Wisdoma

Between now and the Presidential election next year, I predict virtually every story of the Tea Party by the liberal media will include a racial reference.

The goal is to discredit the tea party as a bunch of racists. Better to discredit than to address the issues.

Dear Warren Buffett,

If you do not believe you pay enough federal income tax, instead of seeking to increase the tax rate on others, why don’t you simply write the federal treasury a bigger check?

There is nothing preventing you from voluntarily paying more tax.

Perhaps you would feel better by going back to the 90 percent top tax rate.

Sincerely,

Other Taxpayers

President Obama just met members of the world champion Green Bay Packers.

That is, all but one Packer, because he forgot his ID on the plane.

No ID = No admittance into the White House.

Hellooo??

There are 40+ teammates, plus all sorts of club officials, plus a zillion photos online that can ID the player.

Since when does a piece of plastic called an ID trump common sense?

So the day after Obama is President, they won’t allow him into the White House without an ID?

What about now? Does Obama have to show an ID to get into the White House?

Apparently not. Why? Because we use our brains and common sense.

Something that seems to be lacking at the White House.

Wow. I saw this quote from LeBron James after he choked in another 4th quarter and lost the NBA Championship to the Dallas Mavericks:

“All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today,” James said. “They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that.

“They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy about not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal. But they have to get back to the real world at some point.”

Basically. I’m still the king. You’re a loser with a sorry life. Take that if you rooted against me.

Not exactly going to get more people to root for him.

Has there ever been a more universally despised pro team than the Miami Heat?

If you’re not happy about LeBron’s statement:

* Don’t buy his NBA merchandise

* Don’t buy anything he promotes

* Let any sponsors of his know you’re unhappy and not buying their stuff

Guess what LeBron? When you wake up today, tomorrow, and the next day, you’re going to have the same personal problems that you did before.

You’re not going to be happy.

You’re going to have even more people against you.

You’re still not going to have a championship.

You’ll still be a loser.

There was a post here based on an Orange County Register newspaper story that quickly spread like fire online. But with the Kings staying in Sacramento, and other developments relating to this story, I’m going to change this to mainly focus on the media.

Here is what happened:

The Orange County Register ran a sensational story that made it appear an attorney for the Sacramento Kings owners showed up at the personal residence of one of the paper’s reporters trying to persuade her to release an audio recording of the Los Angeles Lakers’ coach making comments about the Maloofs.

This was in the midst of the Maloofs deciding whether to stay in Sacramento for the next year or move the team to Anaheim. Kings fan went nuts over the implication that the Maloofs had decided to move the team and were seeking evidence against the league for a potential anti-trust lawsuit in the event the NBA did not approve the move.

Turns out the OC Register story was not quite accurate.

Hearst would have been proud.

Apparently, this was a pleasant, convenient, pre-arranged meeting. No attorney just “showed up” at a reporter’s personal home. There was no attempt to “persuade” the reporter to turn over the tape.

There is more to this story in the comments at the bottom, so make sure you read those. Everyone makes mistakes.

But the OC report was originally no mistake – a personal story about an attorney for the Maloofs that was not just a newspaper story, but came with a bold, boxed, second attention-grabbing headline about the Maloofs sending an attorney to the home of a reporter to “persuade” her to give up a tape.

Lessons to be Learned:

1. Ask an employer or company for documents, tapes, videos, etc., Don’t go behind their back trying to get that from an employee. Certainly don’t “show up” at their personal home. Go to their place of work. Whatever advantage that could be gained from this – always weigh and consider ramifications if your actions are discovered.

2. No matter how friendly the reporter, there is a trust issue. This is a lesson I have learned over the past 20 years in dealing with newspaper, radio, and television reporters. Your goal is not their goal. Your story is not their story. I do not recommend ignoring media requests, but be prepared, have your talking points, and stick to them. Hard. Because if you stray from your talking points you can be sure that is what will be reported, to your embarrassment. At the same time, be cooperative. That can be a difficult balancing act, but is something that must be done.

3. Nothing is “off the record.” Even if a reporter asks for a comment “off the record”, it is extremely dangerous to assume that will occur.

4. If you’re going to use fake names and try to communicate anonymously, be computer savvy or don’t bother. “Patricia” below is apparently a fake name. Unfortunately for this person, unbeknownst to them an early message to the blog showed they were from the law firm. At a minimum, their computer IP address gave away their law firm name.