Sarah Palin Does Oprah Winfrey on Life and Rogue

GOP Nominee Palin Loves the Limelight and Oprah Tickles Her Fancy

Talk about a publicity stunt. Sarah Palin hits Oprah up with an interview to pump her new book "Going Rogue: An American Life."

Sarah Who?

Remember Sarah Palin? Oh yes. She was John McCain’s running mate for VP in 2008 against now President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

The Republicans Named Who???? For Vice President 2008?

Palin was the “wild card” thrown by the Republican party during the volatile ’08 United States presidential election. In her first term as the governor of Alaska and on the GOP ticket, she ran into trouble in the international spotlight for a number of reasons including some legal and ethical issues involving her ex-brother-in-law (Mike Wooten), her high dollar wardrobe, and her daughter Bristol’s (the oldest of the five Palin children) pregnancy by Levi Johnston.

What Has Palin Been Up to Lately?

After making a number of lame comments to media during her run for national office, Palin resigned as the governor of Alaska with 18 months left on the books. Palin noted personal reasons, and she certainly had some.

Palin says in her interview with Oprah that her state (Alaska) was being "hampered" and that she was "lame duck" as far as her political office in her home state. Palin said that she was "reloading" and that her focus was on 2010 (today and now - and selling her book) but not 2012 as a presidential candidate. She did not, however, rule that idea out that she might gear up and run for president. She danced around that idea and also the idea of being a talk show host just like Oprah.

After losing the bid to be VP of the United States last year and after resigning her seat as governor of Alaska and with a special needs baby of her own and an unwed daughter with a baby, many can understand why Palin could and should take a break. That is a lot on her plate. Still, you don't bail out on your job (especially an elected position) and then expect to play the political game. If she can't run for office and run her household, then how does she think she could run the country?

Does a Lady Take a Break After She's Been Run Over by the Bus?

Hanging loose and getting her life on track does not seem to be a priority with Palin. She has spent the year getting a book together. That is a huge task, but she really did not write the book. Going Rogue is ghostwritten by Lynn Vincent who has signed a non-disclosure agreement. This is not unusual. Most stars who write books really do not write the books. They talk with writers who do the the work. That is a reality in the literary world.

Now Palin in on tour to promote her book, and her first stop is the Oprah show (11-16-09). Might as well start at the top. Very few people carry the clout to land an Oprah spot. Palin does, and she takes full advantage of that as she does most any chance to get media attention that she thinks will be favorable (although she manages to make herself look bad in most cases).

Palin/Oprah TV Interview

Palin does handle the Oprah show fairly well, and Oprah does ask some semi-tough questions though does not go for the jugular. In fact, for an hour long show with only Palin as the guest, not much gets said.

The two high powered women talk and share stories though clearly do not have much in common. Oprah says that she doesn't understand certain decisions made by Palin, and Palin rambles around without answering.

The overall theme of the Oprah show on Palin is that Palin got a bad shake during the election. That is Palin's spin - both in her book and in her first interview to promote the book. She got a chance of a lifetime, and she stomps all over almost everyone who made that possible. She must not have heard that old saying about not burning bridges.

Palin notes that she thought her kids would be off limits as Obama's have been (although she has put hers out there). Palin notes the double standard while sharing home videos of her own children. She complains that her whole family was made over during the presidential campaign. "Do we really look that bad?" Palin asks. Oprah does not, however, ask how Obama's family was impacted or if Palin might have just said "no" if she did not like the free clothes and new looks. In fact, Palin says that she liked having her clothes there and laid out for her. Well hey, I might like a deal like that as well.

As far as the Katie Couric interview that reflected poorly on Palin, Oprah asked a number of questions about that episode. Palin never did note any of her readings even though Oprah questioned her several ways about that. The most specific she got was, "I'm a lover of books and magazines and newspapers." After all this time, Palin still does not appear to know what she reads and why. So, she doesn't write (her own book), and people are still left to wonder what and if she does read in her spare time.

The Levi Question

It was hyped to the max before the Oprah show - the Levi question. And, of course, Oprah asked about the father of Palin's grandchild.

Palin noted that she was disappointed by the things Levi has done since he became famous on her name. Palin said that she thinks (but gave no proof) that Levi Johnston is now going by the name Ricky Hollywood. And, she said of his planned spread in PlayGirl, "I call it porn." Levi is, by the way, invited to Thanksgiving 2009 even though he is not really available to parent his child according to Palin. Palin does not seem to connect this with the fact that it took three weeks for her to hook up with her own husband to tell him that their own child (the baby) would be born with Downs Syndrome.

I'm still baffled that a professional (?) woman would have an ongoing fued with a teenager on national television. Levi is now saying that Palin is "full of it" after her last bash. He didn't even rate a mention in her book, but she can't manage to be a "bigger person" and give him some credit for something. Can the guy be all bad? I really doubt it.

While Levi gets a bad shake, Palin notes that her daughter, Bristol, is on 24/7 for the baby. Palin also brags that Bristol works a job and goes to school. The hours really do not add up there. A good mother does not have to be on duty 24/7, but it is not possible to be there around the clock and also work and go to school.

Final Thoughts by Palin on Oprah

Palin notes that people "don't need a title to make a difference." From a woman who has held titles most of her life, that is a little hard to swallow. Why does she have a slot on the Oprah show? Come on. Some people get heard and others don't. It's just a shame that some babble when they get an opportunity to make a difference.

Palin is doing Oprah while Levi and most other people are given few chances to voice opinions in this country. Levi does get PlayGirl magazine and a chance to show his goods. While that may not sit well with Palin and many others, he does get a voice or, at least, a photo shoot. That is more than most people, and Palin does have some problems calling the kettle black when she has her own issues but states on Oprah that the worst she thought could be dug up on her was that she made a "D" in a college class. That certainly suggests a reality check is in order. A "D" back in the day really is (or should be) the least of her worries these days.

Do You Suffer From Bad Facebook? Sniff Under Each Arm and Do Something About It.

I finally broke down and got a FaceBook account. Actually, I had a lurker account to snag photos with permission for an offline project. So, I had been watching FaceBook from the time it kicked off for all colleges through the change to the open door for everyone.

Mostly I like Facebook. I'm finding out information much faster than waiting for a phone call or GASP a letter in the mail. Some people still do it the old fashioned way, but I'm finding myself more in the loop with a Facebook account.

Sometimes "the loop" is a bit too much. While most people have some sense of what would be a reasonable amount of information to post online on a social site and what kinds of data would be interesting, others just do not have a clue.

One old friend on Facebook must start and end her day at Facebook as well as informing all her FB buddies about where she's going and what she's eating and about her doctor and dental appointments each and every day. Hey now. Too much information. I do not even keep up with my own schedule that close.

Then there are the Facebook users who discovered the applications. Oh no. It goes way beyond pokes - like what the heck are those anyway? I have to see things like the first five cars someone owned, favorite five restaurants, what Golden Girl someone is most like, and a freaky little Miss Sunshine something that I never did figure out. That's on top of getting cyber Easter Eggs and a contest to go find them (like where - I don't know and don't care) and imaginary drinks and flowers. It is the the thought that counts, and I think you ought not send nothing and call it something.

There is the option to can a friend on Facebook, but do you really dump someone for being an idiot? No. I don't think so. If there is joy to be found in knowing that you are most like Charlie Brown in the Peanuts cartoon, then so be it. That really should be your business. And, Facebook should let you play with all those online time wasting games to your heart's content and should also let your friends click a button and NOT see what you do when you're sitting in your bra and panties in front of the computer with nothing better to do than see what candy bar you would be if you really could be a candy bar.

All these little "what I am doing this very instant that is of no importance" and vanity games would not be a big deal if they did not suck up the whole page of news alerts. And, they do if you have three or four bored buddies who feel compelled to share every move and fart or play all the various games that seem to be rather popular on Facebook (for whatever reason).

You can find a block to the quiz games online if you want to shift to Firefox and paste in some code. Yawn. But, that does not take care of the notes about breakfast (what to fix, how to fix it, what was ultimately fixed and eaten, how your friend felt after eating whatever was fixed).

There's also an option at Facebook to do some blocking but not dropping a buddy who has more time than sense. Move your curser to the right side of any given post. You can block the application (quiz etc) or block the user. In other words, you do not see that one specific game again or do not have that one specific user flooding your Facebook page.

You may wonder, "Why not just remove the friend who posts ten times per day and with nothing of interest?" Well, if they are a friend, you will hurt their feelings. Also, you may want to see a personal message from the friend, and they can still send those even if you opt to take the person off your wall alerts.

Social networking sites should come with a user manual. They don't. Until they get some better sorting options, you can wade through a few nutty and constant posts by a few buddies or put them in the deep freeze but still keep the back door open if they actually do have something of value to say and specfically to you.

Offended by the Barack Obaba Interview on 60 Minutes

We want to see a solution in the United States, and that's why we elected Barack Obama. He stood for change (or ran on that idea), and it was clear that we needed change.

When I heard that Obama was going to be on 60 Minutes, I made sure to block out time to watch that. After all, 60 Minutes is an institution in the U.S.

This interview did not get off to a great start. Kroft, as part of the journalism establishment, ticked me off in the first few minutes when he suggested that some financial executives do deserve the extra bonus payments, and we're cutting them out. Boohoo. If someone can't make it on millions in base pay, then they ought to try buying some store brands and selling off those extra vacation mansions.

Come on. The top AIG bonus was 6.4 million. I don't care who the guy is or what he did (and it could not have been much given the state of the company), no one is worth that and just on the bonus added on top of top pay.

Our country is a mess - and no wonder. We think that a 6.4 million bonus is OK. Well, most of us don't. It takes a 60 Minutes newscaster who is part of the privileged class and a big part of the problem to point out that such pay is considered fair and the norm in the upper circles.

Oh no, "We are going to lose the talent."

Big whoop. We see where that talent got us. In the biggest mess since the Depression. And, rewarded for that.

Obama had a bit of chuckle out of all this. When called on his lax attitude, he explained that we have to have a little "gallows humor." I suppose so if you are the President and live the high life now. If Obama lost his job and home, then he might not make so light of it.

60 Minutes fell way short on this interview. The questions were not tough. They lacked depth. Kroft clearly is out of touch with the average citizen as is Obama. They had a good old boys club meeting on national television, and it might have been funny had it not been for the misery of the typical viewer who does not get million dollar bonuses or even a paycheck period.

Let's all chuckle about this when we're back eating high on the hog at the expense of the rest of the world. This model was bound to fail. But, rich television journalists and politicians just aren't going to "get it," because they don't get the lights turned out for non-payment and don't have to cancel cable and get a "box" to try to get the new digital signals. They don't buy day old or week old bread and call it good. They don't shop at Good Will, because the prices at Belks are too high.

Thumbs down on the fat rich cats who play the "every man" card but really do not have a clue.

New iGoogle Home Page and Gmail Sign In - What a Mess!

I opted to use the very basic Google page as my home page - for a reason. When I'm looking for information, I do not like clutter and distractions. I go (or went) to Google and put in my search term. At times, I'd use some of the tabs on the top. For example, I might check images or blogs.

Now Google has decided that I need a cluttered iGoogle home page rather than a clean and basic page for searches. In the words of Jimmy Buffett, "I do not need a 10-pound Nestles Crunch bar. Give me my Junior Mints." Or, give me a basic search page that does not bombard me with news, weather and all kinds of other junk that I check other places - not when searching for content.

To add to the annoyance, this new iGoogle hijacks my gmail sign in. I can't simply type in gmail.com and then check my emails. I get routed back to the ADHD iGoogle home page that I don't like and don't want. Then, I get to do an extra click to gmail after I scan the page to find the email button jammed on the page with all the Google junk I don't need/want.

This change came just as I was trying to get my Mom set up on gmail. That has been quite a challenge. Now she has the messy iGoogle page and a second step to get to her email. I won't be expecting any emails from her any time soon.

I'm sure some people will say or think, "Get with the program. Sites update." Yes. That's true, and that's fine. But, online companies do not have to force those changes on Internet users. Let people opt in if they want a junky home page with loads of information. Leave people alone who want the basic page and who like to go directly to gmail and not through iGoogle (which should be called theirGoogle).

If you do get on your new and not improved Google home page, you can search and find that many users who do like fancier home pages are not thrilled with the iGoogle set up either. A number of issues are noted like the placement of link buttons.

They say they test these changes before foisting them off on the public. I'd like to know where they get the Google test group. I can't imagine that everyone testing was thrilled with this content explosion. After all, those who wanted that could set it up. Those who didn't now must wade through the eye pollution to find the buttons to do simple tasks like check gmail.

Cell Phones Turn People Into Idiots

My friend calls. Terrific. I haven't heard from her in a while.

"Hi there!" I say.

"Hold a sec . . . "

TWO TACOS. HOLD THE LETTUCE. UHM. YEAH. LARGE DRINK.

"So, how've you been doing?" I ask.

YEAH. HOT SAUCE.

"OK. Yeah. Things have been going great. How about you?"

By this time, I'm thinking about hanging up. I do, however, stick it out as the conversation continues down the road with my friend driving, changing the radio channel, and crunching on a taco. This is, after all, someone I care about.

I'm thinking . . . "If you don't have five minutes to call other than while ordering drive through food and driving and eating, then why bother?"

I can only imagine how it feels to be the cashier at the fast food joint who gets to listen to part of the private conversation at the speaker and then at the window along with the yelled order and extra requests.

It never ceases to amaze me when I stop by the BP to get gas or quick items and the person in front of me spends the entire transaction on the cell phone gabbing with a friend as though the person processing the order does not exist. Seriously now, it would take a couple of minutes to pay for an item and GASP to say "Hello" and "Thanks" to the cashier. Then again, the cashier may be lucky that he or she does not have to interact with an idiot who considers such behavior appropriate.

Cell phones are great. You can call if an emergency comes up. You can check to see that a loved one made it safely to his or her destination. If you need to double check to find out if you need to get milk at the grocery, you can call from the parking lot and check about that.

Unfortunately, many people must think that having a cell phone conversation takes place in some personal little private bubble. They tune out the rest of the world, so perhaps they think the rest of us can do so too.

Frankly, I'm tired of hearing someone carry on an argument with a girlfriend or boyfriend in the check out line, gossip in the waiting room at the doctor's office, or gush about who knows what at the park.

Wal-Mart Worker Trampled to Death on Black Friday

I really don't know what to say about shoppers busting in the door at Wal-Mart and killing a man. I thought it might be one of those "urban legends," but I checked. The New York Times reported on the Wal-Mart Black Friday death.

I like a good deal as much as the next person, but I don't like to save a buck or two enough to shop on Black Friday. This year I slept in as I do typically on Black Friday. I don't think I've ever done a shopping spree the day after Thanksgiving, because I've heard the "stories."

Last year my brother got up at some gosh awful hour like 4 a.m. to get to town and wait in line to get a deal on a laptop computer. Of course, he did not end up with the great deal computer. And, he said that folks waiting out in the cold for voucher slips were ugly - even in the South where manners are considered pretty important.

"Ugly" is one thing. Busting in the doors and killing a man is quite another thing.

When I was reading up about the Wal-Mart death, I noted that this was a guy who was in his 30s and also that he only landed a temp holiday job. Good grief. A few bucks for the holidays cost him his life.

There are some notes online about Wal-Mart not doing what they should do to protect employees. Frankly, I can't imagine that Wal-Mart (or any store) should expect shoppers to bust in the doors and walk all over an employee.

Times are tough. I know that. But, there's no excuse for this type of shopping frenzy. Nothing that Wal-Mart sells could be worth the life of a man who was only trying to do his job.

My heart goes out to the family of the man who died standing behind the doors at Wal-Mart, and I hope that the shoppers who rushed the door will think about what is really important in this world.

Could you go to jail for leaving neutral feedback on Ebay?

People are nuts, but you probably knew that. Some guy has sued Steve Shelhorn, because he left neutral feedback on Ebay.

If you've never shopped Ebay, then they have a system where you can rate the shopping experience. Feedback can be positive, neutral or negative. Simple enough - in theory.

Until recently, both buyers and sellers could leave feedback. In other words, you could buy an item off Ebay and be rated. Hum. Let's see. Can you imagine that Wal-Mart or Belks or your favorite fast food restaurant hands you a score after you stop in and drop some bucks.

The Ebay brass decided to do away with the rating the buyer thing. Too much abuse. There were some real Ebay horror stories regarding this mutual feedback thing.

I used to buy at Ebay (and do - for the record - have 100% on my feedback), but I avoid Ebay pretty much now. I got tired of the emails begging for feedback, and that's how they came off - no matter how they were worded. Typically, I left positive feedback. If things weren't just perfect, I'd usually just let it go. After a while, I quit leaving feedback for those sellers who sent emails telling me that once I left feedback, they would bless me with a positive as a buyer. Paying up and almost instantly (with PayPal) wasn't good enough. If I wanted a vote of confidence (when I really didn't much care), I'd have to go first. I'm sure some sellers will justify that. You can click to the Ebay discussion boards and see all manner of explaining and complaining about buyers.

In the few cases where I did leave neutrals or negative feedback, I explained.

Fortunately, I was never sued.

It really blows my mind that some coin seller filed a court case against some guy who rated the transaction neutral on Ebay.

What is neutral? It's neutral. Not great. Not bad.

Poor Steve. He had to pay a lawyer $500 to defend him in this bogus law suit.

From what I understand, Ebay does dock rankings for neutrals, but buyers would not know that. If coin guy has an issue with how he stacks up when he gets a neutral, then he should take that up with Ebay and not take it out on Steve.

Steve isn't planning on leaving any more feedback on Ebay. Who could blame him? It's nice to give other buyers the heads up, and that is the idea with feedback. Unfortunately, that's been gamed so bad at Ebay, that you have to find someone close to 100% to feel safe. You think 85% runs a "B" level like at school. Oh no. Buy from someone with that kind of rank, and buyer beware.

The really sad thing is that most sellers and most buyers at Ebay are good people. Someone has something to sell. Someone wants that something. They work out the deal online. Happy all round. I know I've been pleased with a number of items I've picked up at Ebay.

I did get burned a couple of times, and Ebay really wasn't any help at all. That backed me off on the site. Now, I really will think twice about Ebay. I'd sure hate to pick up some little knickknack or iPod or tea and end up in court. If I do buy again, I'll remember that old saying, "If you can't something nice, don't say anything at all." But, that means that the bad sellers (or just average neutral sellers) get a "pass." I'd like to tell it how it is (in those rare cases where someone is scamming), but it's not worth getting sued like Steve.

One Almost Grown - And One Brand New Baby

Happy Birthday


And Home with the Little One

When I talk about "the boys," that's two of mine and their two best buddies. The guys have been tight since back in kindergarten. That's one good thing about small towns. You can make and keep friends for life.

I was surprised when I found out my friend (the mother of the other two guys in the foursome) was expecting. Whew! We've got these almost raised, and she's starting over. I was thinking, "Perish the thought." That's on me having another one. I was quite excited about this one on the way.

Today was the second oldest of the Fabulous Four's birthday (Happy Birthday!), and the baby made her first public appearance. She was early and had been at the hospital. This week she came home at a little under six pounds.

What a cutie. I almost wished I had another one . . . but not quite. I think I'll just borrow my friend's little one. I'm not really used to girls, so maybe I could learn some new games, or maybe she'll like to play in the dirt and bring me snakes and frogs too.

If Elizabeth Dole Threw a Party, Would You Go?

I was pretty shocked when Elizabeth Dole ran an ad that ended with a Kay Hagan's picture and a voice (not Kay's as I've discovered) saying, "There is no God." Hagan must have been taken aback too. She has filed suit against Dole for defamation and libel.

Damage control by Dole is another nasty ad. She asks, "If the godless Americans threw a party in your honor, would you go?"

Come on. Who are "godless" Americans? Are they non-Christians? Are they people who sleep in on Sunday morning? Are they people who smoke? People who drink? People who gamble? People who eat Twinkies?

Or, are they just people who don't think like you do?

Or, are they people who don't vote for you?

If Elizabeth Dole threw a party, would you go? If you're from North Carolina, then you'd probably have to get a plane ticket. Dole isn't in North Carolina enough days per year to qualify for in state college tuition. Perhaps she's off partying? Wonder if she checks to see if all her hosts are god-approved, Jesus-stamped hosts?

Kay Hagan Responds to Elizabeth Dole "godless" ad

It didn't take Kay Hagan long to repsond to the "godless" commercial I mentioned in my last blog post. Shortly after I saw the Dole ad, the online posts started cranking up.

If you've missed the commercial, Dole had a thirty second spot that said that Kagan took money from atheists - or godless Americans. The really troubling part, in my opinion, was the end. That showed Hagan's photo and a voice over saying, "There is no God." The voice did sound like Hagan. In fact, I thought perhaps it was a sound bite taken out of context. In fact, that was not Kagan at all. That's where I think the ad really got dirty. Frankly, the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth, but you just don't do a voice over with a photo when the person didn't make the statement.

Hagan was none too happy. She sent a "cease and desist" letter to Dole. Hagan is calling the ad slander. In fact, it would legally be libel rather than slander, since it's recorded. In any case, Hagan is saying the ad damages her reputation. In North Carolina, being called "godless" is a pretty serious charge. This is the South and the Bible Belt.

Dole refuses to can the ad.

Hagan now has a rebuttal ad out in North Carolina.



Frankly I think that the godless ad will hurt Dole. It's very down and dirty, and that doesn't play well in North Carolina.

Dole should be focusing on the issues and not leading a witch hunt.

CNNBC video - Wake Your Friends Up with a Funny Political Video

A friend sent me a political video today that said that I tipped the 2008 presidential election. I clicked on the link and saw myself as the star of a newscast saying that I didn't bother to get out of bed and that McCain won, because I did not cast my vote.

Now, I'm not saying which way I'm voting. That's personal.

I will, however, say that the video is clever and funny as heck.

The way this works is that you click on the link I put in the first paragraph. You then put in your buddies name and email.

Buddy gets the video link. He or she clicks and then sees what looks like a newscast saying that he/she was the lone voter who made the difference in the election. The show looks real (like a news spot online). Your friend sits there and sees this newscast that looks like the real deal but is only customized and viewable to that person. The name is plugged in here and there to make it look like your buddy is featured. It's kind of like those little customized books that kids like that have them starring in the book.

Do note that you may flip out a friend with this joke video, because it does look so real and work so well. I really scared a buddy who thought I made the video and had posted it. No way. I would not do that to anyone, and I don't have the tech skills even if I wanted to do that.

My friend had a good laugh when I explained it all.

This high tech voting joke is "Paid for by MoveOn.org Political Action, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee." That's just copied from the page. So, you can look and check out the group if you want.

This is a great example of how online marketers can really customize materials to specific users, so regardless of your political leanings, you should find this interesting.

If you want to double check, just click in and send the joke video to yourself. Then, you can see what would go out.

They note on the site that they do not keep your information or spam you, and this did make it through the filters here on my computer.

If you're looking for a laugh and if your buddies have a sense of humor, this really is a classic online spoof video.

Have fun - but don't send this to anyone who is the really nervous type.

Godless American Smear on Kay Hagan - Wow - I Don't Know What to Say About That Mrs. Dole

Politics do get dirty, but I was really shocked at the TV commercial this evening that basically called Kay Hagan the daughter of Satan.

The commercial said that Hagan takes money from a group called Godless Americans PAC and suggested that she supports a number of changes that would not fly well in a conservative state like North Carolina. This was done indirectly by simply linking her to the group and then having quotes from members of the group.

The commercial ended with Kay Hagan saying something that sounded like, "There is no God . . ." (big voice taper . . . clearly cut short).

I don't know the context of the quote that sounded like it came from Hagan. I do recall that once, long ago, the preacher at our church quoted scripture, "A fool hath said, 'There is no God.'" My little brother was kind of tuned out (as younger kids may be at church). My Mom asked him what the message at church had been. He, at the age of around 6 or 7, said that the sermon was about how there's no God. So, context makes a big difference.

When I saw this commercial, I thought it must be supported by a radical group (and certainly not part of the main campaign). It simply didn't sound mainstream or very professional. When the piece ended with, "I'm Elizabeth Dole, and I support this commercial" (or whatever the wording is on such commericals - sorry I have no TiVo), I was frankly speechless. Was it some kind of Halloween joke? If so - not funny.

The race in North Carolina has been hot and nasty, but someone better show me some darn sure proof that Hagan is the anti-Christ before putting a one minute sound blurb on TV that totally trashes her. That was wrong on some many levels that I'm still shaking my head.

I'm one of those up-in-the-air voters. Frankly, I'm not impressed period. It would suit me to wipe the slate clean and get a whole new batch up there to vote on, although I know that's not going to happen.

The new Dole commerical is the lowest blow I've seen from any candidate in an election that has been riddled with nasty jabs.

I've always known Elizabeth Dole to be a classy lady and from this county (though does not hang here much). She did fund and build out local Red Cross building. I can't imagine that she put her verbal stamp on such a horrible body slam commercial on another candidate. I'd hate to think that Dole would go that low even if Kay Hagan is the daughter of Satan (which she obviously isn't).

I would never talk that ugly about my own worst enemy. And, I am disappointed that Dole would do so. In fact, I think that ad helped me make up my mind about my vote.

Update:

Kay Hagan didn't think much of that "godless" commercial either. The News & Observer covered a press conference this morning:

"State Sen. Kay Hagan says she'll go to court to seek a cease-and-desist order against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's campaign if the "godless" TV spot isn't pulled in the next 24 hours."

The godless Kay Hagan commercial is on You Tube. Readers can watch and make up their own minds.

Birthday Gift from Belks was Not Too Special

Happy Birthday to Me - but No Thanks to Belks

I was pleased to get a card from Belks department stores for my birthday. They really didn't have to do that, and they really shouldn't have.

This Belks card says, "Celebrate Your Birthday with a Gift from Belks" on the front. When I open up the flap, it says, "Our Gift to You." It's $10 off on my single regular or sale purchase of $50 or more.

I go to Belks and find a short swing coat that I love. It's $59.99 I think - something in that range. Good deal. I can get the cute coat and save $10. That's a nice birthday suprise.

When I get to the register, the code scan won't work. The sales girl is new, and she doesn't know why the code won't work, so she calls someone with more experience.

Experienced sales lady comes over. She sees my coat and the birthday card. She tells the girl that usually these codes don't work, because people think that they can get several items for $50 and then take off $10. The kicker is the "single regular or sale priced purchase." That means it must be one item and not more than one adding up to $50. That's not very clear, and it's pretty lame. But, OK. I only got one item - an expensive one. Experienced sales lady tells new sales girl to try the code again. She tries twice. It won't work.

The lady who has been working longer asks if the item is a special purchase. Heck, I don't know. It's a coat. It was on a rack in the ladies section.

Experienced lady goes and checks and says that the coat is a "special purchase." Well, I don't think it's very special when it voids my birthday card. It sure doesn't say special purchase on the sales tag.

I'm really not the "whatever" type, but in this case, that was my thought. I spent about an hour shopping and only found the coat and really wanted it. So, I paid for the special purchase coat, but I still did not find this whole thing particularly special.

The sales lady did tell me that the clause about "special purchases" was in the fine print. Heck, I couldn't read that font size. I wouldn't have been able to identify the coat as a "special purchase" anyway. What does that mean? Who knows?

When I got home, I got out my reading glasses and read the fine print on the birthday card. Whew boy. You would not believe all the brands and items listed as not qualifying for the birthday gift card coupon. No Levis or Dockers. No Coach or Mattel. The brand list was long. Then the special purchases, red dots, early birds and so on were off limits. Heck, you couldn't even buy maternity cothes - not like I need those. But still . . . Don't even think about fragrances or make-up or jewelry. Bamp. Wrong purchase for your birthday.

The young sales girl did say that she was sorry and asked if I still wanted the coat. I did. I was not impressed with how this went down, but it wasn't her fault. I've found our local sales folks at Belks to be really helpful. They can't help it if the home office pulls a bad prank like sending a birthday gift that is not a gift at all - just a tactic to get me in the store thinking I get $10 off.

So, this post is really for the Belks corporate office. This is a sneaky way to do business. Don't send me a birthday gift card and then limit it so much that I'm paying full price on almost anything I pick. That's just wrong. Yeah. You got me in the store. You sold me a coat. But, it will be a while before I drop any more bucks at Belks. I have been a regular customer. That birthday coupon scam didn't impress me even a little bit. Don't bother if you're not going to do it right. You got me today. I'll know better in the future.

The Free Ride is Over - Why Did the Baby Boomers Think They Deserved So Many Years of Leisure?

Baby Boomers - Enjoying the Good Life


I’m not surprised our economic system is imploding. I’ve always been a “pay as I go” kind of person. When I get calls or flyers saying I don’t have to make any payments until way off in the future, I just scratch my head. If I don’t have the money today, what makes me (or them) think I’ll have it in a couple of years. Whatever I bought on this strange payment plan probably is worn or broken by the time they want the money. There's no fun in paying off the past, but we're sure doing that and in many ways.

The Baby Boomers rocked our world and continue to do so. I must confess that I’m on the tail end of that generation. But, I’m clearly not part of the “in crowd.” The true Boomers retire at age 65. The tail enders, from 1961 and down, bounce up to age 67. Had I been born a year earlier, I’d enjoy two extra years of benefits. Now, I’ll pay two extra years.

I’m not complaining about working and paying my way. That’s the way it should be, and that’s where the Boomers got off track. They enjoyed the house, white picket fence, two kids, and a dog and then got a 12 year bonus to kick back and take it easy.

When Social Security was put in place, the average lifespan was 65 years. Hum. What do those numbers tell you? Well, the idea was that the last little bit of time on earth could be spent enjoying the fruits of a life well spent. Actually, many never made it to retirement and collection. Social Security was meant to be a true program for the elderly and infirm so that they didn’t work right up until death (though many did initially).

With advances in modern medicine, the lifespan is now 77 years in the United States. Instead of providing a cushion for a few months or years (or maybe not at all), we guarantee most people 12 years of leisure. And, many push that. I'll be attending a birthday party for a woman who turns 100 years old later this month.

I was watching TV yesterday and some woman was moaning, because she was not going to be able to retire at 50 as she planned. She noted that she’d worked very hard and that all her dreams had been shattered by the downturn in the economy. She honestly thought that she deserved 27 years of retirement.

This poor woman who would be working a couple of extra years to make up for a 401K drop was crying. Now, money does not grow on trees. Tucking cash back that grows and grows is not the same as earning a dollar. The money comes from somewhere and usually off the poor who buy things but do not earn off those things. The lady thought she earned the right to sponge for 47 out of her 77 years on this earth, but she ought to go dig a ditch or two and see how fast her savings compound on minimum wage. That might give her a real appreciation for hard work.

Life in the United States has been very cushy for the last few decades. If you consider the extended childhood in this country with the average age of gainful employment around 20 years and a retirement of 65, then the average person would expect to contribute only 32 years in the workforce out of a lifetime. This must be shocking to those from other countries where kids work from the time they can walk and the elderly struggle right up to the last breath.

When Social Security started, there were 12 people paying in for every one person benefitting from the program. Now 2 to 5 are paying for every person getting a monthly check. Does something seem wrong with that math?

Furthermore, this new generation does not have the option (in most cases) of a single income family. Many women of the Baby Boom generation had the choice as to whether to stay home and care for their children and then collect on the higher rates of men in the workforce. Toady, most families can’t make it without two incomes. Children of the children of Baby Boomers pay big for this. These are the grandchildren. They go to child care in infancy so that Mom and Dad can help pay for retirement for Grandpa and Grandma.

I am considered by many accounts to be a Baby Boomer, but I never did think that I’d live to see decades of free time (and I was right). I worked and paid my way. I’ll be hitting that wall with the higher pay out age on Social Security (the first wave). So, I’ll work some more. That’s fine. I wasn’t expecting a rose garden and didn’t get one – other than maybe the thorns.

Cloris Leachman for President - Has Everyone Gone Nuts?

“Vampires, mummies and the holy ghost. These are the things that scare me the most,” says Jimmy Buffet in an old CD called Fruitcakes. He also says in the title song that we’ve all got a little fruitcake in us.

Fruitcakes came to mind when I was watching Dancing with the Stars on TV this week. I’m not a regular viewer of the program, but I’ve always thought it was a good show and have enjoyed watching the dances.

I can only imagine that a fruitcake came up with the idea to feature Cloris Leachman on Dancing with the Stars.

Last week Cloris dressed in a short 50s style costume and did an old-time, teeny-bop dance. She didn’t bother to learn any of the steps. She just went on stage and played the buffoon. In addition to pretending her dance partner (poor Corky Ballas) farted, she let her wig fly. While some onliners are talking about that being hilarious, it wasn’t. It was a planned stunt. She says so in the interviews afterwards. She was wearing a skull cap that said, “Vote for me.” That flew with the wig. It was a stupid stunt, and I think Cloris was the only one who thought it was really funny.

Cloris Leachman has had a grand career and is liked and respected across generations. It is really unfortunate that she feels the need to celebrate her senior years by being the village idiot on Dancing with the Stars. It really isn’t funny seeing an icon reduced to throwing her leg up on the judges table and showing cleavage in a bid to stay on a program that is supposed to be about talent and not about one old woman with a big ego and a big bawdy mouth.

The sad part is that Cloris Leachman could learn the basic dance steps and toss in a little humor and make a strong and positive statement about growing older. Instead, she plays the age card and gets a pass when she has contributed nothing at all to the show.

Sadder still is that the same people who are voting to keep Cloris Leachman on Dancing with the Stars will be voting on who will be the President of the United States. That’s even scarier than “vampires, mummies, and the holy ghost [and Cloris Leachman].”

Let the School Sales Begin - No Neighbor Left Behind When the Kids Go Begging

Enough Already

I just bought $100 in candy. No. I am not a pig. Well, I can be. But, I do not buy candy in bulk. I did this time though, because the pizza and cheese cakes my kid just sold for a school group have not even arrived. I pick him up at school, and he has two big bags of candy. One hundred candy bars. Count 'em. I didn't. I just wrote out the check. My kid just sold over $400 in pizza/cakes, and he is not going door-to-door and hitting the neighbors up for candy when he's not even delivered the other goods.

This is not even the official school beg-a-thon. From what I gather, they decided to send a recorded phone message asking every child to carry in $20. This would be fine if it meant no door-to-door sales. I got hit with this one when the boys were in elementary school. They said to send money. Then, you would not need to worry about school fundraisers. I sent in $20 for each of the boys. I guess I was the only one (or one of the few). A couple of weeks later, I got the Christmas wrapping paper and knickknack sales papers. If the boys didn't sell any of that stuff, they had to sit out on the magic show. Hum . . . I think I did suggest that it sounded like in school suspension. I was told, however, that I was looking at it all wrong. The magic show was a reward for sales. Getting stuck in the room while the others went to the show - priceless I suppose.

This is the season for putting kids on the street. It's not just the schools. The Boy Scouts push that grossly overpriced popcorn. I still have a can from last year. Maybe it will age like fine wine, or maybe I just tossed $15 bucks down the drain. The Scouts do "Friends of Scouting" right on the heels of the popcorn. That's vague. That's because it's money to pay the executives who make starting salaries higher than I make after ten years on the job. I didn't know I needed to apply to a non-profit organization to make a decent salary. I also didn't know that very few Eagle Scouts make it in the Scout organization on the executive level, because they are focused on programs and not on selling popcorn. I learned that when doing research on such programs. The United Way in this area had a huge scandal. I thought it made sense to see where my money might be going. It would probably be better not to know. It's simply hard to turn down a kid selling stuff, and these groups know that and play it.

One question does cross my mind, "What do kids learn from all this selling of stuff that most people don't even need or want?"

Want More People to Visit Your Area?

There are so many neat things to do in North Carolina as I'm sure there are in any state. It's hard to get the word out though as I'm sure many folks know who work with local tourism or who plan events and hope for a nice turn out.

My friend Greta Lint (a tourism promoter and consultant) works with communities in helping promote areas and events, and she's doing a session on blogging to increase foot traffic. That could be for your company, business, event - whatever you want to share with the world (or even a little slice of the world).

The really great news is that Greta is offering a free session at the ConvergeSouth blogger user's conference in Greensboro on Friday, October 17 at 3 p.m. That will be at North Carolina A&T University of Greensboro, NC.

Don't worry if you don't have a clue about blogging. Greta will cover all the basics and even help you get started blogging, so be sure to bring your wireless laptop.

If you need more information see ConvergeSouth or email Greta at greta@gretalint.com

I sure wish I could go, but I work too late that day to make it up to Greensboro. So, I guess folks will have to check back in later and let me know all about it.

Rules for Working with Bloggers

REMEMBER - There is a Real Person Behind that Blog


How NOT to tick off Bloggers

I had some questions from a media person about dealing with big, bad bloggers. Long story. We got off on rather the wrong foot I think. She’s print. I’m net. Big world difference there. In reality, I’m a crossover and go back and forth between magazines, tech writing, and then online work. So, I do understand that the social rules vary greatly. Blogiquette is definitely different, and here are some general rules for dealing with those strange creatures who blog online.

Rule 1

Know your blogger and his or her site. Most blogs are personal spots handled by a single person. You’re not dealing with a mega corporation. Usually, it’s just someone in the living room plunking away on the keyboard. Read a couple of posts and the bio before making contact.

If you think I’m a man, since I use the handle Barbecue Master on one blog, then you didn’t look very close (or at all). I actually got that title when writing for another site, and it did, in fact, sound better than Barbecue Mistress. For my own work, I generally use my real name (Cyndi Allison) or Grill Girl.

Rule 2

Remember that most blogs don’t make much (if any) money. Sure. Some folks are getting rich blogging – but not very many. Particularly when you’re looking at a niche area, you’re probably checking out someone who is simply blogging because they love the topic area.

It’s rare that you provide anything (information for posting - in particular) that will benefit the blogger in any great way. Most bloggers are much shorter on time than on material.

So, you’re really asking for a favor if you want your information posted on someone’s blog. That’s fine – just be aware that you’re not blessing the blogger with information.

I get some delightful emails from Weber (the grill company) and from Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA). They use my name and let me know that they have some information that I might be interested in or that my readers might want to know about. They keep it short and provide contact information if I have more questions.

Rule 3

Print material does not work well online. People don’t read the same way online that they do sitting down with paper. If you’re sending over a standard press release, most bloggers won’t post it. A blogger may use some of the information and may link – but shoveling content from print to online doesn’t work well.

In addition, if you’re asking a number of bloggers or webmasters to post the same material, you’re creating duplicate content. That can be an issue online. Search engines may think the blog or site is a "copy and paste" spam site if it includes a lot of materials elsewhere online.

Rule 4

When you visit and post a comment, be aware that many bloggers have blogs set to accept or reject posts. You likely will not see your comment immediately. That doesn't mean it disappeared. It's sitting there waiting for approval from the person who hosts the blog. Don't post again and again. That looks like spam when the blogger does click in.

Rule 5

If you post a comment unrelated to the blog and/or the blogger, then you probably won't see your comment. If the blog is about kayaking, then the blogmaster is not likely to leave up random comments about electronic gadgets for sale. That won't impress the readers who visit for a specific topic.

Rule 6

Some bloggers do trade out links. Some do not. Check. If the blogger does not have a long list of "my favorite sites" or "see these blogs too" or something along those lines, then he or she probably is not a link trader.

While it may help to get link trades, I don't do that. And, I think Google will take a look at that some day. Too much back scratching.

On the other hand, I do often mention other sites, blogs, events and so on in my blog posts (like Weber and HPBA above). I just do it when it works for my readers. And, I don't ask for anything in return. Sure. I love links too. But, I hope they will be links that are earned and not just trade off links.

Rule 7

If a blogger does post your materials or mentions your site or event and so on, then a “thanks” is in order. It does not have to be a long and gushy email. Even three letters – tks – that’s fine.

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I’m sure there are more tips that I’ll think of later. One good thing about a blog is that it can be updated over and over.

Time Warner Cable Got on My Last Nerve

I wrote out my check for $167 to Time Warner Cable yesterday. That is the bundle with TV, Internet and phone. No premium channels. I'm too cheap, and Time Warner charges too much anyway.

I was just rolling with the flow and paying Time Warner Cable. There really aren't options around here. There's Dish, but I've seen that and what a mess. As far as phone and internet, it's nice to have it bundled though that was a pretty good deal to start with and has gone up, up, up.

The reason I'm hopping mad at Time Warner Cable is because they changed the menu screen to blue with white letters. There is a reason most content is black on white. That is so you can actually read it. The new color scheme is just pretty as pie, but I can't read it. Well, I can if I get up out of the Lazy Boy chair and stand about a foot in front of the TV.

No. My vision is not perfect. It's 20/40. I can still drive legally without glasses. And I can see the TV just fine and could read the menu until someone got the idea to pretty that up and put white letters on a blue background.

Now I have to get up and stand in front of the TV to see what is playing. I seldom watch TV. When I do, I want to relax and not stand there with the remote trying to read the screen which was fine the way it was but not fine the way it is now.

I did call Time Warner Cable. They are "sorry [I] I feel that way." Hey. I don't feel I can't see the menu. I flat can't see, and that's a fact and not a feeling. I feel they need to fix it, and I feel they charge too much. And, I'm sorry they don't care that I can't read the menu now that they made it blue with white letters.

Maybe I should mail them a mad mail with red letters on black paper and see how they like that. I feel they would not like that one bit, but I'm not sorry they would feel that way about it.

Gas in the South - Good Luck Filling Your Tank

I like to stick my head in the sand (not that we have any sand in the Piedmont of North Carolina), so I've been closing my eyes and pressing "no" on the receipt for gas. Of course, I pay the credit card bill for gas and everything else, but I'd just as soon not examine the damage every few days.

It's hard to play clueless when there's just flat not any gas. The last time I gassed up, I skipped my usual station with the $20 limit (like how far does that go in a SUV). The next station had great gas prices, of course, because they simply did not have any gas. Boy, I'd list it low too if I didn't have any to sell. Well, no, I wouldn't. But, I guess that's a plan.

I'm out in the country, so I hit the last station on the way to the boonies and got some petro. If you're down with road trips, you can find gas (and no lines) out in the middle of nowhere. Of course, you burn a lot of gas getting to such remote locations (and back).

Today the BP in Salisbury, NC had some gas. The limit was $40 instead of $20 like last week. I chatted with the cashier, and she said they had to bump it up, because people were driving on by with the $20 limit - so no inside sales either. They have some great prices on Pepsi, milk, and eggs, so I usually gas up and load up on the way home.

My BP cashier did say that they hoped to have gas through noon tomorrow, but she said that they'd had a lot of folks in and that they might run out before dark. Good thing I went early I guess.

I hate to even turn on the TV and hear about the hour long waits to get gas and about people having to push vehicles up to the pump that run out of gas just waiting in line. It's not that bad here, but we have those purchase limits and stations running out of fuel.

I won't even get started on the price of groceries. Whew. Are they putting gold in those boxes of cereal now instead of plastic toys? You'd think so. Oh well, if there's no gas to get to the grocery store, then I guess the cereal can just sit on the shelf.