Current Mailbag - Mailbag Archive Index - DCRTV Front Page - Support DCRTV DCRTV Mailbag - January 8 to January 13, 2008 Latest messages listed first..... \/ January 13 Messages \/ Cynné is here! ABC7's new anchor Cynné Simpson appeared for the first time Saturday as seen in this off air frame... (1/13/08) Much has been said by politicians about a "Broadband Divide" decrying the uneven availability of high-speed Internet within the U.S. and in comparing the U.S. with other countries in terms of availability of this service. However, I don't hear anyone talking about reliability of broadband service! My feeling is: 'If you're going to sell it, make it work first! And, if it doesn't work reliably, be honest enough not to sell it!' Why? Like so many on DCRTV, my broadband provider is Comcast. However, due to frustrations with unstable & unreliable connectivity, I'm back to using landline (I haven't used a "dial" phone here in the USA in at least a decade or more, so I won't call it "dial-up"!) at 25Kbps because of reliability one might expect in a bustling metropolis like the Falkland Islands o! r Tristan da Cunha, as opposed to say, the Washington, D.C. metro area. But, that 25Kbps is a lot faster than the 0.0 bps I’m getting right now from Comcast! My high-speed Internet went intermittent the evening of Tuesday, January 8, 2008 and has been that way ever since! The longest I've had service since then has been for three hours. They sent a service tech to my residence on Saturday. The gentleman seemed hopefully competent enough until, when he took "signal levels" out back said, "I can't fix this! I'm going to have to refer it. It might get fixed Monday." Well, after he left, I went inside and decided to see if there was any change since he'd briefly disconnected the service line. Voila! It was working!!! For all of 15-20 minutes. So, I called them back. And, now as I write this, I'm scheduled Monday evening for yet another service call. I've decided that this is going to be my last service call for this problem because if they still can't fix it, I'! m permanently going to go back to dial-up as the only other choice we have is Verizon FiOS. And, I'm not going to give up my copper phone line, which seems to be almost mandatory to get FiOS. I say that because I called Cox only to be told they don’t serve my area. This is the second time I've had this problem with Comcast. In December 2007, I "only" lost service for two days. Is this typical service for Comcast? Or, should I give up and put the home network and cable modems (I bought a second one in December when my service failed, and Comcast Tech support said it was because my modem had failed.) on eBay, doing without Internet video and audio, and getting used to slow downloads? My teenage daughter is already furious with Comcast because of "no more 'YouTube' and having to share the phone line for Internet which means schoolwork only". So, is my experience unique? Is it worth bothering my county council member about? I ask as it's obvious to me that Comcast doesn't care about its customers because perhaps they're so big that the! y feel they don't need to care. (1/13/08) To the guy who wants to know why Andy Pollin still has a job at WTEM, THAT is one of life's little mysteries. The guy is as small minded as it comes. If it isn't Redskins or Maryland b-ball, he isn't interested. Czaban pretty much carries the Sports Reporters show. Maybe Pollin has pictures of someone. Or maybe cousin Abe is pulling some strings. (1/13/08) Ok wise ass. Normally real police officers don't have to look up the statute every time that they arrest someone because after awhile these things come naturally. But here is Article 7 -104 of the Annotated Code of Maryland; §7–104. d) A person may not obtain control over property knowing that the property was lost, mislaid, or was delivered under a mistake as to the identity of the recipient or nature or amount of the property, if the person: (1) knows or learns the identity of the owner or knows, is aware of, or learns of a reasonable method of identifying the owner; (2) fails to take reasonable measures to restore the property to the owner; and (3) intends to deprive the owner permanently of the use or benefit of the property when the person obtains the property or at a later time. True it does not say anything about calling the police but the courts have ruled time after time that "a reasonable method......and "takes reasonable means to restore" means simply calling the police and let them worry about it. (1/13/08) Dave, in your front page Jan. 12th birthday wishes to Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern, you forgot to add one more radio personality who also celebrates a birthday on that day - none other than 630 WMAL's "Pet Liberal", Jerry Klein. No word yet on his real age. (1/13/08) Dave's response: The shocking truth about WMAL is that Chris Core is a liberal. So is morning newsman Bryan Nehman. And so, pretty much, is Fred Grandy..... So happy to hear of Craig's improving condition. Good wishes through the rest of his recovery. BD (1/13/08) To the post about " Welcome Back Gwen , nice 8 week vacation. Better watch what you say. It could happen to you. Dum Ass! (1/13/08) Dave's response: It's "dumb ass"..... Re: Gwen Tolbart - Dave you are correct. And to that rude poster, I happen to know Gwen and she suffered extreme whiplash and more not to mention she was hit almost head-on by a damn bus!! I was in a car accident myself three years back when some jerk ran a red light and I had muscle pain that I suffered with for almost a year. I still have physical problems at times today and the memory of going through it. Let me tell you it is nothing to joke about. It's too bad people see a need to come on this board and try to slam someone who has experienced something like this. Get a life jerk . It does not pay to be a hater because you never know when it might happen to you. I am sending this message to anyone else who feels the need to post that kind of crap also. Best wishes Gwen I am happy you are doing better. (1/13/08) Welcome back Gwen! Although released from the hospital less than 12 hours after the accident, I am glad she finally made it back to work! Hope she had a nice eight week vacation! (1/13/08) Dave's response: That's not fair. There are many injuries one can get in an auto accident - back injuries, strained and pulled muscles, bruised ribs, broken bones, even psychological aspects - that may not require hospitalization but can cause many weeks and months of painful recovery and require extensive physical rehabilitation..... “But putting aside Pollin, who is just a cynical, nasty piece of dead wood at WTEM” – then can someone tell me why he still has a job? (1/13/08) Re: Gwen Tolbart Is Back - Just want to say I know the accident Gwen was is must have been horrific for her and she is lucky to have survived such a crash. I cannot imagine getting hit by a bus. I am happy to see she has been able to get back on feet and wish her nothing but the best. (1/13/08) Listening .... to Dave Brown on W .... TOP on the weekends .... has become ..... un .... bearable. That staccato delivery of his is just annoying as hell. You can't teach old dogs new tricks, I guess. (1/13/08) Dave's response: When Dave's on, it's "WT...Opie" (and Anthony)..... (edit) Delilah ... the show sounds prerecorded and some evil computer program is spitting out this sugarplum fairlyland load of balderdash. (end edit) You nailed it. Sometimes the request you heard tonight was recorded anywhere from two nights to weeks ago and assembled by Mr. Machine for playback. (another edit) How long has WASH been running that same tv ad? (end edit) Don't know, but doesn't the blond chick look like Hillary Clinton with the old 1994 hairstyle? (1/13/08) I read the comment by "Andrea" saying that Craig Heist was a dear friend of the family and her asking about his condition. And afterwards, I made a "HMMM" response. Reason being, and I say this with all due respect and not trying to be a dick, but if he was such a dear friend of the family, I would think that she could contact his family and get this information. Or, as Dave said, read the DCRTV Front Page. (1/13/08) ("I have arrested several people for violating this very law in Maryland. If you find a wallet with identification in it on a sidewalk you can't keep it. You either have to make a reasonable attempt to locate the owner (in this case by calling them) or calling the police. That is hardly an "unreasonable burden". If you find a laptop on the subway you can't take it home and call it yours because you found it. [...]. If you don't want to get involved then leave it where you saw it. Both Maryland and D.C. incorporated this into their theft laws years ago.") Oh goodness. Gratuitously asserted, just as gratuitously denied. Please cite the code. There are little squiggly things that look like a pregnant letter "S". and they have numbers and stuff. It's gonna be near one of those... you must have seen it when you arrested those people who found wallets and laptops on the street and in the subway but not jewelry in an elevator (sans ID?). Cite the code. But you know who's really kicking A on the radiddlio these days? El Jefe and J-Dizzubbs on WJFK on Saturdays. And Cartalk. Caller X. (1/13/08) The fact that Ms. Anita was too busy doing her nails or whatever was actually a blessing for 9 Noon News. She's awful, dull, lifeless. Enjoy your 6 months or so, Anita. Paul (1/13/08) I’m moving to Columbia in the coming weeks—and really don’t want Comcast. Does anyone have Fios? If so-would you recommend it over Comcast? (1/13/08) Dear all - The bad news is that Denise Austin had a family emergency and must depart immediately for California. The good news is that CNN political commentator Amy Holmes has accepted an invitation to fill in for Denise and appear this coming Wednesday. Excellent timing, too, because Amy is a smart and not shy observer of the '08 presidential campaign. You will be engaged by her views as an African American independent whose politics tend to lean republican. Her C.V. includes positions as a host on Black Entertainment Television, ABC's "The View," a column in USA Today, and a few seasons as speechwriter for Tennessee Senator Bill Frist when he was Senate Majority Leader. Because this is such short notice, and because we need an audience, please do us the favor of keeping your reservation if you already have booked. Otherwise, please do book a seat to hear Amy. She's never dull and, for what it's worth, like previous guest David Baldacci, is one of People Magazine's "most attractive" people in the universe. Maybe she'll tell us about her photo shoot, too. Unlike David, she can tell us what it was like to sit on set between Rosie O'Donnell and Barbara Walters. Most of all, it will be an interesting, lively and fun conversation about this moment in the political year. To reconfirm or to book a seat, please call Jon Moss at 202.338.2000 during weekday business hours. The doors open at noon, the program begins at 12:30, and the fee is $35, all inclusive, to be paid at the door. Please please please stick with us and be there for this episode of The Q&A Cafe. Best regards, Carol (1/13/08) Gwen is back! I hope everyone flipped away from Saturday night football long enough to catch Gwen Tolbart's return to Fox5's airwaves as seen in this grab from her 10 pm weathercast... (1/13/08) HD RADIO is still a worthy topic, huh? Are many people going out in droves and buying them? Imagine the tired D.C. radio market with extra HD signals of the same old shit that doesn't cut it in analog. I haven't bought an HD radio because I am not impressed with radio in this market. Am I wrong to assume that I wouldn't find any improvement in content on HD in D.C.? JOHN IN STAFFORD (1/13/08) Was that Donnie Simpson's niece co-anchoring with Leslie Cook last night on channel 7/8? Is she in line to replace Leslie Cook? Why not Pamela Brown or Natasha Barrett in prime time,baby!? At least the Blade is/was available in many Fairfax county libraries. Don't know how Blade got placed in the county libraries with the great deal of censorship imposed by the Fairfax County Library Board. The dude in charge of Library Board has been there forever wielding his view of how things should be done in the county libraries. If Blade can be in county libraries why not the City Paper? That crap about limited space is just a smokescreen imo! After my MIX 107.3 listening experiment have moved on to evenings on WASH 97.1. Man that Delilah is hard to take. Like a lot of music played cause ain't nowhere else to hear no more on the radio dial but that crap Delilah doles out is just effing ponderous. Too me the show sounds prerecorded and some evil computer program is spitting out this sugarplum fairlyland load of balderdash. How long has WASH been running that same tv ad? 15 years? (1/13/08) Dave's response: Was driving around Saturday and heard this way cool classic Depeche Mode song on the radio. I was about to mentally thank The Globe until I looked down and saw 101.1 on the readout. Oh, nevermind..... Radio's next evolution is on a tabletop now...and it's not HD www.hear2.com Wow. An RCA "Infinite Radio" (Great name, by the way). (1/13/08) Just think WaPo could hire Don and Mike to talk politics on the new WaPo internet radio. Oh geez How many charlie & Harrigan teams have been out there in radioland? Same goes for Scott Shannon's? All the news that's fit to hear www.nctimes.com (1/13/08) /\ January 13 Messages /\ \/ January 12 Messages \/ Mike in Fairfax: I agree with you that the Caps don't get the coverage they should. But putting aside Pollin, who is just a cynical, nasty piece of dead wood at WTEM, I think the local media did a pretty good job of covering the Ovechkin deal. The largest deal ever given a DC athlete is a big deal and it was treated as such. BTW, Ovechkin is a much better star in hockey than Arenas is in basketball. Finally, I agree that COMCAST SportsNet does a great job of covering the Caps but I feel that the Boudreau interview was way too short. I think they would have been better advised to reschedule and talk to him on another day given Gibbs' resignation on that day. (1/12/08) To the poster "I'd be the last person to defend DC government or its finances, but adding a sport like MLB offers many intangible benefits to a metro area that are hard to quantify."... ... I agree that sometimes stadiums help a blighted area. I do not oppose a stadium or MLB. I'm a sports fan, too. I oppose mismanagement of taxpayer's dollars. You are right about putting millions into a school district many times goes to the administrators and others. That's wrong, too. It is so difficult for parents and citizens to ensure funding goes where it belongs...to schools and students rather than to superintendents and other administrators in the form of bogus bonuses. I agree Camden Yards did good for Baltimore. I agree that maybe DC's new stadium will help that area. Keep tuned for that as the days/months/years come at us. My feeling is that owners of sports teams should build their own darn stadiums and stop holding cities and taxpayers hostage. Happens all the time and it's a shame. (1/12/08) While WUSA/9 was playing Who Wants to Be a Noon News Anchor, the newscast actually started several minutes late. There's no way to know this definitively but I wonder how many people saw the several extra minutes of commercials Wednesday without a newscast, gave up and flipped to WJLA/7. Blast Anita Brikman if you want, that's fine, but J.C. Hayward never should have been pulled without a replacement named in the first place. There's more than enough blame to go around. Everett W. (1/12/08) Hi! Craig Heist is a dear friend of my family's. I was wondering if anyone there knew how he is doing. I havent heard anything new since thursday and am worried about him. Is he still intubated? or in icu? thanks, andrea (1/12/08) Dave's response: Ah, we've got a Saturday morning news item on DCRTV's Front Page saying that he's improving..... The Natty Boh rumor appears to be untrue. It's still featured on their website. I had my first Natty Light last night and it was so dreadful as to be beautiful. (1/12/08) I have wondered all week why Channel 9 WUSA put Anita Brickman in the 5 and 7 news shows replacing Jennifer Ryan. They needed a new DIVA on the set! Tracey Neale is out and JC is soon moving on. Refusing to do a show?? Can you do that in your first week on the job? Wow. The suits will quickly realize what a stupid idea it was to replace the very capable and personable Ryan. Channel 9 has yet to figure out how to get out of the basement. Try the stairs boys! (1/12/08) I would like to ask the previous poster what he thinks constitutes a "rational discussion" of IBOC radio technology. When the digital hash from one station blocks the reception of another station, that is a fact. The poor range of digital radio signals is a fact. The poor sound quality of digital radio broadcasts is a fact. Nothing worth listening to on the digital subchannels is a subjective opinion, but based on experience and so hardly irrational. And if facts aren't rational, what the heck do you call rational? Trying to shoehorn digital signals into channels designed for something completely different is what's irrational. The IBOC system was designed primarily to not obsolete existing AM and FM radios. If people choose to keep their existing AM and FM radios, what's the problem? If the IBOC system makes those existing radios perform less well, then IBOC is failing at one of its main objectives, and not discussing that fact would be irrational. (1/12/08) "but I'm pretty sure you're just making this up, since you didn't cite the code, and the obligation to turn the object over to the police would constitute an unreasonable burden" I have arrested several people for violating this very law in Maryland. If you find a wallet with identification in it on a sidewalk you can't keep it. You either have to make a reasonable attempt to locate the owner (in this case by calling them) or calling the police. That is hardly an "unreasonable burden". If you find a laptop on the subway you can't take it home and call it yours because you found it. You are obligated to call the police or turn it over to the appropriate authority. If you don't want to get involved then leave it where you saw it. Both Maryland and D.C. incorporated this into their theft laws years ago. (1/12/08) The following was forwarded to DCRTV with the title "Managers' heads continue to roll at NBC"..... It's with great mixed emotions that I want to let you know our colleague and dear friend, Frieda Morris, will be leaving the Southeast Bureau and taking on a new consulting role within NBC News. I say mixed emotions because Frieda is as good as they get ... both in her role as an outstanding journalist and as a friend to so many of us. To say she will be sorely missed doesn't seem to go far enough... Frieda is one of those unique talents who surfaces in our industry all-too rarely. Her work over nearly 39-years at NBC News in places like Atlanta, New Orleans, Chicago, London and so many others has resulted in some of the best work ever produced by this news division. She's been a mentor, role model, principled journalist and tireless colleague. But I am pleased she has agreed to work with us in a new role within our news division - the details of which we will announce soon. So it's not goodbye, but thank you to one of NBC News' finest... for all she has given us, and all that she will continue to offer. Below is a note from Frieda that she asked me to pass along, as usual she is punctual and cuts right to the point. --Steve (Capus)..... To My Colleagues, I have now run my course at NBC News. It has been an honor, for which I thank each and every one of you. This note comes along with my heartfelt wish for your continued excellence and success. All the best. (1/12/08) So, if Shawn Yancy is indeed preggers, that must've been the reason for that weird outfit she had on last night. (1/12/08) RE: [ " simply seeing that there is no one else in the elevator would constitute a reasonable effort, but I'm pretty sure you're just making this up, since you didn't cite the code, and the obligation to turn the object over to the police would constitute an unreasonable burden. " ]......... Thank you Satan (i.e.: LAWYER) for your valuable and trusted law degree approved opinion. How much do all of us at DCRTV now owe you? Oh, and you forgot to sign your post John Edwards. What a missed PR opportunity. DOH! :-) (1/12/08) Great news on Craig Heist. His wife Suzy says he was much more comfortable Friday. He could be taken off the ventillator Saturday. His lungs are improving after they were inflamed from the seizures. Doctors were just being careful to make sure he was getting enough oxgen. If that procecure is successful, Heisty could possibly be moved out of ICU very soon. Overall, the picture looks a lot brighter each day. Jonathan Warner - WTOP Sports (1/12/08) In reference to: "I wouldn't read too much into the "universally negative" reader comments on the Post HD Radio article. There are three or four know-nothings etc....." I can tell you as someone who has been in the business over 30 years and most of it on the technical side that HD has been done for quite some time. It's costly, has literally no ROI, and is not supported by 90% of the people in the industry. The only ones that support it are iBiquity and the suits who stand to make a huge profit from its "data-casting" capabilities and their lack of under standing. If you are going to defend HD please support it with facts. (1/12/08) The property was lost. Even if (and it's a very big if) "law in both Maryland and D.C. says that if you find something of value you must make a reasonable attempt to find the owner and if you can't find them you have to turn the property over to the police" simply seeing that there is no one else in the elevator would constitute a reasonable effort, but I'm pretty sure you're just making this up, since you didn't cite the code, and the obligation to turn the object over to the police would constitute an unreasonable burden. For Gino, with regard to Steve Dahl, Donnie G has always said (by which I mean several times a year) that he stole/learned/borrowed an enormous amount from Steve Dahl, "so if you steal from me, you're stealing twice". With regard to Glenn Beck, it is unknown where Don stole Buzz's colostomy. And "lynch"? Hey-Zeus effing Christ on a bicycle. It's simply not a race-specific crime. We lynched a lot of white people back in the revolutionary war days. It probably saved a lot of paperwork. Am I in favor of it? NO. Is the word inherently racist? NO. Is Al Sharpton a force for good? You be the judge. Caller X. Shoutout to Techradio.com (1/12/08) This could be a website glitch, I'm not sure...... No, the Inner Harbor didn't dry up hon, but NATTY BOH DISCONTINUED? NOW THAT'S BIG NEWS IN BALTIMORE! Pabst.com has removed ALL distributor names for National Bohemian Beer, from their website listing no states for availability, as if it is no longer going to be available anywhere! Anybody know anything about this? Maryland, DC, Delaware, & PA were the only places that previously had distributors listed on the website. Has Pabst pulled the plug on NATTY BOH HON? SAY IT ISN'T SO! .................................. Speaking of beer, there's a story in today's Sun about a long forgotten beer, AMERICAN BEER, and the historic 121 year old American Brewery in Baltimore. And I can honestly state that I once drank THE "American Beer". BLECH! :-) (1/12/08) Looks like Shawn Yancy and Leslie Cook are preggers ... again! Guess it is just a matter of time for Laura Evans and Allison Seymour! (1/12/08) I was disappointed to hear that Ms. Brickman did not stand up to the plate and take command of the Noon show. Looks like we have another Neale on our hands. Buh huhh. (1/12/08) /\ January 12 Messages /\ \/ January 11 Messages \/ Thank goodness Bruce Johnson happened to be around to rush to the anchor desk at noon. What if they’d had no choice but to throw JC on the set with no makeup? Could you imagine what that would look like in HD? YIKES!....On another note, to the poster who referred to Al Sharpton as a “piece of shit ambulance chaser,” I couldn’t agree with you more. Hey, Al: Tiger is willing to forgive and forget and no one asked for your opinion, so why don’t you just shut the fuck up and mind your own business? Hey, where were you a couple of months ago when that young couple riding a Baltimore city bus got assaulted by a group of young men? I didn’t see you rushing to the defense of the victims in that case. Oh, WAIT! That’s because victims were WHITE and the accused are BLACK. I’m sure if the roles had been reversed, you would have been all over the press, calling for the harshest penalties possible. You piece of shit hypocrite – you’re just a waste of space. Sorry to get of on a tangent, but Al Sharpton just infuriates me (in case you couldn’t tell). BG (1/11/08) I wouldn't read too much into the "universally negative" reader comments on the Post HD Radio article. There are three or four know-nothings who apparently do nothing all day but scour the web looking for any mention of HD Radio so they can immediately post their (mostly uninformed) venom and link to their blogs. I really don't know what makes these guys tick at this point. They're not in the industry, as best I can figure. Nobody in the industry takes them seriously. They're certainly not actually trying to listen - indeed, they seem to take pride in not owning a radio, even as they fancy themselves experts about signal range and such. And while they give the impression that there are a lot of them out there, most of them are just sockpuppets echoing one another. They're all over radio-info.com's HD Radio forums, where they almost drowned out any rational discussion of the technology. (1/11/08) "it's not stealing to find something in public. Whoever found the ring and kept it, has commited no crime because they found it in a public place with no one else around to claim ownership. Finders keepers" I'm sorry but you are wrong. The law in both Maryland and D.C. says that if you find something of value you must make a reasonable attempt to find the owner and if you can't find them you have to turn the property over to the police. Failure to do so amounts to theft. So whoever "found" this jewelry actually stole it. (1/11/08) Now official: WFED is licensed for 3.5 kW daytimes instead of 1 kW. Regards, Dave Loudin /// PS "City-grade FM" is a meaningless term. All FM stations provide "city-grade" service to their communities of license. What the stone-thrower should be remarking on is the facilities class. WTOP-FM is a Class B station with a directional antenna. (1/11/08) I heard Rita Foley reporting for AP on WTOP last night. Is that ironic or something like that? Woke up at 3 AMish last night, damn prostate, turned on WBIG and heard the same Steely Dan song played earlier in the evening around 9 pm. No one pays attention do they, just to getting the commercials on time. Donnie G. mentioned Lil' Tommy Curtis the other day. Did Mr. Curtis ever launch a new location for the Yacht Club? Be neat to see an ad for The Yacht Club on DCRTV. Didn't Dan Snyder say he would take some time in hiring a new head coach for the Redskin's? Thought I saw report yesterday that he'd already interviewed the defensive coordinator from the Tennessee Titans. Bet that made Greg Williams feel special. Steve Rudin in this morning for Ron Reilly on Newschannel 8. Mr. Reilly seems to be out quite a bit lately. Is he retiring and Steve Rudin taking over? Beverly Kirk was talking the weather with Kyle Osborne on NewsChannel 8 last night when Ms. Kirk made reference to the old Eddie Rabbitt song, " I Love A Rainy Night" Far Out! And Tom Gavin played some Danny Gatton on his radio show Friday, WEBR. Far Out! Tom doesn't work on Don and Mike show anymore? Sure seems like City Paper has cut back it's distribution. (1/11/08) Dave's response: Both City Paper and the Blade are a lot harder to find here in Wild West Fairfax of late. I suspect that both rags are making cuts in their press runs..... I don’t know about the earlier newscasts, but Haber did lead off his segment with the Ovechkin signing at 11 last night. Brian in Fairfax (1/11/08) Point your Internet browser to the Redskins Radio website, and you'll see a menu bar with the usual links, including shows, on-air schedule, home improvement, contests -- wait, WHAT? Home improvement?? Yeah, it's true. Apparently part of a sales deal with a contracting website. Whoever's running that clunky p.o.s website has reached a new low. Dave, your thoughts? (1/11/08) Dave's response: ESPN Radio has got to be kicking themselves for aligning with a sports talker - Dan Snyder's Triple X - that's morphing into HGTV Radio. Ha ha ha..... Hello Dave. I noticed the other day that someone mentioned Steve Dahl. Last summer I spent 6 weeks in Chicago, and found myself listening to his show nearly every day. When I returned to the DC area, I preferred to listen to the SD stream as opposed to D & M (SD’s now on in the mornings). Do Steve and Doni G have anything in common from the old Chicago radio days (beside both now having a newsman named Buzz)? Gino (1/11/08) If anyone wants to make fun of anyone who has had hemorrhoid problems, just come over to my place and I'll shove a goddamned baseball bat up your ass. You'll get a mouth full of pine tar, too. Signed, George Brett (1/11/08) Dave's response: What is it with radio people and anal problems? Howard Stern had an anal fissure, Rush Limbaugh had a giant anal wart (that kept him out of military service), and Robb Spewak had internal hemorrhoids. I guess it's too much shitting..... Glenn Beck IS a hermerroid. Paul (1/11/08) Hi Dave!, Happy New Year! Hey, I've participated in the "Best of" for the past few years and didn't have a chance to send you my submission. If I send it to you, can you please include it for 2007? Please let me know and keep up the great work! Pat (1/11/08) Dave's response: Sure, why not..... “Put $611 million into schools or $23 million for that matter and the schools' problem would be less of a problem.” And thus an already bloated, under performing bureaucracy is rewarded with more money and allowed to expand even further. Thank God I’m not a DC taxpayer. As it was pointed out, spending per student in the DC public school system is one of the highest in the country. The result? A 51st ranking. So throw more money at the problem? Oy vey! What’s wrong with demanding that they do better with the budget they already have? There are 50 other states that have been able to do it. Compassion in this case is not about throwing more money at the problem. It’s about accountability and demanding more from what they already have. Sorry for getting away from a radio/TV theme but people need to wake up. Consider it an education service of DCRTV. (1/11/08) Mike in Fairfax, I agree 100% about the coverage of the Caps (or lack of). I also agree that this is a huge deal for the franchise. However, as far as what Haber/Hellie lead with, they have to go with the numbers. Redskin fans far outweigh the number of any other pro sport fans in this market. And when you're talking about a potential replacement for the head coach, it wouldn't make sense to do anything but lead with the story. Now, as far as Andy Pollin not taking calls on the topic; you can't talk about something you don't know about (or at least you shouldn't)! Jim in Arlington (1/11/08) MONSTER MADHOUSE LIVE RETURNS TONIGHT At 10:00 p.m., on Falls Church, Virginia based FCCTV! Karlos Borloff and the rest of the Monsterminators are back for a new year hosting the Peter Cushing/Christphoer Lee flick "The Horror Express." Local Horror Host pioneers Count Gore De Vol and Dr. Sarcofiguy also return, along with Radio's Bobogolem and Arkansas/West Virginia Horror Host Jebodiah Buzzard - not to mention the return of The Zombie Cheerleader! This is a rare opportunity to catch live, LOCAL and improved television again - grown men and women in make-up, crappy British movies, and the promise of a balls-out LIVE Horror Host Express! FCCTV can be viewed in Fairfax County and Falls Church on Cox Channel 12 on Starpower Channel 2, all of Northern Virginia on Verizon's Fios service Channel 35, and STREAMING LIVE on the internet (complete with a live "chat" with members of the cast) at www.monstermadhouselive.com. (1/11/08) I'd be the last person to defend DC government or its finances, but adding a sport like MLB offers many intangible benefits to a metro area that are hard to quantify. Without DC's new stadium, you would not have MLB at RFK at all so consider those jobs as 1 and the same. Before Camden Yards was built, I remember a time when you could head down to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and practically have it all to yourself. There was little or no nightlife and most restaurants were closed by 8 or 9. Camden Yards changed downtown Baltimore for the better and changed the attitude of the city and metro area as a whole in my opinion. A cost/benefit analysis would probably say building stadiums is not worth it monetarily, but how do you quantify bringing a city back to life? I personally think that dumping $611 million into the DC schools would probably not do as much good as you might think because every time there is a bailout of the Baltimore schools, it's the same old same old. More staff, management, administrators, & more nice fancy office buildings while the schools, curriculum, # teachers, & test scores seems to stay the same. That's when you know it's not about the money, it's the people running the city that are the problem (in Baltimore's case, O'Malley, at the time). (1/11/08) (Whoever found the ring and kept it, has committed no crime because they found it in a public place with no one else around to claim ownership. Finders keepers...) Perhaps, but that person has no conscience at all. Shameful behavior not even to try and find the owner. (1/11/08) Craig, Wanted to let you know that many of your old Eastern Shore listeners have you in their thoughts and prayers here on Delmarva. Got a few calls on my show today after mentioning you were in the hospital. -Michael Popovec (1/11/08) Hey Dave, Didn’t hear the Andy Parks sign-off this am but earlier in the show he was a little pissy. I rather liked Brian Nieman as a number 2. I didn’t stop listening when Parks was on vacation/sick leave like I would for other duos. Parks is a grumpy, fat, white guy – like me. I get enough of me all day long – So Long big guy. BTW Fred was pretty weak today (distracted?) – so something was definitely up. The 570 show sounds like they got a hot broad co-host but no pictures on radio so whats the point. I hope Imus comes back. m (1/11/08) Dave's response: Hasn't Fred been gone most of the week? Maybe he's boycotting the show until he gets his wish - a solo show with Andy gone. Ha ha ha..... Dave, Regarding your blurb about Kenny King leaving a wedding ring in an elevator - it's not stealing to find something in public. Whoever found the ring and kept it, has commited no crime because they found it in a public place with no one else around to claim ownership. Finders keepers. So IOW saying that it was stolen isn't legally accurate. (1/11/08) Hahaha! GREAT new use for those old 10-foot home satellite dishes still peppering a few backyards out there in the sticks: blog.makezine.com (1/11/08) Just read all the news about Castleberry, and also learned that Zier and Wyatt were also at Twin Star (and already gone). They're like the 3 musketeers, one gets a gig somewhere, the others follow. The Peter Principle is in full effect. (1/11/08) Regarding the Kelly Tilghman comment on the Golf Channel last week: It is clear that Kelly made a very poor choice of words and she should be suspended. I could not imagine her counterparts at CBS and NBC making the same mistake. Kelly is under qualified and learning as she goes. This is risky business when you are on “live” television 16 hours a week. Kelly is the play by play part of the show and she should stick to that role and allow the color comments to come from the color talent. Most of these comments that have been made in the past have come from “color” commentators like Howard Cosell, Jimmy the Greek and Ben Wright to name a few. Imus and the Greaseman were different stories because there was hate and premeditated thought before they uttered those statements. Kelly was wrong on two points. The racist remark was the issue but she will hopefully learn to stick to her assigned play by play duties in the future…if there is a future for Kelly. (1/11/08) Must see tv today on CSN’S Washington post live. They have Richard simmons as a guest, something you don’t want to miss. Tune in at 5 or catch the replay at 11. (1/11/08) "The NFL announcers knew you couldn't call 2 timeouts in a row and immediately said so live on air, everyone at my house, even some of the kids watching the game knew it, I've heard it mentioned on many NFL telecasts over the years, it's not really an obscure rule. So please stop with the Gibbs-groveling, you sound like a Michael, either Larry or George!" The point is that Gibbs detractors around town latched on to this one mistake and screamed loud and long about it despite the fact that it may not have even have changed the outcome of that game (if memory serves, the Buffalo kicker had nailed a 50 yarder earlier). Not only that, but to crucify anyone on the Redskins for a game related issue within days of Sean Taylor's death struck me as particularly gratuitous and callous. "I have to disagree about COMCAST Sportnet and [Capitals head coach Bruce] Boudreau. I thought they gave the guy short shrift... They should have rescheduled and given him more time." CSN's one of the few media outlets out there that consistently give the Caps their just due. Despite the fact that yesterday's signing of Alex Ovechkin to a multiyear contract was a momentous story from a Capitals perspective, TV anchors like Brett Haber and Dan Hellie led their sportscasts with the Skins interviewing Jim Schwartz for the head coaching job instead. What they don't seem to realize is that this deal may have saved hockey for Washington. Losing the third year superstar would have been devastating to the franchise and there were persistent rumors that once the season was over, a high profile team like the Rangers or Montreal would make him an offer Caps owner Ted Leonsis couldn't match. There can't be too many NHL cities where it wouldn't have been a slam dunk to lead with the Ovechkin story yesterday. On WTEM's Sports Reporters, Andy Pollin remarked that there was no need to go to the phones regarding the signing because "everybody's happy now." That may be true, but I don't recall the station fielding a single call on the Ovechkin contract situation over the course of the past year. A caller to the John Thompson show recently referred to the Wizards' Gilbert Arenas as the 'only legitimate sports superstar in Washington, DC.' For a sports fan in the DC area to not even be aware who Ovechkin is has to be considered an indictment of the local media's generally apathetic attitude toward hockey. Mike, Fairfax (1/11/08) To the poster who writes: The District issued bonds for that amount to pay for the construction of the stadium... People who buy bonds do so to make money on the interest. Who pays the interest? Taxpayers! As for the schools in DC, sure the administrators and teachers are trying to do their best. I agree. But it's the mayors and other greedy individuals who don't really care about the crumbling buildings and the complex moves of shifting children to schools away from their neighborhood because of a money shortage. Put $611 million into schools or $23 million for that matter and the schools' problem would be less of a problem. (1/11/08) OK, somebody with an agenda keeps calling 103.5 a "city grade" FM. Let the engineers who read this board weigh in. Does that signal cover only DC, or does it cover the entire Mertro minus part of Frederick that 103.9 covers? Seems like somebody is trying to repeat a lie over and over. (1/11/08) RE: The closing of the DuPont Circle Theater. Until the Georgetown and Landmark Theaters opened a few years ago, the DuPont was typical of the type of movie theater that showed independents and foreign films in the DC area. In fact, the DuPont was one of the better places to go since there weren't any building posts in the middle of the theater, the room was rectangular in shape and they used a larger than a 15W bulb in the projector. Sometimes the crummy ambience of the theaters helped enhance the movie going experience. I saw DAS BOOT at the old Outer Circle Theater during the summer and the air conditioner was out. The crowded, dank, steamy interior of the theater greatly added to the experience of watching men suffocate in a crowded, dank, steamy submarine. (1/11/08) Dave's response: I saw "Liquid Sky" at the old Outer Circle in the 1980s. I was never the same since..... Why doesn't WTOP carry drive-time on both 103.5 and 1500? Commutes are so distant around here that 103.5 doesn't hack it for many people. They could split off 1500 for talk (instead of news) at other times. OTOH, duplicating WTOP on 1500 in the overnight hours might also make sense. The bottom line is income (of course), but could 3WT actually be billing much? (1/11/08) Re: WTOP abandoning their 50,000 watt outlet. Comparison: "New England's News Leader" is how WBZ 1030kHz promotes itself. Damned impressive signal. I listen to it all the way to work in DC by 7AM. Sure doesn't sound like a little "community newspaper." Image is important to local advertisers who know commuting patterns go way beyond the coverage map. WBZ rarely even says the word Boston, because they have greater aspirations and the signal to back them up. For office audiences, it's streaming audio on workstations, not a tabletop radio. At home, it's local TV for news. Defending the move to a city-grade FM doesn't cut it with advertisers or listeners. (1/11/08) Regarding the hideous remark about Tiger Woods - someone wrote "...the matter had APARTMENT been forgotten..." Dave, I am so glad that you don't edit THAT much. Thanks for exposing some of these cretins for what they are. The poster clearly meant to say "apparently" - but - APPARENTLY - the member of fellow racist Kelly Tilghman's fan club was too busy attempting to crucify Al Sharpton. I am reeling that some members of this board regard the word lynching as a "non-issue." What's next? White robes on The Golf Channel? (1/11/08) Al Sharpton SHUT THE FUCK UP, he's the biggest racist of all. Hey Al, tiger accepted the apology, the remark was directed at tiger, let it go you piece of shit ambulance chaser. If tiger had a problem with it, fine, but he doesn't. It was stupid, she regretted it and apologized, he accepted, let it go... Apologize to the duke kids before you go and run your damn mouth again, ASS. (1/11/08) This is too funny: www.newstarget.com -- I notice they put a (satire) notice in the headline so that WJZ wouldn't run it as an actual news story... (1/11/08) Speaking about WJFK bottom feeding for ad revenue, for a few days earlier this week they kept running an ad in which the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab was looking for potential employees. Is the WJFK listening audience really the market that Johns Hopkins should be trying to entice to apply for employment. I mean come on. I listen to WJFK and you certainly don't want someone like me applying for an Applied Physics job! Did anyone hear Tony Perkins on the Sports Chunkies show the other morn? I notice that WJFK is running a contest for tickets to the world premiere of "Rambo" in Vegas baby. The contest seems to involve the Sport Chunkies and Big Oh and Dooks show but no mention of Don and Mike being involved in the contest giveaway? How Come? I wonder if Michael Hughes ventures over to his U.S.S. WJFK office and moans "will no one rid me of this meddlesome pair?" I keep hearing these ads on the Don and Mike show with various members of the Sports Chunkies doing the voiceover work. I realize Donnie G. views that stuff as beneath him but can't he cut his employees a break and at least them do the voiceover work for commercials on the Don and Mike show? Looks like they'll be out of job in a few months and they should have opportunity to gather ye nuts while they may! I mean Robbay has a new townhouse to pay for and he had his nuts cut off to boot! (1/11/08) I found entries in the comments section quite interesting. Checking Up on HD Radio blog.washingtonpost.com... "LAS VEGAS--For each of the past three years, the folks at Columbia, MD-based iBiquity Digital have promised that a flood of new HD Radio receivers would be coming soon. But each year, the flood has turned out to more like a trickle, leaving fans of these new digital broadcasts--which both make AM and FM sound better and also allow FM stations to broadcast extra, digital-only channels such as WAMU's "Bluegrass Country"--few ways to tune in. That may finally be changing. At iBiquity's booth (tucked away at the far end of the convention center's North Hall, next to dozens of car-audio vendors competing to see who can stuff more speakers into the backs of trucks and sports cars), 14 different tabletop radios were on display. And instead of the $200-and-up audiophile models that have dominated the market so far--such as the Boston Acoustics model I reviewed a couple of years ago--this selection starts at $79. That's not quite clock-radio pricing, but it's also not a level where you feel you need to give yourself special permission to buy..." (1/11/08) Let me update all those who are concerned about Craig Heist. The news is encouraging. He was responsive during my visit to the hospital early Thursday afternoon. In typical Heisty fashion, when I told him that I had to fill in for him, he managed to give me the finger. He's still under sedation, but they're starting to wean him off that. He also shook his head from side to side when nurses asked if he was in pain. Craig is still on a ventilator, but his wife Suzy says that's because he inflamed his lungs during the seizures and they want to make sure that they have healed before they take it out. Doctors have some ideas as to what caused the seizures. I won't go into that. But needless to say, he's living up to the "Feisty Heisty" tag, moving and responding more and appears to have made some good strides. Jonathan Warner, WTOP Sports (1/11/08) (Sharpton strikes again. Even though Tiger Woods brushed off Kelly Tilghman's comments as a non-issue and the matter had apartment been forgotten Sharpton then sticks his big nose into the matter and everyone reacts in fear. What Newsday did not report is that initially reported that Sharpton said, "HE should be suspended"...") Shake down artists like Sharpton would rather stand on the necks of African-Americans and keep them on the plantation, powerless to do for themselves. There is money and power to be gained by keeping blacks "in their place", dependant on social programs and unable to evelvate themselves from the chains of liberal social/welfare programs. Basically, Sharpton could care less about racism. Finding and distorting national news reports and claiming blatant racism is Sharpton's business. All he cares about is destroying others in order to line his pathetic pockets. Sharpton is the nation's number one con artist. (1/11/08) /\ January 11 Messages /\ \/ January 10 Messages \/ I always enjoyed watching Kelly Tilghman on The Golf Channel. Thought she knew her stuff. Then, she pulls an Imus and blurts that out on the air. Why don't people get it? She has a mid-line career, for God's sake! She's not gonna get 20 million to leave and then get a new gig! Then again; Tiger might hire her to foil Al Sharpton! Now that would be marketing! Sean Hall (1/10/08) Anita Brickman of WUSA: sure, you're new in town, but before going on the air, how about learning how to pronounce the names of places in your script? It's not Ann Air-un-del county. Keep up the gud wurk and ekcellent grammur. Signed, Wolfman Jacques (1/10/08) Kelly Tilghman needs to be FIRED - now. I don't care if Tiger Woods accepted her apology or not. I didn't - and neither do thousands of us who are horrified that the word "lynching" comes out of anyone's mouth in 2008. I am sick of these white people who feel they have the right to say such racist crap publicly - and only come away with their hands slapped! Oh, wait - she was only KIDDING?! FREAK! Don't let up, Al Sharpton! I'm white, female and angry - somebody's gotta wake up and smell some kinda coffee here! (1/10/08) RE: ("Ok..clearly WJFK has no morals in what commercials they run on their station. For a while now they've run borderline scam ads, but today I definativly say that they've done it now...") Spots for radar jammers sure beat the hell out of Tanya Roberts' bothersome giggle, anything involving naming a celestial body after your loved ones, or the ear-splitting "That's Jaaa-red!" jingle ... And if you're tuned into WJFK, you might as well just stick to Junkies or Big O & Dukes podcasts from their website -- and skip the air signal (and the 10-min commercial sets) completely. (1/10/08) I know that this is getting a little off topic (sorry) so this will be my only post concerning this. I agree with some of the previous posts that the DC Schools are a disgrace and throwing more money at them won’t fix the problem. The new District and Schools administrations are trying to fix this tremendous problem and all they get is NO support from the community. Now to the Nationals and Radio One. I’m sick-and-tired of people (like some the the recent posters and others including members of the DC government) saying that the District GAVE $611 million to the Nationals for the new stadium. The District issued bonds for that amount to pay for the construction of the stadium and assesses a tax of (I believe) 10% on tickets and concessions to REPAY the bonds. So it’s the people who attend games (many who do not live in the District) and not District residents pre se who are paying for the new ball yard. After some time period the bonds will be paid-off and the District will out-right own the stadium and the Nationals will be a tenant, just as they are currently. Now I believe that Radio One got some sort of a property tax relief ($23 million over some time period) to move back to the District. In my opinion that IS a gift, but not something unheard of in any jurisdiction, anywhere to try to stimulate the local economy. I’d guess that the District did the same type of thing for, now multi-billionaire, Bob Johnson when he started BET in the District. (1/10/08) hey johnny patriot.....how does making a joke about an osama/obama slip-up make me a reactionary fascist? as for kerry, he may have gotten those accolades, but he also threw them away (or was it someone else's? he's flip flopped about that one too). he's also lied before congress (christmas in cambodia), needed to have jimmy carter get him an honorable discharge, and *still* hasn't release his military records even after promising to. some hero. (1/10/08) Dave's response: Off-topic warning..... (Regarding the message immediately below:) Apparently, the corporate name "Repent or Die Yea Heathen, Inc." was already taken? :-) My favorite FCC application... fjallfoss.fcc.gov (1/10/08) Doug in Belair wrote: "Regarding medical information on Craig Heist, you all need to know about this act known as "HIPAA", The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Google HIPAA if you want to learn more, but in a nutshell, the health care institution can not legally release any medical information without the consent of the patient, and so unless WTOP has information from Mr.. Heist, or the family, they really can't issue any statements either. " No one is advocating that WTOP report the medical conditions about Craig. But it is now public knowledge that he collapsed and is in the ICU, and his wife has already been quoted publicaly on the issue as well. And DCRTV is not the only site reporting the situation. WNST has not one, but TWO blogs on their website with news regarding Craig's medical emergency. Merely acknowledging nothing more than the fact that he sufferred a medical emergency and his hospitalized is NOT a violation of HIPPA. Otherwise, DCRTV and WNST would be in deep trouble. If both WNST and DCRTV can acknowledge that he had a medical emergency and publically wish him well for a healthy recovery, then why can't WTOP? There's no excuse. (1/10/08) Dave's response: While I don't divulge confidential sources, all the info we have run about Craig's hospitalization has been confirmed and cleared through WTOP..... For the person who mentions civics lessons: you could be right if Radio One is going to hire a bunch of people would be able to significantly increase the tax base. I'm sure with salaries that are paid by Radio One to employees, they will have to pay taxes for a lot of years/decades [withholding taxes] to cover the $23,000,000 Cathy Hughes gets from the District government. Same for the baseball stadium. Those jobs already exist over at RFK Stadium. I'm sure the tax dollars taken out of the stadium workers' checks aren't nearly covering $611,000,000 to built the facility. Fix the schools. Help those in need. The District's priorities have been out of whack for years. (1/10/08) I pray for a speedy recovery for Mr Heist. re: "By the way, Craig Heist isn't really a WTOP employee. He is on WTOP -- but works for Metro." Shame on WTOP and WMAL for that matter, in allowing its contract (vs staff employees) to sign off their reports implying they are staff broadcasters. Contract staff should sign off "for WTOP or WMAL." Otherwise is a will-full misrepresentation. Nothing wrong with contracting out the work -- but don't try to fool us with the smoke-and-mirrors. (1/10/08) Craig Heist is a right-wing whack job, and I say that with love for the man! (and I hope he gets to read that soon, because I know he'll laugh and curse me!). Seriously, he is a good friend who would do ANYTHING for you, which I can say from personal experience. Besides being one of the most knowledgeable sports people around, he is one of the most decent people there is, as is obvious by the outpouring of support and love for him on this board. Get well Craigy, and maybe I'll leave the comfy confines of Commie Academia to get back on the air, so we can make two minute sports segments stretch into fifteen minute B.S. sessions... ah, you have to miss small market, Eastern 'Sho radio! Everyone send get well thoughts and prayers for he and SuzyQ! TM, grabbing a vine from outside the ATL... (1/10/08) To whoever wrote: "For crying out fucking loud, did it ever over to you that maybe Craig doesn’t necessarily want his private medical drama splashed all over the Internet? WTOP tries to respect the guy’s privacy a little and their reward is to be slammed in the Mailbag. Unbefuckingleivable." Lighten up, francis! When has that ever stopped them or any other news outlet from reporting on a public figure's medical emergencies? I guarantee you if this had happened to Rush Limbaugh they'd be reporting it all damn day and they wouldn't give 2 shits whether he wanted it reported or not. (1/10/08) [snip] maybe flipper got confused thinking OBL was running for president and wanted to return the favor.[end snip] Wow!! What a thoughtful, insightful comment. Apparently I’m going to have to spend some time re-evaluating my world view. And now allow me to point out that this is a SARCASTIC response to your asinine comments, since I sincerely doubt you’re smart enough to get it, you reactionary, fascist hack. “Flipper” received three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star serving in our armed services and defending this nation. How ’bout you? And take an English/grammar course, you dope. Yours in Christ, --Johnny Patriot (1/10/08) Heisty...we need you back soon...and not just at :15 and :45. All the Best - Michelle Basch (1/10/08) Hello, all - The holidays are behind us and, well, so may be some of the ounces and pounds we gained while enjoying all that delicious holiday food. Did you fall off your fitness routine a little, too? And, what about watching the primary returns? Sitting and eating, working off the anxiety with beer, burgers and popcorn? Any which way you break it down, January is an ideal time to talk about health: what we eat, what we do, and how we live. And, for good measure, how we age. Denise Austin, who is the guest at The Q&A Cafe on Wed., Jan 16, turned well being into big business. She is one of the nation's leading health and fitness entrepreneurs, with a national television show, books and DVDs. Her philosophy is to have a "sensible, realistic and enthusiastic" attitude about fitness and eating. With 25 years in the fitness business, she has told more than 20 million videos and DVD's, written 10 best-selling books and has been on the air for two decades. She's also on the President's Council on Physical Fitness. It's all in the family, too. Denise's husband, Jeff Austin, brother of Tracy Austin, is a top sports lawyer. Her daughter is an emerging women's lacrosse champ. Please join us next week to get to know Denise better and to learn how she gets it all done and stays fit and healthy. Please make reservations directly with Jon Moss at 202.338.2000 between 10 and 5 on weekdays. As always, the doors open at noon, the program begins at 12:30, and the fee is $35, all inclusive, paid at the door. Be well, Carol (1/10/08) “Are not our children in school much more important than putting money into the pockets of the rich” Time for a civics lesson. Those “rich” (Radio One & MLB) are bringing jobs and tax revenue into the city. DC Schools already have the highest per student spending in the country. More money is not the answer, unless you were educated in DC public schools. (1/10/08) ("Slip o' the tongue? Doug Limerick of ABC News Radio said in the 11 o'clock news break heard on WMAL that John Kerry was going to support Barack Obama because "Kerry said that Osama...er...Obama is his guy".) don't forget....a couple days before the '04 election, osama put out a video all but saying "vote for kerry or else". maybe flipper got confused thinking OBL was running for president and wanted to return the favor. (1/10/08) By the way, Craig Heist isn't really a WTOP employee. He is on WTOP -- but works for Metro. (1/10/08) Regarding medical information on Craig Heist, you all need to know about this act known as "HIPAA", The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Google HIPAA if you want to learn more, but in a nutshell, the health care institution can not legally release any medical information without the consent of the patient, and so unless WTOP has information from Mr.. Heist, or the family, they really can't issue any statements either. Get well, Craig ! Doug in Bel Air (1/10/08) Dear Dave: You mention about the situation regarding Craig Heist "...If you are a public figure, like a well-known sports radio reporter, you have a lot of fans who wonder what's up when you go missing. Granted, WTOP should respect the employee's privacy and not reveal specific medical info, but there's nothing wrong with publicly acknowledging that someone's been hospitalized...." That may be true. But, reflecting what I said previously in a post responding to the situation of why there was no information regarding Levan Reid during his absence on the air, whatever appears on WTOP's web site about Craig Heist (if anything appears at all), I'm sure it will be, as it should be, something that Craig Heist and WTOP will have agreed on. As always Dave, a great site! Sincerely, Joe Kasell (1/10/08) That Reuters article (linked in a post below) is not an "ouch"; it's the best news I've seen all week. Almost a quarter of the population believes little or none of what's reported, and the number is on the increase? GREAT! People are wising up! Now, watch for increased feature stories about how you can't trust what you find on the Internet. (1/10/08) To BA who rambled his sales chain: you are correct and incorrect. Correct that sales departments don't sell airtime for people who listen while in cities hundreds of miles away. You are correct that WTOP would not show up in rating books hundreds of miles away. You are incorrect for not caring about a news product that can be heard hundreds of miles away. Your thoughts are so sales and money oriented, BA. And that's why so many radio stations have less employees; less DJs; less news staffers; more dependence on voice-tracking and network news. I'm not a frustrated former any of those but I do know that radio managers/sales folks couldn't care less about the talent and only are concerned with their own wallet and the bottom line. Too bad. You hurt the product more than you even know, BA. And by the BA, may wish to find something else to do. The way radio is run today, there are very few stations out of the thousands where there are "live" shifts for beginners to learn the trade. That means in "your" future there may not be talented people, that's "talented people" to be on the air and you'll have problems selling air time. Thanks. (1/10/08) “You would think that WTOP would put something on their web site about Craig Heist, perhaps acknowledging that he was hospitalized, and sending their well wishes to him and his family for a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, I looked all over their site and found nothing. Shame on you, WTOP.” For crying out fucking loud, did it ever over to you that maybe Craig doesn’t necessarily want his private medical drama splashed all over the Internet? WTOP tries to respect the guy’s privacy a little and their reward is to be slammed in the Mailbag. Unbefuckingleivable. (1/10/08) Dave's response: If you are a public figure, like a well-known sports radio reporter, you have a lot of fans who wonder what's up when you go missing. Granted, WTOP should respect the employee's privacy and not reveal specific medical info, but there's nothing wrong with publicly acknowledging that someone's been hospitalized..... DC cannot afford to upgrade/repair schools BUT the city can give $23,000,000 to Radio One and $611,000,000 for a baseball stadium. I wonder if people who work in the District gov't. know the word "prioritize." Are not our children in school much more important than putting money into the pockets of the rich (Cathy Hughes and major league owners)? (1/10/08) I think Kelly Tilghman deserves a pat on the back for apologizing to Tiger Woods after the remark she made. That little monkey is the best player in Golf. Sincerely, Howard Cossell (1/10/08) "'1500 AM is a good signal...heard from the snow covered trees of Maine to Sloppy Joe's in Key West, Florida.'" Back in 1972 (sound of Geez Alarm going off), I was on The Queen Elizabeth Way between Niagara Falls and Toronto and was stopped briefly on the bridge over the Welland Canal. I punched the 1500 button on my (AM-only) radio, and there was good ole' WTOP banging in like a local, with reports of the latest traffic calamities on the Beltway or 270 or wherever (no glass-enclosed nerve center back then, much less one sponsored by a pizza chain). I understand that from a strictly bottom-line perspective that it probably make no sense to have kept 'TOP on 1500, but it was reassuring to hear their voice hundreds of miles from home, even if they didn't play "sawngs"… Mike in Frederick and the Dashboard DX Society, comfortably numb. (1/10/08) Does anyone know anything about the Sacred Heart University Polling Institute that put out the survey on media bias? Do they have any credibility? Could the Institute itself be biased? I've dealt with dozens of pollsters, but I'm afraid I've never heard of them before. --Jill Nado (1/10/08) Slip o' the tongue? Doug Limerick of ABC News Radio said in the 11 o'clock news break heard on WMAL that John Kerry was going to support Barack Obama because "Kerry said that Osama...er...Obama is his guy". I get those names mixed with each other too. (1/10/08) You would think that WTOP would put something on their web site about Craig Heist, perhaps acknowledging that he was hospitalized, and sending their well wishes to him and his family for a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, I looked all over their site and found nothing. Shame on you, WTOP. Thumbs down on this one. (1/10/08) Ok..clearly WJFK has no morals in what commercials they run on their station. For a while now they've run borderline scam ads, but today I definativly say that they've done it now. I heard an ad on their station this morning around 10:30am for a police radar jammer....no...not detector...a jammer...So, let me get this straight....Saying curse words is detremental to society....but openly marketing a device which is against the law in Virginia, and encourages breaking the law in other locations is ok...What is the hell is wrong with this world? Insanity...plain and simple...Seriously..I know the the shows WJFK run are crap...but jesus...their ads are light years worse.... (1/10/08) Dave's response: It's a tough time in the radio ad sales biz. They're "bottom feeding"..... I wanted to bring this to Don Geronimo's attention. Dahl is still getting great ratings in Chicago. Thanks for giving him props on your show sometimes. Pia - "The morning drive just keeps getting more competitive. Despite being aboard for only about a month's worth of ratings diaries, Steve Dahl's move to mornings on WJMK-FM 104.3 lifted Jack FM to 6th place among men 25-54, a jump to 4.1 from 3.3." (1/10/08) ouch!!!!!!! www.reuters.com (1/10/08) Yesterday on Redskins radio 94.3 @ 12:00 p.m. Joe Gibbs was the guest with Larry Michael and Bram Weinstein, during the questioning he stated that the team "now has a new sheriff in town", both radio hosts never picked up on Joe Gibbs possible "bombshell" or even attempted to question him about what he had just stated. Does Joe Gibbs already know that Gregg Williams will be the new coach??? Ron, Potomac Falls (1/10/08) Sharpton strikes again. Even though Tiger Woods brushed off Kelly Tilghman's comments as a non-issue and the matter had apartment been forgotten Sharpton then sticks his big nose into the matter and everyone reacts in fear. What Newsday did not report is that initially reported that Sharpton said, "HE should be suspended". So what happened that even though Sharpton did not know that Tilghman was a woman and didn't bother to listen to the tape of the comments he reacted anyway and the Golf Channel folded like a tent. Why are these networks in such fear of this fat fraud? (1/10/08) There have been so many wonderful things said about Craig Heist. Let me share some of my thoughts. I have known and worked with Heisty for more than 20 years. He was one of my major stringers when I was sports director at UPI Radio. In the last few years, I have not only enjoyed his work on radio and occasional t-v, I have also had the chance to work alongside of him at numerous sporting events. I have sat next to him in the press box at many Orioles and Nationals games and would have been sitting next to him for this Saturday's Georgetown-UConn game at Verizon. I was kidding him about not appearing on Tony Page's Redskins Plus show on MASN all year. Ironically, he did last week's show. I e-mailed several of the area teams over the last day and the response from the p-r departments and sports information directors has been amazing. Heisty, we're all thinking about you and praying for you. And yes, I will keep score of the Orioles game the next time your boy, Mike Mussina, is pitching on the YES Network. Greg Haber (1/10/08) Not only did My24 here in Baltimore yank FOX 5 News @ 10, but they were also showing the morning news and that is gone. With Don and Marty now off air at 7am. Fox45 showed is the only place for all local news from 7-9am Steve (1/10/08) I don't want to beat a dead horse, but Mike in Fairfax..... The NFL announcers knew you couldn't call 2 timeouts in a row and immediately said so live on air, everyone at my house, even some of the kids watching the game knew it, I've heard it mentioned on many NFL telecasts over the years, it's not really an obscure rule. So please stop with the Gibbs-groveling, you sound like a Michael, either Larry or George! And as for the new Camden Yards scoreboard not blocking the warehouse anymore, well, ummm, I'm not so sure about that... www.baltimoresun.com... But, it is true that Angelos fought long and hard to stop the Convention Center Hotel being built right next to Oriole Park (which was once considered a great site for a new Baltimore arena but didn't happen) (1/10/08) I didn't know Coach Joe had an official website but here you go. www.joegibbsonline.com... Wonder if lil' danny can be a sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing? He can go down to Carolina and drive Coach Joe crazy again. What, former Redskin assistant coach Cam Cameron gets no mention as a possible Redskin head coach? Was Coach Joe so anxious to get out of D.C. he forgot to tell his many long time assistant coaches? Coach Bugel? And if lil' danny was trying to unload the Dead Zebra radio network last year did he already have some other station's that would carry the Dreadskin's ? Wasn't WBIG carrying the games this past season a bit of last minute set up? Does anyone know what WJFK did with it's official Dreadskin van? Maybe up on blocks in the front yard of an old shack in West Virginny just down the holler from Grease Manelli's place. Doodad alert! Amongst it's contents being the headstone that Don and Mike gave evil kenito long ago. Gone next year from Redskin's Jon Jansen, Randy Thomas, Santana Moss, James Thrash, Brandon Lloyd,Mark Brunell,Clinton Portis,McCordell? Did you read Kornholio's take on coach joe leaving? All 25 words. Man he must have toiled real hard on that one, hockey puck. (1/10/08) /\ January 10 Messages /\ \/ January 9 Messages \/ While I am so sad to hear the news of Craig Heist's hospitalization, isn't it impressive to see nothing but good words being written about him from everyone? What a testimony to a really, really GREAT GUY! Get well soon, Heistie! You are in the very heart of our deepest and most positive thoughts. - Ed. Rodriguez, Key West FL. (1/9/08) Get well wishes to Craig Heist! Outta that bed, Heisty. Someone needs to cover Orioles spring training, hun. -- Jill Nado (1/9/08) I just talked to WHC. Heistie's stable but as yet unable to talk to anyone. He's in great hands and he'll get through this. Sean Hall (1/9/08) Greg Heist you get well soon and get back on the air! CORY (1/9/08) Good thing I didn't save "My24 News" for worse in the Best/Worse 2008 awards... I guess there *are* limits to what you can get away with in media consolidation. I guess we won't be seeing all east coast Fox stations retransmitting WNYW's 10pm news. Think of all the money they could have saved with Fox NewsCentral. Oh well, they can still standardize on a schedule of court shows. (1/9/08) Dave's response: I hear that Rupert Murdoch's TV stations are working on a new afternoon court show, "Fox News Court," in which "mainstream media" journalists from "lefty" organizations like CNN, the NY Times, MSNBC, and the Washington Post will be tried for "treason" by Fox News personalities. It debuts in March and will be shown on 5 and 24, with a nightly repeat on 20..... I want to send well wishes to Craig Heist as well. I had the opportunity of meeting Craig a few times when I was at WNST and being on the air with him during Rob Long's Show. He also came on my show a few times. It was neat being two former Eastern Shore radio vets on the radio and in studio together back in the summer. Craig has a very solid knowledge of sports and is a pleasure talking to and has always answered the phone when I called him to ask him for whatever going back to the days when I hosted a sports show at Loyola College. My thoughts and prayers will be with you. -Michael Popovec (1/9/08) (From DCRTV's Classified Ads:) FOR SALE -- RADIO/AUDIO EQUIPMENT AND OFFICE FURNITURE -- FOR SALE... WMET Radio has excess radio / audio equipment and office furniture for sale at its studios in Downtown Silver Spring, MD. For further information, details on the current inventory and to see pictures, please visit www.wmet1160.com/equipmentsale... These items have to go to free up the conference room space (former temporary studio during WMET's recent build-out). (1/9/08) Lots of love headed Craig Heists way, thoughts and prayers for him & his wife at this most difficult time. What an infectious laugh, I still chuckle at the thought of some of his lines and when Md upset UNC man did we celebrate...lol. We worked in Ocean City together for awhile and it was always an unexpected pleasure to bump into him at various sporting events from time to time. Get well buddy and stay that way!! Michael Filippelli-100.7 The Bay (1/9/08) Rumor has it that a station in the Baltimore Market is trying to get Davy Jones/Paul Bicknell back on the air with a music/talk format program. No comment from the broadcaster at this point. Stay tuned. I personally can’t believe he would leave his current situation, Co-Owner of a successful Audio/Video Production Company. It’s doing too well. (1/9/08) Mike in Fairfax: I have to disagree about COMCAST Sportnet and Boudreau. I thought they gave the guy short shrift. I wanted to hear more, he's a new face here, and they only talked to him about five minutes. They should have rescheduled and given him more time. Also, there is a BIG difference between filling up Verizon Center a few times in the Frozen Four (including with a lot of out of towners here to support their teams) and having area hockey fans fill RFK during the middle of winter for a Caps game. (1/9/08) My thoughts and prayers go out to Craig Heist. A great guy and one of the most knowledgeable baseball people around. Heisty - I hope you recover quickly. Diane Kepley, AP Radio (1/9/08) Another item about Fox5's 10pm news disappearing from My24: On Monday night, they began simulcasting it on WDCA- My20... that's right,in DC... same market that it already airs in. Absurdity defined, and someone gets paid to come up with stuff like that. Amazing. (1/9/08) Dave's response: Fox5 relayed its 10 PM news on sister 20 because 5 was running a college football bowl game on Monday evening. Just checked the electronic cable TV guide and it shows 20 normally running sitcom reruns at 10 PM and 10:30 PM...... Let me also join everyone else in hoping for the best for Heisty. I can't say enough about how great of a guy he is and how willing he always is to help anyone and everyone he knows in this business. Heisty is a great pro, and just an awesome, awesome guy and I hope he's better again soon. John Domen (1/9/07) Just echoing what others have said about Craig Heist. Craig and I worked in Salisbury-Ocean City Market cutting our teeth...NO ONE works harder than Heisty or cares more about his product.We could all learn something from his work ethic.....all the best to he and Suzie.We're with you Heisty..Pete Medhurst (1/9/08) The 5-minute plus phone conversation that Chris Core had this morning with the woman who made Hillary "cry" on Monday made it to the Drudge Report! wmal.com. Report: The woman who made Clinton cry voted for Obama... Great job, Core & staff! -Silvie- (1/9/08) I also sent an email to WTMD regarding the 105.5 relay. I wonder if their paying a lot for the service? Bob Fairfax (1/9/08) Dave's response: WTMD is a wonderful station. I listen to it on 105.5 instead of The Globe. Hmmm, maybe Michael Hughes is sneaking over to Great Falls and cutting the power line for 105.5. Just jooooking..... Dave, Can you find out why the 105.5 relay for WTMD is so unreliable. It is off the air as much as it's on. On any given day it will go off the air for minutes to hours. It was off the air all day Monday, some of Tuesday morning and again this afternoon. It has been this way ever since it went on the the air relaying WTMD. Bob Fairfax (1/9/08) Dave's response: Yeah, I too have noticed that the 105.5 Great Falls VA relay is frequently "not there." I have e-mailed WTMD honcho Steve Yasko but he hasn't gotten back to me..... Hope all goes well for Heisty in his recovery. I have been fortunate to work with him at numerous Ravens-Orioles games, but lucky to consider him and friend. Craig would give his shirt off his back to help anyone, and was one of the first media members when I started to really try and help me and make me better. There is not a person that has been around Craig that doesn't have a Heist story that will make you laugh. I am pulling for you my friend and pray that you will have a speedy comeback. Casey Willett, Reporter, Sportstalk 1570AM WNST (1/9/08) Not radio nor TV, but too funny not to mention: Front page of today's WaPo Metro section ... big photo of some guy enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. Look at where the green arrow traffic signal is pointing and see if you don't agree that guy is REALLY enjoying the weather. (1/9/08) Mike, Fairfax (1/9/08) said: "On ESPN's SportsCenter telecast this morning, the anchor stated that the Redskins never won their division during Joe Gibbs' second tenure as head coach. That's not correct - they were NFC East champions two years ago with a 10-6 record. For a network that prides itself on factual accuracy, a surprising lapse." Mike needs to take a look at en.wikipedia.org... You are not correct. They finished in 2nd place in the NFC East behind the 11-5 New York Giants. As the NFC East Champions, the Giants had the #4 seed with their record, and the Skins had the #6 seed as a wildcard. The Skins beat the #5 Tampa Bay Bucs in a rematch from earlier in the year where Alstott got a questionable TD. Next week, the Skins lost in Seattle to the Seahawks. -Mike, Silver Spring (1/9/08) On ESPN's SportsCenter telecast this morning, the anchor stated that the Redskins never won their division during Joe Gibbs' second tenure as head coach. That's not correct - they were NFC East champions two years ago with a 10-6 record. For a network that prides itself on factual accuracy, a surprising lapse. Former Channel 4 sports anchor Wally Bruckner was a guest with Andy Pollin on WTEM's wall-to-wall coverage of Gibbs' retirement yesterday - apparently he now runs a restaurant in Connecticut. If there's one thing Pollin does really well, it's putting events like yesterday's into historical perspective. John Riggins' show on Redskins Radio was extended to five hours and he was able to provide interviews with both Gibbs and Dan Snyder following the 3 PM news conference. "I was really disappointed in Steve Czaban's treatment of Joe Gibbs 'retirement story', suggesting that the game had passed him by." While Gibbs certainly didn't deserve immunity from criticism during his second tenure as head coach, now's definitely not the proper time to dwell on clock management issues or questionable play calling. Czaban was way out of line, especially considering the family circumstances that drove Gibbs' decision to call it a career. On NFL Network this morning, Jim Mora and a prominent ex-player explained why it's absurd to suggest that the game had 'passed him by' - there may not be a single coach in the league who's thoroughly familiar with the rulebook. CSN's Washington Post Live deserves major kudos for going ahead with an interview with Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau on a day like yesterday. The team's recent turnaround following a coaching change is a story that's largely gone under the radar, although just about anything hockey related gets underplayed by the media in this town. Speaking of the NHL, those who claim that the DC area would never turn out for a big hockey event like the recent outdoor game in Buffalo may not be aware that the Frozen Four (semifinals and finals of the NCAA Division I mens hockey tournament) will be played at Verizon Center next year. That's not something that falls into your lap by chance - the arena's management team had to bid for it and wouldn't have been successful if the NCAA didn't think Washington could sell it out. Mike, Fairfax (1/9/08) Dave -- -what are you hearing about the return of Imus in our market? Talk with you soon, Len (1/9/08) Dave's response: Nada, zilch, nothing..... Man my hemorrhoids are burning. Rush, Palm Beach (1/9/08) Ok, so no one paid John Normand for fantasy football all season and Don and Mike are CRYING they couldn't finish their season? Do they know it requires time to put the final lineups in for each team? Why would John be motivated to do anything for them? (1/9/08) I want to send my prayers to Craig Heist, his wife, his family. Craig is a dear colleague who I have worked with inside WTOP and out in the field. I've never worked with a better person than Craig. He always makes everyone around him laugh with his dry humor yet is still one of the more professional men in the business. I couldn't begin to list the ways he's made me a better journalist and I wouldn't be where I am today without him. I am very sad to hear what's happened to my friend, and I am praying he makes a full and speedy recovery. Heisty is a one of a kind special man. --- Ari (1/9/08) (regarding the item about Sean Hannity and Ollie North's "Charitable Mis-giving") Those "charitable" Conservatives! Didn't Limbaugh have a scam going a while back where he pledged to send "free" subscription to his newsletter to a military member, but the catch was that another subscription had to be purchased by someone else? (1/9/08) I have to laugh at the discussion about listening to 1500 AM out of state at night. I was on my way to work at 3:30 a.m. today and flipped off the satellite radio for the first time in months to catch whatever the overnight guy on Boston powerhouse WBZ (1030) might be saying about the aftermath of the New Hampshire primary. I was stunned how poor the signal was. WBZ beamed in at night like a local station (on this same car radio) before this screwy HD idea came along, now it's barely listenable. Then I discovered most of the other big signals between 1000 and 1200 were either awful or completely gone. What hath these idiots wrought? (1/9/08) Dave's response: HD might be something viable on FM if the radio clowns could get their marketing and programming shit together. But it is unbelievably stupid and wrong for AM signals, which, at night, get bounced all over the place. The FCC's approval of HD night ops on AM is one of the dumbest, most screwballed things the Commission has ever done. Topping a pretty long list..... Thoughts and prayers are going out to Craig Heist and his family. I had the fortunate experience of working with him (along with Hitman, Lane Jernigan, George McFly, Kevin Ocean, and Al LaVie) at 100-KHI in OC during the mid-80's. My fingers are crossed for a speedy recovery. Gary "the Beav" Edsall (1/9/08) "Orioles Update Scoreboards, Control Room To Be Fitted For HD" - (If the long-standing rumor is correct) One of Mr. Angelos' many reasons for the scoreboard enhancements might be to block the view of the ballpark from the bulk of the occupants of the new building that now blocks the old "Bromo-Seltzer" clock tower. But it will be nice to see the entire warehouse from the stands now! (1/9/08) There isn't much doubt that CSN is the best in DC at local sports coverage, they do a real nice job covering the area and have a large staff dedicated to the local sports scene. I think they are clearly better than any of the local affiliates at covering sports in DC. The original point being made here was they simply dropped the ball by not being ready for something to happen with Gibbs. Obviously if they had the crew in place they would have broken in, but they were left waiting until noon to start a story the rest of the area was pretty much done with until 3pm. Once on the air the coverage was solid, in depth and better than the competition. It's just surprising that after the same thing happened with the Taylor breaking news in Nov, and considering the very strange presser Gibbs stumbled through on Monday, they would not have had some reserves in early just in case. That's it, and time will tell if they decide this is worth exploring a real morning show, instead of a taped hour over again. (1/9/08) Yes, AM 1500 does not penetrate buildings very well and 103.5 does, but you're not suggesting that Federal workers are listening to radio instead of doing their jobs are you? Perish the thought! lol (1/9/08) RE: [ " I was really disappointed in Steve Czabans treatment of Joe Gibbs "retirement story", suggesting that the game had passed him by....... Doug in Stephens City" ].......... GEEZ, Thank GOD somebody FINALLY HAD THE GUTS to say what everybody on earth already knew! The closest similar example of such boneheaded media adoration would have to be the 2nd Oriole managerial stint of Earl Weaver (and I actually predicted this would happen in the DCRTV mailbag when Gibbs was hired). It's nothing against Gibbs or Weaver, but it was painfully obvious that the game had changed in their absence and they hadn't. That's not saying anything personal against either of them nor does it, in my mind, take anything away from their past accomplishments. It just is what it is. If Gibbs calling the 2 timeouts in a row wasn't proof enough for you, than nothing could possibly be enough. Ok, you may all now return to your previously scheduled Joe Gibbs coronation. (1/9/08) Let’s hope heisty makes a quick recovery. Seems like a good man (1/9/08) Any 'a use guys wanna co-rect CSN fan and inglish xpurt Dave, on punkuation, use of capitols, and grammor? (1/9/08) How can CSN not stand out as the sports leader? They have games, a talk show, 30-60 sometimes even 90 minute shows about LOCAL SPORTS. Local news does 5 minutes….MAX. Not sure I understand, if CSN isn’t the sports leader, who is genius? Feldy at 5? Lindsay at 4 cause she sooooo cute? Come on man. People are on call but you have to understand employees live all around the area, factor in DC morning traffic and people aren’t getting into work in 15 minutes. You obviously have a lot of time on your hands to criticize local media, keep up the good work, whatever is it you do. By the way, how many local sports anchors were on set (during the morning shows) to give updates on gibbs?? NONE !! Also what’s wrong with douche? You prefer something else? (1/9/08) Having 8,686 songs at my finger tips via my 80gb Microsoft Zune sure makes the work day better than it once was. I am still only a little over halfway through my CD collection so I figure I'll come close to filling up my 20,000 song capacity. Instead of a "No Repeat Work Day" on FM radio, I now have a "No Repeat Work Year". (1/9/08) Dave's response: Now wouldn't that be cool. How about a classic hits station like WBIG or a World Class Rock station like WTGB going an entire month without replaying any song. "No Repeat February." Hmmm..... My thoughts and prayers are with Craig Heist and his family. (1/9/08) Dave's response: Amen..... YO DAVE, saw Bennett Zier at the post office in plushy Potomac today. Times must really be tough for him, he was driving a dated jeep cherokee and looked as if he may be sending out resume's. HAHAHA how the mighty have fallen. A.M.F. from the burbs of montgomery county!!!!!! (1/9/08) So Dave's site informs me that they are replacing all the scoreboards in Camden Yards for upgraded HD versions. I would imagine that is costing in the ballpark of $10 to $20 million. Thank you Governor O'Malley and the morons in the Maryland House for raising the sales tax by 20% for such critical infrastructure and community needs. (1/9/08) This post is for “Dave the Comcast Sports Defender”. Yes, I do think that the operation should have staffers on call for breaking news stories. No, it would not be cost efficient to keep 15 to 20 staffers on duty in the morning all the time. The whole Comcast Sports Net is a losing proposition. They are bleeding more money than any other operation in town. They have a “marketing” deal with Redskins that costs them a fortune. None of this matters because the Comcast mother ship can’t get out of the way of money. If they are ever going to make any money at Sports Net they will have to stand out as the sports leader. They will have to do this over and over until the viewers can count on them. Yesterdays lack of timely coverage set them back. One final point, “douche” is the best you got? (1/9/08) Dave, I am surprised you missed this piece. Misinformation specialist Sean Hannity, heard locally on WMAL, and his buddy federal perjurer Oliver North, it appears, don't support our troops as much as they claim. www.roanoke.com (1/9/08) At first, I was thinking My24 would only temporarily pre-empt Fox5 News at 10 during the BCS games this past week (because Fox5 would be showing the BCS games at that time). Now, it looks like the newscast is off for good on My24. Instead, they're showing "Two And A Half Men" at 10pm and the first of back-to-back episodes of "Seinfeld" at 10:30pm. -Greg in Perry Hall (1/9/08) another example that Barbara Harrison is losing it...on this morning's newscast she said "this is Bush's first visit to Israel during his pregnancy...er, presidency, excuse me." -- Bobbie (1/9/08) (I'm merely expressing disappointment that WTOP bragged about its convention presence four years ago - but now claims that going to the conventions doesn't matter) I don't know what is happening over there any more than you, but I would say you are probably reading too much into this Radio is still show business, correct? TV stations, radio stations, cable networks, promote WHATEVER they are doing. 4 years ago maybe they thought that the listeners cared about their coverage and that it was a good marketing message. and maybe now they are focusing on other things they feel are a bigger deal...who knows...but honestly...who cares? it is the conventions...not traffic or weather or local news! of all the things to over analyze, the once every four year political conventions are hardly a good barometer for this debate. JC (1/9/08) I, for one, think that COMCAST Sports Net does a great job and I couldn't give a rat's ass as to whether or not they got the Gibbs story straight. As a hard core DC sports fan, I appreciate their coverage of ALL the local sports. No question the Redskins are the big gorilla, but with both WTEM and Redskins Radio doing All Redskins all of the time, I like COMCAST Sport Net's approach. (1/9/08) So you mean to tell me that the fallen WJFK could sober up those 2 talentless tubs of goo Big O & Dukes long enough to cover the Gibbs situation but CSN couldn't get anyone in? Puhleeeeeeeeze (1/9/08) "Correct me if I am wrong. This morning while watching FOX 5 News, I thought I heard Anchor Will Thomas say something to the effect that he is leaving. Has anybody else heard this or maybe I am mistaken? Joan (1/9/08)." I believe that he was sitting in for someone in the morning for a few days and today was the last day. I interpreted his statement as one of going back to his regular gig. Then again, I was half asleep when this came on between 7 AM and 7:30 AM. Tim in Stafford (1/9/08) Comcast SportsNet threatening Easton Cable over the loss of out of market D.C. team coverage would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic. Why in the world would more than a few people in Easton care about that channel? Everett W. ()1/9/08) Will Thomas is leaving 5 to follow the road show of ''The Birdcage''. Paul (1/9/08) ---- “you don’t need an on air staff on duty during the morning hours because you would only need them around 10 times a year” --- first of all if you’re going to put up quotes from a previous poster, I suggest copy and paste so you get them CORRECT. The post was this “honesty, how many days out of the last five years would CSN have needed a morning staff? 10, at the most?” not 10 per year douche !! You know the cost of having a FULL STAFF in house all the time? . The sportsrise program is basically what runs at 1 am, similar to what espn does, did you not notice that either? They run the same sportscenter over and over, one similar to the 1am/3 am version?? And like another previous poster mentioned, gibbs wasn’t even talking until 3, CSN still had guests on, phone interviews with current and former players, coverage from 12-7, even when the other stations went to soap operas. CSN blew others away, just like they did when sean taylor passed away. You obviously think it’s cost efficient to employ 15-20 stafffers for a morning shift when you’ll really only need those people if something happens, which maybe is “10 times in 5 years”, I’d say less then that. Good thing you don’t handle budgets, because you’d go in the red real quick. --- Dave (1/9/08) (...at night when 1500 AM flies afar, they can put more 'national' commercials on the AM. There are a lot of people north and south who listened to 1500 AM for news because hundreds of cities don't have a local all-news station) Maybe this will help end the silly postings about WTOP airing on 1500 because they would again reach outside markets. Let me explain to these posters how ALL radio stations make money...they sell advertising to those willing to pay a price to reach an audience (as defined by Arbitron). that audience is measured for that region. And WTOP, and every other station in the market, sells advertising to people looking to reach those in the DC region. Putting more "national" advertisers on the air makes no sense...and is obviuosly written by someone who has never sold, managed, or even overseen the selling of radio air time. Someone has to buy the ads...and they buy them because of audience measurement. If you don't have any measurable audience in any city other than DC, then nobody is going to pay for "national" ads. I can see it now...the WTOP sales staff on the streets with the postings from DCRTV trying to convince "national" advertisers that they should spend thousands of dollars on WTOP to reach OTHER markets...because some radiophiles thinks it is cool that they can hear WTOP up and down the East Coast. technically, if 1500 garnered a big enough of an audience in any of those East Coast markets (as measured by Arbitron), 1500 would show up in that market's rating book (like it does in Baltimore). WTOP (their all news version) was on 1500 for 30 years...and to my knowledge, I have never heard about them showing up in any other market's ratings books...so there is no financial benefit for WTOP to air on 1500 to reach other markets. as has been pointed out by others, it seems like WTOP thought it was more valuable to air on a BIG local (FM) signal versus 1500 just so they could be heard in Toronto and Miami. BA (1/9/08) For whatever reason, I tuned in to 98 Rock around 10 AM this morning. The 98 Morning Rock team were making fun of the Don and Mike Show. One of them sarcasticly said he admired Don and Mike, he said he wished he could sit in the same city and fool them for 30 years. Do I smell a radio war, or is that just the inner harbor??? Don and Mike Rule!!!! (1/9/08) Dave's response: None of the morning "shock jock" radio shows in the DC and Baltimore area like D&M, even at D&M's own station. The legendary afternoon DC radio duo wears it as a Badge Of Honor, me thinks..... I was really disappointed in Steve Czabans treatment of Joe Gibbs "retirement story", suggesting that the game had passed him by. Czaban's turned his program during football into a de facto "Gambling tip site" like you see after midnight on many cable networks. Hey Steve, there are millions of us, in fact, the vast majority of your audience I suppose, who have never watch the games concerned concerned about the point spreads. I guess that Czaban was aiming his comments at his hard core base of degenerate gamblers that listen to his show. Come on Steve get to know your audience, before you loose it. You lost me years ago. Doug in Stephens City (1/9/08) Correct me if I am wrong. This morning while watching FOX 5 News, I thought I heard Anchor Will Thomas say something to the effect that he is leaving. Has anybody else heard this or maybe I am mistaken? Joan (1/9/08) Dave's response: Gee, anyone else heard that? My TV refuses to tune in networks and stations owned by Rupert Murdoch..... Hi Dave, I love the site, but your info is slightly incorrect with this story: 13 In Shock As Popular Producer Gets Cut..... There is not Assignment Editor (or anyone else in the news department) here at WBAL-TV that was let go by WJZ. Maybe the person they are thinking of is Beverly Epstein, our Managing Editor-- but she left WJZ for WTTG in the late 90s and then came here nearly 5 years later. Maybe the person went to Channel 2? (1/9/08) Dave's response: Thanks! I've reworded the newsblurb..... (Regarding Twin Star:) Sounds like the start of Red Zebra: all chiefs and no Indians (1/9/08) "Your all boobs! CSN had updates with phone interviews with Russ Thaler and Brent Harris all morning." Please, please, it's "you're," the contraction for "you are." Good god, did not any of you learn the basics of our language? Or are you just too lazy? (1/9/08) It's not the coverage area, it's the way people have been trained to listen. 1500 is WTOP for many people, regardless of how often the station changes frequencies. Noticed lately that the reporters are now making a big deal out of the FM frequency when they end their pieces? Sounds like a marketing technique that was put into place because management may be worried some listeners are still having trouble finding the station. If TOP put the all-newser back on 1500 as its third frequency, it wins by having good signal in the ratings rich parts of the market AND by offering the station to listeners who expect it to be on AM. (1/9/08) I am a bicycle courier and have NEVER heard anyone listening to AM or FM in DC office buildings. Most people I know listen in the car, where it takes a strong signal throughout the Richmond-Baltimore-DC region to be heard. With WTOP gone, it's either WCBS 880 in the mornings or evenings, or NPR. (1/9/08) Heard Mark Kessler on WBIG Monday night. Think he's filling in for the regular yute that dj's nights on BIG 100. Mr. kessler told a story about Steve Miller lyrics? And WBIG ran a couple more of them "nobody knows"cat stevens" and "bruce springsteen" like BIG 100 last night. Didn't realize that Joe Gibbs was living up here without any of the family. I guess Coy Gibbs didn't do any coaching etc. for Dreadskin's this past year. So Coach joe is free from the wrath of lil' danny. Maybe he learned to shut his mouth in public but looks like lil' danny still involves himself in every little thing having to do with Dreadskin's. Bet that was a contributing factor to Coach Joe burning out. Lil' danny certainly ain't The Squire in his approach. And did Coach Joe say that lil' danny's wife was texting Coach Joe's wife all the time, oh geez? Bet we hear little from Coach joe in the future except when he comes up from Carolina to work on fundraising for his Yute Home out there in Prince William County. Will really know he's out of here if he sells his Reston Town Center condo. I don't think Cowher would want to coach under these conditions, he probably would prefer the Carolina Panthers job. Things won't change with lil' danny unless the Dreadskin's start losing tons of money and club value drops big time. Only if that happens and the other owners get pissed will there be a likely change. With lil' danny being so young D.C. area stuck with him for many years I fear. Don and Mike not only hypocrites but lazy ones at that so they'll do as they like. How many times did O'Meara tell his fireworks story on Monday. ponderous, daddio, ponderous. (1/9/08) The fact that the Comcast Sports Net defender states that “you don’t need an on air staff on duty during the morning hours because you would only need them around 10 times a year” shows he doesn’t understand the business. Stations and Networks are made, and destroyed by such decisions. CNN was put on the map by there wall to wall coverage of the Gulf War. WTOP has had many of the same success stories from the Gulf War to 9/11. On the flip side, look what happened to Clear Channel when they didn’t have any staff available or on call to cover 9/11. Breaking news occurs when you least expect it, and you have to have a plan to cover the story or you will be labeled as second rate. In this case, all of the tell tale signs were right in front of them, if they had just listened to the press conference the night before…No excuse. (1/9/08) Your all boobs! CSN had updates with phone interviews with Russ Thaler and Brent Harris all morning. By noon we had already heard from several current and former Redskins. By 2pm, they even had Kedrick Golston join them in studio, anyone else have that? They were on for the next 5 straight hours! What is it you want from them? You knew the news already, then they gave you the most thorough (sp) coverage anywhere!! Are you mad because they didn't give it to you first? It isn't enough that they gave it to you correct. Hell Gibbs wasn't even talking about till 3pm. And what is your hogwash about the Sean Taylor coverage? Who was the network that had the two scenes covered from start to finish with Chick Hernandez at Redskins park and Kelly Johnson in Miami? You're weak, and you work for another tv station here who got their ass kicked by CSN. Deal with it! (1/9/08) "'1500 AM is a good signal...heard from the snow covered trees of Maine to Sloppy Joe's in Key West, Florida.'" That coverage doesn't help local sales. You can't hear 1500 in Rockville at night. 103.5 penetrates office and apafrtment buildings in DC, 1500 does not." I think the point is why not keep BOTH 1500 and 103.5? 1500 would not HURT local sales and might cause an industrious young sales rep to cultivate a little long distance sales. Not to mention the cheap, effective billboard for 103.5, up and down the East Coast. And, if you try to tell me that you don't think that would help the bottom line, please go sell for cable and satellite! Unique, compelling programming always wins... wherever the signal will reach. - The Guy Hanging Out in Front of Sloppy Joe's in Key West, Florida (1/9/08) To the writer of: {That coverage doesn't help local sales. You can't hear 1500 in Rockville at night. 103.5 penetrates office and apafrtment buildings in DC, 1500 does not} If Bonneville really thought about it, at night when 1500 AM flies afar, they can put more 'national' commercials on the AM. There are a lot of people north and south who listened to 1500 AM for news because hundreds of cities don't have the luxury of a local all-news radio station. There's a thirst for information out there, not just you inside-the-beltway folks thinking narrowly about having all news "only" on 103.5 FM. Just some thoughts; no sermons from this corner of the planet. (1/9/08) /\ January 9 Messages /\ \/ January 8 Messages \/ Holy crap, Dave this mailbag seems more like a local media daycare facility with the childish bickering and ranting over absofrickinlutely nothing these days. By the way the heck with Kucinich's wife... did you see that looker McCain is married too.... yowwwwza.. Ray (now in PA) (1/8/08) RE: "It is amazing how a simple decision by the news director at WTOP to not send a couple of reporters to the conventions has all the sudden led people to think that this is the ignition of a Bonneville fire sale..." I certainly don't think, nor am I suggesting, that WTOP is going to be sold. I'm merely expressing disappointment that WTOP bragged about its convention presence four years ago - but now claims that going to the conventions doesn't matter. I would have more respect for them if they simply came out and said "We don't want to spend the money." Their story changes whenever it's convenient for them and they think no one remembers what has been said or done before. It is cynical, condescending and arrogant. That is what is disappointing. Maybe as a way of expressing my displeasure, I'll indicate to Arbitron that I listen from 9:12 to 9:17, or 4:27 to 4:32 or something like that. (1/8/08) "CSN has a morning show from 5a-9a or so says its website. Sportsrise was technically still on the air when the AP story broke at 8:59a. They had the staff in place, and chose money over content by running the infomericals until noon." ....... There's no staff there in the morning -- just an automaton hitting rewind on the tape of the 1am sportscast. Steve in Lanham (1/8/08) OK CSN HATERS ... it's 6:55 pm ... George M. has just ended his LIVE interview (five minutes) with Gibbs on WRC 4 ... WTTG 5 is running TMZ on TV, ABC 7 is running National News, as is WUSA 9 ... COMCAST SPORTSNET HAS BEEN ON FOR 4 STRAIGHT HOURS ... including an excellent washington post live where they had three live interviews from redskins park with actual SPORTS WRITERS who know what they are talking about ... what are you complaining about ... the shops with 24 hour staffs broke the news early and now CSN is showing that they are the best when it comes to covering the story ... honesty, how many days out of the last five years would CSN have needed a morning staff? 10, at the most? (1/8/08) CSN has a morning show from 5a-9a or so says its website. Sportsrise was technically still on the air when the AP story broke at 8:59a. They had the staff in place, and chose money over content by running the infomericals until noon. The story broke at 9a, coming on the air at Noon is unacceptable for the self proclaimed local sports leader. You cover the story when it breaks, cover the press conferences and reaction throughout the day. The bottomline is that twice now Comcast has treated the biggest redskins story of the season with a crawl.....for three hours. they should do better than that. (1/8/08) I was listening to Elliott this morning when the Joe Gibbs news broke. He immediately had Chris Cooley on the phone and then George Michael called him. George talked about a phone call he had with Gibbs earlier in the morning. It's no sports show, but he had the story covered very well. -- Brett (1/8/08) (RE: CSN) They have a fulltime staff, afternoons and evenings, when most things take place, it’s a $$ thing, learn the business (1/8/08) "1500 AM is a good signal...heard from the snow covered trees of Maine to Sloppy Joe's in Key West, Florida" That coverage doesn't help local sales. You can't hear 1500 in Rockville at night. 103.5 penetrates office and apafrtment buildings in DC, 1500 does not. (1/8/08) Let me see if I'm understanding this train of thought: It's OK that CSN, which claims to be the region's best source for sports news, didn't have a thing to say about Gibbs retiring, "BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE A MORNING STAFF IDIOT." You've made the "IDIOT"'s argument for him: Why does such a self-proclaimed news source not have a full time staff? Answer: Because they are a joke. (1/8/08) OK, know what? Never mind all this namby-pamby political caucus crap on TV and in the papers. If THIS straight-talking, no-nonsense guy was running for office here, he'd have my vote. www.youtube.com (1/8/08) Old reruns of "American Idol" actually do air in weekend broadcast syndication (channel 50 in D.C.) under the title "American Idol Rewind." I do grant that the reality genre generally doesn't do well in syndicated reruns. Everett W. (1/8/08) So the Redskins need a new coach.....I hear Brian Billick is looking for a job!!!! Paddyo in Elkridge (1/8/08) Even Hillary thinks Alan Colmes is a dork bigheaddc.com (1/8/08) Bravo Dave in Sterling! The reason Friends, Seinfeld, etc. are shown ad nauseum in syndication is because there hasn't been anything worth syndicating since those shows went off the air. It's been four years since Friends and a decade since Seinfeld, what do people expect, old reruns of "Survivor", "American Idol", or "The Amazing Race"? How about two hours of "Dancing With The Stars" or "Deal or No Deal"...wait, that's what the networks are already doing...strike that! No wonder the Writers Guild went on strike, they haven't been working for seven years anyway, might as well get something from the DVD sales for shows when writers were actually involved with Hollywood. G.K. in Timonium (1/8/08) (The convention coverage cutback, the retreat to a city-grade FM, all tell me Bonnevile has other plans they're not telling local management about) It is amazing how a simple decision by the news director at WTOP to not send a couple of reporters to the conventions has all the sudden led people to think that this is the ignition of a Bonneville fire sale...a fire sale of their single biggest asset?!? especially when you consider the money Bonneville continues to spend on other things. BTW...there has been big expense cutbacks my company as well...and I imagine we are not alone. in case you haven't heard, the market was down this year by about 5%...which means that many stations are cutting back on minor (if not major) expenses. Connie in MoCo (1/8/08) WWVB calls on a commercial station? Time to visit this link: www.lonoiserecords.com... Click the clock to listen! (1/8/08) Dear DCRTV Dave: "Yeah, the King is gone….ohh, the king is gone….Long live his name. Goodbye, Joseph. We'll miss you…. KOF" What does this have to do with Radio and TV? Isn't this off-topic? Criticism of Crumcast Sportsnet is fair as they shouldn't have been showing infomercials. How about those ravens? HAHA! (1/8/08) Re the Orleans House closing: Orleans House and other buildings along the entire block are going to be demolished to make way for a new high-rise project called "Central Place". www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com (1/8/08) Who’s the moron? You rip CSN for not coming on right away, BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE A MORNING STAFF IDIOT. They’re on now, started at noon and won’t go off til 7, the other local stations have moved on to their afternoon programming, are you gonna rip them for showing soap operas?? (1/8/08) Who is the moron poster defending Comcast Sports? “It takes a couple of hours to get the staff in” Did anyone in the “so called” sports department listen to the press conference last night? Gibbs gave every indication that something was up, and he was meeting with Snyder last night. Maybe it would have been a good idea to have an anchor or two in the studio in case something happened. How come Comcast didn’t get the story from the Redskins first? How come Redskins Radio didn’t get the story first? How are those “official” Redskin station agreements working for them now? On a related note, the ink wasn’t even dry on the Boswell article in the Post this morning before the ‘I am 95% sure Gibbs will return” proclamation. Good thing Boswell left the 5% chance of retirement in the story. (1/8/08) WRC/4 is promoting a live George Michael interview of Joe Gibbs to air at 6:45 p.m. tonight. Everett W. (1/8/08) You guys know the Orleans House? That showboat-y looking restaurant across the street from Channel 7 in Rosslyn? They're going bye-bye: www.rasmus.com (1/8/08) Yeah, the King is gone….ohh, the king is gone….Long live his name. Goodbye, Joseph. We'll miss you…. KOF (1/8/08) Dave's response: Someone sent us the graphic at right when Gibbs announced he was returning to the Redskins several years ago. Oh the hopes and dreams..... …and now a stream of WTEM? Wow. Thanks for nothing Comcast SportsNet. Andree (1/8/08) The poster said "big mistake taking all news off 1500 AM," well it's the same as whether you want to be a little community newspaper or a national one. The convention coverage cutback, the retreat to a city-grade FM, all tell me Bonnevile has other plans they're not telling local management about. (1/8/08) Hey Dave, There's video posted on the WUSA website of Anita Brikman and Lesli Foster's "official" welcome to the WUSA anchor set: www.wusa9.com (1/8/08) Dave, Washington media is on Red Alert and when Joe Jackson Gibbs retires later today all local media will cover the press conference. All the TV and radio station will be live. www.examiner.com (1/8/08) Dave, Big weekend for NBC4 and XM scored big time with last night's BCS Championship game. www.examiner.com.... Redskins loss to the Seahawks but they were a ratings monster. NBC 4 benefited greatly from the Redskins playoff appearance. The overnight rating for the Skins telecast was an astounding 33.8 rating with a 58 share. That means that almost 60% of all televisions being watched in the Washington ADI were watching the Redskins-Seahawks NFC Playoff Game on NBC. Cheers, jim (1/8/08) "but leave topics of Capital Planning to those who know the difference between Capital and Capitol" Someone doesn't know a joke. What project do you manage? What section of GAAP are you referencing. I know a bit as I have a degree in Finance. I'm sure you know more being a CPA and all or do you? Paul G. (1/8/08) Reruns of Seinfeld, Friends, Cheers and some other 80s and 90s sitcoms are among the most popular syndicated programs on the air. I think there's a certain segment of the population that is grateful to watch something--anything--other than yet another half-assed reality show. "Shaq's Big Challenge"? "Who Wants to Marry a U.S. Citizen"? "Clash of the Choirs"? Talk about popular culture bottoming out. Dave in Sterling (1/8/08) Comcast SportsNet is officially USELESS. “The Official Network of the Washington Redskins” is stuck on infomercials with a crawl on the morning the Joe Gibbs retires?!?! Andree (1/8/08) “In BOTH cases Comcast Sports Net was in infomericals and didn't break from them” --- This is because the local news employs a staff for morning news, CSN doesn’t, therefore they can’t break in because they have no one in house idiot, it takes a few hours for everyone to come in (1/8/08) On WYSK flipping formats...This was from first paragraph in the Free Lance-Star article: "Fredericksburg-area radio listeners now have a chance to hear such top singers as Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Tappahannock's own Chris Brown." Yes ladies and gentlemen. You will be able to hear them and hear them every one or two hours. But this isn't too shocking. The story is starting to come together. The greed in our business has reached a new high in the Fredericksburg area. With this happening, it also lends credence to the theory that Brian Strobel (long-time WFLS morning show host for 30 years) was forced out instead of resigning on his own merits. This is a shady business. I'm on the sports side of the business and I tell you this...you can never trust anyone in a Operations Manager position on up in clusters of stations or media rights holders or anyone from a corporate office in a national media group or even a local media group that oversees a few stations. You can apply this thought process in life to your approach to radio. Always believe half of what you hear and all of what you see. (1/8/08) Dave's response: Isn't that a line from a CCR song? Quickly checked for other posts related to the Gibbs retirement story, and think I have one that beats all of the other amateur coverage that has taken place so far. George Stark and his chest hair live on WRC 4's set! Lisa in Ashburn (1/8/08) I'm just wondering if Don and Mike will finally be prompted to take down their outdated firejoegibbsnow.com site. That was a complete waste of a domain purchase. Everett W. (1/8/08) "Gibbs Gone" - Bravo-lingus to Sports Talk 980. The biggest local sports story of the year and their web stream is down. (1/8/08) Chris Core broke into their 9:00 am news to report the resignation. He then devoted the first twenty minutes or so to the topic. His first caller was some maniac from Texas who claimed that Washingtonians pay far too much attention to their football team. (1/8/08) On the Gibbs coverage. All the locals seemed to at least break in and have a sports guy or former player on the phone. 5 and 9 did it for the whole 9 hour. Fine with me, my complaint is again with Comcast Sports Net. When Sean Taylor was shot the news broke around the same time of day as the Gibbs resignation. In BOTH cases Comcast Sports Net was in infomericals and didn't break from them, instead choosing to run a crawl promoting later programming. This is a network that hammers home how they are the best in local sports coverage, the only place in the region with 60 minutes of local sports! Fine. Then break away from an infomerical on a floor sweeper and start covering the story! I know those things make you money, but you eat the cost and refund the informerical and start covering this story because you are an all local sports network! Bad decision making by a network that should have learned its lesson from getting burned by locals and national networks by the Taylor shooting. PJ in Bethesda (1/8/08) ok heres a question for everyone, Fox and channel 50 have been showing reruns of Seindfeld and Friends forever! does anyone still watch them? (1/8/08) Dave's response: Reruns have been a staple of American TV since the 1960s. I don't see that changing..... So Larry Michael(s) is an employee of Daniel Snyder and spends quite a bit of time on-air crowing about how he is the only NFL play-by-play man with an office at the team's facility...and he was scooped on the head coaches resignation by an AP beat reporter? Enjoy sleeping in today, Larry? (1/8/08) I just saw Doug Buchannon on Fox 5 reporting on Joe Gibbs' resignation. Is this the first time he has been on the air at a WTTG? (1/8/08) Dave's response: We reported that he's been seen on 5 for a few weeks, now..... Thank goodness Joe gibbs had the decency to resign. He’s gotten a free pass since he returned because he’s JOE GIBBS. Think it’s funny how everyone wanted to run spurrier and others out of here, but the mediocre return of gibbs was okay by fans, I wish gibbs the best of luck, seems like a great guy, but it was definitely time to go, bring on bill cowher. -- JPM (1/8/08) Dave's response: Two words - George Allen. No longer a Senator. He needs a new job. Follow in dad's footsteps? Hmmm. Oh nevermind..... Re: "I'm trying to conceptualize how unidirectional data flow ever results in packet collisions." I believe the original poster meant to use the term to describe multipath interference, the kind of thing that causes "ghosts" in old-fashioned analog over-the-air TV. For example, you have a direct signal arriving at your antenna, plus a reflected signal that bounced off a high-rise building. The reflected signal takes longer to get to your antenna, and so you have current data and old data being received simultaneously. It's hard to believe that the DTV data stream was not designed to be robust enough to withstand this very common occurrence, but it does appear to be so, although in my experience it appears to take some pretty severe multipath interference to cause problems. (Sorry if I made anyone's head hurt.) (1/8/08) And Mark Kessler worked at WCXR, a real classic rock station in the 80s and 90s in the DC area. And years before that a chef in a Florida restaurant. As for Bonneville, a big mistake taking all news off 1500 AM. Should air what's on 103.5 FM because 1500 AM is a good signal...heard from the snow covered trees of Maine to Sloppy Joe's in Key West, Florida. (1/8/08) Paul G. wrote "The term capital expense is actually incorrect as it is not an expense but improvement on an asset. Depreciation is expensed every year. A Capitol expense is the cost of maintaining Congress. Stick with your weird world of media and let accountants handle the balance sheet." Perhaps Paul G. should stick to raising his beer and a fist at bullshit sessions, but leave topics of Capital Planning to those who know the difference between Capital and Capitol. The term capital expense is quite correct. It is the title of books used in MBA finance classes and the title even of some classes. Tell me wise one, how does one make an improvement without having an expense? If you ever studied financial accounting, you know that we look at liabilities before assets. And there is a reason for that. There is no free lunch. To have an asset means you must first have a liability. You have to spend something to make or acquire something. Improvements to an asset are most certainly a capital item if such improvement increases the value of a fixed asset (aka capital assets). Due to the nature and manner of capital improvements, IRS, GAAP and FAB policy, it is commonly understood that any improvement which has a usable life beyond 1 year and costs above an X determined by the accounting method, such items are all considered capital property, some of which may be fixed, some of which may be tangible, all of which has an expense before it is considered an improvement. Even stadium naming rights are a capital item..do you know why? The Project Manager. (1/8/08) On C