Why is it no one ever tells you the "easy" way to do things....

So we all know by now that I broke my foot (my 5th Metatarsal to be exact) and am in a hard cast for a minimum or two weeks, and perhaps as long as 8 weeks.  Fine, I can deal with that.  During the office visit, my Ortho told me that she'd rather do a hard cast, as opposed to a boot, as it would lend more support.  And since you could now get casts wet, they weren't as much trouble.  "Wait"..I said..."I can let the cast get wet?".  She then explained that the bandaging inside was no longer made of cotton, but was made of a synthetic, and would dry out from some minor dampness.  The nurse then told me how she's had kids that have jumped in pools....and so long as you give the cast the chance to dry out...you're all good.

Still not wanting to just submerge the cast in water, I've been going through the torture of putting a garbage bag over my leg everyday, duct taping it, and doing my best to keep it out of direct water flow.

Well, today, in the shower, it got a bit damp...no big deal right!?  But apparently I didn't let it dry enough, I'm beginning to think the padding under my heal is worn away, and it kinda hurts to walk.

So now I find this......a really nifty device that would provide a water tight seal around my leg for the life of the cast.  I can put it on, take it off,  and the cast would remain moisture free!

Why wouldn't my doctor tell me about this!  A $15 fix , available at your friendly neighborhood Walgreen's, that slips on and off...no hefty garbage bag....no duct tape....and no wet bandages.

I really think if this doesn't dry out by morning, I'm going to have to get another cast....at least this time I'll have the stay-dry cast cover in my back pocket.

Obama Spin...out of control

I had to laugh at the liberal talking heads going off the deep end after Obama launched attacks in Libya.

Rachel Maddow showed about 7 Oval Office addresses from every President since Reagan, where they were speaking to America about military actions they've just sanctioned.  Maddow commented that at least Obama wasn't doing a White House presser, and pounding his chest about Libya.  So all this time I thought Maddow was anti-war, and in truth, she's okay with it, so long as the announcement comes from an acceptable venue.

Ed...from the thoughtfully named "The Ed Show".....took a special commentary to say..."on this, Mr. President, I'm with you".....really....because Ed hasn't been with Obama on EVERY OTHER ISSUE SINCE DAY ONE!

Chris Matthews ranted that Republicans had no credibility in asking for a clear mission statement, or exit strategy...because they never asked Bush 43 for it.  I guess Chris doesn't allow for the possibility that the Republicans may have learned something from the Bush mistake, and don't want to see it happen again.

At this point in his Presidency, I have to wonder how anyone that voted for Obama can be happy.

He promised to close Gitmo...and it's still open 2 years after he signed the law to close it.

He promised universal healthcare, and a year after signing that law, we don't know what's in the law, or how much it will cost.

He promised to end the two wars we were in...he's expanded activity in Afghanistan, and there are still troops in Iraq...just like McCain said there would be.  AND, he's now got us in Libya.

Oh well, I'm sure they are all still warm and fuzzy......and in love with Hope and Change.

Obituary for Rock103

As you all know, I've had a special connection to Rock103 for several years.  Ric Chetter is a close friend, and I always considered John to be a friend too.  I wont go into anymore details than Ric did about his departure, except to say the way they treat people sucks.

After John passed away, I was compelled to write the "powers that be" at Clear Chanenl...below is the content of my email, and the content of their response.

My letter:

So now that John McCormack is dead and gone.  I wonder what your plans for this classic Memphis station are? I’m truly wondering why the core cancer at the center of the decline of this station, Tim Spencer, is still standing?

If you look at the steady decline to this station, and the other clear channel affiliates…you can track it back almost to the day Mr. Spencer became programming and then operations manager.

• Fire Bev Hart….nope that wasn’t the fix.
• Run off Drake and Zeke….didn’t really help.
• Mike Fleming and Ben Ferguson…gone…but ratings still decline.
• Fire Luca Lindner…for what?
• Re-hire Jennifer Reed…only to be left hanging by her….everyone saw that coming…except Mr. Spencer
• Terminate Dennis Phillipi, and kill the afternoon show that was leading it’s ratings slot….why? So you can start auto tracking your mid-day and afternoon shows…..like we wouldn’t notice?

So there ends up with Ric Chetter and John McCormack in the mornings.  A positive move.  They truly generate a listener-ship, and are tracking well….UNTIL….Mr. Spencer decides there is too much talk, not enough music…and thus begins the ratings decline for the morning show.  His answer? Un-do the lack of interaction with the listener…no…dump Mr. Chetter, who by the was the only person that could do Mr. Spencer’s job (a threat to Mr. Spencer?), bring in a Northern syndicated show (which blows)..and pair himself with the #1 radio personality in Memphis in the afternoons (recorded).  Why?

When a manager fixes something, that isn’t broken, to bolster his own position, I have to wonder what he’s really up to.  By making this last change, he eliminated the one person in the building that could replace him, and hitched his wagon to the one remaining star, all at the same time.

I have news for you…the common denominator in all this is Mr. Tim Spencer.  Tim has never tracked well with the public, he comes across smug, arrogant, and detached.  When Bev left the morning show, ratings continued down.  When Tim left, and Ric came on…ratings went up, until Tim “fixed” the programming.

I just don’t understand how the station can continue to decline, and the man in charge is not held accountable, while the few shining rays of hope you have, are allowed to be let go, or encouraged to leave.  Seems like very bad upper-management.

Memphis is a unique market.  Not just in radio, but in all business.  Several others have tried to pipe in shows from other markets, and it just doesn’t work here.   I don’t know if you have access to the Rock103 Facebook page, but I could not find ONE comment that was a positive toward the removal of the morning show, or towards the new show that replaced it.  Not ONE!  There were some “I’ll give it a shot”….but since then, not one “I like it”…..NOT ONE!!!  Isn’t that amazing?  No one said, hey, moving John to afternoons, and ending the Bad Dog and Ric show was a good idea.  None.  If you take a look at the hundreds of comments made, it is likely 98% were negative, and 2% indifferent.

Mr. Spencer is a bad manager, and a worse on-air talent.  He has attempted to cover this up by sacrificing other talent and personnel in order to improve the station, and each time it has failed, save one.  Partnering Ric and John, which he then began to undermine to the point of failure.

I’m also curious, with the Urban stations in equal decline…why are there personnel changes over there? Or is Mr. Spencer not manager enough to handle the out-cry that would come from the Urban community.

With the long years of decline, surely corporate can see Mr. Spencer has killed a long standing Memphis tradition in Rock103.

Clear Channel is quickly heading to becoming equal to Flinn Broadcasting in Memphis.  Canned talent, lame shows, and no followers.

All you need to do now to complete the kill is change to a country format, and use such catchy on-air names are “Toad Spencer”, and “Leslie Lizard”….to complete the transformation.

Rick Cail

Former Listener and Fan

And their response:

Rick Cail:

Thank you for your email and comments related to programming issues at our Memphis radio station group.

While I agree with you that change is difficult to accept ,especially in light of recent events at Rock 103, I would urge you to give any and all changes to the programming there a real chance to succeed.

We know that it takes time for any new show, personality, format to be accepted and we appreciate your consideration and opinions going forward .

George C. Toulas

Sent from my iPad

So, despite the hundreds of comments on Facebook about the dislike for the new show, the hundreds of requests for the return of Ric Chetter, and the fact that since Mr. Tim Spencer has taken charge of the station..it has done nothing but decline...the powers that be think everything is fine.

Farewell Rock103.....I guess Bad Dog wasn't the only Memphis landmark that passed away this month.

Luck of the Irish???

The approach of St. Patrick's Day is usually my most favorite time of the year.  Beside's being the holiday for my heritage, and a wonderful holiday to show off my beer drinking skills, it also is my un-official start of Spring.

So how is this year going, well let's see....

I spent 10 days on a road trip through Florida for work.  And as Jimmy Buffett would say "just about my favorite drill".  However, on the next to the last day, while exiting a restaurant, I missed the last 2" step, and it was just enough to lay my right foot to waste.  Night quite broken, but severly snapped, sprained, hyper-extended, whatever you want to call it.  That even came the requiste swelling.  Now here's the thing...most of you know I suffer from an infection in my leg that will flare up for various reasons.  And one of those reasons is lack of circuilation brought on by the swelling in my foot.  Not being fully aware I had an early low-grade fever, I began my last car drive home from Tampa, anticipating an 11pm arrival at home. 

After about an hour of driving, I got stuck in a traffic jam that stretched out for 5 miles.  It took two hours to get clear of this mess caused by some jack-ass that doesn't under stand his truck was too tall to go under that bridge.

By then, I was getting tired...from the fever, and pulled over for a quick 15 minute power nap.  I've done this many times when on road-trips.  2 hours later I woke up.  It was about then I realized I wasn't feeling very well.

I kept on driving, and during the drive learned my friend John "Bad Dog" McCormack had slipped into a coma, and then finally passed away.  While very sad, I was also very relieved because his pain was over, and I have NO DOUBT where this man is headed.

I managed to cover some good ground, and by 7pm had arrived in Perry, GA....about 1 hour south of Atlanta. But that was as far as I could go.  My foot was killing me, my leg was beginning to show signs of the impending flare-up, and the fever was well set in.

I got a room, with the intention of getting a good night sleep, and then power driving the last 7 hours in the light of day.  I just wanted to be home.

During the night, my wife called  a couple of times, and realized I was slipping lower and lower into my fever. 

At 7am, I received a text from my wife saying she, and my good frient (now great friend) Sam were coming to get me and bring me home.  Sam took her entire day, and kept her son out of school, and Pam took the day off from work, and these two women set out for Perry, GA with only a Google Printout in hand.  They arrived around 5pm, and it was like a military rescue team.  The immediate induced fluids (gatorade), and food (cookies!).  Medication was started, and re-done every 3 hours, and for the next 8 hours, we journeyed home in tandem, finally arriving around 1am.  I can't state how awesome this was for these women to take these steps, and come save me.  My wife Pam is a wonderful partner, and my friend Sam has shown me so much of what a great friend she truly is.

Now home, I had to deal with the fact that I had tickets to Kid Rock on Saturday......the quick answer.....NOPE!  No way I was going to push the injury on those concrete floors and steps, so I stayed home, and medicated.

Monday, came some good news, my foot doesn't appear to be broken, but I do have to follow up wiht an Ortho next week.  However the infection seemed caught in time, and I'll continue meds for another 8-10 days.  My blood pressure had also come way down from (192/98) to (128/74), and my blood sugar test was clean. 

However, Wednesday we're supposed to leave for Hot Springs for St. Patricks' Day.  After thinking about drinking while taking meds, the amount of walking, and the quality of the visit.....Pam and I decided we'd not go this year.  My friends have all begged me to re-consider.  My friend up there even offered me a seat on the grand viewing stage with John Corbin so I wouldn't have to fight the crowds...tempting, but I'm letting wisdom prevail.

So I suffered a busted foot, fever, infection, having to be rescued, missed Kid Rock, and am missing St. Pat's in Hot Springs, and lost a good friend......things better start improving soon, or I'm gonna switch to Arbor Day as my new favorite.