Jay Kersting's Blog

In recent weeks, many of you reading this blog or listening to the show have noticed that I have soured on Barack Obama.  The reasons I have given in the postings here have been very specific.  But now, let me just simplify things.

He does not represent a fresh and new version of Presidential politics as he has claimed.  He is more of the same, just more liberal.  This is what makes him, in my opinion, less honest.  

Why?

Because he is trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

While he is fighting the "whisper campaigns" that he may be muslim, he is conducting his own "whisper campaigns" to see how much he can convince us that he has some subtance without revealing any substance.

Now yesterday, he resorted to a Hillary Clinton-esque technique of having one of his foot soldiers fire shots at his opponent leaving him with plausible deniability.  Nice way to show that you are an agent of change, Senator.   

The example that I give you on this Monday morning comes from General Wesley Clark from CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday.  Clark said, "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be President."

OH, that is ALL that John McCain is running on, General? 

This is called marginalizing.  And it seems to be the tactic that a campaign with no resume of their own to run on must use.  

Barack Obama has been a United States Senator for less than four years.  He has no record of bipartisanship to stand on, so he talks a good game.  He was in the Illinois State Legislature for seven and a half years.  Woo...I am sooooooo impressed.  He is an attorney....more proof that Shakespeare's "Henry VI" may be his best work.

In all honesty, take away that one quote from General Clark, and he brings up some valid points.  However, he does not ever explain why Obama is a better option than McCain during his diatribe.  All he does is say why McCain is not as qualified as he wants us to believe.  Never of real substance about what makes his guy better.

In other words, it is all Bull Shit!!  (In my radio terminology, I throw the "yellow flag of ca-ca" on this.)

But, just like the jihadist campaign run by Hillary Clinton, Obama can choose to distance himself from Clark's comments.  The car bomb has already blown up.

And these tactics, now that I am exposing them and others may, could bring back the "whisper campaigns" about Obama being muslim again.

Again, another example of NO CHANGE.  The only change, really, in the past five month is this.  I liked that this guy seemed to be a different type of politician.  Then he proved to not be any different.  And now, I do not like him and I have absolutely no respect for him.  The only way that could change would be for him to appear on the show.

Yeah, like that is going to happen.  He won't stand up to anyone who will ask a tough question.

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Have you seen MoveOn.org's "Baby Alex" ad?  It is a pretty stupid ad from one key standpoint, the baby would be nine years old when John McCain WOULD complete a second term.  (You could also add the FACT that we have an all volunteer army.)

Here is a response ad that carries a LOT more water than ANYTHING that MoveOn.org can do with their paid performers.  This is a REAL mother with her sons.

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Cardinals fans, brag all you want.  Your Red Birds beat the Royals twice at Kauffman Stadium.  Won a couple of battles, lost the WAR 4 to 2!  Remember that THREE GAME SWEEP in St. Louis at Busch Stadium on June 17th, 18th and 19th??  

Nice to see the Royals own the National League, including sweeps over the last two National League Champions.

Now, back to some real competition.

It's called the American League.

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WALL-e won at the movie box office this weekend.  Contrary to our original plans of about a year ago, we did not go see it on opening weekend.

Why?

Ben is with his grandparents.  

Both Alex and Ben are with their grandparents in Knoxville for the next few weeks.  Ben will see WALL-e when my mom takes him to see it.  

For now, he will enjoy the pool and some other distractions that come with being around "Ha Ha and Pa Pa" for the next few weeks.

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Add comments as you'd like.  Today is the last day of the "Paper Direct" banner ad...buy your paper today if you need some.

Oh, and have a Great Week!! 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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It was the right decision.  Based on previous laws passed and enforced in our nation and based on previous case law, it was absolutely the right decision.

The problem is that four Supreme Court justices disagreed.

John Paul Stevens - a Gerald Ford appointee, led the dissent.

The others joining Stevens were the usual suspects.

Steven Breyer - a Bill Clinton appointee.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg - a Bill Clinton appointee.

David Souter - a George H.W. Bush regret.

Wikipedia has a pretty good entry on this case, worth a look for more details.  The term "Militia" is defined the way that it was intended by our Founding Fathers and by the various "Militia Acts" over the years.  You know, the ones that liberal pinheads like to forget about. 

Oh, and let me apologize to those who find the term "liberal pinhead" offensive.  I am sorry if you resemble that term.

There, everyone should be happy now.

This should have been a Nine to Nothing decision.

And NO, I do not own any guns.  But if the "Militia Acts" were enforced, I would have to.

Funny how the "l.p.'s" don't read the Second Amendment as broadly as they do the First Amendment. 

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Anheuser-Busch refused to serve InBev.  It was initially suspected that the reason for turning them away was not due to intoxication, but because A-B wanted to remain independent and American.

Nope.

They wanted more money.  $65 a share is not enough. Add $10 to that, and they will probably own A-B.

Mmmmmm...Belgian beer.

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This weekend, the Royals host the Red Birds at Kauffman Stadium for a three game series.  The Cards want to get their revenge for having been SWEPT at home by the Royals last week.

I have mentioned it before, I will do it again, the Royals have SWEPT the last TWO National League Champions.

Back on Father's Day, a local sportswriter referred to the Royals as the best AAA team in Major League Baseball.  I know Tom and he is a good guy.  I also suspect that he is a Cardinals fan.

(By the way, you know how Cardinals fans whine about Don Denkinger, but have you ever heard a Royals fan whine about Billy Williams blown call in the same game?  You haven't....and most don't even recall that blown call.) 

I will ask ANY Cardinals fan this, if the Royals, who have without a doubt struggled the past several years, what does that make the Cardinals, Rockies and other National League teams that the Royals have chewed up and spit out?

Maybe the National League needs to lose their status as a "Major League" and we should invite the Pacific Coast League to take their place?

In other words, I think Cardinals fans just need to shut up and accept their losses like big boys.  And accept the FACT that the BEST they can do against the supposed AAA team to their West, is tie them for the season.

And then enjoy the rest of the season with the inferior foes back in the National League.  And try to make a run for that hollow National League Championship.

Just not as good as the American League.  The A.L. is beating the N.L. even WITHOUT the Designated Hitter!

Enjoy....and we'll talk more on Monday as interleague play wraps up this weekend.

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Have a Great Weekend!  Add comments, especially if I struck a nerve...Cards fans, you paying attention? 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 07:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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She admits it.  Nancy Pelosi admits it.

The Speaker of the House has admitted that she wants to help me lose my job.  She wants to put my family in jeopardy. 

At least she also wants to extend unemployment benefits.

OK, so here is the deal.  Nancy Pelosi was asked if she favored a restoration of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" to broadcasters.  She said "Yes" without hesitation.  This comes on the heels of a refusal to bring to the House floor for a vote on a bill proposed by Representative Mike Pence of Indiana called the "Broadcaster Freedom Act."

Now many are portraying this in a very myopic way.  And trying to spin it as a positive way for local guys like me.

This is complete crap.

First, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the "Fairness Doctrine" that was put on broadcasters from 1949 to 1987, here is what it did.  Anyone with a contrary opinion had the right to get "equal time" on their station to express their thoughts.  So, if I spent 5 and a half minutes talking about how horrible the concept of earmarks are, someone could request 5 and a half minutes to come on the radio and offer their opinion.

It is hard to program a talk station when you can't control the programming.  Hard to protect the broadcast license issued by the FCC when you have to allow non-staff members on the air.

The thing is that equal time and fairness exist.

Call in!!!!  573-632-1240!!!  866-632-1240!!!!  Every talk host worth his salt allows and encourages phone calls in to their shows.  Time constrains for news breaks and other show content sometimes restrict how long we can go, but the calls are allowed.

The focus of bringing the "Fairness Doctrine" back is simply to shut down the big national guys.  Proponants argue that it would open up opportunities for more local content.  Theoretically, that is true.  Realistically, this is NOT going to happen.

The fact is that the big national shows are less expensive to run than the payroll is to have a whole staff of local talk hosts.  And a lot of stations use those shows to draw advertising dollars to their other dayparts.  So without those shows, the stations are likely to face failure.

And rather than lose money, the stations, even AM stations, would flip to other formats.  Even music formats.

A lot of stations would look to Spanish language formats, others to niche music formats.

And I could be on the street OR transitioned to a position where I push buttons between music tracks on an 80's station, or classic rock, or country, or oldies, or God knows what.

So, yeah, I am offended that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want me to lose my job.  

They may convince me to become a Republican again.  (Left the party in 2002....though I was never a dues paying member, just aligned with them politically.)

Naaa....that AIN'T going to happen.  They haven't done me any favors.   Been a bunch of damned wimps.  See Bernie Goldberg's last book for details.

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Now I have explained this before, and cited my evidence to back it up repeatedly, but today the ruling from the Supreme Court is due on the lawsuit that could impact the Second Amendment.  The suit came forth due to a District of Columbia law that severely restricted gun ownership.

If there is any true non-partisan justice, this would be a NINE to ZERO ruling to strike down the DC law.  But, that will not happen.

For those who missed the evidence, look up the Militia Acts and you will understand my points.

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The Royals keep on winning.  They have swept the 2006 and 2007 National League Champions in the last two weeks!!  They have dug out of that deep basement and are NO longer in last place.  

A day off today, then they look to have their own "Blue Broom Day" on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.  OK, OK, OK, I am getting ahead of myself.

The Royals have clinched a winning month for the first time this year.  They can be no worse than 14-13 for June.  Three games with St. Louis and the first of a four game series in Baltimore on Monday remain this month.

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Have a great Thursday and add comments as you see fit.   

Posted by Jay Kersting at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Let me open by declaring that putting the word Crooked in front of the name of most United States Senators, historically speaking, is redundant.  But in this case, I am amazed at how bold that Connecticut U.S. Senator Christophe Dodd is.

As noted last week, Dodd was caught with his hands in the cookie jar to the tune of at least $75,000 that we are now aware of.  But what makes him so bold is that not only is he not backing down from his declarations of innocence, but that he is still using his tainted position as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee to get a mortgage bailout deal for several companies, the biggest being Countrywide, who provided the $75,000 bump to Mr. Dodd.

Now, for complete disclosure, I have a friend who works for Countrywide.  And his first name is also Chris and he did not get me in a VIP program.  Dammit.

This is about a politician who is trying to claim the high ground, he wants you to believe that he is working to help you.  And now we know that he has helped himself to sizable portions at the buffet table.    This is about as honest as if I was to use my position here at NewsTalk 1240 KLIK to go to every Royals game by asking for media passes for every game and taking the company van (and gas card) to each game then doing no real work while there, just eating hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn, then bringing back all the t-shirts and other goodies that they give away as promotions at the games then selling all those items back in Jefferson City and pocketing all the money for myself.  I could do it and it is probably not illegal but is just the wrong thing to do.

The difference is the effort I would need to do in my scenario compared to the return I would get.  Going to a Payola/Plugola scheme would be more lucrative, but that IS illegal and I would quickly get caught. 

The fact that Dodd has done what he has done, and is doing what he is doing, and that no one in his own party only adds to my continued criticism of politicians and their political parties.  (And note that I am already critical of Democrats due to their current position of bringing back the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" that would lead to my unemployment.)

I would not ask that he leave the Senate, even I do not want someone to become unemployed (unlike Dodd and his fellow Democrats).  And he has been in elected office so long that I doubt he is capable of doing other work. 

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Personal note regarding mortgages.  A year ago we got our mortgage on our house here in Jefferson City.  We took a risk by agreeing to an ARM (adjustable rate mortgage).  And think about that timing, the warnings were out there about ARM's at that time.

Well, the ARM kicked in for us effective in July.

Thanks to Home Savings Bank, they kicked the arm DOWN!!  No need to talk about a re-fi for a year.

And no, I am not lobbying on their behalf.  And no, I am not doing any ads for them.

And finally, it will not add up to $75k in savings.

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Gas prices are even hitting those who do not drive.  Check out the protest in Salt Lake City by these sisters. 

If you don't go to that link, the quick version of the story is this.  They are mad because Mom cancelled the Cable TV.

I can them offer a money saving solution.  Might be able to help you too.

Shoot me an e-mail for the account number. 

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Back several years ago, the Kansas City Royals were offered the chance to jump to the National League when they realigned.  They passed and the Milwaukee Brewers made the move instead.  At the time, I thought that was OK.  Milwaukee had a National League hertiage with the Braves playing there from 1953-1966.

But look at the records in interleague play this season and the last couple of seasons.  The Royals are currently 11-3 in interleague play this year. 

Crap.  They could win the NL!!! But, it would be nice to have them play the Detroit Tigers on a regular basis (6-0 vs. Detroit so far in 2008)

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Nothing to add on the Obama and McCain situations this week.  Both have had their share of blunders, directly or indirectly.  I'll leave them out to their own devices to see who can do their best to lose in November.

Boggles the mind......

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Speaking of boggling the mind, this is another idea that, well... 

I think I know what inspired this thought.

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Have a great day!  Add some comments, click on some ads and buy things....do your part to help the economy!  (Ha ha ha.....) 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 05:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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I have to have blood work done before I go to the doctor today.

I hate going through this because it is a pain, especially with my work schedule.  

I have not eaten, so I am in a bad mood.

I am not as focused as I wish to be.   

So, I may post later, but nothing for now. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 05:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Just in this morning is word that comedian George Carlin is dead of heart failure at 71. 

I had the chance to see him back in 1993.  It was at Bally's in Las Vegas.   Great show, he did a lot of the stuff that you probably saw on HBO or heard on one of his albums, but even more of it. It was a nice long show from what I recall.

One of the funniest parts of the show was when he just stopped.  He stopped, looked out at the audience, looked up, scratched his head, then said something about being in his mid-50's and his memory being shot.  Then he walked over to a stool where some bottles of water were, as well as some note cards.  He sipped the water, then took his cards, flipped through them and commenting on the cards.  "Did that, yeah, did that one too...oh, yeah, you guys really liked that one.  Oh, oh...OK.  Now I know where I am at."  Then he continued the show.

In 1997, when we moved to Tennessee, my older brother lend me his copy of Carlin's "Braindroppings" to read while I was in Knoxville with Kathy and Alex staying with my parents in Signal Mountain.  I was reading in the bathroom and I LITERALLY fell off the toilet while reading it.

I will admit that later in his life, George Carlin was a bit more curmudgeonly and less funy.  Just angry at times.  I noted this in the page-a-day calendar that Kathy got me for Christmas 2006 (just before I moved here to Jefferson City).  I laughed, at most, once every ten days or so.   It was a great gift that I wanted, just turned out to be a great thought from my wife, Carlin didn't deliver.

Anyhow, he did make people think.  Which is why I have occasionally paraphrased him and referred to him as the great American philosopher George Carlin. 

Most of all, he was a great storyteller.  He will be missed. 

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WHAT a comeback! 

I had wanted to attend a "Tribute to the Negro Leagues" game at Kauffman Stadium for several years.  Yesterday, I finally got to do so.

The Kerstings went to Kansas City to see the Royals don Kansas City Monarchs uniforms and take on the San Francisco Giants in their 1927 Royal Giants unis.  

I sensed something was amiss when I saw the interlocking RG logo on the Giants uniforms.  Maybe bad karma when the OTHER team wears a uniform of a team with a name similar to yours. 

Then seeing the Royals commit TWO errors in the first half inning as well as giving up six runs in the first three innings added to my view.

But seeing the Royals overcome a seven run deficit (10-3) to win the game 11-10 was rather impressive.

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Now, in a way that would surely irritate George Carlin, let me close by saying, Have a Nice Day! 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Senator Barack Obama has broken his word AGAIN.  I say again because this is NOT the first time he has done so, and the first example I provide comes from back in February 2006.

CBS News has the text of a scathing letter sent by, guess who, Senator John McCain after Senator Barack Obama broke his "private assurances" of working bipartisanly on lobbying reform. 

This further illustrates that the man is sticking his finger in the wind before he does anything.  And shows his history of doing so.  Sort of like voting "Present" on tough issues while in the Illinois State Legistlature.  Impressive.

Now, he is breaking his assurances that he would accept the public funding for the General Election so long as his Republican opponant did the same.

He lied.  You could argue that he "changed his mind" but that is complete crap.  The George Soros/Howard Scream/Daily Kos/MoveOn.org wing of his party got their claws in him and decided that he needed to take the dirty money they would bring him directly or indirectly.

Wow!  Isn't THAT a refreshing CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN?

I don't think so either.

The best part was the rationalizations.  I love what he said in the SEVENTH paragraph in this story from the Charlotte Observer. 

OH.  Really?  The REPUBLICAN groups are the ones who are the "Masters" of this outside advertising.  Not MoveOn.org, who is already running web based ads against John McCain.  Discredited ads I might add.  

Yes, the backers of George W. Bush did have the "Swift Boat Veterans" come out with their ads in 2004, but there were a LOT more ads that came out on the other side.

The bottomline is simple folks.  Both parties are guilty of these tactics and probably in equal proportions.

The thin-skinned crybaby needs to get over it.  He needs to be honest.  

But, as so many of you have told me, this is politics as usual.  I need to accept it.

As Dana Carvey would say as George H.W. Bush, "No gonna do it.  Wouldn't be prudent."  (And think back to how the Democrats hammered Bush when he broke his promise, under THEIR pressure.  And you wonder why I call them hypocrites?)

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I will admit it.  And I have explained it before.  I am an independent.  I will also admit that I am strongly against the Democratic Party once again.

Why?

It is personal.

They want me to lose my job.

Think I am kidding?   

Heard of the "Fairness Doctrine" that was forced on broadcasters back in 1939?  Thankfully, the Reagan Administration got rid of it in 1987 and my industry EXPLODED.  Since that time, and this is a fair criticism though inaccurate, the Telecom Act 1996 allowed the consolidation of ownership.  The belief being that large media companies "control the message, control the content" on their talk format stations.

I can tell you without hesitation that I have only been told by management ONCE to restraint my rhetoric.  And I admit that I "may" have gone too far. But otherwise, I have never been muzzled.  So that argument from the left doesn't hold water.

Thankfully, there is one man who is working to protect me and he has gotten support from his party, but not a SINGLE member of the other side of the aisle.  Republican Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana is working to get the Broadcaster Freedom Act made law. 

Pence has a pretty strong interest in this arena.  He is a lawyer turned talk show host.

Thank you for standing up for me.  I wish Democrats would.

That is why I really just don't like that party of hypocrites.  It is personal.

That is why I look at individual CANDIDATES and NOT PARTIES!

That is why I encourage you to do the same.

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Is it just me, or do you think Billy Mays would do a better job selling Debbie Meyer's Green Bags than Debbie does?

I'd have some already!

I think it is nice that Debbie is willing to double the order.  But we all know, we ALL KNOW, that Billy would TRIPLE the order.

Sorry, how can she compete with that?

Besides, does she offer health insurance?

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Have a GREAT Friday and a GREAT Weekend!! 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 05:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Do you know who Billy Mays is?

If you watch ANY television, odds are that you do know who this guy is.  He is the one who points at the camera, therefore you, as he is pitching his various products.

Yeah, I bought Mighty Putty.  Yeah, I feel stupid.  It worked well on one project, holding a wire spice rack on our pantry door.  But, it didn't do ANYTHING to help hold my fountain head/pump in the fountain.  Sure, Billy told me it would patch a leak, but it doesn't work underwater.  Maybe I needed to let it dry longer, but I saw Billy patch that pipe.  He patched that leaking pipe and it held!  But, I don't know what happened after the commercial ended.

Oh, and I didn't get six tubes, that's triple the order, for $19.99.  No, I got my Mighty Putty at Target, still had his picture on the package, just three tubes for $9.99....which is pretty much the same thing. 

I think the fancy hooks for hanging up pictures and stuff that Kathy got were also a Billy Mays product. 

I haven't gotten his new Simoniz car cleaning stuff.  I'm not sure that my car is worthy of a fine Billy Mays product.

Anyhow, the point of all this is to set up the latest.

Billy Mays is now selling Health Insurance.

It even includes doctors visits.  He said that, not me.

So, knowing that my health insurance is absolute crap, I paid attention.  I figured that if it is half as good as Mighty Putty (for the spice rack, not the fountain) this may be worth looking at.

I watched.  Interesting.  Covers a lot.  Price estimates seems reasonable.  Good.  

But what else Billy?  What else?  Come on...

What if I call in the next ten minutes?  What if I call now?

NOTHING!!

No TRIPLE the order!!

No extra Hercules Hooks (I think that is the name...or whatever the HELL they are called).

NO OXICLEAN!!  NO ORANGE GLO!!!

All I get is crappy health insurance???

I bet it isn't as good as wet Mighty Putty anyway.

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John Hinckley has turned his attentions from Jodie Foster to others...apparently, several others.

He even has "fondling privileges" ...well, you can read this. 

No truth that he is seeking the Presidency.  (The White House has already seen these antics.) 

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The discussion and debate is NOT over when it comes to the replacement of the KC-135, the new KC-45 air refueler.

Congressman Ike Skelton, who I have had a problem with, is supportive of a report from the Government Accountability Office, that shows there were problems on the Air Force's handling of the contract.

MSNBC.com (yes, they not only have a website, but apparently a TV station too....who knew?) has this story. 

I hate to admit this, but I think from my reading, that the Northrop-Grumman EADS bid was for a better aircraft with better delivery dates.  I want the AMERICAN company to win, but they bid an older aircraft and less capable aircraft with poor delivery dates.

Back to the drawing board?  We will see. 

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And finally, I told you a couple of weeks back about the mortgage troubles of Ed McMahon. 

I have a solution.  Have him call Chris Dodd to get in on the VIP program at Countrywide!! 

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Have a great Thursday. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Many people were very impressed with Barack Obama following his speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2004.  I was not, I was skeptical.  That is just being honest.

The more I heard from him late 2007 and early this year, the more interested I became in what he was trying to do.  Details were sketchy and I figured that when those came out I may become a bit turned off by his policy positions.  But I was willing to give him a shot.

Well, he beat me to that by turning in to a typical old school politician who told lies and distortions regarding the positions of John McCain.  (I was further outraged by the response to his comments being "OK, that is just politics" repeated to me.)

Anyhow, I accepted that he is just another politcian.  And then I looked at what he "believes" in.  Apparently, it is leaving me with change.  But the good news is that it is change that I can believe in.  I think that is because it says "In God We Trust" on it.  (Sort of hurts him with athiests, I guess.)

Now the more I see, I am even wondering if he is even his own man.

I am seeing a lot of Clinton Administration retreads (not even re-caps) hanging around and advising him.  Then yesterday he made comments to ABC News praising the prosecution of the terrorists of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.  How effective it was. 

The McCain campaign jumped on this, and I think justifiably so. 

Back during the Clinton Administration, terrorism was treated as a criminal justice not military issue.  With 20/20 hindsight, we can criticize that, but let's be fair.  I think that we need to realize that was the way it was viewed and treated by those in power.  Ignorance of the seriousness of our enemies led to that position and I think that was an honest approach to things.

BUT, to think that way in 2008 is irresponsible and ignorant of the world that exists today.  

Now, I will admit that McCain's folks have gone a bit far when they implied that Obama's position, combined with the recent Supreme Court ruling, would have our soldiers reading the Miranda warning to captured enemy combatants.

The blame for that possibility lies with the Surpreme Court.  But the criticism of Obama is valid.

You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.  When you are facing an enemy that wants you DEAD and they do not mind being killed in the process, putting them in prison is not scary.  That is why the OLD approach, the one used until 8:48am on 11 September 2001, cannot be revived.

But this is just one issue.  Seeing Al Gore hugging Barack Obama and putting the blame of Chinese lead toys on the Bush Administration during the same speech was damned ridiculous.  (Which President approved giving permanent Most Favored Nation status to China?  Just curious.)  But the more I see Gore and other Clinton era retreads hanging around Obama, the less I think he is in control of his own situation.

Has he become Charley McCarthy?  Lambchop?

If so, who is Edgar Bergen or Shari Lewis?

If the answer you come up with is Howard Scream....or worse yet...George Soros....be afraid.  Be very afraid.

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Nice to see that all elected officials here in Missouri are unified around a beer.

OK, OK, to be specific, they are unified in their fear and opposition to InBev buying Anheuser-Busch. 

I think they have a right to be concerned, but this has gone from concern to "Chicken Little" behavior.

I want more details on the deal and InBev's plans.  I am not expresssing any fears over this.  Not until I know more, but the sky is falling for everyone who holds an elected position.  It is a bit crazy right now.

Don't misunderstand my point here.  I understand the fact that A-B is an American institution and all that goes with it.  BUT, this is something that still has to be hashed out.  And ultimately, it is the decision of A-B's board of directors. 

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Speaking of crazy, the latest UProar in the Missouri Gubernatorial race is over Viagra.

Sarah Steelman is running an ad that is critical of Kenny Hulshof not voting to kill government funding of Viagra.

OK. 

Insert your own jokes on this one.

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Have a GREAT Wednesday. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Yesterday, Congressman Ike Skelton proudly presented Federal TAXPAYER money to a law enforcement program that will do a lot to improve the safety and security of our Mid Missouri region.  $1.27 Million to a six county program to improve communication, etc., between law enforcement agencies was brought home by the congressman.

This is a good thing.

How it got here is a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, and DON'T misunderstand me, VERY Bad Thing!

Earmarking!!!

Yup, the way to fund things without having Congress vote on and approve them.

And Skelton is not the ONLY one with dirty hands on this earmark.  Representative Kenny Hulshof (also a candidate for Missouri Governor) helped slide this one past everyone without getting a vote.  

But the problem is NOT just these two men.  It is all 435 members of Congress who have allowed this culture of corruption to exist.  And I use the term corruption because this is a process done to circumvent the proper system of having expenditures presented and voted on.  Many excuse this as being a method of political expediency.

BULL SHIT!!!

What makes this worse is that Skelton tried to defend the practice.  He acknowledged that earmarks have been politicized, which is true, but went on to explain that this earmark was a good one.

OH, well shit, let me just shut up now.  This was a GOOD one.  That makes it OK.  It is just fine now because this was a good project and was funded by a good earmark. 

BULL SHIT!!!!

How was the road to HELL paved? 

It is not the project, it is the system that is the problem. 

The fact that Congressman Skelton is defending the practice proves one major thing.  He has been in Washington too long.  Period.

How else to you explain someone defending the indefensible?  

Earmarks are an example of what is wrong with Washington.  But also, what is wrong with our great nation.

Ike Skelton was first elected to Congress in 1976.  He has been there too long.  Most of Congress is just like him.  Been there too long.

And that sits on OUR shoulders.  "We The People" have gotten lazy and accepting of the practices of our representatives in Washington.  Once they get to our nation's Capital, we keep sending them back.  And back.  And back.  And back again.

Shame on them but also shame on us.  Our lack of oversight of them has allowed this to become standard operating procedure.

Do the right thing Congressman Skelton.  Do the right thing Congressman Hulshof.  I DARE YOU! 

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Over the weekend, DirecTV had a free preview of one of their higher end packages.  Basically, they had all of the premium channels for free over the weekend.  (By the way, if you want to get rid of cable, I can give you a referral....save you $50 by doing so....anyhow...)

HBO had a Dana Carvey comedy special on Saturday night.  I had not seen his standup in a LONG time.  I know that he has had some health problems and a long recovery after being the victim of a bad heart surgery.  Anyhow, I didn't know how funny he would be to me.

He did get in to politics and did exactly what I really enjoy.  HE beat up everyone.  (Why I like Lewis Black too.)  

Anyhow, he did this bit about Ronald Reagan in 1988 deciding who the future Presidents would be.  Of course, he did his famous George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot impressions.  Then he added some others that weren't as good.  Referring to how Al Gore sounds today as being like a gay Forrest Gump made me about fall out of my bed.  Then he got to election 2008.  Having Reagan call John McCain old was pretty damned funny considering the concerns over Reagan's age.  But the way he described Barack Obama was, um, painful for Obama fans.

He described him as being a cross between "The Mad Magazine guy and Urkel."

OUCH!  Especially knowing how thin skinned the guy is.

I know what I look like, and I don't want people picking on me, which is why I work in radio.  

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Have a great Tuesday.  Add comments if you have the time. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 04:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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To all of the Fathers out reading this, I hope you had a great Father's Day.  I did offer this wish at the close of Friday morning's entry, but I want to offer it up again.

A couple of years ago, I was told by a man that I met in the studios in Knoxville, that I should not just tell my dad what I thought of him, but I should write and mail a letter to him.  I haven't done that.  I should and feel safe in writing it here because with Mom in Kansas City, Dad will not be reading this...though someone may tell him what I have to say.

Saturday morning, I was watching the Fox News Channel coverage of the Shuttle landing at Cape Canaveral when I remembered when the first Space Shuttle landing took place back in 1981.  That one was out at Edwards Air Force Base in California.  I didn't see it on TV.  I wanted to, but for some reason I was in the van with Dad.  I don't know where we were coming from, but I do know that we were in Waterford, Wisconsin, on our way home.  I heard it on the radio and Dad put on a bit of a show for me while he was driving.  It is something that I will never ever forget.  And it really was the first time that I came to understand the power of radio and appreciate the term I learned much later, theater of the mind. 

That is just one thing that I will always be thankful to my dad for.

As a father myself, I don't know where I really rank.  And I don't think I will until I see the results of the work being done by both of us as parents.  But, I think the job of a father is one that is never done.  

I did call Dad yesterday and we talked for quite awhile.  Not about anything special, just keeping up on things.  

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Watched "Meet The Press" yesterday morning.  A nice tribute to Tim Russert, sad combined with happy and full of tears and laughter.  Kathy and I talked Friday night about what they would do on Sunday.  I predicted a tribute show with Tom Brokaw choking back tears throughout.

I was correct.

I also saw the last half hour of "Fox News Sunday" and I think the other networks did a decent job showing respect for Mr. Russert.  ABC had a bunch of stuff on their website and George Stephanopoulous offered up his comment on his show.  Bob Schieffer was on both MSNBC and Fox News Channel praising his friend.    He said that scooping Russert was like hitting a home run off the best pitcher in the league.  I think "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace made a great comment when he said that Tim Russert, "Beat me like a drum every Sunday" but went on to say what great friends they were.  

But Brit Hume shared some great advice he got from Tim Russert following his son Sandy's death about ten years ago.  "Don't focus on the time you didn't have with him, but remember the good times that you did have."

Now that is some great advice.

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Let me close by adding this.  I will not be phony.  I will not be changing what I do and how I do it to try and become the next Tim Russert.  

I can't.  I won't pretend to do so.

I will continue to be fair and I will continue to be opinionated.  Sorry, that is who I am.

But fairness is the most important thing.  And by being open with my views, that shows any bias that exists and should also show how hard I try to be fair and openminded despite my previously held opinions.

What makes this OK and different from most in the mainstream media?  They try to hide and deny a bias.  I do not.

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Have a great week.  Comment as you see fit.  Please take a look at the comments from late Friday (updated on Saturday) regarding Tim Russert. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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This afternoon, I heard from my wife Kathleen, that Tim Russert, best known as host of "Meet The Press" since 1991, is dead of an apparent heart attack at 58.  (An autopsy is underway and results pending.  Some now suspect a clot broke loose like what happened to late NBC News reported David Bloom.)

Russert also served as Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief of NBC News. 

Criticize the media all you want, they deserve it, but Tim Russert was one of the good guys.  Once I learned of Tim Russert's background, having worked for Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Mario Cuomo, I watched Mr. Russert to see bias coming from him. 

Guess what?  I found it. 

Tim Russert had a major bias.  Not so much politically, but he would HAMMER hypocrites for being hypocrites.  (I think that may have been part of the story told by four men known as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.)  It didn't matter to him if the person was liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, if they did something or said something wrong, he called them on it.  His bias was against hypocrisy.  That is a bias that I can endorse.

Tim Russert was the DEFINITION of tough but fair.  Period. 

Sure, many of us joked about the white board during the 2000 Presidential Election.  But, he brought some understanding of what was happening when even the experts were confused. 

As host of Meet The Press, he took a show that was sort a panel taking on a newsmaker and he changed it.  Not due to ego but more due to the level of talent he had when conducting an interview.  He didn't need someone else and having others there took away from what he doing for us who were watching. 

Tim Russert taught me to ask the questions that need to be asked and how to do so in a fair and non-badgering fashion.  Tim Russert was an expert of confronting someone without being confrontational.  If Mike Wallace knocks on your door, you look through the peep hole and wait for him to go away.  If Tim Russert came to your door, you'd let him in.  He'd warm you up, let you say your piece.  But then he'd hold you accountable if your piece wasn't holding water.  He'd make you hang yourself, but he made you realize that you had done it. 

Like Jim McKay on Saturday, the timing is also sad.  Father's Day Weekend.  "Big Russ and Me" was a best seller that has been recommended to me by many friends and acquaintances.  I have not yet read it.  I need to.

Big Russ survives his son.  I am sure his heart is aching now. 

Worth noting also about Tim Russert is his depth as a man.  A HUGE sports fan, his Buffalo Bills need to dedicate a season to him and WIN ONE!!  But also had a great sense of humor.  And, he even played himself in one of the best television series ever, "Homicide: Life on the Street" as the cousin to Megan Russert (played by Isabella Hofmann, a fellow graduate of East Troy High School). 

He will be missed.

I may comment more on this over the weekend. 

Please feel free to post your comments in the comments section.

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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John McCain held the first of his series of town-hall style meeting debates with Barack Obama.  Except that Barack Obama didn't show up.

OK, OK, so maybe I am being a bit unfair.  I knew that Barack Obama wouldn't show up.  It was being televised on Fox News Channel and he suffers from either Fox Derangement Syndrome or from his testicles being held in a vise by MoveOn.org.  I forget which one, so maybe someone out there can remind me.

Now that I have the facts on the table for you out there reading, I can go back to showing my bias.

It goes back to the question I posed to my listeners last week.  And that question is this, what is more important to you the voter, someone who gives great speech of prepared remarks or someone who is able to react to questions that are being asked of them?

This is a trick question.  If you say someone who is able to work off of words that have been written previously, whether by themselves or by someone else, call Central Casting in Hollywood.

Now, I have my own bias because I personally operate better when I have someone to interact with, but I take it a step further.  I want a President who can react while under pressure and not go back an reference a guide book or look at opinion polls. 

OK, OK, OK, I really need to be fair.  I think that John McCain made this offer last week because he KNEW that the town-hall style meeting and debate really played up his strengths.  A traditional debate may not.  That format may show more style than substance and he loses in that situation.  What we don't know is how Barack Obama does in that situation.  I do know that he called Matt Lauer and Megyn Kelly by the wrong names repeatedly in one-on-one interviews.

McCain's repeated offer of doing this style of debate is a very good move on his part.  Obama avoiding all of them is a blunder.  Doing a mix of formats is the best for him.  The concept that he put forth, a Lincoln-Douglas style is idiotic.  It makes me wonder if he, with his lack of knowledge in history, knew what he was proposing.

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Last night on The O'Reilly Factor, I saw that actor John Cusack is doing an ad for MoveOn.org that slams John McCain for his lack of support for Jim Webb's new G.I. Bill.  Cusack's ad even goes so far to refer to the Webb bill as bi-partisan, which is laughable from anything produced by MoveOn.org.

Sure, there are some Republicans who are stupid enough to support Webb's bill, but anyone who is truly concerned with our National Security, and thinks that political expediency needs to be damned, is not supporting it.

And John McCain's stance has been made clear.

Too bad that Barack Obama has been very dishonest on this and distorted his stance.  Too bad that MoveOn.org is proving what a dishonest group that they are.  (Again, read about the type of man George Soros is....a Jew who worked with Nazis, a man who tried to double dip in the British welfare system, a man who as a currency speculator worked to crush economies, etc.) 

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So, I have gotten a little political again this morning.  

Now, I will move in other directions.

First, I drove by Adkins Stadium yesterday and saw the progress being made on the construction.  It looks rather impressive.  I will have Coach Ted LePage on the show within the next two weeks to give us an update on things.  Weather related delays have been a concern for some, so we will have that conversation on the show real soon.

Second, I do not often watch Jeopardy! on a regular basis.  When Mom comes for a visit, I will watch it if I remember.  Yesterday, I was downstairs when the Final Jeopardy question came up.  I thought it was too easy.  The reigning champion and another missed it.  You tell me.  Category was "Fun with Numbers" and the  "answer" was, This is the only whole number with its letters in reverse alphabetical order.

E-mail me the "question" if you know it.  Again, Mom and I both thought it was easy....but we were not on stage in front of a studio audience. 

And finally, for you superstitious types, it is Friday the 13th.  Don't drop that mirror, step on a crack, let a black cat cross your path or walk under a ladder.

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Have a great weekend.  Remember to call Dad on Sunday.  Traditionally, Father's Day is the biggest day of the year for collect calls.  Uh, how about making the call on YOUR dime this year? 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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As regular readers of this blog know, I have been hard on Barack Obama lately, but in the past I took it easy on him and actually thought highly of him for a while.

Well, this latest gaffe is surrounding his team that was tasked with picking a Vice Presidential nominee.  The team consisted of Jim Johnson, who helped Walter Mondale and John Kerry find their Veep nominee, Caroline Kennedy and Eric Holder.  Of those three, I thought that Holder would be the problem due to his connection to Bill Clinton's pardoning of Marc Rich.

But it is Jim Johnson who has resigned a day after Barack Obama said that he didn't think he needed to vet the vetters....or something worded in a very Bush-like fashion.

Is this a big deal?

No.  Not by itself.  But again it does show a disturbing trend in his decision making.

And I think that will become an issue by the fall.  Basically, every single gaffe in personnel will get linked together and a trend will be illustrated to show his greater problem, whether real or perceived.

But again, Jim Johnson is a problem.  Jeremiah Wright is a problem that he overcame. Michael Pflager is a problem that he overcame.  The one who called Hillary a monster is a problem that he overcame.

Tied together, which you can be assured will happen, could be a problem. 

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Do potential First Ladies matter in the election?

I don't know if they do or not, but knowing how people find the results of "American Idol" more important than what is happening in the election cycle, or what Congress is doing to hurt us, or storms throughout the Midwest, or wildfires in California, I think it is possible that the wife of the candidate might matter.

To that end, Rasmussen Reports has polled on that question.

61 percent said that wives influence their votes.   Only eleven percent said it is NOT important at all.

Really?

Related to the story, Michelle Obama is viewed more unfavorably than Cindy McCain, 42 to 29 percent.  On the favorable side, they are pretty even with McCain edging Obama 49 to 48 percent.

Sorry, no daily tracking poll on this.

And no, you cannot call a toll free number to cast your vote either.

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Does having a reggae song named after a Presidential candidate help a campaign?

Cocoa Tea has a really awful song called "Barack Obama" and YES, I do play it.

My brother, Topher, heard it on his XM Satellite Radio and told me about it.  

So, yes Topher, it is playing on the show.  Enough to drive news anchor David Gaines up the wall.

And it does get burned in one's mind....just like a "Free Credit Report dot Com" ad does.

Now everyone is hating me for bringing that up. 

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Even THIS GUY is critical of Barack Obama!!

I doubt John McCain uses this in his campaign. 

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Ryan Lefebvre found himself praising a Texas Rangers player and insulting one with an anger management problem at the same time.

Here is ESPN's story. 

Josh Hamilton's story of coming back from a bad case of alcohol and drug addictions has been very interesting and worthy of praise.  (Someone never getting addicted is more worthy, but still.....)  And Ryan was talking about Hamilton taking responsibility, while many other players, like Milton Bradley do not.

Oops.

When I see Ryan next week, I will remind him to not piss off a guy with well documented problems with anger management.

Then again, if you were named for a board game company, you might have problems with anger too.  

I think that Ryan Lefebvre knows something that Milton Bradley needs to learn.

Milton Bradley, it's just a game.

I am watching my door this morning.

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Have a great Thursday.  Add comments as you see fit.

OH, and you may now see my blog appear at Bob Wilson's Presidential Blog Watch webpage.  Things are finally indexing properly with Google.  Woo hoo!! 

And you can now subscribe to this blog as well.  See the box and button at the top of the page. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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A very good thing happened yesterday in the United States Senate.  It is rare that I can say this, but here is why.

One of the stupidest concepts since the Carter Administration came up yesterday.  And I bring up the Carter Administration for a reason.  Now, hold on and enjoy the ride.

A bill to tax "windfall profits" was defeated before it ever got off the ground.  On the surface, a simple mind could see this as a good thing.  So you know the names behind the simple minds, look at the list of those who voted YES on this bill. 

These folks can be explained in one of a few ways.  First, they are stupid as well as simple.  They do not see that increasing taxes on the oil companies, no matter how obscene their profits, will only increase the prices to US, the consumer.

Second, they are ignorant.  They did not see how the windfall profits tax that Jimmy Carter pushed on us was a horrific failure.  But, of course, people actually think the economy is worse today than it was back then.  Ignorance is correctable, but you can't fix stupid.

Third, they are corrupted by the system of lobbyists who run Washington, DC.  

Or fourth, they are simply wanting to LOOK as if they are doing something for their constituents, and they voted in the affirmative because they knew it would fail and they would get some political cover.    

I am not sure which of this our Senator is.  Claire McCaskill called this "Politics at its worst" and went on to say how the American people should be outraged.   

She is right.  But not for the reasons she thinks.

I agree that the profits of the big five oil companies are pretty obscene.  (That's TWICE I have used that term.)  

Bringing up another idea that feeds the cliche, "I'm from the government and I am here to help," is completely asinine. 

I am outraged that this club of one-hundred doesn't even have a decent understanding of economics, business, nor history.

Claire McCaskill, you are right.  And you are guilty.  Guilty of playing politics at its worst.

Find a soultion and quit being part of the DAMN PROBLEM!!!! 

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Now, that does feed to the question, how do we fix these outrageous gas prices?  Claire McCaskill and I can agree that giving the big oil companies large tax breaks or tax subsidies is an equally stupid idea these days.

How we got to the point of offering these companies these breaks, at these crazy levels, I cannot say for sure. 

The other fix is to fix the dollar.  How do you make it stronger?  Well, the Fair Tax would certainly make the dollar stronger. 

Encouraging investment in America is a good step to strengthening the dollar, right?

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And think about this, do we want these big oil companies moving their corporate operations OUT of the United States, then possibly escaping all US taxes?   

This could happen if idiotic concepts like these windfall taxes ever pass again.

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We were visited by a Kirby vacuum sales team on Saturday.  Long story short, after a demonstration of a couple of hours, we were told the damned thing cost $2000.  But after telling the guy NO, over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, the price got down to $969.  I told him to pack up and "get out of my house. At this point if it was $9.69, I wouldn't buy."  (OK, for ten bucks, I'd buy.  I could get more than that on eBay.)

In just three days, we got hit up by both a Jehovah's Witness AND a Kirby rep.  How lucky are we?

Oh, and advice to anyone who knocks on my door.  Do not tell me that your company doesn't do advertising.  It is not a selling point to someone who gets a paycheck due to companies paying for advertising.  Ooops.

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Have a great Wednesday.  "Anything Can Happen Day!"   

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Yesterday, I golfed an entire round in the rain.  Not in a lightning storm, just rain.  I know many of you realize how dumb I am, but even I am not stupid enough to stand in a field with a metal stick in my hands.

Nor would I scream out, "Rat Farts!" out of fear of being struck by lightning.   (That is a "Caddyshack" reference for those who have forgotten.)

But despite my lack of talent on the golf course and despite the weather, we had a great time.  I was joined by Mark Boyer, who shares my prowess on the links.  Luckily, and since I have known Mark a little while this helped, he shares my sense of humor about things as well.  Rounding out our foresome was the talent, Rod Smith (who has gotten a few mentions on this blog in the past) and his daughter, Brittany.  

Rod is a hell of a golfer.  I played with him last year and and we won a $75 gift certificate for winning our flight.  That helped buy my new golf shoes, so I give credit to Rod for that.

Enought about Rod's talent, I want to brag about Brittany.  Now, some guys would have their egos bruised by playing with a young woman who is better than they are.  NOT me.  And not Mark.  In fact, we rather enjoyed NOT having anyone depend on our drives.  And these drives were long and straight.  In fact, I am pretty sure that Brittany was driving over 250 yards on several occasions and might have cracked 300 yards.  

We finished the day at six under par and had fun in the rain.  

Oh, and I got lucky again.  Before the round started there was a putting contest and a chipping contest.  Chipping used to be a stronger part of my game.  Used to be.  Putting used to be a weak part of my game.  Used to be.  I took third place in the putting contest.  As for during the game, my putts were not bad, just always short.  Greens were VERY slow due to the wet conditions.  (And you can ask my friend Dr. Thompson, I used to KILL my putts and have to chip back on to the green.  I has taken years to get me to hold back on that part of my game.)

OK, the laugh of the day was at my expense.  How this can be done with a 10 degree driver, I have no idea?  But I managed to drive the ball STRAIGHT UP in the air and about 20 feet down toward the fairway.  NO, I did not pass the women's tee.  In fact, I think John Buck called off Alex Gordon to make the catch.

We had a good time for a good cause, The Special Learning Center.

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OK, OK, OK, back to some of the typical fare for this blog.

Now, Senator Barack Obama is joining Claire McCaskill in calling for another stimulus check to be sent to us.  Funny that this is coming from Democrats who traditionally tell us that "trickle-down economics" don't work.

Have they turned the corner?  Do they see that they have been wrong for over 25 years?

Nope.

Think about the timing of these potential checks.  Today is the Tenth of June.  The EARLIEST we would see these checks is September.  Likely October.  And these checks would NOT help out with our summer expenses, but might help pay off summer debts OR help make for a better Christmas.

It is a vote buy.

So the question that needs to be asked it, will the Republicans jump on board?  And if so, who will be best able to claim credit?

That could determine who gets the White House.  And it could be a factor in changing the balance of Congress again.   

Playing with your money is a game to these folks, on BOTH sides of the aisle.  How about this for an idea?  Take less of oour money in the first place.....and don't spend what you do take from us foolishly.

Just a request.

I mention all of this to you so that you are not suckered in by the antics of the folks in Washington.  DON'T let them BUY your vote.  Make them EARN it.

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Have a great Tuesday. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Please read Saturday's entry.  As regular readers of this blog know, I do not make weekend entries unless something really big has happened.  Saturday morning, I heard of the passing of Jim McKay.  So, on Saturday afternoon, I posted my thoughts on his impact on my life.

On Saturday, I referenced this clip from Jim McKay at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. 

Again, as always, you are invited to add your thoughts by clicking on the "Comments" link following this entry, or Saturday's entry.

Thank you and please come back for a regular weekday entry tomorrow.  

Posted by Jay Kersting at 04:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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James Kenneth McManus was known to most of us as Jim McKay when we welcomed him into our homes.

Whether for "ABC's Wide World of Sports" on Saturday afternoons or for days on end during the Olympic Games every four years, Jim McKay was a welcome presence throughout my lifetime.

It is for that reason, that I will sit here at write an entry on a Saturday afternoon.  In fact, it seems very appropriate. 

First, here is an obituary from the New York Times. 

And from ABC News. 

I want to take this time to share my thoughts on Mr. McKay (McManus) as well. 

First, I credit my mom for getting me interested in sports in the first place.  Not that Dad wasn't interested, but I think his experiences with professional athletes soured him a bit.  So, when I was angry that "The Six Million Dollar Man" wasn't on because of some stupid thing called the Olympics, Mom sort of had me give it a chance.  I didn't know, nor care where this Montreal place was.  But, I watched any way.  Besides, Steve Austin just wasn't an option.  Dammit.

That was my first memory of watching a sporting event on television.  And it was Jim McKay who brought the package into my home. I vaguely remember Bruce Jenner running around the track after winning the Decathalon.  (Which he has done again by completing at least ten different plastic surgeries.  But, I am getting off topic.) 

Jim McKay was simply the best.  Unlike sportscasters who are known for their play-by-play calls only, Jim McKay could do that and did it masterfully.  But he was usually bringing us the less mainstream events on ABC's Wide World of Sports.  And the Indianapolis 500 or the Kentucky Derby.  But what made Jim McKay the best at what he did was that he was the great American storyteller.  While everyone remembers that call by Al Michaels at the end of the 1980 Olympic Hockey game against the Soviet Union (the game that allowed the USA to play for the Gold Medal), few recall that Jim McKay helped build the enthusiasm for the television audience.  McKay knew what the rest of us didn't, that those college boys beat the Red Army.  Remember, the game was a tape delay.  McKay let you know that you didn't want to miss this game without telling you why.  I remember watching that game while my parents were playing cards over at the Gotz's.  Mom and Dad were playing Bridge while Jim McKay was showing a poker face.

What a lot of people just a few years older than me remember about Jim McKay was how well he handled his duties seven and a half years earlier in Munich during those Summer Olympic Games. 

I was two years old and I have little to no direct memory of those games.  I only recall Mark Spitz and I think we had some posters of him in a closet somewhere, but that is it.  But since I am a history junkie, I have seen many documentaries that used the ABC Sports and ABC News coverage of those events.  The man in the center of things was, of course, Jim McKay.  Everything was run through the set that McKay was camped in.  When "all hell had broken loose" at the airport then night it all came to an end, the people of the United States learned everything through the calm and direct voice of Jim McKay.  Nothing of the sensationalism that you would see on CNN, Fox News or MSNBC today.  Factual, accurate, calm, attributed and most importantly from the voice and face we trusted in Jim McKay. 

So, when Jim McKay told us what his father had told him, that "our greatest hopes or our worst fears are seldom realized.  Our worst fears have been realized tonight.  They have now said that there were eleven hostages; two were killed in their rooms yesterday morning, nine were killed at the airport tonight.  They're all gone."  Calm and unsensational.  The news was sensational enough.  McKay knew this and didn't have to add to it.  And he was the right man and the right time to deliver this sad and angering news. 

(In fact, if the media culture of 1972 was like it is now, Jim McKay would have probably been offered the evening news anchor gig following the games.)

Later, McKay would continue to host the Olympic Games in Sarajavo, Los Angeles and Calgary.  In 2002, he returned to covering the Olympic Games in with a small role at NBC.  (ABC lent his services to NBC.) 

I found this role to be almost a slap in the face and I really got angry with Katie Couric, who I thought was more than a bit condescending toward him.  She didn't deserve to be in the same room with the man, though I doubt it was intentional on her part.  She was just out of her class.  But who is in the same class as Jim McKay?

His death this morning is a sad bit of timing.  Jim McKay was not only known for being the host in our homes for the Kentucky Derby, but the other Triple Crown races, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.  But he was also a great champion for horse racing.  It was his favorite sport.  He started the Maryland Million.  Today, he passes away as Big Brown, at the time of this writing, is poised to become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years. 

This past week, I thought about making an attempt to reach him for a follow up if Big Brown was to win.  I didn't act on it.  I will regret that, because in setting that up, and knowing that it would not happen now, I might have had a chance to speak, even briefly, with one of the greats. 

Jim McKay, you are missed already.  And James Kenneth McManus, may God rest your soul.  And we all owe Him thanks, as we do your family, for sharing you with us all these years.

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Feel free to hit the comments link to add your thoughts on the passing of Jim McKay.  Thank you for reading this entry.  More may follow on Monday.

Posted by Jay Kersting at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Today marks the 64th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, the start of Operation Overlord.  Personally, I do not like calling it "D-Day" because that is a generic term that was used before and since those events in 1944.  Anyhow, that is NOT the point of this.

Perspective is what I am reaching for today.  

The fine and unbiased media will remind all of us on a regular basis that over 4000 have been killed in Iraq since March 2003.  Discussing and arguing over should we have gone there in the first place is a waste of breath now, the fact is that over 4000 American men and women gave their lives in that cause.

Now, the perspective for you.  In the invasion and the weeks that followed, 46,000 were killed.  That is about the entire population of Jefferson City, Missouri.  Wounded and missing numbers were at about 173,000.  Of those numbers, 29,000 Americans were killed and 106,000 wounded and missing.

The serious nature of the events are not even close in their severity.  Which is sort of my point.  The efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan are not being addressed as strongly as what Eisenhower, Bradley, Montgomery, Smith, Patton and others faced in the 1940's.  But, if you listen to the media you get a mixed message.

Every death, while tragic, is treated by the media another American failure.  And the goals, while finally being met, the media reports spin it as they are not being hit quickly enough.

Today is time to reflect on the events of that day back in 1944.  But also to wonder how Brian Williams and Katic Couric would have treated it.

You can rest assured that this would not be the same as William Shirer, Eric Severeid or Edward R. Murrow DID address it back then.

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Happy Birthday to Ol' Uncle Lar!!

Larry Lujack is 68 years old today.  For those who do not recognize the name, Lawrence of Chicago was the king of the Chicago airwaves on WLS in the late 1970's until 1987.  

My memories of Uncle Lar come mainly from the ride to school with my brother who played WLS, because we only had an AM and Milwaukee radio, well, sucked.

"Animal Stories" was notable, but I remember some of the stuff that he did around the 1985 Bears that cracked me up, no matter how often it was repeated.

Now a retired Hall of Famer, still a legend in this business.  Even to for pinheads like me on the talk side of radio.

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Will we have a Triple Crown winner tomorrow?  Big Brown has the first two legs of it, will the Belmont be added?  

Sure.  Why not?  It has been since 1978 since Affirmed did it.

Two minutes of excitement tomorrow afternoon.

If I remember, I'll watch. 

I'll remember when I get the text message from CBS Sportsline with the results.

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Have a Great Weekend. 

Posted by Jay Kersting at 06:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

options

I have held off a few days from making comments about the decisions on Saturday made by the Democratic Party.  Mainly, because I am not a Democrat, nor a Republican, so I really felt that I had no voice in this.  And I really don't.

But I do have perspective and here is a perspective that I have not shared with anyone besides Kathleen yet.

At dinner last night, Kathleen asked me what the Democrats had decided regarding Florida and Michigan.  She hadn't heard or hadn't remembered.  (She has other things to work on besides this stuff, for me, it is my job.)  So, I told her that the decision was made to seat all of the delegates but only give them half a vote.

So, if you are from Florida or Michigan, you are half a person according to the Democrats.

Let me direct you to Article 1, Section 2 and Paragraph 3 of the United States Constitution.