I hate the New York Yankees.

OK. Maybe not so much the Yankees, but some Yankee fans. Here's why.

In 2004, I had the chance to go to a game at old Yankee Stadium. Not being a New Yorker, I was late...way late. After a $75 cab ride across Manhattan, I probably got there in the third inning. My seats were acquired by a friend with the team, so they were great seats. About 9 rows back of home plate...and exclusive "club" access. I was hungry, so I went to the club first. It was not a "come in get what you want on us" kind of club. You paid for it all. Being late, burger and fries were all they had left. The food had been under a heat lamp for a bit, so it was old and greasy. They were surly about getting the food. A sandwich and fries, only $22. Walls were that cheap, trailer park wood paneling. Floor was a mess. Clearly no one had swept since the game started. Tables were not wiped down...you get the picture.

After eating, went to go to my seat, only to discover a couple of Yankee fans had decided these seats are open. They had moved in. Took a few minutes to find the usher, who summarily threw them out. Finally got seated, and endured the curses, smart alec remarks and such from Yankee fans about "get to the f'n game on time".

Oh and since this was post September 11, you could bring nothing into the stadium with you. Instead, you had to leave it at a bowling alley next to the stadium for a fee. Backpack storage, $15. This was a true bowling alley, not a nicer bowling center, like we have in Billings. Probably built about the time Old Yankee Stadium was built. 1927 or so. Smelled like it too.

Ah, the memories of Yankee Stadium and Yankee fans.

Go Rangers.

Censorship supported by Yellowstone Public Radio and NPR

Freedom of speech no longer exists at KEMC, Yellowstone Public Radio. That's an extreme statement. Here's why its true.

Juan Williams has been an NPR contributor and employee for years. Mr. Williams also appears regularly on Fox News. Yesterday, NPR fired Williams for comments he made on Fox. Here's the text of what he said.

On his show "The O'Reilly Factor," host Bill O'Reilly said: "The cold truth is that in the world today, jihad, aided and abetted by some Muslim nations, is the biggest threat on the planet."

Williams, who is also a political analyst for Fox News, said he concurred with O'Reilly, adding: "I think, look, political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality."

The analyst said he felt nervous when boarding planes with Muslims on board.

"I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country," Williams said.

"But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

Williams opinions don't gibe with the feelings of the political elite. It cost him his job. Because he had an opinion--because he dared speak of his fears, he no longer has a regular job.

Yellowstone Public Radio gets most of its funding from taxpayer supported NPR. This week, YPR is in the middle of a fund drive, asking you to write $175,000 in checks to keep them operating.

As you get that fund raising request in your e-mail or mailbox, maybe now is a good time to think about what that money supports. NPR is a great example of political correctness gone amok. I don't mind people disagreeing with me or my point of view. That's great conversation. I'm a little less tolerant when I'm paying them involuntarily.

I'm volunteering right now with the money I can control. My checkbook is staying in my pocket.

It Could Be Us

Its New York City. And Fox and the local cable company are arguing over who gets how much money. All those NY and Philadelphia baseball fans can't watch the NLCS, because Fox pulled their channels from the cable company in the dispute.

So what. Its New York City.

It could be us.

Remember in June when Cablevision and Bresnan made their big announcement. The one where Cablevision was acquiring Bresnan's assets (that's you) for $1.36 Billion dollars. The cable company in the fight with Fox?

Cablevision.

Here's the simplified argument. Cable companies pay content providers money to carry their signals. Cable companies like Cablevision/Bresnan want to pay the least they can. Providers, like Fox, want the most. Since there is no constitutional right to cable TV, at least not yet, content providers can remove their content from distribution to cable. That's what's happened here.

If Cablevision owned Bresnan now, there's a possibility you wouldn't be able to watch the NLCS either. This argument over fees is going to happen more and more in the future and in two different places.

One, your cell phone provider. Verizon is already on record against Net Neutrality. Meaning, they want to be able to control the data served to your phone. If say, Google, paid them more, you'll get Google results first ahead of Yahoo or any other service. Second, your internet service provider--either Bresnan or Qwest for the most part here. Same issue. Let's say one of the ISP's were collecting a check from a web site who's point of view wasn't the same as yours.

That web site would get "fast lane" service, and get to your machine faster and at the top of the search lists. And you'd never know why.

Who Pays?

Who pays the increased fees for any of this? You already know the answer.

Radio is free. Just the way I like it. No fancy equipment, smart phones, iTunes accounts, or web browsers. Hit a button in my car or the power at my desk--Boom! Real Country Variety, just the way I like it.

It happened at the Grocery Store

How many times have you gotten one of those "rebates" from a cell phone or other company in the form of a "credit card?" Really. Why can't you just give me money off my bill and be done with it? Or maybe even price the item for which I'm getting a rebate at the price that I'm supposed to pay?

I'm certain I don't have the answer.

Last night, the poor people at the Albertsons had to deal with my valiant attempts to use the last $3.60 from my $100 rebate card. I know it was $3.60 because I called the #XXXX number to get the amount.

After retrieving the eggs I needed for breakfast (four per day, scrambled in butter); the bananas since the cupboard was bare (green of course); and ice cream since it was a two for one special, I hiked to the cashier ready to pay. It was a hurried trip, since in typical guy fashion, I had not thought of getting a basket or cart for all the goodies. Everything was on the verge of hitting the floor.

Clearly, I had more than $3.60 worth of goods. Cashier finished ringing up the total, which came to $14.17. Now there was $12 cash in the wallet, and my $3.60 "rebate card." All good, right.

Feeling smug, I handed the card to the cashier first, and waited expectantly for the $3.60 to be drained from the account.

Not Approved. Huh? Lets try that again. The document I got with the card said always use it as "credit" so this time I pushed credit

Not Approved.

Now, there's ice cream melting. Eggs warming. Bananas browning. The line is getting longer. And I know there's $3.60 on that card.

Confession time.

Gave up. Used a different card. One with at least $14.18.

Wonder if the cell phone company will give me $3.60 back on my bill?

They Are Watching You

I admit it. I'm a conspiracy theorist. I'm gullible and will buy most anything I'm told. Except for that bit on health care costs going down with the new ObamaCare health law--even I'm not THAT stupid. But this next story I found today is believable.

The government wants to license you to use the internet. Really. It will probably start small. A little monthly charge dumped at the bottom of your Bresnan bill or Qwest as your "licensing fee." You won't notice it at first. Just another cable rate increase like happens every month. Maybe even an administrative fee the ISP (Internet Service Providers) have to charge so they can identify you to the government watchdogs. The more anti-government you are (watch out Montana Shrugged members) the higher your "license fee" will go.

You may have already heard there are a number of governments, U.S.A. included, that want Blackberry to allow access to their encrypted messaging systems. Its not that far fetched.

All in the name of "national security." A little "out there" maybe? Read this. They are watching you.

Keith Urban and Blake Shelton say

Each week, I spend a large amount of time listening to newer songs that come from Nashville to get played on Cat Country. Many of those songs find their way onto the Discovery Zone at 5:20 each afternoon. Bottom line, its about what Cat listeners think about the songs we play.

I played a song the other day that was so moving its drew the attention of a couple of superstars in country music. Do quotes like this motivate you to listen?

"I just heard that Brett Eldredge song… 'Raymond'
and I ... wept immediately ... the power of music,
to do that ... that's why (music) matters to us."
- KEITH URBAN

"Hands down the coolest song I've heard in a long time: 'Raymond' by @bretteldredge!!!"
- BLAKE SHELTON

I had call after call from listeners saying pretty much the same thing. I don't recall very many, if any, quotes like this from Keith or Blake before. What do you think? Do you like the song? Does what stars think about country music influence you to hear or listen?

You can hear the song and get more information about Brett at this link

Facebook, The Movie

The Social Network is a cross between Wall Street and Animal House, with a healthy dose of geekdom tossed in for effect. Take it for what it is. A movie about the world's most successful internet launch by kids, embellished by Hollywood to make it more interesting.



Don't get hung up in the geekness of the front of the movie (Unless of course you know what an Apache server, server side scripting, and XHTML stand for) Its just a process that allows Zuckerberg to become the most hated student in all of Harvard.

A wise man once said, follow the money and you'll find the answers. This movie follows the money through the legal teams reconstruct of the creation and operation of "the Social Network."

The movie earns its PG-13 rating and I'd be hesitant for children to see it. Its not a lot different than what you see on TV these days. Snorting coke and bathroom sex are about the most offending parts. I don't recall naked body parts and only passing reference to the drug use.

The movie, based on the book, which has had mixed reviews was enjoyable to me. Critics are almost universally giving the show an "A". Zuckerberg is portrayed as a smart-a**, anti-social, money grubbing version of Gordon Gecko. Actor Jesse Eisenberg plays the part well. You can't help but root for him at some level. Bottom line of the movie:

Geeks win.

Recession Over. Congress now battles Loud TV Commercials

Really?

I don't want to write about politics and the absolute incompetence of most of our elected officials. (See how that was carefully worded so those who think they are competent, won't think this piece is really about them.) The scourge of TV commercials that are too loud threatens the whole fiber of our republic and the U.S. Constitution so now the U.S. Congress has stepped in.

The new rule (the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation or CALM, get it) asks the FCC to ban excessively loud commercials that are above the average level of audio of the program on either side of the commercial. I didn't read to see if there was an exception for political mudslinging ads, but if I were a betting man, I'd bet on an exception.

Senators Tester, Baucus, and Representative Rehberg all voted FOR the bill. Actually you can't say that precisely, since every politician fought NOT to have their votes recorded. Each body's members approved by voice vote--there were NO abstentions, or recording of any for or against opposition.

There are three things about this that drive me crazy. One, there is already such a rule covering the proper levels of audio from all broadcast, radio and television included. That appears not to be enough. Two, don't they have something better to do in Washington to (fill in the blank with your own joke). And three, I really think they have all fallen on their heads and can't get up.