Tuesday, September 16, 2008

What did you invent??

My favorite story of the day:


Adviser says McCain helped create the BlackBerry
MIAMI (AP) - Al Gore may lay claim to the Internet, but John
McCain may have a high-tech achievement of his own.
A top McCain policy adviser says the Republican presidential
nominee helped create the BlackBerry.
Waving his BlackBerry personal digital assistant, Douglas
Holtz-Eakin told reporters, "You're looking at the miracle that
John McCain helped create."
McCain has acknowledged that he doesn't know how to use a
computer and can't send e-mail -- one of the primary functions of a
Blackberry.
Holtz-Eakin claims McCain's service on and leadership of the
Senate Commerce Committee put him at the intersection of a number
of economic interests, including the telecommunications industry.
The argument is similar to one advanced by Gore. The 2000
Democratic presidential nominee once boasted about "taking the
initiative to create the Internet" through technological and
educational policies.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Blog in Pictures






The outer, outer bands of Hurricane Ike have been causing some random strong storms...here are some pictures leaving a storm in downtown Orlando today...



I loved these clouds...







Look out the clouds curve...it's fascinating...









Just now- there was a big cat fight between Jack and Bailey...this is what is left...yes- that's all cat hair...and yes- from the same cat...All Bailey hair....our carpet is beige!

Seven years ago....

September 11th...
I think today should be a national holiday..
no work...no school...no events....

It's all just too weird to see a political fundraiser "Come party with us...September 11th"

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Favorite AP News Alert Of The Day

WASHINGTON (AP) - Investigators reveal illicit sex trysts
between government oil brokers, energy company employees



(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-09-10-08 1408EDT

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Public School

Brendan is now in his fourth week of Kindergarten at a public school.
He has gone to preschool for the last two years at a private church-run school.
This adjustment to public school is not going so well- at least for us parents.

It seems that while it's public school...it's not cheap.
Everyday there is something we need to pay for...
$7 for a school shirt...
$5 for PTA membership...
Third day of class- a school fundraiser selling crap....
$2.50 for an "in-house" field trip to some puppet show....

And not only that- but threatening notes...like "IF people don't pay for this field trip- we will be forced to cancel all field-trips for all students"

We don't have a class list...
We've already had two hurricane days- which you wouldn't think would be a big deal- but apparently it has thrown the entire school schedule off- and we are now getting newsletters home that are literally weeks behind...

Brendan has about 45 minutes of homework a night..
When I was in Kindergarten- it was only a half day- and there was no such thing as homework!
Now- he's at school for about 8 hours- and then has 45 minutes of homework almost every night...my how times have changed.....

Monday, September 8, 2008

The Tale of Two Candidates....

Most people don't get to experience what I've recently experienced...meeting the next President of the United States.
It's pretty intense sitting in a room with the would-be president...but it's also interesting how two men- both wanting the same job- are just SO different...



Monday:

Told we have an exclusive one-on-one interview with Sen. John McCain.
Arrive at Brevard Community College in Melbourne.
Go through a security check. Lots of sweet looking dogs that want to play- and attack.
Told we are the pool media camera for a statement the Senator will make about his vision for future spaceflight. We are housed with national media...some big names in the room.
I try to act cool- all while drooling over the food the national media enjoy.

(Photo: Orlando Sentinel photographer Joe Burbank enjoys his lunch)



We are not allowed to eat the food, as national media has to pay to eat- and we aren't cool enough to be included in that group!


After lunch, the Senator makes his statement and walks away without taking questions.
We are immediately rushed to a different room- where are are in a mad dash to set up the equipment.
The press guy with McCain asks us to look through the view finder so he can approve the shot.


Suddenly, the room fills with worker bees rushing "here comes the Senator...Here comes the Senator"

In walks McCain, who says hello and sits down. With him are Senators Mel Martinez and Joe Lieberman. Martinez jokes with reporter Scott Harris about old high school days...McCain looks on noticing the fact they know each other.

Two women come into the room- one working on his hair- the other touching up his makeup. I come to find out McCain can't lift up his arms- an injury from his POW days- so he has to have people brush his hair for him.

The interview begins- with a sea on onlookers...including the two Senators- a number of secret service agents- and a large amount of people from his campaign/press office. I would say in all, about 30 people...if not more...were watching.

They were also recording. A number of digital audio records were on, taping everything.

The interview was great- about 7 minutes later someone (I swear it was one of the makeup people) gave me the sign to wrap it up. I thought about ignoring her- but then again- there were lots of people with guns around....so we wrapped it up.


McCain was very nice and shook hands with everyone- and then was whisked away....




Tuesday:
Told we have an exclusive one-on-one interview with Sen. Barack Obama.
We arrive at the Orange County Convention Center- and told to meet behind the media riser after the interview.
We do as told- and are taken to a closet. This particular closet is home to every make and model of cord ever made. Cords of all different shapes, sizes and lengths are all organized in bins all around the mason brick room.
We are shown where to set up the camera- we do so...and are told to wait by the entrance to the closet to wait for the Senator- who first has a radio interivew.
As we are waiting, we are talking to a secret service agent- asking if it is a job requirement that you are not allowed to smile. Needless to say, he started smiling...in walked another secret service agent...who our first guy got to smile as well. All is good- and before you know it, in walks Senator Obama.
He walks up to me, shakes my hand...says hello to my co-workers, and is whisked away for a radio interview.
We wait about five minutes- and then our turn.
We are standing in the corner of this closet- in front of a blue curtain and a flag...and the interview begins.
In contrast to the McCain interview, the Obama campaign maybe has about three people in there- and they were way back.
At one point, about seven minutes later- one woman gave me a wrap sign- we wrapped it up- and the Senator just hung around talking to everyone, until someone from him campaign had to move him along.



My thoughts:

I felt like the way the McCain camp controlled things- they were almost afraid McCain was going to say something damaging...it appeared like the Obama campaign was so confident in his skills, that they weren't worried about what he might say.