I've never been a big Tom Coughlin fan, but I'm closer to it after Saturday night's historic game with the Patriots. Except actually winning, the Giants did everything I wanted, which was give 100 percent and not worry about the playoffs. Boffo, kudos and amen to the G-men.
This was a special atmosphere, with the two commercial networks carrying the game, and the various intangibles (holiday week, Saturday night, unbeaten team losing for three quarters to an underdog, change in broadcast plans) all lined up to make a memorable event.
The Giants played with heart, and had to earn the nation's respect. Eli Manning played more like a professional and less like a disappointing journeyman.
The Patriots had the superior talent and came out on top, which only proves again that if you want to succeed like Bob Kraft, shake the dust of Hartford off your feet and you probably will.
Was that parochial? Hey, who's more parochial than Boston fans? This is a city that chants "Yankees suck" at football rallies. Whiners and losers no more, Boston fans are beside themselves not knowing how to act. They loved the bitter-spiteful attitude for so long. Now they're on top.
And all a Giants fan can say is "Go Indy."
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Kristafer returning to WDRC-FM
We'll have more in the paper soon, but Jerry Kristafer is leaving WELI to return to oldies station WDRC-FM, where he once hosted mornings, sources say.
OK, maybe Patti LaBelle's choir wasn't No. 1
Wrapup on "Clash of the Choirs":
Big surprise that Lachey's choir won. I think it says something about the demographic of those who vote on phones and Internet more often than LaBelle's.
Michael Bolton's group took home $50,000 to support their local charities in New Haven, Connecticut, thanks to a donation by GE.
Team Bolton sang to support the Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven, a private, nonprofit organization that helps thousands of victims of domestic violence every year. They also supported the Yale Child Study Center Family Support Services, a facility that delivers treatment services directly to the home of children coping with specific family problems and stresses.
Big surprise that Lachey's choir won. I think it says something about the demographic of those who vote on phones and Internet more often than LaBelle's.
Michael Bolton's group took home $50,000 to support their local charities in New Haven, Connecticut, thanks to a donation by GE.
Team Bolton sang to support the Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven, a private, nonprofit organization that helps thousands of victims of domestic violence every year. They also supported the Yale Child Study Center Family Support Services, a facility that delivers treatment services directly to the home of children coping with specific family problems and stresses.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Christmas miracles
the good Santa and the little girl:
http://www.myfavoriteezines.com/articles/christmas-miracle.html
the serviceman in despair:
http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/1996/519613.shtml
http://www.myfavoriteezines.com/articles/christmas-miracle.html
the serviceman in despair:
http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/1996/519613.shtml
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Another UNH student's article for Newswriting
Working from home isn't perfect, but it's close
By Amanda Johnson
For Nancy Lacy and a rising number of American employees, working from home has become the ultimate convenience.
“I make breakfast each morning, make lunches for the kids, see them off to school, and on my lunch break I do my laundry and prepare for dinner,” she said.
It is a typical day for Lacy, a mother of two and home-based employee.
“It is nice to be able to get up from the computer and stretch and grab a snack. I feel much more relaxed everyday not having to worry about rushing to and from work to beat the traffic.”
Working from home or “telecommuting” as it has been called, Lacy can eat healthier and save money on gas.
“I don’t stop at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and I don’t run out to Burger King for lunch,” Lacy said. Lacy has been working from home for a few years and has seen drastic changes in her lifestyle. When her children were younger, she could take some time during the day to take care of them and play, and then she would work later at night when they were asleep.
Home-based workers enjoy not worrying about gas, which averaged $3.08 per gallon as of October this year according to the Energy Information Administration. An increasing number of Americans are enjoying this luxury, according to the most recent report from the De
partment of Labor that indicates more than 20 million Americans already telecommute.
Home-based employment does have its disadvantages. The one-on-one and group contact is lost, and socializing with co-workers may only be possible through e-mail. Because many home-based jobs are for large corporations, a yearly Christmas party is unlikely as it would be too costly to assemble co-workers from all over the country (and sometimes the world).
Working from home can come with some heavy responsibilities. Self-discipline and knowing how to keep work and home life separate can be difficult, home workers say. Taking lengthy lunches or long breaks can hurt your performance and you will likely lose your job if you keep up these bad habits.
Jennifer Heck, another home-based employee, shares the joys of working from home but also admits there is a downside.
“When I first started my job, I slipped into lazy habits. I would wake up really late some days and always wait until the afternoon to shower. I never really got dressed, so when it came time to go out at night or on the weekends, putting on clothes that were not sweatpants and a T-shirt felt uncomfortable.”
Heck offers some helpful tips to anyone considering working from home. She recommends getting up on time for when you are scheduled to be at your computer, as well as taking a shower in the morning and really getting dressed. “I noticed after I forced myself to get dressed, I felt less lazy and actually made an effort to meet some of my friends for lunch instead of using that time to shower,” Heck said.
Television and radio are great ways to connect with the world outside your home office, but they should used sparingly. According to mobileoffice.com, home workers should stay away from the tube except for news programs. For other shows, they should record and watch them after work.
Working from home doesn’t mean you have to have your own business. Many companies offer positions working from home because the arrangement helps attract and retain employees. Some positions that offer opportunities for working from home include copy editor, administrative assistant, desktop publisher, data entry clerk, computer software engineer and corporate event planner. Almost every field has an opportunity for home-based work.
According to a survey conducted in 2004 by the International Telework Association and Council, the number of Americans who worked from home from as little as one day a year to full-time grew from 41.3 million in 2003 to 44.4 million in 2005.
Because of growing environmental concerns and technological progress since then in computing and communications, working from home is a viable option for many. And for the employer it can be very cost-efficient. A study cited on the Environmental Protection Agency Web site estimated that $23 billion could be saved in transportation, environmental and energy costs if there were a 10 to 20 percent increase in telecommuting.
For Nancy Lacy, telecommuting has been her way of life for almost 5 years and she says she certainly enjoys all the benefits of it, despite minor disadvantages. “I could not ask for more,” she said.
For Nancy Lacy and a rising number of American employees, working from home has become the ultimate convenience.
“I make breakfast each morning, make lunches for the kids, see them off to school, and on my lunch break I do my laundry and prepare for dinner,” she said.
It is a typical day for Lacy, a mother of two and home-based employee.
“It is nice to be able to get up from the computer and stretch and grab a snack. I feel much more relaxed everyday not having to worry about rushing to and from work to beat the traffic.”
Working from home or “telecommuting” as it has been called, Lacy can eat healthier and save money on gas.
“I don’t stop at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and I don’t run out to Burger King for lunch,” Lacy said. Lacy has been working from home for a few years and has seen drastic changes in her lifestyle. When her children were younger, she could take some time during the day to take care of them and play, and then she would work later at night when they were asleep.
Home-based workers enjoy not worrying about gas, which averaged $3.08 per gallon as of October this year according to the Energy Information Administration. An increasing number of Americans are enjoying this luxury, according to the most recent report from the De
partment of Labor that indicates more than 20 million Americans already telecommute.Home-based employment does have its disadvantages. The one-on-one and group contact is lost, and socializing with co-workers may only be possible through e-mail. Because many home-based jobs are for large corporations, a yearly Christmas party is unlikely as it would be too costly to assemble co-workers from all over the country (and sometimes the world).
Working from home can come with some heavy responsibilities. Self-discipline and knowing how to keep work and home life separate can be difficult, home workers say. Taking lengthy lunches or long breaks can hurt your performance and you will likely lose your job if you keep up these bad habits.
Jennifer Heck, another home-based employee, shares the joys of working from home but also admits there is a downside.
“When I first started my job, I slipped into lazy habits. I would wake up really late some days and always wait until the afternoon to shower. I never really got dressed, so when it came time to go out at night or on the weekends, putting on clothes that were not sweatpants and a T-shirt felt uncomfortable.”
Heck offers some helpful tips to anyone considering working from home. She recommends getting up on time for when you are scheduled to be at your computer, as well as taking a shower in the morning and really getting dressed. “I noticed after I forced myself to get dressed, I felt less lazy and actually made an effort to meet some of my friends for lunch instead of using that time to shower,” Heck said.
Television and radio are great ways to connect with the world outside your home office, but they should used sparingly. According to mobileoffice.com, home workers should stay away from the tube except for news programs. For other shows, they should record and watch them after work.
Working from home doesn’t mean you have to have your own business. Many companies offer positions working from home because the arrangement helps attract and retain employees. Some positions that offer opportunities for working from home include copy editor, administrative assistant, desktop publisher, data entry clerk, computer software engineer and corporate event planner. Almost every field has an opportunity for home-based work.
According to a survey conducted in 2004 by the International Telework Association and Council, the number of Americans who worked from home from as little as one day a year to full-time grew from 41.3 million in 2003 to 44.4 million in 2005.
Because of growing environmental concerns and technological progress since then in computing and communications, working from home is a viable option for many. And for the employer it can be very cost-efficient. A study cited on the Environmental Protection Agency Web site estimated that $23 billion could be saved in transportation, environmental and energy costs if there were a 10 to 20 percent increase in telecommuting.
For Nancy Lacy, telecommuting has been her way of life for almost 5 years and she says she certainly enjoys all the benefits of it, despite minor disadvantages. “I could not ask for more,” she said.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Student writers and their fall stories
I helped teach Newswriting and reporting this semester at UNH, and we have a few news features to show you that I'll post in the next few days. This one's about UNH football:
Football Is Back In Town
UNH announces return of its football program
By Mark Lengieza
WEST HAVEN – Tiffin 28, New Haven 17.
That was the final score of the last football game played at Dodds Stadium on the campus of the University of New Haven. It was Nov. 15, 2003. A mere 250 fans watched the UNH Chargers finish off their 2003 season with a loss, dropping their record to 1-9 that year.
The football field has been still ever since, as the university dropped its football program after that season. But the sights and sounds of football will return in the fall of 2009, when UNH football makes a phoenix-like return from the dust after six years.
The team folded primarily because it was not in a specific conference, and as an independent had difficulty scheduling. It was forced to play some of its games out of division, against schools from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA), as well as Division III schools. The problems with scheduling just made it too hard for the program to survive, UNH Athletic Director Deborah Chin said.
Ever since the 2003 season, students have been clamoring for the resurrection of the football program, Chin said.
“It’s the students that wanted football back,” said Chin, “It is great for school spirit and a great weekend activity.” The school used to give away prizes for best tailgates and best floats at the homecoming game. It used to be a big event each Saturday to go to a UNH football game, Chin added.
The stunning switch back to football came in September when UNH was admitted into the Northeast-10 Conference for the start of the 2008 academic year. That means that starting in the year 2009, there will be football once again being played at Dodds Stadium.
“It was a long struggle to get into a conference which had football. We worked with the Northeast-10 for three years and finally we were accepted at the start of this year,” said Chin. The students believe this is a great opportunity for them, as well as the school, Chin said.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Michael Valente, a sophomore communications major at UNH. “It provides many opportunities for the students currently in (the school) and (for) the future of UNH.”
The university took a major step moving forward with the program on Thursday, announcing the hiring of Peter Rossomando as head coach. Rossomando, 35, started his coaching career at the University of New Haven working under head coach Tony Sparano for five seasons. He has been on the coaching staff at the University of Albany for the past seven seasons, serving as associate head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Rossomando is the ninth head coach in the program’s history.
Ex-head coach for the UNH football team Tony Sparano, now the associate head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, was very pleased with the hiring of Rossomando.
“He will do a terrific job of not only making our team great athletes, but also great men,” Sparano said. This sentiment was echoed by UNH President Stephen H. Kaplan.
“It took me about three minutes to realize that we were quite fortunate,” Kaplan said. Rossomando is fully aware of the challenge that he has been given. He is faced with starting an entire program from the ground up.
“There’s a lot of work to be done ahead of us. We don’t have a player on campus that has been recruited yet,” said Rossomando. He added that he is fortunate to have a year in between to recruit and get his team in playing shape.
It will indeed be a daunting task to get the program back to where it was back when Rossomando first started working for the staff. The university was coming off an 11-1 season that ended in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The season also featured the university’s most famous player, Roger Graham. Graham won the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the best player in all of Division II.
In the five years that Rossomando was on the staff at UNH, the team had a record of 41-14-1, including two trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs. In 1997, the program had its crowning achievement, reaching the Division II national championship game. UNH became the smallest school in NCAA history to play for a national title. Rossomando was the defensive line coach for the team at the time.
“Without having a football team, we have not been tapping into a whole resource of fans,” said Director of Athletic Media Relations Matt McCullough. Football brings many positive things to the university. It makes homecoming a big deal. It gives alumni a reason to come back to the university. The media cares more when you have a football team, as football is the most popular sport in the United States, said McCullough.
The addition of football also brings more recognition to the other sports that UNH offers. The university can use halftimes of the football games to give awards to other student athletes from other sports. This will help get the word out about the other sports that may not be as popular, said McCullough.
People will come to games that know nothing about UNH; they are just fans of football. This will bring a huge amount of notoriety to the university as a whole, not just athletics, McCullough said.
The UNH football program will officially start the process of recruiting for the 2009 season on Jan. 1, 2008. That gives Rossomando 21 months to get his team ready before players take the field for their first game. The game is set for Sept 5, 2009, and the opponent has yet to be determined. This marks the 32nd season of UNH football. Each of the other sports at UNH will begin play in the Northeast-10 starting in September of 2008.
So until then the students, faculty and alumni will be waiting. They’ll be waiting for the day when they can get together at their parking lot tailgates, faces painted and some bare-chested. They’ll be huddled around their grills, cooking hamburgers and hot dogs, awaiting the kickoff of a new era of UNH football, looking to bury memories of a 1-9 2003 season, and start fresh, with a program UNH can once again be proud of.
UNH announces return of its football program
By Mark Lengieza
WEST HAVEN – Tiffin 28, New Haven 17.
That was the final score of the last football game played at Dodds Stadium on the campus of the University of New Haven. It was Nov. 15, 2003. A mere 250 fans watched the UNH Chargers finish off their 2003 season with a loss, dropping their record to 1-9 that year.
The football field has been still ever since, as the university dropped its football program after that season. But the sights and sounds of football will return in the fall of 2009, when UNH football makes a phoenix-like return from the dust after six years.
The team folded primarily because it was not in a specific conference, and as an independent had difficulty scheduling. It was forced to play some of its games out of division, against schools from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA), as well as Division III schools. The problems with scheduling just made it too hard for the program to survive, UNH Athletic Director Deborah Chin said.
Ever since the 2003 season, students have been clamoring for the resurrection of the football program, Chin said.
“It’s the students that wanted football back,” said Chin, “It is great for school spirit and a great weekend activity.” The school used to give away prizes for best tailgates and best floats at the homecoming game. It used to be a big event each Saturday to go to a UNH football game, Chin added.
The stunning switch back to football came in September when UNH was admitted into the Northeast-10 Conference for the start of the 2008 academic year. That means that starting in the year 2009, there will be football once again being played at Dodds Stadium.
“It was a long struggle to get into a conference which had football. We worked with the Northeast-10 for three years and finally we were accepted at the start of this year,” said Chin. The students believe this is a great opportunity for them, as well as the school, Chin said.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Michael Valente, a sophomore communications major at UNH. “It provides many opportunities for the students currently in (the school) and (for) the future of UNH.”
The university took a major step moving forward with the program on Thursday, announcing the hiring of Peter Rossomando as head coach. Rossomando, 35, started his coaching career at the University of New Haven working under head coach Tony Sparano for five seasons. He has been on the coaching staff at the University of Albany for the past seven seasons, serving as associate head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Rossomando is the ninth head coach in the program’s history.
Ex-head coach for the UNH football team Tony Sparano, now the associate head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, was very pleased with the hiring of Rossomando.
“He will do a terrific job of not only making our team great athletes, but also great men,” Sparano said. This sentiment was echoed by UNH President Stephen H. Kaplan.
“It took me about three minutes to realize that we were quite fortunate,” Kaplan said. Rossomando is fully aware of the challenge that he has been given. He is faced with starting an entire program from the ground up.
“There’s a lot of work to be done ahead of us. We don’t have a player on campus that has been recruited yet,” said Rossomando. He added that he is fortunate to have a year in between to recruit and get his team in playing shape.
It will indeed be a daunting task to get the program back to where it was back when Rossomando first started working for the staff. The university was coming off an 11-1 season that ended in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The season also featured the university’s most famous player, Roger Graham. Graham won the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the best player in all of Division II.
In the five years that Rossomando was on the staff at UNH, the team had a record of 41-14-1, including two trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs. In 1997, the program had its crowning achievement, reaching the Division II national championship game. UNH became the smallest school in NCAA history to play for a national title. Rossomando was the defensive line coach for the team at the time.
“Without having a football team, we have not been tapping into a whole resource of fans,” said Director of Athletic Media Relations Matt McCullough. Football brings many positive things to the university. It makes homecoming a big deal. It gives alumni a reason to come back to the university. The media cares more when you have a football team, as football is the most popular sport in the United States, said McCullough.
The addition of football also brings more recognition to the other sports that UNH offers. The university can use halftimes of the football games to give awards to other student athletes from other sports. This will help get the word out about the other sports that may not be as popular, said McCullough.
People will come to games that know nothing about UNH; they are just fans of football. This will bring a huge amount of notoriety to the university as a whole, not just athletics, McCullough said.
The UNH football program will officially start the process of recruiting for the 2009 season on Jan. 1, 2008. That gives Rossomando 21 months to get his team ready before players take the field for their first game. The game is set for Sept 5, 2009, and the opponent has yet to be determined. This marks the 32nd season of UNH football. Each of the other sports at UNH will begin play in the Northeast-10 starting in September of 2008.
So until then the students, faculty and alumni will be waiting. They’ll be waiting for the day when they can get together at their parking lot tailgates, faces painted and some bare-chested. They’ll be huddled around their grills, cooking hamburgers and hot dogs, awaiting the kickoff of a new era of UNH football, looking to bury memories of a 1-9 2003 season, and start fresh, with a program UNH can once again be proud of.
Survivor Winner (Maybe this kid can play QB?)
While the Giants were embarrassing themselves on NBC:
CBS'S "SURVIVOR: CHINA" FINALE AND FLIGHT ATTENDANT TODD HERZOG ARE SUNDAY'S BIG WINNERS
"Survivor: China" Finale Places First from 8:00-10:00 PM in Viewers and Key Demos
"Survivor: China" Wins Its Time Period with Every Broadcast This Season
The SURVIVOR: CHINA finale, which saw 22-year-old flight attendant Todd Herzog voted the ultimate survivor and winner of the $1 million prize, won its time period in viewers and key demographics, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sunday, Dec. 16.
"Survivor: China" Finale Places First from 8:00-10:00 PM in Viewers and Key Demos
"Survivor: China" Wins Its Time Period with Every Broadcast This Season
The SURVIVOR: CHINA finale, which saw 22-year-old flight attendant Todd Herzog voted the ultimate survivor and winner of the $1 million prize, won its time period in viewers and key demographics, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sunday, Dec. 16.
Conan and Jay Leno back Jan. 2 with new shows
STATEMENT FROM CONAN O'BRIEN (via NBC)
"For the past seven weeks of the writers' strike, I have been and continue to be an ardent supporter of the WGA and their cause. My career in television started as a WGA member and my subsequent career as a performer has only been possible because of the creativity and integrity of my writing staff.
Since the strike began, I have stayed off the air in support of the striking writers while, at the same time, doing everything I could to take care of the 80 non-writing staff members on Late Night.
Unfortunately, now with the New Year upon us, I am left with a difficult decision. Either go back to work and keep my staff employed or stay dark and allow 80 people, many of whom have worked for me for fourteen years, to lose their jobs. If my show were entirely scripted I would have no choice. But the truth is that shows like mine are hybrids, with both written and non-written content. An unwritten version of Late Night, though not desirable, is possible - and no one has to be fired.
So, it is only after a great deal of thought that I have decided to go back on the air on January 2nd. I will make clear, on the program, my support for the writers and I'll do the best version of Late Night I can under the circumstances. Of course, my show will not be as good. In fact, in moments it may very well be terrible. My sincerest hope is that all of my writers are back soon, working under a contract that provides them everything they deserve."
Jay Leno had a similar statement, saying he needed to get his non-writing staff (who had been laid off) back to work.
"For the past seven weeks of the writers' strike, I have been and continue to be an ardent supporter of the WGA and their cause. My career in television started as a WGA member and my subsequent career as a performer has only been possible because of the creativity and integrity of my writing staff.
Since the strike began, I have stayed off the air in support of the striking writers while, at the same time, doing everything I could to take care of the 80 non-writing staff members on Late Night.
Unfortunately, now with the New Year upon us, I am left with a difficult decision. Either go back to work and keep my staff employed or stay dark and allow 80 people, many of whom have worked for me for fourteen years, to lose their jobs. If my show were entirely scripted I would have no choice. But the truth is that shows like mine are hybrids, with both written and non-written content. An unwritten version of Late Night, though not desirable, is possible - and no one has to be fired.
So, it is only after a great deal of thought that I have decided to go back on the air on January 2nd. I will make clear, on the program, my support for the writers and I'll do the best version of Late Night I can under the circumstances. Of course, my show will not be as good. In fact, in moments it may very well be terrible. My sincerest hope is that all of my writers are back soon, working under a contract that provides them everything they deserve."
Jay Leno had a similar statement, saying he needed to get his non-writing staff (who had been laid off) back to work.
ABC's midsummer shows announced
from abc:
“Lost” Returns Thursdays at 9:00 p.m., ET on Thursday, January 31
New Series Premiering Include “Cashmere Mafia,” “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann,”
“Eli Stone” and “Oprah’s Big Give”
“Cashmere Mafia” Premieres at its Regular Time Wednesday, January 9,
After a Special Premiere on Thursday, January 3
“According to Jim,” “Just for Laughs,” “Supernanny” and “Wife Swap” Return
New Seasons of “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Bachelor” Begin March 17
“Lost” Returns Thursdays at 9:00 p.m., ET on Thursday, January 31
New Series Premiering Include “Cashmere Mafia,” “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann,”
“Eli Stone” and “Oprah’s Big Give”
“Cashmere Mafia” Premieres at its Regular Time Wednesday, January 9,
After a Special Premiere on Thursday, January 3
“According to Jim,” “Just for Laughs,” “Supernanny” and “Wife Swap” Return
New Seasons of “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Bachelor” Begin March 17
Who is home after a "minor" heart attack?
From Alex:
ALEX TREBEK HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
(CULVER CITY, CA, December 15, 2007) Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek is recuperating at his Studio City home after his release from Cedars-Sinai Hospital on Saturday Dec. 15 following his recent minor heart attack.
Trebek has sent a statement to the Jeopardy! website message boards:
"I'm truly overwhelmed by the great show of support and compassion expressed in the past few days to me, my family and my coworkers. Even tho ugh I know Jeopardy! is a very popular program, I was still surprised at the number of people who took time from their schedules to call or send a note of encouragement. I thank you all so very much. I'm on the mend, and will be spending Christmas at home with my family. I will be back in the studio on January 14 to tape our Teen Tournament, which is always one of my favorite competitions. Meanwhile, I hope you will continue to watch and enjoy the program. The shows were taped before my heart attack, so what you are seeing is original, not rerun material. Happy Holidays to all of you. Alex"
ALEX TREBEK HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
(CULVER CITY, CA, December 15, 2007) Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek is recuperating at his Studio City home after his release from Cedars-Sinai Hospital on Saturday Dec. 15 following his recent minor heart attack.
Trebek has sent a statement to the Jeopardy! website message boards:
"I'm truly overwhelmed by the great show of support and compassion expressed in the past few days to me, my family and my coworkers. Even tho ugh I know Jeopardy! is a very popular program, I was still surprised at the number of people who took time from their schedules to call or send a note of encouragement. I thank you all so very much. I'm on the mend, and will be spending Christmas at home with my family. I will be back in the studio on January 14 to tape our Teen Tournament, which is always one of my favorite competitions. Meanwhile, I hope you will continue to watch and enjoy the program. The shows were taped before my heart attack, so what you are seeing is original, not rerun material. Happy Holidays to all of you. Alex"
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Check out Gil Simmons' dramatic story on his blog
Turns out weather guy Gil was almost killed in a fire last weekend in Vermont.
http://wtnh.tv/blogs/index.php/weather/2007/12/12/banged_up_but_alive
http://wtnh.tv/blogs/index.php/weather/2007/12/12/banged_up_but_alive
New in the wacky digital world of late 2007
SUNDANCE CHANNEL DOCUMENTARIES
TO BE AVAILABLE ON THE iTUNES STORE
Feature Length Documentaries Hamburger America, Dropped, Original Child Bomb
And The Human Behavior Experiments
To Be Available Beginning on December 12, 2007 (Cost: $1.99 a piece.)
from NBC:
"The Apprentice" returns for its seventh season with a whole newtwist...14 celebrities will be competing to be the first "celebrityapprentice" and win $250,000 for his or her favorite charity."The Celebrity Apprentice" will premiere on Thursday, January 3 at 9:00p.m. EST.
OK, the charity angle is great, but there is NO logic behind this program. The whole dynamic of a young ambitious person trying to win an extended job interview to work in Trump's company is out the window with a fame-chaser. Why call it "The Apprentice?" Why not call it "Has-Been Olympics?" The idea makes as much sense as "Celebrity Seminary" or "Superstar Office Worker." It's pointless. It's a sham of a mockery of a double sham...
TO BE AVAILABLE ON THE iTUNES STORE
Feature Length Documentaries Hamburger America, Dropped, Original Child Bomb
And The Human Behavior Experiments
To Be Available Beginning on December 12, 2007 (Cost: $1.99 a piece.)
from NBC:
"The Apprentice" returns for its seventh season with a whole newtwist...14 celebrities will be competing to be the first "celebrityapprentice" and win $250,000 for his or her favorite charity."The Celebrity Apprentice" will premiere on Thursday, January 3 at 9:00p.m. EST.
OK, the charity angle is great, but there is NO logic behind this program. The whole dynamic of a young ambitious person trying to win an extended job interview to work in Trump's company is out the window with a fame-chaser. Why call it "The Apprentice?" Why not call it "Has-Been Olympics?" The idea makes as much sense as "Celebrity Seminary" or "Superstar Office Worker." It's pointless. It's a sham of a mockery of a double sham...
Friday, December 07, 2007
Comcast adds seven HD channels in New Haven
Comast New Haven has added seven HD channels to its lineup. They are:
Discovery Channel HD (Channel 191)
USA Network HD (Channel 195)
The History Channel HD (Channel 197)
A&E HD (Channel 211)
HGTV HD (Channel 212)
Food Network HD (Channel 213)
NFL Network HD (Channel 214)
Says one subscriber to the news:
That's (a total of) 30 HD channels and 1 HD on Demand. It may not be up to DirectTV's numbers but it is a start. Comcast moved several analog channels to digital in order to create the necessary bandwidth. My guess is that this trend will continue, especially in light of their recent announcement that their financial projections for 2008 (due to the number of subscribers) are worse than originally projected and their stock took a tumble as a result.
Discovery Channel HD (Channel 191)
USA Network HD (Channel 195)
The History Channel HD (Channel 197)
A&E HD (Channel 211)
HGTV HD (Channel 212)
Food Network HD (Channel 213)
NFL Network HD (Channel 214)
Says one subscriber to the news:
That's (a total of) 30 HD channels and 1 HD on Demand. It may not be up to DirectTV's numbers but it is a start. Comcast moved several analog channels to digital in order to create the necessary bandwidth. My guess is that this trend will continue, especially in light of their recent announcement that their financial projections for 2008 (due to the number of subscribers) are worse than originally projected and their stock took a tumble as a result.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Patriots beat High School Musical 2 to set cable record
from ESPN:
Monday night’s last-minute 27-24 victory by the New England Patriots over the Baltimore Ravens – keeping the visitors undefeated at 12-0 – attracted the largest household audience in cable television history and broke the record for most viewers. It also made ESPN the most-watched network – cable or broadcast – that night, the third time this season MNF has “won the night.”
ESPN’s Monday Night Football averaged 12,529,000 homes (based on a 13.0 rating), breaking the record for household audience set last year when the network averaged 11,807,000 households for the New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys on October 23 (based on a 12.8 rating). The game was seen by an average of 17,522,000 viewers (P2+), breaking the record set by Disney Channel’s High School Musical 2, which averaged 17,241,000 million viewers on August 17 this year.
Monday night’s last-minute 27-24 victory by the New England Patriots over the Baltimore Ravens – keeping the visitors undefeated at 12-0 – attracted the largest household audience in cable television history and broke the record for most viewers. It also made ESPN the most-watched network – cable or broadcast – that night, the third time this season MNF has “won the night.”
ESPN’s Monday Night Football averaged 12,529,000 homes (based on a 13.0 rating), breaking the record for household audience set last year when the network averaged 11,807,000 households for the New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys on October 23 (based on a 12.8 rating). The game was seen by an average of 17,522,000 viewers (P2+), breaking the record set by Disney Channel’s High School Musical 2, which averaged 17,241,000 million viewers on August 17 this year.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
L&O coming back; L&O:CI returning to NBC from USA
from nbc/universal:
NBC will lawyer-up on Wednesday nights as the Emmy Award-winning "Law & Order" resumes with a two-hour season premiere event on Wednesday, January 2 (9-11 p.m. ET), and will continue on Wednesdays starting January 9 (10-11 p.m. ET) preceded by this season's network broadcast premiere of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (9-10 p.m. ET) in its return to NBC that night. Joining the "Law & Order" cast for the show's 18th season are Jeremy Sisto as Detective Cyrus Lupo and Linus Roache as Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter. Cutter reports to Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) who has been promoted to District Attorney, replacing Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson).
Not sure if "CI" will air the previously aired USA episodes from this fall, but that would make sense given the writers' strike.
NBC will lawyer-up on Wednesday nights as the Emmy Award-winning "Law & Order" resumes with a two-hour season premiere event on Wednesday, January 2 (9-11 p.m. ET), and will continue on Wednesdays starting January 9 (10-11 p.m. ET) preceded by this season's network broadcast premiere of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (9-10 p.m. ET) in its return to NBC that night. Joining the "Law & Order" cast for the show's 18th season are Jeremy Sisto as Detective Cyrus Lupo and Linus Roache as Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter. Cutter reports to Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) who has been promoted to District Attorney, replacing Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson).
Not sure if "CI" will air the previously aired USA episodes from this fall, but that would make sense given the writers' strike.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Lisa Carberg's developing story
Lisa Carberg, the hometown gal from eastern Connecticut who took over for Joanne Nesti as co-anchor of WVIT-30's top news shows, is pregnant, she announced Friday on the news and in her blog on the station's Web site.
Says Carberg, "I have decided to start a blog about my pregnancy because I have so many questions. I have found that other women have given me the best advice, and I'm sure dads and grandparents also have a lot of practical knowledge to share! No worries - I promise not to get into too much detail. I don't have any children of my own so this is very exciting, friends ask me how I can possibly concentrate! That is getting easier now that I am in the second trimester and feeling more like myself."
She's due in the spring.
Says Carberg, "I have decided to start a blog about my pregnancy because I have so many questions. I have found that other women have given me the best advice, and I'm sure dads and grandparents also have a lot of practical knowledge to share! No worries - I promise not to get into too much detail. I don't have any children of my own so this is very exciting, friends ask me how I can possibly concentrate! That is getting easier now that I am in the second trimester and feeling more like myself."
She's due in the spring.
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