Seeing is still believing
BUG GUTS & BEAUTY
What is a picture worth? When scientists rank the power and potential of our senses, vision holds the widest lead. Seeing is believing. When discussing the weather, this is a major consideration. Looking up into the sky people make decisions about how to interact with the weather based on what they see. Rain or sun can determine whether it is umbrella or parasol.
Where Aroostook Grows More is the acronym of WAGM television. When television was being born it followed the radio format of call letters to identify particular users of a specific frequency. This fact seems left out by the youngsters running the place now.
While treated to stories on devices of antiquity replete with horror movie opening and happy movie closings, little is shown of the history of WAGM. Yes, there are delightful statements from a few of the on air talent types reminiscing about stories and lessons learned. However, nothing appears from the days of film, Polaroids, or early video tape. There are only 40 or so weeks left to the year so it’s hopeful that Throwback Thursdays will bring recollections of times past. Jim Nevers and crew still have tales to tell.
Today any person with a cell phone can take a picture. Pictures are unlimited. See it. Snap it. Share it. At one time taking pictures meant belonging to an exclusive club.
The County is no exception. At one time a person went to a photographic store to buy cameras, film, photo paper and chemicals. The moment that one learned how a simple little black and white image could be manipulated, magnified, and reverenced, opened new worlds for people to enjoy. The Nichols brothers taught many of us how to share the joy of discovery. Other photographers like Phil Hutcheon, Voscar, Rhodes and Flannery documented the day to day moments of exuberance, tragedy, and farming that made The County a special place: Home.
Crownofmaine.com shows beautiful sky pictures on its website all the time. There are other live cams in Aroostook. Why is it that the very station pledged with showing Where Aroostook can Grow More makes no effort to compliment these works? Cameras are cheap enough, under $100, and WAGM can do an occasional live remote from restaurants and parking lots.
It is luck that we have such clear skies. It is a salable commodity. Where can you see clear blue skies on a sunny day. In Chinese cities the smudge of coal smoke darkens the horizon.
If the weather is so good that the weather guy wants to talk about it then why is it not good enough to show on the local station. What is presented now was the height of the 1980s. The world has moved on.
If the sun is shining shouldn’t we see the proof? If the weather is so dependent on cloud formations should we not see the proof? If blizzard conditions are happening now, should we not see the results? The state highway department has traffic cameras throughout the state to monitor traffic issues and other stations use them.
Where Aroostook Grows More is not just a quaint acronym from a time and place long forgotten. It is the hometown station and should be making every effort to showcase the view of the day. Anything less demeans our County pride. Let us see the weather.
Orpheus Allison is a photojournalist living in the County. He began his journalism career at WAGM television later working in many different areas of the US. After twenty years of television he changed careers and taught in China and Korea. Graduating from UMPI he earned a master of liberal arts degree from the University of North Carolina.
