Ethan Miller, Getty Images

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but disco queen Donna Summer has died after a battle with cancer.  She was 63 years old.  Were you a rocker or into the disco thing?  I was a rocker for sure but still loved going to the clubs to watch the dancers and drink free beer.  Hey, the perks of rock radio in the early 80′s, you know.

Insiders say she wanted to keep the disease quiet, and a friend said that as recently as two weeks ago, Summer seemed okay and was even finishing up work on a new album.

The five-time Grammy winner shot to fame in the 1970s with songs like ‘Love to Love You Baby,’ ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Bad Girls,’ and continued her reign on radio airwaves into the ’80s with hits including ‘She Works Hard for the Money’ and ‘This Time I Know It’s for Real.’

Summer was also the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the US Billboard chart.

[TMZ]

YouTube

If you took Kim Kardashian’s word for it, and bought a pair of Skechers to get a curvy backside and great legs, The Federal Trade Commission says that you have a refund coming!

The Federal Trade Commission has determined that Skechers made “unfounded claims that Shape-Ups would help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles” it said in a pressrelease. The commission has reached an agreement with the shoe maker that will pay an estimated  40 million dollars in refunds to people who purchased shoes after August 1, 2008.

For more information visit FTC’s Skechers refund page, go to the Skechers Settlement page or call the FTC’s Skechers Hotline @ 866-325-4186. Apply for a refund on line, or call the FTC hotline to request the necessary forms.

Frazer Harrison, Getty Images Entertainment

Watch out Captain Morgan.  It’s coming our way Sammy Hagar’s “Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum” made in Hawaii from pure sugar cane harvested in Maui. It was previously only available at his Beach Bar restaurants.  As of this week, it’s also on sale in California, Nevada and Arizona — and will soon be in other states.  You might remember Sammy sold his Cabo Wabo Tequila business for $80 million in 2007.

Sammy “Rum Runner” Hagar

Tom Shaw / Leon Halip, Getty Images

NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ is pulling out at all the stops for the finale of its 37th season. First it was announced that Mick Jagger would be both the host and musical guest. Then they said that Jagger would be backed by Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire. Now they’ve added another rock legend to the proceedings, guitarist Jeff Beck.

Jagger and Beck have known each other since the beginning of their careers, having come up through the London blues scene that centered around the Ealing Club, and Beck even auditioned to join the group after Mick Taylor left in 1975. However, they have not often recorded together. Beck played on Jagger’s first two solo albums, 1985′s ‘She’s the Boss’ and 1987′s ‘Primitive Cool.’ The two most recently performed together in February in front of President Obama for ‘In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues.’

Many people are hoping that Jagger will drop some big news about an upcoming Rolling Stones album and/or tour during his appearance on ‘SNL.’ Earlier today it was learned that Stones guitarist Ron Wood is keeping October and November free. Let’s not forget that Wood got his start as the bass player in the Jeff Beck Group in 1968. We’ve been wrong before, but we think this is now too much of a coincidence for it to not be happening.

Watch Mick Jagger and Kristen Wiig’s Promos for ‘SNL’

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Matt Cardy, Getty Images News

A diet high in fructose slows the brain and hampers memory and learning, researchers at the University of California. A spokesmen at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said high-fructose corn syrup — an inexpensive liquid six times sweeter than cane sugar — is commonly added to processed foods, including soft drinks, condiments and baby food.

Two groups of rats that each consumed a fructose solution as drinking water for six weeks. The second group also received omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which protects against damage to the synapses — the chemical connections between brain cells that enable memory and learning.

The animals were fed standard rat chow and trained on a maze twice daily for five days before starting the experimental diet. The scientists placed visual landmarks in the maze to help the rats learn and remember the way.

Worthy

How about a nifty beach bag and matching beach mat for the 80 or so highs this weekend?  C’mon by around 4:15 and try to decipher those lyrics and you might just win a set similar to the one shown!  $25 in stores but for you, FREE!  If you win – that’s the catch.  Courtesy of Yoplait Light.  So, yo-play along!

eBay

It’s every young musician’s dream to have a gold or platinum album hanging on their walls. For most people, it requires years of hard work and dedication, but for one lucky collector, it only takes $1,300. That’s the going rate for an RIAA-certified triple platinum award that recently sold on eBay.

The downside to buying the award, of course, is that it’s not presented to you for having put your blood, sweat and tears on to the record. However, when it’s for an album as perfect as the Rolling Stones’ ‘Sticky Fingers,’ the coolness factor is amplified considerably.

Recorded in 1971, ‘Sticky Fingers’ is widely regarded as one of, if not the best, Rolling Stones album ever. It features such classics as ‘Brown Sugar,’ ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘Dead Flowers.’ Even the deeper cuts, like ‘Sway,’ ‘I Got the Blues’ and the stunning closer, ‘Moonlight Mile,’ would be career highlights for most bands.

‘Sticky Fingers’ was was their first record released on their own label, the first one to feature Mick Taylor, Brian Jones’ replacement, throughout the album and had the debut of the band’s soon-to-be iconic “tongue and lips” logo.

It is also famous (or infamous) for its cover, which featured a photograph of a male crotch and a working zipper on his jeans. The cover was designed by Andy Warhol.

This triple-platinum award is authenticated by the RIAA through a hologram on the plaque.

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Vangard Records

Saginaw boy makes good: Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, KISS, Aerosmith, Peter Gabriel, Rod Stewart and many others are listed on the Dick Wagner resume, so it’s always great to tip our hats to him on the Vault.  Today, back to his Frost days with Rock And Roll Music, a stage fave dating back to the Grande Ballroom days.  Out of town?  Listen live on-line.

Left, Wagner with The Frost, standing.

kat sommers, flickr

Unfortunately, a memo requiring you to work on Saturday may not be the only thing on your desk making you sick.

A new study by the University of Arizona says eating lunch at your desk can actually put you at risk of developing a food-borne illness.

According to their report, the average office desktop has 100 times more bacteria than a kitchen table and 400 times more than the average toilet seat. The reason? It’s likely due to our mindset that we should keep our bathrooms and kitchens clean, yet we seem to neglect the cleanliness of out workspaces.

Eighty-three percent of Americans regularly eat at their desks, according to a survey conducted by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods’ Home Food Supply Safety program.

“With fears of a double-dip recession, more people are bringing their lunches to work instead of eating out,” says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “No matter how busy you may be, keep in mind that it’s just as important to practice the same food safety tips while eating at your desk as you would in your kitchen.”

The good news is there are steps you can take to avoid getting ill from chowing down at your desk, including keeping your workspace clean, placing food in a refrigerator, re-heat food appropriately if using a microwave and wash your hands.

[Men's Fitness]

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

With the unemployment rate being what it is, a lot of people these days are being forced to work for minimum wage. But exactly how much you get could depend largely on what state you’re in.

The federal minimum wage is currently set at $7.25 per hour, but since it’s not a mandate, not all states pay that rate, while others pay more.

Raising a state’s minimum wage is often left to voters. For example, Missouri residents will decide later this year whether to bump workers’ pay from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour, and the measure would also require tipped employees to receive at least 60 percent of that rate, a 10 percent increase over the current standard.

Some restaurant owners are unhappy about the proposal, which would of course cost them more money, and other opponents say raising a state’s minimum wage can cause businesses to hire fewer employees, which would especially hurt younger workers — something that’s hotly contested by many economists.

So where are minimum wages highest and lowest?

States with highest minimum wage

1. Washington — $9.04
2. Oregon — $8.80
3. Vermont — $8.46
4. (tie) Nevada, Connecticut, Illinois — $8.25

States with lowest minimum wage

1. Wyoming — $5.15
2. Minnesota — between $5.25 and $6.15, depending on the annual revenues of a business
3. Georgia — $5.15
4. Arkansas — $6.25 (as long as the business has at least four employees)

[ABC News]

Justin Sullivan, Getty

Just a few years ago, Facebook became a simple way for teenagers and old classmates to keep up with their friends while pretending to work. Now, it’s a billion dollar company with its own publicly traded stock.

The announcement offered its own share of shocked faces and flabbergasted statements. Here are some things that were probably said during Facebook’s IPO announcement. 

1. “Why did they hire that kid from ‘Zombieland’ to run the company?”

2. “Can someone get that homeless guy in the hoodie out of here? Oh sorry, that’s the CEO.”

3. “Pictures of ugly babies posted on the Internet by proud parents are up by 5 points!”

4. “If Zuckerberg makes billions off of Facebook, why does he still get his wardrobe from the Baby Gap?”

5. “General Dynamics won’t let us see their plans for their new rocket-powered missile, but the whole financial world can know about the dysentery I got in Mexico?”

6. “I’m about to totally get ‘poked’ on this deal and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.”

7. “Maybe it’s just me, but that janitor looks just like MySpace Tom.”

8. “The price is up? Like, like! Wait, it’s down? Defriend, defriend!”

9. “Facebook is on the stock market? What’s next? I can haz hedge fund?”

10. “I saw ‘The Social Network.’ It portrayed Zuckerberg as a conniving, cold and ruthless businessman who doesn’t care about screwing people out of their money. I’m surprised it took him this long to join us on Wall Street.”

Source: TheFW.com

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has issued a lengthy statement declaring that a “final effort” to reach an agreement with the management of his former band has failed, and that as threatened back in February, he will not be joining the band’s upcoming reunion shows.

Metal fans around the world were thrilled on Nov. 11 of last year, when the original four members of Black Sabbath announced a full-fledged world tour and new studio album would be delivered in 2012. However the reunion has been snake-bitten since then, with guitarist Tony Iommi’s lymphoma battle cutting the band’s tour down to just a handful of dates and Ward’s refusal to sign what he termed an unfair contract.

After much speculation and further explanations from Ward, it appears any last shot of the four original members of Black Sabbath — a roster that also includes Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler – is now off. Here is Ward’s full statement on the matter:

Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians,
I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won’t be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10th, 2012.

Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2012.

It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I’m very, very sorry that it’s fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality.

To express my thoughts about you, the Sabbath fans, I’m going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the U.K. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, “Is your brother playing Birmingham? What’s going on? I waited in line with my son and paid x amount for the concert tickets.”

The man’s son is a young drummer. He’s going to see Sabbath, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums. Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn’t help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were. To be clear, I’m not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can’t be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It’s sad that it’s come to this. “This” will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully “this” will heal and pass in time.

My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don’t know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him. Sabbath fans have a voice and a face, to me you’re human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment as far as I’m concerned you are also that young boy in England. I don’t know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I’m very, very sorry.

Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn’t have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I’m doing it.

Earlier in April 2012, I’d been asked to participate “minimally” in the Download festival. I believe I’d been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with Black Sabbath. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs.

I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30 through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the “signable” contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded.

We contacted the representative for Black Sabbath to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime my drum crew and I, along with our US endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the UK. There wasn’t a whole lot to complete; we’d all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the UK was confirmed done by our European and UK endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4 2012. There were two stress points: firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn’t move ahead without a realistic confirmation.

Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5 finalizing on Wednesday, May 9. The offer we received on May 9 was, “come to the UK, play for free and see how the first show goes.” I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but “seeing how the first show goes” left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza.

I had notified the representative that May 10 was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9 I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew a decision was made to let go and stop.
I can’t prioritize the Sabbath fans making one show more important than the other. I can’t do that. All of you are important. It’s all the gigs or none at all. I can’t come to Birmingham and “see what happens” knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it’s all or nothing. I had to say “no” to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham. It’s still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice.

Although the statement was made that, “the door is always open” for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a “signable” contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band.
I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I’m tolerant of them; I’m frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I’ll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesn’t win; the fans for an original lineup don’t win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did.

I didn’t want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn’t want to write; it’s the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe.

Since Spring of 2011, I’ve waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the Sabbath fans chanting “Bill Ward” and asking “why?” and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy.

On a final note, even though I’m at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate “signable” terms with Sabbath’s representatives in the future.

Stay strong.

Stay safe.

With all my heart and strength, I love you,

Bill Ward

Following on a separate page is a thank you message to some very extraordinary people.

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Youtube

It’s almost lunch time. Maybe you are planning dinner. Are you up for the ‘Boss Bacon Burger’? You have to watch the video to appreciate this culinary monstrosity!

It starts with a super-sized patty made from ground beef, pork and bacon. This patty is stuffed with bacon, slathered with a cheesy bacon sauce and a Jack Daniels root beer sauce, and then topped with hundreds of strips of bacon. What do you serve this masterpiece on? A custom made bacon bun, of course! This nutritional nightmare contains 9,381 grams of fat and 109,165 calories. Based on a 2,000 calorie a day average, that is enough calories to sustain a person for 54 and a half days! I have not done this enough justice. Watch the video!

eBay

The Beatles‘ Apple Records logo is nearly as iconic as the band it represents. When this rare 1968 promotional belt appeared on eBay, it sold just shy of $1,500. That’s a pretty penny to pay for an old leather belt, but try telling that to a Beatles collector.

Licensed by Apple Records Corp in London, England, the seller stresses that this is not a post-‘70s after-market version; this one is for real. The silver-colored heavy metal apple buckle is 2.75” x 2.75” and features a brushed metal finish. The leather belt’s backing is torn and some pieces of leather are missing due to wear but the outside of the belt was noted to be in “excellent” condition.

This belt was distributed to Apple insiders only in late-1968 and this one allegedly belonged to the wife of an attorney who worked for the Beatles. The husband is said to have given her many Apple Records promos over the years but this one was a favored piece as she proudly admitted to wearing it frequently over the years. A Certificate of Authenticity accompanied the sale.

Founded in 1968, Apple is “a company that we’re setting up which involves records, films and electronics which makes records and films work” says John Lennon before he cracks a smile. Apple, determined to operate differently than the standard record company, formed a family of sorts, signing their friends Badfinger, James Taylor and Ronnie Spector to name a few.

This logo symbolizes more than Beatles. It’s a statement about all the Apple bands, the music and a long lost era – so in the name of high classic rock fashion, this original 1968 promo belt might be worth the money if one were to wear it on multiple special occasions.

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Graeme Robertson, Getty Images

Voting for the annual Beer City USA poll is over. With almost 56,000 votes cast for 31 different American cities the results are that Grand Rapids and Asheville, North Carolina topped the poll with a tie.

Both cities are being awarded Beer City USA 2012.

Speaking of beer. Closer to home it’s the World Expo of Beer 2012, Friday and Saturday, at Heritage Park in Frankenmuth
More than 300 beers are featured this weekend. More info at WorldExpoOfBeer.com.

downtownlapeer.com

Lapeer Farmers Market is happening every Wednesdays & Saturday from 9am to 3pm at the Historical Court House Square downtown.  Check out the schedule.

Coming up:

May 26……………. “Get Down & Dirty Day”/Flower Day-Rain Barrel Demo’s

June 2……………… Official Kickoff Day for “Double Up Food Bucks”

June 16……………. Strawberry Social/Free Strawberry Shortcake

June 23……………. Farm Day/Farm Animals, Historical Society Farm Exhibits

July 4th (Wed.)…. NO MARKET THIS DAY

July 14…………….. Cooking Demo with “Chef Michael-Executive Chef

at McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital”

July 18 (Wed.)….. Family Fun Day

July 21…………….. Farmers’ Market Fundraiser Garage Sale/City Wide Garage Sales

July 28…………….. Cooking/Baking Contests (Customers Only Contest)

Aug. 11……………. Cooking Demo’s (To be announced)

Aug. 18……………. Lapeer Days Weekend/Market Relocating

Sept. 1…………….. Labor Day Weekend

Sept. 15…………… Squash Festival-Cooking Demo with

“Chef Michael-Executive Chef at McLaren Lapeer Region Hospital”

Oct. 13…………….. Lupus Fundraiser Pet Parade

Oct. 27…………….. Pumpkin Festival/Trick or Treat Walk

Support Your Neighborhood Farmer.

Buy Local.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

In addition to being known as a brilliant singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Paul McCartney‘s reputation as an all-around nice guy has been well-earned through the years. If he was less modest, he’d also be able to add the word “hero” to his CV, as it was recently revealed that, many years ago, he saved future producer Mark Ronson from drowning in Long Island Sound.

In an interview with Britain’s Live Magazine, Ronson, best known for his work with Adele and Amy Winehouse and whose step-father is Mick Jones of Foreigner, said that he had heard the story from his mother but never believed it. But a few months ago he worked with the ex-Beatle, who, according to Ronson, said, “Your mum’s Ann, right? Me and Linda would always run into your parents on the beach in Long Island.”

“I told him about my mum’s story that he saved me from drowning one time,” Ronson continued. “And he said he vaguely remembered something like that. So maybe he backed up her claim, which means I can’t really tease her about it now.”

If placed in a similar situation, most celebrities would brag about their actions in the press as often as possible. Paul McCartney not only kept quiet about it, but basically shrugged it off as if it was nothing when confronted about it years later by the person he saved. Could he also be a superhero?

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Supreme Housewares

You salad lovers should give Lyrical Pursuit a try today, you may win a Chilled Salad Bowl Set for your kitchen.  It combines a large chilled bowl with 4 serving bowls, a lid, salad servers AND a box of “Ranch and Bacon” Suddenly Salad.  Mmmmmm!  Don’t eat until after 4:15pm this afternoon!

Getty Images, David Becker/Jason Merritt

In Donald Trump’s world, there’s losers and then there’s Rosie O’Donnell-level losers. And according to The Donald, music icon Cher is right up there with ‘The View’s’ former host when it comes to being “out of touch with reality” and a “total loser.” Guess we won’t be seeing these two on ‘Celebrity Apprentice‘ anytime, ever.

So, what got Cher on Donald Trump’s bad side? The Molotov cocktail of politics and Twitter all started when Cher took to the social networking platform to share her views on Republican presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney.

“If ROMNEY gets elected I don’t know if I can breathe same air as Him & his Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters,” tweeted the 65-year-old pop star.

Trump, clearly not concerned about Cher’s ability to breathe should Romney make it into the White House, came back hard on the singer, her music and much-talked-about plastic surgery habit.

.@Cher attacked @MittRomney. She is an average talent who is out of touch with reality. Like @Rosie O’Donnell, a total loser!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2012

When asked about the Twitter feud, Trump stayed on the offensive, telling FOX’s “On the Record” host Greta Van Susteren that his afro-wigged nemesis is lonely, unhappy and miserable, and that her “sound-enhanced and computer-enhanced music doesn’t do it for [him.]” Plus, he added this on Twitter:

@Cher should stop with the bad plastic surgery and nasty statements about good people running for office. I (cont) tl.gd/hchk8l

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 11, 2012

“Well, I likened her to Rosie as a loser,” Trump told VanSusteren. “But, you know, I understand Cher, and Cher is somewhat of a loser… I’ve watched her over the years, she reminds me of Rosie with slightly more talent, not much more talent, but slightly more talent.”

While O’Donnell’s been pointing her Twitter followers to the documentary expose, “You’ve Been Trumped,” the “slightly more talented” Cher has yet to respond to The Donald.

Source: ScreenCrush.com

That little ole’ band from Texas featuring bearded wonders the Rev Gibbons and Dusty Hill, along with Frank Beard – with no beard.  They make up ZZ Top, a superstar 1980′s act that popularized red hot rod roadsters and their logo on key chains, making it easy to forget how simple and effective they were in the beginning.  Back to 1975′s Fandango album, leaving it’s big hit Tush alone this time in favor of the more obscure Blue Jean Blues.  5:20 pm.  Out of town?  Listen live on-line.

Photo by Craig ONeal