Babies and Food.

Don't you love how this blog turns into a discussion of babies and food when I take over? Maybe you don't. If you miss Patrick's deep debates about constitutional law and discussions of government control of the banking industry, then I apologize. We're going to cover the softer side of life today on the Morning Buzz and I think you'll like it because I have lots of good pictures to share! And good recipes, too!

Anyway, it's just me today. After working 12 days in a row, they let Dan have the morning off and Patrick is still spending time at home with his new babies. Actually, we are really short staffed today here on Today in Iowa. A lot of people are on vacation this week and we've got some kind of bug going around so we have a lot of people out sick, including Megan Reuther. So it was just me and our producer Ericka getting the show ready this morning. If there was something wrong, you can blame Ericka! Just kidding. You can probably blame me. Every once in a while, this shift kicks me in the *%$. And this morning I am runnin' on empty, as the saying goes, so I had a few blond moments when I was writing and delivering the news.

I talked to Patrick yesterday and got an update on Will and JT. Sounds like things are going well. Will has been home for a few days but doctors wanted to keep JT until today. Sally and Patrick will likely get to bring him home this morning if all goes as planned. Patrick and Sally are taking turns with feedings so although they aren't getting much sleep, they are getting some. I know they are excited to have the whole family together at home finally. Pat is supposed to return on Monday. I'm sure he'll have lots to write on the blog then. I love some of the pictures he sent. One is of Will in a Channel 13 onesie. Even though the boys are a healthy 5 1/2 pounds, don't they look so little.. especially next to Patrick who is about 6'3''. I didn't include pictures of Sally only because if she is anything like me I didn't want people seeing me right during those first few weeks. Although I will say she looks amazing... you can hardly tell she had twins! Yes, she is one of THOSE people who looks wonderful just days after giving birth.

I also couldn't resist putting a picture of my baby on the blog today. Yesterday I read to students at Hartford Elementary School and took him along. It was part of National Reading Month. Surprisingly, Evan sat on my lap and didn't move or say a word. That's definitely not his character. He is your typical spirited 20 month old boy who NEVER quits moving. He also happens to be obsessed with trucks and buses so yesterday was quite a treat when the secretary at Hartford Elementary let us go inside one of the buses. It's the simple things in life that bring true joy to children. I love it!

Ok... here's the recipe I promised yesterday. It's kind of cross between a soup and stew. Rachael Ray would call it a stoup, but that word annoys me. Anyway, it's very filling and I think you'll like it. I should mention, this recipe was given to me by my friend Desiree. She's a personal trainer and eats very healthy. But she also loves good food. And this is definitely a combination of good and good for you.

Mexican Chicken Soup

1 1/2 pounds chicken or turkey breast (You can use the packaged frozen kind)

1 jar Pace Salsa Verde

1 small can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)

1 can black beans (drained)

1 can corn (drained) or half a small package of frozen corn

1 T. cumin

3 T. cream cheese

Put everything in crockpot and cook for 7-10 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high. Shred chicken with a fork and add cream cheese until melted. Eat with tortilla chips and top with cheese and sour cream.

You can also cut up flour tortilla shells and bake them at 350 for 5 or 10 minutes as a topper. My husband Eric loves it!

I should also mention that Jeriann is doing very well. I think she has the best baby ever born. Luke is the kind of baby every new mother wishes she had because apparently he sleeps all the time. Jeriann said she nearly has to wake him in the middle of the night to eat. He slept for 5 hours straight the other night and always goes right back to sleep when he's done. She joked that she is getting more sleep now than she did when she was working. I am hoping to see her sometime soon. I meant to visit last weekend but something came up. Hopefully I will have some pictures soon.

Hope you all have a great weekend. We have no big plans. Just dinner tomorrow night with some friends we haven't seen in a while. And, tonight we're staying in and renting movies. See you on Monday!

Brooke

Peetering out on the Morning Show

“Peter out” and Pooh

Have you ever been caught off-guard by a saying that everyone apparently knows, but you’ve never heard? It happened to me this morning when Brad said the traffic would eventually “peter out” on I-235. I’ve lived in a lot of places, and can honestly say I’ve never heard the term. How embarrassing! For the record, it’s a verb that means something will gradually dwindle. Credit Brad with its proper use.

I never get tired of seeing this picture. A Des Moines Register photographer captured Iowa’s former governor, Tom Vilsack, dressed as Winnie the Pooh at the annual Spring Fling at Terrace Hill. Vilsack was famous for dressing up as story book characters for the event, which his wife Christie organized to promote literacy. Now, as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Vilsack is using Walt Disney characters in Public Service Announcements to get children interested in fitness. I’m not sure how honey fits into that equation.

It’s been a lot of fun filling-in for Patrick this week. My sincere thanks go to you, Brooke, and the crew. It’s funny how a more tiresome schedule can actually re-energize you at work!

If you are wondering why this random photo of Dan and his fiancee Shannon is on the blog it's because I couldn't get it on yesterday when our e-mail went down. I had to stick it up today because it's so cute. Believe it or not, I have never actually met Shannon since I rarely go out on the weekends with my co-workers now that I am on this schedule and have a 1 year old. Anyway, Congratulations Dan and Shannon on your upcoming wedding!

My mom laughed when I told her that the hamburger stroganoff recipe I posted a few weeks ago has become a hit. I can't tell you how many people have told me they made it and REALLY liked it. Growing up, this is one of the recipes my mom made all the time because it's easy and cheap. I think she got a little tired of it... but is very happy to hear it's bringing culinary joy to others! Anyway, I was thinking about the next recipe I should post and I think I found one that everyone will like. And, it's even easier than the stroganoff. I left it at home, so I will post it tomorrow. It's Mexican Chicken Soup and you make it in a crockpot. It seriously tastes like something you would order in a restaurant. So... look for that tomorrow!

I am headed down to Hartford to read to a group of grade school students later this morning. I'm taking Evan with me and hoping he will behave. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post tomorrow. Have a great day! I would also like to thank Dan for filling in for Patrick. We had a fun time together.

Brooke

Ash Wednesday..

This is an odd way to start the blog, but I need to first apologize to any Christians we might have offended. We mentioned Catholics (who also happen to be Christians) in the morning’s Ash Wednesday stories. We neglected to mention the Protestant denominations that also apply palm ash to followers’ foreheads. I grew up in Baptist churches that never used ash. My fiancée Shannon’s dad is a Methodist pastor in Newton, so I called her to ask what Methodists do. She said they put ash on the forehead or the hand. She added, “It’s Ash Wednesday. What else would you do?”

I agree with Dan, I always thought Catholics were the ones to put ash on their foreheads as part of Ash Wednesday. Shows you what I know. I am not Catholic and have always gone to non-denominational churches that don't do it. Although my husband grew up in a church that did encourage you to give up something for Lent. So a few days ago we both gave up sugar. Wow, that was hard. Everytime I wanted to cave, Eric would say to me, "Jesus gave up his life... the very least you can do is give up sugar." It was hard to argue with that!


That reminds me, I’m looking forward to our next pre-marital counseling session. (Did I really just write that?) Seriously, though, Pastor Phil Dicks from Jordan Creek Church is doing a great job of walking us through the process. In our first session, he had us fill-out personality tests. Then, he had us fill out personality tests the way we thought the other person would answer. Those should be some interesting results. Plus, Phil is a hoot!

You can stop digging through your pockets in search of that winning lottery ticket. Congratulations to Ricky Rushton! The 46-year-old Marshalltown man won the $1,000,000 prize ($700,000 lump sum, after taxes). He went about his business with the ticket in his wallet for two days before a cashier scanned it and told him the news. The video of Rushton showed him decked out in Minnesota Vikings apparel. Can you say, “season tickets?”

Mark Tauscheck had an interesting story this morning about a new bicycle bill working through the Iowa legislature. Among other things, it would create a five-foot “bubble” around cyclists, require drivers to look behind them before opening their door (think parallel parking) and make it a misdemeanor to honk your horn at a cyclist. We often forget that bicycles have just as much right to the road as cars do. I think the problem is that roads aren’t built to be “bicycle friendly.” You seldom ever see a bike lane, and the potholes are big enough to do some serious damage to both the bicycle and the rider. I’m not a cyclist, but if I were I think I’d stick to the many beautiful trails in Central Iowa. It’d be nice to hear some cyclists weigh-in on the matter.

Another bill that could make the roads safer appears to be a dead duck at the statehouse. I don’t favor banning talking on a cell phone while driving. I DO FAVOR BANNING TEXTING WHILE DRIVING! Have you ever been behind a car that slowly starts to veer into the other lane, then you pass them and realize their eyes are looking down and their thumbs are flying furiously!?! Brooke, that’s not you, is it?

No, Dan it is not. I can't multi-task that well and frankly I hate to text people. It takes WAY too long. I just communicate the old fashioned way -- I call people! Imagine that. And I would agree with Dan that legislation banning texting while driving is just fine with me. It's like sharing the road with someone who is drunk.

Brooke

Happy FAT Tuesday! As Brooke mentioned this morning, it kind of snuck up on us this year. I’m on a mission today to find some boiled crawfish. I got hooked on them when I lived in Houston for a year, but it’s hard to find them in Des Moines. Anyone have a suggestion where I could track them down?

Actually, I have an idea for you Dan.. or anyone else who likes Cajun food. There is little place in Valley Junction that serves really spicy, garlicky southern-type food in a cute little place on the main strip. It's called Simo's. It's been a few years since I've been there. I remember Eric telling me that he could smell my garlic breath a room away after we came home from the place which I guess is the mark of a place that really knows how to serve cajun food. I bet they have crawfish. Here's a link to the Register review of the food.

Speaking of fish, the state of Florida is banning manicurists and pedicurists from using tiny fish in their salons. This sounds bizarre, but apparently it’s a trend in Asia that made its way to the U.S. Customers sink their hands and feet into a bowl full of water, and hundreds of tiny fish nibble away at the dead skin. YUCK!

There’s a saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Today, there IS such a thing as a free breakfast! I-HOP is giving a free short stack of pancakes to anyone who walks in the door today. In return, they’d appreciate a free will donation to the Children’s Miracle Network. So, technically, the breakfast is only free if your conscience will allow it.

Speaking of pancakes and Fat Tuesday... apparently the two go together in some parts of the world. Our morning show video editor Stephen grew up in England and he tells us Fat Tuesday is actually called Pancake Day in Great Britain. Here's something I found online about the "holiday":

Pancake Day is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) which is the day before Lent. Lent is a Christian holiday that was established in the 4th century as 40 days and is generally a period of fasting or other forms of self-denial. People generally eat a lot and have fun the day before Lent begins. Shrove Tuesday is often referred to as Pancake Day because fats, which were generally prohibited during Lent, had to be used up. People would take all the eggs and dairy products that they had left in their kitchens and use them to make delicious pancakes.

Megan promised great weather for today, and she’s delivering! Blank Golf Course opens at 9:00 am. I’ll bet Patrick would be there in a heartbeat, if he weren’t busy with the new babies. Maybe he could strap on a couple of “cart seats” and bring the boys along.

Check your Powerball tickets, people! A $1,000,000 winning ticket was sold in Marshalltown for Saturday’s drawing, but no one has come forward to claim it. The winning numbers are 13 – 31 – 41 – 45 – 46. Man, that would buy a lot of pancakes… or crawfish.

Have a great day, everyone. If you observe Lent, I hope you savor whatever it is you plan to give up today!

Brooke and Dan

Oscars, Dan Winters & Sleepless at Statehouse

Happy Monday! This is Dan sitting-in for Patrick. I’ll be here through Thursday. Please bear with me, as the sleep schedule gets adjusted. :-) Brooke is making the transition quite pleasant, I must say. By the way, my CONGRATULATIONS go to Patrick and Sally on becoming new parents. It’s crazy how quickly our newsroom family is growing these days.

Did you catch the Oscars? I didn’t see “Vicki Cristina Barcelona,” but I’m still glad Penelope Cruz won for best supporting actress. I could listen to that accent all night! Hugh Jackman was a true triple threat as host. “Slumdog Millionaire,” Sean Penn, Kate Winslet (also a cool accent), and Heath Ledger took top honors. Who did you think should have won, but didn’t?

It's Brooke here..

During commerical break, Dan asked me my favorite movie of the year and I was almost embarrassed to tell him because it's not exactly Academy Award winning material (not that an Oscar nomination always makes a movie worth seeing). I told him my favorite was Tropic Thunder. It was at once both stupid and smart. Robert Downey, Jr. played a white actor playing a black man and he was the star of the movie. It was basically a spoof on Hollywood actors but you had to pay attention to get all the jokes. I have had people tell me they hated it and didn't get the humor. Anyway, if you haven't seen it... I think it's definitely worth renting. Besides, Jack Black is also in it and anything with him is worth seeing!

By the way... Dan said his favorite was Slumdog Millionaire which I agree is one of the best of the year.

I fell asleep at 8:00, but I loved Hugh Jackman's introduction. I had no idea the guy could dance and sing as well as act. Dan said it best when he described it as a throw-back to the Oscar shows of the past. I loved it!

Megan made a great analogy this morning. She said we’re finally getting through the “Wednesday of Winter,” meaning we’re over the seasonal hump, so to speak. Get ready for the lower 50’s by Wednesday!

The forecast has a lot of Iowans excited to get into the great outdoors. You need to book your site now, if you plan on camping at a state campground this Memorial Day Weekend. The Iowa DNR opened up its phone reservation system today. The number is (877) 427-2757. That’s (877) IA-PARKS for the numerically challenged. You can also book online at http://www.reserveiaparks.org/.

I talked to Patrick over the weekend and it sounds like Sally and the boys are doing well. The twins will stay in the hospital for a few more days but Sally and Patrick are home and I know they are both very happy about that, although they certainly wanted to bring their children home with them. But all things considered everyone is doing well. I had planned to go visit this weekend but things got a little crazy at the hospital so Patrick and I agreed that it would be better if I wait a while to see them. Maybe after they come home I will pop over. I am just dying to get my hands on them!

Think your Monday is off to a bad start? Consider Iowa House Speaker Patrick Murphy. He’s been sitting in his chair around-the-clock since Friday! House Democrats are holding out hope they’ll receive one more “yes” vote they need in order to pass the prevailing wage bill. It appears Rep. Murphy’s last ditch effort might be all for nothing. There’s no sign any of the Democrats who voted against the bill will change their minds. If they don’t, the bill will be dead by one o’clock this afternoon. Stay tuned. I’m off to catch a quick power nap before noon.

Dan and Brooke

The News... The Weekend... The Oscars

Good morning. I'm not sure why... but I am really struggling with what to write this morning. When I walked in this morning, I told everyone in the newsroom I hoped I could get through the show without making too many mistakes because I am just zapped of energy. In fact the best word to describe my state right now is SPENT. I probably shouldn't be complaining too loudly because Jeriann and Patrick are probably thinking they would give anything for a straight 6 or 7 hours of sleep right about now. I think part of the reason I am feeling so tired is that I didn't get a nap in this week and frankly, 6 1/2 hours of sleep at night just doesn't cut it anymore. I am getting old! Anyway, don't mean to complain, I just want to explain why this blog might not be up to par with Pat's standards! :)

We had a little bit of everything in the news this morning.. from the Prevailing Wage Bill to Shawn Johnson learning to do the foxtrot. I think the most interesting story of the morning came from Andy Fales. It only aired at 5:00, so most of you probably didn't get a chance to see it, so you'll have to take a look at it online. Andy, like only Andy can, tried to find a car from every county at the boy's state wrestling tournament. He only found about 70 but the journey he takes you on during the piece is pretty funny.

The Oscars air this weekend and for some reason I'm just not that into it. Most years, my husband and I try to see most of the films up for best picture but this year we only saw a couple of them -- The Wrestler and Slumdog Millionaire. Both were very good although I liked Slumdog better. Maybe it's a mark of age, but I don't really care what movie stars wear anymore. I'm such a fun hater! The Oscar's used to be my Super Bowl but this year I would be surprised if I make it past 8 pm. Do you have any predictions on Oscar winners this year?

I am going home for a few minutes to see my little guy and then I am back for the noon show. I am also hoping to see Jeriann today, so I may have an update and pictures on Monday. Pat is still on "maternity leave" but he managed to reply to yesterday's blog and here's what he had to say:

"Thanks to all the bloggers who posted well wishes here...The Boys are fraternal...I just got done with their evening feeding and they're eating very well. My mom and Dad are in town so they were up in NICU helping out. I didn't see if someone asked but William is My middle name. I was named after my Great Uncle Bill who also worked in Radio. I was reminded tonight it is also my Uncle Jim's Middle name...I knew I liked you Hawk!Bennett is Sally's Grandfather Ed's middle name...also I found out tonight it's her great great grandfather's first name...John is my grandfather on my Dad's side. Travers is Sally's Great Grandfather's middle name. He was Julius Travers but everyone called him JT. That's where the JT comes from. JT is also the creator of Sally's secret family eggnog that Brooke likes so much at Christmas.I'm going to bed...I need the sleep!"

I hope you all have a good weekend. I have a friend from High School I haven't see in years who is coming into town tonight. I can't wait to see her. Other than that, no big plans. Have a good weekend!

Brooke

Welcome to the world Will and JT!

It seems like it was yesterday when Pat told me on the set during a commercial break that Sally was pregnant.... and then a few days later that there was not one heartbeat, but two! I remember seeing the excitement and perhaps a little fear in his eyes that day but I knew if there was anyone up for the job.. it was Pat and Sally. They both have a ton of energy... which I suppose you need with two! And let me tell you, I have never seen a father-to-be do so much research on parental issues.

Well, seven months later, here we are talking about little John Travers and William Bennett. And they are precious. Apparently Will was the first to enter the world at 10: 41 a.m. J.T was born a few minutes later at 10:44. As you can see from the pictures, they are beautiful and healthy looking. Both came in at around 5 1/2 pounds and they are a picture of health. With multiples, it's standard procedure to take them to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. J.T. and Will are still there this morning but breathing on their own, which is a good sign. All the tests came back showing the babies are healthy and Pat says he got to hold one of them briefly last night. Sally should be able to hold them this morning which I imagine she is just dying to do at this point. Yesterday I could sense a lot of relief as I talked to Pat on the phone. I think there was some fear that they might not be able to breath on their own because they were 5 weeks early, but clearly they are doing very well! Congratulation to the Dix Family! I know they are excited to get home and start the journey.

Ok... Second only to babies, my other favorite thing to talk about is food. Maybe it's because I love to eat. Anyway, I told you I would pass along one of my favorite recipes every week and this next one is a favorite that I made for Pat and Sally last week. They loved it and I think you will, too. It is true comfort food and the crust takes it from good to amazing! It came out of Gourmet Magazine, but I tweaked it a little. It's also pretty easy although you might have to make a trip to the grocery store for a couple of the ingredients.

Macaroni and Cheese

SERVES 8, AS A MAIN COURSE - OR - 12 TO 14, AS A SIDE DISH

For the topping:

1/4 stick (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter - melted

2 cups, panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or coarse dry bread crumbs

1 cup (about 4 ounces) extra-sharp Cheddar - coarsely grated

For the cheese sauce and macaroni:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 3/4 cups whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 cups (about 1 pound) extra-sharp Cheddar - coarsely grated

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound elbow macaroni

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.

To Make the Topping: In a bowl, stir together the melted butter, panko, and 1 cup of cheese until well combined.

To Make the Sauce: Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat. Whisk in the flour and red pepper flakes and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes to make a roux. Whisk in the milk in a slow stream, then bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer, whisking occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream, the 4 cups of Cheddar, mustard, salt and pepper. Remove the pot from the heat and cover the surface of the sauce with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming.

To Cook the Macaroni and Assemble the Dish: In a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt per every 4 quarts water), cook the macaroni until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the macaroni. In a large bowl, stir together the cooked macaroni, the reserved cooking water, and the sauce, then transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish (mixture will be loose).

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the macaroni. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Hope you enjoy!

Have a great day. I'll update you tomorrow!

Brooke

Real Estate Reality, Lolo, and A Change of Plans

Good Morning...
I'll skip the niceties and get right to it today.

Real Estate Reality
We had a good discussion during our breaks about the housing market ad the Obama Administration's plans to bail out struggling homeowners. Andy Fales did a story last night the sparked the discussion. It was another story about the reality vs the myth of home buying.
A Real Estate agent said she felt like the Media was at fault because we scared so many people out of buying homes. It's a really good time to buy. That was her message.
I'd agree...the "Housing Crisis" they've seen in places like Arizona, Nevada, Florida and California hasn't ever translated fully here to Iowa. It's probably because the state is a little more conservative financially speaking.
That said, to suggest the Media in some way "created" this crisis is crazy. It oversimplifies the problem to suggest a false sense of fear is what drove sales of homes down. Irresponsible buying and lending created the crisis. There are some people who overbought. They're in homes they never should have been looking at much less buying, and the banks, let them do it.
I can't imagine what these people were thinking. When Sally and I bought, we looked at what we could afford a month...utilities, insurance, expenses for owning...then we bought based on that number and the amount we could put down. Our Real Estate Agent showed us homes in that range. Sure we wanted a home that was bigger, but we couldn't afford it.
People are finding zeros at the bottom of their retirement balance sheet, they're looking at costs that are rising, and jobs in jeopardy. I think they might ACTUALLY have a few things to be concerned about.

I get that some Real Estate Agents might feel the need to blame someone for their slow sales. It's their living, and it shows a certain sense of their own fear. The housing boom made a lot of good Real Estate Agents GREAT money, and made some really bad Real Estate Agents look like they knew what they were doing. That's not my opinion...ask a Real Estate Agent that's stilt doing well these days. They'' tell you the same thing.

Lolo
Every time you think Lolo Jones tops the "good person" scale, she finds a way to outdo herself.
SHE TOOK HER WINNINGS FROM A HUMANITARIAN AWARD AND GAVE THEM AWAY!!!! I love it. I hope I can act more like her. I hope more people will follow Lolo's example.


A Change of Plans
I'd planed on being at work tomorrow and then taking a few days off.
The docs tell us it's time to meet these boys.
We were scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. That's been bumped up to tomorrow morning.
I could probably work and then make it back to the hospital in time but I think my wife would appreciate me not risking it. We'll send off pictures as soon as we can.
Before I venture off into he unknown here I wanted to fill in some of the blanks about these past few weeks. My colleagues at the station, our friends and family deserve a huge debt of thanks for their accommodations over the last two months of this pregnancy.
An employee couldn't ask much more from his employer. Mine has shown me they truly believe my family should come first in my life. The team at WHO has (often) had to pick up my slack when I could not devote full attention to work. They never complained and I know I owe them bigtime.
I want to also take a minute to say a public thank you to the staff and particularly the Nurses at Mercy Medical Center. Sally has been on bed rest at the hospital for about four weeks now and there is simply NO WAY we could have done it would the support and care they've given her. They've made it possible for me to stay at the hospital with Sally anytime I want (most nights) and have been as accommodating of our needs as they can be.
We owe them so much. They've given our boys a much better chance at a healthy start.
So it's time. Time to meet the best gifts we've ever given each other.

Thanks again for all your well wishes and advice.
I'll say again what we observe so many times covering this state: The people here in Iowa are some of the kindest, in the world. We are lucky to be here.
Have a good day!
PWD

Fatal Fires, President's Day, and Countdown II

Good Morning
Our Monday was a lot better thanks to the fill in efforts of Jenny Hettman. She is normally an associate producer for Today in Iowa. Or Producer, Ericka, is off this morning so Jenny stepped in. Sher did a great job and we appreciate the effort.
To the News:

Fatal Fires
If the news of fatal fires around the state aren't enough for you to go out and get some new smoke detectors...or at least test the ones you have, I don't know what will.
With two babies coming into our home it's been on my mind. We did some research and went out looking for both ionization and photoelectric alarms. These can detect both smoke from fires and fires that haven't emitted heavy smoke yet and are just flames and heat. Go out and do some research and see which ones you need for your home, but don't wait for an accident in your home. We have enough examples of why you should make sure your smoke detectors work.

President's Day
We ran a survey that asked historians who the best and worst President of the United States is/was. What do you think. I put a poll over on the right. Go ahead and vote...if I've left your favorite off the list, let us know in your comments.
Brooke and I were also talking about some the best Presidential books we've read. We both loved Theodore Rex. Any of you want to throw another title on that list. I'm always looking for a good history read.

Never Give your Cell Phone Away When Your Wife is Pregnant
Saturday night I was running around doing some errands....I needed to get some dinner and since I was near Jordan Creek I went out to PF Chang's for takeout. I forgot it was Valentine's Day...it was a madhouse. So they told me it was going to be 45 minutes till the food was ready and since I was in sweats and a ball cap, I decided I'd take a walk in the Mall. It seemed like a good time to go ask my Cell carrier why my phone was randomly turning off. I asked at the store and a nice woman told me my software wasn't up to date. "No problem", she told me, "It'll be about 20 minutes and we'll have it updated".
20 minutes later I returned. Another one of the sales staff went into the back and came back without my phone. "Sorry... we fried your phone." he said. After my heart rate slowed and steam stopped coming out of my ears...I started thinking. I'd now been out of cell phone reach for 20 minutes and this could potentially stretch that longer...what if I'd missed Sally's call? What if I had two sons already at the hospital already scared for life because their Father is such an irresponsible idiot that he leaves his cell phone in someone else's hands while his wife is MUCHO-pregnito??? The Sales guy's calm demeanor snapped me back to reality. No problem he said. They'd just replace the phone. They did...the tech even backed up my address list.
So I have a new phone. Sally didn't call so I wasn't in trouble and my children would have to wait a little longer before I scar them for life.
They did loose my "Bear Down Chicago Bears" ring tone though.

Countdown II
On the subject of the impending birth of our sons.
Sally and I are down to a matter of days and hours before we welcome out two little guys into the world. Finishing up final details seems like a never ending battle but I think we're chipping away. It's been quite a journey to get here and everyone keeps asking, "Are you ready?". Is anyone really ready? The number of different scenarios in front of us right now is enough to make me want to grab one of those brown paper bags and prevent hyperventilation. So I'm trying not to think about it and instead let it come to me. We're as ready as we're ever going to be, and we keep saying...people a lot dumber than us have done this and managed to raise relatively well adjusted kids. We'll do our best.

Have a Good one.
PWD

Good morning and TGIF! It sounds like we are in for quite a bit of snow later today. This is not good for the Bouma clan. We're taking off for Wichita this afternoon to visit Eric's dad and it looks like the snow is coming right as will be leaving. Talk about bad timing! There's nothing like slick roads and a restless 19 month old to make the trip exciting! I have the toys and food ready for Evan and I am hoping he'll sleep for at least half of the trip. Any other suggestions for keeping a toddler content during a car ride?

Our big story this morning was about the plane crash in Buffalo, NY. The NTSB thinks the plane just dropped from the sky right before it was scheduled to land. So far there are 50 victims and we just learned this morning that one of them was the widow of a 9-11 Terror Attack victim who was going back to Buffalo to see her late husband's family.

The stimulus Bill will get passed this weekend (unless a lot of lawmakers suddenly change their minds). Now Iowa lawmakers are waiting to see how much of that money we will get and some of it could be used to fix our budget. The biggest chunk of the legislation will come in the form of tax breaks for about 95% of us. That means starting in June, you may get an extra $13.00 a week in your paycheck. Think you can't buy much for $13? Andy Fales last night found a few things at the Home and Garden Show: A garden hose rack, Pet Stain Remover and a Sham-Wow. If you haven't seen his story... check it out online. It'll make you laugh.

Ok.. some of you asked me to start posting more of my recipes. How about I share one a week? I'll take a look over the weekend and add a new one on Monday or Tuesday. In the meantime, have a great weekend!

Brooke

Sex Offender Rules, Electoral College, and What they Don't Tell You

Good Morning.
After reading my blog posts from the past few days I'm realizing I'm a little punchy. The same thought occurred to me when I made coffee this morning in the station break room. I didn't put the carafe all the way under the filter. The result was about 3/4 of a pot of coffee on the floor instead of in the pot. I realize, again, I need to be more careful about almost everything I do....so, If I miss a few words on the ol' spellcheck, forgive me. We're in full countdown mode for the arrival of the twins. Thanks to many of you who've sent notes along via email.
Also raise your hand if you want Brooke to throw out a favorite recipe every week!


To the News:
Sex Offender Rules
The never ending quest to make sure no one harms our kids continues at the Statehouse. The thing I never understood is that the vast majority of people who sexually abuse kids know their victims. So these measures that protect us from the unknown attacker are nice, and I think they may make people feel better, but I'm not sure it would stop the vast majority of abuse cases.



Electoral College
Most of our off camera discussion this morning surrounded this issue. There's an effort to give Iowa's seven Electoral College votes to the Presidential Candidate who wins the Popular vote. The State Senator who is pushing the bill says it would ensure Iowa has MORE influence in an election. I disagree. The whole idea behind the Electoral College is that less populous states still have influence on an election. It's so the will of a large, concentrated majority doesn't drive national politics. I think that's what you've seen in the last few years. Smaller states have made the difference in 2000 and 2004. Think of the result if this passed. Candidates could win big cities, and states like Iowa, Missouri, even Minnesota could be passed over entirely by a candidate. It could lead to candidates completely losing touch with the needs of people in those "fly-over" states.
I know Democrats are still mad over the 2000 election but isn't it time to get over it?


What They Don't Tell You
Over the past week or two I'm coming to the realization the all of the books and magazines we've read about being parents or being pregnant, usually leave at least one important detail out. From Cord Blood to Breast Feeding; From Sleep Schedules to Swaddling, they don't tell you there is usually a middle of the road alternative. When I hear these, I'm struck by how common sense they seem. I also usually end up feeling like a total dupe. You don't know any better, especially as a new parent. I'm reading about how my kid is going to have a third head if I don't do this or they're going to grow up to be an axe murderer if you don't do that...
I sure hope I'm right about this but I'm thinking there's nothing I can do that's going to leave an indelible scar on my kids or their psyche.

With that...I hope you have a good day.
PWD

Random thoughts and best recipe ever!

Good morning everyone! Pat is off today and no, he's not a father yet. (I assume that is what some of you are wondering) I know he'll be excited to share the good news when it does happen but there are no babies yet. Speaking of babies... I hope to have an update on Jeriann's little guy soon. And maybe even a new picture if she has time to send one between the feedings... trying to get a few minutes of sleep... changing diapers... and the craziness of being a first-time parent.

*So... yesterday reminded me that I am not completely crazy for living in Iowa. It seems like every year about this time I ask myself why I don't live in Arizona or Florida. Yesterday was exactly what we needed to get through the rest of the winter. Evan and I played outside all day and at one point he looked at me with such a big smile that I imagined he was thinking, "mom, there is were I am meant to be." He's had croup and been stuck inside for a week, so I think it did us both good to get outside.

*Last night.. I made dinner ( I usually do the cooking in our house simply because I like to and Eric doesn't) and tried out a new recipe for Pepper Chicken. It was so good I can't stop thinking about! And Eric even claimed it was the best thing I have ever made and I tried a lot of recipes in our 4 years together! So, I've attached a link to the recipe. There are a couple of adjustments I made. First, make the sauce in a separate pan and then add the browned chicken and cook for about about 3 or 4 minutes. Otherwise the sauce is too runny. Also, you can use a red pepper (Thai peppers are hard to find) but I would recommend only using about a fourth of it. And, you can use less black pepper if you want... it's pretty spicy! I also add cashews and that makes it perfect.

*Speaking of food... one of our bloggers asked about the hamburger stroganoff I made for Pat. It's about the most basic recipe you can find and it's not very glamorous but it is soooo good. Here's the recipe:

Cook 1 1/2 pound of hamburger with a diced onion. Add I package cream cheese and 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Put on top of 1 package of cooked egg noodles and back for 350 for 1/2 hour.

*This is the feel-good story of the day. A teenager in Indianola started a local chapter of an organization called Becca's Closet. Basically she has been taking donated prom dresses and this weekend she will begin giving them away to girls who cannot afford a dress for prom. What a great idea for several reasons. First, prom dresses are used one time. It's kind of like a wedding dress. We spend all this money on it and you wear it for a couple of hours. So, why not pass them along. Second, it gives everyone an opportunity to go to prom in something nice. We have more information on this organization under "As Seen on Thirteen."

*Facebook is addicting. But then I probably didn't have to tell you that if you are already on it!

* Is my brain turning to mush or is The Muppet Show really funny? We've started letting Evan watch a video or two a day. It's something I didn't think I would do, but I caved! Hey, how are supposed to fill 12 hours without at least a little bit of television? Anyway, he liked Baby Einstein but is now moving on to Elmo and the other day I bought the first season of the Muppets thinking it might be perfect for a 20 month old. I was totally wrong. First, he's not really interested in it yet and I am kind of glad. Some of the skits are a little violent. But the thing that I didn't remember about the Muppets growing up is all the adult humor. Obviously I didn't "get it" when I was young. And that's a good thing, I guess. There's lots of sexual innuendo and some pretty witty humor. I was actually watching and laughing out loud at some of the skits. That show it darn funny! So, am I really losing it... or would you agree?

Anyway... hope you have a great day and we'll talk more tomorrow.

Brooke

A-Rod Apology,Never Give up on Your Team and Why Brooke's the Bomb

Good Morning

The set was full of a wide range of topics this morning thanks to our news headlines. We'll get right to it.

A-Rod

Sally and I started a conversation last night after news of the A-Rod apology broke. What do you say to a kid who'd idolized this baseball player for the past few years? This is probably old hat for you parents by now, but as a soon to be Dad and Mom we struggled with it.

We talked about what we might say to our kids..."people makes mistakes, and you should apologize when you do." Nobody's perfect.

We also talked about not putting athletes up as examples of how a person should live their life.We talked about cheating. We asked each other what we might say if one of our kids was left off a team or out of a competition, even though he knew one of the kids that made the team cheated.

After a wide ranging conversation we were left with the conclusion that our kids are not going to like a lot of what we have to say. What's more, we're not going to make their lives any easier by asking them to live by our rules.

I'm far from perfect, and I think my kids will understand that, but I try to make sure I'm putting my best forward each day, and in each commitment I make. One thing I took away from my own relationship with my parents growing up...they were not my friends...they were my parents.

I didn't always like them, I didn't always want to listen to what they had to say. The funny part is, that made it much easier to be friends with my parents when I grew up.

Brooke has some good thoughts and I'll let her add them rather than trying to speak for her..

Never Give Up on your Team

Speaking of advice I'd give my kids...

I wrote here before that I was having a hard time getting into the college basketball season. Not anymore. I am officially jumping on the MIZZOU bandwagon. I say that because I haven't watched Missouri basketball for a couple of years. They've been rebuilding and I wanted to give them some privacy. But last night was Big Monday on ESPN and the bi-annual border war between Missouri and Kansas. This game is a lot more fun in my house because I have two siblings that went to KU. So I texted my sister and brother to remind them of the game. My sister laid down a little text smack...and by tipoff we had a bet. Dinner to the winner.

I went to bed around eight thirty...halftime of the game and MIZZOU was down my 16.

I was pretty sure I owed my sister a night out. To my surprise this morning, The Tigers pulled it out in the final seconds and, for the next few weeks at least, bragging rights are mine!

More importantly, I have something to cheer for come tournament time. I was hoping we could time the boys arrival to the first week of the NCAA tournament but alas...I think they'll be here a lot sooner.

Why Brooke is the Bomb

Sally and I had dinner courtesy of the kitchen of One Brooke Bouma last night. It was a Beef Stroganoff kinda casserole thing and IT WAS GOOOOOD! Brooke is one of the people who've been helping Sally and I out during the final few weeks of her pregnancy. I'll explain more after we're done being pregnant, but it's been a challenge. Brooke and other friends like her have made it a lot easier for me to be a good/supporting husband, and spend my time concentrating on my wife and her health. Thanks Brooke!

Have a Good Day...

PWD

Pay cuts, Fighting for the Exclusive and Weird Weather

Good Morning...
It's definitely a Monday around here. We were all a little flat this morning but I hope it didn't show too much.
I wanted to thank the Skybox Lounge for hosting the Leukemia Lymphoma Aces Up Poker Tournament Saturday. I got to play some cards with some great guys and had a lot of fun. Too bad, I had to leave early because I had some guests come into town. I was doing pretty well. Anyway it was for a good cause and I was happy to participate.


To the news:
City Cuts
However insignificant they may seem to some people, it's at least a symbolic gesture that the City Council and Mayor are taking a pay cut before they decide on cutting jobs. A lot of you may know this but for those of you who don't, City Council Members and the Mayor don't get paid some exorbitant salary for their work. It's a full time job, and most people on the Council have a "real job" they do in their "spare" time. The pay cut they're talking about isn't going to save the city a ton of money, but I think the simple act of taking the cut is important.

Fighting for the Exclusive
The behind the scenes of this morning's Network news was almost as interesting as the stories themselves.
The Today Show did day 2 of 3 promoting it's interview the mother of the octuplets.
CBS's Early Show extended it's Katie Couric interview of the US Air crew to day four. Many of you will remember that The Today show thought they had the pilot of that US Air flight a day or two after the accident. The interview was "delayed", but then CBS stepped in with a better offer, whatever that looks like.
So this morning we had dueling exclusives and I'm left to wonder if anyone cares as much as we build this stuff up. The US Air story is as compelling as it gets. The interview with the Mom is something I think a lot of people are curious about. It's the buildup that I think can turn people off sometimes. I'd like to know what you think.

Weird Weather
I walked out to the car this morning and was pleased to see the temperature gauge at 35 degrees. When I saw Megan's forecast I almost had to laugh. We're talking about thunderstorms today and the possibility of snow later in the seven day. Welcome to Iowa in the winter. I'm glad for the warmth this weekend but the resulting muck left by the melting snow is pretty gross. The lawns look bad, the roads look bad and we track everything with us into the house. C'mon Spring!

That's about all I've got this morning. I hope you all have a good start tot eh week.
PWD

Just a follow up

Today's going to be a day of some random thoughts and responses.

A blog responder named Fact Checker seemed to take exception to my criticism of Wells Fargo's plans for an employee appreciation trip to Vegas.
Here's the post if you missed it:

How come you don't tell the OTHER side of the story PAT DIX!? Nobody knows that WELLS FARGO was FORCED to take that bailout money! Wells Fargo didn't need it! They can afford everything on their own. They even used their OWN money to buy Wachovia, they didn't need to BORROW anything from the government for that! And that trip to Vegas? They do that every year and have been for the past umpteen years, so just because we're in a recession they have to cancel an annual event to make them look good in the public's eye?Next time before you start reporting on what you "think" you know, you may want to check the OTHER side of the story first!!

There are certainly a lot of rumors about whether the Treasury Secretary "forced" the banks to take TARP Money. I wasn't there, neither was Fact Checker. That's not the point. The point is that while you are using taxpayer money, it might be a good idea to dial it back a little bit.

Is that too much to ask? FactChecker's post makes it sound as if denying Wells employees a trip to the Wynn was equivalent to hanging them by their thumbs!
If public pressure ruined FactChecker's first corporate junket, we feel badly for him/her.

Maybe I'm way off base here, but it seems to me Americans would think a reasonable trip to Vegas would be a fine way to reward employees. No one's asking a company to stop a successful incentive program, especially if it helps productivity and profit.
On the other hand, I work very hard, I feel valued by my employer and they didn't have to offer me a junket to the Wynn to make that happen.
Heck, I earn a nice living and I can tell you I expect I will NEVER see the inside of a Wynn Hotel Room.
How about a nice weekend at the MGM. The Paris is nice. I got a fax machine as a bonus from WHO once...My former employer in Peoria gave us a turkey for Thanksgiving...The current economic climate calls for some caution and restraint.
One more thing. All of this is solved with a little nimble PR. How did the ARMY of PR people employed at Wells Fargo not see this one coming?
Maybe the Board of Directors at Wells Fargo picking up the tab? I think they've got the scratch for this one? Pass the Hat at the next meeting. Maybe the CEO of Wells pays for the whole thing? The employees who earned this didn't do anything wrong and they shouldn't be punished.

Post #2 came from someone wrote that they were connected with the apartment building that burned down in Boone. The poster criticized our reporting last night on the Boone Fire. Mark Tauschek talked to Firefighters and one of the women who survived the fire.
The poster started the post by writing:
Concerning the tragic fire in Boone and WHO's suggestion that the building owners were negligent in providing smoke detectors:

You can read the rest of the post if you like but that's the gist of the criticism. I simply wanted to point out and let you see what Mark Reported.

ONE THING FIREFIGHTERS NOTICED WHEN THEY GOT INTO THE SMOKE-FILLED BUILDING - EXCEPT FOR THE SOUND OF JAN SCREAMING - IT WAS QUIET ... SO ONE THING THEY WANTED US TO EMPHASIZE - IMPORTANCE OF SMOKE DETECTORS... THEY DIDN'T FIND EVIDENCE OF ANY IN THE BUILDING..

Mark never suggested negligence, he never accused anyone of anything he simply reported what firefighters told him about their experience inside the building.
That does not mean there weren't detectors. The poster say there were and I have no reason to believe otherwise.
I hope everyone heard this as a reminder from Firefighters. Working smoke detectors save lives. That means people who own apartments should provide them, and people living in the apartments have a responsibility to make sure they work.
I can understand how emotions might be running high after a tragedy like this. A clarification is in order here and I hope that clears up the reporting at the end of that story.

Other Random thoughts:
-The Economic Stimulus Bill is about spending money...the President had that part right last night. What he isn't showing me right now is a willingness to call out his colleagues about spending we might be able to wait on.
I don't think it's too much to ask Congress to wait on spending $870 million on preventing pandemic flu, $400 million for STD prevention, $34 million for remodeling the Commerce Department, and $25 million for repairing recreational trails. That's 1.3 billion lopped off right there. It's a start.
I would trust this bill a lot more if Dems backed away from the gravy train.
And before you say, "Republicans have been doing it for years"; it doesn't matter what happened before. It was wrong then, and it's wrong now.

-Ann Curry's interview with the Mom who had eight kids (for a grand total of 14), was riveting. It's like watching a train wreck. There are so many things wrong with this I don't know where to start. Please no one lecture me that this woman "just wants to have kids". You'll be barking up the wrong tree. People make choices, and those choices have consequences. There was a clearer, and a lot of experts would say, more responsible choice to be made here. She didn't do it, and it's the kids that could end up suffering. And the Mom shouldn't take all of the responsibility. What about the ethical questions for the doc who did this?

I've said too much as usual.
Hope you all have a good weekend.
PWD

Chicago Fire, Countdown, and Ten Minutes in The Dentist Chair

Good afternoon.
I waited to blog until this afternoon because I had to go see the Dentist this morning. A few days ago I apparently made some comments about one of my teeth hurting. So Sally made me an appointment with our Dentist and I went in expecting he'd tell me it was nothing. Ten minutes in and out.
Well I was only in the chair ten minutes but it turns out I did have something wrong. At some point I'd chipped one of my back teeth. So my dentist said..."just sit tight...we don't need any Novocaine...we'll just quick drill it a little and patch it up."
OK. Now I have to start this out by saying I trust my current dentist but haven't had the best experience with the profession in the past. He was right of course...just a little drilling and a quick patch and he had me on my way. Good thing he didn't have to use a shot of Novocaine. It would have made the Noon news pretty interesting.

Fire
Fire investigators will be back in Boone to try and figure out what started the fatal fire we covered yesterday. We'll be covering that story from Boone today.
Meanwhile, in Chicago they're trying to figure out how a fire started at one of the City's landmarks. Holy Name Cathedral is blocks from Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile. It's a beautiful church that's now filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars in water and smoke damage. We'll get more details in the coming days about what happened but the Diocese just finished work on the roof after they found some structural issues.

Exec Pay
Here's a case of too little too late. The Obama Administration is putting new rules in place that say any Wall Street firm asking for bailout money won't be able to pay executives more than $500,000 a year. They can pay em more in stock but then there are rules about what the executive can do with the stock while the company still has debt with the government.
here's the problem: This doesn't apply to company's that already raided the Treasury's cookie jar. That's disheartening because it seems these companies DON'T GET IT! Wells Fargo was actually defensing a junket to Las Vegas for it's employees. The trip was reserved for 12 days at the WYNN hotel and it's sister property. Now I am sure the people at Wells Fargo work hard and there's nothing wrong with a company rewarding it's employees who work hard, but if you've just asked taxpayers for billions of dollars...you might want to make the trip a little less lavish this year. Who thought this was a good idea? Who thought we weren't going to notice. I'm sure there are people who were eligible for the trip that were pissed the company was still going to do it.
Then the news came out today that Citi wants the naming rights for the Mets new stadium. I don't know about you but I'd rather 400 million dollars of my money doesn't go to the Mets. The Cubs maybe, but not the Mets!
The question Matt Lauer asked during the Today show open is relevant, "Why don't these people get it?"

Countdown
Lastly it looks like we're on a two week countdown to the arrival of our boys. Everyone seems to be stable and progressing well. We're not sure if we're frustrated because two weeks seems like a long time to wait...or if we're totally freaked out cause two weeks is going to be here before we know it...then all this theoretical talk of babies will be reality.
We'll hope for a birthday as smooth as Jeriann's Luke had.

Hope you have a good day.
PWD

Patronizing, Shortage, and Visiting

Good Morning!
We're celebrating this morning on Today in Iowa I won't post the pics again, but check out yesterday's post to see Luke. I visited Jeriann in the hospital last night. She and Rob seem great. Luke was being quiet and sleepy when I showed up and JR said that was pretty much the norm for now. They are going to be great parents!

To the news:
Patronizing
So Republicans and Democrats in Iowa both set up websites to see what our suggestions are for bridging a $700,000,000 budget shortfall. Brooke and I got talking about this on the set this morning. The word we came up with is patronizing.
Does anyone really think that we're going to be able to come up with a suggestion that is going to solve a budget crisis like this? Tell me the name of the person who comes up with the idea and I'll vote for them for governor. This is a PR stunt. It may make the people who give their suggestions feel better. It may give lawmakers an idea of the cuts that would be palatable to taxpayers so they've got some political cover. To me, this is why we hired those lawmakers. It's not a fun job, it's not going to make you popular, but if you make responsible cuts that balance the budget, you'll have done your job.
What's more do we really think that a layman could understand the state' budget and how cuts might effect the delivery of services? There are no simple solutions to this.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm cynical, but I'd rather lawmakers just roll up their sleeves and make some very very hard choices.

While we're on the topic of what lawmakers are doing...I for one would like to see them ignore bills that don't have to do with flood relief or state spending. I say this because Unions are pushing a bill again that would allow them to charge non-union members fees. It essentially forces these non-union workers to pay for unions. This is the kind of stuff that is simply a waste of time this year. If it were a different year we can have these kind of philosophical debates of what is right or wrong for the workers of Iowa. This year, I want lawmakers to get to Des Moines, pass a budget, figure out flood relief, and get out of town. The extras can wait until the situation improves.

Shortage
Unemployment is up, people are losing their jobs but the state says we're going to have a worker shortage soon. The two areas they cited are teaching and nursing. Not much help if that's not your field of expertise. I've been thinking though, our great grandparents and grandparents took work where they could find it during the great depression. Maybe we're not there yet, but I think i might find a way to get a job right now.

Visit
Jeriann looked great when I went to see her last night in the hospital. She and Rob have a beautiful baby boy and now they get to start their great adventure together as a family.
I'm feeling a little like the guy waiting in line to jump out of an airplane...once the person in front of you jumps...you're next!

Have a good day.
PWD

Super Indeed, Bad Comercials and Jeriann's Arrival

Good Morning...
By now I expect Jeriann is at the hospital getting prepped for the arrival of her baby boy. We'll have pics just as soon as we can (tomorrow we hope).

Noon Show update:You are the first to see the new pics of Jeriann's son Luke. He came into the worl weighing 8lbs 15 oz and we're told Mom and baby are doing great!

To the News
Super Indeed
What a game! I was ready to give up on it in the third quarter and just go to bed, but I figured I should stay up, if for no other reason than to see the commercials. I'm glad I did. If anyone had any questions about Kurt Warner's play in big games and big situations...well I think they're answered. Arizona spent a lot of money on a Heisman trophy winner to lead the Cardinals. Ya think the Cardinals owner is thinking twice about who he wants to keep around next year?


All I could think as the clock ran out is thank God the Steelers won! If they'd lost the game, the analysis would have been all about the holding call in the end zone that negated a first down. The man responsible for the hold was West Des Moines' Justin Hartwig. I'm glad his Super Bowl memory will be winning.

Commercials
I was underwhelmed. A couple of the commercials were good but overall I found them to be so-so. Favorites included the Budweiser Clydesdale saga series...The NBC one where people were literally LMAO...funny stuff. But a lot of the other commercials started strong and petered out. The one with he kid who was so confident all his life until he went to go buy a car? I thought it was going to be a Cialis commercial halfway through. It's still fun to talk about it.

CPSC
There are a bunch of recalls we needed to tell you about this morning. Some of them had to do with more peanut recalls. For more on the full list being recalled there you can go to the USDA website. The CPSC also has some kids toys and other products recalled. Here's the link to the list on the CPSC home page.

Phelps
What a set-up. There's no excuse for his behavior and Michael Phelps should know better but I'm left with the sneaking suspicion that this was a set-up. Someone heard he was coming to South Carolina and was paid a whole lot of money to take that picture. I would bet all the money in my checking account right now that the person who took the picture was working with the guy who offered Michael a hit off that bong. Again, no excuse but it sounds like some pretty boy who's usually the life of the party didn't like Michael stealing his spotlight, and more to the point...the cute girls. I'm mildly disappointed but I can't say this changes my opinion about Phelps, it just cements my thoughts about British tabloid papers.

So those are my thoughts this morning.
Hope you all had a good weekend...we'll see you at Noon.