My Best Friend

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

End Times?

Religious broadcaster's billboard predicting end times

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

UPDATE 5/23:  We're still here.

It Says More About The Adults

James Tate taped up these letters outside Shelton High School

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

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

Bin Laden Is Still Dead

Celebrations outside White House of bin Laden death

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

Bin Laden Is Dead

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

A Man of Steady Habits Passes

Zuckerbraun's Dept. Store

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

Learning By Doing

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

Sideshow Donald

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

A Win's A Win

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

The Road Not Taken

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

Kaddafi Has To Go

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

And It Makes Me Wonder

Millstone Waterford Nuclear Plant

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

Charlie's "Winning" Ways

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

Radio Flashback: The Vermont Fortress of Solitude

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

Union Busters

Protesters rally in Madison, Wisconsin

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

A Tricky Disease

Bullseye Lyme Disease  Rash

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

An Amazing Day in Egypt

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

Only In America

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

More Of This?

My Backyard

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

A Change In The Weather

Regis announced last week he will be stepping down from his daytime talk show sometime this summer.   TMZ says he was not happy about a pay cut.  Keith Olbermann's announcement and departure from MSNBC last Friday were more immediate, but his battle with management had already come to light with his two-day suspension last fall.   Both men were responsible for establishing a brand that made big bucks for their corporate bosses.   They are not easily replaceable.  Geoff  Fox is one of the few local weather people I have never met.   He clearly could have gone on to more guest spots on Good Morning America or bigger markets, but he loved Connecticut.   For the past 26 years, Geoff Fox has been the evening weatherman at WTNH Channel 8, a station I grew up watching.   His contract was not renewed, and his fans' Facebook campaign to keep him on News 8 seems to have only backfired to the point where management pulled him off air sooner than expected.    With all the anchor shuffles at a station in a tight ratings battle, Geoff Fox, Doctor Mel and Ann Nyberg were the constants.   I know life goes on, but I have to wonder what WTNH was thinking. 

Here's my contribution to Geoff's blog after hearing the news:   Connecticut television has been blessed by a wealth of pros over the years, but you brought a presence and personality that gave WTNH and WCTX an edge in a very competitive market. As a longtime Connecticut radio guy I know how crazy this whole business can get. Establishing a consistent one-on-one connection with listeners or viewers is a unique gift; you have accomplished that.

A Very Worthy Dream

Judge people "not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."   Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said those words in 1963 less than five years before a gunman took his life.   Seeing his speech was an inspirational conclusion to my 1996 visit to the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.   They were words to all of us, and they apply as much now as they did then.   Dr. King's words and nonviolent protests helped usher in a tidal wave of social change, yet he was a moderate voice in a time full of radicalization from both the right and left.    Following the recent tragedy in Tucson, we heard so many stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things and President Obama's speech stressing how the forces that unite us are far greater than those that divide us.   For a few days, the latest round of bitter political rhetoric on the air and online has been shunned by the overwhelming majority of Americans.   Few doubt that the angry voices will be back, but every American should celebrate the voices of reason, inclusion and compassion that actually move us forward.   This is more than an African-American holiday.   This should be for all Americans.  

Words Hurt

Six Killed in Tucson Shooting (AP)

Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords warned about the effect of hate speech and heated rhetoric before becoming the victim of an attempted assassination herself over the weekend.  Six others were shot dead and a dozen others were injured because of the actions of one young man described as a loner who posted strange internet rants and exhibited some alarming behavior in school.   Still, Jared Lee Loughner had no criminal record, bought a gun and turned an appearance by Representative Giffords at a Tucson Safeway supermarket into a nightmare.  We can make this into yet another gun control debate or try to pin the blame on specific people who may have influenced Loughner, but do we really think this will accomplish anything positive?   I do know this: political discussion has gotten more polarized than I can remember, and I can recall the sixties.   The nasty tone of the 2010 elections (including here in Connecticut), the "my way or the highway" attitude of many bloggers,  cable news shows and talk radio hosts along with the overall lack of civility in society are unacceptable.  I am somewhat familiar with Tucson and may have even been at that store on the busy corner of Ina and Oracle Roads, and I'm saddened to see how a town I loved is now part of an angry immigration debate where few people have any desire to compromise.   The Pima County Sheriff there said it well,  calling for an end to the "vitriol" in public discussion.  This should serve as a wake-up call!   Think twice before demonizing others.   From what I heard in the media today, few are taking that advice.

Video Brings Back the Radio Star

Ted Williams on WNCI Columbus, OH

The video of homeless and unemployed radio announcer Ted Williams panhandling by the road in Columbus, Ohio caught the attention of millions when the video went viral.  He was holding a sign saying he had a "golden voice" and a passing newspaper reporter happened to record him.   Williams said he had a drug problem, but had been clean for two years.   After quickly getting over 5,000,000 hits on YouTube and national news coverage, the offers started flooding in from across the country to do radio shows and voiceover work.   Could this man become a millionaire?   I have to agree with everyone else who has heard his voice - this guy is major market material.   Howard Stern claimed that the story could be a hoax, wondering how this man with the golden voice could have become so destitute.   Howard has seldom been called an elitist, but I have to wonder if the "King of All Media" realizes how tough times are for so many talented broadcasters who now have little or no work in a profession they love.   A few bad breaks or wrong moves can seriously disrupt a career.   Radio jobs are not as numerous these days, and the average wage has never been the road to riches.   Beyond broadcasting, this story of redemption has caught the attention of many Americans.   I have been fortunate to have made much of my living at something I have loved for over 35 years without resorting to panhandling, but who are we to think we could never be that down on our luck?      I am excited to have a new radio home on 102.3 The Wolf (WMOS).   I'll be on Citadel New London's rock station live from the Mohegan Sun studios Saturdays 2-6pm and Sundays 10am-3pm and a few fill-in shifts too.   Give a wave when you go by.       

To Forgive

"To err is human; to forgive is divine."   This notable quote from eighteenth-century English poet Alexander Pope reminded me of Pope John Paul II, who forgave his attempted assassin.   I've always considered myself a forgiving person.  With the passage of time and a few good breaks, forgiveness has always had a way of happening.   This year, that process has not been as easy, and that is often when it is most important to forgive.  We need all our focus and strength to move past the hurt, anger and need for vindication.  Forgiveness is simply letting go.   Pride or caring can be an obstacle, but we don't have to have a resolution before forgiving.   For my sake and for those who care about me, there is no other route in facing any tough times still to come.   Commentator Ben Stein recently said that forgiveness is the best gift you can give yourself for the holidays.  It is a wonderful New Year's resolution that can make for a truly liberating experience.  

Holiday, Oh Holiday!

Happy Honda Days Ad

It's no secret that the holiday season has gotten even more commercialized as the pressure to have a big fourth quarter in sales gets greater and greater.  Sometimes one or two ads stand out to the point of total distraction.  Have you heard the commercial for Honda?  "Holiday, oh holiday, and the best one of the year," proclaims the jingle.   Now, Honda is a quality car.   If you can afford to give one as a gift, then more power to you.   But please, make that jingle stop!   It's driving me insane!   Here's the original song, if you can't get enough of it.   It's etched in my mind worse this year than that song about Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey.   I trust both will go away after Christmas or the New Year.   There's also one for Michael's Jewelers where a woman sings about being in a state of something, but that may not be wearing as thin since I can't complete the lyric.   Christmas is often about nostalgia, so I miss some of the ads I grew up with in the sixties.   Before I was old enough to shave, I remember the Norelco shaver "Floating Heads" commercials when Santa would ride on the floating heads through the snowy hills set to a Jingle Bells melody.   The shavers are still around, so why did they get rid of it?   At least they still have the Hershey's Kisses commercials where the chocolate kisses ring out a holiday tune.   If they can bring back Charlie Brown's Christmas every year, why not the Norelco Santa.   Hey, you get your Christmas memories where you can.   Happy Holidays!

Good Night, Larry

It would be easy to call Larry King's last live show on CNN the end of an era of the kinder, gentler national talk show host who maintained some degree of objectivity.  Sadly, that era had already passed and CNN's declining ratings have reflected that.  Over the past 25 years, Larry's guest list has seen the most impressive variety of celebrities and newsmakers ever assembled on one program.  He got these people because he let them talk.  While he didn't necessarily ask all the hard questions, he posed enough of them over the years without making guests overly defensive or uncomfortable.  It wasn't all about him.  Larry has been true to that premise since his late night radio days when I used to hear him on the old Mutual Broadcasting System.  He was a welcoming voice to everyone who had an opinion, not just to those who agreed with him.  As the level of discourse gets more heated, personal and polarized, I hope CNN can find its way back to being a news leader without trying to follow in the footsteps of Fox and MSNBC.   While Larry's style may have seemed outdated to many viewers these days, there is still room for hosts who can get real answers from guests.  Anderson Cooper's "Keeping Them Honest" segments are good examples of hard-hitting journalism without a predetermined political agenda.  Styles change.  Civility and objectivity are more important than ever.   Larry has consistently tried to give you what you need to decide for yourself. 

A Tragic Holiday

The mourning period continues following the horrific one-car accident on Route 201 north of Route 138 in Griswold.  Four teenagers are dead; a fifth is in critical condition.  All five were Griswold High School students.  This story of a car out of control hitting a tree has stunned a community already shocked by a domestic dispute that took the life of a despondent young man just days ago on nearby Bethel Road.   Sympathy goes out to the many grief-stricken classmates, family members and neighbors.   This region has been shaken by a tragedy that can leave the most professional grief counselor at a loss for words.      

Animal Hoarding in Montville

Photo from WTNH

It was a sickening scene.  Montville saw its most shocking case of animal hoarding ever.  Neighbors at the Mountain View Apartments reported a very strong stench that led animal control officers to a feces-filled apartment where they found about 40 animals, some dead or dying.   There were cats, a dog, ferrets, snakes , birds and other animals in cages lacking food and water.   Aside from what to do with the animals and their neglectful owner, how on earth could anyone let this get so out of control?   You probably know people who collect a lot more things than they let go of, but why would anyone hang on to these living creatures so long after they can take care of them?   Is there a relationship between animal hoarding and hoarding other things?   I have heard the theory that hoarders feel a lack of control over their own lives, so amassing more things (or perhaps even animals) gives them that sense of control over at least something.   If so, this is a very unhealthy and false sense of empowerment.   It is very sad to see this situation deteriorate to this point before neighbors finally noticed. 

Feeding Paranoia

When news of the WikiLeaks publication of 250,000 classified documents came out, the story may have seemed unprecedented in scope.  That's not to say we don't try to find historical similarities.  Daniel Ellsberg was on CNN's Larry King Show last night.  He was the guy who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971.   There is no doubt that the Pentagon Papers fueled an already high degree of paranoia in the Nixon administration that later culminated in the Watergate scandal and the President's resignation in 1974.   In the end, Nixon's downfall wasn't any leaked document.  It was his own paranoia caught on tape.  These new developments put the Obama administration's pledge of transparency to the ultimate test.  I agree with Secretary of State Clinton that these leaks do not make the WikiLeaks people heroes.  The real tragedy would be the resulting reluctance to share vital information without fear of it falling into hands of those who would kill us.  Rogue regimes like Iran and North Korea feed off the chance to justify their paranoid existence.  The WikiLeaks people never considered that.  The Pentagon Papers gave us information that shed light on the Vietnam War, whether we liked it or not.  The random nature and pure volume of these new leaks may provide more heat than light.

The Politics of Dancing

Jennifer Grey of "Dirty Dancing" fame won this season's celebrity dance-off on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.  Her signature dance in the finale and her touching story of overcoming physical adversity made this decision hard to debate.   While the judges and voting viewers got it right, the season was probably the most controversial thanks to Bristol Palin's placement among the top three finalists.  While Sarah Palin's daughter improved over time, other contestants with higher scores fell by the wayside.  Add this heated political season and her mother's heavy media exposure, and you have the recipe for people on the fringes getting carried away with their irrational reactions to what is basically a massively promoted dance contest.   I wonder what makes some people a "star", but I guess notoriety is the only criterion and that question didn't begin with this season.  There were undoubtedly viewers who were for or against her just because of her mother, but Dancing with the Stars should be about the contestants and nothing else.   There I go again - living in a perfect world.     

Q105 Hits 30

From left, an unidentified fan with Mike Lehman (in costume), 

Franco and co-host Jody Morris. (From The Day)

I never worked at Q105, but I know so many people who did.   They were the competition.  This past weekend, WQGN 105.5 celebrated 30 years as eastern Connecticut's contemporary hit station.   Franco, Jody and many others were reunited on air.  I never actually met Frank "Franco" Carofano, but I feel I know him through his imprint on this legendary station.  Franco's longtime Q Morning Zoo co-host Jody is a good friend from our stays across town at WBMW, and I know how excited she was to be back on the air even if only for a day.  The eighties and nineties were a different time for radio, with less consolidation and automation along with a need for someone in the studio 24/7.  30 years ago, there were about half as many radio stations covering New London County as there are now, and Q105 owned the younger market.  I knew the Q's first couple of program directors - Rick Everett and Neil Sullivan - just enough to know what strong advocates they were for realizing their visions of exciting and successful local hit music radio.  An interactive morning show where the co-hosts have great chemistry is no small part of this success story, and I got the impression both Franco & Jody miss what they shared with their audience.  I miss it too, especially at this holiday time when there are unique ways for a station to serve its community.  This market has no shortage of stations in this area which continue to make that valuable contribution.  Q105 pushes on today with a national morning show and local  information updates which have found  a successful niche.   Whether it's local or national, compelling content, good chemistry and connecting one on one with the listener will always win the day.  

One Less Local Option

The world of fast food just got a little smaller here in Connecticut and Rhode Island.  Canada-based Tim Hortons announced it is shutting down all of its coffee and baked goods shops in the two states.  The company has 3,000 outlets in Canada and 600 in the United States.  I have to say it's not a total shock.  Tim Hortons had already closed numerous stores in this area.  Dunkin Donuts is everywhere here, the way Tim Hortons is established north of the border.  I will miss the alternative to Dunkin; choice is a good thing.   Where will I find a fruit explosion muffin or maple donut now?   In my humble opinion, their baked goods were better and I liked their lunch combos (served on real plates), but Dunkin and McDonald's have them all beat when it comes to coffee.   Also on the fast food front, Wendy's announced it will change the way they make french fries.  Say it ain't so!  They're going to be crisper and less "potato-ey."  To me, Wendy's fries were absolutely the best when they are fresh and hot.   I'm not liking these developments (sigh). 

The Ultimate Penalty

Steven Hayes has been sentenced to death on all six capital felony counts in the 2007 Cheshire home invasion.  My first reaction was how Dr. William Petit Jr. and all the people closest to the three people murdered must feel about this development.  Petit, the lone survivor of the home invasion, favored the death sentence, as did Connecticut governor Jodi Rell.  I can't imagine what it will be like for Dr. Petit and others who will have to go through this process again next year with the trial of Joshua Komisarjevsky, but there is some comfort in knowing justice is being done.  The death penalty has never been proven more effective as a deterrent than other forms of punishment, but some crimes are so abhorrent that the ultimate sentence is the least society can impose.

Issues Take Back Seat In Connecticut Elections

They say we're all winners when we participate in the electoral process, but this year the voters of Connecticut haven't won by much.  There were just 21,000 ballots available for 69,000 registered voters in Connecticut's largest city, the Democratic stronghold of Bridgeport.  This is gross incompetence by election officials.  The most incredibly negative gubernatorial campaign at first appeared to be a win by Republican Tom Foley.  His attack ads were just slightly milder than Democrat Dan Malloy's spots, so I thought the better man won since Foley was the slightly lesser of two evils. Then the extent of the Bridgeport fiasco became apparent.  Then there's the $50 million senatorial campaign waged by World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon which relentlessly played up Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's Vietnam blunder, quoting the one occasion he erroneously said he served in the military "in Vietnam" instead of "during the Vietnam era."   Here in eastern Connecticut, Republican Janet Peckinpaugh took a refreshingly high road in her late challenge to Democratic second district congressman Joe Courtney, but she never presented a convincing argument as to how she'd do a better job at fostering job growth in a section of the state too dependent on  a few big employers.  The voters deserve better than attack ads that drag the level of discourse into the gutter.  Thank God it's over for now!    
UPDATE (12:22pm 11/3/10): Maybe it's not over.  NBC Connecticut reports:  Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz declares Dan Malloy the winner of the Governor's Race based on unofficial results.
UPDATE (10:43pm 11/3/10): A new development.  NBC Connecticut reports: The Associated Press has withdrawn its call for Dan Malloy in the race for Governor. New AP numbers show Republican challenger Tom Foley ahead by more than 8,000 votes.
UPDATE (11/5/10): Are we done?  CNN reports: Democrat Dan Malloy has won the tight Connecticut governor's race over Republican Tom Foley, secretary of state Susan Bysiewicz announced by statement Friday.  Figures Friday evening showed Malloy received 566,498 votes and Foley got 560,861 votes. 

Fleas on Steroids!

Flea



Happy Halloween!  What scares you?  The tone of this political season certainly scares me, but some of nature's pests can be pretty creepy when they get out of control.  My house could hardly be considered dirty or even cluttered, so I ask: Are these pests developing a resistance to traditional extermination methods?   While I miss my dearly departed cat, I suspect she had a part in bringing fleas into my house after those short periods she would get outside.  The little bloodsuckers seemed to have no trouble moving on to my dog Oreo.  I had thought his constant scratching was just a seasonal itch.  A stroke of a flea comb uncovered the tiny parasites.  I had stocked up on Frontline flea treatment and  had already put it on Oreo, yet the fleas had refused to die.  It had always worked before.  The vet put him on a Capstar pill which was supposed to kill the fleas in 40 minutes - it didn't happen.  Three flea baths didn't provide lasting relief either.  Three pesticide-filled flea bombs later, the dog was still managing to pick up the tiny bugs from someplace in the house.  The carpets got shampooed while every floor got vacuumed every day.  Oreo got vacuumed with a special pet attachment.  A flea collar - for fleas and their eggs - followed.   Nothing stopped them!   Another trip to Oreo's vet yielded some K-9 Advantix; you know, the product in the "there ain't no bugs on me" commercial.  That seemed to slow them down.  I still found a couple of stragglers alive in his blanket, but I hope we're nearing the end of this very stressful chapter as his flea comb yielded nothing.  I think I'll set off another flea bomb, just for good measure! 

News Analyst or Political Commentator?

It's hard to feel too sorry for former National Public Radio news analyst Juan Williams.  He also appeared regularly on Fox News, which is where he made comments that displeased his NPR bosses.  He was abruptly fired last week by NPR for expressing his fear of fellow plane passengers wearing Muslim garb.  NPR felt his role as a news analyst had been compromised by his statements.  Fox News had no problem at all, offering Williams a two million dollar deal to stay with them.   In this overheated political season, it's no surprise that some politicians on the right wanted to use this incident as a reason to abolish the two per cent of its funding that NPR receives from the federal government.  Some liberals also expressed their displeasure with NPR.  Did NPR have a right to let him go if they were so uncomfortable with his dual media roles?  Yes.  Did it appear to be handled too severely and open NPR to criticism from conservatives who contend the network is too far left?  Absolutely.   Even many guests on NPR took issue with the move.  Were these honest comments of his on Fox that far over the top?  I don't think so, but that's just my view and I wasn't paying him to be my news analyst.  Since leaving commercial radio back in March, I've become a big fan of the service NPR provides.   Its very intellectual presentation does give NPR a very elite, even snobbish image.  After hours and hours of listening, I have to say NPR is much more objective than their detractors give them credit for, providing less heat and more light than most commercial networks.  At the same time, they became the story themselves and a lightning rod for free speech advocates and conservative critics.   The Williams incident could have been handled more diplomatically, but he'll be just fine.  It would be a shame if NPR's reputation suffered just because of this.   

The Little Lady

They say that people learn to deal with loss better with age.  I'm not sure I see it that way after having to say goodbye to my cat, Cookie.   I really wasn't ready to let this important member of the family go after almost 12 years, but I didn't see much choice.  Cookie was adopted from the Connecticut Humane Society in Quaker Hill when she was a little over a year old.   She was a docile, perky and affectionate cat who never complained about much.   The enclosed porch was her peaceful sanctuary where she never seemed to have a care in the world.   One week in the summer of 2009, I had to leave her alone at home and she only got a visit once a day to be fed by others.  When I returned, she planted herself on my lap for an hour as if to say she'd never take me for granted again.   Those big eyes won me over every time.  I wish pets could live longer.  She brought so much into my life during the time she was here.

New Highs and New Lows

The rescue of the 33 Chilean miners was certainly the high point of the week.  Viewers all over the world witnessed what can happen when people work together for the common good.   As MSNBC's Chris Matthews pointed out last night, this story contrasts so sharply with the tone of the political season here in the U.S.   From Alaska to right here in Connecticut, the landscape is littered with ads that shoot first as too few people ask questions later.  Bob Schieffer of CBS once suggested we abolish primaries. They have certainly allowed the venom surrounding the Connecticut gubernatorial campaign to continue much longer than it should have.  I have never wanted to vote "none of the above" as much as I do now.  The senatorial campaign here started off on a higher note, but that has deteriorated to out-of-context sound bites that leave any reasonable adult totally disgusted.    

Spelling It Out

VP Dan Quayle tells student to add an "e" to potato in 1992

For the second time in a row, a segment on CBS Sunday Morning inspired me to chime in. This time they ran a story on two guys who go around correcting spelling and punctuation mistakes on signs. I remember a restaurant in Jewett City called "Classic's" that actually made the extra effort to add the unnecessary apostrophe. I assume it wasn't owned by someone named "Classic." A misplaced apostrophe drives me especially crazy. In this fast-paced world of texting and Facebook status updates because people have less patience to talk to one another, I see bad spelling and punctuation everywhere. "Its" vs. "it's" and "your" vs. "you're" and "there" vs. "they're" are my big pet peeves. I have to qualify my indignation by saying I'm not bragging about being a superior speller or punctuator, since there are plenty of things in life in which I will never excel. There have always been people who couldn't spell well, and there are legitimate reasons like dyslexia. I just wonder if our fast pace, failure to check our work or overdependence on the spell check feature mean our attention span has gotten impossibly short. Call me picky, but you have no idea how much I checked before hitting "publish" on this article!

Happy Anniversary! Happy Anniversary!

It's a page right out of history.  Fifty years ago tonight, ABC launched The Flintstones.  Seeing the first episode about this modern stone age family from the town of Bedrock was one of those great TV "Oh wow" moments for this Baby Boomer kid.  I remember that first show so well.  It was basically an animated version of the hit fifties show The Honeymooners.    For six years we loyally followed the adventures of Fred, Barney, Wilma and Betty, and saw the addition of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm.  I even remember when they had a national contest to give Pebbles her name.   If you know who Mr. Slate, Joe Rockhead and Gary Granite are, you were a fan of The Flintstones too.  Although I thought I recalled everything about The Flintstones, a look at some Ultimate Flintstones Trivia here put me in my place.  Trivia expert or not, we all had a Yabba-dabba-doo time!   So-o-oh, Happy Anniversary!

Nothing To Sneeze At?

Sneezy

Pollen!

Is it my imagination, or has this season been the worst for allergies?   This curse goes back to my childhood when I'd camp out or play in the cornfields behind our house and end up paying for my love of the great outdoors with sneezing, itchy eyes, sinusitus and stuffy nose.  It started out as a late summer thing and then evolved into different allergies throughout the year.  I got tested positive for reactions to dust, cat dander, mold and an assortment of allergens like the magnified offenders above.   If it's a hay fever medication - Benadryl, Zyrtec, Claritin and the rest - I've tried it.   I went through countless sessions of allergy shots with visits that continued for years.  Has it made me better?  It's hard to prove a negative and know how I'd be without all the treatments.  I do know this has been an especially nasty allergy season, mostly in the morning.   Is it worse for allergens due to global warming or more enclosed environments?  I'll leave that to the experts.  If you are among those affected, I feel your pain.  Oh yeah, I've tried the local honey too - still sneezing.

The Two Bells

Many political leaders seem to count on their constituents looking the other way.  That seemed to be the case in Connecticut's "Belltown" of East Hampton.  Town Manager Jeffrey O'Keefe resigned this month in a storm of controversy after town residents angrily protested his sudden firing back in June of town Police Chief Matthew Reimondo.  Most of the Town Council backed up O'Keefe, citing financial cutbacks as the reason for the firing, but most townspeople saw it as payback for the chief’s role in investigating three sexual harassment complaints lodged against O’Keefe by three female town employees.   This looked fishy to incensed citizens, and they had every right to feel that way.   Shame on the majority of the seven Town Council members for allowing this to happen and compounding the impropriety by giving O'Keefe a $170,000 severance package after the tide of raucous town meetings turned against him.  We haven't heard the end of this, as the council still has not listened to the voices demanding the police chief be given back his job.

Across the country in embattled Bell, California, it's being described as "corruption on steroids."  The city's manager was pulling down a salary close to $800,000 a year while the police chief was getting half a million and part-timer council members got $100,000.  This happened as the small city's unemployment rate hit 16%, services were cut back and taxes were oppressive.  The revelations made national news and "people power" again came to bear on their local leaders who were bleeding the Los Angeles suburb dry.  The tale of these two "bell towns" makes me wonder how many other leaders across the nation are hoping their constituents will look the other way.  If we fail to watch our leaders, who can we blame but ourselves?