When The News Is The News

No matter what you think of journalists, whether they're paid stenographers for the left or right, or failed actors and models regurgitating trivia off of a Teleprompter who couldn't cut it in Hollywood, it is definitely not a cushy job.  And who said it was, anyway?

To get the story that comes through your TV or laptop, a journalist must get through government red tape, "senior Washington officials", uncooperative witnesses, boring media briefings, staged appearances and other places where they're usually not welcome.  Journalists have been arrested, kidnapped, served prison time, physically attacked and even murdered.  Then whatever they have gathered must be vetted through sources (reliable or not) and editors before you see or hear that story.

There are many journalists who have died in the line of duty, mostly while reporting on wars and natural disasters.  No one expects that to happen live on the air while interviewing someone on one of those light, happy morning news broadcasts.  Which is exactly what happened Wednesday morning on WDBJ-TV, the CBS station in Roanoke, Virginia.  An apparently disgruntled former employee of WDBJ opened fire on reporter Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward during a live interview at a local shopping mall.  Parker and Ward are dead, as is the shooter after he posted his own video of the incident on social media.

There have also been running battles between journalists and the politicians they cover.  Who could forget Dan Rather of CBS vs. President Richard Nixon during Watergate, or Sam Donaldson of ABC vs. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan?

Now we have Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who is taking a different tack in confronting reporters covering his campaign.  Trump's feud with Megyn Kelly of Fox News Channel began when he thought the questions she asked at the last GOP debate were less than fair and balanced.  After Kelly returned from some time off to host her nightly TV show, Trump tweeted some uncomplimentary things about her implying that maybe she should have stayed on vacation.  He's also that way whenever a female journalist tries to to interview him, speaking to them in patronizing tones.

Trump's other beef is with Univision news anchor Jorge Ramos.  Ramos was tossed out of Trump's news conference in Iowa this past week for not waiting his turn to ask the great man about his stance on border security and so-called "anchor babies", both of which are really touchy subjects for Ramos' Hispanic audience, for whom polls show have a low opinion of Trump to begin with.

These are just recent examples of what the men and women who cover the stories have to go through so that we--the couch potatoes and basement bloggers of the world--have all the information we need to make up our minds on the issues of the day.  They, more than any soldier who fights wars for the sake of killing for God and country, are the ones who deserve your support.  This is why we have a First Amendment.

At 105 FM, a Different Vibe

English: Sean Combs, a.k.a. Diddy, performing on the Today show in 2006. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On the same weekend that the movie "Straight Outta Compton" hit the multiplexes, a new hip hop radio station dropped on the triumvirate of stations known as WGVZ (105.7 FM), WGVX (105.1) and WRXP (105.3) in the Twin Cities area.

"105 The Vibe" replaces the low-rated sports talk format that had been there for over two years.  It is also the ninth different programming change since the three signals combined to form one station two decades ago, made necessary by the fact that none of the signals alone covered the metro adequately.

The problem with the sports station, known as "105 The Ticket", went beyond the lack of a signal.  There were already two well-established sports stations in town--KFAN (100.3) and KSTP (1500 AM), and the lack of exclusive rights to broadcasts of a local pro sports team also hurt.  The local hosts The Ticket had were gone by June, leaving the station with nothing but CBS Sports Radio as its programming.

The Vibe's format is syndicated classic hip hop and R&B from the 1990s and 2000s, a sound that has proven to be successful in other parts of the country.  This was an era when rap ruled the music charts (and probably still does), and lyrics discussing how much bling you got and talking smack about women were controversial.  Noted practitioners of this art form included Notorious B.I.G, Puff Daddy (or Diddy, or whatever), Kanye West, Jay Z and plenty of others.  Of course, by the time all of this gets to your radio, the results are so heavily edited that you could hardly understand what they're talking about.

The good folks at Cumulus Media, who are also responsible for KQRS (92.5) and 93X (93.7), put out The Vibe in response to another station with a similar format.  It's called Hot 102.5, which is sandwiched between country stations K102 (102.1) and KMNB (102.9).  Hot 102.5 is one of those small-watt translator stations that owner iHeart Media (the former Clear Channel) seems to have cornered the local market on, so they could put their conservative talk AM station on FM, or create new ones for alternative rock and a gay-themed music station.

As we mentioned, Hot 102.5 and The Vibe play hip hop and R&B from the past.  If you want that kind of music from the present, the closest you're going to get is longtime contemporary hits power KDWB (101.3), which is also owned by iHeart.  It could be argued that Hot 102.5 was positioned in such a way as to not cannibalize KDWB's audience.

So enjoy your new classic hip hop stations, if you're fortunate enough to receive them.  If there aren't enough of you out there to support them, Format Number 10 might be on its way to 105 FM.

The Culture of Behaving Badly

English: Logo for the University of Minnesota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In an era where it's possible for presidential candidates, athletes and beloved sitcom stars to say nasty things, smack around or force themselves on women and (almost) get away with it, perhaps it shouldn't be all that surprising that sexual harassment is still tolerated as long as you don't get caught.

Take Norwood Teague, who until a week ago had been the University of Minnesota's athletic director since 2012.  During this time, his major accomplishments came from having hired and fired the men's and women's basketball coaches who committed the grievous sin of not making the NCAA tournament, and for presiding over a football program that won enough games last season to earn a trip to their first New Year's Day bowl game since 1962.

All that ended suddenly when Teague resigned.  The reason given was that two women employees of the university alleged Teague made unwanted advances towards them at a function, then sent texts of questionable taste.  Teague said in a statement that he intended to seek alcohol treatment.

But wait, there's more.  Amelia Rayno, who covers the Gopher men's basketball team for the Star Tribune newspaper, wrote a column saying she had also experienced much of the same harassing behavior Teague is accused of.   In her case, she said, she was given a choice by her editors of being reassigned, letting the company confront Teague or University president Dr. Eric Kaler, or waiting to see what happened.  Rayno chose the latter.

The Strib could have handled this situation better (Why was Rayno's column in the sports section instead of the front page?  Why didn't her superiors talk to Teague or Kaler in private before printing her story?), but Rayno had to make the tough decision any woman (or man) would make if they were in a business relationship with someone who thinks they're God's gift to whatever:  Blow the whistle or keep your job.

The University, Kaler says, is also going to launch a separate into the athletic department's handling of its financing and travel expenses, among other things.  Also, there's going to be a "nationwide search" (Kaler's words) for a new AD.  The last "nationwide search" led to Teague, who was running things at Virginia Commonwealth University when he was chosen to replace Joel Maturi.  For the moment, Beth Goetz will be the acting AD.

The University of Minnesota is no stranger to scandal in the athletic department.  Dubious recruitment practices, ineligible players and grade manipulation have resulted in vacated championships and disappearing banners.  This scandal threatens not only the gains made by the so-called "student athletes" in the various programs, but also funding for new athletic practice facilities--particularly if there's enough evidence that might interest the NCAA.

What the University needs to look for in hiring its next AD is one who has a better relationship with coaches and donors better than Teague reportedly did, follows established protocol concerning personal behavior, and resists the temptation to "hire local" just because.  Or they could just give the job to Goetz once they've seen how she performs in the position.

Replacing an athletic director for his allegedly boorish behavior is one thing.  Changing the culture of sexual harassment is quite another.  Donald Trump, for all the things he's supposedly said about women in the past, continues to lead the polls for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.  Ray Rice, who was caught on tape beating up the woman who became his wife inside a hotel elevator, might be back in an NFL uniform soon.  And Bill Cosby, who has seen his career and reputation collapse because of allegations by several women dating back decades that he drugged them before raping them, well, his fate has yet to be determined.

Compared to these guys, Norwood Teague is a symptom of a much larger problem.








The Universi

The Trump & Ponies Show

speaking at CPAC in Washington D.C. on February 10, 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On a night when Jon Stewart concluded his final "Daily Show" with an essay on what could politely be called BS, the traveling circus of Republican presidential candidates made as stop at the home of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers--which also happens to be the site of next year's nominating convention.

As dictated by broadcast rights-holder Fox News Channel (who, like the GOP, are probably relieved that they won't have Stewart kicking them around any more), only ten candidates with acceptable poll numbers were allowed to appear on the prime time cablecast.  They were business mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Ohio Governor John Kasich, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Dr. Ben Carson.  Of those, only Trump, Bush and Walker have double-digit numbers.

The seven individuals who did not make the cut--which includes former HP executive Carly Fiorina, former Texas governor Rick Perry and former senator Rick Santorum--were relegated to the undercard debate held earlier.  It is rumored that Fiorina won the debate, or at least made the best showing.

Trump was at his all-flash, no-substance best in showing up the rest of the field when he discussed why he doesn't have time for political correctness, how he'd solve the immigration crisis, and how he'd make America great again.  Trump also was the only one of the debaters not to pledge loyalty to the GOP nominee should it be anyone but him, meaning he might try for a third-party run.  But Trump's confrontation with Fox News' Megyn Kelly over his disparaging comments regarding women suggests trouble ahead, and not just with Rosie O'Donnell.

It's not as if the other candidates didn't have their moments.  Christie and Paul squared off over surveillance in the wake of terrorist threats.  Carson and Huckabee got off some one-liners.  Cruz came across as a humorless, pompous jerk.  Bush, Rubio and Walker didn't really distinguish themselves.  And Kasich scored some points with folks outside the hometown Cleveland audience for his relatively moderate stance.

On the 70th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, which helped to end World War II, most of the GOP candidates came out against the U.S.' agreement with Iran to curtail their nuclear weapons program.  Their alternative seemed to be more economic sanctions.

There was plenty of Republican bashing over Obamacare and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton, but very little or nothing about race relations, income disparity and what to do about people with guns.  In typical fashion, most of the candidates ignored the Fox News stars' questions and went off on their own tangents.

This is only the first of several debates (or "joint appearances", as Dan Rather used to call them when he was at CBS) the Republicans and Democrats have planned for the next few months.  After a full evening of enough hot air to inflate basketballs and how much rhetoric was left behind, America has one question on its mind:

What would Jon Stewart have thought of all this?

The Dentist And The Lion

Close-up of a lion in Zimbabwe. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Right now, there are millions of people around the world--most of whose exposure to wild animals is limited to zoos, nature videos and displays in outdoor superstores--who would like to get their hands on a man who killed a protected research lion.  They'd like to strip off his clothes, drop him off somewhere in the African jungle and let him fend for himself in front of man-eating lions and tigers.

The person in question is someone we will call The Dentist (you probably know his name already, but we don't need to repeat it).  He is accused of spending $50,000 of his own money for the privilege of taking a bow and arrow to an apparently beloved lion named Cecil, who was lured outside his domain at a national park in Zimbabwe, killing him.

Once word got out, protesters and media trucks descended upon The Dentist's practice in the Minneapolis suburbs, forcing his patients to either cancel appointments or get their teeth cleaned elsewhere.  They also found out where The Dentist and his family lives (in the same city where this blog is based.  Gee, thanks.), which is why they're reportedly in hiding.  U.S. officials are currently investigating the matter, and Zimbabwe is asking for The Dentist's extradition so he could stand trial in that country.

Before we send The Dentist on his own personal (non-televised) episode of "Naked and Afraid", you should know that poaching is a real problem that's depleting endangered animals around the world.  It's tolerated in certain unscrupulous countries for the money that big game hunters like The Dentist provide, and for the valuable jewelry and cuisine that can be found in countries that haven't already banned them.

Big game hunting is quite the pastime among individuals like The Dentist with too much money and time on their hands.  Once upon a time, that type of hunter was celebrated.  When the European colonist, big businessmen or President Theodore Roosevelt came back from their African safaris, they usually showed off their kills or bragged about them to anyone who'll listen with awe.

Here in the age of social media and PETA, however, it is no longer a good idea to publish selfies of yourself with the magnificent beast you just shot on Facebook.  That would be stupid.

It's interesting that the furor over an unfortunate lion is dominating the news at a time when other forms of big game hunting--wars, terrorism, mass shootings, police and racial profiling, drone strikes, etc.--deserve more attention.  Then again, all we cared about at this time last year were those stupid  bucket challenges.

The Dentist, no matter how his fate shakes out, is a relic from a time gone by.  We no longer marvel at the giant stuffed animal that was once living and breathing, only to see it put on display in someone's private collection.   We do what we can to make sure that future generations will be able to enjoy lions, tigers, elephants and all the others in their natural habitat.  As Katy Perry might put it, you might still be able to hear them roar.

Politics 2016: The Other Guys

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are (as of 7/22/15) a total of 21 presidential candidates--16 of them Republicans--all vying for the chance to take over Barack Obama's job come 2017.  Some of them are serious contenders and are in it for the long haul, while the others are there to draw attention to issues they consider important, whether they admit it or not.

For the GOP, these are the names we have so far:  Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Lindsey Graham, John Kasich, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.

For the Democrats:  Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Jim Webb, Martin O'Malley and Lincoln Chafee.

With all those people in the running, and primary season yet to get under way, it's hard to stand out and explain to the voters why you want the job when all you're getting in return are meager sound bites and money worries.

It's also harder if you're behind the eight-ball from the very beginning, recognition-wise, while candidates more familiar to the voters suck up the media oxygen.  Trump gets headlines for dissing Senator John McCain's war record and broadcasting Senator Graham's phone number on live TV.  Clinton has been the Democrats' presumptive nominee almost since the last election.  Jeb Bush, whose father and brother were previously Presidents, must be seeing the White House as his birthright.

Until Trump came along, the biggest flakes in the campaign were Senators Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky.  They could always be counted on to make outrageous statements intended to fire up their conservative bases, particularly the Tea Party set.  To everybody else, they were indicative of what was wrong with the Republicans.

Besides Bush, a number of present and former state governors such as Christie of New Jersey and Jindal of Louisiana are in this campaign.  Scott Walker of Wisconsin, whose labor and economic policies have alienated almost everyone there, reminds those of us on the Minnesota side of the border of the reign of Tim Pawlenty.  He ran for President too.  Oh, and doesn't Christie also have a bridge scandal to live down?

Progressives who are unhappy with or unsure of the seeming inevitability of another Clinton administration have been flocking to Bernie Sanders' side.  The independent Senator from Vermont has made himself an alternative by hammering away at his contention that (a) the rich are getting richer, and (b) the poor and middle class are so screwed.  Familiar arguments, yes, but there's little evidence so far that any of this is making a dent against Clinton.  If you believe the polls, she leaves  everyone including Trump in the dust.

It's only a matter of time before the wheat is separated from the chaff, so to speak, and some of these candidates go back to their day jobs.  Until then, we can only imagine what it must be like to be a voter in a major primary state, about to be bombarded with TV and Internet commercials from 21 different presidential candidates spending their time and (somebody else's) money chasing a dream.  We don't envy you at all.

Southern Discomfort

Vice President of the United States John C. Calhoun (19th-century daguerreotype) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A few weeks ago, we asked "Is there anything new to add after the latest mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina that hasn't already been said before?  Or will likely be done about it?".  (6/22/15)

We have our answer.  Instead of more debates about gun control and the mentality of the alleged shooter, we get flag controversies and the church patrons' naive decision to forgive him before the investigation ends and his trial begins.  Anything to avoid talking about the elephant in the room, and we don't mean the one that represents the Republican Party.


Because of this, the Confederate flag and all those who pledged allegiance to it are getting the cold shoulder from African-Americans and others who think it belongs in the trash heap of history, 150 years after the end of the Civil War.  It has gone from the profound to the ridiculous.  Some examples:

• The battle flag that was used during the Civil War, and has been flown at South Carolina's state capitol for more than 50 years in reaction to the Civil Rights Movement, was taken down to cheering crowds at an otherwise solemn ceremony in Columbia.  Similar flags across the South have also been taken down.
• Cities and states across the country are taking a second look at their founders, some of whom may have been racists and/or slaveholders, and considering whether or not to keep honoring them.  Minneapolis, for one, is thinking about removing John C. Calhoun's name from a popular lake.  He was a 19th Century Vice President and Senator who often spoke in favor of slavery and states' rights.
• The cable channel TV Land (also known as TV Commercial Land, but that's another story) yanked reruns of the 1980s CBS series "The Dukes of Hazzard", because the car used on the show happened to have its roof bedecked with the Stars and Bars.  To TV Land, that must have represented more of a threat to impressionable young minds than reckless driving, moonshine or stereotyped characters.

You might say this is all political correctness running amok, an attempt to whitewash the negative aspects of American history.  Well, the Confederate flag does mean different things to different people.  To the Southern man and woman whose ancestors came here to escape the British Empire, the Stars and Bars represented loyalty, courage, and the upholding of a certain way of life.  To the African American man and woman, whose ancestors came here in chains, the flag meant slavery, lynchings and Jim Crow laws.  To everyone else, it just meant that the South was on the wrong side of history.

The American flag represents many of the same things the Confederate flag stood for, and then some.  How come no one ever talks about taking Old Glory down (not that we advocate it)?  Oh, that's right.  The Union won the war.  We still have the legal right to use the Stars and Stripes as an excuse to go to war anywhere we want, discriminate against anyone we want, and do anything else that makes patriotic Americans no different than your average Rebel.

The Confederate flag has had its day, and that day was between 1861 and 1865.  It belongs in the history books, museums and Ken Burns documentaries as a reminder that one of the bloodiest and costliest wars in human existence was fought right here, not in some faraway land.

You can take down the statues, place names and symbols of every Confederate war hero and sympathizer if it makes you feel better.  Unfortunately, you're also going to have a harder time changing people's attitudes about racial discrimination, no matter what flag they're saluting.  Or whether the alleged Charleston shooter should have had access to guns at all.  To some people, the Civil War never ended.