Are you following the PayPal debacle? Seems they are making a difference, in a bad way this holiday season. I hope you give this story some consideration and attention.

BP/Halliburton: It was a British invasion. That's what it was, a British invasion. And BP should have used

GE Silcone. My husband and daughter fixed a leak in our hot tub with the silcone, and it worked. Have a

nice day, Brian. Phyllis

Please read this! Paypal has really crossed a line this time and the only hope of making them rectify this is to bring it to national attention. Please Brian, you're my only hope.

Brian, I missed Rock Center last night, but just saw the Video "I don't Care if I Die" and obviously the man

experienced Mercury poisoning which affects the nervous system and to think that the children are exposed

to Mercury poisoning on top of everything else is shameful and abysmal and must be stopped. Phyllis

Brian, my brother gave me "December 6" by Martin Cruz Smith where on the eve of Pearl Harbor the hero Harry

must decide where his true allegiance lie with a note "Phyl, I wouldn't worry if there are criticisms about

your writing project because there are probably a few who felt the same way as our grandfather" Thus

encouraged by my favorite brother Lowell I will get the novel written in 2012. Evidence to the contrary I

believe his version of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. What me worry? Have a nice day !!!Phyllis

Let me make sure I understand this. On Sunday, Nightly News started 10 minutes late on the east coast (because golf ran over) so it was only a 20-minute broadcast. Despite the shortened time frame, the producers still managed to include a two-minute story about pandas and the obligatory Will & Kate story. For other networks, an abbreviated broadcast would mean eliminating the silly, trivial non-news stories. But at Nightly News, it means eliminating real news so they can show us more worthless drivel. God forbid the producers would ever cut a panda story or a Will & Kate story from the broadcast. So Nightly News viewers may have no idea what's going on across the country and around the world, but at least we know all about Sweetie and Sunshine. Great job, Nightly News producers. Just another reason why Nightly News is not a serious newscast.

Also on Sunday's broadcast, a clip of David Axelrod from that day's "Meet the Press" carried a Nightly News graphic that identified Axelrod as a "Senior Obama Campaign Adviser". On Monday, a different clip of Axelrod carried a Nightly News graphic that identified him as an "Obama Campaign Senior Advisor". Why did the Nightly News producers spell adviser/advisor two different ways on two different days? And why was the order of words in Axelrod's job description changed around from one day to the next? Have any of the Nightly News producers ever heard of something called consistency? Is anyone at Nightly News paying attention to what they're doing? Does anyone care?

The second story on Wednesday's Nightly News (11/30) was Tom Costello's report about arsenic levels in fruit juice. As expected, Costello's first obligation was to protect the Nightly News sponsors. As a result, he did not show a single name brand of juice. Instead, we only saw clear glasses filled with what appeared to be apple juice. At one point, Costello was in a supermarket juice aisle but all the juice bottles on the shelf had been turned around by the Nightly News staff so their labels were not visible. They manipulated the bottles in a supermarket to protect NBC sponsors! There is a word for this: Unethical. And there's another word for it: Sleazy. Costello's manipulation of the juice aisle reminded me of Kristen Welker's manipulation of a supermarket cereal aisle for her 9/24/10 Nightly News report about the shopping habits of American consumers. For that report, Welker and her producers painstakingly rearranged the cereal aisle in a Target store and padded it with 50 facings of Cheerios in order to create a wall of Cheerios that was clearly visible to the camera. Cheerios had nothing to do with the story--Welker rearranged the aisle just to create a product placement for Cheerios, a regular Nightly News advertiser. It's sort of the flip side of what Costello did. He manipulated a supermarket aisle to protect Nightly News sponsors, Welker manipulated a supermarket aisle to promote a Nightly News sponsor. Meanwhile, The CBS Evening News also aired a report Wednesday about arsenic levels in juice. But the CBS report clearly showed bottles of Mott's, Apple & Eve and other name brands. I think it's obvious who the legitimate journalists are and who the shills are. Sidebar: At one point during the Nightly News juice story, Costello told us that, "(T)he FDA now says it's considering a new standard that will reduce consumers' exposure to arsenic in apple juice." But when that statement appeared on-screen, "consumers'" was spelled as "consumer's". Note to the Nightly News producers: I think the FDA is looking to reduce the exposure for more than one consumer.

Of course, it's no surprise that when the Nightly News producers wanted to protect their sponsors, they gave the job to Costello. He has a history of protecting sponsors in his stories. On the 3/29/11 Nightly News, Costello did a story about the link between food dyes and hyperactivity in children. He told us the dyes were, "Found in everything from drinks to candies, baked goods, chips, even pickles and mac and cheese." As he said this, we are shown video of these products--but not a single identifying label was visible. This is hardly shocking. These products all advertise regularly on NBC and the producers are obviously afraid of offending their sponsors. The chips were clearly Doritos (from Frito-Lay), and the pickles and macaroni and cheese were likely from Heinz and Kraft, two of the largest manufacturers of those respective products (and also frequent NBC advertisers). Simply put, Brian Williams, Tom Costello and their producers do not run negative reports that include their sponsors' products. Not surprisingly, the 3/29/11 CBS Evening News report on food dyes showed brand-name products such as Fritos and Ruffles (both from Frito-Lay), M & M's, Mott's Applesauce, Gatorade, Eggos, Kraft salad dressings, Hellmann's Mayonnaise, Popsicles, Jello and a variety of cereals such as Frosted Flakes, Cap'n Crunch and Apple Jacks. CBS News acted in the best interests of their viewers while NBC News acted in the best interests of their sponsors.

But there's more. On the 11/3/09 Nightly News, Costello did a report about harmful BPA levels in plastic bottles and canned food liners. Costello told us that the chemical was present in "brand name foods from vegetable soup to tuna fish, green beans to corn and chili." But the accompanying graphic showed only generic cans labeled "chili", "vegetable soup", "green beans" and "tuna". Not a single name brand. Meanwhile, ABC's World News reported the same story on the same night. The ABC story showed canned goods from Del Monte, Progresso, Campbell's, Hormel, Hunt's, Bush's and Chef Boyardee. As with the food dye and juice stories, Costello and his producers refrained from showing brand names in the BPA story as a favor to the many food companies that advertise on their broadcast and other NBC shows. (In the week prior to the 11/3/09 BPA report, Nightly News aired commercials for Bush's Beans, Progresso canned soups and Swanson chicken broth.) What does it tell us that both CBS and ABC are willing to include their sponsors' products in unflattering news reports, while Nightly News is not? Simple. Nightly News makes a point of vigorously protecting and promoting their sponsors' products, while the other networks do not. Obviously, ABC and CBS place news above loyalty to their sponsors.

By the way, on Monday's Nightly News (11/28), we were shown a "Making A Difference" report about campus food pantries that provide food to needy students. In the story, there were no fewer that 8 clear shots of Campbell's canned foods. The final shot of the story was an extreme close up of a can of Campbell's Chunky Soup. This was no accident. Campbell's is a major Nightly News sponsor. Obviously, this story was concocted solely as a way to promote Campbell's products. So Nightly News refuses to show a single can of Campbell's soup in a damaging story about BPA levels, but they have no problem turning a "Making A Difference" report into a Campbell's product placement bonanza. Shameful.

Brian, as concerns "Pot Luck" I have the $20 Gold Coin shown on your broadcast which I keep on my piano

because of the Peggy Lee sheet music "I'm A Woman" with the lyric "I got a twenty dollar gold piece says

there ain't nothing I can't do." My husband thinks it's an imitation because on the back "In God we trust"

is not there. Well, I will take it to Staples to find out because the owner buys gold coins. If I get big money,

I will cut you in,--- not half because I need the extra at Christmas, --- and send you a check. Phyllis

Good Evening Mr.Williams, a fine broadcast this evening. A great Rock Center program last night. Richard did a excellent job on the report about the gold mining in Mali. Truly tragic that so many children are working in extremely harsh conditions along with being exposed to mercury which can leads to dangerous health problems.

It was good to see Richard get out of the mine safely! Certainly a one time experience as Richard stated in the report. Nice to see him safe in the New York studio for Rock Center!

First of all the report by Atia Abawi from Kabul about the three suicide bombings on the holiest day of worship for people in Afghanistan. Terrible to learn that 56 people were killed and many more injured near a mosque in Kabul and tow more bombings in other areas. It was horrible to hear from those who survived describe the scene after the bombings. It appears the taliban is denying responsibilty and another Sunni group from Pakistan could be claiming to be responsible. It is truly understanable why people in the region are fearful of more waves of violence thoughout the country. One hopes it does not continue.

The report by Mr. Costello about the Big Branch mine in West Virginia showed told of how the owner of the mine is paying millions to the families who lost loved ones in the mine disaster. It appeared the mine had many safety violations and some the millions being paid by the owner should seen a a signal to the mine industry to make the mines safer. The "Why" did this happen has not been answered as one family member stated in the report. Those responsible f should be brought to justice as the criminal investigation continues.

Good to know Reverend Billy Graham is recovering well.

A nice piece by Mr.Sanders about the mysterious person leaving 1913 Gold Coins in the Christmas Collection kettles of the Salvation Army. A true wonderful spirit of the season.

Thank You for the broadcast Mr.Williams. Peace to You and to All!

Be Well Everyone!

Stay Extra,Extra Safe and Well Richard! Excellent Reporting on Rock Center last evening!

Take Extra,Extra Good Care Richard and Crew!

Lisa

brian, terrible about the mercury in that gold the children are mining in mali. like all of the goldrushers of the past, i'm sure they dream of making their fortune in the mines which makes school a pretty dull place. isaac newton died of mercury poisoning, the thought is that he was tinkering with alchemy and ingesting a wee bit, obviously, he ingested too much. on another note, i just got some linens ups that i found were made in israel; beautiful gardens, long-legged waterbirds and brightly feathered small birds, flowering trees and bushes, i'm sure that's what the middle east and africa must have looked like a long time ago when they had more moisture and the animals of the savannah were abundant everywhere. a very long time ago. that would be worth far more than gold, methinks, in tourist $, and in general well-being with potable water. interesting, how the prayers come in. life is not boring, if you're paying attention, huh, brian. best, anna martina

A lesson many didn't learn as US History is now being used and few even know Teddy Roosevelt. We hear such ignorance from candidates about our great nation and this President has done his reading. Our great Presidents have all had some type of struggle and found a way out. We learn from our parents as children what to do when faced with problems. I was so mad when Nixon wasn't impeached but watched President Clinton go to Nixon for help with Foreign Policy. I did so reading and learned Nixon was one if not the best President in foreign policy. Former President Ford lived out here in California and I listen to his reasons for the pardon. Even adults can learn as I understood it was best for our nation.

Newt Gingrich has so much baggage and looks like he's only in the race for the money. The rest of the candidates are just funny. Mitt knows if he has any chance of winning it's by buying the election. With Obama getting so many Americans to give as little as five dollars a month, Mitt is trying to catch up by wealthy/Banks/Corporations puring in donations to his campaign.

Alabama signed a racist bill and now see how it's hurting the State. Immigrant field workers have left and farmers are losing crops and money. Well the elected KKK officials came up with a great idea. Getting prisoners to do the work and have more arrest/conviction by the Judges to full the fields. Even kids can be used as it would help with the education cost to the State with fewer students. Now these officials with oak meal as brains forgot the Foreign businesses will move to other States. As the big money leaves Alabama the taxpayers will foot the bill. Not enough blacks to do the work and these aren't the old days where people sang to God for help while picking cotton.

As Congress is about to end the year and nothing done for the people, at lease their families will have a great holiday. So many Americans looking for jobs of any kind and many have never been unemployed but have paid into programs their now qualified for. The gold coins dropped in the bucket to help as many as possible.

Many like to praise or condemn a leader as it's always easy to be an harm chair quarterback. I learned the hard way to remember no one is perfect not even me. Judge a person by their characterand actions but leave room for learning and mistakes. I laugh when I hear people talk about how perfect they are and right after that use God's name. My GrandMother said you learn as a child and told to apologize, but when you make knowing mistakes as an adult sorry doesn't cut it. Today we have many who we look to believe trust but after 2 years of Congress doing nothing sorry wont cut it. President Obama has do good things and made mistakes. He has put to much trust in those who openly lie, it will be interesting to what him grow from this as it is a mystery and wise.

have a great evening all