Opinion

This is my off year but I feel I should discuss colonoscopys with you……

I haven’t written in a long time. I have been busy with work and the stuff around the house and with the dog. I was looking for information today on the big Internet on something and came across this great review on a Colonoscopy. I am required to get one every 2 years because colon cancer runs in my family on my mother’s side. , but this is my year off. I only go on even years. I had my first one in 1986 right after graduating from high school…like the next day. Back then they didn’t knock you out and it was not a pleasant experience so I vowed never to get another one. Well, when I turned 37 I decided it was time to
go again so I geared up for the unpleasantness of it, but now it’s like taking a nap and waking up and not knowing anything happened. The prep the day before is still a pain in the ass (no pun intended) but once you get through that and finally get into the surgical center it is a piece of cake. So for the PSA part of this post get out there and get a colonoscopy to make sure all is good with your colon and go read this review of this guys colonoscopy…it’s very simple these days and pain-free.

A night at Irving Plaza with Waren Haynes and Friends

It was titled “Warren Haynes all star jam at Irving plaza on March 28th 2007.” It was an OK show. It had it’s high points and it’s low points. The biggest low point being that the show started an hour late. It was scheduled to start ate 9 with doors opening at 8. Well we were in line by 7:30 and they opened the doors early which was no big deal since the night was warm and the crowed was friendly. But then we had to stand around for 2 hours till Warren finally came out and started the show with an acoustic version of “A Million Miles From Yesterday” which went right into “Sad And Deep As You” He was then joined but Edwin McCain
the first of may friends of the night. The first hour was all acoustic till Susan Tedeschi came out and did 2 great songs which she forgot the words on the last one and blamed her Irving Plaza bad luck. After she was done Warren came out and was joined by Greg Allman and they did 2 acoustic songs with Greg on lead vocals. Then the first break of about 30 min. (another low point)

The break was over and the Allman Brothers band came out to a loud cheer and went right into “Come and Go Blues” and then right into one of the best versions of “Jessica” I have heard in a few years (high point). We got another 15 – 30 min break while the next band set up.

The Derek Trucks band minus Derek came out with Susan Tedeschi on lead guitar and vocals on “Evidence”. For the rest of the set Derek was playing and Susan was singing. She has a great set of pipes and a great stage presence. Derek has defiantly come into his own and is playing the best he has in years. (On a side note if you missed the article about him in Rolling Stones Magazine try to get a hold of it and give it a read.)Another 30 min break while Matt Abts tuned his drums and the band I guess went out for pizza or something (Big Low Point). Warren’s wife Stefani Scamardo came out and thanked the fans for coming out and telling us that we are the real reason they do this and that this show was for us…well next time you are doing a show for us how about
starting on time.Mule finally came out and kicked it right off with “Hammer And Nails”. The band was tight and the “friends” were a perfect fit for the night. They did a 5 song set and the encore.

We had to bail before the encore to catch the last train out of New York for the night.

I think the show over all was a great show and we saw and heard some great music. Like I said waiting an extra hour for the show to start sucked and I know the delay was for the venu to sell more alcohol and that Warren and the band are known to start late but an hour is crazy, but I would do it again. If they had started at least a 1/2 hour late they cold have played more music for the fans…since the show was for us.

As my cousin said while we were waiting it’s these little shows that you get great live music and pairings of musicians you wouldn’t get other wise. I am a big fan of the “Jam Band” genre and it is shows like this that make this kind of music great.

Here is the set list:

Warren Haynes Solo Acoustic
01 Intro 00:27.52
02 A Million Miles From Yesterday 03:40.67
03 Sad And Deep As You * 04:49.31

Warren Haynes & Edwin McCain
04 Sign On The Door 07:11.25
05 Crazy 06:09.07

Warren Haynes, Kevn Kinney & Edwin McCain
06 Good Country Mile 07:13.74
07 Trail Of Seasons 05:24.24
08 I Shall Be Released # 06:28.30

Susan Tedeschi
09 Till The Earth Runs Dry 03:08.58
10 Shelter 05:02.40

Gregg Allman & Warren Haynes Acoustic
11 All My Friends 05:15.04
12 These Days 06:02.02

Allman Brothers Band
13 Come And Go Blues 06:32.17
14 Jessica 12:41.56

Derek Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi
15 Evidence $% 08:02.39
16 I Wish I Knew 06:50.12
17 Only You Know And I Know 04:28.73
18 The Weight %+ 12:18.23

Gov’t Mule featuring Kofi Burbridge on Keys
19 Hammer And Nails 06:29.66
20 32/20 Blues ^ 07:51.67
21 Same Thing ^& 13:17.44
22 Straight To Hell @ 09:27.58
23 Turn On Your Lovelight ! 08:19.22
Encore:
24 That’s What Love Will Make You Do ~ 12:03.08

Total: 169:16.74

  • with Kofi Burbridge

with Susan Tedeschi

$ no Derek
% with Eric Krasno
+ with Edwin McCain
^ with Audley Freed
& with Charlie Drayton
@ with Kevn Kinney, Edwin McCain, Tony Mason and Lenny Kaye
! with Col. Bruce Hampton, Audley Freed, Tony Mason & Jay Collins
~ with Brian Mitchell, Jay Collins, Tony Mason and Audley Freed

Damn The Man!!!! The days of local radio breaking new records, taking chances on unknown acts and responding to it’s audience’s interests have all but disappeared.

Local radio is it a thing of the past and just holding on by the skin of its teeth?

I say yes and the main reason is that the Telecommunications act of 1996 has allowed the huge conglomerates to come in and buy up most of the stations in the large to medium markets and playing the fewest songs that appeal to the most people. Though more than 30,000 CDs are released in a year, the national play lists are getting tighter than ever and are being influenced by big money from the big labels being brought into the stations through independent radio promoters.

As the former manager of the Police, Miles Colpeland said in the article “What’s Wrong With Radio?” by Greg Kot of Rolling Stone Magazine, “the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which deregulated radio and set off an unprecedented wave of media mergers. That action “made radio more corporate, more homogeneous, and rounded out the rough edges that make music interesting.” I can’t agree more. Back in the day the independent radio stations use to break new bands and had all the control of their play lists as well as being a little rough and fun to listen to.

In today’ radio markets the play lists are set by corporate management and focus groups.  The Disc Jockey we know of old who use to bring in interesting and new music is gone and now we have a person who is told what he can play and when.

I am one of those old-time radio announcers from the 80’s. I use to go into the studio with a pile of records and cd’s and try to give the listeners a vast selection of music to listen to as well as the hits of the time. I felt my job was to open the minds of the listeners to new types of music and new bands. Nowadays if a band doesn’t have a contract with the big record labels they probably won’t be getting their air time on the radio.

Another big problem with these big media mergers is that the local areas have lost their local stations. Sure in the morning you get some local news and traffic but you don’t have a station that is giving back to the community in one way or another. The owner is located in another state or town so the bulk of the money spent on advertising is leaving the community the station is in. Or worse as Gabriel Harrison said in Brian Liberatore of the Press & Sun-Bulletin’s article BU disc jockey contends radio giants inadequate in serving some markets.

“You get these stations that advertise themselves as top 20 stations and some of them are run by machines,” Harrison said. “Some have gotten rid of the DJs. Now they just have sales positions. Used to be when you called a radio station they’d say, ‘Hey, what song do you want to hear?’ Now you get a secretary who says, ‘What business office can I connect you to?’ “

The listenership of radio has been dropping for a few years now..due to poor music selection, internet radio, and satellite radio. Internet radio is giving the listener what they want to hear variety in the music and not the same 40 songs that the local radio station is playing.

So what can you the listener do about all this…let your voices be heard?
Every radio station in the United States gets its broadcast license from the Federal Communications Commission for free — on the condition that the station serves “the public interest.”

This license needs to be renewed every eight years. If the station isn’t holding up its end of the bargain, people can file objections with the FCC during this renewal process to let federal regulators know.

These “informal objections” establish an official record of dissatisfaction with a poorly performing station. The more citizens who participate in the license renewal process, the more likely it is that the FCC and the station itself will take notice.  License renewals provide a good organizing opportunity for media activists. You can use the license renewal as a chance to analyze your broadcasters’ service and educate your
community about broadcasters’ public interest duties.

Here’s how to file an informal objection:

Step 1: Time It Right
Find out when stations in your state need to renew their licenses. Plan to submit your comments two to four months before the license expires, though you can file any time between when the station submits its renewal and when the renewal is granted. You can monitor the status of a station’s application via the FCC’s Consolidated Database System.

Step 2: Get Your Information together
Every station is required to keep a public file, which includes documentation of a station’s political, educational, children’s and community affairs programming. You are entitled to look through this file upon request. You can also gather information on a station by monitoring and documenting what the station is broadcasting.
In particular, you may want to examine the station’s news coverage and public affairs programming. Does the local news programming reflect the concerns, needs and values of the community? Does the local news provide adequate and thorough political coverage (both local and national)? Is the station’s political coverage balanced? Or are certain
people or viewpoints being treated unfairly? How does the local news portray different segments of the local community? Does the station air enough community affairs programming? Is the local news actually “local”? Or is it produced and taped elsewhere?

Step 3: Sending that Letter
On the first page of the letter, include the station’s call letters, city and state, the station’s facility number, and the station’s license renewal application file number (you can find this info in the FCC’s database).
In the body of your letter, provide specific information about the station’s performance and why its license should be revoked. Point out the things you found during Step 2 – and any actions by the station that aren’t in your community’s best interests. Remember that the FCC doesn’t monitor stations’ programming, so provide as many specifics as you
can.

For radio stations, address your letter to:

Audio Division, License Renewal Processing Team
Mailstop 1800B
FCC, Office of the Secretary
445 12th St. SW
Washington, DC 20554

You must also send a copy of your objection to the station’s general manager. Filing an informal objection isn’t the only way to get involved in the license renewal process; you can also file a formal “Petition to Deny,” which carries more weight but requires more work (and usually the help of a few lawyers). See the FCC site for more information.

In Binghamton one Dick Jockey and a handful of listeners sent a petition to the FCC asking the agency to deny the license renewals of 11 local radio stations owned by Clear Channel Communications. The local group contends the nationwide corporate takeover of radio stations has limited local production, lowered the quality of broadcasting and nearly destroyed the medium.

Remember the airwaves are in a public trust and we have handed it over to these companies.

A rule that I think should be followed….

A buddy sent me a list of rules that George Carlin put out and the last one hit it right on the head. I bitch about this all the time and I glad to see that others feel the same way.

New Rule: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don’t need to know in months. “27 Months.” “He’s two,” will do just fine. He’s not a cheese.

Wear sunscreen..trust me on the sunscreen. 2

I remember seeing the text for this speech hanging in a sales persons cube back in the 90’s when I worked a Elcom and was doing an upgrade. It caught my attention because it was supposedly by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. It also hit home a little. Of course he really didn’t give it but what the writer says makes sense.

I can’t remember anything that was said at my graduation throughout the years, but I would have remembered this I think…..how many of you remember the speeches given at your high school or college graduation? So since we are in graduation time here is the supposed text from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s MIT graduation speech…..

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97:

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen
would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been
proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no
basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will
dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind.
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth
until they’ve faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look
back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp
now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you
really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying
is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things
that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you
at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts. Don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours.

Floss…

Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead,
sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end,
it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with
your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at
22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most
interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You’ll miss them
when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children,
maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance
the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you
do, don’t congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself
either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of
it or of what other people think of it. It’s the greatest
instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone
for good. Be nice to your siblings. They’re your best link to
your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the
future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few
you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography
and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need
the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you
soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians
will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you’ll
fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable,
politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust
fund. Maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when
either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you’re 40 it
will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way
of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting
over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

A thank you to the LIS yearbook committee..

What a long strange trip it’s been…..

I have handed over the disc with the yearbook on it to Maureen to take to the printers.

It’s been an interesting experience doing the layout of this book. I now have enough scrap paper from all the printouts I did to last me the next year at least. I was still getting pictures as late as 10 pm last night and I used each and everyone. The final layout finished saving at 1 am and the conversion to PDF finished at 2:30 am…..

I couldn’t have done it without all of your typing and taking pictures and proofing all the proofs. If I have to this again I wouldn’t want to do with another group of people. All I ask for is more time…

To a great Yearbook committee and to our fearless leader Kim…. 🙂

I hope you all like the final product…..

William Bilancio – a very tired but happy layout guy…..

The Art of the deal

What has happened to the art of the deal? We had a yard sale today to get rid of stuff that was clogging our basement and to make some extra cash. We priced most of the big stuff as one would do. Now when I used to go to flea markets and yard sales with my mom and grandfather I use to watch them bargain for most of the things they purchased. Today though not one person tried to bargain down my prices, they would look at or ask the price and walk away. Now I know that I didn’t price my stuff to high but hey I was ready to bargain but nothing…..So my question is what happened to the art of the deal?

Picnic week wrap up

After a great sunny day on Thursday, the yard at my aunts took shape and started looking like we were going to have a picnic, Dean and I got the flags up and the tents in place while Avery colored more shirts for the staff all-stars. Fran Bilancio and crew showed up and got to work on their projects…

Friday saw the last of the speakers go into place after a few rebuilds. Music was flowing by lunch. Tim showed up and got the lawn mowed and the property started to really shape up. The Volleyball court got lined and the quouite pits were uncovered and started to dry out. The picnic tables were put into position and the day started to wind down with a great dinner. The last meeting of the games committee followed dinner and then it was time for a good night of sleep.

PICNIC DAY
I woke up to clouds and a lot of humidity and thoughts of the worse. I headed over to the property to start the final preparations for the picnic. Water Balloons had to be filled, the balloons for the grape stomp need to be blown up, the paper for the Watermelon Spitting Contest had to be taped together and rolled up. And the most important was the Beer and Ice had to be picked upped. We got a 1/2 keg and 14 40lbs bags of ice.

Things started right at 1:30 as the first people showed up and things didn’t die down till well into Sunday morning. I will post more on the picnic later.

The Day After
Spent yesterday hanging out with my dad and uncles and just relaxing and taking it easy. My Uncle Fran left last night around 10-11and my parents are leaving this morning….so picnic week 2004 is over……but we did start discussing picnic 2005 throughout the day yesterday….stay tuned…..

Late night calls = Bad News 2

When the phone rings late at night is it ever good news? It hasn’t happened to me in a long time but a few of my friends have had it happen lately. But the times that people have called the house late at night have been to tell me someone is dead or in the hospital. You never get birth announcements in the middle of the night I guess because the proud parents are to tired or they respect the one who are asleep already. Just a thought that popped in my head after I was talking to some friends at work today….

I agree with this….

Before I started on the road of computer IT, I was a radio Dee-Jay at a small town radio station. We were able to program our own music and I enjoyed it. Most of the stations back then were locally owned and were part of there communities. But in the last few years, most of the stations in the big to medium markets have been bought up by big companies and are being programmed from a central local and being automated. The music industry has also changed the way artists and radio stations work together. I found this article this morning about this so here is a copy of it to read…