Apple News Ping Music Innovations by Suzannah B. Troy

Apple has a big meeting Wednesday and is generating a lot of excitement as usual..  I wasn't invited so I can only paste information I have gleaned from articles but anyone who knows me know I converted to Apple 3 years ago and drank the kool aid.

Matt Rosoff followed "Apple's music event keynote live on his MacBook.

The hot item is Ping as described by Kay Moeller from Technology.gather.com"
"Music lovers may be excited about the iTunes upgrade that comes with a built in feature called Ping which works on the iPod Touch and the iPhone and is described as a social network for music. Ping will allow you to follow your favorite music and friends and Jobs described it as "Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes."

And if this is not enough news here is The New York Times blogging live from the event....some people have all the luck, and or a press pass....sigh.

Here is a review from Mac World...

Best from Suzannah B. Troy
NYC, hard core Apple lover, converted 3 years ago....

Dow Jones Index At 10269.47 On Manufacturing Data News

As the economy is the constant focus, the Dow Jones Index today is at 10269.47, as better than expected Chinese manufacturing data leads the way toward robust trading according to MarketWatch.

Why, you ask, is the Dow over 10,000 and increased even as unemployment in America and around the World is so high? Because it's forgotten that the American economy had actually shrank for a period of almost two years until the Economic Stimulus package pumped enough money into the economy to fuel growth in overall Gross Domestic Product.

The United States lost so many jobs and consumer demand decreased so much that what we have now is a smaller economy. The Dow Jones reflects how businesses are doing within the current structure, it doesn't factor in such considerations as long term or short term economic change.

The Dow Jones reflects how investors evaluate the economy at the moment. Today, investors are taking a bullish bet on the economic future of America and the World.

But what the Obama Administration and Democrats need to do is keep trying to pass legislation that helps American small business, even as Republicans vote down the proposals. Also, tell people about those proposals and Republican opposition to them.

And forget the polls, which this corner believes are fixed anyway.

More on that later.

Oakland Election News: Jennifer Pae, Jean Quan, Courtney Ruby

Oakland Councilmember Jean Quan 

The latest Oakland Election News has Oakland Mayor's Race candidate Jean Quan and Oakland City Council District Two Candidate Jennifer Pae and Oakland's current City Auditor Courtney Ruby landing the endorsement of The Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club of Oakland.

The Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club's (WDRC) endorsement process started with a meeting last Thursday night, where members nominated candidates for consideration. For Oakland Mayor, only two candidates were named for consideration: Councilmembers Rebecca Kaplan and Jean Quan. For Oakland City Council District Two, only Jennifer Pae was named for consideration and not the incumbent Pat Kernighan. For City Auditor, only Ruby was named for consideration.

The WDRC counted ballots and on Monday announced the votes for endorsements, and released the results on its website on Monday. Here's the full list of Oakland and Berkeley WDRC endorsements:

Oakland Propositions
MEASURE L - Oakland School District Parcel tax -- YES
MEASURE V - Marijuana Taxes -- YES
MEASURE W - Telephone Access Line Tax -- YES
MEASURE X - Public Safety Parcel Tax -- YES
MEASURE Y - Amendment (Restorepolics officer positions) -- YES

Berkeley
Berkeley Auditor: Ann Marie Hogan
Berkeley City Council District 1: Linda Maio
Berkeley City Council District 4: NO ENDORSEMENT
Berkeley City Council District 7 (runoff) -- NO ENDORSEMENT

Berkeley School Board: 3 Endorsed
Joshua Daniels
Karen Hemphill
Leah Wilson

Oakland
Oakland Auditor: Courtney Ruby
Oakland City Council District 2: Jennifer Pae
Oakland City Council District 4 (runoff) -- NO ENDORSEMENT
Oakland Mayor -- Jean Quan

EBMUD Director: Andy Katz
Peralta Community College Trustee: Abel Guillen
Superior Court Judge: Victoria Kolakawski

For more information on endorsements visit the WDRC website at wellstoneclub.org.

99ers Letter to David Axelrod - White House

The 99ers' letter to David Axelrod, delivered to the White House yesterday by Connie Kaplan, was very strong in content. With millions of Americans in desperate need of a Tier 5 UI extension, it was time to take the gloves off, so to speak. The letter may seem threatening to some, but desperate times require desperate measures. Below is the text of this letter:

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest Washington, DC 20500-0004

Delivered via Special Courier

Mr. Axelrod,

This letter is written on behalf of the 99er community. The purpose of this letter, is to bring to the attention of President Obama the wants and needs of the unemployed Americans who have exhausted all of their unemployment insurance. We have been humiliated in the newspapers, on radio and on television, being called lazy, drug addicts who live on handouts from our Government. A perfect example was the Glenn Beck television show recently, where he said he would be ashamed to call us Americans and even went so far as to single out one 99er, Connie Kaplan by name. We were grateful that MSNBC allowed Connie to appear on the Ed Schultz show to comment on the absurdity of Glenn Beck’s words.

The unemployed exhaustees have waited for 8 months now, to receive any type of help from our government. Although we understand that the Republican party has filibustered most all legislation, the Americans Want to Work Act cannot be a part of this game playing. The 99er community will have a very heavy impact on elections in November. If we cannot depend on the Democratic party, who we are constantly being told supports the American people, there will be no need to vote them back into office in November. Many Democrats are in a very close race right now, and the 99er votes will either make them or break them. Unless the Americans Want to Work Act is passed in September, we will make Barbara Boxer an example of our voting clout and she would be just one Senator we would yank out of office. Keep in mind there were 200,000 exhaustees in California alone as of July 31st and our numbers continue to increase weekly.

The united 99er community realizes that our most valuable asset is our ability to vote come this November. Millions 99ers and the families of 15 million unemployed can unite our collective vote to swing the upcoming election. For any one party to count upon our millions of votes based upon being the lesser of the evils, or to count upon our vote by blaming the other side will not be sufficient. The vote of the 99er community at large is up for grabs. Our community will show up in staggering numbers to vote this November for whichever party has the intelligence and foresight to step forward and help us first. In short, whomever wins our allegiance.

President Obama needs to get involved and in touch with the 99er community by holding town hall meetings and speaking to us directly. These meetings could be held online. The 99ers are angry and our votes will show it in November. No Democrat is safe at this point and a great many 99ers that have already changed their affiliation to Independent, as a direct result of the lack of compassion and urgency thus far to help the 99 community.

The Americans Want to Work Act (HR 3706) needs to be amended to cover all states no matter their UI percentage, passed and signed into law before Congress goes on their October recess. If this is not accomplished, there will be millions of 99ers who will vote with their anger against those that continue to make us suffer. Our lives can no longer be toyed with, we are losing thousands of hard working Americans to homelessness, starvation and suicide daily. This is a national emergency and it is time to treat it as such, or pay the price in November.

Discouraged American voters,

The 99er Nation

99ers Letter to DNC

Yesterday, 99er Connie Kaplan delivered letters to the RNC, DNC and the White House, asking for their help passing a Tier 5 UI benefits bill. The letters she carried were written by several key leaders in the 99er movement. Cindy Paoletti, Rob Curtis, Scott Mathewson, LaDona King and Sandy Monroe, all members of the PalTalk room: Tier 5 to Survive -Unemployed Unite. Many 99ers have worked long and hard to break through to the media in order to get the attention of America on our plight. The collective 99er Nation have successfully moved Washington leaders from the position of "there will be no Tier 5 bill period" to having not 1 but 2 bill currently in Congress, awaiting their return in 2 weeks.

The following is the text of the 99ers' Letter to DNC:

Mr. Tim Kaine
Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-863-8000

Delivered via Special Courier

Dear Mr. Kaine;
The united 99er community now numbers over 4 million people, and we are growing rapidly each day. These are Americans who cannot find work through no fault of their own. The ruins that remain from what was once a robust American economy, have nothing to offer millions of American workers and their families.

The united 99er community realizes that no political party has been willing to step forward to help these American workers in our time of need. Our only ally to date has been the media. I am proud to point out that our friends in the media are dedicated in their national coverage of this issue. They have also been candid about the travesty of American leaders from both sides of
the isle, ignoring these American workers during this economic disaster.

Our party membership is frustrated to see our leaders sending billions of dollars to invest in other countries, to wreak devastating war overseas and bailing out big business. This toxic combination of investing in foreign countries while ignoring the home land is a disgraceful example of how American leadership is out of touch with reality. Perhaps a change of leadership is in order, though neither side has shown any real leadership for decades.

The united 99er community realizes that our most valuable asset is our ability to vote come this November. Millions 99ers and the families of 15 million unemployed can unite our collective vote to swing the upcoming election. For any one party to count upon our millions of votes based upon being the lesser of the evils, or to count upon our vote by blaming the other side will not be sufficient. The vote of the 99er community at large is up for grabs. Our community will show up in staggering numbers to vote this November for whichever party has the intelligence and foresight to step forward and help us first. In short, whomever wins our allegiance.

The 99er community formally requests the assistance of the DNC in influencing the Senate and House leadership to immediately pass legislation to help these suffering American workers! We want your help and in return, you get millions of votes. We would prefer to vote Democrat, but unless we can get the help we need from you, we will sit this one out in November (or should the Republicans help us first they will win our votes). Our families need help and we appeal to your party to do the right thing for American workers. Considering how many of our loved ones that are affected by this, it is safe to say each one of the 15 million unemployed could influence 2 or 3 or more votes from those around us who care deeply about this important issue. The 99ers have concluded thus far, neither party has had the courage to step forward and do the right thing to help these desperately hurting Americans and their families.

Our vote goes to the quickest bidder! Will your party come to the rescue of Americans who worked years to help build this country and our communities? We voted you in on the promise of CHANGE. Will the DNC step up during our time of need? Will you be the party that will intelligently sweep up millions of voters in one swoop, just weeks before the election? We are in the market for a party that will be patriotic and selfless enough to step forward and take us under their wing. Most important to you, we are a party that is invigorated and waiting at the gate to vote this November, if we have a reason to do so. Will it be the Democrats that we vote for or the Republicans? This is very much your call. The mid-term elections this November are a crap shoot and we can swing the odds in your favor.

I the undersigned representative for the 99er community will be in contact to follow up on this proposal. Feel free to contact me below.

Kindest regards,

Rob Curtis
Rep for The 99er Nation

Dancing With the Stars Pairings: Bet On David Hasselhoff and Bristol Palin

The Dancing With the Stars couples pairings were announced this morning on Good Morning America and they go like this: Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough, Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas, Brandy and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Margaret Cho and Louis Van Amstel, Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani, Florence Henderson and Corky Ballas, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and Karina Smirnoff, Kurt Warner and Anna Trebunskaya, Rick Fox and Cheryl Burke, David Hasselhoff and Kym Johnson, Kyle Massey and Lacey Schwimmer, Michael Bolton and Chelsie Hightower.

PopWatch readers voted Dirty Dancing's Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough as the couple to beat. But really this corner thinks it's the couples of David Hasselhoff and Kym Johnson and Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas.

Why?

The Hoff drunk in video made by his daughter

Because both David Hasselhoff and Bristol Palin have much to prove. For much of his 21st Century public existence, Hasselhoff has been painted as an irresponsible drunk.  (Remember the video his own daughter made of him while he was tanked?) But thanks to Hollywood friends, his image is getting a slow makeover. Winning Dancing With the Stars would be a major game changer for the Hoff.

Bristol Palin has been in her mom Sarah Palin's shadow and that of her ex-husband Levi Johnston. Like David Hasselhoff, Bristol has had a somewhat negative public image, that of the poster child for teen moms and little else. A win here would mark a new start for Bristol Palin.

Well, as they say, they have to play the game. But Dancing With the Stars will be fun to watch this time out, from start to finish.

Elin Nordegren In People Magazine on Tiger Woods Was Awful

Elin Nordegren In People Magazine talking about almost everything about her divorce from Tiger Woods except what led up to it, was awful. Not in that Elin did the interview, or that this blogger read it, but that it was really painful to read her words of hurt.

Say what you will about Elin Nordegren, she really had no reason to deal with what was a dual life presented to her by Tiger Woods.

The question this corner has is did Tiger really just marry her because it was an image matter? Was it to show that the "Calabasian" Tiger Woods could land and marry a blonde trophy wife? (remember that whole issue about what race he was and his silly word-game?)

Whatever it was, Tiger Woods was not ready to get married, but with the help of friends was getting away with the slow murder of his marriage to Elin.

Elin Nordegren didn't ask for that. Here's hoping she lands on her feet well. Really, her best revenge is to hook up with someone in sports, black and male, and a real role model.

I was thinking Reggie Bush, but the USC scandal came to mind. So, how about T.O.? Terrell Owens is a good guy. He's not known for dogging women. Why not?

Terrell Owens and Elin Nordegren.

If it happens, you saw it here first.

American Indians get restraining order NYC round-up by Suzannah B. Troy

Click here to go to my YouTube and  find links in the  text portion or
here for NYC Shaky that takes a look at Rudy and Bloomberg off their game.




Below is my response to an article by Carolyn Thompson of The New York Post, "Tribal Smoke Break"
SuzannahTroy
09/01/2010 10:58 AM
Watch my 2 YouTubes and I am about to do a new one about NYC's budget crisis, this issue and more including Bloomberg and Rudy but my tubes talk about the economic racism directed at the American Indians by Paterson and Bloomberg. Why should the American Indians pay for NY's budget crisis that was brought on by greed and stupidity . The American Indians have bad more than enough for the US's government's corruption and greed. In fact the USA owes them money not the other way around. The AI do not have the economic opportunities that Americans have on their reservation and they were robbed of their lands besides the fact that Paterson and Bloomberg are bent on violating the Seneca and Cayuga people's jurisdiction. Bloomberg wants to treat the American Indians like he does the middle classes. If the AI had land development deals or financial wall street firms on their land Mike would be kissing their posteriors instead of treating them with gross prejudice.

Brandon Spikes Video Sex Tape About Race More Than Sex

Allegedly Brandon and Girl.   There..  Are you happy now?

The Brandon Spikes Video Sex Tape Issue is just that because Former University of Florida and now New England Patriots Linebacker Brandon Spikes is in a video having sex with a hot white girl.

If Brandon Spikes were in a video having sex with a black woman, hot or no, it would not be news unless she was Beyonce.

There, this blogger said it.

When the matter of the Brandon Spikes Video Sex Tape came to the attention of this space, the first thought was "He was probably with a white girl." Thanks to YouTube there's now confirmation of that assumption in the supply of safe-for-review videos of photos of Spikes and his well-endowned brunette girlfriend of something like a year ago - before he was drafted by the New England Patriots.

 Does it matter that she's white? No. But for some people, including the person who leaked the video it does.

In a country that still has a really screwed up problem about race that borders on a kind of mental illness, there's a fascination that some people have with seeing a black guy and white girl get it on. When you live a while you hear all kinds of stupid comments along these lines.

As one who's dated interracially since he was, oh, 14, the litany of comments by those who have neurotic issues with interracial dating could fill a book.

Indeed, after the O.J. trial, the saying was "There's an O.J." Hey, it may have been you making the comment. Thanks for being stupid.

I will tell you I'm livid because I was right about why people are really interested in the The Brandon Spikes Video Sex Tape Issue.   So I figured, why not hit America between the eyes?  Here's my punch.

Why American society insists on being stupid about race is beyond me. If I had my way, I'd relegate every person with a race issue to a mental institution and order them to hang out with people who don't look like them every day. After a while, race would take a back seat to other matters, like dress and diction for example. Stuff we all can work on.

You can't change skin color and wanting to is a sick desire as well.

But I digress.

The best move for the NFL is to declare this a non-issue and move on. Why feed into the morbid desires of people who get, shall we say, excited, about putting this stuff online?

I'm sure - in fact I know - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has better things to do than investigate a sex tape of a brother getting it on with a white girl.

Commissioner, listen to Admiral Ackbar: IT'S A TRAP!

Sources for articles: Hard News By Nikky Raney

When writing a hard news piece (for print or web) it seems as though quite a few news outlets are publishing and producing stories with few sources.

Hard news is timely and usually also involves proximity. Some examples include fires, murders, business, politics, international affairs, etc.

With hard news the inverted pyramid structure (more about that here) is very useful.

Hard news generally will involve the reporter going out and obtaining interviews first hand. Although the news is timely and up-to-date that does not excuse laziness with sources. More and more there are news outlets serving stories that could easily be confused as blog posts - meaning the sources used are usually aggregated from other news sources. With blogging that is fine - bloggers are not held to the same standards as journalists.

With a hard news story there should always be a first hand interview included with someone directly involved with the story.

For example: If the reporter was assigned to cover and report about a local drug bust a source that is essential to the story would be a police officer or any other authority involved (it will later be discussed how to deal with those type of stories in terms of semantics). Another person who would be ideal to interview would be neighbors or friends that would be willing to go on record. If there is a family member that would be willing to contribute to the story that would be great.

Interviewing the police officer is essential, because that is where the information that will be in the lead is obtained. Finding out the who, what, where and when can all be done by an interview with the authority who was at the scene.

In some scenarios secondary sources are also good to add to go along with the first hand sources. Secondary sources would include information gathered via another news source or outlet that the reporter did not go out and directly get first hand (like citing another news source or web site).

The next blog posts will go into detail for the sources essential to features, columns, reviews, editorials, etc.

For the record, blog posts will most likely include side commentary and opinions from the blogger as well as news obtained from secondary sources (other web sites), and in some cases (like this entry) the information provided comes directly from the blogger.

Brandon Spikes Video Sex Tape Much Ado About Nothing

Spikes at U Florida 

UPDATE - Brandon Spikes Video An Issue Of Race 

Brandon Spikes, the man that Michael Oher of The Blind Side said was his favorite college defender to play against, is now the Internet's focus because of a sex tape that was somehow leaked online - one that he admits has him in it.

Here's the catch: it was created before he was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 2010 NFL Draft.

What's funny is the whole episode gives new meaning to the thoughts expressed about the 6-3, 249 pound Spikes by New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick right after the Pats drafted him this year, according to CBS Sports:

04/26/2010 - COULD SURPRISE: Linebacker Brandon Spikes: A 5.06-second 40-yard dash time hurt Spikes' stock, but not Bill Belichick. He sees Spikes as a big, productive force on the inside who moves as well between the tackles as any linebacker he's seen in recent years.

Now, we can say "That's what she said."

News Came Late; Not Spikes Fault

Actually, someone did Brandon Spikes a favor by not releasing the tape until after he was drafted. Had it happened before Brandon Spikes hit the NFL Draft, say between the NFL Combine and the NFL Draft, when the media's focus on each draft-eligible player is greatest, it could have served to push him down from his position as a second round pick, to where he may not have been drafted at all.

Spikes has one problem, his 40-time. But that's something a good coach can overlook - Bill Belichick did. But a perceived character issue like allowing yourself to be filmed doing it is harder to overcome. The NFL's owners place a big premium on character, so this certainly would have hurt him to some degree.

Still, the episode also says that the player evaluation process can't be so good as to let an issue like this pass it by. But it did. The tape was created years ago. This space is more interested in who put the thing online and why?   That should be the NFL's concern as it conducts its investigation.

Stay tuned.

Yankees On Top, Mike, Rudy, NYC shaky? by Suzannah B. Troy

Right now the Yankees are where they want to be on top according to Brian Costello of The New York Post.

Below a quote from Costello's piece.

“I thought we battled through a tough month with some injuries and an extremely tough schedule physically,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I thought our guys played extremely hard and found a way to have a winning month. In our division, that’s extremely important.”

George Stienbrenner must be smiling down from Heaven although captian Derek Jeter is not at the top of their game. Costello reports this, "Derek Jeter, who went 0-for-3, also continues to struggle. He is now hitless in his past 12 at-bats and is in a 2-for-30 skid."

As you know if you are following my blog, and I know this is sacrilege, I am not a fan of Derek Jeter. He is a nice person and I have read in the gossip columns quite the ladies man but he can't compare to my favorite captain Thurmon Munson, may he rest in peace.

I won't be going to any Yankee games since Bloomberg and gang made Babe Ruth my other favorite Yankee, they made Babe Ruth's ghost homeless and at the tax payers expense when most can't afford a seat or popcorn, a hot dog and beer.

Consider me a Phil Mushnick except he is better behaved and I am prettier. Also if you have not read Juan Gonzalez's piece on a private developer picked by king Mike Bloomberg to run the "new" $340 million dollar Yankee Stadium parking lot who happens to be behind in rent owed to NYC for two years as in owes NYC $8.7 million dollars than click here and read. Hey Juan can we have any update on this story and I want to know do we the people collect interest on the money owed? Hey folks if you and I do not pay that kind of money or far less we go to jail.

A best friend who is a minority wrote me if he shoplifted from Sephora would he get one day of community service? He was referring to Caroline Giuliani, the ex-mayor's daughter and by the way it is pretty amazing that Rudy is worth $60 million dollars post leaving office and that Caroline is starting to hold herself like Paris Hilton.

Paris if you want to carry cocaine around, oops I mean chewing gum around than party in NYC because here if you are rich you can get away with anything. Note: In Leonard Levitt's book, NYPD Confidential he gives lurid details of mayor Rudy Guiliani's lurid affair with a young woman that worked for him and also how he kept rewarding her with promotions and raises - the biggest when he dumped her for yet another adulterous affair.

Remember after 9-11 when we needed the mayor here because the NYPD and FDNY were having major friction downtown and he could not be bothered because he attending a Yankee game? I felt sorry for Caroline's cry for help shoplifting until she became appeared in the press like a Paris Hilton wannabe.

Paris give A-Fraud, oops, A-Rod a call. He is single and he likes blondes a lot. I saw A-Rod referred to as A-Fraud on The New York Daily News website and that summed it up for me. A-Rod makes me long for hiring unknown players for smaller salaries that don't take anything for granted including their wive and kids but hey I know he has his fans. Will an "S" have to go after his stats as well?

I love NYC and I want any NY sports team to win. I am happy for the Yankees but I can't help but think NYC is own shaky ground. There are some very rich people that think they are above the law and their egos are bigger than the Empire State building. Note to the Yankees: Stay humble or you will tumble from Suzannah B. Troy an old school fan.