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Jennifer D. Wade Journal

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Blog posts November 2007

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

1.  At work, we receive clips of video shot by TV stations and networks from all over the world. Usually, these clips are accompanied by a script or, at the very least, some bare facts about the story.  Earlier this week, I aired video of a fire at a high-rise apartment building in Dallas, Texas.  The accompanying script included this sentence:  The flames have now been distinguished.

2.  Earlier this evening, I saw a package about the hostage drama at a Clinton campaign office in New Hampshire.  The story was voiced by (but not necessarily written by) a reporter who works for the network's affiliate service.  The story included the following description of the man who was, at that point, still holding one person hostage:  He's a white man, in his 40's with salt and pepper hair.

Usually, physical descriptions of suspects are only given when the suspect is on the run!  In this case, the cops knew exactly where he was.  So, why include the description (which, even if he was on the run, wouldn't help anyone catch him)?

While I was pondering this curious piece of writing, things got even curiouser when, a few lines later, the reporter said that the hostage taker was a guy known to police because he has a history of mental problems.  So, not only do cops know WHERE the guy is, but they know WHO he is.  Which makes including a description - especially one that's so generic - in the script even more ridiculous!

3.  Now THIS.  (Thanks to NEWSBLUES for the link)    

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Breaking Heynabonics News!!!

Got this email at work last night and since I am on the cutting edge of all things Heynabonics (at least according to GORT!), here it is:

As seen by over 125,000 on You(se)Tube, NEPA’s only original sketch comedy and improv group will appear at ODYSSEY Fitness for one night only:

Saturday December 22, 2007

8:15 p.m.

Get your tickets today!

Call 829-2661 or email comedy@odysseyfitnesscenter.com

www.onelaughatleast.com


Stand-up, improv and original sketch comedy about life in 2007 and with special focus on life in NEPA. Many favorites, and new stuff too, including a couple of great song and dance numbers.

Thanks for your support of One Laugh at Least over the years!

Shivaun O'Donnell and all of us at
One Laugh at Least
570.814.8229


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Look at All the Pretty Colors

Front Yard

Back Yard.  All these leaves came from the neighbor's tree!

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Ain't No Parade ...

... Like Scranton's SANTA PARADE!  I almost overslept onacounna setting the alarm for "pm" instead of "am."  But, I made it in time, and here are some pix from along the parade route!

This picture is from the end of the route, just outside the Radisson along Lackawanna Avenue.  This is where we let the air out of Garfield, the balloon WNEP had this year.  During the parade, I was holding one of the ropes, so I couldn't take any pictures until the end.

After dropping off the ballon, I made my way back down the parade route.  WNEP televises the parade every year.  This is one of our production people, high up in a bucket truck, taking pictures of the various groups as they passed by the reviewing stand.

As I continued back down the parade route, I stopped at the corner where the parade made the turn from Spruce Street onto Wyoming Avenue.  This float was put together by Liberty Tax Services.  They definitely have a sense of humor!

Then, a few minutes later, the man of the hour came by.  Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived in an antique fire truck in their traditional spot at the end of the parade to mark the official beginning of the holiday season.

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Take the Money and Run

Next time you withdraw money from an ATM, make sure you grab the cash ASAP.  If you wait too long, the police might get involved.

Case in point - this absolutely true story courtesy of a news release from a local State Police barracks.

On some recent date, it seems, a trooper was dispatched to one of the local slots parlors.  A woman reported that she had made a withdrawal from the casino's ATM, but never got her money.  She was by the machine, talking with a friend, and someone, she figured, must have come along and swiped the cash while she wasn't looking.

However, the investigation revealed that no theft had occurred.  What happened, it seems, is that the woman and her friend got to talking, and they talked so long that the money the woman withdrew from the ATM got sucked back into the machine because she waited too long to grab it!

Who knew that ATMs had a time limit?  I know i didn't.  But then, I never waited around long enough to find out.

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Lady Macbeth Strikes

Yesterday, I returned from a sojourn to my ALMA MATER, checked my email, and learned that NORMAN MAILER had died.  He was the top pick - worth 20 points -  on my death pool list, plus I received another 7 points for being the only player to pick him.  So, about 2 weeks into the game, I'm in the lead with 27 points.  I can't really call it winning, because, well, in the end, the winner won't actually win anything.  But, that's neither here nor there.  What counts is Lady Macbeth in the lead!

The ethically murky waters of this death pool are different than the pool I played in before.  In this one, we get to replace people who pass on.  So, Lady Macbeth now has her sights set on the following: 

20Norman Mailer (d. Nov. 10, 2007)
20.  Ray Bradbury
19.  Nancy Reagan
18.  Betty Ford
17.  Kirk Douglas
16.  Fidel CAstro
15.  Ariel Sharon
14.  Muhammad Ali
13.  Billy Graham
12.  Louis Farrakhan
11.  Mark Felt ("Deep Throat")
10.  George H.W. Bush
9.  Ernest Borgnine
8.  Olivia de Havilland
7.  Eli  Wallach
6.  Abe Vigoda
5.  Mickey Rooney
4.  Alan Greenspan
3.  Phyllis Diller
2.  John Wooden
1.  Jerry Lewis

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You Might be a Heyna If ....

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Busy, Busy, Busy

Sorry for the lack of updates.  I've been working a lot, going here and there, and for the past 48 hours or so, have been stranded in election-land.  So, what's been going on since last we met.

Well, after my little TRIP to court, I went back to work and spent a couple days finishing up preparations for election night.  On Halloween, I didn't dress as a zombie but I felt like one.  I got to work at 9 AM only to be sent home a couple hours later so that I could go back to work a couple hours later and produce the 11PM news.

This past weekend, some friends and I took our annual outing to the POE show at Mount Hope.  We drank some wine as we watched the House of Usher Fall and saw misfortune befall Fortunato as he got stuck behind a wall.  Then, we went shopping.

After that, it was back to work on Monday to get ready for Election Day on Tuesday.  Everything went well until the polls closed.  Then, Lackawanna County got immersed in a sea of paper ballots and the tide of counting carried over into Wednesday night.  The only sleep I managed was a few hours early Wednesday morning.

Anyway, it's all over now.  I'm well-rested and ready to get back to my regular schedule.   

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