We live in a culture of mean. We love television shows and movies in which people attack one another over stupid things like tacky clothes or bad hair or being a Republican. We yell at waiters who mess up our orders. We laugh at the girl whose tummy spills over the waist of her jeans.
We scream obscenities at the jerk who cut us off on the freeway. And we happily hurl insults from behind screen names online.
Where does this meanness come from?
People who are mean have probably been hurt in some way. By a cheating girlfriend. By a bad review from the boss. They see themselves as victims and respond by building walls to shield themselves from more harm.
So how should we respond?
It's tempting to hurl back our own version of clever cruelty. I know someone pumped with clever verbal attacks against those who steal parking stalls, for instance. But is that the best solution?
I subscribe to the theory -- however naive it might be -- that we can improve the world by stopping cycles of mean and dishing out kindness.
I'm not saying we should be sunshine and smiles 24/7. That's just scary.
And I get that people have bigger troubles than flat tires and coffee spilled on a new white shirt.
But to me, good will is like recycling: A little bit can make a difference.
So even if you've been wronged, save a stranger's day by passing on kindness instead of anger.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Apocalypse 2012
More than 1 million Web pages cite a panoply of "evidence" that the apocalypse is coming in 2012.
The basis for this growing phenomenon originates from the ancient Mayan calendar that ends in December of that year, the last cycle that they calculated with their sophisticated astronomical mathematics.
Some Mayan scholars contend that the Mayan calendar ends on the solstice that occurs on Dec. 21, 2012, at 11:11 a.m., which will supposedly coincide with an alignment of the sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy, causing any number of imagined effects that defy reason.
Speculative doomsayers incorporate the prophecies of Nostradamus, the Revelations of John, and anything else that might vaguely support the notion.
The apocalypse of 2012 is also linked to a mythical planet called Nibiru, which is said to have an odd orbit. It supposedly enters the solar system only every 3,600 years and will interact with Earth to add to the other astronomical effects, which include bombardment by meteors.
There is no astronomical evidence for the existence of such a planet, although believers insist that the government and the scientific community are aware of it and are hiding it from the public.
David Morrison of NASA's Web site concluded that anger concerning alleged conspiracies about Nibiru came "from people who seem to want the world to end in 2012, who are upset to be told that this catastrophe will not happen."
The human psyche is a unique feature in that it allows us to conceptualize the future and cogitate the certainty of our own demise.
There is no guarantee that the world will not end tomorrow, the day after, or in 2012, and there is nothing we could do to prevent it or prepare for it anyway.
The future is a Rorschach and we project our hopes and our fears onto it.
Ignorance of how science works and distrust of authority fuel these apocalyptic visions with a collective consciousness of fear.
I would rather not know when the end will come and just continue unabated enjoying the Earth as if it and civilization will outlive me.
* * *
[10/15/09] With humanity coming up fast on 2012, publishers are helping readers gear up and count down to this mysterious — some even call it apocalyptic — date that ancient Mayan societies were anticipating thousands of years ago.
Since November, at least three new books on 2012 have arrived in mainstream bookstores. A fourth is due this fall. Each arrives in the wake of the 2006 success of 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which has been selling thousands of copies a month since its release in May and counts more than 40,000 in print. The books also build on popular interest in the Maya, fueled in part by Mel Gibson's December 2006 film about Mayan civilization, Apocalpyto.
Authors disagree about what humankind should expect on Dec. 21, 2012, when the Maya's "Long Count" calendar marks the end of a 5,126-year era.
Journalist Lawrence Joseph forecasts widespread catastrophe in Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation Into Civilization's End. Spiritual healer Andrew Smith predicts a restoration of a "true balance between Divine Feminine and Masculine" in The Revolution of 2012: Vol. 1, The Preparation. In 2012, Daniel Pinchbeck anticipates a "change in the nature of consciousness," assisted by indigenous insights and psychedelic drug use.
[via berknovice4now@chucks_angels]
***
[8/6/12] Despite the cries of doomsayers, the Mayans themselves don't expect that the world will end. In fact, they believe it's a time of great celebration and luck when the planet lasts through a full Great Cycle. Think of it this way: To the Mayans, a Great Cycle is just a really long year. For them, worrying about Dec, 21, 2012, would be like us worrying every Dec. 31.
***
More on my other blog.
The basis for this growing phenomenon originates from the ancient Mayan calendar that ends in December of that year, the last cycle that they calculated with their sophisticated astronomical mathematics.
Some Mayan scholars contend that the Mayan calendar ends on the solstice that occurs on Dec. 21, 2012, at 11:11 a.m., which will supposedly coincide with an alignment of the sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy, causing any number of imagined effects that defy reason.
Speculative doomsayers incorporate the prophecies of Nostradamus, the Revelations of John, and anything else that might vaguely support the notion.
The apocalypse of 2012 is also linked to a mythical planet called Nibiru, which is said to have an odd orbit. It supposedly enters the solar system only every 3,600 years and will interact with Earth to add to the other astronomical effects, which include bombardment by meteors.
There is no astronomical evidence for the existence of such a planet, although believers insist that the government and the scientific community are aware of it and are hiding it from the public.
David Morrison of NASA's Web site concluded that anger concerning alleged conspiracies about Nibiru came "from people who seem to want the world to end in 2012, who are upset to be told that this catastrophe will not happen."
The human psyche is a unique feature in that it allows us to conceptualize the future and cogitate the certainty of our own demise.
There is no guarantee that the world will not end tomorrow, the day after, or in 2012, and there is nothing we could do to prevent it or prepare for it anyway.
The future is a Rorschach and we project our hopes and our fears onto it.
Ignorance of how science works and distrust of authority fuel these apocalyptic visions with a collective consciousness of fear.
I would rather not know when the end will come and just continue unabated enjoying the Earth as if it and civilization will outlive me.
* * *
[10/15/09] With humanity coming up fast on 2012, publishers are helping readers gear up and count down to this mysterious — some even call it apocalyptic — date that ancient Mayan societies were anticipating thousands of years ago.
Since November, at least three new books on 2012 have arrived in mainstream bookstores. A fourth is due this fall. Each arrives in the wake of the 2006 success of 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which has been selling thousands of copies a month since its release in May and counts more than 40,000 in print. The books also build on popular interest in the Maya, fueled in part by Mel Gibson's December 2006 film about Mayan civilization, Apocalpyto.
Authors disagree about what humankind should expect on Dec. 21, 2012, when the Maya's "Long Count" calendar marks the end of a 5,126-year era.
Journalist Lawrence Joseph forecasts widespread catastrophe in Apocalypse 2012: A Scientific Investigation Into Civilization's End. Spiritual healer Andrew Smith predicts a restoration of a "true balance between Divine Feminine and Masculine" in The Revolution of 2012: Vol. 1, The Preparation. In 2012, Daniel Pinchbeck anticipates a "change in the nature of consciousness," assisted by indigenous insights and psychedelic drug use.
[via berknovice4now@chucks_angels]
***
[8/6/12] Despite the cries of doomsayers, the Mayans themselves don't expect that the world will end. In fact, they believe it's a time of great celebration and luck when the planet lasts through a full Great Cycle. Think of it this way: To the Mayans, a Great Cycle is just a really long year. For them, worrying about Dec, 21, 2012, would be like us worrying every Dec. 31.
***
More on my other blog.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Ted Turner on making a difference
OI: You contribute a great deal to charity, but few people can contribute on your scale. What can they do to make a difference?
Ted: They can do plenty. Wherever I am, in a city or on the ranch, when I see a can or bottle or piece of paper, I pick it up and place it in the closest receptacle. You don't have to have money to clean up your neighborhood. If you can't give money, give your time. Be a Big Brother or Sister and provide mentoring to help kids. Some people have lots of money but little time; others have time but not money. The important thing is to work to make the world a kind, better, more just place.
-- Schwab OnInvesting Magazine, Winter 2008
Ted: They can do plenty. Wherever I am, in a city or on the ranch, when I see a can or bottle or piece of paper, I pick it up and place it in the closest receptacle. You don't have to have money to clean up your neighborhood. If you can't give money, give your time. Be a Big Brother or Sister and provide mentoring to help kids. Some people have lots of money but little time; others have time but not money. The important thing is to work to make the world a kind, better, more just place.
-- Schwab OnInvesting Magazine, Winter 2008
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Swap A CD
I was listening to the music on Loraine's computer (that I was redoing) and liked some of the music from Sean Na'auao. I narrowed in on the album Still Pounding which is actually a compilation of music from a few different artists.
The album seems to be out of print, but I came across the Swap A CD website in which you can swap CDs with other CD owners. And can swap DVDs and books too. I may be investigating this further.
[4/26/09] I saw Olomana and Still Pounding at Wal-Mart. Maybe they're starting to reissue them? Anyway, it's a sale.
The album seems to be out of print, but I came across the Swap A CD website in which you can swap CDs with other CD owners. And can swap DVDs and books too. I may be investigating this further.
[4/26/09] I saw Olomana and Still Pounding at Wal-Mart. Maybe they're starting to reissue them? Anyway, it's a sale.
Monday, March 16, 2009
cheaper eyeglasses
FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN wondering why eyeglasses cost so much. Even at LensCrafters, which is to eyewear what Gap is to clothes, you can easily pay $500 for a few pieces of plastic and screws. The last time I went in, I tried on a $250 pair of retro-librarian frames that made me look real smart. So smart that I asked the sales guy why they cost so much. He gave me a funny look. "They're designer," he huffed.
That did it. With a little digging, I found someone offering a much cheaper alternative. Seven years ago optician Randy Appelbaum sold his three Manhattan retail locations to start EyeglassDirect.com, one of the growing number of discount-eyewear Web sites. By typing in your prescription and measurements, you can buy a decent set of specs off his site for as little as $28. His secret: He built a lab in his brick townhouse in the suburban outskirts of Brooklyn. His two Ukrainian assistants, Vladimir and Alex, grind 20 to 50 pairs of eyeglasses a day under the fluorescent lights, using the same equipment you'd find in the back of an optician's store. Alex is moonlighting from his job making lenses for — you guessed it — LensCrafters.
-- SmartMoney, April 2007
That did it. With a little digging, I found someone offering a much cheaper alternative. Seven years ago optician Randy Appelbaum sold his three Manhattan retail locations to start EyeglassDirect.com, one of the growing number of discount-eyewear Web sites. By typing in your prescription and measurements, you can buy a decent set of specs off his site for as little as $28. His secret: He built a lab in his brick townhouse in the suburban outskirts of Brooklyn. His two Ukrainian assistants, Vladimir and Alex, grind 20 to 50 pairs of eyeglasses a day under the fluorescent lights, using the same equipment you'd find in the back of an optician's store. Alex is moonlighting from his job making lenses for — you guessed it — LensCrafters.
-- SmartMoney, April 2007
a dime is such a deal
It costs 1.67 cents to produce a penny. It costs almost a nickel to make a dime and nearly a dime to make a nickel!
-- Ask Marilyn, Parade February 8, 2009
-- Ask Marilyn, Parade February 8, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
is Ayn Rand relevant?
Ayn Rand died more than a quarter of a century ago, yet her name appears regularly in discussions of our current economic turmoil. Pundits including Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santelli urge listeners to read her books, and her magnum opus, "Atlas Shrugged," is selling at a faster rate today than at any time during its 51-year history.
There's a reason. In "Atlas," Rand tells the story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?
The novel's eerily prophetic nature is no coincidence. "If you understand the dominant philosophy of a society," Rand wrote elsewhere in "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," "you can predict its course." Economic crises and runaway government power grabs don't just happen by themselves; they are the product of the philosophical ideas prevalent in a society -- particularly its dominant moral ideas.
Why do we accept the budget-busting costs of a welfare state? Because it implements the moral ideal of self-sacrifice to the needy. Why do so few protest the endless regulatory burdens placed on businessmen? Because businessmen are pursuing their self-interest, which we have been taught is dangerous and immoral. Why did the government go on a crusade to promote "affordable housing," which meant forcing banks to make loans to unqualified home buyers? Because we believe people need to be homeowners, whether or not they can afford to pay for houses.
The message is always the same: "Selfishness is evil; sacrifice for the needs of others is good." But Rand said this message is wrong -- selfishness, rather than being evil, is a virtue. By this she did not mean exploiting others à la Bernie Madoff. Selfishness -- that is, concern with one's genuine, long-range interest -- she wrote, required a man to think, to produce, and to prosper by trading with others voluntarily to mutual benefit.
There's a reason. In "Atlas," Rand tells the story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?
The novel's eerily prophetic nature is no coincidence. "If you understand the dominant philosophy of a society," Rand wrote elsewhere in "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," "you can predict its course." Economic crises and runaway government power grabs don't just happen by themselves; they are the product of the philosophical ideas prevalent in a society -- particularly its dominant moral ideas.
Why do we accept the budget-busting costs of a welfare state? Because it implements the moral ideal of self-sacrifice to the needy. Why do so few protest the endless regulatory burdens placed on businessmen? Because businessmen are pursuing their self-interest, which we have been taught is dangerous and immoral. Why did the government go on a crusade to promote "affordable housing," which meant forcing banks to make loans to unqualified home buyers? Because we believe people need to be homeowners, whether or not they can afford to pay for houses.
The message is always the same: "Selfishness is evil; sacrifice for the needs of others is good." But Rand said this message is wrong -- selfishness, rather than being evil, is a virtue. By this she did not mean exploiting others à la Bernie Madoff. Selfishness -- that is, concern with one's genuine, long-range interest -- she wrote, required a man to think, to produce, and to prosper by trading with others voluntarily to mutual benefit.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
dirt is good for you
In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with “dirt” spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.
These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have risen significantly in the United States and other developed countries.
“What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment,” Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, “Why Dirt Is Good” (Kaplan). “Not only does this allow for ‘practice’ of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.”
One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said in an interview that the immune system at birth “is like an unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.”
He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they “also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good for us.”
These studies, along with epidemiological observations, seem to explain why immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies have risen significantly in the United States and other developed countries.
“What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment,” Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, “Why Dirt Is Good” (Kaplan). “Not only does this allow for ‘practice’ of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.”
One leading researcher, Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, the director of gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said in an interview that the immune system at birth “is like an unprogrammed computer. It needs instruction.”
He said that public health measures like cleaning up contaminated water and food have saved the lives of countless children, but they “also eliminated exposure to many organisms that are probably good for us.”
The Jones' clean house
Step 1 in making order out of chaos is often the most painful: getting rid of all the junk. Especially when folks have emotional attachments to most of the stuff.
The Style Network's "Clean House" makes the culling process part of its home makeovers with a garage sale that's a staple of every episode.
The sale at the home of Aina Jones on Saturday drew throngs of the show's fans, many bearing leis, pineapples and other tokens for show host Niecy Nash.
The night prior to the sale, the family had to decide what to give up, with the "Clean House" crew encouraging them to be brutal.
"I know that we don't need four sets of dishes, but the sentimental stuff is going to be the hardest," said Aina.
Parting with her books was so difficult that the cast offered her new living room flooring to sell them. "Clean House" designer Mark Brunetz explained that Aina reads her books over and over as a means to escape her problems. "It's easy to read a book and not have to live in the reality of life," he said.
"They really need to deal with this clutter issue and learn to let things go. They also need to make organizing fun," added Trish Suhr, the show's yard sale diva. "Otherwise, they are raising a 9-year-old clutterbug."
Once they started plowing through the mess, things got a bit easier.
"It was just time-consuming. ... Once we started sorting through stuff, it was easier to let things go. The hardest part was giving up control," Aina said.
Her sons had no problem handing over their junk.
"It was completely simple to put the clutter in a box and send it somewhere else," said Ben. "It took us years to collect all this junk. We brought two full Matson containers when we moved back from the mainland (nine years ago)."
"The process was long, tiring and dusty. We were sorting and moving things out until 3:30 a.m.," explained Thomas.
Yard sale tables were filled with the usual items like books, DVDs, toys and clothing with a few pieces of furniture on the side. Among the more unusual items were a furry spider that Nash sold to a woman who planned to hang it in her bedroom and a "to pee or not to pee ... that is the question" framed poster that Brunetz sold to another woman.
After a couple of days in a hotel, the family returned to their home and were blindfolded as they were led into the house for the big reveal. The entire family was ecstatic with the results of the makeover.
"This was a good experience. ... The rooms were incredible," said Aina.
"The boys' room is the size of a postage stamp. And, they are two adult boys. I needed to figure out how to accommodate both of them sleeping in there with some desks," Brunetz explained. They got a new divided closet organizer with shelving in the center with boxes for personal affects.
"Organization is key. And, the design needs to incorporate multifunctional furniture. Everything needs to serve more than one purpose," Brunetz said.
"I'm glad to have a bed. We had bunk beds, but they were being used like a closet," said Thomas.
The living room was transformed into a sanctuary for Dorothy. Her antique Chinese day bed had become a storage area and was lacking proper padding. Brunetz refurbished most of the old furniture in this room, providing a face lift that brought everything back to life. He also added gold foils on the cinder block wall.
The family room had a Polynesian/Asian vibe. The toys that were once scattered on the floor were given new homes in rattan baskets lined up on shelves.
"I love the family room. It gives us a great space to hang out," Aina said, noting that was her favorite part of the remodel.
The experience has taught Aina the value of ending clutter. "We need to throw things away that deserve to be thrown away," she said.
"Clutter doesn't allow people to live in the present," Brunetz said. "Space allows people to live comfortably in their own skin and environment."
* * *
Clean House, the Style Network’s No. 1 show in its seventh season, has hit the road in search of the messiest home in the country as part of a seven-episode event that started last Wednesday and continues at 7 tonight (May 27) Hawaii time. The Hawaii episode featuring the Jones family from Niu Valley airs June 3.
During their week on Oahu the Clean House team consisting of Nash, interior design guru Mark Brunetz, yard sale diva Trish Suhr and new addition, go-to guy Eugene Long dug their way through cluttered rooms and organized a giant public yard sale with proceeds matched by the show going toward that much-needed home makeover.
Through this experience, the Jones ohana - Aina Jones, her children Janie Jones, Thomas Purkiss and Ben Purkiss, and mother Dorothy Kangas - discover some of the root causes of their clutter and share with the public what most people would never want exposed: a messy house.
***
The Style Network's "Clean House" makes the culling process part of its home makeovers with a garage sale that's a staple of every episode.
The sale at the home of Aina Jones on Saturday drew throngs of the show's fans, many bearing leis, pineapples and other tokens for show host Niecy Nash.
The night prior to the sale, the family had to decide what to give up, with the "Clean House" crew encouraging them to be brutal.
"I know that we don't need four sets of dishes, but the sentimental stuff is going to be the hardest," said Aina.
Parting with her books was so difficult that the cast offered her new living room flooring to sell them. "Clean House" designer Mark Brunetz explained that Aina reads her books over and over as a means to escape her problems. "It's easy to read a book and not have to live in the reality of life," he said.
"They really need to deal with this clutter issue and learn to let things go. They also need to make organizing fun," added Trish Suhr, the show's yard sale diva. "Otherwise, they are raising a 9-year-old clutterbug."
Once they started plowing through the mess, things got a bit easier.
"It was just time-consuming. ... Once we started sorting through stuff, it was easier to let things go. The hardest part was giving up control," Aina said.
Her sons had no problem handing over their junk.
"It was completely simple to put the clutter in a box and send it somewhere else," said Ben. "It took us years to collect all this junk. We brought two full Matson containers when we moved back from the mainland (nine years ago)."
"The process was long, tiring and dusty. We were sorting and moving things out until 3:30 a.m.," explained Thomas.
Yard sale tables were filled with the usual items like books, DVDs, toys and clothing with a few pieces of furniture on the side. Among the more unusual items were a furry spider that Nash sold to a woman who planned to hang it in her bedroom and a "to pee or not to pee ... that is the question" framed poster that Brunetz sold to another woman.
After a couple of days in a hotel, the family returned to their home and were blindfolded as they were led into the house for the big reveal. The entire family was ecstatic with the results of the makeover.
"This was a good experience. ... The rooms were incredible," said Aina.
"The boys' room is the size of a postage stamp. And, they are two adult boys. I needed to figure out how to accommodate both of them sleeping in there with some desks," Brunetz explained. They got a new divided closet organizer with shelving in the center with boxes for personal affects.
"Organization is key. And, the design needs to incorporate multifunctional furniture. Everything needs to serve more than one purpose," Brunetz said.
"I'm glad to have a bed. We had bunk beds, but they were being used like a closet," said Thomas.
The living room was transformed into a sanctuary for Dorothy. Her antique Chinese day bed had become a storage area and was lacking proper padding. Brunetz refurbished most of the old furniture in this room, providing a face lift that brought everything back to life. He also added gold foils on the cinder block wall.
The family room had a Polynesian/Asian vibe. The toys that were once scattered on the floor were given new homes in rattan baskets lined up on shelves.
"I love the family room. It gives us a great space to hang out," Aina said, noting that was her favorite part of the remodel.
The experience has taught Aina the value of ending clutter. "We need to throw things away that deserve to be thrown away," she said.
"Clutter doesn't allow people to live in the present," Brunetz said. "Space allows people to live comfortably in their own skin and environment."
* * *
Clean House, the Style Network’s No. 1 show in its seventh season, has hit the road in search of the messiest home in the country as part of a seven-episode event that started last Wednesday and continues at 7 tonight (May 27) Hawaii time. The Hawaii episode featuring the Jones family from Niu Valley airs June 3.
During their week on Oahu the Clean House team consisting of Nash, interior design guru Mark Brunetz, yard sale diva Trish Suhr and new addition, go-to guy Eugene Long dug their way through cluttered rooms and organized a giant public yard sale with proceeds matched by the show going toward that much-needed home makeover.
Through this experience, the Jones ohana - Aina Jones, her children Janie Jones, Thomas Purkiss and Ben Purkiss, and mother Dorothy Kangas - discover some of the root causes of their clutter and share with the public what most people would never want exposed: a messy house.
***
After moving to Hawaii from
California 14 years ago, Gracie and her husband found there were far
more fun things to do than unpack.
"We planned to go through a box a
day, then decided on a box a week or month. We found hula and surfing
and never cared enough to unpack the boxes. If we needed a can
opener, we'd just go buy one," said the North Shore resident, who did
not want to be identified to protect her privacy.
Then when her husband died in February, it became difficult to let go of anything that reminded her of him.
While not quite a candidate for the reality show "Hoarders" yet,
Gracie's plea for help won the "Honolulu's Messiest Room" contest
sponsored by Aloha Organizers, which came to her house for a room
makeover last week.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey, a familiar radio voice for six decades who used long pauses to punctuate his delivery of news and observations, died yesterday in Phoenix. He was 90.
Harvey's death was announced in a statement by ABC Radio Networks where his "News and Comment" was a fixture aired from coast to coast since 1951. He had impressed network executives with high ratings in Chicago, where he'd been a newscaster at ABC affiliate WENR-AM since 1944.
Harvey died in a Phoenix area hospital with his family by his side, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks. The broadcaster lived in Chicago during the summer and moved his production to Arizona in the winter months.
"My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," son Paul Harvey Jr. said in a statement on his father's Web site. "So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend."
Harvey's wife, Lynne, who produced his shows, died in May.
Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks.
He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. "Stand by for news!" he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as "skyjacker," "Reaganomics" and "guesstimate."
Harvey's death was announced in a statement by ABC Radio Networks where his "News and Comment" was a fixture aired from coast to coast since 1951. He had impressed network executives with high ratings in Chicago, where he'd been a newscaster at ABC affiliate WENR-AM since 1944.
Harvey died in a Phoenix area hospital with his family by his side, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for ABC Radio Networks. The broadcaster lived in Chicago during the summer and moved his production to Arizona in the winter months.
"My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," son Paul Harvey Jr. said in a statement on his father's Web site. "So in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend."
Harvey's wife, Lynne, who produced his shows, died in May.
Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of "The Rest of the Story," Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his "News and Comment" for ABC Radio Networks.
He became a heartland icon, delivering news and commentary with a distinctive Midwestern flavor. "Stand by for news!" he told his listeners. He was credited with inventing or popularizing terms such as "skyjacker," "Reaganomics" and "guesstimate."
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