Jump to November 2010 archive page: 1 2

  • This is not the most boring day ever

    ...but we now know what was. According to the internet search engine True Knowledge, the most boring day in modern history was Sunday, April 11, 1954. The front page of the New York Times on the next day (a review of the news...or lack of it...from the 11th) seems to bear that out. The headline includes such shockers as: "PALM SUNDAY THRONGS FEEL PRE-EASTER TINGE OF SPRING" and the classic "WORLD'S RELIGIONS SURVIVE STRESSES OF CLASHING IDEAS," as well as the old chestnut "ANTI-SEMITISM FOUND IN GERMANY; SURVEY HAILS EFFORT TO COMBAT IT."

    Here's that front page, and here's how they determined the most boring day ever. Post your own nominees below.

    We are having anything but a boring day. As a light rain falls over Midtown Manhattan, crowds are already gathering outside our building for the lighting of the Christmas Tree here at 30 Rock. There are spotlights, police, barricades and at least one fire truck. It's exciting. It always is.

     

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  • The vagabond turkey

    That's how Leslie Nielsen later referred to his first studio film, called "The Vagabond King." It didn't do well--but fortunately for the rest of us, he did. When the news of his death arrived last night, I quickly got in touch with a small circle of friends who are fellow worshipers of the "Airplane" films--and the entire genre that he helped to create. These are friends who cannot have a conversation without including material from one of the films. A small, twisted circle of friends. In our sadness, we started emailing each other our favorite material.

    What's less well known about the great Leslie Nielsen (who I had the pleasure of meeting years ago in Los Angeles) is his past: the abusive father, the deafness from a young age (and his use of dual hearing aids all his life), his time in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and his decades as a dramatic actor. His careening career change into comedy changed comedy forever. He loved to laugh--and while he could be completely serious, I don't think seriousness was his natural state. It was odd, at first, to see his obituary introduced this morning on TODAY by a beaming Al Roker...but the old cliche is true in this case: Leslie Nielsen would have wanted it that way. People like myself...and my friend Al...instantly smile when we hear his name. We can reel off dozens of his greatest lines. Leslie Nielsen would have loved knowing that people smiled when they thought of him. The world will be less funny without him.

    We will remember him on the broadcast tonight, and I hope you can join us.

  • Assessing the damage of WikiLeaks

    Natalie Morales writes: As we go on the air tonight we're just beginning to assess the damage that may be done by the latest document dump from WikiLeaks. Hundreds of thousands of secret – or highly confidential – State Department cables are being released which are not only embarrassing to government officials, but could be very damaging to U.S. foreign relations particularly in this age of war and terror. The website itself is down right now because of a reported denial of service attack, but the information is already front page news around the world, including The New York Times. So what is the potential fallout, and how did the information get out in the first place? Our teams in Washington are covering all the angles for you. 

    Also, tonight, we're watching the South Korean coastline where the USS George Washington recently arrived to take part in a joint exercise with the South Korean navy. North Korea says the drills are a "pretext for war" and is warning it will be "merciless" in its retaliation if the activities get too close to its territory.

    Meanwhile, on the home front, we're learning more about the 19-year-old allegedly behind the foiled car bomb plot at a Portland, Oregon tree lighting this weekend. According to the FBI, he told the undercover agents he "wanted to commit violent jihad," and helped assemble what he thought was the bomb in 55 gallon drums inside a van.  Today, authorities are also investigating a fire as a possible hate crime at the local Islamic center where Mohamed Osman Mohamud worshiped.

    You may be among the millions of Americans making your health insurance elections right now for the new year.  But for so many, despite being insured, going to the doctor means having to pay mostly out of pocket because of sky-high deductibles. That is reportedly making people think twice or even skipping out on doctors visits or wellness checkups because they can't afford it.  One woman's solution: a website that helps you shop around for everything from prescriptions to procedures. We'll take a closer look.

    And on this Sunday Night Football evening (Chargers vs. Colts), we'll see how two of San Diego’s players are making a very big difference for young foster kids. 

    Join us for Nightly tonight.

  • The best list for Black Friday

    Leave it to Tina Brown and the Daily Beast to publish the most fascinating list (today of all days) on spending – who spends, where, why and at what age. I came across it this morning, and we plan to use some stats from it on the air tonight. You know what they say about statistics –remember that as you read through this...I think you'll find it interesting nonetheless.

    I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. My thanks to Lester Holt and Carl Quintanilla for allowing me to spend a few days with my family. We hope to see you for tonight's broadcast.

  • Reasons to be thankful tonight

    Carl Quintanilla writes: There's turkey and stuffing in the Nightly newsroom tonight, thanks to our friends at the NBC Commissary upstairs. (Early reviews are good.) There are also plenty of televisions on which to watch football, if we're so inclined.

    But more than that, there are reminders of reasons to be thankful -- and they come in the form of news stories.

    Rehema Ellis leads our broadcast tonight with a piece on today's Thanksgiving celebrations around the country -- from the Macy's Parade in New York City to the myriad of ways Americans are volunteering and giving to those in need. Lester Holt brings us the latest in his series of inspiring stories about U.S. troops in Afghanistan during this holiday, as they continue to fight a critical but exhausting war.

    The ongoing tensions in North and South Korea also continue to dominate headlines. Our Ian Williams brings us a first-hand look at the island that was shelled by North Korea this week, surveying the damage and talking to bewildered residents. We'll talk with Richard Engel about what comes next, what's behind the joint military exercises the U.S. will begin with South Korea next week, and how China is responding.

    Finally, Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the s-h-o-p-p-i-n-g. The National Retail Federation says 138 million Americans will shop this Black Friday weekend, and more retailers like Sears stayed open on Thanksgiving Day. Lee Cowan takes a look at Americans' seemingly insatiable appetite for shopping, and how that may indicate that their fears about the economy (or at least their pocketbooks) may be on the wane.

    Now, that would be something for which to be truly thankful.

    Wherever you are this Thanksgiving night -- at home with friends, with family, at work with co-workers (who sometimes feel like family), we wish you a wonderful holiday, and hope you'll join us tonight.

  • North Korea says region is on "brink of war"

    What we're following:

    - North Korea says the region is on "brink of war"

    - Protests and weather could slow holiday travel

    - Jobless claims drop, spending rises

    And did you see...

    - Officials: All 29 trapped miners in New Zealand are dead

    - Beatles music an easy sell on iTunes

    - Worst day for house fires? You guessed it... Thanksgiving

    Let us know what you're talking about on Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr

  • Not subject to scanning, patting or groping

    I knew it might be trouble the moment I read on Gawker over the weekend that House Speaker-designate John Boehner had "bypassed" airport security at National in Washington. He walked past the TSA checkpoint with his armed security detail. It's not that anyone wishes he'd be as hassled like the rest of us (okay, some people probably do). The problem is: He's a lawmaker. TSA/Department of Homeland Security issues come before him. He should know, firsthand (you'll pardon the pun) what the rest of us go through at the airport. There are layers of Government types, from the President on down, who are exempt from airport screening. They say they understand what the American flying public is going through, but they don't. They can't. My guess is, this issue will start to pick up some traction.

    We hope you can join us tonight.

  • Here comes the wave

    Like many Americans, I'll be at the airport over the next few days, picking up and dropping off--but thankfully, not flying anywhere. Those who must had better be ready for anything--delays, long lines, and the possibility of a very personal once-over. The only thing worse than the horror stories piling up on the web from travelers (many of them armed with cameras) is the growing number of web posts from TSA Agents themselves, upset (despondent, in some cases) over having to enforce the new rules. We all have to remember: the TSA Agents are not the policymakers, and are trying to do their jobs as assigned. While there is evidence of the introduction of common sense over time, it's still going to be a different this Thanksgiving. The TSA story still looms large in our reporting, and we hope you can join us tonight.

  • St. Louis most dangerous city in the U.S.

    What we're following:

    - TSA administrator says the agency is reviewing new screening process

    - Toxic metals found in drinking glasses

    - Nuclear weapons drivers drunk on the job?

    And did you see...

    - Prince William pilots a rescue mission 48 hours after his engagement

    - The Daily, a new digital only newspaper, coming soon

    - St. Louis is the most dangerous city in the U.S.

    Let us know what you're talking about on Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr

  • Prepping for the Afghan transition to come later

    Lester Holt writes

    Yesterday, President Obama said he wanted Afghans to take over combat duties here by 2014. Today I had the privilege of meeting one of the men who could help make that happen. Lt. Faiz Ramaki is a pilot with Afghanistan’s air force.  He was an interpreter for the U.S. military in the early years of the war, and then was accepted for pilot training in the United States. Until recently the Afghan air force consisted mostly of Russian-made helicopters. Recently, they acquired a handful of used C-27 cargo transports from Italy. This morning I went up in one of the Afghan planes on a mission to make a low-level parachute drop of critical supplies to a forward operating base near Jalalabad. Two American pilots were up front and Lt. Faiz Mohammad was running the checklist in the third cockpit seat. The Americans are part of an advisory squadron teaching the Afghans some of the things they will need to operate independently. Eventually, Lt. Ramaki will command his own aircraft, with a full Afghan crew.  As we flew into the drop zone at just one thousand feet above the ground, the rear ramp opened, and the pallets of supplies fell into our slipstream. It was exciting to watch, but the best part was seeing Lt. Ramaki pump his first and let out a satisfying whoop. We will show you more on tonight's broadcast.

    Now to answer some of the questions you've passed along. Margret Ware wants to know where the reporters are staying. In Kabul we have a bureau with our own sleeping quarters. However when covering the military it depends on where we are. At Camp Leatherneck with the Marines we stayed in sleeping bags in a tent. In Kandahar I slept in a modest dormitory type arrangement with four bunk beds. And here at Bagram Air Field I'm sharing guest quarters with Richard Engel (one of us snores, by the way).

    Sandra Jones Hall asked about troop morale. It's hard to characterize for 130,000 troops but I can tell you the marines, airmen, and soldiers I've spoken to seem very positive and very committed to each other. One airman told me I was the first person outside his unit he had spoken to in 5 months, so many are surprised when I  tell them the war is not on the top of mind anymore for a lot of Americans. I might add they take losses very hard. The crews with the Air Force Combat Search and Rescue squadron I flew with the other day have just come off a very bad couple of days in which they transported over 50 casualties from a battle in Eastern Afghanistan. Six of those they transported were killed in action. Their pain is apparent but it doesn't weaken their resolve. Please don't forget them. See you tonight from the 101st Airborne headquarters at Bagram.

  • A humbling in Afghanistan

    We begin a series of broadcasts from Afghanistan tonight. I got here last Tuesday and practically from the moment I arrived, I've felt like I have been in the company of giants – quiet humble individuals doing remarkable and selfless things in circumstances I cannot begin to fathom.

    Take Jimmy Settles for example. A young Air Force Pararescue jumper from Alaska, who after only 2 weeks in country nearly lost his life to a bullet that pierced the bottom of his rescue helicopter, fragmented, flew through his helmet and pierced the skin just an inch from his left eye. Amazingly he required only five stitches.

    But more amazingly, he climbed back in a helicopter the next day, once again putting his life on the line to rescue injured soldiers from the battlefield. Jimmy told me there is nothing more important then being there for his comrades. By the way, the bullet hole in the HH-60 Jimmy was in that day has been left unpatched. Next to it, Jimmy wrote "the one that almost got me," and signed it Jimmy Settles, 11/12/10. A date Jimmy calls his "new" birthday. I'll look forward to seeing you this weekend from Bagram Air Field

  • Faith, restored

    NBC News President Steve Capus and I over the past two days have met with two groups whose presence literally restores your faith in our population and our ability to tackle problems. Yesterday, it was a visiting group of fellows from the U.S. Army War College. Today it was visiting fellows from Harvard University. Today's group included a combat veteran who was kind enough to remind me that he was a cadet at West Point when I last gave a dinner speech there. He graduated that year, was deployed to Iraq and returned safely, and was here today studying the media/political/military interaction. He is a shining example of our armed forces...and the current University student body. A good two days where faith in the future is concerned.

    One favor on another topic: If you're a dog lover like me, and you didn't see Ron Mott's story last night (or simply want to see it again), please do here. What I wouldn't give to be waiting at the bottom of that slide as those little guys come down...

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend... and I hope you'll join us tonight.

  • A star in the making

    A lot of people in my life are telling me the same thing lately: Try to stop and enjoy life whenever you can. Perhaps they're saying this because I'm going through a particularly busy and breathless period. Earlier today, NBC News President Steve Capus and I were leaving his office to go speak to a visiting group from the U.S. Army War College, when out his window I spotted a passing star. It was a big one...metallic with lights, as big as a person. I ran to the window and discovered: We were witnessing the star get hoisted atop the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree. While the tree has been outside our building for several days, I still haven't made the time to go out and see it. Steve and I paused at the window for at least 15 seconds (maybe that's a bit much...closer to 10) before leaving for our meeting. That was my moment today...at least I had one.

    We hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.

  • Air Force warns troops about social networking

    What we're following:

    - 4 in 10 say marriage is becoming obsolete

    - Suspected mail bomb found at airport in Germany

    - GM relaunches as public company

    And did you see...

    - U.S. Air Force warns troops about using location based social networking services

    - Qantas says half of the world's A380 engines may need fixing

    - Bristol Palin and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino team up for safe sex PSA

    Let us know what you're talking about on Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr

  • Close...painfully close...to the real thing

    Our friends at the Onion News Network have turned another terrific story--about as close to what could conceivably air as anything they've ever done. It's a comedy piece--it's what they are superb at--but when viewed another way, it actually has a serious and melancholy underpinning. What makes it funny--darkly funny--is where we are as a country--the relatively new realization that we aren't what we used to be, and are not as capable of the grand gesture...the Apollo Program...as we once were. Perhaps we will be again, but there's something about this spoof that feels awfully close to the bone.


    Obama Replaces Costly High-Speed Rail Plan With High-Speed Bus Plan

    On the non-fiction front: We hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast.

  • A feeling few men know

    When the president fastened the cornflower blue ribbon around the neck of Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta today at the White House, Giunta became the 87th living Recipient of the Medal of Honor. The recipient nearest to him in age is more than twice his age. The last seven medals have gone to men who were killed in battle. This was a genuinely great moment for the Armed Forces. As I said to Col. Jack Jacobs (a Recipient himself), "If all Americans were like this guy, we'd have no problems as a country." Jack said he had last heard that sentiment expressed...by his own wife, a retired Army Captain herself. For those with any interest in the profound story of this young man, please read Jack's story on the subject. We will have more on his story on tonight's broadcast.

    We hope you can join us tonight

  • The stuff of science fiction

    NBC's Anne Thompson writes in the Huffington Post about her experiences covering the evolving culture of green energy:

    An ad campaign does not make coal clean. Only innovation and investment and people working to solve the problem can reduce the amount of pollutants that burning coal puts into the atmosphere. Solar and wind offer partial solutions. But we need to develop the kinds of large-scale batteries that could store enough power to be on-demand energy sources. There is also the issue of transmitting that power from where it is generated to where it is needed. These are daunting obstacles but they also represent the kind of clarion call that brings out the best in the American spirit... creativity and invention. This is the kind of challenge Detroit thrived on for the better part of a century. Change will not happen overnight, but if the same carmaker that brought us the Suburban can also deliver the Volt, real, substantial progress is within the reach of our lifetime.

    Read the full article here:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-thompson/tuning-in-to-a-cleaner-en_b_783534.html

  • The Beatles are now on iTunes

    What we're following:

    - Prince William and Kate Middleton announce their engagement

    - The Beatles are now on iTunes

    - GM raises IPO price thanks to high demand

    And did you see...

    - Binge drinking could hurt teens later in life

    - President Obama to award Medal of Honor to Army Staff Sgt. Giunta

    - Really? Buy a truck, get a free AK-47

    Let us know what you're talking about on Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr

  • Meeting the nation's newest hero

    We're in Washington tonight, where earlier today I met Army Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta, who tomorrow will be awarded with the Medal of Honor by President Obama. He is as kind and modest as they come. He feels he has no claim to this medal, that he was doing just as others were doing in his unit that day, and that he will wear it for others. As he spoke, he sounded just like the other 86 living Recipients of the Medal. He's a proud product of Iowa who is here in Washington with his wife, not quite ready for the media onslaught that begins tomorrow. But who would be? It was a thrill and a pleasure to meet him and spend some time with him today. You can read his story here and I suggest you do. It will come in handy the next time you think you're having a bad day.

    We hope to see you from Washington tonight.

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