text:
Fox Announces 2012-13 WRITERS INTENSIVE Program Finalists
FOX Audience Strategy today announced its sophomore class for the FOX Writers Intensive (FWI), the company's advanced writer's program designed to nurture experienced writers who have diverse voices, backgrounds and life experiences. The program also is meant to create a strong pipeline of well-rounded talent for potential staffing on FOX television, feature film and digital entertainment productions, as well as for potential pitches to HarperCollins.
This year's 10 FWI finalists were selected from more than 400 nominations and submissions by talent representation and arts organizations across the country, including National Hispanic Media Coalition, Sundance Institute, New York Foundation for the Arts, Outfest, Film Independent, NAACP, Women in Film Los Angeles, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and Visual Communications. They will spend the next 13 weeks honing their crafts and establishing deeper connections with a wide range of FOX staff writers, showrunners, screenwriters, directors and creative executives.
This year's FWI writers and their respective representatives are:
- Angela Allen (The Cartel)
- Yule Caise (Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman)
- Sal Calleros (Rothman, Brecher, Kim / Magnet Management)
- Carol Doyle (The Gersh Agency)
- Sara Endsley (Rothman, Brecher, Kim / The Shuman Company)
- Warren Hsu Leonard (ICM / Circle of Confusion)
- Nick Ozeki (Independent)
- Chitra Sampath (Ragna Nervik Management)
- Theo Travers (ICM / Artists International)
- Marisa Wegrzyn (Abrams Artists Agency / Myra Model Management)
Hart Hanson (BONES), Shintaro Shimosawa (THE FOLLOWING, "The Grudge"), Andre and Maria Jacquemetton ("Mad Men") and Zal Batmanglij ("Sound Of My Voice," "The East") are among this year's FWI session participants. In addition, Reggie Rock Bythewood ("New York Undercover," "Notorious") and Marion Rosenberg ("Revolutionary Road") served on the expert panel that selected the FWI finalists.
"I couldn't be more impressed with the caliber of this year's 10 FWI finalists - not only are they unbelievably talented, accomplished writers, but they all have really fresh, unique creative perspectives that we would like our entertainment businesses to tap into and grow," said Nicole Bernard, Senior Vice President, Audience Strategy for The FOX Group. "Reflecting a broad range of viewpoints - both in front of and behind the camera - remains a top priority for our company, and we're fortunate to have so many of our writers and producers supporting us in these efforts."
Launched in 2011, the FOX Writers Intensive is designed to nurture the careers of experienced writers with diverse voices, backgrounds and life experiences and create a strong pipeline of well-rounded talent for potential staffing on FOX productions across television, feature films and digital entertainment. Administered by Film Independent, the intensive offers trained writers a rigorous, four-month curriculum focused on 1) developing original material; 2) learning and honing writing skills for multiple mediums; and 3) exploring the business of media and entertainment. Upon successful completion of the program, FOX will work to staff participating writers on FOX projects and provide each writer with a first look on his/her original script(s).
This year, FOX Audience Strategy expanded the FWI to provide established writers with opportunities across multiple FOX companies. At the conclusion of the intensive, FOX will also:
Select one outstanding finalist as the FOX Writers Intensive Fellow, whose submitted original script will be purchased and developed jointly by FOX Broadcasting Company, 20th Century FOX Television and FX. The FOX Writers Intensive Fellow will be announced across all FOX entertainment businesses and will receive one-on-one meetings with network and studio heads, as well as priority staffing efforts across FOX properties.
Select one FWI finalist to apply for the FOX Writers Studio on a first-look basis.
Select one FWI finalist to pitch his/her script to HarperCollins.
Fox will award the referring 501(c)(3) charitable organization of the winning Fellow a financial grant to be earmarked for its writing program. In addition, beginning next fall, funding for one staff writer position will be earmarked specifically for FWI finalists on all new and returning FOX network series.


text:
Asleep at the switch: Driver blames hard work, not booze
A 41-year-old River Falls man was found slumped against the steering wheel, radio blasting while his vehicle idled without moving in a Main Street turn lane by West Maple Street before 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31.
When officers pounded on his window and finally got the man's attention, he allegedly looked at them and locked his doors. Soon, however, he was coaxed outside.
The man said he works at a downtown bar and has his own cleaning business. Between the two jobs he claimed he doesn't get enough sleep.
He also allegedly admitted to stopping for a few quick drinks that afternoon before picking up a Subway sandwich and trying to get home.
Field sobriety tests appeared to indicate that alcohol, not sleep, was the issue. The man was arrested for his second drunk driving offense.
During the past week, River Falls police also dealt with several domestic disturbances:
--Arrested and jailed a 20-year-old woman for a battery after she allegedly fought with her boyfriend, even allegedly biting the side of his face before 1 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2.
The pair live in the same second-floor apartment on West Cascade Avenue. She is apparently pregnant with his child.
Police say the man, described as very drunk, had marks on his face. He claimed his girlfriend punched him, that it hurt and that she's done this to him before.
The woman said her boyfriend was drinking, acting strangely and that she slapped him five times and told him "no" when he got close enough to grab her for a hug.
--Arrested and jailed a 21-year-old man for trying to beat up his roommate as they walked toward Family Fresh supermarket in the 300 block of South Main Street before 2 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31.
The assailant, angry with his roommate for unpaid bills, allegedly landed some blows to the other man's head. A patrolling officer intervened.
--Arrested and jailed a 28-year-old local man for battery after he allegedly hit his girlfriend while they argued in bed about who should get up in the middle of night and give juice to their toddler son.
This occurred last Wednesday, Jan. 29, in an apartment at 1011 State Street.
Another tenant called 911 after hearing a baby screaming and a voice shouting, "Stop hitting me."
--Arrested a 51-year-old local woman at an apartment at 1119 S. State Street for a probation hold before 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2. The woman was allegedly arguing and then fighting with her adult son who was visiting from California.
The son denied kicking his mom and throwing a pizza in her face. He was released.
The woman was arrested for allegedly violating her court-ordered no-drink provision.
For more, please see Police Beat in the Feb. 6 print edition of the River Falls Journal.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please confirm that you want to add History of the Middle East - 600 A.D. to Today to your Wishlist.
Become highly informed on the past and present of the Middle East in minutes a day with this introductory history course.
Know as much about Middle East history as a history major
Learn in a fraction of the time and money
Understand the intricacies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Sound highly knowledgeable about world affairs to your friends and associates.
Learn history through highly entertaining videos and audio lectures
To most Westerners the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict appear utterly bewildering. Palestinians want to bomb Israelis that force them at gunpoint to live in restricted parts of the country. Arab leaders are furious about this situation and want Israelis "wiped off the map" and their land given back to Palestinians, even though the real estate of the Holy Land looks something like rural Utah. And nearly all the world's leaders see fit to chime in on this dispute over the two tiny lands.
To untangle the modern Middle East conflict and the 2,000 years behind it, this course is divided into 25 concise lectures. Each one is devoted to a major theme in Middle East history, such as the beginning of Islam, the Crusades, Genghis Khan, and the beginning of Israel in 1948. Each lecture is 10-20 minutes, giving you a fast overview of the issues to understand how they connect Middle East current events.
"The instructor clearly demonstrates the relevance of the topic to ongoing conflicts and issues in our world today. If you want to better understand the world or just like learning something new, do yourself a favor and buy this course!" -- Raj Lulla
Key idea:The Middle East has been important throughout world history due to its location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. This is the reason that so many empires in ancient history competed for its real estate. After this lesson, you will understand how ownership of key land has been at the center of Middle Eastern conflict from the beginning of civilization to the present day.
The ancient Middle East and Arabia were a turbulent multi-religious, multi-ethnic society that withstood outside rule because of its harsh climate and mobile people. After this lesson, you will understand the key ways that climate and geography can affect and shape a society.
Test to see if you understand the key concepts of Section 1
Muhammed was able to effectively lead a large, diverse populist movement because of, not in spite of, his humble background as an orphaned trader. After this lesson, you will understand how Muhammed's early life affected his career as a prophet and leader.
Muhammed is heavily revered in Islam for his life as a prophet, religious leader, teacher, moral example, and mediator of conflict. After this lesson, you will understand how the trials of Muhammed's early life enabled him to lead and unite Arabia, then a leaderless and decentralized part of the world.
Muslims revere the Qur'an more than Christians do the Bible or Jews the Torah; they nearly esteem it to the level that Christians do Jesus. After this lesson, you will understand the place of respect and authority that the Qur'an holds in Islam and the reason that Muslims have rioted in response to desecrations of this book throughout the last decade.
The conflict between Islam's two major sects - Sunni and Shia - has lasted for over 1,300 years and started with a war over control of the Caliphate. After this lesson, you will understand the diversity of belief in Islam and be able to make sense of the violent conflicts between Muslims in places like Iraq and Lebanon.
Test your knowledge on the content of Section 2
In the Middle Ages the Middle East was the world's center for scholarship, culture, and science as Europe had barely emerged from the Dark Ages. After this lesson, you will understand how scientific golden ages come about, and why one such period occurred in the Middle East while it did not in Europe.
The Catholic Church mounted multiple military campaigns against Middle Eastern Islamic states to recapture Jerusalem (1195-1291). The crusaders ultimately failed in their objective, but they did leave the legacy of a deeper connection between the Middle East and Europe. After this lesson, you will understand how inter-religious wars are triggered and why the Crusades remain so vivid in European and Middle Eastern memory to this day.
Muslim treatment of Christian and Jewish subjects has been a mixed bag in history. Although Muslims didn't give anything like free expression of religion, in the Middle Ages a Christian or Jew had a better life under Muslim rule than vice versa. After this lesson, you will understand how to make sense of the rights of religious minorities today by understanding their situation in the past.
Genghis Khan rose from an obscure corner of the globe to create the world's largest empire, stretching from China to Eastern Europe. He is still revered in much of the Middle East and Central Asia as a great conqueror. After this lesson, you will understand how Genghis Khan shaped our modern world and how he has come to hold such a tremendous place of prestige in the Middle East, despite the fact that he was not a Muslim.
The Turkish Ottoman Empire controlled all the Middle East and a third of Europe for 400 years, connecting East and West. After this lesson, you will understand East-West interactions in the recent past and the political events that created the modern Middle East.
Test your knowledge on the content of Section 3
The Middle East was reformed into its modern condition by British and French officials after its political collapse in World War I. After this lesson, you will understand how the modern Middle East was created and why many Middle Easterners distrust Western nations to this day.
Most Jews lived outside modern day Israel for thousands of years until they started to return there in the 1800s due to the influential ideas of Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism. After this lesson, you will understand what connects ancient and modern Israel, and to be aware of the unifying ideology of Israel today.
The population of Palestine shifted from Arab Muslim to Jewish following waves of Jewish immigrants, most of whom fled persecution in Europe, the Middle East, and Russia. After this lesson, you will understand how the demographics of the Middle East have shifted so dramatically, and why Jews have flocked to a place surrounded by unfriendly neighbors.
Israel became a state due to British support for a Jewish homeland. The British tried to mediate peace between Jews and Muslims in Palestine but failed. After this lesson, you will understand the history of Israel's relationship with the West and why many Middle Easterners think Western support for Israel comes at their expense.
Israel's rocky transition from British protectorate to independence created a hostile relationship with its neighbors and turbulent circumstances for Palestinians. After this lesson, you will understand the formation of the State of Israel and the origin and nature of its land feud with Palestine.
Although surrounded by hostile neighbors, Israel has been able to defend itself due to a superior military and a society trained for war. After this lesson, you will understand how Israel defends itself militarily and why this defense strategy complicates relationships between Israel and its neighbors.
Test your knowledge on the content of Section 4
"Islamism" - the concept of Islam as the organizing point of all society - rose during the 20th century in the face of Western colonialism, Arab nationalism, and Saudi funding. After this lesson, you will understand the origins of political Islam and why it is such a unifying force across nations for hundreds of millions of people as well as what effect it has on Western nations.
The discovery of oil in the Arab Peninsula transformed the region, made leaders obscenely rich, and created a symbiotic relationship between Middle East producers and Western consumers. Petrol dollars have also supported terrorism and extreme ideology. After this lesson, you will understand that you are intimately involved in this relationship every time you fill up at the pump.
The fundamental conflict between Israelis and Palestinians comes down to one question: who owns the land? Both sides claim a right to the region by ancient heritage, and both view the other side as trespassers. After this lesson, you will understand why many Israelis and Palestinians are committed to claiming the land as theirs, even to the point of death.
Iran became a full-fledged theocracy in 1979 when it overthrew its dictatorial leader and replaced him with Islamic cleric Ayatollah Khomeini. Four decades later, Iran's present instability is causing some analysts to wonder if another revolution is around the corner. After this lesson, you will understand how revolutions in the Middle East spread and what role Western nations have played in these radical shifts of power.
Outside parties have negotiated peace between Israel and Palestine multiple times since 1948. While marginal progress has been made, each round of peace talks has eventually collapsed and violence between the two groups resumed. After this lesson, you will understand why peace treaties have failed between Israel and Palestine time and time again.
The rise of terrorism in the 20th century means that conflict has moved away from showdowns between established armies to violent acts against civilians perpetrated by fringe figures and rogue ideologues. After this lesson, you will understand the origins of modern terrorism and the conditions that allow its spread.
Aided by social media such as Twitter and Facebook, protests and revolts swept the Middle East in 2011 due to long-term resentment against corruption, high unemployment, poverty, and human rights violations. After this lesson, you will understand how Internet-age uprisings start, and how unstable repressive regimes in the Middle East have become susceptible to decentralized networks of dissatisfied youths.
With major social and demographic changes ahead, the Middle East is at a crossroads. Some states may evolve into free societies, while others are likely to stay mired in underdevelopment. After this lesson, you will understand that the destiny of Western countries is now intertwined more than ever with that of the Middle East. In certain ways its future is our future.
Test your knowledge on the content of Section 5
Michael Rank is a PhD in Middle East history. He studied at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary and holds an MA in Ottoman History from Bilgi University in Istanbul, Turkey. His research project is on Christian-Muslim intellectual and religious history in late Ottoman Istanbul. Michael has taught courses in Hungary, Turkey, and the United States on Middle East History, International Affairs, Intercultural Studies, and American History. Prior to joining academia, he worked as a journalist in Istanbul where he reported on religion and human rights in the Middle East.
Michael is the author of 12 books, including "From Muhammed to Burj Khalifa: A Crash Course in 2,000 Years of MIddle East History,"; "The Crusades and the Soldiers of the Cross"; and "The Most Powerful Women in the MIddle Ages: Queens, Saints, and Viking Slayers, From Empress Theodora to Elizabeth of Tudor."
He lives in Istanbul with his wife and two daughters.


text: For many metals, 16-gauge would be too thick to achieve quality metal stamping impressions, but Soft Strike pewter blanks by ImpressArt make 16-gauge the DIY metal stamper's favorite companion! Made from soft pewter, these 16-gauge metal blanks allow even intricate and delicate metal stamping designs to make complete impressions and look great! So go ahead, "impress" your friends express yourself!


text:
1-inch-tall The Robot Identification Tags to feature favorite robot designs
Cris Rose's latest Sprogs release isn't a little resin robot at all. Instead, it's a series of pins he's calling the Robot Identification Tags, each 1 inch tall. The pins will feature favorite Sprog designs and, in the Cris Rose universe, serve as a way for Sprog owners to find their little robot friends.
The first out of the gate is Renold Mk 1, a design we've all seen before and the one I happen to own. There were 25 Renolds available in Cris' shop for US$8 each plus shipping, with the first colorway being a gold and red variant. Sadly, they've already proven to be quite popular, as they sold out earlier this morning. Never fear, though; I imagine based on that news, Cris will be making more Robot Identification Tags in the near future!
You are logged out. Login | Sign up


text:
An envelope containing a lock of Mick Jagger's "washed and trimmed" hair has fetched a sizable sum this week at auction.
An anonymous buyer paid 4,000 pounds -- or about $6,000 -- for the clump of the Rolling Stones frontman's hair. According to Reuters, that is double the price the singer's strands were expected to sell for.
The hair, put up for auction by Jagger's former girlfriend Chrissie Shrimpton, was placed in a small envelope with the message, "Mick Jagger's hair after being washed + trimmed by Chris at Rose Hill Farm."
Shrimpton met Jagger when he was a student at the London School of Economics.
The item was offered for sale to raise money for the charity Changing Faces, a U.K.-based organization that works with people who have suffered disfigurements.
Other items offered for sale at the auction Wednesday included a guitar owned by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and a set of handwritten lyrics by David Bowie for his song "The Jean Genie."
Jagger, who turns 70 on July 26, will perform with the Rolling Stones in London's Hyde Park this weekend as part of the British Summer Time festival.


text:
Secretary Ray LaHood
Remarks Prepared for Delivery
National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Washington, DC
Thursday September 20, 2012
- Thank you, Susan for your kind introduction. And more importantly, thank you for your great work as president of Hispanics in Transportation.
- Your efforts—and the work of the entire HIT organization—are making a big difference, and I appreciate everything you do.
- I am thrilled to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and to acknowledge the many contributions Latinos make here at the Department of Transportation and throughout our government.
- We are joined by a number of special guests, including my good friends, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Administrator of the Federal Highways Administration Victor Mendez.
- We are also lucky to have Mauro (Mau-ro) Morales, of the Office of Personnel Management, who will discuss steps this Administration is taking to promote diversity and inclusion in the Federal workplace.
- And we welcome NBC 4's Erika Gonzalez, who will tell us how she has succeeded at a career in journalism in both Texas and Washington, DC.
- I thank all of our guests for sharing their powerful stories of achievement with us today.
- Our nation has always benefited from many cultures uniting as one. And this Administration understands that our nation's diversity is its greatest strength.
- President Obama has pulled together the most diverse team in U.S. history, and I am proud to be a part of it.
- Hispanics serve in unprecedented numbers in the Obama Administration.
- President Obama appointed Secretary Hilda Solis and Secretary Ken Salazar to his cabinet.
- He nominated Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Justice on the Supreme Court.
- And he has appointed Hispanics to positions in every Federal agency.
- DOT benefits from a talented pool of Hispanic political appointees:
- Victor Mendez, who's here with us today,
- Michael Huerta, Acting Administrator for FAA,
- Amy Tovar, Associate General Counsel,
- Maria Elena Juarez, my trusted scheduler,
- Federico de Jesús, Associate Director for Governmental Affairs,
- Francisco Reinoso (Ray-no-so), Deputy CIO for New Media Strategy and IT projects, and
- Sylvia Garcia, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget. Sylvia also served as my representative when the HIT Charter was signed last year.
- As you will learn later today, Hispanics make contributions across all modes of transportation. And we are thankful for their service.
- However, we can do more.
- At DOT, we are fortunate to have an organization dedicated to the professional development and recruitment of Hispanics in transportation.
- Last year, we established the Hispanics in Transportation professional employee organization to further our commitment to diversity and the empowerment of all our employees.
- HIT has worked to promote diversity and cultural awareness, provide career and development advice, promote the exchange of ideas and generally support our members as they look for growth opportunities within DOT.
- Most importantly, HIT has worked to recruit qualified Hispanics to transportation careers.
- HIT held a number of events last year, including a "DOT Mentor Café" for career development and a conversational Spanish networking event that allowed DOT employees to practice their language skills.
- And this year, we are excited to see HIT partner with the Youth Mentoring Program to inspire children to pursue a career in transportation.
- HIT is also working with the Departmental Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Human Capital Management to further DOT's diversity goals.
- As most of you know, Hispanics are an increasingly powerful force in our country.
- Last year, there were more than 52 million Hispanics in the United States. And by 2050, Latinos are expected to make up a third of the American population.
- If we are going to keep up with these trends, DOT must ensure that our message of safety reaches Latinos and Spanish speakers in every community.
- We are making progress on this front, especially through our NHTSA safety campaigns.
- Whether it's encouraging people to buckle up, getting drunk drivers off the road, or helping parents find the right child safety seat, we're spreading our message to Hispanic communities in Spanish and English.
- In fact, NHTSA has become a trusted and sought out source for Latinos when it comes to traffic safety.
- We are so lucky to live in a country that embraces our differences. In America, it doesn't matter where your parents were born or what language you grew up speaking, we are all here to achieve the same American dream.
- We have always been a nation full of vision, a bold and optimistic America that does big things.
- At DOT, we are investing in an America built to last. And we are drawing on the wide talents and abilities of people from every background to get the job done.
- I thank the Members of HIT for working hard to expand the number of Latinos in our transportation workforce. And I thank each of you for attending today's celebration.
- Going forward, I know that we will have many more achievements to celebrate.
- And now, I am thrilled to introduce Secretary Hilda Solis.
Updated: Friday, January 9, 2015


text:
The Supreme Court's recent decision in the case of Walmart v. Duke has reignited the national debate about unequal pay that many women face in the American workplace.
Today in America, women are paid on average of 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. For African-American women, it's 70 cents on the dollar. For Latina women, it's 60 cents on the dollar.
This means that each time the average woman starts a new job, she starts from a lower base salary. Over time, that pay gap becomes wider and wider. From the start of her career to the end, the average woman stands to lose $380,000 over her lifetime. That means $150 less in her weekly paycheck. It means nearly $8,000 less at the end of the year. When women start at a disadvantage, they stay at a disadvantage. And we all lose.
The Court's decision in the Walmart lawsuit made no ruling on whether America's largest employer engaged in unlawful pay discrimination. Instead, the justices focused their ruling on the specific legal issue of whether the large group of women plaintiffs could pursue their complaint through a class action lawsuit.
The 5-4 ruling against the plaintiffs on the class-action issue will not affect the Labor Department's strong commitment to pursue back wages for groups of women who are victims of employer-wide pay discrimination. DOL does not file class action lawsuits; instead, we enforce an executive order that says federal contractors can't discriminate based on gender when setting compensation levels for their employees.
DOL has oversight over any company doing at least $10,000 of government business a year. When we seek a remedy for pay discrimination, we automatically seek back wages for all affected employees at a company. We feel this is an important way to level the playing field and curb pay disparities affecting women.
As Labor Secretary, I believe it is my responsibility to use my authority to close the pay gap so women can earn their fair share and provide the income support their families rely upon. After all, unequal pay doesn't just affect women. It affects families, too. It's 20 percent less food mothers can put on the table, 20 percent less they can spend on their kids' education, 20 percent less to pay the gas bill.
Over the past year, my Office of Federal Contract Compliance has substantially shifted its enforcement priorities. Last year, 14 percent of their investigations involved compensation cases. This year, that number will rise to between 20 and 40 percent.
Last year, the Paycheck Fairness Act was just two votes short of passing in Congress. The Obama administration remains committed to this legislation.
We need to close loopholes that give employers unjustified defenses to discrimination. We need to strengthen the ban on retaliation against those who complain about unequal pay. We need to rescind the Bush-era guidelines that prevent effective enforcement of equal pay laws.
We also need to create more flexible workplaces so women don't have to choose between motherhood and a fulfilling career. To that end, my Wage & Hour division has begun enforcing a new provision in the Affordable Care Act that guarantees break time for nursing mothers. For the first year of a baby's life, employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act--regardless of the size of their business--are required to provide reasonable break time and a place shielded from view and free from intrusion, for a mother to express breast milk for her nursing child.
We're living in the year 2011--not 1911. Women who are running companies, saving patients, making products and providing vital services deserve to be compensated based on their job responsibilities and their performance--not on outdated gender roles.
Source: http://social.dol.gov/blog/after-walmart/


text:
It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our uncomplicated sign up form and login to the site.
This step is discretionary but will drastically increase your chances of getting interest from other over 40s members on the site. Type a little about yourself, your pasttimes and upload any nice photographs of yourself.
Use our website's cutting-edge search to uncover over 40s members who are up to your requirements. Or just flip through listings and uncover folks that appear interesting.
Discovered someone who looks suitable? Send them a message or just a wink and see if they're interested. With a little luck you'll be on your way to discovering your proper partner.
It's quick and simple


text:
Media & Politics (one section only today)
Permanent link to MTA daily�media news
And a Happy St. Paddy�s Day to ya!
President Obama: Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen and He "May Be Cousins" (by Jake O'Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
President Obama welcomed Irish Ambassador Michael Collins to the Oval Office today with some interesting news. "My mother's family can be traced back to Ireland," President Obama said, "and it turns out that our first Irish ancestor came from the same county that Taoiseach once represented. So we may be cousins. We haven't sorted that through yet. But even if blood we're not related by culture and affinity … by friendship we are certainly related." Collins was joined by Irish Ambassador Michael Collins and Minister for Foreign Affairs Miche�l Martin (pronounced MEE-hull Martin, according to some helpful Irish reporters who have clearly already been celebrating). All three were sporting green ties and shamrock "bouquets" on their lapels.
I think the prez must have kissed the Blarney Stone today.
WH Names Ambassador to Ireland (by�Alegre)
In keeping with today's holiday, I thought I'd introduce you to our new Ambassador to Ireland, Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Dan Rooney. �He's a lifelong Republican who endorsed and stumped for BHO during the Pennsylvania primaries and GE last year. I've gotta give him credit for naming someone who formed an organization that promotes peace and education in Ireland to this post, but still… a Republican?
NY atty gen says 73 AIG execs got $1M bonuses (AP)
Troubled insurance giant American International Group paid bonuses of $1 million or more to 73 employees, including 11 who no longer work for the company, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.
Limbaugh on Cuomo's letter asking for names of AIG bonus recipients, negotiators: "Is [Cuomo] working out of the Reichstag or what?" (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
House Republicans Planning To Try To Force Treasury To Recoup AIG Bonuses (by�Greg Sargent at The Plum Line)
Looks like House Republicans are about to make a big political move on the AIG issue by trying to compel the Treasury Department to try to recoup those AIG bonuses, A senior GOP aide familiar with ongoing discussions tells me that two freshman Republicans � at the direction of�Eric Cantor�and other House GOP leaders � will introduce a bill to �direct� Treasury to recoup the bonuses. The two Republicans are Rep. Paulsen of Minnesota and Rep. Lance of New Jersey.
A 100% tax rate? I like it! I like it! (by Joseph Cannon at Cannonfire)
A few Dems in Congress are talking about slapping AIG fatcats and their feline brethren with an�excessive pay surtax. The sponsor of the bill wants to tax the bonuses at�100 percent. This move puts Obi in a place where he can't negotiate. He must support (and possibly sign) this bill or he must act against it. If he does not support it, then we know that his recent denunciation of the AIG bonuses amounted to "just words."
On CNBC,�Business Week's�Farzad says of Obama's directive to pursue every "legal avenue" to block AIG bonuses "What would Hugo Chavez do?" (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Santelli on AIG bonus rage: "You know, $165 million is like worrying about 16.5 cents, while $165 maybe necessitates a little more outrage" (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
And how did you feel about the small percentage of money dedicated to earmarks in the budget package, Rick?
Morris' crystal ball: "Socialist" Obama "going to be at 30 percent [approval] in a year" (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Bonus Quote of the Day (Political Wire)
"Follow the Japanese model… resign, or go commit suicide."�– Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), quoted by the�Washington Post, on AIG executives who took bonuses despite a massive government bailout.�An aide later explained the senator does not actually want executives to kill themselves.
Conservatives Suggest Torture Tactics For AIG Execs: �Exemplary Hanging,� Guillotine Party, �Boiling In Oil� (Think Progress)
[O]n Fox News, far right pundit Charles Krauthammer and his milder counterpart Mort Kondracke argued that some should be put to death: �KRAUTHAMMER:��I would be for an exemplary hanging or two. Have it in Times Square, invite Madame DuFarge. You borrow a guillotine from the French and we could have a party� KONDRACKE:�I was going to recommend boiling in oil in Times Square.�
Click through to watch the video.
Republicans Who Opposed Wall Street Salary Caps Last Month Now Condemning �Outrageous� AIG Bonuses (Think Progress)
As�outrage mounts�over the $165 million in executive bonuses paid to�AIG staffers, many Republicans are trying to tap into the widespread public anger by striking uncharacteristically populist tones� However, when Congress debated limiting executive pay last month, these same key Republican lawmakers�stood firm in opposing such caps.
Flashback: Dem Leaders Scuttled Proposal to Rescind Big Exec Bonuses (by�Greg Sargent at The Plum Line)
Elana Schor�reminds us�of a rather pertinent detail involving this AIG mess: Last month, Democratic Congressional leaders stripped from the stim bill a stringent proposal to force bailed-out companies to rescind bonuses to executives. That proposal, by GOP Senator�Olympia Snowe�and Dem Senator Ron Wyden, would have retroactively recovered �all cash bonuses to bailout recipients that exceeded $25,000,� Schor reminds us, and �could have prevented much of the current AIG flap.� In the wake of the current AIG mess, Snowe and Wyden are pushing to reintroduce their legislation, and many others from both parties are jockeying for political advantage.
Give the Bonuses Back�Or Else (by Matt Miller, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and author of�The Tyranny of Dead Ideas: Letting Go of the Old Ways of Thinking to Unleash a New Prosperity, writing at the Daily Beast)
Can't any of these people who made out like bandits for years find it in their character to use their special skills to see the country through what they agree is an epic crisis by helping run these firms for, say, two years, and viewing it as a public service?… As Obama could explain, answering the call of country to help restore the functioning and credibility of America's financial sector would be honorable service for which the nation would be grateful-and in which bankers' families could take pride.
Given the Dick Grasso-Stan O'Neal-Chuck Prince style of business ethics in which Wall Street's "leaders" have been schooled, I'm not holding my breath for any takers. In which case Obama can always instruct America's taxpayer-owned banks to withhold the bonuses anyway, doing what turns out to be more common in business than people think: making executives sue for what they say they're owed.
The trouble, Matt, as you well know, is that we have been trained for many years to admire people simply for making money, no matter how they get it.� He who has the gold rules.� Do unto others, but do it first.� Winning is the only thing.� Public service is stupid.� Public ANYTHING is stupid, unless you can use it to enrich yourself at the expense of others.
Why Are AIG�s Contracts Sacrosanct But Not Union Workers� Contracts? (Think Progress)
[Sunday] on ABC�s This Week, Larry Summers, head of President Obama�s National Economic Council, called insurance giant AIG�s plan to pay out�$165 million in bonuses �outrageous� but insisted there was little the government could do about it� Summers cited�the sanctity of contracts� Of course,�not�all�contracts are sacrosanct. When Detroit�s Big Three arrived in Washington last year to plead for federal bailout funds, the�right wing demanded�that the United Auto Workers ignore their contracts and accept �steep cuts in pay and benefits� � on top of the cuts�they already shouldered�in 2007. The UAW agreed to �make major concessions in its contracts,� acceding to most of�the right�s demands.
The sanctity of AIG's contracts (by Glenn Greenwald at Unclaimed Territory, Salon)
Apparently, the supreme sanctity of employment contracts applies only to some types of employees but not others. Either way, the Obama administration�s claim that nothing could be done about the AIG bonuses because AIG has solid, sacred contractual commitments to pay them is, for so many reasons, absurd on its face. As any lawyer knows, there are few things more common � or easier — than finding legal arguments that call into question the meaning and validity of contracts� [T]his claim from Larry Summers that the sanctity of contracts precludes any alternatives is not just false, but insultingly so.�
The real scandal of AIG: We're helpless (by Robert Reich, writing at Salon)
The real scandal of AIG isn't just that American taxpayers have so far committed $170 billion to the giant insurer because it is thought to be too big to fail � — nor even that AIG's notoriously failing executives, the very unit responsible for the catastrophic credit-default swaps at the very center of the debacle, are planning to give themselves over $100 million in bonuses. The scandal is that even at this late date, even in a new administration dedicated to doing it all differently, Americans still have so little say over what is happening with our money.
WE may be helpless, but Congress is not.
Barney Frank: It�s �Nonsensical� To Retain AIG Employees To Undo The Mess They Created (Think Progress)
ThinkProgress sat down with Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), who chairs the House Financial Services Committee and has�called for the firing�of AIG executives. When asked to respond to [economic writer Andrew] Sorkin�s claim that only AIG employees can navigate the economy out of the mess they created, Frank dismissed it as �nonsensical�.fact almost counter, because the argument that you take the people who made the mistake and put them in charge of undoing the mistake goes against the human impulse not to admit a mistake.
Click through to watch the video.
Tapper's WayBack Machine (by�Alegre)
Ok so it's only two weeks ago. �But Jake Tapper reminds us of�WH assurances�that they knew just where all the bailout money for AIG was going and what it was used for. �They asked for another $30 billion for AIG two weeks ago, and Tapper asked Gibbs if they knew what happened to the money AIG had already raked in… This sort of flies in the face of earlier reports of how�outraged BHO is over those bonuses. �I'm probably not the only one muttering�WTF�today.�
Richard Cohen defends financial execs & business media; blasts Stewart (by�Jamison Foser at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Once again, Richard Cohen devotes his�Washington Post�column to attacking a … comedian. Worse, he is again attacking a comedian for having higher expectations for journalism than he does. In 2006, when Stephen Colbert delivered a devastating take-down of the political media during his performance at the White House correspondents dinner,�Cohen blasted Colbert� And now Richard Cohen is�upset�that Jon Stewart made Jim Cramer and the financial media look bad� Cohen � offers several paragraphs worth of "proof" that the financial media didn't know about the financial shenanigans� [His] argument suggests: That the people closest to a given situation know it best, and the media shouldn't question their judgment and behavior. If that's the case, why do we need the media at all?
Uh Huh (by�Susie at Suburban Guerrilla)
From�Deep Capture: ��[F]rom a journalist: �I was working on a story about naked short selling and Deep Capture. Then, suddenly I was stopped. It�s weird because I have been a journalist here for 9 years. I have built a great reputation with my editor, and have never had a story interfered with.�But I got a couple months into this story, and suddenly I was stopped from above. I�ve never seen that happen before.� I replied, If you only knew how many times a journalist has said that to me in the last couple years�� This is exactly what I mean by �corporate media.� It�s media that serves the financial interests of the corporation which owns it,�not the interests of the public. Killing stories that expose market manipulation? Classic.
Menendez To Treasury: Investigate Morgan Stanley Bonuses Too (by Sam Stein at the Huffington Post)
Senator Bob Menendez is urging the Treasury Department to look at the retention bonuses issued not just by AIG, but those handed out by fellow bailout recipient Morgan Stanley. In a letter to Secretary Timothy Geithner, the New Jersey Democrat urges the administration to live by a clear standard that any company that needed rescue by TARP or bailout funds be prohibited from using that money on financial bonuses.
Wall Street Pursues Pay Loopholes (Wall Street Journal)
Some Wall Street firms are looking for ways to sidestep tough new federal caps on compensation. In response to expected bonus restrictions, officials at Citigroup Inc., Morgan Stanley and other financial institutions that got government aid are discussing increasing base salaries for some executives and other top-producing employees, people familiar with the situation said.
Did Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit lie to Congress about his compensation? (Think Progress)
As ThinkProgress noted, in February, bailed-out Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit told a House committee that he received only $1 million in salary and �no bonus� in 2008� But Reuters reports [Monday] that Citigroup awarded Pandit �$10.82 million of compensation in 2008,� despite the bank accepting $45 billion in TARP funds. The package included a �$958,333 salary,�$9.84 million of stock and option awards�and $16,193 of other compensation,� according to an SEC filing. As of February, Citigroup still owned or was leasing a private jet.
I guess it depends on what �compensation� is.
FASB Moves Toward Giving Banks More Flexibility on Fair-Value (Bloomberg, thanks to Calculated Risk)
The Financial Accounting Standards Board, pressured by lawmakers to change the fair-value rule blamed for worsening the financial crisis, proposed permitting companies to use �significant judgment� in valuing assets.
Now, I know I�m crazy for asking, but wasn�t it bankers� �judgment� that got us into this mess in the first place?� And didn�t allowing savings and loans to determine the value of their assets in the 1980s bring us the bailouts of the Bush I era?
US wrong to assume no bank can fail (by Dean Baker)
The Fed and Treasury are now guaranteeing deposits in money-market mutual funds. The�Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation doubled the size of the bank accounts it guarantees, and non-interest-bearing accounts of any size are guaranteed. In addition, the Fed is now lending hundreds of billions of dollars directly to non-financial corporations, establishing a channel of funding that goes outside the banking system. These and other measures have restored some measure of stability to the financial system. Now that we have these measures in place, is it still true that we can't subject Citigroup, Bank of America or Goldman Sachs to a managed bankruptcy (aka "nationalisation") without the world coming to an end?
Now It's Official: Public Private Partnership to Overpay for Toxic Bank Assets (by�Yves Smith at Naked Capitalism)
We have been saying from the first time the idea that Team Obama floated the idea of having a "public private partnership" buy toxic bank assets, that it was merely a very costly way to disguise overpayment� Our suspicions have finally been confirmed. From Andy Lees at UBS�: �The U.S. will give further details of the Geither public/private partnership plan to take bad assets off banks books, later this week a senior department official has said�� Lees said by e-mail that reports suggested that the deal would have two subsidies: first to the investors to let the pay more for the assets that their current market prices, second, further capital contributions to the banks to allow them to take a haircut on their marks. That would allow for a deal to be done at prices somewhere between the banks' inflated marks and the current market prices.
This is what readers ought to be upset about. The AIG bonuses are rounding error, and an done deal. This is billions to avoid price discovery, which is what it needed to assess the magnitude of the problem, attract private capital, and do triage on sick financial firms. This is simply a Japan solution with a lot of moving parts to disguise the essence of the undertaking.
Rahm's Saturday Sessions (Political Wire)
Every Saturday, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel convenes a special meeting for members of President Obama's inner circle in the historic Roosevelt Room, according to�U.S. News and World Report. The weekly event "is one of the most important sessions in Obama's White House. It's there that senior advisers map out the course of action for the new administration, often for weeks at a time. It's part of a master plan to seize the moment and use the current economic crisis to remake the country in some fundamental ways."
"These previously undisclosed Saturday meetings show not only how long the hours are in Obamaworld but also how methodical and disciplined his inner circle has been in planning Obama's first 100 days as one of the most productive presidential beginnings in history."
Obama Team Derides Cheney's Criticisms (Washington Post)
The Obama administration responded sharply yesterday to former vice president Richard B. Cheney's comments in a weekend interview that the new president "is making some choices that, in my mind, will in fact raise the risk to the American people" of another terrorist attack. "I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy," Robert Gibbs, Obama's press secretary, said during his daily briefing to journalists at the White House. "So they trotted out the next most popular member of the Republican cabal."�
The back-and-forth represented a political opportunity for the Obama administration, despite its pledges to avoid partisan confrontation. A Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted when the Bush administration left office in January found that 30 percent of respondents approved of Cheney's performance, lower than Bush's own approval rating.
More than a bad day: Worries grow that Barack Obama & Co. have a competence problem (by Michael Goodwin, New York Daily News)
Not long ago, after a string of especially bad days for the�Obama administration, a veteran Democratic pol approached me with a pained look on his face and asked, "Do you think they know what they're doing?" The question caught me off guard because the man is a well-known Obama supporter. As we talked, I quickly realized his asking suggested his own considerable doubts. Yes, it's early, but an eerily familiar feeling is spreading across party lines and seeping into the national conversation. It's a nagging doubt about the competency of the�White House.
End of the Honeymoon (by�David Broder)
[I]t is not too soon to say that the Obama honeymoon period is over. His critics in Washington and around the world have found their voices, and they are subjecting his administration to the kind of skeptical questioning that is normal for chief executives once they settle into their jobs� Among those who follow government closely, there has been an unmistakable change in tone in the last few weeks. These are not little Limbaughs hoping that Obama fails. They are politicians and journalists measuring him with the same skeptical eye they apply to everyone else.
You mean, Mr. Broder, the kind of skeptical eye always applied to Democrats, but not applied to Bush until well into his second term.� You may be trying to fool yourself, but you�re not fooling us.
Team Obama rolls out the welcome mat for Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America (by�Pam Spaulding at Pam's House Blend)
Well, folks — the gloves are off.�Right Wing Watch reports�that Joshua DuBois, head of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, will welcome representatives from the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America, two organizations being monitored by the�Southern Poverty Law Center�for their anti-gay, womb-controlling activities, into the Obama White House to�discuss policy� I agree 100% with Kyle of RWW: ��These are not moderate, open-minded groups looking for common ground – they are militant, anti-choice groups committed to, above all, making abortion illegal everywhere and for everyone, with no exceptions. It is hard to understand what the administration expects to gain by meeting with such groups to discuss efforts to reduce abortion considering that the only option such groups support is to outlaw them entirely.�
And will Unity �09 be supporting this?� Again, we see the problem of refusing to put principles before personalities.� And by the way, isn�t this the THIRD morphing of the vaunted Obama machine?
Obama mulls making vets foot bill for service injuries (McClatchy)
The Obama administration is considering making veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries. The plan would be an about-face on what veterans believe is a long-standing pledge to pay for health care costs that result from their military service. But in a White House meeting Monday, veterans groups apparently failed to persuade President Obama to take the plan off the table. �Veterans of all generations agree that this proposal is bad for the country and bad for veterans,� said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. �If the president and the OMB [Office of Management and Budget] want to cut costs, they can start at AIG, not the VA.�
White House may seek to bypass�filibuster�rule in Senate (McClatchy)
The White House budget director said Tuesday that the Obama administration may take advantage of a rarely used congressional rule that would strip Republicans of their�filibuster�power to get some controversial proposals through the Senate by simple majorities.
Great!� The filibuster has been used for some truly evil purposes, like keeping slavery going.� If the Democrats had ever used it, I might have second thoughts, but they didn't, so it�s time for that rule to die.
Flaws Abound in FOIA, If Obama Wants to Fix Them�
President Barack Obama is promising to reinvigorate the Freedom of Information Act by opening more of the government's filing cabinets without a fight. Obama has begun to deliver, but there are conflicting signs about how far he will go — and it's a task that's far easier said than done
Obama administration rejects Sanford�s attempt to redirect stimulus funds. (Think Progress)
Last week, Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) said he would ask the Obama administration if he could redirect $700 million in�federal stimulus money�to pay down the state�s debt � instead of for its original purpose of�school funding�and public safety. The Obama administration today�rejected his request, saying that the legislation doesn�t allow Obama to �make an exception for that cash�.
News Flash – America Discovers the Dignity of Labor (by�campskunk at Alegre's Corner)
It hasn't been that many generations for many of us since our ancestors got off the boat with a dogged determination to make something of themselves in this new country. They didn't bring anything�BUT�human capital… and a change of clothes. The one luxury they ever coveted was the chance to get their kids an education, knowing that an education would be the human capital multiplier they themselves never had a shot at. The Democratic party was formed from these folks who wanted a chance to better themselves through labor. �I used to think there were a lot of us around… but with all the talk lately about�labor unions being a special interest,�and the idea of making everyone a member of the investment class, we seem to have drifted away from this bedrock principle.
All I can say to the people who have been off obsessing about their property value and stock portfolio, and taking their job for granted is… welcome back to reality. The people who wrote you that mortgage and home equity line of credit, and the people who told you which stocks to buy… they weren't your friends. People like that are the reason your ancestors immigrated to America.. to get away from those folks. �
Employee Free Choice Poll Gives Labor Backers Big Boost (by Sam Stein at the Huffington Post)
Proponents of the Employee Free Choice Act received a big boost Tuesday morning with the publication of an independent poll�showing majority support both for the legislation and the greater concept of increased unionization. Gallup Surveys released a study on Tuesday finding that 53 percent of respondents favored a new law that would "make it easier for labor unions to organize workers." Only 39 percent of respondents opposed such a law.
Union Unleashes Brutal Video Tying Anti-EFCA Blue Dog Dem To Dead Worker (by�Greg Sargent at The Plum Line)
This is some rough stuff. The�SEIU�has just launched a hard-hitting Web video that ties Blue Dog Democrat Dan Boren to the horrific death of a worker in his home state, yet another sign that the battle over the Employee Free Choice Act is shaping up as a no-holds-barred free-for-all. The video � an effort to make Boren pay a political price in his home state for his recent�declaration�that he�ll vote against EFCA � dramatizes the plight of a father of four who, according to the video, worked at an industrial laundry and was dragged into a heavy duty dryer, where he was violently tossed around for 20 minutes and eventually died�
The vid accuses Boren of supporting companies like the one employing the dead workers in its efforts to prevent unionization. �Tell Dan Boren to stop risking workers� lives, and to support Employee Free Choice,� it concludes. The video targeting Boren, the only Dem to declare that he�ll vote against EFCA this year, is designed to demonstrate the sort of political price those who oppose EFCA might pay. It�s also an effort to humanize the stakes of the EFCA fight and shift the debate away from an argument over the �secret ballot� provision and towards a more fundamental one over worker safety and quality of life.
Rough, indeed. I�m not sure they�ll keep those poll approvals with this kind of tactic.
Afghan war hits peak of disfavor (USA Today)
American support for the war in Afghanistan has ebbed to a new low, as attacks on U.S. troops and their allies have hit record levels and commanders are pleading for reinforcements, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows. In the poll taken Saturday and Sunday, 42% of respondents said the United States made "a mistake" in sending military forces to Afghanistan, up from 30% in February� Those who said the war is going well dropped to 38% in the latest poll, the lowest percentage since that question was asked in September 2006.
Research Center's Role Faces Scrutiny (Washington Post)
A Pennsylvania defense research center regularly consulted with two "handlers" close to�Rep. John P. Murtha�(D-Pa.) as it collected nearly $250 million in federal funding through the lawmaker, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post and sources familiar with the funding requests. The center then channeled a significant portion of the funding to companies that were among Murtha's campaign supporters.
Few Ripples From Supreme Court Ruling on Guns (New York Times)
About nine months ago, the�Supreme Court�breathed new life into the Second Amendment, ruling for the first time that it protects an individual right to own guns. Since then, lower federal courts have decided more than 80 cases interpreting the decision, District of Columbia v. Heller, and it is now possible to make a preliminary assessment of its impact. So far, Heller is firing blanks. The courts have upheld federal laws banning gun ownership by people convicted of felonies and some misdemeanors, by illegal immigrants and by drug addicts. They have upheld laws banning machine guns and sawed-off shotguns. They have upheld laws making it illegal to carry guns near schools or in post offices. And they have upheld laws concerning concealed and unregistered weapons.
Federal�Judge�OKs Use of�Pepper Spray�in Police Training (Law.com)
A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit brought by naval police officers who wanted to stop the Navy from blasting recruits' eyes with pepper spray during their training. The officers argued that the practice of subjecting trainees to a direct shot of pepper spray was dangerous and deprived them of their constitutional rights to due process and equal protection�
Pepper spray is known to cause swelling, irritation, blisters, respiratory problems and, in some select instances, death.
Justice Thomas:�Americans don't sacrifice�as much (AP)
Americans today are self-indulgent and don't make the sacrifices that their parents and grandparents did, and the nation's leaders don't ask people to act for the higher good,�U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas�said Monday at a�Virginia college�in a rare public speech. "Our country and our principles are more important than our individual wants," Thomas told close to 400 people who greeted him with a standing ovation�at�Washington and Lee University, a�Shenandoah Valley liberal arts school.
�Washington and Lee is one of the last bastions of the Confederacy,� says the Voice from the Blue, who grew up in northern Virginia.� And I must ask Justice Thomas, what sacrifices have YOU made for your country, sir?
ABA Resumes Vetting Nominees (Political Wire)
Heard in the�CQ�newsroom:�The American Bar Association has resumed its traditional role of vetting judicial nominations before the president makes them. Former President Bush had discontinued the practice of having the ABA vet judicial picks before submitting them to the Senate.
Republicans Strong in 2010 Gubernatorial Race (Political Wire)
According to a new�Inside Michigan Politics poll, three potential Republican candidates for governor in 2010 show surprising strength against the leading Democratic candidate, Lt. Gov. John Cherry (D). In head-to-head races with Cherry, Attorney General Mike Cox (R) led 41% to 34%, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land (R) led 39% to 34% and County Executive L. Brooks Patterson led 38% to 34%.
Strickland Well Ahead in Re-Election Bid (Political Wire)
Despite a recent drop in his approval ratings, a new�Quinnipiac poll�finds Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) remains well ahead of the two leading candidates for the Republican nomination to oppose him in 2010.�Strickland leads former Rep. John Kasich (R-OH) 51% to 31% and tops former Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) 50% to 34%. In a GOP primary for that nomination, DeWine leads Kasich 32% to 27%.
Hutchison Leads Perry in Texas Primary (Political Wire)
A new�UT Poll�shows Sen. Kay Baily Hutchison (R-TX) leading Gov. Rick Perry (R) in a Republican gubernatorial primary, 37% to 29%. Meanwhile,�Roll Call�reports Hutchison "now appears likely to stay in the Senate even as she runs for governor, counter to what was originally expected when she began preparing to seek her state's top post last year."�
Palin's Office Denies She's Hosting Fundraiser (Political Wire)
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) spokesman said that congressional Republicans "were mistaken" in announcing the governor would headline the biggest Republican fundraiser of the year, reports the�Anchorage Daily News. The governor's office said Palin has not even confirmed she would be attending the event.�Said spokesman Bill McAllister: "I communicated with the governor directly and she did not know anything about it."
Is the Country Fixed Yet? (Political Wire)
Walter Shapiro: "Now that we have created this 86,400-seconds-a-day expectation of instant political news, it is virtually impossible to return to prior laid-back ways of thinking about Washington. The problem, of course, is that successful governing requires far more than merely winning a particular morning's news cycle. But our foreshortened attention span gets in the way of long-term perspective. As a result, it is easy to get caught up in the fiction that the fate of Obama's presidency rides with the short-term direction of the stock market, the cleverness of Robert Gibbs' putdowns of Dick Cheney, or even the pace of appointments to the sub-Cabinet."
Obama Considers "Fireside Chats" on Economy (Political Wire)
"In an effort to educate the public on the state of the economy and his plans for improving it, President Obama is considering a series of short televised addresses similar to Franklin Roosevelt's fireside chats,"�John Dickerson reports.�Press Secretary Robert Gibbs "has told the television networks that the administration may request more time than usual for a president. Gibbs did not provide a schedule but described the addresses as lasting about 10 minutes each."
Obama Plans Travel With Eye Towards 2012 (Political Wire)
Tom Jensen�notes that President Obama has visited seven states since being sworn in: Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. What do they have in common? Six of the states are where Obama had his smallest margins of victory in the 2008 presidential race, an indication that the White House is planning his public appearances with an eye towards 2012. Even in Arizona, the state he's visited that he didn't win, some polls suggested Obama could win if Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) wasn't his opponent last year.
View: Barack Obama on Jay Leno's 'Tonight Show' is 'Bypass the Press' (by Phil Rosenthal,�Chicago Tribune)
By agreeing to be Leno's guest on "The Tonight Show,"�President�Barack Obama�is venturing into a genre that has become a requisite touchstone for rising high-profile pols. But it's territory where�NBC�says a sitting president, always a sitting duck in the nightly monologues, never before has sat as a guest� The White House move is every bit as calculated as a Hollywood studio's campaign for a new blockbuster.
The commander in chief, whose White House run got an early boost from a popular daytime talk-show host, is banking he will seem presidential enough with Leno that his message will carry substantive weight. Yet, eight weeks into his presidency, the chosen forum signals he wants to remind followers of the campaigner who was loose while staying on message.
Peter B. Collins Show to leave the air next Friday (The Brad Blog)
Another progressive talker falls victim to the rightwing corporate stranglehold of our public airwaves…
The Peter B. Collins Show will come to an end, as of next Friday, according to an announcement by Collins on today's broadcast. After nearly five years on the air, the economic climate, and the stranglehold of rightwing corporate control over the public's airwaves has made it impossible for him to continue.
Power Line makes us laugh (by�Eric Boehlert at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
For anyone still wondering how the GOP's Rush worship panned out politically, especially for the GOP's Congressional leaders who dutifully lined up beyond him, here's a graphic from the new Pew Research poll. Note the two lines–one for the Dems and one for the GOP–are heading in opposite directions. But Power Line is�certain�Democrats were the big loser last month.
Republicans Now Losing Ground With Republicans (Political Wire)
In the new�Pew Research poll,�Greg Sargent�notes that the approval rating of GOP leaders has plummeted 12 points in the last month — among Republicans. Is this a sign the Democratic effort to make Rush Limbaugh the�de facto GOP leader�is working?
Poll Shows Tie in Generic Congressional Ballot (Political Wire)
A new�NPR poll�shows that while President Obama's job approval rating is still very high at 59%, his party doesn't do nearly as well in a congressional match up. When likely voters were asked whether they'd vote for the Republican or Democratic congressional candidate if the 2010 elections were held today, the result was a tie: 42% to 42%. Said pollster Glen Borger: "There's concern about the spending plans and other paths that Obama and Democrats in Congress are taking, so I think you're seeing a little bit more move toward a balance."
GOP 'trackers' stalk Dems in hunt for 'macaca' moment (McClatchy)
Rep. Chris Carney was walking down a Capitol Hill street when suddenly � bam � an anonymous Republican with a video camera who'd been following him asked him a question that was intended to embarrass the Pennsylvania Democrat� The National Republican Congressional Committee is sending out video "trackers" to ask provocative questions of Democratic members of Congress. The trackers, who are congressional committee staffers, were earlier reported by Congress Daily, a specialty publication distributed largely on Capitol Hill. NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay told McClatchy that Democratic complaints were "whining," adding that "The modern-day world of campaign politics demands that we track our opponents' steps and missteps. We have nothing to hide when it comes to asking tough questions, but it appears that Democrats do when it comes to answering them."
Note to Ed Henry: that's spin, not a scoop (by�Jamison Foser at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
CNN's Ed Henry�: "In terms of the politics, what's fascinating is that Robert Gibbs clearly feels that dragging both Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh back into this debate is good politically for this White House. I can tell you a lot of Republicans on the other side are telling me privately, though, they wonder whether this could blow up in the White House's face." Oh, the Republicans are�privately�saying this might backfire on the White House? They must really mean it, huh? When political actors make statements against their own interests, it may be justifiable for journalists to grant them anonymity. And those unattributed statements may have added credibility, for the very reason that they are contrary to the interests of the speaker.
But in this case, Henry's "lot of Republicans" are telling him something that is�consistent�with their interest. Indeed, they are telling him the�most predictable spin possible.�
Fox News apologizes for dishonest splicing of Biden clip. (Think Progress)
Yesterday, ThinkProgress noted that Fox News�spliced�a six-month old clip of Vice President Biden to misleadingly imply that he recently said the �fundamentals of the economy are strong.� Today, Fox News�s Martha MacCallum�apologized�to viewers and said it was an �inadvertent� error.
That�s pretty amazing.� I don�t think Fox News has ever apologized before.
So eager to call CNN 'Communist News Network,' Fox fudges name of Latin American leader (The Raw Story)
In the war between Fox News and the facts, the facts are always handicapped. On Fox & Friends Monday, host Steve Doocy took time to note that a former CNN employee, Mauricio Funes, has been elected President of El Salvador. "He is from a party down in El Salvador that is essentially the communist party," Doocy explained. "I wonder if he is just on a leave of absence from CNN, which, given his political inklings CNN could stand for the Communist News Network," he said. But Fox was so eager to tie CNN to communism that they couldn't get the name of Venezuela's leader right when making an unsourced allegation.
A sad, sad indictment of our times:
Glenn Beck's Friday Special Is No. 1 For the Month�(TVNewser, Media Bistro)
Glenn Beck's "We Surround Them, You Are Not Alone" 5pmET special, featuring a studio audience and viewing parties around the nation, was the top-rated show on cable news in the A25-54 demo last Friday, with 993,000 viewers. In fact it was the #1 show in that demo for the month of March. Beck was a close second to The O'Reilly Factor in Total Viewers, 3.07 million v. 3.19 million. There were more viewers watching Beck's 5pm show than watched the entire prime time (8-11pm) lineups on CNN and MSNBC.
Glenn Beck channels�X-Files (by�Eric Boehlert at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Jeffrey Feldman at HuffPost�notes�that Beck's latest bout of on-air insanity, in which the talks about�how FEMA under the Obama administration may be�building concentration camps�in order to take totalitarian rule of the country, appears to be lifted directly from the�The�X-Files�movie. Maybe that's why�even Fox News anchors�can't stop mocking�Beck.
Actually, it was the Bush administration that built the facilities that could be used as concentration camps.� On our dime, of course.
Tucker Carlson: "[W]here was Jon Stewart when the bubble was swelling? How many shows did he do on the coming financial collapse? Why didn't he warn us?" (County Fair, Media Matters for America)
From a March 16�Washington Post�online discussion.
Miller explains why O'Reilly's Stewart criticism is off-base: "His is a�comedy�show." (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
WHY DIDN�T JOHN KING ASK CHENEY ABOUT THE �EXECUTIVE ASSASSINATION RING�? (by Margie Burns)
In an interview resembling an hour-long infomercial for the GOP looking toward 2012, King omitted the most recent piece of news immediately relevant to Cheney, the figure he interviewed�Seymour Hersh�s statement, last week in a University of Minnesota forum, that a select but shadowy special operations team in the military conducted secret assassinations abroad, reporting directly to Vice President Cheney. King did not ask Cheney�at least on air�even one question, however politely worded, about the �executive assassination ring� referred to by Hersh.
What If Jon Stewart, Instead of John King, Interviewed Dick Cheney (by Arianna Huffington)
Jon Stewart's Jim Cramer interview was a pivotal moment — not just for Stewart, Cramer, and CNBC but also for journalism. It was a bracing reminder of what great research and a journalist more committed to getting to the truth than to landing the big get — and keeping the big get happy, and ensuring future big gets — can accomplish. Stewart kept popping into my head as I watched John King interview Dick Cheney on Sunday. Each time King let Cheney get away with spouting gross inaccuracies and revisionist history, I kept thinking how different things would have been had Stewart been asking the questions. Stewart without the comedy and without the outrage — just armed with the facts and the willingness to ask tough questions.
All in the family (by�Jamison Foser at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Marcy Wheeler�weighs in�on the NYT's�friendly write-up�of Dick Cheney's CNN appearance: �The son of Arthur �Pinch� Sulzberger Jr, AG Sulzberger, is the author of this masterpiece of hard-hitting journalism.� So the son of the NYT's publisher was tasked to write a ridiculously solicitous article regurgitating the former Vice President's propaganda for daddy's paper. That's troubling for a number of reasons.
Paunch's daddy (I'm taking liberties with the family's naming conventions), after all, was the guy who delayed a story reporting Cheney's illegal wiretap program for over a year–up until the time�James Risen threatened to scoop the NYT with his book. And, at precisely the same time Pinch Sulzberger was bowing to Cheney's request not to expose the illegal wiretap program, Sulzberger was�actively shielding Scooter Libby's perjury�in the name of reporter privilege. From October 2004–just before the Presidential election–until late 2005, Daddy Sulzberger was helping Cheney hide two incidences of egregious law-breaking. I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see Paunch taking up the family trade, then, protecting Dick Cheney?
Media Matters�president Burns joins others in signing letter demanding changes at CNBC (by�Karl Frisch at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
[Monday]�Media Matters�president Eric Burns joined several prominent writers, journalism professors, economists, media critics and progressive leaders in�signing a letter demanding CNBC take substantial steps towards fixing their broken network.�Among many others, the letter was signed by Co-director of the Center for Economic Policy Research Dean Baker, Columbia University journalism professor Todd Gitlin, President of the Economic Policy Institute Lawrence Mishel, economist at the Institute for Research on Labor & Employment Sylvia Allegretto, and Senior Economist at the Center for American Heather Boushey. You can read the letter for yourself�here.
Morris concludes Obama is "obviously a socialist," Hannity replies, "I told you so" (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Shuster highlights Fox News comparison of Obama to Madoff, asks, "[I]sn't there a danger when the rhetoric goes off the charts?" (video at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
Conservative columnist belittles�the idea of a liberal media (by�Eric Boehlert at County Fair, Media Matters for America)
In her weekend column, Kathleen Parker�bemoans�Dittoheads and the "non-journalists who have been demonizing the media for the past 20 years or so and who blame the current news crisis on bias.� Writes Parker: �There is surely room for media criticism, and a few bad actors in recent years have badly frayed public trust. And, yes, some newspapers are more liberal than their readership and do a lousy job of concealing it. But the greater truth is that newspaper reporters, editors and institutions are responsible for the boots-on-the-ground grub work that produces the news stories and performs the government watchdog role so crucial to a democratic republic.�
Wash Times editor John Solomon claims �Conservatives� site won�t be a �blurring of the lines� of objectivity. (Think Progress)
In his Media Notes column today, the Washington Post�s Howard Kurtz�previews�the Washington Times� newest project,�The Conservatives.com, which is aimed �reinventing the right.� In an interview with Kurtz, Washington Times executive editor�John Solomon�claimed that the new site wasn�t a �blurring of the lines� for the newspaper�s objectivity� In a memo he issued soon after becoming the Times� editor, Solomon said he would maintain �a bright line between news coverage and the advocacy of the editorial and opinion pages.� But as FishBowlDC�points out, �it�s not the content, it�s the contributors that are blurring the line between opinion and news.�
Don Imus battling prostate cancer (Boston Herald)
Controversial talkmeister Don Imus is expected to host his radio show in the Hub this morning – a day after telling listeners he�s battling prostate cancer. The 68-year-old radio veteran said he was diagnosed with stage II prostate cancer Wednesday.
Commentary: Best defense against unemployment is having options (By Jack Z. Smith, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
There's nothing like a brutal recession to reinforce the value of a good education� The more education you get, the greater your job security and the higher your income likely will be.
Not if you�re in your 50s or 60s, Jack.� Education doesn�t do you a damn bit of good then.� In a few years they'll be begging us to work, but right now we're not welcome.
RCMP urged to bar Bush from Canada (Calgary Herald, Canada)
A lawyers' group is trying to block former U. S. president George W. Bush from visiting Calgary for an upcoming speaking engagement this month. The group has asked the RCMP to bar Bush from entering Canada, citing torture and war crimes committed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Sadly, it didn�t work.� But some activists were prepared, anyway.
Canadian activists build �shoe cannon� to hurl shoes at effigy of Bush. (Think Progress)
Former President Bush is in Calgary today giving his first speech since leaving office last January. While it appears Canadian human rights lawyers and activists were unsuccessful in banning Bush from Canada�(he�arrived safely last night), protesters have gathered to rally against Bush�s invasion of Iraq and his terror and detention policies. As part of the protests, local activists have�collected shoes from Canadians around the country and�constructed a shoe cannon�that will launch shoes at an effigy of Bush:
Somebody�s gonna git him.
Bush No Longer Enjoys Diplomatic Immunity (by�connecticut man1 at Corrente)
Leading up to a 2004 visit to Vancouver, Canada, lawyers there sought to have him charged for his criminal behavior resulting in�a court decision that reflected the Canadian Attorney General's view that Bush could not be brought up on torture charges at that time because he had diplomatic immunity: �These charges were properly laid and backed up by powerful evidence. The government didn�t deny that evidence because it couldn�t deny it. Diplomatic immunity is purely procedural. It doesn�t affect the validity of the charges, only whether they can be proceeded with, for the time being, in a foreign court, in this case a Canadian court. Even if Bush has immunity, it�s only temporary and it won�t shield him or anyone in his administration from Canadian law, or any other law, when they leave office.�
Are Small Businesses Starting to Hire Again? (by Andrew Gelman, thanks to Economist�s View)
Some statistical analysis�says yes:
U.S. housing offers hope on economy (Reuters)
U.S. housing starts and permits rebounded in February from record lows, rising for the first time in 10 months, according to data on Tuesday that gave a glimmer of hope for the recession-hit economy. Analysts said while the data did not mark a change in trend for the depressed housing market, it hinted at some stability that could ease pressure on the economy going forward.
Media Matters for America headlines
� Boehlert: Rampage Nation: The press no longer cares about epic gun violence
� Hannity falsely claimed that under Pelosi, Republicans "can't offer amendments"
� Suggesting "your house will be worth more burned down," Doocy peddled itemized deduction falsehood
� Media repeatedly declare that Obama's "honeymoon" is "over" — but the clich� lives on
� Fox News presents deceptively cropped six-month-old Biden clip as new
� Wash. Times�uncritically reprints NRO columnist calling released detainee an "al Qaeda jihadist"
� NY Times�uncritically quoted Cheney saying Bush administration detention policies were "done legally"
Journalist 'shield' law advances in Texas Legislature
Police and court subpoenas intended to get a look at a journalist's notes or coerce a reporter to reveal sources would have to be reviewed by an independent judge under a bill approved by a House committee Monday. Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, called his bill a way to protect the free flow of information and ensure that whistle-blowers feel safe informing about wrongdoing.
Yes, but it shouldn�t be a way to shield high-level lawbreakers from scrutiny.
Teen journalist: "I'm fascinated by what's happening multimedia-wise"
"It's going to open doors as far as what we can do as journalists," says high school newspaper editor Josiah Jones. "We'll continue to even out all our options between Internet-based publications, print journalism and everything in between." The 18-year-old plans to pursue a journalism career, undeterred by the forces buffeting the profession.
Pelosi goes to bat to keep Bay Area papers alive
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, worried about the fate of The Chronicle and other financially struggling newspapers, urged the Justice Department Monday to consider giving Bay Area papers more leeway to merge or consolidate business operations to stay afloat. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, released by Pelosi's office late Monday, the San Francisco Democrat asked the department to weigh the public benefit of saving The Chronicle and other papers from closure against the agency's antitrust mission to guard against anti-competitive behavior.
VIDEO: Not Quite the Future of Newspapers
Panel Pits Out-of-Work Journalist Against Publishing Poohbahs
Doing Less With Less�(by Hamilton Nolan at Gawker)
Just about every print media outlet has fewer editorial employees than it did five years ago. Does this actually mean that the publication is producing "more" for "less?" No. It means the reader gets less (and less, and less) for the same price.
Will Critique Work for Food�(by Tom Jacobs at Miller-McCune)
Arts organizations and artists themselves are nervously pondering what will take the place of newspapers. After complaining for years of unfair or insensitive reviews, arts administrators have come to the realization that the only thing worse than getting criticized is being ignored.
Google to host ads by European news agencies
Google�is ramping up its efforts to make money from its controversial Google News service by striking deals with eight European news agencies, and launching a contextual ad service to display adverts around their stories. Google said today it had struck news content hosting deals with news agencies EFE, which services Spain and Latin America; LUSA, across Portugal and Brazil; Switzerland's Keystone; APA in Austria; Poland's PAP; MTI in Hungary; ANA in Greece and Belga in Belgium.
From today the news agencies, which are members of the European Pressphoto Agency, will run contextual ads next to articles that appear on their Google News-hosted sites.
How the 9,000-circ Norwalk Reflector is doing without AP
Just fine, says publisher Andy Prutsok. There's been no reaction from readers, he tells Josh Benton. "It's a bigger deal to us than it is to them. Our readers couldn't care less if we carry the same news that they can get off the evening news."
Why doesn't a group of newspapers buy Craigslist?
Michael S. Malone throws out that idea, and others. "Target the next platform," he says. "My gut tells me that the future of news delivery is to e-Books, like Kindle, and, even more, Smart Phones. So rebuild your paper for those platforms — automatic downloading of the daily news directly to e-books, and powerful new navigation and social-networking (i.e., story reporting and sharing) tools for the phone."
Note to Joel Stein: You aren't the first columnist to solicit product placement
Tom Scocca reminds Romenesko that Baltimore City Paper's Joe ("Mr. Wrong") MacLeod promised to "repetitively and relentlessly" mention a product for a mere $50 four years before Joel Stein "decided to be the first columnist to solicit product placement."
Sun-Times scraps plan to outsource copy editing
In January, the paper proposed cutting 30 jobs by outsourcing copy editing and page designing to Canada or India. The Sun-Times union learned Thursday that management dropped the plan.
Chicago Tribune tries very hard to win back a reader
A few weeks ago, Coleen Davison told the Wall Street Journal that "the caliber and depth of your reporting is incredible and easily surpasses the Chicago Tribune … Our growing discontent with the Tribune's diminishing quality became intolerable after their redesign last fall." Michael Miner reports Davison complained to the Tribune before she wrote to the Journal. In January, the Tribune gave her a tour and invited her to sit in on an editorial board meeting. That wasn't enough to get Davison to subscribe again.
I disagree with Ms. Davison.� I think the Tribune is a fine newspaper, even though I disagree with its editorial stance.� It�s much better than the New York Times, and especially the Washington Post.
Sulzberger: "My view is that what we offer is quite valuable and our profession will endure"
"I am tired of reading about the death of — take your pick — journalism, newspapers, engaged readers," says Times publisher�Arthur Sulzberger Jr.�"Even The Times today was wondering out loud�on the front page as to where newspapers where heading, et tu brute. …We have renewed our analysis of how paid content can augment our core advertising business. The trick, of course, is to garner incremental revenue from the user without significantly cannibalizing the high rate ad pages that now account for a very significant amount of money."
Yes, well, look no further than your own son, Pinch, for the reason why a lot of us have so little respect for your paper any more.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper goes Web-only
The�Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which has chronicled the news of the city since logs slid down its steep streets to the harbor and miners caroused in its bars before heading�north to Alaska's gold fields, will print its final edition Tuesday. Hearst Corp., which owns the 146-year-old P-I, said Monday that it failed to find a buyer for the newspaper, which it put up for a 60-day sale in January after years of losing money. Now the P-I will shift entirely to the Web.
ABC Cancels Annual Conference, Rescinds Key Rule for Mid-Sized Papers�
The Audit Bureau of Circulations has decided to cancel its annual conference scheduled for November in Toronto. The board also decided to rescind a proposed rule that would have allowed newspapers with circulations between 50,000 and 75,000 to be audited every other year.
Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine Launch California Politics Blog
Two of California's most seasoned political editors have launched a new politics blog, according to a joint announcement sent Monday. Jerry Roberts, former editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, and Phil Trounstine, former political editor of the San Jose Mercury News, have launched www.calbuzz.com. "With more than 60 years' combined experience covering and engaged in California politics, we believe our new site for political news, analysis and commentary has something to add to the conversation," the duo said in an announcement. "We rather envision ourselves as a Germond and Witcover for California politics – except we're both the fat guy in the middle seat."
Stony Brook proposes to hire 50 laid-off journalists to teach "news literacy"
The university hopes to get funding from foundations and the federal government's economic stimulus plan. The plan is to have out-of-work journalists teach "news literacy" to non-journalism majors.
Conde Nast Media Group Preps for Layoffs
Corporate Sales Staff Under Richard Beckman Numbers 135
Why Total Music Purchases By Web Users Are Stil Falling (by�David Kaplan at Paid Content)
As Virgin Megastores get their "going out of business signs" pinned up, the loss of a major brick and mortar music retailer will certainly hasten the demise of the CD and the continued rise of online downloading. The latest research from market analyst NPD group is hardly a surprise: there were 17 million fewer CD buyers in 2008 compared to the year before� And while the number of internet users who paid for music increased by 8 million to around 36 million last year�purchased music downloads grew by 29 percent since last year, accounting for 33 percent of all music tracks bought in the U.S.�NPD's report could not mask the dire circumstances the music industry finds itself in. Without CDs, it seems that many people are giving up on buying music entirely�
Asked why they hadn't been buying music, the 4,000 respondents to NPD's online survey said they were spending less on entertainment in general due to the recession. Meanwhile, web users are becoming more aware of free streaming services.
Cash Crunch: IGA Worldwide Puts Itself On The Block (Paid Content)
The gaming industry may be recession-resistant, but in-game advertising is getting hammered just like every other ad sector. Case in point: in-game ad firm IGA Worldwide is now up for sale. Chairman and co-founder Justin Townsend told VentureBeat that the company was just weeks away from securing its third round of funding, but that it had to pursue a possible sale as a "fiduciary duty" to shareholders.
Facebook Lets You Open Your Profile to Everyone (Mashable)
Continuing its effort to become a more open social networking site, Facebook is introducing�a new privacy (or lack thereof) option that lets you make your entire profile viewable to everyone. Previously, Facebook let you open up different elements of your profile as far as the networks you belong to, meaning everyone in your designated region, school, or employer. Now, you can make your profile, status updates, photos, and wall posts available to anyone on�Facebook. The privacy settings still allow a high-level of specificity, so you can make only certain profile elements visible to everyone and others visible to only specific people.
Moontoast Offers a Better Way to Give Lessons Online (Mashable)
Moontoast is primarily designed around the experts� needs and allows them to create a profile, list their expertise, host online video and chat sessions, set their rates, receive payment for services, and essentially create an online office space for teaching. People searching for help, training, tutorials, and anything else can use the site to find the teacher of their choice and view how other pupils have rated that individual.
100 Great Resources for Design Inspiration (Mashable)
Finding inspiration is not always as simple as it sounds, whether you�ve been designing for years or only weeks. Below is a collection of 100 great web resources to find inspiration and direction on your next project, whether it be online or in print. These range from galleries of graphic and web design to online magazines and a few unconventional sources of inspiration.
Click through to see the recommendations.
Twitter Now Growing at a Staggering 1,382 Percent (by�Adam Ostrow at Mashable)
Maybe it�s�Jimmy Fallon�s�integration of it into his new TV show,�Shaq�s�use of it to interact in real-life with fans, or blog�s ability to�write about it�non-stop, but one way or another, Twitter�s growth just continues to explode. The latest numbers from Nielsen Online indicate that Twitter grew 1,382% year-over-year in February, registering a total of just more than 7 million unique visitors in the US for the month. Not only is that huge growth in one year, but in one month as well, as in January, Twitter.com clocked in with 4.5 million unique visitors in the US, meaning the service grew by more than 50 percent month-over-month.
Elsewhere in the social networking space, Facebook continued to�widen its lead on MySpace, with a total of 65.7 million unique visitors versus 54.1 million for its increasingly distant competitor. Meanwhile, the recently�re-launched Bebo, which now plays in the social networking aggregation game, is showing some promise, growing 40 percent from last year to register a total of nearly 3.2 million US visitors in February.
Click through to read the full report.
MillerCoors Steps Up Sports, Events as Anheuser-Busch Scales Back
At RAB Conference: Local Radio Supports New Strategy�
Drag-And-Drop Sports Stars: The Latest Hope For Display Ads (Paid Content)
Despite the problems surrounding display ads�spending�dropped 6.4 percent last year, will�stall this year, and the low CPMs can't keep publishers up and running�the industry doesn't really have a scalable alternative other than search. So publishers continue to try to find a magic bullet for display. The latest example: letting advertisers plug celebrity sponsors into their banner ads on the cheap. The company behind the new units is Brand Affinity Technologies;�according to Adweek�
Advertisers can pick their celeb and drop a photo or video of them into a banner ad, though the athletes have veto rights over all offers or creative. The company tracks online buzz about the athletes so that advertisers know where to target ads for the most impact. It also lowers the cost barrier for celebrity endorsements: CPMs for these ads run in the $1 to $2.50 range, meaning a 10-million impression campaign could cost $25,000 tops.
The Best Print Ads of 2008
MRI Starch Names Top 10 Ads Based on Engagement
Marketers, Agencies Not Ready to Spend, Even Online
Fewer Expect to Increase Web Spending in Next 6 Months
free viagra
buy viagra online
generic viagra
how does viagra work
cheap viagra
buy viagra
buy viagra online inurl
viagra 6 free samples
viagra online
viagra for women
viagra side effects
female viagra
natural viagra
online viagra
cheapest viagra prices
herbal viagra
alternative to viagra
buy generic viagra
purchase viagra online
free viagra without prescription
viagra attorneys
free viagra samples before buying
buy generic viagra cheap
viagra uk
generic viagra online
try viagra for free
generic viagra from india
fda approves viagra
free viagra sample
what is better viagra or levitra
discount generic viagra online
viagra cialis levitra
viagra dosage
viagra cheap
viagra on line
best price for viagra
free sample pack of viagra
viagra generic
viagra without prescription
discount viagra
gay viagra
mail order viagra
viagra inurl
generic viagra online paypal
generic viagra overnight
generic viagra online pharmacy
generic viagra uk
buy cheap viagra online uk
suppliers of viagra
how long does viagra last
viagra sex
generic viagra soft tabs
generic viagra 100mg
buy viagra onli
generic viagra online without prescription
viagra energy drink
cheapest uk supplier viagra
viagra cialis
generic viagra safe
viagra professional
viagra sales
viagra free trial pack
viagra lawyers
over the counter viagra
best price for generic viagra
viagra jokes
buying viagra
viagra samples
viagra sample
generic cialis
cheapest cialis
buy cialis online
buying generic cialis
cialis for order
what are the side effects of cialis
buy generic cialis
what is the generic name for cialis
cheap cialis
cialis online
buy cialis
cialis side effects
how long does cialis last
cialis forum
cialis lawyer ohio
cialis attorneys
cialis attorney columbus
cialis injury lawyer ohio
cialis injury attorney ohio
cialis injury lawyer columbus
prices cialis
cialis lawyers
viagra cialis levitra
cialis lawyer columbus
online generic cialis
daily cialis
cialis injury attorney columbus
cialis attorney ohio
cialis cost
cialis professional
cialis super active
how does cialis work
what does cialis look like
cialis drug
viagra cialis
cialis to buy new zealand
cialis without prescription
free cialis
cialis soft tabs
discount cialis
cialis generic
generic cialis from india
cheap cialis sale online
cialis daily
cialis reviews
cialis generico
how can i take cialis
cheap cialis si
cialis vs viagra
generic levitra
levitra attorneys
what is better viagra or levitra
viagra cialis levitra
levitra side effects
buy levitra
levitra online
levitra dangers
how does levitra work
levitra lawyers
what is the difference between levitra and viagra
levitra versus viagra
which works better viagra or levitra
buy levitra and overnight shipping
levitra vs viagra
canidan pharmacies levitra
how long does levitra last
viagra cialis levitra
levitra acheter
comprare levitra
levitra ohne rezept
levitra 20mg
levitra senza ricetta
cheapest generic levitra
levitra compra
cheap levitra
levitra overnight
levitra generika
levitra kaufen


text:
Azure IX Media Wedding Video ProductionsWRITE A REVIEW 2549 W. Golf Rd #351
Schaumburg, IL 60194 VIEW ON Map
About Azure IX Media Wedding Video Productions
At Azure IX Media our attention to detail and quality is our trademark. We create Keepsake Wedding Video memories! Our d... Read MoreRead More ocumentary style of videotaping is unobtrusive, but always attentive to your needs. Our 2 Signatures services, "The Rose and The Orchid", offer a unique and personal touch. They are shoot exclusively by the owners. Our Rose Wedding Package covers the entire day and includes; picture photo montage - Couple Introduction and Honeymoon photos, Brides Preparation, Scenic Top, Web Streaming of your High Light Reel, Leather bond DVD Album, Two-Cameras all day...Request A Quote