2009: SHOCKER in radio; another "forced" Witham vehicle buy......

I'm (finally) relaxing at big bro's house Saturday evening during NFL action, catching up on news from home, when I get to vartv.com and get the early candidate for "shock of the year".

Hoffman Communications has apparently laid off the entire staff of WGGM and WZEZ. I worked for Hoffman for nine years (1988-97), so this surprised me, but the second sentence floored me.

Apparently also exiting is long-time VP/GM Paul Scott. He was my boss there, and had been a fixture there for over 25 years.

The only conjecture I have as to why this has all happened is that Hoffman has a buyer and is getting out of radio. Back in the 80s and 90s, Hoffman owned WDYL here in town as well as WGGM, plus stations in Baton Rouge and near Atlanta and almost acquired one in Norfolk.

As the 90s progressed, the company shrunk, selling off the Georgia, then the Louisiana station, before selling WDYL in 1999. WZEZ was a new sign-on in 2001, a station won via FCC auction. Its signal has never been good enough to attract a large Richmond audience, and thus, firm placement in ad buys unfortunately.

My prayers are with my friends in Chester. This was not the way I wanted to see 2009 begin.

And we haven't even touched the 900-pound gorilla in the radio room known as Clear Channel. All CC GMs are headed to Texas for a "budget meeting" this week, and I am expecting to start reading about tons and tons of "layoffs due to budget cuts" at about anytime, as the new privately owned CC gets ready to swallow tough, and very high, debt payments.

Don't be surprised when, one day, one person will be the program director for every Clear Channel-owned station in America that shares the same format; say, country, for example. Rather than having a person in-house in each city programming the station to fit the taste, culture and styles unique to that city, one human will cookie-cutter the country format from some "format lab" and they'll magically determine what country listeners want to hear in Birmingham, Boise, Bismarck, Boston, and Baton Rouge, and pipe it nationwide.

Scary, isn't it? Radio's BIGGEST advantage is being sacrificed at the altar of high debt payments. LOCALISM. Why pay the money to have locals when one guy or lady can decide what songs to air on your favorite station from the CC corporate offices in San Antonio, and thus, cause 75 program directors across the nation to lose their jobs? That'll save some money!

At the costly expense of radio continuing to lose touch with its listeners.

BEFORE television, the "network" model (CBS, NBC, et al) was the way of radio. You listened to your favorite network shows on your favorite station, and they offered local programming when the network wasn't on (sound familiar??).

In the case of the behemoth companies like Clear Channel, this is where they're going (Ryan Seacrest, come on down!), and it's not just them.

Radio's best hope? That the big companies, in order to survive, have to sell lots of stations and a new generation of owners that understand RADIO will be able to independently own, or build companies that will re-introduce localism to radio.

We'll see what happens, but I'm not looking forward to reading the radio web publications for the next few weeks.

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

I'll save the vehicle story for another post. Suffice it to say, the Withams never get the chance to sit down, decide when they'd like to buy a "new to them" car (we don't buy new cars anymore), then start shopping, dickering, etc.

We always have a car self-destruct, forcing upon us a car buying experience within 24 hours or so. Such was the case in North Carolina during our New Years getaway.

We left for Carolina in a Ford, and returned in a Hyundai.

Even though I hate the car payment, the preceding sentence does promote the fact that we've upgraded. :)

2008: it's been a year alright.....

So, my original plans were to blog once a day in 2008. 366 posts minimum.

Ah, didn't work out so well.

It's kinda like when you start to do to many little projects around the house; six months later, none are completed, but everything looks like a "work in progress" instead.

Well, that's me. I need to update my PH football blog to wrap up 2008 and prep it for 2009, finally really get REW Sports Online up and going (as it looks like I'll be doing all tape delay broadcasts this season), return to MySpace long enough to say hi to my friends there who think I'm dead, and, keep rolling on Facebook (my one success right now).....

.....because if you look at this blog lately, you'd think I was simply a fed up, bitter Republican. I'm really none of the three, but we're not here for that.

When little ol' Rob looks back at 2008, I'll remember the following:

CURRENT EVENTS:

---Barack Obama (congrats to the President-elect)
---Sarah Palin (see you in a couple of years....)
---The loss of ALOT of our 401K.....you know the feeling.....
---SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK GIANTS!!!!
---The loss of even MORE of our 401K, et al.....
---2,923 Democratic debates......
---The REAL bear of Russia beginning to rise from its self-imposed Communistic slumber of the past 15 years or so.....
---How nasty the air was in China during the Olympics....
---How many Christians got bullied in China during the Olympics....
---The horror of Mumbai on Thanksgiving Eve and Day.....
---The Puerto Rico primary (c'mon; did you know they had one? I didn't!)
---The Hillary Clinton pantsuits
---The Barack Obama lefty jumper
---John McCain
---Joe The Plumber
---Facebook and Twitter......
---The end of Fannie Freddie Bear Mac Morgan Stearns almost AIG Mac
---Car executives who come to Washington in.....not cars.....private planes.
---Superdelegates, delegates, half-delegates....where were the diet delegates?
---Memphis won the NCA.....oh, that's right, they let Kansas back into that one, didn't they?
---The Phillies beat the Rays for the World Series title and the celebration goes into a three-day rain delay when water leaks into the Phillies' clubhouse.
---The youthful Penguins were flying toward the Stanley Cup....until the old guys from Detroit taught them a thing or two.

AROUND HERE?

---The end of the Wilder Administration
---The ongoing struggle of the Times-Dispatch to survive the media world changes
---The arrival of "radio layoffs" to local TV....
---The buildup of Short Pump is almost maxed out....for the fifth time....and then they'll find more land somewhere....
---The end of the Richmond Braves
---Goodbye to A&N, Shevel's, and we're warming up the fat lady for Circuit City, unfortunately...
---2008 National Football Champions--THE RICHMOND SPIDERS!!!!


2008 FOR THE WITHAMS:

---Goodbye elementary school! Rachel turns 11, ends fifth grade
---Hello middle school! Rachel starts sixth grade, keeps growing like a tree
---Back to school! Two years at Hermitage down, two to go for Mr. Witham, who can't wait for NEXT New Year's Eve! :)
---Mom continues her success with her Lapband, in the best shape of her life, and still helping people with their money at Virginia Credit Union
---Two wrestling events at the Coliseum, with Rachel's dream of touching Jeff Hardy's hand coming true!
---Robbie's second choral trip, this time to Chicago, complete with a game at Wrigley Field!
---Goodbye to our good ol' large van

and....the event of the year for the Withams, BY FAR:

The Trip to New York City!!!

---first time the four of us flew together since 1997
---Mom, Robbie, and Rachel's first trip ever to NYC; Dad's first in 22 years
---our first time in a NYC taxi!
---LOTS AND LOTS of walking in and around Times Square
---BROADWAY! Mary Poppins and Spamalot!
---The world-famous NYC bus tour! Nighttime in Brooklyn, the skyline from across the river, and a funny trip through lower Manhattan and the East Side with a GREAT hometown tour guide (complete with the accent).
---The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
---Rockefeller Center and Observation Deck

AND the two biggest events:

2) Dad's 28 year dream to see David Letterman live comes true!
1) The Withams' first trip to Ground Zero. It revolutionizes the way you think about, not just 9/11, but everything.


Rob? Me?

---dealing with unemployment
---dealing with interviewing
---becoming a first-time ever substitute teacher! I thoroughly enjoyed my work at Hanover schools, especially my adopted "home" school of Pole Green Elementary. I met so many wonderful teachers, made friends, and was moved by lots and lots of incredible boys and girls.
---my short time at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, a WONDERFUL group of people that I would recommend to everyone for employment, networking, and friendship! KD, Tad, Blair, and about 15 other wonderful people.
---my work at Robinson Radio; christening a new position with a relatively new company, reconnecting with some radio friends, making new ones around the country, and much, much more.
---sleep apnea
---lack of sleep
---lots of time in bed

BUT.....

---the demise of my depression from 2002 on (not far left until it's GONE!)
---meeting new friends at work and chat friends online
---reconnecting with old friends (thank you, Facebook!!)
---another GREAT season of Patrick Henry football, even though they didn't make the playoffs.

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

2009? Well.....

---I'm learning more answers (FINALLY) in my ongoing physical battles, so I hope there is MAJOR progress (FINALLY) in 2009, so I don't spend days in bed out of complete inability to operate.
---Helping my employer continue to grow into a major player in our industry in the years to come.
---Watching my son off to another choral trip and wrap up his junior and begin his SENIOR year of high school!
---Working on the beginnings of REW Sports Online
---Hopefully watching the Giants repeat as Super Bowl Champs!!!

Who knows what else may come? Well, we will. About 365 days from now. And I would REALLY like to ring in 2010 in Times Square.

You never know....... :)

KB Toys---RIP

This hurts for me personally because KB Toys was based in a place near and dear to my heart, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

I'm sorry to see this happen.

GLOBAL WARMING INVADES BEAUMONT, TEXAS!

The snow is here, for a short time
By AMY MOORE (Beaumont, Texas "Enterprise")
December, 11, 2008

From half an inch of snow in Jasper to three inches in west Beaumont, Southeast Texans woke up to a white Thursday.

But with the sun and the temperatures rising, Lance Escude with the National Weather Service said the snow won't stick around much longer.

"The temperatures at the airport are at 34, but I suspect with the sun breaking through the clouds, the temperatures will warm up to get the ice off the ground," the meteorologist said.

Estimates of snowfall at 7:30 a.m. were two inches at the Southeast Texas Regional Airport, Beaumont and Groves, and one inch in Nederland, Port Neches and Orange, Escude said.

This is the earliest measurable snowfall at the airport since the late 1800s, Escude said. It is also an all time record of snowfall for the area for the month of December.

The last significant snowfall in the area was Dec. 22, 1989 when just 7/10 of an inch fell.

Despite the record breaking snowfall amounts, Escude said the snow will be melting very soon.

"It will melt in the next hour or two," he said.

And don't think that more will come. Escude said the forecast doesn't call for precipitation again until Sunday.

Michele's Curtain Call

One of my favorite blogs (and a fixture on my favorites list to the right for a long time) has been Michele Agnew.

Her blog has been a great place for fun, meeting people, and most importantly, getting to know and enjoy her.

As I discovered tonight, she has written her final post. Make sure you click on the title and read, but then take five minutes and skim through the archives. Her blog will be a great read for some time to come. I hope it stays available, at least for awhile.

Thank you, "Michele Agnew"! Until we meet again.....

Joe Pa----gotta love him!!!

Now, If Sarah Palin Had Ordered This Ring of Rhodium.....

.....Olby and the likes of the MSM would be peeing in their pants, trying to get on the air with SPECIAL BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE!!!!

You'd see these "headlines" on the bottom chryon:

"PALIN RING PURCHASE RINGS HOLLOW WITH ALASKANS LOSING THEIR JOBS"
"WHAT WOULD SARAH DO? IGNORE THE PLIGHT OF JOBLESS AND BUY A BIG RING"
"PALIN TO GIVE HUBBY CATALYTIC CONVERTER....FOR HIS FINGER!"
"GOP NEVER LEARNS---OUT OF TOUCH PALIN BUYS FIVE-FIGURE RING"
"SHOULDN'T A THANK YOU NOTE AND SOME MOOSE CHILI BE ENOUGH?"
"HEY SARAH! EVER HEARD OF ZALES?"
"PALIN PANDERS TO HER RICH STREAK, CUBIC ZIRCONIA LOBBY FURIOUS"
"A THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLAR RING? YOU BETCHA!"

Instead, the man formerly known as Senator Obama (how much DO Senators make anyway?) gets a pass and this will be a "feel-good" story.

He can give his wife anything he wants if he's got the $$$, but...as libs would say:

"What kind of message does this send our nation, at a time when people making $30K are losing their jobs, The President-Elect elects to spend as much on one gift?"

I guarantee you, that would be headline fodder had a GOP'er been the one purchasing.

FOOTNOTE: For those who read this and still think I'm just furious over an Obama Administration, I've never been furious. I have been (and am still) quizzical over who he really is.

This post goes out to the media wonks who can't get enough Sarah Palin, and would do the very thing described above.......

What? I Won't Need Pliers, Industrial Scissors, and Band-Aids Christmas Morning??

Well, whaddya know? Some companies have realized that, we, as a people, are just not into clamshell packaging. :)

We Don't Want West Virginia

So, if this Russian's theory becomes reality, let it be known that we in the Mid-Atlantic have little in common with, say, West Virginia. Heck, it's been 145 years since Virginia let 'em go their own way, things have changed!

What "smaller" country would you live in?

VMI!!! Keydets Baby!!!

The Chicago Tribune must not have thought VMI had a chance to beat Kentucky at Rupp Arena tonight on opening night of the 08-09 college basketball season. They didn't take the time to look up the correct spelling of "Keydets" (click title to read story and see typo).

Sorry, couldn't resist.......

VMI??!!!??? WHOO HOO!!!!

70 years ago today......hatred personified......

May we never see the likes of this, ever again.

"Billy Graham Doesn't..." What??

Note to author: Who you pray "for" is more important than who you pray "with".

How dare you insinuate this about Billy Graham.

On the other hand.....

A great deal of thanks to "hek", who commented on my Olbermann post of last night, and offered excellent insight into Olbermann's reasons for using the term, "What do we do now?"

I share.....

Greetings, Mr. Witham: At the risk of engaging in some kind of non-productive firefight with someone I don't really know, I just want to correct your record about what Mr. Olbermann is speaking of. He is making reference to the 1972 political film, Michael Ritchie's "The Candidate," in which Robert Redford convincingly plays a vibrant young candidate whose ideals are twiated and turned on the punishing road to high office, across bridges built of compromises. Toward the end of the film, on the verge of his U.S. Senate election, and just ahead of a clamoring crowed, he hustles his campaign director into a hotel room and asks, "What do we do now?"The film is more about the absurdities of running for high public office, and how any candidate is a cipher into which the public project their expectations which he/she then cannot possibly meet. At least not for all of them, all of the time. As Olbermann uses the phrase, it is through a sense of facetiousness. It isn't that Obama doesn't know what he must do, but that considering all that confronts the nation at this juncture, what priorities will go to the top. No matter what happens, whether the trends existed before he showed up, Obama is going to get blamed. For everything. The weather, you name it. Such is the pathetic shambling wreck that is the practice of politics.I'm watching Rachel Maddow more these days, anyway. Carry on.

Now I better understand the background behind it. And I THANK this poster for their comment!

I do still find incredible irony in Olbermann's decision to use this question on multiple occasions, as he positioned Obama as the one to answer all of our questions and meet all our needs. It would seem plausible that he should be able to handle multiple issues at once. At this juncture in our nation's history, he's gonna have to.

FDR didn't want to fight a World War on two fronts, but had no choice.

But I can assure you one thing, Obama is not being blamed on this blog for anything happening prior to the night of November 4th, except for what can be tied to his Senate voting.

But.....now that he has a title other than Senator, he now is fair game. For example:

Wall Street always gets jittery when a Democrat is elected. And the Dow went down 900 points combined on Wednesday and Thursday. With the horrible unemployment report this morning, one would think the trend would continue.

The Dow went up about 250 points today. All I've heard in the media the past two days is how the Dow is tanking because of the economy. Sure it is. But there's another thing: The Democrat factor. No one spoke to that.

With the Dow rebounding on the same day as bad economic news arrives, one wonders now exactly how many of those 900 aforementioned points can be attributed to our economy, and how many are attributed to how people view our "economy yet to come" under an Obama Administration.

Now, let's see what he can do.

Again, to those who comment.......

Since I've received one reply to my "comment" post of yesterday, let me reiterate to simply explain what I ask anyone to do to explain a point or offer proof to show the point as truth. Doesn't have to be political. In fact, I might ask you to prove a point with which I am in agreement. Why? To make sure people are informed, and not walking around saying they want to vote for someone because he/she will bring "change"....but the voter has no clue how to explain what the change is. And if I'm offering an opinion and cannot back it up, then SHAME ON ME!!!!!

Here's my quote from yesterday's post:

Ask my kids; when you come to me attempting to prove your point of view correct and/or mine incorrect, have specifics and facts to prove them. Don't use terms that make you sound enlightened, when in fact, Katie Couric might have a field day with you on follow-up questions.

With this in mind, I receive this today:

I was the one who left the "there" comment. I'm sorry if I didn't write you a 20 page essay explaining each basic idea point by point. I was under the foolish assumption that you had payed attention to politics, or maybe had read a book, at some point in the last 6 years. Considering the way you parse my every word, I'd expect you to be a bit more literate. One thing I really don't understand is how Obama's plan to provide health insurance for citizens is so often described as OMG GOVERNMENT RUN SOCIALIZED HEALTHCARE!! 1nazis!Seriously, with nearly every response you act like the Democrats are going to throw you into a concentration camp.

Did I get any answers to the question I posed, which was done for the expressed and sole purpose of having the commenter explain and defend their positions and beliefs? Not one.

But, I did learn that I don't pay attention to politics, don't read books, I'm not very literate (certainly less so than he/she), and finally, the obligatory accusation of using inflammatory terms, this time related to the health care issue, rather than answer my questions and helping me understand how, if my health care is going to be the same as Congress', it's going to still be part of the free market. Congress' insurance is government-paid. I'll get the same. Therefore (a little postulate/theorem throwback to 9th grade Geometry), I get government-paid insurance, correct? And nothing paid for by the Federal Government comes without, well, some rules and regs.

Then, as we would do in geometry, we would go off on the search to prove this either right or wrong. I didn't get any answers as to whether my concern is justified or not.

But I was told, in so many terms, that I'm spreading the words of fear.

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

So, so glad I don't have Alex Trebek's job. All day I would say, "The answer is......", and I'm concerned that all I'd hear in response would be crickets........

Oh, it's MANDATED change.......

There's something just not quite right about the concept of "mandated volunteerism".

After reading this post, please, click HERE and enjoy the future of volunteering in "Obama-Land".

At first, the way the paragraph is written, it reads that ALL Americans would have to serve either 50 hours in middle or high school, or 100 hours at a college. I later learned that this program is simply for the students, thanks to one of those evil blogs.

Note to self: Send the Obama transition team an English teacher with excellent grammar skills.

But, BEFORE you click the link (which is to HIS OWN site, BTW, not some hack right-wing blog....), PLEASE read how this "program" was presented to the American people during the campaign.

From BarackObama.com:

Obama and Biden will set a goal that all middle and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year, and will establish a new tax credit that is worth $4,000 a year in exchange for 100 hours of public service a year.

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

Now, go click on the link to the President-Elect's site and see how "set a goal" was code-speak for mandatory volunteerism. And my post here focuses on the middle and high school student portion (which offers no dangled carrot of a tax credit, BTW)...

Obama wants to dictate to my two kids (and yours, too) HOW and WHEN to volunteer in their community! MINORS! I know there's gotta be something in the First Amendment that would, well, expose this for what it really is......

When you see the wondering volunteer.........

Teacher Lovingly Explains McCain Platform.....NOT!!!

Click on the blog post title and watch a North Carolina school teacher scare one of her students to death over the fact the girl supports John McCain.

Her father is in the military. And this "educator" thinks her Dad will live well into his 120's, I guess.

This is cruel, and the teacher? I post, you decide.

Olbermann equals "Obama-bot"

As the kids type today......"OMG!!!!"

This is TOO funny.......

Keith Olbermann is now using this question to lead his sheep....ah viewers into that new spiritual realm of "change" that he and so many of his friends desperately yearned for during the Presidential campaign.........

"What do we do now?"

Keith, you, ah, don't know? Two quick points to help you, Mr. Sheepherder:

1) There have been dozens of prior transitional periods between outgoing and incoming Presidents where you can learn the basics of what needs to be done and how our nation's wonderfully seamless transitional tradition has developed and proven how incredible this nation truly is.

2) Ah, you voted for Obama (don't tell me otherwise); you've been singing his praises, begging the world to vote him in as savior, while personally attempting to tear apart people who get in your way. Of ALL people I see on TV.........YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR MAN, YOUR CANDIDATE, YOUR PRESIDENT-ELECT IS GOING TO DO???????

Well, I guess that's what happens when America elects a President that offers a one-word mantra, and not a heckuva lot else.

This reminds me of Robert DeNiro's strangest movie role ever......."Fearless Leader" in "Rocky and Bullwinkle".

It's a wonder Olbermann didn't end up sounding like the minions in that movie once RBTV had put all Americans into the "trance with a directive".....

"We will vote for Fearless Leader....."

The Left has not "Left" those talking points.....

WOW! They know me; they really know me!

I've gotten comments from those on the other end of the political spectrum who do two things:

1) Criticize my postings, each of which were NEWS reports or INTERVIEWS with a comment or two from myself.

2) Get in their "left" jab. Look, just because their guy is heading to the White House, did you actually think they'd stop talking?

I only quote some of them to prove that, well, they prove my point without my help.

ITEM: Commenting on my reposting a news article on Obama workers not getting paid.....

Well it's not like his campaign doesn't have the money. And it's not like he didn't run a rock solid campaign. So by all means, let's make a big deal out of some stupid payroll mistake.

With all due respect, the headline from that story was not a payroll mistake, it was how some Obama workers were already demanding what was theirs and got mad at their guy's payroll team. The final guy quoted doesn't even expect to ever see all the money due him. The PEOPLE and their subsequent reactions were the story here, folks. Dang, the polls hadn't been closed 24 hours and they were already up in arms.

I've worked in independent contractor, et al situations on many, many occasions over the years, and let me tell you, you don't go to your "payer" and DEMAND payment in 18 hours. Makes me wonder how many of these people truly understand the economic system. Getting paid twice a month, or once a month.......

Were they told to come that day and get their money? Yep, so shame on the campaign for not being ready. The people's reactions take center stage here, though, which is why I closed with my comment on being anxious to see their response when they realize Obama won't be paying every bill they have (Peggy, calling Peggy in Florida??)

ITEM: One comment on my Brokaw/Rose post asked for attribution on my "claim".

I should have been a bit clearer, as I did have issues posting the You Tube Video. Click on the blog post title, and Tom and Charlie will answer your questions themselves.

ITEM: My favorite comment, coming on the post where some loon celebrated in D.C. Tuesday night with the fashionable Soviet flag....complete with a pole to use to wave it! But this comment is to my question which will stay at the top of my blog for the foreseeable future:

WHERE IS THERE?

Here's the comment in its entirety..........

"There" is a few places. There is back where we were before Bush messed everything up and left America on the brink.There is being in a position to truly show that we value life by allowing people to seek medical care without fear of financial ruin. There is where we can all be proud of America because we're not doing Godless things like torture, and carrying out needless wars just so billionaires can profit from the destruction and nation-building.And we'll get "there", with or without your help.

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

BTW, my comments below are in the smaller font, so people don't think I'm belittling the poster.

"...back where we were before Bush messed everything up....."

Messed up "what"? What did we "have" prior to that? Define "everything".

"...left America on the brink."

The "brink" of "what"? Nuclear war? Economic collapse that can never be fixed? Change?

"....we value life by allowing people to seek medical care without fear of financial ruin."

Allowing? I agree there are people don't have a way to get necessary care; absolutely true. But by letting the government take over health care, how does that justify the use of the word "allowing"? When I get "there", am I gonna need the government's permission to get health care? I thought Obama believed it was a right......

"....where we can all be proud of America because we're not doing Godless things like torture, and carrying out needless wars just so billionaires can profit from the destruction and nation-building."

What's your definition of torture? What do you know about international law and the Geneva Convention regarding this? I wonder if the hundreds of innocent Americans who slowly burned to death in the World Trade Center towers on 9/11 considered that a tortuous way to die? Do you know the difference between a "defendant" and a "war criminal"?? If so, give me some explanation.

Name three billionaires who have profited. Some may have! Name them, prove it, and let's go after them! But.....to accentuate your line of thinking, if this were the end game, with many more countries worldwide without democracy, why have we not invaded at least two or three more nations, like in areas much easier to invade (you know, countries without legitimate military protection) so we could rake in a few more billion in the name of democracy?

"And we'll get there, with or without your help."

Now THERE is a clue as to what we'll find at "there". In other words, "we will get it the way we want it, whether you help or not", which also concludes, if I or others get "in the way", gee.....what becomes of us? Simply a dissenting point of view......do I pay a penalty for having one in this place called "there"?

I thought the days of "partisan bickering" and "divisive politics" were over. Well, this comment, plus "Go F*** Themselves" Emanuel prove that those days are not going away.

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

So, friends, let's review some facts of the last 48 hours:

1) Some Obama supporters already think they won't get what Obama owes them.

2) Tom Brokaw and Charlie Rose were dumb enough to actually admit before the election that they don't "know" Barack Obama on many fronts. You know, when it comes to those who influenced him, his views on CHINA, etc.......(psst....guys, it's your JOB to find these things out).

3) Obama's Chief of Staff is partisan and "Chicago Machine politics" head-to-toe, and we all know how the Chicago Machine respects "bipartisanship".....

4) George W. Bush will be blamed for everything in everyone's lives for the next 25 years. Including the paper cut some unknown Obama supporter in Colorado will get in 2011 opening a ream of paper.

5) Oh, and America is on the brink.

The "brink" of what? I don't know. My commenter wouldn't get specific.

He/she didn't get specific about alot of things. Which is exactly what we "heard" from Barack Obama. Change. Change. But NO clue as to what kind or how it's done.

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

Ask my kids; when you come to me attempting to prove your point of view correct and/or mine incorrect, have specifics and facts to prove them. Don't use terms that make you sound enlightened, when in fact, Katie Couric might have a field day with you on follow-up questions.

If I don't know something, I'll tell you. If I'm wrong, I'll tell you. But note, much of what you'll see posted here politically, especially between now and January 20th, will be NEWS. All of the above comments were posted based on NEWS items.....and a very simple question.

EVERY American, no matter who they voted for, should now assume the role of the lovable but tired kid in the back seat (or the middle seat of the SUV or minivan).....and just ask:

"Are we 'there' yet?"

Ut Oh.......

Ah, didn't take long for Team Obama to make some of their faithful unhappy. From Indianapolis yesterday....

Obama campaign workers angry over unpaid wages

Posted: Nov 5, 2008 3:38 PM EST
Updated: Nov 6, 2008 10:47 AM EST

Indianapolis - Lines were long and tempers flared Wednesday not to vote but to get paid for canvassing for Barack Obama. Several hundred people are still waiting to get their pay for last-minute campaigning. Police were called to the Obama campaign office on North Meridian Street downtown to control the crowd.

The line was long and the crowd was angry at times.

"I want my money today! It's my money. I want it right now!" yelled one former campaign worker.

A former spokesman for the Obama campaign said 375 people were hired as part of the Vote Corps program and said people signed up to work three-hour shifts at a time. Three hours of canvassing got workers a $30 pre-paid Visa card.

The workers showed up to get their cards Wednesday morning at 10:00 am.

"There was a note on the door saying 1:00 pm and then at 1:20 pm everybody was like why is nobody here. They just got here and they're trying to get it organized," said Heather Richards, a former campaign worker.

The large gathering of around 375 people prompted police to call in extra officers and set up temporary barricades. The barricades helped keep the crowd from spilling out onto Meridian Street. Police say the several hundred people in line were for the most part orderly.

"No arrests. Some of the people were upset at first because the line wasn't moving as fast as they thought it should. But we really haven't had any problems," said Major Darryl Pierce, Metro Police.

Eventually people did start getting paid, but some said they were missing hours and told to fill in paperwork making their claim and that eventually they would get a check in the mail.

"Still that's not right. I'm disappointed. I'm glad for the president, but I'm disappointed in this system," said Diane Jefferson, temporary campaign worker.

"It should have been $480. It's $230," said Imani Sankofa.

"They gave us $10 an hour. So we added it. I added up all the hours so it was supposed to be at least $120. All I get is $90," said Charles Martin.

"I worked nine hours a day for 4 days and got paid half of what I should have earned," said Randall Waldon.

Some people weren't satisfied with filling out a claim form for money they felt was still due to them.

"They say that they gonna call you or they going to mail it to you, but I don't know. We'll see what happens," said Antron Grose.

"Talking about they'll mail it to us. I ain't worried about that, man. They're not going to mail nothin'," said Martin.

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Wait until they find out they won't be getting lots of tax cuts, either.