Acronym Update – Trivia Quiz, The Beauty of Bartering

Dear Clients, Readers, Family and Friends:

Some of you may know that I tried out for the game show Who Want’s To Be A Millionaire twice in the past 18 months.  I actually PASSED the audition test the first time and was given an opportunity to interview with a producer.   This past may I did not PASS the test and therefore was sent back onto West 67th St. in Manhattan after 20 minutes.   One thing you should realize about game show auditions / tests, is that they are not objective.   The standard for passing is not defined.  In a particular audition session, they could take the low scores, the high scores, or even randomly pick people for an interview.   When you audition for a show like Millionaire, you are totally at the mercy of the production staff and their sponsors.

Anyway…..I really enjoyed those experiences and in the spirit of trivia  I have assembled the following Millionaire-style trivia quiz for you.

Reply directly to this message with your answers (No cheating):

1.   First vice president of Richard Nixon

2.  A GROSS of oranges is how many

3.  1981 Academy Award Winner – Best Picture =  ________________  of Fire

4.   Former Senator from Ohio, orbited the earth in 1962 while working for NASA

5.    The acronym D.O. after a physician’s name stands for……

6.    City that Mister Rodgers Neighborhood was filmed in

7.   Russian neighborhood in Brooklyn made famous by a Neil Simon play

8.  College attended by Barack Obama for his first two years of undergraduate study.
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The Beauty of bartering:  Bartering is being revived as a lost art in the business world, especially among small firms.   The idea of trading one service for another, trading goods for a service, or one product for another…. predates modern currencies and often helps to make a transaction possible on beneficial terms for all parties involved.     If you have any bartering proposals for your business or service…. I would be happy to share them with my network of readers / clients through my Acronym Update and bi-monthly Acronym newsletter at NO CHARGE.
Here are two bartering proposals that I would like to offer in exchange for my computer consulting services:
1.   (1 hour) – I need someone to install standard wall switch and face plate for my dining room chandelier.   I am converting from a dimmer switch to a standard switch because dimmer switches send out radio frequencies that could interfere with wireless signals.  (Furthermore, I would like to buy compact fluorescent bulbs for this fixture……not possible with a dimmer switch.)
2.  (2 hours) – I am looking for a used iPod, no more than 3 years old, no obvious scratches on the screen, and no issues with battery life.   Only seeking iPod models with a screen, ie. not looking for iPod Shuffle.
3. (1 hour)  Oil and filter change on my Nissan.

Yours truly,

Kevin

Acronym Update 08-19-08

The end of a great radio team….

I was saddened to hear last Friday that Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo of the Mike & The Mad Dog sports radio program was leaving to pursue other opportunities.   Chris and his on-air partner, Mike Francesca, had been broadcasting from WFAN (660 AM) in New York for nearly 19 years.    This pair of middle aged men presented sports talk, along with occasional commentary on culture and other news, in a professional manner for nearly two decades.   They did their jobs thoroughly …. without resorting to the locker room humor that has left a stain on the radio industry.

I can remember listening to their afternoon show (1 PM – 6:30 PM) on numerous occasions when driving home from work or taking a long drive.  Their FOOTBALL FRIDAY theme always gave me an in-depth preview of the upcoming games.   Russo’s explosive rants (without profanity) on a certain athlete or team were better than a jolt of caffeine at 1 PM.

The Mike & The Mad Dog program expanded to reach a national audience in 2002 when it began a simulcasting arrangement on the YES Network.    Mike and Chris didn’t need to prove their merit to me, but their success on TV cemmented their status as America’s most successful sports talk show.

I understand that 20 years is a long time to spend with any employer.  Mad Dog Russo has young children and is likely looking for a radio gig that would allow him to broadcast part or all of the time from his New Canaan, CT home.   Similar arrangements have been in existence for years as hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Bruce Williams do their shows in their PJ’s regularly.   However, due to the fact that Mike and the Mad Dog is simulcast on television – both hosts being in the NYC area studios was a pre-requisite for the job.

Mike Francesca will continue on WFAN as a solo act indefinitely or until he finds a new partner.  It has been speculated that Christopher Russo will sign a multi-year contract with Sirius XM satellite radio.  With 18.5 million customers subscribing to the recently merged Sirius and XM companies …. its clear that this competitor to good old AM and FM is here to stay.   I wish the Mad Dog the best of luck.

**BREAKING DEVELOPMENT**   It has just been reported that Christopher Russo has just signed a multi-year agreement with Sirius XM and will oversee 2 of their sports channels that will be renamed MAD DOG RADIO ….

Have a great day,

Kevin

Acronym Online 08-11-08

Dear Readers,

The Beijing Olympics are underway…

Due to the time delay, we aren’t able to watch many events live.   NBC is only showing select events on TV during weekdays, but does offer extended programming on weekends.   Certain competitions can be found on other NBC Universal owned stations,like MSNBC, USA, etc….but I am well aware of the fact that not everyone pays $60+ per month to get those channels.  I DON’T!!!

For the first time since NBC  began offering web video of the Olympic games, they are basically offering Internet based footage on an equal basis with television feeds. You can watch 75% of the Beijing events live on the web.

The site:   http://www.nbcolympics.com

I would click the link next to WATCH NOW at the top of the screen to get started.  A new window should open, and by clicking any of the video choices, you should be prompted to download a program called Microsoft Silverlight.   This is OK.  You need this to watch the video.

These web broadcasts are Macintosh and Windows compatible.  You may use Firefox or Internet Explorer as a browser.  After Silverlight is installed, you can play many different highlight clips or go back to the main page and click on TV & Online listings to see what live events you can watch.   Remember the time difference, but the live viewing is a great option for night owls, people who can’t fall asleep or those of you who work 3rd shift.

Enjoy,

Kevin

The Acronym – August 2008 edition

Dear Clients, Readers, Family, and Friends,

Here is my August 2008 newsletter – The Acronym.   Attached to this post in PDF format.

It’s only 4 pages this time, but it’s chock full of information for your digital world!!

Take care,

Kevin

The Aronym 08-2008