Fearless Prediction

The State Fair is coming up, and the NARN is going to be there, both Saturdays and both Sundays.

The plans are coming right along for a barn-burner fair - even better than last years' event, which was two of the best weeks in the NARN's history.

Prediction: The Local Amateur Station won't have the nerve to take us on. They won't put any of their hosts - local or national - on live out at the fair on the weekend; they realize they don't have what it takes to mix it up with the NARN.

In short - the NARN owns Air America. They can't play ball, they can't even get their orthopaedic shoes tied to get on the court. We saw it three weeks ago, when the Patriot Picnic drew nearly 600 people, while Air America at Diamond Bluff - transparently set to try to counterprogram the Patriot's event - was by all accounts an immitigable disaster. The Patriot's staff staff against AM950's? It's like Kevin Garnett going one on one with Helen Thomas.

Game...Set...Match point coming up.

By the way, inside sources at the fair tell me that the Air America Minnesota booth is going to be a totally squalid affair. The station got their application in after the deadline, says my source, and the Fair gave them space just to try to be nice guys - but it's going to be a 12x12, jury-rigged abomination, stuck by a bunch of animal tents. So - you can listen to amateur programming as you shoo flies away from your face and ponder the noseful of eau de farm you're getting, as you gnaw on whatever shiny trinket they're giving away (my guess: surplus "Nick Coleman Show" monkeys)...

..or you can stop by the Patriot booth, take your shot at winning a Pontiac G6, and enjoy some radio that won't make you want to walk intoa combine from boredom.

Maybe we'll even stop by the FrankenNet booth and offer some helpful hints.