The Philly Talk Column, Page Two

 

Archived material, this column is no longer used

 

PhillyTalk.com - More than just Talk Radio

I think I have a problem with MS-WORD.  Let me know if you have encountered the same error with your Office Assistant.

Tuesday, July 8, 2003

You REALLY stepped in it this time Savage

Talk Host Michael Savage got axed from his MSNBC show after telling a (crank) caller,
"Oh, you're one of the sodomites," Savage said. "You should only get AIDS and die, you pig. How's that? Why don't you see if you can sue me, you pig. You got nothing better than to put me down, you piece of garbage. You have got nothing to do today, go eat a sausage and choke on it." 
Woah, real smart pal.  The gays have been after you like since Guttenberg invented the printing press and you let that one slip out?

You can try to say your words do not reflect what you really mean but given your JOB is what you say it's no wonder you got fired. story link

Savage responds with this

What happened on the air is much different than what is being reported. It was in the middle of an airline horror story segment with a great set (see photos above). Out of nowhere a crank caller from a competitive talk show went from describing his airline horror story to making vicious personal attacks against me. I signaled and thought that this crank caller was cut from the air. His insults continued in my ear piece and I reacted to him personally as an individual who was attacking me to defend myself.

Unfortunately, my personal comments to this crank caller were broadcast. In no way did my comments reflect my views of disease and suffering in any way. I have spent my entire life in the field of alternative medicine trying to heal the world and bring comfort to the sick. If my comments brought pain to anyone I certainly did not intend for this to happen and apologize for any such reaction.

Let me repeat, this was an interchange between me personally and a mean spirited vicious setup caller which I thought was taking place off the air. It was not meant to reflect my views of the terrible tragedy and suffering associated with AIDS. I especially appeal to my many listeners in the gay community to accept my apologies for any inadvertent insults which may have occurred.

 

Thursday, July 3, 2003

Do Not Call List
(Thanks Mike, Boogie Jack)

Here's a long overdue site...it's the web site for the United States national "do not call" list. Just register your phone number(s) and most telemarketers cannot legally call you for the next five years.


I listed my phone numbers, and unless you like telemarketers, you'll probably want to register yours. If you do, you'll have to click a link in an email they send you to complete the registration.
http://www.donotcall.gov 

Did you know 15,000+ Muslims are going to descend on Philadelphia on the weekend of the 4th of July?
Not only will they be holding meetings at the convention center, they also have permits to march and will be setting up tents and bull horns at the Independence Mall.
Tell me, were they given special rates at the State Convention Center? They plan to display the Koran at Independence Mall. How can this be? What about separation of church and state? Would the KKK be given the same privileges, how about Jerry Falwell, or, the Jewish Defense League?
This largely unnoticed event to be held on the birthday of this nation smacks of the same bending of the rules to placate the fastest growing religion in the world. The same religion that preaches death to infidels and non-believers and who's members attacked the U.S.
Is anyone paying attention.
I think that Independence Mall falls under the jurisdiction of the US Parks Service. The convention center is run by the state. Didn't Rendell embrace Farrakhan?
I wonder how the union members at the convention center feel about setting up for this group? And will all the visitors to the Mall and Constitution Center be bombarded with Muslim recruiters and Muslim hate speech? And will anyone be checking this group for possible terrorists?
Thought you may be interested since the media is asleep at the wheel, again.

John DiPrimio
Citizens for Common Sense

 

Thanks to Don Barrett at laradio.com for this one.
-Jim Walsh
Consultant Story. Radio consultants are looked at as either an enormous help or a pain in the butt. This is a consultant story making the rounds of the Internet, just in case you hadn’t seen it. 

A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the shepherd, "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?" 

The shepherd looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing flock and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?" 

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his AT&T cell phone. He surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite navigation system to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany. Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with hundreds of complex formulas. He uploads all of this data via an email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response. Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1586 sheep."

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my sheep." says the shepherd. He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.

Then the shepherd says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my sheep?"

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"

"You're a consultant," says the shepherd.

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required," answered the shepherd. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew; to a question I never asked; and you don't know crap about my business."

"Now give me back my dog." 

Friday, June 20, 2003

Jeff Katz signs with the Weiss Agency out of Los Angeles. His new agent is Eric Weiss, formerly President of Mutual Broadcasting, VP of Premiere Radio Networks and Executive VP of Westwood One. Eric only personally represents a few clients including John & Ken of KFI in L.A.

From Inside Radio
Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern and Paul Harvey all qualify for Forbes' "Celebrity 100" list.
Jennifer Anniston's #1 this year, but Rush easily makes the Celebrity List again, at #36 (and #33 in "pay rank"). Howard Stern is #40 (#36 in pay rank and #22 in "web rank"). And Paul Harvey weighs in at #62 (#38 in pay rank).

The Movie that Hollywood is afraid to make
Darlene Lieblich is Executive Director of Broadcast Standards at one of the major networks and also producer of a controversial new film project called HEART OF THE BEHOLDER. She has received a tremendous amount of pressure from extreme religious groups while trying to get this movie made because the film touches on the subject of the freedom of religion, speech, abuse of power, etc.

Her film tells the true story of a St. Louis video store owner whose life was shattered because he refused to withdraw from his shelves Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ. It s a fascinating story with a corrupt prosecutor, a prostitution sting, and, of course, the ultimate demise of this man s life due to constant harassment from an extreme religious group.

Having seen her movie in development at A-list production companies only to be withdrawn from their slates under pressure from those same moralists, Darlene is turning directly to liberty-loving individuals and human rights organizations in order to get the movie made. Her web-site www.beholder.com  

There is a Teaser animation on the main page (1.5megs) that is a bit wacky at first glance.  Pass on that and head right to the STORY page for the background and good stuff.

=================

Did you hear the one about the politician who died and went to heaven?
While walking down the street one day a female head of state is tragically hit by a truck and dies. Her soul
arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the
entrance.

"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the lady.

"Well, I'd like to but I have orders from higher up.
What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven," says the head of state.

"I'm sorry but we have our rules." And with that, St.
Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down,
down, down to Hell. The doors open and she finds
herself in the middle of a green golf course. In the
distance is a club and standing in front of it are all
her friends and other politicians who had worked with
her, everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet her, hug her, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are having such a good time that, before she
realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives her a big
hug and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator
goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for her.

"Now it's time to visit Heaven." So 24 hours pass with
the head of state joining a group of contented souls
moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and
singing. They have a good time and, before she realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well then, you've spent a day in Hell and another in
Heaven. Now choose your eternity."

She reflects for a minute, then the head of state
answers: "Well, I would never have said it, I mean
Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be
better off in Hell."

So Saint Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and she is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. She sees all her friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to her and lays his arm on her neck.

"I don't understand," stammers the head of state.
Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.

The Devil looks at her, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!"

What's all the fuss over the Infinity deal with AOL broadband?

When Infinity signed a deal with AOL to pump their broadband service there were groans by some employees.  It took a while but they found a way to strike back at what some consider to be a substandard service and an uncomfortable deal.

[start rant] All this comes on the heels of news reports that AOL has lost MILLIONS of subscribers to their dial up service.  Once people realize that AOL + 1 phone line costs more than DSL or cable they replace a bug ridden, spam infested service with something that transmits faster than a snail crossing Broad Street in July.  I got so many emails from people who couldn't find out how to cancel AOL I will post a special page just for that. [end rant]

All Access posted the following on their website.

Thursday, June 12, 2003

All Access 6/12 - AFTRA is getting in its comments on the INFINITY-AOL BROADBAND controversy reported YESTERDAY (6/11) on ALL ACCESS, complaining to INFINITY about having newscasters "promote" the AOL service. A brief letter from AFTRA National Director, News and Broadcasting TOM CARPENTER to CBS Senior VP/Industrial Relations HARRY ISAACS complains that some union members have been ordered to mention AOL BROADBAND and to log the mentions, a situation echoed in the METRO TIMES article from DETROIT summarized in WEDNESDAY's NET NEWS.

CARPENTER's letter says: "We object to this policy to the extent that it conflicts with any of our collective bargaining agreements, to the policies of VIACOM, CBS and/or INFINITY, and to the extent that it conflicts with Sections 317 and 507 of the Communications Act of 1934. AFTRA specifically reserves its right to challenge the application or enforcement of this policy in the future." The company says that all-news stations are not part of the AOL deal.

All Access 6/11 - This week's edition of METRO TIMES DETROIT carries an article by JEREMY VOSS that highlights the ethical issues surrounding INFINITY's deal with AOL FOR BROADBAND to have air talent give mentions of that service on the air.

The paper, in VOSS' "Screed" column, claims internal documents at INFINITY News WWJ-A/DETROIT show a requirement that newscasters promote AOL FOR BROADBAND "as though they were providing editorial endorsements" and must follow news stories with reminders of the streaming audio/video and chats at AOL. The paper further charges that the memo from Ops Manager GEORGEANN HERBERT, which the paper prints in its entirety, requires talent to log the mentions (which are not denoted as commercial content on the air) and that the deal requires WWJ to send to AOL three examples per week of how the station talked about AOL. HERBERT's memo, however, does instruct talent that "while AOL would LOVE us to be 'evangelists' for their product, do stay close to your comfort zone when it comes to promoting material. Don't do anything that makes you feel queasy from an ethical standpoint."

VOSS says that after the company found out METRO TIMES planned an article about the ethics of the AOL deal, INFINITY corporate communications chief DANA MCCLINTOCK and an AOL spokeswoman "began pummeling me with phone calls" and claiming that the memo's discussion of mandatory AOL mentions on the air was due to "corporate miscommunication." Read the article by clicking here.

 

Tuesday, June 10, 2003

What does Tom Bigby and my dog have in common?

Both have survived against incredible odds and are still around doing what they like to do.

My dog first (because I can).  We got Mia from a animal rescue in Jersey, our third hound from the Garden State.  Mia was slightly emancipated but with excellent temperament.  A real find.

The conditions at this shelter were such that we requested to adopt Mia on the first day available without waiting for a full vet check.  It's not that they weren't good and capable people there ... simply overwhelmed.  Not enough room and crowded cages.  If you find it in your heart they will put your money to good use ... 
West Jersey Animal Shelter 
Tax-deductible donations can be made to:
West Jersey Volunteers for Animals
27 North Warner Street
Woodbury, NJ 08096

It was in these conditions, among good but under funded volunteers we found Mia.  First day home she seemed ok but tired easily.  By the second day it was apparent that our guess of bringing home an ill dog came true.  She had contracted some sort of virus at the shelter and the symptoms came out in full force once we got her home.  Fortunately we had the room and the means to care for her and get proper Vet attention.  Unfortunately the recommended course of treatment was going to run around $2,500.  That wasn't going to happen so we took her home after the Vet did what they could and we waited it out.  

After some real bad days she turned around and is now on the road to health and eating us out of house and home.  She's great with kids but likes to "hunt" my wife's stuffed rabbits that decorate our home.  We see her trying to slink by us with yet another bunny dangling from her mouth on her way to her bed.  She has spied our live bunnies but hasn't figured out how to open those cages ... if she does my money is on the rabbits.

Tom Bigby (no picture) - Rumors of his impending demise at WIP proved to be a case of jumping to conclusions.  Widely reported in late April, Bigby was demoted from his program director post at the sports talk station.  Now Michael Klein reports today that he is still at the helm and calling the shots.

Excerpt ...
So much for rumors of station manager Tom Bigby's departure from WIP-AM (610). Six weeks ago, word was that Bigby would be leaving the station whose sports-talk format he created in the late 1980s. There was talk of friction between Bigby and Drew Hilles, who oversees Philadelphia's Infinity radio stations, and Tim Sabean, operations manager of sister station WYSP-FM (94.1). All is well, Bigby reported yesterday. Sabean is working on joint projects involving WIP and WYSP, while Bigby is still WIP station manager and program director, Hilles says.

Also ...
KYW Newsradio's Ed Abrams has agreed to replace Beth Trapani on what must be the most grueling air shift in Philly broadcasting.
Trapani, 29, inaugurated the job - an alarm-clock-smashing graveyard shift of TV and radio anchoring - in September. Here's how it works: Get to work by 2 a.m. to tape KYW Newsradio This Morning, which drops into programming on sister station WPSG-TV (UPN 57) several times between 5 and 8 a.m. Then flip over to anchor half-hour Newsradio blocks until 9 a.m.

+++++++

The Pope is visiting DC and President Bush takes him out for an afternoon on the Potomac, sailing on the presidential yacht. They're admiring the sights when, all of a sudden, the Pope's hat blows off his head and out into the water.

Secret service guys start to launch a boat, but Bush waves them off, saying, "Wait, wait. I'll take care of this. Don't worry." Bush then steps off the yacht onto the surface of the water and walks out to the Holy Father's hat, bends over and picks it up, then walks back to the yacht and climbs aboard.

He hands the hat to the Pope amid stunned silence.

The next morning, the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer carry the story, with front page photos, of the event.

The banner headline is "Bush Can't Swim."

_____________

 

Relax, The Fat Lady Isn’t Going To Sing…But She Might Hum a Few Bars

by Steve Bryant sbryant@bee.net

On Monday, June 2^nd, the Federal Communications Commission will probably eliminate current restrictions on a single company owning combinations of newspapers along with TV and radio stations in the same city. Many herald this as the end of radio as we know it. Those who support it are cheering what they feel will be the beginning of new era of media diversity. Both sides are full of it!

The “death of radio” has been predicted several times in its history. In the 30’s through the 50’s, the sponsors, mostly large tobacco and soap companies dictated content. Remember all those healthy cigarettes that used toasted tobacco and were recommended by leading physicians? “Not a cough in a carton!,” said one infamous ad. I never started smoking because I couldn’t find the cigarettes that were supposed to be good for me.

In those early days of radio, anything was acceptable, as long as the sponsors approved. How many sponsor-sanctioned deceptions were perpetrated on the American public back then? The number is almost incalculable. And the government didn’t do a damn thing about it for several decades.

The end of radio dramas and comedies had many decrying the “death of radio.” Nobody would listen to radio just for music! The 1950’s and 60’s proved that wrong. Dramas and comedies went to TV. There was a little news on radio, but the hits reigned supreme. The same top 40 (or less) over and over again. And many programs were still brought to you by the same charcoal-filtered corporations. However, the sponsor’s influence over programming content had diminished in the 50’s and 60’s. Station owners and DJ’s had a new master: money, payola to be exact.

When the payola scandals were brought to light, the “death of radio” was again announced. Radio was viewed as an evil medium, accepting payola to play rock and roll music, which, as everyone knew, was corrupting the morals of America’s children. Add to that the TV game show scandals and you only trust the newspapers. But on the Tonight Show, Jack Parr regularly showed how biased and inaccurate they were too. Maybe the media was dead, period!

The advent of progressive radio gave the medium a shot in the arm in the late 60’s through the early 80’s. DJ’s were still picking their own music and payola was dead…wasn’t it? The airwaves were free and entertaining once again.

A lot of radio was run by the networks back then. A few companies controlling thousands of stations. They had for decades. And the “death of radio” had yet to occur.

As formats tightened in the 80’s and DJ’s lost control of what they played, again you could hear about the “death of radio” from people who were upset that they could no longer hear the 23-minute version of the Grateful Dead’s Dark Star once an hour. Still radio survived. It was different, but it was still very much among the living.

Talk radio had been evolving for some time. Brought about by the need to fill breaks between network feeds, it soon boasted full shows and even stations that were all-talk. Like progressive radio in the 60’s, talk radio was very loose and unstructured. No topic setup, little host point-of-view, just some very literate (and otherwise) hosts engaging the audience in what THEY wanted to talk about.

Things were pretty tame until the Radio Deregulation Act of 1996 took effect. The “land rush” had begun. Companies like Clear Channel, Viacom, and many others began to buy stations as quickly as they could. Syndicated shows, most owned by the same companies that owned the stations, were now the on-the-air “heir apparent.” Rapidly growing technology allowed stations to use one person’s voice to announce on many stations.

The synergy and cross ownership of TV, radio and record companies made it difficult for unknown, independent artists to have their music played on the radio. Small market talk and music hosts as well as local newspeople found themselves replaced by syndicated talent. The “death of radio?” Surely this was it.

No it wasn’t. Radio profits were up. Only now it wasn’t a few networks making the big money, it was several large corporations. The biggest corporations (the ones who owned the most stations) made the most money. I believe that’s Capitalism 101.

Today we’re faced with an even further relaxing of radio, TV and newspaper ownership rules. It looks like it’s going to pass and if it doesn’t this time, it will eventually. Is this “the death of radio?” I don’t think so.

I do miss the “good old days.” (Good grief, I’ve become my grandparents.) The innovative music shows of pioneers like Dave Herman and the breakthrough talk shows of such diverse talents as Bill Corsair and Dominic Quinn were priceless. Hey, so was vaudeville. But they’re all gone for good. Satellite Radio might bring back a bit of radio nostalgia for a while. But eventually, they’ll evolve as well.

Change is the only constant in life. Do I like what music and talk radio have become? No. What am I doing about it? I just don’t listen that much anymore. I find myself turning to books on tape and music CDs 

Radio will never die but, as with everything in life, it won’t stay the same either. I don’t approve of its current “lifestyle,” but I can’t do a thing to change it. And like many, I’ve moved on.

 

 

"Weedman" still in jail but this just in ...

From the AP wire - January 2, 2003 -- The state of New Jersey must show why a marijuana legalization activist should not be readmitted to an early parole program, a federal judge has ruled.  Edward Forchion got 10 years in 2001 for possessing 25 pounds of pot. (end AP report)

Ed was a regular caller to talk shows.

Would the real FBI please stand up?

Just before New Year's the FBI released a bulletin asking for information on a number of men who they say crossed the border into the US from Canada.  The FBI made a point of saying that it was not proven the men were terrorists and they were only seeking information from them.  Oh, OK.  You issue a nationwide bulletin for guys you just want to talk to?  Get real.  Just be straight with us, if you seriously want our help SAY SO.  Get some balls and tell the people you want these guys REAL BAD ... that they may be troublemakers.  Otherwise it's just more noise from an agency that has grown a reputation for being called the Federal Bureau of Incompetence.

Now the New York Post reports this about what these guys might have been up to ....
"Sources tell the Post that the Marriott Hotel on Adams Street in Brooklyn, Kennedy Airport and the Brooklyn Bridge were believed to have been among the targets for eight "diversionary" attacks on New Year's Eve before a planned assault on a ship in New York Harbor."

The FBI seems to have become a bunch of hardworking field agents commanded by twits scared of their own shadow and too gutless to tell it like it is.  The FBI's OWN PEOPLE complain about their idiot superiors and the existing system of promoting people with little experience into supervisory positions.  They need a good wack on the head to remind those at the top why they exist.

 

Monday, December 16

What a relief - No Gore in '04

Right on the heels of his positively received Saturday Night Live appearance Al Gore announces he won't run for president in 2004.  The wife and I watched the news together ... I says, "Well, this is a big story." ... she says, "No, it's a relief."
I love that woman.

Of course there is always 2008 where he would face Hilary Clinton in the primaries.

Wednesday, December 11

Iz Trent Lott 2 stewpid to sirv?

You've heard about Senator Trent Lott's comments, no need to go over them again.  Everybody agrees they made no sense at all.  I've never liked Trent Lott.  He strikes me as a phony slimeball.  I think the Republicans can do much better but politics being what it is the scum floats to the top and so Trent Lott gets to lead the Senate.

My argument is not how bad his comments were or appeared to be.  My point is that they were so off the wall they became a window into his state of mind.  To utter such nonsense is unforgivable and the GOP must ditch him on the side of the road.  Lott tried to make good by saying that he "didn't support the failed policies of the past."  Woah, just a second, if they were successful would he then have supported them?  The mere fact that anybody considered them a policy to begin with is the problem.

And it's a given that the Democrats are practicing selective outrage.  They don't mind that they have a former KKK leader in their ranks, that's ok with them.  In fact ultimately the Democrats really want Lott to stay so it becomes an issue.  Republicans must be bold enough to cast out Lott and move on.  Don't give the Dems an issue, especially one like this.  It's not worth the capital to defend it.  Is Lott a bigot?  I don't know, that's not the point at all.  To me it's a matter of sheer and total stupidity to use the "throwaway line" that he did.  Mr. Lott, do us all a favor please. shut up, get out, go home, hide.

Friday, December 6

File this one under...
What the HELL were they THINKING?

Carrie Cross sent this along to me.  Apparently there is quite a stir about this toy.  She shares some comments with us. (Pasted below the picture in green.

J.C.Penny is offering a new toy.  You can find it online here.  What is CLAIMS to be is a forward command post. $44.95 and complete with action figure, guns, flag, etc. and for ages 5 and up.  Huh?  Looks like a bombed out house to me.  I can't image a mother buying this for a five year old.  One wonders what happened to the people that used to be inside the house before it became a ... "Forward Command Post" ... "Hey Sarge, lookie here, is that a foot?"

It's a twisted world we live in when this type of garbage is mass-produced for our children. And it is even worse when J.C. Penney, a company whose reputation has been golden for longer than I can remember, is supporting and promoting it, by selling it to 5-year olds.

Maybe they should have the counterpart pieces to it: The "World Trade Center Towers" kit, ("Hey kid, here's a box of bloody, burned-out rubble and twisted metal, complete with Osama bin Laden figure and Islamic flag to indicate his victory in the U.S. homeland. Click here to buy it now! Hijacked planes and boxcutters available separately.)

I am sure you will agree with me that the sale of this "toy" on the shelf right next to Tonka Trucks and Barbie Dolls is symptomatic of a grievous and unforgivable lapse of judgment on the part of J.C. Penney.

Carrie

 

Monday, November 11

These two commentaries focus on the "dark side"
of modern life, Politics and Hate Speech.

The Democratic Message?

In all the hand wringing of the shocking result of last week's election we kept hearing that the Democrats didn't offer a "message" to counter the President's campaign blitz.  "If only ..." they say they had focused more on that they would have done better.  I don't know about you but I heard Plenty of messages.  The Republicans were painted as a party of elderly exterminators and tax hikers.  Their message was clear, and rejected.

In Pennsylvania Rendell was supposed to long coattails but instead it looked more like he was wearing a bare mid-drift halter top.  The popular former mayor of Philadelphia sailed into office against a very weak Republican.  Republicans split their ticked in droves in the suburbs.  The GOP learned a valuable lesson there and they aren't complaining about their own lack of message, their candidate sucked and they got what they deserved.

Nationwide voters did the same thing.  Picking and choosing between parties and even at times having a revelation and voting for Libertarians and other parties.  The political stereotypes thrown at us by the usual vomit inducing political ads was for the most part ignored.  In some cases the machines working on behalf of some candidates reaches new lows in a desperate attempt to win (see the Brown vs. Hoeffel race).  This too was cast off, very encouraging.  All of this has those that control the political strings terrified ... that's a good thing.  They spend so much time pitting us against each other ... our job is to reject that and make them afraid of US for a change.  The major parties spend a lot of time and money to divide us ... that makes us easier to control.

Some consider the results of this election devastating.  The voters don't see it that way.  Politicians just don't get it.  They represent us, if their party gets nailed we don't feel their pain.  This time they put their own machine's security over ours and are now surprised that we voted for somebody else.  When one democratic volunteer was lamenting about all this to me I reached into my pockets and pulled them inside out, "Sorry, I'm all out of 'care' today.  This is a bad thing because ...?" (I'm REAL popular at the voting place.)

Next time it may be the Republicans that get trashed, that won't be so bad either.  The political parties want you to be suspicious of your neighbor, I say keep a wary eye on them.  Question them, challenge them and always drag them over the coals when the opportunity presents itself.  The pain they feel is good for us.

-----------------------------------

Was sniper fueled by 'hate speak?'

Letter to the editor, dailylocal.com November 07, 2002 

Hate speak. While these two words seem to have dominated the news for the past several years, they are not a new combination. Since the first cave dweller threw a rock at his neighbor because he worshipped the sun instead of the moon, hatred toward a particular group can be cited as the root cause of virtually every armed conflict. 

Every "great" dictator has been a master of hate speak. From Genghis Khan to Saddam Hussein, iron-fisted totalitarians have used race or religious hatred or both to maintain and increase their power. Even lesser light hatemongers have used hate speak to increase and incite their ranks. 

The atrocities committed against blacks and whites during the civil rights unrest in our own country show the overwhelming influence of hate speak. The white supremacist rhetoric of the 1950s and 1960s helped to provoke unspeakable acts of violence. 

Today, hate speak is embraced by virtually every ethnic and religious zealot. From Muslim extremists to Chechnyan rebels, words of race and religious hatred fuel approximately two dozen ongoing armed conflicts throughout the world. 

In this country, the incessant anti-white, anti-Semitic rhetoric spewed forth by some rap "artists" and ersatz religious leaders like Louis Farrakhan may have had its worst impact to date. John Allen Muhammad, the alleged D.C. sniper, had embraced Islam years before the recent killing spree. He was reportedly a security guard at Farrakhan's "Million Man March." Anyone who reads just a few portions of Farrakhan's speech from that gathering will shiver from his harsh, violent oratory. 

One of John Allen Muhammad's notes to police used the phrase "word is bond," which is a quote from an anti-white rap song. It appears that John Allen Muhammad's life was wrapped around hate speak. Did it affect him? Soon, an army of psychiatrists, psychologists and lawyers will try to answer this question. Hopefully, some of us will live long enough to hear the answer. 

There is one certainty, however. In an age of equality of race, gender, religion and age, hate speak, once the parlance of white bigots in this country, has a new "customer base." 

Steve Bryant 

 

Wednesday, November 6

Random Thoughts

Just who the heck were all those extra people behind the sign-in table at the polling places last night?
Observers from Albania?  I made a comment that they were doing things differently from last time and one of them looked at me and amazingly said, "No, it's the same as last time."  "Huh?, no it isn't." I replied.  "You took that lady over there at the machine away from her spot at the table and replaced her with three people.  You have one person checking the name, another confirming it, a third writing it down and then you look at that, find my name in the book and get me to sign it.  That's three people to do what she did last time around.  Don't tell me it isn't different.  And by the way in that book I can see as you were flipping the pages you got people I know left the area like 7 years ago still listed in there, they gonna come vote tonight?"

Now that Rendell is Governor I just can't wait for my tax cut.  It was in all the ads, it must be true right?  Let's all count the days, 1 ...

The Democratic Party needs some Liquid Plumber now.
What a bloodbath.  Not since well, King David has a mid term President done so well.  The sight of all those has-beens stumping in Florida against Jeb Bush typifies what is wrong with the Democrats.  Will they get a clue and get a message for the next go around?  Well if you have no sould it's gonna be hard, for their sake lets hope some of the young, up and coming, Democrats take the party over.  They do have ideals worth talking about.  It's the old guard, Daschle, Gephart, et al that is the problem.  The same tired old scare tactics wrapped in outright lies didn't work this time.  If you are one of my Liberal Democratic friends it's time you take a cold look at your party leaders.

Here's some stuff sent to me in the last 24 hours that say it better than I can.

From the Washington Post
Democrats, however, awaken this morning needing a strategy and a message for 2004 -- not to mention a candidate. It wasn't clear which, if any, of the known Democratic presidential hopefuls was helped by Tuesday's outcome.

For months, the party tried to make the economy into a catalyzing national issue that would lift their candidates across the board to victory in close races. The party tried mightily to play down the national security issues -- Iraq and others -- that voters placed near the top of their list of concerns.

Given that supposed rage over Election 2000 did not materialize, and the Democratic issues did not galvanize voters, the party faces a serious internal debate over how to challenge Bush during the next two years.

Election night had a lot in common with the campaign that led up to it.  Both had their strange, sudden turns. The campaign that returned two retirees to active politics -- former senators Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey and Mondale -- flowed into a rather antique-feeling election night, after the Voter News Service pulled the plug on its exit polls. 

The customary orgy of projection and prediction in Washington turned as sober as a meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Without computer models and recirculated gossip, the political world was left to sit and wonder while votes were counted.

And the first surprise of the night may have been how many votes there were to count. Many experts had predicted a very low turnout -- even by the customary low standards of off-year elections. There was strong turnout, driven by a large number of high-profile Senate and gubernatorial elections. In South Dakota, where Sen. Tim Johnson (D) was fighting for his job against Thune, state officials estimated that turnout hit 75 percent of eligible voters, an off-year record.

As the evening shaped up, key races that appeared close began falling to the Republicans. Rep. John E. Sununu (R) beat Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) in the New Hampshire Senate race. Former Cabinet secretary Elizabeth Dole (R) easily defeated former White House chief of staff Erskine B. Bowles (D) to hold the seat of retiring Sen. Jesse Helms (R). The close gubernatorial races along the East Coast tipped to the Republicans. And the march was on. 

Democrats set out to make Bush pay on Election Day, but he ended the day with more political capital -- not less.

Democrats can't avenge 2000 result
Ralph Z. Hallow
THE WASHINGTON TIMES , Published 11/6/2002
NEWS ANALYSIS
The White House could finally take a deep breath last night. The Democrats failed to deliver on threats to exact midterm "revenge" against President Bush for taking Florida, and the presidency, away from Al Gore
in 2000.
Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother, won a smashing re-election victory. Katherine Harris, who as the Florida secretary of state certified the Bush victory in the state and became a particular villain for Democrats, won a seat in Congress.

The Republican victory in Florida two Novembers ago was meant to become, in the description of Gore campaign manager Tony Coelho, "the rallying cry" for Democrats, who would "get our revenge in 2002."  

Only three days ago, Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, professed to be confident of a Florida blowout for his party. "There are lines already, huge lines, people, a record vote coming out in Florida," he told NBC's Tim Russert. "We are going to win Florida, which is going to set us up, Tim, very nicely for 2004."

The threats and boasts, widely echoed by other Democrats, came to naught.

Fed drops rate by half a point?
Yeah a lot more than what was expected.  I wondered about the timing and thought to ask about it and  since a lot of my customers are police and fireman and they use Austin Dutton I went to email him.  I found this already in my inbox.  It isn't an answer but it puts some things in perspective.  I forgot all about the Fed and I have to get ready for the scout meeting here tonight anyway.  (Austin did mention that he was going to be on CN8 Monday evening with Mary Fay, 8:00 to 8:30 pm.) 
Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. 

Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam.

After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy lands. He was captured and spent six years in a Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience. 

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!" 
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb. 
"I packed your parachute," the man replied. 
Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today." 

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform: A white hat, a bib in the back, and bell bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said good morning, how are you or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot, and he was just a sailor." 
Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know. 

Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" 
Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.

Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety. His experience reminds us all to prepare ourselves to weather whatever storms lie ahead. As you go through this week, this month, this year... recognize people who pack your parachute!

Tuesday, November 5

Jim Cramer's Radio "Stock" plummets
show to be cancelled

Premiere Radio Networks announces the cancellation of 15 programs and services by the end of this year resulting in the layoff off 100 people Locally this axes Jim Cramer's "Real Money" show on WPHT 1210 AM.

 Lasting little more than a year Cramer is best known for screaming his advice an hour a day on the radio and running The Street website. 

Premiere says his show and others weren't profitable and was dropped as they "continually review and evaluate the relevancy of our products and services to audiences and advertisers in order to remain competitive and profitable," said Kraig Kitchin, president and COO of Premiere.

Premiere is a division of Clear Channel.

-----------------

In Stu's column today

Fredericks to o'night

Steve Fredericks now has permanent possession of WIP's overnight shift, moving Big Daddy Graham to the weekend overnight shift, plus fill-ins.

That, in turn, reduces the hours available to Luci Jones and Paul Jolovitz, although there will still be work for them, station manager Tom Bigby told me exclusively.

____________

If you're thinking about passing up your chance to vote today, consider:

o Just because you do not take an interest in
politics doesn't mean politics won't take an
interest in you. 
--Pericles (430 B.C.)

and then there are these:

o A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can
always depend on the support of Paul. 
--George Bernard Shaw

o A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to
his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay
off with your money. 
--G. Gordon Liddy

o Democracy must be something more than two
wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for
dinner. 
--James Bovard (1994)

o Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer from
poor people in rich countries to rich people in
poor countries. 
--Douglas Casey (1992)

o Giving money and power to government is like
giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. 
--P.J. O'Rourke

o Government is the great fiction, through which
everybody endeavors to live at the expense of
everybody else. 
--Frederic Bastiat

o Government's view of the economy could be
summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves,
tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And
if it stops moving, subsidize it. 
-- Ronald Reagan (1986)

o I don't make jokes. I just watch the
government and report the facts. 
--Will Rogers

o If you want government to intervene
domestically, you're a liberal. If you want
government to intervene overseas, you're a
conservative. If you want government to
intervene everywhere, you're a moderate. If
you don't want government to intervene
anywhere, you're an extremist. 
--Joseph Sobran (1995)

o In general, the art of government consists in
taking as much money as possible from one party
of the citizens to give to the other. 
--Voltaire (1764)

o No man's life, liberty, or property are safe
while the legislature is in session. 
--Mark Twain (1866)

o Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you
were a member of Congress. But I repeat
myself. 
--Mark Twain

o Talk is cheap--except when Congress does it. 

o The government is like a baby's alimentary
canal, with a healthy appetite at one end and
no responsibility at the other. 
--Ronald Reagan

o The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal
sharing of the blessings. The inherent
blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of
misery. 
--Winston Churchill

o The only difference between a tax man and a
taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the
skin. 
--Mark Twain

o The ultimate result of shielding men from the
effects of folly is to fill the world with
fools. 
--Herbert Spencer (1891)

o There is no distinctly native American criminal
class save Congress. 
--Mark Twain

o There is only one basic human right, the right
to do as you please. And with it comes the
only basic human duty, the duty to take the
consequences. 
--P.J. O'Rourke (1993)

o We contend that for a nation to try to tax
itself into prosperity is like a man standing
in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by
the handle. 
--Winston Churchill

o What this country needs are more unemployed politicians. 
--Edward Langley

o When buying and selling are controlled by
legislation, the first things to be bought and
sold are legislators. 
--P.J. O'Rourke

-----------------

Here is a cute little animation of a bug singing.
It's a quick load, won't take much of your time.  Perfect for you office folks checking out this site on company time.  Thanks TalkRadioFan
Buggin You

Thursday, October 31

At the White House
A select number of conservative talk show hosts were invited to the White House on Wednesday October 30th.  Among them were local talker Dom Giordano.  Dom's schedule didn't mesh for an on air broadcast although he did get interviews with Rumsfeld, Ridge, Rove and others for his live show from the Heritage Foundation at 9 pm.

Phil Valentine was also invited and did get to do his show live.  Phil was once again ranked #1 in his home market of Nashville ... tied with Rush Limbaugh.

Dom Giordano's Wednesday show was delayed an hour by Glenn Beck doing a rebroadcast of "War Of The Worlds" from the XM studio in Washington D.C. ... Word is Premiere Radio was happy with the show and speculation is that he will do a broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" for December 2003. 

George Costanza's
Ten Commandments for Working Hard

1. Never walk without a document in your hands
People with documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look
like they're heading for the cafeteria. People with a newspaper in their hand look like they're heading for the toilet. Above all, make sure you carry loads of stuff home with you at night, thus generating the false
impression that you work longer hours than you do.

2. Use computers to look busy
Any time you use a computer, it looks like "work" to the casual observer. You can send and receive personal e-mail, chat and generally have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. These aren't exactly the societal benefits that the proponents of the computer revolution would like to talk about but they're not bad either. When you get caught by your boss - and you *will* get caught -- your best defense
is to claim you're teaching yourself to use new software, thus saving valuable training dollars. 

3. Messy desk
Top management can get away with a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like we're not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents
around your workspace. To the observer, last year's work looks the same as today's work; it's volume that counts. Pile them high and wide. If
you know somebody is coming to your cubicle, bury the document you'll need halfway down in an existing stack and rummage for it when he/she arrives.

4. Voice Mail
Never answer your phone if you have voice mail. People don't call you just because they want to give you something for nothing - they call
because they want YOU to do work for THEM. That's no way to live. Screen all your calls through voice mail. If somebody leaves a voice mail message for you and it sounds like impending work, respond during lunch hour when you know they're not there - it looks like you're hardworking and conscientious even though you're being a devious weasel.

5. Looking Impatient and Annoyed 
According to George Costanza, one should also always try to look impatient and annoyed to give your bosses the impression that you are always busy.

6. Leave the office late
Always leave the office late, especially when the boss is still around. You could read magazines and storybooks that you always wanted to read
but have no time until late before leaving. Make sure you walk past the boss' room on your way out. Send important emails at unearthly hours (e.g. 9:35pm, 7:05am, etc.) and during public holidays.

7. Creative Sighing for Effect
Sigh loudly when there are many people around, giving the impression that you are under extreme pressure.

8. Stacking Strategy
It is not enough to pile lots of documents on the table. Put lots of books on the floor etc. (thick computer manuals are the best).

9. Build Vocabulary
Read up on some computer magazines and pick out all the jargon and new products. Use the phrases freely when in conversation with bosses. Remember: They don't have to understand what you say, but you sure sound impressive.

10. MOST IMPORTANT: 
DON'T forward this to your boss by mistake!!!

Thanks to Rich Levin for forwarding that

 

Monday, October 21

But the BIG story is ... Bolaris is leaving
Stu Byfofsky column --- In a press release yesterday, NBC-10 presented Bolaris' separation as voluntary. His last day will be Nov. 27, which is the last day of the all-important November sweeps rating period.
Stu has another column today

In another INKY story comes this on Bolaris
Bolaris made national headlines in March 2001, when his dire prediction of "the storm of the decade" didn't materialize. He had warned viewers to stay home from work and school.
In response, Bolaris received death threats and more than 1,000 angry e-mails. "That forecast will bug me until I'm dead," he said yesterday. "I feel like I let down so many people."

People really need to get over that, the fact that people threatened him is scary BUT he did look like a fool.  None of us want our career footnoted like that.

For better or worse John impacted the Philly weather scene second only to Jim O'Brien.  Now we won't have him to kick around any more.  Where is Howard Eskin going to find his new (platonic I'm sure) girlfriends?

Dom Giordano's sniper column
In yesterday's Inky
Sniper arouses on-the-air anxieties
For the past week on my radio program, I have listened to a growing number of callers express their fear that the killings of the so-called Beltway Sniper in Washington, Maryland and Virginia are directly or indirectly the work of a terrorist. After Monday night, it is becoming increasingly difficult to argue with them.

 

Monday, October 14

WOR 710-AM in New York will announce today that it picks up former Philadelphia talk host (and now current Baltimorean) Tom Marr.  Tom (www.tommarr.com) will continue his show in Baltimore and now be on WOR weeknighs (starting today) from 7-9 PM.  WOR has a network of twelve affiliated station who will also carry Tom.

 

Friday, October 11

If you haven't heard the new JewPhone commercial based on Jeff Katz's bit you can find the audio link here.  Yeah the Jews really ARE in control ... yeah yeah right.  This commercial is dedicated to all those that think the Holocaust never happened and that there aren't a 100 million fanatics ready to start the ovens up again tomorrow if they had the chance.

Friday, October 4

Good Reading
Two good pieces in the Inquirer opinion pages today:

Larry Eichel's take on what should have happened in
the NJ Senate Campaign debacle:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news
/columnists/larry_eichel/4207709.htm 

and Charles Krauthammer's indictment of the Democrats' demands that we wait for the UN to make our Iraq decisions for us:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
articles/A41197-2002Oct3.html 

Enjoy.
Scott ~

Wednesday, October 2

Torching the Torch
In today's Inky, section B, there is probably the best column so far on the Torch leaving the NJ Senate race.
Tom Ferrick Jr. | Bad drama on an operatic scale

Monday, September 30

Jeff Katz is a SINner.
Jeff Katz in a movie?  No, not titled, "Only one hour a day" but titled S.I.N. - a political thriller. Source - read Stu's column for more (BTW, he's on with Lou Tilley on CN8 tonight, 11-midnight)

Why is Arafat still at large?
I missed the 60 minutes show featuring all the documents the Israeli Defense Force took out of Yassir Arafat's compound last March.  They were supposed to be a treasure trove of intelligence information implicating Iraq and Iran in terrorist training.  I still do wonder why our own country didn't issue an arrest warrant for him when it was found that he had printing presses in his basement running out U.S. $50 and $100 bills.

Related
On Oct. 3, FRONTLINE tells the extraordinary story of FBI Special Agent John O'Neill, in "The Man Who Knew." As the bureau's top counter terrorism agent, O'Neill came to believe that America should kill Osama bin Laden before Al Qaeda launched a devastating attack. A controversial figure, he was forced out of his job and entered the private sector -- as director of security for the World Trade Center, where he died on Sept. 11. (Thanks Rich)

 

Tuesday, September 24

Remotely Interesting Remotes

This Friday Dom Giordano and Jeff Katz are on a panel at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC hosted by TALKERS Magazine. It is scheduled to be broadcast on C-SPAN. 12Noon to 1:30 PM.

Later that evening Jeff will broadcast his show from The Heritage Foundation.

Perhaps Jeff will take the time to explain THIS "JewPhone" box found in his trash last week.

 

 

From the latest Citizens for Common Sense Newsletter by John Diprimio

Little Interest
  Amidst all the clamor over the decline in the stock market there has been no mention of interest rates. You remember, saving accounts and certificates of deposits.
  The average yields for a 6 month CD in the Philadelphia area for the week ending 9-1-02 was a paltry 1.53%. While it may be a safer investment for most, the return, if you can call it that, after taxes, and inflation, leaves the investor with less, not more.
  While constantly being encouraged to save, to prepare for educating our children, a rainy day, and retirement, one has the dilemma of losing money in the stock market on one hand, or losing money in the banks on the other.
  The stock market, while out of favor now, will take care of its self. The little guy never had a chance in that game. We never had privy to the inside information, or the amount of money necessary to play in that arena. But the bank was always a place where the small, conservative investor could feel safe. And by comparison, it is much safer than the stock market.
  However, it is now costing you money to save.
  Why we penalizes those who save their money by taxing the interest earned on that money, is puzzling. Remember that money was taxed once before, when you earned it. It is no wonder that we are in such debt in this country. It doesn't pay to save. There should be an immediate ban on taxing savings.
  The elimination of capital gains taxes, and inheritance taxes are always discussed and debated by our politicians. The reason why is evident, usually those affected by these taxes are the major contributors to their campaigns.
  Remember politicians need two things, money and votes. Make your vote count. Ask your candidates their positions on these issues, and then vote accordingly.

Irv Homer will broadcast his show and John Diprimio will be his guest at the main court at Franklin Mills Mall from 1-2 pm.

 

 

 

 

Previoulsy

Jack Ellery is back - submitted by J.E. on Sep. 14
Former WIP and WWDB talk host, Jack Ellery, returns to the air (9/17) on WCTC, New Jersey. Ellery, whose resume includes WNBC and WNEW in New York, WFLA, Tampa and several network shows including radio Monitor with Joe Garagiola, spent 20 years at WCTC as the morning man. His new show will be from 10AM to 2PM.
"There's a huge number of people up there in Central New Jersey, particularly Middlesex County, where a million folks are crammed in. My potential audience will be almost the size that most Philadelphia stations have," said Jack.

Corrections - submitted by Dave McBride
NJ101.5 is no longer simulcast on WBSS, only on 1450 out of AC.
WCHR has moved to 1040 (former WHJR) in Flemington NJ - WPHY is the new call for 920 ESPN Radio

Smerconish to simulcast Talk Back Live on WPHT
As alluded to here earlier Michael Smerconish gets an expanded role on CNN.  Thursday and Friday he will host Talk Back Live from 3-4 on CNN, WPHT will carry that as well then he continues the radio only portion of his show from Atlanta.

Ratings
Summer phase 2 of the Arbitron Ratings are out and no big surprises.  KYW has regained top spot in this months results.  Reminder these are only the much pissed on 12+ stats and the Trends are blended into the full summer book next month.  Most of the talk numbers were the same or nearly so as would be expected.

Uncle Mel, Disney, Imus, 640 AM
All Access reports that DISNEY would consider selling ABC's radio stations ...
Locally 640 AM runs Radio Disney programming.  That station was long rumored to be eyed up for a talk station after DB was killed.  AA also reported yesterday that Disney tried to woo Mel Karmizan away from CBS/Viacom but failed.  Meanwhile Imus in the Morning is begging Mel to get the CBS morning show gig.

 

September 12

Lock and Load, What are we waiting for?

I had this vision in my mind.  It's the morning of September 12, George W. pads down the hall to breakfast, chows down, finishes his juice, dabs the corner of his mouth with his napkin (careful not to stain the Presidential Seal) ... then turns to his aide and says, "OK, start the bombing."

Unfortunately that is a work of fiction.  In today's world our so called "Allies" want proof of Hussein's threat.  The twin towers, Shanksville PA, and the Pentagon were "Proof" of the last threat.  So was Oklahoma City apparently.  I hope Bush doesn't wait until there's another smoking hole in the ground.

What are we waiting for?  Our allies? BAHAHAHAHA ha ha har he he he ... sorry but that was funny.  I know all the reasons why we wait and I'm glad our Prez is going through the motions.  We need support and that damned "Proof" is so important to people.  Just like 67 or so years ago when we needed "Proof" that the Nazis were gassing the Jews.

Five years later we got it.

 

 

 

September 11

Never Again

And Never, Ever Forget

 

There really isn't any point to try and do a September 11th tribute on this page.  So many sites and news organizations are going to do an excellent job of it.  What I'd like to do is take the time to showcase two things.  First is some original music by our resident

Never Again
While "An American Prayer" (BELOW) is just that, a musical prayer, "Never Again" is a call to action. I hope you derive some strength from the lyrics (printed on the Songs and Samplers page). May God bless us all; the ones who died and the loved ones they left behind, the brave Americans who are risking their lives to eradicate the horror or terrorism and those of us who support them in every possible way.
Download complete song MP3 | [2.79 MB]

This next one was used by CN8 shortly after 9/11.  They used the audio and combined that with a touching photo series.
An American Prayer
Here's a musical prayer I wrote for my church about the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. The free download is a "live" acoustic guitar and vocal recording. You'll hear it the same way I did when I wrote it. Please feel free to share it with anyone who might be comforted by the message. The lyrics are printed on the "Songs and Samplers" page.
God bless, Steve
Download complete song MP3 | [2.08 MB]

September 11 Links

9/11 on the Web by Tiffany Black in the Inquirer
Opens a new browser window
Well done list of the best of 9/11 on the Web

 

Monday, September 9, 2002

Well well, you like that?

Thanks for the emails about the September 4th commentary.  This was typical ... and very welcome ...

Your commentary today was EXCELLENT (as usual). Your common sense , common - man attitude is appreciated. Why does it seem that so many of the "politically correct" crowd CAN NOT recognize BAD PEOPLE. I suspect too many of them keep photos of Nevil Chamberlain as an idol.. I say WHACK the bad guys before they whack us. Enough of worrying about some bully's "feelings".

Kill Saddam...kill Bin Laden, chop their heads off put their heads on sticks in the sand and invite the rest of them to be next. At 50 years of age I have had a good life, the opportunities have been plentiful, I am prepared to give my life NOW to save my country, it's honor and dignity. Perhaps I can fly a plane in Baghdad. Keep up the great work I really enjoy your site.
Thomas

Thomas is not alone. 

The story on Michael Smerconish and CNN has been archived in the What's News Section.

Wednesday, September 4, 2002

Nearly One Year Later

The milk I picked up at the Wawa had an expiration date of "Sep 11" stamped on it.  I guess there's more profound ways of having the anniversary of September 11, 2001 hit home but this was what fate had in store for me I guess.  

Being a talk junkie and web handyman for several organizations I am keenly aware of numerous events being planned for next week.  I've been on cruise control.  Picking up that milk woke me up from my routine and brought back a lot of mixed emotions.  I'm still here going about my daily routine .. taking something as simple as dropping by Wawa, one of our local institutions, for some milk for granted.  I'm here, thousands aren't.  Did we really change all that much?

I heard on the radio that Jeff Katz will be doing a 9/11 show next week (Wed. 6-8PM) from the Country Club Diner in Northeast Philly.  It caught my interest because that Diner is another one of our local institutions.  These places, Wawa and the Country Club Diner, provide a foundational backdrop for our daily routine.  Did yours change all that much?  Mine was disrupted last September but nothing like what happened to some of my friends and neighbors.  The last time I was at CC Diner the world was a very different place.  It might be neat to stop by and check out the old neighborhood, I nearly married a girl who lives 3 blocks from that place but that's another story and seems like a million years ago.

Although most of us have gone back to our normal, such as it is, routine there is this palatable cloud hanging over us all.  I read that even during World War 2, certainly one of the most unifying events of any generation, there was some return to normal bickering and petty behavior.  How quickly today the politicians have returned to their petty bickering, that sense of post-9/11 unity didn't last long.  The load of pork they heap onto reasonable legislation would make Oscar Meyer proud.  Still, their focus is going to be changed for a long time to come.

One year later we're still waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I pray President Bush has some clue about what he's doing.  I suspect we'll find out a lot more soon.  There is a lot about our government to be critical of, botched foreign policy, lack of any serious border policy, intrusions on civil liberties, etc. but they are only human and we pretty get the government we deserve, or allow.  I'm mostly supportive of what is going to have to take place next but still embarrassed over the fact that it won't be me placed in harm's way.  My life, even during a costly invasion of Iraq, will still be pretty much the same.

Seems to me the way people are acting nearly a year later that the easy way out for Bush may be NOT attacking.  He doesn't strike me as that kind of person.  I bet the "Evil Doers" look at him and are genuinely afraid of what he will do next.  That's not a bad thing. It about time we had a President other countries are afraid of instead on one they could buy.  I'm not at all sure what will happen next but one thing is for sure, the people that hate us and want us dead won't ever stop ... until they themselves are dead. 

 

Tuesday, September 3, 2002

Me to Europe - Just shut up

I think it was Jeff Greenfield (ABC, now CNN) who came up with this ... "Europe, the continent that gave us Napoleon, Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin, ..." he goes on to say how the governments of Europe dare preach to us about human rights and how we should conduct ourselves around the world, including how to defend ourselves.

I just laugh at all the countries that are trying to get us to play nice.  From France to Saudi Arabia, they all hate us anyway.  Let them babble.

By now you've heard this posed at a theory on why the terrorists, and their sponsors, hate us.  I've said this for years. I really think it sums it up ...
It's not the religion, not the fact we send aid to Israel, not the decadence of the USA, no, none of that is why many ill informed and oppressed Arabs hate us.  It's because we made it and they didn't.  It's the oldest trick in the dictorial deck of cards.  Instead of letting their own people realize how much they have failed them the rulers (not leaders, certainly not 'elected' leaders) of many countries in the Middle East need to have their oppressed people hate the USA and Israel.  Better to have suicide bombers, suicide pilots, and the every popular Jihad ... better all that then admit to their own complete and total failure in providing any standard of living remotely comparable to the "evil" west.

Those rulers will never willingly give up control over their population.  The Muslims versus the USA and Israel is not a religious conflict, it is simply ignorant and desperate people being played for fools by the same rulers that pretend to care about them.  The sad part is that any Arabs that get exposed to the west and seek the truth is then considered a threat.  There are numerous people that hold a seething hate for their leaders, it's not the Arabs per se, it's the scam their leaders are running that is the problem.  Like past inept and corrupt regimes this can have only one outcome and like in the past many innocents will get hurt.

Thanks Mike for this funny graphic

XM in Chevrolets too (reader email)

I do not know if you already posted this or not thought I would tell you though
XM radio not only is in the New Hondas. it is also in the 2003 Chevy's as well. 
You can get XM radio in the Tahoe, Suburban, Caviler, Impala and Monte Carlo
Working at a chevy dealership, i got a chance to listen to some XM radio and it really is not all that bad, in fact if i had the money i would more then likely get it. But like everything else it will come down in price. 
Thanks
Rich Orr 

More Funny Shi,, stuff

Yet another Martha Stewart magazine cover

The first, and last, company picnic

This one is called "My kind of pilot."  It's a 650K audio only mpg file and well worth the download.  The pilot talks to the passengers as they fly over the Grand Canyon, probably recorded when the new policy of pilots carrying guns was being debated.

Tuesday, August 27, 2002

New Song

We are nothing if not fair.  As we wield the awesome power of this website in our capable hands we strive to poke a stick not only at those that deserve it but those that are able to deal with it.

As with most fine humor there is a kernel of truth in this one.  It goes well with the kernel of a brain we have.  This song is in the form of a ballad that might very well have been sung by Jeff himself.

Only One Hour A Day - Jeff Katz

A song parody targeting WPHT talk host Jeff Katz
an original song by Steve Bryant
(Real Audio - 2:46)

 

Tuesday 8/27/02 update
Tanned and rested I'm back from my ivory poaching expedition to Africa.  The papers did a pretty good job covering the Larry Kane / Marc Howard news while I was away ... except the ugliness aired on Michael Smerconish's show just before 6 p.m. on Friday.  Larry was far more revealing in that exchange than he was in the papers.  If you missed the show you missed some candid comments by Larry Kane about Marc Howard.  PHT got the story and the real feelings but since they lack any means for an audio archive (blame it on New York) that is gone forever.

 

Friday, August 16, 2002

This is ugly, very ugly, we love this stuff ...

Channel 10 weatherdude Bolaris pissed at "that moron" WIP sportsdude Howard Eskin
(2 suggestions to Bolaris, stay off the voicemail and pay more attention to forecasting ... like don't ever again give names to cold weather fronts in the winter, yeah that would help.)
STORY LINK

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Reality Radio

But, but, but, SMERCONISH started it!
Yeah, don't blame us. Have you heard his radio spot where he TRIES to sing?
It was UGLY, Neil Young should be easy for the most tone deaf person to imitate, even so it was still a funny spot. If WPHT can run a spot like that then Michael's voice is fair game.
If you like him singing you'll love him in this...

What would happen if we hid a microphone inside the car of Michael Smerconish?
Well, Reality Radio of course.

Reality Radio Part One - Streaming File
(Steve Bryant, Real Audio 3:40)
Download the file here 450K

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Sirius Satellite Radio in trouble

This article in the New York Times details the woes of this start up alternative to broadcast radio.

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Our Answer to the famous "Pump" infomercial.

Yes, the infamous "Pump" infomercial, long a standard on the former talker, WWDB.  Ridiculed and wildly profitable at the same time, this product promised results seemingly too good to be true ... a larger "Goldmember" for those trusting enough to fork over the purchase price.  Size does matter.  This product is still around today in many new versions.  This parody pokes fun not only at the product but at the advertising culture that accepts a product with such outrageous claims as the standard for infomercials.

The Weenie Whacker Radio Spot (Streaming Audio)
Steve Bryant (Real Audio 1:58)
Download the Real Media file here, 474K

A related cartoon posted here previously

Coming Soon - Our answer to the "Pump" commercial.

Monday, August 5th, 2002

Meet Hummin Harry, the latest Euro-Craze now available on these shores.  Harry is a smash recording artist unknown here but that will soon change.  We will be handling all US based promotion.  Somebody get a hold of the Sales Manager, Mr. Mike Baldini, over at WPHT because we need to make a stationwide buy asap.  Buy the CD and enter to win an all expense paid trip to visit Glenn Beck in Philadelphia.

Listen to the radio commercial for Hummin Harry
for yourself.  (Real Audio 1:38)

The Hummin Harry CD Radio Spot