Happy ratings day, my radio friends! Just this morning I was chatting with Roger Ashby in my basement (I can't believe I just typed that) and he had a deadline because of a meeting he had to attend, all because it's ratings day. It's a big day for everyone in
Christopher Lee was 93. He was a prolific actor best known for his portrayal of Dracula in a string of films, Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, Saruman in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit film trilogy, and Count
Black's (now stylized as BLACKS) was founded in 1930 with a store in Toronto on St. Clair Ave. Yesterday it was announced that the last 59 stores will be closed for good on August 8. The digital revolution has most of us taking photos with our phones (count me in
I just learned on Facebook that my pal Jordy is cancelling my buddy Mike Kic's phone plan. Jordy was married to Mike Kic. I say "was" because Mike Kic passed away a little over a year ago. Hearing that Mike Kic's phone plan was being cancelled meant one thing to
In this 125th episode, Mike chats with CBC Metro Morning host Matt Galloway about how he ended up at the CBC, how Andy Barrie is doing, how Metro Morning is produced, the future of the CBC, the lack of diversity in Toronto talk radio and his favourite cycling trails. This
Before MuchMusic appeared on my television, I got my video fix from two sources: Toronto Rocks on CityTV and Video Hits on CBC. I preferred the rougher feel of Toronto Rocks, but I also enjoyed hearing from Samantha Taylor at 5pm. Here's a clip of Samantha Taylor hosting Video Hits
Firstly, this entry is about NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB championships. I realize Toronto has had great success in lacrosse and has won Grey Cups recently, but with all due respect, I'm not counting them as major championships. For Toronto, I'm only counting the Maple Leafs, Blue Jays and Raptors.
When it comes to user experience, Shomi could learn a lot from Netflix. When I finish an episode of a series on Netflix, it anticipates that I most likely would want to watch the next episode next. In fact, it will auto-play the next episode if I let it. I
In this 124th episode, Mike chats with Elvis about his heart, the PanAm Games, smoking at Go Stations, the Gardiner Expressway and more. Elvis also reviews Dean Blundell and Co. on The Fan 590. This episode is exactly 1:11:31. You can listen to this episode in a variety
Welcome to this week's Open Mike. I'm Mike and I'll be your master of ceremonies for the day. Feel free to use this space to vent, rant, share a story and/or ask a question of the hivemind.
Driving to work yesterday, I had a fun little interaction with a prick on wheels. The two wheeled variety. Let's call him by name. Let's go with Jack. Jack Ass. See, Jack Ass incorrectly concluded that I had violated his asphalt real estate while driving by him, so Jack decided
We're a little over a month away from the 2015 Pan American Games. Toronto's the host city and we'll be welcoming approximately 6,135 athletes from 41 nations who will participate in 36 sports. The Pan Am Games are not the Olympics. The Olympics are the world's biggest stage for
It's a serious problem. Toronto’s July 2013 flood is listed as Ontario’s most costly natural disaster to date (with a $850 million price tag). Although serious, after a similar flood of Union Station in 2012, some internet jokesters photoshopped something we Torontonians could use to laugh our way
When Stella Liebeck sued McDonald's because their coffee burned her, it spawned a thousand jokes. It's likely even you told one. It's only when you dive into the details that you quickly realize it was not a frivolous lawsuit. The 88 °C coffee caused third-degree burns in her pelvic region,
I'm always interested in the PPM rating results for our local radio stations. Often, when I learn the numbers, I'll even write about it. I just assumed PPM (Portable People Meter) dependably measured stations encountered, but apparently it has "blind spots". This article was enlightening for this radio fan. Depending
For the first time since I started this year-over-year comparison, 2014 has beat 2015. In May 2014, I was training for the Ride to Conquer Cancer and put up some long rides. In May 2015, I just couldn't find the time. Here's how my cycling in May 2015 measured up
Welcome to this week's Open Mike. I'm Mike and I'll be your master of ceremonies for the day. Feel free to use this space to vent, rant, share a story and/or ask a question of the hivemind.
In this 123rd episode, Mike chats with Steve Anthony about his years on MuchMusic, his work at Breakfast Television and CP24 Breakfast, replacing Pete and Geets on CFNY, his use of cocaine, his broken hip and where Anne Rohmer went for a few months. This episode is exactly 1:12:
During the NHL playoffs, you may have noticed a new link in the main menu for this site. Playoff Pool is for those who drafted with us in early April, an annual tradition that started in the late 90s. I participate every year, and I've never won. Considering we sometimes
In this 122nd episode, Mike chats with Jonah from Toronto Sports Media about Toronto's sports media. We talk about changes at The Fan 590, life after Bob McCown on PTS, Bryan Hayes, Mike Richards, how Rogers hockey is going, the Krystalization of Dean Blundell, Hebsy, Tim and Sid, Brady and
I love brunch. I could eat brunch any time of the day and be completely satisfied. This morning, I enjoyed morning brunch with my family. Here's a picture of my coffee mug. I've included a creamer for scale, so you can see how small the cup is. I find this
I was listening to the Jays game this afternoon. I'm struggling with Buck and Pat on the TV lately, so the radio has become my preferred method of following my Jays. Ryan Goins hit a ground ball and quickly crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain. At the time, we
Welcome to this week's Open Mike. I'm Mike and I'll be your master of ceremonies for the day. Feel free to use this space to vent, rant, share a story and/or ask a question of the hivemind.
We decided to take a road trip to Gatineau this past long weekend. This isn't as easy as it sounds now that we're a family of five. We needed more room, and a Buick Enclave that comfortably seats 7 was ideal. This Buick Enclave isn't just roomy, it's a dangerously
