The MIghty Toyota

I've become my father - sort of. I now own the same model car my father did at this age. His Toyota Corolla (left) was the first and only car he bought new. Its gas economy came in handy after the first oil embargo of the seventies. Back then, I had a very sporty gas guzzling '67 Plymouth Satellite, followed by a more sensible Dodge. When it looked like gas would hit $2 a gallon by the end of 1980, I opted for my first Japanese car: a very basic Plymouth Arrow (Mitsubishi), then two Mazdas, a Nissan Altima good for 250,000 miles, and now my Toyota. The gas pedal recall seems to have spared my 2007 Corolla, but this news has got to be shaking the very foundation of what had been an invincible brand for decades. Connecticut's Attorney General has claimed that Toyota has been slow in informing car owners about the gas pedal defect and what to do about it. Toyota can do a lot more damage control now than by letting a communication breakdown ruin their quality reputation. Millions have heeded the call to "Get your hands on a Toyota. You'll never let go!" My father loved his Toyota, and I love mine. Don't toy with our affections.

So Long For Now

Last night marked the end of Conan O'Brien's run of original shows on the Tonight Shows. It was sad, but he went out on a high, even classy, note. We are living in such a cynical age, and Conan addressed that head on ("I hate cynicism"). NBC was "America's Late Night Leader" for years as Jay Leno led in the ratings as host of the Tonight Show. The magic did not carry over into his prime time experiment at 10 p.m., which made for a weaker lead-in to local news and even Tonight. The whole Conan O'Brien - Jay Leno shuffle has been a disaster for NBC, and the competition has been the beneficiary. As far as monologues go, I was always more of a fan of David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel. I do think Conan's cast and bits have been some of the funniest in late night, from Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to Andy Richter to "In the Year 2000." Middle America clearly feels Leno is the rightful heir to Johnny Carson, but I hope Conan finds another late night spot on Fox or Comedy Central. He has earned it.

The Unthinkable in Haiti

Can anyone truly grasp the magnitude of the disaster in Haiti? I can't think of any single traumatic event in the history of the Western Hemisphere that claimed so many lives in so little time. Even though the poorest nation in the Americas has been in the news for so many reasons, Haiti still seemed worlds away for most of us until last week's 7.0 earthquake, the many aftershocks and the heartbreaking stories. Here in New London County, we are reminded of the 5,000 Haitians living in Norwich who are so directly affected by the terrible news from their homeland. We also realize how close we all really are to this hard hit land just one island away from Puerto Rico and less than 700 miles from Miami. I had just arrived on vacation in Fort Myers, Florida when the news came. That night I picked up a station in the Bahamas talking about a possible tsunami that thankfully never happened. The next day I heard a restaurant worker worrying about the safety of his family members in Haiti. In the airport someone was talking about feeling the quake on a cruise ship off the Haitian coast. Cuba, while part of the relief effort, still couldn't pass up the politics as its media condemned the "occupation" of the Presidential Palace grounds by U.S. troops. At least these people have a voice that can be heard. Some 200,000 Haitian voices were silenced as of one week ago. Keep up with Red Cross relief efforts here.

It's Been Awhile

I've never been a frequent flyer. It's not any fear of flying that has kept me off airplanes for over ten years now. There just haven't been any occasions for me to take to the air. I'm a little apprehensive in anticipation of my Southwest flight to Fort Myers, Florida. My uneasiness is more with getting the flight than being on it. The boarding process sounds like it has gotten much more complicated since my flight from Hartford to Tucson in 1999. Maybe I'm just paying too much attention to the news and peoples' stories about airport experiences. I'm in the process of shifting from my regular work routine to my rarer play mode. Hey, it's still the safest way to travel, right? It's time to get back into the hopefully friendly skies!

The Daughtry Syndrome

Are my WBMW co-host Rebecca and I the only ones who can't tell any difference between the sound of Daughtry, Nickelback and Lifehouse? All three bands have made strong showings on the charts over the past year or two. Between rock artists like them and sensations like Taylor Swift, they have shifted the contemporary hit charts away from the dominance of hip hop. An American Idol runner up who barely made it past Simon Cowell's "no" vote in the audition, Chris Daughtry is now a proven talent. But is that his band Daughtry we're hearing on the radio or Nickelback? Wait, we're both wrong - it's Lifehouse!

Senator Dodd Chooses Not To Run

The past two years have not been easy for Connecticut's longest serving U.S. Senator. Chris Dodd's announcement that this term will be his last should not come as a shock to most people watching politics. Connecticut voters have always had a negative attitude toward the job done by career politicians, except for the ones representing them. These feelings are clearly changing as the polls told a story Dodd could not ignore. I don't say this with any satisfaction. The loss of Senator Dodd will put this state at a disadvantage in getting Washington's attention for some time to come. His seniority and influence worked well in many ways, but his chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee and participation in a Countrywide mortgage VIP program during an economic meltdown put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was never directly implicated in any wrongdoing, but the appearance of conflict of interest really resonated with his constituents. I have met Senator Dodd several times, most recently at the Norwich City Hall Christmas Lighting ceremony. He has been a giant in the history of Connecticut politics, and I don't think he's ready to quietly retire. He could be considered Connecticut's Ted Kennedy, an association he would probably not mind hearing at all.

New Year's Resolutions?

2009 was a busy year. Working hard but not always smart, fighting an uphill battle to keep my knack for organization ahead of my natural tendency to zone out while maintaining connections with people who count. Based on all that, some resolutions should be easy.

• In my case, the usual pledge to lose weight gains added meaning when holiday snacking brought my type 2 diabetes concerns back. Shedding just 10 or 20 pounds would really make a difference, so this is a no-brainer.
• Getting out the door just five minutes earlier can make a big difference in stress levels - and speed levels - on the way to work. Again, why did this require a resolution?
• I promise to listen most to the people who listen to me. I frustrated myself too much in '09 trying to get through to those who make the same mistakes over and over.
• A trip overseas is something I've been talking about for years. I am going to try to get to Ireland and England this summer. Being a student of history, a trip through my family's Irish roots would be a welcome journey.
• Speaking of journeys, I'm heeding my own advice about enjoying the journey known as life more by dwelling a little less on the past and worrying a lot less about the future.

Happy New Year!