The Annoying Orange Goes Viral

Most YouTube videos are juvenile.  Most are a waste of time.  If it weren't for the YouTube app on my Blackberry, I would still be blissfully ignorant of a character that has the most popular YouTube series with over 60 million views: The Annoying Orange.  When I first discovered the wisecracking orange with the eyes and mouth of its human creator Dane Boedigheimer, I have to admit liking these simple yet unique (and yes, annoying) videos.  I figured if many people my age can be entertained by playing Mafia Wars and Farmville on Facebook, I can laugh at this obnoxious fruit that reminds me of a combination of Dennis the Menace, Don Rickles and Gilbert Gottfried.  Don't be surprised if some TV network doesn't pick up this series and try something with it.  Through the vast YouTube wasteland, there are some creative people finding an outlet here.   YouTube content creators like Ray William Johnson and Shane Dawson may be the next wave of mainstream TV.    I'll pass on the YouTube Harry Potter and Katy Perry parodies, but some of what I've seen on that tiny Blackberry screen may be the next primetime ratings winner.   That prospect may be annoying, but I'd bet on it. 

Another Workplace Tragedy

Scene after Manchester Shooting (WVIT)

The death toll climbed every time I checked the news today in this tragedy so close to home.   At last count, nine people were dead and two seriously injured as an employee apparently facing termination came into a beer distributor in Connecticut this morning at 7:30 and began shooting.  Police in Manchester say Omar Thornton, 34, opened fire at Hartford Distributors, killing eight coworkers and then shot himself.   We as a nation have become almost numb to this type of tragedy, with the usual discussions of gun control, workplace stress and the gunman's background to follow.   In recent history, that has resolved little or nothing.  It is time to reflect on the loss to families, friends, co-workers and the community as a whole.  The victims were just people trying to make a living.   So soon after the loss of two Bridgeport firefighters, the state has another occasion to mourn.

I Predict A Sequel

It's been ages since I went to the movies, so when I visited a friend in New Hampshire I had to check out the new cinemas in Hooksett near Manchester.  "Salt", starring Angelina Jolie, certainly filled the bill for anyone looking for nonstop action and intrigue.  It was about a CIA agent planted as a mole and trained as a child by the old Soviet KGB and activated to wreak new havoc in a post Cold War world.   The movie, which was originally supposed to star Tom Cruise in a role similar to his "Mission Impossible" character, got mixed reviews.  I'll give it high marks for Jolie's portrayal.  She even did her own stunts.  I really couldn't tell what side she was working for until two-thirds of the way through the plot.  That alone kept me on the edge of my seat.  By the time the movie's over, you'll think two things: 1.) Who CAN you trust?   2.) The scene has definitely been set for a sequel. 

Lessons from an Old School Journalist

Daniel Schorr

The passing of the great CBS/CNN/NPR journalist Daniel Shorr happened the same week the flap over how blogger Andrew Breitbart's incomplete video posting unfairly cost agriculture official Shirley Sherrod her job.  These seemingly unrelated stories actually serve to remind us how news coverage has changed, and not necessarily for the better in a world where anyone can start a blog and declare himself a journalist.  This trend did not escape the notice of veteran ABC Nightline anchor Ted Koppel, who was a guest yesterday on NPR.  Koppel pointed out how government has also gotten caught up in this new media cycle and then having to do damage control.   I noticed how bad the Obama administration, the NAACP, conservative bloggers, journalism in general and the cable news channels in particular looked when practically everyone involved paid more attention to poltical expediency or media sensationalism.  While Fox News led the cable pack in spreading an inaccurate story for a day, they later spent more time blaming the administration for overreacting than sufficiently owning up to their own part in laying it on so thick.  MSNBC's liberal primetime hosts devoted their energy to blaming Fox more than the officials who were involved in improperly firing Sherrod.  Ted Koppel sounded a cautionary note about today's media focusing more on giving the public what they want than what they need.    Koppel, Schorr and other great journalists searched for truth.  That was their agenda.  

The Sonic Experience

Commercials for Sonic Drive-in restaurants have been seen in Connecticut on cable channels for years, but Sonic did not have any locations here.  Those shakes looked so tempting too!  That all changed July 14th with the opening of the first Connecticut Sonic in Wallingford.   There were special traffic advisories in anticipation of the throngs of fast food fanatics who were expected to converge on this spot on Route 5 off the Wilbur Cross Parkway - did they ever.   I was visiting someone nearby and had to check out the mob scene up the road, but there was no way I was going to enter that fast food fray.   They get an "A" in traffic control, but I can't imagine waiting an hour or two or three just to get the first crack at what are still drive-in hamburgers, shakes and fries - carhops or no carhops.   Six months ago in Fort Myers, Florida, I felt compelled to see what all the Sonic fuss was all about and pulled into a Sonic twice during my week there.   I did love their smoothies and the whole retro atmosphere.  That was all well and good, but it wasn't the high point of my culinary experiences while on vacation.  What I witnessed driving past the new Wallingford Sonic last weekend reminded me of the traffic jams on the Berlin Turnpike stretch of Routes 5/15 when Krispy Kreme Doughnuts came to our fair state.  That store is now long gone.  After the Sonic experience spreads to Manchester and then all across Connecticut, I hope they don't go the way of Krispy Kreme around here.  I loved those hot donuts and at least they're still in Mohegan Sun, but with their rapid regional rise and fall it makes me wonder if they were also cooking the books.      

Wisdom from a Facebook Friend

You can't turn on a TV without somebody reminding us how something is broken.   It can leave people with a sense of helplessness and a yearning for some straight answers.  There are many people out there willing to try to supply them, and most fall short.  Instead of easy answers, maybe we need some common sense perspective.   One source for everyday wisdom is Facebook.  What?  True, most of what's posted there is far from wise or even relevant, but type in Dalai Lama under "search" and you can receive observations from this revered Tibetan Buddhist leader each day.  You don't have to be very religious at all (or know Richard Geer) to relate to what the Dalai Lama has to say.  Here's a quote from yesterday: Some people think that cultivating compassion is good for others but not necessarily good for themselves, but this is wrong. You are the one who benefits most directly since compassion immediately instills in you a sense of calm, inner strength, and a deep confidence and satisfaction, whereas it is not certain that the object of your feeling of compassion will benefit.   I feel a sense of serenity already.  It makes me rethink what had me all hot and bothered in the first place.

Don't Boycott BP

I have to admit I've been reluctant to get gas at any BP station in eastern Connecticut, and there are many.  At first I felt it would be sanctioning their negligence in the Gulf of Mexico and one of the worst records of violations by an industry already wielding way too much influence over government policy.  Apparently an attempt to boycott BP is having a nationwide effect at stations displaying the BP sign.  But who is hurting when customers shy away?  BP stations are locally owned and operated, not company run.  They pay BP to use their name.  Many are contractually obligated to continue with BP for years.  I saw one of those station owners on CNN, and it was clear that he was taking the hit and not BP.  It also could leave one less choice for consumers who may not even be buying BP gas when they go to a BP station.  That revelation makes you wonder about truth in labeling, a whole other topic.  Make no mistake about it.  BP should pay.  They should pay big.  Thankfully, they have capped the leaking well for now, but there are too many unanswered questions about their corporate conduct.  If you boycott, you may not be punishing the right people.  Maybe we should also look at ourselves when we support politicians who say "drill, baby, drill" as our fossil fuel addiction forces oil companies to search in increasingly risky places.

Steinbrenner's Legacy

This has been a week of sad news for the New York Yankees.  First we learn of the passing of legendary Yankee Stadium announcer Bob Shepherd at 99.  Now comes news of the death of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner at 80.  He had been in poor health for several years and the team was being run by his sons Hank and Hal.   Few sports celebrities and fewer owners have drawn as much controversy in the years since he bought the team in 1973.  I confess to never being a big fan of the Steinbrenner style.  He deserves credit for the Yankees earning 11 pennants and 7 World Series titles.  He spent money to make money in the country's largest media market.   If the talent pricetag was beyond the reach of some competing teams, don't blame George.  The people who produced - or did their best - were the ones who made me a Yankee fan.   He deserved a return on his investment, but his micromanaging and grandstanding too frequently made the Yankees story all about him.  His character as portrayed on Seinfeld actually boosted his image, and it was clear that he could be a good sport and laugh at himself.  He was a phenomenal businessman with a larger than life image who brought in great people.  Like many American business leaders, he often forgot about letting great people do their jobs.  You hire their expertise; you don't own them.   You can't take it with you, but this is one boss who left a sports franchise so much stronger than he found it.  It's only fitting that he was around long enough to see the new Yankee Stadium and his team on top.     

A Baby Boomer Moment

It's been decades since Saturday night TV has had much of anything worth watching, but this past weekend found this baby boomer in front of the tube for an hour watching PBS and CPTV.  This time, California Dreamin': The Songs of The Mamas and the Papas, originally released in 2005, brought back some great memories in a beautifully produced retrospective of the group's relatively brief time in the spotlight of sixties pop culture.   This unlikely foursome had a familiar sound that defied labels.  Their hits and even a few of their misses sound as fresh today as when you couldn't put on an AM radio without hearing them.  Steeped in early sixties folk, the counter culture and then peaking in 1967's "Summer of Love," these Rock n' Roll Hall of Famers weren't strictly rock at all.   Their autobiographical hit "Creeque Alley" says they decided to "leave the folk music behind," but I think they just refined it with great lyrics and lush vocals arranged by John Phillips.  Mama Cass Elliot was one of a kind and was clearly destined for greater things in a solo career before her untimely death in 1974.  Drugs and the tension within the group eventually brought them to the breaking point, although the group did tour with a shifting roster of members for years afterward.  When I saw them at WDRC-FM's Oldies Fest in 1996, Denny Doherty was the only original member still on tour.  Of all their songs, the one that still stops me in my tracks only made it to number 20 on Billboard: "12:30 (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon)".   Just like the clock that always says 12:30, it's easy to get frozen in time with any of their songs.

Dramatic Diversions - No Big Deals

So, Lebron James is headed out of Cleveland and toward the Miami Heat.  To see the reaction in these towns and others, you would think the world as we know it had radically changed forever.  Cleveland's NBA team, not to mention its economy, will most likely survive LBJ's departure.   He had every right to go where he wanted, and Cleveland fans need to get over this feeling of betrayal.  What could have been spared?  An endless hour on ESPN that could have been a minute!  At least the Dancing With The Stars results shows have something called entertainment leading up to who gets the boot.   The other drama that needed to end was Lindsay Lohan's reaction to the judge's jail sentence.  She showed no respect for the court up to that point, losing all credibility.  Her hysterics were more an angry, incredulous reaction to a sentence she thought she was above.  She needs treatment for her drug problems, but nobody can be too shocked by what the judge decided.   In both cases, it's time for a lot of fans (and Lindsay herself) to get real.   Were these huge water cooler topics of conversation?  Sure.  Did they affect our lives more than the time spent following them on ESPN or TMZ.com?  No.   

Eastern CT's Road to Nowhere

Every time I drive on Route 85 between the Crystal Mall area and Salem Four Corners, I think how much better the trip would be if they only finished Route 11.  Just the other day around 5:00 p.m., my 20-mile trip from New London to Colchester took over 50 minutes thanks to pure volume snaking its way from the Chesterfield Road intersection and the Route 161 merge in Montville  back down to Waterford.   Think about how much time people waste here each day, how many serious accidents occur on this stretch of Route 85 and how there would be no way to successfully evacuate the shoreline via this road.   Route 11 - all 7.42 miles of it - is one of the least stressful drives on a limited access highway in a region infamous for overcrowded interstates and treacherous two-lane state highways.  Planners had envisioned an expressway running from Route 2 all the way down to I-95 near the 395 split.  A drive to and from New London could be a breeze.  Funding ran out and in 1972 the road opened only half finished, ending at Route 82 in Salem.   Despite painstaking proposals for a "greenway" to limit environmental impacts, promises from politicians and support from local residents, the funding never materialized.   In this economic climate, I won't hold my breath for Route 11 dollars to flow, and we can only wonder how much the completion of Route 11 would have saved lives and been a shot in the arm to southeastern Connecticut. 

The Other Football

I don't know what folks beyond our borders call what we know and love as football, but mention "football" to most people outside the USA and you'd be talking about "soccer."  Once in a great while, soccer takes center stage among this country's sports fans.   With Team USA's 2-1 loss to Ghana today at the World Cup in South Africa, that prominent position will now revert to another sport.   Whenever soccer grabs our attention the way it did over the last few weeks, the question always arises as to whether the USA will soon join the rest of the world in making soccer a major spectator sport.  Well, Pele has been the only international soccer star Americans have ever heard of for decades.   During that time David Beckham has been the only addition to that short list.  Bottom line: it's not happening anytime soon.   There are signs of slow change.  "Soccer moms" were nonexistent when I was a kid, but now they're everywhere.  The added influence of Latin American and other soccer-friendly cultures point to the likelihood of the "other football" gaining more attention here in the USA.  Let's just hope that those South African Vuvuzela horns that sound like thousands of angry bees don't become a staple here as well.  

Tough Decisions

Economic reality caught up with the Norwich school system this week.  The $62.9 million school budget passed this week, meaning dozens of fewer teachers citywide along with the closing of the Greeneville and Buckingham elementary schools.  It may not have made anyone happy, but at least the people of Norwich know where they stand and deserve a collective pat on the back for fiscal responsibility.  A Catholic school also fell victim to its own budget crunch as St. Joseph's School on Cliff Street closed after 101 years.  Griswold also passed a $24.3 million school budget.   Now comes the reality of living with these budgets and how they will affect neighborhoods.  In Norwich, moving school children away from their neighborhoods to classes with more students per teacher can be very disruptive.  The Rose City is a sizeable chunk of real estate, and everyone knows longer bus rides do nothing to enhance the quality of education.  Norwich is also defined by a collection of communities within a community.  A school is no small part of that.  The poorest neighborhoods are the most affected by these cuts, but this move toward regionalization can't be good in the short term for any elementary student in Norwich.   They had to do it, but let's hope we can restore much of what we've lost before we get too far down the road.     

Things Happen For A Reason

When a change happened in my life a few months ago, many people made the usual "things happen for a reason" comment.  It now dawns on me how right they really are.   Most changes are neither accidents nor unpredictable.   With any loss comes sadness, but I find much of that sadness revolves around wishing how a situation could have been instead of the sudden shock of losing a wonderful thing.   By that fateful day, things in this case just hadn't been the same for months.  Time brings more perspective.    I've spared the details, but you've just witnessed true closure.   That episode is over.   If I accept that, I'm less likely to be that guy who was "never quite the same" afterward.

New London to New York by Ferry

New London is expanding as a transportation hub.  The City Council gave its approval to the Seastreak company to operate weekend passenger ferry service from City Pier to Manhattan starting in July.  For $69 round trip, you can take the water route to or from the Big Apple in three hours.  Compared to a train trip or to driving I-95 and paying to park, the price and time frame seem reasonable enough.  If you're like me and think it doesn't get much better than cruising Long Island Sound on a clear day, then you'll be tempted to give this a try.  There may be a few catches.  A 90-minute ferry trip to Orient Point, Long Island is one thing.  Indulge in one of those big pretzels they serve on board and gaze for awhile at the mysterious Plum Island and you're in Orient before you know it.   Three hours one way?  That could get a bit tedious.  When I think of a three hour trip in rough seas, the plot of Gilligan's Island comes to mind.   On that cautionary note, I wish this new venture well.        

National Donut Day

Happy National Donut Day on this first Friday in June!  The idea was created by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the women who served donuts to soldiers during World War I.   Donuts have always been one of my biggest guilty pleasures.  I was devastated when I couldn't find the vanilla filled glazed Krispy Kremes in their Mohegan Sun shops anymore, but the raspberry "filled" that void pretty well.    Now that I am on doctor's orders to watch my glucose levels, I can't say that this national holiday is as much fun as it used to be.  That doesn't mean I want to ban this calorie-laden day, but haven't Americans been emulating Homer Simpson's dietary habits regularly enough?   Since I now have to avoid these incredibly rich indulgences like the plague, I admit to being a killjoy at least on this day.  While I guess an occasional treat is fine for many folks, I am not the only one who has reached for a donut one too many times.  The donut shops will still get my coffee business (with cream and three Splenda), but I plan on skipping the donuts and other baked goods.   This is the part where I sigh but take heart in the knowledge that there's an entire National Salad Week in the middle of summer.  I know - it's not the same. 

Beyond Petroleum

BP has become a lightning rod for public outrage over what has become the largest ecological disaster in U.S. history.  Much of that is richly deserved, given the amount of times this immensely profitable foreign oil giant has been cited by regulators for all kinds of major violations, the way they and other oil companies have maintained a cozy relationship with these same regulators, the heartwrenching stories from the survivors of the platform explosion that killed eleven workers and BP's initial downplaying of the oil spill.   Government is culpable as well, with lax enforcement that led up to this disaster and officials coming across as detached while BP seemed to run the show.  President Obama denied this, but there's a time for staying cool and a time to forcefully let BP, its contractors and most of all the public know who's in charge from the beginning.  The Obama administration was slow to recognize that.  They would be wise to heed the passionate statement of Democratic strategist and Louisiana native James Carville.  True, the blame game may not "plug the hole", but Carville's call for prison sentences is not out of line.   Our economy and quality of life cannot survive repeated hits like this.  We need to learn some lessons that go beyond energy independence and certainly beyond the idea that what's good for the oil companies is always good for the country.  Wasn't the Exxon Valdez spill bad enough?   

Pac Man Fever

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the arrival of the biggest phenomenon to hit video gaming: Pac-Man.  Up to that point, Asteroids and Space Invaders were the standard.  My first experience with video games was in the mid seventies, when the pinball machine was replaced by the very rudimentary game of Tank in the Keene State College pub.   I must have had a lot more free time back then, because I remember spending hours playing Pac-Man, especially after getting my own home Atari game.  My apartment roommate Pat took the intensity to a new level, racking up a million points one time.  I can't say my level of focus would ever have allowed that.  As much as Pac-Man (and Ms Pac-Man) were eighties icons, I preferred Centipede and Frogger.  I guess that gives me what is hopefully the only thing in common with George Costanza on Seinfeld.  I must have stopped being hooked on Pac-Man and all the others when I decided it was time to grow up.  That reasoning may not have made much sense, since I still don't know what I want to do for a living when I grow up!

Short Attention Span Political Theater

If I sense a pattern of any politician misleading constituents about their own or their opponent's military service, I believe they deserve to be shunned by the voters.  In this case, the offender is: Linda McMahon.  She and her staff leaked - to the New York Times - one ten-second soundbite from one 2008 speech by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal when he refers to his military service "in" Vietnam instead of "during."  A torrent of McMahon ads flooded Connecticut, and a 13 point Blumenthal lead in the polls has narrowed to 3 points.   Before Blumenthal could even respond, WTIC-AM's conservative Republican Jim Vicevich and GOP state chairman Chris Healy sounded downright giddy over the potential damage to the presumed frontrunner and successor to Senator Chris Dodd.   Blumenthal later came off as very defensive and indignant, which only served to stoke the talking heads on TV who insisted he should own up to the apparent distortion of his military service.  But something failed to happen.  Not only was there no pattern of his making claims to having served in Vietnam, but he actually clarifies himself within that same 2008 speech.  There were also many instances through the years when he stated that his military service during Vietnam was purely stateside.  Even as the AP said the following day that he had "correctly stated" his service, local TV websites are claiming "unanswered questions linger" as they focus on "political fallout."   As I was constantly reminded in broadcasting, audiences have shorter attention spans than ever.  An initial soundbite blast without any context can unfairly derail a political campaign.   If some pattern of deception is eventually uncovered, I'll be the first to say Blumenthal should bow out.  Right now the only intentional deception is from McMahon.  This is a sad week for state politics.

Radio Flashback: Radio 80 WLAD

It wasn't the biggest station I ever worked at, but it was the most memorable.  When I see what has since happened to local AM radio, the full service format and the role of a program director, I feel even more fortunate to have had the chance to be the PD of "Greater Danbury's Radio Station" at WLAD.   It was in an old hotel, and there was nothing luxurious about it.   There were no windows anywhere on the fourth floor of 198 Main Street in downtown Danbury - just old fluorescent lights - but there was no time to gaze out a window and daydream as time went by so quickly for me between November 1983 and June 1987.  There was never a dull moment for this 30-year-old guy who felt he had something to prove at WLAD.   For the most part, there was room to do a lot.  General manager Bob Putnam let me do my thing, make my mistakes (just a few!) and hopefully move things forward.  Unlike today when technology often trumps people, WLAD had a full staff: a three-person full-time news team, a sports director, a midday talk show host with a producer and live air talent evenings and weekends.   We didn't have a production or promotions director, so creative spots and contests were a challenge we had to spread around.  It worked, although I admit to having a few sleepless nights thinking about how to get things to the next level.  My worrying was pointless - the people there made it happen.  We even had a direct competitor across town at WINE, and I loved the fact that they were very good and wanted to knock us off so badly - nice try guys.        

A Golden Girl

What's not to like about Betty White?   NBC's Saturday Night Live had its highest ratings in two years thanks to a Facebook petition started by someone who wasn't even born when she was playing the hilarious "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on the Mary Tyler Moore Show in the seventies.   I read one criticism that the SNL writers didn't seem to know what to do with her beyond the obvious humor over her age, but it didn't matter to me.  She is still a riot.   Her appearance in a Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl reminded everyone that she's still at the top of her game.  At 88 (and a half), Betty White has still got it.   While on the subject of aging gracefully, we note the passing Sunday of singer Lena Horne at 92.   With her talent and beauty, she too fought aging every step of the way.

Worth the Investment?

After a wild couple of days on Wall Street, we see a glimmer of hope on the jobs front.  This recovery is not coming fast enough for anyone I know, but when I look at what some other types of advertising media are charging you would think we were in a depression.  I looked at one of those free classified flyers you only see in some stores.  They were advertising ads the size of our half page for $50.  I suppose if you're shopping purely by price, this would be the way to go, but where does it go?  How is it distributed?   If they can make money and get at least minimal results, then more power to them.  The Extra & The Advertiser have always been reasonably priced, but I'll tell you right here that $50 ads would never even cover the cost of printing our papers (with color), mailing (over 26,000 households) and commissions (we need to eat too).  While once mighty daily newspapers, weekly papers hung outside the mailbox or flyers asking $50 for their biggest ads may have had to go to extremes to weather a changing marketplace, we have maintained our advertisers because we have built solid relationships.  Even so, we could be the nicest guys in the world but the real reason we've been around for over 20 years is simple: direct mail advertising works!  Try us for three times / three months and see what we mean.   That's our story - and we're sticking to it.

Energy Independence?

During the last decade, the cry went out for more offshore oil drilling and refineries as part of the need for a self-sufficient U.S. energy policy. These voices - including those of the oil industry - seemed to drown out the ones who called on us to remember the environmental disaster caused by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska. Now history repeats itself and it could be even worse, with the impact of the oil platform explosion off Louisiana not fully revealed for days. Apparently some relatively simple precautions by BP and its contractors could have prevented this catastrophe. The wild weather down South hasn't cooperated, either. When California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger saw the images of wildlife covered in oil and thousands of people's livelihoods threatened, he changed his mind about offshore drilling near his state. As we just begin to know the ramifications of this spill, perhaps we should all use this awful lesson to refocus our search for energy. There are no quick fixes, especially through our heavy reliance on oil - foreign or domestic.

Let's Have An Honest Debate

I've visited Arizona a couple of times and absolutely love the state. That doesn't mean I can relate to how physically or economically threatened its citizens feel by the presence of illegal immigrants. Seventy per cent of Arizonans apparently feel the need for a stronger crackdown outlined in a bill just signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer. Senator John McCain had been considered a more moderate advocate of immigration reform up through the 2008 election, but he now seems to see this as a bigger crisis than before. I caught a bit of the Dan Yorke Show on WPRO out of Providence today. Some callers were suggesting extreme measures like moving all our military bases to the 2000 mile border with Mexico and turning the closed bases into wind farms. Yorke made a valid point when he claimed that the governor and many other proponents of the new law were not being totally honest when they say it does not mean racial (more accurately ethnic) profiling by authorities. Of course it does. If it's not profiling, does that mean everyone who doesn't "look" or "sound" Hispanic may also be asked to show they are not an undocumented alien? If you think profiling is fine, at least you're being honest when you support what's happening in Arizona. No matter what side of immigration debate you come down on, the failure of Congress to act has been a key reason we face what we do today.

Gone Fishin'

The fishing season kicked into high gear last Saturday. With it came a statewide controversy over increased fees for fishing licenses. Connecticut felt the need to reel in a whopper to put a dent in its budget shortfall, so licenses that may have gone for $32 a year ago were soaring to $50. As concerns over these charges hit home, the concern was evident heading toward April 17th at the Fish Connection in Preston and Mike's Bait & Tackle in Voluntown. Some eastern Connecticut lakes, rivers and ponds are also frequently visited by Rhode Island anglers who were even less eager to pay a lot more for an extra Connecticut license. Many of those who believe a bad day fishing is better than a good day working went ahead and paid the money, only to see the fees decreased right before the start of the season. The earlybirds were essentially penalized. Many state park fees had also been rolled back thanks to some strong lobbying. This eleventh hour change is good; we don't want to discourage people from fishing and visiting our parks. Now, should the state give refunds to anyone who paid the higher fee? If refunds or credits for next year are at all possible, they should be given. A giveback would be the fair thing to do. I have my doubts if the early payers will ever see it though.

Voluntown Pays Its Respects

Tyler Owen Griffin, a 19-year-old Marine lance corporal from Voluntown, was recently killed in Afghanistan. His hometown said its goodbyes this week. With this loss, a war on the other side of the world hit home. This has an especially big impact on a small town of only 2,600 people where everyone seems to know everyone. Voluntown has been tested before, rising to the occasion in the face of such tragedies as that of the Girard family featured on ABC's "Extreme Home Makeover." While it must be comforting to get such overwhelming community support, it is hard to imagine what strength and courage it must take for those most directly affected. When you get to feeling cynical about what people can do, think about the good people of Voluntown and of so many other communities who try and do the right thing everyday. They deserve far more recognition, but from time to time they even manage to make the headlines.

Northern Exposure

A month after my departure from WBMW, I still have many radio geek moments. I listen a lot to NPR, which has an affiliate in the northernmost town in the United States: KBRW-AM/FM in Barrow, Alaska. If the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska on TV's critically-acclaimed Northern Exposure seemed more than a bit quirky, life on a spit of land overlooking the Arctic Ocean must be about as different as can be from eastern Connecticut. This outpost inaccessible by car from the outside world has always fascinated me. Yesterday I found the webstream for KBRW-AM 680 and was treated to a forecast of snow and a high of 5 above, but it was supposed to "warm up" to near 20 soon. The announcer was very smooth with a great voice, playing an eclectic mix of Bobby Darin, the Four Tops and Little Feat followed by an hour of Bruce Springsteen during their local segments. In this era of one town - and one radio station - often as similar as the next, life in this northern town would be amazing to see. Since I have yet to see Seattle, I don't see this trip happening soon. The next time we complain of a spring chill, think of those 4,700 residents in this town at the top of the world.

My Facebook Birthday Bash

If I needed direct evidence of how much Facebook has done for online social networking, yesterday provided it. All through the day yesterday, dozens of friends sent Happy Birthday wishes. The vast majority were through my Facebook account. It's not that I'm the most popular person on Facebook with 110 friends. Then again, it's hard to believe most people can ever have 500 or 1000 real friends anyway. The most remarkable thing is how my Facebook friends has grown since my last birthday, and how frequently many of these people are using it. Some use this new power wisely, while others write without proofreading or conveying anything that anyone would ever remotely care about. That's just pure addiction. I'm sure Facebook, among other related sites, will be a somewhat different service by my next birthday. For me, Facebook brightened up my birthday and kept me in touch with friends after my job loss last month. Here's my personal page. I still have my direct mail advertising work with The Extra & The Advertiser, and of course we had to start a Facebook fan page for that. Take a minute and become a fan. We'll try to make it worth your while.

Living Longer - As Of Today

It's April 1st, the favorite holiday of practical jokers everywhere. That's never been my style of humor and I don't want to spoil someone else's fun, but the day makes me think more of someone who passed away far too young in 1978. This would have been my father's birthday. This particular April 1st also marks the point when I will have lived longer than he did. I don't exactly know what to make of this reminder of mortality. There are no plans to react to it by jumping into a late midlife crisis the way I'm told some men do. Nothing's really changed today, but for some reason I have this need to think about it.

Floods of 2010

Eastern Connecticut really took much of the brunt of the flooding brought on by this week's seemingly endless rains. While Route 184 got washed out at the Stonington/Groton line, the Quinebaug River unleashed its power on Jewett City. There was a long line of stressed out homeowners at the Uncasville Home Depot waiting to get one of the limited supply of sump pumps just arriving off the truck. Usually the Yantic River gets plenty of attention when flooding hits, and this time was no exception. Much of the Norwich damage seemed concentrated east of I-395 toward Norwichtown instead of the usual Yantic Flats area. In Colchester, I was treated to instant lakefront property in the woods by my house. At least the house was spared. I don't recall flooding like this since 1982. So many people have been telling me about how much water had seeped into their basements. It was even worse to our east. Rhode Island suffered from what are being called historic floodwater levels, leaving millions of dollars in damage to homes and infrastructure from Westerly to Woonsocket. I-95 in Warwick was actually impassable for days. No matter where you are, if it hits you like this you don't need an official declaration to tell you it's a disaster.

Tell Me When To Laugh - It's OK!

Something's missing in prime time sitcoms: laughter! It's not because the shows aren't written as well as the average TV comedy was in decades past. In many cases, the bar may have even been raised. Watch the centerpiece of NBC's traditionally strong Thursday night lineup, "The Office." The writing, especially character development, is second to none. The comedy is generally dark, often hitting uncomfortably close to home. What's missing? The laugh track! We're taking ourselves way too seriously. The documentary style reinforces that. Laughter - live or canned - was good enough for Mary Tyler Moore, All In The Family, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Friends and Seinfeld. It's good enough for Parks & Recreation or Modern Family. I miss it.

Make or Break

As House Democrats narrowly got a health care bill passed, one night has made all the difference for President Barack Obama. This has been the cornerstone of the President's agenda, and a defeat would have been a devastating blow to the Obama legacy. The President may say it's not about him, but too much of his own political capital has been invested in this reform package to view it any other way. Assuming the Senate moves quickly on passage, the administration will need to shift the focus to jobs. That is what the American people are most worried about. Some of the extreme reaction from the opposition did not help their cause, including racial epithets at a veteran of the civil rights movement, homophobic attacks on a gay congressman and cries of "baby killer" in the House at the thought of any money going toward abortion. Did the far left get everything they wanted? Far from it. Speaker Nancy Pelosi personified that end of the spectrum, further polarizing sentiments over this very controversial set of reforms. Middle America is just that, and "my way or the highway" was not going to work. Two things give me relief as this package moves forward. First, does anyone not believe health care affordability for the middle class is becoming a thing of the past? Also, while Republicans have been united in their condemnation of these reforms, they have not initiated any clear plans to reverse the crisis since Nixon was President. Let the angry voices tone down. Let the watchdogs keep tabs on how it plays out for our wallets. Let's move on to getting back to work.

Too Much Room At The Inn?

When the AmericInn opened in Griswold back in 2002, the timing seemed especially poor as the tourism industry was absorbing a major hit in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Looking back now, those may have been the good old days. A USA Today article says the hotel/motel industry is switching to survival mode, with 45 per cent room occupancy rates across the nation. That is down from just a month earlier, when 55 per cent occupancy had marked a new low. Southeastern Connecticut, an area highly dependent on tourism, continues to see new hotels such as La Quinta in Stonington and Hyatt Place in Uncasville. Given these statistics, when will this growth turn into a glut of hotel rooms? The hospitality field has already lost thousands of jobs. Now those little extra touches may be a thing of the past as hotel operators look to cut back further. That would be a real shame for travelers. While some would criticize the offerings of "cookie cutter" hotel chains as much as those of the restaurant giants that dot the nation's interstates, there has at least been some minimum degree of consistency, cleanliness and overall quality. The freedom to move about the country has always been part of the American dream.

Radio is great, but...

I know it sounds strange, but there were many times during my years in broadcasting when I'd be looking around in a crowd of people and think, "Wow, all these people who never get to go on the radio!" As crazy as that sounds - and as changeable as the business always has been - it did feel like a privilege to communicate with people on a professional level. It's hard not to base our identity on what we do for a living. That can be especially true in broadcasting. When people talk about overblown radio egos, I really can't relate. A layoff or firing from a radio station can be a real lesson in humility. It's a lesson that I've had to learn more than once. Unless you've led an unusually charmed life with total job stability, a backup plan makes total sense for that day when you no longer get to crack the microphone. Think of the most amazing people you've ever known. Is it because of what they do for a living or what kind of person they are? Does being number one in the ratings necessarily make a person extraordinary? I know I've never liked someone just because they were in radio. It's what I find out about their character when I get to know them.

Done with WBMW

Thus ends a colorful chapter in my life known as my association with Red Wolf Broadcasting. I am no longer on the morning show at WBMW. When I was laid off from WDRC in 2002 after 8 years there, I figured that was it as far as radio was concerned. I had reached the "Big D" in Hartford that so many baby boomers like me had grown up with. It had come full circle. My direct mail advertising sales travels took me to Ledyard Center one day in 2003. An advertising trade agreement between WBMW and The Extra & The Advertiser shopper news turned quite unintentionally into another gradual resurrection of my radio career. The high point of my experience there was the Glenn & Rebecca Wakeup Club. With Rebecca's sudden departure, it was clear that the good old days were gone. That kind of on air rapport doesn't often or quickly replicate itself.

This blog has often been about WBMW, but I also found it to be more of a journal for posting my take on what's going on. As I focus on those "little mailers that could" - The Extra & The Advertiser - and put the 4:00 AM wakeup calls happily behind me, I look forward to continuing these ramblings and musings through www.theextralive.com.

Another Major Announcement

Again, we didn't have to go beyond the walls of Red Wolf Broadcasting to find Teresa Berry's replacement on the Soft Rock 106.5 afternoon show. Shawn Murphy has been here all along, hosting two weekend slots, appearing at remotes and filling in at our sister station Jammin 107.7. Shawn's broadcasting credentials include WKSS 95.7/Hartford and WTIC-FM 96.5/Hartford and KC-101/New Haven, plus a long run in southeastern Connecticut at WQGN Q105/Groton. If you're an early Saturday riser, you can even catch Shawn on a public affairs show on Ion TV Channel 26 in New London. He's a bigtime sports and music fan, and seems to have a lot of ladies posing with him on his Facebook page. Welcome Shawn to afternoons 3-7 on WBMW!

A Major Announcement

When the search began for a new WBMW morning show co-host, we didn't have to look far. Teresa Berry has moved from the afternoon slot here to sharing the wakeup duties with me on Soft Rock 106.5. Teresa is no stranger to morning shows. You may remember her doing mornings here at WBMW in the nineties before moving on to mornings at Hartford's 105.9 WHCN. She's been back with us in other shifts since 2003. We've both done solo morning shows - and we both agree that two is better than one! I think the fact that Teresa knows this area - and we know her - gets this new arrangement off to a good head start.

Kids in the Control Tower

A 9-year-old child's voice could be heard for a short period in the recent release of a control tower recording at New York's JFK Airport. The 9-year-old was a child of an air traffic controller. The controller was suspended, since this was clearly against regulations. Taking your child to work for a day is a good idea, but how involved should they get in their parent's job? The kid was cute, smart and under supervision, but the incident does make light of a very serious job where people's lives are on the line. Air traffic controllers have just as vital a role in air safety as the pilots. The issue drew lots of calls to our show on Thursday, with the prevailing opinion somewhat sympathetic to the control tower employee. While few callers thought putting a child on with a pilot was a good idea, no one really thought the father should have been fired. My audience was a bit more lenient than I was, but I think a suspension is enough.

National Procrastination Week

A teacher of mine once said, "He who procrastinates is lost." We'll analyze that in a moment. I read where there is a National Procrastinators Society that was supposed to have had their meeting in January but put it off until this month. This past week was designated National Procrastinators Week, and in keeping with that I put off discussing it until the week was over. On the procrastination scale, I'm somewhere in the middle, but I'm often putting some important things on the back burner while being relentlessly efficient at other things that may not even be so essential. Why? I just like doing some things more than others. Maybe it's the time of year, but lately I wonder if I'm putting things off more than usual. My program director is the least procrastinating person on the planet, so anyone would pale in comparison to those standards - even someone who prides himself in being a "go to guy." I do know it was a good feeling to have a day off from work, a good night's sleep and beautiful weather to get things done around the house yesterday. That was a step in the right direction, clearing the mind by realigning priorities. On the other hand, I refuse to beat myself up for not coming through every day like that. My mother has said more than once, "If you want something done, ask a busy person." That's true, but even busy people have to lower the bar from time to time. In that sense, procrastination may have gotten an unnecessarily bad name when it means stopping to smell the roses.

What's Not To Like?

The Winter Olympics saw host country Canada take the most gold medals. The United States earned the most overall medals. To most Canadians, the hockey gold seemed to be a must win, with the very reputation of the nation at stake. Last Sunday while the gold medal game was underway, I was watching it in a local restaurant and noticed a lot of interest from fellow Americans as well. With the score 2-1 in favor of Canada and less than a minute to go, I left the restaurant figuring the game was a foregone conclusion. By the time I got in my car and turned the radio on, there was the Westwood One announcer ecstatic over Team USA's game tying goal with 24 seconds left. It was anybody's game in sudden death overtime. Canada ultimately prevailed with Sidney Crosby's goal. Many Americans may have been disappointed, but I wasn't one of them. While hoping for a USA win, if anyone else deserved hockey gold it was Canada. I admit to being a major fan of many things Canadian anyway. It was high hockey drama. And what NHL team does Sidney Crosby play for? The Pittsburgh Penguins.

A Loss for Mystic Aquarium

Inuk, a male beluga whale and one of the main attractions at Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, passed away at the age of 28 after experiencing kidney problems. Back in 2007, I had the opportunity to meet Inuk up close in the aquarium's beluga whale encounter program. Besides getting splashed bigtime, I got to see how dedicated and knowledgeable his human overseers were. The loss of this icon must be especially hard on them, but anyone who met Inuk can only come away with great memories.

A Media Event

Tiger Woods was the hot topic on this morning's Soft Rock 106.5 Wakeup Club. Callers seemed unanimous in their belief that the media has given the story far too much attention. Some were disgusted by his behavior and wished he would just fade from the spotlight for that reason alone. Others figured it was none of our business. Neither appear to be the case anytime soon, judging from the attention given to his public statement this morning. Will the fans and sponsors come back? Last night on CNN's Larry King Live, the guests seemed to agree that Tiger will make a strong comeback despite all the scandal. What about the disppointment many who looked to him now feel? I have always said that celebrity should not instantly be viewed as role models. How sincere was his apology? That's for his family to decide. I agree with NewsChannel 8 sportscaster Noah Finz when he says Tiger Woods "doesn't owe me anything." There are other more pressing issues that actually affect our lives.

Change Happens

I don't have a big or extended family, and while I am blessed with good friends they are not usually close by. Combine that with the fact that radio can take a bigger personal commitment than many jobs, and it's easy to see how radio co-workers can sometimes feel like family. Rebecca and I jokingly referred to each other as radio husband and wife, but it was a professional marriage in its own right. That's why her decision to move on to pursue other opportunities leaves a sense of sadness. We were a good team, and she has been a close friend and confidant. I do wish her happiness. I always marveled at her zest for life and talent. Uncle Glenn will miss her stories about the most famous baby in eastern Connecticut. Change brings new opportunities for both of us. The show goes on. I'll be flying solo till further notice. As the song goes, "Sometimes goodbye is a second chance."

The MIghty Toyota

I've become my father - sort of. I now own the same model car my father did at this age. His Toyota Corolla (left) was the first and only car he bought new. Its gas economy came in handy after the first oil embargo of the seventies. Back then, I had a very sporty gas guzzling '67 Plymouth Satellite, followed by a more sensible Dodge. When it looked like gas would hit $2 a gallon by the end of 1980, I opted for my first Japanese car: a very basic Plymouth Arrow (Mitsubishi), then two Mazdas, a Nissan Altima good for 250,000 miles, and now my Toyota. The gas pedal recall seems to have spared my 2007 Corolla, but this news has got to be shaking the very foundation of what had been an invincible brand for decades. Connecticut's Attorney General has claimed that Toyota has been slow in informing car owners about the gas pedal defect and what to do about it. Toyota can do a lot more damage control now than by letting a communication breakdown ruin their quality reputation. Millions have heeded the call to "Get your hands on a Toyota. You'll never let go!" My father loved his Toyota, and I love mine. Don't toy with our affections.

So Long For Now

Last night marked the end of Conan O'Brien's run of original shows on the Tonight Shows. It was sad, but he went out on a high, even classy, note. We are living in such a cynical age, and Conan addressed that head on ("I hate cynicism"). NBC was "America's Late Night Leader" for years as Jay Leno led in the ratings as host of the Tonight Show. The magic did not carry over into his prime time experiment at 10 p.m., which made for a weaker lead-in to local news and even Tonight. The whole Conan O'Brien - Jay Leno shuffle has been a disaster for NBC, and the competition has been the beneficiary. As far as monologues go, I was always more of a fan of David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel. I do think Conan's cast and bits have been some of the funniest in late night, from Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to Andy Richter to "In the Year 2000." Middle America clearly feels Leno is the rightful heir to Johnny Carson, but I hope Conan finds another late night spot on Fox or Comedy Central. He has earned it.

The Unthinkable in Haiti

Can anyone truly grasp the magnitude of the disaster in Haiti? I can't think of any single traumatic event in the history of the Western Hemisphere that claimed so many lives in so little time. Even though the poorest nation in the Americas has been in the news for so many reasons, Haiti still seemed worlds away for most of us until last week's 7.0 earthquake, the many aftershocks and the heartbreaking stories. Here in New London County, we are reminded of the 5,000 Haitians living in Norwich who are so directly affected by the terrible news from their homeland. We also realize how close we all really are to this hard hit land just one island away from Puerto Rico and less than 700 miles from Miami. I had just arrived on vacation in Fort Myers, Florida when the news came. That night I picked up a station in the Bahamas talking about a possible tsunami that thankfully never happened. The next day I heard a restaurant worker worrying about the safety of his family members in Haiti. In the airport someone was talking about feeling the quake on a cruise ship off the Haitian coast. Cuba, while part of the relief effort, still couldn't pass up the politics as its media condemned the "occupation" of the Presidential Palace grounds by U.S. troops. At least these people have a voice that can be heard. Some 200,000 Haitian voices were silenced as of one week ago. Keep up with Red Cross relief efforts here.

It's Been Awhile

I've never been a frequent flyer. It's not any fear of flying that has kept me off airplanes for over ten years now. There just haven't been any occasions for me to take to the air. I'm a little apprehensive in anticipation of my Southwest flight to Fort Myers, Florida. My uneasiness is more with getting the flight than being on it. The boarding process sounds like it has gotten much more complicated since my flight from Hartford to Tucson in 1999. Maybe I'm just paying too much attention to the news and peoples' stories about airport experiences. I'm in the process of shifting from my regular work routine to my rarer play mode. Hey, it's still the safest way to travel, right? It's time to get back into the hopefully friendly skies!

The Daughtry Syndrome

Are my WBMW co-host Rebecca and I the only ones who can't tell any difference between the sound of Daughtry, Nickelback and Lifehouse? All three bands have made strong showings on the charts over the past year or two. Between rock artists like them and sensations like Taylor Swift, they have shifted the contemporary hit charts away from the dominance of hip hop. An American Idol runner up who barely made it past Simon Cowell's "no" vote in the audition, Chris Daughtry is now a proven talent. But is that his band Daughtry we're hearing on the radio or Nickelback? Wait, we're both wrong - it's Lifehouse!

Senator Dodd Chooses Not To Run

The past two years have not been easy for Connecticut's longest serving U.S. Senator. Chris Dodd's announcement that this term will be his last should not come as a shock to most people watching politics. Connecticut voters have always had a negative attitude toward the job done by career politicians, except for the ones representing them. These feelings are clearly changing as the polls told a story Dodd could not ignore. I don't say this with any satisfaction. The loss of Senator Dodd will put this state at a disadvantage in getting Washington's attention for some time to come. His seniority and influence worked well in many ways, but his chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee and participation in a Countrywide mortgage VIP program during an economic meltdown put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was never directly implicated in any wrongdoing, but the appearance of conflict of interest really resonated with his constituents. I have met Senator Dodd several times, most recently at the Norwich City Hall Christmas Lighting ceremony. He has been a giant in the history of Connecticut politics, and I don't think he's ready to quietly retire. He could be considered Connecticut's Ted Kennedy, an association he would probably not mind hearing at all.

New Year's Resolutions?

2009 was a busy year. Working hard but not always smart, fighting an uphill battle to keep my knack for organization ahead of my natural tendency to zone out while maintaining connections with people who count. Based on all that, some resolutions should be easy.

• In my case, the usual pledge to lose weight gains added meaning when holiday snacking brought my type 2 diabetes concerns back. Shedding just 10 or 20 pounds would really make a difference, so this is a no-brainer.
• Getting out the door just five minutes earlier can make a big difference in stress levels - and speed levels - on the way to work. Again, why did this require a resolution?
• I promise to listen most to the people who listen to me. I frustrated myself too much in '09 trying to get through to those who make the same mistakes over and over.
• A trip overseas is something I've been talking about for years. I am going to try to get to Ireland and England this summer. Being a student of history, a trip through my family's Irish roots would be a welcome journey.
• Speaking of journeys, I'm heeding my own advice about enjoying the journey known as life more by dwelling a little less on the past and worrying a lot less about the future.

Happy New Year!