Disgraceful

Welcome to October!   The idiots did it.   They managed to shut down the U.S. government.   Radical right wing Tea Party Republicans - and mainstream GOP leaders lacking the courage to stand up to these political newcomers - have failed to do their job of keeping government running.     Tying these shutdown threats to the repeal of President Obama's signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act, was a foolish move that will come back to haunt them.    Tea Party grandstander Senator Ted Cruz of Texas hails from a state that has the most citizens lacking health insurance, yet he spent 21 hours on a fake filibuster devoid of real facts about what's wrong with the new health insurance laws.   Several GOP Representatives were asked on CNN if they would join thousands of government workers and forego being paid if they shut down the government.    Do you think they had a yes or no to that?    Of course not.    The American people may not know exactly how Obamacare will play out in the coming months, but they do know that shutting down many government services and then threatening to default on our existing debts later this month is unacceptable.    Obamacare is the law of the land, ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court and validated by last year's Presidential election.   Radical Republicans fail to face that fact, blinded by their ideological hatred of President Obama.    We're in dangerous territory now.    The end game is unknown.

The Big E - Just One Difference

At Big E Radio Booth - But Nobody's Here

The Eastern States Exposition - The Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts - is the sixth largest fair in the USA and the biggest on the Eastern Seaboard.    Its bigness isn't the only thing that doesn't change much over time, so it's not a destination I feel the need to visit every year.    That consistency provides something comforting about making the hour journey up there.   I know that was especially true right after 9/11/01.  That was when I did some remote broadcasts on WDRC from the Connecticut Building on the Avenue of the States, my favorite section.   It was such a relief getting out of the solitary studio and being among thousands of other people trying to deal with one of the most shocking chapters in American history.   Maybe I missed it at an unmanned "Big E Radio Booth", but I didn't see any radio stations live on location during my visit.    Perhaps it says a lot about how broadcasting has changed.   Maybe the listeners don't miss it, but this was one opportunity for broadcasters to get out of their isolated studios in a big and interactive way you don't get at a car dealer or furniture store remote.    The rest of the Big E continues to offer unusual and high ticket products, livestock galore and food that is all certifiably unhealthy.   I didn't try something called Fried Kool-Aid, sticking with your basic hot dog and soft serve cone.   My wallet still managed to feel a lot lighter afterwards.   See you later in a few years, Big E!     

Who Doesn't Get It?

"It's a Southern thang and y'all don't get it!"    I saw that quote around a picture of  a Confederate flag.    For months now, everyone traveling along a stretch of Route 16 in Colchester has also been treated to a "stars n' bars" flag prominently displayed in front of one of the trashiest properties in town.     You can't look away from this symbol of Dixieland - it's sticking way out onto this state highway.    I know that some images of the Confederacy are often included as symbols of a self-proclaimed redneck America, but anyone who thinks it is perfectly cool to shove a Confederate flag in my face is displaying an outrageous level of ignorance.    In this age of a return to far right wing politics not seen since the fifties, many extremist hate groups, politicians and broadcasters are even pushing reactionary agendas that make 1955 or even the pre-1860s era seem like the good old days.   Over 620,000 people died in this bitter dispute over slavery and preservation of our union.    Despite a devastated postwar South and continued suppression of civil rights for another century, we have made great strides in breaking down these barriers.   There's no going back.   Confederate battle flags belong in museums or historical reenactments.    They are not acceptable in telling our first black President that you won't let him take your guns.    When I visited Alabama in the 1990s, I saw a compelling exhibit at Birmingham's Civil Rights Museum, advances in American rocketry at Huntsville and a proudly charged up football crowd at the University of Alabama's opening game.   Those images should represent the South.    The Confederate flag should represent a bygone and no so nostalgic chapter in American history.   

Destinations Past

Yours truly (front) in 1968 at Frank Davis Resort, Moodus

When Linda and I took our dog Oreo to the Moodus section of East Haddam for a walk in one of Connecticut's newer state parks, little did I know that a wrong turn would take us into one of the creepier properties next door.   As we entered what looked like the remains of one of many resorts that used to dot the Moodus landscape, it dawned on me that I'd been here before in the sixties on a day trip with grandparents and cousins.   A quick Google search confirmed that the former Sunrise Resort had gone out of business in 2008 and was sold to the State of Connecticut.   It was known as the Frank Davis Resort when I was originally there.   I remember the day rowing down the nearby Salmon River, diving into a huge pool and eating in a big hall.    These days, only a couple of buildings at the entrance, cracking pavement and a few old basketball hoops remain after vandals and demolition crews moved through.   Check out this commercial and video taken after it closed and before most buildings were demolished.     Being there this year brought me back to a time 45 summers ago that seemed so different.    The decline of these resorts - a smaller scale version of New York's Catskills - shows how more sophisticated types of recreation have replaced these venues more likely to be owned by a family than a conglomerate.   There was a time when working class families only had an opportunity to escape the heat of the city by coming to these resorts.   Now that supersized theme parks, cruise liners and tropical beaches have become must-see destinations for the masses, I wonder which generation is actually missing out. 

 

A Dangerous Gamble For The World

President Obama is absolutely right.   Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime has crossed a red line by the use of chemical weapons on over 1,000 of their own citizens.   This flaunting of what has been an accepted norm in warfare since the end of World War I is totally unacceptable.   It's not about deposing Assad at this point.   It's about punishing someone for using these weapons and letting them know that the consequences would prove devastating.    Teaching a tyrant this lesson is worth the effort, except for one thing.   Nobody's on board... not the American public, not the British Parliament, not the UN Security Council.    Russia and China are up to their necks in financial interests in Assad's Syria.   Sunni-dominated Arab states like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would like nothing more than hitting Assad hard, but they refuse to join the US out in the open.   Iran, Iraq and their Hezbollah puppets out of Lebanon have helped shore up the Assad regime.   Many refuse to believe the evidence because they don't want to believe the United States.   Secretary of State Kerry has made a compelling case for a military strike, but what is the point of teaching a bad guy a lesson if most of the world refuses to listen?    The world gives a pass on chemical weapons at its own peril.    I'm afraid all the Obama administration can really do is provide a bully pulpit to the world about the folly of looking the other way.    Our own moral imperative has diminished as we failed to punish Saddam Hussein for gassing Iranians and Kurds, hurriedly went into and out of Somalia, ignored the Rwanda disaster and failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.   Sadly, it's going to take a more spectacular chemical attack to get the world to get past the politics.   President Obama has become a voice in the wilderness.    It's sad.

Roxy Mornings: Mission Accomplished

I admit to being a bit surprised when I heard who had been named to be the new host of the 100.9 Roxy FM morning show.   Franco made quite a name for himself for years in the New London market as a very upfront personality on Q-105.   The new Roxy FM is more music intensive, including in "AM drive" where four live announcer breaks an hour are confined to sixty seconds each.    Then at 8:00 AM, a 100-minute nonstop commercial-free music marathon kicks off.   In that environment, Franco will undoubtedly make adjustments and I'm sure his bosses will as well.   He starts September 4th, and I do wish him well.   He knows radio programming, has paid his share of dues, is as psyched as anyone I've ever witnessed and has been very positive about what I've done in this interim period.    As someone who's been on the receiving end of disappointment more than once in a profession we love, I can certainly appreciate when something works out.    I'll continue what I was originally brought in to do with the knowledge that I accomplished my Roxy morning mission in a positive way.  

Shadows Of Their Former Selves

Anyone who tells you the economy of eastern Connecticut has made a robust recovery is being either inaccurate or just plain untruthful.    The lingering effects of the federal budget sequester have cut into the buying power of hundreds of civilian workers connected with the Sub Base in Groton.    Now comes word of the layoff of 500 workers at Electric Boat, another reminder of how heavily the area chronically counts on too few industries.     In the advertising business, I can speak to the issues facing print media.    The Day and The Bulletin, like most daily newspapers, continue to lose circulation as readership ages and people rely more on internet sources and regional TV stations.    The weekly local editions of The Reminder are not filling the void either, as offices in Windham and Danielson close their doors.   These publications try to stem the financial bloodletting by downsizing staff, consolidating facilities and shifting emphasis to their online presence.   All of those actions fail to restore their former dominance, but it does buy them time.    While our monthly direct mailed shopper papers and neighborhood mailers hold more steadily than many forms of print media, we are by no means taking up all the slack from some less consistent competitors.   The fact of the matter is that most of these papers have cut back overhead to the point where they can stick around longer without totally going away.   They are all shadows of their former selves.     "Surviving" doesn't equal "thriving", and there can be a thin line between survival and throwing in the towel.   We know direct mail remains viable.   Can daily newspapers or weekly papers that don't get into the home say the same thing?    

A Morning Show Test Drive

Call it a summer vacation from blogging, but not from work.   The past few weeks have been the longest I've been away from updating my blog since it started five years ago.   The online masses haven't been waiting on the edges of their seats for my return, but it's become a habit of mine that defies complete explanation.   I attribute the hiatus to being sleep deprived a lot lately, but I blame more of that on a bone spur in my left hip than anything else.   It's not like this is the first time I've ever done a morning radio show.   This will have been my third week covering the morning show on the New 100.9 Roxy FM (WKNL/New London).    The show feels like a "test drive" since I've expressed interest in full-time status, but realize that they are considering other applicants.   I await word from management soon as to whether this temporary assignment will become permanent.    This still new format targets 25-44 year old women.   While I'm not close to that age group (nor of that gender), I've felt pretty good about sounding relatable enough and keeping the show elements moving along and focused on the music mix.   So I'll just keep the presentation "bright and tight" on Roxy FM while maintaining what I do with my direct mail advertising sales.   An actual vacation would be nice, too. 

Blame A Draconian Law

George Zimmerman

George Zimmerman is a free man after a Florida jury decided against convicting him on second degree murder or manslaughter charges.    I wouldn't have had it play out that way, but I respect the verdict for several reasons.    He was the only surviving witness to a struggle that ended in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.     The jury apparently found him credible enough, but I wonder if some of Zimmerman's actions may have made him more criminally liable for this tragedy.   I believe some of Zimmerman's actions were avoidable, including ignoring the caution of a police dispatcher, which is probably why the jury asked for clarification on the manslaughter option.     If there were no proven "ill will, spite or hatred", why is the Florida manslaughter law mandating 30 years in prison almost as severe as that for second degree murder?     In this case, the jury had little choice.    The justice system worked because the prosecution failed to prove its case, but that's not the only reason.    I believe George Zimmerman should have faced some penalty, but the manslaughter sentence was too harsh.     Blame Florida lawmakers for that, not the court.      Finally, I just want to say how on target President Obama was with his heartfelt remarks on race in America and this trial in particular.    The fact that he waited this long to sound off on the topic shows him to be a President for all Americans who just happens to be black.    Senator McCain was right: it was "impressive."    If the Martin family has some success in a civil suit and the streets stay nonviolent, there will eventually be a measure of justice for Trayvon.

Radio Respite Over

At Sailfest New London

My self-imposed exile from local radio lasted a little under five months, thanks to a call from the folks at Hall Communications in Norwich, owners and operators of 97.7 WCTY, 98.7 WNLC, 100.9 WKNL and 1310 WICH.     Many faces and voices there are quite familiar to me.   VP/Programming Jim Reed and many other staffers were also there when I worked weekends on WICH back in 1990.   Yes, the Hall Group is a remarkably stable place.   Just since my first fill-in on WICH News over a week ago, I've done my first country show ever on WCTY and put in an appearance on the recently launched "100.9 Roxy FM" (WKNL) during their Sailfest New London broadcast.   While the harbor fog put a damper on Sailfest fireworks, I was impressed at how smoothly the station handled the fireworks music simulcast on Roxy.    To this day, I still get nervous when I'm not yet familiar with new procedures.   I had little reason to be, given the supportive reaction from management and other air personalities there.    They really made me feel welcome.   I guess I'm back in radio for awhile!     

So Near Yet So Far

Explosions in Lac-Megantic, Quebec

This past weekend, American cable news networks ran wall to wall coverage of the plane crash of a Korean airliner at San Francisco airport.    That type of breaking news coverage is most certainly warranted.     Meanwhile, in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, a runaway train loaded with oil derailed and produced explosions and fires large enough to devastate the center of this small lakeside town.    Over 2,000 people in the town of 6,000 were evacuated, at least a dozen were killed with dozens more missing.    If you were watching most television news over the weekend, you probably had little or no idea about the Quebec disaster unless you saw a sentence in a crawler at the bottom of your screen as the San Francisco crash aftermath played out in great detail.    Why was one story that much more important than the other?    Lac-Megantic is ten miles from Maine.   The train involved was owned by an American company.   Maine lent firefighting assistance.   Many New England families have deep French Canadian roots.    Does a plane crash at the doorstep of a major U.S. market mean better ratings?    Don't American news networks have coverage arrangements with their Canadian media counterparts?    For a "foreign" news story, it can't get closer to home than this.    I may have Canada on my radar than most Americans, but I can't help but think that CNN, Fox, MSNBC and even New England Cable News executives feel viewers on this side of the border care that little about what goes on over there.    Ignorance about the rest of our world is very dangerous.  

A Tour Through History

Monuments are everywhere

A week on a cruise ship, beach or perhaps a campground may be the ultimate getaway for many people, but I prefer exploring lots of different places on the road.    Tourism through history is my favorite vacation, and no destination focuses on that theme more than Gettysburg, PA.   That's where I went in the summer of 1993.   That year marked the 130th anniversary of this pivotal Civil War battle which lasted three days in July and arguably marked the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.   A visit to this well-preserved expanse of American history left me with the distinct impression of the hell the combatants on both sides endured in a struggle that could have gone either way.    Beyond the horrific medical care, the idea of wearing scratchy wool uniforms in blistering heat would have been enough to drive me out of my mind.    Gettysburg exacted a huge price, providing a history lesson that applies just as much on its 150th anniversary as the day Lincoln gave his memorable address months after a battle that was still in the process of being cleaned up.    Deer now graze in the tranquil field where Pickett's Charge turned the bloody tide of battle, but the legacy of Gettysburg should never be sanitized.  

Radio Flashback: Half A Lifetime Ago

MTV had already started, but Top 40 radio had hit a slump as the 1980s began.   Then along came the pop infusion of 1983.   That winter I handled lots of fill-ins on WNVR, a Top 40 AM station practically across the street from my apartment in Naugatuck, CT.   It was a great little station, even if it was "revenue challenged."   By that spring I found a full-time radio gig 42 miles down the highway at WLYQ/Norwalk.   "Q96" was also Top 40, but it had been all automated up to that point sounding exactly like Q105/New London did in its pre-live announcer early days.     At first it seemed inconsistent coming out of a six hour midday show with a recorded, robotic and generic announcer into a live and local, afternoon show, but as the automation was cut back the "Q" really came alive.    Q96 had the new music of 1983 on its side, as new artists like Bryan Adams and Duran Duran shared the airwaves with established icons who really hit their stride.   David Bowie and Michael Jackson come to mind.    I remember during my brief tenure in mornings getting a wakeup call from the overnight guy saying I might want to get in earlier since the Connecticut Turnpike's Mianus River Bridge had collapsed.    Of course, Fairfield County's Q96 couldn't keep its Top 40 exclusivity long with this wealth of new music as New York's powerhouses WPLJ and WHTZ (the legendary Z100) joined the fray from less than forty miles away.   KC101/New Haven also got more Top 40 and less adult contemporary.   The "Q" began to attract some impressive Top 40 talent, many making it to the big time in NYC, Boston and beyond.    As the presentation got more high energy, I found a spot that matched my more adult style next door at sister station WNLK-AM 1350.    WNLK had a great news department.    When I didn't get the program director job there, I went up Route 7 to take the PD job in Danbury.    All in all, my Norwalk excursion was a positive one.    Owner Mike Hanson once told me, "I hire good people and let them do their jobs."    That simple philosophy says a lot.  

$140.00... For What?

It seemed like a simple procedure.   We clearly needed storage space, so we took a trip over to Carefree Small Buildings here in Colchester and found a nice 8"x12".   They also set us up with some paperwork so we could get a building permit from the town.   At first I thought we'd have to pay $60 to the regional health district.   Then I was informed I didn't have to pay till it was approved.   I then got a letter saying they couldn't process the request because we didn't pay some unspecified fee, meaning another trip to town hall.   Upon my return I was told, "Who sent you this?"   They said my building was small enough to be exempt from the health district fee.   I got a call today saying my permit was approved and the cost is $140.00!   Where did that figure come from?   If there's that much confusion over a storage shed less than 100 square feet, I can't imagine what I'd be dealing with for a real building.   I know everybody wants their pound of flesh, but could I have gotten a hint of the cost ahead of time?   Oh well, I went this far.  
P.S.:  When I went to pay for the permit, I was informed that $60.00 of it was a state-imposed charge "special" to Connecticut.   Also, the town's addition was wrong; it was actually $151.00.

Damned If You Do...

The latest revelations on intelligence gathering by the U.S. National Security Agency have made for some strange political bedfellows.    Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has been called a hero and a traitor by folks on both sides of the political spectrum for leaking information on government access to millions of phone records.   I don't see any heroes so far in this story.   While President Obama has assured the American people that the government has not been listening to calls without a warrant, I am doubtful of his assertion that Congress has been closely consulted over this activity.   While some of this information has evidently been useful in preventing more terrorist attacks, governmental checks and balances - and as much personal privacy as possible - must be preserved.   Without that, what makes us any better than China?   By the way, should it come as all that surprising that the U.S. has been giving China a dose of its own medicine by hacking their computers?    I find a lot of the indignation on both sides a bit unbelievable.   No matter who's in power, we need to achieve a balance.    We also need to make whistleblowers feel they have recourse within our own system.   Compromising intelligence was the wrong way to go, but it's not all about Mr. Snowden.   It's about what kind of balance we want between freedom and security.   Both sides of the argument have gotten very heavy handed.    

Simple Explanations Don't Work

What century are we living in?    I ask myself something like that whenever an issue comes up surrounding the so-called "Battle of the Sexes" like the latest statistics showing women as the main breadwinner in forty per cent of American households.    Is it really all shocking or terrible?    I heard one commentator (Matt Allen on WPRO-AM/Providence) lament that more men have to "act like a man", as if recreating a scene from The Godfather would bring men back to the roles where they belong.   No doubt there are men who are lazy and looking for instant gratification with no personal responsibility.    Is it just a massive failure to "man up"?    That narrative is all too simple, and it is an insult to the majority of men who work to do the right thing in raising a family, pursuing a career or being an integral part of a community.   Do most young men want to live with their parents forever and shirk work?    I don't think so.   Roles are continually changing for many reasons, some positive, some negative.   Chalking it all up as a bad thing due to the feminization of America demeans us all.   It's more complicated than that. 

Combining Two Households

So this is settling down?  In the weeks since Linda and I got married, things have felt anything but settled.    Perhaps one aspect of marrying later in life is the likelihood of now having at least two of everything.    As she gets ready for the closing on her newly emptied home, the migration of "stuff" to my house has been overwhelming.    We're no hoarders, yet people who didn't arrive on this planet yesterday don't have to be rich to amass a lot of worldly possessions.   I hardly ever needed one rolling pin; now we are blessed with two.   Whether it's mugs, dishes, storage containers, lawn chairs, televisions or Christmas decorations, chances are we've got way more than we need.    After last weekend's big move, one look at my once spacious living room was more than I could take.   The purging process kicked into even higher gear.   The final phase was the integration of her two cats, complete with litter boxes and scratching posts, into this household.    So far, so good on that front... but my dog Oreo must be wondering what the hell is going on.

The Top Ten Radio DJs

As if CNN didn't have enough of its own problems these days, they decide to compile a list of the Top Ten Radio DJs of all time.   First, they need to base the list on the definition of a disc jockey.   To this humble old radio guy who unashamedly never made it bigger than a medium market like Hartford, I would think of a prominent DJ as one who excelled in being an air personality presenting music.   Howard Stern may have been a DJ in his early career, but is his claim to fame in a music environment?   No way!    If you're talking major radio personality, that's different.   Is a program director like Cleveland's Kid Leo a top DJ because he pioneered an album rock format?    Not necessarily.   He's an influential programmer.   Sure, Allan Freed deserved the DJ recognition for coining the term "rock n' roll" and exposing the new genre early on when few others would.   Cousin Brucie had one of the biggest radio audiences in history and Casey Kasem brought his countdown show nationwide, but I don't know how you can narrow down music radio's superstars to a Top Ten.   My favorite DJ is conspicuously absent from the list: WABC's Dan Ingram.   This guy had the quickest wit.  Big Dan was a decades-long essential ingredient of the most listened to station in the nation and an incredible commercial voiceover talent.   He's the "DJ's DJ."    CNN should have done a "Top 40 DJs" list, but Dan Ingram still should have made the Top Ten.

Seven Days In May

It does seem that the past week or so has not been particularly kind to those who lean left on the political spectrum.   After a devastating loss in the Senate to the national gun lobby over universal background checks, dashed hopes for a Democratic congressional seat win in South Carolina and the undying yet unfounded allegations over last year's Benghazi attacks,  the road remains bumpy for the administration's progressive agenda.    For the most part, the left may have been unrealistic in their expectations.    Now we learn that the Internal Revenue Service has been singling out right wing organizations for special scrutiny while the Department of Justice under an administration obsessed with plugging leaks has been snooping through Associated Press reporters' phone records.    Before we rush to judge President Obama as Nixon Revisited, we have no indication he was involved in any of the inappropriate activities attributed to the IRS or DOJ.    Nixon was caught on tape.    That being said, the President needs to do everything in his power to get to the bottom of this outrageous stupidity.    Some Republicans have referred themselves lately as the "party of stupid."    Democrats who get careless about where they pick their battles risk major harm to their brand too.             

Gone In A Flash

The lead time for our May 4th wedding day was not particularly long as weddings go.    One thing is for sure when it does arrive: The day itself comes and goes like no other.    Our event was wonderful with good company, great food, all the essentials and a few extras.    It was certainly not the wildly extravagant  over the top production many couples can't seem to do without.   We're both fine with that, really.   The average American wedding costs $26,000, with some soaring past $100,000.     Why jump into debt for years over something that's over in an instant?     I don't begrudge someone who can afford it, but to us that seems like way too much to spend in one day.    What's the biggest issue to divide couples?    Money.    My new wife and I would rather not get our marriage started with that problem due to a one-day spending spree.    How happily you live through the days that follow is what's important.  

Taylor Swift's New Neighborhood

Taylor Swift's New Digs

Celebrity sightings are not unheard of along our stretch of pricey shoreline, and the Watch Hill section of Westerly just added a big name to its list of property owners.   Pop and country sensation Taylor Swift plunked down over 17 million dollars in cold hard cash to purchase a huge beachfront mansion on five acres.    That deal was negotiated down from an asking price of $20 million, but I still would've loved to have been her realtor.    This is kind of a big deal to locals, but I have to wonder how much time many celebrities even get to enjoy a luxury home when they're so busy touring or making the gossip columns.     Although Watch Hill is slightly off the beaten path, a prominent estate like this is not likely to provide a lot of privacy in this village of small shops.    I guess if Katherine Hepburn could escape the media spotlight spending so much of her later life in Old Saybrook, then perhaps Taylor Swift can get away from the paparazzi during her time in Watch Hill... but I doubt it.     

This Is Obscene

A novice weekend anchor at a small-market North Dakota TV station got instantly and infamously canned when he let out a couple of swear words when he didn't realize his microphone was live.   This was obviously a very dumbass thing to do, but a post today on rock station WPLR's Facebook page brought my attention to something much more obscene.   It mentioned an outrageous rant KTCN/Minneapolis morning co-host Bob Davis made about families of Newtown victims getting involved in the national gun control debate   According to All Access, the original comment, directed at the victims of Newtown "or any other shooting," aired on the April 12th show, went this way: 

 

"Just because a bad thing happened to you doesn’t mean that you get to put a king in charge of my life. I’m sorry that you suffered a tragedy, but you know what? Deal with it, and don’t force me to lose my liberty, which is a greater tragedy than your loss.  I’m sick and tired of seeing these victims trotted out, given rides on Air Force One, hauled into the Senate well, and everyone is … terrified of these victims. I would stand in front of them and tell them, ‘Go to hell.’ ”

 

One Connecticut resident invited Davis to visit Newtown himself.   Maybe then he can see how "exploited" they have been.   He never responded and even continued his warped talking points for days after.   It took Davis an entire week to issue a brief apology.   How sincere could the apology have been if he is allowed to continue his show uninterrupted with the loss of only one sponsor?    To my disgust, some posters on WPLR's Facebook actually said, "but he does have a point."    No, he has a deal breaker.   You've lost any legitimate argument when you have to stoop to that level.   Davis needs to visit Newtown himself or leave talk radio.  It's just the latest shameful tale in a diminished industry.  

A Celebration Turns Tragic

The Boston Marathon, one of this nation's most massive celebrations of life, turned deadly in just a matter of seconds as two explosions rocked the area of the Boylston Street Finish Line.   As the images flash across our screens over and over, we draw from what we learned from the worst attack in our history: 9/11.    Again, in this visit by humanity's darkest side we witness the most inspirational deeds.   Emergency responders and others on hand made their way to the center of the carnage to help.    Yes, we're going to hear a lot about who might have committed this unspeakable act.   That's unavoidable.   Outside of the loss of life and limb, I find the most emotional part of an event like this to be the work and words of the helpers.   That spirit was everywhere on 9/11.   It was on display in Newtown and hasn't left yet.   That is the real spirit of America which will undoubtedly be celebrated by even more the next time the Boston Marathon comes around.     

Life's Curveballs

Linda and I will be getting married May 4th.   You would think that everything related to the wedding would now be the center of our attention during the weeks leading up to it.   Think again.   Other aspects of our lives seem to be crying out for immediate attention.   I wouldn't pretend to play down the importance of our wedding day, but it was made simpler for me by listening to friends' advice and deferring to Linda on the details (although I did get the DJ).    Life has other complications now.   For one thing, Linda has been trying to get her house sold so she can then move in with me.   Selling a house is nerve wracking enough.   I tell her it will work out, but she'll believe that when the deal is done.   Some medical issues have dragged on for me since last summer, thanks to some neck arthritis that has painfully radiated into my shoulders and can seriously disturb my sleep.    I really want to be on the road to recovery as I start this new phase of my life.    Some folks say it's just part of getting older, but I refuse to attribute it all to that.   I've still got years that require me to be productive and I wouldn't have it any other way.   When life throws curveballs, it's more important than ever to prioritize and simplify.   The wedding itself?    Piece of cake!

The Bipartisan Route Through Hartford

As the NRA waits for the "Newtown Effect" to fade, we got two reminders today of the continuing impact of the mass shooting.   Before the Red Sox/Yankees opening day game in The Bronx, there was a fitting remembrance of what happened in December.    Meanwhile in Hartford, Connecticut lawmakers announced a deal on what they called some of the toughest gun laws in the country.    Unlike many other states, the newly enacted laws drew both Democratic and Republican support.    I heard a local talk show host waste no time in riling up his right wing listener base claiming the new laws would have done nothing to prevent the Newtown massacre.   Since the 1993 national assault weapons restrictions expired in the last decade, we'll never know that, will we?    The one thing the NRA has proposed has been making armed camps out of all our public schools.   Sure, that "take it or leave it" contribution to the national gun debate guarantees even more widespread business for the gun makers they represent, it's not enough.   Towns can hire more armed guards if they so choose, but if mass shootings can occur on military bases then what makes this the one effective answer to a determined killer armed for maximum destruction?    The only other argument by gun control opponents is the whole idea that this is the start of a federal government plan to confiscate all firearms.   That is pure paranoia based on nothing real.   Today, our Connecticut lawmakers can be proud of reaching across the aisle and taking a stand.   Are you listening, Washington?    I have my doubts.

They Love Their Dump

Blame it on this winter that refuses to go away.   My blog topics have all been serious for weeks on end.   How we get rid of our trash may also be a weighty issue, but some folks in Montville apparently find regular trips to the town landfill to be an enjoyable experience.   Those comments came from residents who spoke out against a proposal by town council member Dana McFee to have town-wide trash pickup.   Now, residents either pay a private contractor or take the trash to the dump themselves.   Some say this destination has become a social gathering place where their kids even like to come along.   They like it!    I do admit a feeling of accomplishment when I cart away big things that do nothing but clutter up my home, but a weekly jaunt to the town landfill just to get rid of everyday trash can get old very quickly.   Maybe one man's trash can be another man's treasure, but I see little evidence of that.   I've also always felt the dump was a place to jettison junk and not a prime spot for a scavenger hunt.     For one thing, I find little intriguing in most tag sales or in that old pogo stick or golf bag left at the curb, let alone picking over what others leave behind in a landfill.   No one will ever call me a hoarder, and whenever I exhibit my penchant for holding on to all things electronic I recall an episode of TV's Hoarders and find the process of letting go easier. 

Bush's Vietnam

On this ten year anniversary of the invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, we are at a loss to find any solid benefit from our long presence there.    We were never welcomed as liberators.  Iraqi oil never paid for our invasion.  Democracy has not taken hold.   Basic services still fail to function.   Corruption is rampant.   Violence between Sunnis and Shiites continues.  The Bush administration took the sympathy and support of the international community after 9/11 and squandered it.   We distracted ourselves from focusing on the Afghan War and bringing justice to the real 9/11 terrorists: Al Qaeda and their protectors the Taliban.   Saddam Hussein was not behind 9/11; nor did he possess weapons of mass destruction.    Iran is stronger and emboldened.     Iraq cost a trillion dollars, give or take, and close to 4,000 American lives with many more wounded.   The Iraqi toll is much higher.   What did it get America or the cause of world peace?    While I doubt this war was just an honest mistake, I don't think prosecuting Bush, Cheney and company  as "war criminals" is a way to fix it.   The most reprehensible part is when war supporters paint this as a positive outcome.   If this was Iraq's "liberation", where's the freedom?   

A Groundbreaking Choice

Pope Francis I

There is a new leader for the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, and the choice is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a cardinal from Argentina and the first non-European Pope since the 8th century.   Taking the name Francis I serves as a powerful symbol of his connection with the impoverished from many of the world's developing nations where disparity between the incomes of rich and poor is staggering.   While this economic gap is also growing here in the USA, Catholics here and in other developed Western countries tend to focus on social issues ranging from abortion, priest celibacy, the role of women in the church, beliefs about homosexuality and the shockwaves from child molestation scandals.   This new Pope, the first from the New World, is likely to share social views of his Old World counterparts.    That may seem very out of step with more progressive Western ideologies, but Francis I represents a potential sea change for Catholics in places like Latin America and Africa where the church is growing rapidly as it declines in the USA and Europe.   After Pope John Paul II was elected in 1978, his conservative church doctrine did not get in the way of the real social change he inspired as his Polish countrymen and others behind the Iron Curtain hastened the fall of the Soviet Union and other totalitarian regimes.    While I may wish the new Pope could be more liberal on social issues, I think he brings a renewed sense of hope to the hundreds of millions who suffer in poverty while the few prosper.

Latin America's Robin Hood?

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died this week at 58 after a long battle with cancer.   I listened last night to the BBC interviewing people in Argentina and you would have thought he was a hero for standing up for the downtrodden against the world's one remaining superpower.   Many remember his personal attack at the United Nations on President George W. Bush, calling him "the devil."   Such belligerent talk is not worthy of what the UN should be all about.   Add his cozy relationships with some of the world's most repressive dictatorships like Cuba, Iran and Syria along with his efforts to quash internal dissent and Americans may well wonder why anybody would give this crackpot any credibility.  There are many across the globe including some left leaning Americans who actually liked Chavez just because of their intense dislike of the Bush-Cheney administration.    I'm not the only one who did a double take when Joe Kennedy, Jr. appeared in commercials thanking "Citgo, the people of Venezuela and President Hugo Chavez" for heating oil assistance to America's needy.   Kennedy may have a point on how Chavez tried to spread the wealth around while the gap between the haves and have nots grows wider than ever, but the Chavez hero worship is sadly misplaced.   It does show the impact of flawed U.S. foreign policy exemplified by the Iraq invasion and occupation.   Many were so put off by perceived U.S. arrogance abroad that they were willing to look the other way as Chavez did anything he could to antagonize us and our de facto ally Colombia.    The U.S. has new challenges in this post Cold War world.    Authoritarian regimes count on making the United States into Satan.    Yes, there are times for strong military action, but first we have to do whatever we can to prevent them from making their case to those on the fence.   

So Little Time Here

Ashton and Alton Perry

I can't imagine how a grandmother could take the lives of her two grandsons, one just six months and the other two years old, before taking her own life.   That very afternoon I passed through the areas where tragedy would soon unfold following an Amber Alert.    I got the horrible news by seeing a Facebook friend's post.    Cheryl from Stonington is an in-law of the North Stonington Perry family.    There was no way she could make sense out of what just decimated that household, and I challenge anyone to come up with a suitable explanation.   Last night I attended a wake for someone who lived a very full life almost to the ripe old age of 90 only to return home and find out about the shooting deaths of two babies.   We all may be created equal in the eyes of God and the law, but our experiences during our time on this Earth are far from similar.    If there's anything we can do to cut down on sad news like this, it's to make sure we get between mentally ill people and their access to lethal force.    I know several family members close to this tragedy, so my prayers are with them.    Chelsea Groton Bank has set up an account to benefit the family of the Perry children for expenses. Donations for The Perry Family Fund will be accepted at any Chelsea Groton Bank location, or the public can mail checks/letters to: Chelsea Groton Bank, The Perry Family Fund, P.O. Box 11, North Stonington, CT 06359.

The End?

WMOS studio looking out on Mohegan Sun

Yesterday was my last day at 102.3 The Wolf.   Even with part-time hours, it is sad to leave behind a big part of who I am.   Many people think radio is the coolest thing you can do, and who am I to argue?   It is also a crazy business, so let me stress that I was not laid off or fired.   It was my decision. After two years and two months covering Sundays and lots of fill-in slots with little intention of having it work into anything more substantial in local radio, I knew I had to focus on getting more income.     New London County has a lot going for it and is a very competitive radio market, but it's not exactly a goldmine to a weekender as market #177.    It's not all about the money, of course.   While it was great to see familiar faces and loyal listeners pass by our casino studio, I do admit it could get a bit claustrophobic in the booth for five hours. Like many radio shows, it really was a "lone wolf" situation there, and I like working with other people more than that.    I did feel very comfortable with the music and the presentation; feedback was positive.    I've asked this before: "Is this my radio swan song?"    I've never assumed radio would be an uninterrupted source of employment, and I've always approached every show like it would be be my last. 

An Unenviable Job

Gov. Malloy & Lt. Gov. Wyman 

I can't remember a state leader being beset with so much bad news in such a short period.   Say what you want about Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy, but his term as the state's chief executive has been one rocky road with one crisis after another.   After a very nasty campaign and close election, the looming budget nightmare could have been enough of a challenge.   That was not the case.   Thankfully, state Republicans and Democrats seem to be able to work better together than their Washington counterparts.   The past two and a half years have seen five natural disasters plus the Newtown massacre.   Governor Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman have been familiar faces in countless news conferences.   Malloy is not the smoothest and most charismatic speaker, but he has improved somewhat and there can be no denying his being on top of so many pressing situations.    New Jersey's Chris Christie has gotten the most national attention, but can there be any doubt that Governor Malloy's administration is just as engaged in getting us through these tough times?    He has managed to avoid taking on the role many of his Republican counterparts brag about: that of public employee union buster.   During this tumultuous time, Connecticut has moved ahead on legalizing gay marriage and eliminating the death penalty.   Agree or disagree, this has been a productive period.   Last but not least, nobody would have wanted to trade places with him while he helped families and neighbors deal with the shock and grief from the Newtown shootings.   No wonder he choked up at his State of the State address.   He apologized, but as one reporter said, "He didn't have to."   

The Check Isn't In The Mail

The US Postal Service just announced the planned elimination of Saturday mail delivery as of August 1, 2013.   Package delivery would continue.   What does that mean for you and me?    At first glance, it may not impact us too much.   It's no secret that the post office has been under severe financial pressure as people go online to pay bills for free while email, Twitter and Facebook have become primary ways to keep in touch.   Online shopping has meant more package deliveries while many billpayers still prefer paper statements, but the trend is a net loss for the USPS since many of us now think twice before affixing a stamp to anything.   A book of stamps can last me six months or more.   The other gorilla (or elephant) in the room is government mandated prepayment of postal worker retirement funding which puts the post office budget billions in the hole.   While the postal service is a quasi-governmental agency, it generates its own revenue while the retirement mandate is unfunded.    Most other businesses don't have that type of requirement.   While we may be able to survive without getting "junk" mail six days a week, does anyone really think this austerity measure won't have the effect of slowing down the American economy at a time we can least afford that?   The federal government seems to have bailouts for profitmaking corporations deemed too big to fail who don't have to follow the same rules as the post office.   If the USPS can't operate more independently, then Uncle Sam should just take it over.   Direct mail advertising, my primary source of income these days, is a primary reason the post office hasn't already gone the way of the dinosaur.   We've supported it through numerous rate increases and are not always able to pass along the costs, but direct mail still works very impressively and I believe its survival affects more than just my business.   The mailbox will certainly outlast the newspaper box.   I hope the powers that be do everything they can to avoid what could be more disastrous than most people think.  

Stuff Only I Would Notice

We can't say the New London County radio market had been lacking a country radio outlet or a female-focused adult contemporary station, but the field just got a bit more crowded.   I wish the new entrants at least as much luck as someone who works for the competition can.    I'm sure some considerable planning and effort went into launching these new station formats, but leave it to this radio geek to ask the silly questions.    With the possible exception of right-wing talk, I can't think of another format that wraps itself more in the American flag than country music.   Hey, Canadian and Australian artists score well on the country charts too.   There's even French Canadian country.   Jazz is about as American as music can get, but even the more widely - and commercially - accepted soul and rock trace their roots to the good ol' USA.   Are country artists or fans more patriotic?   I don't think so.   Radio is also very focused on audience age and gender, but I find much of the adult contemporary playlist more listenable than ten years ago, even though the programmers may not care whether a guy over 55 likes it or not.   Is it really necessary to project such a "women only" image between the songs that I'm made to feel unwelcome setting a button for that station?    I like lots of different types of songs and understand today's competitive need to superserve a demographic, but why tell me I'm not wanted?     

Extraordinary Every Time

Washington's Inauguration, 1789

Did you watch any of the second inauguration of President Obama and Vice President Biden? I know some Americans aren't as happy or impressed with it as I am, given the very polarized atmosphere everywhere. I can't help but wonder how I'd be feeling if this had been Mitt Romney's inauguration. However you voted, this event that happens every four years remains one of the more remarkable success stories in world history. The orderly transition or continuation of power based on the will of the people is gaining momentum thanks in no small part to our own example. Even so, it is still far from a common occurence in many countries across the globe. Through all the years of this messy experiment we call a democratic republic, the move from one Presidential administration to another has never meant a military coup or someone appointing himself dictator. Many people are bemoaning how our President is threatening to take away their constiututional rights or how our republic is supposedly dead or dying. They're just plain wrong. I point to history and to all those times when civil war, depression, scandal, slavery, armed attack and moves to abolish basic rights failed to deny Americans their day to see a new administration peacefully and orderly sworn into office. We've seen worse, yet the process begun in 1789 endures. The result of an election may not always be to our liking, but an inauguration like this one on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is something to celebrate.    

A New Low For The Gun Lobby

NRA Ad: Over The Top?  

Really, I wanted to get away from blogging about the gun control issue for a week, but no.   Did you see the National Rifle Association's shameless ad referring to our "elitist" President's children being under armed guard while everyone else's kids are supposedly denied that kind of protection?   Then the following day the Tea Party, Rush Limbaugh and other right wingers attack President Obama for sharing the stage with school children while presenting his gun control proposals.   The Tea Party's Facebook even equated that with Hitler's, Stalin's or Saddam's use of children in propaganda!   Isn't the Tea Party supposed to be founded and focused on curbing government spending?   A TP spokesperson said on CNN their group "doesn't get involved in social issues."   What a load of crap!   When you have to bring Hitler into the debate, you've given up any moral high ground.   If I hear one more gun control opponent mention how much better Ronald Reagan was for preserving the Second Amendment, I would remind then that Reagan also favored an assault weapons ban.   No, I don't want Obama, a New World Order or any UN black helicopters to come in and take law abiding citizens' shotguns and handguns away (even if I could).   At the same time, the NRA and the even more reactionary Gun Owners of America cannot simply slander our President without bringing anything to the table except a guarantee to have more guns in circulation.   Yes, a school system in Ohio wants to arm all the custodians!   The truth is, the NRA's Wayne LaPierre and the rest of the key lobbyists for gun manufacturers have only managed to spread fear and anger among much of the gun-owning population.   They don't care about anything else, and the ad invoking the Obama children proves that.   They've been drunk with power over our culture and politics for way too long, and I hope you'll join me and other Americans interested in a real discussion on gun violence.    Next week, I'll try to lighten up!

Talk Radio's Shameful Role

Alex Jones

The gun lobby's stranglehood over this country's gun control discussion is nothing new. I recall in the mid 80s when the topic came up on our WLAD/Danbury midday talk show. The unfamiliar voices of well organized gun control opponents armed with rehearsed talking points flooded the phone lines. It was obviously a coordinated "swarm". Their intention was clearly to overwhelm and discourage any real discussion. They succeeded. A few decades later and just a couple of miles away from that WLAD studio, the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown has made the issue of guns and violence impossible for the NRA and others to sweep under the rug. The fact that Walmart, one of the nation's biggest ammunition dealers, and the NRA at least agreed to meet with administration officials is evidence that Newtown is a potential game changer. As with any mass shooting, the news also sets off a gun buying frenzy. Part of that is our own reactive nature, but my own profession also bears a lot of the blame. Right wing hosts dominate talk radio. Just yesterday, Rush Limbaugh erroneously claimed that the Obama Administration could issue an executive order decimating the Second Amendment. CNN called him out on it. Speaking of CNN, did you see the Piers Morgan interview of radio talk host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones? Jones' screaming and threatening tirade against any attempts at gun control served as an eye opener as to how dangerous zealots can be. This nutjob is on 140 radio stations! There are many radio talk show hosts who fanned the unfounded fear that President Obama is out to confiscate everyone's guns and leave private citizens defenseless against an oppressive federal government. By likening Obama to Hitler, they bear a big share of responsibility for trampling over comprehensive talk about guns in society while fanning the flames of fear. Are there ridiculous ideas on the side of gun control? Of course - people are frustrated, but Governor Malloy is right when he says the solution isn't just about posting armed guards at every classroom. Fox News shares some blame, but shame on most of talk radio!

No Big Deal!

Happy New Year!   I don't normally set out to make New Years' resolutions, but this year a few observations on my part seemed to dictate the need.    So much of what we get all worked up about is not even real.   Call it that serenity prayer message if you like.   If it's not relevant to my priorities, then it should be a nonissue.   In all aspects of life, I see so many people getting worked up over the need to be absolutely right about everything.   Some people got so angry over the plans of some whacked out Kansas cult or an outrageous $100 million suit brought by some sleazy publicity hungry lawyer that it actually got in the way of the memory of the victims in the Sandy Hook school massacre and marred the healing process.   The best way to deal with these upsetting distractions is to ignore them as much as possible, since they will eventually pass.    Likewise, there are irritants we are exposed to in our everyday life that may frazzle but quickly fizzle.   I can't control most things other people do in my ever changing personal and professional "news cycle".   Some of it may affect me.   Even less is serious.   So much of what people stress over isn't even real.   That was something I forgot for about five minutes today before counting to ten.   So much of the drama in books, movies and TV is based on what "could" happen.   I resolve not to let it drive my attitude toward life.