Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Top 25 Radio Hosts


OK, I'm admittedly a conservative, sometimes called a Republican. Don't call me a Rightist and I won't call you a Leftist. Where do you get your news?
Left Right Left.

Here's the kicker. Liberal radio stations don't want to be called "Liberal", they call themselves "Progressive"?

NewsMax Top 25 Radio Hosts and I've listened to most of these at sometime and I doubt I've listened to more than 15 minutes of any one of these, they usually get to ranting about something after 10 minutes.

1. Rush Limbaugh is more than America’s most widely listened-to talk-radio host (“the most listened-to radio host on the planet,” he likes to say).
Take almost anything he says with a shot of JD, about 15% of anything he says is worth listening to and if he gets on a rant, which will usually happen about 2 minutes into a topic, change the station.

2. Bill O’Reilly has established himself as one of the nation’s top media personalities. Every week he finds occasions to agree with something a prominent Democratic politician has said, although O’Reilly has also remarked that “the Democratic Party has been hijacked by the far left.”
By that standard he will say something "Nice" about something from a Democrat about one in 5 times, again about 20%, but for the most part I consider about 40% of anything he says as worth listening to, until the ego trip.

3. Don Imus is the most curmudgeonly of America’s major talk hosts. Although "slightly" liberal, Imus’s sharp tongue slashes Republican and Democratic politicians alike.
He likes to rant a lot, which means I will change the station after about 5 minutes. Maybe 10% of anything he talks about is worth listening to.

4. Michael Savage is individualistic, iconoclastic, and eclectic; a passionate populist who sometimes sounds like a shock jock.
He yells a lot and may even start off in a rant about something which I don't care about! I usually can't listen to him for more than 5 minutes. Again about 10% of anything he talks about is worth listening to.

5. Sean Hannity is a talk host with a pugilistic demeanor who polarizes issues into contests between good guys in white hats and bad guys in black.
I can usually listen to him longer than others, I may have listened to him for more than 15 minutes at any one time, but not often. About 30% of anything he talks about is worth listening to.

6. Laura Ingraham, whose insider knowledge of government, droll humor, and feisty, fervent conservatism keeps her at the top of Conservative Talk Radio.
I can listen to her for about 15 minutes, or until she goes on a rant about her views on abortion. I can sometimes stand her for more than 15 minutes, but only about 20% of anything she talks about is worth listening to.

7. Glenn Beck’s relentless good humor can make important topics seem less urgent.
He can get into a "holier than thou" attitude, then it's change the station. I even have one of his books, about a Christmas Sweater. Again, usually 15 minutes is about all I can take, but about 25% of anything he talks about is worth listening to for me, until the God rant starts - and sometimes he starts with it.

8. Dr. Laura Schlesinger is seen as a cultural and political talk host because she — sin of sins — judgmentally asserts that some politically correct behaviors are wrong.
I think I've listened to her for more than 20 minutes and think about 30% of her topics are worth listening to.

9. Neal Boortz, “the talk master,” is America’s most popular Libertarian talk-show host.
I can take maybe about 2 minutes and less than 10% of what he talks about is worth listening to.

10. Al Franken, the brightest star of Air America Radio, is the left’s latest attempt to create its own Limbaugh.
They admit it's a Leftist radio station and host, not just liberal, which means right away it's over the top and extremely bent. Let's see, Minnesota had Jesse Ventura (R) as a governor and decided to tip the scales back to center with Al Franken (D) as a Representative in Congress. They overtipped. As soon as I hear his voice, I know about 2% of his topics would be worth listening to, for maybe 30 seconds.

11. Mike Gallagher a talk host in the Hannity style who sees right vs. left as right vs. wrong,
and as far as extreme views go, he's half right. I can actually stand him for about 20 minutes and think about 30% of his topics are worth listening to.

12. Erich “Mancow” Muller is known for his wild behavior. His show features a large cast of characters, adolescent pranks.
Not a serious show, so unless you really want to screw up your head, don't bother unless you're an airhead.

13. Howard Stern, the self-proclaimed “king of all media,” is a talk-radio superstar whose audience once rivaled Limbaugh’s.
A real shock jock with nothing worth listening to, again don't bother unless you're an airhead
OK, here's the deal, when is the last time you actually ate at a restaurant with a "B" rating? And Howard is a "C", at best.

14. Bill Bennett’s radio show, Morning in America, was launched in April 2004. On the air he often exhibits the patience and certitude of a priest.
5 minutes, tops, then that's it and about 10% worth listening to, if you can get past 5 minutes.

15. Opie & Anthony epitomize radio’s new “cringe” shock jocks.
Airheads only, couldn't get past 30 seconds.

16. Ed Schultz a converted “moderate” Republican is now a “progressive liberal.” Schultz describes himself as a “gun-totin’, red meat-eatin’ lefty” out to slay the “right-wing radio dragon.”
So, by his own definition, about 5% of his topics are worth listening to, for maybe 2 minutes, before he goes on a rant.

17. Michael Medved the self-described “cultural crusader on politics and culture” has always enjoyed debating politics.
Good for maybe 20 to 25 minutes max, about 25% of his topics are worth listening to.

18. Randi Rhodes is the main “hit man” at Air America Radio, the liberal network. She has been described as, “a chain-smoking bottle blonde. The Miami Herald says she's mostly, rude, crude, loud, brazen, gleefully scatological.”
Less credible than Al Franken or Keith Olbermann. 30 seconds max and nothing worth listening to.

19. Jim Bohannon describes himself as “a militant moderate”, soft-edged liberal.
Apparently he's retiring anyway.

20. G. Gordon Liddy has brought unique insights about government and the world, and convicted in the Watergate scandal.
I can actually listen to him and Oliver North for longer than most pundits.

21. Diane Rehm is one of the more moderate voices empowered by taxpayer-supported NPR.
But then again, NPR is 100% liberal, if not tipping too far to the left, so I don't listen to them.

22. Larry Elder is America’s pre-eminent libertarian-conservative African-American radio talk show host. He coined the term “Victicrat” to describe those who seek political power by claiming to represent victims of racism or poverty.
I can listen to him for 20 minutes or more and about 45% of his topics are worth listening to.

23. Michael Reagan’s radio show is a forum where Republican voices and conservative values come together.
The son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, he has a large legacy to live up to. He's also good for about 20 minutes.

24. Tammy Bruce is living with one foot at each end of the political spectrum, she has both conservative and liberal critics. She describes herself as “a pro-choice, gun-owning, pro-death penalty, openly gay, voted-for-President-Reagan progressive feminist Democrat”.
If she can stay on topic for 5 minutes, without the ego trip, I can listen to about 15% of her topics.

25. Tom Leykis, the poor man’s Howard Stern, used to focus on politics and boasted that his was the only radio show “not hosted by a right-wing wacko or a convicted felon".
Any reference to Howard would make me change the station, but I can actually take him for about 15 minutes on about 20% of his topics.

It's all about the business.

"Some of the progressive or liberal shows had just been sold to Al Jazeera. it's clear that the progressive community and its political leaders have simply not supported the format in the same way that the (conservative format) has. As someone who took substantial personal risk in syndication and station ownership, I can tell you that progressive talk has not panned out as a viable business. Air America's parade of management blunders produced the downward spiral that brought us to this tipping point for progressive talk radio, and most station owners, rightly or wrongly, see that failure as an indication that audiences won't support liberal talk radio."
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/14355-an-insiders-view-of-the-progressive-talk-radio-devolution


DON'T BE BLUE

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Hypocrisy of hip-hop

The Hypocrisy of hip-hop & rap "music".

Artists and producers of Hip-Hop and Rap "Music" claim the lyrics are only a statement of our current life and times. A picture of the environment of life in our modern culture. And I suppose that makes it right?


I could probably accept Hip-Hop and Rap, if it wasn't for it's roots.


The roots and lyrics were and even today are MISOGYNISTIC, homophobic, hateful, racist, vulgar, anti-authoritarian and an all-around bad influence on anyone's children. The list of grievances against hip hop is a long one, and are all present in the lyrical content of Hip-Hop and Rap "Music", and nowhere to be found in the lyrics of the Disney classic "The Song of the South", which was a statement of our life and times in the 40s and 50s.



Politicians, journalists, and critics refuse to condemn the content of Hip-Hop and Rap, yet will shout to the walls and condemn the content of "The Song of the South", even today.
Contrary to popular belief, the "The Song of the South" story takes place after the Civil War and after slavery, it was not during or even about slavery.

"The Song of the South", has a happy feeling and atmosphere, while there is no happiness in any part of most rap and hip-hop music in it's foundation, not then and hardly now.

I can understand the rationale of the critics of "The Song of the South", but those same critics encourage their children to listen to bad rap and Hip-hop, give them awards in televised events and bestow them with "Best of" honors. Which is a sad commentary on the state of the music industry to bestow accolades on something that is at best a sad story of disrespect for everyone and everything and not even good rhyming.

Don't buy the lyrical abusers' CDs, don't buy their gear, don't go to their concerts, don't watch their videos, don't memorize the lyrics to their songs, and don't dance to their tunes.
Wrong is wrong, no matter what color you are.

Check out:
Alfred 'Coach' Powell (Author), Donna Williams (Editor)

Also: Who's Afraid of the Song of the South? And Other Forbidden Disney Stories by Jim Korkis.

The genre may have changed, slightly, but the legacy lives on. It's a sad commentary on the music industry when a Grammy Winner, several times in his career, is looked down on when the fans, fellow artists and producers of Hip Hop & Rap music complain that his music is not "black" enough. Just ask Will Smith about it.


 DON'T BE BLUE 

Friday, May 29, 2015

Robben Ford: Voted one of the greatest guitar players ever!


Robben Ford was born December 16, 1951, in Woodlake, California and raised in Ukiah, California. He began playing the saxophone at age 10 and taught himself guitar at age 14. Robben and his brothers created the Charles Ford Blues Band in honor of their father and renamed it Robben Ford and the Blues Express or The Robben Ford Blues Band..
Robben Ford was a member of the L.A. Express and has collaborated with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Larry Carlton and KISS. He was named one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century" by Musician magazine.


DON'T BE BLUE

Saturday, May 23, 2015

The Dark Side of the Moon

The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd


The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure in 1968 of founder member, principal composer, and lyricist, Syd Barrett. The themes on The Dark Side of the Moon include conflict, greed, the passage of time, and mental illness, the latter partly inspired by Barrett's deteriorating mental state.


LUNA 3
The Dark side of the Moon may refer to the portion of the Moon's surface that we are unable to observe from Earth, which is more correctly referred to as the Far Side of the Moon.

In this idiomatic phrase, "dark side of the Moon" does not refer to darkness, as in the absence of light, but to the unknown, because humans did not see the far side of the Moon until the Soviet Union photographed it in 1959. Due to tidal locking, the Moon rotates on its axis in the same rotational direction as Earth in 29.5 Earth days which is the same number of Earth days that it takes the Moon to orbit the Earth. Thus, the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth.

Depending on context, dark side of the Moon may instead refer to the portion of the Moon's near side unlit by the Sun during the advancement of the lunar phases.

The first image returned by Luna 3 showed the far side of the Moon was very different from the near side, most noticeably in its lack of lunar maria (the dark areas).
They were mankind's first views of the far hemisphere of the Moon.

Far side of the moon from Luna 3

Thanks to NASA, we now know what the solar system looks like, centered on a view of the moon's far side. The computer-generated time-lapse gives two views of the lunar cycle from the side of the moon we never see from Earth.


Do you still think that's where all the UFOs and Aliens on Earth come from, they have a spaceport there? 
MAYBE??

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Death of the BOOK

From a link in Arts and Letters Daily.
 
 
 
"Pity the book. It’s dead again. Suddenly they seem clunky, heavy, and almost fleshy in their gross materiality. Their pages grow brittle. Their ink fades. Their spines collapse. They are so pitiful; they might as well be human."

Funny, or not, books are kind of the mirror to the soul. It used to be that when you walked into someone's home or office you would find a bookshelf full of books, or at least a book lying on a table. You could tell a lot about the books represented there. A glimpse into the psyche of one who lives or works there. The books were lined up along a shelf and could show what interested the occupant. You could tell how diverse their interests were and if they were "high-brow" or "low-brow", had a since of humor, or leaned toward the weird and off-beat. You could learn a lot about a person by the books they read.

Not so, anymore. More and more books are being downloaded to computers, readers like Kindle, and to the iPad or smart phones. Now a part of the soul of a person is being hidden from view. People don't need the bookshelf anymore; they don't even print the cover of the book to display their recent interest.

I have books that can be handed down from generation to generation. Books that may spark the interest in some far fringe of the curious who peruse the titles. They can even pick up the book and leaf through it. You can't do that with the downloaded books. They are most likely going to be erased from the memory of what ever they are stored on and lost not only to the owner, but their followers.

I can see the use of downloading a book or two, but at the current cost of the downloaded book compared to holding one in your hand, the cost is way too high. I can usually buy a book for less then $20. The cost to down load most top selling books, or even newly published books is about $9, when it should be less then $2. After all, they didn't have to go through the same publishing process of printing thousands of copies. All they had to do was store the data - once - and send the data to - anyone. Maybe when the cost becomes more realistic, I'll download more books, but for now I like the comfort of holding it in my hands and kind of letting people look into my soul when they see it on the table or in the bookshelf.
 
 
DON'T BE BLUE

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Our First Real Cruise


We went with our friends on a cruise to Mexico on Holland America, on the cruise ship “Oosterdam”, from San Diego; Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary along with the 30th wedding anniversary of our friends. We really enjoyed the trip, which exceeded our expectations. One of the first things to consider about this trip, is that parking is expensive, $15 a day, next to the cruise terminal, or $10 a day a little farther away. Embarkation was easier than anticipated, still had to have our luggage screened and go through the metal detectors, but it was easier than going through the airport. Anything that would normally be non-lethal or prohibited, was held for you until the end of the cruise. Outside of that, the cruise was fantastic.

We were not sure what our days would be like and if there was much of anything to do that would not become uninteresting after the first day. There was a lot to do, every day. You get a daily itinerary of activities to attend or sign up for and some hours had more than one activity at the same time. The activities started early, before 7am in some cases and ended late, after midnight, so there was a lot to choose from. There were all kinds of shows and acts every night and they have a small casino, with an electronic poker table for poker tournaments, I won the first three, and regular poker games. (Cruise Poker)

We went dancing every night and they had several dancing areas. They had spas and sports and fitness areas also, and a couple of pool areas. Many people took the time to take a walk around the ship or just sit out in deck chairs and watch the ocean go by or the sun go down or sit inside and read and/or listen to the string quartet or watch sports in the bars. It was as relaxing or strenuous as you wanted.

We were unsure of how the meals and drinking actually worked. Being a poker player, there is a quote, “The person who invented Poker was smart, the person who invented the Chip, was a genius”. The same principle applies to money on the cruise as you really don’t need to carry any. Everything is charged to a cruise card, which you get when you check-in. Everything you would need to use money for is taken care of with the card and you can easily lose track of how much you are spending for drinks, tips, shopping, etc. The meals are, for the most part, free. They have a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, if you don’t want to eat in the dining room for dinner. I liked the dress code for the dinning room, shirt with collar and slacks, except on the “formal” nights, where you could go the buffet if you didn't bring a coat and tie.

This Mexican Riviera Cruise was probably easier on the pocket book for excursions than some of the ones I had heard about for other cruises. Most of the excursions were short, up to 4 or 5 hours at the most and reasonably priced. You don’t really get much time to experience any real flavor of the port or city. Fortunately we also have a timeshare, which lets you stay in one location for a later vacation to any of the ports we stopped in. We usually prefer Mazatlan, but Puerto Vallarta had changed so much from the last time we were there that it will be a future vacation for us. Cabo also changed a lot also, but we like the water temperature better in Mazatlan, it’s like a warm bath, and Mazatlan has the record for the largest ocean fish caught. Cabo and Mazatlan have an annual contest for sports fishing. The limited time for being in port has a side benefit. It allows you to take more cruises to the same destinations and use different excursions.

Tipping, is not necessary, except for the bar items, drinks, etc. and they included $11 per day per person for all the tips for the cruise, which makes it painless. You can tip your cabin stewards extra if you want. Disembarkation was also painless. You were assigned a color and number for your luggage, which also coincided with the time you were likely to disembark. Everyone was off the ship by 10:30 am.

DON'T BE BLUE