Nashville, mobile usage and the Rolling Stones

- During this month of breast cancer awareness, let's give a shout-out to Bud Stringer in Moultrie, GA.  Bud shaved his head in support of his wife, Dolly, who was preparing for chemotherapy to treat her breast cancer.  It was then that he discovered a black mark on his head, which turned out to be an aggressive form of skin cancer.  Both Dolly and Bud have now undergone multiple surgeries, and Bud has one more to go.  But, his early detection saved him as doctors informed the Stringers that "he would have been buried by Christmas" if the lesion had not been found.  Both now have been given good prognoses.

- Now it's apparent why the Rollings Stones are not touring with multiple shows to support their 50th anniversary.  The band has announced plans for concerts in London and New Jersey--at prices of $680 per ticket for the best seats and $170 per ticket for the "cheapest."  At those prices, the boys can make big bucks by making one market appearance apiece in the U.S. and U.K.

- A giant eyeball freaked folks out in Pompano Beach, FL, after the softball-sized part washed up on the shore of this town's beach.  Marine scientists did testing and believe the eyeball came from a swordfish, and not a whale or sea monster of some sort.

- Hey, all you frequent travelers, the following may be stating the obvious but confirms what we have all experienced--today's flights are averaging about 80% of aircraft capacity.  Flights during the 1970's averaged about 60% of capacity.  Interestingly, the average cost of a flight in 2011 was about 40% less than the 1980 average.  So, while the flying experience has grown more irritating, the cost to fly has declined.

- If you've not tried out ABC's Nashville, you need to do so.  Connie Britton, the best television actress no one knows, is outstanding.

- And finally, here's yet another data point confirming the consumer move from websites to mobile apps.  BusinessInsider.com reports that web searches on desktop computers declined in September for the first time since tracking began, in 2006.  Analysts say such searches will keep declining as people shift to mobile data.  (Source:  Macquarie Group)