Alex Trebek - Farewell To The Classy Host

There are certain TV personalities that make you feel like you're spending time with a long-time friend. Whether you've just come home from a rough day at work or you're just killing time, you can hang out with that friend with a simple push of a remote control button....

For years, we would gather at my parents house on Tuesday nights for a family dinner. Part of that tradition included watching Jeopardy, My cousin Virginia and I would grab our spots in the living room just before 7 o'clock and prepare to test our trivia knowledge. Alex Trebek would introduce the categories and then we would instantly proceed to a rapid fire round of questioning. Virginia and I would usually throw our guesses out there before Alex was even finished reading the clue. My Dad, who would half-hardheartedly play, would take the conservative approach and only chime in when he was 99.9% sure of the answer. 

When Final Jeopardy came around, my Dad would usually start talking about something totally unrelated to the game. I would say, "Hold that thought, Dad! We need to concentrate!" He would then immediately resume talking... 

A lot of things have changed since we gathered in my parents living room. I often wish that I could turn back the hands of time. But I know that's not possible. However, I knew I could always tune into Jeopardy where Alex Trebek would instantly bring me that nostalgic comfort that I desired.

One of the unique things about Jeopardy was that you always ended up a little smarter than when you started. 

Sadly, Alex Trebek, Jeopardy's beloved host,  passed away earlier today at the age of 80 after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. He fought courageously with class and dignity. He continued to record new episodes of Jeopardy while he dealt with his personal health struggles. Although it had to be excruciating at times, his goal was to bring joy to the devoted fans of his show as long as he possibly could. He was truly a class act...

It's only fitting that we throw out some trivia tidbits in his honor. Alex Trebek holds the Guinness World Record for most shows hosted with approximate 8000. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was a big philanthropist, giving away millions of dollars to various charities. 

Alex Trebek once said, " I don't think life would be as rewarding if I weren't helping my fellow man out whenever I get the chance."

I remember watching an episode of Jeopardy's Tournament of Champions earlier this year. One of the contestants did not have an answer for the Final Jeopardy question. So, he simply wrote "We love you, Alex." It was so moving that even Alex himself got choked up.

Alex Trebek said that he wanted to be remembered as a nice guy. I don't think that he'll have to worry about that. He will be remembered as one of the classiest TV hosts ever. His wit and charm were second to none. And he will, no doubt, be missed by trivia fans all over the world....

kw

Election 2020 - The Path Forward?

So, a few days after Election Day, a winner has finally been declared. As it stands now, Joe Biden will become America's 46th President on January 20. Yesterday, Of course, there have been some initial claims of voter fraud by Republicans. The validity to these claims will be determined later. But for now, Joe Biden will be taking residence on Pennsylvania Avenue in a couple of months.

Yesterday, Biden supporters held a nationwide block party. They frolicked like their favorite team had just won the Super Bowl. Liberal bliss was on full display with little regard for social distancing. There was a small presence of Trump protests at some of these gatherings but everything was quite peaceful., And no buildings were burned or looted in the process. This is obviously a good thing. But would things have been so jubilant and non-violent if Trump would have won? 

American flags were flown proudly throughout the celebrations. This a welcomed contrast to the burning of the flag that we've seen in recent times.  I'm not quite sure why it's fashionable to break out the flag when things go your way but burn it when things don't. There are different paths taken by any given administration. But it should never be fashionable to hate America. Like I mentioned in last week's piece, we have a democratic process in this country. If you don't like the guy in charge, vote him out at the next opportunity.

So, assuming that Joe Biden does indeed move into the White House without any delays, let's look at how he will change the current direction of things...

First off, he will likely use executive orders to rejoin the Paris climate accords. He will also reinstate the program allowing "dreamers" to remain in the United States. He will likely repel the immigration ban on Muslim-majority countries. And perhaps most significantly (at least regarding the COVID situation), he will reverse President Trumps withdrawal from the World Health Organizations. 

There has been plenty of criticism regarding Trump's handling of the COVID pandemic. Since there doesn't seem to be light at the end of the tunnel yet, Joe Biden will inherit the responsibility of guiding us to it. He will likely take a much different approach than Trump did. But time will tell if his approach is better. No matter what happens you can bet that it will be politicized...

As we get closer to Inauguration Day, it will be interesting to see how things play out. The transition process will likely be like no other. There is certainly no love lost between Trump and Biden. So, I don't expect them to work together at all. I'm even wondering if Trump will attend the Inauguration. 

Speaking of lack of love, Trump and the media would fall into that category. The fireworks that we've seen over the past four years were something that couldn't be ignored. Will the media take the same hard line approach with Joe Biden? Trump's unfiltered handing of the press is something that we'll likely never see again. Although brutal at times, I think it was important for Trump to expose the bias of the media. Yes, I know my liberal friends will fight me on this. But we'll just have to agree to disagree.

With all of this being said, I watched Biden's address in Wilmington, DE last night. He spoke of uniting the country, promising to work as hard for the people who voted against him as the people who supported him. He also encouraged the crowd to view Trump supporters as, not enemies, but fellow Americans. As someone who admittedly did not vote for Biden, I liked the substance of his message. Will he deliver on it? Time will tell. 

While there is still deep division and turmoil in this country, we desperately need to find a united way forward. I'm not sure if Joe Biden is the answer. But it looks like he will get his opportunity. As with any President, I wish him success in doing what's best for America. We don't always have to agree with each other. But we should never forget that we're all Americans.

kw

A Tale of Clocks and Daylight Savings Time

Yesterday started for me with a visit with my mom. I visit her almost every Saturday morning. Aside from the normal chores (cutting the grass, cleaning the gutters, re-programming the TV remote, moving heavy objects from room to room, etc.), she will routinely throw me a curve ball. Since this weekend happened to be Daylight Savings Time, I was also tasked with setting back all of her clocks. 

It would normally be a simple chore. But, you see, there are at least 25 clocks in my mother's house. Some people collect coins, some people collect baseball cards. My Dad, for some unknown reason, collected clocks. No one really ever asked why. But my Dad would pick up these unique clocks during his travels around local flea markets and yard sales. If you live around the Baltimore area, there's a good chance that one of your old clocks is now hanging in my Mom's house. And my Dad didn't store his collection for a rainy day. Oh, no. He actually displayed these things all over the house for everyone's enjoyment (and bewilderment).

One of the more peculiar things with all of these clocks is that some of them have chimes. With the strike of each hour, you will be greeted with a melodic belch of punctual commotion. It's kind of like walking into a barn and hearing the cows, goats and roosters greeting you in off-key unison. The first time you hear it, you'll likely react like Joe Pesci in "My Cousin Vinny" when he is awakened by the screeching owl (I know I use the Joe Pesci reference a lot. But it fits so many different scenarios. Plus, its a great movie!).

Speaking of owls, this one clock has 12 different birds on it, one for each hour. So, if the clock strikes one, you might hear a robin If it strikes two, you might hear a cardinal. I never really researched it to see if these various bird chirps were accurate. But my Dad swore that they were, so I'll take his word for it. I remember one time when the clock struck six. My Dad got a surprised look on his face and said, "You hear that?" 

"Hear what?", I asked.

As the bird-du-heure chimed for the sixth and final time, my Dad said, "Right there. You didn't hear that?"

I informed him that it was just a chickadee in his elaborate timepiece reminding us that it's 6 o'clock. He got a big smile on his said, "Son of a bitch! That thing sounds like a real bird. I'd better go outside and check on those burgers." (Many people knew my Dad as the lawnmower guru of Brooklyn. But few knew of his clock obsession.)

A few years ago, my son gave my Mom this fancy clock for Christmas. When I saw her opening it, I pulled Ken Jr. to the side and said, "A clock? Really?" 

Now, this particular clock has three different song themes. You have the choice of Christmas songs, contemporary classics or Frank Sinatra tunes. My Mom usually opts for the latter of the three. You see, many years ago at my sister's wedding reception, I had a little too much of the bubbly and did a rendition of "New York, New York". Although I was probably viewed by most people as the drunk uncle of the party, my Mom was surprisingly impressed with my butchered version of the Sinatra classic. Hearing her clock chime out "New York, New York" takes her back to that special day. Hey, if making an ass out of myself puts a smile on my mother's face, I'm good with it.

So, I made my way around my Mom's house yesterday pulling each clock from the wall and setting back the time exactly one hour. I actually got a cramp in my arm from lifting it so many times. To complicate things even further, some of the clocks had these pendulums that you have to jump start. I basically had to flick the pendulum with my finger until it moved back and forth freely. I'm happy to report that the natural hue has finally returned to my middle right fingernail.

About the time when I was finishing with the last of the 25 clocks, my mom called me from her bedroom...

 "Ken, I need you to dust off each one of those clocks when you take them down.", she said.

I had neither the mental or physical energy to pull all of those clocks off of the wall again. So. I simply replied,  "Ok, Mom. I'll get right on it." 

And then I grabbed a cold bottle of water and proceeded to plop my exhausted ass into a recliner. What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Plus, in no time at all, it will be spring and I'll be setting all of the clocks forward again. I'll plan on getting the dust rag out then...

kw

Election Day 2020 - Calm Before The Storm?

 With only a few days left until the most contentious election of our lifetime, America is already preparing for the aftermath. The division in our country has fueled things to a near boiling point. There are a lot of unknowns. But there a couple of things that we can pretty much say with certainty. One is that either Donald Trump or Joe Biden will win this year's election. And no matter who wins, half of the country will not be happy about it.

Cities are taking precautions for the anticipated unrest (aka rioting) after the election. Walmart pulled guns and ammo from their shelves (although I hear now that they're re-stocking). Retailers have begun boarding up their windows. And the National Guard has moved into Philadelphia (this is in a response to a recent "civil unrest" after a police shooting. But Tuesday's election will likely spark off a fresh round of "unrest").

Regarding this civil unrest....What is so civil about torching a building or walking out of Walmart with a stolen TV? Random lawlessness has been candy-coated with the term "civil unrest" to make it sound more legitimate. If you refer to it as rioting, you are often viewed as insensitive by the mob sympathizers. They will tell you that physical property can be replaced. As one of Baltimore's infamous mayors said a few years ago, "We need to give them room to destroy".  This kind of "leadership" only serves to embolden the mob mentality to destroy even more. 

I was watching a news segment on NBC this morning and they briefly touched on the potential unrest following the election. They insinuated that militia groups would be the ones wreaking havoc on Election Day. Really? I'm not saying there are not some lunatics out there that fit into this category. However, over the past year of various "unrests", I haven't seen a whole lot of militia members torching police cars or looting liquor stores. 

The have been record turnouts in early voting across the country. So far, I believe things have been mostly peaceful. I myself voted on Monday at one of the local high schools. There were both Trump and Biden supporters working their way through the crowds. I never quite understood why anyone would waste time campaigning near a polling place. Like everyone else, I already know who I'm voting for when I head out to the polls. Do they really think they can change someone's mind at the last second by handing them a piece of campaign literature? But then again, it's 2020. So. I guess anything is possible...

To add to the never-ending drama, we will likely not confirm a winner on Tuesday. Depending on how close it is, we might not have a confirmed winner for days or even weeks after the election. And the more time that passes will inevitably bring new accusations of voter fraud (lost mail-in ballots, voter intimidation, hanging chads, etc.). And this will potentially light the fuse on another round of "unrest".

And piling on even more, Biden is ahead in most of the polls. If you believe everything you're hearing, there is no way Biden can lose this thing. Of course, Hillary Clinton was ahead in most of the 2016 polls but that didn't go as planned for her. So, if Trump should pull out this one in a similar fashion, it will likely ignite the emotions of Biden supporters. It's starting to sound like a best-selling political thriller, huh?

Trump and Biden are two contrasting candidates who have two different road maps for the direction of America. I get that. If you talk to supporters from either camp, they will likely give you a 'dooms day" explanation of why the other guy should not be leading our country. While I can certainly appreciate the passion that someone might feel for a political campaign, there is no excuse to act out violently if your side happens to lose. And if violence ensues, it should not be downplayed or celebrated. This only encourages more of it. If you don't like the winner, try voting him/her out in the next election cycle. That's the civil way to handle it.

kw

Eddie Van Halen - Remembering The Guitar Hero

I was about 12 or 13 years old the first time I heard a Van Halen song. My jaw dropped as I listened to the blistering guitar intro (aka "Eruption") that eventually transitioned into an amped-up version of the Kink's "You Really Got Me". Before long, the whole neighborhood was talking about this new guitar phenomenon who called himself Edward Van Halen.

An interesting thing that I remember from early on was that everyone referred to him as "Edward" instead of the more casual "Ed" or "Eddie". It was as if everyone had already recognized his greatness and anything less than Edward would be disrespectful. But before long, we became more familiar with the music and the band. So, by the time the next album came out, we felt like we had a close personal friend and it now seemed appropriate to call him Eddie.

As the years went by, Eddie continued to cement his place in rock history as one of the greatest guitar players ever. His sound, technique and innovation quickly elevated him to the status of Rock God. Aspiring axe-slingers everywhere were in total awe....

They say that the great ones, no matter what their talent happens to be, make the hard things look easy. And that certainly applies to Eddie. He would play these crazy chord progressions and insane solos while making quirky faces, jumping around and having fun with the audience. 

In sync with his unique sound, Eddie also had his trademark guitars. Early on, Eddie attempted to combine the classic sound of a Gibson with the physical characteristics of a Fender Stratocaster. The end result was the "Frankenstrat". It served Van Halen well through the years and arguably became his most notable guitar. It now rests comfortably in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar were the two prominent singers during the Van Halen years. The musical direction was notably different with the two front men. So naturally, there's always been an ongoing debate on which version of Van Halen was better. But one thing that everyone could always agree on was that Eddie was always equally great.

A friend asked me earlier today about which Van Halen song was my all-time favorite. I really couldn't tell you. There were so many great songs, how do you pick just one? I don't know if I could even pick a favorite album. But I'll pick two from the top of my head....

I have always loved "Van Halen II." It brings back great memories for me from a time when I was just discovering what rock and roll was all about. On a somewhat related note, I had a boyhood crush on Linda Ronstadt. So, I thought is was pretty cool to hear Van Halen cover her popular song "You're No Good" on this album. And to tie it all together, "Beautiful Girls" is also on this one.

My second personal favorite is probably "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge". It had a unique sound for the "Sammy Era" in my opinion. And how can you not love the jab at the censors in the album title? "Poundcake" and "Top of the World" are two of my favorites off of this album. 

And I have to mention "Ice Cream Man". When you can write a song about Push-Ups and Dixie Cups and make it sound cool, you're a special kind of special. That song was so bad ass that it turned Good Humor men into Clint Eastwood overnight! 

The tremendous catalog of Van Halen music is truly a gift that keeps on giving. As great songs tend to do, they take us back to those special places in our lives. They have the magical ability to awaken slumbering memories all the back to our childhood. 

I've never met Eddie Van Halen personally and sadly never will. But I would like to thank him for sharing his gift with all of us for so many years. Although it might sound cliche, Eddie Van Halen will never be forgotten. He left an eternal mark on the music world. And we are all lucky to have been around for the ride...

kw

Coronavirus - The POTUS Effect

To say that the plot has thickened would be a bit of an understatement when referring to the drama of 2020. While the COVID pandemic has been at the center of this year's events, the looming Presidential election has also been generating it's share of attention. 

More drama unfolded with the recent passing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier, we found out on Friday that President Trump has tested positive for COVID. With roughly a month to go until the election, this latest development will likely have a huge impact on the approach to the finish line.

So, who, if anyone, has the upper hand at this point?

Let us look back to last Tuesday's debate between the two Presidential contenders. No matter who you might be voting for, I think we can all agree that this was a debate like no other. At times, it resembled an old Jerry Springer episode. It was hard to determine who "won" with all of the distractions. When it was over, I was left feeling like Dirty Harry when he said, "In all of the confusion, I kinda lost count." I think both guys could have done much better by simply addressing the issues and staying on point. But that's just my opinion...

Now, with the President likely having to be quarantined for the next two weeks, a major impact on his campaign strategy can't be ignored. Will the next debate, if there even is one, be a virtual contest? And if so, how will it be moderated? Chris Wallace had a hard enough time with the live debate last week. He must have felt like the ref in a WWF match. Can you imagine trying to control these two guys through a Zoom meeting?

Many feel like this latest COVID blow to Trump will give Joe Biden an easy path to the White House. If you used the polls as a gauge, I could see how you could arrive at that assumption. But you have to remember, most of these same polls had Hillary Clinton winning the 2016 election. And frankly, I don't trust the media to give us straight answers anymore.

I believe that the overwhelming majority of American voters already had their mind made up as to who they would be voting for on November 3rd. As a rule of thumb in most elections, approximately 40% of the voters will always vote Democrat and another 40% will always vote Republican. It's the remaining 20% that candidates desperately try to sway to their respective side. However, this time around, I believe that those "up for grab" votes are not quite as plentiful.

The mental impact on the President can't be ignored. Can you imagine being diagnosed with a potentially fatal virus a month before what is arguably the biggest election in our history? And let's not forget that the President is no spring chicken at 74 years old.

And no matter how you feel about the COVID restrictions, you have to admit that Trump has downplayed the seriousness of the virus at times. Even during the debate, he mocked Biden for "always wearing a mask". I am simply highlighting this because Trump's opponents can now use this as a "told you so" talking point. 

With this being said, I was amazed at the vitriol that was spewed in Trump's direction after his COVID confirmation. I understand the dislike for the man. But people were actually celebrating the fact that he and his wife caught the virus. And many were hoping for the worst! Come on, people! No matter where you stand on politics, this is the President of the United States! Objectively speaking, if you want to defeat the man, do it at the ballot box.

Another thought.... what if Trump's health takes, at least a temporarily, a turn for the worse? If Vice President Mike Pence should have to step in at the last minute, how will that affect things on Election Day? Perhaps we should put the debate between Pence and rival VP candidate Kamala Harris on the fast track.

The outcome of this election will certainly have a huge impact on the direction of our country. The two candidates are polar opposites and they certainly share no love for one another. And when you factor in the division in America right now, we have quite the volatile situation. Fasten your seat belts folks, I think we're in for a wild ride.....

kw

A Tale of Two 9/11's

 As I slowly pulled myself out of last night's slumber, I was overcome with a rush of emotion that transported me back to a morning nineteen years ago. The images of my American brothers and sisters who senselessly suffered on that day are forever ingrained in my mind. On the morning of 9/11/01, I stared at the TV screen in disbelief as all of  tragic events of unfolded....

I remember a seeing a stunned businessman, covered in soot and ash, walking unsteadily down a New York side street. Chaos ensued around him as a white cloud loomed in the not-so-far distance. The businessman showed up for work that morning not realizing that today would be the worst day of his life. As much as he tried, he could not shake the thought that this was just a bad dream. Sadly, he would slowly come to realize that he was fully awake.

I can recall seeing first responders unselfishly moving into harm's way as they desperately tried to direct people away from Ground Zero. Firefighters, carrying heavy gear, trudged up the smoky stairwells of the buildings. Tragically, they did not know what awaited them. But they moved forward anyway. They were determined to save as many lives as possible. Sadly, most of those brave heroes would never come out.

I was horrified to see people jumping from the upper windows of the building. 

"This can not be real", I thought. Can you imagine how torturous it must have been to make a decision like this? My mind went numb knowing that this was happening and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

New York City police officers tried their best to control the panic. As they attempted to provide a sense of calm, ominous debris showered them from above. They did their best to provide an image of control even as the city was literally falling apart around them.

I recently learned that a mother of one of the fallen officers met with President Bush in the aftermath of 9/11. She handled the President the badge of her deceased son and told him to never forget what happened on that day. George W. Bush carried that badge in his pocket for the rest of his Presidency.

I took a tour of Ground Zero of a few years later. I fought back the tears as two 9/11 survivors retold their stories. It was so raw and personal. It could feel their pain, anger and desperation. I can not imagine what it was like to be right in the middle of things that day. Knowing that your friends and co-workers were trapped in those buildings was way too much for any human to bear. 

In the immediate days following 9/11 no one cared about your skin color or political affiliation. American flags were selling as fast as the stores could put them on their shelves. We flew that flag proudly as a symbol of American unity and resolve. There were plenty of tears shed and we were all hurting pretty badly. But we were in it together. We found comfort in knowing that somehow, some way, we would prevail. Because that's what Americans do!

Things are a bit different nineteen years later on this September 11. Sadly, we are no longer united. Racial tensions and political differences have deeply divided our great county. Instead of comforting each other, we now see fellow American attacking one another. Our brave police officers, who were viewed as super heroes on 9/11, are now having bricks and bottles hurled at them. And our beloved American flag, that once-upon-a-time symbol of unity and freedom, has somehow become controversial. Sadly, some Americans would rather burn the flag today than fly it proudly. No matter where you stand on any of this, I think we could all agree that we need to get back on track and become the United States again..

While it's important to figure out how we got here, it's more important to figure out how we move forward. Nineteen years might seem like a long time, but I can remember the events of 9/11 like they were yesterday. In the days that followed, I was never so proud to be an American. And I really think most people felt the same way. 

My hope is that we can get back to a point where we all share a love for our great country. Things might seem a bit unstable right now. But don't ever give up on America. Just as we did after 9/11, we will also prevail through these uncertain times...

kw