Random thoughts heading into the weekend

That 100 square foot home on the CNN home page is starting to look pretty good. lol. Do something special for that special somone in your life this weekend, like a nice candlelight dinner and a glass of wine. Really impress and do it yourself at home.

I like the Rays too. I was raised in Fla. and it shows you don't have to spend millions per player to have a good team. and I like the black cow bell, they only needed one. Have a good week end and don't worry about the stock market, its a good time to buy, and the more it goes up and down the better.

Life is good.

Join the stock exchange and find out who you are.

Good Morning, I somewhat enjoyed Randi Kaye's report on cheap, easy credit this morning. We, our country most of the time tends to complicate issues rather than simplify.

Last year my son began his post secondary education career. During our 2 day orientation of the university we visited the Business Office. Much to my surprize there were 2 banks and 1 credit unit located next to the business office. All three FI's offered my son a credit card not one asked about opening a savings account. The limit on the card was anywhere from $1500 to $2000. How can that be, he doesn't even have a job!

Is it the banks fault, no! The university is allowing them to be on campus. So now I can only assume that part of our education is now to receive easy, cheap credit, once they graduate they continue to seek it.

The Universities and Colleges need to abandon this, I am sure they share in the referral process and the leasing of the floorspace.

I am also sure their response to this will be " Its helps keep the tuition cost down"

Randi, please visits the campus's throughout our country and do a series on this this, keep up the good work!

Morning Keith....went fishing on the boat yesterday, cause its too damn cold even with a wet suit to try and ski...yet it was a good day on the lake, my birthday present....speaking of thoughts...once again we have misleading buzz words in the campaign....one candidate has jumped on the wagon bashing the "share the wealth" slogan. Folks listen...you pay into social security all your working life...some other retiree uses your current contribution now, when you retire...someone will be contributing for you. As you can see this is only one example of the "sharing of wealth" in this country. Dont be mislead by the use of these buzz words from a failing campaign, the buzz word here is to "incite fear"...unfortunately if we never learn from the past...we are doomed to make the same mistakes...history seems to repeat itself in a comedy of errors.

Sarah Palin said "It is in God's hands now". I think this is the ultimate test of your faith in God.

If you truly believe in God then you should STAY HOME AND PRAY INSTEAD OF VOTING.

But most people don't really believe in God enough to do that! They just like to give lip service and let people see them dressed up on Sunday.

I know for a fact that small donations are being givin to the Obama camp because I donated my small amount also. I just sounds like they are very jelous of Obama. I do also think that Barbara was harder on Joe Biden than McCain it was telling the public that she is a Republican now doesnt it. Im tired of all the double standards. Why dont they just be honest about who they are voting for. If it was a democrat doing the enterview, it would have been the other way around.

Like her wardore and style

speaking of Halloween, I am throwing away my mccain mask and will be bobbing for obamas.

I liked Charlie's 10/26 comment....greed and intitlement have been the American way for some time now....we have become a society of" I want what I want now...I'll figure our the payments later". I and all of us consumers are guilty of this mindset, and the banks obliged us with $7500 credit limits per card and gave us morgages with interest only APR loans. Didn't we think that our credit would never end? Granted, most of us made our payments on time and did'nt live too far beyond our means. Yet now...those who paid and those who did'nt pay are all floating in the same liferaft. It is our inherent nature to find fault and blame someone else... we have been wired this way from TV and even our schooling...this is why we are all freaking out..our faux-paw way of living is being changed by force. We have always been an adaptive society, yet this hits home...you can't be apathetic any more...we must make do with less...NOT buy the expensive toys we want...maybe go back to the time honored theme of "lay-a-way" and wait this financial cycle out, remember capitalism is a finite system...it has tops and bottoms and will recover for its new cycle where the DOW will balance out about 8500 rather than 14,000. With proper oversite that was there, and soon to be back in place, MAYBE we won't be so damn GREEDY!!! Keep the dreams alive America...just wait until you can afford it...I believe we are ALL responsible for this mess, and we are ALL responsible for our futures...make good decisions.

I always look forward to Halloween. To me it brings back such great memories of my childhood. Now I take my son out and he has a blast. Plus, those real little ones are just soooooo cute!!!! They make you smile from ear to ear. I think Halloween is a great tradition although some people may think that it denotes evil. I just think its great fun for the kids! Let the kids dress up and be whatever they want for just one night a year! Take lots of silly pictures and make sure there's alot of candy to go around! Have a great weekend everyone! This is a family time so get with yours, be safe, and enjoy!

Dear Robin,

I am writing to you for the first time to express my truest feelings on this years' election. For the first time in history, we are experiencing a shear miracle. And I say this is a miracle, because many years ago, you know that this would not have even been conceived possible. I am voting for an African-American president. I have, patiently, waited to make my decision about the election. Now, I have come to a decision. I am voting for one of my own race, Barack Obama. He has inspired me and lifted me out of my own self pity, sort to speak. I am unemployed and looking for work, I am medically ill and have no health insurance. I happen to live in a state that suppresses the oppressed with no form of assistance for people like me with the law called ABOD. In other words, if I'm not working and can work, I get ZERO. I don't get employment assistance, additional training, or any type of monetary assistance to help me regain my independence. All I got is the fact that I don't have a degree, so therefore, my best hope for any type of employment will be somewhere around less than minimum wage without benefits. Yet and still, I am encouraged to work and work harder. I don't know why I want to work so hard for so little, but somehow, it all seems worth it. I want to go back to school and get a degree, but I can't get financial aid. Maybe I should say, I don't have the same resources available to someone half my age. Sure, I could get a scholarship, but there are so many avenues leading to the actual acheivement of that scholarship, it is more likely, someone else half my age would get it anyways. Robin, I’ve got not much to go on. However, I am going to keep on going. I believe in Barack and if I had half the education and he and his wife have, I might even run for president, if I did.

Years ago, I voted for Bush. I was a staunch Republican. I completely went against my family tradition, when I voted. I, actually, believed that the “trickle down theory” would work. I prayed for whatever was left over from the wealthy, to somehow trickle down on me and give me a chance to be part of the American dream. The dream turned into a nightmare shortly after 9/11. Nothing trickling down on me but more taxes and smaller paychecks to pay for the war on Iraq. Soon, me and my co-workers, friends, and family members started debating over the fact that the middle class as truly taking a thrashing. Seemed I was paying into welfare and keeping the rich even richer. I worked like a dog, but soon gave up hope, Robin. I worked myself to the bone and began to see no progress or positive results. I lost everything out of shear exhaustion. I started finding myself falling into the same old traps that so many Americans do. I thought I was, actually, living the American dream. I owned the fabulous car, worked in high profile job, donated to charities, gave back some of what I worked so hard for. In return, I got pay cuts, increased insurance premiums and decreased medical care. I managed to achieve extreme low job loyalty, as a result. I saw my job as a “pain the arse” instead of one of my greatest achievements.

With Obama running for president, I began to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I thought about all of my African-American men who had been beaten down by the Republican system. I thought to myself, why are they all in jail; good men, intelligent men, men with promise for the future falling through the cracks and the end result is prison. Now, I know what it feels like to be on the other end of the spectrum. All they need is hope.

I am so tired of hearing about McCains push on Obama spreading the wealth around. I say, YEAH, GO OBAMA….SPREAD IT LIKE PEANUT BUTTER ON A HOT PIECE OF TOAST. I know that somewhere around the world, there are other African-Americans following the campaign and feeling the same way that I do. We want resolution, completion, understanding, and hope. What about the rest of us. I have never been more proud of my race than I am today. I will now continue this fight and am made a stronger, more wise person, because of this election.

Now, I don’t know what you do with this letter, but I hope you will do the right thing and give it a chance to help someone else that may be thinking about it, but doesn’t know how to put it into words. Boooo to Joe the damned plumber, he’s white….he’ll be alright. What about the rest of us Americans; Mexican, Asian, Italian, all European nationalities and more.

God bless America an Barack for giving me hope.

Robin,

In listening to you this morning about Nebraska re-thinking their "Infant Safe Haven Law", they really need to think about the definition of infant. You would think a governing body would have established this prior to enacting a law. An infant is a child under the age of 2.

If they change their law to include infants 3 days and under, they will see an increase in infant deaths as well as infants being abandoned in other places that even I don't want to think about. And please... most of these mothers are just leaving the hospital with thier babies at 3 days.

3 days is not enough time for a teen mother, or any mother for that matter, to decide that she is just not able to take care of a child. I am a nurse and a mother. My daughter just delivered her first child. The baby is 1 1/2 weeks old. This is the point where I feel a mother would start thinking that she is not able to care for a child. When the baby is up at all hours, day and night, and the mother is so fatigued that she hasn't had good sleep in days. Not all new mothers are lucky enough to have their mothers step in and support their daughters, and help ease their distress. I feel sorry for them.

If John Daly had a bar he could call it the Daly Drinkers Den.

I am sitting here watching the Morning Express and making my list for the day. On my list is to call the mortgage company to try and negotiate a modification only to hear about this new help possibility. Has any one out there noticed that help is not available to those that got trapped into the arms and now have missed a payment? I have had a time understanding that those that have worked hard and now are in trouble, and yes I take some responsibility for the problems, can not find any help. My husband and I have lived in our first home now for 20 years and have weathered lost jobs and major medical bills on our own but now that a larger group of greedy banks is involved is seems to be ok to our elected ones.
I guess I could just whine and whine but it is so sickening when those that get up work a twelve plus hour day and can not make ends meet. What happens when the gas prices go down and heating fuel goes up?

Dear Robin,

In regard to the fact that less heart attacks happen the day after we turn the clock back I propose that instead of springing ahead 1 hour in the spring we should turn back 23 hours! Think of the lives that would be saved. Plus a long weekend.

Robin,

Want to let you know how much I enjoy Morning Express and the whole team there, especially Jennifer Westhoven – she explains the financial situation really well. Always enjoy seeing you in the morning as well – it's a great way to start the day.

Thanks for the hard work.

Lisa

As far as Congress getting more involved with sports, I'm all for it...as soon as they've erased the national debt, the country has 100% employment, both wars are ended, we no longer rely on fossil fuels, and the poisonous atmosphere in Washington has been fixed.

Once they've accomplished all that, they can all go on Dancing with the Stars for all I care.

I want to thank you all for such a great show. I wake up every morning with a cup o joe and get my news as well before I head off to class and work. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT TO BOB VANDILLON!!! MY NAME IS MATT, I AM AN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE MAJOR FROM MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY. THE COMICAL SIDE THAT BOB BRINGS TO THE SHOW REALLY GETS MY WIFE AND I A NICE LAUGH EVERY MORNING. HE GETS OUR AWARD FOR FUNNIEST ON CAMERA METEOROLOGIST. THANKS BOB! YOU ARE FREAKING HILARIOUS! WE LOVE ROBIN OF COURSE AS WELL AS OUR FAVORITE SPORTS GUY RAYFORD WYGLE, I HOPE I SPELLED IT RIGHT. LATER HOMIES, OFF TO WORK!!!!!!

MATT
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

Hey Miss Robin,
I watch your show every morning. I love it and think you do a great job. However, I've noticed that not only on your show but also with all the other news shows that all the news stories talk about is how to help out the people who are buying their homes and cant afford to pay their mortgage anymore. Isn't a mortgage like rent??? In fact some of the apartments or condominiums monthly rent is equal to if not more than some home mortgages. With Apartments and Condo's you are locked into a contract just as if you were buying a home. Not only that but you can not be two or three months behind on rent like you can a mortgage. If you are 5 days late you get evicted – Kicked out on the street, your credit ruined and you now can not rent another place to live because of that eviction. Now you have no credit and you and your family (wife and child) are stuck out on the streets still just as broke as before when you couldn't pay your rent, only now you have no place to go! Please believe me I'm not looking for a hand out – In fact, I'm not even in this position. However I do wonder why we only seem to worry about the people who are losing their homes (something they were buying) and never worry about the people who are renting. If the renter gets evicted, doesn't he/she lose their home as well??? Are they less important? Is it possible that maybe, just maybe, if we helped out the renters and made it easier for them then they would eventually become buyers and that would also stimulate the economy??? Just some random thoughts and opinions. This is my first blog so hopefully I will hear from you or you will ask these same questions on the air. I wonder how many others have had these same thoughts and questions.

If i wanted to live in a socialistic country I would have moved there long ago. Please. Obama is a true European socialist. Its the road to serfdom. Does no one read history anymore? A socialist president and a socialist legislature and a socialist supreme court.
Wonderful!

Robin, you are fantastic and I truly and thoroughly enjoy your team. Bob, Rafer, Larry, Linda, Ray, Jennifer et all. They are all super personalities with great charisma and charm. However, there's a special place in my heart for Richard. I never get to see his hands....is he married?

While credit card companies are cutting off credit to many people, I received a letter from my VISA saying that my credit limit is increased by thousands of dollars.
The credit limit was already ridiculously high.
This is FAIR. We've never carried a credit card balance. We've savedd and live within our means. Our mortgage was chosen to avoid any unexpected rate hikes.
STILL, my 401k/rollover IRA was slashed by 50%.
Seems we're already redistributing the wealth. But where is it going?
Oh, and early retirement, something we planned for years, is not possible due to health insurance needs.
What a country!!!

Robin
Do these people who owe more on their home than there worth understand that when they buy things on credit , that the item is
going to be worth less than the owe. A car is a perfect example , as
soon as you drive it off the lot you've lost money.

I'm not sure that I understand this country's idea of justice. Just the other day, it was reported that a woman ( or man ) had hung an effigy of Sarah Palin in their halloween decorations and was not (I repeat,...was not) arrested. Today, I see where a man hung an effigy of Barrack Obama and was (I repeat....was) arrested. Seems to me that because the one was a white woman (the effigy), it's okay to hang her, but because the other was a black man, (the effigy) it's a crime.What is going on here? Why are there 2 different rules here. If one is a hate crime, they are both a hate crime. Arrest both or let both go....we cannot have 2 different rules for the same crime. I think that it's disgusting that people are taking this election so far as to do this type of thing. And more disgusting that the police pick and choose who to arrest and who to let go for the exact same type of crime. No matter who wins this election, we are all going to pay a big price.

Robin .... Great color scheme in your outfit today.
The Sarah Palin hair style is perfect for Halloween.
Very scary .... I love it.

Just a quick heads up to my favorite morning show. Barack and Michelle Obama will be at JFK stadium at Parkview High School here in Springfield, Missouri tomorrow morning. You all are just too funny in the morning. I want to know what is in the coffee over there in the studio. It gets me going in the morning. Thanks!!

Does "Joe the non-plumber" call it socialism when he had money raised to pay his taxes. I am a single mom and no one paid my taxes I owed. I paid my taxes myself. I'm telling you this person does not represent me! Also, he called McCain "a real american". Does that mean Obama isn't? Does this person even work?

Really enjoy the show. If it wasn't for Morning Express I probably would not even have cable!

i feel that its not about the color of a persons skin that should matter b/c 2 me hes not full black hes not fully white its not the color of his skin that makes a great leader its him his self that has 2 prove 2 all of the world that he can do this and keep what hes says 2 people like us that trust in him 2 be the man is has become now our new leader of this country oboma i trust in what u say not cuz hes white ,black, mixed or of a nother race i picked him b/c he has my trust in him and thats the only reson is that i trust what he say i just hope he has a plan not just 4 the mid class but the underclass aswell the people who have no jobs the ppl that live on lil 2 nothing thats what i hope 2 see him come up with 4 the underclass

I think that is very telling and quite a credit to our future President that even his most ardent supporters don't know who the Keating 5 are. With all the incrediblepersonal attacks upon both Joe Biden and Barack Obama, and with our financial world is such turmoil it sure would have been easy to mention this one "little" thing to give him an advantage. Kudos to the entire Democratic Campaign for staying above board.

Good morning Robin, I have a thought on the gay marriage Hoopla going on. As a gay male that has been in a 15+ year relationship ( And a father of 2 and a grandfather of 1) I am confused, if the U.S. government is suppose to have a separation of church and state then why do we continue to recognize marriage as a religious institution. I really feel all "Marriages" through the government should be recognized as a "Union" if individuals want it to be a religious thing then fine get married in a church or your place of worship and call it what you like. I don't want a religious "Marriage" I just want to be treated as an equal in the United States and be able to receive the same benefits that supposed "Straight individuals receive.

On a separate note, I think it would be interesting to look a statistics in Arkansas and across the country as who is molesting children. Is it really a gay thing (Highly doubt it) or does it turn out to be more Supposed straights that molest or abuse. It would be nice to see what's really going on. Please help as I think this could be a pretty head turning report. I would spend my time on it to find the results and send them to you but I'm still on Dial up and I would be on the computer for days trying and get these statistics pulled together. Even if you decide not to post this Id love to hear your thoughts. Thanks

Has Sarah Palin donated her new wardrobe? I trust this did include the new items purchased for her spouse also. All items purchased by the Republican Party up to and including hand bags, shoes, jewelry, she can keep the intimates [ohhh]...
Inquiring minds want to know? Sarah will need to make sure she gets proof of the donation normally it's for tax purposes.
A new wardrobe is certainly an incentive for me to run for public office, so Senator McCain if you run for office again and just want another set of boobs and a beautiful face call me I'm available do you think I could get a new boob job and botox ? I'm 50 and recently divorced traveling around the country would allow me to meet a diverse group of single men. One plus I can answer questions about supreme court rulings and the ones I don't agree with, I do know have a limited knowledge of one aspect of the Bush Doctrine and I do know what the VP's job is to get paid for doing absolutley nothing except embarrassing the President.

See Ya

KC in SC

Here's a comment on phrases that drive me nuts...

"If it was up your butt you'd know."

I despise that phrase, and always get frustrated whenever someone says it!

This has certainly been an extremely historial election and the proof will be in the pudding ! So am hoping to support Obama"s policies once he illuminates them.

My MAIN concern is the corruption in our Congress and I am very curious as to 'when" this will be investigated. The corruption shared by several in Congress and in particular their part in the Federal Housing Authority and how it has been so disgracefully abused - by the folks that have been elected to our Congress !! Pretty shocking ! !

I will await the investigation of this situation and not be put under the rug. /AND for the media to bring this to the forefront ! ! !

Obama - STEP IN ! !