Glee Britney Spears Episode Gets Hammered But Is A Hit On Twitter

Britney Spears Before Glee

Apparently a Facebook campaign helping Britney Spears get on Glee didn't translate into the kind of critical success Betty White realized after her Facebook campaign. But it got eyeballs.

As of this writing, Britney Spears's appearance on Glee is being hammered as resulting in an episode that didn't have the normal elements that marked success for Glee.

The Hollywood Gossip has an interesting take written by "Free Britney" that reads:

There wasn't even original Glee music, the hallmark of the show, which fans know connects the material to the characters in a very personal way. Not Tuesday.

The numbers were chosen basically because there was a Facebook campaign for a Britney episode and the star's manager lobbied for it. Not exactly organic.

Don't get us wrong, there were plenty of good lines and some of the covers were actually pretty good. But you can't abandon all storytelling like this as a stunt.

And over at The Washington Post, Jen Chaney and Liz Kelly are asking for an end to "celeb-focused tributes" in the wake of the Glee Britney Spears Episode.

But not every reviewer panned the show. David Itzkoff at the New York Times explains that it was a "total gas" when glee-choir member Brittany S. Pierce met Britney Spears on the show.

But while the Britney Spears Glee appearance may or may not have been well-done, and that's a matter for disagreement, it was certainly an attention getter, which was the whole point of having Spears on Glee. Ratings and eyeballs win. Spears and Glee were a hit on Twitter, with the show grabbing the Twitter Top Trends for the time it aired.

When a TV show hits the Top Trends on Twitter as it's on, that means people are watching it and and are engaged it in.

Let's see what the ratings report reveals.

Stay tuned.

TechCrunch Disrupt SF Women In Tech Panel Final Word (Maybe)

After landing and looking at the video from the TechCrunch Disrupt SF Women In Tech Panel this blogger had high hopes for, the final verdict is the panel was a disaster. Unfortunately, the moderator, Sara Lacy, is my friend and most at fault. Personally this space is very disappointed in Sara. She did not conduct herself with the level of care, empathy, and maturity she's more than capable of expressing.

Have a look for yourself:

A moderator's job is to coordinate the discussion for the panel, not eat the panelists, which is what we got. The overall fact is that beyond TechCrunch and TechCrunch Disrupt the Tech World has a massive diversity problem that needs to be addressed.

Rachel Sklar's correct and courageous in bringing up the pressing problem; Sara and TechCrunch Founder Michael Arrington were wrong and cowardly in not allowing a good, meaningful conversation to develop.

Moreover the discussion of why the ratio of women and minorities is low in Tech was not helped by a woman who's CEO of a company formed with her better known Tech husband, making crazy statements. While Cyan Banister may be well known in Silcon Valley, her statement that people like "Italians" have been discriminated against was nuts.

Cyan said that she was against Affirmative Action and believed people rose on merit.  But she never considered that her own rise may not have happened had she not hooked up with a White tech guy in Angel Investor Scott Banister.  Sara never asked Cyan about that; I would have. Not discounting hard work, but having a partnership helps.

White women rising in American business by hooking up with White business men in the same field is common place (read PowerPlay, the story of Mary Cunningham, as one example).   And no, it does not advance the role of Women in Tech.

Cyan's comment about people rising by merit, considering how that's just another person using a measuring stick that reflects their own prejudices, was silly at best, and sad at worst.   She must consider that it's impossible for people to effectively ferret out their own "issues" - as Sara admitted she had going into the discussion - and so wind up using the idea of "merit" to cloud their biases.

Indeed, the various issues of the panelists so dominated the conversation, we were robbed of what could have been an effective talk.  The moderator set the tone for the discussion by allowing her own "stuff" to overshadow the need for a respectful exchange.  Sara went on the attack and that wasn't necessary at all.

Give her an A, for Awful.

Brown Whitman Debate: Jerry Brown Beats Meg Whitman

If you're a Californian with over 20 years in the state, you don't have to pay much attention to the video replays to know that Jerry Brown was light years ahead of Meg Whitman in Tuesday's debate.

Simply put, Meg Whitman came off as a policy wonk with bad hair, whereas Jerry Brown appeared as an experienced elected official who knows how California works.

Take the exchange on the California Budget. Whitman talked about ideas, as in when she said that she would start the budget process earlier. But Brown talked specific actions beyond a start date.

Jerry said that he would have each legislator go through their budget and look for areas to cut. In short, former Governor Brown is more comfortable talking about how to make the California government work than Meg Whitman is.

On the subject of Illegal Immigration Meg Whitman's problem of not understanding the system of California operation comes up again. Brown favors a path to legalization, whereas Meg Whitman does not.

But then Meg says something confusing. She says that she doesn't favor a path to legalization, but then says we all know illegal aliens are here "for the jobs." So making them legal allows them to get a job; not doing so just perpetuates the cycle of deportation and return to America.

There are other examples, but the overall result is Jerry Brown is more comfortable with himself and with dealing with California's problems. Let's face it. Meg Whitman hasn't done that. But the Former eBay CEO has another problem: her appearance.

Someone has to say this, so it might as well be this blogger: Meg Whitman's hair looked awful. It seemed frayed and her eyes looked tired.  Meg has looked better before and it could be the rigors of the campaign have caught up to her.  A pair of glasses would have made a big difference in Whitman's appearance for the debate.  One commenter wrote that Whitman looked like "Hagatha."

Whatever the case, Meg Whitman could benefit from a good makeover. In fact, so can the State of California. The perception here is Jerry Brown - who doesn't need a makeover and one can argue already got one while he was Mayor of Oakland - is better for the job of California Governor than Meg Whitman.

S3706 on Senate Calendar for Sept 29th?

According to a tweet by @StabenowPress this afternoon Senator Stabenow's bill, #S3706, The Americans Want to Work Act, will be on the Senate floor tomorrow. More info: http://bit.ly/bvf2oU

Check out the tweet for yourself: https://twitter.com/StabenowPress

99ers are all encouraged to contact the following all day tomorrow and until this bill passes:

The retiring Senator Voinovich may be just what the 99er Nation has been praying for and all unemployed Americans are urged to contact his offices in mass this week. http://voinovich.senate.gov/

Washington D.C. Phone: 202-224-3353


Cincinnati, OH
 phone: (513) 684-3265 fax: (513) 684-3269

Cleveland, OH
 phone: (216) 522-7095 fax: 522-7097

Columbus, OH 
phone: (614) 469-6697 fax: 469-7733

Nelsonville, OH 
phone: (740) 441-6410 fax: (740) 753-3551

Toledo, OH 
phone: (419) 259-3895 fax: (419) 259-3899

Another possible ally in the fight to pass our Tier 5 bill could be Senator George LeMieux of Florida.
Washington, DC Phone: (202) 224-3041, Toll free: (866) 630-7106 Fax: (202) 228-5171

The two Senators from the great state of Maine may also be receptive to helping the unemployed “exhaustees” get this bill passed or at least stop a filibuster threat.

Senator Olympia J. Snowe:
Washington, DC Phone: (202) 224-5344 Toll Free: (800) 432-1599 Fax: (202) 224-1946

Senator Susan Collins
Washington, DC Phone: (202) 224-2523 Fax: (202) 224-2693

Call the White House comments line to demand the same. White House Comments Line 202-456-1111 Comment line is only open 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday EST. ***REMIND the President that this is an emergency and WE the people (middle class then - impoverished now) voted him in office. Now he needs to speak up for us and do whatever he can to assure our Tier 5 becomes law NOW!

More contacts: (Some my be duplicated)

Congressional Toll free Switchboard: 1-866-220-0044

Senator Harry Reid 202-224-3542 REID FAX 202-224-7327

Reno office:Tel 775-686-5750 Fax 775-686-5757

Reid Staffers:

Rodell_mollineau@reid.senate.gov,

Danica_daneshforouz@reid.senate.gov,

Mike_esposito@reid.senate.gov,

Mary_conelly@reid.senate.gov,

Gary_myrick@reid.senate.gov,

Robin_mccain@reid.senate.gov,

jim_manley@reid.senate.gov

SCHUMER MAIN NUMBER 202-224-6542

SCHUMER FAX NUMBER 202-228-3027

Schumer Staffers:


Mike_lynch@schumer.senate.gov,

Abbie_sorrendino@schumer.senate.gov,

Katie_beirne@schumer.senate.gov,

brian_fallon@schumer.senate.gov,

Alex_levy@schumer.senate.gov,

STABENOW MAIN NUMBER 202-224-4822

STABENOW FAX # 202-228-0325

Stabenow Staffer Matt Williams 202-360-5014  matt’s cellular number

Stabenow Staffer Ilana Levinson 202-228-3674 Ilana direct number

Other Stabenow staffers:


Amanda_renteria@stabenow.senate.gov,

Kim_love@stabenow.senate.gov,

Anne_stanski@stabenow.senate.gov,

ALSO: Stabenow's back office line: (202) 224 - 1437 Call them now. Call them often. Tell them you are from 99er press.

Here are additional Republicans we want to contact in mass now:
Senator Richard Shelby, 202-224-5744 Legislative Director Laura Friedel  laura_friedel@shelby.senate.gov
Senator George LeMieux, 202-224-3041 Legislative Director  Michael Zehr  (no email for Michael, email instead) ken_lundberg@lemieux.senate.gov
Senator John Ensign, 202-224-3041 Legislative Director Pam Thiesse  pam_thiessen@ensign.senate.gov
Senator Kit Bond, 202-224-5741 Legislative Director Kara Smith kara_smith@bond.senate.gov
Senator Susan Collins, 202-224-2523 Legislative Director Rob Epplin  Rob_epplin@collins.senate.gov
Senator  Scott Brown, 202-224-4543 
Steven Schrage – Chief of Staff  (I cannot release his email. Have no other staffer emails to offer)
Senator Olympia Snowe, 202-224-5344
 Legislative Director Ron Le Francois ron_lefrancois@snowe.senate.gov

A complete list of legislators can be found at: 
http://joblessunite.yolasite.com/legislators-list.php  

These are the most up to date contacts I have, so if any of them has changed their email due to the heavy traffic in our past campaigns, the emails may be returned.

Incumbent too timid to debate in MN District 2

According to the campaign spokesman of former MN State Representative Shelley Madore, currently running for Congress in Minnesota's Second District, they received a formal response Monday from GOP incumbent Congressman John Kline (R-MN) rejecting an opportunity to debate her in front of a live audience in the Second Congressional District at any time that was convenient to him.

"Only 12% of voters believe most members of Congress are more interested in helping people than in helping their own careers. Seventy-six percent (76%) say most in Congress put their own careers first. Skepticism has remained this high since October."

From Congressional Performance

Rasmussen Reports

In a year when incumbents are on shaky ground, Kline is keeping his head down. "It saddens me that the voters of this district will have one 25-minute radio interview just one week before the election as their only opportunity to evaluate our ability to best represent them in Washington," said Madore discussing the incumbent's reluctance to make time to appear before district voters. Kline's voting record is more conservative than Michelle Bachmann (MN-6), and his district gets back less than half the federal taxes they pay now that Kline's anti-earmark ideology has painted him into a corner when it comes to helping his constituents.

"Rep. John Kline has been in office for eight years; he seems to take for granted that his seat is secure despite the 18% public approval rating for members of Congress. I believe the voters of this district have had enough of elitist Washington politics.

I have appeared at FarmFest and the Goodhue County Veterans candidate forums and will participate in two Transportation Alliance candidate forums in the next two weeks, all of which John Kline has refused to attend. In his response, John Kline cited his conversations with voters at community events over the summer. I have spent the last nine months listening to voters' concerns about jobs, health care, transportation and education funding. These are serious times and demand a serious candidate willing to work for your vote."

Former Minnesota Representative Shelley Madore

Madore's campaign has reportedly conveyed an additional offer made Monday by the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce to host a debate, seeking an opportunity for voters to compare and contrast the two candidates and their records in a setting where the public can see and judge both.

According to Rasmussen incumbents are in trouble, and Kline's lack of initiative for projects within the district while he continues to vote for earmarks inserted by other members of his party leaves him open to questions from the voters. His record of voting against funding for veterans has led some to accuse him of supporting war without supporting the warriors. Madore's 35 Cent Tour has successfully explained to Minnesotans that not all earmarks are pork, and at least one survey suggests swing voters (those who report they have not stuck strictly to one party in the past) believe Kline needed to do more than repeat talking points if he wanted to represent them in Congress again - and I'm inclined to believe them.

Thomas Hayes is a political strategist, entrepreneur, and journalist currently working for the Madore for Congress campaign in Minnesota's Second Congressional District. He contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community, and helped the Madore campaign to a convincing upset victory in the August primary.

TechCrunch Disrupt SF: Sara Lacy Eats The Panelists

This blogger watched the TechCrunch Disrupt SF "Women In Tech Panel" from Gate 73 while waiting to board the flight to Denver then to Atlanta. In fact, this post is being written as I wait standby. The tweets preceded what was on the USTREAM broadcast:

EmilysHere - why is sarah lacy so angry? #tcdisrupt
10 minutes ago via web

sue_anne - Had high hopes for #womenintech panel. Unfortunately moderator set a bad tone and it turned in to a snarkfest. #tcdisrupt

emilyjo - RT @tenaciouscb: Renaming "Women in Tech" to "You shut up. No, you shut up." #tcdisrupt <--watching online...exhausting!

Those Twitter tweets sum up what part of the panel I saw here at the gate. In fact, when the livestream was first activated, Sara's angry voice lit up a good 20-foot square area of the gate. Volume down on the computer.

First, let's get this out of the way. Sara's awesome. She's done a lot for herself in carving a good niche in tech journalism. She's a friend. Well, we'll see after this little crit, but for now, yes.

To watch her just go out and eat the panelists was disappointing. Presented with an effort to show Women In Tech getting along, Sara revealed just why there's a problem after all: infighting.

In other words, the old problem demonstrated at times when a minority of people in any group faces discrimination - one person saying "I'm OK," and the other saying "I'm not." The the two fight rather than seek agreement.

Well, I've got my ticket. On to Denver.

And wishing I were backstage to see the aftermath of this war.

Sara, don't hurt em.

Google Blogger Needs Stop Auto-Removing Blogs; Making Mistakes

There are millions of blogs hosted by Google's Blogger division and under the "blogspot.com" domain. Many people use their blogs as the basis for their business activities. So, it should come as no surprise that the same people are shocked to learn their blogs are deleted because they're called "spam blogs" when in point of constant fact they're not.

Recently, this happened to a friend of mine, who's blog this blogger set up on Blogger.com, extolling the virtues of using the service and how she could base her fitness business there and generate revenue. So when Blogger took her blog down as spam, presumably because she posts maybe twice a month, she went ballistic on Google, Blogger, and me.

She called and just started crying and yelling: "Google's doing this! They run everything! It's not right! I'll go broke! You've got to do something because you got me into this. Why did they do this? I have the right to blog when I want to!

Basically, I tried to explain that one needed to update their blog so it didn't look like a website. She didn't care. "So fucking what! That's bullshit! It's my blog. I can blog when I want." And more crying.

Basically, she's right; she can blog when she wants to and Google has to stop acting like God. Regardless of the Terms of Service, which most people don't read, Google and Blogger do by their words make you the user think the blog is your blog. After all, the search for "Blogger.com" reads "Blogger: create your free blog."

Really, given what they can do, they should call it "their blog" because the Terms of Service state they can remove it for any reason. That's mean and unnecessary legal language that should be jettisoned immediately.

That language should change. It implies that Google Blogger can decide "We don't like that you're writing militant black stuff," not tell you that, and take your blog down. Now what militant black stuff is differs from person to person, so that would be a mistake. But you get the point.

My Friend Gets Her Blog Back

After a few hours Google Blogger did restore my friend's blog. But really that should not have happened. Google Blogger should be in the business of helping people maintain their online businesses, not scaring the crap out of them just because they can.

This economy is too bad for too many people to allow that policy of auto-removing spam blogs to stand. Google Blogger must get rid of it, and sooner rather than later.

Google Blogger has the potential to change the world just by making it easier to blog, but also by letting bloggers know it stands with them and will not yank their content just because some Blogger autobot was drunk with power.