Rush Limbaugh has a meltdown moment

In general, I like talk radio. I don't really care if the host is conservative or liberal. I just want them to have an opinion and to express it in a somewhat articulate and entertaining fashion. However, today, Rush Limbaugh seemingly lost whatever grip he had on reality by going nuts about President Obama's urging of citizens to perform some public service to honor the memory of those killed on Sept. 11, 2001. This is kind of like opposing oxygen.

It seems no matter what one side says or does, the opposition will portray it as evil, which is why my favorite talk show host is Michael Savage. The San Francisco-based broadcaster, who is originally from New York, tells it like it is -- a seemingly common trait among many people who were raised in NYC. His mistrust of all politicians is a refreshing approach. Savage's unbiased dislike of almost everything other than animals, good food and music, warms my heart. Here's a link to Savage's web site: http://www.michaelsavage.wnd.com/

Are Americans letting their guard down again?

I was at home, in small temporary apartment in Reston, Va., getting ready to start another work day. The TV was on. At first, the reports of a single plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York were sketchy. It seemed like it was a small plane involved in accident. Bad but not horrible. I kept an eye on the news reports because that was part of my job. As a journalist, I had to be aware of what was going on in the world because it would impact how my day and night would unfold at USA TODAY. It wasn't long before I was on the phone with folks in the newsroom.

Of course, Sept. 11, 2001 involved something much worse than a small plane colliding into a skyscraper. The Twin Towers were struck by two commercial airliners that were taken over by terrorists. The building that I worked in just outside of Washington D.C. was only a couple miles away from the next terrorist target, the Pentagon. The former USA TODAY building is the tallest structure in the area and some people who were at work early that day saw the plane flying low, right outside the windows, along the Potomac River. Even though Reagan National Airport is also just up the road, the jet seemed too low. Moments later, American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

It was hard getting to work that afternoon. All roads in Arlington were closed. But with my press badge, I managed to convince police to let me through. The smell of smoke was in the air. I could only imagine what the scene was like in New York. When I entered my office building, the newsroom was humming. Not only was this going to be a journalistic challenge, but it was also somewhat personal. The low-flying jet, which some people estimated to be only a couple hundred yards from our office building when it erratically flew by, hit the defense department mega structure that many of my coworkers drove by every single day and was the site of where some of our friends and neighbors worked. The Pentagon is massive and employs thousands of people from D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Yet, things could have been worse. A fourth plane that was heading to Washington was heroically taken over by passengers and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania before the terrorists could guide it to their intended target.

By now, we all know the story. The tragic day has been well documented. The personal stories and official investigations have been told. Memorials have been erected in Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia. The Pentagon has been fully restored. The southern edge of Manhattan is still scarred but maybe that's not an entirely bad thing. Sometimes we need raw reminders.

I was working in New York City during the first terrorist attempt to bring down the Twin Towers. I was at The Associated Press when car bombs went off in 1993. There was a lot of damage in the underground garage but no threat of the building collapsing. That attack should have been a wake-up call.

As a teenager growing up in Rockland County, N.Y., I recall seeing the tops of the newly built Twin Towers from a vantage point near my house up on a hill on Route 301. From 30 miles away, nothing else in the city was visible other than the towers.

I also recall taking my daughter to the towers when she was a young girl. We stood at the base and looked up. It was an intimidating site for anyone, let alone a child who hadn't previously seen any building taller than several stories. I asked her if she wanted to take the elevator to the top. But she was pretty determined to simply enjoy the view from ground level. As someone who doesn't like heights, I must admit I was somewhat relieved.

While we argue about health-care reform and worry about unemployment, we also need to pause on days like today and quietly remember what happened in 2001. We also need to act, be aware of our surroundings, report suspicious activity whether it's at the airport or in our own neighborhoods. It never ceases to amaze me how unaware we are of things that are often in our immediate view. I remember a time, growing up in New York, when people called the police for just about anything. Now, at least where I live, someone in robes with "death-to-America" signs could be openly constructing a bomb in the middle of the parking lot at Chuck E. Cheese's, and no one would say boo.

It's cloudy here today, very unlike the sparkling September 11th day eight years ago. I can't help feeling that there is something in the air that indicates we are far from safe. 9/11 was a wake-up call, but Americans tend to get lulled back into a false sense of security rather quickly. We don't want to believe that another 9/11 type of event could disrupt us from going to the mall or hamper our cellphone service...God forbid.

A shoot-first mentality in the suburbs

PETA is trying to stop a planned bowhunt of deer in a Leesburg, Va., community. Read about it here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/08/AR2009090803886.html

Granted, the deer population in Northern Virginia is out of control. I saw a fawn in a park near my home in Sterling recently. It was alone and calling out to its mother. I presumed the fawn was lost or perhaps the mother died on Algonkian Parkway like so many other deer. The parkway runs along a highly residential area that hugs the Potomac River. Drivers consistently speed along this stretch of road and kill deer almost daily. It was heartbreaking to see a tiny animal wondering around making such a distressed sound, knowing its mom had probably perished under the wheels of a BMW or Lexus in this affluent, self-absorbed area of the state.

I saw an adult deer once that must have been hit by a car before I passed by it on Route 7 near Reston. It was still alive and sitting up in an awkward position, twisted and totally stunned, and probably about to die. Again, a very distressing thing to see. I still remember the look in its eyes that reflected the glare from my headlights.

But shooting deer with arrows in a subdivision doesn't appear very smart or humane to me. I must agree with PETA's stance on this. There should be a better way to solve the problem.

It seems every time there is a wildlife issue anywhere in this country, man's first choice is to shoot it. Sometimes wildlife is an inconvenience to us, so we rather blast away than have our rose gardens disrupted. We don't like when those damn geese poop on our pristine walking paths, either. Often, we pretend that burying an arrow or bullet in the skull of an animal is somehow good for nature. Of course, it's not so good when the hunter misses and the animal runs off with a wounded leg and slowly bleeds out over 12 or 24 hours.

We like to pride ourselves on being the smartest creatures on the planet, but never seem to want to stretch our imaginations too much to solve problems (often ones which we created in the first place) in less violent manners.

Every picture tells a story

I don't know a lot about this photograph. I found it on the Internet a few years ago.

I know that my grandfather, Anthony Calvacca, is the man pictured second from the right. He was the chief photographer of the New York Post, but is without his camera in this picture. I assume he's in the company of other newspaper folks and perhaps their spouses. Most everyone called him Tony.

Obviously, this group of people is on a boat or ferry, presumably somewhere around New York City. From the style of clothing and the apparent age of my grandfather, I am guessing this picture was taken in the late 50s or early 60s.

My grandfather, and later my father (a news cameraman for WNBC and WABC), were Big Apple-media guys, each with their own unique stories and colorful experiences.

My father, Michael Calvacca, was in Time magazine for getting in fight with another television station news crew during a union dispute. Another story for another day. He also came to the rescue of Mason Reese, while doing a story about the child actor. Reese evidently was being harassed on the street by a mean-spirited passerby. My father won an Emmy and was pretty highly regarded in New York City media circles. He was friends with on-camera personalities such as sportscaster Marv Albert. When he died, WABC aired a 90-second obit/dedication at the end of the evening newscast. That's a lot of air time to give to one of your own.

My grandfather was a newspaper guy in the grittiest, street-wise sense. His photographs often appeared on the front of the tabloid. He was fearless in making great images. He helped friends and relatives get into the business. It was an era when friends helped other deserving friends get a job.

I know a lot less about my grandfather's career, but I do remember that when he retired, Mayor Beame held a farewell dinner at City Hall for him. Not bad for a newspaper photographer without an education and who worked on a family farm in New Jersey early in his life.

My career in journalism has been a bit different. Less glamorous, among other things.

I entered the newspaper business about the time it was transitioning from sort of a blue-collar, rough-and-tumble industry, to a more corporate, college-educated profession. It was an adjustment for me because of what my first-hand view of what journalism was before the locker room mentality of newsrooms was cleaned up. During my time at newspapers, journalism became more corporate. Like in many other businesses, you got ahead by playing the game more than by what you knew or how hard you worked.

But there is one unfortunate thing I share with my father and grandfather. We all were laid off or forced to retire too early.

My father was laid off from WNBC after winning an Emmy. Television news reports were transitioning from film to video tape in the 70s. There was no longer a need for the artful cameramen who documented news stories in the field in a similar manner to the way classic movies were filmed. Any schmuck with a video camera could create images by simply pointing a camera at a burning building or any other news event. And they could do it for far less money than the film craftsmen. Of course, the creativity and quality of video tape couldn't compete with film. But film itself was far too expensive. Tape was a bargain. Plus, the bean counters calculated that the average TV newscast viewer probably didn't care about quality. Our culture was quickly moving to a fast-food mentality across the board. You saw it in music, movies and even the nightly newscasts.

Fast forward to 2009 and look at all the video on so-called news web sites. The quality and composition is horrible, yet everyone within the industry runs around patting themselves on the backs like they are all a bunch of Frederico Fellini proteges. There isn't anything artful or even journalistic about most amateur video streaming online.

So while the technology improves, the creative capabilities continue to get watered down. Maybe one day the art of visual journalism will return, but for now, we're stuck with "citizen journalists" with camera phones because someone in power has determined that that is what will make their web sites profitable. Those who once aspired to be National Geographic photographers probably should look into wedding photography gigs.

My grandfather was pushed into retirement, not because he couldn't make compelling pictures anymore, but because he was no longer the future. I don't recall how old he was at the end, but I sure know he didn't want to call it quits. I remember stories about the dishonorable tactics the new owners of the New York Post used to get rid of anyone over a certain age. Despite my grandfather's unbelievable work ethics and dedication, not to mention ability to make pictures that helped put the Post on top back in the day, he was sent packing.

I see my grandfather in this black and white picture, on top of the world, and rubbing elbows with New York City's movers and shakers. I don't know the exact context of the picture, but I do know what it feels like to have the respect of others in your field. I see respect in that photograph.

USA TODAY let me go at age 51. As I outlined in an August posting, the circumstances of my being laid off stunk and involved more than just age. I am in a fairly profound jam as a result of one or two trivial-minded people making irrational decisions at a time when it's not good to be without a job. I turn 52 later this month. I don't feel that old because I am still very much involved in everything from new technologies to blasting away on my Stratocaster guitar through my Marshall amplifier. But those are hobbies, not a career.

Predictions of employment continuing to climb are reported almost daily. The newspaper business is in trouble and other businesses aren't doing much better. I, like so many other Americans, am just fighting to survive one day at a time, hoping that someone will see the many benefits I could bring to their business.

When I say survive, I do literally mean survive.

My grandfather died a short time after he was forced into retirement. He once told me, with a certain resignation in his voice, that there is only so much golf he could play. In my case, there is only so much blogging I can do or rock bands I can form or join.

My father got cancer a couple years after his layoff and died in his 50s. His passion was golf, much like my grandfather's. It wasn't enough to keep him healthy during his period of unemployment.

You can imagine some of the thoughts that run through my mind as I try to get back into the workplace. But when I look at that photograph, I come to realize something else. Nothing lasts forever. Our time on this planet is very short. Our time on top of our careers is even shorter. The concept of fairness in the workplace is as obsolete as film in a news camera. There is no rule that says just because I went to college, had an outstanding track record during my career, that I can't end up living on the streets in five or 10 years.

Yes, 50something is too young to not be working. I have so much to offer now that I didn't when I was in my 20s or 30s. Seasoning, perspective, a mountain of skills and life experience to name a few. Assets that could help any company make money. Trying to convince employers of that is quite a challenge these days. When I was in my 20s and 30s, and didn't have much versatility, all I needed to do to find work was send out a few resumes. Boy, what an upside-down world.

I don't want to give up on journalism quite yet, even though some say I should. It's hard to walk away from something that has been in your blood. I don't like the trends I see in journalism, but rather than criticize them in a blog, I would prefer to be part of the solution in a job. Whether I get another shot or not remains as big a mystery as that photograph of my grandfather.

Let it be

The Beatles never seem to go away. Never seem to find their proper resting place in music history. Half of them are dead. One still tours. And the fourth, Ringo, probably thanks the rock gods daily for the good fortune of being in the band of the century with just mediocre drumming talent and vocal ability that isn't exactly in the same league as Robert Plant. I must say, however, I liked Ringo in the movie, "Caveman."

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate The Beatles. I own a few of their CDs. I loved Abbey Road. I liked them more when they became a little scruffier later in their careers, but appreciate their entire body of work despite the silly suits and cereal bowl haircuts in the early 60s.

However, all the latest hoopla over the Fab Four is becoming a little annoying because it's no longer about the music. It's about making money. How many times are people going to try to get rich off of this band by repackaging the same old songs? The latest venture involves the remastering, in stereo, of classic Beatles albums. This comes on the heals of new video games that feature the band's music. Over the years, marketing experts, record companies and others have given us Beatlemania and Cirque du Soleil's LOVE. We've had box sets and gone from vinyl to tape to CD. You could spend hundreds of dollars just repurchasing the same Beatles albums in different formats. And don't forget all the DVDs.

I am not buying anymore Beatles stuff, just like I am not buying anymore Jimi Hendrix albums. I am a Rolling Stones kind of guy, anyway. Always preferred the Stones' bad boy image and edgier music. And say what you will about Mick and the boys, but at least they are still putting out new music and performing for audiences. And for the most part, they are all still alive. Only bassist Bill Wyman has left the band. And no one paid attention to him anyway. Of course, Brian Jones, a guitarist, died many years ago. His eventual replacement, Ron Wood, has carried on very nicely for decades.

I think all this Beatles marketing is just another indication of how bad music is today. I find myself going back in time and listening to artists who predated me rather than moving forward to listen to hip-hop or other types of modern music. I rather listen to Sinatra, Cash or The Temptations than endure yet another rap song with the same exact beat as thousands of other rap songs. But even with that said, I can't keep plunging into my wallet to buy another version of Help!

The Beatles are one of the greatest musical groups in any era in any genre, but until science (or music companies) figure out a way to get Paul, John, Ringo and George back into the recording studio or on stage at Wolf Trap, I am done spending money on their music.

Lynchburg College loses a legend

Unless you are immersed in the history of college soccer or went to Lynchburg College sometime in the last five decades or so, you probably haven't heard of Bill Shellenberger.

Sports Illustrated did an article in the late 1970s about the Lynchburg College soccer coach. Shellenberger had just broken the record for most wins of any college soccer coach in any division. For a small, division III school, this was quite an accomplishment.

Shellenberger died this week. He was 88 years old.

Lynchburg College doesn't have a football team. When I was getting ready to attend the school in 1975, I was mildly taken aback by this. I mean, what's college without a football team to cheer in the fall? I quickly discovered part of the reason why LC didn't have a football program.

Soccer ruled at this liberal arts school in southern Virginia. No one really wanted a football team. We intimidated soccer teams from much larger schools, often beating their scholarship players with our rag-tag, non-scholarship team. It reached a point where division I schools like the University of Virginia -- known for a pretty good soccer program at the top level of the NCAA -- wouldn't play Lynchburg College. There was nothing to be gained by the mighty Cavaliers losing to a smaller school. So they took their ball and went home.

Soccer games at LC were an event. The field was right in front of the three main men's dorms, so watching the games was easy. In the 1970s, the students were a bit out of control in their enthusiasm for the soccer team. I fully admit that fans often crossed lines in adding to the intimidation factor as opposing teams walked by us to take the field or to go to the locker room at halftime.

But the main reason for the team's success was its coach. Shellenberger was one of those rare people, an educator in the best sense, who would have succeeded in leading any team or group of young people. As sports editor of the college newspaper, I interviewed Shellenberger many times. I didn't always write complimentary articles about the team, but he never took anything that I said personally. He was always accommodating.

My last encounter with Shellenberger was at the graduation ceremony in 1979. He was part of the contingent of professors and various dignitaries on stage. As I received my diploma and handshake from the school president, I saw Shellenberger get out of his seat and take a step towards me. As I was about to leave the stage, he shook my hand and gave me that great smile as I headed out into the world.

Today, I too am smiling as the coach embarks on a new journey.

Talent and potential aren't always enough

Well, the "Favorite New York Yankee since 1960" poll is winding down. It appears Derek Jeter will edge out Mickey Mantle for the top spot. I met Mantle a couple times towards the end of his playing days, so I was sort of rooting for him, but Jeter is a great player in his own right and probably a lot nicer than the Mick. Mantle was not a big fan of having his picture taken with brats like me, although I do have some standing with him inside the tunnel near the dugout.

I liked roaming around Yankee Stadium in the 1960s, having my picture taken with guys like Joe Pepitone. Yes, that's me with Pepitone, circa 1965. Pepitone was one of the first players to use hair products for men. He was also the first major leaguer to blow dry his hair. He had a ton of potential to be a Yankee great, but vanity and some legal problems hampered his career. Now he's just a punch line on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Sometimes talent and potential aren't enough.

Beware of scams against the unemployed

Unemployed folks face many pressures and are vulnerable to a variety of online scams because of their growing frustrations with being unable to find viable work. Two popular cons are selling insurance on commission and paying for advice on investing in a franchise. There are also work-at-home scams, educational ploys and other variations of all these things.

Below is the top portion of an e-mail I received today. I have gotten this one before. When I clicked the link to their site, there were feel-good pictures of families laughing in fields and older people smiling in front of inspiring sunsets. I guess they represent how satisfied people are with this online service.

I offer this posting as a warning that predators often hunt for the weak. Don't lose whatever resources you have left by falling for this junk. In tough times, bad people prey upon good people. My only hope is that one day these vultures will face some sort of cosmic payback.

Dear Mick,

I’d love to speak with you about your resume. 

Despite recent economic conditions, a few industries have experienced success - 
one of them being the franchise industry.  I have been hired to (hand select) 
and invite qualified individuals with managerial/leadership backgrounds (to 
explore franchise opportunities).  Based on your credentials, I feel you may be 
a good fit...

Old desk ornament with new meaning

A former colleague of mine gave me a magnet several years ago with a quotation on it. It's one of the few things I collected from my desk and brought home with me after being laid off at USA TODAY.

"If you're going through Hell, keep going ..."
- Winston Churchill

Northern Virginia lacks a smart-growth plan

In 1993, Disney was planning a theme park in Northern Virginia. It was to be called, "Disney's America." The company never broke ground. By 1995, Disney abandoned the project under pressure from preservationists and a fair number of rich folks who live in that part of the state, about 20 miles west of Manassas, Va.

It was about 3 a.m. when I got word from a reporter that Disney was leaving. I was the managing editor of the Manassas daily newspaper. This was big news. David had defeated Goliath.

Manassas is about 35 miles west of Washington D.C. The town is mainly known for two major Civil War battles and, in more modern times, a woman who cut off her husband's penis for abusing her. The folks who wanted to protect sacred Civil War lands from commercialization were dead set against the theme park, as were some wealthy actors, entertainers and D.C. business leaders who lived in the peaceful rolling hills where the park was to be built. They didn't want the extra traffic and other perceived problems the park would bring. Disney promised new roads, jobs and a classy park, but it wasn't enough for some people to lay down their arms in Prince William County.

Bottom line, Disney got tired of dealing with the protests and bad press. Many Virginians felt they didn't need Disney's version of how America was formed. Many felt there was enough real history all around them. Construction wasn't only slowed down, it was stopped before the first tree was chopped down. The giant Disney corporation left town.

I thought about Disney's defeat the other day as I drove up Route 7 towards Leesburg. There is so much construction of enormous shopping centers and office/residential projects that many cars were caked in dirt that is kicked up 12-16 hours a day from bulldozers leveling everything in sight along a 10-mile stretch of road east of Dulles International Airport, not all that far from where Disney's America was to be built. The traffic crawled, as it does all around Northern Virginia on most days. It's becoming a very ugly part of Loudoun County.

Developers continue to pressure politicians to let them build. When the arm twisting isn't enough, legal action usually follows, and another Wal-Mart is built and another cookie-cutter townhouse community is erected. If given a choice between a Disney theme park and the constant ravaging of the land in Prince William and Loudoun counties by transient builders, I would have taken the theme park.

I can't help feeling that while a significant battle was won in 1995, a war is being lost in 2009. Not even the current recession is stopping developers from making a quick buck by scarring the land and clogging the roads. It's time, I believe, for Northern Virginians to organize, much the way they did when they stopped Disney's America over a decade ago. Mindless growth has to be contained.