We have a winner.....

Now.....
once again people....
if this was FINAL JEOPARDY........
and I was a "dick" like the studly Alex Trebek pictured above....
You would all be going home bigger losers than you already are!!

"FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUn at the Ol' Ball Park!!".......William Ligue Jr. (9/2002)

But...Since Colonel Jim Farrell spelled "Ligue" correctly....it will be counted as a win! Your GRAND PRIZE will be arriving shortly.

YES....Mr. William Ligue JR. was the winning answer this week (pictured above with his son Billy Ligue III). Wesley Wedel was a good and funny guess....but not a winner.

Funny what a shopping excursion to the GAP did for Mr. Ligue's image. He was able to beat the (1) count of Mob Action and the (3) counts of Aggravated Battery and get only 30 months probation without any jail time.....and KC Royals 1st base coach Tom Gamboa is still walking around saying "Huh??? SPEAK UP!"

But....all's well that end's well.....Mr. Ligue is currently incarcerated due to a violation of his parole by breaking into an automobile in 2006.
He is up for parole this coming January 2010.

Just in time for SOX FEST!

Marty

And it's 1..2..3 strikes you're out......

Almost like being there....

Marty

Berkeley, IL

C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-I-O-N-!!

Can't we all just get along......stick with this one.

Marty

Berkeley, IL

Trivia Tuesday......

OK....this week we have more of a local celebrity.

First correct email to unobuckeroo@aol.com will take home this week's GRAND PRIZE and TT bragging rights for the next 7 days.

.

Hints.....

NOT Clark Kent.....Southsider.....baseball fan but cannot currently go to a game....doesn't like the K.C. Royals.....likes to spend time on the diamond with his son.

.

That's all folks!!

.

Marty

Chicago

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...........

Watch it full screen and click the HD button.

Marty

Berkeley, IL

Only 4 months of shopping days until my birthday....

My first call will be to Tess Trueheart.

Marty

Berkeley, IL

Song of the week.......

Great song....all one and a half minutes of it.

Marty

We have a winner.....

Yes....2 Colonel's this week.

Actually the title "Colonel" is dished out by the Governor of Kentucky as an honorary title. This tradition started back in the early 1800's after the War of 1812. Both Joan Crawford and "Colonel" Harland Sanders were part of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Other members include....Tiger Woods...Wendy's founder Dave Thomas (former KFC Mgr.)..Babe Ruth..."Colonel" Tom Parker...and of course Elvis.

This week we have a newcomer....
Kathy McCormick was in ahead of "Colonel" Jim Farrell with the correct answer!! Beginners luck...??!! Doesn't matter...your GRAND PRIZE will be heading your way shortly adorned with a lovely Simpson's stamp.

Harland Sanders...
Interesting fellow...His dad died at age 5 and was forced to cook for his family once his Mom went to work...got a law degree from Southern Illinois by completing a correspondence course. Got started in the Chicken business in his late 40's and didn't get into franchising until he was 65 years old and using his Social Security money to do so.

Sold the KFC Corp in 1964 for $2 million....which is chump change considering it's net worth today.

The secret 11 Herbs & Spices....is still a secret.
The original yellowing piece of paper that the Colonel hand wrote in pencil several decades ago....is locked in a Louisville safe that is surrounded by motion detectors and guards that monitor it 24/7.
Only 2 executives of YUM, Inc. have access to the recipe at any one time.

Joan Crawford....
Other than the actress/Mommie Dearest parts of her life....she was married 4 times...the last husband was Alfred Steele who used to be a big Coca-Cola exec before jumping ship to become Pepsi's CEO. She continued to promote Pepsi after her acting career was finished and was eventually named to Pepsi's Board of Directors.


Marty
Berkeley, IL

You know you're in Indiana when.......

Nothin' betta than a cold mouse on a hot day!

.

Marty

Royal Center, IN

QWERTYUIOP.......

The perfect computer keyboard for all you "hunt and peckers" out there.
$30 bucks....

http://www.firststreetonline.com/Unique+Gift+Ideas/Gifts+Under+50/Hunt+and+Peck+Keyboard.axd

Marty
Colona, IL

Trivia Tuesday TWOFER......

So......
if there were ever two people in the history of photographic imaging.....that I would predict would have never landed on a negative together......
it would have been these two.
This week is not a hard one....just an interesting one.

You know the drill......first correct email to unobuckeroo@aol.com to correctly name both of these individuals will be this week's
GRAND PRIZE WINNER and have TT bragging rights for the next 7 days!!

Hints......One is a professional "icon" these days who ironically was born in Indiana, started his business when he was in his 40's, earned a law degree from Southern Illinois....but his law career came to an abrupt end only after getting into a brawl with his client in court...the rest is history...

The other was once the highest paid actress in Hollywood and one of the most sexiest Women of the 20th Century according to Playboy.....Pepsi...no Coke.

Marty

Monmouth, IL

Marty's tip of the week.....

Amaze your family, friends and co-workers.....it works!!

Marty

East 79th Street/Chicago, IL

Time + Tragedy.....

= HUMOR!

I've waited long enough.....!!

But just to be fair......

here's a good MJ Flashmob for all you MJ fans out there.

Marty

Creal Springs, IL

Song/Video of the week.....

Stick with this.....you'll be glad you did.

Gnarly!

Marty

We have a winner.....

Now if this was FINAL JEOPARDY........and I was a "dick" like Alex Trebek....

ALL you folks who spelt Pete Townshend, without the "h" in his last name...would go home bigger losers than you already are......but since I will have to see most of you at some time in the near future....
I must begrudgingly pick a winner!
(I won't even mention the Chuck BArry entry)

MR. PETER RUDDY was the first (almost grammatically) correct winner with not 1....not 2....but ALL 3 of the correct names of this week's TT's Mystery Men Trio.
Your Grand Prize adorned with a Simpson's Stamp will be on it's way to you soon.
Chuck Berry...
Pete Townshend...
and Billy Joel were on hand for the groundbreaking of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio circa 1993.

Not sure if Mr. Ruddy got this week's answer because there was a Brit in it....or if as a lad...was in the audience in Coventry, England where Chuck Berry recorded his only # 1 hit...."My Ding-a-Ling" in the early 70's.... live.
.
Let us see what these 3 are up to now-a-days ......shall we?

Mr. Chuck Berry.....
At 82 years old....he still rocks out.....on the second or third Wednesday of the month, to a SOLD-OUT crowd at Blueberry Hill's Duck Room in St. Louis, MO. (Let me know if you're up for a road trip)
His next show is August 12th and tickets go on sale TODAY. I went to see him perform in 1979 at Chicagofest at Navy Pier......I saw the last song of his first 2:00pm set (My Ding-a-Ling)....and went back for his 7:00pm show....but the IRS beat me to it. Chuck has the knack for performing only when he receives a shoe box full of cash.....this was well known apparently to the I.R.S.
Not to worry.....The Blues Brothers and Chuck's backup band came out about an hour later to do about an hour show. Pretty Cool.....but seeing Chuck.....Cooler!

Mr. Pete TownsHend...of The Who.

Although having never seen The Who live....I did receive for Christmas "The Who Movie". Check out the website for some pretty cool clips.... http://www.thewhomovie.com/
Pretty awesome footage over 4 decades.....after seeing this I went out and bought Quadrophenia and Pete's "Empty Glass" on CD.

You should too.......Timeless.

Mr. Billy Joel...(or Jim Cramer....or Dean Richards)

At 60 years old.....he looks every day of it! WOW....it must be all those trees he hits!!

Just played Wrigley Field last night with Sir Elton John. I did see Billy and Elton in concert about 5 years ago with my "wifey".....thought it was going to be a lame "Vegas type" show. Elton came out first and blew everyone away....and I thought...."Billy has a tough act to follow". Billy came out and tore the roof off.....it was a good night!!

Interesting fact.....Billy has not released a Pop album since 1993!!?? Almost 16 years ago.....he did write a classical album....but you wonder what we may have missed out on over the last 16 years. Although known for his Top Ten videos of the 80's...he still is a great songwriter with several gems over his career.....go back and listen to "The Stranger"

I did recently buy "The Nylon Curtain" on CD....my favorite album of his was simply played out and it was nice to hear it again without all of the pops and scratches that my brother Tim put in it.

Marty

Springfield, IL

Boom.....boom....crash!

For all you finger drummers out there....

Click Here.....http://www.ronwinter.tv/drums.html

Marty

South Bend, IN

You know you're in Indiana when.......

This is the first installment of a new feature I'd like to call....

"You know you're in Indiana when....."

.

Marty

Plainfield, IN

PS.....check out the new playlist.

Shifting gears from Flavor-Flav to The Carpenters!

Trivia Tuesday Trio......

The FIRST correct email to unobuckeroo@aol.com

to name ALL 3 of these Mystery Men.....

will win this week's GRAND PRIZE along with TT bragging rights for the next 7 days!!

.

Hints.....Musicians....Not the "Kingston Trio".....best of the best in the instrument that they play.... each an innovator of his genre....ALL are still playing live in 2009.

.

(1) I have seen live in concert....

(and coming to a Ballpark near you!)

(1) I have never seen in concert....

(1) didn't show up for the concert.....but I did!

.

Marty

Sullivan, IN

A $65 pencil......but the parking is FREE!

OK....
So I started and ended my weekend at a Racetrack. The latter was quiet and more relaxing than the first, even though my luck in picking Trifectas was short the average of one horse per race.

But did I mention that Arlington has FREE parking!?!?

Great afternoon with the McAvoy's at Arlington.....I haven't been there in quite sometime but have to say that the place is beautiful with plenty of room to kick back and handicap.


Post board and Finish Line.

Ruthie....Molly....John (picking his next losing horse) and Mike.

Track or Turf......I was still one horse short all day....even in this 7 card.

.

Marty

South Bend, IN

Disco (still) Sucks!

30 years is a long time.....
but it is funny how it only seems like a few weeks ago.

This is what I vividly remember as a lad of only 16 years.......
30 years ago today!

• Waking up early (never happened again that summer) and going to the J.C. Penney's record dept in Ford City Mall, by myself....to buy a "disco" 45-record. (Yes kiddies....Penney's was THE place at the time to pick up singles)
• Admission into Comiskey Park that night was only .98 cents.....(Steve Dahl/WLUP 97.9 and Mike Veeck promo) but you had to bring a disco record to get that price....since I owned none....I had to go up and buy one.
• "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer was "huge" that summer....and she was going to be my sacrifice.....but to my surprise.....it was sold-out when I got to Penney's.
• I remember being helped by a 65-year old sales clerk, (who was on loan from the Drapery Dept) who wore cat-woman glasses on a silver chain around her head.....to find another disco record.....both of us were clueless...but we came up with one.
• "Ring My Bell" by Anita Ward (she assured me that it was Disco) was my purchase and back home I went. I remember being worrried that if it wasn't a "true" Disco record....I wouldn't be able to get in.....yeah....like the Andy Frain Ushers were going to listen to it at the front door before letting me in?!?!
• Took 2 buses with the usual suspects to get down there.....and arrived early.
• Surprised to see about 50,000 kids at the park around 4pm.....2 hours before game time.
• Estimates put the number at 75,000+ people total....and almost no one there to "really" see baseball.
• Dan Ryan Expressway exits to 31st and 35th Streets were blocked by the CPD.
• Still several thousand left outside without a ticket....trying to figure out a way in.
• I remember a Cub Scout troop of about 20 sitting a few rows up......ooops....wrong night!
• Had seats in right field....all the way up to the back wall lower deck arches that overlooked the Dan Ryan parking lot.....as free wheelin' as I was at 16.....I remember feeling a little uneasy towards the end of the first game.
• Marijuana was THE "Smell of the Day".....not the usual great "Comiskey Smells" like old urine in the troughs.....onions on the Polish....gunpowder from the fireworks or the usual B.O. on the Andy Frains....No sir...it was MaryJane, from the 1st pitch until the SWAT team crashed the field.
• Parking lots around the park were filled with nothing but teenage clunkers....bad 60's Conversion vans...and lots of motorcycles. There wasn't a car built in the 70's anywhere close to 35th & Shields.
• During all of the first game against Detroit......45-records that the ushers did not collect upon entering, were being flung like Frisbees and exploding upon impact. The Detroit dugout was the main target of the 70,000+ flingers.....Sparky Anderson was one pissed off hombre....and he came out (suicide) several times to complain to the umps. No surprise that Sparky and gang did not come out for Game 2. Even if there wasn't a bonfire in center field....Sparky was out of there!
• Between Games 1 & 2....Steve Dahl came out in a jeep completely dressed in combat fatigues and an old Army helmet....saw him in the Dan Ryan parking lot at the end of the first game getting ready with about 4 other people and the jeep driver.....I wish I took a picture of that.....I don't think he had any idea what he was driving into. It seemed so peaceful and quiet in the outside parking lot compared to the riot that was awaiting inside.
• A passionate couple having a "private moment" on 2nd base.....they didn't seem to be bothered by the 15,000 crazed fans running over them.....nor by the remaining 55,000 in the stands cheering them on.
• Foul Pole climbers (obviously on the hooch) going from the lower deck to the upper with amazing ease and grace.....I think that this should be a new White Sox between-inning promotion....kind of like the Connie's Pizza Races!
• With 45's crashing all around us.....we finally decided it was time to get the hell out of there.
• Chicago's finest arrived initially with a small contingent with billy clubs.....but were severely outnumbered .....30 minutes later.....about 50 cops on horseback...appeared behind homeplate and formed a wedge. They continued driving every black, Loop T-shirt wearing burnout, towards the outfield walls until all was cleared.
• Several of these "Loopers" dove through the chicken wire windows separating the Picnic area from Left Field.....good thing because those cops and horses meant business.
• As we got to the 35th Street bus stop.....we found about half of the park waiting for the same bus. The CTA was unprepared, as they were expecting a rush after Game #2 that never happen.
• We (and several thousand others) proceeded to walk down a closed down 35th Street to Archer Ave for miles until we hit Pulaski....then we were able to grab the Pulaski bus home.
• My mom stayed up that night worried until I got home....(before cell phones and texting)
• I didn't know that it made the 10:00 news....or for that matter....the Nationwide press.
• From what I remember.....nobody was hurt or killed.....kind of hard to believe looking back.
• Click on link below to see some pics of that night.....(Check out the infamous Sox-O-Gram in picture #14)
• Notice the dress code back then....guys never wore shorts or flip-flops.....just the simple jeans and a t-shirt.....even if it was the middle of July.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-090708-disco-demo-pictures,0,1105299.photogallery

Enjoy "Ring my Bell"........

Marty

Vrrrrrroooooooommmmmmm.......

One of the perks with working for Dollar General is being invited to the DG 300 Race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL.
(Why it is not named the Jolietland Speedway is not known.)
.
I must admit.....as a Chicago city boy who doesn't understand the whole NASCAR nation situation.....it was quite a virgin experience. Pretty sweet seats for Uncle Tim, Katie, Clare, John, Peter and myself, courtesy of DG, put us right in the middle of all the action and sights!! We got some tips from Jim Farrell...... to bring earplugs and Hillbilly Repellent....and those tips were golden.
I brought some Tom Sneva rain ponchos that I had left over from the 70's ....but the rain held off and were not needed.
.
All are real pics from the race.....except the top one.....which would be defined as a "not-so-sweet-seat."

Good times!

Marty
Joliet, IL

Peter and his new Nascar buddy!!

The whole Fam Dam....


Peter, Clare, John and Katie enjoying some frozen food coloring....

The final lap!!!

Our DG car going by way too fast and loud!!

I would like to trade my company car please.

Earplug check! Lots of "WHAT!?!?!"....all night long.

Did I mention FREE PARKING......hello White Sox.......FREE PARKING!!

We have a winner.....

Welllllll......by the above photo....you should be able to tell that they "Mystery Starlet" was NOT Nancy Sinatra....Bettie Page...or Betty Boop for that matter.

Tina Louise...aka Ginger from Gilligan's Island fame was the correct answer....and it was ERIN MCNALLY again only 6 minutes ahead of a vacationing Jim Farrell (who woke up extra early "just to beat all of those young punks!")

Cool pic with Elvis....
I was sure that the mole on her upper left cheek would have given her away....but then again.....I am assuming that you would look at her mole.

• Gilligan's Island comparison to Survivor was kind of a stretch.....but that's how I roll.
• She was chosen only after Jayne (here's your hat) Mansfield passed on the role.
• Had been in several Broadway productions...Playboy....and made a couple of albums.
• One of Life's Great Questions......."Mary Ann or Ginger?"

Useless Gilligan's Island Trivia....and one of the many reason's that I don't watch TV.

A special Gilligan reunion special where the Harlem Globetrotters come and play robots in basketball....ON THE ISLAND!!!

Soooooooooooooooo many questions....

• How did they get the bleachers to and from the island....and AGAIN forget Gilligan?
• Martin Landau for Christ Sakes!!??
• ROBOTS playing basketball?
• The skipper and/or Gilligan playing basketball?
• Have you ever seen a more out of shape referee?

I don't know what the writers were smoking....but this is scary.

Even the real Ginger sat this one out.

Marty

Belleville, MI

More PIXAR fun!!

Take a 5 minute break and enjoy!

(Tip: Expand video to FULL SCREEN...Click the PLAY button.... and then click on the HQ button)

Marty

Michigan Center, MI

Commercial of the week.......

The blog that keeps on giving....

Check out the baby with attitude at :43.

Marty

South Bend, IN

Trivia Tuesday......

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!
.

You know the drill.....first correct email to unobuckeroo@aol.com will win this week's GRAND PRIZE plus TT's bragging rights for the next 7 days.

.

Ooooohhhhhh........to be the King.

Please name the starlet he is chatting with.....I need her stage name....not character name.

Hints: appeared in a television series that was "kind of" a predecessor to "Survivor"....only chosen after another MAJOR starlet of the time (who lost her head) had passed on the part.....Broadway actress.....Playboy pinup.....Recording Artist....Pop-Icon.....and 1/2 of one of Life's Great Questions.

.

Marty

Sullivan, IN

Before there was the "Jonas Brothers".......

there was the "Ross Sisters!"

(Stick with this one for the payoff!!)


Marty
Belle Plaine, IA

Song of the week.......

Rhythms Del Mundo....


BONUS TRACK.........
Good version of a "bad Coldplay song".... which is actually redundant.




Marty

Happy 4th!!

July 4th by the numbers....

• 1 in 6 chance that the beef on your grill today comes from Texas


• 75% chance that the lettuce on your burger came from California.


• 150,000,000 hotdogs consumed this weekend....oink...oink!


• 100,000,000 U.S. cookouts today.


• 9th Century.....Chinese invented fireworks to ward off evil spirits.


• $129,000,000 worth of Chinese Fireworks imported annually...$0 in Illinois.


• 125,000 flags flown over the U.S. Capital last year at the request of House and Senate members!! (Can you spell R-E-C-E-S-S-I-O-N?)


• 8-2-1776......when the Declaration of Independence was signed by all members. (No email)


• 151 feet.........height of the Statue of Liberty


• 2,080 lbs......initial weight of the Liberty Bell.


• 2,500,000.....people living in the 13 colonies back in 1776.


• 7/4/1872.....Happy Birthday Calvin Coolidge...only President born on July 4th.


• Buh-Bye....Thomas Jefferson/John Adams/James Monroe....all died on July 4th.


• 11...........age that Malia Obama turns today.


• 1941.....first year that July 4th was a Federal Legal Holiday.


• 10,000 injuries annually from fireworks.


• $5,000,000 in American Flags.......imported from China annually.....DOH!

Think about that last one as you enjoy your Freedom today.

HILLBILLIES AND FIREWORKS DON'T MIX!!

THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY'RE LEGAL IN INDIANA!!
(sorry Dan)

Marty

We have a winner.....

KATIE MCNALLY is this week's GRAND PRIZE WINNER....with the FIRST correct guess in to me.....beating Uncles.....Aunts.....friends....strangers and siblings by mere minutes!!!

Larry the Cucumber from Veggietales....is the correct answer and

he "has never licked a sparkplug" nor is he a real Pirate......nor does he understand the proper lyric structure in writing a Pirate Song........

because after all..he is a cucumber!

Click on the above video and sing-along below...

Marty

We are the pirates we don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

well I've never been to Greenland
and I've never been to Denver
and I've never buried treasure in St Louie or St Paul
and I've never been to Moscow
and I've never been to Tampa
and I've never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates we don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

and I've never hoist the main sail
and I've never swabbed the poop deck
and I've never veered the starboard, cause I've never sailed at all
and I've never walked the gang plank
and I've never owned a parrot.
and I've never been to Boston in the fall

we are the pirates we don't do anything
we just stay at home, and lie around
and if you ask us, to do anything
we'll just tell you, we don't do anything

I've never plucked a rooster
and I am not too good at ping-pong
and I've never thrown my mashed potatoes up against the wall
and I've never kissed a chipmunk,
and I've never gotten head lice
and I have never been to Boston in the fall

and I've never licked a spark-plug
and I've never sniffed a stink bug
and I've never painted Daisies on a big red rubber ball
and I've never bathed in yogurt
and I don't look good in leggings
and I've never been to Boston in the fall

Summer Reruns....

If TV can run reruns during the summer months....then so can I.

A favorite in the McNally household....we laugh every time.....this was posted back in March.

Only Northside Irish Chicagoan we like.....but I think he is going to have years of therapy ahead of him.

Marty

Pekin, IL

Pushin' Clouds....

A PIXAR short....

Take 5 minutes and enjoy...

Marty
Auburn, IL