Saturday January 29TH 2011
Volume 3 / Number 14 / Edition 111
Debuting in the U.S. about 31 years ago in 1980 was this delicious breakfast cereal from Kellogg’s. It was introduced to the market with a successful and long-running advertising campaign complete with its memorable jingle. It was probably one of the last great cereals that I enjoyed eating early in the morning before school. Right about the time that I entered High School I pretty much stopped eating cereal in the morning. It was a matter of time. Every morning I had to wake up, dress, deliver 100+ newspapers all throughout my neighbourhood, get ready for school, and then walk there (about a mile away).
It’s been about 30 years since I last enjoyed a bowl of cereal with milk. I don’t really miss it nowadays since I’ve gone so long without it. But if I bought a box of cereal and a gallon of milk tomorrow then perhaps I may just enjoy it all over again. Or maybe not. It would probably clash with my black coffee.
* Today Honey & Nut Corn Flakes is known simply as Crunchy Nut.
Saturday December 18TH 2010
Volume 3 / Number 13 / Edition 110
This past Wednesday night (December 15TH 2010) at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood Florida I saw the legendary Huey Lewis & The News LIVE in concert. They performed 17 songs over the course of 1 hour and 20 minutes. It would’ve been nicer if they had performed more of their big ’80s hits, as they left the stage with their fans clearly wanting more. Isn’t that the goal of rock stars and bands when they perform for their fans ? Leave them wanting more ?
They performed 10 out of their 14 tracks from their current 2010 album “Soulsville” which you can purchase at Amazon.com. It’s their 1ST album since 2001 (“Plan B”).
They also performed the following 7 of their big ’80s hits:
– Do You Believe In Love (1982)
– Workin’ For A Livin’ (1982)
– Heart And Soul (1983)
– I Want A New Drug (1984)
– The Heart Of Rock & Roll (1984)
– The Power Of Love (1985)
– Back In Time (1985)
This was my 3RD Huey Lewis & The News concert. I previously saw them in February 2007 at the same Hard Rock Live – and also in October 1986 in London England at the historic Hammersmith Odeon. Bruce Hornsby & The Range opened for them in London.
MASSIVESMASH.COM HALL-OF-FAME INDUCTEE:
“Hip To Be Square” – Huey Lewis & The News (1986)
Saturday November 27TH 2010
Volume 3 / Number 12 / Edition 109
Late last night I returned home to Miami to begin my 24TH year of living here in America’s Riviera. It was a very nice American Airlines flight – due mainly because I sat in First Class. While checking in at the self-service terminal at AA at DFW I was offered the opportunity to upgrade my reservation from coach to First Class for $105. It allegedly included Dinner. After mulling about it for a good half-minute or so I decided to do it. The $105 turned out to be a very good deal for me. As it turns out there is no charge for baggage for First Class passengers. That alone saved me at least $25 – possibly as much as $60 due to the fact that my checked bag weighed 54 pounds (above the standard limit of 50 pounds per bag). I was able to board the aircraft first – a full 40 minutes before takeoff time. I sat in a very comfortable seat in the very first row – right by the window – my favourite place to sit. I enjoyed lots of elbow room on both sides of me and ample leg room in front of me. Earphones were free if I wanted them.
Here’s what else I enjoyed as a First Class passenger – a bowl of hot mixed nuts (absolutely delicious and quite a bit hot), a warm moist towel (to clean off my nutty hands), a (real) glass of Sprite on the rocks, a (real) glass of bottled water, a large salad with blue cheese dressing (delicious), a chicken piccata (pretty good with the dipping sauce provided), white rice (it was OK), mixed vegetables (good), a warm roll with butter (very good), and a nice slice of pie for dessert (surprisingly tasty). All of this was served on real plates and eaten with a real fork and knife and cloth napkin. The meal was unbelievably plentiful and delicious for airline food in 2010. I realize that back in the day airline food was complimentary for everyone, unlimited, and award-winning, but this is an enitrely different era of budget-cutting flying. I was very impressed with it all.
After the nice meal the rest of my First Class flight experience was quite relaxing and comfortable. I could hear what appeared to be an uncomfortable baby crying virtually non-stop throughout the entire flight way back in the coach section, so I was very thankful to be sitting in Seat 1F. You know it !
More perks of First Class flying included the fact that I was the 2ND person to exit the aircraft at MIA after landing, and my suitcase was among the first to appear on the baggage carousel. I returned home less than 90 minutes after my plane landed. My next airplane adventure probably occurs next May.
It was another enjoyable Thanksgiving Week vacation with my family. We actually celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas together – a family tradition for the past few years. I’m looking forward to my next trip back to Dallas Texas. Who knew that after watching every single episode of “Dallas” ever made all of those years ago that I’d be visiting the real city and its metroplex. I wouldn’t want to live there, but it’s quite all right to visit the area a few times per year.
Saturday November 20TH 2010
Volume 3 / Number 11 / Edition 108
31 years ago in November of 1979 66 Americans were taken hostage in Tehran Iran when the U.S. Embassy was invaded and seized by student radicals. This would begin an International crisis that would continue on for 444 days until January 20TH 1981 when President Ronald Reagan took the oath of office. President Jimmy Carter found opposition within his own Democratic Party, as Senator Ted Kennedy announced that he would seek the nomination for President in 1980.
I was 12½-years-old at the time and living with my Dad, Mom, and 4½-year-old brother on Red Wing Lane in Lanham Maryland. I was a 7TH grader at Robert H. Goddard Junior High School in Greenbelt Maryland – home of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Robert H. Goddard invented the liquid-fueled rocket back during the 1910s and 1920s. Many of my classmates were offspring of NASA employees. That would explain why many of them appeared to be ‘spaced-out’ most of the time.
In FM Stereo one of the hottest pop-country-crossover acts of the late-1970s was Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show out of New Jersey – although they certainly had a distinct ‘Southern Rock’ feel and style to them. As the Disco beat raged on in 1979 country music was quietly entering the pop music scene as an alternative to the club beat. One of Dr. Hook’s greatest hits was this cool track that kind of took on a subtle Disco beat to blend in with its pop chart neighbours. It even crossed the Atlantic Ocean to become a # 1 pop smash on the U.K. chart exactly 31 years ago this weekend. It tells the simple story of what happens “When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman”.
CountUp 