The horror and the horrible

It seems more and more that I am compelled to write when I am confronting death in some way. In November it was dealing with the sudden and unexpected passing of my good friend and former college mate. Today it has been in dealing with the horrific shooting deaths of 28 souls in Newtown, Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School, 20 of them children.

There are no words of consolation for a parent who sends a child to school in the morning and who receives a chilling call hours later that something has happened. Even if that parent was lucky to find that his or her child survived the ordeal, the fallout - the loss of innocence and trust of that youngster - can never be recovered. Worst than that would be to deal with knowing your precious little one was taken from you, never to be seen again. Those little eyes that peered into your soul, those little hands that reached for you, that little voice that made you sigh - all gone in a flash of the muzzle from a gun!

Anyone who knows me knows full well how much I love children and how I can never countenance their being taken advantage of or abused in any way. This reprehensible action on the part of a loathsome coward can never be justified. I don't care if he brandished his weapons to give himself a better self-image or to improve his low self-esteem, if he was mentally ill or if he felt taking the lives of these young victims would somehow make the killing of his mother even more grim. He was a little man whose life will now be linked with that of a madman and I will not darken the words I have posted here with his own name. He shall remain nameless and as anonymous as the slugs being removed from the bodies of his victims. Their memory shall be exalted and his shall fall on the scrap heap of history, never to be acknowledged, lest it serve as an example to other idiots that his is a way to achieve lasting fame.

I have the most sympathy for the classmates of the victims and the parents and grandparents who now have to deal with the unfathomable. My words ring hollow as the depths of their despair shall know no bounds for some time to come. The actions of this callow fellow shall forever impact the lives of brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles too. How can anyone do such a thing to innocents? Only an unthinking, unfeeling and self-centered sociopath could ever do such an act, let alone scores of others.

The next few days shall be full of remorse and grief as the media retells the stories of the brave teachers who paid the ultimate price protecting their young charges and the heartrending tales of the littlest victims of this monster. It will be hard to bear for any of us and I am certain the tears we shed shall not diminish for some time to come.

In America we elevate the memories of these kinds of events, ostensibly so that they will never be repeated. We have memorials in places where a federal building once stood, where a McDonald's restaurant was once opened and where twin towers fell. It will be difficult for the relatives of the victims of this tragedy to not call for the closure of Sandy Hook Elementary School and a memorial to be erected on site.  This will, no doubt, be so they can have closure. The sad reality for this woeful day is they will never have closure. For that I am truly sorry.

How ironic this all takes place during the season when mankind expects the very best from one another. This should be a season of peace and good will, not a time of mourning and lamentations. This too has been stolen from us all by the actions of a craven and malevolent fiend. May the evil deeds of one depraved and dastardly lout be erased from our memories and may the souls he has taken from us and those affected by this horrible day be comforted and soothed one day. Unfortunately, this will take time and may never be achieved in my lifetime.

Dr. George Dalton Long (1956-2012)

Over 30 years ago the movie The Big Chill was filmed in a sleepy town in South Carolina, It told the story of a fictional weekend where the former classmates of a well-loved, but troubled friend gathered for his funeral in order to say goodbye to him with all their heartfelt best wishes and to console each other over their common loss.

Many film buffs will note that Alex, the unseen character whose life was being memorialized was slated to be portrayed by none other than future big screen legend Kevin Costner. Yet Costner’s Hollywood screen debut ended up on Lawrence Kasdan’s cutting room floor, the victim of the director’s final vision for the film.

Like Alex, we all knew George as the very best of our generation, a man whose dedication to medicine, his friends and his family was unquestioned. But unlike the film character, George’s real-life role was not a brooding genius unable to cope with the vicissitudes of life. George took on the task of confronting life with exuberance and his enthusiastic nature carried him in whatever he did. 

Back when the film premiered in 1983, it was almost inconceivable that our group of Tulane friends or George’s friends from Westminster High School would be gathering to bid adieu to one of our own number.  George had just graduated from Tulane Medical School and was preparing to follow his dad and fellow alumnus, Dr. Crawford Long II, as a well-respected and dedicated obstetrician-gynecologist. 

There was little chance we would be similarly affected like those characters in the film. It would be safe to say we all knew this concept of loss was something that would more likely affect our parents. We were ready to begin our lives. We were ready to embark on our chosen career paths. In many cases we were searching for spouses and, possibly, considering having offspring. The job of burying one of our own, we reckoned, would not be something we would have to face for many years down the road.

So, the story contained within The Big Chill of love and life lost and friendships renewed after that loss never really materialized for most of us in real life.

When my wife Sally and I married, we had no way of knowing that our marriage would be the exception rather than the rule. Our ten years together were punctuated by a battle with Hodgkin’s Disease, the birth of our son, and a final battle with MDS that took her and all she ever loved at the age of 43. But during the time we were married, we enjoyed the company of George and his wife Debbie on several occasions, mostly Rolling Stones concerts or NFL games in New Orleans. Sally was a wonderful spirit who loved George’s unshakable persona and her sudden passing was especially devastating to David and me.

When George and fellow Tulane alumnus Charles Driebe heard of my loss, they spared no quarter in making sure they came in from Atlanta and were with my son and me at the hour of our collective distress. That selfless act of compassion on their part has never been forgotten. Yesterday in Atlanta I paid back that debt in some small measure as I attended the memorial service for Dr. George Dalton Long at the church he attended every Sunday.

It is the plain truth that time has marched on and, sadly, it would seem that we have reached the beginning of that epoch in our generation's lives where we will be seeing our company diminish in ever-increasing numbers. We have now raised our families and sent them off to college. In some cases we have married, divorced and remarried. Now, with the release of our friend George, also known affectionately as Corgus, we say goodbye to the first notable of our number who makes the journey we all are slated to take one day in the (hopefully distant) future.

The remembrances at Trinity Presbyterian yesterday were all fine. George’s friends Thomas Calk, a fellow physician, and longtime friend Steve Massell had their turn recalling his irrepressible spirit. Another friend, Dan McGrew had the unpleasant duty of following the first two, who had pretty much hit it out of the ballpark. Yet even McGrew captured much of what we all remembered about George: his idolization of his dad (whose funeral had been held in the same sanctary less than two weeks previous), his love of fast cars (most especially Porsches), his commitment to his church, his unswavering commitment to conservatism, his dedication to medicine and (along with his deep compassion for his friends) his love for his wife and two sons.

Both the two female ministers, one of whom was a nurse and fellow worker at his office, expressed joy as having known George Long. George’s family had made arrangements to cremate his body and so there was no coffin or similar object to take the focus off an examination of his life rather than a depiction of his death. The inside of the church was clean and bright. The mood inside was upbeat and not at all woeful. It was a glorious sendoff for a man who had done so much in his short time span.

While the organ played the “Toccata” from the Widor “Symphony No. 5” at the conclusion of the service, I couldn’t but help wonder once again about The Big Chill. I thought to myself what it would have meant to scores of Rolling Stones fans like myself had the organist at Trinity Presbyterian launched into “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” just as the organist in the film did. I think George would have liked that. I know I would have. Perhaps that was why we enjoyed each other's company so much; we thought a lot alike.

But as the hymns were sung and the eulogies delivered, there was another revelation. I realized that very much as an element of a film, these testaments were, in fact, George's final credits, his end titles as it were. It was time to let him go and to cherish his memory. 

So, I say, rest in peace, my good friend. By comparison to others, your life was way too short, but it was a life well-lived and meaningful. I’ll forever treasure our time together and always remember you.

The Power of We vs. The Power of One

Three years ago at the National Order of the Arrow Conference, I was impressed with the concept of "The Power of One." The "power of one" advocated that one person could make a difference. Images of famous people who took a stand or were caught up in the maelstrom of historic events still come to mind. The moral was for all of us to consider how we could all make a difference. We were advised to not diminish just how important one purposed person could be. One person dedicated to change or preventing change from occurring could be a remarkable thing. There were numerous examples including those unsung heroes who by their  helped shape our Declaration of Independence and kept President Andrew Johnson from being convicted at his impeachment trial. The theme for today's Blog Action Day is the Power of We. Many might consider this is very different than the "power of one," But the two terms are actually quite close. In the Power of We, there are instances of action taken by a group, which have positive consequences for society or mankind. There have been reactions to organized threats, the most horrific being war. World War II was a great example of two opposing forces fueled by the Power of We with destruction raining down on the earth as a result. The outpouring of generosity by Americans after seeing tragedy following destruction from Nature's wrath is a sterling example of the Power of We. My own hometown of New Orleans was saved by the intervention of thousands who sent millions of dollars and who came to the city to aid in the recovery effort, some of whom still live here. But the Power of We is really more than just charity. It is the capacity for men to live in harmony and respect one another. Without the Power of We there is no chance for peace or advancement. The Power of We is truly The Power of One amplified and repeated in the hearts of men and women who care. How we live as people and how we treat one another is truly the Power of We.

Behold! The IT Pro Experts!

Microsoft MVP Jeff Middleton is having a ball at his conference!

For those in the IT industry Microsoft Most Valued Professional (MVP) Jeff Middleton is a highly respected and trustworthy figure. Following the devastation of the flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina, Middleton put on the first of the SBSMigration.com conferences. The theme at that first conference revolved about disaster recovery, something from which many area businesses were still reeling. Middleton put on follow-up conferences in 2008 and 2010 and added a cruise segment for those that wanted to enjoy a little downtime after spending such a "hard time" in the Big Easy enjoying the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street, etc. Even though it's been two years since the last conference, IT professionals have made provisions to be in New Orleans to benefit from his knowledge and from the many industry gurus he has invited to take part in this year's IT Pro Conference. This year's conference title is "Trusted Identity: Faith in a Technology World." Many professionals have traveled from as far away as the European continent and Australia to make it here to enjoy a very beneficial series of events that will help professionals enhance their businesses and give them the tools to better serve their clients. And Middleton makes it fun. Check out his new IT Pro Experts logo, a new brand he soft-launched today.

The Daily Battle

Organizer of "Save the Picayune" rally Anne Rolfes, left, chats with Rock 'N Bowl owner John Blancher, right.

When the announcement was made May 23 that the Times-Picayune would cease operations as a daily newspaper, there was disbelief and anger that raged both inside and outside of the newsroom. The change to a beefed-up digital circulation through its Nola.com website was kept so secret that even top level managers were kept in the dark. Subscribers were incensed they would be losing their Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday editions, while staffers were left reeling with the news that most of them would soon be out of their jobs. Even longtime Nola.com staffers have to re-apply for their jobs. To say that upper management dropped the ball is an understatement of understatements. Many editorial and advertising staff members got the news from social networking sites like Facebook after a New York Times reporter dropped the initial news bomb shortly after midnight. The fact that an outside news reporter got the scoop on a story that, decidedly, should have been been the Times-Picayune's alone to announce is a testament to the tremendous schism that exists between management and staff.  The belief that management had been deliberately withholding the truth from its dedicated worker bees seemed to be proven. The conspiracy theorists saw collusion and intrigue in the large number of layoffs and the hiring freeze that had been in effect for years. Truly gifted writers were made to feel like they were not appreciated. Those that were offered an early retirement grabbed it and the dust had barely settled on their leaving, when questions arose. Who would replace that reporter or columnist? The answer was always a deafening silence. Those writers who came on board as replacements were only shadows of the literary giants who had sat in their chairs before them. The dumbing down of the paper was bad enough, but the Times-Picayune was very much like what a parents feels towards a recalcitrant child. You may not be completely satisfied with his behavior, but you don't disavow your relationship with him. The Times-Picayune had just gone through a 175-day series in which every year it existed was re-examined on a daily basis. Printings of the series into book form rapidly sold old. The loyalty of the public to its daily newspaper was solidified and, I dare say, was probably at its highest point in years. Copies of the "Amen" edition when the Saints victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV sold out many times over and framed copies of the various front pages from that year are still proudly displayed in businesses across town. The paper had shrunk in recent years, both in broadsheet size and in terms of advertising and coverage. The effect of the Internet in sucking out the profitable classified advertising from the newspaper and moving them to free sites like Craig's List or to referral sites like Angie's List cannot be denied. Display advertising shrank from the downturned economy and the continuing effect of a post Katrina landscape in which a quarter of the city's citizens never returned had to weigh heavily on the paper's owners. Yet, the move that the Newhouse family opted for here was still unexpected. No one could have predicted that management would have been able to get away with such a disloyal move to its own workers and, yes, to the city they purported to love. The point is they have enjoyed a monopoly in New Orleans during the decades that other cities had two or more papers competing with one antoher. In recent years no one had ever challenged the Times-Picayune, especially after it had purchased the New Orleans States and the New Orleans Item and merged them into an afternoon edition called The States-Item. An afternoon paper became a luxury item after the 1970s and so the Times-Picayune became the city's only daily paper. The Newhouse family is really not attempting to stop from losing money. The cut down to a three-day publication week is a way of monetizing their profits and making sure no other interest can gain a valuable foothold while they streamline their operations. While management chomps on the possibility of an online model for news delivery, dedicated staff members who have worked 30 or more years await the news as to whether they will be able to support their families. There isn't much hope out there for a newspaperman to walk across the street and snag a new job. While waiting for the ax to fall, several staffers have solicited outside help in organizing protests. While similar cost-cutting measures were announced in Huntsville, Mobile and Birmingham, Alabama, there has been little public outcry there. By contrast in New Orleans there have been numerous rallies and the social networks have been set ablaze with online petitions and demands to keep the paper as a daily. A rally was held at the parking lot of local institution Rock N' Bowl on Monday. Several big name New Orleans performers such as Allen Toussaint, The Igauanas, Kermit Ruffins and Armand St. Martin played music to entertain the crowd, who were encouraged to bring their own food or sample the fare at the Rock N' Bowl. Owner John Blancher estimated the crowd to be 700 strong throughout the four-hour event with 400 gathered at its highest concentration. Organizer Anne Rolfes was there at the end surveying the temperament of the crowd and asking for support from the local community members. "This is the first salvo," she said after the rally was winding down. One of her hardest working members is former New Orleanian Eric Parrie, a Yale Law student who is in for the summer visiting relatives and an adept Facebook devotee. He is responsible for creating the "Save the Picayune" Facebook page that has about 3,000 members added to date. Both Rolfes and Parrie are doing this for the purest of intentions. They believe in the necessity of a daily paper for such a large, albeit smaller city in a post Katrina world. They have a long way to go and some fairly stubborn heads to turn before their job is over. As a faithful subscriber, I, too, feel the need for a daily paper and through it a connection to my local community. However, as a journalist, I recognize the downward slide in quality the paper had exuded. Many great writers remain on staff, but when the ax falls, will there be enough left around to make a difference even if management relents and alters its present course? I say to Rolfes and Parrie: "Be careful for what you wish."

2012 Big Easy Music Awards

Marie Lovejoy, Big Easy Awards executive director, with Female Entertainer of the Year Meschiya Lake

The 24th annual Big Easy Music Awards ceremonies were held last night at Harrah's Casino amid much revelry and glitz and down home New Orleans flavor. Executive producer Margo Dubos and executive director Marie Lovejoy put together a showcase of some of New Orleans's biggest show business names and the music community came together to honor one another with a very diverse and talented line-up of stars.

Drummer Johnny Vidacovich ("Astral Project") took to the stage as the master of ceremonies for the evening as Honorary Music Chairman, arriving in a cloud of smoke and a drum set that afforded him the opportunity to emulate different styles of play. Later, he called his wife Debbie to the stage to "sing" the rules for eligibility to the tune of "Basin Street Blues" while he tapped out a beat with his drumsticks.

Top recognitions went to the Rebirth Brass Band, recent recipients of a Grammy Award for their Basin Street Records release "Rebirth of New Orleans." The Rebirth Brass Band won for the award as 2012 Entertainer of the Year, presented by their former member Kermit Ruffins as well as the Best Album of 2011 and the award for Best Contemporary Brass Band of 2011.

Jazz performer Meschiya Lake, also a presenter and last year's Female Entertainer of the Year recipient, repeated that award for 2011.

Trombone Shorty, absent from the ceremonies, won the Male Entertainer of the Year Award for 2011. New Orleans Jazz Fest executive director Quint Davis and jazz educator and performer Germaine Bazzle accepted the award on his behalf.

Irma Thomas presented the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award to Walter "Wolfman" Washington, a former member of her band. Earlier, Washington was surprised by Mac Rabennack - Dr. John - who won the award for Best Rhythm and Blues 2011 and insisted on presenting it to him as a token of his appreciation.

The 2012 Ambasadors of New Orleans Award was presented to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, who also picked up the award for Best Traditional Jazz of 2011.

Performances by Irma Thomas and the Professionals, Los Po-Boy-Citos with Blac Sol, the Stooges Brass Band, Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue and Big History were interspersed between awards. The final jam session in honor of Washington had Washington on guitar, Ivan Neville and Dr. John on keyboards, George Porter Jr. on electric bass and Vidacovich on drums.

Special recognition awards went to Dithyrambalia for "The Music Box," a performing space on Piety Street dedicated to musicians and to the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living, who were given the 2012 Business Recognition Award by Margo and Clancy Dubos on behalf of The Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education, which funds the Big Easy Entertainment Awards for Theater, Music and Classical Arts.

The 2012 WWOZ Guardian of the Groove Awards were presented to volunteer Eric Ward and on-air personality Gene "Jivin' Gene" Mark for their longtime dedication to the radio station.

A special video tribute to the late executive director Gloria Powers was also seen by audience members, who remembered her dedication to making the awards shows bigger and better for the more than two decades she served. Powers died February 7 and a memorial service was held in her honor on February 17, her birthday.

Other awards presented were:
Best Gospel Choir 2011 - Tyrone Foster and the Arc Singers
Best Gospel Grop/Individual 2o11 - Trin-I-Tee 5:7
Best World 2011 - Debauche
Best Latin 2011 - Los Po-Boy-Citos
Best Mixed Bag 2011 - The New Orleans Bingo! Show
Best Roots Rock 2011 - Honey Island Swamp Band
Best Cajun 2011 - Lost Bayou Ramblers
Best Zydeco 2011 - Nathan Williams and the Zydeco Cha-Chas
Best Funk 2011 - Galactic
Best Blues 2011 - Tab Benoit
Best Traditional Brass Band - The Storyville Stompers
Best Rock 2011 - GIVERS
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal 2011 - Haarp
Best Contemporary Jazz 2011 - Helen Gillet
Best Rap/Hip Hop 2011 - Big Freedia
Best DJ/Electronica 2011 - Mannie Fresh
Best Country/Folk 2011 - Hurray for the Riff Raff
Best Emerging 2011 - Brass-A-Holics "Gogo Brass Funk" Band

The Philadelphia Kid

Dick Clark (©Billboard.com)

As a child growing up in the Sixties, I was very much aware of the music coming over the local radio stations. New Orleans was a major breakout center for singles in the nation as was Baltimore at that time. But when it came to a national center for breaking out new artists, there was only one city that was mentioned with reverential tones that bordered on a rock and roll religion. That city was Philadelphia and if there was a prince of broadcasting there, it was Dick Clark. Clark, with his lean, good looks and easy demeanor was a natural for the camera lens and was beloved of most every boy and girl who turned on his "American Bandstand."

Through the years his fuzzy black and white image became sharper and more focused as color broadcasting was the norm. And the music changed with the times. The Doo Wop sound of the American streets became the mop top harmonies of the British invasion, eventually giving way to the psychedelic era of the Woodstock generation, the anti-war protests of the Vietnam War era and the me first generation of the Eighties. Through it all was Dick Clark, a man who changed with the times and changed the times through his constant search for new, pertinent music performers and styles. He made no distinction about race or ethnicity. If there was talent to be found and a worthy sound to be heard, he brokered those deals and received the gratitude of younger generations, who looked upon him as one of their own.

Eventually, his many productions became instrumental for a host of different TV and radio programming, his American Music Awards, Golden Globes and Rockin' New Year's Eve broadcasts ushering in year after year. Even after a debilitating stroke in 2004, Clark showed his capacity to be resilient and viable for millennial audiences. I remember working in college radio where Dick Clark Productions (DCP) provided weekly programs available on transcription discs. The programming was free of charge as long as embedded commercials - most of whom were from the U.S. Army - were broadcast. It was a stroke of genius. Most college radio stations were not looking for recruitment ads, but they were hungry for good, solid programming. DCP filled that bill and the only requirement was that the shows be aired during prime time.

It is incredible to think that the man who helped introduce America to Bill Haley and the Comets, Roy Orbison, Dion and the Belmonts, Chubby Checker, the Supremes, the Temptations, and the Jackson Five was the same man who gave Madonna and Aerosmith some of their early breaks. In the end it was, as Clark himself admitted, all about the music. While dance shows have gone the way of the 78 rpm disc and the record industry has undergone a paradigm shift, there is still an abundance of music to be had, much of it still waiting for a visionary like Dick Clark to introduce it to contemporary audiences. Yet, there is a sadness, an acknowledgment by most in the know, that there will never be another icon like Clark. The music business is so fractured and the popularity of music sharing and downloading services and websites so different from the way it was in the past that much of the only way musicians and singers can make money these days and achieve fame is through touring and merchandising. Back in the heyday of the record business, hundreds of performers made millions of dollars. Today the sad news is that millions of performers are making hundreds of dollars. Even a tireless producer like Dick Clark would not be up to the challenge of today's music scene. Rest in peace, Dick. Your legacy will live on as those whom you touched remember you as the broadcasting pioneer and music legend you were.