Despite warnings advising us not to believe everything we read on the Internet, we're all guilty of doing that. The same applies to spreading slanderous items sent to us by friends or relatives about another person, not knowing whether it's true or not. When in doubt, don't, is my advice. There was a story that I read yesterday that didn't sound real. The President wants a falling satellite shot out of the sky. Really? C'mon, you don't expect me to believe that, do you? It was true. Then there was the story this morning, about a typo made by a federal court, indicating that Barry Bonds failed a drug test. The news spread globally only to prove false. The typo part was correct, Bonds failing a drug test was not...
Erroneous reports and mistakes have been made for years, that's why the print media issues corrections but in today's instantaneous media world, there are no corrections posted. Like me, I'm sure you've seen your share of doubtful 'factual' items. There's no way to know whether or not a story is true or not, unless you investigate it. Get more than one source of reference. Be suspicious if you can't verify it. This is especially important if you write. Don't spread anything unless you know it's true...
One more piece of advice. If you get information you know is wrong, reply back to the sender and let them know...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1903] Won't you be my teddy bear?: Russian immigrants Morris and Rose Michtom introduce the first teddy bear to America (2/15). Michtom's, the Vermont Teddy Bear Co. thanks you: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6_xpWdb7SvE ...
- 1933] Wedding Bells: Blondie and Dagwood walk down the cartoon aisle, 3 years after meeting in the comic strip (2/17). They celebrate their 75th anniversary today...1969] Lulu and Maurice Gibb rock down the aisle in England (2/18). They divorce in 1973...
- 1936] Olympic Gold: Sonja Henie of Norway wins her 3rd straight gold medal at the German Winter games (2/15)...1968] France's Jean-Claude Killy wins the triple crown of Alpine skiing at the Grenoble Olympics winning 3 gold medals (2/17)...1984] 23-year old Bill Johnson becomes the first American to win an Olympic downhill skiing, gold medal at Sarajevo (2/16)...
- 1951] A close shave: The biggest point-shaving scandal in college basketball history begins when 3, defending-champion CCNY players are charged with accepting bribes to throw games (2/18). They eventually admit their crimes along with 29 others from 6 schools, including major power, Kentucky...
- 1959] Have a cigar: Fidel Castro seizes power in Cuba after the overthrow of President Fulgencio Batista (2/16)...
- 1965] 'Happy Trails': Nat "King" Cole passes away from lung cancer (2/15) at 46...1984] Ethel Merman dies at 76 of an inoperable brain tumor (2/15)...1998] Legendary Cubs/White Sox play-by-play man, Harry Caray dies from a heart attack at 83 (2/18). Here's Harry being interviewed after being hired by the White Sox: http://youtube.com/watch?v=oPiO28byCAA&feature=related ...2001] Dale Earnhardt dies from injuries suffered in a crash at the Daytona 500 (2/18). Earnhardt was 49...
- 1968] Where it all started: The first 911 emergency telephone system is inaugurated in Haleyville (AL) (2/16) where I started my radio career at WJBB...
- 1970] Smokin' Joe: Joe Frazier begins his reign as undefeated heavyweight champ by knocking out Jimmy Ellis in 5 rounds (2/16). Frazier keeps his title until losing it on January 22, 1973 to George Foreman. It would be Frazier's first loss...
- 1970] Guilty as charged: Five members of the 'Chicago 7' are found guilty of intent to incite a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention (2/18). The convictions will later be overturned...1992] In Milwaukee, mass murderer Jeffrey Dahmer is sentenced to life (2/17). In November of 1994 he is beaten to death by inmates...1995] LIRR killer Colin Ferguson is convicted on 6 counts of murder (2/17) in the December, 1993 shootings. Ferguson is later sentenced to a minimum of 200 years in prison. Many feel the sentence is too lenient...
- 2005] Why YouTube?: YouTube is launched in the U.S. (2/15). Why do people YouTube? Find out why: http://youtube.com/?v=RwRwAUgPwVs ...
Music Memories:
- 1954] Recorded on this date: Big Joe Turner records the original version of "Shake, Rattle & Roll" (2/15). Bill Haley & the Comets have the pop hit. Big Joe in action in glorious black & white: http://youtube.com/watch?v=20Feq_Nt3nM ...1959] "What'd I Say" - Ray Charles (2/18). Ladies & gentlemen, Ray Charles: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4NyDtMdwvkg&feature=related ...1961] "Blue Moon" - Marcels (2/15)...1966] Brian Wilson begins recording "Good Vibrations" (2/17)...
- 1955] Resume to follow: Little Richard sends his first audition tape to Specialty Records (2/17). It worked. He's signed by the label...
- 1976] Released on this date: "Greatest Hits" LP - Eagles (2/17). And it's still selling...
- 1979] Grammy Gold: Billy Joel ("Just The Way You Are") and Donna Summer ("Last Dance") are the big winners with 2 Grammy's a piece (2/15). Here's the song that Billy Joel doesn't like doing live: http://youtube.com/watch?v=afhDaXZU9S8 ...
Commentary (devoted to Jess Cain):
Len Zola: "Jess was scheduled to inteview Jerry Lewis on his noon-time TV show and this is what happened when Jerry had to cancel, Jess was seen hopping up on his chair, turning left and asking the absent star a question. Then he hopped down and up to the one that Jerry would've sat in and 'did' Jerry Lewis responding. For ten or 15 minutes it went on - ad lib - with Jess hopping up and down from one stool to another and carrying on both sides of the conversation. It is the only occasion when I, watching at home, actually was rolling on the floor laughing."...Harvey Mednick: "Sad news about Jess Cain -- alongside Joe Knight in Baltimore, Dick Purtan in Detroit and John Gambling in New York, he was one of those stability legends. Turn on your radio, he's there and all's right with the city!" ...Frank Kingston Smith: "When I came back to Boston in 1974 to do afternoons at WHDH, Jess was, of course, the morning man. Jess, who was a helluva actor, actually took me under his wing. I did a character in a couple of plays. His sense of humor was so dry...he'd deliver a line and 3 lines later, what he said would dawn on you. You would wind up laughing in the 'wrong' place. A true one of a kind"...John Gorman: "My father listened to him every morning and I got to meet him a couple of times at WHDH. Nice guy all the way around"...George Capalbo: "I always enjoyed his humor and dry wit. May his heavenly ratings be as good as his earthly ones"...R.I.P. Jess Cain...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
(2/15) Jaromir Jagr (36), Matt ('Simpsons') Groening (54), Jane Seymour (57), Melissa Manchester (57), Motown's Brian Holland (67), Claire Bloom (77), Harvey Korman (81), Alan ('M*A*S*H') Arbus (90), Hank Locklin (90) and Kevin McCarthy (94)...
(2/16) Jerome Bettis (36), John McEnroe (49), Ice-T (50), LeVar Burton (51), James Ingram (52), Kin Jong Il (66), Gretchen Wyler (76) and Patty Andrews (Sisters) (90)...
(2/17) Paris Hilton (27), Jason Ritter (28), Denise Richards (37), Michael Jordan (45), Lou Diamond Phillips (46), Rene Russo (54), Janice Dickinson (55), Rick Majerus (60), Dodie Stevens (62), Mary Ann Mobley (69), Jim Brown (72),
Bobby Lewis (75): http://youtube.com/watch?v=BbrY8EwXgEU , Roger Craig (78) and Hal Holbrook (83)...
(2/18) Molly Ringwald (40), Dr. Dre (43), Matt Dillon (44), Vanna White (50), John Travolta (54), Cybil Shepherd (58), Dennis De Young (61): http://youtube.com/watch?v=RuO4BNosAFM , Herman ('Teenagers') Santiago (67), Yoko Ono (75), Toni Morrison (77), John Warner (81), Luis Arroyo (81), George Kennedy (83) and Helen Gurley Brown (86)...
Timeline Countdown (February 15, 2008): 23 days until Daylight time, 35 days until spring begins and 40 days until opening day...
