MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS A BIG FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF THE GREAT AMERICAN HOT DOG. Few things are as All-American as the hot dog. When it comes to serving & eating them, there are a few ‘dos & don’ts. According to the “Hot Dog & Sausage Council:
1. Always eat hot dogs on buns with your hands. Utensils should NOT touch a hot dog on a bun. Forks are for “fancy” meat.
2. Wash your hands BEFORE eating the hot dog. Why? Then you can safely lick the condiment overflow off your fingers.
3. Use PAPER napkins with hot dogs. Cloth napkins are a hot dog NO-NO.
4. Take soda or beer to a hot dog cookout…never wine. Hot dogs & wine don’t mix.
5. DON’T use Ketchup on your hot dog if you’re over the age of 18.
Mustard, relish, onions, cheese & chili are acceptable.
6. And never send a “thank you” note following a hot dog cookout. It would NOT be in keeping with the unpretentious nature of hot dogs.
You may want to review these “rules” again just before Independence day.

This morning’s trivia on KOIT:

Q: Which was the first state to officially observe Memorial Day?

A: New York

For many, Memorial Day isn’t much more than the unofficial start to summer & the grilling season.  Well, last night on 60 Minutes, Andy Rooney so beautifully articulated what Memorial Day means to some folks, including me. Here’s the text of last night’s piece.

LOOKS LIKE GREAT WEATHER FOR ALL THE HOLIDAY PARTIES, BUT IT’S ALSO SPRING BUG SEASON. SO, HOW CAN YOU KEEP THOSE PESTS AWAY FROM YOU & YOUR FOOD?
To keep away bees & wasps–coat pieces of cardboard with pancake syrup & place them around the edges of your yard or picnic area. Watch those little devils dive bomb into the syrup.
For mosquitoes & flies that buzz around you and the food-fill small bowls with apple cider vinegar & place on the table near your food. They’ll be drawn to them instead of your potato salad & burgers.
Wear white & light colors. Mosquitoes are drawn to dark clothing.
If you do get mosquito bites, dab the spot with ammonia, which stops the itching. Ammonia is the main ingredient in many anti-itch products.

BP SAYS IT’S MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD PLUGGING THE OIL SPILL IN THE GULF WITH MUD BUT WON’T KNOW FOR A COUPLE MORE DAYS IF THE FIX WILL WORK. THE MANEUVER, CALLED A TOP KILL, HAS WORKED ON LAND BUT NEVER BEEN TRIED IN DEEP WATER. SO FAR THE MUD HAS NOT OVERWHELMED THE GUSHER OR STOPPED THE FLOW PERMANENTLY.

CONGRESS HAS TAKEN STEPS TOWARD ENDING THE “DON’T ASK DON’T TELL” BAN ON GAYS AND LESBIANS SERVING OPENLY IN THE MILITARY. YESTERDAY THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE AND THE FULL HOUSE APPROVED MEASURES TO REPEAL THE 1993 LAW. BUT IT’S NOT OVER YET. THE HOUSE VOTE IS AN AMENDMENT TO A DEFENSE SPENDING BILL THAT COMES UP FOR A FINAL VOTE TODAY.

6 MORE CASES OF SALMONELLA POISONING LINKED TO RAW ALFALFA SPROUTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 28 PEOPLE SICKENED IN 10 STATES. 3 MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SICKENED IN CALIFORNIA FOR A TOTAL OF 14 CASES. CALDWELL FRESH FOODS OF MAYWOOD HAS RECALLED THE ALFALFA SPROUTS WHICH WERE SOLD TO WAL-MART STORES IN 15 STATES.

GADGET GEAKS ARE MOBBING APPLE STORES IN EUROPE AND ASIA TODAY AS THE IPAD GOES ON SALE THERE. LONG LINES SNAKED DOWN STREETS IN LONDON, PARIS, FRANKFURT AND TOKYO. AFTER SELLING 1 MILLION IPADS IN THE U.S. IN 28 DAYS APPLE HAS LAUNCHED THE DEVICE IN SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING CANADA, FRANCE, GERMANY AND JAPAN.

THEY WERE ALL THERE. EVERY ONE OF THE PAST AMERICAN IDOL WINNERS, BEGINNING WITH KELLY CLARKSON. PAULA ABDUL SHOWED UP TO SCHMOOZE. WE SAID GOODBYE TO SIMON COWELL, AND DARK HORSE ROCKER LEE DeWYZE GOT THE NOD OVER CRYSTAL BOWERSOX.
It was a show to remember. Literally more stars than have ever been on Idol. And Idol needs all the help they can get. Ratings are at an all time low. And who knows what’s going to happen now that Simon is leaving. One name being mentioned as a possible replacement for Simon is David Hasselhoff. He was in the audience last night.
There were singers performing I had not seen in years. Among them: Joe Cocker, Hall & Oates, Chicago, Michael McDonald & Alanis Morissette. Carrie Underwood & Janet Jackson looked & sounded great.
I think we can count on albums in the next month or two from Bowersox & Dewyze.
And who’s going to replace Simon? My money says either David Foster Or Harry Connick Jr. would be good choices. And what about Paula returning? She reportedly has at least two shows that she’s currently working on.
Love Simon, or hate Simon. It will be tough to replace him.

GET OUT THE BATHING SUIT. THE WATER QUALITY OF MOST BAY AREA BEACHES IS CLEANER, & SAFER FOR SWIMMING THAN IT HAS BEEN IN YEARS.
More than 90 percent of Bay Area beaches received top grades in the annual report by Heal the Bay. The report printed in the Chronicle studied bacteria levels at 456 California beaches.
People were advised to go out & enjoy the beaches this summer.
HEAL THE BAY attributed the Bay Area’s mostly positive results to recent improvements to sewage systems.
However, all the news was not good: There were 3 beaches that got bad reviews, & swimmers were advised to avoid them: The dirty beaches were:
1. BAKER BEACH NEAR LOBOS CREEK IN SAN FRANCISCO
2. LAKESHORE PARK BEACH IN SAN MATEO
3. KELLER BEACH IN RICHMOND
1.

I’VE ASKED MYSELF THE SAME QUESTION. WAKING UP AT 3am, & NOT BEING ABLE TO GET BACK TO SLEEP. TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP, ETC..
SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
An expert on sleep came up with situations that keep us from that “good nights sleep.”
1. PETS IN BED: Research at the Mayo Clinic showed that it is virtually impossible NOT to be disturbed at some point in your sleep if your pet sleeps with you. (Looks like my dog Toby will be relegated to the floor…with a pillow, of course).
2. A NIGHTCAP: A glass of wine may make you drowsy, but it can really mess up your sleep rhythm. It’s best to stop drinking 2-3 hours before bed.
3. ACID REFLUX: People who have this know that lying down can make it worse. It causes pain & heartburn, & can keep you awake.
4. MEDICINE & VITAMINS: For example, Vitamin B6 & B12 can cause vivid dreams that can wake people up. It’s better to take those in the morning. Check for common side effects to whatever you are taking.
5. CHRONIC PAIN: Even mild pain can make sleep less restful-even if it doesn’t actually wake you up.
Source: WebMD

You’re the one that I want…oooh, hooo, hooo baby!

It’s coming back for a special 2 week engagement so you can have summer lovin’ and sing along with your favorite Grease songs…

Watch the trailer and get ready for –

CONGRESS IS HEADED TOWARD LANDMARK VOTES ON WHETHER TO ALLOW GAYS TO SERVE OPENLY IN THE MILITARY. THE HOUSE COULD VOTE TODAY ON A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD REPEAL “DON’T ASK DON’T TELL.” THE MILITARY WOULD GET AS MUCH TIME AS IT NEEDS BEFORE LIFTING THE BAN. THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE UP AN IDENTICAL MEASURE.

BP IS STILL TRYING TO PLUG THAT OIL LEAK IN THE GULF BY PUMPING HEAVY FLUIDS INTO IT. IT’S TOO EARLY TO KNOW IF THE SO-CALLED TOP KILL IS GOING TO WORK. MEANWHILE PRESIDENT OBAMA IS GETTING READY TO ANNOUNCE A 6 MONTH EXTENSION OF THE MORATORIUM ON PERMITS FOR NEW DEEPWATER OIL DRILLING WHILE A COMMISSION INVESTIGATES THE SPILL IN THE GULF.

SOUTH KOREAN WARSHIPS HAVE FIRED GUNS AND DROPPED ANTI-SUBMARINE BOMBS IN A LARGE MILITARY EXERCISE. THIS COMES A WEEK AFTER SEOUL ACCUSED NORTH KOREA OF SINKING A NAVY SHIP IN MARCH AND KILLING 46 SAILORS. NORTH KOREA IS WARNING THAT THE EXERCISE WOULD BRING THE PENINSULA TO THE BRINK OF WAR.

STRIKES ACROSS FRANCE HAVE DELAYED FLIGHTS AND CLOSED SCHOOLS AS WORKERS PROTEST GOVERNMENT PLANS TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE PAST 60. PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY SAYS RETIRING SO YOUNG IS NOW UNTENABLE WITH GROWING LIFE SPANS. GERMANY RECENTLY RAISED ITS RETIREMENT AGE FROM 65 TO 67.

I think Fox got it all wrong yesterday…with the programming of the  Season Finale Part I of American Idol and Glee or maybe they just drove home a point…The American Idol contestants should have watched the episode of Glee before they performed last night.

IMHO, last night’s episode of Glee is exactly what’s been missing all year long on American Idol…no identity, no theatricality, no showmanship, no Pizazzz, no Madonna, no GaGa, no KISS.

Both Crystal and Lee are talented singers, but you want to be the next AMERICAN IDOL….thousands tried out…few were chosen and a handful will be rewarded…The one finalist standout, that had eventually lost her way was Siobhan Magnus…she had the pipes, the willingness to be larger than life and the quirkiness to be a star…she will go far even tho she wasn’t in the final 5.

Why?   Because she has the guts, much like Adam Lambert to be out there and create some noise…you have to get noticed in the entertainment industry.

If I were Crystal last night, when I sang “Black Velvet”  I would have stood at the top of the stairs, belted the song…kicked off the heels and strutted down those stairs like I owned the Nokia Theatre…barefoot is much more her style and it would have brought down the house that she wasn’t gonna play by anybody’s rules, except hers…

Lee…just needed to move…he was pitchy and stiff…”The Boxer” got lost in segement…no passion…As Simon or Kara pointed out at the end…He looked nervous and it showed on stage….Come ON Lee…this is IT…the BIG IT!!!

Throw up before and go out and risk it all…no guts, no glory…

It’s now in the hands of you and me…the voters on who becomes crowned…

My vote is for Kurt from Glee.