Hello, neighbors. In a way this is a test, because I have had some problems with appearance of my posts. One recent one showed black letters over dark gray field. Not recommended. So our nursery director, Bobbie Kelley, who has been nothing short of an angel, handed me off to CKHustler (Byron) for some tips. Whatever the outcome, I hope this works, and CKH seemed to think it would. Thanks, CK! I have waxed rhapsodic about the fun I have had corresponding with conservative Christians in the 'hood. (Don't you just hate that slang?) With the television networks and many cable channels locked into a liberal mindset, we as a group have not had many mass media outlets friendly enough to give us a break. This started back before there were any cables to view, and I was working as an information director for the N.C. Farm Bureau Federation in Raleigh, NC. They got me in touch with conservative philosophy and ideals, and that led to a job with the legendary Jesse A. Helms at WRAL-TV in the same city. He remained a friend, mentor and hero to me ever since. It was only recently that he passed away. I was able to pay him back in some sense, because I resigned from the station in 1982 to sign on with the Congressional Club, which managed his political campaigns. My role was as a media consultant, to write advertising and news copy, produce radio and television commercials and documentaries, and deal with the media. I was part of a team of dedicated conservatives engaged in the campaign -- a bareknuckled brawl against popular North Carolina Decratic Governor James B. Hunt which was to be settled in the 1984 election. We took a licking from the big Raleigh-based liberal daily, and didn't get any favors from the broadcast outlets. But the Congressional Club's strategy was to counter this with hard-hitting advertisements. So while we were treated as outcasts by most of the news staffs in North Carolina, we had expected that, and didn't care much because Jesse's fund-raising team was very successful at rallying conservatives from around the country to support his campaign. That paid for enough advertising to define the differences between our candidate and the liberal Hunt. Strategic polling by some brilliant conservative activists identified the hot buttons that would settle the victory for Senator Helms. After the campaign, I went into business as an advertising and public relations consultant dealing primarily with agricultural companies, farmer organizations and government agencies. But while I was not daily involved in political issues, I was on board with my kind of people -- conservative Christian Republicans. That has never changed. It has taken me a bit of room to warm up to my subject -- Townhall.com. After retiring to the N.C. coast with my wife of 49 years, I found myself wandering the Web looking for a home. As I have always been a news and public affairs junkie, I read dozens of online newspapers, magazines and broadcast outlets. I began to focus in on sites which had the spin I liked and supported, such as Drudge Report, FoxNews, BlogTalk Radio, National Review, NewsMax, Conservative Battleline, AboutChrisianity.com, Back to the Bible, and others. They are great, and each fulfills an important and useful role in keeping citizens of the conservative Christian persuasion posted, informed and challenged. I got more and more involved in writing letters to the editor and conservative opinions challenging the barrage of liberal idiocy, of whichd there is a surplus, in the "mainstream media". But I had planted an anchor until perhaps four or five weeks ago until I found Townhall.com. I'm really not certain how I found it. I think God led me to it, to tell the truth. In a very short while, I was "adopted" as a native son by the great people who, like me, feel at home with intelligent, patriotic, Christian people of high character, who know how to fight, but fight fairly and with honor, and defend their faith and political belief fiercely and effectively. I will be 72 in just a couple of weeks, and I find that many of the people with whom I correspond are seniors like myself. Not only does Townhall.com attract prolific, creative, feisty bloggers, but it also plugs us in to the zenith of political thought and Christian views. Today, for example, I was like a kid in a candy store when Townhall.com flagged me to view streaming activities on the exciting CPAC conference. I will recommend Townhall.com and the wonderful people one finds there to anyone who is convervative or wants to be grounded in conservative thought. The only things it doesn't provide are a swimming pool and golf cart. But maybe that's in plans for the future. I don't see why these little baubles shouldn't be funded in Mr. Obama's Spendulis masterpiece. Hey, I'm a bit weary after cranking out this wandering epistle, so I am going to hang it up for now. God bless you, great friends. Let's talk again. And, while we use and enjoy Townhall.com, a red, white and blue institution, I'll bet the guys and gals at the front office would really appreciate a kind word or two about the great service and the opportunities for expression that it provides. God bless you, TH afficienados, and good night! P.S. Thanks, CKHustler, for coming to the rescue. It seems the problem I was dealing with has been solved. I'm very pleased and gratified.