Rich Woman!

Most nights before turning in, I take one last survey through my favorite channels to see what’s on. Usually I settle on some reality show repeat on Bravo, TLC or MTV. But one particular night I stopped on MPT after seeing a woman standing in front of a screen with “RICH WOMAN” printed boldly behind her. This caught my attention. After watching a few minutes, I was captivated by this pledge program (yep, a pledge program!) encouraging women to acquire wealth.

The host of the show was a lady named Kim Kiyosaki who was trying to get her female audience to understand they have to take control of their finances. Surprisingly, she told them the time to start investing is now. A down market is a terrific time to invest, she explained to them. I was intrigued by this tidbit of information, especially with all of the news networks screaming the U.S. may enter a recession soon.

Who would have guessed that with interest rates plummeting and the stock market so volatile, women should throw their money hats in the ring? Not me, that’s for sure! Not until I heard from Kim. Along with three of her “girlfriends,” she chatted for nearly two hours about money. They spoke of their investment preferences; paper assets vs. real estate. They talked about women overcoming their fear of investing and taking control of their money. There were terms like “cash flow,” “options,” “mutual funds,” and “capital gains” being thrown around, and while it wasn’t easy to grab the complete definition of terms being used, it was inspiring to hear these women talk about money in a way that I could somewhat understand.

All the women stated time and time again that finance isn’t as hard as it seems. They wanted their female audience to understand that you don’t have to be a man to be independently wealthy. Any woman can learn the lingo and take the steps to become prosperous. Simple steps like educating yourself on the purpose of money, and sitting with your spouse quarterly to go over your family’s financial records go a long way. Over and over again they wanted women not to be intimidated by investing by reinforcing the “if-I-can-do-it-you-can-do-it” spirit.

There was one woman who, along with her husband, was a medical doctor and deeply in debt. (Normally I am not one to feel good about someone else’s misfortune, but two broke doctors made my financial situation seem much less bleak!) As I listened to her story one thing she said rang in my ears: she was working harder but was falling deeper and deeper in debt. That is not the work cycle I learned in school. My recollection was teachers telling us that the harder you work, the more successful you will be in all ways. Another woman was divorced with three children and homeless when she began taking steps to learn about acquiring wealth. These women were not only inspiring—they were brave. Instead of acting as though the situation was hopeless, they took it upon themselves to turn their financial circumstances around.

All three women were exceptionally inspirational and dynamic but, most importantly, easy to relate to. They made me think beyond how I normally do about money. As I finally drifted off to sleep, many questions stirred in my mind. Why can’t my money work harder for me? Why do I feel part of a rat race never really getting ahead financially? Do I want to look at my financial situation in ten years and see no real gain? And most importantly: What am I afraid of? And while I haven’t run out and opened an e-trade account just yet, I did sign up for a free options trading seminar. I’m educating myself and getting started with a new financial plan for me and my family. It’s time I find the Rich Woman in me. My family and my bank account will thank me for it!


Kamesha Milton
Manager, Research & Content Marketing

The ‘Austen formula’

I’ve been looking forward to Sense and Sensibility (one part of Masterpiece’s highly anticipated series The Complete Jane Austen) for almost a year now. As a huge fan of both Pride and Prejudice and Bleak House—two miniseries with screenplays penned by the great Andrew Davies—I had high expectations. Not to mention, Sense and Sensibility is probably my favorite of the Austen novels since it was my first introduction to the world of pianofortes and Regency-era romantic entanglements. Before I read it, I wasn’t familiar with the “Austen formula,” so I experienced all the surprises and heartbreaks right along with the characters. Watching it Davies style brought back all those memories of stepping into the world of Austen characters: the Elinors and Mariannes, the Willoughbys and Colonel Brandons. It made me consider all the variables that come together to create the classic Austen formula.

Location is a key variable in the formula, especially a character’s home. This version of Sense and Sensibility seemed more true to life, exposing the struggles of living in an isolated cottage with little money (I couldn’t help but feel Davies infused a little bit of Bleak House into his screenplay adaptation). This particular version also takes Barton cottage and sets it by the sea amongst waves crashing against the rocks, which added that extra degree of intensity to the drama.

The second variable in the formula is character dynamics. The audience is left to decide whether they are more emotional like Marianne, more sensible like Elinor, shy and generous like Edward or arrogant like Willoughby. In this version (and not surprisingly), we get the added bonus of seeing intense dialogue between Willoughby and Colonel Brandon, where previous versions focused mainly on the perspectives of the sisters.

The third factor of the formula includes distinct romantic entanglements involving many tears, a great deal of patience and very long letters. The female protagonist reassesses her values and prejudices and ends up with the man she would have never in a million years considered at the beginning of the novel. In this version, however, I think that Davies does an excellent job of making the romantic relationships between characters believable. He establishes scene early on with a moving piano composition, where Marianne and Colonel Brandon grow closer through a shared love of music (to the point where I almost thought, well do they really even need to bother bringing Willoughby into the plot?).

The saddest thing about watching was realizing that I had to wait a week before seeing the second part of the series. Even though I’ve read it and seen two different versions, I was immersed in the plot as if I were encountering the world of Austen for the first time. The upside is that I have something to look forward to this Sunday.

(Part two of Sense and Sensibility airs on MPT Sunday, April 6th at 9 p.m.)

Susan Zagar
Intern, Leadership Giving

Bush's War

I use television to keep abreast of sports, politics and news, but, for the most part, have to look somewhere else to find discussion of substance. It’s a shame when the most truthful team of political analysts is a pair of comedians, Stewart and Colbert.

For example, I’m conflicted about Iraq. The reasoning and the dialogue about it changes every day, and I don’t know what to think. Just as politicians line up and down on one side or the other of the aisle to spew partisan rhetoric, so do the news networks. They say they don’t, but on issues so divisive, you have to pick which audience you want to pander to. And that’s a shame, but that’s business.

So it was refreshing last week to watch the Frontline two-part series about Iraq, Bush’s War. The second part of the program was especially sobering, as that morning The New York Times ran a three-page spread of letters and e-mails from falling soldiers, as well as pictures of the most recent 1,200 to die in the war. One of my good friends from home is about to head to Baghdad, and I pray I don’t see his face someday in The New York Times.

Five years into the war, Frontline attempted to explain how we got into this mess. It’s no secret that partisan squabbling and interagency wrangling got in the way of developing clear objectives, but, for once, the whole story, as we can imagine it so far, was presented in one narrative rather than a day-long news cycle of beating a story to death and then forgetting about it.

History is always a work in progress, and by no means was Frontline’s take on the war a completely unbiased account. No work of journalism is, whether it’s about the governors of New York or a high school basketball game. But it is important to try to develop some sense of connection between past and present, or we won’t have a sense of where we’re going.

So, much to my surprise, there is decent television to be found. Once music videos, vapid reality television, celebrity gossip, talking heads and the rest of the riffraff wears thin, it’s not a bad bet to stop once or twice by MPT before turning off the channel. Who knows what you’ll find.


Kevin Sunday
Communications Intern

What, no internet?

Driving home from work Friday night, I noticed a telephone pole down across the street from my condo. It didn’t register much until I got home. Then, like a bolt of lighting, it hit me. The telephone service is out, which means no internet service for those of us still using dial-up. Yes, it’s true. I work in media and still use dial-up. Perhaps the impetus for change is getting closer now.

During the dark days of this particular weekend, I was without the internet. As an internet addict and Google junkie, this left me panic-stricken and trembling. Besides the four trips I took to Panera Bread to access the internet and a few “drive bys” at my sister’s house, I was woefully without internet access for three days.

But don’t fret, my friends. During the darkness I found slivers of light. Chores were accomplished, and I found time to tune into some cooking shows on MPT. In a previous post, I mentioned my love for Lidia Bastianich, host of the scrumptious PBS Italian cooking show Lidia’s Italy. I caught an episode of Lidia’s travels to a quaint Italian town known for its delectable coffee. The town was reminiscent of Venice, with welcoming outdoor cafés and romantic waterways.

On this particular episode, Lidia recreated the complicated coffee drinks at home. Coffee never looked so good and complex. Quite honestly, I’m a Dunkin Donuts girl; I like my coffee weak and fast. Lidia took her time preparing rich specialty drinks using several shiny contraptions in a sequence. Too complicated for me, but it was beautiful to watch. She makes it look effortless, but I know better.

Still without internet access, I treated myself to more, thinking that this could get pretty addictive. I also caught most of Julia Child: Lessons with Master Chefs. Surely you know Julia, the famous master chef with a love for rich French food. Butter and cream make frequent appearances in her dishes. What’s great about Julia is her interest in learning from other master chefs. She takes in something from each chef that accompanies her on the show and incorporates these tidbits into her own cooking. Julia is relaxed, yet classy and charming. She is elegant in speech, lively in attitude and comforting like a pair of fuzzy slippers on a cold day.

But it’s not all about the women and elegance. Listen up, guys, I saw a show that’s just for you, it involves three things you might be able to appreciate: meat, grilling and beer. If you tune into Barbeque University, hosted by Steven Raichlen, you will find a meat-lovers paradise. For the meat timid, like me, I had to squint a few times and look away from the screen, because this is the real deal. Whole sides of beef and enormous ribs are displayed like art and dangle in front of the camera for your viewing pleasure (or pain, as it may be). If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, surely beef is a man’s close companion. I have an appreciation for all food, even if it’s food I don’t eat. So for those carnivores, go for it, tune into Barbeque U. and get your grill on. This is the perfect show to get you ready for spring barbeques and claim your stake as grill king.

Eventually the phone line got fixed and I went back to Google, my pacifier and gateway to the world. But I realized a few things over the course of the weekend. Some I already knew.

1. I am addicted to Google (I already knew that.)
2. Raw meat and fish still freak me out (I knew that, too.)
3. I trust MPT to keep airing quality shows that expand my mind.

Perhaps next time I won’t wait until the phone lines are down to sit and take in a few good shows. Perhaps it’s also time to throw in the towel and get broadband.

Leslie Adler
Marketing Manager, Education Projects

'Deep depth'

When it comes to our roster of political analysts, we have “deep depth” (as Yogi Berra used to say). But we’re always looking for new angles and new combinations. The trick is to find guests who can offer both partisan spin and dispassionate analysis, and can also disagree without being disagreeable.

So we’re really excited that our production team has been able to line up Michael Steele and Parris Glendening to join us in a few days on Direct Connection.

Former Gov. Glendening was a two-term Democratic governor, the only non-lawyer I can recall serving in that office. Mr. Glendening had been a professor of political science at the University of Maryland, so he brings to the table both a theoretical and practical background in the art of politics.

Michael Steele used to be one of our regulars, debating local issues every few weeks on State Circle. That was before he became chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, then Maryland’s Lt. Governor, and now, as chairman of GOPAC, one of the most visible figures in national Republican politics.

Gov. Glendening and Lt. Gov Steele are scheduled to join us here at MPT on Monday March 24 at 7:30 p.m. for Direct Connection. We anticipate an interesting discussion, and, of course, welcome your calls and email at 1-800-926-0629 and directconnection@mpt.org.

Jeff Salkin

Host, Direct Connection

PBS does reality TV!

PBS has finally jumped on the reality television bandwagon, except—unlike some of the more, errr, dubious reality TV shows gracing the airwaves these days—it’s really, really good.

The new series is called Carrier (airing April 27th-May 1st), and it chronicles the ins and outs of daily life in the high-stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. The show follows a core cast of real-life characters aboard the USS Nimitz—a whopping hulk of ship (a floating city, really) that’s 24 stories high and three football fields long that carries more than 5,000 Navy personnel and 85 military aircraft.

Filmed from May to November 2005, nearly 2,000 hours of high-definition video were captured for Carrier during a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf (three months of which were spent in combat in support of the ground troops). For the first time, a television series takes a raw and personal look at the Navy’s role in this controversial war.

Get a sneak peek of Carrier Wednesday, March 19 (tomorrow!) at 10 p.m. on MPT. In the meantime, whet your appetite with the clip below.

We test 'em: digital converter boxes

(Above: A digital converter box in MPT's break room. Easy to install! And kinda cute!)

In less than a year, we’ll be saying goodbye to analog TV. But you don’t have to buy a new set to continue watching free, over-the-air television.

I’ve been doing some research that I’d like to share with you. My $40 coupons towards the price of a digital converter box have arrived. They look just like credit cards complete with an expiration date, which is approximately 90 days from the date you receive the card. With the card comes a list of merchants in your area who have the decoders along with “rules” for using the card. In this area, converter boxes are now available at Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart.

Best Buy is selling the Insignia NS-DXA1 converter box; Circuit City and Radio Shack are selling the Zenith DTT900. The Insignia and Zenith boxes, manufactured by LG are the identical (except for the logos) with a retail price is $59.99. Wal-Mart is selling the Magnavox TB100MW9 for $49.87.

Is there a $10.12 difference? In my opinion, there is. The Magnavox decoder does not include audio and video cables and you cannot change channel without the remote. The Magnavox remote is not user friendly and doesn’t have the ability to mute or control the volume level on your TV where as Insignia/Zenith/LG come with full function remotes.

In my test, all the boxes were able to acquire the same digital signals. Setup is easy; each box has a built-in tutorial or an 800 number to call for assistance. Antenna placement may be critical for an acceptable signal, but when done correctly, the digital picture is crystal clear.

Go buy a converter box now and start enjoying digital television on your old analog set. It’s easier than you think!

George Beneman
VP Technology

Yes, we rock.

Yeah, yeah, we know what you’re thinking. Public television rocks? MPT rocks? My grandmother watches MPT.

Yes, while we do admit to being popular with grandmothers throughout Maryland, Washington, DC, northern Virginia and parts of Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, we are also popular with area rockers, music fans and people who just like it loud. Case in point: Kasabian. The British rockers made a special appearance on MPT’s weekly arts show ArtWorks This Week a few months back. In case you missed it, we’ve posted the video (which includes live footage shot at DC’s 9:30 Club) on our new YouTube page (http://www.youtube.com/user/MarylandPublicTV). Proof that we do, in fact, rock. Enjoy.

Budget mysteries revealed!

As you may or may not know, MPT gets about one third of its budget from the state. Each year, we go through a lengthy process to prepare and present our budget to the Maryland General Assembly. But what really goes on in Annapolis when it comes to the budget of your favorite public television station? As MPT’s Chief Operating Officer, I’d thought I’d step in and shed some light on a somewhat mysterious—and yes, at some times, confusing!—process

The Maryland General Assembly is in session from January to April of each year. This is when new legislation is discussed and may become law. It's also the time of year that the legislature reviews the overall state budget. Maryland is a bit different from most states in that the legislature can only cut from the budget submitted by the governor. This means nothing can be added, so you really need to make sure that all your needs are met in the budget submitted by the governor.

The process really begins for MPT in August when we submit our budget to the Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM). In general, state agencies are asked to submit no more than a certain dollar figure (generally last year’s budget amount) and anything above that needs to go into an “over the target” request. Over a several month period, the budget request is reviewed by DBM and the agency is asked to respond to questions and concerns. In the fall, the DBM analyst makes his or her recommendations. The agency will then respond to the recommendations. The final budget is included as part of the overall state budget submitted to the legislature for approval in December or early January.

At this point, the legislative budget analyst reviews the agency’s budget and looks for places to cut. A few days before the budget hearing, the agency will receive the analyst’s recommendations and will respond directly to the committee hearing their budget.

MPT management generally tries to meet with the members of our budget committees (both the House and the Senate) prior to the hearings. The purpose of these meetings is to insure that each committee member understands the value that MPT brings to the citizens of Maryland. Once this series of meetings is complete, it’s time to attend the actual hearings. These hearings are open to the public, and MPT management is called to testify. The hearings can be long with much discussion depending upon the agency and the issues they face. (This year our hearing in the Senate was very short. This was due in some part to the fact that the analyst recommended no cuts to our budget.) We then repeat the process in the House. If there are issues then we would also attend a “decision hearing” in both the House and Senate.

As I mentioned earlier, MPT receives about one third of its budget from the state. We raise the rest of our budget on our own from members and underwriters and a variety of other sources. We are proud to be a state agency and appreciate the support provided by the state. MPT is ranked within the top ten public television stations in the country, thanks not only to state funding, but the generous support of public television fans like you.

Larry Unger
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Death by a thousand cuts

Looking back on it now, I realize that I took Lake Redman and Lake Williams for granted while I was growing up in York County, Pennsylvania. The lakes were a three- mile drive, bike ride or walk from my house. They were the first things I would see on the highway coming into town and the last things I would see as I would leave. Even though York is nowhere near the level of hustle and bustle of Baltimore, it was always nice to go out to the woods where there was nothing but the quiet sense of reflection that nature brings. Always sort of a backdrop to the area, I could never really imagine what the idyllic lakeside would look like if developers were left to run rampant and build as much as they wanted to, right up to and on top of the shoreline.

Previewing Weary Shoreline: The Chesapeake Bay's Death by a Thousand Cuts—which airs on MPT tonight at 9 p.m.—was a shock to me. All along the Chesapeake Bay, industrial complexes and residential communities are being thrown up on top of one of the most important areas of the bay’s health—the shoreline. Granted, having a bayside home affords many luxuries: a great view, easy access to fishing and sailing, a sense of detachment from the chaos of city living. But those shorelines are one of the most vital areas of concern for the bay’s health. Shoreline development leads to deforestation, which leads to increased sedimentation, which basically means a bunch of mud and dirt washes into the bay.

What’s the big deal about that? Well, the more dirt that gets pushed into the bay, the more cloudy the water gets. One of the most important species essential for bay health is what’s called Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, or SAVs. Not only do they break down CO2, (which gives underwater creatures much-needed oxygen) but they also provide homes for baby crabs as they turn from larvae into adults. Dirty water cuts off the supply of sunlight to the SAVs, putting the entire habitat in danger.

Another problem the SAVs face is that the more people that live bayside, the more people there are that want to sail and boat. The more people that want to sail and boat, the less they want these huge underwater vegetative forests to clog up their motors or tickle their feet as they swim. So what happens? The SAVs get cut down en masse.

You might say, “Yeah, all you’re doing is getting worked up about mud and some underwater plants.” In a way, yes. But these plants are one of the most important species necessary for the continued survival of the blue crab. This year’s blue crab harvest was the lowest, I believe, in 15 years. The crab is one of Maryland’s biggest and most famous exports, and gives the bay a sense of uniqueness. Should we as a community fail to keep the crab thriving, we will all be guilty of letting a beautiful natural resource go to waste.

Watching Weary Shoreline tonight will certainly make you think about what’s best for us and what’s best for the bay. Check it out and see what you think.


Kevin Sunday
Communications Intern