At least I have warned you, but this will make you embrace your love of dogs that much more.

The owner of a lawnmower shop in Texas was killed last Summer by a drunk driver.  But his best friend, Spot, still watches traffic to look for her master.  Even today.

At the same time every day, Spot hangs around a country road waiting for her owner to come home.

His son says, "It breaks my heart every time."

And who says animals have no souls.

Marine biologists say a Humpback Whale swam over 6,000 miles to find a mate.  

The female whale was first spotted in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil.  Two years later, she was found a quarter of the world away in the Indian Ocean at a breeding ground.

This epic journey is the furthest know for any mammal, except humans.  In general, the 40-ton Humpback Whale travel north and south along the coastline to mate.  In this case, she swan eat and west into a completely different ocean.

Source

It all started with Kim Zolciak from "Real Housewives of Atlanta."  When I first heard her new song, "Google Me," it made me realize how simplistic Top 40 songs are nowadays.  Not that they haven't always been, but there seems to be a new crop of pseudo-celebrities who are not traditional singers but are releasing songs in an attempt to strike while the iron's hot with their careers.  Kim is one.  Others include The Situation and Kim Kardashian.

So, if I'm bold enough to criticize them then I need to be bold enough to try it for myself.  In the process I can highlight what goes into making a song and possibly gain more respect for anyone who tries.

The first step was a visit with Jan Smith.  As a Vocal Producer she helps singers use vocal tools to their full potential, and works with clients like Usher, Justin Bieber, Rob Thomas, India Arie, and Chili.  And Melissa Carter.  It is at Jan's studio I discovered my inability to find notes and also a fear of singing in front of people.  However Mama J, as she is affectionately called, walked me through what it takes to be a serious vocalist and made me realize that the magic of music can be broken down into small well-trained parts.  To run a marathon I'd have to train my body to endure that test.  Same is true with singing, my throat is still a part of my physical being.

See my SESSION with Jan.  And all the videos listed here were produced by Rett Thompson, who took his time to follow me through this process.

  

While working with Jan, Producer Nate Butler took the lyrics I wrote and built a song around them.  When that was completed I headed to Icon Studios here in Atlanta to meet with Nate, studio owner Stone Stafford, and Tracking Engineer Justen Robinson to lay down my voice on the track.  And it is my voice, even the harmonies.  But, unlike most musicians, I could only do it with the headphones off.  Seems when I heard the music, oddly enough, I couldn't find the notes.  But if I listened to Nate and matched his voice, I could get where I needed to be.  And when I mean listened to Nate - he was standing right beside me singing in my ear.

Watch the VIDEO of my recording session.

But it would still be a few days before I had a chance to hear the final version, after it was placed in the skillful hands of Blake Eiseman from Bink Sound.  That's when Stone and Nate came into the studio so I could hear the song for the first time during The Bert Show.

And now "Unplugged" is available on iTunes and Amazon.com and benefits the Melissa Carter Transplant Fund at Piedmont Hospital.

What did I learn from this experience?  That anyone dedicated enough to spend their time honing their skills, however limited they may be, deserves respect.  And so does the team of people behind the curtain.  My abbreviated experience was hard work in itself and would never have produced a real song without the talented team I've mentioned above.  

And I was giddy.  The excitement of singing in the car to my own song is something I never thought I'd experience.  And that must be the feeling for Kim, The Situation, and Ms. Kardashian.  Who am I to take away their sense of accomplishment at something many others might be better at? It's fun, and harms no one.  And to Kim Zolciak (@KimZolciak), I appreciate her Tweet following the debut of my song:

And now I'm about to jump on iTunes and order "Google Me."

Life has gotten a little more complicated for Justin Bieber.  Justin Bieber of Jacksonville, that is.

He can't sleep at night because of the constant phone calls from the pop star's fans.  He changed his phone number and put it in his wife's name, but that was put on a fan website which forced Jacksonville Justin to unplug the phone.

Earlier this month the self-proclaimed arcade geek and pinball wizard was kicked off Facebook.  Why? He was accused of using a fake name.  He was also briefly kicked off Ping for the same reason.

Mr. Bieber says there is one upside to the unexpected attention.  The fact that people now know how to pronounce his name.

Source

We all remember the Lady GaGa meat dress.  As a kind of Bovine revenge, my costume last night at Fernbank's Martinis & IMAX was a cow wearing a Lady GaGa dress.  I have to give credit to Bert Show listener Rhonda for this idea, since she said she couldn't use it herself.  I hope I did it justice.  

                              

Halloween Costume #1 - Betty White

                       

Hot Tottie - Usher

Pump It - Black Eyed Peas

Sober - Evanescence

Kiss Them For Me - Siouxsie & The Banshees

Enter Sandman - Metallica

Pass That Dutch  - Missy Elliott

Whats Your Fantasy  - Ludacris


Movie Plots Today

We have talked quite a bit on The Bert Show about how current helicopter parents are causing young people today to be weaker than generations past.  Currently we have a group of young men and women who seem to have a hard time making decisions and standing on their own.  That made me wonder how classic films, made to inspire, would seem today if re-written by the current youth.

Rudy grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead.  There were only a couple of problems.  His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players.  But he had the drive and the spirit of 5 people and has set his sights upon joining the team.

Rudy's grades were a little low, but he never knew it since grades weren't posted.  His athletic skills were poor, but that didn't matter since gym was not a requirement in school.  And Notre Dame never carried anyone off the field so as not to make anyone feel lesser-than.

Plot Synopsis from imdb.com:

Plot Synopsis from imdb.com:

A classic tale of redemption, this film features a volatile coach and a former star player-turned alcoholic leading a small-town basketball team on an improbable run to the Indiana high school championship game.  Coach Norman Dale encounters several hurdles in his path: a fiesty teacher determined to keep the best player from going out for the team, a town chock full of second-guessing fathers, and a group of undisciplined athletes.  

What it may sound like today:

Norman Deal never applied as the coach at Milan High because of his checkered past and the zero tolerance policy that was in place.  Shooter went to rehab, a few times.  And the team from South Bend won the state championship.

Here in America there is the constant debate about our children's education and how to raise test scores.  Included in that debate is the effectiveness of teachers, but what if some of our teachers were banned for LIFE from the classroom because they were useless?

That's exactly what happened in England, where a teacher who has been deemed incapable of ever improving his work has become the first to be banned for life from the classroom.  A panel has ruled that Nisar Ahmed cannot work in state schools again.  The 46-year-old was found guilty of serious professional incompetence and the General Teaching Council said there was a risk that students would be seriously disadvantaged if he was ever allowed to return to teaching.

Now if we could figure out a way to do the same for some parents...

Source:  Daily Mail

Halloween Costume #1 - Betty White