RETOOL OSCAR

It's time for the Motion Picture Academy to change the format of the Oscar ceremony. After Sundays interminable show they need to jettison some of the technical awards and show us the stars. Leading up to the telecast the cable companies generate interest and excitement by interviewing the celebrities. They "get it". While art direction, costumes and makeup are important, unknown winners thanking unknown people is not the best way to entertain an audience of millions. Let's stick to the major awards, add some special performances, and get to the big awards sooner. You can leave the "Best Picture" until the end. If you really want to be daring, shorten the awards portion of the show and add live post-show interviews with the winners. That would be a lot better than a 45 second speech to thank their mom dad and agent.

LET'S CATCH UP

A lot of developments this week, lets get caught up. How about the scare in Boston caused by those funny looking flashing ads for a cartoon show. You have to wonder why Boston went into panic mode when the ads didn't cause a stir in other cities. The two guys responsible acted like idoits after their arrest refusing to answer questions unless it related to 70's hair styles.

Sad to hear that Barbaro had to be put down, have to admire the animals courage and attempts to help him recover. It's another story of a champion cut down before we could find out just how great he could be.

Felt a little like John Kerry discussing the Iraq war this week. Unlike Kerry who voted for the war before he voted against it, I said I was opposed to the U.S. invading a sovereign country based on a perceived threat, but we must stay now, until we can stabilize the country.

In response to the request for a comment on the New Jersey property tax reduction plan, yes it is a political gimmick. It's being financed by funds from the sales tax increase and money that would ordinarily be returned to the taxpayers as homestead rebates. In reality its not a reduction in the overall tax burden, just a shifting.

Thanks to Dr Evan Kaplan at the New York State College of Optometry, he fitted me for contact lenses this week and I have shed those old foggie glasses. Thanks for your patience, I was a real klutz.

I am now a blogger! Look out world!

I am about to enter the blogesphere. During the past couple of months I have read the blogs of others and have concluded that perhaps I can contribute to this new media, more honestly, if they can do it why not me.

I will use this space to give you some insight into the workings of the WOR morning show with me and Donna Hanover, but more importantly I would like this to be a forum for my thoughts on the news of the day.

The Presidents planned troop surge in Iraq, the 2008 Presidential race and not to mention the myriad of local issues will be my subjects in the coming days. For those who have listened to my program you know I feel strongly about the level of taxation in America, and especially the onerous level of property taxes in New Jersey. Stand-by for comment.

As I begin this new venture I must thank Shawn Novatt, the producer of the WOR morning show who coincidentally will be leaving WOR as of tomorrow, but he has promised to help get this off the ground and guide it. I wish him good luck but will hold him to his promise to help me navigate the new terrain.