Good afternoon Brian,
Momentary break at work.Energy policy indeed, or I should say one that is required. While it it be a vast oversimplification to say that what is required is a national committment to a program on the order of one that landed a man on the moon in 1969, it is what is required. We as a nation need to produce a successor to the current Internal combustion engine. New oil rigs only postpone this committment. Also, a committent to other forms of energy on the national level is a part of this policy commitment.We are there on a small scale already concerning solar power, but on a very small scale.This must be expanded. We need to be prepared to do this for the long haul, but I have faith it can be done. We probably will have to wait until the new Administration comes into office,whether that is Senator Obama or Senator McCain, to make this multiadministration, indeed even generational policy committment to the Nation. On the war on terror, thank you for the information on the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakisistan. It is a shame we are in Iraq and that the resources are being dragged down there, but I remain hopeful that with an Adminstration change we will be better off. We all must remember that we to take can take some things one day at a time, while planning for the futuree at the same time.These aren't mutually exclusive.
Take care, Darryl

Good Evening Mr.Williams, First of all, I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing weekend with your family at the Jersey Shore! Thank you for the links to the articles they were very interesting. I remember when I was a child the gas lines of the 1970's and now we are experiencing huge gas prices in 2008. I hope things improve. I think your trip and reporting from Afghanistan was excellent and brought to the forefront what the soldiers are dealing with in that region. With the war in Iraq continuing on I can understand the frustration of the soldiers speaking about lack of resources. It is very sad the number of deaths in Afghanistan exceeded those in Iraq. Although any deaths in the region of our US Military are extremely sad to learn. Especially for the families back home. Looking forward to the broadcast Mr.Williams. Peace to you and to all!

Lots of Love to Laurel,Jackie,Stephanie,Celine,Claudia,Anna and Matt!
Be Well Always!
XOXO
Congratulations to Richard on winning the Cine Golden Eagle Award for "War Zone Diary"! I saw the article on TV Newser and was very excited and proud! You are awesome Richard!  

Brian,

I am happy to see that the war in Afganistan is getting more attention. I am sponsoring a young soldier there and he mirrors often what you have said about lack of resources. So thank you for your recent trip and bringing that war back into focus.

Laurie

Way to go, Richard Engel!  It's great to see all that hard work and risk properly recognized and rewarded!

Brian, I can't help but grin at the metaphor you used on air tonight when you were questioning Mr. Todd about the reconciliation process between Obama and Bill Clinton; you asked about "an elephant in the room". Perhaps that should have been donkey considering that they are Democrats? :D

Happy Monday!

I noticed the story you did on Sams Club milk used Kirkland milk - that's a Costco product.

Good Evening Mr.Williams, As I always say it is great to see Richard on the broadcast! Richard's reports are continuously excellent. Now on to the broadcast. Richard's report concerning the Iraq's untapped oil showed in Kirkuk they are expanding their oil fields and increasing production which is a positive thing. It was impressive to hear the number of 2.7 million barrels and they want to double that to 4.5 million in five years. Hearing the Iraqi government saying they are "open for business" accepting bids from 35 firms seems encouraging, yet their should always be caution. Mr. Yergin stating that only 20% of Iraq's oil has been explored was very interesting and shows much potential in the region. Mr.Kilduff from MF Global explaining how the reserves could help generations of the people seemed good news for the region. The Iraqi government will make the final decisions and certainly when and if what companies will drill. Time will tell between the Iraqi government and the companies. Another excellent report Richard! Nice to know your still in New York!  On another note I hope the fires can be quelled in California. So much has been lost already. Those firefighters are doing a wonderful and brave job trying to stop the flames from spreading. The report about the milk cartons was good information and I did like your comment about not crying over spilled milk. You always lend alittle humor when needed and it was funny. Finally, the report by Lisa Myers concerning Countrywide exhibited how a company will do anything to make profits and show numbers. It is quite shameful and sad for everyone who was taken by this kind of business. Thank you for the broadcast Mr.Williams! Great to see Richard as always! Great report Richard! Peace to you and to all!

Lots of Love Laurel,Jackie,Stephanie,Celine,Claudia,Anna and Matt!
Be Well Always!
XOXO

Hey Brian

Great NewsCast tonight, Still wish it was ah hour long. However I do have this to say, I love when you add a joke into the news, tonight with the spilt milk...I'll try no to cry when I spill it....very funny. It is night to note that even when the world and US are in such a mess that a nightly joke makes you forgot, if not only for a few seconds.

On a side note, a while ago NBC news reported on how candy shops are doing well in such a poor economic time in the US, and that is very true. Here, in the Capital region our NBC affil. had a story about a new candy shop and that the owner thinks it will do will...so I guess we should all open candy shops..we eat enough of it.

Okay, I haven't been on here in a while, but wanted you to know I'm still watching....

Mike
Amsterdam NY

Newsflash, rare dissent among the regulars! Since we are so often accused  of being just groupies, or fan club members let me state for the record that I thought that was the worst joke I've ever heard. I groaned out loud, then laughed despite my self. You just couldn't resist could you?
Real question, do the new bottles take less plastic, or are they made of a non-petroleum product? They do look like they'd fit in the fridge better.

The lion-fish caught my eye too. All that damage from a mere half-dozen to start with? What surprised me was how far north they had gotten. Wouldn't the waters that far north be too cold?

Sorry Norman, there are just days when as serious and important as the news should be, sometimes it is the lighter pieces that give me food for thought.  

ref; milk in containers that are hard to pour.  40 years ago they used a container that had a spout you could pull-out and push the button to put into a container.  You put it on a shelf in your refrig. and it saved money and space.

Dear Mr. Williams:  I am writing to comment about your discussion with Chuck Todd regarding General Wesley Clark's statement on "Face the Nation."  I watched that show yesterday, and I did not hear Gen. Clark's comment as a question of Senator John McCain's patriotism.  What I heard was Gen. Clark's opinion on being a war hero not qualifying one to be president.  I have a number of friends who are Viet Nam War heroes, and I would never question their patriotism or the sacrifices that they made for our country.  However, that does not mean that I would urge them to run for President of the United States, particularly in this time of great economic stress.  Being a war hero does not make one a good adminstrator or even a good diplomat.  I believe that was what the general was referring to when he made his comments, and I think many viewers understood him that way.  It is really a disservice to the public when trusted media personalities make a mountain out of a mole hill.  My confidence in Chuck Todd's opinion has just dropped several notches.  

A little too much time spent tonight on the comments of Wesley Clark (I suppose because they are politically inflammatory and sound-bite worthy) and only a passing mention of the new GI Bill? (which Bush and McCain both OPPOSED and are now taking credit for?) Yikes.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to starting Richard Engel's book.

John McCain is not qualified to be commander in chief. He was in favor of getting us into this disastrous war in Iraq. He said the war would be an easy success. McCain also wishes to continue Bush's drunken belligerent foreign policy approach. When it comes to sound commander in chief decisions, McCain doesn't have a clue.

Does the fact that he got shot down 40 years ago change that? Of course not. Getting shot down isn't a qualification to be president. Sound judgement is.

Once again, as loyal surrogates to the McCain campaign, NBC played along with the right wing bucket dump of fake outrage over something somebody somewhere said. Why is it that Obama is held responsible if something one of his hundreds of thousands of supporters says is the target of fake right wing outrage, while McCain supporters like Joe Lieberman can get away with threatening Americans with another terrorist attack if they vote for Obama and not a word is mentioned?

Most of NBC's angle tonight was that Obama was in trouble because of what Wes Clark said. The truth was Obama was in trouble because the media was using Clark's comment to attack Obama. This is another example of the media creating its own news.

The introduction to tonight's hit job started with sneaky double talk. First Brian said McCain's military service was not in question, then in the same breath said McCain's service was an "issue." McCain's service is not an issue. His qualifications for president are. NBC is helping the McCain campaign make legitimate questions about his ability to lead off limits by confusing them with attacks on McCain's service. Its the same old "He's attacking the troops" trick in a new package. We got into this disastrous war partly because anybody who asked the right questions was accused of not supporting the troops. Now the same trick will be used to give us another disastrous president, like the last one the media hooked us up with.

Also springled in the hatchet jobs were "doubts about Obama's patriotism" and groundless accusations from McCain that Obama might be plotting to attack McCain's war record. Of course, McCain wasn't asked to provide any evidence for his innuendo.

I remember when John Kerry was attacked by the GOP with slanderous lies about his service record. The media didn't act shocked and offended when that happened. Nobody said such attacks were off limits.  Now just questioning McCain about his qualifications at all is somehow taboo.

This is what we've come to expect from corporate media like NBC.  By the way, do you have any figures or even a far fetched theory to support your report tonight that oil revenues will pay for the war in Iraq? Sounds too crazy to be craziness to me.  It must have been just a plain lie.

Hi Brian,
I had heard the sound bites regarding Gen. Clark's comments about Sen. McCain off and on all day.  I guess hearing it over and over gave me a chance to think about it.  I give him a great deal of credit for having the courage to say what he feels.  There is absolutely nothing that anyone can say that will ever diminish Sen. McCain's contibutions to his country via the Navy. As a nation we can never fully make up for or repay him for all that he went through during his five years in captivity.  He is a military hero, a patriot.  That being said, I tend to agree with the Gen. Those things do not necessarily qualify him to be president. I really do not know how I will vote come November, but my vote won't be based on one single faction in a candidate's life.  There is more to Sen. McCain than his service in Viet Nam. I am more concerned about his ability to have the enrgy to lead the greatest nation in the world due to his age. We ahve all seen the toll the presedency has taken on younger men. I think we all need to look at the entire package of both candidates.  

Tomatoes, I would like to talk about Tomatoes.  Well....other fresh veggies and fruits.

Months ago, when we had the spinach illness', I changed my grocery shopping habits completely.

If the product is not labeled with it's origin then I don't buy it.

Think about it.  We are swallowing things that we have no idea where it was raised, the conditions it was raised in or what chemicals was used on it or around it.

NOBODY!  NOBODY!  Checks the farms in Mexico or South America.  Think about that the next time your chewing on that dinner salad.

To rephrase a cliche.

If you don't buy it, they will change it.

LABEL MY FOOD!

Had errands to run last night; heard Nightly News on the radio.  The one story that got me going was Richard's.  With all the oil revenue there that isn't utilized, I totally understand why the world would think America went to war for oil. (My musing is not meant to debate that subject.) My initial reaction during the story was "finally some relief!"  

And about Wesley Clark.  What is it with candidates distancing themselves from vocal supporters?  Do the candidates actually send these people out there to talk for them and then gripe when they speak?  There's just been too much of that this campaign.  Is it my imagination that there's more of it, or just that I'm paying attention more closely?  It's just more noise to wade through when it comes to the issues.  

Yum... did someone say chocolate?  Must have some right now for breakfast!  :)

You got to love the logic of the leftist attacks frogs. McCain took part in making propaganda films for the communist while he was being held prisoner. He should have taken the high road like Kerry and waited  until he was safe back here in the states to furnish the communist with propaganda footage.  

Why haven't you report that the Bush administration has suspended ALL solar energy projects on public lands for 2 years, supposedly to study their environmental impact?!

There are about 125 applications by solar energy companies to build facilities that are now on hold, putting the brakes on US, Japanese and German companies that want to build or expand in the Western states.

In a world where the need for energy is so critical, how the administration can justify a 'study' on solar? (But not, apparently, concerned with 'studying' the impact of coal, oil shale, etc.) It is suspicious, if not blatantly biased in favor of big oil.

The potential dampening effect on the expansion and development of solar energy could be serious, hurting investment. The delay of additional energy to the marketplace is absolutely criminal.

PLEASE report on this!
PJ

@ James Thompson:  I loved those milk jugs as a kid.  We had them all the time delivered of course by my Uncle the Hood Milk Man. I think they were a gallon and a half.

Does anyone remember when Hood started delivering ice cream?   The good ole days.  

Bests to all!

Hi All:

Today is cause for celebration!  Aaron Brown is back tonight on PBS tonight.  Check your local listings because you know PBS.  It does vary.   The first show is on Darfur. It looks interesting.

And my favorite comment of Aaron's from this article ---  "Cable seems to want big, broad, highly opinionated personalities, and I'm not any of those things," he said.

http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/ENTERTAINMENT/807010305/-1/SPORTS

@ Claudia:  My dad was a carpenter so he would always come to school to help the shop teacher.  One day I was late to middle school and I had to go in with a note on a 2 X 4.  Needless to say, the teacher chuckled.   I was of course embarrassed.  

@ James:  Do you remember those jugs were I think 1.5 gallons?   I loved to see my Uncle deliver the Hood milk and in the summer Hood ice cream. Aah...delivery!

Tuesday bests to all!   Count down to the 4th!

Never miss your show until closed captions quit a week or so ago. Why can't a popular show like yours have them? I am hearing impaired!

how about hosting a energy expert like say...,
kenneth deffeyes or colin campbell?

Why didn't Audie Murphy run for president?

Dear Brian:

You don't mind if I call you Brian do you? After all, I noticed that your reporter, John Yang, referred to the President of the United States as Mr. Bush numerous times in his report tonight.

I am disappointed that none of the major network news broadcasts has bothered to understand exactly what Gen. Wesley Clark said on "Face The Nation" on June 29,2008.  Instead, they have chosen to change the meaning by taking his words out of context.  Gen. Clark's remarks were in response to a statement which Bob Shieffer made first that said Barack Obama had never ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down.  His response was, without question, in reference to Obama (not McCain) and was essentially saying that, even if Obama had ridden in a fighter plane and been shot down, it was not a qualification for being President.  I suppose that you could infer that it would also apply to McCain or anyone else who had ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down.

Exerpt from CBS "Face The Nation" 6/29/08 transcript:

SCHIEFFER: Well, you went so far as to say that you thought John McCain was, quote, and theseare your words, "untested and untried." And I must say, I had to read that twice, because you're talking about somebody who was a prisoner of war, he was a squadron commander of the largest squadron in the Navy, he's been on the Senate Armed Services Committee for lo these many years.  How can you say that John McCain is untested and untried, General?

Gen. CLARK: Because in the matters of national security policy making, it's a matter of  understanding risk, it's a matter of gauging your opponents and it's a matter of being held  accountable. John McCain's never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his  service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands of millions of others  in the armed forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services  Committee and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the Navy that he commanded wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn't seen what it's like when diplomats come in and say, `I don't know whether we're going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it publicly?'

SCHIEFFER: Well...

Gen. CLARK: He hasn't made those calls, Bob. So...

SCHIEFFER: Well, General, maybe--could I just interrupt you?

Gen. CLARK: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean...

Gen. CLARK: Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.

SCHIEFFER: Really?

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):