What's Truly Scary?

State Representative Tim Larson wants to designate the last Saturday in October as Halloween in Connecticut. That would certainly make sense to have it on a night when children don't have to think about things like homework and parents probably have enough other things to do during the work week. That's all well and good, but then it strikes me like a lightning bolt: Don't politicians have other issues to deal with in the middle of this nasty recession? It strikes me as grandstanding while other more serious problems need the attention of lawmakers. It's bad timing, Mr. Larson.

Politicians are scaring most of us these days, and for good reason. What else scares you? Most "scary" characters I see on TV or in movies really come across as lame. Alfred Hitchcock, a man who scared many moviegoers over the years and pioneering the whole "angry birds" thing, said policemen scared him because they had the ability to take away his freedom. I confess to a fear of heights. Last winter when I had to climb a ladder to clear snow off a roof, I had this feeling of dizziness and didn't get too far. Clearing leaves from gutters gives me a feeling of "vertigo", to borrow from Hitchcock again. Yes, I admit to acrophobia. Being in broadcasting for years, I have always been in awe of anyone who can climb a radio or TV tower. It's strange, though. I have little problem with airplanes as long as there's no turbulence. I love roller coasters because my feet are still planted on something solid, but forget about those big amusement park flying swings. OK, I'm not fearless, but at least I take comfort in knowing my fear is more rational than some folks' phobias. What yours?

Fifteen Years of Mohegan Sun

This weekend will mark a milestone in gaming here in eastern Connecticut. Mohegan Sun celebrates its fifteenth anniversary. Jennifer Lopez, Regis Philbin and other celebrities will be on hand. I have a feeling it will be even busier than usual when I get in there for my live broadcast Sunday from 10 to 3 on 102.3 The Wolf. Yes, I admit to a shameless plug. While the casino has been a big part of my weekend radio routine this year, it has also been a part of my life since it opened in 1996. While I've deposited a few bucks in the slots, seen a few shows and even gotten a few Christmas gifts there over the years, I have to say the restaurants are what I enjoy the most. The dining options have really expanded over the years. On my last birthday, I had this craving for a burger from Bobby Flay's Burger Palace - the juiciest! The Summer Shack is a fun seafood place. Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville rocks. Most recently, a visit for Mexican food at SolToro was well worth it. You get my point. It is hard to imagine what this region would be like without Mohegan Sun and its competitor nine miles up the road: Foxwoods. Mohegan Sun was by far my mother's favorite destination for the last dozen years of her life. Her face would light up at the prospect of going there. These days, it is the place that allows me to do my radio thing. The "Sun" has evolved, and I suppose my relationship to it has changed as well.    

Voices of Frustration

The American Way?

Is history repeating itself? For the first time in forty years, the voices on the left are being raised, and once again the establishment is uncomfortable. Did a 13-year-old really write the nasty letter to the left, or does this say more about the parents? The "Occupy Wall Street" crowd is beginning to get traction well beyond lower Manhattan, as Connecticut cities are not excluded from this growing movement. What do these people want? The goals remain unclear. The reasons behind the protests should be apparent: frustration over a troubled economy blamed on corporate greed and government gridlock. There are certainly other forces at work in this drawn out recession, but the economic numbers we've been seeing are affecting real people. I call on local businesses all the time for advertising, and the stories of struggle really do hit home. During the short time since "Occupy Wall Street" got our attention, we have seen them labeled as unclean mobs by the right wing politicians who only cater to Tea Party America and their financial backers saying, "Get a job at McDonalds and pull yourself up by the bootstraps!" The overwhelming majority of people not only want to be productive; they also need to be valued by their bosses and have some degree of confidence their source of income will not be cut back or taken away tomorrow. We have had plenty of time to listen to the uncompromising talking points of those who remain comfortable. To ignore this new wave of seething anger and desperation is asking for trouble.

Steve Jobs: A Legacy

“I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything."         Steve Jobs could relate to failure as well as success.  They are not mutually exclusive in life, and the way he lived said as much about him as the technology and company he left behind.  I learned about the passing at 56 of the former Apple CEO on my iPad 2, one of many Steve Jobs creations.   Few people have had success weigh as heavily on them as Steve Jobs, but I have definitely learned from my own experience that a loss can mean a new beginning.   

Zero Tolerance

Did you catch any of the Ken Burns PBS series on Prohibition? I wish I could have seen more, but what I did see reminded me of the ridiculous lengths society will go to protect us from ourselves. Shortly after World War I, a constitutional amendment prohibited the sale of alcohol. While initially curbing consumption, this drove an entire business underground and fueled gang violence. The experiment is considered a failure, and the legal and regulated sale of liquor returned in the 1930s. Yes, alcohol had destroyed entire families and communities through the years and the temperance movement may have meant well, but Americans resented being told what they couldn't do. Overall, most people do not have a big problem handling liquor. Alcoholics Anonymous arrived in the thirties to help those who did have trouble handling alcohol. The use - and problem - were brought out of hiding. Liquor revenues could be taxed. Liquor content could be consistently controlled. Does alcohol still destroy some lives? Of course, but no one is calling for a return to the Prohibition days. Soon after Prohibition's repeal, politicians and others decided to target marijuana use. demonizing those who abused or even moderately used it. Can anyone explain to me why this is so different from liquor? Has the attempt at zero tolerance ever worked when the illegal profits and insatiable demand prompt so many people to resort to smuggling pot into this country any way they can? We are hypocritical as a society when we condemn one drug while promoting the use of so many other drugs in commercials all over the evening news. Someday we can at least have an open conversation about it. In the meantime, mixed messages are everywhere as leaders "talk tough" about sending a message against any use of pot. Get real.