James Lee, the mad man that took over The Discovery Channel is dead. I may have been the first blogger to report the news as it was happening because I was watching ABC News and the reporters kept asking the police is he alive and they did not answer. The spokesman said we have him in custody. I believe one of his bombs went off as well as the police shooting him and the reporters kept asking than why haven't you rushed him to the hospital.
See my blog posting early tonight. At the time I posted the press still did not have the news whether Lee was alive or not. Well now we have the answer. There was no need for an ambulance to rush him to the hospital because he was in fact dead at the scene. The good news is no one else is dead.
I am sure there will be a lot of very detailed information tomorrow about his death and the survivors of the ordeal as well as information from law enforcement.
I have highest praise for the brave police officers that clearly did a good job because the hostages were not injured and also for whom ever over saw the evacuation especially of the children at the day care center.
Today, Steve Jobs announced the new iTunes 10 with a number of special features this space will discuss later.
But the overall question for the day is that Apple iTunes has a new social network that for some reason Apple calls Ping. But the problem is Seesmic also has a social networking site called - you guessed it - Ping.
This blogger is confused.
Ping.fm by Seesmic is designed to allow you to access all of the social networks you're on that it offers.
By contrast Apple iTunes Ping is a social network for music. OK. I get that, but does that mean I can ping my ping?
How did this happen? Well, either Steve Jobs has it in for Seesmic Founder Loic Le Meur, or something else.
Maybe Steve's punishing him for having his photo taken with President Bush instead of President Obama!
Hurricane Earl is not going to directly hit NYC and NJ but is expected to cause some trouble so people are on alert. New York's Dept. of Building is making sure all constructions sites are secure and if not expect fines. Fire Island in Long Island does not have to evacuate at least not yet.
Right now Hurricane Earl is category 4. It is dicey whether Earl will be more smoke than fire but let us hope all will be safe from loved ones things we love....
All along the Eastern Coast people are making choices whether to cut their vacations short especially folks in North Carolina where people have been given mixed messages that the storm will barely touch or the opposite. Rather than be safe than sorry some people are packing it in or boarding up windows to be safe.
Fox News Channel reports an armed man has hostages in the Discovery building in Silver Spring, M.D., a suburb of Washington, D.C. The man is a regular protester of the Discovery Channel and the Montgomery County Police are negotiating with him. His name is James Lee was said to have entered the building with a small gun, took a small group of hostage and has some kind of bomb looking structure front and back.
He was arrested before for protesting the Discovery Channel which he plans as being part of the problem.
As I am writing this channel 7 news reported they have captured the protester. He went down and the explosive device went off. James Lee was said to have had a wide range of emotions during the hours of negotiations.
We do not have any information on if the suspect is alive but in theory he is alive because he is in custody. He may not be removed to be taken to the hospital yet because the building is not yet considered secure.
The 3 hostages are safe! There were also children in the building at a day care center and they were all safely evacuated. Repeat every one is safe except for the armed protester who is in police custody.
The shooting happened at 4:48. He was shot by the police. There may be more devices in the building -- they may be back packs with bombs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 votedDirty 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 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?
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.
