Thoughts on September 11th

In describing my feelings about the terrible events of September eleventh, I must refer to a quote by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  

"December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy; the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan" -- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (December 8, 1941) (1)

Hopefully, you realize that the bright, early autumn day in question was my generation's "date of infamy".  It was a day of death and destruction that nobody thought could ever occur.  

Even almost eighteen years later, I still remember where I was when I heard the news of the attacks.  On that day, I was visiting my mother in South Florida.  I had just woken up from the previous night's sleep; my recollection is that the sky was a brilliant shade of blue, even in Florida.  Suddenly, I heard my mother say, "turn on the TV, the World Trade Center's on fire".  My reaction was one of utter amazement; I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't still asleep (this was just before the second crash).  

In the next moments of the day, my innocence (and that of many others) was shattered forever.  As I watched, stunned by the scene unfolding, ANOTHER large jet crashed headlong into the Trade Center.  

I don't recall much about the next few minutes; it is a blur to me.  What I do remember is my reaction upon hearing that Washington was under attack ("the Pentagon TOO?!"), and sitting before the television, my jaw having fallen through the floor (as opposed to it being "on the floor"). 

Then, something really strange happened.  

Looking at a shot of the burning (South?) Tower, I commented to my mother that the building seemed to be leaning a bit.  To this day, I remember exactly what I said; it was "does that tower look stable to you?" 

There are no words to describe the gravity of the next moments.  What I witnessed was, in all likelihood, the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life (the word "horrific" doesn't even come close to illustrating the terror of that day).  Before an audience of millions, perhaps even billions, the (South?) Tower buckled...and fell in a gigantic dust cloud.  The (North?) Tower would do the same some time later.  

As the buildings fell, they took with them the lives of many innocent people.  It wasn't just Americans who were killed on that day; it was people of every stripe.  Many of the lives lost belonged to everyday citizens; those blue-collar workers who showed up to do their jobs, day in and day out.  These men and women thought they would come home to their families that night; history had other plans for over three thousand souls.  

It has been said that "time heals all wounds".  Even so, the man who coined this phrase probably could've never fathomed the absolute horror of this September day.  

The wounds associated with the events of September eleventh are still fresh, like a cut that does not heal.  They irrevocably changed America, indeed the entire world.  And yes, we lost a little bit that morning.  Yet. here we stand, still the proud beacon of "liberty enlightening the world" (the original name of the Statue of Liberty).  To paraphrase Mel Gibson in "Braveheart", our enemies may have taken American lives, but they will never take American freedom.  

Thanks for reading. 

"No matter how long it may take us...the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory" -- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (December 8th, 1941) (1)

Update From The Genealogy Files

Frequent readers of this blog will note that I have been doing research into family origins.  Specifically, I have been investigating a possible link to the McMahon family of professional wrestling.  

From a previous post, here's what I've come up with so far.  

"As the result of my searches on Ancestry.com, I have found that my grandfather on my father's side (George Boland Sr., 1903-1962) was married to a Margaret M Curtin (1904-1979).  This woman was the great-granddaughter of a Mary McMahon, from County Clare, Ireland.  Through additional research, I have discovered that the McMahon wrestling family has its roots in the same area of Ireland that Mary was from.  This points to at least a reasonable possibility of a link between my family and the McMahons of WWE. 

OK, this is where the plot thickens a bit, as there is one more mystery yet to be unraveled.  Vincent Kennedy McMahon is the great-grandson of a Roderick James McMahon (1848-1922).  It is this man who immigrated from Ireland, thus starting the American side of the McMahon family.  My Ancestry.com research hits a (pay) wall in the generations before Mary McMahon; I do not know who her parents were, and if she had any siblings.  This unknown has proven to be the final part of the puzzle. 

You see, if Mary was (a) sister to Roderick James, then the evidence shows that I am indeed related to the wrestling McMahons.  At the moment, I have no idea whether this is the case.  However, if true, this would be an astounding coincidence (as I am a huge fan of WWE).  To quote Joey Styles, my reaction would be something like 'oh my God"

The latest report is this...although I don't yet know the answer to my question, I'm making progress on finding what that answer is.  

Earlier, I posted a general inquiry to the genealogy forums on Ancestry.com, asking for information on Roderick James McMahon.  Hopefully, I will soon get get some news on this, and be able to conclusively say "yea or nay" on the issue.  

As always, I'll keep you informed regarding any new developments...

..."when news breaks out, we'll break in" !

What A Mess

In case you haven't been following the news lately, my hometown of Fairfield has a major scandal on its hands.

Recently, it was revealed that public works officials illegally dumped toxic waste on town-owned land.  They then used soil associated with this waste as fill material in town projects, such as the improvement of Gould Manor Park.  This being a significant news story, I thought I'd sum up what we know so far.

Here are some of the facts involved in this case.

• In 2013, a company known as "Julian Development" was awarded a three-year contract to manage Fairfield's waste pile.  

• Town officials used contaminated materials from the waste pile as topsoil for various town properties.  These properties include Gould Manor Park, as well as fields at several public schools.  

• The Superintendent of Public Works has been fired, and another senior official has been placed on leave.  In addition, the State's Attorney is pursuing criminal charges against Julian Development, as well as certain town officials. (1)  

• Through the environmental firm of "Tighe & Bond", various sites are being tested for soil contamination.  

• Four out of the nine sites already tested are contaminated, and will require remediation.  These sites include Gould Manor Park, Jennings School, Mill Hill School, and Riverfield School.  

• Remaining school athletic fields have been closed for testing.  The Board of Education will decide when these fields are re-opened.  

• Contamination notwithstanding, the First Selectman's Office has remarked that athletic fields "have low levels of contamination", and are "safe". (2)  

• Evidence shows that the town may have known about this issue as early as 2014, yet done nothing about it. (3)

• A check of related documents reveals that the town has a lease with Julian Developments regarding a building belonging to the Board of Education.  This monthly lease continues to be in place, even after the filing of criminal charges against Julian. (4)

• This is not the first scandal involving current First Selectman Michael Tetreau.  Last year, a matter arose involving the composition of the Board of Selectmen (with the resignation of a selectwoman from the GOP, the town tried to force a special election.  This was ruled improper by state courts). (5)

Now, some personal questions that I have on this matter.  

First, if athletic fields are "safe", as the First Selectman's office claims, then why is it necessary for these fields to be "remediated"? You don't fix a problem that doesn't exist....SHADY!!

Second, the First Selectman is responsible for the oversight of all town-related departments.  How could he have not known about this situation months/years ago? Basically, what did the First Selectman know, and when did he know it?

Finally, why is it that the town is maintaining a lease with Julian Developments, even after formal criminal charges have been filed against that company? Wouldn't it be better for the town to sever all ties with Julian?

It goes without saying that this "toxic" scandal is big news, and developing by the day.  I'll keep you posted on any and all significant happenings in this case.  

Matt's Quote Book

Just a collection of quotes that I've recently been thinking about.  

• "May ye be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead" -- Old Irish blessing

• "It's not easy being green" - Kermit the Frog

• "If you're going through hell, keep going" - Sir Winston Churchill

• "We should do three things every day of our (lives)...laugh...think...and...have (our) emotions moved to tears. That's a heck of a day!" -- Jim Valvano (1946-1993)

• "And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!', he chortled in his joy" - Lewis Carroll ("Jabberwocky")

• "It will soon pass, whatever it is" - Bobby McFerrin ("Don't Worry, Be Happy")

• "Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise, they won't come to yours" - Yogi Berra

• "It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant.  It's just that they know so many things that aren't so" - President Ronald Reagan

• "This above all; to thine own self be true.  And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man" - William Shakespeare ("Hamlet", Act 1, Scene III)

• "No one ever got anywhere by half-assing it" - My father

• "Be quick, but don't hurry" - John Wooden (1910-2010)

• "One good thing about music; when it hits you, you feel no pain" - Robert Nesta (Bob) Marley (1945-1981)

• "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds" - Bob Marley

• "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose unto heaven" - Ecclesiastes 3:1 (quoted by "The Byrds' in 'Turn! Turn! Turn!")

• "If you want respect, give respect" - Me

• "Remember that somewhere, someone somehow has it worse off than you do" - Me

• "Don't ever be afraid to see what you see, believe what you believe, and say what needs to be said" - Me, with thanks to President Ronald Reagan

• "You can't always get what you want; but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need" - Mick Jagger & The Rolling Stones

• "Every man's heart one day beats its final beat; his lungs breathe their final breath. (And) if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others...then his spirit will be immortalized...by the memory of those who honor him, and make the running the man did live forever" - James Hellwig, AKA "The Ultimate Warrior/Warrior" (1959-2014) (1)

1 Author's note: Mr. Hellwig passed away on April 8, not quite twenty-four hours after making this speech.

Re: Thoughts On Women's Soccer

Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks this way.  (Disclaimer: The video below contains some vulgar language..."let the (viewer) beware")

THIS is how it's done.  GREAT JOB, and kudos, Coach!

Career Frustrations (or, Am I Already Hitting A Mid-Life Crisis?)

Greetings once again from the land of the living dead, aka Connecticut.  Today, let's talk about jobs, and the struggle to succeed in one's chosen profession. 

If you've been following me for a while, then you know that I love music, radio, and the media scene in general.  Operating my small (Part 15, FCC authorized) radio station is an activity that I thoroughly enjoy, and which brings me a lot of happiness. 

Nevertheless, the daily grind of broadcasting can be quite difficult to deal with.  Obviously, radio is a very tough and competitive business.  If you don't already have some radio experience, most prospective employees won't talk to you.  Having applied for many a choice position, I have first-hand knowledge of this situation.  Unless you really know your stuff (I think I do), it can be very challenging to even "get your foot in the door". 

Allow me to describe the current state of southern Connecticut radio.  I would love to be on the air at a decent-sized station, doing either music or a local political show.  However, the current industry climate leaves me with almost no opportunity for this. 

A non-political music show would fit splendidly on Bridgeport's WPKN.  Alas, it seems that the political divide has reared its ugly head.  The station is VERY left-leaning politically; so much so that, being a conservative (in terms of political beliefs), I can't get management to even pick up the phone for me (more on that later).  As such, any possibility of doing a show on WPKN is out the window.  "Diversity" and "free speech" my foot!

Fairfield University's WVOF would be another option for my programming.  For a college radio station, "the Voice of Fairfield" has very good signal coverage.  The problem here is in trying to contact station staff.  It's usually pretty easy to contact someone with the university; for WVOF, not so much.  Management doesn't seem to like to reply to e-mails, and good luck reaching a human on the station's staff through the phone.  This makes any show development very much a losing battle. 

What about other stations, do you ask? Don't even try to get anything started with Sacred Heart University's WSHU, as they don't seem to air local programming.  Staples High School (in Westport) has an award-winning station in WWPT.  Nevertheless, a show on this station is not possible either, since you must be a Staples student to be allowed on air.  WGCH is an excellent small station out of Greenwich (and where my friend Rob Adams works).  This notwithstanding, my chances of getting on the air at this station seem slim at best (although I'd appreciate any positive references you could make).  Then there's WICC out of Bridgeport, which having a show on is (to coin a phrase)  an "I don't think so" type of situation. 

As you can see, opportunities regarding radio in Connecticut are quite few and far between.  Realizing this, I have started to question whether I am cut out for the radio industry.  As shocking as this may be, I am rapidly approaching my fortieth birthday.  This September, I will turn thirty-eight years old.  Perhaps I'm simply having an early version of a mid-life crisis, but a few questions are starting to pop up, such as:

• Do I have my sights set too high, so to speak? Am I aiming for something that I can't hit?
• Is what I do good enough for a regular radio spot?
• Is it worth it to continue to pursue a job in broadcasting? Should I give up, and do something else? (This is the most important question of all)

These are questions that I haven't found the answer to as of yet.  You would think that, after eighteen years of paying dues, someone would want to take a chance on me.  Alas, that has not happened.  So it is, seemingly, that I have a bit of thinking to do.  

Over the next week or so, I'm going to carefully consider how I wish to move forward (not saying that I'm giving things up, just pondering).  Right now, I have no idea what I'm going to do; to quote my father, I'll "cross that bridge when I get to it".  Let the mid-life crisis commence! 

Thoughts On Women's Soccer

If you've been following the latest sports news, then you probably know that the US Women's Soccer team is in the World Cup.  They are scheduled to play the Netherlands in the gold medal match later today. 

On any other occasion, this patriotic American would be rooting hard for our ladies, and chanting "USA".  However, I cannot bring myself to do that for this match; indeed, I almost hope that the Netherlands will win.  Let me explain why this is. 

In case you didn't get the memo, the national team's Megan Rapinoe has declared that, should the US team win, she would not be visiting "the fu***** White House" (it is an accepted custom for the president to invite championship teams to the residence).  The midfielder (and national team CAPTAIN) has also said she will "probably never" salute/stand for the national anthem again.  I'm sorry (well, actually not), but this is not a winning attitude, and it doesn't fly with me.   

Let me break this down for you; I've always been of the opinion that, regardless of their political beliefs, athletes should show respect for the country that they represent.  By refusing to stand for the flag and anthem, Ms. Rapinoe has shown a deep disrespect for the United States.  Not only that, she is the captain of the national team; thus, she should exude leadership by example.  Rapinoe has failed to do this. 

Digressing for a moment, do you want to know why quarterback Colin Kaepernick can't find a job anywhere in professional football? The reason is not because of the color of his skin, or because he is being "blacklisted" (as he so often claims).  It is because he is a disrespectful, snot-nosed punk of a person...and he doesn't have much game anyway.  Kaepernick should consider himself damn lucky to have any sort of deal with Nike (burn their shoes anyway).  Hey Colin, "put that in your pipe and smoke it"!

Anyways, back to the matter at hand.  Myself, I've never coached any type of sports team.  Nonetheless, if I was a coach, I would lay down the law.  One of my simple rules would be, to quote the movie "Miracle", "the name on the front is more important than the name on the back".  Simply put, if you want to play on my team, you will show respect.  That means that when the anthem plays, you will STAND....OR YOU WILL SIT FOR THE ENTIRE GAME! 

I don't care what your political beliefs are.  I don't even care if we lose because you're not playing.  Everyone, from the captain down to the most reserve bench players, will stand and respect the flag.  If you're not willing to do that, then not only are you not worthy of being a team leader, you're not worthy of taking the same court, ice, or field as everyone else.  I would even have a mind to dismiss you; if you're not going to have a winning attitude, perhaps the team would be better off without your services.  I may take some flak for this, but that's the way it is, and that's the way it would be. 

By allowing Megan Rapinoe to play today (along with apparent supporters Ali Krieger, Becky ("Sour-Face"?) Sauerbrunn, and Ashlyn Harris), the coach of the US team is sending a message that he (she?) will tolerate this disrespect, as long as the team wins.  The coach doesn't care about leadership and attitude; all he/she cares about is "getting paid".  This is something that I do not, and cannot, support.  The Women's National Team should play their game with honor and dignity.  If they aren't willing to do so (even though I hate to say this), then I guess it's "go Netherlands" for me.  "Sad"!