Blown away by that couple that gave up their home and jobs to help strangers.  Amazing.

Good Evening Mr.Williams, Another fine broadcast this evening. The links in your post were most funny with the gentleman being named John Doe. One can understand why he would have difficulty proving that is actually his name. Glad you enjoyed the screening of a new rock-n-roll film titled "It Might Get Loud". I'm sure it was great!
Now on to the broadcast. First of all the report by Mr.Bazell from Atlanta at the CDC meeting today. The spread of swime flu could be quite drastic so preparation is vital especially for people more vulnerable. Being that school begins soon hopefully there will be enough vaccines to prevent any spreading and protect people from the virus.
Hearing from Dr.Fauci explaining the aspects of having enough doses is a dauting task. It does take time to develop the vaccine and to take care of higher risk people first. Hopefully, it will not be serious. Time will tell.

The report by Mr.Todd about the polling numbers for the President and Congress certainly show some changes over the past few months. Poll numbers seem to have gone down, yet not dramatically. The political parties do need to come together on issues because there is too much divide. The worst may not be over, yet one does hope things make a turn for the better very soon.

Nice to see Michael Phelps win a race and set a World Record in the 200m Butterfly today!

I am sorry Mr.Williams it has been raining do much in New York City all summer. It looked like it was coming down pretty hard at the end of the broadcast at Rockefeller Center.
Here in Georgia we are getting the normal summer showers each day this week.

The "Making A Difference" segment by Janet Shamlian was truly nice. This couple is doing such great work helping those people who lost their homes due to the terrible hurricanes. One house at a time and making each house a home to live in again. It is hard work, but they are really doing something wonderful for each family. Nice Piece!
Thank You for the broadcast Mr.Williams! Peace to You and to All!

Lots of Love to Laurel,Jackie,Stephanie,Claudia,Celine,Anna,Lori,Cary and Matt!
Be Well Always!
I miss you Jackie! I hope you are well!
Stay Extra,Extra Safe and Well Richard!
XOXO

Brian, very moving story tonight about the Super Volunteers in New Orleans. Why doesn't Extra and Access Hollywood care about those stories, seriously with americans out of work at an all time high Who gives a ..... about Michael Jackson - I know that may be out of your accountability but please expand the Making a Difference Stories, it give us all hope and thinking about what we can do - It has made me do more so please please do more

please please expand your making a difference segments and get rid of Access Hollywood and Extra - come on...unless you want folks to totally go brain dead...what difference will taking off those shows  make - I know folks may revolt a bit, but think about it with a bigger Making a Difference segment nightly - hummm what ratings would that bring in - check out your blogs on Making a Difference - I would predict that they are the highest so if you are businessmen then think the ads that would produce and the viewers it would create....just thoughts

Hi Brian,

Bob Dyan's in town but I didn't get to make it to his concert. I think we're going to have another thunder storm anyway. Maybe next time.

I feel very sorry for Ms. Whalen. She did nothing wrong. And what the far right is saying about Pres. Obama is untrue, he's not a racist. Everybody is forgetting that he a wonderful white mother. It's his dad that bailed on him. After hearing the 911 tapes and hearing the huge ego that Prof. Gates has, I'm wondering if because he couldn't get into his house at first, that it put him into a bad mood. A police officer comes to check things out. Is Prof. Gates guilty of playing the race card and getting out of control? I understand all too well that police officers(some) abuse their power and we tend to lump them all together. Everyone, no matter what race, creed, color, religion, age, sex, sexual preference has at one time or another been discriminated against and has assumed that everyone was discriminating against them. This situation is very devisive. Maybe all sides can learn a lesson and see how this effects innocent people who were trying to help. I liked how Colin Powell summed it up. It's time to move on for God's sake.

Brian, I enjoyed your "Making a Difference" segment last night. It was great to see the kids going to the shore for the first time. And being "allowed" to. That's sad that they have been prevented by politics. But I hope they get to do it again and that the young boy's father can join him. We take so much for granted.

I hope it stops raining there soon. I'm going to watch the Yankees on TV for awhile.

See you tomorrow evening.

Vicki

Hey Brian,

Sorry you had to attend another funeral today, you've been having to go to those a lot lately...what a bummer.  Anyways, I just wanted to say that I love the links you posted, they are both really cool.  I would so love to have Mosteller's job, how awesome is that?!  He's like the President's beck-n-call boy - I love how he has to have the right phone number, can you imagine if he dials some other dude, not the right one.....that would be funny.  

Thanks for the news and the fun posts~ keeps me entertained and btw, great story last nite about the Palestinian kids who got to go to the beach for the first time,even thou they only live 60 miles away - wow!  I can't imagine that, we are so lucky to live here in America. We go to the beach down in NC every year and it is my favorite place on earth, lots of sand, surf, fresh seafood and of course.....cold beer!  none of that giant squid stuff they have out in CA~  Anyways, it was a great story and I hope those kids get to go more often:-)

Later~

a note about andrea mitchell's report tonight about the gates/crowley affair:

Mitchell get a number of things wrong. She wasn't wrong factually, as there was no fact, it was all opinion piece in the middle of a putative newscast, but wrong in the sense that a journalist should not be indulging in tendentiousness.

First the issue of race was made one by the press which immediately jumped into "racial profiling" -- as premature as the president's remarks. In fact, the president was referring to issues of race when he made the remarks, but mitchell appears confused about that.

If there is any logic to mitchell's piece it would be that since the officer arrived not expecting a black intruder it could hardly have been racial profiling. And the threats and disrespect shown the woman were a consequence of our president and the media.

The selection of quotes was misleading as well: Colin Powell said in fact that Gates should have come out and spoken with the officer. You are distorting the truth by pulling quote to support a confused point.

The meme that there is no post racial america is true: it is the black community that has held onto racist feelings. See a white cop, show disrespect. Cf. Professor Gates.

It is astonishing how often the press contradicts itself with the same grandiosity as Obama and feels no one will notice. It is a club, the press, the prez, the extreme left;  built on thin tissue and big ego and challenged intelligence.

Good evening, Brian.

First off, I'm sorry to hear you spent your morning at a funeral today. My condolences to you.

Interesting links you share with us today. And I couldn't wait to comment on your mention of this new film for us music lovers. Not only is it a rock-n-roll film, but the cast couldn't get any better! I've been a huge U2 fan for years and have studied them from their start, and a few summers ago I bought a Led Zeppelin dvd and just fell in love with it. Jack White is an incredible musician too. I love how they threw in three very unique guitarists, It gave me goosebumps just watching the trailer. The best place to watch movie trailers is www.apple.com/trailers, for anyone who doesn't know of it yet. Thanks so much for sharing this with us, can't wait to see it when it's released!

Great broadcast tonight! As usual. Tonight's Making A Difference Story probably brought many of your viewers to tears. These people are Angels, it is such a touching story...I'm so glad they got the recognition they so much deserved, it's also very warming to know there are people like this who will do anything for others who need their help. Thanks for sharing this story.

Thank you for another great broadcast this week. David Gregory tells us he will be in for you this Friday, and though we love seeing you those Friday night's and look forward to wishing you a great weekend, it's always great seeing you get a break. I look forward to seeing David fill in for you Friday, he'll do a great job.

Good night, take care, and stay safe in all that rain! We're getting our (much needed) share down here as well! Seek "Shelter From the Storm"!

-Cary

Hi Brian:

Loved your blog today.  The story of John Doe, an Asian one at that, was great.  It was fun to read about his life experiences since chooising the name. Didn't anyone explain what the name John Doe is in America?  His story was great and I am sure it is not over yet.  Will definitely check out "It Might Get Loud" when is comes to California.  Speaking of music, will we get a new playlist or a BriTunes interview soon? Hope So (as if you have nothing better to do).  

Great Broadcast and great shirt and tie.  You looked awesome tonight.

Your reports on the Swine Flu were very informational and stressed how we need to work fast to get this vaccine out as soon as possible.  Yes, because of not having the vaccine for everyone right away, there are those that will need to be given it first but soon it will become vital that it is available to all so that we can try to thwart the spread of this flu fast.  

I know that the President's approval rating has gone down but people need to realize he has only been in office 6 months.  He entered office and was hit with so many vital issues that what he promised to do during the campaign had to be put on the back burner.  This is not his fault.  All in all I think he has done a good job.  Not everything came out perfect but he has tried and we need to give him a chance.  The biggest problem he is facing is trying to stay above the Republicans trying to ruin anything he tries to do.  His health care reform is so vital to this Country, yet the Republicans are trying to lessen the urgency of it with this birth certificate junk again and the race issue.  I truly hope Congress is moving closer to finalizing the health care reform and that after the break we will get the vote this Country needs.  The President is trying and that is more than the last administration ever did.

Ok, something is very wrong with our weather.  It's like the East Coast and the West Coast switched.  We need to get this hot weather out here in California back to you in New York and we want our cooler weather back.

Your report on the tanning booths was shocking.  I hope this will make some people think twice before going into one again.

I loved your "Making A Differnce" segment tonight. Wolunteers are the heroes of ths Country in all aspects.  What Monte and Susan have done is so selfless and loving and they continue to go above and beyond what anyone could imagine to help others.  They gave up their home, family and jobs to help those in need from Hurricane Katrina and other disaters.  The lives they have touched and made better through their sacrifices is wonderful. God bless them.  A great story to end your broadcast.

I hope you have a great evening and I am looking forward to your blog and broadcast tommorrow.

What? No coverage of the Iraqi government's attack on the MEK. The implications of this action are huge now that our troops have withdrawn to their bases. CBS has a nice report on this brutal attack last night, but NBC hasn't had any news coverage from Iraq for days. Is David spending all of his time in Afghanistan these days?

Hi Brian, (Thur.)

Just another note. I read the other posts and see that David Gregory is filling in for you tomorrow night. (Fri.)
I hope you have a great relaxing three days off. And is Lester ok? We haven't seen him in what sees like forever. Have someone let us know, please.
I did a few twitter searches and read the you got a "wake up call" from Willie Geist on his show, Way Too Early." I wish that I'd seen it. Everyone's raving about it on Twitter. My computer's so slow I can't even watch a clip of a video. I feel like I'm living in the stone age.

If you're not covering what's going on in Iran, could you please begin doing so? Things are becoming very heated again and poeple have been killed simply because they protested last time around. I hope we can see Ali Arouzi reporting. Also, what's happening wtih the two female reporters who were sentenced to hard labor in N. Korea? I know that things are being done behind the scenes, but instead of wasting any more time on Sarah Palin, can't we get a few seconds of an update on the women?

Brian, I know your time for broadcasting is very limted. Some of us have asked this before because of the rumors that where swirling a few mo. ago. Can't NBC go to an hour? I would love to see Lester and you become co-anchors. Either way, I really feel that the NBC news is somewhat incomplete. But you are still the best.

Also, while I'm making a wish list here, is Jane Stoddard Williams,(you know who)ever going to be able to post? That would be highly appreciated by your regular viwers and commenters. One more, are you ever going to wear a small paisley print tie, yes or no. I forgot, when are you going to give us another personal shout out? You can call me out next time. I can take it, but it had better be good. What I'm saying is: it's on Brother! I'm feeling spunky today, off today and tomorrow.

Anyway, I'll be watching tonight and hope you have a nice evening. Hope the rain's stopped there.

Vicki

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