The Cat Factor

There was a time when there were no cameras to catch speeders on the freeway or on our city streets. That duty was left to an officer in uniform with a handheld radar gun. When you received a ticket on the spot you were given a court date and you could argue the ticket then. In those days, you got to face your accuser in court. Now, instead of a police officer we have to deal with a camera which can’t appear in court, robbing us of the chance to face our accuser. Instead, we get a ticket in the mail or delivered via process server with the person’s photo, the vehicle’s plate number and other information which may or may not even be correct.

The interesting part to this scenario, is the ticket isn’t sent to you via a law enforcement agency but from a private company who makes money on every one that’s issued. Lately however, Red Flex which controls the camera has come under fire from members of the public, including a group called Camerafraud.com which believes that no private company should have a hand in law enforcement or have the right to issue us tickets if we break the law. Recently, the group held a demonstration in front of the Phoenix headquarters of Red Flex which never came outside to greet their adversary. The demonstration was peaceful but the message was pretty clear, they want the cameras to come down.

The Camerafraud members weren’t the only ones wanting Red Flex to pack up their cameras and leave town. One citizen, Travis Townsend of Glendale decided to take a pick axe to a photo radar camera one night on December 3rd and was then promptly arrested by a Department of Public Safety officer who happened to hear the banging. While some opponents of the cameras have called him a hero for trying to destroy one, it does make you wonder if others will go to that extreme? Yes, there was an incident a week prior where cameras on the 51 and I-10 were sprayed with silly string and post-it notes put over the lenses of the cameras but that isn’t considered destruction of property. Townsend’s approach wasn’t heroism but rather stupidity.

The Camerafraud people were smart and have heated this war up without even having to destroy property. They’re using a weapon that most people with common sense have used to take down opponents, it’s called the media. The Camerafraud members have grown in size over the last month with just a handful of members to over 300. According to D.T. Arneson from Camerafraud their web site has also seen a large influx of visitors since they first put it online a few months ago. Some of their web numbers has been media driven but it’s proven more effective than some crazy guy with a pick axe destroying a camera could ever do.  They used their brains instead of brawn which proves that your voice can be a much more valuable tool and a lot less costly than going to jail for destroying property.

The problem with the cameras isn’t so much the fight publicly as it is the fact that they’re everywhere. On the 51 Freeway there are three photo radar cameras a mile apart from each other going southbound. There are also a number of them on the 101, I-10 and the US 60. If that doesn’t scream desperation for money, I don’t know what does, especially since the mobile photo radar SUV’s and vans have also been out in full force as well. Our former Governor Janet Napolitano decided the cameras would be great to generate revenue for the state and even two members of the Arizona State Legislature appeared on Cat Galaxy to voice their opinions about this being more about money than safety.  Is it possible that the State Legislature is going to consider taking the cameras down at some point? Anything is possible.

The bottom line, the photo radar war is heating up with people on both sides willing to do battle.  One is the state of Arizona and Red Flex wanting to keep these cameras up, and the other is a group of citizens that believe their civil liberties are being violated because a company from Australia is helping DPS enforce our traffic laws.  As a private citizen, I can see how these cameras can pose a problem. People are starting to slam on the brakes when they see these cameras and the signs which clearly state “Photo Enforcement Zone.” This presents a safety issue because those cameras can’t stop an accident or even catch a drunk driver. On the other hand how can we prevent the freeways and our streets from being a speedway? Maybe, taking the corporations out of the equation and putting more law enforcement on the freeways and streets to enforce the traffic laws is the answer. It certainly would be a step in the right direction and a much better solution than having a camera taking pictures of people’s cars.

This issue isn’t going away soon but maybe there will be an answer somewhere in the middle. For now, it seems all we can do is smile, say “cheese” and hope that the cameras catch our best side. That of course will be one expensive picture.

Could it be that the Geek Squad’s days are now numbered in Phoenix? They very well could be if more and more smaller companies that also do computer repair work start banning together to share business. Three such companies Panther TEK, Southwest PC Repair and Santan Computer Repair have already formed an alliance to take on Best Buy’s Geek Squad in order to bring quality and faster service to the customer’s doorstep.  The benefits of such a cooperative effort isn’t just better quality or faster service but also lower prices which customers seem to look at when getting their computer’s fixed. Another plus of working together is a better knowledge base for getting issues solved and a professional computer technician that knows what they’re doing to get the job done right each time.

Geek Squad has by far dominated the marketplace with a fancy gimmick, and that’s what people seem to be buying when they take their computer into a Best Buy store to be repaired or if they call them for in-home service.  Yes, they may dress like they’re special agents with badges, wearing black ties, pants and driving around in their little VW Bugs, but what are you really getting at $150 per hour? More than likely a $10 per hour tech or someone inexperienced at computer repair.  Already, the list of complaints about Geek Squad’s work is piling up. Consumer sites such as My3cents.com, Complaintsboard.com and even Rip-off Report have posted complaints from customers who felt that Geek Squad’s service was less than stellar. In fact, it was downright awful according to the posts we found online.

One customer in New York posted their dissatisfaction with the Geek Squad on Complaintsboard.com. Part of it reads:

“I was told my computer would take five days to repair and now four weeks later I still do not have my computer back! The worst part, I was asked to pay upfront for “diagnostic and repair.” Problem is, no repairs have actually been made, they are trying to charge me even more money (on top of the $215 I’ve already paid) and they did not actually repair anything.”

This doesn’t sound like a good experience to me.  This past summer Channel 5 News here in Phoenix did a story about computer repair and Geek Squad was one of the ones that was proven to have bad service.  One customer in the story that was interviewed took his computer into the Geek Squad and was told that his hard drive was bad but that the data could be saved for a large sum.

He said they told him his hard drive was bad and that his data could be saved for a hefty price.

“I think we were looking at roughly $500 to $550 worth of repairs,” the customer Peter Howald said.

Howald eventually took his computer someplace else, and according to the story got his computer fixed for a price a lot less than what Geek Squad was charging.  Channel 5 News also sent in an intern undercover to see if Geek Squad’s service was truly as terrible as it was made out to be.  Before doing so, the news station’s IT guy looked it over and then purposely disconnected the ribbon cable to the computer’s CD ROM drive. The computer was also checked out by a local tech that assisted with the story for any viruses, spyware or malware that might be on the system.

The computer was given a clean bill of health and then brought into the Geek Squad for repair.  Best Buy said it would take 5 hours and cost $59 for a diagnosis.  Three days later they finally call the intern back asking for $149 for additional testing. Long story short,  Geek Squad suggested that there was a software issue (it was already checked for that before the system was brought in) and that the hard drive be wiped out and the operating system be re-installed.  The news station decided to just pick up their computer and when bringing it back to the station discovered that it wouldn’t even start up after it had been in the Geek Squad’s hands.  The station’s IT guy plugged the CD cable back into it’s slot and got the system working again in a short time.

As a computer technician myself, I know a misdiagnosis can sometimes happen but this incident would’ve been very easy to fix especially if you checked everything.  When one of my cats is sick and I bring them to the vet, the doctor checks everything,  but I also know that I’m working with a professional. This is no different with computer repair people. When a customer calls and I go to their home or business to fix the issue, I make sure everything is working. I also listen to the customer when they describe the problem and try to get a case history on the system such as if the problem has happened before, if it’s been worked on before, and what was done to solve it in the past.  This is what a professional does, they gather information so they’re better equipped to solve the issue.

Geek Squad has gotten a lot of customers over the years but that’s because everyone sees their ads on TV and in the newspaper. They think from seeing those ads that they’re getting a professional outfit to tackle their computer issues when in reality, all the customer is doing is helping to pay for an ad.  I’ve actually talked with customers who once went with the Geek Squad for their computer needs.  All of them said they wouldn’t use them again because of the low level of service they received.  Some said that when they used them and scheduled service that a tech didn’t show up or messed things up so badly that they had to call someone else.  One customer even said that after Geek Squad serviced her computer that the operating system CD for the system was gone and possibly still in the hands of the service person.  Geek Squad has also seen their share of lawsuits including one incident where a customer brought a laptop to them and it then turned up missing. The customer’s said her personal data was on the computer leaving the door open to identity theft which is one of the biggest crimes out there.

Good customer service means everything when you’re in business, but it seems like the big-box retailers that have gotten into the computer repair game are not getting the point that customers are important. The small business person realizes that without customers you don’t have a business.  While Geek Squad is trying to re-assert their dominance in the marketplace, as the only choice for customers to go to for their computer needs, three small repair companies are showing that although they’re competitors, they can work together and even exchange business so the customer gets the help they need. They’re also showing that customers aren’t just numbers and that smaller companies can indeed service them better than the big-box outlets.

If Geek Squad keeps up their current position of bad service, there will be more and more customers going to the smaller outfits for service.  In fact, the exodus of customers seeking better service and prices has already begun and they’re now taking their business to small computer repair companies. Perhaps Geek Squad will learn that if a customer isn’t satisfied, then you must work hard to gain their trust. Sure, there are always going to be customers who aren’t ever going to be happy no matter what you do,  but for the ones that do appreciate good service, it’s always best to keep them smiling.  While price can sometimes be a factor, ultimately it’s the level of service that will win people over.

Sorry Geek Squad but it may be that your days in the computer repair field are indeed numbered. You may be in more stores or have more money but companies like Panther TEK, Southwest PC Repair and Santan Computer have the skill, the knowledge and the determination to give the customer the service they need and not a gimmick. Gimmicks can’t fix your computer or help a customer in trouble. Good service and a professional computer tech can.

Today, Isis and I did an interview with KFOR Channel 4 News which is located in Oklahoma. It’s always a thrill to spread the word of Cat Galaxy to the masses.  However the focus will always remain on the cats.  After driving down to KPNX Channel 12 News here in Phoenix and with Isis in tow, we entered a world where you’re never sure just how many cat lovers there will be.  There certainly are some at Channel 12.

As soon as we got to the station the receptionist showed her curiosity when I told her what I was at the station for and who we were with. I said that me and our station manager were there to do an on camera interview. The receptionist looked around and asked where she was, thinking that it was another human that was with me. I lifted up the carrier and she saw Isis. Her face turned from confusion to pleasantness.  Meanwhile, the News Operations Director, Jeff Karnowski came downstairs where we were and then led us upstairs where some of the reporters sit. There was also a camera, a high chair for us and of one those musician type easels that hold notes and such.

As I set carrier down on the floor, one of the reporters, Hannah Mullins became instantly drawn to it and made it known that she indeed loved cats. As I let Isis out of the carrier, this reporter asked to pick her up. I had little objection and it’s now apparent that our Station Manager can obviously handle the attention.  I was amazed, as I’m always unsure how she’ll react to new people when she’s not in her normal environment.  Mullins picked up and cradled Isis and it was obvious that our station manager enjoyed the attention because she was peaceful and calm. In fact, Mullins said she had a cat that looked just like Isis at home and commented just how beautiful Isis was.  As she stood there holding Isis, other staffers started coming over and they too seemed to like the idea of us being there. It was the kind of interest that some people have when they see a wild animal for the first time and are allowed to get close enough to them.

As I prepared to sit in this chair and get myself hooked up, it was first planned to do this interview via satellite. This would’ve been a first for me. The only problem is I got handed an earpiece that kept falling out of my ear and when I did manage to finally get it to stay I felt like a member of the Secret Service. I certainly wasn’t dressed for the part though. Nonetheless, because of some technical issues, it was decided that this would be a taped interview by phone and not a live feed. They then hooked up a device to the phone so I could hear through the earpiece.  I also had to look at a blank screen in front of a camera which also doubles as a teleprompter and pretend I was looking at another person.  It’s so much easier when you’re a DJ because when you have a guest in the studio you can see them. In this instance, they could see me and Isis at KFOR but I couldn’t see them.

Despite this environment, I was able to act as if Marika Lorraine, the reporter for Channel 4 News was right there with me. It’s something as a DJ I learned early on when Cat Galaxy first started doing phone interviews with guests.  I was asked the typical questions like how the station got started, how do I know what cats like and how the music gets picked?  Of course, it’s always fun to turn the tables on the reporter and ask them questions as well.

It’s nice for our station to get attention and get the opportunity to talk about what we do. Even with a station as small as ours, we’re still able to make an impact with an audience. Reporters seem to think that what we do is interesting but I credit Isis and Icarus for that one.  They’re the ones that make Cat Galaxy what it is. Even though I’m the human mouthpiece for this station and the DJ, I still know my place and that’s doing what Isis and Icarus tell me to do.

It was great to get another shot at letting the humans out there know that just because our station is run is run by cats doesn’t mean they don’t know what they’re doing. I think we keep proving that point whenever we host media members at the staion, but it was apparent that despite my having to translate for the cats, that Isis was the hit of the day and they loved her at 12 News.  It doesn’t bother me in the least. As a human servant I know my place.  I think Isis continues to kick (or in her case push) open doors for us.  We invited Channel 12 to stop by our station as well as the reporter from Channel 4 if she ever makes it to Phoenix.  I think when they see us in action, all their questions regarding how a cat can run a radio station will be answered.  I just hope that the human reporters that do come and visit us will brush up on cat language.

It’s Veterans Day and a time to salute those who’ve served our country so bravely.  Whenever I see someone in uniform, I usually make an attempt to go up to them and shake their hand for their service to our country.  I’ve had plenty of occasions do this. One that sticks out in my mind happened recently.

On Halloween I went to a place called Ernie’s which is located in what I now consider central Scottsdale and a place I frequent quite often. Some of us dressed in costume and some didn’t. As I was sitting there listening to the karaoke, a guy dressed in a formal Marine Corps uniform came walking in. Now, it worked out well being that it was Halloween so this guy blended in well.  As I stepped outside on restaurant patio I saw the guy again and decided to walk up and talk to him. My gut said this guy was the real deal and so I walked over to him and started a conversation. It turns out my instinct was correct, he was a real Marine who actually served here in the states in the technology field. I thanked him for his service and the look on his face showed that us saying those words “thank you” mean a lot to them.

It doesn’t matter if they’re in the military though, we should thank all those who serve our community. Many times I say thank you to firefighters for their service and sometimes even the police. Locally, they keep us safe and their service is no less valuable than those who serve our country abroad.  So, instead of waiting for Thanksgiving, give thanks to those who serve our country so bravely. Without them, we wouldn’t have the freedom we have and our communities wouldn’t be as bright as they are.

Now that Barack Obama is the new President-elect, he stated that he’s now going to get his daughters a new puppy. What about a new cat or kitten? Surely, Obama couldn’t be a cat hater could he? It seems apparent that none of the news media will even ask Obama this question but if we get a chance to interview him, Cat Galaxy will definately press the issue on this one.

Just what is it with Presidents and dogs?  When the Clintons were in the White House, they had a cat named Socks and everything seemed to be going well. That is, until they got a dog named Buddy who didn’t get along too well with Socks. At the end of President Clinton’s term,  the Clinton’s gave Socks to Bill’s secretary Betty Currie. Meanwhile, Buddy went with the Clintons to their new home.

The current Bush administration has 2 dogs and a cat named India in the White House. It seems the media focuses more on the dogs and the cat is a mere ghost. It’s been said from the White House web site that India often hides from the Bush’s and his favorite place is to nap under the bed. Could it be that Barney torments the cat? One never knows. We’ve written to President Bush to see if he intends on pulling a Bill Clinton act of giving the cat away. We’re hopeful that India will indeed go with the Bush crew back to Texas when the administration is finished.

The question still remains, why don’t we ever see a modern day President sitting with a cat? It seems dogs get all the publicity while cats are sent to the background. When Obama announced that he was getting a new dog he showed that like many Presidents before him there may be a feeling that cats have no place at the White House.  Perhaps Obama feels that a cat would be a real threat to his Presidential agenda because they’re smarter than any human.

If Isis had been elected then it would’ve been historical. Imagine, the very first cat as our nation’s leader. Certainly she wouldn’t be bringing a Socialist administration with her because Isis like all cats believe in freedom of speech and Capitalism.  Isis also would’ve been more media friendly and hasn’t bitten any member of press yet like one of Bush’s done recently did.

I’ve also noticed the media’s bias towards dogs.  It seems that Barney’s biting a Reuters reporter and Obama’s announcement that he was getting a dog were headliners and Isis running for President wasn’t.  Shame on the media for not giving more attention to the cats. At least here at Cat Galaxy, Isis’s candidacy took center stage.  But then again, Cat Galaxy is a station run by cats for cats.

The bottom line is this, many Presidents seem to have a real problem appearing on the same stage with a cat. But there were some Presidents who actually had cats right by their side. Calvin Coolidge had a cat named Tiger who almost never left the President’s side and hung around during his cabinet meetings.  John F. Kennedy also had a cat at the White House named Tom Kitten who was very much loved by the President. Two years later when the cat died, the newspapers printed an obituary and making him the very First Cat honored by the press.

Abe Lincoln was another President that is credited as being the first one to bring a cat into the White House.  When Lincoln’s son Tad wanted to bring the cat with him to the White House, Abe gave the OK. Other Presidents having cats at the White House were Rutherford B. Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter.  Cats have their place in the White House and it’s a shame we only have a handful of Presidents in our nation’s history that weren’t afraid of allowing a cat to dictate policy.

Obama said he was all about change but the first words he spoke was saying that he’d get his daughters a dog if he got elected President.  What can you expect from this guy? He comes from the old school tradition of thinking dogs is man’s best friend.  With Obama a dog may rule the White House but it’s cats that rule our country.

Yesterday, I got to witness a somewhat historical moment being at the Arizona Biltmore where Senator John McCain and the Republicans held their election night party.  Driving to the hotel was easy but then the cops forced the closing of 24th street and drivers waiting to get into the hotel were told to keep driving, forcing myself and others to park at Biltmore Fashion Square .  After taking a long walk from the mall to the hotel I finally arrived 10 minutes later along with others who also took the same journey. What all of us saw was a sea of satellite and news trucks from both national and international media parked everywhere. Inside the hotel were many members of the Republican Party which packed the lobby and the bar.

Then came meeting up with State Representative Michele Reagan who gave me a ticket to the festivities and said have fun. It was an experience that reminds me of a large convention. Everyone passionate about the issues and waiting for the big show. The Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom was packed with many people watching the results come in on big screens as well as a swarm of reporters who took up positions all around the ballroom with their cameras, mics, and laptops. It was an unreal experience.

Next came the line for the food. Now it was reported that this would be a very grass roots event with foods like hotdogs, hamburgers, salads and pizza. The prices were high and highly average.  It was $10 for a hamburger that was about as small as the ones you get at your local McDonalds. A slice of pizza went for $8. I pretty much passed those up. The line was still filled with people willing to pay high prices. You’d think for a grass roots even it’d be much more affordable.

It was reported by one newspaper that the brownies, cookies and chips were free but that also was untrue.  They played it up like it was a backyard BBQ from the news reports but I’ve seen and eaten food in many restaurants that were similar and cost less than $10. At least in those places I would’ve gotten a side order of fries with my hamburger. Nonetheless, I decided to just go back into the ballroom to watch some of the results.  I was hoping to run into Susan Bitter Smith who was working on the ground commentary for the BBC but I never saw her. I also didn’t see any other notables in that ballroom that I was familiar with that were running for office.

They had some country singer also on stage named John Rich who actually wrote a song called Raising McCain as a salute to McCain’s campaign and his service. Then not long after, the announcement came about 9pm. Everyone was invited to the Biltmore’s Squaw Peak lawn.  Before it was reported that only a small group of media and supporters would be allowed there for McCain’s big speech,  but when they announced it was now opened to everyone you pretty much knew it was all over and he had conceded.  Still we all wanted to witness what McCain had to say. After about 15 minutes, McCain and his wife Cindy along with Governor Sarah Palin and her husband Todd took the stage. McCain stepped up to the mic and announced that he had contacted Senator Obama to congratulate him on winning the Presidential race. It was obviously met with plenty of boos from McCain supporters.

McCain graciously said he’d work with the new administration and asked the crowd to also support the new President. That obviously didn’t sit well with a lot of people and it would be a very hard pill to swallow. Even I felt upset, not just because Isis also lost but that our country is now going to be put in the hands of a man that none of us knew anything about. People naively voted for a man who is nothing more than a Socialist if not possibly a Marxist.  When it was officially projected and announced that Obama was the winner,  I could hear the change in our country and it didn’t sound good.  In fact it sounded like our civil liberties were slowly being stripped away not to mention our system of Capitalism.

As a small business owner, I know what damage an Obama administration will bring. Under a Socialist system small businesses are the first to suffer because they’re asked to pay more taxes and also to support those who don’t pay them at all. Obama wants to redistribute the wealth and his tax plan called for anyone making $250,000 or more to pay higher taxes and the money would pretty much be given to those people who don’t work or pay taxes. However, the number of what he considered rich kept dropping.  For him to say that he wants to “spread the wealth” points in the direction of Socialism because it takes the money that hard working Americans make and gives it freely to someone else. I prefer the system of Capitalism where you keep what you earn, thank you.

After I made my way back to the ballroom to see if any local candidates were there, I spoke with a lot of McCain supporters who felt the same way I do. Obama is going to be bad very for this country. There was sadness and anger. My biggest thrill was being interviewed by a Channel 3 News reporter who hated the fact that I called Obama a Socialist. The reporter’s reaction was asking me “why do you say that?” I then explained to her that as a small business owner Obama planned to take money from my pocket and give it to someone else under his “spread the wealth” plan. Needless to say, I got a bit heated but it was apparent that just like many other members of the media they don’t like it when Obama gets slammed by someone willing to express how they truthfully feel about the guy.  Sure, I took something out of Bill O’Reilly’s playbook and my hothead side took over, but this reporter not wanting to hear that Obama wasn’t perfect cut me off and walked away.

Then came two more reporters from two other news stations who were a little bit more user friendly. I had calmed down enough by then and got out a few more words about Obama. I feel that if you’re going to be a journalist you have to be willing to listen to the person you’re interviewing, whether you agree with them or not. Off camera I talked to a Fox 10 reporter who thought my reasoning for calling Obama a Socialist was incorrect and called me “informationally deficient.” This reporter and the small group she was with said we’re already living under Socialism thanks to the Bush administration and the Patriot Act. Actually, that would be a small bit of Fascism mixed in with a lot of stupidity. Nonetheless, my experience with other members of media clearly showed how much they coddled and protected Obama.

Local media is interesting to say the least and one of them was truly having fun. As I was standing with a McCain supporter who had a bit too much alcohol I saw Mike Watkiss from Channel 3 leaving the area and I shouted a quick hello. He came over and acknowledged the greeting in kind but apparently too had a bit much to drink but he is obviously a real pro at hiding it on camera.

After leaving and entering the main lobby of the hotel, I met more friendly people. One of which we talked about the race and were both in agreement that Obama is going to destroy this country especially with a Democratic congress now in affect. Of course, another person I saw but didn’t talk with was actor Jon Voight who’s been a voice in supporting McCain. I thought about going up to him and saying hello but he seemed comfortable talking with his group that he was sitting with.

As it got late and I was getting hungry, I decided to take one last look around the hotel before catching the shuttle bus back to the Biltmore Fashion Square but of course the hotel personnel couldn’t point me to the right one, so I ended taking the long walk back to my car and driving home. I then got online, filed my report still saddened with the fact that Isis lost the race.  Perhaps if McCain and the Republicans had thrown their support behind her despite being run as an independent write-in, she might’ve had a good chance of winning.

Now, it’s a new day and we wake up to the fact that Obama will be our next President. This is truly a sad day for our country. I can feel a slight change in the air already and I can see that we might have to be eating plenty of potatoes thanks to those who were willing to sell out their freedom because they were desperate for change and gave their votes to a man who’s been untruthful throughout his campaign.  Here’s the kind of change Obama was talking about, instead of dollars you’ll get dimes, nickels and quarters. Unless of course his government takes that away from us as well.

The warning sides were all there about Obama and his associations said it all. The Reverand Wright, Bill Ayers, Louis Farrakhan , donations to Acorn, and Rashid Khalidi are just a few of the rotten apples that spring to mine. Despite all of these red flags, people were willing to vote in Obama as our next leader. I just hope they can live with their decision because they just pushed this on all of us. Of course, when things go wrong I just hope that those who voted for Obama will see they have no room to complain. All I can say is you should’ve voted for Isis. At least cats don’t lie.

Today is election day and for those like me that voted via early ballot it’ll be business as usual because there won’t be long lines to stand in or any of the usual election activities for us here at Cat Galaxy other than covering it.  The morning show was certainly interesting to do and there is a bit of excitement in the air because now we wait and see if the humans out there will be electing the first feline President. It seems quite a few people thought like I did that Isis was the best choice.  Although, it’s possible that the humans could win.

It’s interesting to read some of the other media reports about the election, including what the members of the State Legislature spend on items. The weirdest one was the Arizona Republic reporting that State Representative Michele Reagan from District 8 had spent $291 on a coffee pot. What they failed to report was that it was a commercial coffee system which her 2006  purchased for the second floor of the State Legislature.  Way to go Arizona Republic! You’re 2 years behind on that one and also failed to show that Reagan cares enough about her collegues to share the item instead of keeping it in her office. She’s very much one of the most respected members of the Legislature and hopefully she’ll come back on the air with us when the General Election is over.  Of course, I could go for trying out the coffee system to see if it’s up to Cat Galaxy standards.

Another interesting part of this election is also the amount of media covering both the Obama and McCain celebrations tonight. Obama is having his celebration at Grant Park where close to a million people will be showing up. The event is free for the public to attend. Of course the media will have to pay to cover it. McCain is holding his party at the Arizona Biltmore where only about 5,000 people will be showing up. It’s not clear whether the general public will be allowed in, but it’s expected that many of the Republican candidates running for local office and some of their supporters will be there.  Like Obama’s election night coverage the media will also have to pay for the privledge to be there.  From what’s been pointed out there will only be a small pool of press that will be allowed inside the main ballroom. That certainly leaves out a lot of the alternative media such as internet radio, community newspapers, and even the politcal web sites reporting on the elections.

As for food, I’ve heard that you can purchase items like pizza, hot dogs and the like at the McCain party. I’ve heard cookies, brownies, chips, dip, and even soda will be free for the guests. Apparently, the Republicans like to do things a little more down home. Will there be free apple pie there as well? Parking will be a nightmare from what has been said but at least there will be a shuttle taking you to and from the event. It could be quite a party but the Republican National Party is apparently paying for everything else.

I think the one thing to ask McCain is if Oreo will be there? If McCain wins, then it’s possible the cat goes to the White House with him. So, maybe we’ll get an invitation to the White House. Of course if Isis wins then it won’t matter. We’d be making history on many fronts. First of all, if Isis wins she’ll be the first cat ever elected. She’ll also be the first femaie, and the first black President as well. That is something neither Obama nor McCain can honestly say. Another historical note is if Isis gets elected, Icarus becomes Vice President and thus both will be living under the same roof.  How’s that for saving the taxpayers money? If the I-Team wins you won’t need the Vice Presidential residence anymore.

Tomorrow will be a very interesting day as we will wake up with a new President, possibly a changed Congress, and also quite possibly new changes to the State Legislature. Whatever happens, we’ll get to see the end result. But today is already pointing out that this is an important election with many people excited, nervous or angry. Heck, even Icarus was running around here today hoping that the humans chose Isis. The cats always seem to know how these things turn out before anyone else.  So tonight we wait but at least the tension of the election is almost over.

As the DJ for Cat Galaxy, it’s interesting how many brave humans are willing to come on our morning show especially those running for political office. Locally, we’ve gotten local officials like State Representatives Michele Reagan, John Kavanagh, and even Scottsdale City Councilman Jim Lane who is running for Mayor. Heck, we even got Susan Bitter Smith who was running for the Republican Congressional nod in District 5 to appear on the morning show. The question still remains, how come Senator John McCain isn’t wanting to talk to us?

McCain is a Senator from our state and hasn’t done much in the way of interviews with local media but you’d think he’d want to talk his constituents in Arizona wouldn’t he? Perhaps there’s a way to contact his cat Oreo who could possibly convince his human that coming on our station and talking with us might be beneficial. McCain constantly talks about “Joe The Plumber” but does he care about hanging out with everyday folks like us? The least he could do is get Governor Sarah Palin to do the interview.

The same above could be said about Senator Barack Obama. We hear a lot from him about change but would this guy be at all comfortable doing an interview with a small news organization like ours? It seems like CNN, Fox News, and all the bigger outfits get an interview with the two main candidates. Do Obama and McCain fear members of the media that aren’t a part of the “in crowd” because they’d get hit with hard questions that is burining in the minds of the average citizen?

Could another reason for ignoring our requests for interviews be because both McCain and Obama discovered that Isis is running for President as well? If that’s the case, maybe they both find the idea of running against a cat a little intimidating. Nobody knows that answer yet.

I know as far as Isis’s campaign is concerned, she’s hardly a blip on the political radar screen but she still has heard from voters who say she’s their candidate of choice.  Humans often scream for a third choice but hardly get it in an election. In this race though Isis is a great choice and has more skill to handle the job as President than Obama or McCain but it’d still be nice if they came on our station and talked with us.

There’s less than 2 weeks left before the General Election, so maybe we’ll get a couple of more interviews with the political leaders out there. We’ve attempted a few times to get David Schweikert who’s the Republican nominee for Congress in District 5 and his opponent Incumbent Congressman Harry Mitchell who’s a Democrat to appear on Cat Galaxy, but have received no response. Meanwhile the District 5 race is the most watched Congressional battles locally as well nationally.  Schweikert incidently is supposed to have a cat living in his household so you’d think he’d want to at least spend 15 minutes talking with us.

The bottom line, if political leaders want to get voted into office it starts with the people.  Candidates that ignore smaller media send a message that the average voter really isn’t all that important. Believe it or not, there are plenty of cats and humans that listen to a station like ours. Some of these humans actually vote and have something to say.  McCain and Obama need to embrace the opportunity of going on a station like ours and talking about their  plans if one them were to be elected President. It’s not too late Senators, but the clock is definately ticking.

Meow to all of my fellow cats and Happy National Feral Cat Day. Here at Cat Galaxy we started off the day with the morning show and interviewing Elizabeth Parowski from Alleycat Allies which is the national organization for feral cats. We received a lot of good information about the Trap-Neuter-Return programs for feral cats.

It’s been a slow day and no doubt the economy has played a role in it. As many of you know, my human owns a mobile computer repair company and was planning on donating $10 from every computer he fixed today to a local cat rescue so they could have a cat spayed or neutered. I guess this is just one of those days but I’m glad he was able to stay home with me and Icarus today. However, our Dad wishes he could’ve been out in the field working so he could’ve helped get a cat spayed or neutered. National Feral Cat Day isn’t just about getting a cat spayed or neutered but is also about awareness about the many feral and stray cats wandering the city streets and other places outside. My human was hoping he could do more today but as a cat, I’m still proud of the work he has done.

Icarus rested and left me to manage the morning show. It went pretty smoothly except for a few minor difficulties with Skype. Now, I have the rest of the day to just chill which is one of the perks of being Station Manager. I’m also thinking about the upcoming election and am hopeful that many of the humans out there will listen to their cats and vote for me and Icarus. I think this country needs a little cat power to get this economy moving again. Instead of giving over $700 billion dollars to the big, greedy human corporations, I’d split up the money and give it to every U.S. taxpayer so they could spend it on the things they need. The only way this economy will be strong again if the humans spend money. If they don’t have it or are afraid to spend it, then the economy gets weaker.

If I’m elected President, small businesses will benefit. My human runs a small business and giving him a tax break probably would allow his company to grow. I’d also push for a flat tax so that more taxpayers could keep most of the money they make. Small businesses would certainly benefit from this and they might be able to purchase affordable healthcare if they needed it. I’d also do what I could to help all the cat rescues out there as well. One of my ideas was a tax credit for those shelters who choose to go no-kill and possibly a refund for those who rescue and take care of feral and stray cats.

There are so many ideas I have for this campaign, but at least I could get some of the implemented in half the time a human takes. I think this two party system is a joke! I’m running as an independent because our country needs it and deserves a third choice. It’s surprising that write-in candidates, Libertarians, Independents, aren’t invited to the debates. I’d happily debate Senators McCain and Obama on the issue. Heck, we’ve even invited them to come on Cat Galaxy to be interviewed and have gotten no response. I guess they don’t bother with stations like ours.

It’s now time for me to go back to sleep. If I miss even one cat nap it’s not good. In a couple of hours it’ll be time for us to eat again. I guess I’ll send my human off to the store.