The Sorry State of Local Talk Radio

I've been listening to local talk radio since the advent of "The Morning Exchange" on WCHS 580 in the early 1990's. It has undergone many changes over the years and I have found something that I liked about each new expression of the medium, at least until now.

Other than a couple of different sports talk shows that are scattered through the weekly schedule, 580's talk show offerings are:

1. The infomercial-like "Ask The Expert" show where local egomaniacs and narcissists pay money to be on the air for an hour a day to promote their particular interest; or

2. "58 Live" in the afternoon where neo-con Mike Agnello and flaming moderate Rick Johnson host 3 hours of milquetoast banter every day. Agnello is always bringing on conservative guests who spew right-wing propaganda about the hot topic of the day, but the listeners and callers seem to only want to talk about the most innocuous of topics. The result is 3 hours of nothing every day. It is the single most dreadful show I have ever heard. While on the way home from work most days I will switch to one of our two sports stations to listen to commentary on the latest misadventures of Pac Man Jones or Michael Vick, ad-nauseum.

The other talk station, 950 on your dial, has Andy Albertini's "Andy & Company" that I posted about last week. The good thing about this early morning show is you only need to listen to it for about five minutes per hour to hear everything they have to say. You could pick up a copy of "Conservatism for Dummies" and pretty much figure out what Andy's going to say about everything. Andy's co-host and one-man "Amen Corner" does little to create interesting counter-point. The incessant drumbeat of "our government is oppressing us and our leaders are selling us out" gets very old, very quickly.

Even Jerry Waters, the nattering nabob of negativism that he was, was at least entertaining because his rhetoric raised the hackles of enough people on both sides of an issue to induce them to call the show. His downfall, in my opinion, was having school board member Pete Thaw on the air virtually every day. Pete's laugh (which, incidentally, sounds just like The Penguin from the Batman TV series) was grating and his commentary was beyond dull.

I can't believe it, but I am actually nostalgiac for the days of Danny Jones' show on 950 every morning as it was in the late 1990's. He was so much better as a talk show host than he is a mayor.

Cash Crop

Police made an interesting agricultural discovery on an obscure little street on the West Side.

Lt. Chuck Carpenter of the Metro Drug Unit said "They were very, very nice plants."

The plants were later burned before several high police officials.

The Black and White World of Andy Albertini

When Jerry Waters was unceremoniously removed from the airwaves of Charleston talk radio earlier in the year, his spot was soon filled by one Andy Albertini. Andy is a transplant from Ohio County and his show is described as "Hard Core Patriot Talk Radio." His shtick is basic neo-con with a little bit of motivational speaker rhetoric thrown in for good measure. Andy has a sycophant sidekick, whose name I don't recall. His job is apparently to make Andy sound smarter.

Lately Andy has been really out there against the smoking ban. He claims that any regulation of smoking in private buildings and businesses is tantamount to being forced to have government as one's business partner. I believe he is a cigar smoker, which would explain his commitment to smoker's rights. He isn't swayed by any theory of public health and smoking. When a caller recently tried to advocate for the public health aspect of the smoking ban, Andy accused the caller of being "the pleasure police" and against anything enjoyable. He was, in my view, unnecessarily harsh to the caller, who was only trying to explain the public health ramifications of second hand smoke.

Andy is a classic "aginner". He's against just about anything any governmental unit says or does.
For the past couple of days he has been on the Regatta Commission pretty hard because of their decision to ban the use of lawn chairs in front of the stage during Regatta performances. He has really gotten a kick out of the phrase "mosh pit" that was used to incorrectly describe the area directly in front of the stage at the concert, and he has been relentless in his ridicule of the person who used the term. Andy thinks that the logic behind the lawn chair ban is stupid (the logic being that emergency workers would have a harder time reaching the stage if there were a sea of lawn chairs to wade through), and the "mosh pit" comment is apparently proof-positive that city government is hopelessly out of touch.

In Andy's world, there is no merit in anything he doesn't understand or agree with. If he's against it, it's the most ludicrous thing in the world. If he's for it, there is no way anyone with a brain could disagree with it unless they have ulterior motives.

At least that's the impression I get from his show. Andy's world is all black and white; no shades of gray.

Seems like an uninteresting place to live.

Our long nightmare is not over...

Remember last week when the prevailing sentiment about the table games vote was "I can't wait until Saturday so this thing will be over with!"? Well, it's Tuesday and it's not over with.

Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper, as is his manner and custom, has put himself in the middle of this controversy by:

• Demanding the County Commission vote on a resolution supporting table games, and then;
• Joining Danny Jones in beating the drum to pass the table games resolution, and then;
• Prematurely announcing that all ballots had been counted, and that the measure had passed by 60 votes, and then;
• Announcing that the final numbers meant that the measure had passed by 33 votes and proclaiming it a "great day for Kanawha County", and then;
• Saying that he felt the 64 ballots found on Monday should not be counted.

While he later relented and said the ballots should be counted, it was his shoot-from-the-hip original answer that reveals his true thoughts on the matter.

Could it be that his allegiance is swayed by the money that Tri State Casino donated to his election campaign?

I don't seriously think Commissioner Carper is corrupt, but he would be the first to exclaim, "Avoid the appearance of impropriety!"

He should practice what he preaches.

Table Games Pass

44,000 people in Kanawha County went to the polls to vote for or against allowing table games at the Tri State Greyhound track in Cross Lanes. A razor thin margin of 33 votes passed the measure. With a bunch of provisional ballots to be counted this thing is still close enough that it could turn out differently, but for now it seems Big Gambling has won.

Time will tell if this was good or bad for the economy, but I know already it is not good for the soul of our community. We have one of the greatest places in the country to live, but our government officials want to live beyond our means. They want multi-million dollar arts centers and libraries even though we can't afford them. They want to spend more and more money on a population that is shrinking. So they look to an economic development project that, in order to succeed, it's customers have to lose.

Certainly there are people who gamble for entertainment and can afford the losses they most likely will incur, but there are many people who can't afford it that will lose the grocery or rent money because they can't control themselves. No worries, though, because their grocery money will help finance the next big project and we'll all benefit.

But what happens ten years from now when we've gotten used to the gambling income and our government begins to live beyond its means again? I guess we'll have to look at other revenue sources.

It will be interesting to see what those are.

The Gambling Debate Makes Strange Bedfellows

The upcoming "Table Games" election in Kanawha County is creating some interesting alliances and dividing some former allies, irrespective of party lines and ideological labels. Instead of being a Conservative vs. Liberal issue, or a Democrat vs. Republican issue, this election has created a whole new voting block from the extremities of the political spectrum. Ultra right-wing, bible-thumping evangelical preachers are on the same side as left-wing, cradle-to-grave social liberals. What's interesting is that virtually everyone between the two extremes is on the same side of the issue, too.

But while it is true that extreme liberals and extreme conservatives find themselves in agreement, they come to the same position for completely different reasons.

Most extreme conservatives are morally against gambling for religious reasons. Some fundamentalist Christians are of the opinion that gambling is sinful because the Bible tells them that the Roman guards cast lots for Jesus' clothing after his crucifixion (I've always found it interesting that these same people conveniently overlook the passage where the Apostles also cast lots to decide who would replace Judas). "Casting Lots" equals gambling and therefore is sinful behavior in their eyes. Interestingly enough, most non-religious conservatives are not against gambling, except in symbolic "solidarity" with their parties majority position.

Extreme liberals are against gambling because of the social costs. We should not be providing state-sponsored gambling any more than we should be providing heroin to schoolchildren. Gambling is a drug and there are powerless people who should be protected from that drug.

Now the wild card, the unknown, in all of this is the question of how big the middle group is. There is some serious courting going on from both sides, but the heavily-funded gambling industry has too much firepower. They are on TV and radio constantly bombarding the undecided with promises of jobs and economic prosperity if only the issue passes. The other side has only the argument that gambling is wrong.

Morals vs. Money - History predicts the outcome - Money usually wins.

Charleston Round-Up

A few things happening under the radar in Charleston recently:

- Mayor Danny Jones got a pretty good spanking by some old-money Charlestonians for trashing up Mountain View Cemetery with the Fourth of July Fireworks. Although in his public statements he made it sound like no big deal, the fact is that he was read the riot act by several City "Mothers." Rod Blackstone took the blame. If it had been a big hit he wouldn't have been credited.

- Keep your ears open for at least one City Councilman to announce his resignation soon - or at least announce his intention to not seek office again. Butting heads with Mayor Jones can make one lose one's taste for local politics. There are two councilmen who are at odds with the mayor presently and rumor has it that at least one of them is talking about making a big stink when he leaves office. It should be interesting.

- "Friday Night at the Levee" attendance is dismal. You gotta wonder how long the city can spend the money on street crews and police for a party for 100 people or less every Friday night. But since this was Tom Lane's idea, you can be sure that it will get every consideration before it's axed.

- I wrote about the boondoggle park on the East End, but another proposed park for the West Side is nearly as stupid. The next time you are down West Washington Street look at the steep, grassy hillside at the Barton Street intersection and try to figure out what the hell they are thinking.

- In a bizarre, almost reality show type of behavior, former radio talk show host Jerry Waters can now be found sitting on the sidewalk outside Taylor Books almost every day. He sits and snidely comments about passers-by the same way he did about virtually everything in his talk show days.

That's all for now, I think my FiberNet service might be coming back online soon and I have a few hundred phone calls to make!

Free Wi-Fi for the East End

In an announcement heralded by state and city elected officials and the Charleston Area Alliance, it was made known today that the East End Main Street folks have secured a grant to provide free Wi-Fi internet for the entire East End of Charleston.

On the surface this sounds like a great idea. I am totally psyched about being able to sit down and blog or answer email anywhere on the East End where I live. I can get rid of my $39.95 per month Suddenlink internet bill!

But I'll bet if I worked for Suddenlink, FiberNet or Verizon and was looking at losing thousands of DSL or cable internet customers I would be singing a different tune!

How can the Charleston Area Alliance be happy about the government getting into competition with business? What's next, city-run coffee shops?

Far Werks!

Mayor Jones decided to move the City's 4th of July fireworks show from its traditional river front location to Spring Hill Cemetery on the North Side of the valley. Ostensibly this move was to save a bunch of bucks by combining the show with those that The Power were going to be shooting off that evening.

Some people around town are upset that the fireworks would be launched from a sacred place like a cemetery, and a lot of boaters are mad because one of the main reason people have boats in Charleston is to get up close to the two or three fireworks displays that are launched from either barges on the river or on trucks on the banks.

This is another one of those Jones Administration decisions that is curious in its apparent lack of thought. Here are the problems I see with the new location:

1. For more than thirty years, the fireworks have been at the riverfront. People have traditional places they meet to watch them. People always line the riverbank from the Clendenin Street nearly to the Capitol, and hundreds of people watch from boats. For thousands of people this is their family 4th of July tradition. There will be a lot of scrambling this year to find new places to watch from, but;

2. There are less places to watch from. Although the idea of using the elevation of the hilltop sounds good, the angles will make it difficult to see the fireworks from traditional places like Fort Hill, the West Side hill. The river will be a terrible vantage point and boaters will have to get out of the water to see the show. Outside of Appy Park, I can't think of a single vantage point that will be a decent place to watch from.

3. As dry as the foliage and grass is right now, putting the show on the hillside is a recipe for a brush fire. One of the great things about the riverfront show is that the ashes and embers fall harmlessly into the Kanawha.

4. Cars on the interstate will be right under the show. I would not be surprised if we have fender-benders or worse during the display.

I could write a dozen more reasons this is a bad idea, but what's the point?

Snob Knob

South Hills has the reputation of being the rich side of Charleston. Even though the largest, most ostentatious homes in town are found in places like Foxchase and Quarry Creek, it is South Hills that retains the reputation of the stomping grounds of the rich. Many people hold the erroneous belief that everyone who lives in the 25314 zip code is filthy rich. But I know better.

I grew up in South Hills. I went to John Adams Junior High and George Washington High. I know every street in South Hills, having ridden my bike as a teenager on every one of them. There is indeed some enormous wealth scattered about the hills, but there are also a few pockets of real poverty. A large segment of the area's population has always been working-class folks with incomes at or below the Charleston median. Growing up there I didn't know of the stereotypes until I was in high school, and by then I was so familiar with the truth that I didn't pay much attention to the myth. The bottom line for me was I lived in South Hills and I was definitely not rich.

Although my family's economic station was no where near the median of the families of my peers I had no trouble fitting in during elementary, junior high and about one-fourth of high school. Then things changed. Big time.

Looking back, I now know what was the trigger for the change, but I was oblivious then. All I knew was that many - OK, most - of the people who had been my friends since second or third grade were quite suddenly aloof. Guys that I had played little league baseball with were all of the sudden too preoccupied to take in a Charlies game with me. My buddies wouldn't go to the Kanawha State Forest pool with me any more and didn't invite me to go to Windemere or South Hills Pools with them. No more golf at Coonskin or Shawnee for the ol' gang: Nothing but Berry Hills would suffice any longer. Girls that I had known for years and years, and even dated, would act as if they didn't remember my name if we were to meet in unfamiliar places when they were with unfamiliar friends. It was very clear: I was no longer on their level.

It seems that these striations were revealed in the second semester of tenth grade.That was when there was no more denying that there were marked differences in the societal landscape between the "haves" and the "have mores." That's when the truly upper crust kids began to disappear from school one by one. We never knew where some of them went, and some were rumored to have been shipped off to Linsly or another far-away boarding school with names I did not know. These were the future leaders of Charleston, West Virginia and the Nation: They had to be schooled accordingly.

The next lower tier were less likely to be sent away to school unless they got into some trouble, but they were still separating themselves from the chaff with the clothes they wore and, more importantly, the cars they drove. In fact it was the introduction of cars into the high school society mix that triggered all of the separation of the classes - socioeconomic class, that is.

Now there were basically three levels of vehicular status at George Washington High School in the late 1970s. There were those with no car (I would reside in this class my entire high school career), those with cars and then there were those with really expensive cars.

The No Car people, my people, were carless for a variety of reasons, but none of them would be kids from affluent families who denied their offspring a car; no, that never happened. The carless class was made up of those whose parents couldn't afford cars for them, those whose parents thought cars were an unnecessary luxury, those whose parents felt that cars corrupt kids, those who had once had cars but had lost them because they wrecked them or had some run in with the law. There were probably many other reasons that our group had so many members (lack of driver's licenses for one), but we didn't discuss it amongst ourselves.

The largest group were the regular Car Kids. They drove anything from shiny new Trans Ams or Camaros, to the ten year old Datsun Uncle Ralph had given them. This group also had lots of pick up trucks and four-door Caprice Classics, Monte Carlos and an Olds Cutlass or two. Most of these cars were second hand or were daddy's toys that the kids were allowed to drive to school.

The chasm between the Car Kids and the Expensive Car Kids was vast. The lowest of the expensive car kids had new Corvettes. Porsche, BMW, Audi, Mercedes were typical for this group. These are the people who now, 30 years later, drive the highest priced Mercedes and Lexus models, and whose wives all drive Escalades.

And they all eat pizza at Lola's; which is actually what I wanted to write about this evening.

I finally made it to Lola's. I've been trying to get there since I first heard about it last Summer, but the place is tiny and always full to overflow. So my wife and I went a little early recently and got a table with no problem. Nice little place with interesting and expensive gourmet pizzas and lots of interesting and expensive imported beer and wine to wash it down. We had two 10" specialty pizzas and water to drink. The bill? $30. That's-a some-a pricey pizza!!

The little old house that is home to Lola's sits below Bridge Road in the curve that signals the end of the Bridge Road Business District. Its tiny parking lot and the overflow lot across the street is full of expensive machinery anytime the restaurant is open and especially on Friday night. The drivers of said machinery sit or stand around on the front porch waiting for one of the eight tables and few bar stools inside to become vacant, or for their to-go order to come out of the oven. Inside the patrons order from the pricey menu and sip their wine and guzzle their beer until their pizza comes, then they eat their crispy crust pizza with Gorgonzola cheese and caramelized onions with a knife and fork. They chat with their neighbors about the trip they took to Tuscany last summer and how dreadful the champagne is that is served in Delta's first-class.

It was like deja-vu. Like I was back in the GW cafeteria, except that none of these people would have eaten in the cafeteria.

By the way, the pizza at Lola's is good. Not to die for good, but very good indeed. All things considered I think I'd rather go to Lorobi's in St. Albans: They have pizza that is to die for, and my Ford would fit in better in the parking lot.

Festivallgone

Other than the way cool sidewalk drawing at Appy Park I did not partake of a single event at this year's Festivall. I'm not sure why - kids, work, weather all seemed to conspire to keep me distracted and when I did venture downtown at around 6:00 Saturday evening the sidewalks seemed to have already been rolled up.

There are several bloggers who wrote and posted photos of the events, and Oncee has a round up of the posts.

Last year's event was great for the first time and I was hopeful this year would be even better. But I'm wondering how the attendance was this year. A friend told me he went down to Capitol Street Sunday afternoon and the place was deserted. I heard that the Wine and Jazz event was well attended, but I know no one that went to the Blues, Brews and BBQ on Friday (I really wanted to go to see Robert Cray, but alas).

Having events scattered around town might seem like a good idea on the surface, but I think it tends to suppress attendance overall. Many of the venues are too far apart to walk and it's difficult to drive and park to all the different places. The trolleys aren't frequent enough to encourage a steady stream of riders (and I didn't know about the trolley plays until I read about them in the paper!). The "river taxi" to UC is an insufficient solution to the event-to-event commute for many folks since it only ran every 90 minutes.

The Regatta went through this same wierd tranformation in the 80's. A sponsor would step forward and want to hold the event in its neighborhood, and the sponsor hungry festival commission would acquiese. We ended up with events for this "River Festival" scattered all over town and everything just felt watered down after a while. I wonder why we always do this in Charleston? A word of advice to Larry Groce and other Festivall organizers: Pick an area and focus the activities there. The two and three-hundred blocks of Capitol and Summers Streets would be plenty of room for Festivall. Go ahead with the two big pay events at UC, but keep downtown open a little longer into the evening for those of us who can't or don't want to pay.

Just my $.02. Take it or leave it.

Charleston's U$er Fee

As I predicted a year ago, on the very day that Danny Jones took the oath of office to begin his second term as mayor, he proposed a doubling of the user fee.

Read the whole sad story in today's Gazette:

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/2007061835

Imagine how easy it would be to run a business if you could just have an extra few million when you wanted it. Instead of being fiscally responsible and living within your means, just grab more money from your constituency.

East End Boondoggle in the Making

I am not an "aginner." I'm not one of those people who nay-say every idea to make the community a more enjoyable place to live. I don't have a problem with spending tax dollars on projects whose only benefit is quality of life. And God knows that we have a dearth of greenspace in Charleston and recreation space is at a premium. But there is a project in the works in Charleston right now that is a terribly bad idea on so many levels it's difficult to see how anyone could think it will work.

I'm talking about the park that is being proposed for land that sits tucked away in a dreadful little corner of the East End. Here's an aerial photo. (click to enlarge).


The circled area that sits right across the railroad tracks from Laidley Field is the site that has been proposed for this park. Notice how it is bordered by a very dense neighborhood to the south. Here is a street view of that neighborhood.


This shot is taken one block from what has historically been the worst drug corner in the city: Lewis and Thompson. The row houses you see are along Dixie Street and behind these houses are other houses as you can see in the aerial shot. Almost all of these houses are rental units owned by some of the worst slumlords our city has to offer. Many of these houses have been illegally subdivided into multi-family units and the whole area is as densely populated as any section in the city. And the back doors of these houses look out onto the proposed park site.

So, some reasonable people might say, maybe a park will make a difference. Maybe it will be what the neighborhood needs to turn around. History would predict otherwise:

In the mid 1990's, a fantastic community playground, called "Celebration Station" was built not to far from the proposed park site. This wider aerial shot shows both sites. Celebration Station is at the lower left corner


Celebration Station was an amazing community project that utilized hundreds of volunteers to build an awesome playground adjacent to Piedmont Elementary School. Here is a photo taken there on a recent beautiful early summer evening.


Note how many kids are in the picture? None. Other than the basketball courts, the place is desolate most of the time, except for a few neighbor kids who live directly across the street and some rough talking teenagers that seem to always be around. (shortly after snapping this photo I was nearly hit by a shoe that was thrown in my direction by teenagers who were rough-housing on one of the children's swings - I obviously wasn't welcome on their turf). Trash is strewn about the place and graffiti covers the once-beautiful and ingeniously designed structures that were built with such care and hope. When the place was first opened I would take my kids a few times a month, but as the years went by it felt less and less safe. I don't know anyone who takes their kids there now because it just doesn't feel safe.

And Celebration Station is in a much, much safer and more accessible neighborhood than the proposed park.

People in the East End have been clamoring for recreation facilities for years and years. Mayor Jay Goldman, whenever confronted with these requests, would point at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center and say it was on the East End. Only someone who had always lived in South Hills would consider the King Center, which sits on the bank of the Elk River, as being on the East End.

The residents of the East End need and deserve a park, but not here. Granted, land is in short supply on the East End, and this land has little potential as a business location or other economic development project. But the bottom line is that, if this park is built, will be the most phenomenal waste of money we've seen in decades. And after a while residents of the East End will be run out of this park by the criminal or unseemly element that will no doubt thrive in this isolated part of town with a dense area of low and very low income housing surrounding it. And when they complain that the park has become unusable, the city fathers will say "we built you a nice park and you don't use it!"

My opinion is that this is a ploy to pre-empt the uprising that will certainly occur when the City throws several million dollars into the new library. Either that or it is a misguided attempt to fulfill a Danny Jones campaign promise. Or it might be both. Whatever the motive, it is a bad idea.

The Vandalia Gathering

One of the very best things about living in Charleston happens every Memorial Day weekend. It is like an old fashioned homecoming or family reunion, except that the family is pretty darn big.

You can read all you want to about the purpose of The Vandalia Gathering on its website, so I won't go into it here. Suffice it to say that a whole bunch of really talented West Virginians who are keenly interested in passing on our culture to future generations have been flocking to Charleston for the past thirty years.

Like any family reunion, there is food a plenty. Just about every traditional West Virginia food is available including hot dogs, hot bologna sandwiches, home made ice cream and funnel cakes.

You can also find West Virginia made food items like salsa, jellies and jam, honey and peanuts.
The site of the gathering is the grounds of the State Capitol with its beautiful lawn and magnificent shade trees. Under virtually every one of these shade trees you will find a handful of musicians jamming some old time tune on various combinations of fiddle, guitar, banjo, dulcimer and upright bass.


Year after year the same players and pickers sit or stand under the same trees and sing the same songs. Some of the larger trees hold two or more groups.


After a few years you begin to have some favorites and you can always find them right there under than same tree. The dependability of it all is comforting.


If you are inspired by all of the excellent music, you can find a few places to buy a traditional mountain dulcimer; hand made by West Virginians, of course.


On of the favorite foods at Vandalia is always roasted ears of corn. When I was a kid we always called called ears of corn "roesuneers." It wasn't until I was an adult that I figured out that the word was a corruption of "Roasting Ears."

Roasting ears of corn is hot work when the temperature is already in the upper 80's, which it nearly always is at Vanadalia.

And they roast a lot of them!

Eating a roesuneer is messy work. They are juicy and covered with melted butter that runs down your arms when you eat them. The proper form is to sit or stand, leaning sharply forward from the waist to allow the juice to drip to the ground.


I'll try to post more about Vandalia in the days to come.

How To Cook Ramps

I love Springtime in West Virginia.

For me the very best thing about springtime in West Virginia is the advent of ramps. I won't spend a lot of time here discussing ramps. You can find a lot of such discussion here, here and here.

I will, though, state my belief that ramps have an undeserved reputation. I have had the following discussion with many, many people over the years:

Me: Do you like ramps?
Them: [snarles up nose] Eeeww, no!
Me: Have you ever tried them?
Them: I don't want to, they smell terrible.
Me: Have you ever smelled them?
Them: I'm not sure, but I know they smell awful.
Me: So try some!
Them: No, that's OK.

Now if you are reading this and have never had ramps you are probably saying to yourself "eew, yuck, a post about ramps." To you I have but one thing to say: Try them. They are the most wonderfully delicious delicacy that eminates from our hills (OK, except for hot dogs).

Let's be honest: Ramps smell no worse than onions or garlic. If you were to cook a big pot of garlic in the same quanity that people typically cook ramps the odor would be very strong and hover in the house for days. And the flavor of ramps is absoulutely worth any lingering smell they create.

And don't tell me that they make people who eat them smell any worse than garlic does, I'm not buyin' it.

So, how best to cook ramps? While there are many, many ways I'd like to share my favorite recipe. This is a classic ramp dish that has no name as far as I know but George Tuttle, chef extraordinaire, used to sell a similar dish at the now-defunct and vanished Corner Restaurant on Charleston's West Side. He called it a "Ramp Sampler":

Here's what you need for a single hearty serving:

• 2 slices of bacon
• two eggs
• 6 to 12 ramps (depends on how mature the plants are and how strong you like your dish)
• 1 medium potato
• black pepper

First, cut the bacon into 1" pieces and brown them over low heat.


While your bacon is cooking prepare your ramps by cutting off the bulbs...


then cut off any parts of the stems that have a reddish color (the red parts are a little bitter when they are cooked).

Cut the leaves into 1" pieces.

Chop the ramp bulbs into small pieces.
Chop the potato into small pieces. Smaller size pieces will cook quicker and be more tender. You can peel the potato but I prefer to leave the skin on.


After the bacon is brown on both sides, pour off excess grease.

"Excess," of course, is a personal preference. Some grease (about a tablespoon) will be necessary for the next step, but some people like to leave all the grease in the pan.


Put the potatoes and ramp bulbs in the pan with the bacon and cook in the remaining bacon grease. Cook until the potatoes begin to tenderize and brown slightly.


Add a liberal sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper now. You can add more to taste after cooking.



Do Not Skip This Step! With a few drips of water, deglaze the pan. Add enough water to coat the entire bottom of the pan.


Add the ramp greens and stir, continue to cook over medium heat.


Add eggs and stir until they are completely cooked.

Remove from heat as soon as the eggs are done.

Place the concoction on a Fiestaware plate and you have yourself an authentic West Virginia breakfast, lunch or dinner! Man, oh man, is it good.


And the best part is that for the next 12 - 24 hours the lingering aroma will remind you of the goodness every time you enter your house.

As I said before, I love Spring!

Blogger War Intelligence

President Bush today used words written by an Iraqi blogger as evidence his new strategy is having an effect in Baghdad. I found this interesting because I have been a regular reader of the blog he referenced, as well as three other english language blogs from Iraq, since days after the war began. I have found them to be tremendously helpful tools for divining the truth of the situation on the ground in Iraq. It is truly astounding to be able to read the words of someone who is so affected by this thing we see on TV that is so far away.

The one blog that has meant more to me than the others is that of a girl from Mosul named Najma. She is the exact same age as my oldest daughter and for the past four years I have seen her struggle with the same life issues that my daughter faces, the main difference being that Najma's difficulties include bombs, tanks and soldiers. In spite of the war in her country, though, many of her biggest concerns and fears are about her grades and the social things that young girls worry about universally.

I have learned a great deal about Iraq, war, cultural and religious prejudice and the news media by reading these blogs. I highly recommend the practice. Here is a list of currently active Iraqi bloggers. Be warned, they vary greatly in their viewpoint from pro-America to vehemently anti-West. Some are remarkable for the way they blog about life just as most American bloggers without ever mentioning politics or the war and some are only about the war.

Omar and Mohammed, ITM

Zeyad

Iraq Pundit

Hammorabi Sam

Ambassador Fayrouz

Baghdad Treasure

24 Steps to Liberty

Iraqi Mojo

Konfused Kollege Kid

Sooni

Anarki-13

Attawie

Caesar of Pentra

Morbid Smile

Morbid Smile's Photos

Alaa, the Mesopotamian

Into the Sun

Iraqi Roulette

Marshmallow26

BlogIraqi

Faiza

Khalid

Raed

Riverbend

Asterism

Sooni

Sami

Najma

Nabil

The Talisman Gate

Ibn Al Rafidain

Husayn

Beth Nahrain

Abu Khaleel

HNK

Baghdad Girl: Cat Blogger

Sunshine

Sunshine's Mom: Mama

Baghdad Artist

I64 Footage Makes National News

AP, among other outlets, are featuring this video that was shot from Fort Hill of the Oakwood curve on I64 on Saturday.

$700K Going once...$700K going twice... SOLD for $650,000!?

A couple of weeks ago a group of investors led by former Puntam County Senator Oshel Craigo made the high bid for Sandy Brae Golf Course at an auction held by the Kanawha County Commission. That bid, though less than the stated minimum acceptable bid, was for $700,000. Lots of public comment followed the auction, most notably from the lips of Commissioner Kent Carper, since the expected sale price was in excess of $1 Million. After a lot of discussion and grandstanding for the media, a second auction was scheduled. This time the high bid was $650,000.

Now it is up to the County Commission to decide whether to accept the bid or to have another auction. Who knows? They might get $600,000 this time.

I think they should keep on auctioning the thing until it gets down into my price range. I have a hundred bucks or so to spend and I've always wanted to own my own golf course.

Thanks for Sharing

The scene has been repeated 3 or 4 times in the past month. The players and props change, but the story is the same:

As I am pumping gas a car pulls up with the windows down and the music blaring. The young male, wearing a baseball hat which sits backwards upon his head, gets out and goes into the store, leaving his car running, windows down and music at full volume. He comes back out, pumps his gas and then leaves. Thankfully.

It's not that I'm not a music lover, I am. But the "music" that always eminates from these vehicles is filled with the most disgusting lyrics that you can possibly imagine. It's as if there is an unwritten rule, some mathematical imperative that demands a direct coorelation between the level of profanity in a song and the volume it must be played. And when the volume reaches a certain level, then apparently the windows must be left open to keep them from shattering.

There really is no other explanation that is satisfactory.

My New Favorite Blog in the World

From the Blog Description at Hillbilly Savants:

This blog is about our Appalachia - the real one, not the Hollywood-stereotype nor the third-world nation-esque stereotype being sold by do-gooders, or even the neo-Romantic sylvan stereotype that Rousseau would probably buy into.

Hillbilly Savants is one of those blogs that makes you want to just want to pull up the rockin' chair and put your feet next to the fire. Do check it out, and take your time. Look over the archives. Lots of great photos and articles from a couple dozen or so contributors.

Of particular and immediate note is this article by April Cain. Great, great reading.

Squirrel Birth Control

In West Virginia, we just inject them with buckshot.

Charleston Going to the Dogs?

An article in this morning's Gazette stirs up all kinds of emotions in yours truly. The main subject is the tethering of dogs, but it touches on a few other doggy issues as well like pooper scooping and vicious mutts. The one thing it does not address is barking dogs. And that is what I am most interested in.

I am interested because I have a neighbor with a very, very large and very, very loud dog. Since I live in one of those older neighborhoods where houses are built ten feet or so apart, the dog is a real problem. When it barks I hear it. Whether it's inside the house or outside in the yard, and whether or not I am inside my house or in my yard, when it barks I hear it. This fact is made all the worse by the fact that the dog is not only loud, but completely insane. It barks at any stimulus, real or imagined. At anytime, day or night, it will suddenly and without any provocation other than that which exists in its own evil soul, will bolt outside through its barn-sized doggy door and bark like there's no tomorrow and it's his job to warn humanity of impending doom. The proximity of the houses makes it impossible to ignore or escape.

When I am in bed at 3:00AM and the dog decides to have one of its barking fits there is no possible way that anyone with normal hearing ability sleeping 20 or 30 feet away can stay asleep. Yes, I've tried earplugs; yes, I have tried white noise generators; yes, I have very much considered canineicide, but, so far, I haven't succumbed to this temptation. But I can't guarantee that some night, fueled by sleep deprivation, I might throw the dogs some kibbles and bits of cyanide.

The City of Charleston has a dog barking ordinance that reads:

No person shall own or keep within the city any dog which shall, by barking, howling, squalling, crying or in any other manner whatsoever, disturb the
comfort or quiet of any reasonable person.

Now I am a reasonable person, at least I was before this dog showed up next door. I have spoken to my neighbor but they are not disturbed by the barking AND they are not reasonable persons, so apparently the ordinance doesn't apply to them. I have spoken to the police, but they say they need to witness the dog barking and I am convinced that the only trick the dog knows is "Shut Up When The Police Are Around" because every time I have had the opportunity to demonstrate the problem to police officer the dog is completely silent. This had caused me to seriously consider adopting a policeman to come and live with us.

So, when I read this story in the paper, bleary-eyed from another 4:45AM wake up call from the devil-beast next door, I find little compassion in my weary soul for dogs that are tethered. Instead of debating this matter further, I wish our City leaders would address the tethering of dog owners. Especially those who live next door to me.

Live Blogging Jerry Waters Radio Show

10:05 Oh My God! It's Jackie Lantern and The Film Geek on Jerry Waters!

10:06 - Jerry reads from this blog...again - still didn't give out the URL!

10:08 - Jackie trying to explain a blog to Pete Thaw: "Well, imagine an abacus..." LOL!

10:15 - Jackie says that everyone who knows him recognizes he is independently wealthy! LMAO! Jerry says he looks like someone who is going to hold up a 7-11!

10:24 - No, it wasn't me that asked to be on the show. I can't imagine who it might have been.

10:25 - Raging Red gets some love from Jerry. "I think she's a lawyer." Duh!

10:26 - Jerry's going to post a link to the HotDogBlog. A guy on the phone wants to be start a hot dog cart business. Film Geek asks "what is everything on a hot dog?" Stanton is beaming, I'm sure.

10: 28 - Commercial break. Good show so far. Thought: Jackie, can a link list be added to wvbloggers as a central clearing house to send people looking for local bloggers?

10:38 - More love for the Hot Dog Blog. Stanton is a "Media Darling."

10:39 - Caller questions anonymity of bloggers. Is she calling for an investigation of blogger?! Jerry says only 2 or 3 are worthwile. Most are rants and raves. Not news. Somebody mention feeds and subscriptions, please!

10:43 - So far the callers seem to be interested in bloggers and blogging. I expect that we'll get some traffic as a result if Jerry will give out a URL. How about Oncee? His URL is manageable to communicate orally and he has an awesome blogroll.

oncee.blogspot.com/

10:50 - Jerry Acknowledges this live blogging effort. STILL DOESN"T GIVE A URL!!!

10:53 - Film Geek and Jerry discuss Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers." Film Geek is a "flaming liberal!" according to Jerry. Film Geek's review is here.

First hour is in the books. Topics were limited to blogging, bloggers, David Anderson and the Sandy Brae auction. Film Geek seems to be hogging the mic. Poor Jackie can't get a word in edgewise. I'd like to hear more about the source of Jackie's wealth, but I suspect Jerry's right and it comes from a life of crime. Very entertaining radio, at least for me.

11:05 - Finally gives a URL. But to the wvhotdogs.com site. Maybe folks can link to blogs from there.

11:08 - Jerry raises the prospect of making money on blogs. Film Geeks says he would if he knew how! Amen, brother! Maybe Jackie's figured it out?

11:12 - Regular caller and uber-con from Lincoln County, Bryant, calls to talk about a movie he hasn't seen. Jerry sounds reasonable by comparison.

11:16 - Jackie finally gets to talk. Says he blogs about the "most rediculous things ever." Funny, he doesn't sound like an independantly wealthy man.

11:23 - Jerry backhands the radiothon on WCHS and asks for donations to his personal benefit. They are raising money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital on the other station.

11:30 - Heading into the last half-hour. I wish Jerry would talk about the great blogs like Rick Lee, Downtown WV, Oncee, Donutbuzz, etc. There really is a good diversity of Charleston/Huntington bloggers that is not being represented. Some really great writers, too, like Sharon Lyn, that people would enjoy reading.

11:35 - Jerry reads an email from on the air from Scarlett. She says bloggers aren't all about ranting and raving, but connecting with people of like interests. Well said! Jerry plugs the hot dog site again.

All in all a fun show. Thanks Jerry, for acknowledging our meaningless existence. Thanks Film Geek and Jackie for representing us well.

Bloggers on Radio - Friday

Jerry Waters has announced that he will be hosting some local bloggers on his radio talk show tomorrow. I know I'll be tuning in to see who actually shows up, because I can't think of any local bloggers that really fit Jerry's show, which is mostly about:

A. Homeless people using the library.
B. How terrible we have it in "This State."
C. Parachuting (including BASE Jumping).
D. Obesity is worse than smoking.
E. Estonia.
F. Birds.

Even though he's pretty predictable it's still the most entertaining local talk show on the air in Charleston. Jerry's show is on from 10:00 to noon on 950 AM.

Kanawha County School Board Reinstates Pratt Principal

David Anderson, the principal at Pratt Elementary who was arrested for cocaine possession last year was cleared to return to work at tonight's school board meeting. He was found not guilty of the charges last week by a Kanawha County jury.

The vote tonight was split. Becky Jordan said this was a case of bad judgement and that everybody makes mistakes.

Anderson allegedly was asked to hold on to a package by a friend when they were confronted by the police at 3:00 AM in downtown Charleston - several counts of bad judgement in my view. Pratt teacher Kristina Elson was also with Anderson when he was arrested.

Oh yeah, I want my kid to go to their school. If I had a kid at Pratt Elementary I would exercise good judgement and take him elsewhere before the faculty and administration made another mistake.

Bill Ragland was livid after tonight's meeting. He said , quite correctly I believe, that if this had been a a 16 year-old black male that he "would be eating his lunch at Mount Olive."

We should count our blessings. It wouldn't matter if Suddenlink Cable went off the air and all of the movie theaters closed down; As long as we have the Kanawha County School Board on duty we will always be entertained.

But, where are we to go for our alligator nuggets and raspberry iced tea?

I'm sad to report Hallelujah Wings has shut its doors forever.

Last Minute Valentine Scramble

A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. These guys pick through the dregs of Rite Aid's Valentine cards late on February 13th.

Rio Grande Charleston & The Chirp

I love Mexican food. I've never had a bad meal at any Mexican place around Charleston, but I really, really love Rio Grande's Mexican fare.

I have been a fan of Rio Grande for years. Since they opened the first Charleston location, on Capitol Street where Banana Joe's is (or was? What is it now?). Rio Grande is always my first choice for dinner when I want to have a great meal. I have spoken to dozens of people who feel as I do. I love the chips and salsa. I really love Combination Dinner #1 (Las enchiladas DE pollo, por favor). And while I don't imbibe, I have heard from many that the Margaritas are very good and very potent.

The atmosphere is very nice, and as authentic as you can expect in downtown Appalachia, with la musica playing at appropriate volume to give it an authentic Mexican feel. Mexican-themed murals and colorful sombreros and pinatas provide the visuals. All in all, a great place to eat.

Except for that damned chirp.

If you are a Rio Grande regular and have ears, you have to know what I am talking about. Every thirty seconds a smoke alarm, located in the dining area nearest the kitchen, chirps. The chirp means that the battery on this hard-wired smoke detector needs replacing. It has needed replacing for at least seven years. Every time I eat there, once per month on average, I hear it. I can't keep from hearing it. It is like an electronic version of the Chinese water torture. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

How can the people that work there ignore this infernal auditory vexation? [chirp] Do they become immune to it after a while? Have they learned to just tune it out? [chirp] Could it be that they don't know what it is? Like Jed Clampett trying to find that music that played ever so often but was interrupted by someone knocking on the door each time he looked for it? [chirp] Do restaurant employees come in each day and say "¡Hay ese ruido loco otra vez!"?

Do firemen ever eat there? It seems like one of them would [chirp] tell the manager that the battery needs changed? I mean, it's been at least 7 freakin' years! Wouldn't someone have brought it to their attention by now?

Maybe it's an amusement for them. Maybe they have a pool [chirp] every night where they bet on what time someone will crack under the pressure and try to tell someone about it. I've noticed that the waiters will stand around in a circle speaking Spanish and laugh. Maybe they are telling stories [chirp] of the classic ways that the locals have tried to to tell them about the problem, exaggerating the Appalachian drawl in their mocking: "'scuse me, amigo, but yer battry in your smoke thingy is a goner," they might say and then throw back their heads and laugh. Of course [chirp] the guy who won the pool laughs loudest.

One of these days I am going to walk in with a stepladder [chirp] and a 9 volt Duracell. I'll dress in some nondescript coveralls with "Ralph" emblazoned on the left chest panel. They'll ask me what I'm doing and I'll just say, in broken Spanish, "Soy del departamento del reemplazo de la batería" and go straight to the smoke detector and set up my ladder. Before they can find the manager I'll zip up the ladder, take out the seven year old battery (if it will even come out at this point - probably welded into place by the corrosion), pop in the new copper top, slide down and fold up the ladder in one smooth motion and out the door I'll go without another word. I hope I can keep myself from looking back, to see if the employees have leaned out the front door watching me go. "¿Quién era ese tipo loco?" they will ask each other blankly as I walk into the sunset.

That would be so great! But I might have to have a few Margaritas before [chirp] I get the nerve.

No More Lefts at Lucado

The DOH got it right. In spite of pressure from Charleston City officials, who were responding to pressure from the affluent residents that use this intersection most, the Division of Highways traffic planners refused to put a stoplight at the intersection of Lucado Road and Corridor G. Instead they chose to restrict left turns from Lucado. Bravo. This story in today's Gazette covers it well.

People that live on Smith Road and its recently added (and ever growing) tributary streets, who normally use Lucado for a quick detour to Southridge will simply have to take a little longer route now. This will save lives and property.

Lucado is too heavily traveled. It always has been. In the late 1970's, long before this section of Corridor G was built, Lucado was the site of frequent wrecks because it emptied onto Oakhurst Drive in a downhill curve. The grade of the intersection forced cars to slowly exit Lucado onto Oakhurst. Cars coming down Oakhurst had no warning that slow moving cars were ahead and the reult was frequent t-bone or rear-end collisions. A friend of mine that drove Oakhurst every day on the way home from GWHS remarked once that he thought every person in South Hills lived on Lucado because of the never ending stream of traffic that eminated from this little street. The population that uses Lucado now is far greater since all of the development on Smith Road has occurred.

To allow these cars to turn left across what is effectively four lanes of traffic was never a good idea. The downhill grade on the southbound side of Corridor G made it even more dangerous. Putting a light there would have made it worse, since cars who beat the light at Oakwood would be at full speed when coming down the hill. There would be very short notice of a red light and on wet roads the result would be carnage.

Good for the DOH for not bending to the pressure of an affluent group and doing the right thing.

"To each his own..."

When the YWCA board and management announced their decision to close down the building on Quarrier Street and abandon their fitness program in favor of programs that were more in line with their mission, howls of protest came up from many sectors of the city's population. Rev. James Lewis, perennial protester he, led a disparate group of disgruntled citizens to form an organization that would scream bloody murder until the YWCA board reversed their decision to sell the bulding, which they did.

Today a meeting will be held to formally launch the fundraising campaign that will raise the $1 million or so that is needed to keep the building open. See the Gazette's story here. It should be noted that the Gazette was influential in assisting Lewis' group in getting a foothold and that its reporting has definitely shown a bias against Y management on this subject.

Chuck Avampato, head of the most influential and richest funder of comunity projects in town, the Clay Foundation, is quoted in the article as saying "“I think it’s a big waste of time and money,” he said. “To me it’s spending an enormous amount of money on something that’s not program related. But to each their own."

He's exactly right. It is a huge waste of money. The building, while a landmark in downtown Charleston, is decrepit and completely unsuited for the YWCA as it exists today. The Y staff and board made a good business decision when it decided to sell the building. It would direct more money to the Y's programs and provide more people with vital serices it provides. But this decision was over ruled by the desire to keep an old building from the wrecking ball. To each his own.

A few years ago, just after the Multi-Cap fiasco came to a head, The Gazette railed against non-profits who owned property that was ill-suited for the programs they ran. They questioned the need for non-profits to own large buildings whose upkeep drained resources from programs. Tunes change, I guess. It's their paper, they can say what they want. To each his own.

So the YWCA will be raising a million and the library is already underway with raising its $30 million, this on the heels of the Clay Center's 10 year anniversary of sucking the community dry of every dollar it can get every year. Meanwhile non-profits who are trying to raise money in the community to address basic human needs are turned away because donors are tapped out, or have been convinced that buildings are worth more than people. To each his own.

At least the hungry, sick, hurting and homeless can have some nice buildings to look at.

Toasted, Schmoasted - Bellacino's

I was hungry but in a hurry today at lunchtime. While I was driving up Capitol Street I caught sight of the newest eatery, Bellacino's, and when I looked inside I saw that it didn't look too awfully busy so I thought I'd take a chance. I parked at a nearby15 minute meter and filled it to the brim with two dimes and a nickel. I knew it was a gamble, but like I said it didn't look busy.

I walked right in and straight up to the register where you place your order. I thought I'd better order something straight off the regular menu with no substitutions that would take more time. I opted for a Mountaineer Grinder which has roast beef, turkey and ham. This would be called a club at Subway and it would be toasted. "Toasted Schmoasted" says the Bellacino's employee's tshirts, "We're oven baked!" That, apparently, is what a Grinder is: A baked sub. The bread is crustier and it's a little bigger, but it's a baked sub.

The sandwich was pretty good, but not worth the price I paid. You see, after I paid my $6 for the nine inch sandwich I was told it would take 15-20 minutes. "15 to 20 minutes?" I asked? For a sub? "A Grinder," the register person corrected me. "A Grinder is prepared to order by hand. Quality takes time."

"So a sub isn't prepared by hand?" I thought, but I didn't want to delay my order by arguing.

22 minutes later I got my sub, er Grinder, and headed back to my car. And with perfect timing I turned the corner just in time to see the parking enforcement jeep pulling away from my car, leaving behind a nice little flourescent green greeting card. $10.

So my sandwich cost me $16.24. Grinder Schminder. Next time I get a toasted club where parking is free.

Pizza Hut, Papa Johns and the locals

I have heard so many people say recently that their favorite pizza has changed from Pizza Hut to Papa Johns. It's nearly an epidemic. I. too, have recently switched but not because Papa Johns has gotten better; I have decided that I no longer even care for Pizza Hut pizza. It was my favorite for decades. Something has changed. I can't put my finger on it, but it's just not the same.

Having said that, I still have a thing for locally owned pizza joints. I truly prefer them over any chain. The best thing about a chain is that it is consistent from location to location. A locally owned place is subject to many more variables and is therefore somewhat unpredictable. But, then again, maybe that unpredicatbility is what I like. Who knows.

Anyway, my favorite local place was always Lorobi's in St. Albans. I haven't been there in years so I can't vouch for it today. Lately I've found good pizza at the Giovanni's on Spring Street. They have a Mediterean topping pizza that is to die for. Giovanni's is a chain, but a local one.

The Anchor has great pizza, but the restaurant is definitely not in compliance with the Kanawha County smoking ordinance and I can't stand to eat in the place. When someone gets it to go, though, count me in for a few slices.

Tony Cavalier: The Hardest Working Man in Weather

This evening's 6:00 weathercast opened with video of a towboat heading up the Ohio River through the dense fog that set in today. Voiceover Tony (singing): "Dashing through the fog, In a one horse open barge, o'er the Ohio we go, splashing all the way..." and he proceeds to sing an entire verse of this "Jingle Bells" parody. Then, when the singing's over, he spends another 20 seconds explaining to the viewers what he meant.

I'm gonna have to get a TV card so I can capture his daily quirkiness. Much of it is simply beyond my ability to explain.

A Brand New Cavalierism

Did you ever hear someone tell a joke that they thought was so clever that tell it over and over even if nobody laughs?

Well, on his last two forecasts Tony has labeled the weekend "Auld Lang Mild" on the five day forecast graphic. He seems very proud of his little wordplay.

He is a never ending source of bemusement.

We Are Marshall: Post Premiere Comments

I have suppressed the urge to post on this subject because I really hoped I would be wrong, but it now appears my gut was correct.

Chris James nailed it when he wrote "We Are...A Flop!" I am so not surprised, and here's why:

• The Title - While it is a cherished part of the Marshall and Huntington culture, The "We Are Marshall" chant really doesn't serve well as a title for the movie. I just doesn't say much to outsiders about what the movie is about. It is rare that a working title of a major motion picture ends up being the actual title and I was very surprised that they stuck with the original title all the way. It must have tested out pretty well in focus groups, but recent transplants to our area have told me that they thought the name was curious and that if they didn't know what the movie was about they wouldn't get it from the title. The fact is that not many people outside our area know the story and therefore will not make the connection. Too bad "Ashes to Glory" was already taken; I think that would have been much better.
• The Actors - The "Sexiest Man Alive" list is replete with winners whose next career move was a bad one. Affleck had "Gigli", Clooney had "Batman." Now McConaughey has "We Are Marshall." This is his first venture outside the chick flick genre and from all accounts, his portrayal of Jack Lengyel is pretty hokey. Matthew Fox has a huge TV fan following but I don't seem him bringing in an audience. The total lack of a leading woman is problematic, too. Kate Mara and Kimberly Williams should have been played up more in the publicity.
  
• The Timing - Let's face it, Christmas weekend releases are reserved for sure-fire family films (Toy Story, Babe, etc.) or Oscar contenders. This movie is neither. The field is way too crowded this time of year for a lackluster movie with little appeal to a wide audience.
• The Director - I never understood why the local news media made such a fuss over director "McG". The highlights of his directing credits include two very bad movies (Charlie's Angels) and some Wierd Al Yankovick videos. I don't know any movie buff that is going to shell out their eight bucks to go see a movie because it was directed my McG.

I had really hoped that the movie was going to do well in spite of these obvious potential problems. How fitting it would have been if the movie would have overcome the obstacles and rise to greatness like the team in the story does. Sadly, the movie's fortunes looks more like a glory to ashes story.

The movie's failure is no reflection on Huntington or Marshall. The only thing the community did was to have expectations that were unrealistically high, and I blame McG and Co. for that.

West Virginia Travelogue

A stumbled across this very cool photographer's site that has an extensive collection of travelogues. One of these is of West Virginia. I love finding stuff like this on the internet and seeing what visitors say about us. Check it out and make sure you read the comments at the bottom of the page.

Coach Rod

I never thought he would leave. I felt certain that he was using the opportunity and the leverage of the Alabama offer to get some things he wanted for WVU and his assistants. Listening to him today, it sounded like he considered the offer seriously. He might be saying that just to mend fences with the Alabama folks or he might believe that he seriously considered it, but I think he's a West Virginia boy and he was never very close to leaving.

But the thing that most impressed me about this episode was the way people were so quick to believe what the media published in spite of the facts in evidence. People were looking for the lies in Coach Rod's words when they should have been looking for the truth. The lies, as it turns out, were in the headlines as they usually are. Our 24/7 news cycle, even sports news, has created an alternate reality. If a news agency - any news agency, even the Bugtussel Gazette - reports something, then other news agencies immediately cite "published reports" and put their own version in print or broadcast. Soon each agency begins citing every other agency's report and then the citations are lost because the item has acheived a reality of its own. It is now a fact that demands refutation from authoritative sources before it will die. Even though the original "news" item had no authority in its creation, its defeat requires mutliple authorities.

This has happened over and over with political stories since the dawn of the CNN era. Of course, Bill Clinton didn't help matters any with his "It all depends on what the definition of 'is' is" crap. That whole affair (literally) created a whole new dimension of skepticism about the words of public figures.

Anyway, I'm glad that the coach is sticking around.

What's Up With wvgazette.com?

I've noticed for the last several days that The Charleston Gazette's online edition has been screwy. The list of news stories on the main page and then the subsequent sub-heading pages have stories from previous days listed among the new stories. I can't tell if this is by accident or intentional, but it's been happening for several days.