The easiest way to catch up with All Things Witham.....

....is to find me on Facebook. Click on the title above. :)

Miami should've listened to Dr. Z!

So.....with Chad Pennington on the shelf....

Imagine if the Miami Dolphins, in 2001, had listened to Dr. Z at Sports Illustrated, and took the man he suggested in the draft some eight years ago.

Think things might be different today?

OMG! Albright thinks she's a hottie!

Click the title and see CNN's John Roberts blush at Madeline Albright. Thank you, Marty at Chickaboomer!!!

I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything Albright could do that would make me blush, or react at all, for that matter. I'm sorry, but, well, she's not all that.

I'll be nice and leave it at that.

Ugh!

January 20 vs. September 12

Thanks to Blonde Sagacity for this one. Please click on the title. Pictures speak thousands of words. :)

My 2009 NFL Predictions....

Hey, why not? Everyone else does? :) :)

NFC:

NFC East--Philadelphia
NFC North--Green Bay
NFC South--Atlanta
NFC West--San Francisco
NFC Wild Card Berths--Chicago and New Orleans

NFC CHAMPION: Atlanta

AFC:

AFC East--New England
AFC North--Pittsburgh
AFC South--Houston
AFC West--San Diego
AFC Wild Card Berths--Baltimore and Tennessee

AFC CHAMPION: Pittsburgh


SUPER BOWL XLIV: Pittsburgh over Atlanta

2010 Draft--#1 pick to the Oakland Raiders!

#2--Cleveland
#3--Buffalo
#4--St. Louis
#5--Detroit

Oh, and Brett Favre won't make the trip to Green Bay in early November. He'll either be hurt or will have retired for the 38th time.

Let the football begin!!!

MJ's choice for Hall of Fame presenter? David Thompson | Richmond Times-Dispatch

FANTASTIC choice, Michael! The original high-flyer from North Carolina will present Jordan. A Tar Heel deferring to a Wolfpack. At least one Tar Heel has some sense.....tee hee.....

Classy move, Michael Jordan; thank you for remembering David. :)

MJ's choice for Hall of Fame presenter? David Thompson | Richmond Times-Dispatch

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Learn More About PTO's

Click on the title link and learn about the independent parent-teacher groups across America who opt not to spend their money with a politically-motivated National PTA and keep their money at their childrens' schools as PTO's (and other acronyms!)

As we start a new school year, I can't think of a better site to highlight and recommend to parents!

And a "Van" goes under the bus......plus, how one lefty blog handles dissent

Van Jones resigns in the middle of a Saturday night on a holiday weekend. Just as what people had figured would happen.

When you have someone this incriminating near you (or during Watergate, when people are coming close to the truth), they like to dump you on Saturday nights.....

BUT--if you think Van Jones doesn't have a voice or a "seat" at the President's table, think again. He's still going to be around. He just doesn't get to be in the public eye as a "czar".

BUT NOTE THIS:

If you click on either the title of this link or Van's name at the start of this post, and you'll go to the story of Van's resignation as reported by:

ThinkProgress.org.......typical lefty blog.

Scroll down to the comments section, and note how many times you see the following statement:

"This comment has been voted down. Click to read."

Apparently, some comments that are in opposition to the beliefs of ThinkProgress.org are "semi-censored".

Yes, you can read it by clicking on a link, so technically they aren't "censored". But, these comments are "labeled" as "losers" or "wrong" by whomever the powers that be are over at ThinkProgress. Could be editors, could be fellow commenters.

They will argue, "WE'RE NOT CENSORING! JUST CLICK ON THE LINK TO READ IT; IT'S RIGHT THERE!!"

I respond with, "Why do you pronounce a comment as "voted down" before allowing any critical thinking human being, no matter what their political persuasion, to come to their own conclusion?"

BUT---apparently the "vote downs" aren't reserved for those evil right-wingers. Here are a few that get the "scarlet letter"......

"Bad move. Libs & Dems always quit. Conservatives stay & fight.
How can we win when we're always quitting?"

"yeee hawwww"

"Guess he couldn't stand the truth comming (sic) out about what he really was."

"that is one less Panther suporter (sic) we have to worry bout, too bad it had to take public humilty (sic) to remove him tough (sic)"

"Buh-bye to a hater. Van Jones is pure trash. Good riddance."


And now, to be fair and balanced, a few comments deemed acceptable and appropriate for viewing without an extra click and an editorial comment.....


"It's unfortunate that Van Jones quit. He's a good and talented man who is worth an infinite number of Glenn Becks. He would have done a great job for the country.
It's also unfortunate that Beck hasn't choked on his own foul spittle, but that's another subject entirely. While I'm on the subject: Fox, a christian station? Give me a break. Fox is a festering boil on the ass of America. Time to lance that sucker and solve the problem."

"Mr. Van Jones,

Don't let the sh-t faced Repuglian liars chase you out. We need people with courage like yours to stay in the fray and fight! Don't let the basta-ds win like this.
I am ashamed of the putrid foul degenerates above who cheer your leaving. Typical Repuglicans, foul to the end."

"Let's hope that this frees him up to carry on the battle in a different, stronger way. Those not in official positions may have more latitude to kick the crap out of these idiots."

"Kit Bond called for an investigation on Van Jones? Because he said all republicans are as*holes? He should have said they were all racist crackers."


So, there you go. But here's one final comment that, as an earlier post referred to, echoes my earlier sentiment that Mr. Jones will now only fade into the woodwork, still with plenty of pull.

"Now Van Jones is free to retaliate without any impediments. Good."

This "Van" will come out from underneath the bus in fine condition.

Rob on education, politics, and the whole Obama speech thingy.......

Lots of comments regarding my Facebook and Blogger postings of a couple of days back regarding my deep concern over the plans to show all students a speech by the President this Tuesday. I even saw a comment that led me to believe some may believe me to be a racist over all this. Can I first say that I could care less if our President is purple, green, or blue? I look at substance.

And thus the reason for this post. For those of you who think this is a knee-jerk reaction on my part, I present to you a history lesson.

----From the moment I stepped foot into Longdale Elementary School in August, 1997 to meet my son's Kindergarten teacher, I have been very, very involved in my childrens' education. I've been proud to be a Co-Class Mom, a Class Mom, then eventually a Vice-President and two-time President of the school's PTA and one-term President as the school's PTO. I loved every minute I spent at school with my kids, their friends, their teachers and the rest of the staff. My FAVORITE part would be when kids would see me in the hallway and greet me with either "Hi Robbie's Dad!" or "Hi Rachel's Dad!". That was THE BEST. :)

Let me take you back several years to my two years as PTA President at Longdale. Upon doing much studying and observing of the PTA on a local, state, and national level, I became extremely uncomfortable with the tenets of that organization. Though some of the "reasons" given for their hearty lobbying efforts "on behalf of education" seemed innocuous enough, further review revealed a definite bias toward one political ideology over another.

Whenever you begin to involve yourself in politics, you immediately, as an Association, should go under the microscope to be scrutinized as to what said group does with their dues, donations, etc. And, too many times, PTA monies, mostly on the National level, were being used in ways where it was abundantly clear who the PTA was comfortable associating with politically, and who did clearly did not care for.

This led me to study the then-growing movement of schools nationwide leaving the PTA in favor of PTO's, which are "Parent-Teacher Organizations", and concentrate their efforts on the local school. Period. If they choose to partner with other schools in their district, or county, or across the country, they could, but they were not forced to do so, as is done via the National PTA with mandatory dues.

Each year, Longdale families were giving more than $1,000 to the National and State PTA and essentially getting nothing in return except the "privilege" of calling themselves a PTA. Want "leadership training"? That's more $$ and a trip out of town for a weekend. I always wondered why a non-profit group would pay good money to send willing "leaders" to a "leadership conference". Isn't that something that could be done on the local or area level for free, thanks to the expertise of all the volunteers in said local or area group?

Somehow, I never thought their members magazine was worth the $1,000 plus dollars.

Well, the year I was NOT part of the PTA Executive Board, the wheels were put in motion to leave the PTA and re-form our parent group as a PTO.

What did the PTA do?

Per bylaws, we had a meeting where they sent a representative to speak to the membership to implore them not to leave, which was perfectly fine. Per bylaws, if we voted to leave, any monies that were raised as a PTA would go......to the State and National PTA.

And not to the children.

You would think the PTA people would want the money to go to help the children of the school, but I digress......

Long story short, we left the PTA for the non-political PTO, which is, by the way, NOT an "National" organization. There is no such thing as a "National PTO". Any dues you collect as a PTO stay at the school. Heck, you don't even have to CHARGE for membership, if you don't want to!

THE PTA RESPONSE:

1) They always paint PTO's and other type groups that are not associated with them "fundraising groups for schools". This is their "slime tactic" against anyone not aligned with them. Remember, for each school that there is no PTA, that's hundreds of kids and thousands of adults that do not receive their money (dues), hear their politically slanted message and less numbers they can add to their "total membership" tout of clout at State Capitals and on Capitol Hill.

Truth be told, even though the PTA's say they have a "3 to 1 ratio rule" of projects to fundraisers, you don't get flyers and handouts the first week of school about the latest PTA projects. You get hit with a huge fundraiser. PTO's can do as many projects as they want and as many or few fundraisers as necessary, all based on what's best for the school and THE KIDS. Gee, what a novel concept.

2) We were the first school in Henrico County to leave the PTA. The rest of the PTA's then, in essence, shunned us. How hard would it be for a County body to change their name from "County Council of PTAs" to "County Council of PTAs and PTOs"? That didn't happen. Nor were we included at the beginning in any activities. Our school's voice was silenced....by them, not us.

3) In 2004, when Longdale families constituted a majority of new parents and students at the then-new Greenwood Elementary School, we simply asked the new principal that, since groups from three different schools were coming together to start the new school, that both the PTA and PTO option be presented to the parents and let them decide how to organize the group at Greenwood.

The PTAers hated that idea. We had a meeting, though. The PTA representative attempted to grandstand and take the entire alloted hour of speaking, knowing the hall was being used by another group later and that we'd have to vacate. My wife had to go find the principal, who had left the room, to come back in and basically shut him up.

The parents voted to form a PTO. At the first meeting of parents interested in wanting to form it, a group of PTA supporters came and effectively staged a coup d'etat. How did they eventually win?

A formation committee packed with Pro-PTA'ers botched up (on purpose, I suspect?) the formation process to the point where they then later came back and convinced enough people that the ONLY way to get the group going was to form as a PTA so the PTA could help them.

For example, they said it would cost thousands to lawyers to form the PTO. Lie. We did it at Longdale for free.

It went on and on and on. For months.

Almost AN ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR went by, and these people were perfectly content to waste all this time where THE STUDENTS could be benefiting, simply to get their way.

--------------------------

When people are motivated by politics, it's amazing how many of them make decisions and do things which actually go against what they claim their core beliefs are. For example, if you are "only looking out for the children", why spend so much money that could be used in the classroom strengthening an association whose existence has already been proven to be not necessary?

Did you know around 3 out of every 4 "parent-teacher" groups in America are NOT PTA's?

No wonder they're going nuts! Where will they get the money to "promote their cause"? Dry up the dues and you're in trouble.

-------------------------

Why did I and do I support PTOs? One big reason is that they are NON-POLITICAL.

Public school classrooms, the students, and their lesson plans should never be used for any political purpose. Period. On either side.

And that brings us to President Obama's speech on Tuesday.

The fact that he wants to speak to the nation's schoolchildren is not the big issue here.

The big issue is THE PLANS SURROUNDING AND FOLLOWING UP THE SPEECH. You know, the ones I highlighted on this blog the other day. The ones which want students to focus on "what the President wants" throughout the entire school year. The ones which didn't focus on children achieving their best in educational endeavors or on what we can do to be better citizens and help our country and our neighbors......

Obama's speech will be very innocuous, I'm sure. Even moreso now that people like me have blown the whistle on all this.

Friends, all politicians present their messages through a uniquely defined political prism. This goes against my "non-political" stance of what life should be like in the Pre-K through 12 classrooms of this nation. They can't help it, whether from the right or the left.

POINTS TO PONDER:

1) How can the same Administration, who cannot even pay car dealerships for their "clunkers" in the Cash For Clunkers program even after tripling their workforce to get the paperwork processed, somehow masterfully pull off sending lesson plans for a year-long project to every classroom in some 100,000 schools with nary a whisper to the public who pays for those schools? When an Administration can administer some things better than others, one begins to wonder what priorities cause the success and failure....

2) WHY has the White House now spent MORE taxpayer money to REVISE the lesson plans to take the focus more away from the President??? Was it just an "oversight" of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and his gang, just thinking that citizens would assume "following a President" meant "following a nation"? Heh. Think again. We caught them red-handed. If these lesson plans were so innocuous, THEY WOULDN'T BE REVISING THEM, now would they?

3) Guilt by association. In its short history, the Obama Administration has placed itself in a position by which doing this very exercise guaranteed the grassroots response.

--Appointing more "czars" with no Congressional oversight than any other President
--Trying to ram through Health Care Reform before August, before there could be discussion.
--The stimulus package that HAD to go through or we would be in a Depression.

Once a group plays "ramrod" with the American people for awhile, the people awaken and say enough. And thus, they begin to question everything they do. Why? Because past history indicates questioning is a GOOD thing to do.

The latest indication? Van Jones, the President's "Green Jobs" czar. According to Van's own words, I'm a white polluter, an "a**hole" (even though I'm an independent and NOT a Republican) and I live in a country where the last Presidential Administration colluded to kill 3,000 Americans eight years ago on 9/11.

I rest my case.

-------------------------------------------------------

In closing.......

1) I want no publicly elected official having the control of speaking to all of the nation's children without first announcing such intentions to the entire nation. Schools are for LEARNING. Learning about politics in schools belongs in Social Studies, US History, and US Government classes. I wouldn't want kindergarteners asking themselves "What Would Reagan Do?" any more than "What Would Obama Do?" I should have found out about this speech from news reports straight from the White House and not from the Drudge Report and radio talkers.

2) What would liberals be saying today if George W. Bush had created "lesson plans" to give to the nation's children so they could wonder "What does George W. Bush want me to do today"? Remember just a couple of years ago when some liberals were demanding that President Bush's pictures be taken down from public school walls?

3) Our society is in grave danger due to stupidity. You read me right. You can't read a chyron graphic on CNN, Fox, or another news or sports channel these days without seeing MULTIPLE misspellings. Adults can't name the 50 states, their Senators, or how many Justices are on the Supreme Court. How many kids don't know their times tables, 0X0 through 12X12, by heart? How many kids have to learn the Gettysburg Address by heart?

May the President's speech be short and full of direction sending all American children to their textbooks, so we can get back to reading, writing, and arithmetic.

As opposed to "What does (insert any political leader name here) want me to do??"

Follow Up to Below Post------Obama to be prayer day no-show - Washington Times

Why did a Christian tradition come to an end? Your thoughts.......be sure to read the post BELOW this one to get the whole story here.....


Obama to be prayer day no-show - Washington Times

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Obama hosts Ramadan dinner at White House - Washington Times

I have no problem with this, and am glad he hosted a Passover Seder last April. But what troubles me will be posted separately, when we remind ourselves of a decision he made in May.

Obama hosts Ramadan dinner at White House - Washington Times

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What The???????-----Obama speaks to captive audience......

Here it is, friends. The outline that will grace America's classrooms THIS TUESDAY before Dear Leader "speaks" to OUR children----without our permission.

PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities: President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009

Before the Speech:
• Teachers can build background knowledge about the President of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama and motivate students by asking the following questions:
Who is the President of the United States?
What do you think it takes to be President?
To whom do you think the President is going to be speaking?
Why do you think he wants to speak to you?
What do you think he will say to you?
• Teachers can ask students to imagine being the President delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States. What would you tell students? What can students do to help in our schools? Teachers can chart ideas about what they would say.
• Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?
During the Speech:
• As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful. Students could use a note-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following:
What is the President trying to tell me?
What is the President asking me to do?
What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
• Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
• Students can record any questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.

After the Speech:
• Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.
• Students could discuss their responses to the following questions:
What do you think the President wants us to do?
Does the speech make you want to do anything?
Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?
What would you like to tell the President?
• Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest. On September 8th the Department will invite K-12 students to submit a video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into an assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov.

Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students
• Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily.
• Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.
• Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.
• Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community.
• Participate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.
• Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays.
• Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
• Graph student progress toward goals.



NOTE how many times the kids are asked to focus on THE PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!
As opposed to THE COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!

This is sick.

Happy For Stacey Dales!

I'm sorry, but I don't get the whole Erin Andrews thing.

Yes, she's attractive, but there are several "reporters" who put her to shame.

And as for strong personalities on television, ESPN let one get away and now NFL Network gets to reap the benefits.

Welcome Stacey Dales to NFLN, who I will personally take over EA anyday! Click on the title for the story.

Oh, great......

From one of my FAVE bloggers, Chickaboomer......

You gotta check out the goods on Mark Lloyd, the choice for "FCC Diversity Czar".

Add this to the news breaking today that Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, West Va) has been working for months on a bill to give the White House emergency powers over PRIVATE internet sources in "an emergency".

Get the dissenters off radio, off TV, and off the Internet? Sure seems like a growing foundation to attempt it to me.

Priceless!

U.S. To Trade Gold Reserves For Cash Through Cash4Gold.com

Giving new meaning to "missing a 'head' line".....

This post isn't about the 2nd Amendment, or about those who, for whatever reason, choose to show up outside Presidential appearances packing heat.

It is, however, about a "news organization" conveniently editing a very important portion of a story concerning the above subjects so as not to allow the facts to get in the way of their agenda.

MSNBC's logic is:

1) President is black.
2) Man shows up outside Presidential appearance with rifle and gun.
3) Man says he did it, "because he can".
4) Man is racist.

But, notice in the video clip, MSNBC only shows you the middle of the man packing heat, then switches to video of AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERSON being interviewed by someone.

That someone with all the bullets? He's black.

Click on the blog title.

New Meaning To Term "Political Pundit Works Poll".....

Monica Crowley and Mika Brzezinski Ready to "Work the Poll"

Former FishbowlNYer Ron Mwangaguhunga was listening to "The Joe Scarborough Show" on radio this morning and caught an offer from Monica Crowley that Mika Brzezinski might not be able to refuse.

Last week Ed Norwick, general manager of SCORES, offered Mika Brzezinski $10,000 -- to be given to a children's charity -- to try out at Scores West. Norwick was on the show to discuss the much-discussed Miley Cyrus pole dancing routine at the Teen Choice Awards. Brzezinski, a suburban mother, said no. Joe Scarborough has pressed the issue, saying that it would be "for the children."
This morning former Nixon foreign policy aide [and MSNBC show host] Monica Crowley appeared on the Scarborough radio show and made an offer. If Mika Brzezinski took up the challenge, she agreed to "work the pole" with the MSNBC host.

ROB'S NOTE---I must admit to the world that, if given the chance, Monica Crowley's performance would be one I wouldn't mind seeing.

There. I said it. Let the flogging begin. :)

Five Years---1,006 Posts.......

Wow.

Five years ago today, I started All Things Witham. This is post #1,006. Five years, around 200 posts a year.

SO much has happened. SO much has changed. Pardon me while I ramble.

1) I spend most of my "social online" time now on Facebook, so I am not the rabid blogger I used to be. I also split my blogging time now between three blogs.

2) I have SO enjoyed being able to have a tiny sliver of a lectern in the social media universe. I'm not leaving anytime soon.

3) This blog has always been about everything that has to do with The Withams. Lately a lot of my posts have been political in nature. I can't help it. What's happening in our nation right now is so scary. I must speak out. I appreciate those who comment on the posts, no matter what your political persuasion.


FIVE YEARS AGO/TODAY:

--I worked at Clear Channel/I'm a member of the Facebook group "I Was Fired By Clear Channel".

--My kids were going into the 7th and 2nd grades, respectively./Now I have Robbie's Senior Portraits and Rachel is going into the 7th grade.

--I was married./Still am.

--I was overweight./Still am. :(

--I had sleep apnea./Still do, and now am a Type II Diabetic.

--I was depressed./Not so much anymore! :)

--I was pastoring a church./I'm in year #4 of a sabbatical. It could go on 'til eternity.

--I loved "24"./Some things never change. :)


Tropical Storm Gaston, Bush/Kerry, Jib Jab, Patrick Henry Football, Big Brother, wrestling, "24" live blogging, New Years Eve blogging, fantasy football, Final Four picks, photos, vacation reports, job upheaval, current events thoughts, and the best of my kids. Just to name a very few highlights of five years of ATW.

Thanks for stopping by, once, or multiple times. I'll be back. Hope you will be, too. :)

Obama: Top Income Earners are just Lucky

Obama: Top Income Earners are just Lucky

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Whatever happened to 18 hour days, hard work, and "my father built this business after immigrating from (insert name of country here)"???

Needed Weekend Levity

From the blog-read "Chronicles of An Exhausted Mom".........

These are GREAT.

Page 16: Government ends private health care

No...the Federal Government doesn't want control over your life. No way!

Ahem.

The Libs in Congress, I would've thought, would have tried to bury this provision a little deeper than just PAGE 16 of the 1,018 page Obama Death Care Bill.

It just proves they think you and I are robot morons who will do whatever they want you to. I can hear Nancy Pelosi now....

"They're so busy wagging teabags and listening to talk radio, they won't make it to page 16."

Investors Business Daily has. Click the title for the truth on death care.

Awful Announcing: The NHL Officially Announces Details Of 2010 Winter Classic

This is SO awesome; another GREAT strategy move by the NHL.

Awful Announcing: The NHL Officially Announces Details Of 2010 Winter Classic

Sorry, Susan!

Susan Roesgen Out at CNN

Breaking: TVNewser has learned CNN correspondent Susan Roesgen's contract will not be renewed and she will be leaving the network.

Roesgen, you'll recall, was criticized for her coverage at the tax day tea parties in April, when she said the event she was covering in Chicago was, "anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right-wing, conservative network Fox."

Roesgen took a break for a few weeks after that reporting and returned to the air in May covering the Drew Peterson arrest. Most recently, she covered Michael Jackson's death from Los Angeles. Roesgen joined CNN in 2005.

When TVNewser asked whether Roesgen's comments at the Chicago tea party rally had anything to do with her not being renewed, a CNN spokesperson said, "I can't comment on personnel matters."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Rob's Commentary: After her ABOMINABLE performance trying to take up for President Obama at her fateful "tea party" report, this is deserved. I am not "happy" over her losing their job, but do believe she dug her own grave in Atlanta. Her Fox comments that day weren't what really ticks me off, it was her unbelievably condescending "know-it-all" attitude while "conducting" alleged "interviews" which she tried to turn into verbal spats or "liberal teaching moments".

But relax, Susan fans. She'll be at MSNBC before you can say Rachel Maddow.

Rebuttal to my First Lady at the homeless shelter picture post

So, a few weeks back I post a link to a picture of a homeless person getting a free meal served by the First Lady. The point of the post was to show the presence of a cell phone that the homeless (?) person was using to take a photo of this historic moment in their life.

So, I get an anonymous (figures) response:

Anonymous said...
"I'm not sure what you find "priceless" about homelessness. What exactly do you find objectional about this photo? Is it that a person in line for a meal has a cell phone? Do you think that the homeless should not be allowed to have cell phones? Can you imagine trying to find a job without having a phone on which to receive call-backs for interviews? In this economy, how do you know this person wasn't recently homeless with a family to feed? How do you know this person was homeless at all and not a staff member at this shelter or simply someone who wanted a photo of the first lady? And by the way, this is not a governmental funded shelter. The first lady was volunteering at a privately funded organization called Miriam's Kitchen. It never ceases to amaze me that so-called Christians are always the first to find humor in the plight of others."


So, if I may, a rebuttal.

1) Cell phones are NOT life necessities, unless you have no home phone. If I'm homeless and jobless, who exactly is paying the phone bill? Friend or family member? Fine. But let's be real, there are MANY people with very screwed-up priorities. And there are things called Trac-Fones. You know...pay as you go, pay when you can. This shows exactly how many people think they "deserve" that which you are to work for. When I LOST MY JOB 20 months ago, the cell phone that came with it was gone, too. Thus, for awhile, UNTIL I COULD AFFORD ONE, I (gasp!) DID NOT have a cell phone.

2) There was nothing in the photo that even discussed whether the food was coming from the government or not, so you've brought into the conversation a point that's irrelevant to the post.

3) I apologize if I referenced finding "humor" in the picture. What I was trying to reference was an example of WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE AND WHAT IS NOT.

I could feed my family, if my cell phone was, say, 50 bucks a month, for several days without needing a handout. What's wrong with giving out a neighbor or family member's phone number to a prospective job contact? Or do we "deserve" to all have our own 21st Century technology?

When I was a kid, I had no cell phone, no answering machine, no microwave, no FM radio in the car, no cable, no computer, no Internet, no email. I got my first job. Then my second (using my Dad's car), then my third (borrowing a friend's car at college, I might add), and so on.

And we wonder why millions of people honestly believe they should be given everything. And don't tell me that's not a true statement. It's very, very real.

To me, after pondering this, I now think a new perspective should be placed on the picture.

What about the woman behind the man? What if she represents the truly needy people in this world who have their priorities straight and really need that hand up as well as temporary hand out?

Why don't we focus on her, and those she represents. In the meantime, I suggest Anonymous go find the guy with the cell phone and find out if he truly can live without it.

Ohio.com - Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family

My belief is that ALL crimes are hate crimes. So, if you subscribe to the theory of "declaring" certain crimes done out of hate, you must also be able to accept that "hate crimes" can occur in what I will call a "non-traditional" manner (based on the standards of the MSM).

Akron police "aren't ready" to call this a hate crime?? What are they waiting for, audio of the shouts of this gang of thugs to confirm???

I CANNOT FIND word on this story from CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, even Fox. Had this been a group of white punks attacking a black family shouting "This is a white world", it would have been breaking news on ALL those channels. Double standard? Of course there is. Ohio.com - Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family

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Here's the email message I just sent my two Senators regarding Cap and Trade......

Senator ___________:

Now is the time for true leaders to stand up and announce that the current direction of our nation's economic and climate policy is wrong and will, in eventuality, cripple our nation and its ability to survive.

Nations are more apt to be taken over from within, via economic collapse and so on. With millions out of work or underemployed, this is NO time to be passing an alleged "global climate" bill known as Cap and Trade, which, at its core, is simply a gigantic tax increase on the heart of the American economy, which is its people, whether consumers or small businesses.

Thousands of dollars out of the pockets of families and small businesses annually in the name of "climate change" is despicable. The earth has undergone warming and cooling phases throughout its long history, and to believe we, as humans, as tiny as we are on the grand scale of the universe, have the ability to do what has been alleged by our former Vice President and others, is simply unattainable.

With many (and the number is growing) scientific scholars and leaders questioning the supposed "global warming crisis" to its very core, Al Gore has now resorted to using veiled accusations which equate those who merely question "climate change" to Nazis. This is desperation to the worst degree.

Senator Webb, I implore you to stop spending my children's and my grandchildren's money and stop bleeding the American citizen dry financially by boldly standing up and voting NO to the Cap and Trade legislation. Make Virginia proud that you provide common sense, open-minded leadership, wishing to engage all sides in a discussion.

If we are, as our President has stated repeatedly, in the midst of the worst economy since the Great Depression, then a massive tax on American society would only enable us to surpass the horror of the 1930s economically.

Please vote NO. Thank you.

Well, now I'm 42......

....nothing like being two weeks late for an annual birthday post. :)

It was a quiet day, just like I like it.

I worked.
I got LOTS of WONDERFUL GREETINGS from friends at my Facebook page. :) :)
I got my favorite pizza.
I got a portable radio for my bedside (how appropriate!).

So, knock one more year off the future......as fast as time is going, I'll be 43 in about 20 minutes.

Another reason why this car company is doing so well, but I wonder where their money is coming from--------Hyundai offers $1.49 gasoline guarantee for buyers | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Hyundai offers $1.49 gasoline guarantee for buyers | Richmond Times-Dispatch

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Chick-fil-A Beefs Up Fifth Annual Cow Appreciation Day Celebration with Online Photo Contest for Cow-Clad Kids

Chick-fil-A Beefs Up Fifth Annual Cow Appreciation Day Celebration with Online Photo Contest for Cow-Clad Kids


I would just need to add black spots; I'm big enough for slaughter already. Tee hee......

Priorities at the soup kitchen, featuring a cameo from the First Lady!

Click HERE to see my first blog love show and tell of a picture that is, indeed, priceless.

I have a bone to pick with Fox News.......

Where was Red Eye last weekend?????

I (obviously!) can never catch this great program at its 3am (3AM!) ET weeknight slot (and I'm a poor dote without TIVO), so on Saturday nights at midnight I would enjoy an encore broadcast (new to me!)

This week, it's off the schedule, as the presence of Mike Huckabee entered my living room an hour later than usual (I don't usually watch his show unless I find a guest to be interesting.....).

Where's Greg? Where's TV's Andy Levy? Where's the "insert Fox Hottie here"?

C'mon Fox News! I want my Red Eye!

VH1 "introduces" OCD?

Click on the title for the announcement of a new "reality" series about people with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).

As one of approximately 7 million Americans who really have OCD, I will withhold judgment on this project until its fruition.

I will say this: If you think some viral videos and the TV series "Monk" reveal the "real world" of OCD to the depths which we who experience it daily know all too well about, think again.

Some Europeans are beginning to get it "right".....

Good blog entry from the London Telegraph. Read it and think.

Caption This-------

My new radio love!

Move over, Rush.

I'll take Tammy Bruce from noon to 3 any day!

Click the title and meet someone who isn't afraid to tell truth.

Houston Libertarian Examiner: Why does Obama need so many czars? Looking past the chain of command

Houston Libertarian Examiner: Why does Obama need so many czars? Looking past the chain of command

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That great thumping sound you heard underneath your feet early this morning.....

Was our 44th President pounding away again at America's foundation and greatness.

Click the title to read Monica Crowley's latest blog entry that focuses on the one statement the President made today that really stood out with me.

It's so nice to know our President doesn't think we're any better than the British, or the Mexicans, or the Iranians, or the........

questions while thinking out loud......

1) As of tomorrow morning, the Federal Government will become the majority owner of two of the "Big Three" automakers. Now you know why Ford rejected bailout money and chose to go its own way. I've heard the Government's involvement in GM ownership could be, at a minimum, five years. I thought the President said he didn't have time to run car companies.

2) The liberals and Dems used to scream to high heaven when President Bush went to Crawford, Texas. You know....."HOW DARE HE take a vacation when our troops are in harm's way!!!"

But apparently it's okay by them for President Obama to golf on Memorial Day (after the Arlington ceremony), then spend five figures in taxpayer money to "take Michelle on a date" to the Big Apple last night.

3) Companies continue to file for bankruptcy, and the monthly unemployment rate continues to climb and climb, with some experts expecting it to top 10% before the worst is over in this recession.

--When's the stimulus package gonna kick in??
--When does Obama begin to accept blame for rising unemployment rates, rather than saying they were "inherited"?
--When Joe Blow's road work job, provided for by stimulus money, is done and there's no more stimulus money, where does Joe Blow report for work the following Monday?

4) Why does the world care as much about Susan Boyle as they do Kim Jong-Il?

5) President Obama said he would meet with the President of Iran with no preconditions. Now said Iranian President wants to debate Obama at the UN. Was this Obama's idea during the campaign, or did the bearded guy get another one over on him politically?

6) Would anyone in the world watch Hugo Chavez on a four-day TV-thon if you, well, weren't forced to by his minions?

7) The Detroit Red Wings-----are they man or machine? Aren't half their players over 50 already? And they're still winning??

8) Me thinks Lebron James thought he was on cruise control to an NBA title. After losing last night, his season over, he left the arena in Orlando without going to the post-game press conference and without shaking hands with the Magic on the court after the game. Poor sportsmanship. Hopefully he will learn from this, because me also thinks he'll be close to another title shot again soon.

9) My Denver Nuggets and Carolina Hurricanes both fell a series short of their goals of the NBA and Stanley Cup Finals, respectively. My hats off to them, though, as the Nuggets hadn't been that deep in the NBA playoffs in 24 years and the Hurricanes had a coaching change in mid-season and didn't look like a playoff team.

10) Oh, and they're FINALLY playing the feud in the Stanley Cup Final!!!

Good night. :)

Clear Channel, Bless Their Hearts.......

I wonder if they'll let any of the 2,500 EMPLOYEES THEY FIRED IN 2009 ALONE take advantage of this opportunity.

Not to mention the thousands like me in years and years before that, regardless of the "economic climate" of the time.

From Radio-Info.com


Clear Channel gives unemployed listeners in 21 markets a chance to find a job using radio

It’s a reality show that’s all too real in this economy – each station will pick five entrants a week, who will then record a quick :30 resume for airing within a station-produced spot. Potential employers can then follow up and check details on the station website. CC Radio president John Hogan says “We realize this is a difficult time for many individuals and families…radio is all about community and serves as the perfect platform to connect job seekers with employers.” The 21 participating stations include an urban AC in Detroit, WMXD (92.3), a talk station in Sacramento, KFBK (1530) and a rock station in Youngstown, WNCD (93.3).

What will post 1,000 be?

In line at the grocery store this AM with my sliced grilled chicken for salad and my wife's Diet Snapple (on sale!), I remembered that I'm almost at post number 1,000 here at All Things Witham.

I wondered what that post would discuss? Should it be a blockbuster celebration, a nostalgic look back?

I guess we'll find out in 18 posts, because this sentence thus ends post #982. :)

CBS Evening News Tweak tonight.......

Just found out about this.

I watch Katie rather than the other two (guess I'm a dinosaur by watching evening news!) and usually see it online live as much as on TV if I'm still at work.

It won't pull them out of third place, though. When Charlie Gibson retires, then CBS will have a chance to move out of the cellar.

And why people watch Brian Williams pontificate every night is beyond me. He came directly out of the "anchorman robot assembly line" with a healthy dose of "I'm better than you so let me tell you what you need to know about today's news and how to feel about it.".

No, thanks. John Chancellor, where are you??

Go Money Honey!!!

Click on the title to see that there is still some sense in the minds of some people in the NBC Universe.

Maria Bartiromo gets it right with this interview, exposing the union wonk for what he is, in the dream world of big government/socialism.

Love you, too, Wanda......

From the needless White House Correspondents Association Dinner last night (click the title for some hateful comedy).....

Honest, couldn't this event have been cancelled to save some money for somebody? Keith Olbermann alone could contribute the amount of proceeds they give to "journalism students".....but then they'd all be forced to go to......wait, they're probably all ending up at left-wing nutjob college factories anyway.......

Wanda Sykes proves she is not a good comedian. Joe Klein had something to say about this on CNN this morning that I'll comment on in another post. She, along with gazillions of others, never fail to NOT PROPERLY USE RUSH LIMBAUGH'S QUOTE CORRECTLY. He wants America to succeed, and knows if Obama's policies succeed, our America will become an America we don't recognize, with less freedom than ever, ever before. (Get back to me when the government starts telling you what you have to put your thermostat on in your own house, or tax you for every mile you drive, rather than the current consumption tax on gasoline; you know, FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOM issues....)

President Obama......it's nice to know you think it's funny for someone you don't like to lose their kidney function.

But, even though I disagree with just about everything you've done and have proposed, I will continue to pray for you, as directed by the Good Word. And that includes your kidneys.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all moms, THANK YOU for all you do! Especially to the mom of my two. :) :)

Report: Kiefer Sutherland Turning Himself In for Alleged Late Night Head-Butt - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment - FOXNews.com

Report: Kiefer Sutherland Turning Himself In for Alleged Late Night Head-Butt - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment - FOXNews.com

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There are no pigs at Kinko's.......

A classic from my blog list to the right---thanks to Made In Richmond for this one!

Ah, apparently not EVERYONE has heard of this little influenza that's been making the rounds......

End Women's Suffrage!

From my first blog love, Moby Rebuttal......

....another wonderful example of how our next generation is NOT being properly taught.

Another case of LOL and feel sorry for our country's future at the same time.

They hate Miss California, don't they?

Who would have thought espousing a personal position which is agreed upon by President Obama would bring out such hatred from the left?

Quick! Let's go find a naughty picture of Carrie Prejean! That'll show the world she's a sinner!

Yeah, well, we already knew that.

The left is almost becoming sad. I thought they had the White House and both houses of Congress. But yet they can't stop hatin'.

Well, it could be worse. Would you like to see, say, The Nation's Margaret Carlson in pink panties?

Specter Claims Kemp Would Be Alive if Congress Better Funded Medical Research - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com

Specter Claims Kemp Would Be Alive if Congress Better Funded Medical Research - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com

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This is nuts. Following logic, since the late Mr. Kemp served in the House for 18 years, he then contributed to his own death by not voting for enough money for government funding of cancer research.

I guess my question to Senator Specter would be, "How much is the threshold Kemp would have had to reach in order to "buy" more time to be alive today?"

Disgusting.

Robbie's Junior Prom

25 years ago this Tuesday, I went to my Junior Prom with one of my best friends.

Last night, Robbie went to HIS Junior Prom with one of his best friends.

My, how time flies. :)

Associated Press Fact Check: Obama at 100 Days

Yep. Not Fox News.....the Associated Press.

Click the title and read on.

All I Will Say.......

....is that if this had occurred under Bush's watch, he would have been ripped to shreds by the Olbermanns of the world. Click on the post title.

To Olby's credit, he did rip into the guy at the White House who approved it.

But Obama gets a pass, and Robert Gibbs knew nothing about it, some four hours AFTER it happened. Did you see him at his daily press briefing Monday afternoon?

But no criticism......Dana Perino would have been skewered.

A MUST-READ!

As most of the MSM continues to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom in the White House.....

Click the title for one of the best reads I've seen in a long time aptly and completely describing how much of the Fourth Estate LONGS to be the Fourth Branch of Government.

Remember the guys who Obama befriended last weekend?

Might want to check out their recently released "Declaration of Cumana".

You know, the Declaration that declares that capitalism is the root of all evil.

And we're going to TALK to these people and think we can PERSUADE them?

Between this, cap and trade, the Taliban 60 miles away from Islamabad, and the back door the government is taking to own some of our banks.....

Folks---this is NOT just left/right "usual politics", folks.

I have often wondered if the United States would survive my kids' lifetimes....

....now I'm worried.

Imagine walking into your annual shareholders meeting......

....only to find that the majority of the shareholders are the federal government.

Hmmmmm.......

....how do you make sure the Government doesn't run what should be a "private" business??

Well, you wouldn't. You couldn't.

Which is why we all should be scared silly about the quiet proposal regarding the nation's banks, TARP money, and the VERY REAL possibility that the Federal Government will become majority stockholders in many banks.

As Dick Morris says in his April 21 column (click on the title), that's what is found in a socialist society.

READ! Educate yourself.....while I wonder what the government will take over next.

Yeah, the CNN lady.......

Click the title to see a new blog find, "Unliberaled Woman" to read her comments (and see if you haven't already), the now-famous CNN "report" from a Tea Party on Wednesday.

There are reports that Tea Partiers there were calling her the "B" word, which, if so, is completely uncalled for.

But I must say if Jackie Robinson could spend two seasons on the baseball diamond enduring the most heinous of hecklings and epithets and not respond, the least Susan Roesgen could do is the same, for about three minutes.

Be a reporter, or get off the mike.

Oh, and guess what she "reported" during an anti-Bush rally in New Orleans? Click here to find out! (Thanks Michelle!)

Oh, dear......

CONTENT ADVISORY----So this is how low liberal media will go.....

No commentary necessary. (WARNING: there is vulgar content in the linked story)

Silence can still be golden.......

As for the U.S. Captain rescue on Sunday, thanks to the sharpshooters of our U.S. military, I've heard some people are upset because we "didn't hear" from President Obama during the crisis.

After thinking about it, I don't think it's a big deal at all. Seems to me he charged the people that needed to be with the task at hand and they pulled it off brilliantly.

So, in this case, silence should not bring on criticism. Hooray for our forces, and kudos to the President. :)

Obama realizes what he criticized was necessary, example no.#.........

.....oh, I've lost count.

Let's see.

"Bush started the stimulus spending!!"---That gives Obama permission to spend, now in the trillions.

"These are the LAST EARMARKS."---We heard that from Pelosi, Obama, & Co. a few weeks ago. Yeah, right.

And now?

The President is asking for $83 billion dollars for war funding.

You know, that evil "it's not in the budget" spending for the "War Formerly Known As The War On Terror".

Why?

Well, let's read shall we? Today's "response to why are we doing what Bush did" is from the usual suspect, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Emphasis mine.

"Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, acknowledged that Obama has been critical of Bush's use of similar special legislation to pay for the wars. He said it was needed this time because the money will be required by summer, before Congress is likely to complete its normal appropriations process.

"This will be the last supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan. The process by which this has been funded over the course of the past many years, the president has discussed and will change," Gibbs said.

Last June, Congress approved $66 billion in advance 2009 funding for military operations. All told, the Pentagon would receive $142 billion in war funding for the budget year ending on Sept. 30."

----------------------------------

So, to repeat....

1) Bush did stimulus, so Obama does MORE! You know, "the Republicans forget they left us a trillion dollar debt" line? So let's just throw four trillion on top of it. Gee, can I go to Nordstrom's and spend like that?? Wouldn't I be helping the economy? Then I could just ask for a bailout.....

2) EARMARKS MUST STOP!--------Except for these few final ones......

and now:

3) NO MORE OFF BUDGET WAR SPENDING!

Shh! Except for this $83 billion.

-------------------------

MY POINT: I'm sure the military needs the $83 billion, but I just can't help but laugh at Robert Gibbs defending a policy his boss attacked a gazillion times during the campaign and since becoming President.

What's next?

Horrible Monday sitting at the porcelain god.......

I hadn't thrown up in seven years, until around 4:13am this morning.

Ugh.

Horrible night, horrible day. I just ate some toast and am hoping that sticks so I can take my night-time medicine.

Gotta, gotta, gotta be at work tomorrow somehow, someway!! Unless I'm a carrier of a bug, then I am SURE they won't want me to make my re-appearance.

Your prayers are appreciated.

The TV is on right now. I told Bonnie, I might see the NCAA title game, I may not (and anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE MARCH MADNESS), I may see "24", I may have to catch up on this episode later this week at Hulu.

You know I feel bad. :( :(

---------------------------------------------

Having said all that, I do think two things:

1) Michigan State is a team of destiny and will find a way to beat North Carolina tonight.

2) Someone will find the antedote to whatever "incurable" condition Jack now finds himself in after being exposed to the chemical weapon two "24" episodes ago.


Good night!

Happy birthday kids! Wrestlemania predictions.....

A pay-per-view is a shared birthday present for the kids this year, so we may as well have us some predictions.

Chris Jericho vs. Legends:

Rachel: Legends
Robbie: Legends
Dad: Jericho

The Divas Battle Royal:

Rachel: Mae Young
Robbie: Mae Young
Dad: Kelly Kelly

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy:

Rachel: Jeff Hardy (duh!)
Robbie: Jeff Hardy
Dad: Jeff Hardy

JBL vs. Rey Mysterio (IC Title):

Rachel: Rey Mysterio
Robbie: Rey Mysterio
Dad: Rey Mysterio

Money In The Bank Match:

Rachel: Christian
Robbie: Christian
Dad: MVP

Tag Team Title Match:

Rachel: The Colons
Robbie: The Colons
Dad: Miz and Morrison

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels:

Rachel: Undertaker
Robbie: Undertaker
Dad: Undertaker

World Heavyweight Title (3-way match):

Rachel: John Cena
Robbie: Big Show
Dad: John Cena

WWE Title (Triple H vs. Orton):

Rachel: Triple H
Robbie: Triple H
Dad: Triple H

Let's see who's right........ :)

At least she finished the sentence without changing her views........Rep. Maxine Waters slips! Watch people behind her react...

I always pictured "Big Brother" as being older and gray......

....but the little Timmy that could just keeps on taking over American business.

Capitalism? What's that?!?! We have a crisis!!! We must do, do, do, act, act, act NOW!!!!

We have an absolutely SCARY person as Treasury Secretary with WAY MORE POWER than a Cabinet member should have.

But that's what happens when you elect the most liberal Senator in America President. BIG government gets BIGGER and BIGGER.

THOUGHT I HEARD TODAY: If the $4 Trillion Budget is supposed to jumpstart our economy, then wouldn't an $8 Trillion Budget do it either twice as fast, or, twice as well?

This just in---government spending NEVER equals prosperity.

And NOW with all this talk of "global economy" and "global currency", those of us who are Christians are most likely arching our necks north much moreso than we have in quite some time.

If you don't know why, go to Google and type in "Bible Last Days".

"24" Preview---"Jack Was Right"

Remembering Irving R. Levine, the bow tie man

We watched NBC Nightly News and John Chancellor at my home growing up in the 1970's, so I saw many, many reports filed by Irving R. Levine. Always known for his bow tie, and efficient, specific style of reporting.

I'm sad to hear of his passing today at age 86. In this economic era, we could sure use Levine on the air, dissecting the situation and offering practical insight and commentary. Click the title for a look back at his life.

Now pictured on our money---Mao Tse-Tung!!

Our Treasury Secretary is OPEN to discussing a global currency led by the CHINESE??

Click the title. Good Lord.

While The President Speaks, What About THIS?

The U.S. Government to the rescue.........of NEWSPAPERS?!?!?!?

WHY???

1) When newspapers go web only, they SAVE TREES, don't they??

2) OTHER MEDIA PLEASE NOTE: This new bill proposed says advertising and subscription costs would be TAX EXEMPT.

3) THE CAVEAT! Oh, when the government wants to "help" you, there's always a catch.

No more political endorsements.

Hmmm...the end of the editorial page next? Note early in this article (click the title for the link) the comparison between what newspapers would become under this bill and PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

And we all know how fair PBS is to those right of center in this nation. This smells. Keep an eye on it.

Shhh!!!! Don't tell the world about his bowling joke.....

Let me be clear about the reason behind this post. I just cannot go to sleep without marking this one down.

1) President Obama made a verbal gaffe on The Tonight Show last night....from the Washington Post:

Then on to Leno, where he said that after practicing in the White House lanes, he recently bowled a 129, saying "it's like -- it was like Special Olympics or something." The crowd laughed.

2) Obama quickly apologized for his statement.

3) He called the head of the Special Olympics and apologized. Great move.

4) He's invited them to come over and have him shoot hoops with some Special Olympics athletes.

Sorry, that's called "create a photo op to make everyone forget the stupid thing you said". You already apologized, it should be over.


-------------------------------------------------------

The REAL story. I went to CNN.com multiple times, to MSNBC.com, and to CBSNEWS.com and well, well......it sure was hard to find THAT story.

Thankfully, FoxNews.com didn't make it its headline when I checked (it didn't need to be the top story), but I couldn't help but wonder.....

What if Sarah Palin had said that on Leno? Or President George W. Bush on Leno?

Imagine the outrage. Larry King would have had the head of Special Olympics on his show tonight to discuss how "insensitive" our ( ) is and how we all thought we as a nation had gone "past this".

Keith Olbermann's tanning bed skin would have molted in anger.

-------------------------------------

Ho hum, just another day in the media neighborhood.

MY Final Four Picks

Louisville, Memphis, Duke, and Oklahoma

Memphis beats Duke 74-70 on Monday night.

Going with the good defensive squad with enough experience from last year's run to have that taste in their mouths of not wanting to lose this year.

We'll see!

FINAL FOUR PICKS FROM THE ESPN ANALYSTS.....

The picks!

DIGGER PHELPS:

Louisville
Missouri
Pittsburgh
North Carolina

Pittsburgh beats Louisville


HUBERT DAVIS:

Louisville
Memphis
Villanova
North Carolina

North Carolina beats Memphis


DICK VITALE:

Louisville
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
North Carolina

North Carolina beats Louisville


JAY BILAS:

Louisville
Memphis
Pittsburgh
North Carolina

North Carolina beats Memphis


ME???????? I dunno yet.

Global Warming, Meet SNOW!

I can't help but chuckle.....

"Civil Disobedience" is promised by this group, at the coal plant outside D.C. tomorrow.

Only problem? It's SNOWING like cats and dogs in D.C. overnight tonight!

You've heard of "raining on a parade".......

God apparently gets a chuckle out of "snowing on global warming civil disobedience"...

This is GREAT!!

Paul Harvey (1918-2009)

Radio mourns, America mourns.

Thank you, Paul Harvey, for the incredible legacy you have left for radio. You can never be placed, you will never be forgotten.

Good day.

Biden Pulls a Quayle......

But you'll never see this "potatoe"--type snafu on the Evening News.

Get your pencil out now to jot down the "web site number". WHAT?!?!?!?

Byrd on Obama Power Grab

Click on the title above---this should make headlines, but may not because there's no "price tag" to it, nor does it create jobs, and that's all the media wonks are talking about.

Give Senator Byrd credit here for looking at the much more important, bigger picture of the system of checks and balances that are so important to us. The Democrats certainly yelled and screamed about "executive prviliedge" during the Bush Administration. It'll be interesting to see how the Reids and Pelosis respond to Byrd's comments.

Do I dare suggest it? If Byrd stirs a pot against a Presidential move enough, will the Dems play the "age card" and begin to lead the man offstage?

Let's keep an eye on this one (see "Robert Byrd" on my Headlines to the right to do so....)

LIVE BLOGGING: The President's First Speech To Congress

Now that the clap-happy is done.....(that always trips me out)

I don't think it's ever taken a President 17 minutes to get in, shake hands, and start speaking.......

Well, here we go.

1) So far, one "crisis" and lots of word pictures of difficulty and loss.
2) "We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than ever before."

(Pelosi ruined that line by standing up too early; that was the cornerstone line of the speech, given to the press earlier, and some people missed it all. Why am I critical? She HAS A COPY of the speech in front of her, and has had it for some time!)

3) It didn't happen overnight. Here's the lineup. Energy. Health care. Education. Debt. "Short term gains were prized over long term prosperity".

OH, first notice of "wealth to the wealthy".

OH II----people bought homes they couldn't afford......

----------------------------------

We're five minutes in, have heard nothing new.

He gets applause for saying he wants to talk to us tonight. Dear heavens!!!

Our first split decision: That "Recovery and Reinvestment Act" is now law. GOP stays seated.

3.5 million jobs......when we're done building broadband, turbines, and rebuilding roads, what do we do then?? What jobs will be next to create?

UNEMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE? WHAT?? I didn't get that option last year. No, I'm NOT jealous.

--------------------

9:25pm---"Nobody messes with Joe." And thus is the bone thrown tonight to the Vice-President, who won't be seen again for a week.

--------------------

Time for the "credit CRISIS". (I'm not being tongue-in-cheek with the CAPS, I am trying to keep tabs on the use of the word.)

3!

"A New Lending Fund"-----paid for by????????

"Plan to help Responsibile Families" on their homes------how do they determine who a deadbeat is?

"Provide Support to clean up (bad banks) balance sheets...."------is that code speak for some sort of "nationalization"?

4!

Everybody stands on accountability. :) No brainer.

CEO's: "Those days are over". What about the ball players who make eight figures?

(REMEMBER---I ASK QUESTIONS TO MAKE US THINK!)

SIDEBAR: I do VERY much appreciate Obama's speaking style. He is speaking "to" the American people. Not all Presidents do that.

---------------------------

Hmmm......."our outdated regulatory system." Haven't heard anyone in the media tackle this one yet.

Ut oh.......Obama history lesson. Ah, the GI Bill was AFTER THE DEPRESSION AND WAR. Sorry, that one doesn't wash.

Government "catalyzed"??? "CATALYZED"?? We can't spark anything without the government??? What the????

Now it's time to hear the cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.......

REMEMBER, we're in a trillion dollar deficit. Trillions of dollars in debt.


1) Energy----love the ideas. Who pays for it all?

Good line about cars. "The nation that invented automobiles cannot walk away from it."

2) Health Care-----a bankruptcy every 30 seconds. It COULD cause 1.5 million people to lose their homes. (Can we check that figure in a year, just to make sure that wasn't a throwaway line? Didn't say it wasn't true, but it should be fact checked.)

OMG----Pelosi is jubliant almost to the point of RUDE!!!! She wasn't sure whether to stand for a cure for cancer in our time, but she jumped up at that 11 million children figure. Legislation! I'll clap to that! I love it when children have health care. Who's paying for it? That's my only question.

"It will not wait another year."---oh, boy; so, who's paying???? And how does the GDP grow when you're thinking of taking 1/6th of it and nationalizing it?

3) Education-----Okay...the same public high schools he applauded in his history lesson are now desperately in need of fixing. It's either one or the other.

College affordable for seven million more students. Details??? Figures??? Who's paying the tuition???

Teacher incentives...."rewards for success". Criteria? Based on what?

WHOA----expand our committment to charter schools!!! Pelosi was STONE FACED on that one. Thank you, Mr. President, for realizing there are MANY ways to fix the education problem. I hope that wasn't a throwaway line.

By 2020----the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. CONGRESS IS ALREADY FILLED WITH THEM! Just a reminder, folks......

Responsibility begins at home. AMEN, MR. PRESIDENT!!!

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Okay, now the fun. Listen CAREFULLY. All this spending, and don't pass on debt. Hmmm......

WHOA---DEMS ARE DRUNK WITH POWER! Did U see Chuck Schumer laughing at the GOP while clapping over the "inherited deficit".

NO EARMARKS? EXCUSE ME?? 2 Trillion Dollars in the next decade. POST IT ALL ON RECOVERY.GOV!!!

"Cold War Era" weapons programs gone. Okay, so what do we REPLACE them with?

Notice, so far, NOT A WORD on defense. All this will be wonderful, so long as we don't get hit with "9/11 II", or, God forbid, beyond.

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"Not one single dime." Wonder how many people making between $250,000 and $500,000 owns small business and are about to get "gouged", now that they've been branded "rich"? I don't know a lot of people that make more than $250K that isn't either an owner or seriously invested in the company where they hang their hat, do you?

Americans-----PLEASE, PLEASE think for yourselves when it comes to the "definition of the rich".

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Yikes! We won't allow terrorists to plot attacks in safe havens halfway around the world. Do you realize what that means??? Did you see all the Democrats clapping?? That means CONTINUAL WAR for the FORESEEABLE FUTURE, FRIENDS! Don't you get it? Don't you understand?

And that's the reality of war that could never be wiped away by the campaign slogan, "ending the war in Iraq". There are people in that hall tonight simply not thinking. They're listening to soundbites and responding like Pavlov's dog to make sure they're doing the politically expedient "thing" if the camera comes upon them.

And DON'T get me started on "The United States does not torture......"

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Time for the conclusion.

Bank CEO in Miami shares wealth. Private citizen; private decision. That rocks!!!!

"We are not quitters."-----The Bible says "...out of the mouth of babes...."
Great story, and yes, government can answer the need and cry of a neglected public school system.

5!!!

And 51 minutes later, we're done. Let the pundits with cameras begin. :)

WHOSE recession??????

As usual, my first blog love hits the nail on the head regarding the first essential element of the house of cards that created the economic mess we are in.

As opposed to people like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, my girl uses FACTS to prove her point.

WHO warned us about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

WHO praised them for almost a decade?

Moby Rebuttal brings the facts; you decide. Click the title above for the TRUTH!

The Truman Papers.......

Since there are no sex scandals or 18 1/2 minute gaps, you won't see this in the headlines, but for history buffs, 24,000 pages of former First Lady Bess Truman's papers were released recently.

Click the title for the article. Surely this was the last "common" man with some good sense to be our nation's President.

And before you go nuts on me over our current President, my use of the word "common" is used under the connotation of someone who did not use power, money, "party influence", a family name, a Hollywood career, a father's huge fortune, or elements of the Chicago political machine to be President.

No "common" man or woman, under this definition, will ever be President again, thanks to all that being forever linked to the process of becoming the Chief Executive.

And that's a shame.

THIS is why TV breaks into Oprah and Dr. Phil for weather.......

Watch this video---live coverage of a tornado on the ground near Oklahoma City today, beginning near a middle school, proceeding toward an interstate.

I tire of reading blogs and people's comments at Richmona media Web sites complaining of how the meteorologists break into their favorite shows to talk about "breaking weather that's nowhere near me".

Deal with it.

Your community is one of many served by any television station. And if ONE life can be saved by pre-empting Jeopardy, then so be it.

If my child were at this middle school, or my wife commuting on I-35, I'd be grateful to this station for their service, and MOST especially if I lived just the other side of I-35.

Greatest Super Bowl?

Ah, sorry Peter. Not even close.

Last night's Super Bowl (in spite of Roger Goodell's pronouncement at the trophy ceremony that the NFL somehow topped last year's game) was NOT the greatest of the 43 played.

It reminded me of Super Bowl 38, when a slow, plodding first half between New England and Carolina turned into a good game in the 3rd quarter, and a classic, mind-boggling 4th quarter. (Remember, don't go for two unless absolutely necessary!)

The first half was decent, but got a huge exclamation point with James Harrison's record-setting INT return for a TD. That changes many people's perspective on the entire half, and it shouldn't.

There was a point in the 3rd quarter where I thought Pittsburgh was almost ready to put it away, but credit Arizona's defense for the TWO goal line stands resulting in a 20-7 score after three, rather than 24-7.

The fourth quarter was nuts. Classic II, throwback to five years ago. Both Fitzgerald and Holmes putting on receiving clinics. It was so much fun to watch.

But all this has me thinking......what are the "greatest" Super Bowls of all time? Here are my five, counting down.....

FIRST, the honorable mentions, in no order.

Super Bowl 42: Greatest upset. Period.
Super Bowl 3: Second most important game in football history (after the '58 NFL Championship)
Super Bowl 32: Elway helicopters his way past the Packers and out of futility.
Super Bowl 10: A sloppy game that stayed close and gave us a Hail Mary ending.
Super Bowl 23: An overrated game, with a great winning TD drive from Joe Montana.
Super Bowl 16: The second half of the first SF/Cincy matchup is highly underrated and mostly forgotten, but shouldn't be.

NOW.......(well, there will be six in the five slots....)

5) Super Bowl 34: St. Louis completes the miracle season with the 23-16 win over Tennessee. Caught most of the 2nd half of this game on NFL Network last week. I had forgotten how the flow of that half unfolded. And not just the Warner story, but the Mike Jones play, leaving Tennessee one yard short. I never did understand why McNair didn't throw it into the end zone. McNair's performance in that fourth quarter was off the chart.

4) Super Bowl 38 and 43 (tie): For the reasons unveiled above. Two fourth quarter classics create fantastic finishes.

3) Super Bowl 13: In my eyes, the game that changed the Super Bowl into "an event", rather than just a "championship sporting event". Pittsburgh vs. Dallas II, Bradshaw vs. Staubach, Hollywood Henderson's mouth, Swann's classic catch for a TD, Dallas' frantic comeback from 18 down, Jackie Smith's TD drop, all the drama you could ask for was in that game. Super Bowl I wasn't even known as Super Bowl I until after the fact. Super Bowl III was stunning. But Super Bowl XIII was the first "Super" Super Bowl.

2) Super Bowl 36: Against the backdrop of a nation still reeling from 9/11, with Paul McCartney and U2 bringing the nation hope, a then HUGE underdog Patriot team comes in, makes the now memorable "team" entrance, stops the "greatest show on turf", and punches right back after Warner and Company scored the tying TD. John Madden said at the time it would be smart for the Pats to prepare for overtime. Good thing for Tom Brady he had his coach on the in-helmet speaker. This young guy from nowhere moves his team down the field and Adam Vinatieri calmly nails the winning FG (from 47 yards no less!) for the Super upset.

1) Super Bowl 25: I will be accused of being biased due to me being a Giants fan. But note, Super Bowl 42 isn't in the top five, and I've been a Raider fan even longer and none of their Super Bowls made the list (no cliffhangers....but lots of Cliff Branch!) So, hear (read) me out......

It's early 1991, and America is less than ten days removed from entering Operation Desert Storm. Whitney Houston's rendition of our National Anthem is still the greatest I've ever heard. The nation was at a critical moment.

Enter two football teams from different roads. Buffalo had been building and building into a team capable of winning it all, and 1990 had seemed to be their year. The fast-paced offense, a defeat of their Super Bowl foes in the regular season (the game where Phil Simms blew out his knee), and a complete blowout of the Raiders in the AFC Championship.

Then there's the New York Giants. Someone forgot to tell them that the 49ers were supposed to be going for the "three-peat", because the Giants traveled west, and shocked San Francisco to become the party crasher.

So the Giants come onto the field a decisive underdog to the Buffalo Bills. Somehow, Jeff Hostetler had handled the pressure of having to rally the team behind him and he was the starting QB in Tampa that Sunday night, having led them through the playoffs.

The game was close all the way, many critical moments that could have decided it, but two drives will forever be etched in Super Bowl history.

---If you are a running football team, and you are playing a team with a prolific offense, the blueprint for a drive is the opening drive of the 3rd quarter for the New York Giants. 14 plays, 75 yards. 5 passes, 9 runs, taking 9:29 off the clock. The Giants now had the lead at 17-12 after being down 12-3. Buffalo didn't run an offensive play until nearly 10 minutes of the 3rd quarter were gone.

---The final drive. First, the set-up. Buffalo scores the go-ahead TD on the first play of the fourth. The Giants proceed to run another long drive....13 plays, 74 yards, taking another 7:32 off the clock, kicking a field goal to go up 20-19. They exchange drives, setting up Buffalo at their own 10, 2:16 to go.

Jim Kelly has to scramble for yardage three times on the drive, and two huge "shotgun draws" to Thurman Thomas get the Bills to the Giants 29 with eight seconds left.

We all know the next play. The underdogs survive, the backup quarterback comes through and the 20-19 upset was a final.

THAT is the greatest Super Bowl of all time.

What's your pick? :)

Super Bowl XLIII

My brain says "Steelers 30, Cardinals 17"

My heart says "Cardinals 32, Steelers 25"


GO CARDINALS!!!

(P.S.---Kudos to Jennifer Hudson on a fantastic rendition of our National Anthem!!)

Happy Belated Birthday, Mimi!!

To one of my favorite Hollywood ladies, happy birthday to Mimi Rogers! :)

Al Qaeda 1, Guantanamo 0??

Well, apparently it's not just the town drunk, the drug dealer, or the federal racketeer that seem to find themselves back in their same line of work after being jailed.

Now we hear of a Guantanamo detainee, released last year into a Saudi "rehab" program, who has returned to his love of planning to kill innocent infidels.

Wonder if he graduated that rehab course "Magna go boom" or "Summa go boom"?

And now with the liberals' countdown clock to the closing of Gitmo underway, it does beg the question of how we might be able to help the Saudis (and the Yemeni officials, too) do a little bit better job in that "rehabilitation" process.

Or, BETTER YET, just send them to John Murtha's Congressional District in Pennsylvania! Apparently he can't wait to house the soon-to-be ex-Gitmos.

He could teach them ABSCAM while he's at it, too!

We Should Also Pick Up After Ourselves

Of all people, I thought the Obama-nation, complete with their impeccable concern for "mother earth", would be the last group of people to, well, trash the place.

Click the blog title above!
OH, and P.S.----President Obama needs to lead the nation in a basic course in civics. Lesson one:

YOU DON'T THROW AWAY THE AMERICAN FLAG!!!!!

Leading By Example: We Should All Serve

From the Washington Post:
Hundreds of thousands of volunteers in the Washington region and throughout the country turned out to do good works for their communities yesterday, an overwhelming response to President-elect Barack Obama's call for a day of public service in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

They crowded into soup kitchens to feed the homeless, flooded school hallways to paint walls and flocked to neighborhood parks to pick up trash in what may have been the largest day of national service ever. It was propelled by the same kind of millions-strong network of e-mail and text messages that marked Obama's presidential campaign.

The impact was particularly strong in Washington, bolstered by the thousands of people who arrived in recent days to take part in the inauguration and who eagerly joined the area's community service activities.

Well, I see the hate instantly went away.......

I thought with the Obama Administration's arrival, we were all told to be "at one" and "in unison".

Unless you hate George Bush. Or his dad. Or someone with a monument whose last name is Bush.

The funny part of the story? Read the description of the suspect in regards to the possible presence of paint.

No Inaugurations For Clear Channel People........

From Allaccess.com:

Mark Mays: Clear Channel Reduces Workforce By 9%

A 9% Reduction
Today, we had the unpleasant task of bringing our Outdoor and Radio businesses’ staffing in line with these challenging economic conditions.
This has been an historic and yet bittersweet day with the inauguration of President BARACK OBAMA, and the dramatic downsizing at CLEAR CHANNEL that affects 9% of the workforce, across the board, totalling approximately 1,850 postions.

CLEAR CHANNEL CEO MARK MAYS sent the following companywide email out, today:

As I've mentioned previously, we are facing an unprecedented time of distress in the general economy – and the ripple effects have hit some of our largest customers hard.

Today, we had the unpleasant task of bringing our Outdoor and Radio businesses’ staffing in line with these challenging economic conditions. In doing so, we enter 2009 as a solid company and in the most competitive position possible.

We have thought carefully and at some length about the steps we need to take as a company to succeed during this unprecedented downturn. As a result, we have eliminated approximately 1,850 positions across Corporate, Outdoor and Radio. While a significant portion of these positions represent a realignment in our sales departments, the positions span all departments and represent approximately 9% of the total CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS workforce.

One of the things that has kept CLEAR CHANNEL strong throughout our history is a willingness to deal with difficult situations in an immediate way -- to make the tough decisions today in order to secure a strong future. It is this trait that has gone furthest in enabling us to weather many difficult downturns in our 37-year history. It always requires clarity, collaboration and courage.

Please know that these have been difficult decisions -- yet necessary ones. We will miss those who are departing -- even as we renew our shared commitment to success among all of us who will stay.

Everyone in our investor group, on the Board, and in the executive leadership team remains bullish about the long-term growth prospects for CLEAR CHANNEL. We continue to believe that the Outdoor and Radio businesses offer excellent opportunities.

We need to remain highly entrepreneurial and innovative. We also need to remain focused and compassionate. If we continue to manage our business carefully, and invest with discipline in the right strategic opportunities, we will navigate this downturn effectively and emerge even stronger and better positioned when things improve.

Starting now, it is our ability to bring creative thinking to the current business climate - to focus on the benefits we deliver for customers - to show extreme focus and commitment -- that will create results.

CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS has more resources than any of our peers. The tools are here. The support is here. It's time to use them to create lasting competitive advantage for our customers - and for our company.

Please know that we continue to be extraordinarily appreciative of all of the passion and hard work that each of you continues to commit to this phenomenal business. We will get through this together.

We're in this together. We have the best team. And we all have important work to do.

As we head into the New Year, I know we will meet the oncoming challenges with focus, determination and grace.

Please let me or your management team know if you have any questions.

With Regards,

In support of the downsizing, the company supplied the following Power Point presentation.

ALL ACCESS reached out to CLEAR CHANNEL with some specific questions.

The company declined to answer specifics about percentages of cuts from specific divisions, job levels, and how this would affect bonuses, or pay adjustments in the wake of the downsizing.

We did learn that there is a total cost-savings of approximately $350 million, but they declined comment regarding additional downsizings in the future.

ALL ACCESS also learned that there will still be national sales and there will still be direct sales on a local level as well.

Q: Were reductions predicated by certain operating cost goals dictated by recent loan covenants tied to the privatization of the Company?

A: Reductions were made to bring Clear Channel in line with the changed economic and advertising realities and outlook. In this sense, the company is among all in American business today that are taking these types of prudent actions.

Q: There are a lot of rumors that the changes in programming will lead to hub & spoke programming where music decisions are centralized, and no longer taking into account for individual market tastes. Will this be taking place?

A: There is no absolute approach. Clear Channel Radio is focused on delivering the best and biggest audience to our advertisers. We have no room for low performers. That’s true all across the company – whether in Radio or Outdoor.

Q: Do you feel these moves will signal where the radio industry is moving as a whole as an operational trendsetter?

A: We’re focused on our business. Our colleagues in other companies need to make their own decisions.

Q: Where does the company see itself in six months, in a year, and in two years?

A: Continuing to employ the most talented and highest-performing professionals in our industries. Continuing to provide those professionals with the best and broadest array of resources. And continuing to attract and deliver the largest and highest quality audiences.

Q: Will there be additional waves of staff reductions?

A: We will continue to watch the advertising and economic situations closely.

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My analysis later on. Suffice it to say this is just the first wave. :(

Clear Channel, Inaugural Costs, Jack Bauer, and other things.........

Things I'm thinking about......

1) Clear Channel--my lovely former employer prepares their blood-stained guillotine for another round of job cuts, this time apparently around 7% of their workforce, or somewhere near 1,500 jobs. We're hearing ad sales will take a hit (and no offense to my friends in sales, but it's way past time this happened; the programming departments are already at bone at many stations), plus MORE programming, as the company heads further toward its ultimate goal of "national programming". The word I don't like hearing though is that some "back-office operations" will be consolidated, and that's where my best friends are.

The cuts are allegedly scheduled to take place on Tuesday, so as to allow the bad news to receive minimal publicity, what with the media world all focusing on the Inauguration that day. Only that fact has been publicly known for close to a week now. Part of me does honestly believe this whole "bury the axe-swinging on Jan. 20th" stuff is actually done on purpose, so the "Clear Channel haters" would have meat to chew on.

I don't care what is ever said by anyone in Clear Channel corporate, trust me when I say this company does not care for the majority of its employees. The suits who have the power and opportunity to be in jobs where they can improve cashflow for the company, when they DO produce positive cashflow.....they are the ones who are cared for.

Everyone under said person who creates that environment and that success is given ubiquitous emails from Mark Mays once in a while under the guise of "pumping up the troops and thanking them for their continued service despite these harsh economic times....blah, blah, blah.....".

And now, some of those people, many of them great professionals (and others, frankly, dead weight, which is found at all companies), are going to be rewarded for carrying their bosses to their bonuses by being given their walking papers, and the ever-popular "Future Endeavors Box".

Little known fact, my Future Endeavors Box had been sitting half full under my cubicle for three months before I got the axe.

So, thousands of Clear Channel employees have spent the past two weeks watching the fat lady being escorted into the building and they've now heard the orchestra tune up. I'm sure Monday, where Clear Channel offices are open, there will be all the excitement of an upcoming wake, knowing that some people you see Monday, and maybe have seen for years in the office, won't be there 24 hours later.

LOTS of companies have laid off thousands and thousands of people recently (my home city is the corporate home of Circuit City, trust me, we know ALL too well), BUT, few companies "drag out the painful pre-firing show" quite like Clear Channel.

If a company really cared about people, decisions would be made privately, action would be made swiftly, with little fanfare and LOTS of compassion, complete with the best possible severance and aid packages possible for the people who are being thanked for all their unpaid salary hours, nights and weekends in the office, etc, etc, by being kicked to the curb.

A quick study of news reports and radio Web sites over the past two weeks will show you that Clear Channel does none of that. It's like they want people to know when they're going to do all this. Otherwise, why do it this way??

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2) The Inauguration-----I simply cannot help but think two things:

----This is an historic event, and should be treated as such
----In light of the State of The Union, historic events need not be expensive

Remember early 2005, when Democrats were SO upset that the second Bush inaugural would go on with the usual celebrations, Inaugural Balls, etc, during a "time of war"? They felt that any celebration should be toned down.

Fast forward to 2009, and with the popular Democrat on deck to take The Oath, the Dems are already in party mode. Even with the Obama Inaugural Committee raising some $41 million to help defray costs, it looks like some $150 million (and probably more once security costs are finally figured out in hindsight) will be spent on an event that, at its heart, consists of about 20 seconds of activity.

We're still at war----and now we're supposedly on the precipice of the 2nd Great Depression, yet there will be ten Inaugural Balls? Where are Anthony Weiner and Jim McDermott now? They are the two Congressmen who wrote a letter four years ago calling on President Bush to tone down his Inauguration, saying such festivities would be undignified.

This time? We hear from former CBS/ABC News reporter, now Obama spokesperson Linda Douglass------

"That is probably not the way the country is going to be looking at it.....it is not a celebration of an election. It is a celebration of our common values."

Excuse me? What? Heh?

Let's simply be honest-----this event is historic because we are seeing the Inauguration of the first African-American President in American history. That deserves a VERY dignified and extremely positive celebration!!! But it's like planning a birthday party for your child. You can have a great celebration, but do you have to hire the live band and the inflatable train the kids can crawl through?

Historic and dignified does not equal nor demand expensive.

Five balls instead of ten, maybe? Would having five less Inaugural balls forever shatter the historic nature of this event? Ah, no.

MY POINT----This is case proof number #374410 of how liberals, when pressed to use their own solution to certain problems, proceed to ignore them and let the party keep on going.

Those two aforementioned Congressmen, in their 2005 letter, noted how FDR's final Inauguration in 1945 consisted of the Oath, a short speech, and a lunch for guests consisting of cold chicken salad and plain pound cake. In 1917, President Wilson didn't have a party, as the country continued in World War I.

OH----and the best piece of irony? Raising up to $300,000 for the Inaugural effort? A leading Obama campaign fundraiser......his name?

LOUIS SUSMAN---he just retired THIS MONTH as vice chairman of....CITIGROUP!!!
You might be aware that Citigroup posted a LOSS of $8.29 BILLION yesterday. You might also know that Citigroup has already received $45 BILLION in bailout money, and that may not be the last of it.

Just think---six former Citigroup workers who made $50K annually and now can't pay their mortgages could have kept their jobs if ol' Louis had decided to take that $300K and help bailout six struggling Americans, rather than paying for the catering at TEN Inaugural Balls, or whatever the crap his money is paying for.

Anyone for chicken salad?

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3) "24" IS BACK!!!! And not a moment too soon. This review pinpoints the strengths of the first four hours of Season 7, points out how the show is evolving with the times, isn't leaning too heavily on Jack, and how, so far, there isn't a glaring "weak link" either in storyline or in character (REMEMBER PALMER'S ANNOYING SISTER????).

And I love the portrayal that brings to the forefront the current controversy over torture. Agent Renee Walker of the FBI (a new character) interrogates a suspect while he's in the hospital with a breathing tube. He taunts her about how she cannot use "certain methods" of interrogation.

Keith Olbermann's reply to this would be, "Oh, you're right! Need a fresh pillow, Mr. Enemy of All Innocent Americans?"

Walker's response was to crinkle his breathing tube and tell him to use his last breath wisely.

Say you have Osama Bin Laden, or Rommel, or Mussolini in that hospital bed. Who do YOU want trying to break them before thousands of Americans die?

Whenever I hear people decry "interrogation" of prisoners in the War on Terror, all I have to do is remember the sight of one innocent, hard-working American, jumping to their death from a tower of the World Trade Center to remind myself these are not "criminals", they are "war prisoners", and they'd better be glad they don't have much worse treatment given to them.

Go Jack!!!!

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Lately I've "watched" Music Choice channels on my cable more than actual cable channels. I'm paying a cable bill to listen to music. That's a pretty big indictment of the complete dearth of decent television programming.

I felt like I had more choices 30 years ago, living in the country with a TV antenna, and the choice of ABC, CBS, NBC, or PBS, with an occasional appearance by an out-of-town independent station thanks to certain atmospheric conditions.

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Could Bert Blyleven please just get elected to the Hall of Fame already? A friend of mine, local sports broadcasting legend Terry Sisisky, and I once had a debate on this issue--------back in 1996!!!

Andre Dawson--get him in there, too. Good Lord. Baseball purists take themselves so seriously. It's a game, folks. A game.

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And to close, with my Giants now out, I turn to the true underdog and give my support to the Arizona Cardinals to do the seemingly impossible.......make it to the Super Bowl. :)