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desdemona

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  1. Film takes on right angle of Fox News Channel By Mark Jurkowitz, Globe Staff | July 14, 2004 Among media watchers, a debate has long raged about whether Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel is the "fair and balanced" antidote to pervasive liberal media bias that it claims to be in its promotion or a megaphone for spreading conservative dogma. In the film "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism," which premiered last night in New York, liberal filmmaker Robert Greenwald launches an all-out attack on the cable news channel's editorial integrity. Relying on former Fox employees and contributors, left-leaning critics, Fox News Channel footage, and internal memos, the film argues that the outlet is less a traditional news operation than, as former Fox News staffer Jon Du Pre put it, "a proponent of a point of view." Greenwald said he decided to make "Outfoxed" after hearing from journalists about what he called "the Foxification Effect," which he described as "pseudo-patriotism and the dumbing-down and cheapening of news." The film lacks traditional journalistic balance, sometimes making no distinction between Fox staffers and outside pundits and sources. And it uses the cable channel as a poster child for the ills of corporate conglomeration when much of the same could be said about a number of mega media companies. Greenwald also did not contact Fox for comment, explaining that he was afraid the network might sue and adding, "They're on the air 24/7. Everyone knows what they think, feel, and say." But there is some damning material in "Outfoxed," including the charge that news and commentary blur confusingly on an outlet that is the undisputed cable news ratings leader. At one point, Neil Cavuto, anchor of Fox News Channel's business show, blurts out, "assuming the unthinkable happens and that Senator [John] Kerry becomes president. . . ." Several clips depict prime-time host Bill O'Reilly berating and silencing guests who don't agree with his loudly enunciated worldview. Then there are the memos from senior vice president for news John Moody, some of which seem to have political undertones. read the entire article here: http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2...x_news_channel/
  2. The Who's classic concert film "Live at the Isle of Wight" has been restored for a three-pronged release in 49 North American movie theaters (Aug. 9), on DVD (Aug. 10 via Eagle Rock) an on the INHD high-definition television network (Aug. 14). The film captures the Who's Aug. 30, 1970, performance at the U.K. festival, which fans regard as one of the best of the band's career. The theatrical release will include a 10-minute excerpt of a new interview with guitarist Pete Townshend plus an introduction by director Murray Lerner. read the entire article here: http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_...t_id=1000576422
  3. Weight loss product manufacturer Slim-Fast announced Wednesday it had dropped Whoopi Goldberg as its spokeswoman, following a controversy over sexually explicit comments she made last week at a fund-raiser in New York for presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry. "We at Slim-Fast trust the public understands that the way in which Whoopi Goldberg chose to express her own personal beliefs at the recent fund-raiser at Radio City Music Hall does not reflect the views and values of Slim-Fast," said a statement from Terry Olson, general manager and vice president of marketing. "We are disappointed by the manner in which Ms. Goldberg chose to express herself and sincerely regret that her recent remarks offended some of our consumers. Ads featuring Ms. Goldberg will no longer be on the air," the statement added. Some conservative groups and GOP supporters had threatened to boycott Slim-Fast products if it did not take action. At the fund-raiser last Thursday, which also featured other Hollywood entertainers, Goldberg made sexually explicit comments that were puns on President Bush's name. (Kerry bash raises $7.5 million) Goldberg responded with a statement released through her publicist. The statement said she understands why the company felt it needed to respond to its consumers, given all the press attention it received. "But it saddens me that people who were not present at the fund-raiser, including anyone from Slim-Fast and others who have not seen the material for themselves but are only reacting to soundbites produced by the media, have opted to judge my 'conduct,' " Goldberg's statement said. "I've done material on every president in the past 20 years, from Reagan to Carter, from Clinton to Bush. I have used portions of the material I did at the fund-raiser in shows, speeches and even on national television and it seems now that people from the other side are using this to further their own agenda," her statement continued. "I only wish that the Republican re-election committee would spend as much time working on the economy as they seem to be spending trying to harm my pocketbook." Goldberg said she wished "godspeed" to Slim-Fast and its users and hoped "that everything will be better digested, now that I'm no longer representing them." "And just because I'm no longer in those spots, it doesn't mean I will stop talking," the comedienne's statement said. Other entertainers also made disparaging remarks about Bush at the event, but what has Republicans particularly critical of Kerry were his closing remarks in which he thanked them and said they "conveyed the heart and soul of our country." That prompted the Bush-Cheney campaign to demand that the Kerry-Edwards campaign release video or film footage of the event, saying Americans deserved to decide for themselves about it. In response, the Kerry campaign said it would not release the footage unless the Bush campaign released a raft of documents "relating to Bush's performance in office" -- including records of Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force, among others. read the entire article here: http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/07/14/slim...oopi/index.html
  4. good one from woodstock stubz
  5. Microsoft Releases New Batch of Patches By Brian Krebs washingtonpost.com Staff Writer Tuesday, July 13, 2004; 5:35 PM Microsoft Corp. today issued two "critical" software updates for its Windows operating system, bringing to 12 the total number of critical software fixes the company has released so far in 2004 and putting the focus once again on the security of Microsoft's widely used Internet Explorer Web browser. The two patches deal with security holes in the Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems. The first involves a flaw in "task scheduler," a program that allows Windows users to run applications at scheduled intervals. The other resides in Microsoft's built-in "HTML Help" function, which offers tips on using Windows programs. Stephen Toulouse, Microsoft's security program manager, said both vulnerabilities could be exploited via Internet Explorer if hackers can trick computer users into visiting a Web site designed to target the security holes. If left unpatched, Microsoft said computers running the vulnerable Windows versions could be remotely controlled by hackers. Microsoft rates security flaws as "critical" if they can be easily exploited, such as by an Internet worm that can infect a computer without a user having to click on an infected e-mail attachment or download a file from the Internet. read the entire article here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Jul13.html
  6. Tuesday, July 13, 2004 Earth's magnetic field is collapsing, scientists say Change will wreak havoc -- but not for about 2,000 years By WILLIAM J. BROAD THE NEW YORK TIMES The collapse of the Earth's magnetic field, which both guards the planet and guides many of its creatures, appears to have started in earnest about 150 years ago. The field's strength has waned 10 percent to 15 percent so far and this deterioration has accelerated lately, increasing debate over whether it portends a reversal of the lines of magnetic force that normally envelop the Earth. During a reversal, the main field weakens, almost vanishes, and then reappears with opposite polarity. Afterward, compass needles that normally point north would point south, and during the thousands of years of transition, much in the heavens and Earth would go askew. A reversal could knock out power grids, hurt astronauts and satellites, widen atmospheric ozone holes, send polar auroras flashing to the equator and confuse birds, fish and migratory animals that rely on the steadiness of the magnetic field as a navigation aid. But experts said the repercussions would fall short of catastrophic, despite a few proclamations of doom and sketchy evidence of past links between field reversals and species extinctions. Although a total flip may be hundreds or thousands of years away, the rapid decline in magnetic strength is already damaging satellites. Last month, the European Space Agency approved the world's largest effort at tracking the field's shifts. A trio of new satellites, called Swarm, is to monitor the collapsing field with far greater precision than before and help scientists forecast its prospective state. "We want to get some idea of how this would evolve in the near future, just like people trying to predict the weather," said Gauthier Hulot, a French geophysicist working on the satellite plan. "I'm personally quite convinced we should be able to work out the first predictions by the end of the mission." The discipline is one of a number -- such as high-energy physics and aspects of space science -- in which Europeans recently have come from behind to seize the initiative, dismaying some American experts. read the entire article here: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/181...agnetism13.html
  7. Famous mandolin tied up in legal battle Bill Monroe's son wants to sell to 'right place' Tuesday, July 13, 2004 Posted: 9:49 AM EDT (1349 GMT) Bill Monroe's 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin is considered one of the finest mandolins in existence. NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- The son of bluegrass music pioneer Bill Monroe said Monday he wants to sell his father's famous mandolin, preferably to a museum where it can go on public display. The 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin remains locked in a vault while a Nashville court sorts out a disputed deal that would have sold it for $1.1 million to a proposed museum in Monroe's hometown. James Monroe, 63, told The Associated Press that he wants out of that deal so he can put the mandolin back on the market and pay the inheritance taxes on his father's estate. "I have a great respect for my father, and I just want to see it go to the right place and the right people," James Monroe said. The younger Monroe agreed to sell the mandolin to the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Foundation of Kentucky in Rosine for $1.1 million in October 2002. The group paid Monroe $162,500 before a financing deal collapsed. Monroe's lawyer, Gerard Stranch, said his client then tried to void the contract to seek other buyers. A trial had been scheduled Monday in Nashville but was delayed because of a lawyer's illness. A new trial date has not been set. At the center of the case is the battered mandolin, bought from a Miami barbershop for $150 in 1943 and considered a key to Bill Monroe's stylistic development. A 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin is considered the finest mandolin produced. "It's not tantamount to a Stradivarius violin, but it comes close," said Charles Wolfe, a Middle Tennessee State University professor and music historian. read the entire article here: http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/1...n.ap/index.html
  8. I am, is it better than IE? I have to say with the new toolbar it blocks all popups, I don't want a browser that has lots of junk, IE with updates seems to be fast and no popups, tell us how "deepnet" works demon.
  9. Monday, July 12, 2004 CRIA files appeal in song swap case By ANGELA PACIENZA Canadian Press TORONTO -- The Canadian Recording Industry Association, which represents the country's major music producers, filed its appeal arguments Monday hoping to overturn a decision last March that protected the identities of people who copy music online. In a document filed with the Federal Court of Appeal, the organization said Federal Court Judge Konrad von Finckenstein erred in his interpretation of the country's copyright laws and overlooked some aspects of evidence presented. The judge "failed to apply the correct legal tests to the matter before him," reads the association's 31-page appeal document. Von Finckenstein made "a number of sweeping but erroneous conclusions regarding the Copyright Act," it continues. In his March 31 decision, von Finckenstein said that uploading songs to shared folders on a home computer was permissible under the law because the songs weren't actively being distributed to others. He compared the action to allowing photocopy machines in public libraries which are filled with copyrighted books. He dismissed CRIA's request to compel five Internet service providers -- Shaw Communications Inc., Rogers Cable Communications Inc., Bell Canada, Telus Communications Inc. and Videotron Ltd. -- to disclose the names of 29 people allegedly distributing music. The judge said that under privacy laws the music association had no legal entitlement to those identities, which are hidden by online aliases. The case is important for the music industry because without the names it can't go ahead with lawsuits against people who make copies of songs without paying for them. "We are contending that the activities that took place do constitute distribution of other persons' copyrighted works," explained general counsel Richard Pfohl. "Canadian copyright law does not allow the sort of activities that took place." In its legal brief, CRIA alleges that copyright laws were broken by the 29 people who "operate their computers to make copies of great numbers of the appellants' copyrighted sound recordings." The association argues the Copyright Act gives a song owner the sole right to authorize its reproduction. By putting songs in a shared directory, the computer user is inviting others to copy or burn the tracks, CRIA says. The case has attracted worldwide attention as many countries, among them the United States, have started suing downloaders and uploaders for breaking copyright laws. CRIA's appeal is being bolstered by the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association and a coalition of software developers. The two groups, which claim to have similar property right issues as music makers, have applied to be heard by the court on the appeal. The Internet service providers have 30 days to reply to the appeal document. A court date will then be set for the appeal to be heard. CRIA hopes a decision will come down by the end of the year. Another possible solution available to the industry is to lobby Ottawa to have copyright law clarified in the wake of new technologies such as peer-to-peer networks. Prime Minister Paul Martin himself said at this year's Juno Awards that he wouldn't let the music industry be jeopardized by technological advances. http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?...3eb58a266736f29
  10. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE AI Index: EUR 25/005/2004 (Public) News Service No: 176 12 July 2004 Greece: Olympic Games must not lead to a trade off of security for human rights Amnesty International is concerned about reports that refugees, migrants, asylum-seekers and the homeless are being rounded up and detained as the Greek government mounts the biggest security operation in the history of the Olympic Games. "There is a real danger that the security measures around the games will also undermine further the social and economic rights of vulnerable minorities such as the Roma," Amnesty International said. A group of Romani families' economic and social rights were eroded after they were evicted from their homes in the vicinity of the Olympic Stadium construction site. The Greek authorities failed to uphold an agreement to subsidize their rent in alternative accommodation as well as to permanently rehouse them. 137 people are affected - they have not been receiving their rent subsidies and monthly payments regularly. Some families allege that they faced discrimination while looking for new accommodation and when they finally found a house to rent they have lost it because they did not receive their rent subsidies from the local municipality on time. "The Greek government must protect athletes, officials, journalists and spectators. It is responsible for the security of its citizens and guests. However, this must not happen at the expense of human rights, especially the human rights of vulnerable groups," Amnesty International said. Amnesty International is concerned that under the pretext of building up security, state officials are violating, with impunity, basic human rights and encouraging discrimination on racial grounds. The organization is concerned about: Lack of transparency in the way the security apparatus will operate, particularly regarding mechanisms for control and accountability; Muslims being targeted in a discriminatory manner in the name of security; Violation of the rights of immigrants, asylum-seekers and refugees; Violation of the basic human rights of socially marginalized groups of people; Impunity for security and state officials; The new legislation on "terrorism" that does not fully guarantee a fair trial and does not clearly define "terrorist acts". In 2001, in a case brought against Greece to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg by an asylum-seeker waiting in detention for expulsion, the European Court noted that conditions of detention may sometimes amount to inhuman or degrading treatment. Amnesty International has been concerned about conditions of detention in Greece. In July 2004, Amnesty International addressed the Greek government about the conditions of detention in high security prison facilities at Korydallos Prison. The organization had received information that the conditions of detention amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment, including poor hygiene in cells, lack of access to association, fresh air and exercise facilities, and lack of prompt medical treatment. The European Convention on Human Rights to which Greece is a party stipulates that everyone who is arrested or detained is entitled to proceedings by which the lawfulness of his/her detention is to be decided speedily by judicial authority and release ordered if the detention is not lawful. The Convention stipulates also that no one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. "Olympic Games conducted against a backdrop of security measures which violate human rights would be the very antithesis of the games' original purpose to promote peaceful competition, the pursuit of excellence and common humanity," Amnesty International said. As the Olympic Games are returning to the city of their revival and the country of their origin, Amnesty International calls on the Greek government to give concrete guarantees that all human rights of all people in Greece will be fully respected and upheld and all measures undermining human rights will be promptly amended or withdrawn. Background The Olympic Games in Athens, the first Summer Games since the September 11 attacks on the USA in 2001, will start on 13 August amid unprecedented security measures. The Greek government is spending over one billion US dollars on security, and deploying tens of thousands of security officers and troops to guarantee the security of the games. A number of other countries are sending their own security experts to Athens. Border controls are being tightened and sea and air surveillance stepped up. Greek officials have announced that a disused military camp in Athens is being transformed into a detention centre for non-Greek visitors who break the law. http://news.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR250052004
  11. welcome DJ, and I hear ya warflower, have fun guys, welcome your comments
  12. Norah, Keith Toast Gram Musicians flock to California to remember rock's ultimate cult figure Pictures of Joshua trees and desert highways, and fans adorning cowboy hats, glittery suits and what must have been the largest collection of hipster western shirts in the state of California. These are the images inspired by Gram Parsons, a country-rock cross between James Dean and Kurt Cobain, whom, many credit with fusing the two genres. He lived fast, died young, and left a not-so-good-looking corpse. In the thirty years since Parsons' passing, the legend of his dramatic Joshua Tree desert death (from a fatal dose of heroin and tequila) has too often over-shadowed his short life of inspiring music. Aiming to shift that focus is Parsons' thirty-six-year-old daughter, Polly, who enlisted old friends, peers and new disciples to come together on stage for two nights and celebrate her father's legacy. Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons, held at the Santa Barbara Bowl on July 9th and Los Angeles' Universal Ampitheater on July 10th, featured performances by some of music biggest names -- Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle among them -- backed by a top-notch ensemble of session players that included revered guitarist James Burton and lap steel maestro Al Perkins, both of whom played on Parsons albums. "It made sense not to go with the obvious and try to make something that was eclectic, organic and real," Polly said of choosing the lineup. "I thought to myself, 'If Dad were here for one night and we could throw a party, who would he want to be there?'" Putting together such an impressive guest list was no easy task to pull off. Though Polly had hosted several tributes in the past, this one was two years in the making, with Richards, who credits Parsons for introducing him to country music and influencing the Stones' seminal Exile on Main Street album, committing only a few days before the curtains lifted. "Keith was the first person I went to," Polly said. "I met him backstage at a Rolling Stones show. He didn't know I was coming and when I walked in, he just lost it. He told me, 'Little girl, you're the last little bit of your daddy left on this planet.' So I took that one opportunity to ask him, 'If, by some grace of God, I'm able to put together a concert as a tribute to my father, would please be there?' He said, 'If I did it for anyone, it would be for you.' I took him on his word and he came through." Artists like Williams, Yoakam and Earle didn't need any convincing either, as they've been Parsons fans for years. "It's not a trendy thing -- these are timeless songs that will always be around," said Williams, who delivered somber renditions of Parsons' "Sleepless Nights" and "A Song for You," and afterwards screamed to the crowd, "I feel like a pig in shit!" Yoakam recalled discovering Parsons for the first time through Emmylou Harris' debut album. He kicked up the energy for a rollicking, countrified version of "Sin City" to rousing applause. Similarly, Earle turned up the twang on Parsons' trucker anthem, "Luxury Liner," which he remembered hearing on the radio as a teen. He also chose to play the more obscure, "My Uncle," a Flying Burrito Brothers song written at the height of the Vietnam War, and introduced it by saying, "If things keep going the way they've been going, then we're probably gonna have a draft and this song will unfortunately be timely." Another point that Earle, a recovering heroin addict, made sure to emphasize was the concert's main purpose, to benefit the Musicians Assistance Program, which aids artists struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. (Polly hopes the proceeds from ticket sales will raise between $50,000 to $70,000.) Younger artists like Norah Jones and Jim James are more recent Parsons converts. Said James, "An ex-girlfriend of mine had a mix tape with 'Do Right Woman' on it. It was one of those moments when you hear someone's voice, the production and the song and it all clicks." The My Morning Jacket frontman sang "Dark End of the Street" and "Still Feeling Blue," which he introduced as "another number of classic proportions." "I hardly ever get nervous," he later said off-stage. "But I really wanted to do [the songs] justice." Jones, on the other hand has been practicing her own version of the classic "She" for some time now as part of her touring set list. "I think it's my favorite Gram song," she said. "It's moving and beautiful and I love turning people on to it." She herself was turned on to Parsons through a friend shortly after her move to New York City four years ago, though it's obvious she's done her homework since then. During a rehearsal, Jones made sure to point out that the second sung Hallelujah on "She" is held longer than the first -- something only a true Gram fan would fixate on. Jones also tackled "Streets of Baltimore" and "Cry One More Time," giving both songs the bluesy treatment that has become her trademark. But the highlight of her night, as well as the crowd's, was a touching duet with Keith Richards on "Love Hurts," a song not written by Parsons, but recorded for his 1973 solo album, Grievous Angel, and made popular just a few years after his death by hard rockers Nazareth. "That song is amazing," Jones said afterwards. "And singing with Keith Richards was awesome! This show is the most fun I've ever had." Back at center-stage, Richards asked the crowd, "If only the good die young, where does that leave me?" before launching into "Hickory Wind," a song Parsons recorded as a member of the Byrds. But the marquee names weren't the only ones that impressed. Jay Farrar sang a true-to-the-original "Christine's Tune" that served as a reminder to the alt-country community of where Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and Son Volt all came from. Likewise, X singer John Doe didn't veer far from the recorded versions of "Hot Burrito #2" and "We'll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning," on which he was accompanied by Canadian alt-country crooner Kathleen Edwards. But the spine-chill award went to Memphis soul singer Susan Marshal, who belted a powerful "Do Right Woman" that practically brought people to their knees. "She's my secret weapon," Polly said. "No one knows who she is, but she wows them every time." The House of Blues gospel choir, which handled the church-ready "In My Hour of Darkness," offered more soul-searching spirit only to be climaxed by the show's finale, an all-star sing-along of "Wild Horses. (Parsons recorded the Jagger-Richards tune a year before the Rolling Stones released it on Sticky Fingers). "That was the highlight of my life," said Farrar, who played piano on it. With more than thirty people on stage, Earle then kicked into "Ooh Las Vegas" and closed out the night. So why all the hooplah over a man whose career lasted a mere six years? "He opened doors," Richards said. "In the short time that he had, his influence is enormous. He's left us some great songs that I've sung on very lonely nights and in odd places. I think it's time to say hello to Gram again." "He's a real music-lover's musician," added Jones. "To me, he's like another Dylan or Orbison," James said. "There are certain Gram Parsons songs that define my life, and I always come back to them." Williams offered a different take on the renewed interest in Parsons, who's inspired over a dozen books, a feature film (Grand Theft Parsons, starring Johnny Knoxville and Christina Applegate), and two tribute albums. "There's an incredible nostalgia for the time," she said. "And the way he died only goes to further the mythology of it all." "I wanted to cry when they unveiled the big picture of him," Jones said. "He was so cute and died so young." To that end, Parsons' legend and the romantic notion of his premature death has been both a blessing and a curse, something Polly made sure to address from the stage. "Tonight is not to glorify death, but to glorify life," she said. "My father, Gram Parsons, loved music and he loved songs." SHIRLEY HALPERIN (Posted Jul 12, 2004) http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=...sion=6.0.8.1024
  13. there's always one in every crowd, maybe no one's at fault, maybe the victim's answer wasn't so polite and an argument ensued, we'll never know, alot of people call the police over anything, it would take more than someone spitting on me to call the police.
  14. Isabel Sanford of 'Jeffersons' Dies Jul 12, 12:37 PM EST The Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- Actress Isabel Sanford, best known as "Weezie," Louise Jefferson on the television sitcom "The Jeffersons," died of natural causes, her publicist said Monday. She was 86. Sanford died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized since July 4, said Brad Lemack. Her daughter, Pamela Ruff, was at her side, he said. Her health had waned after undergoing preventive surgery on a neck artery 10 months ago, Lemack said. He did not give a cause of death. Sanford co-starred with Sherman Hemsley from 1975 to 1985 on CBS' "The Jeffersons," a spin-off of the popular series "All in the Family," in which she also appeared. In 1981, Sanford became the first black woman to receive an Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on "The Jeffersons." Sanford, a native New Yorker, was joined by "Jeffersons" creator Norman Lear and others in January when she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "Here with stars in my eyes — something that I dreamed about when I was 9 years old," she said at the time. "There are others that deserve it, but let everybody get their own." She enjoyed getting fan mail from people who saw "The Jeffersons" for the first time in reruns, Lemack said. "She was just amazed and so pleased that the show had that kind of lasting power and entertainment because she loved to make people laugh," he said. Sanford made her feature film debut in the 1967 classic, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." Recently, Sanford lent her voice to "The Simpsons" and appeared in commercial campaigns for Denny's restaurants and retailer Old Navy. Besides her daughter, Sanford is survived by two sons, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=163840
  15. that doesn't mean a thing shawn, his policies are what matter, he's afraid to talk in a forum that isn't totally receptive to him, what a coward, only proves his character to me, julian bond is an educated and respected politician from back in the 60's, he wouldn't be speaking out if he didn't think bush's policies were causing more harm than good. Powell was respected and was already chief of staff, he had the credentials, just switched to the republican party and was considering running for president, that was a political appointment, rice supposedly had the credentials but lately I'm not so sure about that, I certainly hope he didn't appoint them on the basis of race.
  16. iTunes Music Store Downloads Top 100 Million Songs CUPERTINO, Calif., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple® today announced that music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 100 million songs from the iTunes® Music Store, marking a major milestone for the emerging online music business. The 100 millionth song, "Somersault (Dangermouse remix)" by Zero7 was purchased by Kevin Britten, age 20, of Hays, Kansas on Sunday, July 11. As the grand prize winner of Apple's 100 million song countdown, Kevin Britten will receive a 17-inch PowerBook®, a 40GB iPod®, a gift certificate for 10,000 iTunes songs to create the ultimate music library for his iPod and the opportunity to create his own Celebrity Playlist to be published on the iTunes Music Store. "As we cross this historic milestone, we want to thank our customers, the artists and the music labels who have embraced our dream for iTunes," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iTunes quickly outpaced the competition and is far and away the world's number one online music service." Apple offers a complete solution for discovering, buying, managing and listening to digital music anywhere with the unbeatable combination of iTunes, iPod and the new AirPort Express™ with AirTunes™ which lets music lovers wirelessly stream music from their Mac® or PC to a stereo located in any room in their home. The iTunes Music Store in the US, UK, France and Germany offers over 700,000 songs in each country. With Apple's legendary ease-of-use, pioneering features, personal use rights and breakthrough pricing of just $0.99, euro 0.99 and 0.79 pounds Sterling, the iTunes Music Store is the best way for PC and Mac users to legally discover, purchase and download music online. The iTunes Music Store gives users the ability to play songs on up to five personal computers, burn a song onto CDs an unlimited number of times, burn the same playlist up to seven times and listen to their music on an unlimited number of iPods. Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store. NOTE: Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Mac, Mac OS, iTunes, PowerBook, iPod, AirPort Express and AirTunes are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. http://www.apple.com/
  17. Television Special NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- For 33 years the CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair® has been an annual celebration of Country Music, with one-of-a-kind performances from the hottest stars and amazing interaction between the artists and their fans. This unique four-day experience was filmed in Nashville in June 2004 for "CMA Music Festival: Country Music's Biggest Party," a new television special airing Wednesday, July 14 (9:00-11:00 PM/EDT) on the CBS Television Network. The outstanding artist performance lineup for the two-hour special includes Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Terri Clark, Pat Green and Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Uncle Kracker and Rachel Proctor, Keith Urban, Hank Williams Jr., Gretchen Wilson and Wynonna. These performances were filmed during the festival's Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum in Nashville, home of the NFL Tennessee Titans. In between performances, special vignettes featuring artists interacting with their fans spotlight the unique element that makes this event stand apart from other festivals. USA Today calls the CMA Music Festival the "crown jewel of Country Music festivals." In 2004, the event featured more than 70 hours of live performances. Country Music artists and celebrities signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans in the exhibit hall, competed in celebrity sports events, hosted fan club parties and charitable auctions, and much more. More than 132,000 fans from all 50 states and around the world attended the four- day festival. more regarding the event and tickets here: http://www.prnewswire.com/
  18. NAACP exhorts voters to oust Bush Group condemns education, economic policies Monday, July 12, 2004 Posted: 7:52 AM EDT (1152 GMT) PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- NAACP chairman Julian Bond urged members of the nation's oldest civil rights organization to increase voter turnout to oust President Bush, and condemned the administration's policies on education, the economy and the war in Iraq. "They preach racial neutrality and practice racial division," Bond said Sunday night in the 95th annual convention's keynote address. "They've tried to patch the leaky economy and every other domestic problem with duct tape and plastic sheets. They write a new constitution of Iraq and they ignore the Constitution here at home." Volunteers with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have been working on voter drives in black communities across the country, registering more than 100,000 so far in 11 key states, including Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico, Bond said. Bond, a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the 1960s civil rights movement and a Georgia legislator for 20 years, became chairman of the NAACP in 1998. Leaders of the Baltimore-based group are upset that President Bush has no plans to attend the convention. Bush spoke at the 2000 NAACP convention when he was a candidate but has declined invitations to speak in each year of his presidency, making him the first president since the 1930s to skip it, officials said. Democratic challenger John Kerry has accepted an invitation to speak Thursday on the final day of the convention, the group said. Bond said that 50 years after Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision on school desegregation, and 40 years after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, schools remain segregated based on income, and racism still exists in many forms. Minority children still face inequality in school spending and are being disproportionately hurt by the accountability aims of Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, he said. "On our present course, we are formalizing two school systems: one filled with middle-class children, most of them white, and the other filled with low-income minorities," Bond said. http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/12/...n.ap/index.html
  19. John Ashcroft Gets Punk'd 2004-07-12 13:43:43 Anti-Flag drummer Pat Thetic is using his punk energy to get political. In an open letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft, Thetic addressed his concerns about the use of the Patriot Act and the lack of information that the Justice Department seems to be willing to share, even with members of Congress. As an example, he specifically mentions a Justice Department investigation into the participants in a Nov. 15, 2003 antiwar protest on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. "The circumstances surrounding Attorney General Ashcroft's investigations into the participants at a peaceful protest are just one example of his disregard for the rights and privacy of Americans," Thetic said. "This is not about a single incident, but about a pattern of intimidation intended to silence dissent. It is clear the Patriot Act has had a chilling effect on free speech in this country and Ashcroft needs to step forward and take responsibility for the situation. More importantly, he needs to work with lawmakers to fix this legislation so that our civil liberties are protected." Thetic is a board member of Punkvoter, a grassroots organization helping to register young music enthusiasts to vote. Punkvoter aims to educate, register and mobilize over 500,000 young voters by November. Along with Anti-Flag, Thetic appears on the Rock Against Bush compilation, which also features acts like Sum-41, Alkaline Trio and Pennywise. A second installment in the politically-driven series will be issued on August 10. Please visit www.punkvoter.com for more information. http://www.relix.com/cgi-bin/content_list.cgi?type=news
  20. An Allman Brothers Incident Asterisks dotted each set of the Allman Brothers co-headlining stint with String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks Amphitheater this weekend. Emerging at the start of String Cheese Incident's Friday encore, Warren Haynes offered a few solos on "MLT," a track written by String Cheese keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth. Returning the favor later in that evening, Michael Kang made a pair of appearances during the Allman's closing spot, joining Hollingsworth and Seth Trucks for a run through "Southbound." Rob Barraco, who also performed with opening act Chris Robinson and New Earth Mud, remained busy as well, playing alongside Kang on "Franklin's Tower" and tickling the ivories during "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad." Paying tribute to John Coltrane, The String Cheese Incident invited Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge and Marc Quinones onstage Saturday for a group jam on the horn player's "Impressions," with Haynes later filtering onstage for a take on the Neville Brothers' "Hey Pockey Way." The Allmans also augmented their set with a number of guest spots, including Chris Robinson, New Mud Earth guitarist Audley Freed and longtime harmonica player Thom Doucette, who showed up for "Good Morning Little School Girl." http://www.jambands.com/News.phtml?newsfil...92.html#7-12-12
  21. Morgan settles gender bias case for $54M Wall Street firm settles sex discrimination charges brought by equal job opportunity regulators. July 12, 2004: 3:40 PM EDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley agreed to pay $54 million to settle sex bias charges brought by U.S. employment regulators in a deal that will keep the case out of court, a federal judge said Monday. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman announced the settlement just as opening statements were to begin in the trial. The settlement will allow the Wall Street powerhouse to avoid a public showdown over claims it has denied hundreds of women raises and promotions while ignoring lewd male behavior. Opening statements in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's 2001 discrimination suit had been set to begin in Manhattan federal court on Monday. It would have been the nation's first gender bias trial of a brokerage firm based on the commission's claims. The case was brought on behalf of more than 300 women who have worked in the company's institutional-equities division since 1995. read the entire article here: http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/12/news/fortu...dex.htm?cnn=yes
  22. Boomers were born to be wild and won’t go quietly ALAN MacDERMID July 12 2004 THEY are rebellious, spend their time listening to loud rock music, want to spend their money on flash clothes, risk their necks on motor bikes, and go swanning around the world in camper vans. So much for grandparents. What are the rest of you going to do when they've spent your inheritance? They certainly want watching. If the latest major survey of the baby boom generation is to be believed, old is fast becoming the new young. Members of the post-war generation are nostalgic for their youth and trying to have their time again, according to Eternal Youths, a report based on research conducted for the think tank Demos. It provides evidence that baby boomers see their wealth and leisure as an opportunity to do in style things they may not have been able to afford in their youth. As evidence they cite the average age of Harley Davidson motorbike owners, up from 38 to 46 in a decade. Research participants also said they enjoyed advertising that used old pop music, in part because it was something their children did not understand. The revival of the Volkswagen camper van – with hippie styling and twenty-first century luxury car specification – is another example of the way brands are tapping into their desire to relive their youth. But the need to have their time again emerges in other ways too, as they lavish time and money on their grandchildren in a way that suggests they may be making up for time missed when their own children were growing up. The baby boomers – the bulge generation born just after the second world war and now in their fifties – said they saw retirement as more of a time for adventurous travel, even wanting to imitate the gap-year teenager by travelling to unusual places. "Baby boomers seem to be intent on having their time again," said James Harkin and Julia Huber, the co-authors of Eternal Youths. But their determination not to go gently into old age also has its disadvantages. The research concludes that their blind spot is the refusal to come to terms with the natural process of growing old. "It is a paradox of our ageing society that many of us seem increasingly obsessed with the idea of youth," the report concludes. THEY are rebellious, spend their time listening to loud rock music, want to spend their money on flash clothes, risk their necks on motor bikes, and go swanning around the world in camper vans. So much for grandparents. What are the rest of you going to do when they've spent your inheritance? They certainly want watching. If the latest major survey of the baby boom generation is to be believed, old is fast becoming the new young. Members of the post-war generation are nostalgic for their youth and trying to have their time again, according to Eternal Youths, a report based on research conducted for the think tank Demos. It provides evidence that baby boomers see their wealth and leisure as an opportunity to do in style things they may not have been able to afford in their youth. As evidence they cite the average age of Harley Davidson motorbike owners, up from 38 to 46 in a decade. Research participants also said they enjoyed advertising that used old pop music, in part because it was something their children did not understand. The revival of the Volkswagen camper van – with hippie styling and twenty-first century luxury car specification – is another example of the way brands are tapping into their desire to relive their youth. But the need to have their time again emerges in other ways too, as they lavish time and money on their grandchildren in a way that suggests they may be making up for time missed when their own children were growing up. The baby boomers – the bulge generation born just after the second world war and now in their fifties – said they saw retirement as more of a time for adventurous travel, even wanting to imitate the gap-year teenager by travelling to unusual places. "Baby boomers seem to be intent on having their time again," said James Harkin and Julia Huber, the co-authors of Eternal Youths. But their determination not to go gently into old age also has its disadvantages. The research concludes that their blind spot is the refusal to come to terms with the natural process of growing old. "It is a paradox of our ageing society that many of us seem increasingly obsessed with the idea of youth," the report concludes. THEY are rebellious, spend their time listening to loud rock music, want to spend their money on flash clothes, risk their necks on motor bikes, and go swanning around the world in camper vans. So much for grandparents. What are the rest of you going to do when they've spent your inheritance? They certainly want watching. If the latest major survey of the baby boom generation is to be believed, old is fast becoming the new young. Members of the post-war generation are nostalgic for their youth and trying to have their time again, according to Eternal Youths, a report based on research conducted for the think tank Demos. It provides evidence that baby boomers see their wealth and leisure as an opportunity to do in style things they may not have been able to afford in their youth. As evidence they cite the average age of Harley Davidson motorbike owners, up from 38 to 46 in a decade. Research participants also said they enjoyed advertising that used old pop music, in part because it was something their children did not understand. The revival of the Volkswagen camper van – with hippie styling and twenty-first century luxury car specification – is another example of the way brands are tapping into their desire to relive their youth. But the need to have their time again emerges in other ways too, as they lavish time and money on their grandchildren in a way that suggests they may be making up for time missed when their own children were growing up. The baby boomers – the bulge generation born just after the second world war and now in their fifties – said they saw retirement as more of a time for adventurous travel, read the entire article here: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?...08dd24cec417021
  23. U.S. lawyer for Saddam Hussein seeking Supreme Court intervention Friday, July 9, 2004 Posted: 9:50 AM EDT (1350 GMT) WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney Curtis F.J. Doebbler has made an unusual appeal to the Supreme Court on behalf of an unlikely client -- Saddam Hussein. Doebbler, the lone American on Saddam's legal team, wants the high court to declare the detention of the ousted Iraqi president unconstitutional. The long-shot legal maneuver comes as Saddam's lawyers await the chance to meet with their client and find out what charges he will face in a war crimes trial by Iraq's new government. He could face the death penalty. "Even the people we dislike the most have a right to a fair trial," said Doebbler, who volunteered his services on the 20-member team with lawyers from Belgium, Britain, France, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya and Tunisia. Doebbler said his clients over the past decade have gotten little media attention: Ethiopian refugees, displaced persons in Sudan's Khartoum State, and political activists in Sudan. His work for his latest client has earned him threats but not deterred him, he told reporters Thursday. "Whether it's a former president or whether it's a refugee, individuals have the same basic human rights," he said. read the entire article here: http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/07/09/saddam.l...r.ap/index.html
  24. Billionaire philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller dies at 94 Sunday, July 11, 2004 Posted: 8:43 PM EDT (0043 GMT) NEW YORK (AP) -- Laurance Rockefeller, a conservationist, philanthropist and leading figure in the field of venture capital, died in his sleep Sunday morning. He was 94. The cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis, his spokesman Fraser Seitel said in a statement. Rockefeller was No. 377 on this year's Forbes magazine list of 587 billionaires, with $1.5 billion. But he was perhaps best known for his environmental work: He served under five presidents in several capacities related to conservation and the outdoors. He founded the American Conservation Association in 1958 and was head of Jackson Hole Preserve Inc., a conservation organization that played a major role in protecting parts of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and redwood trees in California. Rockefeller helped develop national parks in Wyoming, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Vermont, and chaired the White House Conference on Natural Beauty. Rockefeller also was a pivotal developer of the economics field that became known as venture capital. In 1938 he helped finance World War I pilot Eddie Rickenbacker's Eastern Airlines, and he later invested in McDonnell Aircraft Corp., Intel Corp. and Apple Computer Inc. He sought to fund ventures that would strengthen national security, welfare or the economy. "As his younger brother, I always admired Laurance for his extraordinary business skills and often followed his lead by joining him in the field of venture capital, where he was a true pioneer," said David Rockefeller, the last remaining child of John D. Rockefeller Jr. Laurance Spelman Rockefeller was born May 26, 1910, in New York, and was the fourth of six children of Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. He graduated from Princeton University in 1932 and studied law at Harvard for two years. In 1934, he married Mary French. He served in the Navy during World War II and became a lieutenant commander. Rockefeller served on the board of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and became the first recipient of the American Cancer Society's Alfred P. Sloan Memorial Award for his contributions to cancer research. Rockefeller is survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. His wife died in 1997. http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/07/11/obit.rock...r.ap/index.html
  25. happy birthday musicman, don't do anything we wouldn't do! :smokin:
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