A Knob-Job?

I stopped listening to over-the-air radio in my car a number of years ago. Someone stole it out of my car. While I was driving. Brrrrmmp (just kidding. This is perhaps the only blog that has its own drummer; be thankful for small mercies.). 

Radio here in SE Connecticut isn't that difficult to stop listening to--it's less than okay, no matter what flavor of radio you like. To my ear (and my opinion only) the chatter on the police and fire radio frequencies (trouble calls, et al), is better than most of the programming on the stations.

I'm not sure why, exactly and not completely comfortable with it simply being labeled 'the radio guys' fault' only. Nothing sounds this awful by accident. Sometime back I attempted the satellite radio solution.

That was when we had the Subaru Forester which had a CD multi disc player (though NOT at the same time; the literalist in me was keenly disappointed) and a cassette player along with an AM/FW radio with a weather frequency.

I don't think I understand weather radio and despite scaring some people with the insistent repetitiveness with which I ask them about it, I've never actually known anyone who admits to listening to it. 

It's like the Weather Channel on TV: I want my forecast, right now and no drama. What? I have that as an application on my cell phone already? Then never mind. Take that station out of my cable package and off my radio, Thanks. And don't stand in the pouring rain.

There's only one satellite radio station, to my knowledge, now as the two that once existed merged into one to the less than total delight of their subscribers who feared the worst and then got those fears realized in terms of pricing, service and fidelity (but the shareholders did well and that's really what is important here). Every time I think about subscribing, things happen and I think again.

I always get the person on the phone at the satellite company who cannot understand (or accept) why 'you don't want Howard Stern in your package?' Buddy, I don't care if that's what the kids are calling it these days, I don't want Howie anywhere near it or me. It's just a matter of personal taste in much the same way as I hate watching baseball on Fox. It's me, I'm sure, and I think we should leave it at that.

Anyway, the new company with all new packages and (of course) pricing plans is unable to verify that our Subaru Impreza even has a satellite receiver, based on the string of numbers and letters I spit into the receiver when prompted ("and then push the pound key"). And I've contacted Subaru who made the car, and I hope everything in it, who insists the satellite radio folks don't know what they're talking about.

This may take awhile, I fear, and in the meantime as I drive along on the interstates here in The Nutmeg State because nothing is ever placed near where you live (I think it's a law), I keep an eye out for the HOV lane markings on I-91 because adding that was what was keeping it from being the absolute worst highway in America. You're welcome.

Unless they add lanes for this, in which case, I guess I will be thinking about that Howard Stern package. Incessantly.
-bill kenny