Statins slow onset of Alzheimer’s

From a story at The Guardian: "The cholesterol-lowering drugs statins may also slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, according to US researchers who examined the brains of 110 elderly people after they died. They found the brains of patients who had not taken the drugs were more likely to show signs of the disease."

My pop died of Alzheimer’s, as did Barb’s. Not pretty. This study is comforting to those of us who have been taking statins for years.

Blogging the History of Learfield

Clyde Lear is blogging the history of our company, which he founded 35 years ago. This is a great use of the blog format and the idea was his alone. I’m helping get some of the audio added to his posts but this is his baby. And –as Clyde observed– if he doesn’t do it, it won’t get done.

His latest post includes a 10 minute air check –from one of our first radio station affiliates– of one of our first programs on Day One. Good stuff. Let’s give him lots of encouragement.

Blinks ad adlets

“Miniature radio ads, spanning just a few seconds in length, are a hit in Hollywood, says market leader Clear Channel Communications Inc., which launched the spots known as blinks and adlets last year.

Homer Simpson’s unmistakable “D’oh!” or “Woohoo!” followed by the familiar tagline “Tonight on Fox!” for example, has been a popular two-second ad — known as a blink — for Fox Broadcasting.

Unlike longer ads, which run during minutes-long commercial breaks, the blinks and adlets are slipped in between songs.

Clear Channel declined to disclose pricing, but one ad executive said five-second adlets typically fetch as much as 20% of 60-second ads, which cost about $800 in major markets, and two-second blinks cost 10%.”  

— From latimes.com

Order of the Fez

For those who missed it, I wore my new leopard skin fez all day on Monday. It created a bit of interest (fez buzz). The most common question? “Where can I get a fez?”

My answer? “That’s what separates the fezz-less from… those with fezzorocity. If you’re not resourceful enough to acquire your own fez, you don’t deserve to wear one.”

BobDear readers, I give you Bob Hague, Supreme Potentate of the Badger LaFolette Chapter of the Order of the Fez (Fez #2).

Bob and I will be drafting by-laws and deciding on The Secret Grip in coming days, and if you’d like to join us (throw your fez in the ring, as it were), just email a photo of yourself wearing a fez. (Word of caution: No fez sharing. You must own your own fez to a member in good standing)

Don’t delay. The highly prized LFN’s (Low Fez Numbers) will go quickly.

If there’s an amusing story behind your fez (“I mugged a Shriner and have the video”), please feel free to share it.

On behalf of Supreme Potentate Bob, I challenge you to get your fez on!

Sheryl Crow and The Usual Suspects

On her way back from Destin last weekend, Barb stopped off in Memphis to hook up with some Kennett pals and catch The Usual Suspects at B. B. King’s on historic  Beale Street.  [Photos] The Usual Suspects is a pick-up band made up of some good old Kennett boys: Wendell Crow (Sheryl’s daddy), Jim Baker, Gary Wilcoxson, Darryl Wilcoxson, Doug Carter and Ken Williams. Barb shot a little video on her Casio (she didn’t have a real good angle).

Banner Blindness

Jakob Nielsen shares results of new eyetracking studies which confirm –“for the umpteenth time”– that banner blindness is real:

“Users almost never look at anything that looks like an advertisement, whether or not it’s actually an ad. On hundreds of pages, users didn’t fixate on ads. Scanning is more common than reading, but users will sometimes dig into an article if they really care about it.”

Kay reviews debate with Ron Livingston (and some other guys)

ABC NewsKay Henderson was back in the digital Green Room following ABC News’ debate this morning in Des Moines. The “other guys” in the headline were: Actor Ron Livingston; the LA Times’ Mark Barabak; ABC News Political Director David Chalian and ABC News senior political reporter and author of “The Note” Rick Klein.”

Livingston is an Iowa native who gained international stardom with his leading role in the movie “Office Space.”  He was also one of Carrie’s boyfriends in “Sex & the City” plus he did a fine job in “Band of Brothers.”

At no time during the 9 minute video was Kay and Ron in the same frame.

My kind of scavenger hunt

I’m not a state fair kind of guy. I’m just not. But that just shows you how little imagination and creativity I possess. And why I missed the Hoosier Hunt at this year’s Missouri State Fair.

The Hoosier Hunt is what happens when black humor meets the digital age. You fire up your camera phone and bring back the following images:

  • Mullet
  • Marlboro T-Shirt
  • Woman 2x as big as her man
  • Matching shirts
  • Camel Toe or Melvin
  • Best girl’s ass (not your wife)
  • Best boy’s ass (not your husband)
  • Most tattoos
  • Most in need of having roots done
  • Picture in stranger’s hat
  • In same shot with girl with “D” cups
  • Picture with someone famous
  • In shot with Jeff Gordon fan
  • Woman in bikini top
  • Man/woman in overalls
  • Someone eating a turkey leg
  • Person wearing air-brushed T-Shirt
  • Woman with 80’s hair
  • Woman without a bra
  • Big belt buckle
  • Someone barefoot
  • Wearing two articles of John Deere clothing
  • Ugliest person with Big & Rich T-Shirt
  • Ugliest person with Cowboy Troy T-Shirt
  • Fat woman/man in belly shirt
  • Most facial hair

If you don’t find this amusing, you’re probably in one of the photos above. And, god willing, I will be able to share the winning images with you. I’m told there were three teams competing in this Hoosier Hunt and they’re compiling the winning photos and will share them here.