January 24, 2005

LAS VEGAS TV SLUR: THE REST OF THE OUTRAGEOUS STORY

A newly unemployed Las Vegas TV weatherman isn't the only one that should have taken the pipe for the recent Martin Luther King,Jr slur that slipped into a broadcast weather report. The KTNV TV 13 management is now looking at a half dozen other employees involved in the broadcast.

The actual broadcast was made by weather forecaster Rob Blair on Saturday morning January 15th and his exact words were : "For tomorrow 60 degrees, Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Day, gonna see some temperatures in the mid 60's."

Now here is the shocker. There was an absolutely unforgivable crime committed here. This was NOT a live broadcast. The guy had pre-taped the weather. Involved in the insulting broadcast along with the weatherguy were the sound guy, the director, the technical director, a video tape engineer and a chyron (text) operator.

Do the math. Five people NOT paying attention in unison. Five people let the offensive material air without a word. This is the most egregious violation of basic broadcasting principals I have run across in years. Why wouldn't Blair the weather guy, protected by the good fortune of having made his ignorant slip into a videotape machine have demanded a retake? If he didn't hear his own horrible tongue slippage, where the hell were the rest of them?

The broadcast spectrum belongs to the public. The Journal Broadcast Group, owner of the Las Vegas station should clean house and find some people who really want to work, not just pick up a paycheck.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHANNEL 2 FLYBOY ONE OF THE BEST

I'd like to take a peek in the pay envelope of WBBM-TV helicopter reporter Kris Habermehl. Whatever they give him, it can't be enough. His job is to report traffic and breaking news. He also operates the camera system, and like any good observer keeps an eye on the sky for other air traffic which his pilot certainly appreciates. It's teamwork. His copter work really showcased his talent last week when an oil barge exploded and burned on the Sanitary and Ship Canal.

Habermehl brings something more to the skies than the average flying news guy. He has an incredible ability to observe what the camera is showing and explain it with this often incredible knowledge base. He uses his airborne platform to observe the "big picture." He related the power of the barge explosion by showing parts of the burning vessel blown onto the Cicero Avenue bridge where firefighters were struggling to drag them out of traffic. This enhanced the story. Habermehl uses the helicopter vantage more effectively than all of the competition.

One reason Kris Habermehl is so effective as the CBS local airborne reporter is his personal interest in aviation. He must have full geek status. It's most apparent when he CO-hosts the Chicago Air Show coverage on WBBM Radio during the summer. He knows every plane, maneuver, pilot and what they had for breakfast.

A helicopter with a talented guy like Habermehl aboard is an asset any competitive TV station should want, yet WLS TV operates its copter with no reporter on board. It flits around flashing pictures with no explanations. A waste of a very expensive resource.

I love helicopters. We used a copter for traffic and some news reporting on WIND way back when. I was one of the back-up reporters when our regular guy Dick Elliott was unavailable or on vacation. I got in plenty of flight time that way. Most fun I've ever had. One morning flying over the Dan Ryan Expressway Robert W. Morgan threw me a cue for a live traffic check just as an apartment building adjacent to the highway burst into flames. It caught me by surprise and I muttered something like "Robert we're over this really beautiful building fire next to the Ryan at 79th and it's really going."

The pilot shot me a strange look just as Robert W. asked "what chapter of the traffic reporter's handbook did that come out of?"
I made it a point to never refer to a burning building again as "beautiful".
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PRINCE HARRY 'S ACT OF STUPIDITY HAD HELP

How can it be that a Prince of England, third in line of succession, wouldn't know that the Nazi Swastika he wore to a costume party is not only the most hated symbol in the history of modern mankind but also of particular anguish to his countrymen for reasons so obvious that one wonders if Harry slept thru his history lessons.

The young prince does not personate in a vacuum. His older brother Prince William is often nearby. Why didn't he speak up? The Royals are afforded security as are members of the First Family in our country. Why wouldn't members of his government provided security detail, highly trained, well informed specialists have advised their charge of the inappropriate choice of costume? Failing to connect they surely have superiors with authority reaching to Prince Charles and even the Queen. Why didn't somebody short-circuit this prince of callowness before his world-wide embarrassment? Why did they see and look the other way?

Suggestion are now flying to ban the use of the hated swastika with penalties for failure to comply. I don't know what bodies or agencies could or should undertake such action, or if it's necessary. Other than this pup of a prince with a title and severe lack of knowledge, when was the last time the world was so upset by this kind of stupidity?

This would be a good time for the British to make sure their school systems, both public and private have their curriculum in order. Even snoozing students should not be allowed to graduate not knowing the danger National Socialism and that horrible symbol once presented to their nation's future.

Some suggested dismissing Prince Harry's error as a "boyish" or youthful indiscretion. If it were something other than Nazi symbolism that might have been possible, but the symbol was adopted by the Nazis in the summer of 1920 and has been representative of evil every day since. Ignorance of something this potent won't fly.

If Prince Charles had the guts, which he doesn't, he would hold a news conference and explain to his son in public why his gaffe was so serious. He should tell him about the six million Jews and millions of other victims of the Third Reich and Hitler's master plan for a master race. Even today there are times when it all sounds like it must have been a fable.

What kind of man, what kind of society chooses as its goal the building of chambers and ovens to rid humanity of entire races of human beings? Prince Harry needs to go to his blackboard and write 500 times Holocaust, Holocaust, Holocaust, Holocaust........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLTV & ME: I COULDA'BEEN A STAR

"How would you like to be on TV?" That was a question coming from my boss at WGN Radio in the early 90's. It didn't sound like a simple question, and it wasn't.

High in the Tribune Tower the chieftains had come up with an idea for a 24 hour cable news and information channel now known as CLTV. The original thinking must not have included the overnight hours, which is what I suspect generated the invitation to my television debut.

The boss explained that the company wanted to mount unattended TV cameras in my radio studio and televise the radio show on this new cable channel. Gulp. I started processing that possibility and the results made me cringe. It would mean every single night a clean shirt, combed hair, close shave. I didn't get into radio for that.

I vetoed the idea of a late night radio show on cable TV at least involving me, and never regretted the decision. It would have destroyed the "magic." I learned early on from great broadcasters like Stan Freeberg that without pictures we could produce "theater of the mind" with some effort and dedication. Radio requires imagination.

CLTV, which translates into Chicagoland Television was launched in 1993. The cable channel is operated by Tribune Broadcasting, and after much fine tuning turned out to be a great idea, and a success. The programming covers news, weather, sports and information on a regional basis. They benefit from a wide pool of resources including the Tribune staff, WGN Radio and TV and Tom Skilling and his killer weather forecasting team.

The best thing about CLTV is their ability to expand coverage to meet the needs of breaking news stories, press conferences, unexpected events. Unlike stations committed to network programming that can only provide breaking news in snippets, the CLTV menu is ideal for news and information junkies. They feed your need.

Currently CLTV reaches almost two million area subscribers. If it's not on your cable system bug your provider. Whenever a big story breaks during daytime the conventional stations will give it a minute or two. I always flip to cable channel 10 on Comcast where I know CLTV will be on the job with the entire story. And to think, way back in the beginning I could have been a CLTV all-night star if I only had enough clean shirts and combed my hair.

January 17, 2005                                                          

THE CORONATION OF KING GEORGE

George W. Bush will take his second oath of office Thursday morning with America at war. The swearing-in ceremony on January 20th at the US Capitol is just a small part of a four day seemingly nonstop, joyous, hand clapping, foot stomping, party till you drop Republican/Bush celebration. While thousands of young Americans stand watch in war zones, consider what they will be missing at the following scheduled events, and lots of private get-togethers in what now has become the biggest inaugural bash ever thrown for a returning president.

Wouldn't it be more appropriate for the President to receive the oath and just go back to work trying to find the solution to end this war? With the Iraq battle now costing an estimated one billion dollars a week, not to mention the growing casualties and deaths, how in good conscience can Mr. Bush party? Who in this country can justify the expense? This will no doubt be the costliest ceremony in the history of the presidency.

The cost to US taxpayers just for the planning, manpower, security, communications and related expenses for this "inauguration jubilee" hasn't been totally calculated but the Washington, DC local government budget is facing an estimated cost of 17. 3 million dollars for the George Bush four day bash. We'll show those damn terrorists we can party hearty. Damn Osama, all trombones ahead!

Private donations and corporate contributions total over 40 million dollars. I've read that over 6,000 police, Secret Service and military personnel will be employed to keep a safety lid on all elements of the coronation. Whoops, I mean inauguration. Below is a list of the planned events. Only one of them is required, and that is the Thursday Oath of Office ceremony. The rest in my opinion is gross.

THE 55TH PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

January 18th
Saluting Those Who Serve Rally-MCI Center
Chairman's Reception-Mellon Auditorium
Youth Concert-The Armory

January 19th
Chairman's Brunch-Mellon Auditorium
The Celebration Of Freedom-The Ellipse
Candlelight Dinner # 1-Union Station
Candlelight Dinner # 2-The Washington Hilton
Candlelight Dinner # 3-National Building Museum

January 20th
St.Johns Church Service-St. Johns Church
Oath Of Office Ceremony-US Capitol
Inaugural Parade-Pennsylvania Avenue
Constitution Ball-Washington Hilton
Freedom Ball-Union Station
Independence Ball-Convention Center (A)
Texas-Wyoming Ball-Convention center (B)
Liberty Ball-Convention Center (C)
Democracy Ball-Convention Center (D)
Patriot Ball-Convention Center (E)
Stars And Stripes Ball-Convention Center Ballroom
Command-In-Chief Ball-National Building Museum

January 21st
National Prayer Service-National Cathedral

It's not as if Mr. Bush had just won his first term. That might be an acceptable explanation for some celebrating, but all of the above is excessive. I wonder if this partying will be featured on Armed Forces radio and TV? Our troops might enjoy watching what they're fighting and dying for.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TALKING YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB

There are some jobs where lapses in judgment are just not allowed. We can all easily name a few. A police officer who carries a gun; a surgeon with scalpel in hand; a crossing guard shepherding children across a busy boulevard. How about a guy with a microphone in a radio market of over seven million who finds humor in racism, or doesn't even recognize it when he puts it on the air?

Sun-Times media man Robert Feder wrote several days ago of such a gross misjudgment and the sad but predictable end result. A popular local radio performer with three years of service in Chicago blew himself up with one inappropriate remark. An attempt at humor that wasn't. As Feder explained the errant comment,"a joke deemed racially insensitive by his bosses."

The station is Clear Channel's WKSC-FM 103.5 and the newly unemployed radio guy is Joel Murphy. Known to his listeners as "Java Joel" he was heard nightly at seven.

According to the Sun-Times column it was Murphy's second run-in with his bosses on program content. The previous event cost him a day's pay and a one night suspension. This time it was his job.

I don't feel the need to repeat Murphy's ill-thought attempt at humor and I do concur it was out of order. What amazes me is a guy with three years of Chicago radio experience working for the largest radio broadcasting company in the world wouldn't understand how out of place his "joke" was and the fallout it might create. Was this his attempt at "cutting edge" humor? Is this what it takes to be "cool" on todays radio?

I asked his boss Clear Channel Regional Vice President John Gehron about the firing of Murphy and why it happened. He said "He is very talented and it is a shame. We are in more sensitive times and the pressure on air personalities is greater than ever to self edit themselves. The FCC has unclear guidelines that make things ever more difficult. It takes a new level of maturity to be more than a time / temperature type jock."

Murphy didn't violate an FCC rule with his racial insensitivity but Gehron hit the nail on the head with his references to self editing, sensitivity, and most important, a new level of maturity.

This is just a personal aside and I can't not include it. I worked for some of the greatest radio stations on this planet and I'm not too proud to list them. WLS, WIND, WGN & WLUP. At none of them would it EVER have crossed my mind to inject some humor at the expense of another's race, and no boss would have ever need warn me of it's inappropriateness.

This week includes the national holiday in honor of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Java Joel should pour a cup of coffee and catch a replay of the "I Have A Dream" speech. Maybe then he might understand why he lost his job.

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

CELL HELL?

The possibility that cell phone use might soon be permitted on the airlines has sent a travel chill across the nation. Is no place safe from these transistorized intruders?

The prohibition slapped on cell phones in airplanes at their inception was to prevent interference with onboard communications and navigation systems. The original phone ban was ordered more on assumption than fact. The needed testing to determine possible conflicts is now reportedly being done for real.

You have probably noticed "airphones" on some planes located in seatbacks. These are not cellphones. They operate at frequencies that don't affect the aircraft, are very expensive to use, and require a credit card. I took a call very early one morning during a radio program from an airphone. The listener let me talk to the flight attendant, and I talked her into walking up to the cockpit and getting the pilot to say hello. It was a great bit on the radio. The fellow who called me from the plane called again when he got the bill. Our 13 or 14 minutes of airphone fun cost him $125.00. That's why those airphones are barely used.

The thought of of cell calls at all hours on hundreds if not thousands of flights every day is giving many air travelers a shudder. Will being 35,000 feet over the Grand Canyon no longer be an escape from goofy ring-tones and people yelling "talk louder, I can't hear you"?

Actually I have an answer of sorts to cell phone use and flying. If the FAA, FCC and whatever other agencies are involved decide the phones are safe here is a plan that might work. Limit their use to jumbo jets. These bigger planes usually have common areas outside of the normal seating like lounge areas, special seating like the upper level on the 747 for example. Limit the use of cellphones to the common areas of the aircraft that have such facilities. Cell users go to these areas, make their calls and return to their seats. Sounds simple enough.

Airlines that don't operate jumbo jets but want to serve the cellphone flyer might consider allotting several seats per flight at the rear of the cabin and put in a partition for at least partial privacy.

There are ways to solve the needs of phone users and protect the privacy of travelers who prefer quiet. If accommodations in society have been found for drinkers, smokers, and other behaviors, certainly we're smart enough to find a way to integrate the cellphone into scenarios and locations where a combination of considerate behavior by the user and some isolated or protected space provided by the conveyance work together. Over thirty years ago we landed on the moon. We can figure this little problem out, can't we?

January 10, 2005                                                            

HELP IS SPELLED M*O*N*E*Y

Technology has allowed us to witness a tragedy that in earlier times would have been a news story a day or two later. In real time we watched moments of serenity turned to living horror, irreparable damage and mass death. Amateur video now so affordable that hardly anything escapes the recording lens.

Americans don't always know how to help in a personal sense when a disaster occurs, but the desire in many of us is strong. We want to get involved. To participate. Play a role. Help.

The commodity we posses that can make the biggest impact when an unexpected cataclysm like the Tsunami assails an unknowing population is money. We respond by offering, collecting, soliciting, sending money.

This is where a word of caution is worth injecting. In our emotional rush to help it is imperative that we not lose track of common sense. Even in such troubled times there are those who see profit in our desire to do good.

Contributions of cash should only go to recognized, chartered, established organizations. Whether the Red Cross, UNICEF, CARE, or other familiar group. These institutions are well established as fund raisers with distribution programs that operate with efficiency and use most of their contributions on programs to aid the needy.

The Tsunami aftermath might prove to be an unfortunate breeding ground for fraudulent attempts to collect money to "aid the victims." It would be wise to avoid any person or group advertising or representing as some kind of "Tsunami relief effort or fund." More likely than not this could be an invented charity with no purpose other than making some easy money for its inventors.

Giving is good. Wanting to help those in trouble is humanitarian. Make sure your contribution gets where you want it to go. Give only to familiar, responsible, documented groups.

Several years ago I presented some enlightening radio programs with the assistance of the Illinois Attorney General's Office of Charitable Trusts. The head of that office brought in the required legal filings of a number of charities. Those records included ALL of their expenses which came right off the top of the dollars contributed by the public whether thru telethons, direct mail solicitations, can drives, telemarketing, or however they coaxed their contributions.

I learned that some of the most well known and beloved charities spent those contributed dollars on offices, cars, salaries, airplane tickets, hotel suites, dinners, lawyers and any number of other supposed "important" costs before a single dime actually went to the actual project, disease, illness, or whatever they were collecting money for. I was outraged beyond description. The assistant Attorney General thought I would blow a gasket.

Many of millions of dollars are flying around right now contributed by caring people wanting to do some good in the only way they know how. We can only hope our contributions have gone to the victims and the places where the need is greatest. By contributing to the most familiar and reliable organizations that possibility is more likely to occur.

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

THE PLAN THAT NEVER WAS

Weren't you under the impression when city hall destroyed Meigs Field in the dark of night that it was part of a "grand plan" that would quickly turn the area into a public park Mecca that had been a vision in "certain eyes" for years. It was easy to make that assumption when Mayor Daley said it was the best thing he had ever done.

Imagine my surprise when this past Saturday the Chicago Park District held a "public meeting" to elicit public comment on what to do with Meigs Field. Huh? I repeat, Huh? Public comment? Why wasn't the "public" asked if it wanted this unique and important facility ripped out in darkness in the first place? Why weren't the taxpayers, residents, business community, aviation community, Chicago Fire Department Air Rescue Unit, Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Hospital Council, US Coast Guard, Chicago Police Marine Unit, numerous McCormick Place exhibitors,thousands of tourists, air ambulance services, organ transplant transporters, and all the other users of this unique urban jewel asked if they felt threatened that it might become a launch point for some kind of terrorism?

Now we learn there was no "plan" for Northerly Island, and the only organized effort to bring any respectable closure to this boondoggle is the magnificent plan of the one group with its cards on the table, the "Friends Of Meigs Field." They have put together a professionally designed concept that could restore Northerly as an airfield, air museum and wonderfully landscaped public park. And the beauty of their plan is the funding would be from federal and other available aviation dollars. Chicagoans can play and not have to pay.

One of the most important concerns of the Friends Of Meigs Field can't be overlooked. The airport also served as the longtime home of the Chicago Fire Department Air-Sea Rescue Unit. When the airport was destroyed the rescue unit was shifted to 9500 south on the lakefront. The Friends plan would bring them back.

The city claim that moving the fire units to the far southeast side only added a minute or two of response time to emergency calls was a total deception. It's much more than that. In addition, because of the long distance the helicopters have a reduced operating time on the scene of rescues or emergencies because of the always present need to fly all the way back to the Southeast side or Midway if fuel runs low. They used to just return to Meigs, refuel and re-launch. Who at city hall didn't understand this?

There is a boxcar full of irony to this story. The new Fire Commissioner Cortez Trotter is using the helicopters now as part of his stepped up response to high-rise fire alarms. Thermal imaging equipment has been installed to detect fire from the airborne view, and orbiting CFD copters can spot fire extension from above, possible victims on rooftops and provide other services if so ordered. The irony is Commissioner Trotter before his current appointment was one of the mayoral confidantes on the scene that March midnight in 2003 leading the Meigs decommissioning. That sounds nicer than what really happened, doesn't it? That's me being nice.

Now when Commr. Trotter calls for one of his choppers, and he does call for them, he is among the people we must thank for the unconscionable length of time it takes them to respond, and the abbreviated time they can remain on scene because of the fuel expenditures flying back and forth all the way to the far southeast corner of the city. In addition, if you are a boater and need rescue in the unpredictable waters of Lake Michigan and are on the far north side and are expecting a Fire Department Helicopter, I have a question. How long can you tread water?

As I have said and written so many times since March of 2003, when Merrill C. Meigs Field was destroyed in the night, "What were they thinking?" This was never about a park, or plants, or planes or trees. This was politics Chicago style. Too bad none of our really good political writers or reporters have ever pointed their fingers at all the players in this outrage. Someday one of them should. The late Len O'Connor would not have let Meigs die without a whimper.

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

BRAD'S PITFALL NOT MINE

A breathless buddy called. "Have you heard the big news"? Now when I get one of these I go right into disaster mode. Big buildings and airplanes start flashing in my mind. "What, where, how many"? I yelled. "No, you dope. Not that stuff. Jennifer and Brad split up. It's all over the Internet." What a relief. "Goodnight" I said. "Jennifer Anniston doesn't light my fire." "She's a goddess" he gasped. "No" I retorted. "You want my idea of the perfect woman, I'll give you two. Mary-Louise Parker the dark haired darling from NBC's West Wing. She's a 10 in my inventory. And on ABC the new series Boston Legal features an actress that raises my pressure about 50 points. Her name is Rhona Mitra. She plays Tara Wilson a legal assistant to James Spader. She is Jennifer X two."

The last thing I heard as my friend slapped the phone back in it's cradle was
"honey, where's the TV guide"? Sounded to me like a bored married guy back on the hunt.

January 3, 2005                                                           

CLOSING THE BOOK ON 2004

The magnitude of the tsunami at year's end would never have been understood as the disaster it is without the presence of so much home video. I marvel at the number of cameras and amateur videographers that now appear to be "everywhere" just waiting for things to happen. In a ghoulish way they are contributing to world knowledge and causing much quicker reactions.
****
The Chicago Police Department closed out the year with impressive gains in crime fighting and crime prevention. The 25% reduction in homicides, confiscation of thousands of illegal guns, shutting of drug markets and gang control efforts certainly underscore the fact that Superintendent Phil Cline is the right guy at the right time with the right ideas. We have police strategies that are working. His "Targeted Response Unit" is my favorite. With a name like that it ought to be a television show.
****
George Bush may have won the election, but he doesn't seem to be winning the war. I am of the opinion that most Americans just don't care about Iraq. Don't care about their upcoming election, don't know any Iraqi citizens, don't care if they have water, electricity, paved roads or working schools. It's also quite obvious that people in that part of the world don't like us very much either.

We care about our troops, but the mission they were sent on was long ago lost in the haze of toppling Saddam, fighting "terrorism," protecting the valuable oil supply, etc.

Americans see our national needs unmet as billions of our tax dollars flow into a country where our military personnel are fighting and dying. The often offered battle cry of "better there than here" just doesn't work anymore.

The daily reminders in our newspapers and newscasts of unemployment, homelessness, deficiencies in schools, gross lack of health insurance and proper medical care for a growing number of Americans are more important to most of us than Iraq's water pressure and bus schedules. We don't care about them. Mr. Bush and his people don't seem to get this.
****
WLS Radio heads into 05' with continuing confusion on the dial. The last week of 04' saw talk host Jay Marvin and AM 890 part company. No real reason offered. Just before this the morning duo of Don Wade and Roma were MIA for a long contract conflict. So who is running the store?
****
If Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has his bodyguard problems straightened out I wonder who's been assigned to carry his hair brush?
****
The Chicago Cubs will rue the situation they created that made it untenable for class act Steve Stone to continue in the WGN-TV broadcast booth. Steve was a fan favorite because he played no favorites and just told it like it was.

****

HELLO 2005 & SOME NEW LAWS

The first day of the new year means new laws for Illinois. Some of the new statutes now in effect are quite interesting. Be aware:

The age at which teens may drop out of school has been raised to 17.

Convicted arsonists must register with the state for a period of ten years.

The minimum wage goes up $1 to $6.50 an hour.

A class A misdemeanor now to attack umpires, referees or coaches at any level of competition. (Amateur and professional)

There are over 100 new laws that will come into effect this year. Some did so on the 1st, others will during the course of the year. To read them all contact the office of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.

Each of us if asked could probably add a few laws we'd like to see on the books. Here are some of mine.

SCHWARTZ WRITES SOME LAWS

All candidates for the position of alderman must be high school graduates.
****
Now that the Chicago Skyway is run by private interests the toll must be kept in line with inflation as measured by the price of oil in the Persian Gulf. In other words, a ride on the Skyway to Gary will cost you 55 bucks. One way.(just kidding)
****
Within 12 months an intensive land usage survey be voted by the General Assembly to determine the best usage of Northerly Island. I predict such a study would show the best use would be for an airport. We should call it Meigs Field II.
****
The City towing laws should be rewritten to authorize towing on snow routes only when it snows. The mass ticketing and towing every night from December to April on designated snow routes even with no snow falling, on the ground or in the forecast is just a money making venture for the city and not in the public interest.
****
A courageous member of the Illinois General Assembly should raise the issue that forcing drivers to participate in the state's I-Pass Program or pay double doesn't sound very democratic. The hundreds of thousands of nonresidents that pass through Illinois will get soaked for the new doubled toll rates as well. Most tollway systems that are forced to increase tolls don't usually double their fees,do they? This Land of Lincoln is doin' some stinkin'.
****
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOSING MY FAVORITE TV COP

Jerry Orbach left us much too soon. His death last Wednesday hit me like the recoil from a gun shot. I turned on the computer and TV at the same moment. On the TV screen was Orbach's sincere face pitching a 30 second spot for some product, and as the computer terminal brightened up there in the electronic mailbox was a "celebrity death bulletin" squawking "Actor Jerry Orbach dies of cancer. He was 69." A wall of sadness washed over me like a pet owner losing his favorite companion.

Orbach out copped every TV cop I've ever seen, and there have been a bunch. His death was so stunning and unexpected that almost a thousand separate entries popped up on my Internet search for details.

My personal sense of loss had nothing really to do with his local connection. Jerry was born in New York. Both parents we performers. Their work included travel. When Jerry was a teenager they were living in Waukegan Illinois. His formal education included drama studies at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University and then back to New York. But I don't want to write a bio.

For years we've worshipped TV cops like Jack Webb, Telly Savalas, Martin Milner, and a host of others. Orbach's Lenny Briscoe was the categorical TV cop. Just ask any New York detective, or any detective in any department.

Sure he benefited from the Law and Order high quality script writing, but Jerry O' had his stylized often sardonic delivery that made his every utterance worth hearing.

His illness was not widely known and it took him in a matter of weeks. It was truly a shock. Jerry Orbach was just 69. He had more to give and we will be lesser for his loss. I am sincerely bummed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A CASE OF GOOD NEWS GONE BAD

The term "morning zoo" was coined to describe noisy, thoughtless, childish, and often purposeless morning radio shows populated by a host and cast of silly sidekicks. Somehow Channel 9 has managed over time to turn a nice morning news program into a TV version of a "morning zoo."

The premise doesn't work. Forcing news anchors, reporters, sports, weather and other contributors to sing, dance, posture, and otherwise act foolish is painful to watch. Put no blame on the "air" staff. This can't be their idea. The running around their studio complex like Keystone Kops is horrid. We can only hope the fools responsible for the morning mayhem never get near the noon and evening newscasts on WGN TV or we might find another coming of Bozo with his very own anchor desk.

 

December 27, 2004                                                            

NEW YEAR? I WASN'T DONE WITH THE OLD ONE!

Here we go again. Year Over. Wasn't this the fastest year of your life? Wasn't the last New Year's Eve only yesterday? What's the rush?

Two words of advice; slow down. Without memory of "new math" and barely remembering the old stuff I don't think I got to 50% of what I promised myself to do in 04.' Slow down. No new promises, no resolutions. First make a list of the 2004 projects that absolutely had to get done this year and how they fared.

Smaller wattage light bulbs in bathroom: forgot.
Change oil in car: too busy.
Clean out files: no time.
Floss more often: kept forgetting.
Be nicer to few remaining telemarketers: can't force myself.
Take trash out daily: what's wrong with waiting till it smells?
Stop taking out of town visitors to see Meigs Field: I can't find it anyway.
Finish my essay on how Los Angeles operates with a council of fifteen and we have a gang of fifty: so stunning and hard to believe, makes me short of breath.
Figure out which Chicago sportswriter uses the most cliches: some actually invent them.
Trying to break the habit of staying up very late every night: staying up late is cool, forget it.
Giving up the idea of making lists of things to do at the beginning of the year: bad idea. Don't want to lose track of personal responsibility failures.
***

Consider that a number of people with plenty to live for didn't get past 2004. As I scrolled through the lists of recently departed I was surprised to see the names of people who got away and a few without my knowing. As I normally do in this space at the end of the year let me share with you some of the names and details about some of life's grads of 2004. This is not a complete list, but worth a look. More next week when space allows.

***

Some of 04's Dearly Departed

PHILIP CROSBY - One of Bing Crosby's four sons from his first marriage to Dixie Lee (brothers Gary, Lindsay and twin brother Dennis are all deceased), who entered showbiz with his brothers in the 1950's forming a nightclub act called the Crosby Boys that performed in Las Vegas and elsewhere, who made some recordings and had small roles in films such as "Robin and the Seven Hoods", but who, like his brothers, was plagued with various problems like alcoholism and depression as an adult (two of the brothers committed suicide), was found dead on Jan. 13 in his Woodland Hills, California home of unknown but natural causes at age 69.

UTA HAGEN - Tony Award-winning theater actress and one of the all time greats, who was best known for creating the role of the spiteful Martha in Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (played by Elizabeth Taylor in the film), who also starred opposite Marlon Brando in Tennessee Williams's "A Streetcar Named Desire", who received her first Tony Award for best actress in "The Country Girl", who was equally known as a teacher, starting HB Studio, a school of the performing arts in New York's Greenwich Village, and who was a recipient of a 1999 Tony for lifetime achievement and a 2002 National Medal of Arts, the government's top recognition for artists, died Jan. 14 in New York of complications from a 2001 stroke. She was 84 years old.

FRED HOLSTEIN - Chicago-area folk music singer, known for his interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk songs, who worked with other Chicago-area folk-singers such as Steve Goodman and John Prine, died Jan. 8 in Chicago during surgery at age 61.

RAY STARK - The last of the great independent Hollywood producers, who made films that were often based on best-selling books or hit plays, rich in production value and cast with major stars, whose career as producer was notable for his association with Barbra Streisand, who was the producer of such films as "Funny Girl", "The Way We Were", "Funny Lady", "The Sunshine Boys" and "The Goodbye Girl", and who in 1980 received the Motion Picture Academy's Irving G. Thalberg Award for consistent high quality of production, died Jan. 17 at his Los Angeles home after a long illness at age 88.

RANDY VAN WARMER - Singer/songwriter/guitarist who had a big hit in 1979 with "Just When I Needed You Most" (#1 adult contemporary, #4 pop), who went on to a second successful career as a country songwriter, penning hits like "I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes ", a #1 country hit for the Oak Ridge Boys in 1984 and "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)", a #1 country hit for Alabama in 1992, died Jan. 12 in Seattle of leukemia at age 48.

ARNE NAESS - Norwegian shipping magnate, well-known adventurer and one-time husband of Diana Ross, who was estimated to be worth $100 million when he met and married Ross in 1985, whose marriage was the popular subject of tabloids worldwide, and who shocked many, including Ross, when he announced plans to divorce on a TV interview show in 1999, fell to his death on Jan. 13 while climbing mountains near Cape Town, South Africa at the age of 66.

BOB KEESHAN - Beloved host of the long-running children's show "Captain Kangaroo", which ran from 1955 to 1993 on CBS and PBS, whose show featured Keeshan at his Treasure House chatting with his friends Mr. Green Jeans, and puppets Bunny Rabbit and Mr. Moose, for which he received 6 Emmy Awards, and who got his start on television by playing Clarabelle, the voiceless, horn-honking clown on the "Howdy Doody Show" from 1948 to 1953, died Jan. 23 at his home in Quechee, Vermont after a long illness at age 76.

BILLY MAY - Trumpeter, arranger, composer and bandleader, who was a sideman for various orchestra's during the 1930's and 40's including the Charlie Barnet Band and Glenn Miller Orchestra, who was an arranger and conductor for such artists as Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra, including Sinatra's classic "Come Fly With Me" album, and who scored chart success of his own with his arrangements of "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (#8 in 1952) and "Lover, Come Back to Me" with Nat King Cole, died Jan. 22 of a heart attack at his home in San Juan Capistrano, California at age 87.

ANN MILLER - Actress and dancer who was a star of numerous movie-musicals in the late 1940's and early 1950's including "On the Town", "Easter Parade", "Watch the Birdie" and "Kiss Me Kate", who earned millions on Broadway in such productions as "Hello, Dolly" and "Mame", who continued to astound audiences with her tap dancing into her 60's, touring with Mickey Rooney in "Sugar Babies", and whose career in film spanned nearly 70 years, from 1934's "Anne of Green Gables" as a child actress to the 2001 film "Mulholland Drive", died Jan. 22 of lung cancer in Los Angeles at age 81.

BERNARD PUNSLY - Child and juvenile actor best known as Ape in a string of Dead End Kids movies in the 1930's and 40's, where Punsly and fellow juvenile actors portrayed a band of juvenile delinquents as victims of society (he was the last surviving Dead End Kid), who had parts in other films including "Angels With Dirty Faces" and "Hell's Kitchen", and who later became a physician and practiced for almost 50 years in the Los Angeles area, died Jan. 20 in Torrance, California at the age of 80.

RAY RAYNER - Legendary Chicago TV host, who, beginning in the 1950's, hosted numerous children's shows like "Rayner Shine", "Popeye's Firehouse" and "The Little Show", but who is probably best known as clown Oliver O. Oliver on WGN's "Bozo's Circus" and as the host of "Ray Rayner and His Friends" for over 10 years, died Jan. 21 of pneumonia at his home in Fort Myers, Florida at age 84

NOBLE WILLINGHAM - Veteran actor of TV and film best known for his role as barkeep C.D. Parker on the TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger" from 1993 to 1999, who also had the recurring role as Mr. Binford on "Home Improvement", who appeared in dozens of films including "Paper Moon", "Chinatown", "Good Morning, Vietnam", "City Slickers", "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and the upcoming "Blind Horizon" with Val Kilmer, and who in 2000 unsuccessfully ran for a congressional seat in eastern Texas as a Republican, died Jan. 17 of natural causes at his home in Palm Springs, California at the age of 72.

JACK PARR - Legendary late-night icon and host of the "Tonight Show" on NBC from 1957 to 1962 (between original host Steve Allen and Johnny Carson), who introduced the sofa-and-desk format to late-night television that has been emulated by virtually every talk show since, who was known for his trademark phrase "I kid you not", who walked away from "Tonight" in 1962 at the height of its popularity and quit showbiz for good in 1975, virtually disappearing, died Jan. 27 in Greenwich, Connecticut after a long illness (he had a stroke in 2003) at the age of 85.

ELROY "CRAZY LEGS" HIRSCH - NFL Hall of Fame halfback and receiver who played for the L.A. Rams from 1949 to 1957, who was a key part of the Rams' revolutionary "three-end" offense, who in 1951 led the NFL with 66 catches, 1,495 yards and 17 touchdowns, and who later served as athletic director at the University of Wisconsin, died Jan. 28 in Madison, Wisconsin at the age of 80.

We'll visit the dearly departed list again next week. My thanks to Life In Legacy.Com for research resources.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 20, 2004                                                            

THE IDEA THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

The recent Lasalle Bank fire has put a spotlight on a safety device that high-rise workers and residents might be interested in. Last Tuesday's Chicago Sun-Times carried a revealing story that some of the injuries to firefighters and the victims being rescued were caused by the heavy smoke conditions and firefighters sharing their air supplies with victims. The technique is called "buddy breathing" and it has a downside. It forces the rescuers to take smoke over and over as they return to the building to make more rescues. The answer to this problem is called a smokehood.

I've written about smokehoods and evacuation hoods in the past as well as discussed them on radio. My interest in them was generated by a news story from several years ago about smoke hoods being part of the safety equipment on commercial airlines and Air Force planes. I called several manufacturers to request data and samples and used the Internet to learn more.

The smokehood is a single use device that can provide its wearer with up to 20 minutes of breathable air in heavy smoke conditions such as those resulting from a building fire in a high-rise like the Lasalle bank building or any multistory occupancy.

The deadly fire in the Cook County Administration Building in October of last year brought the smokehood back to mind. I went back to the Internet to restudy the concept. For the first time I found a manufacturer claiming UL approval. With Underwriter's Laboratories headquartered locally I contacted them to learn that they had not tested any smokehoods and the company using the UL logo was making a false claim. I went on to call several manufacturers and they all stated their products had been properly tested. Two of them volunteered to fly here to demonstrate their products.

Since the Cook County fire of last fall I've had several conversations with City Council Buildings Committee Chairman Bernard Stone on the smokehood subject. The Alderman is well aware of this safety device and has obtained samples and literature from several manufacturers. Perhaps we should be looking at a law that high-rise workers be provided with smokehoods by their employers.

The smokehood is not a complex device. It can be donned in several seconds. It filters the air for about 20 minutes which should be enough to exit a dangerous environment or await rescue.
Not only can high-rise workers and dwellers have them available, but firefighters can carry them to help save trapped victims without buddy-breathing at risk to their own safety. A win-win.
Time for Chicago to become a smokehood town?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEND THEM YOUR EYES AND YOUR EARS

The first boom sounded like thunder. Looking up from the computer screen the night was dry and clear. Then five more booms in rapid succession. A storm of lead. I reached for the phone.

Six distinct angry sounding gun blasts rocketed around the buildings on my block one early morning last week. The block includes three high-rises and some three story residential buildings. Just guessing, there must be 750 to 1,000 people living on the block. Pressing the number nine on my phone to get the police I imagined hundreds of neighbors blown awake doing the same thing. I stopped dialing.

Flipping up the volume on my police radio scanner I decided to listen to how long it took for the first caller to get through and police units to be dispatched. With so many people in close proximity I didn't feel I was shirking my duty. I was wrong.

A minute since the shots, then two, nothing. Not a single call to 911 reporting this fusillade. I waited a few more. Still nothing. It was pushing 2:00 a.m. but I couldn't have been the only earwitness.

I'm going to guess that the people who did hear those menacing gun shots made one of two decisions. They didn't want to get involved, or assumed that someone else would "do the right thing" and there was no harm in them failing to act.

There is harm in failing to act. Reporting a crime does not have to mean you get involved. Tell the 911 operator you wish to be anonymous and that's what happens.

Years ago the Chicago Police Department employed a slogan representing a philosophy that would be very effective today. The police actively used the phrase "Lend us your eyes and your ears." It still sounds good, and if used often enough might generate a closer partnership between the community and the police. None of us can assume that a crime we've seen or heard has been reported by another. Along with our eyes and ears a little conscience never hurts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEARLY DEPARTED OF 2004

At year's end I provide this service because it's too much to do on your own. The list is a compilation of names of people who had public pursuits and left us in 04'. Here are a few with many more coming next week.

Earl Hindman - Actor known to millions as Wilson, the odd neighbor peering over a fence whose mouth you never saw on the long-running TV sitcom "Home Improvement", who also appeared in films, television series and specials for more than 30 years, including a 16-year stint on the soap opera "Ryan's Hope" and in films like "The Parallax View" and "The Taking of Pellham 1-2-3", and who in recent years had made a name for himself doing commercial voice-overs, died Dec. 29 in Stamford, CT of lung cancer at age 61.

Paul Hopkins - Man believed to be the oldest major league baseball player, who pitched in a total of 11 major league games from 1927 to 1929 with the Washington Senators and St. Louis Browns, but who had the distinction of pitching to Babe Ruth on Sept. 29, 1927 and giving up Ruth's record-tying 59th home run that season, died Jan. 2 in Deep River, CT after a brief illness at age 99 (98-year-old Ray Cunningham becomes the oldest major leaguer however Negro Leagues player Ted Radcliff is still living at age 101).

John Gregory Dunne - Novelist, journalist and screenwriter, known for his searing literary glimpses into the sometimes-tormented experience of Irish Americans, whose best-known work was 1977's "True Confessions", which was made into a 1981 film starring Robert DeNiro, who often collaborated with his writer-wife Joan Didion, including the screenplay for the film "A Star Is Born", died Dec. 30 of a heart attack at his New York City apartment at the age of 71.

Phil Goldman - Silicon Valley engineer and entrepreneur, who in 1995 with former Apple colleagues Steve Perlman and Bruce Leak founded WebTV, a service that allowed users to surf the Internet from their televisions (bought by Microsoft in 1997 and now called MSN TV), who in 2002 founded Mailblocks, a company that sells a Web-based e-mail system that promises to eliminate Spam, and who held 19 US patents for technological inventions, died suddenly on Dec. 26 at his home in Los Altos Hills, CA of as of yet unknown causes at the age of 39.

Lynn Cartwright - Actress and wife of the late actor Leo Gordon, who appeared in movies and TV shows from the 50's to the 70's, in films like the Zsa Zsa Gabor cult classic "Queen of Outer Space" and Jack Nicholson's debut film "Cry Baby Killer", both in 1958, but whose most well-known role was her last, as the older Dottie (the Geena Davis character) in 1992's "A League of Their Own", died Jan. 2 of dementia-related illnesses following a hip fracture in Los Angeles at age 76.

John Gambling - Popular morning radio personality in New York who for 31 years was the host of "Rambling With Gambling" on WOR-AM, who was the second of three generations of Gamblings that held fort on WOR for 75 years (his father John started the news and talk program in 1925, and his son, also John, succeeded him when he retired in 1990), died of a heart attack on Jan. 8 in Venice, FL at age 73.

Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw - Colorful baseball relief pitcher and fan favorite, who pitched 19 years in the major leagues, 9 years with the Mets and 10 with the Phillies, who pitched in World Series for both the 1973 Mets and 1980 Phillies, leading the Phillies to their only World Series championship, and who is the father of popular country singer Tim McGraw, died Jan. 5 in Nashville of brain cancer at age 59.

Francesco Scavullo - Fashion photographer who was best known for the covers he shot for Cosmopolitan magazine for 30 years, whose covers started the careers of such stars as Rene Russo, Farrah Fawcett and Brooke Shields, who took celebrity portraits of luminaries like Sting and Elizabeth Taylor, who shot several noted album covers including Diana Ross "Diana" and Edgar Winter's "They Only Come Out at Night", and who made a name for himself as part of the Studio 54 party crowd in the 1970's, died Jan. 6 in New York City of heart failure at age 82.

Alfred Pugh - The last known combat-wounded U.S. veteran of World War I, who was wounded in 1918 during the Meusse-Argonne offensive, one of the war's bloodiest battles, and who in 1999 was bestowed the National Order of the Legion of Honor by the French government, died Jan. 7 in St. Petersburg just short of his 109th birthday.
 

December 13, 2004                                                            

 IT'S SPRINKLER TIME AGAIN

Less than a minute after I learned of the Lasalle Bank's fire last Monday in downtown Chicago I wrote the word "sprinklers" on my note pad. I just sensed it was going to be a big part of the story. If the building had sprinklers the fire would be gone in short order, If not, the fire department would have a difficult job ahead.

Out of habit and interest I have a fire radio next to the computer, and it's always on. After several decades of chasing fires for radio, and working as a paramedic the habit of knowing what's going on in the city is still interesting and often revealing. The Lasalle Bank fire was compelling listening. I live in a high-rise. My attention was glued to the event.

So why you might wonder is the sprinkler issue so contentious? It would be easy to just say "money," and that's most of the problem, but sprinkler opponents often use other reasoning to support their opposition.

Please be clear where I'm coming from on the issue. I believe sprinklers work. They should be required in new construction throughout the country with high-rises being a priority. Residential occupancies with sprinkler systems could or perhaps would eliminate life loss in home fires. Installed as part of new construction the cost should be reasonable.

The sprinkler controversy usually erupts when applied to older buildings that went up before the safety system was required. The retrofitting of occupied buildings has numerous issues yet to be resolved. I have some questions of my own since my home high-rise was constructed just before sprinklers were required by law.

1. If the building is retrofitted with sprinklers, how does that affect the need or use of smoke detectors? Do we let one replace the other?

2. If smoke detectors remain in use will they be independent systems? For example, if a smoke detector sounds will it somehow alert the sprinkler system? If the answer is yes just imagine the mess every time we burn toast. Will a blast from the smoke detector set off the nearest sprinkler?

3. If sprinklers are installed in rental units, who pays? Are tenants going to be hit with huge rent hikes?

4. Those who reside in condo's wonder if sprinklers will cost more the higher they live in the building?

6. Sprinkler installation will require entry into thousands of apartments and condos. Who will be responsible for unintentional damage, mistakes, breakage?

7. Can occupants of units being retrofitted with sprinklers continue to live in units while work is underway?

8. How do recipients of new sprinkler systems know they work? Can they be tested without soaking your premise?

9. How many older apartment buildings have asbestos in walls and ceilings that will be disturbed by sprinkler installation?

10. In locations where residents truly can't afford sprinklers such as senior citizens buildings, and Housing Authority buildings is any branch of government planning to pay for sprinklers?

Let's stop just with the ten questions I've listed. They need to be answered. And there are many more in waiting. I foresee sprinkler installation causing chaos in occupied apartments and condo's. Thinking about loss of privacy, holes in walls and ceilings, redecorating where needed and whatever else I don't even know about all standing in the way of a smoothly sounding transition.

Perhaps the first discussion regarding residential buildings and sprinkler systems should be about protecting the "common areas"of such buildings. Hallways, elevator lobbies, stairwells, storage rooms, laundry rooms, party rooms and anything similar.

The bottom line is sprinklers do work. But can we afford them?
The cost will be measured on the square footage of your living area along with other factors. Can many of us handle a four, five or six thousand dollar tab for sprinklers? Now is the time to ask.

The Lasalle Bank building was in the process of being retrofitted with a sprinkler system. There were sprinkler installers actually working in the building when the fire started. The system was about a year from completion according to reports. When the cost of the fire damage is made public we'll see how much the bank wished it had made the choice sooner.

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

ANOTHER CHAPTER OF TALK SHOW CHRONICLES

From my "Everybody Wants To Be A Talkshow Host" file I bring you good news. CNBC has canceled The John McEnroe nightly talk show. He didn't even last six months. I was surprised he made it for six nights. Bad host, bad concept, bad show.

McEnroe was a big deal tennis player but hadn't the communications skills nor personality to draw a TV crowd. His cable TV ratings for his brief run were dismal, and I'm being kind in saying that. Good-bye Mac, write if you find work.

CBS has made a decision in the search for a replacement for the always preening Craig Kilborn. His late night spot will be filled with another Craig. Makes you wonder if the CBS bosses consulted a psychic.

Congratulations go to Craig Ferguson. His resume' lists numerous appearances on the show he's about to inherit. Ferguson has a number of films, TV appearances, directing and writing jobs on his sheet and he's best known as Drew Carey's pal Nigel Wick on the Carey Show.

Jerry Springer has a big gift in his Christmas stocking this year. After the new year arrives he will ad a daily radio talk show broadcast from Chicago, but heard in Ohio. The 3 hour a day program will be heard on WSAI AM in Cincinnati in the afternoon. The station runs 50,000 watts at 1530 kHz on the dial which is fairly congested and probably not heard in this area. Frankly I wouldn't bother listening to a program where the host wants you to pretend he's a home town guy broadcasting locally.

Speaking of daytime hosts, do you know anyone that admits to watching Maury Povich and his parade of horrors every afternoon? It's hard to believe he was once a serious newsguy. A few years back he occupied an anchor chair here at Channel 5. Maury and Jerry would make a nice duo. "The Sleaze Brothers".

Speaking of WMAQ TV it's nice to see they have their Michigan Avenue/Pioneer Court studio up and running, but some of the yahoo's standing outside behind the news anchors is bothersome. A couple of NBC Rottweilers might solve that problem.

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

END OF YEAR THINKING

With 2004 about to go into the history books I think many of us will look back and think of it as a very expensive year. I've written about some of the obvious outrageous overcharges I've run into this year and as always it's a "Buyer's beware" world.

Living in a high-rise in a neighborhood packed with restaurants that deliver I undertook a small study of current prices among them. I'm leaving the food emporiums names off the list to avoid making this a personal attack.

In the home delivery menu of a popular restaurant in Lakeview/Lincoln Park you can enjoy a nice Styrofoam cup of soup for only $4.50. An order of french fries is only $3.50. A small salad also $3.50. I encountered dozens of food joints where the cheapest items were in the three to four dollar range. For what a home delivery customer pays for one order of fries the restaurant can purchase a pound of potatoes. Fries must be a profit item.

Have a taste for ribs? Time to take out a bank loan for dinner. A single slab with cole slaw and fries in most rib joints in my trendy community will run you between seventeen and twenty bucks.

Sandwiches in the dozens of menus I have are described with awe. The "big" burger, the "classic roast beef." Most run from seven to ten dollars and that's before you tack on the delivery charge. How can you enjoy a $12 dollar sandwich?

Home delivery of restaurant food was once a treat. It's becoming a burden. I recently called out for a cup of chili. It arrived with a few tortilla chips and a tab of $8.50.

Time to put my Scrooge costume away or this story might have no ending. Even at this very moment I'm staring at a home delivery menu that offers a salad so costly that if I took the same money It would buy an acre of land, pay for a tractor and I could grow my own.

December 6, 2004                                                            

INVESTIGATIVE TV REPORTING PUTS HEAT ON THE GUV

The ratings battle for Chicago's ten o'clock news audience demands that the stations grappling for our eyes and ears showcase their bells, whistles and best investigative reporters. TV viewers here are blessed by newsrooms with well schooled, experienced news chasers, big budgets, and a "take no prisoners" attitude when it comes to a good story.

Channel 7's Investigative Unit fronted by Chuck Goudie just fired their big news cannon at the many uses and abuses of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Illinois State Police Executive Protection Unit. You know, the "bodyguards."

Political writers and commentators say the Guv has national aspirations. Can't fault him for thinking ahead, but he's a governor with a president's security force and we poor Illinois taxpayers just can't afford his on the job rehearsal for what might lie ahead.

Goudie and his Channel 7 gang just exposed some of Gov. Blagojevich's typical uses of police personnel and equipment since he was elected. One outrageous expedition occurred during the Democratic National Convention. According to Goudie, Gov. Blago was covered by twelve bodyguards, all Illinois Troopers, with a half dozen Illinois State Police vehicles. The reported hotel bills for the troopers ran $23,000 of your tax dollars.

According to Goudie the Guv has 38 Illinois State Police Officers assigned to his detail. Since Goudie's TV reports the Guv has announced he's cutting back executive protection by 25% and his personal protection will be handled by less than 30 officers.

The Democratic Convention abuse of the state police was just one part of the story. The investigation included a Blago trip to California to attend a fund-raiser and a wedding. He reportedly took seven state police "bodyguards" along for that double shindig.

There is no way in one partial column that I can quote or re-create all of the questionable uses of state police as pointed out by Goudie and other media. However I must acknowledge a column on the subject published last Friday in the Sun-Times by their Washington bureau chief Lynn Sweet.

Ms. Sweet wrote that while attending a fellowship last spring at Harvard University's Institute of Politics she invited the Guv to speak about his campaign to import prescription drugs. To quote her directly she said in the column last Friday, "I was appalled at the number of people in Blagojevich's entourage."

According to published reports Gov. Blagojevich last week ordered some changes in his security. Included in the announcement were: a reduction in manpower, restricting out of state travel, professional training and a new code of conduct. The training to come from the Secret Service.

The taxpayers of Illinois owe the Channel 7 Investigative Unit a big thanks for waking up the governor to his very expensive theatrics. Should Blago ever make it to Washington I can just imagine his campaign slogan: "A bodyguard at every doorway, a Humvee in every garage".
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DON'T GIVE IT A THOUGHT

When looking for words or a phrase to describe our country we're all familiar with "land of the free and home of the brave" from our National Anthem. Those words are worth standing for.

Every state has its flag, bird, song, and numerous other identities meant to illuminate our local sense of importance or accomplishment. As a country we've come a long way in a short time. Measuring American ingenuity and progress since our nation's birth can be done a number of ways. I choose not to count sky scrapers, jumbo jets, or trips to the moon. Those are the big ticket items most would choose to define the growth of our nation. The real sign of American genius comes in smaller examples.

Every day in every city in every state of the United States you can eat scrambled eggs for breakfast. You can enjoy a donut, a burger, an apple, your favorite pack of gum, shampoo, soap, brand of gas, soup and salad, and yada, yada, yada. Talk about being the "land of plenty."

The basic daily abundance of everything we like or want has become so reliable, so dependable that we assume it has always been that way. Our elders know better, but we're to busy consuming to listen to tales of the old days.

I don't know how long it takes from beginning to end when an American farmer plants lettuce, tends his crop, harvests when it's grown, ships to market, and it makes its way to a store near us. I'm going to guess that a single head of lettuce must take at least six or seven weeks from planting to our table, maybe more.

The life of lettuce might not fascinate you, but it should. How is it possible that in every city, county, state, restaurant and home in America, every day of the week, every week of the year we can eat fresh lettuce? Have you ever even thought about that?

The same goes for all the commodities. How is it possible with minor exception for certain seasonal items that we can obtain and consume just about anything anytime? You can eat fresh apples every day. Same with almost every fruit and vegetable. That which is not grown nearby is shipped in hours by train and plane.

I'm under the impression a chicken lays one egg a day. If that's correct our country must have plenty of chickens to accommodate omelet lovers. I checked some government statistics and the numbers are amazing.

These figures are from September and come from government sources. During that month our egg production totaled seven billion, three-hundred twenty-million. It can also read 7.32 billion, staggering either way. That is just one month. Some of those were allowed to grow up and become chickens, but the majority were marketed for eating. The actual number of chickens that produced that 7. 32 billion eggs was 343 million. They are called "layers."

So why did I get into all of this chicken and egg stuff? Because 99% of us have no idea where our food comes from, how long it takes to produce or grow, so we just assume it will always be here because it always is.

The next time you chomp on a buffalo wing, bite an apple or enjoy some coleslaw try to remember all the work it took to get it to you. Most of it by farmers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR

WBBM NewsRadio 780 devoted most of its broadcast day this past Friday to the Chicago Anti Hunger Federation Radiothon. This annual radio fund-raiser and awareness effort is one of the most effective tools in both collecting funds to buy nutritional foods for those at risk of hunger and teaching the hungry how to obtain food stamps, and participate in other beneficial programs. The Anti Hunger Federation also conducts food preparation and cooking classes so the unemployed can find training and employment in the industry.

I was invited to spend a few minutes with WBBM Radio's Sherman Kaplan and Kris Kridel to explain how this project began since it started in the early 80's on my radio program at WGN AM 720.

The only term of Mayor Jane Byrne was in progress. She served from April of 79' to April of 83.' Her administration was spending a fortune on fireworks including an unheard of New Year's Eve plan to blow off fireworks downtown and in a number of city parks at midnight. I'm a little fuzzy on the year this occurred but I think it was 82.' I was asked to get involved as an emcee and refused.

Bringing people out of their homes on a freezing New Year's Eve seemed like a bad idea to me. It's amateur night for DUI like no other. As it turned out the fireworks were set off downtown and in about 8 city parks. Attendance was minuscule.

About the same time I learned of Byrne's "special event" I was talking to Mrs. Natalie Allen, an old friend and the Director of WIND Radio's Call For Action problem solving and referral service. She was concerned about the City of Chicago's Human Services Department having run out of funding for emergency food supplies for Chicagoans at risk of hunger. We both blew our fuses. The City had money for fireworks but not for the hungry.

I put this story on WGN Radio and the Good Neighbor Food Drive was born. The name of the event was suggested by a Chicago Police officer, and the entire project was staffed by volunteers. My WGN bosses picked up all expenses. When I later moved to WLUP the bosses there were just as cooperative.

>From day one I knew I was in over my head. I was roping in all kinds of volunteer help but what was needed was an expert on the subject of hunger in the Chicago area, and the ways to attack it. An angel by the name of Beverly Decker from The Church Federation of Greater Chicago landed with both wings. She was their anti hunger director. We had our field general.

Since those early years the mission has become so big the anti hunger unit of the Church Federation has branched out into a separate agency with feeding programs, teaching programs, workshops, collection and distribution of food through food pantries, soup kitchens and other feeding programs.

My old friend Bev Decker is still there as Executive Director of the Chicago Anti Hunger Federation and I think she'll be there until no child, no senior citizen, no neighbor has to go to bed hungry. If this isn't the Lord's work, I don't know what is.

You can help this angel with her mission. Put whatever you can in an envelope and send it to:

Chicago Anti Hunger Federation
4345 W. Division Street
Chicago, Ill 60651

Your contribution won't be wasted on fancy office furniture and cars like so many charities. Your gift will bring sustenance to another. That's not only a contribution, it's a good deed.

November 29, 2004                                                           

HIGH COST OF BEING INFORMED

Is it possible that I've reached a point in my life when entertainment is my costliest pursuit? The monthly bills now reflect that absurd possibility, and information has arrived telling me it isn't over yet.

I'm stunned to learn that aside from the largest monthly expense being the mortgage and insurance, my next biggest expense is CABLE TV. The cable bill was already more than the phone, electricity, computer, and numerous other bills. The latest bill informed me the price has been raised again.

In previous columns I've mentioned that I subscribe to the "Digital Platinum" package to have access to everything because I work in media, but I don't watch the infomercials and ancient programming that clutters up many of the channels offered.

My current monthly cost for cable is a whopping $86.99 plus $5.56 in fee's and taxes for a grand total of $92.55 every four weeks. Now the cable folks have announced in some very fine print that "We will be adjusting certain residential customer prices. We periodically review and adjust prices to ensure they reflect the value of the products and services our customers receive."

So, now my monthly service will be $93.99 plus fee's and taxes. If the fee and tax amounts remain the same the total cable bill will rise to a whopping, gigantic, colossal, gargantuan, dinosauric $99.55 every four weeks. In a year that piles up to the remarkable $1,194.60 just to watch TV. There has got to be a better way of billing.

How about billing us for the hours we watch TV? We don't pay for electricity we don't use. Nor do we pay for phone calls we don't make, or gas we don't burn. The cable folks have taken us prisoner. It's pay up or blank screen. The technology exists to measure our viewing. Maybe it's time for a change. Let's all get madder than hell and tell them we're not going to take this anymore! (My thanks to the late Paddy Chayefsky)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BARACK IS BACK

The past week for Barack Obama will be one long remembered. It included an invitation to dine with President Bush, Vice President Cheney and top presidential advisor Karl Rove. The week ended with Senator Elect Obama appearing Friday on CBS' The Late Show with David Letterman.

I can imagine an invitation to breakfast, lunch or dinner with any one of the three power brokers mentioned above. But a "triple play"? What's going on? Are they trying to enlist the only minority member of the US Senate into some alliance? With Karl Rove present it makes one wonder. Actually every Democrat in Washington is probably wondering.

The Obama debut with David Letterman was a great success. The enthusiastic welcome from the audience proved that his national recognition level has soared since he keynoted the Democratic Convention.

The new senator demonstrated his cool with the cameras, crowd, and questions. Letterman seemed to be in some awe of Obama, not by his presence so much as his accomplishment. When sworn he will be the only African-American in the Senate. With his current skills and some time in the Senate, Obama could easily become a national player with a change of address to Pennsylvania Avenue not impossible at some point.

Illinois voters should have some fun the next few years watching how the "up and coming" stars of the Democratic Party get along as they try to get ahead. With Obama the current star, the Illinois political podium also includes Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and of course Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A SHORT GOOD-BYE

With year's end in sight I'm doing my research on an annual column about the well known recently departed. 2004 will be a year of remembrance for a large number of well known names. Here now a sampler of just some of those who left too soon, in no particular order.

E.Rodney Jones-Chicago radio star and club owner. One of the original WVON Good Guys and CO-owner of the "Burning Spear," a southside club. Rodney was 76.

Tug McGraw -Pitcher for New York Mets (65-67) and (69 and 74) and the Phillies (75-84) He was father of singing star Tim McGraw and father-in-law of singer Faith Hill. Tug died at 60, and his real first name was Frank.

Noble Willingham-long time actor with numerous film and TV credits. Best remembered for "Walker Texas Ranger" series starring Chuck Norris. His first TV role was on Bonanza in 72.' He died at 73.

Ray Rayner-One of Chicago's beloved TV stars. Noted for children's shows like Ray Rayner & Friends and Bozo's Circus. He also hosted a number of other children's shows. Unknown to many he was a veteran of W.W.II. He flew as a navigator on B-17's and was shot down and held as a POW for 2 1/2 years. Ray was 85.

Robert Keeshan-To be forever remembered as television's Captain Kangaroo. In his early career he appeared on the Howdy Doody Show as the original Clarabell The Clown. He was a fighter for quality children's programming. Bob was 77.

Jack Parr-Before Jay Leno, before Johnny Carson, there was Jack Parr. He became the host of the Tonight Show in 1957 and held that spot for five years. Among his well known TV happenings were a "walk-off" over a supposed "dirty Joke" and the introduction of a number of unknown performers who went on to stardom. The list includes Carol Burnett, Woody Allen and Liza Minelli. He was 86.

Paul Winfield-Emmy award winner with a very long list of film and TV credits. Appeared in 82 films, and TV series like; Touched By An Angel, Crossing Jordan, Walker, Texas Ranger, Babylon Five, The Simpsons, and many more. Paul was 63.

Fred Olivi-Not a name most people would remember, but he was one of the most interesting guests of the thousands of radio interviews I conducted. Fred was the copilot on the plane that dropped the Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki which brought the Empire of Japan to the peace table. Fred was a Chicagoan. He died at 83.

Rodney Dangerfield-The dean of "stand-up" and most other types of comedy. Rodney never really recovered from brain surgery early in the year. His big break came on the Ed Sullivan Show in the early sixties, but he actually started writing jokes as a teen-ager. His favorite line, "I don't get no respect." Rodney left us at 83.

The year end list will be longer and probably contain some surprises. Depending on how you view these things, 2004 was a very "good" year for the dearly departed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY

Have you glanced at the classified ad section of your newspaper lately? When you get by the news, columnists, sports and features the ads can be interesting. Sometimes they are troubling.

I'm not sure how long ago the classified ad sections of many newspapers began running adoption ads. They often feature pictures of "loving couples," family photos, poetry, and appeals of all kinds.

I was surprised that adoption has come down to running ads. The paper I'm looking at has thirteen such ads on this one day. The ad copy of some is directed to "birthmoms" who can't or don't want to keep their newborn, women with unplanned pregnancies, and a number of other pleas and offers.

This "market" of baby seeking couples makes me sad. The pictures in the personal ads often depict young couples looking to fulfill their dreams of parenting through adoption. I thought there were agencies to facilitate this process. Some of the copy lines in the ads I read today included: "A baby is our dream" or "Be our Angel" and "We'd be honored to adopt your baby and share our love."

These ads make me wonder what's happening with the conventional process of adoption. Couples with the desire, resources and love to share shouldn't have to run newspaper ads.

There were some ads from adoption agencies running too.

There must be a better way to link couples seeking children than newspaper ads. This makes it appear more like a transaction of desperation than the act of love it most likely is.

November 22, 2004                                             

THE CAB RIDE FROM HELL

This story is true. No Hollywood writer could have come up with this scenario. It occurred just over a week ago in Kansas City.

A local cab driver hailed a Kansas City police officer about 2:15 a.m. that a passenger had just refused to pay for his cab ride. The officer found the man a short distance away and pulled his squad car over intending to stop the man and investigate.

Opening the police car door the canine patrol officer was brutally attacked by the 28 year old suspect and a fight ensued. The officer carried a remote control used to release the police dog from the car by radio signal and he managed to hit the button.

The dog managed to get hold of the battling suspect and inflicted a bite. The suspect then bit the dog. The injury to the police dog was so severe it required surgery by a vet to reattach the dog's ear which the the bad guy had bitten nearly off the animal's body. Then he inflicted a bite on the officer's hand.

What finally stopped this massacre on this Kansas City street was a back-up cop arriving and hitting this maniac with a Taser shot from a stun gun.

What this fool deserved was a shot from the canine officer's weapon. Attacking a police officer is a forcible felony. This guy needed a bullet. All over this country too many departments have made the use of weapons in the line of duty such a difficult response to justify that too many cops wait before making that judgment, and that's when they get hurt or killed. I asked a cop if he finds himself delaying before reaching for his gun. The answer was quite chilling. "I have to be very careful. If I take my weapon out I must be prepared to use it. If not there is a likely possibility the suspect I'm confronting will detect my hesitance and attempt to take the weapon away. I never draw he gun unless I'm prepared to use it."

Regardless of what defense the offender will present for his animalistic behavior, if I was this police officer's supervisor I would counsel him that deadly force would have been justified. We ask the cops to put up with the worst of human behavior. It should stop with violent cannibalism on the city streets.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOLIDAY WARNING-"BUYER BEWARE"

The holiday buying season is on the doorstep and it's time to echo the familiar warning "Let the buyer beware." Allow me to serve as an early victim.

A friend without a computer asked me to use mine to order a subscription for People Magazine. Sounded simple enough. I found the web site Magazines. Com and People was offered at a sale price of $56.94. I filled out the requisite form, added my credit card number and the process was done. The confirmation message informed that delivery would begin in four to six weeks. It's hard to understand how they can take our money in a second, but can't deliver the product for weeks or months.

The purchase was credited to my credit card the same day. Talk about efficiency. Now the wait for People. Nothing after a month. Then six weeks came and went, no People. At the seven week mark I called Magazines. Com and they confirmed my payment but the customer service rep said her records weren't up to date and she would investigate and call me back. "When" I asked. "Soon" she replied. After thirty-six hours with no callback I called again.

A second Magazine. Com service rep admitted that no order had ever been processed even though I had been billed. If I still wanted the magazine she would reprocess the order and it should arrive in four to six weeks. Can you imagine the frustration? I asked if she could notify someone in authority and have this travesty corrected immediately. Her answer was "No, I'm sorry, there is no way to do that."

My friend instructed me to let them start the process all over again. If it was my subscription, I would have told Magazines. Com to give me back my $56.94 and have a very UN-merry holiday.

My advice to you, don't let any merchant, provider or seller take your money and abuse the sanctity of your purchase by not delivering what was promised. You work hard for your money. Don't let anybody take it from you.

And if you shop on the Internet and come across Magazines. Com I suggest you keep on going. Maybe some lower sales numbers will wake them up to what they seem to have forgotten; customer service.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HUNGER IN AMERICA, A SILENT TERROR

In the relatively short time since our founding fathers declared we could no longer live under foreign dominance, as a country we have set the pace for growth through independence and ingenuity.

Hard working, inventive, untiring Americans have built an economic system that is the envy of the world. Along the way however the amount of opportunity has not been shared by all. Within our borders reside the richest of the rich, and the poorest of the poor.

OUR FARMERS ARE THE BEST

Would it surprise you to know that our farmers produce so much food that there isn't enough room to store it, and tons of every harvest are stored on the ground? Yet in our land of plenty there are thousands of people, infants, children and elderly at risk of hunger.

The season of Thanksgiving is a perfect time to tell you about a local agency that works to alleviate hunger without the flash and publicity so many non-profits employ. They aide a large number of emergency food banks, soup kitchens, and feeding programs while also providing counseling and educational services to help the hungry obtain food stamps and jobs in the food industry.

The Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation story is one you should know. From their web site allow me to share some of the CAHF history.

CAHF's mission is to secure the best and most nutritious products for our agencies and their clients. It's easy for those of us who have resources -- a job, a paycheck and a home -- to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. But for those who are in need, high quality, grade A produce is prohibitively expensive.

CAHF distributes food to emergency feeding facilities, soup kitchens, pantries and shelters. Working to battle hunger in the Chicago area, CAHF has scheduled weekly pickups for our approximately 200 member agencies. In addition, CAHF distributes food items donated by food drives, vendors, grocers, distributors, wholesalers, processors, and other emergency food distributors like Feed the Children and Operation Blessing. CAHF also distributes blankets and items of clothing when such donations are available.

THE SYSTEM WORKS WITH YOUR SUPPORT

These donated food items are an ever increasing part of CAHF's distribution, secured thanks to the efforts of our Food Solicitations Committee, whose mission it is to promote partnerships with Chicago's area food industry participants. Each partnership presents new opportunities for CAHF and a way for the donating company to provide a service to Chicago's shelter community.

You can join the effort to alleviate hunger by supporting the work of the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation. A contribution can be sent to:

CHICAGO ANTI-HUNGER FEDERATION
4345 W DIVISION STREET
CHICAGO, ILL 60651


If you have a computer the CAHF story and it's programs are available at www.antihunger.org

It may be hard to believe in a community with America's tallest building, most beautiful park, world class symphony, and endless list of cultural icons, that there are many people that go to bed hungry here every night. That doesn't describe my kind of America. I hope not yours either. Please send something to the above address if you can.
 

November 15, 2004                                                           

THE CHICAGO BAD IDEA OF THE WEEK

Sometimes what appears to be a good idea, really isn't. Mayor Daley's desire to control spending in light of a huge budget shortfall includes replacing professional police officers with civilians at large public gatherings such as ball games, concerts, and I presume a number of other public gatherings.

If the plan is executed the traffic and crowd control duty at Bears games, Cubs and Sox games and all the other similar assemblies will fall to the Mayor's Traffic Management Authority a bureau of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

A city of almost three million people that can't or won't place professional sworn police officers for purposes of traffic and crowd control at public events isn't really providing much service at all.

City Hall says this strategy will free up the cops for patrol duty. If this is the way Chicago must turn in order to keep the neighborhoods adequately protected then it's more than obvious we should be hiring more police officers.

Traffic aides aren't the police. Most public events include alcohol. This is fuel for any number of public misbehaviors that require trained professional police. Traffic aides are fine for downtown intersections but in crowds that can number 30, 40 or even 60,000 the flow of people, traffic and public safety requires professional police.

This idea is so bad in so many ways I can write pages to demonstrate its folly.

Just think of tens of thousands of beer filled fans pouring out of a sports venue or a big concert at the United Center and not a Chicago Cop there to control the crowd and resultant traffic. It's a safe bet the word will quickly spread the lawmen are elsewhere. What do you think comes next?

The Chicago Police Department is undermanned. There, I've said it. Not a popular opinion on the fifth floor at City Hall. To do the job an aggressive department must do it takes people. We don't have enough. Back in the 70's I recall a Chicago Police Department of 15,000 uniformed personnel. Now we need them. Where are they? The current number of sworn Chicago Police Officers is 13,500. Not nearly enough.

Superintendent Phil Cline has been forceful in tracking crime and deploying police assets quickly. The murder rate is down and other crime categories are also improving. To remove the presence of Cline, his professional commanders and cops from large scale public events is an invitation to disaster. Will the administration also remove the police at its own celebrations? Can you imagine the next Taste of Chicago with no police? How about the dozens of parades? What about St. Patrick's Day?

I have no objection to the city billing team owners, concert promoters and event producers for some of the cost of crowd and traffic control, but that money should be spent on Chicago Police. Not part-time traffic aides with orange vests and no authority.

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

FROM "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" TO LOSING COWARDLY BROADCASTERS

Veterans Day passed with the usual Veteran's organizations activities around the country. Parades, cemetery visits, speeches, and flag flying.

The ABC TV Network programmed that evening an exceptional film starring Tom Hanks. "Saving Private Ryan" a Steven Spielberg film was not carried by a number of the networks affiliate stations. Their managers claiming the films violence and strong language left them open to possible sanctions by the Federal Communications Commission. This cowardly paranoia traces directly back to the Janet Jackson breast exposure during the last Superbowl half-time show.

The Spielberg film is historically accurate and the language was relevant to the scenes where it was employed. The broadcasters who cut and ran from the "special event" should be ashamed. Corporate cowardice is an ugly thing.

The FCC doesn't monitor programming. It acts only upon complaints filed by viewers. The Janet Jackson incident has turned some executives into fearful operators. The fines levied against CBS and it's affiliates was patently unfair. It is quite obvious that neither CBS or any of the entities involved in producing that Superbowl affront had any prior knowledge or involvement in her "costume malfunction." Instead of trying to wring punishment dollars out of the broadcasters the FCC decency police should have fined Jackson and her producers. She's the one who broke the law. It was no accident. It was a planned publicity stunt to help boost her lagging CD sales. If the government wanted to get real they could indict her, the designer and the the idiot Timberlake and charge them with conspiracy.

The Jackson affair has at least identified some of the bigger wimps in the broadcasting industry. Maybe they should "take a meeting" and talk about it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE NEWS JUST KEEPS ON COMING

News and information junkies had a very full plate this past week. Local, national and international stories provided a large menu of choices.

ARAFAT

The death of Yasser Arafat generated thousands of bulletins, stories, editorials, commentaries, and every other kind of journalism. I looked at a bunch thanks to the Internet. For the first time I learned that he was married and father of a young daughter. It was a surprise. Seeing this man as a husband and father is an image I just can't generate. How can a man spend part of his day parenting and the other part encouraging the children of others to wrap their bodies in explosives and blow themselves and his perceived enemies to bits? Real leaders regardless of country and culture don't fight their battles with children as ammunition.

We will be learning soon just how much money Arafat squired away while "serving" his people. Time Magazine has discovered that Arafat was a multimillionaire. He was supposedly skimming at least two million dollars a month from the Palestinian Authority gasoline trade. According to published reports he was sending $200,000 a month to his wife from the Palestinian Authority Budget and his wife is under investigation regarding transfers of money between banks in the amount of fifteen million dollars.

Too bad his countrymen, many of them impoverished, never knew the little man with the shiny pistol was their best actor. He deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of the poor little rich terrorist.

IRAQ: THE BOTTOMLESS PIT

The number of Chicago area and Illinois military personnel killed in action in Iraq this past week must have set a record, but it's too painful to count. Watching some of their parents and friends on TV and reading their quotes in the papers and we see the grief they feel is unequivocal. They sent their young men off to defend our country and way of life. What they have now are memories, photos of sons, brothers, husbands in dress uniforms with steely eyed determination to do the job, wherever it took them.

We were attacked in 2001 with horrific results. Now we are engaged in a "war on terrorism" with all the attachments that go along with the loss of young Americans and the few allies we have. What is not reported on a daily basis are the many thousands of wounds, amputations, and life changing injuries that will imprison many of these young heroes in veteran's hospitals and wheel chairs for the balance of their lives.

I can't remember when I last heard or read President Bush or VP Cheney say anything negative about their war. Every situation report is always optimistic. American viewers are not allowed to see the military transports flying hundreds of body bags back to the US or the hospital ships and cargo planes returning the wounded.

I recall a teacher long ago in an English class assigning an essay writing project. She said "If your going to tell a story make sure you have a beginning, a middle, and an ending." It appears when President Bush took our country to war he had his "beginning," I'm not sure what would be considered a mid point, and there is certainly no "ending" in sight.

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

BUDDY, CAN YA LEND ME A MILLION?

Chicago Cubs fans may not have Sammy Sosa to fixate on next season according to stories in the sports pages. While reading and ruminating on all things Sosa an interesting factoid exploded in my middle aged brain. I'll put it in the form of a question. Did you know that Sammy earns in one season more money than perhaps 98% of the population of this country earns in a lifetime of work?

Athletes in general are not only the highest earners in this country, they do it in less than twelve months. Many make side deals for new cars, clothes, travel, and just about any perk you can imagine. Yet we working stiffs live and die on home runs, slam-dunks, field goals and slap shots.

In recent years the salaries of sports icons has been driven skyward by slick agents, skilled lawyers, and team executives with marketing savvy. The behind the scenes wheeling and dealing allows many of the novices and new hires to land contracts with incentives that quickly make them members of the millionaires club. If you need some evidence on how these sky high salaries affect you personally just keep track of what you spend for a day at the old ball park. Enjoy your four dollar hot dog and five dollar beer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 8, 2004                                                           

EXIT POLLS DON'T WORK

An old precinct worker friend told me years ago that exit polls in any election were useless. He was active in Democratic politics, worked for the county and put plenty of time in working on various campaigns. His explanation was simple. He said, "Almost everybody lies."

The late Mike Royko wrote more than one column about election day exit polling. He hated them and he advised his readers if asked who they voted for to lie.

On November 2nd the exit polling around the country certainly seemed to have been a major culprit in the faulty prediction process.

My old precinct working pal explained that most people consider their political choices private and when confronted by a reporter or a stranger with a clipboard a few seconds after voting they feel violated. This results in no answer or many times the opposite of how they really voted.

I don't recall what it was that lit the fuse under Royko, but he was a total believer in delivering exit pollsters bad info. It obviously works.

We're in for weeks or maybe months of analyzing the "how and why" of election 04.' The political shows, columnists and commentators will all have their say. The one emotion missing from this election was apathy. Registration was up. Voting was way up. If your guy didn't win, at least the process did.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


THE MAYOR NEEDS OUR HELP



Every Chicagoan must join the mayor in his battle to reduce our huge budget shortfall. You may not have a bridge to sell, but look around and maybe you can help him. I know I can.

I propose to save the mayor valued tax dollars on postage, printing, paper, sorting, collating, and filing. Now the plan.

The Chicago Municipal Code requires all legally registered voters must be informed by public notice (card or letter) if someone has filed an application with the city to open a tavern or liquor store within 250 feet of where you live. This very official looking legal document bears the city seal and is sent by the Mayor's License Commission/Local Liquor Control Commission in the Daley Center.

The "public notice" informs the recipient of the exact address for the proposed new business, name of the applicant, and instructions if you wish to object to issuance of the license.

I received such a notice last week about an application filed for the building next to mine. In fact the Mayor's License Commission is so efficient they sent me more than one. Over a period of three days they sent me 8 of these same documents. Each contained first class postage. The cost to the city, and you, and me, in postage was $2.96. That doesn't cover the paper, printing, document preparation, etc.

I happen to live in a huge 55 story building. My property manager informed me that we currently have 800 occupied units. If each of my 799 neighbors got just one of these city notices the postage alone cost $295.63. But what if they all got 8 of them like me? That comes to $2,365.04 just for postage. Do you smell some waste here?

The building where the liquor license application has been requested is also a huge high-rise. It appears to be a 400 unit style building and it falls within the 250 foot range, so all of its residents must have been notified. What if they all received multiple copies of the same notice?

My advice to the mayor is simple; before you start making people work days off unsalaried, go down to your city hall mailroom and wake-up all those former aldermen on work release, and show em' how to run the postage meter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FLASH GORDON



A family in mourning, and thousands of Chicago police officers were given closure this past Thursday when the star of Harrison District Officer Michael Gordon was retired and placed in the "Honored Star Display" at Chicago Police Headquarters. Family members, friends, and many of Gordon's Harrison District colleagues packed the ceremony as the Mayor and Police Superintendent spoke solemnly of his loss.

Mike Gordon and his partner were patrolling early on Sunday morning August 8th when an intoxicated, unlicensed illegal alien with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit hit their police squad at Jackson and Sacramento. Both officers were ejected from their car by the massive impact. Thirty year old Mike Gordon was killed. His partner badly hurt. The intoxicated driver killed himself at impact.

Gordon's death hit the Harrison District very hard. He'd been assigned there for two years after working two years as an officer with the Riverside Police Department. According to colleagues on his watch he was so active he earned the nickname "Flash" Gordon.

His death was ruled "in the line of duty" and Chicago Police Star #18751 has been permanently retired. The number will never be issued again. It's a way for his family to know his law enforcement family will never forget Officer Michael Gordon, a son, a brother, a husband, a friend, a father of four.

There are 420 Chicago Police Stars in that display dating back to the 1800s. It truly is a place of honor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SOMETHING WE CAN ALL DRINK TOO



The world is about to welcome a new product and its success may actually result from its unique packaging. The word revolutionary comes to mind. The product is water.

America's landfills are growing, more people don't recycle than do, and most of us feel it's not our problem. Now comes a way for each of us to play a little part in saving our planet.

It took a Chicago guy to put this together and bring it to market. The genius is David Zutler, a southsider now living in Colorado where he is Chief Executive Officer of Biota Brands of America,Inc.

Bottled water is a huge success in this country. Sales are off the charts. If you don't believe that just look at the tens of millions of plastic bottles that are discarded every day. Zutler wanted to market his Rocky Mountain spring water under his BIOTA brand, but he didn't want to burden mother Earth with more plastic.

High in the Rockies near Ouray Colorado Dave's company secured rights to a pristine source of spring water. This is where they built their environmentally friendly bottling plant. No tanker trucks, no pipelines. The water, which Zutler describes as "naturally filtered" is bottled where it comes from the ground. But that isn't even the best thing about this story.

Not wanting to cover the Earth with plastic debris that would hang around for another millennium he set about to find a better container. His research led him to discover that testing was underway to develop a plastic type bottle from corn, and the new discovery would biodegrade when deposited in landfills. In twelve weeks it was gone. We are currently tossing 93 billion plastic water bottles into landfills every year. Zutler wanted to sell his water in bottles that would "disappear" after you tossed them out.

Next week he is introducing this remarkable product to the world in a Los Angeles "coming out party." He calls his product the worlds "first and only" commercially compostable water bottle.

The "corn bottle" is a fully developed and tested container thanks to the University of Nebraska and the Cargill Dow Co. If you like tech talk, here's how it works according to Zutler's information.

[UTF-8?]BIOTA uses nature-based packaging from NatureWorksâ„¢ PLA. NatureWorks PLA is the first commercially viable packaging material derived entirely from annually renewable resources - corn.

BIOTA is the first beverage company in the world to exclusively use Nature Works PLA to bottle its products. BIOTA water bottles are completely compostable.

BIOTA water bottles are approved and certified as commercially compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Initial testing has demonstrated that a BIOTA water bottle should degrade in approximately 80 days. Petroleum-based plastic beverage bottles, according to many assessments, may take as many as 1,000 years or more to break down.


How does the BIOTA bottle compostable/degrading process work?
BIOTA bottles need high heat, organisms and humidity to break down. A BIOTA PLA bottle likely will not degrade in a home compost pile. When exposed to the necessary conditions, BIOTA bottles will degrade into water, carbon dioxide and organic material.

I presented all of this at the risk of it reading like an add because of the promise this kind of research and marketing represents in the ecological sense.

So I asked this ingenius Chicago guy, if you have a biodegradable, compostable plastic water bottle actually made out of corn, why doesn't it degrade when the water goes in and it's sitting in the fridge. Of course there is an answer. He explained the process only begins when the bottle is empty, deposited in landfill where the compressed refuse reacts to the heat naturally generated within the landfill. Within twelve weeks the corn based water bottle is gone. I predict Zutler's concept will soon spread to any number of products. We can all drink to that.
 

October 25, 2004                                                            

The United Nations Health Agency has released some amazing statistics. Luckily not from the US. They come from China. A large country with millions of bad drivers.

China now averages 600 traffic deaths nationwide every day. The number of people injured in traffic incidents every day in China totals 45,000. Mind blowing.

Last year China reported 100,000 traffic deaths in twelve months. The population numbers around 1.3 billion.  An actuary in the insurance business might be able to put a spin on those numbers but they shock no matter what.

The leading cause of deaths in China in the 15-45 age bracket according to the World Health Organization is traffic accidents. With numbers at 100,000 deaths a year there must be millions of moving violations every day.  A traffic cops delight.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RIP RODNEY DANGERFIELD.