No, I won't be talking about the 90's Alternative rock band, but rather the political climate and the growing anger surrounding it.
A couple weeks ago, I posted a story where a college professor conducted an experiment upon his own students, who were convinced that socialism was good for society. He used the concept of need-based distribution and gave better students a lower grade while under-performers a higher grade. I found it amusing and posted it.
Because what professor hasn't drawn the ire of a student? How many of you have taken a class to find it was nothing at all what you imagined, then not doing as well as you would have hoped for because of it?
An English II class I took in college turned out to be more closely related to a World Cultures class with the focus on China. For our term paper, we had to pick a select topic about China and then write about it. I had to write on the three religions closely associated with China prior to Communist control. This was an English class?
But unfortunately, this is part of the college dynamic. The things you learn that one says aren't taught in school...at least directly. You learn that life isn't always fair, and you quite often need to play by someone else's rules if you intend to stay in the game.
And right or wrong, I feel the present generation and the one before it has been coddled too much.
The article I posted quickly drew the anger, if not unbridled rage, of a former colleague who self-identifies as a liberal Democrat who is quick to speak up about President Obama and every facet of his administration should anyone disrespect it in any way. So he let fly.
"It makes it hard to take anything you say politically seriously,"
Political?
I don't use my column nor my social media walls as platforms for politics. At least I try not to. Yet some people use every avenue they can to push a political agenda.
I am a registered Republican, but I have supported much of President Obama's policies. I supported his decision to not pull troops out of the Middle East and finish what President Bush started. I supported the economic bailout as well, because without it, the end result would have made the Great Depression look like a gumball machine robbery.
I also know Democrats who became strong Bush supporters after September 11, 2001. I vote my conscience, not a political party.
If you want my political stand on anything, you can always ask me directly. And most recently, I've been asked of my stand on the Affordable Health Care Act, or "Obamacare". This was the end result of what I had posted.
I don't support it in its current form. That's my opinion, based on facts, and we all know that facts can be interpreted in all kinds of ways. This is what keeps lawyers busy...and rich.
One person's opinion...mine. You don't like it, get over it.
Get mad at me. Defriend me on Facebook. That's my stand. It won't be swayed.
That said, have a good day.
NEXT WEEK: Columnist's Choice
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Picture This
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
I disagree.
They're worth at the very minimum, a thousand sentences. The only problem is, there's just not enough words in the English language to say enough about that picture.
Especially when it's of your child.
Very few things can capture your heart and mind like a well-taken photograph of your young son or daughter.
Just before Christmas, my brother-in-law and his wife surprised my wife and I with a framed photo of our daughter, who will be five this coming July.
The photo was taken during an overnight stay that our Savannah had with Christian and Melissa's son and daughter. They took one of her alone, then another one with her and her cousins, Alex and Mia.
We had no idea that this was being done. They bought her a new black dress and styled her hair to perfection. The end result in the frame was nothing short of priceless.
The little girl's image that stared back at me gave me a glimpse into the future.
Margie and I want nothing but the best for our child, the same as any parent. They say it's what's inside that counts, but the outward appeal is definitely an added bonus.
Could my little girl be brains and beauty?
One can only hope so.
As excited as I am to see the end result of what she will ultimately grow up to be, I find myself reluctant to let her do so.
While I do want her to grow up to be smart and successful, it also means letting her make her own mistakes. Making her own decisions. In short, allowing her to be open to the cruel reality of what it's like to live in this world.
She will be lied to. She will be taken advantage of. She will have her heart broken at least once in her lifetime.
We fathers can only take them in our arms only so many times before a simple cuddle just doesn't do the job anymore...because the problems get far more complex as they grow.
But as I see that chubby-cheeked little face, now on a much larger canvas version of that same photo, I know she's going to be just fine.
That doesn't mean I'll ever stop worrying though.
After all, I am her father.
NEXT WEEK: Why so angry?
I disagree.
They're worth at the very minimum, a thousand sentences. The only problem is, there's just not enough words in the English language to say enough about that picture.
Especially when it's of your child.
Very few things can capture your heart and mind like a well-taken photograph of your young son or daughter.
Just before Christmas, my brother-in-law and his wife surprised my wife and I with a framed photo of our daughter, who will be five this coming July.
The photo was taken during an overnight stay that our Savannah had with Christian and Melissa's son and daughter. They took one of her alone, then another one with her and her cousins, Alex and Mia.
We had no idea that this was being done. They bought her a new black dress and styled her hair to perfection. The end result in the frame was nothing short of priceless.
The little girl's image that stared back at me gave me a glimpse into the future.
Margie and I want nothing but the best for our child, the same as any parent. They say it's what's inside that counts, but the outward appeal is definitely an added bonus.
Could my little girl be brains and beauty?
One can only hope so.
As excited as I am to see the end result of what she will ultimately grow up to be, I find myself reluctant to let her do so.
While I do want her to grow up to be smart and successful, it also means letting her make her own mistakes. Making her own decisions. In short, allowing her to be open to the cruel reality of what it's like to live in this world.
She will be lied to. She will be taken advantage of. She will have her heart broken at least once in her lifetime.
We fathers can only take them in our arms only so many times before a simple cuddle just doesn't do the job anymore...because the problems get far more complex as they grow.
But as I see that chubby-cheeked little face, now on a much larger canvas version of that same photo, I know she's going to be just fine.
That doesn't mean I'll ever stop worrying though.
After all, I am her father.
NEXT WEEK: Why so angry?
Sunday, January 12, 2014
"Fighting Words"
Most of you know I've spent most of my life in radio. So I'll have to ask your forgiveness as I indulge in the words of one of my many esteemed colleagues over the years.
Today it's the late Douglas Hoerth.
"Uncle Dougie" to those of us who knew him.
While Doug was a jock who played music on the radio in the early days of his career, he came to reinvent himself years later as a popular talk show host in Pittsburgh on the former 1250 WTAE.
In a series of TV commercials, he and other hosts communicated how they felt talk radio should be for its average listener.
"You can make them happy, you can make them sad," Doug said. "Sometimes you can even make them think."
I have always viewed music in the same light, and some of those songs can be completely thought-provoking.
John Ondrasik, the one-man band known as "Five For Fighting" is a great example of this. While he's been derided by some critics as a "one-trick pony", I'd like to see anyone out there come remotely close to what he's accomplished as an artist.
While I like his music, I have a hard time listening to it, because it's that thought-provoking. At least it is to me, anyway.
"Superman" is told as a first-person narrative from the would-be thoughts of the Man of Steel that are never verbalized, that show the human side of the native Kryptonian.
"Even heroes have the right to dream," "a home I'll never see", "it's not easy to be me".
Would Superman ever get sick of defending Metropolis time and time again? Would he feel compelled to break Lex Luthor's neck with his bare hands to put an end to his evil ambitions once and for all? Just so he could get some peace and quiet?
Then there's another song..."The Riddle". I have an especially hard time with this one.
"There's a reason for the world...you and I". "We're all we've got on this bouncing ball".
From a religious perspective, if God created Man in his own image, are we behaving in a godly manner to our fellow creatures? Or from a secular perspective, are we respecting everyone's right to exist? Or do we see ourselves as more fit to live than others because they don't share our beliefs and values?
More importantly, what's the message we're passing along to the next generation through our own example? Are we teaching our children compassion, or 'kill or be killed'?
Pensions are disappearing. Health care is being treated as a luxury instead of a necessity. Companies prioritize profits over people and don't mince words about it. Virtue has become a liability rather than reward. We celebrate money over morality. We confuse need with want and fill our lives with possessions that we believe will make us happy for another day, until we tire of it and decide we want more. And more.
Don't get me started on those who worship 'scripted-reality' TV and talent shows, looking to be the next big star.
There are those who choose to get their news from "The Daily Show" or "Weekend Update", rather than CBS, ABC or NBC. By the way, if you ever want 'real' news, watch a BBC newscast. You'll learn of the world that exists out of the U.S. that our country seems to turn a blind eye to more and more with each passing day.
So why are we all here?
Well...here's a riddle for ya.
Find the answer.
There's a reason for the world.
You and I.
NEXT WEEK: Picture Perfect
Today it's the late Douglas Hoerth.
"Uncle Dougie" to those of us who knew him.
While Doug was a jock who played music on the radio in the early days of his career, he came to reinvent himself years later as a popular talk show host in Pittsburgh on the former 1250 WTAE.
In a series of TV commercials, he and other hosts communicated how they felt talk radio should be for its average listener.
"You can make them happy, you can make them sad," Doug said. "Sometimes you can even make them think."
I have always viewed music in the same light, and some of those songs can be completely thought-provoking.
John Ondrasik, the one-man band known as "Five For Fighting" is a great example of this. While he's been derided by some critics as a "one-trick pony", I'd like to see anyone out there come remotely close to what he's accomplished as an artist.
While I like his music, I have a hard time listening to it, because it's that thought-provoking. At least it is to me, anyway.
"Superman" is told as a first-person narrative from the would-be thoughts of the Man of Steel that are never verbalized, that show the human side of the native Kryptonian.
"Even heroes have the right to dream," "a home I'll never see", "it's not easy to be me".
Would Superman ever get sick of defending Metropolis time and time again? Would he feel compelled to break Lex Luthor's neck with his bare hands to put an end to his evil ambitions once and for all? Just so he could get some peace and quiet?
Then there's another song..."The Riddle". I have an especially hard time with this one.
"There's a reason for the world...you and I". "We're all we've got on this bouncing ball".
From a religious perspective, if God created Man in his own image, are we behaving in a godly manner to our fellow creatures? Or from a secular perspective, are we respecting everyone's right to exist? Or do we see ourselves as more fit to live than others because they don't share our beliefs and values?
More importantly, what's the message we're passing along to the next generation through our own example? Are we teaching our children compassion, or 'kill or be killed'?
Pensions are disappearing. Health care is being treated as a luxury instead of a necessity. Companies prioritize profits over people and don't mince words about it. Virtue has become a liability rather than reward. We celebrate money over morality. We confuse need with want and fill our lives with possessions that we believe will make us happy for another day, until we tire of it and decide we want more. And more.
Don't get me started on those who worship 'scripted-reality' TV and talent shows, looking to be the next big star.
There are those who choose to get their news from "The Daily Show" or "Weekend Update", rather than CBS, ABC or NBC. By the way, if you ever want 'real' news, watch a BBC newscast. You'll learn of the world that exists out of the U.S. that our country seems to turn a blind eye to more and more with each passing day.
So why are we all here?
Well...here's a riddle for ya.
Find the answer.
There's a reason for the world.
You and I.
NEXT WEEK: Picture Perfect
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Reflections and Resolutions
Well, here we go again. That time of year.
Some of you may feel that I need to make a resolution...not to stray away from my promised column each week. Valid argument, yes, but this time I have a good excuse.
My wife is forever calling me a "PC lover", "Windows lover", whatever have you, because while she's embraced her MacBook as the leading technology, I still cling to the archaic vintage 2004 laptop that I rescued from the curb when she adopted the MacBook.
Most recently, it exhibited signs of involuntary retirement, so to speak, enough to the point where my wife actually surprised me Christmas morning with a shiny new Dell Inspiron 15, courtesy of my corporate discount at work.
So I spent much of my time between Christmas and New Year's migrating files from the old HP to the new Dell. Not a speedy process by any means.
And, I no longer have an excuse to take an unannounced break from my weekly warblings that I will carry into 2014.
I look for 2014 to be a year of personal renewal, revival and reward.
Not much change than in previous years, all that matters is the outcome, and how I will accomplish those goals or deal with the adversity if things don't go according to plan.
And it's the latter that often happens, according to John Lennon.
"Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans".
As I look out of the window from my new laptop, I gaze upon the winter landscape, and the promise of sunshine in the coming months.
How will I make the most of those days? Or even the days now, however cold and dreary it may look outside?
I tend to think of this a lot more in my advancing years, as I pay more attention to those around me. I see friends and acquaintances fighting terminal illness, family members aging, colleagues trying to find ways to rebuild their lives after losing their jobs, and what used to be 'little ones' finally growing up and planning their futures after high school.
Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" comes to mind right now.
Have I truly "gone forth" spiritually, as Jacob Marley insisted Ebenezer Scrooge do during his time on Earth? Have I truly reached out to my fellow creatures?
And if not, why? Has life truly gotten in the way of it, or am I using it as an excuse to put it off until tomorrow?
Tomorrow.
My mind travels back to one February night back in the studio of 104.7 in Pittsburgh, almost 23 years ago when I was making my major market radio debut.
The cleaning staff was making its rounds to the different offices in the building, emptying the wastebaskets into the big can that would soon find its way to the dumpster on the side of the building.
"Where's Ed?" asked the African-American gentleman, likely in his mid to early 50's.
I relayed to him that "Ed" had passed away the week before, receiving the incredulous look in return.
"He wasn't too old...what did he die of?" he asked.
A heart attack is what took the broadcast legend's life at 56.
The man shook his head sadly, but managed a smile, nonetheless.
"Tomorrow's promised to no one," he said before turning around to move on to the next office.
I thought a lot about that. I still do.
I don't think I'll ever stop.
NEXT WEEK: A Reason for the World
Some of you may feel that I need to make a resolution...not to stray away from my promised column each week. Valid argument, yes, but this time I have a good excuse.
My wife is forever calling me a "PC lover", "Windows lover", whatever have you, because while she's embraced her MacBook as the leading technology, I still cling to the archaic vintage 2004 laptop that I rescued from the curb when she adopted the MacBook.
Most recently, it exhibited signs of involuntary retirement, so to speak, enough to the point where my wife actually surprised me Christmas morning with a shiny new Dell Inspiron 15, courtesy of my corporate discount at work.
So I spent much of my time between Christmas and New Year's migrating files from the old HP to the new Dell. Not a speedy process by any means.
And, I no longer have an excuse to take an unannounced break from my weekly warblings that I will carry into 2014.
I look for 2014 to be a year of personal renewal, revival and reward.
Not much change than in previous years, all that matters is the outcome, and how I will accomplish those goals or deal with the adversity if things don't go according to plan.
And it's the latter that often happens, according to John Lennon.
"Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans".
As I look out of the window from my new laptop, I gaze upon the winter landscape, and the promise of sunshine in the coming months.
How will I make the most of those days? Or even the days now, however cold and dreary it may look outside?
I tend to think of this a lot more in my advancing years, as I pay more attention to those around me. I see friends and acquaintances fighting terminal illness, family members aging, colleagues trying to find ways to rebuild their lives after losing their jobs, and what used to be 'little ones' finally growing up and planning their futures after high school.
Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" comes to mind right now.
Have I truly "gone forth" spiritually, as Jacob Marley insisted Ebenezer Scrooge do during his time on Earth? Have I truly reached out to my fellow creatures?
And if not, why? Has life truly gotten in the way of it, or am I using it as an excuse to put it off until tomorrow?
Tomorrow.
My mind travels back to one February night back in the studio of 104.7 in Pittsburgh, almost 23 years ago when I was making my major market radio debut.
The cleaning staff was making its rounds to the different offices in the building, emptying the wastebaskets into the big can that would soon find its way to the dumpster on the side of the building.
"Where's Ed?" asked the African-American gentleman, likely in his mid to early 50's.
I relayed to him that "Ed" had passed away the week before, receiving the incredulous look in return.
"He wasn't too old...what did he die of?" he asked.
A heart attack is what took the broadcast legend's life at 56.
The man shook his head sadly, but managed a smile, nonetheless.
"Tomorrow's promised to no one," he said before turning around to move on to the next office.
I thought a lot about that. I still do.
I don't think I'll ever stop.
NEXT WEEK: A Reason for the World
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