"A smile Remembered"....

I can't come up with an ideal title for this entry in the C.C. Did my best.  It doesn't seem appropriate to do something clever.  This writing  is a "wake up call" (no pun intended on our weekly trivia) to me, yet what it calls-attention-to I've known since I was 13 years old, when my mom died in a car accident. Treasure the people in your life.  Even the ones that are not family, and the ones you see only now and then, for they may have a profound impact when you look back over the years.

Monday morning, I was at the WION microphone. As many of you know, I'm pretty transparent. I'm the same person on the mic as when I'm downtown at dinner, visiting with friends, or relaxing at home. You can read me like a book. Some mornings, I'm energetic, some tired, some relaxed, some on edge, some excited, some just "there"...but always...REAL. Or so, I hope you know.

On this particular Monday, I had the left-hand screen for the morning show open to the web. My show notes, the weather, the list of online towns tuned-in to WION, some trivia notes, our forum, and of course, the one media I've been trying to break myself of, FACEBOOK.  

After being in radio since 1988, I've gotten fairly good at multi-tasking, speaking into the mic while surfing, writing e-mails while putting a call on the air...covering for a software failure....you get the idea.  Then suddenly, while speaking to you, I had to stop.  Something on Facebook made my heart sink, and it was an "I don't believe I'm reading this" kind of moment.

Part of my radio journey which landed me in Ionia to own, rebuild and operate WION, and eventually co-own WGLM in Greenville was my time as an announcer in Lansing.  Yes, I worked on a country station. WITL.  In fact, "Steve the Voice Guy" that you hear between songs on WION and I met at WITL. He did the Saturday afternoon show in the early 90's, and I did Saturday nights.  How we ended up working together to build WION is another story...for another blog.  

My first fulltime radio gig was at WKHM in Jackson on AM 970. Back then, live 24 hours a day and with a kick-ass signal that reached into Lansing even at night. They didn't own an FM then, and the format was much like our WION one today.  I wanted, however to continue moving "up" the radio ladder, and a weekend gig in Lansing was the next step.  WITL was my hope. I'd sent a tape and resume. Yes, a TAPE! That's how we did it back then.  One early morning, after a late night at the WKHM studios, the speakerphone in the head of my bed rang, and I groggily answered. It was Jay J. McCrae, the WITL program director asking me to come in for a chat and to maybe work weekends. I was instantly awake, and excited!  To make a long story shorter, I was given the chance to work on the air. I loved it. I was working in the "Wittle White House" which meant I had achieved some level of announcer credibility. The first time around at WITL I had to use an "air name" different than my name today, so I was "Jim McIntyre"....and, by the second time I came to work regular weekends at WITL, I went by just my known name, Jim Carlyle. Much easier.  

WITL led me to a job in the U.P via a recommendation to become a program director on a big hundred-thousand-watt Country FM, where I was also the afternoon host. Loved the people, the job, but I was severely homesick for lower Michigan and my father, who then was about 75 or so years old.  Left there for sharing an apartment with my college buddy who was in Chicago, but I hated living in the big city. Good place to visit for culture, museums, bars, but not a place in which I wanted to live.  When I knew I was coming home, it was ONE call to WITL and Jay J, and I was back on the air...once a week, overnight. He apologized to me that he only had the overnight gig available,  but I told him, "there are no bad hours to be a jock at WITL."  I was back, I was on the air, I was pleased.  

Now that you see how much I enjoyed WITL, let me rewind you back to my first show there as a scared young announcer just after Jay J. Hired me.  Steve (now our voice guy) was the usual Saturday afternoon host, but was gone that week as memory serves. We hadn't met yet.   Jordan Lee, Jay's wife had filled-in.  The studio was early into having computers, not for the music and commercials, but for the announcers' information about songs, local events, and more. Jay was a big fan of computers. His wife Jordan knew I was a bit scared, and in the first few minutes when I took to the air, she said, (with her signature Texas accent adjusted to Michigan) "Would you like me to stay a bit with you until you get comfortable?"  I assured her this would be more than welcomed, and she did. She watched me work, we talked, and....about half past the hour, maybe about an hour later, she said with a huge smile,  "Honey, you don't need me here, you're gonna be just fine!" I'll never forget that...nor the fact that long after I'd moved on, I was always welcomed to drop in to the WITL studios. 

This past monday, during that pause on my morning show, while looking at Facebook I saw the news that Jordan Lee had passed away. The very same voice that was always willing to play a 1990's request for me on her midday WITL show... was silent. I couldn't believe my eyes, as I read the news on WITL's page, and I had to politely shut off the mic, and take a few songs' break.  It didn't seem possible.  It didn't seem right. 

As you can tell from this story, lengthy though it is, Jordan, and her late husband Jay J. were just GOOD (radio) PEOPLE. Polite, warm, always took extra good care of me if they called me in for a last minute fill-in shift, and I never had to sit in Jay's office and go over a tape of my show! That's something that most radio announcers hate doing anyway. I can remember when the winter weather was bad being invited to stay at their home rather than battle the roads, since my commute was about 60 miles one way for these weekend shows.

I missed Jay when he passed away...not because we saw each other frequently, we didn't. Not because we did anything together outside of radio...we never did. I missed Jay because his name on a written reference on WITL letterhead opened many a door for me in my career. Because he was PART of my career and made a difference to me. That reference letter is still on the wall in my office/studio at WION.  That letter was part of my proposal for buying WION when I went to get financing.  It was part of my being hired to work with Garry Osborn at WLKI in the 90's, where I became morning host for nearly a decade.  Jay's words were like the "golden ticket" of references in radio, and I am still proud.  

I already miss Jordan this week for her smile, and the qualities she showed in radio, and as a person. Radio will miss her talent and dedication. People will miss her politeness, being helpful, smiling, and in my case, welcoming new talent by offering to remain in the studio with me for my first few shaky on-air breaks.   MY first night on WITL as a very nervous young announcer...is a memory that never fades. And, as with Jay J. there'd been no regular contact between us beyond the respect and friendship of years ago, but THAT never faded, either. 

Yes, it is possible to miss people who die whom you don't see regularly. It IS possible as well, to feel a loss when they leave us, even if they're not part of our every day lives.   Jordan got invited to WION to see where I "landed" but was never able to make it over to see "my" WION. I wish she could have, but the occasional e-mails now and then were enough to say, "hello. " 

So, to Jordan, a huge, "Thank you" ...for friendship and a confident smile, hoping that she knows what her presence in my career that first night at WITL meant to me.  She and Jay were a great team. They both left radio, and this world too young.

Tonight, as I finish this, I'd like to give you an assignment.  We've all gotten busier. We all multitask too much. We ALL have friends from our past who are still available by phone, e-mail, and even a note sent in the mail.  Call them.  E-mail them. Write them. Visit them.  You don't have to do it all at once, we all have a huge list of people who were at one time VERY involved in our lives.  Don't let them go without knowing they made a difference, that they mattered, and that you appreciate them.  It's a simple assignment, one I'm trying hard to do myself.  I assure you, it's time consuming, and it won't be easy. But, you'll be glad for doing it.

And one more note … Radio NEEDS people who are passionate communicators to come up through the ranks and want to communicate with an audience. Encourage your sons, daughters, whomever you know who may show a leaning toward broadcasting.  Let them know that it is NOT a dead-end, but a place where some very magical people still work, and that it may take time to find WHERE they are meant to "land" (as it did for me)....but the journey is a BLAST!   We lost a great radio person this week. Two Christmases ago a dear friend and engineer left us.  Others whose home was on the air have passed into the ionosphere and beyond.  Let's try hard to keep encouraging those who may become the next kind, friendly voice on your radio. They may even be the calming voice that helps us all to know the world is still okay even after the hourly newscast has played.

Go in Peace, Jordan, and thank you. Tell Jay he also was appreciated.

A PARTIAL LIST OF THINGS TO IMPROVE THE YEAR 2016 AND BEYOND

I asked our listeners for contributions regarding improving 2016 overall, in public, on the web, and in general. Got some nice ideas including:

1) Not wearing pajama pants in public and having more self respect.
2) Banning the misuse of words as in, "FOR free" instead of just using, "Free!"
3)Banning, "Just Sayin'".....

and, there were others recommended as well, some via Facebook comment, some by e-mail or in personal conversation. I like them all.  

I'm going out on a limb with you, as I hit "publish to the web" on this writing. I'm risking being labeled a fool, or of wearing "rose colored glasses" or even of being "naive."  Fine. I can take that.  Some of these suggestions may seem frivolous, some may hit home with you, some may mean nothing, but here's just the beginning of my general list  that I believe would help our culture in any new or future year to improve itself, or maybe get back on track:
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Meet the speed of traffic when merging on the highway. It's an "acceleration" lane.

(For Corporate America)  Stop the disclaimers! Especially if longer than the products' description in your commercials. If the product's that bad, DON'T sell it, and for God's sake, consumers:  DON'T buy it.

To Local TV stations: Put people back in your "booth" that can turn on mics, preview the shots of live anchors, and give us a solid product. 

Also for TV: when you cut to a local commercial and back to network, make it smooth, don't show us any of the commercial we aren't supposed to see.

Be polite and let someone into traffic on the highway who is attempting to merge. If there's room, move over and let them on, then move back! 

Find a way to properly dispose of that fruitcake you got at Christmas, not in a landfill. (It takes fifty years to begin to decompose, we're told.)

To the Radio industry:   Be better than you were last year, or the year before. Buying up your competition hasn't worked, and the debt is real.  instead, just try to air some good radio that someone may actually want to listen-to! 

Teach young kids the alphabet and how to  read, write, and do real math before you shove tablets in their faces.   Elementary-age kids don't need to be "connected"as much as they need to  be kids so they grow up dreaming, stretching their minds, creating and knowing the REAL world, with REAL social interaction.

Stop buying electronic junk made in China and look for well-made "real" electronics, not throwaway stuff.  It's out there. Might be at garage sales and thrift stores, but it's there!  I refer to radios, stereos, clocks, you get the idea. SOME new things are built well for long-life, but there are few. At least do your homework. Try not to buy junk.

Cut back on being "politically correct" and instead, express yourself (in a polite manner) without fear. 

VOTE.

Ban words like "selfie" from your usage, along with "like" and "social media." How about instead we all BE social, use our LANGUAGE better, and to like LIFE instead of a screen. 

Look beyond your smartphone camera to actually SEE and enjoy the event you're photographing. Don't miss it! It's probably important to someone that you SEE it!

Fast food restaurants: Get rid of the automated recordings that greet you before you place your order. The instant "sex change" of the person on the intercom is disconcerting.

Try holding the door for the ladies, guys!  If they're offended, oh well. You did a polite thing and proved there's still GENTLEMEN in public.

SHUT OFF YOUR DARN CELLPHONE MESSAGING during dinners and visits to others.  You're not that important.

PRAY.  It can't hurt.  Even a short one on the way to the mailbox and back. If you're afraid to call it prayer, then look up and just start talking to God like you would anyone else. 

Use a little common sense this winter. We live in Michigan. We GET snow.  We GET winter. This is NOT new to the upper Midwest.

Reduce your usage or get OFF Facebook, and if you can't do that, then agree to NEVER use it to hurt someone!  I'm reducing my use, and aiming to use it to point people to other places, as an announcement media, more than a "read me" media.

Get the bloodsucking lawyer ads off of TV. The lawyers to which I refer are the bigshot ones that ADVERTISE how you can screw your fellow man for more than you thought you could.

Cut down on your intake of bad news. Read "goodnewsnetwork.org" now and then, and if you have streaming TV in your home, look for something to watch that makes you happier, not having to do with murder, lying, and corporate bullying. You may find this changes your outlook in a positive way.

Take a day now and then to BE local. Even if you don't buy a thing...drop in to local shops, talk to the owners, and their shoppers. When was the last time you had a conversation with a stranger in a local store? I do it quite often when I'm visiting WION advertisers and I meet their customers.

Simplify your life.  Get rid of "stuff" you don't use anymore. Either you'll have to move it yourself someday, or someone else will have to sell it at your estate sale, SOMEDAY...so why not simplify your ownership of STUFF, and....simplify all you CAN in your daily life?

There's so many more things that will occur to me as 2016 begins and the usual routines continue.  Maybe you've got some ideas to add to my list.....Please DO! 

Maybe you have a comment, and that's okay, too. 

The bottom line is, whether you like, dislike, agree or disagree with all the above, it doesn't change a thing...I'm still going to believe in what I wrote, and it's up to you to try very hard to make your corner of the world a bit better in 2015 in your own way.

Start small. Hold that door. Look at someone in the eye instead of looking down when walking on our streets. You'll get the hang of it. It gets easier, the more you become real.

We now return you to your virtual world...with HOPE you'll act-on your own list.

Happy 2016 to all.

-

-Carlyle

"Just blowing off steam"... or, "What's "News," Anyway??"

Do you like the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" style of title to this?

Okay,  I've been silent long enough about some things, and today's the day to speak out. 

I'm a media owner SICK of the B.S. showing up in news,(and some of Facebook's obvious bending of reality, too)  but yet, I feel a RESPONSIBILITY to carry State,  National and International events on WION  for those who work "away" from other sources! (like Ionia's corrections workers, for instance, and others who are not allowed their phones and PC' at work but CAN hear a radio playing.  THESE are some of our most important types of listeners.)

1) We'll start small here with social media.   Facebook: STOP telling us we don't respond fast enough to posts. (new.) This isn't EBay! We don't need ratings on EVERYTHING in life.  Not everyone is "glued' to your pages every minute of every day, and those who ARE  probably need to get a life!  If someone needs to reach WION Radio in an urgent manner, Facebook is not the way. How about a....(drum roll please)....PHONE CALL!  Even an E-mail is higher priority than FB posts!  Many posts to pages these days are obviously SPAM, need to be rejected, and this new system rating our response time is about as effective as your "calculated distribution of our posts" in which you, (FB) decide WHO of our fans and contacts sees them via your internal arithmetic algorithm.  These ratings and actions serve only to reduce FB's overall effectiveness, and definitely shows why RADIO is called "mass media" not, "social media."

2) (From today's 10AM and other CBS news broadcasts:)   National News: Shut UP about Americans not having enough LIFE INSURANCE. The last thing we need is some government official hearing this and writing legislation mandating that our funerals are paid-for by "others" under some kind of a "National need for decent funerals" plan.  Just because some industry-associated report (in this case "Bankrate.com")  says not enough life insurance is sold to American adults, (meaning big corporate insurance coffers are not as full as they'd like) it is NOT time for big media to make this another trumped up national problem.  The purchase of this type of product is UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL. It's something we, as citizens are to be conscious of once we have a few years under out belt in the adult working world. It's simply NOT NEWS. I don't want it turning into "ObamawillburyUcare."

3)Trademarks and the "Redskin" Name:

SINCE WHEN is our country guaranteeing everyone "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of NEVER taking PERSONAL offense?  NOT everyone cares about things as trivial in our world as the now historic naming of a sports franchise!   GET OVER IT and don't waste Federal dollars on such matters. There are bigger issues in the world that NEED attention and our dollars. Let's go one step farther. I had a discussion today with an associate of WION, and the name of the first Jeep I ever owned came up!   I LOVED my Jeep Cherokee, it was one of the BEST vehicles I ever owned. Is that next on the chopping block?  Will there be a mandate to pull the logos off  all of those GREAT vehicles?  How about my current (Jeep) "Liberty?"   The word "Liberty" might offend our federal govenment...or so one may think.....given the way our government continues to shrink our individual rights as citizens while they slowly legislate them away...trying to be "fair" to everyone. Maybe "Liberty" is a bad word we should start avoiding, too!

There are days, that I, too...as owner/operator of  a smaller media find myself shaking my head  at the "bigger" media's values in what they choose to present as "news" to us. Today was just one of those days which stood out.  It is my belief that news editors have more power than they realize, but under-utilize it regularly.   Many proposed "news" items (like the life insurance one above) could be handled better by throwing the press release in the circular file, and then giving the airtime or column-inches to other more productive events, news, and happenings.  Many a "problem" manufactured for the media may simply goe away if not made to be "bigger than life" by the big media.  

We call it LIFE. NOT EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY ALL THE TIME. Stop trying to make it-so! I thought it was bad when the drug ads on TV took longer to list side-effects than the drug's positive intended results, but it seems that is minor these days to making everyone "happy." I've got some news I learned long ago....a good dose of common sense combined with reasonable TOLERANCE goes farther toward happiness  than legislated, mandated decisions by any level of government trying to MAKE everyone happy.  And, give me credit, I won't even START talking about certain flags and their use and removal in state capitols and in vintage broadcast TV shows! 

I'm proud  to own a radio station, and proud to work locally to "better" our corner of the world, yet, I feel at times, the station owes you an apology for "news" we carry, though it's content is not in our control.  

That having been said...

We WERE, however,  VERY PROUD the week of the tornado in Portland, MI to be able to connect the "Michigan News Network" with a local church in Portland, so their fundraiser could be MORE successful THAN EVER, as they chose to share their prosperity with other local  churches damaged by the storms. Getting Portland St. Patrick's' parish statewide coverage with one phone call to the Michigan News Network, and the network's quick follow-up  shows what GOOD news can do, when it's allowed-to!

Thank you, MNN for taking our tip on Portland's church seriously, and responding.  You give me hope, and I'm grateful your people cared enough to feel the story idea was newsworthy.

And yes, to answer your question....
I DO feel better.

-Carlyle

AMERICAN GREED STRIKES RADIO....AGAIN!

According to this article out today...(credit Radio Ink Magazine) 

....The fight to NOT have your local radio station have to PAY the artists we play is ON! (Again!) I've written about this before, and as a 10-plus year veteran owner of small market radio, and nearly 30 years as an announcer, I have every right to say that a war between the music industry and "radio" over performance rights should never take place, NOR should lobbyists for the music industry be wasting our legislators time with this! 

Radio has always been the venue from which songwriters (including DEAD ones via their estates) already make money. This station pays over six THOUSAND dollars per year in licensing fees for our small radio market!  Recording artists, meanwhile, who may not write songs but PERFORM them are supposed to make their money from record deals, record sales, legal downloads, concerts, and endorsements! They CAN'T have it both ways...yet, watch almost ANY awards show and see them say, "Thank you, Radio!"...And some have the audacity to want Radio to pay to PLAY and PROMOTE them to their popular status where they receive awards!  

As a small radio station operation, when unreasonable fees come our way,  we can't just fire people and consolidate operations or sell off hundreds of broadcasting towers like the big guys have done to save money (and continue to do....) We run our station lean, on REAL money earned from hard work in your communities. We're  already working with a very small (and  underpaid)  staff and yet, we're committed to bring you local guests, information, weather coverage, network news, and more. We've INVESTED here in a better AM signal, an FM signal for our county, and we even pay extra licensing fees to a fourth licensing organization for the rights to put WION on the internet. We live modestly in our small community and proudly do our part to improve the community for YOU.

Good ol' American greed has kicked in again, however, and many of the voices that sing your favorite songs are the ones serenading Congress for this "tax" on the playing of music.  We'll soon post some information for you to be able to send a strong "NO"  to our legislators on behalf of RADIO asking that legislators vote NO for any more fees on radio. Terrestrial radio has zoning, tower maintenance, huge electric bills, regulatory fees to the FCC, music licensing, tax on large pieces of land for transmitters, and all the "usual" expenses of a business, too! Come to think of it, we spend THOUSANDS of dollars in engineering expenses to IMPROVE the sound of these singers' music, too! Ever priced an audio processor for a radio station, and it's associated engineering bills? 

We pay fees each year to KEEP the licenses we're issued.... We promote the GOOD in your community, we raise money for charities like Relay for Life, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, I-M KIDS 3rd Meal Program,  and we promote awareness of the good things in Ionia County  like Bertha Brock Park, The Ionia Area Chamber of Commerce, Ionia DDA, Literacy Council, local events and more!   Most, if not all of that would have to END if we get billed for another massive "performance rights" tax levied upon us. The same will apply to small stations not just here, but  all across the United States.

I've said it before, I'll repeat it again. If this kind of thing is allowed to be pushed through congress based on American GREED, watch soon. And mark my words, it IS greed. The music industry is BUYING your Congress.  Soon after this passes, you'll be asked to report or be taxed-on how many sheets of toilet paper you use.  Sounds  silly, right? Well, so does PAYING someone for the privilege of PROMOTING their songs on the radio. There's plenty of independent singers and songwriters who'd LIKE to be played just for the love of music, not because the GREEDY record company with which they signed is screwing THEM.

It's GREED pure, and simple, and it needs to be stopped...NOW. Please educate yourself on all that local radio does, and how it cannot, in ANY town afford to have any more fees charged to it. Jobs, information, entertainment, and even public safety are at risk with this dangerous and greedy trend by the music industry. Stations may not disappear overnight.... but it WILL happen...to an already hard working industry. 

I suppose at worst case scenario, we could create a new format, playing ONLY dead artists, and pay LESS to their estates than to "live" artists,  since we're not supporting their bad habits, greed,  and their lobbying congress once they're buried.

It might be a FUN format!

UPDATE.
As expected, the debate and discussion has begun. Please note this e-mail which arrived today from the NAB (for disclosure, we're not NAB members at WION) which tells that the attempt at the "tax" is underway.

"Thumbs Up" to listeners of WION! "Thumbs down" to Emergency officials!

Emergency?  or just "another event?"

YOU decide.

Last week, with just hours to go before the first-ever "Wizard of Oz" festival in downtown Ionia, a construction crew hit a gas line, which, in turn, caused the "evacuation" of at least one city block full of businesses near the noon hour, visitors, and those preparing for the festival.

A huge THANK YOU and "thumbs up" goes to our listeners who alerted WION to this situation, which allowed WION to beat ALL the news media with a live report from Consumers' Energy about the situation, it's repair time, and estimated time that residents and businesses could return to their normal activities.  WION's report was quoted in much 'larger' media which made their jobs easier, and...being IN Ionia, we had the info as it happened, where out-of-town media had to come here, find the people with whom to talk, and then get their reports back to the "big city."

This blog, however is not meant to say, "we did it first." It's meant to compliment our listeners on tipping us off to the need for information which we provided!  At the same time, the finger of shame points in the direction of any and all City or County officials charged with the handling of emergencies for ZERO contact with a live, local media right here in town!  (WION). Just as in the January prison escape, City and County officials took NO action to notify WION, yet...even without a fulltime news department, we had the situation covered and calmly brought you information and even some "appropriate for the situation" music. (songs with "dig", "flow", "pipeline" and other words or names in them...just for fun while on the air "live" with credible information.) 

WHY should local officials contact WION with local emergencies? Well, for one, we're the quickest local media!  Even if the evacuated businesses couldn't be near their in-store/in-office radios, they could use smart-phones to hear WION's information with our free APPS!  This isn't the 1970's...WION reaches the WORLD now, at any given time. As I write this, our afternoon show is being enjoyed In Tawas City, Cedar Springs, Grand Rapids, Chesepeake, VA, and Southfield, MI just to name a few locations that are tuned-in via the web or phones. It's simple. Radio is a medium you can HEAR while driving, walking, working,  or even evacuating. You don't have to "read" radio!

Our local officials seem to believe that Facebook is the save-all for their poorly-run  P.R. departments.  Facebook does NOT reach people driving TO Ionia, or anyone driving, period!  It doesn't reach busy business people who are tuned-in while actually WORKING,  it doesn't reach businesses where the I-T department BLOCKS Facebook, and it doesn't reach clients of our local businesses who are shopping, or in waiting rooms, or doing business with any of our OVER 125 LISTENING IONIA BUSINESSES.

What will it take for our local city and county officials to realize that MASS COMMUNICATIONS is best achieved via local radio?   We've seen what happens in storm-related emergencies....cell towers fail, power goes out, and cable/DSL is worthless.  What's here 24/7 for YOU, our community? WION Radio.  We INVESTED in this town a decade ago by moving our lives here, and improving WION beyond any owner's effort to date.  We STAFF around the clock in emergencies. We are NOT the "enemy" and we don't act like TV-8 and other media in G.R. who's only apparent goal is to make Ionia look like the butt of the world by covering only BAD news.  Did you notice that the TV media was here on Friday, but didn't do ANYTHING to talk about our new Wizard of Oz festival, even though they were already in-town? We, at WION, on the other hand are LOCAL people who want our town safe, informed, and "in touch" when emergencies demand it.

Oh, and yes, Friday was an "emergency." In case you're too busy to look it up, "Evacuation" is defined as follows: evacuation is the immediate and urgent movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a storm or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or approaching weather system.

Please take a moment to urge your City and County of Ionia officials to stop relying solely  on "social media" for emergencies. It's obvious our listeners who called us with tips about Friday's "gaseous situation"  care more about mass-notification via radio than our local officials, and this HAS TO END. You saw this happen during a prison break, and it happened again last Friday, June 22nd.

TEN YEARS of service to this city and this county deserves better treatment by officials. We're here to help. We raise money for charities. We raise money for Bertha Brock Park's improvement fund each year at Fallfest time.  We help Big Brothers/Big Sisters with donations from our advertisers.  We broadcast from the Ionia Freefair. We're the ones who STARTED the County-Wide Food Drive.  Once again this year we're actively raising money for Ionia's Relay for Life.   Every year for the past 4 we've picked a charity at Christmastime,  and given-away 100 percent of proceeds from our locally produced radio play of "A Christmas Carol."  We run public service announcements for non-profits around the clock.  Simply put, we give back more to community than any other local media.

The bottom line is this: In an age where broadcasters seldom take their service to the public seriously, WION has never varied from it's commitment to you, for entertainment, information, and in emergencies. WION cannot, however serve you, if the chain of information is broken before it gets to our studios.  As we often tell people with regard to their community events, "we can't  help you if you don't tell us about your event.  The same applies to emergencies and those who are charged with public safety and contacting the media. No automated system replaces ONE VERIFIED contact with us for immediacy, and nothing replaces the human voice received by hundreds if not thousands of people for the purpose of mass  communications in all venues:  work, home, school, office, and car.

We simply ask again that local officials include us in notification during emergencies. Radio has always been useful in emergencies, large or small.   WION has treated its commitment to community seriously since our team bought the station, now nearly 10 years ago, and will continue-to do the same as we grow further.

Letter to the Public from WION regarding the recent Ionia Prison Escape.

And...What WION listeners need to know about our involvement in emergency notifications of all sorts.

When it comes to being up to date, WION has all the currently mandated Emergency Alert System equipment. It is quite familiar to most listeners for its regular tests with Garry Osborn's voice reminding you about the Medical Reserve Corps' place in our community, and you've often heard it used (it's most frequent use) for summer weather alerts, like tornado or severe thunderstorm watches and warnings when it breaks into programming.

This system is multi-part, monitoring larger cities' stations to the West  for weather and other West Michigan emergencies.  When the monitored stations issue an alert or test of weather or OTHER types,  it triggers our EAS automatically, day or night, relaying the test or emergency information to you, our listeners.  It's up to date, and was new two years ago, costing us $2500 and mandated or "be fined" by the Federal Communications Commission.  It is also mandated to be tied into the public internet for triggering by either Local or State-Level officials.

The connection to the internet part of the system  was the reason for the updated hardware  being required by the FCC and the Federal government.  Our EAS system also monitors regional emergency servers in Lansing for State and Federal disaster information or tests.  The "idea" of the system is that in our area, if something threatening life or property happens, an alert can be triggered over WION by state, local, or regional officials whether there is anyone in the radio station's  control room or not.

During the recent prison escape NO alerts of a local or regional level were triggered by the City of Ionia, the County of Ionia, or any State of Michigan official, even though the local "emergency" was quite real, and the type of alert we could and should have received is called an  "L.E.W"  (Law Enforcement Warning) alert, and can be triggered on  EAS boxes in the affected area.   In the opinion of this radio station owner, these triggers should have been used for Ionia, Greenville, Hastings, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, all of these towns being in reasonable travel time for an escapee from MDOC in Ionia.  To me, this  makes sense. Using this alert system would also have served to notify owners of broadcast stations in these areas of the serious issue at hand.  (given that stations have some type of forwarding for listener  phone calls 24/7 like we do!) 

FACEBOOK is not a way to notify public in serious situations.  While noted as "not part of the procedure" in a recent Sentinel-Standard article,  it's obvious that those charged with Facebook communications at our city level don't understand how FB works.  The article claimed 55 THOUSAND people saw their post. A simple look at the page shows this is not correct, and if it were true, that number would be equal to most of the population in Ionia County.  This may be the total hits  to their FB page AFTER the story went national, but during the early minutes and hours of the emergency, a few dozen are logged as "seeing" the Ionia City Public Safety posts about the prison escape. For those that don't know, Facebook does NOT deliver all posted messages to all followers of any page.  Research it!  Facebook  delivers messages only to people who regularly interact with the sender in the hopes of more eyes on their page's ads. It's how this FREE service works, and remember, we all get what we pay for when Facebook is concerned.  Facebook controls the flow of information you provide.   When you combine that, with relying on 'social media" for information, you have a recipe for a local disaster.

WION has been here under our ownership for a decade this year. We were "on air" during the ice storms of 2005-2006. We had Sheriff Dennis in our studios during it.  We installed full time generator backup to better serve you.  We bought and built an FM license and station for Ionia County so you can receive us 24/7, and we maintain all our equipment in top-notch condition.   We developed our OWN streaming service which repeats 100 percent of our on-air programming (not only 'part' like big city stations do) to anyone in the world, local or far away 24/7.  This includes EAS alerts, tests, weather warnings, and ANY activity our EAS box is required to pass on to you, by automatically overriding programming.

Additionally, any phone calls to WION are forwarded to our owners 24/7. ANY communications by phone to us will notify an owner. This is NOT required by the “Feds” for our license, but rather a service we feel is necessary to best serve our listeners. 

The fact is, more than one public entity charged with your safety dropped the ball where notifying WION about the local prison emergency is concerned. Even given the hours  in which the event unfolded,  we would have gladly assisted, and calmly notified listeners of the situation, to be alert, and to lock doors and cars.

As an owner and on air personality,  I can tell you that in 25 years of being on the air, I've dealt with many emergencies;  severe weather, 9-11 as it happened, serious local floods, lost children called-in live to swap shop shows, and have experience in the research, writing, and delivering of news when needed in a calm and organized manner.   The lack of early notification by officials to WION directly contributed to our inability to serve you, and had NOTHING to do with OUR abilities, and has EVERYTHING to do with local officials at multiple levels dropping the ball where notification is concerned.  WION received NO calls (to be forwarded automatically) NO faxes, and no EAS activations.  This comes after an e-mail from one city official promised in a January to WION,   " I am going to work harder this up coming year to be more proactive on my outreach."

We're here for you.  Completely capable of calmly distributing information on AM, FM, and online to listeners, and to (our) Facebook, and even our own website since all of this is done in-house, not "contracted out."

If you want better coverage in emergencies on WION,  then please raise your voice toward better communication by public officials to WION and to ALL MEDIA,  before the next local emergency becomes a local DISASTER.

WION, meanwhile has raised questions with radio station engineering leaders in West and Central Michigan as to why this new federally mandated EAS system was ignored in our own county, and our area, if not the whole state. At some point, the whole state could have been alerted, given the direction of the fleeing escapee was not known.   The experts at other stations to whom we've spoken find this to be a valid point,  and we're all involved in researching what CAN be done to fix what we see as a huge hole in the “Emergency Alert System.” (and it's lack of use by Ionia officials during the recent prison escape.)

WION is your station, Ionia County. We've proven it in our backing of the POSITIVE things in our county. In raising money for great causes. In donated airtime, and in improvements to this station that NO ownership has done more-of in the 60 years of WION's existence.

We trust that this clears up any questions, and will  show our commitment to you, our listeners and community, hopefully with improved communications from those in power during emergencies.

It is not our intent to point blame at individuals, but to ask that officials better communicate to better protect our listeners. By doing so, we learn from this event how to be better prepared for future situations.

Jim Carlyle

Owner, Chief Operator and Morning Host,

WION-AM and FM 92-7

www.i1430.com

office@i1430.com

I became a number today. Yes, a NUMBER.

I've got an expiration date, and it's one year from the end of THIS YEAR, 12/31/14.
Nope, I'm not planning on dying, but, I'll be TOLD I'm now one of the millions who can no longer handle my own affairs, where health care is concerned.

Until today I've avoided everything with this mess called the "Affordable Care Act." (Obamacare.)  You see, I've always viewed healthcare as a "perk" of working, and a of having a marketable talent. It's always been a good thing for an employer to offer! (or, in my case for the past few years, for me to be able to AFFORD to buy, thanks to hard work!)

Today I got royally VEXED, CHEESED, HOSED, AND PI**ED etc as I have been drawn into this huge mess that is all over the news on  WION and every radio and TV station nationwide.

When I left my former employer and came here to  save WION radio from extinction, I didn't have coverage. I had carried it with previous employers, but, during our startup of WION by need, I lived on the principle of, "Pray you don't need it and Pay for coverage and services if you do!"  Along with that came the responsibility that MY BILLS ARE MINE, nobody else's. In other words, If I'm in the hospital, so be it! I know it's my bill!  I'll pay it, I'll find a way, it's my RESPONSIBILITY.  Having an income to pay bills, including those incurred through healthcare is a by-product of working hard at one's job, and earning either the cash to pay those bills, or the coverage which does the same.

A little history of Jim Carlyle.  I have NEVER been on unemployment since being out of high school. I have NEVER been without a fulltime job for longer than a few weeks, when I CHOSE to change my geographic location.  I have never been on any kind of "aid" from the state or the Federal Governments, except one time when my CPA said I was "automatically eligible" for home heating credit, and filed it on my behalf, presenting all the forms to sign on April 15th.  I pay for my own car, my cellphone, my life insurance, my entertainment,  and my conservative existence on this earth. (By conservative, I don't mean politically, I mean in terms of the methods by which I live....my lifestyle in general.)  

When WION was put back on the air, we did it on a wing and a prayer. We saved the local bank's behind, (literally) by walking in and asking them to finance the station for us.  They were holding the station on behalf of  the estate of the deceased former owner. The license was nearly expired. Had we not arrived, WION would now be silent, having Ionia with NO radio station, and the land likely sold to developers; the towers brought down.

We overcame technical issues, building and grounds issues, image issues, and many others, but we did it on a shoestring, and have built it to enjoy the STRONG following it has today in West Central Michigan,  and even worldwide.  (The worldwide appeal is due to the unique sound of our AM stereo transmission and web-stream.)  We did it all!  And, we do it better than the big boys do, because we CAN. There's no corporate controller saying "no"....and we don't have to check someone in another state to get approval of changing the toilet paper roll in the restroom.  

There was one thing missing, however when WION started up in 2004, with me as it's Morning Host, Manager, and jack of all trades.  MY health insurance. It was a cost we just could not take-on at the time,  but the risk was mine, and it gave me a goal of building the station (the business) to the point of being able to afford coverage!  It was MY choice that the bills of the business (WION) came first;  MY risk of being in an accident or having health issues in my late 30's, MY risk of the business closing if my medical bills were bigger than budgets.  

In year number four, we were offered the chance to buy a sister station in Greenville, Michigan and we did. (WGLM.) It was already operating, and had a small staff. At that time,  WION had stabilized enough for me to afford my own health insurance, so I bought into their group coverage which we opted to continue when we bought the station.  Later,  I decided to buy my OWN coverage, and I've had it for quite some time, bought LOCALLY.  (we preach about buying locally  so much)...I've been happy knowing I have a local person to call regarding my coverage, and that I am the one who selected what was important to me.  I was proud of my business having achieved the level of financial stability that a commitment for health insurance was possible. 

Well, today, the letter came. My local representative has been informed that my plan will be "mapped to one of the new compliant plans which will include all of the "health essential benefits required by the Affordable Care Act."  I am NOT pleased. I've already chosen  MY plan: bought locally, and, I'll come right out and say it;   If the new ACA rate is higher for me in this new, "everyone is ENTITLED TO CARE" situation, I'll pay the penalties and say to hell with insurance as long as possible!  My company's responsibilities comes first, and it can't afford additional costs incurred by a government with no clue what small business is like!   Business is tough enough these days without a sudden increase in my healthcare costs being mandated, and the control of my choice taken away.

In the last calendar year, WION radio has seen increases in utilities, music licensing costs, music streaming rights, and...to top it off, a Michigan representative to our federal government wants to eliminate advertising as a "deductible expense!"  WION and many other businesses LIVE on advertising!  Advertising is needed for EVERY  business!  We're fighting on enough fronts already!  Health care, until today was not on the list.  I've worked hard, and have built-up  this businesses on which people now rely for their livelihood.  I've paid into unemployment, social security, and other required "employment taxes" all my adult life, never needing them or calling on them. Now this. 

You're reading one UNHAPPY business owner's blog......who has now decided to become an activist against this messed up plan! I don't believe in entitlements, or "give me's." It's gone way too far!  In fact, its a darn good thing I didn't get this letter last Friday, when in downtown Ionia, a canopy was set-up at a local check-cashing business and on it proclaimed the phrase, "On Aid? Get your FREE cellphone here!" 

Seeing that canopy upset me even more! Having a cellphone is not meant to be an entitlement. Neither is access to the internet by dialup,  broadband, or even having landline phones! 

A person can live without  free phones, facebook, free cable*, and even healthcare when necessary.  To me, the health care has always been a "benefit" of employment. Until today.

Certain things should be earned! They should also be your CHOICE.   And, if you've already bought a product by choice, (in this case, health insurance) WHY... why... WHY....should you be told you need to consult with the federal government on your decision? Sometimes I believe this age of "entitlement" was augmented when digital TV was mandated. Suddenly Americans were faced with not seeing TV unless they bought a little black box!  Oh, wait a minute, that got bought for Americans,  too: 

"Sure, we're the government! We'll make sure you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of television by buying you (all) a converter box for your TV, whether you're a millionaire, or on welfare! Here's your coupon for a free box!  It's our JOB as the government to make sure you're happy!"

Think about it!  They really did that!  The digital TV conversion verified that in our country, every citizen is  ENTITLED to watch television! I'm sick and tired of everyone thinking they're ENTITLED to the same things that I work so many hours-for!  (by the way, I never got a "free" converter box.)

Maybe I'm just asking too much of society.  WORK for your rewards. WORK for your perks and your livelihood.  Have a goal of being successful through hard work!  Good things will come. When this happens, we have a self-respecting nation of people proud to be working. 

That's how I thought it was supposed to be. That's what I learned, watching my very responsible parents raise our 4-person family on a factory worker's income, and I was never short of food, shelter, entertainment, or family fun.

Believing in those days ended  abruptly for me today when I got this letter. I'm now a number. A number in a pool of people  told (by their government)  they're not smart enough or stable enough to buy their own healthcare anymore, whose self-respect is being taken away, one government policy at a time.

Disclaimer:  This blog was written by the owner of radio stations WION, WGLM and WGLM-FM. It does NOT mean that the stations' staffs and other management or ownership reflect or endorse this view!  It DOES mean that as a media owner, I'll do all I can to tell listeners and my (few) readers what I believe is wrongdoing by those in power who seek to curtail the ability of hard-working individuals to have choice in important decisions.

Decisions.... which should be....100 percent...their OWN, and not the government's!


*(I've been told by a friend who is a Michigan landlord that in some  low-income homes without an antenna in Michigan,  people's basic cable is paid by the state! THE STATE! I'm sorry, "BUY SOME RABBIT EARS!!!!!!")

Nothing starts a week with more anger than...

the words on your "rollover" line,  "Hi, this is Heather from Account Services!  There's nothing wrong with your credit card account, but you must act now to lower your interest rates!" 

First of all, it's our rollover line which is unpublished. Secondly, I've TIME AND TIME AGAIN pressed the correct button to get us off the list of this VERY FAMILIAR voice and telemarketing scheme.  I've even politely tried to talk to a "real" person (most of them are not) to ask for WION to be removed....and what happens? They start being smart-asses and acting like it's a joke that they interrupted MY business day!  

If this had happened on a WED or THURS where we did the extended morning show, I'd have happily made fun of them live on the air.  Why?  Because the FCC says we can't air calls without permission, but THEY CAN BOTHER US through our on-air lines during business hours when we may just be doing live calls!  Plus, we run our "live phones" informational disclaimer regularly on the air about our morning show!  TOO DARN BAD if they can't hear it, being out of our market and a telemarketer!  Take that, FCC rules! If they can bother us, we can bother them, too!

Folks, last week or so the FCC sponsored "no fraud" week to help educate people in how NOT to be taken by telemarketers, bogus e-mails and websites. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE....hang up on these people.  Complain about them. Oh, and....by the way, the caller ID was spoofed, too. It read, "THOMSONREUTERS"....and in my world, "Thomson" is a consumer electronics company, and "REUTERS" is a news service with which we as a station are not affiliated.

If you read my other blog about the music industry, you'll find that even legitimate companies are "removing caller ID" when they call. The music industry is in such bad shape that when they call to see "if you received your invoice for music licensing this month" they don't even use THEIR OWN NAME in calls!  BMI, ASCAP and SESAC are all too embarrassed to do this when calling for a one-month bill that they must need to keep their beautiful offices kept with great lawns, plants, break rooms, and cushy jobs.
  
It's time that our list of priorities changes as a nation. Why NOT TELL YOUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES you've had enough telemarketing?  Why is it LEGAL to bother businesses but not homes?  WHY are we not prosecuting companies that spoof or block caller ID when calling to solicit you?  Wouldn't we all be happier if this little  annoyance went away in our lives? I know I would be...and I'd be writing "happy" blogs, not ones like this!  

Well, back to my Monday......hopefully a normal one in radio-land....and one without telemarketers.  

Oh, and before you tell me that "everyone needs a job and to these people it's an income...."...(I've heard that before)...I DON'T CARE! Don't bother me. If I want your services, I have the whole darn internet at my disposal to find you....

And, if you call me enough......and annoy me enough...I WILL FIND YOU...and you won't be happy with what happens when you're reported to every authority possible.

THERE. I feel better. Now back to the kinder, gentler, Jim Carlyle who has a radio station to run, and much more productive things to do

I do have ONE thing to thank the telemarketer for....I was looking for BLOG material! 

-Carlyle

Conntected...and not by phones, internet, or skype. REAL connections!

...but it all STARTED there!

As many of you know, I'm a satellite geek. I enjoy the technology, the challenge, and the "finds" that exist for us to catch in our dishes. I also enjoy much more....the communications with friends of similar geekdom who have helped me grow in the satellite hobby.

This weekend, Satellite hobbyists, radio station employees, friends of radio people, and listeners all met in my town of Ionia, Michigan for a night of discussion, laughter, and fun as the cap to a weekend of showing off our historical features in town, with the help of the McCord family and other volunteers. New friendships were made, and old ones renewed as we all gathered at the Lamplight Grill.

The group which was the genesis of this wonderful gathering is called "satellite guys." It's a worldwide group of people who enjoy technology in home, phones, home theatre, satellite, internet, and more. The owner and operator of the site has known about WION for a few years through my membership and has inspired us to stream publicly, and has put Ionia on the map through a listener to listener forum they host for us as a service!

The weekend included a visit to the Ionia relay for life as well, and that was quite moving. The team WION helps, known as "volunteers for a cure" was given $811 by donations of WION listeners and satellite guys members....making it another tie between this online group and the people of our town.

I'd like you to read what Scott wrote about WION, and the people of Ionia after he and his wife Eva spent the weekend visiting us....Not an "event" weekend, either. Just your average Ionia county weekend. Enjoy Scott's post from Satelliteguys.us:

***************
Well folks...

As you know I travel a lot for SatelliteGuys, and I got to admit, this  is the first trip I can remember going home feeling happy and satisfied  about where we just left.  On this visit I feel we touched a number of  peoples lives, and they touched ours as well.

Last night its difficult to explain the night other than magical.  As I  sit here in the Bishop International Airport in Flint I am still riding  the high of the entire week.

First off I want to thank SatelliteGuys member "Radio" otherwise know as  Jim Carlyle of WION Radio for having us and bring our host for the 4  days we are here.  He made us feel like royalty while we were here...  but to make things more special the entire town of Ionia, Michigan  made  of feel welcome.  It was amazing and we saw some amazing things and  were giving access to some sites and things that nobody else ever gets  to see... and they were excited to have us.  It was so fun going down  Main Street and going into the local shops and doing some shopping, we  got great deals but in a few cases made some good friends who we will be  doing business with again going forward. Jim enjoyed taking our members  on tours of his radio station, and he also loved coming on the tours of  the town with us, he actually saw sites and places that he was never  able to see before.  I think that our visit was as much of a vacation  for him as it was for us.

We had the McCords give us tours of Ionias Historical landmarks and  they enjoyed giving them to us as much as we enjoyed going on them.  Its  hard to explain how happy it made me to see the joy in their faces as  they almost never get to show visitors these hidden treasures that Ionia  holds.

Everyone also took my wife under their wing and showed her a great time,  and on the day of her birthday showed up with cards and gifts.  I don't  know how my wife felt but I was amazed and humbled by the kindness  shown by these people we just met.

Then there was Rich Thompson the owner of the Lamplight Grill, which for  this trip was our home away from home.  Not only was his food at his  restaurant great, but Rich went out of his way to make us feel welcome,  including getting my wife a delicious chocolate birthday cake to help  celebrate her birthday.  Everyone who attended out get together last  night  all mentioned what a perfect spot it was to hold our event.  If  you are ever going to or driving through Ionia please do yourself a  favor and visit the Lamplight Grill.  

We got a amazing all access tour of the Historic Ionia Theater by Amy,  and she was so happy to show things off and was able to answer all of my  geeky questions that I threw her way.  She loves the theater and loves the  town and it shows.  For a theater of its age I have never seen one as  modern and clean inside.  It was interesting to see how the received the  digital movies and how they transferred those movies to their  projectors.

Another place you should visit when coming to the area is Danny Boy's  Drive In Theater.   Unannounced we surprised Bart the owner of Danny Boy's,  by just showing up to his drive in, in the middle of the day and he was  just ecstatic to have us there and gave us a deluxe tour of everything  that Danny Boy's offers.  Now;  Danny Boy's is not just a drive in  theater is it so much moreDanny Boy's does things before movie time  that will make memories for kids and adult alike that they will remember  for years.  Please if you are in the area go check it out, you will not  be disappointed. Make sure to check out the bathrooms!

Thank you to everyone who traveled to our event, we had people from as  far away as Kentucky and Chicago drive to our event, and I honestly  believe all of them went home last night as happy as we were.  Everyone  who came last night went away with a armful of goodies.  I was also  happy when we were doing our drawings for prizes  that Scott Beeman was the winner of  the FTA System donated to us by SatelliteAV.  Scott is the engineer for  WION radio and the entire time we were there he was talking about how  much he wanted to get into FTA but didn't have the resources to do so...  well now that's not a problem for him.  He was so happy when his ticket  was picked out of the basket!

The 4 days went quick, but we are now going home happy, we not only made  a lot of people happy by having us in their town and shopping in their  town, but we made some new friends. 

We didn't talk about them much here, but I want to say a quick "hi" and  thank you to some other people that I didn't have time to write about  here.  I could tell you great stories about each one of them, and  appreciate their kindness and the friendship they have shown.  These people  include, Vicky and her husband, Dan and his wife Bonnie, Bill from WION and  his wife, Phil, Devin,  Leftlane, Jason, Claude, Dave, the other Dave and his wife.  (A reminder  to all those we met... watch out for Channel 2... its a doozy!) (You  had to be there!) :D

Again thank you to everyone who made us feel welcome and to everyone who  joined us for the magical night last night, I truly hope you enjoyed it  as much as we did.

I will be posting pictures later today or tomorrow after we get home as the camera is in our checked baggage.

And now with that.. I think REO Speedwagon sang it best... "It's time for me to Fly!"  Thank you Ionia, Michigan!

Ladies and gentlemen of Ionia County, my friends and WION listeners, every one of us is an ambassador to our town.  I had the pleasure this last weekend. I hope you do someday, as well, and rise to the occasion.  It's wonderful having new friends who now know what Ionia looks like, and how it can welcome them!

-Carlyle

PS...it costs nothing to JOIN satelliteguys.us and post your questions, comments, ideas, and needs in cable TV, interenet, satellite TV, smartphones, streaming video, and more.  Please join us, and use the WION forum that satelliteguys.us has provided! There's a link on our main page at the top of www.i1430.com!

I don't "Like" the word "Like" anymore.

Facebook and other sites on the internet that solicit public input have made me realize that I should strike the word "like' from my vocabulary.

No, not because it's a 1980's cliche used to describe the "valley girl" or because it's "like the word I tend to use like when I need to....... like.....tell somebody that someone like...said something. 

No, it's not that at all.

It's because it has taken on a use all its own that doesn't fit it's true meaning.

From the dictionary:
Like:  (verb) To take pleasure-in or regard with favor.

Now that everyone is on Facebook and other social media, the "like" button is overused and often wrong. For instance, as I  began to write this in April of 2013, my town was  in the midst of a flooding emergency. There was  a page posting images and information about the flood,  and I wish there was an alternative way to indicate (online) "I have read this information and agree with it!"  Why? because the pictures and postings were getting "likes."  NOBODY LIKES A FLOOD!

Last week, for the second time in as many weeks, there was an interruption in the power grid in Ionia. Since  I reluctantly operate a Facebook page for WION radio,  I thought I'd put it to good use, and ask, "did the power outage affect anyone downtown?" Of course, I expected answers in English. What did I get on the posting?  LIKES!  Again, I ask...how do you answer a question with a "like?"  It's impossible! NOBODY answered the question, but it got LIKES!

I've seen postings of family tragedies and serious things that nobody should "like"...but, of course, instead of typing a reply, people hit, "LIKE!"  

I don't like LIKE.  I used to like LIKE when it meant something!  Back when it meant appreciation, affection, and not "yep, I saw this." 

My Advanced English class in high school had a very particular teacher. She liked good verbs. Good Adverbs. Good sentences, none of which I've used in this rant; however I do know, she'd be appalled at the use of "like" today.  She loved creative sentences such as (like) "The house boasted big awnings over the windows which overlooked the lake." The word boasted impressed her. I remember it as if it was yesterday.  

If I had written my papers back then in the manner that our Facebook public has butchered the English language today, I'd have received an "F" immediately and never passed high school.  

I don't like LIKE anymore.  If it has not been thrown out of the English language by the Unicorn Hunters at Lake Superior State University, I hope it will, and I'm going to nominate it right after I finish this blog. 

I don't like.....LIKE.  It's like the worst thing to happen to like the English language since like...the early days of the internet.  And, it's...like  getting worse all the time.

Please don't "like' this blog post.

-Carlyle