Sarah Palin Newsweek Cover: Runner's World pans photo use

Newsweek's in hot water with the editors of Runner's World Magazine, which did not approve of or like the use of their 'Sarah Palin' photo on Newsweek's cover. A photo that sparked a lot of complaints, including mine:



Runner's World wrote:

On the cover of this week's issue of Newsweek is a photo that was shot exclusively for the August 2009 issue of Runner's World, in which Sarah Palin was featured on the monthly "I'm a Runner" back page. The photos from that shoot are still under a one-year embargo, and Runner's World did not provide Newsweek with its cover image. It was provided to Newsweek by the photographer's stock agency, without Runner;s World's knowledge or permission.

And now that photo's all over the place and Newsweek, not Runner's World, is benefiting from it. OK, and so are a lot of publications and bloggers and vloggers. But, as I told my good friend Lars, Newsweek started it. That written, and regardless of the benefit to bloggers and vloggers, Newsweek was wrong and its not out of bounds for me to use their work to make a point against their actions.

Let's face it: it helped get my message out.

What will Runner's World do? Well, I think they've already done it. The question is what will Governor Palin do?

Stay tuned.

The Awl blog post not racist because it mentions black and white

The Awl is a blog started by ex-Gawker folks Choire Sicha and Alex Balk. I've got to admit I'd never read the thing until I happened on a testy take by Robert Quigley at Mediate.com, the blog by Dan Abrams that I do read regularly.

Robert Quigley accused The Awl of playing "the race card" or the "Twitter race card" in a rather amusing post called “What Were Black People Talking About On Twitter Last Night?”

My immediate thought was that I'm glad someone's interested. What Quigley and others don't understand or try to do is realize that there are differences in what people do based on race at times. In other words there are blacks like me who are not racially-trapped and have multicultural habits; whites who are more interested in a certain part of black culture, and so on.

Big deal. Sharing perceptions of differences is how we learn; it's when the perceptions are racially insulting that problems start. I did not see that in the Awl post, even though it did seem borderline. But I took at as tongue-and-cheek and no further.

You know, there's one thing I'm sick of and its this over-used child-of-the-Regan-era term called "The Race Card" and is habitually used mostly by someone who doesn't want the topic of race mentioned, even if the person doing so is pointing out racism.

That term and the use of it must be destroyed. It's political correctness run-amok and used by Couch Potato Conservatives all too often. Robert Quigley is not that, but by using the term he has something in common with the Sarah Palin's of the world.

Sorry Robert Quigley.

Anyway, as a black blogger, I take no issue with the Awl's blog post. In fact, it was rather cool.

Chris Spielman's wife Stefanie Spielman passes at 42

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Former Ohio State and NFL Linebacker Chris Spielman lost his wife Stefanie Spielman to breast cancer today. She was 42 years old.

Stephanie was 30 years old when the cancer was first detected. That's really sad and hard news for me to read. It really is.

I followed the Spielmans' story as in 2005 my own mother battled and eventually beat this cancer we all must work to defeat.

Talk about video - blogging with Sarah Austin

Watch live video from Sarah Austin on Justin.tv

Want to learn more abour video-blogging? You've come to the right place for a start.

Videoblogger Sarah Austin and I are doing a live and recorded video talk on multiple platforms. We're talking about YouTube, vlogging, and Internet success and how to make money!

You can catch this at Pop17.com, Justin.tv, USTREAM.TV, and SFGate.com.

"Cocktails for a Cure" REAF benefit party through Dec 1st

I just got a note from Ken Henderson, the Executive Director of The Richmond Ermet AIDS Foundation (REAF) in San Francisco and regarding "Cocktails for a Cure". Ken writes:

"We want to make sure everyone knows Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants' Cocktails for a Cure campaign is still going on across the country through Dec. 1st. Order a Red Ribbon cocktail at any participating property and $1/drink goes to a designated local AIDS organization. In SF Bay AREA, it's REAF. Invite your friends out for a few cocktails and know you're doing a good thing. Whodathunk? Bottoms Up! Go Kimpton!"

In San Francisco, the places to go are these hotels and restaurants: Hotel Monaco, Argonaunt, Tuscan Inn, Harbor Court Hotel, Hotel Palomar, Blue Mermaid, Chowder House & Bar, Cafe Pescatore ,Fifth Floor, Grand Cafe , Harry Denton's Starlight, Room , Ponzu, Postrio , Puccini & Pinetti, and Scala's Bistro

Check the map at this link for locations.

Twilight / New Moon holds 94 percent of online ticket sales

Why is Twilight / New Moon so popular?



The Twilight / New Moon phenomenon has long past heated up and is red-hot. Just a day and a few hours before the midnight release of the second movie in the series based on the popular books, Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that Twilight / New Moon is responsible for a remarkable 94 percent of online ticket sales.

DHD's famous Nikke Finke ads that there are 200 sellouts in Los Angeles and New York alone and theaters in many cities have already sold out.

Oscar buzz? None so far; a lot of wishful fans. Stay tuned.

In Oakland, it opens at the Grand Lake Theater and Signature Jack London Square with both having Thursday midnight openings. I think I'll see what all the fuss is about.

Frank Schaeffer: "Old Testament, biblical equivalent of calling for Holy War."

...against our President. It's arguably treasonous language and suggestions, coming from supposedly Christian sources, who are, according to Evangelical author Frank Schaeffer, lifting bible verses to trawl for assassins.

"Most Americans will just see the bumper-sticker and smile and think that it's facetious...

What surprises me is that responsible (if you can put it that way) Republican leadership, and the editors of some of these Christian magazines, etc., etc., do not stand up in holy horror and denounce this.

You know, they're always asking: where is the Islamic leadership denouncing terrorism?"

Frank Schaeffer
Author, Patience with God

Here's some video from the Rachel Maddow show. It starts with a discussion of Obama's trip overseas, and how his diplomacy and the observation of protocol has provoked criticism at home. She proceeds to a frank discussion with Schaeffer about veiled messages inciting violence against the President.

Trusting, faithful Christians are, it seems, being led astray by those with clearly political, anti-American agendas cloaked in carefully selected bible verses while waving American flags. Those who seek to create chaos and violence are neither Christian nor patriotic. They prey upon our most trusting, by manipulating scriptures for their own aggrandizement while accusing their counterparts overseas for engaging in the same selfish, godless goals.

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.

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