Jump to content

desdemona

Members
  • Posts

    712
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by desdemona

  1. That man has a retirement package that pays more and has more quirks that the acting CEO of GE. He was responsible for thousands losing their jobs blaming labor costs, it's just ridiculous what he received and still receives for compensation. Loyalty is a thing of the past, to your employees, and to your family, you're right ken, $$$$ talks.

  2. this is alot to read, I'm posting a link, it definitely brought back some memories of the 60's, there did seem to be both a satanic osbession to lyrics as well as the "make love not war" sentiment, for those that are fans of the 60's and 70's, a short review.

    an excerpt:

    "My personal interest in the relationship between Satanism and popular music originated in research into the relationship between the counter-culture and 1960s progressive rock [6] when I explored, in some detail, the Rolling Stones’ 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request. My initial thoughts were developed in '"Little Red Rooster" v. "The Honky Tonk Woman": Mick Jagger, sexuality, style and image’ [7] and while these texts are readily available, I consider that the relationship between popular music, literary texts and the satanic are worth revisiting, not least because of the continuing significance to heavy metal. More specifically, I focus on the emerging interest in the metaphysical that characterised much of the music of the late 1960s, and why Satanism, in particular, should have provided a source of inspiration that was diametrically opposed to the emphasis on universal love and transcendence encapsulated by the Beatles in, for example, John Lennon’s 1996 track, ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ [8]. What is evident is that music had moved away from its earlier associations with dance and leisure and that it was regarded as an essential ingredient in the counter-cultural experience, providing particular insights into its social reality – not least those concerning personal freedom and subjective experience."

    to read more click here:

    http://popmatters.com/chapter/04win/whiteley.html

  3. GE CEO weds former business mag editor

    The Associated Press

    4/25/2004, 1:18 p.m. ET

    BOSTON (AP) — Retired General Electric CEO Jack Welch brought a host of high-profile executives and media celebrities to Boston during the weekend for his marriage to former Harvard Business Review editor Suzy Wetlaufer.

    "It's never been better, man," said Welch, 68, giving a thumbs up as he descended the rose petal-strewn front steps of the Park Street Church.

    Wetlaufer became involved with Welch after interviewing him for a Harvard Business Review profile, and left the magazine shortly after the relationship was disclosed.

    After the relationship came to light, Welch's wife at the time, Jane Beasley, filed divorce papers that described their lavish lifestyle and the retirement package that Welch received after leaving the company.

    Guests included InterActiveCorp Chairman Barry Diller, GE Chairman Jeffrey Immelt, Sony Music chief executive Andrew Lack, "Today" show host Matt Lauer, talk show hosts Charlie Rose and John McLaughlin, lobbyist Vernon Jordan, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

    http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/enterta...13852177190.xml

  4. Miami radio station's prank call to Castro may draw FCC fine

    Published April 24, 2004

    The Federal Communications Commission has no sense of humor, even when it comes to a crank call to Fidel Castro. Miami radio station WXDJ (FM 95.7) has been informed by the FCC that the government agency intends to fine the Spanish-language station $4,000 for a prank call to the Cuban leader on June 17, 2003. The station's offense: It didn't tell Castro in advance that he was going to be on the radio, as FCC rules dictate.

    WXDJ personalities Joe Ferrero and Enrique Santos called the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations, identified themselves as Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez and another high-ranking Venezuelan official, and asked to speak to Castro. They managed to work their way through the Cuban leader's underlings and got him on the air live. Only then did they tell Castro that it was a joke call from a Miami radio station. The entire process was broadcast. WXDJ replayed the call five times on June 17-18, according to the FCC complaint.

    Section 73.1206 of FCC rules states, "Before recording a telephone conversation for broadcast ... a licensee shall inform any party to the call of the licensee's intention to broadcast the conversation, except where the party is aware or may be presumed to be aware from the circumstances of the conversation, that it is being or likely will be broadcast." Such exceptions would include someone who works for the station or a call to a talk show, according to the FCC.

    WXDJ's defense was this rule shouldn't apply to someone such as Castro, with whom the United States has a hostile relationship. The FCC rejected this. "We find no merit in WXDJ's claim that it was somehow exempt from complying with the telephone broadcast rules because the recipients of the phone call reside in Cuba, a country in which the United States maintains no diplomatic relations and to which travel by U.S. citizens is restricted."

    Attempts to reach Ferrero, Santos and officials of WXDJ were unsuccessful.

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/...tertainment-col

    read transcript here:

    http://johnford.net/mt/archives/004250.html

  5. Two old friends were just about to tee off at the first hole of their local golf

    course when a chap carrying a golf bag called out to them, "Do you mind if I

    join you? My partner didn't show up."

    "Sure," they said, "No problem."

    Part way around the course, one of the friends asked the newcomer, "What do you

    do for a living?"

    "I'm a hit man," was the reply.

    "You're joking!" was the response.

    "No, I'm not," he said, reaching into his golf bag, and pulling out a beautiful

    Martini sniper's rifle with a large telescopic sight. "Here are my tools."

    "That's a beautiful telescopic sight," said the other friend, "Can I take a

    look? I think I might be able to see my house from here."

    So he picked up the rifle and looked through the sight in the direction of his

    house. "Yeah, I can see my house all right. This sight is fantastic. I can see

    right in the window. Wow, I can see my wife in the bedroom. Ha Ha, I can se! e

    she's naked! What's that? Wait a minute, that's my neighbor in there with

    her... he's naked as well! The bitch!"

    He turned to the hitman, "How much do you charge for a hit?"

    "I do a flat rate - for you, one thousand dollars every time I pull the

    trigger."

    "Can you do two for me now?"

    "Sure, what do you want?"

    "First, shoot my wife, she's always been mouthy, so shoot her in the mouth. Then

    the neighbor, he's a friend of mine, so just shoot his dick off to teach him a

    lesson."

    The hitman took the rifle and took aim, standing perfectly still for a few

    minutes. "Are you going to do it or not?" said the man impatiently.

    "Just wait a moment, be patient," said the hitman calmly, "I think I can save

    you a grand here..."

  6. The question is, will the US troops consider this worth risking their lives? Personally it saddens me to see what has been destroyed, stolen, and what has disappeared from bombings, but is it worth a life? From what I read and see on the news, we can hardly maintain control of the people, how is it possible to protect these sites at the same time? This war is costing more than we'll ever know. Click on the link if you're interested in some of the archaeological damages that have occured during this conflict.

    http://users.ox.ac.uk/~wolf0126/petition.html

  7. Letter That Appeared on Dave Mason's Website (March 23, 2004)

    Dave Mason from USA wrote on March 23. 2004, 16:00:

    URL: http://www.dave-mason.com

    --

    I think its time i cleared up the reason i did not play with TRAFFIC, its hard to do without sounding bitter,or self agrandizing,when in truth, its sad! About a month before the induction i had been told by Steves management, and Jim /Steve that they were going to do DMF, and if i wanted to be part of it i would have to play bass guitar, facts are this, i've played bass, on two recordings in my whole life, DMF and Dealer, i also played the harmonica on DMF. I have not owned, or played either instrument in 39 years,i've played pretty good guitar in the last 39yrs, so rather than embarress myself, and the band, my suggestion was to have Will Lee play the bass and that we do it in the spirit of how we started, rather than the notes, and that steve and i might trade solos, and have fun with it, i was told quote, "THAT'S NOT AN OPTION", i offered to play rhythm guitar, same response,

    i also thought it would have been fun to do 'Feelin' Alrght", in the groove it was written in, i was told by Jims manager, John Taylor, "that will never happen".

    It seems that we've all become side men for Steve Winwood, which he seems to reinforce in all his interviews, it doesn't matter that i was an integral part of the first album, both writing and performing, or wrote and sang the groups first No 2 sigle, "Hole in my Shoe", it doesn't matter that i wrote, and sang, half the songs on the 2nd album, none of this seems to matter!

    Ron Delsner, a man who has promoted concerts for many, many years, informed me that he was looking forwad to booking the up comming TRAFFIC reunion tour, "what reunion tour" was my reply, "you mean you are not part of it" said Ron, "nobody has asked me" Rons enthusiasm for booking any shows, audibly dwindled away over the phone.

    I have harbored the hope, that this band could come together for many years, and truly hoped that the induction would reinforce this notion, i've let it go.

    I have a new guitar company that i am co founder of, along with my partner Ravi Sahwney, RKS guitars is something i am truly proud of, and excited about, also Ravis brother Ramesh who is a doctor, has made me part of a new Alternate Health Care, and Surgery Center based in West Orange N.J. so you see my life is full, and i like it that way

    It's too bad Steve can't make the differences work for us, rather than against us, after all, none of our individual musical careers are exactly setting the world on fire!

    Together, WE COULD LIGHT UP THE SKY, ONE MORE TIME.

    Steve Responds to the Letter that Dave Mason Posted on His Website (April 12, 2004)

    A message from Steve Winwood in response to a letter posted by Dave Mason on his website:

    I had thought after our brief but amicable chat at the R&R HOF, and our "smiley hug," as captured immortally on camera, that Dave and I had finally put our differences behind us. Imagine my dismay when I read the message that was posted on his website. At least I suppose we are at last letting our feelings be known, which must be better than holding them in, mustn't it? Anyway here I go with a couple of my own thoughts:

    Dave is quite correct in saying he played bass and harmonica on Dear Mr. Fantasy and although he has, as he quite rightly says, played pretty good guitar (in fact very good, Dave) over the last 39 years, unfortunately the award we have been given at the R&R HOF was definitely not about what we or any of our careers are now, but about TRAFFIC. What's more, because of the Traffic members that were inducted, it was quite clearly about TRAFFIC as they were in 1967 (Dave left Traffic in early 1968) and I emphasise not about any individual (Dave, Jim or me) or our careers in any of the subsequent 3 decades. When Traffic first came to the U.S. in spring '68, it was as a trio (i.e. without Dave), and we, of course, played DMF not a lot different--in fact, quite similar to the way it was played at the R&R HOF. Over the past few months, the door has been continuously open for Dave to play on the song--we were even prepared for Dave if he had wanted to get up and play at the very minute it was televised. There was no rhythm guitar on DMF, nor was it ever a guitar duel. It was, and I believe Dave Matthews would agree judging by his eloquent induction speech, a beautiful song (written by Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and myself) that touched the hearts and minds of many people, and we wanted to present it as such. I believe we achieved something very near to that at the R&R HOF, just as we did back in 1968 and I'm sure we would also have achieved it had Dave played bass with us - it was his call.

    I don't know why John Taylor (J.C.'s manager) believed that Feelin' Alright played in the groove it was written in would "never happen." When I found out that Feelin' Alright was going to be played (the day before the show), I was quite happy to play piano (I had played piano and bass on the original recording), and assumed since I only really knew the original version, that that's what it would be. It was only during a conversation with Paul Shaffer, who was Musical Director on the day of the show, that he said, "It starts with that piano riff you know." "Oh no," says I. "It starts with Dave singing." Paul then informed me that Dave does the song as the (Joe) Cocker version, so I said "I'm not sure I know it but I'll do my best."

    Neither do I know in what interviews Dave thinks I've been reinforcing the fact that he or anyone else is my "sideman." Let's be clear about this, there's a singer and then the musicians accompanying that singer are generally called "sidemen." I have been an accompanist on many songs both live and recorded and am very proud of it--in fact, I was a sideman on four songs at the R&R HOF.

    Dave is a great songwriter and a great guitar player and has made great music over the last few decades, and the fact that he never quite fit in with Traffic should not get in the way of that, but let's remember also that many of the known and loved Traffic songs did not have Dave Mason on them:

    Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

    40,000 Headmen

    Stranger to Himself

    Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring

    Empty Pages

    John Barleycorn

    Rock & Roll Stew

    Medicated Goo

    - the list goes on

    So when Dave claims that New York Promoter Ron Delsner's face dropped when Dave told him he knew nothing of the upcoming Traffic tour (I must admit that aside from a few rumblings and suggestions I know nothing either), does Mr. Delsner realise that not only did Dave not come to the U.S. with Traffic in the first place, but that he has never toured the U.S. with Traffic anyway?

    So there are some facts which I hope clarify my perspective a little more. I don't bear a grudge or hold any ill feelings for Dave, I really wish him all the best with his new found careers, though I'm not quite sure how we could "Light up the Sky," as he doesn't seem to hold much hope for what either of us are doing in music. Nevertheless I also thought that things might have worked out better after the Traffic R&R HOF inclusion, and I am always open to patching up differences but what he's saying about me still sounds rather bitter but hey ..... Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring?

    --Steve Winwood

  8. Pat Tillman, Who Left NFL for Army, Killed in Action (Update3)

    April 23 (Bloomberg) -- Pat Tillman, the former National Football League safety who left the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, was killed in action in Afghanistan, the NFL said.

    Tillman, 27, told the Cardinals after returning from his honeymoon in May 2002 that he was joining the Army with his brother in the hopes of becoming a Ranger. Kevin Tillman gave up a minor league baseball career in the Cleveland Indians organization.

    ``I am heartbroken today by the news of Pat Tillman's death,'' Arizona Senator John McCain said in a statement. ``The tragic loss of this extraordinary young man will seem a heavy blow to our nation's morale, as it is surely a grievous injury to his loved ones.''

    The brothers completed basic and advanced infantry training in October 2002 and graduated from the Ranger Indoctrination Program in December 2002. They joined the 75th Ranger Regiment in Fort Benning, Georgia, and served in the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

    One coalition soldier and one Afghan Militia Force soldier were killed and two coalition soldiers wounded after a combat patrol was ambushed near the village of Sperah, about 40 kilometers (24 miles) southwest of Khost, at about 7:30 p.m. local time last night, Central Command said in a statement.

    The soldiers weren't identified and Central Command declined further comment. The Tillmans' ranks weren't immediately available.

    Seventh-Round Draft Pick

    The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Pat Tillman graduated from Arizona State University in 1998 with a marketing degree and highest honors. He was a seventh-round draft pick in 1998 and played in every game during his first three NFL seasons. He made 153 tackles in his last season, the third-highest total in the league.

    The Cardinals offered him a $3.6 million, multiyear contract before he left the NFL. Tillman's agent, Frank Bauer, had tried to convince the safety to wait until his NFL career was over before beginning his three-term enlistment.

    In 2000, Tillman turned down a five-year, $9 million contract offer from the St. Louis Rams to stay in Arizona.

    Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said he last saw Tillman in December when the safety attended a game between the team and the Seattle Seahawks. Bidwill described hearing the news of Tillman's death as a ``kick to the gut.''

    ``This is devastating,'' Bidwill said during a televised press conference. ``Pat was a special guy. It was my hope that he was going to finish his tour of duty and come back. We'd make another offer and have him come back and play for us.''

    Declined Interviews

    The Tillmans repeatedly declined requests to be interviewed about their military service. Tennessee Titans assistant coach Dave McGinnis, who coached Pat Tillman as head coach of the Cardinals from 2000 to 2003, said in a statement that the safety ``represented all that was good in sports.''

    ``He was not the first and won't be the last to give his life for his country,'' McGinnis said in the statement. ``He always shunned the limelight and I'm sure he would want that continued, but his life deserves to be celebrated and for his story to be told.''

    The Rangers are a unit in the Army's special operations division, trained to attack in large groups and leave immediately after their mission is completed. About two-thirds of soldiers who enter the training program drop out.

    From Gridiron to Battlefield

    Reaction was swift from the football fans and others across the country, who offered condolences to the Tillman family and praised Pat Tillman's sacrifice. Sean Wilentz, a professor of history at Princeton University, said people tend to take special notice of an athlete's death in war.

    ``When a celebrity dies in battle, it has a special impact on society, especially when it's an athlete,'' Wilentz said in a telephone interview. ``They are figures of male admiration, strength and courage in times of leisure. From gridiron to battlefield, people tend to take special notice of an athlete's death in war.''

    Twenty-one NFL players were killed in World War II, and two were killed in the Vietnam War. Bob Kalsu, who played tackle for the Cleveland Browns and was killed in July 1970 in Vietnam, was the last player to die in action.

    One of the most famous U.S. athletes to die in a war was 1939 Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick of the University of Iowa. He died in a plane crash off the coast of Venezuela during a Naval Air Corps training mission on June 2, 1943

    http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=1...gN8rEE&refer=us

  9. Church group slams Bush on Clean Air Act

    Thursday, April 22, 2004 Posted: 4:04 PM EDT (2004 GMT

    SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- A national group of Christian leaders is sending a scathing letter to President Bush to coincide with Earth Day, accusing his administration of chipping away at the Clean Air Act.

    The National Council of Churches argued that planned changes to power plant regulations will allow major polluters to avoid installing pollution-control equipment when they expand their facilities.

    "In a spirit of shared faith and respect, we feel called to express grave moral concern about your 'Clear Skies' initiative -- which we believe is The Administration's continuous effort to weaken critical environmental standards to protect God's creation," the council wrote in an advance copy of the letter provided to The Associated Press.

    The New-York based group, which represents 50 million people in 140,000 Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox congregations, said it was sending its two-page letter to the president on Thursday, as people all over the country celebrate Earth Day. It took out a full-page ad in The New York Times, scheduled to run in Thursday's editions, calling on Bush to leave the Clean Air Act's new source review rules in place.

    The Environmental Protection Agency did not immediately return calls seeking comment Wednesday, but the agency has defended the rule changes proposed in August. EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt has called it "the biggest investment in the air quality improvement in the nation's history."

    The proposal would cap emissions and allow polluters to buy and sell pollution allowances, but environmental groups complain the new system would be far too lenient. In December a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the new rules from taking effect, agreeing with more than a dozen states and cities that contended the changes could cause irreparable harm to their environments and public health.

    "The people we talk to, both inside and outside the administration, say ... that these changes will in fact weaken, not strengthen the Clean Air Act," said the Rev. Bob Edgar, a United Methodist minister and the church council's general secretary.

    "And we will in fact have dirtier air and less compliance," said Edgar, who served six terms in Congress in the 1970s and '80s, representing a suburban Philadelphia district. The council is urging ministers across the country to talk about the problems of air pollution during this week's services.

    Monica Myers, pastor at Seattle's Northwest Christian Church, a Disciples of Christ congregation, said she doesn't plan to bash Bush in her sermon Sunday. Instead, she said she'll simply remind her congregation that pollution and other environmental problems tend to affect the poor more harshly than those who can afford to live in places far away from polluting factories or toxic waste sites.

    "I want to emphasize that their faith should direct them as they vote," she said. "Responsible Christians should weigh the teachings of Jesus Christ, especially as they speak of those who are poor and marginalized."

    The council joined the Evangelical Environmental Network in a "What would Jesus drive?" campaign in 2002, urging the auto industry to adopt stricter emissions standards and calling on SUV owners to switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles

    http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/04/22...bush/index.html

  10. you're right kooper, he should be waiting there at dover to receive those soldiers, especially when he believes this is all being done in answer to a higher authority, I've noticed recently his remarks that connect religion to his actions in Iraq are being criticized......huh, then you wonder why arabs hate us.

  11. some may find the sight of flag draped coffins insensitive and gruesome, personally I feel it's a very moving sight, a tribute to those that paid the ultimate price for our country, and every american should digest the consequences of this war. So to not offend those that might object I didn't post the link to the pictures, but I'm sure you can do a search and find them on the net.

    Worker fired over photo of flag-draped coffins

    Thursday, April 22, 2004 Posted: 2:20 PM EDT (1820 GMT)

    SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- A cargo worker whose photograph of flag-draped coffins bearing the remains of U.S. soldiers was published on a newspaper's front page was fired by the military contractor that employed her.

    Tami Silicio, 50, was fired Wednesday by Maytag Aircraft Corp. after military officials raised "very specific concerns" related to the photograph, said William L. Silva, Maytag president. The photo was taken in Kuwait.

    Silva declined to identify the Pentagon's concerns but said Silicio violated company and federal government rules. He declined to comment further.

    Silicio said she hoped the photo of the 20 flag-draped coffins awaiting transport from Kuwait to the United States would show the relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq that civilian and military crews return the remains of their loved ones with care and devotion.

    "It wasn't my intent to lose my job or become famous or anything," Silicio said.

    Silicio's husband and co-worker, David Landry, was also fired, but the company gave no reason for his dismissal.

    Under a policy adopted in 1991, the Pentagon bars news organizations from photographing caskets being returned to the United States, saying publication of such photos would be insensitive to bereaved families. Critics say the public is being denied information by not being able to see photos of coffins coming back from Iraq.

    Silicio took the photograph in a cargo plane about to depart from Kuwait International Airport earlier this month. She sent the photo to a stateside friend who provided it to The Seattle Times, which then obtained permission from Silicio to publish it without compensation.

    The photo appeared in the center of the newspaper's front page in its Sunday's editions, along with an article on the war in Iraq and a feature on Silicio's job in Kuwait. It was then posted on Web sites and has been widely discussed on the Internet.

    The Times reported Thursday that its decision to print the photograph was supported in most of the e-mails and telephone calls it has received.

    Executive Editor Michael R. Fancher wrote about the decision to print the photograph in his weekly column in Sunday's editions and he appeared Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America" with U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, R-Delaware, who supports the Pentagon ban. Delaware is home to the military mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, where all remains first arrive in the United States from overseas.

    "Some will see the picture as an anti-war statement because the image is reminiscent of photos from the Vietnam era" of caskets with casualties arriving in the United States, Fancher wrote, "but that isn't Silicio's or The Times' motivation."

    http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/04/22/coff...o.ap/index.html

  12. U.S. Moves Against Online Pirates

    Associated Press

    11:43 AM Apr. 22, 2004 PT

    WASHINGTON -- Undercover investigations into Internet piracy identified more than 100 people in the United States and abroad involved in the theft of more than $50 million worth of music, movies and software, U.S. authorities said Thursday.

    More than 120 searches were conducted in a 24-hour period in 27 states and 10 countries in an effort to dismantle organizations known by such names as Fairlight, Kalisto, Echelon, Class, Project X and APC, officials said.

    The initiative, known as Operation Fastlink, has resulted in the seizure of more than 200 computers, including 30 that served as storage and distribution hubs containing thousands of copies of pirated material. One server seized in the United States contained 65,000 separate pirated titles, authorities said.

    No arrests were immediately announced.

    "Intellectual property theft is a global problem that hurts economies around the world," Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement announcing the crackdown. "To be effective, we must respond globally."

    Among the countries in which FBI searches have been conducted are Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden and Great Britain.

    http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,...w=wn_culthead_1

  13. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, what the.............? how the heck does the bush campaign get away with attacking kerry's military record? he served in vietnam, got medals, injuries, it happened, who cares how severe the injuries were or whatever, I just don't believe it, he got them, geez, THIS coming from a draft dodger that joined the guard so he wouldn't have to go to vietnam, and this crap about this is his service, the war in iraq, that's absurd, it doesn't take courage to order others to do the dying for you, I'm clueless as to how the republican party gets away with this.

×
×
  • Create New...