"Change" declared the word of the year -- in JAPAN!

Using a brush to write the single character on a wooden platform as tourists looked on at Kiyomizu temple in the ancient capital of Kyoto, chief monk Seihan Mori declared “change” to be Japan’s character of the year.

The selection of the kanji character, pictured at the right, is “...an expression of the Japanese people’s wishes to see political, economic and societal changes..." as they anticipate Obama's term according to Mori.

The Kiyomizu temple dates back to 798, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633. It takes its name from the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water drop into a pond within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills.

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Iraq Report Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders - NYTimes.com

Huff Post: Report Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders - NYTimes.com: “BAGHDAD — An unpublished 513-page federal history of the American-led reconstruction of Iraq depicts an effort crippled before the invasion by Pentagon planners who were hostile to the idea of rebuilding a foreign country, and then molded into a $100 billion failure by bureaucratic turf wars, spiraling violence and ignorance of the basic elements of Iraqi society and infrastructure.

The history, the first official account of its kind, is circulating in draft form here and in Washington among a tight circle of technical reviewers, policy experts and senior officials. It also concludes that when the reconstruction began to lag — particularly in the critical area of rebuilding the Iraqi police and army — the Pentagon simply put out inflated measures of progress to cover up the failures.

In one passage, for example, former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell is quoted as saying that in the months after the 2003 invasion, the Defense Department “kept inventing numbers of Iraqi security forces — the number would jump 20,000 a week! ‘We now have 80,000, we now have 100,000, we now have 120,000.’ "

--- That waste can be used to help the American Economy!

Paul Zimmerman Interview At The 2006 NFL Draft - Dr. Z Suffered Two Strokes

I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Sports Illustrated's legendary writer Paul Zimmerman at the 2006 NFL Draft. Here's we talked about why the Houston Texans picked Mario Williams as the number of pick over USC Running Back Reggie Bush.

But then the conversation turned to how he felt about Katie Couric being then the new anchor for the CBS Evening News. He hated the choice, whereas I felt she was right for...focus groups.

But then we talked about the biggest change in football and he pointed to the emergence of the Black Athlete and how fast the game has become. If you listen to Dr. Z, you understand the tremendous knoweldge he has of the game and how much of a treasure he is.

Dr. Z has suffered not one, but two strokes recently and there's talk that S.I. is cutting back his workload. I hope not. But read S.I.'s Peter King's column on the man who lives just 25 minutes from him in New Jersey.

Why There Are So Few Minority Conservatives, Part 176 | Oliver Willis

Why There Are So Few Minority Conservatives, Part 176 | Oliver Willis Oliver is right on -- Republican extremists, some call themselves Conservatives -- are too far to be of any real value to the improvement of the American condition.

U.S. Training in Africa Aims to Deter Extremists - NYTimes.com

U.S. Training in Africa Aims to Deter Extremists - NYTimes.com: “KATI, Mali — Thousands of miles from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, another side of America’s fight against terrorism is unfolding in this remote corner of West Africa. American Green Berets are training African armies to guard their borders and patrol vast desolate expanses against infiltration by Al Qaeda’s militants, so the United States does not have to.

A recent exercise by the United States military here was part of a wide-ranging plan, developed after the Sept. 11 attacks, to take counterterrorism training and assistance to places outside the Middle East, like the Philippines and Indonesia. In Africa, a five-year, $500 million partnership between the State and Defense Departments includes Algeria, Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia, and Libya is on the verge of joining.”

Bad Times Draw Bigger Crowds to Churches - NYTimes.com

Bad Times Draw Bigger Crowds to Churches - NYTimes.com: “Like evangelical churches around the country, the three churches have enjoyed steady growth over the last decade. But since September, pastors nationwide say they have seen such a burst of new interest that they find themselves contending with powerful conflicting emotions — deep empathy and quiet excitement — as they re-encounter an old piece of religious lore:

Bad times are good for evangelical churches.”

Big Penis - Will I Hurt My Partner? - DanAndJennifer's Video Gets 2 Million Views

In a recent NY Times article it was reported that some YouTubers are making $100,000 a year from posting videos.

As a YouTube partner myself I was interested in what kind of content generates enough views to have that kind of income? So I happened on DanAndJennifer's "ask channel" where this couple (I guess they're a couple), have this video posted in July and has been seen over 2 million times since then. Wow. Ok, sex -- even the discussion of it -- sells. But in fairness, they talk about it, rather than show it.

Ok.

More racy videos? I think I'll stick to politics and current events. Well ok, sex is a current event, sometimes I make a foray into that area.

Heather Brooke Rinehart and John Bzdil Charged in Columbia University Fraud Case

NY Daily News: Couple charged in big Columbia University con split for Christmas: “The feds say the couple bilked Columbia by submitting $112,500 in invoices for a bogus spinal muscular study. At the time, Bzdil was managing the pediatric neurosciences department of the Neurological Institute of Columbia.
He signed off on an invoice Rinehart prepared in which she claimed to be a clinical manager for an international support group for people with spinal muscular atrophy, prosecutors say. She claimed to be paying a Columbia doctor for the study.
The couple spent $25,000 on the "Bzdil/Rinehart Wedding" at the Skytop Lodge in the Poconos on Sept. 15, 2007, FBI Agent Jose Charriez said in a criminal complaint.
Bzdil approved another $84,000 in reimbursements for a massive online buying spree on Amazon.com, Charriez said.
Charriez said particular favorites were Bliss products such as Mammoth Minty Scrub, All Around Eye Cream and Lovehandler.
"Lovehandler wages war on not-so-hard 'core' areas by unleashing extended release caffeine to help whittle the appearance of wiggly waists and pudgy tummies," its product description reads.
Bzdil and Rinehart each face 20 years in prison if convicted on fraud charges.”

Bernard 'Bernie' Madoff: From Queens lifeguard to soaking fraud

Bernard 'Bernie' Madoff: From Queens lifeguard to soaking fraud: “BY LARRY MCSHANE NYDAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Saturday, December 13th 2008, 11:55 AM Feds say Madoff's Ponzi scheme was worst ever. Bernard Madoff, "Bernie" to his Wall Street pals and deep-pocketed investors, launched his financial career with $5,000 earned as a Far Rockaway lifeguard.

That was nearly a half-century ago. Today, investors with Madoff's firm are drowning after the former Nasdaq chairman admitted fleecing his customers of $50 billion.

Madoff, 70, was known as a quirky figure inside his company offices at Manhattan's Lipstick Building. Still, he was respected for his uncanny - and apparently illegal - ability to generate cash for his clients.
The Hennessee Group, which tracks investment performance, says Madoff's firm suffered just five down months in 13 years between 1993-2007.”

Shaun Donovan Named Secretary Of Department Of Housing And Urban Development By Obama

HuffPost - Shaun Donovan Named Secretary Of Department Of Housing And Urban Development By Obama: “CHICAGO — Promising a prominent role for his housing department, President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named a Harvard-educated architect to lead an agency dealing with the mortgage mess that dragged the country into a recession.

With one in 10 U.S. homeowners delinquent on mortgage payments or in foreclosure, Obama said New York City housing commissioner Shaun Donovan will bring "fresh thinking, unencumbered by old ideology and outdated ideas" at the Housing and Urban Development Department to help resolve the housing and economic crisis.”

The Pope And The Vatican Discover Qik and New Media

Look who's into New Media: The Pope and the Vatican. h2onewscrossmedia is the organization that uses the cell-phone-based live streaming online service called Qik.com. According to TechCrunch, they have more views than Ashton Kutcher!


Here's a video from their stream page:





Robert Scoble shared his thoughts with TechCrunch:

As Qik’s first user, I find the service very cool, but I find that more and more I’m moving away from it for a few reasons:

1. cell phone video is cool at first, but then you keep finding areas where it doesn’t work well and you can’t get the HD quality you can get with a newer HD camera and YouTube, Facebook, SmugMug, or Vimeo.
2. The chat room sucks in comparison to Ustream, Stickam, or Kyte.tv.
3. You can’t use your laptop’s camera, your FlipCam, or other recorded video on the service. That’s why I’ve been showing up on Kyte.tv more lately.
4. The service and/or bandwidth sometimes goes away right in the middle of doing something important (like filming a press conference) and there’s often nothing you can do about it. While on Kyte I can switch to a recording and use the service just fine when the connection comes back up.
5. I like the player on Kyte better and it’s embedable in more places.

But, Qik is better for many uses and I still use it from time to time to take videos of my family because it’s easier to use for many personal things. I hope that 2009 brings lots of upgrades to Qik so I can use it for more than just my videos of my family.

Bernard L. Madoff - Questions Are Raised in Madoff’s Massive Fraud - NYTimes.com

Questions Are Raised in Trader’s Massive Fraud - NYTimes.com: “For years, investors, rivals and regulators all wondered how Bernard L. Madoff worked his magic.

But on Friday, less than 24 hours after this prominent Wall Street figure was arrested on charges connected with what authorities portrayed as the biggest Ponzi scheme in financial history, hard questions began to be raised about whether Mr. Madoff acted alone and why his suspected con game was not uncovered sooner.

As investors from Palm Beach to New York to London counted their losses on Friday in what Mr. Madoff himself described as a $50 billion fraud, federal authorities took control of what remained of his firm and began to pore over its books.”

BANK OF AMERICA PLANS TO CUT 30,000+ JOBS OVER NEXT 3 YEARS AFTER MERRILL LYNCH PURCHASE - New York Post

BANK OF AMERICA PLANS TO CUT 30,000+ JOBS OVER NEXT 3 YEARS AFTER MERRILL LYNCH PURCHASE - New York Post: “Bank of America said yesterday it plans to eliminate 30,000 to 35,000 jobs over three years after it completes its purchase of Merrill Lynch.

The cuts could affect about 11 percent of the combined companies' roughly 308,000-person work force. BofA employs about 247,000 people and Merrill about 61,000.

BofA said the expected cuts reflect the pending merger, as well as "the weak economic environment, which is affecting the level of business activity."”

AIG MAY NOT PAY BACK $60 BILLION TO GOVERNMENT AS PROMISED IN BAILOUT PLAN - New York Post

AIG MAY NOT PAY BACK $60B TO GOV'T AS PROMISED IN BAILOUT PLAN - New York Post: “Uncle Sam may not get paid back as promised in its $150 billion bailout of American International Group, the giant insurer conceded.

AIG had agreed as a condition of its recent government lifeline to escape bankruptcy that it would repay at least $60 billion by selling valuable assets.

However, CEO Ed Liddy admitted yesterday that it may not be that easy to raise the cash.”

NBC UNIVERSAL BOSS JEFF ZUCKER LOOKS TO EXTEND BEN SILVERMAN'S CONTRACT - New York Post

NBC UNIVERSAL BOSS JEFF ZUCKER LOOKS TO EXTEND BEN SILVERMAN'S CONTRACT - New York Post: “NBC Universal is in talks to extend chief programmer Ben Silverman's contract for at least another year, The Post has learned.

Silverman has told friends that he is keen to stay at the network, and now that he's improved the entertainment unit's earnings, NBCU boss Jeff Zucker is said to be leaning toward giving him another 12 months to work with the programming slate, said sources close to both men.”

DALLAS COWBOYS TERRELL OWENS, JASON WITTEN, TONY ROMO PREPARE TO PLAY NREW YORK GIANTS - New York Post

DALLAS COWBOYS TERRELL OWENS, JASON WITTEN, TONY ROMO PREPARE TO PLAY NREW YORK GIANTS - New York Post: “It looks like the Giantsare catching the Cowboys at just the right time, with America's Team about to implode.

One day after Terrell Owens spoiled the holiday mood by saying quarterback Tony Romo was playing favorites with tight end Jason Witten, another starting player told ESPN's Ed Werder, "We are not together as a team, and that includes the coaches."

Owens claims Romo and Witten, who are friends and road roommates, conspire to draw up passing plays that exclude the wide receiver. The perception was denied throughout the organization, but it was revealed other wide receivers had spoken to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about their roles in the offense.”

Google's NYC holiday party has Filet mignon on menu

Perks: Filet mignon on menu at Google's NYC holiday party -- I wish I were there!

Detroit Free Press To End Home Delivery - WSJ.com

Detroit Dailies to Curtail Home Delivery - WSJ.com: “The publisher of the Detroit Free Press, the country's 20th largest paper by weekday circulation, is expected to announce next week that it will cease home delivery of the print edition of the newspaper on most days of the week, according to a person familiar with the company's thinking.”

Inaugural Committee Donors - Presidential Inaugural Committee

Presidential Inaugural Committee | Inaugural Committee Donors From the website:
"In keeping with President-elect Obama’s commitment to changing the way business is done in Washington, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) is taking unprecedented steps to insure transparency in the public reporting of donors to a Presidential Inaugural Committee. This chart will allow you to view, sort, and search virtually real-time information on all donors contributing over $200 to the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Unlike previous inaugural committees, the 2009 PIC does not accept contributions from corporations, political action committees, labor unions, current federally-registered lobbyists, non-U.S. citizens and registered foreign agents and does not accept individual contributions in excess of $50,000."

Bush White House Blocks Blair House From Obamas - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com

Sorry, We’re Booked, White House Tells Obamas - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com: “CHICAGO—The White House has turned down a request from the family of President-elect Barack Obama to move into Blair House in early January so that his daughters can start school on January 5.

The Obamas were told that Blair House, where incoming presidents usually stay in the five days before Inauguration Day, is booked in early January, a spokesperson to the Obama transition said. “We explored the idea so that the girls could start school on schedule,’ the spokesperson said. “But, there were previously scheduled events and guests that couldn’t be displaced.”

It remained unclear who on Bushes guest list outranked the incoming President.

“It’s not a public schedule,” said Sally McDonough, spokeswoman for First Lady Laura Bush, in refusing to disclose who was staying at Blair House. “It’s not a question of outranking the Obamas. Blair House will be available to them on January 15.””

Fox News - Rahm Emanuel Gave Blagojevich List Of 'Acceptable' Senate Candidates: Report

Rahm Emanuel Gave Blagojevich List Of 'Acceptable' Senate Candidates: ReportHuff Post: “President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had direct conversations with Gov. Rod Blagojevich about Obama's replacement in the US Senate, FOX News Chicago reports.

Citing "a source familiar with the investigation," Fox says that Emanuel had "multiple conversations" with Blagojevich and his chief of staff John Harris, who was also arrested Tuesday on federal corruption charges, about the seat and that they we're "likely recorded and in FBI possession."

Fox's source said that Emanuel gave the governor's office a list of "candidates that would be acceptable to President-elect Barack Obama" but no "quid pro quo" or "dealmaking" is suspected.

Meanwhile, an angry Emanuel says he won't go to work because of the media stakeout. He told an ABC News cameraman that has received death threats:”

Norm Coleman - Did Coleman's Financial Straits Force Him To Solicit Donor Favors?

Huff Post - Did Coleman's Financial Straits Force Him To Solicit Donor Favors?: “Did Norm Coleman's financial problems compel him to turn to friends and GOP donors for help with his living situation?

That's what a new story out of Minnesota alleges. Friday morning, a local Fox News affiliate reported that at the time that Coleman allegedly received $75,000 in unreported payments from a prominent Republican businessman, he was also struggling to make payments for the restructuring of his home.”

John Harris - Gov. Rod Blagojevich Chief Of Staff John Harris Resigns

Blagojevich Chief Of Staff John Harris Resigns: “John Harris, chief of staff to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, resigned Friday morning.

Harris submitted his resignation letter in person, his lawyer told the Chicago Tribune, and will not be returning to the office.

Harris and Blagojevich were both arrested Tuesday morning on federal corruption charges. His resignation came as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the state Supreme Court to have Blagojevich declared unfit to serve and removed from office.”

Al Franken Wins Major Victory In Absentee Count For Senate Seat

Franken Wins Major Victory In Absentee CountHuff Post: “Al Franken received a potentially major boost towards his hopes of becoming Senator on Friday, when Minnesota state officials ruled that absentee ballots rejected because of clerical or administrative errors should, in the end, be counted.”

Who's Buying What in Super Bowl XLIII - Advertising Age - News

Who's Buying What in Super Bowl XLIII - Advertising Age - NewsAn excerpt: “A Rundown of Marketers and Their Spots in the Big Game

Published: December 08, 2008
Anheuser-Busch
Buy: The maker of Budweiser and Bud Light is expected to run five minutes' worth of advertising, according to Bob Lachky, chief creative officer of the A-B InBev unit.
Creative: A-B is testing as many as three different ads using its famous Clydesdale horses and is considering one spot apiece for its Bud Light Lime and Budweiser American Ale products. Bud Light is also expected to get plenty of face time, with at least three spots possible. A-B is famous for testing its Super Bowl ads among consumers again and again, so the final lineup is still in question.
Agency: Omnicom Group's DDB, Chicago; Havas' Euro RSCG, Chicago; and St. Louis independent Waylon are among the agencies with ads that could appear.
Audi
Buy: The automaker will air one :60 during the game's first quarter. Audi's 2008 Super Bowl spot featured its R8 sports car in a spoof of "The Godfather," and earned Audi the No. 2 spot in total buzz after the game, the company said. It also successfully drove traffic to Audi's web site.
Creative: Audi declined to comment on which vehicle would be featured or what the content of the spot will be.
Agency: Venables Bell & Partners, San Francisco.
Bridgestone
Buy: The tire maker will once again sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show, which this year features Bruce Springsteen. The company will also run two 30-second commercials, according to Phil Pasci, VP-consumer marketing for Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire. Placement of the ads during the game is being negotiated with NBC and the NFL.
Creative: The ads will contain humor while focusing on showcasing the performance of the company's tires.
Agency: Independent Richards Group of Dallas
CareerBuilder
Buy: The jobs site intends to run two 30-second ads, one in the second quarter and one in the third, according to Cynthia Walker, the company's senior director of advertising.
Creative: Ms. Walker said the ads will not use the famous monkeys from Super Bowl ads past.
Agency: Independent Wieden & Kennedy
Cars.com
Buy: The website will air one 60-second ad in the second quarter.
Creative: A person familiar with the situation said the ads are expected to be humorous.
Agency: DDB, Chicago
Coca-Cola Co.
Buy: The beverage company intends to advertise its flagship cola in multiple spots.
Creative: In the last Super Bowl, Coke received critical acclaim for a majestic ad featuring balloons from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade slugging it out for a bottle of the fizzy brown liquid.
Agency: Wieden & Kennedy
E-Trade Financial
Buy: A company spokeswoman said E-Trade has purchased one spot; in recent years, E-Trade has run two 30-second commercials.
Creative: A person familiar with the situation suggested E-Trade is likely to bring back the talking baby it used in the last contest. E-Trade declined to comment on the content of its Super Bowl advertising.
Agency: WPP Group PLC's Grey New York
PepsiCo's Frito-Lay
Buy: The company's cheesy-chip brand will solicit self-made ads for Doritos from consumers and air one as a 30-second spot.
Creative: Doritos will give the winning entry $1 million if the ad becomes "the first-ever consumer-created commercial to claim the No. 1 ranking in USA Today's annual Ad Meter."
Agency: n/a
General Electric
Buy: The owner of NBC, broadcaster of the 2009 Super Bowl, intends to run one spot in the game.
Creative: A company spokeswoman declined to speak about the length of the commercial.
Agency: Omnicom Group's BBDO
GoDaddy
Buy: The registrar of online domain names has purchased one 30-second ad in the Super Bowl and is mulling the purchase of another, said Bob Parsons, the company's CEO and founder.
Creative: GoDaddy is producing two ads, both of which will feature race-car driver Danica Patrick and embody the slightly inappropriate tone of the company's past Super Bowl ads.
Agency: In-house
Hyundai
Buy: Two commercials
Creative: The ads are for the launch of its 2010-model Genesis coupe.
Agency: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco
Monster
Buy: One 30-second ad
Creative: Monster is kicking off a campaign highlighting the fact that it has become the official careerservices sponsor of the NFL. As part of that pact, the company said, it will run an additional 30-second "in-game enhancement" to launch an NFL-themed promotion intended to drive traffic to the site.
Agency: BBDO”

Mayor's Office Treatment of Anne Campbell Washington Example of How Terrible City of Oakland Can Be - Chip Johnson, SF Chron

Mayor's Office Treatment of Anne Campbell Washington Example of How Terrible City of Oakland Can Be - Chip Johnson, SF Chron: “Chip Johnson SF Chron: - Loyalty or else in King Dellums' realm: “The city of Oakland no longer operates under a representative democracy - it's now a monarchy.

And within the confines of that form of government, any criticism or disloyalty directed at the king - whether real or imagined - is dealt with.

Her crime: She gave an affectionate hug to an elderly woman who spoke at a City Council meeting against a Dellums appointment to the city's housing authority commission in early October.”

--- This is unfortunate but nothing new. It's what happens when you are in an arena where people are not compensated for creating wealth but for artificially giving loyalty just to get paid. Thus, the way to rise in such organizations is via the backstabbing Johnson points to.

It's why we didn't get the 2005 Super Bowl. Forget the Raiders and the legal matters, it's this kind of rampant disfuction that is the reason. It's fair to say if you see a person of high rank in the offices of elected officials, it's commonly for this reason.

Now here, I'm going to give my friend Oaland City Attorney John Russo his "props" -- you'd never hear of that coming out of his office. And there's a way to measure how people do their jobs. Mayor Dellums should be ashamed that a story like this ever developed.”

THE BLACK LIST 2008: Top Screenplays - Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily » THE BLACK LIST 2008: Top Screenplays: “67 Mentions (First Place)
THE BEAVER by Kyle Killen

61 Mentions
THE ORANGES by Jay Reiss & Ian Helfer

44 Mentions
BUTTER by Jason Micallef

42 Mentions
BIG HOLE by Michael Gilio

40 Mentions
THE LOW DWELLER by Brad Ingelsby

39 Mentions
FUCKBUDDIES by Liz Meriwether

34 Mentions
WINTER’S DISCONTENT by Paul Fruchbom

29 Mentions
BROKEN CITY by Brian Tucker

24 Mentions
I’M WITH CANCER by Will Reiser

22 Mentions
OUR BRAND IS CRISIS by Peter Straughan

21 Mentions
INGLORIOUS BASTERDS by Quentin Tarantino

20 Mentions
UNTITLED VANESSA TAYLOR PROJECT by Vanessa Taylor

16 Mentions
GALAHAD by Ryan Condal
THE WEST IS DEAD by Andrew Baldwin

15 Mentions
MANUSCRIPT by Paul Grellong
THE TUTOR by Matthew Fogel

14 Mentions
THE DESCENDANTS by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
SUNFLOWER by Misha Green
GOING THE DISTANCE by Geoff LaTulippe

13 Mentions
THE AMERICAN WAY by Brian Kistler
NOWHERE BOY by Matt Greenhalgh
RAINDROPS ALL AROUND ME by Reed Agnew & Eli Jorne
SEQUELS, REMAKES & ADAPTATIONS by Sam Esmail

12 Mentions
A COUPLE OF DICKS by Mark Cullen & Robb Cullen
GAY DUDE by Alan Yang
THE MANY DEATHS OF BARNABY JAMES by Brian Nathanson
UNDERAGE by Scott Neustadter & Michael Weber

11 Mentions
CODE NAME VEIL by Matt Billingsley
EVERYTHING MUST GO by Dan Rush
THE FOURTH KIND by Olatunde Osunsanmi
FOXCATCHER by E Max Frye & Dan Futterman
THE PHANTOM LIMB by Kevin Koehler

10 Mentions
THE APOSTLES OF INFINITE LOVE by Victoria Strouse
THE F-WORD by Elan Mastai
UP IN THE AIR by Jason Reitman

9 Mentions
BACHELORETTE by Leslye Headland
JONNY QUEST by Dan Mazeau
THE KARMA COALITION by Shawn Christensen
KEIKO by Elizabeth Wright Shapiro
KNIGHTS by Nick Confalone & Neal Dusedau
TWENTY TIMES A LADY by Gabrielle Allan & Jennifer Crittenden

8 Mentions
CLEAR WINTER NOON by John Kolvenbach
FIERCE INVALIDS HOME FROM HOT CLIMATES by Eric Aronson
ROUNDTABLE by Brian K Vaughan

7 Mentions
THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF THE MONOGAMOUS DUCK by Neeraj Katyal
THE GARY COLEMAN –EMMANUEL LEWIS PROJECT by Dan Fogelman
THE LAYMAN’S TERMS by Jeremy Bailey
THE MALLUSIONIST by Robbie Pickering & JaceRicci
PLAN B by Kate Angelo
WHAT IS LIFE WORTH? By Max Borenstein

6 Mentions
ACOD: ADULT CHILDREN OF DIVORCE by Ben Karlin & Stu Zicherman
BAD TEACHER by Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupnitsky
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY by Charles Randolph
CHILD 44 by Richard Price
EASY A by Bert Royal
GIANTS by Eric Nazarian
GRAND THEFT AUTO by Jason Dean Hall
HELP ME SPREAD GOODNESS by Mark Friedman
INFERNO: A LINDA LOVELACE STORY by Matt Wilder
LONDON BOULEVARD by William Monahan
MEMOIRS by Will Fetters
SHRAPNEL by Evan Daugherty
YOUR DREAMS SUCK by Kat Dennings & Geoffrey Litwak

5 Mentions
AFTER HAILEY by Scott Frank
THE BLADE ITSELF by Aaron Stockard
BROTHERHOOD OF THE ROSE by Adam Cozad
FRESHLY POPPED by Megan Parsons
GAZA by Frank Deasy
GREETINGS FROM JERRY by John Killoran
GROWN MAN BUSINESS by Justin Britt-Gibson
THE HERETIC by Javier Rodriguez
HOW TO BE GOOD by Cindy Chupack
MAN OF CLOTH by Josh Zetumer
SLEEPING BEAUTY by Julia Leigh
THE SPELLMAN FILES by Bobby Florsheim & Josh Stolberg
STOP HUNTINGDON ANIMAL CRUELTY by Adam Sachs
A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Beau Willimon
UNLOCKED by Peter O’Brien
WHAT WOULD KENNY DO? by Chris Baldi
THE ZERO by Stephen Chin

4 Mentions
RONIN by Chris Morgan
BALLAD OF THE WHISKEY ROBBER by Rich Wilkes
THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE DAMNED by Hanna Weg
A BITTERSWEET LIFE by Mark L Smith
BOBBIE SUE by Russell Sharman, Owen Egerton, & Chris Mass
BOBISM by Ben Wexler
DEADLINE by Soo Hugh
THE DEBT by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn
THE ENDS OF THE EARTH by Chris Terrio
HEARTSTOPPER by Dan Antoniazzi & Ben Shiffrin
THE HOW-TO GUIDE FOR SAVING THE WORLD by BenDavid Grabinski
I KILLED BUDDY CLOY by Nick Garrison & Chase Pletts
JAR CITY by Michael Ross
A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY by Susan Walter
THE MOST ANNOYING MAN IN THE WORLD by Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert
MOTORCADE by Billy Ray
THE MURDERER AMONG US by Lori Gambino
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HELL by Brian McGreevy & Lee Shipman
SAMURAI by Fernley Phillips
THE SCAVENGERS by Nate Edelman
SERIAL KILLER DAYS by Mark Carter
SHERLOCK HOLMES by Tony Peckham
SWINGLES by Duncan Birmingham & Jeff Roda
‘TIL BETH DO US PART by Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
UNTITLED CHANNING TATUM PROJECT by Doug Jung”

Kim Masters - Hollywood Beat Reporter Cut From NPR - Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily » Hollywood Beat Reporter Cut From NPR: Nikke Finke reports that Kim Masters of NPR lost her job covering Hollywood

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily » First Day ‘Dark Knight’ DVD Sales Break Record: Certain To Smash ALL Records

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily » First Day ‘Dark Knight’ DVD Sales Break Record: Certain To Smash ALL Records: “I just heard that Warner Bros' Batman Blu-ray discs alone sold 600,000 copies on Tuesday, the first day of release. By contrast, Marvel/Paramount's Iron Man sold 250,000 Blu-ray discs when it premiered on September 30th and ended up selling 400,000 Blu-ray units in its first week. But wait til you see what The Dark Knight sold in both formats, standard def and hi-def: 3 million copies bought by customers in the U.S., Canada and the UK on its first day in stores. That's 3x the norm. This isn't a superhero, it's a cash cow! The Dark Knight was not only 2008's best DVD sales day, but is also likely to be 2008's bestseller of the year by next week with a projected number of 7 million units. This is beyond huge! Christopher Nolan's pic is truly the gift that keeps on giving after already making $1 billion at the worldwide box office.”

66th Annual Golden Globe Nominations - Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily

Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood Daily » 66th Annual Golden Globe Nominations: “HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION 2008 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros and Paramount Pictures
FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures
THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
ANNE HATHAWAY, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
ANGELINA JOLIE, CHANGELING
MERYL STREEP, DOUBT
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS, I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
KATE WINSLET, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
 
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
FRANK LANGELLA, FROST/NIXON
SEAN PENN, MILK
BRAD PITT, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
MICKEY ROURKE, THE WRESTLER

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films
IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features
MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
REBECCA HALL, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
SALLY HAWKINS, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
FRANCES MCDORMAND, BURN AFTER READING
MERYL STREEP, MAMMA MIA!
EMMA THOMPSON, LAST CHANCE HARVEY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
JAVIER BARDEM, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
COLIN FARRELL, IN BRUGES
JAMES FRANCO, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
BRENDAN GLEESON, IN BRUGES
DUSTIN HOFFMAN, LAST CHANCE HARVEY

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures
WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BADDER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC
EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films
GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics
WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics
 
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
AMY ADAMS, DOUBT
PENELOPE CRUZ, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
VIOLA DAVIS, DOUBT
MARISA TOMEI, THE WRESTLER
KATE WINSLET, THE READER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
TOM CRUISE , TROPIC THUNDER
ROBERT DOWNEY JR, TROPIC THUNDER
RALPH FIENNES, THE DUCHESS
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, DOUBT
HEATH LEDGER, THE DARK KNIGHT

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
DANNY BOYLE, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
STEPHEN DALDRY, THE READER
DAVID FINCHER, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
RON HOWARD, FROST/NIXON
SAM MENDES, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
SIMON BEAUFOY, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
DAVID HARE, THE READER
PETER MORGAN, FROST/NIXON
ERIC ROTH, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY, DOUBT

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
CLINT EASTWOOD,  CHANGELING
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD, DEFIANCE
A. R. RAHMAN, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
HANS ZIMMER, FROST/NIXON

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by:  Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by:  Peter Gabriel
 “GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by:  Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by:  Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
“I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by:  Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
“ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by:  Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
“THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by:  Bruce Springsteen

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions
HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television
TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
SALLY FIELD            BROTHERS AND SISTERS
MARISKA HARGITAY        LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
JANUARY JONES            MAD MEN
ANNA PAQUIN            TRUE BLOOD
KYRA SEDGWICK            THE CLOSER

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
GABRIEL BYRNE            IN TREATMENT
MICHAEL C. HALL         DEXTER
JON HAMM                MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE            HOUSE
JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS     THE TUDORS

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
Stranger Inc.
CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios
WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE        SAMANTHA WHO?
AMERICA FERRERA        UGLY BETTY
TINA FEY                30 ROCK
DEBRA MESSING            THE STARTER WIFE
MARY-LOUISE PARKER        WEEDS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ALEC BALDWIN            30 ROCK    
STEVE CARELL            THE OFFICE
KEVIN CONNOLLY        ENTOURAGE
DAVID DUCHOVNY        CALIFORNICATION
TONY SHALHOUB            MONK

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television
BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO)
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films
CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.
JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films
RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
JUDI DENCH            CRANFORD
CATHERINE KEENER        AN AMERICAN CRIME
LAURA LINNEY            JOHN ADAMS
SHIRLEY MACLAINE        COCO CHANEL
SUSAN SARANDON         BERNARD AND DORIS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
RALPH FIENNES            BERNARD AND DORIS
PAUL GIAMATTI            JOHN ADAMS
KEVIN SPACEY            RECOUNT
KIEFER SUTHERLAND        24: REDEMPTION
TOM WILKINSON            RECOUNT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
EILEEN ATKINS            CRANFORD
LAURA DERN            RECOUNT
MELISSA GEORGE        IN TREATMENT
RACHEL GRIFFITHS        BROTHERS AND SISTERS
DIANNE WIEST            IN TREATMENT

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURES MADE FOR TV
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
DENIS LEARY, RECOUNT
JEREMY PIVEN, ENTOURAGE
BLAIR UNDERWOOD, IN TREATMENT
TOM WILKINSON, JOHN ADAMS”

Valleywag's Owen Thomas On Yahoo's Collapse

Valleywag, Silicon Valley's Tech Gossip Rag: “Everything takes forever at Yahoo, the once high-flying, now famously sluggish Internet giant. Today's layoffs of 1,500 employees have been expected for months. And yet the strange thing is so many Yahoos seem unprepared”

Entertainment Weekly Considering Going Online-Only? - Gawker

Rumormonger: Entertainment Weekly Considering Going Online-Only?: “We've heard from multiple sources that the idea of going online-only is being seriously considered by the leadership of Entertainment Weekly. And it wouldn't be a bad idea.”

-- I agree.

Why Are Newspapers Dying? - O'Reilly Broadcast

Why Are Newspapers Dying? - O'Reilly Broadcast: “The emergence of the Internet proved newspapers' most challenging competitor, and the one that ultimately may have managed to do the newspaper industry in altogether. Most newspapers, from the veritable New York times on down, launched their own websites, reasoning that this was simply another medium in which to publish their own writers, but this viewpoint may have been somewhat shortsighted.

In 2003, the term blog first entered into the modern lexicon, an online editorial or journal written not by professional journalists but by eager amateurs who could publish by overcoming a far smaller barrier to entry - setting up a blogging site. With contemporary tools, the blogger could effectively start producing his or her own "news" within a few hours, and if they happened to be reasonably competent, were willing to invest some time into promotion and consistent in publishing content, they had a good chance to gain more "eyeballs" than professional journalists with thirty years of experience.

As of April, 2008, only three newspapers had a subscriber base in excess of 1,000,000 readers - USA Today (2.3 million), The Wall Street Journal (2.1 million) and the New York Times (1.1 million). Most newspapers average approximately 300,000 subscribers. This of course doesn't reflect total readership numbers - many papers sell a significant proportion of their subscriber levels in newsstand and library sales - but it does provide at least a basic metric for understanding the dynamics of newspaper publishing vs. the web.”

Why Are Newspapers Dying? - O'Reilly Broadcast

Why Are Newspapers Dying? - O'Reilly Broadcast: “The emergence of the Internet proved newspapers' most challenging competitor, and the one that ultimately may have managed to do the newspaper industry in altogether. Most newspapers, from the veritable New York times on down, launched their own websites, reasoning that this was simply another medium in which to publish their own writers, but this viewpoint may have been somewhat shortsighted.

In 2003, the term blog first entered into the modern lexicon, an online editorial or journal written not by professional journalists but by eager amateurs who could publish by overcoming a far smaller barrier to entry - setting up a blogging site. With contemporary tools, the blogger could effectively start producing his or her own "news" within a few hours, and if they happened to be reasonably competent, were willing to invest some time into promotion and consistent in publishing content, they had a good chance to gain more "eyeballs" than professional journalists with thirty years of experience.

As of April, 2008, only three newspapers had a subscriber base in excess of 1,000,000 readers - USA Today (2.3 million), The Wall Street Journal (2.1 million) and the New York Times (1.1 million). Most newspapers average approximately 300,000 subscribers. This of course doesn't reflect total readership numbers - many papers sell a significant proportion of their subscriber levels in newsstand and library sales - but it does provide at least a basic metric for understanding the dynamics of newspaper publishing vs. the web.”

Malcolm Bricklin On Hybrid Cars, Auto Bailout and The Car Czar

On CNN

If you've ever sen the car in the video it's called the Bricklin SV-1 and was made between 1974 and 1976. It's maker is Malcolm Bricklin, an American Entrepreneur. Bricklin brought Suburu to America from Japan, as well as Fiat X1-9, and the Yugo.

In the 90s he turned his attention to making environmentally friendly vehicles, making an electric bike called The EV Warrior.

Today, Bricklin is combining his experience with fuel cell technology and his knoweldge of manufacturing techniques and economics to create a line of plug - in hybrid vehicles or PHEVs, which he says can be installed in your car right now, making it more gas efficient.

I sat down with Bricklin at the San Francisco screening of "The Entrepreneur" , a movie about him. In our talk, he revealed that he got a call that morning to be the President-Elect's "Car Czar", a job he turned down. He explained why.

"The person in that job would be cutting (jobs), and that's not me; I grow things," he said.

Bricklin also says the Auto Bailout passed of $15 billion "Is not enough" and says the companies need much more money. But he alos says something shocking: that the money will not result in the maintenance of jobs. That's the most alarming news of the day.

See Visionary Vehicles

YouTube Videos Pull In Real Money - NYTimes.com

YouTube Videos Pull In Real Money - NYTimes.com: “Making videos for YouTube — for three years a pastime for millions of Web surfers — is now a way to make a living.

One year after YouTube, the online video powerhouse, invited members to become “partners” and added advertising to their videos, the most successful users are earning six-figure incomes from the Web site. For some, like Michael Buckley, the self-taught host of a celebrity chatter show, filming funny videos is now a full-time job.

Mr. Buckley quit his day job in September after his online profits had greatly surpassed his salary as an administrative assistant for a music promotion company. His thrice-a-week online show “is silly,” he said, but it has helped him escape his credit-card debt.”

Rod Blagojevich, Jesse Jackson Jr, and Tony Soprano

llinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been indicted for ethics violations connected with a string of actions, including attempting to sell the now vacant Senate seat held by President-Elect Barack Obama. Of the persons considered for the seat, it's reported that Senator #5 offered to raise over a million dollars for the Governor -- it's rumored that the person is Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Jackson moved swiftly to address this issue, holding a press conference where he said that he did meet with the Governor, and for 90 minutes. But he did not offer anything in the way of money. That press conference is here.

Think Progress » Who Is Steven Chu? A Nobel Physicist Who Believes In Bold Energy Transformation

Think Progress » Who Is Steven Chu? A Nobel Physicist Who Believes In Bold Energy Transformation: “Numerous media outlets are reporting Dr. Steven Chu will be President-elect Obama’s choice to head the Department of Energy. Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, is the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California where he has been addressing the climate crisis by pushing breakthrough research in energy efficiency, solar energy, and biofuels technology.

Colleagues who know Chu best say “he’s not a manager, he’s a leader.” In an interview with the Wonk Room, David Roland-Holst, an economist at the Center for Energy, Resources and Economic Sustainability at UC Berkeley, described Chu as a “very distinguished researcher” and “an extremely effective manager of cutting edge technology initiatives.””

The Raw Story | Obama says creating jobs can help US race relations

The Raw Story | Obama says creating jobs can help US race relations: “President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American to serve in the White House, said in an interview that producing new jobs would help improve race relations in the United States.

"The biggest challenges we face right now in improving race relations have to do with the universal concerns of Americans across color lines," Obama told the Chicago Tribune in an interview published in its Wednesday edition.”

TheHill.com - Ethics committee expands Rangel probe

TheHill.com - Ethics committee expands Rangel probe: “By Susan Crabtree Posted: 12/09/08 06:21 PM [ET]Democrats faced more bad ethics news Tuesday when the House ethics committee voted to expand its investigation into Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.).

The investigation will now include more recent allegations involving an oil company executive’s pledge to an education center bearing Rangel’s name.

The same day Democrats were under fire after the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on pay-to-play charges, the ethics panel voted Tuesday to broaden the Rangel probe. ”

NPR Announces 7 Percent Staff Cut, Show Cancellations

NPR Announces Layoffs, Show Cancellations Huff Post: “NPR Interim President & CEO Dennis Haarsager announced plans to reduce 7% of its workforce and cancel two shows, "News & Notes" and "Day to Day" in a memo to staff Wednesday afternoon. The memo outlines NPR's financial difficulties and explains the rationale for eliminating 64 employees and canceling the two shows:”

Lesbian Nancy Sutley Leading Obama's Environmental Council

Nancy Sutley Leading Obama's Environmental Council: “WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama intends to round out his environmental and natural resources team with a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and three former Environmental Protection Agency officials from the Clinton administration.

The president-elect has selected Steven Chu for energy secretary, Lisa Jackson for EPA administrator, Carol Browner as his energy "czar" and Nancy Sutley to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Democratic officials said Wednesday.

Still unclear is whom Obama will tap for interior secretary.

Officials close to the transition said support for John Berry, the director of the National Zoo and a former assistant secretary at the Interior Department, was growing. But these officials also said Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva and California Rep. Mike Thompson were still in the running.”

Minnesota Election Between Coleman and Franken Could Be Decided Friday

Minnesota Election Could Be Decided Friday: “The Minnesota Senate recount election will make a giant step towards a conclusion on Friday, when the state's canvassing board meets to determine the fate of improperly dismissed absentee ballots.

On Tuesday, Al Franken's chief counsel traveled to Washington D.C. to brief reporters on the current status of the election. He deliberately did not close the window on legal action if unlawfully rejected absentee voters were not counted.”

-- But what if Coleman's indicted? He would have to step down, right? More soon.

FBI Investigating Coleman, Paper Reports

FBI Investigating Coleman, Paper Reports: “The Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports that a probe has been launched into Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman's ties to businessman Nasser Kazeminy:

Federal investigators are looking into allegations that a longtime friend and benefactor tried to steer money to U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, the Pioneer Press has learned.

Agents with the FBI have talked to or made efforts to talk to people in Texas familiar with the allegations, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Houston is where the first of two lawsuits was filed alleging Nasser Kazeminy, a Bloomington financier, tried to steer $100,000 to Coleman via his wife's Minneapolis employer. The second suit, filed in Delaware, alleges Kazeminy initially tried to get money directly to the senator.”

Reid: Blagojevich Must Go, Must Not Make Appointment

Reid: Blagojevich Must Go, Must Not Make Appointment Blagojevich gets more in more in hot water, with reported 50 democrats including President-Elect Obama calling for the Gov. to step down.

World Bank Chief Economist: World Faces "Worst Recession Since The Great Depression"

World Bank Chief Economist: World Faces "Worst Recession Since The Great Depression": “Global oil demand will collapse next year and commodities will not return to the highs they reached this summer in the foreseeable future, two authoritative reports said on Tuesday as they forecast a long and painful worldwide recession.

The stark conclusions came as the World Bank's chief economist predicted that the world faced "the worst recession since the Great Depression".

The US energy department said global oil demand will fall this year and next, marking the first two consecutive years' decline in 30 years.

"The increasing likelihood of a prolonged global economic downturn continues to dominate market perceptions, putting downward pressure on oil prices," it said, forecasting that demand would drop 50,000 barrels a day this year and a hefty 450,000 b/d in 2009. US oil demand will drop next year to the lowest level in 11 years.”

Illinois' top lawmakers to strip Blago of senate pick power | Crain's Chicago Business News

Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Illinois' top lawmakers to strip Blago of senate pick power | Crain's: “(Crain’s) — The state’s top two legislative leaders Tuesday said they will move fast to seize control of the process of selecting a replacement for Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, taking that power away from Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
In separate statements, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones said they will call a special legislative session next week to repeal the state law that now gives the governor the power to fill Mr. Obama’s seat. Both said they will press instead for a special election to fill the remaining two years of Mr. Obama’s term.
“I am prepared to convene the House next Monday to change state law to provide for a special election for the U.S. Senate replacement,” Mr. Madigan said. “I would urge U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin to take note of this action.”
Mr. Durbin earlier on Tuesday had called for such action in the wake of Mr. Blagojevich’s arrest on federal corruption charges.”

Chicago Police Beat Blacks On Election Night - The Untold Story

While people around the country were peacefully celebrating now President-Elect Barack Obama's victory, there were  groups of African Americans that were not able to do so without attack, and all of this happened right in the backyard of President-Elect Obama: Chicago. 


Here's one video explaining the events that led to a class-action lawsuit:





In this video below, it's claimed that five White police officers on Chicago's West Side broke into her home and brandished a gun then cursed at her. According to reports, the officers were off-duty and yet went over in unmarked cars to terrorize these Chicagoans. This is the second of three lawsuits  filed and not for the same neighborhood, but for another incident in Chicago:





Something must be done about this and ASAP. President-Elect Obama's selection has sparked a rise in U.S. Hate Crimes , and it's particularly unacceptable for police officers to be involved. The Chicago Police should fire these men without pay.

NFL Reports Plan Of Layoffs At All NFL Business Units

NFL Reports Plan Of Layoffs At All NFL Business Units

NFL Reports Plan Of Layoffs At All NFL Business Units

This massive economic collapse has taken many companies and people into lower positions of wealth and caused many to lose their jobs at historic rates.  Well, after years of incredible growth, it was thought that the sports industry was immune to these developments surrounding the credit crunch.  


Not so. 


I received this email from the NFL's director of communications Greg Aiello:

  As part of an overall cost-cutting plan in response to the slumping economy, the NFL today confirmed plans to reduce its staff by approximately 150 employees during the next 60 days.

       There are 1,100 employees in three NFL locations around the country: league headquarters in New York; NFL Films production facilities in Mt Laurel, New Jersey; and NFL Network and NFL.com production facilities in Los Angeles.

       A voluntary separation program will be offered to personnel this week as a first step in the staff reduction.

       "These are difficult and painful steps," Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday in a memo to his staff, "but they are necessary in the current economic environment. I would like to be able to report that we are immune to the troubles around us, but we are not. Properly managed, I am confident the NFL will emerge stronger, more efficient and poised to pursue long-term growth opportunities."