FOX 4 WFTX - Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples News, WeatherSyoen Says
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Thursday August 26th
Make sure to get in our our new 6pm newscast feature,....the CATCH OF THE DAY! Click the box on the right to see!
Friday August 13th
SOMETHING TO WATCH IN THE SKY OVER THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS! CLICK THE BOX ON THE RIGHT TO SEE!
This will be a VERY hot weekend, and my pal, Medical Journalist Patrick Nolan reminds ALL OF US, that the best way to hydrate is water, water,water.
Enjoy a quiet Tropics weekend, because we expect things to heat up in the Tropics over the next few weeks.
Tuesday July 27th
Looks like this will be a quiet week in the Tropics! We always welcome your weather pics,....send them to Stormpatrol@fox4now.com.
Here is a viewer who went the "extra mile." Click the box on the right to see!
Friday July 23rd
Thankfully, Bonnie turned out to be a rainmaker, and nothing more. Remember however, we are just getting into the meat of Hurricane Season, and we still have a long way to go.
I was honored to be a special guest on Fox 4 Rising this week,...click the box on the right to see.
Wednesday July 21st
As we get into the meat of Hurricane Season, and are actively tracking this Tropical Wave, now in the Southern Bahamas, here are a few things that I always like to remind my friends.
1. Disorganized systems (like the one we're tracking now) can be tough to predict. Let me ask you this,…..if you can't tell you where the center is,…how do you know where it's going to go?
2. Don't freak yourself out by listening to your friends or people at work. Unfortunately, there are several well meaning "weather followers" that talk a good game.
Many of them even have web sites. Not to discredit them, their interest and passion is excellent, but you will get the best and most accurate information from professionals.
3. Hurricane Season is a marathon, not a sprint. We are now entering the more active part of Hurricane Season historically, and we will likely have several waves and systems to track over the next 10 weeks.
Remember, if you have your hurricane plan in place, the season is a LOT less stressful.
Tuesday July 20th
We continue to watch the Tropical Wave that is close to the island of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, over 900 miles away from Southwest Florida,
A Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system Wednesday.
Development may be hindered a bit by two factors,….drier air close by, and fairly strong upper levels winds. However, it will likely be over some very warm waters from 85-88 degrees over the next few days.
Although these are very early and uncertain, here are the two scenarios that NOAA has stated are possible for later Friday and Saturday.
- Tropical Storm approaching and affecting our area: Under this scenario which appears moderately likely at this time, we would be dealing with tropical storm force winds over parts of South Florida (39-73 mph). Major impacts with these winds are with trees, power lines, older mobile homes and outdoor furniture.
Rainfall will also be a factor, especially north of the system center where most of the moisture will likely be concentrated. The system should be moving relatively quickly so extreme rainfall/flooding isn't likely, but with any tropical system, significant flooding is always a concern.
- System does not develop/strong tropical wave: Showers and thunderstorms with gusty/squally winds to tropical storm force. Overall impacts less than described in previous paragraph.
Bottom line, NOAA does not anticipate this being a devastating storm, although the latest advisories should continue to be monitored.
Monday July 5th
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! Thank you for the weather pictures,...and we've included an assortment here,....along with some music,.....click the box on the right to watch.
Friday July 2nd
It will be a wet weekend, but showers should end in time for fireworks celebrations. This is a clip from a year ago showing you what can go horribly wrong with fireworks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwZl9Ln4rNM
Wednesday June 30th
Amy Wegmann is filling in on Fox 4 Rising this week, and will return to the evenings next week,....but Patrick and I decided to leave her a care package during the 10 pm newscast Tuesday.
Click the box on the right to see!
Tuesday June 15th
As expected,...Tropics officially are still quiet as that wave 2500 miles away looks like it's amounting to nothing.
If you have a digital thermometer in your car,...this time of year in Florida, it may not be very reliable. Click the box on the right to see why!
Tuesday June 8th
We had a very wet winter in Southwest Florida,...but recently, you may have noticed a few changes in your neighborhood. For a demonstration, click the box on the right!
Thursday June 3rd
NEW PREDICTIONS FROM DR. GREY! He actually mentioned the oil spill in the Gulf in his report,...click the box on the right to see!
Tuesday June 1st
Tonight we aired an ENCORE PRESENTATION of "The Calm Before the Storm", our Fox 4 Hurricane Special. I think we were especially proud of the broadcast because it's proof that Fox 4 is doing everything to prepare for Hurricane Season,….and let's face it,…all indicators point toward an active season.
The number one thing to remember regarding hurricane season is to have your personal plan in place. Ask yourself,….what exactly will I do if a major hurricane decides to head for my town?
I remember a bachelor friend of mine who's hurricane kit consisted of nothing more than his favorite malt beverage and an advance copy of the Daily Racing Form. I think he had a bag of Andy Capp Hot Fries, too.
It took me quite some time to convince him that his plans needed to be a bit more detailed.
Again, I want to mention www.floridadisaster.org. It's an excellent site to get a specific plan for your family and/or business.
One thing I didn't overly mention in the special was the need to STAY RELAXED. Hurricane Season is 6 months long, and there is no reason the freak out over every little disturbance in the Tropics.
Unfortunately, there is always going to be one or two web sites that play the "hey, look at me" game, and over blow every potential system,......with the hopes that they'll be able to say, "WE SAID IT FIRST!"
Keep a level head, and it will make for a MUCH less stressful Hurricane Season.
Wednesday May 19th
No grass growing under our feet at FOX 4.
Make sure to check our new, interactive radar, with has GREAT street level mapping, showing not just cities, but communities. Another great feature, unlike other radars, it loads almost instantaneously. It also zooms in very quickly, and shows the rain almost immediately. Try it, you'll see what I mean.
Also,…make sure to watch "The Calm Before The Storm", our Hurricane Special that airs Tuesday night at 7:30 PM.
I have a new weather clip, featuring my pal Stan, from 96 K-Rock's Stan and Haney,…check it out on the right.
And, with Idol down to 2, we can anxiously look forward to the film, "From Lee, To Crystal."
Tuesday May 11th
First,......tonight's info from my "IDOL INSIDER."
Wow, wow, wow... Crystal and Lee's duet was brilliance. Crystal is still the front-runner with Lee a close second... Casey will likely be the third in the group... I think Big Mike is going home...
Secondly,...another vote for an active 2010 Hurricane Season. The company that provides our weather graphics, ACCU WEATHER, is also calling for the 2010 Season to be a busy one. I'll include the link to the full report below.
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/31409/2010-atlantic-hurricane-season.asp
It seems pretty obvious that 2010 is a year to have a plan, just in case.
Wednesday May 5th
First of all,...another RIGHT ON night for my American Idol insider, who is now 3 for 4.
Here is the latest information from my AMERICAN IDOL INSIDER! (This information is for entertainment purposes only,....please do not use this information for any wagering events.)
Harry Connick Jr. stopped by Idol to help the contestants tonight...
One word for you...LEE! Lee DeWyze once again brought it! Usually I have Crystal over Lee but he trumped her tonight... he's starting to feel more confident on stage and it helps!
Crystal Bowersox was good but not her usual great self.
Is it just me or do Casey James and Michael Lynch sound much the same every night?
Aaron Kelly...yawn...
Leaving tomorrow? Aaron, Casey and Michael were equally so-so... but I still think Aaron should have left two weeks ago...
Tuesday April 27th
There are very few "live" television shows any more, with the exception of live sports,......and very thankfully, live news.
Click the box on the right to see why our crew at FOX 4 enjoys the spontaneous medium of live television.
Thursday April 22nd
It will be warming up this weekend,.....how warm? Click the box on the right to see!
Tuesday April 20th
Again this week I am posting an American Idol blog that comes directly from a SPECIAL IDOL SOURCE. Enjoy.
If you weren't convinced Crystal Bowersox is going to win Idol, just watch tonight's performance and it should seal the deal for you. AMAZING!!
Other than Crystal, everyone else was okay. Lee DeWyze was second best, followed by Michael Lynche.
The rest were a step lower; Tim Urban, Siobhan Magnus, Casey James and Aaron Kelly.
Who is going home? Aaron or Siobhan. My money's on Aaron, but Siobhan is not far behind.
Tuesday April 13th
This week I am posting an American Idol blog that comes directly from a SPECIAL IDOL SOURCE. Enjoy.
Let's get the observations for tonight's Elvis performances with special guest helper Adam Lambert.......
First up was Crystal Bowersox singing "Saved"... if this was a horse race, you would call her the clear favorite. She's an incredible singer, great performer and owns her moment on stage. Better yet, she creates a moment. All the others will have to do something AMAZING to get near her lead.
Second to take the stage was Andrew Garcia singing "Hound Dog"....zzz... sorry, I fell asleep for a minute. Poor Andrew. He peaked before the show really got started with his take on a Paula Abdul song. Look for him to be in the bottom three tomorrow night.
Tim Urban, with his version of "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You", was the next to take the stage. He is coming into his own. Will he win the show? No, but he is making a name for himself. He originally had to split a certain demographic with Aaron Kelly but he is clearly outshining Aaron and I think will pull the whole demo his way. The girls love him, he's safe this week for sure.
Lee DeWyze, shy Lee, went on fourth. Singing "A Little More Conversation" has got what it takes to compete for the long haul. We hear it repeatedly, but he just needs more confidence. He had the audience in his grasp, he just needs to show that he believes in himself. He's going to stay strong and stay in this competition.
Young Aaron Kelly was up next singing "Blue Suede Shoes." Aaron's cuteness and uniqueness continues to drop each week...this while Tim gets stronger, again, chipping away at Aaron's potential voters. Aaron's wristband, hair and turned-up collar just looked like he was trying too hard on the image and the vocals showed he wasn't hitting it there. Look for him in the bottom three.
Siobhan Magnus needs to find herself. She sang "Suspicious Minds" and it flat out didn't work. Someone should have stopped her and picked out a song that was more youthful. She has "it" but didn't show it this week.
Big Mike isn't going anywhere this week. He sang "In the Ghetto" and delivered a very solid performance. Also, after last week's last minute save, he would have to really do poorly to go anywhere soon.
Katie Stevens did well singing "Baby, What do you want me to do?". But will the audience get tired of her asking that question?
Casey James was last up and he sang "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", it was good, but he does better when he delivers more of a punch with his vocals. But he gave his fans what they're looking for... a smile and a raspy tune.
Okay so Aaron Kelly and Andrew Garcia in the bottom three, who joins them? It's between Siobhan and Katie. Siobhan's outcry tonight about staying true to not being defined may win her the votes of people who connect to not being pigeonholed but that's only if Katie's performance doesn't outshine her.
My money is on Katie being in the bottom three strictly because Siobhan has more moments under her belt thus far.
We'll Idol chat again soon...
Tuesday April 6th
Back to the blog after a week's vacation!
I'm a man who enjoys a good constitutional. Late this morning, I was walking by my local golf course, and I saw something I haven't seen in a long time. Open space. Holes unplayed.
I checked with management over the weekend, and they confirmed that reservations have definitely tailed off this week.
Great news if you are in the screen replacement business and my pal Stan and I now are planning on hitting the links again very soon!
Generally, after Easter is when our seasonal residents will often consider returning to the north. This year, many appear to be leaving perhaps a little earlier, as the weather up north is very comfortable.
And as you follow your favorite major league team, you likely won't see and of the "snow games" that we've seen in some previous years. As a matter of fact, this afternoon Washington D.C. was flirting with 90 degrees.
A couple of things to put on your calendar this weekend,….Friday night the Ft. Myers Miracle open the season at Hammond stadium with fireworks following the game,......and Sunday at 2pm in Riverside park it's the final concert of the year for the Bonita Springs concert band.
Weather should be great for both.
Wednesday March 23rd
This afternoon, I was listening to my favorite sports talk show, Miller and Moulton on Sportsradio 770 ESPN, and I heard David remark about the cold winter, and the possible chill in the air for opening day baseball,…….so when I came in to work this afternoon I took a look at the extended forecast for all of the opening day baseball cities, expecting to find many "first pitch temperatures" in the 30s.
After all, we're talking about cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. To my surprise,…it will be pretty warm for all of the opening day games April 4th and 5th. Even the April 4th night game in Boston will likely have temps in the 50s.
Thursday March 18th
The clouds are leaving, and we have a warming trend for Southwest Florida,....and that may not be a good thing,.....click the box on the right to see.
Friday March 12th
The average rainfall for March is 3.10 inches,...and many neighborhoods picked up over a month's worth of rain in just 24 hours Thursday night and Friday.
Your pictures tell the story best,....click the box on the right to see.
Tuesday March 9th
Octoberfest is at the Shell Factory this Friday-Sunday, and I'm confident the weather will cooperate! (For Saturday and Sunday,...........Friday is not looking great, but I'm sure there are plenty of covered areas.)
Feel free to join us for some great music, as I've been invited to join in with my tuba. Perhaps we'll even see this guy,....click the box on the right!
Friday March 5th
Fun new clip,....click the box on the right to watch.
This should be out last "brutal" cold snap, but it made me think of a previous blog entry, shown below:
I grew up in a very rural area outside of Chicago, in a wonderful ranch-style house on an acre of land, behind a 500 acre Forest Preserve. Beautiful area. Horrible climate,...for half of the year, anyway.
Let me tell you what I remember from my childhood,.....weather-wise.
I remember the time I had to rescue my 10 year old brother during our paper route, because he was stuck in a front yard with snow up to his chest.
This is no joke. I can still see him in the Peterson's front yard trying to claw his way to a higher ground. I'm not sure his wife Laura has forgiven me.
I remember the Chicago Blizzard of 1979, where the temperature hit a record 19 below,.....school was off for an entire week,....and the whole family walked 2 miles in a blizzard to the grocery store, with a pull behind sled to hold the groceries.
I remember numerous mornings, when my brother and I awoke in the "so called bedroom, used to be a tool shed" behind the garage, and could actually SEE OUR BREATH WHEN WE WOKE UP.
Many years later, my father relented to our complaints, and bought us 2 electric blankets from Ron's Recall Warehouse.
The duct tape on the frayed cord would sometimes scratch our feet, but at least we were warmer. And the occasional sparks were "small kisses from heaven."
I also remember as a weatherman in Rhinelander Wisconsin in the 1990's,...... I would broadcast the fact that the wind chill factor was 40+ below,...and state,..."it's cold!"
Within moments, I would get numerous phone calls from longtime Rhinelander residents,.... telling me that,..... "you don't know what cold is, son,......7 years ago the wind chill factor was 78 below and we ice fished all day,....caught our limit, I believe."
I am NOT kidding. Watch Grumpy Old Men. That's right on.
I remember how before school, we would cook potatoes in the wood-burning stove, and keep them in our pockets to stay warm during the 19 mile walk to school every morning, and then eat the potatoes for breakfast when we got to school.
(O. K.,...that's my dad's story, but Uncle George swears it's true.)
Maybe this will make you feel better about the "chill" we are in.
Wednesday February 24th
LOOKS LIKE WE WILL STAY WET AND COOL FOR A WHILE!
I usually don't put a lot of stock in the long range forecasts, and they have a tendency to paint with a broad brush.
However, I'm reminded of a day on the golf course with my pal Stan, from Stan and Haney at 96KRock.
It was a typical 92 degree afternoon, and I turned to him and said, "put me down for another birdie."
Shortly after that, I told Stan that the long range computer models were calling for a much cooler and wetter winter for Florida.
Stan turned to me and said, "I guess I'll have to hit from the drop area again."
I explained to Stan that El Nino, which helped to bring us a quiet 2009 Hurricane Season, would likely be the reason for the colder winter in Southwest Florida.
This must have rattled Stan, as he bounced a tee shot off the adjacent condo.
After chipping in again, I further explained that El Niño produces westerly wind departures at upper levels of the atmosphere and easterly wind departures at lower levels across the tropical Atlantic, and these same wind departures increase the total vertical wind shear.
That's why there tend to be fewer Atlantic hurricanes during El Niño.
For some reason, these details angered Stan, who was soon waist deep in a canal retrieving his 5 iron.
Well,……it seems now that El Nino will stay in effect through May,…keeping us wetter and cooler than normal through the Spring.
I'm keeping this information from Stan, as we are playing golf this weekend, and I've heard there are some alligators in those canals.
Wednesday February 17th
FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE ESTATE OF THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL,.....please forward all legal inquiries to my legal team of Neroda, Nawalaniec, and Neroda.
Click the box on the right to see the clip.
Friday February 12th
Good new clip on the right,....click the box to see!
As of Friday night,.....approx 70% on the United States is covered in snow,.....that's likely to change, thanks to the deep south storm that affected Texas to Georgia, and that snow will likely melt by Monday, but interesting nonetheless.
Did everyone enjoy "The Who" during the halftime show? My friend Jerome Ritchey and I have concluded that at this rate, the next 3 halftime shows will be preformed by Tony Bennett, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the ghost of Al Jolson.
Also,......many of you may have noticed a change in our Fox 4 weather graphics. Every day since the debut, we've been "tweaking" here and there,.....and as good as they look right now,....the best is yet to come!
Monday February 1st
My friend, and our Troubleshooter Marisa Mendelson told me today how much she enjoyed this clip while watching from home, so click the box on the right to see!
Tuesday January 12th
Some would say it's,……...well,….less than masculine to write a Blog about American Idol,…..but I'm confident enough to endure a little ribbing from my pals at the gun range.
It's a show I've never watched in it's entirety until today. I'm blogging because the show is very popular, and I feel I very qualified,…..because as a musician, I played with the most famous musician of all-time, Louis Armstrong.
(Actually, my first saxophone player Andy Axelrod left my band to play with Rich Matteson, who recorded with Louis Armstrong, but it's still VERY close)
You see, now that I'm working evenings at Fox 4, I can watch Idol while preparing the weather for Fox 4 News at Ten,….....that is, when I'm not travel planning for my next karate tournament.
So here it is, with apologies to my colleagues at the Hammerhead Gym, my insights on tonight's DEBUT of American Idol:
Victoria Beckham needs to eat a sandwich.
More insights to come!
Saturday January 9th
How cold has it been? Click the box on the right to see!
Also, I want to give proper thanks to my best pal, Stan Nawalaniec, from Stan and Haney, heard every weekday afternoon on 96 K-Rock.
On the air, he emphatically re-told the story (which I had half forgotten) about last July when we were on the golf course, sweating up a storm,.......and I told him that this would be one of the coldest winters on record, due in part to El Nino.
I kinda wish I was wrong.
Thursday December 31st
HAPPY NEW YEAR! How did we bring in the New Year at Fox 4? Click the box on the right to see!
Tuesday December 29th
How cold has it been? My wife requested I include this clip, so click the box on the right to watch!
Wednesday December 23rd
I promise to re-post a longer version of the Christmas song with me/Patrick/Amy that will stay up until 2010,...but I have to include this clip,...as a great broadcasting friend insist I put it on the site. Click the box on the right and enjoy!
Monday December 21st
Check out the FULL version of our holiday promo,...and yes,...we ARE playing! No overdubbing here!
Thursday December 16th
A holiday public service announcement from Fox 4. Click on the right to watch!
Friday December 11th
This is a weather highlight only because I appear at the end, but it's such a good story from my pal Patrick Nolan, and as you'll see at the end,.....we all got a good laugh out of it. Click the box on the right to watch!
Wednesday December 9th
This past weekend, after the cold front moved through, the winds began to increase,....giving me a chance to do something I was looking forward to,....FLY MY NEW KITE!
My wife bought it for me, and before you make fun of me, I must say,...it's a very masculine kite. It's a fire breathing dragon with a very long tail, and very mean look on his face. It's not like I was out flying a Strawberry Shortcake kite. Again.
So I called my close friend and close neighbor Stan to see if he wanted to join me, and to my surprise, he did.
I was even nice enough to let him be the pilot for the inaugural launch,....which I am proud to admit was very successful. Stan is a master kitesman. It we had enough string, that kite would have been scraping the surface of the moon.
I even tried to take a picture of Stan, in anticipation of using it here. Sadly, the camera failed, but the photo below is a good likeness.
In the interest of accuracy, I will say my pal has more hair, and a slightly less round head.
The most interesting observation of the afternoon was the fact that we were a big hit.
Two college students playing basketball stopped their game,...a couple of grade school kids looked on with a hint of jealousy, and one of the older people began to reminisce about the old "box kite" days.
Oh, a couple of overly concerned parents herded their children away from the two middle aged men flying their kite. (It probably didn't help that Stan insisted on singing the Mary Poppins classic, "Let's go fly a kite" at a fairly loud volume.) However, almost everyone did look on with great interest.
It took me back about 20 years to when I was a kid,.....back to the days when a friend in the neighborhood got a new kite,....and it was a BIG DEAL!
By the way, the breeze will be a factor for the rest of this week, and Friday looks to be a good kite day. Get some more string, Stan.
Monday November 30th
Friday November 27th
How chilly will it be in the mornings this weekend? Watch a clip by clicking on the box to the right.
Tuesday November 24th
It's been QUITE a while since we've had a forecast like today's,......and here's a little help. Click the box on the right to watch.
Friday November 20th
A curious clip from Friday's show,......click the box on the right to watch.
Monday November 16th
We are coming up on the "foggy season" in Southwest Florida, and it will likely be foggy over the next few mornings.
I live in a community where many people take a morning constitutional on a regular basis. I'm reminded of a morning last Spring when I was driving home from work in the morning. I was surprised by a man, who I'll call Buddy for now, although I might have been tempted to call him something else at the time.
Well, "Buddy" was walking in the street instead of on the sidewalk, and I didn't' see him until I was about 200 feet away. I managed to stop in plenty of time, but it reminded me of a website that explains stopping distances when you are driving your vehicle. I'll include it here.
http://www.jmu.edu/safetyplan/vehicle/generaldriver/stoppingdistance.shtml
This time of year the weather is almost nearly perfect in Southwest Florida, but the dry season is often always our fog season. Over the past few years we've had some very bad accidents that were due almost completely to fog; the most significant was a multi-car pile-up on Alligator Alley about 7 years ago.
Some interesting facts to keep in mind. When you are traveling 60 mph, you are traveling a mile a minute. That's 5280 feet a minute, or 88 feet per second. (Those stats are on the above website)
In weather reports we usually mention visibility reports in miles; because that was the official reporting weather stations give us. If visibility is 1/8 of a mile, it means you can see 660 feet, approximately 2 football fields. I will tell you this, on I-75 many mornings, the visibility is definitely less than 2 footballs fields in places, even probably less than 1.
For sake of argument, let's say I could see one football field, or 300 feet. If I had to stop my car to avoid something in front of me, at 60 mph, my stopping distance would be 251 feet, if my reflexes were quick. Logic would then tell you to slow down if you can't see more than a football field in front of you.
But what about the guy behind you? If you are going slower, will he be able to see you? This was the scenario in Charlotte County a few years ago, when a truck was rear ended by another causing a big fire, and shutting down a part of the Interstate for almost a day.
Wow. (Just re-read what I wrote) Sobering stuff. Sorry. Allright,..........watch for the fog,........then enjoy a beautiful week. Next blog will be more uplifting,.....promise.
Wednesday November 11th
Today is Veteran's day, and I'd like to tell you about my father, Frank Syoen. I'm sure you've heard about him because he and my Uncle Norb, while flying the F94, single handedly won the Korean War.
Well, those were the stories he told me when he would cut my hair as a youngster. The stories were quite moving, and brought tears to his eyes. I assume that's the case, because when I look at any grade school photo of myself, it is obvious my barber had very impaired vision.
Now that I'm older my father and I often joke about his fairly easy tour of duty while in the Air Force. He and my Uncle Norb were very lucky and didn't see much combat. My dad often states that the biggest danger was avoiding the foxholes after a late night at the officer's club, and the closest he got to the Purple Heart was his finger blisters after playing too much ukulele.
My Uncle Jerry however, was in WW II and flew the B-17 I believe (if I'm wrong about the aircraft, I'm sure one of my relatives will correct me) My Uncle Jerry was very well liked, played the saxophone, and was the most talented of a very musically family. I never got to meet my Uncle Jerry because he was killed in combat.
My Uncle George and Uncle Bobby also served. My Uncle Al was a marine, and actually trapped behind enemy lines. He was decorated for his bravery, and when he passed about 20 years ago, received a full military funeral, complete with a 21 gun salute.
I tell you these brief stories because Veterans Day is Wednesday, and if you know someone who served, is good to recognize them.
I worked with a man who will remain nameless. He was a great big bear of a man, livelong electrician, and a marine. He was actually shot several times and left for dead behind enemy lines, a story that he shared with me, not without great emotion.
As Veteran's Day approached, I took him aside and asked him what would be an effective way to let a veteran know you really appreciate their service. I mean, "Happy Veteran's Day" is obviously not appropriate. It's a question that had actually troubled me for a while.
My friend thought about it for a good long time, almost a minute actually, and then suggested the following fairly casual but heartfelt greeting.
"Hey Vet,…have a good day,….and thanks."
Friday November 6th
Obviously, we are continuing to track Ida, but if you are here, you already know this will likely not be a life changing weather event,...most likely a rainmaker,...if that.
Please watch the clip on the right to see how some people are getting into the fall/winter spirit with the cooler temperatures.
Friday October 30th
HALLOWEEN FORECAST!
Watch the clip on the right,...and make sure to watch all the way to the end!!!
Thursday October 29th
Halloween is almost here, and make sure you have enough candy. I speak from experience ... for the last two years, my wife and I ran out. As the evening grew on, we resorted to other treats in the house,......full size Granola bars,....money .... my wife even offered the last Trick or Treater my tuba.
(Note, that's not true,...she offered it to the first)
Looks like our Halloween forecast for the trick or treaters will be VERY warm, with a Trick or Treat temperature around 83 degrees.
Halloween weather is usually not a major concern in Florida, but as a child growing up in Chicago, Halloween was the one day that we would actually be very concerned about the weather forecast. My mother would always be concerned about our safety and well being, which of course were the furthest things from my brother's and my youthful minds.
When we were small, of course we were easily manipulated. When my brother was 4, my mom actually convinced him that the real Batman actually covered himself in reflective tape when he fought crime at night.
As we grew older, we became much more independent. A few years later, mom insisted my brother bring along a jacket, as it was expected to be chilly. I'm sure that first bush at the end of the driveway appreciated the gesture.
You know, just to help parents out, I'm inventing a new Superhero just for Halloween,... "Flame Retardant Glow-In-The-Dark-Man." Might catch on.
Wednesday October 28th
The weather story all this week will be the heat,....but just how hot has it been?
Click the box on the right to see!
Monday October 26th
Tonight I join the evening crew at 10:00 and 11:00 for the first time "officially."
I must admit, I'm a little nervous. With any luck, the weather won't be interrupted by the following full screen graphic.
I understand the crew has it ready,....just a button push away. Hopefully,...it won't be needed.
Friday October 23rd
It was an emotional morning as I said goodbye to Fox 4 Rising today. Please click on the box to the right to see.
Wednesday October 21st
It's important to tell everyone about the weather,....even better to SHOW them,....as in this live demonstration.
Click the box on the right to see!
Thursday October 15th
It might be,....it could be,......IT IS! A REAL cold front,....arriving early Saturday.
How hot has it been? Click the link on the right to see!
Monday October 12th
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago as a Cubs fan.
This was a long time ago in baseball standards, before expanded postseason play, before free agency dramatically changed the game, and when you would get your pocket schedule, and look anxiously to pick out the double headers.
An example of the time. When the Cubs swapped catcher Randy Hundley for catcher George Mitterwald, it was talk for 3 weeks during the winter.
I had to laugh when I heard the Colorado Rockies had to cancel a baseball playoff game due to cold weather in the FIRST ROUND of the playoffs. When I heard the great Colin Cowheard (Sportsradio 770/ESPN) speak on the same subject, I went to work.
Again this year, the World Series will stretch into November, so I did a little research and found the average temperature for World Series baseball in selected cities.
This is based on evening games, average length 3.5 hours, and the temperature below is the average temperature for the last 3 innings.
Remember, this is average,...it could be warmer,...but it also could be colder.
(I've excluded warm weather cities, and teams that play in domes)
New York-48
Chicago-42
Boston-45
Washington D.C-47 (Well, they could make it someday in your grandchildren's lifetime)
St. Louis- 45
Milwaukee-40
Cincinatti-44
Detroit- 41
Philadelphia-47
Pittsburgh-41
And my favorite.
Colorado-32
I am rooting SO hard for Colorado to make it to the World Series,....just because I want to hear the P.A. announcer say,....."Ladies and Gentlemen,....... we are in luck, as some warmer weather has moved in for the game today,..........but we still ask fans to please refrain from putting the blowing hat back on top of the snowman's head,.....because if he comes to life again, the Rockies will have to forfeit for having 10 players on the diamond."
Tuesday October 6th
We are now watching an area of disturbed weather about 525 miles east of the Leeward Islands (about 1925 miles away from SW Florida), and it is noteworthy for two reasons.
First, the hurricane center, for the first time in a while, suggests strongly that this system will become a depression with the next few days, if not a Tropical Storm. Secondly, and more importantly, is the time of year.
I usually don't like to see anything headed our way in October, expecially since we are already seeing cool fronts moving into Florida. Those fronts CAN act as directing mechanisims to bring systems toward Florida.
I'm reminded of Hurricane Wilma, which rode a front right into Southwest Florida on October 24th, 2005.
Enough negativity,........this system is a long way off, and it's nothing to worry about in the short term.
Coming to the next blog,......proof why you should be very encouraged about the future of Southwest Florida!
Tuesday September 29th
Highly anticipating the first cool front of the season!
I really believe in the power of positive thinking, and I've made it a personal commitment to be more optimistic over the past 6 months. I've made it a point to do whatever I can to lift the spirits of my co-workers during Fox 4 Rising, a fact that my partner Amy, and Melissa from the floor crew will verify.
Well,...sometimes that optimistic attitude will get me in trouble. You see, between shows, my pal Mike, who also works for Fox 4, and I will often walk right down the street to 7-11, to get a morning refreshment.
A few days ago, as we walked into the parking lot, we spotted a young girl in tears, obviously because of her flat tire. Seeing her dilemma, I immediately turned to my pal Mike, and said, "we need to help her out!"
Within moments, I swooped in, told the young lady not to worry, we'd take over from here.
As usual, I was wearing slacks and a tie, and my pal Mike was wearing jeans and a polo shirt,......so common sense dictated that, of the two of us, he should be the one to retrieve the spare, climb under the car, remove the tire,.......while I acted in a supervisory manner.
Of course it was a 99% humidity morning, and within 3 minutes Mike was sweating more than Carrot Top when the airline loses his luggage.
Within 15 minutes, the grateful young lady was on her way. Hopefully, we helped to solidify a life-long viewer for Fox 4.
Perhaps the best news, with our first cool front arriving, next week when I volunteer to replace another viewers transmission, my pal Mike will perspire a bit less.
Friday September 25th
Things are quiet now in the tropics,...but we still have a ways to go in hurricane season, and we may have a few waves to track that have come off the coast of Africa,....but we'll track them next week. Enjoy the weekend with no worries.
One of the running jokes weatherman often hear is,...."You know, I could be a weatherman in Florida during the summer,.....SUN IN THE MORNING,....STORMS IN THE AFTERNOON!"
Can just ANYONE really do the weather? Click the box on the right and see!
Monday September 21st
When I began this blog, I envisioned it being a balance between fun and seriousness,......and I was under the impression it would lean toward the latter during hurricane season. Happily, I was mistaken.
We have officially taken political correctness too far,....please watch the clip on the right.
Thursday September 17th
On Wednesday, I received an award from Larry King and my friends at the Lee County Sherriff's Office, as I helped them with a mock hurricane training video.
It was nice to be recognized, and it was great to see some of my friends in Law Enforcement, but the best thing about the award was the fact that I knew we could have fun with it the following morning on Fox 4 Rising,....and we did.
Thursday morning, I brought it out every 15 minutes to show Amy. "Have you seen my award,.........oh, I hope my award isn't in your way,...." Remember the father from A Christmas Story? "This is a MAJOR AWARD!" We did that type of thing all morning.
Well, after the show, I wanted to keep the theme going, so I selected the largest blank wall in the newsroom, conveniently located just across from Amy's and our producer Erin's desk.
I made a production out of selecting the most conspicuous spot, then hung the award right in the middle of the wall. I would then often walk by the award,...stopping each time to straighten it, or dust off the award,.........mainly to make them laugh.
Well,....at about 5pm, I realized I left the award on the wall in this highly visible location. Most of our evening staff comes in at 2:30, and they don't get up to watch the morning broadcast,...so they have no idea that this was meant as a joke.
I hope that they read this, and now understand the humor. If not, too bad. After all,....it was a MAJOR AWARD!
Wednesday September 16th
Boy,......it's great when the Tropics are quiet,....it's so great to have no tropical worries.
To enjoy the clip on the right to the fullest,.....please keep your eyes on Amy the whole time.
Monday September 14th
Fred may no longer be an official Tropical system,...but we still remember him well. Check out the final Fred clip on the right.
Thursday September 10th
Fred,.....again. Check out the clip on the right.
Wednesday September 9th
When a Tropical System has no chance of making it to Florida,...you can take it a little more lightly.
Check out the clip on the right.
Friday September 4th
First of all,....make sure to watch the MDA telethon this weekend with Patrick Nolan and Amy Wegmann hosting.
I watch and call in every year,....and a few years ago, I was quite surprised to hear Patrick announce,..."Jim Syoen just called in a pledge!" At the time I was working for another broadcasting company. I guess the MDA telethon makes brothers of us all.
Also, make sure to read yesterday's blog below,.....with one correction here. When my wife was in the street,....she was rescuing 2 dogs,...not just one.
Wed/Thu September 2nd & 3rd
(This is a long one, so it took two days to write)
As of 11pm Thursday, Erika is no longer an official Tropical System!
Good news for all of us,....even better news for my wife Samantha.
You see, Samantha and I have fostered and rescued many animals in our 5 plus years of marriage. We both love animals, and will do almost anything to help them,......perhaps she just a BIT more than I.
I won't forget the time that my wife spotted a lost dog in the middle of the road right outside of work. She stopped her car, stood in the middle of 4 lanes in skirt and heels, stopping traffic, so the confused puppy would not get struck.
In an amazing stroke of luck, then deputy, now Sheriff Mike Scott was driving by. As he told me later, "when I saw Samantha in the middle of the street, I knew it had something to do with an animal."
Once Samantha and I tried to figure out how many animals she alone and we together rescued, and had to stop counting when we got to one hundred.
Don't think we are like the crazy cat lady, who lives in every neighborhood. Our house is very clean, and we entertain frequently,....but we seem to always find temporary room for an animal in need.
The reason Erika's demise is good news for Samantha, is the fact that we have a new stray kitty who has been coming around the house daily for food. He is now getting used to us, and is getting friendlier. He is VERY skinny, so we are confident we are the only people feeding him.
By the way, when we rescue or foster these animals, we always give them names that have to do with their physical characteristics or personalities. White, small, grey, tiny, Cujo (nasty kitty, who tamed up), panther,....you get the idea.
Erika formed Tuesday, so during dinner I spoke of my concern about the inconsistency of the computer models, and upper level wind shear.
Her concern was how to shelter "Stripes" through the hurricane.
Now,.......Erika is no longer a tropical system! But why do I get the feeling that Stripes will very shortly have the run of the upstairs bathroom,.....even if the computer models suggest otherwise?
Tuesday September 1st
Thanks very much for the encouragement after my performance of the National Anthem at Hammond Stadium on Fan Appreciation night Saturday. My pal Stan said it was perfect. My wife said it was the best I've done. A random fan gave my a 7 out of 10. I'll let everyone be their own judge. Good crowd, though!
Thanks also to the people that sent pictures. Don't forget the Miracle still have some games left as they are in the playoffs!
Monday August 31st
OUR FINAL MDA Monday!!!!!! Please watch the great clip on the right,...and make sure to watch the MDA telethon this weekend!
Friday August 28th
Fan Appreciation Night is Saturday at Hammond Stadium. Hope to see you there, as I'll be playing the National Anthem on the tuba for the game. Please remember,...it's very unpatriotic to "boo" the National Anthem,....no matter how hard the tuba player struggles to hit the high notes.
Fireworks after the game, too!
Today's clip is a bit long, but check it out all the way to the end on the right!
Thursday August 27th
Yes,...we now have Danny,....and no,...it will be no player for us.
It's back to school,...and we have a clip from Thursday's show you might enjoy. Click on the box to the right!
Wednesday August 26th
Allright,...we may have a new Tropical system by 11:00am or 5:00pm today. It is that area of cloudiness north of Puerto Rico that we've been watching,.........but before someone in the office starts the "there's a new storm" panic, let me assure you that this should NOT have any direct impact on Southwest Florida. Let me include a link to the current computer models below.
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200992_model.html
Tuesday August 25th
Amy Sedlacek, my partner in the morning, insisits I include this clip from MDA Monday, as we were broadcasting live from 7-11. Click the box on the right to see!
Monday August 24th
We all know the classic Bill Cosby routine when he talks about his school days. "We had to walk 9 miles every morning, ....in the snow,.....with no shoes,.....uphill,...........BOTH WAYS!"
My father is the youngest of 7 children, and he's 78, so we are going back a few years.
Well, my father used to tell this story about growing up on the farm in Illinois and going to school. First thing in the morning, they would light the wood burning stove, put potatoes in the stove, go outside and do chores, and then carry the potatoes in their pockets as they walked to school to keep warm. When they got to school, they would eat the potatoes.
I've told this story on television for years as a weathercaster. Every cold morning, I would break this story out, especially when I was working in Decatur, Illinois, and Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Now,......I've been in the broadcasting business, man and boy, for over 20 years. That's a lot of "potatoes in the pocket stories."
Well, about a year ago, I re-told this story to my Aunt Sis, who enlightened me that the family SOLD the farm when my father was an infant, and he would take the heated Elevated Train to school every morning in Chicago. Except when it got too cold,....then his father would drive him, because my grandfather worked at the school.
This is the same father who used to tell me stories about growing up during the depression, which I found out many years later ended when he was 2.
He also told stories about the "Great Potato Famine", which was not only contradictory to his potato in the pocket story, but happened in Ireland in the 1800's!
Oh,...he also used to tell me numerous, detailed stories about how he and my Uncle Norb, flying the F-94, single handedly won the Korean War. I failed quite a few tests over that. Probably kept me out of Harvard.
Kids,...as you go back to school this week, you will likely be told several stories about how your parents had to do homework on the back of a coal shovel, or something similar. Believe NONE of them.
That is, unless my nieces Taylor and Morgan are reading this in Indianapolis. Ask brother Mark to tell you the story about how we were doing our paper route before school and he got stuck in the snow up to his chest in the Peterson's front yard, and I braved the elements and saved his life.
THAT'S a true story.
Friday August 21st
Don Hewitt passed away this week, and I'm reminded of a brilliant idea he had that never came to fruition.
Don was the producer of the CBS evening news at the time and Douglass Edwards was the anchor. This was in the days before the teleprompter,.... the device that allows newsreaders to look directly in the camera, and read their scripts.
In order to allow Douglass "read" his copy while still looking at the camera, he thought all news anchors should learn to read Braille.
This is according to Don's autobiography, "Tell me a Story," which is obviously a good read, as it's filled with anecdotes like this.
A few things to remember. This Monday, we will broadcast the weather live from the 7-11 off Bonita Beach road to again raise funds for MDA.
Kids are encouraged to stop by as it's the first day of school. As a public service, if your brown bag lunch includes celery or carrot sticks, we will happily trade them for a Twinkie. Limit one.
Next Saturday, August 29th is Fan Appreciation Night for the Fort Myers Miracle at Hammond Stadium. I've been asked to play the National Anthem on the tuba, and there will be fireworks following the game as well as other special promotions.
Wednesday August 19th
GREAT NEWS,...for some. The fall TV season is approaching, and there will be a ANOTHER new reality show hitting the airwaves. Click on the right for the story.
Tuesday August 18th
And then there was one. We are down to one official system in the Tropics, Hurricane Bill, which should be no threat at all to Florida.
Yesterday was our 3rd MDA Monday, and we had great traffic at the 7-11 in Gateway. Join us next week, as we'll be at the 7-11 in Bonita Springs, off Bonita Beach road.
For a taste of Monday, click on the right.
Monday August 17th
Again, thanks to all who came by the 7-11 store in Gateway to donate money to MDA. Special thanks to Lehigh Fire and Rescue.
At one point we were monitoring 3 named storms today,....none of which should be any sort of a major player for Southwest Florida,...but it makes me feel a little profound about using the phrase "dipping our toe in the water" last week. Well, over the weekend we dove into the deep end head first. Or maybe we were pushed in.
I hope to have a few highlights from MDA Monday posted on the site by tomorrow!
Friday August 14th
Tom is off today,...so I'm filling in and doing the evening shows,.....and I'm not quite sure exactly what I'm doing,...so I'm going to focus all my energy on being in the right place at the right time tonight at 10 and 11. Minimal blog today.
Thursday August 13th
The weather word of the day is, "MEAGER." That's how the National Hurricane Center used to describe T.D. #2 early this morning.
Today, it's been 5 years since Hurricane Charley hit Southwest , Florida, and today you will be overwhelmed with information about the famous storm.
It's stating the obvious to say residents of Southwest Florida learned a lot from this storm,....perhaps most important is how life can change AFTER a powerful hurricane.
Here are my own Top Five memories of Hurricane Charley,....(from a non-meteorological view)
5. How much I grew to appreciate the man who invented a, ir conditioning. Get the obvious out of the way first.
4. My pal Stan and I, driving down 6 Mile Cypress with the car door completely open, with 49% of my newly purchased generator hanging out of the vehicle. We were successful. Barely. Thank goodness my pal Stan is very strong. Or very heavy.&n, bsp;
3. The moment to power in my neighborhood went out,...JUST as I rolled down the last electric shutter.
2. My pal Ian, who I insisted ride out the storm with us at the last minute, after I discovered his Hurricane Kit consisted of a six pack of his favorite malt beverage, and an advanced copy of the Daily Racing Form.
,
1. The satisfaction I got when I cooked a very tasty cheese Quesadilla for my wife on the 3 dollar flea market propane stove that "we'll NEVER use."
Let's continue to hope this season stays quiet. I can wait another 5 years for another storm,....at least.
Wednesday August 12th
Dipping our toe in the water.
That's what we're doing this week regarding hurricane season. We get a little practice tracking a system that's a LONG way off. For the latest forecast, please visit our home page.
If you missed Monday's blog,....please scroll down and take a look. Since that blog I understand 2 organizations have started the ball rolling to follow the lead of Faith Presbyterian Church,.........good ideas are often soon copied!
Tuesday August 11th
This morning at 8am the National Hurricane Center officially named the cloudiness that came off of the coast of Africa a Tropical Depression. The NHC believes it will become a Tropical Storm in the next 24 hours or so, (it would be, named Ana), but there are two very important things to keep in mind with this system.
1. Today, it is over 3500 miles from Southwest Florida.
2. Even by Sunday, it will likely be over 1500 miles away from Southwest Florida, if it holds together.
We'll continue to track it. Watch Fox 4 for any updates.
Monday August 10th
First of all, thanks to all who came out for MDA Monday,...and special thanks to Kira Miner, who saved the day as we had some technical problems in the 6am hour.
This past Saturday, our Dixieland Jazz Band, Palm City Jazz, played an Ice Cream Social at Faith Presbyterian Church in Cape Coral, at their new indoor sports facility, from 2-4pm.
An Ice Cream Social.
Don't turn back the clock, turn back the calendar. And keep turning it back.
I pictured images in my head of the movie the Music Man,...with men in straw hats, and pretty girls dressed from the shoetops to the neck.
I half expected to run into Sheriff Taylor escorting the nice new druggist, Miss Ellie,...because she's new in town and doesn't know everybody.
An Ice Cream Social.
I realize I'm a tuba player,...I know I'll never get asked to play Lollapalooza (even that reference probably dates me), but an Ice Cream Social?
Best gig I've played in forever. Matter of fact, best idea I've heard of in forever.
Think about it for a minut, e. It's a Saturday, at the peak heat point of the day. What can we do for enjoyment?
For the kids, they had a bounce house, and a real fire truck with actual firefighters,...another great idea,.....and the kids , loved them both,...until the kids got too hot.
After that, they came indoors and cooled off with,........oh,......ICE CREAM.
I think the reason it was great was the fact that every age group had a great day. The older people sat and enjoyed the music,...as we played many of the songs they grew up wi, th.
The children had a chance to run around out with their friends, and spend their overly abundant energy.
The parents of the children got a chance to chat with their friends, while keeping one eye on the kids.
Personally,...it was a , great day for me because I got a chance to see young people enjoy our music. My clarinet player, the great Bob Schroeder always tells me that Dixieland Jazz is timeless,....and Saturday was a great example.
Watching young kids, holding hands with their parents, dancing in a circle to songs like, "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Five Foot Two, Eyes,, of Blue" makes me very optimistic about the future of the music I love. (My only regret,...we didn't play "Roll out the Barrel",....as kids love a polka)
We still have 10 weekends until things start to get co, oler. Plenty of time for your organization to schedule an Ice Cream Social.
I think I can recommend a band.
See you in the Winner's Circle.
&, nbsp;<, /p>
Friday August 7th
This MONDAY, we will be broadcasting the weather live from the 7-11 store on Boy Scout and Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers, as we'll be raising money for Jerry's Kids, on MDA Monday,....so if you've always wanted to be on TV, come on out and make a donation.
Thursday August 6th
In this ecomony,...free is good. So visit Hammond Stadium Friday or Saturday, when they will be giving free hats to the first 750 people Friday, and free backpacks to the first 750 on Saturday.
I know this because of the commercials we run during Fox 4 Rising,..and also because I e-mailed Steve Gliner, the GM, and stopped by late this afternoon to pick up samples of both,...and they are high quality products. You will not be disappointed. Plus free hot dogs and other specials before the game Friday.
When I grew up in Chicago, the White Sox would often have promotional giveaways to help get people to the games, and my favorite was Chicago White Sox beach towel night, sponsored by Clorox.
Wait,...I should re-phrase that,......it was,.........
Chicago White Sox
beach towel night,
sponsored by
CLOROX
That's pretty much what the beach towel looked like. My pal Dan actually went to the, game, took public transportation, had to transfer like 9 times, just to get a CLOROX towel.
I also remember the Cubs having Big Sunglasses day,...where the first 10,000 people got novelty Cubs big sunglasses. The TV promo was priceless, with Harry Caray wearing the novelty glasses over his own nearly novelty frames, and stating,..."not only are they good looking,...but practical too!" If anyone can find that on YouTube, send it my way. It would have been around 1985 or so.
Watch Friday,...I'll show you how good the Miracle giveaways are,....see you then.
Wednesday August 5th
Studies have shown that about 60-65% of people watching TV in the morning are female,...so ladies,...we have some great news for you! Click on the box on the right for the GOOD NEWS story of the day,......just for you!
Tuesday August 4th
On Monday, we broadcast the weather live, on location, to help raise funds for MDA. This is the first time we've attempted this since the change from analog to digital, and I'm happy to report that things went very well.
I'm a firm believer in doing live weather broadcasts from the different communities in Southwest Florida. You see,...the biggest complaint we receive into the weather office, my hairpiece excluded,......is,..."you guys don't mention (my home town) enough on, the weather."
It's a valid point. Remember though, Southwest Florida, as we define it, is a big place. In any single day, we'll get e-mails from viewers in North Port to Everglades City,...from Clewiston to Captiva.
I hope that by doing a live weather broadcast from some of these cities, well,...it's a good way to show that we know you're watching, and we care. It's also a great opportunity for very candid feedback. Very candid. And that might be the best kind.
Also,...a story doesn't have to be "bad" to be "news." If we do a live, on location weathercast from a city, do the weather, then spend a minute talking about the upcoming Shrimp Festival, Swamp Buggy Races, Oktoberfest, Parade,..., ..does it detract from a newscast? I think it enhances it.
For 5 days a week, you and I work, pay bills and taxes, but for the other two, we are enjoying Florida,....and the reasons why many of us live here. Why not talk about that for a few minutes?
There's a guy who was pretty successful doing broadcasts like that,...his name was Willard Scott,...and I miss those days.
Hopefully,...Monday was just a jumping off point,...I hope we'll be able to come to your town soon.
Monday August 3rd
Today was our first MDA Monday, as we broadcast live from 7-11 to help raise funds for Jerry's kids. After a slow start, we did VERY well,....and we will continue to take the show on the road every M, onday in August. How well did we do? Click t, he box on the right to see!
Wednesday-Friday July 29th-31st
We've had something in the works for a while on Fox 4 Rising, and it's now official.
Something fun is coming up this Monday, August 3rd, we will be doing a fun, draiser for MDA, and we'll be helping to raise money for the annual Labor Day telethon,...which you can watch right here on Fox 4.
I , ;will be broadcasting the weather live all morning from a 7-11 store,...and asking people if they can "spare some change for MDA." Make sure to watch Monday,...as we'll likely have a few other surprises also,...perhaps you can join us for the live broadcast,...if not this Monday, perhaps one in the future.
Tuesday July 28th
My partner Amy was a featured performer at the "Dancing with the Stars" fundraiser earler this year. (In my opinion, she should have won, but some of the judges were from other TV stations,......real fair.)
Saturday, she danced again for a fundraiser for the Anima, l Refuge Center. If you missed her performance,...here is a sample. Click on the right to see.
Monday July 27th
Everyone mark your calendar,....we are just one week away from a great event that will be happening next Monday on Fox 4 Rising. Details coming very soon.
Thursday July 23rd
These are the dog days of summer. It's WAY too hot.
As of this writing, the outside temp at my house is 94 degrees. However,...like many of you,...I MUCH prefer the heat to the cold.
Perhaps this writing can make you feel a bit better about our heat.
I grew up in a very rural area outside of Chicago, in a wonderful ranch-style house on an acre of land, behind a 500 acre Forrest Preserve. Beautiful area. Horrible climate,...for half of the year, anyway.
Let me tell you what I remember from my childhood,.....weather-wise.
I remember the time I had to rescue my 10 year old brother during our paper route, because he was stuck in a front yard with snow up to his chest.
This is no joke. I can still see him in the Peterson's front yard trying to claw his way to a higher ground. I'm not sure his wife Laura has forgiven me.
I remember the Chicago Blizzard of 1979, where the temperature hit a record 19 below,.....school was off for an entire week,....and the whole family walked 2 miles in a blizzard to the grocery store, with a pull behind sled to hold the groceries.
I remember numerous mornings, when my brother and I awoke in the "so called bedroom, used to be a tool shed" behind the garage, and could actually SEE OUR BREATH WHEN WE WOKE UP.
Many years later, my father relented to our complaints, and bought us 2 electric blankets from Ron's Recall Warehouse.
The duct tape on the frayed cord would sometimes scratch our feet, but at least we were warmer. And the occasional sparks were "small kisses from heaven."
I remember as a weatherman in Rhinelander Wisconsin in the 1990's,...... I would broadcast the fact that the wind chill factor was 40+ below,...and state,..."it's cold!"
Within moments, I would get numerous phone calls from longtime Rhinelander residents,.... telling me that,..... "you don't know what cold is, son,......7 years ago the wind chill factor was 78 below and we ice fished all day,....caught our limit, I believe."
I am NOT kidding. Watch Gumpy Old Men. That's right on.
I remember how before school, we would cook potatoes in the wood-burning stove, and keep them in our pockets to stay warm during the 19 mile walk to school every morning, and then eat the potatoes for breakfast when we got to school.
(O.K.,...that's my dad's story, but Uncle George swears it's true.)
Stupid stories,...but perhaps you feel a bit better about our heat.
See you in the Winner's Circle.
Wednesday July 22nd
The daily audience for Fox 4 Rising is very diverse. While we we, re on the air this morning I personally received phone calls from the Governor,....and Santa Claus. You may be a bit skeptical,...but the gentleman on the phone claimed to be the Governor, was very complimentary and polite,....so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
As far as Santa,...I've met him before, and I know his voice, so I'm sure it was him. He needed,....of course,...a weather report. No kidding. I have a witness.
Monday/Tuesday July 20th/21th
Allright,...I missed a day on the "daily" blog, and I apologize. To be very honest, I was actually a little depressed about Tom Watson Sunday, and learning of Frank McCourt's death Monday morning. If I were a high school teacher, I would make Angela's Ashes and 'Tis a required part of the freshman curriculum.
My pal Stan and I got together first thing Sunday to actually WATCH golf. (I can admit to watching another network, because we are only mere WEEKS away from the NFL on Fox!)
During the weekend, my wife asked how a man 59 years old could beat 20, 30 and 40 year olds. I explained that there are hundreds, maybe thousands of golfers who can shoot in the 60s,....the challenge is putting 4 fine rounds in a row.
I then felt it was my duty to explain how, me, ntally challenging the game of golf can be, and how exhausted one can feel after a good round on a difficult course. Big talk from a guy who shot 92 last week.
I did explain that the key for Watson would be the challenge to hold it together for the entire 72 holes. How sadly profound I was.
The Tropical wave the NHC has been watching is meeting some strong upper level wind shear,....it should be very hard for it to get better organized.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO JOIN OUR BAND, PALM CITY JAZZ, EVERY TUESDAY AT SHOELESS JOE'S FROM 7-10PM!
See you in the Winner's Circle.
Friday July 17th
This has been a long week, with 2 hurricane seminars, one gig with Palm City Jazz, and an awards event la, st night,...so I apologize if the blog has been a bit neglected.
There are certain things that you should and should NOT do when watching a weathercast,.....click the clip on the right to see what I m, ean. Archived clips are in the smaller boxes to the left.
Thursday July 16th
In morning TV, I always feel it's part of our job to elevate the mood,....and I usually try to do that to our crew before airtime, . Here's a clip from the first minute we were on the air this morning, straight up at 6am. Remember, if you miss a little, you miss a lot. Click the box on the right to see.
Wednesday July 15th
I had a fine clip I was going to include today, but due to technical difficulties, I won't be able to post it for a while.
Thanks to everyone who came t, o hear Palm City Jazz yesterday. We had a great breeze going from the overhead fan system, so it was actually pretty comfortable on the patio.
Unfortunately, during the 3 minutes we are allotted for a weather forecast, we often don't get a chance to talk in depth about all the factors that influence our weather. Research shows that a large majority of viewers want to know,....how hot will it be, and if or when will it rain tomorrow? Which makes sense. If I ask you what time it is, don't tell me how to build a watch.
However, here is a great website I found, that really explains how the seabreeze we always talk about in the summer affects our weather pattern,......it also may illustrate why our afternoons have been a bit drier recently. I'll include the link below.
Confident we'll have the clips back up soon.
http://www.weathervine.com/florida/seabreeze/
Tuesday July 14th
Tropics still quiet,....but it was still 90 degrees at my house at 6pm yesterday. It'll be nice to get a few more afternoon storms to cool things down.
Please don't forget to join Palm City Jazz TONIGHT from 7p-10p at Shoeless Joe's in Fort Myers! In memory of Ed MacMahon, we'll be doing "Stump the Band!"
Since weather is fairly quiet,....enjoy this clip from Fox 4 Rising this morning,....just click on the box at the right. Remember, archived clips are on the left!
Monday July 13th
Limited entry today as I am doing a hurricane seminar in Cape Coral at 10am.
I've always thought golf was a gentleman's game. It's a part of our lifestyle in Florida. We have some the best and well maintained courses in the world. Well,... for the first time in my life on Saturday, I got stuck behind a FIVESOME. This was at one of Southwest Florida most respected golf courses.
I was very surprised the starter allowed this, but did express concern at the turn. The starter then drove up and asked the FIVESOME to let us play through,...which they did NOT do,....making us wait 5-10 minutes on every hole.
There was some humor however,....the biggest hitter in our group began to get quite frustrated, and might have jumped the gun on one of the last holes. For the record, he DID NOT hit into the group, that would be poo, r etiquette. (Although I can't think of worse etiquette than a fivesome slowing up a whole course.)
As my friends drive was about to bounce 20 yards short of the FIVESOME, my pal decided to shout "FIVE!"
I was taught that two wrongs don't make a right, and I feel a little guilty finding any humor in this,...but I must admit, it was pretty funny at the time.
Don't forget, Palm City Jazz plays at Shoeless Joe's from 7-10pm Tuesday!
Friday July 10th
Random thoughts on a Friday,........
My pal, Dick Grimes, aka, "The Mango King," tells me he has already blessed the waters to appease the "Mango Gods", but wants additional help with the weather forecast for Mangomania, this weekend on Pine Island. Dick,....you're good until about 2pm both days, after that, it's in the hands of the Mango Gods.
I know everyone is feeling the pinch is this economy, but I can tell you that musicians have been hit as hard as anyone.
That's why I'm not ashamed to announce that our band, Palm City Jazz, will be playing every Tuesday night on the patio at Shoeless Joe's in Fort Myers. We would love to have a good crowd. We'll take any and all requests,.....just no one yell "Freebird!"
And finally, we call it the Running of the Bulls,.....but I think the bulls call it the Goring of the Idiots.
See you in the Winner Circle.
Thursday July 9th
First, good news from the Tropics. This morning I was just reading information from the Climate Prediction Center, and it looks like , we will have an El Nino through the summer,....important because that usually helps to defer tropical activity for us.
AMERICAN IDOL is holding auditions in, Orlando! Amy insisted I include this clip as the Highlight of the day,....click the box on the right to watch.<, /p>
Wednesday July 8th
WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE.
That would be the headline of this blog, if I needed one.
As many of you may know, I play Dixieland tuba, most often with Pat O'Brien's Palm City Jazz. We play often throughout Southwest Florida, and have played together for over 10 years.
Pat has been a musician for 50+ years (a great feat for a man of 39), and Pat has played al, l over the country, with several well known Jazz musicians. He played banjo in New Orleans for many years. (No,... they didn't name the bar after him,....although he did help to increase their profit margin)
Pat was also featured at Disney, land in Orlando for several years. I was, quite surprised when he sent me this picture that was taken i, n 1984. No photoshop,.., ..this was a picture actually published in Life Magazine.
That's Pat on the banjo, behind Michael Jackson, who was visiting Disney with other members of the Jackson family.
After the show, Pat met Michael, who he found to be very polite, but "painfully shy." Not too many banjo players get a picture taken with Michael Jackson,....and get published in Life magazine, no less. Funny how the entertainment business works.
After the show, I understand that Michael asked Pat about possibly doing the solo on "Beat it", but didn't want to hurt Eddie Van Halen's feelings.
See you in the AM.
Tuesday July 7th
Shaping up as a fairly quiet weather week, at least through Wednesday. The holiday is over, and everyone is getting back to work,...the subject of our Fox 4 Rising Highlight of the day! Click the big box on the right to watch.
Previous clips are in the smaller screen to the left.
Monday July 6th
Tropics still, quiet! I'm sure you had a good 4th of July holiday. We have a 4th of July clip you might enjoy,....just click on the box to the right,....and remember archived clips are on the left!
Friday July 3rd
A special treat (we hope) for you on this 4th of July weekend! Enjoy a patriotic musicial number by Pat O'Briens Palm City Jazz, as we were featured Friday on the Morning Blend.
Wednesday July 1st/Thursday July 2nd
(I know, I promised to update this blog daily, but I ,, wrote half of this yesterday, and half today, so it still counts.)
Fireworks safety is very important. Watch the clip at the right to see why. Best bet,...let the pros handle fireworks.
I always hate to be the guy who says,...."things were a lot different when I was a kid." However, the fact is,...things WERE a lot differen, t when I was a kid. Everyone in the neighborhood rode bikes without helmets. We skateboarded with no protective pads. And yes,....we would often light, off fireworks from the backyard.
I grew up in Illinois, where fireworks were illegal, but every year in early June, my father would arrange for my cousin in Oklahoma to forward a large unmarked package. Inside, would be the largest fireworks assortment pack. I can still see the logo that said something like,......"Stumpy's Fireworks,...Rated #1 in Enid,.....conviently located across the street from the hospital."
Most of the printing on the assorted fireworks was in Japanese, but what English we could make out usually said, "use with extreme care, as fireworks can be very dangerous,".......which to my father meant, don't actually be dumb enough light them yourself.
My brother and I were more than anxious to be the one's who would "get" to light the fireworks. I'm sure my sister Cindy would've been let in on the fun as well, but grass might've got caught in th, e wheels of her Fisher Price walker.
There was also a line on the fireworks that said, "make sure to have water close at hand." Right. The only water with 200 yards was the melting ice in my father's manhattan.
However,...we , never had a mishap., Probably because my brother and I always heeded the final line (in English, anyway) on the fireworks,....light, and GET AWAY! The minute that wick was lit, we ran like our pants were on fire. Which is a poor analogy. But even though it was 20+ years ago, I'll bet 50 bucks I could call my brother Mark on the phone right now, and say only, "Light, and,......?" I'm sure he'd finish the sentence.
Be safe this 4th, especially if you are dealing with fireworks. If you want a designated "lighter," I'll put you in touch with my sister Cindy. I think she still a little mad she never got i, n on the fun.
Tuesday June 30th
It is very important to use any fireworks in a very responsible way, with adult supervision.
VERY important. Having said that, you may enjoy the Fox 4 Rising clip on the day by clicking on the right.
Monday June 29th
So much for that area we were watching. Thankfully, it fell apart pretty quickly this weekend. One month down,...5 to go!
Ty is filling in for Amy over the next few days. Often, in TV, you have scripts that you use on a daily basis, and these scripts will sometime contain "default" settings, and when a new person is on a show, not all of the defaults will get changed. To understand better, please watch the clip on the right!
Friday June 26th
Allright,....we have something to watch in the Tropics,...an area of cloudiness approaching the Yucatan over the next day,....expected to get into the Southern Gulf by late in the weekend. the NHC thinks there is a chance that it may become an official system sometime this weekend,....and a few computer models do take some of that moisture close to Florida next week. It is still VERY early,...but this is one to keep an eye on.
Thursday June 25th
I never met Ed MacMahon. However,.....very much like he helped Johnny, he helped me get some GREAT laughs.
It was the 1990s, I was doing the weather for WAND-TV in Decatur, Illinois, and also doing the radio weather for the number #1 radio station in Central Illinois, WLRW. The host of the show was a great friend of mine, a very talented broadcaster named Jerome Ritchey. I would appear via phone hourly, do weather, and also contribute to whatever topic was being discussed on the show.
Jerome and I went to great lengths to make each other laugh, both on and off the air.
While waiting to do my weather forecast one morning on the phone, (while a Rick Astley song was playing, most likely), I casually asked my friend Jerome if he had a good question for Ed MacMahon, because our morning news anchor had an interview with him via satellite later in the week.
As I anticipated,...Jerome was excited, and a bit jealous, because he would LOVE the chance to interview a man who was considered broadcasting royalty.
He asked,.....also as I anticipated, if Ed was doing any radio interviews. I told him I had no idea. I'm just the weatherman....but maybe I could ask our news anchor,.........I really have no idea. I would do what I could do.
I then employed a co-conspirator to call WLRW the next day, and "represent" Ed.
"WHO HERE WANTS ED MACMAHON!!!????,....... Ed doesn't do many radio interviews. He is VERY busy. This week he is doing nothing but TV, and then has as all day MDA event with Jerry Lewis,......WHO ARE YOU AGAIN? WHY DO YOU WANT HIM!!???
(Pause 2-3 minutes for extreme kissing up, which I'm told was done on the phone)
"Well,............listen,....you sound like a good guy,....but Ed really is booked with satellite TV all day Thursday and Friday, and he has the MDA event all weekend. He'll be back in the evening of the 31st, but I could probably put him on the phone at 8:50 AM the next day."
The 1st.
April 1st.
Perhaps my friend Jerome should have been suspicious, but since I had planned so far in advance, and the plotline was so twisted, he actually believed Ed was booked for the show.
We had an entire TV studio filled with people who were in on the joke, listening to the entire WLRW morning radio show, as Jerome continued to promote the fact that the great Ed MacMahon would be on the air, LIVE, at 8:50am.
We all know that great feeling of comedic anticipation when you know someone is about to be tricked or fooled. That feeling is multiplied greatly when you have a live audience in place to witness it, and even more so to do it on a public forum like a radio show. On top of that, the man who is about to be tricked is the top banana.
I was on the line, listening to the Tonight Show theme, followed by a glowing introduction by my friend Jerome, who was obviously filled with great excitement, and perhaps even a bit of nervousness,....and the laugh I got from the full TV studio when I said "April Fool" was easily the loudest I've heard before or since.
As I write this blog, I'm even chuckling again.
Months later, Jerome actually did interview Ed MacMahon, who also found the above story amusing. So I made Ed MacMahon laugh. Which may not have been the hardest thing to do, now That I think about it,...but I'm a bit proud nonetheless.
Wednesday June 24th
Tropics quiet, but HOLY COW!,.......we received over 4 inches of rain in many parts of Lee County,...especially Cape Coral on Wednesday,...but to see exactly how wet it was, please check out the clip on the right.
Tuesday June 23rd
I have a very good Ed Macmahon blog that I almost posted today,...but I needed to get permission to tell the story. I hope, to get permission with 24 hours
Monday June 22nd
How hot was it this weekend? Please check out, the clip to the right!
Friday June 19th
(Note to readers,....I've decided that on Friday's, I'm going to take an opportunity , to borrow from Larry King. He used to write a Friday colu, mn in USA today that consisted of random thoughts from Larry)
First of all,....tropics quiet.
Great book I HIGHLY suggest. "Bonnie and Clyde, the lives behind the legend", by Paul Schnieder. I always read non-fiction, but this book reads as good as any novel you could find on shelves today.
Since I'm in the media, I'm probably over sensi, tive to this,....but why do AM talk radio stations insist on playing so much music to go into and out of commercial break? It's TALK radio,....if I wanted to listen to 45 seconds of "More than a Feeling" by Boston, I'd put in my cassette.
(Note to my comedian friends,....yes, I realize 8 track would have been a better punch line, but I'm trying not to completely alienate the younger demographic.)
And while I'm on the subject, why are so many AM radio programs introductions over-produced? If the show is that good, why do you have to tell me how funny/daring/outrageous it is with THE SAME 3 minute taped introduction with stolen voice clips from cartoons/movies and TV?
How about giving 3 extra minutes of original material? Isn't that why I tuned in?
See you in the Winner's Circle!
Thursday June 18th
Two words for motorists. Rain-X. Or is that one word?
Reminds me of a very humid day many years ago that a female co-anchor turned to me and said, "I have just two words for you, Jim. Bad hair day." I think you might be able to find that clip somewhere on You Tube. But I digress.
Well,...our Chief Tom Johnston sure knows when to take time off. Today was first day of his vacation, I had the pleasure of filling in for him, and we had the most active weather afternoon in nearly 6 months. Thanks, pal.
It really was a strange afternoon, as I had reports that not only was traffic on I-75 at a near standstill at 6pm due to the weather,....but some motorists actually pulled over and completely stopped their vehicles. I heard a new term today,...."crippling rains." Dramatic, yes,...but maybe appropriate.
The next few afternoons should be less active, thunderstorm wise,...but get ready for the heat this weekend.
Wednesday June 17th
Tropics are still very quiet,...not unusual for mid-June. With apologies to Jack Benny, here is our Fox 4 Rising Clip of the Day! Click on the box to the right to see!
Tuesday June 16th
The great Jerrry Lewis, the multi-talented Oscar winner, sent me a letter this weekend. I know it was mass produced, but it had his picture and signature, so he sent me a letter. Jerry asked that I re-up my annual $50 pledge again this year.
FOX 4 broadcasts the annual Labor Day telethon every year, and I always donate. As a matter of fact, I'll usually watch, and phone in my pledge live. A few years ago I was working for another TV station and phoned in my pledge,....and was very surprised to hear Fox 4 main anchor Patrick Nolan announce, "and weatherman Jim Syoen has pledged $100!" I always wondered how management at FOX 4 felt about that. Perhaps they di, dn't know. Until now. Sorry Patrick.
Well Jerry Lewis has written me, asking for my pledge, but I am going to write him back this year. I know what your saying,..."you don't know Jerry Lewis." Well, I almost did.
2 months ago he was appearing at Ruth Erkert hall, and my pal Stan and I had 2rd row seats. Halfway through his show, there was a Q&A. My friend Stan raced to the front of the line to ask his question. (I think it was,..."I heard you used to work with Dean Martin? What was that like?")
I was in line to ask MY question,....and I stood there,.....spotlight on me and the open microphone while Jerry answered the previous question. As Jerry concluded, I leaned into the microphone,.....and LIGHTS OFF! NO MORE QUESTIONS! SIT DOWN SON!
So instead of a check, I am using the enclosed envelope to write Jerry a letter, because I really had a good question. I'll include the content of my letter here tomorrow. And hopefully, I'll be able to print his response, also.
Monday June 15th
Played 18 holes Saturday afternoon with my pal Stan in OPPRESSIVE heat, and I'm sure it was the weather conditions that affected our game. I'm not going to say we played poorly, but the management at the golf course has officially named two drop areas in our honor.
Had an unusual weather pic this morning, click the box on the right to watch our Fox 4 Rising Clip on the day!
Make sure also to check out previous clips in the smaller box on the top left side of the screen.
Friday June 12th
Note to readers,....I've decided that on Friday's, I'm going to take an opportunity to borrow from Larry King. He used to write a Friday column in USA today that consisted of random thoughts from Larry. Things like,......FOR MY MONEY, SUSAN ANTON IS THE BEST TRIPLE THREAT ENTERTAINER AROUND TODAY. (If you are under 30, Susan Anton was kinda like a female Wayne Brady. One other exception. She was taller.) So readers, I'd like to borrow Larry's format for my Friday blog.
Well, I've seen the entire 2009-2010 TV schedule, and its official. As of November, the only "celebrities" without a reality TV show will be Jared from Subway, and Don Knotts Jr.
Maybe you saw it,....Wednesday on Fox 4 Rising, we had a sound bite from a Collier County education official who was remarking about the lack of guidelines regarding high school curriculum from state to state.
His quote,...."It's like comparing apples to cinder blocks." I LOVE, that quote,...I'm going to try to borrow that and work it into weather when appropriate. I'm crediting him in advance.
I live in a somewhat typical Florida community, where there is common area that is continuously being maintained and improved when necessary. This past weekend, some roadwork was done, and this has COMPLETELY thrown off my morn, ing every day this week.
I'm sure you agree, the earlier you get up, the groggier you are. Like many of you, I often use my morning commute to mentally prepare for the, upcoming day with an inner monologue. "I'm glad the tropics are quiet because I have a good weather picture I want to show and my brother Mark sent me one from Indianapolis too, I can use that today if I don't have a good one,...we need dog food, and since it's next door I'll get the dry cleaning, wait, do we have any to pick up?,...I heard on Stan and Haney yesterday was Judy Garland's birthday I wonder how old sheSPEEDBUMP!SWERVETOMISSHALFOFIT!!!!!"
Actually, after that moment every day this week, I've been full of adrenaline, and ready to go. Hopefully, this writing will bring the speed bump from the sub-conscious into the conscious. I'll let you know Monday.
See you in the winner's circle, or on Fox 4 Rising at 6am.
Thursday June 11th
Right off the bat (a phrase my dad uses all the time), the Tropics are still quiet. Nothing expected for the next few days.
I had a good blog I was going to post today, but will save it for tomorrow, as Amy insisted I include this clip,....our Fox 4 Rising Clip of the day. Click the box on the right to watch!
Wednesday June 10th
10 days into the season,...tropics quiet.
Today our friends from Sea World and Busch Gardens brought a few guests into the studio, and here's the final clip in case you missed it. Click on the box to the right to see , our, Fox 4 Rising Highlight of the day.
Tuesday June 9th
Good news first,....that area of cloudiness we were watching in the Tropics has become very d,,, isorganized, and officially now, the Tropics are quiet.
Last friday Amy and I were guests on the Fox 4 Morning Blend, and took a stab at reproducing a few of "Amy's Summer Salads." (The strawberry salad is great) Click on the link below to watch our "efforts, ."
Monday June 8th
Well,....I hope you enjoyed your quiet first week of Hurricane Season, as we now have a very impressive LOOKING area of cloudiness in the Carribean that will bring he, avy rains to Central America and Jamaica over the next few days. I say LOOKING becuase I came in early this morning, read the morning update from the NHC, which downplayed any development,..., ..then I saw it on the satellite picture and said, HOLY COW! Maybe you said the same thing, or perhaps another derivative.
Upper level winds are unfavorable for any development on this one according to the NHC, but those wind, s may be getting a bit lighter later this week, so we'll be watching the Tropics perhaps a little closer, and this area of cloudiness may start to drift northward later in the week.
Also, I've had a few people request , Amy's and my appearance on the Morning Blend, as we were cooking healthy summertime salads, and I will try to have that video posted ASAP!
Friday June 5th
Friday was National Doughnut day,....no kidding. You can actually get free doughnuts at some doughnut chains. Click on the box to watch out Doughnut Day highlight from June 5th.
Also,....for those of you interested in the Belomont Stakes weather, it will rain in the NY area today, but should be drying throughout the day Saturday.
AND,....please feel free to check out the fundraiser to buy a new roof for the Cape Coral VFW, it's this Sunday, it has a WEATHER theme,....call 542-8463 for more info.
See you Monday!
Thursday June 4th
For those looking forward with anticipation to the Belmont Stakes, I thought I'd feature a different kind of race this morning,....a story we featured on Fox 4 Rising from 6a-8a today.
Wednesday June 3rd
Perhaps you've heard about comedian who is trying to beat his fear of flying by riding on a plane for 30 days straight,...a bold and brave idea. Today, I actually admitted admitted a huge fear of mine live on the show. Watch the clip on the right.
The best part of it is, a licensed professional actually e-mailed shortly after with a very generous offer to help me cure MY fear.
Tuesday June 2nd
Amy has encouraged me to bring in and use "weather props", but I think she was surprised by this one. Listen to the audio closely. Click the box on the right to play.
Monday June 1st
The beginning of Hurricane Season, June 1st, DOES NOT have to be filled with anxiety, dread, and depression.
As a matter of fact, it should not be filled with the above.
<, P>Yes,.......hurricanes are very dangerous. Each hurricane is different. Every storm should be watched,....but it's important to keep Hurricane Season in perspective. In a nutshell, it boils down to 3 simple points.
1. HAVE A PLAN TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY.
2. HAVE A PLAN TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY.
3. HAVE A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF AWARENESS DURING HURRICANE SEASON.
No two plans will be alike. I have a bachelor friend that claims his hurricane kit consists of a 6 pack of his favorite malt beverage, and a copy of the Daily Racing Form. Seriously, you can find all the information you need to prepare in our Hurricane Survival Guide on this website, but I'd like to include a few of my own common sense tips to consider.
-In your hurricane kit, PUT FOOD THAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO EAT. This sounds like a joke, but I'm serious, and speak from experience.
Take some time to select foods that you actually enjoy. Your life is going to be disrupted enough after a hurrica, ne. You don't want to have to eat lima beans for a week straight.
-Visit your neighbors and talk about their plans for the season. If there is any good that comes after a hurricane, it's the feeling of community that often accompanies the cleanup.
Before the season, find out what your neighbors need, and maybe they have something that can help you. It might save you some money, too.
-Seriously ask yourself,.......what am I going to do after the hurricane? Am I prepared for possibly a week of no TV, internet, power, and very importantly, air conditioning? What can I do and have ready to make my post-hurricane life more bearable?
A few of my favorite tips, hope they help. See in the morning for Fox 4 Rising from 6-8am.
Friday May 29th
O.K., I'm not going to have my common sense guide today, because we had a good clip I wanted to share with you instead. A new spelling bee champ was crowned Thursday, and Rosemary and I took a crack at some winning words this morning. CHECK IT OUT in the video box on the right.
I'll have the "common sense"guide Monday, and also Monday,...AMY RETURNS FROM VACATION! I have a big surprise for her,......you'll have to tune in and see.
Thursday May 28th
Tomorrow, we will have our common sense guide to Hurricane Preparedness on the blog, but today we wanted to share another clip that people have inquired about,......and this too concerns Ty's "big catch."
Wednesday May 27th
W, e had a few people this morning that wanted to see the following clip from Fox 4 Rising again today,.....so I thought I'd include it on my blog page as our first FOX 4 RISING HIGHLIGHT!
