I forgot to mention: Unlike analog, digital TV requires a strong signal. If you are used to watching CH. 11 in Pgh, Ch. 9 in Steubenville, or Ch. 61 (Unavision) in Cleveland; in the words of former Pittsburgh Pirate broadcaster, Bob Prince, "You can kiss it goodbye!". You aren't going to be able to pick up out of town stations unless you have an antenna that looks like the Hubble Telescope.
I have two converter box coupons that expire today. I do not think that I will use them. Why? Well, in my opinion, broadcast TV in the Youngstown area (WYTV - WFMJ - WKBN) is unmitigated garbage. Over the years I have watched as the commercials got longer and multiplied. The news programs became cruder and less professional. It seems like every night, there is at least one busted news segment where the anchor says somnething like: "here's that video of Gov. Strickland's speech" and the screen shows us a bunch of pre-schoolers playing in a sandbox. The 3 stations run hundreds of self serving commerecials telling us about how committed their newspeople are to this area and then poof!, there're off to another market area. Most of Sunday afternoon programming is devoted to hours long info-mercials to try and sell us fradulent products which will allow us to eat as much as we want and still lose weight. Most of the local stations still run late night ads for Smiling' Bob's Enzyte even after Enzyte founder Steve Warshok was sent to federal prision for 30 years because it's a fraud. There are about 300,000 employed people in this area, but all we hear about are the problems of the GM Lordstown employees and, of course, Kelly Pavlik. I figure it would cost me about $20 over the value of the coupon voucher to buy one of the boxes. Youngstown TV isn't worth it.
I hate to rain on Mr. Obama's post victory parade, but I saw the list of possible Obama Cabinet appointees on TV this morning. Excuse me, but aren't most of them the same old crew of political hacks who worked in the disgraced Clinton administration? Summers, Rubin, Podesta, Dee Dee Meyers et al. So the election wasn't about change after all. Apparently it was about geting jobs for Democratic party beltway insiders. If you voted for Mr. Obama because of racial pride or just for the novelty of it, you have been rewarded. But, if you voted for Obama "for change" it is beginning to appear that you were hoodwinked. Change was nice. Too bad it only lasted a day.
You know, if tommorrow, former PA Gov. Tom Ridge and Colin Powell anounced that they were running for pres/vp (I don't care about the order)they would blow the Republicans and Democrats out of the water. I am a life long Republican, but I will not let my vote be taken for granted. What did gas cost when GWB took office? $1.29, $1.69? I don't know, but it sure wasn't $3.89. I am surprised that Obama does not ask the obvious question, the one that got Ronald Reagan elected: "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?" I sure as hell ain't.
I was unable to read your entire post because the Vindy.Com site skips about every fourth line. In any event, I also am tired of all the sparring which, so far, has produced nothing but ill feelings and not a whole lot of new information. I feel bad for your loss. I hope you believe that. I am not an evil person. I abhor violence. I worked for some time in a sporting goods\firearms store. When I sensed that a customer was possibly planning to do something stupid or violent, I refused to sell them a waepon. Several times. I only met Tom Beno once or twice. I really knew very little about him. Yes, I fully realize that my friend shot and killed him. When you are a law-abiding person, it is not easy to put your good name on a published letter defending someone who has pled to aggravated murder. For your family's sake, I would hope that some day, Tom Beno will be remembered for his life, not his death.
In all your interviews, in all your internet postings, in all your letters to the editor, you folks complain that Tom Kemp never made a personal apology to you. Now you finally come out and admit that it wouldn't have made the tiniest bit of difference. I took Tom Kemp's side because he is the son of my father's best friend and I felt he was getting piled on by the media. I still feel that way because of other people from this valley who have committed murders that required weeks of premeditation and have since been paroled. The media took little or no note of the releases of Mr. Carrabia, Mr. Masters or Robert Williams. Remember Mr. Williams? He went into a barber shop in Poland and shot and killed the barber and his 9 or 10 year old customer without any provocation. He's out. If these people rate parole, then Tom Kemp rates a fair and impartial hearing before the parole board. That is all I ever wanted for him and I hope he will recieve it. You always tell me that I don't have the real facts. Well, I do know that only 4 people were in the kitchen that day. Only two were not involved either as victim or shooter. Both of these remaining 2 witnesses are very supportive of Tom Kemp and have been all these years. So, I think it is only fair to ask where your facts come from.
It is my letter that Ms. Williams refers to. Tom Kemp (and his family) were told several times by legal counsel to have absolutely no contact with the Beno family. I'm no lawyer, but in retrospect, this advice by counsel would appear to have been bad advice. At Tom's last parole hearing, the Kemp family was told by parole officials that if any of them approached the Beno's, the hearing would end right then and there. I have been in contact with Mr. Kemp and his family several times in the last month. While the Beno family did, in fact, request letters from friends, the Vindicator called for a "flood of letters from the public". It was those letters that I was referring to. Let me ask you this: If Tom Kemp did write to you or somehow contact you to express his remorse, would it make a difference? If it would, I would certainly urge him to do so.
I hardly expected to change the mind of any of Mr. Beno's relatives. I understand and respect why they are doing what they are doing. But, as a friend of the Kemp family from years ago, I simply feel I should attempt to see that Mr. Kemp gets a fair and impartial hearing. Nothing more, nothing less. If he is as incorrigible as you say, then you have nothing to worry about. The parole board members will be advised of this and act accordingly. I do object to the gratutious slam at the Kemp family. Al Kemp, Tom's dad who died about 8 years ago, was one of the finest gentlemen I ever met. The one thing I simply cannot understand, is , if as you say, Mr. Kemp had been making threats against your family since 1987, and, since Mr. Beno fired Mr. Kemp from his employment over the issue of Mr. Beno's attentions to Mr. Kemp's step-daughter, then why on earth did the newlywed Beno's decide to stop and visit Mr. Kemp immediately after their wedding. I would think that would be the last place they would go. Im tired of writing on this subject also.
JanaLeigh - I am not making these posts to increase anyone's misery. I remember Tom Kemp from years ago. I have not had contact with him in over 20 years. I think he should be judged on his own merits. The Vindicator called for a "flood of letters". I have no problem with people who knew Mr. Beno writing letters. That is understandable. I don't see what purpose is served by having total strangers write a "flood of letters". As for there being "so much more to this story" I can only tell you that I have heard about 50 versions already and no two of them are alike. Didn't the prosecutor's office discuss this plea arrangement with your family before Mr. Kemp pled to it? That is the usual procedure. And, that would have been the time to have opposed it.
JanaLeigh - Explain to me how Ron Carabbia, Stephen Masters, and Robert Williams all got released. Everybody knows how Carrabia blew up Danny Green. I case you forgot, Stephen Masters plotted for weeks on how to kill his wife for insurance money. Then he shot her on Valentine's day and burned the house down around her. He's out and the media didn't complain. Robert Williams went in the barber shop in Poland and, for no reason, shot and killed barber Frank Listorti and his young customer Bobby Kramer. He was released a couple of years ago and the media took no notice. If we are going to have parole, it should be fair.
Public getting in tune with digital TV mandate
I forgot to mention: Unlike analog, digital TV requires a strong signal. If you are used to watching CH. 11 in Pgh, Ch. 9 in Steubenville, or Ch. 61 (Unavision) in Cleveland; in the words of former Pittsburgh Pirate broadcaster, Bob Prince, "You can kiss it goodbye!". You aren't going to be able to pick up out of town stations unless you have an antenna that looks like the Hubble Telescope.
January 26, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Public getting in tune with digital TV mandate
I have two converter box coupons that expire today. I do not think that I will use them. Why? Well, in my opinion, broadcast TV in the Youngstown area (WYTV - WFMJ - WKBN) is unmitigated garbage. Over the years I have watched as the commercials got longer and multiplied. The news programs became cruder and less professional. It seems like every night, there is at least one busted news segment where the anchor says somnething like: "here's that video of Gov. Strickland's speech" and the screen shows us a bunch of pre-schoolers playing in a sandbox. The 3 stations run hundreds of self serving commerecials telling us about how committed their newspeople are to this area and then poof!, there're off to another market area. Most of Sunday afternoon programming is devoted to hours long info-mercials to try and sell us fradulent products which will allow us to eat as much as we want and still lose weight. Most of the local stations still run late night ads for Smiling' Bob's Enzyte even after Enzyte founder Steve Warshok was sent to federal prision for 30 years because it's a fraud. There are about 300,000 employed people in this area, but all we hear about are the problems of the GM Lordstown employees and, of course, Kelly Pavlik. I figure it would cost me about $20 over the value of the coupon voucher to buy one of the boxes. Youngstown TV isn't worth it.
January 26, 2009 at 2:15 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Moving to fill Cabinet, Obama offers chief of staff post to ex-Clinton aide
I hate to rain on Mr. Obama's post victory parade, but I saw the list of possible Obama Cabinet appointees on TV this morning. Excuse me, but aren't most of them the same old crew of political hacks who worked in the disgraced Clinton administration? Summers, Rubin, Podesta, Dee Dee Meyers et al. So the election wasn't about change after all. Apparently it was about geting jobs for Democratic party beltway insiders. If you voted for Mr. Obama because of racial pride or just for the novelty of it, you have been rewarded. But, if you voted for Obama "for change" it is beginning to appear that you were hoodwinked. Change was nice. Too bad it only lasted a day.
November 6, 2008 at 12:28 p.m. permalink suggest removal
The Vindy still needs some undecided voters. Click here NOW!
You know, if tommorrow, former PA Gov. Tom Ridge and Colin Powell anounced that they were running for pres/vp (I don't care about the order)they would blow the Republicans and Democrats out of the water. I am a life long Republican, but I will not let my vote be taken for granted. What did gas cost when GWB took office? $1.29, $1.69? I don't know, but it sure wasn't $3.89. I am surprised that Obama does not ask the obvious question, the one that got Ronald Reagan elected: "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?" I sure as hell ain't.
September 25, 2008 at 5 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Another side of the story
I was unable to read your entire post because the Vindy.Com site skips about every fourth line. In any event, I also am tired of all the sparring which, so far, has produced nothing but ill feelings and not a whole lot of new information. I feel bad for your loss. I hope you believe that. I am not an evil person. I abhor violence. I worked for some time in a sporting goods\firearms store. When I sensed that a customer was possibly planning to do something stupid or violent, I refused to sell them a waepon. Several times. I only met Tom Beno once or twice. I really knew very little about him. Yes, I fully realize that my friend shot and killed him. When you are a law-abiding person, it is not easy to put your good name on a published letter defending someone who has pled to aggravated murder. For your family's sake, I would hope that some day, Tom Beno will be remembered for his life, not his death.
September 25, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Another side of the story
In all your interviews, in all your internet postings, in all your letters to the editor, you folks complain that Tom Kemp never made a personal apology to you. Now you finally come out and admit that it wouldn't have made the tiniest bit of difference. I took Tom Kemp's side because he is the son of my father's best friend and I felt he was getting piled on by the media. I still feel that way because of other people from this valley who have committed murders that required weeks of premeditation and have since been paroled. The media took little or no note of the releases of Mr. Carrabia, Mr. Masters or Robert Williams. Remember Mr. Williams? He went into a barber shop in Poland and shot and killed the barber and his 9 or 10 year old customer without any provocation. He's out. If these people rate parole, then Tom Kemp rates a fair and impartial hearing before the parole board. That is all I ever wanted for him and I hope he will recieve it. You always tell me that I don't have the real facts. Well, I do know that only 4 people were in the kitchen that day. Only two were not involved either as victim or shooter. Both of these remaining 2 witnesses are very supportive of Tom Kemp and have been all these years. So, I think it is only fair to ask where your facts come from.
September 25, 2008 at 3:19 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Another side of the story
It is my letter that Ms. Williams refers to. Tom Kemp (and his family) were told several times by legal counsel to have absolutely no contact with the Beno family. I'm no lawyer, but in retrospect, this advice by counsel would appear to have been bad advice. At Tom's last parole hearing, the Kemp family was told by parole officials that if any of them approached the Beno's, the hearing would end right then and there. I have been in contact with Mr. Kemp and his family several times in the last month. While the Beno family did, in fact, request letters from friends, the Vindicator called for a "flood of letters from the public". It was those letters that I was referring to. Let me ask you this: If Tom Kemp did write to you or somehow contact you to express his remorse, would it make a difference? If it would, I would certainly urge him to do so.
September 24, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Execute obese inmate soon; deny parole to Valley killer
I hardly expected to change the mind of any of Mr. Beno's relatives. I understand and respect why they are doing what they are doing. But, as a friend of the Kemp family from years ago, I simply feel I should attempt to see that Mr. Kemp gets a fair and impartial hearing. Nothing more, nothing less. If he is as incorrigible as you say, then you have nothing to worry about. The parole board members will be advised of this and act accordingly. I do object to the gratutious slam at the Kemp family. Al Kemp, Tom's dad who died about 8 years ago, was one of the finest gentlemen I ever met. The one thing I simply cannot understand, is , if as you say, Mr. Kemp had been making threats against your family since 1987, and, since Mr. Beno fired Mr. Kemp from his employment over the issue of Mr. Beno's attentions to Mr. Kemp's step-daughter, then why on earth did the newlywed Beno's decide to stop and visit Mr. Kemp immediately after their wedding. I would think that would be the last place they would go. Im tired of writing on this subject also.
September 8, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Execute obese inmate soon; deny parole to Valley killer
JanaLeigh - I am not making these posts to increase anyone's misery. I remember Tom Kemp from years ago. I have not had contact with him in over 20 years. I think he should be judged on his own merits. The Vindicator called for a "flood of letters". I have no problem with people who knew Mr. Beno writing letters. That is understandable. I don't see what purpose is served by having total strangers write a "flood of letters". As for there being "so much more to this story" I can only tell you that I have heard about 50 versions already and no two of them are alike. Didn't the prosecutor's office discuss this plea arrangement with your family before Mr. Kemp pled to it? That is the usual procedure. And, that would have been the time to have opposed it.
September 8, 2008 at 2:22 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Execute obese inmate soon; deny parole to Valley killer
JanaLeigh - Explain to me how Ron Carabbia, Stephen Masters, and Robert Williams all got released. Everybody knows how Carrabia blew up Danny Green. I case you forgot, Stephen Masters plotted for weeks on how to kill his wife for insurance money. Then he shot her on Valentine's day and burned the house down around her. He's out and the media didn't complain. Robert Williams went in the barber shop in Poland and, for no reason, shot and killed barber Frank Listorti and his young customer Bobby Kramer. He was released a couple of years ago and the media took no notice. If we are going to have parole, it should be fair.
September 8, 2008 at 12:28 p.m. permalink suggest removal