Home of Today's Common Sense

Published Brownsville Herald November 23, 2008

On Veterans Day I watched two really great movies on the Classic Movie Channel; The Stage Door Canteen of 1943 Hollywood Canteen of 1944. They showed the great things the celebrities did for our soldiers during World War II.

The “boys” were served, entertained and danced with the greats of the day in the “USO Canteens” in New York and Los Angeles. The support for our boys “over there” was far greater than today when Veterans Day is not even a real Holiday in many places.

With the undeclared wars in Korea and Vietnam regard lessened for the importance of our sons and daughters that volunteer to go to war to protect our “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”.

Today, I see very few USO Canteens, no movies in support of their work , more frequently hostility.

I served in the Vietnam Conflict and had the privilege of seeing the Bob Hope USO tour and several others.

This period really started the decline as I remember coming home to chants of being a “baby killer”. Fortunately things have improved but not nearly enough.

Our warriors need medical facilities close enough to get to them and they are certainly not adequate even here where there are so many in need. More »

Published Brownsville Herald Nov 9, 2008

Of late there has been a lot of comment about being fair. On the electronic media especially the radio there has been interest in government regulation of the conservative versus liberal content. Essentially the goal seems to want a liberal talk show host for every conservative one. I wonder what the real result would be with a Democrat controlled Congress as well as a Democrat President.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) originally instituted the “Fairness Doctrine” in 1949 by, which was soon recognized as a contrivance for silencing any opposing views – particularly conservative ones.

“The FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 admitting the doctrine ‘had the net effect of reducing rather than enhancing the discussion of controversial issues of public importance.’”

Zogby conducted a poll in October of likely voters nationwide that found that 50% were against the “Doctrine” and 17% in support. The margin of error was +/- 2.9 percentage points.

I grew up with AM radio through the 1950’s and 60’s. At the time, I was mostly interested in Rock and Roll and got my news and perspective through the ‘DJ’ and the announcers.

In those days names like “Wo Wo Ginsberg in Boston, and “Boom Boom” Branagin in Buffalo, told us what music was groovy, described what “Buffalo Hot Wings” were, at a beach near Buffalo and  “Cousin Bruce Morrow” was our guide to the “Submarine Races” broadcasting from New York,  from Mexico the howl of Wolfman Jack brought “The Music” to the airwaves from “The Gold Buckle of the Bible Belt” and then Alan Freed helped pioneer Rock from New York.

Gabrial Heater gave us news commentary, Paul Harvey told us the rest of the story and Arthur Godfrey introduced new talent.

Then came TV, three channels where I lived! More »