Hi, folks. In case you didn't know, the final On The Mark Newscast was broadcast on November 28th, 2010. Starting on December 19th, 2010, the newscast will take on a new format on the newly-relaunched version of The Howie Silbiger Show, which will be called Sundays with Howie. On The Mark will re-titled as The Mad Mark Minute, and will feature a series of one-minute newscasts. It's been my pleasure to bring you On The Mark every week, and I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks again for all of your support :)!
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In the news this week…
I pledge to raise this can in honor of good beer, good times, and getting as drunk as I can.
That’s what drinkers of Ol’ Glory, an Oklahoma-based beer, might be saying very soon. The company has recently received permission to print the Pledge of Allegiance on their cans.
“If you are sitting in a bar and drinking this beer, you’ll think of America and you might think of God,” Ol’ Glory founder Don Sessions said. “If you don’t like the pledge or God, don’t buy the can.”
I wonder how long it will be before a Canadian brewery puts the entire Canadian Constitution on their cans.
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Half a postage stamp is apparently worth a whole fortune, but that didn’t deter one collector from buying it.
The rare German stamp, which originated from the town of Syke, sold for 261,000 Euros ($347,000) in a recent auction.
“Stamps were in short supply in Syke between 1872 and 1874 so it was decided that they should be cut in half as a makeshift solution,” a representative of the auction house that sold the stamp said. “But because this was only done for a short period, very few letters actually bear these halved stamps.”
This has got to be one of the craziest “half-off” stories I’ve ever heard. I shudder to think how much the whole stamp would have cost.
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If you’re a goat farmer in Chilliwack, BC, hold on to your goats.
More than 50 goats have been stolen from farms in the Chilliwack-Agassiz area over the past couple of months after a wave of rustling incidents.
The latest involved the theft of seven pregnant goats from a Chilliwack farm on Thursday. Six of the animals, valued at $500 to $800 each, were later recovered alive at a Langley farm.
Police have issued warnings stating that if you don’t keep your barn locked up, someone may literally come in and get your goat. And that would be baaaaad.
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And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Albany, California, it is presently partly cloudy with a high of 12 degrees. Meanwhile, over in Albany, Texas, it’s sunny and clear with a high of 21. It’s a clear day in Albany, Minnesota with a high of 4. Albany, Oregon is currently experiencing overcast conditions with a high of 8. Finally, it’s 3 and overcast in Albany, New York.
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Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is afterwit, which is knowledge gained too late to do any good. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
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This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 7757. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 7757.
--
Do you have some news you’d like to share with our audience? If so, feel free to send your story ideas to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the official On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
This is the final On The Mark newscast. It has been my pleasure to bring you the news each week, and if this newscast made you laugh or helped you learn something new, then that means I did my job right. I set out to create a different type of radio newscast, and I like to think that I’ve succeeded. I’d like to thank all of you out there for your support, and most importantly, I’d like to thank Howie for the opportunity.
In the coming weeks, On The Mark will be re-launched under a new name with a new, condensed format. I hope that you will enjoy it. I would also like to offer my sincerest apologies to the mayor of Steve, which is the capital of Nerdocrombesia. Since the beginning, we have been using their main incinerator for the dumping of rejected news stories, and as you can imagine, it has filled up considerably.
So for the last time under this format, for True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A farewell is necessary before we can meet again, and meeting again after moments or a lifetime is certain for those who are friends. Thank you very much, and God bless.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
On The Mark - November 21st, 2010
In the news this week…
The president of Russia has a new plan for Russians – and it has nothing to do with elections or raising taxes.
Vladimir Putin is calling on the people of Russia to help find a name for his new Karacachan puppy. Putin received the pooch as a gift from Bulgarian president Boiko Borisov earlier this week.
According to the Russian government’s official website, names like Borscht, Nyet, Laika, and Ilya Kovalchuk currently rank among the most popular choices.
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Here’s a special warning for our listeners in Quebec, specifically the Drummondville and Trois-Rivieres areas – beware of door-to-door cheese salesmen.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec says an unknown individual has been touring towns and cities selling cheese door to door.
A statement released by the MAPAQ says that people should avoid buying cheese from these individuals, as their products are most likely not made in an MAPAQ-licensed factory.
These individuals can be identified by the unusually strong smell that follows them. And believe me, they smell stronger than most types of cheese.
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If you live in Muenster, Germany, don’t expect to be able to give your horse a tattoo.
A court in the northwestern German city has banned a man from tattooing his pony with the logo of British rock band the Rolling Stones.
The court came to the pony’s emotional rescue after the owner shaved off a patch of its hair and pre-tattooed a pattern on its hindquarters of the “Tongue and Lip Design”.
The man claimed he wanted to make his pony look more unique with the logo, but the court ruled that tattooing the horse went against animal protection laws.
After the hearing, the pony left a pair of horseshoe-shaped markings on his owner’s behind, only they were not tattoos.
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And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
There are a few clouds in the sky in Sitrah, Bahrain, with a high of 23 degrees. Meahwnile, over in Chittagong, Bangladesh, it is also 23 degrees under unusual hazy conditions. It’s partly cloudy in Stann Creek Town, Belize, with a high of 29. Porto-Novo, Benin is currently experiencing partly cloudy conditions with some sunny breaks and a high of 28. Finally, it’s 24 and partly cloudy in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
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Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is bumwhush, which refers to the ruin, obscurity, or annihilation of something. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
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This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 14133. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 14133.
--
Do you have some news you’d like to share with our audience? If so, feel free to send your story ideas to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the official On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Girls are like phones. They love to be held and talked to, but if you press the wrong button, you’ll be disconnected. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
The president of Russia has a new plan for Russians – and it has nothing to do with elections or raising taxes.
Vladimir Putin is calling on the people of Russia to help find a name for his new Karacachan puppy. Putin received the pooch as a gift from Bulgarian president Boiko Borisov earlier this week.
According to the Russian government’s official website, names like Borscht, Nyet, Laika, and Ilya Kovalchuk currently rank among the most popular choices.
--
Here’s a special warning for our listeners in Quebec, specifically the Drummondville and Trois-Rivieres areas – beware of door-to-door cheese salesmen.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec says an unknown individual has been touring towns and cities selling cheese door to door.
A statement released by the MAPAQ says that people should avoid buying cheese from these individuals, as their products are most likely not made in an MAPAQ-licensed factory.
These individuals can be identified by the unusually strong smell that follows them. And believe me, they smell stronger than most types of cheese.
--
If you live in Muenster, Germany, don’t expect to be able to give your horse a tattoo.
A court in the northwestern German city has banned a man from tattooing his pony with the logo of British rock band the Rolling Stones.
The court came to the pony’s emotional rescue after the owner shaved off a patch of its hair and pre-tattooed a pattern on its hindquarters of the “Tongue and Lip Design”.
The man claimed he wanted to make his pony look more unique with the logo, but the court ruled that tattooing the horse went against animal protection laws.
After the hearing, the pony left a pair of horseshoe-shaped markings on his owner’s behind, only they were not tattoos.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
There are a few clouds in the sky in Sitrah, Bahrain, with a high of 23 degrees. Meahwnile, over in Chittagong, Bangladesh, it is also 23 degrees under unusual hazy conditions. It’s partly cloudy in Stann Creek Town, Belize, with a high of 29. Porto-Novo, Benin is currently experiencing partly cloudy conditions with some sunny breaks and a high of 28. Finally, it’s 24 and partly cloudy in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is bumwhush, which refers to the ruin, obscurity, or annihilation of something. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 14133. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 14133.
--
Do you have some news you’d like to share with our audience? If so, feel free to send your story ideas to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the official On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Girls are like phones. They love to be held and talked to, but if you press the wrong button, you’ll be disconnected. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
On The Mark - November 14th, 2010
In the news this week…
There are many ways to punish children in a school. Detentions and cleaning up are two of the most popular methods, but one teacher in Australia had her own method.
According to reports, a teacher in Australia taped the mouths of her noisy students shut to keep them quiet. If the piece of tape fell off, another one was quickly added.
West Australian Department of Education official Paul O'Connor said in a statement the offending teacher “has been removed from teaching while inquiries are under way.”
Looks like this teacher was literally done in by “the tale of the tape”.
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It is often said that twins can feel each other’s emotions, but one set of twins in Vancouver is actually able to do so.
The four-year-old twin girls are able to see through each other’s eyes and experience each other’s emotions. The girls, whose brains are fused together, share a thalamus, which sends physical sensations and motor functions to the cerebral cortex.
Craniopagus twins fused at the head are rare, accounting for only one in 2.5 million births.
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And now, here’s yet another story from the Stupid Criminal Files.
A mother in Miami took trading to the most extreme level when she sold her baby in an attempt to buy a new car.
The baby's grandmother brokered the deal and initially demanded $75,000, but agreed to cut the price to $30,000 when told the prospective buyer could not get a bank loan, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.
Both the grandmother and the 22-year-old mother were later arrested. The child is currently in the custody of the state.
I know some people say they’d like to get rid of their kids, but selling a child to buy a car? That does not sit well with this reporter.
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And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Tirana, Albania, it is currently 11 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Meahwnile, over in Andorra la Vellla, Andorra, it is 13 degrees under overcast skies. It’s a bit chilly in Graz, Austria with a high of 8 under a few clouds. Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda is experiencing partly cloudy conditions with a high of 26. Finally, it’s only 1 in Zaranj, Afghanistan with a few clouds in the sky.
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Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is jobbery, which is the practice of turning a public office or position of trust to personal gain or political advantage, or corruption in public office. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
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This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 11035. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 11035.
--
Do you have some news you’d like to share with our audience. If so, feel free to send your story ideas to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the official On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
There are many ways to punish children in a school. Detentions and cleaning up are two of the most popular methods, but one teacher in Australia had her own method.
According to reports, a teacher in Australia taped the mouths of her noisy students shut to keep them quiet. If the piece of tape fell off, another one was quickly added.
West Australian Department of Education official Paul O'Connor said in a statement the offending teacher “has been removed from teaching while inquiries are under way.”
Looks like this teacher was literally done in by “the tale of the tape”.
--
It is often said that twins can feel each other’s emotions, but one set of twins in Vancouver is actually able to do so.
The four-year-old twin girls are able to see through each other’s eyes and experience each other’s emotions. The girls, whose brains are fused together, share a thalamus, which sends physical sensations and motor functions to the cerebral cortex.
Craniopagus twins fused at the head are rare, accounting for only one in 2.5 million births.
--
And now, here’s yet another story from the Stupid Criminal Files.
A mother in Miami took trading to the most extreme level when she sold her baby in an attempt to buy a new car.
The baby's grandmother brokered the deal and initially demanded $75,000, but agreed to cut the price to $30,000 when told the prospective buyer could not get a bank loan, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.
Both the grandmother and the 22-year-old mother were later arrested. The child is currently in the custody of the state.
I know some people say they’d like to get rid of their kids, but selling a child to buy a car? That does not sit well with this reporter.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Tirana, Albania, it is currently 11 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Meahwnile, over in Andorra la Vellla, Andorra, it is 13 degrees under overcast skies. It’s a bit chilly in Graz, Austria with a high of 8 under a few clouds. Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda is experiencing partly cloudy conditions with a high of 26. Finally, it’s only 1 in Zaranj, Afghanistan with a few clouds in the sky.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is jobbery, which is the practice of turning a public office or position of trust to personal gain or political advantage, or corruption in public office. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 11035. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 11035.
--
Do you have some news you’d like to share with our audience. If so, feel free to send your story ideas to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the official On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
On The Mark - October 31st, 2010
In the news this week…
People getting sued for various things is nothing new in our society, but what happens when the person being sued is a six-year-old girl?
A judge in New York has ruled that the girl in question can indeed be sued. The case began in April 2009 when Juliet Breitman and Jacob Kohn, both aged four, struck an 87-year-old pedestrian, Claire Menagh, with their training bikes. The victim underwent hip surgery, but died three months later.
King’s County Court Justice Paul Wooten ruled that “A parent’s presence alone does not give a reasonable child carte blanche to engage in risky behavior such as running across a street.” He also added that “the term ‘supervising’ is too vague to hold meaning here.”
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There are many ways to punish children in a school. Detentions and picking up trash are two of the most popular methods, but one teacher in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia had her own method.
In early October, a mother claimed a teacher at Greenfield Elementary taped her daughter's legs to a chair. She demanded the teacher be punished and that the school apologize.
Lorne Greene, chairman of the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board, confirmed the teacher had been disciplined and said he personally apologized to the girl's mother.
Looks like this teacher was literally done in by “the tale of the tape”.
--
And now, here’s yet another story from the Stupid Criminal Files.
Fights over meat are generally something that occurs between dogs or other animals. In a strange case that occurred in Victoria, BC, two people were involved in fight over pieces of meat.
Two brothers, aged 17 and 22, had gotten into an argument about who should receive a bigger steak. Upset with the smaller meal, the 17-year-old had taken a hockey stick and began smashing things inside the apartment. He punched out drywall and broke a computer monitor before taking a toaster with him into the bathroom, police said
Police took the teen to the hospital for an assessment and later returned him home when he regained his composure and promised “to go straight to bed.”
I’ve had some fights with my brothers over the years, but none of them were as stupid as this one.
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And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Salto, Uruguay, it is currently 20 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Over in Hue, Vietnam, it is 22 degrees with some light rain. It’s relatively nice in Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna with a high of 28 under a few clouds. Aden, Yemen is experiencing a high of 28 with some clouds in the sky. Finally, it’s 26 in Lusaka, Zamvbia under partly cloudy skies.
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Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is lucriferous, which refers to anything that is lucrative or profitable, unlike this newscast. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 74580. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 74580.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Never play leapfrog with a unicorn. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
People getting sued for various things is nothing new in our society, but what happens when the person being sued is a six-year-old girl?
A judge in New York has ruled that the girl in question can indeed be sued. The case began in April 2009 when Juliet Breitman and Jacob Kohn, both aged four, struck an 87-year-old pedestrian, Claire Menagh, with their training bikes. The victim underwent hip surgery, but died three months later.
King’s County Court Justice Paul Wooten ruled that “A parent’s presence alone does not give a reasonable child carte blanche to engage in risky behavior such as running across a street.” He also added that “the term ‘supervising’ is too vague to hold meaning here.”
--
There are many ways to punish children in a school. Detentions and picking up trash are two of the most popular methods, but one teacher in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia had her own method.
In early October, a mother claimed a teacher at Greenfield Elementary taped her daughter's legs to a chair. She demanded the teacher be punished and that the school apologize.
Lorne Greene, chairman of the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board, confirmed the teacher had been disciplined and said he personally apologized to the girl's mother.
Looks like this teacher was literally done in by “the tale of the tape”.
--
And now, here’s yet another story from the Stupid Criminal Files.
Fights over meat are generally something that occurs between dogs or other animals. In a strange case that occurred in Victoria, BC, two people were involved in fight over pieces of meat.
Two brothers, aged 17 and 22, had gotten into an argument about who should receive a bigger steak. Upset with the smaller meal, the 17-year-old had taken a hockey stick and began smashing things inside the apartment. He punched out drywall and broke a computer monitor before taking a toaster with him into the bathroom, police said
Police took the teen to the hospital for an assessment and later returned him home when he regained his composure and promised “to go straight to bed.”
I’ve had some fights with my brothers over the years, but none of them were as stupid as this one.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Salto, Uruguay, it is currently 20 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Over in Hue, Vietnam, it is 22 degrees with some light rain. It’s relatively nice in Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna with a high of 28 under a few clouds. Aden, Yemen is experiencing a high of 28 with some clouds in the sky. Finally, it’s 26 in Lusaka, Zamvbia under partly cloudy skies.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is lucriferous, which refers to anything that is lucrative or profitable, unlike this newscast. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 74580. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 74580.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in an incinerator somewhere in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Never play leapfrog with a unicorn. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
On The Mark - October 24th, 2010
In the news this week…
On your mark, get set, sleep!
Spain has just crowned its first winner of the inaugural Siesta Championship. The winner, an unemployed security guard from Ecuador is now 1,000 euros ($1,430) richer and slightly more refreshed.
The competition was arranged by the National Association of Friends of the Siesta to promote the national tradition of taking a nap in the afternoon. There were more than 300 participants, who were given 20 minutes to lie down on a sofa in an attempt to sleep the longest during that time. A doctor was on hand to monitor how long they were actually sleeping.
Thankfully, no one was ejected from the contest for using sleep-enhancing drugs.
--
Marriage is often viewed as a wonderful thing. Two people tie the knot, and usually spend the rest of their lives together.
But what happens when one person ends up marrying themselves? Chen Wei-yih of Taipei, Taiwan, has decided to marry herself, stating that she was uninterested by the men she’s met over the years.
Chen, dressed in a traditional wedding gown, wed herself in a ceremony that was attended by 30 people. The ceremony cost T$50,000 ($5,675).
I’ve heard of narcissistic people before, but this just takes the wedding cake. Marrying yourself? Seriously? Wow. Just wow.
--
There are many unusual things that a person can get fined for these days, and apparently, throwing a cat into a trash can is one of them.
Mary Bale, 45, a former bank worker from Coventry, England, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the cat. A second charge of failing to provide the cat with a suitable environment was dropped.
Looks like Mrs. Bale was literally putting the cat out, but there are much better ways to do so.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Melekeok, Palau, it is currently 26 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Over in Doha, Qatar, there are a few clouds in the sky with a high of 28. It’s a chilly night in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia with a high of only 4 under a few clouds. Despite the presence of a few clouds, San Marino, San Marino is experiencing a high of 16. Finally, there is some smoke in the sky in Ashgebat, Turkemenistan with a high of 13.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is fulgurating, which refers to something that is flashing or sudden, like lightning. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 10735. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 10735.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
On your mark, get set, sleep!
Spain has just crowned its first winner of the inaugural Siesta Championship. The winner, an unemployed security guard from Ecuador is now 1,000 euros ($1,430) richer and slightly more refreshed.
The competition was arranged by the National Association of Friends of the Siesta to promote the national tradition of taking a nap in the afternoon. There were more than 300 participants, who were given 20 minutes to lie down on a sofa in an attempt to sleep the longest during that time. A doctor was on hand to monitor how long they were actually sleeping.
Thankfully, no one was ejected from the contest for using sleep-enhancing drugs.
--
Marriage is often viewed as a wonderful thing. Two people tie the knot, and usually spend the rest of their lives together.
But what happens when one person ends up marrying themselves? Chen Wei-yih of Taipei, Taiwan, has decided to marry herself, stating that she was uninterested by the men she’s met over the years.
Chen, dressed in a traditional wedding gown, wed herself in a ceremony that was attended by 30 people. The ceremony cost T$50,000 ($5,675).
I’ve heard of narcissistic people before, but this just takes the wedding cake. Marrying yourself? Seriously? Wow. Just wow.
--
There are many unusual things that a person can get fined for these days, and apparently, throwing a cat into a trash can is one of them.
Mary Bale, 45, a former bank worker from Coventry, England, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the cat. A second charge of failing to provide the cat with a suitable environment was dropped.
Looks like Mrs. Bale was literally putting the cat out, but there are much better ways to do so.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Melekeok, Palau, it is currently 26 degrees under partly cloudy skies. Over in Doha, Qatar, there are a few clouds in the sky with a high of 28. It’s a chilly night in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia with a high of only 4 under a few clouds. Despite the presence of a few clouds, San Marino, San Marino is experiencing a high of 16. Finally, there is some smoke in the sky in Ashgebat, Turkemenistan with a high of 13.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is fulgurating, which refers to something that is flashing or sudden, like lightning. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 10735. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 10735.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
On The Mark - October 17th, 2010
In the news this week…
We don’t often hear stories of thieves who actually have some good in them, but a college professor in Sweden has found one who does.
A professor at Umea University in northern Sweden had his laptop stolen but was completely surprised when the thief mailed him back the computer's contents on a memory stick.
"This story makes me feel hope for humanity," the professor, who wished to remain anonymous.
Wow, now that’s some dedication from the thief. Copying all those files must have taken hours.
--
In a classic case that seems to have lifted from old cartoons, a hungry person in Victoria, B.C. broke into a home and ate some leftover pumpkin pie.
The resident of the house was awoken at 5 AM when she heard from noises in her kitchen. She called the police, but when they arrived, the culprit had already left the scene.
The food burglary has inspired the creation of a new crime drama – Law & Order: Food Stealers Unit. Look for it on your screens soon.
--
Photos and other content posted on Facebook have often known to cause controversy, but in one interesting case, a photo posted on Facebook helped to save a child’s life.
When nurse Nicola Sharp was looking through her friend Michele Freeman’s photos on Facebook, she noticed something strange about her two-year-old daughter’s eyes. When the girl was brought to the hospital later on, it was discovered that she had eye cancer.
Had this nurse not notified her friend about this problem, the child might have died. This serves as proof that there is some merit to Facecook after all.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
Almaty, Kazakhstan is currently experiencing unusual smoky conditions with a high of 13 degrees. It’s a wet evening over in Vientiane, Laos with some drizzle and a high of 24. There are a few clouds in the sky in Lilionwe, Malawi, with a high of 18. Meanwhile, Alofi, Niue, it’s 24 under overcast skies. Finally, there are a few clouds in the sky in Muscat, Oman with a high of 30.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is parvanimity, which refers to the state or quality of having a little or ignoble mind, pettiness, or meanness. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 42110. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 42110.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Every man has his follies –and often they are the most interesting thing he’s got. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
We don’t often hear stories of thieves who actually have some good in them, but a college professor in Sweden has found one who does.
A professor at Umea University in northern Sweden had his laptop stolen but was completely surprised when the thief mailed him back the computer's contents on a memory stick.
"This story makes me feel hope for humanity," the professor, who wished to remain anonymous.
Wow, now that’s some dedication from the thief. Copying all those files must have taken hours.
--
In a classic case that seems to have lifted from old cartoons, a hungry person in Victoria, B.C. broke into a home and ate some leftover pumpkin pie.
The resident of the house was awoken at 5 AM when she heard from noises in her kitchen. She called the police, but when they arrived, the culprit had already left the scene.
The food burglary has inspired the creation of a new crime drama – Law & Order: Food Stealers Unit. Look for it on your screens soon.
--
Photos and other content posted on Facebook have often known to cause controversy, but in one interesting case, a photo posted on Facebook helped to save a child’s life.
When nurse Nicola Sharp was looking through her friend Michele Freeman’s photos on Facebook, she noticed something strange about her two-year-old daughter’s eyes. When the girl was brought to the hospital later on, it was discovered that she had eye cancer.
Had this nurse not notified her friend about this problem, the child might have died. This serves as proof that there is some merit to Facecook after all.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
Almaty, Kazakhstan is currently experiencing unusual smoky conditions with a high of 13 degrees. It’s a wet evening over in Vientiane, Laos with some drizzle and a high of 24. There are a few clouds in the sky in Lilionwe, Malawi, with a high of 18. Meanwhile, Alofi, Niue, it’s 24 under overcast skies. Finally, there are a few clouds in the sky in Muscat, Oman with a high of 30.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is parvanimity, which refers to the state or quality of having a little or ignoble mind, pettiness, or meanness. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 42110. We hope it makes you a lucky person in some way. Once again, that number is 42110.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also check out the On The Mark archives by visiting www.truetalkradio.com.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: Every man has his follies –and often they are the most interesting thing he’s got. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
On The Mark - October 3rd, 2010
Here is this week's On The Mark Transcript. Enjoy :)!
In the news this week…
Some of the most bizarre mistakes in the world come from typos seen in ads and other publications. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco recently released a limited edition breakfast cereal that featured a toll-free number to donate funds to Feed The Children. Ochocinco is one of many supporters of this charitable organization.
However, when people called the 800 number on the side of the cereal box, they were met with a sultry female voice inviting them to a naughty phone chat. The mistake was not the fault of Ochocinco, but rather that of the charity.
Boy, who knew you could get that much enjoyment out of a cereal box?
--
Do you remember riding the school bus to school? It was full of good times, lots of laughs, and if you lived in Fort McMurray, Alberta, maybe even a little drug usage.
Three British Columbia men were arrested by the Mounties after they were found driving in a van painted up like a school bus. The bust was a response to complaints from locals that the “bus” had been visiting schools in the area. The Mounties found several different types of drugs in the van.
I guess this is what my friends were talking about when they mentioned all of those “high times” in high school.
--
The posting of photos and other types of information on Facebook has led to the downfall of many a person. For one man in Australia, it cost him his marriage.
Less than a month after their wedding, the man’s new wife found out that her husband was married to another woman. She found the evidence on the man’s Facebook profile.
The man, who is known as Mr. Ling, is reportedly facing possible prosecution for bigamy, which has a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
Looks like Mr. Ling’s second wife has literally thrown the book at his face.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
Torshavn, Faroe Islands is currently experiencing some minor cloudy conditions with a high of 10 degrees. It’s a cloudy evening over in Sukhumi, Georgia with a high of 15. There are a few clouds in the sky in Pecs, Hunguary, with a high of 14. The folks in Yazd, Iran are enjoying a high of 24 under clear conditions. Finally, there is some heavy thunderstorm action in Wakayama, Japan with a high of 22.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is ramsquaddle, which means to beat or thrash. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 65855. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. Once again, that number is 65855.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com for an archive of past newscasts.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A word to the wise ain’t necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
In the news this week…
Some of the most bizarre mistakes in the world come from typos seen in ads and other publications. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco recently released a limited edition breakfast cereal that featured a toll-free number to donate funds to Feed The Children. Ochocinco is one of many supporters of this charitable organization.
However, when people called the 800 number on the side of the cereal box, they were met with a sultry female voice inviting them to a naughty phone chat. The mistake was not the fault of Ochocinco, but rather that of the charity.
Boy, who knew you could get that much enjoyment out of a cereal box?
--
Do you remember riding the school bus to school? It was full of good times, lots of laughs, and if you lived in Fort McMurray, Alberta, maybe even a little drug usage.
Three British Columbia men were arrested by the Mounties after they were found driving in a van painted up like a school bus. The bust was a response to complaints from locals that the “bus” had been visiting schools in the area. The Mounties found several different types of drugs in the van.
I guess this is what my friends were talking about when they mentioned all of those “high times” in high school.
--
The posting of photos and other types of information on Facebook has led to the downfall of many a person. For one man in Australia, it cost him his marriage.
Less than a month after their wedding, the man’s new wife found out that her husband was married to another woman. She found the evidence on the man’s Facebook profile.
The man, who is known as Mr. Ling, is reportedly facing possible prosecution for bigamy, which has a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
Looks like Mr. Ling’s second wife has literally thrown the book at his face.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
Torshavn, Faroe Islands is currently experiencing some minor cloudy conditions with a high of 10 degrees. It’s a cloudy evening over in Sukhumi, Georgia with a high of 15. There are a few clouds in the sky in Pecs, Hunguary, with a high of 14. The folks in Yazd, Iran are enjoying a high of 24 under clear conditions. Finally, there is some heavy thunderstorm action in Wakayama, Japan with a high of 22.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is ramsquaddle, which means to beat or thrash. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 65855. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. Once again, that number is 65855.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com for an archive of past newscasts.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A word to the wise ain’t necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
On The Mark - September 12th, 2010
Back again after a prolonged absence, which included a vacation, illness, and Jewish holidays. Enjoy this week's newscast :).
In the news this week…
Having a large family is said to be a blessing. However, for one man and his 55 supposed kids, the result has been anything but.
A man in Paris, France is facing up to 10 years in jail and fines for suspected paternity fraud and for helping to obtain residency under false pretences after he registered having 55 children through 55 different mothers.
Police suspect the man was involved in a social benefits scam which could have been costing the state over 1 million euros ($1.27 million) annually in claims by the mothers.
55 kids, eh? Looks like this poor sap will also have to pay the world’s largest child support fees.
--
Ever smell something strange while you’re watching movies at your local movie theater? Some cops in Grenfell, Saskatchewan sure did, and they ended up shutting down a massive grow-op operation.
Around 416 marijuana plants and about 4.5 kilograms of harvested marijuana were found in an abandoned movie theatre in the small town.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they raided the theatre on Wednesday after a man was arrested trying to enter Canada from North Dakota with a small amount of what was suspected to be hashish in his car.
Looks like this is one marijuana-growing experiment that literally went up in smoke.
--
Speaking of marijuana, most people who use it usually have a supplier on speed dial for when they need their green fix. However, when calling, it’s always a good idea to dial the correct number.
A teenage boy in Helena, Montana sent a text to his dealer that said “Hey Dawg, do you have a $20 I can buy right now?” However, the teen accidentally sent this message to the wrong number.
The message ended up in the phone of Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton. The sheriff thought it was a prank at first, but later discovered that the text was legit.
He decided to play along, and told the teen to meet him at a local business. When the police arrived, they found two teens and an older man. Detectives called the teens over and flashed their badges. Police said that both kids turned white, and one of them fainted.
Hey, I’d have probably fainted too if a text message like that ended up in the wrong hands.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Shkodër, Albania, it is presently 20 degrees under a few clouds. Meanwhile over in The Valley, Anguilla, it’s relatively sunny with a few clouds and a high of 27. Oranjestad, Aruba is looking very nice with sunny skies and a high of 32. 15 degrees is the high in Gmunden, Austria with a few clouds in the sky, making for a colder evening over there. Finally, Tindouf, Algeria is experiencing a high of 34 this evening under partly cloudy skies.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is friggle, which means to fuss over small things. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 49640. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. Once again, that number is 49640.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com for an archive of past newscasts.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
In the news this week…
Having a large family is said to be a blessing. However, for one man and his 55 supposed kids, the result has been anything but.
A man in Paris, France is facing up to 10 years in jail and fines for suspected paternity fraud and for helping to obtain residency under false pretences after he registered having 55 children through 55 different mothers.
Police suspect the man was involved in a social benefits scam which could have been costing the state over 1 million euros ($1.27 million) annually in claims by the mothers.
55 kids, eh? Looks like this poor sap will also have to pay the world’s largest child support fees.
--
Ever smell something strange while you’re watching movies at your local movie theater? Some cops in Grenfell, Saskatchewan sure did, and they ended up shutting down a massive grow-op operation.
Around 416 marijuana plants and about 4.5 kilograms of harvested marijuana were found in an abandoned movie theatre in the small town.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they raided the theatre on Wednesday after a man was arrested trying to enter Canada from North Dakota with a small amount of what was suspected to be hashish in his car.
Looks like this is one marijuana-growing experiment that literally went up in smoke.
--
Speaking of marijuana, most people who use it usually have a supplier on speed dial for when they need their green fix. However, when calling, it’s always a good idea to dial the correct number.
A teenage boy in Helena, Montana sent a text to his dealer that said “Hey Dawg, do you have a $20 I can buy right now?” However, the teen accidentally sent this message to the wrong number.
The message ended up in the phone of Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton. The sheriff thought it was a prank at first, but later discovered that the text was legit.
He decided to play along, and told the teen to meet him at a local business. When the police arrived, they found two teens and an older man. Detectives called the teens over and flashed their badges. Police said that both kids turned white, and one of them fainted.
Hey, I’d have probably fainted too if a text message like that ended up in the wrong hands.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
In Shkodër, Albania, it is presently 20 degrees under a few clouds. Meanwhile over in The Valley, Anguilla, it’s relatively sunny with a few clouds and a high of 27. Oranjestad, Aruba is looking very nice with sunny skies and a high of 32. 15 degrees is the high in Gmunden, Austria with a few clouds in the sky, making for a colder evening over there. Finally, Tindouf, Algeria is experiencing a high of 34 this evening under partly cloudy skies.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is friggle, which means to fuss over small things. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 49640. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. Once again, that number is 49640.
--
Do you want get on your story on the radio? There are two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com for an archive of past newscasts.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and until we meet again, here’s a nugget of wisdom for your consideration: A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running. Think about it. I’ll see you next week.
Monday, July 12, 2010
On The Mark - July 11th, 2010
Here is this week's On The Mark transcript. Sorry it's a day late. Enjoy :)!
In the news this week…
A most unusual flower is set to bloom in Houston, Texas. It has a very unique smell that could literally wake the dead.
The rare flower is known as a corpse flower. It emits rather pungent smell that has been likened to that of rotting flesh. Only 100 of the endangered plants have ever bloomed in cultivation, the first being in 1889. A total of 28 such flowers have ever bloomed in the U.S.
This just in – zombies have been spotted outside the Radio Shalom offices. All people working the area are advised to run for cover.
--
I’ve just received word from our Toronto bureau that strange growling noises have been heard on Queen St. West. These sounds are those of cougars looking for fresh meat.
These cougars aren’t the ferocious ones who live in the mountains, though. They are all women who are all 35 and older that are vying for the title of Miss Cougar Canada
The winner will get to experience a room at Hedonism II Resort Spa in Jamaica during International Cougar Week in March. She’ll also earn a spot on the International Cougar Cruise to the Bahamas in December.
My only hope is that the younger men or “cubs” who are vying for the attention of these cougars don’t fall victim to rabies. Oh wait, wrong type of cougar.
--
And now, here’s another story from the Stupid Criminal Files.
A 19-year-old man was so desperate to drive a bus, he decided to steal one from a transit garage and perform the regular duties of a driver. However, the ride did not end well.
William Jackson entered Metro Transit’s facility outside of Washington D.C. wearing a full operator’s uniform. He then took a bus from the garage, and went out to do a regular run on route B2.
While driving the route, Jackson hit a tree. He later fled the bus, and was arrested by police after a short foot chase.
I’ve heard of rapid transit before, but you know your transit is moving too rapidly when you suddenly hit a tree. Thankfully, this bus thief will be going out of service for good, and will be enjoying a long layover in jail.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
It’s a relatively calm night in Shkoder, Albania with a high of 26 under a few clouds. Sitrah, Bahrain is experiencing a clear night with a high of 34. Over in Douala, Cameroon, it’s partly cloudy with a high of 25. Sosua, Dominican Republic is looking nice right now with a high of 33 under sunny skies and a few clouds. Finally, it’s a bit chilly down in Adis Abeba, Ethiopia with a high of only 17.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is jamfle, which means to shuffle in walking, as if in consequence of wearing too wide shoes. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 85225. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. Once again, that number is 85225.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On The Mark. See you next week.
In the news this week…
A most unusual flower is set to bloom in Houston, Texas. It has a very unique smell that could literally wake the dead.
The rare flower is known as a corpse flower. It emits rather pungent smell that has been likened to that of rotting flesh. Only 100 of the endangered plants have ever bloomed in cultivation, the first being in 1889. A total of 28 such flowers have ever bloomed in the U.S.
This just in – zombies have been spotted outside the Radio Shalom offices. All people working the area are advised to run for cover.
--
I’ve just received word from our Toronto bureau that strange growling noises have been heard on Queen St. West. These sounds are those of cougars looking for fresh meat.
These cougars aren’t the ferocious ones who live in the mountains, though. They are all women who are all 35 and older that are vying for the title of Miss Cougar Canada
The winner will get to experience a room at Hedonism II Resort Spa in Jamaica during International Cougar Week in March. She’ll also earn a spot on the International Cougar Cruise to the Bahamas in December.
My only hope is that the younger men or “cubs” who are vying for the attention of these cougars don’t fall victim to rabies. Oh wait, wrong type of cougar.
--
And now, here’s another story from the Stupid Criminal Files.
A 19-year-old man was so desperate to drive a bus, he decided to steal one from a transit garage and perform the regular duties of a driver. However, the ride did not end well.
William Jackson entered Metro Transit’s facility outside of Washington D.C. wearing a full operator’s uniform. He then took a bus from the garage, and went out to do a regular run on route B2.
While driving the route, Jackson hit a tree. He later fled the bus, and was arrested by police after a short foot chase.
I’ve heard of rapid transit before, but you know your transit is moving too rapidly when you suddenly hit a tree. Thankfully, this bus thief will be going out of service for good, and will be enjoying a long layover in jail.
--
And now, here’s your True Talk Radio travel forecast.
It’s a relatively calm night in Shkoder, Albania with a high of 26 under a few clouds. Sitrah, Bahrain is experiencing a clear night with a high of 34. Over in Douala, Cameroon, it’s partly cloudy with a high of 25. Sosua, Dominican Republic is looking nice right now with a high of 33 under sunny skies and a few clouds. Finally, it’s a bit chilly down in Adis Abeba, Ethiopia with a high of only 17.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is jamfle, which means to shuffle in walking, as if in consequence of wearing too wide shoes. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 85225. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. Once again, that number is 85225.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For True Talk Radio News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On The Mark. See you next week.
Monday, July 5, 2010
On The Mark - July 4th, 2010
Sorry it's a day late, but here is this week's On The Mark transcript. I'd also like to apologize for not posting as often as usual. I've recently undertaken a few more freelance writing jobs, which have taken up a significant portion of my time. I hope to post some new material here sometime soon. Thanks for your understanding :).
In the news this week…
We often hear stories of people who have special or hidden talents. The Ontario Provincial Police recently pulled over a truck driver with a very interesting hidden talent.
Lambton County OPP say they stopped a big rig driver doing some driving dentistry along Hwy. 402 on Wednesday. Const. John Reurink said it's the first time he's ever heard of a driver being pulled over performing dental surgery.
The driver had been weaving all over the road in order to hit a bump and get his tooth pulled out. He had tied the tooth to one end of a string, while the other end had been tied to the roof of the cab. When the driver was stopped the officer found a bloody tooth and a string lying next to him.
The cops later discovered that the driver had a PhD in dentistry, and was practicing a new method to use on his patients.
--
A truck driver in London has been found guilty of “putting on the Ritz” – that is, putting a couple of real estate investors on about how he could sell them the world-famous Ritz hotel, and scamming them out of about $1.6 million Canadian in the process.
Anthony Lee, 49, pretended to be an associate of the landmark hotel's owners, the Barclay brothers, and convinced two local businessmen that he could sell the Ritz to them for the “bargain” price of £250 million – more than $400 million Canadian.
Lee was found guilty of obtaining money by deception Friday and warned that he faces a “quite substantial custodial sentence” later this month.
Boy, am I ever glad I ignored that spam e-mail from England about a great real estate investment opportunity.
--
The mysterious Horse Boy of Aberdeen rides again.
Horse Boy became an overnight sensation in Britain in 2009 when newly introduced Google Street View recorded a man wearing a horse head mask as he stood on a quiet residential street in Aberdeen, Scotland, when the Google camera car passed by.
Google eventually removed the image at the height of the craze, but later re-posted it. And now, the Horse Boy has been spotted again in Aberdeen – but he wasn’t alone this time.
The latest image shows Horse Boy standing next to a young woman whose face is blurred. However, the face may be visible enough to ID both the girl and possibly Horse Boy himself.
Will Horse Boy and his lady friend be able to ride off into the sunset this time? At this rate, who knows? But one thing is for certain – they’ve stirred up more than just some hay with their appearances.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
It’s a relatively chilly night in Lusaka, Zambia with a high of 13 under a few clouds. Over in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands, it’s clear with plenty of sun and a high of 32. Tashkent, Uzbekistan is experiencing unusual smoke-like conditions and a high of 29. Meanwhile, in Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos Islands, it’s looking great with lots of sun and a few clouds with a high of 33. Finally, it’s a fairly clear night in Sfax, Tunisia with a high of 28 and a few scattered clouds.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is aa, which is the Hawaiian word for lava that has a rough surface. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 74100. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 74100.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On The Mark. See you next week.
In the news this week…
We often hear stories of people who have special or hidden talents. The Ontario Provincial Police recently pulled over a truck driver with a very interesting hidden talent.
Lambton County OPP say they stopped a big rig driver doing some driving dentistry along Hwy. 402 on Wednesday. Const. John Reurink said it's the first time he's ever heard of a driver being pulled over performing dental surgery.
The driver had been weaving all over the road in order to hit a bump and get his tooth pulled out. He had tied the tooth to one end of a string, while the other end had been tied to the roof of the cab. When the driver was stopped the officer found a bloody tooth and a string lying next to him.
The cops later discovered that the driver had a PhD in dentistry, and was practicing a new method to use on his patients.
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A truck driver in London has been found guilty of “putting on the Ritz” – that is, putting a couple of real estate investors on about how he could sell them the world-famous Ritz hotel, and scamming them out of about $1.6 million Canadian in the process.
Anthony Lee, 49, pretended to be an associate of the landmark hotel's owners, the Barclay brothers, and convinced two local businessmen that he could sell the Ritz to them for the “bargain” price of £250 million – more than $400 million Canadian.
Lee was found guilty of obtaining money by deception Friday and warned that he faces a “quite substantial custodial sentence” later this month.
Boy, am I ever glad I ignored that spam e-mail from England about a great real estate investment opportunity.
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The mysterious Horse Boy of Aberdeen rides again.
Horse Boy became an overnight sensation in Britain in 2009 when newly introduced Google Street View recorded a man wearing a horse head mask as he stood on a quiet residential street in Aberdeen, Scotland, when the Google camera car passed by.
Google eventually removed the image at the height of the craze, but later re-posted it. And now, the Horse Boy has been spotted again in Aberdeen – but he wasn’t alone this time.
The latest image shows Horse Boy standing next to a young woman whose face is blurred. However, the face may be visible enough to ID both the girl and possibly Horse Boy himself.
Will Horse Boy and his lady friend be able to ride off into the sunset this time? At this rate, who knows? But one thing is for certain – they’ve stirred up more than just some hay with their appearances.
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And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
It’s a relatively chilly night in Lusaka, Zambia with a high of 13 under a few clouds. Over in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands, it’s clear with plenty of sun and a high of 32. Tashkent, Uzbekistan is experiencing unusual smoke-like conditions and a high of 29. Meanwhile, in Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos Islands, it’s looking great with lots of sun and a few clouds with a high of 33. Finally, it’s a fairly clear night in Sfax, Tunisia with a high of 28 and a few scattered clouds.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is aa, which is the Hawaiian word for lava that has a rough surface. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 74100. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 74100.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute end up in Nerdocrombesia. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On The Mark. See you next week.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
On The Mark - June 27th, 2010
On The Mark is back after a prolonged absence. Here is this week's newscast. Enjoy :)!
In the news this week…
Princess Abby is a winner on many levels. She saved her owner from almost certain death, and she recently took first prize in a very different kind of dog show.
The Chihuahua mix may be a hero, but she’s also the World’s Ugliest Dog. Winning this title was no easy task, though. Princess Abby had to beat defending champion Pabst, and 2002 winner Rascal.
Her oddly curved back and legs and her partially closed left eye were key in her climb to the top of the rankings. Hey, if ugly dogs can have their own competition, we can’t be too far away from having one for ugly people.
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If you’re caught swearing in Queensland, you’re likely to pay a fine that is far heftier than having your mouth washed out with soap.
Police in the Australian state can now issue fines for $100 (or $88.50 CDN) for swearing in public and $300 ($265) for disorderly conduct.
As a result of these new laws, all incoming sailors have been diverted to Sydney, where they can swear to their hearts’ content.
--
In science news, a new environmentally-friendly prototype vehicle has been introduced by two budding scientists in Maine.
Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz of Buckfield have developed a vehicle that runs on a combination of Mentos candies and Coke Zero.
The vehicle was made by using a bike and a trailer is powered by piston mechanism. In a recent experiment posted online, the machine traveled more than 220 feet.
I guess this means we’re not too far away from having a vehicle powered by chips, hot wings, and beer. I’d definitely buy that, but I’d probably consume the fuel before it made it to the car.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom sports scoreboard.
Morrison-Berkshire, the official home team of The Howie Silbiger show, have won the North Adams Little League division championship, defeating Police by a score of 11 – 1 on Friday night.
Mike Bloom and Collin Racette each had doubles for Morrison-Berkshire, who were the top-seeded team in the playoffs. Pitcher Nick Boulger picked up the win in the rout, while Police went through several pitchers in the game. However, none of them seemed to be able to stop Morrison-Berkshire’s outstanding offense and equally great defense.
We will try to get an interview with team manager John Moulton within the coming days.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
Sherberghan is currently experiencing a few clouds with a high of 26. It’s 25 with partly cloudy skies right now in Luanda. Papeete is partly cloudy with some sunny breaks and a high of 26. It’s a bit chillier in Nis with a high of 16, and some clouds. Reus is looking a little better today with a few clouds and a high of 24. Finally, it’s a relatively hot night in Umm Durman with a high of 39, and some scattered clouds
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is scribacious, which means given to, or fond of, writing. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 96625. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 96625.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute and into the incinerator, where they prove to be much more useful. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On The Mark. See you next week.
In the news this week…
Princess Abby is a winner on many levels. She saved her owner from almost certain death, and she recently took first prize in a very different kind of dog show.
The Chihuahua mix may be a hero, but she’s also the World’s Ugliest Dog. Winning this title was no easy task, though. Princess Abby had to beat defending champion Pabst, and 2002 winner Rascal.
Her oddly curved back and legs and her partially closed left eye were key in her climb to the top of the rankings. Hey, if ugly dogs can have their own competition, we can’t be too far away from having one for ugly people.
--
If you’re caught swearing in Queensland, you’re likely to pay a fine that is far heftier than having your mouth washed out with soap.
Police in the Australian state can now issue fines for $100 (or $88.50 CDN) for swearing in public and $300 ($265) for disorderly conduct.
As a result of these new laws, all incoming sailors have been diverted to Sydney, where they can swear to their hearts’ content.
--
In science news, a new environmentally-friendly prototype vehicle has been introduced by two budding scientists in Maine.
Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz of Buckfield have developed a vehicle that runs on a combination of Mentos candies and Coke Zero.
The vehicle was made by using a bike and a trailer is powered by piston mechanism. In a recent experiment posted online, the machine traveled more than 220 feet.
I guess this means we’re not too far away from having a vehicle powered by chips, hot wings, and beer. I’d definitely buy that, but I’d probably consume the fuel before it made it to the car.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom sports scoreboard.
Morrison-Berkshire, the official home team of The Howie Silbiger show, have won the North Adams Little League division championship, defeating Police by a score of 11 – 1 on Friday night.
Mike Bloom and Collin Racette each had doubles for Morrison-Berkshire, who were the top-seeded team in the playoffs. Pitcher Nick Boulger picked up the win in the rout, while Police went through several pitchers in the game. However, none of them seemed to be able to stop Morrison-Berkshire’s outstanding offense and equally great defense.
We will try to get an interview with team manager John Moulton within the coming days.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
Sherberghan is currently experiencing a few clouds with a high of 26. It’s 25 with partly cloudy skies right now in Luanda. Papeete is partly cloudy with some sunny breaks and a high of 26. It’s a bit chillier in Nis with a high of 16, and some clouds. Reus is looking a little better today with a few clouds and a high of 24. Finally, it’s a relatively hot night in Umm Durman with a high of 39, and some scattered clouds
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is scribacious, which means given to, or fond of, writing. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 96625. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 96625.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or you can send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll use only the good ones on the air. As for the bad ones, they fall through a chute and into the incinerator, where they prove to be much more useful. You can also visit the official On The Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On The Mark. See you next week.
Monday, June 21, 2010
In today's news...
-The MMVAs are totally rigged. If they weren't, Justin Bieber and Drake wouldn't have won every freaking award. Seriously, that Bieber kid needs to get off my TV screen and radio before something really bad happens. I hope his 15 minutes are up soon. I'd rather gouge my eyes out than listen to this mindless drivel.
-Someone scored more than two goals in the farce known as the 2010 World Cup. Portugual destroyed North Korea by a score of 7 - 0, setting a record for this tournament, and possibly for the sport itself. The World Cup has had its share of crazy hijinks, from numerous games ending in zip-to-zip ties, to blown calls, to infighting on the French squad, which led to the resignation of a French official. And they call this sport "the beautiful game". Pfft. It's a complete lie. How can a sport be classified as "beautiful" if no one scores any goals half the time? Do bat-shit insane fans with annoying plastic horns (vuvuzelas) that cause hearing damage make soccer "beautiful" as well? I think not. Hockey did away with ties several years ago, and it's great that they did. In addition, the horns that are blown at hockey games are not nearly as annoying as those vuvuzelas are. Indeed, watching paint dry is more interesting than watching a soccer match. Yawn.
-The Montreal Canadiens, my former favorite team, traded away goalie Jaroslav Halak, who was the only reason why the team had such an impressive playoff run this year. Now that, dear readers, is how you shoot yourself in the foot, and guarantee a last-place finish next season. What GM Pierre Gauthier should have done is trade Carey Price, the inferior of the two netminders. Price is absolute garbage, and I fail to understand why management is so high on him. They think he's the next Patrick Roy, but in reality, he's one of the worst goaltenders I've ever seen. I know I said I've lost faith in the Habs before, only to regain it later on, but this time, it's for real. As a result of this boneheaded move, I am now officially a Blackhawks fan. I'll admit that I've actually liked the Hawks for a while now. I like their good combination of youth, veterans, skill, and chemistry. They are fun to watch, and are full of great players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and countess others. Now comes a tough decision: Do I get a Toews #19 T-shirt, a Kane #88 T-shirt, or a Seabrook #7 one? Hmm. Tough decision, indeed.
-Today, three long years of writing stories, chasing people for interviews, and doing a lot of other fun stuff will culiminate in a grand ceremony in which I will be handed a diploma. That's right, folks. As of today at 3 PM, Concordia University becomes my alma mater (but definitely not my first one). I have to say, I've had an incredible run there. I've met so many wonderful people, and I've gained some valuable skills that will serve me well in the future. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Journalism department, its staff, and my fellow students for three great years. It's been a great ride, and I hope our paths cross again soon. For a guy that transferred from McGill, where failure seemed imminent, I managed to do a 180 and give some meaning to my education. And in my opinion, a meanningful education is a good education. Now comes the hard part - finding a full-time job in my field. It hasn't been easy thus far, but I remain optimistic. Hopefully I'll find a job soon.
That's all for now. I'll be back soon with more.
-Someone scored more than two goals in the farce known as the 2010 World Cup. Portugual destroyed North Korea by a score of 7 - 0, setting a record for this tournament, and possibly for the sport itself. The World Cup has had its share of crazy hijinks, from numerous games ending in zip-to-zip ties, to blown calls, to infighting on the French squad, which led to the resignation of a French official. And they call this sport "the beautiful game". Pfft. It's a complete lie. How can a sport be classified as "beautiful" if no one scores any goals half the time? Do bat-shit insane fans with annoying plastic horns (vuvuzelas) that cause hearing damage make soccer "beautiful" as well? I think not. Hockey did away with ties several years ago, and it's great that they did. In addition, the horns that are blown at hockey games are not nearly as annoying as those vuvuzelas are. Indeed, watching paint dry is more interesting than watching a soccer match. Yawn.
-The Montreal Canadiens, my former favorite team, traded away goalie Jaroslav Halak, who was the only reason why the team had such an impressive playoff run this year. Now that, dear readers, is how you shoot yourself in the foot, and guarantee a last-place finish next season. What GM Pierre Gauthier should have done is trade Carey Price, the inferior of the two netminders. Price is absolute garbage, and I fail to understand why management is so high on him. They think he's the next Patrick Roy, but in reality, he's one of the worst goaltenders I've ever seen. I know I said I've lost faith in the Habs before, only to regain it later on, but this time, it's for real. As a result of this boneheaded move, I am now officially a Blackhawks fan. I'll admit that I've actually liked the Hawks for a while now. I like their good combination of youth, veterans, skill, and chemistry. They are fun to watch, and are full of great players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and countess others. Now comes a tough decision: Do I get a Toews #19 T-shirt, a Kane #88 T-shirt, or a Seabrook #7 one? Hmm. Tough decision, indeed.
-Today, three long years of writing stories, chasing people for interviews, and doing a lot of other fun stuff will culiminate in a grand ceremony in which I will be handed a diploma. That's right, folks. As of today at 3 PM, Concordia University becomes my alma mater (but definitely not my first one). I have to say, I've had an incredible run there. I've met so many wonderful people, and I've gained some valuable skills that will serve me well in the future. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Journalism department, its staff, and my fellow students for three great years. It's been a great ride, and I hope our paths cross again soon. For a guy that transferred from McGill, where failure seemed imminent, I managed to do a 180 and give some meaning to my education. And in my opinion, a meanningful education is a good education. Now comes the hard part - finding a full-time job in my field. It hasn't been easy thus far, but I remain optimistic. Hopefully I'll find a job soon.
That's all for now. I'll be back soon with more.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Absolute Rubbish: Today's Music
UPDATE: The Howie Silbiger Show will not be airing next Sunday and Monday as well, so no On The Mark until further notice. Once again, I'll keep you posted about it when it does return, so stay tuned.
Welcome to another post in the "Absolute Rubbish" series. Today's post (or rant) will focus on the music of today.
I love listening to music. I have it on when I'm working and when I'm on the go, and I find it be both therapeutic and relaxing. The genres of music I enjoy the most are jazz, smooth jazz, and classic rock. Almost everything that I listen to falls into these categories.
As good as this is, I find that today's music is severely lacking in quality. When I hear popular music on the radio, I can't help but feel that this mindless drivel was haphhazardly put together in order to sell it kids who consume this stuff as if it was candy. The songs I hear on the radio are basically the equivalent of ear rape. Some of the artists are so bloody annoying, it's not even funny. And the worst part of it is that Top 40-formatted radio stations throughout North America and the world forcefeed it to us by repeating the same songs several times within an hour. Here in Montreal, Virgin Radio 96 and 94.7 Hits FM are notorious for doing that.
When I hear music from Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and others, I seriously want to ralf. It sounds absolutely terrible. Lady Gaga may be a marketing genius with her crazy costumes and all, but her music is atrocious. I bet she sounds terrible without all of the computers that have enhanced her voice. I find her music to be repetitive and extremely annoying. Poker Face made me want to break out in hives, while her latest single, Alejandro, is just plain awful. Some people are billing her as "the next Madonna". While I can see the comparison (the aforementioned crazy costumes are one example), I think this is taking it a bit too far.
Ke$ha, or Kedollarsha, as I like to call her, is just plain painful to listen to. Her music is shrill, and her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard. This is basically rubbish masquerading as music. I can't believe that this talentless hack actually has fans. I recently watched a parody of her song Tick Tock called Glitter Puke that was both hilarious and very accurate. You can watch the video here here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7n8GqewJ2M
Another popular artist who I cannot stand is Justin Bieber. He (or is it she?) epitomizes everything that I hate about popular music. He can't sing to save his life, and yet, every 16-year-old girl is obsessed with him. There have even been reports of injuries sustained while a bunch of his adoring (read: overly obsessive) uber-fans were waiting for him to make an appearance. Wow. If only these young women could see just how blind they were. This kid has more cheesecake than the sweet table at my bar mitzvah party did. Justin Bieber serves as yet another example of poorly-crafted music created for Disney Channel slaves. I await the day when this little pisher's 15 minutes of fame are up. He is an absolute abomination, and I fail to understand why he is so popular. One days his fans will realize that he really isn't that good after all, and maybe then, they'll stop throwing their training bras at him.
I long for the days of yore when the music was well-written and worth listening to. These days, it's just about how drunk you got at a club, how many girls you can attract and subsequently cheat on at once, or how much money and "bling" you have. The music of the past really spoke to people. It dealt with important issues, and actually had a meaning. Today's music is pure trash, and is severely lacking in quality. No way in hell will I ever submit myself to this auditory purgatory. It's classless, tasteless, and shows little effort. The music industry has really deteriorated over the years, and the sad thing is that there's no end in sight.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
More WNQW & On The Mark Updates
Just of couple of updates for you regarding WNQW Milwaukee (106.9 FM) and my On The Mark newscast.
Regarding WNQW, the station has finally adopted a permanent format. At 3 PM on June 7th, the station became Big Buck Country 106.9, playing classic country music from the '70s to the '90s. It's nice to hear that WNQW finally found a format after Radio Now was stolen from them by competitor WQBW. However, I think that it's kind of a weak idea. I suppose they had to do something after WQBW became Radio Now 97.3, so they stunted for a few extra days before they finally made a decision. I guess you can say that this case is now closed.
Regarding On The Mark, it won't be heard again this week either. Neither will The Howie Silbiger Show, for that matter. I apologize for the inconvenience. I guess this means that the next installment of On The Mark will be heard in two weeks. Stay tuned for further information.
In the meantime, I'll continue to blog about other interesting things. I'll be posting an interview I did with Mark David Gerson, a well-known author and creativity expert sometime later this week.
That's all for now. I'll be back soon with more exciting (?) stuff.
Regarding WNQW, the station has finally adopted a permanent format. At 3 PM on June 7th, the station became Big Buck Country 106.9, playing classic country music from the '70s to the '90s. It's nice to hear that WNQW finally found a format after Radio Now was stolen from them by competitor WQBW. However, I think that it's kind of a weak idea. I suppose they had to do something after WQBW became Radio Now 97.3, so they stunted for a few extra days before they finally made a decision. I guess you can say that this case is now closed.
Regarding On The Mark, it won't be heard again this week either. Neither will The Howie Silbiger Show, for that matter. I apologize for the inconvenience. I guess this means that the next installment of On The Mark will be heard in two weeks. Stay tuned for further information.
In the meantime, I'll continue to blog about other interesting things. I'll be posting an interview I did with Mark David Gerson, a well-known author and creativity expert sometime later this week.
That's all for now. I'll be back soon with more exciting (?) stuff.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
A Couple of Updates
Hi, folks. Just wanted to let you know that there will not be a new On The Mark newscast and transcript this week. The reason why is because The Howie Silbiger Show will not be airing on Sunday, June 6th. However, with that being said, in my dedication to bring you the most interesting newscast possible, I have recently appointed a Toronto correspondent. Ferdie Galitane's his name, and he will be scouring the Interwebs for interesting news items for use in future On The Mark installments. He's already supplied me with one, and I will be featuring it in next week's newscast. Welcome to the team, Ferdie :).
Also, regarding the format situation on Milwaukee's 106.9 FM (WNQW), they are now playing the entire Beatles catalog from A to Z on a nine-hour loop. It makes for some very interesting listening. I was never really a fan of The Beatles' music, but I've found a few good songs while listening to WNQW's online stream. Thanks, guys. I hope you find a good format soon. Meantime, I will continue following the WNQW story, and I'll have more updates when more information becomes available. This story has certainly been an interesting one thus far, and has been quite fun to follow. If you want to listen to WNQW's online stream, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://den-a.plr.liquidcompass.net/player/flash/audio_player.php?id=WJZXFM&uid=82
That's all for now. I'll be back later in the week with some more interesting stuff for y'all.
Also, regarding the format situation on Milwaukee's 106.9 FM (WNQW), they are now playing the entire Beatles catalog from A to Z on a nine-hour loop. It makes for some very interesting listening. I was never really a fan of The Beatles' music, but I've found a few good songs while listening to WNQW's online stream. Thanks, guys. I hope you find a good format soon. Meantime, I will continue following the WNQW story, and I'll have more updates when more information becomes available. This story has certainly been an interesting one thus far, and has been quite fun to follow. If you want to listen to WNQW's online stream, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://den-a.plr.liquidcompass.net/player/flash/audio_player.php?id=WJZXFM&uid=82
That's all for now. I'll be back later in the week with some more interesting stuff for y'all.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Yoink! One radio station steals another's new format
Radio is something that I've been passionate about for several years. I've worked for four or five radio stations here in Montreal in some capacity over the past six years, and I've enjoyed it immensely. I may be a volunteer at Radio Shalom, but I really do enjoy what I do there.
Anyway, that being said, I'm a pretty big radio geek as well. One of the things I love to do is record format changes off of online streams, and then share them with fellow radio geeks. I love historic stuff too, and what's more historic than the beginning or end of something?
Format changes are often shrouded in mystery or controversy. Some stations will play something totally bizarre and random before launching their new format, just to spike listener interest. The identity of the new format is usually kept under wraps until a specific launch time.
Recently, a format change in Milwaukee caused a bit of a stir. Two stations were planning to flip formats. Saga Communications-owned WJZX, formerly known as Smooth Jazz 106.9 was planning to drop the smooth jazz format and shift to a new CHR (Top 40) format that would be called 106.9 Now. On May 27th at high noon, the stage was set for the transition to 106.9 Now. A domain for the new format's website had been established, and the station had even reserved the new call sign of WNQW. Everything appeared to be ready for the change.
After the obligatory end-of-format announcement from WJZX's general manager, WJZX became Tiger 106.9, a stunt / gag format that played "music for liars and cheaters." Obviously, it was patterned after Tiger Wood's cheating debacle, and it played songs about infidelity. Kind of a funny idea, I have to admit. Some of these stunt formats, while merely placeholders, are quite creative. WJZX would adopt this format until after Memorial Day weekend, when they would officially launch 106.9 Now.
Meanwhile, across town, Clear Channel-owned WQBW, formerly 97.3 The Brew, was planning to drop their '80s rock format in favour of a new CHR format as well. When they heard about WJZX's intentions to reformat as Radio Now, they acted fast. The next day, May 28th, WQBW abruptly segued into the new CHR format, identifying themselves as Radio Now 97.3.
Now, that's gotta be the dirtiest trick I've ever seen. WQBW basically "yoinked" the Now moniker from WJZX while they were stunting. Competion among radio stations in a given market is nothing new, but stealing one station's new format is another. They beat their competitor to the punch, and laid claim on the Now format and branding. Clear Channel later said that they were planning to flip WQBW, but once they became aware of WJZX's plans, they moved the switch up.
Obviously shocked by WQBW's rather unusual move, the only thing WJZX could do was continue stunting. The Tiger 106.9 format remained in place until May 29th at 7 PM, when it was dropped in favour of American-themed music in honour of Memorial Day. When I tuned in online yesterday, they were still playing the American stuff (songs that make reference to America, military marches, etc.). Tom Joerres, the general manager of Saga Milwaukee said in a recent interview that the new format won't be launching anytime soon due to this rather controversial format yoink. So I guess we'll be hearing American stuff (or something else) on 106.9 for quite some time. You can read the interview here: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/95130799.html
In my three-plus years of recording format change airchecks, I have never seen something as bizarre as this happen before. I guess the only thing that can be said is "you snooze, you lose." WJZX, which has now officially adopted the WNQW call letters, chose to wait to launch the Radio Now format in order to build listener interest, and the format itself. This ultimately proved to be a big mistake, as WQBW swooped in and stole it from them. Radio is often a cutthroat industry which features heavy competition among competitors. Clearly, the competition ended up with the upper hand in this situation. Meantime, I'll continue to follow this most interesting story, and I'll have more updates for you as soon as I can get them.
More info on the situation can be found here: http://radioinsight.com/
Anyway, that being said, I'm a pretty big radio geek as well. One of the things I love to do is record format changes off of online streams, and then share them with fellow radio geeks. I love historic stuff too, and what's more historic than the beginning or end of something?
Format changes are often shrouded in mystery or controversy. Some stations will play something totally bizarre and random before launching their new format, just to spike listener interest. The identity of the new format is usually kept under wraps until a specific launch time.
Recently, a format change in Milwaukee caused a bit of a stir. Two stations were planning to flip formats. Saga Communications-owned WJZX, formerly known as Smooth Jazz 106.9 was planning to drop the smooth jazz format and shift to a new CHR (Top 40) format that would be called 106.9 Now. On May 27th at high noon, the stage was set for the transition to 106.9 Now. A domain for the new format's website had been established, and the station had even reserved the new call sign of WNQW. Everything appeared to be ready for the change.
After the obligatory end-of-format announcement from WJZX's general manager, WJZX became Tiger 106.9, a stunt / gag format that played "music for liars and cheaters." Obviously, it was patterned after Tiger Wood's cheating debacle, and it played songs about infidelity. Kind of a funny idea, I have to admit. Some of these stunt formats, while merely placeholders, are quite creative. WJZX would adopt this format until after Memorial Day weekend, when they would officially launch 106.9 Now.
Meanwhile, across town, Clear Channel-owned WQBW, formerly 97.3 The Brew, was planning to drop their '80s rock format in favour of a new CHR format as well. When they heard about WJZX's intentions to reformat as Radio Now, they acted fast. The next day, May 28th, WQBW abruptly segued into the new CHR format, identifying themselves as Radio Now 97.3.
Now, that's gotta be the dirtiest trick I've ever seen. WQBW basically "yoinked" the Now moniker from WJZX while they were stunting. Competion among radio stations in a given market is nothing new, but stealing one station's new format is another. They beat their competitor to the punch, and laid claim on the Now format and branding. Clear Channel later said that they were planning to flip WQBW, but once they became aware of WJZX's plans, they moved the switch up.
Obviously shocked by WQBW's rather unusual move, the only thing WJZX could do was continue stunting. The Tiger 106.9 format remained in place until May 29th at 7 PM, when it was dropped in favour of American-themed music in honour of Memorial Day. When I tuned in online yesterday, they were still playing the American stuff (songs that make reference to America, military marches, etc.). Tom Joerres, the general manager of Saga Milwaukee said in a recent interview that the new format won't be launching anytime soon due to this rather controversial format yoink. So I guess we'll be hearing American stuff (or something else) on 106.9 for quite some time. You can read the interview here: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/95130799.html
In my three-plus years of recording format change airchecks, I have never seen something as bizarre as this happen before. I guess the only thing that can be said is "you snooze, you lose." WJZX, which has now officially adopted the WNQW call letters, chose to wait to launch the Radio Now format in order to build listener interest, and the format itself. This ultimately proved to be a big mistake, as WQBW swooped in and stole it from them. Radio is often a cutthroat industry which features heavy competition among competitors. Clearly, the competition ended up with the upper hand in this situation. Meantime, I'll continue to follow this most interesting story, and I'll have more updates for you as soon as I can get them.
More info on the situation can be found here: http://radioinsight.com/
Sunday, May 30, 2010
On The Mark Transcript - May 30th, 2010
Here is this week's On The Mark transcript. Enjoy :)!
In the news this week…
A major northern highway in Greece was closed for two hours earlier this week for a very strange reason – an invasion of frogs.
Millions of frogs covered the highway, which led a police officer to call it “a carpet of frogs.” Authorities closed the highway after three cars skidded off the road trying to dodge the frogs. No human injuries were reported.
The frogs had most likely left a nearby lake to look for food. I think they were trying to set a world record for the largest-ever game of Frogger.
--
In a bizarre twist on the old adage “man bites dog”, a New York man bit another man. Oddly enough, dogs were actually involved.
A sheriff’s office said that one man bit another during a fight over a couple of dogs at a park in New City, about 30 miles north of New York. One of the men didn’t like the way their pets were playing at a dog park.
A third man tried to stop the fight, but he was bit on the wrist by one of the combatants. Perhaps the biter didn’t like the dog treats that he had been offered.
--
And now, here is another story from the Stupid Criminals File.
Repeat offenders are a regular sight in the police files. Usually, these people are caught committing the same crime several months apart. However, one recent repeat offender was given two DUIs in the span of only five hours.
Police in Missoula, Montana say that Frank Rees was arrested at about 2:30 a.m. on suspicion of drunken driving and posted a $500 bond just before 5:30 a.m. About two hours later, Rees was again arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, this time after police reported he hit a parked car.
This just in – Frank Rees has been arrested yet again, this time after being freed from prison. The offence this time – DUI, or Driving Under Idiocy.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom sports scoreboard.
Morrison Berkshire, the official home team of the Howie Silbiger Show, finished in second place in the North Adams Division standings. They had an impressive 11 – 2 record, with a .846 winning percentage. Here’s hoping they will go deep in the playoffs.
In underwater hockey action, South Africa beat France 6 – 2 at the CMAS 13th Underwater Hockey European Open Championships
Finally, in chess boxing action, Andy “The Rock” Costello defeated Sergio “The Phoenix” Leveque by KO in the 8th round in the European Heavyweight Championship Eliminator.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
Cluj is having a relatively nice evening with a high of 19 with some clouds. Over in Ufa, it’s a bit cold, with a high of only 9 under partly cloudy skies. It’s sunny with a few clouds in Vigo right now, with a high of 20, and finally, Bulawayo is experiencing some light rain with a high of 14.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is rowdy-dow, which means to be noisy or boisterous. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 24310. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 24310.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll read only the good ones. As for the bad ones, well, that’s a story best left untold. You can also visit the official On the Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On the Mark. See you next week.
In the news this week…
A major northern highway in Greece was closed for two hours earlier this week for a very strange reason – an invasion of frogs.
Millions of frogs covered the highway, which led a police officer to call it “a carpet of frogs.” Authorities closed the highway after three cars skidded off the road trying to dodge the frogs. No human injuries were reported.
The frogs had most likely left a nearby lake to look for food. I think they were trying to set a world record for the largest-ever game of Frogger.
--
In a bizarre twist on the old adage “man bites dog”, a New York man bit another man. Oddly enough, dogs were actually involved.
A sheriff’s office said that one man bit another during a fight over a couple of dogs at a park in New City, about 30 miles north of New York. One of the men didn’t like the way their pets were playing at a dog park.
A third man tried to stop the fight, but he was bit on the wrist by one of the combatants. Perhaps the biter didn’t like the dog treats that he had been offered.
--
And now, here is another story from the Stupid Criminals File.
Repeat offenders are a regular sight in the police files. Usually, these people are caught committing the same crime several months apart. However, one recent repeat offender was given two DUIs in the span of only five hours.
Police in Missoula, Montana say that Frank Rees was arrested at about 2:30 a.m. on suspicion of drunken driving and posted a $500 bond just before 5:30 a.m. About two hours later, Rees was again arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, this time after police reported he hit a parked car.
This just in – Frank Rees has been arrested yet again, this time after being freed from prison. The offence this time – DUI, or Driving Under Idiocy.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom sports scoreboard.
Morrison Berkshire, the official home team of the Howie Silbiger Show, finished in second place in the North Adams Division standings. They had an impressive 11 – 2 record, with a .846 winning percentage. Here’s hoping they will go deep in the playoffs.
In underwater hockey action, South Africa beat France 6 – 2 at the CMAS 13th Underwater Hockey European Open Championships
Finally, in chess boxing action, Andy “The Rock” Costello defeated Sergio “The Phoenix” Leveque by KO in the 8th round in the European Heavyweight Championship Eliminator.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
Cluj is having a relatively nice evening with a high of 19 with some clouds. Over in Ufa, it’s a bit cold, with a high of only 9 under partly cloudy skies. It’s sunny with a few clouds in Vigo right now, with a high of 20, and finally, Bulawayo is experiencing some light rain with a high of 14.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is rowdy-dow, which means to be noisy or boisterous. See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 24310. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 24310.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll read only the good ones. As for the bad ones, well, that’s a story best left untold. You can also visit the official On the Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On the Mark. See you next week.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Absolute Rubbish: The Million Pound Drop Live
Part of the reason why I started this blog was to share my opinions and reviews of certain things, both good and bad. I also live giving these kinds of things creative names and taglines, so negative reviews will be written about under the "Absolute Rubbish" name. Here comes the first Absolute Rubbish review.
I like game shows. If done correctly, they can be fun, entertaining, and even suspenseful. The same can be said about virtually any type of TV show. The point being, if they keep us interested, we will watch these shows in droves.
Occasionally, you get a game show with a good concept and format that suffers from numerous problems. An example of that is The Million Pound Drop Live, which is on Britain's Channel 4.
Channel 4 has a history of having some great, award winning game shows on their schedule. Recent examples include the long-running Countdown, which holds the distinction of being the very first program broadcast on the channel when it launched in 1982. Another example is ratings powerhouse Deal or No Deal, fronted by veteran British TV and radio personality Noel Edmonds. What sets The Million Pound Drop Live apart from these shows is that the latter actually don't suck.
On paper, MPD sounds like a pretty simple concept. Contestants are spotted with £1 million in bundles of £25,000. The object of the game is the attempt to keep as much of that money as possible by answering a series of eight multiple-choice trivia questions. The contestants place can place the money on as many answers as desired, based upon how sure they are of the answer(s) being correct. After the money is placed, trap doors open up under the incorrect answers. Obviously, any money that's placed on a wrong answer is literally dropped out of the game, and subtracted from the original million. If there's any money left after that, play continues. The eighth and final question is all-or-nothing, as all of the remaining money must be placed. The number of possible answers decreases after every few questions, increasing both the risk and difficulty of the game.
The show is presented live, and some of the questions asked reflect this. In addition, people can play along online while the show is on. Based on what I've read, contestants were selected via Facebook and Twitter. This, in effect, is also how the show is promoted.
As interesting as this all seems, there has been only one winner out of the six shows that have been aired thus far (a total of seven episodes will air). Everyone else failed miserably. One contestant was also stupid enough to lose the entire million pounds on the very first question. This exposes three major flaws with the show. One, the contestants chosen don't appear to be very intelligent; two, the contestants aren't playing conservatively, and three, no one is going to watch a show where people keep winning nothing. Had I been playing, I'd have placed smaller bets on each answer. As for the final question, that would have been a difficult decision. I'm not used to taking such large risks. The sole winners (contestants either play alone or in pairs) managed to win only £75,000 of the original million. That's rather pathetic, considering they could have won thousands more if they had done a better job of keeping their money safe.
In short, The Million Pound Drop Live suffers because of the casting. Sure, the format is pretty good, but the casting department obviously didn't do a good job, since there has been only one winner in six nights. The producers must be happy; they've been able to save the show's budget on numerous occasions. Casting was one of many issues behind the cancellation of NBC's Deal or No Deal, as the contestants on that show were complete idiots. I wonder if The Million Pound Drop Live will get any more winners. It remains to be seen, but given the show's track record thus far, I'm not very optimistic about it.
Monday, May 24, 2010
6 Dice, 1 Cup: Battle of the Farkles
Above: 6 dice, 1 cup. The essential ingredients of any Farkle game.
If you like to play games while on Facebook (I know I do), then you've probably heard of Farkle. Farkle is an addictive dice game that has been around for years. It involves six dice, lots of risk-taking, and an equal amount of luck. The object of the game is to score as many points as possible in 10 rounds using the dice. I like to think of it as "Yahtzee on crack." It's a fun game to play if you're bored at work or wherever.
There are several versions of the game available on Facebook now, each with their own special features, rules, and bonuses. I'll be doing reviews of some of the versions I play, and discussing their pros and cons.
1. Farkle Classic
Actually titled "Farkle", this is the original version of the game. It follows all of the standard rules and scoring configurations. One of the unique versions of this game is the fact that you can play against a friend once you reach a specific level. Just like in a casino, chips are earned after every game, and can be used to purchase additional turns and other game enhancements. You earn 25 chips after ever game, and more can be earned through a special bonus game, which can be played every four hours. In the bonus game, you play a standard round of Farkle, and the points banked are converted to chips. A recent addition to the game are "Farkle Powers", which are activated with "Power Dice". Everyone starts with 30 Power Dice, and one is deducted every time a power is used. Additional Power Dice are earned every 24 hours. The maximum amount that can be earned are 12, but you can't carry more than 30. The Farkle Powers are Unfarkle (-F), which can be used to undo a Farkle, Roll 6 (+6), which allows you to roll a fresh set of six dice and rack up additional points, and Double (x2), which doubles the score for each turn. Each power can be used once per game, and they can also be used in the Bonus Game.
Although this is the Farkle game that started it all, it has deteriorated in quality over the past few months. New rules changes are introduced without prior notice, and many users have cried foul to them. The Farkle Powers were actually borrowed from another Farkle incarnation (more on that later), and while the add to the game, their use has recently been modified. The chips don't really have much use beyond purchasing additional rounds (only up to three). As the old adage states, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, the rampant changes made by the developers have resulted in many angry users. I say they just should left things alone, but that's just one man's opinion. Of all the versions that I play, I play this one the least now. Oddly enough, my friends have done the same.
2. Farkle 2
Farkle 2 is a slightly modified version of Farkle Classic. It features the same scoring and rules as its predecessor, and basically plays the same way. There is only one power available in this version, and it is the Unfarkle option (Cost: 100 chips), which has unlimited use. Unlike the original version, there is no bonus game for chips. Instead, additional chips can be earned in a variety of ways, most of them in-game. The are challenges featured in the sidebar which, if completed, earn you additional chips. They all involve getting a certain amount of points, sometimes several times in a row (i.e., three rounds of 1,650 points, a 2,900 round score, a game score of 20,000, etc.). Additional chips are earned at the first login, after every game, and by increasing skill levels. You start at Level 1, and a meter tracks your progression to the next level. Each level-up rewards 50 chips, and a funky superlative. In addition, getting medals in the weekly tournament based on your daily game scores can earn you even more chips. This proves that the chips are actually relevant in this incarnation.
What I find to be the best thing about Farkle 2 is the extremely generous scoring. It is not uncommon to get a score of 2,000 points or more in one turn (my best is 22,400 in one round). In addition, I find it far easier to take risks in this version that I would not normally even attempt in Farkle Classic. The only major change Farkle 2 has made recently is a complete overhaul of its graphics, which was met with much happiness from users. Overall, this version is the most well-rounded and fun Farkle variant I've played thus far, and it's also the one I play most often as a result.
3. Super Farkle
Super Farkle is significant because it was the first version to feature Farkle Powers that can earn you additional points or undo Farkles. It seems to have been designed for the younger set, due to its graphics and the presence of cutesy cartoon characters. Despite that, it still plays very well. As always, it follows the standard Farkle rules and scoring, and offers gems (instead of chips) for logging in, completing challenges or levelling up. The only changes this version has made recently is the addition of power-up items which can be acquired in-game. These power-ups are one-time use items that usually add a certain amount of points to your round score. I find it to be a good change. I don't play this version nearly as often as I play Farkle 2, but I find it to be lots of fun. The cute characters don't detract from the game, and the addition of the powers helps signficantly. In case you were wondering, the powers available in Super Farkle are Unfarkle (300 gems), Roll Six (500 gems), and Doubler (1,000 gems), You can also purchase an additional round for 3,000 gems.
4. Lucky Farkle
I've only just discovered Lucky Farkle recently, thanks to the insistance of a friend, and I must say, I'm not very impressed with it. As usual, it's your basic Farkle game, but with a twist: virtual scratch cards. Every scoring combination has a mystery prize next to it, such as additional points, additional chips, and sometimes free turns. Each scratch card features a background from one of the zillions of other Facebook games made by the same developer. In addition, some are rarer than others (indicated by the color of the border). You can only get each prize once, but if you throw one of the combinations you already scratched off, you get full credit for the roll, but you don't get to re-scratch that area. This harkens back to Yahtzee, where once you scored a certain combination, you couldn't do it again. You can also buy more scratch cards with your chips.
Speaking of rolls, there are some major pros and cons to doing so. One of the pros is that there is no minimum score required to bank points. If you don't feel like taking the risk, you can bank 250 points or less, if you wish. However, the risk is one of the cons. The name Lucky Farkle is clearly a misnomer, as this game has a higher Farkle rate than any of the others. In fact, I've had numerous consecutive rolls where I Farkled on the first roll. That makes the game look very rigged, in my opinion. And unlike the other versions, if that occurs, you can't Unfarkle it. In fact, this version has no powers at all. I guess the developers thought that since the scratch cards offered so many bonuses, the powers would have been redundant. I disagree, but what can you do?
Another major flaw I've found with (Un)Lucky Farkle is the subtraction of chips from your stash while you play. As I said before, there are no powers in this version, so the fact that this happens makes no sense, and is rather stupid. In addition, sometimes, you can give scratch cards to a friend who is also playing the game. However, many users have complained that when this happens, neither side receives the scratch card(s). I can attest to that, as it's happened to me a few times already.
The bottom line is, despite the fact that this version features some unique bonuses, the game itself is heavily flawed. I understand that risk is a major part of any version of Farkle, but like I said, Lucky Farkle has an impossibly high Farkle rate not seen in any other version. And of course, there's the other flaws I've mentioned. Granted, this incarnation is currently in the beta stages, and given the extent of the problems, the developers have a lot of work to do. Hopefully they will listen to the comments their players are posting. Lucky Farkle has the potential to be great, but these flaws hinder its execution significantly.
And there you have it. I hope you've enjoyed these reviews. Happy Farkling, and may your next roll of the dice be six ones (that's worth 4,000 points and a free roll) ;).
Sunday, May 23, 2010
On The Mark Transcript - May 23rd, 2010
As promised yesterday, here is this week's On The Mark transcript. Enjoy :).
In the news this week…
It’s a well-known fact that most students take the school bus to school. However, a recent mishap in New Jersey saw a bunch of kids being transported to an entirely different location.
Around 30 students boarded the school bus as usual at 7:45 AM, thinking that they were going to school. When the driver hightailed it onto the New Jersey Turnpike, the students realized something was amiss.
It turned out that the bus they boarded had arrived early to transport another group of students to Six Flags Great Adventure. Police later intercepted the bus and helped to return the students to their school.
My question is, why did the students tell the driver to turn around? I’m sure they’d have preferred a day at Six Flags over a day at school.
--
In a previous edition of On the Mark, I read you a report about some teenagers who were arrested at a McDonald’s for rapping their order to the drive-thru clerk. There have since been some new developments in the story.
A court recently found Spenser Dauwalder, 18, of Salt Lake City to be not guilty of causing disorderly conduct. In fact, he had not been the one doing the rapping. He had actually been driving the car.
City officials were disappointed with the result, stating that Dauwalder was complicit in what had transpired.
The official verdict given in the courtroom read “Not McGuilty.”
--
And now, here is another story from the Stupid Criminals File.
We’ve all heard stories about grand theft auto, but have you ever heard one about grand theft aircraft?
A homeless man stole and crashed an airplane at a Maryland airport, causing about $12,000 worth of damage. Despite this, he’ll only have to pay $40 in restitution fees.
Calvin C. Cox, 51, claimed he stole the plane because he was “homeless and cold.” He was later sentenced to a nine-month prison term, but was eventually released in April so that he could pay the restitution fees.
I assume his real reason for stealing the plane was to fly to the nearest bar or soup kitchen. If I’m every hungry or cold, I’m going to steal a parka.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom sports scoreboard.
In lacrosse action, the Washington Stealth defeated the Toronto Rock 15 – 11 at Comcast Arena Saturday in Everett, Wash. to become the 2010 NLL Champions.
Marysville High School has won the 2010 Arnold Archery Championships with an impressive final score of 3,361 points.
Finally, in Little League Baseball action, Morrison Berkshire defeated Elks by a score of 6 – 2. Winning pitcher Mike Bloom had three strikeouts for Morrison Berkshire.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
Pago Pago is looking nice with some sun and partial cloudiness, and a high of 28 degrees. It’s a relatively clear night in Baku with some clouds and a high of 19. The same can be said about Torre del Greco, only with a high of 18. Tsu is currently experiencing some light rain and a high of 16. Finally, Vaduz is looking promising with a high of 24 and a few clouds.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is nihilartikel, which is a deliberately erroneous entry in a dictionary or other reference book . See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 35345. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 35345.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll read only the good ones. As for the bad ones, well, that’s a story best left untold. You can also visit the official On the Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On the Mark. See you next week.
In the news this week…
It’s a well-known fact that most students take the school bus to school. However, a recent mishap in New Jersey saw a bunch of kids being transported to an entirely different location.
Around 30 students boarded the school bus as usual at 7:45 AM, thinking that they were going to school. When the driver hightailed it onto the New Jersey Turnpike, the students realized something was amiss.
It turned out that the bus they boarded had arrived early to transport another group of students to Six Flags Great Adventure. Police later intercepted the bus and helped to return the students to their school.
My question is, why did the students tell the driver to turn around? I’m sure they’d have preferred a day at Six Flags over a day at school.
--
In a previous edition of On the Mark, I read you a report about some teenagers who were arrested at a McDonald’s for rapping their order to the drive-thru clerk. There have since been some new developments in the story.
A court recently found Spenser Dauwalder, 18, of Salt Lake City to be not guilty of causing disorderly conduct. In fact, he had not been the one doing the rapping. He had actually been driving the car.
City officials were disappointed with the result, stating that Dauwalder was complicit in what had transpired.
The official verdict given in the courtroom read “Not McGuilty.”
--
And now, here is another story from the Stupid Criminals File.
We’ve all heard stories about grand theft auto, but have you ever heard one about grand theft aircraft?
A homeless man stole and crashed an airplane at a Maryland airport, causing about $12,000 worth of damage. Despite this, he’ll only have to pay $40 in restitution fees.
Calvin C. Cox, 51, claimed he stole the plane because he was “homeless and cold.” He was later sentenced to a nine-month prison term, but was eventually released in April so that he could pay the restitution fees.
I assume his real reason for stealing the plane was to fly to the nearest bar or soup kitchen. If I’m every hungry or cold, I’m going to steal a parka.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom sports scoreboard.
In lacrosse action, the Washington Stealth defeated the Toronto Rock 15 – 11 at Comcast Arena Saturday in Everett, Wash. to become the 2010 NLL Champions.
Marysville High School has won the 2010 Arnold Archery Championships with an impressive final score of 3,361 points.
Finally, in Little League Baseball action, Morrison Berkshire defeated Elks by a score of 6 – 2. Winning pitcher Mike Bloom had three strikeouts for Morrison Berkshire.
--
And now, here’s your Radio Shalom travel forecast.
Pago Pago is looking nice with some sun and partial cloudiness, and a high of 28 degrees. It’s a relatively clear night in Baku with some clouds and a high of 19. The same can be said about Torre del Greco, only with a high of 18. Tsu is currently experiencing some light rain and a high of 16. Finally, Vaduz is looking promising with a high of 24 and a few clouds.
--
Studies have shown that people want some educational value from newscasts. In response to that, we present the Word of the Week. This week’s word is nihilartikel, which is a deliberately erroneous entry in a dictionary or other reference book . See? We just saved you a trip to the dictionary.
--
This segment is more than just about the news, it’s also about luck. This week’s Random.org Lucky Number is 35345. May it provide you with no end of good luck this week. That number again is 35345.
--
Wanna get on your story on the radio? There’s two ways to do it. You can either get your own radio station, or send your news stories to mark@truetalkradio.com. We’ll read only the good ones. As for the bad ones, well, that’s a story best left untold. You can also visit the official On the Mark blog at www.madmark77.blogspot.com, where past newscasts will be archived.
That’s what’s making news this week. For Radio Shalom News, I’m Mark David, and now you’re On the Mark. See you next week.
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