Friday, July 30, 2010

You Want Me Out fo Danger But You Still Want Pictures

Late last afternoon and night (7/29), we had some horrendous storms in the Hampton Roads area - several tornado warnings, flash floods, big thunderstorms with lots of lightning.......it was, as the paper said this morning a "Super Soaker". Of course, we provided some coverage of it, with our limited staff, on our radio stations. I monitored the TV stations so we could get a feel for the storm from the various meteorologists. During this whole process, one thing struck me. Here we were, in the midst of several tornado warnings, and they're telling us to take cover, yet, in the same breath, they ask for us to send any pictures in that we might have taken. I'm trying to wrap my arms around that one. Go to cover but make sure you peak out and send us some of what's happening outside near you. I actually saw one home-made video of someone walking in the rain, wind, etc., IN A HALF OF A FOOT OF WATER while the warning was still on!!!! Then, they showed a reporter knee deep in another flooded area as she walked through it. As THAT report ended, they wondered aloud why so many people were out. Ya think?
Wouldn't be a good idea to recommend cover and then, when the storm subsides, THEN, ask for the pictures and video? I really believe they are sending mixed signals in an attempt to get eyewitness accounts. I'm in favor of sacrificing sensationalism for bit in the name of safety. How about you?

Friday, July 23, 2010

Hot Enough for Ya?

Okay, what are oyu going to do when the next person comes up and says "Hot Enough for Ya"?.....answer "Yes" and see what happens. Stops them in their tracks.
So what do you when it's this hot? Swim?.....you still have to deal with the heat when you get out of the pool or lake or ocean.
Here's a thought...use it to spend some time INSIDE with a loved one or two and play a board game (not to be confused with "bored" game), watch a movie together or just talk to each other (there's something novel). This is a great chance for all of you NOT to go your separate was with your separate agendas. Use the time wisely and I'll bet it'll reap some future benefits.

Monday, July 12, 2010

No One Is THAT Important

Now that it's four days after "The Decision", I have digested all that's happened in Miami, Cleveland and points in between. Of course, it may be contradictory if I did admit that I did watch Lebron James one-hour ESPN special, especially, after I reveal my feelings about this whole situation. I guess I would have had to seen something in order to have any opinion, don't you think?
I watched as a man turned away from his home area because, as he said, he wants to win multiple championships. Who knows if that will happen? Only time will tell, of course, and, when I bring up the names of Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant (all of whom had opportunities to leave their original team and didn't), you see the deck is stacked against Lebron.
Over and above all of that is how I saw this man, literally, lose sight of himself as this story unfolded. His "handlers" (as we learned) approached ESPN about the 1-hour special. He handpicked (and paid) the so-called "journalist" doing the interview - a man I thought had LOTS more scruples than this - Jim Gray. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the decision the man made. I am flabbergasted by the manner in which he did it! Lebron James lost sight of where received his talent to play basketball. He lost sight of what's most important to HIM! To top it all off, 13,000 screaming fans fueled his "self-centerdness" the next day at a "rally" in Miami.
Is anyone really this important? In my lifetime, I know of only one and He IS the One! Hopefully, some day, before it's too late, Lebron James will realize this.