My appearance on 'Californian Radio'

I did an emergency stint on "Californian Radio" on Monday, talking with Scott Neal, general manager of SMG, the group that handles events and Rabobank Arena and Convention Center. 

We talked about a busy weekend at the arena, the Grammys, and the likelihood of Adele coming to Bakersfield.

My annual CES roundup

Welcome to my annual debrief from a two-day banzai trip to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. 

As expected there were tons of fantastic devices and trends on display, and a ridiculous number of accessories for those devices. It was as if technology took a break and the only Colorful accessories for phones and tablets from Uniqopening was to design cases and bags to accompany that technology. I think that says a lot about this economy, where buying decisions are tampered by the reality of thin wallets. Where we once may have splurged on something big and bad, we're either passing, waiting for Version 2 or dressing up what we already own.

And, as was the case last year, I didn't see any breakthroughs in battery technology. We're producing technology that outpaces the infrastructure. n that vacuum, many companies are producing portable "juicers," battery packs that can plug not your devices and recharge them much more quickly than standard cables. And there were many charging pads. I even saw luggage touted to charge devices while stowed away. One manufacturer that may be close to a real breakthrough in battery tech is myRata, which showed off its wireless, solar and heat-charging technology.  

CES is an adventure, covering six or seven massive halls. What follows is simply a sampling of what caught my attention, good or bad:

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Why Apple and the Green Bay Packers are so much alike

My Packers stock certificateThanks to Santa, aka my wife, I'm now the owner of an NFL team. OK, part owner of the Green Bay Packers, courtesy of a recent stock sale the team unveiled to fund stadium improvements. I've been a diehard Packers fanatic since 1971, and this gift may go down as one of the best ever. 

For $250, plus shipping and handling, I now own one share in the team, for which I get a nice stock certificate, access to the company's annual shareholder meeting, and discounts at the Packers Hall of Fame. Unlike a publicly traded stock, this certificate cannot be sold or traded and has no direct monetary value.

Critics of the Packers' stock sale/purchase ask, "Why would you pay $250 for something that's not worth anything?" It's a valid question but assumes the stock must have a market value instead of the enormous sentimental value that has driven the sale. 

Diehard Packers fans can speak passionately about why being a shareholder is worth $250 or more, but just in case any of them may have forgotten, the Packers have done a masterful job of reminding their fans why they and the organization are special, and not just because Green Bay is the only publicly owned professional sports team in America. 

With the stock certificate comes a "brand book" -- a small CD-sized booklet that eloquently reminds the owner of the things -- big and small -- that make the Green Bay Packers different than any other pro sports franchise in the United States. 

In 28 easily read pages filled with big pictures and short sentences, the stockholder is quickly reminded why their $250 investment is far more than a piece of paper. 

Case in point:

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