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George's Rants YOU'RE THE NEWS GUY. WHY ARE YOU SAYING ALL OF THIS STUFF? You come to trust the news guy, not just this news guy, but news guys and gals everywhere. You want their reports to be unbiased, balanced and factual. Thing is, news people often keep their honest feelings and opinions all bottled up----a perfect model for work place violence. So, in order to save the lives of my colleagues at WABC, I'd like to get few things off my chest. FLOODED AGAIN! One lady said she's been through three floods in six years living along the Delaware River just outside of Trenton, New Jersey. She vowed to rebuild her wood frame house yet another time, while in the same breath demanding that the federal government provide her and thousands of others with financial aid. New Jersey Governor Richard Codey estimates flood damage in the garden state alone will top 30-million dollars and of course, he wants the federal government to bail out the affected counties. Why? Is it the President's fault that thousands of people decided to live in flood prone low lying areas next to rivers and streams? Don't you think after the first flood from heavy rains some of these people would think twice about having a view to die for? It's kind of like those rich folks who build mansions on stilts overlooking the Pacific Ocean, where mudslides and earthquakes could send their hillside retreats crashing into the waves below. In many cases around the country the Army Corps of Engineers has built dams and dug ditches to prevent severe flooding and many of the people who benefited from their work are still complaining that the federal government isn't giving them enough aid. I suggest this flood of freebie cash be plugged and that those who have been helped in the past and rebuilt in a flood plain near a waterway be cut off from future benefits. They should do what many others do, buy flood insurance if you want to live near a river or stream. TAXI! How many times have you hopped in a cab and the driver has no clue where you want to go? You can't understand a damn thing he's saying and he doesn't understand a damn thing you've said. He drives like a bat out of hell and smells. That's New York. I just got back from London, where the cabbies take pride in their jobs ….they know where they're going and they speak English. In London, government officials won't hire you if they can't understand what you're saying. Even the cockney drivers from Liverpool are turned down. They might speak English, but their accent is so thick, they might as well be speaking Arabic. What's more, the taxi drivers in London can't hit the streets, until they've passed a test. This is no ordinary test. You can only take the test after completely……ready for this…..up to four years of cabbie school. In London, they simply call it-----"the knowledge." One of my cab drivers had to find the smallest and largest statue between the Tower Bridge and Buckingham palace. He had to find it on a bike! London cabbies know what they're talking about…and you can understand everything out of their mouths. You tell them to take you to Bob's Grill in Mornington Crescent and they know exactly where it is. They'll likely even give you a brief history of the joint. In London, being a taxi driver is a well paid career. They don't even expect tips! In New York, all you need is the cash for the medallion and a driver's license. This has got to change. Get rid of the medallion requirements and instead make prospective cabbies learn their jobs through a comprehensive education program. They'll be forced to speak and understand English, be well dressed and most importantly, New York City cabbies will be required to have "the knowledge." TERRI SCHIAVO Let her die! I consider myself a moderate conservative, but I can't understand why so many of my similar thinking citizens are jumping on the SAVE TERRI bandwagon. I hear them on talk radio and I hear them bellyaching in bars and cafes. Some even appear willing to stage an armed siege on her Florida hospice to force food and water down her throat. The law gives her husband exclusive custody and the right to make decisions on her behalf. Her parents believe they have the right. The law says otherwise. Now, the state and federal government is meddling with that given right. Does the government have an equal right to intervene when a husband wants his spouse to LIVE? Let's just assume Terri Schiavo was suffering. Her husband disagrees and believes the feeding tube should remain and that 20 years from now a cure will be discovered that will save her life. Her parents want to pull the plug. Should the government intervene on her parent's behalf, because they believe the best course of action is to allow her to die? If you believe the government should intervene to save her, then you must also believe the government should intervene to kill her. Let the family figure this out and if they can't the courts will decide. In the case of Terri Schiavo, the courts have clearly spoken. The spouse, the one person who is likely to know you best, has the right to make decisions on her behalf. Not the parents, not a sister, not a brother in law and not the next door neighbor. Let her die and let the spouse make the decision without the government playing God. STADIA Latin for more than one stadium. I say bring them here. They want to build one in downtown Brooklyn for a basketball team and they want to build one on the West side of Manhattan for the Jets. Just do it. The old adage, if they build it, they will come is true here. The International Olympic Committee says if a West side stadium is NOT built, New York City doesn't have a chance in hell of getting the Olympics in 2012. Professional football says if the Jets build a stadium, they'll bring the Super bowl to the big apple. Will traffic increase? Yes. Will getting around the West side and downtown Brooklyn be a bit more difficult? Yes. Is it worth it? You bet. Think thousands of jobs, a boost for the economy and a pay off that in the long run will make up for any taxpayer subsidy that may be needed to build these venues. The construction of stadia in New York City will also spur economic development, revitalized neighborhoods and create a magnet for industry and tourism. Who could possibly be opposed to that? THE ELECTION It's over. America has spoken and George W. Bush will stay in the White house for another four years. Don't fret, Democrats. For those of you who were sulking and contemplating suicide after the defeat of John Kerry, you'll be just fine. Chances are you're gainfully employed and feel safer than you did prior to September 11th. But, you're an angry bunch. Hanging out at some of my favorite Brooklyn watering holes, like Angry Wades, the political conversation often turned bitter and even evil. It was like re-electing Bush would be the end of the world and that Americans with accents would be swooped off the streets and sent to Guantanamo Bay. The hatred and vitriol of this election was like no other. Campaign headquarters were burglarized, homes of party officials vandalized and fist fights would break out when the subject of the Presidential election was utter in otherwise friendly surroundings. John Kerry told the President he wants to unite Americans for a common goal. Will Michael Moore be on board? How about Bruce Springsteen? Will they now be making new documentaries and singing the praises of a new United States, one with a common goal to defeat terrorism and insure our citizens have jobs. I doubt it. BYGONE DAYS The other day at work someone in the newsroom yelled out, "Hey, could you make a carbon copy of that." Did he just say "carbon copy." We don't have carbon copy. We have a copying machine. We have computers. Got me thinking. What ever happened to the people who work at the companies that make "carbon copy's.?" For those of you who don't know, "carbon copies" are pre-inked three ply letter size pieces of paper that when typed on make a copy on all three pages. This got me thinking about how our changing society has essentially put certain industries out of business. Who repairs typewriters? Who makes them anymore? What about film? Cassette tapes? VCR's? Why do they still call those places record stores. TV's are so cheap these days who ever calls a TV repairman. When was the last time you went to the bank? The bank teller's union must be freaking. I actually walked into a bank a few months back and there were signs on the windows: "Teller fee-$2.00." Go figure. HOW DID THEY WIN THE WORLD SERIES? Did you know several Boston Red Socks players did shots of Jack Daniels prior to games number four and five in the play offs and then again before each of their four winning games of the world series. I'm not making this up. SPAM Recently, I noticed an explosion of pop-up ads on my home computer. Right away, I suspected I had been bombed by one of those pop-up ad programs. Alas! I was right. Embedded in my programs file was a little ditty called "Web Rebates." It automatically downloaded itself onto my computer while I was surfing the net and launched itself. I spent hours trying to get rid of this thing. Delete it, you say. I did, 20 times. Each time, I'd get a prompt telling me I couldn't delete it because the program was currently running. Then, I figured it out. I cut and paste the unwanted program into the recycle bin. magically, in seconds, it automatically reappeared in my program file. Finally, I got smart. I cut and paste the program in the recycle bin and then quickly restarted my computer so that it could not morph again. The people who run these annoying and abusive programs should be arrested. As far as I'm concerned this is nothing less than a virus and spreading one is a crime. Our police departments should look toward the future and start developing units that fight computer crime. Maybe then, these money grubbing pop-up developers will finally be put out of business. THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY CRASH What is it with the crew of the wrecked Staten Island ferry? Neither the Captain Michael Gansis nor his pilot has said boo. They won’t talk to federal investigators, local transportation officials or even Congress, which has been convening hearings on the matter. Even when ordered to appear before the National Transportation Safety Board, Gansis took the fifth. He answered two questions: His name and address. Is it possible that the crew wasn’t responsible for the crash of the Ferry in October that killed ten people and injured dozens of others? Why then, won’t they speak. They’re guilty. Guilty as sin. What other possible conclusion could one make. Sure, they have the constitutional right to keep their lips sealed. Perhaps, they don’t want to incriminate themselves. Look, these idiots will be indicted either way. Cooperation, it seems, would go a long way, if not in the eyes of investigators, at least in the eyes of grieving relatives who are looking for answers. Think about. You see an accused white-collar criminal walking out of the courthouse, covering his face with his jacket, whisked away by lawyers. Then, another defendant nonchalantly walks out, smiles at reporters, says a few words, appears contrite and humble and casually walks away. Which one do you suppose would appear to be LESS guilty. That’s right….defendant number two. Admitting your mistakes and having the courage to tell the truth despite the possible consequences might go a long way in gaining not only the trust of investigators, but the forgiveness of those who lost loved ones on that October morning in New York harbor. NO KILL SHELTERS Congratulations to the city of New York for doing away with it’s policy of killing pets that aren’t adopted. For years, the division of animal control has euthanized unwanted pets after just a week or two. In fact, of the nearly 40,000 dogs and cats that were brought into the city’s shelters, 30, 000 were put to sleep. Staggering numbers. Actress and animal rights activist Mary Tyler Moore, who I often think is a tad radical in her beliefs, praised the decision by the city of New York….and rightfully so.
Over the next few years, the city will begin an ambitious plan to get those unwanted pets adopted. Kiosks will be set up around the city for residents to get acquainted with some of the animals, a marketing campaign will be launched to convince New Yorkers to spay and neuter their dogs and cats and an aggressive public relations campaign will begin to get those animals adopted. The shelter system will be run by the former boss of a no-kill shelter in Phoenix. Until the program is phased in, I’d highly recommend you check out the North Shore Animal League in Long Island, where I found noodles and whose no-kill policy has saved thousands of unwanted pets. HE WAS SUCH A NICE NEIGHBOR Ever notice how those “nice, quiet neighbors” are always the ones getting arrested for gruesome criminal acts. Take for instance, Raymond and Vanessa Jackson of Collingswood, New Jersey. This is the foster couple that was arrested for starving their four boys. They range in age from eight to 19 and their combined weight when found by police was just 136 pounds. Neighbors seemed astonished that the boys were malnourished, bony little morsels of human flesh when they were discovered. “Such nice people,” one lady said. “Seemed very friendly,” said another. Even the couple’s pastor, Harry Thomas of the Come Alive New Testament Church was oblivious to the signs of abuse. He actually bought the Jackson’s story that ALL four boys had eating disorders. Thomas, who claims he saw the couple every Sunday in church, even described the parents as heroes.
While talk show hosts bellyache about the failure of New Jersey’s social service system and demand the couple be sent away for life, I think more focus should be on these clueless neighbors, the friends and the pastor. As a news guy I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played sound clips of dumbfounded neighbors in disbelief of the actions of the neighbors next door. Remember Jeffrey
Dahmer. He kidnapped, strangled, dismembered and ate dozens of young
men and boys in Milwaukee several years ago. He feasted on the children
after slicing them to pieces using a CHAINSAW in a crowded APARTMENT
BUILDING. Said one neighbor at the time: “ Every once in a
while I would hear electric drills and power saws in the middle
of the night, but I never gave it much thought.” The moral
of this story: GIVE IT SOME FUCKING THOUGHT. LOOTING, RIOTING HIT BROOKLYN DURING BLACKOUT: NOT! Unlike blackouts past, Brooklynites partied in rare form on August 14th, when the lights went out for more than 24 hours. Neighborhood cops appeared as shocked as doomsayers who have often accurately predicted mob-like acts of violence during blackouts. They point to the blackout of 1977, which in size and scope, paled in comparison to the blackout of 03. During those dark hours, windows were smashed and teenagers went wilding in the streets. Fires destroyed many businesses, but alas 26 years later, New Yorkers partied and played in their homes, on their stoops and in the streets. Bars were packed, lit only by candlelight. Some pubs gave away their food. One supermarket set up a barbeque in front of its store and cooked up steaks and chops and gave them away to passersby. It took an hour or two for the blackout to sink in, but when it did, it didn't change how people reacted. At Angry Wades on Smith Street, sweaty businessmen packed in with the locals to cool off after a long walk from Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. Across the street, Halcyon was offering one-dollar beers and on the stoops of dozens of Brownstones, residents hosted their own spontaneous beer and burger block parties. Instead of complaining about the inconvenience, New Yorkers not only persevered, but they played like there was no tomorrow. The next day as the power was slowly restored a new sort of darkness fell on the city. The giant love-in was over. The bonding and community spirit slipped back into the creaky old homes and that euphoria that was the blackout of 03 was now just a fond memory. THE DEMISE OF THE AMERICAN PASSENGER RAILROAD—AMTRAK
It’s not just the lack of federal funding that’s killing our national passenger railroad system. Amtrak is killing itself. The days of traveling in the lap of luxury across the country are gone, because AMTRAK isn’t trying. I love the rails, but not because of a fear of flying. I love the rails because you can actually sit back and soak in the scenery, whether it’s the Pacific ocean on the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles or the Hudson River and Lake Champlain on the Adirondack from New York to Montreal, my latest adventure. Amtrak’s long distance trains are notorious for being late and it’s not always their fault. For instance, going into Canada, you sit for about an hour as Customs checks out your immigration status. On my return to New York, a thunderstorm felled a tree onto the tracks just South of Albany. Since the train was no longer on time, we didn’t have a clear shot into the Big Apple. We had to wait and let on-time trains pass. This happened several times. Again, this was not Amtrak’s fault. The delays were stacking up. Just one stop out of Montreal, the café car ran out of Bloody Mary mix. Didn’t they restock in Montreal? The lady in line next to me was told, “sorry no knives.” On a recent trip to New Orleans, just one hour into our journey, the café car ran out of, ready, COFFEE! My bladder was beginning to swell so I strolled through the all-reserved Adirondack for a visit to the restroom. It smelled like a sewer and just one hour into the trip, the box containing paper toilet seat covers was empty. Later in the morning, I decided to call a friend on my cell phone, but my batteries were running low. I decided to plug my cell phone charger into one of the handy 120-volt outlets on board. They didn’t work. One thing that was working was the air conditioning, although several complained it wasn’t cool enough. Most Amtrak trains offer pillows and blankets. This train offered neither. Along the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston, Amtrak offers frequent, fairly reliable service on clean, modern and fast trains. These are also the most expensive and the most in demand of Amtrak’s fleet. But, head a little farther North and not only do the trains disappoint, so do the rails. I think those tracks are the originals built in the 1850’s when modern science was looking for something to replace the stagecoaches. If you’ve never taken the trip to Montreal, I would suggest you take it, by car. Some of the nation’s most spectacular scenery is an arms length away----an historic old castle on the Hudson, kayakers exploring swampy land just South of Albany and mansions overlooking the beautiful Lake Champlain in upstate New York. As Amtrak continues to complain about the lack of federal money to keep the long distance trains moving, they have failed to provide even mediocre service on board. Sadly, Amtrak has become a Greyhound bus on tracks and the crew is as grumpy as the already annoyed customers. It’s about time Congress yank Amtrak’s funding and let private enterprise run the rails. Competition would be good for railroading. Like India, they could offer several classes of service ranging from the type of third class service offered on the Adirondack to the first class type service offered on the Orient Express. BUDGET CUTS I never paid much attention to the budgets of local governments, until my local government started talking about closing my local firehouse in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The single-engine company 204 did shutdown, one of six to close around New York City in an effort to save a measly one million dollars. But, it wasn’t just firehouses on the receiving end of the budget axe, but all sorts of programs and services. Several city zoos were on the list, a few libraries, a recreation center or two, some after school programs, senior citizen meals and child care centers. But, the only bulls eye in my neighborhood was the firehouse. As budget talks escalated into name-calling and threats of doom and gloom, the Mayor and city council finally worked out a compromise. One of the deals was to keep the zoos in Queens and Brooklyn open, but close the firehouses. The Zoos are subsidized greatly by the City of New York…to the tune of about six million dollars. I started thinking of poor Mrs. McGillicutty, the 99-year old woman who lives on the third floor across from the firehouse and wondered who would tell her that if her home caught fire, response time wouldn’t be reduced because of the firehouse closing. The city actually tried to make that argument. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love animals but it seems to me a firehouse is a little more important than a zoo. Tell that to the parents who have to tell their children that their favorite Panda bear is now living in Austin, Texas. So, as this little drama is unfolding in my slice of Brooklyn, I can only imagine the same drama is not only unfolding elsewhere in New York, but perhaps in a community where you live. I’ve never maintained that I have all of the answers or that I’m some sort of fiscal whiz who could come up with five billion dollars to get Gotham out of debt---but what’s a mayor to do? What about those 51-city councilmen who are lobbying for doomed programs in their neighborhoods? The point of all this, as difficult as it is to see my firehouse close or for others to watch neighborhood pools, libraries and even zoos close, I suggest you sit at that desk and decide how in the world you’re going to come up with five billion dollars without raising taxes and fees or cutting a single program! It cannot be done. THE BAD WEATHER GODS Would you people just stop your whining? Okay, I'm guilty of doing that, too. But, we citizens are just never satisfied with the weather. Our morning co-host, Curtis Sliwa on WABC, won't stop hounding Stephanie Delucca at the Weather Channel. Every day he's giving her grief. First, it's the cold and snow, then the non-stop rain and now it's the near 100-degree heat. I had to bite my tongue the other day while riding in the elevator at work. I was about to say, like we all said so many times before about weeks of endless rain, "boy, it's really hot today." Duh. Why do we even say things like that? It's like walking down the street and someone comments about the watch you're wearing. "Is that your watch?" What was that all about? These extreme weather conditions in the Northeast got me thinking about the stupid stuff we say everyday to each other. Sure, they're conversation starters or enders, but it's a sign of a whining society. There's always something to complain about. The weather. The service at the restaurant. Long lines. The phone company. I don't think I can bite my tongue everyday, because I couldn't stop talking the other day about the idiot at the phone company. So, I've decided to compromise. From now on, for each negative comment, I'll add a positive comment. I'll try it on you. "That bitch at McDonalds is so stupid she wouldn't be able to find her own hand, but what a sweet voice she had." OR: "Excuse me sir, your dog just took a crap on my sidewalk. Where did you get that beautiful shirt?" OR...back in the elevator: "Hmmmmm. Hear that rumbling. Maybe the elevator is about to free fall 17 stories. Well, at least we'd get to the lobby quicker."
I’M AN AMERICAN How frickin hard is it to display an American flag or a “support the troops” sign on the window of your home or on the bumper of your car. I don’t get it. Granted, thousands, perhaps millions of Americans have had a jolt of patriotism run through their bodies, but many more have not. It’s not like you’re supporting the war or even the “liberation” of Iraq, but too many people are tying the soldiers together with the war and President Bush. Don’t confuse the two. It’s not like Vietnam, but what are you going to do, spit on their uniforms when they return. Blame them? These are the men and women who will defend you when the invading planes and troops swoop down over a neighborhood near you, these are the people who threw themselves in front of innocents and handed out food and water to those most needy. I know this guy who almost celebrates with glee when American troops are fired on or when a U.S. military plane crashes in Iraq. For him, it’s their punishment for involving themselves in a war that shouldn’t be. I don’t get it. He’s not alone either. Some of these so-called peace protesters rope the soldiers into the politics of war. You see them on television and at rallies. What a great country! In China and for that matter, in Iraq, prior to the war, you’d be executed for expressing your anti-government views and for the first time, I’m thinking maybe these anti-Americans should be punished as well. Lock’m up and throw away the key. Maybe institute a draft for peaceniks. They can be human shields. Go ahead and stand in front of Saddam Hussein’s frickin palace and protect it from the falling American bombs. As I walk around my Brooklyn neighborhood, I’m pleasantly surprised by the numbers of American flags and “support the troops” posters that has gone up, but I’m equally disturbed by the number of anti-war messages that have popped up. Our morning
talk show host on WABC, Curtis Sliwa, often asks his partner, Ron
Kuby, “Do you think the Iraqi people are better off now or
before the U.S invaded Iraq? He ducks the question, saying, “it’s
not over” and “ I don’t know the outcome.”
How can anyone in his or her right mind not see the change? For
the first time in over 20-years, the Iraqi’s can walk down
the street without fear of retribution, they can protest, they can
pray and they can walk down the streets without fear that one of
Saddam’s hooligans will yank them away from their family and
execute them…just because. The oil is flowing, the lights
are coming back on and the water is once again purified. They will
be able to decide their own future. Is this a bad thing? Should
we not be proud that a democratic nation was able to truly liberate
another country? Should we not be proud of our American troops who
risked their lives and donated their time to do that? Could someone
just explain to me what the troops did wrong? Why an American flag
is not flying at your home? Why a “support the troops”
sign is not boldly posted on your window. THE DEATH PENALTY I've always been in favor of the death penalty….and not because I think it's a deterrent. I'm one of those eye-for-eye types of guys. If you rape you should be castrated, if you rob you should lose a finger or an arm and if you kill, you should die. Here's the caveat: People who are executed should be people who have killed. It's becoming quite clear that many of the cons on death row did not kill. Sure, I've read the stories like you of convicted killers being exonerated many years later, but it wasn't until the former Governor of Illinois commuted the sentences of EVERYONE on his state's death row, that it hit me. DNA cleared many of them and out of frustration, the Governor essentially took them all off of death row. Perhaps he over reacted, but the point of the matter is, nearly half of those on Illinois's death row are not murderers.. So, what's the solution? If DNA cleared them all, then why not make DNA a prerequisite for sentencing suspected capital criminals.. In other words, circumstantial evidence and eyewitness testimony wouldn't be enough to send someone to death row. Many eyewitnesses have been known to recant. Even fingerprints aren't good enough. But, link that suspect directly to the victim and the crime through DNA and you've got a solid hunk of evidence. When a man's life is at stake, our court system must be sure they're gassing or shooting up the right guy with killer chemicals. Let's change our existing laws through the state legislature to require a positive DNA match, before a suspect can be convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. WHERE ARE OUR ALLIES? I'm convinced President Bush is going to send U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein, but I'm not sure he should go in without a majority of our allies on our side. I want Saddam Hussein dead as much as the next guy, but let's make sure everyone else thinks so. President Bush says he'd go into Iraq alone. I'm hoping he's saying that to scare Hussein, because without a unified coalition force or at the very least their glowing endorsement, our war has failed. Let's look at Vietnam
and the Persian Gulf War as two examples. Don't think our military
did a bang up job in Iraq the last time we there. They had the support
of the World and perhaps most importantly the American people. Those
soldiers felt good about themselves and what they were doing and
they were saluted and cheered on their return. In Vietnam, the troops
were confused. Why were all of those Americans saying all those
bad things about them? Sure, it was the war they were against, not
the soldiers, but it was the soldiers that felt the pain in more
ways than President Bush has tried over and over again to convince the American people that Hussein possesses and is developing weapons of mass destruction, yet he has produced no clear evidence, no pictures, no satellite images, no documents, no secret tapes…nothing. The U.N weapons inspectors note that Iraq can't account for old weapons and the President says the burden of proof is on Iraq. I can imagine the video proof from Iraq. Saddam is standing next to a pile of metal tubes. You see his troops pour gasoline on it and another soldier stands in front of the camera with a sign that reads: ANTHRAX. The heap is set on fire and the anthrax goes up in flames. Convinced now? Then, a large factory in an isolated area outside of Baghdad is surrounded by Iraqi troops. One soldier is standing there with a sign: VARIOUS BAD CHEMICAL WEAPONS. The soldiers on the sidelines proceed to launch scud missiles at the building and it blows up….ridding the world of those VARIOUS BAD CHEMICAL WEAPONS. Believe it? My point exactly. How
in the world is Saddam Hussein going to prove he's dismantled or
destroyed the weapons. He can't, which leaves our inspectors with
the job of finding them. They can't. Now what? WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS THANKSGIVING You've got to be thankful to be alive---especially----when you hear stories of people offing themselves in the prime of their lives---even kids as young as 12. The two people who created this living, breathing, creature of a news guy are my parents, Barbara and George and to them, I'm thankful. They've supported me since I was 12 ---when I first wanted to get into radio as a career. And to radio, I'm thankful for two decades of fun times and great people. It's radio that's also paid my bills and contributed to my good fortune---despite a rough economy and a pricey New York City. I'll never forget Romer, my beloved dachshund of 16 years, who September 12th, 2002 died. He was always by my side to cheer me up when I was down and even on occasion made me angry when I was happy. I'm also thankful to the North Shore Animal league on Long Island for finding my second dog, noodles, who has given me great joy in my life. Not only has he been my best buddy, but also he was Romer's best friend during his waning years. To all my good friends in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn and those I've made around the country and even in Mexico where I often vacation. There's nothing like an ocean sunset on a white sand beach in a remote town far, far away from everything that's wrong with our world. Happy thanksgiving. Romer My 16-year-old dachshund, Romer, was put to sleep on September 10th, the day before the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America. This is my letter to my younger dachshund, Noodles.
ELECTING RICH PEOPLE You know----when Ross Perot first came into the political scene not only did I think the guy was nuts, but I just couldn't support some rich guy who wanted to go into public office. After years of thought, I've changed my mind. My mind was made up when Michael Bloomberg became Mayor of New York----after spending millions of his own money to defeat a bevy of democratic political creatures. Bloomberg is worth four point eight billion dollars---but he doesn't act like a billionaire and he's actually transformed many of his successful business techniques into sound policy at city hall. Multi-millionaire New Jersey senator Jon Corzine's been an active advocate for the people of the garden state and even the losing Tom Golisano would have made a decent Governor of New York had his 70-million dollars paid off in the election. I often thought the people running for public office should be the likes of housewives and farmers----who run for all the right reasons…to affect change. But, here's what happens: They get a big pay raise, a huge staff and a fat head when they discover all of that untapped power around the Beltway. On the other hand, those who are wealthy don't need the power and like Mike Bloomberg, these fat cats sat back and watched governments crumble as their own businesses boomed. They're the most honest of the bunch. They don't need payoffs and often they don't even need your money to fund their political campaigns. Re-election is moot. They've got lucrative jobs to fall back on when they decide to leave office. This new breed
of wealthy candidates is also fun to watch. They're outspoken....
and are often maverick in their ideas and policies. Who couldn't
like that? Even Mike Bloomberg won over minorities in New York,
who now, more than ever, appear willing to embrace his brand of
governance. What's more amazing is that these average New Yorkers
make less than .05 % of his net worth. The Pledge Everyone's talking about it, so I thought I'd chime in, as well. As a kid growing up in Philadelphia I would dutifully recite The Pledge of Allegiance like any other youngster, not really caring about what it meant. It was a mantra and as a kid it mean nothing except another prerequisite of homeroom. But, as a grown up (although some would question that) I reflect. Are the words "under god" dangerous. I think not. Having said that, if you believe religion should not be preached by the school and thus the government, and then you can only agree that the words "under god" do indeed tread on those fundamental guidelines that separate government from religion. Let's just say for arguments sake, if the words "under god" were removed, would children rebel? Would their daily lives be scarred forever? If you are such a believer in God, and I am, is it really necessary for our government to reinforce it in the recital of the pledge? In school, teach religion and the void of religion in some households. I have no problem with that. Teach kids that some people worship God and others worship several or none. Let their parents be the ones that guide their children's religious beliefs, not the schools and not our government. OSAMA
BIN LADEN IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN NEW JERSEY Ah Ha! Let's
face it, with all of our high tech gadgets and thousands of troops
in the region, you'd think by now, we would have caught the creep.
Be scared, be very scared Don't be surprised if the U.S comes under terrorist attack again. We're clearly letting down our guard, at least here in New York City. Just six months after terrorists rammed a pair of jets into the World Trade Center, the roadblocks and checkpoints are gone from New York city's bridges and tunnels. The Defense department has decided to end F-14 patrols over America's skies, specifically over our biggest cities, like New York. Now, we're even hearing about the lazy butts that serve as security screeners in our airports. One guy was asleep on the job and another was arrested for accepting a bribe so that a passenger could take his marijuana on board a flight. Cash strapped governments, local and federal, say they can't afford the extra security anymore. Here's the thing, if the American people still appeared to be scared, if they still weren't eating out and traveling, the government might have continued the heightened security. But, for the most part, we've eased back into our lazy ways----and so, it seems, has the government. My suggestion:
be scared, be very scared. PROFILE OF A PROTESTER Thousands of Birkenstock clad 21st century hippies have descended on New York city to protest the World Economic Summit. They each have their own cause, but they all have a common thread----rich people are bad people. Perhaps I'm simplifying their agenda, but the general mantra of the wack-a-doos is that corporate America pays them crap, while the fat cats at the top line their pockets. Sure, they don't like what big business is doing to the environment....they believe many workers are underpaid and abused and they fear some sort of global conspiracy to control their lives. Fine. But, their underlying message is, the Henry Ford's of the world make too much money and don't share it with the little people. Essentially, they're against Capitalism. They hate Bill Gates, but they forget Mr. Gates was one of those Birkenstock wearing kids when he decided to fiddle around with computers---before they were chic. Here's the thing.
I'm watching these wackos march around with their signs and placards,
chant crafty little cause-specific slogans and vandalize businesses.
They've come to New York for up to five days. How many of you can
leave your job for five days just for the hell of it. These people
are slackers. They don't know what work is. They don't realize that
hard work pays off. ...that many little people become wealthy business
executives and rich entrepreneurs. I'll tell ya what they're problem
is. They're pissed off because their poor....and they're poor because
they won't get off their lazy asses and do something with their
lives. AMERICANS AS TOURISTS This guy from Minnesota jumped up onto the bar and started dancing----yelling in a jovial type of way to the Mexican bartender below to play American music...but he insisted on yelling over and over again..."ingles, ingles," What a jerk. He was an American tourist in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, a small fishing village South of Cancun. Playa, as they call it, has become quite the tourist mecca for those who want to get away from the tall skyscraper hotels of Cancun. But, Americans can ruin a good thing. There's this message board on the internet for people visiting Playa Del Carmen. They ask questions like.. Do I have to use pesos? Is there a good Italian restaurant? Does it get really hot there? And the best one, Do people speak English. HELLO! I've got one for them. Why are you coming to Mexico? Tourists walk into the old style Mexican stores on Playa's Fifth Avenue and take home a souvenir..thinking their trinket represents authentic Mexico. They walk out with sombreros, mass produced ceramic nik-naks and they gobble up tacky ashtrays. Mexicans must think were a bunch of dorks...and they've accomadated the gringos by building Hard Rock Cafes, TGIF's, Diesel and Gap stores, to mention a few. Americans feel safe away from home when they can go to familar places with familar names. Maybe, just
maybe, if Americans started enjoying the country they're visiting,
attitudes would change. Eat some Mexican foods, do a little research
on siestas and limone sopa, learn a few basic words of Spanish,
stay away from guided tours, explore and most of all....avoid TGIF
like the plague. Gracias and buenos noches. AND THE WINNER IS.... I often refer
to myself as the Susan Lucci....of radio. Every year, radio stations
and employees around the country nominate their on air people for
various awards. For years, I'd enter dozens of these things and
every year I'd get a bunch of plaques and medals to impress my friends
and family. But, ever since I arrived in New York over five years
ago, I decided I'd do just one a year....the March of Dimes sponsered
Air Awards. As the Susan Lucci of radio, I have been nominated best
newscaster five years running and have yet to win. Johnny Donovan,
WABC's crack production and voice guru, doesn't play the awards
game. In fact, he enjoys poking fun at those ego-driven radio people....(I
guess he assumes I'm one of them)...and insists on informing us
that they are meaningless. An award, he says, doesnt amount to a
hill of beans ...no cash in pocket, no job advancement, etc. To
be honest, I could care less about that. So what drives me. Ego.
He's right. I guess it makes me feel good to say... neener, neener,
neener, see I'm better than you. Is that so bad? Should Reporters Cry? CNN's news boss, Chris Cramer, believes it's perfectly okay for journalists to show emotion---by crying. In fact, he calls those who don't cry on occasion, old farts. You might remember Dan Rather breaking down on David Letterman's show after the September 11th terrorist attacks...but Rather wasn't in his role of reporter. I covered the attacks and I wasn't far from ground zero when the buildings crumbled. I cried----not on the air, but in interviews with talk show hosts and the like after the attacks. It was natural, but I think it's important for reporters to leave the crying out of their newscasts. How will listeners and viewers know it's for real. Remember that scene in "Broadcast News" when the William Hurt character pretended to cry in reaction to a touching story. I can tell you it's not easy covering such a human calamity as the World Trade Center attacks---and at times, I felt like crying. Perhaps my listeners could hear the emotion in my voice----but I really did all I could to keep from sounding like a blubbering idiot. I say cry, just don't let the listeners or viewers see you sweat. THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 587 A collective sigh of relief was heard around the country, when investigators announced the crash of Flight 587 in New York City was likely an accident and not the work of terrorists. Most people believe it WAS an accident, but my phone in the newsroom hasn't stopped ringing with conspiracy nuts. One guy noted that a fire department vehicle was stolen from Long Island and was found in midtown. "What's in between," he asks. Answering himself, he says, "JFK airport." Yeah…and? "Well," he continues, "couldn't the thieves drive right into the airport and load a small bomb on the plane?" Yeah, I guess. "Well, what are you doing about that? Why aren't you reporting it," he wonders. Another guy emails me and asks, "Remember the report about the helicopter that was near the plane. What was it doing there?" The calls that get on the air are even more bizarre. "What if they used a surface-to-air missile from a boat in the bay?" Listen, I can assure you there will be no government cover-up in this investigation. I could be proven wrong, but I'm not going to spend all my waking hours tracking down listener hunches. Oh, and let's get one thing straight right now. Don't you think Uncle Sam would love to blame Osama Bin Laden for this one? It would be so easy. Why haven't they done it? IT'S AN ACCIDENT! WHY MARK GREEN WON'T BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF NEW YORK I've heard all of the analysis of why Democrat Mark Green was creamed by Billionaire Republican Michael Bloomberg in New York city's Mayor's race. He ran a nasty campaign. Bloomberg outspent him. Both true. Here's what I think happened. First, ask yourself what kind of Mayor you wanted for New York. Answer: someone LIKE Giuliani. There is no one like Rudy. Our expectations were so high, both Bloomberg and Green would surely disappoint. Democrats flipped over to Bloomberg by the thousands. Latinos couldn't make up in their mind in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans five to one. Bloomberg didn't win this election because he's rich or because Mark Green was a nasty twit. Bloomberg could have saved his 50-million dollars had Giuliani come on board several weeks ago. The Mayor's endorsement alone turned a Billionaire into Rudy's little buddy. BAD FIREFIGHTERS By now, you've heard of the rally turned rumble between New York city firefighters and police officers assigned to crowd control. Fists were flying and several cops were hurt and a dozen firefighters arrested. The firefighters union called the rally to protest the Mayor's plan to remove most of them from the site of the World Trade center recovery effort. The firefighters union says they should have never been arrested. Hogwash. They were acting like the thugs, not all of them but a few dozen. Should they be locked up? No. But, to suggest that they are above the law just because they saved so many lives is just plain silly. Listen, these men and women are real heros, but there's no excuse for trying to take advantage of that honor. AIRPORT SECURITY Yes, air travel is still the safest way to get around, but who in the world are these knuckleheads who are screening your baggage. One lady flew from Syracuse to Westchester county with a gun in her baggage. Says she forgot it was there. In Chicago, the security guards on one concourse let seven knives and a stun gun get through their screening devices and at JFK in New York, several people were allowed to pass on through, even though the metal detector was beeping a mile a minute. Congress is debating whether to let the feds take over airport security---not only hiring the personnel but providing oversight. What's the debate. Do it. ANTHRAX, IT'S EVERYWHERE! In case you're wondering----powdered donuts are supposed to have white POWDER on them! This Anthrax paranoia has got to stop. It's not only turning average citizens into basket cases, it's creating a whole new legion of practical jokesters. They should be locked up----and all of you gas mask wearing, glove toting citizens need to take a breath and knock it off. PLEASE, FIX MY PHONE. NOW! A few weeks ago, I got Verizon DSL for my computer, but I was having phone trouble. DSL, by the way, is awesome. The phone people told me a technician would be by, sometime between 8:00am and 5:00pm. This has long been a complaint of utility customers---never getting an actual appointment. So, when they called a few days ago inquiring about my past due bill....I told them I had already sent it. They asked when. I said "sometime between August and November!" SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS..... I'm afraid to go carpet shopping. Whatya suppose they'd do if I walked into the store and announced, " I'm looking for an Afgan." Can someone please tell me why it's the shore in New Jersey and the beach everywhere else? I think all of our phone bills would be cheaper, if the phone company actually checked who they were pitching their services to. I already have DSL, darn it. Here's how to solve New York city's litter problem. Prohibit those people from handing out those menu's and sale flyers on street corners. |
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As
the owner of a little dachshund, I can tell you “Noodles”
was a happy camper when I told him the news.
Didn’t
anyone think it was a little unusual for a 19-year-old man to weight
just 45 pounds and stand just over four feet tall? When doctors
announced the children were indeed starved and fed just oatmeal
and raw pancake batter, Pastor Thomas called them liars, suggesting
the government was building this great conspiracy to punish the
couple. One doctor noted that it appeared as if the boys were so
hungry, they were eating wood from the windowsill and plasterboard
in their ramshackle bedroom. Chunks of wood were found in their
tiny stomachs.
a dosswerks development