I have the pleasure of playing Ebeneezer Scrooge this weekend in an old fashioned radio play on Cat Country 98.1 WCTK. You can listen online if you choose at www.WCTK.com "A Christmas Carol on WCTK" airs December 24 at Noon and at 8PM, and on Christmas Day at 8AM.
I haven't heard it myself, so let's hope it's worth the listening.
Otherwise, "Bah, Humbug!"
Friday, December 22, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Frank O'Donnell...comedian, writer, bon-vivant
I just realized that I forgot to put a link here to the writer who almost made me look human in a recent edition of "The Valley Breeze". Check out what the great Frank O'Donnell is up to, I mean doing, these days.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
His Age is Beginning to Show
Mike Sheridan reports on roads well travelled
By FRANK O'DONNELL, Valley Breeze Entertainment Writer
When traffic reporter Mike Sheridan, arguably the most recognizable voice in Rhode Island radio today, started at Traffic Net in September, 1982, he really didn't think he was qualified for the job.
"I really haven't changed my mind all that much," he confessed recently.
I was sitting next to Sheridan on a recent Friday morning while he reported on a light traffic day. "For me, it's been the best of jobs," he said between reports. "Traffic is news – the fastest changing story of the day."
Producer Geoff Cook shouts out that there's a white van broken down on Route 6 outbound from Providence. Automatically, Sheridan and the other reporters – Jay Rogers, Rebecca Morse-Whitten, and Dave Belanger – acknowledge it. "Copy that!" they say, almost in unison.
Sheridan just nods his head when I wonder if he'll write that down. "Occasionally, I'll write something down. The only reason I don't is pure laziness."
Sheridan knows his stuff, but his age is starting to show. He has to move his commercial log to arm's length to read it. I ask why he doesn't get glasses. "Actually, I've got two pairs. I just don't always use them. I can still read – just not well."
For my money, no one's better at spontaneous humor on morning radio than Mike Sheridan. On this morning, only Dave Richards at WOON-1240 in Woonsocket is taking advantage of that.
He asks Sheridan why the traffic is going so well today. The obvious answer is that it's the Friday before the long 4th of July weekend, so people have already started their vacations.
Sheridan has a better answer. "It's because everyone in Rhode Island knows how to drive so well, and the roads are so well designed. That's why traffic flows so smoothly." I handed him a tissue to catch the sarcasm dripping off his chin.
Sheridan has moved around a lot with Traffic Net. When he started, the studio was at the top of the Biltmore, behind L'Apogee restaurant. He spent more than eight years in Airborne One, the Traffic Net plane. "I would like to go up there again to see what the city looks like now," said Sheridan, "but the thought of doing it again, reporting from the plane, six hours a day, five days a week, scares me!"
From the plane, Sheridan and Traffic Net moved into the basement of The Regency – literally next to the broom closet. Now, their plush but not overly ostentatious headquarters are ensconced in an office building just outside downtown Providence.
Sheridan is on the air with Tad and Chris at Cat Country. He refers to the Providence River Bridge as "the PRB." I wonder if he made that up himself.
He shrugs, unsure. "I did coin the term '6-10 Connector,'" he said. "I came up with that, without a doubt."
And he helped popularize the phrase "Big Blue Bug."
"I always liked the explosiveness of Bing Crosby's Bs. I was trying to mimic that when I came up with the Big Blue Bug. Before that, people didn't really know what to call it. It used to be just the blue termite."
Sheridan always planned to have his ashes spread at the Route 95 North/South split, but now the current construction will take away his proposed burial site.
The toughest part of his job is working a split shift. He's on the air between 5 and 9 a.m., and again between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.
In the down time, Sheridan sometimes sneaks off to see a movie. "I like going to a movie in the middle of the day," he says. "Even though I've got the time off, it still feels like I'm bunking."
Just the day before, he'd seen "Superman Returns." He was so impressed, he downloaded Superman's S onto his cell phone screen. He refers to his cell phone as his "communicator" when it rings at one point. He's even downloaded a ring tone that sounds just like a communicator flipping open on the original "Star Trek" TV series.
Sheridan is an unabashed science fiction fan. He's got the NASA logo hanging in his cubicle, right next to a calendar showing a different astronomical phenomenon every month. "Science fiction represents what could be, what might be," he said. "It shows the human race's potential for both good and evil, using technology to improve our lot in the best case scenario. Science fiction often becomes science fact. Many of today's engineers and scientists were inspired by such shows as 'Star Trek.' Mostly though, I just love a good space battle."
Geoff Cook shouts out another accident – this one in front of the Hess station on Smithfield Avenue in Pawtucket, which sparks a momentary debate.
"You mean the one in front of Chelo's? That's Silver Spring Street."
"That's Providence, isn't it?"
"Copy that!"
For Sheridan, the job does have its perks. "It's very nice when someone comes up and says, 'Thanks for telling me to take 295 instead of 95, you save me a lot of time!' That makes me feel good."
I wonder how often that happens. "The last time," said Sheridan, "was in 1996."
It is scary, though, "how many people recognize my voice." Sheridan tells a quick story about being in a restaurant with some friends. "How much do you actually say to a waiter. 'I'll have a Coke and a turkey sandwich, please.' And the waiter says, 'Wow! You do the traffic!' And I say, 'Yes I do. Now bring me my Coke and turkey sandwich. Please.'"
Copyright ©2006, Breeze Publications Inc.
By FRANK O'DONNELL, Valley Breeze Entertainment Writer
When traffic reporter Mike Sheridan, arguably the most recognizable voice in Rhode Island radio today, started at Traffic Net in September, 1982, he really didn't think he was qualified for the job.
"I really haven't changed my mind all that much," he confessed recently.
I was sitting next to Sheridan on a recent Friday morning while he reported on a light traffic day. "For me, it's been the best of jobs," he said between reports. "Traffic is news – the fastest changing story of the day."
Producer Geoff Cook shouts out that there's a white van broken down on Route 6 outbound from Providence. Automatically, Sheridan and the other reporters – Jay Rogers, Rebecca Morse-Whitten, and Dave Belanger – acknowledge it. "Copy that!" they say, almost in unison.
Sheridan just nods his head when I wonder if he'll write that down. "Occasionally, I'll write something down. The only reason I don't is pure laziness."
Sheridan knows his stuff, but his age is starting to show. He has to move his commercial log to arm's length to read it. I ask why he doesn't get glasses. "Actually, I've got two pairs. I just don't always use them. I can still read – just not well."
For my money, no one's better at spontaneous humor on morning radio than Mike Sheridan. On this morning, only Dave Richards at WOON-1240 in Woonsocket is taking advantage of that.
He asks Sheridan why the traffic is going so well today. The obvious answer is that it's the Friday before the long 4th of July weekend, so people have already started their vacations.
Sheridan has a better answer. "It's because everyone in Rhode Island knows how to drive so well, and the roads are so well designed. That's why traffic flows so smoothly." I handed him a tissue to catch the sarcasm dripping off his chin.
Sheridan has moved around a lot with Traffic Net. When he started, the studio was at the top of the Biltmore, behind L'Apogee restaurant. He spent more than eight years in Airborne One, the Traffic Net plane. "I would like to go up there again to see what the city looks like now," said Sheridan, "but the thought of doing it again, reporting from the plane, six hours a day, five days a week, scares me!"
From the plane, Sheridan and Traffic Net moved into the basement of The Regency – literally next to the broom closet. Now, their plush but not overly ostentatious headquarters are ensconced in an office building just outside downtown Providence.
Sheridan is on the air with Tad and Chris at Cat Country. He refers to the Providence River Bridge as "the PRB." I wonder if he made that up himself.
He shrugs, unsure. "I did coin the term '6-10 Connector,'" he said. "I came up with that, without a doubt."
And he helped popularize the phrase "Big Blue Bug."
"I always liked the explosiveness of Bing Crosby's Bs. I was trying to mimic that when I came up with the Big Blue Bug. Before that, people didn't really know what to call it. It used to be just the blue termite."
Sheridan always planned to have his ashes spread at the Route 95 North/South split, but now the current construction will take away his proposed burial site.
The toughest part of his job is working a split shift. He's on the air between 5 and 9 a.m., and again between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.
In the down time, Sheridan sometimes sneaks off to see a movie. "I like going to a movie in the middle of the day," he says. "Even though I've got the time off, it still feels like I'm bunking."
Just the day before, he'd seen "Superman Returns." He was so impressed, he downloaded Superman's S onto his cell phone screen. He refers to his cell phone as his "communicator" when it rings at one point. He's even downloaded a ring tone that sounds just like a communicator flipping open on the original "Star Trek" TV series.
Sheridan is an unabashed science fiction fan. He's got the NASA logo hanging in his cubicle, right next to a calendar showing a different astronomical phenomenon every month. "Science fiction represents what could be, what might be," he said. "It shows the human race's potential for both good and evil, using technology to improve our lot in the best case scenario. Science fiction often becomes science fact. Many of today's engineers and scientists were inspired by such shows as 'Star Trek.' Mostly though, I just love a good space battle."
Geoff Cook shouts out another accident – this one in front of the Hess station on Smithfield Avenue in Pawtucket, which sparks a momentary debate.
"You mean the one in front of Chelo's? That's Silver Spring Street."
"That's Providence, isn't it?"
"Copy that!"
For Sheridan, the job does have its perks. "It's very nice when someone comes up and says, 'Thanks for telling me to take 295 instead of 95, you save me a lot of time!' That makes me feel good."
I wonder how often that happens. "The last time," said Sheridan, "was in 1996."
It is scary, though, "how many people recognize my voice." Sheridan tells a quick story about being in a restaurant with some friends. "How much do you actually say to a waiter. 'I'll have a Coke and a turkey sandwich, please.' And the waiter says, 'Wow! You do the traffic!' And I say, 'Yes I do. Now bring me my Coke and turkey sandwich. Please.'"
Copyright ©2006, Breeze Publications Inc.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
New RI Driving Regulations....Thanks to TIna and Deanna
Fifteen New Regulations in the Rhode Island Registry of Motor Vehicle's Handbook
1. Turn signals will give away your next move. A confident Rhode Island driver avoids using them.
2. Under no circumstance should you maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you, because the space will be filled in by somebody else, putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
3. The faster you drive through a red light, the less of a chance you have of getting hit.
4. Warning! Never come to a complete stop at a stop sign. No one expects it and it will result in your being rear-ended.
5. Never get in the way of an older car that needs extensive bodywork, operator has nothing to lose.
6. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a vigorous, foot massage as the brake pedal violently pulsates. For those of you without ABS, it's a chance to strengthen your leg muscles.
7. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It's a good way to prepare other drivers entering the highway.
8. Speed limits are arbitrary figures; given only as a suggestion and are not enforceable in Rhode Island during rush hour.
9. Just because you're in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn't mean that a Rhode Island driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn't think he can go faster in your spot.
10. Always brake and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire. This is seen as a sign of respect for the victim.
11. Learn to swerve abruptly without signaling. Rhode Island is the home of high-speed slalom-driving along the Route 146 Speedway; thanks to the Department of Public Works, which puts pot-holes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them alert.
12. It is traditional in Rhode Island to honk your horn at cars in front of you that do not move three milliseconds after the light turns green.
13. To avoid injury in the event of a collision or rollover, it is important to exit your vehicle thru the windshield right away. Wearing your seat belt will only impede your hi-velocity escape from danger.
14. Remember that the goal of every Rhode Island driver is to get ahead of the pack by whatever means necessary.
15. In Rhode Island, 'flipping the bird' is considered a polite salute. This gesture should always be returned.
1. Turn signals will give away your next move. A confident Rhode Island driver avoids using them.
2. Under no circumstance should you maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you, because the space will be filled in by somebody else, putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
3. The faster you drive through a red light, the less of a chance you have of getting hit.
4. Warning! Never come to a complete stop at a stop sign. No one expects it and it will result in your being rear-ended.
5. Never get in the way of an older car that needs extensive bodywork, operator has nothing to lose.
6. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a vigorous, foot massage as the brake pedal violently pulsates. For those of you without ABS, it's a chance to strengthen your leg muscles.
7. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It's a good way to prepare other drivers entering the highway.
8. Speed limits are arbitrary figures; given only as a suggestion and are not enforceable in Rhode Island during rush hour.
9. Just because you're in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn't mean that a Rhode Island driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn't think he can go faster in your spot.
10. Always brake and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire. This is seen as a sign of respect for the victim.
11. Learn to swerve abruptly without signaling. Rhode Island is the home of high-speed slalom-driving along the Route 146 Speedway; thanks to the Department of Public Works, which puts pot-holes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them alert.
12. It is traditional in Rhode Island to honk your horn at cars in front of you that do not move three milliseconds after the light turns green.
13. To avoid injury in the event of a collision or rollover, it is important to exit your vehicle thru the windshield right away. Wearing your seat belt will only impede your hi-velocity escape from danger.
14. Remember that the goal of every Rhode Island driver is to get ahead of the pack by whatever means necessary.
15. In Rhode Island, 'flipping the bird' is considered a polite salute. This gesture should always be returned.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
The World's Greatest Band does it Again!
Another Great Show from Gaelic Storm last night at the Greenwich Odeum. They did old favorites like "Johnny Tarr" and "The Beggarman" along with material from their soon to be released CD like "Me and the Moon". The crowd went wild!
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Rhode Island Set To Become First Wireless State
The smallest state in the Union is itching to go unwired in a big way. "The network will be built on a WiMAX transport core with WiFi technology at the consumer interface edge." The first antenna goes up this week. Quite an impressive achievement, in spite of the fact that it probably won't be free.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Demolition Day
At 11:00 this morning, explosives were detonated and the center span of the Jamestown Bridge fell into Narragansett Bay...and that's what was supposed to happen!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Daily Giz Wiz
I've taked about the influence Leo Laporte has had on me. Now he has a podcast with the "Giz Wiz". Check it out.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Friday, March 31, 2006
The Beginning of the End
On April 11, work begins to demolish the old Jamestown Bridge. Let's hope they pick the correct bridge to destroy.
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