FSU’s MagLab Open House
March 29, 2025 10:39am
Florida State University is home to The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the largest and highest-powered magnet laboratory in the world and the only facility of its kind in the western hemisphere.
On the last Saturday of every February, MagLab holds an Open House where the public can explore the magnet lab, view demonstrations, engage in hands-on activities, and meet the scientists and researchers who are on the forefront of physics research.
The Open House event features classic MagLab demonstrations like the Quarter Shrinker (I'm holding two quarters in the above photo; one has been shrunken to the size of a dime), the potato launcher, cryo flowers, junkyard magnet, and ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen. You can see a video of the quarter shrinker in action here.
Every year, more than a thousand scientists from dozens of countries visit FSU's MagLab to use the unique magnets in research projects probing fundamental questions about materials, energy, and life. Their findings result in more than 400 scientific publications a year in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature, Science, and Physical Review Letters.
Its staff of about 400 includes more than 120 Ph.D. scientists and professional engineers. The laboratory's 330,000 square foot workspace hosts the world's highest powered facility with an extremely quiet 40 megawatt power supply. The NHMFL houses some of the world's highest field magnets that have been designed and advanced by an in-house engineering group. The continuous field magnet systems include resistive, superconducting, and hybrid magnets. Resistive magnets with fields up to 33.1±0.2 Tesla (or 36.1 Tesla using Holmium flux concentrator pole pieces) are available in a 32mm bore, NMR magnets with high homogeniety to 24.6 Tesla (~1Ghz), and pulsed field magnets to 63.3 Tesla in 10ms pulses. Those are all world record superlatives that the MagLab keeps breaking with new design advances. I admit I don't know what those technical terms mean, but that's what the MagLab's publications cite.
The laboratory has a strong and active research program in Condensed Matter Physics, in both theory and experiment, and is headed by NHMFL Chief Scientist and Nobel Laureate J. Robert Schrieffer. The in-house faculty, postdoctoral, and graduate students collectively research high temperature superconductivity, organic conductors, heavy fermions, quantum Hall effect, metal-insulator transitions, magnetic superlattices, and colossal magnetoresistance. I don't know what most of those terms mean either.
What I do know is that the Open House was fun and interesting. While there, I interviewed Kathleen Amm (MagLab Director), Kristen Roberts (Public Affairs Director), Dr. Scott Hannahs (Director for Scientific Instrumentation and Operations), and Dr. Tak Kametani (Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering). Those interviews aired on my radio show today and are now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/250329
Killer Queen
March 5, 2025 11:01pm
I grew up listening to Queen albums and hearing their hits on the radio. I retain vivid memories of November 1975 as a ten year-old boy in California when my friend Mike Carlson's older brother purchased Queen's new album, "A Night at the Opera." He let us sit in his bean bag chair as he cranked up the volume of Queen's newest release on his stereo. Mesmerized but somewhat confused by its second-to-last track "Bohemian Rhapsody," I sat there in bewildered awe. Was it rock? Was it opera? Whatever it was, its uniquely segmented arrangement was simultaneously both. And it became one of the best rock anthems of all time.
At age 14, as a radio disc jockey in Virginia, I played Queen on the air. But I never saw the band in concert. I still haven't. And I suppose I never can. But I did see the next best thing this evening. Tonight, the Queen tribute band "Killer Queen" took the stage at Pensacola's Saenger Theater for a night of great rock music.
In June 1993, Queen superfan and Freddie Mercury look-alike Patrick Myers performed Queen songs on stage at London University. All he and his friends wanted to do was put on a show to honor Freddie Mercury. That one show lead to another... and to another... and finally to international stardom. The tribute band has sold out around the world at some of the same arenas Queen performed in.
Tonight, he and the band belted out Queen songs and took fans back to the 70s and 80s with Queen classics "We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust," "Don't Stop Me Now," "Under Pressure," "Killer Queen," "Fat Bottomed Girls," "Bicycle Race," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "You're My Best Friend," "Radio Ga Ga," "Somebody to Love," and of course, "Bohemian Rhapsody." For more than 90 minutes, Killer Queen rocked the Saenger Theater with those hits and other great Queen songs.
Did Patrick Myers sound exactly like Freddie Mercury? Mercury was one-of-a-kind. So, no. But he and the band were close enough to make the concert fun and memorable. Queen took a break from touring in 1983. But they got together for Bob Geldof's "Live Aid" concert in 1985, and they released two subsequent albums ("The Miracle” in 1989 and "Innuendo" in 1991). Freddie Mercury's death on November 24, 1991 permanently silenced the original band. But the music lives on. Killer Queen is not Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. But if "Killer Queen" comes anywhere near your town, buy tickets. Go. Queen is dead. Long live Killer Queen!
SS United States Arrives in Mobile, Alabama
March 3, 2025 5:55pm
The SS United States arrived in Mobile, Alabama today concluding her 13 day tow from Philadelphia. At the docks of Modern American Recycling Services, Coleen Marine will ready the ship for her final destination; the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico about 20 nautical miles south of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area of the Florida Panhandle.
The most visually obvious preparation for sinking this great passenger vessel will be the removal of her two oversized red, white, and blue smokestack funnels. That's necessary because those funnels are 65 feet tall. Depending on the exact location where she'll be sunk, the Coast Guard will require that the entirety of the ship be at least 50 - 80 feet below the surface, so it won’t pose a hazard to navigation. If the ship was sunk with the funnels intact, that would put the top deck at a depth of at least 115 feet - too deep for recreational diving.
The tops of those funnels featured aft horizontal fins that created lift to help deflect engine exhaust up and away from the decks. The result was nearly smoke-free passenger decks; something that was revolutionary at the time. Those funnels, by the way, remain to this day the tallest funnels ever installed on a ship.
Built at Newport News Shipbuilding in 1950 & 1951, the 990 foot SS United States is the largest passenger vessel ever built in America. At the time of her construction, she was the sleekest, most graceful, and most powerful vessel in the world. She was initially owned by United States Lines, which used her for trans-Atlantic crossings to and from both England and France. With powerful steam turbines delivering 247,785 horsepower to her propellers, she was the world's fastest ocean liner.
On her maiden voyage from July 3rd to 7th 1952, she crossed the Atlantic eastbound from New York Harbor to Cornwall, England in 3 days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes. That shattered by more than ten hours the previous record the Queen Mary had held for 14 years. That speed record stands to this day. Although she was capable of doing 44 mph (38.23 knots), she set that speed record while operating at only two-thirds power and averaging a speed of 40.96 mph (35.59 knots). On her return voyage, she broke the westbound-transatlantic speed record, which had also been held by the Queen Mary, by crossing the ocean in 3 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes at an average speed of 39.71 mph (34.51 knots).
Her engines and propellers were so powerful that the SS United States could go 23 mph (20 knots) in reverse. That's almost as fast as the RMS Titanic could travel going forward. An interesting - and at the time secret - fact about her four 18-foot diameter propellers was that the two inboard propellers had five blades, while the two outboard propellers had four. I can't explain the physics of why that allowed the ship to go faster, but it did.
What else made her so fast was that aluminum was used to build her superstructure. That aluminum construction made her 41% lighter than the all-steel ships of the day. She was also designed to be fireproof. With the exception of the grand pianos in the ballrooms and the butcher’s blocks in the galleys, no wood was used in any of the ship’s public rooms, accommodations, or crew quarters. The carpets, fabrics, and textiles were specially treated to be non-flammable. There was extensive use of asbestos throughout the ship. That was, of course, long before we knew asbestos caused mesothelioma cancers.
The ship had 395 staterooms plus 14 first class suites. Her interior colors were predominantly red, white, & blue plus green and gold which contrasted beautifully with the deep black flooring in the passageways. Artwork throughout the ship boasted patriotic themes of her namesake nation. Her first class dining room featured sculptures representing the four freedoms, and the observation lounge displayed murals of ocean currents and depictions of constellations. Although privately owned, the SS United States was built in conjunction with the Pentagon as a ship that could be quickly converted into a troop carrier able to transport 14,000 military service members for 12,000 miles without refueling. She was never used for that purpose, however.
The SS United States sailed the Atlantic from 1952 to 1969. She carried over a million passengers during those 18 years, including famous celebrities from movie stars to presidents. Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, Judy Garland, Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, and Gary Cooper were among the guests. So were Walt Disney, Salvador Dali, Walter Cronkite, Coco Chanel, and Duke Ellington. Prince Rainier of Monaco, Grace Kelly, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor all walked her decks at sea. The ship also carried four US presidents: Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Clinton. Bill Clinton sailed her to England in October 1968 on his way to study at University College Oxford. When Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece "Mona Lisa" came to America for special exhibitions, the painting traveled here via that magnificent vessel.
On October 25, 1969, upon returning from her 400th round-trip voyage, the SS United States was ordered by its owner to sail to Newport News, Virginia to begin her annual maintenance. The next month, she was abruptly and permanently withdrawn from service. Because she was a reserve ship for the U.S. Navy, she was put into mothballs at her berth to preserve her machinery and interior. And there she remained until 1978 when the Navy decided the ship was no longer needed as part of the reserve fleet.
From 1978 to 2009, she was sold to various entities whose plans ranged from seagoing time-share condominiums to full-time service as a cruise ship. A would-be owner hoped to dock the ship in Atlantic City as a floating hotel and casino, but the plan never materialized. In 1984, the ship's interior fittings and decorations were auctioned off to satisfy creditors. In 1992 she was towed to Turkey and later to Ukraine to have hazardous materials removed. In 1996, she was towed to Philadelphia. Norwegian Cruise Line owned her for a while (2003 - 2010), but they never renovated her or put her to sea.
When NCL announced the ship would be sold for scrap, the SS United States Conservancy launched its "Save Our Ship" Campaign, which hoped to raise enough money to purchase and restore her. In July of 2010, the Conservancy purchased the ship. But the cost of restoration proved to be too much for the Conservancy to afford. She sat at Pier 82 in Philadelphia, loved but neglected. And her dock fees mounted. She was finally purchased by Okaloosa County, Florida which plans to send her to the bottom of the sea as an artificial reef.
She remained docked at the Port of Philadelphia's Pier 82 until February 14, 2025 when she began her journey to Alabama. But she didn't move far that day. Tugs nudged her to Pier 80 where she took up a five day residency until February 19, 2025 when the tugboat "Vinik No. 6” began towing her to Mobile, Alabama where she will be prepped for sinking off Okaloosa County, Florida sometime in 2026.
In her lifetime, the SS United States steamed 2,772,840 nautical miles (3,190,930 statute miles) and carried 1,025,691 passengers. She is now destined for a watery grave off the Florida Panhandle. But that watery grave will be teeming with life. As an artificial reef, she'll attract barnacles, coral, anemones, fish, turtles, lobsters, octopus, eels, rays, and more. Scuba divers and anglers will visit her regularly.
Upon sinking, the SS United States will become the world's largest intentionally-sunk artificial reef. She'll be 79 feet longer than the nearby 911 foot USS Oriskany aircraft carrier, which is currently the largest. The Oriskany was intentionally sunk 25 miles off the coast of Pensacola in 2006. I've dived the Oriskany twice.
So it wouldn't pose a hazard to navigation or be moved by strong, hurricane-driven currents, the Oriskany was sunk in 212 feet of water. That put the top of its island at a depth of 70 feet with the flight deck at 135 feet below the surface. Recreational divers can typically descend to no more than 130 feet deep. Technical divers can reach 300 feet or more.
But over time, the Oriskany has sunk ten feet into the sand at the bottom of the Gulf. The top of her island is now 80 feet deep, and the flight deck is at 145 feet. That may not sound like much, but the result is significantly less bottom time. NOTE TO NON-DIVERS: The deeper you dive, the less time you can spend at depth because the deeper you dive, the faster you consume air, and the more time you need for the trip back to the surface (which often requires decompression stops to safely off-gas the nitrogen the high atmospheric pressure has dissolved into the bloodstream).
Okaloosa County bought the SS United States for $1 million and is expecting to pay $9.1 million more between now and when she is scuttled. About $1 million of that will fund construction of an on-land SS United States Museum. I look forward to diving this magnificent ship.
No More Pennies???
February 10, 2025 6:16pm
President Trump announced last night that the United States Mint would halt the production of pennies. On his Truth Social account, he cited cost-saving as the reason for his order: "For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let's rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it's a penny at a time."
The President is correct that it costs more than a penny to make a penny. According to the U.S. Mint's 2024 Annual Report, each penny costs 3.69 cents to produce. The Mint produced 3.17 billion pennies last year. At a production cost 3.69 cents per penny, we spent $116.9 million minting pennies with a total face value of $31.7 million. So, at first glance, it would appear that ceasing production of pennies would save taxpayers $85.2 million.
But ironically, ceasing production of pennies might actually end up costing the government more money than it saves. If pennies are eliminated, the use of nickels will likely increase. Well, it costs 13.78 cents to produce a nickel. So while we lose 2.69 cents on every penny we mint, we lose 8.78 cents on every nickel we mint.
This is a good example of why policy requires more than just a superficial, knee-jerk reaction to facts. Thoughtful analysis is required. To be clear, I'm not saying we should continue minting pennies. Canada stopped minting pennies in 2012. Our neighbors to the north simply round most cash transactions to the nearest nickel. Electronic payments are still made "to the penny." And Canada gets along just fine that way. It should be noted that pennies are still legal tender in Canada, and some people do still use pennies. But acceptance of pennies is not required by law.
Are there valid arguments for eliminating pennies in the United States besides production costs? Yes. Because of inflation, the penny’s purchasing power has eroded over the years. What can you buy for a penny today? When I was a kid, gumball machines would dispense a gumball for a penny. Not anymore. In the 19th Century, many tabloid newspapers were known as the "penny press" because they could be purchased for - you guessed it - a penny.
As the value of a dollar - and thus the value of 1/100th of a dollar - decreases, the usefulness of the penny declines. From 1793 through 1857, the U.S. Mint produced a half-cent coin. But a half-cent could purchase a piece of candy back then. We struck two-cent pieces from 1864 until 1873, but the usefulness of that denomination faded with inflation. So ceasing production of certain coins is not unprecedented.
Should we eliminate the one-cent piece today? It can be argued either way. I'll give you a penny for your thoughts.
Who Really Killed John F. Kennedy?
February 1, 2025 9:15am
On January 23rd, President Trump signed an executive order requiring the declassification and release of all the government's records about the assassination of President Kennedy. Such full and unredacted publication is actually required under a law passed in 1992. But full implementation of that law was delayed for reasons I explained during this morning's radio show but will not get into in this post.
The killing of JFK was the topic of today's entire radio show. In it, I aired excerpts from a 2017 interview I did with Jim Leavelle, the Dallas Police Department homicide detective who, on November 24, 1963, was escorting Lee Harvey Oswald through the basement of the Dallas Police headquarters when Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby. Leavelle was age 96 when I interviewed him. It was one of the last media interviews he ever did. He died about two years later.
Leavelle's role was far more significant than just escorting Oswald that day. He interviewed Oswald as part of his homicide investigation into the death of Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit, and he knew Jack Ruby for more than a decade before the shooting. We discussed who Leavelle thought really killed Kennedy and why Ruby killed Oswald.
As for me, I share my opinions all the time. But on this one, I'll just admit I don't have one. While it seems implausible that Lee Harvey Oswald came up with the assassination plan all by himself and carried it out alone, it also seems implausible that such a big plot could remain unproven for so long. So on this issue. I just don't know.
But assuming the 3 letter agencies comply with President Trump's executive order requiring declassification and release of ALL the assassination records, we should know more soon. The plan to release the documents is due next Friday, February 7th. But the date for the actual document release has not been set yet.
If you'd like to hear this morning's radio show, it is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/250201
The Life and Accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 18, 2025 9:59am
I was at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta earlier this week interviewing Chief Park Ranger Marty Smith. That interview was then edited into a one hour radio documentary about the life and accomplishments of Dr. King, which aired this morning on WPNN Radio in Pensacola.
Dr. King was one of the greatest Americans who ever lived. He dedicated his life to civil rights. He believed that equality among men without regard to skin color could be achieved without violence. Yet violence against him cost him his life. But he accomplished more in his 39 years than most people would accomplish in a hundred. And our nation is far better because he lived.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was taken from us much too soon. But during his lifetime, he saw great Supreme Court victories for civil rights, and he saw legislative victories like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the National Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 1964, at age 35, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. At the time, he was the youngest recipient in history. He was martyred in 1968 at age 39.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the greatest Americans who ever lived. Through word and deed he inspired millions of Americans - black and white both - to recognize that all men are indeed created equal. And that it is wrong to judge people by the color of their skin. Like Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. changed the world without resorting to violence.
And like Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed by his enemies. Dr. King's life was violently and tragically cut short. But the United States of America is far better because he lived. He helped bring about change this country desperately needed. His life story proves that change for good can be brought about - not with violence - but by peacefully changing hearts and minds. And that when good people demand justice, justice will eventually prevail.
Racism of every kind is disgusting and inexcusable. I can think of no human characteristic that is of less importance than race. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, people should be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Dr. King certainly had that. Character. He had decency. Integrity. Dignity. Strength. Tenacity. And the limitless determination to do what's right. I don't think it's hyperbole to say he was one of the greatest people who ever lived. Because he was.
My MLK documentary is now archived online as a podcast at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/podcasts/250118
MLK Parades Canceled Due to Cold Weather
January 17, 2025 8:18pm
In 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his supporters marched 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery over five days. Marchers were drenched in rain and slept in muddy fields along the way. They faced ridicule, taunting, threats, tear gas, whippings, beatings, and worse. Four people were killed. Yet they courageously marched anyway.
But today we cancel a parade that honors Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement he lead because it's going to be cold??? Pathetic.
We have truly become a nation of weak pansies. Thank God Dr. King accomplished what he did when he did. Because today's generation is too soft to do what it took.
Blood Donations Save Lives
January 17, 2025 5:33pm
I just reached 5 gallons today at OneBlood. But that's just since 2008. My pre-2008 donations in Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia are not included in OneBlood's records.
If you're healthy enough to donate, please do. It saves lives.
Pam Bondi Will Be an Outstanding Attorney General
January 15, 2025 7:22pm
To say U.S. Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and I are "friends" would be an exaggeration. But I do know her, and she knows me. We've had many conversations over the years both on and off the air.
I was VERY impressed with how she handled herself at today's confirmation hearings at the U.S. Senate. She confidently and successfully threw the nonsense right back in the faces of the DemonRat senators who tried to trip her up or get her to say something stupid. But she's not stupid. She's brilliant. And she'll be a very effective AND FAIR attorney general. Way to go, Pam!
Happy Hanukkah!
December 25, 2024 8:24pm
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. And somewhere off the coast of Belize, on a heading of 48°, the cruise director lit the first candle on the Menorah during the ship's Hanukkah service. Before that service, I played the Dreidel Game (and lost all my chocolate coins to a 10 year-old who had never played the game before). We also enjoyed some kosher wine, sufganiyot, and latkes afterwards.
Happy Hanukkah! I hope these eight nights are filled with joy, light, and love for you and your families.
My Christmas Day Was in Ruins
December 25, 2024 4:15pm
I spent Christmas Day at the ruins of the Mayan city of Cahal Pech (1300 BC - 800 AD). It's located in Belize about 65 miles west of Belize City where my cruise ship is docked. Cahal Pech was discovered by archeologists in the early 20th Century. And while much has been excavated, it is known there are many structures still buried.
The Mayans were very accomplished astronomers. They had precise solar and lunar calendars. The three central pyramids at Cahal Pech formed a triangle that perfectly aligned with the Sun during both equinoxes (at the center) and with both solstices (at the corners of the flanking pyramids) when observed from the temple across the plaza.
Unlike most Mayan ruins, it is permissible to climb the pyramids at Cahal Pech, so I did. I climbed the equinox pyramid and to the top of the pyramid where humans were sacrificed to the gods. No sacrifices occurred while I was present.
Today's weather in Belize is perfect. But my tour still ended up in ruins... which is what I wanted. Belize Navidad!
Merry Christmas from Belize!
December 25, 2024 6:12am
Merry Christmas from Belize! The above photo was taken two days ago while my oldest son and I were scuba diving of Costa Maya, Mexico. I'm the diver on the right. I won't be diving in Belize today as I'll be touring the Mayan ruins at Cahal Pech about 65 miles west of Belize City just a dozen miles from Guatemala border.
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas
December 15, 2024 8:41am
Sure, all three of us are "all hat and no cattle." But last night we attended the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. It's a 10-day event, and last night was the absolute finals. I've been to many rodeos in my life, but none were anywhere near this level of competition. The NFR is considered to be the Super Bowl of Rodeo; even bigger than Houston's massive rodeo.
NFR is organized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association and is the most prestigious cowboy competition in the world. It included national championships in Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Barrel Racing, and Bull Riding.
Viva Las Vegas!
Eagles at Sphere: Greatest Hits at the Greatest Venue
December 14, 2024 10:10am
Last night's Eagles concert at Sphere Las Vegas was fantastic. Of course, it's the Eagles, so every song was a hit. But the Sphere is such a unique place that it elevated the experience to something no other venue on Earth can come close to doing. It was just spectacular.
Only eight shows were originally scheduled for Eagles' residency at Sphere. But due to overwhelming demand by fans, dates have been added many times. The residency now runs through April 12, 2025.
The Eagles opened last night's show with their big hit "Hotel California." While the band jammed and harmonized on stage, the 160,000 square foot, 16K video screen enveloped our peripheral vision with stunning graphics that are only possible at Sphere.
This was my second time seeing Eagles in concert. I attended the Mobile, Alabama performance during their 1995 "Hell Freezes Over" Tour. That concert featured Don Henley, Glen Frey, Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit. Glen Frey died in 2016. Last night's show featured Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill, Deacon Frey (Glen's son), and Steuart Smith. Deacon may have gotten the job because of his relationship to Glen. But his talent on the strings and his seamless harmony with the other band members proved it wasn't just nepotism. He deserved to be on that stage.
For most songs, the classic Eagles harmony was musical perfection. But Joe Walsh's voice strained through "Rocky Mountain Way.” Hey, he's 77 years old. I'm not holding anything against him. He and the entire band were fantastic. I'm just noting that he doesn't have the same voice he had at 30. But it was wonderful to see him bend those guitar strings and passionately belt out his classic hit while stunning images of the Rocky Mountains filled Sphere's giant video screen.
"Take It Easy," Eagles' first single was released in 1972. For more than half a century Eagles have been one of the world's most popular bands. Although they broke up for a while, radio never stopped playing their songs, and their fans never stopped buying their records. The Eagles' album "Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)" remains the best-selling album of all time in the United States. "Hotel California" still ranks 3rd. Worldwide those are still the 5th and 6th best-selling albums, respectively.
Eagles have sold more than 200 million records. They've released six number-one albums containing five number-one singles. They've won six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked the band at #75 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time - a ranking I think is much too low. Eagles should easily have been top 20... or perhaps top 10.
I don't know how long Eagles will continue to perform live. But we know they're currently scheduled to play at Sphere through April 12th. So go see 'em. The concert tickets are outrageously expensive. They're worth every penny.
U2 at Sphere: Is It Live, or Is It Memorex?
December 13, 2024 9:44am
We had a great time at Sphere last night for the U2 concert. But U2 wasn't there - not in person anyway.
I attended the October 27, 2023 U2 concert at Sphere (a live performance). During that residency, a U2 concert was filmed for playback at Sphere's amazing, one-of-a-kind, 16K wrap-around video screen. That film, titled "V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas," was shown last night at Sphere.
To compare the "Live versus Memorex" performance, I wanted to sit in the exact same seat I was in for last year's live show. But seats in that section were not available for sale. Fortunately, seats in an adjacent section were available. So I sat in the same row (Row 17) on the other side of the aisle; about five feet from my live concert seat (which was Section 208, Row 17, Seat 1). It was close enough to replicate the experience.
So how did the film compare to the live show? If you didn't know it was a movie, you wouldn't know it was a movie. For decades, it has been easy for recorded audio to sound live. Now, with the technology used at Sphere, it is also possible for video to appear as live (in a Sphere-like venue where the video screen fills one's full peripheral vision).
With our rapid advances in AI video technology, I foresee new concerts featuring Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Queen, The Doors, and others one day coming to life in Sphere-like venues. The deceased artist I'd most like to see like that is Harry Chapin.
Last year's blog post about the live concert and Sphere's mind-blowing technology is online at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/blog/231028-1712
A second Sphere post is online at www.TheMikeBatesShow.com/blog/231031-2223
Florida's CD-1 Congressional Candidates Meet with Voters in Navarre
December 10, 2024 11:16pm
I was the emcee & moderator for yesterday's three hour forum with the Republican candidates seeking to replace Matt Gaetz in Congress. Eight of the ten candidates were present at the venue. Trump-endorsed Jimmy Patronis, who was out of town, participated by telephone but only for a two minute introductory speech. He did not remain on the phone for any questions.
The eight candidates in the room answered my questions about immigration, tax policy, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, Taiwan, Social Security, energy independence, tariffs, infrastructure, the environment, education, and more. The public asked questions of the candidates during the last third of the event. In between my questions and the public's questions, I had the candidates ask questions of each other. That pretty much never happens at debates. But when I moderate such events, I always ask the organizers if I can include candidate to candidate questioning. It's usually approved, and it becomes the most memorable part of the forums.
With ten candidates and no runoff, it is possible for a Republican to win the nomination with less than 11% of the vote. The Pensacola News Journal story quoted me about this: "Moderator Mike Bates, a talk-show host with WPNN, pointed out that with such a crowded field, it’s possible for someone to win with less than 11% of the vote. 'Now, I'm not predicting that's going to happen,' Bates said. 'It's not going to happen. But if there's 10 candidates, and nine of them each get 9.9% of the vote, that's 89.1%. So the remaining candidate could win with 10.9% because there's no runoff. So every vote will matter.'”
The Republican primary will be held January 28th. There is no Democrat primary because only one Democrat is in the race. The general election will be held on April 1st.
Some of the media coverage of the event can be seen at these websites:
Pensacola News Journal: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/12/09/gaetz-special-election-republicans-battle-against-jimmy-patronis/76860431007/
Yahoo: https://www.yahoo.com/news/republican-candidates-florida-congressional-district-032907819.html
Come Meet FL-1's Congressional Candidates
December 8, 2024 8:08am
Matt Gaetz resigned from the 118th Congress the day President-Elect Donald Trump nominated him to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Then when it became evident the Senate would not confirm him, he withdrew from the nomination. But back on November 5th, Matt Gaetz was elected to the 119th Congress. That means he could be sworn in on January 3rd if he wanted to be. But he doesn't want it. He's out. Period.
Consequently, Florida's First Congressional District will be without a Representative in Congress until the first week of April. The special election to fill the vacant seat will be held April 1st. The primary for that will be held on January 28th. But only Republicans will participate because Gay Valimont, the sole Democrat candidate, automatically advances to the general election.
Ten candidates have qualified for that Republican primary. In alphabetical order, they are Aaron Dimmock, Kevin Gaffney, Jeff Macey, Greg Merk, John Mills, Jimmy Patronis, Jeff Peacock, Joel Rudman, Michael Dylan Thompson, and Gene Valentino.
Voters will have the opportunity to meet those candidates tomorrow (12/9/24) during the Florida CD-1 Candidate Forum at The Grille House/Emerald on Highway 98 in Navarre (8491 Navarre Parkway) from 11:00am - 3:00pm.
The forum is presented by the Republican Executive Committees of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties. The program will feature candidate speeches, debates, and town hall engagement with voters. I will serve as emcee and moderator.
The event is free and open to the public. It is not necessary to RSVP. Just show up! A buffet and beverage service will be provided. I hope to see you there!
TSA = Tyrants Searching Atrociously
November 12, 2024 7:11pm
TSA, the so-called "Transportation Security Administration," does very little for transportation security. But they sure do a lot for inconveniencing American citizens trying to exercise their right to travel.
I have been fully vetted for TSA's Global Entry program, which includes Pre-Check. Pre-Check usually means expedited clearance because shoes remain on, liquids need not be separated, and laptops can remain in luggage. Travelers with Pre-Check usually walk through an old-fashioned metal detector rather than the newer backscatter machines. But having Pre-Check does not exempt someone from further screening or scrutiny. And so began my ordeal at Chicago's O'Hare airport this morning.
After placing my luggage on the conveyor belt, I walked through the metal detector. No metal was detected. But I was told by the agent that I needed to walk back through and step aside to await further screening. I had been "randomly" selected for more detailed screening despite having cleared the standard procedures. So I waited. And waited. And waited.
I could not see my luggage at the other end of the conveyor belt. Eventually, an agent came over and told me to empty my pockets, put my wallet and passport into a bin, and go through the backscatter machine.
Knowing that my wallet would be going through the x-ray machine out of my view, and knowing that TSA agents are known for stealing from travelers, (not to mention any traveler who would be able to steal my wallet while I was undergoing the anal probe) I told the agent I would carry my wallet through, and if it needed to be inspected by hand he could do so. He told me again to put my wallet and passport in the bin. I again refused. This, by the way, is absolutely my right. His demand violated TSA's own protocols & procedures.
I proceeded through the backscatter machine without incident. But then came the hand inspection of the wallet. He emptied my wallet of all cash, receipts, and credit cards. He tried to remove my driver's license also, but he couldn't get it to budge. Then, because hiding explosives between dollar bills must be a common thing for terrorists, he proceeded to separate every bill as if he was dealing cards at a poker table. He did the same thing with my credit cards. Perhaps fearing that my receipts would be used as kindling to start a fire on the plane, he separated each of those as well. I was left with an empty wallet and its former contents scattered.
When he began to put things back into my wallet, I said, "I'll put those back. You don't know where any of it goes." He responded, "OK. Have a nice day." My response was "Yeah, it's too late for that now." After reorganizing my wallet, I wormed my way through the crowd to the end of the conveyor belt to retrieve my luggage.
Why was there a crowd at the conveyor belt? Because my luggage was still on it, thus squishing everyone else's luggage into the cramped space just past the x-ray machine tunnel. The entire ordeal took about 15 minutes.
Despite being vetted with a background check, I and/or my luggage gets selected for additional screening about 70% of the time I travel. That doesn't seem random to me.
Today's incident is now added to my other problems with TSA: Chicago (a few years ago), Newark, Columbia, Juneau, Seattle, Richmond, Las Vegas, West Palm Beach, Washington, and others I don't specifically recall at the moment.
TSA is horrible. And they have never caught a terrorist. But they've let many terrorists through. That's facts.
Kenosha, Wisconsin at the Scene of No Crime
November 11, 2024 8:24pm
As I wrote in 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse committed no crime in Kenosha. Yet Leftist prosecutors charged him with five felonies; not to seek justice, but to appease the violent mob.
Yet even that did not satisfy the mob. So-called "journalists" called him a murderer. Big Tech deleted posts that explained why Kyle's actions were both necessary and lawful. Twitter banned his defense attorney from posting true facts about the case. GoFundMe cancelled the online campaign to raise funds to pay for his legal defense. A police officer in Virginia was fired when his superiors learned he had donated to Kyle's defense fund. Collectively, those actions comprised a disgusting, all hands attack on an innocent man. And on American values.
It is important to note that Big Tech's censorship was one-sided. Anyone could post anything they wanted about Kyle Rittenhouse as long as it fit the Left's narrative that he was guilty as sin. Twitter's refusal to allow Kyle's defense attorney to correct the lies was a disgraceful abuse of that platform's power and influence. GoFundMe said they terminated the fundraiser because their Terms of Service prohibit raising money for the legal defense of an alleged violent crime. What? Only non-violent criminals deserve the presumption of innocence and a right to counsel??? And while firing the policeman was an egregious violation of the officer's First Amendment Rights, it's actually worse because the officer's identity only came to be known after an illegal data breach.
On November 19, 2021, I watched the Rittenhouse verdicts being read live on TV. Within a minute, I posted ten words on my Facebook page. Those words were "NOT GUILTY! NOT GUILTY! NOT GUILTY! NOT GUILTY! NOT GUILTY!" (one for each of the five verdicts). Less than five minutes later, Facebook removed my post and notified me that I was suspended from the platform for 30 days.
The Kyle Rittenhouse case is a very important chapter in American history - not just because it highlighted the lawful right to justified self defense, but because it exposed the Left's dangerous monopoly on conversations of national importance.
I was in Kenosha yesterday, so I sought out the locations of the self defense shootings that made headlines around the world. The photos I took are above.
LEFT PHOTO: The car lot at the northwest corner of Sheridan Rd. & 63rd St. where Kyle Rittenhouse properly defended his life when he was unlawfully attacked by Joseph Rosenbaum.
RIGHT PHOTO: Farther north on Sheridan Road where Kyle Rittenhouse properly defended his life when he was unlawfully attacked by Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz.
Touchdown Jesus at The University of Notre Dame
November 10, 2024 7:07am
On November 26, 1842, The University of Notre Dame was founded in South Bend, Indiana by eight Catholic priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fourteen months later, on January 15, 1844, the University was officially chartered by the Indiana legislature. The university has since grown to become one of America's finest institutions of higher learning.
Lead by legendary head coach Knute Rockne, the "Fighting Irish" football team brought great notoriety to the school and secured its place in American culture. "The Spirit of Notre Dame" film was released in 1931. Nine years later, Rockne himself was the subject of the "Knute Rockne All American" movie. And while some of the details of 1993's "Rudy" were fictionalized, it was based on the true story of Notre Dame football player Rudy Ruettiger. Notre Dame has certainly earned its status as one of the premier teams and most iconic sports stadiums in the United States.
So with the Florida State Seminoles facing the Irish at Notre Dame this season, I jumped at the opportunity to attend the game. The campus was beautiful, and the people could not have been more welcoming and accommodating. I enjoyed lunch the day before Saturday's game at Legends located on campus just south of the stadium. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart was spectacular. I even attended the Midnight Drum Circle pep rally in front of the gold-domed Main Building. There weren't many of us wearing garnet and gold at that pep rally, but we were treated respectfully by those wearing Irish colors.
Although I was excited to be there, the game itself was disappointing but not surprising. With the Seminoles' lousy 1 - 9 season, I knew we'd lose. But I didn't expect the loss to be 52 - 3. Despite the scoreboard, my first football game at Notre Dame was still a fun experience.
But my visit to Notre Dame University wasn't just about football. I also attended a lecture by Gerard Baker, Editor-at-Large for The Wall Street Journal. It was held in the Jordan Auditorium at Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. The topic was "Unpacking the Election: Where Do We Go From Here?" The lecture was worthwhile - as was the entire trip.