Senator Lieberman on the Wakeup Club

We haven't heard too much on the talk show circuit lately from Connecticut's junior U.S. Senator, which is one reason why a call from Joe Lieberman to the Wakeup Club this past Thursday was most welcome. We did get an update on what he has been working on in Washington. Senator Lieberman discussed his involvement in addressing the growing violence among Mexico's drug cartels and how this impacts much of the U.S. We also got an assessment of the situation in Iraq. His stand on this issue put him at odds with a majority of Connecticut public opinion, but his poll numbers seem to be rebounding a bit lately. Although he supprted John McCain in 2008, he seems to be adopting a wait and see or even supportive attitude toward the Obama administration's economic stimulus package. And yes, he's been swamped by people outraged over the AIG bailout and bonuses. That issue seems to be affecting Connecticut's senior Senator Chris Dodd's poll numbers much more adversely, thanks to Dodd's committee oversight responsibilities. Whether or not you agree with Senator Lieberman, you have to admit he's managed to avoid the scandals and accusations of impropriety that have dogged many a politician. He's also a pretty entertaining and engaging guest, and long overdue for a visit to the Wakeup Club.

Joe O'Brien - A Nice Guy

My father - on the left, shown here in 1947 with his brother Jack - was happy to lead a simple life. He was a second generation Irish American who grew up in the Fair Haven section of New Haven, served in the Navy during World War II, married in 1949 and moved the family to suburban North Branford in 1957. He worked contentedly at U.S. Motors in Milford for 21 years until the recession of 1969 hit. Job security was never quite the same after that. He had health issues too, but my father was never one to complain. Joe O'Brien coped with life's travails through an incredibly corny sense of humor, chatting with the neighbors, puttering around the house and tinkering with the family car. His "come what may" attitude sometimes drove my mother crazy - she was more the worrier. He never acted disappointed in me or my brother, and I often wondered what his expectations really were. It was only after he died March 27, 1978 - a few days short of his 57th birthday - that I learned how much he would brag to people about "his sons." He was the definition of unconditional love. He left us much too soon, but if he had regrets about his life they would be news to us.

Glenn O'Brien - The Style Guy

Google my name and you'll get at least three pages devoted exclusively to another Glenn O'Brien - the style writer for GQ Magazine. He also had a TV show in New York City back in the seventies which could be considered a cult classic. And yes, he has a Style Guy Blog. I first became aware of this other GO'B ten years ago when somebody I worked with at WDRC in Hartford left me a picture of "The Style Guy." It doesn't bother me one bit to think there's another Glenn O'Brien on the planet who has more fame and probably fortune, but apparently it did irk the Style Guy to find my humble corner of the blogosphere. He actually commented about me having the nerve to have his name, even implying that I was imitating him. Well, Glenn O'Brien is my real name, and it goes way back - as the Style Guy's name does - to the fifties. I also gathered he would not want to trade places with me at WBMW. I may not be jetting off to Paris, but this Connecticut "Radio Guy" is just fine as Glenn the Soft Rock local DJ. It's a riot that the other Glenn even noticed!

Wakeup Club Cast of Characters: John Devine

One morning last summer while Rebecca was on baby leave, I wondered out loud on the show whether anyone listening would like to try out as a guest co-host. I got one serious response: from John Devine, the sales manager at Valenti Volkswagen of Mystic. John proved to be a fortunate find for the Wakeup Club. You are instantly impressed at what a lover of life this guy really is. His jokes are pretty funny, and his interests go well beyond the short space I have here. John is a key ingredient to the resurgence of a downtown New London landmark: the Garde Arts Center. He provides updates on what's happening there. I also get the impression this rock n' roll aficionado plays a mean guitar himself. One of these days Rebecca and I will have time to accept his offers to be his guests at a Garde Arts Center event. I am way overdue to see something there. Would you buy a car from the man in the center of the picture? I would.

An Unlucky Time?

Here we are, sandwiched in between Friday the 13th and the Ides of March on the 15th. If you have a fear of the number 13, you have triskaidekaphobia! On March 15th in 44 B.C., Julius Caesar had a particularly crummy day. Getting assassinated sucks. March is my least favorite month, with the exception of St. Patrick's Day. It does seem to have bad connotations for me and my family. I often find myself stressed or bummed out at this time of year, with everything and everyone around me seemingly in an uproar. Then it dawned on me today - a pretty decent day allowing for a sorely needed moment of clarity. If I deserve better than some unfairness that has befallen me, then I must be good enough to be above the hurt feelings, petty nonsense and the need to win 100% of the time. After a bumpy 13th, I just let it go on the 14th, like flipping a switch, and it feels like a weight off my shoulders. Break the negative cycle or let it continue without you. If we don't think we deserve to be happy - lucky month or not - who will?

Norwich Bulletin Reflects Changing Times

The paper remains, but 27 employees do not as GateHouse, the Bulletin's parent company, decided to close down its manufacturing operation in downtown Norwich. I know one person who worked there since 1971 - basically her whole working life. The paper will now be produced in Auburn, Massachusetts. The Norwich Bulletin has been caught up in the perfect storm that has engulfed the newspaper business. The recession and the loss of classified advertising to websites like Craig's List are just the latest reasons for a massive decline in revenues. Circulation has also taken a hit, as younger readers find their news on the web and local TV stations ramp up their hours of news coverage. There's more to this story. The decline of many newspapers has been hastened by the huge debt incurred by companies snapping up properties with inflated pre-recession pricetags like there was no tomorrow. Some big broadcast corporations engaged in this acquisition spree as well. Well, tomorrow has come. These short-term business strategies have lined a few business people's pockets while a media tradition that may have otherwise survived appears less likely to do so. Have you read a newspaper lately?

Wakeup Club Cast of Characters: Our American Idol Expert

The other week while Rebecca was on vacation and Phred was filling in, we realized that neither one of us had much chance to catch what was happening on Fox's top-rated primetime show. Like a lot of busy people, we just weren't able to devote enough TV viewing time to American Idol! Well, our solution was closer than we thought. Alycia Mraz, one of our WBMW producers, has been a wealth of information on every season of the show since its start. She can also sing. We are excited to have Alycia on board giving us her take on a show practically everyone talks about. Listen at 7:25am to Soft Rock 106.5 the day after every American Idol broadcast for her American Idol Update. Alycia has also started a "We Love Soft Rock 106.5" Facebook page. Although Alycia's been helpful in everything from live remote broadcasts to compiling storm cancellations, I have a feeling she has only begun her contributions to our stations.

My Starbucks Stop

I've always admired the American success story that is Starbucks, but it's no secret that the coffee giant has been feeling the squeeze with its perception of price in these lean times along with a full fledged attack by Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's. Last night I stopped into Starbucks. Since it was late, I asked for a tall (which I guess is medium) decaf. They told me that it would take a few minutes, since they no longer brew decaf continuously after a certain point in the afternoon. I had forgotten about that and, since I didn't want to wait, opted for caffeine. It strikes me as strange, since I would think more people would want decaf late in the day. We're always being told to avoid caffeine after 2:00 p.m. to get a better night's sleep. I really wonder if they did their homework on this one. If it was an arbitrary corporate decision, Starbucks' troubles may be just beginning. That would be a shame, since they are neat, mellow places to meet people and even conduct business without being surrounded by Mayor McCheese and big donut posters! Oh, and they may want to knock down the $3 pricetag on the vanilla chai tea, too.

CSB Closes Its Doors

The Connecticut School of Broadcasting abruptly closed its doors March 4th, shutting down its 26 locations in 16 states and filing for bankruptcy protection. My ties to the school go back to early 1974 as a student at the Stratford branch. Back then, there were only the Farmington and Stratford schools. Tuition was $800 for a 12-week course and veteran Hartford broadcaster Dick Robinson was its president. Since Robinson sold CSB, the deepening recession has taken its toll on the school, even with broadcasting hopefuls paying $12,000 tuition. My experience at CSB was a positive one, and my connection to it did not end with graduation. The man who became CSB's longtime director, Hank Tenney, broke into the radio business in 1977 when a very young program director at WCNX in Middletown - yours truly - hired him for the afternoon airshift. Hank has since moved on to media production and sales here in New London, and we are very overdue to do lunch. I have had many opportunities to teach at CSB in Stratford, Farmington and Pawcatuck. My co-host Rebecca on the Soft Rock 106.5 Wakeup Club went to CSB, as did countless other people I've worked with. My training in radio went beyond CSB's 12 weeks, to college radio in Keene, New Hampshire and a slew of part-time local radio gigs. I still think of 1974 as a pivotal year in my life, and my decision to pursue a path through the Connecticut School of Broadcasting was one big reason why.