This Just In

Snowden journalist to publish UK secrets after Britain detains partner

Better Call Saul!

Are the G.I. JOES on call?

U.N. panel to hear accounts of North Korean human rights abuses

Stop with the Snowjobs, Brits!

Britain defends detention of journalist's partner

Lancers Cafe now cold enough to keep meat safe!

Yep. It's true: while bored, worrisome, out-of-touch (read: Older) administrators/faculty/staff - even some students - have many suggestions on how a COLLEGE radio station should program their music (on CLC's own website, dubbed "Student-run station. Students operate the entire station...".

At least a small few of those "planners" should be worried about how DAMN COLD is Lancers' Cafe. Yes, cold enough to keep meat! Fixing that problem is ultimately easier than trying to re-program well thought through music programming - programming by STUDENTS.

The idea to play music that - in an administrator's own words - "the kids want to hear", in order to keep more students (apparently younger students, or even outside patrons?) in the Cafe as long as possible in order to help raise revenue, could work (and I truly believe that CLC Radio is tolerating this edict well, and the student staff really do want to at least try it). But, it doesn't take even a Grade School Graduate to know that the idea of "what the kids like" yes, he said "kids", when referring to young adults taking college level courses in a college, or " want to hear", is not what will keep the "kids" in Lancers long-time.

Why not, Mr Owner Me?

Because it's just too cold there. And, the food? Enough said.

Save for the drinks and bags-o-chips and OVER PRICED ice-cream bars, there is NO GOOD food in Lancers' Cafe. If you want GOOD QUALITY food, go to the Willow room. You get larger and cheaper portions - and it is GOOD. And HOT.

But, alas, there is no music playing in the Willow Room. That sucks for them. Then again, there is only so much Connie Francis I can stand (that would be none).

None of the music "changes" forced on CLC Radio, painstakingly "researched" by Lancers' staff (so far, the change barely noticeable by most accounts of actual patrons) will matter.
I suspect that CLC Radio will be fielding more complaints for playing too much Rap, or too much Hip-hop, or too much Emo (or Screamo - that "screamin' crap!"), by those students and/or facluty and/or staff who would rather hear something more like the Drive, or Jack FM, even XLC, but like 94.3? They are barely different from B-96, hello!

One thing for sure: CLC Radio will always get complaints of not enough Country, not enough Jazz, not enough edgy, satirical, bad analysis of the news affecting "kids", "give us some of that!". Complaints have been received of students & staff and other DJ for over 20 years - but, the FREQUENCY of complaints have gone down DRAMATICALLY.

Part of the problem lately has been one of , "Who do we call to get "this" fixed" - whatever the complaint - "too loud", "not loud enough", "I hate Metal", "I hate Jazz", "I hate Country", "I hate Rap" - "what number do we call?", and the biggest, "Why aren't you guys transmitting on FM? Wouldn't that be a good PR tool for CLC?". Well, that problem is easily fixed with signage (read: awareness) , and to kick-off the signage I will now divulge the Call-in number through this blog (digital signage):

847-543-2929.

If a DJ does not answer, just leave a message, and the student staff will be paged immediately to come to a quick resolution. Just, stop calling higher up the ladder, that just pisses everybody off more than the occasional Opera tune or Avante-garde Jazz tune gone a stray.

Just don't panic about hearing a "wierd" tune by making that sound like someone said FUCK at all - except with profanity we will take notice of - that is ACTUALLY important, but Opera? Please. Fix the food and the temps in Lancers. Use some of that hot temper and raise the Temp Levels to a liveable, workable environment and the air temps of Lancers' Cafe, too....in other words, do your job, and let the staff of CLC Radio do theirs.

So let's all work together now, shall we? The audio stuttering is now fixed (hopefully for a very, very long time into the far future), and the music programming has been sweetened to the tastes of what one adminstrator says, "...the kids would like...".

On the other hand, as CLC is a COLLEGE, doesn't it make sense that CLC Radio should be helping to EDUCATE students, staff, faculty, and administrators on other kinds of music - as they have always done? Other than the kind the "kids" can hear in their car or at a party anytime, and the SAME 8 SONGS repeated endlessly EVERY HOUR; in other words, the kind of music that generally college students are TIRED OF HEARING. This attitude toward music just keeps the mind of the young adult still in High School - and after all, isn't the myth of "CLC is just like a big High School", about ready to be transformed into something better and higher?

Flip that coin on its edge and we have: Most guys - and even some ladies - of college age would rather WATCH Beyonce with sound OFF, rather than listen to her songs over, and over, and over in a car. Sorry, B.

Google it. Ask the students of all ages. Ask faculty - not just your buddies - newer faculty. LOOK AT THE BILLBOARD CHARTS - even they admit they can't keep up with the fragmentation and cross-over of music styles and genres that have developed and morhed over the last 2 years. Be thankful you don't work at a college that plays NOTHING BUT Avante Garde Jazz from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday, like, WNUR: Closed Circuit through their dorm systems, in their cafeterias and on the Air - the same programming for MANY years, and they have not changed for the sake of change, changing their already stellar Foundation of Excellence, on just a whim or a prayer.

Prayer - that reminds me; Gospel Music is a Specialty Music, and will be treated as special, at special times (in other words, not between the Mainstream Hours of 8am to 2pm).

Tribune, shmibune

Many inaccuracies and a real question not asked (nor answered) abound from Mr. Griffin's widthdrawl of hi considered name to the college presidency.

The inaccuracies:
from:

"..."If I caused any pain, I apologize for that," Griffin told the more than 200 attendees at a special board meeting to discuss his nomination for the post at the Grayslake college. "I've always tried to listen to you."..."

1. Yes, more than 200, as was reported to us, at CLC, there was SRO. SRO? In a room that seats normally 400, I would say that , yes, that is more than 200!
2. Special board meeting? Huh? Wha? NOPE. Just a public forum held by the ADMINISTRATORS. (not that there is anything wrong with that)
3. nomination? NOPE, a mere decision to make it into a mere vote - a decision that many were unhappy with.
4. GRAYSLAKE COLLEGE ? 'Nuff said!

This is just one sentence, folks, and more incongruity to come.

from:
"... Fellow board members nominated Griffin to succeed Richard Fonte, ..."

1. Nominate? Nope, just throwing his name around would be more accurate.

from:
"...As part of a severance package, the board allowed Fonte to stay on the school's payroll as a $145,000-a-year special assistant through March, when his original contract was to expire...."

WOW

1. NOT a severance package (although one could arguably put those words in quotes)
2. Payroll? NOPE, contracted as a special ass.
3. 145,000 a year? NOPE. 145,000 turns out to be Fonte's pres salary minus the months he would officially NOT be pres.
4. Through March, yes, BUT NOT when his contract WOULD have ended. His original pres contract was for 3 (THREE) years to start January 2006 and end December 2008.

from:
"...On Tuesday, Griffin e-mailed a letter to many of the college's more than 600 employees, announcing his candidacy to become the school's next president. Instead of good-luck wishes, Griffin got a flood of negative reaction, especially from the college's union teachers...."

1. Sir Griffin emailed a letter to PR, and they relayed it to the colleges over
2. 1400 employees
3. announcing the board's decision to vote hi, in as president (with Anderson as Interim Chairman, but no mention of when an election would take place to fill the empty spot to total a board of 7 members)
4. ...especially from Union Teachers? All the college's teachers are now Union.

from:
"...Shortly after Fonte's arrival on campus, teachers presented board members with newspaper articles detailing controversy that had arisen during Fonte's tenure at Austin Community College in Texas, where he was president from January 1997 to December 2003...."

1. Well, most of the research was from articles in papers drawn from doing a Basic Google Search - isn't that one of the most BASIC THINGS EMPLOYERS do these days? (looking up the prospective name in MySpace or Google or WHAT EVER?)
2. He was at Austin for 5 years not 6 or 7 (his second of two 3 year contracts was cut short, too!)


from:
"...Fonte succeeded Gretchen Naff, a popular figure at the College of Lake County who served as president for eight years. Naff retired in 2004, leading to a nationwide search that cost the school around $80,000...."

1. opinion
2. 8 Years? Nope, more like 9
3. Her announcement of retirement lead to a search, not her actual retirement
4. The FIRST search cost 60,000 the 2nd cost 80,000


AND NOW, the real NEW question:
from:
"...Ross suggested that if the board names an interim president, the appointee should be given time to mend fences with the staff...."

Q: Should ONLY the board appoint an interim pres. Should some form of a committee be formed (ad hoc, perhaps) to choose from a pool of worthy candidates?

Doing so just might start the mending process Mr. Ross hopes for.

Job Security?

This is the good stuff. The first person in this video belongs. The second person is on probation.

5-25-77

"5-25-77"

From iMDb: "Plot Outline: Pat Johnson has things get in the way of him seeing Star Wars."
]
If someone wants to re-write that to: "Pat Johnson has to fight his way through his own Hyper-space, family, friends, and neighborhood apathy in order to follow his dream to see the very first opening of Star Wars; shaping a much larger dream along his way"
]
To: Patrick Read Johnson (Writer/Director/Actor) -

I just saw the last 40 minutes of the "unofficial" screening/preview of your "5-25-77" tonight on 5-14-07 (Holy Shite Pat-man only 10 more days?) and I need to say again (and I apologize for interrupting the travel notes from the lead actor at the top o' the stairs) I had at least 2 sniffles and 3 man-cries and plenty of chuckles just in that last 40 minutes. I cannot wait to see all that comes before it!

The best man-cry ever (which does NOT, by any means, relegate this film to "chick flick" status.
Hi-eva: Bring your best lover to this film anyway as you will both cry at least once - FULLY) is Pat's "realization" scene: The candles-lit-behind-the-head, standing-in-the-doorway-lookin-like-christmas shot of Linda (played by Chen) opening her door to Pat. Pat thinks at first she's ready to go out with him, but....

Frickin' beauty-shot - KUDOS to the genius who "saw" that Eyes-Wide-Shut-colored+ shot in their head and GAVE IT TO US to savor! I was shot straight back in time on Cupid's arrow; forced to ponder my first girl - amazing, as was my first girl.

And, not just from the on-again, off-again, it's-ON-again romance between Pat (Patrick Read Johnson played by the better-looking "Nappy Dy-no-mite" John Francis Daley*) and his Gal, Emmi Chen (your basic, "Who's that, and where the Hell did she blow in from?" boing-boing, triple-take - OK. OK. HOTTIE-girl.... there, I said it. Gimme a break!). The relationships from all the cast was the quintessence of believing - not just acting (Although, to me, Pat's mom may have actually been played by Patrick's Mother - that doesn't matter - she was very natural on film.)

The script? Mamet couldn't even dream of such, and yet, there are definite Mamet-like chunks of tasty fat in 5-25-77 (I don't know if Pat heard it when he wrote it, but I think you will hear it when you see the film).

OMG, Pat-man, where did you get your talent? From birth? In the womb, then? It must be so!
The visual editing, along with the audio dissolves just alone in the "Pat's 'realization' " sequence - further in - were immaculate to me (although I found out a little later tonight from "Deepthroat"), were Kubrick/Spielberg/Lucas-esque to say only the least. AND, just when you think (as a viewer) there might be a tad too much imagery or fantasy - BANG, you get a proper dose of reality in the form of another actor's DIALOG LINE. This is precisely Mr. Johnson's young, impessionist's world he is showing us here and "...everywhere...", by the use of this Film Magic.

Noice!

This movie is a film, a DramaFantaComedy of Epic proportions. The only thing that could possibly make this experience better for the production team would be for G. Lucas to see its debut in California at the 4th annual Star Wars "...Nerd Stock." - ON TIME and ON BUDGET - and I will bet Pat that I give he and his wife one (1) spaghetti dinner from Portillo's/Barnelli's, that Lucas (after his viewing of 5-25-77) will give Mr. PRJ even more footage for any cut-scenes he might see fit to re-do! (Me bribing Lucas with this dinner instead, however, would make an unfair advantage and probably guarantee Star Wars action seque....I digress. I mean: Where's the challenge in that?)

Later, I will tell my reason for being late (It pales in comparison to anyone else's reason for being "late" to the viewing!)

BTW, Mr. "...Patrick Read Johnson...", Austin Pendleton as Herb Lightman - with the "character-placement" you gave him - superb!

( Pendleton was amazing in:
"The Fifteen minute Hamlet" (Play by Tom Stoppard) as Hamlet in the filmed version
and
"Guarding Tess" as the Limo Driver)
and
OVER 100 MOVIES as well as untold appearances in "One LIfe to Live" Soap
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5-15-07 - and now, my explanation of "being late":

I was sooo hungry last night I just had to go to my favorite place for Italian and then shoot right back to see the film ASAP.
I left CLC at around 8:20pm - I was starving.
Purchased food, returned to view the film ASAP.
Now. I am in the theatre, watching... hadn't eaten. Yet.
Within 10 seconds of watching (40 minutes left of the film) I forgot all about my hunger. For Food.
But, not my hunger for Great Films.

"5-25-77" qualifies and satisfies my hunger, and so it will, yours.

"My Monolith is a window or a door - all I have to do is touch it." "Pat" paraphrased.

My "touch", came with just watching and selfishly enjoying this film. "I got your Supper-8, mag-striped Fifty-footers right here, pal!"

-
*I only say "Dy-no-mite" because I was more than once reminded of the not-too-obvious John Heder nerd-ish looks from John Francis Daley - all placed where appropriate and in the pool/shark scene, a sincere tip-o-the hat to Indie filmmakers everywhere with Pat's "Idiot!" pose! (Everywhere? Wait a minute, "...this isn't everywhere, kid. This is Lake County!......... mwahahahahahah!")

And, so what if it is, Lake County? L ake County has come a long way since the Blues Brother's use of the short Hi-way strip off Lake Michigan just for car crash scenes!

(Credits Roll)

Written by Dan Prowse, Jr.

We'd like to thank:

--------------------
A word about the Music used as underscoring for the film: That's just it. I don't believe I heard, nor did I miss hearing the usual Strings-and-Zings of most DramaFantaComedies. There was one song in the film (lat 40 minutes that I saw) that sounded like it might have been made specifically for the film, today, as in recently. That felt like a good song, too. All the music I "tuned into" both in life growing up then and last night viewing, was music of the 60's/70's , especially with the Eumer Deodato 1976(?) re-make of 2001: A Space Odyssey Them of Thus Spake God, sliding up at one of the best tension/release moments of the film was spectacular!

If at all possible, to whom ever has film credit for Music Supervision (dare I say, Music "Super Vision"), again please try and give them a few extra decimal-points of the film's profit-line. They/He/She just might deserve some.
------------------
Man-cry? Speaking of Mankow, even the cameo of him was used expertly. His reaction-line to the Dick Joke was effortless on his part - Kudos to the director on that one.
-------------------
Anyone who uses anyone who was even a small "part" of Stump the Band, has to be congratulated for inclusion into 5-25-77. See, Stump: the Band, too.
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Any film that does NOT need to use a cameo of Alison LaPlaca deserves true, honest love from all film fans.
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Alright, I am just kidding really, Ally. Your cool, sarcastic, pretty, witty, and wise; but I'm still happy.
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omg, I digress yet again...
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+ Well, so I was the only one who thought, "ooh, Kubrick..." ? Come ON !

Abe Goldsmith steps away, never "down".

Tuesday, May 8th, 2007

Abe Goldsmith, 7 year veteran reporting the College of Lake County Board of Trustees monthly meeting actions, tonight - as the board was well into their "closed session" (and still going now and closed at 10:10pm !) - told me that he was "...just getting tired of [reporting]...", and frankly I believe him. I always did believe him. Abe and I spent almost 2 full years as office mates here at CLC in the Student Activites Offices and we cajoled each other occasionally on various topics for discussion. Coming into work, I would be greeted every afternoon on his take of that day's news - (and I welcomed it).

While office mates (and prior to my joining as CLC Radio GM), Abe was the advisor to the CLC student-operated newspaper, "The Chronicle", and was well qualified to the task, through his association with the Waukegan News Sun. While at CLC, Abe brought high awareness to as many who would attend, the story of Daniel Pearl through a conference that Abe assembled all himself, then later aided with a few student workers and some of us filling in any gaps for panelists for various discussion topics (I was on the obscenity panel, myself focusing on Internet Radio profanity rules - both on-air talk and music played).

On his leaving the likes and company of such luminairs as Dr. Dick Fonte and the newest elected board member, Mr. Lumber, I asked Abe whom he might be handing the torch, he replied, "..I guess they'll [the newspaper boys downtown] will just punt...".

A staff reporter for business of the CLC Board of Trustess meeting actions = crap. And tonight still going at 11:10pm !

I'm back now to report that the closed session broke at 11:25pm but had not wrapped yet....they should have ordered pizza. I should have ordered pizza, for them, if not for me.

I'll report back when I see them all crawling down the stairs...NOPE, .still going .at 12:15am. WOW.
Tuesday, May 9th, 2007 12:55am, I call out, I'm Audi.


Later on Tuesday, May 9th, 2007

I'm in at work at my usual time, and I am told that Doctor Fonte is on "vacation for one week". Perhaps he needed to get away for Mother's Day? I don't know, but DON'T FORGET YO MAMA! and by the way, the "...Board meeting went until 2:00 am..." and apparently, "..was reconvened early this morning...".

HOLY PIZZA HUT CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT, BATMAN! If I had been in that meeting until 10:30pm, I would have ordered Pizza for the House.

That said, I have a small amount of difficulty in knowing that the college President will be absent from the official Graduation Handshake Line, as it were, this Saturday at 2pm in the Gymnausium. But, the newly re-elected Board Chairman to shake hands with as you walk up to the platform ain't too shabby, either!

But, an absent President is not unheard of.