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.

NYC Trip Pt 1.

You may have heard me talking about the trip to New York for the Mets game. We stumbled onto a wedding at St. Patricks Cathedral. Here are the pics. Not the best of quality. Congrats to Jay and Olga! I'll try to post a photo display of the Mets game. But I'm not the best with widgets 'n things. Keep checking back for more.

Summer Reading Pt 2

While it's not exactly a beach read, more like a Cliff Notes of history, I'm having a great time reading Kenneth C. Davis' "Don't Know Much About History." Like the promos for the book say, "You'll remember how much you forgot about history!" I've already been reminded of:

-Why Brazilians speak Portuguese and the rest of South America speak Spanish.

-Why The US and Canada were nothing more than pawns in a power struggle between European countries in the French and Indian War.

-About 100 other historical facts/happenings...and I'm only 10% into the book!

I might even keep this in the studio for reference when Air Gordon and I get into one of our geeky history talk session. It even came in handy this weekend, as we watched ELIZABETH, THE GOLDEN AGE on pay-per-view. It really filled in the blanks and showed how realistic the movie was in it's depiction of the English staving off the Spanish Inquisition (at least for a while!)

Check out the entire "Don't Know Much About" series here, and have fun remembering what you forgot!

Top Ten Recession Proof Jobs

Saw this on CNBC.com

Click here and see how may you qualify for and would want to do. But the biggest question: How many of these jobs are available in WNY, and at these salaries?

Summer Reading

I just finished reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Incredible book. At the age of 45 a Carnegie Mellon professor with a family finds out he has terminal pancreatic cancer. This is the story of how with limited time, you pass on your life lessons to your family and those around you.

After two paragraphs you realize why it's been on the NY Times best seller list so long. After one chapter you'll want to finish the whole book in one sitting (which can be done). After two chapters you'll want to have pen and paper nearby to write down all the life affirming messages. Highly recommended.

Click The Last Lecture to find out more.

Old Aud Photos

On vacation and surfing the web. While on Mike Harrington's blog in the Buff News Site, saw this link to some great AUD photos. As it is now...on the inside...yucky. But if you are a Sabres fan I bet you'll look for your favorite seats and places! Check it out here.

And if you see Mike thank him for letting me borrow his find. I contributed to his baseball blog awhile ago, and he got some mileage out of it, so I don't feel so bad for ripping him off. Look for updates on my vacation reading soon.

Wild Eye Photos

With the help of Wild Eye Photos, we are putting together a calendar to benefit the SPCA. You may have also heard of a CREATE A CAPTION contest we are airing with their help, (see it here). I was telling the story of getting my pics done with Clover the bunny and how cool they came out. Well here they are. Clicking on each pic should expand them.

If you are a pet owner, I strongly recommend a photo session with WILD EYE PHOTOS. Corky is an incredible photographer. Check out their work at www.wildeyephotos.com or call them at 572-3852. If they can make me and a rabbit look this good, imagine what they can do for you.

For Springsteen Fans...Especially in Buffalo




Just saw this on brucespringsteen.net. Video of the Detroit Medley from his March HSBC show. To see it click here and try to find yourself in the crowd.


Still hate the fact that I missed what was another landmark show. But I was flying to Hawaii the next morning.


Also check out his SETLISTS page for handwritten songlists. Very cool.

The Ultimate Defense Against Bunnies Eating Your Garden



A hailstorm. Taken during yesterday afternoon in my backyard. Giant rabbit taking refuge under our pine tree. See, I'm not making this stuff up. Click on the pic to make it even bigger

Duffy


I haven't been this excited about a new artist or song in a long time. You are starting to hear us play "Mercy" by an artist named Duffy. The song is incredible. The video makes it even better, much a like a American Bandstand performance you would have seen on American Dreams. Very Hairspray.


At first watch you can see how she was influenced by British music shows of the '60's, and why she was is being referred to as "the next Dusty Springfield."


Check out the video for "Mercy" here. And please watch her video for Warwick Avenue as well. I'm betting that when she stops singing and tries to wave off continuing the film, the director said "Keep going, we'll edit later," knowing it was going to be a great one take event.


For more on Duffy, check her Wikipedia page here. She's had quite the life already...put in a safe house because of a contract out on her step dad!


Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, and now Duffy. The new female voices of the future. Well, at least two of the three may last awhile.

Rabbit Help Answered!





It's that time of year! I've recently gotten a bunch of e-mails that read much like this:

Hey Rob,
How did you get rid of the rabbits in your yard? I know you mention it on the air quite often, and I thought I would see something in your blogs but didn't find anything. A friend of mine said the rabbits in her yard ate the marigolds she planted. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated.
Dawn


Well Dawn, and others...here’s what I recommend: LIQUID FENCE. You can buy it at HI WAY GARDEN CENTER. Smells awful, and needs to be reapplied according to directions, but it does very well. We also went on SKYMALL and bought an electronic rodent repellent that radiates a sound that bunnies, squirrels, and even birds seem to really hate. Works pretty well too, especially in conjunction with the LIQUID FENCE. Only problem is in Winter/ Spring when you can’t get out to spray, rabbits still ripped apart bark on some bushes and ate all my daffodils.
As far as marigolds, I hear you. I have simply stopped trying to grow them because of rabbits!!

Here are the websites for each product:
www.liquidfence.com

www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102245438&c=10510

Good Luck!

Sex And The City Soundtrack

We received an advance copy of the SEX AND THE CITY soundtrack in this week. It's pretty much what you would expect, and is much like the GREY'S ANATOMY albums as far as being listenable. It's got a bunch of songs on it that sound pretty decent to a solo listener, and a couple that may have a chance of being hits. Much like the GREY'S albums, these songs will sound much more powerful within the context of the movie. Along with the FERGIE song they are releasing as a single, the cut that most stands out on the album is also the shortest: cut 14, the 50 second movie theme. It's a kicked up bond-like version of the classic HBO show open.

Bottom line...should you buy it? If you are a BIG TIME SATC fan or in need of a good background CD for a cocktail party, Yes. Other than that, wait and see the movie. If more than a couple of songs really grab you along the way, then get it.

Famous Daves Self Tanning

This weekend we went to a birthday party in Bradford, PA for my niece and nephew Mackenzie and Jared (By mentioning them in the opening line, I am hopefully once again their favorite Uncle. You know how that goes. Plus they don't even know what blogs are yet!).

Anyway, to the point:

My sister in law had a really good tan, not overly dark, but noticeable. She lives in Hornell, so we knew she wasn't out in the sun any more than us in Buffalo. When we asked her if she tanned she told us about her success with Famous Daves Self Tanning. She had heard about it from a friend, and got some on E-BAY. It looked great, and best yet, didn't have any smell/aroma that many spray on, or tanning creams have. My wife checked it out on the web, and between the website and our sister in law's recommendation, ordered some. Here's the site

http://www.famousdavestanner.com:80/

For those who want a tan, but aren't fond of tanning booth's, this might be the remedy!

Let me know how it goes in your quest to get rid of Northeastern pasty white winter skin!

Last Word On The Sabres...I hope!

For most of the season I've been pretty up front regarding my feeling for the Sabres organizational problems. Numerous times I've said:

Don't blame Darcy Regier. He's taken far too many bullets for Thomas Golisano and don't be surprised if he's had enough and doesn't sign a new contract after 2008--09.

And don't blame Larry Quinn. No one one wants to win more than he does. He hates to lose, and is known for having a big ego. I think that is great! He's the type of guy we should be happy to have fighting for progress downtown. He would sign every player if he could.

DO BLAME IT ON THOMAS GOLISANO.

In short, he is trying to run the Sabres like Paychex. His not being available to comment on, or handle negative situations, his letting Larry and Darcy take the bullets, his general blase attitude toward the past 18 months speaks volumes about his goals. It's been a 180 degree turnaround over the past two years.

Want more proof? Check out this recent article from The Hockey News. They ranked NHL GM's from top to bottom. Here's what they said about Darcy.

15. Darcy Regier, Buffalo

How can we rate Regier so highly when he has: a) failed to come to terms with his team’s three best players?; b) let two of them get away and got nothing in return?; c) traded his best defenseman while his team was fighting for a playoff spot?; d) dismantled one of the best scouting staffs in the league?; and, e) has presided over the Sabres as they’ve gone from Stanley Cup contender to barely middle-of-the-pack? Because he’s taking the bullet for an owner (Thomas Golisano) who refuses to spend money despite the fact the Sabres have essentially sold out every game the past two seasons and have gone on long, lucrative playoff runs. Regier is a good hockey man and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him leave at the first opportunity. CAREER 390-299-120 (.556) CUPS 0 PLAYOFFS 10-6 series record

In the end of regular season HOCKEY NEWS Power Rankings, the Sabres are at #20, and they write:

This is Derek Roy’s team and he deserves to be named captain. Enough of this minor peewee crap of rotating captains. Hard to say what we can expect from the Sabres moving forward. The one thing we do know is they won’t pay to keep their stars. That is not a good thing and certainly isn’t fair to coach Lindy Ruff and GM Darcy Regier.

Is there anyone we can get to buy this team from Tommy Boy?

Hilarious Airline Delay Video

I've been traveling a lot lately, and maybe you've heard some of my "running through the airport in Detroit/Phoenix"or "lost baggage (or as Delta calls it, delayed baggage) stories. After surfing the web for airline gossip sites (yes I have too much free time), I came across this very funny video account of a 7 hour Tarmac delay. And guess what, it's a Delta flight bound for JFK! I've heard too many horror stories about that combination of airline and airport lately!

Click http://www.airlinecrew.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=194788 for all the frustrating fun.

Rob and Linda's Hawaiian Adventure

Finally got the pictures posted. Check them out by clicking:

http://www.slide.com/r/RAaHBgbsxz_rZHsLGAGfx5eE3_y4hYRn?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

When you get there I recommend you click on GALLERY VIEW ORIGINAL SIZE (upper right hand side of picture) . It will open up your screen to incredible majestic views and humorous comments of our trip to Hawaii. Hope your're not bored by the 21st century version of home movies. But at least you can stop watching without the hosts knowing!

Astounding LOST Theory

Monica Wilson found this one. A LOST theory that is maybe the most sensible I've ever heard. Check it out at http://community.livejournal.com/lost_tv/1631599.html?thread=35257199

Feel free to leave comments. You will no doubt have some.

LOST FILMING ???

Wanted to get this posted before Tomorrow's LOST episode. While in Hawaii we saw a lot of the areas they film LOST, studio's at the base of DIAMOND HEAD where they shoot interiors, and while on a cruise saw them actually filming a scene from a future episode. WE THINK...

The tour guide told us it was definitely LOST, and that they had been shooting there for 2 days. But we saw no STARS, no JACK, no KATE, no SAWYER or HURLEY. And if you look closely at the pics, you'll see it is an 1800's era scene. The big thing to notice is a sign that says "Welcome Princess." Should be easy to spot in a future episode. But the time period means they would flash-back to the 1800's!?!

Click on the pics to make'm bigger. You decide. Oh, out of frame is a Burl Ives looking character who is up on a stage addressing those looking on.

Back from vacation...

and I should have a bunch of quickie updates once I get things sorted out (you know how that goes). Anyway, just before I headed out to Hawaii, I got a nice text from Brian Campbell. I had just sent him a text congratulating him on his spinner-rama goal against Montreal (one of the top 10, maybe 5 best goals in the league this year), and he replied, nearly verbatim:

Thanks Rob. In Chicago tonight, week long road trip. It's been a lot of fun. Weather is great and team treats you nice. Talk Soon.

I might be reading too much into it, but doesn't the "team treats you nice" line stand out a bit in regard to what he went through with the Sabres. Brian is too classy to say it was intended that way, but...

By the way since the trade, San Jose hasn't lost in 9 games. The Sabres...hanging on.

World's Most Organized Man

Just got done reading a great article in Men's Health about Douglas Merrill, the CIO of Google. What is CIO? You'll have to read the article to find out. And what was so great about the article? It's an awesome thought starter as to how to compartmentalize and organize your mental life. Compartmentalization is something I've always been big on. It's the ability to focus on the most immediate, most important task and finish it successfully while hundreds of other things are going on. All great athletes and performers have the ability to compartmentalize; to perform at their very best while challenges of contracts/touring schedules/plane and bus rides/family problems and other mundane events pull others down.

You can read the article here, or better yet try to find an old Feb 2008 copy of Men's Health. And while your are at it, get a subscription. It's always a good read for men and women.

How To Stop Unwanted Mailed Catalogs

The Buffalo News recently ran an Associated Press article highlighting websites that will help stop all those unwanted catalogs from entering your home. Kind of a DO NOT CALL registry for the US MAIL. Here's where to go for specific needs. Good Luck...I'll be logging onto some of these too!

The World Privacy Forum has developed a how-to list on opting out of mailings titled the “Top 10 Opt Outs” that’s posted at www.worldprivacyforum.org . Consumers also can write to the DMA at Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, N.Y. 10512-0643 to get off mailing lists. A $1 fee applies.

The other major source of unwanted mail, prescreened credit and insurance offers, can be addressed through the Web site www.optoutprescreen.com or calling the toll-free number 888-5OptOut (888-567-8688).

The Ecology Center in Berkeley, Calif., has its Catalog Choice site at www.catalogchoice.org . Consumers indicate which catalogs they don’t want to receive, and the service for free notifies the companies to stop mailings.

Another ecologically minded service is www.41pounds.org , based in Ferndale, Mich. It takes its name from the estimated weight of the junk mail each household receives each year. Households pay $41 for a five-year membership, and some of the profits are shared with environmental groups.

Auto Show Great, Convention Center Not So Much

As I sit here taking in the Buffalo Auto Show I can't help but think how good a job the NFADA does with such an awful building. The Buffalo Convention Center has so much become an example of misbuilding in our city.
The building itself is nothing to be proud of starting with the outside facade.
Starting from just outside with the decrepit electronic message board in the square across from the main entrance. I can't believe that year after year goes by and still it sits in horrible disrepair. Inside, the convention center is poorly laid out and confusing, though the powers that be have done as good a job as possible in making it more user friendly.

In the bottom level ceilings are too low...you feel closed in. There are too many cookie cutter nooks and crannies. Upstairs, the main hall is still no better than a glorified gym with carpeting. Perfect for a wild beer bash, not so good for classy events the city is trying to attract.

I still can't believe the county turned down that late 90's offer from the Seneca Nation to use the convention center for a casino, and in return build the city (or at least give is the money to build) a new convention center. Remember all the drawings of a new center near the corner of Oak and Genesee? That area would be buzzing right now instead of still being a rehab project. Another in the long line of downtown mistakes. Even though I wasn't a proponent of another Casino, that would've solved a major problem. But we missed out again.

But let's end on the positive...the NFADA has done a great job this year in an industry that corporately doesn't look at Buffalo as strongly as it used to. And if you like this auto show, you will LOVE Toronto's. Find more info at www.autoshow.ca

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Campbell All Star Travel Follow Up

I don't know if the Sabres will win tonight, but they should. They are a much better team than Tampa. Especially if they have the attitude of Ryan Miller. While recording this weeks segment of the Brian Campbell Show (which will air Wednesday morning at 8:15 and Thursday at 6:40), I told him of Ryan's "Shut Up, Make Plays" comment. Brian's response was a very strong "Good for him, I have that attitude too," making it clear that you'll be able to tell who comes to play each night from here on out.

I won't give away too much of the interview, except that you'll hear how Brian may have been ONE SHOT away from being ALL STAR game MVP, getting a clothing care package from his brother, and having his sister-in-law fawn over David Boreanez.

Brian sounded incredibly happy and relaxed despite being only halfway through a long roadie. He's handled the contract situation perfectly. It's all on the Sabres now.

Brian Campbell's Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

The next Brian Campbell Show should be a funny one. I don't have the full story yet, but it was a mess for the Sabres getting out of Dallas Thursday Night/ Friday morning. Apparently the charter plane had a mechanical problem. Guys were scrambling to get on flights back home for the All Star break. All except for Brian Campbell, who as he told us on-air last week was due to come home, sleep for about 5 hours, do some laundry, then head to Atlanta for All Star Weekend. In between he was going to try to call the morning show. Instead he had to:
1) Go back to the team hotel at 1am
2) Get back up at 6am
3) Fly direct to Atlanta WITHOUT any new clothes (remember he was going to come home, and pick clothes for the weekend AND the next leg of the road trip). With the Sabres in Tampa on Tuesday, then Florida and Atlanta later in the week, he will now spend about 15 days on the road and have to BUY clothes to get through it. The funny part is what Brian text on Friday. Here is the account straight from my cell:

9:33am This stinks. (He actually said something else but I cleaned it up). Stuck in Dallas with no clothes for the next weekend.

I text back asking about plans. Brian replies:

10:04am heading to ATL direct at 11. Never been so tired in my life. Plane broke down.

2:12pm Finally made it. So Tired. I will have some stories from Atlanta for u.

Hopefully we'll get Brian on sometime next week to get the real story. Listen on Monday and I should have even more of an update by then.

The Perfect Casual Snow Boot

Only in a very few areas could a person blog about "The Perfect Casual Snow Boot" and have readers be interested. Buffalo is one such area, which prompts me to tell you about The Gore-Tex XCR Mid Adrenaline boot from The North Face.

I was looking for boots that were good for wearing to work on a snowy morning. The kind that looked good, went well with casual dress work clothes, protected you from getting wet feet, but weren't super heavy snow boots like you would use snow blowing or shoveling. These are the BEST!

Thanks to the very informative woman at DICK's who helped me out I learned a lot. She explained the difference between these and other name boots I was looking at. The biggest was these having Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex is a phrase you hear all the time, but it does mean so much! It is an inner shield of Teflon that they stretch inside the boot to completely seal your foot away from moisture. This is much different than footwear that claim to be "Waterproof." As explained to me by the DICK'S customer rep, just because something says it is "waterproof" doesn't at all mean that it will keep you dry. It just means that the shoe or jacket won't break down or fall part when hit with water. Gore-Tex keeps you dry inside the jacket or shoe. HUGE difference.

The North Face Adrenaline mid-boots are incredible. They can also be used for heavy snows, but I think are best for those days when we get 2--6 inches overnight and you just wanna get to work and clear the driveway when you get home. They run about about $100, but when taken care of these boots should last a long time. You may have to get them on-line though, as many stores are now stocking spring footwear. They run exact size. I wear a 10 1/2 sneaker, and a 10 1/2 in this boot. Available in Men's and Women's. Here's where to order:

http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?site=NA&model=ABF8&dc=58J,57X

What a freebie commercial for NORTH FACE and DICKS! Maybe I'll get a free pair for the endorsement!

We know the Ice Bowl was a huge success locally, but what did others think about it? Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News has provided some nice links to see what ESPN, The Boston Globe and Edmonton Sun have written about it.

Check it out at http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2008/01/its-the-day-aft.html

I know this borderlines on plagiarism, but I think many of our STAR blog readers may not necessarily read the Buffalo News Sports blogs, and would be entertained by Mike's writing. So it's more promotion, than plagiarism.

And it does make this blog an easy one for me!

CLAPTON - THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Happy Christmas Eve Morning!

I hope you get everything you want this Christmas, and more importantly are able to give all you want! If you do get a gift card to a book store, I have a recommendation: CLAPTON The Autobiography. It came out earlier this year, and at first glance I can see why it got such good reviews.

Even those who only have a mild interest in ERIC CLAPTON, but a strong interest in music will devour this book. It is strongly written and edited. Eric gives you the full scope of his upbringing and life, without getting too hung up on any one area. And what a life it was, from his late teens and seeing his first CLAPTON IS GOD banners at shows, through is drug abuse and re-birth in the post CLAPTON UNPLUGGED years. His love affair with George Harrison's wife, the super-groups (CREAM, DEREK, BLIND FAITH), the death of his son...it's all here.

There are 2 chapters late in the book that are worth the price alone. In one 3 1/2 year period starting in '87 he: Started final sobriety by falling to his knees and praying for help from his alcohol and drug demons (it worked); saw his agent, 2 roadies, and friend Stevie Ray Vaughn killed in a helicopter accident after a show; met a girl he fell in love with, took her to see a Rolling Stones show, told Mick "stay away from this one, I really like her," only to find Mick having an affair with her three weeks later; and finally after re-discovering his relationship with his son Conor, having him die after falling out of a window in a New York City apartment building. Clapton's story telling in these sections, and the whole book, is gripping, though nothing is sensationalised. In fact you feel exactly what he was going through at those times, as much of it comes from his personal diaries.

I'm not a huge Clapton fan, but have become a bigger, more respectful one over the years. But fan or not, this is one great book. Oh and the nickname "Slowhand"; It has to do with breaking guitar strings and how long it took him to re-string...not how he played!

For more on the book, including an interview with Eric on it's writing, click

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/038551851X/bookstorenow18-20

The Original Margaritaville

Sorry it's been almost a month since my last update. Really didn't think it had been that long, and it breaks my string of weekly updates. This update is one that Buffett fans (Jimmy, not Warren) will like.

While going through some old photos on my pc, I came across some from Key West of Jimmy's original, and still in use, studio. As you can see it is a non-descript white cement block building right on the docks. A few oddities about it: When he first opened it in the 70's, there was NOTHING in that area of the docks, just a few local fisherman shanties and some places to tie up your boat. Now it is in the middle of where the tour boats depart, there are major restaurants and tourist traps nearby, and they've even put some paved roads in, as you can tell from the pics.

Also, it is said that 90% of the tourists walk around, over, and by the building (see the pic of people walking down the docks behind it) and never even know that they are near a legendary recording studio. Other than some heavy duty electrical boxes outside, there is absolutely no sign of it being a studio. There is a big KEEP OUT sign posted near the door. Jimmy rents out the studio frequently (Kenny Chesney had been there the week before tweaking some songs), and shows up himself with the whole band about once a year, usually late September. That's when he takes his breather after the summer tour, figures out the financials, tips the roadies, and settles any matters with the band.

You should be able to make the photos bigger by clicking on them. Feel free to e-them to your friends and amaze them with your new found Buffett knowledge.

View from the studio looking out to the docks and harbor

The Best Christmas Albums

Since the holidays are here, I thought it would be a good time to give you a list of the best Christmas albums of all time (at least in my opinion). The easiest thing to do is click on the attached link and read away. (It's my posting from last year, but it still works) When some new CD's come out, I'll update with reviews (the new GROBAN album should be really good...will visit it this week)

Have fun, and I hope this list helps your holiday party cook!

http://robsmorningshowblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/robs-list-of-must-have-christmas.html

What I Listen To At Home

Anyone in music radio often gets asked what kind of music we like, do we listen to things at home like we do at work, etc? Some quick answers:

1) You don't have to love the music you play on the station you work for. You do have to be knowledgable about it, and at least like or respect it, or it will eventually show through.

2) It's very tough to listen to music for pleasure while listening to another station. Radio people are always looking past the current song and wondering what is next, what commercials will play, how many commercials there will be, will the air talent talk, what promotions are happening. It's work. That's why so many music radio people listen to talk radio in their "veg out" time.

3) I'm turning on my stereo less and less at home...using the computer for music more and more. I've got a great set of Harmon-Kardon pc speakers to help, but I still don't think ripped music, no matter how high quality the process is, sounds as good as true CD's. And CD's don't sound as good as albums did. I know, ancient thinking...

4) So what do I listen to? Recently while I was working online and my wife was in the kitchen, I put on the following music:

Eagles - New Kid In Town
The Clash - Train in Vain
Cher - Dark Lady
Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me
Meat Loaf - Heaven Can Wait
Gilbert O' Sullivan - Get Down

Very eclectic, but it filled 20 minutes nicely! And none of it reminded me of work!
If you are unfamiliar with any of these titles, I highly recommend you check them out!

Grey's Anatomy 3 Soundtrack

The latest collection of music from Grey's Anatomy is out, and it's pretty much what you would expect. While the first Grey's Soundtrack produced some HUGE hits (Snow Patrol/ The Fray), I really don't hear any hits on "3". Standout songs include MILLION FACES from Paolo Nutini, YOUNG FOLKS from Peter, Bjorn and John, and Ingrid Michaelson's KEEP BREATHING. BREATHING was used during the aborted Burke-Yang wedding scene. A lot of unique music here, very wispy. Great background music for a dinner party, or for having a glass of wine while reading Coastal Living magazine (which if you love the water or always dreamed of owning a beach house, is a must read).

One more good thing about the Grey's Anatomy 3 Soundtrack: no audio clips of that whiner IZZY to ruin the music.