Braley's Blog

There's Nothing On!

2011-12-19T13:22:00.002-05:00

My daughter made a random comment the other day while we were riding in the car. Some of our best conversations start like this. She wondered why the networks run all of the great Christmas shows right after Thanksgiving! Here it is a week til Christmas when you're in the mood and there's nothing!

I never thought about it, but it's true. I think "Rudolph" was on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. They were running promos for it during the Macy's Parade.

What are some of the favorites?
- RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
- CHARLIE BROWN
- SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN
- FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

I know that most of these shows are available on dvd but I guess it just goes back to my childhood that I like to sit down with a bowl of popcorn, turn on the tube and be entertained.

2011-12-05T13:05:00.001-05:00

I have a beautiful nativity set that my mother made and it is always a joy to put it out for the Christmas season. I must say, my eyes hurt after I found these on the internet this weekend:

Monday! Why does this keep happening??!!

2011-12-05T11:58:00.005-05:00

Someone pointed out today that there are only two more Mondays until Christmas. That's either cool.....or time to panic if you are like me and haven't started your shopping yet.

If you missed the Impossible Question today, it was the same one we had last Friday..."Only 9% of us have ever done this during the holiday season. Done what?" The answer was: Roast Chestnuts. (Cue up Nat King Cole!) I've never eaten any but I have smelled it and if memory serves me well, they don't smell very good. A few years ago I had an appearance at the Padanarum Christmas Stroll and they were roasting chesnuts on the sidewalk. Gotta say I was not a fan.

Can you help?

2011-11-16T17:22:00.002-05:00

Saturday is our annual can drive "Cans Across the Park" at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford.

My crew tells me I get like this every year. Worried. I get worried that we won't make it. We try to make a line of canned goods through the middle of Buttonwood Park. We've been doing this for almost 20 years but the need is so great this year and people are so busy I always get worried that we won't make it.

A colleague told me this week that the need is 3 times as great this year as people are still struggling.

We will be donating food to the Red Cross, St. Martin's Church, the First Congregational in Fairhaven, the Dartmouth Council on Aging and Mercy Meals.

Please join us Saturday from 10am to 2pm at Buttonwood Park. Greater New Bedford has never let us down before. I hope to see you.

Thanks

Tuesday

2011-10-11T10:46:00.002-05:00

Fun on the show today as we spoke with Eva Larue who plays Natalia BoaVista on "CSI MIAMI." Not sure how I feel about the fact that they film the show in LA! I love to watch the beauty of Miami, now that I know the truth.....oh whatever.

Another favorite story today was the release of William Shatner's new album. He sings, or should I say, "speaks" "BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY." It was....uh.....interesting? It's funny....it's so bad....it just makes you want to check it out. Typical Americans. We watch NASCAR and wait for the crash.

Another highlight from today was the sunrise. We had just the right amount of clouds to make it a masterpiece. If you believe in a higher power, it made me pause and reflect on the beauty of this planet.

Do you Doodle?

2011-09-14T06:01:00.001-05:00

WHAT YOUR DOODLE SAYS ABOUT YOU (Daily Mail)

FACES: The expression on a doodled face is often a good indication of the mood or character of the person who has drawn it. A nicely drawn, good-looking face suggests you see the good in others. If you sketch weird or ugly faces, you are probably mistrustful. Comic faces demonstrate a desire to be the centre of attention. Child-like doodles of faces suggest neediness. Profiles indicate you're an introvert.

CHESS BOARD: The black and white checkerboard doodle suggests patience and persistence. Perhaps you are weighing-up various options regarding a tricky situation? It's also the favorite doodle of people who are prone to mood swings.

FLOWERS: Soft, rounded petals around a circular flower centre suggest an amiable, family-centric person. If the center of your flower is a circle, but your petals are pointy, you are probably hiding a warm heart behind a prickly defensiveness. If you doodle a bunch of perky-looking flowers you are likely to be sociable. Drooping flower heads, on the other hand, indicate you're burdened by worry.

BUTTER: Flighty and romantic, fluttering butterflies, birds and bees suggest you don't want to be tied down -- or landed with difficult tasks or problems.

HEARTS: Obviously a romantic doodle. Drawing a heart indicates you're in love with love.

INTRICATE PATTERNS: Busy, highly-detailed doodles are often drawn by people with an obsessive nature, who simply will not let go of their ambitions or loved ones. This type of drawing is often a favorite with extreme introverts.

STAIRS OR LADDER: Symbols of ambition and a willingness to work your way methodically 'up the ladder' in life, drawings of stairs and ladders also often indicate you have an important, long-term task in hand. They can represent a spiritual quest, too, perhaps a desire to be happier or more relaxed.

ARROWS: A determined person with a specific goal in mind will draw arrows, subconsciously 'aiming' at his or her 'target'. If the arrow is sharp and angular, the target probably is something important -- perhaps a person who needs to be confronted or a job that needs to be applied for.

BOATS AND PLANES: Doodling any form of transport often indicates a desire to escape from a situation.

HOUSE: This common doodle indicates a need for security. A neat drawing of a house suggests a secure home life, a more messy-looking sketch (especially one without windows) indicates unhappiness with your home life. A house pictured on its own on top of a hill suggests you're feeling isolated and lonely.

SPIDER'S WEB: This can symbolize a feeling of being trapped -- or the desire to entice someone into a particular relationship or situation.

NAMES OR INITIALS: Doodling your name or initials is common for those who enjoy being the centre of attention. Teenagers often doodle just their first name or the initial of their Christian name, indicating a desire to break away from the family and do their own thing. Doodling someone else's name, on the other hand, shows they are in your thoughts -- perhaps romantically or because they are a presenting a problem you need to deal with.

STARS: Stars are often drawn by ambitious people. Lots of little stars indicate optimism. If you've drawn one big, bold, embellished star, you've got a definite goal in your sights. Neat, uniform stars suggest good mental focus, while freehand, asymmetric stars show an energetic personality.

SQUARES OR BOXES: Drawing a square indicates you want control of a situation -- that you are thinking through a problem. If your squares progress to a cube or box, you're likely to be a very efficient, analytical person who can deal with difficult situations with little fuss.

ZIGZAGS: Just as patterns made up of soft, flowing, curvy lines suggest a romantic, female approach to things, patterns made up of lots of straight lines, indicate more aggressive masculine characteristics. Zigzags are a particularly common doodle and show energetic thinking and a desire to get on with things.

STICK FIGURE: Commonly doodled by highly successful people, the simple stick figure reveals someone who is in control of their emotions and incredibly focused on their goals in life.

9/11 Specials

2011-09-09T05:57:00.001-05:00

ANNIVERSARY TV SPECIALS

Friday, September 9th

9/11: The Days After (9 p.m., History Channel) -- Documentary from the filmmakers behind 102 Minutes That Changed America looks at the chain of events caused by the attacks.

Saturday, September 10th

Voices From Inside the Towers (9 p.m., History Channel) -- About the audio messages left by Twin Towers victims and survivors who tried to contact family and friends from inside the burning buildings.

Portraits from Ground Zero (10 p.m., A&E) -- Profile of subjects in photos taken by Andrea Booher, only of only two photographers who were allowed unlimited, 24-hour access to Ground Zero in the days after the attacks.

The Love We Make (9 p.m., Showtime) -- Overview of how Paul McCartney quickly put together the huge benefit Concert for New York City six weeks after the attacks.

Sunday, September 11th

9/11: 10 Years Later (8 p.m., CBS) -- Filmmakers Jules Naudet, Gedeon Naudet and James Hanlon update their acclaimed film 9/11 with new interviews with some of the firefighters from the original. The special hosted by Robert DeNiro also looks at some of the health problems the first responders are facing. The French Naudet brothers happened to be following a company of firefighters on 9/11 and filmed the first plane striking the north tower, one of only two known filmed images of the impact.

Making the 9/11 Memorial (8 p.m., History Channel) -- Documentary on the National September 11 Memorial, which is opening on the same day.
The Twins of the Twin Towers (9 p.m., OWN) -- Tells the story of the more than 40 men and women who lost a twin in the attacks.

Great Performances: A Concert for New York (9 p.m., PBS) -- The New York Philharmonic performs Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Resurrection.
Rebirth (9 p.m., Showtime) -- This Sundance Film Festival honoree looks at a decade in the life of five people who were significantly impacted by the 9/11 attacks, at the same time as it gives a time-lapsed look at the evolution of the National September 11 Memorial.

The Day After The Day After

2011-08-30T06:05:00.002-05:00

Life is slowly getting back to normal. I know there are some people that are still without power and I feel for you. Ours came back yesterday morning so we were out for about 24 hours.

We are still getting calls from folks at the station that don't have power and they are getting pretty upset. We were talking yesterday...can you imagine if this had been a bigger storm, say a Category 4! If we have this many people affected, what would have happened then?

If you're still out....good luck. Remember to smell it before you eat it!

What?

2011-07-26T09:06:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has listened to the show for awhile knows I spend alot of time at local ballfields. It's either baseball or softball a few times a week.

It's not unusual to hear parents cheering from the stands or shouting encouragement. Many times they coach from the stands which drives me and the other coaches CRAZY! I always want to say, "If you want to coach, give up three or four nights a week like the rest of us and volunteer, otherwise please be quiet so I can coach."

The point I want to make though is something I'm hearing more and more of this year. That's the parent that not only coaches from the stands, but criticizes and, at times, yells at their child from the stands. I don't even yell and I'm the coach. I believe in instruction,positive reinforcements and correcting mistakes when they happen with instruction on how to do it better the next time. What does yelling and criticizing accomplish? Most kids I know will shut down and tune you out.

Lately I've started worrying about some of these children. I wonder what they have to deal with at home. If the parent will yell and criticize at a park filled with people, what do they do at home behind closed doors?

Pomp and Circumstance

2011-06-06T12:12:00.002-05:00

It was a great day yesterday as thousands of students graduated around our area. I was at Fairhaven High School as my son Doug graduated. It was nice to see everyone there in their caps and gowns.

Dr. Robert Baldwin gave a speech and asked how many of us had graduated from high school. He then asked how many could remember what their Superintendant had said that day. No one could of course. He reminded the students that what was important was who was there. Family and friends and how they are always there for us.

I wish all of the grads the best of luck with their future endeavours. This is not an ending but a new beginning and let's see where the road leads.

Bruins! Woohoo!

2011-06-01T11:43:00.002-05:00

So Game 1 is tonight and the fans are coming out of the woodwork and.....I don't have a problem with that. I know that some people get upset with the "pink hats." Some fans don't like those that jump on the bandwagon, but I'm okay with it. The more the merrier!

Bruins jerseys, hats, and tshirts are flying off the shelves, statues in Boston have shirts on, anywhere you can put a logo you'll see one. Even the ducklings at Boston Common (the Make Way For Ducklings statues) are decorated.

I think it's great. I salute the fans that were there through the lean years but let's all have a good time!

Tuesday, May 31st

2011-05-31T10:13:00.002-05:00

Random thoughts on this Tuesday-That-Feels-Like-A-Monday:

-The Bruins are in the Stanley Cup Finals! Haven't typed that in awhile. Who do you like? Of course I'm going to say the Bruins BUT! This will be the toughest series yet. Let's hope. I just hope people don't go too crazy if they win. We have a friend on the State SWAT team and I'm sure they're practicing already.

-Asking myself why I hate Lebron so much? Porbably that whole "Decision" thing and I don't like what he did to Cleveland.

-Can Sarah Palin really think she'll be elected President? I just don't think she's smart enough. Do you want her in the White House trying to figure out our economic situation?

-I think Obama vs. Mitt Romeny will be a good campaign.

Play ball!

2011-04-15T10:53:00.002-05:00

We had a good meeting this week with Robin and Rita, the owners of the New Beford Bay Sox. The Bay Sox are getting ready for a new season, their third at Walsh Field in New Bedford.

The players have been signed and now we just wait for the start of the season in June.

WBSM will be getting involved this year with ticket giveaways and Jack Peterson and I will broadcast the home opener on June 12th. We also hope to get involved with the Bay Sox Literacy programs in area schools.

Looking forward to it!

We The Jury......

2011-03-23T10:36:00.002-05:00

Does anyone ever get that letter in the mail about Jury Duty and say "Alright! Jury Duty!!!" I didn't think so.

Yes tomorrow is my turn. I have Jury Duty in Fall River. My wife told me to ask for an extension. I guess you can put if off a few times. I've had friends tell me all kinds of ways to get out of it. I guess I'm crazy because I don't really mind.

No I wasn't happy when the letter arrived, but I figure I'll just get it over with. I've been before. A couple of times I was on stand-by and didn't have to go. Once I went and then got dismissed after a couple of hours. Once I served and was even appointed Foreman. That was interesting.

I just hope it's not an all day thing where you wait and wait to find out that both sides have settled. I hate wasting time. But it's my duty.....so here we go.....

Paid for by the committee to.....

2011-03-07T13:19:00.002-05:00

Getting caught up on a few things here....

It's been a busy couple of days here, what with life in general and our trip to Florida. I didn't have a chance to blog about the new developments in the Mayor's race in New Bedford.

I was surprised to hear about John Saunders pulling out of the race for Mayor. I really thought that this was the year he was going to go for it. It was looking like he would be one of the front runners in this year's race. John decided to pull out because of family considerations. He has a 13 year old son and he wants to spend time watching him play baseball.

I was very surprised to hear that Matt Morrissey is also pulling out of the Mayor's race. I felt like Matt had been waiting to run for Mayor since the last time he had run for mayor. He also pointed to his family as the reason for not running. Matt has 4 young children and wants to see them grow up.

I salute both of these men. It must have been a very difficult decision but I'm sure it is the right one for their families. I have had the pleasure of being there to see most, if not all, of my children's games and special events and while it has meant some professional sacrifice, those are the things you can't get bck.

I Can't Imagine

2011-01-04T11:00:00.002-05:00

I can't imagine having so much free time on my hands.

I was working on tomorrow's show. (Yes, we do actually sit and plan some of this stuff) Tomorrow is Clancy Brown's birthday. He is the voice of MR. Krabs on "Spongebob" on Nickolodean. I thought it would be nice to have a sound clip of Mr. Krab's to add a little "flava" to the segment. So, I went on youtube and did a search for Mr. Krabs. WOW! There are more than 5,000 videos and these are not episodes from the show. They are various clips, many of which are set to music. Some.....VERY ODD.

That leads me to today's title..."I Can't Imagine." Imagine having all that free time?? Would you spend it putting Mr. Krabs cartoon clips to music? Imagine if we did something helpful and productive with that time?

In second thought, I guess it did help me to be productive and come up with something else to talk about and scratch my head about.

No Such Thing As A Snow Day

2010-12-27T11:42:00.002-05:00

"Over the river and through the snow to the radio show we go!" That's not how it goes?

We got lucky here on the Southcoast. The Blizzard turned to rain overnight and kept our snow accumulations down. It was still a little slick. I want to thank my son Doug who went out and shovelled before he went to bed last night. I just had to brush off some snow and head on out. Then it's a matter of avoiding the plows and finding a place to park where you won't get plowed in. We report to work before the plow gets to the parking lot so you have to be careful or when they show up they bury you. It was a busy morning with a lot of cancellations but could have been worse if we had had more snow and if there had been school in session.

2010-12-25T15:50:00.002-05:00

I sat in Church on Christmas eve thinking of my mom. For years she sat in the pew next to me and sang the familiar carols. She left us in the summer of 2009.

I thought of my Uncle Ron. He was a UCC minister for many years in Maine. He led many a Christmas eve service He left us in the fall of this year.

Cancer claimed them both. It amazes me how life changes. I'm sure I'm not the first to ever realize this or comment on it. Strange how things carry on for years, traditions develop and then.....poof!

I know this isn't a very cheerful Christmas message, but I was thinking last night how it's just not fair. Year after year after year you observe the holidays in a certain way, only to have it end.

To leave you on a lighter note, it was fun to sit in my house as midnight approached. My wife read "Polar Express" to the kids and then I read "Twas the Night Before Christmas." I imagined them continuing this tradition with their kids.

I also wondered if my mom and my Uncle were together in Heaven celebrating the holiday and looking down on us. At least they were finally pain-free and hopefully had fun looking down on out chaos and clutter.

I Change My Mind

2010-12-21T16:59:00.002-05:00

Ok. I was wrong. When the Celtics announced that they were signing Shaquille O'Neal, I remember saying, "Why?!" I couldn't figure out why we needed him. He was old, He used to play for the Lakers!

Ok. I was wrong. He's been great on the court and better off the court. Visiting with kids, having fun with the fans. Watching him conduct the Boston Pops the other night made me realize it must be great to be Shaq. I've been told he loves Boston and has never been in a city that was so nice and had fans that were this great.

Welcome Shaq!

Sorry chap, don't care!

2010-12-03T11:19:00.002-05:00

I'm getting sick of all the Royal Wedding Coverage and they're not even getting married until next May!

William and Kate are getting married across the pond and the media is just going CRAZZZYYYY! I saw a tweet today that said NBC News is setting up a blog just for the Royal coverage. The Huffington Post had a piece today called the "10 Most Overrated Things of 2010" and there it is! William and Kate's engagement makes the list.

Why are people so attracted to this story? Are they or does the media just THINK they are? I don't know a single person that is ga-ga over this story. My friends and colleagues are happy for them, think they make a nice couple, but that's about it. I guess it's only going to get worse as the countdown continues. Now 6 months away!

Can I flip a coin?

2010-11-12T11:19:00.002-05:00

Week 10 of the NFL and some tough ones this week.

I'm getting off to a bad start after picking Baltimore to beat Atlanta on Thursday and that turned out wrong.

On Sunday I'm picking:

Indy over Cincinnati
Houston over Jacksonville
I'll take my Dolphins over Tennessee even though everyone thinks I'm crazy.
Minnesota to beat Chicago
Detroit to keep Buffalo winless.
I think Cleveland might surprise the Jets the way they beat New England.
Tampa Bay to win at home against Carolina.
KC over Denver.
St. Louis over San Fran. I like that Sam Bradford.
Seattle over Arizona.
Dallas has a new coach, but it won't matter. I'll take the Giants.

Sunday night I'm going with Pittsburgh. I think the Pats have problems.

Monday night I'll take the eagles over Washington.

Paid For By The Committee.....

2010-10-28T06:06:00.002-05:00

This has been the nastiest election season I think I have ever seen. I tend to watch a lot of news (too much as far as my kids are concerned) and the newscasts have been filled with political ads. Our show has too. And this year they are NASTY! I'm not sure if the attack ads are stronger or if there are just more of them. One of the reasons is the court ruling last year that allows other groups to run ads so we are seeing more.

I just wonder,is this good for the country or not? Do we learn anything about the candidates or does it just cloud the issues even more?

Wake Me Up When You're Done

2010-10-04T19:41:00.002-05:00

Back under the knife tomorrow. I'm having my knee replaced. Dr. Klein in New Bedford is doing the surgery. He is one of, if not the best around here.

Yes more surgery. I've heard all the jokes about the Bionic Man. This makes surgery #4. Left hip, both shoulders and now the right knee. My motto has become "just keep moving forward."

I'll talk to you soon.

Football!!!!!!!

2010-10-01T10:57:00.005-05:00

I'm off to my usual slow start this year. Last year I struggled early, but then won the Morning Show Football contest.

Some good games on this Week #4.

Baltimore is at Pittsburgh. I'll take the Steelers at home.

Donovan McNabb goes back to Philly in a Redskins uniform. I still don't understand why they traded in their own division. I'll take the Eagles at home.

And Monday night, my Dolphins play the Patriots in Miami. I'll take the Dolphins.

Other picks:

The Jets over Baltimore.
Seattle over St. Louis.
Atlanta to win at home against San Fran.
Green Bay over Detroit is an easy pick.
Cincinnati to win at Cleveland.
Tennessee wins at home against Denver, though this one could be close.
New Orleans over Carolina.
Houston will win at Oakland.
Indy should win in Jacksonville.
San Diego should beat Arizona at home.
And, even though the Bears are 3-0, I like the Giants to win Sunday night.

Are You Ready For Some Football?????

2010-09-17T07:02:00.004-05:00

There are always a couple of games that trip me up. I call these the "who cares?" games. Games that you really can't get a good feeling about. This week it's Arizona at Atlanta, Seattle at Denver and St. Louis at Oakland.

Well, you gotta bite the bullet. Here are my Week 2 picks:

NEW ENGLAND over the JETS

GREEN BAY to beat BUFFALO

I think MINNESOTA will beat my DOLPHINS

KC over CLEVELAND

DALLAS will win at home against CHICAGO

ARIZONA will beat ATLANTA

CAROLINA over TAMPA

PHILADELPHIA wins at DETROIT

BALTIMORE will give CINCINNATI their 2nd loss

TENNESSEE beats PITTSBURGH

DENVER over SEATTLE

ST. LOUIS wins at OAKLAND

HOUSTON looks good and should beat WASHINGTON

SAN DIEGO over JACKSONVILLE

INDIANAPOLIS will beat the GIANTS. Peyton beats ELI.

And Monday NEW ORLEANS wins at SAN FRANCISCO.

I Guess I'm Ready

2010-09-16T11:10:00.002-05:00

If you're a long-time listener to the radio show, you know I don't like cold weather. I can see myself as a future "snow bird."

It's been a great summer and I think I'm ready for fall this year. This year we actually HAD a summer. A couple of heat waves, some beautiful weekends and not a lot of rain. Now comes fall and the beautiful colors. The past few mornings have been very nice. A little chilly, nice sunrises, bright blue skies.

So, remind me of this when I start whining. I'm ready for the cooler weather.

My prayers

2010-08-06T10:47:00.002-05:00

My prayers today go out to my friend Andrea and all of the people dealing with a parent or friend with dimentia. I was sitting here at work today, checking Facebook and looking forward to a nice weekend when I read a Facebook posting from my friend. She said that she wished she had her old dad were back (the kind and gentle soul that he was), because with the dementia he was saying some awful things to her. It just stopped me in my tracks. Wow! I can't imagine what she is going through and Im sure there are thousands of others in her shoes.

I know it's hard, but the only thing I can think to say is....it's not them speaking. It's the disease. That's what I've heard from the so-called "experts." Your loved one, in some ways, is dead. Remember the good times and try to stay strong during this difficult time. Remember to take time to nurture yourself and tell yourself what a wonderful person you are.

Let's pray for all the caregivers tonight.

Keep it down!

2010-08-04T18:21:00.002-05:00

Today was certainly fun! About a week ago we had a terrible downpour and the water was just streaming down in one of our studios! That's not good when you've got a lot of recording and sound equipment in the office. Obviously, there was something wrong, so, they decided to fix the roof since it hadn't been done in awhile. Of course, a job like that makes noise. And so they did.

I watched with great anxiety as the work crew showed up just after 7am. Yes, if you're the crew chief paying them to start at 7, they were late! But, there they were, and they brought their noise with them. I was able to tune it out for the most part. I've been in this biz awhile and have gone through studio construction a few times. I felt bad for my guests at 8:20am. The folks from the Kennedy Donovan Center were in to talk about their Rockathon fundraiser and I don't think they could hear themselves think.

The good news is....it was a good size work crew and they got the entire roof done pretty quick. It should be quieter (and dryer) tomorrow and the next time it rains.

Sneaks up on me

2010-07-19T10:41:00.002-05:00

Memories of mom that is.

My mom passed away almost a year ago. It was the end of August last year, and every now and then there are reminders. The holidays especially and when I had my birthday earlier this month. It was late in the afternoon when I found myself expecting a call from mom.

The latest "memory" moment happened at the eye doctor last week. I hadn't been in awhile, (shame on me) and I had to fill out a new form with name, address, insurance, and so on and so on. Then, when it came to the line, "Nearest relative NOT residing with you that we should contact in case of emergency," that had always besn mom, since I moved out when I got married many years ago. I thought of mom briefly, then wrote down my oldest daughter's info since she is now out on her own.

I don't know how long these reminders will keep coming up. Not that it's a sad reminder, it just gives you a moment to pause and think of those that have passed on.

Mercy sakes alive

2010-07-08T10:54:00.002-05:00

I'm back from vacation, suburned and broke! I had a nice break and I hope everyone had a nice 4th of July.

On June 30th, the family left Fairhaven and drove to Weston, WV. My son was there for a fire fighter academy and this was probably the longest one-day drive we had taken since my mom drove my brother and I to Disney World in 1972. We drove 13 hours through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, good ole 95 south in Connecticut, NY, New Jersey, Pennsylvannia (that's a WIDE state!) Maryland and then West Virginia. It gave me a whole new appreciation for truckers. My wife and I took turns driving, switching about every 2 hours and I cannot imagine what it must be like to drive cross-country like this every day or every few days as an occupation. Stopping at a couple of truck stops I discovered that these folks truly are a family and as you look at all the different merchandise they are hauling, they truly do keep this country moving. I salute ya!

It's Not The Heat It's...OK, It's The Heat!

2010-06-28T10:55:00.003-05:00

I got a note from a friend of mine today in Florida. He wonders what is wrong with those of us that live in New England. He said we are never happy! We either complain that it's too cold, or too hot, it's too wet or too icy. He's right! He mentioned that we should go to Florida where it's 98 degrees with 1,000% humidity from May to October but we never hear them complain!

It's true. We live in a beautiful area but we always complain! I've never lived anywhere else so I don't kknow if it's just a New England thing or if other people complain.

Yes it's hot....but it'll change. Soon enough it'll be cold and cloudy and then we can complain about that.

Say what?

2010-05-28T09:03:00.000-05:00

Did you see the latest research that the reason one third of kids are obese is that THE PARKS ARE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH AND THEY HAVE NO WHERE TO PLAY!!!!??? I don’t buy it!

When we were kids we went out and played all the time. Kickball, bikes, just running through the woods. You name it, we were there. We figured out how to play in small yards and corner lots. Some say the real reason is because we had nothing else to do back then OTHER than to go out and play. There weren’t 500 channels, Xboxes, PS anythings and the internet. Nowadays, why leave the house when the whole world is right there on a screen in front of your face!

A Monday Chuckle

2010-05-24T09:02:00.002-05:00

My kids never had any of the GOOD stuff! I saw this ad today for Huggies new diapers that look like jeans! However, they're kind of pricey. $20 will get you a pack of the jiapers (get it?), which is a little much for something that you can go through in a few days. Also, one user complained that the blue dye rubbed off on their baby's legs. Not cute!

Say what?

2010-05-04T10:39:00.002-05:00

Here's one for ya....

I'm coaching a baseball game this past weekend (10 to 12 year olds) and our catcher is having a tough time. A few passed balls. The umpire says to him, and YES I heard him clearly, "If you had caught that one I would have called it a strike." Excuse ME? I thought it was a strike depending on where it crossed the plate! And no it was not a "dropped third strike" we don't have that at this level.

This game will never cease to amaze me.

Enjoy the nice weather!

Forget the Terrible Twos!

2010-04-30T10:53:00.002-05:00

We had a good laugh this week about a survey out of London. Parents were surveyed and they said the toughest age for parents to deal with their kids is when they are 14. That's 14 for girls, 15 for boys.

The reason given was because they are trying to stretch the limits and they are in so much of a rush to be grown up, in their fashion and their freedom.

I would agree. I would also like to point out the need to BE THERE for your teen. It is such a tough age and I think it's even worse than when we were teenagers. BE THERE. Know what they are doing and who they are talking to. Listen to their music. Check out their television shows.

They may not like it, but having no contact with them is dangerous. I would rather be a pain for them and help them through these years, than leave it all up to chance.

Patience!

2010-04-20T11:25:00.002-05:00

It's only April! That's what I keep telling myself (and friends). The Red Sox are 5 games back, 1 and 6 at home! Yes we are struggling, but I have to keep reminding myself that the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint.

If memory serves me right the Yankees were struggling at this time last year, and we all know what they went on to do----(any Yankee fan will be quick to tell you---the won it all!

Are there problems with the Sox lineup? Sure. Problems on the mound? You bet! Time to turn away from the Sox? It's only April.

Creepy at first

2010-04-08T09:25:00.001-05:00

What about that Nike ad? Nike debuted an edgy new TV commercial Wednesday featuring a black-and-white image of a solemn Tiger Woods looking directly into the camera while the voice of his late father, Earl Woods, is heard. In the recording, Earl Woods speaks about taking responsibility, saying, "I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are, and did you learn anything?" At first I thought it was creepy, then as I studied it more and listened to the “experts” in advertising and marketing, I think it’s BRILLIANT! He’s GOT to make a BiG SPLASH to get back in people’s good graces! Makes me a bit upset though because this would RUIN the average guys life, but he will recover.

Welcome to April!

2010-04-01T08:04:00.002-05:00

Checking the almanac....

-ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH- It's to raise awareness about underage drinking.
-JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH
-NATIONAL KITE MONTH- That's why everyone is telling me to fly one!
-NATIONAL POETRY MONTH
-STRESS AWARENESS MONTH
-NATIONAL CARD AND LETTER WRITING MONTH. I think I'll send an email to notify all my friends.

That and a lot more, ENJOY!

Tuesday MAR 16

2010-03-16T09:37:00.002-05:00

My favorite story today HAS to be the one about the guy in Maryland who brought his golden retriever puppy to work with him, then lived to regret it.

George Kaufman is the co-owner of a jewelry store in Maryland. He brought his puppy STOLI to the shop with him, but when he was examining a larged 3-carat diamond he accidentally dropped it on the floor. You guessed it, Stoli came over and gobbled it up. Needless to say, George had to follow the pup around the backyard with a flashlight (if you know what I mean) and after nature took its course, the diamond returned.

Can't you relate? As a lifelong dog owner and lover, I've had the dog eat just about everything. My homework, the corner of the birthday cake, toys, socks and slippers. Never the fancy jewelry so I guess I'm lucky.

I think I Can Make It

2010-03-02T19:02:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty sure I go through this every winter. It gets to be this time of year and I can't wait for warmer weather. This year it seems to be worse.
We have had enough snow, rain, slush.

Today was a nice tease. I had a chance to get out of the studio when I went to read at the Jireh Swift School in New Bedford. I loved it! The kids yes...but I was talking about the sunshine! It was a little tease as we are expecting more snow and rain tomorrow. But, the sun was out for awhile and it got up to 48 degrees!

I think I can make it!

Tiger here, Tiger there, Tiger's EVERYWHERE!

2010-02-19T17:48:00.003-05:00

Why are we so obsessed with the Tiger Woods story? I can hear it now....people saying "I'm not obsessed with the story, YOU ARE! I try not to. We honesty had a meeting this morning to decide if we were going to run the press conference live or just cover it in newscasts and sound bytes. We had to though. How can we call ourselves a "news station" if we don't cover one of the biggest news stories.

I tried to get away from it, but if you're a news junky like me, it couldn't be done this afternoon. I went on Twitter and there it was! Line-by-line coverage by the news correspondents I follow. I went on Facebook and my friends were talking about how crazy it was. I took off for the weekend to spend time with my daughter in Salem and there it was on the talk stations!

Some people say it's the medias fault. We MAKE it top story, we MAKE it the only thing discussed. However, I heard call after call after call from people commenting.

What is it about this story? The salaciousness of it? Do we rejoice in watching the rich falter? Is it just another case of our celebrity obsessed society?

One of my favorite postings of the day was from Mark Knoller of CBS News. He said: "We are a nation at war in a horrible financial situation and we devote live coverage to a golfer who cheated on his wife." Amen.

Thanks for being the spoiler!!!

2010-02-18T09:25:00.002-05:00

We had a story this morning about whether otr not news agencies should be banned from announcing the results of the Olympics until NBC airs the story on their nightly coverage. I don't see how you can!

Yesterday was a big day at the Olympics with Lindsay Vonn skiing and winning the gold medal. (Oooops! Sorry if you had taped it and I just ruined it.) The results were out by mid afternoon, but NBC wasn't going to broadcast the race until prime time. I read the results on twitter from a number of sources. The Boston Globe, the Herald, CNN. Some people were upset, I was not, but I do think we could be more careful.

On the NBC Evening News they show the results with some text while they play music and Brian Williams tells viewers to turn away. I think that's great and I think other media should do the same. On the radio we should give a warning so people can turn the radio down if they don't want to know. Websites can offer a link. "Click here to know more."

News is news and should be reported as it happens. We have a right to not listen to it if we want, but we also have the right to get the info immediately if we want.

We deserve it!

2010-02-09T11:40:00.002-05:00

I'm still yawning. The day after the Super Bowl has GOT to be one of the most difficult days to get out of bed especially if you have an early shift. We need to make a change!

The Super Bowl between the Saints and Colts has now been determined to be the most watched television event of all time. 106 million people watched. It's become a national obsession. So, why do we all have to be so tired the next day?

I had a story this morning (2/9) about a group that wants the Monday after the game to be a National Holiday. I personally think we have enough holidays.

Another suggestion is to move the game to a Saturday. Somehow, I don't think that will happen.

Still another idea is to move it all back another week and have the game played on the Sunday of the Presidents Day holiday. That might not be popular with the ski resorts that make a lot of money on that weekend.

I just know I'd like to see some type of change. I'd discuss it more with you.....but I need a nap!

Darn rodent!

2010-02-02T10:56:00.002-05:00

Another Ground Hog Day has come and gone. Punxatawney Phil DID see his shadow today so it means six more weeks of winter. Of course, if you look at the calendar there's six more weeks til winter anyway. I read a stat today that he sees his shadow 87% of the time, yet his prediction is only right 39% of the time.

Sometimes I forget what the world looks like to young eyes. Last week I mentioned Ground Hog Day to my 11-year old and he was trying to figure this out. He wanted to know how it worked. When I explained it to him I could see that he was actually trying to use his analytical mind to figure it out. I then informed him that it didn't mean ANYTHING it was just a fun thing to do to try and deal with the winter blahs. Imagine if it really DID work?

But---here's hoping for an early spring!

Why is a pain in the neck such a pain in the neck!

2010-01-28T13:50:00.002-05:00

Ever wake up in the morning and feel like you've been tackled in a football game by a 300 lb linebacker? That's what I felt like this morning. I think I know what I did. I was watching television last night on the couch with my head propped up on a pillow. I know! My chiropractor has told me many times that this is a no-no. But it's such a nice way to chill out!

Problem is...I know what needs to be done. The doc needs me to lay facedown while he puts pressure on the spine between the shoulder blades. But that means calling for the appointment, scheduling, going there, paying the co-pay, then the relief. Don't you just wish you could go in and have it be like a McDonald's drive-thru? The voice-in-the-box asks you to place your order...then you pull up, get your adjustment...pay the cashier and you're on your way! That's the Braley Health Care Plan. Would you vote for it?

He Won't Do That Again

2010-01-21T12:35:00.002-05:00

I couldn't believe it the other night when Scott Brown said his daughter Ayla was "available" while giving his acceptance speech after being named the new senator in Massachusetts. The look on her face was priceless! I just want to know what prompted him to say that? There must have been something. Maybe some conversation earlier in the day? Why did he do that?

I remember a time when my daughter was in 2nd grade. I made some comment about how she climbed into bed with my wife and me because she had a nightmare. She went to school that day and, you guessed it, her teacher mentioned the nightmare in front of the whole class. I can't imagine making a personal comment like Brown did on NATIONWIDE TV??? As I said in the title, if he's a smart man, he won't do THAT again.

You're watching this right?

2010-01-18T10:14:00.002-05:00

This election is amazing! I've never seen anything like it and I've talked to colleagues that have been in the media longer than I have and they haven't seen anything like it either. And it's just one race! Not even a nation-wide race even though it's getting nation-wide coverage.

I think we're looking at a race that will be studied for years to come regardless of who wins. How did it get this close? Did Coakley run a bad camapign or did Brown run a brilliant campaign? How much of an influence did the new social media have? How did they gather so much money for all the last minute advertising? Was it just the timing? The Health Care bill?

Stand back! It's coming to a wild finish!

Check it closely

2010-01-12T10:00:00.003-05:00

We got a bill the other day from a hospital in Vermont. I don't know if I mentioned it here, but back in August my wife broke her finger while we were on a camping trip in Vermont. We had the dog with us and he knocked her down in his excitement one day and she broke her finger. So, we went off to the local hospital, had them bill us for the co-pay and then went on our way. Well what to my wondering eyes should appear....but a bill for $60! We have a co-pay of $50 for an ER visit, so I paid them $50 and explained about the co-pay. A few weeks went by and they billed me for $10. When we called to ask about this, we were told it was $50 for the ER and $10 for a doctor visit. Huh? We only went to one place. A little "double-dipping" here?
It's funny. If you mention that word, they get all serious with you.

I'm happy to report that once we called the insurance company and explained, we were told not to worry. They would call the hospital and take care of it and NO we did not have to pay twice for the same visit.

Read the bill carefully...adn then question. I wonder how many times people just pay without looking.

Am I Getting Used To This?

2010-01-06T10:36:00.002-05:00

25 degrees today when I headed off for work and ya know......it didn't feel that bad. I have never been a fan of cold weather. Ask my wife and she'll tell you I always whine when it gets cold. Today I didn't even put on my big thick winter jacket. Just a wool coat. It only took me 48 years but I guess I'm finally adjusting.

Happy New Year! Now what?

2010-01-01T15:44:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year to you!

The title of my blog today is not to be pessimistic, I just wonder what this new year will bring. Looking back on last year, if anyone had told me that my mother would die, I wouldn't have believed it. If you told me my friend Jay would die, I REALLY wouldn't believe it. Not to mention Michael Jackson or any of the other major news stories.

It is amazing all that occurs in one year. I love watching and listening to the year end specials. That's when I stop and realize all that happened.

I'm not one to make resolutions. I gave up a few years ago when I noticed that I always make the same ones. Lose weight, get more sleep, etc. I do have a couple of things I hope to do:
-Blog every day or two. It helps with my creativity.
-Walk every day. Good for me and the puppy.

Let's hope one year from now we are all looking back on nothing but good things.

Here we go!!!!

The crew behind the scenes

2009-12-22T19:45:00.002-05:00

The jingle plays after every newscast.."Pete Braley in the Morning." There's a lot more that goes into every broadcast and I thought this would be a good time to acknowledge those folks and to say thanks.

Every morning starts with the gathering process. When I arrive at the station around 5AM (or 5:15 or 5:30 if I'm really into hitting the snooze alarm) I go to a number of different web sites and services that we subscribe to to find information that we use on the show. Then it's a check with Dean Devore or Eric Wilhelm at Accuweather. Dr. Joe Sobel was our morning weather man for years, but this past November he switched to the midday shift after 30 plus years of getting up at 2am. I miss him, but can't say I blame him.

WBSM is affiliated with FUN 107 and our studios are two doors apart from each other. JR, Michael Rock and Larry share info with me and I share things with them. We have a great working relationship.

Jack Peterson is usually busy in the newsroom and many times we don't even have a chance to talk before we are on the air together at 6.

Neal White was a great addition to the show. Neal originally came on to sub for me while I was out with my shoiulder surgery, but has remained because he is such a great asset to the show. Whether it's his sports reports, his comments or just another set of eyes looking for material, every day is a fun day with Neal.

Gina Brown has recently joined us with Gem Traffic. I miss Amy Pontes but she was re-assigned with Gem Traffic.

"Intern Taylor" is Taylor Nesbit from Dartmouth High. She scans the wires for me looking for the offbeat news stories that I love so much and she handles our prize sheets for the winners.

Debbie Aguiar Soares is our promotions director who helps me come up with contests and keeps us stocked in "faaaaaabulous radio prizes."

Scott Reiniche helps with what we call the "imaging" of the show. That's putting together the drop-ins with "Mr Voice." Mr Voice happens to be Jim Birdsall who records for us from his home studio in Kansas City.

Other contributors include Kathy Castro who schedules guests for "Operation Education" every Tuesday. We've met some great kids, teachers and community leaders in the nine years Kathy has been with me.

Joanna Langfield gets to go to just about every movie and she tells us about them on Friday.

Joyce Miller at Baker Books has a great feature on books every Thursday and we try to help folks find work with Rita Guadatti and the Greater NB Career Center on Wednesdays.

Last but not least, and it's been a huge addition...our Facebook and Twitter family. I get ALOT of great ideas off these two social web sites. Many times it's tough to get call-ins in the morning because of our short segments or the fact that people are busy getting their day started. Just putting a post on facebook or twitter many times gets the phones going and people chime in with their thoughts.

That's a little glimpse into how we put things together every day. Hopefully I didn't forget anyone.

Thanks to all and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, BUT NOT NOW!

2009-12-18T11:28:00.002-05:00

I love snow. If you've been listening to the show for even a year or two (this is our 20th year) you know that I love snow. If it can't be sunny and 80, let it snow!

However.......we are just TOO busy this weekend! I don't know about you, but I still have plenty of shopping to do. Not just gifts, but FOOD. My wife was planning to make the Christmas cookies this weekend. The Hershey Kiss cookies are my favorite.

Sunday is Christmas Sunday isn't it? There's special music and a children's pageant at the church.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow....but could we wait a little longer??

You listen to what?

2009-12-17T20:42:00.002-05:00

We've been having fun the past few mornings playing some Christmas favorites as bumpers. That's what we call the music you hear when we come back from news.

Neal pulls up the classics on Youtube. So far we've featured:

-Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra ("I love those J-I-N-G-LE Bells")
-Happy Holidays by Andy Williams
-It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy

Today I brought out some Nat King Cole and one of my favorites (drum roll) Robert Goulet!

I just get a kick out of some of the artists we all bring out at this time of the year---and how we wouldn't be caught dead listening to some of this stuff otherwise.

Where's my collection of Burl Ives mp3s??

Getting Serious

2009-12-09T13:17:00.003-05:00

The Providence Journal reported today (12/9) that four players were sent home from Gillette Stadium because they were late for the 8am meeting. The players were: Randy Moss, Derrick Burgess, Gary Guyton, and Adalius Thomas. Bill Belichick wouldn’t confirm the story, saying, "Anything that happens with discipline on the team stays between me, the players, and the team."

Wow! Do you think this was justified? It was snowy and slippery and traffic was a mess! Is he getting serious because of the way the team is playing? Think he would have done this even if they were winning? Think this will fire them up or backfire on Sunday?

We shall see. I wonder how many opther people were sent home from work because they were late on the first snowy morning of '09/'10??????

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

2009-12-04T10:20:00.002-05:00

It started out as a good idea, as most do I guess.

Every morning I call Amy Pontes, our traffic reporter, and we chat for a few seconds before she goes on to do her traffic report. This past Monday, I was in a good mood after the long Thanksgiving weekend, so I started singing a Christmas tune to her and then I said I was going to sing a different tune to her EVERYTIME I CALL HER FROM NOW UNTIL CHRISTMAS! Why didn't I think this through???? I call Amy 11 TIMES A DAY, 5 DAYS A WEEK! WE HAVE THREE WEEKS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! 11 x 5 = 55 x 3 = 165!!!

Wish me luck. I'll try to keep you posted.

Tom's Got a Secret!

2009-12-03T11:41:00.002-05:00

Tom Brady says he knows the sex of his soon-to-be born baby and he's not telling. Not even his WIFE!

Tom and Giselle expecting a baby soon. Tom found out the sex, Giselle did not want to know and he's keeping it a secret from everyone. He hasn't told his father and he says he tries to be VERY careful. He switches it up, sometimes saying "he" sometimes "she."

I applaud Giselle for not finding out. My wife and I never did. We had four children and each time the doctor asked if we wanted to know and we said no. I'm amazed by the number of friends who find that hard to believe. I guess it's THE thing nowadays to know. We didn't mind. My wife says it helped her keep her sanity and work towards finding out the answer. It never bothered us as to what color to paint the nursery or what color clothing to buy. Generic colors worked just fine.

Good luck keeping the secret Tom and enjoy the mystery Giselle!

2009-11-24T09:43:00.001-05:00

Interesting story today....Question of the Day -- Consumer Reports Takes on Pushy Holiday Retail Practices

With the traditional holiday shopping season officially kicking off on "Black Friday" at the end of this week, Consumer Reports has launched a public education campaign aimed at pushy holiday retail practices. They're boosting it with a full-page ad in today's USA Today highlighting three of the top holiday shopping annoyances -- extended warranty sales pitches; cashiers that ask for your phone number or other personal information; and pushing store credit cards at the register.

The full list of holiday shopping annoyances, as determined by a nationally-representative survey of Americans, is:

72 percent -- Stores that never open all the checkout lines
68 percent -- Fake sales. If something is always 20 percent off, it's not on sale.
67 percent -- Coupons that exclude almost everything in the store
62 percent -- Being hounded by extended warranty sales pitches
58 percent -- Cashiers that ask for your phone number or other personal info
56 percent -- In-store prices that don't match the same company's online prices
53 percent -- Employees required to up-sell you at the register
52 percent -- Pushing store credit cards at the register
50 percent -- Mail-in rebates
48 percent -- Stores that require loyalty cards to get discounts.
43 percent -- Stores that have a minimum purchase requirement for credit cards
26 percent -- Receipt checkers

Hopefully shopkeepers will read it, think about it, and change.

Please help

2009-11-20T10:37:00.003-05:00

WBSM's annual food drive is tomorrow. CANS ACROSS THE PARK is what we call it. We make a line of canned goods through the middle of Buttonwood Park from Brownell Ave to Rockdale Ave. We used to go the other way until one of our volunteers, an engineer, figured out that when we get down near the pond, the sun is going down a bit and we were freezing! Now we go the other way so that in the afternoon we are standing in the sun. (Thanks Frank Gracie!)

This year the food items will be donated to the American Red Cross, the First Congregational Church in Fairhaven, St. Martin's Episcopal Church and Damien's Pantry.

I hope you can come by!

Random thoughts

2009-11-18T11:03:00.002-05:00

MISSED IT AGAIN!
Johnny Depp has won his 2nd "Sexiest Man Alive" title from PEOPLE magazine. Oh well. My wife will be happy. With him...maybe not me.

WHO KNEW?
Just found out Kevin Spacey's brother is a professional Rod Stewart impersonator.

ANY END TO HER SUCCESS?
Just found out Taylor Swift, the teen singing sensation, Country Music Enteratiner of the Year, will now have her own greeting card line.

LIFE IS BETTER THAN FICTION
Just read a "tweet" from my friend Peter. His daughter was selected for jury duty. She's 9 years old. Gotta love it!

What if it worked?

2009-11-16T11:36:00.002-05:00

The fall out from Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th and 2 on the Pats 28 yard line is AMAZING! Yes, I know, it doesn't make much sense. Everything in our football background tells us when you are that deep in your own territory you punt. His thinking, according to the sound bytes, was that they could make it and then they could run out the clock and win.

In hindsight, it was the wrong decision. But I ask ya....what if it worked? Would we have still thought he was a football genius?

Flash Forward

2009-11-13T11:12:00.002-05:00

I LOOOOVVVVEEEE this show! I watch it every Thursday at 8 on ABC along with my younger daughter and son. We're really getting into it.

I also found this recap. It's from MTV published every Thursday late-night.

--------------------------
'FlashForward' Episode 1.08: 'Playing Cards With Coyotes'

Synopsis: A break in the Mosaic case could offer Agent Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) the chance to catch a mysterious gunman and change the course of his own flash-forward. The enigmatic Simon (Dominic Monaghan), meanwhile, pays Lloyd Simcoe (Jack Davenport) a visit, leading the two to a high-stakes game of cards. Elsewhere, Aaron Stark's (Brian F. O'Byrne) reunion with his long-missing daughter Tracy (Genevieve Cortese) offers a new conspiratorial angle.

Change You Can't Believe In: The suicide of Al Gough (Lee Thompson Young) in last week's episode seems to have changed the landscape for the characters of "FlashForward." All of the sudden, everyone thinks that the future can be changed. While that's certainly true — Gough did have a flash-forward and his suicide effectively put the kibosh on that — it's dangerous to believe that everything about the future is suddenly cast in doubt. Which leads us to Exhibit B...

The Three Star Guy(s): Mark kills a masked gunman with three stars tattooed on his forearm, the very same tattoos seen on one of his would-be assassins in the future. With this guy dead, Mark is utterly convinced that he's changed the future — but as the episode's ending indicates, there are several men with the same exact tattoo. I don't need to point out that Mark's sudden belief that he changed the future is misplaced, but more than that, it's simply out of character. Mark has proven himself a sharp guy thus far — does he really believe that such a tattoo isn't the mark of a group of mercenaries, ala Coral Snake in season two of "24"? Maybe it's just me, but this felt like a sudden change in mentality for Mark.

The Purpose Of My Visit: Thankfully, this episode brought the conflict between Simon and Simcoe — two of the guys allegedly responsible for the blackout — back into the forefront. Unthankfully, we had to get their interaction by way of a ludicrous card game. How long were they playing for, anyway? Hours? Days? At least a day or two passed in this episode, but their game didn't stop until towards the end. That narrative inconsistency is bothersome to me, and I doubt I'm the only one who feels the same way.

We Shall Be As Gods: Still, credit where credit's due: the dynamic between Simon and Simcoe is glorious. These actors feed off each other quite well, but more importantly, the tension between Simon and Simcoe is so thick that you'd need an adamantium-laced knife to cut it. Simon may have lost the card game, but don't expect him to acquiesce to Simcoe's urges — my hunch is that the world won't find out about their culpability in the blackout for a good chunk of episodes, if ever.

The Walls Come Tumbling Down: The other major development in this episode is the introduction of Jericho, the outside contractors that ambushed Tracy Stark and left her for dead. Somehow, some way, these guys will tie into the blackout and the flash-forwards — my guess is that they're related to the three-star guys — but as I mentioned in this week's "V" recap, series regulars are rarely cast without a specific purpose. In the case of "FlashForward," Tracy's tie to Jericho is Aaron's reason for being on the show.

Best Quote: "Twenty million deaths on our shoulders — isn't that what you said? If that doesn't qualify us for godhood, then what does?" – Simon

Verdict: Tonight's "FlashForward" was an unbalanced affair with certain interesting components — the introduction of Jericho that may or may not involve the three-star guys, the pure evil that is Simon — but also some unbelievable leaps in logic, like Benford's sudden willingness to accept the future's malleability.

The Future: Dr. Bryce Varley (Zachary Knighton) pursues the woman of his dreams, while Agent Demetri Noh (John Cho) chases down the killer of his nightmares.

MTV

Go Dolphins! But, my money's on Pats

2009-11-06T11:18:00.002-05:00

Yes---the biggest Dolphin fan in New England checking in here. "How COULD you?" you ask????

I've been a Dolphin fan since the early 70s. Just ask my brother Jeff. I was a fan of Bob Griese, Don Shula, but my biggest fave was #39 Larry Csonka! I had a helmet like his (with the horseshoe over the nose.)I never changed. I stayed with them through the David Woodley years (though often wondered why.) I was with them during the Dan Marino years, even the year they almost lost em all!

But----I'm not stupid. (I know,some would say that's debatable.) The Pats should win this week. They are playing well, they're unbelievable in November, and if it wasn't for the special teams last week----the Jets would have beat Miami. I just hope it's a good game.

OK. I'm Ready.

2009-11-02T10:22:00.002-05:00

Bring it on! I can handle it now. I'm talking about Christmas.

I know it seems they start earlier and earlier with the Christmas displays in the stores and the Christmas ads. I cut my first Christmas commercial about three weeks ago, that was weird. But I'm ready now.

Halloween is my starting point. Now that the costumes are put away, the weather's cooler, the pumpkins are rotting, I can handle it.

I was grocery shopping Sunday in Walmart and I heard Christmas music on the PA. Some people would be upset....but I'm ready. I'm waiting to see which music station goes all-Christmas first. I'm ready for "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!" Sponge Bob Christmas should be on soon.

Here we go!!!!!!

I think we all need to chill

2009-10-27T09:12:00.002-05:00

Remember how it used to be? A co-worker would sneeze or cough and you'd ask if he/she was alright. Their answer would be, "I think I'm coming down with something." You would say, "Oh, that's too bad I hope you feel better soon." Nowadays your response is AWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!! SWINE FLUE!!!!!!!! GET AWAY!!!!!!!!!!

We've had a couple of co-workers go down with a cold/flu and I'm trying not to get too crazy. Actually, my belief is...if it's going to happen, it's going to happen.

I will take some precautions. I'm trying to wash my hands more often and longer; I limit my hand shaking; and if my children want to hang with a friend who is sick....the answer is "NO!"

Other than that, we gotta live life right?

OK, OK, I was wrong!

2009-10-27T09:09:00.003-05:00

I know, I know. I thought the Balloon Boy story was real. I'll admit it. I fell for it. I'm a sucker. Actually I just want to believe my fellow man. Thank goodness I'm not looking to buy some swampland in Florida.

The main reason I believed the story was the sheriff. I saw him on a number of reports saying the family was very convincing. He later said he was playing it cool to solidify their case.

I admit it. I was wrong. Maybe there's a future for me in weather forecasting.

Up, Up and Awayyyyyyyy

2009-10-16T10:45:00.002-05:00

I may regret this....but I'm going to say I believe the Henne's. That's the family that had the Great Balloon Adventure Thursday. I know there's speculation the whole thing is a hoax, but after watching the interviews Friday morning, I think the boy was confused on the Larry King Show. I think the balloon was not properly tied down, it took off, and in the confusion no one could find the little boy who took off to his hiding place because he thought he was going to get in trouble.

The thing I have an issue with is the family bringing the kids out in front of the cameras. A six year old questioned live on network television, and then analyzed ad-nauseum overnight and on the internet is bound to be nervous. And then to bring the child out on the network morning shows at 5am, when he's sick, only to have him vomit. ENOUGH!

It was an amazing story. I was glued to the coverage. But please! Mr and Mrs Henne....keep the kids off the air!

Stressed about WHAT?

2009-10-12T17:00:00.002-05:00

Do you have a dog? Have you ever looked at them as they make their way through the day? I have.

We have a 1-year old Golden Retreiver. His name is Baxter. Baxter has been great since he joined our family just before Christmas last year. He's actually laying right next to me as I type this.Problem is, he has started to dig holes in the backyard and we don't know why. It just started last week, but boy is he having a great time.

I did some research on the internet and found a few different reasons as to why. One site says...it's what dogs do. Another suggested the dog is feeling anxious. That's the one that caught my attention. Anxious about what? Stressed about what?

I think Baxter has a pretty good life. He eats, he sleeps, we walk every day. He has kids that love him and play ball with him. My wife even lets him have MY slippers. I'm not happy with that one. Nothing like slipping your foot into a wet slipper.

I'll be watching him closely over the next few days. If he starts losing his hair, gaining weight, pigging out on fast food or downing a gallon of Hagen Daz after a long day....anyone know a good doggie therapist?

Oops!

2009-10-05T09:46:00.002-05:00

In case you missed it today....I told the story about losing my wedding ring. Yup! My wife and I went out to dinner Saturday night with some friends we hadn't seen in a while. We had a nice dinner at Mike's in Fairhaven then went back to the house for some dessert and coffee. When we got home, I washed my hands before making some coffee and noticed my wedding ring was GONE! I told me wife and friends. We started looking all over. Priscilla called the restaurant and asked them to check the booth we sat in. I went back with my friend and we looked all over the parking lot. When I got back to the house, my sons were outside using their metal detector, but they couldn't find it. Needless to say, a nice night ended with me being a bit upset with my loss. Well, the next morning, wasn't I surprised to look down while I was making the bed.....and there it was! Just sitting there on the mattress! It must have gotten mixed up in the sheets. Of course, as my partner Neal wondered on the show this morning, how did I go all morning not noticing it was missing?

Could we please be a little nicer?

2009-09-14T18:43:00.002-05:00

Still buzzing about Serena Williams this weekend and Kanye West Sunday night. I'm sure you've heard about it by now. You'd have to totally stay away from news and media to not have seen the clips from the U.S. Open and Kanye taking the microphone away from young Taylor Swift. They're all apologizing AGAIN! I have always felt that a person's first actions....what they did without thinking...gives you a good look at what the person is all about. Their words and actions before they wonder what it looks like or how it'll affect thier image.

I don't like the path we seem to be on. A caller today thought it's always been like this we just have more media and more access to the stories. I wish we could just find a way to be nicer to each other. Who would it really hurt?

What? Me worry?

2009-09-08T10:10:00.002-05:00

Just noticed tomorrow is 09/09/09. Actually, it's been all over the news because of the Beatles and that computer game. I'm not really into it. Rock Hero, Guitar Hero? Something my kids probably know better than me. Are these numbers supposed to mean something?

I saw a special on the History Channel the other night. Something about 12/20/2012. That's the day the world is supposed to end I guess. It looked like an interesting specal. Maybe I'll try to find it On Demand. I guess it has something to do with Nostradamus and the Mayan Calendar. Evidently, that's the day the Mayan calendar ends. Personally, I'm hoping the Mayans just ran out of paper or stone and that's where they ended.

Anyone worried?

Give me names!

2009-08-02T18:15:00.002-05:00

This week we got two more names. There are still 100 left. 100 names that were supposed to be kept secret.

Of course I'm talking about the list of baseball names. The players that tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs. They even have a cool name now, "PED's".

At first I thought the names should be kept secret and that it was shocking that A-Rod and Sammy Sosa had been named. But now that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz have been named, let's hear em all!

How do these names keep coming out? What "lawyer familiar with the case" keeps letting them out? How does he get them and, while we're at it, what's HIS name? This person, or these people, will just continue to release a name here and a name there for their oiwn little jollies. Let's get the whole list out, have a week or two of shock and discussion and then get past this.