Scott Brown upsets Glenn Beck, Michelle Malkin, as Senate passes Jobs Bill

Glenn Beck says he's upset with Scott Brown as Senate passes The Jobs Bill. Michelle Malkin has her minions flood his Facebook page with angry comments. And the conservatives are just so angry that Senator Scott Brown's not the Senator Scott Brown they thought they got. This blogger howls!

When Republican U.S. Senator Scott Brown won the Massachusetts special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by the passing of the legendary Democrat, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, conservatives cheered and TV pundits and Fox News and CNN hailed it as the beginning of the end of the Democratic majority in Congress. But forgotten in all the hoopla and flowing cocktails after the win was that Scott Brown never called himself a conservative, but said he was an independent.

Now, the independent that is Scott Brown is making himself know, much to the dislike of conservative pundits like Glenn Beck. Glenn Beck, who already attacked Scott Brown for then Senator-elect's comments that the Brown daughter's were "available", now says Senator Brown is a "Progressive Republican" according to The Huffington Post's Jason Linkins.

In the video below, Glenn Beck calls Scott Brown a liar:



And Michelle Malkin, who's "Malconites" at times display issues with sanity, could not observe the passing of The Jobs Bill without her own blast at Scott Brown:

Yes, sigh, Scott Brown. Looks like he hasn’t taken up my suggested D.C. itinerary. But those of us who knew all along what we were getting — a game-changer who vowed to torpedo Demcare, but who was not an ideological conservative — are not surprised. And I pointed out Brown’s moderate record several times on Fox and on this blog during the campaign...

Malkin says the "lefties" said Brown was going to be a radical right winger. Uh, wrongo, Malkin: I didn't say that and I'm a lefty. I said Scott Brown's no Sarah Palin right at the time many were carried away with the comparison.

I was right.

Senator Scott Brown ran on a jobs campaign and he's sticking to it. Brown said to WRKO Radio in Boston that he spent time making sure that it didn't cost a lot of tax dollars and that it actually worked. "People are confused. I challenge anyone to actually read the bill."

What's unfortunate is the myopic view of the people flooding his Facebook page with negative comments like these:

John Tanguay: Spoken like a true politician! Next time we'll just have to seek out the best candidate to get the job done...whether they want the job or not. These empty suits that are stepping up with their own interests in mind, hoping to get a lucrative book deal, need to be shown the door!

Kathy Watters I hang my head !!!!!!!! I had hope
19 minutes ago · Report

Gary Withrow It did not take him long to toe the line...And I actually thought he was the real deal. I pray that it was just a rookie mistake, but I am not holding out any hope. ALL politicians are just puppets representing BIG interest and not the PEOPLE.
19 minutes ago · Report

The new battle cry of the American people that want to take their country back should be: NO POLITICIANS NEED APPLY!!!!
19 minutes ago · Report

When the unemployment problem subsides and the underemployment rate reduces over time, it will be interesting to see what those angry voters have to say.

Stay tuned.

Birth Certificate Issue: "Negroid" removed from Houston documents

This news came to this blogger via a tweet on Twitter during the Robert Pattinson controversy, where the Twilight star and Jenny Lumet, who interviewed him for the upcoming March issue of Details Magazine, used the word Negro in a way that's at best questionable. Mr. Pattinson was reported to have asked "What if we were 'acting' like 'Negroes'?"

According to FOX 26 Television in Houston, Texas, Black Houstonians so don't like the word - y "Negroid" - which brings up negative images which date back to slavery - they worked for two decades to have it removed from their birth certificates. FOX Houston tells of a Kathryn Patterson, who believed making the change to her son'e birth certificate was just a simple matter of a phone call; she was wrong.

Her battle, when it was broadcast, started a lot of calls by other black Houstonians who had the same problem. After FOX 26' intervention, the State of Texas announced they would remove the word "Negroid" from the many birth certificates that had the it on them. Here's the FOX video:



FOX went to Visiting Professor Dr. Michael Tillotson at The University of Houston who specializes in African Studies for his view on the Negroid Birth Certificate controversy. Dr. Tillotson said...

"Unless a person was living in a cave or tomb it would be hard to miss the negative connotations. The word has been out of usage so long. So you have to beg the question 'Why is it being used and why is it allowed to be used?"

That's exactly the point this blogger was making in the case of Robert Pattinson. Negro or Negroid, it doesn't matter, but the World would have been better off if neither had it in their mind to use the word, let alone talk about how "Negroes" act.

YouTube to drop Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) March 13th 2010

In a bit of news this blogger cheers, YouTube reports that it is to drop support for Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) March 13th 2010. According to Computerworld, YouTube put Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) "kill efforts" on the outdated browser and leads an industry-wide effort to do so. Even Microsoft, which created Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) is part of the effort.

(As a note, YouTube will also stop support for 2005's Safari 2.x, 2006's Firefox 2.x and 2009's Chrome 3.x, according to Computerworld.)

The problem with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6) is that it's not designed to handle the rich media content - video, etc. - that comes with today's media. But many users - perhaps yourself - do not upload and use newer browsers like FireFox or Safari or Opera.

This blogger recommends Opera because that browser does not use a lot of your computer's memory - what's called a "memory leak problem." FireFox and Safari have this problem but still handle rich media well.

But dump Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne to collaborate

According to MTV, Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne will collaborate, but Bieber's said he has to wait until Lil Wayne's released from jail. The possibility of a Jusin Bieber / Lil Wayne team up was pointed to on Bieber's Twitter account here:

WEEZY!! - http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1632363/20100222/lil_wayne.jhtml
2:12 PM Feb 22nd via web
Retweeted by 100+ people

And by Lil Wayne himself mentioned it at a USTREAM live session. Lil Wayne was to have reported for sentencing in February but that was delayed to March 2nd because of a dental work procedure. And on March 30th, Lil Wayne is to report to an Arizona court for sentencing related to a drug and weapons charge.

This blogger still holds the view that just throwing Lil Wayne in the slammer, rather than having him make music that discourages the crimes he's charged with, is a waste of tax payer dollars...



Stay tuned.

Robert Pattinson and "Negroes" - an update

In the Robert Pattinson Interview in the March issue of Details (which is sure to fly off the magazine racks after this week considering the appearance of "vaginas" and "Negroes") this blogger focused on why both the interviewer Jenny Lumet and her subject, the Twilight star that is Robert Pattinson, seemed transfixed on using the word "Negro" and in a way that would cause anyone to ask "what does he mean by saying "What if we were 'acting' like 'Negroes'?"

The objective of writing the blog post wasn't traffic - a better choice is to focus on the relationship obert Pattinson and Kristin Stewart. It was to address their actions that were troubling to this blogger. It's of no concern that a million people may disagree; wrong is wrong.

No one should suffer the indignity of reading an interview with a major star and feel placed on the "outside" of society because that star makes a statement that implies the "other", or "Negroes", are less than the mainstream in society. That is the perspective I took going into this issue. Moreover, it's the same one that prompted Dior Noir's blog post over at BET.

It doesn't matter if it's a group of white girls who participated in a black fraternity and sorority "step" competition and won, only to hear a rain of "boos" from a black audience, or Robert Pattinson and Jenny Lumet's use of the term Negro in the context in Details, the presentation of someone else as "the other" as if that were a bad thing is wrong. It must stop.

Robert Pattinson fans have presented evidence that he does have African American friends, and that's fantastic, but (as a person who's has many friends who occasionally blast a racial epithet) what Pattinson said is still wrong.

Reportedly Robert Pattinson's to appear on The View March 2nd. Considering Whoopi Goldberg's thoughtful candor, that episode will be one to watch.

The CVS Caremark / CVS Pharmacy expired products problem

CVS Caremark Corp is a large national corporation which operated over 7,000 US drugstores under the name CVS Pharmacy. CVS Caremar Corp, or "CVS", or "CVS Pharmacy" for this blog post, has been the focus of lawsuits by state attorney generals in Connecticut and in New York for selling expired products, according to the Boston Globe.

In California, CVS Caremark was the focus of California Attorney General Jerry Brown, who in June of 2009, negotiated a $975,000 settlement of a civil lawsuit with CVS Pharmacy along with an agreement to give $2 coupons to anyone who found expired products on their shelves, and designates a toll-free number to call to report such items.

Now, there's a charge from a reliable source that CVS (formerly Long’s Drug stores in California) as well as Krogers, Ralphs, and other major chain stores are selling ‘diverted’ or grey market products that may counterfeited.

In some cases, the claim is the California consumer is even getting products that can be dangerous.

“Diverters” are companies are selling these stores products that have been diverted from their intended sales point or they may even be selling counterfeit products.

If this turns out to be the case, CVS will again be in violation of the same California laws under the Business and Professions Code 17200 and the Civil Code 1798.81 by misleading customers.

On August 14th of 2009, the Modesto Bee wrote wrote that a number of county district attorneys, including Stanislaus San Joaquin, Sacramento, San Bernardino and Solano counties have joined in the statewide lawsuit against several national retailers who stock beauty supplies alleged to violate California environmental law.

That lawsuit, originally brought by the District Attorney of Stanislaus County, sought penalties of at least $17 million, with amounts to be levied based on each day a prohibited hair product is offered for sale, according to court papers. The case also named Longs Drug Stores, Target, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Ralphs, among other defendants.

That lawsuit named a New Jersey company, Pro Choice Beauty Care Inc, that provides the products to the retail stores — without approval from the brand manufacturers. It is unclear how clear where Pro's Choice Beauty Care Inc. gets its products. It is believed to be a “diverter” of products.

The hair products that were being sold were found to contain elevated levels of smog-forming volatile organic compounds, state environmental authorities said, according to the Modesto Bee.
Stay tuned for more information as this story unfolds both here in the Bay Area and around California. I've made several calls to sources; I expect follow-ups soon.

Tiger Woods reportedly sends apology letter to daughter's school

According to Florida television station WFTV, Tiger Woods has "offered another apology" and this one to the parents of children at the school his 2-year-old daughter attends. Here's what WFTV reported on it's own website:

WFTV reported on its Web site that it has obtained a letter that Woods and his wife, Elin, wrote to parents of children attending the school to apologize for increased media scrutiny around the school.
"We hope that the paparazzi will find something better to do with their time in the near future," the letter said.
Media coverage around Woods and his family has been intense since the Nov. 27 accident outside his home led to revelations that the world's No. 1 golfer had been cheating on his wife. Woods did not make his first public appearance until Friday at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla..
Woods' wife did not attend his nationally televised appearance, and photographers were seen outside the Premier Academy that day. WFTV says an off-duty sheriff's deputy has been hired to sit outside the school.

WFTV did not explain when the letter was sent or show a copy of it. Moreover, WFTV writes the account as if it was from another television station. It took the Associated Press version of the story about its report, and reposted it on its own website.

Wild.

Stay tuned.

Tiger Woods apology poll - 39 percent aren't convinced

In the Tiger Woods apology poll conducted on the very day Tiger Woods gave his famous and widely seen apology, there have been 133 votes cast.

While the sample size needs to be larger to be more relevant, the current results are that 39 percent - the majority in the poll - aren't convinced that Tiger Woods was honest.

The response itself may be an indication that overall the public's tired of the news of Tiger Woods affairs, it's even evident that the once automatic buzz generated by the Tiger Woods mistresses has greatly diminished. Still, the poll records on.

The overall results thus far:

1) 39 percent are not convinced
2) 23 percent think the Tiger Woods speech was not necessary
3) 23 percent think he said the right things
4) 12.78 percent think it was honest, but are taking a wait and see position
5) .75 percent think he should have had his wife by his side.

The last one's interesting. Count this blogger as one who thinks Tiger Woods said the right things in his speech. But it would have been much better for him to have his wife Elin Nordegren there with him. It was a mistake to go forward without her.

Here's the Tiger Woods speech poll:

create text & photo polls on pollsb.com

Stay tuned.

American Red Cross explains unallocated Haiti donations in blog

The matter of the unallocated $175 million in American Red Cross Haiti donations focused on earlier, finally received attention via the American Red Cross' own blog, which this blogger happened to visit Tuesday. The post, written by Gloria Huang, reads as follows:

Recently, we’ve been seeing some confusion from readers and bloggers online about the allocation of funds for Haiti relief. We would like to clarify how our Haiti relief funds are being used and how we are planning for their allocation in the future.

In just over a month, the American Red Cross has already spent or allocated $80 million of the $276 million donated to meet the most urgent needs of Haiti’s earthquake survivors.

The $80 million allocated so far has gone towards immediate relief for Haitians – 69% for food and water, 20% for shelter, and 11% for health and family services. The remaining $196 million will be spent as the Red Cross continues to focus on finding communities and populations in need in Haiti in order to give them the things they can use to survive this difficult situation.

Every donated dollar will be spent on relief in Haiti; because of the generosity of our donors, people in Haiti will receive resources, support and training from the Red Cross that will help them recover and rebuild in the years ahead.

The error, then, is in the initial American Red Cross report, which still reads as follows:

Since the earthquake, the American Red Cross has raised approximately $255 million for the Haiti relief and recovery efforts. To date, it has spent or committed $80 million, with approximately 69 percent of the funds spent or committed for food and water; 20 percent for shelter; and 11 percent for health and family services. As the response progresses and recovery begins, the Red Cross will continue to support these priority areas and longer-term assistance initiatives.

The words "spent or committed $80 million" are what caught this blogger's attention. Note that the report fails to mention $175 million or $196 million for that matter. It was done only after attention was brought to the problems in the American Red Cross report by me.

Since then I've received a number of interesting emails and phone calls. Look, of an estimated $644 million raised for Haiti relief, one company, the American Red Cross, is responsible for one-third of that. Someone told me that the real reason for the omission of the $175 million was that when a person donated online they had to specifically designate where their money was going; if they did not click "Haiit", the donation went to the Red Cross' International Response Fund. The caller claims the International Response Fund money does not go to Haiti.

This link is to the donations page - DONATE. Note that Haiti is one of several choices. So the question is this: is the $175 million or now $196 million really donations just taken in, and only $80 million was captured because some donors clicked on the "Haiti" tag? And why doesn't the American Red Cross have a specific webpage and link button just for Haiti?

To this eye, it seems that the ARC is trying to use the Haiti issue to increase all of its donor coffers, not just that for Haiti.

So this matter's still open and is getting even more interesting. What's really funny is that because some disagree with these posts, and may be paid by the American Red Cross to respond to them via comments on the blog, they reach for the "wouldn't a journalist..." blast. That always happens when they don't agree. I remind them that I'm a blogger, far beyond a journalist. Bloggers have to mention their biases and can't hide behind the statements of false "experts". Bloggers - video or text - make it happen. Bloggers - especially video-bloggers - rock.

Robert Pattinson and "Negroes": what's he got against blacks like me?

Video update:

Getting away from Negros? 

Here we go again. Just two weeks after popular, 3-million-Twitter-user followed John Mayer has a great 16-year old scotch called Lagavulin neat (that's without ice) and gets off an N-word blast and explains how he's not attracted to black women, we have Twilight star Robert Pattinson doing an interview in Details and over more than one beer and opening his mouth to reveal his own prejudice against blacks like this blogger.

Moreover, he's enabled by the author of the interview.

In the March issue of Details Magazine, he has several beers with the interviewer, a woman named Jenny Lumet. At first, they start with coffee. But then they have a succession of beers. Ms. Lumet's so interested in the beer aspect of her meetups she divides her talks into beers: "Beer 1," etc.

At Beer No. 3 Pattinson and Lumet have this exchange:

Jenny Lumet: Rob, did you know that every time you say actor or acting you lower your voice to a whisper?

Robert Pattinson: He's genuinely startled. "I do?"

Jenny Lumet:Yes, so quietly it's like you're saying Negro.

Robert Pattinson: He laughs, lightens up. "What if we were 'acting' like 'Negroes'? Then we'd be fucked—we couldn't hear anything. . . ."

What the does it mean: "What if we were 'acting' like 'Negroes'? Then we'd be fucked—we couldn't hear anything. . . ." The comment leaves more to question. When Robert Pattinson says "what if we were acting like Negroes" what's he talking about? Ms. Lumet also apparently has her own issues with blacks like me, because she started him on this racist path.

Does Robert Pattinson have any black friends? What do they think about this? And if Robert Pattinson doesn't have black, er, Negro friends, perhaps that's the problem. It certainly seems to be the problem for Jenny Lumet.

To be racist is to put someone else down because of the color of their skin. That's what both Jenny Lumet and Robert Pattinson did. What's Robert Pattinson got against blacks like me? Does that mean he'd snub me for an interview? And why would Details hire a person like Jenny Lumet who's obviously got some of her own issues with blacks like me?

And what's this sudden small rash of racist comments by young white male pop culture stars all about anyway? You may say it's just two guys, but it's two guy too many. John Mayer and Robert Pattinson both have some issues with, er, Negroes, they need to work out and in such a way that both can have scotch or beer and not run off at the mouth.

What's happening - John Mayer and Robert Pattinson's racist blasts and Vanity Fair's "all white" Hollywood actress cover - is disturbing. Someone please remind these icons that racism is a horrible mental illness; help for them is needed.

Meanwhile, Details should not fire Jenny Lumet; just make her inteview blacks like me about this issue. That will be enough.

Are Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart really a couple?

The buzz is that Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are a couple. But it's fair to ask: are Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart really a couple, or just hanging out to gain publicity for the next Twilight movie?

If you don't know this by now, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart play the young vampire and his love interest in the Twilight movie series. The smash hit and its followers are so fanatical and devoted that, for them, having the pair "hooked up" in real life brings reality closer to the fantasy World of Twilight.

So notice that every time, just a few months before the release of the latest Twilight movie, the Internet and gossip TV news programs blast out the newest claim that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are a couple. The BAFTA's are the current example.

Kristen Stewart was one of the awards winners - The Orange Rising Star Award - at the UK's version of the USA's Academy Awards called The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards. (Congratulations to Ms. Stewart here!)



Where Robert Pattinson was a presenter:



Afterwards, it was noted that she and Pattinson attended the BAFTA after party but "left early" at 11:30 and were spotted in a car. One gossip site by Ted Casablanca called this "getting quality time", and wrote that they were "together" after hours! The implication being that they were getting hooked up. (Nothing against Ted; he's doing his job.)

The idea that Kristen Stewart is Robert Pattinson's real girlfriend is questionable. In the March 2010 issue of Details, Robert makes some statements that can lead one to wonder if he's really interested in women at this point in his life. He says:

"I really hate vaginas. I'm allergic to vagina. But I can't say I had no idea, because it was a 12-hour shoot, so you kind of get the picture that these women are going to stay naked after, like, five or six hours. But I wasn't exactly prepared. I had no idea what to say to these girls. Thank God I was hungover."

There's nothing to indicate Pattinson and Stewart are a couple in real life. But it sure makes for great headlines in the New York Post.

Besides, Robert Pattinson seems to have a "Negro" issue...

Stay tuned.

PRVCY Jeans: Privacy Jeans goes viral to help breast cancer research

From out of nowhere comes PRVCY Jeans, and Privacy Jeans has gone viral online. In a very clever use of search, social networks, and video distribution platforms (well, just one, YouTube), PRVCY Jeans vaulted to the top of search trends, Monday. The strategy, coupled with provacative videos and catchy music threatens to catapult PRVCY Jeans to amazing sales levels.

Here's one video:



Moreover, stars like Miley Cyrus, Eva Longoria, and Carrie Underwood at Super Bowl XLIV and Jennifer Garner have been photographed in PRVCY Jeans. A brief online search shows that the trend started in mid-year 2009, then increased steadily as celeb after celeb doned PRVCY Jeans.

The company website reveals PRVCY Jeans mission:

The Privacy label is more than a fashion statement; it is a statement of values. The driving force of our organization is to bring breast cancer awareness to the fashion marketplace. We use a generous portion of our annual revenue to fund breast cancer prevention and research. When you purchase from the Privacy collection it announces your "Commitment to the Cure." It allows us to provide free mammography screening for underprivileged women, and to fund breast cancer education and clinical trials. We believe in quality, for our apparel and for human life. We pursue a "double bottom line": people as well as profit.

This video introduces Privacywear's CEO Carolyn Jones:



The force behind PRVCY Jeans is Carolyn Jones, who started the company to produce jeans and raise money for breast cancer research at the same time. 10 percent of revenue reportedly goes to Breast Cancer research. As a person who's mother survived Breast Cancer in 2005, PRVCY Jeans and it's mission and marketing direction is one I totally support and encourage.

You can learn more about PRVCY Jeans at Privacywear.com

Andrew Koenig ATM card and cell phone used after February 14th

An update in the search for the missing actor Andrew Koenig in Vancouver. On Monday, the Vancouver Sun reports that Koenig's cell phone and ATM card were used after February 14th. Here's what the Vancouver Sun posted via E!Online:

Vancouver Police Constable Tim Fanning is telling ET the very latest about the search for former "Growing Pains" star Andrew Koenig.
Fanning tells ET that Koenig's ATM card and cell phone were used after February 14, the date the actor was last seen. Fanning did not disclose when the items were used because the search for Koenig is still an ongoing investigation.
Koenig played Boner, the best friend of Mike Seaver on the hit '80s sitcom "Growing Pains."
Anyone with information on Koenig's whereabouts should call the Vancouver police at 604-717-2534.

That reports leaves more new questions: 1) Where was the ATM card used and at what time? 2) What number was called? At what time? Does anyone have the number to make a test phone call?

It's not the expertise of this blogger but the police could take his whereabouts on the 14th, then determine the location of the cell phone call (which, according to this CNET post is possible),and at least determine where Andrew may have went to along that path between the two calls.

Disturbing.

Stay tuned.

More: Andrew Koenig missing in Winter Olympics city.

Andrew Koenig still missing in Winter Olympics city

Andrew Koenig, the son of Star Trek's Walter Koenig and star of Growing Pains, is still missing in Winter Olympics city of Vancouver. The USA Today reports that Vancouver mounted police have been searching for Koenig, who was last seen on Valentine's Day in Vancouver.

Now, Vancouver investigators believe Andrew Koenig is in the area and doesn't want to be found. One can only hope that Vancouver police aren't considering giving up the search for him, and have developed a rationale that justifies cutting back.

Andrew Koenig's parents have said that he was suffering from severe depression.

Stay tuned.

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums State of The City via Twitter #oaksotc

If you're away in a place like Suburban (OK, rural) Atlanta, Georgia, and are too busy to sit for a live stream of the Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums State of The City Adress, you can catch what he's saying via Twitter.

In this case, following the tweets of the hashtag #oaksotc reveals some interesting news. For example, The Mayor says he believes in local control of the Oakland Public Schools. Here's the last most resent tweets, most of them sent by @reginaldjames:

reginaldjames Dellums: I believe in local control, referring to OUSD #oaksotc
38s ago via The Remote

bakseet Wondering... SF has a stimulus-funded "SF Jobs Now" program. Where is Oakland's version? #oaksotc
1m ago via web

reginaldjames MD: When people are engaged, their relationsips improve #oaksotc
3m ago via The Remote

reginaldjames MD: Supported Laney College clean energy grant. 'all earmarks are not a bridge to nowhere' #oaksotc
6m ago via The Remote

vanlenning @ReginaldJames tweeting live Mayor Dellums' state of the city of #oakland: Turn this spaceship over to the next generation #oaksotc
6m ago via web

majeeda RT @ReginaldJames Dellums: Turn this spaceship over to the next generation #oaksotc
8m ago via Tweetree

reginaldjames Oakland green jobs corps led to 'Pathways out of Poverty' #shoutout to Van Jones #oaksotc
8m ago via The Remote

vanlenning RT @reginaldjames: Dellums proud that Oakland Green Jobs Corps is a model for the state #oaksotc
9m ago via The Remote

reginaldjames Dellums proud that Oakland Green Jobs Corps is a model for the state #oaksotc
9m ago via The Remote

reginaldjames MD: We are not training our people for obselesence, were training them for imperative #oaksotc
10m ago via The Remote

reginaldjames Dellums: Turn this spaceship over to the next generation #oaksotc
11m ago via The Remote

reginaldjames Dellums: Green corridor partnership is unprecedented. Only in the country, if there another, they follow us #oaksotc
11m ago via The Remote

reginaldjames End the dichtonomy of the port and the city. We are a port city. One city, one vision, one strategy #oaksotc
12m ago via The Remote

dto510 Dellums on Army Base development: "We are a Port City. Come together - one city, one vision, one strategy." #oaksotc
13m ago via web

reginaldjames Oakland is ne of the greenest cities in the nation. #4 Top 20cities to live. not Oaktown, Oakland #oaksotc
14m ago via The Remote

dto510 Dellums naming some new businesses. This newly-built industrial facility in West O caught my eye in the handout. #oaksotc
16m ago via web

reginaldjames Broadway Valdez retail area to combat 1billion dollar retail leakage #oaksotc
17m ago via The Remote

dto510 Dellums notes Specific Plan for Broadway / Valdez retail. Transit vs parking debate over that plan is about to explode. #oaksotc
17m ago via web

reginaldjames Dellums: Lake Chalet created 142 jobs #oaksotc
18m ago via The Remote

das88 #oaksotc hard to parse statement on A's. "Absolutely confident" will get msg in few days-not sure what Mayor saying about content
18m ago via twidroid

Taylor Swift turning into a diva?

Taylor Swift, the country-pop singer with the great voice who's won seemingly every award known to fandom, has presented a good-girl, gee-whiz-this-is-great persona every time she took the stage or appeared before a camera.

Taylor Swift, it seemed, really was the charmed young woman who was nice to everyone. Kanye West's now famous interruption of her acceptance speech at the Teen Choice Awards , and the way the World came to her defense, only solidified her image. Only a slip in the form of a photo with an "accidental" Swastika-T-Shirt wearing Hollywood model A.J. English entered to even threaten to muck her image...



...It didn't.

Now, there's a report that once down under, Taylor Swift has become a diva. All of those awards got to her head. Sydney Confidential reports that Taylor Swift went to a restaurant called a "Teppanyaki" where chefs cook at the table and the customers help out in the process. This is what was reported:

"The chef asked her if she was ready to catch the egg, she said yes and it fell on her. She completely flipped out and ranted and raved," our source revealed. "After being calmed down the chef asked her if she was ready for some rice, again she said yes, but once she caught it she threw it back at the chef."

And Sydney Confidential reports that Taylor Swift wanted hotel staff to open all doors for her. Every one? Even the bathroom? I wonder.

WonderWall checked with Taylor Swift's rep, who said "That didn't happen." But I wonder if that didn't happen in the same way the rep explained away the Swastika incident. In that case, the rep said Taylor Swift had no idea what the T-Shirt was or who A.J. English was.

I wonder.

GOP hates Obama Health Care Plan; GOP refuses to offer own plan

Earlier Monday the White House held a press conference to introduce the Obama Health Care Plan as the one that stands the best chance of actually gaining bipartisan support. Now, with the day not over, it's reported that Republicans hate Obama Health Care Plan, but the GOP refuses to offer their own plan!

It must be asked if the GOP is really serious about fixing the American Health Care system? What else can one infer if the Republicans don't have their own plan? Moreover, the only way voters in GOP districts could reelect any one of their representative is to fail to understand what's going on in the economics of Health Care. Controlling the growth of rates is paramount; it's also something the GOP doesn't want to do.

Over at ThinkProgress a commenter observed that the new plan caves in "to the special interests and wingnuts" but if the GOP doesn't go for it, perhaps they're even wing-nuttier than advertised.

The "party-of-no" GOP strategy can only go so far before it crashes and burns. It did so today in the matter of the jobs bill, where five Republicans bolted from the party line filibuster plan and cast a procedural vote for it. Scott Brown, who was considered to be a major opponent of the bill, one one of the GOP Senators who cast a vote for it. Apparently, even on the GOP side, there are elected officials who want to get things done. The vote passed 62 to 30.



The question is will that desire to get things done carry over into the Obama Health Care Plan? Will the GOP stop playing games?

Stay tuned.

Manny Ramirez doesn't think he's in LA Dodgers future

Is Manny's goose cooked?

According to LA Times, star LA Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez reported to training camp saying he didn't think his "dreds" were in the Dodgers' future. In other words, after 2011, he thinks he's done...with the Dodgers.

The question is what, or how much, will Manny Ramirez be worth on the open market. Given his play , it's going to be less than $20 million per year.

 Manny's missed an estimated 18.5 percent of all games over his career (some of that due to his 50-game suspension) and his after-steroid performance has been less than stellar.

What Manny Ramirez does in this 2010 baseball season will be fun to watch, especially since he knows he may be on the block.

Stay tuned.

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums State of The City; Nadel not meeting with Schaaf? - Oakland Politics

The 2010 Political Season has no shortage of news, and that's true in Oakland, CA. Tonight, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums gives his State of The City address. And the behind-the-scenes-buzz is the rumor (not as of this writing denied) that Oakland Councilmember Nadel's not meeting with Oakland District Four City Council candidate Libby Schaaf.

First, some important news. The City of Oakland has redesigned its website! The Beta-stage Oaklandnet.com is up and operational. That deserves a cheer and not of the Bronx kind. The City of Oakland website had become a visual and navigational mess. The new design, while it still needs a ton of help in the social network area, is a massive improvement over the old 20th Century model, and an example of what Oakland can do when it gets its act together. Bravo!

Second, Mayor Ron Dellums. The good Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums is set to give his 2010 State of The City Speech tonight at 5:30 PM at Oakland City Hall. The good news is that Mayor Dellums isn't giving the speech behind the cloud of controversy that was the Oscar Grant Murder. The Oscar Grant tragedy threatened to rip Oakland with seemingly constant days of rioting. It even impacted the Mayor's 2009 State of The City Address:



But this year, the Mayor will report to a drop in the overall crime rate in Oakland, and new restaurants and businesses to be proud of. Dellums should also note Oakland City Attorney John Russo's injunction sought to restrict gang activity. I seriously doubt Mayor Dellums will explain that he's going to stop choking Oakland's poorest citizens with the draconian parking enforcement process, but we'll see. One person who will be listening in attendance is Green Party Candidate for Oakland Mayor, Don MacLeay.

Don MacLeay says he will "go with an open mind" because Mayor Dellums has "been out there raising money for the City". MacLeay, who reports his campaign's gathering steam, says that his opponent, Oakland District Four Councilmember Jean Quan "has associated herself with everything from Haiti to the Lunar New Year, but when it comes to (The City of Oakland's) budget cuts, she refers to herself in the third person."

One Oakland politico who doesn't do that is Oakland District Three Councilmember Nancy Nadel, whom this blogger endorsed for reelection in 2008, apparently has made her decision regarding who to support in the District Four City Council Election this year. I'm told by three different people Nadel has refused to meet with Libby Schaaf, who I openly support for the council seat. (I do so hope there's a connection, there!)

In fairness to Nadel, who I think has represented West Oakland well (remember, the difference is that Nancy, for all of her complex ups and downs, cares about an area of Oakland that at times seems forgotten) I contacted her about this news. She was to follow up with me from her personal email, so I'm waiting for that (sort of). Nadel's not been in a rush to deny the claim.

Nancy Nadel 

If this is the case, and hopefully it's not, it's a very bad move for Nadel. Libby's a front runner in a crowded field of people; should she win, Councilmember Nadel will have to work with her. Let's hope all of this isn't true. (As a note, even though Libby's supported in this space it doesn't mean other political candidates will not be contacted or featured in a blog post.)

Oakland Mayoral Candidate Don Perata continues to be hit over the political head by people who've donated to his campaign then gotten into some kind of FBI trouble. Again, the East Bay Express comes to the rescue of the maintenance of the already healthy "Don Perata FBI" search results. (Even though they cite the Contra Costa County Times, the East Bay Express beats them in Google search results)

This time, reportedly it's the "Seeno family", under investigation by the FBI, IRS, and the Secret Service. What real connection Don Perata has to this family of developers and investors is they've known each other since 2000 and Perata's campaign got "at least" $131,400 from them.

Personally, I don't see where Don's got anything to do with this. The term "good friend" in California parlance means someone who does more than send an email or a Facebook message.

Stay tuned.

Blumenthal of Media Matters refuses to be baited by Breitbart at CPAC

Max Blumenthal, of Media Matters for America, (he's also a contributor to The Nation, The American Prospect, and the Washington Monthly,) has adversaries surrounding him at the CPAC conference -- they're interested in insulting and excoriating him, but not in answers to the questions they pepper him with. Blumemthal stays impeccably calm while despite the unprofessional antics of his detractors. Andrew Breitbart, for one, goes apoplectic.

My favorite moment may be the way Hannah Giles misconstrues the word minstrel for menstrual. My problem is I can't figure out if she's being serious or disingenuous.

digg this story!

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, journalist, and political analyst who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.

Samantha Bell, Joe Stack's daughter, calls Stack a "hero", not for crashing plane

From the "What else do you expect a 38-year-old daughter to say" department, comes the ABC news report that Samantha Bell, Joe Stack's daughter, calls Stack a "hero" but not for crashing his plane into the Austin IRS Building - for taking on the government.



Perhaps someone forgot to tell Samantha Bell that the family of the victim who died, Vernon Hunter, really takes issue with her comment. Samantha Bell appeared on ABC's Good Morning America to say:

"His last actions, the suicide, the catastrophe that caused injuries and death, that was wrong. But if nobody comes out and speaks up on behalf of injustice, then nothing will ever be accomplished. But I do not agree with his last action with what he did. But I do agree about the government."

Then she said Joe Stack was a hero, but ABC News reports she called later to explain that she did not mean what she said, and he was "not a hero". Apparently Samantha Bell had a crisis of conscience, especially as she had to consider that Joe Stack came close to murdering his own wife and 12-year-old daughter.

Stack killed Vietnam vet Vernon Hunter when he crashed his plane into the Austin, Texas IRS Building. Bell says she's mourning his loss.

Still unanswered in all of this is what caused Joe Stack to just snap. It' a question still being tackled at my YouTube video page:



Stay tuned.

Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart to present at Oscars

If anyone wondered if The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was serious about reversing the Oscars ratings decline of the past decade, today's news should prove AMPAS is: Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart are to present at the 82nd Academy Awards.

Miley Cyrus

The news - sure to be repeated in teen-oriented publications on Monday - was announced by telecast producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic.

It's the first time for Twilight stars Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart; Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron are both appearing on the Oscars for the second time.

For Miley Cyrus, it's more great exposure on the heels of her next film The Last Song with Greg Kinnear.

And Miley Cyrus was featured in the new version of the We Are The World song, this one for Haitian Relief. As was reported in this space on video, the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus "killed it".



For Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart, becoming an Oscars presenter means both are certified BIG STARS, in case either one of them had any doubts.

Taylor Lautner

But the announcement that Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart are all presenting at the Academy Awards is also proof of the impact of New Media on The Oscars.

 At a time when the public gains most of its information from online sources, these young stars drive Internet traffic which also translates into TV ratings for those shows that feature them, which then means more Internet traffic to websites that know how to show them.

This news is also why Oscar needs a Twitter account. Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart are all either active on Twitter or the focus of tweets. Here's one example:

QUE?! RT @JustJared: Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart will present at the Oscars next month!
Boyinblue - twitter.com - 11 minutes ago

Hopefully AMPAS makes an Oscar Twitter account and soon; the 82nd Academy Awards is in just less than two weeks.

The Obama health care plan - a closer first look

The White House released the Obama health care plan without a "Public Option" and with a specific desire to achieve an "up or down" vote according to White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer who was on the conference call with reporters this Monday morning. The White House gave the major points of change in the Obama health care plan in their presentation:

-It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history, reducing premium costs for tens of millions of families and small business owners who are priced out of coverage today. This helps over 31 million Americans afford health care who do not get it today – and makes coverage more affordable for many more.
-It sets up a new competitive health insurance market giving tens of millions of Americans the exact same insurance choices that members of Congress will have.
-It brings greater accountability to health care by laying out commonsense rules of the road to keep premiums down and prevent insurance industry abuses and denial of care.
-It will end discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions.
-It puts our budget and economy on a more stable path by reducing the deficit by $100 billion over the next ten years – and about $1 trillion over the second decade – by cutting government overspending and reining in waste, fraud and abuse.

According to the Huffington Post, the White House' Pfeiffer says the President looks at this as their "best shot at bridging the differences. We think this makes some strong steps to improving the final product. It is our hope the Republicans will come together around their plan and post that online prior to the meeting so that the American people have a chance to go look at it... and be thoroughly informed heading into this meeting."

"This meeting" is Thursday's bipartisan health care reform summit. Even as the Obama health care plan is seen as a "Democratic effort" the White House says Republicans will have a chance to amend it. One part of the Obama health care plan Republicans reportedly don't seem to like is the plan to control insurance rate increases.

The new legislation, initially proposed by California Senator Diane Feinstein, would give the Health and Human Services Department power to oversee and if necessary eliminate rate increases seen as too high. The "Feinstein Provision", as this blogger calls it, would result in a new organization called The Health Insurance Rate Authority.

Jon Walker over at FireDogLake.com thinks it's not a serious proposal and just "potentially cynical politics"; i disagree. The Health Insurance Rate Authority gets right at the main problem in health care costs - insurance rate increases.

Republicans have not offered an alternative plan, and will cry that the The Health Insurance Rate Authority is just more government control. But as any real economist will tell you, government in a democracy exists to make sure "market forces" are not acting against the welfare of the populace.

 The Health Insurance Rate Authority is something that both Democrats and Republicans who really want to fix health care should get behind. Kudos to Senator Feinstein for developing an alternative that's a worthy replacement of the Public Option.

If you want to read the Obama health care plan, download a copy here: Obama Health Care Plan.

Stay tuned.

American Red Cross $175 million in unallocated Haiti donations - update

On the matter of the American Red Cross and the $175 million in unallocated Haiti donations, this update: there's still no word from the American Red Cross on how the $175 million in donations was handled. Initial attempts to gain an answer have been ignored as of this writing.

Meanwhile, the issue is gaining attention. This blogger was on a Fairfield, Iowa radio broadcast last Friday and more radio talk shows have expressed unsolicited interested in the matter of the American Red Cross and the $175 million in unallocated Haiti donations.

For background, it's simple: the American Red Cross reported it collected $225 million in donations over the first month of the Haiti Relief Effort. But of that, $80 million was spent or earmarked for Haiti. The American Red Cross does not explain what happened to $225 million minus $80 million, or $175 million?

On Friday, I was on KRUU, "The Voice of Fairfield" in Fairfield, Iowa, on James Moore's Planet Erstwild Show to talk about the American Red Cross donation problem. Here's the recording of that radio show: Zennie Abraham on KRUU.

This is the Zennie62 video on the issue:



Stay tuned.

Lindsey Vonn on Tiger Woods and Sex: Julia Mancuso should see this

Lindsey Vonn is now a decorated 2010 Winter Olympic Games Gold Medalist and a sex symbol But when Lindsey Vonn offers her view on Tiger Woods' speech and (no) press conference, and his sex scandale, she says way too much.

In Friday's TIME Online Edition, Lindsey Vonn got off a joke about Tiger Woods in the wake of his speech held that day. Of course, Vonn has a point of view like anyone else, but she forgot that she has more in common with Tiger Woods than she realizes. First, as Woods is considered the "Best Golfer in the World", Lindsey Vonn's called the "Best Woman Skier Ever".

Second, well, this is what TIME's Sean Gregory reported and we'll take it from there:

And like millions of Americans, Vonn can't help poking fun at Woods' staged event. When a member of her Vonn-tourage tells her that Woods gave a few friends hugs after ending his statement, she cracks, "They're like, 'Yeah, you're awesome, you go have that sex.' " The room breaks into a laugh. Then she describes a skit she would want to perform if asked to host Saturday Night Live: picture Vonn at Woods' podium, blue backdrop and all. "There's something you don't know about me," Vonn says in a faux solemn, apologetic voice. "Tiger, you're like my idol, and I too have a sex problem." More laughter. "That would be freaking funny."

That Tiger Woods' blast caused this blogger to think about Lindsey Vonn's new image - that of sex symbol and caused in part by the Sports Illustrated photos she took for the Olympics.

You see two of them here in this blog post. Lindsey Vonn clearly enjoyed what she was doing as a sexy exhibitionist of sorts, so ranting on about Tiger Woods' misfortune - or for that matter implying that she's more wholesome than fellow skier Julia Mancuso (who has no issues with showing skin) - can only cause one to want to look more closer at her.

That's especially true when Vonn says what appears in the TIME account below:

When asked how she will deal with sports celebrity in the post-Woods world, in which the tabloids, websites and televisions cameras can threaten even a pristine reputation, Vonn seems nonplussed. "Well, I'm married — to her ski coach, Thomas Vonn, since 2007 — "so I don't have that problem," she says. "But, um, I guess he's married too." Then she turns serious. "I mean, I guess if you have secrets, you have an issue. I've kind of been open about everything."

First, Lindsey Vonn married her ski coach, which means that before the relationship became a marriage there was the "teacher and student" love connection that certainly had to raise eyebrows. But one has to wonder if Lindsey felt the same level of "entitlement" that Tiger Woods said he felt and that fueled his actions? In other words, she did it because Thomas Vonn was a "skier" and a "teacher" and she filled in every cognitive blank she could think of to justify what others would question.

Moreover, Vonn's father Alan Kidlow reportedly disliked her relationship with then-boyfriend Thomas Vonn, and she hasn't talked to Kidlow in "four years."

According to The Washington Post, Alan Kidlow has watched his daughter skate online and is very proud of Lindsey Vonn. One would think it's the perfect time for both to get together and make up. But Lindsey's not talking about that, and that's why I'm pointing out that for her to make fun of Tiger Woods is just plain wrong. She hasn't been open about everything, just "kind of open" about everything. Yet, she points a finger at Tiger Woods and wants to make fun of his situation? Not good.

Lindsay Vonn has to know that people who live in glass houses don't throw stones. Lindsay's got a big glass house now and it's approaching the size of that of Tiger Woods'; Vonn's got to put the stones away before it's too late.

YouTube video channel Zennie62 reaches 12 million video views

The YouTube video channel Zennie62 has reached 12 million video views and 200,000 channel views as of Saturday, February 20th, and continuing a pattern of rapid growth that started in 2009 and has continued through 2010. Zennie62 on YouTube also has over 4,000 subscribers.

The YouTube video channel Zennie62 consists over 800 videos covering everything from politics to news, sports, tech, and entertainment and celebrity gossip. Zennie62 on YouTube is connected to the blog Zennie62.com, also at Zennie2005.blogspot.com. The Zennie62 blog is the center publication of a network of 100 blogs ran by Zennie62.com, of which this blogger, Zennie Abraham, is the executive producer.

The idea of Zennie62 is to bring "pure form video blogging" to the viewer. It's the simple practice of talking to the audience through a camcorder to tell a story or share a point of view, or as part of an interview with someone else. As video-blogging does not call for an elaborate set or expensive equipment, it can be done anywhere, at any time.

Here's one of Zennie62's most popular videos, this one on Susan Boyle:



And here's another one called "Fight in SF Fillmore":



Some of the videos are used for his national TV show The Blog Report with Zennie62 on CoLoursTV, DISH 9407.

Plans for 2010 include the upcoming NFL Draft Combine and The Academy Awards. Zennie62 has its first designated Associate Video-Blogger and seeks to form a team of video-bloggers in different cities. If you're interested, send an email to zennie@zennie62.com

Kathryn Bigelow wins BAFTA Best Director and Best Film for The Hurt Locker

Kathryn Bigelow, who's great movie The Hurt Locker has taken the pre-Oscar Awards season and a lot of Oscar Buzz,  by storm, has just won the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television) Best Director Awards for The Hurt Locker according to MSNBC.com.

Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to win Best Director at the BAFTA's. Here's the interview with Bigelow at the BAFTA site: Interview.

Kathryn Bigelow was up against a number of well-aclaimed film directors including her former husband James Cameron who produced and directed Avatar.

The Hurt Locker also won six awards, for best film, editing and sound, original screenplay and cinematography.

More from the BAFTA's in the next blog post. But a special congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow for being the first woman to win such a coveted award and for such an amazing film as The Hurt Locker.  With the win, Bigelow's arguably in line to win Best Director and The Hurt Locker Best Picture at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.

Andrew Koenig - Walter Koenig's son "AK-47" still missing

Andrew Koenig, the former star of Growing Pains, and Never Not Funny, and the son of Walter Koenig from Star Trek TOS, is still missing.

According to E!Online, Andrew Koenig (sometimes called AK-47) missed a flight back to the United States from Vancouver, B.C., and has not been seen since. The website Maximum Fun appears to have a relationship with Andrew Koenig and a mutual friend Dave Holmes, who reports:

Andrew Koenig (AK-47, the video guy on “Never Not Funny,” and “Boner” from “Growing Pains”) has been missing for a week, last seen 2/14 in Vancouver. Didn’t make his flight back to the US on 2/16. The Vancouver Police are involved, and lots of people are looking. Could you reblog this and help get the word out? And say some prayers or think some positive thoughts?

Reportedly, Andrew Koenig has been missing since Valentine's Day, February 14th. According to TMZ.com, his father Walter Koenig reports that Andrew was battling severe depression.

Koenig's friend Jenny Magenta, who said Andrew stayed with her in Vancouver, posted this message on Facebook:

Hi everyone..we are trying to locate Andrew.

He left Jen and Jesse's in TO on the 10th and went to Vancouver and stayed with me and Jay .

He was sched to fly to LA on the 16th but didn't take his flight.

His parents have contacted us as he hasn't arrived and they have evidence that he his severely depressed. The police are involved and have a lot of information already.

As a favour, I need to ask MY FRIENDS to be patient as I may not be able to contact you back in my usual speedy fashion on FB nor have chats etc. My cell is working again though. Please just know that my focus is on this right now - I will do my best to stay focused and thank you all for any help you may offer.


****There is some evidence that points he may be in the Stanley Park area......but last contact being there doesn't mean is is there....but, wanted to mention it.


*******************If you have seen him, emailed him or had any contact after the 14th/15th or spent time with him during his stay in Vancouver and the police HAVE NOT contacted you yet, please call Detective Raymond Payette and his phone is 604-717-2534 and provide the information you have.

Please do not call 911.

We hope to find him in this busy city of ours and will do all we can.

I would also like to state for the record that he did ask me about my connections with the burlesque community here (as you know I perform sometimes at Sin and other venues and am in that community too) and he was interested in this world....

This may be an angle that he followed - the police are aware of this and please, if you had a meeting with him or a conversation with him that may provide information please contact the Detective.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you and peace.

Hold your loved one's close to you. Never be afraid to ask for help..

Again, if you've seen Andrew Koenig contact Detective Raymond Payette of the Vancouver Police at 604-717-2534.

Angelina Jolie with Jon Voight, her father, in Italy

Angelina Jolie, currently still happy in marriage with Brad Pitt, was seen with Jon Voight, her father, in Italy, according to TMZ.com and RadarOnline.com She's in Italy with Brad Pitt and their children to start filming The Tourist in March.

Photo credit: TMZ.com

It's really great to see Angelina Jolie with Jon Voight, after she said, in 2002, that "My father and I don't speak. I don't hold any anger toward him. I don't believe that somebody's family becomes their blood. Because my son's adopted, and families are earned."

Angelina Jolie did not explain the reasons for her long separation from her father, but whatever they were, they're gone as the pair are obviously talking again.

It's good to have that patched up. This blogger didn't talk to his father for several years, but repaired the relationship in 1999; he died in 2005. It's always good to make sure you're right with your parents (if that's possible) before they pass on.

Kim Kardashian gets police ticket, outs Federal Air Marshal on Twitter

The amazingly hot Kim Kardashian was the subject of a lot of negative tweets after the reality TV Show star and girlfriend of New Orleans Saints Running Back Reggie Bush outed a Federal Air Marshal using Twitter while on a flight to Los Angeles, then just Saturday got a ticket for driving without a license plate on her car. '

Here's the photo Kim Kardashian put on Twitpic:



As for the Air Marshal Twitter incident, Kim Kardashian said he was honest with her, so she decided to tweet the news! All of this works to Kim's advantage as she launches her new show The SPINIndustry tonight, Sunday from 10:30 to 11:00pm on E!.

Kim Kardashian is the executive producer of The SPINIndustry, a show that features "Jonathan Cheban and his right-hand man, Simon Huck, head up a branding public-relations firm that deals with demanding celebrities", as the promotional description reads.

The story is real and The SPINIndustry is a kind of documentary, as Command PR is an actual firm with a cool website. CommandPR specializes in "media buzz" and they've certainly hooked up with the right person in Kim Kardashian.

Stay tuned.

Cal Football's former Defensive Coordinator Bob Gregory on Boise Radio

A YouTuber called Okaydo1 found and recorded an interview on a Boise, Idaho radio station where Bob Gregory, Cal Football's now former Defensive Coordinator, got on the radio show and explained in perhaps too much detail why he left UC Berkeley and Cal Football's Defensive Coordinator position for Boise State and an assistant coach position.


Some of the comments Bob Gregory made can be considered as hitting Berkeley and Cal Football Head Coach Jeff Tedford in the rear as he left the door. The full audio of the interview is below.

Here are some of the Bob Gregory comments that stand out to this blogger:

On why he left Cal Berkeley and the defensive coordinator position for an "as yet unnamed defensive staff position" at Boise State:

Well, you know, I think it all comes down to what's important to ya at certain times of your life. And I loved the University of California. We loved California and the Bay Area. It just grew a little bit increasingly hard to have time with my young family. We were willing to maybe give all the title stuff up, so to speak, to come back here so I had more of a chance to raise my boys. So, there are thing in life that are very important, and you've got to make sure you put things in perspective. My wife and I are fired up to be back here. (Bob Gregory was Boise State's Defensive Coordinator in 2001.)

Bob Gregory said he has "two little boys: an eight-year-old and a five-year-old". Gregory then continues on why Boise State was the place he went to:

I would not have gone anywhere in America. A couple big reasons: Chris Peterson, the head football coach here. He and I go way back. I know what kind of guy he is. I know what kind of program he runs. I know he'a a family guy. I think you can win a lot of football games, as they've done here, and also have time for your family. And some times as football coaches we have a tendency to work, just to work. I think what they do here, is they work smart. And obviously, being in Boise, a great place to raise your family, and maybe have a little bit more room in your house, and being 10 minutes away from work - all those. You know it isn't one thing in particular, just a lot of things that add up to it.

Bob Gregory explains that the the whole process started when he called Boise State Head Coach Chris Peterson about the new staff position and about "some other guys that were interested in the position". And he says asked Peterson what he was looking for, thought about it,talked about it with his wife, and "kept a dialog going for a few days". Eventually, and from what this reads in a short time, Gregory made the move to leave Cal.

Here' the audio recording:



Gregory said, several times in the interview, that it was not because he didn't like California, but that it was the right time to move. Still, his statement about working conditions is on record now, and only can lead to more questions surrounding the whole "Work smart" comment. Is Bob Gregory saying that Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford doesn't "work smart"?

Sometimes, given the media-dominated era and the small family of college football coaches, the idea that it's better to say less than more is one to maintain. Bob Gregory would have been better off saying less than the ton of words he issued.

Stay tuned.

Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsay Jacobellis at Club Bud Party

If you're wondering where the Olympics party is in Vancouver, follow Gretchen Bleiler, Lindsay Jacobellis, and two Vancouver bloggers to the fun at the Club Bud Party.

And there are two Vancouver-based bloggers who have the Red Carpet pass to all-access fun at the Club Bud Party: Vancity Alley of VancityAlley.com and Rebecca Bollwitt's Miss604.com.

This dynamic duo of blogger has done an outstanding job filing in a void left by NBC and the mainstream media. Friday Night's Club Bud Party was no exception as both bloggers took a lot of photos and made excellent use of their Twitter and Flickr accounts. The only missing social media instrument was YouTube.  Videos from the event were missed.

Johnny Weir

Of course, everyone who follows the Winter Olympics knows the super hot women athletes, snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Lindsay Jacobellis.   Both attended Friday Night's event and posed for the cameras on the red carpet.

Gretchen Bleiler

But the Club Bud party had other stars like San Francisco 49ers Tight End Vernon Davis, Sean Wescott (fresh from his gold medal win) came by.

Peter Tork 

Olympics skating hero and gold medalist Johnny Weir (who looks just like a young Peter Tork from The Monkees. Really, Weir does.

Johnny Weir's nose, mouth, and eyes and even their spacing is identical to that of Peter Tork.  And if you've never heard of The Monkees, they were a pre-teen British Band of the 1960s and 70s.)

But Peter Tork would never be caught dead wearing Johnny Weir's gender-bending shirt or really more appropriately described an almost back-less blouse.

 Whatever the case, Johnny Weir gives a new meaning to "figure skating."  With his incredible skating talent and bright future, Johnny Weir's certain to place his own unique stamp on sports culture.

While Johnny Weir's outfit was the talk of Club Bud, it wasn't the only thing going on.

Olympics Legends Carl Lewis and Bonnie Blair stopped by as well as John Hamm from the popular AMC Television Series Mad Men.

John Hamm

 All of these and more celebs -- too many to mention -- in the 18,000 square foot Commodore Ballroom.   Plus, there was a great street party to start things off!

 But what's neat is that Budweiser gave these two great bloggers special access and the result is this great Internet buzz that was missing from NBC's Olympics coverage online and offline.

This - attending over-the-top parties - is what going to an event like the Olympics or the Super Bowl or The World Cup is about.  It's a shame the media doesn't show this side of it as a matter of course.

Enter the bloggers, and Gretchen Bleiler, Lindsay Jacobellis!