Gregg Henson.com

Obama's Awkward Moment With The Queen of England. Ouch...

This is so embarrassing it is painful to watch.  President Obama proposes a toast to the Queen of England but instead of ending with "I'd like to propose a toast to the Queen," he starts with the phrase.  He apparently didn't understand that it was a que for the orchestra to begin playing "GOD Save The Queen."

Obama continues the toast and is shut down by the Queen as he attempts to raise his glass.

I feel bad for the guy.

 

Crazy Victor is at it again!

Victor has too much time on his hands because he's already had the time to put together a video comparing George Bush's first pitch to Barack Obama's.  Obama is clearly a basketball player!

E-mail from a reader!

A guy named Mike posted the following on my "economy" post.


"Are you fucking retarded?  Unemployment historically low?  Check out yahoo today and look how great our economy is and how low unemployment is.  Then wait and see if all your Republican senators will help any of the auto companies, even though they were so quick to shell out money to wall street."



I don't know anything about "Mike" but it is clear that he is either very young or very ignorant.  He referenced the unemployment numbers that came out today never bothering to mention that I had posted the original post on Tuesday three days before the unemployment numbers were released Friday.

Mike also has no historical perspective, maybe he's just a kid and has no clue how bad the economy has been in the recent past, the 70's and 80's but that certainly didn't keep him from embarrassing himself with a panicked, childish response here on the site.

While Friday's unemployment numbers aren't good, they pale in comparison the  whole decade of the 80's when unemployment was double digits nationally and higher in  Michigan.

Had Mike even done a google search he would have observed  unemployment rates in the 7's and 8's and even the 10's  before the  Reagan tax cuts in 1981.  See for yourself here, it is a cool web site with all the historical data you.  Economics 101 teaches us that "full" employment is 5.0% as 5% of the population is usually purposefully unemployed.

People have to remember that we've had it really good economically since the early 90's, but we've seen this before.  Remember the 1982 when Michigan's unemployment rate was 16.9%?

The latest data may go higher but it would have to double to even compare to the early 80's and quadruple to match the great depression.

So Mike, no, I'm not F**king retarded and neither are you, you are just ignorant.

Why is the bailout stalling for GM, Ford and Chrysler?

Are you starting to get the feeling that the Republicans are blocking the automotive bailout as a payback to Michigan voters for not supporting a Republican Presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan?  This may be payback for years or not supporting Republicans.

I don't know if this is the case, but it sure doesn't seem like a good idea to allow our automotive sector to go belly up, even if it is just "bankruptcy reorganization."  I'll admit I think the auto manufacturers are guilty of completely ignoring the public sentiment regarding fuel efficient vehicles, but why bailouts for Fannie, Freddie, AIG and the Airline industry but not Detroit?

Many are calling this a "Union bailout" as it is the only way to protect the current union contracts, but the UAW needs to stop with the hardball negotiations and understand that their time has passed, they can no longer make twice as much as their non-union counterparts.  The money just isn't there anymore.  Face it, one of the main reasons capitalism works is because competition keeps prices in line and the American union workers must adjust.  The market has spoken and the American Car makers must change the way they do business.

The Republicans appear to favor bankruptcy for the Big 3, I don't see how that is good for anybody.  I don't know that they should get a "bailout" but I'm not against low interests loans to stabilize the car companies while they re-tool.

Guest post by Mark Brittan!

Parents, YOU'RE part of the problem with the Education system in Michigan

As an educator in Michigan, I've had the unique opportunity to be inside and outside of the proverbial fish bowl.  I know what it's like to be scrutinized by parents, the general public, and the media.  But while I've been watched, I've also done a little watching of my own.  Who have I been watching?  The parents.

If you listen to the local news for even a few short minutes, you won't be able to help but hear some reference to the public school system in Michigan.  And it's usually bad.  Failing MEAP scores.  High dropout rates.  The debacle that is the Detroit Public School district.  You've also (no doubt) heard reference to something called "No Child Left Behind".  Great idea in theory, but difficult to implement.

When George W. Bush adopted "No Child Left Behind", he failed to provide the additional resources schools would need to make it happen.  What is "No Child Left Behind"?  In a nutshell, it's an expectation.  An expectation that no child will slip through the cracks.  Does George W. Bush really think teachers WANT that to happen?  Doesn't he think teachers and other professional staff aren't doing everything in their power to avoid that?  Frankly, I find the notion offensive.  I find it offensive that educators are being governed by politicians who (frankly) know nothing about education.  In almost any other professional field, the professionals within that field govern THEMSELVES (doctors, lawyers, law enforcement, etc.).  Why aren't teachers trusted with that same privilege?  I would love to bring Mr. Bush to school with me for a single day.  I would love to sit him down with the child who is bi-polar and who suffers from ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).  I would love to hear HIS suggestions on how we can get the same results from this child as we do his peers.  Or how about children with cognitive impairments or those who are developmentally delayed?  Should we expect them to pass the MEAP at the same rate as their peers?  George W.'s responsibility ended the moment he signed off on "No Child Left Behind".  I would love to hear his insight for implementing it.  After all, the government knows best right?  They must have all the answers.

How are parents to blame for what's wrong with the Education system in Michigan?  It's simple.  They buy into everything they hear on television.  They've been convinced (through negative propaganda) that the public school system is an abject failure.  Do they band together with teachers to try to make it better?  No, they severe ties with the public schools and send their kids to charter schools, hence making the public school system even weaker.  Nice.  This is the same population of parents who send their kids to school without a good night's rest.  Without breakfast.  In the same clothes day-after-day.  Without their homework.  Zero participation in their own child's education.  The teachers are supposed to do it all.  The truly frustrating thing is that because so many local districts are laying off teachers instead of hiring them, I may very well have to go and work in a charter school if I want to survive.

My message to parents?  Stop listening to everything you hear on the news.  Go to your child's school and ask how YOU can help make it better?  READ with your kids instead of sitting them down in front of their X-Boxes.  Make sure their needs are met BEFORE you send them to school.  And maybe, just maybe, we can begin our journey down the road to recovery.

We got really lucky.

I filled up the gas tank on the wife's van the other day and was shocked that we are approaching $3.75 a gallon here in Round Rock.  I always watch gas prices, but now that I am working from home I don't fill the car nearly as often as I use to fill it.  When I worked in Milford and commuted 35 miles a day to work I thought that was bad, I can only imagine how much petro I would be using if I was working in Michigan.  When we moved back to Texas my commute wasn't much better, I drove about 30 miles each way to work here too.

This brings me to the "we got lucky" part of the article.  In October when we were still searching for a Jungle Java location we decided on a location exactly one mile from home.  We were able to work out a lease and save ourselves a lot of money on gas, I think gas was almost a dollar per gallon cheaper when we chose our location, so it was a stroke of luck that we got a location so close to home.

You know me, I feel that somehow, and I have no clue how, we are getting jacked at the pump so I will do whatever it takes to cut back on my fuel consumption.  My car has rarely moved from the driveway since I left Clear Channel in January, we are walking more and making less trips.  We have basically made the decision to live within a five mile radius with the exception of special trips or vacations.  We have everything we need locally and a minimal work commute so we feel like we are in a good situation for an energy crunch. 

It will be interesting to see how people handle the rise in gas prices, right now they are high and could go much, much higher in a short period of time.

If you are looking for some "scare articles" check out some dandies below.  Personally I dont buy the "peak oil" theory but there are many who do and are freaking out.

Shortage fears push oil futures near $140

High gas prices drive farmer to switch to mules

Oil's perfect storm may blow over

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First time at Texas stadium!

I went to Texas stadium in Dallas for the first time this weekend to take in the Cowboy vs. Denver pre-season game.  Glad I got to check another stadium off my list as they are building a new Cowboy stadium in Dallas and Texas stadiums days are numbered.  For its age, Texas stadium isn't bad, no air conditioning, but the rest of the place is in good shape.  We encountered very little traffic and got right through security even though the game was nearly sold out.  We actually got to see half an NFL game because the Cowboys left Romo and the starters in the game until half-time.  Dallas looked good, better than I thought they would look under Wade Phillips.

It will be interesting to see how the new stadium compares to the old Texas Stadium and Ford Field.

O.J. is taking your calls....

O.J. Simpson is co-hosting an Internet radio show this week in Dallas, Texas and HE'S taking calls.  Check out some of the calls he got on Tuesday from some radio shows, the first call is from "The Kidd Chris Show" on WYSP in Philly.  These calls are hilarious.

The best part is he is doing the show all week and taking unscreened phone calls. This is the website for the show.   I encourage ALL of you to call and make fun of OJ just for our own pleasure.

Denny McLain's book.

I was looking to pass some time late last week so I decided to make a trip to Barnes and Noble to find some new reading material.  While I was in the store, I stumbled across "I Told You I Wasn't Perfect" by Denny McLain and Eli Zaret.  I was craving some Detroit flavor so I bought the book and read it cover to cover in about 3 hours.  I knew a lot about Denny's life already because I had read his previous book, but I wanted to see how he explained the Peet Packing debacle.

I have known Denny and Eli for many years and I will tell you that there are plenty of "other" radio stories that weren't included in the book.  I scanned the appendix to see if I would get even 1% credit for helping get him into radio.

While Denny was in Talladega, I wrote him a letter, he actually responded and I still have it.  After he was released from prison he went to work as the "Promotion Director" for the Fort Wayne Komets hockey team.  I had heard him on Dick Purtan's show hawking his book and I decided to give him a call when I was the Producer of The Morning Show on WCSX to see if he would fill in for Eli Zaret while Eli was on vacation.

Denny agreed and he sat in for a week, telling stories and playing the keyboard.  I was pretty impressed and we needed a Co-host for Jim Paolucci so I begged Mark Pasman and Tom Bender to give him a shot.  They actually agreed and we decided to offer the position to Denny.

In the meantime, Denny was filling in for John McCoullough on WXYT.  We got a deal done and were all set to sit down with Denny to sign it.

We got a hotel room in Southfield, I was there, WCSX General Manager Tom Bender, WCSX Program Director Mark Pasman, Morning Host Jim Paolucci and our Consultant Fred Jacobs were all in attendance.  We were going to do the deal and then discuss the show to get ready to launch.  It was exciting, we all really thought we had a chance to solidify the WCSX Morning Show with Jim and Denny.  After about an hour we were all wondering where why Denny hadn't arrived.  We called his phone, no answer. After almost two hours of waiting for Denny to show up to sign his deal the phone rang, it was Denny.  All he said was "Oh Yeah, I decided to sign a contract at WXYT, thanks."  Click, hung up, never heard another word about it.  We were all pretty pissed off that he was so discourteous and detached.  He didn't seem to care that he left a room full of people waiting with a contract for him to sign.  Typical Denny.

Apparently Denny is pissed off at me for calling him a crook after his second felony conviction, oh well, he wouldn't hesitate to do it, check out some of the people he just skewers in his book.  He called Ted Williams every name in the book (by all accounts, he is right), John McCoullough and Pete Waldmier drunks and many others many things.  Eli told me he was pissed at me for calling him a crook, but I don't care, this guy has called MANY people MUCH worse. Oh and by the way, HE IS A CROOK.

My last dealing with Denny was at his attorney's office while I was Program Director of WXYT.  The General Manager Rich Homberg made me attend an exploratory meeting with McLain to see if we would be interested in add Denny to the station to replace Don Imus.  Rich was really into it because he is a massive "star fucker," I was against it, I didn't think we wanted an old man in mornings after we finally got rid of Imus, I wanted someone younger and hipper with NO FELONIES on their record.

So after months of begging, Homberg and I agreed to meet with him at his attorney's office in Grosse Point.  Again, Denny didn't bother to show up, he called, told us ALL about his new business venture (selling phone cards) and how he could help us fix WXYT.  The thing that struck me the most was his complete lack of remorse for what happened at Peet Packing.  To this day he still doesn't believe he did anything wrong.  It is sad.  I left the meeting thinking he was just as screwed up as ever and likely to go right back to the slammer.

The book was a good read, gave some good insight into the mind of a felon.  I really liked the baseball stories and the Detroit memories, too bad Denny is just a bad one.

Stoney and Wojo go national....

This Friday at Noon eastern time Stoney and Wojo are going national as the guest hosts on Jim Rome's nationally syndicated show. This is great exposure for S & W and well deserved by two of the "good guys" in the business.  I think they will do well and I am excited to have them on KVET-AM here in Austin, you can bet I will be listening to all three hours in my office on Friday.

It will be interesting to see how Stoney and Wojo handle the national audience, it may be tough because they aren't a generic show, they are tailored exclusively to Detroit.  Often unique talents like Wojo don't translate well nationally because the audience doesn't know him and all his Wojoisms.  Think about it, who is going to "get" Wojo's "Happy New Year," or "Fat butt trivia?"  Going national, even for a day is a whole different can of worms, Stoney and Wojo can handle it, but will the rest of America embrace the show?

If this was a whole week, I think America would LOVE these guys, they would get to know the show and really enjoy it.  I think they will get great reviews but a lot of people outside Detroit will be wonder what hit 'em.

Good Luck Tony and Blow-hole.