2008 YEAR IN REVIEW

Part 2 - Second quarter April to June - What was hot for the quarter? Luiz Filepe Scolari dominated the quarter taking the top story prize when he announced that it was he and not Ronaldo who was moving on and taking the mangers post at Chelsea. Former Beatle Ringo Starr defying all odds (particularly mine) as he went on tour at the ripe old age of 67. David Cook won the American Idol title in somewhat of a shocker as runner-up David Archuleta was perceived to be the winner prior to the votes being tallied. Talk show host Larry King continues to be one of our top stories of interest

Sunday January 18, 2009 - National Radio Text Service

During the second quarter of 2008 American Idol dominated the scene as well as figures in the entertainment field. But is was Luiz Filepe Scolari who dominated the quarter taking the top story prize when he announced that it was he and not Ronaldo who was moving on and taking the mangers post at Chelsea. The news was a shocker as the world stood still waiting for Ronaldo to announce that he was going to leave Manchester United and defect to Real Madrid…. thus the thunder award went to Scolari.

The second most popular story on the National Radio site during that period was former Beatle Ringo Starr defying all odds (particularly mine) as he went on tour at the ripe old age of 67. Being a part of the 60's music scene I always questioned how many musicians and rock stars would reach the age of 50 given their propensity to live life in the Rock N' Roll fast lane of sex, drugs and alcohol.

Ringo's tour took on many dimensions as a result an Asian reader of that story said the Beatles greatly influenced him. Indirectly he learned English from listening to the Beatles songs he loved so much. He learned how to play guitar and sing over 100 Beatles songs.

David Cook won the American Idol title in somewhat of a shocker as runner-up David Archuleta was perceived to be the winner prior to the votes being tallied. Cook didn't start off so well as he locked horns with AI judge Simon Cowell. Cowell told Cook early on in the series that he wasn't so impressed with his talent and Cook adamantly said that it wasn't Cowell he had to please but the American Idol voters were on his agenda.

As a spin-off to American Idol talk show host Larry King continues to be one of our top stories of interest as he annually interviews the American Idol contestants. King is one of our all-time hot topics and our Biz Who IS column on him is one of our most read columns ever.

There was a zinger during this period as we researched our stats we came across a false accusation regarding our publication and Thai recording star Ta Ta Young. We set the record straight in the June National radio Top 10 and put the lie and slander to rest.

Our May Phnom Penh column drew some sparks as an NGO bottom feeder complained that since he was white and a foreign NGO staff that he was entitled to disrupt a neighborhood depriving neighborhood children their sleep and rest so they could study and go to school to help better their lives. In effect what the neighborhood was trying to do was work and educate themselves so they could stand on their own and there would be no need for the NGO rift raft that come to Cambodia as opportunists who are interested in money, a colonialist lifestyle and to extend their spring break and party hearty.

To put things into perspective when you see people like Dr Beat Richner working virtually 24/7 to provide hospitals and free medical care for children and then hear some A-hole complain that he has the right to party and get drunk and annoying though he admits that he knows his conduct and that of other NGO staff would be illegal in the USA you have to wonder why donors and American taxpayers fund such degenerates to behave so poorly and produce minimal to no positive results in the causes they represent.

Sports also took center stage as the Boston Celtics won the NBA title by thrashing the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. The Celtic franchise's NBA record setting 17th NBA title and it was their first in 22 years since 1986 when Celtics GM Danny Ainge and the Lakers Luke Walton's father Bill were members of that Celtic team.

Thai Muay Thai champion Yodsaenklai won the Contender Asia title. It was a case of the young verses the old in Australian John Wayne Parr. The 32-year-old Parr was mocked by his competitors as being old, over the hill and past his prime. When all was said and done Parr made a good showing against a much tougher highly skilled, young and improving opponent but lost.

But hey… as Ringo sang on a song that I recorded with him and Harry Nilsson, "Let's have a party and have a good time."

Continued Part 3

Previously Part 1

Sports Notes Contender Asia Semifinals & FINALS - APRIL, 2008
RACIST RADIO 10 YEARS AFTER - ATLANTA’S AL HORFORD AND SEATTLE’S KEVIN DURANT NAMED NBA ROOKIES OF THE MONTH - BOSTON’S RIVERS AND UTAH’S SLOAN NAMED NBA EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE COACHES OF THE MONTH - NBA KEY DATES - CAMBODIAN FOOTBALL . .... - Entertainment - TV

SPORTS NOTES EXTRA EXTRA - Contender Asia Championship pitted the young verses the old Australian John Wayne Parr vs the Thai champion Yodsaenklai - April, 2008
To compound that his being 32-years-old John Wayne Parr was mocked by his competitors as being old, over the hill and past his prime. When all was said and done Parr made a good showing against a much tougher highly skilled, young and improving opponent .... - Entertainment - TV

TV - VIDEO BEAT - American Idol Say Bye Bye to Malubay - April, 2008
After Malubay's Fate It's Down to the Final Eight - The 20-year-old singer of Philippine heritage fell victim to choosing songs that failed to show off her super voice. Malubay has one of the three best quality voices of all of the contestants on the show. - CONTENDER ASIA SEMIFINAL - Recommended TV Listings .... - Entertainment - TV

Travel Tips - Phnom Penh (Ah) - NGO'S - GREEDY, SEEDY OR HELP THE NEEDY? - MAY, 2008
Recently I was asked if I knew of an NGO that helped children who weren't funded by deep pockets and well healed. The donors intend to fund between US $200-300,000. Two of the requirements were they had to be honest and have an address. NGO staff that appeared to be in Cambodia to drink beer, party and basically relive their spring break - Three Cambodia related stories made the NR Top 10 this month with RONAN taking the lead. Two columns were overall the fastest risers on the NR Top 10. - More...

TV - VIDEO BEAT EXTRA EXTRA - AMERICAN IDOL ELIMINATES SYESHA MERCADO ELIMINATED - MAY, 2008
She survived losing her voice during the Hollywood Week auditions. She then survived through being nominated for elimination in seven of nine shows after it reached the final 12. She grinned and endured it all, survived again and again making it through all of those cuts until the final three. It was at this point that her dream of becoming the next American idol came to an end as she was eliminated - The finals are not David vs. Goliath but David vs. David (Archuleta & Cook that is) - LARRY KING interviews American Idols - Recommended TV Listings .... - Entertainment - TV

TV - VIDEO BEAT SPECIAL - DAVID COOK WINS AMERICAN IDOL - MAY, 2008
Following the previous days competition where David Archuleta and David Cook faced off in a head to head competition with each singing three songs for America to decide who they would vote for to be the next American idol it appeared that Archuleta was the odds on favorite to win. COOK SURVIVED SIMON COWELL'S CRITICISM - Recommended TV Listings .... - Entertainment - TV

TV - VIDEO BEAT MAX - LARRY KING TAKES ON AMERICAN IDOLS - MAY, 2008
Runner-up David Archuleta revealed that American idol creator Simon Fuller discussed with him a record deal with Jive records. To Archuleta's credit in the way he disclosed the information he wasn't that excited about it and rightly so as in the music business there can be a lot of talk and no action. Archuleta's attitude was we'll see what happens- Recommended TV Listings .... - Entertainment - TV

Sports Notes - SCOLARI DROPS THE BOMB - JUNE, 2008
Wham, bam thank you mam Big Phil drops the bomb that it is he not Ronaldo who will make all the noise around here as he revealed to the world after Portugal's 3-1 victory over the Chez Republic that he will be leaving to manage Chelsea starting July 1..... - Entertainment - TV

NBA NOTES: - CELTICS SLAUGHTER LAKERS 131-92 FOR 17th NBA TITLE - JUNE, 2008
The Celtic franchise's NBA record setting 17th NBA title and its first in 22 years since 1986 when Celtics GM Danny Ainge and the Lakers Luke Walton's father Bill were members of that team...... - Entertainment - TV - - THE LAKERS HISTORY OF REFEREE FAVORITISM - IS THEIR 3-PEAT TAINTED? READ ON...

Entertainment BEAT EXTRA: BEATLES RINGO STARR ROCK N ROLLS ON TOUR - June, 2008
Brian Epstein took over as the Beatles manager in January 1962 and led The Beatles' quest for a British recording contract. In August 1962 the band asked Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey), the drummer for one of the top Merseybeat groups, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, to join the band - RINGO STARR'S TOUR SCHEDULE - Sports --- TV

NR TOP 10 - JUNE, 2008 - The NR TOP 10 stories For June Asks Wuss_Sup?
FASTEST MOVER VIDEO BEAT MAX JUNE - If you were to sift through these burning coals of information the flaming cinders are the NBA referee scandal and the discrimination on the Dream Academy program where one contestant appears to be in a situation where she's being set up to fail although she has more talent than half of the other contestants. This leap up the NR charts is unprecedented and much more may come from this sizzling column. - TATA YOUNG Controversy - SEARCH ENGINES GUILTY OF INTERNET THEFT?.... - Entertainment - TV