Tony Rollo Blog
Computer Password Inventor and WWII Navy Veteran Fernando Corbato Passes from Earth at Age 93
Fernando Corbato is to the Computer Industry like a water spring is to a mighty river. Computer password inventor Fernando Corbato got hooked on debugging systems when he was serving in the United States Navy during WWII. He went on to get a PhD in physics at MIT and went straight to work upon graduation […]
Music Genius Leon Redbone Passes From This Earth a few Hours ago …
I was sad to hear that one of my musical heroes left the planet. I loved Leon Redbone. I never had the opportunity to meet him – yet, his unique historical jazz style became a favorite of mine when I was in high school in the 1970s. It was ever so classy. I own original […]
Charlie Parker – Saxophone Master – Bird – Studio Recordings on this day – Yardbird Becomes A Legend On This Day in History
Bird – Yardbird – Charlie Parker … Whatever they called him. On this day in history, he made his first studio recordings in Dallas and the world of music was never the same. In 1941 Charlie Parker makes a side in his first commercial recording session in Dallas, TX for Decca Records. Playing the alto […]
New Car Sales Falling – My Solution – Buy A Better Car – Crown Victoria Police Interceptor – My New Dream Car
According to reports by CNBC, MSN Money and pretty much ever other indicator … New car sales are falling like a rock. This is understandable because new cars are complete junk. People are getting hip that new cars are just flashy junk piles on wheels … Car manufacturers who are shoving the latest technology into […]
CBS News Reporter is Scammed – New CBS News Internet Phishing Report – What Everyone Should Know
A CBS News reporter recently fell victim to an internet phishing scam. We can and should pay attention to all the reports of scams on the internet. This particular style of criminal activity is called “spear-phishing” … Below is a link to the article on CBS News – However, please do not fall for all […]
Wow! Today is the anniversary of Mercury Atlas Six !!! Friendship 7 and John Glenn
Friendship 7 Three times around the Earth piloted by John Glenn … The FIRST American astronaut to orbit the Earth in a space craft. The FIRST astronaut to do so. A time when Americans had that kind of GUTS to do such achievements. Can we look death in the face like that?
Nashville Private Detective – The Secrets of Phishing Expeditions With Modern Pirates Using Paypal Identities to Steal You Blind
I had a good friend in my past who was a private detective in Nashville. Unfortunately, he has passed away. Yet – he led a very full and interesting life. He occasionally sought my help with photographic evidence that needed expert enhancing of details. We developed a very close friendship. My friend the detective took […]
1775 John Hancock Wedding Announcement – Love Takes No Pause … As All Hell Breaks Loose –
On September the 4th of 1775, the New York Gazette newspaper carried the wedding announcement of John Hancock. John Hancock was the present President of the Continental Congress in 1775 – 1775 was a year of terrible events in America – Boston was burning with turmoil. … and delegates from the colonies were arriving for […]
Happy Birthday to John Backus – the Man Who Dared to Make Computers Understand “IF”
Perhaps the greatest innovation in the history of computers was when the concept of “IF” was made to computers to understand in a language that computers could understand … John Backus was born on this day in Philadelphia in the year 1924 … He went to college but was not a great student. He then […]
Script Table Reading – When a Script Comes Alive – Benjamin Franklin Lives enters Post Production
My post production in “Benjamin Franklin Lives” has entered the final works. International actors have all recorded their parts and it is now the time to put all the pieces together. Then – … the pieces envisioned takes a life upon its own. It is now voiced. The paper script now finds a voice with […]
For Roy Clark – Funny Man and Guitar Virtuoso –
I was able to meet Roy Clark briefly in my past work in audio production backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. My meeting him was in passing in the long halls backstage at the Opry. That’s just how Roy Clark rolled. In and out just in time. Always in time. I also had a business […]
Today’s Reality – Artificial Intelligence Means No More Real People Informing Us on TV or Real Actors Entertaining Us
This is not a whimsical view into the future – This is not Science Fiction – This is TODAY – Here is a short video introducing an AI news anchor developed by the Chinese: World’s first AI news anchor makes China debut New China TV Published on Nov 8, 2018 Last month, a hologram of […]
A Halloween Horror Story For Vegans and Vegetarians – Oh My Potato! An Original Essay by Tony Rollo
Oh, potato, my potato. What is the desire to your fate? I dug you from the ground in our garden just today. It has been a season after my wife once inserted you into the ground last year as a simple plug. And now – here you are, still alive – Taken from your roots. […]
Star Trek Season Three (3) of the Original Series STTOS – A Theory of What Killed the Original Star Trek
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury – I put it to you – that the classic Star Trek television series was primarily killed off from a mortal wound suffered by leading off season three with the episode “Spock’s Brain”. When a presentation is made – it is best to lead off with the strongest point […]
Breaking the Sound Barrier on This Day 1947
In the 1960s as a small boy, I would experience the sound of sonic booms from Air Force jets on maneuvers from Tyndall and Eglin Air Force basses in northern Florida. It was a really cool sound to hear and feel. In olden days, a bullwhip would crack – the tip of the whip would […]
Last Chance To Eat Before Skylab Hits
Another “space lab” launched by China is going to come crashing back to Earth. But this time – the Chinese say they have it “under control” – THIS TIME … Riiiight ! … However – As usual … The USA is way ahead of everybody. In 1979, I was invited to a party thrown by […]
VW Decides To Squash The Bug – Lots Of Videos
The Volkswagen Beetle (bug) has been a staple in the automotive industry for 70 years ! The classic bug we all know and loved was once turned into a b*stard child for many years only hinting a design that was once what it was. Volkswagon just announced they will no longer make the VW Beetle […]
Go For It Alex Trebek – A Good Looking Beard !!!
Alex Trebek, long running host of the TV game show Jeopardy – tried in the past to bring back his moustache. Viewers of Jeopardy freaked out … Any time Alex has tried to add any facial hair, viewers freaked out !!! Why is that? Now – he shows up for the new season of Jeopardy […]
Break the Limitations – Not Laws
Limitations are what we need to break in order to advance. The universe has many irrefutable rules of law. There are observed principles in the science of physics that are as solid as a wall of brick. There is a law of gravity. You may think you can fly like Superman – but in practice, […]
How Much does Something Cost Today as Compared to Yesterday?
What’s a buck worth these days? How much can you charge for a job now? The answer comes with a tool of technology !!! I remember being in Engineering School in the middle 1980s and buying a good loaf of bread for 39 cents … A good loaf of bread now is almost 10 times […]
Time Zone Envy
When I was growing up in the 1960s… … in northern Florida, we had one television channel. It was a CBS affiliate and carried Captain Kangeroo at 8 am. The Captain, Mr Moose and Bunny Rabbit were my reason for being alive in the mornings. I awaited every day for those ping pong balls to […]
Cord Cutters Numbers Climb According To New Study – And My Personal Journey to a Better Television Experience
Cord Cutters are those who have cut cable TV service in their homes as well as satellite TV. It is a modern phenomenon not unlike the move 100 years ago from horse driven wagons to internal combustion engine trucks. A more recent example are all those households who have cancelled telephone landlines because they have […]
Benjamin Franklin Wished He Was Born In Our Time
Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter on May 31, 1788 to the Reverend John Lothrop of Boston. Franklin was very old at the time and was obviously longing to make more discoveries in science. “I have sometimes wished it had been my destiny to be born two or three centuries hence. For invention and improvement are […]
Death of the Hotdog – Hot Dogs Now Forbidden at Costco Food Courts and Replaced by VEGAN Selections
What is more American than the beloved hot dog? Baseball games are better with the hot dog vendor … The 4th of July is better with a good hot dog. Any event, pool party, special event or a backyard grill is incomplete without the special treat of a hotdog grilled to perfection and enjoyed by […]
Coffee – The Breakfast of Champions Now Proven to Extend a healthy Life – and My Secret Cold Brew Now Told !!!
Want to save some money and enjoy great coffee concoctions at the same time??? Read on my thirsty and sleepy friend of the Brotherhood of Night Owls – Coffee? Healthy? Makes a long life? A new 16 year study in the UK says so … You mean that beverage back in the 70s and 80s […]
Cowboy Joe Babcock is Alive and Well – A Legacy of the Past Nashville Music Industry
I am happy to report … … that Cowboy Joe is alive and well. One of the greatest memories I will ever have is working with Cowboy Joe Babcock. I recorded some shows at the Grand Ole Opry for him. Later – as my career took me away from music into film making … I […]
USS Bergall Reunion Address – Fun For All in Nashville – Tony Rollo as Keynote Speaker – Submarine Veteran Reunion – USS Bergall Reunion in Nashville – American Submarine History
I was honored to be to be invited to be the keynote speaker to address the veterans of the USS Bergall American Nuclear Submarine reunion group in Nashville at their September 2017 reunion. Listen to my speech to these amazing American Veterans of the USS Bergall: Your browser does not support the audio element. The […]
An Open Appeal To Charles Krauthammer – In These Last Few Weeks – Speak Your Mind Into An Audio Recorder
Mr Charles Krauthammer – Your message to us all about your condition is painful to us. We all appreciate it. Please do this for us – Take an audio recorder – a smart phone – dictaphone – whatever is your preference …. speak into it. Record your thoughts. Give us your final thoughts and instructions. […]
Alan Bean the Astronaut – We Came In Peace For All Mankind – 3 Times The Charm – Fourth Man To Walk On The Moon – His Final Flight Into The Infinity Of The Universe
American Astronaut Alan Bean led a very interesting life. He was up front in some of the most exciting and important events in the 20th century. He had an extensive career in the US Navy and for NASA … And then later – he let out his true talent as a fine painter of art […]
Bledsoe Colonial Fair – More Images – Divine Service – Serious Competition To Make Fire after the Shooting Match – Living History and the BEST Colonial Reenactors
The annual Bledsoe Colonial Fair reveals much detail with those participants who present Living History. This is a premium event that is a lot of fun for the whole family. You will become drawn into a world of yesterday – while learning and discovering valuable information that will apply to your life today in the […]
Bledsoe Colonial Fair – Living History – One of the Most Important Places To Be Every Year – American History Comes Alive
The Bledsoe Colonial Fair is a must attend event with those in the culture of the Living History world. This particular event has become a trade show event for everyone in this world. Held on the grounds of a historic site – many historic buildings abound … populated in that time of the fair by […]
Stanislavsky And His Acting Methodology – A Personal Modern Approach – The Importance Of The “Character Actor”
Konstantin Stanislavsky was a Russian theater professional who defined the method of acting first in the late 19th century. He was also a master of being a “character actor” … Let’s define the “character actor” right off. There are many “leading actors” who come and go quickly in the theater and film. Those are who […]
A Rainy Day Crawl Of Thrift Stores For Vinyl Treasure
Pleasant surprises and finding treasure is one of those spices in life that keep things interesting. Let me entertain you with the results. Not only did I discover some great historical recordings – I also brought home empty record jackets from classic albums from the Moody Blues and Blondie which will make great art for […]
Requiem For A Beloved Pet – Rest In Peace My LG G3 Smartphone (true humor)
It’s always a sad day when a beloved pet goes to that big doghouse in the sky. My pet smartphone just died after years of loyalty. My LG G3 that was so loyal and trouble free up to that terrible day! It left me in a lurch while I was driving and listening to “Comedy […]
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame – Moody Blues
Why wait until these rockers are so very old to honor them to be in the Rock-N-Roll hall of fame? If they did something great and had a fantastic career in the Music Industry – honor them sooner rather than later … why not make the honor when these guys are in their 50s? Why […]
Art Bell Is Dead … Who? Good Question…
Let me begin this way: Art Bell should have an honorable place in the history of broadcasting. Despite what his legacy should demand, his flavor of subject matters or considering the target of his core audience he was shooting for. While I am watching a replay of “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” on a Saturday night […]
Houston – We Have A Problem – Today In American History
Is the number 13 really unlucky? Was Apollo 13 and the 13th day of the month something NASA should have taken into consideration? Logic and common sense dictates that superstition is just that – superstition. As a kid in the 1960s, I was particularly interested in the NASA Apollo space missions. I can remember staying […]
Is Our Purpose In Life Determined ?
The great question is if we have a destiny and purpose? While we have a destiny for us – we also have freedom of choice. Freedom to choose to not follow what burns in our heart or to work to follow what our desires push us to accomplish. Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) Danish poet and […]
CD and Vinyl Music Sales Pass Digital & My 1979 Setup
According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), sales of music in physical form has passed digital download sales for the first time since 2012. This is great news! While CD and vinyl sales are up, digital download sales DROPPED 25% last year in 2017. Wow! Perhaps younger music consumers are beginning to discover […]
Submariners Feature Documentary Theatrical Premiere
The feature documentary movie “Submariners: The Men Of The Silent Service” had its theatrical premiere not long ago. It had been a long labor for me to make the feature and quite a relief to see it run without a hitch on the big screen. We also beat two Hollywood movies for attendance that week […]
Good Night Sir George Martin – A Great Influence On Me
Living to 90 is a great, long life. Contributing to popular culture and art for many decades is arguably more important to simply living to be 90 years old. Having a unique experience gives a person a unique aspect to creating art. Sir George Martin certainly had a unique experience. Without his unique experience, the […]
Submariners – Feature Documentary Movie – WGNS Radio Show World Premiere
Submariners: The Men Of The Silent Service – the original feature documentary movie IN THEATERS NOW – CLICK HERE for an article about the theatrical premiere A link to the on demand radio show – The Truman Show on WGNS SUBMARINERS Feature Documentary Dr Bill Ford – Jim Sandman – US Navy Submarine Service – […]
World War One U-Boat Submarine Found and Identified as U-31
An amazing discovery resting deep on the bottom of the ocean has now been identified. In 2012, a wind farm company was preparing to build a large wind turbine farm off the coast of Norfolk – East Anglia about 91 kilometers east and almost the same distance west from Amsterdam. ScottishPower Renewables company divers discovered […]
A message from Robert Griffin III – NFL Quarterback for the Washington Redskins
In some professions – injuries cost a lot in lost wages. Knee injuries can take away income from talented people such as mail deliverers, carpet layers and even injuries suffered by NFL quarterbacks. Here is a message left to his teammates by Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins NFL football team (NFL Offensive Rookie […]
Goodnight David Bowie
Half an hour ago – I began having flashes of memories when I first discovered the music of David Bowie for myself. Not liking everything but appreciating it all. I can appreciate the work of an artist without appreciating an artist’s conduct outside of their works of art. David Bowie was a great inspiration of […]
Vilmos Zsigmond has Left the Planet
I have to acknowledge my favorite cinematographer, Vilmos Zsigmond has passed at 85 years young. I have tried to not turn this blog into an obituary, but seeing great heroes pass demands comment. I’ve been so busy I have neglected my personal blog for two years. Time to get back to it. CLICK HERE to […]
Making Up Benjamin Franklin Quotes – A Rare Rant
This is a touchy pet peeve of mine to the point of being a bete noire and plague to my senses! It seems every time I turn around, another misquote or fabricated quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Jane Fonda didn’t ruin my Christmas cheer tonight with family. My mistake was to turn on the […]
The Sandman Catches Up with my Writing Hero George Clayton Johnson – Writer for Star Trek / Twilight Zone / and more…
I was quite sad to learn George Clayton Johnson passed on Christmas day at 86 years old. He was the force behind the best that SciFi was about in the 20th century. He wrote some of the best stories ever conceived. Writing is what makes SciFi so amazing – not the SFX. He wrote “The […]
Book Trailer for the Audiobook Diary Of A Real Boy
Above is the shorter version of the Book Trailer for the audiobook of Diary Of A Real Boy This audiobook is a comedy audio performance based on the classic American book of humor The Real Diary Of A Real Boy by Henry Shute. It comes to life with a brilliant and funny performance by a […]