I hope it’s not too self-indulgent to direct you to a few things we’ve been putting on the web as our bus makes it way west. Here are some links and I hope you’re all well. It was good to speak with you on Wednesday. All being well I’ll be back on WHYS on Tuesday from Truth or Consequences.
The bus’s main page – including video of the special debate some of you took part in. Scroll down a little to the audio and video section.
Picture of WHYS on Venice Beach
Listen to me and the Santa Barbara Eco-Mums
My daily diary
I’m recording a short 90-second item for partner stations in the US each day and we’ve decided to put the text online as well. Frustratingly it’s not in a blog format at the moment, but you’re welcome to email me if you’d like comment. Not quite the same I know.
RSS feed
BBC World Have Your Say 
I hope you are having a nice time on the road…..
Dennis
Scenic Truth or Consequences!
Watch out for Ike…
i hope you are enjoying the united states….
Hi Ros,
I’ve been listening. It’s funny to hear you complain about the heat the way I complain about the snow. Be happy you’re not stopping in Houston, TX.
My advise on things to do and more importantly:
-Las Vagus splurge on dinner in and go to Emerald Lagasse, the fish is fantastic!
-In Arizona (don’t forget the SPF 500!) and have mexican food from local dives, it will be the best. If you like history check out the Code Talkers that played a vital role in WW2’s victory at the Navajo Museum.
– In NM you MUST go to an Indian Reservation. Nambe Pueblo it is 10 or so miles from Santa Fe. They have no pluming or electricity. It’s beautiful and kinda chilly from what I remember, because of the mountains. It’s quiet in this part of the world. Time and interest permitting, go hiking.
-In Texas, haven’t been to Sweetwater, but Texans are the masters of cheap-finger-licking-good-BBQ. Also, have Tex-Mex food in Dallas. Don’t you dare liter in Texas, it’s a big no-no. Don’t Mess with Texas sounds like it’s a political stand off, but it’s not. It’s the moto for keeping the state clean. Texas has the best skies, best don’t forget the bug repellant. There will be lots of frogs and crickets keeping you up in small-town in Texas.
….More when you come East. See you in NYC.
Dear Sirs, Everytime I listen to the BEEB it´s all about the Yank´s election, very boring and who cares anyway! the whole thing is a farce. Can I ask who pays for this bus and what it costs? An outrageous waste of Public Service money.
rgds…RDB
What are bits and bobs? Please speak in a language which is comprehensible to a multi-lingual world rather than to a certain patois.
I have been a lifetime listener to BBC programs (over 50 years) on shartwave, redifusion AM and FM and I want to say how interestingly biased your selection of Cities and sites are for your bus tour.
Speaking as someone who has lived in many (a great many) cities and countries throughout the world, I know how important the FACTS are to your listeners and I ACCUSE THE BBC OF RAMPANT BIAS in this instance.
@ Don
What’s the bias? THere are some liberal cities and some conservative cities on the tour. however cities tend to be more liberal than rural areas.
i just heard your conversation with the pistol packin’ republicans in arizona and i am embarrassed! i had hopes that there’d be some republicans out there who had some common sense reason for selecting mccain.
all these women could do was repeat bits and pieces of things they’ve heard. where’s the thought? where’s the intelligence? they’re the stereotype of the vapid american. no wonder we’re in trouble. auuugggghhh. i’m telling people i’m canadian from now on.
I just heard the report featuring the women from Phoenix talking to your correspondent. Their ignorance was frightening. Consider this statement – “Obama is pro big business, because some unions support him and their members work for the employees of big business”. Of couse, why didn’t I think of that! “Mrs Palin has foreign experience because Russia and Canada are near to Alaska.” Well stone me, I’ve must have foreign experience too, because I visited Turkey once…..God help us, its scary!
Listening to some of the McCain supporters, like Debbie, Carol and Pam, I get more and more frightened by their total lack of the facts. Sometimes I think they are self-delusional. Do they really think that Sarah Palin has foreign policy experience by dint of her two year governorship of a state that borders Russia and Canada? And Barack Obama is pro big business? And the labor unions are big business because the workers work for these big businesses? Oh Boy//!
Man, this country is in real trouble with an uninformed electorate like that these gun-toting ladies (I’m a gun owner myself). I guess the last eight years were a hoot for them.
Bob
It’s women like these in Arizona that make me embarrassed to be an American. Their voices perpetuate our worldwide reputation for ignorance.
It would be such a shame if Sarah Palin became the first woman to reach vice presidential office. She is an awful example of what American women have to offer their country and their world. We can do much, much better!
While I understand it may be uncomfortable to take these voters to task, I would greatly appreciate an effort on the part of the BBC interviewers to point out glaring inaccuracies. This interviewer did ask one woman what she meant by her statement that Obama supports big business, but her response was so absurd that the issue was let go.
They’re idiots! It’s okay to hurt their feelings!
Molly from Michigan
I am really disturbed by your gleeful announcement that McCain is the surprise frontrunner in the US election, since the picture is more complex than that; I am disturbed by your idiotic (sorry) focus on shooting and riding; and I am most upset by your focus on what seems to be wealthy white people. Is that what Arizona looks like to you?
The whole thing seems like an awful stunt, and I am ashamed for the BBC, sinking this low.
Please report some news and offer us some serious analysis. The bus ride amounts to neither.
I’ve been listening to your bus tour and I wonder why you chose the states you did and how you pick your people to talk to. I live in the pacific northwest and believe it or not we are liberal up here and much more educated than those in the southern baked states. You’d find a lot more people for Obama here, but I guess you won’t be hearing too much of that on your chosen route. I won’t be listening anymore cause you’ve scared the devil out of me already.
“While I understand it may be uncomfortable to take these voters to task, I would greatly appreciate an effort on the part of the BBC interviewers to point out glaring inaccuracies. This interviewer did ask one woman what she meant by her statement that Obama supports big business, but her response was so absurd that the issue was let go.
They’re idiots! It’s okay to hurt their feelings!”
Molly ~
Bravo! The only way to point out the ignorance of these people is to hit them with facts and ask them hard questions. Unfortunately the average voter makes their decisions on sound bytes than real research. Listening to campaign messages does not provide any substance and generally skew the facts.
REVISED MY ORIGINIAL STATEMENT:
The BBC and all media services are BIASED in one way or the other…
Dennis
09/15/2008, Monday, 2150 GMT
Dear Folks,
While listening to Talking America at 0525 GMT, Mr. Atkins remarked that only 3 states in the U.S. allow their citizens to carry concealed firearms. This is not correct…..the number of states which allow “concealed carry” is at least half of the 50 states. I listen to the BBC every night on KWMU-FM in St. Louis, Missouri. Keep up the good work. You and the Internet are my primary sources for the news. The news sources here are essentially corporate hacks.
All the best,
S. J.