Mike Holder's Random Ponderings & Musical Side Show

The Embezzlement of America

2011-08-08T17:03:00.009-04:00

Barack Obama was first supposed to make his statement earlier today (Monday 8/8) on this past Friday’s S&P rating downgrade to the press at 1:00 PM ET. Then it became 1:30. Then, finally at 1:55, Barry hit the podium, looking like a child who was in deep trouble with his parents. And as he spoke, he kept looking to either side of the camera, as if he couldn’t look us in the eye. And all the time he spoke, the NYSE ticker the TV press so happily superimposed in the corner of the screen kept dropping as he spoke, going down 150 points in less than 5 minutes time. And I swear I could hear the collective gasps of millions of Americans as they all finally came to the same realization.

Our country has been embezzled. So how’s the “Hope & Change” going for you now?

Barry had all weekend to come up with something, but the best he could do was repeat the “balanced approach” to the problem. The problem is that our problem has been unbalanced for a long time, and it is too late for a “balanced approach”. This might just be the end of the credit “gravy train”, just like back in 1929.

For those of you wanting to blame Barry or his predecessor George W. Bush for this mess, you have to go back even further. Much further. Some may point at the Federal Reserve’s creation a hundred years ago. Some may point a finger at the “New Deal” during FDR. Others may say it was Social Security. Others Medicare and Medicaid. Some say the wars in the Middle East. No matter what was the actual start, our government has had the practice of “robbing Peter to pay Paul” for decades.

Embezzlement is the most interesting of crimes. Unlike other forms of larceny it has a time parameter where weeks, months or even years pass between the commission of the act and when it is discovered. For decades we have allowed the financial sector to operate at a profit…all at public cost. They have taken billions and padded their pockets while at the same time giving away trillions of dollars in loans around the world. Loans that probably will never be paid back. And now we are paying for it. We have a tumbling stock market, over 9 percent unemployment and a flight to gold with some investment advisers say it will be at $2,500 per ounce by year’s end.

The most ludicrous thing said about all this was past Sunday (8/7) on NBC’s “Meet The Press”. Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said, quote, “The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default. What I think the S&P thing did was to hit a nerve that there's something basically bad going on, and it's hit the self-esteem of the United States, the psyche.”

Hmmmm. “We can always print money…” And what will this newly printed money be backed by, since it is not backed by gold like the old days? The only thing that backs the money in circulation is the promise of the US Government to pay. But, wait a minute? How can we pay on these “promisary notes” when we are trillions of dollars in debt? This is how we have “fixed” our economic woes over the past few decades…”print more money”. If I were to just “print more money” to fix MY economic woes I would be doing time in a Federal prison for counterfeiting.

Barry told us this afternoon that the downgrade of our credit rating was more a comment on our political dysfunction than on our ability to repay our debts. In part that is true, but only a part. Even though it will be painful, there has to be major cuts in spending and more revenue generated in the form of taxes. And the financial sector needs to be held accountable and have its “free reign” over the economy brought under control. And this will no doubt cause more gridlock, because nobody wants to give up “their piece of the pie”, especially the financial sector.

So what do we do now? It will be hard to reverse the effects of decades of bad fiscal decision making by our elected officials and the embezzlement of America by the financial sector.

Yesterday I listened to the original recording of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land”, a song we all learned as kids. However, listening to it I was reminded about the often forgotten last two verses of the song”

“As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!”

“In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin’
If this land's still made for you and me.”

It is time for America and us Americans to wake up and take control of our nation and its destiny. We need to hold Washington accountable by our votes and our voices to be tough and serve ALL of those who elected them to represent ALL of us…not just those who are in control of the economic sector.

We need to do this quickly before the term “American” becomes synonymous with the term “Sucker”.

Ego Vs. Confidence

2010-08-23T11:15:00.002-04:00

It's been nearly 8 weeks since that fateful day Midwest Communications took the reigns from Mid-Michigan Radio Group and released me from WQTX (92-X), WJXQ (Q-106) and Tim Barron Mornings this past June 30th. For 10 days prior to that I knew my fate, brought about by negotiations with the "new sheriff" that went south…along with other factors, circumstances and revelations about people and their true intentions.

To this day, many people continue to quiz me about why I wasn't retained. I received hundreds of emails right after it happened asking why I wasn't on the air. Even though I am not under any confidentiality clause or 18-month "non-compete" that my former radio compadres are now bound by with Midwest, I choose not to go into the particulars or "dish" to people the "skinny" about what happened. Instead, I have three things I share with those "inquiring minds" that are consistent across the board: 1.) It was time for me to move on and move forward, 2.) I wish all the best to those I had worked with, and 3.) This is the best thing that could happen to me.

I have been in the broadcasting, media and entertainment biz since I did my first radio and TV appearance at 5 years old. It is something I have always known in my life, something I truly love, and something I have always been successful at. So there was concern that I would take my being unceremoniously "dumped" in a bad way....that my "ego" would take an extreme beating by it and I would consider myself a failure, blame others and follow a destructive path that would only worsen the situation.

Having an “ego” is an important part of character and personality. It is no coincidence that successful individuals from Donald Trump to Muhammad Ali are often imbued with an unshakable sense of importance. They certainly did not succeed by being content with the status quo. They possess that electrifying X-factor that makes them believe that they are better — special even — than everyone else.

As the saying goes, “Everyone loves a winner.” It’s true that people with strong personalities often attract a huge following. But it’s also often the case that people with huge egos are a massive turn-off, especially when their ego clouds their judgment of reality. When the ego gets too big and failures come, there is either denial that the failure actually occurred or blame is shifted to others instead of themselves.

I learned the lesson long ago that having a big ego does not bring true success in life. Having confidence in yourself, who you are, how you treat others, and knowing your worth is what makes for true success. Some of the biggest egos out there belong to the most insecure people...people who will stop at nothing to tear others down to make themselves feel superior. Thankfully in all my years working with such people not a one of them succeeded in tearing me down.

Many times people confuse ego with confidence and vice versa. Some feel that in order to be hugely successful they need to have a huge ego. The fact is that ego and confidence are two separate and opposite things.

Ego describes the self-serving, self-centered part of a person...the "Me! Me! Me!" part that has no regard for others. People that are driven by their egos stop listening to others and stop seeking feedback. They feel that everything is about them, and when something is not about them, they tend to go ballistic. They honestly believe that they are above everyone else and feel the world owes them something..."It's my world and everyone else just lives in it." They ultimately fail because they are unable to see when their conviction turns into recklessness.

The egotist puts results first instead of putting people first. They are caught up in being the "top dog" so much that they fail to recognize others around them that are a part of helping them achieve their success. At times, they are even fearful of success because deep inside they know they don’t deserve it, yet they still claim all the credit for it. Their stranglehold they keep on being "top dog" leads to fear when someone else shows talent and ability in doing what they do just as well as they do...or even better. Thus they do everything in their power to take down those around them they feel a "threat"...either physically, psychologicly or even by lying about them to others to make them look inferior to themselves.

People driven by ego are always swinging widely between being nice and being totally arrogant...almost as if they are bi-polar. They ride a rocky roller coaster of an existence and many times they let demons take over and they go down a path of destruction over and over…drugs, alcohol, abusive behavior and more.

Confidence is different. Where ego is something that we build up in our minds, confidence is something we are born with...a part of our being...like having arms, legs, fingers toes, and so on. Confidence is an innate human attribute where ego is a man-made psychological state of mind.

Having confidence is where you like yourself for what you are and having a realistic appreciation of your own abilities. True confidence is not solely reliant on success because there will always be failures to contend with. Confidence is not a result of comparing ourselves with others either, because there is always someone better. Simply put, it’s about being sure of your abilities without being conceited and arrogant at the same time.

Being confident in yourself takes acceptance that success comes not be cause of what you do solely, but how others accept your success. If you handle success with arrogance, people are turned off by it. However if you handle success with gratitude and thanks, people see your genuineness and you are respected and liked by all.

Although I am “on hiatus” or “on the beach” from the world of broadcasting, there is no remorse, grief, blaming others, or bitterness that blinds me from reality. I am confident that I will rise to the challenge and succeed…not because I feel success is owed to me, but because success is earned.

So you see folks, contrary to what you have been told on the air for the past four years, it’s not all about me. I hope someday that others realize that it’s not all about them either.

Memories of Elmo

2010-07-29T00:59:00.003-04:00

Through our lives, from childhood on through, many of us had a number of family pets. Each one of them having their own characteristics, personalities and our memories of them. I had a good number of them in my life time, all with different traits and recollections.

There was our first family pet when I was 3, a Great Dane named Brutus, who jumped through a full length window, shattering it to bits, to chase after a car going by the house. Then there was Shatzig, a Dachshund, who one day while we were out broke into a case of wine my dad had in the utility room, got drunk and got stuck in a pair of my dad's shorts...front end stuck in one leg, rear end in the other. My grandparent's Dachshund Snoozy who drank coffee, Scooter the Scottish Terrier that would attack the end of a hose if it was turned on, and Ozone...a tabby cat who was the best mole hunter. All with unique traits and memories.

Elmo the cat was a special cat. I am not the most loyal cat lover...allergies make it hard, but Elmo was one of my favorites. He was one of two from the same litter that my ex wife and I got shortly after we were married in 1996. We got his brother Goofy first in September, Then got Elmo in November.

Goofy and Elmo were farm kittens that lived on a farm near my ex parent-in-laws near Battle Creek. Goofy was not weened when we got him so I got the doll baby bottle and did the duties. Getting Elmo was tough. We went to the farm and when we were about to pick him up to take him home he took off, ran to the barn and hid. Had to wait until two days later when they finally retrieved the cat from the barn and brought it to us.

Our reasoning in getting two kittens from the same litter was so that they could keep each other occupied so that there would be no mischief. That proved to be a false bit of reasoning when that Christmas while my ex and I were at work they pulled down the Christmas tree and destroyed it and the decorations on it. Pretty hefty work for 5 month-old kittens.

Elmo had the distinct habit of attacking my feet while I was asleep when we first got him. This practice would prove useful when my ex was ready to give birth to the twins in 1997. He kept attacking my feet when her water broke in the middle of the night until I got up. He was very intelligent as well. Most cats when you call their name would be finicky and ignore you, or casually come when they felt like it. Elmo would come right away, always giving a "meow" each time I would say his name.

He had very unique culinary tastes. He loved McDonald's french fries, black olives and tuna. I used to make tuna salad for sandwiches for me to take to work. As soon as I opened the can in the electric can opener he would come and beg for tuna, which I treated him to a couple select morsels each time. After awhile all he had to do was hear the electric can opener and he was there. Even if I wasn't opening a can of tuna, whether chili or a can of coffee, he would still be there begging for his tuna fix.

Over the past couple months I noticed Elmo getting rather thin. I told my ex and she said she noticed it too. Then three weeks ago he slowly walked up to me wanting me to pet him. I bent down and gently stroked his head and scratched his ears. His head raised up as always, stretching his neck out to show his enjoyment of the attention, but then he lost his balance from the neck stretch and fell down on his side. I informed my ex of this and we both agreed that he was not doing well.

The week of July 19th it was my wife's visit week with the kids. This past Sunday she called me to let me know that Elmo was not well at all and she doubted he would make it to yesterday...the day her visit week ended and I would see the kids again. I told her that he would hang on until he saw me.

Yesterday I picked up the kids from the pool and took them to the house. Once there I went to where the kids told me Elmo was. As I came to where he was, I called him by his nickname we gave him as a kitten, "Mosers". He picked up his head from the pillow he was resting on, looked right at me and answered to his name with the "meow" he always did...laboring to get it out, but he still did. I sat with him talking, petting him and scratching his ears, which he still tried to show he loved by stretching his neck.

Today, after picking up the kids from the summer learning program at school and going to the house, Elmo was still hanging on. I called "Hi Mosers" and he meowed...much weaker than the day before. He couldn't pick up his head to look at me, and didn't respond to petting and the ear scratch other than opening his eyes and looking at me.

The entire afternoon, he would meow in pain every so often, and I would go up and check on him. The last time he meowed, I came to see him struggling to breathe. My eyes welled up, I bent down to pet him, and told him, "Elmo, it's time to let go. You were a good cat, and I will miss you. But it's your time to go home and not suffer anymore." With that he gave a weak meow, took one deep breath, then shut his eyes for the last time.

The twins and I dug a grave for him in the back yard near the catnip that he loved to frolic in. My ex and youngest daughter brought Elmo out in a blanket. We then said goodbye to a very unique and much loved cat. We came back in to his brother Goofy staring up at us...looking lost. I petted Goofy and gave an ear scratch. He stretched his neck in approval and looked right at me as I said his name...and he meowed.

I am not a real cat person because of allergies, so more than likely I will not have any more cats as pets in my lifetime. But I will sure remember the last cats that were in my life...Goofy and especially a very unique and intelligent cat named Elmo.

Rest in peace, Mosers.

Mel And The Fish Bowl

2010-07-14T03:09:00.004-04:00

Back a couple decades ago, there was a show on a radio station I was working at in the Detroit area called “The Fish Bowl”. The show got its name from the perception that people in the public eye are like “fish in a fish bowl”…whether because of their faith and perceived lifestyle because of their faith, their status, or whether they were in the public eye as an entertainer, media personality, or public official. The rest of us “non-glitteratti” folk hold such people to a higher standard.

Yesterday there was more “leaked” audio on the web of actor/director Mel Gibson threatening former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. The recording follows an earlier recording in which Gibson uses foul and threatening language toward Grigorieva as well as the N-word. The latest “leak” of audio has Gibson yelling at her that she needs a "bat to the side of the head" and that he could put her "in a … rose garden" if he wanted to.

Sadly, no one involved in the incident, including representatives from Gibson's camp, has called its authenticity into question. The two are currently in a fierce child custody battle, and apparently Grigorieva recorded the audio to use in that custody battle, and somehow it was “leaked” to the media, some saying that Grigorieva “leaked” it herself.

I have been brought to debate this incident (and others) and the right to privacy issues with others, the debate being fierce at times. For me, being that I am sometimes considered one of the “glitterati”, this issue has many facets…many parts to the equation. Privacy rights, proper behavior, choices, forgiveness, giving the “benefit of a doubt”. A true slippery slope without any question.

This is not the first incident of foul and threatening language emulating from Mr. Gibson’s mouth. Two other times he has spouted off hate-filled tirades, one time to a police officer as he was being arrested for DUI. Each time followed by apologies, admission of wrong behavior and “promises” to not do it again.

Mr. Gibson’s father, it has been reported, is just as hate-filled in his speech and views, if not more so, along with having severe alcohol abuse problems. Growing up under such a parental example would more than insure that the son would grow up like the father…and all indications are he has.

When one pursues a career in entertainment, whether it is as a Hollywood heavyweight or a small market radio personality, it goes without saying that they enjoy less privacy in the public eye than the average citizen. The news and entertainment media shows and “reporters” are always looking at these folk closely, looking for any slip-up they can sensationalize to a waiting, eager and hungry public looking for juicy gossip.

Do I feel the media is justified in digging so deep for dirt in these folks’ lives? Absolutely not! However, the public at large hungers for such tidbits and stories, and drive up ratings of such shows. Supply and demand in effect here. Do I feel the media is justified in publishing such private details as they have here? Not at all. However, when a person chooses to pursue a career that is in “the public eye”, they also choose to lose some of that privacy if they act in a non-acceptable fashion. To assume different is to live in a fantasy world, because we live in a world today of people wanting to know EVERYTHING about their favorite celebrity. Paparazzi following your every move in public. And the consuming public eats it all up and hungers for more.

This past week we have had a one-two celebrity scandal update… Mel Gibson and director Roman Polanski. Mr. Gibson is being tarred as a pariah for his abusive language. Mr. Polanski, a self-confessed child molester, has been freed by Swiss authorities citing not to honor his extradition to the US. These two recent examples, as well as many others as of late, point to what many people…from public relations specialists to religious leaders and academics…are calling “an increasingly loose moral terrain.”

Today’s pariah is tomorrow’s successful artist, politician, or even corporation, and in fact, the very notion of a pariah or social outcast itself may be disappearing. With a world of increasingly interconnected value systems and cultural beliefs, that sense of uniform moral clarity is fast disappearing.

There have been people that have crossed my path in life…relatives, acquaintances, former co-workers…who have demonstrated bad behavior, sometime to the point of being irreprehensible, over and over, apologizing each time, only to continue to do it over and over again. People who have stolen things, people who treat people with great disrespect, people who abuse others. One such person had a Gibson-esque tirade with their wife, then had their wife arrested and thrown in jail…and the wife did nothing wrong but try to help with the person’s alcohol problem.

The fallout that Gibson is going through is no ones fault but his own. He was dropped by his long-time agency, William Morris Endeavor. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office is investigating domestic abuse because Gibson admitted in one of the released audio recordings that he beat Grigorieva. And I’m sure that he will become anathema in the entertainment business…all seeing little way Gibson would be hired as either an actor or director on any mainstream film in the future.

With all these things in play with regard to such “fish bowl” incidents…privacy, morals, proper behavior, the public feeding frenzy for celebrity gossip and titillating news…and the media feeding it…for me to get into a debate about them is a moot exercise.

Instead of focusing our “debates” on such things, we should focus on debates on the condition of our world today. Lack of morals, unemployment, the economy, hunger, homelessness, diseases like cancer, MS and the like, caring for our fellow human beings, and a busted oil well spewing millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Of course, we could always debate on whether we agree or not on LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat…

What Is Life?

2010-07-12T01:23:00.003-04:00

Lately I have been pondering what life is all about. Just last night I came across this piece on a friend's Facebook info page:

WHAT IS LIFE?
Life is an Adventure ... Dare it
Life is a Beauty ... Praise it
Life is a Challenge ... Meet it
Life is a Duty ... Perform it
Life is a Love ... Enjoy it
Life is a Tragedy ... Face it
Life is a Struggle ... Fight it
Life is a Promise ... Fulfill it
Life is a Game ... Play it
Life is a Gift ... Accept it
Life is a Journey ... Complete it
Life is a Mystery ... Unfold it
Life is a Goal ... Achieve it
Life is an Opportunity ... Take it
Life is a Puzzle ... Solve it
Life is a Song ... Sing it
Life is a Sorrow ... Overcome it
Life is a Spirit ... Realize it

Pretty much says it all. Just a couple more I'd like to add:

Life is a trail ... blaze it
Life is a surprise ... embrace it

The New Insecure Male Phallic Symbol

2010-07-06T11:13:00.005-04:00

Since the dawn of time, men have felt it necessary to assert their male ego utilizing objects that show not only status, but that their “status” is bigger and better than other males.

In the cave man beginnings was the club. Then it became the sword. Then it was a gun. As we progressed into the previous century it became more intricate. Cars come to mind as the most prevalent of them. Now that we are in the 21st Century, it has moved to tech items – pocket games, iPods, laptops; all to show off status and to prove their “manhood” to other males. But none of them compare to the latest insecure male phallic symbol – the Bluetooth headset.

You see them everywhere; at the grocers, the shopping mall, at sporting events, the movie theater…all blinking their little blue LEDs. At times their wearer is deep in conversation, most times giving the appearance of mental instability as they seem to be talking to themselves. And each time I see one, it is worn by a male. I’m waiting for the day I actually see a woman wearing one. When I do, then I will truly wonder what “status” they are telegraphing with it.

I own a Bluetooth headset…actually two of them. I have two for the sole purpose of having one fully charged when the other one’s battery dies. They are small, inconspicuous ones, only an inch in length. I got them several years ago, way before the latest boom. Since I drive a stick shift, they are handy in taking a call while driving, not to mention that it is much safer driving with one.

Sometimes I use them at work so I can be “hands free” while using the computer, especially when I was booking guests for the morning show. People would joke, “You must be somebody important having to wear one.” So, whenever I am not on a call when I’m not driving, I turn it off and take it out of my ear.

It seems as of late that these Bluetooth headsets are becoming more like phallic symbols, increasing in size and number of features. Bigger with more blinking lights on them, some even with shiny chrome trim. All reminiscent of the hot rods that we souped up back in high school and college. And it’s obvious why guys get these…to have one bigger and better than everyone else to either state how “important” they are or to make up for their “short comings”.

Last week, I saw the largest Bluetooth headset ever, worn by the new “sheriff” in town at the station…the man who would tell me that they weren’t “retaining my services”. The thing was huge, hanging off his ear like a sideways icicle off a gutter in the winter, extending from his ear to just a fraction away from the side of his mouth. It looked like the facial tattoo Mike Tyson got years ago…so obvious that you couldn’t help but notice it. The thing was as big as the headset microphone Jesse Goldberg-Strassler wears in the booth when he is the radio voice of Lansing Lugnuts games.

All the time while wearing it, the new “sheriff” wasn’t on a call. He was just wearing it, seeming to do so to show it off. He was strolling the halls, talking to others, but not into the phone/headset. All the while smiling.

It makes me wonder in this case…is such a headset a statement of “importance”, or is it a way to make up for “short comings”?

The Mathematical Equations of Life - Radio Guy Version

2010-06-24T07:33:00.000-04:00

Family > Career

Tomorrow – Yesterday = Today

Pastrami Sandwich > Nothing,
Life > Nothing,
so, Pastrami Sandwich = Life

Corn Chips + Caesar Dressing = AWESOME!

Work – Stress = A job you hang onto for dear life!

Deep Dish Pizza ÷ Dull Pizza Cutter = Sloppy dining experience

Shit + Shinola = A very shiny ball of shit

Alcohol³ X Gravity = YouTube Video

Cougars + TV X Money ÷ Low I.Q. = Housewives of D.C.

Being a Super Hero in the World of Single Daddy-Dom

2010-05-25T23:24:00.000-04:00

Face it, the life of a single dad is a very active one…filled with juggling the job, kids, social life (if you can have one), private time, creative time, and more, all rolled into one big human combo platter of one’s existence. This has never been as true as it has for me the past several months, thus the absence of new posts here lately.

I spend a good portion of time with my kids when they aren’t with their mother; 4 days a week and every other weekend. Some have said to me that I spend too much time with them, commuting from Lansing to Jackson 4 days a week, especially now that they are older and are becoming more independent. They want to be with me this much though, and I look at it as not an inconvenience but as an investment in their lives being the best dad I can be. However, this past weekend proved to be a whole new learning experience for me as a single dad to an 8-year-old daughter.

The twins went on their 7th Grade trip to San Antonio this past week with their mom, who went as a chaperon. They left on Wednesday and came back Sunday, thus leaving just me and Alyssa for the weekday visits and the whole weekend. One would think that it would be a breeze, with only one child to contend with versus three. But that isn’t necessarily the case, especially when the other parts of one’s life are in play as well.

On Friday Alyssa had a half day. However I had to work a full day to cover the production department. Thus I had to leave, drive to Jackson pick up Aly from school and take her back to work with me in Lansing for the afternoon. I let everyone know at work that I had an “assistant” that afternoon. We made the rounds to introduce Aly to everyone in the office, and she was a hit.

I then borrowed the Wii from promotions, hooked it up to a working TV I saved from a dumpster fate a couple months back (it was being thrown out because it wasn’t digital ready but works fantastic otherwise), and set up Aly in my office to have at it while I went and did the production work…periodically checking in every 15 minutes to make sure she was doing alright.

While I was off working Aly made out like a bandit. She got a Shrek hat, t-shirt and copy of the Shrek 4 soundtrack on CD from our promo guru Aimee. She set a new high score in her Littlest Pet Shop Wii game. And she had the greatest time…even without her brothers around to keep her occupied. She said, “You have the best job ever! You have a Wii at work and you get really cool stuff!” smiling from ear to ear. We celebrated a successful day at daddy’s work eating out at Baja Grill in Mason…one of our favorite places to go out to eat.

The weekend was a busy one. Saturday was a classmate’s birthday party in Jackson, then back to Lansing to go to the Lugnuts game that the kids’ school, Paragon Charter Academy in Jackson had purchased group tickets for…a double header complete with fireworks at the end, which she loved…complete with enthusiastic “oohs”, “ahhhs” and “wows”. Sunday we went back to the ballpark for a remote; Aly once again donning the “assistant” role. After the remote she wanted to go to the game so we went.

Of course, there is much more than just doing cool things to being a Super Hero Dad to an 8-year-old girl. You have to do the “uncool” things as well. Reminding her to pick up after herself after playing with toys or drawing pictures (something she loves to do). Making sure she brushes her teeth, helping her pick out clothes (being a guy with no idea of little girl fashion sense), helping her brush her very curly top head of hair without too much hassle.

When the weekend was over, after I took her back to Jackson to her mom and the twins and was getting ready to leave, she came up to me and gave me the biggest hug goodbye, saying “I had the best weekend, Daddy! I love you!”. My heart melted, as only the dad of a daughter’s heart could.

A good number of dads tend to not be involved in their kids lives much after a divorce, if at all. My oldest son and daughter did not have the luxury of time with their dad while growing up…part my fault, part their mother’s. But I have made strides to amend that by reaching out to them still to this day. And with the twins and Alyssa I will continue to be a big part of their lives, committed not to repeat the same mistake twice.

Yes I spend a lot of time with my kids. And I know that when they have grown they will remember the time I have invested in their lives and have happy lives as adults. And remember the Super Hero Dad that took the time with them and will always love them.

The Holy Grail of TV Has Lost Its Luster

2010-01-26T17:52:00.001-05:00

Conan O’Brian’s swan song from hosting duties of “The Tonight Show” ended this past Friday unlike his beginning. Over the past couple of weeks, as the NBC debacle on what to do with its donut of programming around local affiliate news took center stage, Conan’s ratings went from a meager 1.7 million house holds to over 70 million tuned in to his farewell show this past Friday.

Mr. O’Brien’s triumphant exit’s ratings showed the most impressive outpouring of support for an entertainer in recent memory, and he recognized and thanked those supporting him in his farewell speech. But what he should have added to that speech was, “Where were you when I needed you?”

It’s obvious that Leno is not bummed in the least that he is being moved back to “The Tonight Show”. It seems as if the whole thing was planned all along on Jay’s part: “retire” from “The Tonight Show”; announce that you're moving to 10 PM, thus taking away attention from O’Brien’s transition to “The Tonight Show”; do a crappy job at 10 PM causing affiliates to cry the blues to the network, making them move you back to your previous time slot, pushing O'Brien's "Tonight Show" back to 12:05 AM (which as many have pointed out makes it no longer “The Tonight Show” but “The Tomorrow Show” or “The Next Day Show”), humiliating him into relinquishing “The Tonight Show”, which he did. And King Leno is back on his throne.

For many years, “The Tonight Show” was considered the Boardwalk/Park Place of television entertainment. The Holy Grail of shows. And the latest turf war between Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien was purely about this prime piece of media real estate. But, to be honest, to me, “The Tonight Show” is no longer the hallowed prized gig it once was.

Created in 1954 by Sigourney Weaver’s dad, Sylvester Weaver, “The Tonight Show” is the longest currently-running regularly scheduled TV entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running program in history. And in that amazing 55 year run, there have only been 5 regular hosts; Steve Allen, Jack Paar (who attended high school and got his first radio gig just down the road from Lansing in Jackson, Michigan), Johnny Carson, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien. Out of these 5, the longest to be the host was Carson, and when I think of who embodies the essence of the show, Johnny Carson is the one who comes to mind.

This all is déjà vu from an earlier time when Johnny Carson announced he was retiring. David Letterman was to be the heir apparent, but it was Leno who would get the gig. Letterman, like O’Brien, wanted to carry on the legacy that Carson started. But that “Tonight Show” is gone…long ago…when Johnny left it.

When I was a kid, “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” was what older folks watched. When David Letterman wanted it, it was hard for me to fathom, because he had his own show called “Letterman”. Just as Conan O’Brien was known as “Conan”. It was never known as “Late Night”.

Even though I respect and admire the talents of both David Letterman and Conan O’Brien, I never thought either of them were suitable hosts for “The Tonight Show”. Letterman was long considered the “anti-talk show host”. Where Carson was congenial and accommodating, Letterman was rough, biting, abrasive, and had shows filled with freakish stuff like Monkey Cam and Sandra Bernhardt. Conan O’Brien, though less abrasive, shared Letterman’s sense of comedic rebellion.

Whether Letterman cares to admit it or not, he spent most of his time at “Late Night” on NBC making sure he never got the “Tonight Show” job he wanted by alienating the network brass at NBC (I remember him calling them “pinheads” and “weasels”). So it’s not a surprise that Conan O’Brien’s style didn’t work out on “The Tonight Show” either.

O’Brien appeals to a younger demo than the desired 25 – 54 year-olds “The Tonight Show” is geared to reach. A demo who instead of watching programs like “The Tonight Show” after their local news watch programs they recorded earlier on their DVRs. This same generation flocks to the Internet to watch programs on demand when they want to at their convenience instead of scheduling their lives around a network air schedule.

“The Tonight Show” legacy has now been tarnished not once, but twice. First with the Letterman-Leno fight and now with O’Brien pitted against Leno again. And because of that tarnishing and tainting, this will be the last battle for this turf. It is now damaged goods, and no longer the Holy Grail it once was. It’s just another piece of property on a network schedule that has been totally stripped of its luster, aura, appeal or mystique it once had. Just something else from my younger years that will never be the same again.

I'm So Conflicted, I Can't Handle The "Tooth"

2010-01-23T01:53:00.002-05:00

The new movie “Tooth Fairy” starring Dwayne (Don’t Call Me The Rock Anymore!) Johnson opens in theaters this weekend. My kids have already told me they want to go see it. However I am conflicted about whether I want us to go watch this movie.

The movie “Tooth Fairy” is set in Lansing, Michigan. That’s right, the wondrous metropolis where I live and work…the home of Q-106 and Classic Hits 92-X. The home of the infamous “Angriest Mayor in Amreica” Virg Bernero of CNN fame. Dwayne (Hey! I Said Don’t Call Me The Rock! So Stop It!!!) Johnson’s character is a hockey player for the fictitious NHL team, the Lansing Ice Dogs, who doesn’t believe in the Tooth Fairy. He winds up being “summoned” by the head Tooth Fairy (portrayed by Mary Poppins herself Julie Andrews) who makes him a Tooth Fairy and purported hilarity ensues.

My conflict is not with the premise of the Tooth Fairy. I know there is a Tooth Fairy. I listened to “The Continuing Adventures of The Tooth Fairy” on W4-FM in Detroit (when they were a rock radio station) portrayed by voice talent and former WCFL Chicago production guru Dick Orkin…who also did “The Adventures of Chickenman” (“He’s everywhere! He’s Everywhere!”). So I know there is one. Neither is it that Julie Andrews is the Head Tooth Fairy. Mary Poppins is magical and can easily be the Head Tooth Fairy. It isn’t even Dwayne (Look, I Keep Telling You, I’m Not The Rock Anymore!) Johnson wearing a tutu and sporting wings on his back.

The State of Michigan has had a very financially advantageous film incentive going for a few years now. The incentive gives generous cash breaks to movie studios to film their movies here in Michigan…one of the most generous incentive programs outside Hollywood. A number of great movies have filmed here and have taken advantage of these incentives: “Gran Torino” and “Youth In Revolt” to name a couple of recent successful ones.

However, in some sort of wacky infinite wisdom, the folks at 20th Century Fox (the movie studio who made “Tooth Fairy”), feeling that with the story being set in Lansing, and with Michigan having a great film incentive tax break, and with Michigan having an awesome track record of very successful films being shot here, decided to do the location shoots in…Vancouver!

In these tough economic times, one would think a company trying to make a product consumer-friendly to US consumers would avoid “out-sourcing” to a foreign country and take advantage of cost savings to help create jobs in the market that the company is wanting to sell its product in. Am I being nuts here?

Don’t get me wrong. I love Canada. The Fish Market in Windsor is the best place I have ever been to for tasty salmon. I grew up listening to the hits on the Big-8 CKLW. And if it weren’t for CBC TV I would have not had the opportunity to see Detroit Red Wings games on TV when I was a kid (before ESPN, Versus, and local Detroit TV carried the games). But when you can save a boatload of money by shooting Lansing scenes in Lansing, Michigan, why go to Vancouver? Vancouver looks nothing like Lansing.

Also, with the faux NHL team angle (Lansing Ice Dogs), shooting in Lansing would have made perfect sense. Michigan State University has the top-notch Munn Ice Arena and their hockey program has put out great NHL players like Buffalo Sabres’ goalie Ryan Miller and brother Drew (Red Wing forward), the Nashville Predators’ Adam Hall and others. And with the Detroit Red Wings just 60 miles down the road, there could have been some top-notch hockey action here in Michigan for the cameras to shoot. After all, Detroit is “Hockeytown”, and the Detroit Red Wings can kick the Vancouver Canucks butts any day.

But for whatever reason 20th Century Fox decided to shoot “Tooth Fairy” location shots in Vancouver. So, thusly I am conflicted. Lansing gets national and international exposure, yet the studio didn’t do that exposure true justice by allowing movie goers to really SEE Lansing in the movie. But because the kids want to see it, I will go. If for nothing else but to see how ridiculous Dwayne (For The Last Time, Stop Calling Me The Rock!) Johnson looks wearing a tutu.

A New World Record Opens

2010-01-03T12:13:00.004-05:00

Monday, January 4, 2010 marks the opening of the Burj Dubai, the new record holder of the world’s tallest building at a reported 2,600 feet – over ½ of a mile tall. The Burj Dubai tower contains 57 elevators that travel at speeds of up to 40 MPH, 1,044 apartments, 49 floors of office space and a hotel, can be seen from as far as 59 miles away and is estimated to have cost $4 billion dollars.

The former record holder, the Taipei 101 tower, pales in comparison to the Burj Dubai – standing at a mere 1,671 feet. However, the Burj Dubai as a man-made structure only beats the former world’s largest existing man-made structure, the KVLY-TV mast in Blanchard, North Dakota, by only around 600 feet.

One has to look at this accomplishment with sheer amazement. The history of tallest buildings and structures goes all the way back to 2600 BC and the building of the Cheops Pyramid in Egypt at a dwarf 481 feet, and the ranks of those beating it including cathedrals in Europe, the Washington Monument, the Eiffel Tower, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building. The Empire State Building was the world’s tallest for over forty years until the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center. Since then, it seems every few years, a new world’s tallest emerges.

My amazement in the unbelievable height of the Burj Dubai is not in the accomplishment, but in the purpose of such an accomplishment. With Dubai nearly going bankrupt late last year and its property values dropping over 50% it seems a bit extravagant at a $4 billion price tag. Then there’s the location of it in the Middle East with terrorist concerns being on our minds in today’s world. If the bringing down of the WTC Twin Towers in NYC was horrific, imagine the bringing down of the Burj Dubai. And there’s that law of gravity thing: what goes up must come down.

I remember the story of the Tower of Babel in my Sunday School classes as a kid. Though the purpose of building the Burj Dubai is not the same as the purpose of building Babel in Old Testament times, the Burj Dubai has that “spiral” similarity to it like the artist depictions of Babel in my old Sunday School books.

So tomorrow, we will have a new tallest building in the world open for business. One has to wonder how long it will take architects, designers and builders to put up a taller one.

Where Have All The Snuggies Gone???

2010-01-02T01:40:00.003-05:00

You remember Snuggies, right? Those blankets with sleeves? Well maybe they really weren’t a blanket per se. More like an extremely comfortable and very oversized sweatshirt. Well, now that Christmas is over, what happened to them?

Just the past month they were the talk of the Holiday shopping season. Everybody wanted one. They were all over TV, radio and the internet. Businesses, organizations, and even Alternative Rock bands ordered grosses with their logo printed on them for promotional items and marketing. One of my Facebook friends even Photoshopped themselves wearing one and put it up as their profile picture this past month. The world had gone Snuggie crazy.

And now…just one week after Christmas…I am hearing nothing about them. Not a peep. No exclamations of “I got a Snuggie for Christmas!” from family and friends. I didn’t even receive one.

What happened to the Snuggie fad? Did it go the way of the Spirograph, Lite Brite and Chia Pet? Is it because we can’t use them on airplanes after Muhhamed-Bob Flare Pants tried to blow up a plane with a bomb hidden in his underwear…probably using a Snuggie to hide what he was doing. Apparently, if the latter is the case, the Snuggie isn’t flame-retardant.

Has the Snuggie joined the ranks of other fad gifts? You know, like the Pocket Fisherman, Bubba the Singing Bass on a plaque, bread makers and shiatsu massagers? It didn’t even make any of the top popular Holiday gifts for 2009.

Well, it’s a New Year, and the Holiday gift season is past. Now we have 10 months to come up with the next hot gift idea…that hopefully will truly be a hot gift. And I have begun thinking already of what I could devise and manufacture for next Holiday season that will become the most talked about “must have” Christmas gift for 2010…

…the electric Snuggie!!! Could be even battery operated. And you can download apps onto it…

A New Year... A New Decade...

2010-01-01T12:34:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!

And before you fire off that email to me debating whether the new decade starts on 1/1/2010 or 1/1/2011 (like the debate 10 years ago about whether 2000 was really the beginning of a new millennium or was it 2001), is it worth wasting time on it? After all, the day you are born is 0 years old and the tenth anniversary of your birth you are 10 years old. You have been on the planet 10 years. Need I go on?

Anyway, back to the original topic…whatever it was. Oh, yeah…New Year…New Decade…

This past decade started out a bit strange. 1999 brought us the Dot Com Bust, the establishment of the Euro, Jack Kevorkian being found guilty of murder for assisting in a suicide, Lance Armstrong winning his first Tour de France and Boris Yeltsin resigning as leader of Russia paving the way for Vladimir Putin.

We entered 2000 with fear and trepidation, stockpiling food, gasoline, money and anything else we could get our hands on to prepare for the perceived Armageddon we called “Y2K”, which never came. With the century and millennium change, a lot of strange things happened. Like 5 planets, the Sun and the Moon all lining up in the middle of the year and the 2000 “hanging chad” presidential election between Bush and Gore.

The past decade shaped us as a more cautious people with the events of 9/11/2001, looking at those around us with more scrutiny and trepidation. We entered two wars, one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq; a déjà vu from the Vietnam days of sending our sons and daughters off to fight on foreign soil against an enemy not playing by “the rules”. But amidst all this fear, turmoil and uncertainty, we still we found ourselves able to grow and advance. The Internet grew with tremendous leaps and bounds; from being just a pipeline for email, Telnet bulletin boards and web surfing to a delivery vehicle for digital media, movies, music, telephone and video. Cell phones became more than just a phone to the point where today’s mobile phones are not even thought of for their purpose of being a telephone.

Of course, with such growth there are growing pains. Technology began thinning out job market sectors and new delivery options for receiving our information, slowly killing off the old delivery methods and vehicles. And, not learning our lessons from the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s, we once again lived lavishly and greedily on credit that we didn’t have the capability to afford, and are paying for it with the current economic crisis we carry into this new decade.

This past decade we lost some very iconic figures: Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson...the first three hosts of the Tonight Show on NBC…as well as Carson’s sidekick Ed McMahon, Charles Schultz, Tom Landry, Chet Atkins, Carroll O’Connor, Ted Williams, Ann Landers, Johnny Cash, Bob Hope, Mr. Rogers, Rodney Dangerfield, Julia Child, Marlon Brando, Ray Charles, “Captain Kangaroo” Bob Keeshan, Johnny Ramone, Richard Pryor, Bob Denver, Pope John Paul II, Sandra Dee, James Brown, Don Knotts, Billy Preston, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Evil Knievel, Bo Diddley, George Carlin, Hunter S. Thompson, Tim Russert, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy and Gidget the Taco Bell Chihuahua.

This past decade we also said goodbye to VHS tape, Analog TV, Kodachrome, Montgomery Wards, Woolworths and Farmer Jack (and “It’s Farmer Jack Saving Time”), In their place said we said hello to Blu-Ray DVDs, DTV and satellite TV options to cable, proliferation of digital cameras everywhere, and the rise of Kroger and WalMart. A lot of the “old guard” media outlets and delivery methods hit rough times this past decade as well; broadcast TV, terrestrial radio, the Compact Disc, newspapers and magazines…seeing numerous closures, bankruptcies, lawsuits and changes in programming, staff numbers and outlooks.

And now, time marches on as we enter a New Year and a new decade. We have elected the first black president and it seems we are moving forward into new territories with a unique mixture of hope, despair, sadness, frustration and doubt. Terrorism is still very much on our minds with the recent bomb attempt on Christmas Day on a plane landing at Detroit Metro Airport. The economy is still heavy on our minds with high unemployment, foreclosures, and a looming debt load.

However, the New Year and new decade also brings with it new hope; a fresh start to begin to enact positive changes for ourselves and others. Can we rise to this occasion? I know I will give it my best shot to do so. Recently a very good friend shared a quote from Walt Disney that will be my mantra for making 2010 the best year and decade ever:

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them”

A very Happy New Year and New Decade to you all! May you have the courage in 2010 to dream and hope for all the best this year and for new beginnings and better days! May you always have food for your table, water to quench your thirst, a place to hang your hat, and a year filled with smiles, laughter and love.

20 Years Of "D’oh!" Is it time to g’oh?

2009-12-17T23:29:00.007-05:00

This week marks the 20th anniversary of “The Simpsons” (December 17, 1989). As the irreverent show about the dysfunctional family from Springfield reached this iconic milestone, it has garnered many competitors and enemies. But as it reaches the two decade mark of being on the air, one has to wonder if nowadays “The Simpsons’” biggest enemy has become itself.

The actual birth of The Simpsons was in April of 1987 as a series of shorts on The Tracy Ullman Show. For years, Simpsons creator Matt Groening had done a popular comic strip called “Life In Hell” which was carried in numerous alternative newspapers throughout the country in the late 1970s and 1980s. I recall this strip fondly in the Detroit Metro Times with anthropomorphic rabbits and a pair of gay lovers that explored a wide range of topics about love, sex, work, and death. His drawings were full of expressions of angst, alienation, self-loathing, and fear of inevitable doom, which was quite entertaining for me back in the 1980s.

“Life In Hell” caught the eye of Hollywood writer-producer and Gracie Films founder James L. Brooks who contacted Groening with the proposition of working in animation on an undefined future project. This project would be the “bumper” cartoons on the Tracy Ullman Show that became The Simpsons. Although The Tracy Ullman Show was not a big hit, the shorts were, and FOX Television spun them off into a half-hour show in 1989.

The Simpsons were loosly based on Groening’s own parents and siblings, with all of them utilizing their real names (dad Homer, mom Margaret or Marge, sisters Lisa and Maggie) except for Groening being “Bart” (an anagram of “brat” since he did not want to use his real name).

The roots of The Simpsons are varied and come from many sources. Is manic pace (not to mention the inspiration for "Itchy and Scratchy") is borrowed from the 1930s and '40s animation pioneers like Warner Brothers’ Tex Avery and Chuck Jones, who gave that studio's cartoons a breathlessness much emulated by others. And MGM's original famed "Tom and Jerry" (not the current Hanna Barbara version) had that more violent note. Other roots are the likes of cultural and entertainment staples from the past: Mad Magazine, Second City, Firesign Theater, National Lampoon, Broadway musicals, Saturday Night Live, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and even the original Late Night with David Letterman.

In the 1990s, "The Simpsons" was one of the most inventive shows ever broadcast, taking on everything as an equal opportunity offender. It became a unique statement within the culture at large and was revolutionary, helping to make FOX Television a big-league player. However, for many true fans of the show, today’s version is far from the glory days of the past. Complaints of the characters staleness and scripts being flat, the show seeming less cohesive, more about trying to get the jokes in there, instead of make a story and let the jokes come off of the story.

Two years ago The Simpsons made the jump to the big screen with “The Simpsons Movie”, which became a minor hit in theaters and bigger in DVD sales. But even with this it seemed that there was only so much one could do with the characters. But even with these faults, the show is still a Hollywood goldmine, earning over $3 billion over its 20 year run. As a vehicle for merchandising and licensing, the show is worth having. Without the show, the marketing and licensing aspect would be in serious decline.

Yet "The Simpsons" continues to attract new audiences. The show airs in more than 90 countries and still appeals broadly to both young and old alike. Today, with its 442 episodes airing all over the world, it's like the new Disney…iconic and well-known.

The 20th anniversary episode is scheduled to air next month on FOX. Will it offer something fresh? Will it be a rehash of the greatest moments of the show? One will have to tune by and find out…I know I will. Will the show die soon? That is up to audiences who still watch, and Matt Groening getting tired of doing it…which according to what money he continues to make from The Simpsons show and franchise won’t be anytime soon.

Reality Show Syndrome

2009-10-18T23:11:00.002-04:00

It was the gleam in his eyes that told me this was something to see.

As I was working on production this past Thursday, Mojo from our sister station Q-106 stopped in the doorway and said, “CNN…Channel 35…right now. You won’t believe it!”

I turned on the TV in the 92-X studios and there it was…a huge Jiffy Pop tin flying in the skies over Colorado. The news heads were saying that a 6-year-old boy was inside this thing as it was cruising out of control. My first thought was this was surreal. Then as it sunk in that this was really happening, I thought that somebody blew it and didn’t wait until next month to have this happen during TV sweeps. But then I thought what if there really IS a little boy in this thing? That would be terrible! Oh, the humanity!!!

Then the background on the boy and his family began to come to light; it turns out the family was on the ABC reality show “Wife Swap”. Then CNN shows a clip of the dad…who turns out was an iReporter for them. Then the thing comes down, and no boy inside. All of a sudden I began to smell a rat.

As it turns out, the boy was hiding in the attic…supposedly, by the boy’s account, under instructions from dad for “a TV show”. The kid was so conflicted that he threw up on live TV Friday morning several times on several interviews. Cops get warrants to search the family home for financial records, phone records, notes and computers. Then earlier today (Sunday), an announcement that it was truly a hoax and felony charges being brought. The family’s motivation? A shot at reality show stardom.

It’s no secret I’m not a fan of “reality” television. However, since the first episode of “Survivor” came on the boob tube over a dozen years ago, we have been mesmerized by it. “Real” people in “real life” situational drama. “Survivor” begat a huge entourage of like-minded shows that had people locked up in a house together, challenged into doing incredible stunts, losing weight, having nannys come into your house, vie for the affections of a member of the opposite sex to marry them, and attempt to succeed in doing corporate tasks so that they won’t hear the fateful words, “You’re fired!”

This type of programming is just what networks began salivating about. Shows where they don’t have to hire a writing staff, hire union actors, have low production costs, and make the networks huge profits. Market them to the masses and you’ve got hits. Problem is, the participants of these shows tend to be star “wanna bees” and somewhat left of center. Richard Hatch…Sanjya…and all the rest. And now these folk.

I firmly believe we have a psychological condition here I like to call “Reality Show Syndrome”. People wanting that 15 minutes or 15 gigabytes of fame and willing to do anything to get it. And, no thanks to the network’s marketing mentality, people wanting to be “voyeurs” into this glimpse of supposed “reality” programming. People who are glued to their sets to see what happens on their reality shows this week, and the next, and the next.

But finally it seems the meltdown has begun. John and Kate, and now Richard and Mayumi Heene (who, by the way, met in acting school in Hollywood before getting married). My hope is that we’ve finally “jumped the shark” when it comes to reality shows. And hopefully, John Q. Public can finally wake up to what is going on here, and not give credence to the networks desire for economically stingy production costing and huge profit making programming to rule the airwaves.

You want Reality TV? Tune into the Evening News. Now THAT is reality.

The Toilet Paper Doppelganger

2009-09-26T23:46:00.000-04:00

Being a single dad can be fun, but a lot of times it is exhausting. After time in at work and time with the kids there’s not much me time. What me time I do get I utilize to the fullest to enjoy things that I like…that are my life.

However, with such a hectic itinerary I tend to make shopping a low priority. Besides dealing with my packed schedule, the fact that I dislike large “super center” stores and their U-Scan lanes contribute to this prioritizing of shopping.

So, with this dislike in my psyche, I came home one night earlier this week from a long day. Along the way I was the strategist in taking care of the evening’s proclaimed tasks before settling in for the night; drop off leftovers at work for lunch the next day and pick up a pair of movie tickets for friends so that they can enjoy a movie out on me for their 1st wedding anniversary.

I get home after my extended time on the road, and like any single dad ran to the bathroom to seek relief from road rumble on my bladder. When I enter, I notice it immediately…the item I subconsciously put on the low priority rung of the ladder. I was out of toilet paper. So, with a sigh, I resigned myself to go back out in the car and make the quick drive to the local “super center” to get bathroom tissue on rolls.

Late evening trips to the super center store are always a joy; searching 10 minutes for a parking spot, being held up at the entrance by some fool standing in the middle of the entranceway staring up at the ceiling like they are lost and have never been in a super center ever before in their lives. And don’t get me started on trying to get past people waddling in the middle of the aisle, pushing their shopping cart at a negative 2 MPH.

I get to the aisle with the toilet paper, grab a Charmin™ 12 pack of double roll size because it’s on sale, and spin to head towards the registers up front. It was on the way to check out that I had an unnerving experience.

Halfway up to the check out, a man turns into the aisle in front of me. At first I don’t pay attention and continue my stride. But as I continue to head up front a cascade of thoughts hit me as he’s walking in front of me. He has a green shirt on…just like mine. He’s wearing tan dress slacks…just like mine. And under his arm he is carrying a 12 pack double roll size package of bathroom tissue that is on sale…just like mine! And in that moment, I came to the realization that walking in front of me was MY TOILET PAPER SHOPPING DOPPELGANGER!!!

A warning light flashed in my mind. He and I were walking in perfect lockstep…like marching in formation in the infantry. My brain flashed back to Air Force Basic Training in San Antonio and my T.I. with the thick Mexican accent as he called off cadence while we did marching drills. He also used to tell us constantly to “keep yur choos pit chined” (Keep your shoes spit-shined) and to not take forever in the latrine in the morning when we went to “chit and chave” (obvious…do I need to translate?). Add the fact we had similar clothes on and both of us the same 12 pack of toilet paper under our left arm, and you have a weird visual.

This was too freaky of a coincidence for me to want to be affiliated with. People just can’t process seeing such an occurrence as this without jumping to some oddball opinion. I’m mimicking the guy in front of me. I’m lost and following him to lead me back to the parking lot. Or we’re a two-man space alien army from another planet come to deplete Earth of all its bathroom tissue. In less than a second my brain freaked out and put into effect a plan of evasive action…execute a bob, weave and navigate away.

I immediately ducked left through the pallet sale items in the middle of the main aisle, nearly knocking over a methodically and artistically stacked mountain of chicken noodle soup cans – something some employee took hours of his day to create. Unfortunately, the maneuver put me in the path of a large woman in a power chair nearly running me over.

I then took the long way to the checkouts, into the frozen foods, through produce, a quick trot through the cleaning products aisle where I find they actually carry the replacement bulbs for my lava lamp, up through produce and past the bakery. The U-Scan is up ahead and no sign of my doppelganger. Home free!

As I stand in line for the U-Scan, I notice a young woman looking at me and smiling. So I smile back. Then, she smiles even bigger. I begin to wonder if she is really smiling back at me or someone else? My brain tells me to turn around and look behind me. Right behind me in line is my toilet paper doppelganger, smiling back at the young woman.

Automatically, my eyes darted to the ground. Of course, my “choos were pit chined”.

The Intelligence challenged Internet troll

2009-09-19T11:05:00.002-04:00

Before texting, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and all the other ways people interconnected electronically, there was IM. Straight forward, unadulterated IM…Windows Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN, and the AIM. They are still around, but with all the social networking, texts, SMS messages and all, good old fashioned IM has faded from the stream of consciousness.

Old-fashioned IM has become more like having a published phone number…lots of solicitations. However, unlike the phone, people on IM aren’t trying to get you to switch your long distance service, sell you a magazine, or preach to you why you should vote for them in the upcoming election. Like the phone, though, there are the scam artists.

The newer chats in Facebook, MySpace and so on are more selective than old fashioned IM. On the newer social networking sites, only approved “friends” and chat you up so you don’t get scam artists. On the old IMs people you don’t even know pop up...trying to entice you into visiting a porn site or sending money to Nigeria because they are trapped there from some mishap in their life. IM scam artists, however, lack intelligence. Mostly they are people with limited smarts and even more diminished English language skills.

I’m a fairly smart guy. I know when I’m being scammed. And sometimes I love having fun with them. Like the old days of telephone solicitors that I used to record, edit, and have fun with as comical radio bits.

So, this morning, I was signed into Yahoo! Messenger and a unknown screen name popped up and me. Screen name “single.maggs”. First off, what type of person uses a period in their screen name? Numbers, yes. But a period? Very suspect. Must be an internet troll, one who is demonstrating limited intelligence in language and spelling skills with the first message to me being “helo dere”. So, like the telemarketer phone scams I used to do, I decided to have some fun. Here is how it went…

[09:39] single.maggs:
[09:39] single.maggs: helo dere
[09:39] mikeholder01: yes
[09:39] single.maggs: helo dere
[09:39] single.maggs: hi mike
[09:39] mikeholder01: yes?
[09:39] single.maggs: helo dere
[09:40] mikeholder01: hi. do I know you?
[09:40] single.maggs: how doing you?
[09:40] mikeholder01: how am i doing me? as carefully as possible.
[09:40] single.maggs: ok yes tak to me today?
[09:40] single.maggs:
[09:40] single.maggs: ty
[09:40] mikeholder01: yes?
[09:40] single.maggs: where from you are...name...age?

OK…already the ASL thing (age, sex, location). A red flag…clearly an internet troll of no intelligence and no mastery of English. Time to have some fun…

[09:41] mikeholder01: i'm on the planet earth, have no name and am ageless.
[09:42] single.maggs: what the mean of ageless
[09:42] single.maggs: tell me you nme
[09:42] single.maggs:
[09:42] single.maggs: are you still there
[09:42] single.maggs:
[09:43] mikeholder01: i'm on the planet earth, have no name and am ageless.
[09:43] single.maggs: ok
[09:43] single.maggs: where are u from
[09:43] mikeholder01: planet earth
[09:44] single.maggs: what is mean of planet earth
[09:44] mikeholder01: third planet in our solar system.
[09:44] single.maggs: where country ?
[09:44] mikeholder01: many countries on planet earth.
[09:45] single.maggs: ok
[09:45] single.maggs: what are you looking for a lady?
[09:45] single.maggs:
[09:46] single.maggs:
[09:46] single.maggs: are u there
[09:47] single.maggs:
[09:47] mikeholder01: yes i am here
[09:47] single.maggs: ok
[09:47] single.maggs: what are looking for a lady
[09:48] mikeholder01: something with horns...and maybe can speak venusian.
[09:48] single.maggs: ok
[09:48] single.maggs: tell me about you
[09:49] mikeholder01: they tell me they are female sheep
[09:49] single.maggs: what is the mean of female sheep
[09:50] mikeholder01: a you is a female sheep...oh right...it's spelled ewe they now tell me...
[09:51] single.maggs: ok
[09:51] single.maggs: how far
[09:51] mikeholder01: depends on the sheep
[09:51] single.maggs: ok
[09:51] single.maggs: what do u do right now
[09:52] mikeholder01: talk to you.
[09:52] single.maggs: ok
[09:52] single.maggs: what do u do for a living
[09:52] mikeholder01: and am dissecting a baby pig
[09:53] single.maggs:
[09:53] mikeholder01: yes?
[09:53] single.maggs: do u are cam
[09:53] mikeholder01: you keep saying . are you a doorbell?
[09:54] single.maggs: do u are cam or pix
[09:54] single.maggs:
[09:54] mikeholder01: the cam in my engine is fine. it's the crank that's cracked. is the pix a part on a engine?
[09:54] single.maggs: ok
[09:54] mikeholder01: i need to get it repaired so i can invade Uranus.
[09:54] single.maggs: can i see u on cam
[09:55] mikeholder01: i have to take it out of the motor first.
[09:55] mikeholder01: and that would leave my vehicle useless.
[09:55] single.maggs: ok
[09:55] mikeholder01: i need my vehicle to invade Uranus.
[09:55] single.maggs: ok
[09:56] single.maggs: am maggie my name\
[09:56] mikeholder01: hi maggie my name\
[09:56] single.maggs: ok
[09:56] mikeholder01: i am " ".
[09:56] single.maggs: what
[09:57] mikeholder01: no not "what"..." ".
[09:57] single.maggs: am single looking for a soulmate
[09:58] mikeholder01: i wish you well on your mission.
[09:58] single.maggs: ok
[09:58] mikeholder01: have you cleared you mission with the grand leader?
[09:59] single.maggs: what mission
[09:59] mikeholder01: your quest to search out a matching soul? he needs to authorize first before committing battle ready minions.
[10:01] mikeholder01: have you gone to seek out authorization? you are not communicating as before.
[10:01] single.maggs: ok
[10:01] single.maggs: u talk tommorrow
[10:02] mikeholder01: i speak uranian. what language is "tomorrow"?
[10:02] single.maggs: ok
[10:02] single.maggs: by
[10:03] mikeholder01: it is a dual sex language?
[10:04] mikeholder01: are you still on this channel? what's the frequency, kenneth?
[10:04] single.maggs: ok
[10:04] single.maggs: byb
[10:04] mikeholder01: what does “byb” mean? bring your body?
[10:04] single.maggs: yes
[10:04] mikeholder01: it means yes? "byb" means "yes"? what language is that? i am not familiar.
[10:06] *** "single.maggs" signed off.

Makes you miss the days of plain old IM, doesn't it?

Just when I thought politics couldn’t get weirder

2009-08-30T20:02:00.002-04:00

I am not a political aficionado by any stretch of the imagination. I have political views, but I do not debate or pontificate on them ad nauseum. I leave that for the talk shows and my morning partner. But what I have gotten wind of happening to the south of us here in Michigan has me scratching my head saying, “Huh? What?!?” and laughing out loud at the same time.

Just down the road in Detroit we had a mayoral scandal last year with Kwame Kilpatrick. He was convicted of crimes in office, sentenced and had to resign. Because of this, Detroit held a special election to fill the position of mayor, which was won by former Detroit Piston great and successful businessman Dave Bing. But Detroit has nothing on Memphis, Tennessee and their latest mayoral debacle.

Back in June, Memphis mayor Willie Herenton announced he was resigning from office to run for Congress. A special election was called for at that time to occur in October to fill the vacancy. Four weeks ago, Herenton resigned. The candidates began to form and debate. Problem is the candidate field is filled with incompetence and strangeness…none of them worthy to hold the office of Mayor of Memphis.

One of the candidates is very strange to say the least. He calls himself Prince Mongo, hailing from the planet Zambodia…I’m not making this up! Check out this video of Prince Mongo in action…

Prince Mongo proved to be the only bright spot in a recent mayoral candidate debate done by local TV in Memphis, which you can see in the following video…

And just when you thought this couldn’t get any weirder, two weeks ago Herenton, who has made multiple resignation announcements, retired from the Memphis Mayor's position, announced his candidacy against Steve Cohen for Congress representing the 9th Congressional District, picked up a petition to run for mayor in the upcoming special election. Yes, that's right. Willie Herenton who retired from Mayor of Memphis, has picked up a petition to run in the special election to replace himself. Here is an interview where he tries to explain his rationale to Memphis TV 5 anchor Joe Birch…

This guy needs to be out of politics, and should pay the over $1 million dollars to pay for the special election to replace himself. And the sad part of all of this, odds makers say he will win the special election.

All of a sudden I am having flashbacks of the late former Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young riding the People Mover with a bag full of Krugerrands.

Thoughts on zebra stripes and potential wasted

2009-08-29T11:06:00.002-04:00

This past week I've been on vacation. It has given me a chance to think, to reflect, to ponder and to appreciate many things...as well as put up a post on the ol' blog, which I have been neglecting to do for awhile.

This summer has been a unique one...one that will stick in the crevices of my memory for the rest of my days. Unseasonably cool temps and above average rainfall have made me wonder if I will ever see a sunny and hot summer in Michigan again. Of course, that logic is ludicrous. My meteorologist and global warming detractor friends will remind me that it's all cyclical. My hope it that it is. But the things that will stick out in my mind the most about this past summer are not the unusual weather we've had here in Michigan, but these two things...zebra stripes and potential wasted.

Yesterday came word of the death of Adam Goldstein, a.k.a. DJ AM in New York of an apparent drug overdose at the age of 36. This is just a continuance of talented people this year who have meet an untimely demise, as a previous blog post spoke of. As part of the brotherhood of club DJs from my days as an industrial beat mix pioneer back in the 1980s in Detroit, DJ AM’s passing has a strong resonance with me. He survived the fiery plane crash last year with Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, narrowly escaping death, only to succumb to the overindulgence of addiction from trying to deal with the crash.

So let's get back to the two things that will stick out the most in my mind from this past summer. You all more than likely have heard the saying, "A zebra can't change its stripes." Maybe you remember it more as "A leopard can't change its spots." I have been reminded of this saying lately in dealings with some talented folks who have crossed my path in recent history. They have incredible talent, but to progress and to realize the potential they have, they need to make some changes to either their work ethic, the way they treat others, their perceptions, and/or their perceived fears and demons. However, they tend to dismiss gentle reminders that these roadblocks stand in their way between their current mediocrity and greatness, which in essence is wasting their true potential.

Over the years my paths have crossed with many talented individuals. Some have gone on to success in much bigger and better things in many fields and genres. I could "name drop" here with a list, but I won't. Others I've known have failed to realize their potential and either languished in the background of anonymity, became frustrated because they never caught the elusive “brass ring”, chased something that was not in line with their true talent, let their fears or habits hold them back from the success they deserve, fail to listen to those wishing to help them realize their true potential, or foolishly touch that “third rail” and prematurely check out off the planet.

I’ve had the privilege to listen to DJ AM’s last rough mixes. I’ve listened to them several times this morning. Being a beat mix DJ myself, I can hear the thought processes that occur in a DJ’s mix as clear as if they were speaking them in conversation to me. In DJ AM’s last mixes I hear an eclectic thought process filled with questioning and fear. It was a haunting listen for me, reminding me that life is fragile for those dealing with fears and demons. It also reminded me that I have passed through this valley myself years ago and have come through it a survivor to realize my potential in life. In the words of a musician friend of mine, “Life is precious, life is sweet.”

Awhile back I bought a book titled “The Essential Laws of Fearless Living” which opened my eyes to what holds people back from realizing their full potential…not wasting it by being held back by fears and behaviors that tend to sabotage success. I utilize what I’ve read in this book not only to help myself, but to help others I know that have true talent and potential that is being held back by subconscious sabotaging behaviors and fears.

I lent the book out a few months back to a very dear friend who I have seen tremendous talent and potential in, yet they seemed to have sabotaged it over the years and still seem to continue to do so. I hope that they read it…and hopefully I get the book back someday. If I don’t get it back though, no worries…if they keep it and use it to conquer their fears and realize success with their true potential, then it was much more than worth the price I paid for it. That is my hope.

Then I can add them to the long list of people who have crossed my path that have succeeded in realizing their true potential, passing through that valley of uncertainty victorious, and successfully “changed their stripes”.

The Summer That Hasn't Been

2009-08-02T20:57:00.001-04:00

Today is August 2. It is eight o'clock in the evening. The current temperature outside is 68°.

So this is summer?

Thanks to the advent of modern technology, and my fancy laptop, I can dictate directly into my computer my latest blog post while sitting on the front deck watching a beautiful Michigan summer sunset. The only problem? I'm wearing sweat pants, a sweatshirt, and I'm freezing my tuckus off!

This summer so far has proven to be the chilliest I have ever experienced. Granted, I've been spoiled spending summers in the past in California and Florida. I have even laughed out loud at people wearing sweat suits in 70° weather in Simi Valley. But so far this summer in Michigan we have only reached a high of 90° one time. For the majority of the summer, we have been lucky to hit 80°.

For some, this cool summer has been perfect. Being able to forgo running the air conditioning has been an economic benefit. "At least it's not humid and hot." some of my friends have said.

For me though, I like it warm. 80° warm and warmer. But this summer has been far from warm in my opinion. I've only been able to take the kids one time to the lake this year because it has been too chilly to go there most of the summer. Going to the beach when it's only 72° is like playing ice hockey in the desert.

So I guess I'll wait and see what August brings temperature wise. So much for global warming.

Breaking silence on MJ, celeb deaths and demons

2009-07-12T10:35:00.002-04:00

I’ve been quiet for nearly two weeks now as I observed the drama and spectacle that was the death of Michael Jackson. His death came way too young, and his funeral and memorial was the extended fermata at the end of a busy line of celebrity deaths including David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Billy Mays and Steve McNair; each one presenting their own take of despair, irony, and sadness. These are things the media over-extends themselves on to the point of ad nauseum and the general public loves to devour.

Some may argue my including David Carradine in this line of celebrity departures from this mortal coil since his death was nearly a month before the others. Others may debate the inclusion of Billy Mays and Steve McNair in the group as well, disagreeing with my giving them such an iconic celebrity status. My defense in such is that 6 notable deaths of folks in the public eye within 4 weeks are a rarity, and an occurrence that is certainly not the norm.

Deaths of iconic public figures have always been time line events in people’s lives, especially when they are generally unexpected. John F. Kennedy, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Princess Diana; the list can go on and on. Most folk can recant the “Where were you when…” stories that each passing’s milestone invokes in one’s memory banks.

Another part of a death event of a public figure that invokes our emotions is the age at which they die. All but Ed McMahon and David Carradine left us too young than what we are accustomed to as a “death age”. Farrah was only 62, Mays and Jackson just a mere 50 years old, and McNair left us at the young age of 36.

The commonalities that make famous people’s deaths memorable in the public’s minds are life choices and the circumstances surrounding these folk at the time of their death. David Carradine was into erotic asphyxia which reportedly contributed to his death. Ed McMahon was a heavy drinker in life and was near destitution and homelessness when he expired. Farrah was into drug use for a good number of years, which may have played a role in her cancer (something not proven but notable). Steve McNair made the choice to have an extra-marital affair with a 20-year-old, whom we are now finding out was mentally unstable. However, whether you like or dislike him, the biggest of these is Michael Jackson.

Though I never considered myself a fan, Michael Jackson was a talented individual. The Jackson 5’s first single “I Want You Back” was a #1 hit in 1970 for Motown Records and was getting tons of airplay on Detroit radio stations (which is ironic since it was recorded in 1969 at Hitsville West in Los Angeles as Motown was preparing their move from Detroit to L.A. in 1970). The Jackson 5 became a phenomenon. Their first four singles on Motown went to #1 (“I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save” & “I’ll Be There”), the first time in recording history a musical act had ever done this. Tons of appearances, a cartoon show on TV, and marketing galore propelled the Jackson 5 to mega-star status. But the true talented star of the group was Michael, and everyone knew it: his dad Joe, Berry Gordy, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, and even the brothers themselves. Unfortunately, so did all the unscrupulous people that handled Michael's affairs throughout his career.

In my observations through life meeting many celebrities over the years I’ve noticed that many people who reach celebrity status, whether on a global, national or a local scale, seem to have demons that plague them. Broken homes, rough childhoods, psychological stigmas, unhealthy habits and addictions; all tend to have this denominator. And it seems that these demons feed the same things in each of them; ego, insecurity, paranoia, and making a litany of bad choices in life.

The iconic “King Of Pop” status of Michael Jackson shares quite a number of parallels with the other “King” Elvis Presley – even down to the link of Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ daughter and Michael’s ex-wife. Both were mismanaged, had major demons, faced accusations of alleged bad behavior, engaged in unhealthy addictions, had major insecurities, made numerous bad choices, and died untimely deaths. And it seems that the abuse of prescription meds will also be a commonality as both officials in California and the DEA are investigating the circumstances surrounding Michael’s death with reports of his abuse of lethal pain medications.

But the saddest part of Michael’s passing in my eyes is the whoring out of the deceased for either financial gain, political cause, or greedy grabs of face time in the media. The observation by me of so many hitching themselves to a dead “star” disgusted me.

The “heading to Mecca” of every major TV news anchor to Los Angeles for the funeral/memorial in my opinion was a sorry display of our over-indulgence – right down to the multi-hour coverage of the memorial. I’m sure others in the world (especially our enemies) were watching the wall-to-wall coverage in amazement and considering us laughing stocks. He was given the same coverage as the death of a head of state or a princess. In my opinion, he was not anywhere near warranting that level of coverage at all.

What did it for me in reaching my disgust threshold were two quotes from the Jackson memorial service: one from the Rev. Al Sharpton, “Michael Jackson paved the way for us to have a black president.” and from Lansing’s very own Earvin “Magic” Johnson, “Watching Michael made me a better point-guard.” Huh? What?!? That was when I turned it off before I had to reach for a barf bag.

Michael Jackson was an individual blessed with extraordinary talent and sadly, like others so equally blessed, failed to realize that the talent was a gift; whether divine, genetic, or by exposure…causing the rewards and benefits of such a gift to be used and abused by others bent on their own selfish desires, allowing the rewards of the talent to cloud their perception of reality and feed their demons. Should Michael Jackson be honored as an iconic figure in the world of music and show business? Certainly. Should he be revered as a god? No.

The next thing I'm now expecting is a report on Entertainment Tonight of Michael Jackson and Elvis being sighted together at a Burger King in Kalamazoo.

Paying Tribute To A Real American Hero

2009-06-21T11:01:00.004-04:00

Alright, I’ve been quiet on this blog for a bit. I spent last weekend out at the NASCAR races at MIS and was preoccupied. And it seems that all I’ve written about lately has been movie reviews and how well these flicks do at the box office. I feel that it has become stale and does not do the title justice – “Morning Musings”.

So if you are looking for a review of this weekend’s and upcoming movies, here’s the short of it. The Proposal: Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy – OK date movie. Year One: sophomoric comedy attempt with Jack Black and the guy that looks like he could be Dana Carvey’s little brother – hideous. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Shia LaBeouf – women go gaga for Shia, lots of action and CGI FX, should kick but at the box office. Now that’s out of the way, on with what my musings are.

Today is Fathers Day; the day of the year set aside to honor our dads. For ages it has been fodder for the jokes, misconception, and ignoring by the general populous. Hideous ties, Old Spice and the dumb singing fish on the plaque. And dads just looking for a day to sleep in and not having to mow the grass, paint the gutters, or deal with home improvement issues.

President Obama recently wrote an essay on Fathers Day that is published in today’s Parade Magazine. The son of father from Kenya and a mother from Kansas, Obama writes that he observes Father's Day not just as a dad grateful for his two daughters, but also as a son who grew up without a father in his life.

I know what Obama speaks of from family experience. My dad basically grew up without a father; his real dad leaving when he was only 5 and my grandmother remarrying a total jerk and alcoholic we used to refer to as “Whitey the Bullshitter” (pardon my language – it’s what he was called by all in the family). Quite the text book example of a dysfunctional family.

My first marriage ended with my finding my first ex-wife being unfaithful, then her filing for divorce and going into hiding with a new husband, causing me not to see my oldest son and daughter for 12 years. Found out years later that their “step dad” put them through hell: physical and mental abuse, and suspected sexual abuse of my daughter. So when my second marriage ended three years ago with her being unfaithful and her filing for divorce, I was bound and determined not to let the past repeat itself with my youngest daughter and twin boys.

I am not the perfect father by any means. I have made mistakes and allowed the demands of pursuing a career in media, music and entertainment to interfere with my paternal duties as well as my spousal ones. There are moments of all my kids’ lives that I’ve missed out because of this. Moments that I’ll never get back. It’s a loss that is difficult to accept at times.

I continually come across individuals from broken homes, some still kids and others full grown adults, who are and have been affected by it. My own dad is one who finds it hard to show true affection for my sister and me because of the absence of a real father in his life. And it affects the kids in ways that manifest themselves later on in life. Dads who are absent from their kids’ lives, and at times the mothers check out emotionally because of it as well, all have a lasting imprint on the psyche of a child when they grow up to be an adult.

This is why with my kids from marriage #2, I have made the choice to be in their lives as much as I can be. I spend time with them 4 days every week, as well as the usual every other weekend thing. It’s a sacrifice that sometimes puts a crimp in life for me, especially socially. Some women that have been romantically interested in me don’t seem to understand why I have taken on such an exhaustive commitment. They even have shown resentment and jealousy. But my job as dad did not terminate at my kids’ conception. What makes me a real man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one. I guess you can say that it’s not about me here, it’s about the kids and doing what is right.

The other day I had a discussion with a close friend about just where one finds beauty in this world. In a time where North Korea’s Kim Jong Il wants to send nuclear warheads hurtling through space to wipe out countries for his domination of the world, other evil world players are trying to take over by force, and people in general intent on greed and being uncaring as they can, it seems hard to find where true beauty lies. My point was that love is true beauty.

Love for what is all around you and the appreciation for all the people, friends and the simple things in life. Being out at my family’s property in Brooklyn, MI late on a cloudless night and looking up to see billions of stars. Seeing the smile of a good friend and the laughter that ensues between the two of you as you share time together. Taking in the glories of nature all around us. Hearing your children say, “I love you, Daddy.” This is where I find true beauty in life and the world around me. It’s not “He who dies with the most toys wins.”

As kids we tend to forget the sacrifices our dads make to ensure we grow up right. Many of us have been resentful of them as adolescents. Some kids going as far as contemplating emancipation by “divorcing” their parents. But the truth of the matter is that none of us are perfect, even dads. It’s the dads that are able to take the resentment and rebellion and still show love through it all that make the difference. Even if they have difficulty actually telling us those three words, “I love you” (like with my own dad), remember that sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Happy Fathers Day, Dad, and to all the sacrificing, dedicated and true fathers out there. You are real heroes to children in a world so desperately needing them.

This weeks new movie releases pit family comedy against action thriller

2009-06-09T23:04:00.002-04:00

This Friday brings two contrasting films to the screen, both with appeals in different genres that have proven successful in recent past. Both bring well-known stars with them, which should prove interesting results in this weekend’s box office winner. Hopefully it will not be as ‘interesting’ as last weekend’s (see my previous post).

Imagine That (Paramount/Nickelodeon – PG) Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Yara Shahidi, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox, Martin Sheen. The words "Eddie Murphy family comedy" are enough to make me be suspect of this release. Between "Meet Dave," ''The Haunted Mansion" and "Daddy Day Care" Eddie doesn't exactly have a good history in this genre, at least in terms of quality. However, "Imagine That" is quite a pleasant surprise. Based on a clever premise the movie makes good use of Murphy's comedic talents - singing, dancing, voices and personalities - without letting him get too obnoxious. Its feel-good story is a bit predictable; however it offers an irresistible young co-star in newcomer Yara Shahidi, who very much holds her own as Murphy's daughter without being too over the top ‘Rudy Huckstable-ish’. Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter. When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter's imaginary world. A feel good family flick that has a bit of a sappy ending, this offering should prove an entertaining outing for kids and adults alike. My rating – 4 stars.

The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 (Columbia/Sony – R) Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman, Michael Rispoli, James Gandolfini. Loosely based on the Joseph Sargent 1975 classic of the same name, the film is just as much a remake as an observation into how radically the way movies are made and have changed over the decades. While the story, characters, history and intensity once ruled on screen, now it's all about how flashy the production values can be. And The Taking Of Pelham 123 would simply be all that and nothing more, were it not for the powerhouse cast struggling for some dramatic elbow room in between, including Denzel Washington, John Travolta, Luis Guzman and John Turturro. Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape? If going to the movies to get stuck in a subway for two hours doesn’t sound like a great evening out, The Taking Of Pelham 123 probably won’t change your mind here. My rating – 3 ½ stars.

Actual box office figures show "Hangover" actually beating "Up"

2009-06-09T22:23:00.002-04:00

Yes, even I can make mistakes. Significantly underestimated by my posting on Monday, The Hangover actually pulled ahead of Up to lead the weekend with a smashing $45 million. While Hangover was upgraded with actual grosses reporting, Land Of The Lost dropped to $18.8 million, showing an even more miserable opening weekend than estimates spoke of on Monday. I had hoped to post this earlier today, but my Tuesday was more hectic than anticipated.

So, here we go...the actual box office figures for this past weekend:

1.) The Hangover - $44.9 million
2.) Up - $44.1 million
3.) Land Of The Lost - $18.8 million
4.) Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - $14.6 million
5.) Star Trek - $8.3 million
6.) Terminator Salvation - $8.2 million
7.) Drag Me To Hell - $7 million
8.) Angels & Demons - $6.5 million
9.) My Life In Ruins - $3.2 million
10.) Dance Flick - $1,9 million

Guess you can't win them all...

"Up" remains aloft atop this weekends box office

2009-06-08T03:56:00.002-04:00

The Hangover and Up battled it out over the weekend to see which movie would finish on top this past weekend. The Hangover was the clear winner on Friday, hitting the jackpot with a $16.5 million opening day, but the Pixar adventure rose up past the new comedy on Saturday and Sunday to lead the weekend. Both films did well for their respective genres, finishing less than $1 million apart for the weekend.

Up claimed the #1 spot for a second straight weekend, with an estimated $44.2 million this past weekend, bringing it’s 10-day total to $137.3 million. Its drop was quite small for a movie performing at blockbuster levels, holding nearly as well as Finding Nemo at the 10-day mark and much better than WALL-E and Cars among past Pixar summer releases.

The Hangover performed better than original expectations, taking in an estimated $43.3 million its opening weekend. It was a much stronger opening than the genre-similar Wedding Crashers, Old School, Harold and Kumar and Dude, Where's My Car?

While The Hangover smashed, Land of the Lost crashed. The adventure comedy starring Will Ferrell, based on the 1970s television series of the same name, struggled with $19.5 million to finish #3. The start was lower than the similar Journey to the Center of the Earth from last summer as well as Ferrell's last TV adaptation, Bewitched.

The other new release this past weekend, My Life In Ruins, finished near the bottom of the top 10 at #9 with a modest $3.2 million. Featuring Nia Vardalos, creator of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the debut was slightly less attended than the start of her last picture, Connie and Carla.

Among the holdovers this past weekend, Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian hung in to claim the #4 spot this past weekend with $14.7 million bringing its 3-week total to $127.3 million. Star Trek saw the smallest slide downward, garnering $8.4 million this past weekend to take the #5 spot. It flew past predecessor Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn to become the second-biggest movie of the Star Trek franchise with $222.8 million in 31 days, and has its sights set to overtake the top spot currently held by the first movie, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

This past weekend’s Top 10:
1.) Up
2.) The Hangover
3.) Land Of The Lost
4.) Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
5.) Star Trek
6.) Terminator Salvation
7.) Drag Me To Hell
8.) Angels & Demons
9.) My Life In Ruins
10.) Dance Flick

"Lost", "Ruins" and "Hangover" the first matchup at theaters this weekend

2009-06-02T22:18:00.006-04:00

Three movies begin this weekend to kick off June at theaters. Quite the variety between them, these films will prove to make this weekend an interesting one at theaters nationwide.

Land Of The Lost (Universal - PG-13) Will Ferrell, Danny R. McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone. I wish there were a time machine that could restore the little over an hour and a half I lost previewing this one. Somehow director Brad Siberling has managed to mangle this creative and genius 1974 Syd & Marty Croft kids TV show, much like he did with Casper The Friendly Ghost in 1995. Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into a time warp and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of dinosaurs and other malcreatened creatures. Ferrell and McBride do manage to pull out some genuinely funny moments from the sub-par script by Chris Henchy. Lost is almost worth watching, as the set designers have thrown together a Dali-esque world where random artifacts like Amelia Earhart's plane, a crashed flying saucer, and a Bob's Big Boy restaurant rise from the dunes. Matt Laurer (from NBC Today Show fame) makes a cameo, but even Matt deserves a better fate than to watch his career die in this flick. My rating: 2 1/2 stars.

The Hangover (Warner Brothers - R) Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor. From the director of Old School comes a new comedy about a bachelor party gone horribly wrong. Two days before his nuptuals, Doug and his three compadres head to Vegas for a night they'll never forget. But when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning with major hangovers, they can't remember a thing. Their ritzy hotel suite is trashed and the groom is nowhere to be found. With no clue of what happened and little time to spare, these guys must attempt to retrace their bad decisions from the night before in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time for his wedding. However, the more they begin to uncover, the more they realize just how much trouble they're really in. My rating: 3 1/2 stars.

My Life In Ruins (Fox Searchlight - PG-13) Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Maria Adanez, Sheila Bernette, Maria Botto, Rachel Dratch, Alexis Georgoulis, Ralph Nossek, Bernice Stegers, Harland Williams. Writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding Nia Vardalos returns with this uplifting comedy. Nia plays Georgia, who has lost her kefi (Greek for "mojo"). Discouraged by lack of direction in her life, she works as a travel guide, leading a grab-bag group of tourists as she tries to show them the beauty of her native Greece while waiting to land her dream job. Opening their eyes to an exotic foreign land, she too begins to see things in new ways—finding her kefi and possibly love in the process. My rating: 4 stars.

The truth about the “Performance Tax”

2009-06-02T14:37:00.002-04:00

Lately there has been a lot of buzz in the radio business regarding the “Performance Tax” legislation being tossed around Washington and on Capitol Hill. This “Performance Tax”, known as The Performance Rights Act, would change law so that AM and FM radio stations would pay performers to play their songs, as is true of satellite, cable and Internet music services. All four music platforms pay songwriters for use of their work.

The Honorable Rep. John Conyers, (D- Michigan) who represents a portion of Detroit, Dearborn, as well as Highland Park and Hamtramck, authored this piece of legislation.
Cries have been heard that this legislation would kill “free radio”, and that it would adversely affect minority-owned radio stations. The other side of the issue cries that they have been cheated for years out of performance rights for their songs being aired on.

In Rep. Conyers district there are a lot of retired performers from the heyday of Motown Records and he is showing a reactive stance toward these folks in his district. But there are many truths that seem to be glossed over here in this issue.

First off, these performers will not receive 100% of this “Performance Tax” collected from radio stations, but only 25%. 50% of the monies collected from this “Performance Tax” will go to the record companies. And this is where I think this whole issue stinks to high heaven.

For many years, record companies have been pushing their product on radio stations to play for free, helping to generate billions of dollars for the record labels on the backs of these performers, as with the case of those retired Motown artists that basically were shafted out of money for years. And radio has played them for FREE…not charging the record companies for air time like they do advertisers and specialty programs.

In this proposed legislation I see no guarantee that any of this “Performance Tax” to be collected would ever find its way into the hands of the actual performers. How I see it, this bill will send money to the record companies, with the biggest ones being foreign owned, thus sending this money overseas for the record companies to decide how much to give the performers.

The record industry has been operating under a failing business model for many years, just like the government says General Motors has been, forcing bankruptcy filings. Record labels regularly send multiple copies of the same song on CD to one radio station, which costs money to replicate these CDs, package and mail them out. They hire people to continually call radio station program directors and pester them to play their song. And they do this for over 4,000 stations in the US. And now they have the gall to charge radio stations for playing artists that they beg us to play.

In testimony on the hill, John Conyers has said “Your will pay us.” Who does Mr. Conyers mean by us? Is this a veiled front for his becoming a lobbyist for the record companies? Mr. Conyers’ ethics as a legislator has been called into question before. In letters sent separately to the House Ethics Committee, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office by two former aides of Conyers in 2006, allegations were made that Conyers used his staff to work on several local and state campaigns and forced them to baby-sit and chauffeur his children. Conyers "accepted responsibility" for possibly violating House rules in this matter.

Conyers wife Monica, Detroit City Council president pro-tem, also has had some ethics problems as well. In January 2009, Detroit's General Retirement System notified Monica Conyers that she owed $5,600 to the City, which included travel advances not spent on business class airfare to London. The pension board also claimed she hadn't submitted receipts for trips to Grand Cayman and Philadelphia. In April 2009, one day after denying the relation, Monica Conyers admitted she helped her brother, Reggie Esters, a convicted felon, obtain a city job that was originally to last four months, but was extended to two years, ending only when Esters' absenteeism became an issue. Esters is reported to have submitted a false resume.

It’s easy in these hard economic times to get riled up when someone has been wronged economically. But radio is not the enemy here. Radio has faithfully promoted performance artists for free on stations over the years, their performances sent to stations on “promotional copy” records and CDs. Last time I checked, the cost of promoting recording artists is the responsibility of the entity wishing to promote them, i.e.: the record companies, not the recipient of the promotional items.

Record companies have had their hands in the pockets of performance artists more and more…record and CD sales, merchandising, and even a percentage of the take at live concerts. I think it’s time that the record industry give back to the performers instead of collecting even more money from radio to line their pockets even more, giving a mere pittance of what they obtain to the artists.

John Conyers and his ignorance to the actual “bad guy” in this whole situation is just another thing from my home town of Detroit that I am embarrassed of. Thank goodness for the Red Wings!

This weekend's box office looking "Up"

2009-05-31T14:38:00.004-04:00

Disney/Pixar's latest CGI offering Up floated to the top spot of the movies at the box office, taking in an estimated $68.2 million this weekend. It attained the second-highest opening day for a Disney/Pixar film bringing in $21.4 million Friday, bested only by Wall-E's $23.2 million opening day take last year, although the first days of The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Cars and Monsters, Inc. rated higher in terms of actual attendance.

Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian had a strong second weekend, taking #2 with $25.5 million, earning it $105.2 million over its 10-day run. This weekend's other new release, Drag Me To Hell, fared well, though below indutry expectations. Drag Me To Hell barely beat Terminator: Salvation to grab the #3 spot with an extimated weekend take of $16.6 million, supported by a $6.4 million opening day. On this same weekend last year another horror flick, The Strangers, fared a bit better on opening day with $7.7 million.

Terminator: Salvation grabbed the #4 position with $16.1 million, with its 10-day total reaching $90.6 million. Star Trek continues to remain strong at #5 with $12.8 million, taking it past the $200 million mark in just 4 weeks at the box office.

This weekend's Top Ten (Sunday estimates):
1. Up
2. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
3. Drag Me to Hell
4. Terminator Salvation
5. Star Trek
6. Angels & Demons
7. Dance Flick
8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
9. Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past
10. Obsessed

"Museum: Smithsonian"; "Terminator Salvation" duke it out for #1 at box office

2009-05-24T11:24:00.003-04:00

Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian and Terminator Salvation have locked horns to see who will claim the #1 prize at the box office for the coveted 4-day Memorial Day Weekend. Museum: Smithsonian so far is leading by a slim margin for the 4-day weekend with Friday estimates pegging it at a $15.3 million take. This would put it on track to pull in around $66 million for the 4-day weekend, a figure that the first Museum movie took six days to pass.

Terminator Salvation claimed an estimated $14.8 million on Friday putting it slightly behind Museum at #2 but giving it a higher first Friday gross than the previous Terminator movies. However, with it's Thursday release it has taken in more total than Museum with an estimated $28.2 million over 2 days.

The other new release this weekend, spoof vehicle Dance Flick, fell flat grossing a Friday estimated $3.9 million putting it at #5. Its opening was not much higher than the genre related Superhero Movie, and should put Dance Flick on track for a roughly $14 million weekend.

Looking at the holdovers, Angels & Demons comes in at #3 with Friday estimates putting it at around $6 million giving it a $66 million gross over its 8-day run. Clearly not as hot at its predecessor The Da Vinci Code which made $113 million over its initial 8-day run, Angels & Demons is on track to bring in around $25 million over the 4-day weekend.

Star Trek falls to #4 with it losing IMAX screens to Museum taking an estimated $5.7 million on Friday. However, its 8-day total of $167.4 million is very impressive, making it the highest grossing movie of May.

My top ten predictions for this 4-day weekend:

1. Terminator Salvation
2. Night at the Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian
3. Star Trek
4. Angels & Demons
5. Dance Flick
6. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
7. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
8. Obsessed
9. 17 Again
10. Monsters Vs. Aliens

Do we really know everything?

2009-04-26T20:10:00.002-04:00

It seems that we always have the right answers. However, it also seems we don’t use them to make the right decisions.

The previous stream of semi-conscious thought came on me this weekend like the first pain you feel when you realize you have a bad sunburn. And it gave me revelation, an epiphany of sorts.

It spawned from a conversation I had with my kids in the car on the way home from school Friday. The elder twin Jason needs to pass a test in Central and South America geography in order to “graduate” to 7th grade. So I started quizzing capitals of countries.

“What’s the capital of Argentina?” I fired.

“Buenos Aries.” He replied.

“Panama?”

“Panama City.”

“Nicaragua?”

A slight pause, “Ummm….Manyana?”

I smirked, “Close, but no cigar. Managua. The capital of Peru?”

Now Jason was stumped. You could see the cogs of his mind grinding away like someone trying to shift a manual 5-speed transmission into 1st gear without depressing the clutch.

“Lima.” I revealed, after seeing enough facial contortion from Jason racking his brain before I lost self-control and began to laugh out loud.

“I knew that!” Jason retorted, as if to imply I hadn’t given him enough time to answer. Hey, you only get 10 seconds to answer on Jeopardy. I gave him nearly 20.

From my view, the state of everything lately has become a big realization that we all knew the answers but failed to apply them. There’s the credit crisis of extending more than what people could pay off, then Washington bailing them out with a little “nod, nod, wink, wink”. Then the automotive sector gloom and doom. We keep saying we knew the answers, yet we still are in this mess.

Banks were overextending credit back in the mid to late 1920s that people couldn’t pay back. And anyone who paid attention in American History class knows what happened back then. Not to say things are as bad as during the Great Depression…yet. But things are pretty screwed up economically right now.

As a kid in school I remember several teachers over the years say the same quote, “As GM goes, so goes the nation.” Growing up in the Detroit area you were aware of GM’s standing in the economic stream; the number one corporation in the world. Yet the same cats in Washington that swooped in to save the financial sector are balking at the same swooping in to save the auto industry.

The reality is that we as a planet have progressed beyond any stretch of the imagination in just the past 150 years. Photography, telephony, motion pictures, recorded audio, video, satellites, computers, the Internet, breakthroughs in health and science and space exploration have been the meteoric rise of progress we have all seemed to grow accustomed to. Hell, we even have radio-controlled cars and battery powered toothbrushes! The rub it seems is that we can’t come up with a solution to keep things moving forward without backsliding every so often.

Part of backsliding is obsolescence that progress brings. The cotton gin did away with the hundreds of man-hours to separate cottonseed from raw cotton fibers. Slide rules met their maker with the advent of the hand-held electronic scientific calculator. And of course, digital audio recording, delivery and storage made boom boxes so passé. Everybody has their iPods now…even me. Too bad that hasn’t affected those “thump rides” that vibrate the entire house at 3 AM when they drive by…sometimes so much the windows rattle.

However, this is not the case across the board. Television didn’t cripple the movie industry like they said it would in the 1950s. Wendy’s hasn’t put Burger King out of business. And when I cook on the grill, I still prefer charcoal over LP gas.

I lived an adventurous life. One far from perfect, I had to climb and scrap for a lot of footing I’ve gained over the years…learning a lot of things by trial and error. Not listening to parental advice, making bad choices, relationships, fatherhood and divorce. But since I’ve been through all that life experience knowledge from the School of Hard Knocks, I have no excuse to not know the answers to the tough questions I have right now. Do I pursue a relationship with a woman again? Do I take on new creative projects that are a bit outside my current platforms? Do I switch to boxers from briefs?

By George, this could be the breakthrough I’ve been looking for all these years!...

…or maybe not.

"Obsessed" dominates this weekend at the box office

2009-04-26T12:17:00.003-04:00

Beyonce Knowles and Idris Elba's on-screen pairing in "Obsessed" took #1 this weekend by a big margin, showing one of the strongest opening weekends for a "Fatal Attraction" type erotic thriller. Weekend estimated place this weekends's take for "Obsessed" at around $28.5 million. "17 Again" had a strong second weekend, taking the #2 slot with an estimated $11.7 million, bringing its 10-day total to roughly $40 million. The action drama "Fighting" fared respectably well for its opening weekend to finish this weekend at #3 with an estimated $11.4 million.

While "Obsessed" did exceptionally well and "Fighting" made the top 3, the other two nationwide releases were passable. "The Soloist" came in at #4 taking in an estimated $9.7 million, and the nature documentary "Earth" rounded out the top 5 with an estimated take of $8.6 million at the box office.

"Obsessed", "Soloist" & "Fighting" set to square off at the box office

2009-04-22T21:37:00.005-04:00

With Zak Efron stealing the show at the box office last weekend in "17 Again", this week's new releases "Obsessed" and "The Soloist" have a more serious tone, with some fine actor pairings and good performances. Mix that in with a so-so fight movie, and you have the makings for an interesting weekend in theaters.

"Obsessed" (PG-13; Screen Gems/Sony) Idris Elba, Beyonce Knowles, Ali Larter, Bruce McGill, Jerry O'Connell, Christine Lahti. Beyonce Knowles returns to the screen, just several months after her appearance as Etta James in "Cadillac Records", pairing with Idris Elba as Derek and Sharon Charles, a husband wife duo who have everything going on for them. That is until temp worker Lisa (Ali Larter) comes on the scene at Derek's place of employ and begins stalking him, when it seems everything that Derek has worked so hard to obtain in life is placed in jeopardy. My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

"Fighting" (PG-13; Rogue Pictures) Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Brian White, Luis Guzman, Zulay Henao. This one seems like another tired remake of the old "Big Fight Movie" formula, only with less than "Big Fight Movie" talent and script. The hunky but dull Channing Tatum portrays an ex-high school wrestler from Alabama who comes to New York for reasons that never are addressed and becomes an underground mixed-martial arts star in ways one would find on the brink of unbelievable. He's seen as a draw for the bare-knuckle fight circuit after a fluke win, then wins and loses, then gets a no decision until finally winning the "Big Fight". The advice here...wait for it to come out on DVD...which shouldn't take too long. My rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

"The Soloist" (PG-13; DreamWorks/Paramount) Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, Lisa Gay Hamilton. Jamie Foxx plays Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, a homeless man who seems typical on the surface. But when journalist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey, Jr.) hears him play flawless Beethoven on a cello and talk about his former classmates at Juilliard, Lopez sees a stroy needing to be told. The pairing of Foxx and Downey is marvelous, bringing the story to life on the screen of a reporter who realizes he needs to help this man to help himself. Their duet creates the perfect concert on screen, making The Soloist sing. My rating: 4 3/4 out of 5 stars.

"17 Again"; "State Of Play" prepared to square off at this weekend's box office

2009-04-18T08:38:00.003-04:00

Well, the Friday box office estimates aren't in yet, but judging from theater goer buzz, this weekend should see a little slowdown with nicer weather arriving. Still, this should make for an interesting showdown between a rising Giant Mouse House star and a star-studded thriller at theaters this weekend.

So far, "17 Again" shows the most promise for taking the #1 slot. This story about 'do-overs' is a familiar formula, and I expect Zak Efron fans will be filling up the seats for this movie that seems a cross between "Back To The Future" and "The Kid". Matthew Perry is also in the film, though you wouldn't realize it unless you saw a trailer since he's not on the movie poster. It makes sense though, since his role in the film is small and the star power at the top. Besides, I can't stop thinking Chandler every time I've seen him - big or small screen - after "Friends". Kind of sad how his star has faded.

My pick for #2 is the thriller "State Of Play". The star power is in full force here with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck heading up this politically-themed murder thriller. The inter-character tensions as well as the plot seem to be a familiar theme, but the acting performances help to keep it interesting.

The other new release this weekend, "Crank: High Voltage", doesn't seem to have what it takes to make it big this weekend. With "Fast & Furious" expanding to more screens this weekend, "Crank" will have a tough time with it's ametuerish hard sex and violence tone. Plus, some of the action scenes are way too ridiculous for me to swallow. I mean, falling out of a heliocopter from about a mile up, battling an Asian dude in mid air, then landing on a car...and the dude lives? Plus the whole using jumper cables to keep the heart going. Seriously?

My Top Ten Predictions for this weekend:

1. 17 Again
2. State of Play
3. Hannah Montana The Movie
4. Fast and Furious
5. Monsters Vs. Aliens
6. Crank: High Voltage
7. Observe and Report
8. I Love You, Man
9. Knowing
10. The Haunting in Connecticut

With this weeks new releases continue the great April box office numbers?

2009-04-14T22:22:00.004-04:00

“Hannah Montana” ruled the roost this past weekend, helping to bring the second best April weekend ever at the box office. Hollywood is hoping for continued success this coming weekend with another Giant Mouse alum, a fast action sequel, and the likes of Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck.

“17 Again” (PG – New Line Cinema/Warner Bros.) – Zak Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Michelle Trachtenberg. Matthew Perry plays Mike O’Donnell – who back in the day was a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. Instead, he chooses his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Fast-forward to today – almost 20 years later. Mike's life sucks. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he didn’t get that big promotion at work, and his kids think he is a loser. He winds up crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-geek-billionaire best friend. And then the weirdness begins as Mike is given another chance and transformed back to the age of 17 – and into Zac Efron, where the age vs. experience thing makes for some fun. My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

“Crank: High Voltage” (R – Lionsgate) – Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam, Efren Ramirez, Clifton Collins Jr., Bai Ling. The sequel has arrived! Hitman Chev Chelios launches himself on an electrifying chase through Los Angeles in pursuit of the Chinese mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart. "Crank: High Voltage" is written and directed by Neveldine/Taylor, the duo behind the original "Crank," and the upcoming "Game" starring Gerard Butler. My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

“State Of Play” (PG-13 – Universal) – Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Helen Mirren. Acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland") takes the helm as Oscar winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast (including Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman and Michigan's own Jeff Daniels) in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in a case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McAffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures. My rating: 4 ½ out of 5 stars.

I have a feeling that “State Of Play” will be neck and neck with “17 Again” and “Crank: High Voltage”, with all of them bringing the potential for another great weekend at the box office. As to who I think will be #1? Stop by Friday.

Time flies when you're...

2009-04-13T22:44:00.008-04:00

The past week my ever-reflecting brain has reacquainted me with time. Not as a scholar would expound on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, but more in a time line of events way.

We have coined phrases describing this mental reflection. “Would you look at the time...”, “I had a good time...”, “Was it that long ago?” and the ever-popular “Time flies when you’re having fun, making love, etc.” The list is growing as fast as the populous. Whenever there is passage of time, whether a microsecond or a century, we let the stream of our ongoing conscious lives place the time period we are gauging in a type of “sleep-mode”.

The Easter holiday season has always been a family holiday…Sunrise service, egg hunt, brunch, kick back on the sofa to nap off brunch, be awakened to the aroma of baked ham glazed in honey, and, of course, Easter break…before we became P.C. and called it “Spring Break”.

The memories of past play well during the Easter holidays. Having to dress up as the Easter bunny. Afternoons at my paternal grandparent’s house on the southwest side of Detroit (complete with Whitey the B-S-er and “Drunkle” Dwight), having to take my cat Ozone to the vet emergency because it ate an Easter Lilly (they are poisonous when ingested).

The most memories of Easter holidays were of my mom. She was always making it special for us kids, continuing to make it special as we grew up. Ironically, this past Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009, was the 15th anniversary of her passing. Caught myself saying, “Was it that long ago?” Mom was a bona fide chocoholic. She introduced me to Dove chocolate eggs, especially the truffle chocolate eggs, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Easter Sunday I went and bought a bag and ate the whole thing in her memory.

Her funeral was on April 15, rather appropriate for someone who worked in the financial sector. My dad, sister and I were almost killed in the procession to the cemetery when a Buick ran a light and came within inches of crashing into the side of our limo. It definitely broke the tension for the rest of the ride. All of us laughed about it, thinking what if he hit us? Would we have to cancel the interment at the cemetery if we wound up in the hospital? Would we make Channel 7 Action News at 6? Was this some sick joke that mom was playing on us from the “other side”?

However, more than just family memories reminded me of the space and time continuum. Life events that took place had me hitting my mental “Way Back Machine” in reflection lately (Yeah, I used to watch “Peabody & Sherman” cartoons as a kid…). Phil Spector’s legal drama finally ended earlier today with a guilty verdict earlier today for second-degree murder. The whole thing started 6 years ago. How time flies…

Then, at about the same time as the Spector verdict, the sad news of Mark “The Bird” Fidrych being found dead at his Massachusetts farm pinned under his truck hit the wire. In 1975 the Detroit Tigers sucked. But the beginnings to a much better team lay in the young Alan Trammel and Lou Whittaker. And then, in 1976, there was “The Bird”. He would talk to the ball. He would “groom” the mound with his hand to get rid of cleat marks. He would become the 1976 MLB Rookie of the Year and the #1 attraction at ballparks league-wide. I still have the baseball with his actual autograph on it… signed it right in front of me at Tiger Stadium. I talked to it tonight in his memory.

As we get older, more of these moments of time reflectivity occur, and not necessarily during holiday times. April 4th… June 22nd… July 17th… August 13th, 16th and 20th. Plus many others. It’s how we handle the residue of emotion from these reflections. Do we look at the good memories associated with them? Or do we spiral into a funk, go ballistic, or get so drunk we actually go to a Karaoke bar and heckle the singers? Whoops…just had a reflective moment…

When I hit 40, I first thought that my life as I knew it would be over. Arthritis would start creeping in, I would get slower in physical and mental ability, and would have to embarrassingly ask my doctor for a prescription for some E.D. drug. But then I realized it was how I was looking at this benchmark of time. I was looking at it as an old ending instead of a new beginning. And guess what? At the half-century mark I have no arthritis, I still am sharp mentally, and need no artificial stimulants in the bedroom. The slower body? Well, a little. But what I lack in “RPM” I make up in “driving skill”.

There are two ways to view a life event…either negatively or positively. We have tow ways of viewing these; as an ending or a beginning. Unfortunately, society views many life events as endings. The two “Ds” come to mind here…divorce and death. Divorce is draining to begin with emotionally, losing trust, joy and love in your marital partner. Death? Well, there’s not much you can do with that one. After all, it is quite the major ending, and unfortunately we human beings have a mortality rate of 100%.

Sometimes life events seem like a downward spiral in of themselves. Events that can put you over the edge, drive you crazy, hurt like hell, make you worry to the point of panic and make you want to sleep your life away. Going through a rough divorce. Dealing with financial loss. Dealing with a major injury accident. I have been through all three twice. The first time with each, I dealt with them as endings, and they effected my life negatively.

But I learned well. Dealing with each of these three major changes in my life the second time, I went in wiser from the previous times. Instead of looking at them as “endings”, I viewed them as “new beginnings”… new beginnings of good things to come. And so far, it has proved to be effective in maintaining a healthy and happy life. Not so much focused on the “quantity”, but the “quality” of life I live.

So I guess that the thought process does take the scholarly path with Einstein. It’s all about relativity. You tend to find in the grand scheme of things that time and age are both relative…it’s all mental attitude. Time moves as fast or as slow as our lives allow it to, and age is all in how you view yourself.

Now that I’ve figured this out, time moves so much slower now, allowing me to thoroughly enjoy it... family, friends, children, true love. And that’s what truly keeps you young… emotionally, intellectually, spiritually... and physically.

"Hannah Montana" takes #1 this past weekend....oops...

2009-04-10T23:13:00.005-04:00

OK. This weekend's movie report is a weak one. It is the Good Friday into Easter weekend, and I have my kids most of this weekend (Mom has them on Easter Sunday this year). Most everybody else's kids had Spring Break this past week. What do you think the majority of the masses are going to see this weekend? I may be just a single dad, but I'm not dumb!

I predict Miley Cyrus' big screen vehicle "Hannah Montana: The Movie" will bring in $30 to $35 million this weekend for the Giant Mouse, "Fast & Furious" will be close behind and bring in just around $30 million, and "Observe And Report" will duke it out with "Monsters Vs. Aliens" for #3 and #4 both garnering around $20 million (though I think "Monsters" will edge out "Observe" for the #3 slot). I am so confident of this I will put money on it...and win. It's a no-brainer. $100 million for the top four movies in a given weekend isn't all that bad. Of course, by the end of the weekend "Fast & Furious" will have made $100 million all on its own in a 10 day run...also not too shabby.

In case you were wondering, I do go to the movies quite a bit...a perk I am blessed to have. And when I have the kids, I take them. Our last outing together was two weekends ago when we went to see "Monsters Vs. Aliens". I've become very knowledgeable of all the aspects of CGI film creation because of the kids (Who says you can't learn things from them, eh?). Some women find this odd and scary, others think it's neat I take my kids to the movies a lot. Six of one, half dozen of another. However, this weekend I feel like an outsider looking in.

My 7-year-old daughter is a big fan of the Disney Chanel. Zack & Cody, Phinius & Pherb, but mostly the Hannah Montana. However, when I asked her if she wanted me to take her to go to see the new Hannah Montana movie, she said no. Now, my 11-year-old twin boys have experssed they DO want me to take them to see the Miley Cyrus. But normally they're into Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon...especially anything Square Bob Spongepants. And now they want to go to the Hannah Montana. Hmmmm...must be that pre-pubecence boy thing kicking up a notch...

After a little digging, it has been determined that the daughter DOES want to see Hannah Montana...but not with me. Her mom asked if she wanted to go with her, and she said yes. "What about your daddy, don't you want HIM to take you to the movies like he always does?" "No." In a way I am crushed that she doesn't want to go to the Hannah Montana with me, yet relieved that she doesn't want me to be the one to go with her to the movie. Does that make sense?

The daughter is a big fan of the American Girl doll and book series. And when "Kit Kittridge" came out last year, she went with mom instead of me, although in all fairness I did take her as well. She liked the movie so much that she wanted me to take her to see it a second time. Go figure?

So, I will end my consecutive streak of seeing the #1 movie this weekend. I've held the streak since January of 2008 with "The Bucket List" (ah...memories...). Since I love my daughter and want her to grow up as normally as I possibly can, I will forego putting her through any trauma and angst by her dad taking her to the Hannah Montana. She need this Mom/Daughter movie experience, and I need to break my streak. I'll go check out Seth Rogan in "Observe And Report" instead.

It's the SpongeBob Squarepants-ish, single dad, guy thing to do.

Thank you Spartans

2009-04-06T23:52:00.005-04:00

(DETROIT - April 6, 2009) - The state of Michigan was in need of a pick-me-up. We have been suffering with recession longer than the rest of the country...almost two years longer. The industrial pride of the Great Lake State has been hemorrhaging. GM, Chrysler, Ford...we have taken our share of hits...some may even say more than our share. We have been needing a feel good story for quite awhile.

Then, came the spring of 2009 and the NCCA Basketball Tournament. MSU made it in, as well as U of M (their first time in several years languishing after the Fab 5 scandal). But there was something there that we didn't notice at the start of the tournament...a determination of the Spartans to get it done.

This being the 30th anniversary of MSU's first NCAA Basketball Championship, there seemed a special feel going in. Celebrating Magic and Bird in 1979. And MSU made it into the Sweet 16. Then the fever began to rise. Could the Spartans do it this year? Taking a championship on the 30th anniversary of their first championship? Doing it in virtually in their own back yard at Ford Field in Detroit?

The Spartans seemed on a mission...playing and defeating 2 #1 seeds to get to the championship game tonight. The third #1 to get past was UNC. And many Spartan faithful were rooting for an upset that seemed monumental. And it was.

I have been reminded several times this evening why UNC was selected #1 in the pre-season polls. To be honest, I had them in my bracket wining the whole thing. But the MSU Spartans gave it a good fight.

The State of Michigan should be proud for the accomplishment that MSU made to get to the finals tonight. They clearly weren't favored. Much like our state isn't favored much to survive the current economic funk. But, I have well been aware for a long time that Michiganians are hearty, strong and resiliant. We face adversity, and we triumph over it...time and time again.

The MSU Spartans were resiliant. They proved hearty and strong against #1 seeds Louisville and UConn, and beat both of them to get to tonight's game. They faced adversity, and triumphed.

My hats off to UNC. They clearly deserved to win the championship. But MSU has my hat off to them as well.

Thank you, MSU, for a great season. You have made us Michiganians proud.

"Fast & Furious" peels out big for a good start to April at the box office

2009-04-05T13:48:00.003-04:00

"Fast & Furious"'s opening this weekend left its box office competition in the dust, giving Vin Diesel's return to the franchise the best opening weekend so far this year at an estimated $72.5 million, grabbing the top spot. "Fast & Furious" also burned rubber to a record for April debuts, easily passing the previous best of $42.2 million set in 2003 by "Anger Management".

"Fast & Furious" topped last weekend's $59.3 million debut for "Monsters vs. Aliens", which took second place with $33.5 million, raising its 10-day estimated total to $105.7 million. Taking third this weekend was "The Haunting In Connecticut", bringing in a little over $9.5 million, bring its 10-day estimated total close to $106 million.

Hanging on for its third week taking the #4 spot this weekend was the Nicolas Cage vehicle "Knowing" at a little over $8 million, bringing it to a 17-day total of a little over $58 million. Rounding out the top five in its third week was "I Love You Man" with a strong 3rd weekend showing of just a little under $8 million, earning it a little over $49 million in its 17-day run so far.

The other new wide release this weekend, "Adventureland", bubbled under the top five, making an unimpressive estimated $6 million.

This week's Top Ten (Sunday Estimates):

1. "Fast & Furious," $72.5 million.
2. "Monsters vs. Aliens," $33.5 million.
3. "The Haunting in Connecticut," $9.6 million.
4. "Knowing," $8.1 million.
5. "I Love You, Man," $7.9 million.
6. "Adventureland," $6 million.
7. "Duplicity," $4.3 million.
8. "Race to Witch Mountain," $3.4 million.
9. "12 Rounds," $2.3 million.
10. "Sunshine Cleaning," $1.9 million.

My score this week : 6 out of 10 for 60%. I must be slipping...

"Fast & Furious" looks to bring box office out of the March doldrums

2009-04-05T00:24:00.007-04:00

After the record grosses of January and February, the box office was down in March, led by the disappointing 'Watchmen'. With a new month, hopes are that the March doldrums will be just that - in March.

Debuting this weekend is the anticipated return of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteaming again for the 4th chapter of the franchise built on speed -- "Fast & Furious". Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller. Friday box office figures show it charging to the top of the box office on Friday, grossing a massive estimated $30.1 million.

"Monsters Vs. Aliens" slipped to second place with an estimated $8.9 million, heading for a weekend in the $35 million range. In third, "The Haunting in Connecticut" dove 62 percent to an estimated $3.7 million to take third place.

"I Love You, Man", on the other hand, had the best hold among nationwide releases. Easing 31 percent, the comedy made an estimated $2.7 million on Friday, bringing its total to $44.2 million in 15 days. "Knowing" rounded out the Top Five with an estimated $2.7 million for a $52.7 million total in 15 days.

Debuting in sixth place, "Adventureland" mustered a modest estimated $2.2 million , putting it on track for a sub-$6 million based on past movies of its ilk. New movie "Sunshine Cleaning", which was in limited release in March, had it's first weekend in nationwide release this weekend, mopping up an estimated $580,000 that points to a weekend of around $2 million.

My Top Ten predictions for this weekend:

1. Fast and Furious
2. Monsters Vs. Aliens
3. The Haunting In Connecticut
4. Adventureland
5. I Love You, Man
6. Knowing
7. Duplicity
8. Race to Witch Mountain
9. Sunshine Cleaning
10. 12 Rounds

We'll see how we do this weekend...

"Monsters"; "Haunting" packs the theaters this weekend

2009-03-29T14:14:00.005-04:00

(Production still courtesy DreamWorks)

After a very slow weekend last weekend at theaters nationwide, theatergoers returned in force to see "Monsters Vs. Aliens" and "The Haunting In Connecticut". Latest box office estimates show "Monsters" taking #1 this weekend with just a little over $58 million and "Haunting" taking the #2 spot with an estimated $23 million.

The other new release for this weekend "12 Rounds" made a disappointing debut, taking just over $5 million, being beat out by last week's releases - "Knowing" at #3 making just under $16 million, "I Love You Man", bringing in just over $12.5 million, and "Duplicity" which made around $7.5 million this weekend. Also beating out "12 Rounds" was the Dwayne (I keep telling you guys...don't call me "The Rock" anymore!) Johnson vehicle "Race To Witch Mountain" bringing in a little over $5.5 million in its third weekend in theaters.

This weekend's Top Ten at the box office (Sunday estimates):

1. Monsters Vs. Aliens
2. The Haunting in Connecticut
3. Knowing
4. I Love You, Man
5. Duplicity
6. Race to Witch Mountain
7. 12 Rounds
8. Watchmen
9. Taken
10. The Last House on the Left

My score this weekend...8 out of 10 for that magical 80%...again. Maybe next weekend I'l get the perfect score!

Does The American Dream still exist?

2009-03-29T10:34:00.002-04:00

This weekend in Lansing the “Dreams and Lifestyle Expo” was happening at the Lansing Center. Exhibitors of many genres filled the exhibition hall telling us all about how to plan for our financial future, showed us luxurious items we could all attain to possess like boats, motorcycles, hot tubs, and backyard putting greens and waterfalls. And, yes, the ShamWow booth was there. Seems the ShamWow is everywhere.

On Friday, during the Intelligence Briefing on the morning show, the discussion turned to “The American Dream”. Because of the down economy, Americans are learning to make do with less. We fix things instead of dispose of them; we economize instead of splurge. A 40-inch TV instead of a 100-inch plasma screen, for example.

However, we discussed a down side to this as there have been reports of the waste management industry suffering economic and employment hits. Seems being in the garbage business isn’t as lucrative of a business opportunity as it once was. People hanging on to things longer; “making do” with what that have instead of the old social pattern of buy new and dispose used on a frequent cycle.

Los Angeles Times Op-Ed writer Thomas Friedman wrote recently to suggest that the recession is a symptom of a more fundamental problem with "the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years”. A recent report in the satirical publication, The Onion, quoted an employee of a Chinese plastics factory expressing amazement and disbelief over the "sheer amount of garbage Americans will buy."

So, with all this “gloom and doom” that our current economic woes have beset us, does “The American Dream” still exist? We seem to have reached a financial apex where attaining it is not only economically unsustainable, but it hasn't generated any real wealth for the average American, either. Housing prices are beginning to fall rapidly, but the average middle class American still hasn’t the means to purchase a home. Credit is still tight, and incomes – even with two of them in a household – aren’t sustainable enough to take on a major financial obligation.

How much is enough? Right now is seems more and more each day that our former mindset of consumption as a way of life can no longer sustain itself. It appears that our society has reach critical mass when it comes to our spending habits. And with reports of recalls of dollar store useless plastic trinkets from China, combined with increased awareness and practice of “being green” by reusing and recycling, we no longer are even interested in cheap baubles, toys and useless junk.

Do we still need that second fridge in the basement recreational room or the third one in the garage? Do we still want to pick up the latest electronic innovations the moment they are released…the bigger plasma TVs, the hottest BluRay disc players, the newest G3 web-enabled cell phones that can email, text, surf the web, and make coffee? I thought the main purpose of a cell phone was for making and receiving phone calls.

Are we still so much absorbed in having so many things that we continue salivating for that elusive Shiatsu scalp massager? Do we still have the belief that “he who dies with the most toys wins”? My guess is that the average American has abandoned that mindset in favor of having less and still trying to be substantive in what we have. I know that has been mine.

I realize that to turn things around, we need to increase confidence in our economy and begin to spend in the marketplace again. Thus, helping manufacturers and service oriented companies turn around and bring jobs back into the financial stream. But, has the whole financial sector bail-out thing soured our stomachs to the point of not trusting our leaders in government when they preach to us to have this confidence? If credit lines have disappeared and there is no longer investment in future growth, then when will this be rectified so that we can get back on track…if we ever will?

We as Americans have conditioned since the end of WWII to reach for the stars in obtaining The American Dream. Work hard and you’ll advance economic status, and be able to obtain your dreams, and then have the lifestyle you desire. But, as many have discovered, all this hard work and investing has led to dashed hopes and shattered dreams. Because part of what we have included in the meteoric climb of “Keeping up with the Jones’s” is to borrow and spend what we don’t have readily available in the moment. Kind of like the old robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak.

I guess the realization is that we have to live with less. Not poor, but simpler. Spend only what we actually have, not what we can borrow and put on credit, especially with financial institution credit tightened to less than a trickle. And while we do, we wait to see how the whole financial mess shakes out.

The mindset of borrowing to purchase the American Dream until there is more debt than actual cash flow is not new. It, in fact, was one of the main reasons for the Great Depression in the late 1920s and 1930s. Once again, it seems we have refused to learn from history. Hopefully this time we do.

Monsterous opening for "Monsters" and "Haunting", while "12 Rounds" down for the count

2009-03-28T21:07:00.005-04:00

Both "Monsters Vs. Aliens" and "The Haunting In Connecticut" had forceful debuts on Friday, with "Monsters" taking the #1 spot on Friday with nearly $17 million and "Haunting" at #2 with a little over $9.5 million.

"Monsters" opening day came in shy of DreamWorks Animation's previous picture, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa", which opened at $17.6 million, and doing better than last March's "Dr Seuss' Horton Hears A Who" witch started at a little over $13 million.

"Haunting" opened better than similar genre movies "The Unborn (2009)" and "Boogeyman", and, in terms of attendance, was only slightly behind "The Amityville Horror (2005)".

The other new flick opening this weekend, "12 Rounds", fell flat at the box office, opening to a meager $1.6 million. "12 Rounds" did less of an opening day than John Cena's previous vehicle, "The Marine", which did nearly $2.5 million on its opening day.

Hanging on strong for a second week were "Knowing" with a little over $4.5 million on Friday, "I Love You Man" with a little under $4 million, and "Duplicity" bringing in a little over $2 million.

My predictions for the top 10 movies for this weekend:

1. Monsters Vs. Aliens
2. The Haunting in Connecticut
3. Knowing
4. I Love You, Man
5. Duplicity
6. 12 Rounds
7. Race to Witch Mountain
8. Watchmen
9. Taken
10. The Last House on the Left

Will this weekend's new releases help theaters out of the doldrums

2009-03-25T19:09:00.008-04:00

With last weekend's movie ticket sales off 6% from the same time last year, and attendance at theaters last weekend the lowest it has been in eight years, movie theaters are hoping for the new animated vehicle Monsters Vs. Aliens and supernatural thriller The Haunting In Connecticut to help relieve the movie going doldrums. Also the wrestling-theme comes to the big screen in the adventure thriller 12 Rounds, coming out this Friday as well. A recap of the big three releases out Friday in theaters:

Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG; IMAX 3-D; Tru 3-D and conventional screens; DreamWorks/Paramount) When California girl Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. The military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, the President is persuaded to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction. My vote: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

The Haunting In Connecticut (PG-13; Lionsgate) Based on a chilling true story, Lionsgate's "The Haunting in Connecticut" charts one family's terrifying, real-life encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. When the Campbell family moves to upstate Connecticut, they soon learn that their charming Victorian home has a disturbing history: not only was the house a transformed funeral parlor where inconceivable acts occurred, but the owner's clairvoyant son Jonah served as a demonic messenger, providing a gateway for spiritual entities to crossover. Now unspeakable terror awaits, when Jonah, the boy who communicated with the dead, returns to unleash a new kind of horror on the innocent and unsuspecting family. My vote: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

12 Rounds (PG-13; 20th Century Fox) A man’s girlfriend/Fiancé is kidnapped by a jewel thief and is must stop at nothing to get her back. The difference this time John Cena plays a cop Detective Danny Fisher who a year ago helped the FBI capture a known fugitive Miles Jackson. The film set out to be a revenge film the villain getting revenge on Cena’s character for the accidental death of his girlfriend. Danny must complete a game aptly called "12 Rounds". This is where the film really picks up with huge action scenes and better plots twists. My vote: 3 out of 5 stars.

Memories come in all shapes and sizes

2009-03-25T14:42:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a very busy day. One filled with emotion, panic, worry, hope, relief and sadness. And each emotion was backed up by a memory from times past.

My oldest twin boy Jason suffered a head injury yesterday. An 11-year-old boy being an 11-year-old boy. Swinging by his arms between two tables, he slipped and fell hard - right on his head. He was in bad shape.

When my ex-wife called with the news, everything stopped. Emotions flooded over me. Then the memories hit. At first the recent time line recall of Natasha Richardson and her accident last week. Hit her head, everything seemed fine at first then…gone. You can imagine what that memory did to a dad who can freak out about his kids at the drop of a hat.

Then the “longer ago” recall began to take effect and I flashed back to my auto accident in 1999 where I was rear-ended at 70 MPH while stopped dead on I-94. By all rights, I should have died. Crushed the vehicle I was in into a sardine can. Then I began remembering the worried look in the eyes of my then 2-year-old twin boys as they saw me in ER – on a morphine drip with tubes and wires and my face badly damaged with teeth missing and facial parts rearranged – barely hanging on.

Thankfully, Jason is OK. The CT came back negative for hematoma. He now sports a huge bruised bump on his noggin the size of a golf ball. I will talk to the doctors today about having an EEG done just to play it safe.

However, one more event yesterday brought back the flood of emotions and memories. The event was not as traumatic, but still brought back the recall.

While I was waiting for the results of Jason’s CT scan, I went to an area of the hospital with WiFi internet to check email on my laptop. It was then I found out the news that former Tiger great George Kell had passed away at age 86 in Arkansas.

The flood of emotions hit me again. Sad to hear of the Hall Of Fame 3rd baseman and Tiger broadcaster’s passing. However, this time, the memories took me further back… back to a time of my childhood that filled my heart with much fondness.

Growing up as a kid in Metro Detroit in the 1960’s, you followed Detroit Tiger baseball two ways – on the radio and on the TV in black and white. Of course, going to Tiger Stadium as a kid, the vision of all the lush green interior was amplified in a kids mind, especially since the only other way I saw it was on our big old Airline black and white TV. Yeah. TV in black and white. With only channels 2 -13 until we got the UHF converter box. Yep, there was a converter box long ago…before the current DTV one.

And on the TV doing the Tiger games was George Kell. Kell was a former player with the Tigers in the late 1940s through the early 1950s. He had a laid-back drawl that just made you feel at ease, giving you everything you needed to know about the game’s progress. Much like his radio counterpart, the Hall Of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell. It figures, since Kell’s first stint at calling play-by-play was with Harwell doing a Baltimore Orioles game when Kell was injured .

Baseball was a big part of my childhood. Playing catch with my grandpa, Little League, pick-up games at Cherry Hill and Levagood Park, as well as Ford Field (the original one in Dearborn - long before the stadium Ford Field in Detroit was built).

My dad would tell me of George Kell’s glory days as a player with the Tigers. “Best 3rd baseman to ever play the game.” he would recall. Kell won the batting title in 1949 while with the Tigers, beating out the immortal Ted Williams by a fraction of a batting average percentage - .3429 to William’s .3247.

The following year was George Kell’s best. He walloped 56 doubles, led the league with 218 hits, and set personal highs with 101 runs batted in and 114 runs scored. He hit .340, second to Billy Goodman of the Red Sox in the race for the batting title. No one would hit as many doubles in any year until 2000, when Todd Helton slugged 59 for the Colorado Rockies.

George Kell joined the booth after Tigers broadcaster Mel Ott was killed in an automobile accident in 1958. On George’s recommendation, Ernie Harwell came to Detroit in 1960 as the radio voice of the Tigers, beginning a legendary 42-year career with the team.

"He had two outstanding careers, one as a baseball player, one as a baseball announcer," Harwell said yesterday. "He was certainly an icon in Detroit and Michigan."

I met George Kell in the latter years of his life when the Tigers were the ALCS in 2006 and Kell threw out the first pitch. It was quite a moment meeting such a great baseball man – both player and broadcaster. He was truly a class act – one of the nicest guys one could ever meet.

So, yesterday was a memory day for me. Memories of childhood and childhood play, the fun, scrapes and bruises that come with it as well. And memories of a great and gentle man who excited generations of baseball fans and Tiger fans as well.

New DVD Releases Today

2009-03-24T07:20:00.001-04:00

Here are some of the new titles arriving on DVD today:

Movies:
* Bolt
* Quantum of Solace
* 2 Fast 2 Furious: 2-Disc Limited Edition
* The Cake Eaters
* The Fast and the Furious: 2-Disc Limited Edition
* The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift -- 2-Disc Limited Edition
* Happily N'Ever After 2
* Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five
* Lilo & Stitch: 2-Disc Big Wave Edition
* Never Say Never Again: Collector's Edition
* New York City Serenade
* The Odd Couple: Paramount Centennial Collection
* To Catch a Thief: Paramount Centennial Collection
* Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter & Under the Hood

TV:
* A Woman Called Golda
* Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series
* The Riches: Season 2
* Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- A Galaxy Divided

Jennifer Aniston ended relationship with John Mayer because of his Twitter 'obsession'

2009-03-23T18:13:00.002-04:00

Jennifer Aniston has reportedly ended her relationship with musician boyfriend John Mayer because he is obsessed with Twitter, it has been alleged

People claiming to be friends of the actress have told sources that she finished the affair after discovering Mayer, 31, spent hours on the networking website, despite telling her he was too busy to get in touch with her.

The pair started dating in April 2008, but have broken up several times. However, they appeared inseparable at the Oscars last month.

A source claimed Aniston decided Mayer was not committed enough to her and called time on their romance having found hourly updates on his Twitter page.

The source said: "John suddenly stopped calling her or returning her emails and when she would finally catch up with him, he'd say: 'I've been so busy with work. I'm sorry I haven't had time to call you back."

The source added: "Jen was fuming. There he was, telling her he didn't have time for her and yet his page was filled with Twitter updates.

"Every few hours, sometimes minutes, he'd update with some stupid line. And in her mind, she was like 'He has time for all this Twittering, but he can't send me a text, an email, make a call?'."

It has also been claimed musician John made no attempt to cover up his Twitters.

The source said: "He didn't even deny it. He knew he was avoiding her. So when she called him on it and ended things, he just said OK, and that he was sorry it didn't work out.

"He took the break-up like a man."

Even so, shortly after Aniston's call, Mayer's Twitter update read: 'This heart didn't come with instructions.'

Another major daily paper folds...this time in our backyard

2009-03-23T11:31:00.003-04:00

The Ann Arbor (Michigan) News, after 174 years, is folding in July and being replaced by AnnArbor.com, a new company that will publish a print newspaper twice a week and distribute a total market coverage (TMC) print product weekly, Publisher Laurel Champion told the newspaper's staff Monday morning.

"While this is an incredibly difficult decision for us, this is by no means the end of local journalism in Ann Arbor," Champion told the paper. The News is hosting community forums about AnnArbor.com on April 2 and 3.

The newspaper is owned by the Newhouse family's Advance Newspapers.

The news comes as three other newspapers owned by the Newhouse family's Advance Publications -- The Flint Journal, The Saginaw News and The Bay City Times -- announced they were cutting print publication to three days a week starting June 1. Advance owns eight daily newspapers in Michigan.

Major announcements have also been scheduled at Newhouse's dailies in Newark and Harrisburg, Pa.

Editing and production work for the state's four remaining Advance dailies -- the Jackson Citizen Patriot, The Grand Rapids Press, the Kalamazoo Gazette and The Muskegon Chronicle -- will be consolidated in Grand Rapids this summer, the Gazette reported.

Knowing gets the numbers to finish #1 at the box office

2009-03-22T19:11:00.002-04:00

Leading up to the weekend, the numbers pointed to a first-place showing for Knowing, and that's what happened. The picture didn't need stellar grosses to top the weekend as March business has been lagging behind recent years. Overall weekend ticket sales were off six percent from the same time last year, and attendance at theaters this weekend was the lowest in eight years.

I Love You, Man the latest "Bro-mantic" comedy focusing on male-bonding came in second with an estimated $18 million. Duplicity, Julia Roberts' first proper star vehicle since Mona Lisa Smile, picked up a relatively modest estimated $14.4 million to finish at 3rd place.

Race to Witch Mountain dropped a sizable 47 percent to an estimated $13 million, ranking fourth for the weekend. Rounding out the top 5 this past weekend was Watchmen, which saw its audience evaporate again, failing to level off in its third weekend. The superhero drama generated an estimated $6.7 million, bringing its total to $98.1 million in 17 days. Its 62 percent drop was a new low among major comic book adaptations.

This weekend's top 10 movies at the box office (Sunday estimates):

1.) Knowing
2.) I Love You Man
3.) Duplicity
4.) Race To Witch Mountain
5.) Watchmen
6.) The Last House On The Left
7.) Taken
8.) Slumdog Millionaire
9.) Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail
10.) Coraline

(Mike's score: 80%. Respectable, but I'm a perfectionist...lol!)

Don't piss off fire fighters

2009-03-22T10:40:00.002-04:00

Why you should never piss off fire fighters...

"Knowing" tops "I Love You Man" and "Duplicity" so far at the box office

2009-03-22T08:43:00.002-04:00

Knowing debuted Friday with an impressive first day at theaters pulling in nearly $9 million in receipts on Friday, handily leading the box office so far this weekend. In a single day, the supernatural thriller featuring Nicolas Cage out-grossed the first weekend of another Cage future-seeing thriller Next, and its initial attendance was on par with similar genre movies The Forgotten and Deja Vu.

As I predicted on the Tim Barron Mornings program this past Wednesday, I Love You Man would not take the top spot this weekend. However, it did make an impressive showing to take #2 with a little over $6.3 million on Friday, landing smack-dab in the middle of the first days of similar comedies Role Models and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Those pictures' opening weekends came in at $19.2 million and $17.7 million, respectively.

The surprise for me was Duplicity. I thought the return to the big screen of Julia Roberts in this romantic caper would run neck and neck with Knowing this weekend. It brought in around $4.7 million on Friday, ranking it #3. Attendance for Duplicity's first day was slightly less than past titles Intolerable Cruelty and Matchstick Men.

Down 44 percent to an estimated $3.8 million, Race to Witch Mountain's second Friday was lower than the previous Dwayne (Don't call me "The Rock" anymore!!!) Johnson's previous Disney vehicle The Game Plan, but still managed to grab #4 in this Friday's box office receipts. However, The Game Plan's eight-day tally of $35.5 million was higher due to many kids being off school during that week for spring and semester break.

Rounding out the top 5, Watchmen continued to plummet, dropping 62 percent to an estimated $2 million for $93.4 million in 15 days. It was one of the sharpest declines for a third Friday for a superhero movie and nearly as much as Hulk at the same point.

Continuing to surprise at the box office: Coraline...still holding well among nationwide releases. The stop-motion animated feature made $630,000 or nearly as much as it did last Friday, even though it is being shown on 20% less screens around the country.

And it now seems that Paul Blart: Mall Cop is beginning to come nearer to the end of it's shelf life, falling just below the top 10 with a little under $600,000 for Friday. Still, the movie that most critics (including me) said would bomb at the box office took #1 the first two weekends it was out and had a respectible run in the top 10 for 9 weeks earning nearly $140 million.

My predictions for this weekend:

1.) Knowing
2.) I Love You Man
3.) Duplicity
4.) Race To Witch Mountain
5.) Watchmen
6.) Taken (I expect a little bump due to recent press of Liam Neeson's wife Natasha Richardson's death)
7.) The Last House On The Left
8.) Slumdog Millionaire
9.) Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail
10.) Coraline

Being single can suck

2009-03-21T10:26:00.003-04:00

This past Tuesday marked the third anniversary of my return to single-dom…if that’s even a word. Not a momentous occasion by any stretch of the imagination.

There are no greeting cards for the anniversary of becoming single again. I could just see one in my mind’s eye, sitting in the rack in the card aisle at Meijer. The outside: “Happy Anniversary on being single…” Inside: “…LOSER!” You don’t get a cake, either, though you should. One of those Bill Knapps chocolate cakes with decorative frosting on top depicting a forehead with the universal thumb-and-forefinger at 90-degrees sign. You could market that and it would probably be a hot seller.

Best that one celebrating one’s anniversary of single-ness can do is go out and get drunk. Fortunately, this past Tuesday was St. Patrick’s Day. Which makes my anniversary of single-dom an international holiday where drinking is the acceptable celebratory behavior around the global community. Unfortunately, I had to do the radio thing the next morning and be as always sharp on my game, so the usual Bloody Mary was out. Thus my invention – the non-alcoholic Bloody Mary. Red Bull and V-8. Red Bull for that extra kick to get you started on an early morning after a night of straight shots of Irish whiskey…V-8 to help keep you regular through those same whiskey shots. Yummy.

After the morning show I like to go outside and decompress by watching the squirrels that live behind the station across the street in the woods. The same squirrels that Tim complains daily about on the show that pilfer food from his beloved bird feeder. The morning after my single-dom anniversary celebration of mirth and madness, I was witness to the aforementioned squirrels engaged in mating rituals. Though I'm normally unperturbed by my single-ness, I felt a twinge of jealousy. So, I yelled at them "Get a room!” They looked up at me for a second with an expression of annoyance as if to say, “Excuse me?!?” then continued on with their moment of raw animal husbandry.

As a single person, society and the trappings of media indoctrination has trained me to feel this way about my single-ness. I mean, look at Disney movies, which, unfortunately, I do quite a bit since not only am I single but a single dad whose kids love to go to these flicks. Whenever love is a focal point of the movie’s plot…which is about 95% of these vehicles…how many friggin’ animals are chasing each other? As least in Disney movies, they aren’t humping each other like crazed, sex starved rabbits on a mission to overpopulate the world. This is what Animal Planet on cable is for. This is why I don’t watch Animal Planet…I’d be throwing things at my TV.

You see, my problem with being single is that whenever I am interested in a woman, I wind up in the proverbial hell of single-dom known as “The Friend Zone”. And, of course, everyone around you has advice for you on how to beat this. Usually these well-meaning folk are younger that you and try to play themselves off as wise sages on the subject of getting the girl and having tons of sex. “You’ve gotta be the Alpha male, dude!” they say. Or “Let them pursue you.” No kidding! Having more years in the game than these wise sages for friends I’ve gone both routes, even using both in the same pursuit. Neither strategy has been a winner.

You can argue all you want…but men and women both want the same thing. The pinnacle of relationships. Finding a special person that is the perfect one, the perfect chemistry between the two of you, connection on all levels, and the most glorious sex two people could ever have for the rest of their natural lives. Dream on, people!!! In actuality our psyches tend to screw things up for us, thus rendering us clueless at times on how to pursue each other.

Guys tend to go overboard once they have experienced the “pretty parts” of a woman first-hand, and begin wearing their hearts on their sleeve, or as my uncle used to say, “…start thinking with the wrong head.” Then, blam! Women begin to think that all we want is the sex, even though deep down women do enjoy sex. And guys become all dejected and go home to porn and whiskey.

Or we tend to go after the wrong types. This usually is when we go after someone that doesn’t fit our criteria. Or someone who is not as into us as we first thought. The result? We then sabotage a potential good relationship that comes along with our fear that it will go bad. Then usually find a relationship that will eventually turn out bad. Problem here is once we wake up to this, the potential good relationship we blew off for the one we thought would be good, but went south, is now a gone prospect. Then we revert to spending the lonely evenings at home. Guys… booze and porn. Women…chocolate (or wine) and romance novels (or “chick flick” movie rentals)…which is just a woman’s version of booze and porn.

A guy meets a woman and they become friends. They get along great, go out on a social endeavor and wind up spending the night together. They seem to become close, until the dude expresses that always emotion-evoking sentiment “I love you”. Either in actual words or in actions. Then, all of a sudden it becomes a game of ying-yang. First she plays the “I’m just not that into you” card. Then the next moment spills her guts on what she wants in a relationship. Then, shazam! On to another guy and the first guy is given the silent treatment and treated like he’s not even a friend. Basically she’s stating to the first guy, “Well, now I have to find a new best friend." In my world that would tell me that I’m actually the one who needs to get a new best friend. Thanks for the heads-up. So much for the "got to be friends before you can be lovers" saying we've been fed by the likes of Delilah and other relationship experts.

So this weekend, I’m going to a Disney flick at the theater, and when the ‘love’ scenes come on, I’m throwing things at the screen. Then I’m taking a rifle to the station on Monday and have target practice on the frisky squirrels.

As my uncle used to say, “Women…you can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em, and you can’t shoot ‘em.”

Actress Natasha Richardson dead at age 45

2009-03-18T21:29:00.004-04:00

(Photo - Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

FROM THE BURBANK BUREAU; March 18, 2009 5:50 PM PDT -- Natasha Richardson, the luminous British actress from one of the world's great acting families, whose performances ranged from the high-brow drama "The Handmaid's Tale" to the lightweight comedy "The Parent Trap" and the Tony-winning Broadway production of "Cabaret," died Wednesday. She was 45.

The wife of "Schindler's List" actor Liam Neeson and the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and the late film director Tony Richardson died at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. The cause of death was not announced but she had been hospitalized after suffering a devastating brain injury while skiing Monday.

"Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," said a statement released by publicist Alan Nierob. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."

Movie theaters; studios enjoy record-setting February

2009-03-18T19:15:00.002-04:00

This February was the highest-grossing February ever, with the Liam Neeson film Taken leading the way.

Taken led February with $84.3 million, accounting for nearly 11 percent of the month's business. However, the box office was well spread out. He's Just Not That Into You came in second with $77.2 million for a ten percent market share, followed by Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail ($60.9 million), Friday the 13th ($59.8 million) and Coraline ($59.5 million). February had its disappointments as well, including Confessions of a Shopaholic ($32.7 million) and The Pink Panther 2 ($31.9 million) (the first Pink Panther remake was the top grosser of February 2006).

Business was up over ten percent from last year, which was the previous February best. Adjusting for ticket price inflation, though, February 2009 was effectively in a tie with February 2004 (fueled by The Passion of the Christ) and February 1997 (which had those two Star Wars special edition releases).

Meanwhile, a number of high-profile pictures ended their runs in February. Walt Disney ended Beverly Hills Chihuahua at $94.5 million and High School Musical 3: Senior Year with a $90.6 million final, both of which were holdover hits from the Fall. MGM ended Soul Men at a disappointingly meager $12.1 million. Warner Brothers vaulted Four Christmases on Feb. 12 with $120.1 million made, while The Weinstein Company said "adios" to Vicky Cristina Barcelona at $23.2 million. Disney ended Bolt at $114.1 million on Feb. 22, better than the previous Disney vehicle Meet the Robinsons but was far behind their Pixar releases. On Feb. 26, Paramount Pictures crated up Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa at $180 million, retaining approximately 83 percent of the attendance of its predecessor, and Fox Searchlight's The Secret Life of Bees ended its run with a $37.8 million final gross.

UPDATE: Natasha Richardson brain dead, off life support; unconfirmed reports that she has passed away

2009-03-18T18:16:00.008-04:00

(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Several sources are reporting that Natasha Richardson was taken off life support at 1:30 PM EDT today, with some unconfirmed reports saying the Tony Award-winning actress has passed away this evening.

This is not unexpected. Several sources felt yesterday, when learning they were flying Natasha in to Lenox Hill, that this meant her condition was hopeless and they were just finding a place to be together with her and to say good-bye. One unidentified insider was quoted as saying, "Nobody goes to Lenox Hill who is really sick; if she had a chance to live, they’d have found another great brain hospital!"

The New York bureau reports Vanessa Redgrave, Richardson's mother, arrived in a car with darkened windows and was taken through a garage when she arrived at the Lenox Hill Hospital on Manhattan's Upper East Side at around 5 p.m. Wednesday. An hour earlier, Richardson's sister, Joely, arrived alone and was swarmed by the media as she entered through the back of the hospital.

Among grief-stricken visitors was actress Lauren Bacall, who attended the couple's 1994 wedding at their white clapboard farmhouse in rural Millbrook, 70 north of New York City.

Actress Meryl Streep and author Joan Didion also dropped by.

"There is no chance," a family friend told reporters earlier this afternoon. "It is a fact that her heart is beating, but she is brain dead."

Speculation continues to swirl around Natasha Richardson skiing accident

2009-03-18T04:23:00.003-04:00

Conflicting reports last night had actress Natasha Richardson "brain dead" and being flown home to New York for a sad family farewell, or suffering from "brain swelling," a potentially catastrophic condition, but not necessarily the tragic end that many fear is at hand for the wife and mother of two, a member of Britain's most respected acting clan.

This much is known: Richardson was flown to New York yesterday afternoon after being treated at a Montreal hospital. On her arrival here, it was unclear whether she was being transferred to a hospital or a private home.

While friends and family gathered Monday evening for a vigil in NYC, where Richardson and Neeson call home, the 45-year-old actress' mom, Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave, was photographed heading to Lenox Hill Hospital in upper Manhattan, presumably to be by her daughter's side.

Some published reports said the move came so that mother Vanessa Redgrave, the actress' two children and loved ones could say goodbye, before she's taken off life support. Richardson's representative did not return calls last night.

Richardson, 45, fell during a beginner lesson Monday at Canada's famed Mont Tremblant ski resort. A statement from the resort said the Tony-winning actress did not appear injured at first. She was taken to the hospital about an hour later after reporting a headache.

She was first taken to the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe, then transferred to Hospital du Sacré-Coeur in Montreal, reports said.

Richardson is married to actor Liam Neeson, who left the Toronto set of the movie "Chloe" to be with his wife, reports said.

The couple have two sons, Micheal, 13, and Daniel, 12.

Thoughts and prayers to Natasha and Liam Neeson, as well as the families.

The newest model to hit the catwalk...with no clothes!

2009-03-17T04:32:00.002-04:00

A new walking, talking robot with a female face that can smile and weighs just 95 pounds will be making its debut at a fashion show in Japan.

However, it will be a one "woman" fashion show because the robot hasn't cleared safety standards required to share the catwalk with real live human models.

The 5 foot 2 inch black-haired robot named HRP-4C will mainly serve to draw and entertain crowds.

Developers said the robot may be used at amusement parks or to perform as an exercise instructor.

Th female robot was designed to look like an average Japanese woman, although its silver-and-black body recalls a space suit. It will appear in a Tokyo fashion show next week - without any clothes - in a special section of the show just for the robot.

The continuing demise of newspapers

2009-03-17T04:05:00.003-04:00

As of today, Seattle is a one-newspaper town.

Employees of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer found out yesterday they had only one last edition to publish, the one that hits newsstands in the greater Seattle area this morning.

The Hearst Corporation tried to find a buyer for the P-I but failed, and some wonder if the next victim to collapsing print revenue will be another Hearst-owned publication, the San Francisco Chronicle... which many have speculated will be the next big newspaper operation to fold.

Seattle's other newspaper, the Seattle Times, is in financial trouble as well... even though the demise of their cross town rival increases the Time's prospects for long-term survival.

The P-I will still operate online, but just with a small, trimmed back staff of about 20 people, providing commentary, advice and links to other news sites, with some original reporting.

Michigan's Tobacco Quit Line has quit

2009-03-16T20:53:00.002-04:00

In the wake of steep increases of taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products in Michigan taking effect on April 1, more people are wanting to kick the tobacco habit. In anticipation of this, state officials began offering smoking cessation products to those wanting to quit on the Michigan Tobacco Quit Hotline.

The hot line began last week to offer callers free nicotine patches, gum or lozenges to help them quit smoking or chewing tobacco. By Monday, the heavy volume of calls had overwhelmed the hot line.

State officials say the hot line will shut down until October because the department has run out of the free products. The new budget year starts Oct. 1.

The quit line was contacted by more than 65,600 callers in five days, and more than 400 staff members were fielding calls.

Nearly 2,200 people have enrolled in the quit tobacco program so far.

Weekend box office estimates - "Witch" takes the top; "Watchmen" crashes

2009-03-15T21:05:00.013-04:00

(Photo courtesty of Buena Vista Pictures)

Looks like "Race To Witch Mountain" will take top honors this weekend with an estimated $25 million, while "Watchmen" dived a whopping 67 percent to an estimated $18.1 million for $86 million in ten days, trailing all previous superhero movies that debuted in the $50 million range through the same point. (I took my kids to see "Race To Witch Mountain" earlier today, keeping my streak of seeing #1's in the theater the weekend of their release alive)

The big surprise (for me as well as many others) was the continued strength of "Paul Blart: Mall Cop", which took 7th (instead of 9th as I predicted), beating out "He's Just Not That Into You" and "Miss March". "Miss March" squeaked into the top ten behind #9 "Coraline", barely beating out "Confessions Of A Shopaholic" at #11. With this weekend's recipts, "Mall Cop" will be hovering close to $138 million in its 9 week run. Not bad for a movie most critics (including myself) said sucked!

The Top Ten for this Weekend (estimates):

1.) "Race To Witch Mountain"
2.) "Watchmen"
3.) "The Last House On The Left"
4.) "Taken"
5.) "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail"
6.) "Slumdog Millionaire"
7.) "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" (will this thing ever die?!?)
8.) "He's Just Not That Into You"
9.) "Coraline"
10.) "Miss March"

My Top Ten Picks accuracy score - 60% - not bad, but I usually do better. Dang that Kevin James...lol! Looks like his next movie deal he makes has a nice bargaining chip salary-wise.

Tight race for this weekend's box office king

2009-03-15T07:41:00.003-04:00

A very tight race indeed on what seeming is a slow weekend at theaters nationwide.

Buena Vista/Disney's "Race To Witch Mountain" starring Dwayne (Don't call me "The Rock" anymore!) Johnson took a commanding lead at the box office this weekend with a paltry estimated $6.8M in recipts on opening day... a bit better first day than the last BV Johnson release, "The Game Plan", which debuted to a $6.3 million Friday on its way to a $23 million weekend last year.

"The Last House on the Left", the remake of the same-titled 1972 Wes Craven horror flick, opened in second with an estimated $5.6 million... a similar beginning as another Craven remake, "The Hills Have Eyes", which grossed $5.6 million its first day.

"Watchmen" in it's second weekend nosedived 78 percent to an estimated $5.4 million, lifting its total to $73.4 million in eight days. Watchmen's Friday-to-Friday drop was one of the steepest, rating slightly worse than "X-Men: The Last Stand" and the first "Hulk" movie. However, Watchmen should pass The Last House on the Left for second place due to the latter having a more front-loaded weekend due to its genre and newness.

My predictions for this weekend's box office top 10:

1.) "Race To Witch Mountain"
2.) "Watchmen"
3.) "The Last House On The Left"
4.) "Taken"
5.) "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail"
6.) "Slumdog Millionaire"
7.) "Miss March"
8.) "He's Just Not That Into You"
9.) "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" (this thing just doesn't want to die!)
10.) "Coraline"

New nationwide releases scheduled for next Friday March 20th:

• "Duplicity" (Universal) Julia Roberts, Clive Owen -- CIA officer Claire Stenwick and MI6 agent Ray Koval have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first. (My rating: 3 1/2 stars)

• "I Love You Man" (Dreamworks) Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg (from SNL), Jane Curtin (SNL alum) and Jaime Pressly (from NBC's "My Name Is Earl") -- A comedy from John Hamburg where a successful real estate agent gets engaged to the woman of his dreams, discovers that he has no male friend close enough to serve as his Best Man, embarks on a series of bizarre and awkward "man-dates," meets a dude with whom he instantly bonds, causing his relationship with the fiance to get weird, ultimately forcing him to choose between his fiance and his new found "bro". (My rating: 2 stars)

• "Knowing" (Summit) Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury, Ben Mendelsohn, Adrienne Pickering, Nadia Townsend -- A single father and chairman of his town's historical society is summoned when a time capsule buried behind an elementary school in 1958 is prematurely unearthed because of a water-main break. The man, whose son attends the school, sifts through the contents and finds drawings of what 1958 tykes predicted the modern world would be like. It's all flying cars and fantasy stuff, with the exception of one chilling entry. One child predicted some of the most horrible events in recent history, and there's one that hasn't yet occurred, which the man attempts to prevent. (My rating: 4 stars)

Is Lindsay Lohan on her way to jail?

2009-03-15T06:43:00.004-04:00

Seems the Lindsay has retained her Celebri-Tard status with word out of the Burbank bureau that an arrest warrant was issued Friday for the 22-year-old star of the 2004 movie "Mean Girls" and recent tabloid fodder feeder.

A judge at Los Angeles Superior Court in Beverly Hills issued the warrant on Friday and it carries a bail amount of $50,000. The issuance of the warrant could possibly be in connection with the probation issued on the conviction of a 2007 drunken driving arrest after she crashed her Mercedes-Benz into a tree, an L.A. police source said Saturday.

Has Ms. Lohan violated her probation and might be seeing the inside of the L.A. County Jail soon? I'm sure ET will have the in-depth report.

Bringing back the old WWE days...

2009-03-15T04:50:00.005-04:00

A courthouse in Clearwater, Florida was the scene of an old WWE-styled trash talkin' as Hulk Hogan (real name: Terry Bollea) took on his estranged wife's attorney Ray Rafool (gotta love the last name) in a verbal match while Rafool was talking to local reporters.

The spat started when lawyer Ray Rafool was answering questions about the divorce case for television cameras. He spoke after a hearing Thursday in which a judge granted the release of $225,000 in frozen assets for Hogan.

While Rafool spoke to the media, the towering Hogan tried to interject a comment from behind a row of cameras and reporters, and that's when the verbal smacking began:

Rafool: "Are you gonna to wrestle with me here? Are you gonna come across the cameras? Then be quiet."

Hogan: "It's a free world..."

Rafool: "No, it's not a free world, it's called professionalism."

Rafool (who had recently accepted an autograph from Hogan for his son, then delivered the stinging verbal blow that would rankle any World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler): "You're an actor. You're acting now."

Hogan (keeping his cool): "I hope your son enjoys the autograph. Thank you Hulkamaniac brother."

Then Hogan's attorney joined in and continued arguing with Rafool... just like any good WWE wrestler's manager would do.

I wonder if they have any of the old "Big Time Wrestling" shows out on DVD. The Shiek would clean both of these guy's clocks. Trust me... I know. He nearly kicked my butt years ago when I had him thrown out of a bar in Metro Detroit for being a drunken idiot.

The Shelf Life Of Octo-Mom

2009-03-09T21:19:00.002-04:00

Recently there has been a lot of crazy behavior by several individuals – some of the glitterati persuasion…or as my radio partner refers to them: Celebri-Tards. Others are seeking glitterati status by their manic behavior. At the onset, the behavior by these individuals fuels the mainstream consciousness of conversation. Becomes water cooler talk. Gives the Hollywood tabloid TV shows like ET, Inside Edition and the like something to fill their airtime.

Just in the past several months we’ve had plenty to feast on. Michael Phelps’ “bong”. Christian Bale’s on-set tirade. And, of course, Octo-Mom. All these folk and their lack of sense feed our desire to be entertained by those more privileged than we doing something that makes us say to ourselves, “What the hell were they thinking?” And in a sub-concavical way is a type of surrogate confirmation to us that we have our heads screwed on the right way. Or do we?

The Michael Phelps “bong” incident? Seems like it was a forever ago. Christian Bale’s 4-minute rant of anger at a film crew member for something he did to break acting consciousness (though 30-seconds would have been more than sufficient in my book)? Already old news.

But the phenomenon known as Octo-Mom? For some perverse reason we seem to not be able to let go…sinking our entertainment “teeth” into this sick psychotic woman much like a coyote with a fresh piece of meat. But in my opinion, this “piece of meat” has far surpassed its shelf life and has become rotten, spoiled and ptomaine-laced.

California single woman Nadya Suleman, with no job and no means of support, decides she wants to be a mom. Goes to a fertility clinic to get pregnant. Bam! 6 kids. Decides she wants more kids and returns to fertility clinic. Ba-blam! 8 more. Then we see the woman. She has had plastic surgery to look like Angelina Jolie and turns out she’s obsessed with the star. Jolie says she’s nuts. She then hires a publicist. Has an offer to do a porn movie. Publicist quits – says she’s nuts. Hires a second publicist. 911 tapes are released of her psychotically wigged out and wailing that her child is missing when the child is walking around the block with grandma. Second publicist quits – says she’s nuts. Now there’s talk of a video of this woman giving birth to her 8 babies in the hospital room being shopped around for over a million dollars. More people dropping support for her – saying she’s nuts.

Trust me, I know a thing or two about psycho women. And Nadya Suleman is beyond psycho. She’s sick and needs to have the media plug pulled from her roller coaster, way the hell over 15-minutes of “fame”. The kids need to be taken from her. She needs to be committed…and a guarantee made that she’ll never give birth again.

I know also about kids. I am a father… a proud parent. And Ms. Suleman is no parent. She is an opportunistic, self-absorbed sociopath who has no business being a mother to children.

We, as a people, need to let go of this woman’s escapades as a form of titillating and entertaining fodder, and call it what is is. A sad example of the human race. And let go of it. Let it die. Enough outrage is out there that eventually the right thing will occur if we stop feeding the emotional pig that is Nadya Suleman. We as people, and especially us in media, need to stop buying into her duping of not only government agencies that pay her way (i.e.: our tax dollars), but the duping of ourselves into believing that this is tasty and entertaining gossip fodder for us to continue to gnaw on.

Spoiled meat will just make you sick.

Pride vs. Prejudice, Embarrassment and Fear

2009-03-09T04:44:00.002-04:00

All throughout my years of public education growing up, every Social Studies teacher I ever had all referred to America as “the great melting pot”. People from all nations, cultures and walks of life coming to the US to seek a better life – all melding together as one big conglomerate of people known as “Americans”.

Those who have come to this land of ours throughout our country’s history have valued the opportunity to become Americans. But, even though they become Americans, they still carry a heritage…a history or ancestral quotient that in the most perfect of worlds will give them pride. However, this weekend, I had a profound discussion with a very good friend which opened my eyes to the sad state of the human condition around us and that sometimes pride battles elements that will quash it.

I am very proud of my German heritage. My family has deep roots in Deutschland. Mom’s parents were from the North Rhine-Westphalia part of the kingdom of Prussia (Gramps hailed from Ronsdorf which became part of Wuppertal just before WWII, grandma was from Düsseldorf). My dad’s dad came from Saxony in eastern Germany (Grandpa Holder was from Leipsig, the home of Johann Sebastian Bach of whom I am a direct descendant) and his Grandmother Gundlacht was from Württemberg, now known as Stuttgart…something I didn’t know until I spoke with my dad earlier today. With his health not being the best lately and his advanced age, I have embraced every opportunity to tap his memory about our family as much as I can…while I can.

Most people I know have family heritage outside of the US; Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, India, and more. And now, in this politically correct climate, all have embraced their heritage and exhibit pride in it. But our nation’s sometimes embarrassing history shows us that sometimes this wasn’t always the case.

As I mentioned before, the “melting pot” term always prefaced that people came to America “seeking a better life”. Irish immigrants came to this country in the late 1800s to escape the Great Potato Famine. Russian immigrants came to escape the Czarist rule, then Communism. But the one national origin that has seen the most immigrant influxes coming to the United States of America over time has been German. Germans form the largest self-reported ancestry group in the United States, accounting for 49 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population.

German immigrants had been coming to the United States since the U.S. was a colony of Britain. The heaviest German immigration to the United States occurred between 1848 and World War I, during which time nearly six million Germans immigrated to the United States. Many of the early immigrants came to the U.S. in search of religious freedom. Later, as a result of the Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815), individuals sought freedom from military involvement and political oppression, which created a poor economic climate, which continued through the entire 19th and part of the 20th century.

During World War I, German Americans, especially those born abroad, were sometimes accused of being too sympathetic to the German Empire. Several thousand vocal opponents of the war were imprisoned. Thousands were forced to buy war bonds to show their loyalty. The Red Cross barred individuals with German last names from joining in fear of sabotage. One man was hanged in Illinois, apparently for no other reason than that he was of German descent. The killers were found not guilty of the crime and the hanging was called an act of patriotism by a jury.

Then the lunacy that was Hitler came into play, and anti-war sentiment toward those of German descent became fever pitched. Between 1931 and 1940, 114,000 Germans moved to the United States, many of whom – including Nobel prize winner Albert Einstein – were Jewish Germans or anti-Nazis fleeing government oppression. Under the still active Alien Enemy Act of 1798, the United States government interned nearly 11,000 German-Americans between 1940 and 1948, similar to our country’s treatment of Japanese-Americans. Most were not yet American citizens. Some of these were United States citizens.

Civil rights violations occurred. Many German-Americans were arrested without warrant. Others were held without charge for months or interrogated without benefit of legal counsel. Convictions were not eligible for appeal. An unknown number of "voluntary internees" joined their spouses and parents in the camps and were not permitted to leave. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the anti-German sentiment aroused by World War II finally began to abate.

For the longest time growing up, I knew of my German heritage, yet my grandparents seemed ashamed to call themselves German. It wasn’t until many years later, once I learned the history of the prejudice and the fear it bred in German-Americans, that I finally understood why. My friend’s parents were German immigrants, and they too felt that this embarrassment by their parents to claim their heritage was wrong. Sadly, though, the American people once again demonstrated intolerance and lack of understanding in the past, much like we have continually demonstrated as a nation throughout our history.

But now, in today’s times, we have become more tolerant. Yet the fear remains. Deep wounds are hard to heal at times. But, to reassure my good friend, I am proud of my heritage. I am proud to be German. And I’m very glad they are proud of it as well.

My Search Is Finally Over!!!

2009-03-02T20:23:00.004-05:00

For many years I have been searching for some pretty elusive things. The woman of my dreams…fame and fortune…the perfect pastrami sandwich (pastrami, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on double-baked rye). Some of these I may never find. Others, when I do find them, will put me in a comatose stupor. Some I have already found and have already at times put me in a comatose stupor. And the rest…would be pretty outstanding to find.

So, imagine my surprise, while driving in Jackson this weekend to the WalMart (to check on laptop computer prices for a good friend while waiting for daughter-princess' birthday party at The Parlour to end), to come across the following find:

For quite some time, I thought the days of real rock bands were pretty much over. Gone the way of selling out, the excesses of success, and the grubby, greedy hands of managers, agents and record labels. But, this past Saturday, at the light at Brown and West Michigan Avenue, there they were...The Last Real Rock Band!

I can now die a happy man. Unless, of course I find the woman of my dreams, eat the perfect pastrami sandwich, or the Detroit Lions ever make it to the Super Bowl.

Guess I’ll have to stave off death for a while longer on two of the above three...

Nature’s Most Perfect All-Purpose Food Topping

2009-02-08T21:27:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday I supported the kids’ school by attending a fundraising breakfast at the Jackson Applebee’s. An all you can eat pancakes, bacon and beverage affair (for just $5) to raise money for the upcoming 6th Grade Character Camp in May – which I will be attending.

During the devouring of morning sustenance and “eatin’ good in the ‘hood”, I became involved in a text/voice conversation with one of my radio brothers. He was basically complaining having to work so early on a Saturday morning after being out late the night before at a remote. It was falling on deaf ears with me, though. The previous night I had finally crashed at 2:30 AM after a marathon photo uploading and email session and was still up and alert by 6:45 AM to go to the breakfast. Part of the radio lifestyle – just got to suck it up, bra.

After a bit of trash talk, he made the comment “This would only be a good morning if I had some chocolate covered bacon.” He meant it purely in jest, but for whatever reason, I had to expand on it. After all, seeing that I am a radio person – and as we all know radio people think a little “left of center” – the though of chocolate covered bacon didn’t sound all that bad. In fact, the more my cerebral cortex dwelled on the thought, the more I began to crave chocolate covered bacon.

All that day I kept thinking about chocolate covered bacon and rationalizing in my mind why it would be good. After all, maple syrup tastes good on bacon, maple syrup is sweet, chocolate it sweet, so why not? Chocolate coverings on other things can be quite appetizing. Chocolate covered strawberries. Chocolate covered cherries. Chocolate covered peanuts. Chocolate covered pretzels. There is a unique emotional lift in enjoying chocolate drizzled on then licked off of things like ice cream, graham crackers, and your significant other when the mood is right.

My radio brother was working yesterday, so I had a plan. I went to Meijer and picked up bacon and milk chocolate morsels. Went to the station, cooked the bacon, melted the chocolate, poured the melted chocolate on top of the bacon, and then spread it evenly across all the slices. Then the moment of truth… I ate a piece.

I heard colors! I smelled mountains! It was the most climatic and orgasmic taste experience I have ever enjoyed!!! The salty taste of good hickory smoked bacon smothered in the deep, rich, intoxicatingly sweet taste of chocolate! My taste buds were totally immersed in a frantic and flavorful happy dance unlike anything I have ever experienced!!!

I took the rest of the bacon to my broadcasting compadre. He saw what I had prepared and his pupils dilated like someone who just did a huge bong hit of hashish. He grabbed a piece, popped it in his mouth, and began to devour. His eyes glazed over, his face relaxed into the biggest smile I have ever seen on a human, and the words “Oh, my God! This is awesome!!!” blurted out in between chews. He finished the plate in less than 2 minutes.

I think I have come across a huge opportunity here. Chocolate covered meat, poultry and seafood products! Chocolate covered hamburgers. Chocolate covered pork chops. Chocolate covered shrimp. Those chicken “finger” strips, chicken nuggets, and the like? Forget the breading. Just dip them in chocolate! And open a chain of restaurants called “Chocolate Now”, “Chocolate a la Chocolate”, or even “Choco-King”. Get the Swiss Miss girl (since I have a weakness for blonds) in a much better, totally hot outfit to be the spokesmodel.

I’ve had a taste epiphany! I’m on a roll now! Tomorrow for breakfast after the morning show, I’m having a chocolate covered bagel with cream cheese and lox.

The Greatest Live Albums Of All Time!

2009-02-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

The art of the live album seems antiquated these days. Back in the 70s a good number of artists found their greatest success with live albums, enjoying multi-platinum sales and even spinning off radio hits, while other artists enjoyed their greatest artistic and critical successes with live albums as well.

However, somewhere along the line the live album essentially lost its power, becoming increasingly less of an artistic or commercial prospect and increasingly more like a mere collector’s item.

With background in the music industry and a few years in as a recording engineer, I have become not only an aficionado but a connoisseur of sorts of live recordings. To leave the confines of the perfect, acoustically tuned studio, take the equipment to a live venue and painstaking set up the perfect microphone placements, instrument and mix direct feeds, and make the recording not only shine with the venue’s unique acoustics, but also capture the event and all the unique artist/audience ambience and interaction that occurred, is true talent.

So with these criteria in mind, I have selected my top 10 live albums of all time. Some of my selections might surprise some of you, but my benchmarks for selection are a weighing across the whole live album experience – sound, artist performance, audience reaction and interaction. And, of course, feel free to comment on any that you think I should have in this top 10. But remember, there have been so many great live albums that picking a top 10 is an amiable task. So here goes:

#10 – Nat “King” Cole - Live At The Sands
Before you all say, “What up with this selection, Holder!”, let me reassure you I am still a rock boy through and through. However, this record is significant. This was the only live recording done of Mr. Cole performing at a venue (recorded January 14, 1960 at the Sands hotel in Las Vegas), although other “live” recordings are out there of his radio shows in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Originally released a year after his death, it was the first commercial live recording to utilize multi-track recording at the venue to isolate different elements for later mix tweaking – a first for Capitol Records. The selections are vibrant and you can hear the unique Rat Pack-styled accompaniment invoking the laid back energy of the band playing superb arrangements by legends Nelson Riddle and Dave Cavanaugh… and, of course, the true unique talents of Nat on vocals and piano.

#9 – J. Geils Band – Full House
A few may argue with me here, wondering why I picked this one instead of the much more pristine audio sound of Blow Your Face Out. Yeah, Full House was recorded in Detroit at the old Cinderella Ballroom, but that’s not my hometown pride showing preferential treatment here. It’s just a kick butt live album! Raw, raucous and exciting!!! Both Full House and Blow Your Face Out are great audio archives of J. Geils live (where they clearly felt at home), but Full House captures not only the frenzied craziness of Peter Wolf better, but the near insane leading to sheer concert climax of the crowd is a testament to the magic of a legendary live performance. Plus, the AOR radio staple “Whammer Jammer/Hard Drivin’ Man” is one of my favorite live jams of all time.

#8 – Jimi Hendryx – Band Of Gypsys
Ditching Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, and their Artie Ziff afros and aligning himself with bassist Billy Cox and the bruising drums of Buddy Miles, Band of Gypsys showcases Hendrix at his most visceral, as each vertebrae-shattering riff pays tribute to the dead bluesman that wrote the first draft of his musical blueprint. His 12 minute rendition of “Machine Gun,” is often regarded as one of the finest guitar performances of all-time, and it isn’t hard to see why. A mess of snarls, squeals and apocalypse, the song purposefully evokes visions of soldiers exploding in Vietnam. As he sings his deranged and drugged dirge, Hendrix seems to capture the spirit of the times at the precise moment when the idealism of the 60’s met the hung-over glaze of the “Me Decade.” Indeed, one doesn’t need to hear the whirling stomp of the third song “Changes,” to know that the end was near.

#7 – Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
The central proposition of Stop Making Sense is essentially paradoxical—the world’s most awkward band getting comfortable in their own skin. Stop Making Sense features the Heads at their peak of confidence, using drum machines, set gimmicks, background vocalists, and an expanded band. Aside from essentially making Speaking in Tongues totally irrelevant by featuring superior takes of most of the album’s best tracks, the album features panoramic live takes on “Once in a Lifetime,” “Life During Wartime” and even the Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” that come dangerously close to equaling the classic originals. If their previous live album The Name of This Band is Talking Heads showed why Talking Heads were one of the best bands of the early 80s, Stop Making Sense showed why they were also one of the biggest.

#6 – MC5 – Kick Out The Jams
Yeah, I know… another Detroit band and Detroit recording locale. Something about live tracks recorded in Detroit make them exciting, frenetic and unique. Kick Out The Jams is unique in that it was released without a proper studio album to support it. However, the raw power of Kick Out the Jams nevertheless provided a blueprint by which all hard rock afterwards had no choice but to follow. On that Halloween night in 1968 the rhythm section of Davis and Thompson ploughed through eight breakneck beats, Fred Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith played their guitars into molten metal, and Rob Tyner screamed for a “testimonial.” This was punk that quite awkwardly burst out long before it was supposed to be born. And that’s just what MC5 wanted. “Kick out the jams, MUTHAF***AS!”

#5 The Who – Live At Leeds
Quotidian drama and combustible violence marked The Who more than any other 60s rock legend, so it should come as no surprise that they created the era's greatest live document as well. All that inarticulate adolescent yearning and pent-up fury spilled out in savage, lacerating takes on the hits "Substitute" and "My Generation," but the real distillation of the band's brutally self-abnegating ethos comes in their cover of "Summertime Blues," alternately indignant, hilarious, and physically punishing. A 1995 remaster amends several critical cuts, including absolute essentials "Tattoo," "I'm a Boy" and "A Quick One While He's Away," while a subsequent deluxe edition in 2001 would bring to light the remainder of the band's near-complete showcase of Tommy.

#4 Johnny Cash – At San Quenten
Cash's onstage banter during At San Quentin is just as valuable as the stripped-down, shit-kicking country tunes. On the essential 2000 reissue, the entire set is presented, painting a picture beyond the scope of the original LP release. Cash's everyman appeal shines through, and by the time he drops the angry, bitter "San Quentin" (twice in a row, no less), he and the prisoners are unified. These men would follow him to hell. In between, things get maudlin ("I Still Miss Someone"), funny (unlikely hit "A Boy Named Sue"), and religious ("He Turned the Water Into Wine"), but Cash never loses that connection. Cash wears the outlaw hat so convincingly because he has been there himself. Never before or since has an artist and audience bonded on a live recording so closely.

#3 – The Allman Brothers – Live At Fillmore East
Definitely the finest album of Southern rock ever, the original At Fillmore East even manages the same trick as Bitches’ Brew and A Tribute to Jack Johnson. Sure, the sublime “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” was one performance, but the reputation-making performances of “You Don’t Love Me” and especially “Whipping Post” are subtly woven from a couple of nights to stunning effect. To this day the Allmans remain one of the few admirable acts lumped under the “jam band” tag, and on arguably their best official live album they bring the collaborative impulse and intelligence of the best jazz to bear on blues, hard rock, country music, gospel and the then-nascent beast that is Southern rock.

#2 – Led Zeppelin – How The West Was Won
If you’ve ever wondered why almost every teenaged boy at one point or another regards Led Zeppelin as the greatest band to ever live, all you have to do is listen to the first 15 minutes of How the West Was Won, which features the heart-palpitating, spine-tingling crunching thrust of “Immigrant Song,” a raucous seven-and-a-half minute rendition of “Heartbreaker,” and the song that wins every 13-year old’s heart: “Black Dog.” Taken from two otherworldly shows from June 1972 and not released until 2003, the collection encompasses most of the group’s greatest songs from their first four albums. Compare the studio versions to their live renditions, though. As each note thrashes, flails and explodes like colorful fireworks into the wine-dark sky, you’ll find yourself hearing these songs anew—and wondering why they didn’t put this out far earlier.

#1 – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Live Bullet
Go ahead, cry foul! Not only another Michigan act recorded in Detroit, but an event that I was in attendance at and witnessed the audio technocracy involved in the recording of this double album (the lion’s share of the tracks were recorded on September 5, 1975… my 18th birthday – what a way to celebrate!). However, this was THE album that took Ann Arbor’s Bob Seger from a local/regional artist to national fame. The tour was in support of Bob’s first true national release “Beautiful Loser” with the newly created Silver Bullet Band, and Live Bullet was the documentation of the “coming home party/coming out party” of Bob and the band. "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man", "Katmandu" and "Travelin' Man" are such vintage rock songs, and the energy of these three songs captured live are enough to get you up and movin'! "Turn The Page", an example of a song that was done better live than in the studio (originally on the pre-SBB studio album Back In ‘72), is a tune that I can never hear enough, the mood and honesty of the lyrics are stuff of legend – and one of the best live mixes of a song I have ever heard. The musicianship of The Silver Bullet Band really shines on this recording. “Bo Diddley” and “Heavy Music/Get Funky” feature one of the best rock drummers out of Detroit I have ever seen/heard/jammed with, Charlie Martin. Every song has its own story, with the lyrics being just as tremendous as the music itself. Live Bullet, to me, is one of those albums that have made a significant, positive mark on the history of Rock N' Roll.

Honorable Mentions:
Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive
Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series, Vol. 4: Live 1966, “Royal Albert Hall” Concert
Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
Van Morrison - It’s Too Late to Stop Now
The Jam - Dig the New Breed
Charles Mingus - Mingus at Antibes
Tom Waits - Big Time
The Band - Rock of Ages
Velvet Underground - Live: 1969
Joy Division - Les Bains Douches 1979

A boy and his pet

2009-02-03T01:13:00.000-05:00

Since the beginning of time, young boys have desired pets. However, once in awhile, the pet desired can be a bit out of our realm of understanding as far as an average pet.

I was not your 'average' boy growing up. Just ask my dad. He'll be sure to roll his eyes and say, "You've got that right!" I had a desired pet - a dachshund named Schätzchig (German for "Sweetheart"). Far from an average pet. Most of my friends had normal dog breeds - terrirer, Labrador, German Shepherd, Poodle - with normal names like Rover, Spot, Duke and Fifi. Not me. I had a wiener dog with a funny German name.

So when our Chocolate Lab, Cocoa, died this past summer, my kids were heartbroken. But, as kids are, they soon began to ask my ex and I if we could get another dog. The ex was not too keen on that idea.

My oldest twin boy Jason missed Cocoa the most. However, Jason has a unique taste in pets. Plus he has a "Dr. Doolittle" aire about him. He would capture fireflies, butterflies and frogs and was good at keeping them. He once caught a bird with his bare hands at age 4. As of late he has had some unique pets - crickets, hermit crabs and recently a box turtle.

So when Christmas came around, Jason asked for a pet. Not a dog, cat, hermit crab, turtle... or even a bird. He wanted a Leopard Gecko.

Jason first decided he wanted a Leopard Gecko this past summer not long after Cocoa died. I was doing a remote at the Oldtown Blues Festival for Classic Hits 92-X when an employee from the local pet store came down with a Monitor lizard. Jason was immediatly transfixed by the big lizard and began to ask the employee a ton of questions about the Monitor. The lizard guy told Jason that a good starter lizard to get would be a Gecko. Jason decided on a Leopard Gecko because "they look cool!"

So for this past Christmas, Jason got all the things he needed to keep a Gecko - terrerium tank, sand, heat lamps, dishes, calcium and all the equipment needed. Now all I have to get is the Gecko. I plan on doing this soon. Of course, the pet store where the Monitor Lizard guy works is the place Jason wants to get the Gecko, so that's where we will be purchasing it. After Christmas they ran out. A new shipment just recently came in, and now we are waiting for the 'observation period' to expire before the members of this new shipment of Geckos are available for purchase (one of the things I like about this pet store!).

And then, we can start a new chapter in pet history...a boy and his Leopard Gecko. Hopefully he won't name the thing Schätzchig.