Top 13 LA Anchors

Thrillist released a list of what it thought were the top 13 newscasters in Los Angeles.
Not everyone agreed with the list. KTLAentertainment reporter Sam Rubin wrote on his facebook page, “In what is clearly an error of judgement of the highest order not a single KTLA on-air staffer is included in what can only be described as a bogus baker’s dozen.”
Here’s the list from 13 to number one: 13) Steve Edwards 12) Fred Roggin 11) Pat Harvey 10) John Ireland 9) Dave Bryan 8) Bri Winkler7) Marc Brown 6) Fritz Coleman 5) Jim Hill 4) Colleen Williams 3) Chuck Henry 2) Christine Devine and #1) Dallas Raines.

I disagree completely with this list - here are my 13, and my list in my opinion has much more merit. 

13. Dave Lopez (KCBS/KCAL) - He doesn't anchor, but he's a reporter. He is one of the best around. He always tells the story differently than any competitor, finds the human interest in it, and gives sides a lot of reporters don't.

12. Pablo Pereira (KTTV 11) - Famous background - grandpa has Oscar awards. He focuses on atmospheric science stories, drives an electric RAV4, is sexy, and knows his stuff. He's been on KABC, KNBC, and KTTV. He knows LA. 

11. Garth Kemp (KABC 7) - Keeps me entertained, knows his weather, and likes animals. Oh, and my mom likes him, which says a lot.

10. Henry Dicarlo (KTLA 5) - He knows when to be funny, when to be serious. He is a sharp dresser and damn sexy. He is also a meteorologist and sports guy. 

9. Rick Dickert (KTTV 11) - He may be young looking, but he's damn sexy, he is versatile and does traffic/weather. He was the first Certified Broadcast Meteorologist in LA. He is sometimes heard on NPR.

8. Alysha DelValle (KABC 7) - She's all LA. She is a sexy latina. She knows alternative routes. She shouts out to her WAZE users every morning. 

7. Robert Holguin (KABC7) - Anchor and reporter. Great and knowledgeable storyteller. 

6. Dallas Raines (KABC 7) - His moves, his suits, his weather knowledge.

5. Marc Brown - (KABC 7) - Anchor and reporter. Covered most major events in the city since the 90s. 

4. Michelle Tuzee (KABC 7) - Professional, always dressed professionally.

3. Rick Chambers (KTLA 5) - I remember him covering the LA Riots, I remember his suspenders he used to wear. He is professional

2. Colleen Williams (KNBC 4) - A fixture on LA news since the 80s, credible and reliable.

1. Pat Harvey (KCBS 2) - Versatile, classy, great anchor, always professional dress, and great storyteller

In regards to what Sam Rubin said about no KTLA people on the Thrillist list,  I am not surprised. Few people probably know about Frank Buckley's CNN days. I can't call Courtney Friel, Chris Schauble, Megan Henderson or Jessica Holmes authoritative or good anchors. Micah Ohlman, I mean he's Paul Moyer's nephew. Paul Moyer would have made the list, but Micah acts like he is trying too hard. 

How the hell is Christine Devine #2? I have chronicled my dislike for her over the years. 

And Bri Winkler? She's small market. She came from like Amarillo, Texas. I can assure you it is not for her forecasting abilities. 

Fritz Coleman is hard to watch, though he is a fixture in LA, and a comedian. 

I do like Fred Roggin and John Ireland - both are versatile and have radio shows, and extensive sports knowledge. 

My sister annoys the crap out of me

Went to dinner tonight with the parents and sister- didn't let my sister overshadow conversation. I was telling them about a few things at work, and then my sister, Ms. Wannabe A Professor interrupted constantly (she teaches 2 classes at the community college - I think she got hired because she has a super specialized degree, and was one of the few people that can teach it.) Her reviews are horrific. I sincerely hope she will not be hired on full-time. 

Anyways, so I am telling about work, and a student with an ankle monitor, a brick cell phone that his probation officer can call at anytime, and my sister chimes in. My sister must be Mother Teresa when it comes to comforting people. She said she has had a dozen convicted felons in her class. She said she doesn't flinch when they come to class. She makes them volunteers in her classes, she asks them to help her reach things like the overhead projector screen. She doesn't flinch or treat them differently. She loves her felons because they are good deep down, everyone has their own story to share. She said they work the hardest in her class. She said they work harder than the normal student. She said they have tattoos, they are scary looking, but she treats them nicely. Um... dumb dumb, isn't that what a teacher is supposed to do? Why is your situation so much more heroic than mine? I deal with the kids before they get to the point she is at. I asked her those questions and she told me she has had more training to handle them than I have. WTF? What training did you have? Felon 101? I don't get it. I have the little education bits from my education classes while getting my credential -inside the class is a neutral zone, so gang members and kids who are on probation etc. don't tend to act up so much int he class. I have dealt with kids who have ankle monitors, I ran a militaristic style classroom when I taught middle school. I had classroom management, bitch, so I didn't have crazy issues with the kids with records. My sister gets to me. I can't think of any training she would have that would give her more experience than me. I pointed that out. She tried to tell me she read a textbook that had stories about police treatment and a friend wrote a thesis on police interrogations. 

My sister then had to tell me how her students love her so much. They want to walk with her to class. They pull down the overhead screen for her. She writes their names into test questions. She lets them eat in class. Her class is so lively. She is able to get the quietest kids to talk. She is able to engage even the most difficult student. When leaving class she always has a dozen students with her, and they often walk her to her car. Really? I have the hardest time believing that. Her reviews on ratemyprofessor say otherwise. They talk about how boring she is and how difficult the class is. They talk about who she doesn't know what she is talking about. Now I'm an ok teacher - I may be good - but I can promise you, rarely do I have 100% of students engaged, on task, or participating. When I taught middle and did a review game I would have 95-100% on task. When I gave a test I would have 95-100% on task. In the last 2-3 minutes of class when it came to cleanup I would often have less than 20% on task. When I lectured or gave notes it would be 60-80% on task and engaged. When technology was involved in the assignment my personal best was 98% on task - and I'm just going through numbers that had been recorded. But this is part of why I was under so much stress at the middle school. People running around telling me what I wasn't doing when 1 or 2 kids weren't engaged... when I had 60-80% On task. I know this because my school was big on data and we had coaches in our classrooms all the time telling us this information. Even now, in the setting I work at, at an alternative school, I would estimate I have 80-100% on task or engaged at any one time. It is the nature of teaching. I have more experience. I think I have more training. I have taken classes on engagement and teaching students. My brainiac sister has not taken any sort of classes. When your reviews are so bad - not just at one - but 2 campuses - obviously there is an issue. What you're telling me cannot be true. You are trying to overcompensate to make yourself sound better. Even the best teachers I know cannot claim what you claim. I was never one to speak up in class - especially in college - you could call on me and I would say it was the person behind you were calling, even if it were the wall. I just flat out wouldn't talk. 

Music Weekend

I cannot get enough of this new one...
Heartbeat Song


Nick Jonas - Jealous
Jealous of his body.


Ed Sheeran - Don't
His stuff just sounds different than all else out there.


And an oldie

Love me some Supremes.

And one more.

Almost there...

Need a weekend badly. Badly.

Work is kicking my arse. Teaching an extra class - that's not the problem. AC is out in my room again. Moving rooms period to period and lugging my crap takes a toll emotionally and physically. lol. 4 days and I'm tired of it. I was telling one teacher I chose not to teach Monday and gave the kids bookwork, and that translated into 4 days of it because it is easy when I'm moving from room to room each period.

Getting back into the gym swing. Went Monday, Tuesday, Thursday morning and afternoon. Proud of myself.

I walked an average of 15,000 steps a day in NYC - my steps now are like 6-7,000.

Need a massage badly. Have an appointment next week with My Chola as I call her. Hands hurt; lower right back has a knot, as always; have a knot in the back of my left leg; and of course my feet.

We got another cat. Like him already.

Parents going through a nightmare kitchen redo.

My mom has to have her hip re-replaced due to doctor error.

Take a moment to enjoy The View

I am a morning TV junkie. Love my GMA and CBS Morning News. Today Show is a no-go until my favorite drunks, Hoda and Kathie. I flip back and forth between Hoda and Kathie, and The View. After all the stories about the ratings and the rumored firing of Rosie Perez, I decided to vent about my thoughts:

My team:
Rosie O, Whoopi, Eva Longoria, Nicole Wallace

- I like Rosie Perez, but if they're going for a latina, how about Eva Longoria? She has the credentials - restauranteur, actress, opinionated, a degree in Chicana studies.

- The ratings are down because there are no big fights this year. There are, but they're shut down, and Whoopi throws it to commercial. Let them continue. That's why I watch.

NYC NYE 2015

Home from 2 weeks in/near the Big Apple... A look at the higlights

The First Few Days...
- Great business class flight to NJ with plenty of drinks and pleasant flight attendants
- Watched 2 shows - Jersey Boys and Saving Mr. Banks

- Off to Jersey City to shop and spend time with our friends A&E
- Hit up the outlets at Jersey Gardens
- Spent time with BF's parents going shopping, getting mom a new phone, ate out at lots of good restaurants
- Drove around the hometown

Brooklyn Bound...
- Met our friend, L, at EWR for us to return our car
- We drove through the city and to Brooklyn to our new hotel
- Ventured down to Mike's other friend, K, who lived in the city last year
- Ate out with her a few times

- NYE we did a bunch of shopping to the tune of $300 for our appetizer, lasagna, and drinks NYE celebration
- Enjoyed the house she is staying at
- Spent time talking with friends and mingling during the NYE celebration
- Went to the roof for a very Brooklyn NYE
- Ventured into a mostly closed New Years Day Williamsburg
- Went to the movies to see "Into the Woods" and saw Big Boo from OITNB
- Dinner at a nice restaurant

Manhattan... 
- Went to new hotel
- Ventured uptown to shop and explore Hells Kitchen
- In and out of bars for drinks
- Saw "Motown: The Musical" - Great music and songs - hated that they only played snippets of the songs
- Saw Wall St., Theo Roosevelt birth house, A Coop Firehouse, across from that where Poe wrote "Cask of Amontillado"
- Shopped MOMA, many of our favorites in or around Union Square
- Said goodbye to L

- Had the most amazing Indian food
- Met up with friends we met on our Alaska cruise last July in NYC who are from my BF's hometown
- Got my NYC snow... for like an hour... then it turned into rain... it was cold enough to snow, though.
- Deeply disappointed we left the day before the snow arrived