Thoughts about Fox News, global warming and this week’s broadcast:
By Helen ~ January 24, 2012
What’s not to love about Lyle Lovett? He and his large band, plus blues icon Taj Mahal, join us this week in a repeat of a special eTown program, originally recorded in late August of 2010. Nick and I and the eTown crew return to the breathtakingly beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheatre located outside of Morrison, Colorado. Yup, its one of our “eTown’s Green Rocks at Red Rocks” two-part extravaganzas. We continue the practices we established at our earlier shows of this kind: free biodiesel bus transportation, zero waste zones, renewable energy use, recycling, carpooling, the now famous eTown Eco Village Square located up on the venue plaza, and more (a bit of eTown trivia needed here: Since the first couple of eTown ‘green’ events we did at Red Rocks, the staff and crew of the venue have been inspired to adopt some of these same environmentally friendly procedures we first introduced there; many are now part of the regular routine for Red Rocks, to which we are very proud to have contributed).
Back to the show: Normally I’d tell you a bit about each visiting musical act. But you don’t really need me to do that. I mean, Taj Mahal is a living blues legend. He’s also one of the most talented and gifted musicians out there, with one of the most recognizable voices in the music world. And Lyle is someone we all know of – great writer, great singer, great performer; and a great person, too. A soft spoken, gracious, kind, real live Texas gentleman. And by now most of you know of the long standing connection between Nick and Lyle: They’ve been friends since they met when Lyle, then unknown and first starting out, opened shows in Texas for Nick’s band Hot Rize. I’ve been fortunate to come to know Lyle since then; we met in 1989 through Nick, at one of Lyle’s concerts. He’s someone I really like, as a person and as an artist.
Part One features an E-Chievement Award story interview with a man who’s been raising awareness, across the US and around the world, about crucial environmental issues in the West for well over 40 years (Part Two will feature an interview with former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, talking about his personal passion: renewal energy). We’re talking all around great listening, folks. I hope you’ll join us, both this week and next, for part one and two of Green Rocks at Red Rocks!
Stay cozy . . . winter marches on. We just had snow and cold and horrid wind for a few days, followed by a day with a high of 63 degrees., followed by more cold and wind, followed by crazy warm weather. Geez. I feel lucky from one perspective, to have had those balmy, glorious spring-like days. But then, the spector of global warming rears its ugly head in my brain. You know what I heard the other day? In 2001, over 70% of Americans recognized global warming as a pressing issue that needed to be addressed; ten years later, closer to 40% do.
What the heck happened? Personally, I think a lot of it has to do with the number of people in this country who use Fox News (‘Fair and Balanced?’ What a sad joke) and lie-spewing idiots like Rush Limbaugh for their main source of ‘news’ (Ha, but how do you really feel, Helen? Don’t hold back!).
I miss the days of Walter Cronkite: the era of real journalists who thoroughly, clinically and unbiasedly
researched and wrote the stories they covered, using stringent professional standards. No Barbie and Ken doll-like talking heads who simply regurgitate whatever the higher ups give them, with the sole purpose of increasing ratings. I guarantee you, Mr. Cronkite was not concerned with ratings; he was concerned with the truth. With keeping this nation well informed. With putting us in the know about both the triumphs and the shortcomings of our society and the American people. Who knew how lucky we were to have such a great system in place for so long? I took it for granted. Again, I miss it.
Talk next week, my friends. Till then, have a great week.
Helen
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