A Shocking Admission

Suspense?

Maybe a tiny bit. I am notorious for eschewing the gratuitous withholding of information to get people to continue reading. But my admission won't be shocking without a bit of background, which follows.

I Love Radio

The "magic of radio" still exists for me, even though my own personal lifespan encompasses over 60% of that of radio itself, invented by Marconi in 1896. I built a crystal radio and listened to the Lone Ranger in the '50s, worked for the biggest broadcast radio station in the world—WABC AM and FM—in the '60s, and have had my ham radio license since 1959. I'm "on the air" talking, usually in Morse Code, to countries all over the world weekly. My life has been intertwined with radio, broadcasting, broadcast programming production*, and even saving you (yes, you, personally) from hearing profanity on the radio.

I've basked in the glow of large transmitting tubes sending 50kW of energy into the ether**. At a different time, I've listened to that same 50kW transmitter thousands of miles away. I've worked with some of the biggest names in AM broadcasting and occasionally lamented their passing (or getting fired, as often happens in radio). And, not to put too fine a point on it, radio in one way or another was financially responsible for a purchase that was the cause of my shocking admission, soon to be detailed.

I Love Music

My second introduction to music was on the radio. (Possibly it was the first, but I give my parents credit and blame for having a then-current mechanical device that would play both sides of a "78" which contained entrained classical music within its "grooves.") If it wasn't first, radio certainly came along in time to rescue me. I spent my youth listening to WMCA and WABC, both New York City stations. And, of course, Murray the K on WINS***. Rock and Roll! Beseeching the parents for a tape recorder came naturally to me, allowing me to listen interminably to early Everly Brothers and Del Shannon. Did I buy records? My first single was Gogi Grant's The Wayward Wind; my second was, not even to my immediate—much less eternal—shame was Hot Diggity sung by Perry Como. These were before "45s," represented by the Buddys Knox and Holly. All, along with Patience and Prudence and Pink Floyd and Marillion, were discovered by me on the radio.

I Love My Tesla

I bought my first Tesla (model S) in 2019, towards which I traded in my hybrid plug-in Prius. I had previously installed rooftop solar power. My green, all-electric credentials thus burnished. I patted myself on the head and back (not easy to do simultaneously) and enjoyed the Tesla's comfort and acceleration. This situation has obtained until the present day. In fact, I enjoyed the Tesla so much that I recently traded it in for the Plaid version for even more acceleration****.

I've been merrily driving a Tesla for about four years on short trips and long. It has a great sound system, it connects to my cellphone on which I have a lifetime of music, and generously provides me with hours of the Grateful Dead on SiriusXM. Not particularly enjoying any of the few local radio stations, I have contented myself with those sources of music.

Q: I'm getting bored with all this "I" stuff. Just tell us your shocking admission already, OK?
A: OK. Please forgive me for using bullet points.

• Despite my Love of Music
• Despite my Love of AM broadcast Radio
• Despite driving my Tesla a few days every week

It is this: If I had wanted to listen to my local AM broadcast station, I would have needed a different car. The Tesla HAS NO AM RADIO and I NEVER NOTICED!

Tomorrow: From Shocking Admission to Terminal Ambivalence

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