February Blizzard/Shoveling/WCWP February 14, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Jazz, Music, Personal, Radio, Weather.add a comment
As I said in the postponed/unpostponed post, we were hit by a blizzard here on Long Island from late Tuesday night to early Thursday morning.
The most significant snow began falling Wednesday afternoon:
My dad shoveled the driveway just as the snow intensified:
I shoveled as much of the driveway as I could early Wednesday evening. Snow continued to fall:
My parents shoveled the driveway Thursday morning with my sister and I shoveling for an hour in the early afternoon. After I’d finished, I took these pictures:
At around 5PM, it was off to WCWP for Evening Jazz. I shot these pictures as I arrived:
During the second hour, I shot a couple of self-timed pictures by mounting my camera on a mic stand:
More snow is expected Monday night into Tuesday. I hope it isn’t much. Honestly, I’m ready for Spring.
February 11 “Evening Jazz” postponed; then unpostponed February 10, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, Personal, Radio, Weather.add a comment
2/11 UPDATE: I have unpostponed tonight’s show. See you tonight.
Due to the blizzard conditions today and tonight, I have made the difficult decision to postpone tomorrow night’s “Evening Jazz.” The playlist I originally made for tomorrow will be used next Thursday.
Tomorrow will be a day of shoveling for me. I’ll be back with you on Tuesday night at 7:00 Eastern on 88.1 FM WCWP. Fred Camin is slated for Monday night.
2/11 UPDATE: I shoveled for about an hour early last night. Today, my parents shoveled what fell after I finished. Then, my sister and I shoveled a bit more. I’ll have a recap and pictures in a later post.
Cause and Effects; 4/7/13 UPDATE: Drew’s side of the story, What took me (Mike) so long February 6, 2010
Posted by Mike C. in Books, Game Shows, Media, TV, Weather.add a comment
5/16/19 UPDATE: I wrote a long overdue follow up after watching Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much.
Terry’s side of the story
4/7/13 UPDATE: Drew’s side of the story comes later in this post.
Terry Kneiss, a Double Showcase winner on The Price is Right in December 2008, sent me the following e-mail (with permission to quote him here) on Wednesday:
I just got word from my publisher that the book “Cause and Effects: The Amazing Story Surrounding the ‘Perfect Showcase Bid’ on Television’s #1 Daytime Game Show” is available to buy online for pre-order. The website is www.perfectshowcasebid.com. Publisher is Langdon Press out of [Minnesota].
That perfect showcase bid led to an unenthusiastic reaction from host Drew Carey. At the time, I didn’t understand why he reacted that way, but I defended him nonetheless:
I believe he was simply in stunned disbelief and shock. Not everyone handles that situation by yelling and screaming. Drew has had the yelling, screaming reaction before, but he is far from perfect. If you want Drew to be wildly enthusiastic every time, you’re going to be disappointed. Clearly, many were disappointed by this. If you want to stop watching “The Price is Right” because Drew isn’t enthusiastic enough for your taste, it’s your choice. But there are plenty of people like me that support Drew and will continue to watch.
I now feel that Drew thought Terry was playing him and the TPiR staff like fools, the same way Michael Larson did on Press Your Luck in 1984. But I could be wrong.
Cause and Effects will showcase, pardon the pun, Terry’s side of the story. On the book’s website, there is this introduction:
My name is Terry Kniess as in the guy who hit The Price Is Right Showcase on the nose — last done in 1973! That earned me a “double showcase!” Oh, and you pronounce Kniess like “niece”, as in ‘my niece hit The Price Is Right showcase just a few weeks after I did!’ But is this a simple story of incredible luck? Or is this the tale– as so many members of the press are asserting — of a diabolical scheme perpetrated by a family of evil geniuses? Well, it all starts with a dog.
My vote is “a simple story.”
Terry is a retired meteorologist and has his own weather website.
2/10 UPDATE: Terry has supplied me with an excerpt from Chapter 15: “Pegging the Stranger Meter, or Just a Series of Coincidences?”:
If there is any reason to believe in a conspiracy theory, it’s because of the strange but true coincidences between the show she (my niece, Jodi) was on and the show I was on. Let’s review:
1. Her show aired exactly one month to the day after the one I was on.
2. She sat in the same seat I did.
3. Her fiancé, Tom, sat in the same seat as my wife, Linda.
4. Both Jodi and I were among the first four contestants called to “Come on down.”
5. Linda had to tell me my name was called. Ton had to tell Jodi her name was called.
6. She got up on stage with the third prize up for bid. The same with me.
7. We were both in the first Showcase Showdown. The Showcase Showdown is when the contestants spin the big wheel at the end of the first half and second half of the show.
8. Her first spin was $.95. My first spin was $.90.
4/7/13 UPDATE: Drew’s side of the story
Last week, Pop My Culture podcast co-host Vanessa Ragland was one of three guests (one of them recurring) on voice actor Rob Paulsen’s weekly Talkin’ Toons UStream show (formerly itself a podcast). My curiosity was piqued enough to search for the series on iTunes. As with the Nerdist podcast three years ago, The Price is Right host Drew Carey was on Pop My Culture last year.
About ten minutes in, Drew recalled Kneiss’ double showcase success (without naming him). And similar to that show, he was deadpan while lamenting the situation. Drew said there was a diehard TPIR fan that sits in the front row. The fan knew what the prices of prizes were because they were, at the time, recycled. “I don’t care what that f***in’ guy said,” Drew intoned. “He got it from the guy in the front row ’cause we have it on tape.” He went on to say the fan did that “out of malice to give everybody the exact price and kinda screw over the show.”
Drew wasn’t the only one to say this. Carrie Grosvenor said the same thing at About the day it aired!:
Apparently, according to the message boards at Golden Road, one of their regular members was in the audience on the day this show was taped, and had been shouting out pricing answers throughout the show. This isn’t unusual in and of itself – anyone who watches the show knows that the audience does this, and that contestants look to these shouted answers for guidance. However, in this case, the audience member, who calls himself “Ted” at Golden Road, is an expert on pricing these items and has some experience giving correct dollar amounts away to contestants. If you watch the show again, it’s very clear that contestant Terry was looking directly at a single person in the audience for help.
In Drew’s Pop My Culture appearance, he noted that TPiR now changes up the prizes and prize features regularly so the prices will be different each time. Terry Kneiss’ “simple story of incredible luck” may be simpler than I originally thought, but the show’s new practice make his story unique. His on-the-nose success may never be duplicated.
What took me so long?
You may be wondering why it took so long for me to update this post with that information. First, I wasn’t as big a Price is Right fan as others and as big a game show fan as I used to be. Second, I gave up watching the show in 2011 when George Gray was made the permanent announcer. Forgive me, but George has an exaggerated delivery and I couldn’t stand hearing it. That’s another thing Drew brought up on PMC: fans that don’t like the changes to the show. With my radio background and as a fan of voice acting, this is the only change that I don’t like. It makes me wish that Jim Thornton could double his announcing his duties and work TPiR in addition to Wheel of Fortune. But like my desire for FOX Sports to go back to using unique themes and cues for the sports they cover, neither George nor FOX’s practice of using NFL cues for more than just NFL coverage are going anywhere. So, I just need to accept both unpleasant situations and move on.
Late Fall Blizzard! December 19, 2009
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Personal, Weather.add a comment
Saturday, December 19
Tonight, Long Island and much of the Northeast coast is enduring a late Fall blizzard. Nassau and Suffolk Counties have been under a Blizzard Warning since yesterday and through 11AM tomorrow. Accumulations are expected to be anywhere from 12 to 18, or even 20, inches of snow.
Tomorrow, I’ll be shoveling out.
Coincidentally, we got snow on this day last year, too, but much less and it changed to rain by afternoon. Despite the wintry weather, I was still able to make it to IMAC for David Benoit’s Charlie Brown Christmas concert. It would be my last visit to IMAC before it closed six months later.
In the days ahead, this post will be updated with pictures and final snowfall totals.
Sunday, December 20
The National Weather Service reported 14.0 inches in Seaford. So, I guess that’s what we got here in Wantagh.
I spent two hours shoveling with my mom and sister. Our neighbor was nice enough to lend us his snow blower for my dad to use. It’s a good thing I had all that help. There was no way I would have been able to shovel that much snow by myself.
No, I did not wear those shoes while shoveling. I changed into them when I went inside to take pictures. I wore boots when I was shoveling.
C.W. Post/WCWP Homecoming 2009 recap October 6, 2009
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Football, Internet, Jazz, Personal, Radio, Sports, Weather.1 comment so far
Other recaps: 2008, WCWP 50th Anniversary (2011), 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
I arrived on campus for this year’s Homecoming shortly after 2:30. Unlike last year, the weather was cloudy (at least when I arrived), warm, and humid.
After putting all my equipment (and two bottles of soda) down at WCWP, I walked to Hickox Field to soak in the Homecoming atmosphere.
This year, the C.W. Post Pioneers football team played the Shippensburg Red Raiders.
The press box:
The WCWP play-by-play announcers were in the lower right corner.
Here’s a closer look:
The Pioneers won 40-24.
After I got back to WCWP, the rains came, and they were heavy.
There were even a few rumbles of thunder, including a loud crash.
Across from Studio 1, I noticed the print version of Jim Merritt’s Newsday recap of this year’s Long Island Radio & TV Day.
Here I am with fellow alumni Jonathan Focarino, Stephanie Koithan, Jay Mirabile, and Pete Bellotti:
The same people, but with another alumna: M.J.:
Bobby G. and Bernie Bernard:
Bernie was the board operator during Steve and Birdy’s radio show, which led in to mine.
At 6:30, I headed to the Pioneer Room in Hillwood Commons to set up for my show from the WCWP Homecoming Dinner.
Here is the audio aircheck from the show.
The same audio mixed with video from my camcorder:
And here are some vidcaps, starting with me counting down to go on:
Bernie Bernard took this picture of me as “Down the Wire” by Spyro Gyra was playing:
Back to vidcaps as I smirk at my camcorder after bobbing my head in time to “W.C. Handy Hop” by Gerald Albright:
Closing the show…
…and turning the mic off:
Back in Studio 1 at WCWP, Jay Mirabile’s “Disco and Funk King Show” followed me:
Jay and Bernie Bernard:
Jay and WCWP Homecoming Coordinator Alan Seltzer:
Jay and Eli W. Sen:
Then, I joined in:
We conclude this recap with some webcam shots from Studio 1:
See you next year!
U.S. Open 2009 recap June 25, 2009
Posted by Mike C. in Golf, Personal, Sports, Travel, TV, Weather.add a comment
Last week, Bethpage Black Golf Course hosted the 109th U.S. Open [Golf] Championship. The Black Course is one of five golf courses at Bethpage State Park. The other ones are Yellow, Red, Blue, and Green. Depending on where you are on the Black Course, you are in Old Bethpage, Melville, or Farmingdale, New York. The course also hosted the 102nd U.S. Open in 2002 won by Tiger Woods.
Heavy rains delayed the tournament on Thursday and Saturday. That pushed each round up a day. The first round was mostly played on Friday, the second round was played on Friday and Saturday, the third round was played on Saturday and Sunday, and the final round on Sunday and Monday. Needless to say, the suspension-of-play airhorns (or whatever they’re called) got quite a workout. Those rains, coupled with thousands (at least) of feet walking on the grounds created widespread mud puddles.
I was there three days during the week of the Open: Sunday, June 14, for the free pre-championship opening weekend; Tuesday, June 16, for the second Practice Round; and Sunday, June 21, for much of the third round and the start of the final round. (In 2002, I was there on June 9 and 15.)
In the days and weeks ahead, I will gradually add pictures taken on the 14th and 16th to this post.
Here are pics from June 14:
This was a special exit on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expwy. (NY 135) northbound for U.S. Open shuttle buses coming from Jones Beach.
Heading for parking lot C:
Entering Lot C:
Getting on the spectator shuttle to the Black Course:
This is normally the parking lot for the golf courses, but during the Open, it was a pick-up/drop-off lot:
Entering the course…
Testing the jumbotron:
Fans watching players on the practice range:
The merchandise pavilion:
As people exited the pavilion, they were greeted by posters for future U.S. Open Championships:
The site for the 2016 Open was later revealed to be Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania:
One of many concession stands:
The back of the practice range grandstands:
Walking up to the grandstands:
A tee shot in mid-flight:
Another one:
Both pictures were cropped versions of larger ones.
The main gate for shuttles to and from Jones Beach:
Let’s look inside the American Express Championship Experience tent…
The history of the U.S. Open:
An Open timeline:
Back outside, this is the gate for shuttles to and from LIRR Farmingdale Station:
Me:
Pictures from my practice round trip on June 16 still to come.
After 72 holes had been completed, Lucas Glover had won. It was his first major championship, and only his second win on the PGA Tour.
8/18/12 UPDATE: In a major case of procrastination, I never got around to posting pictures from my practice round trip. With The Barclays coming to Bethpage Black next week, it’s time for me to finally post those pics. Since there are so many, I’m posting them in gallery form. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to limit what pictures to include in the gallery. So, scroll down until you see MC61609003 – a picture of buses.
8/2/16 UPDATE: I figured out how to limit the pictures. Forget what I said in the previous update. All pictures in the gallery below are now from the practice round.
David Benoit/Charlie Brown Christmas recap December 20, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, Personal, Weather.add a comment
For my recap of David Benoit’s show at Tarrytown Music Hall in May 2010, click here.
When I woke up on Thursday, I had no idea that there was any wintry precipitation on the way. But a weather alert from my The Weather Channel Desktop Max software noted we were under a Winter Storm Watch with potential snow accumulations of six inches or more yesterday (Friday). This brought a fear to my mind that David Benoit’s Charlie Brown Christmas concert at IMAC in Huntington – a concert I had been looking forward to for six months – would be canceled.
Later in the day, I learned from News 12 Traffic & Weather that we (Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island) were only under a Winter Weather Advisory and accumulations of only two to four inches were expected with snow changing to sleet and rain by afternoon.
As Friday afternoon began, it was still snowing and there was plenty of accumulation, or so it felt. It also felt like the snow was unstoppable. At 3:00, I went outside to shovel the snow in our (my family’s) driveway. At first, snow and sleet fell, then only sleet, and finally rain. One hour later, I went inside to grab my digital camera. Then, I went back outside, where the sleet had returned and picked up in intensity. I attached the camera to my mini-tripod, rested it on a chair in the front porch, and took a few self-timed pictures. This was the best one (despite the visible wet spots on my khakis):
Three hours later, having not received a cancellation e-mail, me and my mom – who had never been to a David Benoit concert – braved horrendous driving conditions, especially on the Long Island Expressway (I-495; L.I.E.), in the rain and sleet, and headed up to IMAC for the concert.
David Benoit and his quartet miraculously arrived at LaGuardia Airport from Reagan National (they were in Washington, D.C. on Thursday) before the worst of the storm hit.
With that preliminary information out of the way, let the recap begin.
The David Benoit Quartet was comprised of David Benoit on piano:
David Hughes on acoustic bass…
…and electric bass:
Jamey Tate on drums:
And Andy Suzuki on saxophone…
…and flute:
FIRST SET:
1. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown
2. The Buggy Ride
David speaking to the audience…
…and introducing the band after The Buggy Ride:
3. The Great Pumpkin Waltz
4. Wild Kids
The last two minutes featured a call and response between David B. and Andy.
Starting here, David H. was on electric bass for the rest of the set.
5. Human Nature
6.Kei’s Song
Andy did not perform on this.
7. Freedom At Midnight
8. Beat Street
This featured a wild drum solo from Jamey.
SECOND SET:
9. Christmas is Coming
10. Skating
11.O Tannenbaum
Andy did not perform on this. David H. had a bass solo.
Midway through, a small Christmas tree was brought out. It was a replica of the tree picked by Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas. David left the piano to decorate it and fasten it to its stand:
Then, he returned to the piano.
The rest of the set featured the Stimson Showstoppers from Stimson Middle School in Huntington Station. They were under the direction of Ms. Terri Haas.
12. Just Like Me
This was the only original piece in the second set. It was co-written by David B. and Lee Mendelson, and first appeared on 40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas in 2005, where it was performed by Vanessa Williams.
Here, two of the Stimson Showstoppers, Amelia and Olivia (I hope I got their names right), doubly handled the vocals.
They got a standing ovation from an audience that seemed to my ears to feature many students, faculty, and parents from Stimson and the South Huntington School District, as well as general Huntington residents. Though I and the rest of the audience were outsiders, we were all Stimson last night.
Then, the rest of the Showstoppers came on stage for…
13. My Little Drum
Andy did not perform on this.
14. Hark The Herald Angels Sing (vocalizing only)/Christmas Time Is Here
15. Linus and Lucy
For Linus and Lucy, all they had to do was clap (and dance) to the music.
The set was complete, but the night was not:
ENCORE 1: Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Assuming there would only be one encore, I shot two curtain call pictures. The first one is blurry, but looks artsy. So, I’ve included it:
But on this night, there was a second encore!
ENCORE 2: The Christmas Song (David only)
And that was officially it.
At the meet-and-greet, David and I saw each other in person for the first time since July 2006. At the time, I was about 80 pounds heavier than I am now. He was very complimentary of how I looked and of the weight I had lost.
Once we finished catching up, me and my mom headed for home. The roads weren’t as bad going home as they were heading to IMAC. Unfortunately, more snow is in the forecast for tomorrow. This is going to be some winter, isn’t it?
South Florida trip recap October 21, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Personal, Weather.add a comment
It’s taken me a few weeks to get around to this, but here is a recap of my trip to South Florida, culled from some of my best pictures, at least of scenery and roadways.
Sunday, September 28
The pool near my grandparents’ house in Boynton Beach:
There were torrential downpours Sunday evening and my parents, grandparents, and I had to drive through them on Florida’s Turnpike on our way to dinner at Silver Pond, a Hong Kong-style Chinese restaurant, in Lauderdale Lakes.
After dinner, the rain followed us back to Boynton Beach.
Tuesday, September 30
My grandfather celebrated his 80th birthday at my aunt’s, uncle’s, and cousin’s house in Coral Springs. It rained that day, too…
…but it ended by dusk.
The next few pictures were from the ride back to Boynton Beach on the Sawgrass Expressway (FL 869)…
…and Powerline Rd., which turns into Jog Rd. north of Glades Rd. (FL 808).
Wednesday, October 1
The following set of pictures was taken from my grandparents’ backyard and front yard, before my parents, sister, and I drove back to Palm Beach International Airport to fly home.
Now, the ride up Military Trail (FL 809) to the airport:
The view of the airport from Belvedere Rd.:
Riding our rental car company’s shuttle to the terminal:
Once at the terminal:
When we arrived at the gate, we found out our flight was delayed an hour. But we landed on Long Island only twenty minutes behind schedule.
That concludes this recap.
4/9/11 UPDATE: In June 2010, my grandmother passed away. My grandfather passed in November. May they rest in peace.
Three days to air! October 15, 2008
Posted by Mike C. in Personal, Radio, Weather.add a comment
Only three more days to go until my alumni weekend/Homecoming radio show at WCWP. A few showers and low 50s are in the forecast. So, I guess I won’t be dressed like I was last year:
It was in the upper 70s to low 80s and kind of humid, if I remember correctly. Let’s just say it was quite warm for early October on Long Island.
MikeChimeri.com 
