This is why we like Fridays

End of the work week, yes. Two days ahead of gratuitous free time, yes. Relaxation mode, yes!

Doctor Who on the Sci-Fi Channel, yes, yes, YES, YES, YESSSS!

(Admit it. You suspected all along that I was a nerd, just keeping my geekiness clevery hidden. Athough I can't be the full-blown nerd, since I was mostly unfamiliar with "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" up until this year, when Geogal added the feature flick to our queue. )

I'm sitting in front of a computer screen. Geoana is asleep on the couch in the family room (preschool took a lot out of her today). The house is quiet. Air conditioner humming.

This, dear readers, is true tranquility. I need to figure out how to etch it into my memory in order to recall it when needed, as in times of high stress.

The best part? It doesn't cost a dime.

What a difference a litte time makes

I remember the period ranging from December 2003 to the summer of 2004. Dark times for professional sports in Arizona. First, Dave McGinnis (Cardinals head coach) was fired, then the ax came for the Suns coach. In the midst of that dismal 2004 season, Bob Brenley, skipper of the Diamondbacks, was given his walking papers.

All of the franchises were stinking up the place.

Not the best time to be a professional sports fan in Arizona.

Now we're in May of 2006. Not all that long, if you look at the grand scheme of things. The Suns are in the second round of the playoffs, having dispatched the hated Kobe Lakers. Mind you, the Suns are missing their star player (Amare Stoudemire) but do have the leagues' MVP on the court. The Diamondbacks, while not likely to go to the postseason, are holding their own. (With Brandon Webb shining every time he takes the mound.) And the Cardinals, the NFL's perpetual whipping boy, are showing significant signs of life. And are drawing a lot of interest from the public, to the point that season tickets are sold out.

Maybe now is the best time to be a professional sports fan in Arizona.

Before the ax falls. Let's be realistic. The Suns won't go to the NBA finals, much less win it all. The Diamondbacks, as mentioned above, will be going home come October. And the Cardinals may finish above .500, but that might be it.

Then again, considering the Cardinals, most folks here would be happy with a winning season. :)

Some more thoughts on local broadcasting

So, finally I am able to think, be slightly creative, then sit down at the keyboard.

Even though I referred to it in a recent post, a picture is still worth a thousand bits and bytes.

While I work to clear the cobwebs off this site, I want to reflect on an article I read in this morning's paper.

My opinion: Not smart.

I think I know why the guys in secret underwear (a term used for the decision-makers at Bonneville that was coined by a contributor for Radio-Info.com) are dumping a profitable format for a simulcast. To create an increase in ratings for the beleagured KTAR.

For those of you unfamiliar with Phoenix radio history, KTAR was, for many years, the undisputed news/information leader in The Valley, and for a good chunk of Arizona to boot. They had a large news-gathering organization and a very good radio signal that was heard by most of the state with little interference.

However, times changed, and KTAR was slow to adapt to the changes. Even to this day they still run Paul Harvey and just re-hired Pat McMahon. McMahon is an institution in The Valley, but his time is just about past. While other stations were running political-oriented talk shows, KTAR was content to run talk shows that in 2006 could be considered pure fluff. (Another joke that makes an occasional appearance on the Radio-Info Phoenix board is KTAR devoting an hour to the question: "Is it raining in your neighborhood? If so, give us a call.")

Since about 2000, KFYI, the closest news/talk/information competitor to KTAR, has steadily risen in the ratings, thanks to a frequency change and savvy hiring/programming decisions. I cannot recall exactly when they eclipsed KTAR in the ratings but it had to have been around 2 -3 years ago. Ever since, KTAR's ratings have been steadily declining.

This ratings slide has nothing to do with signal strength, or even the fact that KTAR broadcasts on the AM frequency. It's about content. Times have changed, listener tastes have changed, and simulcasting on the FM dial will not change that.

Not to mention dumping the hip-hop format that is profitable for KKFR. Granted, I don't like rap, hip-hop, or whatever else you want to call it. But if I were a station owner or an executive in a broadcasting group, I would want to devote at least one FM station to this format, as it is extremely popular with young listeners, who have plenty of money to spend....

It's about time...two really different accounts

The two daily morning papers here are reporting on Phoenix becoming a much bigger player in attracting commerical airline service to Williams Gateway Airport.

There's this. And this.

It's about farkin' time. Maybe it's because I grew up in a city with two major airports (Houston), but the size of the Valley and the congestion of Sky Harbor combine to make a secondary airport sensible.

Plus, I am relishing the opportunity to fly out of the airport closer to me, with free parking to boot! I know, enjoy it while it lasts.

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Saw this article the other day, courtesy of Geogal.

For those of you not familiar with Arizona geography, Eloy is almost dead center between downtowns Phoenix and Tucson on Interstate 10.

But there's more than that. Most folks in the Grand Canyon State have a perception (dead-on accurate) that Eloy is a poor, ugly, rough town.

That it should snag a Starbucks (the first stand-alone one in the entire area) just ranks up there in irony with.....

I need some help here. Geogal suggests the spectre of Glendale opening an NFL venue this fall.

OK, that might work.

I'll go in another direction here, since my humorist tendencies seem to be a bit lacking today. I've lived in Arizona since 1994. In just the last few years, extreme growth has taken some towns that might rank right up there with Eloy for "armpit of the state" status to new directions. Even my home of Chandler is still considered by some old-timers to be nothing more than a small cotton-growing town "way out there."

So what's next? A new mall in Gila Bend, with Neiman-Marcus as one of the anchors? A Six Flags park to be built in Yuma?

We'll see.

Clear the cobwebs...

No, I am not dead.

No, I haven't skipped out on the blogging world.

I've just been preoccupied for a while. There are other things in life and occasionally my life demands I give attention to matters that are not online-world related.

But I'm still here and still thinking.

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Perused a copy of PC Magazine a couple of days ago. Their article about the car of the future was interesting. Don't tell me satellite radio won't be a part of the whole digital schema.

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Coca Cola Blak.

I have only one thing to say. Remember Crystal Pepsi? You probably didn't until I mentioned it just now. I believe Blak will suffer the same fate. Look for Blak in your local closeout store in about six months time. American consumers don't seem to like their caffiene-and-corn-syrup-laden beverages to deviate from the traditional Coke and Pepsi.

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The Diamondbacks should thank the game-scheduling gods. Their home opener was this past Tuesday. Can you imagine if their opener at Chase Field had been on Monday, with the large pro-immigration protest march taking place just blocks away?

A congestion nightmare.

Granted, their home-opening night game didn't draw a huge crowd, but it could have been much worse. Now the guys in the suits need to figure out how to draw some respectable type of gate this season.....

Let election season begin...

Entry number 21 had me laughing out loud.

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Who is my pick to win it all on Monday night? Hey, why not go with George Mason? On Sunday afternoon I told Geogal that watching the GMU-UConn game would be a waste of time and that the final score would likely be something near: Connecticut 78, George Mason 50.

Good thing I'm not a gambling man.

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Self-destruction in action: The Bonds saga continues.........

Returning from reflecting

This time around, the lack of entries for the past several days was due to me being out of state to attend a funeral (wife's family). There's nothing like spending some time in a cemetary to remind one of what's important.

I don't expect to ever lose that mindset. I am not, and never have been, a Type-A person. (If I was, this blog would have an entry each and every day.) Now that I think about it, Type-A's do not seem to run in my family on either side. I should be thankful.

Hope that didn't sound to mean for those that lean toward Type-A. But the world needs both types of people.

Where did that rambling come from? Spending too much time in my own mind, I guess.

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The Arizona Cardinals sign a top running back in his prime. Terrell Owens becomes a Cowboy. Has hell frozen over?

Anniversary, God's sense of humor, and The Edge

What a weekend!

A good steady rain on Saturday (as opposed to the torrents we usually receive). An awesome way to end the drought. Then the news that the northern areas of the Valley got more than a dusting of snow. Even today the mountains around the area are white rather than their normal earth tone. A pleasant change of pace. Don't tell me God does not have a sense of humor.....

This weekend also marked the one-year anniversary of this blog. I have but one pledge for the coming year: To continually improve the quality of my writing through blogging. And I invite my readers to leave comments as you see fit....

The weekend closed out with amazing news: the signing of Edgerrin James by the Cardinals. Even the naysayers (and there are tens of thousands of them where the Cards are concerned) are impressed. Can't blame them. James is still young with many good years ahead. Or.......

......the way things usually occur for the Cards would dictate this scenario: James sustains a season-ending injury in training camp and is never the same afterward.

We'll just see.

Some sports stuff

This was bound to happen.

The various sports pundits are correct: in the end, it's the win-loss record that counts.

But Evans is a man of honor and will land on his feet.
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We're just barely into spring training and I predict........wait a minute. I've already done my prognosticating for this season.

Yeeesh. Now that's a time-warp kind of experience. Good thing my recall powers kicked in before I finished the above paragraph and looked like a fool.
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I do wish Barry Bonds would just drop off the face of the earth. Then baseball could actually be a game again and not some kind of freak sideshow.

Yes, yes, I know that he has a God-given talent to hit a baseball. (It doesn't matter if you're juiced-up or not, if you can't hit a ball to save your life, you won't be sending white-with-red-stitching artillery into McCovey Cove on a regular basis.) It would be due justice if he is unable to pass Hank Aaron on the all-time home run list. Aaron remains a monument of dignity and discipline. Let his record be broken by someone who earned that right.
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I'm waiting to see if the Arizona Cardinals are willing to spend money this offseason to address their weak areas. The team appears to have plenty of spending room under the cap. Will the Bidwell family cough up the bucks?

Just one entry this week

Yes, I know. Dearth of blogging this week. I could attribute it to me preparing for a new professional endeavor which will start next week. But, the more accurate reason is simply an empty creative tank on my part. I know this happens to all people who engage in original production but I still feel lazy. Shame on me.

Yesterday Geoana said that for Christmas this year she wants to go to Alaska because it snows there. A few weeks ago I would have used her desire as an excuse to head to The Last Frontier, but my desire to go there again has since waned. Still, I'll provide another picture today anyway. This was taken on a glacier cruise just a little ways from Whittier, in Prince William Sound.

Random thoughts for a Thursday

In case any of you were wondering, the picture in Monday's blog was taken at Chugach State Park, just outside Anchorage. Bet you would never know a city of 250,000 is less than 30 minutes away from that idyllic setting.

I also remember the mosquitoes were swarming. Praise the makers of Off!

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It would be great if Phoenix could land this whale. I do have my doubts, though. Not the least of which is Texas pride, which would take quite a blow should Southwest bail on Love Field.

Speaking of that, Congress should repeal the Wright Amendment. It's an unnecessary dinosaur since DFW airport is in no danger of going out of business should normal flights resume from Love. There are no such restrictions on Houston's Hobby airport and the competition has had no negative effect on George Bush Intercontinental.

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No doubt many folks are laughing at David Gregory today. However, if he really suffers from an alcohol addiction it should be noted that he is suffering from a disease. It's sad when a public figure's demons are on display for all to see.....

More obsessing about The Last Frontier

It's a conspiracy! Gotta be!

No, it's not enough that the Travel Channel shows programs about Alaska frequently. No... Now Fox Reality Channel is in the mix as well, showing a marathon of "Bachelorettes in Alaska" over the weekend. I'm willing to sit through all the drivel just to see the scenery (and I'm not talking about the women). Just further whets my appetite to visit there again.

Then Discovery Channel does its part. They showed the flick "Grizzly Man" last night. More beautiful cinematography of Seward's Folly.

At least this time I didn't dream about Alaska. Which was welcomed as I probably would have spent my slumber with visions of grizzlies, knowing my psyche. Not good for my time of repose.
In tribute to my memories of last summer, I will occasionally post some pics of the 49th state in this blog. Starting today.
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Busy weekend. I actually am glad it's Monday. Made green chile for a cookoff with the men's group at my church. My dish went over well. Plus I was drafted (some weeks ago) to speak for a few minutes by means of introduction, as I am somewhat new in this church body. I hope I didn't sound too obnoxious or too loquacious. Initial feedback was all positive which is always an encouraging sign, even if the reporting parties are just being polite.

And I admit it. It's not too difficult to talk about oneself.

Bits and pieces

In case you were wondering, I was out of town for a while last week and have been playing "catch-up" with some other obligations lately.
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Just ask anyone in my family of origin: I am a James Bond fanatic. Have been ever since the early '80's. So I took notice of the news reports of some fans not liking the choice of Daniel Craig as the new Jimmy. Roger Moore comes to his defense.

I'm willing to give Craig a chance. For me it is not the issue of the actor but the screenwriting. The past few movies have taken a darker, more violent edge to them. This is perhaps closer to the realism of being a secret agent, yet the earlier Bond films had the inclusion of humor (some movies more than others). It was this level of humor that propelled the Connery and Moore flicks to the stratosphere and makes them still enjoyable to watch today. I also want to see if the filmmakers will again stay true to the Ian Fleming novel "Casino Royale." A return to Fleming's works may also give the series a shot in the arm.
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My prediction for spring and summer: The Diamondbacks will not do well. No contention for the NL West this season. They will stay just above the Colorado Rockies, who will dwell the cellar as usual.

Regardless, I will attend several D-Backs games this season. And I will take my daughter as well. There is still fun in attending a baseball game, even if the team is mediocre.

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Doesn't he say this every spring?

Finally figured it out...

Yet another message from my subconscious this early morning. During this particular slumber I first was touring a house Geogal and I just purchased. What was noteworthy about this venture is that the house was located in Wasilla, Alaska. The temperature outside was already a bit cold. Then this reverie metamorphosed into me looking down onto an Alaskan creekbed and seeing a bear far below.

I did visit "The Last Frontier" last summer and my only regret was that I couldn't spend more time there. You better believe I'll visit there again. However I do have a mild lingering feeling to just move there. Flat out relocate.

But I won't give in. You see, I have suffered from this type of desire for nearly all my adult life. Visit a place, then want to live there permanently. At this time, though, I want to put down roots and the Phoenix area seems just the right place. Plus over the past many years I learned that changing my physical location does not translate to changing anything about my inner self. Just like the oft-used cliche: "Wherever you go, there you are." Oft-used because it's true.

And who's to say I cannot vacation there? Over and over?

Some others have this affliction. Some end up in places such as Arizona or Alaska due to these locales being so different from much of the U.S.

I also anticipate Alaska (even the Anchorage area) will not be suffering from the same problems with urban sprawl as are the Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas areas (just to name three in my vicinity). Heck, I could always retire there. (Just gotta convince Geogal it's a good idea.) But in the meantime I took Geoana to a Valentine's Day party at her school, which provided me the opportunity to spend a little time at Border's. Perused a copy of this tome, which just adds to my Alaska thirst.

I can always go there in my mind.

Satellite radio, part 6 (The End)

Another icon decides satellite radio has a future.

Since 1981, when I found out I could pick up another city’s AM station on an table radio, I have been interested in the radio industry. As with many fields, radio today has undergone many significant changes in the past 25 years. Using that perspective there is no reason to think terrestrial radio will not adapt to the challenges posed by the satellite providers. Do you remember the latter half of the 1980's? By that time Top 40 music had all but vanished from the AM dial and FM stations were beginning their ratings dominance in most every metro area. Many, both inside and outside the business, were predicting that AM radio would be extinct in just a few years’ time, particularly when the failure of AM stereo in the United States convinced many that longtime AM listeners were quickly defecting to FM. Then a guy named Rush showed the public that AM radio could once again make a respectable showing in the ratings book.

FM stations now are being challenged not just by satellite radio but also by podcasting. Does this mean that the days of FM listening are numbered? Looking at the ability of the medium to adapt to the changing times, one is inclined to answer “no.” True, people being able to listen to their choice of music without being interrupted by commercial breaks or newscasts is undoubtedly one of the reasons XM and Sirius are continuing to increase their subscriber numbers. And with more people downloading music and converting their existing CD collection to the MP3 format it follows that a larger segment of the population will purchase not only an iPod but also car kits to allow them to enjoy their hand-chosen tunes while behind the wheel. Yes, I predict FM radio will survive but will change to accommodate the particular demands and tastes of the public.

In his outstanding book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey advances the concept that the pie is large enough for everyone to have a sizeable piece. Therefore we should avoid the stance that if one party benefits and grows then the remaining parties are somehow denied. If AM and FM broadcasters can recognize the marketplace and adapt accordingly, then the listening public is the ultimate winner without the need for the terrestrial broadcasters to “kill off” the satellite competition.

This morning was a good example of the above. Here in the Valley of the Sun, the buzz for the past 72 hours is regarding Operation Slap Shot. I tuned in to a local sportstalk station to hear the program hosts give their take on the subject. Not long afterward it was time to take Geoana to school. I began to listen to music on Sirius, but later tuned into one of the local AM stations for a traffic report. Back to Sirius for more music. Go to the gym to work out. Listen to terrestrial radio (on an armband radio) while on the treadmill. Listen to Sirius on the drive home. Listen to XM (via my DirecTV dish) while eating lunch. Listen to my iTunes on the computer while writing. You get the idea. I like my audio companionship and each has its place.

I can’t wait to see what the years ahead will give me regarding music, news, and talk, not just in my car but also in my home and on my computer. Not to mention the portable devices that will likely combine aspects of the above technology. I’ll be listening.

Satellite radio, part 5

10 million.

As of this writing, that’s about how many subscribers the two satellite providers achieved.

The reasons for XM and Sirius making inroads into the territory occupied by terrestrial radio since the 1920's are several, some of which I already have enumerated in earlier postings. Along with these aforewritten reasons is the “convenience factor.” I’ll define this by relating a conversation I had many years ago with two male friends. The subject of discussion was the installation of garage door openers. Both of these guys were attempting to install the openers in their respective houses. After hearing their gripes about trying to mount a heavy object onto a ceiling I laughed and said: “You guys have it all wrong. The trick is to buy a house that has an opener as part of the deal” (As you may have guessed, my home already had the opener installed when I bought it.) I probably didn’t further my fellowship with either one after that statement but my point was clear. Having someone else do the dirty work is almost always beneficial.

Whether it’s a plug-and-play system or an in-dash unit, having the required receiver and antenna already in the vehicle is undoubtedly a boon to the two providers. Nearly all new vehicle manufacturers (both foreign and domestic) have inked deals with XM or Sirius. Even “across the pond” automakers are catching on, as evidenced by Rolls-Royce providing lifetime Sirius service in their vehicles sold in North America. (But the suits at Sirius are aware this won’t result in a great number of new subscriptions...)

Perhaps the contribution to the increase in satellite subscribers due to the equipment being available on the car dealer showroom floor is best illustrated by my own mother and father. In 2004 they bought a Honda Accord which came with XM service. On their most recent journey out to my home (a trip close to 1000 miles) my father commented how having the satellite radio is handy, given the direct route takes them through many long stretches of desolate nothing. Certainly there is little desirable FM radio through that territory but having a diverse selection of music or talk without losing the signal helps the hours pass. I then noted that they chose to keep the XM service even though their free first year had passed. “A year?” my mother replied. Turns out they only got three months free after purchasing the vehicle. Apparently they decided it was worth the monthly cost to have satellite radio in the car. And, this is from a couple that has never been too quick to embrace new technology. (Sorry Mom and Dad! Please forgive me.)

So not only are new-vehicle buyers being exposed to the benefits of satellite radio, but the hardware manufacturers are also taking note of the increased interest in satellite radio technology. When I was in the market for a satellite radio receiver I was very surprised by not only the different receivers available, but also by the lower cost. In 2001 and 2002 when the services launched I looked over the displays at Best Buy but knew it would be years before I had anything like that in my own car, given the fiscal obligations of being a parent and homeowner. Last fall, when I began looking around the Internet for prices on plug-and-play units I learned I could purchase a unit for either provider for around $50 before rebates. Just as DBS TV such as DirecTv and Dish Network took a few years to reach real popularity (in no small part due to prices coming down), so also it will be for Sirius and XM. Bet on it.

The day after...

ABC's coverage of the game was OK. But for my money there's nothing quite like listening to the Super Bowl in Danish, Japanese, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese. Those were just some of the offerings available on the satellite radio. Geogal and I actually were impressed enough with the BBC's Super Bowl broadcast that it won out for our listenership while in the car to pick up Geoana from a Sunday evening event.

Speaking of satellite radio, no, I haven't forgotten or abandoned my series on why the medium will survive. In fact, I will post the last two segments this week. Promise. Cross my heart.

Further oddities

The final score: Seahawks 31, Steelers 21!

Or so it unfolded in my dream this early morning. But I had no actual chance to watch the Super Bowl due to other vague-and-never-defined responsibilties. As it went with just about all my slumber-induced brain activites, there was no logic or order as to the sequence of events. Yet they always somehow seem to make sense during my repose even though the moment I awaken I am aware enough to dismiss the just-concluded discord as "it was only a dream."

Sometimes that's a relief.

Truth be told, I have no real preference regarding tomorrow's gridiron contest. I have a difficult time rooting for or against either team. And I am willing to admit I really enjoy watching the Super Bowl just to check out the commercials. Just like most everyone else.

Regarding my previous post, it seems James Lileks has the same malady that afflicts both Mary Katherine and me. Read the paragraph about the ice cream.

And it seems I am not the only one who liked a particular variety of Kool-Aid.

Someone out there REALLY wants it still.

Could a trip to the Great White North be in my future?

Enough about that. If the game's final score is anything like the above, I probably better start paying more attention to my subconscious. Or head to Vegas.

My own sense of bad taste

Mary Katherine Ham, writing on Hugh Hewitt's blog today, shared her affinity for the now-discontinued Vanilla Coke. After describing another failed product she enjoyed she had me laughing out loud with this sentence:

"Wow, Mary Katharine" you're thinking to yourself, "you must have phenomenally bad taste, since everything you like fails miserably in the free market."

I can relate.

Back in my college days I had many sources of enjoyment. Two of these were Campbell's Chunky Chili Beef soup and Purplesaurus Rex Kool-Aid. It was sometime just after I got married when I was grocery shopping and realized neither of these items were available any longer. Some of the other store patrons must have wondered what was with my dysphoric sigh.
But I can still remember opening a can of Chunky Chili Beef, adding some Pace picante sauce, and eating the spiked soup with a warm rolled-up flour tortilla. Now that was some good eatin'.

And, hey. I can always mix grape Kool-Aid and lemonade Kool-Aid and make my own Purplesaurus Rex.

Real life

...hit me square in the face yesterday morning. Put the key in the ignition, turn it, nothing happens.

You probably know the routine. Call the auto club, have it jump-started. Car starts but the problem persists as soon as the engine is turned off. Is it the charging system or the electrical system? And the more pressing question: How much is this repair job going to set me back?

So...I get to have AAA tow the thing to the repair shop today.

Oh, well. I guess if a vehicle is going to fail, there is no better place for it to quit than inside one's own garage. Suppose I should count my blessings. After all, it's only money.

There also is an amusing side story to all this. When little Geoana (age 4) found out that the car wouldn't start she offered the solution that I should buy a new truck. I think it's definitely time to begin teaching her about money and what things cost.

And no, I did not implant the new truck suggestion in her mind.

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Darren Urban's piece in today's Tribune addresses the Arizona Cardinals choosing Larry Fitzgerald in the 2004 draft, passing over Ben Roethlisberger. The article is fair to Fitzgerald, acknowledging his Pro Bowl selection this season. Yet I believe that had the Birds picked Big Ben, the team would be no better today. After all, Roethlisberger has very good protection from his offensive line and the Steelers have a better-than-average running game. These are two things the Cardinals have lacked for at least two seasons. It's hard for any quarterback to throw touchdown passes when he is constantly hitting the turf only two or three seconds after the ball is snapped.