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Archive for November, 2009

Who Cares About the Boys?

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

In millions of American homes, mothers and fathers are tearing their hair out trying to motivate their sons to finish high school, move out of the house, get a college degree, and live the “happy ever after” American dream. While their problems seem personal, the statistics are not.

· Boys receive 70% of D and F grades

· Boys account for 80% of high school dropouts

· Boys cause 80% of classroom behavioral problems

· Boys represent up to 70% of children diagnosed with learning disabilities

· Boys represent 80% of children diagnosed with behavioral problems

· Boys represent up to 80% of children on Ritalin and other medicine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

· Boys represent less than 44% of America’s college students

Today in America women earn 57% of all BAs and 58% of all master’s degrees. Demographers project that if this trend continues there will be 156 women per 100 men earning degrees by 2020.

It’s not just education. Boys are failing to launch into adulthood. Young men, if they do leave, are more likely return home and, for the first time in history, women in their 20s are out earning their male counterparts.

A parent might soothe him or herself by saying “who cares so long as my son is happy.” But is he really happy? The fact that boys are 85% more likely to commit murder, and four to six times more likely to kill themselves suggests otherwise.

This all seems pretty alarming to me, so where is the national outrage? Well, there is the periodic national news story where the problem is examined and quickly forgotten. There is the occasional alarming statement by an education official but once the cameras are gone no one really does anything. There are the websites and nonprofits urging action but so far no real national urgency has emerged.

Complicating the issue, the proposed solutions from those who recognize the problem are frequently clouded by political agendas. The feminists claim the problem doesn’t exist, and the anti-feminist claim the problem exists because of the feminists. Unfortunately no one seems to have done the obvious. No one has asked the boys.

I am thrilled with the progress made by women in education and in life. But the goal has never been to exceed the achievements of young men. The goal has been to equalize education and employment opportunities. How can anyone look at these statistics and believe that education and opportunity is equal in America?

So I ask “Who cares about the boys?”

Posted in Entertainment, Heidi Heitkamp, KFGO, Opinion & Editorials, Politics & Government | No Comments »

From The Moorhead, MN, Sheriff’s Desk

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Thanksgiving Holiday Travel

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging motorist to travel safely during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. During 2006-2008, 19 motorists were killed during the holiday weekend.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office cites seat belt use and impaired driving as major concerns for Thanksgiving travelers. Of the 19 Thanksgiving-period deaths, alcohol-related crashes accounted for 10 of the deaths. Of the 15 motorists killed, eight were unbelted. During the same time period, 2,232 motorists were arrested for DWI.

“Every year Thanksgiving travel turns tragic – resulting in empty chairs around the dinner table.” “Enforcing seat belt use and arresting DWI offenders are just a few of the things we do to ensure everyone’s safety. “Seat belt use and using designated drivers must be on the menu to ensure your safe travel during the holiday,” says Sheriff Bill Bergquist.

Follow the traffic safety recipe to ensure safe Thanksgiving travel:

· Buckle up before and after you gobble up.

· Plan for enough travel time to avoid the urge to speed – the posted speed is the speed limit.

· Pay attention. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest, highest-volume travel periods.

· If you plan on drinking, plan for a safe and sober ride home.

Sheriff Bill Bergquist

Clay County Sheriff’s Office

For more information listen to KFGO 790AM or email studio@kfgo.com

Posted in KFGO, Politics & Government, Travel & Culture | No Comments »

Onions to Collect Flu Virus?

Monday, November 16th, 2009

I recently received an email about the power of onions and sucking up viruses and air impurities. So I searched the net and found two stories.

Story 1 – The Email Circulating About H1N1 and Onions

“In the winter of 1918, there was a flu that was all over the world. Gene was in France at this time and there were folks all around dying. One man lost his wife and two children with this flu. The doctors sent out word to the whole community to get a hundred-pound sack of onions and eat them three times a day, anyway you can. Boiled, fried or raw, just eat onions. It seemed to help all right.

They sent riders out all over the community to tell everyone that there was a special Sunday set aside for a prayer day. The sickness started in November and when this rider was sent out at this time it was in the spring. The flu did finally die down, our family did get it, but not as sick as some of the other families.

We were well enough though to take care of our chores and we went down to the King Family and helped them out with their chores at nights for two or three days, which was about three and a half miles from us. Mr. King and the children were all down with it, but we didn’t get it so bad that we couldn’t take care of our own work. It was all over by February or March, but up until then it was a worry for everybody.”

Although influenza is no longer the unchecked grim reaper of years past (in 1918 the so-called “Spanish Flu” killed an estimated twenty to forty million people worldwide, including a half-million Americans), it continues to present a very real danger even in modern times. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), millions of people in the United States, about 10% to 20% of U.S. residents, will get the flu each year. Influenza also costs Americans an estimated $10 billion annually in lost wages and medical expenses. Worst of all, every year about 36,000 people in the United States die from it, and about 114,000 are admitted to hospitals because of it. The flu is not just a mild sickness from which everyone recovers after enduring a week of feeling lousy and missing work; it is an illness that can, has, and does kill.

The 2009 outbreak of H1N1 (swine) flu has brought home even to those who don’t normally ponder such matters the danger posed by contagions often dismissively regarded as mere seasonal flu, maladies that are thought of as wholly unpleasant but not life-threatening. These days, people are far more aware of the sniffles and sneezes around them. Also, unlike in other years, more folks are actively looking for ways to avoid catching the flu.

In addition to good advice about washing one’s hands frequently and avoiding the company of persons who are obviously under the weather, those looking to sidestep being felled by the flu are subject to toutings of a variety of folk remedies, each of which is presented as a surefire and deadly preventive. The missive quoted above about onions absorbing the virus is one such offering.

There’s nothing medically magical about peeled or cut onions: they don’t act as sponges that soak up whatever viruses or nasty microbes might be present in the same room with them. However, the belief that they do act in this fashion antedates the 2009 flu outbreak by at least a hundred years. Long-standing superstition asserts that keeping raw onions in the house (either cut or whole; different folks swear by different methods) will draw illness-causing germs from the air, thereby rendering the home free of contamination.

The full article on this can be found here http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/onion.asp

Story 2 – Benefits of Onions For Cold and Flu Symptoms

Most of us are aware of the powerful odor of onions. Did you know this is their secret weapon against viruses and bacteria? That pungent odor is caused by the rich sulfur compounds that promote health and well-being. Throughout history onions have been held in high regard for their culinary and medicinal qualities. They have even been used as a currency in Egypt to pay the workers who built the pyramids.

Onions have phytochemicals and quercetin which assist the body by moving and breaking up the mucus in the head and chest. The powerful odor causes the eyes to tear and the nose to run. It is this affect on your body that stimulates the immune system to fight the virus or bacterial infection. This is helping your body shed the virus and reduce the inflammation from congestion.

The onion is a warming, stimulating and penetrating herb. It is used in soups and even cough syrups. But you don’t have to eat it to experience its healing affects. Apply them externally as a poultice and inhale and feel their pungent effects. Onions bring heat to the area and this action brings the fever to that part of the body to control how far the infection spreads.

You can also cut them in slices and put them in a bowl by your bed at night or in any room in the house. It is said they absorb the viruses and bacteria from the air. A doctor during the 1918 Spanish flu discovered a farmer and his family doing this very thing and they did not catch the flu, so the story goes.

Onions are anti-bacterial, ant-viral, and anti-parasitic. They are rich in vitamin C, potassium, chromium, fiber, manganese and vitamin B6. So eat onions every day, learn to make poultices and syrups and continue a 5,000 year old remedy.

Want to know more about how to boost your immune system? Traditional diets and how to prepare them, healthy fats, herbal remedies and debunking health myths are some of the subjects covered in The Natural Living Site Newsletter at http://thenaturallivingsite.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanna_Ohmes

To comment or talk about this article, listen to The Mighty 790 KFGO or visit www.kfgo.com or call the studio hotline at 701-237-5948.

Jason Spiess is host of Night Time Live which airs from 7-10pm on KFGO AM.. Jason also hosts Man About Town which airs this Saturday from 1-2pm on KFGO-AM. Jason can be reached at jason@kfgo.com. Jason can also be followed on Facebook.

Posted in Health & Fitness, Jason Spiess, KFGO, Night Time Live with Jason Spiess, Opinion & Editorials, Technology | No Comments »

Let’s get back to the basics

Friday, November 13th, 2009

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle that comes with our annual “Homeless & Hungry” event, one of my students really was feeling exhausted. She was losing passion – she was becoming frustrated and disinterested. So what did she do? She went to a local shelter and just played with some kids for a while. Business, committees, and meetings were forcing her to fall out of love with the thing that fueled her in the first place. So she got back to the basics and remembered why she loved what she was doing in the first place.

Working at a church has been the same story for me lately. Politics, meetings, agendas, committees, etc – have all been chipping away at my passion. It’s not what I thought I signed up for. I just wanted to do ministry. Maybe my naivety or ignorance has played into this…I just don’t know. I always used to think that the passion I have for ministry would continue to blaze like a raging fire. I guess I’m a little more grounded now…

I really have myself to blame for this. Maybe you’re the same way. There will always be things that get us down, occupy our time, and frustrate/disappoint us. It’s up to us if we let it affect our passion.

I need to get back to the basics of my faith. Perhaps you do as well. I need to get back to trying to live like Jesus. I need to get back to living authentically.

Care to join me?

Whether you join me on a pursuit of living more like Christ is up to you. It’s between you and the big guy. But if your faith is frustrated, if your passion is fleeting, if your love of the church is fading, or if you’re overwhelmed with tasks and not overjoyed with opportunities, then maybe it’s time for us to get back to the basics. Here is what I want to do:

~Today I am going to be a passionate lover of God and people.

~Today I am going to take the gospel way of life seriously.

~Today I am going to shout the gospel with my life.

~Today I am going to live simply…even though it will not be easy.

~Today I am going to slow down, look around, and thank God for all the blessings He has given me.

~Today I am going to give of my time, talent, and treasure – because I’m really blessed.

~Today I am going to live as though everyone is my family (Mark 3:31-35 says: Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”)

~Today I’m going to remember that Jesus loves me no matter how much I mess up.

~Today I am going to play more and work less…I’m going to laugh more…I’m going to embrace life like a child does. After all, Jesus tells us that “whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4)

~Today I am not going to tiptoe through life.

My favorite author, Shane Claiborne, writes in his book “The Irresistible Revolution,” some great advice:

“All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip or dance, just don’t tiptoe.”

“I am convinced that if we lose kids to the culture of drugs and materialism, of violence and war, it’s because we don’t dare them, not because we don’t entertain them. It’s because we make the gospel too easy, not because we make it too difficult. Kids want to do something heroic with their lives, which is why they play video games and join the army. But what are they to do with a church that teaches them to tiptoe through life so they arrive safely at death?”

Today I am going to get back to the basics. Today I am going to live as Jesus lived (and there’s nothing easy about that…). Today I am going to run, hop, skip, and dance my way through life. Care to join me?

<><
Erik Hatch is a Youth Director at First Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. Hatch is a graduate of North Dakota State University and sells real estate in his spare time for the Jim Lund Team, Keller Williams. Hatch also is founder and director of Homeless & Hungry. To contact Hatch, email him at ehatch@flcfargo.org.

For more information listen to KFGO 790AM or email studio@kfgo.com

Posted in Faith in the Valley, KFGO | No Comments »

Heidi Heitkamp column: 2009 Elections

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

The scramble begins today to analyze the impact of the 2009 gubernatorial, Congressional, and mayoral elections. And in all the hype most of America has been, and will remain, blissfully unaware that these elections even took place. Don’t believe me, watch in the next couple days on the Nielsen ratings for “Dancing with the Stars” and the “Biggest Loser.”

For those who are paying attention, you may genuinely ask “What do the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial Republican victories mean for next year’s midterm elections and for an Obama second term? “ If you’re Republican, you joyfully announce the beginning of the end and yell from the rooftops “we’re back.” Well if history is any judge, these elections offer very little predictive value.

For an historical analysis see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/03/AR2009110302624.html?nav=emailpage

There could be a national trend in these races somewhere, but the best analysis is analysis based on a comparison of the individual campaigns wagered in those states. Where national trends affected some voters, the vast majority make their decisions based on the candidates on the ballot and not the future candidates for Congress or for president. So congratulations are in order to the GOP which secured two major victories in gubernatorial races. However, a word to the wise, don’t spoil your victories by overstating their impact.

Similarly, what does the New York 23rd Congressional District, one of the most conservative districts in the state of New York, victory of Democratic candidate Bill Owens over conservative candidate, and tea bagger, Douglas Hoffman mean for the future the conservative movement in this country? Again, very little. Just as the GOP will hype the gubernatorial elections as a national trend, hyperbolic Democrats and moderate Republicans will prematurely write the obituary for the conservative movement. The reality is had Hoffman run as a Republican he likely would have won an easy victory. Representative-elect Bill Owens wisely cautioned his supporters and national Democrats to not nationalize this election. Democrats should follow his lead.

So, if not these races, what is the best indicator of future electoral success? Easy answer. What did matter in New Jersey and Virginia was the state of the economy. Exit polls revealed that 85% of Virginians and 90 % of New Jersey voters said they were worried about the direction of the nation’s economy. The Democrats may take comfort in current macro economic trends but I caution it is not enough to see improvement in the stock market or gross domestic product outcomes. Only one economic indicator will really matter for future would-be officeholders and incumbents, unemployment. You want a predictor of what will happen politically in the midterm 2010 election? Tell me what the unemployment rate will be in the various states and I’ll tell you the makeup of Congress in 2011

Best Quote of the night:

I just have to pass this one along :

VENTURA: … I wish they would pass a law where all Democrats and Republicans had to wear Nascar racing suits, because if you look at the Nascar drivers, it tells who their sponsors are. And if they do that, we could then become informed voters, because we would know who owns them.

Jesse may have been a bad governor but in the “quote” business, he still has it.

Posted in Heidi Heitkamp, KFGO | No Comments »

Jon Stewart Busts Fox News

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

After the 9-12 Tea Party protest a debate emerged regarding the crowd size estimates. Organizers of the event like Glenn Beck said that over 500,000 were at the rally while more “conservative” estimates like those from the Washington D.C. Fire Department had the crowd being a much smaller 60,000-70,000. Even the lower estimate is a respectable number of people for a protest on Capitol Hill and the event certainly received a lot of coverage from all the networks. Last week at the invitation of Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) the Tea Party once again showed up at Capitol to protest and lobby Congress to reject the Democrat’s health care reform plan. Once again afterward a debate would emerge regarding the size of the crowd that came to the event. Liberals claimed the crowd size was anywhere from 3,000-8,000 while Bachmann claimed that 20,000-45,000 attended. A more unbiased source in the Washington Post put the number at around 10,000. Not surprisingly Fox News tended to support the larger of the crowd size estimates. Sean Hannity led this charge showing clips of a large protest around Capitol Hill. However as Jon Stewart points out in the video clip below Hannity was actually showing footage of the 9-12 Tea Party protest and trying to pass it off as footage of the Bachmann event. So in the end Hannity used one event with allegedly over-hyped crowd size numbers to promote another event with allegedly over-hyped crowd size numbers.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck’s Protest Footage

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Posted in Entertainment, Jason Spiess, KFGO | No Comments »

Theme Dinner and Recipe from Maxwell’s Chef Eric Watson

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

The other day I met a friend at Maxwell’s in West Fargo for lunch. Little side note to the story - my friend ordered the Maxwell burger and seemed to enjoy it very much. So much so, he actually involuntarily commented on it. I, by the way, ordered the pumpkin ginger soup. There may have been something else in the name, but I stopped listening after the second vegetable. It was delicious.

During the course of this lunch, I had an opportunity to speak with one of the owners, Sara Watson. Many people know Sara from the Mosiac Cafe on 32nd Avenue or Mosaic Catering. I asked Sara if she had any more of those “theme dinners” coming up.

I happen to think their theme dinners are pretty cool. The last one they did had an organic, locally grown, farm theme. The used ingredients from local organic farmers. Getting back to the question at hand – yes Maxwell’s has a theme dinner coming up in November. Here is the line up they have in store for people.

Winter Hearth Dinner: Foods that warm the soul

Appetizer
Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon & Citrus Grilled Shrimp
Pistachio Pesto, Bell Pepper Sauce & Balsamic Syrup

Soup
Brie Cheese & Pear Bisque
Marinated Dried Fruits & Puff Pastry Croutons

Salad
Petite Greens with Burgundy Poached Pear
Goat Cheese, Toasted Hazelnuts & Sherry Vinaigrette

Intermezzo
Pomegranate Granita

Entrée
Wild Turkey Cassoulet
White Bean Stew with Smoked Pork, Roasted Garlic & Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Dessert
White Chocolate & Pumpkin Crème Brulee
Candied Butternut Squash & Spiced Pecans

The cost of these theme dinners are $50 per person and does not include gratuity, tax or beverages.

If you would like more information or would like to be a part of this theme dinner, call 701.277.WINE or email. mosaicfoods@aol.com

Here is the Butternut Squash Recipe from Chef Eric Watson, who appeared on Man About Town with Jason Spiess

Butternut Squash Gratin
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (2 1/2 pound) butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup chicken broth
8 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
8 ounces shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until the onions soften and turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the butternut squash and brown sugar. Continue cooking and stirring until the butternut squash begins to brown on the edges, but is still somewhat firm in the center, about 10 minutes more. Scrape the squash into the prepared baking dish, and pour in the chicken broth. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven until the liquid has been absorbed and the squash is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Toss together the Gruyere cheese, Cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, thyme, and rosemary in a bowl until evenly combined. Remove the foil from the baking dish, and sprinkle the squash evenly with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Return to the oven, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more until the topping is lightly crunchy and brown.

For more information, listen to 790AM or visit www.kfgo.com

Posted in Business & Professional Life, Dining, Food & Wine, Entertainment, Jason Spiess, KFGO, Travel & Culture | No Comments »

Worked Out, Out Worked

Friday, November 6th, 2009

I can barely move.

2 days ago I started a new workout program – and it is the most intense workout program I’ve ever done (and that’s coming from a guy who has run a marathon). My muscles are so sore! And did I mention that we work out at 5:30am? The world should all be sleeping until at least 9am in my opinion.

Now to see maximum results from this program I have totally modified my diet as well. No more fast food – no more delicious French onion dip – no more pizza (gasp!). Instead, here’s what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: scrambled egg whites, cottage cheese, strawberries
Snack: a protein shake and a protein bar
Lunch: A chef’s salad – no dressing/no cheese
Snack: turkey jerky and a few nuts
Dinner: baked salmon, asparagus, and wild rice

Now you can take a look at that and agree that it’s not bad food. I am actually pretty impressed with the options I get. But the bottom line is this: it’s different. It takes a lot of prep-work. It doesn’t taste ‘great.’ And my body is struggling without carbs, sugar, or onion rings.

So both the workout and the diet take big commitments – but if you want big results you have to make big sacrifices. I am just so tired of feeling ‘blah’ with life – with the way I look and the way I feel. I need change.

Is this you? Is this the way you feel physically?

How about this – is this how you feel spiritually/mentally? Have you gotten to a point where the healthy things in your life are so unfamiliar that it’s uncomfortable?

I always have these ‘plans’ to make changes. I had always ‘planned’ on dieting and exercising more. So I would change my habits…for like a couple of days…and then find myself making excuses and I end up right back where I started.

Are you making excuses in your relationship with Christ? Are you ‘too busy?’ Do you have other things that are seemingly more important? What’s your excuse? If we’re honest, most of us struggle with this daily.

So here’s my decree (because I’ve always wanted to issue a decree): No more excuses. No more easy outs. No more brief passion followed by a stumble back to our routines. Instead, let’s work on getting healthy.

If you are out of shape physically, then change it. No more excuses. Just put in the work. Your body is a temple, after all.

If you are out of shape mentally/spiritually, then change it. No more excuses. Just put in the work. Get to church more often. Get involved. Read your bible. Pray fervently. Talk to others about Christ. Make Christianity not just a thing you do on Sundays…but rather a lifestyle.

God has so much waiting for us – we just have to go and take it! So let’s get to sweatin’!

<><
Erik Hatch is a Youth Director at First Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. Hatch is a graduate of North Dakota State University and sells real estate in his spare time for the Jim Lund Team, Keller Williams. Hatch also is founder and director of Homeless & Hungry. To contact Hatch, email him at ehatch@flcfargo.org.

Posted in Faith in the Valley, KFGO | 2 Comments »

Fantasy Football Week 8 Thoughts

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Fantasy football Week 8: Eli’s falling off the charts

This was quite a week for football games: the Broncos are no longer unbeaten; the once 5-0 Giants are suddenly third in the NFC East; the Titans and Rams are no longer winless; and no one could stop talking about Brett Favre beating the Packers at Lambeau. The story lines were compelling this weekend, and the fantasy lines were just as irritating as usual. Here are your starting lineup’s shining stars and biggest mistakes, and what to look for moving forward.

STEVE SLATON - OK, I remained confident on Slaton this year. The problems with fumbling (seven times after Sunday) were unfortunate, but I stuck with him. This week, Houston benched him against the league’s worst rush defense after he lost yet another fumble, and backup Ryan Moats ran wild for 126 yards and three scores. THOSE POINTS BELONGED TO SLATON! If he hadn’t fumbled AGAIN we’d all be happy campers. Now, not only did we get stuck with one lousy fantasy performance, we have a guy that was sure to be the main ball carrier on a high-octane offense that is now subject to an extremely unpredictable time-share situation. It’s definitely time to panic.

JONATHAN STEWART – So I dropped him a couple weeks ago; so what? Oh great, he’s run wild in three of the past four games for double-digit fantasy points after having little output through the first three weeks. But take this with a grain of salt; two of his strong games came against Washington and Tampa Bay. Even if Stewart gets a few more carries than he has been getting, he won’t be a consistent source of points in the immediate future while DeAngelo dominates for the Panthers.

RAY RICE - Every week, this guy produces. He had over a hundred yards from scrimmage yet again and notched another touchdown against a very stout Denver defense. He’s got some soft matchups left (Cleveland, Detroit, Oakland) and some tough ones (Pittsburgh twice, Indy, Cincinnati, Chicago), but Rice should produce in some way in almost every matchup he sees. Right now, he’s playing like an elite fantasy back, and he should be of that status for the remainder of the season.

MARSHAWN LYNCH and FRED JACKSON – Owners were concerned about how many carries Jackson would steal from Lynch, but it doesn’t really matter – both of them are putting up horrendous stats right now. I’d blame the Buffalo play-calling and other severe offensive struggles before I’d fault Lynch and Jackson – they’re both phenomenal running backs. But you have to park Lynch on your bench until things perk up and you probably have to drop Jackson at this point.

ELI MANNING – After the 5-0 start, Manning has been extremely mediocre through three consecutive losses: just one touchdown in each game, and six total interceptions, compared with two through the first five games. Manning faded fast, and you have to wonder whether he’ll get back on track this year.

RICKY WILLIAMS – Miami’s running game didn’t shine against the tough Jets’ D, but who can ignore Williams’s three scores against the Saints in Week 7? He’s got six total scores and some decent yardage totals, and he’s the 12th-ranked running back in terms of points in ESPN leagues. You can’t overlook that.

BRENT CELEK – Celek is a frustrating tight end because usually, when he has a soft matchup, he doesn’t get points, and when it seems like a tough matchup, he lights it up. After the first three weeks, many made Celek their starting TE, given the lack of tight end talent in the fantasy world. It’s tough to stick with that inconsistency, but almost any tight end, including Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez this year (who were the only three tight ends I trusted for reliability in the preseason, go figure) is going to be inconsistent.

JOHN CARLSON – Speaking of inconsistent tight ends, it’s time to give up on Carlson, if you haven’t already. His monstrous Week 1 (95 yards, two scores) has been followed by zero touchdowns since and no yardage total higher than 55.

DONALD DRIVER – After he underachieved last year, he’s turned in quite respectable numbers this year, accumulating three touchdowns and four games with 80-plus yards receiving. He’s not a stud by any means, but he’s a decent source of points in a shallow pool of productive wide receivers this year.

MICHAEL CRABTREE – So everyone who drafted him, then dropped him: go grab him again! If you’re in deep leagues and he’s still available, you could do worse. He had a decent debut, and then had six catches for 81 yards against the Colts. The Niners are a competitive football team, and that alone warrants a look at Crabtree.

FRANK GORE – Guess who’s back? Crabtree’s teammate ran for 91 yards and a score as well as catching five passes for 43 yards in his best receiving output of the season. Unlike many running backs that come back from injury and falter (see Clinton Portis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook), Gore seems to be showing no ill effects of recovery thus far and appears to be at 100 percent.

WILLIS MCGAHEE – I would only say “I told you so” about a guy that I really dislike. After his early-season explosion, I said on Sept. 20, “I wouldn’t expect too many more days like this from McGahee.” Since Week 3, McGahee has exactly 11 rushing yards, and no touchdowns, of course. Now that Ray Rice is the main man, McGahee didn’t even get a timeshare out of the situation like most backs in the NFL would. Time to drop it like it’s cold, cause McGahee definitely is.

VINCENT JACKSON – Talk about a stud. Flying mostly under the radar in the talks about this year’s elite wide receivers, V-Jack has posted double-digit fantasy points in all but one game so far this season, including four 100-yard games and five total touchdowns. He is money; you’re lucky to have him if you do, because he’s as consistent as they come thus far.

JAMAL LEWIS – I don’t care that he gets the most offense on a horrible team, because that translates to absolute mediocrity. Not in all cases (see Steven Jackson), but this running back is so far past his prime that he doesn’t have a productive bone left in his body.

For more information, listen to 790AM or visit www.kfgo.com

Source: bupipedream.com, KFGO News Center

Posted in Entertainment, Jason Spiess, KFGO, Sports & Recreation | 2 Comments »

You Meet the Nicest People on a…….

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

1924 (we think) couple on a motorcycle

Going though old stuff is fun, fun, fun. I found an old negative of this photograph that belonged to my Grandpa Engen of Holt Minnesota. KFGO’s Terry Spies assures me that this is a Harley circa. mid 1920’s. Who are they? Well it’s not Grandpa, I have no idea who the man is but we are certain that the woman in my Grandfathers Sister. Gladys Engen Brown. Who was married to Sam Brown and lived in Mayville for many years.

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