That Eric Alper! - April 19, 2012

Cigar box guitars are often associated with the Depression era, when regular guitars were handmade and cost a great deal of money. People didn’t have extra income to buy guitars, so they got creative. They got a wooden cigar box, put a hole in it for the sound to get out, put a stick in it and a few wires from the screen door -- and a guitar was born. Actually, cigar box guitars go back much further than that. There's evidence that they were around as early as the 1840s, and similar primitive or primal instruments go back even further. And here’s how you can make one for yourself, or a kid in your family to start your own band: http://bit.ly/IUZrgq

Dick Clark, the music industry maverick, longtime TV host and powerhouse producer who changed the way we listened to pop music with "American Bandstand," and whose trademark "Rockin' Eve" became a fixture of New Year's celebrations, died yesterday at the age of 82. Clark began his lifelong career in show business before he was even out of high school. He started working in the mailroom of WRUN, a radio station in upstate New York run by his father and uncle. It wasn't long before the teenager was on the air, filling in for the weatherman and the announcer, since from the age of 13, he knew he wanted to be on radio and TV. And that’s what we can learn most from him – do what you love to do, and follow your passion. Thanks for the music – and my choices for the Top American bandstand performances: http://wp.me/p26Qb8-1xr

Accused felons on the lam are bragging about their exploits online—and police are using the evidence against them: http://wp.me/p26Qb8-1wb

These are the things that keep you up at night, I know. Taxes….did you leave the light on outside…and what exactly is the name of the Captain from those Crunch cereal boxes? Well, you’re welcome - 15 Cartoon Characters Whose Real Names You Never Knew: http://wp.me/p26Qb8-1wu

Here’s a brilliant quote from Tom Waits. We could all learn from this: http://wp.me/p26Qb8-1x0

Time Magazine has released their 100 Most Influential People in the World. I missed it AGAIN! http://ti.me/HQ5J06