Michael Vick, PETA Wants Your Brain Scanned, What About The Rooneys?

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Michael Vick, you've spent two years in the slammer for running a business that revolved around dog-fighting and harming our furry friends. Now, you're confined to your home and reportedly a $10-per-hour construction job. Think you're going to be forgiven? Ha! Michael, you're going into a harsh United States of America, with far less religious people than there used to be. Think I'm kidding; just check out the Pew study that reports more people than ever don't declare a religion.

That's a bad thing because it means they don't subscribe to the concept of forgiveness, Michael. I don't care what anyone tells you, a person who has no religious background or interest is a person to be feared because they don't have a moral compass to guide them. (And if they tell you otherwise, run, don't walk, to the nearest exit!) So forget winning 20 percent of America over, they're long gone. That group has to have someone to hate to make themselves feel alive, and they're going to pick you as their target.

Oh, and PETA wants your brain scanned to see if you're a psycho. I'm serious.

PETA? You know them. PETA stands for "People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals," and their cause is certainly just and it's a great organization to be sure. But PETA has failed in its history to really get vocally involved in curbing dog racing, and remained silent when it was revealed that The Rooney Family, which owns the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers were owners of a dog racing business.

What? You didn't know that? Yep. They owned, ah, excuse me still own, the Palm Beach Kennel Club. And while PETA has expressed its displeasure with dog racing, it never mentioned the Rooney's activity or asked Steelers President Dan Rooney (and Ambassador to Ireland) to take a brain scan.

What? Folks tell you dog racing's less violent than dog fighting, so that's ok? I'd like to meet those people; yeah, right. According to PETA - yep, PETA - dog racing culture selectively breeds such that dogs who don't make "the cut" are killed. Just like the kind of activity you were punished for, right Michael?

Yet where was PETA when the NFL worked with the Rooneys to restructure their ownership agreement with investor partners and all of this dog racing business was revealed? Silent. Quiet.

And what did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell say? Well according to ESPN and the Associated Press he said:

"The initiative frankly was that they had changed their business operations, and the gambling operations had gone more into gambling," Goodell said. "It was of greater concern to us than the original horse racing and dog racing. That initiated some discussions, and it really just had to get resolved for the club."

So let me get this straight: gambling was more deemed more problematical than dog racing? Now, I love the Commissioner - he's a treasure and a smart political operative - but maybe he should have said "gambling, dog racing, and horse racing are all activities we're concerned with and want the Rooneys to get out of as soon as possible," don't you think?

Me? What do I think? I'm outraged! I really am.

Where's PETA? Where were the calls for a brain scan of the Rooneys? And why the hell isn't anyone on their tail about this?

Michael, people will offer all kinds of reasons: they're rich; you're not. They're white; you're black. They're connected; you're not. Whatever the reasons it's not right. And while it's not just that they go unpunished for their activities and you get raked over the coals, you also can't point a finger at them. That would be wrong and you're not the right messenger. Keep your head high and pray to God for all the strength you're going to need to navigate through the sea of clowns and jokers you're about to deal with.

PETA wants your brain scanned. Do it. Get it over with, then visit Oprah. Then maybe, just maybe, someone will put the ball in the Rooney's court.

Just pray baby.

Get The Zennie62 Widget Made By Steve Kloft!

 

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Right out of the blue, I get this email from my friend Steve Kloft, who's an established Internet marketing guru, announcing he's created a widget containing links to my SFGate.com postings, my main blog Zennie62.com, my Twitter tweets, and my YouTube videos!

Steve, thanks a million! That makes up for the 600 mb Bay to Breakers videos I'm still uploading, the nutso cyberstalkers , and all the crap I've had to deal with that comes with just expressing my opinion! But as I've said before, there are good people out there, fortunately I know them and they have away of just appearing when you need a boost: Steve's an example.

Here's the widget:



You can get your own copy at this link:

http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/zennie-abraham

And thanks again, Steve! That was a bolt out of the blue!

Michael Vick, PETA Wants Your Brain Scanned, What About The Rooneys?

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Michael Vick, you've spent two years in the slammer for running a business that revolved around dog-fighting and harming our furry friends. Now, you're confined to your home and reportedly a $10-per-hour construction job. Think you're going to be forgiven? Ha! Michael, you're going into a harsh United States of America, with far less religious people than there used to be. Think I'm kidding; just check out the Pew study that reports more people than ever don't declare a religion.

That's a bad thing because it means they don't subscribe to the concept of forgiveness, Michael. I don't care what anyone tells you, a person who has no religious background or interest is a person to be feared because they don't have a moral compass to guide them. (And if they tell you otherwise, run, don't walk, to the nearest exit!) So forget winning 20 percent of America over, they're long gone. That group has to have someone to hate to make themselves feel alive, and they're going to pick you as their target.

Oh, and PETA wants your brain scanned to see if you're a psycho. I'm serious.

PETA? You know them. PETA stands for "People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals," and their cause is certainly just and it's a great organization to be sure. But PETA has failed in its history to really get vocally involved in curbing dog racing, and remained silent when it was revealed that The Rooney Family, which owns the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers were owners of a dog racing business.

What? You didn't know that? Yep. They owned, ah, excuse me still own, the Palm Beach Kennel Club. And while PETA has expressed its displeasure with dog racing, it never mentioned the Rooney's activity or asked Steelers President Dan Rooney (and Ambassador to Ireland) to take a brain scan.

What? Folks tell you dog racing's less violent than dog fighting, so that's ok? I'd like to meet those people; yeah, right. According to PETA - yep, PETA - dog racing culture selectively breeds such that dogs who don't make "the cut" are killed. Just like the kind of activity you were punished for, right Michael?

Yet where was PETA when the NFL worked with the Rooneys to restructure their ownership agreement with investor partners and all of this dog racing business was revealed? Silent. Quiet.

And what did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell say? Well according to ESPN and the Associated Press he said:

"The initiative frankly was that they had changed their business operations, and the gambling operations had gone more into gambling," Goodell said. "It was of greater concern to us than the original horse racing and dog racing. That initiated some discussions, and it really just had to get resolved for the club."

So let me get this straight: gambling was more deemed more problematical than dog racing? Now, I love the Commissioner - he's a treasure and a smart political operative - but maybe he should have said "gambling, dog racing, and horse racing are all activities we're concerned with and want the Rooneys to get out of as soon as possible," don't you think?

Me? What do I think? I'm outraged! I really am.

Where's PETA? Where were the calls for a brain scan of the Rooneys? And why the hell isn't anyone on their tail about this?

Michael, people will offer all kinds of reasons: they're rich; you're not. They're white; you're black. They're connected; you're not. Whatever the reasons it's not right. And while it's not just that they go unpunished for their activities and you get raked over the coals, you also can't point a finger at them. That would be wrong and you're not the right messenger. Keep your head high and pray to God for all the strength you're going to need to navigate through the sea of clowns and jokers you're about to deal with.

PETA wants your brain scanned. Do it. Get it over with, then visit Oprah. Then maybe, just maybe, someone will put the ball in the Rooney's court.

Just pray baby.

"Never is a man so tall..." A young man wondered if his haircut felt like the President's

[cross-posted by the author]

I believe most political decisions are made on the basis of an emotional affiliation to one or the other major political party, even if we're all very good at rationalizing about this or that issue to justify it "logically." I believe, too, that there are all too many elected to serve in Washington who lose their way and become more interested in lining their pockets than in working on behalf of the voters.

I believe I have seldom seen a more decent gesture by any sitting President than the one pictured above. I wonder what Steven Colbert, the man who promised to feel the truthiness of the news at his viewers, will feel when he considers this image from May 8th, making its rounds now on the internet.

There's nothing here about federal intervention in state's rights; there's no judicial activism on display; there's nothing about unfair executive compensation, overpriced health insurance, CIA briefings, weapons of mass destruction, or environmental protection in the picture. There's just a young man, curious if his haircut feels like the President's, perhaps the most powerful man on the planet - and the President of the United States bending down to indulge the curiousity of somebody else's son.

In my gut, this is evidence of the confidence and priorities of a great leader who respects everybody he meets. Today, the world is dealing with a very different sort of President in the United States than they have ever had before. This is a man who not only values children, and families, but who has the willingness and courage to show the world his unscripted compassion.

see original | digg story

The on-going confusion over "single-payer" health care

Single-payer isn't a synonym for "universal health insurance coverage." The two are separate issues - although many who support one support the other, as well.

Single-payer is only about who administers the payment. It could be the government, it might not be. In either case single-payer doesn't solve the question of "universal" coverage. The President has expressed his belief that while single-payer is an ideal, it is not a practical short-term goal due to the well-established (some would say entrenched) model already in force.

Universal health insurance coverage is one way to insure coverage for those who can't/don't get it through their employer - the unemployed, the self-employed, those who have been denied coverage for any number of reasons, etc.

A "public option" isn't either of those; a public option would mean setting up the government as one possible insurance plan provider among many, each responsible for their own paperwork. It is touted as a possible path to a single-payer system, but given the pragmatic attitude of the President dealing with wealthy companies buying influence in the Congress, it's not even that - and single payer is not going to happen anytime soon despite its obvious cost savings.

By the way: none of these is socialized medicine, either.

As long as what's being discussed is an option, as long as private plans remain available, the public option concept is simply about trying to get everybody covered. Are you with me? "Public option" isn't a synonym for either single-payer or universal health insurance.

Why, you may well ask, do the special interests oppose such changes, particularly that public option, and muddy the waters in the media while lobbying in Congress? Because insurance industry surveys show that a public option wouldn't attract merely the 50 million uninsured Americans, but actually more than double that number. Insurance companies don't want to compete with a plan system that operates efficiently on such low overhead - it threatens their profits, and the salaries and bonuses of the CEOs who, in some cases, earn tens of millions of dollars per year under the current system.

“…what we’ve seen is that the private healthcare insurers do not know how to deliver an efficient way.”

World Bank Chief Economist, Joseph Stiglitz

98th ING Bay to Breakers Has Interesting Race Battle

 

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The 98th running of what is now called the ING Bay to Breakers (I have to admit I was used to "The San Francisco Examiner Bay To Breakers" because the name "San Francisco" was in it) kicks off tomorrow (Sunday, May 17th) and for the first time, I'm not running it; I'm covering it. It's a weird feeling but a totally new experience. As media you get to attend a very cool press conference, as I did on Friday at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco.  You also get to talk to the main celebrity runners and the race organizers and sponsors. You also get a lot of great food and drink. But back to the race itself.

I've ran 19th of these events - yes, 19 straight times with my best time 1:04.30 - so I feel qualified to talk about how crazy the day is.  In fact, the day's gotten so out of hand in the recent past, that earlier this year ING's race organizers tried to put a break on some activities by floating the policy of a ban on beer, floats, and nudity.  That decision set in motion a large online protest movement, which after a period of heated exchanges with the race organizers, agreed to a new set of policies.

(But before I show them, I've got to say I think there should be a ban on people who have no business shedding their closthes, going nude!  Hey, if we're serious about physical fitness, let's start with the Bay to Breakers: if you're a hardbody you can go naked, otherwise don't even think about it!)

The Major New Policies:

1 - If you've got a can of beer or a bottle of wine on the race course, or your really toasted, or both, you may get tossed into the whoskow.  Fascinating! Let's see the SFPD enforce that one this year!  There's not enough police to corral the thousands of drinkers blowing off team from losing their jobs and some of them may be former cops too.  Still, it's policy.

2 - Floats must be registered and at the start line at a designated place. 

3 - Start line has a "corral" system so if you're a slow runner, you go in one area; fast runners another.

So folks, you can take your clothes off, and considering how hot it is, there's gonna be a lot of that. But please if you're not in great shape, keep your clothes on and bring a fan with a block of ice!

The Serious B2B Race

A serious race battle starts just before the craziness that is the Bay to Breakers, and in attendance at the press conference Friday were returning men’s winner John Korir (Kenya). Bay Area and Northern California runners are James Nielsen (Palo Alto), Peter Gilmore (San Mateo), Brad Poore (Davis) and Midori Sperandeo (Folsom).

But this year the race features 2004 Olympic Gold Metalist, Deena Kastor in the position, as the race PR specialists wrote "to bring the race title back into the hands of an American since 1993." Kastor takes on the defending women's champion Lineth Chepkurui of Kenya.I talked with both runners at the press event.

While Deena's an Olympic Champion, she lacks the course experience Chepkurui has and frankly, the Bay to Breakers course (called Bay to Breakers because it goes from Downtown San Francisco near the San Francisco "Bay", to the west side of the City and The Great Highway next to the Pacific Ocean, or the "breakers") is not only challenging, featuring the Hayes Street Hill, which is a one-mile incline, to the occasional human walking into the race course and the bands playing along the way.  How Deena deals with all of that will be the key to her performance.  She told me she mapped out the course and went along it earlier in the week, but there's something about race day and all that human energy that one can't simulate.

Kenya v. America (Again)

I also talked to 21-year old Lineth Chepkurui, who's hails from Kenya and is just plain ready.  She's quiet, really kind of shy, but possesses a great smile and energy.  I asked her why Kenya specifically and Africa in general has such a great record of winning Bay to Breakers races, "We have a lot of athletes who train", she explains, and went on to explain that running is for all practical purposes a way of life there.

For the men, the competition is "intra-Africa" with the Kenyans versus the Ethopians where 2008 Bay to Breakers champion John Korir and 2005 and 2006 winner Gilbert Okari - both from Kenya - are the favorites to win but will be challenged by Sammy Kitwara.

I'm looking forward to my video trip and watching the race from the press truck. I've ran the Bay to Breakers fast, slow, walked it, and seen bands and rolling bars, but I've never seen it from the media perspective. I'm excited.


Bay to Breakers on Twitter

If you want to follow the Bay to Breakers on Twitter, you can do so at:

http://twitter.com/INGB2Breakers. It's also on television: ABC TV, Channel 7 at 7:45 AM.

The Elite Runners (list courtesy of Edelman PR):

FEMALE



Bib # Name
1 Lineth Chepkurui (Lih-neth Chep-kuh-ruh-ee)
 Kenya 
 21 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 1st 2008
 2009:  1st Cherry Blossom 10 Mile; 1st Crescent City Classic 10K; 1st Kenyan Army
Championships; 4th World Cross Country Championships; 1st Bloomsday 12K
 2008:  1st Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 1st Bloomsday, 6th World’s Best 10K; 4th National
Championships Cross Country
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 32:07; 10 mile, 53:21; Half Marathon 70:09 
Highlights:  Defending ING Bay to Breakers 12K Champion; fastest 10 mile run in the world for
2009

3 Deena Kastor 
 United States (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.)
 36 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st Bupa Great Edinburgh; 1st Shamrock Shuffle 8K
 2008:  Olympic Trials Champion, Marathon; 1st National Championship 15K; 3rd NYC 10K
 Road Personal Bests:  5K 14:54 (former World Record); 10K 31:44; 15K 47:15 (American
Record); Half Marathon 1:07:34 (American Record); Marathon 2:19:36 (American
Record)
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 14:51.62; 10,000m 30:50.32 (former American Record)
Highlights:  2004 Olympic Bronze Medal (Marathon); 2002 World Cross Country Silver Medal;
2003 World Cross Country Silver Medal; winner of Chicago and London Marathons; holds eight
American Records, one World Record, winner of 20 National Titles

4 Edna Kiplagat (Kip-lah-gaht)
 Kenya
 29 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  1st 2007
 2008:  Maternity leave
 2007: 1st Bloomsday 12K; 1st BAA Half Marathon; 1st Virginia Beach Half Marathon; 1st
Bolder Boulder 10K; 1st Bellin Run 10K
 Road Personal Bests:  5K 15:37; 10K 32:02; Half Marathon 1:09:32
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 15:57.3; 10,000m 33:27.0
Highlights:  First woman to win the ING Battle to the Breakers bonus; 1998 World Junior Bronze
Medal (3,000m); 1996 World Junior Silver Medal (3,000m); married to Gilbert Koech

5 Jane Kibii (Kih-BEE)
 Kenya
 24 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  3rd 2008 
 2009:  1st Carlsbad Half Marathon; 5th Crescent City Classic 10K; 5th Carlsbad 5,000m; 9th
Bloomsday
 2008:  1st Woody Wilson 5K, 1st Davis Twilight 5K, 2nd Carlsbad Half Marathon, 3rd
Newport Beach Half Marathon 
 Road Personal Bests: 10K 32:23; Half Marathon 1:12:26 
 Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 16:15.67   
Highlights:  Strong finish at 2008 ING Bay to Breakers 12K to grab 3rd; lives and trains in Davis,
Calif.

6 Mariya Konovalova (Mah-ree-yah Koh-noh-vah-loh-vah)
 Russia
 34 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st Moscow Indoor 3,000m; 4th Indoor National Championships (3,000m); 2nd
Galan Indoor 5,000m
 2008:  5th Beijing Olympics 10,000m; 4th BUPA Half Marathon; 2nd & 3rd National
Championships (10,000m & 5,000m)
 Road Personal Bests:  1:10:58 Half Marathon      
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 14:38.09; 10,000m 30:35.84
Highlights:  5th Beijing Olympics 10,000m; fastest 10,000m personal best in the field; 2006
European Cross Country Silver Medal

8 Liliya Shobukhova (Lil-leeh-yah Show-boo-koh-vah)
 Russia
 31 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  3rd London Marathon; 6th Bloomsday
 2008: 6th Beijing Olympics 5,000m; 1st National Championship 5,000m; 1st New Balance
Games Mile; 1st ING Philadelphia Distance Run
 Road Personal Best:  1:10:21 Half Marathon
 Track Personal Bests: 8:27.86 indoor 3,000m (former World Record); 14:23.75 5,000m
(European Record) 
Highlights:  6th Beijing Olympics 5,000m; 2006 World Indoor Silver Medalist (3,000m) and World
Outdoor Silver Medal (5,000m); fastest 5,000m time in the field; one World Record, two
European Records

9 Kiyoko Shimahara (Key-yoh-koh Shim-ah-har-ah)
 Japan
 32 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st Osaka Half Marathon; 6th Tokyo Marathon
 2008:  1st Honolulu Marathon; 3rd Chicago Marathon 
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 15:54; 10,000m 32:54
 Road Personal Bests:  Half Marathon 70:16; Marathon 2:26:14
Highlights:  6th place at the 2007 World Championships (Marathon); won the 2008 Honolulu
Marathon

10 Meskerem Legesse (Mehs-kehr-em Leh-geh-see)
 Ethiopia
 22 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  3rd Carlsbad Half Marathon; 7th Cooper River Bridge 10K
 2008:  5th NYC Fifth Ave Mile; 3rd Healthy Kidney 10K; 13th San Jose 5K 
 Road Personal Bests: 5K 15:45; 10K 33:59; Half Marathon 1:15:51
Highlights:  2004 Olympian; World Junior Record holder indoor 800m (2:01.03); three-time
National Champion

11 Tania Fischer
 United States (Santa Monica, Calif.)
 43 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  2008, 2007 1st Masters
 2008:  4th United States National Cross Country Masters Championships; 4th Jim Bush
5,000m
 2007:  5th Santa Monica 5K; 10th Pacific Association Championships
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 15:44; 3,000m 9:03
Highlights:  Coaches track and teaches art at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, Calif.;
two-time Swiss National 5,000m Champion

12 Michelle Simonaitis (Sih-moh-nih-tis)
 United States (Draper, Utah)
 43 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  21st 2005
 2009:  3rd Master National 15K Championships  
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 35:06; 15K 55:20; Marathon 2:40   
Highlights:  World Championship Marathon Team member 2001

13 Midori Sperandeo (Mih-doh-ree Sper-ahn-deh-oh)
 United States (Folsom, Calif.)
 43 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  2nd Valentine’s Day 4 Mile
 2008: 1st Run to Feed the Hungry 5K;  1st Cowtown Half Marathon; 8th California
International Marathon
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 34:52; Half Marathon 1:18; Marathon 2:41 
Highlights:  Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier 2000, 2004, 2008; 1st in 2008 Southern California
5K Road Race Championships

14 Teyba Naser (Teh-bah Nah-ser)
 Ethiopia
 19 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  2nd Cooper River Bridge 10K; 3rd Cherry Blossom 10 Mile; 4th Azalea Trail Run; 8th
Crescent City Classic 10K
 Road Personal Bests:  5K 15:35; 10K 32:38 Half Marathon 1:13:38
Highlights:  Improved 14 places in Cherry Blossom race from 2008; very consistent in 2009


15 Teyba Erkesso (Teh-bah Ehr-keh-soh)
 Ethiopia
 26 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st Houston Marathon; 2nd Bloomsday; 9th Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 31:33; 10 mile 51:44; Half Marathon 1:09:37; Marathon
2:24:18
Highlights:  World Cross Country Bronze Medal 2004 (4K); Houston Marathon course record
holder

16 Katie McGregor
 United States (St. Louis Park, Minn.)
 31 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  2nd National Championship 15K; 2nd Brutus Hamilton (Berkeley) 10,000m; 4th
Carlsbad 5,000m
 2008: 2nd National Championship 8K, 10 mile, and 15K
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 32:17; Half Marathon 1:12:01; Marathon 2:31:14
 Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 15:22.60; 10,000 31:21.20
Highlights: 2007 National Champion 25K; 2005 National Champion 10,000m; 2005 and 2006
National Champion 10K (road); member of nine U.S. National Teams.

17 Emily Bates
 United States (Salt Lake City, Utah)
 32 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  Has run on elite centipede teams
 2009: 1st Moab Half Marathon
 2008: Pacific Association short road race series champion
 Road Personal Bests: 10K 37:03; Half Marathon 1:22:06
Highlights: Invited to participate in the Greatest Race on Earth marathon series in Nairobi,
Kenya, in 2007.

18 Jodi Suter
 United States (Spokane, Wash.)
 37 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st Spokane area finisher in Bloomsday 12K
Highlights: Won a spot in ING Bay to Breakers 12K field by finishing first among Spokane, Wash.,
residents in 2009 Bloomsday 12K

MALE

Bib # Name
21  John Korir (Kohr-reer) – Defending ING Bay to Breakers 12K Champion
 Kenya  
 33 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  1st 2008; 1st 2007
 2009: 10th World’s Best 10K
 2008:  3rd Bloomsday, 5th Bolder Boulder 10K; 7th Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 10th World’s
Best 10K
 2007: 1st ING Bay to Breakers 12K, 1st Bloomsday, 1st Steamboat 4 Mile, 3rd Puerto Rico
 10K
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 27:47; Half Marathon 60:47
Highlights:  23 road racing wins since 2000, 2003, 2005; Road Runner of the Year from Running
Times

23  John Yuda (Yooh-duh)
 Tanzania
 29 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  3rd 2008; 5th, 2007 
 2009:  1st Bloomsday
 2008:  6th Bloomsday; 4th Bolder Boulder 10K; 5th Cherry Blossom 10 Mile
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 28:37; Half Marathon 1:00:39
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 13:03.62; 10,000m 27:06.17
Highlights:  Fastest 5,000m, 10,000m, in the field; two-time World Half Marathon Bronze
Medalist (2001, 2002); 2002 World Cross Country Silver Medal

24  Sammy Kitwara (Kit-wah-rah)
 Kenya
 22 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st World’s Best 10K; 1st Fortis Half Marathon; 2nd Kenyan Police Championships
 2008:  1st L’Hu Half Marathon; 1st Rabat Half Marathon; 1st Dam to Dam 10 Mile; 1st
Utrect 10K; 1st Paris 20K
 Road Personal Bests:  10K 27:26; 10 mile 45:17; Half Marathon 59:45
Highlights:  Beat the great Haile Gebrselassie at Fortis Half Marathon, 2009 Fastest 15K in world
and 2nd fastest 10K in the world; brilliant 2008 season concluding with a number two world
ranking at 10 miles (45:17)

26  Feyisa Lelisa (Feh-yee-sah Leh-lee-sah)
 Ethiopia
 19 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  2nd Cherry Blossom 10 Mile; 2nd Crescent City Classic 10K; 12th World Cross
    Country Championships
 2008:  1st Lugano 5,000m; 1st Rovereto 10K; 3rd World Half Marathon Championships; 1st
Agadir Half Marathon
 Road Personal Bests: 10K 27:38; 10 mile 45:58; Half Marathon 1:02:26
 Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:34.80; 10,000m 27:46.97
Highlights:  Strong showing in first two races in United States (both 2nd place); great cross
country strength


MALE:

27  Gilbert Okari (Oh-kar-eh)
 Kenya
 30 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  1st 2006; 1st 2005
 2009: 4th Bloomsday; 7th Fortis Half Marathon; 18th World’s Best 10K
 2008: 1st San Jose Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon; 2nd BAA Half Marathon; 12th Bloomsday
12K
 Road Personal Bests:  5K 13:38; 10K 27:28
Highlights:  Undefeated in 2006; back to serious racing after battling an injury in 2007

28  Tilahun Regassa (Til-ah-hoon Reh-gah-sah)
 Ethiopia
 19 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009:  1st Ukrop 10K; 1st Cooper River Bridge 10K; 8th World’s Best 10K
 2008:  2nd Metropole 5,000m; 2nd Tanger 5,000m; 1st Lille Half Marathon; 4th New Delhi
Half Marathon
 Road Personal Bests: 10K 28:21; Half Marathon 59:36
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 13:12.40; 10,000m 27:23.60
Highlights:  Brilliant blend of speed and strength; fastest Half Marathon in field

29  Josh Moen
 United States (Readlyn, Iowa)
 27 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2009: 1st Edison 5K, 14th National Championship 15K
 2008: 3rd National Championship 10K; 8th National Championship 8K; 14th Peachtree 10K
 Road: 15K 44:34; 1:04:37 Half Marathon 
 Track Personal Bests: 5,000m 13:34, 10,000m 28:31
Highlights: Member of three U.S. National Teams; five-time College National Champion
(Wartburg) 

30  Gilbert Koech (Koh-ech)
 Kenya
 28 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  None
 2008:  4th Dresden Marathon
 Road Personal Best:  10K 27:32; Half Marathon 1:02:05; Marathon 2:19:09
Highlights:  Married to Edna Kiplagat; back to racing after taking most of 2008 off

31  Linus Maiyo (Mih-yoh)
 Kenya
 26 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: 6th 2007
 2009:  4th Azalea 10K; 6th Cooper River Bridge 10K; 12th World’s Best 10K
 2008:  5th World’s Best 10K; 6th Azalea 10K; 6th Cooper River Bridge 10K; 9th Healthy
    Kidney 10K 
 Road Personal Bests: 10K 27:36; Half Marathon 1:02:40; Marathon 2:12:53
Highlights:  Veteran of ING Bay to Breakers 12K course; runs in part so he can eat more
chocolate


32  Justin Young
 United States (Boulder, CO)
 29 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
 2009:  8th National Championship (Half Marathon); 23rd Tokyo Marathon
 2008: 1st AFC Half Marathon; 6th Himeji Castle 10 Mile (Japan); 13th Rotterdam Marathon  
 Road Personal Bests: 10K 29:01; Half Marathon 1:03:35; Marathon 2:13:54 
Highlights:  Invited by Japanese officials to compete at both Himeji Castle 10 Mile and Toyko
Marathon - rare for an American

33  James Nielsen
 United States (Palo Alto, Calif.)
 29 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History:  13th 2006; 14th 2004; 11th 2003; competed four times
as a child 
 2009:  3rd Napa Valley Marathon
 2007:  1st Eugene Marathon; 50th Olympic Trials Marathon   
 Road Personal Bests:  Marathon 2:21:01
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 14:13; 10,000m 29:52.97    
Highlights:  Eugene Marathon Champion; two-time NCAA Div III Champion at 5,000m; Kona
Ironman Finisher; earned PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford

34  Mike Sayenko (Say-ehn-koh)
 United States (Bellevue, Wash.)
 24 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None 
 2009:  12th National Championship (3,000m); 12th National Half Marathon
 Championships; 2nd Stanford Invite 10,000m  
 2008:  5th National Marathon Championships; 8th National Mountain Running
Championships
 Road Personal Bests:  Half Marathon 63:52; Marathon 2:18:36
 Track Personal Bests:  5,000m 13:49.78; 10,000m 28:25.85
Highlights:  Has shown great improvement in last two years and is a great hill runner

37  Brad Poore 
 United States (Davis, Calif.)
 30 years old
 ING Bay to Breakers 12K History: None
 2008:  7th Austin Marathon; 2008 Olympic Trials Qualifier
 2007:  Injured (malaria)  
 Road Personal Bests:  5K 14:39; Half Marathon 1:07:06; Marathon 2:21:51;   
Highlights:  3rd Humbolt Half Marathon 2006; dual citizenship with Great Britain – represented
Great Britain at Austin Marathon

The Blog Report TV Show: Josh Wolf; Parkway Theater's Last Day

 

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YouTube, Blip.tv and Sclipo

Wow, sorry I was away, but I spent all of Thursday traveling from Atlanta to San Francisco, then covering Bay to Breakers events, and finally just taking time off. Pretty fried, frankly. But the World turns on.

Each Saturday, my new television show is on. It's called The Blog Report With Zennie62 and features the use of my video blogs in a weekly 30-minute format broadcast and co-produced by CoLoursTV in Denver. The start time is 3:30 PM Pacific Time, 6:30 PM Eastern Time and the show is replayed at 11:30 PM and 2:30 PM respecfully. Then it is replayed on Sunday at 12 noon pacific and 3 PM eastern.

The third installment of The Blog Report with Zennie62 features the introduction of a new documentary film made by Sierra Choi and about SF Bay Area journalist Josh Wolf. I met Josh and Sierra in 2006 when both was working for The Peralta Community College District's "Peralta TV" network in different capacities and I was trying to establish something called The Monte Poole Show. Sierra's now a segment producer for The Blog Report with Zennie62.

Josh Wolf was the longest jailed journalist in history

Wolf's story is an interesting one to say the least: he was jailed for 226 days for defying a judges order to give up a video tape he created at the scene of a crime. Josh kept the video because he believed the FBI was actually trying to determine who "subversives" were and develop a list of them and to surpress American journalism. A large number of organizations called for his release:

Tom Hayden
Committee to Protect Journalists
American Civil Liberties Union
Society of Professional Journalists
National Press Club
The Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America
National Lawyer’s Guild
Northern California Media Workers Guild
California Newspaper Publishers Association
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Center for Media and Democracy
Reporters Without Borders
National Writers Union
First Amendment Project
Washington Independent Writers
National Press Photographers Association
Judicial Equality Foundation, Inc.
League of Young Voters
Grand Jury Resistance Project
San Francisco District Attorney, Kamala Harris
San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
San Francisco Labor Council
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Daniel Ellsberg
California State Assemblyman Mark Leno
California State Senator Carole Migden
Steal this Wiki
COA News
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Contra Costa Times
Charles Cooper, Executive Editor, CNET News
Keene Free Press
Peter Laufer, Huffington Post

Eventually, he was released from Jail on April 3, 2007 but the case affirmed how the media is able to protect its sources in the State of California, but not from the Federal Government; that is still an issue.

Some, including the San Francisco Chronicle's Debra Saunders in one of her worst moments, argued that Wolf was not a journalist, but the appeals court in the case of Apple lawsuit against bloggers leaking product information actually protects Wolf and other bloggers because the holding was that the California Shield Law, which protects journalists from revealing their sources, also applies to "web publishers" which include bloggers.

In part as a result of Wolf's ordeal, a move to craft a new Federal Shield Law protecting bloggers was established in 2007 and a new bill was presented this year. The portion that bloggers are interested in reads:

“COVERED PERSON- The term `covered person' means a person who regularly gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, or publishes news or information that concerns local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest for dissemination to the public for a substantial portion of the person's livelihood or for substantial financial gain and includes a supervisor, employer, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of such covered person.”

It looks like this bill's going to pass, even with its flaws it has 40 sponsors and does protect journalists in those states that don't have sheild laws. For example many bloggers who work for free would not be covered by this Federal Law, but video-bloggers who are YouTube Partners and are compensated by Google AdSense by generating views from their work would be.

Interestingly, Wolf was just accepted into the U.C. Berkeley journalism school. He starts this fall. If I were a professor there, I'd have an entire class based around Josh's experience.

Choi is seeking partners to help finance the documentary. You can reach her through me via email.

Save The Parkway

The second video on the show is the story of the close of the famous Parkway Theater and why its important beyond Oakland's boarders. This was done before I knew about the "Save The Parkway Effort" which is underway, but it's good to look back and see what happened. Only this time, the last day of the popular facility will be in shown in 17 million homes. Be sure to watch it on DISH Network.

The show also features my take on the story of Terrell Owens' separation from the Dallas Cowboys, and why newspaper managers don't get new media.

No. I didn't bury the lead.

Health care isn't the problem - health insurance costs are

Some people who say the government "can't do anything efficiently" also now say a public insurance system competes with private insurers unfairly – these fear it will out-compete big business? CEOs earning tens of millions of dollars per year fear free market competition?

The cost control problem is that the idea of controlling health care costs is contrary to earning insurance company profits - what incentive there is only applies to their own costs of operation. When the cost of health services go up the big insurance companies just make a cut of a larger price-tag.

That's why U.S. health care costs have tripled the rate of inflation for three decades. Insurers have no incentive to moderate health care costs, only how much they profit -- so naturally they insure the healthiest, and make it hard to get help with pre-existing and/or expensive conditions.

Sometimes they even countermand medical decisions. Bureaucrats worrying about their bottom line can over-rule a licensed doctor's prescriptions and treatment orders to protect the corporate profits.

There's no real choice when an individual enters the health insurance market. They bundle in with the group at work, which has a very narrow range of choices - and every insurance company makes about the same markup on the same basic services, so the costs (concealed in overly complex plans) aren't all that different.

The government's role in fixing the system for our mutual benefit is to model efficiency - at least until big insurers learn to deliver their services efficiently - to compete.

read more | digg story

$100 billion in green investment = $160 billion PER YEAR!

The Economic Policy Institute recently showed that a $100 billion in green investment annually would yield $160 billion in additional output for each of the next two years, creating approximately 1.1 million new jobs and resulting in an increase of approximately 100,000 in the number of unionized jobs in the United States.

EPI points out that this would lead to rising median incomes, a reduction in inequality and more access to job-training and mentorship programs.

At a time when outsourcing undermines the middle class, and deregulation has wounded our entire economy, we have a chance to be creating millions of new jobs right here in the U.S.A.

It's time for our leaders to take charge of the economy. Deregulation has helped the wealthy long enough: it's time to reward those who WORK for a living by insuring there are jobs for anybody in the U.S.A. willing to be productive.

Investing in energy independence isn't simply a national defense priority, it makes sense for the environment and our economy - it means jobs right here at home.

In September, 2008, the Blue Green Alliance released a report, in conjunction with the Center for American Progress and authored by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, which showed that significant investments in six global warming solutions - building retrofits, mass transit and freight rail, wind and solar power, next generation biofuels and a smart grid transmission system - would create two million jobs in two years, four times the jobs created with the same investments in expanding our oil supply. That same report also found that these green investments created three times the number of good jobs - paying $16 or more - than the same investment in oil.

learn more | digg story
Read the EPI Issue Brief | Read the Blue Green Alliance Report

American Idol Adam Lambert, Britney Spears Attacked On Stage. Why?

 

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Not too long ago in Western culture it seemed we had this mostly unwritten rule that when a performer was at work, we didn't rush the stage to be with them or follow them around, unless of course they asked us to. Well, in this Internet age the act of rushing the stage and stalking has become all too commonplace, with the latest victim being American Idol star Adam Lambert; pop culture icon Britney Spears faced the same incident just two weeks before.

And the act of stage rushing isn't limited to popular singers on television; a duo named Matt & Kim from Brooklyn were rushed at the annual multimedia event "South by Southwest" (or SXSW) in March.

Who's next, Susan Boyle?

In Spears' case the stage crasher, 20 year-old Kyle King, was a man who was whisked off and arrested by security after Britney let out a scream. By contrast, Lambert laughed the whole deal off - you can hear him - as authorities carried the shirtless woman (not topless as some reports have it) off and away from Lambert. Matt of Matt & Kim said "I don't know if anyone else woke up this morning feeling like they'd been in a brawl," ... "I woke up with a limp!"

I'm sure there are other examples of rushing the stage, but as it seems to be a form of stalking, I wonder if it's not a kind of new reaction by some to the new fame of others. All of the examples have people between the age of 20 and 30 who are doing the stalking, which means they're part of a generation that gets most of its media online -- they're hyper-engaged in media. Moreover, and now I'm spinning a theory as I've not found a study on this behavior in the Internet age, I wonder if those who stalk performers and media content creators in some way feel close to them because of the Internet, and want to complete the desire to "reach out and touch them."

And I'm not claiming their impulse is always harmless. Just ask American Idol host Paula Abdul, who was stalked by a contestant who eventually killed herself outside Abdul's home. Jamie Foxx fought off his stalker last month (what is it with April and March?) as he was in Philadelphia filming a movie.

Some people want to do harm to the simple video-blogger. I use as one example Melissa Compagnucci, a video-blogger who caught Internet fame after CNN discovered her for the CNN / YouTube Democratic Debate in 2007, and even flew her out to be part of the event itself with Anderson Cooper. But after the CNN spotlight, her vlogging attracted a stranger who took to taking pictures of where she lived at the time, just to let her know that he or she knew where she lived!

In Mel's case she just stopped posting vlogs for a few months, which is what I told her not to do. But now, she's back and is working for Ford Motor Company with the very cool gig of driving around the new Ford Fiesta for six months! I'm very happy she's "in the mix" as they say. But as to why people try to scare Melissa (or for that matter me) or any vlogger I don't know. I do know it's more common than it should be , and at least one vlogger was murdered , Asia McGowan last month, and by a nut case who reportedly "scorned Black women, discussed suicide, and decried atheists" and then killed himself.

And I get the same kind of messages she was complaining about; I just don't answer them.

No, I'm not comparing myself to Adam Lambert or Britney Spears, but Asia McGowan, yes. I am writing about those who feel it's necessary to "hate on" someone just because they dare have a media presence. I personally think the local police should have a protection list for entertainers, journalists, bloggers, and vloggers, so they know who we are and we have someone internally to call where we can report someone before its too late. I fear this is getting way out of hand. We've seen the loss of Chauncey Bailey who was gunned down in the line of journalist duty and Asia McGowan for sharing her view on the issues of the day. I don't want to ask who's next and I believe the same mentality that rushes someone like Adam Lambert or Britney Spears would do this to a journalist or a vlogger.

Enough's enough.

American Idol Adam Lambert, Britney Spears Attacked On Stage. Why?

 

More at Zennie62.com | Follow me on Twitter!



Not too long ago in Western culture it seemed we had this mostly unwritten rule that when a performer was at work, we didn't rush the stage to be with them or follow them around, unless of course they asked us to. Well, in this Internet age the act of rushing the stage and stalking has become all too commonplace, with the latest victim being American Idol star Adam Lambert; pop culture icon Britney Spears faced the same incident just two weeks before.

And the act of stage rushing isn't limited to popular singers on television; a duo named Matt & Kim from Brooklyn were rushed at the annual multimedia event "South by Southwest" (or SXSW) in March.

Who's next, Susan Boyle?

In Spears' case the stage crasher, 20 year-old Kyle King, was a man who was whisked off and arrested by security after Britney let out a scream. By contrast, Lambert laughed the whole deal off - you can hear him - as authorities carried the shirtless woman (not topless as some reports have it) off and away from Lambert. Matt of Matt & Kim said "I don't know if anyone else woke up this morning feeling like they'd been in a brawl," ... "I woke up with a limp!"

I'm sure there are other examples of rushing the stage, but as it seems to be a form of stalking, I wonder if it's not a kind of new reaction by some to the new fame of others. All of the examples have people between the age of 20 and 30 who are doing the stalking, which means they're part of a generation that gets most of its media online -- they're hyper-engaged in media. Moreover, and now I'm spinning a theory as I've not found a study on this behavior in the Internet age, I wonder if those who stalk performers and media content creators in some way feel close to them because of the Internet, and want to complete the desire to "reach out and touch them."

And I'm not claiming their impulse is always harmless. Just ask American Idol host Paula Abdul, who was stalked by a contestant who eventually killed herself outside Abdul's home. Jamie Foxx fought off his stalker last month (what is it with April and March?) as he was in Philadelphia filming a movie.

Some people want to do harm to the simple video-blogger. I use as one example Melissa Compagnucci, a video-blogger who caught Internet fame after CNN discovered her for the CNN / YouTube Democratic Debate in 2007, and even flew her out to be part of the event itself with Anderson Cooper. But after the CNN spotlight, her vlogging attracted a stranger who took to taking pictures of where she lived at the time, just to let her know that he or she knew where she lived!

In Mel's case she just stopped posting vlogs for a few months, which is what I told her not to do. But now, she's back and is working for Ford Motor Company with the very cool gig of driving around the new Ford Fiesta for six months! I'm very happy she's "in the mix" as they say. But as to why people try to scare Melissa (or for that matter me) or any vlogger I don't know. I do know it's more common than it should be , and at least one vlogger was murdered , Asia McGowan last month, and by a nut case who reportedly "scorned Black women, discussed suicide, and decried atheists" and then killed himself.

And I get the same kind of messages she was complaining about; I just don't answer them.

No, I'm not comparing myself to Adam Lambert or Britney Spears, but Asia McGowan, yes. I am writing about those who feel it's necessary to "hate on" someone just because they dare have a media presence. I personally think the local police should have a protection list for entertainers, journalists, bloggers, and vloggers, so they know who we are and we have someone internally to call where we can report someone before its too late. I fear this is getting way out of hand. We've seen the loss of Chauncey Bailey who was gunned down in the line of journalist duty and Asia McGowan for sharing her view on the issues of the day. I don't want to ask who's next and I believe the same mentality that rushes someone like Adam Lambert or Britney Spears would do this to a journalist or a vlogger.

Enough's enough.

Boxer Demands Obama Pick A Woman For Supreme Court

 

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Like other supporters, I received this email letter from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, but this one was pointed right at one of my favorite subjects: "Who should be Justice David Souter's replacement on the Supreme Court?"

After not much stewing on the matter, I would guess, Senator Boxer wants it officially known: President Obama's choice must be a woman and she's taking to the Internets to make it known. I still favor Kathleen Sullivan for the job so no harm there; this is what Senator Boxer wrote:

Dear Zenophon,

Women make up 51% of our nation's population.

Yet only 17% of the seats in Congress are held by women. Only 3% of corporate CEOs are women. And just one out of nine Supreme Court justices is a woman.

President Obama can change that.

Send an email to the White House now — and urge President Obama to nominate a woman to the U.S. Supreme Court!

Since Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement from the Supreme Court four years ago, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been the sole female Justice.

Now, with Justice Souter's recent retirement announcement, President Obama has a chance to nominate an intelligent, well-qualified person to the Supreme Court — and I believe that person should be a woman.

We need a Supreme Court that is more representative of all Americans, so that its decisions better reflect the diversity of life experiences and points-of-view in America.

Send an email to the White House now — and urge President Obama to nominate a woman to the U.S. Supreme Court!

Many pundits have warned President Obama to make his choice based on merit — and I agree. In fact, there are many highly qualified women to choose from.

When 96 percent of all Supreme Court Justices throughout our history have been men, clearly it is evident that we need another woman on the Court.

Send an email to the White House now — and urge President Obama to nominate a woman to the U.S. Supreme Court!

When asked recently how it felt to be the only woman on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg simply replied, "Lonely."

It's time to change that.

Thanks for your help.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Did you get that you're supposed to email President Obama?

I think its important to add that in a diverse society we must have a diverse Supreme Court that can make a contemporary set of laws rather than laws from another less diverse time in America. That written, we have the battle between Latinos, African Americans, women, and according to TIME Magazine's Mark Halperin, white men.

So what to do?

Obama should pick the person who has the best set of qualifications and I just can't see anyone better than Kathleen Sullivan. Period.

Ok. Your thoughts?