Idiot trolls & 500 pound gorillas

I've worked several different places in the last 29 years. Big companies, small ones, governmental agencies, non-profits and for profit -- they all have one thing in common, the Idiot Decision-Making Troll.

I don't know who this clueless gremlin is, but it's a large family. The dastardly demon seems to have a favorite prank, replacing competent employees with feckless dead-enders based on "time served".

Troll: Hi Joe! How are ya?

Joe: Uh...oh...well, how do you think I am?

Troll: You seem swell!

Joe: I am swell!

Troll: You know Joe, we're thinking of making some changes...You know Mike, in BioMedical Research and Development?

Joe: Uh...oh...yes.

Troll: We think you should take his job.

Joe: Uh...oh...shouldn't Tim get it? He's Mike's right-hand man and has been for 20 years.

Troll: We think you should take Mike's job!

Joe: But Mr. Troll, I don't know anything about BioMedical R & D. I'm an accountant.

Troll: You'll be super!

I've been listening to talk radio for 20 years. Some of it makes me want to gag, some is informative, some entertaining...sometimes, if you're really lucky, you find a program that is all three.

Northwest Ohio's big talk radio station is WSPD (1370-AM on your radio dial). It has had the usual revolving door of hosts since I began listening after moving back to the area in 1997. A couple of years ago, the previous morning drive host left and in came the new guy, Bob Frantz. Now, I don't know where Bob Frantz came from (I am sure he said at the time) and I don't know the extent of his talk radio experience. From the beginning, he seemed like a no nonsense guy. None of the smoozie stuff and none of that FM Morning Zoo DJ residue. He was, in a word, refreshing.

Sometimes I agreed with Bob, sometimes I disagreed. Occasionally, I turn him off because, I just couldn't take it any more. But he was always articulate, prepared and committed. He focused on local issues and current events - national and global. He always seemed knowledgeable about his topic and, although occasionally self-righteous, open for debate.

This week, in the dead of night, the Idiotic Decision Making Troll crept into WSPD. A new program director (who, incidentally, has taken over the afternoon drive slot...what a coincidence!) decided to replace Mr. Frantz. The replacement, apparently a legendary figure in Toledo radio, seems ill-suited to the job. The new program director (who, incidentally has hired himself for the afternoon drive slot) seems to have some sort of Arbitron death wish.

In the last 4 days, the intelligent talk radio station I listened to throughout the day has become a big Morning Zoo Frat Party. There have been more infantile conversations this week than in the previous 3 years. Just stupid stuff: drinking references, sexual double entendre, shooting & hunting & fishing stories, running jokes: "you're fired, this is the third time I've fired you this morning". You know what I mean. What was once "WSPD traffic & weather" has become "Speedy (i.e. SPD) traffic & weather". I'm waiting for the snappy little jingle...the new program director (who, incidentally, has hired himself for the afternoon slot) probably has some sort of composing fantasy...he could hire himself to write it. That was snarky and immature, I know, so I fit right in to the new wSPD philosophy!

I believe that companies have the right to hire, fire, tinker, dabble and annihilate themselves if they see fit. The market will prove them right or wrong. I am hoping, in this case, the market proves them wrong.

The changes were never announced to the listeners -- devious? deceptive? It sure feels that way.

Mr. Frantz was removed entirely from the WSPD website. A couple of days later, after much complaining, questioning, speculation, threats and general public unrest, an announcement was made that Mr. Frantz was starting a new show, on WSPD, airing daily from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Tidy! Put a bow on that. All done! Lovely.

Not done. The natives are restless and want accountability. Reliable sources say that the new Program Director has an on-air commercial which, so I am told, snarkily says, if you're one of those who are unhappy with the recent programming changes, sorry to see you go. Buh-bye. I haven't heard the ad, so I don't know precisely what the content or context is, but it seems a idiotic idea to me. If it's intended to be a "my way or the highway" line in the sand, they will continue to lose audience share. If it's intended to be a sardonic or satirical message to unhappy listeners, it's risky to insult or demean your audience.

Many complaints have been lodged on Mr Frantz's blog. Other Toledo bloggers are blogging, for example here. Options are being discussed. A petition is online. I don't know if any of that will make any difference. The gorilla sits where ever he wants. Should ratings or advertising revenue be affected, that will matter.

Look, we've all been on the receiving end of the gorilla at some point in our lives. We know how that feels. Sometimes, it's not even because of anything you did... It's just because the gorilla is bigger than you. All you can do it try to keep from getting sat on.

Mr. Frantz will, reportedly, be at The Andersons on Monroe Street in Toledo, on Friday, November 18, 2005 for a personal appearance. I understand it will start at 3:00 p.m. If you can, drop by there and let him know you support him. It may make him feel appreciated and it will be like giving a (virtual) knee to the groin of the gorilla.

Thanks.

What my mother taught me

I hope you have seen the TV ads for "The Other Iraq". If not, go here and view take a look. While you're there, take a look at the whole site, it has interesting tid-bits like this:

Hidden in the shadows of history, resistance against repression became the Kurdish way of life, until atrocities inflicted by a dictator named Saddam Hussein sent shock waves throughout the world causing people of ever nation to ask, “Who are the Kurds?”

For many, awareness arrived on ‘Bloody Friday’ in March of nineteen eighty-eight when Saddam dropped poisonous gas on the Kurdish city of Halabja killing five thousand within minutes, followed by seven thousand more as the bombing continued for days.

Halabja was not Saddam’s only chemical attack against Iraq’s Kurds, it was simply the worst, captured in all its horrific detail, making it a symbol of the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein.

I know, you'd heard that. We all have, and for many years now. But what about this snippet?

INTERVIEW: PROFESSOR NAZAR AMIN:
At the time when the central Iraqi regime - before the toppling of Saddam Hussein, was busy with creating weapons of mass destruction, we were busy planting trees and creating new classes at our universities and opening new departments and building centers of education for our children and for our youth

The Kurds and Iraqis alike should have been doing this a long time ago...and not just for economic development opportunities. They should have been making it known, to their fellow countrymen, their fellow Muslims, to the American people and to the world, that this war in Iraq is just, itis necessary, and it is appreciated.

The U.S. and the world waited too long to address Saddam Hussein, but it has now. Instead of celebrating that, instead of defending those who liberated them from Hussein, too many Iraqis are silent. Allowing a great injustice to be done to those who, finally, answered their call.

Now we find ourselves increasingly battered, not by just the Muslim extremists, not just by the do-nothing United Nations, not just by the "America's too powerful, let's undermine everything they do" French and Germans, et. al., but by our own countrymen - the left wing nut jobs, the main stream media who will make news if they must and never let facts get in the way of a juicy scandal, the blue & gray hippies who must turn everything into a 1960s redux, the uber-rich & famous who need something to do between martinis & botox treaments, all of the liberal and most of the moderate Democrats who must try to bring down the president to continue feeding on the public teat and increasingly, the Republican's positioning themselves for a run for the Top Dog job.

They should all be ashamed of themselves.

Shhhh....listen, hear what they are saying:

"The United States has never wavered in its quest to help Iraqis build a democracy that rewards compromise and consensus. The ever generous American people have paid a tragic price, the lives of their finest men and women, to advance the banner of freedom and democracy, a sacrifice for which we are profoundly grateful."

H.E. Masoud Barzani, President, Kurdistan Region in Iraq

"And something else is different in Kurdistan: they like Americans here. Both US presidents, father and son Bush, are considered liberators of Kurdistan. The elder, because he imposed the 1991 no-fly zone, which made the Kurds more independent and laid the groundwork for today's turn for the better."

Berliner Zeitung

Maybe it's just an ad. Maybe it's simpley designed to increase economic growth. I don't know. I do know I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud of my President who has the strength of character to do what is right. I'm proud of those men and women who put on that uniform everyday for others - you, me, the murdered of September 11, 2001, the Iraqis, the Afghanis, the South Vietnamese, the South Koreans, the French, Polish, and on and on.

My mom taught me when I was just small that it's only polite to say thank you when someone does something for you.

So, President Bush: thank you. United States Armed Forces: thank you.

The Other Iraq: you're welcome...

Chirac is an idiot

You don't like thinking it, but you do. France's President Jacques Chirac is just an idiot. The news is filled with reports of the rioting in Paris, now spreading in limited fashion to other European countries.

Chirac's response? Curfews. That's taking a tough line!

Chirac's inept handling of well, everything would be a "what goes around, comes around" moment, except that 1) people are being killed and injured and 2) speculation that this is part of Al Qaeda's "Great Ramadan Offensive".

If this is indeed Step One of a global rope-a-dope designed to create havoc and gain some sort of advantage, it's frightening. The fact that it's taking place in the home of jello-spined, weak-kneed, white flag endowed Parisians...that's terrifying.

People need to stand up. Across the pond(s) and here at home.

We cannot be a land of milk-toast socialist-wannabes. Tell Cindy Sheehan to shut up, tell the Hollywood muckety mucks to schedule a massage and tell the liberal Democrats and the "let's not offend anyone" Republicans to get back on the porch, and let the big dogs out again. The big, bad, bare-teethed, "this is my yard and I'll bite you where it counts" dogs.

Tomorrow is election day. It's piddly little local and state stuff, but please go vote. Stand up. Get off the porch. Be one of the big dogs.