A Dimm View of Life

Where's Alex Been?

2010-03-28T14:28:00.003-06:00

It feels like I am entering a room in my parent's home that I haven't entered for years. You expect it to be the same, but it isn't somehow.

It says I haven't posted since December 2008. A lot has happened since then. I've never been much for sharing personal stuff, but let me catch you up.

First, my father became ill and passed away. It was all very sudden. It's been close to a year and a half now and I'm still very sad.

My daughter graduated from college. She wrote the best graduation speech I've ever heard. It's wonderful. I ought to post a link so you may all read it.

I bought an iPhone. I love it. Got one for my daughter last week.

My mother-in-law passed away in December 2009. She was very ill, but it was very sad. My wife will be sad for a long time.

I have been given a fake promotion at work! It's one of those promotions where you are doing the job, but they aren't paying you and they can't give you the title without paying you. I have been told I will get the title and the money anytime, but I'm still waiting.

Those are the high points. I don't follow as many podcasts as I used to. I still listen to "Wait, Wait" and "leShow", but not much else. I'll add a link to LATW which I enjoy.

Since getting my iPhone, I've been following Twitter! I really enjoy it. I thought my daughter was silly when she told me she was following over 200 people. I didn't realize how quickly the number of people followed could grow. I was close to 100 myself, but then trimmed it down. I am following around eighty people right now.

Getting back to blogging will take some time. I hope you will bear with me while I get my blogging legs back.

Most of all, enjoy the day!

Alex

Christmastime!!

2008-12-08T06:40:00.003-06:00

Lots to do. No time to do it.

Lots to say. No time to say it.

Hopefully, I will fit some time in my schedule for a long post tonight, but for now it will have to wait.

We got a tree last night, but haven't had time to trim. We've purchased a couple of gifts, but haven't had time for real shopping.

School Board meeting this week. Holiday get-togethers. Work. Church. Kids. Arrgh!

Better get to it.

Mother Dimm

2008-12-05T06:39:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I took my mother to see a cornea specialist. She's been complaining about seeing at a distance. She's all but stopped driving.

The doctor said she may have glacoma, but it's unlikely. She wants to do a test. More serious is the development of cataracts. Mom is going to wait until April to deal with either/both.

Although this was an important eye doctor visit, the day was more a chance to allow Mom a chance to talk. She talked about Dad. She talked about her brothers and sisters. She talked about people we knew.

She gave me a chance to brag about my family. Overall, it was a good day.

Guess I better get back to work.

House M.D. and Cuddy

2008-12-04T06:31:00.003-06:00

I have written before about this show which, despite it's many faults, may be the best dramatic show on television. No offense to those who love any of the CSI shows or L&O shows or Desperate Housewives. House M.D. is entertaining and thought provoking. Plus, I don't watch a lot of TV, so I stick with what I like.

Each year the writers devise extended arcs. These arcs have often included romances between characters, often involving House. They started the year with best friend Wilson wanting to leave the hospital after the death of his girlfriend, presumably caused by House. It wasn't a bad arc. This one ended with the odd "trip to Dad's funeral".

Now we have the "Are House and Cuddy going to get together" story line. Part of me hopes that it ended this past Tuesday night, when Cuddy spotted House with another giggling woman when she was about to throw herself it him (we think). I don't think we're so lucky.

Writers and producers can read a calendar. My guess is that this "romance" will last through the February sweeps period. FOX will encourage viewers to keep up with the story line while the show moves from Tuesday to Monday. Then they will move to another arc to finish the season.

Actually, this is not a new story line. It has simply gone from subtle pretext to a prominent discussion each week. Was it just a year ago where, when House made an outlandish comment about the two of them getting together, Cuddy said "That boat sailed long ago"? Sounded to me like they already had an affair once.

Wilson is gently pushing the two together. The two of them are fighting it. You feel that Cuddy has been waiting for this. Sure, she's dated other men. She's tried to have a baby. She's tried to adopt. But all the while, she's been waiting for House to come around.

I'm not certain how this could not end badly. She's his boss. If he ruins her self-perception (and why wouldn't he, just for kicks), she could easily fire him. Who would follow him out the door? Cameron? Doubtful. Kutner? Maybe. Either that or she would quit the hospital. That would allow for a new hospital administrator. Wouldn't that be fun!

Foreman is just waiting for his chance to take over for House. Now would be an excellent time.

As screwy as all this is, knowing the writers, they will work their way out of this paper bag. Meanwhile, we'll have fun watching.

Barack Obama and Bill Richardson

2008-12-03T06:29:00.002-06:00

I don't know a lot about politics.

That said, I think Barack Obama may have missed a good opportunity. This week, he announced Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State and Bill Richardson as his Secretary of Commerce.

He may find out that the two people should have switched positions.

Richardson has vast foreign policy experience. Far more than Mrs. Clinton. He would have been an excellent choice for that position.

Mrs. Clinton will do well, don't get me wrong. If anything, she will help deflect the news each day from Obama, which he will need heading into this administration. Still, she complained that with Obama there would be "on the job training". I feel we are going to have the same thing with Mrs. Clinton in this position.

Finally, if there were two people capable of "on the job training", it is Obama and Clinton. They have shown the ability to learn and lead. This is far from a gaffe by Obama. Just politics in play where the best choice was set aside.

What troubles me the most is that Richardson is 61. I was hoping he would run again in eight years, but he shouldn't at 69, anymore than McCain should have run in 2008. Still, Richardson will be a strong ally in this administration. The players are just about set. Let's go!!!

December

2008-12-02T06:44:00.002-06:00

I can't believe it is December already. Christmas is quickly coming up the road. If anyone has any ideas for a special gift for my wife, something out of the ordinary, let me know. She deserves it so much. She is my special friend and this year has been hard for so many reasons. I would really like to do something special.

My son and daughter will be happy with what we have planned this year. We haven't talking much about my oldest and her fiance, but we'll come up with something.

Above all, be careful this holiday. We just had our first snow and ice for the 2008-09 winter season. It amazes me how people drive so close in this weather. Give yourself some braking room and be safe on the roads, okay?

If you have to drink, please don't drive. There is a former employee who was killed by a drunk driver the day before Thanksgiving. She was 25 years old and left a daughter behind. She was not drinking. Please remember those who you could hurt if you get behind the wheel.

I'll say it one more time: Be safe this holiday! And smile!

Survivor: Gabon

2008-11-30T18:18:00.004-06:00

I can't believe a year ago I told my son I was done watching Survivor. Here it is a year later and we are deeply invested in the latest round in Gabon.

It hasn't been a bad season. They have kicked out most of the pretty girls and the buff fellas. They have one buff fella left (Matty). He had better win all of the remaining immunity challenges or he's going home. That's if the remaining players are smart.

There have been some high points this year. I liked seeing the elephants near camp. Randy was fun to watch. I knew he would be from the opening episode. He didn't disappoint, going down in flames. I can't wait for the finale to watch him tear into Crystal again.

It is too bad Ace was dropped before the jury selection. It would have been fun to see him look Sugar in the eye at the final tribal council, but I don't expect Sugar to make it there anyway, so I guess we have to wait for the reunion where they will say "no hard feelings". (wink, wink)

I'm guessing it goes like this: Corrine goes this week. Matty next week. Sugar the next week. Bob is the last to go. That leaves a final three of Susie, Ken and Crystal. Crystal will have too many enemies on the jury and Susie won't have enough friends. Ken will win out.

That's the Dimm view of Survivor. Let's see what happens.

High School Basketball

2008-11-30T18:04:00.002-06:00

I fell asleep. That's my only statement.

My brother has two sons. One has graduated high school and received his four year degree. He's among the working class now and doing great.

His other son is a senior in high school and plays basketball. He's doing great as well.

For eight years, I have gone to see these two boys play basketball over Thanksgiving. Maybe not exactly eight years. Probably six, but both started playing on the varsity while sophomores. It's been fun to watch.

Let me be even more clear. My brother and his boys live about an hour from us. They play in another league in Illinois. The only time they travel close to us is for a holiday tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday. The tournament is played in our home town. It would be nearly impossible to ignore and not go see them play.

This year, they played Monday, Tuesday and Friday. I skipped Monday because I was busy and Tuesday was better for me. I planned to see him play Tuesday and Saturday before I realized the Saturday game would be played elsewhere. Once I realized that, I planned to go Tuesday and Friday.

Tuesday I went to see him play. He played well. My brother was unhappy and the team lost, but I thought he played well. Sadly, the team lost Monday's game as well.

Friday, I went to work planning on seeing the game that night. I might mention now that the games are being played just four blocks from my home.

Somewhere between 7:00a that morning and 5:00p that night, I completely forgot about the game. I came home, kissed my wife and spoke to my daughter. I went upstairs and spoke to my son who was playing on the computer. I then laid down and fell asleep. I woke up about 6:45p and went downstairs.

My wife and I talked a bit about supper and we agreed to order pizza. I was casually looking at the newspaper when it hit me. By this time it was 6:55 or so. The game started at 6:00p. The pizza was ordered. There was no working this out.

I stayed home. We ate pizza. I considered traveling to the game on Saturday, but had other things that needed to be done. Talked myself out of it. As it turned out, they lost Saturday as well. 0-4 for the tournament.

Not that my attendence would have made any difference. I'm not that stupid. Still, I wish I had remembered to go Friday. It would have been my last chance to see him play.

Then again, they play a team about thirty-forty minutes south of here in late January. Maybe my daughter will come with me and we can watch him play, one last time.

Maybe that will make me feel like a better Uncle.

John Williams - WGN

2008-11-26T06:27:00.002-06:00

I just wrote a piece on John Williams, and wrote a bit about being in Chicago this past weekend. One thing I failed to mention in both pieces is how much I enjoy the storefront studio.

This year I had time to spot Steve Cochran and Nick Digilio. In years past I've been fortunate enough to see David Kaplin and John Williams.

As I said yesterday morning, I can't be more thrilled that John is getting this plum assignment. I considered bringing my resume to Tribune Tower Friday, but I was so busy preparing for the meetings I forgot to print one out. You know they would have put off the decision one more day if I had shown an interest in the job.

I remember when Spike took over, he had to abandon certain programming elements from his evening show. I hope John continues to have discussions with Thomas Jefferson and Bill Clinton. I hope he continues to fantasize on what really happened at the Cubs games. I especially hope he continues with his voicemail segment.

Best of all, I hope he continues to be one of the best interviewers this side of Milt Rosenberg. Whether he is talking to Alan Alda or Terry Savage, you know you are going to hear thoughtful questions and worthwhile discussion.

Funny, smart and engaging. WGN couldn't have made a wiser choice.

Back from Chicago

2008-11-26T06:21:00.003-06:00

This past weekend I was in Chicago for the IASB (school board) workshops, etc. I enjoyed myself, somewhat. I missed my family. I ate too much. I didn't sleep well. Other than that, it was a good time.

Seriously, I love Chicago. I love walking up and down the streets to the Hyatt and down Michigan Avenue. I wish I had money to shop! I bought my family some Chicago t-shirts. I didn't have a lot of time for more shopping. In past years, I did my shopping on Sunday, but this year I had to run back home Sunday morning because my wife and I teach Sunday school at our church. Sigh.

After all the meetings and the eating and the driving, I was exhausted Monday. I was surprised I was so tired, but I could hardly drag myself to work and then drag myself home. This was after a two hour nap Sunday afternoon and about seven hours that night. I should have been rested.

Anyway, I think I'm recovered now, just in time for Thanksgiving. This is my favorite holiday and I'm looking forward to it. Hope you have a great holiday as well!

Alex's weekend

2008-11-25T06:25:00.003-06:00

I'm tired. I don't know why I'm tired. I probably ate too much.

It's Tuesday, so the effects of the weekend should be gone. There was a school board convention in Chicago. I am no party animal, so mostly I went to the meetings and workshops and then back to the hotel. My school board friends took me out to eat both Friday and Saturday night. We ate at Giordanno's and the Eire Cafe. The Eire Cafe was excellent, but Giordanno's left something to be desired.

That was disappointing because I had heard so much about Giordanno's. The pizza was merely okay. The staff was merely okay. We had to wait over an hour and a half for a table. I saw parents with small children waiting. The kids looked miserable.

Still, now I can say I've been there. The meetings and the workshops were good. It was worth the trip. Still, I'm tired.

There is a Walgreen's nearby that sells Vitner's Buttered Popcorn. It's not great, but I bought two bags and ate them over the weekend. Maybe that's catching up with me. Or maybe it was the huge dinner at the Erie Cafe. Four of us had the ribeye. It was huge.

So, I am swearing off eating anything today. Got to make room for Thanksgiving. The best part is that I will have my family around Thursday. I missed them so much this weekend. Everywhere I looked I was thinking about their reactions.

It's good to get away, but it's good to be back. Glad the next trip is a year away.

John Williams - WGN Morning Host

2008-11-25T06:19:00.002-06:00

Each morning, after my shower, I get online. I look at several sites, including the Chicago Tribune. Today, I saw the announcement that John Williams will be taking over for Spike O'Dell. I couldn't be happier.

John Williams is a thinking man with an edge. He is highly intelligent and can quit this gig and write for Time magazine if he wants. He also has a great sense of humor that comes out in a variety of great segments.

My favorite is voicemail, although I haven't been able to hear it for ages. He has a number where listeners can call and leave a message for John, usually pertaining to things he has been talking about through the week. Think of it as a comment section on a blog. Then he and the producer piece the different voicemails together with some great music and it makes for some of the funniest moments on the air today.

Anyway, my congratulations and good luck John Williams. You won't need it because you already have everything you need to be Chicago's brightest star!

Mom

2008-11-20T22:43:00.003-06:00

I took my mother to see her heart doctor today. She has trouble seeing and doesn't like to drive out of town, so I took time off work and drove her north.

It takes about an hour from my workplace to her house and another hour to the doctor. Then it takes an hour back to her home and an hour back to mine.

Four hours on the road today.

I'm tired.

Mom is fine. She had an EKG and some blood work done, but the doctor didn't seem too worried. A little concerned, but not worried. She had a heart attack about ten years ago. She's lost some weight this year and watches what she eats.

I'm more worried about her eyes. I'll take her to see the eye doctor in two weeks.

Tomorrow, I'm driving a couple hours to Chicago to attend some meetings as a school board member. It will be an interesting weekend that I am looking forward too. Unless the hotel has a free computer, I probably won't post the next couple days, but I will return.

I'll let you know what I learn in Chicago.

Alex's car

2008-11-19T22:53:00.004-06:00

I recently bought a new car. My 1999 Ford Contour had seen better days, and I'll miss it, but it was time. My soon-to-be-eighteen year old daughter has been very patient, living with a license but no car for nearly two years. She has shared and not griped. The Contour is now hers to drive, so I'll get a chance to visit it from time to time.

Now I drive a 2005 Ford Taurus. I miss the cassette player in the Contour. This one has a CD player only. Now I can't listen to "Wait, wait...Don't Tell Me!" on the way to work. I still haven't figured out when I can listen to my podcasts.

Is it me, or do earbud bother you too? I will wear earbuds occasionally, but I don't like sticking anything in my ear(s). That's why I liked using the car stereo to listen to my podcasts. I had time in the car and I can listen to what I want, unlike listening to today's radio. There is no way I am wearing earbuds while driving. It's probably illegal! If it isn't it should be!

So, I am back to scrounging for audio books through the local library. I did miss listening to books, so I'm glad to do that again. I'll let you know what I figure out about my podcasts. I'm going to go crazy if I don't figure out something.

Obama's Cabinet

2008-11-19T06:28:00.002-06:00

President Obama? (I can't help it. I love saying it!) President Obama, sir?

What about Bill Richardson? I know you feel like you need to offer Hillary Clinton the Secretary of State job, but what about Bill? He has a better resume. Everybody likes him (except the voteing public). If he's not your vice-president, he really should be your Secretary of State.

Agreed, Hillary is my second choice for the spot, but she's the SECOND CHOICE! Offer it to Bill!

Years ago, he worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He worked for Kissinger. He's been to Bagdad, North Korea, Nicaragua, etc. He's been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Three times!!

He's been an United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He was the Secretary of Energy under Bill Clinton.

What more could you want?

Okay, how about this. Let Hillary be Secretary of State during the first term and Bill be Secretary of State during the second term. How's that? Or vice-versa. She can run the Senate during the first term and be your ally there. Huh?

As always, I know you'll make the best choice. Just wanted to let you know where I stand.

Thank you for your time, Mr. President. Have a great day!

President Barack Obama

2008-11-18T06:09:00.003-06:00

I am thrilled to use this title for today's blog. If you had asked me a year ago, or two years ago, if this was going to happen, I would have been hopeful, but unsure. Now it's happened and I am elated.

I didn't vote for Barack Obama because he was black and it would be historic. I didn't vote for Barack Obama because he represented my home state of Illinois. I didn't vote for Barack Obama because he was a democrat and I wanted change. I grew up and spent most of my adult life a republican, rarely swaying from party lines. George W. Bush ended that. I half-heartedly supported John Kerry four years ago. Truthfully, I wanted Bush gone more than I wanted Kerry in office. I didn't get my wish.

I looked at all the Republican candidates. I wasn't going to support someone who hates "certain" people the way Mitt Romney does. I wasn't going to support someone who appears to only spout the party line, such as Rudy Giuliani. John McCain came close to someone I could like, but he became a grouchy, unhappy man before our eyes.

I voted for Barack Obama because he was the best candidate. There was never any question. He ran the best campaign. He has good ideas for correcting what is wrong in this country. Is he perfect? No, but I am hard put to find his faults. Smoking? Yes. Bowling? Can't really define that as a fault. More of a shortcoming.

Every step he has taken has the appearance of being well thought out. He doesn't make "knee-jerk" statements or decisions. He listens to those around him, but he appears to have the final say.

I like Barack Obama because he is smarter than I am and I want that in a U.S. President. I like Barack Obama because he wants what is best for our country.

Now, let's see if I'm right.

Where is Alex Dimm?

2008-11-17T22:29:00.003-06:00

Where has Alexander Dimm been? I've been busy.

I continue to work for a telecommunications company. I have not changed positions, although I have applied for other positions within the company.

I am still a school board member, although I am up for relection this year.

I am still married to the same wonderful woman I married twenty years ago. I love her so much.

I still have three children, although one is a senior in high school and getting prepared for college and another is getting married. My son appeared in a local theatre production this past summer.

I lost my father this fall. It still hurts.

I still go to church and I still love to write.

Beyond that, nothing much has changed. I hope to get back to blogging regularly, although my blogging will be shorter. Fewer long essays and more said.

I have missed blogging and hope that I hear from you. I can see that you have continued to check in while I was gone. Thank you.

So, why did I stop? Lots of reasons. Most of them stupid, so there is no sense dwelling. Let's just hope I am back for a long time.

Thank you for your patience. Talk to you again soon.

Your friend, Alexander Dimm

The Medical Science of House M.D.

2007-06-06T05:11:00.000-06:00

Several months ago I wrote a post about the television series House M.D. I have found myself addicted to the series after discovering it last fall. The USA Network allowed me to catch up on the previous two years while coasting along with the current season which ended just a week or so ago.

At the time I wrote the post I received a response from Andrew Holtz, MPH. He has written a book entitled "The Medical Science of House M.D." It took me close to six months, but I recently did find the time to devour a copy.

Holtz is a medical journalist. He worked for CNN as a medical correspondent in the 1980s and 1990s. He has also done plenty of work for public broadcasting.

Compared to all of his previous work, his latest book seems like a very commercial piece of puffery. House M.D. is a television show. It is fully of pretty, California looking doctors and patients for a series taking place in New Jersey. The concept that the good doctor is strung out on Vicodin and only sees patients he wants to see is hardly believable.

So why should be believe these far out tales of medical absurdities? Why would we think that anything that happens on the show is realistic at all?

From reading Holtz's book, there is plenty that is real and plenty that is fantasy, bordering on science fiction. One simple thing that Holtz exposes is that doctors rarely do their own lab work. House constantly gives his team assignments and sometimes swoops in and studies the results himself.

In reality, doctors do not do that. In some cases, they are not even allowed to do their own testing and analysis. They simply do not have the time or the training. Radiologists are paid good money to take the pictures and analyze the results. Sometimes the process takes days and weeks. Rarely do the good “facing” doctors come up with the solution to the medical mystery within twenty-four hours.

Yet some stories are closer to reality. The story of the couple with Cadmium poisoning due to smoking bad marijuana is a real possibility. Holtz explains to the reader that marijuana and tobacco are both likely to pull large amounts of heavy metals from the soil, which the smoker will later ingest. I have never smoked either substance but have always joked that I may when I retire and am no longer considered a role model. This story puts even the that light consideration to rest.

Holtz has put together an excellent paper. One chapter flows into the next easily, from the first visit to the doctor, to testing and all points of the diagnosis process. In fact, the author really did not need to include Dr. House in his presentation at all. The book could easily have stood on its own as a book about diagnosing illness.

When reading the ingredient list on a label, the FDA insists that the first ingredients listed have the greatest percentage in the package while the last ingredients listed have the smallest amount. The title of this book could hold to that requirement.

"The Medical Science of House M.D." is much more about medicine and science that it is about the television show. Holtz is obviously familiar with the program; although I am not positive he is a fan. After reading the book, it strikes me that he just wants to set the minds of potential patients straight about what their expectations should be.

He does that here and does it well. If you have any curiosity about specific storylines, or have an interest at all in the process of diagnosing illness, this book is worth your time.

Thank you for reading. We'll talk again soon.

Little League

2007-05-28T21:09:00.000-06:00

My father was never a baseball fan or a sports fan. He never missed an opportunity to put down my beloved Cubs. He didn't like Fergie Jenkins or Ron Santo. I admit he never made fun of my hero, Billy Williams. Then again, Billy was not as outspoken as Fergie or Ron.

My father often listened to WGN-AM in Chicago. That is where he picked up most of his information about what the fellows were doing. Maybe some of his friends talked about them as well.

When the Cubs were not playing well, he liked to say they were playing "little league". I do not know if he thought of that on his own or heard someone else say it, but it always made me angry. This was a professional sports team, not a little league team. Sure, they are going to make mistakes and lose sometimes, but why beat them up.

I was reminded of all of this late yesterday afternoon, watching the Cubs lose in the eleventh inning in Los Angeles. There were fine pitching performances lost (again) in that game. Rich Hill is back on track after a couple of rough outings. Michael Wuertz and Bobby Howry pitched okay after recent meltdowns.

Scott Eyre allowed a pinch-hit home run to future star Andre Ethier to tie the game at one. I could be upset about that but it pales in comparison to the later meltdown.

Angel Guzman had pitched two perfect innings. He allowed no hits are baserunners. The Cubs had squandered scoring opportunities again, but he was rolling along fine. Then he walks pinch-hitter Ramon Martinez to start the inning. Manager Lou Piniella could have pulled him there, but that is the sound of a back-seat driver. Piniella is trying to instill confidence in his young pitcher. He left him in to face pinch-hitter and back up infielder Wilson Betemit. Betemit walks. Ball four was no where near the strike zone.

After another terrible pitch to Rafael Furcal, Piniella finally lifts him for Carlos Marmol. Marmol comes in and intentionally walks Furcal to face former Cub Juan Pierre.

Three straight walks to load the bases and a weak hitter at the plate. Marmol hits Pierre with a pitch. The winning run scores. If that cannot be described as a little league inning, what can?

Do you blame Guzman for the walks? Do you blame Piniella for not pulling Guzman faster? Do you blame Marmol who has been effective, but wild in the times we have seen him pitch?

Maybe this is not going to be the great year for the Cubs we all hoped for when the pocket book was opened this winter. Maybe the bullpen is going to allow the season to drift away. Maybe Piniella is going to experiment away the season.

After a long, frustrating day yesterday, the Cubs return home for an afternoon game today. Were they too tired? Maybe. They tried to come back in the ninth, but the game was too far gone. Another decent starting pitching performance lost.

Last year is was starting pitching and lack of timely hitting that killed the team’s hopes. This year it is relief pitching and a lack of timely hitting. Maybe we can pull it together before all hopes are gone.

Graduation Day

2007-05-24T21:44:00.000-06:00

The task I get to perform tomorrow has an ironic twist. For me, it is a preparation for what will come in years too soon. Tomorrow night, I will hand out diplomas to our area high school students.

It is a task bestowed upon a cohort and me because none of the other school board members were interested. That sounds harsh, but being one of the newest board members, some of them wanted a year off. Last Friday I went to graduation practice. I now know how to shake their hands and deliver the package. It will be fun.

I know some of the kids. Some I remember from before they started school. Others I only met this year. Few of them know much about me. That’s expected. I could not name any of the school board members when I grew up, nor could I tell you who handed me my paper.

What makes this experience ironic is that I went to college years ago and received an associate degree, I had mailed to me. It is even more interesting that when I completed my bachelor’s degree more recently and had that mailed as well. You think I would be more interested in being handed a diploma than handing it out!

So why do I consider this practice for years to come? I have two children who will eventually graduate. One will reach that mark much sooner than the other. There is a chance I will be voted off the board before I get the opportunity for delivering the paper to either one, but somehow I think I’ll get the chance.

One thing I already know is that no one in the gym tomorrow will notice me or remember that I was even there. That is just fine with me. I am proud of our school and our young people. It is there night to shine. I’ll be thinking of nights to come and warm myself in the glow.

Thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Open Letter to Samuel David Cheney

2007-05-23T20:33:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the world, Samuel! It is a bright and beautiful world we live in and I am glad you are here to join us!

You are a very lucky boy. Your mother, Mary, seems very nice. I have never met her or her partner, Heather, but I have heard your mother interviewed. It sounds to me like you are going to be in a home surrounded by love.

When it comes down to it, love is all that is important.

Now, there are those who are going to criticize your mother and her partner. Ignore them. They are people who do not understand about love. They only understand about the importance of their own personal opinions. Ignore them and they will go away.

There are also people who criticize your grandfather. I admit that I have criticized his choices and decisions from time to time. Ignore us, too. Your grandfather is a good hearted person. I may not agree with some of his ideas, but he is still your grandfather. That is good enough.

Not that you have asked for it, but I do not have a toy or money to offer as a gift, so I will offer this advice instead: Listen. Listen to people. Listen to what they say. Watch what they do. Make very few comments and make the choices that will benefit the most people.

A writer named William Shakespeare once said, “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” These are good words to live by.

I wish you well, young Samuel David. Good luck and do good work. We know, with the good people looking out for you, you will have a good life.

Benji

2007-05-22T20:29:00.000-06:00

“Benji” is one of those movies that feels out of place. Recently, my wife and I found a copy of the movie after bringing a Lhaso Apso into our family. The name they gave it at the shelter was Benji and it looks a little like the movie dog.

Watching the Joe Camp production was a little like opening a time capsule. There were some interesting things there, but you definitely feel like you going through someone else’s closet. In both cases, you have been given an open invitation, but it still feels a little odd.

In short, the movie is about a “dog with no home” in a non-described, rural southern town. We see the dog’s daily routine. We meet the dog’s friends.

Then we get to the plot. The home where the dog lives is broken into by young, well dressed people who are preparing to kidnap someone. Of course, those kidnapped are the dog’s friends.

In the end, the bad guys are caught, the dog is adopted and everyone lives happy. In 1974, it was the top “family” film and one of the top films of the year. It was Camp’s most famous and popular film. Several more “Benji” movies were made, but none could top the original.

The sad truth is that “Benji” will never be held in the high esteem of “The Wizard of Oz” or “Snow White”. It is simply a poor film. There are too many slow scenes of dogs running and real time and in slow motion. We see Benji travel through the same parts of town over and over again, to the same old Charlie Rich song.

There are cameos by Francis Bavier (Aunt Bee from “The Andy Griffith Show”) and Edgar Buchanan (Uncle Joe from “Petticoat Junction”). It was obvious both filmed their short scenes in one day, but both added nice warmth to the film.

Patsy Garrett, a “former child star” (I can’t find a thing about her career as a youth), had the best human role as a nanny and good friend to Benji. She went on to do plenty of guest starring roles on television and became a spokesperson for Purina Cat Chow (huh?).

Still, the star of the movie is Benji. Camp knew how to make this great little actor shine. The dog was also rescued from a shelter to co-star on the “Petticoat Junction” series before starring in this movie. He made one more Benji movie before leaving the role in subsequent movies to other look-alikes.

I was pretty young when I saw the film in 1974. I had never seen it until recently and was a little embarrassed. I remembered it as a nice warm film, and it was. What I didn’t remember was the slow pace and repetitive score. Nonetheless, it was worth the time to see it again and enjoy it with my family. If you have already seen “Crash” and “Hotel Rwanda” and need a change of pace, check it out sometime. You may just find out why we needed a new dog.

Cell Phones

2007-05-21T20:40:00.001-06:00

My current employer is a major communications company. I work in customer service and assist representatives by providing the information they need to answer questions customer have about their equipment.

That sounds very vague so I will be clearer. I work for a wireless telephone company. If you have a question about your bill or cannot get your phone to work, you call my department. I try to find answers that the people you talk to do not know instantly.

When I started with the company, about three mergers ago, cell phones were very simple. There was no text messaging or internet. There were no cameras. You could not download ring tones. It was much simpler just a few short years ago.

They did not cell “bag phones” or “brick phones” when I started. I have not been working there more than ten years yet. Those types of phones stretch back to the 80’s and 90’s. I worked for a man who owned a brick phone. It worked, but it wasn’t very practical.

The problem with working for a cell phone company today is that people expect you to be an expert. There are so many different models of phones, superphones, blackberrys and PDAs that it is nearly impossible to be an expert on all models.

With ring tones, answer tones, text messaging, multi-media messaging, video, mobile television, 3G, mobile internet and so much more, it is amazing what phones can do these days.

We are just getting to the tip of the iceberg as well. Someday, you will use your phone, not only at vending machines, as has been discussed for years, but at restaurants and gas stations, in lieu of cash or credit cards. Just charge your purchase to the phone.

Earlier today, my daughter had a simple request. She wanted to download a couple ringtones and set them up for different callers. I know it could be done, but I could not explain how. My area is more about the bills than the handsets.

We went to the company website and discovered that her handset could not do what she wanted. My daughter has a phone that is already outdated.

In my mind, it is only eighteen months old. In the cell phone world, it is the equivalent of a Ford Model A during the 1980s. Nice to look at and maybe it works, but it is no longer practical.

Already I am adding “cell phone” to the list of things for my daughter’s next birthday. She is going to have to suffer with this one for the summer, but by the time her birthday rolls around, it will be worth it.

Thanks for reading. We will talk again soon.

Sabbatical

2007-05-21T05:15:00.001-06:00

Shortly after the first of May I predicted that my postings would become fewer and farther between. I did not expect to take more than a week between posting, but here it is Monday, May 21st and I have not posted since Wednesday, May 9th.

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Our new dog is settling down. We have had several band concerts and other school and church functions. Nothing terribly disturbing has come into our lives during this time.

I have been sad, however. My creative flow has been stunted. It has made me down and nearly unlivable. I find I need to write to survive. Therefore, I am still searching for the best time of day to develop my thoughts, but I am committed to writing on a regular basis once again.

Thank you for your patience. We’ll talk again soon.

National Honor Society

2007-05-09T21:52:00.001-06:00

Tonight, the family went down the street to the high school. We gathered with other parents and students in a room that holds seventy to eighty people. There were forty or so school desks. You know the kind. It is a metal one-piece there the desk surface is attached to the chair. Think of the desks that Jake and Elwood Blues sat in at the Catholic Church to talk to the nun.

My wife and I sat in the back row. There were people standing in the back, including the school principal. There were a few teachers in attendance, but not many.

For the most part, the students ran the meeting. The officers of the local chapter of the National Honor Society handed out awards and inducted the newest members. My daughter was one of those inducted tonight.

There is nothing that can say how proud I am of my daughter. She gets 98% of her intelligence from her mother. She has good work habits. She cares about the world around her. From a fellow student being treated badly by others to the mismanaged war, she understands and does what little she can to make the world a better place.

My daughter has no greater fans in this world than her mother and I. We knew from the day she was born that she was special. She keeps on proving it to us every day. She also writes. She plays the piano. She gets involved in community social action events.

Okay, she is also a sixteen year old. She spends a lot of time on the phone. She does a lot of socializing with friends. Yet we both know that this is not just what her life is. She budgets her time and makes certain what needs to be done gets done.

I know I am bragging and I am getting to a point of being boring. I apologize. It is just that it needs saying. I love my daughter. She is the best.

Thank you for reading. I will write again soon.

Routines

2007-05-08T21:16:00.000-06:00

Sometimes things sneak up on you. I have mentioned recently that my wife and I bought a dog. We gave a home to a young dog from a rescue shelter. We have had it now for a few weeks. It is wonderful.

It is also having an effect on my routine. For instance, for months now, my routine has been to get up of a morning, take my shower, and sit down at the computer and write something for this very blog. It does not work that way every day, but most days I am successful at building something.

This morning the realization hit that things are going to have to change. Exactly how they will change I am not certain, but I have an idea.

The dog has taken up residence in our room at night. That means the dog must go out first thing of a morning. Admittedly, my wife takes our dog out most of the time, but I do not want her to feel she must be the only one to take the puppy out. I try to jump up first two or three times a week.

Now keep in mind we are a household of four humans and two pets. The young boy does not need a shower of a morning, preferring a bath of an evening, but does use the bathroom in the morning. I usually shower first because my wife drinks coffee first thing and I do not.

Since we acquired the canine, I am sometimes putting the finishing touches on my Pulitzer Prize winning work when my wife is ready for her turn. I tell her to leave the “nearly housetrained” dog with me.

Because the “nearly housetrained” dog is not “fully housetrained”, my wife has started to insist that I come downstairs and be with the dog instead of leaving the dog upstairs with me while I finish my work. What that means is that I cannot post a blog first thing in the morning.

This is not my wife’s fault. To be real, it is not the dog’s fault either. The dog is just being a dog. My wife is trying to get her day started. It makes sense that I move a little faster and spend a little more time with our newest family member.

Where does that leave my writing? I work nine hours, not counting a half-hour one way commute. That’s ten hours out of the day. When I come home, we eat supper together as a family and then do “whatever needs to be done.” Sometimes that “whatever” is homework. Sometimes that is school functions, like band concerts or open houses. Sometimes it is paying the bills or just watching a favorite show on T.V. with my son or daughter.

Sometimes “whatever” is taking the dog for a walk or playing fetch. All that “whatever” leaves writing low on the list of things to do in the evening.
I love to write. It is my favorite thing to do. It is taking the ball of clay and making something that is alive. Yet, writing takes time. In the morning, my mind is fairly clear and I can make sense of the ideas. Of an evening, thoughts of the day make the mind scramble.

I am still going to try to post each day to this blog. I was going to try to post to four blogs regularly, but I knew weeks ago that it was too much. There is a new routine to be found. It will present itself eventually.

Sometimes things sneak up on you. Pets enter your life. Daughters earn their drivers licenses. Sons wake up.

I have a son who will be turning nine this month. For years, when there is little to say, I have heard him go on about jokes he remembers from “Jimmy Neutron” and “Fairly Oddparents”. The latest thing he enjoys quoting is old Bob Saget jokes from “Funniest Home Videos”.

But now my son is beginning to show signs of waking up. Tonight, we were riding home from pizza. It was just the two of us in the car. He says, “Dad. Did you hear about the tornado in Kansas?” I had read about it but patiently listened to my son explain the damage the area received. He showed concern for the people of the area and marveled at the size of the storm.

Still, he is just a boy. He admitted that it was funny that it was a “tornado in Kansas” just like in the “Wizard of Oz” books he has been reading.

My son is starting to take notice of the world. I remember when my daughter was that age and was reading about Anne Frank and having great interest in Bible stories and historical figures. She wanted to know about real things and grew away “children’s stories.”

Now my daughter is a young woman thinking about college and other aspects of her future. My son is starting to realize there is a world outside of computer generated movies and video games.

I am starting to realize that there will be time enough to write and make my postings.

If you notice that I have missed a day or so, do not worry. It may be because I am walking the dog or at a band concert or simply playing a game of “Sorry” with my son. Soaking up the inspiration of my family gives me more perspective and makes me a better writer.

Just remember that I will be back soon enough. The days with each of my family, even the dog, are preciously numbered. After all, computers may never go away, but family memories keep you warm forever.

Dimmer than Normal

2007-05-07T05:09:00.000-06:00

I have not been writing here as regularly as normal and I apologize. There has been a lot going on in the Dimm household.

First of all, I learned last week that the people who installed our furnace the past February also sabatoged our air conditioning system. They were hoping we would buy a new air conditioner, so they chose not to hook up the old unit. I was amazed they owned up to it. I am still trying to decide whether to take legal action.

Our brand new, ten-month old, Lhaso Apso became sick last week. Although we were careful, we were very worried that he was infected by bad pet food that came from overseas. He seems to have recovered and all is well again.

Between end of the year school band concerts and church activites, sick dogs and school board meetings, non-functioning air-conditioners and other happenings, life at the Dimm home has been crazy.

This is the start of a new week. I am excited. Nothing special is planned (except the air-conditioner people are expected tomorrow and I have a meeting to attend tonight). The blog will go merrily along.

That is good. There is a lot to talk about. Feel free to let me know what is on your mind.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Paula Poundstone

2007-05-04T05:21:00.000-06:00

One of my guilty reading pleasures is books written by stand-up comedians. Paula Poundstone joins a group of funny people from Fred Allen to Bill Cosby to Paul Reiser, who become funny authors. Her book is the aptly titled “There’s Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say”. According to Poundstone, it took nearly eight and a half years to complete, largely due to a personal legal issue that she discusses within the covers.

It is no secret that Poundstone was arrested and spent six months at a rehabilitation facility. It had to be a horrible time in her life. Still, she finds a way to look back with a jaundiced eye and comes up with a way of looking at her problems to make us laugh.

The book consists of seven lengthy chapters which give us capsule views of famous people in history as presented by someone with attention deficit syndrome. The truth is Poundstone does not have to repeat the story of Helen Keller. We know the story.

Poundstone’s versions do not change the facts like a Stan Freberg satire, nor does it add in odd sequences like a Dr. Floyd podcast. Poundstone simply tells the store of these famous people of history, but often gets sidetracked by telling you her own thoughts and experiences.

Sometimes she even gets sidetracked from the story where she was sidetracked. While explaining the story of Orville and Wilbur Wright, she mentions how Wilbur wrote to the Smithsonian Institution. This gives her a chance to talk about her visit to the Smithsonian Institution, but before she can get to deep into her story, she begins to talk about museums in particular before waxing poetic about seeing Debbie Reynolds perform a Judy Garland tribute onstage.

The stream-of-consciousness writing style works well for Poundstone. She knows this is not going to be a reference book appearing on a sixth-grader’s biography report. The point of the book is to make us laugh and make us think.

She points out things that simply do not seem right in this world. She reminds us of how a Today show report on Somalia was interrupted with the news of Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s separation. She tells about her son’s elementary school classmates telling her what would happen during the rapture. “I guess it’s not important to decide whether (my son) should brown bag or have hot lunch next week then.”

Among the spare observations are autobiographical references. She talks frankly about why she is not married. She tells how she came to own so many animals. Most importantly, she talks about being a foster parent and her love for her adopted children.

The book is never going to replace “The Power of Positive Thinking” as a book of inspiration, nor will it make us forget the work of Mark Twain. What this book will do if find ways to make you laugh and realize that no matter how hard you have it, some people have it worse. Just ask Joan of Arc.

Thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Seven Wonders of Illinois

2007-05-01T05:40:00.000-06:00

The Illinois Bureau of Tourism announced a list of “seven wonders” of Illinois. All make sense, although none of Lincoln’s landmarks are included.

I have had personal experience with three of the affirmed ‘wonders’ and can say they are indeed wonderful. Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois is a splendid location. I visited as a youth and have wanted to return with my children for years now. The stories and the rock formations make for a fascinating adventure for young and old.

Last summer, my wife encouraged us to visit Allerton Park and Retreat Center in Monticello. It is hard to get a guy to go look at flowers and bushes, but she had been there a year or so ago and wanted us to come. With a name like Allerton Park, she could have told me it was a horse race track and fooled me into going, but she is not that conniving and I am not that goofy.

I admit, it is a beautiful place. It is amazing the thought that went into such a place. The statues are amazing and the design is such that you do not see in Central Illinois. I encourage anyone who can appreciate the beauty of a flower to visit Allerton Park.

Black Hawk State Historic Site near Rock Island is on a list of places we may have to visit this summer. Last summer we were near to the “Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway” but did not to there or to Rend Lake near Benton. Appearing on the list give us all the more reason to travel that way again soon.

We also have not visited the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, but may have to go that way on our way to find Krispy Kremes and White Castle sandwiches.

So where on the list should we put any of the Lincoln landmarks? What should we bump? Wrigley Field? Do not start that with me. All of my family has been to Wrigley Field and it is my personal sanctuary. For me, Wrigley Field is at the top of the list.

This list is for the places of spiritual, architectural and botanical wonder. Lincoln’s landmarks are a bounty of historical facts and feelings. Lincoln’s landmarks stir your mind and your heart. This list is filled with places that stir your soul.

The people who voted for the seven wonders picked a great list. Nice job to each one. It is going to make 2007 fun for me and my family.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Don Imus and mediamatter.org

2007-04-29T06:46:00.000-06:00

Don Imus has been a regular topic since he uttered a sophomoric description of the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team. It was horrible and stupid and, as I have written here before, he should have been fired.

My wife offered me the April 23, 2007 issue of Newsweek magazine. Keep in mind that Newsweek is a “strategic partner” to NBC, who was one of Imus’ employers.

The article “The Power That Was”, written by Weston Kosova, was mostly a recap of what happened recently regarding Imus’ idiotic attempt at humor and the wrath that poured down upon him afterward.

Kosova makes one point that I did not realize until I read the article. On Wednesday, April 4, 2007, the day of the incident, millions of people listened on the radio and watched on MSNBC. Nobody flinched at the remark.

Okay, maybe somebody flinched, but nothing was said. It was just the I-Man doing his schtick. Imus makes fun of people. It is what he gets paid to do.

It was not until later that things boiled over. An employee of Media Matters, Ryan Chiachiere, watched the show on tape and brought the comment (among others) to his employers. His employers then began make the statement available at their website, but more importantly, added the clip on YouTube.

It was then that the controversy sparked and caught fire. Hours after the program had ended; people had the comment pointed out to them and became incensed.

Think about this for a moment. People who normally do not watch or listen to Don Imus became aware of the comment and became upset. Within a week, Don Imus was out of work.

Even I, who did not watch or listen to Imus regularly, became caught up in the discussion, and I have always stated that I enjoyed Imus when I could listen.

If I run a stop sign, and there are no cars or pedestrians in the area, but a local television crew accidental, but clearly, tape my car running through the intersection, can I get a ticket a week later? I clearly violated the law. Would it be right if the news crew ran a story on the late news that Alexander Dimm ran a stop sign and then the police ticketed me because they heard about the story on the news?

Somehow understanding that the Imus controversy did not spring up from the initial statement bothers me. The fact that his firing was generated, not by regular listeners, but by people who look to the internet for issues they can champion colors the whole affair.

At the core, should Imus have been fired for his statement? Of course. As it states in the Newsweek article, Imus normally saves those kinds of remarks for newsmen, writers and politicians. Still, he should not be making these kinds of remarks about anyone.

Should Media Matters have spread the word once Chiachiere made them aware? Of course. Media Matters is a great organization who works hard to point out the misinformation being spread in the world of news today. Everyday they point out errors by people you would expect and people you would not. If you have not seen it, I urge you to visit their website at http://mediamatters.org/.

Imus was not considered by Media Matters to be a frequent offender. People do not get upset about offensive statements by Howard Stern and/or Glenn Beck because these people, and others like them, are consistent. Everyday they utter things that are offensive and stupid.

Imus did not take a step “over the line”. He took a step “over his own line”. He made a statement he would not normally make. He offended a group of people he would not normally offend. He did it and he paid the price.

There are many others getting paid today who frequently step over the “Imus line” but not over their own line. They are still working, and will likely continue to work. That is the saddest statement about this affair.

Imus, who understood the workings of Washington, did not hold with a political party, and was willing to puncture a republican as easily as a democrat, no longer has a voice. Many others who spew misinformation and venom like it is the weather report will continue to go merrily on their way. They do because their statements are not out of character for them.

If you are unhappy with comments made by any news reporter or political commentator, speak up. Be specific. Tell them what you heard and how you felt. Do not make it a personality issue. Write down what was said and when. Then let those in charge know.

I have already written that I feel Glenn Beck should be removed from his nightly program at CNN Headline News. If you agree and want an opportunity to be heard, contact CNN at this link, http://www.cnn.com/feedback/. You may be surprised what can happen.

Thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Presidential Debate

2007-04-27T05:33:00.001-06:00

The next presidential election is still about nineteen months away. Apparently the Democrats believe they had better get started.

Last night MSNBC broadcast a debate between the democrats. My wife and I would have loved to have watched, but I was unaware of the program and my wife forgot until after it had ended. I assured her that the network would rerun the debate, and then promptly forgot to look for it again.

On one hand, the election is nineteen months away. There will be many, many more debates and speeches in the meantime. On the other hand, I love this stuff and it would have been fun to watch.

It has been awhile since I have written about the candidates. I still encourage everyone to read as much as you can and listen and find your candidate. I have not yet solidified my choice for next fall. We do not have to vote until the spring 2008 primaries, so I am taking my time.

I am keeping my eye on the obvious contenders, including Barack Obama, John Edwards (who gave a great speech recently that is available as a podcast from www.johnedwards.com) and Christopher Dodd on the democrats’ side. I am also keeping my ears open to Sam Brownback, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain among the republicans.

I would love to consider people like Joe Biden and Tommy Thompson, but both have let themselves down by uttering foolishness. Biden attempted to praise Obama and ended up offending previous African-American candidates. Thompson recently offended people of the Jewish faith while attempting to compliment them. If they cannot properly offer words of simple praise to the people of our country, in relatively non-stressful circumstances, are we going to allow them to speak to the leaders of the world?

Then there is Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich (who hasn’t officially announced but acts like he has). These two continue to spout statements that in my mind fuel the fires of hate within this country. Romney has made clear his beliefs regarding the rights of those wishing same-sex marriages. Gingrich is notorious for his attitudes toward women. Neither is worth our time.

Have the candidates I have mentioned favoring uttered foolishness? Occasionally they have, but they have not taken positions that fall totally in my disfavor, although McCain does support the war, and their statements have not done undo harm to their campaign. In the cases of Biden, Thompson, Romney and Gingrich, their past statements will make them easy targets as the months fly by.

I love a good presidential campaign. There is a lot of good information on the internet and some bad information. Never take what I say as gospel. Take what the candidates say and scrutinize it carefully. Understand what they stand for and decide who you would like to see as our next president. If you can choose soon enough, consider volunteering for a campaign, even if typing a few words of support on someone’s blog is all you can afford.

If there is anything you disagree with here, let me know. I would love to hear what you think.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

The Return of Roger Ebert

2007-04-26T05:32:00.001-06:00

Back in the 1970s, WTTW, the public broadcasting channel in Chicago experimented with a program they called “Coming to a Theatre Near You”. The project involved two men who wrote movie reviews for the local newspapers.

The program received local praise and the network decided to take in national. They renamed the show “Sneak Previews”. The set was the seating section of a movie theatre. On one side sat Gene Siskel, who played the snooty, white collar, classy, opinionated critic. On the other side sat Roger Ebert, who played the everyman. He was maybe a little more blue collar, but appreciated film from more of the “regular joe” perspective.

Both men knew movies. Once they did a show debating whether Woody Allen or Mel Brooks were funnier. You can guess which critic took up which case. Each had an angle that was special, but if there was a bad movie out there, both knew it. If there was a great movie out there, both knew it. The biggest arguments were about the movies “in the middle”. Listening to the two men debate was fun.

Through the 80’s and 90’s, the show went commercial and elements changed. Occasionally the two men were asked to do prime time network specials. They were frequent guests of Johnny Carson and David Letterman. Both were excellent spokespeople for the city of Chicago.

Then we lost Gene Siskel. He seemed too young at the time and he is sadly missed.

Roger Ebert seemed to transform through the years. He became less blue collar and more like a college professor. Each year he hosts a film festival weekend in his hometown Champaign, Illinois. The ninth annual event began last night. He often has big names appear on stage with him to discuss their work and film in general.

Ebert has been fighting cancer in recent years. Last night in Champaign, he made a public return after a long absence. There were no speeches and there won’t be for awhile. Still it is good to see him up and around and able to appear before a crowd.

Roger Ebert has become a part of the family through the years. Most of Illinois, if not the world, hopes he can get past this and continue to teach us about great film for years to come.

In the Doghouse

2007-04-25T05:32:00.000-06:00

My usual pithy comments have been missing for the past few days. I certainly apologize, but I have been busier than normal since Friday.

We have a new arrival at our home. It weighs about eight or nine pounds and is cute as a button. Without holding you in too much suspense, our new family member is a ten-month old Lhasa Apso. We brought the boy home from a shelter on Saturday and he has fit right in with most of us.

My wife is head over heels in love with the puppy. She gave it a bath last night and is taking it to be neutered today. If the last is not a sign of affection I do not know what is. She spent two weeks searching local shelters and not so local shelters trying to find a dog that would fit our family. Since we brought him home she is studying the computer and checking out library books in an effort to make the transition smooth and understand how best to take care of the pooch.

My sixteen year old daughter loves the dog too, but is careful not to let it interfere with her social life. My eight year old son loves the dog, but is also careful not to let it interfere with video games and other pastimes. Our five year old cat is still clinging to the hope that if it hisses enough it will go away.

My wife is the best pet owner in Central Illinois. She loves the dog, which is the most important step. I am probably a poor pet owner. The old school pet-owner approach fits me better. Give it a place to stay and some food and it should be fine. I like to take it outside and go for walks, but I try to solve other issues on my own.

Here is an example of my goofy way of pet care compared to my wife’s thoughtful approach. Since bringing the dog home Saturday, we set him up in a small room for bed time. The first night, the dog pawed at the door and whined, but eventually slept. The next night was more of the same.

My wife and I agreed that we should probably get a crate. We both work and the crate would keep the baby dog from destroying the little room bit by bit. My wife went out Monday night and found a great crate.

Just a side note, I don’t like crates. Crate is just a nicer name than cage. The whole point of giving the dog a home is so it does not have to live in a cage. You never see “Old Yeller” in a cage. “Lassie” is never seen in a cage. Still, after owning a basset hound for twelve years, I understand the value of a crate.

So Monday night was our dog’s first night in its crate. It was the first night I heard the boy bark repeatedly. Sure, there was the occasional yelp, but Monday night was a call for help. It did not want to spend the night in the crate.

What did Alex do? In my old school wisdom, I grabbed a pillow and slept on the floor outside the dog’s room, inches from the crate, where the dog could see me. Within minutes he settled down. After a half-hour or so, I moved so the dog could still see my feet, but not my head. The dog got up for a moment or two, but spun around and lay back down again.

An hour or so later, I moved to the living room couch, which was still within sight and sound of our new border. At first, he whined, but when I told him to go to sleep, he did.

I did not get much sleep that night, but it seemed like a victory. When morning came, I realized that, in some ways, I spent the night in the doghouse.

Yesterday, my wife combed the internet and learned that Lhaso Apsos hate to be left alone. The best thing would be to let the dog sleep in our room. The boy is not fully housebroken, so we were worried about doing such a thing. Now we had documented proof that it would be okay.

Last night, we slept nearly straight through the night. The boy got my wife up early to go outside, but otherwise it was a successful experience.

If my wife had not been looking for the best solutions, we would need to replace a door in our house, or I would have spent another night on the floor downstairs, if not for the next week or two.

Instead we have a living situation that is comfortable for all of our new family. My wife is wonderful. She found a new companion for us all, and knows how to use modern technology to make it work. I like the internet too, but my wife is more fun to be around. I am a lucky guy.

Now that I am rested, I can write again! Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Is Glenn Beck a Liberal?

2007-04-19T22:33:00.000-06:00

If Don Imus is considered racist, sexist and a misogynist, how do you define Glenn Beck?

Remember when “conservative” meant being careful. Looking at a definition of the word conservative, it states:

1. Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
2. Traditional or restrained in style: a conservative dark suit.
3. Moderate; cautious: a conservative estimate.

Think about this. It uses words like “cautious” and “restrained”. Yet I notice that many of those who describe themselves as conservative are anything but “cautions” and “restrained”.

Would someone described as “conservative” call anyone a “fat witch”? Glenn Beck does. March 21, 2007.

Would someone go on the radio and refer to a neighboring nation as a “dirtbag country”? Glenn Beck did. April 27, 2006.

On February 28, 2007, Glenn Beck was interviewing an American Idol contestant who had been scandalized by racy photos that had become public. Beck’s “conservative” response? “I’ve got some time and a camera. Why don’t you stop by?”

Is this an example of "traditional values"? Dr. Dobson, are you listening?

Are these types of barbs considered witty? None of this would be funny or thought-provoking if it were uttered by Larry the Cable Guy. Don Imus is a first cousin to Bob Hope compared to the “funny, conservative” humor of Glenn Beck.

How is this for a funny observation: On the August 24, 2006 broadcast of his program on CNN, Beck complained about hotels that put Braille markings next to the doors of the rooms. “Just to piss them [blind people] off, I'm going to put in Braille on the coffee pot ... 'Pot is hot.' "

I wrote recently that I believed a broadcaster I sometimes enjoyed, Don Imus, should have been fired for his recent remarks regarding the students and athletes of Rutgers. I stand by that statement.

The truth remains that if Imus deserves to be sent home, so do many other broadcasters. Glenn Beck is someone who liberally offends and openly hates people. That does not make Beck a liberal. In fact, he is far from being either a good conservative or a good liberal. He is far from being good at anything.

I hope CNN wakes up before he embarrasses their organization any more than he already has.

Jackie Robinson

2007-04-18T05:17:00.000-06:00

Even though both Chicago teams lost on Sunday, it was still a great day. Three years ago, Major League Baseball declared that each April 15th would be Jackie Robinson day.

This year, different players on each team asked to wear the retired number of Robinson. Six Cubs wore the number while five Sox also took a turn. The Dodgers, for whom Robinson played, had all of their team where number 42.

Robinson was 28 years old when he broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over ten years, he played in nearly 1,400 games, batting .311 and hitting 137 home runs. The stats are not incredible, but very, very good. Robinson retired after being traded to the dreaded Giants. Seems he was more loyal to the Dodgers than they were to him.

What I did not know about Robinson was that, during his career, he played every position except the battery positions, although he only played shortstop once. He spent the most time at second base, where he finished with a nice .983 fielding percentage.

To compare, former Cincinnati star and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan had a .981 fielding percentage after playing three times as many games at second base in twice as many years. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Fame player who spent most of his career at second finished with .965. Hall of Famer Rod Carew split his career between second and first base, and finished at .973.

Oh yeah, Ryne Sandberg finished with .989 at second base. He played for the Cubs for a few years and entered the Hall awhile back. He was pretty good, but he did not have to battle the demons Jackie Robinson did.

Crossing to color barrier could not have been easy. He endured insult upon aggravation. Players and fans alike showed disrespect and in some cases, hatred. Jackie Robinson was a special man. He handled the entire ten years and more with class and dignity.

It is amazing that this year’s wonderful celebration had to be shadowed by the horrible comments made by an eccentric old man who has 1940s values in a 21st century world.

Jackie Robinson had a career that was relatively short and, although he put up good numbers, were hardly overwhelming. Still, he accomplished so much in such a short time.

I hope someday we forget about Jackie Robinson. I hope that the relationship between all people is such that we do not have to celebrate those who helped prove that we are all one people.

Until that day, I will look forward to each April 15th. Nice play, Jackie. Nice play.

Let the Cry "Remember Virginia Tech" Ring Loud and Clear

2007-04-16T20:54:00.000-06:00

This is the last thing I wanted to write about today.

There were other things I was had in mind. There is a book I am reading I wanted to discuss. There are thoughts about other radio and television performers who often make comments worse than those made by Don Imus last week that need to be shared. Yesterday, baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson day.

It all has to be set aside. Today, a man killed our children.

News reports differ. Some say thirty were killed. Others say thirty-three. Almost all use the words “at least”.

I heard about the first shooting of two people early this morning. The story at that time reminded us that on August 20, 2006 there was a shooting at Virginia Tech. At that time the campus was closed to protect the students.

At that time, it was the police doing the shooting. A convict, who escaped from Montgomery County Jail in nearby Christiansburg, close to eight miles away from Blacksburg, was suspected of killing a hospital guard and a sheriff’s deputy. The suspect was shot and killed just off the Virginia Tech campus.

Security was still working, even today, to protect the students of the University. Unfortunately, even with added protection, there were still two sets of shootings.

President George W. Bush got it right when he said today, “Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community.”

Of course, schools are not the only places where there should not be guns and death. Churches, schools, government buildings, grocery stores, shopping malls, hardware stores, amusement parks, parks, parking garages, hospitals, restaurants and I could go on and on.

As citizens of this country, we have a right to protect ourselves, but we also have a right to expect to live our lives without the threat of being harmed at any time by any person. We need to rethink what is happening is this world today.

Today, our President is attempting to spread democracy overseas. It is a nice idea, but look for a moment at what democracy is giving us. There are individuals killing our children. There are no reasons. There are no excuses.

I do not care how today's killer was treated as a child. I do not care if he was abused. I do not want to know this man’s life story.

There are over thirty life stories that need to be celebrated and mourned. There are over thirty people whose promise-filled futures were cut short. Every life is precious. Every life is important.

Today, a co-worker made a joke. He referred to another co-worker as someone capable of pulling a “Virginia Tech” where we work. It was not funny. It will not be funny tomorrow or a month from now.

We need to find solutions. We need to reach out to each other in a spirit of love and friendship.

Instead of talk of weapons and wars, we need to be finding ways to make every citizen feel they count. That is what we all want. As a people, we want to feel we contribute.

Today, I bow my head and close my eyes for a moment for those children we have lost throughout the world. Tears fall for those students from Virginia Tech. Tears fall for those young men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tears fall for those in Darfur.

For a middle-aged man from central Illinois, there is not much I can do. I can smile at everyone I see today. I can lend a hand where I see a hand is needed. I can write and hope that as you read this you will do the same.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Open Letter to Don Imus

2007-04-16T04:48:00.001-06:00

Dear Don:

Hope this letter finds you feeling well. I know the past week has been hard on you. It has been hard on all of us.

I wrote a couple of posts about you last week. I tried to be as kind as possible, but I still had to admit that I would fire you under the same circumstances. What you and Bernard said was inexcusable. I was disappointed in the two week suspension, because it was such a slap on the wrist. When they finally spoke up to say you had been dismissed, it renewed my faith in organizations such as MSNBC and CBS. Now if CNN can follow suit.

I know, I know. You do not work for CNN. I just mean there are people in that organization who say things as bad as, if not worse than, your little joke about the Rutgers basketball team. This letter is not about them. It is about you.

You are a free agent now. So what are you going to do?

Doing commercials is not out of the question. I am not certain who would hire a racist, sexist, misogynist to represent their company. You never know. There may be someone out there ready to capitalize on your recent celebrity.

There may even be another radio station willing to give you a try. They will probably make you and Bernard promise not to talk bad about women, but will also be willing to promote someone who has been all over the news and internet recently.

Satellite radio is probably not the way to go. Howard Stern still accuses you of copying him. He probably thinks this whole scuttle over Rutgers is your way of copying him. As bad as things are you do not want to do anything that would compare you to Stern.

How is this for an idea? You are in your sixties. You have opinions. Why not write a newspaper column? That way, your name is out there. You can be your witty self. If you cross any borders there are editors who will keep you in check. It is a perfect fit!

Who would place your column? Lots of papers will take a column with your name. Just follow this path: Write a book (either you or a ghost). Tell your side of the story and how bad you feel. Also write about the kids in New Mexico and anything else that strikes your fancy.

Then you will do the book tour. You will do some public speaking and book signings. People will begin to warm up to your crusty image again. Do a fund-raiser or two as well. Just be certain not to use any of the slurs in public, okay? If you learned anything from this it is that there are things you and Charles and Bernard can say at the bar that you cannot say in public. Keep that in mind when you roam around the country.

Then start the weekly column. It will grab a lot of attention at first. People may complain, but who cares, right?

A column is ten times easier than a four hour radio show. You will still be making money. It is a great fit.

Give it some thought. In the meantime, relax a bit. Enjoy the summer. Maybe jot down some ideas for the book. Let me know if you need someone to bounce some thoughts.

Anyway, I miss the show already. Good luck to you. Talk to you soon.

Jenny O'Hara on House M.D.

2007-04-13T05:28:00.000-06:00

Doctor shows, whether comedies or dramas, are fun because they allow guest appearances from people you may not see much otherwise. “House M.D.”, over the past three years of existence, has had a variety of patients, from Michelle Trachtenberg to Howard Hessman to L.L. Cool J. Recently they had an excellent appearance by Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews band.

This past Tuesday, the show featured Jenny O’Hara as the victim who had the mysterious malady. I recognized her immediately because she did a lot of work as a character actress since the mid-seventies. As a teenager, she appeared on the soap opera “As the World Turns”. During the seventies and eighties she made appearances on shows like “The Rockford Files”, “Charlie’s Angels”, “Barney Miller” and “CHiPs”. Often she played vulnerable, insipid women. Her characters often lacked confidence in themselves.

At the start of the series “Facts of Life”, O’Hara was given a similar role as a teacher chasing after another male teacher at the school. It was a “Our Miss Brooks” kind of role which she did well, but the show cut the part after four episodes.

Most recently, she has played a recurring role on the “King of Queens” as Janet Heffernan. Unfortunately, I admit I rarely watch the Kevin James show so I do not know how the character relates to the plot, other than she is a family member.

Watching her on “House, M.D.”, I was amazed at O’Hara’s performance. She was still her trademark vulnerable character, but she was able to exhibit so much with just a handful of lines. She was able to show bravery in the face of fear. Her character, Fran, was afraid of growing older and letting life pass her by, so she decided to do things she would never have done as a younger woman. When telling her story, she was able to exhibit that bravery mixed with embarrassment and anger with herself.

O’Hara has grown much as an actress through the years. The part on the hospital drama was complicated and she was able to communicate to the audience exactly what the character was feeling each step of the way.

The television landscape is littered with programs, like "House, M.D.", that are so-called “dramadies”. I hope someone can offer Jenny O’Hara a part of an aunt or supervisor on one of these shows and allow audiences to see her on a regular basis. She can only make such a show better.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Kurt Vonnegut

2007-04-12T05:30:00.000-06:00

The master has slipped away.

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Kurt Vonnegut was an exceptional novelist. He had a view of life that has gone missing in much of today’s modern literature. To say he wrote science fiction is to say that Ernest Hemmingway was a reporter. Vonnegut wrote about life.

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He appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart within the past year. Stewart was great with what was obviously an older, slightly befuddled man. He was not the great wit and intellectual that we will remember, but he did have his moments. Stewart made him look good.

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Recently Mr. Vonnegut took a fall. The reports are that his death was due to the injuries. Maybe that is befitting of a man whose characters rarely just passed on quietly.

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Vonnegut has been welcome on my bookshelf since I discovered “Slapstick” in the mid-seventies. He retired from writing only to publish twice more. It is possible we may hear about one more unfinished manuscript. Somehow I hope so.

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Thank you, Mr. Vonnegut for Kilgore Trout and your messages of the painfulness and pointlessness of war. Thank you for introducing us to twisted people and their twisted lives and reminding us that we are a little twisted ourselves.

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God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut. May you rest in the peace you sought.

Guns and Schools

2007-04-11T05:21:00.000-06:00

During the film “Apollo 13” you see how the average United States citizen developed apathy toward the space program. By the time Apollo 13 was launched, space travel was not new and exciting anymore. Networks were happier to run “I Dream of Jeannie” rather than footage of these heroes in space.

It was not until there was trouble that anyone paid attention.

I worry that the same thing is going to happen with shootings in schools. Yesterday, a student was able to bring a 9 mm handgun into a Chicago school. He was showing it off to friends when it discharged by accident, wounding its owner and another boy.

Both are expected to recover and there is no evidence that there was a planned attack. That said, we still have the issue that the boy BROUGHT A GUN TO SCHOOL!!!

The south side of Chicago is a rough place. There have been plenty of songs written about organized crime, gangs and disorganized crime in the area. At the school in question yesterday, there were security officers and metal detectors due to a previous shooting.

Still, someone was able to bring a gun into the school.

That begs the next questions: How does a fifteen year old boy get his hands on a 9mm handgun? The first look is toward the parents. Then you look for older siblings. Then you look to where he spends his time. This boy did not build this gun in metal shop. He either purchased it somehow or, knowingly or unknowingly, borrowed it from someone.

I am not a big believer in gun control. I feel that gun control tends to control those people who are already responsible with their firearms. They are not the ones who need controlling. There does not need to be an outright ban on firearms in this country.

Still, laws can be tightened. You can make statistics say anything, but there are statistics that show that in areas with tougher laws, the number of homicides, crimes involving handguns and/or fatal accidents have declined.

Guns do not belong in schools, shopping malls or anywhere there are crowds of people. Guns belong on firing ranges and in marked hunting territories. Guns also belong with people licensed to protect us.

The story about the fifteen year old boy yesterday was front page news relegated to the inside pages because his name was not famous and his intent was not malicious. Still, there was a gun inside a school. People were hurt.

Can we not stop this?

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

"Imus In The Morning" will be right back after this!

2007-04-10T05:23:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning, prior to his suspension from both radio station WFAN and cable television offering MSNBC, Don Imus said, "Here's what I've learned: that you can't make fun of everybody, because some people don't deserve it," he said. "And because the climate on this program has been what it's been for 30 years doesn't mean it's going to be what it's been for the next five years or whatever."

Is this an apology?

The suspension is for two weeks. Management is gambling that those unhappy with Imus will have their attention diverted in two weeks time. Those who have enjoyed Imus in the past and have moved to other programs will return to see if he says anything else outrageous. Despite his hinting, Imus will continue to toss out his cranky opinions about everybody.

As I said in this space yesterday, Imus has not changed that much in forty years. The attitude is that he is smarter than everyone else. He is the “I-Man”. At the beginning of his career, he made prank phone calls because he was smarter. From that he segued into character-driven satire. Today, he makes fun of people during interviews. More often he puts down people who are not in the room to defend themselves.

Don Imus is like Gregory House without the stethoscope.

Yesterday, he spoke on Rev. Al Sharpton’s radio program. He said, “Our agenda is to be funny and sometimes we go too far. And this time we went way too far.” Again, this sounds more like a explanation than an apology.

So has Imus apologized? Yes he has. Is he truly repentant? Hard to say because he never truly lets you see inside, but probably not. Has he been punished? He has been given a two week vacation.

Is this the end of it? Probably. Rev. Jesse Jackson and Sharpton can boast they fought for a suspension. CBS radio and MSNBC can boast they punished their star. Imus can host another telethon and relax for a bit.

People like Imus do not get fired. Advertisers love controversy. They will pay top dollar for ads because people will be listening. Firing Imus will cost the stations money.

Yesterday I suggested that smaller market announcers would be fired for such comments and that Imus should be held to the same standard. Unfortunately, in the twenty-first century, business does not work that way.

Don Imus

2007-04-09T05:38:00.000-06:00

Don Imus did something wrong. You could put that sentence in any month during any year over the past forty years and you would likely be correct. Don Imus continually does things and says things that people do not like.

Imus started out in 1968 in Sacramento, California doing on-air pranks. It became so popular, he moved to Cleveland (no joke). From there he moved to WNBC in New York where be became a national star. He began to do stand-up comedy and created a character named Rev. Dr. Billy Sol Hargis, which was a satirical slap at the bible thumpers everywhere.

During the seventies he developed a cocaine problem which got him fired from WNBC. Between drinking and drugs, he was nearly washed up, but his talent kept him going. He returned to New York radio and even developed a syndicated television series which was similar to early David Letterman shows.

During the late eighties, Imus slowly phased out satirical humor for more political talk and humor. His program has been simulcast on MSNBC since 1996. Strangely enough, it was in 1996 that he gave his most famous speech. He spoke before the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington D.C. Bill and Hillary Clinton were in attendance.

Imus took the opportunity to skewer Hillary, who was deeply involved in the Whitewater scandal. Most speakers offer gentle, non-topical humor at these events. Imus went for the Clintons. The audience roared, but the Clintons sat silent.

Imus has been accused through the years of racism, misogyny and homophobia. Whether any of it is true is anyone’s guess. Remember that Imus got his start doing radio pranks. He knows what makes some people laugh and what gets everyone’s attention.

Imus has done some good things. During the nineties, he created the Imus Ranch in New Mexico. The ranch is a charitable organization for children with cancer, as well as siblings of SIDS victims. More recently, he attended the dedication of the Center for the Intrepid, a privately-built rehab center for wounded veterans. Imus helped the Center raise ten million and personally contributed over $300,000 himself.

Last week, Imus did something bad. He and his team used language that was racially charged. It was wrong. They were ignorant statements by people who do not understand the hard feelings such words create. These are not words I use in casual conversation, let alone on radio and cable television.

I like Don Imus. He is funny. He wants to see this world be a better place. He is a “cantankerous old fool” as a former employee once called him. He does not hold his feelings back, even when they are not in line with the rest of the country.

Should Imus resign or be fired? If I were to make a similar comment on the radio, if I had a radio show, I would be fired. Imus should be held to the same level. There is candor and there is hurtful. Once again, Imus has been hurtful and he must atone.

If he does quit or gets fired, two things will happen. Either he will retire to the Imus Ranch and continue with his wife to raise his son and do good work for the children of this world, or he will return on another station and be even bigger and stronger than before.

The second possibility has been his pattern in the past. After bad behavior, he returns to even greater results. The question is not should he quit. Of course, he should quit. The real question for Imus is whether he is ready to quit.

Only Imus knows that.

Easter Sunday

2007-04-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

Both my son and daughter awoke before me this morning. My third grader had found his Easter basket and enjoyed its delights. My high school age daughter was surprised she still had to look to find her basket.

On a personal level, I am trying to avoid the candy until after brunch. I intend to consume mass quantities of barbeque chicken and ribs today, along with corn and other delights. There will be cake and pie, but I doubt I even bother.

Several years ago, my wife and I decided to start eating Easter brunch outside the home. It has been a good decision. I cannot see asking her to prepare a special feast on a holiday. She should enjoy the holiday the same way we do.

We found a place we truly love and although we consider going elsewhere, we find our way back to the barbeque brunch. Church will begin in awhile, and then it is off to an expensive, but wonderful meal. Somewhere in there I will take a moment to appreciate just how lucky we are.

Here is hoping you and your family are having a wonderful Easter Sunday. Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd

2007-04-07T06:55:00.000-06:00

Imagine for a moment an older scientist with a freakishly small head. Give him a fairly normal sidekick and a walking computer companion. Are you with me so far?

Now consider that this scientist is the most intelligent person on the planet. He has designed, not one but two, “Time and Space Travel Devices”. Now one would be enough, but just like in the recent movie “Meet the Robinsons”, a second needed to be built in order for one to be stolen by an evil mastermind.

There you have the basic plot behind “The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd”. Grant Baciocco and Doug Price have brought back the imagination of radio that had faded years ago. The program is available by podcast at their website found off to the left, and at I-Tunes.

The program has been around now through five seasons. The most recent episodes are available at no cost. Otherwise, you can download the previous episodes for $0.99 at I-Tunes.

The program is reminiscent of “Beany and Cecil” and “Bullwinkle and Rocky” of years past. The writing is crisp and the voices are engaging. Even though the program is silly, you are pulled in and want more.

The program is billed as “family friendly” and there is no mistake about that. There is very little of the bathroom humor that I deplore. The humor is found within the characters and the situations that present themselves.

Without spoiling anything, the two leads, Dr. Floyd and Dr. Grant, are chasing Dr. Steve throughout time. Dr. Steve wants to steal historical artifacts to sell in our time on e-bay. Dr. Floyd and Dr. Grant are doing what they can to avoid Dr. Steve causing havoc with history.

Along the way, they run into historical figures including Galileo, George Washington, Annie Oakley, etc. Just as Boris and Natasha were constantly foiled, so are Dr. Steve and his sidekick Fidgert.

The images conjured by Baciocco and Price and wonderful and they move at a swift pace. Each episode runs six to eight minutes so you do not get bored. Schoolteachers have begun to include Dr. Floyd in their curriculum to get students interested in history. I would believe that high school English teachers would include the program to give students an example of creative writing.

The program is winning awards throughout the podcasting world, including the Parsec award in 2006 and the Podcast Peer award two years running. It has attracted the attention of many people. Celebrities have begun lending their voices to the show, including the great and wonderful June Foray, Emmy award winner Jeffery Tambor, and Saturday Night Live veteran Don Novello.

If you have not heard of “The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd”, now is your chance to get acquainted. Click on the link and download one or two. Beware! If you are not immediately hooked, you may be accused of not having a sense of humor!

Thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Iran and the U.K. Soldiers

2007-04-06T05:31:00.000-06:00

This has been a strange week. Yesterday, I failed to get to the internet. I spent the time I would normally write trying to figure out what the problem was. In the end, my wife disconnected everything and reconnected and here we are. My wife is the greatest!

Earlier this week, I stayed up late writing an article for a local paper and spent the morning rewriting. There was nothing in the article that I would post here, so I missed another day. I only missed a couple days of posting, but it feels like it has been a week. There has been a lot happening and we need to talk.

Today is a good day because the sailors from the United Kingdom have been returned home from Iran. To be fair, I have not read so much as I would like about the situation, but it is still unclear to me what Iran would have gained by keeping the sailors. The decision to send them home was a fair and rational choice.

What about the initial taking of the soldiers? Was that rational? Prime Minister Tony Blair contends his people were not in Iranian waters. Iran maintains they were. If this was as simple an argument as it sounds, then it is just a playground territory fight that needed to be settled.

Unfortunately, because we are playing with people’s lives, the argument is not simple. Questions about the involvement of Iran in the Iraq disputes continue. Whether Iran is developing nuclear weapons is still a concern.

Of course, people forget that the United States already has nuclear weapons. Again, if we are on the playground and one side has a stick and the other does not, is it fair to tell the other side not to pick up a stick?

Again, the scenario is too simple because we are not talking about who can use the swings. The lives of people are at stake. At some point, someone needs to step forward and agree that we need to get along.

There was a time when the United States played that role. There was a time when we worked to solve wars with diplomacy. It would be nice to see us play that role again.

We have a rich history of successful wars, including World War II. What is going on overseas currently is not like World War II. We need to stop the so-called “War on Terror” and begin a “Pursuit of Peace”.

We need to drop the sticks in the playground and agree to share this world. We have a lot of issues to tackle that affect all of us. Why do we not stop the bickering and get to work.

Iran made a positive move. For whatever reason, they sent the sailors home. Let us rejoice and learn from their example.

Ahmad Jamal

2007-04-04T05:42:00.000-06:00

“There is good and bad in every area of expertise,” so says Ahmad Jamal, one of our American treasures. He is an extraordinary piano player whose recordings have been enjoyed the world over for over fifty years.

Born in 1930 as Frederick Russell Jones, he converted to Islam in the early fifties, changing his name. His choice of style is distinctive. When you listen to plenty of jazz, you begin to recognize various artists’ styles as you would the voices of singers. Jamal has a style that invokes a mood that is identifiable as him alone.

I have written before about the website “All About Jazz”. Recently, I have found they have long form podcasts available. These usually consist of clips of radio broadcast interviews with various artists. Chris Comer, a host on WAIF in Cincinnati, did such an interview last fall before Jamal visited the city for a concert.

When Comer asked him his thoughts on the current state of music, and specifically the hip-hop sound, Jamal replied, “There is good and bad in hip-hop. There is good and bad in rap. There is good and bad in opera. There is good and bad in every genre, and in so-called jazz. The European body of classical, there is good and bad. Some of it is very boring and some of it is very stimulating.”

The interview is worth listening to, not only to hear the thoughts and ideas of a man who is older in number of years, but very young of heart, but to hear his thoughts on life. Jamal is clear that “ranking” is poor for the soul. As a country, we spend too much time considering which song, movie, etc. is the best. We need to adopt an attitude that art is what it is. Some will enjoy it. Others will not.

I enjoyed Ahmad Jamal when I played his records on the radio. His music is universally today. If you have the time, check out the interview and search your local music store. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Chicago Cub Announcers

2007-03-31T08:47:00.000-06:00

Jack Brickhouse will always be the voice of the Chicago Cubs. I know he was not the first voice and Harry Carey may have enjoyed more popularity, but Jack was my guy.

I grew up watching the Cubs on WGN, Channel 9 in Chicago. Jack made the game fun. Even when the Cubs were losing, Jack had optimism and a love for the game that kept you tuned in and listening.

There are a lot of people who complained that Jack was a “homer”. The truth is that he was a “homer”. All the Cub announcers were paid by the Cubs. They were there to encourage people to visit the ballpark. They wanted to create enthusiasm for the home team, and that’s what they did.

The old days were different from today’s broadcasting. Arnie Harris, who engineered the broadcasts and Brickhouse understood that baseball was family entertainment. How many times did we here him say, “You can’t beat fun at the old ballpark.”

I had a chance to see Brickhouse at a book signing in Springfield, Illinois one year. I purchased his book as a gift for my brother (I read it first), and had Mr. Brickhouse sign the book to my brother, who was also a sports announcer. He was as professional and kind as you would have expected. He will always be one of my heroes.

I got the chance to see Harry Carey once. Harry walked past me on the way into Wrigley Field. He was smiling and nodding at the fans, careful not to let them slow him down.

Carey was someone I appreciated, but was never a favorite. He glorified beer and a party lifestyle with which I could not identify. I know that lots of fans love beer and drink beer at ball games. I just love the game and am just as happy with a Pepsi. Better yet, I am happier with a Dr. Pepper.

Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau manned the radio microphones for years. For a long time, after Brickhouse retired, I preferred them. I always felt I got more information about what was happening with the team from the radio broadcasts than I did from the television. Radio has more time to fill and they would talk about roster moves and other such things.

Boudreau was a graduate from the University of Illinois, which puts him in a warm place in my heart. I did not go to school at the U of I, but I have many friends who have and who are currently working there in a variety of positions. Boudreau had an intimate knowledge of what was going on in the player’s mind. Lloyd understood the mechanics of the game. Together, they made a great team. You could tell they were close friends.

When Milo Hamilton was finally exiled to Houston, Carey teamed up with Steve Stone. There was not a better pairing in the booth since Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek. As good as they were, these two were probably better.

Like Lloyd and Boudreau, Carey had a love of baseball from the fan’s point of view. Stone understood the game as a former player, not too removed from his playing days.

Together they fought and laughed and appreciated each other. They disagreed about whether players should start or ride the bench. They each could find ways to make the other laugh. Most of all, you could tell they both loved the Cubs.

Carey’s grandson Chip was a great addition to the team after Harry passed away. It was a shame they never worked together, but Chip and Stone were a super team. It was a shame the way that partnership ended, due to stubbornness on both sides. It would be great to see Stone return to the booth, or the Cubs in some capacity, for a fourth tour of duty (if you count when he pitched for the Cubs in the 70’s).

There are other broadcasters that I greatly enjoyed have sadly moved to other pastures. Dewayne Staats and Thom Brenneman are two that jump to mind. Both had great voices and tremendous ability. Both have worked for ESPN and Fox, so we still get to hear them occasionally, but we enjoyed them best when they were in Chicago.

Now there are some new teams in place. Radio is manned admirably by Pat Hughes and Ron Santo. They remind me so much of Lloyd and Boudreau. Hughes is a smart, able announcer who has a light sense of humor. Santo is the ultimate “homer” who gets mad when things are not going the Cubs’ way. Santo makes mistakes, but nobody cares. They make listening to the broadcasts fun.

Len Kasper and Bob Brenly have made a solid team on the video side. I was certain Brenly was going to manager again this year and was ready for Stone to return. I would not want for Brenly to leave to broadcast for another team. If he is going to broadcast, let him stay. He brings an insight that is so rare and interesting.

Both the radio and television have struggled to find the right combination at times. There are names I will not mention that just were not the best fit. Some have gone on the success elsewhere. Others have moved on to other projects.

There are few other jobs I could think of that would be more fun than broadcasting the Cubs games. Even with my radio background, I know that I would not be able to pull it off, day after day. Still, it would be fun to try. Unlike Harry Carey, who sometimes became bigger than the game, these fellows today have found a way to enhance the game and make it more enjoyable.

Whenever I miss a broadcast, I feel bad. It is not that I did not get a score and find out what happened. I can always get that information. You learn so much from listening to people who can describe what is happening from the position of someone who played before or someone who has talked to the players and coaches and understands the chemistry of the game.

In the twenty-first century, the internet is here. Today people blog about the games and provide a fan’s insight. Unfortunately, my work prevents me from doing that, but it is fund to read the comments afterward.

Let me know if you have special memories of Cub broadcasts of years past. Let me know if you have favorite Cubs blogs. Check out some of the blog websites I have included here. Be careful. Some are a little raw, but they are all entertaining.

Thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Spring is here (in Illinois)

2007-03-29T05:33:00.000-06:00

Spring is here. People can talk about the great April snowstorm of 1968 all they want, but I am saying that, in central Illinois, spring is here.

It is time for me to make a list of things to attend to:

1) Sticks and rocks in the yard need to be picked up.

Shoveling snow wreaked havoc on my yard. Once things dry up a bit we can put things to right.

2) The mower needs to be prepared for a long summer.
3) The vegetable garden needs to be attempted again.

Notice that I didn’t say that anything would truly grow from the garden. I just said it needed to be attempted.

4) Play catch with son.

The last couple weekends we have thrown the Frisbee when it was not raining, but it is not the same.

5) Switch from long sleeve shirts to short sleeve shirts.
6) Stop wearing sweaters.

This is hard because I sit under a vent at work that blows cold air the entire year. You have to come to work as if it is 30 degrees outside, when it is truly 80 degrees. Of course, if the air conditioner is broken, the building warms up to 120 degrees. Grrr…

7) Stop eating soup.
8) Try and find another way to keep the birds from building nests in our gutters.
9) Wash the salt off of the cars (done that).
10) Make summer vacation plans.

Oops. Nearly forgot one more.

11) Continue to write blog.

That’s a good start to our plans for the next few weeks. Let me know if I left something out.

Thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Child Safety and Attorney General Gonzales

2007-03-28T05:28:00.000-06:00

Chicago, Illinois is a friendly town. It is the “windy” city. The home of those loveable Chicago Cubs.

As Carl Sandburg so eloquently stated, “Hog butcher for the world, tool maker, stacker of wheat, player with railroads and the nation’s freight handler.

“Stormy, husky, brawling city of the big shoulders.”

How can anyone not like Chicago and its fun-loving people? Apparently, United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales does not like Chicago. Gonzales was able to make a brief news conference even briefer, much to the disappointment of Chicago reporters.

Yesterday, Gonzales was scheduled for a fifteen minute news conference. He was there to talk about the safety for children on the internet. Now that is a topic begging to be discussed for at least an hour or more (and no, I am not being sarcastic).

Somehow, however, Gonzales must have believed that all the concern about the fired U.S. attorneys was only in Washington D.C. He must have thought the people in Chicago either had not heard about the controversy, or were so happy and friendly that we did not care.

As it turned out, Gonzales ditched the Chicago reporters once he realized they were aware of the firings. Three pointed questions into the press conference and the U.S. Attorney General was history.

He did get out these verbal jousts, “I look forward to working with Congress. I believe in keeping accountability. Everything that I've done in connection with this matter supports that principle."

If he believes in accountability, why not answer a few, friendly questions? To be fair, Gonzales has likely been told by his own attorneys and others not to say much to the media. After three questions, he had probably used all the stock answers he was provided and decided it best to fold up camp.

Since Gonzales did not have much to say yesterday, we will report on what was said about child safety and the internet. Wait a minute. I am not finding anything in the papers about Gonzales, or anyone else, discussing child safety and the internet.

So what was Gonzales doing in Chicago? Maybe we will never know. In the meantime, if you want to know a little more about child safety and the internet, check out www.safechild.org. It has a lot of good information you may find interesting and/or helpful.

In the meantime, thank you for reading. We’ll talk again soon.

Parents

2007-03-27T05:42:00.001-06:00

Last week my parents celebrated their anniversary. A few years ago they celebrated their fiftieth, so this year it was not considered a big deal. My parents do not like a big deal anyway.

For instance, they stopped celebrating Christmas about ten or fifteen years ago. I still do not understand why. They simply told my siblings and me not to visit for Christmas. They were not going to put up a tree or dress up the house at all. They were not celebrating Christmas and we were not to come.

Needless to say, we were all dumbfounded. One year, my siblings came to our house to celebrate the holidays. It was fun, but we never did it again. We were all too busy.

Whenever I try to call my parents, my mother insists on hanging up and calling us back. They live about fifty miles from our home. It no longer is considered long distance, considering the more competitive phone industry of the twenty-first century. Still, she asks to call us back so the call in on her dime and not ours. I probably make more money than they do now, but still she asks.

Because they downplay holidays, etc., I have gotten into the habit of sending e-cards on major holidays and remembrances. On their anniversary, I sent an e-card. That night, I saw that it came back as undelivered. The next day I sent an email, one that was long with lots of detail, and it came back undelivered.

Then I started to think about when the last time it was that I heard from my parents. It is not unusual to go a week or two without hearing from them. There is only so much news.

I decided to call. Mom did the “call back” dance and then I explained that I was concerned that they were all right. My mother told me not to worry. She said it happens all the time and to just keep sending the email.

I work for a top fifty corporation. I send out emails everyday to people I know and lots who I have never met and likely will never meet. I write blogs each day and frequently correspond through email at home with credit card companies (don’t ask) and others. I never get “undeliverable” email.

My mother said that she likely received such a message trying to email me. Fine. I am no longer going to battle to figure out the problem. Mom says there is no problem. That is how it is.

So, we talked about the kids and what they did on their anniversary (nothing). I talked a but about my interest in podcasting. I explained how I like to listen on the drive to work. “You probably shouldn’t do that,” she says to me.

“What? It is no different than listening to the radio.”

“If you listen to the radio you may sing along with a song, but if you are listening to things like that (“Manager Tools”, Barack Obama, “Wait, wait…Don’t Tell Me”, etc.), you are probably not concentrating on your driving as you should.”

Sigh. I am in my mid-forties and my mid-seventies mother is telling me what I can listen to in my car while driving.

As a parent, you never stop worrying. As a child, you never really grow up.

I love my parents. I’m going to have to see them one of these weekends. First I have to check the schedule to avoid a holiday.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Manager Tools

2007-03-26T05:36:00.001-06:00

Mark Horstman and Mike Auzenne host a terrific podcast each week. As a manager for a large company, even though in my position I have no direct reports, I get so much from what they have to say.

The podcasts generally range from twenty to thirty minutes in length. What really impresses me is how they can keep sounding conversational week after week.

I am always surprised because after listening to political, jazz and humor podcasts, the last thing I want to listen to is a podcast about work. However, what seems like a dry topic is presented in such a way that it is interesting and even enjoyable.

I have added the link to the side. Read the informative website. It is fully of timely advice for your workplace. Download the podcast and enjoy!

Cassette Tape Recorders

2007-03-25T07:08:00.000-06:00

Over the past year, I have been writing more. Not just by creating these blogs, but writing for a local newspaper, writing a newsletter for my workplace and helping to write the history of my church.

Now that a year has passed, I am considering dropping some projects. The history writing is nearly done. Because of some political changes at the local newspaper, I am considering dropping my assignment there. I want to try my hand at longer form articles featuring interviews with people who have stories to tell.

In order to be effective as an interviewer, I decided I wanted a new cassette tape recorder. Just a small handheld model with those little cassettes was all I was looking to find. It would be something I could sit on a table and record my conversations, or something I could take to a meeting if necessary.

One of the best Christmas’ I remember growing up was the year our family got our first cassette recorder. My brother, sister and I used it constantly. We recorded music. We recorded our voices. I recorded the television (this was before VCRs). It was a wonderful device.

So far, I have been unable to find a tape recorder at any price. I found cassette tape player at Radio Shack for twenty dollars, but it does not record. I can find MP-3 players that have recording features that cost seventy or eighty dollars. It did not appear that anyone makes cassette tape recorders anymore.

You are right; I can probably find a thousand such recorders on eBay. I have nothing against eBay, but I would rather find one at Target or Circuit City. Even looking online, there are explanations at Wikipedia as to what a cassette tape recorder is, but not very many places, outside eBay, sell them.

There is a website that has audio recording devices they are marketing as “spy devices”. I am not going to spy on anyone. Arrgh.

Finally, I went to Amazon. I like Amazon better than eBay. I would still like to see one at a store location rather than purchasing one on-line, but I was happy to find a selection.

There they have players with radios attached; walking devices that only play, boom boxes, dual cassette players and recorders, and so on. Some devices have handheld remotes! Some are new and some are used. Some are made by big names manufacturers such as Sony and Panasonic. Others are made by companies I have never heard of and am afraid to mention here for fear they are a disreputable company and I will them credibility by accident.

The next question is how to buy cassettes to use. The only one I have found is $23.30 new and $19.97 used. Why would I buy a used cassette? Why would I save three dollars to buy a used cassette?

The bottom line is that I now understand that cassette tape recording devices are not a thing of the past. They still exist, but are no longer marketed to the mainstream. They are tucked away online.

Today, computers and gaming devices fill that same role for young people, but I will always remember the first cassette player. The search for a new one will continue.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Alexander Dimm

2007-03-24T14:49:00.000-06:00

This is my one hundredth post to “A Dimm View of Life”. I have held an inner debate on whether to mark the occasion or treat it as just another post. It is obvious now that I am going the gooey, sentimental route.

It has not been a full year since I began the blog. I appreciate those who have left comments as well as those who have quietly returned. I have gone through quiet periods where I failed to post, but have settled into a routine where I leave at least six posts each week.

We have run a wide gamut of subjects, from politics to sports to pop culture. Recently I have been running posts remembering those who passed away recently. You do not have to worry. I will not let this become a morbid blog.

Mostly, what I try to do is give the reader an insight into what I am thinking. Sometimes what I am thinking is silly. Sometimes what I am thinking is serious. Hopefully, I have written in each post, something that stirs you and gets you to thinking yourself.

There is no need to live life by rote. There is no need to let life live you. You need to take charge of life. You need to direct as much as you can what happens.

Yes, there are times stuff happens you cannot control. My furnace died this winter. I could not control that. I can control how I respond. Throughout that debacle, I continued to write and continued to post here, although I did not say much about the craziness I was feeling.

As I gradually enter a second year of this blog, I believe the two hundredth blog will happen faster. I will try to give you more insight into my heart as well as my mind, to give you an even “dimmer” view.

Thank you for reading. We will talk again soon.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales

2007-03-23T05:41:00.000-06:00

Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont has always been a favorite of mine. He just turned 67 so he is likely too old to run for U.S. President, but I would not have minded.

Leahy has been in the Senate since 1974. He understands how things work and how they are supposed to work. Rarely has he stepped into the limelight, quietly accomplishing things in the background. Only when he gets a sense that something is so important he needs to be seen, does he step out and speak.

This appears to be one of those times. Or maybe the Senator is just doing some Democratic Party footwork.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales did something foolish. He probably did it at the insistence of Karl Rove or someone else in the Bush administration. Remember, the Bush White House has never been one to think things through. Once again, they blundered in without an exit strategy.

The firing of federal prosecutors is not unusual. Most administrations take the time and mass remove prosecutors from office. The problem here is that most administrations do the deed during the first few months of gaining office, not six years later. Not after the prosecutors have told them they will or will not pursue legal issues that are purely for the political gain of the White House and/or the Republican Party.

Gonzales could have avoided this mess. There are ways this could have been handled that would have been neat and tidy. Still, when has the Bush administration every done anything “neat and tidy”?

Instead of having a plausible reason for the firings ready for anyone who asked, he tells the public that the prosecutors were fired for doing a poor job. Even Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania will tell you that such a statement is ridiculous.

A statement that they wanted to start fresh with their own people would have been an honest statement and one that likely would have gone unnoticed.

The good news is that this whole debacle is strictly a show. Whether Gonzales stays or goes does not really matter. You know that Rove is not going to appear under oath. Much like the immigrant issue of times past, this is to distract us from important issues, such as the conditions at Walter Reed and the war in Iraq. If we give our attention to a non-issue, such as whether prosecutors were fired correctly, the politicians have more time to play the real war games.

Keep in mind that the older Senators are the ones involved. Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter are the ones in the public eye. Neither is running for higher office. They are simply being the “magician’s assistant”, keeping the audience distracted while the magician is doing the real deception.

If you notice, Gonzales has not stepped down yet. Much like the departure of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, he will likely wait until the discussion dies down and then make a big show of leaving. All in the effort to distract the pundits and buy the White House more time.

Nicely played, Karl. Nicely done.

Calvert "Larry 'Bud' Melman" DeForest

2007-03-22T05:19:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been memorializing people who have made an impression on me through the years. People like Bowie Kuhn and Paul Denault are people I was aware of when I was a teenager growing up and held in high respect.

Then there is Calvert DeForest, also to be remembered as Larry “Bud” Melman. DeForest came along later, appearing on television for the first time on NBC’s David Letterman show in 1982. For over twenty years, DeForest was a running gag for Letterman. He was an older looking man with a funny voice. Just seeing his cherubic face made you laugh.

I have been thinking about DeForest off and on in recent years. In the late nineties, he was turning up in a lot of places. He was doing commercials and appearing in a movie or two. It was sometime in the late nineties where I saw he was making a personal appearance in Champaign, IL. It was not a speaking engagement, or a book signing. I no longer remember where he was to be, but they were simply promoting that he would be there, likely to visit and sign some autographs.

DeForest was pop culture. He will be a question for “Trivial Pursuit” games (Q: What was the name of the character popularized by Calvert DeForest?). He never won awards. He even lost his job for his art. He had been a file clerk at a drug rehab facility and was told he could no longer appear on television and work for them as well. Television won out. Maybe that’s why he was touring the country doing personal appearances.

Somewhere along the line, DeForest disappeared. We all knew he was older and could have become ill. His last appearance on Letterman’s show was on his 81st birthday in 2002. I worried that since DeForest was not a big star, we would miss hearing any news.

My worry was for naught. DeForest passed away Monday at the age of 85. Reports say he had suffered a long illness, but nowhere does it say from what he suffered. DeForest is at peace now, and we are lesser world without him. Still, if I close my eyes and listen, I can still hear him laugh.

Jeff Goldblum as "Raines"

2007-03-19T21:05:00.000-06:00

This past Thursday night, NBC premiered a new series starting Jeff Goldblum, entitled “Raines”. Michael Raines is a police detective with an overactive imagination. According to the story line, Raines sees dead people.

Now it is not like the boy in the movie, “The Sixth Sense”. These people do not talk to Raines and tell him how they were killed and where to find the evidence. They are not really ghosts. They are just figments of the character’s mind. They are imaginary friends who go away once the crime is solved.

One that does not go away is his former partner, played by Malik Yoba. The two men were shot, but Raines survived. Now he has little talks with the former partner who insults him but encourages him without saying much of anything.

This is a weak premise for a quirky detective show that networks have been looking for since the success of "Monk". “Raines” may find its way to the USA Network once NBC is done trying it out (Universal owns both NBC and USA). The sad thing is that we may have already seen the best the show has to offer.

Goldblum is likely the only actor in Hollywood who could play this character and pull it off without embarrassing himself or anyone else. Goldblum has been playing quirky characters throughout his career, starting in the seventies with small parts in popular movies like “Death Wish”, “Nashville” and “Annie Hall”, to starring parts in films like “The Fly” and “Jurassic Park”.

Backing up to 1980, Goldblum made a big splash in his first television series, “Tenspeed and Brown Shoe”. This was a short-lived detective show that was also quirky. He played a former attorney who loved solving mysteries. Ben Vereen was an ex-con who latches onto the intelligent, but absent-minded Goldblum. Together, they go into partnership.

The show got off to a fast start for ABC, but the network gave up on it quickly. After getting good notices in a couple of TV films, and getting some strong supporting roles (“The Right Stuff”, etc.) in major films, his career slowly took off.

Now 54, but not looking it, the Pennsylvania native is hoping “Raines” will be a nice starring vehicle to showcase his talents. Although the pilot episode was fun, I am not certain it will work on a weekly basis. Network television will be better if it can find a home for this tremendous talent. They better not wait another twenty-five years to find it.

Open Letter to Donald Trump

2007-03-18T09:47:00.000-06:00

Dear Mr. Trump:

Please don’t. Don’t even joke about it.

I see where Wolf Blitzer asked you about running for President of the United States. You gave a good answer. You said you were not interested in running. Then you said, “It would certainly be fun. It would certainly be interesting."

Please don’t joke. You are a smart man, but you have no better chance than Ross Perot did in 1992. Actually, you have no better chance than Steve Urkel did in 1992.

Think about what you have said in public. Just recently you said, “If I looked like Rosie, I'd struggle with depression, too" about actress, comic and talk show host Rosie O’Donnell. Then you said, “Not everybody has to be politically correct. I think that's why this so-called feud took on a life of its own, because it wasn't politically correct. In a way it's wonderful that she doesn't like me and I don't like her. There's nothing wrong with that."

You may have to be more diplomatic to be President, Mr. Trump. You have just lost the female vote across the United States. Maybe some male votes too.

About George W. Bush, you said in your interview with Blitzer this past Thursday that he was probably the worst president in the history of the United States. You said Donald Rumsfeld, the former secretary of defense, was a disaster. Now you are losing the conservative right. Remember that a lot of people voted for Bush. No one likes to be told their vote was wrong-headed.

Don’t forget you sang the theme to the sixties comedy “Green Acres” on the Emmys. Do you think those running against you will show that a few hundred times?

Now, I agree with you about Bush and Rumsfeld, and although I disagree with you about Rosie I do have respect for you. I know the show is not going well, but running for President is not going to help things.

Stick with what you know. Run the casinos. Build the hotels.

Leave politics alone. As much fun as it may be, it is not worth it.

Missing You

2007-03-17T20:39:00.000-06:00

Disappointment.

There is nothing worse than disappointment in you. You can be disappointed in a movie that you thought would be great, but failed to live up to expectations. You can be disappointed in a restaurant you thought would be wonderful, but they got your order wrong, or the food was such a grand experience. Yet, if you discovered that you have made a mistake, no one is harder on yourself than you.

I have been posting to “A Dimm View of Life” for nearly a year. Recently I created three other blogs. Today, I discovered that several of my posts were blank. The headings appeared, but there was no text.

After banging my head on the desk for about thirty minutes, I figured out the problem. We have two computers our home. It appears that when I attempt to post from the downstairs computer, it does not always take. Sometimes it does, but not always.

I found seven or eight “baseball” essays that were missing and four or five “life” essays, including things I had written about Randy Stone and Christopher Dodd. The second article I wrote about Walter Reed hospital was missing. Arrgh!

So, now that I know what is causing the problem, I have repaired the damage and will go forth and “sin no more”. The disappointment is not in the computer or with Blogger. The disappointment is that I should have discovered it sooner.

Then again, if this is my biggest crime against humanity, I guess I am doing okay. Thank you for your patience!

Bowie Kuhn

2007-03-16T05:34:00.000-06:00

"The door would be opened wide to the buying of success by the more affluent clubs, public suspicion would be aroused, traditional and sound methods of player development and acquisition would be undermined and our efforts to preserve competitive balance would be greatly impaired." - Bowie Kuhn, on voiding the sale of Rudi, Fingers and Blue for $3.5 million by the World Champion Oakland A's, June 1976

"I believe in the Rip Van Winkle Theory: that a man from 1910 must be able to wake up after being asleep for seventy years, walk into a ballpark and understand baseball perfectly." - Bowie Kuhn, Commissioner of Baseball (1969-1984)

“If I hear Bowie Kuhn say just once more he's doing something for the betterment of baseball, I'm going to throw-up.” Sparky Anderson

Like him or not like him, Bowie Kuhn had an impact on baseball at a time when baseball was changing. He dealt with the unionizing of baseball players. He dealt with the creation of free agency. He dealt with the money earned by big television contracts being handed to baseball players. He dealt with the increasing drug use problem.

Some of the issues Kuhn tried to resolve are still issues over twenty years later. Still, I believe that if a baseball fan from 1910 woke up and came to the ball park, he may be amazed by the surroundings, but he would know what was happening when the umpire shouts “Play ball”!

Kuhn was one of the strongest baseball commissioners baseball has seen or will ever see again. Like Sparky Anderson or Charlie Finley, you may not have always agreed with him, but you knew where he stood. For that, he always had my esteem.

To the family of Mr. Bowie Kuhn, our deepest respects.

Khalid Sheihk Mohammed

2007-03-15T08:55:00.000-06:00

He says he did it. He sounds like he did do it.

Listen to the words. “If now we were living in the Revolutionary War and George Washington he being arrested through Britain. For sure he, they would consider him enemy combatant. But American they consider him as hero.”

“So we are considered American Army bases which we have from seventies in Iraq. Also in the Saudi Arabian, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. This is kind of invasion, but I’m not here to convince you.”

He says he regrets killing children. “Because war, for sure, there will be victims. When I said I’m not happy that three thousand been killed in America. I feel sorry even. I don’t like to kill children and the kids. Never Islam are, give me green light to kill peoples.

“Killing, as in the Christianity, Jews, and Islam, are prohibited. But there are exception of rule when you are killing people in Iraq. You said we have to do it. We don’t like Saddam. But this is the way to deal with Saddam. Same thing you are saying. Same language you use, I use.”

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is not crazy. He did many terrible, horrible things. He is the inverse of Mohandas Ghandi. Ghandi believed in change through mass civil disobedience. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed believes in change through terrorism. They have very different methods of creating change, but both believed God was on their side.

“Killing is prohibited in all what you call the people of the book, Jews, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. You know the Ten Commandments very well. The Ten Commandments are shared between all of us. We all are serving one God. Then now kill you know it well. But war language also we have language for war. You have to kill.”

I am a Nationalist. I believe in the United States of America. I love our country and want our country to last forever. This man may be a war criminal and may need to be punished, but we need to listen to the words. We need to think about what we are doing. You can hear it ever day from our Congressmen and Senators that we need to use diplomacy in the Middle East.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed may have a point. “War start from Adam when Cain he killed Abel until now. It’s never gonna stop killing of people. This is the way of the language. American start the Revolutionary War then they starts the Mexican then Spanish War then World War One, World War Two. You read the history. You know never stopping war. This is life. But if who is enemy combatant and who is not?”

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has some of his facts wrong. The United States of America did not necessary start all of these entanglements. During the current “war on terror”, the United States did not attack first.

What we do have is the opportunity to put an end to the fighting and find a way to bring peace. There are so many who wish to try. We talk about freedom. We talk about bringing peace to a troubled world. It is time we put our beliefs into practice.

From this man’s words we can learn that the other side of this battle wishes for many of the same things our side does. We are of one God. Let us start there to find the common ground.

Slept Late

2007-03-14T05:47:00.000-06:00

There are very few things in this world I despise, but one thing is when I sleep late.

It is my own fault. I forgot to set the alarm. I stayed up too late last night. It makes me goofy and in too much of a hurry. Sometimes I fail to write anything.

This is not one of those days. I may be late, but I am still going to write something.

So what should I write about? Maybe I will offer my best Larry King impression.

* Fred Thompson sounds like he is seriously considering running for the U.S. Presidency. Seems like his part on “Law and Order” is getting to him.
* Is there nothing that can keep Anna Nicole Smith out of the headlines? Now lawyers are fussing about her baby. Please, let the woman rest.
* Officials at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign have retired Chief Illiniwek and all the logos. Everything that goes with the Chief is now done. I have always been on the fence on this one, but I am glad the issue is considered over. Now to take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame!
* I saw the headline yesterday: American Idol is losing viewers.
* Scooter Libby was convicted of lying under perjury and obstructing justice. We still do not know the motivation. Once we can determine motivation, the house of cards that is the Bush Administration could come tumbling down.
* If Bush pardons Libby, we will never know his motivation.
* O.J. Simpson’s “almost” book is going to be auctioned. If you have been following this carefully, we may remember that Simpson did not write one word of the book. He was being paid to attach his name and go on the road to promote the book. Why would anyone care?
Why care if he did write it? Nothing changes.
* Detroit JazzStage has another great podcast available. I hope to write about it before Monday and post it to “A Dimm View of Podcasts”.
* Baseball season cannot come fast enough.

My time is up. Better get to work.

In Memory of Paul Denault

2007-03-13T05:38:00.000-06:00

Growing up in the seventies and eighties, I had some strange tastes in music. I started out listening to the Temptations and Don McLean, but eventually gravitated from listening to WLS-AM in Chicago to WGN-AM.

WGN was not the all-talk station it is today, but it did its fair amount of talk. Wally Phillips, Roy Leonard and Bob Collins were entertaining, with occasional music. All my heroes of that time are either retired or have passed away.

We have lost another of my heroes in the personage of Paul Denault, known on radio as Paul Rogers. Many people reading this will not know the name, but some may remember the voice. For years, Paul was heard nationally saying things like “You’re in good hands…with Allstate,” and “G. Heileman Brewing Company, LaCrosse, Wisconsin.”

Denault had a voice I envied. I spent ten years in radio and was frequently complimented on my voice. Still, my voice was never of the timbre and quality of a Denault. For me, it was the old saw that it wasn’t “the size, but what you do with it.” Denault had both the size and the knowledge to forge a wonderful career as a voice artist.

Late at night, I would go to sleep listening to “Great Music from Chicago” on WGN. It was a program of easy listening music. There would be jazz in the form of Oscar Peterson and Count Basie, with singers Perry Como and Barbara Streisand in the mix.

I remember when he had a friendly, long running feud with announcer Bob Collins, whose musical tastes ran more toward Loudon Wainwright III’s “Dead Skunk”. You could tell Denault didn’t take himself too seriously. He was not a pompous windbag who only appreciated a finer form of entertainment. He was a working man, honing his craft and working well with others.

I have missed listening to Denault for years now. He left WGN when they banned music back in the late eighties or early nineties for an all-talk format. I understand he worked at another Chicago station for awhile after leaving WGN, but they did not reach us this far south.

I never achieved my goal of growing up to be Paul Rogers. I tried during my time at a small market station that played a similar format. The sad truth is that the retirement of Denault marked the end of a certain era that people like Garrison Keillor wink at when doing “Prairie Home Companion”. It was an era where you let the music be important and you simply served as a conduit for presenting “great music” to the listener.

My sympathies to the family of Denault. He brought many treasures to my life and to the lives of many others. He will forever be remembered.

Daylight Savings Time

2007-03-12T05:36:00.000-06:00

As a young man growing up, I had a job playing the organ for a small church in our community. I did this for four or five years.

During Daylight Savings Time, it was fun to watch and see which of the regulars would either miss church altogether, or show up early. There was one fellow who was consistently twenty to thirty minutes late to church every week. He would miss the recitations and the hymns and show up for the sermon.

Once each year, he would arrive on time. That was during the change of Daylight Savings Time.

There was no getting away from the reminders this week. At my workplace there were meetings and discussions about how to make certain cell phone users had their phones updated and how we would make certain our meeting calendars were correct.

At home, there were emails on how to update my Palm Tungsten E and various other electronics. Surprisingly, neither computer clock auto-updated.

Anyway, it is the beginning of a new week. I am on time and ready for the day. Here is hoping you have a great week!

Christopher Dodd

2007-03-11T07:02:00.000-06:00

Since we have so much time between now and the primaries, let alone the Presidential Election Day, we have time to look at all the candidates. Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd is worth a good look.

I have written about other candidates and we are a long way away from making final decisions, but I like to write about people who impress me. Dodd currently is not even close to keeping up with Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, etc. Dodd is keeping closer company right now with Dennis Kucinich in the polls.

Yet Christopher Dodd, and people like him, is the reason I do not consider running for office. Dodd has a lifelong history of public service that would make me look like a complete slacker.

When I think back on my professional career, I see that I worked as a radio announcer, salesman, administrative assistant, hotel manager and currently a customer service specialist. Looking at Dodd’s professional career, I see that he worked in the Peace Corps, joined the Army Reserve, studied and became a lawyer, served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently a U.S. Senator.

My biography pales when compared to Dodd. Come to think, most people’s biography pales compared to Dodd.

When looking at his thoughts on the issues and his accomplishments, Dodd has strong views on improving education. In the past he has helped shape the Head Start program. He is already working on increasing the funding and improving the “No Child Left Behind” act. I am not a big believer in NCLB, but we do need something in this country. If Dodd and others can work together, we might see a program that could actually work.

Dodd has the standard Democratic line regarding issues such as Energy and Health Care. I do appreciate his recent comments regarding our involvement in Iraq. In a speech last October at Providence College, he stated, “After more than three years of conflict, anywhere from 60 thousand to 400 thousand Iraqi civilians have lost their lives.

“How can we expect the Iraqi people to put their faith in democracy, when democracy has given them this? Democracy isn’t only—in fact, it isn’t even mostly—about elections for the sake of elections. Democracy is the acceptance of rights and obligations for everyone, a robust debate, a free press, an independent judiciary, and stable, effective institutions that serve the well-being of people.”

He finished his speech by challenging the students, saying: “Our country needs your voice and your intelligence; and while your civic engagement won’t bring an end to all our problems, they can be the beginning of the solutions. So when your sons and daughters ask you what you did at the outset of the 21st century to make America safer, stronger, a more just and prosperous nation, I want each one of you to be able to say, at the very least—‘I told the truth, and demanded nothing less.’.”

I like a candidate who has ideas, who does not tell me what to think, and who challenges us all to become involved. Although I have not committed yet to a single candidate, I like Christopher Dodd. Take a look at his website, www.chrisdodd.com. Read what he has to say and let me know what you think.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Continued

2007-03-10T07:40:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I posted several questions about the issues regarding Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. An anonymous reader posted a response which was very helpful to me in understanding more about the situation.

The whole situation peaked my interest so I went back and read the two-part series written by Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and Anne Hull. In paragraph three of the first article, published on February 18th, they write, “The common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 1/2 years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients.”

Reading the articles provide more questions, including: “If the hospital is overflowing with patients (‘…they take up every bed and spill into nearby hotels…’), how can the government consider either closure or merger?”

One of the problems pointed out by the Post articles is that bureaucratic tangle that envelopes most of the soldiers. Again, Priest and Hull write, “Life beyond the hospital bed is a frustrating mountain of paperwork. The typical soldier is required to file 22 documents with eight different commands -- most of them off-post -- to enter and exit the medical processing world, according to government investigators.”

My next question is: “Why is the Armed Forces medical system not run like a corporation?” I have been through several mergers for the large telecommunications company where I spend more than forty hours each week. Each company had its own system for its customers. It takes time, but the company is able to merge systems in a way that is nearly invisible to the customer.

Why does the United States Armed Forces have sixteen different information systems that fail to communicate with one another? It appears to be inefficient and the soldiers are the ones who are suffering.

There are a couple of points that need to be made. It would be easy to point fingers at the current administration and say that they caused this situation. The facility is nearly a hundred years old, having opened in 1909. The present situation, including horrible building management and mind-blowing bureaucracy, was not achieved in just six or seven years. There are many administrations that can be blamed for ignoring a poorly managed situation.

What this administration can be called to task for is escalating the seriousness of the problem by engaging in a long term military conflict. U.S. Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, weighed in this past Sunday on Meet the Press, saying: “Why did that happen at Walter Reed? It happened because the resources are so much in, in Iraq. They’ve spent so much money over there, ignored the very thing that’s so important to our troops at home.”

The next point to be made is that the rodent infestation and rotting structures are not common to all of the buildings at the facility. Much has been made of “Building 18”, but you will notice that the President and the Congressmen tend to visit Ward 57 and other well-kept units. As with many situations in life, there appears to be money enough to care for some, but not for all.

The President and others continue to say that our soldiers deserve the best, but actions speak louder than words. Considering the poor training, lack of equipment and now poor medical care, our fighting men are being shown a genuine lack of respect.

According to Murtha on Meet the Press, “We’re the ones—they, they want us out of there; 64 percent of the public in Iraq wants us out of Iraq.”

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on the same program said, “I’m no expert, but here’s what I think’s going on, based on conservation talks in South Carolina, is that people are frustrated.”

The government is relying on polls and making interpretations based on what they want the outcomes to be. The only way to get your thoughts and feelings across is to be vocal.

This situation is not solely the responsibility of one person, or one group of people. As members of society, we need to listen closely to what is being said and respond accordingly. If you do, or do not, agree with what is being said, respond with a letter or an email to your representative. If you hear of an action being considered that you support or oppose, let the government know.

Anyone I have spoken to personally or heard about in the media opposing the war is quick to praise our young men and women. People are proud of those who have served our country during this conflict. Today’s soldiers do not have to fear those who oppose the war. The biggest fear today’s soldiers face is from those who say they support it.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

2007-03-09T06:41:00.000-06:00

There are several things I do not understand about the recent fiasco regarding Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

1) Mississippi Senator and minority whip Trent Lott stated on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that Walter Reed was on a list of possible base closings. At the same time, Walter Reed was described as the “crown jewel” of hospitals serving our wounded military personnel. How could the “crown jewel” wind up on a list of base closings?

2) I understand why our government was closing military bases. Walter Reed is a hospital. Why is a hospital on a list of “base” closings?

3) Lott says that those in charge were reluctant to put too much money into the hospital facility because it was on the list. If Walter Reed was prestigious, why would anyone be concerned about “the list”?

4) If you were in charge at Walter Reed and saw your name was on a potential closing list, wouldn’t you do what you could to make the hospital too important and respected to close?

5) If Walter Reed did close, where would the wounded soldiers who continue to be brought in from Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., be sent to be treated and/or recover?

6) I have read about various politicians visiting the wounded at Walter Reed. Was Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel the first to notice the poor conditions?

7) In a White House briefing on February 21, 2007, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow told reporters that the President was aware of the dismal conditions at Walter Reed. If he knew, why did he choose not to do anything?

These are just a few quick questions I have about the mess that is Walter Reed. There is a lot of finger pointing going on, and will continue for weeks to come.

There are problems in Washington today. It seems like every month or so, another proverbial “hole appears in the dike”. What will be the next crisis? Will it be enough for Congress to take action?

Giving Blood

2007-03-08T06:32:00.001-06:00

There are few things worse than giving blood. The needles are scary. The smell is offensive. The nurses carry on conversations around you like you are part of the furniture. The whole experience is unpleasant.

Still, giving blood is important. I have given blood since I was first old enough to be allowed. I went long stretches without giving because it was inconvenient to go wherever the donation center was located.

Now it is simple. They set up just a few blocks from my workplace twice a month. I have it on my schedule to give every two months.

I used to only visit bloodmobiles. I still prefer the bloodmobile. They move faster there. The blood donation center I regularly visit now is beginning to feel like home.

The first time I went, they didn’t take any blood. They tried in both arms and told me to come back in two weeks. Two weeks later, I went to a bloodmobile.

The next time I went they took blood from both arms. They had the wrong type of bags that didn’t have a special tube for sampling. They took a pint from one arm and the sample from the other. Ouch.

Yesterday, I visited and it was smooth sailing. Blood was taken from only one arm and it was a fairly quick visit all around. Either the people are getting better or I am getting used to the process.

Truthfully, I am not certain they are getting better. Another woman who arrived just before I did was trying to give. The nurse tried to get blood from both of her arms with no success. It was all I could do not to speak up and tell her my experience. “Run! Go find a bloodmobile!”

I am joking a little, but of the many times I have given blood, it has nearly always gone smoothly. I have never become ill. I have never contracted any disease. The people are always nice, but are careful not to get too chatty. They know they have to keep things moving.

In the time of war, it is more important than ever for people to give. I can only give so much, and this is a way I can contribute. I am not in favor of the policy we have or the reasons we went to Iraq, but I want our soldiers to have the best of everything. Although I wish I could do more, this is my small, tangible way of offering them my support.

If you are healthy and have not traveled to Africa recently, visit a blood donation center or bloodmobile. It is only a few minutes out of your day and you get free snacks and juice. What a deal!

Al Franken

2007-03-07T06:12:00.000-06:00

So Al is off and running. Run, Al, Run.

Franken’s books are hilarious and thought provoking. His radio program was fun to listen to before Air America began to charge for downloads. Franken is witty, and more importantly, intelligent.

Minnesota likes to vote for underdogs and odd sorts. They elected a wrestler for a governor. Why not put a comedy writer in the Senate?

That seems to be the gist of Franken’s candidacy to date, now just a few short weeks old. You can find more at www.alfranken.com. Franken has always been more cerebral than the rest of the world, which is why he never quite made it into the upper echelons of comic superstars.

If you examine his career, it is a series of failures and modest accomplishments. He and his writing partner, Tom Davis, were hired to write for "Saturday Night Live". Both were included in the 1980 mass exodus from the show, only to return with Lorne Michaels in 1985.

The most successful bit of television comedy Franken contributed was the character Stuart Smalley. Stuart will always make me laugh. The poor fellow is doing his best, but having a hard time. Sketches with Michael Jordan and a young Macaulay Culkin will always have me in stitches.

He parlayed the Smalley character into a film and appeared in a few other films that never turned into huge hits. He did a sitcom for NBC titled “Lateline” about an evening news program that lasted only a short time. He also did a series of very funny specials for Comedy Central before becoming a radio show host.

Franken’s best success has been as a writer. Starting with a Stuart Smalley diary, Franken has been writing a book every couple of years. The most recent, “The Truth (with jokes)” includes, among other things, a detailed case regarding the sins of Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff long before any of the scandals hit the mainstream media.

If anything, Franken is sincere in his desire to make the world a better place. He believes in the system and wants to see it work. The only difficult part is that he is a comedy writer. He enjoys a good joke and is good at portraying a good-hearted loser. Time will tell if that works for him or works against him.

Anna Nicole Smith

2007-03-05T06:36:00.000-06:00

On February 8, 2007, Anna Nicole Smith passed away while visiting an American Indian casino in Hollywood, Florida. As of this time her death is unexplained.

Smith was approaching her fortieth birthday this year. She was as famous as ever, but went the way of her childhood hero Marilyn Monroe.

There is a lot to be sad about regarding the life of Anna Nicole Smith. On one hand, you could say she led a wasted life. Still, she lifted herself from a poor youth in a small Texas town to being one of the most recognizable people of the new century. Yet, she will not be remembered for the great acts of humanity she offered the world.

Instead she will be remembered as a gold-digger and drug addict. The first label can be forgiven. A poor youth found a way to use the gifts she was given to line her pocket. She is a product of the social atmosphere. There are those who like to point fingers at her for her relationship with billionaire Howard Marshall II, but consider this: What was he doing at a strip club? He was an eighty-year-old billionaire. He could do whatever he wanted. This is what he chose to do with his money. Smith agreed to benefit from it. Who, in her position, wouldn’t?

Now she is gone. It has been nearly a month and still there are headlines discussing her life, death and money. Even I am writing about her, although I have resisted for weeks because I believe that death is personal.

The media should not be carrying on so about Smith. There should be some respect. Saturday Night Live recently did a spoof of Wolf Blitzer’s “The Situation Room” where the crawl at the bottom of the screen complained about how boring the Iraq coverage was and how it wanted more about “Anna”.

The bit was a perfect strike. The news media continues to wring every last drop from a story that should have ended weeks ago. Now we have judges crying on television and people jumping out of nowhere to claim their piece of the “Anna Nicole” pie. It is time we allow her soul to “rest in peace”.

In April of 1976, Howard Hughes passed away. The same type of media frenzy appeared. Everyone was talking about the will. Everyone was talking about where money was hidden. Still today people are fascinated with Hughes, as was shown by the recent film biography “The Aviator”.

It is my hope that thirty years from now we are not still talking about the “incredible” life and death of Anna Nicole Smith. If we are, I hope we are trying to learn what to do to prevent the sadness of this life from presenting itself again.

Rick Moranis

2007-03-04T09:24:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you simply need someone to give you perspective. Every once in awhile you find something that offers you a view of life to consider when you are scurrying around trying to meet deadlines.

This was a piece I discovered in a recent issue of Readers Digest. I do not often read Readers Digest, but I when I do, I usually find something special. This weekend, the magazine did not disappoint.

Rick Moranis has been around since the seventies when he was a part of Second City. He was in “Parenthood”, which remains a favorite film of mine. He and Steve Martin co-starred in “My Blue Heaven”, which is not a great film, but it always makes me smile.

If you click here, you will find a link to a short article he wrote for the New York Times. I think you will enjoy it.

Randy Stone

2007-03-03T18:17:00.000-06:00

Over the past week, I have seen many people asking the question: Who is Randy Stone?

If you remember, Randy Stone was remembered by Jodie Foster during the recent Academy Awards broadcast. Foster was chosen to introduce the “In Memoriam” segment of the program, one of my favorite parts of the Oscars.

This year, people began asking about Foster’s “best friend”. I have done a little digging and I found out that Randy Stone has been in Hollywood for years. He was also a child actor (as was Foster). He appeared on “Charlie’s Angels” at age eighteen as a “stable boy”.

Along the way, Stone became a casting director, working on memorable TV films such as “Bill” with Mickey Rooney, “Adam” with Daniel J. Travanti and “The Ryan White Story”. He was nominated for an Oscar and won in 1995 for Best Short Live-Action Film for “Trevor”, a film about a boy realizing during puberty that he was homosexual. The film was considered a comedy-drama and Stone was a co-producer of the film.

Stone was active in Hollywood as a casting director, producer and sometime actor among the things he could list on his resume. To mainstream audiences, his was one of the face-less names you see running along the credits at the end of a movie. To Jodie Foster, and I am sure others, he was a close friend.

I admit, I had never heard of Stone before last Sunday, but something tells me, just from taking a short look at his body of work, that we missed something special.

Rev. Al Sharpton and "The Daily Show"

2007-03-02T06:16:00.000-06:00

The Rev. Al Sharpton made a surprise appearance on “The Daily Show” last night. I continue to be amazed at how much more I can learn from and interview with Jon Stewart than during an interview with most news people.

Sharpton was not funny, but he did not need to be. Stewart was plenty funny for both of them.

The point of the interview was to discuss the appearance of Strom Thurmond in Sharpton’s family tree. It is amazing how a man who ran for President as a segregationist in 1948 and a man who ran for President as a civil rights leader in 2004 could be related.

Stewart ran the line “Ebony and Irony”. The Reverend did not appreciate the humor, but did not blast Stewart. He understood that “The Daily Show” is primarily a comedy show, but one that allows people to share their points of view.

Stewart is amazing. He took a show that had run its course with Craig Kilborn and breathed new life into it. In fact, he made the show bigger and better than it had been with the people who created it. It is more relevant and funnier.

It is even becoming a better breeding ground for talent than “Saturday Night Live”, producing Mo Rocca, Steve Carell, Steven Colbert and others. The latest to attempt to break out is Rob Corddrey, who has a new Fox sitcom titled “The Winner” and appearances in movies including “Failure to Launch” and “Unaccompanied Minors”. He also has appearances in several movies coming out this year and next.

Stewart has had plenty of opportunities to jump ship to network television, but continue on since this gig fits him so well. You never get tired of the blank stare or the self-effacing silliness he provides.

Rev. Al Sharpton and other political figures are smart to appear on Stewart’s show. They know they will be treated fairly and that people will remember them, and what they said, the next day.

Personally, I see no sharks in the future of “The Daily Show”. This one is going to last a long time.

Richard Daley

2007-03-01T06:23:00.001-06:00

No matter how you feel about Chicago mayor Richard Daley, Chicago residents still vote for him. Seventy-one percent of Chicago voters agreed that Daley should continue as mayor of the third largest city in the United States.

After listening to WBBM’s At Issue (as a podcast), I thought there may be more of a battle. Dorothy Brown and William “Dock” Walls were both interviewed on the program. Both put up strong arguments for their election.

Neither stood a chance.

Part of me misses the days of the mid to late 70’s and 80’s when the Chicago mayor’s office was a battle. Jane Byrne and Harold Washington really shook up Chicago after the passing of Daley’s father. Today, it is business as usual in Chicago politics.

Not that having Daley for a mayor is bad. Daley has done a lot of good for the city, although I was unhappy about the closing of Meigs field and hate to hear about the contracting scandal.

It is a shame that Byrne and Washington, each ran into criticism and scandal. Both had to scramble to repair their image. Daley seems to consume criticism and scandal and make his image stronger because of it.

On this first day of March 2007, there is no new mayor in town. Any election excitement is going to have to come late next year. In the meantime, I hope he lives up to his promise of more money to public education. That needs to be a 21st century focus throughout the U.S. Chicago, especially, needs to be a part of it.

Santo

2007-02-27T20:37:00.000-06:00

Disappointment.

That is how I feel today. It was announced that Ron Santo has again been passed over for entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I have already read others who have waxed more eloquently than I. Just let me say that Ron has given more to the game of baseball than baseball can repay. He is a good man who has had two strikes against him from the start and has always made the best of it.

He will make the best of this as well. He will admit his disappointment. Then he will climb back into the booth and yell and cheer and shake his head at the current roster of Cubs.

In a funny way, Santo has become the Cubs. Wait ‘til next year, Ron. Wait ‘til next year.

Joke of the Day

2007-02-27T06:23:00.000-06:00

My son told me a joke yesterday morning:

Question – “What did the escalator say to the person riding it?”

Answer – “Nothing. It just staired.”

I love this joke. My eight-year-old son has a million of them. Some, like this one, are pretty good.

As you read this, you may tell me that you read it somewhere before, and that’s fine. As far as I am concerned, my son made this up and told a great joke.

I grew up trying to be funny. I was not blessed with an athletic body. I am not a member of Mensa. Being funny was an outlet.

As I get older, I realize that I am not that funny either. I could never be a Billy Crystal or Robin Williams. There are some great comedians out there. There are some poor comedians too. I doubt I could compete with the poor ones.

Comedy is precious. Like mercury, what is funny today may not be tomorrow.

On the news today, the report that Dick Cheney was the target of a suicide bomber. Somehow the smirking imitation by so many comics and writers is not so gratifying. I do not care how much you dislike Cheney, he is our Vice President. No one wants to see him killed.

But I digress.

I hope my son can develop and nurture his great sense of humor. I don’t want him to be a stand-up comic. That is a hard life I would not wish on him. I do want him to get along with people and a sense of humor is a great place to start.

In the meantime, my son is now my comedy writer. “It just staired”. Makes me smile each time I think about it.

Post-Oscar

2007-02-26T06:38:00.000-06:00

The broadcast of the Academy Awards last night was one of the most enjoyable in years. From Ellen DeGeneres, who was near-perfect, to the back-lit dancers, to the various short compilation films and musical performances, the show was fantastic.

For a program that was three and a half hours (actually three and three-quarters, running just fifteen minutes long), it moved at a nice pace, rarely dragging down. Speeches were quick and heart-felt.

For those reading this who did not see the show, there were wonderful “live” moments, such as when Will Smith’s son moved a little too quickly to the next award. He is a pro already, finding a way to recover nicely. Clint Eastwood, who is an incredible man, didn’t wear his glasses to the stage and had to ad lib an introduction to Marconi. After the award was presented, he needed to act as interpreter. Both situations made for great television.

Alan Arkin, another actor who is wonderful, brought home an Oscar for his wonderful performance as a dirty-old grandfather in “Little Miss Sunshine”. I applaud anyone who has Chicago roots.

Melissa Etheridge got the upset of the night, fending off three tunes from Dreamgirls and a good Randy Newman piece with her song from “An Inconvenient Truth”. After listening to all five performances, and without criticizing any of the others, hers was the absolutely the best.

Then there is Al Gore, who is beginning his career as a comic actor in Hollywood. He and Leo DiCaprio worked out a bit that they pulled off well. His eloquent documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth” (which I can not mention enough) brought home a couple awards including Best Documentary Film. I have not seen the others to say if it truly was the best, but it certain was a great film and I hope more people see it.

Jodie Foster delivered a fine introduction to my favorite segment, “In Memoriam”. I wish they had used a clip from “Pleasantville” when remembering Don Knotts, and presented the audio clip of the awards where Maureen Stapleton won for “Reds”. When she won, she came up to the stage and said, “I would like to thank everyone I ever met.” It was sincere, wonderful and as great an Oscar moment as you can find.

There were a few moments that left me scratching my head, but there really was not anything glaring or worth mentioning. It was a great night for everyone and I am glad I didn’t wait to watch the tape. Let’s hope the same team does it again next year!

Oscars

2007-02-25T07:52:00.000-06:00

The Oscars are presented tonight. Whoopie!

Actually, Whoopi has not hosted for years. Tonight it is Ellen’s turn.

That said, Ellen DeGeneres is the best reason for watching tonight’s show. She is hysterical. We used to watch her do stand-up on Comedy Central long before her first sitcom. She is even funnier today.

This is a good venue for Ellen as well. She has done the Emmys and other award shows. She is very comfortable with the crowds and communicates well with both the in-house audience and the television crowd.

Jon Stewart did a great job last year. Billy Crystal is always good. I even liked Steve Martin. This year, however, will be a fun broadcast.

That said, what is the real point of watching the Oscars? The clothes!!

Of course, I am a guy and do not really care about the clothes. I am happily married and do not have an interest in leering and some of the revealing outfits. I do appreciate a pretty flower, but I have my own, thank you.

That said, what is the real point of watching the Oscars? The stars!!

Still, I am a guy and I do not read People magazine. All this talk about Brittany Spears and Anna Nicole Smith bores me. They have their own lives (of course, we lost Anna, which is sad). Let them be. Sometimes I feel that our constant preoccupation with celebrities causes the mayhem.

That said, what is the real point of watching the Oscars? The movies!!

Hey, that’s right! It is an award program about movies!

The sad part for me is that I have only seen four of the movies that have major nominations. Ready?

Cars. It is nominated for best animated film and best song. It will likely win the first, but not the latter. Pixar always does the best work in the industry.

Dreamgirls. Nominated for a ton of statues, it will probably only bring home two. Jennifer Hudson is the favorite for best supporting actress and it could bring home a best song trophy. Hudson was fantastic in this movie, as was most everyone and everything. If you have not see this yet, go this afternoon before the awards show tonight.

Little Miss Sunshine. Nominated for a slew of awards, it will likely be shut out. It is a great film that voters will overlook because it is too much of a comedy. Voters hate to vote for a comedy. Just ask Bill Murray.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Like Cars, there are not a lot of nominations here, but a few major ones. I didn’t appreciate the film and its non-ending.

That’s it. Click, Superman Returns and An Inconvenient Truth (great film everyone should see) are on the list, but only once so they don’t count. The fact is, my wife and I did not slip out enough during 2006 to see these other “great” films. Likely, we will see them after the awards on DVD, if they bother to win.

That said, I do not have to watch the show to find out who won. So why am I taping the show tonight (besides to hear Ellen’s monologue)? In Memoriam. I love this segment of any and all awards shows. I admit that sometimes I am brought to a few tears. They always do a great job of presenting this portion and it helps with my personal grieving process.

So if you have the time, watch it live. If not, tape the show and fast forward to your favorite spots later. Advertisers will hate you, but at least you keep up with what’s happening on the Amazing Race!

Delaware's Joe Biden

2007-02-24T07:21:00.000-06:00

Senator Joe Biden of Delaware has joined the race for U.S. President. He got off to an inauspicious start by inadvertently insulting former African-American candidates.

Of course, being a long-term Senator does not mean you are perfect.

Biden has been a Senator for close to thirty-five years. He first gained my attention while chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. During his eight year run as chairman, he presided over two heavily publicized U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings when Robert Bork was nominated in 1987 and in 1991 when Clarence Thomas burst on the scene.

In the case of Thomas, the committee was divided by the elder Bush’s nomination. They failed to make a recommendation before sending the candidate before the Senate. In what has been described as the closest vote in the twentieth century, Thomas won approval 52-48.

The Senate hearings in both situations made great television and made temporary stars of such people as Illinois Senator Paul Simon and Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. Simon parlayed his notoriety into a 1988 Presidential candidacy of his own.

Biden also announced his candidacy in 1988, but the run went down in flames. This was a time when not everything you said and did was video taped, but Biden was caught repeating a speech by British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock and claiming it for his own.

Aides to eventual Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis spotted the plagiarism and got the media’s attention. Dukakis made a show of reprimanding his team, but their actions did propel the Massachusetts governor into the spotlight.

So what about all this history? What does Biden have today that none of the other candidates have?

If you weigh the pros and cons you will notice that Biden still does not have the best decision making skills. He made a poor choice in 1988 on what speech to deliver. He made a poor choice of comments when asked about Obama.

Sure, one was a speech and the other was off the cuff, but I want a president who is intelligent, whether writing a speech or speaking candidly.

Biden still does not have great leadership skills. He was unable in 1991 to lead the judiciary committee to offer more than a neutral vote on Clarence Thomas. Recently, he was unable to garner support for the non-binding resolution to condemn the Bush build-up of troops in Iraq. He voted among the 56 senators, but even with seven Republican senators joining up, they still fell four votes short.

Now we could blame a lot of Senatorial Presidential candidates for missing the boat, but Biden is a long-term Senator who should be bringing leadership to the table in his run for office. Even if it was a non-binding resolution, would it have been a nice feather to say he helped drove this through?

In the long run, I like Joe Biden. I like what he says about Iraq. I like the five point plan he has presented for finishing the war and leaving Iraq.

Biden may just be the best choice among the candidates for U.S. President. To get there, he will have to make some changes. He will have to speak more eloquently and convince people to change their minds on important issues.

Overall, Biden must be a leader, more than a smiling face. Let’s see what happens.

The Apprentice

2007-02-23T06:33:00.000-06:00

At the risk of having Donald Trump come after me and call me a fat slop and an idiot, I believe it is time for the reality show “The Apprentice” to close up shop.

When the show first appeared, I hated the idea and shunned the program. Trump was not someone I wanted to emulate (and he still is not). From a format standpoint, it is a direct copy of Survivor, and considering that both shows share the same creator, etc., that is not a surprise.

There were friends of mine who fell in love with the program. They listened and wrote down the tips Donald offered each week. When the program offered a competition between “book-smart” and “street-smart”, my daughter and I decided to tune in.

Not to change the subject, but here is my theory of reality programming: Reality television is like cocaine.

Now, I have never tried cocaine, but from what I have read, the first time you try it, it is a great feeling. The subsequent uses of cocaine are attempts to get the same feeling you did that first time. It never feels as good as it did the first time, but you always hope it will. Again, that is not my experience talking, but what I have read. Please do not hammer me if you have other beliefs about cocaine.

My point is that reality shows share the same experience. The first time you watch a season of a reality show is the best. The first Survivor I watched was the Survivor: All-Stars. None of those that have followed have measured up. The first Amazing Race I watched was Season Five (I think). The people were more clever and the tasks more fascinating than anything that has followed.

On each show, including The Apprentice, the people were more fun and the tasks were the best. Each season that follows you hope will match or exceed that first season you watched.

Some reality shows drop farther than others. Joe Millionaire disappeared quickly after a hot first season. Once the joke was out, there was no point to doing it again. The same is true with other reality programs.

Shows like Survivor and Amazing Race have lasted because it is fun to watch the exotic locales and the human interaction. You always hope to see something “Amazing” but it does not happen often enough. It does happen enough, however, to keep us hooked.

The Apprentice has lost its steam. My wife and daughter have lost interest in the program, but my eight-year-old son still likes to watch. We tape the Sunday show and watch it Monday night. Or Tuesday night.

My son likes the competition. He is not fond of the board room, which is my favorite part. The problem with recent editions of The Apprentice is that the show has become predictable. You know who won the task before they announce it. You know who is going to be fired before they walk in.

The recent text message game the show has adopted has not helped. Last week they chose five people you could guess would be voted off. Four were with one team and one with the other. When the team with four people offered won the task, you knew Amy would be voted away. The show was over with fifteen minutes to fill.

Moving to sunny California has not helped the show. Cutting Mr. Trumps little business advice segments at the top of the show has not helped. Switching the “eyes and ears” people from his daughter to his son to past Apprentice winners has not helped (I miss the older guy).

I do like the idea of letting the winner from one team fill a chair to help decide (ho, ho) who gets fired. That is a cool move that is adding some interest to the board room scenes.

Otherwise, we have learned as much as we can from Trump. Ratings are down. Once this season is over (and Heidi has won) it will be time to say, “Donald, you’re fired.” (Please don’t hurt me.)

Chief Illiniwek's Last Dance

2007-02-22T06:36:00.000-06:00

As I stated in an earlier blog, we have been hearing about the potential loss of Chief Illiniwek for close to twenty years. When the news first broke, it was met with disbelief.

People said it would be impossible for the University of Illinois to part with a symbol as popular as the Chief. This day, the day after the Chief’s last performance, would never happen.

As the years passed, we heard many people shout the praises of the beloved Chief. They yearned that the NCAA and the University would forget all the talk of sending the Chief away.

Many fans became downright angry, ranting and raving about how there was only a few people who did not want the Chief and that the majority of people wanted the Chief to stay.

Then, once the NCAA laid down the law and the University began to make statements they may make a decision, some of the angry voices died down (but not all) and there was a sadness in the land. Many of the Chief supporters had given up and were to depressed to fuss anymore.

Then came last night. One last hurrah. One final dance.

(I admit, I did not see it live, but will likely see it on ESPN or somewhere else soon.)

The proof that Urbana-Champaign has finally accepted the loss of the mighty Chief is in the final score. Then fans did not go home after half-time, but cheered their weak Illini basketball team to a 54-42 win over Michigan.

So there you have it. Disbelief, yearning, anger, depression, acceptance. Unlike recent scientific studies, these five stages of grief took nearly twenty years.

Is everyone over the passing of the Chief? No, and I do not expect them to be. Many people invested a lot into the Chief.

The time is now to move on and remember the Chief for what he was. It is a new day and a new century. Long live the Chief.

Grief

2007-02-21T06:12:00.000-06:00

In today's Chicago Tribune, there is a headline that reads, "Scientists measure five stages of grief". I was shocked when I saw this. I had no idea the concept was being questioned.

As a high school student close to thirty years ago, we were taught the five stages of grief. Never was it presented that people do not respond in this way. The five stages came to mind during a movie we saw this weekend. I won't tell you which because I do not want to spoil the movie for you. Still, the main character went through each stage: disbelief, yearning, anger, depression and finally acceptance. It did not take the character six months, but they needed to wrap up the story.

Ronald Kotulak's story is interesting, although I am still not certain why we spent three years determining something we already knew. I realize that the scientists were not just determining if the stages were true, but the length of each stage, etc.

There are some thoughts found in this article about coping with grief and how to recognize when counciling is necessary. Kotulak, the Tribune science reporter, does a good job of presenting the facts.

No offense to Kotulak or the Trib, but I cannot wait for the next article, where they share that scientists have determined that gravity exists on the earth!

Chicago Radio (& TV)

2007-02-20T05:57:00.000-06:00

This past week reminds me of when I was a teenager and school was called off because of snow. I often spent the spare time in my room, reading, playing and listening to the radio.

No, I did not listen to the great rock and roll songs of the late 1970s. I was often listening to WGN radio. These people were my friends, including Wally Phillips, Roy Leonard, Bill Berg, Floyd Brown and, of course, best of all, Robert L. (as in “loveable”) Collins.

I discovered WGN through my dad. Dad often drove us somewhere. Sometimes we were driven to school. On the weekends we were often taken to old car shows. Dad liked to listen to WGN in the car.

Wally Phillips had a program that young people could appreciate. He had these drop-in voices that he had on cartridges and were speckled throughout the show. Voices included Tonto, politicians and comedians added spice to the deadpan sound he offered. Harry Shearer does a similar thing today, although on a much smaller scale, by having tapes of Dick Chaney saying “I shot Harry,” pop up every so often on his program, “LeShow”.

Snow days remind me of these people and WGN still has a good lineup of friends with whom you can enjoy and relate. John Williams is my personal favorite, but Spike O’Dell and Steve Cochran do a great job, as do the mid-day team of Kathy and Judy.

For a couple years now I have wished for a consummate website that kept up with the changes in Chicago radio. I believe I have finally found it.

http://chicagoradiotv.com is a relatively new site. It looks like it started last fall.

It is a blog, and is pretty bare-bones, but I like that. It has a number of links to great Chicago area radio information. Mostly it talks about the comings and goings of the current people working in the Chicago market.

Although it calls itself “radio & TV”, it looks like mostly a radio blog. Since it has only been available a few short months, there are not many people responding with comments (like my blog here), but I imagine that will change soon.

If you have an interest in Chicago radio and the people, both past and present, check it out!

Ron Santo for the Hall of Fame

2007-02-19T06:26:00.000-06:00

Ron Santo became a member of the Chicago National League ball club, known to many as “the Cubs” on June 26, 1960. He had three hits in seven at-bats including a double and five runs-batted-in. It was a good day for the twenty-year-old from Seattle, Washington.

His first major league home run came on July 3, 1960. That year he was fourth in the Rookie of the Year balloting, losing to Frank Howard overall. Pancho Herrera and Art Mahaffey both received more votes. Howard went on to have a distinguished career but Herrera and Mahaffey both faded away.

Over the course of his career, Santo his 342 home runs and gathered 2,254 hits. Neither statistic was monumental. There are lots of statistics we could discuss, none of which mean a hill of beans.

Ron Santo was a fantastic baseball player. I was young when he was nearing the end of his playing days. I preferred Billy Williams at the time, but Santo always was there. He always made the game fun.

Here was a guy who could field his position and was a long-ball threat. At times he could carry the team, although he recognized the stars were Banks and Williams.

After ending his baseball career (after an unfortunate year with the Chicago White Sox), he stayed away from the limelight for sixteen years, returning as a broadcaster for WGN radio.

The great story of Ron Santo cannot be contained in a blog such as this. Find a copy of his book “For Love of Ivy” at your local bookstore. He talks about his playing days, Durocher, and his fight with diabetes. The documentary “This Old Cub” is fantastic as well.

Ron Santo belongs in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, for more reasons than I have touched on here. He was an inspiring baseball player who continues to contribute to the game.

There are at least two meaningless online petitions (I signed one). There are also several stories about Santo that can be found at http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/. They are well written and tell his story so much better than I can.

This week the veterans committee votes for ballplayers missed by the writers. It is my hope they do the right thing and bring Ronnie into the Hall. If they do, it will be the best start the 2007 season could have.

Words of the Candidates

2007-02-18T07:27:00.000-06:00

“The genius of our founders is that they designed a system of government that can be changed. And we should take heart, because we've changed this country before. In the face of tyranny, a band of patriots brought an Empire to its knees. In the face of secession, we unified a nation and set the captives free. In the face of Depression, we put people back to work and lifted millions out of poverty. We welcomed immigrants to our shores, we opened railroads to the west, we landed a man on the moon, and we heard a King's call to let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

“Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call.” Barack Obama, February 10, 2007

“That is why this campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us - it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams.” Barack Obama, February 10, 2007

“And so I ask you, will you stand up for that tired father forced into emergency rooms to get health care for his little girl?

“Will you stand up for the brave young boy in the refugee camp?

“Will you stand up for the working men and women in our labor movement who have to fight for decent working conditions and living wages?

“Will you stand up for the young man who knows that education is his way out of the cycle of poverty and yet it seems beyond his grasp?

“Will you stand up?

“Will you stand up for America?

“Because if we don’t stand up, who will?” John Edwards, February 2, 2007

“We need to rebuild our families. We need stronger families! We need people belonging and committed! By doing so, we will reduce poverty, strengthen our nation, and increase hope.

“We need to support the foundational institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman for life. We should support marriage, not tax it? It's wrong to take away welfare benefits just because someone gets married. Marriage remains the best place to raise children—not the only place, but the best.” Sam Brownback, undated letter found at website

“In addition to demographic numbers, we must pay attention to the human condition. The human condition always drives world events. Roughly half of the world’s people live on less than $2 per day. More than one billion people do not have potable drinking water. Two billion people lack proper sanitation, and another 2 billion people do not have electricity.

“All of these numbers tell an important and complicated story that we must pay attention to. The greatest force for change in the world is the next generation. For America and the world to continue to improve the human condition it will require the trust and confidence of the world’s next generation. If we fail, our children and grandchildren will inherit a very dangerous world.” Chuck Hagel, February 10, 2007

“Americans know we need health care. But they doubt Washington understands what it feels like to lie in bed, like 47 million Americans without health insurance, looking over at your pregnant wife, and wondering what happens if your baby is premature. Will I lose my home?

“I understand because I remember being rolled into a operating room 20 years ago, after they told me that my chances weren't good, but thanking God that at least my family wouldn't be left in debt because I had insurance.” Joe Biden, February 3, 2007

Listen to what our candidates are saying. Listen to how they say it.

Before choosing these quotes, I searched several websites for candidates. I was surprised that the democratic candidates had their speeches available and easy to find. The republican candidates rarely had speeches available. After sifting through various candidates I found Chuck Hagel’s site that included recent speeches made.

Please search for information. Find out what they are saying. Decide for yourself what it important to you.

Most importantly, when it is time, go out and vote!

I know it is early in the process, but do not wait until it is too late.

As I write this, it is early Sunday morning. If you have a day off, spend an hour searching for what these people believe.

Below I have included the websites where I found these quotes. Also you will find an excellent website explaining the current presidential race and offering more websites with information about your future leaders.

Please, do not waste the day. Take a hard look for your sake, your family’s sake, and for all of us.

http://www.barackobama.com/
http://www.johnedwards.com/
Sam Brownback
Chuck Hagel
http://www.joebiden.com/

http://www.politics1.com/

Chief Illiniwek

2007-02-17T07:42:00.001-06:00

The dance may be over but the “Chief” will live on forever.

Of course, in this case, we are talking about the fictional “Chief Illiniwek” who roamed the halls and sports stadiums at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1926. Since 1988, the question of whether it was morally right to continue to present the Chief during sporting events has been debated.

Let me be more accurate. Whether the University should continue promoting and presenting the Chief and his ceremonial dance at sporting and other activities has been pondered, questioned, argued, discussed, talked about, thrashed about, fought about, bickered, squabbled, disputed and fussed about for close to twenty years.

Let us think about that for a moment. For a quarter of the Chief’s existence, the point of his existence has been under fire.

In Urbana-Champaign, there are two types of people who live there. No, I don’t mean the democrats or republicans. No, I don’t mean the smokers or non-smokers. No I don’t mean those who are pro-choice or pro-life. No, I don’t mean men or women.

In the area you will find those “For the Chief” or those “Against the Chief”. There are few (Outside the Board of Trustees) on the fence.

Those who support the Chief have been called insensitive, arrogant, bigoted, unfeeling, unsympathetic, uncaring, callous, cruel, cold and heartless.

Those who support the retirement of the Chief have been called oversensitive, over politically correct, touchy, prickly, thin-skinned, over-emotional, whiney, moaning, complaining and bleeding hearts.

The debate will never be totally over, but hopefully it has been tempered. The Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois has announced that after Wednesday night’s performance, the Chief will be retired.

I have been one of those who have not voiced their opinion. I have always viewed the Chief as a character, like Paul Bunyan. I never felt he characterized a specific tribe or a specific, “true to life” lifestyle. He has always been a fun story that symbolized strength and pride.

The University could have used space gladiators or Roman gladiators. They could have used a pack animal or revolutionary war soldier. Instead, they chose an American Indian.

Considering the time and non-white attitudes of the day, it was an easy choice. Still, it is not 1926 anymore.

This is the twenty-first century. What our country did to minorities of all types through the past two hundred plus years is reprehensible. We continue to fight with those whose beliefs are contrary to ours overseas. In many ways, we still have not learned our lessons.

In the small community of Urbana-Champaign, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees have taken a brave stand (thanks to a gun to the head by the NCAA) and said that since the Chief is offensive to some, we must find another way to promote bravery, persistence and honor among the students, faculty, alumni and just plain fans of the University.

It is not a popular move, but it is the right move. Maybe the decision was not made for the best reasons, but it was the right decision.

In the hearts of the supporters of the Chief, I hope they will take the good that the Chief represented and find new ways to express themselves. Many things were said that should not have been said. Much money was spent that could have been spent elsewhere.

Let us enjoy the last dance and then move forward. The Chief will always be remembered, if not displayed. That is as it should be.

Long live the Chief.

Dimm View of Winter

2007-02-13T10:25:00.000-06:00

Winter has finally arrived in Central Illinois! Certainly there are hundreds of other things to write about, but the one thing on my mind, and my family’s mind, is the snow. Before all is done there could be over a foot of new snow outside.

I do not remember the last time we had this much snow. I do remember the last terrible snow was on New Year’s Eve in 1998/1999. I remember because my (then) sixteen year old daughter was stuck in Nashville, Tennessee trying to get home.

Despite the recent cold temperatures and the blizzard-like conditions today, I still believe our world is a victim to global warming. It is just that days like today make it a hard-sell.

So today, my wife and I are not going to work. The roads between here and my job are shut down and, although my wife can get to work, nobody else can or should. Schools are closed so my daughter is still asleep (at 10:00a) and my son has spent a good portion of the morning playing video games.

I have been playing with the blog a little since last night. If you have not noticed, I have added an “Atom” to the blog. You can spot it off to the left. The “Atom” allows you to subscribe to the blog. That way you do not miss anything brilliant I may write.

Please sign up for the blog and let your friends know. If you are stuck at home in the middle of the Midwest snow storm, take this opportunity now to call or email your friends. Of course, you could be reading about global warming, or watching the Al Gore movie, “An Inconvenient Truth”, since you have the extra time (by the way, the movie is excellent). Still, emailing or calling your friends about “A Dimm View of Life” is just as important from a “making the world a better place” standpoint.

While you are talking to your friends about the blog, do not forget to remind them that Barack Obama is running for president. They may want to do some reading.

If they enjoy jazz, tell them about “Detroit JazzStage”. If they like baseball, let them know that pitchers and catchers are starting to show up in Arizona and Florida. If they like political humor, tell them about “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me” and “LeShow”.

Or better yet, ask them how their family is, or how work is going. See if you can’t get together as a family, or maybe just for coffee. Not today, of course.

The point is, do not let the weather cut you off or get you down. The world is still bright and beautiful. It is just a little whiter right now.

Missing States

2007-02-12T06:33:00.000-06:00

This blog has been around now for roughly ten months. I find it interesting that there are still twelve states that haven’t been represented when I look at who has visited this blog.

People from Alabama, Delaware, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming have deftly avoided stopping by and seeing the Dimm View of Life.

It causes me to ponder, “Is there broadband in these states?” Do people from these states know about the internet? Is Google available?

Certainly the internet would be available in states like Nevada, West Virginia and Rhode Island.

All kidding aside, I am aware that the internet is available to all our fifty states (Puerto Rico has been by for a visit). So why have these states avoided Alexander Dimm?

Maybe it’s content. I tend to write about whatever comes to mind. Politics, sports, entertainment, books that I have read that I really like, and podcasts (of course) are main topics that spring to mind.

Maybe this is too varied. Maybe I need to be more categorical.

Over the next couple of months I am considering a change in format. I am considering a full-blown website and maybe a couple of blogs. Being a sports fan/Cubs baseball fan, and the season starting to rev up, I am considering a separate “Dimm View of Baseball” blog. With election season starting (huh?), I am also considering a separate “Dimm View of Elections”. That way I am not tied to only talking about the Presidential election, but can vary my writing about any races that are interesting.

Of course, I will continue a “Dimm View of Life”. There I will talk about some of the more conventional things, including books and podcasts and what is the state of life around us.

My thinking is that if I develop this blog into a full website, maybe people from Rhode Island will visit me. Maybe Delaware people will stop by. Maybe Idaho will stop from farming their potatoes long enough to read about the Boise Cubs, if I write about the low-A Cub farm club.

Or maybe I am just too anal retentive. Maybe I shouldn’t worry about it and just write something interesting.

Maybe I will try that.

Barack Obama for President, Pt. 2

2007-02-10T12:46:00.000-06:00

As I write these words, it has been two hours since Barack Obama made his announcement declaring his run for the office of President of the United States. My wife and daughter and I watched him speak on C-Span.

You can read a copy of the transcript here: Obama’s Speech.

Among the statements made this morning were these: “In the face of war, you believe there can be peace. In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope. In the face of a politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union.”

“It was here (in Springfield) we learned to disagree without being disagreeable - that it's possible to compromise so long as you know those principles that can never be compromised; and that so long as we're willing to listen to each other, we can assume the best in people instead of the worst.”

“Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call. “

“And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth.”

Senator Obama can certainly speak well. I will enjoy listening to him over the next two years.
It is my hope that whoever lands in office at the end of 2008, will have the actions that can back up the words. In the case of Barack Obama, we may be looking at the “real deal”.

Barack Obama for President

2007-02-10T07:40:00.000-06:00

Roughly two and a half hours from now, as I am writing this, Illinois Senator Barack Obama will formally announce his candidacy for the office of United States President.

I wish I could be there. I wish I could take my whole family there. It will be a historic moment.

Even if he doesn’t win either the nomination or the office, Obama’s candidacy will be an exciting story to watch. If the election were held today, I would vote for him. However, the primary is a year away and the general election is nearly two years from now.

A lot can happen during that time.

I like Barack Obama for several reasons. First, he is from Illinois. Not really. He is from Hawaii, but he is an Illinois Senator and that’s good enough. We are proud to have him represent our great state.

Second, I appreciate most of his positions. He believes in tax reform, which I agree is necessary. He believes everyone should pay their fair share, which is not happening today. He believes in committing as a nation to alternative fuel sources. That means more than the lip service provided by the current administration. He believes changes need to be made to our health care system.

There are issues I wish he was stronger and bolder in his support, such as education and homeland security, but it is early in the process and I may have missed strong, bold statements he has already made on these topics.

Third, he wants the war to an end. Simply put, we must find a way out of Iraq and Obama may be open-minded enough to find the way.

Fourth, he is a leader. He is not afraid to do the hard work necessary to find solutions and works hard to get his message out. He listens and is able to respond to what is said, not twist the conversation over to his own talking points.

Overall, I believe in Barack Obama. I believe, as a country, we are ready for Barack Obama. Let’s sit back and enjoy the next few months and hear what he has to say.

There are other candidates I enjoy listening to, and will give them a listen. I like Joe Biden and John Edwards. There are even a couple republicans I will follow, including Senator McCain. It will be a long election season. Names will drop in and drop out of the running.

For today, however, it is Barack Obama’s day. We still have a little more than two hours before he steps up to the podium in Springfield, Illinois. I cannot wait to hear what he has to say.

Molly Ivins 1944 - 2007

2007-02-09T06:20:00.000-06:00

I didn’t even know she was ill. Apparently, Molly Ivins had been fighting breast cancer since 1999. On January 31st, the beast finally claimed one of our finest writers.

It is amazing to me that I had not heard about our loss until listening to last Thursday’s NPR podcast of “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me”. They made a passing reference during the broadcast which was taped just a day after her passing.

My discovery of Molly Ivins happened a little over a year ago. I found her at the workingforchange.com website. Workingforchange.com features many funny and insightful writers such as Joe Conason, A.J. Dionne, Will Durst and Arianna Huffington. Quickly, I realized that Ivins was my favorite.

The program “Wait, Wait…” referred to a story from early in her career. The California born, Texas raised Ivins somehow secured a writing job at the New York Times from 1976 to 1982. She covered the nine western states as the paper’s “Rocky Mountain” bureau chief. Her style finally clashed with the paper’s editors when she wrote about a community chicken-killing as a “gang-pluck”. Somehow, the Times failed to spot the humor.

The wonderful aspect of Ivins was that she had intelligence, confidence and a sense of humor. Among her best lines include, “Good thing we've still got politics in Texas - finest form of free entertainment ever invented.”; As they say around the [Texas] Legislature, if you can't drink their whiskey, screw their women, take their money, and vote against 'em anyway, you don't belong in office.”’; “You can't ignore politics, no matter how much you'd like to.”

The last comment was pursued in the final column published at workingforchange.com. In she says, “We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war.”

In yet another example of how she felt about people being involved in the world, Anthony Zurcher wrote this for the Creators Syndicate, “Last fall, before an audience at the University of Texas, her voice began as barely a whisper. But as she went on, she drew strength from the standing-room-only crowd until, at the end of the hour, she was forcefully imploring the students to get involved and make a difference. As Molly once wrote, ‘Politics is not a picture on a wall or a television sitcom that you can decide you don't much care for.’"

If we learn anything from the life of Molly Ivins, it is that all of us have a voice. Some of us may write a blog. Others may participate in a rally or run for office. Others may donate money or work to raise money for a good cause. All of us need to vote!

As for me, I may not be nearly as “funny, intelligent or insightful” as Ms. Molly Ivins. I may not be able to inspire people to get up and fight to make the world a little better. There can only be one Molly Ivins. But the best tribute I can think of is to say, “I’m going to try.”

Iran

2007-02-08T06:34:00.000-06:00

Early this morning, CNN posted a story on their website stating that Iran will fight back if attacked.

It must be a slow news day.

Do you not think that any country would fight back if attacked? Iraq did not fight hard, but there was some resistance at the start of this “war”. Today there is less war with the U.S. and more squabbling among themselves. U.S. soldiers are dying because they are there, not because the Iraq people are trying to accomplish overthrowing our country.

The Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this morning, “The enemy knows well that any invasion would be followed by a comprehensive reaction to the invaders and their interests all over the world."

This is supposed to put fear in our hearts as citizens. Personally, it does not bother me at all. I expect statements like this. When I get worried is when our own President and Vice-President make statements about fighting Iran. Then I get nervous.

As a country, we need to listen more to leaders like Russ Feingold and Barack Obama who are constantly trying to find solutions and ways to bring our soldiers home. They are not talking about sending more troops and finding other wars to battle.

Molly Ivins would have said it better, but it is time for a shift in our foreign policy. It will be two years before we swear in a new President. I hope we don’t wait that long to demand a change.

Astronaut Love

2007-02-07T06:32:00.000-06:00

As a comedian once said, “What’s the matter with you?” Astronaut Lisa Nowak, a forty-three-year-old married mother of three tries to kidnap and murder the thirty-year-old girlfriend of another (male) astronaut. “What’s the matter with you?”

As a forty-something year old husband and father, I don’t get it. You have the world! You have a great career. You have, presumably, a great family. What more could you want?

Your fellow co-worker is a forty-something man. I haven’t read if he is married with children, but let’s presume he isn’t. “What’s the matter with you?” You already have a husband and children!! Leave the poor man alone!

You told police that your relationship with the fellow astronaut was “more than a working relationship and less than a romantic relationship.” That’s the way it should be.

If he wants to go off with some thirty-year-old woman, that’s, presumably, his choice. Again, presuming he has no wife and children of his own.

This is worth talking about because my impression of the NASA community was that these people were incredibly intelligent. They were high achievers who were organized, controlled and set high goals for themselves.

Apparently, behavior cannot be judged by jobs, hobbies or religious affiliations.

This situation reminds me of a high school cat fight. Actually, it is a little more than a cat fight when you bring up the pepper spray and the carbon-dioxide powered BB pistol. Not to mention the steel mallet, folding knife with the four-inch blade and the garbage bags. Someone was planning to do more than fight.

How many of these do we have to read about before people remember that these always turn out badly. No one wins in a three way relationship. In this case, the male co-worker could be as much to blame as Nowak. If he saw any signs of interest, he should have shut things down immediately.

My daughter mentioned last night there were two fights at her school yesterday. Two girls fought about a young fellow. Two boys fought over a girl. Which one of these six will turn up in the newspaper twenty-years from now? Will they learn their lessons now, or will this pattern follow?

Luckily, I don’t have to worry. I am very much in love with my wife. I have wonderful children. There is nothing (and no one) more I need in life. So when I read a tragic story like this, I can only think of one question: What is the matter with you?

2008 Primary Season

2007-02-06T06:35:00.000-06:00

There was a time in the “not-so-distant” past when a state primary election meant something. Voters were given a chance to meet and learn about candidates. All the announced candidates had an equal chance during the early primaries.

As the season wore on, some moved into the front while others faded away. The process was sound and sometimes provided very interesting stories. Remember Gary Hart’s campaigns in 1984 and 1987? Remember Howard Dean’s imploding chase for the nomination?

The disappointment in recent years is that nomination decisions are being made earlier. During my lifetime, I remember when the republican and democratic conventions were the places where the final decisions about who would run were made. Today, the choices are formed months before, even before the primaries have completed their cycle.

Unfortunately, we cannot turn back the clock. Such changes are part of the new world where we live. Communication is faster. We want our news faster. We move faster. If we could hold the election this November, we would. You know that candidates are ready.

The disappointment for me is how the primary season is changing. New Hampshire and Iowa used to kick off the season in late January and early February, while “Super Tuesday” played out during March. During 2008, Nevada will be moving their primary to match Iowa. South Carolina has moved theirs to match New Hampshire. Many other states have announced moves to those weeks as well, including Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina and Utah will be moving theirs up as well. Those still debating include California, Florida, New Jersey and Illinois.

As disappointed I am that all these states will be voting at the same time, I understand how no one wants to be left out. No one wants the decision to be made without their voice being heard. In my state, Illinois, the statement was made that we want to give candidate Barack Obama a boost. Moving the primary up from April to February will let their opinions mean something because by April a primary may be redundant.

That is why so many candidates have made announcements so early this year. They need a year to campaign before the nominations are decided next February. In 2008, the nominating process will go quickly, months before the conventions and eons before the November election.

Is faster better? No irony intended, but “time will tell”. Democrats need to be the most careful. A bunched up primary season may produce a candidate to whom they are not totally committed. Both parties need the time to sort through what is important to them and who is the best person to present the message. Unfortunately, that process must begin now and not in 2008.

After years of so-so candidates, let us hope that the next election produces candidates we can be excited about and support with fervor. Let us not ignore the process.

Super Bowl is Over

2007-02-05T06:05:00.000-06:00

It would be easy to dump on the Bears quarterback, Rex Grossman. He, who allowed two interceptions and a goofy fumble, did not play well.

Still, it has been written that the true course of the game would be fought between Payton Manning, Colts quarterback, and Brian Urlacher, of the famed Bears defense.

By 9:00p CST last night, Manning was the victor. The Bears defense was intimidating for about half of the first quarter. The Colts adjusted and the Bears were just another tough defense.
Don’t get me wrong, the Bears defense played well. They just stopped overpowering the Colt offense. With “Bad Rex” showing up in Miami, the defense needed to do more.

I cannot feel too bad, however. The Bears did put up a good fight. They made it to the Super Bowl itself, which was only the second time in forty-one years. You still have to be proud, even if you want to criticize the quarterback.

The Colts were favored. Tony Dungy is a great coach. It was their turn to win.

Maybe next year it will be the Bears turn.

DJS: Paul Keller and Jesse Palter

2007-02-04T08:27:00.000-06:00

Today is Super Bowl Sunday. Bears fans and Colts fans, and football fans in general, will be gathering in their favorite places all day long to prepare for the beating the Bears will provide to the Colts.

At least, that is what I expect will happen when the dust clears. Bears by ten.

Of course, I am not a great student of football. For me, football is a mild pastime. I prefer baseball or listening to jazz. For me, the Super Bowl winners of jazz are the people behind “Detroit JazzStage”.

The most recent holidays provided a couple nuggets of joy from Detroit. First, DJS has developed a new program concept they call “DJS Jazz Spotlight”. The initial outing brings attention to twenty-one year old Jesse Palter and her new song “Lovesick”.

“Lovesick” is a song she co-wrote and is included in her CD “Beginning to See the Light”. During the podcast, Palter freely talks about the song and CD and the inspiration behind her work. For someone so young, she has a mix of intelligence and youth that is very appealing.

The song “Lovesick” has crossover appeal. It is very much a jazz song, but I believe it would appeal to R&B and rock audiences as well. She attributes Stevie Wonder’s music as inspiration and it is truly felt in Mike Jellick’s keyboards. She may say, “I don’t need a remedy, just steal the thoughts of you from me,” but the feelings of joy and love she feels are clear. The scat she provides leaves me remembering Minnie Riperton, which contrary to some opinions, is not a bad thing.

The song may be “Lovesick”, but the feeling is a happy one. I hope we will hear more from this young talent. To hear the podcast, click the “Detroit JazzStage” link to the left. The program is shorter than a regular JazzStage offering, clocking at just under ten minutes. It is a perfect length for those of us with short commutes. Palter’s CD can be found at http://cdbaby.com/cd/palter.

The DJS crew then followed this up with a forty minute podcast featuring a live performance by the Paul Keller Ensemble. I have listened to this one more than any other DJS podcast they have produced to date. Keller’s song “NTK” is a big reason why. This is a joyful romp which is great morning listening to get your day started right.

Keller, a University of Michigan professor, removes crass commercialism and embraces what good jazz truly is. He understands the history of jazz and is not afraid to attempt to bring what he has learned to original compositions. Hopefully, one of Michigan’s best kept secrets is ready to be exposed.

“Detroit JazzStage” continues to live up to my previous statements that it is the most professional and enjoyable podcast being produced to date. If you haven’t taken the time yet, to coin a phrase: “What are you waiting for?” Click on the link provided and download the “Paul Keller Ensemble recorded at Live at the Max”, and “DJS Jazz Spotlight featuring vocalist Jesse Palter”. You will not be disappointed.

Not Enough Indians

2007-02-03T07:39:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I mentioned “LeShow”, Harry Shearer’s witty radio exercise that is as thought provoking as it is funny. Shearer has been doing the show weekly since 1983 and archives are available as far back as October of 1995 at the Harry Shearer website (look for the link off to the left).

Shearer entered a new medium during 2006 when he authored his first novel, “Not Enough Indians”. He has had two other books published during the 1990s, including “Man Bites Town” and “It’s the Stupidity, Stupid”. Both are considered social commentary.

In “Not Enough Indians”, Shearer carefully crafts a town in upstate New York who is suffering financially. The town is like many across this great country who are searching for ways to build their economy and can’t quite find the best course of action.

Of course, it doesn’t help that the leaders of Gammage, NY are not that bright and have questionable morals. In fact, throughout the book, it is hard to discover any character that you can identify with or that you hope will be successful.

The joy of “Not Enough Indians” is not in finding a small, forlorn character that you can root to victory. The joy of the book is seeing how far people will go. In the world Shearer creates, people are willing to stretch the truth so thin you can hardly see any truth remaining. People are willing to jeopardize their values to achieve a financial goal. Does any of this sound familiar?

No, I do not believe the book is intended to be an allegory of the current Bush administration, but the way the townspeople make their decisions does appear to mirror decisions made in our country’s recent past.

If you have not heard of the book, find a copy and take a look. It is quick and funny read. If you have heard of the book, but have not taken the time to read it yet, shame on you! Yes, it is a novel and there are plenty of Iraq books you have yet to read, but “Not Enough Indians” is required reading now.

It can be found at Amazon.com. Click this link to take you straight there.

“Not Enough Indians”

Don’t forget to let me know what you think!

Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!

2007-02-02T06:36:00.000-06:00

The MP3 player must be considered one of the best inventions of the later days of the twentieth century. Five Germans are credited with developing the audio compression technology that we enjoy today in various instruments, including I-Pods and cell phones.

Today, Bernhard Grill, Karl-Heinz Brandenburg, Thomas Sporer, Bernd Kurten, and Ernst Eberlein are my heroes. Someday I will explain where the acronym MP3 comes from, but that is not what I want to tell you about today.

Today I want to tell you about what I am listening to with my MP3. Much has already been said about the superior jazz music podcast “Detroit JazzStage”. Sunday morning political programs, such as “Face the Nation” and “This Week” also find their way to my daily trips to work and home.

Still, there is a place on my MP3 for humor. I was so disappointed that Michael Feldman’s “Whad’Ya Know” couldn’t be downloaded in its entirety. It is available as a stream on the internet, but I cannot sit still in front of the computer that long.

Feldman does offer a short snippet from the show as a podcast, but it is not one of my favorite parts of his program, so I let it go.

Since I first received my MP3 I have been listening to Harry Shearer’s “LeShow”. It is one of the most consistently funny and well written programs produced for radio today. It will get you thinking as well and get you laughing, which is why I enjoy it so.

If you find a moment, check out this past week’s (January 28, 2007) program. Along with Shearer’s dry wit, the show features a song by “The Bobs” called “Slow Down Krishna”. The Bobs are an A cappella group from California who sound great and the song is hilarious.

Recently I stumbled across a program on NPR quite by accident. How I could have missed the program I do not know but I had never heard of it until this fall.

Since 1979, NPR has produced a program titled “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me”. It is a quiz program where NPR voices Peter Sagal and Carl Kasell shoot questions at such celebrities as Mo Rocca, P.J. O’Rourke, Roy Blount Jr. and Paula Poundstone.

The program has a stable of close to twelve panelists and each week three appear on the program to suffer the slings and arrows Sagal provides. What makes the program so appealing is that you hear about news you may have missed the previous week, and you find that intelligent people, like Blount and Kyrie O’Connor (Deputy Managing Editor of the Houston Chronicle), have also missed a few things as well.

Each of the people chosen to participate have an extensive list of writing credits and are known for expressing their views on what is going on in the world. They are not afraid to speak up here as well.

The program is produced live in Chicago each week, which always is a plus for me. My goal this summer is to talk one or more of my family into going to the Chase Auditorium some Thursday night for a taping.

Included is a link to the podcast off to the left. The program is usually about forty-five minutes long and worth every minute. If you like to laugh and enjoy the wit of television programs like “The Daily Show” and the “Colbert Report”, you will love this. Enjoy!

February

2007-02-01T05:54:00.000-06:00

January clung like a dark shroud. Each day the sadness traveled deeper into my soul until there was nearly no light, no joy. I raise my head only to have in beaten down by the dull ravages of evil thoughts and feelings.

Okay, maybe January is not that bad, but I am still glad today is the first of February. For some odd reason, January and I are not on speaking terms.

It was my wife who reminded me of my issues with January early this year. It started with terrible back pain. I thought maybe I just strained it doing housework, but it just kept getting worse. Finally, around the eleventh I went to the doctor. He provided Vioxin and a muscle relaxer. A week later, I was fine.

Then the cold came. The cold ran from about the twentieth to the twenty-sixth or so, but I have a bronchial cough that won’t go away. I have tried different things that have slowed it, but not driven it away. I still believe I can beat it without going to the doctor. Besides, it is February now.

Thinking back over the years, I notice that the really difficult issues that have faced me often appear during January. Most of my serious physical problems have hit during January. Not all of them, but many of them.

Maybe it is because my birthday is during January. Maybe it is because I start thinking about taxes during January. Maybe it is because January is the toughest month to go without baseball. I know there are places in this country where baseball is played year round, but Illinois is not one of them.

February seems to be full of hope. February is full of promise. Valentine’s Day is during February. It is a shorter month. Baseball players gather in Arizona and Florida during February. The Cubs seem like winners during February. Yay!

If a year is a race, I feel that I have stumbled out of the blocks. Resolutions can be tossed aside because the fresh start has been wasted by the dark clouds of winter. February is still a tough winter month in Illinois, but we can often see signs of spring. When February ends, March appears and the real birth of the New Year is upon us.

Maybe I should abandon the calendar and consider March First the beginning of the New Year. It is a better month in which to start. You can actually see the beginning of life during March. Fresh leaves and fresh flowers begin to appear. We can begin to work on a new garden. We can clear away old sticks and leaves that failed to be cleared in the fall. Life truly starts in March.

Or maybe April.

Then again, I may just be whining. Maybe January is not such a bad month. The good news is that it is done. Welcome February! Stay and lets us enjoy you for a few weeks. Maybe four.

I feel better already!

Monday vs. Tuesday

2007-01-31T06:32:00.000-06:00

Today is Wednesday. It is early morning. I am getting ready for another exciting day at the call center. What I do at the call center is not answering phone calls, but writing for the people who do answer phone calls.

Our call center gets thousands of calls each day from customers and sales people. Many of the questions are the same and easily answered. Some questions are off the wall. That is where my department blossoms in importance. We dig around for answers to the hard, and sometimes goofy, questions. I would provide examples but I have to respect the privacy of the customers.

When we are not hunting down answers, each of us on the team has projects for which we are responsible. This leads me to the question, which do I prefer, Mondays or Tuesdays?

Typically, Monday is the most despised day of the week. It is the day after the weekend. It is the “spoiled sport” or “buzz kill”.

Tuesday, however, is one step closer to the next weekend. So the question should be easy, right? Tuesday is better than Monday!

Still, let’s get back to those projects. On Monday, I have to set up the projects for the week. I try to clear my schedule of meetings and training sessions and leave the day open for preparing reports on the work of the previous week. I still have at least one conference call to attend, but the only other obstacle on Monday is my co-worker. They like to talk about their weekend. I usually lose at least a half-hour of work time each Monday listening to stories about football or children. Some weeks I lose more.

Not to say that it is not enjoyable. I like my co-worker and it is interesting to hear what is going on with them. Still, being a work oriented person, I hear my computer calling during most of the monologue.

They do not bother me as much as other visitors to our cubicles, who want to talk about their weekends and sporting preferences and family issues and workplace complaints, etc. When I have work to do, I don’t want to know what their Mother-in-law puts in the Chicken Pot Pie.

By the end of a normal Monday, I have prepared five reports, filed five different reports, and forwarded two emails to two different groups letting them know their input is needed regarding at least one of the aforementioned reports.

If I accomplish all that, and answer a couple odd questions, I go home Monday feeling good. It’s a good day’s work.

Tuesday, however, is a trickier day. I have a news/e-letter I prepare every Tuesday. Each member of our team is responsible for a day. Tuesday is my day. It often takes me two or three hours to complete the letter each week. Sometimes it takes longer if there is a special topic involved.

Once that is complete, I can work on two other reports related to the five reports I worked on Monday. Plus, there is another conference call late in the afternoon.
My point is that lately I have preferred Monday to Tuesday. Monday seems like a blank slate, while Tuesday offers obstacles to getting the work done I want to achieve.

Of course, today is Wednesday. I have one conference call and two reports to complete, along with solving more odd problems. Not only that, Wednesday is one day closer to the weekend.

Maybe I prefer Wednesday. I will have to think on that today.