Rob's Morning Show Blog
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sunday, December 06, 2009
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.
Monday, November 30, 2009
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!
Monday, November 23, 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Friday, October 30, 2009

Monday, October 26, 2009

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.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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!
Sunday, October 18, 2009

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Thursday, October 08, 2009
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!
Friday, October 02, 2009
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
Monday, September 28, 2009
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.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
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!
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
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.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
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.
Thursday, August 20, 2009

Thursday, August 06, 2009
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.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
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.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wedding Entrance Dance
Here's the link to the Wedding Entrance Video everyone is talking about.
More on the event here and here
Friday, July 24, 2009
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.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Boston North End Market Tour
- 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!
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!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
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!!!
Thursday, July 02, 2009
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.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
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)
Saturday, June 20, 2009

Monday, June 15, 2009
More Rabbit Problems For Rob
Looks like a baby pig here
Friday, June 12, 2009

Friday, June 05, 2009

Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
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!
Monday, May 11, 2009
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!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009

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
Thursday, April 30, 2009

Monday, April 27, 2009
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.
Thursday, April 23, 2009

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.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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.
Thursday, April 09, 2009

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Friday, March 27, 2009
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
Friday, March 20, 2009

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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.
Thursday, March 05, 2009

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.
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.
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!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
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!
Friday, February 20, 2009
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!
Monday, February 16, 2009
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!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009

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!
Monday, February 02, 2009
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.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
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!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
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.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
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
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Best Moment of 2008

Sunday, December 28, 2008
The Aud Being Built
We see what Memorial Auditorium looks like being torn down.
Click here to see what it looked like being built.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
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.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
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.
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:
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!'
Friday, December 12, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
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?"
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Sunday, November 09, 2008


Thursday, November 06, 2008
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
Monday, November 03, 2008
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!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
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/
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
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?
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Totally Looks Like...
My wife gave me the heads up about the website www.totallylookslike.com.
It's pretty good. Here are some examples:

Monday, October 20, 2008
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/
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Sunday, October 05, 2008
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
Thursday, October 02, 2008
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.
Sunday, September 28, 2008

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.
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.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Smart Couples Finish Rich

Friday, September 19, 2008

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.
Friday, September 12, 2008

Tuesday, September 09, 2008
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!
Friday, September 05, 2008
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.
Thursday, September 04, 2008

Tuesday, September 02, 2008
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!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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.
Monday, August 25, 2008
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."
Monday, August 18, 2008
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
Sunday, August 17, 2008
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.













