Casting Directors: Megan Fox as Wonder Woman

No, it's not true, but this fan-created poster shows how wonderful the possibilities could be! Make it so!

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Lionsgate Cuts 8% of Staff Ahead of Earnings Report

Lionsgate is cutting 8% of its staff, which had grown from 350 to 550 over the past four years. In all, 41 positions are being eliminated, with 17 rank-and-file staffers being laid off. The cuts span all divisions and almost all are at the megaindie’s Santa Monica headquarters.

read more | digg story

Comedy in the Age of Obama

Will political comedy be easier or more difficult under President Obama? A panel of comics shared their perspectives.

read more | digg story

Spielberg and Smith plot Oldboy remake

Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are planning to collaborate on a remake of Park Chan-wook's Oldboy, according to Variety. The pair, who have been looking for a project to work on together for some time, are said to be in early discussions about reworking the acclaimed Korean thriller.

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NBC Employees: Tina Fey, McCain had "Frosty" Relationship

McCain may have wanted to do SNL -- but he may not have wanted to do a sketch with Tina Fey.

read more | digg story

'24' Returns With A Whopping 4 Hour Premiere!

Fox has set a premiere day for the return of "24," planning a two-night, four-hour event in January.

read more | digg story

Soap Opera Makes the Biggest Screw Up -- Ever

The following story is one of the worst mistakes ever made in television history -- involving stupidity, a major soap opera, and a 6-year-old boy who was kidnapped, raped and murdered back in 2007.

read more | digg story

78 Million Watch Obama Win -Largest Ratings Since Super Bowl

Hollywood Reporter/Neilsen just released the ratings from last night. Barack Obama's historic presidential election victory was viewed by an equally historic numbers of viewers: 78,583,000 watched coverage across 14 networks Tuesday evening.

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'Heroes' duo get the ax

Big shakeup on the staff of NBC's "Heroes" came down on Sunday with the axing of co-exec producers Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb. Both scribe-producers had been with the show since its first season and were known to have led the day-to-day production operation under the direction of creator/exec producer Tim Kring.

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Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle Sign On for The Avengers

Marvel Entertainment has just announced that Robert Downey Jr and Don Cheadle have signed on for both Iron Man 2 and The Avengers. Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau will also executive produce The Avengers.

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Terminator 4 Video Shows 10 New Terminators

A new featurette shows off the amazing views of post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, plus an astonishing 10 new Terminators. They include a giant Harvester, the Moto-Terminator bikes, and an Aqua-Terminator... plus the primitive T-600, which you can see in action.

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Iron Man 2: How Terrence Howard Lost His Role

The first big surprise in the EW story is that Howard was the most highly paid actor for the original Iron Man movie

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What Will 'Saturday Night Live' Do Next?

Once every four years, the sketch comedy show, far past its comedic prime, gets a much-needed boost in ratings thanks to spot-on impressions of politicos and candidates. This year, Tina Fey's hilarious Sarah Palin impression helped give it a 70% bump in ratings. Sadly, Fey said she won't be continuing her role as the winking hockey mom.

read more | digg story

'Oprah Winfrey Show' May Be Close To Its End

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" may cease airing in 2011 when Winfrey walks away from the U.S. TV talk show, an executive says.

read more | digg story

Obama Roasts Rahm Emanuel: Missing Middle Finger Rendered Him Mute

This video shows then-Senator Barack Obama roasting Congressman Rahm Emanuel, who's now his Chief of Staff, at a 2005 charity event.  One highlight of Obama's roast is when he said that Emanuel cut his middle finger, rendering him practically mute!

It's a great look into how politicians in America relate to each other and reveals just how funny Paul Begala is.  I'm telling ya, he can rip off some hilarious quips.

Oprah Was Crying With Sam Perry of Obama For America

Folks are asking who the man on who's shoulder Oprah Winfrey was crying as President-Elect Barack Obama (love the sound of that) was speaking Election Night at Grant Park in Chicago.  According to Valleywag, it was Sam Perry , who was communications director with Obama for America in Chicago, but is also a Silicon Valley investor.  Here's the scene at Grant Park:

Prop 8 Protest In San Diego Draws 10,000 People

The narrow passage of Proposition 8, which makes marriage between the same sexes illegal in California, has sparked a string of protests and legal challenges.  This one is in San Diego and captured by this iReporter, Chris Murrow:

Palin Responsible For Spike In Death Threats Against Obama

Sarah Palin's attacks on Barack Obama's patriotism provoked a spike in death threats against the future president, Secret Service agents revealed during the final weeks of the campaign.

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Obama Says Speedy Action Needed on Economy - NYTimes.com

President-elect Barack Obama called on Friday for the Bush administration and Congress to enact an economic-stimulus package, and he pledged to confront the country’s economic crisis “head on” the moment he is sworn in on Jan. 20.

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Melissa Etheridge says No Gay Marriage -- No Taxes!

Melissa Etheridge took a vocal stand, arguing that the passing of Prop. 8 means the taxman may not benefit from her income as a musician.

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Calista Flockhart Is A Cutie

Famous Ally McBeal star, Calista Flockhart attends the Peace Over Violence’s 37th Annual Humanitarian Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel on November 7, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California.

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More has Been Read into Obama's Statement: Inderfurth

New Delhi: A key adviser to US President-elect Barack Obama sought to playdown the Democrat leader's reported suggestion that he could ask former President Bill Clinton to mediate between India and Pakistan, saying

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Norm Coleman sues in court to stop vote recount

Saint Paul [11/08/08] - In a shameful effort to deprive Minnesota voters of their civil rights, the Coleman campaign today went to court in an attempt to block 32 absentee ballots from being counted. Why does Norm Coleman hate the voters?

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ABC News: Strains Between McCain and Palin Aides Go Public

Now that the defeated team of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have gone their separate ways, the knives are out and Palin is the one who is getting filleted.

read more | digg story

NY Times: Cheney & Bush rev up their Wrecking Balls

Cheney, Bush and the White House cabal are busy issuing regulations which favor their friends, at a pace unheard of in history. You can bet their shredding machines are running full blast, and that computer files are being erased or modified at a record pace. INVESTIGATE. PROSECUTE. CONVICT. IMPRISON.

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Pakistan Declares Death Penalty for 'Cyber Terror'

American officials can have some pretty over-the-top reactions to hackers and so-called cyber terrorists. Once, I saw a briefing comparing our own Kevin Poulsen to Osama bin Laden and Pablo

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Berlusconi: "Obama Is..Tall Handsome and ..Tan" - First Italian Race-Bating Comment

Ok, we're about to find out which of the World's leaders are racially fucked-up and which are not. First up is Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who said this (translated): "Obama has it all - he's handsome, tall and tanand therefore has all of the characteristics necessary to have an excellent relationship with Russia." In Italian, it looks like this: "Obama ha tutto: è bello, alto e abbronzato ed ha quindi tutte le qualità per avere ottimi rapporti con la Russia".

Then he followed up by insisting that his statement was just fine: "It's absolutely a nice thing what I said, a hugecompliment," said the Prime Minister, "If all of the imbeciles get together we're screwed."

He's right about that.  But incapsulated in his statement about Russia is a warning about a future where I wonder of that country will base its American approach on whatever racism they've not overcome.   Here's the video below...

Barack Obama Press Conference And The Nancy Reagan Seance Thing

 President-Elect Barack Obama gave his first press conference today and it went extremely well.  Obama emphasized that he wasn't yet the President, but was preparing to hit the ground running, focusing on the economy.  Obama brought out his economic transition team, which consists of the following people according to Mark Ambinder:

David Bonior (Member House of Representatives 1977-2003)
·         Warren Buffett (Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway)-will participate via speakerphone
·         Roel Campos (former SEC Commissioner)
·         William Daley (Chairman of the Midwest, JP Morgan Chase; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Commerce, 1997-2000)
·         William Donaldson (Former Chairman of the SEC 2003-2005)
·         Roger Ferguson (President and CEO, TIAA-CREF and former Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve)
·         Jennifer Granholm (Governor, State of Michigan)
·         Anne Mulcahy (Chairman and CEO, Xerox)
·         Richard Parsons (Chairman of the Board, Time Warner)
·         Penny Pritzker (CEO, Classic Residence by Hyatt)
·         Robert Reich (University of California, Berkeley; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Labor, 1993-1997)
·         Robert Rubin (Chairman and Director of the Executive Committee, Citigroup; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Treasury, 1995-1999)
·         Eric Schmidt (Chairman and CEO, Google)
·         Lawrence Summers (Harvard University; Managing Director, D.E. Shaw; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Treasury, 1999-2001)
·         Laura Tyson (Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley; Former Chairman, National Economic Council, 1995-1996; Former Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisors, 1993-1995)
·         Antonio Villaraigosa (Mayor, City of Los Angeles)
·         Paul Volcker (Former Chairman, U.S. Federal Reserve 1979-1987)

That Nancy Reagan Thing

Some are upset over the President-Elect's remark that he wasn't going to  "get into a Nancy Reagan thing about Seances" but the hard truth is that Mrs. Reagan did call on astrologers for advice in scheduling after the assasination attempt on President Reagan, but then revealed she was using them since the 60s.


So Obama got it right: Nancy Reagan did have a "thing" about seances. 







Part Two...

Barack Obama Election Night Parties in San Francisco

This is my video of election night in San Francisco and the paties I went to. I started at The Westin for the San Francisco Democratic Party event, then went to Enrico's Restaurant, then back to the Westin and then to El Rio to finish. In the flow I captured interviews with a number of people including San Francisco Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Jake McGoldrick.

CHANGE.GOV is up and running at http://www.change.gov - Obama / Biden Website

The website of the President-Elect Barack Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden is up and running at http://www.change.gov.   You can find out about the Presidential Inauguration and even apply for a job in the Obama White House. 

Bowoto v. Chevron - Witness Testimony For Each Trial Day

This is a full text of recorded witness testimony given to date in the Chevron Trial. It comes from Scott Gilmore's blog -- http://bowotovchevron.wordpress.com/2008/ -- who's worked to attend every day of the trial since it's beginning.

Gilmore doesn't take a side but seems more interested in legal strategy than outcome, none the less I do provide commentary at some points below.

At any rate, here is just enough to give one a taste of what's going on but not by any stretch all of it -- that's Scott's blog.  So you should read "bottom to top" in terms of day if you want a forward chronological order or just go to the blog for the whole deal.

Day 7 11.5.08
In Trial Notes on November 5, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Federal Courthouse, San Francisco. Ambient temperature: 60 F.

Witness: Harrison Ulori

Today’s session began with the conclusion of Harrison Ulori’s testimony.  Mr. Ulori was an Itsekiri worker aboard the Parabe platform barge at the time of the Ilaje occupation.  He  also participated–along with Boyo Johnson–in the Itsekiri’s March 1998 occupation of Parabe.

Under cross examination by Mr. Klein–attorney for Chevron–Mr. Ulori corroborated previous accounts of the military operation on Parabe.  Mr. Ulori stated that from May 25th to 27th he observed no altercations and no violence between the Ilaje protesters and the Naval and Mobile Police aboard the platform and barge. Mr. Klein inquired if he had witnessed a mobile soldier brandishing his belt as a whip and he said he had not. This is the first time we have heard of this incident, and I wonder if Mr. Klein has a card up his sleeve here.

Mr. Ulori also testified that he heard several gunshots after the soldiers leapt from the first helicopter to land on the morning of May 28th. While this slightly contradicts other testimony that the soldiers opened fire while the helicopter was still hovering in the air, the discrepancy in sequence doesn’t strike me as being particularly consequential.

Witness: Methuselah Aiyenumelo

Next, we heard testimony from another of the Ilaje protesters. Questioned by Dan Stormer, counsel for the plaintiffs,  Methuselah (as he is commonly called) described the meeting held by Ilaje elders at Ikorigho at which they generated a list of demands from Chevron and decided on a course of action for the protest.

The list was entered into evidence and contained inter alia the following items:

Jobs

employment opportunities from Chevron Nigeria Ltd.
employment opportunities with the permanent contractors working with CNL
opportunities for indigenous contractors
Social Amenities

provision of potable water
town halls/meeting center
electricity/electric lights
post office
school assistance
Redress for Ecological Problems

embankment [protection from erosion]
sand filling [repairing erosion]
resettlement [for zones beyond rehabilitation]
Methuselah then described the events that occurred at the tugboat on May 28th. Arriving in the first Ilaje speedboat, Methuselah corroborated Mr. Bowoto’s previous testimony that the protesters arrived bearing placards with slogans like: “We want to speak to Kirkland [George Kirkland, Managing Director of Chevron]“

Aboard the vessel, the Ilaje refrained from entering the crew’s quarters or the galley below deck.  According to Methuselah, another Ilaje protester named Judah came to the tugboat on the evening of May 27th (the night before the attack) to inform him that Chevron’s negotiator and the Ilaje elders had agreed to meet on May 29th in Ikorigho and that the elders would send boats to evacuate the protesters the following morning. Thus far, all of the protesters’ testimony that the they were preparing to leave on the 28th have been consistent.

That night Methuselah slept aboard the barge with Judah. The following morning he awoke to the sound of gunfire. He witnessed soldiers leaping out from a helicopter and opening fire.  When a youth ran past him screaming that the soldiers were killing the Ilaje, Methuselah dove into the sea and swam for the tugboat. Once aboard the tugboat, Methuselah helped pull other protesters from the water. He testified that a helicopter hovered over the tugboat and fired tear gas onto its deck.

At that point, he asked Captain Schull to pilot the boat to shore.  The captain refused and Methuselah pleaded that it was a matter of life and death.  According to his testimony, the captain didn’t give his consent, but he did show Methuselah how to operate the levers that steered the boat.

Methuselah described hearing over the radio that two Ilaje protesters had been shot dead and that 10 others had been locked inside a cargo container on the barge. Then, the youths decided to hold the captain and crew of the tugboat in order to eventually secure the release of the detainees and to reclaim the bodies of the dead. Once at shore, they transferred the crew to a speedboat, brought them upriver and held them in town for three days before the Ilaje king–the Olubo–brokered their release. In the end, Chevron and the Nigerian military did not free the detainees for a month afterwards.

It is perhaps important to note that Methuselah’s account of the holding of the tugboat captain and crew occurred after the raid at Parabe.  While the situation aboard the tugboat was by all accounts a hostage-taking, it should not be conflated (as the defense suggests) with the protest aboard the platform.  The Ilaje seized the tugboat under duress and fearing for their lives after the armed military intervention: this should count as a somewhat mitigating factor. Whether the jury will see it this way of course remains to be seen.

Methuselah held up better under cross-examination than many of the other Ilaje witnesses, thanks to his better command of English.   Sensitive to the defense attorneys’ interrogatory strategy, Methuselah’s responses seemed carefully chosen to avoid repeating potentially prejudicial terms.  He expressed his disapproval of commandeering the tugboat and her crew, but stated that it was a desperate act. “We learned that two peaceful protesters were shot dead, and others were incarcerated, plus others were scattered in the waters–I knew that lives were at stake, so we took the tugboat ashore.”

Mr. Mittelstaedt only scored a few points with his line of questioning on the oil blocs. He got Methuselah to admit that there was an established legal mechanism for disputing the community representatives chosen to negotiate with Chevron–one which presumable was not used.

Finally, Mr. Mittelstaedt questioned Methuselah’s version of the Parabe attack. Aside from insinuating that Methuselah stayed in the tugboat’s radio room in order to keep the captain from piloting away from the barge–a seemingly unfounded allegation–Mr. Mittelstaedt was unable to tease out any serious contradictions in his testimony.

Witness: Bassey Jeje

The plaintiffs then presented a videotaped deposition of Bassey Jeje–one of the Ilaje protesters aboard Parabe. Mr. Jeje’s interview was recorded with Bob Mittelstaedt and Bert Voorhees in Lagos, Nigeria in January, 2005.

Mr. Jeje described the attack on Parabe in great detail. By his account, the soldiers fired automatic rifles and shot numerous rounds at the protesters.  This somewhat contradicts previous testimony that only a few rounds were initially fired.  However, Mr. Jeje–who was shot in the hand and suffered from an injury to his ribs. He was directly in the line of fire and witnessed the shooting of Larry Bowoto and the corpse of Arolika–it’s not surprising that his description of bullets whizzing past his ears might be somewhat exaggerated.

At one point in the deposition, Mr. Mittelstaedt asked Jeje a rather strange question: “Did you think that if they hit you, the bullets would bounce off your body?”

What was this magical thinking all about? Was Mittelstaedt resorting to the ‘Heart of Darkness’ argument I described a few posts back? Was he subtly depicting the Ilaje plaintiffs as superstitious savages?  To me it seems unthinkable that Mr. Mittelstaedt would have asked the same question of any of the white witnesses in this trial.

After a pregnant silence–where Mr. Jeje seemed to puzzle over the odd question–he answered matter-of-factly, “If a bullet hits a body, it will penetrate–it will not bounce.”

With that, the videotape ended.

In the final minutes, the plaintiffs called one last witness, but I will treat his testimony in its entirety tomorrow.

* Plaintiffs’ counsel announced tomorrow’s witnesses: Louis Wells and Majemu Osupayojo (by video)

▶ Comment
Day Six 11.4.08
In Uncategorized on November 5, 2008 at 3:37 pm
All apologies for missing Tuesday’s session.  I hope to link to another synopsis of the day’s events however. Check in later…

▶ Comment
BOWOTO V. CHEVRON, CHEVRON, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, HOSTAGES, NEGOTIATION, NIGERIA, RANSOM, USE OF FORCE
Day Five 11.3.08....CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Bowoto v. Chevron - Chevron Did Not Violate Human Rights According To Article

This article below gives a balanced view of what happened in Nigeria between Larry Bowoto and Chevron and why the case is important.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27 -- Chevron Corp. is at the center of a legal case before federal court in San Francisco that will ask jurors to decide whether the firm sanctioned human rights abuses that resulted in the deaths and injuries of protesters at its Nigerian facilities, or whether the company was simply protecting its employees from belligerent kidnappers.

The lawsuit—identified as Bowoto vs. Chevron, No. C99-2506SI (N.D. Calif.)—alleges that Chevron, in conjunction with the Nigerian military, engaged in torture, assaults, and the killing of two protesters over Chevron's environmental record and its failure to hire locals in the delta region near its oil drilling operations.

Both sides in the current case recognize that the impending courtroom battle, described by one observer as "epic," has legal implications that reach far beyond a single incident by one corporation operating in Nigeria.

"This case could have serious ramifications for workers in developing parts of the world," said Charles A. James, Chevron vice-president and general counsel.

"If plaintiffs had their way, a company could not report hostage-taking to law enforcement authorities without facing the threat of a lawsuit in the US," James said.

Dan Stormer of Hadsell, Stormer, Keeny, Richardson & Renick in Pasadena, Calif., is representing the plaintiffs, a group of Nigerians who were injured during protests on a Chevron offshore oil platform in 1998.

Stormer said his firm is trying to hold a corporation liable for their bad actions in another country, even if it is committed by their surrogates, a wholly owned subsidiary, or by the Nigerian government.

According to Chevron, the hostage-taking incident occurred 10 years ago on oil facilities operated off the Nigerian coast by Chevron Corp. subsidiary Chevron Nigeria Ltd. (CNL). More than 100 CNL workers and contractors were held for ransom and threatened with acts of violence.

Chevron said the incident began when plaintiff Larry Bowoto and other members of the Concerned Ilaje Citizens, an unsanctioned Nigerian community group, threatened CNL with violence and sea piracy if the company did not pay them money and give them jobs.

Weeks later, according to Chevron, they followed through on their threats by seizing the oil platform, an adjacent barge, and a tug boat on May 25, 1998, holding CNL employees and contractors hostage and demanding money and other considerations. CNL attempted to negotiate a resolution without success...MORE

Through OBAMA's MIRROR we see our better selves

An excerpt of Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak’s contribution to a compilation of reactions by Susan Albright. The full article with comments by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Peter Bell (R-MN and chair of the Metro Council,) and others is available, of course, but as the first big city mayor to endorse Obama's run for the Democratic nomination, Rybak's unique perspective encompasses a broad arc of challenges getting Obama's message out in Minnesota and surrounding states.

"When we faced one of the toughest moments in our generation, a remarkable man and a remarkable campaign turned a mirror onto the American people and we saw our better selves."

Minneapolis Mayor Raymond Thomas "RT" Rybak

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Rep Rahm Emanuel May Be Obama Chief of Staff But "Thinking About It"

In the assembly of the Obama cabinet, one name was mentioned first: Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel.  "Rahmy", as he's called, is a charismatic political figure who's known for his quick wit and fast decision-making.  I met Emanuel at the DNC Convention and had the pleasure of attending his party, "Chicago Night In Denver" at Fado's. 

Then, at Pepsi Center the Wednesday night of the convention, I literally ran into Rahmy three times in 27 minutes (we calculated this).  I was trying to get an interview with him the first time, but the last two times were totally by accident, and so random that Emanuel said "If this keeps up, our wives will talk" which reminded me of how much I would prefer marriage at ths point, but...

That aside, my read of Rahmy is that he's very confident, and if you can't match his level of confidence, he could eat you alive.  He's not a soft touch and indeed, he's very much like me in his temperment. (Which is why I like him so much.) 

As to his failure to just plain take the job right off, it's a smart move.  He was right to put the breaks on the annoucement publicly rather than say he's going to take the job, then all of a sudden not do it. 

I totally disagree with Joe Scarbourough in total.  Rahm's name was just kind of thrown out there, but Barack Obama's said nothing to confirm it.  This is pretty much media driven, and the Obama campaign may have to step in and put out the fire. 

YouTube and iReport - Online Video's Impact On The Election

President Barack Obama's success can be attributed to many factors, but online video is one of the major ones. YouTube, which didn't exist in the last election cycle, 2004, had a profound impact on the communication of Obama's brand, and changed politics forever. Now, authenticity is prized over what are now called "flip-flopping messages" to different groups to get votes.

(more)

Inauguration Tickets For Barack Obama Already On Sale In Secondary Market

I took a look at my traffic as I do several times a day, and noticed an uptick in searches for "presidential inaugural tickets" which means I've got a page devoted to that but only on the matter of Ticketmaster.  But I'd thought I'd make it easier to find, so if you are looking for "Presidential Inaugural Tickets" tickets click there on the link that is the term. 


They're going for between $800 and $2,000 at present.  But don't pay for them; they're suppose to be free.  I got this note just a moment ago:

Tickets are obtained through the office of your Senator or Congressman/woman. They are FREE... and very difficult to get. 

As posted the following site (and many other sites):

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/obama-inauguration-t-3224/ 

“Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth,” Howard Gantman, staff director for the (inaugural) committee, said in a release. “Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism.”

This goes for parade tickets also. 

Rice pledges smooth transition

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she's proud of the election of Barack Obama.

read more | digg story

Giants Handle Cowboys-almost have clear shot at division title

Giants Handle Cowboys-almost have clear shot at division title
By Dr. Bill Chachkes-Managing Partner Football Reporters Online

The New York Giants could have had the collapse of the decade. They could have fell apart. They could have played down to their competition as they did against the Browns, Bengals, and countless other teams over the years. Instead they came out and played “their game” against Dallas yesterday in the meadowlands. They established the run early, and although they had a few turnovers, and a few penalties more then normal, but in the end they finished the game up on the Cowboys by 21 points. They also moved to a 7-1 record, a half game ahead of all other challengers thus far in the NFC.

The Giants formula for success thus far has been a continuation of what they did late last season. Play solid defense, and establish the running game to open up the passing lanes. It doesn’t hurt that the kicking game has been so good over the last few years, with Jeff Feagles as the Punter and first Lawrence Tynes, and now John Carney placekicking. The Offense hasn’t been this good since the 60’s when Y.A. Tittle had Gifford, Shofner, Rote, and Morrison to throw to. While there are plenty of Current Giants to throw to, it’s the Earth (Brandon Jacobs) Wind ,(Derrick Ward), and Fire (Amahd Bradshaw) to run the ball that is the difference in this team since late last season.

But who is this 2008 Giants team really? Do they have what it takes to win the division, conference, and get back to the Super Bowl let alone win it for the second year in a row? Lots of obstacles stand in their way. First, there is the Eagles, who just refuse to die at 5-3, even though they are 0-2 in the division. Then, trailing close behind the Giants is Washington, who is 6-2, the only difference is the opening night loss to the Giants. Even Dallas, who just lost to NY yesterday, is still only 5-4 and coming up on their bye week. Carolina & Tampa in the South (6-2 & 6-3 respectively), Chicago in the North (at 5-3), and Arizona in the west,(also 5-3) are all competitive as well. Even Atlanta is 5-3, but like Dallas is 0-2 in their division.

If the Giants fall into a late season slump like they did in 2005’s playoffs or in the second half of the 2006 regular season, then you will hear the cry for Couglin’s head again. People are starting to claim that the Giants are the team to beat. I say I’m glad they aren’t letting the press clippings get to them. They almost blew it big time against The Bengals, and had a meltdown against the Browns. Now comes the big Sunday night match up with the Eagles. They will have to prove that they are the team to beat again.

Michael Crichton Passed On Election Day Of Cancer At 66 Years Old

This shocking news.  Author and screenwriter Michael Crichton died yesterday , Election Day, after what was described as a "private battle with cancer".  He was 66 years old.  


For me, Crichton was an introduction to the pop-culture possibilities of science.  From the quasi-possible book and movie  "The Andromeda Strain" to my favorite  "Jurrasic Park" , to his take on Japan / American economic and corporate relations "Rising Sun" and of course the popular television show "ER", Crichton's work never failed to entertain and inform.  


This video shows some of his books that were made into movies:

Ralph Nader Calls President-Elect Obama an "Uncle Tom" And Will Not Appologize

Well, whatever respect I had for Ralph Nader, and it was still considerable at a factor of 6 out of 10, was just reduced to 4 out of 10. This is because the Independent candidate for President, who got trounced by Senator Barack Obama last night, got on a Houston radio station and referred to Ralph Nader as an "Uncle Tom", which is a historically insulting term claiming that a Black person is White in some way and is intended to say that person's "not Black." Then Nader repeated the racist action on "Studio B with Shepard Smith". Here's the video:




I don't know why Nader's decided to be so racist so late in life, but such statements as that one and his earlier assertion that Obama "talks White " point to a major stereotype Nader holds about African Americans and would seem to "color" any good deed he wants to do in the future.

Obama party on Washington DC street still going at 2.30am

Obama Celebration: Harlem Style Parade For Obama

Ithaca College Celebrates Obama Singing "Star Spangled Banner"

African American Students at University of Florida React to Obama Election

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell On President-Elect Barack Obama

On NFL Chat , I asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to share his thoughts on the election of Senator Barack Obama as President of The United States.  This is what he said:

"National elections are always exciting for me. I am glad we have elected a new president. It's time for us all to come together. President-elect Obama is inspirational and I look forward to supporting him as he begins his new term."  

"Dancing In The Streets" People Celebrate President Obama

Crooks and Liars Nicole Ball's post shows how Americans were celebrating Barack Obama's election as President of The United States all over the country, in Boston , Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Seattle, just to name some of the cities.  But she forgot about Oakland and San Francisco.  That's OK.  Because I have video from a wild time in San Francisco coming up shortly.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ACCEPTANCE SPEECH VIDEO AND TEXT

This is historic, and not just because Obama is African American, but because of the sheer reach of this campaign and the number of people involved in it.

FULL TEXT of SPEECH:

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didnt do this just to win an election and I know you didnt do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how theyll make the mortgage, or pay their doctors bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who wont agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government cant solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way its been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, its that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if Americas beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we cant, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

I Didn't Vote For Obama,

I saw this on Talking Points Memo and had to post it.  Please read it.  

I Didn't Vote For Obama Today

November 4, 2008, 9:37AM

I have a confession to make.

I did not vote for Barack Obama today.

I've openly supported Obama since March.  But I didn't vote for him today.

I wanted to vote for Ronald Woods.  He was my algebra teacher at Clark Junior High in East St. Louis, IL.  He died 15 years ago when his truck skidded head-first into a utility pole.  He spent many a day teaching us many things besides the Pythagorean Theorem.  He taught us about Medgar Evers, Ralph Abernathy, John Lewis and many other civil rights figures who get lost in the shadow cast by Martin Luther King, Jr.

But I didn't vote for Mr. Woods.

I wanted to vote for Willie Mae Cross.  She owned and operated Crossroads Preparatory Academy for almost 30 years, educating and empowering thousands of kids before her death in 2003.  I was her first student.  She gave me my first job, teaching chess and math concepts to kids in grades K-4 in her summer program.  She was always there for advice, cheer and consolation.  Ms. Cross, in her own way, taught me more about walking in faith than anyone else I ever knew.

But I didn't vote for Ms. Cross.

I wanted to vote for Arthur Mells Jackson, Sr. and Jr.  Jackson Senior was a Latin professor.  He has a gifted school named for him in my hometown.  Jackson Junior was the pre-eminent physician in my hometown for over 30 years.  He has a heliport named for him at a hospital in my hometown.  They were my great-grandfather and great-uncle, respectively.

But I didn't vote for Prof. Jackson or Dr. Jackson.

I wanted to vote for A.B. Palmer.  She was a leading civil rights figure in Shreveport, Louisiana, where my mother grew up and where I still have dozens of family members.  She was a strong-willed woman who earned the grudging respect of the town's leaders because she never, ever backed down from anyone and always gave better than she got.  She lived to the ripe old age of 99, and has a community center named for her in Shreveport.

But I didn't vote for Mrs. Palmer.

I wanted to vote for these people, who did not live to see a day where a Black man would appear on their ballots on a crisp November morning.

In the end, though, I realized that I could not vote for them any more than I could vote for Obama himself.

So who did I vote for?

No one.

I didn't vote.  Not for President, anyway.

Oh, I went to the voting booth.  I signed, was given my stub, and was walked over to a voting machine.  I cast votes for statewide races and a state referendum on water and sewer improvements.

I stood there, and I thought about all of these people, who influenced my life so greatly.  But I didn't vote for who would be the 44th President of the United States.

When my ballot was complete, except for the top line, I finally decided who I was going to vote for - and then decided to let him vote for me.  I reached down, picked him up, and told him to find Obama's name on the screen and touch it.

And so it came to pass that Alexander Reed, age 5, read the voting screen, found the right candidate, touched his name, and actually cast a vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Oh, the vote will be recorded as mine.  But I didn't cast it.

Then again, the person who actually pressed the Obama box and the red "vote" button was the person I was really voting for all along.

It made the months of donating, phonebanking, canvassing, door hanger distributing, sign posting, blogging, arguing and persuading so much sweeter.

So, no, I didn't vote for Barack Obama.  I voted for a boy who now has every reason to believe he, too, can grow up to be anything he wants...even President.

Senator Obama will be President Obama.

Latest election calls from AP and NPR. NPR predicts that Ohio wil go to Obama. It is over.

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Barack Obama wins the 2008 Presidential Election

Greatest Digg Submission. Ever.

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