Clipmarks | blakelylaw's clips

CNN In Trouble

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:50:15 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw

In the month of March so far, the Time Warner-owned network has come in fourth place in prime time among adults 25 to 54, the key demographic for advertisers, more often than not.

Through March 17, CNN trailed not only Fox News and MSNBC but also its own sister network, Headline News, on nine out of 17 days. On one day, March 13, CNN even drew fewer 25-to-54 viewers than CNBC -- the first time that's happened since November 2007. And of the eight days it finished higher than fourth in the demo, five were either Saturdays or Sundays, typically the lowest rated nights for the news networks.

Tags: tv, television, tv networks, news, journalism

The Fight Back Begins

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:57:18 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: Thank God, both people & institutions are starting to wake up to the fact that Big Brother is not always right.

Clip Source: www.wjla.com

Washington Mutual's holding company is suing federal regulators for billions of dollars, saying the firesale of the bank's assets to JPMorgan Chase violated its rights.The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which seized the Seattle-based savings and loan in September. It was the largest bank failure in U.S. history.Lawyers for the holding company, Washington Mutual Inc., argue that the bank was worth more than the $1.9 billion JPMorgan paid for it in a deal arranged by the FDIC. The lawsuit argues that if WaMu's assets had been liquidated prudently, they would have been worth more than that.

Tags: economy, fdic, government, federal government, law, legal, wamu, washington mututal

Thoughts of Orwell & Shakespeare & Socialism

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:04:02 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: You know - a rose by any other name, etc. The pres. swears he's not nationalizing any companies, but he wants to tell them how to pay their employees. Notice, nothing is said about this only applying to companies who've accepted bail-outs. At the very least, this is the definition of Socialism.

Clip Source: www.politico.com

Geithner to call for new bonus system

As part of a broad financial-regulatory plan to be unveiled this week, the administration wants to put in place reforms to get financial incentives for employees closer in line with the actual results of the company. Basically, it's what bonuses used to be before Wall Street went wild in recent years.

Tags: socialism, economy, politics, government, federal government

There Are More AIGs Out There

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:53:13 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw

Clip Source: www.politico.com

If AIG’s bonus checks make you mad, keep your pitchfork handy. Here’s the secret behind the government’s bailouts: Any bank big enough to get billions in bailout cash is almost certainly giving out bonus checks too.

without a serious investigation, the secrecy persists — several of the top 10 recipients of taxpayer money from the TARP program refused to comment to POLITICO when asked how much bonus cash they doled out to employees in 2008.

Tags: aig, economy, bail out, federal bail out

Obama Likes Basketball, Not Gridiron

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:33:27 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: This is a pretty major "dis." Although the Administration has mentioned the Obama girls' spring break, most of the blogosphere seems to think it's because the Gridiron club has a strict no teleprompter rule. If such a rule exists, I tend to agree.

Clip Source: www.mediabistro.com

A Gridiron Club member tells FBDC first that President Obama will not attend this year's dinner next Saturday, March 21st. He will be the first president since Grover Cleveland not to attend the first Gridiron Club Dinner of his presidency.

Tags: obama, president, preisdent obama, gridiron club, journalists

Juliet Lowe Is Spinning In Her Grave

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:25:24 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: Girl Scouting was a major part of my life growing up. I agree with the author - how sad.

Clip Source: www.wnd.com

Girl Scouts' birthday – but nothing to celebrate

Individual achievement and earning badges are out. Political correctness and self-esteem are in. Girls still will have an opportunity to earn badges – for now – but the emphasis is on the new Journeys programs, which focus on broad themes and encourage "groupthink."

These programs were inspired by a New Age group and created with the help of Brian Bacon of the Oxford Leadership Academy who is a practitioner and teacher of the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga.

However, for those moms who want their daughters to enjoy the traditional benefits of scouting in a gender-specific program, American Heritage Girls offers the best alternative and is one of the fastest growing organizations in America today.

Tags: girl scouts, gsa, new age, girls, children, women's issues, scouting

Diamonds May Not Be Forever

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:50:47 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: This is one of those I never thought about it stories.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

A DE BEERS NIGHTMARE

the real fear of the diamond cartel is not just that retail prices will decline - it has managed that problem before - but that the public will begin to sell its hoard of diamonds, or what is called at De Beers "the overhang."

At the heart of this concern is the reality that, except for those few stones that have been permanently lost, every diamond that has been found and cut into a gem since the beginning of time still exists today. This enormous inventory, which overhangs the market, is literally in - or on - the public's hands. Some hundred million women wear diamonds, while millions of other people keep them in safe deposit boxes as family heirlooms.

If falling prices shatter the carefully nurtured illusion that the value of the glittering stones kept in jewel boxes and vaults is eternal, and the public begins selling even part of its hoard, De Beer's nightmare scenario would come true: The overhang would flood the market.

Tags: economy, finances, jewelry, diamonds, gems, gemstones

Only In Europe

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:46:40 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: Being European, I understand the importance of a perfect cup of coffee, but this is bizarre, even by European standards.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Staff members at the European Union's headquarters will get training in how to brew coffee properly.

Following embarrassing revelations that the European Commission had purchased 21 deluxe espresso machines costing thousands of euros each - only to find that commissioners and their distinguished guests, not to mention the staff, were drinking a less-than-perfect brew - a settlement has been reached with the maker.

Tags: europe, eu, coffee, beverages, espresso

China's Black Jails

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:41:16 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Known as "black houses," they are unofficial jails for the pesky hordes of petitioners who flock to the capital seeking justice.

According to the state media, 10 million petitions have been filed in the last five years on complaints as diverse as illegal land seizures and unpaid wages. The numbers would be far higher but for the black houses, also called black jails, the newest weapon local officials use to prevent these aggrieved citizens from embarrassing them in front of central government superiors. Officially, these jails do not exist.

In China's authoritarian state, senior officials tally petitions to get a rough sense of social order around the country. A successfully filed petition — however illusory the prospect of justice — is considered a black mark on the bureaucratic record of the local officials accused of wrongdoing.

Tags: china, government, civil rights, civil liberties

Authentic Shakespeare Potrait Discovered

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:36:31 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: The whole story is fascinating, but the long & short is that the painting is the only portrait of Shakespeare painted during his lifetime!

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Tags: history, literature, shakespeare, william shakespeare, portraits, paintings, enlighs history, british history

Beware a Government Bearing Gifts

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:30:20 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: The feds' policy re. the bank bail-out does NOT make good business sense.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

A growing chorus of industry experts is warning that asking weak banks to carry out the government's economic and social policies could increase the drain on the public purse. These experts say that the financial assistance, while helpful in the short run, could require weak banks to engage in lending practices that will lose them even more money, and that the government inevitably will become more heavily involved in dictating how banks do their business.

Some bankers say the conditions have become so onerous that they want to give the bailout money back. The list includes small banks like TCF Financial of Wayzata, Minnesota, and Iberiabank of Lafayette, Louisiana, as well as giants like Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank in San Francisco. They say they plan to return the money as quickly as possible, or as soon as regulators set up a process to accept the repayments.

Tags: economy, finance, politics, bail-out, banks, banking

New Insight on the Ottoman-Armenian Mystery

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:11:01 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: Scholars are still debating whether the Ottoman-Armenians were the victims of genocide, deported, or "simply" the casualties of war.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

According to a long-hidden document that belonged to the interior minister of the Ottoman Empire, 972,000 Ottoman Armenians disappeared from official population records from 1915 through 1916.

Tags: history, ottoman empire, armenians, turkey, genocide

Google Voice - WOW!

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:02:35 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: This is one of those it's too good to be true ideas.

Clip Source: www.iht.com

One number to ring them all

If Google search revolutionized the Web, and Gmail revolutionized free e-mail, then one thing's for sure: Google Voice, unveiled Thursday, will revolutionize telephones.

Tags: technology, phones, google, google voice, communication

Another Obama nominee Bites the Bullet

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:41:36 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw
clipper's remarks: Freeman had been tapped to be chair of the National Security Council

Clip Source: www.iht.com

Charles Freeman Jr., President Barack Obama's choice for a major intelligence post, has withdrawn his name

A former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Freeman had in recent years questioned Washington's steadfast support for Israel. He had also been deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. His critics unearthed past statements that seemed to indicate at least partial support for the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Critics in Congress also questioned Freeman's financial ties to China because he had served for four years on the board of the China National Offshore Oil Corp., a state-owned company. He also led the Middle East Policy Council, a Washington-based group that receives financial support from the Saudi government.

Tags: national security, usa, obama, president, president obama, politics

Ownership of 840-lb. Emerald Up to Court

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:22:51 GMT

clipped by: blakelylaw

Clip Source: online.wsj.com

L.A. County Sheriff Has the Big Rock Many Claim to Own

Tags: emeralds, brazil, courts, geology