweet song with a real interesting fingering concept here. Nice solo in the middle from what sounds like a piccolo. "Gospel Summer" Baptist church on a hot Sunday morning. A great song, my second favorite on the CD. Jublilant and a joyful noise and when that Hammond B3 kicks in, you give up your soul to the groove...Hallelujah! "Walk Tall" brings you back down to Earth with a cool funky vibe that sounds like Jimmy Jamerson to me, just the way he plays is a nod to the old Motown Funk Brothers. "4am" a great ending to a wonderful ride. Cool talk box feature that would make Bob Heil proud. I plan on sending Stevie an email through his website just to say thanks for being one of the few things anymore that fills this 50 year old music fan's heart with awe. Find this release and buy it.

The Top Five Drugged Up Appearances Ever

With our special guests...Crispin Glover, James Brown, Klaus Kinski and Richard Pryor.

I don't care who ya are...that's funny.
From cracked.com

The Top 20 Questionable Career Moves

I agree with most of this...
didn't you used to be Craig Kilborn?

The A-Z of Rock Sex Scandals

From Blender magazine

Not for kids, for sure.

My Head Hurts...Please Stop

After ten years, it's ALL JonBonet all the time. This is the second wave and the reason that network and local news organizations suck. Please stop! My head hurts already. NBC Nightly news spent the first eight fucking minutes on this tonight....and then, we needed a "local" angle. Now I'm watching Fox news in the studio and they have lined up six "experts" on the case.
HE DIDN'T DO IT!
Now, be like OJ and find the real killer.
Now, really, does this guy look like a child molester to you? Well, actually.....

Song In My Head

I was listening to the radio
I heard a song reminded me of long ago
Back then I thought that things were never gonna change
It used to be that I never had to feel the pain
I know that things will never be the same now

I wanna go back
And do it all over again
But I can't go back I know
I wanna go back
Cause I'm feeling so much older
But I can't go back I know

I recall hanging out on Friday night
The first slow dance
Hoping that I'll get it right
Back then I thought I'd never ever stand alone
It used to be that a lonely heart was never shown
I know that things will never be the same

I wanna go back
And do it all over again
But I can't go back I know
I wanna go back
Cause I'm feeling so much older
But I can't go back I know

Can't go back

I can't go back

I know now that things will never be the same


No, No
And do it all over

Yeah, pal, I'm fifty and I hate it, too.

Bill Clinton turns 60 and he hates it.

Nursery Rhymes For Big Kids

Mary had a little pig,
She kept it fat and plastered;
And when the price of pork went up,
She shot the little bastard.


MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
Her father shot it dead.
Now it goes to school with her,
Between two hunks of bread.


JACK AND JILL Went up the hill
To have a little fun.
Stupid Jill forgot the pill
And now they have a son.



SIMPLE SIMON met a Pie man going to the fair.
Said Simple Simon to the Pie man,
"What have you got there?"
Said the Pie man unto Simon,
"Pies, you dumb #$%!"




HUMPTY DUMPTY sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the kings' horses,
And all the kings' men.
Had scrambled eggs,
For breakfast again.



HEY DIDDLE, DIDDLE the cat took a piddle,
All over the bedside clock.
The little dog laughed to see such fun.
Then died of electric shock.


GEORGIE PORGY Pudding and Pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
And when the boys came out to play,
He kissed them too 'cause he was gay.


There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good, she was very, very good.
But when she was bad........
She got a fur coat, jewels, a waterfront condo, and a sports car.

Thanks Mike

MIKE DOUGLAS 1925-2006


Mike with Olivia Newton-John (yummy) and her sister

As a young man growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, I didn't get the chance to experience much of what was going on in the music scene. My Am radio at night picked up the hallowed sounds of WLS and KAAY, but other than that, it was slim pickins. Every day after school (and before my chores), I would do my homework in front of the TV watching Mike Douglas and who Mike had on. Somedays it would be guys like Alejandro Rey and other days it would be guys like Jimi Hendrix or Sly Stone or whoever.

Mike Douglas with Starbuck "Moonlight Feels Right"

Mike seemed to be at home with everyone and comfortable with all of them. One Christmas, I got a very small reel to reel tape recorder from Cummins Electric and I thought I was in heaven. It was a real cheap thing with 4 1/2" reels that would last about five minutes. Whenever Mike had someone cool on, I would set up the microphone right next to the TV speaker and record. I must have had about 25 of these tapes. Mike Douglas passed away today on his 81st birthday. For a kid on the farm, he was a breath of fresh air and a conduit to what was happening in the world. I sure wish I would have kept those tapes.

Mike with Andy Kaufman

Yumm!

This snake was recently found at the old Turkey Creek gas plant located just south of the Alibates Turnoff on Highway 136 south of Fritch, Texas . [THAT'S JUST NORTH OF AMARILLO ]

9 feet, 1 inch - 97 lbs.

DEEP-FRIED RATTLESNAKE

1 medium-sized rattlesnake (3-4 lbs.), cut into steaks
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

Mix dry ingredients. Whisk milk into beaten egg and use to dip sna ke steaks. Then coat them with dry ingredients. Fry, uncovered, in 400 degree oil until brown.

Movie Review part two

After watching "Crash", I went flipping around the channels on my cable TV and landed on the "logos" channel. Found this movie just starting. Basically the story of a boy growing up in a hardscrapple Irish town whose mother has just died and his dad is a coal miner on strike. his dad send him to boxing lessons but this kid is attracted to the girls doing ballet and the trouble that ensues. Dad is not happy about this but when he sees the boy dance, he crosses the picket line to get the money to send him to the London School of ballet. Billy gets in and the last scene is dad and older brother going to London to see him dance many years later. Touching and sometimes manipulating but very enjoyable and although I didn't think I would like the movie, I did. Sometimes, the actors speak in such heavy accents it's hard to tell what they are saying,but it held my interest all the way though.
3 stars out of 5

Movie review part one

Sunday night was movie night. Here is the first review. "Crash". Maybe one of the best movies I have seen in a while. Questions...questions. How DO we deal with our fellow man? How do we view them in context? Are the stereotypes real? Do we judge someone solely on how they look? Intense, gripping, merciless and finally very satisfying. I absolutely loved this and I am so pleased that a movie that deals with society in a realistic way wins the "best movie" award. 122 minues went by in a flash. How would you react to the scenarios put forth in this movie? Excellent, can't wait to see it again.
4 stars out of 5.

Post number 410

“I'd put my money on solar energy… I hope we don't have
to wait ‘til oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”
--Thomas Edison, 1931

Unfriggin believable

Biggest Oil Field in U.S. Is Forced to Stop Pumping
By CLIFFORD KRAUSS and JEREMY W. PETERS
BP began shutting down the nation’s largest oil field yesterday after an inspection detected heavy corrosion and a small leak in a critical pipeline in its Prudhoe Bay operation in Alaska. The emergency drove already-high world crude oil prices to just under $77 a barrel.The company said that it would take three to five days to shut the pipeline system that serves Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska. BP said it could not estimate how long the system would be down as it replaced all 16 miles of feeder pipelines that connect the Prudhoe Bay field with the larger Trans-Alaska Pipeline.Bob Malone, president of BP America, said at a news conference in Anchorage that the company would look for a way to get at least some of the oil flowing again, quickly and safely, to limit the impact on the nation’s oil supply. He issued a public apology.The Prudhoe Bay field produces 400,000 barrels a day, or 8 percent of American crude. Another 380,000 barrels a day from the North Slope is not affected by the shutdown. The shutdown is expected to roil the Alaskan economy for months, if not longer. California and the rest of the West Coast also stand to suffer economic damage since refineries there are designed to process the Alaskan crude.Coming at a time of rising turbulence in the Middle East and threats by Iran to use oil as a political weapon, the news from Alaska pushed the price of crude oil for September delivery up $2.22, or 3 percent, to $76.98 a barrel. While that is close to a record high, it is still lower than the inflation-adjusted record of about $85 a barrel reached in 1981. The effects of the big jump in oil prices were seen worldwide yesterday, with stock prices declining in Europe and the United States. Prices at the gas pump began to rise as much as 5 cents a gallon in some cities. Analysts predicted an additional rise of at least another 5 cents in the coming days, particularly on the West Coast. Daniel Yergin, president of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, said the shutdown would not ordinarily be a major problem by itself. But he added: “This is a disruption on top of several other disruptions that are currently afflicting the world’s oil markets in Nigeria, Iraq, Venezuela and production is still out in the Gulf of Mexico. The numbers are starting to add up.”
The discovery of pipeline corrosion, and the shutdown to do emergency repairs, are the latest in a string of embarrassments for BP, which is based in London but has operations in the United States that are bigger than those of Exxon Mobil. Its troubles also come as Congress is debating whether to expand oil drilling on the North Slope. The House recently approved drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but the Senate has remained reluctant to act because of environmental concerns. Oil companies may now have a tougher time reassuring lawmakers.The discovery of corrosion in the pipeline caught BP by surprise, and as of yesterday, the company was still trying to determine the cause. As a result, it is re-evaluating how it conducts inspections along the pipeline.“We can’t explain it,” Ronnie Chappell, a spokesman for BP said. The company’s regular practice in Prudhoe Bay had been to spot-check sections of pipeline that were prone to corrosion.“We believed that this program was giving us an accurate view of what was occurring in these pipelines,” Mr. Chappell said. “But the discovery of this unexpectedly severe corrosion in this particular segment of line has caused us to rethink that.” Mr. Chappell said the pipes where the corrosion was detected had not been inspected with a “smart pig,” a device that travels through the inside to measure pipe wall thickness, since 1992. The reason the device was not used, he said, was that the pipes were too clogged with sludge for the device to pass through easily. But after a major spill in March along the same network of pipes, the Department of Transportation ordered inspections with the smart pig. Those tests revealed that the steel had corroded in 12 places on the eastern side of Prudhoe Bay to thicknesses less than BP considers safe. In those areas, tests found losses of 70 to 81 percent in the 3/8-inch thickness of the wall, the company said. In one area, it said, the equivalent of four to five barrels of oil had already leaked out of the pipeline because of the rusting. The company said that spill had been contained, and that workers were in the process of vacuuming it up from the tundra.Ten miles of the 16 miles of pipeline in the Prudhoe Bay field have yet to be inspected with the smart pig, raising the possibility that more severe corrosion could be detected. Six miles of pipeline at BP’s Lisburne field, near Prudhoe Bay, were not affected by the shutdown and remain operational.Because the company is uncertain how long it will take to make the repairs, the final cost of the emergency shutdown is difficult to estimate. The company said it had not yet done an analysis to determine the financial impact. The shutdown further sullied the reputation of BP as it was trying to re-engineer its marketing to project the image of an environmentally sensitive company committed to controlling climate change. BP executives were quick to acknowledge the dimensions of their new problem, which comes in the wake of a deadly refinery explosion last year in Texas and the 270,000-gallon spill on the North Slope in March. That spill, the worst since production began on the North Slope, has resulted in a federal criminal investigation.“BP deeply regrets that it’s been necessary for us to take this drastic action,” Bob Malone, president of BP America, said at a news conference. “I apologize for the impact this has had on our nation and to the great state of Alaska.” BP said it was studying the possibility of operating portions of the pipelines to reduce the disruption, but it is unclear whether it can do that. The Prudhoe Bay field was discovered in 1968 and came on stream in 1977, producing 10 billion barrels so far. BP operates the field, with nine other companies holding interests in field leases including ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil. ConocoPhillips estimated a loss of about 144,000 barrels a day in crude oil production. It said it did not know yet the impact of the loss on its overall operations. Exxon Mobil estimated a similar loss in production. Mr. Malone, the BP America president, acknowledged that the discovery of severe corrosion in the pipelines and the small oil spill had called into question the condition of most of the oil transit lines at Prudhoe Bay.“We will not resume operation of the field until we and government regulators are satisfied that they can be operated safely and pose no threat to the environment,” Mr. Malone said. The immediate price rise may have been even higher had the Bush administration not immediately signaled that it was ready to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease lost supplies. “I’m obviously concerned,” Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman told reporters as he promised to help West Coast refiners find additional supplies. OPEC quickly announced it would use its spare capacity to compensate for any shortfalls arising from the Prudhoe Bay field shutdown, but additional supplies expected from Saudi Arabia would be of a lower quality than the Alaskan supplies. Oil industry leaders said West Coast refineries could feel the pinch of shortages in crude in a matter of weeks, even with the release of strategic reserves since those reserves tend to have higher sulfur content than many of the California refineries are designed to process. Some of the West Coast refineries, however, are owned by major international companies that have easier access than other refineries to world supplies. “Practically all of this impact and loss of supply will occur on the West Coast,” said Bob Slaughter, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. But, he added, “One of the things we learned from Katrina and Rita is that a problem in one part of the U.S. quickly affects the entire U.S. and often the world supply and demand as well.” The shutdown spurred calls in Congress to give the Department of Transportation greater powers to impose stronger maintenance standards on pipelines and it brought more criticism of Big Oil at a time of historic profits.
“With oil above $70 per barrel and BP making record profits, it can afford to properly clean and maintain its pipelines,” said Representative Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “This sudden loss of production will dramatically increase oil prices and the American people will be footing the bill for this combined failure of D.O.T.’s regulatory oversight and BP’s corporate responsibility.”

So, what the hell did you do with the 10 billion fuckin dollars in profit this last quarter? You haven't done maintenence in over a decade? Are you kidding me? Congress is acting very sanctimoniously over this but remember who has the biggest hand in THEIR pockets. Yep, big oil. There will be hearings then the oil companies will bitch slap these guys and threaten to withhold campaign $$, then it will all go away until next quarter when BP announces it has made $20 billion in profits.When will it all stop? When we all wake up and start using wind power, solar power and all over renewable sources. It's going to be hell on our kids no?

CD Review

Isn't this how the business is supposed to work? You go see a band and then go to your favorite neighborhood record store and buy their stuff? This is the best Cheap Trick release since "Dream Police". I have always admired this band but at one point they got bogged down in their own cuteness so to speak. This CD has been in my car for two weeks and I absolutely love it.
"Welcome to the World" starts off the CD with about 2 minutes of a preview of what's coming. Tight playing great harmonies and catchy, pop songs. "If It Takes a Lifetime" is their newest single..."it's being played all over the world" Rick Neilsen said in jest in concert. Absolutely a great power pop song, full of Robin Zander's excellent voice and Rick's still sanctimonious guitar. "This Time You Got It" is my favorite track, it sounds like CT did 25 years ago. "Every Night and Every Day" rock my world with of the greatest rhythm sections ever. (Nice to see Bun E. Carlos has made a recovery from his dance with the cancer demon). "O Claire" (a lullabye to Robin's daughter)sounds just like The Beatles. These guys have always had The Beatles in their back pocket but now this CD seems to be the piece of music that says .."we're back and we're bad." Cheap Trick has always been the Rodney Dangerfield of rock, getting no respect and all but damn, this 50 year old lifetime music fan says thanks for still being around and thanks for giving us your best effort in years. The CD is called "Rockford", named after their hometown and it's a return to their roots. It's good to have fun again. Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson says, "This new record has the best elements of our entire catalogue. It's by far our best work yet." Amen to that.

4 1/2 starts out of 5.

To All Of Us Boomers

This has been around for a awhile, it's an old favorite of mine. Enjoy!

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE

1940's, 50's,and 60's !!

First, babies survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they
carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back
when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat
rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They
actually sided with the law! This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And we still say "Merry Christmas!"

Deep Thoughts From My Friend Karl

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives.


He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another. He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times. The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply,he hardly took notice of her !

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, "I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone." Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying,will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!", replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?""No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good!When you die, I'm going to remarry!" His heart sank and turned cold. He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!",replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most,I can only walk with you to your grave" Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning,and the King was devastated.
Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go."
The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"
In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good,it will leave us when we die. Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul. Often neglected pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow
us wherever we go.


Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.

Watch What You Say

I was watching Cardinals baseball the another night when I heard Dan McLaughlin state that ..."it must have been tough to be Tony Gwynn's son". What? Really? To grow up privledged, go to private schools, be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, have your father idolized, be pretty much taken care of for the rest of your life, your kids life and their kids life? Yeah, that must be tough.
I like Dan, I knew Dan when he was a young announcer on WIBV in Belleville. Sometimes, during the game, you need to yap to fill in the parts that are dull, but really, tough to be Tony Gwynn's kid? Man, I would have loved to have had that toughness in my life.

The "New" Joker

What leaked last week has now become official - Heath Ledger will play the The Joker in the upcoming Batman Begins sequel, titled The Dark Knight. The script will be written by Jonathan Nolan (Memento) and production is set to begin early 2007. The announcements were made yesterday by Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. He says:

"Chris'[Nolan] unique vision is what made Batman Begins such an outstanding film and we could not imagine anyone else at the helm of The Dark Knight," said Robinov. "We also can't wait to see two such formidable actors as Christian and Heath face off with each other as Batman and The Joker."


Can't wait. The Dark Knight is one of my favorite comic books. I really liked "Batman Begins". Batman was NOT a nice guy.

Post 403

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

New Cool Website For Music Geeks (like me)

Go to this website, it will give you the number one song on anyday you want.
The number one song on my birthday was
"The Great Pretender" by The Platters.

My life's theme song (the number one song on my 18th birthday) is
"Love's Theme" (no lyrics)from Love Unlimited Orchestra conducted by Barry White.

See How They Live...

So, let me get this straight...if I log on to seehowtheylive.com, ATT will show me how spoiled athletes spend their gazillion dollars on their new homes, electronics, cars and such.
And to top it off, the site is hosted by one of the most arrogant rich athletes in the world who couldn't hack it as a broadcaster (surprise)?

You know, I think I would rather have Lee the janitor tell me about his latest root canal. At least Lee has soul.

Post Number 400!

What the bloody hell...?

Thanks for the "hand", Jim.

My Letter To The Government

July 28, 2006
The Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes
309 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510

Dear Senator Sarbanes,

As a native Missourian and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue
Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the
Immigration and Naturalization Service in an effort to determine the
process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.

My reasons for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal
alien stem from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for
which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, what I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out. Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine.

Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively?
This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid
heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.

Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would
receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications.

If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal
(retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be
most appreciative.

Thank you for your assistance.

Your Loyal Constituent,
Randy Raley

"Superman Returns"

I just saw it at the IMAX/3D house. Loved it. Great entertainment. Drags a bit toward the end, but man, what a ride. Noticed a great deal of Jesus imagery, or was that just me? You think it's a long movie from the running time but it went by like a flash. Lex Luther still lives, Lois Lane's heart still pangs and yes, there will be a sequel, I'm sure. From a guy who LOVED the first one(1978 with Christopher Reeve), I really enjoyed this one
4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Rut Roh!

Not good news for the home team...where have you gone Lance Armstrong?

Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time

I can't argue with most of them, hell I couldn't even put together my top 100.
Here's the top ten....

1. Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan

2. Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones

3. Imagine, John Lennon

4. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

5. Respect, Aretha Franklin

6. Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys

7. Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry

8. Hey Jude, The Beatles

9. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana

10. What'd I Say, Ray Charles