Look up at the sky… you might see something spectacular this evening.
The Quandrantid meteor shower happens tonight. With no moon in the sky, you’ll stand a good chance to see up to 120 meteors per hour between midnight and dawn. Wanna watch? The website timeanddate.com recommends you find a secluded spot away from the city lights and give your eyes time to get used to the dark (it could take up to 20 minutes).
His cut-through-noise voice, biting humor, and storyline stewardship helped bring the biggest pro wrestling characters out of their musclebound shells and into may fan’s hearts. ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund passed away this week at the age of 76 according to a statement by WWE. Okerlund got his wrestling hosting career started in the Midwest with the American Wrestling Association, before leaving for the WWE in 1984.
During his first run with WWE, the company exploded as an international sensation with Okerlund on-camera wrangling the larger-than-life personas of Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savages and many more. Okerlund continued to be a player on-camera for WCW before returning home to WWE in 2001. Hogan would induct Okerlund in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
Here are some of Okerlund’s best performances including this gem with the Nature Boy Ric Flair where he hilariously snaps at someone to put out a cigarette off-camera.
Okerlund’s on-screen appearances lessened as the years went on, but his last cameo in WWE was memorable with AJ Styles.
It’s one of the more time-consuming video games of all time, and it’s grown to the point where someone can train you to get better at it. Recently Vice News digged deep into the growing trend of tutors on ‘Fortnite’, the online battle royale game that has huge viewership beyond just the many gamers who are actively playing the game. Yep, just like a personal trainer helps you get in the shape, this guy can help get good at a game.
The story continues to go in a weird direction with ‘boosters’ who are paid to logged into other’s accounts, increase their in-game rankings with their expertise. It’s someone’s full time job to play video games for someone else!?
Anyone else miss the simplicity of Goldeneye on Nintendo 64?
The Mascot Hall of Fame is now open in Whiting, Indiana and 101 WKQX’s Bear stopped by to check it out!
Been on a bit of a binge recently with the musical analysis of Trash Theory which breaks down how beloved alternative bands impacted and influenced the world around them, which leads us to how Nirvana changed the world in early 90’s. They literally turned the music world upside down with one song in it’s striking sarcasm, biting guitar riff, and audible shift it made in culture from 80’s excess to a more introspective approach.
#312 12.30.18
Most Noteworthy of 2018
Hour 1
Hour 2
Top 5 Albums of 2018
#311 12.23.18
Hour 1
Hour 2
Not that this would go along with any rules of the National Football League….nor would the amount of money at the publishing of this article come anywhere close to the $9 million in guaranteed money that the Bears owe their kicker…but one fan in Kentucky has started a GoFundMe to buy out the contract of Cody Parkey. [UPDATE: I think we killed it — the campaign has since been removed]
Parkey missed another extra point during the last game of the season, a 24-10 victory over the Vikings. That brings his season totals to 23-of-30 on field goals, good for 76.7 percent accuracy, and 41-of-44 on extra points (93.2 percent).
Still better than last year’s kicker — Connor Barth only hit about 68% of field goals, but missed less extra points — generally thought to be “gimme” points in the NFL.
COME ON, CODY! Pull it together in the playoffs and leave the regular season behind….#BearDown — [eric]
[UPDATED 1/6/19: Doink, Doink]
[📷 : Pexels]
Stranger Things is back to tantalize us, with this New Year’s Eve-themed trailer (oh, hi Dick Clark). Season 3 will debut on Netflix on July 4th, 2019. Beyond that:
HERE’S WHAT I KNOW:
HERE’S WHAT I *DON’T* KNOW:
These two things popped up in the trailer and I don’t know what they could possibly mean. Maybe you can figure it out —- I’ve got screen shots after the trailer. — [eric]
Beyond the Trailer takes a deep dive with a look into all the big anticipated blockbusters of 2019 here with a look into Avengers, Star Wars, and we’ll see how much butt the Rock can kick in a ‘Fast & Furious’ spin-off.
Find full details about this free ride event and extra service around Navy Pier at https://t.co/inqqunl0Mv
— cta (@cta) December 31, 2018
CTA is giving free rides for New Year’s Eve. From 10 p.m. Monday until 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day, you can keep your Ventra card in your wallet when you get on trains or buses.
On top of that, CTA is also offering extended service on several lines. This is all an effort to give people healthier commuting options on one of the biggest drinking nights of the year.
The CTA’s Near Year’s Eve free rides are sponsored this year by Miller Lite.
Ladt year on NYE, CTA provided nearly 91,000 free rides on New Years Eve.
If you are going to be out there tonight just be smart in general, and don’t try to ride ON TOP OF A CTA TRAIN like this guy did.
Here’s where to watch some of your favorite 101WKQX artists ring in 2019 — preferably with the optimum amount of reverb. Happy New Year! — [eric]
Weezer
New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (Times Square) / ABC
Bastille
New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (Times Square) / ABC
Foster The People
New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (West Coast) / ABC
Florence + The Machine
New Year’s Eve w/ Steve Harvey / FOX
So, did they? As you can see in the Tweet from TMZ below, the design from the “Bootleg Redux Grunge” collection is practically the same, minus a “M” and “J” in place of the X’d out eyes. According to Vulture, the band copyrighted the famed logo back in 1992. So they filed suit before the end of the year.
I smell something — and it ain’t a defunct deodorant nor the rebellious spirit of youth. Smells like a lot of lawyer stuff coming in 2019. — [eric]
Nirvana Sues Marc Jacobs for Stealing Smiley Face Design https://t.co/2ZElDAxQve
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 28, 2018
[📷 : Pexels]
Trash Theory made this wonderful lyrical breakdown video on the Smashing Punmpkins ‘1979’ and how it represents the collective youthful exuberance we seek to regain only when we’ve grown away from it. It’s got some NSFW language, but it’s a well-woven piece that shows how the song’s message permeates in other movies and music while being one of the Pumpkin’s best tracks. The video also notes how Pumpkin’s leader Billy Corgan was bringing the band in a different direction on ‘Mellon-collie and the Infinities Sadness’ and artistically stopping one formula that they grew tired of one their earlier records.
One thing this video gets wrong in my opinion, is where it claims the band has not been able to strike the same glory since this period which is just aggressively esoteric. If you are going to praise the band for encapsulated the ideal feeling of youth, why you would then not allow the same artist to grow?
No matter what you think of this video, maybe you will love this: Our epic Lounge session withe Smashing Pumpkins where Billy and company share stories of growing up in Chicago and more.
Yes, this is real. In Myrtle Beach, an owner of a mini-golf course wants to raise the past-time to the ranks of televised sports with legitimacy that parallels the PGA. Vice News was there to document the weird yet passionate pursuit of these putters who ply their craft.
Nirvana Sues Marc Jacobs for Stealing Smiley Face Design https://t.co/2ZElDAxQve
— TMZ (@TMZ) December 28, 2018
The representatives for the alternative icons Nirvana let it be known you can’t take the band’s art and make a knock off t-shirt. The band’s reps are suing Marc Jacobs, the beauty product company for their release of t-shirt that clearly yanks the band’s memorable ‘zonked out’ smiley face and replaces Xs with an M and a J. It’s not original in the slightest way. TMZ has more in the link above.
Coming in 2019: Episode IX (in theaters December 20th), Celebration, a full-fledged Star Wars convention at McCormick Place (April 11th-15th), and last but not least — Galaxy’s Edge, an immersive attraction coming to both of the Disney parks (summer, to Disneyland and fall, to Walt Disney World).
Check out this newly released video giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the new world. I’m already planning my trips….both local and otherwise. — [eric]
[📷 : Star Wars Celebration/Press Kit]
A full “Black Mirror” movie arrives on Netflix TOMORROW. Check out the trailer:
lovelytheband breaks down the lyrics of their breakout hit:
On Sunday, more than 100 people in dinosaur costumes gathered in downtown Kansas City for the second annual March of the Dinosaurs. Unfortunately, police weren’t in the mood for a parade.
The estimated 100-120 people, many dressed in inflatable T-Rex costumes, marched for about 25 minutes before police broke it up, saying the parade was blocking traffic and causing a safety hazard.
The event’s organizer, Jacob Honnold, says he got a ticket and that police are reviewing the parade for possible criminal charges.
