One thing I have believed since I have turned 18 (and that was quite a while ago), is that it is extremely important to know the candidates and the issues before you go to the polls.

OK, I'm a news-geek, and I'm in the news business. But, nothing makes me madder than a wet hen to see someone go to vote and hear they voted for someone because:

"He looks soooooooo dreamy"!

"My husband/wife tells me I should vote for (candidate)". And, of course there's:

"Well, the ad on TV said..."

So, here's your homework assignment:

This weekend, take some time and look into the candidates and the issues you'll be voting on next Tuesday. Go to each candidate and issue website that you care about. Read newspaper articles. Don't just look at candidate and issue TV ads. Look at both sides. Then...think about it. Really, really think.

Then Tuesday, vote your conscience.

But don't vote uninformed.

Yep...if the polls are any indication here in Ohio, election night is gonna be a long....long night (and maybe a couple of nights) here at the old radio station.

John McCain and Barack Obama really have voters stirred up. Predictions are of another record turnout...something approximating (or eclipsing) the 2004 presidential race with the vote in Ohio, potentially as nail biting as the 2000 election.

And, we keep hearing dire predictions of potential problems at polling stations...because the turnout could be so large.

My question: why is a large turnout a bad thing? And, why is the state of Ohio not prepared for 70-80-90 percent or better of Ohio voters voting?

Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

Why should we as a body politic be "satisfied" with turnouts of 28 percent? Is that really "majority rule"?

Don't think I'm getting down on the people who work the polling stations and various Boards Of Election. I just think we shouldn't be coming down to the wire 2 weeks before an election wondering if we can pull off an election without major problems.

Now, if we could just get people as fired up about voting for Governor...or County Commissioner...or Mayor.

Since I've been on a rampage of serious topics lately, here's something that'll make you smile, regardless of your political affiliation. It's been making the rounds of internet e-mails lately:

"A major research institution has announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named "governmentium".

Governmentium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called "morons", which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called "peons".

Since governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of governmentium causes one reaction to take over 4 days to complete, when it would normally take less than a second.

Governmentium has a normal half life of 4 years...it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons change places. In fact, governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each re-organization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming "isodopes".

This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe that governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quanity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "critical morass".

When catalyzed with money, governmentium becomes "administratium", a new element which radiates just as much energy, since it has half as many peons...but twice as many morons."

Truer words were never written.

The Dayton area is made up of all types of people. We have some fine, upstanding citizens who work hard, try to make a living and raise their kids the best they can. But yet, we also have some real dregs of society...just like about any city. But, I want to tell you about some real dregs...

Yesterday afternoon, a close friend of mine was struck on his motorcycle by a cream colored Suburban in Huber Heights. This vehicle was seen by eyewitnesses as driving erratically...and struck my friend's bike when they tried to make a U-turn...from the right lane.

And yes..after striking my friend's bike...the people in the Suburban (said to be a young driver and at least one young passenger)..took off and left the scene of the accident speeding off at what eyewitnesses said was speeds up over 50 miles an hour. Two motorists, in fact, gave chase to the Suburban, but lost it.

My friend, fortunately, was, other than a few scrapes, not hurt. His bike was ruined, though.

But, obviously the driver of the Suburban had reasons he didn't want to see a police officer:

Maybe he was scared. Understandable, but a cowardly reaction.

Perhaps he lacked that little thing known as "insurance". He should know better.

He was seen by eyewitnesses to be driving erratically. Maybe the beverages possibly consumed before the accident had something to do with it. Or possibly other intoxicants. Otherwise, how could anyone in their right mind figure to make a U-turn from a right hand lane?

Whoever this person is, in my view, is scum. Yeah...that's a pretty hard word. Sorry, but it fits. And, if you have a shred of decency in your body, you should turn yourself in to Huber Heights Police. Because the next time you try something like that, someone could get killed.

And, if you see a cream colored Suburban somewhere in Huber Heights with unexplainable damage on the driver's side, I'm sure the Huber Heights Police would appreciate hearing about it.

But, to the two motorists who gave chase to the Suburban, here's to you. You are wonderful, brave people...and your concern for your fellow man is heartwarming.

So, to as well, to the other motorists and passersby who offered help to my friend, helped him get his bike off the street and waited about 45 minutes to give police their eyewitness accounts. You, too showed concern for another human being and your actions are commendable.

But to the guy who struck my friend's bike - you know who you are. And, rest assurred, authorities are looking for you.

"Why couldn't D.P. & L. be prepared for a windstorm"? Boy did we hear this over and over again a couple of weeks back.

Well, for those of you who considered the winds of Hurricane Ike "just a windstorm"...

Today, the Ohio Insurance Institute said the dollar amount of insurance claims filed from the windstorm now totals 553 million dollars. They are expecting more claims as well, and have suggested the final dollar amount total could rival or exceed the 600 million in claims made by victims of the 1974 Xenia tornado.

Now, in fairness, the Xenia wind damage in '74 was in 1974 dollars. So, obviously, percentage-wise, Hurricane Ike's winds don't come close to the percentage of damage inflicted by the Xenia twister.

Still, that number: 553 million dollars would convince all but only the foolish that Ike's winds were not a "typical" windstorm to say the very least.

Here's the link to the story from DaytonDailyNews.com:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/10/07/ddn100708damageweb.html

As a person who works, presently, in a business in which some companies (though, fortunately not ours) seem to take delight in firing 6 to 10 people every year a few days before Christmas to make the bottom-line happy, I can completly identify with and feel the pain of the workers at GM Moraine who got the word on Friday that the plant would close for good December 23rd.

This is particularly painful for me. You see, my grandfather was a master tool maker for G.M. and the "artist" formerly known as Delco. It was a good living for him and, when he passed on, the portion of his inheritance that came my family's way took my parents and myself from "barely getting by" to "not rich, but comfortable". Thanks, grandpa. And thanks, GM.

My father was eventually able to buy me my first "new" car on my 18th birthday. And, not to brag, but it was a silver Chevy Camaro. I've owned many GM cars in my lifetime. I own a GM vehicle now. I'm very happy with it. (Who wouldn't be happy? I just paid it off a few weeks ago and it still runs well.)

So, the closing of GM/Moraine is a big door closing for Dayton and the Miami Valley. But, I've learned in my life the saying that "when one door closes, another one opens" really can happen. But, Dayton...its' leaders and elected officials must make it happen. And, frankly, I've not been much impressed with the work in that area in the past several years. (Thank God for those who made Dayton a big winner in the BRAC realignment out at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, or else we'd really be up a creek without a paddle!)

I hear Mayor McLin plans to run for re-election. But whether she is successful, or not, it must be the absolute top priority for whoever sits in City Hall to put every possible effort into making the Dayton area attractive for business. Job creation and attracting businesses to this area must be job one for some time to come.

To our union folks: I respect your work. I was once a member of AFTRA (the American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists - AFL/CIO). And I've seen both the good side and the bad side of union representation. I would hope you would work with those at City Hall to help attract jobs to the Dayton area. Though ultimately, union representation is the decision of those who work for the companies involved...and I will offer here no opinion one way or the other of how that should go.

We hear the cry, "Dayton is dying". When I got my first job in Dayton radio, we were radio market #45. Today, we're #60, and seem to drop every year. I'm embarrased by that. Dayton is my home. I choose to live here. I remember what it once was, and I know what it can be.

But, it's going to take leadership...real leadership to make that happen. Will we get it? We will if we hold our elected representatives feet to the fire to make it so. And fire those who prove they aren't up to the task.

As an old saying goes: no fighter ever lost a fight by getting knocked down. Only...by staying down.

At this point, I would be amazed to learn that anyone is still out of power from Hurricane Ike's windstorm, unless some wierd set of circumstances is causing it. (Yet, we have had one or two phone calls to the station in the past day or so...)

But if, in fact, you are still out of power and if you have not done so yet, you need to call
1-877-4-OUTAGE and re-report that condition to D. P. & L.

We do not report power outages...we do not have any secret phone number to call D.P. & L. to get your power turned on. Calling us won't help you.

I offer this information so, if you're power is still out, you are empowered with the information you need to get the power back on.