Jim's Blog

My name is Doug Bruce, and I'm Guilty of a Crime

2012-02-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Dougie.........they gotcha. The long time tax activist was found guilty on state charges of income tax evasion. Bruce received 6 months in jail and a strict 6 years of probation in which all of his financial transactions must be reported to his probation officer. Hell, he may have to check in if he puts a quarter in a gumball machine. How the mighty have fallen. And now there are reports the Internal Revenue Service is taking an interest in what Doug may or may not have done with his taxes. The Feds, should they pursue the case, and win, could put Bruce in jail for several more years.........Does anybody want to win the Republican nomination for President? Rick Santorum has a bit of momentum and is pushing front runner Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich has been very quiet for the last several weeks, and has anybody seen Ron Paul? The problem for Republicans is, can they find a candidate strong enough to defeat Barack Obama. The economy is rebounding, and very slowly more jobs are being created. And rightly or wrongly, Mr. Obama will receive credit for that. Which means come November the Republicans may have a tough time against the President.

Lee Douglas

2012-02-06T08:41:00.001-08:00

The phone rang Sunday morning while I was in Denver. A friend told me he had bad news: Lee Douglas died. I felt everything draining from me, and I said, "What-Say that again" Lee Douglas had died. Lee was the longtime sportscaster at KOAA TV Channel 5 in Southern Colorado. I had worked alongside Lee the last 7 years calling Air Force Football games on KVOR. I just had lunch with Lee on Monday. He looked great and said he was feeling good. But this past Saturday, after waking up Lee was not feeling well. He drove himself to the hospital, and was diagnosed with a severe kidney infection. Then his kidneys shut down and he passed away early Sunday morning.

I remember suggesting Lee would be a great color analyst for the Air Force Football Network. I knew him professionally but did not see him very often because of my schedule. We hit it off right away. He always greeted everybody with a warm smile. Lee had a hearty laugh, one that reminded you of Ed McMahon from The Tonight Show. He always had fun in life-serious when he needed to be, always a professional. He worked hard and played hard. Lee was from Pueblo and never forgot that, delivering stories about Pueblo sports with as much enthusiasm and professionalism as he would a Broncos recap. Lee did more than give a score. He showed us people and their personalities and their hearts. His warm delivery jumped through the TV, which is hard to do. He made you feel like a member of the family the first time you met him.

Lee loved covering Air Force Football. He had covered it as a reporter for years, and the last 7 did so as a color analyst. We had so much fun on Air Force road trips. Both Lee and I love music so anytime we jumped in the the rental car we listened to songs and challenged each other. This past year we were at Notre Dame and there was a blimp overhead providing live shots for TV. Lee was so excited. I kidded him about it. he said, "How often do you do a game and have a blimp there?" He was right.

Southern Colorado has lost a friend. I have lost a friend. Lee was fun, gently, happy and always a pleasure to be around. Lee never had a bad thing to say about anybody. The world is a sadder place today with Lee no longer with us. Heaven just got one heck of a sportscaster. I'm sorry Heaven needed him more. Rest in Peace my friend.

Occupy This

2011-11-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

Really? Hey, we're all mad the big bankers and wall street types got bailouts from the government and are now making record profits. Fine. But to start protesting in city parks around the nation isn't the answer. I mean, when, as a protester, do you call the protest off? What has to happen for the occupiers to say, "Okay, we won." Whats the end game? I heard of one guy who actually QUIT HIS JOB to go protest. Really? How stupid are you people? The world doesn't care, other than those who have shops near those city parks. The rest of us hope you freeze your ass off with winter coming on. Go get a job, make a ton of money, and quit blaming EVERYBODY for your problems. There, that's your solution. IDIOTS.

October

2011-10-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

Amanda Knox has won her appeal on murder charges in Italy and is heading home. The authorities have a man in jail for the murder of her roommate. However, there's is still a small part of me that believes she was involved somehow. But a "feeling" and "evidence" are two different things......Everybody all of a sudden is on the Chris Christie bandwagon, wanting the New Jersey Governor to run for President. Is he really that much better than the other 9 announced candidates? In what way? I do like his "take charge" approach to things. He reportedly will make his decision by the end of the week..... If you missed it, YouTube the Texas Rangers Baseball Playoff game, where a young boy, whose father died at the stadium earlier this year, throws out the first pitch to Ranger outfielder Josh Hamilton. Hamilton had thrown a ball into the stands and the dad leaned over the railing to catch it for his son, and fell and later died. The Rangers have raised several hundred thousand dollars for the boy and his family. Say what you want about professional athletes and yes there are jerks in all groups. But there are also wonderful people who give from the heart and ask nothing in return.

Fri 9-23-11

2011-09-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Its the New Normal. That where we are today with the economy. I am a pessimist when it comes to this country creating new jobs. Cut through all the crap about the President and republicans and democrats-its really simple. Those of us who are working are more productive now than ever, which means companies are getting more out of us without having to hire more employees. I don't care how many tax breaks you give to employers. They don't want to get burned like they did in 2008. They have the money to hire new people but won't because you and I are getting more done. Its that simple......Next week on Kvor you will be hearing from some of the newest class of the Mayors 100 Teens. This is a terrific program in the Springs, recognizing 100 young men and women throughout the region, and Kvor is proud to be a sponsor of it......In the days to come we will have details on a huge effort we are undertaking at Cumulus Broadcasting and Kvor. We need all of the help of our listeners on a big project. More to come next week.

Really

2011-08-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Congress leaves Washington and can't find the time to fix the funding problem with the Federal Aviation Administration? Really? So we have to furlough some 75 thousand FAA and construction workers. Really? I am not a big fan of politicians, but wow, after seeing this I could run for office and be successful. Forrest Gump had a saying for this-"Stupid is as Stupid Does.".......Former Mayor Lionel Riverea's claim he should have dug deeper because money was available to keep the parks watered and street lights on came as a bit of a surprise to me. Really? Who was telling him we didn't have the money? And is that person still at City Hall working for Steve Bach?.......It bothers me when I drive around town and I see someone down and out on their luck standing at a light with a sign that says help. Look, I feel bad for them too, but there are part time jobs out there and full time if you look hard enough. You can't find ANY jobs sitting on the corner eying every driver waiting for the light to change. At least get a part time job. You'll have to shave and clean up, but it gets you in the work mode, and the adage of "its easier to find a job when you have a job" still holds true. A little money is better than none at all. Current has a banner along Woodmen that says they are hiring. Next time I see someone looking for help I am going to tell them about Current and see what their reaction is.

So What Your Telling me Is.......

2011-07-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

So lets see if I have this straight. Transportation Security Administration officials stop a 95 year old woman with a terminal illness, wearing an adult diaper, from flying-yet a Nigerian man with false Id and an outdated boarding pass with a false name on the ticket, is allowed to fly. Whats wrong with this picture? Now-to be fair, I have had no trouble with TSA people and I fly a lot. They are there to protect us. However, my problem is two fold-common sense, or lack thereof. I don't believe these people are trained in real-world situations. This woman was wheel chair bound, had a soiled adult diaper, that showed something unusual on x-rays. Her travelling companion offered to remove the diaper and let them inspect it, only because she wanted to get this thing over with as fast as possible. No TSA person has common sense to say, 'Okay, wait-hold on, lets let this poor lady through?" But the same organization allows this Nigerian creep to fly around the country with a handful of false identities with a boarding pass that is a day old and does not even have his correct name on it? How did this guy slip through, especially when they check EVERYONE and EVERY boarding pass. I'm sorry, but they need to do a better job of profiling customers who would seem to have more potential of being a bad guy. And yes, that means racial profiling. Sorry kids-you don't like, don't fly. And that's the second point, somebody in the Administration needs to stand up, grow a pair and declare this is the method that needs to be used to better protect everyone when flying.

Dougie, Dougie, Dougie

2011-06-03T08:45:00.001-07:00

So Mr. Doug Bruce has been charged with tax evasion for failing to report interest that he allegedly deposited interest into an account for Active Citizens Together. I admire Doug for his intelligence. But that's all. I am not a fan. Look, I don't want my taxes to be any higher than they need to be. However we can't operate like its the dark ages. Its bad enough we have half the streetlights off in the city. How attractive is that to potential new employers? When people hear the city Colorado Springs, many of them think of Doug Bruce. Do you want that to be the first impression people get when talking about the city? Thought so.............Steve Bach is the new Mayor of Colorado Springs. Steve, a piece of advice. 3 words...JOBS JOBS JOBS-get those, and everything else takes care of itself.......

Got Em

2011-05-06T08:24:00.001-07:00

I will not forget where I was when it was announced the United States had taken down Osama Bin Laden. It was a nearly ten year chase that had faded at times from our consciousness. But all the while our fine men and women in the military and in our intelligence services continued to dig and piece together scant clues that turned into a focus on a house in Pakistan. And what does this so called defiant leader of terrorism do when we show up? He flees. He hires minnions to fly planes into building and kills innocent Americans, yet runs when he's face to face with us. Watching and listening to news coverage after the Presidents announcement brought home once again the emotions of September 11th 2001. And in the days that follow listening to so many people ask, should he have been taken alive, did we do the right thing, and all these secondary issues, one thing remains clear: The Bastard is dead, and thats good enough for me.

Odds N Ends

2011-04-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

In the slideshow at KVOR.com there is a story about yet another conspiracy tied to the death of John Kennedy. Whether you believe it or not its a fascinating read and it will make you pause and think......So Doug Bruce is in trouble with the Colorado Attorney General. He is accused of not filing income taxes for a 3 year period. John Suthers is the Attorney General, as solid a man as you will meet. I wouldn't bet against him......Many of you won't like this-the story of the foster parents who will be tried for allegedly accepting money from the county to raise two young boys who have since disappeared really bothers me. In the past, and again in this case I am all for torture. These two boys didn't simply walk away on their own. One has been missing since 2001, the other since 2003 and we know these two adults know where the children are and if they are dead or alive. I'm sorry. If I had my way I would use "creative" ways to get them to tell authorities what happened to these kids. Before you start nailing me with emails, think about if your child is missing. If authorities had people in custody connected to the crime you would do the same thing.

Oh Happy Days

2011-04-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled when I heard on KVOR that all 5 Reform Party members failed to win any seat on City Council. I admire the intelligence of their leader Doug Bruce. However I think his ideas are simply bad for the city. The 4 other candidates that joined him meant well I'm sure. But the city will be better off with the winners of those at-large seats. I have been in town over 20 years, and thankfully, slowly, but surely the landscape has changed to a population that understands yes, we need to be cautious on our spending. However, we better know when we are slicing into the bone. The Reform Party Candidates, in my opinion did not grasp that part of it. We need aggresive marketers and thinkers for this city so we can grow sales tax revenue. All I heard from the reform party and like-minded followers was cut, cut cut. Small thinking for a town of about 400 thousand. And, as we move into the age of a Strong Mayor with either Richard Skorman or Steve Bach, its nice to finally see Colorado Springs kick the training wheels off and look to the future.

Down The Stretch They Come

2011-03-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

Closing in on Election Day. We have a poll at KVOR.com on our Mayoral Slide. Its unscientific, however it should give us a picture of how Colorado Springs is feeling about our next Mayor. And by the way-Gotta hand it to Lionel Rivera. I thought he did an amazing job given the current limitations of that office. He represented the city with class and dignity and always had Colorado Springs best interests at heart......The Battle for Libya has repercussions that could reach all of us in this country. Should rebels take over the country, what kind of government will they install? And how will the ongoing conflict affect oil, and thus gasoline prices? Some experts are saying we could see 5 dollars a gallon gas by this summer. What really exacerbates the situation is we are entering spring and summer and the demand for fuel is going to go up, and with it, prices.......Congratulations to Richmond and former Air Force Basketball Coach Chris Mooney. His team made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, and he has been rewarded with a 10 year contract extension. Got to spend some time with him in Denver where his team was playing in the regionals. He has not changed at all. Humble, unassuming, laughs easy, a great great guy. A lot of basketball head coaches are not fun to be around. He is the exception.

Timing

2011-03-21T07:49:00.001-07:00

So the United States, Frances, Canada, and other countries bomb the military forces of Moammar Gadhafi over the weekend, and also begin enforcing a no fly zone. This as Libya struggles with uprisings that threaten to overthrow Gadhafi. However, in my opinion, the move came too late. It should have been done two weeks ago. It seems the immediate goal was to cripple Gadahfi's army and give rebel forces a bit more of a level playing field to oust the Libyan leader. Sounds like we don't want the blood of Gadhafi on our hands, however, we don't mind the helping the rebels who would love to see Gadhafi out of power, or worse, dead.......The Springs mayoral race still has 7 candidates. What I am hearing is we may have a runoff because the race is expected to be so tight. So things may not get decided on April 5th. Continuing election coverage can be found on KVOR and KVOR.com..........Had a great visit over the weekend with High School Basketball Officials at their annual banquet here in town. The men and women who worked high school basketball games don't get enough credit. They don't do it for a paycheck, but for the love of the game and working with children.

Me-Sick

2011-03-15T07:43:00.001-07:00

I never get sick....Well I do, but rarely, and usually I don't let it affect me. But I am sick and I just hate it. I really believe you can talk yourself out of being sick. I have done so for years, But for once I didn't listen to myself. So I present my notes-Under the Weather......I watched the horror, like you, on TV last week during the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami. No words describe what flashed across the TV, and what the Japanese people are experiencing. If you would like to help, please go to KVOR.com and click on our Japanese Relief slide in conjunction with the American Red Cross....And now they are battling to control their nuclear reactors. Does it make you worry about California, and all the predictions we have had for years of a major quake?....Speaking of KVOR.com, we have a great slide up on the Mayors Race. You can listen to interviews conducted by Jackie Craddock and Jeff Crank, and give us your thoughts on who the next mayor will be. That person will have a lot of pressure. They need to figure out how to create jobs and get the damn street lights back on in town....The Group of 5 running for City Council led by Doug Bruce-it will be fascinating to watch how well they do. To me, they represent old Colorado Springs when I first arrived in 1989. There is a portion of this population that doesn't want to see any spending at all. They will clash with the more modern populace that has arrived in town over the last 10-15 years who understand you just can't keep cutting and cutting. Old Blood vs New-who wins out?

Wow

2011-02-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

What a mess in the Middle East. Now, I call it a mess, but what's really happening is people are sick and tired of being mistreated, having low paying jobs, being held down by dictators and oppressive governments. Sadly, the uprisings come with the loss of life. There are a lot of brave people in those countries fighting for freedom and we will only know of their deaths. The Global Financial Markets are very jittery. Oil, and thus, fuel, could skyrocket. Its already hit 3 dollars a gallon the springs, and we're lucky because its 17 cents less than the national average.....And how bout enough already with these damn Somali pirates. These punks kill 4 Americans on a yacht the Somali's hijacked. Do you realize they still hold 29 ships and more than 650 people? The United States along with a few other countries need to team up, go in, and put an end to this craziness.......Carmelo Anthony will never win an NBA title no matter what team he is with. Why does he want to play in New York? So he can become an international celebrity, with music deals, commercial endorsements and the like. He is too selfish a player, and he plays defense like I do. T-E-A-M is a word he may have a time time spelling.

Trying to stay warm....

2011-02-03T12:11:00.000-08:00

What's happening in the Middle East is worrisome. Egypt, Yemen, and Jordan are all seeing political upheaval, with crowds and mobs in Yemen and Egypt demanding the resignations of their presidents. Some are saying its the tip of the iceberg and more countries may experience the same thing. I believe that, and I don't think there's much we could, or should do. What I mean by that is these countries have to settle their own internal strife. We must keep an eye on things certainly however, we must be cautious on trying to influence any outcome......I know its been on before, but I just got around to watching it-the documentary Restrepo, as filmmakers follow American troops into the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan. It is sobering, scary, and sad. This is what our troops are doing overseas everyday. It is a must watch.............My new Favorites are the Alaska Reality Shows-the guys mining for gold and the guy that owns a fleet of planes that fly supplies to remote towns in Alaska. You know who isn't happy about all these reality shows? Professional writers. Fewer shows for them to write.

60 Seconds with Me

2011-01-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

So the Gazette refuses to turn over the registration information of one of their readers who wrote on their city desk blog that Mike Gallagher, City Councilman would quote, "Be better off Dead." Really? This is what we get from a respected city media outlet? Don't give me the free speech argument. Listen, I deal with that everyday on KVOR. With free speech comes responsibility. So its more important to the Gazette to get page views on their website than help the police investigate a death threat? And you wonder why Gazette readership is down? That's poor leadership from the Editor from the Gazette....And the comments from an Arizona Sheriff that "Talking Heads" on radio and TV led to the shooting in Arizona is pure nonsense. Can we tone down the talk at times? No question. To say this nut job listened to radio and TV commentators and then decided to shoot people is irresponsible.....I like the idea of Republicans and Democrats sitting side by side listening to the Presidents State Of The Union Address. Hey, we have to start somewhere to get politicians agreeing on something, because when they don't its you and I that suffer.

2011

2011-01-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

So the republicans now control congress. One word- GRDILOCK. Get used to it. Could be a long year in Washington......So just as we slowly slowly start to see an improving economy comes word we could see 4 dollar a gallon gas later this year. Timing is everything.....On KVOR we are working with Shell Fuel and Ski Free for a cool promotion. Buy 10 gallons of Shell gas and get a Ski Free voucher which you can redeem for a free ski lift ticket when you buy an adult ticket at Copper Mountain, Crested Butte. Monarch. Loveland and Winter Park. Good Stuff. Love to ski but probably won't get up there until February....Don't be mad, but I love the snow and cold. Its winter-the weather should be lousy.

60 Seconds of me...Can't take much more

2010-11-29T10:25:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy but I love to shop during the holidays. Going into the stores-I love the spirit and the energy. Everybody seems to be in a good mood. How do we capture that the other 11 months of the year?...........Have a cool new segment beginning Wednesday 12-1 at 712am on the Morning Show. Its called "Talking Business-Taking Action. Chuck Kotcher is a local business coach. He has had fantastic results helping businesses grow and improving their bottom line. Its a 2 minute feature packed with great information for any kind of business......Damn North Korea is at it again. What is it going to take to bring that crazy regime under control? And do we want to be a part of it? When you dig deeper into that mess, you realize how important it is to not do anything stupid, considering China is their ally....Oh by the way, a personal note-those of you that have disdain for my use of the words "thugs, creeps, and punks," when describing criminals in newscasts-members of the Colorado Springs Police Department tell us they love it. So its not going anywhere. And a lot of our listeners also give us positive feedback.

So Now What?

2010-11-08T11:30:00.001-08:00

Republicans have re-taken the house following the Mid Term election. So now what kind of effect will they have on the economy? Here's the thing-all I keep hearing is we need more tax cuts to give small business a break so they can create jobs. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. This country needs BIG BUSINESS to start creating new jobs. But I don't think its going to happen. Look, any job creation is good, but small business really can't take a bite out of the 9.6 percent unemployment rate. We need big business to start hiring again. Factories, assembly lines, that's where you can make the biggest impact. But businesses are being cautious. They don't want to get caught again like they did the last couple of years. So they will figure out how to manufacture the most with the least. Simple as that. Government needs to help the larger companies so they can hire hundreds of people at a time, and those factory jobs will pay more. But until you and I feel the confidence to buy more cars, washing machines, homes and such I'm afraid it may not matter who is in control of the house or senate.

Mon 10-18

2010-10-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am still amazed by what we saw in Chile and the rescue of the 33 miners. I kept worrying something would happen as they ferried each miner to the surface. The Chileans wrote the book on how to conduct a rescue operation and the transparency, the openness they gave to the rest of the world to follow it. No politics, no b.s., no suits and ties getting in the way. Get em out, and they did. The men and women who put that plan together are not receiving enough praise and acclaim for what they did. "Heroes" does not seem a strong enough word for their actions.......Dan Maes is getting beat and battered in his failiing efforts to become Colorado's next Governor. Even if he were to step down and help the republican party focus on Tom Tancredo it still, in my opinion won't be enough to topple John Hickenlooper.....Looking forward to Glenn Becks Colorado Springs visit Tuesday night Ocotber 26th. He is promoting his new book, "Broke." Beck has had a bevy of health issues. A source told me he goes through a case of Diet Coke a day. Can't be that good for the system...So Doug Bruce is sending emails out berating supporters of Props 60, 61 and 101, yet claims he has nothing to do with those tax cutting measures. Right. Can we get this guy a hobby?

Welcome Back..

2010-10-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

So there's talk of a 2012 Democratic Presidential ticket of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. This from Hillary's people. It actually makes sense. I think more women would vote and it would shake things up a bit, although it would make Joe Biden look like the fall guy. But Biden could replace Hillary as Secretary of State. Really? That could be very dangerous. And in the end, is it enough to calm the turbulent waters the Democrats have been sailing through the last 2 years? Don't think so. People have had it with them, both republicans and Democrats. The question is, who runs on the Republican ticket? I still like Rudy Guliani. and I do think Sarah Palin will give it a go, although a recent poll shows 48% of Americans surveyed look at her in an "unfavorable" light....I love the Fall-my favorite time of year. Something about the cooler days and the leaves changing color-its the best. And hopefully some snow. Don't be mad-I have to drive in it too.

60 Seconds with me

2010-09-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been awhile. A lot going on at the Radio Ranch......Interesting reading the Drudge Report and the stories that say even the Democrats think they are in trouble in the November Elections. Well, they will win the Governors seat in Colorado. I just don't see Dan Maes or Tom Tancredo getting past John Hickenlooper. By the way-like him or not, the Hickenlooper TV ads are very very good.......So how bout this story of the woman who was hurt in a springs city park on one of the pieces of playground equipment. Not only will the city not cover her medical expenses, but she has to pay THEM for the cost of trying to get them to pay to begin with. DAMN-great way to encourage city residents to use the park system. Its a bad PR move by the city.....Say a prayer for those miners still trapped in Chile. They have been down there since August 5th. Experts say even if they are rescued they may never be the same again because of the isolation they are enduring...Fall is my favorite time of year. There is something in the air, besides the cool temperatures, that just invigorates me. Yea, you're right, its the football........

60 Seconds With Me

2010-08-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Finally, finally, finally it looks like the BP mess is over. The oil spill that is. The lawsuits and the damage claims will last for years. I am honestly surprised and thankful there are not more off- shore accidents like this. Praise for the men and women who follow safety guidelines and provide oil for this country in a safe manner.......So in Portland a health inspector shut down a child's lemonade stand because the 7 year old did not have a license. The head of the department stepped in and said it was okay for the child to continue to sell lemonade. This is a big problem we have in our country-a lack of common sense. Its as simple as that. People are afraid to deviate from "The Book" or general rules, and they do stupid things like this. COMMON SENSE. That's the precious resource we have too little of in this nation.....So Doug Bruce hires a lawyer to fight contempt of court charges in Denver. His lawyer won 10 Million Dollars for his client Tim Masters illegally imprisoned for 10 years, but also represented Balloon Boys dad in Northern Colorado (lost that case) and he also represented Ward Churchill who was unsuccessful in getting his teaching Job back at CU. So the guys is 1-2 in high profile cases. Good Luck Doug.

2010-07-22T09:12:00.001-07:00

I never used to be a big "vacation" guy. In my stupider days I didn't use all my vacation here at work. I lost days. As I get older (and hopefully wiser) I use every hour of every vacation day. Don't be stupid like I was a few years ago......Air Force Football practice begins August 2nd. I will have a blog at KVOR. com that I will update as the Falcons open practice and get ready for the season. ...Still time to register at KVOR.com to become a VIP club member. You could win dinner at 2 great restaurants at Bronco Billy's in Cripple Creek and they are giving away a car a day through mid August.....Should be a very interesting August Primary in Colorado. You wonder about Scott Mcinnis and his chances of getting past this plagiarism issue. Like it or not John Hickenlooper is the favorite to win the Governors seat in November....Facebook has just passed 500 million members. I loved what Betty White said about Facebook on Saturday Night live. She said she had never heard of Facebook and it was brought to her attention the campaign Facebook subscribers had mounted to get her on the show. She went on to say now that she knows about it, she figures it sounds like a huge waste of time....

2010-07-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

Back from vacation........Was working on my house doing a variety of things. If the lights at your home blinked or you lost electricity for a few minutes, my apologies. I know enough about that kind of work to get us all in trouble.......So whats up with Mel Gibson? This guy looks like he's crazy, and could be investigated by the Los Angeles DA's office for allegedly hitting and threatening his girlfriend. Would William Wallace do that? Would the Road Warrior do that?......Early warning. Air Force could have its best football team since the 1998 season. The schedule sets up so if they jump out to a fast start they could hit the top 25 polls in September......Its been great to meet many of our KVOR listeners at Springspree and our live broadcasts. Thanks for coming out and supporting us......I have dropped 5 pounds the last 2 weeks. My diet tip-only grab 3 handfuls of potato chips. Repeat after me-Moderation.....Condolences to the family of George Steinbrenner who died at age 80. Say what you want about him, but he was a big big supporter of the Air Force Academy...

2010-06-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

60 seconds Inside my Head-Which is 58 seconds too long for me........How bout this idiot near Nederland who abducts two people and ties them to a tree? They caught this guy who turns out to be homeless and has had some minor run-ins with the law. If he's not out looking for a job, just throws his a-- in jail and let him rot........Had the pleasure of sitting next to University of Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn at the recent Sports Corp Football Kickoff luncheon. Mike and I actually played basketball against each other in high school. He gave an impassioned speech about supporting college football and college sports in general and all the good things that come with it. He is a great leader for CU Athletics and one of the good guys in sports.....I've spent more time at the pool already this summer than I have spent in the last 10 years combined-which means I've bought every bottle of Aloe I can find in town-My nickname is "aspirin.".......Was not a big Larry King fan but I do think he is a great interviewer. 2 things he does all media types should learn-he asks short questions, and when he has an author on, he never reads the book prior to the interview....Things that bother me-When I am in line to pay for something and ahead of me is 10 members of 1 family. Look, one of you can pay for your purchase-the other 9, get out of line please......And finally, my vacation has arrived. DJ Mccoy, Charlie Stone and Ann Boswell will drive the bus while I remember what the term "sleep in" means.

"Catch the Deluge in a Papercup"

2010-06-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

So Joran Van Der Sloot admits to killing a young woman in Lima Peru. Finally that creep will get what he deserves. I would love the Peruvian Police to question him about Natalie Holloway. The Aruban authorities don't seem to have a clue....I've had this sitting on my desk for a week-"A United Nations investigator wants the U.S. to stop CIA-directed drone attacks on suspected islamic militants in Afghanistan and Paikstan. Philip Alston said there's a risk of developing a "Playstation" mentality because the operators of the drones are far away from the battlefield." HUH? You have to be kidding me. We are saving American lives thanks to technology and this yoyo thinks we should stop? Why? Because its unfair? How bout asking the Afghnaistan militants and Pakistan militants to observe rules of war and not kill women and children? Mr Alston you are an idiot.....I just got done moving. It's amazing the stuff I forgot I had...Am loving the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hope it goes 7 and the Blackhawks win..... Final thought, and I stole this from YouTube-Dan Fogelberg's "Same Ole Lang Syne finishes with this-"She gave a kiss to me as I got out and I watched her drive away. Just for a moment I was back in school, and felt that old familiar pain. As I turned to make my way back home, the snow turned in to rain." Think about you and relationships. That line says it all. You either get it or you don't get it. Dan Fogelberg is still missed. He passed away December 2007.

And Now a Word From our Sponsor.......

2010-05-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

Tv's are getting bigger and cell phones are getting smaller. Before you know it the cell phone will turn into the Dick Tracy Watch.......Hope you join us at Territory Days Memorial Day Weekend in Old Colorado City. Our tent will be at 25th and Colorado. Should be a lot of fun. If you love music, there will be 16 bands performing over all 3 days.....If you see any live pictures of the oil leak in the gulf your first thought is, "That should be pretty easy to fix." Then you realize its 5 thousand feet below the surface, and you can't send anything other than robots down there. The emergency plans they had for this type of situation need to be re-thought for future off-shore drilling.....Saw KC and The Sunshine Band recently in Las Vegas. His boogie shoes are a bit slower these days but the audience still loved him. He's out there at age 59 still drawing crowds.....Next week KVOR will give you a chance to win tickets to shows at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo. The "On Sale" date for tickets is June 5th......Guilty pleasure-Rocky Road Ice Cream with marshmallow topping.....Final thought-is it football season yet?

It Goes in One Ear and Out........

2010-05-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Okay. I am finally ready for summer. I was the guy wanting another snowstorm and I got it a couple of weeks ago. Now time to play in the sun..........Have really enjoyed watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs the last several weeks. Its killing my beauty sleep however........KVOR has some cool things lined up for our booth at Territory Days Memorial Day Weekend. Hope you come out and say hi........Off year elections this year should be fascinating. To me, one of the big questions is, have Tea Parties helped or hurt republicans? Don't have the answer to that. But they have certainly re energized many conservatives around the nation....I am a big time concert guy. This year I will see KC and the Sunshine Band-yes, still alive and well and killin it. Might take in Chicago and the Doobie Brothers, Sting and the Royal Philharmonic at Red Rocks, and maybe 1 or 2 others.

60 Seconds with Me

2010-04-29T11:22:00.001-07:00

The best investment I made in the last 6 months? I bought a back scratcher. How I lived without it I will never know.....Phones are getting smaller and TV's are getting bigger. And when you get a big screen TV you can't ever remember using a 20 or 30 inch TV...........People ask me if I really do have a Sleep Number Bed by Select Comfort, and the answer is yes I do. Its a wonderful bed, and as much as I travel I guarantee you, its the best bed I have ever slept on.......I like the old days when I could simply walk into a local pharmacy and have a prescription filled. Now, I have to know my patient id number which is 14 characters long-and I have to mail it to Arizona, then wait 10-14 days to get it back. Take your time guys, its only keeping me alive....When I order pizza I now do it online. Its crazy. They tell you who received the order at the store, who's making the pie, and who delivers it... Another good thing about the Internet-I never have to balance my check book. I bank online and its right there in front of me...Fisher Deberry is back in town Saturday May 8th for his annual 5k 1k run and walk. Its a great event that helps raise money for Single Family Ministry, Homefront Cares, and The Fellowship of Christian Athletes. To sign up go online to FisherDeberryFoundation.org.....Should be a fun movie summer. Sex In The City 2, the sequel to "Wall Street" with Michael Douglas. And there is a new "Star Trek in the works, and get this-Will Smith has just signed up to play the lead role in the sequel to "Independence Day." Final Thought- "Slow down-the world and all your challenges will be there when you're ready.

60 Seconds with Me

2010-04-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry. I am the guy that loves spring snowstorms. By April most of us have had it with the bad weather. I am the exception. Blame me if we get another one before June...........I know life moves at a hundred miles an hour these days, but take 15 or 30 minutes for yourself and go for a walk, or take another way to work, or just slow down and do something different.......President Barack Obama is trying to fix everything, which is good, because my computer has been running too damn slow lately.......One of my favorite times of the year, with the NBA and the NHL Playoffs getting underway. Late nights, no sleep but great games. I can sleep in July....Best sign I have ever seen-In my doctors office. "Be nice to everybody, because everybody is battling something." Think about that. May not seem like it on the outside, but its so true....We are out at the El Paso County Tea Party Event April 15th at Acacia Park. The on the 16th if you get a moment please stop by our studios on Corporate drive for our "Boost To the Brave" promotion. We are gathering sundries for our troops in Afghanistan-chap stick, pumpkin seeds, baby wipes, men's vitamins, beef jerky, toothpaste, deodorant-things we take for granted. There's a full list at KVOR.com.

Something You Need to Do

2010-03-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

I spent a weekend with 8 longtime friends. We grew up and went to high school together and had been planning this visit for about 4 months. We called it, "The Year we Turn 50
Celebration." When you get with people you haven't been around in a while you assume they are the same people you remember. My buddies were. But it was interesting to watch and listen as we talked about raising kids, politics, the economy-all these issues that escaped us when we were 16 years old. We all turned out different in some ways. The best example was when 3 of us went shopping for food for the rest of the group. But the best part about our visit was I realized how important these people were in my life. And its not that I never knew that. But it was reaffirmed. Even though I hardly see most of the guys they represent a special time in my life. It made me appreciate them and me even more. We all have our struggles and challenges, and success stories. It's something I strongly recommend you do-whether its college friends, or high school chums. It will remind you who you were, but more importantly who you now are. Those 8 buddies are priceless to me-people i can always count on in good times and bad. I hope you are as lucky as me and have friends like that. Plan a get together with them. Life's too short not to do it.

Tine to Grow Up.

2010-03-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

Finally, finally, someone comes up with the idea we should change to a strong mayoral form of city government. Yes Yes and Yes. Its about time. City Manager government is for small towns, which, in my opinion, we have wrestled with in this city (yes, city) for years. Is Colorado Springs a small town, or a city? Many voters act as if its a small town and I believe it has hurt us from growing, and attracting new business. Mayoral governments hold people accountable, but at the same time give the mayor and city council more power, which is what they need. We have a part-time city government at the moment. You're kidding me? We are a city of 375,000 people. The men and women who make up our city government are fine people and work hard. Changing to a mayoral form of government gives Colorado Springs a chance to grow, a chance to positively change the dynamics of this city.

Tiger

2010-02-22T08:54:00.001-08:00

So Tiger addressed the nation last Friday. You wanted to watch but you didn't want to watch. He looked uncomfortable and the whole event was so staged it wasn't funny. He didn't make many of his fellow golfers happy holding his conference on the Friday of the Accenture Match Play event. His mom was there but his wife was not. I wonder if she even watched the event. He showed the most emotion when denying his wife hit him with a golf club and when he spoke about allegations he uses steroids. Everything else was very robotic.

Look here's the deal-He's a guy with international fame and a lot of money. That attracts women. It will continue to attract women. I don't think going to a sex rehab clinic is the answer. Sure there are problems in the marriage, obviously, but he is not a sex addict, in my opinion. You can question his integrity and character, but if you want a better idea of what a sex addict it, go to Youtube and watch some shows from MTV called Celebrity Sex Rehab. Listen to some of the celebrities talk about their challenges with sex. It's not the same.

Final thought. Tiger was given bad advice. He should have sat down, and said, "Guys, I'm here for an hour-ask any question you want. At the end of the hour we are done and it will not be discussed again. " The world changes so fast he would have been back page news 72 hours afterwards. Instead he leaves us with more questions than answers, and as allegations continue to come forward about his after hours activities, and he remains silent on specifics, many people figure its the truth since he is not challenging it. And if you are his wife, why go back to him? Nothing is going to change. The temptation will remain. The questions is, can Tiger say no?

Musings

2010-02-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

I like Fridays, but not for the reasons you think. I actually like Thursdays because at least in my building there is an energy you can feel as we get ready for the weekend. On Fridays everybody walks around here with a little more jump in their step. Of course we have a saying here at Citadel Radio and KVOR that we use every Friday. It is, "See ya tomorrow." (It means we are always working-which is a good thing these days.)

I lived in Denver for a while and I now understand why some Denverties look down their nose at the Springs, especially now, with a city that can't afford to keep all the street lights on, a town that can't water its parks, or keep bathrooms open. And we are going to try and convince companies to come to the city and bring jobs? Those of you that voted down a tax increase have no clue. But of course you will start screaming when they turn the street lights off in front of your house. This has nothing to do with quality of life. Its about basic services a city provides, and many of you let many of us down. Hope you're happy. You want services but expect someone else, or no one, to pay for them. You should be ashamed. Small town, small minds. You know who you are. This is a good city with the potential for greatness. If we all give a little, we all get a lot. Our cost of living is low to begin with. Hopefully soon those of us with more common sense and bigger dreams will begin to speak for the majority.

Random Thoughts

2010-01-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

It bothers me to drive through the springs and see so many empty buildings. Have you noticed? Its absolutely scary how many once thriving businesses are now shut down. I keep hearing people say things are getting better. Hard to believe that seeing all the commercial space available.........The pictures coming back from Haiti following the 7.3 earthquake are terrible. Thousands of people have died. Many more who escaped with injuries face a difficult time because of lack of water and services. It makes you thankful you live in this part of the world where earthquakes are something we really don't have to deal with it........2010 will be a fascinating year with off-year elections. Many polls are showing democrats trailing in a number of races around the country. Harry Reid will have a hard time of it in Nevada, although the gaming industry is starting to turn around. Tourism in general is also up in that state as is the housing industry. Should Harry take credit? You know he will.....

City under Siege

2010-01-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

So the city is now talking about turning off some street lights to save money. They could save over a million dollars a year. I'm fine with it as long as they don't turn my street lights off. I probably speak for all of you when I say that. But that's whats its come to in this city-we're looking at turning off street lights, which could make it easier for creeps, thugs and punks to operate outside the light. But hey, that's what you voted for back in November. And by the way, better not complain when you try to enjoy a nice day at your favorite park and the bathrooms are shut down or some of the playground equipment has been removed-you voted for it. I like this city-but its backwards. We have a City Manager form of government (outdated). We have a number of people that do not want to see this city grow and prosper, and don't want to spend a dime, yet demand, no, scream, for more services. We lose a police helicopter that was a valuable law enforcement tool. Well, we may have more crimes committed and a tougher time catching the bad guys. There are consequences. But its what you wanted.

December 2009

2009-12-22T10:09:00.001-08:00

Hi. Happy Holidays to everybody. Hope you have a great holiday season, and get a chance to slow down and enjoy time with family and friends. Seems like its harder to do every year. I will actually get 3 straight days of nothing but holiday fun, then its back to work. Back out on the road Sunday with the AF Basketball team in El Paso for their Sun Bowl Basketball Tournament. Its one of the top holiday tournaments in the nation. The 1st time we were there a few years ago they greeted the team with music and singers. I will never forget them trying to get then head coach Joe Scott to dance. Priceless.

2009 was a tough year for a lot of people. I hope as we make the turn to 2010 things (the economy-jobs) loosen up just a bit. We as a nation have to bounce back and hope for good things in the coming year.

Slow down, and please enjoy the holidays, and travel safe.

2009-12-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!!! I love the snow and cold-Sorry. It puts me in the holiday spirit.....On my mind.....Kvor is working with the Colorado Springs Police Department and Teens With Promise on their annual Toy Drive. If you're shopping please grab one extra toy. You can bring it to us at Kvor at 6805 Corporate Drive or an Springs Police Department. Thanks for helping us spread the true meaning of Christmas.....The Tiger Woods drama has taken so many twists and turns. But here's where it gets interesting. The National Enquirer, US! and TMZ have been accurately all over this story. Traditional media has been way behind. You can say you don't care, but that's like saying you never look at a traffic accident as you drive by it. Tigers silence is not good, mainly because it gives everybody else so much room to speculate. Look at what David Letterman did. He beat everybody to the punch and didn't give them room to go anywhere, and its already out of the headlines. Tiger reportedly is going through marital counseling with his wife at home several times a day. if that's true, no matter how big his house is, its not big enough at the moment. Reportedly his angry wife has gotten a new pre-nup which will put millions in her pocket. Talk to you again soon.

Musings

2009-11-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

Post election thoughts.......So Springs residents decide not to help out the city, and turn down a tax increase. Get ready for fewer city services next year, and perhaps slower response times from police and fire crews. But hey, its what you wanted. You won't swim in a city pool next year, and there's a good chance the softball, football or soccer field you and your kids play on will be in lousy shape. But hey its what you want. This city has severe issues, and its not with city council. Part of the problem is some (not all) some of the population is simply clueless. You know who you are......The Air Force Academy and the springs looked great on ESPN's Gameday Show before the Air Force Army Football game. You can't buy that kind of exposure.....There is a hunger strike in a prison in Southern Afghanistan. The prisoners are unhappy. You know what? Let them go hungry!!!!!!....... I love the holiday season, and believe it or not I love shopping amongst the crowds.....

Do What You Want-Be What You Are

2009-09-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

I really feel for Colorado Springs City Employees who have been meeting by department and being told if they have a chance of losing their jobs. It just stinks. I hope and pray this city finally gets wise and realizes we need the upcoming mill levy increase. I don't care what the national reports are suggesting. Things are still not good for our local economy. I'm tired of reading about layoffs every morning. The Doug Bruce's of this community are doing nobody any good. I don't want to see my neighbors and friends losing jobs. You old farts who gripe about tax increases, yet scream when we don't have enough infrastructure and city services can't have it both ways.....Back on the road with Air Force Football. Hats off to Jeff Cosky who, for lack of a better term, is the travelling secretary for the Falcons. How he gets 172 of us around the country and back in 36 hours is incredible....Spent some time with former Air Force Basketball Coach Joe Scott recently. Glad to see he has a 2 year contract extension. He earned it. Also hung out with Denver Nugget Assistant Larry Mangino at Pepsi Center....Had a great summer of concerts. Saw Earth Wind and Fire and Chicago, Aerosmith, Jackson Brown( who was just okay) and my favorites Hall and Oates.....Do you get the feeling we may have a long, wet winter? Enough with the rain already....Why does President Obama feel he has to fix everything in this country in the first year of his presidency? But I like the fact he called Kanye West a jackass....One final thing. I am not a fan of the President. But you so-called birthers who are screaming the President wasn't born in this country are doing yourselves a dis-service. If that's all you can focus on you are losing credibility. Question him on health care, or the stimulus package, but please drop the birth certificate issue.

Musings

2009-07-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Wasn't it fun to watch Tom Watson challenge for the British Open? I love how much the competitor in Watson came out during the match. He said going in he wasn't there to just play well, he was there to win it. Great Show....82% of KVOR listeners believe the Rampart Range Shooting Area should not have been closed. An accidental shooting that left an Aurora man dead was the catalyst for its closure by the US Forest Service. Have never been up there. From what I have been told the place was poorly kept by those who used the range.....Bronco Football practices are underway with a new head coach, a new quarterback, but the same expectations-Win, or else. I have a feeling Denver will find itself back in the playoffs.....Congrats to a close friend, Larry Mangino with the Denver Nuggets. Larry joined the team as an assistant before last season, and look what happens-54 wins and a Western Conference Final Berth against the Lakers....Did you see where Jeff Kingery, the longtime Play by Play voice of the Colorado Rockies will work just one road series the rest of the year? The Rockies reduced his role because Jeff got upset and yelled at a bus driver taking the team from Dodger Stadium back to their hotel in June. According to the Denver Post Kingery had been warned about his behavior in the past. Are you kidding me? He has one of the greatest, and toughest jobs in the world to get, and he risks it because he apparently has anger issues? Geez Jeff, we can understand if you had a fight with your wife, or a relative was sick, but damn-a bus driver makes a wrong turn and you get up in the guys grill? And the Rockies have had to warn you about your behavior in the past? GROW UP!!! Its sad, because he is in the last year of his contract with the team. I will be surprised if they bring him back...An update on Kingery The Denver Post says Kingery can work as many road games as he wants as long as he pays his own way. So he is not traveling with the team as just about all broadcasters do. You wonder if he wants to or has enough time in this season to make up and apologize to the Rockies....Say what you will about President Obama, but asking the Harvard Professor and the Cambridge Cop who's paths crossed, to come to Washington and have a beer is certainly unique. How bout inviting North Korean leader Kim Jung Il to the states for a Washington Nationals game, a dog and a cold one?

Brave But Chicken

2009-07-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of angry, mean people in our society. Here's proof. Go online, read any story where it allows you to post comments. Take 5 minutes and read some of the comments. I think its one of the bad things about the Internet. The anonymity the Internet gives people. The hatred and anger that's out there, all protected by the computer I am typing on right now. It makes cowards of people, and whats worse, makes people less accountable. It emboldens them to, in my opinion, ultimately do things that are wrong and even illegal. Whatever happened to someone standing up, saying something and sticking by their word? It's gone, relegated to a "hide behind the curtain," mentality with a signature of "abc89." And how mean are the comments they make? I hope their not my neighbors or yours, but they probably are. You wonder sometimes why things are in the toilet?

And You Want Us to Help?

2009-06-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

North Korea recently announced prison sentences of 12 years for two American journalists who entered the country illegally. A spokesman says Americans Laura Ling and Euna Lee were found guilty of a "grave crime." The American Government is working some behind the scenes channels in an effort to win their release. But the Obama administration must be careful that North Korea does not try and link this incident to efforts by Western Powers and South Korea to get the North to curtail its nuclear ambitions. Now this may sound cold and callous-I have a problem with this story. The two women, along with support crew from their American employer Current TV, were indeed on North Korean soil. They were filmed on the other side of the Tumen river separating North Korea from China. Through a translator they were heard on the video as saying they were in a North Korean courtyard and do not have permission to be there. So why should the United States now rush to their rescue? They knew what they were doing. They knew they did not have any permission to enter North Korea. I don't care who is signing my paycheck, you can't ask me (and its still unclear if Current TV ordered the women to make a foray into North Korea) to violate a country's law like that, and especially one as unpredictable and unstable as North Korea. And now we're supposed to bail them out? I feel for them and their families-however they created this mess themselves. And whats worse is now North Korea can use the journalists in a high stakes negotiating game, as they continue to threaten the West with nuclear tests. Just because you're a journalist you don't have carte blanche to wander into any country. Had that been me, I would not have been within 10 miles of the North Korean border. Sources say for the moment the two women are being held in guest houses and probably, despite reports, won't go to the vile and heinous detention camps. But they never should have crossed the river to begin with. And now their families are forced to plead with our government to intervene and win their release. Sometimes when you make your own bed you have to lie in it.

Here's the Problem

2009-05-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

For years I have maintainned Colorado Springs needs to figure out if its a small city or a big town. At times it seems like the latter, especially with a one-time but now shrinking hard core group of conservatives. I remember in the early 90's when former mayor Bob Issac pushed for a new airport. All these old farts came out of the woodwork and didn't want to see it happen. I thought it was a good idea and publicly supported it when I did a 1 hour talk show on KVOR. Fast forward to today. Our part-time Mayor is under scrutiny for his efforts to keep the USOC in Colorado Springs. (Yes I said part time). And our part-time city council is trying to unravel, and make sense of, and put back together that same deal the USOC walked away from with the city several weeks ago. It all brings me to this conclusion-Colorado Springs needs to grow up and have a real Mayor and City Council with full time salaries. This is not a knock at all on Mayor Riveria and City Council Members. I admire the work they do on less that 10 Thousand dollars a year. But that's the point-How much can they get done while trying to keep their own jobs and provide for their families? Its a joke that we still have a city manager form of government. Its not about the people who have these jobs-its the system. We may be one of the largest cities in the country with a city manager form of government. We as a city and its citizens deserve more.
These men and women must make time during their work day to deal with the business of running a small city-or are we a big town? It's time we grow up.

Musings

2009-04-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

2 good friends of mine passed away within 24 hours of each other-Rich Bircumshaw, the Play By Play voice of the Colorado State University Rams, and Glen Gondrezick, basketball analyst with the UNLV Radio Network. I saw both 6 weeks ago in Las Vegas at the Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament. "Gondo" had a heart transplant in the summer of 08. He looked good and told me he was feeling great. The doctors now think his body rejected his new heart. Rich had a stroke Tuesday night, and died Wednesday evening. I called Rich because his company, Clear Channel Communications had laid off 950 people, and his job was very much up in the air. I got his answering machine. Two good guys, who loved their jobs and loved their schools. It makes you both sad and sick. Rich was under the gun every single day. He did, and this is not inflated, 54 newscasts every day Monday thru Friday for his radio stations in Fort Collins. He was worried about his job. Seems like there's a lot of that going around. Did the pressure of his job, of the radio business in general, have anything to do with his passing? I don't know. We never will. I know Rich made a lot of sacrifices to call games, because he loved the job. I will miss Rich and "Gondo." I hope we all slow down a little and smell the roses. Death calls 24-7 and you never know when you will be tapped on the shoulder and asked to step out of the line.
I will miss them a lot.

Inspiration

2009-04-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Her name is Susan Boyle. She is the latest Internet sensation. Its not often I am at a loss for words, but after watching a clip of her on YouTube I am speechless. There are moments in life that sometimes cross your path, and if you're lucky, you recognize those instances and appreciate them. I have always been an underdog. I have always rooted for the underdog. And I am rooting for Susan Boyle. She lives in Scotland and recently appeared on "Britain's Got Talent," a show much like "America's Got Talent." The 7 minute segment on YouTube is both a condemnation of how shallow we are as humans, and, a shining example of pulling for the "good guys." If the piece doesn't bring a tear to your eye, get your heart checked. The video on YouTube has been viewed by over 20 million people. The more that see it the better. It needs no more set up. After viewing it, please post your thoughts here.

Tough

2009-04-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

I watched and listened over the weekend as U.S. Navy Seals shot and killed 3 Somali pirates, and rescued Captain Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the coast of Somalia . There are so many details to this incredible story that are just amazing , and I'll be commenting on many of them. A couple of things stood out-1) President Barack Obama gave the order to use force, if necessary, to free Captain Phillips. 2) We didn't wait a week, or a month, or 6 months to do something. We used aggression and it saved an American life. I have become sick and tired of the do-gooders in this world who think we need to treat terrorists, murders and thieves with kindness and compassion. No Sir! We are dealing with enemies around the world who are not afraid of dying, and who believe the United States has become soft, especially since the Iraq War. Thank Goodness we had someone, starting with the President, who realized force might be necessary. Thank God we could drop Navy Seals by helicopter to the USS Bainbridge. And Thank God, the Captain of the Bainbridge had the common sense, to realize they had a chance to take those Somali pirates out, and they did. Sorry, but many times violence is the answer to other violent actions. The more countries negotiate and pay ransoms, the more Somali Pirates will hijack vessels. No, the deaths of 3 pirates will not be a deterrent. However it sends a clear message this country will use whatever force is necessary to protect Americans. It would be nice if this policy would extend past the Horn Of Africa and to other conflicts we are involved in around the world. Like him or not, the President of the United States made the right call, and a captain, who gave himself up so his crew could escape, is alive today. More to come.

Musings

2009-04-06T09:13:00.001-07:00

Saw the moving "Knowing." Loved it, but I can see why a lot of people did...Ever try to get into the Texas Roadhouse Restaurant in Monument? Standing room only. Better go early....Went skiing up at Monarch not too long ago. What a great day. I used to be an all right skier but have not been up for a while and it showed. Plus I was wearing jeans. So on one run I go headfirst into the snow. As I start to get up a couple goes past and I hear the woman say, "Now that's why you shouldn't wear jeans!!"......Love this time of the year-the end of the college basketball season, baseball begins, the Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway (Go Rangers)...I am a not so closet wrestling fan, and I watched the WWE's "Wrestlemania 25" Sunday with a bunch of buddies. The show was great and the company was better. Had way too much fun....Am also a big concert guy, and although I missed Elton John, I plan to hit a lot of shows this spring and summer.

That's it for now....Stay Tuned

Bar Codes and Magnetic Strips

2009-03-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

I finally realized it while travelling with the Air Force basketball Team the last 2 weeks. I am a bar code and a black magnetic strip. So are you. Thats what we have come to. Go grocery shopping. They scan your item and find the bar code with all this information on the product. Fly around the country. When you check in they ask you to swipe you credit card, and from it they pull all this info about you. Kinda scary in a way. My life has been reduced to a 4 inch black strip (although there are those that would say its more interesting than me in real life!) Rent a car, buy anything in a store, and thats who we are to the credit card people and the computers. And after all, thats whats running this country, not the government. I have two credit cards-no debit cards. My sons have debit cards and kid me about being old fashoined. I tell them, "Look-if you are in a foreign country and there's a mob coming after you, hold up your debit cards and see what happens. You're done. If I am in the same predicament, I pull out a wad of cash. The mob stops, and I have time to plan my escape. From cash to codes, from coins to cards with magnetic strips. Its faster these days, but more colder and impersonal. Oh for the good ole days!

The Girl Scouts

2009-02-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

How do we get out of this deep hole called a recession? You and I need to start spending money. Sounds simple doesn't it? I was reminded of that walking out of the grocery store when I saw two Girl Scouts selling cookies. It would have been easy to walk past and say, "No Thank You." Instead I stopped and bought two boxes. Now-that won't put any of us in the black anytime soon, but, if we can all do a little, maybe, just maybe we slowly start to turn things around. It cost me $6.50 for those two boxes of girl scout cookies. I bet between your couch cushions and the car you can find money for a box or 2. We have to start somewhere. I would rather trust you and I than the big banks to turn things around. I choose to trust the Girl Scouts. After all, you don't see them asking for bailout money, do you?

These Are Historic Times

2009-02-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what's happening in the economy. It seems like, overnight, things are crumbling around us. Experts say its a long overdue correction. What are we correcting? Did we have too many jobs to begin with? My sister nearly lost her job. My son is in danger of losing his. And I'm in the wonderful world of radio, where anything can, and will happen. Few of us can remember times as challenging as these. Some say the answer is President Obama's Stimulus package.
I hope it is. I worry so much about the people losing their jobs. Many of us don't want government intruding in our life. However that could be what saves millions from being out of work. Men and women smarter than me say they can fix our problems. Let's all hope they are as smart as they think they are.

Advice

2009-01-29T10:32:00.000-08:00

I love hearing how different people have succeeded in life. Hey, nothing is easy. There are no shortcuts. It fascinates me how people have climbed the ladder, and the things they do to get
where they want to go. A book I highly recommend, although its out of print is, "Strategies in Winning" by Carl Mays. A great, great book. I have so many things underlined and highlighted.
A long long time ago I read an article on Baseball great Carlton Fisk who was a catcher with the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. He shared in the article a poem written by his then 18 year old son...

"Dreams are what you make them
It all depends on You
If you really want it bad enough
Desire can make them come true

You can dream about most anything
But Dreams won't get it done
But when you bust your butt
and dreams come true,
That's when You'll have your fun."

I love that poem because it reminds me that hard work, and not just going through the motions,
makes all the difference in the world. I know times are tough and so many people are out of work. But my mom always says when one door closes another one opens. Yes, the doors are fewer and farther between, but they are out there. Don't coast-keep working hard. Dream, but at the same time bust your butt. Success is defined many ways. Keep working hard and good things will happen.

Oh Happy Days

2009-01-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

I got together with some friends this past Sunday to watch the NFL Playoff games at a local watering hole. These are people I used to work with and I consider them among my closest friends. As we talked we would ask how each other was doing and the responses were very unenthusiastic, "Okay-nothing great." "Hanging in there-trying to keep busy." There is a mood in the air thats very uneasy and very disquieting. I don't want to say we're all afraid, but most of us are very cautious-about our job, our bank account-and what could happen next. I noticed the same thing when I was in the mall the other day. I like the mall because you can get, I believe, a real sense of whats going on in the community. The mall is usually bustling with people, and you hear kids laughing and such. But the other day it was quiet. People were wandering through and there was a feeling of uneasiness. And these are the times we live in. For better, for worse, its what we have to deal with. And if you are like me and have kids that are grown up, you worry about them as well, because they are new in the workforce and don't have as much experience to fall back on. I am not sure what it will take to turn things around in this country, but the mood is grim and things don't appear to be changing any time soon.

On The Road With Jim

2009-01-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

I really like my job-or should I say jobs. One of them is calling the Play-By-Play for the Air Force Academy Football and Basketball teams. I am very lucky to thave this position and always remind myself of that. I travel with the teams and get to see much of the country-or should I say airports and hotel rooms. People come up to me and say, "Wow-you travel all the time. You get to see some great cities and sightsee." No-not quite. Take Football-We leave on a charter Friday morning. We fly in to the city of the team we are playing early Friday afternooon. I grab all our radio equipment and head out to the stadium so we can get set up and make sure everything is working. That can take up to 2 hours. Then I go to the hotel and work on my notes. Most guys who want to do play by play think you just show up and talk. No. I spend up to 15 hours getting ready for a football game. I work into the night and early morning-grab 3 hours sleep-get up and go do the game. Then we fly home right afterwards. Basketball is not much better. I got into Albuquerque for our game against New Mexico Friday afternoon at 5. Went right to the hotel where I spent the rest of the night because I didn't feel well. Up early Saturday and spent the day working on my basketball notes. Got to the arena at 5:55 for a 7:30pm game. After the game prowled around late Saturday night in Albuquerque (not recommended for the faint of heart) looking for a Mcdonalds for dinner. Got to sleep at 1am. Up at 5:30am to catch an 8:15am flight and land in Denver Sunday morning at 9;15. Really glamorous huh? Plus I am dragging a suitcase, 2 bags of radio equipment (always fun passing through security with that) and my bag full of notes. I love what I do, but this job requires long hours-short sleep-a love of fast food and the desire to do your homework. And yes its easy to forget what city you are in.

ALL GOOD THINGS.......

2009-01-05T03:40:00.000-08:00

IT WAS A SHOCK TO MILLIONS OF BRONCO FANS WHEN OWNER PAT BOWLEN FIRED HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN. "THE MASTERMIND," AS HE WAS OFTEN CALLED, HAD BEEN DENVER'S HEAD COACH 14 YEARS AND WITH THE FRANCHISE FOR 21 SEASONS. THAT'S FOREVER BY TODAY'S STANDARDS. WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN 1994 WHEN HE WAS NAMED HEAD COACH? YEA, I CAN'T REMEMBER EITHER. BUT ITS A REMINDER THAT ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END. AND MIKE SHANAHAN WAS A GREAT THING FOR THE BRONCOS. BACK TO BACK SUPER BOWL TITLES IS ALL YOU NEED TO REMEMBER. BUT LIKE THAT FAVORITE SONG YOU LOVED FOR A WHILE, OR THAT TIE THAT SEEMED TO ALWAYS LOOK GOOD, YOUR TASTES, AND THINGS, CHANGE. BOWLEN GAVE SHANAHAN ENOUGH TIME TO TURN THINGS AROUND. BUT WHEN YOU COME DOWN TO THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON, WITH A PLAYOFF BERTH RIDING ON THE OUTCOME, AND GIVE UP 52 POINTS, IT WAS TIME FOR BOWLEN TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR A NEW COACH. DON'T FEEL BAD FOR SHANAHAN. HE IS OWED 20 MILLION DOLLARS BY BOWLEN, WHICH SHOULD HOPEFULLY PAY FOR HIS FURNITURE IN HIS 32 THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT HOME. BUT ITS A LARGER REMINDER OF ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END, AND THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE.

A LITLE MEANS A LOT

2008-12-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY. MY HEALTH IS GOOD, MY FAMILY IS FINE, AND, FOR THE MOMENT I STILL HAVE A JOB. NOT EVERYBODY CAN SAY THAT. THINGS ARE TOUGH, AND DURING THE HOLIDAYS FOR MANY FAMILIES THEIR SITUATION BECOMES LIKE AN OPEN WOUND. YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK AND ASK YOU, OUR LISTENERS,TO GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN, WHETHER ITS MONEY, A GIFT, FOOD, WHATEVER TO A CHARITY. IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A BIG THING. BUT IT ISN'T. EVEN AFTER CHRISTMAS,FAMILIES CONTINUE TO SUFFER. IF EVERY ONE US DONATES JUST 1 FROZEN TURKEY, OR JUST 5 DOLLARS (WHICH IS ONE FAST FOOD LUNCH), OR PICKS UP A SIMPLE 10 DOLLAR ITEM AT A STORE, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. PLEASE SLOW DOWN FOR 1 MINUTE IN THE NEXT 9 DAYS-LOOK AROUND, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE. YOU'LL FIND ONCE YOU DO THAT, ITS A LOT EASIER TO GET SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE YOU WILL PROBABLY NEVER MEET. MERRY CHRISTMAS

IT'S TOUGH OUT THERE

2008-12-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

My good friend lost his job in July because of cutbacks. Recently my company decided to change our vacation policy. For me it meant losing 2 weeks of vacation a year. My boss asked me how I felt about that. I said, "Well, I still have a job and I am thankful for that. It's happening everywhere, and it doesn't surprise me." Some people are really upset about the change in policy. I get that-but we all have to slow down and look around. Our country's unemployment rate is skyrocketing, and you know what-nobody is hiring people. In the big picture, those 2 weeks of vacation mean nothing. We have all had to make sacrifices of one kind or another with our job. A radio talk host in Minneapolis was asked to take a 10% cut in pay to limit the number of layoffs the station would have to make. He said yes to that in a heartbeat. So if your company is asking you to do more with less, or forgo a bonus, or take a small cut-it could be a lot worse.
Think of my good friend. And I bet you have a good friend who has been affected as well.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2008-11-19T09:25:00.000-08:00

IT WAS SAD TO REPORT FOCUS ON THE FAMILY LAID OFF 149 PEOPLE BECAUSE THEIR DONATIONS ARE DOWN THIS YEAR. THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE AND PEOPLE ARE BEING VERY CAREFUL HOW THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY. I'M SURE DONATIONS ARE DOWN AT MANY ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND TO HAVE IT HAPPEN JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS MAKES IT ALL THE MORE PAINFUL. THE TOPIC OF FOCUS ON THE FAMILY'S POLITICAL ACTION ARM CAME UP DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING THE LAYOFFS. THE GAZETTE REPORTED THEY SPENT SOME $500 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON AN ISSUE IN CALIFORNIA CONCERNING GAY MARRIAGES. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THAT MONEY IN RELATION TO OTHER DOLLARS FOCUS HAD AT ITS DISPOSAL, THE REPLY FROM A FOCUS OFFICIAL WAS "IT COMES FROM A DIFFERENT POT OF MONEY" AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE HELPED. FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CAN CERTAINLY DO WHAT THEY WANT AS A BUSINESS. BUT WHEN THINGS GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU ARE LETTING PEOPLE GO ON THIS SIDE OF THE BUILDING BECAUSE DONATIONS ARE DOWN, SHOULD YOU CONSIDER SPENDING CUTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING WITH FOCUS ON THE FAMILY ACTION? FOCUS CONSIDERS FOCUS ACTION AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN SPREADING THE WORD ON RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGE, FAMILY, AND FAITH. I'M SURE IT IS, AND PERHAPS BECAUSE OF TAX ISSUES AND SUCH YOU SIMPLY CAN'T MOVE MONEY FROM ONE POT TO ANOTHER. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE FORECASTS FOR A DOWN ECONOMY FOR THE NEAR FUTURE, SHOULD FOCUS ON THE FAMILY PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON ITS EMPLOYEES HERE IN THE SPRINGS, AND THEIR EFFORTS TO GET DONATIONS BACK WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE LAYOFFS? FOCUS ON THE FAMILY IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION-NO QUESTION. BUT THE PAIN BEING FELT HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS OVER 149 GOOD PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS HURTS. AND FROM COLORADO SPRINGS, ITS TOUGH TO SEE THE RESULTS OF WHAT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS MAY HAVE BOUGHT YOU IN CALIFORNIA.

Politics

2008-11-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody,

So Barack Obama went to Washington to meet with President Bush. I read where the President wasn't happy to learn that some of his conversation with Mr. Obama was already leaked to the press. Mr. Obama needs to remember loose lips sink ships. This will be a much different Presidency for obvious and not so obvious reasons. I like the fact that Mr. Obama has hit the ground running. What worries me is, if the American people think Mr. Obama can go to Washington and immediately fix all that ails the country, many citizens will be in for a shock. The President is like the quarterback of a football team-he gets too much credit when the team wins and too much blame when the team loses. The stakes are so much higher with the 1st year of Mr. Obama's presidency-The collapse of many institutions on Wall Street, The Economy, 10 million Americans currently out of work. There is much to be done. The blame goes to both sides of the aisle. But the view must be forward and not in the rear view mirror. Mr. Obama has everything going for him, a majority in the House and in the Senate. The country is watching and waiting. The Democrats have wanted control and now they have it. The game looks easy from the sidelines. Its much different when you are on the field.