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Things I learned on the way to something else-November 1st edition

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:48:34 GMT

Here's more of the random kind of information you snag while searching for something else. I started by looking through AMERICAN HISTORY magazine, October Issue, researching WHY Thomas Jefferson was so fond of employing slaves--what I learned , in a seperate snippet is that there have been two major league baseball players that have died of on field injuries--Doc Powers crashed into a wall while playing for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1909..Ray Chapman died after being struck by a pitch while playing for the Cleveland Indians in 1920.. I was looking for some information about one of my favorite artists Thomas Hart Benton in AMERICAN ARTIST magazine,( I visited his home in Kansas City last year) and discovered that 2012 mark's the 110th Anniversary of one of the few sculpture's to ever play a prominent role in American Sitcom History. Rodin's THE THINKER featured in The Many Loves of Dobie ...

Things I learned on the way to learning something else Late October edition

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:40:41 GMT

Time for another look at those interesting little things you find when you're searching for something else..for instance.. * Winnipeg is the Murder Capital of Canada ( CBC radio, while searching for the World Series on radio the other night) * You can actually buy Tammy Baldwin Merchandise on her website. Marketting Politicians like rock stars, or candy bars for that matter. You can buy Hats,Mugs, Golf Shirts, Hoodies, T-Shirts, Longsleeved T's --seriously all online. Joke from the peanut gallery: I voted for a liberal and all I got was this lousy t-shirt. * The DOW is down 600 points in the last 30 days. ( At Your Service-Protecting Your Profits on WAYY ) * Speed is the second leading cause of traffic fatalities in Wisconsin. Alcohol Related Traffic Fatalities are the leading cause of death. (weau.com) * Sculpture Tour " People's Choice " winner was THE BLIND SPOT created ...

Who's DIS-ing who ?

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:11:57 GMT

As we are facing the most contentious Presidential election in MY lifetime, (Kennedy/Nixon and Truman/Dewey pre-date me a bit) I am trying to boil down what it is about this particular go round that has me in such a funk. I started to ask myself this question: Who's DIS-ing who? Have we in America created a culture based on dishonesty, and disorganization that has led us to no small degree of both disinterest and disenchantment, At the core, it's more gutteral than all that. This is Disgust. Dissatisfaction. This could be just a journey through the dictionary if it weren't what we really feel. What Middle America feels. What the disenfranchised feel. It's a campaign of distraction. At some level its Disney fantasy but at others it's just plain disappointment. So before I get fully behind any candidate and their cadre of disciples, I will ask--and I'm meaning no ...

Red Shirt Friday ! Thanks Friends !

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:40:29 GMT

Friday is another RED SHIRT FRIDAY for us at WAYY and throughout the nation. To support our veterans, our return war heroes, their families who have been sacrificing I wear a red shirt every Friday and set aside $ 5 to help Veterans Groups in this area like UNMET NEEDS, Operation Homefront, The Wounded Warrior Project,Trinity Equestrian Center, etc. I want to throw a shout out to my friends at ITW Engineered Fasteners in Chippewa Falls--They've really taken the issue to heart and this campaign is spreading throughout ITW, throughout Chippewa Falls and throughout the Chippewa Valley. Here's a picture of just some of ITW Employees in their red shirts.

What I think of these cats

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:49:05 GMT

Over at my place, we have 3 male cats. For the most part they get along and yet there is still plenty of preening, posturing, hissing, territorial marking,etc. More than enough. That's what Tuesday Night's smackdown in Long Island reminded me of. More stingers than zingers. There was prowling, pouncing, sniping, biting , a little clawing. All with Candy Crowley there to occasionally reach in to seperate the two of them.Respect was at a premium ( Sit Down Governor ! Oh sit down, you'll get your chance,etc.) There was that one moment when Ms. Crowley was dangerously close to having to break up a chest bumping testosterone tussle. If only we knew enough to declaw them. Fact Checkers were working overtime into the night and I'm not sure if we ever really know what the real facts are--Its come down to: what facts do we start to accept? It may ...

Things I learned on the way to something else-September 27 edition

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:41:25 GMT

Stuff I learned on the way to researching something else. Here is the latest compendium of information you probably can do without BUT its still nice to know.. GOOGLE Turns 14 on 9/27. Nice DOODLE for Today. (Google) Governor Romney and President Obama's visit to the Clinton Global Initiative Meetings this week will be the only venue besides the debates where these two will appear. (TIME) I missed Eau Claire's Justin Vernon and Bon Iver at Radio City Music Hall 9/19-9/22 but there's a nice caricature of them in New Yorker ( NEW YORKER) Paul Menard is still 25th on the NASCAR Money list this year: More than $ 3.2 Million. ( Nascar.com) Of all the festivals in the Eau Claire area,not a single one of them in centered around a river. Eau Claire or Chippewa River. Not a one. (Volume One )

Things I learned on the way to something else-September Edition

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:06:24 GMT

Oh Oh. I've been reading again. That can only lead to knowledge,information and YES, tons of trivial little snippets that you MUST dispose of. Thus I offer you this month's offering of "Things I learned on the way to something else ! " * WalMart says if it were to cut ONE SECOND off of it's average customer check out time in the U.S. It would save 12 MILLION DOLLARS per year ( Wall Street Journal) * 41 banks have failed so far this year in the U.S. (St. Paul Pioneer Press ) * Al Pacino: AL PA will play JOE PA (Paterno ) in the movie (Some cable networjk--I forget which one) Meanwhile, Pacino will star in a revival of GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS,starting on 10/16. (New Yorker) * Egypt is the world's largest Wheat Importer. US is the world's largest expoter. However, these days Egypt is getting it's wheat ...

Questions that wives and Mothers in Law ask you that drive you crazy--Part 1

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:12:28 GMT

Oh,admit it. You know what I'm talking about. You're minding your own business, eating chips and salsa, playing a card game, listening to some Michael Buble and then the Missus (or in some case her Mom) launches into it. The question you have no answer for. Its always something strange, something google-able BUT there you are--no device nearby, where's my laptop? Where's a research librarian when you need one? How will my image as a Know it all about all things mundane and trivial be protected ? I don't take it to Sheldon level on Big Bang Theory, but plant a question and my trivial pursuit-esque curiousity bubbles over. So, here's the question which happened sometime between picking up a caramel frappe (no whip/no drizzle) at McDonalds and unloading groceries out of the car. I wonder how rare it is to have a fuil moon on a Friday the 13th ...

We can do this

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:43:18 GMT

I kinda like it. WE CAN DO THIS. Paul Ryan's invocation of the 2012 Republican Romney-Ryan Catchphrase will be uttered in reassuring tones by the likes of Clint Esatwood..or maybe Tim Allen..I don't think Donald Sutherland or Tom Hanks but maybe Jeff Daniels. It is one of those wonderful, folksy spot-on phrases that branders and marketters all wish they had claimed first. Insert it into the following Ad campaigns. Lowes. WE CAN DO THIS ! Geiko. WE CAN DO THIS ! Jenny Craig. WE CAN DO THIS ! Yes, its evocative of YES WE CAN but not that evocative. It is implied mandate. Implied license. Cut spending ? WE CAN DO THIS Eliminate entitlements? WE CAN DO THIS Cut defense spending ? WE CAN DO THIS Well, you elected us,right? So that must mean-- WE CAN DO THIS. Wisconsin's favorite Prairie Home Companion, Paul Ryan shared with us a peek at ...

Things I learned on the way to something else August Edition

murphy@wayy790.com (John Murphy) — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:15:14 GMT

I'll start by letting you know I won't fill this entry up with all kinds of stuff I learned while trying to watch something ELSE on the Olympics--You start by wanting to watch a swim meet and end up learning things about Water Polo, Team HandBall, and Track Cycling that you never intended to learn ( or even needed to ) If any of these little tidbits win you a bar bet or bragging rights at the next family reunion, in your own quiet way , you can thank me or blame me, whichever is to your advantage. Stephen King's next novel JOYLAND set at a fictional North Carolina Theme Park will be released in June 2013 (Vanity Fair) 7 percent of 50 yearolds get the news from the radio ( Esquire) What does Unsub stand for? ( Unknown subject of an investigation-- as featured on CRIMINAL MINDS, CBS) in ...