The merger issue goes to Washington...
Wasting little time, the House Judiciary Committee will examine the XM-Sirius proposed merger this Wednesday. The Antitrust Task Force chaired by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) plans to probe the proposed $13 billion merger by calling on Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin to testify on February 28 at the committee's first meeting and the stakes are enormous...
Consider the following numbers: it's reported that iTunes is now selling 3 million songs every day, within the next couple of years about 40% of all new cars will come equipped with audio jacks and MP3 players, about 1 billion songs are being swapped on-line per month. This is indeed a youth movement with slightly over 25% of the population between the ages of 13 and 25 being the most active demographic. Do the math and it's plain to see that the electronic media age will mushroom as the lower-end of the demographic scale ages only to be replaced by other 13-25's who will have better technology to download songs to their fillings and body rings if they'd like. That's what's at stake for Sirius and XM. The chance to be competitive in this new electronic media era. Which makes you wonder where this puts terrestrial or free radio. My feeling is that it won't be HD radio unless it offers free video and a body message by the artist...
Speaking of things electronic and wireless, on February 15th, Robert Adler, co-inventor of the remote control, passed away at 93. Adler received more than 180 U.S. patents during his lifetime and in 1956 came up with the granddaddy of all electronic gadgets along with fellow engineer Eugene Polley. Their invention was called the Space Command, more commonly known as the remote control. There is no truth to the rumor that Adler was buried between two couch cushions...
Today's video link can be found in the 1985 "Grammy Gold" timeline...
Timeline Memories...
Napoleon Departed: 1815] Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from the island of Elba to begin his 2nd conquest of France...
The world's biggest cavity: 1919] Congress establishes Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona...
Go on green - not in between: 1930] New York City installs traffic lights. Prior to that New Yorkers started what's commonly known as 'flipping the bird'...
FDR rules!: 1951] The 22nd amendment to the Constitution is ratified, limiting U.S. Presidents to two terms in office...
The 45 rules!: 1955] Billboard Magazine reports that the 45rpm single is outselling 78's for the 1st time...
Released on this date: 1966] "19th Nervous Breakdown" - Rolling Stones...1977] "Hotel California" - The Eagles...
Grammy Gold: 1985] Chuck Berry receives a "Lifetime Achievement" Grammy. We have video of CB performing at that awards show with Stevie Ray Vaughn and George Thorogood. When the music ends, John Denver hands Chuck the Grammy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlSuMW3Md6U ...
In Cold Blood: 1990] Cornell Gunter of the Coasters is murdered in Las Vegas at 53...
"Welllll": 1987] The Tower Commission rebukes President Ronald Reagan for failing to control his national security staff in the Iran-Contra affair...
Crying 'Uncle': 1991] Iraq President Saddam Hussein announces on Baghdad Radio that he has ordered his troops to withdraw from Kuwait...
1st WTC disaster: 1993] Six people are killed and more than a thousand injured when a van explodes in the World Trade Center parking garage. An act of terrorism by Islamic extremists and a precursor to something far worse in 2001...
The Big 'O' wins again: 1998] A Texas jury rejects an $11 million lawsuit by cattlemen who blamed Oprah Winfrey for a price drop after her on-air comments about mad-cow disease. To show her appreciation Miss O buys everyone on the jury a steer and steak knives...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
"Happy Trails"...
We lost 2 football players over the weekend. 24-year old Denver reserve running back Damien Nash. Nash died suddenly after coming home from a charity basketball game on Saturday. An autopsy will be performed on Nash today to determine cause of death...Lamar Lundy, one of the Fearsome Foursome members of the Los Angeles Rams of the 50's and 60's, passed away on Saturday at 71. Lundy, who had diabetes, suffered other various long term illnesses. The Fearsome Foursome is often considered one of the best defensive lines in NFL history...
Commentary...
My take on the Oscars was that it was an entertaining show but way too long. Ellen DeGeneres did a pleasant job playing host. Nothing spectacular but easy to take and she had some funny lines. Why they didn't present their first major award sooner than an hour and a half into the show is unknown but inexcusable. For all those countless number of actors who complained for years that Martin Scorsese had never won an Oscar - now you can stop your whining. And then there was Andre Leon Talley who was "Oh, so fabulous". Who is he and why was he there???
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Erykah Badu (36), Michael Vettor (49), Michael Bolton (54), Mitch Ryder (62), Robert Novak (76), Fats Domino (79) and Betty Hutton (86)...
Timeline Countdown: 23 days until spring and 34 days until Opening Day...
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