Step Up: Just want to take a moment to step up and say farewell to a giant of broadcasting: Ed McMahon. I sort of met Mr. McMahon many years ago on the radio. He was on one line doing an interview and I was on the other waiting to do weather. As his interview wrapped up, the radio host, Just Plain Dave, asked Mr. McMahon to introduce the weatherman. Ever affable, he did just that: “Heeeeeerrrrrrreeee’s Joel!” Although I didn’t get a chance to speak with him directly, it was the best welcome I could imagine.
I did have the chance to interview Doc Severinsen on after*words many years ago. He had only the best things to say about Ed McMahon. Same from another frequent Tonight Show guest, KC’s own singing icon, Marilyn Maye. Mr. McMahon was a true broadcaster in that he did a little bit of everything and did it all extremely well. Maybe he can take over from St. Peter for awhile and welcome people at the Pearly Gates with that booming: “HEEEEERRRRREEEE’s insert name here!”
Step Carefully: A story on Wednesday morning’s FirstNews said that scientists are studying a workable way to use cow waste as fuel. If it really takes off, that would make my home state of Wisconsin sort of like the new Saudi Arabia! I can just see all the dairy farmers up there wearing expensive robes and building elaborate castles. Of course, if cow gas had always been the “oil” of our society, it certainly would have changed the entire opening sequence of The Beverly Hillbillies.
When it comes to meadow muffins, cow pats, pasture patties, bovine buttons, dip chips…whatever you want to call it…I know my, uh, stuff. Now, the science of turning these field finds into fuel is beyond me. If you’ve ever watched my weather-cast, you know that science is not my forte. But, again, if you’ve ever watched my weather-cast, you know that I do deal in bull from time to time.
I have one concern: odoriferous autos. A couple summers ago, one farmer back home was using a liquefied version of cattle turfdaddle (Don’t bother looking that one up…I just coined it.) and it really was stinky. It didn’t matter which way the wind was blowing, your eyes would water and nose would immediately go on strike. If the stuff we start pumping is even close to that scent, traffic jams will involve more retching than kvetching.
You’d probably also see the normally placid, easy-going cow becoming more paranoid. Made nervous by every car stalled on the side of the road. Fearing the approach of a person carrying a hose.
Please, take the advice of an experienced cheese-head, if we get to the moo-juice for vehicles stage of things, just step carefully.
Step Out: As my summer-time gift to you, I will be AWOD for the next several days. That’s sort of like AWOL except, in my case, it stands for Absent WithOut Disappointment…on the part of management and viewers.
Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July! In fact, as a way to celebrate and commemorate this bloggy: As you drive by some soon-to-be-even-more-valuable cows, roll down the window and do your best Ed McMahon imitation: “HI-YO!”
