Blogging with Bryan C. Hanks

PRESIDENT VISITING LEJEUNE FRIDAY

It’ll be just a private ceremony for only the troops (and, I’m sure, the media horde), but President Obama will visit Camp Lejeune Friday. Our sister newspaper, The Daily News of Jacksonville, will provide wall-to-wall coverage of the event.

My take: I’m really interested to see how the military will “take to” Obama during his visit, although I’m sure the Marines will be respectful. He’s already announced he’s removing most of the troops from Iraq by August 2010.

LAVENDER’S LIVE BLOG FROM REDISTRICTING MEETING

Ace Education Reporter Chris Lavender did another fine job of blogging last night from the redistricting community event that school board Rita Hodges hosted. Check it out here.

My take: Not as many people as there was at Monday’s meeting at Southwood, but still a good night. I applaud the school board folks (including redistricting chairman Mike Moseley) for being as transparent as possible in this process.

As confident as I was a few months ago that redistricting was going to happen, I am beginning to wonder now. There is certainly a groundswell of opposition; we’ll see.

OCTUPLETS MOM AFRAID CHILDREN MIGHT NOT GO HOME WITH HER

The “Well, duh” story of the day: The idiot woman who gave birth to eight kids — while being unemployed with six other kids she couldn’t care for — is scared public officials in California are not going to let her take her octuplets when they’re ready to go home because (wait for it) they’re not sure she can take care of the children.

My take: Again – well, duh. This waste of space has brought eight children into the world simply to make money (endorsements, reality show, etc.). So, all she has to prove is that we, the American public, will pay to make sure she becomes rich from this.

I’ll say it again — anyone who is idiotic enough to donate money to her “cause” should be locked up, just like her.

ECONOMY EVEN TAKES TOLL ON NFL

Just how bad is the economy? Even the NFL — the strongest of all the professional sports leagues, by far — is affected as the commissioner, Roger Goodell, took a voluntary 20 percent pay cut and the league cut 169 jobs through layoffs, buyouts and other staff reductions.

My take: And this is why the NFL will stay strong — it stays ahead of the curve in everything, even the economy. Sure, the NFL cut 169 jobs, but it could’ve been much, much worse had Goodell not VOLUNTARILY given up more than $2 million of his $11 million salary. Good for him and good for the NFL.

The iPod shuffle

If God Will Send His Angels — U2

Wanted Dead Or Alive — Bon Jovi

Bringin’ On The Heartbreak — Def Leppard

Coward Of The County — Kenny Rogers

Amanda – Boston