Monday - December 1, 2008 -

ON THIS DAY

The great Indian warrior "Crazy Horse" was born on this date in 1842. Why the name "Crazy Horse"? His mom, "Constant Nag" never told him.

On this date in 1903, the first payment to a Christmas Club account was paid. Needless to say, that was a pretty cheap-gift Christmas. The following year was much better.

The very first gas station in the United States opened up its pumps on this date back in 1913. It was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and gas sold for 3-cents-a-gallon. That doesn't even cover the tax these days.

On this date in 1929, Bingo was invented. I wonder what the dog's name was before that?

In 1939, Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer made his first appearance in a Montgomery Ward catalog. They weren't the best pictures and all of the other reindeer laughed and called him names.


TODAY IS

Charlene Tilton, who played the loose Lucy on the TV show "Dallas," turns the big 5-0 today.

She was the show's teddy bear -- she slept with everybody!

Bette Midler turns 63 today. She's still got a lot left in her, not that we were worried that she would run out.

Woody Allen turns 73 today. He plans to spend a quiet birthday with just his wife and his daughter... and the kids they had together.


It's here, the busy holiday travel season. And in honor of it, we bring you the list of things to do when your flight is cancelled:

· Take advantage of alerts. When you purchase your airline ticket, sign up for e-mail, voice or text message alerts to your cell phone to alert you of flight status changes.

· Call or go online before leaving for the airport. Check the airline web site for delays or call the automated flight status number to ensure your flight is not delayed or cancelled.

· Use your cell phone to save time. Program numbers for your airline, hotel, car rental company, and your travel agent into your cell phone. In case you need to change your flight, you can call your agent or the airline directly rather than waiting in line at the ticket counter.

· Use all contact methods available to you. If you're already at the airport, get in line to talk to an airline agent, but continue to try to contact the airline via your travel agent, directly over the phone, or via Internet if you have web access.

· Remain calm. With delays and cancellations affecting lots of passengers, the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" maxim probably doesn't apply. You'll increase your stress as well as that of those around you and you'll probably get even worse service as a result.

· Contact the canceling airline prior to rebooking on another carrier. If your flight has been canceled by an airline try to get that airline to re-accommodate you. If you book a ticket on another carrier before contacting your original airline, it's possible the original airline will not reimburse you for your ticket or give you credit to use it at a later date.


Have you ever bought something from one of those late nite infomercials? Before there was QVC, there was Ron Popeil, an inventor who became a multimillionaire by pitching labor-saving, albeit unusual, devices on TV. But wait... there's more! Here are some of Ron Popeil's famous and infamous products.

1. Veg-O-Matic - The Chop-O-Matic was introduced in the mid-1950s at the amazing low price of $3.98. Ron renamed it the Veg-O-Matic and pitched it as "the greatest kitchen appliance ever made. . . ."

2. Pocket Fisherman - "the biggest fishing invention since the hook . . . and still only $19.95."

3. Mr. Microphone - Launched in 1978, Mr. Microphone was a low-power FM modulator that turned radios into annoying precursors of the karaoke machine.

4. Smokeless Ashtray - The Smokeless Ashtray was a tiny device that promised to suck up the smoke coming from cigars and cigarettes before it filled the room, and in the 1970s, Ron sold more than a million of these contraptions at $19.95 each.

5. Inside-the-Shell Egg Scrambler - Not one of Popeil's best sellers, but here's how it works: A bent pin pierces the eggshell, rotates inside it, and creates perfectly scrambled eggs and yolk-free hard-boiled eggs.

6. Dial-O-Matic - If the Chop-O-Matic and Veg-O-Matic don't cut veggies small enough that the kids can't recognize them, the Dial-O-Matic will. This food slicer debuted in the mid-1950s, preceding the modern food processor, and at the original price of $3, took a much smaller slice out of the family budget.

7. Automatic Pasta Maker - This gadget allows you to make 12 different shapes of preservative-free homemade pasta in just five minutes!

8. GLH Formula Number 9 Hair System - Got a bald spot? Ron Popeil can fix it with the GLH Formula Number 9 Hair System. Great Looking Hair isn't real hair but a spray that matches your hair color, thickens thinning hair, and covers bald spots.

9. Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ Oven - Introduced in 1998, the Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ Oven is by far Popeil's most successful product to date. He has sold seven million units in three different models: the $99.95 Compact Rotisserie, the $159.80 Standard Rotisserie, and the $209.75 Pro Rotisserie.

10. Electric Food Dehydrator - Introduced in 1965 at $59.95, Popeil called it "the most famous food dehydrator in the world!"

11. Solid Flavor Injector - Resembling a syringe with a large plastic "needle," this gadget is used to inject fillings such as dried fruit, small vegetables, nuts, chocolate chips, and candy into foods such as hams, roasts, cupcakes, and pastries.


WEIRD NEWS

Thanksgiving Theif! - In Oregon, Wisconsin, Lillian Moore says her family found it a little tough to be thankful on Thanksgiving after a thief made off with their turkey dinner -- right off the front porch! She sent a large cooler stuffed with Thanksgiving food to her daughter Cindy Moore. The cooler included half a turkey, potatoes and salad but she left it on her Cindy's porch Wednesday evening because her daughter's refrigerator was too small. When Cindy went to get the turkey Thanksgiving morning, the cooler was gone. Instead, Cindy says she had to buy turkey using money she sets aside for bills. The disabled single mother didn't bother reporting the theft to police and her mother told reporters, "It's just awful to steal from people who don't have much." (The Capital Times)

Really Waiting For Marriage - In Chicago, Melody LaLuz and Claudaniel Fabien didn't just wait to sleep together until they were married -- they never so much as kissed until they were pronounced at the alter. The couple shared their very first lip lock on Saturday at their wedding. The two teach abstinence at the city's public schools and apparently practiced what they preached to their teenage students. They had reportedly never been alone together in a house during their courtship. Wedding guests cheered and stomped during the two-minute smooch between the 28-year-old bride and the 30-year-old groom. Here's the upside to waiting -- the couple says they have no worries about how they will spend their honeymoon in the Bahamas. (Chicago Tribune)

WKRP Is Back! - Perhaps the country's most popular call letters are back on the air in Cincinnati! But this time WKRP is not a fake TV sitcom radio station -- it's a real low power TV station that has changed its call letters. The call letter change is to promote its new digital TV signal. It formerly went by WBQC-TV. General Manager Elliott Block says the new call letters give the station instant recognition because so many people remember the classic TV sit-com. (WKRP-TV)

So How Many Obamas Are There? - As the January 20th presidential inauguration of our new president is quickly approaching, you might be interested to know just how many Obamas there are in the U.S. Frankly -- not many. According to U.S. databases there are probably less than 20 Obama families in America, while Whitepages.com shows 70 Obamas total on its roster. However, there are 11,000 Clintons and 60,000 Bushes. And Washington D.C. may not be the most accommodating town on January 20th. Over one million people are expected to arrive in the nation's capitol for the inauguration but the five county metro area has only 95,000 hotel rooms. As early as October, hotels in Washington, Pennsylvania and West Virginia have already been booked. As a result, homeowners are benefitting as many plan to rent their vacant rooms and even basements with prices ranging from $350 a night at a three-bedroom house in Brookland, Washington to a $57,000 a week stay in a three-bedroom home near Chantilly in Virginia. There's now even a website, inauguralhomes.com. (AHN News)

A Spacey Thanksgiving - While you sat around with family and friends on Thursday stuffing your face, the ten folks aboard the International Space Station had to do with a little less for Thanksgiving. Still, the nine American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut managed a spread of freeze-dried green beans, cornbread dressing and deli-style turkey. Perhaps just sharing a meal together was their biggest blessing as it is very uncommon for shuttle and ISS crews to eat together because of their varying schedules and duties. (AHN News)

In a Coma? Have Someone Bit Your Toes! - In China, Zhang Kui, of Shenyang successfully woke his wife from a ten-year coma by biting her toes! No kidding! Kui says he tried everything he could think of to wake his wife after she suffered a head injury in an industrial accident. He played the radio, sang and talked to her -- even tickled her -- but nothing worked until the toe biting thing. He said, "I recalled someone saying that the feet are the home for many nerves. I wondered if I could wake her up by biting her feet." He started gently biting her toes and has been doing so regularly for the last 10 years--until she suddenly squeezed his wrist. His wife, Lv Fengshuang, can now move her arms and smile, although she is still unable to speak. The couple has been married for 27 years and Kui is now hoping for another miracle-- to hear her voice again. (Liao Sheng Evening Post)

Eau de Penn State - So you're a Penn State fan? Well now you can smell just like your favorite college for $60 bucks! A fragrance developer says it has made a perfume and cologne inspired by Pennsylvania State University. Masik Collegiate Fragrances says the perfume for the school in State College, Pa., smells of vanilla, lilac, rose and white patchouli. The cologne smells of blue cypress and cracked pepper. Fortunately these fragrances are designed after the school campus vegetation and not the crowds at a Penn State football game. But the company says the 3.4-ounce bottles of fragrance should appeal to Penn State's vast alumni and football fans. Masik also has captured the smell of the University of North Carolina and six other universities are coming next year! (Masik Collegiate Fragrances)


TOP FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR LEFTOVER THANKSGIVING TURKEY

1. Remove the rest of the feathers and eat it
2. Put it under the couch with the leftover Easter ham
3. Slice it thin enough and use it for wrapping paper
4. Leave it on your neighbor's porch when they're not home
5. Dry it out in odd shapes so you'll have quirky turkey jerky.


HUNTER'S HUMOR by Tim Hunter
In a magazine interview, Britney Spears says she feels "old and boring"... which is ironic, since I feel she's gotten old and I'm bored with her.

OK, Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Christmas tree lots are open... but it's not really Christmas until George Bailey appears before congress, asking them to bail out his 'crummy, old savings and loan'.

They had a giant balloon in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Parade representing the U.S. banking industry. It was filled entirely with government air.


Now on to the good stuff – ROCK NEWS -


GUNS N' ROSES THREATENS DR. PEPPER WITH LEGAL ACTION ..Guns N' Roses is threatening Dr. Pepper with legal action following what the group is calling "a complete fiasco" of a publicity stunt, according to RollingStone.com. The soft drink manufacturer promised everyone in the U.S. a free can of soda if the new Guns album, Chinese Democracy, came out before the end of 2008, and on the day of the record's November 23rd release, made a coupon available at the Dr. Pepper website for the free drink. But Guns lawyer Alan S. Gutman told Dr. Pepper CEO Larry Young in a letter that the company's website crashed due to the demand, causing "an unmitigated disaster which defrauded consumers and, in the eyes of vocal fans, 'ruined' the day of Chinese Democracy's release."

The band is seeking a public apology through newspaper ads, along with more time for people to claim their free soda and monetary damages. Gutman continued in his letter, "This campaign brazenly violated our clients' rights in numerous respects. Unfortunately, Dr. Pepper has now magnified the damage this campaign has caused through its appalling failure to make good on a promise it made to the American public . . . Had you wished to engage in a commercial tie-in with our clients, you should have negotiated a legitimate arrangement instead of hijacking their rights without payment. Rest assured, this misappropriation will not be free."

A statement sent by Dr. Pepper to the New York Times indicated that the company "took great steps" to ensure that everyone who requested a can of soda got one, adding, "This was one of the largest responses we have ever received for a giveaway."

One of Guns leader Axl Rose's lawyers told the Times that the band's representatives tried to collaborate with Dr. Pepper on the best way to distribute the soda, but that negotiations broke down.

Chinese Democracy, the first new collection of music under the Guns banner in 17 years, came out last Sunday (November 23rd) exclusively through Best Buy. It is predicted to sell around 300,000 copies in its first week of release, according to Hits Daily Double, which will probably be enough for a Number Two debut on the Billboard chart behind the new Kanye West album.

Chinese Democracy has topped the iTunes Rock Album chart around the world, hitting Number One in the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and others.


NEXT METALLICA ALBUM COULD COME OUT ONLINE…Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich hinted to RollingStone.com that the band's next album could well come out through the Internet. Ulrich explained, "We're free of our record contract. We have that element of complete freedom with the next record, so we can do whatever we want." Ulrich added that the band "could do an Internet thing" or issue a new disc independently. Ulrich's words are ironic since Metallica famously sued the original Napster several years ago for making the band's music available online without its permission.

As for when we are likely to see a follow-up to this year's Death Magnetic, which came five years after 2003's St. Anger, Ulrich told us he doesn't see the band picking up the pace: "I wouldn't hold my breath. I mean, I'd love to put records out more often, but I mean, it doesn't get any easier as you get older, and I don't want to miss my kids growing up. In 10 years from now when my kids are in college, maybe we'll spit a record out a year. But right now, I don't know what's gonna give in between touring and having some chill time with the family and how long it takes to, you know, make these records."

Metallica plays on Monday night (December 1st) in Seattle and will wrap up the current leg of its North American tour on the 20th in Oakland.


ROBERT PLANT ON LED ZEPPELIN OFFSHOOT: 'EVERYONE'S GOT TO EAT'….Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant has confirmed that he won't be touring with the band any time soon, although he also indirectly seemed to give his blessing to the possibility of the other Zeppelin members going on the road with a different vocalist. According to the Robert Plant Newswire, Plant told the Birmingham Evening Mail that he'll begin work on a new album in January, which would prevent him from going on tour, although he added, "But I understand that everyone's got to eat." He also said about the new project, "They won't be calling it Led Zeppelin!"

Plant will be working with country singer Alison Krauss again on a follow-up to their successful Raising Sand album.

The other members of Zeppelin -- guitarist Jimmy Page, drummer Jason Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones -- have confirmed that they are thinking about hitting the road, possibly with Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy, although the project has not been officially announced yet.

A spokesperson for Jimmy Page's management told Rolling Stone, "Whatever this is, it is not Led Zeppelin."

Zeppelin reunited last December for a charity concert in London, and speculation about a full tour has been high ever since.


VAN HALEN TOUR RIDER DEMANDS NO CARPET, STUDY ROOM AND BOOZE ONSTAGE…Van Halen's backstage rider for their 2008 North American tour has been posted on thesmokinggun.com. The document shows that the reunion between David Lee Roth and the rest of the band wasn't as cozy as the band's live shows led fans to believe. Roth's offstage demands included a provision stating that Roth's dressing room should be "as far away" from those of bandmates Eddie, Alex, and Wolfgang Van Halen as possible. Roth also asked for no floor coverings in his dressings area, with the rider stating, "Mr. Roth practices martial arts in his dressing room, and in order to do this there can be no rugs or carpeting of any sort."

Each member's dressing room was alcohol-free, and stocked with Red Bull, Gatorade, fresh fruit, and Japanese Apple Pears. A "study room" was to be provided for Wolfgang Van Halen and his tutor. Wolfgang, who replaced band co-founder Michael Anthony, was only 16 when the tour kicked off. Eddie Van Halen -- whose stint in rehab delayed the tour's kickoff -- was provided with an onstage cooler containing "mini bottles" of Gallo Twin Valley Cabernet Sauvignon -- red & white label, red cap.

To read the full Van Halen backstage rider, log on to thesmokinggun.com.


U2 GUITARIST DRAWS 'LINE' …U2 guitarist The Edge confirmed to Mojo magazine that the Irish band's new album is tentatively titled No Line On The Horizon. The Edge explained the concept behind the title, saying, "It's an image, (singer) Bono tells me. It's like when you're moving forward, but you're not exactly sure what you're heading towards -- that moment where the sea and the sky blend into one. It's an image of infinity, I suppose -- a kind of Zen image."

The band pushed the album release back to 2009, although The Edge said it could arrive as early as February. He also revealed that none of the material the band first worked on with producer Rick Rubin would make the final track list, saying, "We actually laid all that stuff to one side. Really out of deference to Rick and that set of songs we just said, 'OK, that's that,' and we drew a line. So none of the Rick material went into this project. Everything has been written subsequently."

Most of the new material was written and produced with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois in the studio, who have worked on classic U2 albums such as The Joshua Tree, The Unforgettable Fire and Achtung Baby.


THE WHO TOPS VIDEO CHART WITH VINTAGE CONCERT DVD ..The Who's new double DVD Live At Kilburn 1977 is Number One this week on the Billboard Top Video Charts. The two-disc set features the band's infamous Kilburn State Gaumont gig from December 15th, 1977 -- which was drummer Keith Moon's second-to-last performance with the band prior to his death the following year. The concert was filmed for use in the band's 1978 documentary The Kids Are Alright, but Pete Townshend has not allowed the footage to be released until now.

The second bonus disc features the Who's London Coliseum concert from December 14th, 1969.

The two concerts show the band at very different points in their performing careers -- with Kilburn showing the Who as a full-on arena and stadium ensemble, and the '69 footage showcasing the band at their instrumental peak while performing their complex rock symphony Tommy. Townshend says that the Who were among the most versatile bands of their era, and that their musical talent freed him to write material that frequently covered many different genres: "The band the Who never gave me a clear brief. They never said to me, 'We wanna be a comedy act,' but if I gave them comedy songs they were brilliant at them. They never said to me, 'We wanna be a girl-friendly band,' but if I gave them a love song they would do it brilliantly. They never said 'We want to be a heavy metal group' -- if I gave them a heavy metal song, they did it brilliantly. They could do anything -- but they never gave me a brief. Where did I get my brief? I got my brief from the audience."

The band kicks off the first gig of their three-night stint at London's IndigO2 arena on December 14th.

The Who recently announced that they will return to Australia in March, marking the first time the band has played the continent in 40 years.


BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN RELEASING SECOND ALBUM TRACK TODAY THROUGH AMAZON.COM …Bruce Springsteen has made a second song from his upcoming Working On A Dream album available as a digital download, according to backstreets.com. Beginning today (December 1st), the new E Street Band track "Lucky Day," will be available as an exclusive download at amazon.com. Springsteen has already made the album's title track available as a paid download in the iTunes store exclusively through December 9th.

'ELEANOR RIGBY' DOCUMENT SELLS FOR $177,000 …A document from 1911 signed by a Liverpool woman named Eleanor Rigby sold for $177,000 at an auction benefiting the Sunbeams Music Trust charity, according to Billboard. The salary register from Liverpool City Hospital bearing Rigby's signature sold for far short of expectations, with the original estimate reaching as high as $769,000. The document shows that Rigby was a scullery maid whose annual earnings were $21.50.

Anne Mawson, who is the chief executive of the Sunbeams Music Trust charity, claimed that she received the pay slip from Paul McCartney himself in 1990 after asking him to donate to the charity. McCartney flatly denied ever possessing or donating the piece to Mawson, issuing a statement saying: "'Eleanor Rigby' is a totally fictitious character that I made up. If someone wants to spend money buying a document to prove a fictitious character exists, that's fine with me."



That’s it for now, as always, if you can’t be good, be good at it and don’t get caught!!!

Jonathan