680News - Lisa Brandt

Just who is Halloween for, anyway?

The kids, of course. But it’s also an excuse for adults to dress up and act child-like for a night or two or three. Nothing wrong with that. But when it gets down to the pets, the SPCA and I have a problem.

Sure, it’s cute to put Fido in an Aviator outfit and parade him around to friends but does the dog really enjoy being a spectacle? I’ve seen some pretty strange ideas for canine costumes including ballet tutus, suits and ties and - perhaps the most humiliating - cat outfits!

The Etobicoke Humane Society offers this advice:

Keep your pets away from trick or treaters. A spooked pooch could go on the attack or even run away. Watch that they don’t get near candles or candies. Chocolate can be deadly for dogs and other treats can make them very ill. Eating the wrappers isn’t good for them either.

And please, please, on behalf of the doggie population, I beg you to preserve what’s left of their dignity. They already go to the bathroom in public and have to eat, go and do whatever we tell them to - don’t make them dress up in something uncomfortable and embarrassing just to give your friends a laugh!

How important is money, really? What about security? A steady job? Knowing where you’re going to live in the forseeable future?

Late last night, third baseman Alex Rodriguez decided to opt out of his crazily lucrative contract with the New York Yankees. The rest of the deal guaranteed him $72-million with more millions as incentives and bonuses.

A-Rod’s decision sparked some discussion in the newsroom about people who have previously turned down megabucks on principle.

Julianna Margulies quickly comes to mind. The actress turned down a reported $27-million to stay with the medical drama ER for two more seasons. At the time, Margulies said, “That whole thing is surreal. That kind of money just isn’t real.” She wanted to do movies and other projects, which she has done, although not to anywhere near the attention and acclaim she gained while doing ER. But does that matter to anybody but her?

A-Rod’s departure from the Yankees isn’t going to hurt his career. Far from it. He knows what he’s worth and he’s willing to roll the dice that he’ll get what he wants. It probably seems like an insane thing to do if you’re earning a modest salary and anticipating the annual cost-of-living increase, but in the world of stupidly big salaries, A-Rod may end up looking very smart, indeed.

Fascinating little item in The Globe and Mail today about decorating one’s workspace.

An image consultant says adding a plant or some artwork by your kids will humanize you and show that you have a life outside of work. But you can take it too far! Remember Mimi Bobeck on the Drew Carey Show and her endless parade of desk trolls?

Here at 680News, many of us do not have a workstation of our own. We anchors, for example, share our computer spaces in and out of the control room with other anchors. What is ours, is a locker, and some of us use the outside as a personal expression, with photos, captions and cartoons taped on. Me? I only have a psychedelic combination lock!

It’s really not appropriate for any of us to decorate the control room with something personal because we all share the space. Occasionally, someone will pin up a picture or a cartoon but it tends not to last very long because whoever is occupying the space in the moment OWNS the space! A personal effect is almost an intrusion on the public area. It’s an interesting phenomenon I’ve seen played out in other places where people have attempted to personalize common areas.

Now that most of us have cellphones that are photo-capable and easily accessible web-based albums, it seems to me it’s not as important as it used to be, to keep actual photos of your loved ones around. But maybe I only think that way because I don’t have my own cubicle. Feel free to tell me differently!

Ever since our dollar soared above parity with the U.S. dollar there has been talk about high prices and those retailers and companies that are not reflecting the loonie’s change in status.

Some are starting to come around now. Even a few major retailers have announced they’ll drop prices here. But is it worth crossing the border to do a little shopping now?

I’ve never been a big cross-border shopper. I’ve been a few times but - speaking only for myself and not in judgment of anyone who goes regularly - I find that the pain of waiting at the border and the restrictions on what can come back take a lot of the fun out of doing it by car, into New York State. I also believe in doing most of my shopping near where I live and put my cash into the local economy and support the jobs of my neighbours. But that’s my own perspective.

But this past weekend on a quick trip into the U.S. I discovered that business news can travel slowly, depending on where you go. I was putting five dollars worth of gas into a motorcycle and I was told it would cost me double. Yes, two of our dollars for one of their dollars. Five bucks would cost me ten.

I said with a smile, “But our dollar is worth more than yours!”

The woman at the counter replied, “But I don’t KNOW that!”

I stared at her stupidly for a minute. And then I handed her a ten. And then I decided that news doesn’t travel as quickly as I think it does.

Pity.

Do you have a serial drunk in your family?

Someone does. Although he has not been proven guilty, the man accused of causing injuries and damage in the west-end on Thursday afternoon does have a history of driving convictions. So much so, that he has been issued THREE lifetime driving bans.

Luckily, no one was seriously hurt or killed when a suspected drunk driver was pulled over and then took off, dragging a police officer before crashing into other vehicles.

So what was he - allegedly - doing behind the wheel again? Whose car was it and perhaps most important, to my mind, is who knew and did nothing about it?

People don’t generally live in a vacuum. They have family, friends, acquaintances and neighbours. People notice things that are going on. They hear stories and if a survey we reported on earlier this week on 680News is true, they tend to believe that gossip, too. So who saw something wrong or illegal or dangerous and simply turned away and did nothing to protect the rest of us?

If this man is continuing to drink and drive and hasn’t been scared off by repeatedly getting charged, going to court and having his license pulled - and pulled again - then he is ill and those who are ill require help. That means you and me. We don’t have to be invasive, nosy-parkers to take the responsibility seriously of helping to look after the well-being of our fellow men and women. And in this case, when someone’s illness makes them dangerous, there are a lot of lives at stake.

The “stopping for coffee” experiment has been going on for a few weeks now. In case you missed the earlier blog, I moved recently and I no longer live near a 24-hour drive-thru coffee shop. Since I’m in the habit of picking up cups of java for a few of us every morning, I didn’t want to vary my routine too much even though I would have to actually get out of the car and go into the store. So I asked for your thoughts and you gave them!

Already the lovely, friendly woman behind the counter knows me and my order.

I know which days the local homeless guy will be sleeping at a back table, nursing a small coffee and which days the woman I’ve silently dubbed the “crazy Cadillac lady” will be there.

I can usually park right in front of the store and hop in, in full view of those inside and under bright lights - I feel fairly safe.

So all in all, it’s not a bad experience! As long as I don’t let my guard down and if I see something dodgy I decide to just keep driving, I have very little to worry about, I think. I was happy to read that most of you are optimistic about life in the Big Smoke and that stopping at a store in the middle of the night isn’t necessarily a dangerous thing to do!

Have you noticed the newspapers lately? Virtually every one of the local papers has started selling a false front as an ad. You have to remove the first page to get to the real first page!

On the tabloid-style papers, the ad actually includes the front cover photo and caption but it is definitely an ad, and the photo and caption also appear again on the real front page behind the ad page. (Are you with me so far?) On the broadsheets, the front page is only about one-third to one-half as wide as usual.

It’s annoying! It’s like having to peel a fruit before you eat it, something I’ve never really been fond of. Just hand me the apple and let me get to work on chomping!

Now, radio isn’t immune from new advertising schemes and plans. On other stations you will hear entire half-hour and hour-long advertisements disguised as “talk” or “information” programming. Unless you hear the brief disclaimer at the beginning or the end, a first-time listener could be fooled into thinking that they’re listening to a regular talk show. These shows tend to run frequently and people do eventually catch on.

Advertising is a way of life for those of us in private media. I wouldn’t even call it a ‘necessary evil’ because it’s not evil- it’s what fuels us and allows us to bring you our programming for free. But I’m not on board with the fake fronts on the papers yet. I suppose we will all get used to them and probably barely even notice them anymore, which will require the papers to find a new way to bring us their clients’ messages. But I can guarantee that PIZZA PIZZA this blog is going to remain PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL FOUNDATION LOTTERY ad free, and if it ever does become an outlet for DODD’S GARAGE DOORS advertising, it will be presented in an honest and forthright SATIN FINISH HARDWOOD FLOORING manner.

Have you seen Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth? Perhaps you will now that he is a co-winner of the prestigious 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. The citation said in part that Gore is “probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted” to combat climate change.

The former U.S. Vice President shares the honour with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Gore’s film has won other awards and legions of viewers who are concerned about global warming and what we can do about it. My brother gave copies of the DVD to all of our family members last Christmas.

Even if you think global warming is a product of the natural environment and a whole lot of hooey, it’s my opinion that you need to watch this film and see what the “other side” has as its evidence. It’s a very compelling argument and has caused many people I know to buy new, energy efficient lightbulbs at the very least.

There is a move within the Democratic Party to convince Gore to run again for President. (Many think he actually won the job the last time he ran, as you know very well!) A writer for Time Magazine says it’s not going to happen. In fact, Eric Pooley goes on to say that if Gore enters the race, Pooley will eat his copy of An Inconvenient Truth! Be careful, Eric. I once publicly said I’d eat my hat if a prediction of mine didn’t come true and had to invite a local chef to the radio studio to prepare the hat for me - which I did nibble on, live on the air. A DVD would be much more difficult to cook!

Often times on a day like today, when something like the provincial election is obviously going to be the top story, I like to suggest - tongue firmly in cheek - that we give greater coverage to something less significant, just to be different!

One thing you have to know about my approach to working is that I take the news seriously, but myself not so much and I will say just about anything to get a laugh. And that’s what my “other story” idea is all about! Humour!

Today, barring something we can’t even bear to think about, there is no “other” story. We are choosing our MPPs and premier and deciding whether to change the way the electoral system works.

Many editorial writers and pundits will tell you it’s your duty to get out and cast a ballot. They’ll say you’re a bad person and a disloyal Canadian if you don’t do it. While all of that may be true, I also believe that you should stay home and do something else if you haven’t bothered to inform yourself about the issues or the candidates. Quite frankly - and I have said this before - I don’t want my well thought-out vote cancelled by a randomly placed X.

680News will have results for you as soon as they’re available after the polls close at 9 p.m. and comprehensive morning-after coverage tomorrow.

When I wrote my little book a few years ago, I was asked in interviews over and over again why celebrities who did bad things were allowed to continue their careers.

In short - because they make money!

It wasn’t surprising to learn that Britney Spears’ new single is in the top five on the U.S. charts and the number one digital download in Canada. Gimme More grabbed 179,000 downloads in the States making it number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

This revival in her career, which many pop culture experts didn’t think could happen, is coming as the 25-year-old pop tart hits a personal low. She has lost custody of her two sons to her ex-husband, the perennially under-employed dancer/actor/rapper Kevin Federline. She’s been ordered to take random drug tests, meet with a parenting coach and go to counselling. She can only see her two boys with a monitor present to make sure the children aren’t in danger. If Spears is convicted of a hit and run from August, she could end up in jail.

Despite all of this, it’s looking good for Spears’ new CD when it comes out next month. No one in power cares that Spears’ appears to be treating her family like toys and herself like she just doesn’t care. All that matters to the industry is whether kids are eating up the tunes and spending their allowances on the downloads and so far, it appears they are very willing to do so.