Videos: June 22, 2010

The good folks at Iowa Public Television have put together this spot. I’m pretty sure you’ll learn something about your statewide network that you didn’t know before.

Are you ready to make your support public for IPTV?

Now to another great find on the internet. This one is a true webgem. I love the Charlie Brown Christmas special. I love the good folks at KWWL-TV. Now you can have the two together. This was purely put together for fun. A huge thanks to everyone’s friend and Waterloo native, Romelle Slaughter, or @RHS76 for sharing this one. You’ll think of Ron Steele and Rick Coleman in a whole new light.

If you’ve missed some of my previous video posts, you still have a chance.
Did you miss Chris Hassel dressed as Cornhusker?

Maybe the 8-month-old hearing for the first time?
Or a baseball manager going nuts on the field?

The PR guy who gets too close?
Or the bad TV reporter stand up?

And still one of my favorites, Jim Brockmire.

Dan, Chris and the unwritten rules

(Image from WHOTV.com)

I feel sometimes I’ve become a press agent for friends. But that is part of the fun, sharing information with others who might not otherwise see it.

The first is a video by Chris Hassel. This is Chris as a Nebraska Cornhuskers fan talking about the Husker’s move to the Big 10 from the Big 12. I believe the official name of the video is “A Cornhusker Fan gives His Take on Big 10 Expansion.”
The video is a little offensive, but funny. Chris can certainly stay in character. Here again is the link. It is from Sunday’s SoundOff on WHO-TV. Chris’ video may come back again at someday. Keith Murphy said earlier today this video is a huge hit on WHOTV.com.

Dan Wardell featured in Des Moines

The next item comes from a current co-worker featuring Dan Wardell. He’s featured in the Father’s Day issue of Des Moines’ Juice. Dan is in the middle of his reading road trip. Thursday he’ll be in Ankeny at the Kirkendall Library for IPTV.

Will we see you there? I know Noah and I are planning to go and see the giant story Dan has created this year.

The Baseball Codes - Jason Turbow

And now a book written by a friend’s friend. It is called The Baseball Codes, written by Jason Turbow and Michael Duca. Turbow is not from Iowa, but his wife is and a graduate of West Des Moines Valley High School. Turbow will be in Iowa later this summer, so expect to see more on this story as the days go by.

A big thanks to Dave Feingold for the tip on the baseball book.

Now I’ve got to read that one and The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst.

2 great videos – June 15

Sorry this is a bit late, but I’ve got two good videos to see.

They are of the extreme. One is a little salty, the other is very sweet.

Let’s start sweet.

I first saw this from the new media editor Sam Suttle at the Sioux City Journal. Then a few others have shared it. As a parent, this will make you smile and maybe even cry.

Now that you’ve gathered the kids around to watch that video, they must now leave the room.
This one came from Deadspin on Friday, then Mike Van Gorkom sent it out as well.
This is Wally Backman, former New York Met and in this video, a manager of a pro team in Georgia. Here’s the link to the article.

This is a little extreme on the language, but damn funny to hear what exactly managers say during their argument with the umpire.

Here’s the link to the video.

Summer at IPTV

The view from behind home as IPTV was at Modern Woodman Park in Davenport in 2009.

Summer means road trips for Iowa Public Television.

Many of us hit the road for various projects.

There’s getting ready for the Iowa State Fair with some prep pieces (any ideas click here), Iowa’s Simple Pleasures and Saturday in the Park in Sioux City. Maybe more Lenka this year?

Dan Wardell brings the squid show to Ankeny.

Then there’s the real Iowa Traveller, (sorry Cary J) Dan Wardell. He gets to almost every library in Iowa during the summer months.

This week Dan goes to Council Bluffs, Hamburg, Essex, Lenox (home of O. Kay Henderson of Radio Iowa), Lamoni (if it doesn’t wash away because of all the rain they’ve had this month), Murray and Moulton.

So what will you see in Dan’s story this year?

Hypno-parrots. Trying to make a whale laugh. Bullfighting with a minotaur. These unique story elements are part of Dan Wardell’s original story for the fourth-annual Reading Road Trip! These and other fun topics will help Dan tell a story that encourages kids to turn off the TV and spend time playing outside and reading.

Follow Dan’s adventures by visiting http://www.iptv.org/dantastic. Check back often – you won’t want to miss a day!

I’ll let you know where I’ll be headed here. Last year there were Iowa Journal stories in the Midwest League, wineries and the Park Inn Hotel. Those stories were also for Simple Pleasures. BTW, if you have an idea for Iowa’s Simple Pleasures, drop me an email to IPTVPaul@gmail.com or post it below in the comments for all to see.

Honk or take a picture of IPTV when it shows up in your town. We’ll post the pic here.

3 videos to see, or avoid

The interwebs is on overdrive this week, full of great material for your consumption.

Some of these are clips you’ve probably already heard about or seen, but now I’ve put them all in once place for you to share, or avoid.

These are my three favorite videos of the week.

The first involves the good folks in Sioux City. Apparently, they built that city on rock and roll. I thought Starship had already done that, but I guess not.

Former KTIV reporter Melissa Lanzourakis is now with the city and put together a video that’s gone viral and brought some big reactions.

Bret Hayworth of the Sioux City Journal looks at the political impacts of the video.

Samantha Shuttle of the Sioux City Journal put together a couple of links as well.

And now, without further ado, Sioux City’s version of “We Built This City on Rock and Roll.”

The next video is painful television. It has been grouped together on the internet. This involves some TV stations duped or conned or just plain silly about inviting a self-proclaimed yo-yo champ on their air. Specifically morning and noon shows when all bets are off and any guest is usually welcome to fill the time.

This guy got some good play on Deadspin. Their headline of Yo-yo trickster fools every tv station everywhere is very accurate.

My last video pick of the week is from the boys at Funny or Die. It involves sportscasters and Hank Azaria. Hank is the voice of almost everyone on the Simpsons and knocks it out of the park on this bit. Even a few Godfather references and lots of good baseball stuff, too. Here now, the Legend of Jim Brockmire.

Gamechangers Ep 3: A Legend in the Booth with Hank Azaria from Hank Azaria

Day 9 – Indefinite Ending

We are now in a holding pattern.

Amy is another Iowan stuck in Europe because of the Iceland volcano. And it looks like it will stay that way for a while. Sunday was an emotional day as we all found out Amy will be staying in Holland for an indefinite amount of time. Her Monday flight is already cancelled and then it looked like a Thursday departure from Spain after a 17 hour car ride. Now that’s on hold with a slight chance of who knows when she’ll return. She’s on Uncle John’s dime, so they are paying for all of this financially and I think the rest of us are paying emotionally. Deere’s got a few other there now, so Amy’s not alone. Here traveling party is 3. They will head back to Horst and begin another week.

We have a calm week on the docket here. But, a week from today is Noah’s 4th birthday.

Levi and Noah return from church with all smiles.

Sunday was filled of fun in Jesup including a trip to American Lutheran Church. Pastor Dawn is so good at remembering the names of children. Noah has likely been in my home church 6 times over his 4 years of life. But she remembers Noah’s name without prompting each time. A gift for the congregation indeed. We got to see a few people who knew me as a kid and see how Noah is the same as his father. Both boys were well-behaved, so that was a relief.

Then we came home to the farm and packed up all the stuff we travel with. I took my time as my Aunt Lynda, cousin Laura and friend Kristin were making the trip from Jefferson. The three of them were headed to (Great) Aunt Eve’s house for a little exploring of the stuff in there. Kristin has fun looking for hidden treasures. Here’s a look at what she likes to do as chronicled on her blog.

Noah is ready to hit the ball out of the park.

Noah and I got a little one on one time to play some baseball. He likes to play and is getting better. A little running around gets his blood going and hopefully worn out quicker. Plus Levi needed to spend time inside charming everyone again.

Noah’s throwing has improved and he was cracking dad up with his ability to shake off the catcher’s signals with a nod of the head ‘no’ and ‘yes’. Then Dad recited the story of how I created Busch and Yeager Stadium in the backyard when I was a kid. Complete with the detail of the backstop I made, painted disc blades for bases and even a pitcher’s mound. That was a great field. Third base was always exciting, that’s usually where the bee hive was in the grass.

Levi and Noah sleep on the trip home.

As the three of them will explored, the boys and I hit the road. By La Porte City, Levi was out and Noah was all but asleep. Levi slept the entire 2 hour trip home. Good for him to nap that long, bad that he stayed up until almost 9 tonight. Noah’s nap also extended his day until nearly 830. It is ok, we just have fun together while awake.

And the Yeager Boys Home Alone II continues.

Day 6 rains down volcanic ash on our fun

Who knew that a volcano in Iceland would lead to a lot more fun for us here in Ankeny?

This is what happens when you sleep, Levi.

After a great night of sleep by the smiling gentleman pictured at left, following Day 5, which didn’t happen on Day 4, I turned on the news in the morning to see that volcanic ash is shutting down airports all over Europe. Including Amsterdam. That’s where Amy was to fly out late Thursday. Emphasis on the word was.

That has changed our plans a bit. Amy will get a couple of extra days in Europe and I get a couple of extra days with the boys by myself in the YBHAII.

Now we have to make alternate plans, but that will be the fun part.

Where to go? Plenty of nice offers from friends and family to help out, but we may make another trip to Grandma Honey’s house. That was hit in the first round of fun back in February.

Noah and Levi still smiling after a few days with their dad.

After another bit of help from Wil and Paula, the boys and I will head north to Jesup and Shady Grove. Farmer Papa just had a birthday, now Noah can now say Happy Birthday in person, instead of in this video. Dad is in the field, so maybe Noah can enjoy a tractor ride or something. Today, though, it was Papa Fish and not Farmer Papa.

Another great day to be at Principal Park in Des Moines and the I-Cubs.

I declared today in the name of Ferris Bueller and took the day off. The Memphis Redbirds only come to Des Moines twice a year and today was the last game of the homestand. I enjoy seeing the future of the St. Louis Cardinals organization. The regulars were not in Section 10, so I sat next to Uncle Jerry Grady. Jerry will be retiring from IPTV in a little over a month after close to 35 years in the production department. More on Jerry as we get closer to the big day.

Before the game started, I ran into former Wartburg football player Mark Hargrafen. Harv as he was known at Wartburg is now a cardiac nurse in Des Moines. Turns out, Harv is good friends with a friend of Jerry’s, so we sat and chatted for most of the game.

It is a small world afterall.

By the way, Cardinal fans, Rich Hill, now pitching for Memphis, did not look good. Rough outing for Rich.

Time to start packing and getting ready for the trip north. We’ll see what new adventures Day 7 brings us.

Finally some blood in Day 4 of YBHA

Noah gets a little ice cream after supper.

Just about 3 minutes I after I hit publish on the account of Day 3 saying we’d had no blood, Noah started crying.

He had a bloody nose.

He’d been asleep for about 2 hours when he woke up somewhat scared and bleeding. He got through it and we made it to the morning with no more bloody noses.

I’d say we had a few other things go our way, but I won’t jinx myself by writing what those things are.

Levi was wearing his Cardinal shirt for the first and probably only time.

Levi slept until 545, so that was a good thing to not have to get up with him several times overnight. But, tonight will be a new adventure, I’m sure. It already was a challenge in getting him to sleep tonight. That means I better get a move on this post to get finished.

Levi was all smiles this morning as we found in this video. Also, Noah decides to tell his joke as well while eating breakfast. Hopefully he’s got his Grandpa Yeager’s joke telling ability. By the way, today is Kent Yeager’s birthday. Here’s a birthday greeting to Farmer Papa in this link. Below is the fun times this morning in the Yeager household.

This video is almost a response to the first time he told it on camera which is seen here.

During Easter dinner, my father didn’t hear Noah telling the joke. So, he asked Noah to repeat it. Noah did and recited the lines very slowly. Classic. That was almost funnier than the original.

Principal Park, Memphis Redbirds at Iowa Cubs. April 13, 2010.

Anyway, I got the lawn mowed and a couple of things done before heading to Principal Park to see the Memphis Redbirds play the Iowa Cubs. The Memphis team is the AAA affiliate of your St. Louis Cardinals, so that is the one series I try to make it to all the games. A few co-workers made the trip, so that was fun. Jay even made the network some money while were there eating up some vacation hours.

Good night and we’re almost half-way home to having Mama back in the house.

Quality of Life on the next Iowa Journal

We are holding our Music Education show for a couple of weeks until May 6. This week we look at some of our best stories from the last couple of years that contribute to the Quality of Life in the state. This show will feature the Midwest League teams in Iowa, Columbus Junction, Daytrotter and other fun stories.

Next week we will look at some of the green stories we’ve done. Beer comes your way April 29.

Quality of Life in Iowa

On the Thursday, April 15 edition of The Iowa Journal

(Johnston, Iowa) –Thursday’s episode of The Iowa Journal will look at several characteristics that contribute to the state’s quality of life. This program airs Thursday, April 15 at 8 p.m. It will be rebroadcast Friday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. on statewide Iowa Public Television and Saturday, April 17 at 8:30 a.m. on IPTV WORLD. It is also available online at iptv.org/iowajournal.

This edition looks back at several episodes of The Iowa Journal produced over the previous two years that underscore some of the core values that makes Iowa a great place to live.

Featured segments will explore:

-baseball’s Midwest League that has teams in four eastern Iowa communities.

-the community spirit of citizens in one southern Iowa town who helped each other recover from the 2008 floods.

-people who moved to Iowa by choice and have set down roots.

-Iowa’s evolving music industry.

-the prevalence of art in public places.

For more information about The Iowa Journal, visit http://www.iptv.org/iowajournal or call (515) 242-3146. For information on how to watch IPTV WORLD in your area, visit Iptv.org.

2 Men You Should Know

Two funerals held Saturday honored a pair of men you’ve probably never heard of in your travels. What you missed out on, was the opportunity to know these great men.

The two, not related, other than in my travels, died this week.

Elden Allen Reisetter. Photo from Ankeny Funeral Home.

Elden Reisetter died Maundy Thursday in Des Moines. It marked almost a year since we last saw Elden full-time at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Ankeny. Elden had been a member for 26 years. He participated in Bible study, read scriptures and sang in the choir.

Pastor Rick Biedermann added in an email to the congregation this week, “We give thanks for the promise of new life given to Elden Reisetter.”

Choir is where I got to know Elden. That was fun.

Elden was a tenor. A good one in his day and beyond. A talented musician, Elden taught band for years. This included stops in Dumont, Garner and Johnston. I’m not shy about my Wartburg College degree and somehow Wartburg came up one night and Elden said he went there, too. This came after growing up in Allison.

Elden had perfect pitch and loved to sing. He was a man who loved to sing barbershop. Some of his barbershop friends sang at his funeral.

As tenor section leader Scott Kirstein said today, “Godspeed, Elden. Save us some room in the choir loft.”

The full obituary for Eldon is here. I’ll post the full text below.

Harold "Hoop" Timmons. Image from Coburn Funeral Homes

The second one you may not enjoy unless you enjoy small town life. This is the story about a guy known simply by one name. If you grew up in Prairie City, everyone knew Hoop.

Harold “Hoop” Timmons spent years working at the Prairie City Co-Op. But it was a book that vaulted Hoop from local hero to world-wide literary audience.
Prairie City, Iowa: Three Seasons at Home, By Douglas Bauer gave the world the story of ‘Hoop’ Timmons.

Prairie City, Iowa

Bauer returned home to Prairie City in the 1970s to write a book about where he grew up. Bauer was able to re-connect with a childhood idol, Timmons, writing about Hoop’s job at the Co-Op, his softball playing skills and the legend that was Hoop. You can read some of the book here. The book was published by the University of Iowa Press. The book was re-released in 2008 with a new cover and gave a new generation the story of Prairie City.

I meet Hoop as a kid while visiting my grandfather Harry Wassenaar on the farm my mother grew up on just south of Prairie City. Mom’s brother Gordon Wassenaar still farms that land. It was Gordon who showed me the light of being a St. Louis Cardinal fan. Gordon also is the holder of my Iowa Cubs season tickets. One of Gordon’s seatmates was Hoop’s brother, Gary.

Part of Friday’s game was spent passing around Hoop’s obit to the guys in Section 10. Hoop would occasionally sit with us and it was always fun to bend his ear or hear him talk about his grandkids and their sporting activities.

Hoop’s obit is here.

Harold D. Timmons

Harold D. “Hoop” Timmons, age 82 of Prairie City, died Tuesday, April 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie City Church of the Brethren, with burial following at Waveland Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 9, 2010, from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Coburn Funeral Home in Prairie City. The family will greet friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the John Stoddard Cancer Center or the Prairie City Church of the Brethren and condolences may be left for the family at http://www.coburnfuneralhomes.com.
The son of Gail H. and Myrtle (Dykstra) Timmons, Harold was born on September 14, 1927, in Prairie City. He graduated from Prairie City High School in 1945. Harold served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. On June 23, 1962, he was united in marriage to Virginia Mullins. He worked at the Farmers Coop for over 30 years. Following his retirement, he worked at Prairie Meadows. Harold was a member of the Prairie City Church of the Brethren. He was an avid baseball fan, especially the Cubs, and played on the local softball team in his younger years. Harold also enjoyed dancing and gardening.
Those left to honor his memory, Virginia, his wife of 47 years; a daughter, Diane (Steve) Zimmerman of Topeka, Kansas, sons Dean (Molly) Timmons and Dwight Timmons both of Prairie City; five grandchildren, Angela (Scott) Ludwig, Jared Zimmerman, Amy Zimmerman, Kurtis and Keith Timmons; three great grandchildren, Dominic and Acacia Gering and Adley Ludwig; a brother, Gary (Donna) Timmons of Prairie City and a sister in law, Elvie Timmons of Des Moines. Preceding him in death were his parents, a brother, Max in 2002, a grandson, Kyle in 1992, and a great granddaughter, Adysen in 2008.

Memorials:
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the John Stoddard Cancer Center or the Prairie City Church of the Brethren

Visitation:
Visitation will be held on Friday, April 9, 2010, from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Coburn Funeral Home in Prairie City. The family will greet friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Service:
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie City Church of the Brethren

Cemetery:
Waveland Cemetery

And here is Elden’s full obituary.

Elden Allen Reisetter

Elden Allen Reisetter, 79, of Des Moines, passed peacefully at the Veteran’s Administration Living Center on Thursday, April 1st, 2010.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, April 10th at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 517 Southwest Des Moines Street in Ankeny. Burial will be at the Greenwood Cemetery in rural Ellsworth, IA at 1:30 PM. Visitation will be 6 to 8 PM on Friday, April 9th at Ankeny Funeral Home.
Elden was born in Hampton, IA on March 31, 1931, baptized and confirmed in Allison’s St. James Lutheran Church. He graduated from Allison High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree in music from Wartburg College and a Master’s Degree in music from the University of Iowa.
Following his service with the United States Army Band, he taught instrumental music in Iowa’s Dumont, Garner, and Johnston schools.
As an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for 26 years, Elden sang baritone in the choir, participated in bible study and read scriptures at Sunday services. He also donated time with the Gideons of Iowa.
An enthusiastic performer, he was recognized for more than 50 years of entertaining audiences with the River City and Pride of Iowa Barbershop Choruses. He also kept the rhythm alive playing string bass in numerous bands, most recently the Johnston Station Jazz Band.
Constantly in motion, he ran the Iowa Classic Dam to Dam 20k 15 times, finished the Des Moines marathon in 4:19:00 (in pouring rain), achieved a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do at age 72, and followed that with an international pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
When not lacing his running, bowling or golfing shoes, he could be found gracing the parquet of famous dance halls like the Lake Robbins Ballroom. Elden also enjoyed his heritage; tracing both sides of his family tree and frequently attending annual Reisetter reunions.
Although his activities were many, he always offered a hand to those in need – be it an escort to the doctor, a trip to the store or just a friendly chat. His sense of humor, ever present grin and joy of spirit was infectious. He will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he enriched.
A special thank you to those who, in his last months, made his life richer with care and friendship; from all the staff at the VA Hospital and CLC, his friends in faith at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and especially his angelic neighbors.
Elden is preceded in death by his parents Edward and Anna. Those celebrating his memory include his son, Erik (Susan), of Newport, MN, and his daughter, Gretchen, of Golden Valley, MN; their mother, Nancy, of Golden Valley; his sister, Carrie Ann (Reverend Ervin Langholz of Sun City, AZ); his nephews, David (Melissa) Langholz of Walker, MI; John (Karen) Langholz of Bann, Germany; Paul (Laurel) Langholz of Cedar Rapids, IA; and Mark (Lori) Langholz of Grafton, WI; as well as many more relatives and friends.
As a memorial, all flowers will be shared with the veterans and staff of the VA Hospital in Des Moines.