Mitchman's Blog

The report today that the Democratic Party is “washing its hands” of the Primary Caucus is outrageous.  This was a historic year for Texas politics and over 1 million voters came out to caucus after the polls closed on Tuesday night, March 4th.  

What angers me about this decision is that like many citizens, I went beyond civic duty to come back to my polling place to caucus.  It was the first time I had ever experienced a caucus and it was a horrible experience.  We were told it will only take about an hour.  I arrived at my polling place at 6:45pm, but did not leave until close to 10pm.  What happened during that time was nothing short of “Train Wreck.” 

It was disorganized, chaotic, and the precinct chair was obviously getting on the job training as the night progressed.  Many voters left early angered by the lack of organization and many shouting matches between the Hillary camp and Obama camp. 

I hope the Democratic Party will reconsider its position and work through to the state convention vote at the end of this month.

They have finally surfaced and just in the nick of time for Super Tuesday, the Wal-Mart Tapes.  These tapes, released this week from a small Arkansas based production company hired to video tape the Board of Directors meetings for Wal-Mart.  Senator Hillary Clinton served on the board of directors for Wal-Mart from 1986-1992 in which time here husband, Former President Bill Clinton was governor of the state that served as headquarters of Wal-Mart, Arkansas. 

There a few interesting points to be made here.  Hillary has gained the support of many union organizations around the country; it helped her win the state of Nevada’s primary a few weeks ago.  It is no secret that Wal-Mart has been anti-union from the very beginning.  The have squelched numerous employees from forming a union within the company and even terminating employees for talking about unionization, characterizing those employees as traitors to the good of the company.   Why was Hillary not fighting for her scared unions then, she was collecting a paycheck and stock dividends from the company, why not improve conditions of the employees as well?

Second, this “Buy America” campaign was a joke.  President Clinton and wife say they spearheaded the "Buy America" campaign during her tenure on the board.  It has now been revealed that almost 50% of the products were produced in third-world countries and an American label was then placed on the merchandise.  According to the Clinton camp they had no idea any of this was happening.  They were under the impression that this merchandise was being made and manufactured state side.

What about the environmentally friendly Wal-Mart of today.  President Bill Clinton was ready to defend his wife’s board of director’s position the day before the South Carolina primary saying that she worked to make the company more environmentally friendly.  He stated that Wal-Mart sold more energy-efficient light bulbs then any other retailer.  That’s like saying I give to charity by dropping my left over pennies in that jar on the counter at a gas station labeled, "Need A Pennie, Take a Pennie".  They are the largest retailer in the country.  By pure volume, they would sell more energy-efficient light bulbs.  Nice try Bill, but no cigar (no pun intended there by the way).

Well, this is just another blow to Hillary and her campaign for the presidency.  Tonight she will square off with Obama  in the first debate without John Edwards (he dropped out yesterday) and the last before Super Tuesday.  I know I will be tuning in, will you?  Until next time America….YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IN REAL!

I grew up in very large family, I have 6 brothers and sister, and of course our live in maid, Alice.  Okay, I made that last part up about the live in maid.  Every year we would take a family vacation across the country.  My parents did not believe in flying, they preferred to drive.  They were heartbroken when they found out we could not drive to Hawaii (okay, I am kidding about that too).  My dad loved to drive his car across the country, it was his pride and joy.  We are not talking some classic, sexy car either; we are talking about Ford LTD Country Squire Station Wagon.

Now, let me describe this car to you.  It was pale yellow with fake wood paneling (I never understood the fake wood paneling, did people think, wow, and is that REAL wood?) and my dad had attached a huge CB antenna to the roof of the car.  This CB antenna was so large that it scraped underpasses on the highway.  The FAA required us to attach a red, blinking light to keep planes from colliding with it at night.  The car was so embarrassing and to top it all, my father bought two of them.  Talk about station wagon obsession! 

Keep in mind that back in the day the AC systems were not has high tech as they are today.  Back then there were these classes in the car, first class (they got all the AC), second class (they received second-hand air filtered from first class), and third glass (that was located a mile back in those pop up seats we called THE PITS OF HELL).  If you are subjected to third class (I was a kid so I always had to sit back there) you had a mountain of luggage so very little air made its way back there.  Needless to say, we were always way too hot in the summer months and too cold in the winter.

When traveling my father had three rules for travel the open road.  There is no sleeping until we get outside of the sate of Texas (which takes forever, this state is HUGE), second, no eating in the car and the most important rule of all, NO FOREIGN ODORS!  The first two rules are easy, but sometimes, the third rule is broken because when nature calls!!!! 

On one of our trips to DISNEY WORLD in Orlando, Florida we had an incident that would haunt my father for life.  Late one night we were drifting off to sleep in the car when I was quickly I awaken from my slumber.  There was an odor in the pits of hell.  I checked to make sure it was not me, when I realized it was not me I woke up my sister and little brother.  We did not want to alert my father of the incident if we could contain it in our sector of the vehicle.  We spoke in sign language so that we would go undetected by my fathers bionic like hearing.  We finally discovered the culprit, it was my little brother.  You know how we knew it was him?    He was sleeping, but he was smiling, dead giveaway.  

We woke him and let him know what he had released in the car (he was scared to death).  The look on his face was that of a man that accidentally shot someone.  He cried out, “I am so sorry, it must have slipped out!”  There was yellow film now covering the back window and we could no longer contain the smell.  It had begun to sift into second class and on to my father’s nostrils as he sat in the front seat.  Up to that point you could only hear the CB static.  My father had a habit of jacking up volume as if he had found some great song on the radio.  The sound was often deafening.  When he caught wind of the smell, he sniffed!  “SNNNNF, (silence fell throughout the Country Squire even the CB static turned itself down in fear).  “Who FAWTED!?!” (My father is from New York City and has a heavy New York accent.  The best way to describe my father is to say that he is across between General George S. Patton of World War II, Archie Bunker from ALL IN THE FAMILY, and Mr. Costanza, George’s dad on SIENFELD).

He asked again, “Who Fawted?” in his heavy Yankee accent.  No would say a word.  He looked to my mother, "Did you fawt Chrissy?  My mother is basically Mrs. Canstanza from SIENFELD.

“No, Charlie, I didn’t fawt” she replied.

“Well, your motha didn’t fawt, I didn’t fawt, I guess the car fawted.  I guess the car just ripped one, is that what you are telling me?  Then he said something we could not believe.  “Tell me who fawted right now or I will stop the car and smell your rear ends.  I thought to myself, could you imagine all of us standing on the side of the rode while my father smelt it to find out who dealt it?

We broke out in laughter and my father lightened up a little after that.  It went down as our funniest car moment for years to come, but there would be more.  I will share those stories at another time. 

Well, that’s the first RETRO Ride story.  I encourage others of you to share special moments in the cars of your lifetime!

State of the Union from a VETS prospective...

President Bush gave his final State of the Union address of his presidency.  This time next year we will have elected a new president and a new chapter in American history will begin.  That is then, but for now, the President refuses to go “gently into that good night.”  He laid out new initiatives for 2008 (while at the same time beginning his LAME DUCK status).  The time period is plagued by the ongoing war in Iraq, a slumping economy on the verge of a recession, and foreclosure rates at an all time high around the country.  Not the ideal final year for any president to have especially when introducing  new, bold programs and initiatives.

Among one of the most prominent and personal initiatives (I am a veteran of the Armed Forces) was the new reformed education benefits for veterans and their families.  Under the current regulations, if a veteran does not use the educational benefits within 10 years of active service, the benefits expire.  The new program would allow a veteran to hand them over to a spouse or child that wished to continue their education.  This came with applause from both sides of the political aisle as well as from my living room.

Another piece of legislation that will be dramatically reduced in power on February 1st is the Patriot Act (terrorist surveillance monitoring program).  I will not go into my view on this issue, but to say, I am glad the restrictions are changing soon.  Freedom does come at a cost, believe me, I paid my dues with four years of active duty in military hot spots all over the world.   Unfortunately, those costs should not come at the expense of violating our personal and private rights.  There is no place in our government for a BIG BROTHER watching over our shoulders.  The framers of this great nation shook of the chains tyranny over 200 years ago, lets not give any one the power shackle us again!

As for the rest of the speech it was the usual laundry list of hopes for his final year in office.  The President is sitting at about 34% approval rating.  President Clinton left office with 60% approval rating, mostly because of the unprecedented years of prosperity in the country at the time.  We are definitely not living in those days anymore, but America, don’t loose HOPE, we will see those days again.  As we near closer to our Super Tuesday and beyond to next November’s election night; we need to decide what kind of country we want this to be.  I hope that you will all search your hearts, minds and souls to find the candidate that best understands your dreams as well as your fears.  I hope you will find the leader that best embraces your ambitions and the hopes for your family.  When you exercise the greatest gift of democracy by casting your vote it will not be based on pressure from others, or biased media or even on who looks presidential, but on an educated decision.  Until next time America….YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!!!!

I was born on July 4, 1776, and the Declaration of Independence is my birth certificate. The bloodlines of the world run in my veins, because I offered freedom to the oppressed. To many things, and many people. I am the nation.

I am 213 million living souls-and the ghost of millions who have lived and died for me.

I am Nathan Hale and Paul Revere. I stood at Lexington and fired the shot heard around the world. I am Washington, Jefferson and Patrick Henry I am John Paul Jones, the Green Mountain Boys and Davy Crockett. I am Lee and Grant and Abe Lincoln.

I remember the Alamo, the Maine and Pearl Harbor. When freedom called I answered and stayed until it was over, over there. I left my heroic dead in Flanders Fields, on the rock of Corregidor, on the bleak slopes of Korea, in the steaming jungle of Vietnam and on the sands of Iraq.

I am the Brooklyn Bridge, the wheat lands of Kansas and the granite hills of Vermont. I am the coalfields of the Virginias and Pennsylvania, the fertile lands of the West, the Golden Gate and the Grand Canyon. I am Independence Hall, the Monitor and the Merrimac.

I am big. I sprawl from the Atlantic to the Pacific - my arms reach out to embrace Alaska and Hawaii - 3 million square miles throbbing with industry. I am more than 5 million farms. I am forest, field, mountain and desert. I am quiet villages-and cities that never sleep.

You can look at me and see Ben Franklin walking down the streets of Philadelphia with his breadloaf under his arm. You can see Betsy Ross with her needle. You can see the lights of Christmas, and hear the strains of "Auld Lang Syne" as the calendar turns.

I am Babe Ruth and the World Series. I am 110,000 schools and colleges, and 330,000 churches where my people worship God as they think best. I am a ballot dropped in a box, the roar of a crowd in a stadium and the voice of a choir in a cathedral. I am an editorial in a newspaper and a letter to a Congressman.

I am Eli Whitney and Stephen Foster. I am Tom Edison, Albert Einstein and Billy Graham. I am Horace Greeley, Will Rogers and the Wright brothers. I am George Washington Carver, Jonas Salk, and Martin Luther King.

I am Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman and Thomas Paine.

Yes, I am the nation, and these are the things that I am. I was conceived in freedom and, God willing, in freedom I will spend the rest of my days. May I possess always the integrity, the courage and the strength to keep myself unshackled, to remain a citadel of freedom and a beacon of hope to the world.

This is my wish, my goal, my prayer in this year of 1976-two hundred years after I was born.

This was origanally written in 1955 as a public relations adversitisement for the Norfolk and Western Railway, now the Norfolk Southern Corporation, and did not contain the phrase, "the steaming jungle of Vietnam."

We are bombarded with message everyday about how to improve our life, make more money, take more vacations, buy a bigger house, and the list goes on and on.  What are they are really trying to sell us here?  Why are we so enticed by their offers?  I think we long to fill our lives with all this stuff, because we are searching for happiness.  A few years ago John Stossel, from ABC’s 20/20 did a primetime special on Happiness. 

In the program he interviewed a dozen lottery winners and asked them if they were happier now that they were millionaires.  The answers were rather surprising, NO!  Many of them were actually worse off with the money than without.  There is a major misconception about money.  It does not bring the happiness we hope it will.  Instead it tends to complicate our life.  My dad always told me, “Money does not make you happy, but it does make life livable.”  What these lottery winners learned is that money brought out the worst in other people.  People became greedy and waned large sums of money based solely on their long-term friendship with the lottery winner.  In one case it even led to murder. 

This primetime special got me to thinking.  What makes me happy?  Can you buy it?  If not, how do you define happiness for yourself?  What I have discovered is that we all define happiness differently, but it all comes down to three things.

Someone To Love

We all need someone to love.  Who that loved one is can be anyone, a spouse, a friend, a child, or a family member.  We are all wired to have an emotional connection to other people.  We long to interact with other people.  To be encouraged, challenged or even inspired by that relationship. I have been very blessed in my life to have many people to love; from parents and siblings to 25 nieces and nephews, from colleagues and friends and everyone in between.  I have great love in my life.  Love stimulates us, encourages us and gives the will to live or just make through a rough patch in our life.  It is during those times that our loved ones come to our rescue as we do for them in their time of need.

Something To Do

We all need something to do.  Something productive that challenges our minds and keeps us busy.  It can be hobby, a job, volunteer work, or just a personal passion for a subject or cause.  People need to stay busy.  Rest is important, but rest is what we do in between our busy times.  If you feel yourself falling into a funk, take up a new hobby or start a new project.  Something to do gives our life meaning.  It validates our existence.  You will feel that you are contributing to something larger than yourself.  If you really want to challenge yourself volunteer for Habitat for Humanity or a homeless shelter.  Projects like this allow you to touch the lives of other people, do a good deed, and perhaps find new people to love.

Something To Look Forward To

The final secret to happiness is having something to look forward to.  I love taking last minute trips on the weekend.  They are always fun, but they are short term and end too quickly.  So, I plan a big trip at least once a year.  I plan 6 to 8 months in advance and let the countdown begin.  When I am stressed at work or life has dealt me a bad hand, I can always look past my current situation to that vacation.  I picture myself sipping a Pina Colada on a white beach looking out on the ocean on a beautiful day.  Did I just loose you to that image?  Okay, try to stay focused here.  It does not have to be an extravagant trip.  It could be a three-day weekend or a Holiday with friends and family.  It just needs to be something that you can look forward to when life gets overwhelming.

I am sure there are many other ways to find happiness, but this has been my secret.  I believe having these three things in your life at all times will keep your head above water during the turbulent storms of life.  It will also affirm a life worth living when times are tough.  These also serve as ways to give thanks for all that you have been blessed with in your life. Remind the ones you love why they are so special to you.  They would love to hear it! Until NEXT TIME AMERICAN…YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!

SO YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT?  (The Making of a President Series)

From the time they are young someone plants in their little heads the idea that when they grow up they can be anything, even president.  Hillary even took a swipe at Barrack Obama a few weeks ago about an essay that he wrote in kindergarten about his presidential ambitions.  I went to school with a guy that told his senior class to remember to cast their vote for him in the 2016 Presidential campaign.  Unfortunately, that plan has not worked out to well for him, no one has heard from him since high school. 

In my last political blog I discussed that it takes a certain kind of person to run for political office, but even more so for president.  Think about it, we have only had 42 Presidents in history of our nation.  Only 42 men out of millions; it takes no mathematician (which I am not by the way) to figure out, that is not a lot.  All of these men have been asked the question, “Why do you want to be president?”  The answer is pretty simple, and much too candid for them to say on the campaign trail, “They want the power.”  Not to say these men did on feel a calling to run for office, such President Bush, he felt God had called him to run.  Or Roosevelt, he knew the government should have been doing more for the people suffering from the Great Depression. Others have been inspired or disgusted with the status quo or felt the responsibility to rise to the moment. 

I pull the next paragraph from a great book on the Presidency edited by Robert A. Wilson, called, “The Power of the Presidency.”  His words in the preface are much more eloquent than mine… “While we like the idea of the office seeking the person, it doesn’t work that way with the exception of military figures associated closely with the leadership of a war:  Washington, Grant, Eisenhower.  The person has to have much, much more than an itch for the office and its power; it takes a mania and the capacity for the punishment of having a life and family turned inside out in the blood sport search for all sins of omission and commission.  Not to mention the endless indignity of fund-raising and the requirement to take absurdity (i.e. the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries) with a straight face.”

In other words, they have to be glutton for punishment.  Why else would they travel across the country on average of nine months, (this year’s campaign started about a year and half ago) shake a million hands, kiss a thousand babies and make way too many promises.  Seriously, I believe there is some kind of a calling.  At some point in their life something forces them to reach beyond ordinary dreams and ambitions to claim this ultimate responsibility. 

We will continue our discussion next week, but feel free to comment on what you have read, and add something to conversation.  Until next time American, YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!!!!!

I love the awards season because of all the drama, suspense, and the edge of your seat anticipation are not restricted to just the films in each category, but the actors, directors, writers and producers that are vying for a win.  The glitz, the glamour and the pomp and circumstance surrounding awards season have come to a screeching halt because of the writer’s strike. 

The Golden Globes were forced to cancel early last week with its only concession, a press conference announcing the wins.  The winners were announced with little or no fanfare, no acceptance speeches or cut-away shots of the losers.   If you want to know who the real losers of the Golden Globes are, just look in the mirror, that’s right, it us.  The viewers and fans are the biggest losers of award season because Hollywood has taken television and film hostage. 

New and returning shows are put on hold, new development projects are terminated, and the California economy is hemorrhaging money every day.  It is the viewers and fans that are left with nothing, but reruns and poor talk show monologues to satisfy our TV itch.  This strike comes down to greed.  The movie studios want to hold on to their bottom line while the writers want more of the cut of the profit.  Why can’t these two parties come to some agreement?  Remember the baseball strike in the early 90’s?  Baseball has never been the same since (I know that statement is debatable).  The fact of the matter remains that this strike is leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of viewers all over the country, and the world. 

Today is a defining day for the Presidential hopefuls as New Hampshire residents head to the polls to cast their vote for the first political primary of this election year.  Regardless of your political affiliation you have to admire in some way, all of the candidates in today’s primary.  These men and women have placed themselves front and center and made themselves susceptible to all kinds of attacks both politically and personally.  They have traded their friends, families, and even personal finances to shake hands with strangers, kiss babies, eat horrible political rally food.  They do this all in the hopes that in a single, private moment that voter will pull the lever by their name on the ballot rather than their opponent.  You have to admit that is a lot to gamble with no guarantee of success.

I have always been fascinated with the people who sought our highest office in the land. It takes a special kind of drive and ambition to reach for such a lofty goal.  These individuals have to begin planning early on in their life, making tough decisions and maneuvering their personal career path in such a way, that it will not come back to haunt them when they announce their bid for the presidency.  The journey begins early and ends at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C.

 The presidency is larger than any person, it is an institution.  The decisions that our Commander in Chief must make affect the lives of millions people both here at home and around the world.  In a time of war they must be willing to sacrifice the lives of soldiers for the cause of peace (or political capital).  A friend of mine who has a mutual admiration for the men that have held that office once wrote, “I admire anyone who has the strength and courage to lead.”  I love that statement, not only because I agree with it, but because it comes down to the courage it takes to lead!  Leadership is making the tough decisions that are not always popular, but need to be made.  History will often judge their presidency by those very decisions. 

Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan, just to name a few, had to make difficult decisions that defined their presidency in both good and bad ways.  Sometimes the results of those decisions are not felt for 20 or 30 years in the future, that is long after some of these men leave office or Earth in general.  So, what does it take to become the President of the United States?  Let’s think beyond the political machine, money and connections required to reach the Oval Office.  What does the core of the individual need to sustain the rigors of this office?  What character traits must this individual hold?  What disciplines must he/she be able to master to keep their sanity in a world that often seems to be out of control? 

That will be the focus of a series of political blogs in the coming weeks; the title of my political blog series, THE MAKING OF A PRESIDENT: Lessons from Presidents Past and Present.  I hope you will continue to read them as I post them up to ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER.

Until next time America, YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!!!!!!

We are just days away from the Iowa Caucus and then it is on to New Hampshire.  The candidates on both sides of the political spectrum are scrambling to convince last minute, undecided, voters to embrace them as their candidate for President.  Is the best surprises yet to come?  The 2008 year Presidential elections began close to year and a half ago and the political drama continues to unfold.  Mike Huckabee coming out of nowhere to take the lead in Iowa and edging out Mitt Romney as the front runner in that state could spell disaster for New Hampshire a week later, but it is the democratic race that has me wondering what could come next.

Bare with me on this prediction, this is not based on any poll or focus group, it is just one man’s opinion of what might happen.  If Hillary Clinton does not take the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire it could hamstring her campaign and cause a weaker showing in South Carolina (John Edwards home state) and on to Super Tuesday and the rest of the primary season.  If Barack Obama wins in the early states and John Edwards come in a close second, that could push Hillary out the race entirely.  If that happened it would open the door for a dark horse to ride into town and take the democratic nomination.  Who could this dark horse be?   None other than former Vice President and 2000 Democratic Presidential nominee, Al Gore.

Okay, so why Al Gore?  Well, he has had a great year for starters.  His documentary film, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH created such a buzz and his passion for the environmental movement breathed new life into this often rigid politician.  Did anyone see his turn as host of Saturday Night Live after the 2000 elections?  He was brilliant, if only he had done that before the election it may have helped him over the hump and win the election (I know the election is still a sore subject for many so we will move on now). 

He won an Oscar for the film and garnered numerous other awards as well, but these pale in comparison to winning the NOBEL PEACE Prize in 2007.  He is a man that shows heart and conviction, he is intelligent, driven, focused and carries with him international recognition.  He is far enough removed from the day to day silliness of Washington, but has the experience to charter those choppy waters if elected President (again).

But why would he wait so late?  The answer is simple, as a favor to the Clintons.  He wanted to give Hillary her fair shot at the presidency before he entered the race.  He would have cast to wide of a shadow if he had been competing for his party's candidacy right now.  He patiently waits in the wings until his party calls him back into service.

Again this is just one man’s opinion of what could happen. 

In the next couple of weeks I will begin a series of blogs called THE MAKING OF A PRESIDENT, what it takes to become the President of the United States, by studying the men that have held that office, in particular, in the 20th Century.  I hope you will find the blogs helpful and entertaining.

All of my life I have heard people say so go out and change the world.  Well, that always seemed like a very big task to take on.  How can one person possibly change the world?  I believe we begin that change on a smaller scale.  I believe we beign with our own world, our own circle of friends, family, loved ones.  In essence, that is our world.  If we can influence positive change among our closest group of family and friends, then perhaps, like a ripple of water, it will be passed on.  Eventually, we could see real change in our community, in our city, state, country, and even the world.

What kind of change can one person make?  I read about a Sunday school teacher in a small, southern town in the early days of the last century.  He was not outgoing, he was not an articulate speaker or even very educated.  He did not embody the kind of traits that we today would define as great leader, but he had was a conviction.  A conviction to follow his heart and teach the Bible every Sunday morning to a small group of kids.  The kids often dreaded coming to the gathering, but forced by their parents, they attended.  The man was dedicated to his mission.  In that small gathering was a rather rebellious young man.  His mother demanded that he attend the Bible study.  She said, "Son, one day you will thank me."

Little by little, week after week, that little old teacher began to break down the walls of bitterness and pain that the boy had built around his heart, and on one Sunday morning, the walls caved.  The young man, felt such a conviction to make a change that he decided to mend his ways and begin a new chapter in his life.  This simple, old, but determined teacher had finally reached this young man. 

The young man began to study the Bible every chance he could, and he was so inspired by the his teacher, that when the man retired from his post as a Sunday school teacher, his young pupil be took over his duties.  This young man became quite a powerful orator.  Commanding the attention of the small country church, the community and before long he became known as a voice of his generation for the cause of Christianity.  This young, rebellious man would go on to become quite famous.  Preaching the gospel from one corner of the globe to another.  His name was none other than, Billy Graham.

Yes, from the dedication and determination of one simple man, greatness was born!  That Sunday school teacher touched only one life, but that life would go on to touch millions the world over. 

We all have an opportunity to change the world.  As we enter this Holiday Season, I hope you will take stock of your life.  I hope you will find away to begin to change your world in a positive way!  You never know whose life you will change, and where that change can lead!

We have officially launched our high school site www.foxhilitesdfw.com and, we are so excited to have so many schools are participating so early on in the program.  For the last two weeks our station KDFW FOX 4 has been hosting many of the area schools in media workshops.  The turnout was fantastic and it was such a "hoot" to hangout with all those creative, high energy young people.  I have to tell you they made me feel so old, but I guess to them, I am old (I guess that is a topic for another BLOG)! Anyway, it was so cool to sit down with them and hear about their dreams and aspirations for the future. 

I am going to sound really old when I say this, but wow, the journalism department at my high school was nothing like those schools that came to visit.   They have studios, professional cameras, telepromters, first-class editing systems, and much, much more.  I was impressed with the knowledge these kids had about the industry and production in general.

One of our goals for this site is to help students by giving them a platform to showcase their talents.  Whether it is on the field, court or the baseball diamond or behind the camera shooting, editing and reporting the sports event.  There is something for everyone at www.FoxHiLitesDFW.com   We hope students embrace this new site and share with their friends. 

KDFW FOX 4 has always prided itself on being the station that gave a voice to the community (I am exercising that voice right now with this BLOG), we are taking that idea to the next level by giving North Texas students, teachers, parents and fans the opporutunity to share with the world their visual masterpiece. 

If you have not taken the time to check out the site then click the gray box at the top of your screen and check out the site or click this link www.foxHiLitesdfw.com.  We just added a ton of music tracks for students to use as well in creating their videos.  This is a great tool, and I want to thank the good people at Fox Interactive Media (FIM) for adding this for our students.  When you are there add your own comments by the videos as well as rate the videos.  We encourage the schools to compete for the best video title on the site.  We are going to feature the best of the best clips each week in our KDFW FOX 4 Sports Segments.  Talk about exposure!

So North Texas students pull out those cameras and start shooting away.  We want you to share your HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE with us; especially, us old folks.  Remind us how much fun those days really were.  YOU SHOOT IT, WE SHARE IT!

Till next time North Texas...YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!!!!!!!