Sunday, April 19, 2009

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Robert S. McElvaine: Keep the Bank Pirates on the Run Top
P resident Obama seems to be hearing the growing outcry against the big bank pirates' declaration of war on the American people through their outrageous increases in credit card interest rates. On Thursday in this blog I detailed the organized banksters' unleashing of their Weapons of Mass Depression and called on the American people to rise up and demand bold, meaningful action from Congress and the President to force these predators to cease and desist. We have gotten the attention of the government. On Sunday the Administration announced its intention to move the issue. White House economic advisor Larry Summer said the President is "going to be very focused, in a very near term, on a whole set of issues having to do with credit card abuses." It was also announced that Administration officials will meet at the White House on Thursday with leading executives of the credit card companies. But what has been proposed so far in Congress does not go nearly far enough. Nothing short of a retroactive federal usury law with real teeth will solve the problem, and that is what we must demand--loudly, forcefully and frequently. Contact President Obama, Representative Barney Frank, and Senator Chuck Schumer to demand meaningful action now. The bank pirates are on the run, but this battle--let alone the war--is far from won. { Historian Robert S. McElvaine is Elizabeth Chisholm Professor of Arts & Letters at Millsaps College & author of: The Great Depression: America, 1929-1941 (Random House) and Down and Out in the Great Depression: Letters from the "Forgotten Man" (North Carolina). His latest book is Grand Theft Jesus: The Hijacking of Religion in America (Crown). } More on Bankruptcy
 
Yelizavetta Kofman: Lack of Sick Leave Legislation Is Getting Old, and So Are Your Parents Top
Until recently, many of us twentysomethings believed that we were invincible. Alas, in these tough economic times, some of us have succumbed-- gracefully, no doubt-- to that catchy "last one hired, first one fired" refrain. Some of our smugness may be gone, but at least we still have our dashing good looks and our health, right? But what about our parents? I've recently begun thinking about mine. My mom walks religiously and eats organic, darling. Dad is a 61-year-old trapped in a 45-year-old's body. He hasn't touched a drop of liquor in 20 years (had a lifetime share back in the Russian Motherland), doesn't smoke or even drink coffee, and can be seen darting back and forth in his pool year-round. Unfortunately, absolutely none of these enviable habits guarantee that my parents will remain healthy in the years to come. The difficult realization that my parents are mere mortals made my heart skip a beat when I learned about Melton v. Farmers Insurance Group, a November 2008 U.S. District Court decision which ruled that Farmers was not required to grant an employee's request to work from home in order to care for her cancer-stricken mother. The employee that brought the suit, Shawna Melton, is a single-mother with a young child. Melton's request to work from home was denied and eventually she was fired for excessive absenteeism. Melton sued her employer under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and Oklahoma public policy. The court ruled that though they were "not unmoved" by the plaintiff's situation, the company was not guilty of discrimination under those laws. Whatever the legal intricacies of this particular case, there is a greater social issue at play. In the United States, there is no law that requires employers to provide employees with sick days, let alone allow employees to take sick days to care for ill family members. This is not the case in other rich countries: of the top 20 economies in the world, the United States is the only one that does not have a national standard for paid sick days. As a result, nearly half of all full-time private sector employees in the U.S. get no paid sick days at all. Why doesn't our system of social protections help us deal with events as inevitable and uncontrollable as the illness of our children and parents? Why should we have to sue--sometimes unsuccessfully--to take care of our families, in a country that so vehemently espouses the importance of "family values"? To my mind, the best course of action for Farmers would have been to grant Ms. Melton's request to work from home (they had, after all, previously allowed an employee to work from home to care for his disabled wife. Is it really fair to leave these decisions up to managers?) Farmers would have gained a more productive and eternally loyal employee--and probably lowered overhead office costs to boot. But how far should the law go in regulating employer actions? Can you really legislate flexibility? Certainly, employers should be free to run their companies as they see fit. But what if they prefer not to hire Asians or lesbians or balding men? We have laws against that. (Okay, maybe not for bald guys.) Laws are extremely important in our society; companies fear lawsuits and jurisprudence often shapes our norms. We cannot always rely on lawsuits, however, to solve our social problems. For one thing, the legal process is costly and time-consuming. Besides, in some cases laws have not kept up with dramatic changes in our society, such as the rise of single-parent families (see Melton v. Farmers). If we really want change, we have to demand more responsive legislation and far more responsive employers. In 2005, Senator Edward Kennedy introduced the Healthy Families Act, federal legislation that would have given most workers the right to seven paid sick days a year to take care of their medical needs and the medical needs of their families. The bill was never voted on. The political dillydallying on sick leave is getting old--and so are our parents, I'm afraid. At the end of the day, if I was in the position of having to care for a sick parent I would want the option of leave and of an alternative work arrangement-- wouldn't you? Your parents may be superhuman in your eyes, but at some point they will need your help. Will your employer stand in the way? A Peaceful Revolution is a blog about innovative ideas to strengthen America's families through public policies, business practices, and cultural change. Done in collaboration with MomsRising.org , read a new post here each week. More on Health
 
Sherman Yellen: You're Fired! So Where Are the Jobs Now? Top
Sorry. The question in the heading of this post isn't something I can answer. I recognize that the banking and insurance bailout which started with Bush's Paulson and goes on with Obama's Geithner has not produced the promised new jobs, or held on to old ones, or made the lives of most Americans more secure. Am I asking for too much too soon? I don't think so. Nowhere do I see the spark of concern for the unemployed that would - for me - indicate the beginning of an economic and a moral recovery. America's celebration of Susan Boyle's moving performance on British television was probably connected with the public's feeling that we are fast becoming a nation of underdogs - and we want to see some of those so callously discarded by society triumph at last. But you'd have to search hard to find that attitude in American business today. The major players in business are enjoying their bailout by hoarding the government and the taxpayer's largesse while families are being decimated by pink slips and sweet talk by Human Resources - a division of business that is fast becoming an oxymoron. Trust me I am no tea-party recruit rebelling against the cost of the bailout to taxpayers. My Dad always taught me that it was a privilege to pay taxes - it meant you were earning good money and paying your share of the cost of living in this country. But he had lived through the Great Depression and kept his small business going through the thirties and forties without firing anyone - including some handicapped workers - people who could not have survived without their jobs. For me the anti-tax Republicans are merely depressing in their hatred for the very government that can - if it has the courage - together with business provide practical solutions at this time. This moral obtuseness on the part of business regarding its loyal employees didn't start with this recession In the roaring nineteen eighties and early nineties when mergers were the fashion, the way the so called financial geniuses made their mark was to buy a business on leveraged money, fire much of its staff, and on the savings of salaries declare their profits and their sagacity, even if that business was later to flounder as so many did. The first years would show a profit and that was what the financial wizard's prized. And since the labor movement was moribund they were allowed, indeed praised for their heartlessness. Donald Trump's "You're Fired" became the catchword of the time, and so it remains today. What we now see is not the loss of jobs by men and women who are untrained to compete in the modern world, but the firing of people who have all the requisite skills - the very best and the brightest who can add the most to our economy are being given the pink slips. And our government seems powerless - indeed indifferent to the Donald Trumpery of this recession. Where, one wonders, were the moral strings attached to the bailout? Where were the laws requiring those institutions to hold on to the maximum number of employees - even at the radical idea of lowering salaries for all - and declaring a moratorium on salaries for the chief executives of the companies? So many of the recently fired - exhausted by their search on the internet for jobs that aren't there -- turn to the free-lance life; consulting where they can, or trying to establish a new business of their own, providing they can find the funding for it - funding that seems to have been swallowed up by those great banking whales and AIG. The freelance life seems to be the new American way. Well, I spent a lifetime living the American way, and for a long time it was plenty good for me. As a freelance writer starting in the early sixties and going on through the nineties I went through the feast and famine existence of the free-lancer in America. But this was a life I chose. It was not imposed upon me. I'd worked at office jobs as a young college graduate and I knew it was "Hi-diddle-dee-dee a freelance life for me" as Pinocchio, my childhood idol, would say. Okay it was "actor's life" - but the spirit was the same In any case, my choice was not for everyone. Not for most people. That decency exists among American workers is proven time and again. My niece, Jen -- whose husband John McNamara, a hero fireman at the World Trade Center cleanup and Katrina, and who has been undergoing years of cancer treatment -- needed to take time off from her job to be with the ailing John and with her three year old son, Jack. Her fellow office workers donated their vacation salaries to her so that she would have that precious time to be with her family and not lose her needed income. Wouldn't it be wonderful if business itself shared some of this ethical behavior in these difficult times? If so, maybe this recession, for all its pain might be a lesson in decency rather than a sign that so many at the top are still caught in the old trap of crap that begins with "You're fired! And I'm still here." More on Timothy Geithner
 
AP: Obama Gores Foreign Policy Ox Top
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has gone abroad and gored an ox _ the deeply held belief that the United States does not make mistakes in dealings with either friends or foes. And in the process, he's taking a huge gamble both at home and abroad, for a payoff that could be a long time coming, if ever. By way of explanation, senior adviser David Axelrod describes the president's tactics this way: "You plant, you cultivate, you harvest. Over time, the seeds that were planted here are going to be very, very valuable." While historic analogies are never perfect, Obama's stark efforts to change the U.S. image abroad are reminiscent of the stunning realignments sought by former Soviet leader Michael Gorbachev. During his short _ by Soviet standards _ tenure, he scrambled incessantly to shed the ideological entanglements that were leading the communist empire toward ruin. But Obama is outpacing even Gorbachev. After just three months in power, the new American leader has, among many other things: _ Admitted to Europeans that America deserves at least part of the blame for the world's financial crisis because it did not regulate high-flying and greedy Wall Street gamblers. _ Told the Russians he wants to reset relations that fell to Cold War-style levels under his predecessor, George W. Bush. _ Asked NATO for more help in the fight in Afghanistan, and, not getting much, did not castigate alliance partners. _ Lifted some restrictions on Cuban Americans' travel to their communist homeland and eased rules on sending wages back to families there. _ Shook hands with, more than once, and accepted a book from Hugo Chavez, the virulently anti-American leader of oil-rich Venezuela. _ Said America's appetite for illegal drugs and its lax control of the flow of guns and cash to Mexico were partly to blame for the drug-lord-inspired violence that is rattling the southern U.S. neighbor. _ Said that "if our only interaction with many of these countries is drug interdiction, if our only interaction is military, then we may not be developing the connections that can, over time, increase our influence" _ neglecting to mention U.S. health care, education and humanitarian relief efforts in Latin America. At a news conference ending the three-day Summit of the Americas on Sunday, Obama was asked to explain what a reporter called this emerging "Obama Doctrine." He said that first, he remains intent on telling the world that the United States is a powerful and wealthy nation that realizes it is just one country among many. Obama said he believes that other countries have "good ideas" and interests that cannot be ignored. Second, while the United States best represents itself by living up to its universal values and ideas, Obama said it must also respect the variety of cultures and perspectives that guide both American foes and friends. "I firmly believe that if we're willing to break free from the arguments and ideologies of an earlier era and continue to act, as we have at this summit, with a sense of mutual responsibility and mutual respect and mutual interest, then each of our nations can come out of this challenging period stronger and more prosperous, and we can advance opportunity, equality, and security across the Americas," the president said. Critics, especially those deeply attached to the foreign policy course of the past 50-plus years, see a president whose lofty ideals expose the country to a dangerous probing of U.S. weakness, of an unseemly readiness to admit past mistakes, of a willingness to talk with unpleasant opponents. "I think it was irresponsible for the president to be seen kind of laughing and joking with Hugo Chavez," said Sen. John Ensign, a Nevada Republican. "This is a person along the lines with Fidel Castro and the types of dictatorship that he has down there in Venezuela and the anti-Americanism that he has been spreading around the world is not somebody the president of the United States should be seen as having, you know, kind of friendly relations with." At his news conference Obama said he didn't think he did much damage to U.S. security or interests by shaking the hand of Chavez, whose country has a defense budget about one-six hundredth the size of the United States, and depends upon it's oil reserves for solvency. But beyond specific attacks on his new foreign policy are the deeper philosophical challenges emerging from the still powerful, if diminished, conservative political structure in the United States. Such opponents can play havoc with Obama's attempts to change domestic policy and will work to weaken his 60-plus percent approval among Americans. Obama brushes that aside: "One of the benefits of my campaign and how I've been trying to operate as president is I don't worry about the politics _ I try to figure out what's right in terms of American interests, and on this one I think I'm right." So thought Gorbachev. But being right is not always politically healthy. ___ Steven R. Hurst reports from the White House for the AP and has covered foreign affairs for 30 years.
 
Bailout Watchdog Warren Draws Fire From Conservatives Top
Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard law professor charged by Congress with overseeing trillions in financial rescue funds, has a surprising secret weapon: Dr. Phil. The outspoken consumer advocate has appeared on Phil McGraw's show twice to talk about the financial difficulties facing middle-class families. Another visit, Warren argues, could help explain the complexities of regulatory reform to a wider audience.
 
Adam Baldwin: Ride 2 Recovery: An Amazing Journey Top
The warrior cried, but not for himself. His tears flowed from the blessing of the little girl -- the one with the angel-voice. And, as we stood in ovation in the American Legion Hall her lyric, "... I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see" reminded him why his military service and the forty-odd years since had all been worthwhile: her Freedom, our Freedom. As our tearful eyes locked, he restrained in a whisper, "See that? That's why I lost my legs in Vietnam." But then he smiled, "losing my legs is the best thing that ever happened to me... it's why I am here right now, and it's given me a great life." Of course, I can never truly know the depth of my new friend Duane Wagner's struggles in meeting his post Vietnam war challenges, but I was privileged to share with him a true moment of 'amazing grace' in the knowledge that his sacrifices -- and all those of his compatriots -- were not in vain. Duane Wagner (rt) leading the group in Texas That beautiful moment was but one of countless expressions of dignity and courage that I witnessed during my participation in this year's Ride 2 Recovery "Don't Mess With Texas Challenge" -- a 350 mile bicycle ride from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas to Arlington's Texas Ranger's Ballpark, Mar. 30 - Apr. 4, 2009. Ride 2 Recovery is produced by the Fitness Challenge Foundation, in partnership with the Military and the VA Volunteer Service Office, to benefit Mental and Physical Rehabilitation Programs that feature cycling as the core activity. When Former Marine John Wordin, R2R's founder and a world-class cyclist, extended me an invitation I jumped at the opportunity to make a journey with some of America's heroic Wounded Warriors. Little did I realize the abject humbling ahead, both physical and emotional, once I'd cinched up my cleats, smeared the recommended "liberal amounts" of Chamois Butt'r® upon my "sensitive areas" and saddled up with Purple Heart Veterans ranging from the Vietnam War to today's Global War on Terror, and our team of fellow riders & supporters from the American Legion Auxiliary and USO. To ride along the back roads of Texas into 40-50 mph headwinds for 35 miles with such brave men as Nathan Hunt, who gave both of his legs in service to America during Operation Iraqi Freedom, is among the most profoundly exhausting yet uplifting experiences of my life. Nate and Adam We barely spoke during those five grueling hours, but Nate's determination and resolve to endure spoke volumes to me. I will never again hear the words "I can't" from an able-bodied person without thinking of him. Yes you can, my friends. Yes you can! Luke "Joe Dirt" Goedert -- his lower back shattered by an IED and now held together with titanium plates and screws -- was pumping along on his hand-bike one non-descript Texas back road afternoon. Students from Austin cheer on the heroes As I pulled alongside he barked, "Hey 'Animal Mother'," a character I once portrayed, "thanks for coming... I don't think too many of those guys in Hollywood would do this. But that's okay," he sang out, "don't apologize for them. They're the ones missing out!" And with that truth, we chortled and muscled our bikes onward to the awaiting roadside USO Canteen support vehicle and its welcoming diet of tasty PB&J's, hot soup, beef Jerky, and ice cold PowerAde. When you join R2R, you'll also get to meet American cycling legend Wayne Stetina. Wayne is a three-time Olympian ('72, '76 &'80), and eleven-time U.S. national champion. Among the many things he'll teach you will be the finer points of drafting in a peloton (look it up), and why it's so important to keep pace within your group, especially when struggling into a headwind. And, should you fall behind, Wayne, John or one of the stronger team riders will be there to lend you a boosting hand on your backside to get you caught up. On day three we were deeply honored with a hot spaghetti dinner hosted by Ft. Hood's III Corps Commanding Officer Lt. General Rick Lynch, one of General Petraeus' chief architects of America's successful surge in Iraq. The next morning, Sgt. Major Ciotolo and a thousand of his loyal troops and support personnel enthusiastically cheered us 60 miles windward towards Waco. President Bush with the R2R group Our final stop in Cleburne, presented Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee and his constituents -- among them our former Commander in Chief, George W. Bush (R-TX). They met, mingled and joked with us. They also listened to the vital transitional rehabilitative concerns and needs of our Wounded Warriors. These powerful Texas gentlemen, in a bipartisan/nonpartisan show of goodwill, then gave us a hearty send-off on our last day's ride into Arlington and its Texas Rangers vs. KC Royal's game. There, on a glorious Saturday afternoon, our ride's General David Blackledge, America's highest ranking officer wounded in Iraq, and Nate Hunt each threw out ceremonial first pitches to the cheers of the assembled crowd. To those of my Entertainment Industry brethren who have until now missed out on contributing their time (and/or cash please) with our American troops and veterans, whom we all support: "You talk the talk", pace Animal Mother, "Do you walk the walk?" Or better yet, will you please help ride the ride? Skip your spinning or yoga class for a few days to join an upcoming Ride 2 Recovery event in a show of support to our heroic military men and women and their courageous families. In my mind, this journey loudly echoes my new friend Duane the warrior's sentiment that this experience is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I promise that it will change your life for the better as well. C'mon, let's saddle up! Adam Baldwin is a Hollywood actor with 30 years experience in film and television. He is currently working on the NBC series "Chuck", and his credits include the role of "Animal Mother" in Stanley Kubrick's Vietnam War classic "Full Metal Jacket." For more information on Ride 2 Recovery including to join Adam or Ed Begley Jr. on an upcoming ride or make a donation: Go to www.ride2recovery.com
 
Bill Mann: Limbaugh's Love Letter -- To A Huffington Post Blogger! Top
"I have actually been moved by what you have written and the way you have written it," Rush Limbaugh wrote to me. "So, thank you for fairness and accuracy, and for taking the time to try to discover what my program is (and is not) and how it is executed." First, a confession: The above passage comes from an actual letter I got from "Boss" Limbaugh. But it wasn't written after my much-commented-upon Huff Post blog last week about how Limbaugh's radio talk show was given away for free to local stations in exchange for pre-sold ad time -- and how these barter deals had built his radio empire. This letter was dated May 9, 1991, not long after Limbaugh moved his dubious radio enterprise from Sacramento to New York City. I'd completely forgotten about the missive until I found it recently amidst some old newspaper clips I'd written as TV-radio columnist at the liberal Oakland Tribune. I'm not sure which column (or columns) I wrote that prompted the billet-doux from The Uber-Bloviator, but I do recall having heard Limbaugh's show for the first time back then, and finding it different and somewhat entertaining -- initially. I also remember saying back then that I didn't agree with much of what Rush said, but that he said it entertainingly. But it wasn't long before Limbaugh's radio act became stale and astringent, and I started calling him a heartless bastard (or words to that effect) in my columns. In fact, "heartless," I would submit, is still the modifier that describes him best. (I can almost hear his bellowed response -- and some comments this post will get from Dittoheads: "And liberals are BRAINless!" ) ( Note: For "historical purposes" /proof, I've posted the Limbaugh letter at my web site, dc weasels ). In his sincere-sounding thank-you note to me, Limbaugh mentions another newspaper columnist, in Detroit, who'd also praised Limbaugh in print, but who later had, Rush implied, "caved" after a handful of readers protested. Limbaugh says he thanked the Detroit columnist on his radio show but apparently felt betrayed when the Detroit Free Press writer later called him a bigot. My initial response to Limbaugh's show had also been positive, obviously. Then the mean-spiritedness of Rush's politics and pronunciamentos became too much to endure. I stopped listening. Still, I'm surprised at how many Obama supporters, in their comments about my piece last week, said they still tune Rush in, either because they find him entertaining or to monitor the "opposition." Sorry, but I just can't do it. So, what (if anything) does this all prove? Primarily, that Limbaugh had all but given up on getting any favorable press a long time ago -- after being "burned" by newspaper turncoats. And as we all know, Rush is such a sensitive guy. In 1991 I was a political oddity -- a registered Republican who was a newspaper columnist in the liberal San Francisco Bay Area, something I got a lot of kidding about. (That was then, this is now). Rush's staff may have even investigated my political affiliation. Imagine the disappointment Rush must have felt when I also "betrayed" him! Limbaugh obviously relished the thought of a daily newspaper columnist in the Berkeley area actually praising his act, and he closed his letter with this parting shot at the progressive, heavily Democratic city in our prime East Bay circulation area: "Hang in there on the hit-mail thing. Remember: It's the pioneers who take the arrows. Try that one on the new Dances With Wolves P.C. crowd in Berkeley." Today, this Prius-driving, Obama-supporting Dem prints columns that include lines like "Limbaugh's first three wives weren't even in love with him. They were drawn by his gravitational field." I've been such a disappointment to Rush. Stay Tuned/Coming Soon : I'll report on the ugliest -- and more significant -- reasons for Limbaugh's radio success.
 
Zac Efron: Box Office Champion Top
LOS ANGELES — Zac Efron has taken the box-office crown from his Disney teammate Miley Cyrus. Efron's comedy "17 Again," in which he plays the youthful version of a middle-aged man magically transformed to high school age, debuted as the top weekend movie with $24.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The No. 1 opening for the Warner Bros. movie solidifies the big-screen potential for Efron, who rose to fame with Disney's "High School Musical" series. "There's no question that Zac's a star," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. "He's such a hardworking, talented individual. He certainly has given his all to promote this movie." Universal had the No. 2 movie with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck's Washington thriller "State of Play," which pulled in $14.1 million. Crowe plays a reporter investigating a series of deaths linked to an old college friend (Affleck) who's now a rising star in Congress. Cyrus' "Hannah Montana: The Movie" slipped from first place to fourth with $12.7 million. That lifted the domestic total for Cyrus' movie spinoff of her Disney Channel show to $56.1 million after 10 days in theaters. "Hannah Montana" finished just behind DreamWorks Animation's "Monsters vs. Aliens," which took in $12.9 million to raise its domestic haul to $162.7 million. Estimates for "Hannah Montana" and "Monsters vs. Aliens" were close enough that the movies could switch rankings when final numbers are reported Monday. Jason Statham had a so-so opening for his action sequel "Crank: High Voltage," which came in at No. 6 with $6.5 million, $4 million less than the first weekend for the 2006 original. The Lionsgate sequel features Statham in a race to recover his heart, which has been stolen by organ thieves and replaced with a mechanical one. Hollywood maintained a record box-office pace with just one weekend to go before the busy summer season arrives May 1 with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Hugh Jackman's spinoff of the blockbuster "X-Men" franchise. Overall revenues were at $112 million, up nearly 20 percent from the same weekend last year, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers. For the year, Media By Numbers is tracking receipts at $2.92 billion, 17.3 percent ahead of 2008's and well above the box-office pace of 2007, when Hollywood took in a record $9.7 billion. Accounting for higher ticket prices, movie attendance this year is up 15.6 percent compared to last year's. The movie business is poised to top $10 billion at the box office for the first time in 2009, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "It's going to be a record year, because we've never had a start to a year this strong," Dergarabedian said. "Unless the world goes off its axis and spins into the sun, I don't see how we're not going to have a $10 billion year." Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday. 1. "17 Again," $24.1 million. 2. "State of Play," $14.1 million. 3. "Monsters vs. Aliens," $12.9 million. 4. "Hannah Montana: The Movie," $12.7 million. 5. "Fast & Furious," $12.3 million. 6. "Crank: High Voltage," $6.5 million. 7. "Observe and Report," $4.1 million. 8. "Knowing," $3.5 million. 9. "I Love You, Man," $3.4 million. 10. "The Haunting in Connecticut," $3.2 million. ___ On the Net: http://www.mediabynumbers.com ___ Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Rogue Pictures are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co.; Sony Pictures, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; DreamWorks, Paramount and Paramount Vantage are divisions of Viacom Inc.; Disney's parent is The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is a division of The Walt Disney Co.; 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox Atomic are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros., New Line, Warner Independent and Picturehouse are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a consortium of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp., DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group; Lionsgate is owned by Lionsgate Entertainment Corp.; IFC Films is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.
 
DioGuardi: Being An 'Idol' Judge Isn't Easy Top
NEW YORK — When Kara DioGuardi accepted her job as the fourth judge on "American Idol," she did not immediately grasp the enormity of a full-time gig on the most-watched TV show in the United States. "I probably in my own way didn't really take in what a huge thing it was, just `cause it would be so overwhelming," she said. "Until I kind of showed up and was like, `Oh my god, what am I doing here? This is, like, huge!' And then it really hit me when we went live that, wow, `I got to speak live in front of 30 million people?'" Since joining the judges' panel, DioGuardi has weathered the curve balls of live television, eye rolls from Simon Cowell and criticism of her judging abilities by the viewer peanut gallery. As the eighth season progresses to a showdown between Adam Lambert and Someone Else, the 38-year-old songwriter and producer's "saving grace" has been connecting with the finalists and helping steer them in the right direction, by way of her industry expertise. "It's not an easy job," DioGuardi said in an interview from Los Angeles. "I mean, there was nothing wrong with that panel. It wasn't like I had to fix something. It was great. So to come in and kind of be part of it was really tricky. ... "So I look at it sometimes and I think, `All right, maybe I could have done this better or that better,' but I'm literally just trying not to" act like "a bumbling moron because I'm so, you know, nervous at times," she said. Adding a fourth judge to the veteran threesome of Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Cowell was part of series of changes producers implemented this season to shake up the franchise. A 13th contestant, picked in a wild card round, joined the top dozen. A one-time rule allowed judges to save contestant Matt Giraud from voter elimination. And _ in an "Idol" first _ only two judges were allowed to review a singer last Tuesday to save time. The show has been running over schedule, which Cowell blamed on DioGuardi and Abdul talking too much. "Of course, we're going to have time issues _ you added a fourth judge! What did you think? I was going to just sit there and, you know, like do a grading system on my hands? Which probably I would mess up because you know how my remedial math is," DioGuardi joked, referring to the now-classic blunder she made while reviewing Lambert ("I've got six words for you: One of the best performances of the night!"). Cecile Frot-Coutaz, an executive producer on "Idol," said producers envisioned a fourth judge could create a time crunch. "It's hard for (the judges) to figure out whether they've spoken for 30 seconds or 45 seconds, so ... we're going to try and help them with that and give them a sense of their timing so that we keep it under control a bit more," Frot-Coutaz said. DioGuardi, whose criticism can be as long-winded as Cowell's is blunt, said she's making an effort to cut her comments short. She seems to have scaled back in the last couple weeks. Her remarks are generally rife with musical jargon (especially "artistry") and she has been an unwitting target of hecklers in the studio audience. Recently, cast-off Megan Corkey's brother shouted: "Broken record!" "Kara's opinion is so irrelevant that I don't think people even listen to it," said Dave Della Terza, founder of VoteForTheWorst.com, which encourages "Idol" viewers to vote for bad-yet-entertaining singers. He derided DioGuardi as humorless and unskilled at thinking on her feet. DioGuardi, who has worked with such singers as Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion and Kelly Clarkson, said she tries to tune out the negativity and focus on her goal: "to help America find the best `Idol' and to help these kids." It's clear she takes her job very seriously. In conversation, she offered unprompted, thoughtful analyses of various finalists; she often schedules one-on-one advising sessions with hopefuls after they get voted off. As for her recent on-camera gaffes, including a reference to the legendary New York club Studio 54 as "Studio 57," she said: "It's OK. I'll poke fun at myself and I'll look like an idiot on that front. But I want to make sure that what I'm telling them makes sense and it has meaning." How does she fit in with Cowell and the gang? "I'm a combination of them in different ways," she said. "I think I can be hard sometimes and then soft in other times, depending on what I think the contestant needs." Frot-Coutaz said the four-judge system has worked thus far, and viewers have responded positively to DioGuardi. "We're certainly not talking about going back to three at this point. ... We're pleased with the fourth judge," she said. Plus, Frot-Coutaz noted, DioGuardi provided one of the season's greatest moments: Her feud with Katrina "Bikini Girl" Darrell during the audition rounds, when the judge _ a talented singer in her own right _ told the scantily clad wannabe to bring a stripper pole next time. The exchange, viewed by some as immature on DioGuardi's part, revealed an intriguing glimpse into her personality _ less Pollyanna, more Troublemaker. DioGuardi said she's funnier than she appears on the show. But she's not completely stiff. "I noticed that my hands go all over the place, and sometimes I look like I'm a gesticulating fool," she said. "You know, it's very Italian." More on American Idol
 
J.G. Ballard, 'Empire Of The Sun' Author, Dies At 78 Top
LONDON — Writer J.G. Ballard, best known for the autobiographical novel "Empire Of The Sun," which drew on his childhood detention in a Japanese prison camp in China, died Sunday, his agent said. He was 78. Ballard was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006. He had been ill "for several years" and died in London at the home of his long-term partner, his agent Margaret Hanbury said. She did not give the cause of death. "His acute and visionary observation of contemporary life was distilled into a number of brilliant, powerful novels which have been published all over the world and saw Ballard gain cult status," Hanbury said. Ballard was born in Shanghai, China, and was interned there in a prison camp by Japanese troops in 1941 _ an experience he drew on in the 1984 novel "Empire of The Sun," later adapted as a film by U.S. director Steven Spielberg. The writer moved to Britain in 1946, where he lived until his death. Ballard was sometimes controversial. His 1973 novel "Crash," which explored contentious themes about people who derive pleasure from car accidents, was made into a film by David Cronenberg in 1996. "J.G. Ballard has been a giant on the world literary scene for more than 50 years," Hanbury said. "Following his early novels of the 60s and 70s, his work then reached a wider audience with the publication of "Empire of the Sun" in 1984, which won several prizes and was made into a film," she said. The book told the story of a young boy living through Japanese occupation of Shanghai, detailing his struggle and complex emotions toward the invading forces. "I have _ I won't say happy _ not unpleasant memories of the camp. I remember a lot of the casual brutality and beatings-up that went on, but at the same time we children were playing a hundred and one games all the time!" Ballard once said of his childhood internment. Born James Graham Ballard, the author was a sharp critic of modern politics, who once mocked the West's search for "near mythical weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq, in the buildup to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Ballard focused heavily in his work on what he saw as the negative effect on mankind of advancing technology and rejected the belief that humans can constantly improve themselves. Ballard often portrayed social and technological developments as adding to a sense of human worthlessness, rather than aiding the progression of mankind. "The Enlightenment view of mankind is a complete myth. It leads us into thinking we're sane and rational creatures most of the time, and we're not," Ballard said in a 2003 interview with Australian newspaper The Age. Ballard was educated at Cambridge University and served as a British Royal Air Force pilot before working as a writer. He revealed in a January 2008 interview that he had been diagnosed in 2006 with advanced prostate cancer. Ballard married Helen Matthews in 1954. She died in 1964. He is survived by their three children. There was no immediate word on funeral plans.
 
Dawn Teo: McCain's Hometown Sheriff Ditches McCain For The Colbert Report Top
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - Senator John McCain's hometown sheriff, Joe Arpaio, is skipping out on a local Senate hearing Monday, organized in part by McCain. Instead, he will be taping an appearance on Comedy Central's Colbert Report . The Phoenix hearing will feature three panels of state and local officials who will discuss the impact of border violence on Arizona communities. Sheriff Joe, who is famous (and controversial) for his reality show, tent-based jails, and large contingent of immigration enforcement officers, says he never intended to appear before McCain and other senators at Monday's hearing. Rather, Arpaio believes that submitting a written statement would better maintain the integrity of the hearings. According to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs , the hearing will examine the increasing violence on the southern border of the U.S. and will evaluate ways that federal, state, and local government agencies can mitigate violence on this side of the border, as well as ways that the U.S. can work with the Mexican government to tamp down on drug cartel violence in both Mexico and the U.S. McCain underscored the importance of the hearing: With Phoenix ranking second only to Mexico City for the largest number of kidnappings for any city in the world, it is appropriate that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hold this hearing in Arizona. The violence, crime and drug trafficking in Mexico due to the raging wars among the drug cartels is increasingly coming across the border and threatening the safety of Arizonans and all Americans. I look forward to hosting this hearing in Arizona and working closely with my colleagues, the new Administration, and Mexican President Calderon to put an end to the violence caused by the Mexican drug cartels and restoring law and order. An official statement from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said that an appearance by Arpaio at the hearing would likely politicize the process, create disruption, and be "ultimately disrespectful of the process." In other words, Arpaio believes if he shows up, the hearing would become a media circus focused on his presence. MCSO currently has the largest contingent of local law enforcement officers enforcing federal immigration laws under a 287(g) agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, which has been the subject of fierce debate and controversy. Reverend Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders are planning a large demonstration in Phoenix in June. Protest organizers are demanding Arpaio's resignation or removal from office, and they are calling for an end to all 287(g) agreements. The Colbert Report episode featuring Arpaio will air Monday evening. More on Immigration
 
Illinois Holocaust Museum Opens In Skokie: Bill Clinton, Elie Wiesel Address Crowd Of Thousands Top
SKOKIE, Ill. — Thousands of people on Sunday attended the opening of a $45 million Holocaust museum in this Chicago suburb perhaps best known for an aborted march by neo-Nazis decades ago. The 65,000 square-foot Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is considered the largest of its kind in the Midwest and features 2,000 survivor testimonies, most of them from nearby residents. "We don't want the only people learning to be in Washington, New York and Los Angeles," former President Bill Clinton, the keynote speaker for the opening, told the crowds gathered under tents in the rain. "I think it is important that this place of remembrance and learning is here, not only because of what happened in Skokie three decades ago but because it is in the heartland of the country." Skokie, once home to thousands of Holocaust survivors, garnered international attention in the 1970s when neo-Nazis threatened to march in the streets. Museum executive director Richard Hirschhart said the aftermath of the incident was an "epiphany of sorts" for survivors, who were inspired to share their stories. "For the very first time, they began to speak of their experiences in their own voice, in their own words," he said. Organizers said the museum's goal is to tell the story of the Holocaust, help survivors heal and prevent future atrocities. During his speech, Clinton apologized for the United States not acting sooner to end violence in places like Rwanda. Other speakers included writer and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and President Barack Obama, who said in a video statement that "there is no greater obligation than to confront acts of inhumanity." "That is the lesson that school children will learn when they visit this museum," he said. The museum was designed in black and white halves, which museum designers said would let visitors enter in the dark and leave in the light. At the end, visitors stand in the "Hall of Reflection" surrounded by candles and natural light. Other displays include a Nazi-era cattle car used to transport Jews to concentration camps, children's clothes, photographs and a hall of artwork. ___ On the Net: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center: http://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org More on Bill Clinton
 
Scott Mendelson: HuffPost Review -- State of Play (2009) Top
State of Play 2009 127 minutes Rated PG-13 by Scott Mendelson State of Play is the very sort of movie that 'they just don't make anymore'. Despite its attempts to include newfangled ideas regarding new journalism and the topical subject matter, it is a refreshingly old-fashioned star-driven thriller. As to be expected from any two hour film adapted from a six-hour British mini-series, this is a plot-packed movie, but also one that feels surprisingly leisurely. It does not rush from plot twist to plot twist, but remembers to keep character front and center. A token amount of plot - One the eve of congressional hearings into Point Corp, a multi-billion dollar private security firm that does business with the US for overseas operations, Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is stained by scandal when his head researcher and mistress dies in an apparent accident. As Collins struggles to maintain his career, his former college roommate, Washington Globe reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), discovers an inexplicable connection between the young woman's tragic death and the shooting of a junkie. That's all you need. The film quickly becomes the most satisfying sort of puzzle. While there certainly are several 'plot twists', they are not the sort that make you question or reassess everything you've seen up to that point. Rather, as each layer of the story is pealed back, the plot makes more sense, not less. The characters' actions seem more plausible and the overriding themes at play become stronger. Russell Crowe gives a weary, but vaguely optimistic performance as an old-guard journalist who knows he is of a dying breed. Helen Mirren shines as the paper's editor, torn between her love of old-fashioned shoe leather journalism and the fact that the newfangled blog world is a far larger moneymaker. She has a devastating moment where she almost casually explains how a major story that turns out to be false will sell more papers than a true story, since the resulting denials and recriminations become additional stories unto themselves. Ben Affleck once again proves what a fine actor he is when he's not forced to be a movie star. Only Robin Wright Penn and Rachel McAdams are underused, though they do what they can with what they are given. The former is stuck with a token role as Affleck's scorned wife, and her apparent romantic history with Crowe fails to pay off. McAdams fairs worse though, as young hotshot blogger Della Frye who must represent that fact-less, gossipy, copy-every-hour new journalism that is theoretically killing the news. That State of Play champions objective journalism over opinion-based online snark pieces is an obvious, though still noble path. But blogger Della Frye never establishes an identity of her own, we never really learn what kind of blogger she is, what she likes to write about, or how she feels about the current tug-of-war that exists in the newspaper community. That corporatization of newspapers is the real issue, and blogging is merely a symptom, is barely mentioned. And the relationship between her and Crowe is almost laughably one-sided. She learns the value of honest investigative journalism and learns to 'be a real reporter', yet he learns nothing and gains no insight from her. Still, the blogging versus reporting angle turns out to be a minor one, so its failure to really come together is at best a moderate flaw. But as a crime drama, a political thriller, and a journalistic who-dun-it-and-why, it is never less than completely compelling. The alleged conspiracy that is eventually unraveled is completely plausible and absolutely chilling, and I'm assuming any similarities to the terrific seventh season of 24 are coincidental. Aside from the stars, there are several fun supporting turns by the likes of Jeff Daniels and Jason Bateman. Once again, Bateman takes a stock character and infuses him with humanity, sympathy, and a specific point of view (see also - Hancock , Juno , Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium ). He is quickly becoming one of the finest character actors around. While the film is implicitly about the death of newspapers and the death of conventional journalism, it also ends up being about the death of itself. By that I mean the film ends up being an eulogy of sorts to the adult thriller, the star-driven suspense picture, and the very idea of mainstream movies for grownups. As their numbers dwindle in the wake of superhero epics, tween-driven comedies, and 3D animated features, the star-driven potboiler, once the most popular of genres, is becoming an endangered species. And by casting Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck, two men who were once the biggest stars in Hollywood, the film becomes a monument to the death of the conventional movie star. As the traditional leading man is supplanted by the geekey outsider or the dweebish underdog (think Shia Labeouf or Zac Efron), the picture becomes an ode to all things old-fashioned. It mourns the death of traditional journalism, traditional movie stars, and even traditional movies. One cannot dispute that State of Play represents a fine example of all three relics. Grade: A-
 

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