You're Not Special?

In an age when news organizations often tell us what we want to hear instead of what we need to hear, this speech was a bombshell.   The trophy business may not like what Wellesley, Massachusetts High School teacher David McCullough had to say at the school's graduation ceremony.  News flash: We're not special just because we were put on this planet.   His candid comments have caused quite a stir, mostly because they so richly deserved to be said.    Just ask a school administrator or a police officer when parents say, "My Johnny wouldn't do that", "Why are you picking on my child?" or "Give my kid a break."   Children have learned from their parents and millions of marketing messages to ask "what's in it for me?"    This sense of entitlement isn't a rich versus poor, white versus black, American versus foreigner or even conservative versus liberal issue.   We need to reward character and achievement.   Enough with all the excessive awards and trophies.   Everyone's not a winner - certainly not all the time, and that's as it should be.  If everyone's special, nobody is.  Here is the full text of Mr. McCullough's speech.     It's worth reading!

Walker Prevails

Wisconsin's red-blue recall contest

45 per cent of Wisconsin's voters had their hopes dashed in tonight's recall election.   Republican Governor Scott Walker fended off a challenge from Milwaukee's Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett.   These results are tragic for anyone who believes unions should still have a voice in the workforce or decries the limitless use of funds by mostly out of state Republican organizations.  While disappointing, Walker's win should not be shocking to anyone except MSNBC's Ed Schultz.   A Washington Post article runs down the reasons for the failure to recall Walker.   In addition to their lopsided 10-1 spending advantage, Walker and company have been campaigning with a laser-like focus way ahead of this judgment day he saw coming since last year.   The serious Democratic split in their own recent primary left many labor supporters less than enthusiastic about supporting Barrett, who then had only weeks to campaign.    Voters outside Milwaukee tend to see the Badger State's largest city as its problem child.   That Milwaukee connection did not help Mayor Tom Barrett in the hinterlands, and Walker capitalized on that.   There was also the Washington Democratic connection, or lack thereof.   National Dems never were as enthusiastic about a recall.    Recent polls do not tie President Obama's Wisconsin fate in November to this recall, thus explaining Obama's tepid endorsement of Tom Barrett.   

Democrats in Wisconsin and nationwide would be ill-served by handwringing and finger pointing.    The attack on labor's dwindling political clout had been central to Governor Walker's agenda all along, even after wage concessions by state unions.   If the tide is to be reversed, labor unions (especially state and municipal ones) have to make their case everywhere, since state workers often unfairly get a bum rap as privileged while others suffer to make ends meet.   This unfair broad brush perception played right into the hands of Governor Walker and his "divide and conquer" strategy.  Let's face it; even many who weren't Walker fans were tired of the unending uproar.  Inevitably, Walker's antics will be his own undoing unless he moderates his tone and stops looking like an operative for the Koch Brothers.   It's time for Democrats to use this time to unite, focusing on November nationwide and revisiting the Wisconsin gubernatorial race in 2014.

Downsize Me

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed a ban on soda servings larger than 16 ounces.   The soft drink industry together with conservative pundits have decried this "nanny state" threat to individual freedom.   As with gun control opponents,  this regulatory attempt does beg the question, "what's next?"   You know, they may have a point in their selective outrage, and I'd be willing to make a deal. Let's toss this Bloomberg mandate aside if the soda industry can conclusively prove that there are no significant individual health risks and public health costs to a steady intake of fast food drinks that dwarf the standard sizes of a generation ago.   All that talk about the rise of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes is just alarmist too, right?       Oh, wait, we do know the facts.   Why is it more important to protect subsidies of companies who make high fructose corn syrup than to stave off an epidemic caused by consuming sugar at toxic levels?      

One Year Later

Today would have been my mother's 88th birthday, but she died exactly one year ago on her 87th.        Unlike my father, my mom lived to what most people would consider a ripe old age.   Even so, the passage of a year hasn't diminished that sense of loss.   A year doesn't seem that long ago, but somehow it makes memories of my own childhood seem much more remote.   I try to keep busy, but often feel less focused not having her around.   It's also one of those times in my life when many friends seem more distant, and I miss them.   Through some sadness and period of adjustment, I am always mindful of the lucky breaks that have come along in the past twelve months.   This one year anniversary serves as a reminder to move on, but it has already been an ongoing process that I know she would want for me and my brother.    Just because we move on doesn't mean we forget.    I couldn't do that; nor would I want to.

Radio Flashback: WCNX - My WKRP

In December 1976 I was just wrapping up college in Keene, New Hampshire and needed a job back in Connecticut.  David Parnigoni, the owner of the station where I'd been working part-time - WKVT in Brattleboro, VT - had just bought 1150 AM WCNX in Middletown, CT.   I landed the music director and midday host position.  Since I grew up 20 miles from WCNX, I already knew it wasn't a big-time sounding flamethrower even though its signal blanketed a good chunk of Connecticut.    What I walked into reminded me of the sleepy, complacent atmosphere that greeted Andy Travis, the new program director (and my hero) on WKRP in Cincinnati.   WCNX had been underperforming on so many levels.   Before Tom McCormack was hired as news director, local news was just read straight out of the Middletown Press.   The music format varied depending on who was on the air.   The most exciting part of the presentation was the Ed Henry Sunday Polka Show, which continues to this day.   The scene was set for some excitement to hit central Connecticut that wasn't emanating from Hartford or New Haven.  After putting a consistently upbeat adult contemporary music format together, they added program director to my duties.   We added jingles.   Billboards with a big "X" popped up around town.   The audio got cleaned up.   We pushed the phone lines and they lit up.   Ad rates had to be raised as we sold out.   General manager Ken Smith summed it up as a "regional sound with local information."    Eager staffers like this young program director often cringed at what junk passed for local, and I eventually let my idealism get the best of me.   All in all, WCNX in 1977 was a worthy effort, and I met some terrific people.   I was now headed for a big-time FM!

Minority Rights vs. Majority Votes

President Obama has become the first U.S. President to openly support gay marriage.   Like any issue in an election year, you can claim political motivation all you want.  I think it was a risky move on his part.   For all the surveys that show increasing acceptance of same sex marriage, there is enough of a fired up electorate who are so intolerant that they can vote to use state law to deny basic rights to a lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender minority.  The North Carolina vote to ban gay marriage officially relegates one group of American citizens to second class status.   If we left civil rights issues in the sixties up to a popular vote, we know what would have happened: little or nothing.   Ironically, racial and ethnic minorities affected by the civil rights movement tend to be even less tolerant of same sex marriage.   Defenders of the status quo shrewdly and cynically seized upon this divide to keep traditional Democratic voters away from the polls in urban areas of Ohio, a key state in the 2004 Presidential election.   There is every evidence we can expect more of the same this time around.   As I pointed out before, we've made progress in race relations but have a considerable way to go despite all the laws, political correctness and good intentions.   The same can be said about gay rights..   Mayor Corey Booker of Newark, a man who impresses me more each day, said it's not a gay rights issue - it's about human rights.   You are entitled to your convictions about whom somebody else wants to love, but we can't make them any less of a citizen because of it.

Rock Evolution

The Beastie Boys

When founding member Adam Yauch from the Beastie Boys died the other day, I can't say I could come up with the titles of more than one or two of their songs, yet they were huge to alt rock and hip hop audiences in recent decades.   Being in radio, I try to keep up with new music (and pop culture in general) but it's easier for Baby Boomers like yours truly to recall entire albums released back when we were 18 or 21. That was when we had more time to take in a change in music that contrasted so sharply with that of our parents.   This Baby Boomer is reluctant to give up the music and memories of my youth even as it gradually fades from mainstream commercial media, but I refuse to believe that nothing of any quality or significance has come out since 1974.  To me, that would be a big surrender to the aging process.   Back in the day, most of the music our parents didn't understand fell under the general category of "rock".    Rock has evolved to become more of a niche as opposed to that all-encompassing genre I grew up with and remember so well.   For all the attempts to categorize - "ghettoize" if you will - rock n' roll and rhythm n' blues have been intertwined from the start and so much since then has been variations on a theme.   I may not latch onto as many new songs now, it still bugs parents and to quote Billy Joel, "It's Still Rock n' Roll to Me." 

Another Inconvenient Truth

Al Mayo (New London Patch)

Al Mayo had been a regular listener to Glenn & Rebecca on WBMW and I had a chance to meet and talk with him just two or three years ago.   He struck me as a nice guy and hardly a lightning rod for controversy.  Mayo's reinstatement into the New London Fire Department complete with back pay and attorneys' fees signals some closure to a less than stellar chapter in the city's recent turbulent history.   Mayo was the first African American hired by the department since 1978.   Given the racial makeup of New London and the shaky ground on which the firing had been based, allegations of racial discrimination still seemed to come as a surprise to callers on this morning's Stu Bryer Show on WICH AM 1310.   Even the show's host couldn't shake the feeling that the story "had something more to it."   The callers I heard were indeed intelligent and thoughtful, but you could sense the real frustration that we were still discussing race after all the social changes some of these people had lived through since the fifties and sixties.   Have we made strides in civil rights and race relations over the decades?   Of course, as attitudes evolve with new generations.   Despite the reforms and good intentions, we still have a considerable way to go and we have to be willing to acknowledge that.   Being open about our problems is a major source of what has made America great.   Nobody should feel uncomfortable about discussing this "work in progress" we all live in.      

The Most Pain

They say it's the worst pain you can experience unless you're a woman going through childbirth.  I'll take their word for it about giving birth, but I can personally vouch for the extreme pain experienced with kidney stones.   When the pain suddenly hit me after 8:00 Sunday night and I drove to the Marlborough Clinic through driving rain, I figured it out.   That was due to the fact that I had an earlier episode of kidney stones in 1998 when I was finishing up at work.  That time, I thought it was appendicitis and barely managed to drive myself through rush hour traffic to Hartford Hospital.   I could barely stay conscious, doubled over in agony when I got there.  They diagnosed the stones, heavily medicated me and eventually sent me out into the late night only to have to call 9-1-1 from where I'd been housesitting.   Hours and much morphine later from Bay State Medical in Springfield, I got a cab back to the house along with a pain prescription.   While the worst pain was behind me, the discomfort lasted days until I passed the stone.   That part was easy.   A kidney stone is most excruciating when it is stuck in the ureter tude between the kidney and bladder.   I can say this week's episode was somewhat less intense than 14 years ago, but on a pain scale of one to ten it's easily an eight.   The new stone has already moved south, so that in itself is a welcome relief!  

How Petty

Axl Rose

We're talking about one of rock's greatest singers, Axl Rose.   He and his onetime band mates in Guns n' Roses were inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame over the weekend.   Rose was conspicuously if not surprisingly absent from the ceremony.   He had written a lengthy and rambling letter to the Rock Hall saying he'd be passing up the induction event.   He took it a step further by requesting they withdraw his nomination.   Other band members did attend, accept and perform.   It is clear that Axl Rose had a major falling out with the band.   We get that.  That doesn't make him unique in the drama that has plagued countless rock bands over the years.   His attitude toward this well-deserved high honor is a slap not only at his band, his music contemporaries and the Rock Hall.   It is above all a snub to his fans.   When I think of how long musicians like Donovan have waited for this overdue recognition and performers such as Chubby Checker continue to be shunned, my advice to Axl Rose is simple: GET OVER IT!

Voter Fraud?

From Oped.com

Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate GOP leader, called liberal and Democratic charges of a "War On Women" a "manufactured issue".   He and his party are engaging in wishful thinking, as evidenced by the widening lead of President Obama over GOP challengers among many female voters.   While McConnell can deny these concerns, right wing politicians worried about a replay of 2008 are manufacturing a remedy of their own to something that has not been a problem: voter fraud. Violations have been practically nonexistent by any standard.   The urgency of the move in state legislatures to mandate voter ID cards serves one purpose, and that is to hold down turnout of likely Democratic voters.   Studies show that approximately 11 percent of Americans -- about 21 million people -- lack a current government photo ID, disproportionately racial minorities, senior citizens, young voters, the working poor and people with disabilities.   Oddly enough, some laws would permit National Rifle Association membership cards as valid ID while not accepting student ID cards.   I have nothing against protecting the will of the people against fraud, but the real motivation for the new voter ID laws is as obvious as that of the old poll tax.   The net effect is the disenfranchising of what is still a sizable portion of our population.   Fraud should be punished, but 11 percent of us should not be held hostage based on a largely unfounded fear of what could go wrong.   Voting is a U.S. citizen's right.

Connecticut Justice

Connecticut State Senate Debates Death Penalty

Connecticut now joins much of the world in getting rid of the death penalty.   Capital punishment has never been shown to be a deterrent to crime.   A life sentence without parole may give years for someone to deal with what they've done.   In the Michael Ross case, the actual death sentence may take decades to be carried out even when a convicted murderer wants to die.   When there is a wrongful conviction, the ultimate penalty cannot be undone once it's carried out.   Of course, whatever the justice system does will not bring a murder victim back.   Unlike Texas, Connecticut's history of carrying out death sentences has been very infrequent over the past fifty years.    While I support the State Senate's move, there's one case where most of us would like to see an exception.   The especially heinous Cheshire home invasion murders lead me to believe the world would be better off without these two monsters around, and the one survivor of that horrible crime agrees.    

When we think of justice, we usually think of the victims and their families, but what about the neighborhood?    Montville already greets passersby on I-395 with a warning not to stop in the area of a maximum security prison.    Hasn't this town already shouldered enough of the burden of hosting violent criminals without having to be home to a treatment center for sex offenders?   According to NBC Connecticut, opponents of the facility such as Councilor Dana McFee feel they were lied to by the commissioner for the state Department of Correction when they were promised that the “worst of the worst” wouldn’t live here.   The record of successful treatment for sexual offenders is very low.    I know these offenders have to go somewhere, but Montville has shouldered enough of the burden. 

What's Changed?



Trayvon Martin

Have racial tensions eased one bit since the Rodney King incident over twenty years ago?   The fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman and the handling of the case by Sanford, Florida police have made for a national outcry. The story gathers momentum while the polarizing statements of Geraldo Rivera, Al Sharpton and other talk show hosts add fuel to the fire.   The senseless killing of a youngster wearing a hoodie armed with nothing but iced tea and candy hit a nerve in the African American community. Think about it. Would you suspect possible trouble from a young black man in a hoodie more than a white guy wearing one?   Would most people be less likely to help a black man than somebody who is white?   Would you get better service in a store being white? Would an African American have a harder time hailing a cab?   When the answer to these and many related questions is a resounding "no", then we can point to real progress.   When anyone who asks these questions isn't accused of "playing the race card" or "being guilty of reverse racism", then a real dialogue on racial harmony can happen.

Unreal Weather

Daffodil

As we say goodbye to Old Man Winter, it feels as if we hardly got to know him this time around. Last winter the opposite was true. There was no need for those roof rakes just purchased last year as this final full winter's day had the thermometer shooting to 78 degrees in central Connecticut, easily smashing the old record high. People are breaking out the lawn care products and patio furniture as the daffodils pop up well ahead of schedule. One of the biggest harbingers of Spring was last week's unprecedented early opening of Harry's Place hot dog and hamburger stand here in Colchester. While Harry's has never been known for health food, there are plenty of opportunities to walk it off with weather forecasts looking more like California than New England.   Can anyone remember a mild March like this?   I can't. This is usually my least favorite month, but at this rate I'll have to rethink the whole "beware the Ides of March" thing.   It does make me wonder what this summer's heat will bring before I stop myself from being a Gloomy Gus and figure we've somehow earned this.   Don't stop now.

It's In Our Interest

Talk about a social media experience.   My Facebook page yesterday was full of posts about a 29-minute video by director Jason Russell on YouTube called Kony 12.   It was a gripping story of how children in Uganda and other parts of central Africa have been abducted to serve in the army of warlord Joseph Kony.   The video aims to put Kony behind bars by mobilizing international awareness.   It was watched over two million times within its first 48 hours online and has gotten the attention of Hollywood celebrities and Washington policymakers alike, with many spreading the word via Twitter.   Most of Africa has seldom been in the forefront of American foreign policy.   In eastern Africa, our 1992 Somalia intervention under the first President Bush was a noble effort that turned out badly.   President Clinton's biggest stated regret was America's lack of action in the 1990s Rwanda genocide, but there was little domestic price to pay on either side of the political spectrum.   In modern history, the United States has been criticized for acting largely based on our own economic interests.   That often means oil.   Some of that criticism may come from allies who agree to disagree or from the world's most tyrannical dictators.   Perhaps our legitimate overseas interests can play to a more receptive worldwide audience when the American people - not just U.S. politicians - step up and take the initiative.   Yes, we have our own challenges at home, but most humanitarian investments come at a small cost when the world's biggest economy and military power can mobilize international goodwill.   It costs us most dearly when we ignore a region or end up supporting a dictator based purely on strategic interests.   Check out the Kony 12 video and get inspired at www.kony2012.com.

Facing Talk Radio Reality

Boy, did I pick a heck of a time to try my hand at talk radio. This week's Rush Limbaugh controversy underscores how a series of provocative comments on birth control can reverberate from a Florida studio to the halls of Congress to the Presidential race itself. Once again, the real issues of our nation's economic growth and huge deficit take a back seat as outraged opponents respond and Republican leaders feel very uncomfortable. This contentious story shows no signs of heading anywhere positive. Rush is very powerful as an entertainer who has meant big ratings and revenue to hundreds of radio stations. His influence over some 20 million listeners nationwide is also felt by many politicians looking to court this unabashedly conservative audience. You have to acknowledge Rush as the man who has been most instrumental in setting the blueprint for today's politically charged talk radio. It's a different world from the seventies and eighties when mostly local hosts could do a "potpourri" of topics and showcase contrasting points of view in the same forum. Hosting a local morning show on a station with mostly national conservative programming provides a unique set of challenges, especially in my case where I can't genuinely speak to enough of the same right-wing ideology. Most importantly, I concluded that the WXLM morning show needs someone who can spend more time on it; show prep is difficult when I'm also busy with a job in direct mail advertising. While I get set to hand the show over to someone new in a few days, I've appreciated the opportunity, direction and support afforded me by the people at Cumulus New London. I'll be glad to fill in once in awhile at WXLM. That's what I do. I don't have to be the morning star, just a team player who comes through when needed.

Talk Radio - Plunging Right In

It was only a week and a half ago when Kevin O'Connor, our program director here at 102.3 The Wolf, asked me if I could step in at least temporarily to host the 6-9 a.m. morning show on our sister station WXLM, a news/talker at 980 AM. Within days, I was filling the time slot just vacated by Lee Elci. A new FM news talker in the market had given Lee an offer he felt he couldn't pass up. Thanks to Lee and WXLM management, the departure was on good terms. That being said, some decisions have to be made about the long term direction of the WXLM morning show. I've always been proud to be a "go to guy" who can be counted on to come through in a pinch, and I've indicated an interest in staying with the show beyond the status of temporary guest host. That is management's call, and I can respect whatever they decide. Whether it lasts long term or a couple of weeks, I am not trying to fill Lee's shoes. As he said, his show took years to evolve. It's the person who makes the position, not the other way around. The fans who want to follow Lee down the dial will do that. We hope listeners will continue to turn to WXLM as a leading choice for news and talk, and I'll do what I can to insure that. I know there's a lot of on the job training involved and three hours is a lot of time for me to talk, but news guy Nick Giuliano is great at chiming in as an important part of the show. I look forward to adding a few guests in studio and hope more folks will pick up the phone and interact. For now, we take it day by day as I continue to find new horizons in this hobby of mine gone haywire called radio. Listen online at www.wxlm.fm.

She Could Have Had It All

The music industry grieved at the loss of one icon while recognizing its newest superstar at Sunday's Grammy Awards. While not a big awards show fan, I found myself riveted to it for at least an hour. Whitney Houston's career peaked some twenty years before her death last weekend at a still young 48, but her volume of work in the eighties and early nineties was enough to make her music's most honored female performer. She was all over the radio back then. Bad press seemed to dominate her life since she began her tumultuous and drug-filled relationship with Bobby Brown, but she did take responsibility for her bad choices. Few of her hits seem to get airplay these days. That may change for awhile as people remember her meteoric rise and protracted fall. No one can forget her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the 1991 Super Bowl. I can't help but think of her hit "Didn't We Almost Have It All" when reflecting on her talent and beauty combined with a dysfunctional personal life. The rise was not worth this tragic fall. At the same time, Adele swept the Grammys. The first time I heard "Underneath the Deep" I knew it would be the top song of the year. It was another song about almost having it all. Her "60 Minutes" interview gave us a chance to know something about the woman behind the voice. The interview left me with the impression that Adele would be fine even if her throat condition had left her without that gift of a voice. Let's hope so.

She Nailed It

Madonna at Super Bowl Halftime show

Super Bowl 46 in Indianapolis proved to be a spectacle with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots 21-17. For all the attention garnered by Eli Manning, Tom Brady and company, the blogosphere was abuzz with everyone's opinion of Madonna's performance at Halftime. There are people out there, mostly guys, who will never understand the hype surrounding the Material Girl.   They charged her with lip synching as if nobody else has ever done that at a Super Bowl.   I think she actually sang, but how can a little technical enhancement be avoided in a production that big?   Madonna does everything in a big way, and that's just the point.   Music purists may cringe, but the dancing and scale of the show were exactly what you also expect from Madonna and her entourage.    Give a 54-year-old icon credit for doing cartwheels.   I'm not much older, but I have enough problems touching my toes.

Accepting The Unacceptable

The sad chapter at the end of Coach Joe Paterno's remarkable life and career was totally avoidable.   Even the paragons of virtue can enable terrible things to happen by not speaking up or acting decisively when power is used wrongly.   I am fortunate to be removed from that situation now, but recent events serve to remind me that it can happen to the best of us.   We can't control everything around us, but there may come a time when we are associated with people whose words or actions are simply unacceptable.   Whether you call it illegal, immoral or grossly unfair, you know when the line has been crossed to the point where you want no part of it.   To openly support the injustice with the promise of short term gain wins nobody's respect.   The idea that resistance is futile can be the height of cynicism.    History is full of principled and honorable people who questioned authority and produced sweeping changes for the better.   It also has its share of good people who looked the other way and found themselves on the hotseat next.   Sometimes it helps to say, "It is what it is" and "just roll with it"... but not always.

A Week to Remember

Dr. Mel - WTNH

A lot has happened since the last time I updated my blog. The Patriots and Giants face off in the Super Bowl, with Connecticut right in the middle. Newt Gingrich continues to get attention with an impressive South Carolina primary win. We lost a football legend whose career came to a sad close just months earlier as Joe Paterno died of lung cancer. On a regional level, the loss of meteorologist Doctor Mel Goldstein was felt by many who have watched him over the years. I had the pleasure of knowing Mel going back to when he gave the forecast on WWYZ in the late seventies. The station's program director said all air personalities could take a lesson from Dr. Mel because he "interprets the weather." He presented it in a way that was relevant to the audience. Dr. Mel got his early start on TV at WATR Channel 20 before his long run at WTNH News 8 in the eighties. I got to work more directly with Mel as program director at WLAD in Danbury, the station where he started. Whenever we needed someone who could fill in on the local talk show, Mel was there and callers loved him. Danbury is the same town where his weather center at Western Connecticut State University was based. So many aspiring meteorologists can point to Dr. Mel as their mentor. He beat the odds against multiple myeloma cancer for many years. We never actually get to know the real deal about many media personalities.   With Dr. Mel, I can gladly say we did.

Is It Safe?

Amston Lake

Can I use my tap water or not?   Talk about mishandled details.   Last Friday I received a text on my smartphone from one of the local TV stations informing me that residents in the Amston Lake area should not drink their tap water.   The area included Hebron, Lebanon and my town Colchester, but didn't say how widespread it was.   I live barely a couple of miles from Amston Lake.   Should I be concerned?   Tuning in the six o'clock TV news revealed little.   By ten o'clock, it had been made clear that 181 homes were affected, and boiling water with four times the safe rate of copper only made it worse.   I took that to mean the densely populated area immediately around the lake, but it was still unclear how much of Colchester had been included in this warning.   The next night only muddied the waters, as one unnamed local station showed a map of all three towns with no numbers given, making it sound like everyone in the three towns were being warned.   I will give credit to WTNH Channel 8 for being specific at eleven.   How many households in Colchester were under the water emergency?   Two!   I hope all the folks who live around this beautiful lake get back to normal conditions soon, but it wasn't a shining moment for local media - some of them, anyway.      

Stupid Corporate Tricks

Congress hasn't been alone this past year in drawing unprecedented levels of disgust among ordinary citizens. Corporate America has committed some incredibly stupid blunders that leave their own customers wondering whether these well paid decision makers even remotely cared about the consequences. The latest self-induced corporate public relations nightmare comes from my cell phone service carrier Verizon. They want to attach a so-called "convenience fee" just for paying your Verizon bill through their website. Yes, you would pay two bucks a month for the priviledge of paying what you owe! Last time I checked, this company was not on the road to financial ruin and has access to consumer research like focus groups who undoubtedly would have told them this was a slap in the face to many loyal customers at a time when many are struggling to pay for basic needs. Of course, I could pay my cell bill online through my Bank of America bill payment website, but they haven't been without issues either. Bank of America had to reverse its decision to put five dollar fees to use their ATM debit cards after a public outcry. They must have thought we'd forget about the whole mortgage bailout mess that almost threw us into another Depression. Let's not forget Netflix, a highly successful company that began hemorrhaging subscribers after some genius decided to raise rates by sixty per cent! And who can forget the CL&P disasters right here in Connecticut that led to the departure of its CEO? Mitt Romney is right when he says "corporations are people too" to the extent that regular folks like you and I are also capable of shooting ourselves in the foot without assistance from anyone else. For 2012, I pledge to take a hard look at any self sabotage.   Corporate America would be well served in doing the same.   Happy New Year!

The Tebow Phenomenon



Tim Tebow

As I was doing my Patriots-shortened rock show yesterday on 102.3 The Wolf, I mentioned a group of high school boys in Riverhead, Long Island.  They got in trouble with school officials for striking the prayerful pose of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.   The school drew criticism from Christians who saw this as an overreaction.   The officials contended that the students were blocking the hallways.   The notoriety of this relatively minor incident exemplifies how polarizing the issue of religious faith can be.  While you may be uncomfortable with someone flaunting their faith, Tim Tebow is clearly a decent, inspired and motivated person who has caught attention for reasons far beyond his short tenure as a Denver quarterback.   That was obvious during the Patriots pre-game show Sunday, when Tebow was clearly topic number one.    One commentator pointed out that while many roll their eyes over Tebow's trademark pose, the conduct of many other NFL players is much more "in your face" offensive.   If some kids are inspired by this faith-based example of a nice guy, then I'm not going to lose sleep over it.    I'll also rest easy knowing Tom Brady and the Pats got past the Broncos to clinch the AFC East title.   I'm not uncomfortable with the fuss about Tim Tebow;  but let's hope the obsession over his faith was just last weekend's thing. 

A "Manufactured" People

Watching ABC's World News Tonight, you'd think former House Speaker and latest Republican frontrunner Newt Gingrich had come away with a big win from the latest GOP Presidential debate the night before. Gingrich recently characterized the Palestinians as "a manufactured people" as the GOP contenders jockey for position in who can appear strongest in their support of Israel. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney tried to dial back the harsh tone set by Gingrich's comments, instead criticizing President Obama's public declaration of restarting Israeli-Palestinian territorial negotiations to be based on the 1967 borders.  Romney may have a point, since these parameters should be presented in meetings between negotiators. Obama's very public statement only served to anger Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.  At the same time, the GOP characterization of President Obama as "un-Presidential" in dealing with Israel has a hollow ring compared to the Gingrich comments at the debate. He not only restated his "manufactured people" comment in stronger terms.  This time Gingrich also labeled Palestinians as a group of terrorists.  This may serve as "red meat" for hardline conservatives, but any President who spoke like this would be a danger on an already volatile world scene.  By his supposedly historical perspective, Israelis, Iraqis, South Africans, Swiss and even Americans could be considered "manufactured people."  The premise is as outrageous as his blanket assertions about all Occupy Wall Street protesters.  It is sad how this divisive person is gaining traction.       

Radio Flashback: Lite 100.5 WRCH

By April 1988, I had just been through a couple of operations and programming positions at New England radio stations that left me with my fill of middle management in radio. That was when WRCH/WRCQ program director Warren Schroeger called me about doing some part-time work. At the same time, I was getting involved in media sales through Shore Line Newspapers, a division of ABC/Cap Cities. I figured a big signal up the road would be a good place to keep my hand in radio. Like numerous other radio experiences, it grew into much more than originally intended.   Radio Park in Farmington was one of Connecticut's nicer radio properties, with the FM in its last days as instrumental-based easy listening WRCH and the AM nearing the end of its road as adult standards WRCQ.    I did the first full live airshift on the new "Lite 100.5" and expected a torrent of calls protesting the change, but that was thankfully not the case.   When my future as an ad salesman was in doubt, I accepted a full-time offer to host the afternoon drive slot on WRCH only to get downsized 13 months later.    I spent time during my layoff down the dial filling in at the new Mix 93.7 WZMX.   During that time, a new GM was hired to turn things around at WRCH.   I got rehired in 1992 as the host of the evening show "Pillow Talk".    Talk about some lovelorn callers! I still remember the night a rat decided to keep me company and when lightning tore through the studio, knocking the AM off the air.   After getting moved back to afternoons and becoming music director, the axe would eventually fall again in September 1993.   I attribute it to the new GM not liking me (hard to imagine!) even though he never knew me well.   Maybe I should have "played the game" more, but I'm a crappy suckup.   For WRCH, the new format eventually became a ratings and revenue monster, reaching new heights after a direct format competitor decided to go after someone else.   Under CBS ownership, it remains a major force in Hartford. 

A Good Run For A Local Business

Tina Chapman of Pachaug Aquarium & Reptiles Too

Something - and someone - was conspicuously absent in the November edition of The Extra.   This month marked the first time in almost ten years that Tina Chapman has not advertised her shop in our monthly direct mailer.   The doors closed on October 31st.   Pachaug Aquarium & Reptiles Too had been open less than one hour  in the summer of 2002 when I first called on Tina Chapman about advertising.    Since then, she has been a model advertiser.    She was so dependable that I would always start each month by calling on her aquarium on Route 138 in Griswold.   In 2003 when Tina wanted to renew her lease, her landlord was surprised because no other business had ever lasted there longer than a year.     The small store outlasted many of the startup businesses around her, but Tina finally decided it was time to pack it in.   While the recession had impacted her business this year, I got the impression that being the sole proprietor was becoming a bit of a grind.   She just wanted a break.   Anyone who knows Tina can say that she is one of the most down to earth people you could meet.   She spends much of her time close to home along the Route 138 corridor with a life full of friends and family.   A big fan of the great outdoors, Tina has also been active in promoting the Griswold Fish & Game Club.    As I hear the commercials about "shopping small" for November 26th on Small Business Saturday, I wish there were more people like Tina in business.     

This Departure Means A Lot

Regis Philbin hosted his last "Live" show this morning.   With all the commotion surrounding his departure after 28 years, I think Regis knew it was time to move on as executives didn't exactly bend over backwards to keep him on board.   We may never know the real story of what appeared to be a hasty decision on his part, but daytime TV is evolving.   This loss of an icon in many morning routines marked a milestone in that change the same way ABC's cancellation of two long-running soaps reflected a simple fact: the audience is aging and fragmenting.   The age of the average "Live with Regis & Kelly" viewer is 60.   "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" haven't exactly been courting the youth movement either.   True, a huge chunk of the available daytime viewership is older, but corporate decision makers would rather risk shaking loose some of the 55+ crowd and have a greater percentage of younger women 25-54 (or 25-49) even if it means a smaller overall rating.   Radio has done the same thing, which explains why Frank Sinatra disappeared from the airwaves by the 1990s, fifties music soon followed and sixties songs are now few and far between.

Regis still leaves on a high note, much like Oprah and Seinfeld.   On a local level, Regis was a role model to me in co-hosting a morning radio show.    So many people would tell me how WBMW's Wakeup Club with Glenn & Rebecca had good chemistry.   Even our consultant admitted that, but in the last year of Glenn & Rebecca the only positive comment I ever got from him was about my Regis impression.   I sensed something was up, but Rebecca and I knew that we were a team and it wouldn't be the same as a one-person show or one where two people didn't have fun interacting with each other.   Regis was the master of that genre.   He was a huge inspiration for some of the best radio I ever did.          

An "Off" Year Election

The race for the newly created mayoral position in New London was one of the few noteworthy local contests that were decided last night. Democrat Daryl Justin Finizio successfully challenged his party's establishment. With that exception, there was a lack of cliffhangers as turnout was light.   Did you vote? I cast my ballot, but I had to shake my head as I reviewed few choices here in Colchester. There was only one candidate for first selectman. I was asked to pick three selectmen out of three listed and there were no challengers for several other town positions. I am told Montville choices were equally slim, and incumbents faced few serious challenges across the region. It struck me as similar to what voters must have faced in the former Soviet Union, where elections were exercises in rubberstamping choices of the one party system. Are civic minded citizens discouraged by today's politics? Is the lack of voter participation in off year local elections an unhealthy sign for our democracy? On a national level, attempts to discourage voter eligibility and radical agendas received a serious pushback. The latest union busting move by Ohio Governor John Kasich was a stinging defeat for him - and rightfully so. Even many conservative Republicans had trouble getting behind an all encompassing anti-abortion bill in Mississippi, and the measure failed in a big way. People need to get fired up, since it is clear that the public is fed up with politics as usual. With so much at stake, voter apathy in any election will send the wrong message to our lawmakers.

Infrastructure Failure

Southeastern Connecticut was spared the worst of this October Nor'easter that knocked out power to over 800,000 Connecticut Light & Power customers.   In Colchester, it was a close call with major tree damage and power outages to the immediate north and west.   My lights stayed on this time.   That good fortune was not lost on me, thanks to the recent memories of the six day outage caused by Tropical Storm Irene two months earlier.   For CL&P and other area utilities, these two events made for a one-two punch.   Connecticut's biggest power provider has taken a lot of criticism over its speed at restoring service, but officials in Massachusetts and New Jersey are also calling for investigations into restoration delays.   For CL&P, issues over payments to out-of-state repair crews were not resolved before the storm, apparently adding to the delays.   Since Connecticut has more forests and less utility workers than several decades ago, planners had no reason to be surprised when the last two storms brought record power outages.   Are we really saving money cutting back on line maintenance when overgrown trees crash down on wires and disrupt millions of lives already in the middle of a troubled economy?     This is as much of a wakeup call as a bridge collapse.   It speaks volumes about the state of our infrastructure.   We can pay for prevention now or disaster relief later. 

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!