The Scofield Report

New Fall Television Season

2008-08-27T04:01:00.000-07:00

New shows are coming but there's the inevitable excitement about returning programs that have kept us yearning for fall. Or winter, if you're a 24 fan...

Heroes Season 3 begins in just under a month. Fans of Prison Break will get their new season beginning on Labor Day. Football arrives (whew!) next month, and those medical drams like House will be back on the airwaves...

Speaking of new shows, can't wait to see Fringe. This will be the breakout hit series, to be sure!

Russia Gets Yet Another Warning from President Bush

2008-08-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

Bush Warns Russia on Georgia, Sends Rice to Tbilisi (Update1)
By Holly Rosenkrantz
Aug. 13 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said the U.S. would stand behind its ally Georgia and warned Russia that it must respect the ``territorial integrity'' of the Black Sea nation.
A U.S. military cargo plane is heading to Georgia with relief supplies and Bush said he directed Defense Secretary Robert Gates to organize a humanitarian aid effort. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Georgia to confer with President Mikheil Saakashvili.
``Russia's ongoing actions raise serious questions about its intentions in Georgia and the region,'' Bush said today at the White House in Washington. He said he was concerned about reports that Russian forces continue to move through Georgia in spite of an agreement on a cease-fire.
``The United States and the world expect Russia to honor that commitment'' to halt military operations, Bush said. He held out the threat that the U.S. would withdraw its support for Russia's ``aspirations'' in diplomatic, economic and security organizations.
The conflict has further strained relations between the U.S., which considers Georgia one of its closest allies in the region, and its former Cold War foe.
Georgia today accused Russia of sending troops beyond the South Ossetia conflict zone in violation of a cease-fire agreed to by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Saakashvili. A Russian official denied the claim, saying the troops are eliminating Georgia's ability to renew attacks.
Russian Movements
``We're concerned about reports that Russian forces have entered and taken positions in the port city of Poti, that Russian armored vehicles are blocking access to that port, and that Russia is blowing up Georgian vessels,'' Bush said.
The European Union brokered the cease-fire to end five days of fighting. EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to push the peace deal forward. The 27-nation bloc may send military personnel to monitor the cease-fire, said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
Bush said he supports the EU effort and Rice will stop in Europe to coordinate efforts to end the crisis. The U.S. will use its aircraft and naval forces to deliver humanitarian and medical supplies, the president said.
``We expect Russia to honor its commitment to let in all forms of humanitarian assistance,'' he said.
To contact the reporters on this story: Holly Rosenkrantz in Washington at hrosenkrantz@bloomberg.net

Russian Advance Continues

2008-08-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

There seems to be no end to the conflict between Russia and Georgia as Russian troops continued to battle Georgian forces today. Georgia is, of course, an ally of the United States.

President Bush took a diplomatic approach Sunday, expressing to Russian President Putin that the conflict was unacceptable. VP Cheney took things a step further, saying "Russian aggression must not go unanswered and that its continuation would have serious consequences for its relations with the United States, as well as (with) the broader international community''.

Here's the latest from the BBC....

Russians advance in west Georgia

Russian troops have entered Georgia from the breakaway region of Abkhazia, as the conflict between the two neighbours appears to be broadening.
Moscow said it had launched a raid on the town of Senaki to stop Georgia from attacking Russian forces in South Ossetia, another breakaway region.
As the fighting continued in South Ossetia, foreign envoys were pressing for a ceasefire in the conflict.
Each side accuses the other of carrying out atrocities in the region.
Fighting in South Ossetia erupted late last week when Georgia launched an overnight assault on the territory.

Russia, which supports the province's bid for separation, then bombed targets throughout Georgia and moved troops into the region and into Abkhazia.
On Monday EU envoys were attempting to broker an agreement between Tbilisi and Moscow.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili signed an EU-backed ceasefire, but the document was rejected by Moscow.
Leaders from both countries carried on a war of words, with Russia accusing Georgia of genocide, and President Saakashvili hitting back with claims of ethnic cleansing.
And Russia confirmed for the first time it had advanced beyond the borders of Abkhazia.
A Defence official told the Interfax news agency the move was intended to prevent Georgian troops from shelling South Ossetia, and to stop them from regrouping.
As well as launching an attack in Senaki, Russia also moved into the town of Zugdidi, according to Georgian officials.
The Russians issued an ultimatum to Georgian forces to disarm or face attack, and proceeded to occupy government buildings there, the Georgians said.
Fighting also continued in South Ossetia, with local officials accusing Georgia of bombing targets in the capital, Tskhinvali, by helicopter.

November Voter Turnout

2008-08-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

It is clear by now that this year's presidential election will garner a higher than normal number of votes....

As of tonight's posting, the race is basically too close to call. What happens in September? Both candidates will get a bounce from their respective conventions and, following Labor Day, the race will be on in earnest.... Stay tuned...

2008-06-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

Those of us who enjoyed the latest Indiana Jones epic got a taste of what the legend of the Cystal Skull is all about...

There are those who are watching the calendar as the months edge closer to the year 2012. That year, some believe, will be an interesting one is you believe in what the Mayans predicted with the wave of energy converging upon our planet.... Note the following article from UPI:

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, June 23 (UPI) -- Thousands of people in the Netherlands say they expect the world to end in 2012, and many say they are taking precautions to prepare for the apocalypse.
The Dutch-language de Volkskrant newspaper said it spoke to thousands of believers in the impending end of civilization, and while theories on the supposed catastrophe varied, most tied the 2012 date to the end of the Mayan calendar, Radio Netherlands reported Monday.
De Volkskrant said many of those interviewed are stocking up on emergency supplies, including life rafts and other equipment.
Some who spoke to the newspaper were optimistic about the end of civilization.
"You know, maybe it's really not that bad that the Netherlands will be destroyed," Petra Faile said. "I don't like it here anymore. Take immigration, for example. They keep letting people in. And then we have to build more houses, which makes the Netherlands even heavier. The country will sink even lower, which will make the flooding worse."

June 19th

2008-06-19T06:41:00.001-07:00

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen was in Jackson Wednesday to sign the Long-Term Care Community Choices Act of 2008. Our question to the Governor was, if asked, would he accept the Democratic vice presidential nod? His answer was the same as everyone else's. Not something I ever sought... Cover thay bridge if and when it ever happens... Plenty of people actively seeking it who would be great vice-presidents...

Cleveland Browns football is just around the corner. The Browns actually travel to Tennessee this year to take o the Titans...

Note the following from the BBC:

Firefox fans held parties around the world to mark download day
Mozilla is claiming a download record for the release of Firefox 3.0.
In the first 24 hours the web browser was available the software was downloaded more than eight million times, says its creator Mozilla.
Statistics from the download servers are being scrutinised to produce an official figure that will be passed to the Guinness World Record organisation.
But the launch was marred by news from computer security firms who have found the first flaws in the software.
Big figures
The attempt to set the download record was scheduled to begin at 1300 PST (2000 GMT) on 17 June.
However, the record attempt was almost wrecked from the start as the servers handling the downloads collapsed under the weight of visitors checking to see if new version was available.
Once the servers were up and functioning normally the record attempt began.
At their busiest the servers were handling more than 9,000 downloads per minute. Within five hours the number of downloads for Version 3.0 exceeded the 1.6 million set by Firefox 2.0 in October 2006.
In total Firefox 3.0 was downloaded 8.3 million times over the 24 hour record setting period. The figure beats the five million Mozilla predicted before the day.
Logs from the download servers have been handed to the Open Source Labs at Oregon State University for auditing. The scrutiny will ensure duplicate and unfinished downloads are not counted. The verification process could take a week to complete.
The surge of interest in Firefox 3.0 has continued and Mozilla has reported that the software has now been downloaded more than 10 million times.
However, some of the shine of the launch was removed by reports that a security firm had already found a flaw in the browser.
DV Labs/Tipping Point reported a flaw only five hours after Firefox 3.0 debuted. The flaw potentially lets an attacker take over a PC if a user clicks on a booby-trapped link.

Till next time....

2008-06-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

Americans should remember June 6th, 1944 as one of the most heroic efforts our nation has known. We should never forget our heroes...This excerpt from the History Cannel pretty much says it all.

D-Day
Although the term D-Day is used routinely as military lingo for the day an operation or event will take place, for many it is also synonymous with June 6, 1944, the day the Allied powers crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control during World War II. Within three months, the northern part of France would be freed and the invasion force would be preparing to enter Germany, where they would meet up with Soviet forces moving in from the east.
With Hitler's armies in control of most of mainland Europe, the Allies knew that a successful invasion of the continent was central to winning the war. Hitler knew this too, and was expecting an assault on northwestern Europe in the spring of 1944. He hoped to repel the Allies from the coast with a strong counterattack that would delay future invasion attempts, giving him time to throw the majority of his forces into defeating the Soviet Union in the east. Once that was accomplished, he believed an all-out victory would soon be his.
On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.
By dawn on June 6, 18,000 parachutists were already on the ground; the land invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where 2,000 troops were lost and it was only through the tenacity and quick-wittedness of troops on the ground that the objective was achieved. By day's end, 155,000 Allied troops--Americans, British and Canadians--had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches.
For their part, the Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hitler, believing that the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack and reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays. He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. In addition, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.
Though it did not go off exactly as planned, as later claimed by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery--for example, the Allies were able to land only fractions of the supplies and vehicles they had intended in France--D-Day was a decided success. By the end of June, the Allies had 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy and were poised to continue their march across Europe.
The heroism and bravery displayed by troops from the Allied countries on D-Day has served as inspiration for several films, most famously The Longest Day (1962) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). It was also depicted in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers (2001).

2008-06-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hats off to everyone who participated in the St. Jude Radiothon!
It is a known fact that the spirit of giving is alive and well.... In these difficult economic times, you, through Forever Communications, contributed over $130 thousand dollars to this more than worthy cause! Many thanks....

June is here and so is the heat...

More and more people are tuning in to Mike Slater's show on 105.3 FM... The Slater Raiders are growing in number.

Experts are saying that Grand Theft Auto IV is well on its way to breaking sales records in the videogame industry... Surprise, surprise...

What's the most important item on the 100 Billion space station? The new pump for the toilet, courtesy of the shuttle Discovery, naturally....

On 25, July The X-Files : I Want To Believe hits the theaters... Get ready...

Till next time!

Summer of '08

2008-05-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

Hey, it's another summer!

Working in radio provides a stimulus not found in many professions....
The primaries are, for all practical purposes, over... Now the fun begins.

West Tennesseans have high expectations for their news and our responsibility as journalists is to provide news to our listeners without sensationalism or fanfare. Not only is news important, but the prospect of severe weather in our area on top of everyone's mind in light of the tragedies in years past.

A couple of things we'll keep you posted on through the summer months:

Fuel Costs
The Presidential Election

Of course there will be developments that pop up from time to time that we'll focus our attention on, and as they pop up, we'll be there to bring them to your attention...

Sco

TN Educators Vs. Mass Media

2007-09-05T18:55:00.001-07:00

The following news release features Jackson's Own Earl Wiman

August 31, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Cheryl Umberger, TEA Communications, cumberger@tea.nea.org,
615.242.8392, Ext. 112 (O), 615.319.1018 (C)
Tennessee’s Teachers Appalled by Food Chain Television Advertisement
NASHVILLE—“How irresponsible can you get? At this very moment, there are female teachers in high school classrooms with 30+ students who are working hard to teach our children so that they can compete in today’s world. It is unbelievably demeaning to every one of them to promote a television advertisement showing a young teacher gyrating on top of her desk while boys in the class rap about her body in order to sell hamburgers!” Tennessee Education Association President Dr. Earl Wiman’s strong reaction came following the airing of the Hardee’s ‘flat bun’ hamburger commercial during last night’s Titans football game. “At a time when teachers, parents and the business community demand even more rigorous and relevant coursework for K-12 students, no one should condone such a sexually exploitive assault on our teachers, our students, or our schools,” he continued. “All morning I have received calls and e-mails from teachers, their families, and other school officials. They are outraged, and so am I.“I am asking that all of our members and the public who care about children and their education to contact their local Hardee’s to voice their concerns. The TEA Web site, http://www.teateachers.org/, will also carry contact information for those who want to write or call corporate officials. (Hardee’s is one of the CKE Restaurants chain, along with Carl’s Jr. and Green Burrito fast food restaurants.)Wiman concluded, “Tennessee’s teachers work hard every day to educate the children of this state. Working with parents, we strive to teach and reinforce good behavior so that all students have the chance to learn in a safe and orderly environment, and we strongly resent those who flaunt their disregard for both teachers and the children we teach.”

Presidential Prospects

2007-09-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

If you look at the calendar, November 2008 seems light years away. If you read the newspapers, search the web, listen to talk radio or catch the evening news, the presidential election seems much, much closer.

Here in Tennessee Fred Thompson, TV actor and former U.S. Senator is virtually assured of the Republican vote on February 5th, 2008. Just how well Mr. Thompson fares in the other 49 states remains to be seen in light of the lateness of his accouncement in his quest for the presidency.

The other potential presidential candidate from Tennessee is Al Gore. According to The Boston Globe, some 1,000 signatures are in place in the Granite State in an effort to get Gore to enter the New Hampshire presidential primary. Just how far Mr. Gore decides to take this option remains to be seen.

What impact will these two Tennesseans have on their respective parties? Hillary R. Clinton leads the pack on the Democratic side, while former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is currently the front runner for the GOP. Thompson's impact is clear. Even this late in the game, the actor-turned-politician is a force no one in the Republican Party is ignoring. Gore on the other hand seems to be just a dim hope for the Democrats.

At the moment, the debate over early primaries has touched both parties. Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally serve as kick-off states for the presidential contests but other states like Florida are debating earlier contests to bolster their states political clout. Ultimately, the Democratic Convention takes place in Denver this August while Minneapolis-St. Paul will be playing host to the GOP in early September.

Yep. September 2007 is here and so is the race for the White House, even with election day being well over a year away.

Stay with us...

John Scofield