Paul McCartney mini tour. Stones release "One More Shot".  Pete Townshend talks politics. iPhone no longer the best selling smartphone. Gargling...with lemonade? Dogs prefer classical music. Shoppers expected to use smartphones to find holiday deals. Passwords could be replaced by video games. Waking to the light from electronics has positive effect.

PAUL MCCARTNEY

Paul McCartney kicks off his 2012 North American dates Sunday night (November 11th) in St. Louis at the Scottrade Center. The mini-tour will wind up on November 28th in Edmonton's Rexall Palace. Along the way, "Macca" will take stops in Houston and Vancouver. The shows are shaping up to be be the Former Beatle's final performances of the year.

McCartney was asked why with such a well-oiled, tight, professional band he still undergoes a daily soundcheck prior to a lengthy evening gig: "The real answer is, 'We love it.' So, y'know, whenever we kind of get to the place, we've got to give our (sound) man out front a chance to get his mics up, check that they're all working, and so they do a tech test first of all -- but then we come in for the last three-quarters of an hour, or something, and do that. But we love it. Y'know, it's a nice opportunity to try out some new numbers, just do some stuff that we don't normally do. I enjoy solo-ing, I play a bit more lead guitar than I would normally. I only get a chance to do a couple of bits in the show -- but it's really just we enjoy playing together, that's the truth of it."

• Paul McCartney tour dates (subject to change):
  November 11 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
  November 14 - Houston, TX - Minute Maid Park
  November 25 - Vancouver, BC - BC Place
  November 28, 19 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place

ROLLING STONES

The Rolling Stones have released their second new song from the upcoming hits compilation, Grrr!, called "One More Shot." The tune, which is the name of the band's upcoming pay-preview special raped at next month's Newark, New Jersey gig, was written mostly by Keith Richards. "One More Shot", along with the Mick Jagger-driven "Doom And Gloom," are the only newly recorded tracks on the set, which is due out on November 13th.

Keith Richards has owned hundreds of guitar over his lifetime -- some have been stolen, some have been given away -- but there are still a few that he keeps near and dear to his heart. He was recently asked about which legendary axes he would take with him if stranded on a deserted island: ["I'd take a Martin early-'30s acoustic -- an early-'30's job for an acoustic. Gibsons I love and everything, but if you say one on one, I'd take a Martin. And I gotta say for myself, I'd take a Fender. I'd take a telecaster, they're just so sturdy. And it's a working man's guitar, y'know, I mean nothing goes wrong with that thing. You can hit people over the head with it and it'll still stay in tune, y'know? (laughs)."] SOUNDCUE (:27 OC: . . . stay in tune, y'know? (laughs))

PETE TOWNSHEND

Pete Townshend, who's currently on tour with the Who behind a revival of their 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia, took time out to update fans on his state of mind as the Who delve into their first road trek in four years -- as well as talking a bit of politics.

On Wednesday (November 7th) Townshend posted on his blog on TheWho.com, saying:

"Great to be in the U.S.A. on Election Day. I would have been happy for either candidate to win. There are pros and cons. The only longing I have is for the President to work more closely with the UK than he appears to have done before. As unpopular as they ended up with the deep thinkers, George W. Bush and Tony Blair were friends, and that -- to me -- exemplified what I feel is most important about the relationship between the UK and the U.S.A. We are above all else friends. Friendship is not 'special' (as in the 'special' relationship'), it is normal, and accepting.

And so the Who tour kicked off in the teeth of a hurricane, and our immediate duty to our millions of fans in the Northeast is to promise that we will hopefully do more than just offer our prayers. While we're here we'll try to do something practical, as I am certain will all of our rock and pop buddies. Watch this space.

The shows so far? I'm doing great. The stage level is very quiet, and that suits me. I want to hang on to my hearing, which is still good enough to mix music like I did for the Quadrophenia: Director's Cut, and to cut my own demos at home. Roger is singing incredibly well. His vision is an interpretation of Quadrophenia rather than a straight narrative, and that seems to suit the period we are in as the two surviving members of the old Who, and our age. It FEELS great to me (I can't see the screens behind me and I haven't been able to see the entire set of projections because I was working right up until rehearsals) and that is the best measure for me. Roger and his creative team have clearly done a great job.

The audiences so far have been wonderful, and the shows promise to continue to improve. It's great to see some old faces, but as always I'm glad to see a few younger people in the crowd, and I hope they haven't been dragged along to check us out by nagging parents (or grandparents!) Thanks to all of you who have bought my book.

Pete Townshend said that although the Who's fan base continues to grow, he finds that the band's newer fans differ from the die-hards of the 1970s: "They don't have the same kind of parochial loyalties and needs that they used to have. They're much more eclectic, they're much more generous in spirit, they're much more broadly-based. Do you know what? They love music. Just music. Well, hey-ho!"

Roger Daltrey, who's now 68, says that there's no reason for rockers to stop being relevant artistically just because they hit the 60-year-old mark: "I've always laughed at people who say, 'Oh, you're too old to rock n' roll.' I don't. . . to me, it's got nothing to do with your age or any of that -- it's to do with the music, and what that music itself generates."

IPHONE NO LONGER WORLD'S BEST SELLING SMARTPHONE

Apple's iPhone has been dethroned. Market research from Strategy Analytics indicates the iPhone is no longer the world's number-one selling smartphone. The top position now belongs to Samsung's Galaxy S III. In the last quarter Samsung shipped 18-million units, while Apple came in number-two, shipping an estimated 16.2-million units. Apple's iPhone-5 is expected to regain the top title in the December quarter. (Fox News)

 

SCIENTISTS SAY GARGLING WITH LEMONADE COULD HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING

Scientists say if you're desperate to quit smoking they might have bizarre aid- gargling with lemonade. Scientists have found that the interaction of sugar on the tongue boosts attention and energy and can improve self-control, at least temporarily. To find this, scientists had students perform a task to deplete their self-control, and then a second task that required the use of more self-control. While doing the second task, some students rinsed their mouths with lemonade sweetened with artificial sweetener, and some rinsed with lemonade sweetened with real sugar. Those who rinsed with real-sugar-lemonade improved their performance of the second-task. Scientists say the sugar triggers the motivational centers of the brain where self-related goals are stored, and tells it to pay attention. (Daily Mail)

DOGS PREFER CLASSICAL MUSIC, STUDY SAYS

Researchers from Colorado State University performed an experiment and found that dogs in animal shelters were less likely to bark and more likely to sleep when classical music was played for them. Heavy metal had the opposite effect, and induced nervous shaking and barking. For the study, scientists played different types of music to dogs in a shelter over the course of four-months and recorded the responses of the dogs. (Daily Mail)

 

HOLIDAY SHOPPERS EXPECTED TO USE SMARTPHONES TO FIND DEALS

A study by Prosper Mobile Insights finds most people who own a smartphone or tablet plan to use their devices to research items, purchase gifts, and locate stores. Research shows that when shoppers are inside a physical store, 66-percent will use their mobile device to compare prices with another physical store, and 60-percent will use them to check the prices of online retailers. One expert says these are shopping strategies smart consumers have adopted to stay within their budgets. (Fox News)

PASSWORDS COULD BE REPLACED BY VIDEO GAMES, RESEARCHERS SAY

Engineering specialists from Southwest Research Institute plan to eliminate passwords in the authentication of users and instead make them play a unique game. The specialists claim that every individual has a unique way of problem solving, in other words, a unique "cognitive fingerprint." Specialists say first the technology would use game theory, adaptive learning, and behavior modification to build the "cognitive fingerprint," and then use the information to verify the user's identity going forward. A person illegitimately trying to gain access would trip a warning and get a different response from the convert game. (Fox News)

 
WAKING TO THE LIGHT FROM ELECTRONICS HAS POSITIVE EFFECT

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute find that morning exposure to blue light- the kind that computers and phones give off- may reduce daily stress. Researchers had a group of teenagers sleep for only 4.5-hours three nights, and had them awaken to either dim natural light or blue light. Teens who woke up to the blue light had nearly double the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, as those who woke up to the dim light. A professor from Rensselaer says that elevated levels of cortisol throughout the day have a negative impact on the body, but having a morning peak of the hormone resets your cardiac rhythm, and syncs your body to the day, warming it up for the stresses ahead. (Men's Health)

Thanks for listening to The Eagle while you work. Keep it fabulous, Houston!  GO TEXANS!!!!!

xoxo,

Jennifer Tyler

Fabulous Mid-Day Diva