Liars On The Road: A Carny Story - By N.L. Belardes

The original title for my carny story that appeared on ABC23 was titled "Liars On The Road," but a friend of mine thought that was too harsh, too put-offish.

I think when you read the article, "Carny Road Addict Hides Dark Life"
Avoiding Tough Topics, Carny Discusses Gypsy Life", watch the videos and see the pics, you'll make the judgement for yourself whether you think the carny I interviewed was telling the truth or not.

Even though the carny wouldn't say very much, it's one of my favorite articles I've ever written. It's a dark piece, and if you know what I like to write, it's articles, blogs and books that have a flair for the dark side.

Here's my Nick 2.0 plug for the piece, which some of the video aired during the 6pm broadcast. I'll have to re-look at what anchorwoman Jackie Parks had to say, but she really dug it, which made my whole day.

Excerpt:

Days after the Kern County Fair ended, balloons littered the ground in an area near the carny living quarters. Gone was the carny who may have lied, but who did speak about a hard life on the road. The carny, Sean Riley, had sat nervously on the steps of a trailer, and said, “It’s rough sometimes. It’s rough to live on the road away from home.”

The lot was mostly empty now. No longer crowded with games, rides, trucks, vans and long trailers, there was only the sense that thousands of people had just trod there.



A lone Coke bottle partly covered with dirt near a cigarette butt appeared to have been tossed after the fair ended; likely from the exodus of carnies as they discarded their junk and moved further north in California’s Great Central Valley toward Fresno.

It’s been a few days since the traveling portion of the 48th largest fair in America left Bakersfield, Calif. 400,000 visitors passed through the gates to visit the rodeo, live acts, food booths, and to ride roller coasters, upside-down spinning rides and twirling swings.



While such carnival rides brought color, sound and dazzling neon light to the southern central valley’s grass-covered fields and dirty air, just three days later mostly big rig trucks and the metal bases of a few rides remained. I stood there and thought about Riley in the lot, coaxing people to play games. Again, was he telling me the truth?

A few days ago, trailers resembling large horse trailers sat parked beyond a gate leading to carnival rides and games. Of course there were no horses. Instead the trailers were fitted with rooms as living quarters for carnies traveling the roads from city to town and through rural areas.



(Read the full article)

Nick 2.0 Episode 20:

Reflecting on the Kern speech - By N.L. Belardes

Today marks a historic day with the largest mass murder in Bakersfield ending in a death sentence for the convicted killer, Vincent Brothers.

Sitting adjacent to the ABC23 newsroom from my fish bowl, I wondered how a black man could get convicted in Bakersfield for mass murder, while O.J., in the news again, might walk free, again.

Executive Producer Jay Jones automatically said “L.A.” Does that mean L.A. courts versus Bakersfield courts? Would Phil Spector’s trial have ended the way it did if cast in the Bakersfield theater of mean justice? Would O.J.’s first case fair the same? What about the second O.J. case?

What do you know about Mean Justice?

Now I’m not saying Vincent Brothers is innocent. His family seems convinced he killed members of his own family. The courts proved he killed his family. But then, I’ve read The Innocent Man by John Grisham. Innocent men do get locked away for murder.

They sit in prisons and rot and wait for the needle, noose, electric chair, or whatever it is their state uses to execute them. And they were proven guilty too.

Now once again, I’m not saying Vincent Brothers is innocent. A man who can’t acknowledge his own daughter while she talks about her loved ones killed in cold blood…well, I would have a hard time being lenient on such a man too, to let's say, serve life without parole rather than getting the chair, needle, etc. I don’t even think he looked her in the eye; his own beautiful daughter.

Should Brothers sit in prison and rot? Obviously the courts don’t think so, even though Brothers will likely rot in prison for years before his death sentence is carried out. If ever.

I heard one person in the newsroom say, “He’ll be there 20 years.” Maybe there won’t be any further executions in California. I doubt that. I’m sure the blood bath will start up any day.

Not that I don’t believe in executions for heinous crimes. Although sometimes it may be better for convicted criminals to sit and rot instead of leaving the world.

I do have to say I understand what it feels like to have an unsupportive family in one way or another. And to lose that family by being either excommunicated in one way or another. And although one of my uncles was murdered years ago, I can’t possibly imagine so many members of a family gone at once, though I can easily imagine broken and unsupportive relationships with family.

There was so much anger and passion in Margaret Kern’s speech that I had to take off my headphones for a moment to dry my eyes. I couldn’t separate emotionally from Kern’s emotions she displayed.

I think by showing her entire statement on the ABC23 website it makes for a necessarily tougher day for the community. So I put it there. People need to see her entire statement, feel her pain. At least for the portion of the community who cares about the falling apart of familial relationships, hurt daughters, an ethnic community in turmoil, and resolution to tragedy and loss.

Nick 2.0 episode 8, Smashmouth, VIP ethics and backstage with Munoz - By N.L. Belardes

Nick 2.0 Episode 8

Check out my ABC23 Buzz Bands blog about going backstage with Munoz and Smashmouth at the Kern County Fair.

Here's a slideshow of pics.

And don't forget to check out the videos...

Here's a video from the dressing room:

Nick 2.0 episodes 7 and 8 with some funky technical difficulties - By N.L. Belardes

Only two more episodes from my goal of ten episodes of Nick 2.0!

OK, check it. I couldn't get enough of talking Wired Nextfest.

You gotta love kids as Martian landscapes...Episode 7:



Check out the technical difficulties. I felt like doing the hula...Episode 8:

ABC23 article on Wired Nextfest - By N.L. Belardes

Although this particular article deserves a lengthy blog about swanky LA hotels, rooftop pods and a writing retreat, I only have time to share my article, "Future Technologies Move Into Reality-Driven Phase."

If you know Wired magazine, then you might now Nextfest, where all kinds of future technologies are shared with the public (with a hefty admission price of course).

It's amazing where technology is going. Check out this toy robot that makes expressions and has synthetic rubberized skin:


Hanson Robotics

Here's my on-air segment showing off a man and his twin android. Guess which is the real robot:



Now check out Zou Ren Ti and his android:



If that isn't enough you'll want to hear Executive Director of the entire event, Victor Friedberg, who was gracious to grant an interview:



And of course, discussion about a samurai robot:



There's more videos in the article...including with a girl from Yahoo, a NASA-JPL rover that runs over kids, and more.

I'm hoping CNN picks it up. But I think they already did a piece on Hanson Robotics.

Nick 2.0 talks FBI suits and anchorwoman blog - By N.L. Belardes

In this episode I make fun of anchorman Todd Karli and plug his wife's blog. It's the first episode where I get referred to as Nick 2.0...

Episode five:

Nick 2.0 talks Captain America on 9/11 - By N.L. Belardes

It's episode two of Nick 2.0.

I won't let my Captain America article die on the entertainment pages of CNN!

So here is my plug and plead to Bakersfield viewers to come and check out a hero. Besides, as I said, we all need heroes on days like today, whether fictitious or otherwise.

By the way, I hear there is a grisly Rambo trailer online...

Episode Two:

Nick 2.0 Episode One - By N.L. Belardes

Who knows how long this show will last. If I get to ten episodes I will feel like a lucky man.

No matter what the ABC23 show ends up being named I'm going to refer to it as "Nick 2.0".

Episode One:

Love Walk Travel Journal - By N.L. Belardes

Although Baketown is bashing the poor kid who is crossing mountains by foot for love as just being an unemployed loser, I'll just go ahead and take the dreamy approach that love supercedes employment opportunities, welfare checks, and corporate offices.

Love is just what it is. You can't put an employment price tag on it. In most movies do you care about the love story or about whether both characters are employed?



We live in a society (and county) where people lose jobs, pick up the pieces, and move on. Sometimes people don't have jobs. Doesn't mean they're going to stay down and out at all. Personally, I think Staker's commitment to his journey is showing a great work ethic.

I've been unemployed before and in love. So what? Big deal! Besides, CNN keeps begging us for video, so I think people are appreciating this story...

Now that I vented, have a look at the TRAVEL JOURNAL I've put together. I'm calling Staker every few hours to ask him about the latest, then posting on the original story.

It's a great love story.

Buzzzzz Bands, The Newsdesk and more...

If you haven't been reading my Buzz Bands blog on ABC23, now's the time. You can read me bash the Horrorpops lead psychobilly chick's dress, and see some pics of Korn...

And don't forget the comedy on the Newsdesk blog. You can read about the Light Bulb Nazi, the Mangy Lot Cat and Will Ferrells in the newsroom...

You can also vote on your favorite Bakersfield band. If only 5 people vote, I don't care, I'm still going to air the results on TV.

Stop by and leave a comment...

Yosemite Writers Conference: A Conversation about Blogging - By Melinda Carroll

In today’s world, blogging has become a way of life for many people and corporations. It’s an instantaneous way to connect with people. For writers, blogging should be a natural progression, a promotional tool and a way to personally reach readers and build a fan base.



This year’s Yosemite Writers Conference workshop, “Blogging Your Way to Fame” was taught by N.L. Belardes of ABC23 and Noveltown (noveltown.net/blog), Genevieve Choate of the Fresno Bee and Momologue, and Rik Bollman a Las Vegas writer/blogger and radio host, three individuals for whom blogging is not only a way of life, but a necessary part of being a writer. Three individuals who understood that blogging is not just posting a blog and hoping a handful of anonymous people on the Internet find it and read it. No, blogging is about so much more.

Blogging is about using your voice to capture attention for yourself as a writer and about using your voice as a community service. Blogging is about having a sense of integrity, being humble, and being smart about what you write. Blogging is not about what you ate for lunch, but rather it’s about getting out there in your community and finding original content to write about. Blogging is about having a conversation with people and that is what is truly unique about blogging.

Since blogging is a conversation with people, N.L., Genevieve, and Rik broke panel tradition and had a conversation with the workshop attendees about blogging. Everyone responded and interacted as if we were all sitting around an informal dinner table discussing blogging. For those who were new to the conversation, this method seemed to demystify blogging and make it less daunting. As a blogger myself, I felt this conversational format was most effective.

Gone was all the techy talk and html, instead the discussion centered on how writers can use blogging to build their author platform and a community of readers. By spending time on social networking sites such as myspace.com promoting your blog, book and/or yourself as a writer, by posting compelling content and updating your blog often and through grassroots promotion you can build a fan base and a platform that editors and agents will notice. Belardes stated, “You have to sacrifice time to promote yourself.” He also stressed the importance of having a presence on social networking sites.

Even though Belardes stated that blogging most likely won’t make you famous, he did discuss how blogging could help you get where you want to go as a writer, for you never know who’s reading your blog. In the blogosphere, if you build it they will come. Blogging will grow an audience for your writing.



It was prearranged for me to help people in the workshop immediately sign up for a blog. With laptops available, I was able to answer questions and help a few people sign up at the end of the blogging workshop and later that evening in the Tenaya Lodge Jackalope restaurant. I think it was helpful for those new to blogging to have a computer and a person available to walk them through the process of setting up their blog. Hopefully they will continue their journey into the blogosphere and towards building an audience.

More on the 2007 Yosemite Writers Conference:

Is Book Publishing Dead? Yosemite Writers Conference Provides Food For Hungry Writers
Yosemite Writers Conference: A Conversation about Blogging
Rambo Creator Reinvents Captain America
Yosemite Writers Conference: Demystifying Chick lit and Women’s fiction
Yosemite Writers Conference: Poetry talk
Mystery talk after David Morrell's big speech
2007 Yosemite Writers Conference: Brenda Knight Sidesteps the TVA man
Yosemite Writers and the Chukchansi bathroom break
Headed to Yosemite Writers Conference to talk writing for social change

*****************
Read Noveltown’s experiences at last year’s Yosemite Writer’s Conference:

By N.L. Belardes
A Writer in Yosemite: Part One
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Two
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Three
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Four
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Five
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Six
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Seven
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Eight

By Matildakay
A great literary weekend
What's your type?
How to Approach a Literary Agent...
The Mary Wong Lee Memorial Scholarship
Malcolm Margolin is Posh
Hanging out with the Pirates of Yosemite and setting the record straight
Kill Your Darlings

Captain America, CNN top stories, plane crashes, and the Yosemite Writers Conference - By N.L. Belardes

I tried really hard Friday to get CNN to pick up this ABC23 (KERO) story on the creator of Rambo helping to bring Captain America back to life. No go. CNN picked up a plane crash story near here after I tipped them off Friday night. Made top news.





Back to Captain America...

I met up with author of First Blood, David Morrell at the popular Yosemite Writers Conference. Check out this video interview:



Excerpt:

Come Sept. 5, perhaps Captain America can show citizens the way to courage, truth and justice after all.

Captain America is once again entering the consciousness of American popular culture by fighting the war on terrorism in the new six-part action series, “Captain America: The Chosen.”

New York Times best-selling author and creator of Rambo David Morrell has written the stand-alone comic series that follows Captain America’s involvement with a war-tired U.S. marine unit in Afghanistan.

Yet the question remains about the fate of America’s superhero, Steve Rogers, a k a, Captain America. Earlier this year in issue No. 25, Rogers was killed on courthouse steps in New York City.

According to Morrell, the new series pre-dates the superhero’s fictitious death and takes place in a separate Marvel Comics universe.

ABC23 managing editor Nick Belardes spoke with David Morrell at the premiere Yosemite Writers Conference to discuss Morrell’s dive into the world of Marvel Comics.

“I was called by Marvel Comics about two years ago and they thought it would be interesting if the creator of Rambo did a piece about Captain America,” Morrell said.

Now read, "Rambo Creator Reinvents Captain America: Captain America Resurrected To Fight War On Terror."

More on the 2007 Yosemite Writers Conference:

Is Book Publishing Dead? Yosemite Writers Conference Provides Food For Hungry Writers
Yosemite Writers Conference: A Conversation about Blogging
Rambo Creator Reinvents Captain America
Yosemite Writers Conference: Demystifying Chick lit and Women’s fiction
Yosemite Writers Conference: Poetry talk
Mystery talk after David Morrell's big speech
2007 Yosemite Writers Conference: Brenda Knight Sidesteps the TVA man
Yosemite Writers and the Chukchansi bathroom break
Headed to Yosemite Writers Conference to talk writing for social change

*****************
Read Noveltown’s experiences at last year’s Yosemite Writer’s Conference:

By N.L. Belardes
A Writer in Yosemite: Part One
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Two
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Three
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Four
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Five
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Six
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Seven
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Eight

By Matildakay
A great literary weekend
What's your type?
How to Approach a Literary Agent...
The Mary Wong Lee Memorial Scholarship
Malcolm Margolin is Posh
Hanging out with the Pirates of Yosemite and setting the record straight
Kill Your Darlings

Bakotopia Adema edition mentioned on ABC23 - By N.L. Belardes

Media promoting media. Gotta love it. Watch this ABC23 video where Christina Loren and Doug DeRoo promote Bakotopia... and don't forget to read Matt Munoz article on Adema.



Video might not appear for a few minutes.

Jackie Parks of ABC23 is blogging? - By N.L. Belardes

Jackie Parks of ABC23 has her own blog that she started up today.

Now, she's brand new to the blog world. But that's OK. She has a great first piece titled, "First Day of School Blues." It's an honest piece about a worried mom (her) because her kid is about to start school.

Here's an excerpt:

For years, I silently shook my head at friends who cried when their children started their first day of kindergarten. I thought, “Really. They’re only 5 years old. This isn’t an empty nest. You have many, many years until you write the tuition check.”

But now that it’s me who has a firstborn child entering the hallowed halls of our public school system, I confess I am a mess. Not exactly a basket case – at least not yet. But come Monday morning, all bets are off.

Maybe you have kids starting school too. Maybe you're just interested in what Jackie is going to be blogging about...

(Read the full article and leave a comment)

Video of gas station fire aftermath - By N.L. Belardes

When I drove out to a fuel pump fire today I instantly hoped that the entire gas station wouldn't blow up. That would be bad, really bad.

By the time I arrived, the fire was out. A burned fuel pump lie on its side. I got part of the story as I took photos. I got the rest at the station from watching interviews conducted by one of the ABC23 reporters. Read, "Motorist Causes Fire At Gas Station: Samaritan Attempts To Put Out Fire Caused By Negligent Motorist."

Wow. Lucky no one was hurt...

I did take this video:

An interview with Brian "Head" Welch, ex-lead guitarist for Korn - By N.L. Belardes

I spoke with Brian "Head" Welch yesterday about his new book, "Save Me From Myself." We talked about spirituality, Bakersfield church leaders, his writing process and more.

His inspiring book recently reached the top 15 of the New York Times Best Seller list.

Here's an excerpt from my interview on ABC23:

Interview:

ABC23: First off, I want to say “Save Me From Myself” is an honest look at the reality facing many people today who are caught in the culture of drugs. Its rawness—though honest and inspiring—is filled with language and graphic drug use. What kind of feedback are you getting?

Welch: I’m getting some pretty good feedback. A lot of broken people are getting inspired by it. I’ve had no negative comments about the rawness and realness of it. It’s I think what people expected, you know. It could actually have been worse. If I wasn’t just trying to be real or tell my story; it could have been one of those tell all books. But I just wanted to tell my story…it’s inspiring people. Listen: Audio 1

ABC23: I have a few questions about the writing process. Now, some people write books, whether fiction or non-fiction chronologically. Did you start at the beginning? Or did you maybe write the second half first, or a bunch of parts simultaneously?

Welch: I think the preface in it I wrote last. But the story I wrote it all how it happened. I went way back and went chapter by chapter.

I just wanted to get the whole story to the people about who I am, where I came from, and I wanted to throw the whole Korn story in there too to about how we all met, because it’s interesting.

I wanted it to be interesting too. I think a lot of people go through what I went through inside and they don’t tell anybody. We have problems when we’re kids, with whatever, with friends, bullies, with life in general what we go through, with drugs, and we don’t talk about a lot of it it. And I wanted to talk about it. Listen: Audio 2

(Read the full interview and hear all 12 audio files)

ABC23 Articles

All of the articles listed are original stories on ABC23 (KERO) (www.turnto23.com). You'll find a lot of my photos as well and mini-documentaries. Some of the articles listed appeared on cnn.com. Keep checking back for the latest and as I add articles from the ABC23 archives. - n.l.

April 2, 2008: Living With Asperger's: Owning A Business

March 28, 2008: Woman, 39, Appears On '39-And-Over' Book Cover

February 27, 2008: Batman Stuntman Helps Direct Dark Knight Short Film

February 18, 2008: Documentary Filmmakers Capture Life Of Merle Haggard

February 12, 2008: Street Dedicated On Festive Merle Haggard Day

February 11, 2008: Cameraman Chased After Filming Shooting Aftermath

February 7, 2008: Bands Get Creative To Battle MySpace Glut

December 5, 2007: Non-Striking Writers Form Attention-Getting Blog Site

November 5, 2007: Batman Fan Film Shot In Downtown Bakersfield

November 2, 2007: Man Overcomes Loss Through 'Day Of The Dead' Music

October 23, 2007: New Dwight Yoakam Album Tips Hat To Buck Owens

October 12, 2007: Indiana Jones Fever Rocks Two Central California Towns

October 4, 2007: Carny Road Addict Hides Dark Life

July 18, 2007: Local Harry Potter Song 'Wrocks'

July 31, 2007: Brian 'Head' Welch Talks About New Book And Spirituality

August 15, 2007: Dwight Yoakam Talks New Album At Buck Owens' Tribute