2009 Fair acts: Firefall, Headeast & Pure Prairie League

It's wanting to see shows like these that make me feel both old and nostalgic at the same time. See you old-timers there!

2009 Iowa state Fair, Budweiser Stage sponsored by ABC5:
- Firefall, Thu & Fri (Aug 13 & 14) @ 7:30 & 9:30
- Headeast, Sat & Sun (Aug 15 & 16) @ 7:30 & 9:30
- Pure Prairie League, Mon & Tue (Aug 18 & 18) @ 7:30 & 9:30

HD poorly implemented in Des Moines

Since the digital TV switchover last month, it has become clear that local television stations have not fully embraced their new hi-def capabilities.

Watching channel 8-1 this morning, it's obvious they still use their old standard definition video cameras in the news studio and are simply up-converting the signal to high definition; it's a blurry picture.

Same story for channel 13-1. But in addition to using older SD cameras, whenever they slap in their lower third ticker, they have to drop the 16:9 image back to a 4:3 aspect ratio. So they use SD to shoot news talent, up-convert to HD for a wide-screen shot, then reduce back to SD when using a ticker. Watching this in glorious 16:9 hi-def is a train wreck!

And it appears that channel 5-1 isn't even pretending to be an HD news shop. If it weren't for their low-end SD studio gear, I'd say this is better. Unfortunately, of the big 3, our local ABC affiliate's newscasts remain the most difficult to watch.

So what did we gain in the digital switchover? We do receive more channels (channel 5's retro feed of old TV shows and channel 8's all-weather source) and most prime time network shows are much more crisp. But sadly for analog set owners, many of the bugs and lower thirds are clipped at the far edges of the screen.

I can't imagine the expense of a full HD transition, so I forgive local stations for a gradual upgrade -- especially in the face of a recession and lower ad revenues -- but I sincerely hope station managers are watching and recognizing how hideous their product looks.

Shawn Johnson with Murph & Andy

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Shawn Johnson sat in with Murph & Andy on KXnO Monday.

DMR: Climate bill unfair to Iowa, utilities say

Burning fossil fuels is a fundamentally flawed plan when it destroys the landscape and detracts from quality of life -- saying nothing of what it may or may be doing to the environment at large. It just makes a lot more sense to intercept the existing energy all around us. Unless, of course, you have an enormous financial stake in traditional energy production and any of the supporting industries. The industry should want to modernize and be more efficient, but the reality is that it's been cheaper for them to pollute the air.

Every rooftop and back yard could have some form of energy collection, whether solar, wind or hydro. The initial costs are coming down and ongoing maintenance is relatively inexpensive compared to all of the oil refined and burned to deliver coal to consumers as energy -- however considerably less profitable for MidAmerican Energy.

Follow the money and use your common sense.

Bob Vander Plaats on Mickelson.

Bob Vander Plaats appeared on Jan Mickelson's show Thursday (6/18/2009) and explained his positions on a state constitutional amendment for banning same-sex marriage, legislative activism and the governor's power to use executive orders to remedy bad court decisions. Bill Salier was guest-hosting that day.

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Real estate sales: no good news

The local media has widely reported improved real estate sales from April to May of this year, citing figures furnish wholesale by the Des Moines Association of Realtors, the real estate lobby group.

Despite those claims, the Polk County Assessor's database shows there were 2,860 residential deeds issued in Polk County, Iowa in the last six months (Dec-May), compared with 4,013 issued during the same six month period a year earlier. That's a 29% drop, not an increase.

The total sales numbers for that period are even worse, suffering a 45% decline from more than $600 M last year down to about $400 M this year. And while realty agents are doing their best to stave off commodity pricing through incentive kickbacks and other perception management practices, even the average sale price took a dive from $152 K to $140 K, an 8% loss.

This look is a broader picture than the one being offered by the realty association because it covers six months, but even residential sales between April & May of this year (and compared to last year) look dismal.

While my research did involve only one county, can the picture for the greater metro look remarkably better? No matter how you slice & dice, there's nothing good in these numbers.

So what's the deal here? Are reporters too lazy to do their own research? Or is there a bigger menace lurking, like media influence? Or maybe I'm just wrong.

Everyone's a social media marketer. Not.

I hear a lot of social media marketing advice pointed at business and it's being circulated by people who've been around a long time. I suppose they're seasoned, and I imagine their audience feels they're adequately qualified.

Nevertheless, this is worth considering. Educated marketing managers have become dispensible comodities because every Joe thinks he's a marketing whiz and can take the reigns on a moment's notice. And largely due to the boardroom's GMOOT syndrome, they get their chance -- for about two years.

Still, almost without regard for the quality of the CMO, budgets often get fixed in the marketing dept. instead of examining the sales strategy.

Real estate numbers drop again

It shouldn't surprise anyone that the National Association of Realtors finds some good news in the realty market, but the real story for Polk County isn't good, according to the County Assessor's numbers.

Residential sales in terms of total sales in May of '09 compared with May of '08 figures are down by almost half. That's inline with the quantity of sales, reflecting 44% fewer sales. The average sale prices was 5% lower than last year's sale.

And the spring numbers aren't getting better, as we might expect. Instead, compared to April of this year, May sucked for real estate pros. A $10M drop in total sales, more than 100 fewer and average price fell by another $10k.

Those are the real numbers, provided by the Polk County Assessor, but don't expect NAR to advertise this fact with the media.

FCC warrantless searches?

According to this story, an FCC agent investigating a possible pirate radio station in Boulder, Colorado this month, posted a note quoting FCC policy at the residence suspected of hosting an unlicensed transmitter.  The statement apparently said, “Whether you operate an amateur station or any other radio device, your authorization from the Commission comes with the obligation to allow inspection.”

This statement alone has spurred concerns by citizen groups that FCC officials might, at some point, engage in warrantless searches of private residences.  It doesn't seem so.

While the statement might look to be asserting authority that transcends Fourth Amendment protections, one should consider the intended audience of this notice and the actual practices of government enforcement officials.  I don't think we're talking about baby monitors rated in miliwatts of transmitting power or devices that generate minimal levels of RF interference.  If a cop asserts some official-sounding administrative rule in order to trick a subject into consenting to search, that's an entirely different matter.

Yes, the Fourth subjects the government to a probable cause standard in the case of private homes.  It seems plausible that if there's an unlicensed station operating on the premises, probable cause is met and a warrant could be issued on that home and its occupants.  If the station is licensed, then it seems that implied consent to inspect is already established.

However, is a warrant even necessary if we're talking about a business, which is generally held to be open to the public during business hours?

And by broadcasting to the public over the public's airwaves, is one holding himself out as a radio station (which is a business operation), therefore no longer a private residence?

One essential question is, does a private residence lose its Fourth protection when it looks and acts like a radio station?  The FCC's position has been that radio stations are open for business during all hours of operation.

If an inspector (or firefighter or rescue worker) observes the presence of contra ban, they can report it to law enforcement.  I believe the Supreme Court has maintained that this is probable cause to issue a search warrant.

Lauren Zakrin interview at 105.1 Channel Q in Ames

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Lauren Zakrin talks to Tony Tarbox of 105.1 Channel Q in Ames, Iowa about the theatrical musical production of Legally Blonde at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines through February. Lauren has been playing Belle and will play other roles thoughout the musical's tour.

Lauren Zakrin interview

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Lauren Zakrin speaks with CJ of Kiss 107 FM in Des Moines, Iowa about the theatrical musical production of Legally Blonde at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines through February. Lauren has been playing Belle and will play other roles thoughout the musical's tour.