My random thoughts from this week:

-The Iowa caucuses are over and even though Mike Huckabee and Barak Obama won them I think that the happiest people, the real winners here are the people of Iowa. They can finally get back to their lives without political ads on every other TV commercial, candidate rallies all over the place, bus trips crisscrossing their state and worst of all the crush of news media that had descended on Des Moines. They can now breathe a sigh of relief, The circus is now on to New Hampshire. Good luck to those folks.

- I have two TV commercials that are really getting on my last nerve to tirade about today. The first is the series of "Dude" ads for Bud Light. Yes the first time I saw one it was OK. However they seem to have made an entire series of these . Bud Light needs to stick with the Whassssup guys next time because that "Dude" dude is annoying as hell. The second commercial is just plain not right. It's the Viagra commercial where there are a bunch of middle aged guys all in a bar playing musical instruments and singing a parody of Elvis's Viva Las Vegas called Viva Viagra. It's downright creepy to watch. Especially when they stop singing and then hightail it out of there to their cars and motorcycles presumably to go home to their ladies... Yikes watch out if you are trying to travel on that road.

- Remember Kid-N-Play? They were teen rap stars that made a couple of albums and the House Party Movies in the early 90's ? I read this article yesterday about Christopher "Play"Martin. He was severely injured in an accident in Durham NC where he now lives and had to be taken to the hospital along with his passenger. The accident was not his fault, as it seems he was hit by a driver who was fleeing the police after a shooting. In a strange twist of irony it also goes on to say that Martin recently made a documentary film about gang activity in the Durham area.

- Does anyone think that any company will REALLY stop having their toys made in China?

- North Carolina is the 9th largest state in the country by population size however due to having our Presidential primary elections in May after the nominee is already decided I won't really have any say so in who the nominee is for the Democratic party. That kind of stinks because there is something about Hillary Clinton that scares the daylights out of me. GO OBAMA !!!

- My wife read me a reader submitted story last night out of Parents magazine that went something like this: There was this 4 year old kid named Jeff who was in church and kept making noise and being a distraction for others. His mother warned him several times but to no avail. Finally his mom told him 1 more noise an he would be taken out for a spanking. Well poor Jeff made noise again and of course his mother angrily grabbed him up to be taken out. While being carried out by his mother Jeff said in a voice that all the congregation could hear. "Please pray for me!"

- In 2008 maybe I need to find a job with fewer bomb threats. The latest was yesterday and the building had to be evacuated for half an hour while the police and fire department cleared the "threat". Of course yesterday was the coldest day this winter so far... GRRRR !

- For my money The Matt and Ramona show on local 107.9 the LINK is the best afternoon drive time radio show in this market. The best morning drive show is the Ace and TJ show.

- Tell me this isn't redneck. I found this article about a dispute between two guys on New Years day. How did they decide to solve this dispute, with their fists or even a gun? No sirree this fight ended with one guy stabbing the other guy in the neck WITH A PORK CHOP BONE! I challenge anyone to come up with something more redneck. Take THAT Jeff Foxworthy!

- I have to agree with the conclusions I read here. There are some words and phrases that are overused or simply just need to go away. The article includes some good examples but the one that I want to see banned the most is "It is what it is" I hate this one with a passion. This phrase is absolutely pointless. It means NOTHING, its a complete waste of words and is simply a cutesy way of saying "oh well I have no explanation or point at all so F- it" Please join my cause and help me make this useless phrase go away in 2008. Thank you in advance for your support.
- Shane (doc)