Radio rebranding a zing to the B? January 13, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Cut to the Chase.Tags: 97.5, B101, Radio, Soft Rock
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The commercials are now all over the local Philadelphia networks. A new, reformatted radio station is coming to the market — Now 97.5.
Its commercials feature everyday people saying things to this effect: “Not my mom’s 101″ or “Not the same old 101.” The words might be a little off, but the gist is the same.
So, I instantly think instant zing to B101, playing today’s soft rock music.
Soft rock is soft rock, is it not? What could 97.5 do that 101.1 doesn’t do? Not play Elton John?
So I visit the 97.5 Web site, on which they feature the most recently played songs. And the third one (and fifth, for that matter) on the list of eight disproved my theory…
- Sugar Ray – Fly
- Rob Thomas – Lonely No More
- Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
- Daughtry – Home
- Rod Stewart – You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)
- Sheryl Crow – My Favorite Mistake
- U2 – With Or Without You
- Timbaland Feat. OneRepublic – Apologize
And since when is Timbaland soft rock?
Whoa January 13, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Random Rubbish.Tags: Optical Illusions, Random Rubbish
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No, this isn’t moving. It’s a JPEG, for God’s sakes.
Thanks to Phawker.
Is a journalist’s educational experience worthwhile? January 8, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism.Tags: Brian Williams, Joe the Plumber, Journalism, Peter Jennings
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I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else than Temple University and the City of Philadelphia to practice journalism. There is only so much one can learn about journalism in the question; it truly is about doing.
So…what’s a diploma worth? Ask Joe the Plumber.
Wikipedia will do the job if you’re unfamiliar with the 2008 presidential campaign’s shining star. According to the Associated Press, he’s trading in his plunger for a pen, acting as a war correspondent for the conservative pjtv.com. And all he had to do was ask a presidential candidate about his tax plan.
Upon watching The Bonnie Hunt Show at 2 a.m. this morning (insomnia, I swear), I learned that her guest, NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams, was a college drop out but had “dreamed” of his current job since he was a little boy. Is that all it takes? Dreaming?
And all of this reminds me of my original broadcast idol, ABC’s Peter Jennings. He ups Williams by one — Jennings was a college and high school dropout (and Canadian, but we won’t hold that against him).
So, with 11 credits left to achieve my degree in broadcast journalism, should I just stop the ride now and quit while I’m ahead?
Bad headline, good story January 4, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Random Rubbish.Tags: Charlotte Peters, Lottery, Old People
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Headline: Conn. man’s last lotto ticket wins $10M for widow
OK, so it could be worse, but it reads funny [funnily?].
Charlotte Peters’ husband bought a lottery ticket on Nov. 1 and died later that day. And just recently, she decided to check those lottery numbers before chucking the tickets.
Had she not checked the numbers, her bag of trash would have been worth $10 million.
Take a lesson from this bittersweet story. Check your pockets.
What happens when journalists try to help others January 4, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Journalism.Tags: CNN.com, Economy, Journalism, Layoffs, NPR
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Ketzel Levine worked for NPR for more than 30 years. Her most recent series involved her traveling the country, reporting on how to survive in the struggling economy. It was an idea she developed and began in September in the first weeks of the economic downturn.
Ultimately, however, she would be reporting on herself. Half-way through her series about staying employed in a struggling economy, NPR announced a 63-person layoff, Levine included.
She’s able to laugh at it now — as seen in this CNN interview — and her final report in the series was a narrative about her own story.
Just another reason to stay in school as long as possible. Or, another reason to move to Lubbock.
U.S. to claim world’s oldest person January 4, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Cut to the Chase, Random Rubbish.Tags: Cut to the Chase, Gertrude Baines, Obituary, Old People, Wikipedia
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Women generally live longer than men. That we generally know (yet seldom admit).
Just last week, America’s oldest man passed away at 112 years old. But a 114-year-old woman is slated to become the oldest person in the world.
Gertrude Baines from California said she led the life God wanted, which has contributed to her life’s longevity.
Baines takes the title from Portugal’s Maria de Jesus, who held the title for just more than a month. Prior to that, the record was back in the United States with Indiana’s Edna Parker, who had the title for more than a year.
It just so happens that Parker is a local Philadelphia celebrity. She was featured in the very popular Cut to the Chase column, “Notable deaths of 2007: gone but not forgotten.”
Small world, eh?
Vikings not so fierce January 3, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Philadelphia, Random Rubbish.Tags: Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Road Trip
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The Vikings are desperate for people to go to their playoff game with the Eagles this weekend.
How desperate?
Their home page — minnesotavikings.com — tries to trick visitors into going to Ticketmaster instead of the team’s actual Web site, as pictured above.
The Vikings must report a sell-out crowd to the NFL in order for the game to be broadcast locally. No worry to the Philadelphia fans — other spots across the nation are going to be receiving the signal.
In fact, many Philadelphians have been purchasing tickets and planning a road trip to Minnesota — some even putting an ad on Craigslist to get strangers to fill their rented RV.
Hey, it’s only a 19-hour drive.
Dollar store discount: life’s little pleasure just got better January 1, 2009
Posted by Chris Stover in Random Rubbish.Tags: Dollar Store, Economy, Random Rubbish
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OK, so we already know about my infatuation with dollar stores in Delaware. I never thought purchasing pieces of crap could get better.
Guess what? It can.
On the hunt for winter decorations for her classroom, my 1st-grade-teacher-cousin Anna brought me to my Dollar Tree in Wilmington, Del. We approach the front entrance, and to our surprise, the dollar store was having a clearance sale.
Select merchandise 50 percent off.
Could life get any better?
The total of the day came to $3.50, which would have easily cost $7. Both very convenient — no unnecessary nickels or dimes. My Dollar Tree was having the sale of a lifetime, as proved by the cell phone photograph above.
Just another day in the life of living near Delaware.
