Oprah, Queen of all Media

So, Oprah was duped by a former drug addict, cum author, who told her what she wanted to hear to pass along her own form of "feel good spiritualism." James Frey told her the story about addction and recovery. He wrote about suicide and police confrontations and how he was addicted to drugs and what he did to get the drugs and how he became clean and sober. It was the "gist" of the story that mattered when she called Larry King to defend her "Oprah's Book of the Month Club" author. Her word meant that millions of copies of the book would be sold. He was guaranteed fame and success. Any subsequent books would result in large advances, national or international book tours, adoring fans. In other words, he would be exchanging one addiction for another.

But, then the house of cards on which this fame and his story were built, came crashing down with a good, old-fashioned Oprah butt -whuppin' on national television. And somewhere during the course of his comeuppance, public sentiment started to shift, even if ever so slightly. Poor James Frey had to suffer humiliation in front of millions of television viewers. Oh, the shame, Oprah. How dare you flog someone when he thought he was your friend?

Of course, public perception started to change as the Smoking Gun report came to light and the truth was about to unfold. Oprah decided it was time to cover her assets. Where once the overall message was what was important in Mr. Frey's book, now it was the "truth" that mattered. Oprah doesn't like feeling "duped" but most likely, Oprah doesn't like the public to think that she is anything less than "above the fray" or is that "above the Frey"?

The whole story reminds me of a recent Scrubs episode where Jordan was conned by a repeat-offender drug addict. He gave the sob story of not being able to see his son because of a lack of money due to his hospitalization. She gives him $500 and at the end of the episode he is sitting there handcuffed after being arrested for trying to buy drugs. The storyline is that when someone is so addicted they will do anything, say anything, or be anyone they need to be in order to get the next fix. It is the same whether it is drugs, alcohol or the need for recognition, fame or fortune.

For Oprah, I'm guessing, that the fix is public approval, though she should have garnered enough over the last two decades to last an eternity. Sometimes even that isn't enough for some people. Most likely, it will be long-forgotten in a few months when the next "story for the ages" comes along.

Goodbye, Again, Newell

Levolor and Kirsch are leaving Freeport and POOF! there goes another 115 jobs in a community that can ill afford any more job losses. The first round of lay-offs or should that be let-gos will begin on Monday. Once again, an icon in the local business community is uprooting for the greener (aka-cheaper) pastures of a third world workplace and American workers are left to look for another pay cut and job in the service industry.

Joe Galli took the company for a ride and moved corporate headquarters to Atlanta. Now, he is gone and jobs are leaving. I know that we are not the only community that suffers this fate. Just read any recent business headline from many communities in Michigan, other parts of Illinois or Ohio or Pennsylvania. The "Rust Belt" is definitely continuing to live up to its moniker.

Our Governor places unusually high fees on industries like trucking and businesses fold or leave the state. Governor Granholm of Michigan paints a rosy picture of the state's condition, but it looks like she must have her head in the sand dunes of western Michigan. Flint is dying with the auto industry, just like Wixom and other cities throughout that state. There, like here, and the other Midwest states see jobs heading south for cheaper wages and in many instances much farther south... like Mexico and Central America. Where and when will it end? How many jobs can Wal-Mart supply us with?

Ford, Schmord

So the hype begins in Detroit and around the nation for Super Bowl XL to be played in Detroit at Ford Field. How ironic that the same week that all of this begins, Ford plans to lay off another 30,000 workers and close 15 plants. But yet, in the name of vanity and all that is great about America and promoting one's name---welcome to Ford Field, the home of unemployment, and the city that time forgot in the wake of the industrial age.

Maybe the Ford family should sell the Detroit Lions and rid its obligation of Ford Field (though I'm betting that much of it was financed on the backs of the citizens of Michigan, many of whom no longer have decent jobs) and use some of that money to pay its employees and retirees the wages and benefits that they deserve. Of course, Ford's stock jumped a few pennies from the abysmal level that it currently sits at. This once proud business seems to have lost its way. How many SUV's can Ford sell anyways?

Let the game begin. Let the hordes of people bring in their cash and deposit into the coffers of Detroit and Michigan for the first time in 25 years, because it may be another 25 before the Super Bowl comes that way again.

So Much for the Big Game Rematch

Good thing I'm not a betting man. First, New England loses yesterday. Now, the Chicago Bears take it on the chin. I did worry about the Bears' chances, especially when they started talking trash during game week. There are many intangibles in sports and one of the major ones is a sense of come-uppance. The Panthers shut down the talk on the second play of the game and finished business the way they wanted to... with a trip to Seattle.

Enough football for a while. Today was the heartbreaking tribute to the 13 miners who died in the coal mine in West Virginia. There is a nice perspective written by Homer Hickam for NPR or you can read the one that I wrote for The Journal Standard. The nation's lives change with each tragedy, but we find that we go on. It will be more difficult for the miners who are scheduled to return to work in the mine where the deaths occurred.

It looks like Judge Samuel Alito will be confirmed. I recommend the column by John Kass that spoke of the reaction of Judge Alito's wife during the confirmation hearings. I puts into perspective what the spouses of the nominees must go through since the Bork and Thomas hearings have put the political scrutiny and often outright cruelty of the interrogators into the mix. Of course, it is all politics of "us vs. them" and often has less to do with a candidates qualifications and more to do with trying to break someone's spirit.

Let's Play Some Football

I haven't sat this long in years. Fourth day without eating...nothing to do, but watch endless sports. Good news: Red Wings and Pistons win. Bad news: Michigan loses. Uncertain news: New England just fell behind by 11. They were robbed in the second quarter. Should have been offensive pass interference, instead Denver ends up with a TD on the next play. Then reliable Tom Brady throws an interception that is returned 100 yards. Next play, another Denver TD.

Have been rooting for a Chicago-New England Superbowl rematch. It was 20 years ago when the Bears emabarrassed the Patriots. It would be a lot closer this time...if it happens. We'll find out tomorrow if the Bears can make it to the NFC Championship game.

New England is on the move again...so I'm outta here.

Dumbing Us Down

Just finished watching the 20/20 special on schools in America. A few years ago while attending the Leadership Institute through Highland Community College there was a full-day discussion on education in general and Freeport in particular. One long-time (more than 30 years experience) brought out the interesting phenomenon of underprivileged children who entered her grade school classes full of desire to learn, but who by the fifth grade had lost that desire. The middle school teacher couldn't pinpoint what had happened in the intervening years, but a comment that another participant made stuck with me.

This person was asking about homeschooling, which we were doing at the time with our two oldest daughters. He said that his son had had straight A's until reaching the junior high level. The son started coming home with an occasional B and then started to see declining grades. It turned out, after some prodding, that the son didn't want to appear to be "too smart" because it went against his peer group, many of whom had lost interest in school at that early age.

The upside is that this student went on to have an excellent academic record despite the pressure of some of his peers. Many of these students never graduated, dropping out when they turned 16 or 17.

There were many ideas bantered about on the 20/20 show, including freedom of choice for schools; the issue of inept teachers who have such a deep safety net through union contracts that they are rarely fired; to teachers who are just there for the paycheck or health benefits; to too much money spent on administrative costs and luxuries. I didn't hear anything about the pressure of peers or the lack of responsibility by the parents to ensure that their children make good choices when it comes to education, whether it be public, private or homeschooling.

As it is with many of these shows that tell us "what is wrong with America" there was a dearth of possible solutions to the crisis in education. What there wasn't a shortage of, though, were the number of excuses and glossing over the facts by state school administrators, principals, teachers' unions, and politicians.

There were schools that were highlighted that did show high levels of achievement and learning alternatives that provided educational assistance leading to significant improvement in certain learning areas. It seemed like John Stossel's only suggestion was "competition" in education, such as school vouchers for students to attend private schools or charter schools. While the onus is clearly on our educational system, which is outdated by several decades, it isn't going to happen as long as parents, guardians, and responsible adults continue to abdicate more and more of the children's responsibilities to the teachers, administrators and schools. Children need advocates for their health, education and welfare and those primarily responsible should be the parents, guardians or all-too-common nowadays, the grandparents raising grandchildren.

I Can't Feel My Face

The left side of my face has been almost numb for the past few days. I have been home from work for the past few days unable to do much reading or writing due to the swelling in my face from an infection. I'm just now able to look at the computer screen long enough to put a few words down on the screen.

I've spent several hours over this time listening to the Alito hearings. I know, what a nerd! In some ways it is like listening to the Old Time Comedy Radio series. You've got the windbags like Kennedy and Schuler and then you've got the panderers like Brownback and Hagel. Are the Senate hearings just an opportunity to hear the Senators expound upon the already overactive profundity or is it to actually have a clue about determining the next Supreme Court Justice. It appears that the vote will most likely go according to each party's line and with a Republican majority and enough crossover votes, Judge Alito will become our next Supreme Court Judge.

We Three Kings and An Old Lady

We spent the weekend in Madison for our annual pilgrimage to St. Dennis Church to see the annual performance of "Old Befana". Ken Lonnquist and his gang have been doing this show for years. Ken wrote the musical version of Old Befana 19 years ago and it has grown each year in popularity. This is a show that is appropriate for all ages. It tells an old Eastern European tale of a widow that was asked to join the Three Wise Men as they make their journey to the town of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the special child born who was born on Christmas Day. You remember the baby, don't you. They called him "Wonderful," "Magnificent," "Saviour," "Christ." Old Befana doesn't follow the Three Wise Men, instead she chooses to stay home and tend to the menial tasks. When she realizes that she should have followed them, it is too late. She then takes her baked goods, candies, and cookies throughout the land delivering them to each child on January 6th, the Epiphany, Three Kings Day, hoping that one of the children she delivers to is that "Special Child" who will make a difference in the world.

The music is entertaining, as well as the gifted vocals of his cohorts, who are professional singers, as well as a wonderful bass player. They bring together this show each year for about 3-4 weeks in December and January. We've become kind of "Old Befana" groupies, having seen the show in Madison for 4 or 5 years and once in Chicago. If you ever get the chance to see this tale (some say it is actually more than 3000 years old, preceding the birth of Christ), don't pass up the opportunity. You'll be glad you went.

For more information about Ken Lonnquist or his music, including Old Befana, go to his web site: www.kenland.com.

Happy New Year!

For regular readers (okay, you two know who you are!) I apologize for the more than one month delay since the last post at this site. The holiday rush has taken its toll, especially with the practice experiencing its busiest month in my 15 year history. Life tends to get in the way of a web log sometimes. Thank you to everyone who has written or called or just stopped to ask about Claire and her dog, Shia. We've taken Shia to two fourth grade classrooms and will take her to Claire's room on her birthday this Thursday. Yes, Claire, who was only given a few years to live when she was two, will be thirteen. God does work in mysterious ways, doesn't He? Again for more information about service dogs for children with autism or autistic-like conditions, please visit the web site at Working Class Dogs.

For regular column readers looking for some updates: Books were forwarded to my friend, Jennie, in Germany. Haven't heard back, yet, but am assuming that they are on Christmas break. Thanks for the number of responses about the 'Twas a Few Days Before Christmas column. It is always appreciated to hear from readers, either pro or con, but especially when the remarks are well-written and when they are constructive in helping to formulate new ideas for the column.

I'll look to keep up once the home computer is up and working again. For now, have a happy, safe, healthy, prosperous and generous New Year!