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.

The End of R.E.M. (As We Know It)

Some people can listen to entire albums by one artist and never hit the eject button. That may have been the case back when the Beatles' White Album or Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon were a part of my growing up, but I view most albums as merely random compilations with a decent track or two and a lot of lightweight filler. As time went on, time invested in listening to an entire album - even a "best of" collection - often failed to pay off. Like many of my favorite musicians, R.E.M. got their start away from the mainstream over thirty years ago, producing their share of misses as well as hits and critically acclaimed songs. This month's announcement of their breakup made me think about how listenable their music has been. Singer Michael Stipe got most of the attention in this Athens, Georgia band of four, but it was truly a collaboration. They were no overnight sensation. R.E.M. paid their dues for years before hitting their stride from the late eighties into the mid nineties. They've faded since then, but they've remained active in music as well as poltical and social causes. After all these years, who can fault them for calling it quits? Maybe I'll invest an hour of my time soon in their music; it will be worth it.

Restaurants Everywhere

I once worked in New Haven on a corner that managed to have five gas stations. People would come into our Exxon station, look around and say, "How do all you guys make a living?" I found myself asking the same question about the abundance of eateries per capita when I drove through Old Saybrook and Westbrook. We publish a Shoreline Dining Guide mailer, and even in this economy there is no shortage of potential advertisers. It is practically impossible to cruise along Route 1 and not have a restaurant in your field of vision. I realize this is a charming area where the population explodes in the summer, but you'd have to explore much larger cities to find a similar concentration of places to eat. Restaurants continue to open, and some spots have been favorites to generations. From Pat's Kitchen to the Cuckoo's Nest to Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale, you'll find just about every variation of dining. Even the popular watering hole - The Monkey Farm - served up excellent food. Johnny Ad's is the hot dog and hamburger stand. A search around the marinas can prove very worthwhile, with seafood stops like the Dock n' Dine. You'll even find Indian and Thai specialties. New Haven may be a pizza destination, but the Elm City has nothing on the this stretch of Connecticut shoreline. The restaurant business can be tough in the best of times, but I can only conclude that Old Saybrook and Westbrook draw diners from miles around because a lot of them know what they're doing. That's been my experience.

Ten Years After

We all felt a terrible sense of loss following the events of 9/11/01.    In many ways, the mourning period never really ended.    One legacy - a stubborn force that keeps us from moving on - is the sense that we have lost control.   Events in the 21st century seem to reinforce that perception.   Our sense of control may have been inflated before 9/11, but coming to grips with that reality provides little comfort as we try to sort out the problems we face today.   We need to draw inspiration from history and our ancestors who made the most with the hand they were dealt.   We also need to find strength in the courage exemplified by so many on that fateful day and through this long recovery.   The stories of 9/11 victims and heroes continue to touch us all very deeply.   When we look at what they faced, we are reminded to use the power we do possess to achieve big things again.   The ones we mourn would want us to carry on.   We move on by understanding what we can control individually and globally.   We also have to respect what we can't control without dwelling on it.  We owe it to the heroes.               

Observations After Irene

Irene from space (from SpaceRef.com)

CL&P power was restored last night to my rural corner of Colchester. Six days without electricity really can put some things in perspective...

"Old school" media like my business of radio stepped up and filled the information gap left when people couldn't get internet, cable, over-the-air TV and sometimes even cell service. I must have been nuts driving through the height of Irene Sunday morning to get to Mohegan Sun  and monitor storm coverage on 102.3 The Wolf. Once there, Mohegan Sun was powered up and open for business to the few who could get there. The Citadel Broadcasting simulcast with WMOS (The Wolf), WQGN (Q105) and WXLM (News Talk 980) absolutely excelled. Local radio as a whole reminded us that this is where radio really shines. It is one reason I got into this crazy business in the first place.

Some other revelations seemed obvious:

• Emergency managers really needed to prioritize getting major state highways unblocked.   Route 12 in Gales Ferry, Route 82 in Oakdale and Route 164 in Preston remained blocked by trees, poles or wires for days. 
• CL&P really didn't need to bring up the subject of rate hikes while so many people were still in the dark. Connecticut's power infrastructure didn't fare well against a tropical storm.  How many customers would have been affected by an actual hurricane?     
• Since I was still lucky enough to have had running water, I had a chance to hone my skill at taking a cold shower. Step under and away quickly, lather up and then rinse off with extreme speed.
• People in my neighborhood really rose to the occasion in cleaning up the considerable mess and checking on each other.
• While restoration of TV and internet is especially welcome in the evening, I now find myself thinking twice about having the TV blaring noisily in the background when I'm not really watching it.  
• I think I'll take a break from Pop Tarts, peanut butter and fast food for a little while now that power is back and I'm doing my happy dance!

Preparing For Irene



West Haven, CT after 1938 Hurricane

As I look at Facebook posts from a variety of Connecticut meteorologists, the possibility of Hurricane Irene making landfall here seems to be growing. A lot can change between now and Sunday, but it is clear that there's no time like the present to make preparations. We should know more as the storm's projected path becomes clearer on Friday. It is not too early to load up on batteries, safely store away things that could become outdoor projectiles and know your evacuation route in the event you need one. We have had reason to grow complacent with the lack of major tropical storms over the last few decades, but this week's news of the rare 5.8 magnitude earthquake - centered in Virginia and felt for hundreds of miles - served to remind us how rare events can still happen. Other wild weather news across the nation this year, including tornado outbreaks, wildfires, heat waves and our own snowbound winter experience, are all wakeup calls to plan ahead. We also have advances in weather forecasting that were almost totally lacking when the Hurricane of 1938 took the Northeast by surprise.   My mom at 15 is on the right in the picture.   All that technology is wasted when we fail to take it seriously. I'll be on the air Sunday 10am-3pm at 102.3 WMOS (The Wolf) inside Mohegan Sun.   That should be interesting.

Catchy Local Advertising

I tend to be better at eliminating the clutter, cliches and bad offers than putting a concept together from scratch. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate an effective ad when I see or hear one here in eastern Connecticut. Advertising - locally and nationally - is full of clients who take matters into their own hands. Some fail badly. Some, like Bob Kauffman, go the total electronic media saturation route. It made his presence on the Bob's Discount Furniture spots indispensable, even after he gave up the reins to the company. He may have seemed grating or amateurish at first, but Bob knew what he was doing. He grew on us! When I look in the Sunday paper, the bank ads all look alike, with one exception. Rockville Bank President Bill McGurk lent a style and persona that set this bank apart from others. He retired this year. Several car dealers also saturate the airwaves with lots of fast talking and shouting so they sound like... well, car dealers! I fail to see how they differentiate one dealer from another, but the ad saturation must be getting results since they're not pounding on my door for a way to fix it. Stan Cardinal employs a more low key, personalized approach when he talks about his Cardinal Honda in Groton. Who in New London County can forget the late Sigmund Strochlitz, founder of Whaling City Ford? His heavily accented catchphrase was simple: "Come in. I would like to meet you!" The seasonal Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream commercials leave the listener with a warm feeling, complete with a jingle. Although I haven't heard any of the ads lately, my local favorite remains the spots for Olde Thymes Restaurant in Norwich. Owner Rodney Green is such a natural, with the downhome style that catches what Olde Thymes is supposed to exemplify. Add the way he'd sort of rhyme ("Breakfast, lunch or dinnertime, Olde Thymes food is really fine!") and the catchy jingle ("Home is just a taste away!") and it made for local advertising at its best.  

Political Extremism

At this late hour there appears to be a deal on raising the debt ceiling. Am I the only one to conclude that concern over the economic health of the United States was not the driving force behind the political brinkmanship that got us dangerously close to financial catastrophe? Much like the newly elected union-busting governor of Wisconsin, this was more about right wing extremists irresponsibly exercising newfound political clout than about cutting spending. It certainly wasn't about creating jobs or the future of our children. It was about spreading a radical agenda with no regard for the economic facts...

• Raising the debt ceiling, which had been done dozens of times under many Presidents, was not a green light to tax and spend even more. Economists were practically unanimous in saying raising the ceiling was vital to paying debts we had already rung up under both parties.
• While our debt is too high, the U.S. AAA credit rating meant we are a trusted borrower from China or anyone else. Losing that coveted status could mean higher interest rates, costing us more than the $400 billion difference that had divided the two parties.
• When Americans were initially hesitant to raise the debt ceiling, the Tea Party candidates like Michelle Bachmann may have been correct in saying they represented the will of the people. The legs soon gave way on that argument. Real information on the negative implications of failing to raise the debt ceiling left the majority of Americans more amenable to compromise on that issue.
• Connecticut and other states are already seeing painful cuts. U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah actually had the gall to claim that middle class and poor people aren't doing enough to get us out of this mess. How out of touch can our leaders get? Now the notion of returning to the Clinton era tax rates for people who earn $250,000-plus annually meets a brick wall on the right. That's a slap in everyone's face, especially after the U.S. taxpayers bailed out the Wall Street gamblers who brought on the 2008 crash.
• I'm all for corporations getting a tax rate competitive with other countries, but the history of tax breaks for the wealthy leading to the creation of jobs is dubious at best. You can have all the supply in the world, but you need people with jobs to fuel demand.
• I hope Tea Party types will get about the legitimate business of decrying government waste while reminding us how hard it is getting rid of government agencies when they outlive their usefulness. That's the real world according to their hero Ronald Reagan. Reagan could compromise with Tip O'Neill.  Stop hijacking his legacy by supporting fringe candidates who were prepared to freeze the debt ceiling!

Hot Weather Takes Its Toll

Perhaps this temperature sign on Main Street in Jewett City needs a little adjustment downward, since the bank sign down the street read 102. That aside, the heat wave broke records, stressing people and animals. The story took an upsetting turn in Groton when a dog owner left his Boxer outside in a cage all day, where he died in the sweltering heat. Stories of people's stupidity and cruelty aren't limited to heat waves, but people can lose their cool even more on days like last Friday. Not wanting to cook, I thought I'd grab something at a certain colonel's place. The AC was underperforming, and there I was behind this guy taking forever to fill three soda cups while constantly stopping, chatting nonstop on his phone. When the line behind him and me stretched across the room, I politely pointed out that he had a long line behind him. Instead of apologizing, he reacted loudly and angrily like I had some nerve, and proceeded to tell the guy on the phone what a @#*! I was. I kept my cool as he made a public ass of himself and I asked them at the counter to make my order "to go" since they had a "belligerent" customer. Weather extremes do bring them out of the woodwork! I'd rather gripe about the more mundane nuisances of summer - like mosquitoes and those biting flies - than wonder whether or not someone's going to get violent as well as rude. Honestly, I don't dislike everything about summer, but I don't tan well and late August through mid October is the best!

Hackers and Spammers

Imagine my surprise last weekend when, while away in New Hampshire, I checked my mobile email and discovered that an unauthorized spam message was sent to everyone on my contacts listfrom my personal address! The email contained nothing in the subject line and only a link in the message area sending people to ads for Viagra and the like. I recognized it as something that had been forwarded earlier to me by an advertising client. His email account had obviously been hacked, perhaps when he clicked on the link. I don't remember opening it, but that must have been how I became the next victim in this vicious cycle. Two things really bothered me about this. For one thing, it feels like such a personal violation to have some lowly excuse for a human being hack into my email and send junk with my name on it to people who trust me. Secondly, even if the spam recipients realize I - and potentially they - were hacked by nasty people we don't know, I would feel awful at causing others any harm or inconvenience. We have the voicemail hacking scandal in Britain involving News Corporation and the online anarchy carried out by WikiLeaks supporters called "Anonymous." Now, my own involuntary exposure to internet vandals really drove home the need to be vigilant. 

A Week of Triumphs and Tragedies

The success of Sailfest here in New London really demonstrated what can be accomplished when a community comes together to host some 300,000 visitors in one weekend.   This is truly the biggest single event all year in Connecticut!   However, nowhere has the contrast between the highs and lows of the past week been more obvious than in baseball.   The 3,000th career hit for Derek Jeter - a home run, too - couldn't have played out more perfectly on Saturday.  Even if you're a Red Sox fan (perish the thought), you've got to give this guy a lot of respect.    Meanwhile, tragedy was also being played out over and over as TV stations kept showing video of the Texas Rangers fan who fell to his death as he reached for a ball thrown by a player toward the stands.   Before he died, he actually expressed concern about his son.   Former first lady Betty Ford's death at 93 really marked another opportunity to celebrate the life of  woman who could always tell it like it is, and this nation is better because of her.   As the Watergate scandal brought the end of the Nixon administration and brought Gerald Ford to the Presidency in 1974, "Britain's Watergate" shut down a key piece of Rupert Murdoch's media empire and threatens to shake the foundations of the British government.   What a week of ups and downs! 

It Boggles the Mind

As Robin once exclaimed to the Caped Crusader, "Holy 4th of July, Batman!"   A new Marist poll shows many Americans don't know the significance of July 4th.   Four in ten Americans do not know that America declared its independence in 1776.   Almost one in four people surveyed around the country also didn't know the United States broke away from Great Britain.   I know I'm a history nut, but give me a break!    People lacking the most basic knowledge of history and other subjects may be good comedy material for Jay Leno, but the implications of this level of ignorance should be taken very seriously.   Our country's freedoms were won and reaffirmed by people who fought hard for them, often paying the ultimate price.   An informed public is our guarantee that these freedoms will be preserved.   Dictators demagogues rely on false information - or a lack of it - to take power.   We have been warned that those who ignore the past are bound to repeat it.   If you appreciate the real meaning of this holiday, Happy 4th of July!  

Radio Flashback: Laid Back and Mellow

YZ Reunion 2011

It was a radio format that kept talk to a minimum, yet it had people talking throughout Connecticut and beyond.   I was part of a group of WWYZ alumni who got together this past weekend to mark the 35th anniversary of "YZ the Natural 92 FM".   As the summer of 1976 began, Gilmore Broadcasting's WWYZ 92.5 dropped its failing easy listening instrumental format for a mellow, soft rock sound unique to the area.   By the time I arrived there at the start of 1978, YZ had already caught on, filling a big void in the market.   It was the creation of Program Director Bob Craig, who made a case for the new mellow sound based on what was being played on the old WKTU/New York and WEEI-FM/Boston. Many people in the business feel YZ actually ended up doing it better.   Bob's imprint was all over the Natural 92. He had a clear idea of what he did and didn't want.   He programmed the music cut by cut - something still rare in the seventies. I've heard the format described as "The Three L's: songs of life, love and loneliness."  Women especially loved it.   Bob left in 1979 for Philadelphia, and the eighties saw a decline in ratings as times were changing.   Most of us moved on, with many developing impressive resumes, but the first song ever aired on YZ summed up what that mellow era really meant to me. It was "Friends" by Elton John... "If your friends are there then everything's all right."   They were there then, and they still are.

He Made A Good Thing Better

Bruce Springsteen called his E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons the "Big Man."   Clemons died this past weekend at age 69 from complications of a stroke.   Their collaboration went back to 1971, several years before my college roommate from New Jersey introduced me to Springsteen's music.   Even with all of what went into "Born To Run," it would be impossible to imagine this song without the sax.  For all the energy Springsteen and his entourage put into a live performance, concerts will not be the same without the presence of the "Big Man."   His accomplishments outside of the E Street Band were just as amazing with an A-list of artists.  Jackson Browne gave him equal billing on one of his hits.   Aretha Franklin's comeback on the eighties charts was punctuated and made that much sweeter by Clemons' sax on "Freeway Of Love."   The most impressive part to this story is the 40-year association Springsteen and Clemons had.   The Beatles were together for less than 12 years.   Many other bands made it obvious they were just staying together for the money.   These two absolutely loved working together at their craft for decades, and their audience knew it.   As deferential as Springsteen was to his band, the "Big Man" stood out.   That's no small task working next to a rock superstar.

Weiner Fatigue

Representative Anthony Weiner

There are a lot more people who'd rather be an Oscar Mayer Wiener than New York Congressman Anthony Weiner right now.  You've probably been exposed to the late night jokes, seen some of the trashiest tabloid headlines ever and watched TV talking heads take a big detour away from real political issues so they could weigh in on the "Weinergate" sexting scandal.   Although he still has some support in his home district, many colleagues on Capitol Hill and even President Obama have said he should resign.  At first I bought into the contention of some MSNBC commentators protesting the unfairness of it all when some very self righteous Republican lawmakers who have broken more than marital vows were not subject to the same condemnation by their peers.  While they have a point, the childishness of that argument dawned on me.  How about holding ourselves to a higher level?   The fact that many Democrats called on Weiner to step down may be an overdue step in the right direction.  I know we've been made to think politics and ethics are like oil and water.  Thankfully, his own party members have not kept silent.   Weiner should not stick it out... sorry, it's hard not to go there.  Now that his wife's back from overseas, he's got some explaining to do to the Mrs. while resigning and ending this national distraction. 
UPDATE 6/16:  Congressman Weiner announced his resignation today at a press conference amid a media circus that made me think the real distraction was more due to media excesses than whatever Weiner had done.   Why was a plant from the Howard Stern Show allowed to disrupt things?   

Grocery Store Competition Tightens in Lisbon

The new ALDI Food Market in Lisbon

The new ALDI Food Market opened last month in the Crossing At Lisbon.  Bring a quarter to unlock a shopping cart (it's refundable!), some bags to save on buying them there and prepare to bag what you buy.  Many packages may look familiar, but the store brands on them may not ring a bell.  You will also notice less selection by brand name.  Unlike a few big box stores surrounding it - like the newly opened Lowe's Home Improvement store and the Target in the same plaza - the new Lisbon ALDI has a smaller footprint on the landscape.   All of this saves them on overhead costs, but your grocery bill may be a pleasant relief from the skyrocketing food prices we have seen over the past few years.  ALDI has stores in 31 states, including two other ones in eastern Connecticut.  You may have already visited them in North Windham or Dayville.  I noticed ALDI's store brand of chewy fiber bars looking very much like the Fiber One brand I bought somewhere else.  They tasted the same and were much cheaper.  That was my experience with many of their products, although I've never found a store brand anywhere as good as General Mills' Honey Nut Cheerios.   Will ALDI replace all the other grocery stores?   I doubt it.  There are times when shoppers want more variety and selection, but there is no doubt the ALDI model has found a successful niche.

Wild Weather Close To Home

My brother had interesting timing tonight, returning from an extended leave to his job as a police officer in Agawam, Massachusetts.  No sooner had he reported for the second shift when word came of a tornado warning.  He could see the funnel cloud clearly as it raced from Westfield through West Springfield before making its way over the Connecticut River to Springfield.   The video of the river being churned up, plus the tornado's proximity to the Memorial Bridge, guaranteed that this would go viral.   The storms seemed to follow the Mass Pike from west to east while skirting the Connecticut border.   This grabbed national headlines partly because the area is not normally known for tornado outbreaks.  It wasn't just one tornado either.  Four are reported dead with reports of several twisters.  Eastern Connecticut had it relatively easy with more regular thunderstorms and some hail.   Now that we are officially out of tornado season and into hurricane season, I can't help but wonder whether this unsettled weather pattern will show any signs of stopping.

My Best Friend

My mom, Shirley O'Brien, was an impressionable woman.  I remember once when a friend told her that nobody uses breadboxes anymore, she kept the breadbox but always left the bread outside of it.  When people told her something, it sank in.   Likewise, she had a way of leaving an impression on people.  That made her the perfect person for sharing life's ups and downs.  Whatever would happen - well, almost - I had to tell her.  Sometimes I'd take her advice; sometimes I wouldn't.   One thing was consistent: she always wanted the best for me and my brother.   She always had her worries about my being in a business not exactly known for longevity and my brother being a policeman with all the danger that could entail, but she was proud.  All she wanted was a little attention.  It was something she didn't always get growing up in an extended family with a father and mother who couldn't always be there.   I saw her practically every day, especially after my father passed away 33 years ago.  I know she had to leave for a better place when she passed away last Sunday on her 87th birthday.   I already miss having that person to share my hopes, joys and fears.   

End Times?

Religious broadcaster's billboard predicting end times

I was going to post my shock about the news that 41% of Norwich kindergarteners and sixth graders are considered obese, wondering what that bode for the future of society.   Then another group indirectly pointed out that this sobering statistic may not matter much.  According to Harold Camping, the 89-year-old founder of Christian network Family Radio Worldwide, his prediction of when our world will begin to violently unravel - Judgment Day - has been suddenly moved up to this Saturday, May 21st.   Family Radio owns 66 radio stations, including AM 1170 WCTF in Tolland County, CT and a giant waste of major market FM signal on 94.7 WFME New York.   Just when we thought we were OK until at least 2012 (according to the Mayan calendar and a few folks on the History Channel), now comes this cataclysmic claim of worldwide earthquakes that would have the potential to ruin a lot of people's weekends, not to mention a couple of my friends' birthdays.   I know the sluggish economy and world conflicts are among everyone's concerns.  Hey, even our week of rainy days makes we wonder if there's a Noah out there preparing for more nasty weather.   It's bringing the Doomsday crowd out of the woodwork.   There are many times in history when the Rapture has been incorrectly predicted, and this Family Radio guy hasn't exactly been batting 1,000 himself in earlier forecasts.    As for myself, this student of history will rely on what Comedy Central's "fake news" anchor Jon Stewart said last year: "These are tough times, not end times."   If Saturday passes for anything like a normal day, I promise not to gloat on Sunday.

UPDATE 5/23:  We're still here.

It Says More About The Adults

James Tate taped up these letters outside Shelton High School

James Tate's attention-getting way of asking Sonali Rodrigues to the Shelton, CT High School prom got him in hot water with school administrators.   His method of getting a prom date worked, but school officials were not amused.  Tate admitted his unorthodox approach may have deserved some penalty, but barring him from the prom struck classmates, internet posters and even some town leaders as too severe.   Legalities and "zero tolerance" attitudes aside, this unbending reaction by the school headmaster sends a bad message.   The negative reaction to excluding Tate from his prom was overwhelming, as this kid won over the hearts and minds of peers, parents and people way beyond Shelton.  The punishment could have been changed, but how dare these people question authority with their dissent?   People expressed their views responsibly, but that didn't matter to the headmaster.   What does that tell kids?   Talk about "sending a message."

Speaking of adults out of control, don't even get me started on that crazy mom who allows and even approves of her 8-year-old daughter getting Botox treatments!   

Bin Laden Is Still Dead

Celebrations outside White House of bin Laden death

Osama bin Laden's death seemed to meet with some skepticism until al-Qaeda acknowledged it themselves.  There are some critics of the Obama administration fresh off the derailed movement questioning his birthplace who insisted they had to see the bin Laden death photos.  Over the weekend, I heard a woman on Boston's WRKO saying we couldn't trust the President, so he had to show the photos.   This premise was outrageous.   For one thing, I certainly trust the Navy SEALs.   Secondly, whether you like him or not, what has President Obama done to deserve that level of distrust?   The operation itself was one gutsy move.   If the photos were released, does anyone believe this would sway doubters in parts of the nation and world?   Are any positive results produced in places that show disturbing images all over the media?    That same WRKO host also acted shocked and horrified over young people across the country celebrating the bin Laden killing, as if that were disrespectful to the victims of 9/11 and the subsequent wars.   60 Minutes' Andy Rooney witnessed in 1945 how crowds cheered from New York to London on V-E Day.  Both events were triumphs over monsters.  Both celebrations are totally appropriate.  

Bin Laden Is Dead

Minutes ago, President Obama announced that U.S. forces in Pakistan had killed the head of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden.   The military has custody of bin Laden's body.    Americans and peace-loving people around the world have something to celebrate.   Amid the joy, we remember the victims of this modern madman who sought to take the world into an era of darkness.   The President is right - justice has been served.   To our brave military: mission accomplished!

A Man of Steady Habits Passes

Zuckerbraun's Dept. Store

Jewett City has been described as a trip back in time, and nowhere has that time warp been more evident than at Zuckerbraun's Department Store.  Owner Jerome Zuckerbraun may have beem the most consistent business owner I've ever run across.   He passed away on April 1st at 86.   His store on North Main Street, opened in 1929 by his father, hasn't really changed in 82 years other than looking worse for wear.   You could find him having lunch at Dean's Corner every day promptly at 1:00.  He was one of the first business owners to advertise in The Extra back in 1989 and has had a regular presence with us ever since.  While "five and dime" stores have all but disappeared, Zuckerbraun's remained even as fires hit businesses on both sides of his old building in the past ten years.  Zuckerbraun had been in poor health and away from the store for over a year, but he insisted to his relatives and one remaining employee Doreen that he was still in control of things and there would be no "going out of business" sale on his watch.   Now the store's days appear to be numbered.   Part of Jerome Zuckerbraun's consistency was his reluctance to part with money, and I often wondered why he didn't retire to live the high life after a lifetime of work, but he would have none of that.   Who are we to judge?   In an era when everyone seems to haved maxed out their credit cards, Mr. Zuckerbraun asked for little.

Learning By Doing

If there's one stereotypical guy trait I exhibit, it's the reluctance to ask for directions.   People can explain it or leave the most exhaustive written instructions, but I have to immerse myself in something to actually figure my way around it.   Then once I do it successfully I never forget it.  I've gotten comfortable with doing a live weekend rock radio show at the very visible Mohegan Sun studio of 102.3 The Wolf (WMOS).  Now, a new element has been added to my duties this week as I do afternoon fill-in 3-8pm for Kevin O'Connor.   Kevin is also the very busy operations manager for Citadel's four-station New London cluster.  He asked me to merge and print the combined music and commercial logs for The Wolf while he takes a well-deserved week off.   I last worked with their type of music software way back in 1993 before anyone ever heard of Windows or the internet.  That was the easy part.  Figuring out how to transfer data between three computers that don't really communicate with each other meant I had to be constantly on the phone with some patient people in the New London offices who have plenty of their own things to do while trying to focus on my show too.  As I enter the third day of this new undertaking, I think I've finally gotten it!   I'm looking forward to returning to being my low maintenance self again.      

Sideshow Donald

Have you seen proof that Hawaii was ever legally recognized as the 50th state?   I haven't, so how do we know it wasn't all a big fraud?   Have you seen the documents?   I think it deserves to be investigated.   This type of thinking - or lack thereof - is exactly what drives this "birther" movement that doesn't want to go away.   Now Donald Trump has jumped comb-over first into the wacky fray, going on Fox News and anywhere else that will have him in questioning the authenticity of President Obama's Hawaii birth certificate,  pledging his own investigation and wondering why the President doesn't give more information.   I know why Obama doesn't respond - the accusations have been too stupid to dignify with a response.  Trump gets taken seriously as a potential Presidential candidate while Republican leaders are reluctant to take a stand against either the birther movement or those who refuse to believe Obama is a Christian and not a Muslim.   (Why does his religion matter anyway?)     The sad thing is that even if Trump turns up no more birthplace evidence than the other crackpots have, he probably will have gotten a big bounce in the ratings for The Apprentice.  The world is beset by real problems.   President Obama's birth certificate is not one of them.        

A Win's A Win

The game wasn't even half over when the commentators were already criticizing the quality of play and slow pace of the NCAA Men's Championship Game.   Do they have to remind us so quickly that it was the worst final since 1949?   Give me a break.   UConn still played better than Butler, and that's what counted in the 53-41 final.   In sports, Connecticut often gets an inferiority complex, with divided loyalties between New York and Boston, the loss of an NHL team and the dashed hopes of getting the Patriots.   In Eastern Connecticut, Dodd Stadium has been home to two other minor league baseball teams as we hope three's the charm.   UConn men's and women's basketball has been the exception, gaining national prominence for years.    We witnessed the disappointment on Maya Moore's face when the Lady Huskies lost to Notre Dame.   Her record at UConn is phenomenal.   We saw Kemba Walker become a sports celebrity in a brilliant season.   UConn Basketball is one thing that every Connecticut sports fan can feel good about, year after year.  

The Road Not Taken

Robert Frost's 1916 poem about taking the "road less traveled" has inspired many people.    There may be one path we take in our lives, but there are many forks in that road.    If someone asked me what my career path would be if I had not taken the broadcasting and advertising route, my answer would be quick and clear.   I'd be teaching history.   My fascination with social studies even predates my interest in radio as a kid.   Geographic facts stick to me like Crazy Glue, but maps can get very technical.   It's the story of man that is most compelling to me.   When I go on a vacation trip, I make a terrible beach bum.  I'd rather play tourist.   That means visiting historic places.   In the seventies, I took plenty of college history courses but was discouraged from pursuing it because it was "not very marketable" at that point while I landed a radio job right  after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.   After being laid off from Hartford radio station WDRC in 2002, I pursued the history dream again with four courses at Eastern Connecticut State University.   Maturity worked better for me the second time around in the form of better study habits as I garnered straight A's, but again I got more involved in making a living in radio broadcasting and direct mail advertising.   It was a great experience, but the history goal - and free time - grew more elusive than ever.   As I follow today's news, I know this background has helped me make some sense out of it all.   You might think I would watch the History Channel all the time, but much of the UFO shows and Nostradamus predictions seem like pseudo-history instead.   We can draw from so much real history - and should.      

Kaddafi Has To Go

I don't get it.  Libya's Muammar Kaddafi was a leading sponsor of international terror in the eighties and then bought off people for their silence.  He made billions off Libya's resources while his people stayed poor and isolated.   He brought in mercenaries to kill his own people when the protests in the Arab world came to his doorstep.  There is no evidence that the rebels are linked to al-Qaeda or any Muslim radical groups.  These revolutionary movements in Libya and elsewhere have been largely peaceful and are inspired by a hope for democratic freedom.   We saw the obvious outpouring of joy in rebel-controlled Benghazi when freedom from a tyrant seemed at hand, and how terrified these same people were when the tide turned against them.    From the Arab League, the UN and much of Europe, there was backing to use "all necessary means" to defend these people from a discredited dictator.   What do we hear?   Fox News, which would have led the charge if this happened under George W. Bush, consistently paints a picture of doom and asks why President Obama is taking his family to visit South America.   He's not hiding in the Amazon.   Republicans, who never blinked when authorizing a trillion dollars for Afghanistan and Iraq, now question the cost of enforcing a no-fly zone.   Democrats like Dennis Kucinich call Obama's part in offensive actions against Libya without Congressional authorization "impeachable."   The first missiles were fired from a French air force jet only days ago.   Give things a chance.  To just sit by as Kaddafi mercilessly puts down a truly democratic movement would tell any oppressor that Egypt's and Tunisia's ousted leaders were too lenient.   And yes, the Libyan civil war has already disrupted oil prices, and we still need stability.   These actions by the UN and NATO coalition are warranted.   We need to be on the side of these democratic movements without leading them.    

And It Makes Me Wonder

Millstone Waterford Nuclear Plant

I admit to being glued to the news and the dramatic pictures of tragedy and destruction from the huge magnitude 9.0  earthquake and the resulting tsunami in northeastern Japan.   As if that weren't enough, the news continues to unfold about the critical situation involving several nuclear reactors in that area.    Given the potential for catastrophe when nukes go seriously wrong, it doesn't come as a surprise when people - including Connecticut's Senator Joe Liebermann - begin to question the use of nuclear power here in the United States.   You don't have to be in domestic panic mode to think twice about this invisible, tasteless and odorless hazard that many of us don't understand.   Not being a nuclear engineer, I can only wonder what would happen locally if the Millstone Waterford complex experienced a serious problem requiring mass evacuations.   I think back to one Friday afternoon when a serious crash closed down I-95 near the I-395 split.   Traffic was backed up in every direction for hours on the Connecticut Turnpike from Old Saybrook to Norwich, not to mention Routes 1, 32, 82, 85, 156, 161 and more.   That alone should be reason to extend Route 11.   That incident left a permanent doubt as to whether an evacuation here would ever work.   I hope we never need to find out, because it wouldn't be pretty.  

Charlie's "Winning" Ways

Wow, my 200th post!   I must have a lot to say.  What hasn't been said by and about Charlie Sheen over the last couple of weeks?  Perhaps his most memorable rant-filled interview  leading up to his firing from "Two and a Half Men" was with ABC last week, when Charlie's most quoted words were all captured in the span of a few minutes: "tiger blood," "one gear - go" and of course, the ever-present "winning."   This has either been the most publicized celebrity meltdown in history or Charlie is a genius at playing us all for fools while getting notoriety - or both.   Google "Charlie Sheen" and you'll get all kinds of impersonators, with Jimmy Fallon and Jerry O'Connell among the funniest.   "Two and a Half Men" may not be high culture, but it has been very well written and I'm not too snobby to think it's funny.   Some variation on this theme can still succeed in CBS prime time.  Whatever happens, it will take more than merely replacing Sheen's character with a similar one.    The tabloids are having a field day as the world finds itself incapable of looking away from this train wreck.   I can't help but feel sad for his family.  There are so many people less fortunate than Charlie Sheen who can't find their way back to sobriety.    For all his millions, he's no different than the dysfunctional people on the Jerry Springer Show.  I don't see this headed to a good place.  Perhaps a trip to quake-ravaged Haiti with his pal Sean Penn can inject some perspective into his own victim mentality.    I will say that if getting fired from a job ultimately defines "winning," then I'm a big winner too!

Radio Flashback: The Vermont Fortress of Solitude

WCFR in Springfield, Vermont was my first regular airshift at a commercial radio station.  I was the Sunday air personality from 3:00 to 9:30 pm for a couple of months in the winter of early 1975, and it's safe to say my level of personality was still in a very formative stage.     Although a small market station emanating from a fallout shelter on top of a long hill outside of town, the guys who ran it had this high energy Top 40 AM & FM simulcast sounding pretty big time.     The AM side (complete with highly pumped up audio) would sign off at sunset and the FM was still in glorious mono.   At the interview, the general manager asked me, "Do you believe in WCFR?"  After my first show, the program director asked if I enjoyed it.  How many bosses ask those questions?  I remember the control room had a very imposing microphone suspended from the ceiling.   There were these big handles on each side of the board which I grabbed onto for dear life as I screamed into the mic trying to get into the whole Top 40 thing.  The PD told me it wasn't necessary to shout.   What really left an impression on me was the solitude of that long weekend shift that included running tapes after 9:30 for the King Biscuit Flour Hour and then a slightly hip religious tape called "Scan."   No sooner did I get some comfort level at this frozen fortress of solitude when I came to the realization that my studying for Monday Psych 101 quizzes at Keene State College was conflicting with the show.   That and a few commuting experiences up that hill in my less than  snow worthy '67 Plymouth Satellite sealed the deal.  I had to give my notice the same day I had been given my own customized jock shout.  The PD was disappointed, but radio hadn't yet become a central tenet of my life.   That would change.   I still can't hear "Kung Fu Fighting" or "Lady Marmalade" without thinking about that isolated radio outpost making my $2.10 an hour.     

Union Busters

Protesters rally in Madison, Wisconsin

In the perfect working world, there would be no need for unions.  Real life is not necessarily fair, so unions formed in both the public and private sector.   Now, a recently elected Wisconsin governor is saying he and a Republican legislative majority were given a mandate to deal with the state budget crisis by depriving teachers unions of their collective bargaining rights.   When did voters say that?   The teachers have already agreed to pay cuts and paying more into their benefits, but Governor Scott Walker insists that the elimination of collective bargaining is an essential "tool" in balancing Wisconsin's budget.   Without collective bargaining, what "tool" do unions have left?   In other words, it's not about money, benefits or any compromise;  Governor Walker doesn't care about that.   He is obviously more concerned about being the darling of the national right wing in starting something other states may look to emulate as they deal with their busted budgets.   Democratic legislators fled the state to avoid being accomplices in this obvious attempt to bust any leverage these unions may have.   Politicians always say how important teachers are, but this ambitious governor has demonstrated nothing but contempt for teachers by being so unyielding.    These teachers are willing to sacrifice.   Are the big money interests of the Koch Brothers and others willing to do more than accept massive tax breaks and then bankrolling this union busting?    Governor Walker is not the first politician to scapegoat public workers; former Connecticut Governor John Rowland did that right here after his election in the nineties.   Walker and his backers are on the wrong side of history.  

A Tricky Disease

Bullseye Lyme Disease  Rash

A trip to my doctor's office yesterday brought some unwelcome news, but it may explain a few things.  I tested positive for Lyme Disease, which is caused by a bacteria transmitted through deer ticks.   Early last summer, I came down with some serious pain in my legs and hips.   That is around the time we are most susceptible to tick bites, and the doctor could tell it wasn't due to a more recent exposure.  I never noticed any bullseye Lyme Disease rash which is often visible after being bitten, but not everyone gets this symptom.  At first I thought it was the result of overdoing my walk each night, but the pain never really went away after slowing down my exercise routine.   I do know that for the next three weeks I'll be taking the antibiotic Doxycycline.   Assuming I can tolerate that without side effects - they tell me to eat yogurt with it - I look forward to feeling better in time for the end of this crazy winter.   Lyme Disease masks itself in so many ways.   Early detection can prevent more serious complications.  

An Amazing Day in Egypt

As the Janis Joplin song goes, "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose."   Many Egyptians felt that way as decades of frustration poured out onto Facebook pages and eventually the streets over the past several weeks.   Thirty years of Hosni Mubarak's authoritarian rule, a culture of corruption among police and the ruling party, plus an enormous economic crisis meant so much of Egyptian society had finally had enough.    We have witnessed a tidal wave of people power motivated more by pride and determination than fear.  Judging by the reaction of the protesters following Mubarak's resignation, there is no way the military establishment will be able to put the genie back in the bottle.  Given the current state of affairs, who would want to?    Chronic joblessness and illiteracy combined with skyrocketing food prices to make life miserable for so many in this cradle of civilization that is now home to 80 million.   The West can claim some responsibility for spreading democratic ideas, but we have also helped bankroll a military junta that has been every bit as repressive as the Shah of Iran.   We don't want that kind of history to repeat itself.  Speculators have also artificially inflated food prices in countries like Egypt that depend heavily on imported wheat.    The U.S. may not be able to dictate Egypt's agenda, but we can help prevent food riots.   In 24 hours, we saw anger turn to jubilation.   That's an encouraging sign in a region known more for stability at the point of a gun than by hope.  

Only In America

Super Bowl XLV generated plenty of buzz, with game MVP Aaron Rodgers throwing for 304 yards and three TDs in Green Bay's 31-25 defeat of the Steelers.    If you watched solely for a great football game, the Packers' win didn't disappoint.    If you tuned in for the  new commercials, you may not have found an abundance of heavy hitters.   I did like the Best Buy spot with the unlikely pairing of Ozzie Osbourne and Justin Bieber, especially with Ozzie looking so confused in the background at the end.   Eminem, someone you either like or loathe, was in two spots; I thought they both worked.   The Coke ad with the border guards was, like the drink, classic.   Christina Aguilera is not the first one to botch the words to the National Anthem, but she could at least get them right for the Super Bowl.   I knew the Black Eyed Peas would bomb at halftime.   The elaborate light production, great moves from Usher and guitar help from Slash could not save what has always been a super-group based on studio production, not live performances.   A dead mic on Fergie didn't help matters at the beginning.    The Super Bowl again had its share of excellence, mediocrity and awkward moments.   I guess that's what makes it such an American event, there for all to see... warts and all.    

More Of This?

My Backyard

Welcome to February!   We start the month in the middle of another winter storm in a pattern that has continued unabated since the day after Christmas.   How many people even knew what a roof rake was before this season?    Sure, there's a revolution in Egypt, but we're all too busy digging out from the succession of snowfalls to pay attention to it.   For the second time, I hired some guys to get the heavy snow off my roof.   With 2000 square feet and not exactly the steepest roof pitch, I didn't want to take any chances.   The big ice buildup along the edges by the gutters made a hazardous job even more treacherous.   I tried to tackle the garage, which was a little less intimidating.   Heights are not my favorite thing - I admit it.   I didn't want that to collapse on my car after just spending $1000 to replace my busted garage door - these storms have been cruel enough.   I am thankful for two things so far this time around:  1.) I'm not on as much of a set work schedule the way I was during those brutal commutes to Hartford in the nasty winter of '95-'96.   2.) I don't have to drive my car over a very long snow-coated hill to get into a radio station before 6:00 a.m.    With local TV scrolling storm info and school system emails or texting to parents, reading that laundry list of closings on the radio is becoming a thing of the past.   Let's hope the ground hog gives us good news tomorrow.   We've broken enough records!