It's been a while since my last post here on the Message Board, but I'm back with something new.  Watch this.

Hint: Click on the "full screen" button in the bottom right hand corner for the best view.

So, what's the point of He/She/They Said.com?  Well, a couple things.  First, while Twitter is growing, there are still Twitter-phobes out there who, while not anxious to tweet or be tweeted at, still have an interest in the news and campaign chatter.  For them, the site is a place to stay in the loop without having sign up or use Twitter yourself.  In other words, eavesdrop away but don't worry about getting trapped in a bad conversation.

And second, for the Twitter users in our midst, the site provides a compilation of quality information sources so you can find, follow and interact with them yourself.

It's not a complex idea, but one I had not seen put to use for Michigan news, politics and commentary.  So, here it is.

As the video says, check it out, "like" it on Facebook, share it with others on Facebook, Twitter and through email, bookmark the site, give us your feedback and come back often.

I was interviewed for today's edition of Gongwer, a subscription-only daily newsletter covering politics and government in Michigan.

It was a good idea for an article, taking an inside look at the importance of campaign staff and who candidates for governor have chosen to surround themselves with.  Here's a sampling:

STAFF AN UNHERALDED, BUT CRITICAL, PIECE IN GOV. RACE

Their names may not be on the ballot, but when voters make their choice for governor this year, their choice in many ways is a referendum on the work done by the staff for each of the eight major candidates for governor.

With the deadline to file their signatures a week away, the campaigns have assembled their teams, which will manage the organizations charged with getting the candidates to victory in the August 3 primary, and then, the November general election. And this year, with the first open seat race for governor since 2002, there are many more opportunities to work on a gubernatorial campaign.

And,

Matt Resch of Resch Strategies and a veteran of Republican campaigns for more than a decade in Michigan, said a good staff should be able to take the distractions of a campaign away from the candidate, who can focus on getting out his or her message.

"(Candidates) have to watch every word and be prepared," he said. "And not have to worry about whether petition signatures are being gathered or whether a press release got out on time or making sure that donations are collected and recorded correctly."

Mr. Resch said there is no formula in assembling a good staff in terms of trusted longtime hands, new blood or hired guns. "It comes down to what formula allows the candidate to perform best," he said.

With a lot of help from our friends.  Thanks!

Quite possibly the funniest 15 minutes you will spend this year... and maybe next.

Dave Barry's Year in Review for 2009.

It's 4,316 words long.  4,312 of them are hilarious.  The other four are just very funny.

Happy New Year!