http://www.kix106online.com

Raise your hands if you live in a neighbourhood that has a house with Christmas lights turned on every night?

Thought so! I have a neighbour that has BOTH Christmas and Halloween decorations up.

I used to think there was a reason for it, relatives in town that won’t be around in December, or maybe……come to think of it, I can’t think of another reason to have the lights up and on in November!

I love Christmas and all the joy it brings yadda, yadda, yadda, but in my world, the holidays don’t begin until Dec 6th (a day after my daughter’s Birthday).

I have no desire to buy a wreath when looking for a screwdriver, despite the singing of Christmas Carols overhead.

I need no reminder that Christmas is coming because for as long as I can remember, it has ALWAYS fallen on the 25th of December.

I appreciate Santa Claus’ busy schedule, so I understand why Kitchener-Waterloo’s Santa Claus Parade is happening this Saturday during Week 11 of the NFL season.

The point I’m making here, is that slowly but surely the Red & Green colours of the holidays are appearing closer and closer to the end of October and it has to be stopped.

Debt is coming, I just want an extra month to forget about it.

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Our good friend Ed Ringwald is on the road with George Canyon & Alan Jackson this week and he’s keeping us in the loop; 

‘Road update.. Arrived in Prince George to fair bit of snow…Alan’s crew buses hit a couple deer last night..great show last night and sold out again tonight…Alans management and crew love the Canyon camp….more dates in New year and some exciting things in the works…. have a great day. Ed.’

Looks like a bus sales lot….Alan has his little jeep out in the snow today….

Thanks Ed! 

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And lastly, Country 953 signed off last Friday.

On the business side of things, this is good news as we no longer have to compete with anyone.

On the personal side of things, this is bad news as we no longer have to compete with anyone.

Since when is Stelly Dan bigger than Taylor Swift?!?!?!

Boy, let me tell you how happy I am to be back in Canada!

This is not a knock against Nashville, this is a knock against the toadstools that are given work clothes and given jobs at U.S. Customs. How much of a failure in life do you have to be before you’re seated at an American airport, using your power to demean travellers?

I was waiting for one of my travelling partners after getting the third degree from a guy who must have bad teeth because why else would you not smile! I’m a charming guy! My dorkiness alone is worth a chuckle.  When he asked my reason for entering the United States, I said ‘I’m here for the CMA’s!’

Let’s say that together, ‘I’M… HERE…FOR… THE… CMA’S’

Tell me, does sound anything like, ‘I… WORK… FOR… THE… TALIBAN’?

Because the look he gave me, you’d swear I had a bomb taped to my chest, but once I explained what the Country Music Association was, he sent me on my way.

As I waited, my friend’s friendly, neighbourhood Customs agent turned away from her and said to me, “Keep walking!’

Was he talking to me?

Again he goes, ‘Hey! Keep walking!’

All this time, my travelling partner could’ve easily snuck in a couple of cartons of cigarettes, mooshine, and no less than 2 exotic pets. I mean, he wasn’t looking at her, he was jawing at me!

I yelled back, ‘Gee too bad that degree at Princeton didn’t work for ya’?’ Actually, I walked to the exit without saying a word, but I thought it.

He then had to gall to ask my friend, ‘Does he talk to himself all the time?’ Oooooooo, I’m now a security threat because I talk to myself (I wasn’t by the way)? I probably would’ve had a better conversation with a mop than that guy anyway!

I guess those with the personality of a gnat, do have a way to pay their bills!

Whoa there! Before you say, ‘Their job is ensure safety, not to smile’, let’s head North of the U.S. border. Here I went throught the same process in Customs, EXCEPT I was greeted with a smile and, dare I say it, a little pleasant conversation, ‘Hi, how was your trip?’

Better now that I’m home!

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Meanwhile, my first experience in Nashville was unique. I expected the city to be bigger. I also expected the streets of Music City to be a little more ‘busy’, what with all the superstars of Country Music around. You can’t, however, deny the history. I walked the same street where Waylon, Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and more walked. I stood in the same studio where Elvis Presley recorded about 85% of his songs. I saw where the Nashville Predators play. OK, that last one is hardly historical but it got me excited.

I also sampled some of the fine foods from the South. With that being said, what’s the big freakin’ deal with grits? If it was somebody’s goal to create the most tasteless food in history, they succeeded with grits. I really pictured grits to be the reminents of something deep fried. Boy, was I wrong! It’s pretty much corn porridge! Granted, adding things like butter, salt, cheese, shrimp, etc., makes it a little more tasty. Wish somebody had told ME that before I plowed a spoonful into my mouth!

The CMA Awards were AWESOME, Zac Brown Band stole the show, and Taylor Swift suprised me. Not because of all the awards she won, but because she surrounded herself with actors who were handed signs that said ‘I Love Taylor’ on them, during her performance of ‘Fifteen’.  Did Taylor really need to do that? I’m guessing the almost 20,000 in attendance would’ve gladly cheered her on.

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I post this in hopes as many people across Canada hear about it. 

Two Royal Canadian Legion members, one of them an 84-year-old veteran of the Second World War, battled a gun-toting thug yesterday and stopped him from taking about $10,000 in poppy collections at a branch in Scarborough yesterday.

The grandfather of four, and great-grandfather of five, was out rounding up poppy donation boxes from various locations, the day after Remembrance Day and he was already upset because two collection boxes had been stolen from the liquor and beer stores in the area.

Dietsch believes the robber may have followed him as he brought the poppy boxes back to Branch 73 on Robinson Ave

Soon after, he and fellow legion member Earl Gray, 64, were in the boardroom along with two members counting thousands of dollars from poppy sales when the bandit appeared in the doorway around noon demanding they hand over the cash.

“I didn’t have time to be scared,” Dietsch said. “I just reacted.”

Although it has been more than 60 years since he fought for his country, he said his military training kicked in.

He lunged at the thug and tried to snatch the gun from his hand.

That’s when Gray jumped in and tackled the gunman.

Unfortunately, the would-be thief got away. But he fled empty-handed.

The gunman took off on foot and was still being sought by police late yesterday.

He’s described as black, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a medium build, and he was wearing a toque.

Anyone with information should call 41 Division investigators at 416-808-4100, or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.

Well, here I am in the middle of Music City, sitting in the hotel lobby (which reminds me, Jason my laptop is not working), watching a couple ask the front desk if there are any rooms available!?!?!

Hello!?!

It’s just the BIGGEST night of Country Music!

Tonight the CMA’s will be handed out and every star is here! Brad, Carrie, Taylor, Kenny and the downtown core is just buzzing. So far we’ve met Jimmy Wayne (‘Do You Believe Me Now’) and he says ‘Hi’, plus I could’ve sworn I walked by Zac Brown earlier. Seriously, I could’ve posted a picture here and nobody would’ve known the difference.

Walked into the famous ‘Tootsies’ today and watched Billy Arnold peform. Google him will ya’, and check out his video on Youtube. Tell him ‘Canada’ sent ya’. He acknowledged us by getting the crowd to give a shout out to Canada! Now a small group of American’s believe that all ‘Northern Men’ wear cowboy hats, cowboy boots, and belt buckles the size of a dinner plate! Yee haw! I have to say, I figured Tootsies would be bigger. Picture a hallway with a stage. But you can’t deny the history there, heck Willie Nelson used to live in the apartment upstairs. The earlier you get there the better, seriously, arrive at 3pm if you ever plan to visit.

Saw the stadium where the NFL’s Tennessee Titans play, LP Field. Who here knew that the bridge leading to the stadium is where Big & Rich filmed their video for ‘Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy’?

The Sommet Center where the Awards will be held tonight, is also home the NHL’s Nashville Predators. The Montreal Canadians are here this Saturday and the marquee says ‘Tickets Still Available’. You’d NEVER see that in Canada!

Also, walked through the Country Music Hall of Fame. Let me tell you, it should be mandatory for every new star to visit this spot to get an understanding of who paved the road for them.

I have to split and get ready for the Awards, but I will be back tomorrow with more stoires and hopefully some kick butt pictures!

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One last note, it is Remembrance Day (Veterans Day here in the US) and I want to say thanks for EVERYONE serving in the military, past and present. I don’t need one day to do this, I’m from a military family and understand the sacrifices.

Bless you!

It will go down as the one of the GREATEST nights of my life!

I was there amongst the Air Canada Centre crowd when the Maple Leafs pounded the Detroit Red Wings 5-1! It was one of those games where you’d say, ‘I wish I was there for that’, if you were watching it at home.

Plus, it was Hall of Fame Night to boot! Current and future Hall of Famers were introduced before the game.

Borje Salming, Lanny MacDonald, Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and more.

Stevie Y got the biggest ovation, but that……..that was going to change.

The biggest cheers came during a moment when the TV cameras weren’t rolling, a moment that wasn’t mentioned in the papers the following day.

Every Leafs game, a member of our Canadian Military is invited and acknowledged by the PA Announcer.

When this guys face appeared on the ‘Jumbotron’, everybody stopped talking about the score, the last big save, or the hot girl in the Leafs jersey……and clapped.

Not only clapped, but EVERY SINGLE person in the ACC stood up and ‘thanked’ this guy who just recently returned from Afghanistan.

This guy was wearing his military best and wasn’t prepared for the ovation because you could see his bottom lip quivering, holding back tears as almost 20,000 strangers become family for one brief moment.

If the cameras were on me, the crowd would’ve seen my bottom lip quivering too.

Because when it all comes down to it, hockey is JUST a game.

Our freedom, is something you die for.

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The latest summer blockbuster to hit movie screens in 3-D has been announced for 2010.

Batman?

Superman? 

Mighty Mouse? 

Nope!

This superhero doesn’t wear a cape, he sports a cowboy hat. He’s the invincible Kenny Chesney. And for years, says the superstar, “I’ve been trying … to have the audience closer to me and to have me be closer to them. With this production, they can’t get any closer.”

‘Kenny Chesney Summer in 3-D’ is the result of the more than 20 cameras which followed the entertainer’s summer stadium concerts in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco and Foxborough, Mass. The film is expected to play on at least 750 screens in April, according to a Sony Pictures executive. With Kenny taking a break from touring in 2010, the film gives fans a chance to relive the stage show which has helped sell over one million tickets each summer for the past eight years, making him the decade’s top concert draw. Other acts who’ve treated fans to the 3-D concert experience include rock titans U2 and the Rolling Stones.

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What’s wrong with this picture?

OK, Rememberance Day is coming, a day to acknowledge those that did, what alot of us would never have the guts to do.

The way I see it, wearing a poppy everyday would make sense! The more poppies around the better! Right?

Hold on there!

Dominion Command of the Royal Canadian Legion has threatened to take legal action against a Cobourg-area credit union for distributing lapel pins depicting the Highway of Heroes sign, which incorporates the image of a poppy.

The credit union, with branches in Cobourg and Port Hope, was served with a three-page letter from a law firm representing the Royal Canadian Legion on Oct. 23 raising concerns about trade-mark issues.

“We must insist that your company immediately cease all display and distribution of any merchandise, including lapel pins, bearing the image of a poppy, the term poppy or a variation thereof,” states the letter.

The letter states the Royal Canadian Legion is the owner of the poppy design, as well as a number of trademarks incorporating the image of a poppy, or the term poppy.

Oh, come on! Really?

Now the Royal Canadian Legion feels the baking of poppy cookies is violating the rules, too.

The Dutch Oven Bakery in Coburg say that, now that they know, “we won’t fulfil the order if asked again next year.”

In both cases, the pins and cookies would’ve raised money for those the poppy represents.

“They have got to get their head out of their butts,” says Wayne Powell, poppy chairman for Scarborough’s Legion Branch 258 and a retired 54 Division copper.

Those baking cookies or who’ve made the pins certainly had no intention of breaking any rules and had the best of intentions of helping military families.

Royal Canadian Legion spokesman Bob Butt says it has nothing to do with that. It isn’t theirs to use. It’s that simple. The fact is the legion “has the copyright” on the poppy.

Meanwhile, Paul Hallas, the Ganaraska Credit Union CEO who donated $10,000 to make the pins to raise money and awareness for families, says: “What am I supposed to do with the 2,500 pins?”

“He can give them to us and we will destroy them,” Butt says.

Are you serious? “He can give them to us and we will destroy them”?

Nice!

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Aw, come on! Who is really suprised by this?

Britney Spears’ lip-synced shows are causing controversy in Australia – one of the country’s leading politicians is urging ticket agencies to warn fans when artists plan to mime.

Spears is currently performing Down Under as part of her Circus world tour, but critics have slammed the star for failing to sing live during the shows.

Now the New South Wales Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, has waded into the debate – insisting ticket agencies should publish a disclaimer to stop gig-goers feeling cheated when an artist fails to provide any live vocals.

All I’m asking for, is another Milli Vanelli incident, who do you have to talk to get a tape to skip?

‘Hit me baby one more time….time….time….time’

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Here’s a look at the Kitchener Rangers 2009 Remembrance Day Jersey…

..that’s Jeff Skinner, but if you have a copy of today’s Kitchener Record, check out Jeff’s picture.

I thought it was a junior high kid modelling the jersey! Man, Jeff hurry up and grow a beard!

Wow! I think we’re on to something here. So many times we’ve had celebrities in the studio, that maybe, just maybe, the thrill of meeting one has deadened a little.

NOBODY loves Emerson Drive more than Peggy Fullard, NOBODY!

So when Brad Mates from Emerson Drive called to say he was dropping by I knew Peggy had to be called.

Not only to meet him, but interview him, ask him anything she wanted without the backstage time constraints.

Peggy asked him everything from who he’d like to sing with, what he did on his ‘down time’, even slipped in the age old standard ‘boxers or briefs’.

I also learned that they guys in Emerson Drive were forced to turn down a song they wanted to record. That song was ‘Bless The Broken Road’

Thanks Peggy, watching you enjoy your time with your ‘Country Crush’ really made my day.

Check out the media section of kix106online.com to see pictures of the interview

http://emersondrive.com/

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Can you believe Sesame Street is beginning its 40th season?

I can still remember being a little Billy Hart and running down the stairs every morning to see what Bert & Ernie were up to, find out what (or who) Super Grover was going to crash land into, sing along to the Ladybugs picnic, and hoping today was the day that Luis, Susan, & Bob would see that Snuffleupagus was indeed real.

We all learned to count (10….10 wonderful ice creams cones ha ha ha >lightning<), our A,B,C’s, and cooperation from this show.

Sadly, I don’t think my kids have ever watched a full episode.

Here’s one of many clips I loved. My buddy Jim Parsons and still copy this bit and we’re in our 40′s!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajHVLJG0298 

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And for all you Yankee fans (especially Courtney)….

Congrats to the New York Yankess for winning the 2009 World Series.

Mental note – get more pins for my collection of Yankee voodoo dolls next year.

My oldest daughter got her school pictures back yesterday.  I know what you’re thinking!

‘Here we go, he’s going to go on about how his little girl is the most beautiful blah blah blah!’

BUZZ!!!!

Wrong!

Sure I think my girls are the most beautiful in the world, every Daddy thinks that. But these pictures, which were supposed to make my jaw drop and feel warm and fuzzy inside, didn’t!

She smiled in a way I’ve never seen her smile before. Imagine being in severe pain, and being asked to smile for a picture!

I asked her why did she smile like that, because we practised the whole smile thing the night before Picture Day (am I the only parent who does that?)?

She has all of her teeth and one heck of a happy smile, but she tells me…..

‘The man told me to smile that way!’ 

Whatever happened to taking a few different shots and picking the ones you like?

$86 used to get you a little more!

‘Hello Wal Mart? Photo Studio please!’

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18-year-old Rebecca Grose of Alma will participate in the opening ceremonies of the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, as part of the “Ride with Royalty” event.
Grose, who is a member of the Millridge Pony Club, will be part of the 12 mounted pony club members who will act as escorts for Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, when they enter the Ricoh Coliseum Friday afternoon.

Remember Rebecca, horses don’t wear dresses, so don’t try to put a saddle on Camilla!

Long Live Lady Di!!!

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In exchange for jail time, a woman and her adult daughter have agreed to stand outside a courthouse holding signs saying they stole a gift card from a 9-year-old girl on her birthday.

Fifty-six-year-old Evelyn Border and 35-year-old Tina Griekspoor stood outside the court for 4 1/2 hours Tuesday. They held signs that read: “I stole from a 9-year-old girl on her birthday! Don’t steal or this could happen to you!”

Because the women agreed to hold the signs, Bedford County District Attorney Bill Higgins says he’ll ask for probation instead of jail when they plead guilty to the theft.

Higgins says they swiped a gift card that the girl set on a shelf while a Walmart employee helped her.

The girl’s mother planned to drive by the courthouse to teach her daughter the importance of obeying the law.

And hopefully to laugh at these people because I know I would!!

I love the Olympics! Call it national pride or whatever, but I get psyched thinking about our hockey teams! It’s also the only time I go out of my way to watch figure skating, hey if Canada is up for a medal, I want to be there watching it live on the tube! 

These are our athletes who bust their butts for this shot, and I’ll support them every chance I get.

Sadly, not everyone is as enthused as I over the upcoming Winter Games in Vancouver.

Activists in Kitchener are planning a protest when the Olympic torch comes to town next month, saying the organizers of the Vancouver Olympics are suppressing freedom of expression by attempting to ban what they say is “propaganda” from being displayed or distributed along the torch route.

In a nutshell, no protest signs or pamphlets allowed! Adam Lewis of the group Anti-War at Laurier and Davin Charney, a lawyer specializing in civil liberties, went before city council last night looking for support.

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If you bought George Jones tickets to see Taylor Swift, you may want to reconsider and buy something else.

George says he’s been robbed. Not of his personal belongings, but of something perhaps even more valuable: his role as a country singer. Referring to some of today’s biggest stars, including Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, the country legend tells the Associated Press, “they’ve stolen our identity.” And, he maintains, they need to give it back and move on to another genre. “They had to use something that was established already, and that’s traditional country music. So what they need to do really, I think, is find their own title, because they’re definitely not traditional country music.”George, who recently spoke out against modern country radio, says he still sees hope in some of the current chart-toppers. “It’s good to know that we still do traditional country music. Alan Jackson still does it, so does George Strait. We still have it, and there’s quite a few of us that are going to hope that it comes back one of these days.”

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No matter who you cheer for, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt.

Kitchener Rangers rookie Ben Fanelli remains in critical but stable condition in Hamilton General Hospital.

There’s been no reported change in his condition since he was rammed head first into the boards during a game Friday night.
 
Hockey fans can send their best wishes to Fanelli at an upcoming game and online, the Rangers say they will have a number of stations set up around the Aud at this Friday’s game against the Windsor Spitfires with Get Well boards and cards for fans to sign.

You can send get well wishes online to the address info@kitchenerrangers.com.

The Rangers play their next game on Thursday night against the Peterborough Petes.

Man, what a Halloween! Watching the little ghosts and goblins (and one CUTE little monkey) run around almost made me want to don a costume myself and cash in on that free candy. It was great to see the kids having fun, including my own daughters who were all caught up in the excitement.

Which brings me to my ‘beef’!

Since I was a little Billy Hart, porch light on, knock on the door. Porch light off, folks aren’t home. It’s the basic rule of Halloween. We understand not everybody can be home to hand out candy. Heck, I don’t even have a problem with homes not handing out treats, even if those who live there are out collecting.

Two homes on a street off of Rittenhouse Road, I have a problem with.

I watched my girls run up a driveway as somebody was leaving the house. He walked right by them without a word, and when my kids knocked on the door, nobody answered. Would it have killed this guy to say, ‘Sorry, no one’s home’?

Then a few houses around the road, a guy was standing in his driveway, garage door wide open, all the lights on. Again, he WATCHED my kids go past him and knock on the door only to be greeted with ‘We don’t do Halloween!’

Again, a simple ‘We don’t do Halloween’ by the dude in the driveway would’ve been nice.

After that, my youngest was afraid to knock on doors with no decorations, saying ‘They don’t do Halloween’ (which they actually did, and were more than happy to hand out treats!)

Beyond that, it was good to go around and meet the neighbours. There are some really nice people living in my neighbourhood, and I have alot of pride in that.

As for those other 2 homes, don’t step on any flaming bags!

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Brett Favre used to be the king of Green Bay — before he signed with the Packers’ arch rivals — now the legendary quarterback is using extra security just to get around the bitter town he left. 

We learned the Minnesota Vikings beefed up their security for Favre’s super-hyped up return to Lambeau Field yesterday — even providing a special team of private security officers “specifically assigned” to protect Brett. 

A Vikings spokesperson is quoted as saying, “I can confirm that we did have extra security in place throughout the trip, including at the hotel Saturday night and at the stadium yesterday.

Translation: Too many folks want Brett’s head!

Brett put a little more salt in their wounds, throwing 4 TDs as the Vikes crushed the Pack 38-26.

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I think this is really cool,

This picture above is of the USS New York, a new battleship built with steel from the World Trade Center, which sailed into New York harbour today on its maiden voyage and delivered a 21-gun salute near Ground Zero.

The battleship, including a nuclear submarine, was scheduled to be built before the September 11 attack. However, after the atrocities, the US Navy decided to incorporate recycled steel from the fallen twin towers and name the vessel after New York as a tribute to the victims. It is a San Antonio-class amphibious dock vessel, capable of carrying 800 marines with helicopters.

Two other US Navy ships of the same class have also named to commemorate the September 11 attacks.

The USS Arlington was named to honour victims who died at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The USS Somerset commemorates the county in Pennsylvania where the hijacked United Airlines flight 93 crashed.

The USS New York will remain in the city until Veterans Day on November 11. It will then head to its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, for a year of crew training and exercises.

The US Navy said it had many requests to serve aboard the ship. Some 13 percent of the current crew of 361 sailors come from New York – far higher than would normally be assigned.

Wouldn’t it be great, if this ship fired the shot that did away Bin Laden?