Live Blogging World News Now

Well, OK, so it wasn't really *live*. This was more or less a test run, to see how I could handle live-blogging. But in the future, if you see that "LIVE" logo, refresh this site every couple minutes for more details on whatever I'm live-blogging about. I'll for sure live-blog entertainment award shows. Maybe the State of the Union, and anything else that I can think of that I want to do. So, with the webcast in one corner of my PC screen, and my post editor in another, I'll start live-blogging the premiere of World News Now, the afternoon webcast. And it won't just be the first appearance for the newscast... It'll be the first appearance of the new ABC anchor duo, Vargas and Woodruff. And I don't even watch ABC News much, if at all, so this should be fun!

2:58 PM EDT - Still waiting for the show to premiere. ABCNews has a news-scroll of sorts playing. Narnia toppled King Kong at the Box Office, something about the Orange Bowl, Mozart's Skull may have been found....

3:00 - Blank screen! W00t! It's starting... hopefully... Seconds of silence...
Bob Woodruff starts the webcast from Iran! Bob and Vargas welcome us to World News Now. Theme music.
3:01 - Vargas talks about the coal miners that are trapped, and gives the other headlines. That's a pretty funky set she's on! Kinda weird, seeing a LIVE thing on my computer.
3:02 - Huh. A headline update on Iran? How conveniant!
3:02 - Vargas introducing a package on Iran, with Woodruff over the phone.
3:04 - Woodruff talking about the religious side of Iran, and the "underground", those who have figured out how to live around the government. Now we go to a recorded package.
3:05 - Some people defy the government by running a mini-race car track. Showing people who are disgusted at Tehran. Vargas now, asking Woodruff a question about the package.
3:06 - Woodruff talking about how Iran wants to play a larger role in the Muslim role.
3:06 - Vargas switches gears to the trapped miners. David Kerley. Kerley talks to the community, talking about how the people are dealing with this. One civilian talks about how it's an extremely dangerous job, and how you're lucky if you're alive. After the package is done, Vargas ask another question about it, and Kerley answers.
3:09 - More on this story on World News Tonight!
3:09 - D.C. Plea Deal now... George Stephanopolous talks about this deal from Jack Abram (sp?). George S. talks about the political impact of this story. Interestingly enough, there seems to be an assumption that you already know the story, and he's just giving some insight and analysis. Kind of a smart approach, actually. Except I don't really know the story.
3:11 - Vargas ask how widespread such bribes may be. George S. said "maybe 16 people", or something like that. My typing's loud.
3:12 - Vargas introduces a story on Credit Card Debt, done by Betsy Stark. Most people can only afford to pay the miniumum amount to the company's each month. Some people may have the debt until they die! Some want the minimum payment increased, going from 2% to 4%. Under the new rule, it'd be about 14 years to pay it off, instead of 48 years. But the fear is that many people can't pay the new minimum? Many people might face bankruptcy, however, under this rule.
3:14 - Windows has a new flaw!! Aaaack! Microsoft knows about it, and a patch will be out in a week or so.
3:14 - Talking about the top five stories and videos on ABCNews.com.
3:15 - Leaving with a story about the Mars rovers last year. Brian Roody reports. They were supposed to work for only 90 days, but they keep on working, even today! Taking about the success stories, and about the rover's mechanical problems. Most of the most signifigant discoveries came after the initial 90 days, apparently. Cool!
3:16 - Vargas signs off. "Click on us again tommorow, and join us tonight for World News Tonight."

Huh. Well, that was kind of cool! Kind of weird trying to think of it as being live. I mean, live on the TV is believable. But live inside my Windows Media Player? That's kind of odd to think about. They did good, though. Woodruff didn't really "anchor", Vargas took care of that. But they both did really good! If WNT is like the webcast, I don't think ABC really has anything to worry about.

And was it good enough for me to watch day after day? Yeah, I think so. If you want to watch the webcast, you can do so by going here any time after 4 pm ET. (or go there around 3 pm ET, and you can watch it LIVE).