Zennie Abraham Posts 500th YouTube Video Today: Obama Video is #500

Wow, I never thought it possible, but I posted 500 YouTube Videos at Zennie62 on YouTube, the latest one being today, or really it was after midnight, which makes it early in the morning.  It was my video on what the Obama Inauguration meant to me.  This one:



Now, the chase is to get to 600 videos!  Then 1,000!  But seriously, I'm going to embark on a strategy of segmenting the channels into "Playlist shows" with different titles so the whole of the offerings is accessible.  Keep watching!  

Obama Inauguration - L'Enfant Plaza Hotel Is A Warm Place

It was so cold on Inauguration Day that I sought refuge and found it at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, where Lynn Lashbrook, the Director of Sales and the staff was all too kind and helped thousands of freezing lobby visitors.

Obama Inauguration - Stuck At Dulles Airport

Well, after another big large air traffic event, here I am stuck at another airport wating standby -- the byproduct of last-minute travel. This time Dulles Airport. But I'm not alone as I see the same people from flight to flight, trying to return to the SF Bay Area.

Obama Inauguration - Crowd Enthusiasm "Shout"

CNN Ireporter BlueTexan really got the sprit of the people singing "Shout"! during the Obama "We Are One" concert on Sunday.

Obama Inauguration Talk On Zennie62 BlogTalkRadio December 1st - 2:30 PM PST

REMINDER!: I'm annoucing my first online radio broadcast. This one is on the "Obama Inauguration" and set for today, December 1st.  

I'm also expecting great special guests from various organizations to help us all get ready for this great event. 

Question about hotels and loging? What about events both paid and free? What should you prepare for in the matter of the weather? Safety? Budget? This show will help answer those questions. 

I've moved the recording time up to 2:30 PM Pacific Standard Time, 4:30 PM Central , and 5:30 PM Eastern to make sure we can have more people engaged in hearing and responding to this conversation. The call in phone number is 646-929-0855, or you can talk through your computer. 

The FAQ page reports: "BlogTalkRadio includes a feature on the show page which allows listeners to select the "Click to Talk" button during any live show and, through a microphone connected to the listener's computer, join the show as a caller. 

This service is free to listeners." Here's the show link, or you can go to http://www.zennie62.com and click on the link there. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Zennie62

MTV and ServiceNation To Host Planned Obama Grassroots Inaugural Ball

GREAT!  MTV has stepped in to say they will host the planned "Grassroots Inaugural Ball" at the Ronald Reagan.  This is great news, as Mary Ritter, Russell Miller, Jacqueline Ashton de Floris have worked their tails off to make this event a reality!  


For more information and sponsorships, cick here: http://www.grassrootsballdc2009.com/  


And don't forget to hear my online radio show about "How to get ready for the Obama Inauguration" here:


http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Zennie62 

Obama Inaguration Talk On Zennie62 BlogTalkRadio December 1st - 2:30 PM PST

I'm annoucing my first online radio broadcast.  This one is on the "Obama Inauguration" and set for December 1st.  I'm also expecting great special guests from various organizations to help us all get ready for this great event.  Question about hotels and loging?  What about events both paid and free?  What should you prepare for in the matter of the weather?  Safety?  Budget?   This show will help answer those questions.  


I've moved the recording time up to 2:30 PM Pacific Standard Time, 4:30 PM Central , and 5:30 PM Eastern to make sure we can have more people engaged in hearing and responding to this conversation.  The call in phone number is 646-929-0855, or you can talk through your computer.  The FAQ page reports: "BlogTalkRadio includes a feature on the show page which allows listeners to select the "Click to Talk" button during any live show and, through a microphone connected to the listener's computer, join the show as a caller. This service is free to listeners."  

Here's the show link, or you can go to http://www.zennie62.com and
click on the link there.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Zennie62

"Lost" Inauguration Hotel Reservations Prompt New Facebook Page

Are you one of those who had the presence of mind to make your inauguration reservations earlier this year, only to have recently gotten a call from a hotel representative stating that your well-earned hotel room was "lost" are undoubtedly irate -- but not alone. 

Such reports have spawned this new Facebook Page called "Hotels "Losing" Reservations for The Inauguration".   This is what it's creator reports:

Have any of you who may have booked hotel rooms in the DC area for the inauguration months and months ago, suddenly received a phonecall from the hotel informing you that due to some sort of "computer malfunction" you no longer have a room reserved?

This just happended to me yesterday, and I'm trying to find out if this is starting to happen to many supporters. As I'm sure you're all aware, they are estimating there will be well over a million people coming to DC for this inauguration, and hotels that weren't already booked solid jacked their rates to rape people. That's bad enough, but now...I'm trying to get a feel for whether they are also now starting to "lose" reservations for people who booked months ago at lower rates, so they can resell those rooms at the rape rates.

As you might imagine, I am RAGING over this. I booked 2 rooms (for 6 of us) at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Greenbelt, MD back on May 11th, before Obama even won the primary! I have email confirmations on my reservations. In addition, I called the hotel directly 2 days after the election to reconfirm verbally they still showed my reservation, which they did. And now....magically....they tell me that the reservation never made it from the Hilton central system into their property system. I've spoken with a friend of mine in the hospitality industry, and she assures me they are blowing smoke up my skirt.

So, while I continue to call the hotel every hour on the hour, demanding that the general manager do something to rectify this situtation, I am attempting to find anywhere to stay. I worked 2 years on this campaign, and I'm heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to attend this historic event. There truly are zero hotel vacancies within a 250 mile radius of DC. I've been searching house rental sites, but I'm not having any luck there either. I'm livid.

If any of you have reservations, I would HIGHLY recommend you contact your hotels and reconfirm that they really do show you with a room...and somehow get them to confirm that in blood.

If any of you are experiencing the same problem that I have, please let me know. I think if we discover this has turned into an epidemic, we need to somehow get this out as a major story in the MSM and on the web. I would think a story about grassroots supporters getting screwed by corporate hotel chains would be a story that journalists would love. At the very least, I need to find a way to make Hilton pay dearly for this.

Also....if anyone is aware of someone in the DC area who would be willing to rent their house to a group of 6 of us, please contact me.

If you have been screwed by your hotel, please contact me with your story. I do NOT want to let them get away with this.

NextArts.org Planning San Francisco Simulcast Of Inauguration, But Upsetting Obama Volunteers

UPDATE: click here. 


NextArts is a San Francisco-based community organization that dates back to 1998, and has as it's charge..

..to return San Francisco to its renown as a cultural center by fostering artists who displayed exceptional musical and songwriting talents. Rather than hemming artistic expression in with labels, we sought to expand possibilities. 

In lock-step with that objective, NextArts is planning what is sure to be a giant simulcast of the Obama Presidential Inauguration using San Francisco's City Hall.  Sounds great and one would think NextArts would have no problem gaining support.  But in the process  of doing just that, NextArts has managed to piss off a large group of San Francisco-based Obama supporters at a listserv called "SFforObama".  Here's some of the exchange:

NextArts:  

We want to share more w/ you on what's going on with our plans.

First, we are hiring some people to help us.  Maybe some of you saw our listing on Craigslist?  We would prefer to hire within, so to speak.  If anyone wants a job working on the Simulcast send your resume in right away because we will be interviewing this weekend and those we hire will start on Monday.

Second, our event is not a party.  Our event will be very reverent and it will be an opportunity for this movement to in essence step up and begin to help others.  We will be collecting socks and underwear for the homeless.  And, we just want to say from the bottom of our hearts that we really "hope" this is what this movement has been all about, beginning the process of becoming our brother's and sister's keeper.

Today, Sen. Dianne Feinstein became our honorary chair.  More politicians will follow.  But, we want to be clear about what this really is for us:  It is a new day, a new way.

I hope you guys don't mind if we give you updates as we move along in this process.  While NextArts has done big events before, this is by far the largest undertaking we have ever endeavored.  Or it could be, with your help and your blessings.

SFforObama:

FYI - I forwarded nextart's email to a friend who I thought would be interested in doing work for the simulcast and this was her feedback;

These people are rude ASSHOLES!  I called early am and then noticed that they open at 11am so I decided I'd call then.  Well, I just got a call from a guy called Tony saying my number showed up and he was calling me back.  I told him about the email and that it wasn't clear what they were hiring f or and he says "Didn't you read that you are supposed to email us your resume?" And so I answered "Yes but how am I supposed to know if this even is for me unless I know what you are hiring for?" and he says "THAT'S what you called me for???" and he HANGS UP ON ME!

NextArts:

(unnamed by me)...

What your friend says is untrue.  I really think some of you should take a look at things too.  We apologize for bringing our plans up, because it seems there is no room for us.  From our perspective it hasn't been criticism, but attacks.  Mean spirited attacks.  It starts w/ emails to the group and ends w/ phone calls at 7AM to our 24 hour emergency number for clients, and ends with this.

It hurts, really.  And takes away form everything we had "hoped" to achieve when we joined this group.

Some of you have sent us emails of apology, and we are very thankful for that.  But, it is just too nasty.

  SFforObama:

I don't think anyone from this group would want to work for you to be completely honest. You seem very hyper-sensitive to even the vaguest criticism and you've completely over-reacted to a couple of comments made by members of this group. Your immediate reaction was to criticize everyone in the group and to, I am assuming, be rude to my friend who has absolutely nothing to do with this group but has been a huge Obama supporter, nonetheless. You are really positioning yourself to build a nasty reputation for nextarts not just amongst the sf4obama group but way, way, way outside of it as well.

 NextArts:

You have no interest in participating in a function where Feinstein is an honorary chair????  Hmmmmm...  Then I think you need to sit the inauguration out, because Sen. Dianne Feinstein IS the chair of that.

 Okay gang, you win..   We will not make any more announcements to this list.

 We are very regretful we reached out..

I think NextArts should just keep trying.  That particular listserv is known for  some who are constantly ill-tempered and for reasons that aren't clear.  An "honorary chair" means the person's name can be used, but they do not have to attend the event.  Thus, it's easy for Senator Feinstein to be the "honorary chair" of a number of events, and still be in Washington D.C. for the inauguration.