With the Democratic convention in full swing, we’re at the start of the last leg in the race for the presidency…

And in the last week or so—we’ve gotten more than our share of calls from both Republican and Democratic fundraisers looking for money that’ll no doubt buy lots of ad time in the remaining weeks of the campaigns…

I don’t care WHO you’re representing— I don’t like telemarketers….

So, I give ‘em the special Sbraccia treatment..

In case you’d like to try it too— here’s a re-post of my telemarketer solution from last year …

* ORIGINALLY POSTED OCTOBER 19, 2007 *

~~~~~

FUN WITH TELEMARKETERS….

Having an odd name sometimes comes in handy when those ‘ole telemarketers start calling…

That tell-tale pause after I answer the phone when they try and figure out how to pronounce my name is my signal to let the fun begin on my end…

Annoying Telemarketer: Ah.. Mr. Saa–bee-trah… er– Sah-boog-ah-tar…Sbreee-caah-caka?…

ME: Yes?

Annoying Telemarketer: I’ve got a great offer I want to tell you about—-

ME: Oh.. I’m so glad you called.. It gets so lonely here… Just me and the cats.. I have 72 of them, you know…. They sometimes ignore me…That’s why it’s so nice you called… Let me tell you all their names….

Annoying Telemarketer: …But sir..

ME: Would you like to talk to one of them? C’mere Gizmo!..He’s my favorite….

Annoying Telemarketer: No.. I want to tell you about—

ME: Say “hello” to the nice man Gizmo.. No time to be shy, sweetie.. Speak up !!!… C’mon Gizmo… Hey mister—can you hear him??

….(CLICK)….

ME: Oh dear. they’re gone!

Or, sometimes I try this…..

Annoying Telemarketer: ….Is this…ah.. Mr. Soow-Brah-roo-cha?

ME: Yes….

Annoying Telemarketer: I’m calling from Fred’s Credit Cards with a special offer…

ME: OH.. This is SO perfect….

Annoying Telemarketer: Good—because we want to—

ME: I’m having trouble with my Calculus homework—and I need some help figuring out the co-sign of 3 over V deducted from the inverse of 120 to the 4th power…

Annoying Telemarketer: But sir—I’m with Fred’s credit cards..

ME: Yes..I know.. So you MUST be good with numbers…Now, do I need to do an algebraic logarithm first before I calculate or do I—

…(Click)…

I may not stop the guys who’ve figure out the loopholes in the “DO NOT CALL” list— but, at least it gives me a chance to annoy THEM before they annoy me!

—Steve

Link to the video and the story Steve covered today on NBC-17

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On the eve of the Democratic convention, a tornado touched down outside of Denver—perhaps apt symbolism for the tornado of activity that’s occurring on both sides of the aisle as the Dem’s get ready to make it official…

EATING THOSE WORDS….

The McCain camp has been creating a few tornados of its own…

Joe Biden hadn’t been the officially named running mate for more than a few hours before a new McCain Ad hit the airwaves using Biden’s own words to dis Obama…

Of course, I recall when a certain presidential contender named George Bush called the economic plan of Ronald Reagan, “voodoo economics.”

That’s the same George Bush that ended up serving two terms as Reagan’s veep, and a term himself as president.

CLINTON’S CARPS HELP McCAIN…

As soon as it became official that Hillary wasn’t going to get the nod, the McCain people let loose with another ad—using her words to hit Obama upside the head a few more times.

One gets the feeling this ad was already in the can, ready to go as a “look what Obama’s veep choice really thinks about him” should Hillary have gotten the nod.

But, instead of using the “What Does Barack Obama’s running mate say about Barack Obama” tag line that would have been used if Hillary was the choice for VP pick, they just re-wrote the front end a bit to say ” she won millions of votes but isn’t on his ticket.”

TEXT MESSAGE—ROUND TWO…

Meanwhile, the Dems are also busy trying to create a whirlwind of excitment over the convention.

As you recall, the Obama camp tried to generate as much buzz as possible by withholding their V.P. pick by saying they’d announce it by text message.

But, they waited too long, and hours before Biden was officially announced watchers had figured out the Secret Service was at Biden’s home, and the private aircraft charted to take him to Illinois was tracked landing in Delaware.

Now— they Dems are trying to build that same excitement into the first night of the convention that will feature a video tribute to Ted Kennedy…

There are scores of “will Teddy show or not” stories like this being generated.

Although a Kennedy appearance would certainly generate interest—I dare say—he’s no Michael Phelps, and I suspect ratings for the convention’s first night won’t be all that great—Teddy—or no Teddy on stage.

—Steve

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Since this blog’s inception a scant 10 months ago, we’ve tried to make it a place where ALL voices and viewpoints can be heard, because when you look at things through another’s eyes—we all grow.

I’ve got a colleague whose very passionate.

Sergio Quintana is passionate about many things, including his love for this country and the rich opportunities it presents.

He’s also passionate about the Olympics.

So, as we come to the end of the summer games, we present some of Sergio’s passions—through his eyes..

~~~~~~~

We are nearly all the way through the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and I can’t help but feel proud of all the men and women who traveled halfway around the world to represent the United States.

Every morning when I wake up, I am excited to see the daily medal count as I check headlines and my e-mail. Throughout the games, the U.S. and host country China have been neck and neck.

Chinese athletes have won more gold, but U.S. athletes have consistently won more overall medals.

But what I think warms me up the most about our Olympians is the diversity and skill they bring to each of their competitions.

Of course our biggest star is swimmer Michael Phelps.

No one can deny his talent and determination to win eight gold medals in these 2008 Olympic Games. Congratulations.

But let’s not forget his swim teammate Cullen Jones who won gold along with Phelps in the 400-meter freestyle relay.

It’s arguably THE event that electrified these Olympic Games. Jones is a North Carolina State graduate, and only the second black swimmer to bring home a gold medal. Congratulations.

And of course there is Dara Torres.

Her performance is historic because of a determination and skill that defied perceptions about age.

At 41 years old, she guided her team through a couple of medal winning showdowns. And she won one of her own bringing her career medal wins to 12. Congratulations.

Their triumphs make us proud.

But their diversity allows each one of us as Americans to share in their battles to be the best.

The athlete whose battle I can most identify with is 121 pound freestyle wrestler Henry Cejudo.

The son of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Cejudo is a living example of the modern American Dream come true.

I am not the son of immigrant parents. But I share integral pieces of his story, as do millions of others.

Cejudo comes from humble beginnings. He was raised by a single mother, and shared a small apartment with his family until he left home to train in Colorado at 17 years old.

He paid for wrestling lessons by earning his own money (he sold tamales in the street).

During his Tuesday match, Cejudo wrestled victory away from Japanese opponent Tomuhiro Matsunaga and won the gold.

Cejudo burst into tears and took a victory lap around the arena. He then wrapped himself in the American Flag out on the mat and declared, “The United States is the greatest country in the world!”

Amen to that and Congratulations.

More than any other country at these world competitions, our Olympians are diverse in age, race and ethnicity. When you look at our athletes you see they are white, black, Hispanic, and Asian.

They reflect who we are as Americans, and we are from EVERYWHERE.

—Sergio Quintana

~~~~~

What do you see through your eyes?

Share it with us.

—Steve

Link to the video and the story Steve covered today on NBC-17

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I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer—and sometimes I have trouble figuring things out..

As the King of Siam said to Anna, “Tis A Puzzlement…”

And these are some of the things that puzzle me:

THERE’S NO MAKING SOME FOLKS HAPPY…

Ask most folks what they hate most about politicians—and they’ll say it’s the fact that they stay in elected office forever—and they’re old with no new ideas…

So, you offer them someone fresh. Someone like Barack Obama— who is new, not part of the establishment and what do you get?

A lot of folks complaining that he’s too young and inexperienced to be president.

So, you offer them someone like John McCain whose full of life experiences, knows his way around the beltway— and has been in Washington for decades.

What do you get?

People complaining that he’s too old and too tied to the system…

‘Tis a puzzlement !

WHAT ARE YA BEACHING ABOUT?

There’s an Olympic competition that seems unfair when you compare the men’s version to the women’s version..

I’m talking about the beach volleyball event.

Why is it the men play it dressed in Tee Shirts and shorts—while the women play it in skimpy little bikinis?

Shouldn’t the women wear the same outfits as the men?

Or shouldn’t the guys play their matches clad only in skimpy little Speedos to give the women in the audience some eye candy too?

‘Tis a Puzzlement…

MAN OF SQUEAL…

As a kid I loved the old Superman TV show—whose reruns I watched endlessly.

But I could never figure out one thing.

Why would Superman stand defiantly as the bad guy shot bullets at him— but then duck when the bad guy invariably threw his empty revolver at him.

What EXACTLY was Superman afraid of from an empty gun?

‘Tis a puzzlement!

—Steve

Link here to the video and the story Steve covered today on NBC-17

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Well, we now know why those guys we’ve been posting about who claimed to have Bigfoot’s body never brought the corpse to their much ballyhooed news conference last week.

It turns out the “Bigfoot” was just a big rubber suit….

Now, Bigfoot hoaxers Rick Dyer and Matt Whitton are in big trouble…

Former corrections officer Dyer might find himself back in familiar surroundings— except he’ll be on the other side of the bars if fraud charges are upheld….

And Whitton—who had been a Clayton County, Georgia Police officer— is now out of a job for what his boss calls “violating his duty as a police officer.”

Chief Jeff Turner says once Whitton “perpetrated fraud, that goes to his credibility and integrity”

Plus, the owners of a Bigfoot website says they’re taking legal action against the pair…

Seems Searching for Bigfoot.Com paid the deceptive duo an undisclosed amount of money for the rights to the “body.”

You can read the eyewitness account here of how the site’s owner watched his hopes of discovering a new species evaporate away as the ice around the rubber costume melted…

When the Searching For Bigfoot.com web guy went searching for Whitton and Dyer, he discovered they were nowhere to be found—much like the elusive Bigfoot itself…

About the only good news in all of this is that if there IS a Bigfoot—it’s still out there—waiting for you or I to find him…

So—with that in mind—how much do you think I can get for this Bigfoot photo I snapped in the woods behind my North Carolina home last night?

—Steve

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