Ah, tomorrow on the radio, Rogers 944, 93.1FM and www.ckcufm.com around the world I will have a crew of students, led by Jessica, from Thomas D'Arcy McGee High School on the Plateau in Hull who will be telling me and you all about their all ages anti poverty concert this Friday night.
Plus, by popular demand, my fave, Tic.
Wednesday morning, six.
WFDS
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
51...Wal Mart replies
And I still like them.
In post 42 I asked a question of Wal Mart and they replied.
The reason my high mileage oil change cost more was simple.
They buy the cheap oil in bulk; the high mileage stuff comes off the shelf.
Supply versus demand.
WFDS
In post 42 I asked a question of Wal Mart and they replied.
The reason my high mileage oil change cost more was simple.
They buy the cheap oil in bulk; the high mileage stuff comes off the shelf.
Supply versus demand.
WFDS
50...Big Show on CKCU Tuesday March 31, 2009
Rise and shine kiddies, tomorrow on 93.1 in Ottawa, I, The World Famous Dan Shields, will be talking with a true star, Jesse Dylan, the host of a radio program on both satellite and the 'net, mostly about his book, Life with Jesse Dylan: Redefining Health with the Greatest Visionaries of Our Time.
Both Mr. Dylan's book and the radio show are all about finding the secrets to living a better and longer life holistically.
I have no clue what that means either.
What I do know is, Jesse along with his partner Gene Valaitis, were monsters in Toronto for a decade or more on 680CFTR and Q107; he is a brilliant performer and that has me pysched and should have you tuning in.
WFDS
Both Mr. Dylan's book and the radio show are all about finding the secrets to living a better and longer life holistically.
I have no clue what that means either.
What I do know is, Jesse along with his partner Gene Valaitis, were monsters in Toronto for a decade or more on 680CFTR and Q107; he is a brilliant performer and that has me pysched and should have you tuning in.
WFDS
49...Hookers are messy
And it is a mess that ShamWow may not be able to clean up.
According to a number of sources [SmokingGun.com, myFOX Los Angeles, theHartfordCourant.com] Vince Offer Shlomi [what a beautiful middle name by the way] punched out a 'ho in South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida in February. He met his dream date at a club, paid her a cool thousand dollars to do the deed and claims that while having sex the woman bit his tongue and, "wouldn't let go".
Some would pay extra for that but, I digress.
The Hartford Courant article goes on to state that "Schlomi has yet to be charged in the incident. Meanwhile the company, which makes absorbent clothes [sic], has not dumped the spokesman."
WFDS
According to a number of sources [SmokingGun.com, myFOX Los Angeles, theHartfordCourant.com] Vince Offer Shlomi [what a beautiful middle name by the way] punched out a 'ho in South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida in February. He met his dream date at a club, paid her a cool thousand dollars to do the deed and claims that while having sex the woman bit his tongue and, "wouldn't let go".
Some would pay extra for that but, I digress.
The Hartford Courant article goes on to state that "Schlomi has yet to be charged in the incident. Meanwhile the company, which makes absorbent clothes [sic], has not dumped the spokesman."
WFDS
Saturday, March 28, 2009
48...This Kills Me
CJAD is the number one station in English Montreal for News, Information and Sports. I have been listening to AM800 since forever.
I saw a bit on CTV's W5 about gambling today and they had the three to five am host Saul from Last Call With Saul so I decided to check out their website, www.cjad.com and lo and behold not only do they have that show but they also are the English flagship station for the Montreal Canadiens and they have a comedy show every nite from eleven to midnite.
I clicked on the comedy banner and it looks pretty cool.
The coolest thing about the CJAD Comedy Show is its host, Ernie Butler.
By cool I mean so cool that Mr. Butler is cold.
Ice cold.
Coz Mr. Butler died about two years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Butler
This I gotta hear.
WFDS
I saw a bit on CTV's W5 about gambling today and they had the three to five am host Saul from Last Call With Saul so I decided to check out their website, www.cjad.com and lo and behold not only do they have that show but they also are the English flagship station for the Montreal Canadiens and they have a comedy show every nite from eleven to midnite.
I clicked on the comedy banner and it looks pretty cool.
The coolest thing about the CJAD Comedy Show is its host, Ernie Butler.
By cool I mean so cool that Mr. Butler is cold.
Ice cold.
Coz Mr. Butler died about two years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Butler
This I gotta hear.
WFDS
Friday, March 27, 2009
46...They cancelled my show
Just read in The Ottawa Citizen online that they have cancelled my show, well, not my show per se but the show that I was on regularly, CBC TV Ottawa's "Living In Ottawa." Man, I thought that was a twenty year show.
I was on air like once a week for two years; zero times a week in year three.
We weren't cancelled after year one or year two. Year three, cancelled.
Things that make me go hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
WFDS
I was on air like once a week for two years; zero times a week in year three.
We weren't cancelled after year one or year two. Year three, cancelled.
Things that make me go hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
WFDS
45...Our Beloved Leader
According to the latest poll, our beloved Prime Minister, one S. Harper, ain't so beloved.
In fact the The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll shows the PM with a 44 per cent positive rating and a 45 per cent negative one.
The next PM, Iggy, was 45 per cent positive and only 26 per cent negative.
Jeff Walker, who conducted the poll, says the findings suggest there's room for the Liberal leader to increase his support, while Harper remains a polarizing figure, which, presumably, limits his opportunities for growth.
WFDS
In fact the The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll shows the PM with a 44 per cent positive rating and a 45 per cent negative one.
The next PM, Iggy, was 45 per cent positive and only 26 per cent negative.
Jeff Walker, who conducted the poll, says the findings suggest there's room for the Liberal leader to increase his support, while Harper remains a polarizing figure, which, presumably, limits his opportunities for growth.
WFDS
44...Syracuse/Blake Griffin
Only appropriate that post 44 would be about the Orange.
Tonight's Sweet 16 match up is the Syracuse Orange versus player of the year Blake Griffin and the Oklahoma State Sooners.
Game is at 7 25 pm and the line is a mere point for the Sooners.
Who do you think Donte Green is cheering for?
WFDS
Tonight's Sweet 16 match up is the Syracuse Orange versus player of the year Blake Griffin and the Oklahoma State Sooners.
Game is at 7 25 pm and the line is a mere point for the Sooners.
Who do you think Donte Green is cheering for?
WFDS
Thursday, March 26, 2009
43...The CBC is Nuts
Headline on page 1 of today's Toronto Star:
Reruns on tap as CBC cuts
Let me summarize the story:
"We, the CBC, are losing money coz we have no listeners/viewers sooooo, because we are geniuses, we are going to cut programming and stop being relevant and show more re runs and less local stuff and somehow that will make it all better."
Vision. You have no vision.
In a word: dumb. D U M. Dumb.
WFDS
Reruns on tap as CBC cuts
Let me summarize the story:
"We, the CBC, are losing money coz we have no listeners/viewers sooooo, because we are geniuses, we are going to cut programming and stop being relevant and show more re runs and less local stuff and somehow that will make it all better."
Vision. You have no vision.
In a word: dumb. D U M. Dumb.
WFDS
42...I like Wal Mart
Not a hater, not me, I think Wal Mart gives good value and decent service and jobs to a lot of folks who may just very well be fufilling their potential.
But, sometimes, you gotta wonder.
I got an oil change there yesterday.
Here is a letter I wrote to the Wal Mart comment department about that experience:
I am a big fan of Walmart BUT I have an important question. To wit:The price difference between regular oil,oil changes and high mileage oilchanges are fifteen dollars plus tax=seventeen dollars approx.Why is this?The service is the same, I watched the man grab the 4litres of oil off the shelf, both the high mileage Pennzoil and the regular Pennzoil are beside each other so it begs the question, why am i being charged fifty percent more for a product that is only twentyfive percent more expensive?I have a radio show and my listeners said it is because you can get away with it; it is a price gouge: please tell me if that is the real reason.
Dan Shields,
Ottawa, Ontario.
But, sometimes, you gotta wonder.
I got an oil change there yesterday.
Here is a letter I wrote to the Wal Mart comment department about that experience:
I am a big fan of Walmart BUT I have an important question. To wit:The price difference between regular oil,oil changes and high mileage oilchanges are fifteen dollars plus tax=seventeen dollars approx.Why is this?The service is the same, I watched the man grab the 4litres of oil off the shelf, both the high mileage Pennzoil and the regular Pennzoil are beside each other so it begs the question, why am i being charged fifty percent more for a product that is only twentyfive percent more expensive?I have a radio show and my listeners said it is because you can get away with it; it is a price gouge: please tell me if that is the real reason.
Dan Shields,
Ottawa, Ontario.
I will let you know how it goes.
WFDS
41...Ottawa Citizen; Pulling a P-I?
P-I is the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the paper of record in Seattle, Washington; less than a fortnight ago they got out of the hard copy paper business and became a virtual paper, online only.
Flash to my town, Ottawa, where I have seen trucks picking up those yellow Ottawa Citizen boxes, ceding the streets to the Ottawa Sun.
Could it be?
WFDS
Flash to my town, Ottawa, where I have seen trucks picking up those yellow Ottawa Citizen boxes, ceding the streets to the Ottawa Sun.
Could it be?
WFDS
40...Wrong again
Yesterday I wrote that John Calipari would be a bridesmaid for the second year in a row in the Final Four.
With 17 minutes to play in their Sweet 16 game the Memphis Tigers are losing by 17 so, at the risk of being wrong yet again, I would say that Coach C is done like dinner.
Somewhere Elvis is crying.
WFDS
With 17 minutes to play in their Sweet 16 game the Memphis Tigers are losing by 17 so, at the risk of being wrong yet again, I would say that Coach C is done like dinner.
Somewhere Elvis is crying.
WFDS
39...Something A+
Or A channel.
Smart, very smart, the Ottawa station has extended their morning show til 10 am.
Local kills.
WFDS
Smart, very smart, the Ottawa station has extended their morning show til 10 am.
Local kills.
WFDS
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
38...Sweet Sixteen
WhodyalikefortheBigDanceintheMotor[lessitseems]City?
IbleedOrangebut
meonrecordaslikingDukeZagsMemphisandPitiniowithTigesandDogsonMondayNightandCalipari
wearingthebridesmaidsdressagain.
Whatthinksyou?
WFDS
IbleedOrangebut
meonrecordaslikingDukeZagsMemphisandPitiniowithTigesandDogsonMondayNightandCalipari
wearingthebridesmaidsdressagain.
Whatthinksyou?
WFDS
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
37...George Galloway 93.1 Wed morning, 6ish
George Galloway is the Brit MP [and bit of a loon I might add; on Celebrity Big Brother he pretended to be a cat] who has been barred from Canada coz he is a danger to our social fabric.
John Ivison had an insightful piece on page A3 of today's National Post where he at once eviscerates and supports the erstwhile Labour MP who now is the Respect Party at Whitehall.
I will be talking to Joel Harden of the Ottawa Peace Assembly about this issue and how, in a Niemolleresque way, the proscription on MP Galloway is a slippery slope and one that I, as a proponent of free speech, find abhorrent.
And, jeez, even the frigging Americans let him into their country. Aren't we supposedly better than them? For one, my CKCU pal Tic tells me that all the time.
Mr. Galloway is no angel when it comes to defending the rights of others though; to quote from Mr. Ivison's article, "Mr. Galloway was quick to call on the British government to ban far-right French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen from visiting the U.K., on the grounds that he objected to his views."
Mr. Galloway was wrong in that case and our guv is equally wrong in keeping him out of the Great White North.
One last thing, and I cut and pasted this directly from Joel Harden's email to me, if you want to get more educated and perhaps more involved in this cause celebre, check the following out:
"Please follow this link to find the latest developments in our "Defend Free Speech Campaign" to oppose the current travel ban on British MP George Galloway. Canadian groups planning to host Mr. Galloway are holding a media conference tomorrow at 10:30am in the Charles Lynch Room on Parliament Hill. We will brief you on the latest details in our campaign for the days ahead."
Plus, later in the hour, the ever interesting Tic, tomorrow morning, six to seven a.m. on 93.1
CKCU.
WFDS
John Ivison had an insightful piece on page A3 of today's National Post where he at once eviscerates and supports the erstwhile Labour MP who now is the Respect Party at Whitehall.
I will be talking to Joel Harden of the Ottawa Peace Assembly about this issue and how, in a Niemolleresque way, the proscription on MP Galloway is a slippery slope and one that I, as a proponent of free speech, find abhorrent.
And, jeez, even the frigging Americans let him into their country. Aren't we supposedly better than them? For one, my CKCU pal Tic tells me that all the time.
Mr. Galloway is no angel when it comes to defending the rights of others though; to quote from Mr. Ivison's article, "Mr. Galloway was quick to call on the British government to ban far-right French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen from visiting the U.K., on the grounds that he objected to his views."
Mr. Galloway was wrong in that case and our guv is equally wrong in keeping him out of the Great White North.
One last thing, and I cut and pasted this directly from Joel Harden's email to me, if you want to get more educated and perhaps more involved in this cause celebre, check the following out:
"Please follow this link to find the latest developments in our "Defend Free Speech Campaign" to oppose the current travel ban on British MP George Galloway. Canadian groups planning to host Mr. Galloway are holding a media conference tomorrow at 10:30am in the Charles Lynch Room on Parliament Hill. We will brief you on the latest details in our campaign for the days ahead."
Plus, later in the hour, the ever interesting Tic, tomorrow morning, six to seven a.m. on 93.1
CKCU.
WFDS
36...FOX followup
I read in today's Ottawa Sun that one of the comedians/satirists/idiots who took the piss out of the Canadian army on FOX News' Red Eye, Doug Benson, has been banned from appearing at Edmonton's Comedy Strip.
Excuse me if I am wrong but isn't one of the components of our brave soldiers efforts in
Afghanistan fighting for people's freedom of thought, assembly and speech and, one would think, by extension, our soldiers would fight for the same rights here? Doesn't that freedom include the freedom to not subscribe to group think?
WFDS
Excuse me if I am wrong but isn't one of the components of our brave soldiers efforts in
Afghanistan fighting for people's freedom of thought, assembly and speech and, one would think, by extension, our soldiers would fight for the same rights here? Doesn't that freedom include the freedom to not subscribe to group think?
WFDS
Monday, March 23, 2009
35...How was the Prom?
What do you mean? You didn't go; omg!
Well, now you have a chance to do it all over again.
It is PROMdemonium 2009, this Saturday, at St. Brigid's Church [new moniker: St. Brigid's Centre for Arts and the Humanities] on the Market in O-Town. For more info go to www.promdemonium.ca and/or check out me chatting with Yolande Saito [who, btw, is fine] [reason I mention that she is fine is coz they are going to have a kissing booth at PROMdemonium 2009 and, well...you fill in the blanks] on 93.1 CKCU from six to seven Tuesday morning.
It sounds like a lot of fun and for those of you who missed the prom, grad, whatever, you gotta go.
And for those of you who didn't miss the prom, grad, whatever, you gotta go.
WFDS
Well, now you have a chance to do it all over again.
It is PROMdemonium 2009, this Saturday, at St. Brigid's Church [new moniker: St. Brigid's Centre for Arts and the Humanities] on the Market in O-Town. For more info go to www.promdemonium.ca and/or check out me chatting with Yolande Saito [who, btw, is fine] [reason I mention that she is fine is coz they are going to have a kissing booth at PROMdemonium 2009 and, well...you fill in the blanks] on 93.1 CKCU from six to seven Tuesday morning.
It sounds like a lot of fun and for those of you who missed the prom, grad, whatever, you gotta go.
And for those of you who didn't miss the prom, grad, whatever, you gotta go.
WFDS
34...Fox News Strikes Again
In case you haven't seen it, here is the bit that is on the front page of the Ottawa Citizen online today, is the lead story on CTV Newsnet, has Peter McKay's panties in a knot etcetera:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuna2w2pgnM
If the link doesn't open, just go to You Tube and search this:
Unspeakably Stupid and Annoying Buffoons on Faux News Disrespect Canada, Soldiers.
For starters, it took the Citizen et. al. two plus days to react to this story.
Secondly, the show is on FOX News at 3 in the morning, which is not exactly prime time.
Three, the presenters are such obvious buffoons that the real embarrassment is that our government and our people are wasting time on this non story.
You do have to admit that the idea of a first world country taking a one year break in the middle of a war is kind of, uh, unusual?
Bottom line: It's just a fucking joke.
WFDS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuna2w2pgnM
If the link doesn't open, just go to You Tube and search this:
Unspeakably Stupid and Annoying Buffoons on Faux News Disrespect Canada, Soldiers.
For starters, it took the Citizen et. al. two plus days to react to this story.
Secondly, the show is on FOX News at 3 in the morning, which is not exactly prime time.
Three, the presenters are such obvious buffoons that the real embarrassment is that our government and our people are wasting time on this non story.
You do have to admit that the idea of a first world country taking a one year break in the middle of a war is kind of, uh, unusual?
Bottom line: It's just a fucking joke.
WFDS
Sunday, March 22, 2009
33...No speaka...Tom comments...
And I reply.
I guess I should be upfront with my views on immigration which are, simply, let everyone in. Everyone. English, French, Sudanese, Arabic, you name it, bring 'em in. And when they are here, let 'em speak whatever language they want, worship how ever they desire, eat what they want, wear what they want.
Then, to the issue MP Olivia Chow spoke to, offer support to immigrants in terms of things like child care when offering language services.
Additionally, as born and bred Canuckistanian I would like it if the guv allowed us to be edumacted in the other language gratis but, frankly, that may be a bit of a pipe dream.
WFDS
I guess I should be upfront with my views on immigration which are, simply, let everyone in. Everyone. English, French, Sudanese, Arabic, you name it, bring 'em in. And when they are here, let 'em speak whatever language they want, worship how ever they desire, eat what they want, wear what they want.
Then, to the issue MP Olivia Chow spoke to, offer support to immigrants in terms of things like child care when offering language services.
Additionally, as born and bred Canuckistanian I would like it if the guv allowed us to be edumacted in the other language gratis but, frankly, that may be a bit of a pipe dream.
WFDS
Saturday, March 21, 2009
32...No speaka da English, no comma to Canada
Or French.
Iffen you do get in, don't expect to become a citizen unless you can follow Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy [on the CBC]. Option two of course is Le Cercle and Le Banquier for the Franco in you.
In case you haven't heard or read, Mr. Kenney, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, said yesterday that he is of the mind that if you cannot speak English or French, well, there should be a rule about that and if you don't learn one or t'other you should fuggetabout becoming a citizen of the Dominion of Canada.
Dude, seriously, wtf?
Although it pains me to say this, the best view on the subject was from Jack's little lady, Olivia Chow, as reported in today's National Post. Ms. Chow, who came to Canada from China when she was 13, and thus has both empirical and anecdotal knowledge on the issue of, pointed out that, although the gov offers free language training it forgets that "...we no longer provide language classes with child care and transportation and a bit of income support. Women are often stuck in the house. Someone has to take care of the kids." Ms. Chow said. Any comprehensive language-training program must provide other types of support such as income, child care or transportation to be effective..."
WFDS
Iffen you do get in, don't expect to become a citizen unless you can follow Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy [on the CBC]. Option two of course is Le Cercle and Le Banquier for the Franco in you.
In case you haven't heard or read, Mr. Kenney, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, said yesterday that he is of the mind that if you cannot speak English or French, well, there should be a rule about that and if you don't learn one or t'other you should fuggetabout becoming a citizen of the Dominion of Canada.
Dude, seriously, wtf?
Although it pains me to say this, the best view on the subject was from Jack's little lady, Olivia Chow, as reported in today's National Post. Ms. Chow, who came to Canada from China when she was 13, and thus has both empirical and anecdotal knowledge on the issue of, pointed out that, although the gov offers free language training it forgets that "...we no longer provide language classes with child care and transportation and a bit of income support. Women are often stuck in the house. Someone has to take care of the kids." Ms. Chow said. Any comprehensive language-training program must provide other types of support such as income, child care or transportation to be effective..."
WFDS
31...I don't miss Billy Packer
There, I said it.
For the first time in my life I have went through an entire NCAA basketball season without hearing the whining guard from Wake Forest promote the Atlantic Coast Conference and his underachieving alma mater who, by the way, lost last night to the power of the Cleveland State Something Or Others, making Wake, a 4, the highest seed to go out in the tourney's first round.
Although I am not a fan of Mr. Packer it would have been sweet to hear him whine his way through Wake's getting taken to school.
I betcha he was yelling at the TV all game long.
Good on him.
WFDS
For the first time in my life I have went through an entire NCAA basketball season without hearing the whining guard from Wake Forest promote the Atlantic Coast Conference and his underachieving alma mater who, by the way, lost last night to the power of the Cleveland State Something Or Others, making Wake, a 4, the highest seed to go out in the tourney's first round.
Although I am not a fan of Mr. Packer it would have been sweet to hear him whine his way through Wake's getting taken to school.
I betcha he was yelling at the TV all game long.
Good on him.
WFDS
Thursday, March 19, 2009
30...tips on how to get me on the wireless
Penlan wrote to me: "I have tried to listen to you but always get the page is unavailable when I try to listen "live". What's up with that?"
This note is specifically to her [Penlan is sooooooo a girl's name] but you can use this information because I know you want, you need, you crave to hear me on the radio; I am at once modest and brilliant.
CKCU station manager Matt Crosier sent me these instructions:
hello,thanks for the note. she probably has the old address in her player, if she goes to ckcufm.com and clicks on listen live, she will be ok, it is working in MP3 and Real Audio
If you still have problems, please contact the very approachable Matt Crosier at ckcumanager@gmail.com.
I would very muchly like you to join me on 93.1 Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 6 to 7, and, after you do, please let me know what you think.
Really.
I can take it.
WFDS
This note is specifically to her [Penlan is sooooooo a girl's name] but you can use this information because I know you want, you need, you crave to hear me on the radio; I am at once modest and brilliant.
CKCU station manager Matt Crosier sent me these instructions:
hello,thanks for the note. she probably has the old address in her player, if she goes to ckcufm.com and clicks on listen live, she will be ok, it is working in MP3 and Real Audio
If you still have problems, please contact the very approachable Matt Crosier at ckcumanager@gmail.com.
I would very muchly like you to join me on 93.1 Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 6 to 7, and, after you do, please let me know what you think.
Really.
I can take it.
WFDS
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
29...Wednesday on the wireless
93.1 CKCU.
In theory, me and CKCU personality Rachel Hauraney, who is promoting a fundraiser for the station this Sunday at the Elmdale House on Wellington Street in Hintonburg, right next to my fave restaurant, KFC.
Also Tic who is about my favourite person on the planet and the most fun to talk to.
Do join me tomorrow morning, six a.m., 93.1 CKCU.
WFDS
In theory, me and CKCU personality Rachel Hauraney, who is promoting a fundraiser for the station this Sunday at the Elmdale House on Wellington Street in Hintonburg, right next to my fave restaurant, KFC.
Also Tic who is about my favourite person on the planet and the most fun to talk to.
Do join me tomorrow morning, six a.m., 93.1 CKCU.
WFDS
28...St. Paddy's Day tragedy
For true and for shame.
Where in God's green earth have the Shamrock Shakes gone?
I don't know about your market but at the [many] McDonald's that I frequent in my metro [Ottawa-Gatineau] they are not available.
According to http://shamrockshake.com/ they are available in Toronto and frigging Winnipeg but not in my burgh.
This sucks. Ottawa is one of the more Irish cities in North America for crying out loud.
To wit: We have a mayor, Larry O'Brien who is both Green and Orange!!!
Beat that Boston.
WFDS
Where in God's green earth have the Shamrock Shakes gone?
I don't know about your market but at the [many] McDonald's that I frequent in my metro [Ottawa-Gatineau] they are not available.
According to http://shamrockshake.com/ they are available in Toronto and frigging Winnipeg but not in my burgh.
This sucks. Ottawa is one of the more Irish cities in North America for crying out loud.
To wit: We have a mayor, Larry O'Brien who is both Green and Orange!!!
Beat that Boston.
WFDS
Monday, March 16, 2009
27...St. Paddy's Day, tomorrow
Yes, tomorrow is the day, St. Patrick's Day, the Alcoholic Super Bowl and in celebration of that fine fine fine event I am going to have the most Irish Canadian person I know, me, on 93.1 CKCU in the morning from 6 to 7 am.
But wait, there be more. I will also have hangover cures for you all. They are rather lame when one considers the only true hangover cure is to never sober up. Worked for my dad and a series of uncles and aunts and it will work for you! Not the best lifeplan, staying drunk that is, but, on the plus side, you never have to worry about the shakes. For those who are not reprobates you don't want to miss the bunch of lame hangover cures [by lame I mean fascinating medical breakthroughs in the realm of alcohol abuse blah blah and blah] that I have used on air every St. Patrick's Day, Canada Day and New Year's Eve program since the mid seventies.
To ensure that you have a proper hangover to cure I will be chatting with Nat Myles, the proprietor of the coolest bar in town, the ever so hip and retro Elmdale House on Wellington Street in Hintonburg [next to the KFC; across from the GT] about their huge St. Paddy's Day party that will be certain, if you put your heart in it that is, to make your 17th a helluva a day. The music starts at 3 [pm] at the 'dale and goes until, well, late. Very late.
Ironically the name of the band is: Paddy's Hangover. Doesn't that just beat all?
Plus I will play my absolute favourite Irish tune of all time and also that Corrigan Brothers dirge about Obama being O'Irish.
Be sure to listen, and be sure to join me later in the day at the Elmdale House. I will wear my green sombrero with the shamrocks on it to make me easy to pick out of the crowd.
WFDS
But wait, there be more. I will also have hangover cures for you all. They are rather lame when one considers the only true hangover cure is to never sober up. Worked for my dad and a series of uncles and aunts and it will work for you! Not the best lifeplan, staying drunk that is, but, on the plus side, you never have to worry about the shakes. For those who are not reprobates you don't want to miss the bunch of lame hangover cures [by lame I mean fascinating medical breakthroughs in the realm of alcohol abuse blah blah and blah] that I have used on air every St. Patrick's Day, Canada Day and New Year's Eve program since the mid seventies.
To ensure that you have a proper hangover to cure I will be chatting with Nat Myles, the proprietor of the coolest bar in town, the ever so hip and retro Elmdale House on Wellington Street in Hintonburg [next to the KFC; across from the GT] about their huge St. Paddy's Day party that will be certain, if you put your heart in it that is, to make your 17th a helluva a day. The music starts at 3 [pm] at the 'dale and goes until, well, late. Very late.
Ironically the name of the band is: Paddy's Hangover. Doesn't that just beat all?
Plus I will play my absolute favourite Irish tune of all time and also that Corrigan Brothers dirge about Obama being O'Irish.
Be sure to listen, and be sure to join me later in the day at the Elmdale House. I will wear my green sombrero with the shamrocks on it to make me easy to pick out of the crowd.
WFDS
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
26...Thursday morning on 93.1CKCU
I was great today, Wednesday, but I am going to be even better tomorrow!!!
Tomorrow, Thursday, I, the World Famous Dan Shields, am on 93.1CKCU from 8 to 9 30 in da morning and for the first 45 I will be talking with Simon Martin from The Charlatan, mostly about basketball I would think what with the Canadian University championships happening this weekend out in Kanata at ScotiaBank Place.
Then for the last 45 I will be talking with humanist David Burton who is the director of the Humanist Association of Ottawa. They be the folks who are challenging Ottawa city council's refusal to take money to run ads on cash strapped OC Transpo [allegedly cash strapped; we had a strike, about money, eh?] vehicles that say "There is probably no God now stop worrying and enjoy life."
This should be a no brainer; take their friggin' money, but, this being the rudderless ship that is Ottawa, of course it will have to be, at great cost to the taxpayer, well over thought and overwrought.
Beauty.
WFDS
Tomorrow, Thursday, I, the World Famous Dan Shields, am on 93.1CKCU from 8 to 9 30 in da morning and for the first 45 I will be talking with Simon Martin from The Charlatan, mostly about basketball I would think what with the Canadian University championships happening this weekend out in Kanata at ScotiaBank Place.
Then for the last 45 I will be talking with humanist David Burton who is the director of the Humanist Association of Ottawa. They be the folks who are challenging Ottawa city council's refusal to take money to run ads on cash strapped OC Transpo [allegedly cash strapped; we had a strike, about money, eh?] vehicles that say "There is probably no God now stop worrying and enjoy life."
This should be a no brainer; take their friggin' money, but, this being the rudderless ship that is Ottawa, of course it will have to be, at great cost to the taxpayer, well over thought and overwrought.
Beauty.
WFDS
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
25...Wednesday morning, on the wireless, 93.1
Me, on the radio, The Mighty 93.1 CKCU, tomorrow morning from 6 to 7 a.m., I, the World Famous Dan Shields will be talking with, live, from the Big Apple, the city so nice they had to name it twice, New York, New York, with Patti Greaney and Bob Giraldi of the[from the?] Out of Hand Festival will be joining me through the magic of the phone and you through the magic of radio.
What is the Out of Hand Festival?
I have no clue.
Later in the hour tic will join me and explain what it is like to lives one's life as tic.
Better than Bob.
WFDS
What is the Out of Hand Festival?
I have no clue.
Later in the hour tic will join me and explain what it is like to lives one's life as tic.
Better than Bob.
WFDS
Monday, March 9, 2009
24...Americans are smarter than we are, Part 3
At least when it comes to local TV.
To get you up to speed on this, last week CTV decided that they couldn't make money with the number one TV station, A Channel Windsor, in a market of about .25 million adults 12 plus, directly adjacent to a market of 3.8 million 12 plus, Detroit. They also claim they cannot make money with other properties including the only locally licensed stations in Wingham, London, and Pembroke, Ontario. The Pembroke station has profile as a local station, repeater and all, in Ottawa/Gatineau, the number four market in Canada with a metro of about 1.0 million adults and London is a top ten market of about 400 K, 12 plus.
E!, an arm of Global, claims it cannot make money with its Hamilton station, which has repeaters all over Ontario and is ensconced in Canada's number nine market, with a 12 plus population of over half a million, a population that makes it a top 100 market in North America and so on and so and so on.
How is this so?
How can you lose money in a business that is, to quote the first Lord Thomson of Fleet, a license to print money?
Especially when you have the only game in town in a lot of towns.
Get out your clicker and play along with me.
They get greedy, they do and try to cut costs by getting rid of local programming. Contrast what Canadian stations do to what the stations in Detroit do. Local 4 and 7WXYZ and FOX2 run like a zillion hours a day of local news and make bags of money off it and it is the same in virtually every market in the States. I ask you this: how do you make more money out of your store if you close it? And when you watch the local news it is L O C A L or localized. In a lot of respects we are such a backwards nation. If the airwaves are public and TV stations are the servants of the people isn't tons of local content the way to go?
Most stations in the US are privately owned affiliates of networks, for example, CBS has 200 plus affiliates but only owns and operates 16 sticks; they pay the affiliates to run their programming, but have to be sensitive to the wants and needs of the Heartland and Dixie and the Northwest and and and so, unlike a lot of the Toronto centric CanCon crap that we try to force fee the populace [remote please] they are market driven, driven to serve their markets.
TV and radio is about getting stories out; the fact is there are not enough stations in this country. Just look across the water from Kingston, is Watertown, New York, 90 000 people 12 plus, about 2/3 the size of Kingston but, snap: 12 commercial radio stations, 5 TV stations. Kingston, one local TV station and like six or seven local radios. Heck, good old battered steel town, Hamilton, seven times the size and yet only 1 TV station, which, because of greed, instead of dominating Hamilton and making bags of money, is trying to be everything everywhere in Ontario [remember ON TV?] and ends up being a non factor everywhere. Where are the local stories being told?
When you watch Detroit, Watertown, Buffalo local TV, you see local stories and local ads. Little guys are shut out in Canada; it is go big or fold up thy tent.
Back to my fave story: A Channel in Windsor is the number one station in Essex County, which, if cleaved off from Detroit would be the about the 110th biggest market in North America and when combined with Detroit is the 10th or 11th and they cannot figure out how to make money with the number one station in a town that size? Oy vey, what about these things called commercials? Or, infomercials?
You have to spend money to make money; there are larger on air staffs in the Motor City and that talent in Detroit is making exponentially more money than talent in Toronto. T.O. is a much bigger market, but less competitive and less money and less money and less competition means less talented talent. You have the internet; listen to Toronto radio personalities and compare them to those down the 401 in Detroit. You get what you pay for.
The big danger for Canada is that TV is a reflection of the people who are consuming it; when I watch Detroit/Seattle/Buffalo TV I see those towns reflected in the local news, which is L O C A L; when I see Canadian TV it is a reflection of Toronto and how people from the Big Smoke perceive the rest of the country.
WFDS
To get you up to speed on this, last week CTV decided that they couldn't make money with the number one TV station, A Channel Windsor, in a market of about .25 million adults 12 plus, directly adjacent to a market of 3.8 million 12 plus, Detroit. They also claim they cannot make money with other properties including the only locally licensed stations in Wingham, London, and Pembroke, Ontario. The Pembroke station has profile as a local station, repeater and all, in Ottawa/Gatineau, the number four market in Canada with a metro of about 1.0 million adults and London is a top ten market of about 400 K, 12 plus.
E!, an arm of Global, claims it cannot make money with its Hamilton station, which has repeaters all over Ontario and is ensconced in Canada's number nine market, with a 12 plus population of over half a million, a population that makes it a top 100 market in North America and so on and so and so on.
How is this so?
How can you lose money in a business that is, to quote the first Lord Thomson of Fleet, a license to print money?
Especially when you have the only game in town in a lot of towns.
Get out your clicker and play along with me.
They get greedy, they do and try to cut costs by getting rid of local programming. Contrast what Canadian stations do to what the stations in Detroit do. Local 4 and 7WXYZ and FOX2 run like a zillion hours a day of local news and make bags of money off it and it is the same in virtually every market in the States. I ask you this: how do you make more money out of your store if you close it? And when you watch the local news it is L O C A L or localized. In a lot of respects we are such a backwards nation. If the airwaves are public and TV stations are the servants of the people isn't tons of local content the way to go?
Most stations in the US are privately owned affiliates of networks, for example, CBS has 200 plus affiliates but only owns and operates 16 sticks; they pay the affiliates to run their programming, but have to be sensitive to the wants and needs of the Heartland and Dixie and the Northwest and and and so, unlike a lot of the Toronto centric CanCon crap that we try to force fee the populace [remote please] they are market driven, driven to serve their markets.
TV and radio is about getting stories out; the fact is there are not enough stations in this country. Just look across the water from Kingston, is Watertown, New York, 90 000 people 12 plus, about 2/3 the size of Kingston but, snap: 12 commercial radio stations, 5 TV stations. Kingston, one local TV station and like six or seven local radios. Heck, good old battered steel town, Hamilton, seven times the size and yet only 1 TV station, which, because of greed, instead of dominating Hamilton and making bags of money, is trying to be everything everywhere in Ontario [remember ON TV?] and ends up being a non factor everywhere. Where are the local stories being told?
When you watch Detroit, Watertown, Buffalo local TV, you see local stories and local ads. Little guys are shut out in Canada; it is go big or fold up thy tent.
Back to my fave story: A Channel in Windsor is the number one station in Essex County, which, if cleaved off from Detroit would be the about the 110th biggest market in North America and when combined with Detroit is the 10th or 11th and they cannot figure out how to make money with the number one station in a town that size? Oy vey, what about these things called commercials? Or, infomercials?
You have to spend money to make money; there are larger on air staffs in the Motor City and that talent in Detroit is making exponentially more money than talent in Toronto. T.O. is a much bigger market, but less competitive and less money and less money and less competition means less talented talent. You have the internet; listen to Toronto radio personalities and compare them to those down the 401 in Detroit. You get what you pay for.
The big danger for Canada is that TV is a reflection of the people who are consuming it; when I watch Detroit/Seattle/Buffalo TV I see those towns reflected in the local news, which is L O C A L; when I see Canadian TV it is a reflection of Toronto and how people from the Big Smoke perceive the rest of the country.
WFDS
Thursday, March 5, 2009
23...The Death Penalty/No cherry picking
Doesn't work.
Besides that, I love what future Prime Minister Mikey I. had to say in today's Toronto Sun about the Tories waffling on capital punishments application, specifically in the case of Montana death row inmate, admitted thrill killer, Red Deer native and big time loser Ronald Smith, who has been on death row longer than most people on the planet have been on the planet.
"We feel that Canada does not have a death penalty, we will never have a death penalty again and therefore we cannot cherry-pick, we cannot pick and choose," said Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. "If Canada is opposed to the death penalty, it's opposed to it everywhere."
No cherry picking.
WFDS
Besides that, I love what future Prime Minister Mikey I. had to say in today's Toronto Sun about the Tories waffling on capital punishments application, specifically in the case of Montana death row inmate, admitted thrill killer, Red Deer native and big time loser Ronald Smith, who has been on death row longer than most people on the planet have been on the planet.
"We feel that Canada does not have a death penalty, we will never have a death penalty again and therefore we cannot cherry-pick, we cannot pick and choose," said Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. "If Canada is opposed to the death penalty, it's opposed to it everywhere."
No cherry picking.
WFDS
21...Comedians often are funny
Comedian Geri Hall [who's dat?] crashed Premier Dalton's presser on the huge layoffs in the closing of four steel mills in Hamilton yesterday and proceeded to weave the comedic magic that has made her the household name she is today.
The fact that no one knew who she, the star of the hit CBC TV show/tax shelter Single Girl [I know, I know, I never heard of it either], made her whole act that much more precious.
The stories she will have to tell when she is back temping. The stories.
WFDS
The fact that no one knew who she, the star of the hit CBC TV show/tax shelter Single Girl [I know, I know, I never heard of it either], made her whole act that much more precious.
The stories she will have to tell when she is back temping. The stories.
WFDS
20...Americans, Local TV, Money
If you, like myself, are Canadian you should be pissed off at what is happening with our local TV and radio stations.
One thing that makes America the dominant nation that it is is its culture; culture is not what the government, a bunch a of http://www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/ folks sitting in the CRTC offices trying to figure out how to force feed crappy Canadian music and TV down our proverbial throats. Culture is what people want. Apparently people want Deal or No Deal [my Julie's Le Banquier in La Belle] not poetry; Don Cherry not poetry; NFL not poetry.
The other thing that we want is we want to be heard, we want our stories told and the shutting down of the A Channels [effectively] across the land means one less place for our stories to be told.
How can it be that the number one station, the A Channel, in a market of 400 000 people, Windsor, Ontario, cannot make money? It boggles the mind. Or they, the people at CTV, are lying.
More on that next time.
WFDS
One thing that makes America the dominant nation that it is is its culture; culture is not what the government, a bunch a of http://www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/ folks sitting in the CRTC offices trying to figure out how to force feed crappy Canadian music and TV down our proverbial throats. Culture is what people want. Apparently people want Deal or No Deal [my Julie's Le Banquier in La Belle] not poetry; Don Cherry not poetry; NFL not poetry.
The other thing that we want is we want to be heard, we want our stories told and the shutting down of the A Channels [effectively] across the land means one less place for our stories to be told.
How can it be that the number one station, the A Channel, in a market of 400 000 people, Windsor, Ontario, cannot make money? It boggles the mind. Or they, the people at CTV, are lying.
More on that next time.
WFDS
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
18...Josh Wright or Not?
Hey, I am not obsessed with sports, I really am not but I am obsessed with college basketball, hugely obsessed, both domestic and the NCAA.
Ottawa U is playing Carleton tomorrow night, 3 versus 1 at 1's home, Carleton's Alumni Hall and it is a huge game for number 3. They win and they are going to Kanata for the CIS Nationals later this month; lose and they are on a slippery slope that may end up with them at home, on the couch, next to me, watching the games on The Score.
Ottawa U is like 2 and 22 last bunch of games against the Ravens. I ain't exaggerating, in fact their record may not be that strong. And, to make it worse, they really haven't been destroyed, they have just got beat by the little things.
So I have some advice for their coach. He has a new player, a fourth year guy from Utica, New York, number 9 high school guard in the country coming out a few years back, name of Josh Wright. The man ran the show at Syracuse year before last, has played in a few big games, know what I mean Coach DeAveiro? Here is what I think, and I am merely a fan, you are a professional coach, but, then again, you are 2 and 22 last bunch so...here is what I say, leave him in, Mr. Wright, leave Mr. Wright in the whole damn game. He went off for like 28 points and six rebounds Saturday night and seemed to play only about 25 minutes; I am telling you, and as a Carleton fan I hope you don't listen, but I am telling you that if you leave him in for the whole game, let him do what he can do, you could wreck Carleton, wreck them.
Then again, I am not a professional coach so I could be wrong.
Nonetheless, you have to win this game brother or else it will be deja vu 2008 all over again.
WFDS
Ottawa U is playing Carleton tomorrow night, 3 versus 1 at 1's home, Carleton's Alumni Hall and it is a huge game for number 3. They win and they are going to Kanata for the CIS Nationals later this month; lose and they are on a slippery slope that may end up with them at home, on the couch, next to me, watching the games on The Score.
Ottawa U is like 2 and 22 last bunch of games against the Ravens. I ain't exaggerating, in fact their record may not be that strong. And, to make it worse, they really haven't been destroyed, they have just got beat by the little things.
So I have some advice for their coach. He has a new player, a fourth year guy from Utica, New York, number 9 high school guard in the country coming out a few years back, name of Josh Wright. The man ran the show at Syracuse year before last, has played in a few big games, know what I mean Coach DeAveiro? Here is what I think, and I am merely a fan, you are a professional coach, but, then again, you are 2 and 22 last bunch so...here is what I say, leave him in, Mr. Wright, leave Mr. Wright in the whole damn game. He went off for like 28 points and six rebounds Saturday night and seemed to play only about 25 minutes; I am telling you, and as a Carleton fan I hope you don't listen, but I am telling you that if you leave him in for the whole game, let him do what he can do, you could wreck Carleton, wreck them.
Then again, I am not a professional coach so I could be wrong.
Nonetheless, you have to win this game brother or else it will be deja vu 2008 all over again.
WFDS
Monday, March 2, 2009
17...Money Money Money
Set your cell phone alarm for six bells Tuesday morning and get ready to find out about money, money, money and why you don't need it to be happy. Or may be you do. I am siding with "do" but ya never no.
Mike Nickerson, who lives in Lanark, is making the arduous trek into the big city of Ottawa to explain the Sustainability Project to the world, www.ckcufm.com, presuming the crack CKCU technical support team have got us back on the world wide web. If not, the wireless it is @ 93.1FM in Ottawa, Gatineau and environs.
He is going to explain the origins of money for starters and why George W. wanted Americans to shop after 9/11.
I have talked to him before and he takes a dry subject, economics, and makes it wet.
Do tune in tomorrow and, when killing time at the office, drop me a note to let me know how it went.
WFDS
Mike Nickerson, who lives in Lanark, is making the arduous trek into the big city of Ottawa to explain the Sustainability Project to the world, www.ckcufm.com, presuming the crack CKCU technical support team have got us back on the world wide web. If not, the wireless it is @ 93.1FM in Ottawa, Gatineau and environs.
He is going to explain the origins of money for starters and why George W. wanted Americans to shop after 9/11.
I have talked to him before and he takes a dry subject, economics, and makes it wet.
Do tune in tomorrow and, when killing time at the office, drop me a note to let me know how it went.
WFDS
Sunday, March 1, 2009
16...March Is The Cruelest Month
It is not often that I get to use my English degree, a degree that I obtained, proudly, from Canada's 46th best university, Carleton University, but today is the day for today I will quote T.S. Eliot, a scribbler of poems from centuries past who stated that "March is the cruelest month."
Well, in the tradition of the mighty U of K [Carleton, where the "K" stands for Quality], I of course misquoted Mr. Eliot [thank you Google]; apparently April is, in Eliot speak, the cruelest month.
Who'da thunk it, eh?
I musta been sick that day or something.
To think that I was all set to write a long post about how March is the cruelest month because the weather is cold and then wet and then warm and then, well, if you live up north, way north, like in Ottawa or Winnipeg or Drummondville you know what I mean. Then I was going to write how, depending upon how much you drink to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and how soon you start celebrating it and how long your blackout/hangover/coma is, March can often be the shortest month. Madness.
Best laid plans of mice and men, eh? Best laid plans.
John Steinbeck.
Less than a thousand words and two literary quotes; I will take my "B" please.
WFDS
Well, in the tradition of the mighty U of K [Carleton, where the "K" stands for Quality], I of course misquoted Mr. Eliot [thank you Google]; apparently April is, in Eliot speak, the cruelest month.
Who'da thunk it, eh?
I musta been sick that day or something.
To think that I was all set to write a long post about how March is the cruelest month because the weather is cold and then wet and then warm and then, well, if you live up north, way north, like in Ottawa or Winnipeg or Drummondville you know what I mean. Then I was going to write how, depending upon how much you drink to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and how soon you start celebrating it and how long your blackout/hangover/coma is, March can often be the shortest month. Madness.
Best laid plans of mice and men, eh? Best laid plans.
John Steinbeck.
Less than a thousand words and two literary quotes; I will take my "B" please.
WFDS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)