Media Notebook (October 30, 2008)

Collected and Edited by Rick Kaempfer





Highlights and links to the big stories in the news this week about the media. This column appears twice a week at MEDIA NOTEBOOK



Landslide for TV
(TV Week) Ira Teinowitz writes: "The 2008 race for the presidency has been memorable for many reasons, not the least of which is the jaw-dropping effect it has had on the television industry. The campaign brought to media companies a record $750 million in advertising revenue—of which local stations and the broadcast and cable networks reaped 90%, helping offset a precipitous drop in other types of TV ad buys as the economy stumbled toward recession. And it also reinvigorated cable news channels, helped fuel ratings records for politically incorrect comedy shows and dramatically raised the profile of some TV stars. While the fat lady has not even begun to sing yet, what soon may get dubbed “The Great Campaign of 2008” can be summed up as a race of record-smashing, eye-popping impact. "


Hollywood may not be recession proof this time
(Los Angeles Times) Dawn C. Chmielewski and Meg James write: "Worried by the worsening economy, Kristen Olson decided she'd better start saving money. She tallied her expenses and was walloped by sticker shock: She and her roommates were spending $900 a year for cable TV. 'I'm not watching $900 worth of cable,' said the 25-year-old advertising account coordinator, who lives in North Hollywood. She's trying to persuade her roommates to drop the service. 'You can watch so many shows online for free; most of them are on Hulu now,' Olson added, referring to the year-old video site that makes available at the click of a mouse more than 1,000 shows, including her favorites, 'Ugly Betty' and 'House.' Such changes in consumer behavior signal trouble for media companies. For decades, entertainment executives have boasted that Hollywood is 'recession-proof.' No matter how dire the economy, the argument goes, consumers will always be willing to spend on entertainment to escape."


The 6 factors that merged to tame wild morning radio
(Chicago Tribune) I thought this was a very well done piece. Patrick Kampert writes: "Derrick Brown, program director at WVAZ-FM 102.7, says the use of the portable, electronic people meter instead of Arbitron paper diaries is one reason Muller and other radio personalities are reinventing themselves. 'I don't think the shtick he did would play today, especially in the era of electronic measurement,' Brown said. 'The diaries were all about remembering a brand name and writing it down. Now, you're going to be judged by your content. Brand names aren't good enough anymore.' The size of the morning shows has shrunk too, Brown added. 'Large morning shows have become very expensive. We have to judge: Is it worth the expense to have a crew of 12, or can we get the job done with two, or one?' Radio observers see six reasons for the disappearance of the in-your-face deejay."
(The 6 reasons are: FCC fines, jocks have matured, advertisers don't like it, what's so shocking?, absence of Stern, and the tenor of the times)


Time Inc planning layoff of 600
(New York Times) Tim Arango writes: "Time Inc., the world’s largest magazine publisher, plans to cut 6 percent of its work force — more than 600 positions — and will revamp the organization in a way that could radically alter the culture at the company. The company outlined the overhaul on Tuesday evening in a memorandum to employees after The New York Times revealed the cuts on its Web site. The layoffs will begin in about two weeks. No magazines are scheduled to close, but some are likely to be severely cut back. Ann S. Moore, Time Inc.’s chairman and chief executive, was already planning an overhaul because of the upheavals in print media, but she was forced to speed up those efforts amid the financial crisis and looming recession."


Gannett will cut 10% of newspaper jobs
(Reuters) Gannett Co Inc, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, is planning to cut about 10 percent of jobs at its local papers as it fights advertising declines made worse by the global financial crisis. It is the second round of layoffs that Gannett has planned in the past two months. In August, Gannett said it would eliminate 1,000 newspaper jobs, with 600 being laid off. The latest round will be all layoffs, according to a memo sent to staff by Newspaper Division President Robert Dickey on Tuesday.


CLICK HERE



John Hodgman 'verifies' the facts of his life
(Chicago Tribune) Kevin Pang writes: "John Hodgman— Daily Show contributor, 'I'm a PC' wonk — is in the business of fabricating untruths and serving them up for public consumption under the guise of 'fact.' He did so with his first book, "The Areas of My Expertise," a Poor Richard's Almanack for the tragically misinformed. For instance, Hodgman's first book includes a prediction that 'Roving cocktail gangs will ravage American cities in search of vermouth.' In his new book, 'More Information Than You Require,' Hodgman continues to lie through his teeth."


The paperless paper is now reality
(Chicago Tribune) Phil Rosenthal writes: "The original opening of the TV show "Lou Grant" began with a bird in a tree, the tree chopped down, the wood turned to paper, paper delivered to a publishing plant. Newspapers came off the presses, were delivered, read and then used to line a bird's cage. That was 31 years ago. If it seemed quaintly inefficient then, it still is, only more so--last night's stories put in your hands this morning at great effort and expense, then disposed of shortly thereafter. So the Christian Science Monitor's announcement Tuesday that it is largely abandoning print for the Internet in April--giving up daily press runs in favor of a beefed-up Web site, complemented by daily e-mail editions and a weekly print magazine--is intriguing."


Court Rejects Arbitron Bid To Block PPM Suit
(Radio Ink) The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has granted a motion by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to dismiss Arbitron's bid in federal court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against Cuomo's office, in favor of the state proceeding filed against Arbitron by Cuomo on October 10.






CLICK HERE





In E-mail, ABC News President Tells Staff No Holiday Parties This Year; All Print Subs Canceled; Execs Must Stay at 'B' Hotels
(New York Observer) Felix Gillette writes: "This morning David Westin, president of ABC News, sent out an e-mail to staffers warning that ABC News is not 'immune from the downturn,' and that the division (along with the rest of Disney's Media Networks Group) will be implementing new 'guidelines' to 'reduce administrative costs.' As part of the cost-cutting measures, ABC News will be canceling all of its magazine and newspaper subscriptions, will not be throwing any holiday parties, and will be scaling back on travel accommodations for executives."
(Read the entire e-mail at the link)


Selling Newspapers
(Forbes.com) James Erik Abel writes: "There's nothing like bad news to sell newspapers. Unless there are no newspapers left to sell. Many people are wondering if this may soon be a reality. Revenues were in free-fall last week at many of the country's largest newspaper companies. 'The only hope is that as we get through the spring, the rate of [the advertising] decline starts to ease up,' says newspaper analyst Edward Atorino of The Benchmark Co."


Full listings of newspaper endorsements
(Editor & Publisher) Greg Mitchell writes: "The Obama-Biden ticket maintains its strong lead in the race for daily newspaper endorsements, by 170 to 69, an almost 3-1 margin and an even wider spread in the circulation of those papers. Obama's lopsided margin, including most of the major papers that have decided so far, is in stark contrast to John Kerry barely edging George W. Bush in endorsements in 2004 by 213 to 205."
(Click on the link to see the full list)



CLICK HERE



Amy Poehler gives birth
(Huffington Post) Seth Myers sat alone at the SNL Weekend Update anchor desk saying, "I'm Seth Myers. Amy Poehler is not here because she is having a baby," to wild applause. Update later ended with Maya Rudolph and Keenan Thompson singing a special duet version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" with lyrics like, "We love you Amy" instead of "Oh pretty baby." Poehler's rep released a statement saying the baby's name is Archie Arnett and weighed in at 8 lbs, 1 oz.


The Great Hannity-Olbermann divide
(Washington Post) Howard Kurtz writes: "On Fox News last week, Sean Hannity said he was tempted to ask Barack Obama: "Where did you buy your cocaine, how much cocaine? How much cocaine did you use? How often did you use it? When did you stop?" On the same Monday night, Keith Olbermann said on MSNBC that John McCain had a responsibility 'to say 'enough' to Republican smears without end' and not be 'party to a campaign that devolves into hatred and prejudice and divisiveness.' Are these guys watching the same presidential race, or even living in the same country?"


D.L. Hughley debuts on CNN
(NY Times) Dave Itzkoff writes: "At the start of his stand-up set in the 2000 film “The Original Kings of Comedy,” D. L. Hughley mocked audience members who had to suffer the rigors of a daily grind. Now he’s getting his comeuppance. For the last week Mr. Hughley, 45, has had to arrive every morning at his office at CNN in Manhattan at the ungodly (for a comedian) hour of 11 a.m. to digest reams of information from newspapers, Web sites, television and talk radio. He has no time to goof off during the 8-to-12-hour days; only the occasional moment to glance at his new profile in the CNN company directory that lists him as an anchor. 'I’m like, ‘Come on, man,’ an incredulous Mr. Hughley said in a recent interview. 'I barely even know how to read. I’ve got a G.E.D.' Just 10 days ago CNN announced that Mr. Hughley would be the host of a new comedy-news show, 'D. L. Hughley Breaks the News,' which has its premiere Saturday at 10 p.m. Eastern time."


Chicago Radio Spotlight interview: Robert Murphy
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with Robert Murphy, famed host of "Murphy in the Morning." We talked about his very successful stint at Q-101, his other morning shows in Chicago (on WXXY and WLS-FM), and what it would take for him to return to the radio. Coming this weekend: WGN morning host Spike O'Dell.

Suburban Man: The Problem Fixer

By Rick Kaempfer





The other day I broke up yet another fight between my oldest son Tommy (age 12) and my youngest son Sean (age 6). Sean wanted Tommy to play with him, and Tommy rudely rejected him until screaming and/or punching ensued.

But this time things seemed a little bit different. Moments after I broke up the fight, the house was completely quiet. Normally after a fight, Sean would be plotting some sort of diabolical way to annoy or irritate the brother who rejected him. This time he went into the basement without protest.

I was more than a little suspicious when he nonchalantly walked back into the room a few minutes later and asked me some very strange questions.

“Dad, how do you spell open and closed?”
“Dad, where do we keep the sleeping bags?”
“Dad, can I use this Cubs cup?”
“Dad, can I write on this blank piece of paper?”
“Dad, does the top of the toy box come off?”

That last one actually got me off my backside to investigate.

“No!” he said. “Not yet! I’m not ready for you.”

“What are you working on, Sean?”

“I’m building my office,” he said. “You can’t come down right now because my office is…” And then he held up the sign he just made: “CLOSED.”

“Gotcha.”

I admit it. I was dying to see what he was doing, but I also knew it wouldn’t be long before he held up the OPEN sign, and all of my questions would be answered. It was no more than five minutes later.

“Come down to my office, sir,” he said, while pointing to the basement. “I’m open for business.”

When I saw the office he had built, I had to bite my lip. His “desk” was the detached lid of the toy box propped on top of a sleeping bag. On this desk, he had placed a cup of pencils, and a blank piece of paper. He sat down on his “chair” (a giant stuffed dog) and motioned with his hand for me to sit on the customer “chair” (a milk crate).

“Please have a seat, sir.”

“What is your business?” I asked.

“I’m a problem fixer,” he replied. “I can fix any problem at all.”

“That’s great, because I have lots of them.”

He held his hand out. “That will be one dollar please.”

“For each problem?” I asked.

“We have a sale. All problems for $1.”

I gave him the dollar and sat on the milk crate. He looked at me intently, ready and able to handle any problems I may send his way. He folded his hands on the desk.

“What can I do for you?”

“My biggest problem is that my sons fight all the time,” I said, calling the problem fixer’s bluff. “How do I fix that problem, Mr. Problem Fixer.”

He thought about that for a few seconds before replying, “Tell them to stop it. That’s what I tell my kids.”

“And they listen to you?”

“Yup.”

“Mine don’t listen. They still won’t stop.”

“Hmmm,” he said, grabbing the blank piece of paper from the top of his desk. He pretended to peruse it. “Let me check what the charts say. Oh! I see. It says here that you should give them a dollar.”

“If I give them a dollar, they’ll stop fighting?”

“Says so right on this chart,” he said.

“Thanks, Mr. Problem Fixer. I’ll keep that in mind.” With that, I got up to leave the “office.”

“Wait! You still haven’t asked about your biggest problem.”

I sat right back down on the milk crate. “OK, I’ll bite. What is my biggest problem.”

“Getting Tommy up in the morning.”

I raised my eyebrow at the troublemaker. “How do I fix that problem, Mr. Problem Fixer?”

“Give me a dollar and I’ll wake him up for you every single morning,” he said, an evil grin forming on his face.

“That’s a very generous offer,” I said, trying not to grin back. “You’d really do that for me?”

“I promise that he’ll hop right out of bed.”

Yeah, I bet he will. His big brothers don’t know it yet, but it won’t be long before they don’t stand a chance against this boy.

Monday Musings

Every Monday stop by for jokes, links to stories you might have missed, amusing photos and video, and more. Contributions and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Click on the "Email Me" link on the right to contribute.



Joke of the Week: John McCain Jokes (The Obama jokes are further down)


John McCain was driving his "Straight Talk Express" bus home to Arizona when he got a frantic call on his cell phone from his wife Cindy. "Be careful, John," she warned him. "I just heard on the news that there's someone driving the wrong way on the highway." John replied, "There's not just one. There's hundreds of them!"

John Mccain is so old that he remembers when Joe Biden was bald.

John McCain asked two questions when he proposed to Cindy. First he got down on his knees and asked her, "Will you marry me?" After she agreed John then asked her, "And can you help me get back up?"

John McCain has been criticized by some Republican commentators for not being conservative enough. It didn't help when McCain drove the "Straight Talk Express" all the way across the country with its left blinker on.

Q. What did John McCain say when his plane was shot down over enemy lines?
A. Curse you, Red Baron!

Senator McCain was accused of inappropriate behavior with a female lobbyist 31 years younger than he is. That should get him Bill Clinton's vote.

Unlike other candidates in the Republican primaries, John McCain said he believes in the Theory of Evolution. In fact, he watched it happen with his own eyes.

John McCain recently fired a campaign aide after he asked for a Johnny Walker and the aide brought him a drink instead.

*********

Obama Jokes

Q. Why won’t Obama laugh at himself?
A. Because it would be racist.

Like any experienced Chicago politician, Obama would go the cemetery to register voters. One night he came across a grave so old and worn that he couldn't make out the name on the tombstone. The staffer holding the flashlight got impatient and suggested they just move on to the next plot. Obama angrily exclaimed, "This person has a much right to vote as anyone else here!"

Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Well, for example, the other day I went downtown and into a shop. I was only there for about 5 minutes, and when I came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket. I said to him, 'Come on, man, how about giving a retired person a break'? He ignored me and continued writing the ticket. I called him a 'Nazi.' He glared at me and wrote another ticket for having worn tires. So I called him a 'doughnut eating Gestapo.' He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he wrote a third ticket. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more I abused him the more tickets he wrote. Personally, I didn't care. I came downtown on the bus, and the car that he was putting the tickets on had a bumper sticker that said, 'Obama in '08 .' I try to have a little fun each day now that I'm retired. It's important to my health.

Q. Why is Barack Obama so thin and scrawny?
A. If he were any heavier he wouldn't be able to walk on water.






Stories you might have missed

1. Why isn't this election funny?
(Ask Carl Reiner, Danny Devito, Larry Gelbart, Garry Marshall, and Jerry Stiller. They reveal their thoughts at the link.)

2. Bill O'Reilly on the View
(I thought this was very entertaining.)

3. Conservatives voting for Obama
(And these are just some that are openly admitting it. How many aren't?)

4. Sarah Palin as President
(I spent way too much time on this site)

5. Protester tries to handcuff Karl Rove
(Question: What was Karl Rove doing in San Francisco anyway? Doesn't he despise people from there?)




Video of the week: If John Woo, Kevin Smith, and Wes Anderson made McCain's ads...







Photo of the week: When pumpkins drink...































READER RESPONSE
Sample Comments from the "Padded Room" at Just One Bad Century.com. Feel free to stop by and add your own.

Poster: Chuck Davis 10/14/2008 9:18:54 AM
Comment: I admit it--I`m still very ticked off at this year`s team. They just didn`t show up in the playoffs. I showed up twice. Shouldn`t they give me my $250 back? I`d prefer to have my last 40 summers back but I`ll settle for the $250.

Poster: William A 10/12/2008 9:37:09 AM
Comment: I have no more Tears or Blood left...How much can i endure. I am ordering the Shirt to remind me Why I never give up on my Family The Cubs..

Poster: Robert 10/10/2008 9:14:16 PM
Comment: I ordered the crying cub hat earlier this year and a fellow Cubs fan told me i was being negative. The day after the season ended he asked me where I got the hat. Thank you guys. Not all Cubs fans get it right away but they all get it eventually.

Poster: Roscoe 10/10/2008 6:30:41 AM
Comment: I have an idea. What if we as a collective fan base try a different psychology. Instead of rooting for the team and hoping we win it--we start embracing the idea that they can`t do it. Think of it like a double dog dare. I use the same technique with my kids: "I bet there is no way you`ll get a good grade on this spelling test. You can`t do it." Works every time.

Poster: Brian Aylesworth 10/9/2008 3:00:54 PM
Comment: I`m a Cubs fan from April22 1950 the day I was born. I`ll be a Cubs fan till the day I die. Win or lose I`m a Cubs fan! Broken hearted till next year.

Poster: John Hack 10/9/2008 7:46:02 AM
Comment: I saw the Daily Show clip you posted on your blog making fun of Cubs fans. I have a question for him and everyone else who makes fun of us? What are we supposed to do? Once you become a fan of a team it`s not like you can just decide to root for another team. They have been with us since childhood. It`s part of who we are. It`s not a decision of the brain it`s a decision of the heart.

Poster: Ted P. 10/8/2008 12:23:25 PM
Comment: I`m in shock. I`ve been a Cub`s fan since `69 and was sure this was the year. Angry? Maybe later. But like I said right now I`m still in shock.

Poster: joe mondo 10/8/2008 7:36:46 AM
Comment: I also went to the `45 series so I am not as "bent out of shape " as others who have never been to a Cubs WS. you have to expect the worst as 67 cub years have done to me!! maybe and I mean maybe next year!!!!!!!!

Poster: Billy 10/7/2008 9:38:50 PM
Comment: I`m just mad at myself for falling for it again. I`m normally such a realist but this year I bought it hook line and sinker.

Poster: Baton Rouge Cub Fan 10/7/2008 7:16:49 PM
Comment: This one is the worst for me because the expectations were so high....but that`s a good thing because we had a great season that turned out to be a a nightmare!

Poster: Ken Palast 10/7/2008 2:38:15 PM
Comment: Cubs fan since 1962. Broken hearted since 1969.

Poster: Randy Swanson 10/7/2008 1:55:14 PM
Comment: Did you read the article on page 2 of the Trib today? The writer is a Red Sox fan telling us we should be happy because winning is not all it is cracked up to be. He says people will start hating us. We already have that. We have White Sox fans. I will take my chances that winning will ruin it for us.


Poster: Dick Wagner 10/7/2008 11:32:40 AM
Comment: My first pro baseball game was in 1945 when I attended a world series game. I have been and will continue to be a Cub fan from that day and want to thank the organization for saveing me a lot of money not haveing to purchase a ticket to the "next" cub world series. Go Cubbies

Poster: Jimmy 10/7/2008 5:36:33 AM
Comment: You know what is really starting to make me mad? This whole concept that somehow the Cubs losing is the fault of the fans. Without the fans the Cubs are nothing. It is time for the Cubs players and management to man up and say it loud--it is not the fault of the fans.

Poster: Crying Cub Fan 10/6/2008 4:27:47 PM
Comment: Thanks for the opportunity to vent. The bottm line is they played badly. Whether it was because they were afraid to fail or nervous or just UNLUCKY Poor hitting and fielding led to the loss.

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Robert Murphy

Robert Murphy is a legendary Chicago radio personality, most famous for his stint as "Murphy in the Morning" at Q-101.





Rick: The straight jacket. You must be sick and tired of answering this question, but for an entire generation of Chicagoans, when they hear the name Robert Murphy, they think of the straight jacket commercials. Looking back on those commercials now with the benefit of hindsight, have you embraced the straight jacket or are you still (metaphorically) stuck in it?

Robert: Well, "embrace" may be too strong a word, but I am very aware of the commercials positive influence on my career. My initial objection was that it seemed kind of a lowbrow concept ("That Murphy's Cray-zee!) but most of the commercials were exceptionally well executed (such as the original "Bambulance" spot, now popping up on YouTube.)

Though it is inarguable that the straitjacket helped to bring me recognition and thereby bolster my ratings when I first started, I wanted to move on after a while. But No! If there was a smidgen of a drop in the ratings, management whipped that bad boy out again, and I was back on TV, running through Chicago with my arms restrained and my feet bare.

Rick: In the 1980s and early 90s, your show on Q-101 was one of the top rated and most influential radio shows in town. You assembled an incredibly talented team there. I think a lot of people in Chicago radio aren't even aware of how many people in the business worked on your show. Talk a little bit about the contributions of the other cast members, including those behind the scenes.

Robert: One of the earliest and best remembered incarnations of the Murphy in the Morning Show featured Beth Kaye as co-host. Beth and I had a strange and wonderful professional relationship (she strange, me wonderful) and I think we came across on the air as adversaries with an affinity for each other, much like on the show Moonlighting which was big at the time.

Also on the show was Chicago voice-over potentate Pete Stacker whose character voices really brought out the best in the scripts that I wrote. The very knowledgeable Pat Benkowski handled the sports aspect, and all was topped off by our venerable newsman, the intelligent and eloquent Dave McBride.

Later on Joy Masada joined us as producer, followed by Carol McWilliams and Mick Kayler (former producer for Lujack). Later co-hosts were Susan Anderson and Eleanor Mondale. Danger Dan Walker became one of the most popular cast members, using the newly invented cell phone to go out and jack with people. He is one humorous dude! We worked under a gazillion different PDs who passed through (not all of them great, some of them downright damaging to the show) but occasionally some good ones like Randy Lane, Chuck Morgan, and Bill Gamble actually helped out the show

Rick: In one way, I think your show blazed the trail for a show like Eric and Kathy's, in that you were so successful in attracting female listeners. I realize part of that was the format (adult contemporary), but part of that was also your show. When you were on the air did you think of female listeners, or were you just doing your thing, trying to appeal to a mass audience?

Robert: Interesting question. There is no doubt that it was the female ratings that pushed the show to the top, and I would like to think it was my irrepressible charm, brutal good looks, and sexual magnetism that drew them like a moth to a flame, but since I possess none of those attributes, I speculate that the subject matter, along with the style and presentation, were to the female audiences liking (along with the music, of course.)

When I first started in radio, not as much attention was being paid to the demographics of gender, and my goal was a mass appeal morning show. Later, when gender breakdowns became more of an issue, I didn't change the focus too much because what we were doing was working - and though there was a fair amount of sexual humor on the show, it was never presented in a puerile fashion. I know that today, women are targeted with a slew of soccer/hockey mom references and heaps of celebrity gossip. Were I on the air now, I would probably have to make concessions to that end, but the women I know are so much more than that.

Rick: What are a few of your favorite moments from those years?

Robert: As far as just plain fun, I think back to the Q101 switch parties. Every Tuesday night, the whole Q101 air staff would descend upon a club, rewarding those who had "switched" to Q101 (get it?) with free beer while the morning show did a kind of adult club act. It was a great chance to mingle with the audience and learn more about them, plus over the years, it allowed me to visit every neighborhood and suburb in the Chicago area. (Wait a minute, I think we missed Stickney)

Doing the show also allowed me to hobnob with all manner of movie stars, rock musicians, members of royalty, presidents, but the coolest was getting to hang out with Captain Kangaroo. (note to those under 40: The precursor to Mister Rogers and Sesame Street)

Rick: You famously wore a suit when you did your show. First of all, is that true, and if so, why did you do it?

Robert: Okay, you got me! I confess. I frequently wore a suit to work. And if I live to be a bazillion years old, I will never understand the consternation it caused among so many people. (after the strait jacket queries, it is next in line.) So here we have,

The Top Five Reasons I Wore a Suit To Work

Number five: Because I never bought into the fallacious reasoning that because the audience couldn't see you on the radio that you should show up for work looking like some Dickensian street urchin. I still worked in an office.

Number Four: Because I grew up in the Woodstock generation, and had spent enough time in worn out denim, tie dyed shirts and sandals. I wanted to move on

Number Three: Because it made it convenient for someone such as I who had to get dressed at 4am in the dark. Throw on a T-shirt, Toss a suit over it, and voila! You're done!

Number Two: Because ZZ Top is right!

Number One: 'Cause I am one stylin' dude

Rick: After your stint at Q-101, you did two other morning shows in Chicago--including a stint at the 80s channel, WVVX (103.1 FM). I've previously spoken to Fred Winston (who also worked there) about those days, and he felt it was a little frustrating because the quality of the radio station's signal didn't quite match the quality of the programming. Do you agree, and what are your thoughts about your time at that station?

Robert: Fred and I get together and commiserate every once in a while over the frustration of working at a station that no one could hear. We had been led to believe that the stations dual tower setup would cover the city, but you could barely pick it up in Morris. It was like talking to Gramps when he had his Miracle Ear turned off. And if I do say so myself, when WXXY unveiled the all 80s format with their great talent lineup, that station was bangin'! But, the two years I spent there were great fun. It got me back to Chicago from Florida, I could walk to work, and we had beautiful brand new studios in the Neiman Marcus building, overlooking Michigan Avenue. I had two great producers there, Scott Straus (now at KISS) and Tony K Kwiecinski (who had produced my show at WLS-FM) who helped me put out what I think were some of my best shows. Too bad you couldn't hear them. I would have stayed but my Spanish is rusty.

Rick: You also anchored the lineup at WLS-FM during the time they tried out the young-talk format. They pulled the plug on that format pretty quickly, despite the all-star lineup (including yourself, Richard Roeper, Turi Ryder, and more). Do you think they gave up on it too soon, or was it just the wrong time or wrong station for that approach?

Robert: Ah, another format squashed by 94.7, The Frequency of Doom. When I took this job I was looking to evolve a little professionally, and thought that we were going to establish a new free form talk format. Jay Marvin was really the only one on board with any conventional talk radio experience, but he was (as Sarah Palin would say, "all mavericky and everything") But once we got started, it seemed management just wanted a spinoff of the AM talk format. I do appreciate my time there because I did learn a few new tricks that helped me out later. Too hard to speculate on whether the station would have ever pulled in the big numbers, but it was never given the opportunity to grow before they pulled the plug. I would have stayed but I look stupid in a cowboy hat.

Rick: Since your last stint on the air in Chicago, you've maintained a residence here. That means you've had a chance to listen to just about everyone who has come and gone on the Chicago radio dial over the past 30 years or so. Who are some of the people that have really stood out to you, past and present?

Robert: Woefully, I didn't get much of a chance to listen to most of the other morning shows, 'cause I was busy doing my own. But to me, Chicago radio is still spelled L-U-J-A-C-K (photo). He is an exemplary talent who knows how to entertain an audience without compromising his own personality. Enjoy Fred Winston also, and I'm glad I got a chance to hear Wally Phillips in his last years on the air. Much could be learned from him. I have always admired Brandmeier's talent though his approach to radio and mine could not have been more disparate. There are a few personality morning shows still on (Eric & Kathy, Drex) but I am really disappointed in the state of radio these days- out of market syndicated shows, voice tracking, and managements who replace personalities with banalities.

Rick: What kind of situation would it take to coerce you back onto the airwaves here?

Robert: Basically, a mutual decision between me and management that my particular talents and the stations mission could forge into a great ratings success, and overcome the obstacles that radio faces in today's climate, obstacles that are legion and formidable. I would also need a guarantee that enough time would be allotted to give us all a fighting chance, and of course a claus that specifies a strict "No Straitjacket" rule. Oh, and I'll need a little bit of money so I can buy some new suits.

Ron Howard channels Opie & Richie Cunningham for Obama

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

The Bush Endorsement

Media Notebook (October 23, 2008)

Collected and Edited by Rick Kaempfer





Highlights and links to the big stories in the news this week about the media. This column appears twice a week at MEDIA NOTEBOOK


Sumner Redfaced
(New York Post) It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Hey, Sumner, thanks for helping destroy the media business while you were in it. Peter Lauria writes: "Media mogul Sumner Redstone, caught in the vise-like grip of the credit crunch, may be forced to sell his prized Viacom Inc., home of MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Studios. A sale of Viacom, or any piece of the company, would be a tremendous setback to the 85-year-old Redstone, as he has spent the better part of his professional life pulling together the crown jewel of his investment portfolio. Sources close to Redstone and Viacom say the executive's current cash situation is so dire that selling Viacom or CBS - which he also controls - is now a real possibility."

Sumner Redstone files for divorce
(Reuters) I wonder how his wife of 50+ years (that he dumped to marry this one) feels today. Dean Goodman writes: "Media mogul Sumner Redstone, the irascible billionaire whose fortunes have been battered by the financial crisis, has filed for divorce from his second wife after five years of marriage, a spokesman said on Tuesday. The 85-year-old executive chairman of both Viacom Inc and CBS Corp cited "irreconcilable differences" with Paula Fortunato Redstone, a former school teacher who is almost 40 years his junior. The couple, who live in a gated community overlooking Beverly Hills, have no children together. They had entered into a 'marital settlement agreement' covering their assets, said the papers filed on Friday in the Los Angeles Superior Court."

Controlling Media Members face new scrutiny on Wall Street
(Smart Money) Nat Worden writes: "The global financial crisis threatens some of the media's elite controlling shareholders after a decade of disappointing investment returns, a rise in investor activism and a chaotic industry transition to the digital age. Media moguls who rose to prominence while keeping a tight grip on control of their empires have lost some cachet on Wall Street in recent years, as public shareholders increasingly view their family relationships and resistance to change as a barrier to stock performance. Now, the outbreak of a historic financial meltdown has sparked massive sell-offs in media stocks in expectation of an economic slowdown that could force structural changes to an industry already struggling to adapt to the Internet. This prospect could loosen the grip of controlling shareholders on their family businesses like never before. 'Conflicts of interest aren't felt during good times,' said Nell Minnow with the Corporate Library, a corporate governance advisory firm. 'But they can be felt strongly in bad times.' Those particularly seeing extra scrutiny are Sumner Redstone, controlling shareholder of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp. ; the Dolan family, owners of Cablevision Systems Corp.; and the Ochs-Sulzbergers, who control New York Times Co."



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O'Reilly: You still have me to kick around
(Washington Post) Howard Kurtz writes: "Bill O'Reilly has signed up for another tour of duty at Fox News, saying that he decided 'to put myself through all the attacks and smears' for several more years. The pugnacious pundit said that he signed the contract despite what he sees as a constant assault on his reputation. 'I couldn't care less whether the establishment media respect me,' he said yesterday in an interview. 'I feel they're corrupt. They, I'm sure, resent me feeling that way.' Fox is expected to formally announce the four-year deal today, and the decision by O'Reilly -- who will be paid more than $10 million a year -- was not unexpected. After re-signing Sean Hannity and luring Glenn Beck from CNN's Headline News in the past two weeks, Fox has solidified a right-leaning lineup."


Fox President: FCC needs to stop regulating speech
(Broadcasting & Cable) John Eggerton writes: "It is time for the government to get out of the business of regulating indecent speech. That was the message from News Corp. President and COO Peter Chernin to media executives and others gathered in Washington for The Media Institute’s annual awards dinner. Chernin argues that it is not too many steps from censoring unpopular entertainment to doing the same to unpopular political content. Chernin weighed in on the issue in a speech accepting the Freedom of Speech award from the institute, whose trustees include major media companies. Chernin was teeing up Fox’s arguments before the Supreme Court, which is hearing the FCC's challenge to a lower-court smackdown of the FCC's fleeting profanity ruling against Fox's Billboard awards broadcast. That hearing will be Nov. 4, Election Day."





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Generosity Index
(Portfolio) Duff McDonald writes: "In the upper tier of philanthropy, it’s not just about the cause and the gift. It’s about outdoing the other guy. Here is Condé Nast Portfolio’s look at which billionaires are giving the most, relative to their wealth; which are giving the least; and who is refusing to say."
(Hint: #1 is Warren Buffett. Last place is Rupert Murdoch)


Rupert Murdoch ready for spending spree
(Financial Times) News Corporation has a $5bn “war chest”, Rupert Murdoch said on Friday, as he highlighted his appetite for acquisitions while more indebted rivals struggle. “We are as well positioned as we can be to face what may well turn into a prolonged economic downturn,” he told the media group’s annual meeting in New York, pointing to a 22-year average debt maturity. News Corp was forced this week to abandon its attempt to sell News Outdoor, a Russian billboard business, to JCDecaux, and its auction of free-to-air television businesses in Bulgaria, Latvia and Serbia has stalled. However, the group chairman highlighted eastern Europe as one of three regions, with India and the broader Asian market, in which he would seek to expand.



NBC Universal cutting $500 million
(LA Times) Dawn C. Chmielewski writes: "NBC Universal is planning to slash spending across the board next year as it braces for a sharp drop in consumer spending on entertainment. In a memo, NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker said the cuts would amount to $500 million, or 3% of what would be a $16.7-billion annual budget. He called on division heads to make cuts in staffing, promotional expenses and discretionary spending on travel, entertainment and outside consultants."



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The endorsements
(Associated Press) The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, two of the most influential US newspapers, backed Barack Obama on Friday to become the next US president, praising his leadership abilities despite his relative inexperience. Obama also picked up hometown support from the Chicago Tribune -- marking the first time since its founding in 1847 that it has come out for a Democratic candidate. Their editorials took to 51 the number of US newspapers endorsing Obama so far in the November 4 election, against 16 for McCain, according to a tally by the Editor and Publisher trade journal...The biggest newspaper to come out for McCain so far has been the New York Post, a part of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's empire that also includes the conservative Fox News channel.




Palin draws big ratings
(Associated Press) Sarah is big...but not quite as big as Nancy Kerrigan. "The entertainment summit of the season — Sarah Palin and her impersonator, Tina Fey — earned "Saturday Night Live" its best ratings in 14 years. But if you blinked, you might have missed it. Fey was answering questions at a news conference, something Palin hasn't done yet as the Republican vice presidential nominee, when Palin walked on the stage. Fey beat a hasty retreat in the opening segment, walking past the real Palin with a barely perceptible nod. If anyone was hoping for a side-by-side photo of the identically dressed women, they were out of luck. Palin's guest shot, widely anticipated since Fey began imitating her a month ago, led "Saturday Night Live" to its highest mark in overnight Nielsen Media Research ratings since March 1994, when assaulted skater Nancy Kerrigan was guest host."






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Robert Feder's farewell
(Chicago Sun Times) You get the feeling that the Sun-Times has no idea what they'll be missing? Robert Feder writes: "Yes, this is it. I'm stepping down today after 28 years of daily coverage of radio and television for the Sun-Times. But in the words of Sonny & Cher, the beat goes on. Although I won't be here to report them, here are some predictions I'm willing to bet will occur in the coming months and beyond:" (Click on the link to read his predictions about Channel 5, Richard Roeper, Steve Cochran, Steve Dahl, and Mancow among others)


Nine-FM's farewell
As of Monday, Nine-FM--the "We play anything" station is no longer on the air. They wrote a letter to their listeners on their website. Click the link to read what they have to say, including recommendations for other stations.


Saunders readying for final signoff
(Chicago Tribune) Phil Rosenthal writes: "WMAQ-Ch. 5 lead newscaster Warner Saunders, who's been part of Chicago's television landscape for 40 years, expects to leave the station he has called home since 1980, retiring at the end of May from the 10 p.m. newscast he has co-anchored for 11 1/2 years. Although WMAQ has yet to make any formal announcement, Saunders, who turns 74 in January, said by e-mail that he signed a brief contract extension that smooths out the transition for the NBC-owned station's newscasts. Saunders intends to move off the station's 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts with the new year, while remaining on Channel 5's marquee 10 p.m. broadcast alongside Allison Rosati for another five months. Barring something unexpected, Saunders indicated he looks to retire June 1. Nothing is set in stone, but Channel 5 4:30 p.m. anchor Bob Sirott, the former CBS News correspondent and "Chicago Tonight" host who doubles as host of a noon show for Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.'s WGN-AM 720, is expected to land in Saunders' spot on the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. programs. If all goes well with Sirott's on-air reunion alongside Rosati, with whom he long ago co-anchored WMAQ's "First Thing in the Morning," he's front-runner for the 10 p.m. program, too, once Saunders assumes his next challenge."


Mancow replaces Jerry Agar at WLS
(Chicago Tribune) Phil Rosenthal writes: "Erich "Mancow" Muller, who lost his last full-time Chicago radio job 27 months ago, has signed a letter of intent to host a weekday talk show for Citadel Broadcasting's WLS-AM 890. Mike Fowler, WLS-AM's president and general manager, confirmed that Muller will replace Jerry Agar in the 9 a.m.-to-11 a.m. slot, beginning Monday. For his first week, he will be paired with Pat Cassidy, who joined WLS from WBBM-AM 780 this summer. "It's going to bring a lot of energy to the station," Fowler said. "It's a younger version of Rush [Limbaugh], with some Roe Conn thrown in." Muller, who will continue to do a separate syndicated morning program, did not return a call for comment.


Mini Interview: Shelli Harmon
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Every week I'm featuring excerpts from my SHORE Magazine article about 14 local radio voices. This week: Shelli Harmon from from Sunny 101.5 in South Bend.


Chicago Radio Spotlight interview: Marc Silverman
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with the co-host of ESPN Radio's "Waddle and Silvy," Marc Silverman. Silvy talked about his early radio influences, his highs and lows, and his current broadcast partner, former Bear Tom Waddle. Coming this weekend: Robert Murphy.

Suburban Man: The Birth of Tommy Kaempfer

I wrote the following piece when I returned home from the hospital after the birth of my oldest son Tommy, thirteen years ago this week (October 19, 1995). Yikes...we've got a teenager in the house.

The phone rang at the office. It was the very pregnant Bridget on the line. “I’m not sure, but I think my water might have broken.”

Like any rational adult, I went into a sitcom panic. “What do you mean, you think your water might have broken? Isn’t that usually accompanied by a huge swoosh of water?”

After we both calmed down (although now that I mention it, Bridget was pretty calm) we decided to swing by the doctor’s office and have him check. It was his day off and he conducted the examination over the phone with another doctor. The fluid was checked under a microscope.

Bingo.

Like any rational adult, I called everyone I knew and said “We’re going to have a baby!”

Of course, reality set in when we got to the hospital. The woman in the room next to Bridget’s was in her second day of labor. Later in the night we heard a woman screaming in such excruciating pain that we thought it was a baby crying. I knew right then and there that my beautiful wife would be numbing the pain with drugs. The more, the merrier.

I’m pretty sure that my mother set some kind of speed record from Mt. Prospect to Chicago in the middle of the afternoon. Bridget called her sometime around 1PM, and she was in the waiting room by 2PM. Apparently we weren’t the only ones anticipating the birth of this child....Oma wanted to be there when her first grandchild was born. As it turned out, she wasn’t.

After sitting there for eight hours with very little progress I sent her home. That’s when all hell broke loose. Bridget had to be induced, and almost immediately she started feeling intense pain. My memory banks have catalogued this beautiful moment between the anesthesiologist and my wife. It went something like this....

Dr: So, you think you need something for the pain?
Br: Yes, yes, yes....oooooh.
Dr: OK, we’re going to have to ask the father to leave the room for a moment.
Br: Groan. Groan. Groan. Groan. Groan.

(Rick leaves the room, returns 1/2 hour later)

Br: Oh, thank you doctor, thank you. I just wanted to really, really, really, really thank you.


We both knew we were in the home stretch then. Well, at least I knew. I’m not sure if Bridget even knew where she was for the next few hours. Thank God. It was so great to see the transformation from the really unhappy Bridget to the really happy Bridget.

It was now 2AM. Time to start pushing. They called Dr. Sabbagha. He checked out the goods and decided that we still had some time, so Bridget kept on pushing while the doc took a little nap. Molly the nurse helped us push. She held one of Bridget’s legs and I held the other and we coached her through each push. About every third push Bridget’s leg slammed me right in the family jewels.

Then I saw it....

At first I wasn’t sure what it was, Molly had to fill me in. It was the baby’s head. The hair threw me off. I didn’t expect to see hair, I was expecting to see a perfectly shaped bald (Michael Jordan-esque) head. But there was no mistaking it...the time was near.

Molly went to get Dr. Sabbagha, and told us we could keep pushing if we wanted. BIG MISTAKE. With her first solo try, Bridget grunted hard, and poof - there was the head...all the way out. I’m not sure what I said, but I think it went something like this....

“STOP. STOP. STOP. Holy Bleep.”

Molly came back in, saw the head and said...”Oh my God, we better get Dr. Sabbagha.”

He barely had time to get his gloves on before the event. Just a few moments later, at 4:06 a.m. we had a bouncing baby boy.

We didn’t even know the name of the baby when I called Mom up around 4:45AM. We hadn’t allowed ourselves to really put a lot of thought into a boy’s name, it just didn’t seem possible that we would have a boy. Bridget's entire family at the time consisted of nothing but girls.

Naming a child is one of the most awesome responsibilities a person ever faces. Our momentous decision was made something like this....

Rick: We need to come up with a name.
Bridget: It’s a boy. I can’t believe it’s a boy.
Rick: I guess the name Grace Anne won’t work now.
Bridget: Well, what do you think?
Rick: Let's name him after our fathers.
Bridget: I'm not naming him Eckhard or Stanley.
Rick: Fine, then let’s name him after our Dad’s middle names. Peter Thomas or Thomas Peter?
Bridget: I don’t know, I’m getting stitched up right now.
Rick: OK. Thomas Peter.
Bridget: Fine.

Most of our friends and relatives heard about Tommy on the radio. As a matter of fact, in one of the earliest broadcasting debuts in history, Tommy was on the air when he was 2 hours old.

The following is a transcript of that telephone conversation that morning. The participants are John Landecker (center), sidekick Vicki Truax (the only female in the group picture), and proud papa Rick.

John: Oldies 104.3 WJMK, It's 12 minutes after 6:00 with John Records Landecker and Vicki Truax. The hotline...the private line...is ringing. Hello.

Rick: Hello.

John: Well?

Rick: I'm a papa.

(Loud cheering and whooping in the studio)

Vicki: A girl or a boy?

Rick: A boy.

Vicki: I KNEW IT!!! What's his name?

Rick: Thomas Peter.

Vicki: What time?

Rick: 4:06 a.m.

John: Wow. How's everybody doing?

Rick: Everyone is fine.

Vicki: Bridget is fine too? Is she exhausted?

Rick: Yup, she's holding Thomas right now.

John & Vicki: Awwwww.

Rick: 7 pounds, 3 ounces.

John & Vicki: Awwwww.

Rick: And I recorded the entire thing on Digital audio tape.

Vicki: You're kidding? She didn't make you turn it off?

Rick: No. I had it put in a nice place where it didn't get in anyone's way.

John: We've got Thomas' birth on tape.

Rick: Yup. And we got his first bath on tape too, and his first cry.

John: Something tells me we better get more tape. OK, here's his first eyelid opening. Better get that on tape. We're going through his first toll...let's get that on tape. Hey Rick, don't you just want to...

John, Vicki & Rick: Hug and kiss them all the time?

(That was something Vicki said so often about her daughter it was a running joke on the show)

Rick: He is so damn cute.

John & Vicki: Awwwwww.

Rick: Wait a second...is he crying? Hold on.

Sound: A tiny baby cry can be heard.

John: Is that him?

Rick: Yup. His on-air debut.

John: Wow!

Rick: He's got some lungs on him.

John: That kid sounds like he's two years old.

Rick: Yeah, he's got good pipes.

John: Does he want to come in and do a few record talkovers?

Vicki: How long is he?

Rick: 21 inches.

John: So what was it like?

Rick: It was so cool. It was just like the movie "Alien." The baby kind of popped out and looked around. Then he jumped up and sucked my eyes out...

John & Vicki: (Laughing)

John: Then Siguorney Weaver came in with some sort of a mechanical device. It was unbelievable.

Vicki: You guys. Is he all wrinkly. Does he have hair?

Rick: Yeah, he does have hair. That was the first thing we saw. I asked the nurse...ewww...what is that? That's his hair. Oh.

John: Did you get it on tape?

Rick: Of course. Uh, oh. I have to go. We need to take Bridget up to the recovery room.

Vicki: You're still in the delivery room?

Rick: Yeah.

Vicki: That's dedication.

John: How many calls have you made so far?

Rick: This is my second call. I called my mom first.

John: Wow. Well take care of everyone.

Rick: Thanks.

John & Vicki: Bye.

John: There they go. Dad Rick, Mom Bridget and now Thomas Kaempfer.

Vicki: I kind of liked the other name Rick was talking about before.

John: I don't think Bridget was ever going to agree to Ringo.

Monday Musings

Every Monday stop by for jokes, links to stories you might have missed, amusing photos and video, and more. Contributions and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Click on the "Email Me" link on the right to contribute.




Joke of the Week: 22 jokes for the kids. Contributed by "K"



1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up on It

2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way.

3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest ?
They Take the Psycho Path

4. How Do You Get Holy Water?
You Boil the Hell Out Of It

5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?
Dam!

6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroid's

7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?
A Stick

8. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours?
Nacho Cheese

9. What Do You Call Santa's Helpers?
Subordinate Clauses.

10. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand?
Quattro Sinko

11. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk

12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite

13. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck

14. What's The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup?
Anyone Can Roast Beef

15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs?
Right Where You Left Him

16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils?
Because They Have Big Fingers

17. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares the Dog

18. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic?
Sanka

19. What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover ?!
The Location of The Dirt Bag

20. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down?
Because They Wore Their Belt Buckle on Their Hat

21. What's The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver?
A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang! A Bad Skydiver Goes Dang! Whack.

22. How are a Texas Tornado and a Tennessee Divorce the Same?
Somebody's Gonna’ Lose A Trailer



Stories you might have missed

1. GOP group depicts Obama with watermelon, ribs
(This is a funny story, not because the racism is funny, but because they are claiming with a straight face that it's not racist at all.)

2. How big is America's nuclear arsenal?
(This is a short video using BBs to represent nuclear warheads)

3. "I told my husband to get a happy ending."
(And she wasn't talking about a movie.)

4. Ringo Starr: No more fan mail
(Does this mean my autographed Ringo album is worth more?)

5. The Kennedy Tapes
(This is really fascinating audio of President Kennedy talking with a few of his good friends--off the record for a book project--in the months before he is elected.



Video of the week: Contributed by "B". He calls it "Rachel Ray Corn Porn"



Rachael Ray Corn Porn - Watch more free videos



Photo of the week: Contributed by "S". It's the new "Cubs flag"





















READER RESPONSE


Regarding Political Jokes

"Rick, I'm not accusing you of being a lefty, but I was just wondering why you haven't picked out any Obama jokes for your Monday jokes?"
--S

Rick responds: I have gotten a few Obama jokes, but to tell you the truth, they all have two things in common. 1) They are racist. Not just kind of racist, but, 'what is this, 1865?' racist. 2) They aren't funny. So, if you've got a funny Obama joke that isn't about his race, I'll happily post it. If it's just another joke that makes me cringe, forget it.

Regarding Suburban Man: "Second Thoughts"

"There have long been T-shirts reading, "Baseball is life. The rest is just details." I think baseball was first with this often-copied refrain, and there is reason for it. Other sports are posers. Baseball is a metaphor for life, and it's why the game has such a strong hold on so many of us. You are teaching your kids well by helping them to love the game.

Baseball starts in the spring, our world's time of new growth, hope, and a full future. It is a grind, played day after day, like life itself. There are good days and bad. For six months every year, it is always there, a friend ready to engage us. It teaches loyalty. It rewards perseverence. It is unchanging, a link to our past, which has been lost in so many other ways.

Then, like life, it ends. For most of us, it ends in resignation that those dreams were never close to coming true. For some, it ends in heartbreak. Only a few reach the mountaintop, but even for them, it ends. The flowers fade. The leaves fall. Your friend, so omipresent for so long, has gone. The winter is cold, dark, and empty.

That's when only our belief that spring will come again carries us forward. That the world will bloom again, that the days will be warm, that there is promise in next season.

I believe that it's not whether you win or lose. It's that you played."
--R