It's been all over the news.  We're having a flu epidemic.

I got it a week ago.  At first I thought I was just a bit run down because I was a little achy and tired.  Within a day I started getting a little bit of a sore throat, got really achy, and started running a slight fever.  It progressed to a point where I ended up staying home from work on Monday and Tuesday and returned Wednesday after my fever was gone.

I still am having the last effects of it eight days later.  The last two days it progressed into a major head cold.  Congestion, runny nose, a little bit of a cough.  That is starting to subside now finally.

Mega's own Rosemary had it far worse than I.  Her version of the flu progressed into bronchial pneumonia.  She's been off all week and hopefully will return on Monday.  There have been many of my co-workers behind the scenes at the radio station that have also been out with the flu at various times over the last three weeks.

I read that the flu has been at epidemic levels in 49 of the 50 states in the U.S.  Apparently people living in Florida have been the only ones that have managed to escape.

I have never gotten the flu shot when it's been offered each year (paid for by our company by the way).  I'm not making that mistake again.  If the flu shot gives me any chance to avoid the week I just had I'll be the first in line for next year!

Polaroid instant cameras and film are about to become history.

My primary hobby is photography.  I've owned all kinds of cameras and have two digital cameras plus two video cameras.  I've owned a Polaroid instant camera.  They're the ones that had expensive film and instant results.  Take a picture, it would pop out (sometimes flying onto the floor), wave it around for a minute or so or put it under your armpit if it was cold and.....tah dah!  Instant picture!  It was amazing technology.

Polaroid announced this week that they're shutting down the factories that make the film because it doesn't sell enough of it anymore.  They're hoping they can license the technology to a company that wants to keep making the film for people who still want to use their Polaroid instant cameras.  In the meantime they have about a year of film stockpiled so you may want to stock up.

Digital camera technology is making almost every camera that uses regular film a thing of the past.  It's amazing to think that something that was so popular not that long ago is now about to join the ranks of black and white TV, Cabbage Patch Kids, 8-track tapes and "Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific" shampoo.

The Superbowl comes to Arizona this week.

I was excited when this was announced years ago.  How cool to have one of the biggest events that happen in America happen so close?  I started dreaming of going to the game, the parties, seeing all the glitz and glamour.

I've had the opportunity to meet a number of celebrities in my career and attend some events that most people don't get to attend.  But the Superbowl is the holy grail of events and I have had to face the reality that I don't have a shot to go or see any of it in person.

I have a friend who runs the programming department for a radio station in Phoenix.  His station is hosting a party with Diddy performing and a long "A" list of celebrities attending.  I looked into buying tickets.  To even get into the club where that party is happening is over $1,000 per ticket.  Holy crap!  I'm not paying that kind of dough for a ticket.  That's more than my rent!

We'll get to see glimpses of the excitement all week... on TV.  Media Day is Tuesday.  If you have the NFL Network you can watch all of the reporters ask the athletes and coaches random questions from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.  We'll get to see the inside of the stadium for that... at least on TV.

There is one affordable event that fans of Mega Oldies would probably enjoy:  The Superbowl Gospel Celebration at Phoenix Symphony Hall.  That event stars Patti LaBelle, CeCe and Marvin Wynans, and Donnie McClurkin.  The NFL All-Star Choir is also supposed to perform and will include NFL player Ray Lewis.  This event is actually affordable ($25 to $50 per ticket at www.superbowlgospel.com)

It looks like most people (including me) won't really get to enjoy much of the excitement and pageantry in person that comes with the big game being played in our state.  In fact, I have to remember to pay my cable bill this week or I won't get to see the game at all!

I would imagine many of you have been to Las Vegas.  I have been about a half dozen times and have visited many of the hotels and casinos.

The top floors of the Monte Carlo Hotel/Resort/Casino in Las Vegas are currently burning.  The fire started at 11am Pacific (Noon AZ time) and fortunately nobody has been injured or killed.  Firefighters are still working on putting the fire out.

The video pictures they are showing on CNN are pretty spectacular.

Don't high rollers stay on the top floors?  Maybe all that money that was burning a hole in their pockets got too hot!

Wow.

3 p.m. update:  The fire is out.  The portion of the Monte Carlo that burned was primarily the facade that sticks up above the top of the hotel and the outside.  No real damage has been reported to the rooms at this time.  There were welders working on the roof at the time the fire started and there is speculation that may have been somehow related to the cause of this fire.  Again, there were no injuries or deaths and the hotel has been evacuated until it is determined it is safe for all guests and employees.

I spotted a press release in the fax machine after I got off the air tonight that I thought was interesting enough to pass on.

The Tucson Rodeo Grounds will be in use a few weeks from now (February 16-24) for the annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson Rodeo).  This weekend the rodeo grounds is going to have a different kind of rodeo.

The 3rd annual Heavy Equipment ROADeo!

City of Tucson Department of Transportation workers and administrators will be competing against the Pima County Department of Transportation team.  They will be using backhoes, dump trucks and graders.  The teams maneuver the heavy equipment through a maze of cones and barricades.

I think this is pretty cool.  I have driven a U-Haul truck through rush hour in Los Angeles (when I moved to Tucson seven years ago) and I thought I was the king of driving.  These teams will be showing off a skillset that nearly none of us have.  I hope they hand out trophies or plaques or certificates or maybe bronzed Tonka trucks as prizes for the winners.  Even if they don't it's cool they get to show off their talents to the public in a fun setting!

The Heavy Equipment ROADeo is Saturday at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds at 6th Avenue and Irvington Road in Tucson from 8 a.m. until about 2 p.m.  If I had children I would totally take them to this event.  It sounds like a (back)HOE lot of fun!

I shared with you on Friday the closing and sale of Magic Carpet Golf at Speedway and Wilmot here in Tucson.

This apparently isn't the end of the Magic Carpet Golf story.

The Arizona Daily Star is reporting that there is an effort underway to save the hideous statues and stuff that is on the course including the giant tiki statue, the dinosaurs, etc.

The Daily Star is reporting that there are talks underway with the new owners of the property (the company that owns Chapman Automotive) to save the stuff on the golf course.  We can thank Arizona State Representative Steve Farley from Tucson for this effort.  He wants it to be designated in the Arizona Centennial Project which is "a state historic preservation effort." 

Anybody need an old beat up T-Rex statue for their backyard?

Magic Carpet Golf has closed.

I've driven by it a zillion times on Speedway.  It was definitely retro.  I never went though.

It was sold in early January to the company that owns Chapman Automotive.  So there is a good chance it will be turned into a car dealership of some kind.

For all of you who ever played miniature golf there, had first dates there, or just liked that it was something fun to do... it'll be missed.  It's always sad when a recreational activity in Tucson is no longer around.

I'm a big fan of cars.  My last name is Carr so that probably has something to do with it.

Arizona is getting a new car dealership:  Smart Cars.

The Smart Car, which is built by Daimler Chrysler, has been on sale in Europe for a while but now is coming to the United States.

It's an interesting car.  It has two seats, no cargo space, gets over 30 mpg city and over 40 mpg highway and is very short (8 feet 8 inches long).  Two of them can fit in a standard parking space.

Here is what it looks like:

Cute isn't it?  It's like a Matchbox car on steroids.

I love fun and unusual cars.  I bought a Mazda RX-8 a couple of years ago and it's still the best thing I've ever purchased.

If you want to drive something unusual like the Smart Car you'll have to drive a couple of hours.  There is only one dealership (so far) in Arizona that is selling them and it's in Chandler.  I read on the Smart website (www.smartusa.com) that you can reserve one for $99.  If you buy one bring it by the station so I can get a picture sitting in it!

What will they think of next?

Old school icon Ike Turner's cause of death was released today.

He passed away on December 12, 2007.  His tumultuous relationship with Tina Turner and his alcohol and drug issues were well known.

The coroner in San Diego County determined his cause of death was a cocaine overdose.

While not shocking it is still sad.

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American Idol enters night #2 of the new season tonight on Fox 11.

Last night's Nielsen national ratings were down about 10 percent from last year's premiere.  Idol is still the most watched show on TV but there are probably a number of factors involved for the decline.  Were we all tired of the Sanjaya effect from last season?  Is the writer's strike putting a bad taste in American's mouths when it comes to TV in general?  We are going to be getting an even heavier dose of reality TV shows in 2008 because there appears to be no end to the strike.  So American Idol may be one of the rare opportunities we get in the forceable future to see new TV shows as opposed to the quickly growing number of reruns.

I watched about ten minutes of Tuesday night's Idol.  It is fun seeing the nutjobs that audition.  I loved the girl who had gold glitter on her face and flipped off the camera because she was a freak.  That makes for good TV!

I'll watch again tonight because there's a chance I'll see the next William Hung (who I have met and is one of my Myspace friends).  Seeing the crazy and terrible contestants is like driving by an accident on I-10.  I shouldn't pay any attention but I can't help but look!

One of the greatest challenges Tucsonans face each winter and late summer:  Potholes.

The moment it rains it seems the potholes breed like rabbits.  They are everywhere.

We've all had that moment.  You're driving down your favorite street and WHAM!  It feels like you've hit a brick wall.  I actually blew a tire hitting one a few years ago at Navajo and Oracle and I was only driving 25 miles per hour.  More recently I hit a smaller one on Roger a block west of Campbell.  I still had that "Holy crap! What did I just do to my car?" feeling.

I've always wondered what to do when I spot one.  I ran across a phone number for the Tucson Department of Transportation where they take "pothole reports".  (520) 791-3154.  You have to call during business hours though.  Apparently no one wants to take a pothole report in the middle of the night.

Here's what you may not know:  It is possible if your car is damaged by hitting a pothole to get compensated from the city of Tucson.  But there's a catch:  The pothole must have been reported to the city and city crews must fail to fix it within two weeks of when it is initially reported.  If your car was damaged from hitting a pothole you can call (520) 791-4728 (the Tucson Risk Management Division of the Tucson Finance Department).  They'll let you know within four weeks if taxpayers will be paying for your car's damage.

Pot-holy crap!