Sad news in the world of weird news that I like.

Heidi The Cross Eyed Possum hadn’t been feeling good for the past few weeks. The The Leipzig zoo in Berlin said today that the marsupial had been listless and unable to move for several weeks. A decision was made to put the 3 1/2-year-old animal to sleep following repeated attempts to treat her.

Her Facebook page attracted more than 332,000 admirers from across the globe, including me.

Here are a couple websites that you should definitely be wasting your time on right now:

1. Doggleganger

Match your face to a dog’s face.  Most excellent.

2. Sad Stuff On The Street

A collection of photos of sad things that people throw into the street. So sad that Elmo is treated so poorly.

3. The Revolving Internet

Just in case the regular internet wasn’t fun enough.

Now we have one that spins.

OK…so today is April 20th.  4/20.

What’s the deal with that 420 thing? Don’t ask your parents, they’ll have no idea what you are talking about.  Your Grandmother probably thinks it the correct number of cross-stitches to make in an afghan blanket.

The kids think it has something to do with smoking pot or other drug subcultures, which may or may not be true.

We went to our favorite urban myth busting site;  Snopes.com to get the low down…dude.

Claim: The term ‘420′ entered drug parlance as a term signifying the time to light up a joint.

It’s both more and less than people make it out to be. ‘420′ began its sub-rosa linguistic career in 1971 as a bit of slang casually used by a group of high school kids at San Rafael High School in California. ‘420′ (always pronounced “four-twenty,” never “four hundred and twenty”) came to be an accepted part of the argot within that group of about a dozen pot smokers, beginning as a reminder of the time they planned to meet to light up, 4:20 p.m.

Keep in mind this wasn’t a general call to all dope smokers everywhere to toke up at twenty past four every day; it was twelve kids who’d made a date to meet near a certain statue. It’s thus incorrect to deem that ‘420′ originated as a national or international dope-smoking time, even though the term began as a reference to a particular time of day.

These days ‘420′ is used as a generic way of declaring one likes to use marijuana or just as a term for the substance itself. Its earliest connotation of having to do with the time a certain group of students congregated to smoke wacky tobaccy is unknown to the overwhelming majority of those who now employ the term. Indeed, most instead believe one or more of the many spurious explanations that have since grown up about this much abused short form:

Good to know.  Here’s some of the other urban myths about the mysterious 420:

420 is the penal code section for marijuana use in California:
False.
Section 420 of the California penal code refers to obstructing entry on public land. The penal codes of other states list different entries for 420, but none of them matches anything having to do with marijuana.

California signed that state’s Senate Bill 420, which regulates marijuana used for medical purposes.
True.
This bill comes years after the term ‘420′ was associated with marijuana and indeed its number likely was chosen because of the existing pop culture connection. This is the tail wagging the dog, not the other way around.

It’s the police radio code for marijuana smoking in progress.
False
It’s not the police radio code for anything, let alone that.  Police most often used the “10″ codes, such as 10-4.

It’s the number of chemical compounds in marijuana.
False
The number of chemical compounds in marijuana is 315, according to the folks at High Times magazine.

April 20 is the date that Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, or Janis Joplin died.
False
Morrison died on July 3, Hendrix on September 18, and Joplin on October 4.

The 20th of April is the best time to plant marijuana.
False
There is no one best time” — that answer would change from one part of the country to another, or even one country to another.

Abby Hofmann took the first deliberate LSD trip at 4:20 on 19 April 1943.
Sort Of
This was indeed the case — his lab notes back this up. But this wasn’t the source of “420,” just an oddball coincidence. (For the pedants out there, Hofmann’s first LSD trip, which was accidental, took place on 16 April 1943.)

It’s the code you send to your drug dealer’s pager.
Don’t Be Stupid
All drug dealers recognize a ‘420′ page as “Please be waiting on the corner with my baggie of weed.”

When the Grateful Dead toured, they always stayed in Room 420.
False
Untrue, says Grateful Dead Productions spokesman Dennis McNally.

Adolph Hitler was born on April 20th and the Columbine shootings took place on April 20th.
True
What does that have to do with stoner culture though?

Other references:

• There’s a 4:20 record label in California
• There is a band called 4:20.
• Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing Co. sells its 420 Pale Ale in supermarkets and opens its doors to the public at 4:20 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
• New York’s 420 Tours sells low-cost travel packages to the Netherlands and Jamaica.
• Highway 420 Radio broadcasts “music for the chemically enhanced.”
• In Fast Times at Ridgemont High the score of the football game was 42-0.
• Most of the clocks in Pulp Fiction are set to 4:20 (but not all — when the kid receives the watch it’s set at 9:00).

I’ll give you 1 guess as to who didn’t get adopted by Elton John this year.  Yeah, ME. I can’t believe it!  There are tons of reasons below as to why he just made the biggest mistake ever.  Still, I’m not holding any grudges, if Elton wants to adopt me, I could be persuaded.

Here’s the real cover (in my mind)

Thanks everybody for listening to 105-1 Charlie FM in 2010.  Here’s hoping the best for you in 2011.

If you’re heading out, play it safe.  They are offering free bus rides in Madison once again.

This is one of the most iconic Rolling Stone covers of all time, and was taken by famed photographer Annie Liebovitz on what would be the last day of his life.  The image was first published just a month after his death in 1980 and has been ranked the top magazine cover of the last 40 years.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz has said the original concept for the now legendary John Lennon and Yoko Ono Rolling Stone cover was for both to appear nude, designed to mark the release of their album “Double Fantasy.”  As legend has it, Lennon was game, shedding his clothes quickly, but Ono felt uncomfortable. Leibovitz recalled for Rolling Stone: “I was kinda disappointed, and I said, ‘Just leave everything on.’ We took one Polaroid, and the three of us knew it was profound right away.”

October 9th would have been John Lennon’s 70th Birthday.  Happy birthday to the man who gave us beautiful music and who has become a cultural symbol of peace and understanding…oh yeah, and he’s the walrus.

Will Jennifer Grey have the time of her life? I’m predicting no. It may even be a Kate Gosselin moment…eeeek!

Yeah, I thought I watched a lot too, then I got a hold of the Emmy Nomination List, I should probably settle down on the Toddlers & Tiaras and Locked Up Abroad and start watching more grown up/ high brow stuff.

Hey Madison, I’ve got your solution to all your high-speed rail hoopla!

WARNING:  This is a “very special episode” of the Charlie’s receptionist Jessica blog.  Sometimes important stuff needs to be said, go with it.

Remember these young, sweet, long haired lads who charmed us with a word they invented (what is MMMBop anyway?)

Well, they’ve turned into interesting, thoughtful, talented, grown-ups, that are still touring!!  They come to the Pabst on August 12th, and let me tell you from experience, the show will be worth every last dime you pay.

Here they are rocking out in the Charlie studio:

The most awesome thing about Hanson: They’re taking steps to end HIV/AIDS and poverty in Africa.  Literally.

Join them for a walk before their concerts, or organize you’re own walk.

*****Find Hanson at 144 East Wells Street Pabst Theatre at 3pm on August 12th and walk with them.*****

Every mile walked will raise funds to support one of five real causes that will make a difference, with one dollar donated by the Take The Walk campaign for each walker.  You can support: access to medical care, medical treatment, shoes, clean water and education.  32,255 miles have been walked towards this cause!

Too lazy to walk?  Have a shoe addiction? You can purchase a pair of TOMS shoes for yourself.  By doing this you’ll be providing a much needed pair of shoes to a child.

You should also save the rainforest, but Sting deserves his own post.