blogs.kxly.com

It’s such a cliche to write a blog like this, but I don’t care - I’m doing it anyway. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I feel I would be ungrateful not to recognize all the gifts I’ve been given.

1. My “old” family: I have been blessed since birth with an incredible family. From my wonderful mom to my terrific siblings to my incredible grandma (best in the world) and all my cousins, aunts and uncles… We’re a drama-free family (most of the time with absolutely true love for each other. We spent a week together in Red Lodge, Montana last summer and I was reminded again of how lucky I am. Even though I don’t see them very often, I miss them every day and I wish I could be with them today for Thanksgiving.

2. My “new” family: I must have done something great in a former life, because I have been blessed with the world’s most incredible husband. I’ve always known I probably don’t deserve to be married to someone like him, but throughout my pregnancy I’ve realized I didn’t know the half of it. Derek and I met almost 9 years ago, working in our first TV jobs in Tri-Cities. All this time later, he’s still the most loving, caring, patient man I’ve ever met. He has always been incredible - and always makes me want to be a better person. I can’t wait to see what kind of dad he’s going to be. Speaking of which, I am most thankful this year for the newest member of my family, who I haven’t even met. The little boy who will be born in about 5 weeks is already the greatest joy of our lives. It wasn’t easy to get to where we are now, but he is 100% worth the wait. I can’t wait to see what joy he brings to our lives every day - and, what he grows up to be. And, I can’t forget the other two family members that changed my life this year (and, last): our dogs, Chewy and Roxy. Their wagging tales and excitement make it really fun to come home from work every day.

3. My kxly family: Don’t think I’m kissing up, just because kxly is paying me to write this blog This year, given our country’s current economic crisis, I am absolutely thankful to have a job that I love, working with people I truly respect and enjoy. As you know, kxly made some tough choices this year - and, some people who worked with us a month ago don’t work with us anymore. I am happy to have a job at all. I’m even happier to work at a place where I believe in the values we promote. I also work with a lot of incredible people - many of whom I consider great friends. I don’t know where the next year will take any of us, but I’m happy to work with - and, learn from - all of them. I’m also thankful that even though the station has had some tough economic times recently, they still found it important to cater in a full Thanksgiving meal for all of us today. If I can’t be with my old family - or my new family until later tonight - I’m happy to be with my kxly family.

November 18th marks the 30th anniversary of a deadly ambush and mass suicide in a place called Jonestown Guyana. At least 900 people killed themselves or were forced to drink cyanide laced Kool-Aid after their cult leader signaled it was time to self destruct a compound that Jones and his followers had carved out of a South American jungle.

Jones had promised the remote village would serve as a Utopian society were residents could live closer to God, the problem was Jones thought he was God.

As is the case with all self proclaimed disciples Jones began to abuse his powers. When word of the problems reached the San Francisco bay area, the place where many of Jones’ followers were from, Congressman Leo Ryan decided to investigate.

My father, Don Harris, covered the west coast for NBC Nightly News at the time and decided he would accompany Ryan on his fact finding mission in Guyana.

After some resistance, Jones allowed the media and Ryan’s delegation to visit the compound. For two days with the help of lots of signing and dancing Jones was able to put on a pretty good performance … the people in the cult said they felt safe and happy.

However on the second night one of the cult members slipped my dad a small note. The yellow piece of paper explained that Jonestown was not a happy place, that women and children were being raped and tortured. The author asked that my dad fly him out of Jonestown and my dad agreed to save him a seat.

However the next day my dad decided to take the note and confront Jim Jones on camera. It was the last interview my dad would do. An outraged Jones ordered all of the visitors out of the camp and my dad, his camera crew and Ryan returned to a nearby airstrip. While they waited to board their two planes and tractor pulling a small trailer pulled up next to the aircraft.

A group of men who had been laying down in the trailer suddenly stood up and started shooting. My dad was one of the first people hit. Bob Brown, his camera man, bravely kept rolling during the ambush and I fear recorded his own execution.

Word that something had happened on the runway reached my family in Los Angeles later that day. My mom Shirley called me at my part time job at a drive through dairy but I downplayed her fears saying my dad was more than capable of taking care of himself. He was one of the last reporters in Saigon when it fell and covered the Six Day War in the Middle East.

Unfortunately I was wrong.

We now know Jones specifically ordered my dad killed and there wasn’t a lot of cover out on that runway. My dad’s sound man Steve Sung was able to escape into the nearby jungle but not before a shotgun blast tore away a good part of his forearm. I got to see him several years later at a political convention and was shocked by Steve’s wound. The flesh missing from his arm was a painful reminder that my dad’s death had been very violent.

Thirty years later finds me doing the job that I’ve wanted to do since I was five years old. That’s when my family says I walked into my dad’s Tampa TV station and asked general manager Bob Doty for a job. Bob declined my offer to work but the year after my dad was killed hired me on as a summer intern at WINK TV in Ft. Myers, Florida.

I regret I repaid Bob’s kindness by doing an unauthorized story on security at the Ft. Myers airport. Without any managers permission I tried to sneak some simulated Molotov cocktails passed the baggage screening area and got caught. My idea came from a story my dad had done in Dallas in 1972 when the airport had just started to use magnetometers to search for guns. My dad’s investigative report, done with his bosses approval, showed the equipment was not as effective as it needed to be.

My story showed that I was an idiot.

Trying to emulate your folks is all well and good, but I clearly did not have the experience or maturity to do what I did.

Doty had to fire me and my photographer the next day. The FBI asked that I not return to Florida.

Since 1982 I’ve made other reporter mistakes but have tried to up hold my heritage of fairness and honesty. Like anybody who follows in their folks footsteps you try to keep those qualities alive. I worry a lot of our viewers don’t like us and even worse, don’t trust the news media and I try to change those impression relations every day.

When my dad was killed in 1978 I vowed to become the youngest correspondent to join the network. At the time Tom Brokaw had set the mark at age 36. So I started jumping from market to market but something happened when I got a job here in Spokane. We bought our first house here, had our second baby at Sacred Heart and when we realized there was a park or lake just about every other block we decided to make Spokane our home forever.

After living all over the country we know you’d be hard pressed to find a prettier city with nicer people.

I regret my dad never got to meet my wife Lori. He would be very impressed. He would also be very proud the way his grandchildren Brad and Jessica turned out. Most of all he would be glad 30 years later we have moved on with our lives and we are happy but his daughters, his son and his wife still miss him very much.

So, it seems every dog owner in America is now weighing in on probably the most important issue surrounding the election of Barack Obama: what kind of dog will the Obamas get? Typical America: this is definitely the crucial issue facing our country right now (I’m only half-kidding). I have bad news, though, for the Obama family. The best two dogs in America are already taken.

The country seems to be captivated right now by first dog fever! The American Kennel Club is weighing in, saying the Obamas should get a poodle. PETA launched an all-out campaign to convince the Obamas to adopt a shelter dog, rather than pay for a purebred pooch. He even took time out of his first news conference since the election to address the issue, saying the most email his website is getting right now are suggestions of what type of dog he should get. I think he needs to hear from one more voice: mine.

Here’s my advice to President-Elect Obama and his family: skip the breeders and the purebreds and get a shelter dog. Get the dog that’s been there awhile, not the adorable puppy that will have no problem attracting a family. Get a dog that’s a few months - or a few years - old, because they’re already “broken in” and, again, there’s less a chance they’ll be adopted by someone else. Get the dog who meets your gaze with yearning, rather than the adorable puppy that mesmerizes you with tricks and soft fur. In other words, get dogs like mine.

We got Chewy from a shelter just a day or two before he would have been put down. He was anti-social and terrified in the shelter - and, he was already four months old. He didn’t look like a puppy. But, turning that dog into the adorable, lovable mutt he is today is one of my life’s greatest accomplishments. I’ve never met a more loving dog. We got Roxie this summer at another local shelter. She’s five years old - and, her family just never claimed her. She had been there a couple weeks and probably did not have much time left. No dog kisses and loves like Roxie. She’s loving and caring to a fault. She’s also very smart and protective - and, we could not have asked for a better companion for Chewy. You can see the picture - these dogs are in love.

Sorry, Obamas. You may get a great dog to scratch up the floors and furniture in the White House. But, America’s best dogs are already taken.

I got an email the other day, and after I added a few thoughts of my own, I think the following story frames well the stakes in the 2008 presidential vote. I’m sure you remember the old fable about the ant and the grasshopper. The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Then when winter comes the ant is warm and well fed, but the grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

The moral of this story of course is that we all must be responsible for ourselves.

Well now there’s a new modern version of that old story. The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC The New York Times, The Washington Post and dozens of left-tilting newspapers show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

Americas are stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green.’ Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the news networks film the group singing, ‘We shall overcome.’ Jesse Jackson then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper’s sake. Barack Obama exclaims in an interview with Larry King that the ants routinely get rich off the backs of the grasshoppers. He calls for an immediate tax hike on ants to make them pay their fair share.

Americans incensed by those mean spirited ants elect Obama, and his party, and soon, ants get huge tax increases and fines for failing to hire a sufficient number of green bugs in their enterprises. Soon having nothing left to pay steep taxes ants everywhere find their homes confiscated by the government. The story ends with the grasshopper finishing up the last morsels of the ant’s food while the government house in which he lives, (which just happens to be the ant’s old house), crumbles around him because he doesn’t maintain it. The ant disappears in the winter snow. Soon thereafter, the grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident. The house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

The moral of this story is this: Be careful how you vote next Tuesday.

Last week I introduced you to an inspirational young woman diagnosed with brain cancer.  This summer, doctors removed a tumor the size of a plum from Jennifer Hogan’s brain.  She is one tough cookie.  She hasn’t missed a day of school since her diagnoses, even though she goes to radiation EVERY morning. Well, this past weekend friends and family raised more than $13, 000 dollars for Jennifer’s family. Way to go!  The money will be used for medical bills and travel expenses.  And, with the donations the family will have some extra money to make this Christmas extra special.  I am so proud to work in such a giving community.  If you still want to help out you can donate to a fund under Jennifer’s name at Panhandle State Bank.

Lunes empieza la selección del Jurado para enjuiciar a un hombre de Spokane sospechoso de abusar y matar a su hija. Jonathan Lytle es acusado de Homicidio por abuso provocando la muerte de la niña Summer Phelps de cuatro años de edad. Lytle argumenta que ha estado muy enfermo mentalmente por lo cual no podía parar las palizas.

Lunes espera el inicio del juicio del actor de películas pornográficas para adultos acusado de violar el año pasado a una estudiante de a Universidad del Estado de Washington. El Fiscal acusador dice que Christopher Reid sigilosamente se introdujo en las instalaciones de la hermandad-femenina de estudiantes el pasado Septiembre, y abuso sexualmente de una de las estudiantes.

Los precios de la gasolina siguen bajando tanto local como a nivel nacional. El precio promedio del galón de gasolina ahora es de $.2.95. En el Estado de Washington el promedio es de $.3.16 el galón, mientras que en Spokane es de $.3.12 el galón. En el Norte de Idaho el precio promedio es de $.2.88 el galón.

Un fuego en Graham, WA mató a tres pequeñas hermanas el Domingo. Las niñas estaban visitando a su padre cuando comenzó el fuego. El padre de las pequeñas trató de rescatarlas utilizando una escalera de mano para poder entrar por una ventana del segundo piso.

El niño de Las Vegas que fuera secuestrado a punta de pistola, ha regresado a casa sano y salvo. Cole Puffinburger de seis años de edad fue encontrado el pasado Sábado por un funcionario del transito. Familiares y amigos del pequeño celebran su retorno.

Olgalucia Herrera’s Spanish radio show is helping to connect Hispanics in Spokane, the following is an email conversation I had with her.

 How long have you lived in Spokane and how did you get here?

I am originally from Popayan, Colombia, SA. Popayan is in the southwest of the country, a very nice colonial town. I have been living in Spokane for 2 years. I came from a great place: Madison WI. There I lived 7 years.  While living in Madison I had two children, worked for the University and finished my PhD in psychology. I love Madison because people valued very much the concept of community and I went grocery shopping on my bike..and it was safe to do so. We moved to Madison because of a career change for my husband in Medical Physics. We were moving from the south, so my degree is really from North Carolina State University- Raleigh NC. I lived 7 years in Raleigh , during that time I was a student, finished all my PhD courses, got a MS degree in Psychology, worked as a TA for the university, traveled and had a lot of fun being a student. I took different courses (including ballroom dancing, french and nutrition), and played Ultimate Frisbee at the college level. My first contact with Raleigh, NC has to do with being an exchange student,  right after high school. I lived with a wonderful family for a whole year. I was so close to them that I came and visit every summer while I was going to college in Bogota, Colombia. I worked to pay for my tickets and I was a great sales person. Brought hand crafts from Colombia and spend the money buying clothes in the USA to sell back in school for double the price! Great for traveling.
 
Cual es su raza? (What’s your race?)

This is an interesting question because this is a very American question. In Colombia most people are the same race. We are a mix of white, Indian and black. 95% of the population are metizo so this is what I really consider myself to be. However, here in the US I suppose I am Hispanic. Although I still consider my self Colombian. I indentify with being mestiza.
Where does the show air and when?

Our show is called Latitud in Spanish, Latitude in English (Every Monday from 10am-11am). We chose a name that could be pronounce in both languages.
Latitude is just one of the many good shows THIN AIR COMMUNITY RADIO has, check web site www.kyrs.org. KYRS-Thin air Community Radio has its office in the community building, 3rd floor, 35 W main st. Thin air is a local Low power FM radio station that airs on 89.9 or 93.2FM. Latitude is one of three shows in Spanish or about hispanic issues. The other two are: Latin Lounge(a Music show) Mondays from 6pm-8pm and Democracy now (news headlines in Spanish) every Saturday at 7am.
 
How did the idea for the show come about?
I was bored in Spokane…feeling like there was no community. Every since I moved to Spokane I had this feeling:” wow, what a great location..it even has good neighborhoods ..but there is no sense of community, why? So I stopped asking the why and started doing a version of what I thought is needed. I met a lot of Hispanics that complained about the same thing, although they don’t find about the events going on and if they do, they do not participate. Also, many do not know how to navigate the system (how to buy a house in the US, where to get health service, etc) I also meet a lot of Americans who have had a conection with Latin America or simply speak spanish and they would like to learn more about the culture or go to events where there are more Hispanics but there is no place for that..so I thought we could do a little of sharing culture and educating through LATITUD. Finally, there are a few who think I speak Mexican and the only thing you can find in Mexico is Tequila and in Colombia Coca.
 

Tell us about others involved in the project.

I visited Lupito the Director of KYRS and submitted a proposal for a show. I found my co-host Martha at a Mujeres Latinas meeting and asked around who would like to learn the whole process with me and she agreed. Martha is from Mexico and has a B.S. in Communications. She also has some radio experience from working in Mexico and she is very friendly and calm.
 
 Is it totally in Spanish?
Latitude is mostly in Spanish. I do try to speak slowly and I try to make some comments in English, but I think that Spanish speaking shows are under represented in the radio air..so why not, plus it is good to practice another language and for me is good to not forget my native language.
 
 
How many people do you think listen?
GOOD question.
I do know I have listeners from out of town in the US in Salem OR, Raleigh NC, Madison WI and out of the country, Colombia, Guatemala, and Spain..through streamming kyrs.org ck 
 
Can people call in?
Yes…we would like them to call in, but only a couple of months ago we learned to use the call in system : )
747-3807
 
What’s the most important thing people get out of the show? &  What type of topics does it cover?
Culture and ways to build community
For hispanics, to understand and learn to navigate the American system. For all, to learn more about other countries in Latin America, their culture, hear music in Spanish, practice Spanish, and learn about what is going on in town.  We have had a variety of shows: we interviewed Chilean students who are visiting EWU,  Students from Ecuador training to become leaders and visiting Spokane, Mexican Band members, an Ex-senator of Colombia talking about President Uribe, how to buy a house in Spokane, how and where to recycle in Spokane and about Colombian and Mexican food recipes.
 
What’s your impression of the Hispanic population in the Spokane area? Are they close or kind of fragmented?
Very fragmented but wanting to become close.
 What’s your favorite thing about the show?
I learn while doing the show. I learn about people in Spokane and about music. I feel I am making some of that community I was missing. I also love to have a microphone in front of me.. it’s is a good feeling and I love to hear what people have to say. I love to ask questions and learn, and I get to do this a lot.
 
Finally as the Hispanic population grows in Spokane what role do you see the show playing?

I want my show to be a place where you can hear a group’s voice and you can learn about that group –Hispanics in Spokane.

I have two goals for LATITUD:
1) I would like to create a web page where you can access the aired shows and use them to get useful information. For example: I envision a new person (hispanic or with an interest for hispanic culture) coming to town and logging in to LATITUD’s web to find out where they can buy good hispanic food, who to contact if they need an interpreter, learn why is it important to own car insurance..etc
2) I would like for the show to serve people who do not have access to the internet, or who can network because they don’t speak the language by calling in during the show and get the help they need. A kind of:” on the air hispanic center”
 
…in the mean time..I am looking for underwriters to make this dream come true!
 

Ever since we learned we were pregnant (by the way, that picture is him @ about 20 weeks), I spend a lot of time reading websites and articles with names like “Your Baby, Right Now.” They describe what’s going on with your baby at that stage of your pregnancy (things like: this week, your baby is the size of a summer squash and fully-formed eyelids). This week’s information, though, has me rocked back on my heels. This week, my little guy could be crying in the womb! And, there’s nothing I can do to to help him!

This is the kind of information they shouldn’t share with mothers-to-be. Ever since I heard that information yesterday, I’ve been Googling my heart out, reading more about this strange phenomenon. I even ran across video of such a thing taking place! Because I’m hormonally fragile, I’m not going to post the video here - I can’t bear to watch it again! But, here’s the link, if you don’t believe me. While I should be amazed at these incredible developments going on inside my body right now, it actually just makes me sad. Every time he moves around now, I assume he’s crying - and, upset that his mom isn’t doing anything to comfort him. I guess I’m learning already what it’s like to be someone’s mom.

With the Major League Baseball Playoffs about to begin and the Mariners being eliminated about three months ago, here’s a local guide to who you might root for to win the world series and the ties they may have to the area.  I realize some of these are not local ties, but just interesting stories to follow as the boys of summer aim to be the boys of October.

Tuesday night the last team will play its way into the playoffs, so we’ll start with the White Sox and Twins, winner is in, loser goes home

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Twins

The ultimate low-budget success story.  How are the Twins even in this position?  In the off-season they stood by and watched their electric centerfielder Torii Hunter go to the Angels and they trade away their ace and cy-young award winner Johan Santana.  Yet the Twins continue to win without paying big salaries.  The Twins have one of the best catchers in the game in Joe Mauer, but if called upon watch for former Gonzaga Bulldog Mike Redmond to step in.  The Twins also have former Mariners closer Eddie Guardado, who luckily for the Twins, is not their closer.

White Sox

If you are a Mariners fan, there is a big story in this one for two reasons.  Ken Griffey Jr. is searching for his first world series ring which would mean two things for M’s fans.  One - it would be nice to see Junior get that monkey off his back.  Two - if Junior does win a ring, he would be more likely to sign in Seattle this off-season.  If junior can win a ring he can finish his career in Seattle.  Griffey has been very open his entire career that he wants to win a ring, and if he doesn’t get one this year, I can’t see him going to a team that has NO chance to win one anytime soon.  Other former M’s pitchers Horacio Ramirez and Matt Thornton are in the bullpen.  The biggest local connection is the White Sox closer Bobby Jenks who grew up in north Idaho.  Lets not forget that former Mariner Joey Cora is a Coach with the Sox, and learning how to win in the post-season, this is interesting because I’m sure his name will come up this winter as a candidate for the Manager job in Seattle. 

Red Sox

The defending champs.  If you’re looking for a reason to root for the Sox, I’ll give you an answer in two words:  Jason Bay.  He’s a triple-local guy, Trail, B.C., North Idaho College, and Gonzaga.  Bay is a two-time All-Star who has flown under the radar in the bigs because he played in Pittsburgh.  This post-season is a chance for Bay to really step forward as an elite player in baseball.  He will have a lot of attention on him because he plays for Boston, and he was traded for Manny who is lighting the world on fire.  With opportunity comes pressure and it will be fun to watch Bay to see how he responds to the pressure.  Want more reasons to cheer for the Sox?  Former Mariner Mike Timlin, former M’s farmhand Jason Veritek, and Mike Lowell who I spotted and interviewed last winter sitting right behind the Gonzaga bench in the Kennel right here in Spokane.  (I have to add that I’m obligated by marriage to cheer for the Red Sox if the M’s aren’t playing, so Go Sox!)

Rays

The true Cinderella story.  Here’s a team that has finished dead last every year in their existence except for one year they finished 4^th.  What are the Rays doing here?  If you like underdogs, you have your team.  All season long we have waited for the Rays to wake up and realize they are the Rays and fold.  It never happened, they won the division.  I can’t seem to find a local connection to the Rays, but they are a lot of fun to watch.  If nothing else it should give M’s fans some hope.  If the Rays can turn it around, anybody can.  Biggest reason to cheer for the Rays:  They aren’t the Yankees.

Angels

AL-West Champs.  Lets face it, as Mariner fans we’re tired of seeing these guys.  I don’t think there has been a bigger Mariner killer in history than Vlad Guerrero.  It might be fun to watch this team beat up on somebody else for a change.  It should be a lot of fun watching the Angles and Red Sox in the opening round.  For my money the two best teams in the American League will meet in a best-of-five series and those are always a crap-shoot.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies

The old man is still playing.  Jaime Moyer is 146 years old and still pitching well.  The M’s gave up on the old guy because he was too old over two years ago.  All he did this year was go 16-7 this year (7 more wins than any M’s pitcher this year).  As a die-hard M’s fan you have to pull for Moyer, he gave everything he had for our team for 11 years.  Also watch for former Mariner Greg Dobbs off the bench.   The Phillies are always fun to watch because Ryan Howard might hit a ball that doesn’t ever come down.  Here’s a fun fact, Howard led the Majors in Home Runs, and RBI’s and didn’t make the All-Star team.  Gotta love the fan vote.

Brewers

Hard not to root for the Beer Makers.  The U.S.S Sabathia might pitch every game in the playoffs.  It’s always fun to watch a professional athlete who might be in worse shape than I am.  The difference is he can throw in the upper 90’s and I’ve driven in the upper 90’s.  Hey remember Mike Cameron?  He’s still around roaming the green stuff in Milwaukee.  And a name from a long time ago, Salomon Torres (remember we traded Shawn Estes for him?)  Fun team to watch and not many people have bigger swings than Prince Fielder.

Cubs

Will it ever happen?  If you are looking to root for a team who’s fans need a championship you have found your team.  Once the Red Sox won, everyone turned their attention to the Cubbies to finally get a title.  The Cubs havn’t won a world series since 1908, heck they haven’t even been to one since 1945.  If that wasn’t enough, who would be the man responsible for leading the Cubs to glory?  Sweet Lou.  It’s hard not to root for Lou, and also hope he blows his top at least one and sends first base into right field.

Dodgers

Manny being Manny.  There is a lot of attention on Manny in L.A. and for good reason.  Man-Ram has hit nearly .400 since joining the Dodgers and he’s a threat to go deep every time he steps to the plate.  I think the best story here is Joe Torre.  The Yankees didn’t want him back, now his Dodgers are in the playoffs, and the Yankees are “at home, washing their tights.”  Any time we can root for someone that can make the Yankees look bad, that’s a good thing.  Don’t forget former Mariner Derek Lowe pitching in game one.  It would be fun to see the Dodgers and Red Sox meet in the series with Lowe, Man-Ram, and Nomar heading back to Fenway.

 Enjoy the playoffs everybody.

It’s not the kind of news you want to read when you roll out of bed first thing in the morning.

Legendary Oscar-winning actor, race car driver and noted humanitarian Paul Newman died last night. He was 83.

What words are there for a man who in his time brought to life so many rich, colorful characters?

Once accused of having a “failure to communicate”, actually that was never his problem as he brought to life so many different characters …

Ben Quick
Eddie Felson
Ari Ben Canaan
Reggie Dunlop
Judge Roy Bean
Brick Pollitt
Hud Bannon
Michael Gallagher
Henry Gondorff
Luke

His legacy extended far beyond Hollywood. In the early 80s he founded Newman’s Own, his signature line of foods with all profits going to charitable causes. To date, that’s $250 Million to charities around the world. This is a man who gave back more than he got. He also founded the Hole in the Wall Gang camp, to help give kids with cancer and other serious illnesses the chance to attend summer camp free of charge.

After playing an Indy driver alongside his wife Joanne Woodward in the 1968 movie Winning he developed a passion for racing and from 1972 until today he’s been a fixture on race tracks actouss the country, not just as a team owner but as a driver, his most recent victory coming back in 1995 when, at age 70 his team won the Rolex 24-Hours of Daytona.

Now if you look at that list above you’ll see I left out one character because I think, right at this moment as everyone looks back on his life, there’s this one moment captured on film where I feel you can honestly sum up what America knew of Paul Newman. And this is the one moment on film that I want to him remember him by.

In my mind, it was when Butch Cassidy stealing off Katharine Ross for an early morning bike ride. The carefree moment, mixed with BJ Thomas’ ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ give you the essence of the public persona that is Paul Newman.

Watch and I think you’ll see what I mean.

The second day of my summer vacation, I woke up, then I went to Disney’s California Adventure, to go on some rides. Then I went on California Screamin’.

(NOTE: The video clip above was shot with a hand-held Flip Video camera from the left-hand front seat of the rollercoaster.)

A couple weeks back the missus and I went with some friends south to California to spend a few days at Disneyland and California Adventure. It was a big trip for Kerry since she hasn’t been to Disneyland ever and it was big for me since the last time I was in the park - 1992 - there was a huge parking lot where California Adventure is now. So there have been a few changes since I was there last.

One of the highlights was on our last day at the park. We got there right as the park opened at 10 a.m. and got in line for California Screamin’. Actually that’s not true. There was no line. It was a Wednesday morning in mid-September so everyone was at home and school is in session so we were able to ride the coaster three times in less than half an hour.

In the immortal words of Peter Griffin … It was freaking sweet.

So I went to the latest incarnation of the “Big bands from the 1980s touring together” concert series (The last one was Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon and Styx) and I have to say that Cheap Trick sounds great, no one can say a darn thing wrong about Ann and Nancy Wilson (Except that they probably won’t accept my invitation to play at my 40th birthday party next summer) but …

Can you call it Journey without Steve Perry?

This is what vexed me last night as I listened to Arnel Pineda, Journey’s latest front man, taking on the duties that for many years were handled by Perry.

I have to give Pineda props for his storied history, growing up in the PI and playing in bars like California Jams back in the early 90s which, if you’ve ever been on Westpac or been stationed at Subic Bay, you probably remember Cal Jams from back in the day (It was one of the bars on the left side of Magasaysay Drive coming out of the Main Gate near Rock Trax).

Journey’s band members found some of his clips on YouTube, found his vocal range to be impressive, gave him a call and here he was last night at the Arena microphone in hand covering hits like “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Wheel in the Sky”, “Open Arms”, “Lights” and “Any way you want it” among other classic hits.

OK so yes, he sounds a lot like Steve Perry and yes does a fairly impressive job of imitating Perry’s vocal range on what are some of the greatest rock songs ever produced.

But you know if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck it must be a duck, right?

While Arnel sounds sometimes like Steve Perry he doesn’t look or move like Steve Perry and so, as much as I hate to say it, he’s no Steve Perry.

While I really enjoyed the concert, and hands down Neal Schon is up there with Eddie Van Halen in my list of favorite guitarists of the 1980s, I just left feeling like while it sounded good something was missing, that spark, that electricity in the air when a truly great band takes to the stage.

The essential element missing from last night’s show was Steve Perry.

As for the Wilson sisters, I doubt you take on pro bono cases but I would really like you to play my birthday party next summer. Honest.

Tonight’s Pic of the Night is through my OWN camera lens.  I was assigned to do weather this evening at the Coeur d’Alene Resort for the Antique and Classic Boat Society’s International Boat Show.  I know - tough job!   The wooden boat show is one of my favorite events of the summer.  The lovingly-restored boats are beautiful and so unique, plus, each comes with a fascinating story.  There are more than 100 boats at this year’s show, which runs through Saturday.  The boats in this picture belong to Tom Addis.  The boat on the right is “Lynn,” named after his beautiful wife of 49 years (if you see Tom at the show, be sure to ask him WHY he named the boat after Lynn). The boat on the left is “Babe,” named after his beloved, late mother-in-law.  CLICK HERE for more on the boat show.

    Since 1998 I’ve competed in 30 plus ‘official’ triathlons; countless Sprints, a dozen or so Olympics, three Half Ironmans and one Full Ironman.  Never have I placed or been in the top 10 until this last weekend.   

(Sunrise over the Palouse Saturday morning)

     I made the early morning drive from Spokane to Moscow, Idaho Saturday to give the Palouse Sprint Triathlon another try.  Last year I used the race as a tune-up and/or measuring tool to gage my fitness after taking the previous 3 years off from triathlon.  

(Pre-race at Palouse Sprint Triathlon, September 8, 2007)

     In 2007, I finished the 500 yard swim, 9.3 mile bike and 3.1 mile run in 1 hr. 7 min. 27 sec.  I was 34th overall in a field of 112.  I don’t remember my place within my age group (35-39).  This year was different, very different. 

(First lap of the 500 yard swim, 2008)

      Not only did I have a better “fitness base” thanks to my preparation for Ironman Coeur d’Alene in June but I’ve been training everyday since September 1st.  So my confidence was higher too.

(Swim exit, 2008)

     This year I finished the race in 1 hr. 47 sec., more than 6 1/2 minutes faster!  I ended up finishing 1st in my age group (there was 9 of us) and 10th overall in the field of 118 participants. 

(Start of 9.3 mile bike, 2008)

     I felt really good.  My swim was right where I thought it would be, 8:13 vs. the 7:58 from ‘07.  My  bike was much improved. 

(Arriving to the run transition, 2008)

     I rode 3 1/2 minutes faster than last year, 27:23 vs. 31:02.  

(Yards away from the 3.1 mile run finish line, 2008)

      My run was stronger too.  Last year I ran the 5k in 28:27, this year it was 25:11.  That’s more than 3 minutes faster. 

      I had a feeling I might be in the top five in my age group.  I’ve never received an award for finishing a triathlon besides a finishers medal.  So, when I heard my named called I was really happy.  Saturday, I was announced as the 2nd place winner but come to find out that the organizers made a timing error.  Sunday morning all participants got an email with the official results and I finished first.  Pretty exciting.

(Alex and Dave with our medals, 2008)

     Alex, former KXLY4 summer intern and current Senior at Washington State University and member of the WSU cycling team, placed 3rd overall Saturday and 2nd in his age group (20-24).  His time was smokin’.  He finished in 54 minutes and change.  We celebrated after the race with a foot long Subway sandwich.

(Post Triathlon #6)

     Saturday’s triathlon was number 6 in my quest of completing 30 this month.  I’m starting to get my routine down and finding a balance with nutrition and rest.  

(Post Triathlon #7)

     Sunday, I woke up fairly early and was in the pool by 8 o’clock.   I’ll be back at it again this week but this coming Saturday I’m heading to Grand Coulee for a Half Ironman race; 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run.  I’m guessing I’ll be taking it easy Saturday night and will probably sleep in on Sunday before heading back to the gym.

(Post Triathlon #8 - Monday morning)

     Monday it was back to the gym to begin week number two.  Happy training everyone and just keep livin.

It’s good to be back in the kxly4 HD Weather Center after a quick, summer stay-cation.  We barely left the neighborhood for five glorious days. Jerry, the girls and I enjoyed long afternoons in Manito park. The flowers are peaking in Duncan Gardens right now, and it is spectacular. We also had a backyard campout with the neighbor kids (much easier than hauling three little girls to the woods). I did use a couple of gallons of gas to drive out to Liberty Lake and play golf in the rain at beautiful Meadowood Golf Course. For more on staycations in the Inland Northwest CLICK HERE.