how about the folks in spokane? are they stepping up? have you gotten a lot of coverage?ng amazingly well. we just got 110 pounds picked up last night from a couple of donors, and it looks like we've got someone with over 300 pounds of cans in their basement that we're talking to. >> oh, that is awesome. so, after the wedding, do you know where the honeymoon's going to be? because all i can think of right now is going to a beach somewhere and being warm. i don't know what it's like in spokane, but let me look at the map. oh, it's not so great. you guys are having a chilly time, too. >> yeah, it's pretty cold. in fact, there's snow on the ground out here. we aren't actually planning a honeymoon yet. we wanted to make sure we could pay for the wedding and give our friends and family a fun celebration before we worry about taking a vacation. >> that is really generous of you. so, i hope everyone has a great time at the wedding and that people contribute a lot of cans, because you guys deserve to have a smash-up great time. it's a great idea. thank you for talking with us, an

then we could see snowfall in places like spokane.o you. >> that's pretty normal, though, right? >> yeah, typical out there. we'll have more of our best memories of 2009 after this break. >>> good morning, everybody. we are taking a look back at the big stories we covered in 2009. celebrities, politicians, newsmakers and some of the folk that is had a profound effect on us as we were out there covering the stories, including a guy that's seen it all. >> you are talking about a guy named sam holbrooke who has been at yellow stone national park for decades. in fact, he's been there for a long time. it is a reaction you hear every 90 minutes al at yellowstone national park. at 47 years at the faithful geyser, sam holbrooke still finds it equally inspiring. as a park ranger, he takes notes and explains the phenomenon to thousands visiting each and every day. >> how long does the eruption last? >> each eruption lasts about four minutes, generally. about one minute up high, and about 130 feet, then it starts down the last three minutes comi

host: spokane, washington. caller: you look like the guy that drew the short call on this one. i am not trying to beat in sensitive, but what precisely happened to $35 million we pumped into this country since 1993? i think we are looking at a ponzi scheme. we pumped in all this money and the country has fallen apart like match sticks. the island of hispaniola has poverty but it does not share the type of poverty that the haitians deal with. $35 million. host: do you remember where you got that figure? caller: $30 billion over all. this is what we spend on foreign aid and defense. i am curious why we send the 82nd airborne in, tactical military troops into an earthquake known to reestablish a government. i am so lost in modern america, i do not want to do -- i do not know what to do anymore. guest: that bigger sound way too large. i think you should take a look at it again. the underlying question is a valid one. the u.s. has invested substantial resources in haiti, and we find ourselves in a situation now where it looks like they have to start from scratch again. part of the p

let's begin with spokane, washington and richard on the democrats' line. you have a question or comment about the elections? caller: i think they should all be retired. nothing are doing anything but getting their own agenda taking care of. host: maybe we can parlay that comment into one about the mood of voters of this year? guest: if you look of the numbers republicans are certainly feeling better about themselves after being crushed in 2008, but their poll numbers have not significantly improved as a party. that is a concern for some republican strategists who know that there is an anti-incumbency mood in the country right now. it could put off some republicans. unlike the last two elections where democrats were generally safe for 2006, that could be different. for 2010 a lot of members could be thrown out. most are expected to be democrats because they are the ruling party, but that does not inoculate republicans enough some in the house and some in the senate are facing difficult primaries. host: "the boston globe" is the largest is deeper in new engl

let's begin with spokane, washington and richard on the democrats' line. do you have a question or comment about the elections? caller: i think they should all be retired. nothing are doing@@@@@@@@ if you look at the poll numbers, republicans are definitely feeling better about getting crushed this year, but their poll numbers have not significantly improved as a party. that is a concern for some republican strategists who noted that the certainly, there's an anti-incumbent mood in the country right now. that could hurt, also, some republicans and republicans have to be concerned that unlike the last two elections were democrats were generally safe, no democratic can'incumbent losn 2006, that could be different. most of them are expected to be democrats because they're the ruling party, but that does not inoculate them. some republicans are facing difficult primaries. host: and the "boston globe" is the largest regional paper in new england and on the front page yesterday, senator dodd's announcement. it was a tough year for him. and picture is richard blu

after law school, she started her legal career in the chambers of judge fred vansickle in spokane. this is the very same seat that she has now been nominated to fill. during her distinguished career, professor peterson has worked as an attorney in spokane area law firms for corporate and individual clients. she has worked in private practice, often representing teachers, and she has worked as a court-appointed representative for criminal defendants in state and federal court. since 1999, professor peterson has been a law professor at the gonzaga law school in spokane where she is an assistant professor of law and director of the law school's externship program. at the same time, professor peterson has maintained her private practice where she continued to work with federal defendants on a pro bono or reduced fee basis. professor peterson has also played a leadership role in the washington legal community, including serving as president of the federal bar association of eastern washington, president of the washington women lawyers bar association, and on the judicial selection commi