Brad Sucks

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Bradphoto200701
What was William Gibson listening to while writing Spook Country? Among others, a group called Brad Sucks. I never heard of ’em but if Mr. Gibson likes their music, I figured I’d take a listen. And liked what I heard. Brad Sucks invites you download their music for free but I clicked the iTunes link and bought the CD for ten bucks (after sampling each of the songs on the CD).

"In 2001, I started using the Internet (blogs, MP3s, P2P) to spread my music and not worrying so much about copyright violation. I’ve even been giving the source of my songs away for remixers to play with. I figured that spreading my music should be the number one goal and so far it’s worked out pretty well."

Does Brad Sucks get radio airplay? Comment if you know.

AP news on Google

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“After a couple years of spirited negotiations, Google has signed agreements with the Associated Press and AFP that will reduce the amount of traffic Google News refers to news sites. First, Google News will start hosting full versions of AP stories instead of linking off to them. And second, Google will begin to filter out duplicates of the same AP story. So you won’t see multiple versions of an AP story from various newspapers, listed with the most recent at the top. Google said the end result is less duplication and a better variety of stories.” — Lost Remote

Do radio stations still subscribe to the AP? It’s been years since I was in radio stations, talking with managers about news and where/how they get it. But even back then, a lot of stations really only relied on AP for state news and high school football scores. Our company offers a “poor man’s wire service” that still has an amazing number of subscribers. [Yo, David. Can you give us an update on this?]

Perhaps the bigger question is… how much do listeners rely on their local radio station for news. I would think a lot. But what’s the order of importance? Local…state…national…world? What can/do I get from my local radio station (on air or online)… and what do I get from a Google search (perhaps on my mobile phone)?

These are interesting times.

Rhubarb at Dunklin County Courthouse

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“Helluva rhubarb up at the courthouse last Friday. One of the prisoners tried to take his attorney hostage, stabbed her two or three times — not real serious — then took off running down the hall.  One of the deputies and the investigator for the Prosecutor’s office tackled him and subdued him. In the process the investigator was stabbed in the face. Everybody says the prisoner was lucky that Raymond Scott was not (still) the sheriff, because Raymond would have killed him right on the spot.”

“Cops! Run for it! Uh, sorry.”

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Two men, driving the same pickup truck, have been cited for driving drunk in central Wisconsin. Police stopped their truck in Abbotsford recently and found 43-year-old Harvey Miller was steering the truck. Miller has no legs. Officers say 55-year-old Edwin Marzinske was operating the gas pedals and brake.

The police report says Miller admitted he was too drunk to drive, but argued he wasn’t actually operating the truck because he couldn’t push the gas pedal. Officers disgreed and cited him for drunken driving, third offense.

Marzinske was cited for his second drunken driving offense. Both men were also cited for operating a vehicle after revocation.

— WCCN

Statins slow onset of Alzheimer’s

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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

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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

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“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

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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!