Pemrose Media, Ltd/Audios Maximus Media Network/Thrive Media Network

I'm Ana of My Symphony Of Life and welcome back to another show.

For this show I have three guests! We have Kid Chef Eliana, Mari McCarthy and Shaun Hughley.

Here's some information about my guests:

Kid Chef Eliana grew up in a family of cooks. With grandparents from the Philippines, Cajun Louisiana, Cuba, and Honduras, the recipes in Eliana Cooks! reflect her international heritage and love of food from around the world. She also shares some family favorites. Her website is http://kidchefeliana.com/

Mari McCarthy founder and author of Create Write Now. She has an interactive website which provides great tips and ideas for all of us who journal.  Mari is going to talk about Building Personal Power with Journaling. She’s also going to provide journaling prompts as well. Her website http://www.createwritenow.com/

Shaun Hughley

A believer in alternative healing and all thing natural, Shaun along with her daughter, London...started making her own bath and body products when she became concerned about toxins used in many skin care products, especially those for children and babies. Her website is http://bseen1.wix.com/diva-girlz-boutique#!

A question that I get here at My Symphony Of Life…
What is Podcasting? Is it like a like a green pod with casting around it?
No, Wikipedia says it best! A podcast is a type of digital media consisting of an episodic series of audio, video, PDF, or ePub files subscribed to and downloaded through web syndication or streamed online to a computer or mobile device. The word is a neologism derived from “broadcast” and “pod” from the success of the iPod, as podcasts are often listened to on portable media players. href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast”>

A little bit about us: Here at Global Stage Media aka Audios Maximus Network we’re a web-based media company producing a variety of audio and video shows ranging from music & entertainment shows to talk, news, interview and travel shows that was founded in June 2010. Our shows are released in pre-recorded format with live streaming shows coming in 2012. The name, while appearing to be scientific name (more informally it is also called a Latin name), actually is derived from the original idea of producing audio podcasts (thus “audios”) and in honor of our dear, departed English Springer Max (Maximus). Our vision, however, is to create on of the first full time 24/7 live streaming and downloadable webcast networks providing audio & video shows of all types and films, produced by a wide variety of content producers and independent filmmakers. Imagine, great content, real entertainment, on-demand, anywhere, anytime. In our minds, very cool. In yours, we hope you feel the same. Join The Nation!

1. Research – While I’m out scouting my next guest, I learn about them by looking over their website, looking into their services they offer, I read their blogs, I comment on their posts and I “LIKE” their Facebook Page to connect with them and their community. I join their community because after I interview them, I put their post on their page and I’m able to share their interview. I'm able to build a relationship with them after each show.

2. Come From The Heart – Hold a conversation of what your passionate about. Think of it as talking to your friend. It’s a warm conversation based on a particular topic in the conversation it can make you laugh, it can make you smile, it helps you gain knowledge and it can make you sad. When taking it in content of talking to a long lost distance friend there so much to catch up with. When interviewing someone we hear what our guests are interested in and care about. We hear the passion and the excitement when they talk about themselves and what their most passionate about.

3. Human Connection – Be a voice that stands by your mission. Have a wealth of knowledge in that specific niche’ to share with others so that they can find something that they relate to, what they care about and mostly value in their life.

4. Featured Guests Have featured guests who are of influence. You want to listen to your community in meeting their needs by having content that matters to them. Find guests in the specific niche’/specialty who’ll be able to discuss about a particular topic your community is asking for.

5. Podcasting is a way of life - You can grow as a person in your life. How? Podcasting offers topics that allow you to grow, learn and enrich your spirit with education and knowledge. Podcasting is great for your business because you’ll be able to reach others on a different platform than blogging. It gives your business more exposure to reaching the US and international countries as well.

Pastalaya Serves 6-8

(pos-tuh-LIE-yah)

Ingredients

16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 lb. andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

2 tbsp. butter

2 c. trinity

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c.tomatoes, diced

1 c. chicken broth

2 tbsp. Creole seasoning

1 lb. linguine pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 stalks green onions, chopped

Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, brown chicken and sausage in butter. Remove from pot and set aside.

2. Add trinity to pot and sauté until softened.

3. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, chicken broth, and Creole seasoning.

4. Return meat to pot and bring to boil.

5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

6. Add cooked pasta and green onions to pot. Combine thoroughly.

7. Add additional Creole seasoning and salt to taste.

I'm Ana of My Symphony Of Life. Welcome back to another show! We have a packed show for you with 4 guests. On this show my featured guests are Claire Mitchell of The Girl Means Business, Mari McCarthy of Create Write Now, Libby Quintana, she holds the position of Publicity Chair of  Women's Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Carolee Laffoon and  Peggy Bueche are both a Heal Your Life Workshop Facilitators and Personal Life Coaches.

Claire Mitchell of The Girl Means Business is from Darlington, United Kingdom

The Girl Means Business was created to inform and inspire, to show that there is a better way to do things.  Claire has also developed a number of coaching programs and training workshops to help you be the best that you can be, and help you create an amazing business. Her website is  www.thegirlsmeanbusiness.com

 

Mari McCarthy founder and author of Create Write Now. She has an interactive website which provides great tips and ideas for all of us who journal.  Mari is going to talk about Building Personal Power with Journaling. She's also going to provide journaling prompts as well. Her website http://www.createwritenow.com/

 

Libby Quintana,  holds the position of Publicity Chair of  Women's Council of Greater Baton Rouge. We're going to learn more about the council, how to get involved with like minded individuals. They're having an exciting event! Women's Council Of Greater Baton Rouge Present's Women! WOMEN'S WEEK- a week long celebration. You can find them online at wcgbr.com.

 

Carolee Laffoon and Peggy Bueche are both Heal Your Life Workshop Facilitators and Personal Life Coaches based on the philosophy of Louise Hayes. Carolee's website is http://caroleelaffoon.com/ and Peggy's website is http://www.healyourbodymindandspirit.com/

There's nothing more wonderful than sitting around a table with family and friends enjoying a good meal. It's the conversations around the table that is most remembered as well as the food. My featured guest is Peggy Sweeney-McDonald. She's the President of Superstar Events-LA. Peggy is also the Creator and Producer of the unique, theatrical, monologue event, "Meanwhile, Back At Cafe Du Monde..."  “Meanwhile, Back At Cafe Du Monde is a book as well with 67 personalities sharing recipes and stories. You can also connect with her online at www.meanwhileatcafedumonde.com and her Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/MeanwhileBackatCafeDuMonde?ref=ts

On this episode of The Tour Bus Music Show we take the bus across the Pacific to Japan where Anime rules as one of the most popular forms of video entertainment. Where there is Anime there is the music behind it. Enter Animetal USA. This group is comprised of four of the world’s top rock musicians.

Mike Vescera as METAL-RIDER - Vocals

Chris Impellitteri as SPEED KING - Guitar

Rudy Sarzo as STORM BRINGER – Bass Guitar

Jon Dette as TANK – Drums & Percussion

Animetal USA’s Debut self-titled album has already been gold-certified in Japan (since its October 12^th 2011 release), and hitting the #1 spot on Amazon's Hard Rock Heavy Metal chart and #2 on Amazon's Anime chart in Japan (within the first 24 hours of the announcement of ANIMETAL USA).

The group has also since released its second album simply entitled “W” in summer of 2012.

In this interview T. Mic speaks with returning Tour Bus Music Show Guest, Rudy Sarzo about the story of the group and how it is making a name for itself not only in Japanese Anime culture but also is now developing a loyal following around the world. They will also discuss the challenges of creating this group and developing their look and technical sound.

We’ll feature two of the group’s tracks in this show: Mazinger Melody and Pegasus Fantasy.

You can find out more information of the group, their album releases and upcoming tour on their website at: www.animetalusa.com

We hope you enjoy the show!

On this episode of the Tour Bus Music Show: Raw Rock Power is what powers this bus and let me tell you that after today’s show the tank is full and the bus is ready to roll. This T.Mic of The Tour Bus Music Show and our featured guest is no stranger to the Audios Maximus Network. We first interviewed him back on The Tour Bus Music Show – Episode# 7, he returned for the 2010 year end special. Heaven Below, is Fronted by Patrick Kennison on lead vocals & guitar, lead guitarist Jesse "Bawls" Billson, and rounded out by rhythm section John Younger on bass guitar & Aaron Rossi on drums, the band and their music has become a force to be reckoned with in the rock scene. Of course tonight’s featured guest is Patrick Kennison of Heaven Below!

Heaven Below has to its credit: Number 1 in sales at tradebit.com, top 10 on Amazon.com New Hard Rock Release Chart, Top 20 on Music Choice." These types of recognitions are typical of veteran rock bands, but Heaven Below has already taken home these honors in the short time this Los Angeles based unit has been together. "When Daylight Dies" took the radio airwaves by storm in 2010 with syndicated radio shows such as Hard Drive and The Rock 30 were spinning the Ben Moody (Evanescence) and has since been played on 50+ radio stations across the country. Press outlets such as Hard Rock Haven have hailed Heaven Below as "the next Guns N' Roses". The New York Examiner referred to their live performances as "unbridled balls to the wall ferocity". With the buzz and momentum of the band growing, the opportunity to tour and spread the word beyond radio and internet hype has been inevitable. The band has put 4 successful club tours under it's belt, sharing the stage with major artists such as Buckcherry & Avenged Sevenfold along the way. Since the release of their most recent album “Falling From Zero” the band has had some great opportunities that have presented themselves to bring their music to an even wider audience (more details on this coming soon) as well as pairing up to perform with great bands such as Queensryche , Steel Panther, Lynch Mob and many others.

Patrick shares with us on this episode what has been happening with the band, talks about the new album and some of the stories behind the music on their new album. Yes, Heaven below is going places and at a break-neck pace to be sure. They are also an exceptional rock act to see live. If they are coming anywhere near your town they are definitely a band to make the trip to see. In the meantime be sure to check out their album “ Falling From Zero” which is packed with some great tracks and a few surprises (but you will have to listen to the album to find them).  You can find out more information on Heaven Below at www.heavenbelow.com and remember you can also hear our previous interview with Patrick and Jesse on Episode# 7 of The Tour Bus Music Show at www.audiosmaximus.com & www.amnpodcast.com or at www.thetourbusmusicshow.com. You can also subscribe to and hear The Tour Bus Music Show at iTunes and on Stitcher Smart Radio at: www.stitcher.com/thetourbusmusicshow. 

I'm Ana of My Symphony Of Life. Thank you for joining me on another show!

Today my featured guest is Kathy Pickus of Dot Girl Products www.dotgirlproducts.com. This was started by two sisters Kathy Pickus and Terri Goodwin. It is their goal at Dot Girl Products is that every girl has a positive first period experience and an empowered first step to womanhood.

Mari Mccarthy is an author and founder of Create Write Now. Her website is www.createwritenow.com. She's encouraging everyone to “Write On”. She's also going to provide journaling tips and prompts.

Sarah Parker is the author and founder of two blog's: The Fit Cookie is about her love of baking, her passion on  fitness and nutrition. That website is www.thefitcookie.com. Her other blog is Fit Betty is a blog dedicated to fitness, nutrition and workout fashion and the website is www.fitbetty.com. She's also going to share a Spicy Taco Bowl.

I'm going to share some wonderful resources for those who have tweens and teens. There are wonderful websites out there for those girls and boys in those age brackets.

Breast Health Guide for Girls.   http://www.takingcareofyourgirls.com

Girlshealth.gov was created to help girls (ages 10 to 16) learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. The website also provides information to parents and educators to help them teach girls about healthy living.

New Moon is a place where girls connect & support each other while creating poetry, artwork, stories, videos, and more. All fully moderated and proven to build confidence and healthy online behavior. https://www.newmoon.com/

Girl Zone is a unique website for teen girls with tons of cool info everything a girl needs to know. Check us out at www.girlzone.com.

Best Bones Forever http://www.bestbonesforever.gov/

Take advantage of these free Best Bones Forever!® tools and resources:

•             List of foods with calcium and vitamin D.

•             Print recipes!

•             Download a bone-healthy grocery list.

•             Learn activities you can do as a family to help your daughter build strong bones.

 

My Plate Builds the Best Bones Forever!

The USDA announced a new, simpler way of looking at your daily diet—a plate. ChooseMyPlate.gov is a color-coded, kid-friendly way to ensure you’re getting the right amount of the right kinds of foods—including calcium!

 Bone-Building Foods  more ways to build your best bones forever, including great recipes with calcium and fun ideas to get active with your family this summer, check out www.bestbonesforever.gov/parents.

Teens Health covers hygene basics including topics such as oily hair, and body image

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/#cat20449

Common Sense Media http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/boys-and-body-image-tips

For those of you who live in the Baton Rouge, LA surrounding area they do have at Woman's hospital Body Basics for Girls and Boys

Learning how their bodies grow, what changes to expect during puberty, and how to take care of themselves are valuable lessons for preteens.

On Barkussions I'm also going to share a craft project no sew tied blanket for your dog. Tools: 2 different materials, ruler/measuring tape, and scissors.

Note: Your going to need material that is sturdy in strength to resist scratching and pawing from your dog. The material I'm using is a fleece material Your going to need one printed material and one solid color material.

Step one- measure your dog- you want the material fit your dog. However, make sure that you have six inches around the fabric for those pups who like to stretch! Bella loves to stretch out on her blankie.

Step two- cut all four corners 2 inches in length and 3 inches in width. Before you cut make sure the edges line up so that you get a clean cut with the top and bottom layer. When you cut all four corners your material is going to look like a cross.

Step three- Cut the rest of the material remember to make sure that all four edges line up for a clean cut with the top and bottom layer. Your going to cut 1 1/2 inches in length and then cut about an inch and half between the cuts.

Step four-Tie all the edges together in a double knot.

Step five-Take a picture of your dog and the new blanket you made for him or her. Check out Bella's pictures below:

Spicy Taco Bowl with Black Rice                                

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4-6

Gluten-free; Free of: nuts, soy, dairy, eggs, corn,

Ingredients

•             1 cup black rice

•             2 cups water

•             1 teaspoon olive oil

•             1 medium onion, diced

•             1 large bell pepper, diced

•             2 cloves garlic, crushed

•             1-1/4 pound (20 ounces) extra lean (96-97% lean) ground turkey or beef

•             1-1/2 tablespoons cumin

•             2 teaspoons chili powder

•             1 teaspoon onion powder

•             1 teaspoon garlic powder

•             1-2 teaspoons hot sauce

•             1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

•             1/2-1 teaspoon powdered chipotle chili

•             Toppings: Tomato, Avocado, Cilantro, Black beans

Instructions

1.            In a small saucepan, heat 2 cups water. Once the water is boiling, stir in 1 cup black rice and bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.

2.            While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet and saute the diced onion and pepper, and the garlic.

3.            When the onions and peppers are slightly soft, add the ground turkey (or beef) to the skillet and break up as you cook.

4.            While the turkey is cooking, add in the seasonings and stir to mix well. You can add more or less of the spices/seasonings depending on your taste.

5.            When the black rice has finished cooking, fluff with a fork and set aside.

6.            To assemble the taco bowl: place 1/2 cup rice in a bowl, top with 1/2-3/4 cup taco meat, then add avocado, tomato, ad cilantro on top. Enjoy!

Notes

For grain-free: use black beans instead of rice For paleo: use veggies instead of rice

Recipe by The Fit Cookie at http://thefitcookie.com/2012/08/19/spicy-taco-bowl-with-black-rice/

My featured guests for this eposode are:

Sarah Parker is the author and founder of two blog's: The Fit Cookie is about her love of baking, her passion on fitness and nutrition. That website is www.thefitcookie.com. Her other blog is Fit Betty is a blog dedicated to fitness, nutrition and workout fashion and the website is www.fitbetty.com. She's also going to share a No-Bake Coconut Macaroons recipe with us!

Karen Duggan of Playful Planet. Playful Planet is encouraging family time and connecting kids with nature; with the end goal of ensuring that our kids inherit a healthy planet. Playful Planet the multi-award-winning program Storyland Yoga: Interactive Family Fun. The website for Playful Planet is www.PlayfulPlanet.com.

Mari McCarthy founder and author of Create Write Now. She has an interactive website which provides great tips and ideas for all of us who journal. She's going to talk about “Reasons Why We Can't Journal”. For journaling prompts and tips visit her website is www.createwritenow.com.

Product Reviews that I use myself and I'll go into detail about them later in the show. The products I'm going to talk about is Whole Foods 365 Daily Facial Cleanser, Spring Valley Vitamin E and Garnier Fructis Style Curl Shaping Spray Gel, and my last product was given to me for review- Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive.

Step N 2 Mom

Ana's two week talk in regard to the step kids and other parent's having businesses.

The Fit Cookie with Sarah Parker featured recipe:

No-Bake Coconut Macaroons

Paleo, Allergy-friendly, gluten-free, vegetarian, quick and easy

Makes 12-15

1 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded

3-4 tablespoons coconut cream*

2 Tablespoons raw, unfiltered honey*

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

 

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix by hand the coconut, coconut cream, honey, vanilla, and chocolate chips (if using).

2. Mix together until well blended.

3. Pinch off some of the "dough" and roll into 1-inch balls. The dough will still be soft at this point.

4. Place on a lined cookie sheet and chill until firm.

5. Enjoy!

 

*For coconut cream, chill an unopened and unshaken can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge. After a couple hours, the thick coconut cream should have separated from the liquid and solidified on the top of the can. Open the can and scoop out the cream off the top.

 

* If your honey is not thick, use a little less coconut cream

 

*If you want more coconut flavor, you can add 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract as well. You could even try other flavor extracts, such as almond or orange.

Blues… It’s roots go back to the Mississippi Delta. It has told the stories of heartache as well as life’s pleasure and pain. It’s notes forged from the soul. It’s music has been grinded out of beat up acoustic guitars on front porches on hot southern nights and burned out of electric guitars, piano’s and blues harps in dark juke joints from St. Louis To Chicago. But on today’s show we’re goin’ to Baton Rouge, LA to sit down and talk to a modern bluesman who won Guitar Center's 2011 "King Of The Blues" competition, Jonathon "Boogie" Long. In an interview that runs almost one hour we'll dig into Boogie's story of how his life has been shaped by the blues and has recently come to be one of the hottest young blues players in the South. We'll also feature 3 cut's off of his soon to be released, self-titled album, Jonathon "Boogie" Long and The Blues Revolution.

The tracks we will be featuring are:

Blues Revolution

Bad Karma

Bad Day

The interview was recorded in early summer of 2012 shortly after the Baton Rouge Blues Festival. 

We welcome you to join us for an interesting interview with a very dedicated and talented guitarist & vocalist and some great blues music.

You can find out more about Jonathon "Boogie" Long at: http://jonathonboogielong.com/

Some great upcoming dates to catch Boogie performing at are:

Live After 5  - Downtown Baton Rouge - 9/21/2012

Homegrown Harvest Music and Arts Festival - New Orleans - 9/23/2012 5:15pm

Knuckleheads - Kansas City, Missouri - 9/28/2012

Jammin in JC Blues Fest - Junction City, Kansas - 9/29/2012

Sunday in the Park - Downtown Baton Rouge 11/4/2012

Please join me in welcoming my featured guests! My featured guests are no strangers to Audios Maximus Network:

• Emily Gamez is going to discus the “must-have” products to have for going back to school.

• Mari McCarthy founder and author of Create Write Now is going to talk about what Journaling really is, a Journaling Practice and how to get started and that applies to newbies and experienced journal writers then end with 3 of Mari's most musefull journaling tips. Her website is www.createwritenow.com

• Dr. Nick of Resetting The Default goes through Bullying. His website is www.nickabraham.net .

I'm going to discuss having back to school routine for your kids (Clothes, School Supplies, Morning Routine, Homework, Family Calender, and Bed Time). My website is www.mysymphonyoflife.com. Hear me on Stitcher Smart Radio at: www,stitcher.com/mysymphonyoflife. You can also help support My Symphony Of Life by visiting our sponsor at: www.audible.com/mysymphonyoflife and getting a free 30 day trial and a free audiobook as well. Thank you for listening!

Ana

For over two decades now it has at times not so quietly slumbered. The old, faded buildings now standing in silent vigil as if remembering a time when their colors were bright & fresh; when were surrounded in laughter and the smiling faces of adults and children alike. The grass grows tall here and the structures that remain are entangled with a variety of plants that now call them home. A place where the sounds of a merry go round, trains and other rides are replaced by the sounds of crickets at dusk, rain drops falling to the ground from tattered roofs and the occasional sounds of frogs & other creatures that now call the park home, But that my friends is not where the story begins or ends. No, this story starts with a man named Alfred G. Caplin...

 

Al Capp

He was born September 28, 1909 in New Haven, Connecticut of Russian Jewish heritage, Al Capp, as he came to be known, was the eldest child of Latvian immigrants Otto Philip and Matilda (Davidson) Caplin whose families had migrated to New Haven in the 1880s. At the young age of nine, Al lost his left leg in a trolley accident. Although shaken by the loss of his leg, Al refused to let the accident stop him and continuously acknowledged the disability the rest of his life, although usually in a humorous way. At  23, Al had moved to New York and became what was possibly the youngest syndicated cartoonist up until that time.

 

On August 13, 1934 Al Capp launched what was to be by far his most well known creation, the comic strip Li'l Abner with eight newspapers and became an instant success. Amongst the contributions of the strip was the now traditional Sadie Hawkins Dances at schools and colleges across the nation, that are based off the strips Sadie Hawkins race where the girls chase the guys! While on the surface the strip was funny and amusing, it was Capp's underlying satiric messages on society, parodies of the corporate giants of the day, celebrities and fellow cartoonists that gave the strip its long lived popularity. Another popular creation of Capp’s was the creatures known as the shmoos. (By the way, if you are unaware of what a shmoo is, you probably aren’t alone as the real meaning of what a shmoo represents in the strip is still being debated to this day.) Superficially, the shmoo was a creature that lived to serve humanity to the point of self-sacrifice and was ever abundant. The creature showed if nothing else that we should accept what is given to us and just be happy.

Yet it would be the Li'l Abner strip that featured characters from the fictional town of Dogpatch and whose lives centered on the adventures of the main character, Li'l Abner. A handsome and strong, if not very bright young man that was raised to be honest and brave except in the face of his girlfriend Daisy Mae, but it was the location that would bring the comic strip to life in a small community now called Marble Falls near Harrison, Arkansas on Highway 7.

 

The Location

It should be noted though that it was the landscape of Dogpatch, not the characters that drew in a real estate broker named O.J. Snow, who had been considering opening a rustic themed amusement park in the Ozarks.

    

But the area that would become Dogpatch had quite a bit of history to it long before Mr. Snow came a knockin’. Let go back a bit to the 1830’s to when the Washington Monument was being planned. You see funds were short to build and complete the monument and a call went out to the States and Territories to donate commemorative stones that could be fitted into the interior walls. Arkansas was one of many places to answer the call.  Mr. Peter Beller moved to Arkansas from Alabama in 1833. In 1834 he and the three of the Harp Brothers dug a 4' X 3' X 2' block of marble out of the hillside across from Dogpatch to contribute to the Washington Monument. The stone was hauled on a sled by a team of twenty oxen for approximately sixty miles across the Ozark and Boston Mountains to the Arkansas River. From there it was loaded on to a barge and was then sent to New Orleans. From there it was loaded onto a ship bound for the Potomac Basin.

Sometime later, a second stone from the very same hillside was donated by freemasons from the area who wished the donation to honor the fact that George Washington was himself a master mason.

Going back to Mr. Beller, sometime around 1840 he acquired the land that included nearby Marble Falls and built a mill there. For a time, Mr. Beller’s Mill steadily continued to grow successfully until the start of the civil war. Years later in 1870 a gentleman with the name of Willcockson built another mill here, and the town, which would bear his name for a time grew an the prosperity of the mineral waters and healing springs that it became known for. But like all good things that too came to an end in the early 20^th century. With the advances in medicine that inevitably came the town’s popularity dwindled. Then came Albert Raney Sr. He and his sons bought the land and changed the name to Marble Falls, he diverted the cold mountain spring water that the town was once so popular for into a trout hatchery, which they owned and operated for several decades.

The Great Idea

Now fast forward to 1966, the elderly Albert Raney Sr. listed his family's trout farm and surrounding land featuring its own canyon, a 55-foot waterfall and an adjacent (and already in operation) public touring cave named Mystic Caverns for sale. It was Snow who, after viewing the property, envisioned the Dogpatch themed park using the existing features of the property to imitate locations featured in the comic strip such as  Onneccessary Mountain, the Bottomless Canyon, and Kissin' Rock, (handy to Suicide Cliff), West Po'k Chop Railroad, and the General Jubilation T. Cornpone memorial statue (the last of these three were built on site in amazing detail to look just as they appeared in the strip.

 

Presenting The Great Idea To Al Capp

Snow, with other business Leaders from the area formed Recreation Enterprises, Inc. or (REI) and set off to propose the grand plan of the park to Dogpatch creator, Al Capp.

 

Capp, who had turned down previous proposals for such ventures, was inspired by the plan and shared Snows vision for the park. He ultimately approved the idea and became a partner in the project. By this time, Li'l Abner had inspired two film adaptations, a Broadway musical and had gained millions of readers so it seemed the perfect venue to compete in the theme park business. The over 800 acre theme park was set to not only be a reality, but in the minds of its creators, had the capability to become a major player in the theme park community.

 

Both Al Capp and his wife made a three day trip to the Arkansas site for the ground breaking ceremony which took place on Tuesday, October 3, 1967.  An interesting fact is that even before the groundbreaking, there were already a few attractions operating on the site such as trout fishing, a boat dock, an operating stage coach & trail ride, a honey shop and arts & crafts. 

 

A mere 7 months later on May 17, 1968, Al Capp was back on the site to deliver the dedication speech of Dogpatch USA. At first the park was begrudging supported by the local Arkansas residents of what was for a time called Dogpatch, Arkansas and resisted the park as a daunting reminder of the “hillbilly” stigma that still hung over the residents of the Ozark town, but at the same time they welcomed the hopeful influx of tourism dollars the park would bring to their below median income community.

 

 

Opening Day

Standing before a crowd of about 2,000 visitors on May 17, 1968, Al Capp uncovered the centerpiece of the park, the giant statue depicting the civil war hero of Dogpatch, Jubilation T. Cornpone, The park admitted a whopping 8000 people its opening day with an admission price of only $1.50 for adults and $0.75 for children.

 

Little did anyone realize at the time that by1993 through a combination of fate, nature, and unforeseen circumstances, Dogpatch USA would be gone...but not forgotten.

 

The parks design had been agreed upon by both O.J. Snow and Al Capp to hold true to the theme of the strip it was based on. Mr. Capp did not want the park full of monster; behemoth rides the zoomed around everywhere.

 

Although competing in the same market, the park had almost the opposite focus of the Disney parks in that where Disney was always focused on exemplifying the innovations and latest technology, Dogpatch USA represented the simplicity of life and beauty of nature. Although the park had some rides geared to pull in the “roller coaster” crowd, most of the attraction of the park was geared around actually spending time with your family and enjoying a leisurely vacation.

 

The Attractions

Now, taking a virtual stroll back in time to the park let’s take a look at some of the attractions, shall we…

 

One of the parks most loved attractions was the trout pond which carried forward the legacy of the land’s previous purpose. It was where visitors could cast a line in the always overstocked pond and for a fee, have their catch cleaned and cooked for them while they sat enjoying the parks surroundings.

 

Dogpatch Caverns which had been around previous to the parks creation under the name Mystic Caverns. A second cavern was discovered by accident while renovating the original cave and was planned to be called “Old Man Moses Cave”. It has, since the parks' closure been called Crystal Dome. The caves hold the distinction to be the only attraction which has operated both before and after the park closed.

 

The Frustratin' Flyer was a steel "Monster Mouse" coaster created by Herschell. It was installed in 1968 for the park's debut and it operated until 1991. A later victim of the failing park the Frustratin’ Flyer was sold between 1991 and 1992 season.

 

Earthquake McGoon’s Brain Rattler  was a toboggan roller coaster that was manufactured by Chance Rides. The ride is believed to have been part of the park when it was opened in 1968. In early brochures it was depicted as being a track wrapped around an enormous tree, but the ride was actually made of metal. At some point in the 1970's the ride was closed, possibly due to maintenance problems. It did not reopen until the park was sold to Ozark Family Entertainment in 1981, and was believed to be in service for the remainder of the park's life. One of the few rides to survive the closing of the park the ride is still in operation under the moniker of The Wild & Wooly Toboggan at Little Amerricka amusement park in Marshall, Wisconsin.

The Funicular Tram, referred to as the "decliner inliner", the tram was used to transport visitors from the parking lot into the park below. It was purchased from an unknown manufacturer in Switzerland and shipped to Dogpatch USA at a cost of a quarter of a million dollars. It was installed in 1970 and opened at the beginning of the 1971 season, it could transport as many as 1,700 guests per hour. As passengers descended into the Dogpatch USA valley they were given a short story about the park over the tram's PA. The tram remained in service until 1992 when the park eliminated general admission, and has the distinction of being the only ride that remains in the park, although it’s remains lies in somewhat less than working condition.

The newcomer to the park was Li'l Abner's Space Rocket - The ride was added sometime prior to 1978 but in sharp contrast to the rustic theme of the park, it never quite fit in with its surroundings, its addition has been thought to signal the beginning of the end of the park. The ride, prominently displayed on brochures from the era, was removed when the park closed in 1993 and its whereabouts have since vanished into the winds of time.

The Trash Eaters also bear mentioning, though not really an attraction - The park had trash cans equipped with huge animal heads that "ate" (or rather sucked) the trash out of patrons hands and into their mouths. The heads were shaped like goats, pigs, and even razorbacks and the unusual design encouraged patrons to properly dispose of their trash by making it a fun experience. The trash eaters used a unique & unusual design in their operation. You see, there was a blower motor inside the trash eater "house". The inside of the "house" was sealed so that when the door was shut, a vacuum was created which sucked trash into the trash eater's mouth. The trash then hit a stop and fell into the trashcan located inside the trash eater "house". Several of the trash eaters still stand in silent vigil to this day, but for how much longer...no one knows.

Right out of the comic strip came the Kissin’ Rocks. They were a natural landmark in the Dogpatch comics & came to mirror the comic in real life. The real life park icon is made of granite & was one of the most photographed areas on the property. After uncounted kisses caught on film it still stands today as a testament to this once great park that remains in a special part of so many peoples' memories.

The West Po’k Chop Speshul  was the miniature train that ran on this line at Dogpatch USA departed from the depot station and ran along the outskirts of the town. The tracks crossed over a bridge overlooking Marble Falls, known as “The Bottomless Canyon”. The train went through a tunnel and then circled through the valley of the Shmoo’ & then returned to the depot by the same route. The train made one stop on the return trip, near “The Brainrattler” ride, allowing passengers to wander that section for a few minutes. Normally there was only one train in operation, but there were two locomotives available during peak capacities in the park. The whereabouts of the train are clouded in mystery. At some point after the park closed passerby’s spotted the engine being loaded up on to the back of a trailer. Weather it was stolen or saved remains to be seen. One can only hope for the latter.

Other Rides In The Park Included The Wolf Island Paddle Boats, The Boat Train ride (replaced in 1988 by bumper boats), The Helicopters (kiddie ride), Ole' 99 (which was a kiddie train ride), The Wild Water Rampage, Yo-Yo ride, The Paratrooper ride, The well-known Scrambler ride, The Merry-go-round, The Antique Cars, General Bullmoose's Gravity House (a blacklight maze, fun house), The Shooting Gallery, Hairless Joe and Lonesome Polecat's Kickapoo Joy Juice Barrel Ride (which was a Rotor ride) replaced by a children's play area in 1988, Sky Driver (which replaced the Brain Rattler in 1989), The Wheel of Misfortune (a Round Up, spinning ride, Wheel of Fortune spinner theme-decor)

The Beginning of the end actually came at the end of the first season; the park had over 300,000 visitors and made a comfortable net profit at the time of $100,000. Rumored disputes of O.J.Snow and the other investors over distribution of profits from the park led Snow at first and eventually the majority of other investors in the park into selling their shares to Jess Odom.

 

Al Capp, who was at first hesitant about Odom’s new role in the development of the park apparently put his fears to rest at some point and signed a substantial agreement giving Odom license to use the Li'l Abner themes and likenesses in franchising agreements that could span decades had with an equally substantial share of gross proceeds going to Capp.

 

Odom had plans to invest millions in the development of the Dogpatch USA park as well as develop a new sister park called Marble Falls Resort and Convention Center. Which would have three ski slopes, an indoor ice rink, and an amphitheater which would feature various music and theatrical events. This remarkable idea may have worked if not for a series of unusual and foreboding weather events that caused a delayed opening to the resort. In another turn of unfortunate events a mild winter brought an early close to the first season. This combined with countrywide climbing oil & gas prices that was affecting tourism coupled with rising costs of operating the parks led to spiral into debt that the parks would never recover from.

 

In a bizarre sense of irony Dogpatch USA itself was profitable for all but two years of its operation. However, other local attractions such as Silver Dollar City which had more elaborate rides and attractions began to win over many of the parks paying customers.

 

Al Capp Retires

The parks, already suffering from lower attendance then received what was possibly the most significant factor in the imminent demise of the park. The retirement of Al Capp from producing the popular comic strip in 1977.

 

 Without the national exposure from the comic strip, the Dogpatch/ Li'l Abner began to fade from the public eye and their memory. The effect of his announcement however, did not have an immediate impact on the park nor did anyone see the gathering storm clouds As a matter of fact and in sharp contrast to the announcement, 1977 had recorded numbers of visitors as well as record sales per visitor to the park.

 

Musical (Chair) Owners

Then, almost in no time at all came rapid successions in ownership. With every new owner came various enthusiastic plans to change and revitalize the park. However, despite the bright future that each new owner promised Dogpatch USA filed bankruptcy in 1980. The park was never the same after the Bankruptcy, but, they lingered on and the parks then began their slow decline into obscurity. Instead of upgrades and renovations, the management began cutting costs by focusing on arts/crafts and charging for individual rides scratching desperately for every penny that could be earned. Intentional cost saving measures aside, the final death nail came as the L'il Abner/Dogpatch brand was removed from the park altogether referring to itself as Dogpatch, Arkansas. The park like so many before, although seemingly successful alone, could not bear the additional burden of supporting its failing sister site Marble Falls Resort and Convention Center. Struggling under massive financial pressures in 1993...the parks closed.

 

Decay

In the years that followed the park changed ownership, bits and pieces of what remained began to disappear and although ideas abounded and rumors swirled about the park being reopened, it being converted to a movie ranch, an eco-tourism hub and about a thousand other ideas none of which materialized. Instead year after year, new weeds would break their way through the seams in the concrete, vines would climb a little higher on the old decaying buildings, the grass would grow a little higher and the once meticulously maintained landscape would fade from view as Mother Nature began to reclaim her own. Gone were the sounds of children and their laughter. The only occasional tourist that the park would see were those either looking to document the withered remains of the park or worse, those that would raid it for whatever scraps of the park that weren’t nailed down, and for that matter some that were. Yes the park had been rapidly losing its battle with time, the elements, and those who would have no purpose other than to destroy what was left of this once beautiful theme park.

 

The Shakeup

You would think then, in consideration of all that had happened to it so far, that the park would then quietly fade off into history But no, as if to add insult to injury, a 2005 accident ended in a judge rendering a judgment in favor of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit, a 17-year-old named Pruett Nance and his father. The young Mr. Nance was riding his ATV onto the property and claimed he had permission to be there by the property owners when he ran into a steel cable nearly decapitated himself. The owners at the time claimed the cable was stretched between two trees to thwart trespassers.  In a lawsuit filed by the Nance’s it was claimed that the cable was put with the knowledge it would cause harm. In a battle that lasted all the way to the Supreme Court, the Nance Family received a judgment in favor of Pruett Nance and according to various sources he was given the deed to Dogpatch and became one of its youngest owners when the owners could not, or would not pay the judgment which ranged from $650,000 to $700,000.

 

More Bad News

Bad luck would continue to plague the area when four years later more trouble would come to Marble Falls (who had changed its name from formally from Dogpatch in 1997) in the form of wastewater issues.  In January 2009 a waste sewage lift station, which was installed during the creation of Dogpatch USA back in 1968, ceased to function due to an ice storm which in turn caused sewage to over flow into nearby Mill Creek. Mill Creek fed into the Buffalo National River which resulted in direct contamination of the Buffalo National River with raw sewage flowing from Marble Falls. The community supported by the massive system is only about 100 users. Because of this the Arkansas Department of environmental quality left the Marble Falls Sewage Improvement District two options,

 

1.)  Fight the case in court ,which they would almost certainly lose or,

2.)  Build a new sewage treatment facility which would cost a total of over $1,000,000 which would still only serve 100 users. This translates into a cost of $10,000 per user. I don't know about you, but I would have just a little bit of a problem with that.

 

The Undiscovered Future…

Fast forward to present times in 2012. The park now not in the hands of a corporation or business man, but in the hands of a young man who has a lot of ideas for the future of the land that the remains of the park reside on. What is in the future for Dogpatch USA? A new Amusement Park? A restored version of Dogpatch? A RV Campground? A Camp for Youth? Whatever it may become of it in the future, hopefully it is in better hands now than it has been in a long time. With the imagination of youth and perhaps some financial backing, history may turn into the future for this ole' dog...

 

You can listen to this show Echoes Of Laughter as well as other AMN Shows on our website at: www,audiosmaximus.com, on iTunes and Stitcher Smart Radio. Once again, this show is brought to you in part by Amazon.com. Please help support Echoes Of Laughter and our other shows by visiting audiosmaximus.com and clicking The Swagus Maximus Store Link or by clicking on our Amazon Affiliate Link. The products you purchase cost you no more than they do normally but we are paid a small commission that helps to pay for our shows. Thank You Again For Your Support! Until Next Time...Remember The Laughter!

 

 

This episode of Echoes Of Laughter is brought to you in part by Amazon.com. Please help support Echoes Of Laughter and our other shows by visiting audiosmaximus.com and clicking The Swagus Maximus Store Link or by clicking on our Amazon Affiliate Link. The products you purchase cost you no more than they do normally but we are paid a small commission that helps to pay for the cost of producing our shows. Thank You All For Your Support!

 

 

Script Written By: Kenny Fairchild & T. Michael Fairchild

 

Rides info per http://www.abandonedok.com/dogpatch-u-s-a/

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogpatch_USA#Attractions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li%27l_Abner#Dogpatch

http://users.aristotle.net/~russjohn/attractions/dogpatch.html

http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=2302#

http://www.abandonedok.com/dogpatch-u-s-a/

http://www.undergroundozarks.com/dogpatch.html