Michael Manning

Turning Another's Life Around!

2012-01-27T22:58:00.004-05:00

(Memorial Poster Courtesy of The Leo Buscaglia Foundation)

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."

Aristotle Onassis

For today's inspiration, I must acknowledge my long time blog friend Carmi Levy, an independent technology analyst and journalist based in London, Ontario. Carmi also happens to be an exceptionally gifted writer. I find it more than merely ironic that he visited Del Ray Beach, Florida because I too visited there not too long ago and had dinner with a mutual friend of Carmi and myself. We briefly discussed good blog writers, and of course, Carmi's name was mentioned and celebrated.

Recently on his blog site, Carmi asked for responses to the quotation that I've re-posted above by the late shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. It was so powerful that I felt moved to share my observations with you.

Life can be overwhelming at times. We are each facing a multitude of personal and professional challenges during the current worldwide economic recession begun in February, 2008. It matters not if you are wealthy or poor, a celebrity or someone who isn't a celebrity. As a central character states in the film "Cinema Paradiso", "Life is not like the movies. Life is very, very hard". The fundamental question I take away from Mr. Onassis' quote is: "How do we transition from the darkness to the light?"

One answer is: By reaching out and making connections with other people who recognize and understand who we are, and what it is we wish to positively accomplish. Together, with mutual supportiveness we can accomplish anything! We can overcome long-standing obstructions that have for far too long stood in the path of our dreams. Avenues of options truly present themselves through dialogue with others who are loving and caring. By the way, Love and Caring are "active words" and not passive words. With supportiveness and true understanding, it is possible for each of us to help one another to get from a point of Darkness to a point of Hope!

What are your dreams? For myself, I remain on a path to fully articulate what talents I have been blessed with that are not being fully utilized at this moment. Anything less is not productive for me. I must feel fully engaged in my sphere of gifts and talents so that I can serve others. If I am not working to be the best person for myself, how can I possibly be effective with my outreach to others? To remain in top physical condition and to feed one's heart with the things that matter---this is how I am personally working towards reaching this goal.

I suggest to you that one our greatest problems in the world today is social isolation and loneliness--and that is not restricted to the elderly! Many, many talented and wonderful people have been so beaten down by the excruciating external circumstances related to the current recession, that their energy is sapped. If there is one string of consistency that has run through my recent posts like an electric current, it is this: "Nobody ever goes it alone!". With the gift of caring and concerned friends who see a need to be filled and who offer their hand in helping another person fulfill their potential to be more for themselves, the answer is to become actively "involved". All of which brings me to a final thought about that elusive term, "getting a break".

(Courtesy of Bravo Cable Channel and NBC Universal)

Thursday evening, I wound up watching a re-run of James Lipton's television program "Inside the Actor's Studio". His guest was a very attractive actress who began acting at age 6--and to be certain--she is truly extraordinary. However, what became very obvious to me as I listened to her story is that one kernel of success led to another opportunity, and this pattern has continued to generate what I call "forward momentum".

I also suggest that "a break" is what all people who are sitting in "darkness" need in order to move their lives forward from Failure and Despair to Hope and Accomplishment. Are you currently helping someone in need? I ask this question not to be judgmental. Rather to spur you to action!

Leo Buscaglia so often reminded his audiences that what a person sitting in darkness requires is NOT the charity of a millionaire or a celebrity with deep pockets. It simply requires Caring actively! Love means taking action to help others overcome their circumstances of darkness. Only then can we talk further about helping a person who isn't able to appreciate their value by seizing their sense of relatedness and worth in the world at large. Both of these actions go hand-in-hand and it costs nothing! I've never understood what is so difficult about articulating an "Action Plan" to help someone in need? Perhaps we should all meet and pull out our collection of business cards and address books of people we know who may have strengths in areas where we feel weak to effectively "build a bridge" to assist a good person from a state of Darkness and Despair to Hope and Light!

(Courtesy of The Leo Buscaglia Foundation)

I challenge you to begin reaching out to someone in your life who is going through tough times. Together, you and I can do more than merely turn heads. We can turn lives around with meaningful action. As my late friend Bob Maroon said during a lecture, "Don't minister to my pocket book. Minister to my heart!"

I welcome your thoughts and feelings on this post. Please share them here!

Sincerely,

Michael

Making Good Days Great!

2012-01-25T22:59:00.000-05:00

Like so many of you, my current schedule is very challenging. A friend of mine stated to me last night that she is incredulous that I even have the energy to create a blog post! I tried (unsuccessfully) to wave her comment off, but she continued to stress how serious she was with her point. I admitted that most blogs take me between three and four hours to create, and I suspected this was what she was focusing on. She confirmed that it was, so with this exchange fresh in my mind, I can assure you that this post will be much shorter!

I don't know about you, but I am absolutely awestruck by the sheer power that a sincere word of love and encouragement spoken by a stranger or a friend alike can have on my day. When a person stops what they are doing to tell you that something you may have said or done brightened their world, that becomes a powerful moment!

In this regard, I want to thank the people who read this blog site, particularly those of you who stopped by to listen to my visit with Doug Miles and Melinda Tredaway this past Sunday during "The Doug Miles Interview". I am also deeply appreciative to those of you who listened to the broadcast but chose to "lurk". Lurkers are ALWAYS welcomed here on my website. Either way, I remain grateful. Our topic of Trevor Tredaway was the focal point.

One of the dynamics of a fluid conversation is that a shared thought might be started only to be left unfinished. I have to laugh at myself because this was the case with me a few times during that broadcast. Nevertheless, I remain convinced that the passion and energy you heard more than made up for any of my unfinished thoughts that allowed me to have a good laugh at myself!

Just the same, I would like to complete one of my unfinished thoughts because it is a poignant one.

If I had a map of the United States in front of me, along with some colored yarn and push-pins, here is what the events of 2007 to the present would look like, relative to the families whose lives have intersected with mine for a reason. Assuming the push pin pattern came with instructions about where to place the pins and the yarn, it would look like this:

Directions for Posting Pins & Yarn Map

Cincinnati, Ohio to Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Florence, Kentucky to Sarasota, Florida
Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Florence, Kentucky
Florence, Kentucky to Benton, Kentucky
Lubbock, Texas to Florence, Kentucky
Florence, Kentucky to Midland, Texas
Florence, Kentucky to Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas to Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona to Minneapolis, Minnesota
Scottsdale, Arizona to Tempe, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona to Sarasota, Florida

What the colorful push-pins and yarn wouldn't reveal to you on this map, however, is this:

4 Families
16 People
1 purpose: Helping one another.

It's that simple. So tonight, I pray with an Attitude of Gratitude for the Miracle of Friends, of Opportunities to Love, Care and Share, of Smiles and Laughter (and yes, sometimes even Tears). But overall, for the Joy of just knowing that we all have gifts and talents to share and exchange, "To lighten the load, and make bad days Better and good days Great!"

To hear the three of us on that broadcast doing exactly this only confirms to me with my Faith that 2012 will bring forth Good News. It will be bring together new events filled with people and places and--I believe--some surprising breakthroughs.

Yours Truly, Age 10

(February as I recall...)

So Stay Tuned. Become Involved. Dare to Love. Dare to Care. Dare to Risk. Dare to Feel and Be Real. As I said on Sunday, "We're still in January, and it's a brand New Year".

See you back here soon!

Michael

My Broadcast with Doug Miles and Melinda Tredaway!

2012-01-22T17:05:00.002-05:00

Trevor Tredaway

Good Afternoon from Phoenix, Everyone. For those of you who were not able to to tune into the broadcast of "The Doug Miles Interview" you can hear my visit with Melinda Tredaway by clicking HERE.

Melinda of course is my dear friend and the mother of 6 year-old Trevor Tredaway of Midland, Texas. Our broadcast was expanded to 35 minutes thanks to Doug's generosity. It was a visit where you'll hear me talking forcefully about remaining "relentlessly positive"--this is a term I borrowed from the late Sally Meyerhoff, a tremendous cyclist whom we lost to a traffic accident last March here in Phoenix. Sally's term was so appropriate for me to use in describing some key points below about Trevor Tredaway. In this regard, I hope that I have honored Sally's memory by using "relentlessly positive" to describe how we all feel about 2012 and the opportunities that will present themselves to Trevor as he battles cancer. If you tune into the show here are a few items that you will learn about:

A background about Trevor Tredaway and his fight to become cancer-free as told by his mother, Melinda.

How my CPA of many years played a key role in bringing The Tredaway Family and myself together with just a two-sentence e-mail back in late November, 2007.

The most up to date news about how Trevor is coming along with his treatment protocol at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

How you can access Trevor's Caringbridge website!

I speak about the Medical Fund that was established in Trevor's name, since so many people ask me at least three times a week about it. I always consider that question to be a wonderful opportunity to inform others and to tell Trevor's inspiring story!

Trevor's filming of the television commercial featuring actor and comedian Robin Williams on behalf of St. Jude.

One of the blessings of having worked in both television and radio is the familiarity I feel either behind a microphone or in front of a camera. Doug Miles has a similar background to mine and as my friend, he understands that I am not at all shy or reserved when it comes to talking about a matter of the heart. Particularly when it involves a little boy who is dealing with such a serious illness. With this great opportunity, you'll also hear me mention a word about the importance of sharing a kind word of encouragement.

Melinda with son Trevor and daughter Morgan

Trevor's Caringbridge website allows Melinda to post a message and share it with everyone who owns a computer or an IPhone with Internet access. You can read Trevor's Story, look at his Photos and read Melinda's Journal.

Trevor is a giggly little boy who just makes you care--that is the best way I can describe him; he's a genuine Joy! Those kind people who stop by and comment on Trevor's site understand as I do the power of the written word. Relative to this, one of the key concerns I hear people express to me is that they don't know what to say on Trevor's Blog Page Guestbook section. The best answer I have is to just be yourself and speak from the heart. A message as simple as this: "I just read your post and I care", or "I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers" or "Your story has touched my heart. Please know I care." These are merely examples of messages that mean the world to a family with a sick child. So, if anyone reading this post is concerned about what to say, I offer this suggestion: Just be yourself and know that even a few key words carry tremendous meaning to Trevor's family. One other consideration:

We are all living through a very touch economy. To those of you who can support Trevor with a financial gift, here is the fund you've been asking me about:

Trevor Tredaway Fund

Citizens Federal Credit Union

P.O.Box 51070

Midland , TX 79710

No amount is too small either. Blessings come in all denominations. Now, if you are not in a position to help out financially, don't worry! There is also another wonderful opportunity to stop by and learn all about Trevor from his own Caringbridge website which is really very cool, and you can access it by just clicking HERE.

Doug Miles

Host,

"The Doug Miles Interview"

My sincere thanks to Doug Miles for reaching out to Trevor, and to Melinda for taking time out of her busy schedule to visit with us. We will be returning later this year to "The Doug Miles Interview" for an update. Finally, thank you to every person who stops by here. Your loyalty throughout the years means so much to me and I will continue to bring you news and updates on little Trevor.

We live in a different day and age where Social Media has really become "front and center" with the advent of Facebook and Twitter along with Blogger. I am always grateful to remain connected with each of you, and with that, I will see you back here soon!

Michael

Blog-Talk-Radio Appearance Sunday January 22nd!

2012-01-21T09:42:00.004-05:00

Trevor in 2011

On Sunday January 22nd, at 1 PM Arizona Time (3 PM Eastern Time) Melinda Tredaway and I are scheduled to appear as guests on "The Doug Miles Interview" at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/doug-miles/, at twitter.com@sarasotaradio and http://www.dougmilesmedia.com/. Melinda of course is a dear friend of mine and the mother of Trevor Tredaway.

Hanging Out with Trevor back in 2008

Learn more about Trevor by Clicking HERE

Trevor Tredaway has appeared prominently on my website since early 2008. He has been battling cancer since he was two and a half years of age, with an infiltrating astrocytoma brain tumor and two tumors on his spinal cord. Today he is 6 years old. He is truly an Amazing and Determined little boy who makes any one's heart glow that he happens to meet.

Never in a million years would I have ever guessed that I would be so fortunate to meet Trevor in-person. I say this because visitors to this web site have asked me a lot about Trevor in private e-mails. "What is he like?" "How did you and his family link up?" These are common questions, but if you listen to them closely, they are also questions asked with love and admiration. I know so many of you wish you could meet Trevor in-person too!

Truth be told, during any given week here in Arizona, I am asked an average of two to three times a week by concerned friends how Trevor is doing. To briefly answer the first question, Trevor immediately brings a smile and a laugh to me because he has an incredible sense of humor and he is a giggly little boy who can find joy in other people and virtually every social situation. I consider it a blessing to call The Tredaway's my friends and will likely answer how we met on the air tomorrow.

Most important, I felt very strongly about Melinda appearing with me on Doug's program, as she is a very loving and courageous person who can best address where Trevor has been, where he is today on his progress plan and what goals lay ahead. If you'll recall, Melinda trained for and completed a 26.2 mile marathon in early December to raise funds for St.Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis where Trevor receives ongoing evaluation and treatment.

Melinda and I will be guests of another great friend and a fellow radio and television broadcaster I've known since 2005--the incomparable Doug Miles in Sarasota, Florida.

About Doug Miles

Doug Miles is a veteran Sports Anchor from New York who began his career at WBAU 90.3FM, Adelphi University's radio station doing top of the hour newscasts. In his first week on the air, President Reagan was shot and Doug spent the next four hours anchoring the events of that historic day. At WBAU Doug did play-by-play of Adelphi Panther Basketball, Baseball, Soccer and Lacrosse, interview programs and brought the Big Band Sound to Long Island on his weekly show. After graduation, Doug continued working in radio at WHLI, WKJY and WGBB doing sports, news and providing reports for both of New York City's all-news outlets, WINS and WCBS.

After a move to the Tampa Bay area, he hosted a weekly Jazz program at WUSF-FM as well as a national sports-talk show on the Sun Broadcasting Network. Doug also worked at St. Petersburg's WLFF as a copy writer, newscaster as well as hosting a Big Band show. When WFNS became Tampa Bay's first all-sports station out of Plant City, Doug moved there as anchor, reporter and talk-show host. Doug hosted an oldies program on WAMR and a Hot Country show on WCTQ in Sarasota. He also worked at WUSF's Radio Reading Service, a special frequency for blind and incapacitated listeners reading the daily newspapers over the air. Doug served as Station Manager at WSRQ in Sarasota, FL. He created the "Suncoast Magazine" where he interviewed over 5000 celebrities, authors, politicians, athletes and newsmakers including: Bill Cosby, Audrey Landers, Dick Smothers and Jack Klugman.

In 2010 Doug began his Tampa Bay Media column for www.examiner.com. He has been the play-by-play announcer for high school football calling games for several schools in the Sarasota/Bradenton area as well as covering the FHSAA playoffs and championships at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Doug has been a panelist on "Talking Sports" and "It's All About Health" which aired on Comcast Cable Television throughout southwest Florida.

He created and hosts "Political Roundtable" featuring interviews with newsmakers and journalists covering the political arena. He hosted “Florida Watch” on METV in Manatee County. Doug hosts a sports show on BlogTalkRadio.com with legendary Philadelphia sports announcer Don Henderson. He also produces and hosts a weekly Internet show on hockey called “The Puck Stops Here” which can be seen on multiple platforms including YouTube. He produces and hosts “Book Talk” featuring interviews with authors on BlogTalkRadio. Doug also serves as Master of Ceremonies at various events such as the Sarasota Jazz Festival.

I hope you'll join us for what promises to be an inspiring visit!

A Beach Boys Reunion Is in the Works!

2012-01-18T11:53:00.000-05:00

Last year, I wrote a blog post stating that a Beach Boys reunion with the surviving members of the band led by the amazing Brian Wilson and possibly members of Brian's road band would be a wonderful way to mark the band's 50th anniversary. They are inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture and burst onto the music scene at a time when America was far more optimistic than we are today. I welcome the following news and trust that you join me in wishing this effort the very best of success as the guys organize a tour:

Don't Just Take Up Space in Life, Make a Contribution!

2012-01-17T12:12:00.004-05:00

(Photo: Courtesy of Lorimar Television Productions)

Before the Economic Downturn of the 1980's this was the world's vision of Dallas, Texas. I can tell you that this was not reality. It was fantasy driven by the television series, "Dallas".

When I was in high school, a group of friends and I made it into the local newspaper after forming a committee to see what we could do to save a local landmark train station from demolition. That may have been my first experience as an idealist. My Uncle felt that this was the case, anyway and came close to excoriating me for it. I didn't care. I knew I was right.

Many years later while living in Dallas, I watched with horror as the local economy, which had been built on a proverbial foundation of quick sand (real estate and oil) began falling apart. That economy was driven in modern culture by the now resuscitated television series "Dallas". However, in reality, back then the economy was built on the premise that oil would never drop below $30 a barrel. When it dropped to $9 a barrel, entire fortunes were wiped out. Jobs were lost. The banking crisis that preceded the Resolution Trust Corporation was severe and led to forced consolidation of the banking system we have today. Stock holders were wiped out in many instances. Dallas led the nation in the number of suicides and divorces for a period of years. Unlike Houston, who had a creative City Council that enabled that city to rebound quicker, Dallas was embedded in its own hell for far too long. Out of this debacle came a Dallas Morning News article about a man named Bob Maroon.

Maroon was a former executive with Perception Directions, a division of Bobbie Brooks Inc. He was a jet setter--at least he flew Braniff International regularly between Miami and Dallas! He also became a friend of mine. Maroon found himself along with many former real estate and oil executives displaced (and divorced). However, Bob was a leader and made the observation that what was killing Dallas was a psychological phenomenon I studied as a psychology major student at Southern Methodist University called "The Bystander Effect". Also known as "The Genovese Effect", the latter was named after Catherine "Kitty" Genovese, a bar manager who was returning to her apartment after work in the Kew Gardens section of Queens, New York when she was stabbed during an attack in 1964 that lasted more than half an hour. What is most shocking, however, is that 38 neighbors who witnessed the attack and heard her screams for help during the stabbing and rape by Winston Moseley--who is still serving a prison sentence---did nothing. Moseley is up for parole in 2013.

Catherine "Kitty" Genovese

(Photo: Courtesy of The New York Times)

New York Times writer Martin Gansberg published an article two weeks after this vicious attack under the headline "Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn't Call The Police". One unidentified neighbor told police, "I didn't want to get involved". Sound familiar?

This murder shook the nation and prompted research into what has been called "diffusion of responsibility" and yes, "the bystander effect" by Social Psychologists John Darley and Bibb Latané. Unlike previous blogs where I discuss using my cell phone to summon police in similar circumstances, Darley and Latane concluded that when onlookers see that others are not helping, there is a belief that others will know better how to help, thus prompting the lack of action from mass numbers of people to assist someone clearly in need of help. The Kitty Genovese murder has since become standard material that is studied by psychology majors in Experimental Psychology classes. I too studied this murder extensively and wrote a paper about it in college. I bring this up because this horrible incident was not lost on Bob Maroon. In fact, he did become involved and led an effort in Dallas designed to prompt others in the community who were employed and otherwise doing well financially to break out of their frozen state of denial and unwillingness to help others less fortunate circumstances through a daring plan.

The Interfaith Vocational Support Network

Maroon decided that churches and synagogues were a natural place for people who were too proud or too embarrassed by their under-employment or unemployment circumstances to quietly seek help. To test his theory for reasonableness, Maroon visited with priests, pastors and rabbis who confirmed to him that they were receiving a flood of requests by unemployed professionals that was literally overwhelming their financial resources.

Armed with this confirmation of his initial hypothesis, Maroon went to The Dallas Morning News and visited with Business Day writer Robert Miller to explain his radical new plan. With backing from a member of his church, The Highland Park Presbyterian Church (where actress Angie Harmon was famously wed) Maroon was provided with a small office in the Merrill Lynch Building on North Central Expressway. In an effort to galvanize forces of good, Maroon organized "The Interfaith Vocational Support Network" consisting of approximately 25 churches and synagogues who signed on to provide a meeting room with coffee and donuts on Saturday mornings where we all met. In addition, this consortium agreed to produce flyer's announcing program meetings in a cross marketing effort that involved announcements at the conclusion of church and synagogue services to congregations and flyer's distributed by church ushers and volunteers. I was 27 years old at the time and read the Dallas Morning News article before deciding to visit Maroon in-person. This was a few years before I began working in radio and television and I was layed off from a company where I travelled as a sales rep establishing retailers and distributorships across Oklahoma and North Texas. My employer filed for Chapter 11 and ultimately converted their filing into a Chapter 7 liquidation.

I waited 90 minutes in the office building lobby to see Maroon, who was besieged by unemployed people after The Dallas Morning News article was published. A man with a large heart, a witty sense of humor and a charismatic drive to motivate others to action, Maroon was the best motivational speaker I ever met. He considered popular speakers of the day such as Anthony Robbins and Brian Tracey to be "weak". To see Maroon command a Saturday morning meeting of 60 people was electrifying. Bob directly addressed how emotionally beat up people felt and the fact that churches and synagogues had responded to his plea because they were ill equipped to handle the masses of unemployed who were in emotional and financial turmoil. His motivational talks were designed to build up our Hope! He made suggestions that involved creating action plans and putting them to work. He discussed attitudes, financial intelligence and the fundamentals of vigorous networking.

In the early days of IVSN, Maroon was the main speaker. Later, Bob would speak first and then introduce special guest speakers. We would grab donuts and coffee and then sit down and listen to Bob rally us to reawaken our drive, our creativity, our energy and involve our friends and families, wives or girlfriends (depending on your marital status of course). At the end of each meeting, Bob would ask us to bring along ten resumes and he would break us into groups. We were directed to swap resumes and network each other for the next 7 days with nightly phone calls to one another to report on our progress. Here was his biggest arsenal and it is as relative today as it was back then.

The True Definition of Networking

A turning point during one of our meetings with Bob Maroon as speaker was his question "How many of you know what networking really is?" Many answers were given--all of them incorrect. Here was the stunner from Maroon: "Networking is nothing more than increasing the flow of quality people through your life".

One of the things I am most proud of in my own life is that during all of my years living in Texas, I had a role in networking 87 unemployed people back to work. In every single instance, I knew nothing about a person's field. But I knew how to cultivate contacts and work them. Here in Scottsdale, Arizona I have continued the same practice because I believe we each have a moral imperative to reach out and actively help others connect with jobs, particularly when we encounter someone who is emotionally, financially, mentally and physically drained. Immediate action is called for in such instances. Still, networking is not difficult.

A Case In Point

Two years ago, I was enjoying a rare Kettle One Screwdriver drink in the Inter-Continental Hotel bar. I met a man who was a Geologist from Canada who taught at the university level. He had four young children and was deeply in love with his wife. But they wanted a winter home in the Paradise Valley area of Scottsdale where the hotel was located. I explained Bob Maroon's concept of the definition of networking. The Geologist asked me if I knew anyone who was familiar with the housing market in North Scottsdale. We exchanged business cards and I agreed to get back to him, stating that I had someone in mind. I was telling the truth.

Earlier that summer I was enjoying a Caesar Salad at a restaurant bar and happened to meet a married couple who were struggling. The wife was a recruiter for the resort industry, while her husband was a realtor. The husband once sold multi-million dollar homes to the rich and famous. I asked him how he was surviving in the recession and he told me that he focused now on homes that listed for $300,000 or less. Back at home, I e-mailed my realtor buddy and asked if he could possibly assist the Canadian man I met. He agreed that he could and so using the wonders of e-mailing, I put the two together. Long story-short: The Canadian man bought a house from my realtor friend. The result was a win-win for both parties. What was so difficult about that? Nothing. The only thing that distinguished me from others was a willingness to become involved and not become a bystander. So, excuses such as "I wish I knew someone in your field" is B.S. Sorry, folks but this is true. When someone has enough caring and gives a damn about solving a problem, the style of networking defined by Bob Maroon works. I know we now live in a world of Social Media. But this style of networking is just as effective.

Bob Maroon died from injuries sustained from an automobile accident. He was reunited with his beloved son and daughter during his hospital stay. He had not seen them after a divorce he never wanted and from which he also never recovered. He was a terrific guy, with a humor that rivaled the late Johnny Carson (previously featured on this blog site) and he had a big heart for helping others.

Bob's enduring legacy to me is that each of us, regardless of our circumstances can become as dynamic as he was. Do you know a friend who is under-employed or--God forbid--unemployed? Have you become actively involved with other friends in getting that person back on their feet? Are you called to do so from your heart? You don't have to "have the answer". You just need to use some creative verve and suggest some connections. Think of who you know that might be more knowledgeable than you and thus able to connect your friend back to full employment. Chances are good that even if they don't know someone directly, they can steer you or your friend to someone who can help. How? By a direct introduction to a decision maker.

One of the failings of our society is that we have become so damned depersonalized that job hunting is largely done by Internet searches.The adage: "If we're interested we'll call you" is bunk! Maroon's networking definition is a fast track and dynamic way to walk through those barriers and get connected. I urge each of you to consider the following quote from the late Leo Buscaglia:

"I have a very strong feeling that the opposite of love is not hate - it's apathy.
It's not giving a damn.

Leo Buscaglia (Living Loving and Learning, 1985)

Don't get caught up in the ugliness of becoming a bystander who doesn't reach out and help others. Instead, just imagine what we can collectively achieve if we all followed Bob Maroon's example. That is a powerful message! Try it.

This post is dedicated to the memory of my friend:

Bob Maroon

"Don't just take up space in life. Make a contribution!"

(Quote from Bob's personal stationary)

And Now...Carnac the Magnificent!

2012-01-15T23:53:00.003-05:00

(Courtesy of the Carson Entertainment Group)

After my blog post on the Vickery Feed Store episode, I felt that we could all could use a laugh. The facial expressions are key here...

Last Tango in Dallas...

2012-01-13T04:22:00.008-05:00

(Photos Courtesy of Lorimar Television Productions)

Who can forget The Ewing Family?

Recently, I returned from Dallas, Texas where I travelled to pay my respects to the widow of a good friend of mine who died of a stroke in October. My friend was the president of a non-profit organization where I served as Chairman of Public Relations and a board member for five years. Unfortunately, his "Celebration of Life" was scheduled on a day when I had a television studio and a production crew of about ten people booked to film a DVD project, and I simply could not attend.

My visit was poignant, as I caught up with my friend's widow in person and we recalled many memories over the years I lived in Texas--most of my life actually was spent there. I moved away in 2003. But I have some incredible friends whom I was also able to surprise--three of whom work in the restaurant industry--and it was great fun to walk into their work sites unannounced and be greeted with handshakes and hugs with great excitement. This was a great Joy!

The Campus of Southern Methodist University

I had breakfast with my former professor at Southern Methodist University who oversaw my Independent Study that ultimately led to my senior thesis as a Psychology major. He is now retired and living in a high rise condo with a view of North Dallas and the SMU campus, where I strolled during my the final morning of my visit. In many ways, I felt like the Jeff Bridges character in "Texasville", the 1990 follow up film to director Peter Bogdonovich's epic, "The Last Picture Show" from 1971; I felt alienated. There were many new buildings, and I must admit to some embarrassment at getting lost in my rental car after exiting Dallas Love Field, which is home to Southwest Airlines. But in my defense I had little sleep. Nevertheless, I found my way "back on track". Here are a few Dallas memories are worth sharing.

1990

2012

On my main website Bio Page, I discuss how I began working in the broadcasting industry with more than a modicum of humor. The year was 1990 and I was an overnight radio news anchor and copy editor. The sun sets late in the summertime in Dallas, and I was at the Vickery Feed Store (a restaurant that burned down in the late 1990's) enjoying a salad and a cup of coffee when a very attractive girl walked in and sat two bar stools away from me. She had short blond hair, wore a white T-shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. There were only four of us in the entire restaurant that night and we struck up a great conversation. I asked her what she did and with some shyness, she told me that she was a musician. I asked her what instrument she played and learned that she was a fiddle player in a five-member bluegrass band. She quickly asked about my career. I answered her briefly, but returned to my question about her career and learned she was in a band. She said, "You probably wouldn't know us. We're called The Dixie Chicks". I admitted that she was right. I wasn't familiar with the band. Now, before anyone finds this story too far fetched, it would be helpful for me to mention a few facts.

Martie (Center) was pleasant to meet.

The band's musicianship was terrific. (Photo Courtesy of Monument Records)

The Dixie Chicks were established in 1989 and were not yet a huge success in 1990. The young woman speaking with me was my age and looked like the proverbial "girl next door". She was unfamiliar with the FM station I had begun working at and so we promised to catch up on each other's careers. I would catch a performance of her bluegrass band at Poor David's Pub, which was a small bar just down the street on Greenville Avenue (since relocated), and she promised to tune in to hear my newscasts on radio. In what is truly a "small world", I later anchored news for The Bill Mack Show. Bill was a broadcasting legend who wrote the hit song "Blue" for singer Leann Rimes late in his life. Leann lived about four blocks from my apartment in The Village Country Club. The Village was for many years the largest singles apartment community in the United States, and for all I know it still is.

As more than an hour wore on, the pretty young lady I was talking with and I were sharing laughter about many things we found humorous in life and ultimately, I bought her a couple of drinks and dinner. At some point, I told her that we really ought to meet up at the restaurant for lunch or dinner sometime and I asked for her phone number. I noticed immediately that she became embarrassed, as she told me she could not afford a telephone.

Of the five women in the original lineup of The Dixie Chicks, only one member was making a comfortable living and she was a stock broker. The young lady I was sharing laughs and swapping stories with was barely getting by at the time. However, she quickly leaned over me to grab a pen and a paper napkin and quickly sat next to me looking me squarely in the eye. "But I'll tell you what", she said. "Write down your name, your home and work phone numbers so I can call you". I smiled, shrugged my shoulders and said "Okay". As I started to write, she added. "And I have small favor to ask you. I need to find the Ladies Room. If you'll watch my purse, I'll be right back". I agreed and pointed out where the facilities were and watched this pretty lady with a slim build walk off. The bartender was a friend of mine who just married the love of his life several weeks earlier and he walked over to talk with me. I asked the usual questions. "Do you know this lady? Have you seen her before?" My friend told me that he had never seen the lady, but he was under the impression from how well our conversation was going that we were about ready to leave the restaurant and go out for a drink elsewhere. I told him about my new work schedule and explained that this wasn't possible. Five minutes passed by. No worries.

Mr barender buddy and I caught up on some local chat, and then I looked over my shoulder to see if my new friend was walking toward us. She was nowhere in sight. Ten more minutes passed, then then another twenty. The restaurant was all but empty on this night and I became genuinely concerned. I looked down at this woman's purse on the bar stool next to me and asked my friend if he could quietly ask a waitress to walk into the Ladies Room for "a safety check". We recruited a waitress who completed her mission and reported to us that my new friend was legitimately still "in the house". I looked at my watch and told my bartender buddy that I always liked to get to the station an hour early to prepare my newscast and air shift. I also told him that I was responsible for the lady's purse. He volunteered to take the purse and stow it under the bar along with the paper napkin containing my contact information. Knowing how trustworthy he was, I agreed to this.

Forty minutes had passed and I needed to be off to work. With the purse safely stowed, I settled our tab and tip and asked him to have her call me. With that I left the restaurant. As it turned out, about five minutes after I left the restaurant, my new friend emerged from the Ladies Room and approached my bartender buddy.

According to the story he told me the following afternoon, she stated, "Where's that cute guy I was just talking to?" My friend spoke for me: "Well, you know something. He waited here patiently for 40 minutes, but he finally had to leave for work". Interestingly, her next question had nothing to do with the purse she had placed me in charge of watching. "Oh, no. Um, did he leave his name and phone number?" (I still get a kick out of that part of this story, as I seemed to take precedence over her purse--quite a compliment!). My friend: (handing over her purse): "Yeah, he sure did and here's your purse". According to my bartender buddy, she grabbed her purse, then placed my paper napkin inside. As she started to take out her pocketbook, she said "I'm sorry now that I took so long. Uh, what do I owe you for my tab?" My friend advised her that I had covered it. "Oh, that was nice of him! I'll catch up with him later".

With that, Martie MaGuire turned and walked out of The Vickery Feed Store and both of our lives forever. And no, I never heard from her. That evening has been a puzzle to all of my friends who have heard this tale over the years (given that I was placed in charge of Martie's purse). While amused, I've never really given the evening serious thought beyond this post and can laugh it off to human nature (if that). Who knows? Most perplexed of all are my lady friends who quickly point out to me like detectives that it was intertesting that I was placed in charge of the purse. Otherwise, I'm advised a case could be made that I was being summarily blown off. Again, I still have to laugh. My male buddies are apt to say, "Close but no cigar". I'm not sure about that, but life can be strange sometimes.

The radio station studio where I worked had a flashing strobe light whenever the telephone rang. That night, the strobe light never went off once. The station had an old fashioned phone answering machine in the lobby, and after I completed my production work in the recording studio down the hall between long pieces of music, I would check that machine--no calls.

The Lovely Martie MaGuire

(Photo Courtesy of CMT)

Fast forward to 2004. I had returned briefly to the Mid-West where I worked as a helicopter news reporter for an NBC Television affiliate--WLW TV 5. One day, my pilot and I were grounded from flight due to heavy rain and windy weather. A colleague of mine telephoned me at our base of operations in Cincinnati at Lunken Airport--a general aviation airport (visible in the recent film "The Ides of March" co-starring former Cincinnatian George Clooney). A colleague of mine who was a news anchor for a 100,000 watt FM Country music station telephoned me to ask if I would substitute for him. As it tuned out, he had the flu and so I agreed to help him out. I submit the following with my hand to God: The fourth news item that afternoon on our Associated Press newswire was that Martie MaGuire became the mother of twins with her husband in Austin, Texas. The irony was not lost on me and I had to report this on three newscasts. Off the air, I spoke with the station production manager and the story about The Vickery Feed Store encounter came up. He was absolutely incredulous and asked me if I would come back on the air and share my story. I remember thinking that people throughout Ohio and Kentucky were listening in large numbers and that my story had some merit, so I repeated my story on the air. The PD was laughing almost out of control and asked me "Michael, are you sure there wasn't a window in that john?" Realizing how funny this must have sounded to listeners, I had to be honest and told the PD that there couldn't be any windows because the rest rooms were located along an inside corridor. Later after what became my last radio broadcast ever, I remember driving home that night in my black Ford Mustang GT and saying aloud: "You know something, Lord. You have a strange sense of humor sometimes".

Dallas Campbell Center with The Twin Gold Towers used
in the opening shots of the TV Series "Dallas" on I-75.
I lived in an apartment complex called "The Village"
situated one block to the right

(All Photos Below: Michael Manning Collection)

While in Dallas, I experienced several strange emotions. Many buildings that had become familiar to me had been torn down and replaced with new ones. Highway 635 LBJ Freeway (so named after the former U.S. President) was still undergoing pockets of construction. My old apartment no longer overlooked a swimming pool (that too was removed). While I did catch up with three great friends, it occurred to me that from 2003 to the present, I lost three other friends of mine in Dallas--my friend who served as our board president was preceded by my friend Nancy, who died of cancer. Two other buddies--Bob and Bill each died of injuries years apart--both sustained from automobile accidents.

Hyer Hall where I took classes and studied late, late at night!

In many ways, my long walk last Sunday morning on the campus of SMU was quiet and seemed hollow. I had returned to a Dallas I was no longer familiar with, despite having appeared on radio and television (with commercials on every local television station). My old Pastor was in an assisted living facility and no longer as young and robust as I remembered him. And The Dixie Chicks went on to enjoy fame and fortune (and yes, some controversy) sufficient enough for Martie to get a telephone probably within months after our encounter.

The Greer Garson Theatre is named in honor of the late actress and philanthropist, a resident of Dallas. I escorted her into the ballroom of the Marriott Hotel where Hollywood movie critic Rex Reed and I co-hosted a Gala for the Dallas Parkinson Society in honor of Greer's late husband, Buddy Fogelson. Greer was truly a "Class Act".

As I sat in the spacious living room of my late friend's home in Lake Highlands--a suburb of Dallas--listening to an audio CD of his "Celebration of Life" that had taken place at the end of last October, I looked across the room at his empty chair. Life is short. And time can really be something of an illusion. In my mind, friends remained etched in my mind just as they were 9-years ago. But of course, nothing remains the same.

Here's the Addison, Texas Marriott Quorum where we

honored Greer Garson.

(Photo: Above and Below Courtesy of Marriott)

The Ballroom where I walked in with Greer Garson

on my left arm.

My old home in Dallas at The Village

How often I walked this path!

The Swimming Pool Where I Spent My Summers in Dallas

I returned for a second and final visit to my late friend's widow with some picture frames I had promised to pick up for her to display some photos in her living room. She had survived a lot through her years in Texas. As my Southwest Airlines flight thundered down runway 31 Left at Dallas Love Field that night, the thought occurred to me that I had survived a lot myself. It was time to fly home to Phoenix--which is "home"---for now.

Michael

Toledo with Elvis Costello!

2012-01-09T00:01:00.005-05:00

Good Morning: I can't even remember how I came across Elvis Costello teaming up with composer Burt Bacharach for the CD "Painted from Memory". After all, this was 1998. I thought it was gutsy and still do. One artist leaping from rock music to interpret Burt Bacharach. The prevous post centered on Ohio, so I thought it would be fun to continue at least one more with "Toledo". People do actually ask "What do you do in Toledo?" Since I've only passed through it as a kid, I'm not exactly qualified as an expert. But as long as rock & roll acts stop there, it must have heart. Here are two legends at work. Enjoy!
Cheers,
Michael

For more information on this amazing composer, visit: http://www.bacharachonline.com/bacharach_bio.html

One of the most unique CD's in my collection!

Here are some of the great songs of Burt Bacharach. I'd be very surprised if you looked at this list and didn't identify at least one song you were familiar with. This man is an utterly amazing talent and considered one of the most acclaimed composers of the 20th Century. He was featured with Elvis Costello in a memorable cameo appearance in Mike Myers' film "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". Today he tours worldwide. His songs have been interpreted by artists as diverse as Herb Alpert, Chrissie Hynde, Barenaked Ladies, Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, George Duke, All Saints, Wynonna, Ben Folds Five, Dionne Warwick Sheryl Crow and Cyndi Lauper.

The List

After the Fox

Alfie

And This Is Mine

Anonymous Phone Call

Anyone Who Had A Heart

The Balance of Nature

Be True To Yourself

Blue On Blue

The Breaking Point

Close to You

Country Music Holiday

Do You Know the Way To San Jose

Don't Count the Days

Don't Envy Me

Don't Make Me Over

Dream Sweet Dreamer

Faker, Faker

Forever Yours I Remain

God Give Me Strength

The Hangman

He Who Loves

Here Where There Is Love

A House Is Not A Home

I Don't Need You Anymore

I Fell in Love With Your Picture

I Say A Little Prayer for You

I Still Have That Other Girl

I'll Never Fall in Love Again

In the Land of Make Believe

In Times Like These

It Seemed So Right Last Night

Joanie's Forever

The Last Time I Saw My Heart

The Look of Love

Lost Horizon

Love in a Goldfish Bowl

Love Lessons

Loving Is A Way of Living

Make It Easy on Yourself

Make Room for Joy

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (lyrics) (chords & lyrics)

Moon Man

My Little Red Book

The Net

Nikki

One Less Bell to Answer

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Oooh, My Love

Painted From Memory (entire record)

Peggy's in the Pantry

Presents from the Past

Promise Her Anything

Rain from the Skies

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

Say Goodbye

Sittin' in a Tree House

Somebody Else's Sweetheart

Something Big

The Story of My Life

The Story of My Life

That Kind of Woman

That's the Way I'll Come to You

That's What Friends Are For

This Guy's in Love with You

To Wait for Love

Trains and Boats and Planes

True Love Never Runs Smooth

Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa

Underneath the Overpass

Walk On By

Warm and Tender

Wendy Wendy

What The World Needs Now Is Love

What's New, Pussycat?

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed

Winter Warm

Wishin' and Hopin'

With Open Arms

Wives and Lovers

Wonderful to be Young

You're Telling Our Secrets

Welcoming 2012 with an Airstream Trailer Tale!

2012-01-01T23:31:00.015-05:00

(Photo: Unknown owner of a 56' Caddy)

Back when I was a kid in Ohio, there lived an old man five houses down the street. He was a retired Chemist with a bad heart and a bad knee; surgeons tried to replace his knee. Unfortunately, his heart started to fail during the operation and the surgeons wisely decided to stop the procedure. So, throughout my Mid-Western childhood, this man was always amiable, always walked with a cane, drove a riding lawn mower, was great fun for me to visit and one other thing...he owned an Airstream trailer. He seemed to work on that trailer almost as much as he and his wife towed it across the country with a 1960's era Oldsmobile. I think they easily traveled to all 50 United States during their lifetime.

I've always loved visiting with older adults because they have so much to share with us from their wealth of life experiences. Bill was such a man. I'd ride my red Huffy bicycle up his driveway when I'd see him out and about in his garage during the summertime, and we'd always have enjoyable conversations! Much of it had to do with mechanical concerns I had about my bike, or questions I had about the preventive maintenance I noticed him undertaking with his trailer. After I went off to college, I learned that he and his wife wound up in a retirement home and that he had passed away some time later. Here's why I bring up this subject, as I'm known to think aloud "celestially", albeit, I always have a point and eventually get around to "closing the loop" on a given subject. I'll even keep count of my points.

First, good songwriters tell a story and sometimes tickle us. Some examples include Shelby Lynne, Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson and Gordon Lightfoot. The list could go on forever. But for the purposes of this post, we'll restrict ourselves (actually, I'm restricting myself).

Second, over the recent Thanksgiving Holiday, I discovered a Shelby Lynne song that had so many truths woven into the lyrics that it frankly amused me. I played it over and over again on the CD player in my car during a road trip (I always bring a bag filled with eclectic CD's from my home collection on these trips to pass the time). In 2010, Shelby wrote a song called "Something To Be Said About Airstreams". You can find it on her "Tears, Lies and Alibis" CD--which is quite good, by the way.

(Photo: NBC TV)

Third, I have a personal physician who has a sense of humor. Every one of his examining rooms has a full sized cardboard cut out of a television or movie star. John Wayne occupies one examining room--Clint Eastwood is in the other. I regularly contribute Black & White 8" x 10" glossy photo stills of stars to his collection ranging from Don Adams (answering his shoe telephone) from the original TV series "Get Smart" to the cast of "The Magnificent Seven". Just in case you think I'm bluffing, this is the photo now thumb tacked to one of my doctor's examining rooms:

(Photo: NBC TV)

And here's another!

(Photo: from an antique shop)

"The Magnificent Seven"

Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn,

Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter and Horst Buchholz.

Fourth: Also on the walls of these examining rooms are messages that are positive and even funny. One of them reads: "Hitch Your Dreams to a Rising Star". The Airstream Trailer reference in the song caught me by surprise. I thought, "Who else but me would actually remember a neighbor who owned one of these iconic luxury travel trailers?" If you've read this blog page for any length of time, you know that I was raised during the era associated with "That 70's Show".

(Photo: FOX TV)

Fifth: Wow! Come to find out that Airstream is manufactured in Jackson Center, Ohio. These trailers are easily recognized for their distinctive rounded aluminum bodies, which originated in the 1930s from designs created by Hawley Bowlus, the chief designer of Charles Lindbergh's aircraft, the "Spirit of St. Louis". How about that for Ohio?

(Photo: Courtesy of WDOK 102.1 FM)

In Akron, Ohio rocker Chrissie Hynde was sadly forced to close her vegetarian restaurant (VegiTerranean) last October thanks to the recession.

The Raspberries Live on the Sunset Strip CD: Amazing!

(Photo Courtesy: Jim Bullotta used in my January 9, 2010 Post)

And of course, The Raspberries is one of my favorite power-pop bands who originated in Cleveland (even though none of my childhood friends knew who they were until "Go All The Way" became a hit song). So, we have a few themes percolating here. Let's review them so that I can eventually close the aforementioned "loop":

It's a New Year and this means New Beginnings!
If you can "Hitch Your Dreams to a Rising Star", you may as well try hitching a Cadillac to an Airstream trailer!
This blog post is a happy way to say "Good Riddance" to a lousy year (as far as I'm concerned).

Let's have a look a some Airstreams in the event you can't afford one:

(All Photos: Courtesy of Generous Airstream Owners)

This one is a dual axle and a little longer than my neighbors' model. Let's see if I can find one that was closer to Bill's.

I'd say this one would be closer to Bill's. He would spend time replacing the door seals, the brakes, tires, recharging the fuel tanks for the gas stove, maintaining the restroom (yes there really is one on board, and aren't you relieved to learn this?). How about a look at "the facilities"?

On second thought, better not. Instead, let's consider this blueprint. Just imagine an exquisite shower and toilet "facility" and leave it at that. They still require maintenance and Bill, my neighbor, enjoyed prepping his Airstream and poring over maps to visit places such as South Dakota, Montana and New Hampshire.

I found this photo pleasantly inviting for some reason. Bill always told me as a kid that there was nothing that compared to seeing America by surface travel, and I certainly see his point. So, whether you buy a vintage Airstream trailer, a new one or wind up just borrowing one for the experience, make sure your Cadillac V-8 engine is well tuned and your brakes are matched for the velocity of the weight that you'll be pulling (and attempting to stop with). Either way, Happy New Year and have a great 2012 hooking up your dreams to a rising star!

SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT AIRSTREAMS

by: Shelby Lynne

The longer I live the more I'm amazed

How folks get hooked on the latest craze

I want to get away from all the hassles

But I'm a little burned out on castles

Guess it's that time again

Time to be free again.

[Chorus:]

There's something to be said about Airstreams

A rolling home made out of silver

There's something to be said about Airstreams

Aww who'da thought art, was a trailer.

Over the hill, a paper sack

I want me a big ol' Cadillac

To haul all my demons and dreams and

Listen to silence

Maybe I'll stop in Needles

Say hello to my people.

[Chorus]

[Bridge:]

When the sun hits her right,

She'll blind you with her light

A beacon of royalty, ooooh

Yeah she's like a Van Gogh

Or an old Picasso

Oh what a sight to see

The CD Where You'll Find This Song...enjoy it!

Photos and Film of Christmas at Michael Manning's Place!

2011-12-27T23:18:00.011-05:00

Because of the size of my family, I focus on two people each Christmas. My Mom and my Aunt. They are not only the closest members of my family to me, they are also the oldest. So, I feel it is best to honor them. As a little kid, I always stared out of the window of our old house eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Aunt and Uncle in their old Oldsmobile. Our driveway was such that you had to walk up the slope, then turn right to navigate the short walkway to the front porch. I still remember the sound of our doorbell and even our memorable phone number.

What was most exciting for me as a kid was not what I received with presents, but rather the anticipation of what was wrapped inside the boxes my Aunt and Uncle carried up that driveway while wearing their heavy winter coats. They used the most fascinating, colorful wrapping paper! There I was, on my knees on the dining room chair looking outside our picture window to see those exquisitely-wrapped presents arriving! My Cousin soon followed in her own car with ample presents too.

This year, my presents were not very sophisticated. My Mom has eveything and truly, doesn't expect anything. Still, I was walking through an outdoor Art Festival in 70 degree weather only two weeks ago. This lady set up a booth with specially knitted hats (don't ask me what kind of yarn she used, but it was good stuff). I told her I liked one or two of her hats and joked that I usually include an annual membership to AAA (Triple A) for my Mom. The rest of the festival was only so-so.

One woman made me laugh because she had a booth set up selling "Bra Straps That Should Be Seen"--customized no less!

Two girls were playing acoustic guitars at the festival entrance, and after their set, I chatted with one of them about her new Taylor guitar. She asked me about my electric and acoustic guitars and then I walked off to look at a photographer's booth that contained large photos of old Packard automobiles he photographed in New Mexico. They were priced out of sight and no one was buying them (including me). Afterward, I took my Sunday walk around a lake. The following week, I returned to this same Festival and nabbed (bought) a knitted cap for my Mom.

For my Aunt, I picked out a stuffed toy Christmas Teddy Bear for her living room sofa. It required batteries. She didn't notice until I told her over the telephone, but loved it anyway. Both gifts were simple--and of course, composer Aaron Copland's better known works include "Simple Gifts" (and "Rodeo").

As I previously blogged, I enjoy the expression of thrill little kids get from Christmas light displays and seeing "Santa Claus". Much of this is that I will always be a "big kid". The other reality is that I love a good light display too. But Christmas has become too commercialized for too many years.

Similar to birthdays, it is easy for people to lose the "reason for the season" by getting so caught up with expensive purchases. The mere act of thinking with one's heart about a simple gift that can cost only a small amount of money, but means more than buying someone a pair of tickets to Maui or a BMW roadster (don't you get fed up with those TV commercials of some Yuppie couple invoving a big red ribbon and bow wrapped around a Lexus in those infernal television commercials?) Simple is truly more my style.

As a kid I used to make presents with glue, scissors, paper mache, paint, egg crates and cool rocks I would find outside. To this day, I have on my writing desk a gift that was hand made from the girlfriend of a buddy of mine in North Texas.

She is a quiet, shy girl who has transformed her garage into a shop filled with extensive wood lathes and hand tools. She hand-carved the spindles and the hand rail for the stairway inside her home, her kitchen cabinets, and created wall murals of a balloon festival and more. This girl has such an artistic gift! Quite unexpectedly, she created for me a two inch wooden stamp box that pulls apart and allows me to install a roll of stamps. The front has a slot that alows the stamp roll to flow forward on a short spindle. Here are some photos that will amaze you:

Just think about it: This masterpiece started from a block of wood. You don't just "throw together" a gift this intricate.

I've pulled the stamp holder apart so you can see the ingenious spindle that keeps the roll of stamps wound in a circle inside the structure.

This view (above) reveals the grain of the wood, and this side view reveals the measuring hole that perfectly aligns with the left piece when placed together. I must say this.

You can only imagine how much quiet study and effort was required by my friend to create this gift for me with her own two hands in her woodshop. To this day, I am almost exasperated that she even thought of me to make such a personalized gift! Her boyfriend from England remains one of my best friends, and I was caught completely off guard by her generosity. There is so much heart in this gift that it is more valuable to me than my favorite vintage car--a 1963 Split Window Corvette. So, while I can acknowledge nice architecture or a cool musical instrument, a simple gift like this one carry's so much more meaning when one considers how much time and labor went into it. This is truly what is meant by the term "a labor of love"-- and friendship!

This is actually my porch light. For the first time ever, I accidentally filmed 3 seconds of the light on my porch. Why? Because I fumbled with the camera settings outside in the dark as the batteries were running low. Anyhow, I don't know how many of you remembered that I promised to post these photos this past Thanksgiving. Either way, here they are! The point? I always keep my promises!

This shot is better--again, fumbling in the dark with camera settings I don't truly understand to begin with. Yes, I have the Owners Manual. I know, I know... By the way, that's THE Martha Stewart Christmas Wreath I also blogged about earlier last month! Remember that blog post? Of course you do!

My late Cousin liked watching Martha Stewart on TV. One day while visiting her, I asked her about it and she reluctantly admitted being a Martha fan. I could tell she didn't like me pinning her down on that point. This photo is dedicated to my Cousin, a great horsewoman (and a great Cousin whom I miss)!

Another exclusive just for you: My porch at 11 PM in Scottdale, Arizona. From the ground, this third story spectacle looks very cool. You'll just have to trust me about this! Or as Elvis Presley would say, "Thank you. Thank you very much". Incidentally, if you haven't been to Elvis' Graceland mansion at Christmas in Memphis, you're missing something huge! The King went all out and the staff at the mansion to this day still keeps up that tradition. My place is obviously not Graceland, but just the same, it's my place!

Graceland, baby!
(Photo: Unknown)

Elvis had a slightly bigger budget than mine.

I've visitied Graceland twice...somethin' else!
(Photo: Again, Unknown)

As the Holiday Season winds down, I hope my green light bulb installed in the lamp fixture on my balcony outside, with a 25 foot string of red lights makes my neighbors smile and ponder their own Christmas memories. And I hope the approaching New Year will bring you your best memories yet!

Michael

Merry Christmas from My Home to Yours!

2011-12-25T14:09:00.000-05:00

This is the best way for me to say Merry Christmas to each of you! I cherish your visits throughout the year. May this special day bring you blessings! Crank up the volume!

Smiles and Joy!
Michael

Christmas Wishes and Reflections for 2012!

2011-12-24T20:00:00.010-05:00

Anna Kournikova

Good Evening and welcome to Christmas Eve. So that there are no surprises, I'm sending Santa Claus a very detailed suggestion for what I want for Christmas with the above captioned photo. Whether he is able to exert any influence is another matter. But whatever the outcome, I will be sure and advise you here on this Blog Page. Yes, I am shameless in saying that I have excellent tastes.

Obviously, I haven't been blogging with my usual frequency. Just the same, I do want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

(Photo: Marshall Terrill)

This year I retired my Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival online after six years (this is the last time you'll have to hear me mention this). I have often told the story about how this labor of love originated during a winter sleet and hail storm on a North Carolina highway while I was driving a leased stretch van back to Ohio.

(Photo: Cracker Barrel Restaurants)

I had pulled off the Interstate into a Cracker Barrel restaurant parking lot to wait out the dangerous hail, and managed to pull a pad of paper and a pen from my briefcase with the heater running and the radio turned on to stay advised of the horrible weather. What I sketched out was an amusing idea: to use the Blog medium to present my readers with a participatory de-facto "Film Festival" detailing the films, along with anecdotes associated with my favorite actor: Steve McQueen. That was December, 2005.

Well ahead of this past March, I knew that I had reached the point of "burn out", and correctly decided it was time to end my online feature while I still had some creative energy left. While our numbers were down from the more than 7,000 participants who stopped by the 'Festival' in 2010, this year's 'Festival' was truly a blockbuster! My good friend and author Marshall Terrill returned as my guest for what he called "the best interview he had ever given". Period. That was quite an honor for me as the host!

(Photo: Valley Ho Hotel Scottsdale)

We audio taped the interview at Scottsdale's historic Valley Ho Hotel. While I had the interview transcribed, I worked in stages on finishing extensive write ups relative to the final selection of McQueen films. What emerged out of six-years of research was a gift of Grace--to be able to "go out on top" as 'they' say. I was at once mentally drained, yet emotionally relieved afterward. I'm told that The "Festival" had never been undertaken with Blogger anywhere in the United States. Whether or not this is an accurate statement, I was very proud of my work during those years. Marshall's extensive book research on Steve McQueen will soon be on the big screen in the form of a bio pic, and this is going to be very exciting. Those of you who wish to have a look at approximately 70 episodes of "The Festival" that I've archived can click-on the Festival banner image of Steve located in the upper right hand portion of this Blog Page. I've retained exciting interviews and movie reviews that were painstakingly compiled with a nod to "The King of Cool".

My workouts ground to a temporary halt after an early September neck and back strain. I hope to be back in the gym by January.

This past Spring, I managed to create an outline for my book. No, it's not ready yet. I'm not a voracious reader, but I do follow world news, financial news and select sports such as Formula One racing. In fact, one of two posts I created over the summer included the documentary film on the late Brazilian race car driver Ayrton Senna. The film won the Sundance Film Festival Award for Best Documentary of 2012.

My Broadcasting DVD became a primary focus to organize and complete over the last 13 months after considering (and subsequently dismissing) 11 videographers. Ultimately, I was fortunate to discover my new videographer Stjepan Alaupovic and he assembled a first-class film crew in Mesa, Arizona where we completed the DVD on October 29th. Post production began almost immediately for some 32-days and today, the DVD is available for viewing on my REEL Page and The Michael Manning YouTube channel HERE.

This week, my Bachelor of Arts degree was printed 12-years after I officially graduated. It's a long story that could become a television series ( that I won't go into). However, I'm reminded of a comment that I attribute to Larry King. "There's no greater revenge than success". Allow me to explain.

My high school Guidance Counselor once put her head down and pounded her desk top with her fists (in hysterical laughter) after asking me as a Freshman "What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?" Since Anna Kournikova was not then on my radar, I said, "I'd like to earn a degree in Psychology and follow my goals from there". Her "Saturday Night Live" performance did have some merit.

(Photo: 20th Century Fox)

I've always loved silly humor and was truly the "Class Clown"--impersonating friends, their parents, my school teachers, and actors. Anybody was fair game. My friends used to bribe me to give performances on back yard porches in the old neighborhood offering me pennies and dimes as an "inducement fee" for my Pacino-esque indulgences in hilarity!

(Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Unlike Gordon Gekko, I returned their funds and went ahead with my performances as a kid.

(My High School Guidance Counselor, Cruella DeVille at work)

My high school Guidance Counselor was obviously aware of my stand up routines and assumed creative license to become Cruella DeVille that day. In 1999, I tracked her down and wrote her a very nice letter (I really did keep it nice) reminding her of that day when she predicted my early demise. I included a gold embossed invitation to my graduation ceremony and told her she would be proud to learn that I made good on my word. She was long-retired by then, but I was still glad that I shared this with her with a graceful spirit. As Dr. Robert Schuller, Sr, once preached, "God's Delays are Not God's Denials!" Remember that. With this in mind, my DVD and Diploma were major projects in 2011.

On Monday, my electric guitar goes into the shop for a full set up as I've been playing it more than ever.

I have plans for a total website re-design at an unspecified future date. My photo shoot is still ahead. As usual, it's one thing at a time. Here's the most recent news:

This year, I mailed out about 50 Christmas cards. I've received about 10 responses so you do the math. I'm told that 10 responses in our current culture is a fairly decent response. From 1989-1999 I was foolish enough to spend a small fortune using a process called two-color spot-printing; I'd do a paste up of photos on the red side and a narrative letter on the green side. With the arrival of the new millennium, I opted out of that insanity. With that said, let's divert from our flight plan...

(Photo: Delta Air Lines)

For you architecture buffs: The Pan Am Worldport at JFK Airport is scheduled to be demolished by Delta Air Lines. I am hopeful that 94-year old Milton Hebald, the great sculptor who created the famous "Zodiac Screen" (ordered removed by Delta officials and now stored in a hangar at New York's Port Authority after Pan Am's shut down in 1991--condition unknown) will be able to celebrate his dream--namely--to live six more years to 100 and see the Zodiac Sculptures restored and placed in the future Pan Am Museum in Miami, Florida.

(Photo: Courtesy of The Milton Hebald Trust)

At the dawn of the Jet Age in 1960, when people actually had enough self-respect to dress appropriately before they boarded a commercial jet airliner, Worldport architect Walther Prokosch commissioned sculptor Milton Hebald to create a dramatic gateway to New York and the United States. Hebald responded to this challenge with the Zodiac Screen. Against a glass wall, his series of bronze sculptures spans 24 feet by 220 feet. It became the largest sculpture in the world, and provided passengers with a lasting impression of their arrival and departure from the United States’ entryway to the world.

There are 12 unique pieces: Aries, Aquarius, Cancer, Capricorn, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Pisces, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Taurus and Virgo. The 94-year-old Hebald states, “The creation of this sculpture took the greater part of my life. I felt that it truly related to all people. For some it spoke to astrology, others history, but even more so it spoke of beauty, love, and aesthetic gratification. I have never been more proud of one of my creations. I can happily go to my resting place knowing that people can once again enjoy the Zodiac”. I am hopeful that an angel will step forward and donate this magnificent edifice to The Pan Am Historical Foundation for inclusion in their future Museum in Miami, Florida!

(Photo: Pan Am)

We all have special wishes for the New Year. I hope your Christmas is filled with Love, Laughter and all good things that will fulfill your hearts desires.

"Dear Santa Claus:
Please work your magic!"

Christmas Blessings to All Who Stop By Here!

The Picture Parade From Palm Springs, California!

2011-12-15T00:01:00.006-05:00

The Original Article

It is amazing what one can learn--even if the timing is not on our ideal schedule. Such was the case yesterday with a relatively common task for most of you--uploading photos from my camera to my computer. Yes, I learned how!

Last week, I received an email asking why I didn't get around to posting photos I took from Thanksgiving Day. I visited Palm Springs to see some friends and probably brushed off my earnest photo upload intentions after looking over their limited content. In plain English, I laugh more at myself than I do anyone else. However, it was the late Leo Buscaglia who relentlessly encouraged his audiences to "keep the child within you alive"! After looking over these selections, I realized that these photos represent what I would have photographed if I were 10 years old! But since Photo Blogs are quite the rage, here is my installment.

Above Photo: Here I am outside of the restaurant after an "appropriate portion"-sized dinner of Filet Mignon (On the advice from Wikipedia I should advise you that this references "a steak cut of beef taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin"), Asparagus, a small Caesars' salad, a half-dollar size portion of baked potato's and a slim slice of pumpkin pie.

My table where I sat with friends is behind

the second green panel from your right.

Just as a point of reference.

Dedication: This is actually a photo taken with some unintended Defiance and before I explain, I'd like to dedicate it to the security guard on Highway 101 at Thunderbird Heights (apparently a VIP subdivision) who yelled at me: "Who are you and what are doing here!"

Senator Howard Baker (TN)

Forgive me, but this is so reminiscent of Senator Howard Baker during the televised Watergate hearings who asked the famous question: "What did the president know and when did he know it?" Truth be told, when I spotted this gate and wreath, I made a U-Turn, intending to snap a photo for the blog post you are now reading. I was standing outside of my car with my camera so I answered the guard as honestly as I could: "I'm just a guy with a camera and I'm photographing this beautiful wreath". At that point he blew stack (I've never used that phrase here--a 'first'!) because I pulled into the designated (actually unmarked) exit lane on the other side of his guard shack. He told me that I could have had an accident.

For my part, I tried to imagine Andy Williams driving towards me after the exit gate opened, albeit, with great care. There was never a risk of an accident with an access controlled gate and little if any VIP traffic. I told the guard to take it easy and obediently left the premises. He'll remember me. But I confess. I didn't feel very welcomed. Just the same, Merry Christmas to this man and no I'm not upset. "All's well, that ends well" as they say (and of course, we all know who 'they' are). Today, I can laugh. Moving on...

I do have a friend who knew President Gerald Ford. Of course, President Ford came to mind when I saw this sign. He loved to play golf in Palm Springs. I'm sure he would have defended me with tremendous charisma had he witnessed the scene at Thunderbird Heights.

Think about it. If you were developing an upscale subdivision, would you give it a name that sounds like a movie you might rent from a Safeway grocery store for Halloween? I'm not trying to be cruel or sarcastic. But a change of name might be in order. I just can't think of any now. More on that later... My friends had to suffer through the next stop below.

As is common knowledge on this blog site, I love cars and have since I was 6 years-old. Here is a 1959 Mercury that reminded me of re-runs of the "Perry Mason" television series. Raymond Burr seemed to have a different Ford in every other episode!

(Courtesy of CBS Television)

Now this is automobile styling with imagination. The Continental kit. By the way, there was probably more thought put into how to design the rear tail lights on this car than designers spend on entire automobiles today. This may explain why it is at every stop light most cars look about as exciting as a "refrigerator on four wheels". I used to think it was me. But after a visit to downtown Palm Springs where we trooped through some vintage car dealerships, I suddenly feel vindicated. I even turned to look at my car parked along the curb with some vexing thoughts of regret. This feeling soon passed. By the way...

(Courtesy of CBS Television)

I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing BUT the truth! This photo reveals a 1959 Mercury from an actual episode of "Perry Mason"! Serendipity? I don't think so. But I'm still rubbing my chin. While I'm in a humorous mood: Remember how the guilty party would break down in tears on the witness stand and confess at the end of many episodes of "Perry Mason"? But I digress. Back to cars...

Short story: When I was a 10-year old back in Ohio, there was a 21-year old guy on the next block who owned a candy apple red and white 1960 Corvette exactly like this one. My apologies for trying to take this photo in downtown Palm Springs through a window. Yes, the car lot was closed.

A Blast from the Past: My Uncle Jimmy once took a 1953 Ford Crestline two door coupe and installed a Ford 289 V-8 that blew the doors off of Corvettes on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. My brothers (who are 20 years older than me) reeled off a story about sitting three abreast on the cars front bench seat with my Uncle at the wheel one night (do not try this at home) when he drag raced a Corvette at a stop light (and won). What I found hilarious was that the engine was missing (misfiring in need of a tune up). This Ford Falcon was a beauty and had the same V-8 power plant under the hood. And you thought this was a Holiday Blog Post!

In the event of food poisoning, I might have wound up here at Eisenhower Medical Center, named after another former U.S. President. I'm assuming President Eisenhower enjoyed golfing in Palm Springs along with Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and Dinah Shore--each of whom have a boulevard named after them here! Let me see...

Yes! I suddenly feel like a contestant on "Jeopardy"! For 200 points: "Who played golf in Palm Springs?" But again, I digress.

Hey, how many of you remember Emmylou Harris' backup band in the 1990's named after this car? Yes, The Nash Ramblers! This is either a 1950 or 1951. Just wait. Some good soul will email me with the correct year. Anyhow, the Nash Rambler is rare. But so is Emmylou Harris!

Well, we've arrived at my last photo of Palm Springs (I feel like Garrison Keillor writing this). I call it "A house on a hill". If it looks like Scottsdale, Arizona I can't help that. In fact, I really can't tell you why I photographed this. I do remember that I was running out of daylight. Thanks for coming along on my trip to Palm Springs. If you see that security guard at Thunderbird Heights, well, just wave and drive on by. No use looking for trouble.

(Courtesy of TIME magazine)

Or as Cesar Romero used to say to Batman on the old television series: "Wild, isn't it!", and then break off in that high pitched laughter after dropping a smoke bomb to escape. I would never do that. But Cesar was versatile in the many roles he played.

Cesar Romero
(1907-1994)

Truly one of the great actors of all time!

All humor aside, this is how my mother remembers Cesar Romero--a great, great actor! So, in the event she is reading this half way across the country--A Toast to Each of You During the Holidays! Be well!

Michael

Break On Through: A Follow-Up to The Doors!

2011-12-13T00:23:00.000-05:00

While I work on a fresh topic for a future blog post, here is a brief look at The Doors in concert. It is a follow up to Sunday's post and gives the reader a better idea of the aura surrounding the band. The Doors were led by a daring Jim Morrison who took risks and "pushed the envelope"--for better or worse.

L.A. Woman Anniversary!

2011-12-11T23:33:00.006-05:00

A powerful title track that became the band's final LP

Had he lived, Jim Morrison would have been 68 years-old last Thursday. And if you think this is extraordinary, consider the following. A full 40 years have passed since The Doors recorded their sixth and final studio album, "L.A. Woman". The project was recorded at The Doors workshop (a house, actually at 8512 Santa Monica Boulevard) in Los Angeles between December 1970 and January 1971. The album was released on April 29, 1971. Jim Morrison left the United States for Paris that month where he died on July 3rd at age 27.

Over the past four decades, the band's popularity has remained consistently strong. The Doors came together after an encounter between Morrison and keyboardist Ray Manzarek, on a Venice, California, beach in 1965. The two were recent graduates of UCLA's film school (The Theater Arts Department of the College of Fine Arts). After recruiting guitarist Robbie Krieger and drummer John Densmore, The Doors' meteoric rise to fame arrived with the January 1967 hit "Light My Fire".

# 42 on Billboard's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time"

"Light My Fire": 3 Weeks at # 1 on Billboard's Top 100

Multi-Platinum Status

January, 1967

# 3 hit "People Are Strange" & # 25: "Love Me Two Times"

also: "Moonlight Drive"--a concert favorite

# 407 of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time"

Gold & Platinum Status

November, 1967

The band's only # 1 album with the hit "Hello, I Love You"

(the title song was not used on this album)

July, 1968

4th Top 10 single, "Touch Me"
July, 1969

# 4 with no hits, but a solid "back to basics"

effort. Standouts include:

"Roadhouse Blues" & "Waiting for the Sun" (begun in 1968);

Dave Marsh of Creem magazine opined: "the most horrifying rock and roll I have ever heard.
When they're good, they're simply unbeatable. I know this is the best record I've listened to ... so far"

February, 1970
-

However, it is generally acknowledged that "L.A. Woman" is the band's crown jewel. What makes this CD interesting is that the band started out playing psychedelic rock, transitioned to hard rock ("Morrison Hotel") and then evolved toward blues. With this in mind, it can be said that The Doors truly evolved backwards. Marc Benno, who co-founded The Asylum Choir with Leon Russell joined the "L.A. Woman" sessions on rhythm guitar, with Jerry Scheff on bass. Scheff was a member of Elvis Presley's TCB (Takin' Care of Business) touring band, and also toured with Roy Orbison and Emmylou Harris's "Hot Band".

Los Angeles became a gritty backdrop for the album's heavy laced themes of desperation and torment. Within the short span of four-years, the band literally exploded onto the American music scene with five disparate albums, each linked with lead singer Jim Morrison's influence as a poet. "The Soft Parade" was a controversial album that alienated hard core Doors fans with the use of horns and strings. Following a brutal reception, the band returned to its hard rock roots with "Morrison Hotel".

Jim Morrison's increasing dependence on alcohol and drugs led to erratic and unpredictable concert performances. On December 10, 1967 Morrison became the first rock and roll musician arrested on stage for "breaching the peace". That arrest led to a riot, however, all charges were later dropped. Following a concert on March 1, 1969 at an un-air conditioned former airplane hangar in Miami called The Dinner Key Auditorium, an arrest warrant was issued for Morrison by the Dade County Police department three days later for indecent exposure. This allegation led to decades of debate as to Morrison's guilt or innocence. The matter was finally resolved in December, 2010 after Florida Governor Charlie Crist secured a posthumous pardon for Jim Morrison.

With an IQ of 142, Morrison (like Kris Kristofferson) was a student of the poet William Blake and other philosophers. It was, in fact, a quote from Blake's "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" that The Doors found their name with this quote: "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite."

After the sessions for "L.A. Woman" were completed, a tour was scheduled. Only two appearances in support of the album were undertaken. The first was at the Dallas State Fair Civic Auditorium on December 11, 1970 which reportedly went well. However, the second performance on December 12, 1970 at The Warehouse in New Orleans led to Morrison having a breakdown on stage, marking his final appearance with the band.

Three months ago, The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek explained the title track of L.A. Woman as: "A song about driving madly down the LA freeway - either heading into LA or going out on the 405 up to San Francisco. You're a beatnik on the road, like Kerouac and Neal Cassady, barreling down the freeway as fast as you can go."

I would best describe The Doors as a band that was innovative, brilliant, controversial, and unpredictable. They were fronted by a musician, singer and poet whose theatrics onstage was driven by a dark poetic sensibility. He never considered himself a good singer. Nevertheless, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Jim Morrison as # 47 on their "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" list. The band's time line was compressed into only four years and six albums. Morrison's iconic status as a rebellious existentialist remains popular worldwide and has inspired musicians from Iggy Pop to Ian Astbury. The Door's brief meteoric burst across the universe reflects a moment in time where an unpopular war, civil unrest and artistic expression collided. Their history in rock music remains secure.

(Photos Courtesy of Joost Bazelmans)

Robbie Krieger in 2011

Ray Manzarek in 2011

Of the surviving band members, guitarist Robbie Krieger and keyboardist Ray Manzarek continue to tour as "Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek of The Doors". Drummer John Densmore has not joined his band mates.

Brief Blog Page Update!

2011-12-09T13:14:00.003-05:00

(I fired my barber after this photo was taken)

Good Morning: In November 2003, I was having a Thanksgiving meal with the family of one of my best buddies in Ohio over at his Mom's house (his Mom has known me and my family since I was about 8). Anyway, I went online soon after this dinner and about four months later, I added this BLOG Page that you are reading now (yes this very moment!).

This morning, I want to thank the more than 20,000 people who have visited this page so far in 2011 to review my Audio and Video Demo Reels (over at my REEL Page at www.michaelmanning.tv), my new and updated Biography (parked over at my ABOUT Page) which may not make it to the Discovery Channel (but hopefully it will make you laugh, because it's all true).

My schedule has been so erratic that we are a bit behind the 8 ball (so to speak) on a new photo shoot (for my Photo Page). But we'll get there. The subjects on this Blog page have been quite varied, but I hope there's something here that has either moved you or at least made you think this past year. Anyway, I'm enjoying my first cup of coffee and will get around to visiting all of you on my Blog Roll this weekend. Stay well and I hope the approaching festive Holidays find you Happy and surrounded by good people who Love you!

My Best!
Michael

What can I say?

Trevor Tredaway in December, 2011!

2011-12-08T04:09:00.000-05:00

Good Morning: Trevor Tredaway is back at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a blood and platelet transfusion. Christmas is fast approaching. If anyone who reads this post would at least stop and consider visiting Trevor's Caringbridge website and leaving his family a message, I would be very grateful.

January 4th is right around the corner. I believe that is the day I first left a comment on Trevor's Caringbridge website in 2008. Four years. Wow! It may as well have been yesterday, as far as I'm concerned. It certainly feels like that to me! I can't imagine being two and a half years old and receiving a brain tumor cancer diagnosis. Can you? Trevor is now 6. If you read nothing further about Trevor, this fact should reveal something to you. Trevor is one Determined little boy who wants to live. I know what it's like to be this Determined myself.

My parents almost lost me twice--two years back to back--and both involving 10 days in ICU (the Intensive Care Unit). I was just four years older than Trevor is today. A children's hospital saved my life both times. That miracle allows me to be here with you today, and to be blogging on my computer keyboard about different topics (and boy, they are different, I should know!), sharing some humor now and then, and even raising a little hell as I have recently.

A dear friend of mine in Missouri once wrote: "A sick child is a sick child no matter where they live". This statement is so powerful!

Trevor lives in Midland, Texas. You may live far away or nearby. You may be single like me, or a parent who can't imagine what you could say to Trevor's family on a website comment page. I guess that I have to stop and remember that what might come easy for me may be rough stuff for others to contemplate--and maybe even avoid when it comes to reading about a sweet kid battling cancer. It can be scary stuff thinking about an innocent child who is seriously ill. If you feel this way, consider these next two words: JUST LOVE!

I once dated a woman who said to me, "You know, I really don't get what you mean when you say 'just love'. I don't get that". I don't mean to sound cruel, but this rather limited understanding of life figured prominently in that person not making it to my future! And no, I won't bring up that Garth Brooks song. But my point is simple. All you have to do is love, to care and to put things "on hold" for five minutes. Now, I happen to know you have five minutes.

We live in a "busy world", filled with "busy people" walking around with cell phones glued to their ears and relentlessly chatting away in public places.

I've concluded these people are either legitimately "busy", or doing a very bad impression of Donald Trump!

At the end of the day, you don't have to live in a big house, drive an expensive car, have a lot of money in the bank or run with the "in" crowd to leave a message for a sick child. You just do it. You JUST LOVE. I'll close now with a little news about Melinda Tredaway's performance in the recent St. Jude Marathon Run. For the details, you'll have to go over to Trevor's website.

I have no idea how many of you reading this blog post are mothers? For months, many of us have been anticipating Melinda Tredaway's marathon run benefiting St. Jude Hospital. She trained long and hard for that grueling 26.3 mile race and made a commitment to run in honor of her son, Trevor. By God she did it and pounded the pavement farther than I ever did when I was a distance runner! Friends of mine who are triathletes tell me about the pain and the agony of enduring such a brutal running event. But Melinda's word is her bond and she raised $4,000 for St. Jude! If that isn't positive, if that isn't awesome, if that doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will!

People are struggling in a very bad recession. I know this all too well. Christmas may be very lean this year for you. But I'd like to suggest that the best way to give yourself a Christmas blessing is to drop by Trevor's web page. You'll see a number of comments (including mine). Slow down for five short minutes and give yourself a break from life's "busy-ness" by clicking HERE. That's all I have for now...

Thanks!

Michael

Michael Manning YouTube Channel!

2011-12-04T21:50:00.006-05:00

My new YouTube Channel is up and running. I hope you will have a chance to stop by and take a look at some of my work. Just click HERE.

I was very honored to interview two phenomenally talented people who epitomize the adage: "Be the Difference That Makes A Difference" in the world.

Mary Hadsall is the Executive Director of Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship, where disabled children and adults learn to be stronger than the obstacles in their lives. I first learned about Camelot during an online search before relocating to Scottsdale, Arizona from the Mid-West. The ranch is my favorite place in Arizona with an incredible staff of volunteers and inspiring students. With Mary's leadership, Camelot is one of the most wisely operated non-profit organizations in the United States. Each Christmas I pick a non-profit organization to blog about and support. This year, you'll be reading about Camelot here on my Blog Page, and I encourage you to visit their website.

A True Horse Tail

Whenever I am around horses, the spirit of my late cousin, a horsewoman who lost her battle with cancer is also with me. This Christmas marks the 10th year we are without her, and as we filmed this segment, it was impossible for me not to think about my cousin. I know she would have been so thrilled to know that this segment was produced. My cousin's gift in life was her love of animals. As a 3 year-old, she was sitting on a park bench with her mother (my Aunt) and a bird landed on her shoulder. It was immediately evident that my Cousin's gift was loving and caring for animals. Her life-long love of horses was so inspiring to me. When I was a kid, my cousin would telephone my parents to secure their permission to pick me up and drive me to her ranch for a visit with her Arabian horses. She loved British convertible sports cars (Triumphs and MG's) and I am certain that Steve McQueen would have admired my cousin's driving skills. We drove to the ranch at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, and I can still hear her yelling, "Feel the wind in your hair!" Such powerful memories!

A Shnnoogle Tale

Connie Douglas is an Arizona-based muralist and the creator of Shnnoogle--an illustrated book series that encourages children to make better choices in life through Love and Kindness instead of Fear and Doubt. Connie always wanted to make a difference in the world. When a close friend's son was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Connie admired how the boy's family rallied around him with love and encouragement. In 2005, a diagnosis of MS led Connie to refocus her life on what her legacy would be. Along with her series of illustrated children's books, Connie began work on a series of special canvas murals to brighten up the radiology department of The Phoenix Children's Hospital. The results were immediate for pediatric cancer patients who delighted in the positive encouragement of the murals. Connie also read from her books to children who were fascinated by the Shnnoogle character and the message of "making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time". Remarkably, Connie has been in remission for several years. I fully expect that you'll be seeing Connie as a guest on local and eventually national television programs to discuss her uplifting and positive message of Hope for children and even adults!

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Michael

Christmas Lights and More!

2011-12-03T18:00:00.001-05:00

Not my outdoor lights, but I'll post those photos soon!

I am by nature an organized person and an "early bird". My tax information is gathered pretty much by the first week of January. I hate putting off important tasks like arranging tax information and mailing Christmas cards. How about that for a segue? My cards are all mailed. I enjoy this tradition,along with spiked cider and egg nog.

Here's the Cider...

and the Egg Nog!

Before Thanksgiving, I opted for a metal Christmas wreath on my outside door. It made an audible "jingle" whenever the door was opened and closed, although I doubt that anyone really heard it besides me. Thanksgiving came and went. Then last week, I opted for a Martha Stewart Wreath on my door that resembled a multicolored collection of confetti that seemed much more cheerful.

This is Martha Stewart

Not an exact replica of my wreath

That same night, I began stringing large Red bulb Christmas lights on my balcony. While I'm on the subject of my balcony, I replaced the 60 watt bulb that was housed inside a triangular metal structure with a solid Green colored bulb.

Not an exact replica of my Green light bulb either

The desired effect was met (e, i, e, i,o) with my balcony bathed in the two primary colors of Christmas: Red and Green. As the only person I know who has trouble loading photos directly from my camera to my computer, I've been a little delayed with showing off the results. So, for the time being just think of it as "less is more".

I'll keep this post short by saying that over the years, I've come to enjoy Christmas light displays of all types--simple string lights affixed to roof lines of homes to elaborate ensembles along shopping districts. They all look great at night. I also enjoy seeing the expressions of children's faces when Santa Claus is visiting a shopping mall. What do you enjoy most about the approaching festive holidays? Over to you...

Op/Ed: A New Chapter for American Airlines?

2011-12-02T00:01:00.014-05:00

Robert Crandall

(All Photos: American Airlines)

Outspoken and controversial Robert Crandall. I'll give him this much. He is credited with using computerization as an effective tool for yield management in the airline industry. American once owned Sabre, the South Lake, Texas-based travel technology company. Tom Plaskett, a former VP of Marketing under Crandall, actually created Super Saver fares and the first frequent flyer program in the airline industry known as AAdvantage. A ruthlessly competitive executive, Crandall retired in 1998. He was succeeded by Donald Carty.

Donald Carty

Today, Donald Carty is Chairman of Virgin America Airlines and a trustee of Southern Methodist University, where I was a student in the late 1990's. He also serves on the Executive Board of the SMU Cox School of Business. He succeeded Bob Crandall in 1998 and resigned in 2004. Carty was succeeded by Gerald Arpey.

Gerald Arpey

Gerard Arpey is a 29-year veteran of AMR who joined the airline as a financial analyst. He became Chief Executive Officer in 2003 and succeeded Donald Carty as Chairman of AMR Corporation and American Airlines in 2004. After nearly eight-years of struggling to keep AA out of bankruptcy court, Arpey resigned after the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing was announced this past Tuesday. He was succeeded by Thomas Horton.

Thomas W. Horton

Thomas Horton succeeded Gerald Arpey and was named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AMR Corporation and American Airlines. He has served AA as President of AMR Corporation and American Airlines since July 2010. Bankruptcy became a serious option placed on the bargaining table as recently as August. It was unavoidable. But will the company use Chapter 11 as a tool to fix the company?

Blog When You're Asked To
Blog bud "Sage" and others have inquired whether or not I might be writing about the American Airlines Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of this past Tuesday. My response was that I would do so here on my Blog Page. I'm certain that some of these requests were driven by the fact that I lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth market (where American is based) for over 20 years. Part of my career involves writing about airlines and keeping a complicated topic reasonably simple. Since I've been away from the DFW market for almost a decade, I can look back at my time spent in "Big D" with the advent of objectivity.

Three months after moving to Dallas as a young kid, I witnessed the shut down of Braniff International. Sadly, Braniff was the first major casualty of airline deregulation. I also watched Southwest Airlines (itself based in Dallas) grow from a very small airline that bucked traditional wisdom, into the nation's largest domestic carrier renowned for low fares, treating their employees well and earning the respect and allegiance of millions of passengers who delight in the airline's "fun" approach to air travel. I've had plenty of time during my years in Texas to observe American, and here are my impressions.

American Airlines' problems are embedded in its corporate culture relative to how it views itself, its employees and its passengers. Management at American needs to make some changes.

A Look Back

Throughout the 20 years that I lived in Dallas, Texas, American Airlines assumed the persona of its former chief Robert Crandall. Basically, Bob has alternately been called a ruthless, brilliant, infuriating, tireless and intimidating airline chief whose bare-knuckled tactics helped make American at once the most envied and loathed airline in the world for years. However, those heady days of swagger and arrogance were never corrected and one of the longer-term consequences has resulted in the airline's Chapter 11 filing of this past week. I say this with sincere regret for the employees of American who are often cited as being at the center of the carriers problems by earning unrealistic salaries. That, my friends is not the full story.

American's Corporate Culture: 'Us Versus Them'
As difficult as this may be for some to read, American Airlines' problems are rooted in decades of arrogance, ego and avarice. That successive CEO's have largely maintained the status quo at the carrier throughout the 1980's and up until this past week is evidence of more than a terminal disconnect from understanding the needs of its employees and the flying public. It amounts to an utter failure to face problems head-on that are deeply embedded in a corporate culture than needs to be dismantled and rebuilt from the top-down. American officials must understand that the public doesn't exist to fly American. Rather, American was established as a business to serve the public. Origination and destination flights are largely controlled by American Airlines at their main hub (DFW International Airport) where fares were doled out with an attitude of "Take it or leave it. We own this market". American's new direction must adopt a different attitude. It is a commodity environment we are living in today where the consumer carries the "big stick" and decides who they will fly with their wallets. Chapter 11 bankruptcy, if used wisely, can provide the airline with the tools and the opportunity to change for the better. As my Op/Ed will reveal, American can and must seize this opportunity. It all begins with attitude and taking a deep look at some painful realities.

Once the world's largest carrier, it always appeared to me that whatever American wanted--American got. They were always the "big kids on the block" and the attitude was not always pretty.

Back in 1982, after Howard Putnam took over the reigns of the hometown airline, Braniff International, Bob Crandall placed a telephone call to Putnam to discuss his concerns over what he believed to be unfair competition. Crandall telephoned Putnam without realizing that Putnam was secretly taping the conversation which is reported to have taken place this way (my apologies to my readers in advance for the language contained in this quotation):

Crandall: I think it's dumb as hell, for Christ's sake all right, to sit here and pound the shit out of each other and neither one of us is making a fucking dime.

Putnam: Well...

Crandall: I mean, goddamn! What the fuck is the point of it?

Putnam: Nobody asked American to serve Harlingen. Nobody asked American to serve Kansas City. If you're going to overlay every route of American's on top of every route that Braniff has, I can't just sit here and allow you to bury us without giving you our best effort.

Crandall: Oh, sure. But Eastern and Delta do the same thing in Atlanta and have for years.

Putnam: Do you have a suggestion for me?

Crandall: Yes, I have a suggestion for you. Raise your goddamn fares twenty percent. I'll raise mine the next morning. You'll make money and I will too.

Putnam: Robert, we can't talk about pricing.

Crandall: Oh, bullshit, Howard! We can talk about any goddamn thing we want to talk about!

Braniff officials turned over the audio tapes of this conversation to the U.S. Department of Justice who brought an anti-trust action against Crandall and American resulting in a steep fine. American paid the fine. But the damage from this embarrassing exchange hurt American's credibility after it was reported in the business press. My point in referencing this conversation today is two-fold.

First, the airline industry is brutally competitive. However, the antagonism of Bob Crandall earned him the unfortunate nickname of "The Fang" and "Darth Vader"--the latter is a central character in the Star Wars movie saga. While Crandall's brash nature at American has been softened by successors over the years who are viewed as more diplomatic, there remains an "us versus them" siege mentality in the management suite at American regarding the position of organized labor. There hasn't been any marketing innovation at American to distinguish their service from its competitors since the introduction of the Boeing 747 and that was a long time ago.

Second, a company's corporate culture is vitally important and employees must come first. At Southwest Airlines, management recognizes that without happy employees, there are no passengers. The management and employees of Southwest don't take themselves seriously, but they do take their jobs seriously and undertake all tasks with innovation, professionalism and a fun spirit. American's efforts in recent weeks to handicap labor toward rejecting contracts that were unrealistic appeared to be part of a deliberate prelude to a bankruptcy filing. While labor is clearly an important part of any airline reorganization, relations between American and its pilots and flight attendants have always been a source of friction.

By comparison, it should be noted that Southwest Airlines is the most heavily unionized airline in America. Nevertheless, Southwest has always enjoyed excellent relations between management and labor; there has never been an "us versus them" scenario at Southwest, and I doubt that this will ever become an issue in their future.

From the perspective of American Airlines management, its labor costs are cited among the chief reasons that the airline was hampered from remaining competitive. Again, that is a point of view that I don't happen to agree with wholeheartedly. Substantially every airline has had to make adjustments to current economic reality. American's problems leading up its Chapter 11 filing were brought about by questionable decisions carried out by management over many years that led to unwieldly cost structures. I submit that better communication over this time line beweeen labor and management might have mitigated American's cost structure issue. Fast forward to the present where those years of lousy decision-making collided with a lingering recession, high fuel costs and an aging fleet that includes 247 gas guzzling McDonnell Douglas MD-80 twin-jets. Unfortunately, American's managers dating back to Bob Crandall's tenure considered themselves invulnerable. As history has taught us, that kind of attitude left unchecked will kill an airline.

Turbulence

In 1993, a bitter 5-day flight attendant strike led American's management to react by training 1,300 managers and volunteers as replacement workers before U.S. President Bill Clinton intervened to halt the work stoppage. Bob Crandall and his lieutenants handled the issues brought forth by their flight attendant group with acrimony. People who feel that their voices are not being heard become angry and defensive. This was the case at American. Absent any constructive dialogue, the airline unnecessarily lost $10 million a day, and the bitterness from employees and passengers in the aftermath of President Clinton's intervention lingered for many years. Bob Crandall resigned in 1998, and American continued with Don Carty at the helm. American Airlines was not fleet footed enough over the past decade in making the tough decisions required to reinvent itself. They just seemed to amble along with the same old practices, and that age-old swagger and arrogance finally started to tarnish.

In 2004, Don Carty resigned after it was discovered that $14 million had been earmarked to reward American's executives after labor groups had agreed to accept significant salary cuts. The employees were never advised of the executive compensation arrangement, and Carty was quickly replaced by Gerald Arpey after this incident.

To many observers, American has remained an inward-thinking, self-satisfied company focused obsessively on code shares (the code share with British Airways is a prime example, requiring over eight years of lobbying by the airline) in lieu of getting people to sit down and work together. When the people who actually operate the business work with the people who create the business plan, it's remarkable what can be accomplished! In recent years, any mergers that might have made sense for American seemed to be ignored. In the meantime, (for better or worse) Delta merged with Northwest in 2009 and United merged with Continental in 2010. American refused to adapt, insisting that it could remain independent. As its corporate culture continued to operate with "business as usual", American began losing market share to competitors. It simply wasn't a fully functional airline. With a new opportunity for American to reinvent itself and "act like a real airline"--to quote Gordon Bethune-- American has a chance for a future to become a better company. A comparison with American's nearby domestic competitor Southwest Airlines, based at Dallas Love Field is relevant.

An Airline's Most Valuable Assets

By comparison, Southwest Airlines deliberately designed it's business plan with a philosophy of recognizing its most important assets were its people. Herb Kelleher never once regarded the airplanes, gates, routes or stock price of the company as priorities. And while Southwest purchased Muse Air, Morris Air and most recently, AirTran Airlines, the airline's philosophy has never been focused on becoming the biggest carrier in the world--just the best. From the airline's inception, the employees of Southwest were regarded with the highest order of integrity and respect. As most of you know, at Southwest the employees come first, and no-the customer is NOT always right. This is logical. If employees are not satisfied with how they are treated, how can they be expected to serve the public? What is best for the employees is every bit as consistent with what is good for the long-term aspirations of the company and the flying public on Southwest. Southwest's employees are truly partners in profit and enjoy an excellent rapport with managers who consider themselves to be "employees". Southwest management has an "open door policy" with its employees. Challenges and solutions are discussed with candor and employees are roundly rewarded when profitability is enhanced at every turn. Management is sincerely interested in listening to what its employees have to say! Add to this picture, a generous compensation plan that rewards employees monthly for on time performance, baggage handling and having the fewest complaints. It's awfully hard for me to see such a scenario at American Airlines--at least today.

As Gordon Bethune, former CEO of Continental Airlines and author of the best seller, "From Worst to First" shared with me back in 2007 when I sat down to interview him, "Chapter 11 won't fix your company. It'll fix your balance sheet and restructures things. But if you go into bankruptcy a crummy company and you don't change--you come out a crummy company. Just like Continental did in 1983 and went back into bankruptcy in 1990 because it didn't change". American Airlines needs to change or it doesn't have much of a future. For the sake of brevity, I've omitted my commentary on American's disastrous 2001 purchase of Trans World Airlines. As Gordon Bethune asked me, "How did that turn out for them?". His question highlighted the answer. If you must, go ahead and Google it.

Chapter 11 Presents an Opportunity

I don't have a crystal ball. But if I were a betting man, I'd look for a number of changes at American Airlines. To begin with, American will likely use the Chapter 11 process to lower salaries across the board, probably get rid of pension obligations, reject leases on fuel guzzling older jet aircraft, renegotiate aircraft and real estate leases, and return with a much lower cost basis than they presently have. There is but no question that they will lean down and become tougher competitors as they reshape their finances. But this is really just window dressing.

The bottom line is this: American has to fix their company. They can no longer manage their business and employees as they have for decades with an inward focus. They have to knock off the testosterone-driven behavior of arrogance and begin to steer their company with a business plan that has some modicum of leadership and objectives that make sense. Future initiatives must create value for American's employees--the company's most important assets, the flying public and potential investors. An entirely new attitude toward making sure that management and labor work together to achieve goals with a common consensus is necessary to undergird a solid business plan. Those 460 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft American recently ordered sounds exciting to many (even though I can't understand 'muddying the water' by purchasing Airbuses). But empty airplanes are not exciting-and that's what American will wind up with unless they fix the company.

Some analysts predict American will now become an attractive takeover target for US Airways. Such a merger, in my view, would be a mistake.

US Airway's internal labor strife, five-years after a reverse merger with America West remains a very ugly reality. Employees of both companies are still fighting over unresolved seniority integration issues. What distinguishes any company from having a poor morale to having a winning morale is the tone set by management. US Airways has earned a terrible reputation with respect to how management has allowed bitter integration conflicts to fester five years after being rescued by America West. Ask any former employee of America West how this merger turned out for them. Look at US Airways' DOT performance with on time arrivals, baggage handling and customer complaints. Go ahead and Google that too! I marvel that US Airways remains a going concern! Is this a company fit to merge with American Airlines? Consider the following.

US Airways recently experienced a work slowdown that was ended only after the company asked a federal court Judge to intervene. The court ordered an end to the work slowdowns initiated by labor to protest the post-merger "shrug of the shoulders" employees from both airline groups have correctly identified as thwarting contract negotiations. I find it incredulous that this issue isn't embarrassing to US Airways CEO Doug Parker. It has been dragging on for five years! Is this the kind of company you would want to work at? Is this the type of airline you want to fly? US Airways and American have much in common in terms of corporate strife. Hopefully, American will have less and less in common with US Airways' woes in the days and weeks ahead if it makes some intelligent decisions.

Let's Wrap This Up
American Airlines has many problems. It's employees are not central to what ails American. The airline's departments have never worked together as a team pulling in the same direction. This cannot be accomplished with the level of mistrust and frayed relations between management and employees. With this in mind, the challenge for American's new CEO Tom Horton remains whether or not American can truly transform itself as Gordon Bethune did over at Continental. Upon Bethune's arrival at Continental in 1994, nobody believed that airline stood a chance in hell of surviving. It was truly in far worse shape than American is today. Continental didn't have the benefit of $4.1 billion in liquidity on hand, and an order for $38 billion worth of new Airbus and Boeing aircraft on the books to save fuel and operating costs. In fact, American doesn't even need debtor in possession financing (DIP facility) to fund its reorganization. What American needs is common sense.

Tim Horton has inherited a challenge to deconstruct and rebuild American Airlines with a new vision for its employees, its economic stake holders and the flying public. At Continental, Gordon Bethune held a rule book burning ceremony as he and his employees set about redefining the goals of the "new" Continental. Mr. Horton would do well to consider doing the same at American. It would certainly send a signal to everyone that the people who work at American will be paramount in their new business thinking. Whether this is possible remains open to question. Just the same, I'd recommend that they consider hiring Bethune as a consultant as Delta did (twice). I am skeptical about whether Bethune would even consider such an offer. But if he is approached, in the interim, I'd seriously advise American officials to distribute copies of Gordon's book to every unit manager and supervisor at American. Either way, I wish American Airlines well.

(Image: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)

"It's time to act like a real airline"

(Suggested Reading for American Airlines or Anyone Else)

January 2012 Airways Magazine Issue!

2011-11-27T00:00:00.026-05:00

(Photo: Allegiant Air)

Allegiant Air: Profitable beneath the radar

by Michael Manning

As the worldwide economy began to spiral into deep recession during 2008, airline analysts predicted that losses for global carriers would reach a staggering $11 billion. Indeed, by the first quarter of 2009, the International Air Transport Association reported that of the projected global loss, $2.8 billion of red ink would come from United States carriers alone. Weak yields and a spike in crude oil prices decimated balance sheets. Low-cost carriers JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines were anticipated to maintain profitability; however, few expected the performance of relatively unheralded Allegiant Air.

This is the teaser for my new business article on low fare airline, Allegiant Air. It's not broadcasting. You'll find no cameras, no teleprompter, no audio and lighting technicians, and definitely no musicians here. Just a magazine article I enjoyed writing--plain and simple. If "plain and simple" appeals to you, the January issue is now on sale at fine bookstores and newsstands worldwide!

Have a nice weekend!
Michael

Next: The Brazilian Grand Prix!

2011-11-26T09:37:00.000-05:00

Lewis Hamilton

In Sao Paulo, Lewis Hamilton driving for McLaren had the fastest practice time the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix yesterday. He outpaced the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber with a time of 1 minute, 13.392 seconds at the 2.6-mile Interlagos track. Vettel was second with a time of 1:13.559 ahead of Webber with 1:13.587.

"The car was pretty good today. I'm quite comfortable with the setup changes I made going into the session," Hamilton said. "You never know what the Red Bulls are doing, but we are in a similar pace as the Ferraris. I think the Red Bulls will still be quicker in race pace."

With the title already decided, Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix features the fight for second place, with Webber, Alonso and Jenson Button still with a chance to finish runner-up.

Michael Schumacher, a seven-time world champion and a four-time winner in Brazil, was fifth in his Mercedes with a time of 1:13.723. However, the crowd favorite Felipe Massa, in his 100th race with Ferrari, was sixth fastest on a hot day in Interlagos with 1:13.750.

The constructors' championship also has been decided in favor of Red Bull, with McLaren set to finish second and Ferrari at least third no matter what happens in Sunday's race.

How is Your Black Friday Going?

2011-11-25T14:34:00.006-05:00

Palm Springs, California

Wal Mart & Pepper Spray
Before I get into how I spent Thanksgiving, I have to mention that today is what they call "Black Friday" (of course we all know who 'they' are). I was enjoying my first cup of coffee this morning when my neighbor saw me standing on my balcony and yelled over "Did you hear what happened?" Me: "No, what happened?" My Neighbor: "Two women used pepper spray on each at a Wal Mart in Porter Ranch, California. Isn't that crazy?". Me: "Uh, well. I don't go to Wal Mart. They have this knack of running small businesses out of town". As a footnote, I was raised around a small "Mom & Pop" business. My late uncle always told me, "Wherever you buy, be sure and support the small business owner because they are the backbone of America". Hence, my allegiance to those who have sadly joined the ranks of "the underdog".

Neighbors & Old School

This exchange that I just described with my neighbor had me confused for a split second with what I call a "Mid-Western moment". Don't get me wrong. Where I reside in Scottsdale, Arizona is nice. We have some wonderful people who live here, and some great places to hang out. But it's a gated community, which is quite different than growing up on the West side of Cincinnati in the 1970's. As kids, our parents hung their wash out to dry on clothes lines in their back yards. Needless to say, we had no walls or gates to isolate us in Ohio. But we seemed to have lost that sense of speaking directly to our neighbors today.

My mother recently lost a neighbor from the old street where I grew up. She told me over the telephone how sad this loss made her feel. She remembered that they would call each other up over the telephone to share a new recipie. Back then, Mom walked across the street and rang the doorbell of our neighbor to swap recipes. Today, I have a hard time seeing people doing this without running the risk of facing a loaded gun or a security guard at the respective address (assuming that you live in a gated community). But I digress. I can only surmise that the two women at the aforementioned Wal Mart must have argued over the "last toy" during Christmas shopping (or something on this order of stupidity) and nearly came to blows. Someone had pepper spray in their purse. I shook my head, smiled and waved to my neighbor before walking back into my bungalow. Police this morning were still looking for the source of the pepper spray. I don't know how else to put this. We live in a world that is getting crazier by the day. Moving along...

They've Got Christmas Lights Up Already!

I keep my Christmas list simple. My Mom and my Aunt and that's it. Otherwise it gets out of control and people start feel guilty and mailing me packages that don't make it past the security guard at the gate (did I mention that Scottsdale is a gated community?). Therefore, it's sometimes hard to get that comfortable small town "warm and fuzzy" feeling from nice neighbors. Sorry, I digressed again. I promise to stay on point from here on out.

Some friends invited me to travel to Palm Springs for Thanksgiving. We wound up at the Acqua Pazza California Bistro. I know this sounds like a plug. But it isn't (even though I keep receiving e-mails asking me to plug other people's press releases). I just happened to be there. The weather was very nice outside at our table, and the food was good.

I know you're just dying to know what I ordered, so I'll end the suspense. Filet Mignon (medium) with Asparagus and a small portion of baked potato. I also drank a Kettle One Screwdriver. The drink was good but I won't lie. I felt a little dizzy. It could be allergies. My friends and I discussed this and fortunately, I wasn't alone. So, if I have to do Bogart impressions I'll just order a Fuzzy Navel. Otherwise, I recovered sufficiently to say "Let's get out of here and drive around".

But not before a traditional slice of Pumpkin pie! My compliments to The Chef!

There really is a downtown Palm Springs! And knowing of my love of cars, my friends drove me to McCormick's Classic Auto Auction. This Cadillac reminded me of the film, "Stealing Home". Just rent the DVD and watch for the scene with the kid in the Pink Cadillac--hysterical!

A 1957 Corvette that was authenticated by Hemming's.

Here is a rare Plymouth Roadrunner convertible.
(Vintage 1969).

One of the local resident's parked his car on the front lawn...no wait, just kidding! This is, of course, the Batmobile created by George Barris for the 1966 television series. It isn't really in Palm Springs (see Wayne Manor in the background...and no walls and gates--a dead give away) but I couldn't resist!

Cars and consignment shops. All closed. Probably had something to do with Thanksgiving Day. But we had fun.

Now comes the Christmas season. My friends and I hung out in downtown Palm Springs and had one of those coffee's where you "celebrate the moment of your life"--yes, that television commercial--only our coffee's were much better. Then I headed home to Phoenix at sundown. Hope your Thanksgiving Day was nice!

Michael

New TV Commerical Featuring Trevor Tredaway & Robin Williams!

2011-11-23T02:28:00.004-05:00

You can view the new television commercial for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital featuring Trevor Tredaway and Robin Williams by clicking HERE!

Wishing each of you who visit here a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Michael

The Art of Shelby Lynne!

2011-11-19T17:38:00.004-05:00

If you're like me, you have a massive compact disc collection at home. One of the things I can honestly say is that I have played the hundreds of CD's I do have on hand to no end; I really listen to them. There is hardly a morning in the week where I don't walk out the door to my car with at least one or two CD's in my hand.

Among my collection, I have always enjoyed Shelby Lynne's music. Years ago, I spent 33 days in Los Angeles on a business trip from hell that coincided with considering whether or not I wanted to relocate there. Looking back, it seemed that each day stretched into a 12-hour ordeal of empty promises or broken meetings ad nauseum, before I'd return to the Radisson LAX where I was staying. However, one night I decided to treat myself to a concert by Lucinda Williams at the El Rey Theatre. I knew next to nothing about Lucinda before the show. But in the middle of her performance, Shelby Lynne appeared as a surprise guest on stage to the delighted audience. I enjoyed her humor and sass. Sadly, she sang all too briefly and was gone. But the crowd loved how she popped in unannounced--thus, the term "surprise guest"!

This afternoon, a friend asked me over a cup of coffee to rattle off a list of musicians I like and Shelby's name came up. I was asked to explain why I liked each musician I mentioned on my short list.

In the case of Shelby Lynne, I explained that she is, in my estimation, a true artist. She never sells out her personhood or her music. The old addage of "What you see is what you get" is truly personified. She's her own person. I also happen to find her songwriting interesting. As a performer, Shelby Lynne can be described as: transparent, authentic and sincere. These are qualities that an audience comes to really admire. In the crushing music scene of today, the onslaught of new musicians can overwhelm the senses in sheer numbers. Regrettably, it is easy to see and just as quickly forget many "promising newcomers". This observation should not be mistaken as a slam.

Few musical artists today have an identifiable style to the point where you can hear their voice over a car radio and know instantly who it is that you are listening to. Then there's Shelby Lynne, who is easily recognized from the crowd--which is refreshing. Critics of Lynne have complained that her recordings are varied and never follow a predictable pattern. Relative to this point, one only needs to look at how Bob Dylan is similarly excoriated or deemed a genius by the critics! Predictability has it's place. But if predictability is the litmus test for those who "push the buttons and pull the levers" in today's dysfunctional music industry, God help us all!

Where established artists like Shelby Lynne could once count on record labels to back their releases with ample marketing and publicity departments, that world is non-existent. Instead, they are left to market themselves on independent labels and fight for air play at a time when compact disc departments have all but disappeared from bookstores. Music fans have resorted to paying for the privilege of downloading songs (one at a time) online. Who could have imagined such lunacy? Nevertheless, in the end, it's all about "remaining true to thyself" even if the music industry's business model is broken.

In this regard, actor Dustin Hoffman once said that if he had not burst through on the national scene with the Mike Nichols film "The Graduate", he probably would be acting in church basement plays.

Bob Dylan is grounded much in the same way. Whether dealing with fans who were furious with him in the mid-1960's for introducing the electric guitar into his sets or performing songs from his born-again Christian period, he has always chosen his own road. To wit, at the same time that a music critic commented that one of his CD's..."follows too many detours to be consistently compelling, and some of those detours wind down roads that are indisputably dead ends", Dylan's collaboration with Sam Shepard on "Brownsville Girl" was deemed "a work of genius". Go figure. Dylan himself has appeared unfazed from this cacophony while exploring musical styles ranging from rockabilly to Western swing, jazz, and yes, even the occasional lounge ballad.

The terrific new CD I've been enjoying from Shelby Lynne

An artist who stays true to themselves can never be called a "sell-out", and I have always respected this characteristic in Shelby Lynne. She is a true artist who refuses to be labeled and constrained to genre's. Add to that a remarkable singing voice that can interpret an emotion magnificently, and well, you have not only a true artist, but one who is clearly in a class by herself. Enjoy this video and your weekend!

Michael

A Toast to Regis Philbin: His Final Day Hosting "Live"!

2011-11-18T02:55:00.004-05:00

Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa

(Photo: WABC TV New York)

Regis Philbin’s final episode as co-host of "Live! with Regis & Kelly" will air this morning from WABC TV studios in New York City. It's hard for me to fathom Regis at age 80. After more than 28 years spent in daily morning television--23 of those years on "Live!"--he signs off from one of the most coveted broadcasting posts in our industry.

Reflection and admiration are the two words that come to my mind for this television legend. Philbin first gained national stature as a sidekick to late-night talk show host Joey Bishop during the 1960's. While many people may not remember, "Live with Regis & Kelly" actually had its roots as "The Morning Show" in New York. Philbin relocated from Los Angeles to Manhattan and took the co-hosting job with Cindy Garvey. Garvey left the show after one year and was succeeded by Ann Abernathy. Then in 1985 Kathie Lee Gifford co-hosted for a 15-year run before leaving the show in 2000. After a long succession of trial co-hosts, Kelly Ripa became Regis Philbin's co-host in 2001.

As it is widely known, Philbin holds the Guinness World Record for the most hours spent before a television camera, including his three-year run from 1999 to 2002 as host of the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"

I'll keep this tribute short by mentioning some passing thoughts. There isn't a broadcaster in America who went to sleep last night without thinking about Regis Philbin's final morning on "Live". Leaving the show will be very difficult. It is an endearing and fitting compliment for me to say that Americans have grown so comfortable with Regis Philbin, that we are guilty to some degree of taking him for granted. Regis Philbin is not only an American institution, he became a part of the lives of millions of viewers each weekday morning.

Dick Clark used to speak so often about the need for any successful television personality "to make an unforgettable emotional impression with viewers". This is only achieved by revealing one's "transparent self"--to coin an over-used phrase. But in Philbin's career, his authentic comedic sensibilities and a genuine heart for others--including children in need--endeared him to all of us.

Recently on this Blog, I have discussed at length the day that I decided what career path was right for me. Like Regis Philbin, I was somewhat nervous about announcing my intentions to my parents. I was 11 years-old during that first week of June, when I informed them over lunch about of four areas that interested me for a career, and that "Well, I figured out what I want to do with my life". Three of those four areas inextricably revolved around broadcasting.

When people ask me about wearing many hats, they are really describing just one of millions of paths we broadcasters take; I have met very few people in life who are single-dimensional in their interests and talents. Many people may not be aware of their multiple talents, but I believe just about everyone possesses this characteristic. After losing several close friends in recent years to both illness and accidents, I've been forced to confront the fact that we have but one chance in this life to fully actualize our God-given potential. The rest is up to us--as daunting as that may sound. To this point, Regis Philbin has hosted game shows, appeared in guest roles on other television shows, appeared in feature films, he has recorded music albums, and he has written and co-written multiple books.

To Regis: You have not only lived the dream--that dream will continue. I salute you with great respect, with laughter and with my prayers for the "second half" of a life that is not only lived well, but with your amazing wife, Joy, well loved. We will miss you after you leave the air this morning. But we sincerely hope to see you latch onto projects of the heart that will allow us all to say: 'We still remain in touch'.

God speed!

Michael

Ronny Cox In Concert This Saturday!

2011-11-17T00:00:00.004-05:00

Ronny Cox

On November 7th, I blogged about actor and musician Ronny Cox. He will be coming to Cave Creek, Arizona to perform in concert. Ronny appeared with Ned Beatty and co-stars Burt Reynolds and Jon Voight in the 1972 John Boorman film "Deliverance". Nominated at the 1973 Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Picture, it is widely hailed as Reynold's finest work. The jarring landmark picture is about four Atlanta businessmen who decide to escape suburban life for a weekend camping and canoe trip along Georgia's Cahulawassee River.

Essential to the film is the famous "Dueling Banjo's" scene featuring Ronny's acoustic guitar play off with Billy Redden. "Dueling Banjo's" peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 100 chart in the United States for four weeks.

Jack Williams

Ronny will be joined by South Carolina-born singer-songwriter-guitarist Jack Williams on stage at Cave Creek Coffee Company in Cave Creek, Arizona on Saturday, November 19th. Ronny and Jack have collaborated musically many times in recent years, touring together on the US folk circuit and recording/producing one of Ronny’s CDs. Each will present his own music and stories in two separate sets, with Jack joining Ronny to accompany him on guitar. Here is a recollection from actor Burt Reynolds about "Deliverance":

"I knew the script was flawless, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to establish myself as a serious actor. For three months work, I accepted $50,000, much less than I got for 'Dan August', but worth one hundred times that in credibility. At some point (John) Boorman mentioned he'd cast Jon Voight as Ed, an even-tempered man who never challenged himself. Compared to my character, Lewis, who lived to confront danger, he was the big question mark. I'd adored John's work. He'd just been nominated for an Oscar for his role in Midnight Cowboy.

"Boorman asked if I'd read with him. As soon as I agreed,Jon suddenly appeared. He's been hiding in an adjoining office. I wasn't surprised. Jon, a soft-spoken man, has flawless timing. And I knew Boorman was testing my reaction. Jon and I improvised for about an hour, until we had each other in stitches and Boorman was satisfied.

" Then our shrewd director asked us to help pick the other two guys. I'd heard Boorman loved actors; this told me it was true. He knew the chemistry on the picture had to be perfect, and wanted us involved in the selection process.

"I hear there are two wonderful stage actors doing The Pueblo Incident at the Arena Theater in Washington, D.C.", he said.

"All of us flew there and saw these two sensational actors, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox. After the play, we went backstage and told them they were in the movie. Neither had done a movie before and they were thrilled. Boorman, Voight, and I were equally excited. It was really quite moving to walk into a room and be a part of handing two guys a dream role, something you know will change their lives".

--Burt Reynolds from his book, My Life

In 2008, Deliverance was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The concert will be great fun.

WHAT: Ronny Cox and Jack Williams in Concert at Cave Creek Coffee Company

WHEN: Saturday, November 19, 2011 7:30 PM -10:30 PM

WHERE: Cave Creek Coffee Company, 6033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek AZ. 85331

CONTACT: For more information on the Jack Williams and Ronny Cox concert at Cave Creek Coffee Company please call 480.488.0603 or visit the website at http://www.cavecreekcoffee.com/

COST: $22.00 in advance online or $25.00 at the door

Note: An argument could be made that this is a radical departure from my previous post!

Op/Ed: Punishing Airlines for Tarmac Delays?

2011-11-15T00:01:00.011-05:00

The fault for departure delays?

(Photos: American Eagle)

Let's take a hypothetical situation many of us have experienced. We board an airline flight. There is inclement weather involving Mother Nature's fury. This might include tornado conditions, a winter snow storm, torrential rains--all of which cause delays for departing and arriving flights. Lastly, let's not forget airport congestion due to infrastructure demands. It was Herb Kelleher who jokingly stated in a play on words from a former U.S. President: "It's the airports, stupid. Runways, runways, runways!" to illustrate a fundamental problem involving airport delays. Now comes news of the infamous tarmac rule enforced by The United States Department of Transportation.

Created with all good intentions to protect passengers from being confined for hours on board an aircraft that is delayed due to the occasional aforementioned weather or airport congestion issues, memories come to mind of a Northwest Airlines plane that was delayed in Detroit for several hours. The facts in that case were that toilets overflowed and food and beverages simply ran out. Passengers complained that they were never informed about what was causing the delay and frustration was soon brought to a boiling point. Logic would dictate that the pilot in command would be able to coordinate with Air Traffic Control to return the aircraft to the gate. However, in all fairness, what is one to do when this isn't possible? Just last week, I heard audio tapes from a frustrated JetBlue pilot begging air traffic controllers for a way to return his plane filled with passengers to the gate after an extraordinary delay. He was largely hearing his own voice with no answers from the tower.

Yesterday, the DOT fined regional carrier American Eagle $900,000 for lengthy tarmac delays resulting from a thunderstorm that swept through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport back on May 29th. The department's new rule created fines of up to $27,500 per passenger. Transportation authorities felt that the threat of fines would reduce the number of tarmac delays. But as an objective observer, I have one question. Is this the best way to address the problem, or is it a band aid for larger issues that representatives of airline flight crews, airline managers, air traffic controllers and airport consultants are better equipped to solve with a collective dialogue before a plan of action is developed? Certain questions remain.

Was it American Eagle's fault that inclement weather (considered to be Acts of God) caused delays based on safety concerns on May 29th? Or was it somehow the fault of air traffic controllers who misguided flights into holding patterns? If the latter is so, this is truly an operational issue. However, I have my doubts. Infrastructure improvements have been addressed recently on this blog page.

We have been negligent in this country when it comes to building additional runways to accommodate the demand of the public to fly when they want and as often as they want to places they wish to travel. Even before the recession of 2008 raised its ugly head, this debate was almost as old as the power grids in many Northeastern U.S. cities that were built during President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's WPA (Work Progress Administration) Program during The Great Depression from 1929 to 1943. Airline managers feeling backed against the wall from the DOT legislation are canceling more flights rather than risk fines. The DOT states that the 20 long tarmac delays in the past 12 months reflected a staggering drop from the 693 reported delays a year earlier. If that is true, then how much of this "progress" is due to airlines cancelling substantial numbers of flights? Let's not confuse intimidation over solving the issue of airport delays with actual results.

Throughout 2011, American Eagle has had 16 tarmac delays of at least three hours. This is twice as many as Delta Air Lines (which is in second place for this dubious distinction) and this is a significant fact that I neither deny nor defend.

O'Hare International Airport registered 20 of the 39 tarmac delays counted so far this year. During the May 29th thunderstorm, American Eagle had 15 flights arriving at the airport with tarmac delays of at least three hours that affected 608 passengers. There's no question about this reality.

As punishment, American Eagle must now pay $650,000 of the fine within 30 days and up to an additional $250,000 more in refunds, vouchers or frequent flier miles. So let's look briefly at three sides of this equation.

Side 1:

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stated, "We put the tarmac rule in place to protect passengers, and we take any violation very seriously. We will work to insure that airlines and airports coordinate their resources and plans to avoid keeping passengers delayed on the tarmac". Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? I should point out that Mr. LaHood served previously on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Side 2:

American Eagle President and CEO Dan Garton stated, "American Eagle is absolutely committed to the safety of our customers and employees, and regrets the inconvenience these delays caused". On the whole, Mr. Garton sounds very contrite to me. I really don't think he enjoys delays at his airline.

Side 3: My Take

There were 23 weather diversions more recently on October 29th from New York area airports to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut. A JetBlue flight spent 71/2 hours on the tarmac. The government is investigating whether to punish JetBlue. But is this really an airline and airport issue? There is but no doubt that it is ridiculous for an airliner to remain on the ground for hours to the point where passengers suffer from missed connections, overflowing toilets on board and no food or beverages. Flight crews who are at the mercy of airport congestion or inclement weather typically (but not always) inform passengers over the airplane's intercom system of the latest updates. During such updates, passengers realistically wish to be informed of the delay and the reason for it. Yes, the role of the DOT is to protect passengers' interests. But is it also not the responsibility of government to keep pace with infrastructure needs relative to providing more runways?

Over the past two years, we have witnessed two historic airlines become amalgamated into larger airline systems--much to my regret. In 2009, Delta Air Lines merged with Northwest Airlines. In 2010, Continental Airlines merged with United to become the world's largest carrier. This consolidation doesn't translate into less airliners. In fact, we have around the same number of airliners plying the skies as we did before these two mergers materialized. Even if there was a market for the huge Airbus A380 in this country (which there is not) you're not going to remove enough frequencies to free up airport congestion and thus, artificially resolve what amounts to a staggering neglect to build more runways.

What is evident to me is that dialogue from all of the aforementioned parties must be heard before a coherent airport infrastructure plan can be created and implemented to ease tarmac delays. These delays are less of an issue among carriers who service second or even third-tier regional airports in a deliberate effort to avoid delays associated with larger airports in the first place. This approach is, again, a neat fix (temporarily) in terms of working within the current constraints of airport capacity restrictions. If an airline or the ATC system is at fault for not managing their flight schedules properly, once again, that's a fairly easy "operational issue" to solve. But it just seems to me that punishing airline companies that already operate with thin profit margins in a recession is just plain stupid. Maybe that kind of reasoning comes from measuring the wrong stuff. The so-called Passenger Bill of Rights is rather embarrassing. On one occasion involving my personal travel where an aircraft from Southwest Airlines developed a mechanical issue, I was provided with an overnight stay at a nearby hotel in Albuquerque with breakfast by the airline. The following morning, I was re-booked on a Southwest flight with no problem. I didn't need to invoke a Passenger Bill of Rights or get all "lawyered up". In a perfect would, there are no such things as mechanical issues. However, this isn't a perfect world. Over the years, I've stayed away from airlines that provided me with poor service. Southwest Airlines has always delivered a great flying experience. Similarly, I've never had an issue with American Eagle. But apparently enough people have convinced government authorities that airlines need to fall in line and be accountable for delays. In general this sounds like a logical theory, just as "that which gets measured gets managed". Allow me to return to a question I asked earlier.

What exactly is being measured? Is it the number of complaints over airline delays? Is an airport culpable for delaying the process of passenger boarding because of outdated facilities? Here's the rub. How many airport studies have been undertaken suggesting more runways to logically help more people get from "Point A to Point B"? Plenty. But then, when has the government itself ever been a source for creative entrepreneurial problem-solving? It never has and never will.

Granted, the government has a role in ensuring that airlines and airports are safe and well maintained. But airline operations is a different matter. Airline routes and frequencies are generally well thought out and well managed. I have to agree with Herb Kelleher. It's all about building more runways, not throwing the proverbial baby out the window with the bath water. Punishing airlines by using a big stick of intimidation is not the answer. Common sense is. What are your thoughts?

Sponsoring Melinda Tredaway's St. Jude Marathon Run for Trevor!

2011-11-14T00:09:00.001-05:00

Melinda Tredaway with son Trevor and daughter Morgan

On December 3rd, my friend Melinda Tredaway will be running a 26.5 mile marathon in honor of her son, Trevor Tredaway. The marathon is a benefit for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Many of you have read about Trevor quite a bit on this Blog Page, and it is always a joy to write about him. If you've missed any of my posts, you can simply Google "Trevor Tredaway" and his posts will pop up on the worldwide web. Or you can simply click-onto my News Page and scroll down to see the stories I've posted this year about this fine young man.

Trevor is receiving cancer treatments at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee for an infiltrating astrocytoma cancerous brain tumor. A brave little boy, he was recently chosen by the hospital to appear with actor Robin Williams in a national television commercial that was filmed to promote public awareness about the mission of St. Jude. The hospital couldn't have picked a better person than Trevor. He's stolen the hearts of doctors and nurses at the hospital where he has also made many friends who are patients. Trevor's humor and fun personality endears him to so many!

Marathon Goal

Melinda is an amazing and courageous person who has set a personal goal of raising $5,000 for the hospital with her participation in the run. I can easily empathize with the preparation Melinda has been undertaking this past year. A former distance runner when I lived in Texas, I would rise at 4:30 AM and run five miles every morning before work--five days a week. I ran in every type of weather imaginable including rain, sleet, hot and cold temperatures and--thankfully--very few encounters with danger. I was committed. However, my level of commitment was to myself. Melinda is running for her son and to give back to a hospital that was founded by one of America's most beloved entertainers, Danny Thomas.

More than 70 years ago, Danny Thomas, then a struggling young entertainer with a baby on the way, visited a Detroit church and was so moved during the Mass, he placed his last $7 in the collection box. When he realized what he'd done, Danny prayed for a way to pay the looming hospital bills. The next day, he was offered a small part that would pay 10 times the amount he'd given to the church. Danny had experienced the power of prayer.

Two years later, Danny had achieved moderate acting success in Detroit, but he was struggling to take his career to the next level. Once again, he turned to the church. Praying to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, Danny asked the saint to "help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine." In the years that followed, Danny's career flourished through films and television, and he became an internationally known entertainer. He remembered his pledge to build a shrine to St. Jude.

In the early 1950s, Danny began discussing with friends what concrete form his vow might take. Gradually, the idea of a children's hospital, possibly in Memphis, Tennessee, took shape. In 1955, Danny Thomas and a group of Memphis businessmen who had agreed to help support his dream seized on the idea of creating a unique research hospital devoted to curing catastrophic diseases in children. More than just a treatment facility, this would be a research center for the children of the world.

Beginning in the early 1950's, Danny started raising money for his vision of St. Jude. By 1955, the local business leaders who had joined his cause began area fundraising efforts, supplementing Danny's benefit shows that brought scores of major entertainment stars to Memphis. Often accompanied by his wife, Rose Marie, Danny criss-crossed the United States by car, sharing his dream and raising funds at meetings and benefits. The pace was so hectic that Danny Thomas and his wife once visited 28 cities in 32 days. Although Danny Thomas and his friends raised the money to build the hospital, they now faced the daunting task of funding its annual operation. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital requires $1.7 million a day to fund its services with a staff of 3,600.

On February 14, 1964, Elvis Presley interrrupted a filming schedule in Las Vegas when he learned that Danny Thomas would be in Long Beach, California. Elvis had purchased a yacht The U.S.S. Potomac, also known as "The Floating White House", once used by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. On this day, Elvis donated the yacht to Danny in the hope that it could be used to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Hospital in Elvis hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Legacy of Danny Thomas
St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.From a promise of "Help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine" to the fulfillment of his dream, Danny lived to see his little hospital become an international beacon of hope for the catastrophically ill children of the world. The founder of St. Jude died on February 6, 1991, just two days after joining patients, parents and employees to celebrate the hospital's 29th anniversary. He was laid to rest in a family crypt at the Danny Thomas/ALSAC Pavilion on the grounds of the hospital. On July 12, 2000, his wife, Rose Marie, passed away and now lies with her beloved husband in the hospital's Memorial Garden.

In 2009, Parents magazine named St. Jude the No. 1 pediatric cancer care hospital in the country, based on the magazine's survey of more than 75 children's hospitals nationwide.

Actress Marlo Thomas at St. Jude

Today, their children, Marlo, Terre and Tony, carry on their parents' work and remain a driving force in fulfilling their father's mission. Danny's dream lives on!

Please join me in supporting Melinda Tredaway's quest to raise $5,000 for St. Jude in honor of her son Trevor by Clicking HERE. This is an amazing hospital that is helping Trevor continue his journey toward a cancer-free life.

Thank you.

Michael

Reflections on the January 2012 Issue of Airways Magazine...

2011-11-13T01:00:00.005-05:00

(Photo: Courtesy of Allegiant Air)

My upcoming article on Allegiant Air will be featured in the January 2012 issue of Airways magazine. Covering business stories is surprisingly not a "cut and dry" affair. My on-air Barron's Business & Financial Weekly reports in the Dallas/Ft. Worth market from 1990 through 1995 preceded my work as a contributing editor with Airways. In fact, if you take a casual look at the Business section of USA Today or The Wall Street Journal, you will find a lot of dramatic developments involving interesting personalities in business who are driven to compete and win market share with strategies not unlike a close sports match. Pick any sport--baseball, football, track & field, or Formula 1 racing to name a few--and you'll begin to see a parallel to preparation (training), execution (performance) and results (winning and losing).

The March, 1987 Issue That Captured My Curiosity

(Image: Texas Monthly Magazine)

With this in mind, I don't ever recall having a particular interest in jet planes or aviation. For more than 20 years, I lived in Texas and observed three airlines. Two are based in Dallas and one airline holding company was (until recently) based in Houston. Accordingly, there were three airline executives--each with different strengths and weaknesses--competing against one another. What piqued my interest in covering stories about commercial aviation was the passions of the people and personalities I researched who ran airlines. During a visit to my CPA's office, I noticed an issue of Texas Monthly sitting on a lobby table with a caricature of Frank Lorenzo on the cover. After reading the cover article by William P. Barret, I wanted to find out what made Lorenzo tick.

(Photo: PBS)

Frank Lorenzo put himself through Columbia University, then earned a master's in business administration from Harvard University. Described as "the most hated man in America" by ABC Television journalist Barbara Walters, Lorenzo became the first person to launch a hostile takeover of an airline--Continental Airlines. Lorenzo's unorthodox get tough tactics to slash wages and alter work rules led to a 19-month battle with Continental's labor unions. When a strike ensued, Lorenzo filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, grounded Continental for three days and shed two thirds of the airline's routes and nearly half of its workforce. With its unions dismantled, remaining employees were offered their jobs back at half their previous salaries. Through bankruptcy, Lorenzo was also able to abrogate union contracts and reject aircraft leases for more favorable terms. An empire builder, Lorenzo merged Texas International and New York Air (which competed with the Eastern Shuttle) with Continental, along with bankrupt carriers PeopleExpress and (the original) Frontier Airlines. After losing a bitter struggle to buy TWA to corporate raider Carl Icahn (who inspired the Gordon Gekko character played by actor Michael Douglas in Oliver Stone's movie "Wall Street") in 1985, Lorenzo bought Eastern Airlines in 1986. For a brief time, he controlled an airline empire second in size only to Russia's Aeroflot. Frank Lorenzo left the airline industry in 1991 and currently runs Savoy Capital--a venture capital firm. This brings us to the second of three airline executives I mentioned who reside in Texas.

(Photo: Lydia Duron)

In Dallas, Herb Kelleher was the brilliant lawyer and strategist who helped start Southwest Airlines. Armed with a B.A. degree from Wesleyan University and a Juris Doctor from New York University, Herb's law practice led him to Rollin King and the two co-founded Air Southwest (later re-named Southwest Airlines). As colorful and folksy as he was practical and fun, Herb helped to create a corporate culture at Southwest where employees take themselves lightly, but regard their jobs very seriously providing "Legendary Customer Service". In the book, "Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipie for Business and Personal Success" by Kevin Frieberg and Jackie Frieberg, the airline's 'recipie' is all about caring for its employees and rewarding them for working smarter and harder to be more productive and later, sharing in the profits. From dressing up as Elvis Presley at a company staff meeting to handing out small packets of peanuts to startled passengers in flight, Kelleher often delighted onlookers by chain-smoking and drinking bourbon with abandon. Southwest is consistently named among the "Top Five Most Admired Corporations" in America in Fortune magazine's annual poll. Kelleher co-authored a playbook that truly challenged the traditional business practices and philosophies of larger carriers; Southwest grew from two jets into the largest domestic airline in the United States with low costs and low fares. The carrier's early success was achieved by encouraging people to get out of their cars and off buses to fly Southwest on a point-to-point route system to uncongested second-tier airports without frills. The airline also avoids the "hub and spoke" feeder systems used by its rivals at larger airports (yes, the congested ones). Southwest is based at Dallas Love Field. Herb Kelleher retired from Southwest as Chairman in May of 2008.

(Photo: PBS)

Herb's friend and former competitor Robert Crandall, the combative, chain-smoking leader of American Airlines at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport for many years is well remembered. During his tenure at American, he implemented the modern computer to create a reservations system, Super Saver fares and a frequent-flier mileage program (AAdvantage). But perhaps most significant is his contribution to the industry involving yield management. This involves the use of computers to juggle data using highly complicated formulas twenty-four hours a day to predict patterns of consumer behavior relative to establishing thousands of fares for a single airline seat on any given route segment. Nicknamed "The Fang" by his colleagues, Crandall's tough competitive streak led American to compete against rivals at Delta, United, Continental, Northwest, TWA, Eastern and Pan Am. Five of these airlines are no longer in existence. A relentless workaholic, Crandall would assemble Monday morning staff meetings and mercilessly drive his staff for twelve hours probing into details of the carrier's operations and profitability issues until he got answers. After graduating from Wharton Business School, Crandall took posts at Eastman Kodak and Hallmark Cards (where he learned about the computer business). Bob Crandall retired from American Airlines in 1998.

Summary

The airline industry today is experiencing a second wave of intense consolidation. The "new" United Airlines merged with Continental; American purchased the assets of Trans World Airlines; Delta Air Lines (yes that is the proper spelling for Delta) merged with Northwest, and Southwest recently purchased AirTran. Pan Am and Eastern are no longer in business. Indeed, there are fewer stories of joy to report in today's deregulated airline industry. Many CEO's consider it to be an industry that is still among the most heavily regulated to the point of rendering it nearly impossible to turn a profit. It remains a brutal industry. However, my focus on people and what makes them tick, coupled with the fascinating twists and turns of this dynamic industry remains the determining factor that inspires me to write a good story now and then.

Gunner’s Magic Train Pediatric Cancer Foundation Has Arrived!

2011-11-11T01:03:00.037-05:00

Note from Michael: Since late 2004, I have only allowed guests to post on my Blog Page three times. Today marks a fourth and special occasion. The September 2011 issue of Purchase Parenting & Family Magazine featured my dear friends Janna and Gus Gillespie with their daughter Garlynn. On October 23, 2008 The Gillespie's lost their son Gunner, age 8, to a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPD) cancerous brain tumor. After the family arrived in Scottsdale, Arizona for Gunner to receive alternative cancer treatments, we all became fast friends. I feel blessed to have known Gunner well and he was a remarkable little boy whom I think about every day. National Childhood Cancer Awareness is celebrated each September in the United States (and on this Blog Page). However, the magazine issue came to my attention late in the month. Thus, some of the scheduled events that appear in this reprint have already concluded---some, but not all! I wish to personally thank Karen Hammond, Editor and Publisher of the magazine for her permission to reprint a story that became a part of my life: Gunner's Magic Train Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The magazine's website is: http://www.paducahparenting.com/ and their email is: paducahparenting@comcast.net. Thank you in advance for stopping by to read this heartwarming story that has touched so many hearts.

Our cover story this month features Gunner’s Magic Train Foundation. Gunner Gillespie, also known as “G-Man”, was born prematurely at 26 weeks gestation. He weighed just 1 pound, 14 ounces and began his life fighting. He always loved trains, and had a large collection of trains and train memorabilia. The cover features Gunner’s parents Gus and Janna together with his sister Garlynn Gillespie. They are “hanging out” on one of Gunner’s favorite trains which is located in front of the Paducah flood wall.

On November 30, 2007, when Gunner Henry Gillespie was only 7 years old, he was diagnosed with a DIPG (Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) Brain Tumor. It was located on his brain stem and the doctors told his parents it was inoperable. On October 23, 2008, after fighting this tumor for eleven months, Gunner lost his fight with Pediatric Cancer and will forever be 8 years old.

“Gus and I were high school sweethearts dating 10 years before marrying,” Janna told me. "Gus teaches Geography and is the head basketball coach at Marshall County High School. I teach in the business department at MCHS. Gunner was often at the school and attended every game when his father was coaching. It seemed as if everybody in Marshall County knew Gunner Gillespie. When people found out that Gunner was sick they rallied around the family and offered support in any way they could".

Until that day in 2007 when Gunner was diagnosed, his parents, Gus and Janna Gillespie, were unaware of the devastating statistics associated with childhood brain cancer. Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death in children under the age of 20. At this time, medical science does not know the cause of brain tumors and there is no cure. Currently, brain tumor research is underfunded and most of us are unaware of the magnitude of this disease. Brain tumors in children are not the same from those in adults and consequently are treated differently: As many as 69% of children will survive, but they are often left with devastating long-term side effects.

“As my husband and I searched for treatments and information, we found out just how despairing children’s cancer can be,” Janna told me. “We were stunned to discover how little medical research there was for this type of cancer. It was Gunner’s love, passion and obsession with trains that sparked the idea for the Gunner’s Magic Train Pediatric Cancer Foundation. As Gunner’s mother, I don’t want his death to be in vain. I dream of making a difference for children with cancer and their families. I dream of a cure. I know that Gunner would want his train to continue chugging along, offering support and help to children battling this deadly disease.”

Tyler Kidd

This year Gunner’s Foundation has another local family to help and support. Tyler Kidd, just 10 years old and a student at Lone Oak Elementary School, was recently diagnosed with the exact same type brain tumor as Gunner; DIPG. His parents, Mark and Mindy Kidd, together with his two brothers, Jesse and Zachary and two sisters, Julie and Kaitlyn, are dealing with the heartbreak that pediatric cancer brings to a family. Both parents are nurses and Mark still works at Lourdes.

“When you have a child with cancer, you think as parents, that you must be strong and brave,” Mindy Kidd told me. “But it’s the children who carry us. Tyler is so strong. He’s always able to make decisions about his care and his needs. Right now he has double vision and isn’t able to go to school. But he’s started writing again this week even though the tumor is affecting his strength on the right side of his body. We see every step as a little victory. What I want to say to every parent is don’t take your life for granted until you get a devastating diagnosis. Especially with children, we should take every day as a precious gift.” “We have to give the children who are sick a voice. I tell people that if you have only one charity or foundation that you can afford to support each year. Give to St. Jude’s or to a charity that helps those with pediatric cancer. If you walked the halls of St. Jude you will see all these little heroes who continue to go to school, and get radiation and do whatever it takes to lead a normal life despite their illness.”

In 50 years there hasn’t been any advancement in the treatment of DIPG, yet they can now cure leukemia and other better known cancers. Children’s Cancer is often a silent disease. We don’t see large national races and national public awareness campaigns as we do for adult breast cancer or prostate cancer. “We have got to stand up and shout about this deadly disease,” Janna told me. “The adults have to be the children’s voices.”

How you can help

“It would be wonderful if you would join us in this fight to provide information and support for families affected by brain tumors and other childhood cancers,” Janna told me. "Through the foundations web site and local events you can help promote awareness, and most importantly, raise money to fund research and maybe a cure! We are in need of volunteers to help plan and run the events".

‘Behold the Gold’

The foundation is looking for homes and businesses to purchase signs to promote the cause. This year’s theme is “Behold the gold”. We would love to have these signs to place on their store front or in their yard. There are also “behold the Gold” T Shirts for sale through the foundation. Janna has little train banks that can be placed on a store counter or reception desk for people to put their change in during the month of September. One effective way to spread the word about Pediatric Cancer is to place a message about Children’s Cancer Awareness Month on your business sign during September. Just as we turn the town pink for breast cancer awareness we need to boldly display our gold for the kids with cancer. It would be amazing if businesses offered to donate a percentage of sales on one specific day to Gunner’s Magic Train Foundation: Any creative idea to make a difference and help publicize the foundation and pediatric cancer.

‘Bounce outs’ and ‘Kick outs’

During soccer, football and basketball seasons, Janna recruits schools teams to host a ‘Bounce Out or Kick Out Children's Cancer’ event. This is an evening where a school hosts the events to help bring greater awareness about Pediatric cancer and raise money for the charity. The foundation asks colleges, high school and middle schools to host these events. Please contact the foundation if you are interested in any of these events or if you wish to volunteer time to help. You could also start a chapter of Gunner’s Magic Train in your area. We are always in need of new ideas and new hands to help!

Upcoming events

The Gillespie family wants their events to contribute to the community and each year to honor Gunner's birthday they contribute to a local event or charitable organization. “We want to continue to ‘pay it forward’ in our community,” Janna told me. “This year would have been Gunner‘s 11th birthday. This year we are helping Marcella’s Kitchen, A community kitchen that feeds those in need in Marshall County.” You can find more information on Marcella’s Kitchen on Facebook. “We want to thank everyone who showed love and compassion for Gunner during his final months. If you would like to honor his birthday we hope you will join us in a simple act of remembrance by releasing a blue balloon (his favorite color) on his birthday of September 4th,” Janna said.

Picture of Gunner (front and center) and his friends. They had a send off for him when he was headed to Arizona for treatment inMay of 2008.

Gaylord Christmas Tree parade

This year Gunner’s Magic Train Foundation will have a Christmas tree in the Holly Jolly Town Square in the Ryman Exhibit Hall at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center located in Nashville. This will be a step back in time to a nostalgic 1950s town square, complete with all the shops from main street, a holiday kids train, story time with Mrs. Claus at the library, live entertainment and more! Ignite your holiday spirit with wreath-making and food demonstrations, or spread some holiday cheer by bidding on spectacularly decorated trees and fabulous prizes as part of Hall of Trees, a benefit for local charities. Gunner’s Magic Train being one of the chosen organizations this year will have a seven foot tree decorated with the theme of “Christmas through the eyes of a child” and complete with presents placed underneath. Everyone is invited to bid for the tree and the presents on November 18th, 2011-January 1, 2012. You can bid online and in person. All the presents under the tree will be listed on the Gaylord’s Website. The foundation is seeking donations to help offset the cost of the decorations as well as gifts to become presents under the tree. In keeping with Gunner’s love of trains and sports the foundation hopes to have tickets for sporting events, as well as sports and train memorabilia. Janna hopes someone will donate a Lionel Train Set and some Thomas the Tank Engine items as well as autographed items that might bring in some value to the tree. All proceeds from the auction will go to the foundation to help other families, research, awareness campaigns and most importantly to find a cure for pediatric Cancer. The foundation with the most attendees will also receive an additional $1,000. Each organization will be given coupons that will track the organization that is being represented. If you are planning on attending the Gaylord’s Country Christmas then please contact Janna for coupons to the event. You can email her at jgillespie@mchsi.com or call 270-527-6500. For more details on the Holly Jolly Town Square and the other amazing entertainment events at the Gaylord visit http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/a-country-christmas/more-things-to-do/

September 23rd and 24th- BBQ on the River - will be selling ‘Gunner Gear’* Decor/Knick Knacks and lots of kiddies goodies

October (Date to be announced) – Trivia Night – “wig out cancer” wear a wig and win a prize!

November – (Date to be announced) – Train Murder Mystery Dinner at Woodman of the World Building in Benton

November 11th and 12th – Gunnin' and Runnin' Middle School Basketball Tournament, Marshall County

January 20th-21st 2012 - Gunner's Magic Train Basketball Classic, Marshall County High School

May 2012 - (runs the month of May) - Brain Tumor Awareness Month – ‘Penny and a Prayer’ Campaign along with a fundraiser walk!

Local Retailer Now Carries the Gunner’s Pediatric Foundation and Behold the Gold Merchandise.
Chrissy Estes owner of On Pointe Retail and On Pointe Consignment wanted to do something to help Gunners Foundation. She now carries décor items such as candles, vases, jewelry, stepping stones, figurines, some kids games and of course Gunner gear with the foundation’s designs and logo on them. All proceeds from the sale of these items goes to support the charity. Her store is located inside the Paducah Regional Sports Plex at 6525 US Hwy 60 West in Paducah.

You can help by not only attending these events but raising awareness about Pediatric Brain Tumors and other types of children’s cancer in your community. Pass on this information to family and friends across the country. Host a fundraising event at your school, church or community with Gunner’s Magic Train. We are always in need of volunteers to help host, plan, set up or clean up fundraising events. Or just visit Gunner’s website at www.caringbridge.org/visit/gunnergillespie or www.gunnersmagictrain.org. There is also a Facebook page where you can become a friend of the foundation and receive updates on events. You can be sure that the Gunner’s Magic Train Foundation will continue “laying tracks for a cure”!

* The ‘Gunner Gear’ consists of items for sale such as lanyards, bracelets, T-shirts and Christmas cards (one with a Christmas train Gunner drew - his last drawing before passing.)

Gunner's Last Drawing

Remembering Gunner Gillespie

September 4, 2000 - October 23, 2008

The Passion of My Blog Page!

2011-11-09T03:40:00.004-05:00

“The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.”

― Leo Buscaglia

Ever so slowly, this Blog Page has been in a rebuilding and not a retrenching mode. My schedule over the past 18 months has been responsible for blogging a little less often, but always with a variety of subjects. However, I honestly feel that the breadth and depth of coverage relative to the topics I've chosen to write about has, in fact, expanded. With the last two months of 2011 underway, I felt inspired to write about some of my passions.

There was a period of time throughout the 1980's and 1990's when my friends called me "intense". I laugh about that now and prefer the use of the word "passionate" over "intense" with a sincere shrug of the shoulders.

At the age of 11, I informed my parents over lunch on a warm June afternoon that I had reached a decision about four things that I wanted to do with my life.

First, I wanted to write and be published. This hasn't changed. Essential to everything I do, I am a writer first, and while my forthcoming book has a lot in common with the delivery time table of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, I have been published in books written by other authors, in newspapers and in the magazine--Airways--where I have served as a correspondent since 1995.

Second, I stated to my parents that I wanted my own radio show. To this end, I hosted, scripted and produced a Marconi Award-nominated weekend music magazine that I'm still proud of to this day called "The Saturday Main Event". I had total creative control, which sounds as if I had a lot of power. But in truth, the show existed in name only in a listener program guide and was more reminiscent of the shell of an unfinished building, albeit, with no interior structure. That was my mission--to build a show "from the inside out". I was handed the show by a production director in the same manner one might turn over a cardboard box containing a parts of an expensive dismantled pocket watch to you and then uttering the demand: "Fix this!" Building that show required a phenomenal amount of hard work, and there are many exciting stories behind it. But that's for another time. I hosted the show three-years before I was recxruited to a management position at the same station. For the uninitiated, there's a tradition in radio where an on-air personality gets to choose whatever music they wish to play during their final night on the air. My final play list included:

Doc Severinson and The Tonight Show Orchestra with Louis Prima's 1936 Big Band classic, "Sing, Sing, Sing".
The "Finale" from the soundtrack of the Oliver Stone's film "JFK" by John Williams.
A live performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, op. 92 from the CD "Bernstein: The Final Concert" at Tanglewood.
Then I closed with a few paragraphs of final reflections (that took me two weeks to write) to my listeners summarizing my years as their program host. Frank Sinatra then took me out into the proverbial sunset with Ralph Ranger and Leo Robin's "Thanks for the Memory". Yes, I know. It was definitely over-the top. But I was sincere (and I earned it). Amen.

Third, (remember, I was 11 when I layed out this blueprint) I said that I wanted to be on television. At age 11, to me, this meant television commercials--and I did accomplish this. But the reality was a little different. I reported and anchored news, appeared in public service announcements and remain to this day, "a work in progress" hosting special assignments.

For my fourth and final item, I announced to my parents that I wanted to play rock and roll music. Whatever momentum I had built up with my parents in mentioning the preceding three goals now evaporated with the arrival of a lead balloon--judging from my parent's reaction. Taking note of this, I grabbed my baseball glove and went outdoors to play a game of baseball with my pals. Guitar has been a start-stop project that I have been patient about, as various life events have always seemed to intrude. But I can say with honesty that I was "passionate" about all of this! And yes, My Guitar Gently Weeps.

July 21, 2011-Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images North America

Throughout this year, I've written some hard news stories here on this site. My Op/Ed pieces on the critical condition of the United States Postal Service, the bitter labor dispute at Australia's flag carrier Qantas, and the return of the final space shuttle "Atlantis". These stories meant a lot to me. So, I can state (again) that I wrote those blogs with "passion".

Our Elvis Series was Great Fun!

This year more than any other, I created several series. We rang in 2011 with my reflections on reinvestigating the tragic in flight fire aboard a Douglas DC-3 that claimed the life of television and rock music legend Rick Nelson. This led to a Rick Nelson Series of blogs. In fact, music dominated the year heavily on this blog with my look at "The Baker Street Phenomenon" written with a nod to the late Gerry Rafferty. Those of you who have been (dare I say it?) regular readers were subjected to my Elvis Presley Series, my Juke Box Series (which may be my loss leader), a fun blog about The Chantay's hit song, "Pipeline", and my spur of the moment decision to drive my new car to Winslow, Arizona to see what Jackson Browne and The Eagles' Glenn Frey wrote about.

My "intense" side was along for the journey too. In March, I retired "The Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival" after 6 years and archived 69 episodes that you can access by clicking on the 'Festival' banner image at the upper right-hand portion of my Blog Page. Children in need continue to be an important part of my life with updates about Trevor Tredaway, my post on Rachel's Challenge, and a summer series on The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp. The Grand Rapids Lip Dub story was about a community stung by a critical magazine article and the decision of its residents to respond with a fun video built around Don McLean's hit song, "American Pie" that won hearts and led to the magazine redacting their position. David Nelson sadly passed away, and more recently we lost Andy Rooney just weeks after his final broadcast on CBS's "60 Minutes".

I opened this blog post with a quote by Leo Buscaglia and the topic of rebuilding my blog site, and this focus certainly includes my Blog Roll. I feel that I've assembled the best bloggers I've ever had, with talented photography sites, poets, musicians, authors and some of the most amusing anecdotes told by people with a gift for celebrating life with humor.

Looking ahead, we are in post production of what I hope will be a fascinating series of videos on my Reel Page. There's a photo shoot ahead for my Photo Page. But the one common variable that underscores my work remains my passion for living and loving. There is so much yet ahead for me. As the late Leo Buscaglia observed, "I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things... I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind". That sums up this blog post and my life to date. Enjoy!

Michael

Felice Leonardo "Leo" Buscaglia, Ph.D.

1924-1998

Ronny Cox Coming to Cave Creek, Arizona!

2011-11-07T03:29:00.007-05:00

Musician and Actor Ronny Cox

Music has always been a love of my life. From the age of 6, I have a treasure trove of photos taken of me by my parents invariably playing a toy guitar, and much later a sunburst solid body electric Teisco-Delray--one of the first inexpensive Japanese manufactured knock-offs of the Fender Stratocaster that made their way into the United States. Music has always been a great getaway for me from the stress of every day life.

The first concert I ever attended was with a high school buddy of mine. We drove to an arena to see the British rock band "Yes". It was an exciting experience for me as a teenager. Throughout my life, I've been fortunate to see a wide variety of artists. To give you an idea of just how wide the musical genre's have been, I've seen Elton John, Chick Corea & Return to Forever, Weather Report (with bassist Jaco Pastorius), Rod McKuen, Eddie Rabbit, Jean Luc Ponty, George Jones, Linda Ronstadt, Crosby, Stills & Nash, David Bromberg, Buddy Rich, Deni Bonet and Yo-Yo Ma. Public Broadcasting's "Austin City Limits" and MTV's "Unplugged" series of televised performances have broadened the horizon of more intimate concerts that tend to lean more heavily toward acoustic performances. Now comes a wonderful opportunity to Cave Creek, Arizona on November 19th to enjoy musician and noted actor Ronny Cox.

Most if not all of you are familiar with Ronny's stellar performance in John Boorman's 1972 film "Deliverance" with Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, and Ned Beatty. Ronny's acoustic guitar play off with Billy Redden in the "Dueling Banjo's" scene has become one of the most memorable performances committed to film. "Dueling Banjo's" peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 100 chart in the United States.

While Ronny started out as a musician and has emphasized that side of his career for the past few years, he is still one of the most respected and sought-after character actors in Hollywood. Since his debut as “Drew” in "Deliverance", Ronny has over 125 films and television shows to his credit, including "Beverly Hills Cop (I & II)", "Bound for Glory", "Robo Cop", "Total Recall", and has played the president of the United States at least four times (including “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue”).

“Early in my career everyone knew I could act and play guitar,” said Cox, who put himself through college in a rock and blues band. “I was cutting records in high school. I got my first film because I could play guitar,” Cox added. He was even in the studio once when Buddy Holly was recording.

In his recent recording, “How I Love Them Old Songs: Ronny Cox Sings Mickey Newbury”, produced by Jack Williams, Ronny pays tribute to the music of the legendary Texas songwriter. His additional recordings, “Songs with Repercussions”, "Ronny Cox Live", "Cowboy Savant" and "Acoustic Electricity" showcase Ronny’s home grown style of folk music and the lively story-telling that goes with it. Steadily increasing his following on the U.S. Folk music circuit, he has headlined at such venues as the prestigious Old Town School of Folk in Chicago, the New Bedford Summer Fest, and the Kerrville Folk Festival, a favorite of Ronny’s held annually in Kerrville, Texas.

Jack Williams is well known in the contemporary U.S. Folk community as a Southern singer/ songwriter/ storyteller, energetic performer, and unique guitarist. He continues to tour the U.S., as he has for the past 50 years, out of his love of music and performing. Jack books an annual circuit of approximately 100 U.S. festivals, house concerts and major folk venues each year, and has been a featured performer on the stages of the Philadelphia, Summer Fest, Kerrville, Boston, and Newport Folk Festivals. In addition to his U.S. audience, Jack has also become a favorite in England, Canada and Europe.

Jack Williams’ music – original Southern-American songwriting and performance at its best - draws deeply from the eclectic well of our musical heritage. Loaded with delightful influences from his career in jazz, classical, rock, blues, country and folk, Jack’s music is an easy, natural fusion of guitar, voice, songs, and stories. His original songs celebrating the characters, attitudes and life in the American South can be found on his DVD and nine CD's released on the Wind River / Folk Era label. His album, “Don’t Let Go”, is a tribute to some of the writers and songs that had the greatest impact on his musical development.

WHAT: RONNY COX and JACK WILLIAMS in Concert at Cave Creek Coffee Company

WHEN: Saturday, November 19, 2011 7:30 PM -10:30 PM

WHERE: Cave Creek Coffee Company, 6033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek AZ. 85331

CONTACT: For more information on the Jack Williams and Ronny Cox concert at Cave Creek Coffee Company please call 480.488.0603 or visit the website at http://www.cavecreekcoffee.com/

COST: $22.00 in advance online or $25.00 at the door

This concert will be a lot of fun!

Michael

Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship Fundrasier is a Success!

2011-11-06T02:31:00.001-05:00


Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship in Scottsdale, Arizona

Last night, I attended "Starry Knights"--Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship's Annual fundraiser in Scottsdale, Arizona and it was spectacular. To meet members of the community face to face who recognize the mission of this incredible non-profit organization was a true delight for me. Executive Director Mary Hadsall explained that Camelot is now into its 29th season of offered its services to physically disabled children and adults at no charge, thus continuing the dream of founder Eileen Szychowski.

Some time ago, I wrote a blog about non-profit organizations that are managed well and Camelot is one of the best managed non-profit organizations in the United States. As evidence of this fact, the organization has no debt and exists solely through the support of people who embrace the organization's bright future of slaying the dragons of “I can’t”, one ride at a time.

Kevin Foster, a former member of the U.S. Paralympics Alpine Ski Team and a volunteer with adaptive sports programs delivered an amazing presentation entitled: "The World that I See". He shared his life story with warmth and humor. In Brian's life, many people told him that he couldn't accomplish his goals--scholastically or professionally because he is visually impaired. Despite this obstacle, Brian has enjoyed a spectacular athletic and business career that inspired all of us in attendance.

The healing power of horses bonding with the students at Camelot is heartwarming. If you would like to honor or memorialize someone, Camelot is a tremendous place to consider sending a tax-deductible donation--large or small. For more information on Camelot Click HERE.

See you soon!
Michael

Remembering Sahara Aldridge...

2011-11-05T10:38:00.000-04:00

Sahara "Hoops" Aldridge

July 24, 1994-November 5, 2007