Author: jaythurbershow

CMU never closed due to weather, until it did

This one goes out to all of my CMU-affiliated peeps, in honor of the #PolarVortex.

I see people on social media griping about Carnegie Mellon University being closed due to extremely cold weather. Some people think CMU wimped out, while others think they should have closed sooner.

Well, kids, grab your cup of cocoa and settle in as Uncle Jay tells you a story.

It was January 1994 — exactly 25 years ago — and I was an undergraduate commuting by bus from the Mon Valley to Carnegie Mellon.

And it was cold. Not cold like today.

Cold like the heart of your student-loan collection agency.

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Uncle Jay’s Movie Reviews: “Murder on the Orient Express”


We saw “Murder on the Orient Express” last night.

Capsule review: I had very low expectations, because the reviews have been mixed. It exceeded all of my hopes.

It is a very faithful adaptation of the original Agatha Christie novel — probably more faithful than the famous 1974 movie starring Albert Finney.

And the cinematography is wonderful.

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Movie review: “The Nice Guys”

During my day off yesterday, Denise and I saw “The Nice Guys.”

Capsule Review: Denise liked this a lot better than I did. Set in the late 1970s in Los Angeles, Ryan Gosling is a hapless private eye (think Richie Brockelman in “The Rockford Files”) who’s coerced into working with a tough guy enforcer played by Russell Crowe.

The reluctant duo is paid to find an aspiring porn film star who’s on the run from mobsters and a federal agent.

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The Feb. 20 show is only online

The Saturday, Feb. 20 show is only on Internet radio www.wmck.fm, and if I do say so myself, it’s three hours of smokin’ radio.

(Our flagship station, WRCT 88.3 FM, is doing “Massive Music Weekend,” and you should totally check that out, too.)

And hey! Please check out WMCK.FM when Jay Thurber isn’t on, because it’s a lot of great, new alternative and independent rock, soul, R&B and pop.

There are plenty of ways to listen right here … http://wmck.fm/?p=listen

Pittsburgh Symphony ticket winners

Thank you to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for giving WRCT two pairs of tickets to see Randy Newman with the PSO on July 30.

Winner of the first pair of tickets, given away on “Radio 9” on Saturday, July 18, was Yolanda from Mt. Washington.

Winner of the second pair of tickets, given away by Kenny Joe on “Pinckney Hall” on Friday, July 24, was Scott from Highland Park.

Thanks for listening to WRCT!