It's been over a week since I returned from our AAA Travel WHIO News Cruise on board the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Mariner of the Sea.  It was my very first cruise, and I had the chance to share it with my wife and children (Alex and Andrea), my parents and 16 of our loyal listeners to WHIO Radio.

The ship was incredible.  It dwarfed two other cruise ships on the dock at Port Canaveral, and provided a challenge just in being able to find my way around.  However, within a couple of days I was well oriented and took advantage of the many activities it had to offer. 

My son and I showed up at a crowded gym on our first day at sea, and despite sometimes having to wait for a piece of equipment got a good workout in.  Apparently the first day of a cruise is similar to New Year's Day in a gym.  Good intentions don't last long, and every day thereafter we had the place to ourselves.

I did not over-eat, but I didn't say no much.  My favorite meal was the second night, when I got to enjoy escargot for an appetizer and roast duck for an entrée.  This is something my wife rarely prepares at home!  I found all of the food, both in the dining room and at the buffet to be quite good, and the service was beyond great. 

The entertainment was top notch, with my favorite being the comedy of Rondell Sheridan.  Cruise Director Drew Devine did a nice job of keeping things moving and being entertaining, without injecting too much of himself into the programs.  I learned things from him that I may use in my own public appearances in the future.

We got off the ship at all of the ports of call.  In Labadee, Haiti we just spend the day exploring the beach.  In Ocho Rios, Jamaic we took a wonderful relaxing trip on a bamboo raft down the Martha Brae River. In Grand Cayman, we snorkeled over a shipwreck and reef, but both sites were just a couple of hundred yards from the main dock, which took something away from the atmosphere.  In Cozumel we took a long and arduous trip to see the Mayan ruins at Tuluum.  It was a great education trip for the kids, but was a lot of work.

Finally, what I will remember most about the trip are my fellow passengers from WHIO-Land.  Minnie Fisher and Imogene Mercer did their best to find the shopping bargains on shore, while trying their hand at bingo on board.  Joe and June Henman were dare-devils going para-sailing and taking a zip-line through the canopy in Jamaica.  Ned and Christine Holzmuller taught us all about wine and art, while sharing a bottle or two, or three.  Gail and Sara Boes went to Hell and back on Grand Cayman (Hell is the name of a city).  Larry and Sandy Szcygiel shared the celebration of their 25^th wedding anniversary with the group.  The last time Darrell Dick was at sea, was on board a Navy destroyer.  He and his wife Pam said the food was much better on this voyage.  Barb and Jim Niepoky won the prize in the human scavenger hunt contest.  Todd and Candy Sidle got a double vacation.  Not only were they getting a break from the kids, but Candy home schools them, so it was a teacher break as well.  They discovered the famous Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is only 6 and a half miles long.  My parents learned that there are some people who actually listen to their son.  My wife got to revisit Jamaica for the first time since our honeymoon.  My kids made me proud, as they learned how to use all the forks at a formal dinner table.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip that provided a lifetime of memories.  They will be memories that we add to when we set sail next year.  Be listening for details.

Paltrow was honored at last night's 2008 Can-Do Awards at Chelsea Pier for her work with The Food Bank for New York City. The eternally waify and whimsical blonde strutted her stuff in a pair of dominatrix-esque heels, but last night's focus was on food, not footwear (though the shoes were inarguably a questionable choice).

Food banks and shelters across the nation are at a crisis point. Food shortages have plagued nearly every state and every major metropolitan area across the nation. In fact, Burma Rai, Chief Executive Officer of The Foodbank in Dayton, says even the Miami Valley has felt the effects of growing hunger, and declining donations.

Imagine then the epidemic that must be plaguing the streets of Manhattan: in 2006, the number of people going hungry in the city jumped to a shocking three million. And we're not just talking the poor, the disabled, or the homeless. An increasing number of middle-class residents are having a harder time putting food on the table. The percentage of those going hungry has also jumped among white Americans, as well as those who are college-educated. Scary stuff.

But it's no match for the ol' Hollywood treatment. Or, at least, it sure can't hurt to have wealthy celebrities throwing their millions at the cause. Not to sound cynical, though. Gwyneth Paltrow has long been known for her humanitarian efforts, particularly in the fight to end poverty and hunger.

Last night's event honored Paltrow's work with the Food Bank, along with that of supermodel Helena Christensen and several corporate sponsors, including MTV Networks. The Food Bank celebrated its 25^th anniversary this year, holding a charity auction last night to raise money toward funding the organization, and helping the 1.3 million NYC residents it aids each year.

It's good to see Gwyn putting her money (and her all-natural, macrobiotic, soy-based, vegan, food-like product) where her mouth is.

Charlton Heston, who played some of the most epic roles of all-time, died in California this weekend at the age of 84. Heston announced his diagnosis with Alzheimer's in 2002; since that time, his health had steadily declined.

Heston was perhaps best-known professionally for his Oscar-winning turn in Ben-Hur, but it was his off-screen pursuits that earned him much fame, and alternately much scorn, from the filmmaking community, and the entire nation.

Heston was, above all else, an activist. After serving in World War II, he campaigned tirelessly for desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement, and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He believed in racial equality, and worked hard to bring about real change.

But not all of his accomplishments were so lauded. Heston sparked controversy wherever he went for his strong stance on gun rights. He became head of the National Rifle Association in 1998, to the great annoyance of many of his old Tinsel Town cronies, and most especially the up-and-coming younger generation of liberal-leaning (and certainly outspoken) actors.

One thing is certain though: Charlton Heston never did anything by half. Not once in his long and storied career did he waver on his political viewpoint, not once did he give in to pressure from the media, Hollywood, or Washington, D.C. to recant his opinions. He stood firm in his defense of our Second Amendment rights, ignoring those who blasted him as a stubborn conservative (in fact, he seemed quite proud of it).

Heston was no stranger to bad press; he was raked across the coals for a pro-gun speech given in the wake of the Columbine tragedy in 1999. In 2002, he appeared in Michael Moore's documentary Bowling for Columbine. The ire-inspiring filmmaker demanded Heston apologize for the speech. However, in true Heston form, he refused. He had already been diagnosed with Alzheimer's at that point, and seemed mildly confused in the interview. The segment didn't go quite as Moore had intended -- Heston evoked more sympathy than anger, and critics nailed Moore for attacking a frail, ill man. 

Whatever your personal feelings on gun control or civil rights, Heston was irrefutably one of the most politically influential Hollywood actors of this century and the last (barring, of course, Ronald Reagan and, some might say, Arnold Schwarzenegger). In an age where many celebrities think taking "political action" involves merely being a mouthpiece for whatever dissenting opinion is the current trend, Heston was almost a refreshing change. He proved that promoting an often-unpopular opinion could be done with dignity, with class, and above all, could truly make a difference.

Having just seen the sun for the first time in a long time, I am prompted to celebrate the arrival of spring.   In no particular order, here are the things I enjoy most about spring in the Dayton Area:

--Dragons baseball.  For the second straight season we (my family) have season tickets in the second level along the right field line.  Great sight lines, easy access to restrooms and concessions.  Prime foul ball territory, which has helped me teach my kids to be alert and actually pay attention to the game.

--Golf.  This area is blessed with some outstanding courses.  I am fortunate to be a member at NCR, which in my extremely biased opinion is the best.  However, I also will be getting out to the likes of Cassel Hills, Yankee Trace, and WGC as time and weather permits. 

--Ritter's Frozen Custard.  I don't even like ice cream (or frozen custard), but I enjoy taking my kids (Alex and Andrea) and sometimes the dog (Ozzie) to Ritter's on warm spring evenings.  They enjoy some treats, and I enjoy seeing families out together, reminding me what a great part of the country this is in which to raise children.

--Dog Park.  Most dogs are nicer than most people, and so its stands to reason that dog owners are usually pretty decent kind of folks.  Ozzie doesn't want to mingle with his canine cronies as much as seek attention from the humans there. 

--A World A-Fair.  May 16-18 this year at the Convention Center.  It might be my favorite weekend of the whole year.  I usually go twice, once with co-workers and once with the family. I love the different beers from around the world, as well as the food, the dancers, the music, the beer.  Did I mention the beer?

--Day trips to Waynesville and Yellow Springs.  While I HATE to shop, my wife thoroughly enjoys it. I just like walking down the streets in these great little towns on warm sunny days.

 I'm sure some of these resonate with you, and there are probably lots of favorites of yours that do not make my list.  Suffice to say there is much to take advantage of as the weather turns nicer.  And for those who still insist that there is nothing to do in the Miami Valley in the spring, I can only say...it could be worse.   It could still be winter.

The smoke is cleared from another University of Dayton basketball season, and while the pain of Wednesday's loss to Ohio State in the NIT quarterfinals has yet to heal, I want to share with you my thoughts on the season while they are still fresh in my mind. 

I felt as early as this summer that it would be a special year.  The Flyers had "added by subtraction".  Norman Plummer and Desmond Adediji had butted heads with Coach Brian Gregory all season.  Desmond simply refused to get in shape to play the kind of basketball the coaches wanted.  Norman is not a bad guy, but did some things off the court that did not represent himself or the program in a positive way.  Many of those things are largely unknown by UD fans, and should remain that way.  Plummer was a strong personality and it clashed with the coaches, but more importantly, younger players were drawn to him and I saw signs he could lead others down the wrong path.  Even the graduation of Monty Scott was somewhat positive.  Monty is a great person and a very good player, but his skill set limited the Flyers at times. 

I like everyone anticipated the addition of Chris Wright with relish. No one was disappointed.  I also felt that Brian Roberts would have a senior year that was worthy of being considered the Player of the Year in the Atlantic Ten.  He had an even bigger year than I even hoped for, and will go down as one of the all-time greats in a rich and storied program.  

However, the key to success this past season was not the addition of Chris Wright nor the superstardom of Brian Roberts.  The sophomore class of Kurt Huelsman, Marcus Johnson and London Warren made huge strides through the course of the year.  One could argue that Johnson was Dayton's best player the last month of the season. 

The Flyers were 14-1 when Chris Wright got hurt, and were not the same team thereafter.  Those who cannot understand how the loss of one player could have that kind of impact, have probably never played a team sport.  Dayton players know how good Chris is, and when he is on the floor with them, know how much better they are as a team, and in turn have more confidence in themselves as individuals. 

If Chris Wright remains healthy, UD does not lose all three matchups with Xavier, and probably do not lose games to second division A-10 teams like George Washington, LaSalle and Duquesne.  Those losses alone may have been what kept them out of the NCAA tournament. 

Disappointment on Selection Sunday, was soon replace by enthusiasm as the Flyers made their run in the NIT.  My enthusiasm was fueled directly by the players.  I have never been around a team that enjoyed each other so much.  They did not want to stop practicing and playing together, and it was knowing that disappointment, that made the season-ending loss to Ohio State more painful to me.

In summary, it was a very good year that could have been better, but more importantly has kept the program moving forward with positive momentum and the feeling of even bigger things to come.

We saw the end of one of the greatest careers in UD history.  Brian Roberts is player who may be best appreciated now that he is gone, but will be long remembered by Flyer Fans.  We also saw the beginning of a great career at UD, as Chris Wright seems destined to etch his name alongside those of Finkel, May, Paxson, Chapman and Roberts.

On November 3, 1974 I turned 18 years old.  I voted that day in a fire station on the north side of Columbus, Ohio.  I do not remember who or what I selected that day, but I remember the pride I felt in being able to participate in the process.  Since then, I have missed very few opportunities to raise my proverbial civic voice, because, quite frankly, I love to vote. 

I am not particularly interested in politics.  I have never actively campaigned for a candidate or issue.  I probably spend more time watching ESPN and the History Channel than I do Fox News and CNN.  But I do put the time and effort into educating myself as a voter, because I take the responsibility quite seriously. 

I was going to school in Europe in 1976, therefore, missing my first opportunity to vote in a presidential election.  Shortly after Jimmy Carter was elected, I was attending an operetta in Vienna, when one of the performers inserted an extra verse in a song, poking fun at the United States' new "peanut farmer President".  I have since voted in every presidential showdown.  Four times I have picked the winner, three times the loser.  It's not so important that my guy won or lost, but rather I had a say in the outcome.

I do not limit my enthusiasm to just presidential races.  I have gone to the polls when there has been only one issue on the ballot.  I've taken the time to decide who might be the best candidates for state supreme court, and I give my support to my local schools and parks (when warranted!)

I have voted in Franklin, Wood, Williams, Warren and Montgomery Counties.  I voted absentee in the 1996 election, because I was in the Bahamas celebrating my 40^th birthday.  I was even interviewed on Bahamian TV about my choice to be out of the country on Election Day.  I think it caught the reporter completely off-guard when I told her I had voted absentee.  She was trying to put together a story on slacker American tourists, and I guess I didn't fit the mold. 

So don't be a slacker.  Vote today. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/28/politics/main3889454.shtml

"It's one reason why Ohio may be Clinton's best opportunity for a big victory on Tuesday. But her campaign is facing a suddenly tough fight in a state with large numbers of the types of voters who have favored her in many contests this primary season - women, blue-collar workers and middle-class, lower-educated voters.

Polls taken just a few weeks ago in Ohio showed Clinton with a 15 to 20 point lead. The latest polls have shown that Clinton's lead has shrunk into single digits."

The news for Hillary is even worse this morning.

This might prove to be very difficult now.  A new Reuters/Cspan/Zogby poll released today shows that Obama has narrowed the race to two points in Ohio. The margin of error is at 3.8 points which makes the race dead even.

This is amazing.  Realclearpolitics.com showed a Columbus Dispatch poll taken at the end of January that had Hillary Clinton up by 23 points.  For Obama to close the gap one short month is nothing less than stunning.

What do you think? 

Will Obama pull Ohio out?  It would be one of the biggest turnarounds in modern political history.

Yesterday, President Bush held a press conference, and among other topics, stated that he believes the country is not heading into a recession.  A short time later, a pig named Dave, predicted a bright economic future for Darke County.  Before Bush-haters react with glee and Bush-backers respond in anger, the only comparisons I am drawing between the Commander-in-Chief and the Darke County Chamber of Commerce's porcine consultant is their attitude about the economy.

I am not an economist, but I agree with the assessment of our own mid-day talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, that there cannot be a recession without active participation therein.  True there are many signs of financial trouble.  The home mortgage crisis and the skyrocketing price of oil is not perception, but in fact reality.  However, even those economic hurdles can be overcome with a positive mindset and a focus on the long haul.

I enjoy playing Monopoly with my wife Laura and our children Alex (12) and Andrea (10).  It's a fun game, and one that can teach the kids something along the way.  I'm sure most of you have also played the game, so let me ask if you have ever experienced this type of scenario.  A player, through good strategy and luck of the dice, buys and develops some key properties quickly.  The other players, instead of trying to buy and develop their own properties when they land on them, hold on to their money for fear that they will land on Boardwalk with a hotel.  Once that strategy is adopted, it's just a matter of time before the inevitable outcome is reached, and the first player wins. 

Most of the problems our economy faces are related to a lack of confidence in the future.  We are afraid of landing on Boardwalk, so we cut back on life's extras.  We put off buying a new car, updating furniture, eat out less and spend less on gift-giving at Christmas.  The net result of that collective mindset, is the precursor of a recession. 

Late this spring many of you will receive and economic stimulus check.  I encourage you to be a one person warrior against a recession.  Take that check and go on a vacation, buy new clothes, remodel a room, pay down some debt.  If you want to save it, invest in the stock market or put it in a college tuition fund for you children.  Just, please, do not bury it in a coffee can in your backyard. 

The economic challenges our country and each of us face are real.  However, with the right attitude I think we can weather this storm.  Put a smile on your face, and enjoy a great weekend.  And don't forget to tip your bartenders and servers.

We've had Obama fill the Nutter Center with 11,000 people; we've had ex-presidents give speeches, and spouses of candidates hosting events at Panera Bread.  It's amazing.  Everywhere you turn around, a high profile political figure is in the Miami Valley.  I wouldn't be shocked to see John McCain playing basketball with the kids on my street. Now I understand what folks in Iowa feel like in January.

If you've been listening to any of our talk show hosts on WHIO one theory that's been bantered around is that Independents and even some Republicans in Ohio and Texas are going to vote for Obama.  Could it be enough to tip the Democratic primary in Obama's favor?

Ok, now to the question everyone is asking:

Can you switch party affiliations and vote for whomever you want in Ohio?

To answer the question WHIO Radio news spoke with Betty Smith, deputy director for the Montgomery County Board of Elections.  Betty was very helpful explaining the process to us, and although the answer is a bit complicated the answer is YES.  You can cross party lines to vote for any candidate you wish.

How does this work:

- When you go to vote you will be asked to take a democratic ballot, republican ballot, or issues only (independents.)

- If you have voted for one party in the past, you can switch.  They will ask you to complete a "10x" form which is also called a challenge form.  It's very brief, and simply asks you to acknowledge that you are switching parties for this election. 

- You can switch parties in Ohio every election.  You just need to fill out the "10x" form when you switch.

- If you miss two federal partisan primaries, your status will be changed to undeclared.  That means you can select any ballot you wish without having to fill out the "10x" form.

To recap:  You can ask for any ballot you wish, Democrat, Republican or Issues only, no matter your previous voting record or party affiliation.  The only change - if your switching parties you need to fill out a short "10x" challenge form.

Now it's your turn:

Are you switching parties in this primary?

Will Republicans and Democrats be a factor in putting Obama over the top?

We want your opinion.

Remember - be nice to the hard working employees and volunteers at the local board of elections.  It's been a very busy couple of weeks for them.  They are working hard to make March 4th as easy as possible.

Nick Roberts is the Operations Manager and Program Director of WHIO Radio. nick.roberts@coxradio.com

Check out Miami Valley's most comprehensive election coverage with You Decide 2008 at http://1290whio.com/news/politics.html. WHIO Radio and Fox News.  Fair and Balanced in Dayton.

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The cams are updated every few seconds.

Jamie has been WHIO's Washington coorespondent for years, and his insight and contacts are another reason why WHIO has Dayton best election coverage.

http://1290whio.com/news/dupreeelection.html

Are you ready for Spring?  Well - Jamie Simpson from NewsCenter 7 tells WHIO Radio that a "clipper system" might come through the area this evening.  The bad news - it brings snow.  The good news - they move very quick, so we might see an inch or two.

Check out Jamie's forecast updated frequently at:

http://1290whio.com/weather/index.html

Are you ready for Spring?  It's worth asking twice.

In case you're wondering about the exact text, we found it for you:

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/

I think it's going to be close.  Tonight we will have complete election coverage live from Fox News, the only radio station that is affiliated with the Fox News Network.  Coverage starts continuously at 9:00PM and of course we will stay live until the final votes are counted.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com has Obama by 4 points.  New polls today published on Fox News show Obama ahead by 10. 

It's going to be an interesting evening.