Smallest Apartment in NYC

Would you pay $150,000 to live with your spouse in something the size of a jail cell?

Check out this NY Post article on New York City's smallest apartment.

Christmas Portrait...The Real Story

While doing song research for the morning show, I stumbled up Richard Carpenter's official web page regarding album production. Check out his thoughts on Christmas Portrait, one of the great holiday albums of all time. He feels it should have been Karen's album, with him not getting an artist credit, and explains why with some brutal honesty. Check out the musician credits at the bottom of the page. Niagara Falls' Tommy Tedesco is one of the guitarists, and Elvis' long time drummer Ronnie Tutt also plays. It's a pretty cool read.

The Standardized-test Smackdown

Remember taking SAT's and ACT's? Your kids may be taking them this month. These test are big business and both parties are looking for more market share. Caught in the middle: the test takers. Check out this FORTUNE MAGAZINE article on the business of high school testing. One new thing for this fall: If you do poorly you can hide results from universities!

The city is recovering from last night's Springsteen show at HSBC Arena. Possibly "The last one...for awhile," as Bruce has put it. If you were there, you are probably drained and can't wait for your head to hit the pillow tonight. Reviews of the show are rolling in, from Jeff Miers article in the Buffalo News to this cool review straight from Jersey.

Jersey...hey, where else would you to talk Bruce!

So you're watching TV and a commercial comes on with an incredible song as its musical background. Or you're heavy into an episode of the Vampire Diaries, and they use a song in a scene that you can't get out of your mind. But what song was it?

For the answers, check out What Is That Song.net. From songs you hear on the radio to those used on TV shows and commercials, this incredible website has a listing of every song used in media.

Full disclosure: Skip Isley, the guy that created this website, is a former co-worker of mine from my days in Ocean City, Maryland in the early '80s. Awesome job, Skip! Glad to see we are both gainfully employed doing what we like to do!

Shakira is on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Check out this feature in the New York Post that shows her changing look aver the past decade.

Amazing 3D Chalk Creations

Check out these 20 or so sidewalk drawings. You'll stare at them forever trying to figure out how they did it...and what parts of the picture are drawn vs real.

Incredible Halloween Animal Costumes

While I'm not the biggest fan of dressing up pets for occasions, the pics on this NBC TODAY SHOW site are hilarious. Be prepared...you'll want to click through all 7 pages!

Windows 7 Upgrade?

Should you upgrade from Vista to Windows 7? This AP piece as run in today's Buffalo News will help you make a decision.

Springsteen A Month Away

Bruce in Buffalo is just one month away! If you've checked out any of the setlists from this tour, you can tell he is going out with a bang. I can't wait to see what is in store for us on November 22nd. Check out this video from Backstreets.com, Bruce's cover of The Clash's London Calling!
You'll have to scroll about 1/2 way down the page. The sound is awesome, even for the internet. If you can understand any of the garbled words Steven sings, you are a better person than I!

Airline Fee Chart

By now most everyone knows that if you book a flight for $180 including taxes, it will probably end up costing you over $210 by the time you reach your destination. The reason? Airline fees for everything from bags to pilllows. To make you better aware of what you'll really pay, the folks at FareCompare.com have published a great listing of airline fees, easy to read, easy to use! Click here to check it out!

7 ft Long Dog!!!

So you think your pet is giving you trouble? How about a dog that can drink out of the sink...without hopping up to do it! Check out this MSNBC article on what may be the world's tallest living dog.

Amazing Whale Watch Pics



This morning we were living vicariously through the travels of our Producer Nikki Gawel. She just returned from a trip to New England, and came back with amazing pics of a whale watch cruise. Check these out! Click on the pic and blow them up for an even more incredible look.






For more pics, just ask her to be your Facebook friend!

Letterman Fallout

Friday morning we talked about the ramifications of David Letterman's bombshell extortion announcement. One of the things that came to light as we went through the morning, is that the timing of the happenings is more than paramount.

As of this morning, none of the timing, and little of the extorter, was known. But as you can read in these NY newspaper reports, much of this happened before Dave was married, and before he had a child. To some, it may not make it any better, but the timing is important. Also, the guy who is extorting Dave seems to be a real louse. Catch up on the all the dirt at the following links, and don't to forget to catch the Top Ten List weekday mornings at 7:20 on STAR 102.5!

NY DAILY NEWS report

More from the DAILY NEWS

NY POST story

Forgiven By Fans?

Top Ten Reasons Letterman Came Clean

Paying Off Your Mortgage

I've gotten some nice comments regarding some of the business and financial articles we've posted. Thanks! Feedback is much appreciated. Here's a good Q & A based on something we all hope to obtain...total ownership of a property. Find out what should happen when you pay off your mortgage in this MarketWatch article.

Stylecaster

So my wife keeps getting these wacky STYLECASTER e-mails. They come in the morning, provide weather (not as good as I do on-air), some celebrity news, and a daily new look at fashions and shopping. It really is pretty neat. I imagine women reading it the way men read the sports page. My wife does tell me that you may need a special invite to join. She found hers in a magazine a few months ago. Some secret code...but probably not as important as knowing sports statistics. Just my opinion. But it won't even let me download a pic to help illustrate this paragraph. So it must be super secret!

Click here for stylecaster And drive your husband crazy with daily e-mails!

Fixing Up Ford

This article from Fortune magazine is a GREAT business read, even if you don't know who Alan Mulally is, and don't care about the inner workings of Ford. I love the way Alan conducts meetings, and the story of how people were afraid to speak up when things were wrong. Anyone having, or hoping to have, a professional career, will find good guidance.

New Realities of Buying A Home

Had a listener call the show the other morning, Racquelle from Buffalo, saying she was listening on her first morning in her new home. Congrats to her on attaining the American dream!

On that note, here is an AP article published on MSNBC on the new realities of home buying. Good reading for all!

Head In A Maze Pt 2

I posted last week how the folks at Roessler's in Arcade created a corn maze in the shape of my head. Here's the finished product. They truly are the Michaelangelo's of corn mazes. Click on the pic for a bigger view.

Website I Can't Give The Title Of

Please check out this website. It's hilarious. Funny little stories of things gone wrong.
I'll probably talk about it on the show at some point, but really don't think I can give the title of it. You'll know why. Just a little too rough for us.

Spider-Man Meets Mickey?

Huge news today with Disney buying Marvel Comics and over 4,000 characters including Spider-Man, X-Men, and Iron Man. What does it all mean? Will Universal Studio have to close some attractions immediately? Probably not. But it seems no one really knows. Check out the following articles and forums for more:

Newsbroke Budget Travel CNN Money

Newsarama (good article on theme parks)

WESH Orlando Theme Park News

Head In A Maze

I thought it was a joke when I was first told of this, but it is true. The fine folks at Ressler's Corn Maze in Arcade have decided to design one of their mazes in the shape of my head. The creators at Ressler's are amazing designers. Check out how they incorporated the Star logo last year and get directions to the maze by clicking here.

Feel The Buffalove!

You've seen many of these items in stores, but there is a whole new line of Buffalo Love T-shirts and Hoodies. Check them out here.

O'Reilly vs Olbermann

Here's a great NY TIMES article on the feud and truce between Fox's Bill O'Reilly and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Almost as soon as this article came out, Olbermann came back from vacation and did a scathing piece on O'Reilly, pretty much putting any long term peace on the back burner.

My opinion? Glad you asked. Last time I looked, back during election season, FOX held a HUGE viewer margin over MSNBC. That is the reason why FOX, at first, never acknowledged the Olbermann attacks. One of the most basic broadcast and business tenets is to be aware of, but never recognize, stations or groups that are behind you in the ratings. You are beating them, so there is no reason to draw attention to them. Fox did the right thing to ignore. As the weaker of the two, MSNBC is doing the correct thing by attacking. But I must say, Keith Olbermann's obsession with FOX is bordering on spinning out of control (pun on O'Reilly's NO SPIN ZONE unintended) and can be ponderous to watch more than a few times a month.

Both O'Reilly and Olbermann are great broadcasters and very smart, creative people. You don't get to where they are without being so. The No Spin Zone, to me anyway, is a much easier show to watch, less agenda driven (though all shows in the genre have agenda's), and much less preachy.

Olbermann's show is much tougher for me to watch, but I can't exactly tell you why. Much of it is because of Keith himself. I think I get tired of hearing about everything being bad in America. The Worst Person In The World segment too often becomes a stage for Olbermann to take a shot at other broadcasters, instead of him being a speaker for the mood of the country. Keith is a gifted and creative writer. His tribute to his mom after her passing was a great television moment. He just has so much anger, I'm afraid it will get the best of him and put him in a situation where he has to walk away, much like he did at ESPN TV, ESPN Radio, FOX SPORTS, and a few other jobs. His book THE BIG SHOW, co written with Dan Patrick, is a MUST READ for any would-be broadcaster. But Keith's attitude, that of a cranky 80 yr old who knows he can't change the world, is just too tough me me to take. It bleeds into everything he does. Too bad. I love his passion, but can't take how the message is delivered more than once a week at best.

Cheapest, Meanest Airline

Check out this NY Times article on Ryanair, the British airline that is so no frills they may start charging to use the on plane bathroom. I probably wouldn't fly them, but do appreciate their honesty and originality. I think I could be cranky enough to work for them. Would you fly them? Leave a comment below.

Twitterpated Part 2

A few weeks ago I posted a link to an article showing why Twitter is viable and will be around a long time. A month later, I read this article from Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch that blows some of the previous theories out of the water. Check it out, then go back to my earlier post on the matter, and let me know if you think Twitter is here to stay.

Wedding Entrance Dance

Here's the link to the Wedding Entrance Video everyone is talking about.

More on the event here and here

Kings Of Leon

I've been spending some time with Kings Of Leon's Only_By_The_Night. While I'm not a big fan of the production of the disc...very hazily and overly compressed, (I like a crisp bright sound...think any Jet album), the bass absolutely is punishing. I don't know what they did during the mix, but even at low levels my rearview mirror vibrates like crazy with the bass line. On some songs, you can almost feel it in your chest as if you were at a concert.

While Only_By_The_Night isn't necessarily my cup of tea, a few of the songs strike me as being very Springsteen-like in construction and power. Especially cut 8, "I Want You." A slightly brighter mix and it would be fit well in Bruce's Darkness era.

Kings of Leon are a fringe act for female leaning adult/rock pop station like ours, but if you get a chance, give the album a listen. And if you like it PAY FOR IT. BUY IT IN A STORE, NOT DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE. Not to support the record industry, but to support your favorite band. Other than that, it's just stealing. Really.

Boston North End Market Tour

The highlight of our Boston getaway was taking a market tour of the Italian North End. My wife set this up after she had seen it online and on The Food Network. Oh My Gosh...this tour is unbelievable...the ONLY way to truly see the North End. The tour was hosted by a former chef, and while you don't go in restaurants and try food, you do go into markets and learn to shop and cook like a true Italian. After taking this tour, I will never shop for or think of food the same way again.

Just a few of the things we learned:

• It's better to cook with a male than female eggplant, and how to tell the difference.
• Why there is truly no such thing as Italian bread.
• In Northern Italy, cooking is very butter and lard heavy. As you head further south Olive Oil (Arabic and Greek influences) becomes the norm
• Why in Italy it is proper to drink cheaper wine at lunch and dilute it with water (this drives the French crazy!).
• How to tell if a store bought item is truly from Italy (it should have a DOP marking on the label)
• The Balsamic Vinegar we buy in stores locally is, well, crap. Very little vinegar in it at all. Producers use brown sugar and assorted things to make it taste like Balsamic Vinegar, which truly only comes from the Modena area of Italy. We saw a 4 ounce bottle that went for $125...got to taste a drop. Wow...what a difference!
• Why out of the 80 or so North End restaurants, about 60 are Italian-American, and handful are true Italian.
• Why the most popular pastry shop in the North End (Mike's) has the worst pastries. Nothing but a food tourist trap

It matters not if you are into cooking...if you are addicted to the Travel or Food channels, this tour is for you!

Some web sites to get you there:

http://www.foodtoursofboston.com/

http://www.salumeriaitaliana.com/ (One of the best true Italian markets in Boston. They ship everywhere! Click around this site...tons of recipes here as well.)

http://www.vcirace.com/ #1 Italian Wine Shop in U.S.

http://www.northendboston.com/

The pics are photos I took along the way. Click on them and blow them up to get the full North Boston feel.

Boston Travel Hints

Just back from a quick and fun 2 and 1/2 day Boston getaway. I'm always wondering how much to post about vacations as having someone go on and on about what a great time they had can be pretty boring, much like watching someones vacation movies at a house party. But I do want to give travel hints on this trip, especially since a trip to Boston is almost the quintessential historic family getaway. A couple quickies:

For all it cost, and as long as it took, The Big Dig may be the biggest improvement to a northeastern city since the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. It has transformed Boston from what used to be a rusty dirty loud exhaust choked walking city into a beautiful walking city . You can walk walk the Greenway from the North End all the way to Chinatown. Another result is incredible access to Logan airport. I kid you not, the ride from our hotel in Charlestown to the Airport was faster than from Tonawanda to the Buffalo airport. What used to be an hour ride in Boston in now just 20 minutes tops. And because there is now an airport only access road from the now underground central artery, the time allotment doesn't go up much even w rush hour traffic. Here's the difference:
















Hint #2: Our hotel, the nearly new Residence Inn by Marriott in Charlestown (found by my wife on Tripadvisor.com) was incredible and perfect for families with kids of walking age. The rooms are huge (all suites), the price is about 30% cheaper than staying in the city, but you are RIGHT THERE in just a short walk over the Charlestown bridge with incredible city views from all rooms (see pics). Located right next door is the North Station T, which has trains connecting to everywhere.


The Residence Inn is also cost saving because each morning they put out a HUGE buffet breakfast, absolutely free. And it's not just sausage, bacon and greasy food (though that's all I tend to eat), but healthy cereals and fruits as well. It probably saves a family of 5 about $50 a day.
For close by dinners there are a bunch of pubs and eateries in Charlestown within a 5 minute walk. Think places like JP Bullfeathers and the old Jimmy Mac's. If you can walk an extra quarter mile a day, we highly recommend this hotel!

Soda VS Pop

You can tell where someone is from by what they call it: soda, pop, Coke, Pepsi, tonic.

And someone has actually done a survey on it! Check out the amazing pop vs soda map here. And definitely scroll down to see the conclusion!

10 Things Rental Car Companies Won't Say

It's vacation time, and many times that means getting a rental car for some portion of your trip. From personal experience, I've found that researching and getting the best car rental rate is often tougher than getting cheap airfare. This article from SMART MONEY confirms most of what I have found out. Hidden surprise: Check out item #5...a very close friend of ours (and yours) is quoted!!!

Fortune Magazine's Mid Year Dumb Business Moves

KFC, The Yankees, GM, Madoff, and even Barack O'Bama are on the list for bad business moves.
Check it out here and see if you agree.

More Rabbit Problems Pt 2


A week ago I posted the story and pics of baby rabbits setting up shop in my front yard and landscaping. As of today, it looks like they are ready to leave! I came home Wednesday, looked in the nest, and saw a couple of eyes, this time with hair on the head and body, staring back at me (pics 1 and 2). Today, the baby bunnies were out and taking their first steps when I came home. I probably scared the you know what out of them. But hey, they decided to set up right next to where I park the car! Enjoy the pics and video!


Three rabbits in the nest, one staring back. Now about 10 days old.


Bunnies have turned their backs..all three together. You can see two of them pretty well.

Bunny takes his first steps...

...and tries to hide from the camera, and the crazy man taking the pics.
There are two rabbits back to back (check the rear legs on left)

Twitterpated!!

Sorry Thumpber, but Twitterpated has a whole new meaning. By now you've probably created an account and started following some users. You may have even sent a few tweets out into the world, but you still don't get it, and you're ready to dismiss Twitter for good. Here's a great article from Marketwatch's Amy Hoak on why Twitter is the real deal, especially for businesses.

More Rabbit Problems For Rob

Saturday morning I'm doing some weeding in the front yard, and I see a bunch of bunny fur under one of our box woods. Looking closer, I pull back some of the fur, which was mixed with a little grass that had been pulled out of what is now a 6 inch round bare patch on my lawn, to see three new born baby bunnies. These rabbits must be less than three days old, as it was 3 days ago that I noticed the bare patch on the lawn looking like a mini crop circle.

I immediately called Gina Browning at the SPCA. Her advice? Leave them. They will be up and around in three weeks. And in return for using my lawn as an incubator, next Spring they will eat everything I plant! Check out the pics...and click on them for bigger views. Animal nature is pretty amazing. We will no doubt be talking about this on our SPCA segment Wednesday morning at 8:40.

Little bunny legs poking out


This pics looks like something out of ALIEN

Looks like a baby pig here

more sleeping bunny-to-be's

While doing some research for the morning show (Yes, we actually do plan out some of what we do!), I came across a pretty neat website dedicated to TV ratings, the business side of what's happening with your favorite shows, etc. Check out James Hibbard's The Live Feed here.

Boss' New Drummer

With Max Weinberg following Conan to L.A., Bruce Springsteen has had to get a new drummer...Max's son Jay! Read about it here, and check out the photo below. Jay almost has the same look Garry Tallent, Bruce's bassist, had in the early 70's on the back cover of The Wild, The Innocent, and The E Street Shuffle!

Fodors Best Family Beaches

Fodors has just published their list of Best Family Beaches for the East Coast. I've been lucky enought to visit a few of these (York in Maine, Cape May in Jersey, and just South of Clearwater in Florida), and still feel that my family favorite of Ocean City, Maryland, with it's wide almost California like beaches, could easily be ranked ahead of at least two of them. OC has changed over the years though, becoming more of a concrete 8 line Coastal Highway jungle...too much traffic. Check out the rankings, and let me know of your favorites that didn't make the list!

MAN'S RULES

You may have heard us talking on air about MAN'S RULES, a collection of rules designed to make men and women better understand each other. Some of my favorites:

-Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials

-If you ask a question that you don't want to hear the answer to, expect an answer that you don't want to hear

- If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

See the hilarious list here.

And please pass it on to your friends so all men can be better understood!

Mom's Overture

We've gotten a lot of inquiries about the Mom's Overture we featured during Friday's Mother Of All Breakfast's broadcast. It's actually audio we copped from a performance by comedienne Anita Renfro. Check it out here.

There are numerous versions of her performing this song on the web, all slightly different. So if this isn't what you need...as always...GOOGLE IT!

Coastal Living is one of my favorite magazines...always puts me in a great mood! It's perfect read for everyone from Buffalo homeowners who dream about owning a beach home, to those who just want to bring some Summer into an area that is only in hot weather a few months a year.

I usually want to post about 5 articles from each issue, but instead I thought I'd just give you the magazine link here and let you check it out. If you like it, I really recommend subscribing. It's so full of decorating ideas/recipes/travel suggestions that you'll hang onto each issue long after it's been read...almost like a reference magazine!

Happy Summer

Fingerstix

This morning we had a blast with Mark Krurnowski and Tony Miranda in studio chatting about their roles in creating some of the pieces of music you'll see and hear in "What Goes Up," the new Hilary Duff/Molly Shannon movie. In case you missed it, you can catch the interview on our podcasting page.

One thing we never got to cover, but I did want to mention here, was Tony's new drumming invention...Fingerstix. Simply amazing. From 5 year old's with a kids drum set, to professional musicians, these are going to be a hit. I don't know if drums have been affected by technology nearly to the extent of guitars, (those drum pads born in the 80's don't count)...but I have the feeling Fingerstix are something special. Check out the demo of Tony playing on the right side of the page. Hot!!!!

Oh and check out Tony's bio. Playing with Tom Jones and Madonna. Not too bad for a guy from Alden.

Dust Off That Vinyl, And Make Room For Some New LP's

Old school record fans will love this posting from the NY POST via All Access Music Group. Sorry I had to post the whole thing here...it's password protected. If they wanna sue me over free publicity on my blog...go ahead.

NY Post: Best Buy Is Giving Vinyl A Spin

The consumer-electronics giant, the nation's third-largest music seller behind APPLE's iTUNES and WAL-MART, is considering devoting eight square feet of merchandising space to vinyl, or enough for just under 200 albums, after testing the idea in 100 of its stores around the country," writes PETER LAURIA in THE NEW YORK POST."Vinyl is less than 5% of BEST BUY's music sales, but the format is growing as CD sales shrink. Vinyl sales grew 15% in 2007 and 89% in '08, making the 1.9 million albums purchased last year the most since 1991.And this year is shaping up even better, with 670,000 albums sold by mid-APRIL. By contrast, CD sales have fallen at a roughly 20% clip the last few years. "

To be sure, vinyl's growth, even combined with digital sales, can't make up for CDs' decline. But it shows consumers haven't abandoned the physical format. "And the fact that a retailer of BEST BUY's size is willing to expand vinyl offerings is an incremental positive for a beleaguered industry. A typical BEST BUY store features about 16 to 20 square feet of music merchandise and displays 8,000 CDs.

Seinfeld Season 8

While doing research on Chelsey Noble for our STAR OF THE DAY contest, I stumbled across her playing Danielle in the Seinfeld "English Patient" episode. While looking over the entire Season 8, I hypothesized that it may be the strongest season of a sitcom ever.

Out of 22 episodes, I believe at least 12 are "world class-can't turn the TV off even though I've seen it 20 times-will still be funny in 20 years" classics. Check out the season here and see what you think. Feel free to shoot me a comment.

Yes...I know it's Wikipedia. But in this case, using it as a reference is OK!

Lindsay Lohan For E-Harmony

You can't say Lindsay Lohan doesn't have a sense of humor. Check out her bogus and incredibly funny E-Harmony commercial here.

Denver resident remodels the wrong condo

Jonathan Kyte of Denver bought a condo and spent thousands remodeling it, only to find out he never owned it. Instead, he owns the deeds to the "dump" next door. Watch Video Report. If the correct video does not load, simply enter "Denver resident remodels wrong condo" in the search field.

From The Wall Street Journal.

On Thursday's show we had the audio of Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters appearing on CBC radio. We called it the radio version of what Joaquin Phoenix pulled on Letterman, and it's darn close.

Unhappy that host (and former vocalist for Moxy Fruvous) Jian Ghomeshi started out by mentioning his acting exploits, Billy Bob got stupid and decide to freeze out the interviewer. If you thought it was brutal when we played the audio highlights, wait till you see the looks the other band members give and the facial exchanges between the host and Billy Bob in this video of the interview .

Kudos to Jian for keeping it together at a time when many would've kicked Billy out of the studio and moved on to something else.

One of the best travel websites going is Tripadvisor.com. Great reviews of hotels from people like you and me. They have just posted their list of DIRTIEST HOTELS. It is hilarious. Three out of the top ten are in the New York City area. Check out the review and see if you have had any experiences like this, or even stayed in any of these. But be prepared...some of these descriptions are not for the squeemish!

Keeping The Kids Happy

Saw this on the Today Show, and passing it on to you...

10 free or cheap ways to keep kids entertained

Literal Videos

There's been a neat thing going around on the web...Literal Videos.

Vocal performances in well known videos are overdubbed with lyrics that describe what is actually happening in the video. Check this version of Billy Idol's White Wedding.

Real Men Take Ballet Lessons

This funny video was sent to me by a listener who knew of my DANCING WITH THE BUFFALO STARS exploits. They now feel they understand why I liked it so much. Is their reasoning correct? I'll leave that up to you to decide. FYI the video is in German, but still cuts through.

Back from Sarasota

It was a quickie trip for us, more to just get out of the cold than a real need to go on vacation. Little did we know the weather in Florida would be not much better than the weather in Buffalo...sunny, cold and windy there vs cloudy, cold and windy here. Ok, so it was 20 degrees warmer in Florida, but c'mon, when you go away you have certain expectations. I'll be telling a bunch of stories from our trip on air over the next week or so, and here are a couple of primers:

Buffalo drivers, as bad as we think they are, are better than Florida drivers, especially those on I-75 or I-4. The automakers could save a ton of $$$ by not putting turn signals in any car bound to be driven on those roads. No one uses them. They could also save money by eliminating the numbers zero--80 on speedometers. No one goes under 82 on those roads. Except for those driving Buick's. You know my motto...I've never seen a Buick go over 54.

If you are going to Sarasota and can't find the right flight or airfare into SRQ or Tampa, try flying into Ft. Myers. It's an ez 75 minute ride to downtown Sarasota. Except for the crazy drivers on I-75.

Finally, need to tell you about this really cool boutique hotel we stayed at, The Hotel Ranola. My wife found it on tripadvisor.com. We would normally stay on the beach, but why pay $350 a night to do that when it's not beach season? Plus we wanted to explore downtown Sarasota, after doing the SIESTA and LONGBOAT KEY thing so many times. Hotel Ranola was an AWESOME choice.

It was originally built in 1926 and has been revived as a small hip boutique hotel with 9 fabulous units. Robert & Kim Livengood have done a great job with the place, and we instantly like them as Robert is a HUGE Springsteen fan (Kim not as much) and used to work in broadcasting in the 90's for Dick Clark Productions. Funny, but I never asked if he knew DC!

The hotel is perfectly located for city stay, close to Sarasota Marina, and a 10 minute car ride across the bridge to St. Armands and beaches. We stayed in one of their Queen apartments for less than $200 a night including taxes. Next door was main street Sarasota, with a ton of bars and shops. Think the Buffalo Chip Strip for 40 year olds. Here are a couple of pics.

No that's not wine in our room...we would never do that!

I have no idea how this blond got in my room, or who she is talking to. But I enjoyed her company!

The hotel website is hotelranola.com

Two quick caveats: This is not really a family hotel. I think it would be tough to stay here with kids, but perfect for couples and singles. Also, you"ll need a bit of a city attitude when you stay there. You will hear garbage trucks making pickups in the am, and school kids waiting for the bus. But I like that type of thing...you are on vacation, but reminded that you are in a vibrant city, not a retirement condo!

Dancing Update #345

I've had a ton of people ask if there is a DVD of our DANCING WITH THE STARS performances. Ok, at least my mom asked. Due to union rules, only certain amounts of the performance could be documented. The best way to see what we did is through Victoria Hong's report on Channel 4.

Great job Vic! Thanks for making us look good!

Clean The Furniture... And Wait To Buy New

Here's a neat article from the Wall Street Journal on how the economy is affecting the furniture cleaning and upholstery business. Funny...I remember my parents had the same furniture for 18 years. The whole time I thought they were just boring and didn't want to update. As I got older I realized that with three boys, there was no way they would invest in new furniture only to have us break/stain it, and that they were also fiscally smart!

DANCING W BUFFALO STARS RECAP


The show was a blast to be in, and hopefully for you to watch. If you weren't there, you can read the Buffalo News review here. I think Anne Neville did a fine job reviewing the show, although on behalf of Tony Masiello and I, we really did work hard at our parts and tried very much to be more than pivot points (my words, not hers) for our female partners.

Again thanks to Kat Fenn, my partner and teacher. At only 23 you can tell that very soon she will be doing something HUGE. The BPO members I spoke to thought she was the most impressive dancer in the show. And thanks to my wife Linda, for putting up with me these past two weeks. Between nerves, rehearsals, my reticence to even accept the challenge, and my normal neurotic self, I don't know how she put up with me. Thanks as well to Air Gordon Scherer, who came to the show Saturday and gave major emotional support the whole time, except for when he said "I have a stomach ache for you" about a week before the show!

As for the performance...we were pretty happy with it! There were a few moves we could have done better, but many that could have gone worse. So I would give it a B+. By the way, with my lack of dance ability, it would take an A+ by me to equal a B for a normal person. Hope that makes sense!

Sorry I haven't blogged in a week. If you listen to the show, you know I've been consumed by rehearsals for Dancing With The Buffalo Stars. To get the whole story and why this show will be great for the whole family, listen to our interview with Conductor Robert Franz via the ON DEMAND tab at mystar1025.com. Robert was really cool...no stuffy Philharmonic guy...a real fun person.

Tickets for DANCING WITH THE BUFFALO STARS are available at www.bpo.org. They start at $29, but no matter what level you buy, you get a $10 discount by plugging my name, LUCAS, into the discount code area. By phone call 885-5000 and use the same discount name. So many things I could tell you about this.

As I write this we are just starting our 2nd week of rehearsal and truthfully, I don't know what to tell you. For you, I'm sure this night will be entertaining, funny, and maybe even surprising. At the same time there will be points in the show where I'll want to stop the music and shout " I'm sorry for what you are about to see!" And it's not because we didn't practice. 18 hours of rehearsals over the past two weeks. All of us leaving with our brains and bodies feeling like mush after being up early for our normal job, then rehearsing till late in the afternoon. It's all become a mental jumble.

I need to thank the charity I am dancing for. The Town of Tonawanda Kiwanis. They do great work at quietly getting needed funds to area groups that get very little publicity or help. Thanks to the team at STAR 102.5 for their support and not laughing, at least not in front of me.

And I need to thank my partner, Kathleen Fenn. Only someone as incredibly talented as Kathleen could get me anywhere close to looking like I have dancing ability. The most amazing part was the very first day, when after about 20 minutes she was trusting me to hold her over my head and spin her around. I say this now, because If I drop her in the show, I want you to know we could really do it! I'll prove it in the hallway afterwards! The best part of rehearsal is hearing her exclaim "YES!" when we got a move right. In between, there were moments of "No, that happens much later in the piece," or "If you don't have your hand on my hip/leg bent forward/arm our straight, I will probably end up on the floor." And she is correct about the floor thing...there are about 4 places where I could drop her into the first row, or onto Robert Franz' podium.

So if you can, show up Saturday night and see how we do!

Dr. Phil Quote

Love him or hate him, Dr. Phil does have some great one liners. Here's one I caught on his show last Friday. I wasn't really watching his whole show...I was just flipping channels...I swear!

Dr. Phil on making sure you have enough savings for retirement:

"Social Security is the greatest Ponzi scheme of them all. We all pay into it, most of us will see none of it."

Your thoughts? Leave a comment.

Perfect Travel Mug

When we mention something on the air, we often wonder how many people are interested in the topic. The object is to cover topics many will be fascinated/amused/interested in. Yesterday, we hit up travel coffee mugs. I've gone through many, trying to find one that works properly and won't leak. Air Gordon mentioned his whole day was shot as his leaked and he had stains on his pants right where a guy doesn't want them. Which inspired a note from listener Cindy, who has found the perfect mug:

Hi Rob,
If you want to purchase a travel mug that does not leak......this one is fantastic and I purchased one for every person on my Christmas list.

QVC.com Item Number #K8727 $18.59. It keep you hot drinks hot/warm for 4 hours and your cold drinks cold for about 12 hours.

On behalf of leaked on listeners all over Buffalo, thanks Cindy!

Letter from Bush Kids To Obama Kids

I've had a lot of requests for the link to the note that Jenna and Barbra Bush wrote to Sasha and Malia Obama about being The President’s Daughters, and still having a great childhood in The White House. Click here to read the letter.

It will give you a great feeling.

Producer Kyle's Road To Work

You've heard me talk about many of our show producers and their unique set of circumstances as they get careers and post college lives going. This is a quick story of our Producer Kyle Skoney, who we often kid about "living in the middle of nowhere in the hills of Holland." Well these pics are proof.

Actually this is not as far off of Rt 16 as it looks, but it is so remote that Time Warner doesn't run cable there. As for getting TV from the DISH, there are so many trees a previous owner had to hang his DISH on a tree about 30 yds away from the house and run cable back in.

Kyle says there is really something special about looking up and seeing deer cross your front yard. What? I say you keep the wildlife, give me a paved driveway and a 7-11 around the corner. No wonder why Kyle barely makes it out after big snows... or when it rains and the road turns to mud.

I say this looks like a house the Mafia would meet at to disburse of unneeded persons.
Or a house that someone stops and asks directions at and is never seen again.
Or a house that despite it's modern look, covers up the fact that there is a still and moonshine factory behind it.

So here are the pics...and after viewing them continue to the bottom for a special note.

Kyle's House ...And The Roads That Lead To It

After seeing these, I'm kind of glad Time Warner doesn't go there. If they ran cable our bills would go up a dime just to pay for this one job!

On another note, Producer Kyle is looking for a job. He is EXCELLENT in his role for STAR 102.5, but the position is not full time, and is barely part time. Kyle was an outstanding student and has a degree in communications from Medaille. On top of that, he is incredibly good at doing many of the things that are being touted as much-in-demand jobs for the future: Auto Mechanic (he races at Holland and fixes his own cars), construction work, plumbing. But he can also excel in an office scenario. He has taught me a lot about computers. What he really needs is a full time job with benefits that marries something he loves and is good at with something than can become a career.

Youtime interviewing him will not be wasted.

If you may have a position for him...even something with massive part time hours that can turn into full time, get in touch with Kyle via e-mail at skoney55@gmail.com.

Kyle and his fiancee Kim are an example of what we want the future of America to be like. And maybe then they could get cable!

Best Moment of 2008

After just completing a debacle of a Bills season (found out two minutes ago that Dick Jauron will be retained...Happy Happy Joy Joy), putting up with some pretty harsh weather, seeing our 401k's and retirement accounts melt before our eyes (I hope we all have time to watch them come back), our state government start taxing us for drinking non-diet beverages, our gas prices be the highest in the continental United States, and have everyone that has a job just be happy to have it, no matter that they are doing 3x the work for the same salary (or even less), I thought we would end the year on a high note.

To me sports is synonymous with hope. No matter how bad you are, there is always next year. Last place, or first place, you always look ahead...and hope. With that, click here to watch not only the best local sports story of the year, but one of the most natural, moving moments, sporting or otherwise.

Thanks Turner, thanks UB, and good luck in the International Bowl.

The Aud Being Built

We see what Memorial Auditorium looks like being torn down.
Click here to see what it looked like being built.

Zamboni Accident

Much like the did here in Buffalo, they are getting Wrigley Field ready for the Ice Bowl.
One glitch...the brakes on the Zamboni failed as they were unloading it. Too me, it looks like the planking they used to drive it onto wasn't settled correctly. Watch it here.

Christmas With The STARZ Bunnies

Thanks to former STAR 102.5 weekend Terri Foltz for reminding me about holiday shows from the STARZ Bunnies!

Click here to watch A Christmas Story

And here to watch Christmas Vacation

Neat Thoughts From Charles Schulz

The following was the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read theml straight through and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?
The point is none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies..
Awards tarnish.
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.


Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.


Easier?
The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials..
The most money...or the most awards.
They simply are the ones who care the most.

Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life, like I did.
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia !"

''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!'

STRAIGHT NO CHASER

So how did this phenomenon come about?

Click here to watch the 4 minute Straight No Chaser story

Air Gordon's Studio Part 2

Monday we posted pics from Air Gordon's frigid studio.

Listener Paul Huber had this solution:

Gord : Learn to love the cold

Shortly thereafter Gord sent a pic of his only heat source...a toaster oven.

Anyone Have the Number For OSHA?

We have been talking (almost to the point of being obnoxious) about the conditions at Gordon Scherrer's Metro Traffic studio at the downtown Statler. It's been frosty there. Here's proof:

The thermostat registering a real feel temp of 58 degrees.

Gord bundled up for a day at work.

Did They Or Didn't They?

Nicole Kidman says she has never had plastic surgery.

Michael Douglas confirms he did.

Check out 33 stars and find out who has done what in Hollywood by clicking here.

Heaven

This is SPCA RADIOTHON week. You can donate, follow the broadcast, and check the on site pics at www.yourspca.org . My wife also suggested that I post the short story "Heaven," about a dog and his owner. She found it earlier this year while searching for the perfect dog for our home. Good suggestion. Get ready to cry.

Heaven

An old man and his dog were walking down a dirt road with fences on either side. They came to a gate in the fence and peered over at a very pleasant, grassy and wooded area - just what the man and his dog would love. However, there was a sign on the gate saying "No Trespassers" so they walked on.Soon they came to a beautiful gate with a person in white robes standing next to it.

"Welcome to Heaven" he said. The old man was very happy and started to enter with his dog following him. The Gatekeeper stopped him. "Dogs aren't allowed. I'm sorry but he cannot come in with you."
"What kind of Heaven won't allow dogs? If he can't come in, then I will stay out with him. He has been my faithful companion all his life and I cannot desert him now."
"Suit yourself, but I have to warn you. The Devil's on this road and he will try to sweet-talk you into his area. He'll promise you anything but your dog can't go in there either. If you won't leave your dog, you will spend Eternity on this road."

So the old man and his dog travelled on. They came to a run-down fence with a gap in it, no gate, just a hole. Another old man was inside.

"Excuse me Sir, my dog and I are getting very tired. Do you mind if we come in and sit in the shade for a while?"
"Of course. There's some cool water under that tree over there. Make yourselves comfortable."
"Are you sure my dog can come in? The man down the road said dogs were not allowed in anywhere."
"Would you come in if you had to leave your dog outside?"
"No Sir. That's why I didn't go to Heaven. He said the dog couldn't come in. We will be spending Eternity on this road and a glass of cold water and some shade would be very good for the moment but, I won't come in if my friend here can't come too, and that's final."

The man smiled a big smile and said "Welcome to Heaven."
"You mean this is Heaven? Dogs ARE allowed? Why did that man down the road said they weren't?"
"That was the Devil and he gets all the people who are willing to give up their lifelong companion for a comfortable place to stay. They soon find out their mistake, but by then it's too late. The dogs come here, the fickle people stay there. God wouldn't allow dogs to be banned from Heaven. After all, He created them to be man's companions in life so why would he separate them in death?"

Astounding Video

Here's a good one to start the week with. I've watched it about 8 times resulting in these thoughts:
Who would think of doing this?
I think it's real...
Are these guys German?
Don't try this at home

The TV Catch Phrase of 2009: Time Shifting

Ever wonder how DVRing shows affects the TV industry? Here's a great article that explains it.

Among the things you'll find: The most DVR'd shows are our 2nd and third favorites. Our first choices we like to watch live. DVRing has also saved a couple show that may have never gotten off the ground (Gossip Girls).

The most "Time Shifted" show...our most favorite send best show? The Office!

1958 UB Team Saluted on ESPN

The best sports story of the weekend was the UB Bull winning the MAC EAST. The best human interest story of the weekend was ESPN's Outside The Lines report on the 1958 UB team that passed up a bowl bid because Florida rules did not allow for whites and blacks to play on the same field. Check out the video story here, and read Eric Neel's followup article here.

Besides the social relevance of the piece, the article includes some neat recollections such as Elizabeth Taylor dedicating the UB dorms and some ultra-cool program covers from the era.

Kevin Cronin Newsletter

2007's STARRY NIGHT IN THE GARDEN allowed many of you to get up close with REO SPEEDWAGON's Kevin Cronin. Like most artists, he's got a fan club site with updates from the road. I thought this last one was pretty funny. Riding first class with Clint Black and MeatLoaf is pretty neat...except when nature calls. Even the megastars have the same challenges we do when it comes to airplane bathrooms. Read Kevin's story here

Coach's Corner Salute To The Troops

I am lucky enough to be on vacation this week. Veterans Day is Tuesday. A day set aside to celebrate those who made it possible for us to take vacations. And work in a free country.

Veterans Day is possibly the most underrated, under appreciated of the major holidays. Ask anyone to name a holiday, many others will come up first. But it just may be the 2nd most important non-religious holiday, after Independence Day.

In his latest edition of Coach's Corner, Don Cherry and the CBC production team gave the most heartfelt salute to veterans that I've seen in a long, long time. It's all Canadian, but the thought rings true for Vets all over the free world. I hope you click DON CHERRY REMEMBRANCE/VETERANS DAY SALUTE to watch and pass along. One thought before you do. Get a tissue...

Cramer’s 100-Day Plan for Obama



Saw this neat article on cnbc.com. Really good article by Jim Cramer, a guy I would find a position for if I was Prez.

Click here to check it out. And watch this for a Cramer Classic

Election Day Update

As I was just putting the finishing touches on my previous post (Tomorrow Is Election Day ...) the phone rang. I answered. It was...you guessed it...a taped message from Mike Ranzenhoffer asking for my vote. Man I can't wait for this to be over!!

Tomorrow Is Election Day...

which begets two questions of most of us: 1) Who do I vote for, and 2) When do I vote? Seriously, timing out when to vote is one of the tougher things to do on election day. Trying to factor in time to get to the polls between daily routines and duties combined with hoping to not get in a long line can be very tough. And forget about getting a parking place in front of a school...you'll definitely have to walk! Look how many people camped out in states with early voting just because they thought it would be a mess on Tuesday. So when do you go? Before work, lunchtime, after work, after dinner?

We will try to help you out Election morning...

Tuesday morning we'll be opening up the Star Lines and asking for your voting reports, where you voted, and how long the wait was. Your information may help another decide to vote before work, or go at a non-prime time. So when you get out of the booth tomorrow, call 644-1025 and let us know how it was. Don't worry, we won't ask who you voted for. But on that note...

When it comes to politics and religion, I almost never give personal feelings on the morning show. I certainly could, and often would like to, but that's not what the show is for. I'd rather put some thoughts out, play some clips from candidates, and let you decide without telling you what I think. I've gotten a few calls and e-mails about my thoughts on things, so I'll break my rule here.

I'm a registered Republican, but only so I can vote in a Primary. I never vote "party lines." I always vote for who I think would be best for the office, no matter what party they are a member of. I'm financially conservative, and socially fall on that side as well, but have some very liberal beliefs in areas that may surprise you.

I believe Barack Obama has run the best race. I believe he has been the most consistent in his message (except for maybe the $250,000 "rich figure" that may be down to $125,000).

I believe that John McCain has shown how to lose a race. He stopped being himself, started being afraid to say critical things that got him the nomination in the first place. If he would have used the "I'm not George Bush, if you wanted to run against George Bush you should have run 4 years ago" line a month earlier, at the first debate, he would have come back much stronger, earlier. I think that was the best campaign line from either party. He seems grumpy and is not nearly as personable as Obama.

But having said all that, I am voting for John McCain. Because even though he didn't run the best campaign, have the most sex appeal, and may have shown good examples of how to lose a race, I feel he will be the best President. And that's the office we are voting to fill.

By the way, if you are a McCain supporter, my vote is not necessarily a good thing. I tend to vote for a lot of losers, especially in local elections. Maybe it's just the "Maverick" in me!

Haunted Houses

Here is a list of Haunted House and Places organized by state.

http://www.haunted-places.com/
http://theshadowlands.net/places/
http://www.hauntedhouses.com/
http://www.fortunecity.com/roswell/shelly/43/haunted.html
http://www.ghosts.org/haunted/haunted.html
http://www.hollowhill.com/places/places.htm
http://www.hauntedtravels.com/
http://www.hauntedhouse.com/search/Haunted_Attraction_Directory/

Worst Duets Of All Time

Spinner.com's top 10 worst ever duets list is:

1. Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis: Cruisin' (2000)
2. Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat: Opposites Attract (1989)
3. Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson: The Girl Is Mine (1982)
4. Bono and Frank Sinatra: I've Got You Under My Skin (1993)
5. Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias: To All The Girls I've Loved Before (1984)
6. Mariah Carey and Busta Rhymes: I Know What You Want (2003)
7. Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley: I've Had The Time of My Life (1987)
8. Hilary and Haylie Duff: Our Lips Are Sealed (2004)
9. Mick Jagger and David Bowie: Dancing in the Streets (1985)
10. Madonna and Justin Timberlake: 4 Minutes (2008)

Can you think of any others?

Totally Looks Like...

My wife gave me the heads up about the website www.totallylookslike.com.
It's pretty good. Here are some examples:

THE 50 SCARIEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME:

Are you looking for some good, scary movies to watch this Halloween season??? Boston.com has put together a list of the 50 Scariest Movies of All Time. It's not bad, although there are definitely a few DOGS on the list.

Here's their Top 10:
#1.) "The Thing", 1982
#2.) "Ju-On", 2000 . . . (--This is the original Japanese movie that "The Grudge" was based on.)
#3.) "Rec", 2007 . . . (--This is a Spanish flick that was just remade in the U.S. as "Quarantine".)
#4.) "The Ring", 2002
#5.) "Alien", 1979
#6.) "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", 1978
#7.) "Dawn of the Dead", 1978
#8.) "Evil Dead 2", 1987 . . . (--The FIRST "Evil Dead" was scary. This one really isn't. It's one of the most awesome movies of all time . . . but it's not scary.)
#9.) "Halloween", 1978
#10.) "Audition", 1999 . . . (--This is a VERY DISTURBING Japanese flick)

Check out all 50 at http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/gallery/top_50_scary_movies/

Best Jeans For...

I know this will be a little feminine coming from a guy, but hey, I know my audience. Saw this while surfing the other day. Don't ask me what I was looking for. I was on a surfing tangent. Showed this to my wife and she said it was pretty good, so I though it was worth posting.

Find the BEST JEANS FOR YOUR BUTT (according to Redbook, anyway), HERE

Best Hockey Sign Ever

Thanks to Star listener Patrick O'Hara who forwarded this.
I only hope the bosses don't think it's too rude for a blog!
If it disappears, you'll know why.

Postsecret.com

There was a great article by Andrew Z. Galarneau in Sunday's Buffalo News about POSTSECRET.com, a postcard confessional. It's founder, Frank Warren, will be at UB Thursday night. Intrigued by the story and concept, I logged on and was amazed by the site.

The entries will make you feel every emotion from happiness to sadness, irreverence to fear. You may feel the urge to reach out to the person who submitted them hoping to help them. You may even say "That's me... or someone I know."

It's the most public way of telling personal thoughts.

To get to the actual POSTSECRET site, click here

Ripping Off Andy Parker's Waterspouts

This morning in one of our weather chats, Ch. 2's Andy Parker mentioned a video of waterspouts that viewers had sent to him, and that he had forwarded them to me. So since he brought you in on it, I thought I'd post the video. It is pretty neat to think that these were all locally taken in the past 24 hours or so.

Snow Boot Time Again

Last year I posted about the perfect casual snow boot. Unfortunately, I posted later in the year and many outlets were sold out. I thought I would post the info again before the snow flies so you can track these boots down. The boots were the Gore-Tex XCR Mid Adrenaline boot from North Face.

I've checked around, and they are on the shelves at various stores. I found the cheapest online at zappos: http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7143831/c/87610.html

To see the full post and specifics as to why I really liked them, scroll through my blog to the post back on January 18, 2008.

Smart Couples Finish Rich

While discussing the financial problems of our country this morning, I mentioned the book SMART COUPLES FINISH RICH. It's one in a series of books by David Bach that is indispensable for anyone wanting to get the most out of their money. Whether you make $30,000 or $300,000 a year, this book is simply a MUST READ.

Other titles in the series are aimed specifically at women, and those who have waited too long to save for retirement.

Click SMART COUPLES FINISH RICH for more info. Hope you find it as helpful as I did. You'll probably keep it as a permanent reference.

Local Candidate For Sports Kid Of The Year

Thanks to Stephanie Dulski, an Account Executive at the station, for passing this on to me. Hopefully you can take the time to support Derek!

There is a little boy named Derek Andrews who lives in Clarence. He is presently 7 years old and will turn 8 in October. Derek has a muscle disorder and doctors told his parents that Derek would never be able to run or play sports. Apparently, however, no one ever told Derek. He plays hockey at the Amherst Pepsi Center, baseball and soccer in Clarence, and participates in gymnastics. Maybe the word 'plays' is a bit misleading. Derek was on the baseball league all-star team, the ice hockey select team and was the leading scorer on his soccer team! All despite that condition that continues to weaken the muscles in his body.

To make the story even more heartwarming, after winning a local bank's essay contest ,Derek used his prize money to put on a magic show at Children's Hospital, help organize a book drive for a Buffalo school and buy supplies for elephants at The Buffalo Zoo.

Derek's uncle now tells me that Derek has been nominated for 'Sports Kid of the Year' by Sports Illustrated for Kids. I can't think of any more deserving kid than this boy. To help Derek achieve that honor, all you have to do is vote for him at the following web site http://sikids.com/sportskid/ . It literally takes 15 seconds to do. You are allowed to vote as often as you wish.

Larry King...Eat Your Heart Out

Remember when Larry King had his weekly column on USA TODAY. It was full of ramblings such as "On a hot day, you can't beat Strawberry Ice Cream," or "Had Vanna White on the show the other day. She is one good looker!" A whole column of thoughts once a week. I believe that may have been (unknowingly) the first published blog. Since nothing is on my mind right now, here's my mini version of a King-like blog:

My favorite season is just about here. Nothing like the combination of shorts and a hooded sweatshirt. I would give anything to be eating a twist cone on the Ocean City, Maryland Boardwalk right now.

Sunday mornings are so much better when there's Formula 1 racing at 7:30 and a Bills game at 1. Read the paper or get a workout in between, and you're ready for Monday! The only other persons I know (besides me) who watch the afformentioned Formula 1 races are Roger Christian and his brother Tom.

It's too bad Canisius and Niagara are in a dud basketball conference. They should be in the much sexier Atlantic Ten, each playing Bona twice a year. I wonder if they've ever approached the league about it?

You know you are content and getting older when your goal on a Saturday isn't dinner, drinks, and romance (I'm keeping it clean), but dinner, drinks, and a nap.

Should I feel bad about wanting Miami to beat the Jets last week? I guess I hate all the attention Favre got more than Parcells and the Fish. The rivalry is over. The Bills should be in AFC North. Move Baltimore to the East and let them stew some more about playing a NY team. Remember '69--70...Mets over O's, Knicks always beat Bulletts, Jets over Colts!

Saw Vanna White on TV last night. She is still one good looker! (Thanks Larry)

Playstation 3 VS XBOX 360

This may be the most juvenile blog ever posted by an adult over 25. Maybe over 16. But here is my dilemma. On my Christmas list for Santa will be a video game system. Not for kids, or nieces and nephews, but for me. Yes, 45 yr old me. Husbands you know where I am coming from. So I ask for your input. What should I ask Santa for, an XBOX 360, or PLAYSTATION 3?

I'll play mainly sports games on them, Madden Football, Hockey, maybe a Formula 1 racing game. My house may be the last in America to get a video game system, so I would love to hear your experiences and recommendations. Just click "comments" and send me the scoop. I promise to tell Santa to put you on his "nice" list for taking the time!

Duffy On Letterman

Great night for Letterman last night, Robin Williams and Duffy guesting. But if you are like me, you forgot to set the DVR. Catch Duffy's performance of Warwick Avenue here.

Iron Island Museum

This morning Monica Wilson filed a story regarding the haunting of the IRON ISLAND MUSEUM. The official website doesn't shed a ton of informations about the place, but you can get there by clicking here.

The museum is at 998 Lovejoy, off Bailey between William and Broadway.

TV TRAINWRECKS

If you like the "craziest TV moments and "amazing video" shows, you'll like www.tvtrainwrecks.com. It's hosted by a former reporter/producer, so there should be some good things posted. One caveat...you may hear some bad language as see some things you may want to look away from (I'd stay away from the first video of the guy vomiting), but for the most part it's pretty funny stuff!

The Farther Away You Go, The Worse Buffalo Gas Prices Look


When I got back from vacation I was telling of how gas was so much cheaper elsewhere. Even in areas where they have you captive for gas stations (Pennsylvania Turnpike, resort beach towns), gas was at least 20 cents cheaper than back in Buffalo. The best I found was Middletown, Delaware, where I paid $3.44 a gallon, about 50 cents less. Remember, Delaware has no sales/state tax. Since then we are down in the $3.80's. Check how cheap it is in Middletown, Delaware right now by clicking CHEAPER GAS.

Yep, sometimes the farther away you get from New York State, the more you wonder why we live here.

Worst Celeb Hotel Guests

Concierge.com is out with their list of the Worst Hotel Guests.

For the entire article and list, click here. You'll find some surprises, including a hockey team!
A quickie example of a few listed "worsts":

Amy Winehouse: "Wino’s hotel room was littered with bottles and cigarette butts, liquor had seeped into the upholstery, and dirty underwear covered the floor."

Britney Spears: "Britney is a notorious slob. A former bodyguard told News of the World that he once rescued her from a trashed room where she'd been hanging with musician Howie Day only days after exiting a rehab program."

Mariah Carey: "Mimi allegedly asks that suites be outfitted with gold faucets and that all toilet seats be replaced with brand-new ones before her arrival. Mineral water is required not only for her own bath, but for her dog's as well. "

Naomi Campbell: "The supermodel allegedly beat up the Italian actress Yvonne Scio in a hotel, bruising Scio's face and splitting her lip. The supposed cause? They were on their way to a party together, but when Campbell showed up at the hotel to pick up the actress, she was unhappy to find they were both wearing the same frock."

Nicole Kidman: "In advance of what was to be only a 12-hour stay, she had assistants ship a set of pink, 800-thread-count Italian sheets to the hotel, along with pages' worth of diagrams and instructions for making up her bed. Then she never bothered to actually show up. Nicole also had the staff at a different hotel replace the standard 60-watt lightbulbs in her room with 40-watt bulbs."

More Key West Webcams

As Tropical Storm Fay passes through, here are links to what I've found are the most reliable still working webcams in Key West. Can be neat to watch. Or VERY boring. But I guarantee you'll kill time at work by clicking on:

http://www.liveduvalstreet.com/

http://www.hogsbreath.com/hogcam/index.htm

http://www.sloppyjoes.com/sloppycam/streamcam.htm

http://www.schoonerwharf.com/webcam.htm

Watch A Tropical Storm Roll Through The Florida Keys



Just got back from vacation in Ocean City, MD. Will have lots of stories during the program this week (like gas at $3.47!). In the meantime a tropical storm is closing down one of my favorite Florida places to go, Key West. You can watch it roll through by clicking here and checking out one of the numerous Key West Webcams. It could be 10 ft surf and 60 mph winds, but they'll still be serving at the Hogs Breath and Schooner Wharf. Hope the storm doesn't knock the site out.

NYC Trip Pt. 2

Let's try to post some Shea Stadium video. Taken from still camera on a video mode, so it may be a little grainy.