Turning away from national politics and tech for a moment, we find more fun stuff in San Francisco.
In his blog, Chris Daly called San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phil Matier and Andy Ross "bottom-feeders" and took a shot at their constant contacting him for news and information. This is what Chris Daly wrote:
It’s been nearly a year since I last spoke to either Phil Matier or Andy Ross, the bottom-feeders of the San Francisco Chronicle. But I have to admit, they are persistent. In addition to their regular calls to my cell phone, they now have taken to emailing me. I thought that it may be fun to use this forum to respond…
Supervisor Daly, how you doing — I wanted to ask you about issue of Olympic torch run, and the fact that all the demonstrations will likely mean lots of police overtime. POA contends that board decries police overtime, then encourages demonstations (sic) here that require large police presence and hence lots of overtime? Any response to Gary Delagnes and Co.??? Feel free to call or write. Thanks, Andy Ross (777-7158)
When I called Andy Ross for a response, he said "Ya know. Chris, is Chris. You know? I mean. That's all I'm going to say."
Well, that's enough for us. It's certainly more than the Islam crap someone wrote to us about. But I'll leave that alone. Chris may have his enemies around town, but he's certainly well-respected and well-liked by many including this space.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Valleywag's Paul Boutin Exposes Gawker Media Pay Scale System
Apparently upset that Gawker Media is reducing it's payments to writers, Paul Boutin has elected to expose the dark underbelly of a system that compenstates its bloggers. Here's that description in full below:
Gawker Media dark overlord Nick Denton (pictured) has launched a new pay system for all Gawker Media blogs, after testing it at four of his leading sites. Denton's goal is to discourage "self indulgent" posts and "mind-numbing frequency" in favor of "linkworthy material, by which I mean a secret memo, a spy photo, a chart, a well-argued rant, a list, an exclusive piece of news, a well-packaged find." Where does a self-indulgent secret memo fit on that axis? I guess we'll find out after the jump.
From: Noah Robischon Subject: Editor Newsletter - 2008 Preview Edition Date: December 31, 2007 11:42:12 AM PST
In January, as you've no doubt heard, Gawker editorial is introducing a new bonus system. While your base monthly pay remains the same, the chance of a bonus will depend on your individual performance. More specifically: it will depend on the popularity of your posts that month. Below, an explanation of the background to the move; why now; and how the new system works.
1. BACKGROUND
It's only on the internet that a writer's contributions can be measured. At newspapers, a reporter's reputation depends on the opinion of their editors, which can be fickle. Some people get on because they play the office politics well. Or simply because they're more aggressive in lobbying for more prominent jobs, or pay increases.
Advertising people say that the internet is special, because the audience's engagement is so much more measurable than that of newspaper readers, or television viewers. Which makes it so bizarre that most writers, on the internet as in print, are paid for the sheer brute quantity of their output.
Gawker has been equally backward. Sure, we pioneered the pageview bonus system, which rewards all writers for a site's performance. But, let's be honest: those bonuses have been allocated subjectively. And, in the large, writers have been rewarded, at $12 a post, for mind-numbing frequency. When we've paid a higher rate (the $200 "feature" rate) we've often not been rewarding better pieces; merely encouraging the padding of perfectly good, short items.
In short, we have repeated the bad habits of traditional media organizations: leaving remuneration to the arbitrary will of upper management; and, by treating words as if they were Soviet steel output targets, encouraging quantity over quality.
2. WHY NOW
Early on in the commercial blog era, frequency was the key to the success of a site: Engadget took a lead because it churned out 24 posts a day while Gizmodo, fearful of overwhelming its audience, stuck to a dainty dozen items. We learnt that lesson, and vowed never to be out-produced again. But we now really are reaching the limits of sheer volume. Readers can't take any more. And the proliferation of blogs, and social news services such as Digg, has changed the rules.
Where there was a shortage of attitude and commentary, there's now a surfeit. And what's in heavy demand, and short supply, is linkworthy material, by which I mean a secret memo, a spy photo, a chart, a well-argued rant, a list, an exclusive piece of news, a well-packaged find. Gina showed on Lifehacker, with the style of feature she pioneered a couple of years ago, that it was possible to grow a site's audience without endlessly increasing the number of posts.
Second, our objective is not merely to provide gratification for a writer, or amusement for their pals, but to appeal to the wider readership of a site, and to new readers who might discover it through Digg or Google or some other link. It's fine to pen the occasional self-indulgent or self-referential item. But we're not going to waste the editorial budget on them, when we're investing so heavily in the sites. We need a more efficient form of bonus compensation — and one that's fair to the writers who care most about their readers.
Third, the market for editorial talent is becoming more competitive. If a writer works like hell, or sparkles, we always run a risk: that somebody outside the organization notices before the news trickles up the management hierarchy. We need a mechanism to reward hard work, and stardom — to dispense pay increases automatically, if you will.
3. HOW IT WORKS
For several months now, we've displayed the number of views each item receives. It's not a perfect measure. The view count does not reflect attention paid to the posts on the front page; nor photo galleries (which are usually junk views anyhow); and it can overstate the value of cheap items with superficial appeal, but which damage a site's reputation. Nevertheless, it's the best measure we have, so we're going to use it to calculate bonuses.
From now on, you will be paid a set monthly fee. This is the total amount of money outlined in your editorial agreement or determined between you and your site lead. The era of counting posts that are worth $12 or $200 is over. You will be expected to contribute a set number of posts each month in exchange for your monthly base pay.
On top of your monthly base pay, you will be eligible for a bonus based on the number of pageviews your posts receive each month. This total includes any pageview on any story with your byline that was read during the month, even if the story is months or years old. You can track your monthly total here: (Click your site name in the rollup data section along the very top of the page).
Each site will be assigned a pageview rate, which is the dollar amount that each 1,000 pageviews on the site is worth. Although this sounds similar to an advertising CPM, this number has nothing to do with your site's revenue or advertising value. At the end of the month, if the money you earn in pageviews exceeds your monthly base pay, you will be paid the extra money as a bonus.
This chart should make it clearer. If your site has a PV rate of $5:
$2,000 = 400,000 views:
$5,000 = 1m views:
$7,000 = 1.4m views
Based on this example, if your base pay is $2,000 per month then you would need to get upwards of 400,000 pageviews to begin earning bonus. A total of 500,000 views would earn $500 bonus (or $2,500 total pay).
Your site lead will be able to tell you the pageview rate for your site, and give you a chart like this one to for calculating bonus.
For the majority of sites, there is no cap on the amount of bonus you can earn each month. Four sites are already using the new bonus system (Gawker, Wonkette, Gizmodo and Defamer). One guest editor on Wonkette landed a huge exclusive and walked away with an extra $3k in his paycheck.
-Rules Of The Road-
* The pageview rate for each site will change at the beginning of each quarter. It cannot be changed at any other time.
* This bonus will replace all other bonuses that now exist.
* Site leads do not take part in this system. They are still measured on overall site performance.
* The site lead has the right to revoke pageviews on any post. This is to guard against the publication of material that may be inappropriate or illicit, and we hope it is never necessary.
The site leads have more detailed information about all of this, and can share specific numbers for your site to give you a better sense of how your pageviews will translate into bonus.
Please send questions to so that we can round them all up and answer for everyone.
All best,
- Noah and Nick
Gawker Media dark overlord Nick Denton (pictured) has launched a new pay system for all Gawker Media blogs, after testing it at four of his leading sites. Denton's goal is to discourage "self indulgent" posts and "mind-numbing frequency" in favor of "linkworthy material, by which I mean a secret memo, a spy photo, a chart, a well-argued rant, a list, an exclusive piece of news, a well-packaged find." Where does a self-indulgent secret memo fit on that axis? I guess we'll find out after the jump.
From: Noah Robischon Subject: Editor Newsletter - 2008 Preview Edition Date: December 31, 2007 11:42:12 AM PST
In January, as you've no doubt heard, Gawker editorial is introducing a new bonus system. While your base monthly pay remains the same, the chance of a bonus will depend on your individual performance. More specifically: it will depend on the popularity of your posts that month. Below, an explanation of the background to the move; why now; and how the new system works.
1. BACKGROUND
It's only on the internet that a writer's contributions can be measured. At newspapers, a reporter's reputation depends on the opinion of their editors, which can be fickle. Some people get on because they play the office politics well. Or simply because they're more aggressive in lobbying for more prominent jobs, or pay increases.
Advertising people say that the internet is special, because the audience's engagement is so much more measurable than that of newspaper readers, or television viewers. Which makes it so bizarre that most writers, on the internet as in print, are paid for the sheer brute quantity of their output.
Gawker has been equally backward. Sure, we pioneered the pageview bonus system, which rewards all writers for a site's performance. But, let's be honest: those bonuses have been allocated subjectively. And, in the large, writers have been rewarded, at $12 a post, for mind-numbing frequency. When we've paid a higher rate (the $200 "feature" rate) we've often not been rewarding better pieces; merely encouraging the padding of perfectly good, short items.
In short, we have repeated the bad habits of traditional media organizations: leaving remuneration to the arbitrary will of upper management; and, by treating words as if they were Soviet steel output targets, encouraging quantity over quality.
2. WHY NOW
Early on in the commercial blog era, frequency was the key to the success of a site: Engadget took a lead because it churned out 24 posts a day while Gizmodo, fearful of overwhelming its audience, stuck to a dainty dozen items. We learnt that lesson, and vowed never to be out-produced again. But we now really are reaching the limits of sheer volume. Readers can't take any more. And the proliferation of blogs, and social news services such as Digg, has changed the rules.
Where there was a shortage of attitude and commentary, there's now a surfeit. And what's in heavy demand, and short supply, is linkworthy material, by which I mean a secret memo, a spy photo, a chart, a well-argued rant, a list, an exclusive piece of news, a well-packaged find. Gina showed on Lifehacker, with the style of feature she pioneered a couple of years ago, that it was possible to grow a site's audience without endlessly increasing the number of posts.
Second, our objective is not merely to provide gratification for a writer, or amusement for their pals, but to appeal to the wider readership of a site, and to new readers who might discover it through Digg or Google or some other link. It's fine to pen the occasional self-indulgent or self-referential item. But we're not going to waste the editorial budget on them, when we're investing so heavily in the sites. We need a more efficient form of bonus compensation — and one that's fair to the writers who care most about their readers.
Third, the market for editorial talent is becoming more competitive. If a writer works like hell, or sparkles, we always run a risk: that somebody outside the organization notices before the news trickles up the management hierarchy. We need a mechanism to reward hard work, and stardom — to dispense pay increases automatically, if you will.
3. HOW IT WORKS
For several months now, we've displayed the number of views each item receives. It's not a perfect measure. The view count does not reflect attention paid to the posts on the front page; nor photo galleries (which are usually junk views anyhow); and it can overstate the value of cheap items with superficial appeal, but which damage a site's reputation. Nevertheless, it's the best measure we have, so we're going to use it to calculate bonuses.
From now on, you will be paid a set monthly fee. This is the total amount of money outlined in your editorial agreement or determined between you and your site lead. The era of counting posts that are worth $12 or $200 is over. You will be expected to contribute a set number of posts each month in exchange for your monthly base pay.
On top of your monthly base pay, you will be eligible for a bonus based on the number of pageviews your posts receive each month. This total includes any pageview on any story with your byline that was read during the month, even if the story is months or years old. You can track your monthly total here: (Click your site name in the rollup data section along the very top of the page).
Each site will be assigned a pageview rate, which is the dollar amount that each 1,000 pageviews on the site is worth. Although this sounds similar to an advertising CPM, this number has nothing to do with your site's revenue or advertising value. At the end of the month, if the money you earn in pageviews exceeds your monthly base pay, you will be paid the extra money as a bonus.
This chart should make it clearer. If your site has a PV rate of $5:
$2,000 = 400,000 views:
$5,000 = 1m views:
$7,000 = 1.4m views
Based on this example, if your base pay is $2,000 per month then you would need to get upwards of 400,000 pageviews to begin earning bonus. A total of 500,000 views would earn $500 bonus (or $2,500 total pay).
Your site lead will be able to tell you the pageview rate for your site, and give you a chart like this one to for calculating bonus.
For the majority of sites, there is no cap on the amount of bonus you can earn each month. Four sites are already using the new bonus system (Gawker, Wonkette, Gizmodo and Defamer). One guest editor on Wonkette landed a huge exclusive and walked away with an extra $3k in his paycheck.
-Rules Of The Road-
* The pageview rate for each site will change at the beginning of each quarter. It cannot be changed at any other time.
* This bonus will replace all other bonuses that now exist.
* Site leads do not take part in this system. They are still measured on overall site performance.
* The site lead has the right to revoke pageviews on any post. This is to guard against the publication of material that may be inappropriate or illicit, and we hope it is never necessary.
The site leads have more detailed information about all of this, and can share specific numbers for your site to give you a better sense of how your pageviews will translate into bonus.
Please send questions to so that we can round them all up and answer for everyone.
All best,
- Noah and Nick
Super Bowl XLII Oakland To Phoenix Flight Southwest Airlines
This is a video of the flight that I took from Oakland to Phoenix to attend Super Bowl XLII and the events before the game. It was a Southwest Airlines flight that left at 1:30 that day and got in at about almost 5 PM.
TechCrunch Reports That Red Envelope's Closing It's Doors
Yep. Red Envelope, which has sent a number of gifts to me, is closing down after several years of operating at the margins. Here's TechCrunch's word:
Everything up to this point is fact - what comes next is rumor: We’ve heard the company is basically laying off all of the staff and shutting down in the next few days. We have an email in to the company for comment.
Stay tuned.
Everything up to this point is fact - what comes next is rumor: We’ve heard the company is basically laying off all of the staff and shutting down in the next few days. We have an email in to the company for comment.
Stay tuned.
Michael Irvin At Hall of Fame | One Of The Greatest NFL Speeches In History
Please listen to this speech by former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin. It's one of the greatest speeches in NFL history.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Reflections on the 40th anniversary of King's assassination
At a time when we were, ostensibly, trying to come together, it seemed the divisions had never been more pronounced. Each of us who lived through, and recalls, those times bears a certain number of wounds. The reaction to King's murder was rioting on a scale this country had never known. What started as a peaceful march for the rights of sanitation workers in Memphis became violence none could ignore.We must not forget. For the sake of our children, we dare not.
"We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."
~ Senator Barack Obama
SF- BIG Panel On Digital Ad Talent - St. Regis Hotel, SF
The San Francisco Bay Area Interactive Group or "SF-BIG" asked me to make this video of their "Reach" event held March 20th, 2008 at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco. The topic was on what ad firms look for in digital ad talent and what advantage -- if any -- San Francisco has as a center of digital media. The panelists included Melinda Mettler (Academy of Art School of Advertising), Alyson Hyder (Avenue A | Razorfish); Bernie Albers (Federated Media); and David Greenwald, (i2iplacement). In all it was a great event and the breakfast was terrific.
iTunes Makes Apple #1 Music Retailer In U.S.A
According to ArtsTechnica.com, Apple has risen to become the number one music retailer in the United States, and all of those transactions are online - not one single money exchange was done by a cash register in an Apple store.
That's amazing. Apple has surpassed WalMart, BestBuy and another online retailer Amazon.com to reach this position. But this should firmly cement in the mind of the public the fact that online retail is not a fad and is the next wave of transactions.
But ArtsTechnica points to a "dark side" of Apple's success because many "offline" retail purchases are of high-end CD's, so Apple's success means that the overall revenue of the music industry is falling.
Factor military duty into criticism, Mr. Limbaugh. Did you volunteer, Mr. O'Reilly?
Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as Jeremiah Wright, received five (5) military service deferments, four for being a student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968.In 1961, amid an increasingly turbulent time in this country, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," Wright gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the recently integrated U.S. Marine Corps. Remember, it was not until the spring of 1968 that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. All men may have been created equal, but in the U.S. in the 60s there was little assuring they would be afforded equal rights in most places.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
How many of Wright's detractors, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly to name but a few, volunteered for service, and did so under the often tumultuous circumstances of a newly integrated armed forces and a society in the midst of a civil rights struggle? Not many.
While words do count, as Lawrence Korb and Ian Moss point out in the April 3rd piece in the Chicago Trib after looking into Jeremiah Wright's history, so do actions.
CNN's Brianna Keilar Now Regular Anchor On CNN Morning
CNN's Brianna Keilar Now Regular Anchor On CNN Morning
After what seemed to be fits and starts, Brianna Keilar, who I met at the 2005 NFL Draft and was then with MTV-U, then after an agent contacted me in late 2005 -- well, pestered me, really -- about seeing her here online at this account I wrote about Brianna Keilar at the 2005 NFL Draft, I informed her and after she responded with an approval, I gave him her then current contact information.
The result, in 2006, was that Brianna Keilar was hired by CNN, and after she really thought it was going to take years to get there. I've not got a note from her since, even as we were emailing back and forth before then in 2005 and that agent guy was really bugging me for her contact information, and even though I wrote "Congratulations! A glass of wine would be cool."
The funny thing is that we -- she and I -- were talking about the importance of relationships as a key to success, you'd think she'd have said "thanks" at least. It's not like we didn't connect after the NFL Draft.
We had a lot of people we knew in common, from Frank Sommerville and Kenny Wardell who was then at KTVU with Sommerville, and the Cal-Berkeley connection, but for some reason now that she's a "big star" she doesn't even mention Cal on CNN when she had the chance to this morning. Yikes!
Hey, Brianna, saying "GO BEARS" on CNN just once will not kill you and Cal fans will sing your praises for years after that. The point here is that once people have done something for you, don't forget to thank them. In my case, an email saying, Hey, thanks so much for sending him my way; look what happened!"
That's enough for me, really.
Regardless, I'm glad she's got on a regular schedule. She's finally comfortable behind the camera, after it seemed that she was a bit uncomfortable reading the teleprompter live.
I just wonder if she's still wearing those fishnets?
Ok, I've not wrote this before, but truth be told, she had a wicked set of legs in fishnets and all the guys in the 2995 NFL Draft gallery were going GA GA over Brianna. And if she denies this, she's telling a massive fib! She looked hot, but in the lunch room all the guys totally ignored her as if they were afraid to talk to her, so I figured I would since she was all alone.
That's how it all started.
This is Brianna's basic background:
Brianna Keilar (born September 21, 1980) is a recently hired general assignment reporter for CNN in the Washington, D.C. bureau. She previously worked for CNN Newsource as a national correspondent, also in Washington, D.C.
Keilar started in television news as an intern and production assistant at KTVU Channel 2 in Oakland, California. In 2001, she went to work as a general assignment reporter at KIMA, the CBS affiliate in Yakima, Washington. During that same time, she also worked in radio as a morning show personality and weekend news reader.
In 2003, Keilar moved to New York to be an anchor, reporter and producer for CBS News on mtvU, a newscast that aired on MTV's college network. At CBS News on mtvU, she covered the 2004 presidential primaries and election from New Hampshire, Boston and New York. Brianna also covered events like the 2005 NFL Draft for MTV-U. Keilar was 23 when she fill-in anchored on CBS News' overnight newscast, Up to the Minute, for the first time.
She was also a freelance reporter for CBS Evening News Weekend Edition before moving over to CNN.
Let's see if we can get Brianna's Cal attention... HEY BRIANNA, GO BEARS!!!!
Fingerpuppets this Saturday North Beach Grant And Green
The Fingerpuppets will be at the famous North Beach restaurant Grant & Green this Saturday. For a sample of their music, just click on the videos below:
I will Survive
"Sedated"
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Tony West Of Obama For America On Rev. Wright And Superdelegates
At the California State Democratic Convention, Oakland-resident Tony West took time to talk with me in this video about the fight for Superdelegates and the Rev. Wright issue and the Obama campaign's position on both from his perspective as Obama for America Northern California Finance Chair and Field Director.
Barack Obama Overtakes Hillary Clinton in PA - 15 Point Lead Gone
Just three weeks ago, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton entered the Pennsylvania Primary with a 15 point lead in the polls conducted there.
To many, especially those in the mainstream media, it seemed that her lead was one Obama could not overcome. Many had projected her to win; a few, specifically CNN's Jack Cafferty, did observe that Obama has a tendency to turn the polling in a state once he's visited its people.
A few days ago, there were signs that the polls were turning Obama's way after the Bosnian Trip Scandal, which caught Senator Clinton openly lying about her involvement in the war there. The Bosnian Scandal overtook the Wright Issue in news reporting and contributed to the polling side which continued and was marked by Rassmusen's reported Clinton lead of just five percent a few days ago , so it was seemingly inevitable that at one point Obama could overtake Clinton in the Keystone State.
That happened today.
Senator Barack Obama now leads Senator Hillary Clinton 45 percent to 43 percent in a survey conducted by Public Policy Polling. Heres the text from the press release I received:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2008
Obama overtakes Clinton in PA
Raleigh, N.C. – Barack Obama has taken the lead over Hillary Clinton 45-43 in Pennsylvania, according to the newest survey from Public Policy Polling.
It’s a remarkable turn around from PPP’s last Pennsylvania poll, conducted two and a half weeks ago, that showed Clinton with a 26 point lead in the state. That poll was released at the height of the Jeremiah Wright controversy and the day before Obama’s major speech on race in Philadelphia. Obama has been trending upward in nationalpolling and in many state level polls since then and this survey reflects that pattern.
“In the last few weeks there has been increasing attention given to the fact that a continuing divisive Democratic nomination fight could hurt the party’s chances of defeating John McCain this fall,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.
“The major movement in Obama’s direction in Pennsylvania could be an indication that Democrats in that state think it’s time to wrap it up.”
Obama is narrowing the gap with white voters, trailing just 49-38, while maintaining his customary significant advantage with black voters. He leads that group 75-17.
Obama also leads among all age groups except senior citizens, with whom Clinton has a 50-34 advantage. The poll shows the standard gender gap with Obama leading by 15 points among men while trailing by 10 points with women.
PPP surveyed 1224 likely Democratic primary voters on March 31st and April 1st. The survey’s margin of errors is +/- 2.8%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Public Policy Polling had the most accurate numbers of any company in the country for the Democratic primaries in South Carolina and Wisconsin, as well as the closest numbers for any organization that polled the contests in both Texas and Ohio.
Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com
More on this development soon.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
"Factcheck" On Obama and Oil Industry Is Pure Bullshit
My letter to FactCheck.org editor Lori Robertson on Obama and Oil Industry
Dear Editor,
I read your writers' article that claims to be a fact check on Senator Barack Obama and the oil industry. This crap you had your writers issue is the biggest -- well near biggest -- bunch of bullshit I've ever read.
If you look at the millions of donors to any political campaign who are employed, say, with bars or restaurants or how about strip clubs, you could say "Senator X has the support of the bar and porn industry" which of course would be total crap because the formal organizations and PACs of those industries may not have even taken a position. Moreover, an employee can and often does take a position opposite that of the company itself. You should know this; if you admit you do, then such a statement automatically negates the legitimacy of your work.
To then "use" -- which is what you've done -- a persons employment as the basis for a smear-job is totally unprofessional and unethical. In point of fact you've proven nothing at all -- except that you have a bias against Senator Obama.
Correct this -- please.
Thanks,
--
Zennie Abraham, Jr.
Chairman and CEO
http://www.sportsbusinesssims.com
Sports Business Simulations
510-387-9809
SBS Online Marketing at http://www.sbson.com
Title: "Factcheck" On Obama and Oil Industry Is Pure Bullshit
Dear Editor,
I read your writers' article that claims to be a fact check on Senator Barack Obama and the oil industry. This crap you had your writers issue is the biggest -- well near biggest -- bunch of bullshit I've ever read.
If you look at the millions of donors to any political campaign who are employed, say, with bars or restaurants or how about strip clubs, you could say "Senator X has the support of the bar and porn industry" which of course would be total crap because the formal organizations and PACs of those industries may not have even taken a position. Moreover, an employee can and often does take a position opposite that of the company itself. You should know this; if you admit you do, then such a statement automatically negates the legitimacy of your work.
To then "use" -- which is what you've done -- a persons employment as the basis for a smear-job is totally unprofessional and unethical. In point of fact you've proven nothing at all -- except that you have a bias against Senator Obama.
Correct this -- please.
Thanks,
--
Zennie Abraham, Jr.
Chairman and CEO
http://www.sportsbusinesssims.com
Sports Business Simulations
510-387-9809
SBS Online Marketing at http://www.sbson.com
Gov Bill Richardson v. James Carville A Warning To Superdelegates
Gov. Bill Richardson v. James Carville A Warning To Superdelegates
In a timely op-ed in the Monday Washington Post, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson reveals that is call to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to report that he'd endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President was "heated" but did not give more details.
Richardson was writing to report his displeasure with the "personal" attacks Clinton supporter and CNN Commentator James Carville has exacted on him after Richardson endorsed Obama.
In words he did not back away from, Carville compared Richardson to Judas for the act of backing Obama. But in his op-ed, Richardson hit a home-run of a point: neither the Clintons nor their backers and supporters leveled such attacks on Richardson when he opposed Sen. Clinton in the Presidential campaign race.
In all, in my view, this episode has revealed the worst aspects of the Clinton campaign. While Carville says it's personal because of the jobs Richardson had done for President Clinton, the simple fact is that there are a number of elected officials who owe some "debt" to the Clintons. I don't know who has "paid their debt" but it's got to give any Superdelegate in that position pause to see how Richardson was treated by the Clinton Campaign.
This could cause more undeclared Superdelegates to go for Obama over the next few weeks.
Stay tuned.
"Virgle" - Google Founders Page And Brin Want To Colonize Mars - I Can't Go
"Virgle" sounds and reads like a great project. The founders of Google and the founder of Virgin want to collonize Mars. But my take on this, after some thought, is why the hell should we focus on taking our fucked-up act to Mars?
Why can't Larry and Sergey focus on problems right here at home and in the U.S.A?
We've got an economy that's a mess. High crime rates. Homeless people abound. And yet, these guys, these billionaires want to go off and start a Mars Colony. They want you to make a YouTube video and explain why you want to go to Mars. Heck, I'm going to explain why we should not go to Mars, at least not now.
I think it's a waste of great time, money, and energy that could be applied to more worthwhile projects right here at home.
I also don't like they they get to chose who goes. Why? Because it's there project? Will there be any Black folks beyond the estimated one percent who work for Google? I wonder.
Well, here's their video:
Larry and Sergey:
Richard Branson:
Why can't Larry and Sergey focus on problems right here at home and in the U.S.A?
We've got an economy that's a mess. High crime rates. Homeless people abound. And yet, these guys, these billionaires want to go off and start a Mars Colony. They want you to make a YouTube video and explain why you want to go to Mars. Heck, I'm going to explain why we should not go to Mars, at least not now.
I think it's a waste of great time, money, and energy that could be applied to more worthwhile projects right here at home.
I also don't like they they get to chose who goes. Why? Because it's there project? Will there be any Black folks beyond the estimated one percent who work for Google? I wonder.
Well, here's their video:
Larry and Sergey:
Richard Branson:
NFL NATIONALLY TELEVISED PRIMETIME KICKOFF WEEKEND GAMES - NFLMedia.com
NFL ANNOUNCES NATIONALLY TELEVISED
PRIMETIME KICKOFF WEEKEND GAMES
The NFL announced today its 2008 Kickoff Weekend national primetime television schedule, including a Monday night doubleheader.
In a tradition that began in 2004, the Super Bowl champion annually hosts the NFL Thursday night season kickoff the following year. This September 4 at 7:00 PM ET on NBC, the Super Bowl XLII champion New York Giants will host their NFC East-rival Washington Redskins and their new head coach JIM ZORN. Kickoff will be 90 minutes earlier than the start time of the traditional season opener due to the Republican National Convention, which NBC News will cover following the conclusion of the game.
The Sunday night primetime game (8:15 PM ET) on NBC will feature a rematch of Super Bowl XLI as the Indianapolis Colts host the Chicago Bears. The game marks the first regular-season game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
On Monday night, September 8, ESPN will host a Monday Night Football doubleheader featuring two critical division matchups. The first game (7:00 PM ET) will send the Minnesota Vikings to Green Bay to visit the NFC North titlist Packers. The MNF nightcap (10:15 PM ET) will be an AFC West battle as the Oakland Raiders host the Denver Broncos.
The announcement of these national primetime TV games was made Monday by NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.
The rest of the 2008 regular-season schedule will be completed and announced in April.
PRIMETIME KICKOFF WEEKEND GAMES
The NFL announced today its 2008 Kickoff Weekend national primetime television schedule, including a Monday night doubleheader.
In a tradition that began in 2004, the Super Bowl champion annually hosts the NFL Thursday night season kickoff the following year. This September 4 at 7:00 PM ET on NBC, the Super Bowl XLII champion New York Giants will host their NFC East-rival Washington Redskins and their new head coach JIM ZORN. Kickoff will be 90 minutes earlier than the start time of the traditional season opener due to the Republican National Convention, which NBC News will cover following the conclusion of the game.
The Sunday night primetime game (8:15 PM ET) on NBC will feature a rematch of Super Bowl XLI as the Indianapolis Colts host the Chicago Bears. The game marks the first regular-season game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
On Monday night, September 8, ESPN will host a Monday Night Football doubleheader featuring two critical division matchups. The first game (7:00 PM ET) will send the Minnesota Vikings to Green Bay to visit the NFC North titlist Packers. The MNF nightcap (10:15 PM ET) will be an AFC West battle as the Oakland Raiders host the Denver Broncos.
The announcement of these national primetime TV games was made Monday by NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida.
The rest of the 2008 regular-season schedule will be completed and announced in April.
Pull the other one, Hillary. Vetting the Theft of Valor story from Bosnia.
You probably recall from last week that this doesn't sit well with me. I'm prone to taking the high road, my role model is Barack Obama, but I just can't not comment on the flagrant, disingenuous responses Senator Clinton has advanced to try to disavow her "mis-speaking" with regard to the risks from sniper fire when she went to Tuzla, Bosnia with her daughter.
There was no sniper fire. There was no mis-speaking, either. This was not an oops, slip of the tongue moment, this went on over numerous, well-documented speeches and in response to direct questions. I am chagrined that I had considered her a potentially good President at one point. Senator Clinton's finesse with ear-marks is an endearing quality to her present constituency, I'm certain, but her theft of valor is not something I can condone in a (potential) Commander-in-Chief.
That's why I wrote about Tammi Hetherington, the Army vet who bravely spoke out because she was present that day in Bosnia. I've discussed it with friends during the intervening days. I've followed the story. I've blogged about positive things in the meanwhile, too, such as the amazing engagement of High School students in the south Bronx, who are talking about race and politics, and paying attention...
But today, once of my favorite Obama supporters took the plunge and started blogging at Daily Kos with this very same topic, and that story is so much better presented than my own that I invite you to read Kiku Botura's take on why it matters if somebody claims risks that aren't real. Nevermind, that Senator Clinton's boasting calls into question the judgment of the pilot who set her down and let her deplane, or dismisses the competence and efforts of those tasked with providing her security that day on the ground - that's not the point. The point is that good people do, in fact, act heroically on their oaths under mortal risk in defense of this country.
So go read, please, about Marine Captain John McKenna of Brooklyn, NY, born that very day Hillary and Chelsea had their excellent adventure in Bosnia, and tell Kiku I said hi.
The same old divisive, say-anything to get elected politics doesn't work any more. It doesn't get things done, it doesn't solve our problems, and it doesn't lead us to the future our children deserve.
There was no sniper fire. There was no mis-speaking, either. This was not an oops, slip of the tongue moment, this went on over numerous, well-documented speeches and in response to direct questions. I am chagrined that I had considered her a potentially good President at one point. Senator Clinton's finesse with ear-marks is an endearing quality to her present constituency, I'm certain, but her theft of valor is not something I can condone in a (potential) Commander-in-Chief.
That's why I wrote about Tammi Hetherington, the Army vet who bravely spoke out because she was present that day in Bosnia. I've discussed it with friends during the intervening days. I've followed the story. I've blogged about positive things in the meanwhile, too, such as the amazing engagement of High School students in the south Bronx, who are talking about race and politics, and paying attention...
But today, once of my favorite Obama supporters took the plunge and started blogging at Daily Kos with this very same topic, and that story is so much better presented than my own that I invite you to read Kiku Botura's take on why it matters if somebody claims risks that aren't real. Nevermind, that Senator Clinton's boasting calls into question the judgment of the pilot who set her down and let her deplane, or dismisses the competence and efforts of those tasked with providing her security that day on the ground - that's not the point. The point is that good people do, in fact, act heroically on their oaths under mortal risk in defense of this country.
So go read, please, about Marine Captain John McKenna of Brooklyn, NY, born that very day Hillary and Chelsea had their excellent adventure in Bosnia, and tell Kiku I said hi.
The same old divisive, say-anything to get elected politics doesn't work any more. It doesn't get things done, it doesn't solve our problems, and it doesn't lead us to the future our children deserve.
President Bill Clinton Hugged By Hot Blonde In Mosh-Pit After Speech
http://zennie2005.blogspot.com/2008/04/president-bill-clinton-hugged-by-hot.html - President Bill Clinton came to the California State Democratic Convention on Sunday, March 30th to give a speech in support of his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton as she works to add more Superdelegates to her side. After an excellent speech, President Clinton came down to the floor to greet the crowd.
As I went over to get a video of his action, and as he made his way toward where I was standing, a Blonde woman bulled past me and got to a place where she was right in front of him and proceeded to give him a hard, long (considering the time), and passionate hug. I have no idea who she was as by the time she did this, I was being pushed by a growing crowd of people behind me who were trying to get closer to Clinton. It was a wild scene.
But the whole sight of the Blonde made me think of the Monica Lewinsky matter. Not because of the hug -- I am sure that happens a lot -- but the way she hugged him, and his response, which was that he not only didn't turn away, but seemed more than a bit "pleased" by the event.
Now, the woman called for her husband "Eric" who was no where to be seen and could not have easily got in to see Bill as it was totally slammed. So maybe she's just an excited fan?
I also note that they continued to talk after the hug. Well check out the video for yourself.
Were it not for Bill's reputation and the fact that he's married to the Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, the video may not be such a big deal. But I can't change history.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Poll: Obama has double digit lead nationally
As Obama quickly picks up much needed momentum, the Clinton's hopes are rapidly deflating.
(CNN)—Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama extended his lead nationally over Sen. Hillary Clinton Monday according to the latest national polls.
The Gallup Poll conducted March 27-29 with a margin of error of 3 percentage points shows the Illinois Senator has a 10 point lead over the New York Senator among Democrats, marking the first time since early February Gallup polls have shown either candidate with a double digit lead. In February, Gallup showed Clinton held an 11 percent advantage over Obama.
Last week’s Pew Poll also confirmed Obama had weathered the media storm surrounding the Reverend Wright controversy and maintained his lead.
Despite pressure from some powerful Obama supporters and being behind nationally in the polls, Clinton said the race should not end before all votes had been cast. "I didn't think we believed that in America. I thought we of all people knew how important it was to give everyone a chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted," she said.
Looking to the critical state of Pennsylvania, Clinton holds a 12 percent lead ahead of the state’s April 22 primary, according to the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released earlier this month.Both candidates continue to campaign heavily in the state of Pennsylvania Monday, where there are 158 pledged delegates up for grabs.
(CNN)—Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama extended his lead nationally over Sen. Hillary Clinton Monday according to the latest national polls.
The Gallup Poll conducted March 27-29 with a margin of error of 3 percentage points shows the Illinois Senator has a 10 point lead over the New York Senator among Democrats, marking the first time since early February Gallup polls have shown either candidate with a double digit lead. In February, Gallup showed Clinton held an 11 percent advantage over Obama.
Last week’s Pew Poll also confirmed Obama had weathered the media storm surrounding the Reverend Wright controversy and maintained his lead.
Despite pressure from some powerful Obama supporters and being behind nationally in the polls, Clinton said the race should not end before all votes had been cast. "I didn't think we believed that in America. I thought we of all people knew how important it was to give everyone a chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted," she said.
Looking to the critical state of Pennsylvania, Clinton holds a 12 percent lead ahead of the state’s April 22 primary, according to the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released earlier this month.Both candidates continue to campaign heavily in the state of Pennsylvania Monday, where there are 158 pledged delegates up for grabs.
What Is New Media To You? - WISE-SF Panel Intro
Blogs, New Media and You – A WISE Panel Discussion - A panel discussion featuring:
Rebecca Weeks - Real Girls Media
Cathy Brooks - Seesmic, Inc.
Irina Slutsky - Geek Entertainment TV
Christine Kerner - KOFY TV20
Leyla Farah - Cause+Effect PR
Paula Storti - Worldwalk Media
Stephanie Quilao - Back In Skinny Jeans
Patti Mangan - TangoDiva.com
Zennie Abraham - Sports Business Simulations
Monday, March 31, 2008
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
Hotel Kabuki
Street:
1625 Post Street
City/Town:
San Francisco, CA
5:30 - 7:00 - Event Reception/Hosted food & beverages
7:00 - 8:00 - Panel Discussion
8:00 - 8:30 - Q & A
(moderator)
The OBJECTIVE: For each audience member to be at least encouraged to start a website or a blog, use their email signature to connect to them, and link it with several social network pages…and understand how to use this assembly, and the value of what they have personally and professionally.
The secondary objective is pure networking. So the event will be one hour of networking followed by one hour of panel discussion. We open our doors to women who are part of the SF Bay Area New Media Industry to come to this event. There will be a raffle for a prize as well.
WISE members are encouraged to bring friends, and as this is an open recruting meeting, we're inviting you to come and become a member of Women In Sports and Events. See http://www.wisesf.com
We will take questions from the audience that are relevant to the discussion at the time during the talk, and have a Q and A session for general questions afterward.
1. Topic One: What’s a Blog and Why Should I Have One, Versus a Website?
a. What’s a blog good for? (Marketing yourself, or your firm, etc.)
b. How do I start a blog? (Where does one go? I recommend Blogger.com because it’s free and easy to use; what’s your view? What’s “BlogHer” all about?)
c. But I’m not a writer! (Some think that they have to take part of their day to blog; is that true?)
d. What are some common blogging mistakes and misuse?
e. If I’m starting a blog for my office, what should I avoid doing?
2. Topic Two: Ok. I Have This Blog, And Now I Am To Link It To A Facebook and Linkedin Page? Why? Isn’t That Dangerous?
a. What do I need a Linkedin and Facebook Page For? (Business connections; discovering events of interest.)
b. Do Successful Business People Use Linkedin and Facebook – or MySpace? (What folks like AOL founder Ted Leonsis get out of Facebook and Linkedin,)
c. What are some common ways that people misuse Facebook and Linkedin?
3. I want to start an online community for my office; what do I do?
a. How can I use the work-based online community to help my work?
b. What are common ways that work-based online communities are misused?
4. Topic Three: I’ve Got A Blog, Facebook, and Linkedin Pages and an online community at work – Now I need YouTube? Can It Help Me?
5. Can I Make Money From All Of This? How?
6. OK. I’m set up with all of this, but I’m not getting a lot of traffic. What do I do?
7. What are “Internet Trolls” and what should I do about them?
8. Questions from the audience.
For non-WISE members, the suggested donation is $20. WISE is a non-profit organization.
An Excited Ex-Republican Barack Obama Supporter
There's something about becoming an Obama Supporter than just brings out unbridled passion in some people, and this woman was no exception. She erupted into a fit of joy during an Obama Supporter rally at the California State Democratic Convention, and after explaining that she was a registered Republican who switched to the Democratic Party to vote for and volunteer for Barack Obama.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Congressman Jerry McNerney On Iraq, Presidential Race
At the California State Democratic Convention, Congressman Jerry McNerney took a small bit of time to talk with me about the Iraq War and the Presidential Race. He's an uncommitted Superdelegate and as such I tried to get him to explain who he was leaning to and what his criteria were for selection, but he didn't answer that, preferring to focus instead on his reelection campaign.
Leno Wins Endorsement Floor Fight At Convention
In what one observer called the "nastiest (convention) floor fight they'd ever seen," Assemblyman Mark Leno won the endorsement floor fight today, Sunday, at the California State Democratic Convention. Now, it's Mark Leno as Democrat versus the Republlican Nation for the right to represent San Francisco in the California Senate.
Meanwhile, the ousted Senator Carol Migden left the general hall in disgrace, after her partner issued an 11th-hour motion to block the vote to block a special motion to seat Mark Leno as challenger to Joe Nation, and after Migden's failed initial motion to nix Leno's endorsements.
Got that?
I've got this entire bit of drama on video and will edit and upload it very soon. Right now, the convention staffers are taking down the chair and cleaning up the exhibit hall.
Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, the ousted Senator Carol Migden left the general hall in disgrace, after her partner issued an 11th-hour motion to block the vote to block a special motion to seat Mark Leno as challenger to Joe Nation, and after Migden's failed initial motion to nix Leno's endorsements.
Got that?
I've got this entire bit of drama on video and will edit and upload it very soon. Right now, the convention staffers are taking down the chair and cleaning up the exhibit hall.
Stay tuned.
Bill Clinton's Speech Brings The House Down
I just survived the mosh pit of people that were rushing to get close to, see, and in some cases hug former President Bill Clinton. I got the entire speech on video, but given its length I'll post it in segments.
I'm not sure it was a good idea to have Kamila Harris speak before Bill Clinton because, well, she can't match his fire-power. The buzz was that Senator Kennedy was going to be here, but that obviously did not happen.
More on this soon.
The convention itself is not over, just the rock-star moment.
I'm not sure it was a good idea to have Kamila Harris speak before Bill Clinton because, well, she can't match his fire-power. The buzz was that Senator Kennedy was going to be here, but that obviously did not happen.
The convention itself is not over, just the rock-star moment.
Met Obama Supporter and Delegate Curtis Walker
I just met and talked with Curtis Walker, who's a massive Obama supporter as precinct captain and national convention delegate candidate. I had been litterally harranging Curtis for some time about starting a blog for himself and the campaign, and he's done it.
But what's great about being here is to meet all of the cool people in the Obama campaign and in California politics in general.
But what's great about being here is to meet all of the cool people in the Obama campaign and in California politics in general.
California Democratic Convention Sunday - Debra Bowen's Introduced
California Secretary of State Debra Bowen is introduced and you can tell she's had her coffee: "Good Morning Democrats!" blarred around the hall. Wow. But she's got a great stage presence.
Meanwhile the Clinton people wait for Bill at the left. Still smaller in size than the Obama crowd.
Debra is focusing on voting security, much to the delight of many here like Brent Turner, who are concerned about the lack of transparency in the electronic voting system.
"In short, I'm creating the kind of checks and balance in our voting system that the founding fathers created in our government system."
She gets a standing ovation.
Meanwhile the Clinton people wait for Bill at the left. Still smaller in size than the Obama crowd.
Debra is focusing on voting security, much to the delight of many here like Brent Turner, who are concerned about the lack of transparency in the electronic voting system.
"In short, I'm creating the kind of checks and balance in our voting system that the founding fathers created in our government system."
She gets a standing ovation.
This Place Is Packed As of 10:26. A Scene
This is a hell of a scene. There must be about 15,000 people here in this hall and all are paying rapt attention to Kamela Harris' speech, but also waiting for former President Bill Clinton. But what I'm surprised at his the power of her speech. She represented Barack well.
..But the Big Show's next (Clinton, Bill).
..But the Big Show's next (Clinton, Bill).
Kamela Harris is Giving A Good Speech
Ok, so she's not Ted Kennedy, but District Attorney Kamela Harris is giving a good speech on behalf of Barack Obama. It's well-received after a kind of rocky start. But now she's found her voice.
On The Floor OF The Convention - Procedures and Waiting
Art Torres is about to introduce District Attorney Kamela Harris to speak on behalf of Senator Barack Obama. She stars by saying that someone asked her what she was doing in taking the stage next to Bill Clinton. Her answer was "it's part of the campaign; the audacity of hope."
There are now a LOT of Obama supporters as Harris speaks.
(Image coming soon.)
There are now a LOT of Obama supporters as Harris speaks.
(Image coming soon.)
California Democratic Convention Sunday - A Looming Floor Fight
As I wrote earlier, there's a looming floor fight today, Sunday at the California Democratic Convention. It's between Mark Leno and Carol Migden. But today, there are some people who I've talked to and who believe that the matter of gaining an endorsement for either person may be totally sacked today, and in the process bring a terrible end to a convention with so much riding on the future of the party, both locally and nationally.
As I write this, about 45 Hillary Clinton supporters have massed near the wall left of me. As Jennifer, with Momocrats pointed out to me, "they're a machine with signs made" whereas the Obama supporters have handmade signs.
Willie Brown Fires Up California Democrats At Cal Dem Convention
Willie Brown set the tone for the convention delegates Saturday with this rousing speech.
Ted Kennedy To Speak for Obama Today At California Democratic Convention
It didn't make the SF Chronicle, perhaps because their reporter didn't get the memo , but Ted Kennedy's the secret surprise guest set to speak for Barack Obama and a perfect counterpoint to the appearance of President Bill Clinton at today's California State Democratic Convention.
His appearance was the buzz of the convention.
Stay tuned.
His appearance was the buzz of the convention.
Stay tuned.
Migden v. Leno For Endorsements at California Democratic Convention
As I write this and as you sleep, a game came to an end at 11 PM and it's 11:58 PM now.
That game was the hunt for 300 California Democratic delegate signatures on the part of State Senator Carol Migden and termed-out California Assemblyman Mark Leno, and their supporters at the California State Democratic Convention.
As I left the San Jose Convention Center to get home and then get some sleep for tommorrow's fireworks with the visit of former President Clinton and Senator Ted Kennedy, the Leno and Migden teams were racing from room to room, and even from hotel to hotel in search of delegates and signatures.
Basically, Leno -- in trying to oust the incumbent Migden -- has mounted a charge to gain 300 signatures to block the endorsement of Leno by California Treasurer Phil Angelidies. But the Migden forces anticipated this, and had embarked on their own effort to get 300 delegates to sign a petition to thwart the Leno petition, thus assuring that their endorsements remain intact.
Get it?
This is the rough and tumble of Democratic politics in California. It's dirty and at times ugly and slimy. It has other wise good people telling massive lies -- not Leno or Migden -- about who's backing them on fliers passed out at the convention. It has people milling about late at night on a Saturday, but making a fun time of it, with dance parties and cocktail hours.
Some of us -- me -- who had to drive back to Oakland, missed this late night fun stuff. But I'll get an update soon, and be there for what may be a major floor fight if the endorsements are successfully eliminate via signature.
Stay tuned.
That game was the hunt for 300 California Democratic delegate signatures on the part of State Senator Carol Migden and termed-out California Assemblyman Mark Leno, and their supporters at the California State Democratic Convention.
As I left the San Jose Convention Center to get home and then get some sleep for tommorrow's fireworks with the visit of former President Clinton and Senator Ted Kennedy, the Leno and Migden teams were racing from room to room, and even from hotel to hotel in search of delegates and signatures.
Basically, Leno -- in trying to oust the incumbent Migden -- has mounted a charge to gain 300 signatures to block the endorsement of Leno by California Treasurer Phil Angelidies. But the Migden forces anticipated this, and had embarked on their own effort to get 300 delegates to sign a petition to thwart the Leno petition, thus assuring that their endorsements remain intact.
Get it?
This is the rough and tumble of Democratic politics in California. It's dirty and at times ugly and slimy. It has other wise good people telling massive lies -- not Leno or Migden -- about who's backing them on fliers passed out at the convention. It has people milling about late at night on a Saturday, but making a fun time of it, with dance parties and cocktail hours.
Some of us -- me -- who had to drive back to Oakland, missed this late night fun stuff. But I'll get an update soon, and be there for what may be a major floor fight if the endorsements are successfully eliminate via signature.
Stay tuned.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
SF Mayor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Willie Brown on Delegates
This is part of my coverage of the California Democratic Party Convention in San Jose, Ca.
Sf Mayor Willie Brown's Giving a Rousing Speech At Cal Dem Con
I'm at the California Democratic Convention and sitting at the Press Table in the general session hall at the San Jose Convention Center, listening to former San Francisco Mayor and Speaker of the California Assembly Willie Brown give a passionate and rousing speech on what it means to be a Democrat.
"Democrats are supposed to fight," he said to a standing ovation, "you're not a Democrat if you don't fight."
Brown's taking the assembled state democrats on a kind of "memory lane" but with a message. "We all need to participate in order to beat these Republicans."
Here's that speech:
"Democrats are supposed to fight," he said to a standing ovation, "you're not a Democrat if you don't fight."
Brown's taking the assembled state democrats on a kind of "memory lane" but with a message. "We all need to participate in order to beat these Republicans."
Here's that speech:
Hillary Clinton - Get Out Of The Race
I'm going to take issue with my good friend and valued contributor Dave Kaye and ask simply that Senator Clinton get out of the campaign for President. At this point, she can't win and can only cause more damage to the Democratic Party.
All of this rancor could be focused on John McCain, but here we have Hillary throwing rocks at Obama and James Carville's not helping matters with his thugish behavior.
All of this rancor could be focused on John McCain, but here we have Hillary throwing rocks at Obama and James Carville's not helping matters with his thugish behavior.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Hillary Clinton- Stay In The Race
As the conjecture and acrimony accelerates over the tumultuous and exceedingly contemptuous Democratic contest,many high ranking elites in the party are strongly suggesting for Hillary Clinton to abandon her Presidential aspirations.
While an ardent and enthusiastic Barack Obama supporter, I feel adamant about witnessing the primary season continue. In contrast to the perspective of Senators and Obama supporters Patrick Leahy, Chris Dodd and Bob Casey, the prolong contest has the distinct ability to serve for the betterment of the Democratic party and the eventual nominee.
Even though both formidable contenders are allocating their time castigating and bashing each other, they are still eerily close to John McCain in the majority of polls. Once a nominee is selected and he or she is able to concentrate on the issues facing the country and on what McCain is seeking to offer the American people (a third Bush term), Democrats will finally be united and able to see their poll numbers sky rocket profusely.
Still, it does not serve Mr. Obama well to have several of his most prominent backers yearning for the elimination of New York's junior Senator and contributing negatively to the overwhelming positive and constructive nature of the Obama campaign. There is a significant amount of time for the stalwarts in the party to unify behind Mr. Obama and embark on a quest to defeat John McCain in the general election.
Whether people agree or disagree with the actions of the Clinton's, one certain thing is for sure: Hillary and Bill are persistent and resourceful, thus eradicating their opportunity to forfeit the contest they once had surely wrapped up several months ago.
While an ardent and enthusiastic Barack Obama supporter, I feel adamant about witnessing the primary season continue. In contrast to the perspective of Senators and Obama supporters Patrick Leahy, Chris Dodd and Bob Casey, the prolong contest has the distinct ability to serve for the betterment of the Democratic party and the eventual nominee.
Even though both formidable contenders are allocating their time castigating and bashing each other, they are still eerily close to John McCain in the majority of polls. Once a nominee is selected and he or she is able to concentrate on the issues facing the country and on what McCain is seeking to offer the American people (a third Bush term), Democrats will finally be united and able to see their poll numbers sky rocket profusely.
Still, it does not serve Mr. Obama well to have several of his most prominent backers yearning for the elimination of New York's junior Senator and contributing negatively to the overwhelming positive and constructive nature of the Obama campaign. There is a significant amount of time for the stalwarts in the party to unify behind Mr. Obama and embark on a quest to defeat John McCain in the general election.
Whether people agree or disagree with the actions of the Clinton's, one certain thing is for sure: Hillary and Bill are persistent and resourceful, thus eradicating their opportunity to forfeit the contest they once had surely wrapped up several months ago.
Newspaper Ad Revenue Drops 10 Percent In One Year
In perhaps the best sign of the impact of New Media on traditional media, "Editor and Publisher" reporter Jennifer Saba tells us that the newspaper industry has experienced the worst drop in ad revenue in a half-century. She wrote:
According to new data released by the Newspaper Association of America, total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunged 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006 -- the most severe percent decline since the association started measuring advertising expenditures in 1950.
Meanwhile, online ad revenue now represents 7.5 percent of total newspaper ad revenue, up almost 2 percent from 2006.
What we're seeing, in my view, is the transformation of media from primarily offline to eventually a balance of online and offline. But in this I don't think the nature of jobs in this industry will be the same. My prediction is that the best-paid writers will contribute to different online platforms and not just one, reflecting the fact that one site can't command readership online as consistently as it can offline.
According to new data released by the Newspaper Association of America, total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunged 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006 -- the most severe percent decline since the association started measuring advertising expenditures in 1950.
Meanwhile, online ad revenue now represents 7.5 percent of total newspaper ad revenue, up almost 2 percent from 2006.
What we're seeing, in my view, is the transformation of media from primarily offline to eventually a balance of online and offline. But in this I don't think the nature of jobs in this industry will be the same. My prediction is that the best-paid writers will contribute to different online platforms and not just one, reflecting the fact that one site can't command readership online as consistently as it can offline.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Bloomberg Introduces Obama's Economic Speech
So, the dark horse in the 2008 campaign seems to have hitched his fortune's to Obama's momentum - what will it spell in the long run? Is the NYC Mayor now ahead in the VeePstakes? Granted that other luminaries endorsed and commented on the Obama positions, it was Michael Bloomberg there on the podium at Cooper Union. The Senator's entire presentation is available via his web site. This surely comes at a time when voters are worried about the growing storm of foreclosures on main street while troubled about the administrations evident focus on helping out those on Wall St.
Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign has accused the Obama folks of keeping the Theft of Valor story of her not exactly dodging sniper fire in Tuzla in the news to distract people from the "Wright scandal." Now I know Bill didn't inhale, but what of Hillary's staff? After all, the more people learn about Jeremiah Wright the better it has worked for Obama! The latest polls, taken before the rebukes from military vets would have had much if any negative impact on Clinton's numbers show Obama bouncing back nicely from a slight dip, and the interpretation is that Wright won't be a negative factor while the Tuzla story, which has been lively on the web for 24-48 hours, is still gaining traction in the traditional media and hasn't yet been reflected in polling data.
Is the Clinton campaign hoping that they can resuscitate the Wright story to eclipse the sequence of increasingly tall tales the Senator spun about the risk of sniper fire, or simply mis-speaking yet again? Are the Clinton's Bosnian Chickens coming home to roost?
Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign has accused the Obama folks of keeping the Theft of Valor story of her not exactly dodging sniper fire in Tuzla in the news to distract people from the "Wright scandal." Now I know Bill didn't inhale, but what of Hillary's staff? After all, the more people learn about Jeremiah Wright the better it has worked for Obama! The latest polls, taken before the rebukes from military vets would have had much if any negative impact on Clinton's numbers show Obama bouncing back nicely from a slight dip, and the interpretation is that Wright won't be a negative factor while the Tuzla story, which has been lively on the web for 24-48 hours, is still gaining traction in the traditional media and hasn't yet been reflected in polling data.
Is the Clinton campaign hoping that they can resuscitate the Wright story to eclipse the sequence of increasingly tall tales the Senator spun about the risk of sniper fire, or simply mis-speaking yet again? Are the Clinton's Bosnian Chickens coming home to roost?
Sarah Lacy Is A Cool-Ass Chick At Valleywag Happy Hour
Sarah Lacy Is A Cool-Ass Chick At Valleywag Happy Hour
If you read my blog on a regular basis, or if you read Valleywag, or if you attended the Facebook SXSW event, or all of the above, then you've probably heard of Sarah Lacy. You've also undoubtedly formed an opinion about Ms. Lacy without meeting her; a common habit in today's media-driven culture. But you've also certainly not met Sarah Lacy.
Well, I did, and she's one cool chick.
For some background, Sarah Lacy's the person who interviewed Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook at SXSW and got panned for what some said was a "softball" set of questions. Sarah took the entire event in stride.
As a seasoned writer for Businessweek and a tech-finance video reporter for Yahoo!, Sarah's used to mean comments and controversy. She even tossed water on TechCrunch's Michael Arrington. (No kidding.) But you never know who a person really is until you meet them and talk with them, and listen, and get a feel for who they are -- not the whole deal, mind you but a good part of it.
I met Sarah at Owen Thomas' Valleywag Happy Hour event last Friday at what is called, but is soon not to be referred to as, Moose's in Washington Square in San Franciscos' North Beach. Sarah, my friend and business colleague Paula Storti, and I enjoyed oysters, tea (for me), and cocktails and just talked about whatever came up.
That's off the record.
But I can report that Sarah Lacy's fun, smart, opinionated, interesting, and just plain cool.
So the next time you tech-heads go off on her, consider that it may be because she's cooler than you are and you just can't admit it.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Overlooked amid the furor over Clinton's lying Theft of Valor in Tuzla, Bosnia
"The Reverend Jeremiah Wright is an outstanding church leader whom I have heard speak a number of times. He has served for decades as a profound voice for justice and inclusion in our society. He has been a vocal critic of the racism, sexism and homophobia which still tarnish the American dream. To evaluate his dynamic ministry on the basis of two or three sound bites does a grave injustice to Dr. Wright, the members of his congregation, and the African-American church which has been the spiritual refuge of a people that has suffered from discrimination, disadvantage, and violence. Dr. Wright, a member of an integrated denomination, has been an agent of racial reconciliation while proclaiming perceptions and truths uncomfortable for some white people to hear. Those of us who are white Americans would do well to listen carefully to Dr. Wright rather than to use a few of his quotes to polarize. This is a critical time in America's history as we seek to repent of our racism. No matter which candidates prevail, let us use this time to listen again to one another and not to distort one another's truth,"Who said it? Dean J. Snyder, Foundry United Methodist Church
Hillary Clinton's pastor.
Le Bron James | Vogue - Le Bron James, Wake Up To Racial Stereotyping
Hey Le Bron James. You asked "Who cares" in reaction to charges that your appearance on the cover of Vogue playing to fears of Black men.
Well, Le Bron James, I care and I'm a Black Man.
I saw your cover photo in a local store and my first though was "What this hell was he thinking."
But then I realized that given how young you are, you may not have been thinking about anything other than sex and money. Sex in that you're taking a photo where you've got a hot blonde in your arms, and money because you were paid for it. I don't think the fact that Annie Lebowitz was taking the shot meant much to you because you don't understand how huge she is separate from the photo; you're too young to know.
But that's not what I'm writing about.
Dude, you need to wake up. Fast. And before someone else uses you for some racially-insenstive reason. The Vogue cover didn't represent me well because you're a Black Man like me, and because of our minority status in America, all of us are impacted by what a high-profile brother like you does. We're historically seen in America in the same kind of animallstic way you've portrayed and I for one don't like that one bit.
Wake up Le Bron James.
If you're confused over the possible social impact of a magazine shoot in the future, ask me what it could be. I'll tell you. Because its sure as hell obvious that whomever's advising you know doesn't know what the hell they're doing. I'm tired of brothers like you working to keep brothers like me down. I mean that.
It's time for you to take a serious look at your responsibilities in life outside of Basketball. They're bigger than you realize.
John McCain Flip-Flops On The Confederate Flag - Watch
Watch this video that shows Sen. John McCain giving two opposing views on the Confederate Flag within just three days. Where does he stand today? Regardless of the answer, you can be sure it's going to be opposite one of the answers in this video!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Hill & Chel's Excellent Bosnian Adventure
Look, the whole ducking evidence of what seemed politically expedient back in the day on NAFTA isn't a big deal, really, although it would make sense for Senator Clinton to simply say she changed her mind rather than live in fear of the flip-flop label it might earn her.
And the taxes? Well, she's busy. I get it. She's the campaigner.
Never mind that there are pictures of Bill with Jeremiah Wright, or both of them with Rezko, I get it, politicians are often sought out by guys like Rezko, and for years everybody thought Wright was a patriotic, Christian ex-Marine, after all. Hell, most still do once they hear his comments in context. (Quick links to the "America's chickens are coming home to roost" story and the use of "Nigger" in comparing Clinton and Obama's background - which pretty much silence all but the most pig-headed of critics.)
But this depraved line she held to about the risks in Bosnia? Is that what we want on Day One in the Oval Office? Is the pre-requisite for a Commander In Chief handling calls at 3 a.m. the willingness to lie for personal aggrandizement and political points? Seriously - do we take our daughters into life-threatening situations? Watch the harrowing arrival in Bosnia, then you make the call.
How did all those reporters miss the sniper fire? Somebody here has just made a serious career-limiting mistake.
And the taxes? Well, she's busy. I get it. She's the campaigner.
Never mind that there are pictures of Bill with Jeremiah Wright, or both of them with Rezko, I get it, politicians are often sought out by guys like Rezko, and for years everybody thought Wright was a patriotic, Christian ex-Marine, after all. Hell, most still do once they hear his comments in context. (Quick links to the "America's chickens are coming home to roost" story and the use of "Nigger" in comparing Clinton and Obama's background - which pretty much silence all but the most pig-headed of critics.)
But this depraved line she held to about the risks in Bosnia? Is that what we want on Day One in the Oval Office? Is the pre-requisite for a Commander In Chief handling calls at 3 a.m. the willingness to lie for personal aggrandizement and political points? Seriously - do we take our daughters into life-threatening situations? Watch the harrowing arrival in Bosnia, then you make the call.How did all those reporters miss the sniper fire? Somebody here has just made a serious career-limiting mistake.
Bill Clinton Attacks MTVU Editorial Board On Gay Marriage
Appearing before the MTVU Editorial Board, Former President Bill Clinton went off again, this time on Lilly Lamboy of Smith College and the MTVU Editorial Board. In the video it becaomes clear that Clinton is not only horse in his voice, but prone to becoming testy very quickly.
Will there be more or fewer Gay couples in harrassment if couples can go to Massechusetts and not Utah? That was Clinton's question, but before Lilly could say anything, Bill shot back "Answer the question!" Well, you can see the exchange here, but the result pissed off Andrew Sullivan who stated that Clinton was running away from his record of having more Gays ousted from the Military than at anytime before.
Clinton, incredibly, states that the Defense of Marriage Act, which protects one state from having to recognize a "pro-gay" marriage act, paints the policy of the DOA, which he backed as not being anti-Gay. He then accuses Lilly of trying to re-write history.
Clinton is not helping his legacy. He comes off as an angry old coot who thinks the World and America should just fall down at his feet.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Obama's letter to Fed Chrmn Bernanke about the sub-prime lending crisis
On Thursday, March 22nd, U.S. Senator Barack Obama's campaign released his letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Paulson urging them to immediately convene a homeownership preservation summit with key stakeholders to fight foreclosures driven by growth in the subprime mortgage market.
It was overshadowed in the mainstream media by continuing dissection of the Phildelphia speech on values and race from Monday, and in the blogosphere by Hillary Clinton's Bosnia hyperbole,
...or did she simply mis-speak? Well, it got everybody to stop talking about her tax returns. But while Senator Clinton wrestles with what may be a career-limiting memory lapse, it's worth noting that Obama hasn't lost sight of the impact this is having all across the U.S. despite the time-consuming nature of campaigning.
It was overshadowed in the mainstream media by continuing dissection of the Phildelphia speech on values and race from Monday, and in the blogosphere by Hillary Clinton's Bosnia hyperbole,
...or did she simply mis-speak? Well, it got everybody to stop talking about her tax returns. But while Senator Clinton wrestles with what may be a career-limiting memory lapse, it's worth noting that Obama hasn't lost sight of the impact this is having all across the U.S. despite the time-consuming nature of campaigning.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Will Hillary's Bosnia Lie Be Reported By The Media?
Last year in July, I was on CNN's "Roland Martin Debates" and said that YouTube's greatest contribution to politics was that a candidate had to be authentic. That the person had to make statements that were consistent.
I then used the example of presidential candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton, who attacked he rival Senator Barack Obama for stating that he would talk to and meet with our enemies, when just a few months earlier, Senator Clinton herself said she would do the same thing and the evidence of this is captured on YouTube.
Well, it seems that Senator Clinton learned nothing at all from my statements or the fact that YouTube itself exists as a powerful force for recording what people do and say now, and in our history. Senator Clinton's just made a huge error in judgement that could and should be the final flip-flop that damages her campaign.
In a speech held just one day after Senator Obama's historic "A More Perfect Union" presentation, Senator Clinton clamed that she landed in Tulza, Bosnia under "sniper fire," adding: "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base." Clinton said.
But this YouTube video shows just the opposite: We see first that several newspapers have identified Senator Clinton's lie in what happened. Senator Clinton says in the video that they landed under heavy sniper fire and that there was no ceremony. The video then presents footage showing just the opposite, with Clinton walking with her daughter Chelsea and with a large group of people and being greeted by Bosnian heads of state.
The video says that the movie was created by Clinton campaign strategist Mark Penn. The question is will the mainstream media pick up the story.
The answer on the newspaper level is "yes". The Washington Post presented this story on Sunday March 22, entitled "Sniper Fire and Holes In Clinton's Recollection" and reports that "Far from running to an airport building with their heads down, Clinton and her party were greeted on the tarmac by smiling U.S. and Bosnian officials. An 8-year-old Muslim girl, Emina Bicakcic, read a poem in English. An Associated Press photograph of the greeting ceremony, below, shows a smiling Clinton bending down to receive a kiss."
Sinbad First Points To Clinton Lie The great comedian Sinbad was the first one to report that Senator Clinton was lying months ago, when he said "I think the only 'red phone' moment was 'Do we eat here or at the next place?' "
The Washington Post ends the story by giving Senator Clinton "Four Pinocchios."
I've not as of this writing seen this story reported on CNN or Fox or MSNBC, but what's clear to me this year is that the television news system in America is in shambles and has been taken over by entertainers who are influnced by advertisers and PR hacks.
There's no news anymore.
There are just attempts at influencing American public opinion for the purpose of helping some institution advance in power. The only check and balance system that exists is the online news media.
CNN's still presenting the Rev. Wright sound bites again and again. There's nothing -- and has not been to date -- about this news. And this news is about the person running for President and not someone who never thought of running for president and retired from preaching in the church.
It has to be asked why doesn't CNN or Fox explain who it backs for President, just as newspapers do? At least Americans would know and be able to make an informed choice about where they get their news.
Right now, it's a circus out there and there's no reason to consider television news to be a credible source on matters of business and politics. The only service they seem to "get right" is in the reporting of disasters, where having an "on the scene" person and camera gives those of us who are not there vital information about what's happening.
This was certainly true during 9-11. But disasters happen once in a while; business and politics is an everyday thing.
read more | digg story
I then used the example of presidential candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton, who attacked he rival Senator Barack Obama for stating that he would talk to and meet with our enemies, when just a few months earlier, Senator Clinton herself said she would do the same thing and the evidence of this is captured on YouTube.
Well, it seems that Senator Clinton learned nothing at all from my statements or the fact that YouTube itself exists as a powerful force for recording what people do and say now, and in our history. Senator Clinton's just made a huge error in judgement that could and should be the final flip-flop that damages her campaign.
In a speech held just one day after Senator Obama's historic "A More Perfect Union" presentation, Senator Clinton clamed that she landed in Tulza, Bosnia under "sniper fire," adding: "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base." Clinton said.
But this YouTube video shows just the opposite: We see first that several newspapers have identified Senator Clinton's lie in what happened. Senator Clinton says in the video that they landed under heavy sniper fire and that there was no ceremony. The video then presents footage showing just the opposite, with Clinton walking with her daughter Chelsea and with a large group of people and being greeted by Bosnian heads of state.
The video says that the movie was created by Clinton campaign strategist Mark Penn. The question is will the mainstream media pick up the story.
The answer on the newspaper level is "yes". The Washington Post presented this story on Sunday March 22, entitled "Sniper Fire and Holes In Clinton's Recollection" and reports that "Far from running to an airport building with their heads down, Clinton and her party were greeted on the tarmac by smiling U.S. and Bosnian officials. An 8-year-old Muslim girl, Emina Bicakcic, read a poem in English. An Associated Press photograph of the greeting ceremony, below, shows a smiling Clinton bending down to receive a kiss."
Sinbad First Points To Clinton Lie The great comedian Sinbad was the first one to report that Senator Clinton was lying months ago, when he said "I think the only 'red phone' moment was 'Do we eat here or at the next place?' "
The Washington Post ends the story by giving Senator Clinton "Four Pinocchios."
I've not as of this writing seen this story reported on CNN or Fox or MSNBC, but what's clear to me this year is that the television news system in America is in shambles and has been taken over by entertainers who are influnced by advertisers and PR hacks.
There's no news anymore.
There are just attempts at influencing American public opinion for the purpose of helping some institution advance in power. The only check and balance system that exists is the online news media.
CNN's still presenting the Rev. Wright sound bites again and again. There's nothing -- and has not been to date -- about this news. And this news is about the person running for President and not someone who never thought of running for president and retired from preaching in the church.
It has to be asked why doesn't CNN or Fox explain who it backs for President, just as newspapers do? At least Americans would know and be able to make an informed choice about where they get their news.
Right now, it's a circus out there and there's no reason to consider television news to be a credible source on matters of business and politics. The only service they seem to "get right" is in the reporting of disasters, where having an "on the scene" person and camera gives those of us who are not there vital information about what's happening.
This was certainly true during 9-11. But disasters happen once in a while; business and politics is an everyday thing.
read more | digg story
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