http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/ en-us 2006-10-22T17:10+00:00 http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1125974027.shtml ... Speed Gibson 2005-09-06T02:09+00:00 http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1125286369.shtml The beat goes on, live from the Minnesota State Fair. It turned out to be Aaron Clary from week 3, the Economics Supper Club as he called it.... Speed Gibson 2005-08-29T03:08+00:00 Aaron Clary from week 3, the Economics Supper Club as he called it.

State Fair shows are completely different fare, even for the Northern Alliance. So I am going to excuse myself today and likely next week as well. I'm hoping that another one of our contestants gets the nod next week, one I happen to know would love the chance.
]]> http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1124769458.shtml Professor Brian Huffman of the University of Wisconsin, River Falls was featured today. His first hour was a gem of epistomology and common sense. I wish I had recorded it, for... Speed Gibson 2005-08-23T03:08+00:00
For example, he cited how anti-nuclear power types point out that "those pipes will eventually rupture." How about giving the engineers a little credit? The protesters can think these things through but the designers (mechanical engineers) can't? As a counter-example, he talked about airplane wings, made of alumninum and magnesium. Structurally, it's only a question of when, not if, that these wings will fall off the fuselage. But the engineers also desgined the measurement, inspection and replacement methods that detect the hairline fractures long before they are a threat to the safety of the airplane.

Another good piece of thinking regarded Bill Maher, who believes a six grade education should make atheists of us all. Huffman counters that Maher's own religious education is what never got past the sixth grade, a great rejoinder, and he went on from there to discuss God and science quite well.

All good stuff, but the stuff of lectures. It was more like a scientific version of the late Fulton J. Sheen, so enjoyable but not the basis of the traditional talk radio dialogue. Indeed, his points were so well presented that it probably made listeners fearful to call in, even if they think they agree. He took no calls in the first hour, and only a few in the second hour.

So while I felt that I learned something, and I liked it very much as a lecture, it missed the target of actual talk radio. My grade: a B minus.
]]> http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1124335547.shtml We must be nearing the end of The Next Big Thing. This week's entry, a group effort called the "Business Building Network" or BBN was dreadful. However good and noble their... Speed Gibson 2005-08-18T03:08+00:00
As with other entrants, a radio program would give these professional business consultants a great marketing opportunity. But here the audience segment truly interested in this, and from a largely academic point of view, and willing to endure the pedantic format has to be microscopic.

I said academic because they seemed out of touch with real business as I've observed it for nearly 40 years. A caller described a restaurant opportunity, where he would buy out a small failed operation grossing maybe $60,000 a year. As the caller described it, I was amazed to hear the deep analysis being performed, discussion of marketing and so on. I kept asking, "What are you buying? Where's the assets? Why do you even need the existing owners? Where's the beef?" There was no evidence of goodwill, no unique asset like a choice spot or unbreakable, transferable lease.

I must, with respect for their resumes and with regret, hand out an "F".]]> http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1123547073.shtml The Next Big Thing continues, though I've heard a couple of hints that either a second round or an appointment is coming soon, more likely the latter. But meanwhile, we start... Speed Gibson 2005-08-09T00:08+00:00
This week we heard Lawrence Ellis with Mike Jordan in a supporting role. Hour one was largely spent on celebrity vs importance vs intelligence. He saw the Bill Gates family at Chicago's O'Hare airport, not drawing any attention. Brittany Spears would be mobbed, but Gates' contribution to the world is several orders of magnitude larger and more important. All true, in fact rather obvious. As Dennis Prager says, being famous doesn't make you important and vice versa.

The second hour opened up a little more but the show remained on a very calm, ordered basis. It wasn't NPR-boring, but it was definitely "FM" in nature. But KSTP-AM is just that - AM. They don't want or need "shock jocks" like Hugh Hewitt as he was once called, but the show needs a little punch to be successful.

It wasn't a bad effort within these lines. Everything worked pretty smoothly, so I'll give this week's duo a "C".]]> http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1122851799.shtml Just when I think I should hang up my gloves on this series, I catch a great edition of this concept. Today's contestant was Sue Jeffers, owner of the lengedary Stub... Speed Gibson 2005-07-31T23:07+00:00
Also, somewhat of a twist, Jason the producer played somewhat of a co-host role, and it sounded as if planned as opposed to what happened to Sean McDevitt in week 18. Again, Katherine Lampher could learn something about the concept from Jason.

The first hour was great, talking about the smoking ban and all of the other impositions that restaurant owners are fighting. She listed several, like the minimum wage (without tip credit) increase. She leads a group of owners who are seeking relief as in at least partial repeal from Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis. But could she go beyond this issue I wondered.

It turns out she could, drawing on her years as a Republican and her experience as a mother of three teenagers. It wasn't quite as "tight" as the first hour, but it sure beat many an hour I hear elsewhere on talk radio.

Sue, great job, an A minus! Keep'm flying!]]> http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1122353260.shtml Joel DuBois (I'm guessing on the spelling) was our contestant / host today. He started by giving some of his resume, that of a musician.... Speed Gibson 2005-07-26T04:07+00:00
We have heard several prior entrants come with show prep out the wazoo on too many topics. Joel does the opposite here, spending the whole two hours on how annoying thumping car stereos are. It was pretty well played out at the thirty minute mark, but it went the distance.

Given so much, Joel did a decent job with the callers and the mechanics of radio. But it just wasn't interesting, not for tow hours. A "D" is the grade.]]> http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1121741354.shtml I'm feeling rather bad that I couldn't get to a radio as planned today to hear the start of today's installment of KSTP AM 1500's "The Next Big Thing" from 2-4... Speed Gibson 2005-07-19T02:07+00:00
I had a tip that David Strom would be on today, so I'm feeling doubly bad. Well, I joined the Phil Krinke interview in progress, and can judge what might have been said before that based on the Taxpayers League Live program yesterday. What I heard was very good, but how could it sound bad to me, hearing two of my personal heroes together?

Yes, David is a professional, going into my pass/fail column instead of the usual A-F grading. But his wife and aide-de-camp Margaret Martin will get full letter grading.

My faithful readers know that I am not generally a fan of "team coverage" in talk radio. But I will make an exception today for two reasons. One, I think David is at his best with someone else in the booth. I say this largely based on TPL on 1280, of course. And two, who wouldn't be better if that someone else else is the lovely and talented Margaret Martin. Those of us who have met her know that David married well above his station! I'm reminded of Ian & Marjorie on FM 107.1, who also work well together.

The second hour was spent on the uptick in Minneapolis crime, something that David and Margaret know only too well as North Minneapolis residents. They and their guest Mark Stenglein, also a Minneapolis resident and candidate for Mayor discussed the situation quite well.

David gets a solid P (pass), Margaret an A. Katherine Lampher would do well to study Margaret's example.]]>