Tuesday, May 22, 2012 @ 11:19am

Burbank on OKC "Those were supposed to be our riots!"

As the team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics blew out the LA Lakers last night to advance to the NBA's Western Conference finals, a heartbroken Luke Burbank sat forlornly while players and fans on the prairie partied (some rioted, not realizing you're supposed to wait until you actually win a championship.)

"This is supposed to be my basketball team," lamented Luke.

The lifelong Sonics fan likens it to a spouse who sacrifices all, only to be left by their lover after carrying them through the lean times.

"Seattle was married to the Seattle Supersonics and they were working their way through med school, and we Seattle got a job as a waitress to pay for the Sonics to go through med school," says Luke.

"As soon as the Sonics finally become a well paid high powered surgeon they say 'adios, sorry Seattle. Sorry you had to be there for all the bad times for all the growing pains.'"

"Why don't we sue them for palimony," wonders co-host Dave Ross. "Oh wait, didn't we try that already?"

Adding insult to injury, some mean spirited Thunder fans are even profiting on our misery, selling T-shirts with the team's name over the old Sonics logo, and "Thank You Seattle," on the back.

"Really, Oklahoma City. It isn't enough that you got our man, now you have to rub it in our face?!" decries Luke.

Still, Luke admits he still feels a connection to the team. And begrudgingly will be rooting for the talent laden Thunder as they take on San Antonio in the next series.

"If Oklahoma City wasn't the former Seattle Supersonics, they'd be my favorite team," Luke sighs.

Josh Kerns/My Northwest.com

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 @ 11:16am

Paper Plane Controversy!

There's a big controversy in the world of paper plane competitions. Today on the show, we talk to the Guinness World Record holder for the plane that flew the furthest. Some are angry at him because he didn't throw the plane himself - he hired a ringer.

Check out the video from the Wall Street Journal below. Today at 11am, we talk to John Collins, pictured on the right above.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 @ 10:11am

Olympic Beauty Can't Find a Date

This gorgeous Olympian can’t get a date because she wants to maintain her virginity until she's married. She apparently can’t find any guys who will accept those terms. Would you?

Check out Lolo Jones' crush-worthy interview on HBO's Real Sports.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 @ 8:22am

Does this REALLY have to go to court?

The Catholic Church is upset over being forced to include birth control with employee insurance benefits. So now 40 Catholic institutions, led by Chancellor Jane Belford of the Archdiocese of Washington, are suing the government for violating the constitution's guarantee of religious freedom. Because while churches THEMSELVES remain exempt from covering birth control, the new rules say that church-run schools and hospitals, because they employ and serve many NON-CATHOLICS, no longer qualify as "religious." She released a video, saying this is just not acceptable:

"Under the HHS mandate though, even Jesus and his disciples would not have qualified as religious enough," said Belford in the video.

Of course Jesus didn't need to insure His employees -- He could heal for free. So what do we do?

Well, I think there's a solution, based on what Chancellor Belford herself says in her video:

"This lawsuit isn't about contraception. With a prescription, birth control pills are readily available at major retailers for $9 a month, and at no cost from various health care clinics," said Belford.

So she's saying she has no problem with the church's non-Catholic employees buying their own birth control -- which they can easily afford! This implies that while God prohibits paying the $9 out of the employee's church-provided insurance, he does NOT prohibit a church employee from paying the $9 out of her church provided salary.

So this whole thing could be solved by the church giving its non-Catholic female employees a $9 a month raise.

And we can all move on.

Monday, May 21, 2012 @ 12:04pm

Some Canadians bummed store's paper money going electronic

The Loonie isn't the only wacky currency in Canada. It turns out many Canadians have been using promotional coupons printed by retailer Canadian Tire as an alternative currency for years. (Wikimedia: Tomasz Piwowarek)

The Loonie isn't the only wacky currency in Canada. It turns out many Canadians have been using promotional coupons printed by retailer Canadian Tire as an alternative currency for years.

"They introduced the tire money in '58. So it's been 54 years we've had it in our lives," said Canadian folk singer Corin Raymond, in an appearance on 97.3 KIRO FM's Ross and Burbank Show.

Raymond is currently using Canadian Tire money to record an album at a studio willing to take the bills just like cash.

"If I give him [the studio owner] $5,000 in Canadian Tire money, he's not going to have trouble spending all that money," said Raymond. "Canadian Tire is a place you can get anything."

The currency comes in denominations of 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, $1 and $2, and Raymond said there are lots of places in Canada that accept it.

"Here in Toronto for instance, there are several bars that accept tire money at par."

But the paper bills in circulation today are being challenged by the company's new rewards program.

The new program runs on a Canadian Tire 'Money' Advantage card, offering rewards not just for cash and debit purchases, which is when the paper bills are awarded, but also when customers make credit card purchases.

When the company announced the loyalty program change, they said it was in response to research that suggested their customers wanted a more convenient option.

For those still carrying the bills, Canadian Tire assures them their tire currency is still valid at the store.

"Yes, you can still redeem your paper Canadian Tire 'Money' at any time," says the company's website.

Customers can even use Canadian Tire paper money and Canadian Tire Money Advantage card points combined against the cost of the same purchase.

But while Canadian Tire's research indicated people wanted an electronic option, Raymond who has $3,600 in paper Canadian Tire money saved up, told Ross and Burbank the new card option just won't be the same.

"It's part of our bloodstream," said Raymond. "Everybody has some."

Listen to discussion of Canadian Tire money on Ross and Burbank:

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor

Monday, May 21, 2012 @ 11:12am

Interview: Copter pilot details dramatic river rescue

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Department provided this diagram of Wallace Falls, scene of the dramatic rescue of a 13-year-old boy who fell into the river and nearly plunged over the 270- foot falls.

The helicopter pilot who helped rescue a 13-year-old boy from a raging river says it's a miracle he didn't plunge to his death.

Bill Quistorf with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department told Ross and Burbank in an interview, rescuers are amazed the boy somehow managed to grab a tiny rock and climb onto a 1-foot ledge just feet from the 270-foot drop over raging Wallace Falls near Goldbar.

"There was no easy way to get to him," Quistorf said. "It's a very narrow section of the river, probably 200- foot timber on both sides of him. There was no way we were able to get to him using a helicopter hoist at that point."

Quistorf detailed how rescuers had to be lowered hundreds of feet below the boy on a steep mountainside, and one nearly had to be rescued himself after his rope sheared on a sharp rock and he plummetted to the river below. Only a backup rope saved him from the falls.

The boy was forced to endure 8 1/2 hours on the tiny ledge and then spend hours more with rescuers before Quistorf was finally able to reach them the following morning and hoist them out of the narrow canyon.

"He was fairly calm and you can imagine what had gone through his mind during that ordeal. He was basically, exhausted, worn out from spending eight hours on that ledge," Quistorf said.

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Department has released dramatic video of the rescue.

"When you see the video, you'll be amazed at the situation he was in that in fact he somehow got himself out of the water."