Criticism is flying after the Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook might give access to children under the age of 13.
- All of the 9-year-olds already on Facebook who list their age as 17, immediately “unfriended” the critics.
- Instead of having their own family, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife have decided to “virtually adopt” everyone else’s kids.
On this day in 1805 the first recorded tornado touched down in “Tornado Alley” in Southern Illinois.
- Before that, the area was known as “Nothing Much Ever Happens Around Here Alley”.
Have a great day and I’ll see you back here Wednesday!
-Dick
The Grand Prix roared back into Detroit over the weekend for the first time since 2008, but not without a major glitch. During the middle of the race, chunks of asphalt and rubber began flying up onto the cars leaving behind major potholes for the drivers to avoid. The race was shut down for two hours, then resumed after crews fixed the problems.
- How come they can fix every pothole on the course in two hours and it takes them two years to get anything done on the freeway you take to work everyday?
- Only in Detroit would you have construction delays during an internationally televised race car event.
John Edwards’ jurors told the “Today” show that they believe he’s guilty of at least some of the charges, but he was just smart enough to hide the evidence.
- In his hair.
Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Diamond Jubilee Sunday. Her Royal Highness smiled and waved continuously despite a day-long wicked rain storm - that blanketed London in a fog. The day marked her 60th year on the throne.
- The only person who came even close to sitting that long on the throne was Elvis.
Hugh Hefner’s ex-fiance Crystal Harris tweeted that she and Hef are back together!
- Sounds like somebody is a little low on cash.
- Hugh was surprised… he forgot that they’d ever broken up.
- When the news broke, sales of Viagra stock immediately shot up.
Four-time Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson announced her retirement from gymnastics.
- Gee… I wonder what’s got her all bent out of shape?
The star of “Hogan’s Hero’s” and “Family Feud” died over the weekend at the age of 79 after a long battle with esophogeal cancer. The witty Brit reportedly kissed more than 20,000 women while hosting “Family Feud”.
- One hundred people were asked how they felt about his passing and the number one answer? “Survey says… Sad”.
NOTE: Ironically, less than two weeks ago, my Podcast featured former “Purtan’s Person” Tom Delisle, who worked with Richard for years. Tom wrote more than 20 monologues that Dawson used during his frequent fill-in appearances for Johnny Carson. The Podcast is filled with stories - not just about Johnny Carson - but about what Richard Dawson was like as both an employer and a good friend of Tom’s. If you haven’t heard it, Just click on Podcast #44 on the DickPurtan.com homepage.
Have a great day and I’ll see you back here Tuesday!
-Dick
Today I take a fascinating trip down Musical Memory Lane with Jack Ryan, author of the book “Recollections: The Detroit Years: Motown Memories From The People Who Made Them”. Find out who REALLY discovered the Jackson 5 (no… it actually wasn’t Diana Ross) to some pretty surprising facts about Marvin Gaye. Turns out what was “Goin’ On” was that he wasn’t paying taxes, kidnapped his own daughter and fled the country. From how Barry Gordy made every decision to an alleged epileptic seizure during a concert that the audience thought was just some crazy dancing… it’s all here. 
After 20 seasons with the Red Wings, Nick Lidstrom announced his retirement from the NHL this morning. Lidstrom is considered by many to be one of the three greatest Red Wings of all time, along with Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman.
Thanks to Nick for an incredible run!!!
President Obama called Mitt Romney on Wednesday to congratulate him on winning the necessary delegates to secure the Republican presidential nomination. The Prez is said to have wished Romney and his family good luck.
- Especially his dog.
- After the call, Romney said “Damn! I knew we should have gotten Caller ID”.
- At first Mitt thought it was a telemarketer, but it turns out it was a tele-prompter-er.
Today is World No Tobacco Day, when smokers are urged to try giving up cigarettes for just one day, to see how it feels.
- ATTENTION MEN: If you know any female smokers who are also experiencing PMS… RUN!!!
- Smokers told organizers to “butt out”.
Facebook’s stock has dropped so much in a week that Mark Zuckerberg fell off the list of the 40 richest people in the world.
- Obviously being the 41st richest person is the world is no big deal.
- Zuckerberg has decided to take some time off… He and his new wife are staying at a B&B in Farmville.
Public schools in Jackson, Mississippi, are no longer allowed to handcuff students to poles.
- They are still free however, to handcuff them to Germans and Australians.
- What’s next? No super-gluing kindergardeners to their chairs for coloring outside the lines?
NASA has asked other nations that launch moon explorations to stay away from the place where the first astronauts landed, to preserve the footprints in the dust that they left behind.
- The Rolling Stones have released a song about it called, “Hey… Hey… You… You… Get Offa My Moon!”
- Can the other astronauts help it if they want to land in a spot close to a nice golf course?
- Obviously those nations don’t realize the gravity of disturbing historical places.
On this day in 1990, “Seinfeld” debuted on NBC.
- The money he made from the show will allow Seinfeld to be the “Master of his Own Domain” for the rest of his life.
Have a great day and I’ll see you back here Friday with a very special Podcast about “The Motown Sound” and the people who made it!
-Dick
Federal Prosecutors may call as many as 500 witnesses to testify in their upcoming racketeering and corruption trial against Kwame Kilpatrick.
- His wife Carlita said, “Not a problem… the way I see it, we’re battin’ 500.”
- So if 500 people “RSVP’ed” yes… can you imagine how many said no???
Prosecutors say text messages will be key in the Kwame Kilpatrick case and are fairly easy to authenticate: They said his former dis-honor used signature lines like “COOL!” a lot. As for his friend Bobby Ferguson… his texts were filled with mispellings and improper grammer.
- So all they have to do is prove that Ferguson sent those texts as opposed to any teenager in the country.
- Sounds like Kwame may end up sending his texts from “THE COOLER!”
The NY Times has put out an article on President Obama’s “Hit List”. Those are the people he allegedly plans to take out with drone attacks.
- The White House insists everyone on the list is a threat to the country which explains why “Snooki” from Jersey Shore is right at the top.
- Up until now, a “Drone Attack” meant you were forced to sit and watch Congressional hearings on C-Span.
The judge in John Edwards’ trial lectured the jury after they deliberated for seven days and still couldn’t reach a verdict.
- They actually reached a verdict four days ago but are involved in a really great game of UNO in the jury room.
- Edwards is so nervous he ran his fingers through his hair… then immediately called in a stylist to fix it.