Monday, June 15, 2009

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Jonathan A. Schein: Local Real Estate Opportunities Open Up Through Green Financing Top
The Small Business Admistration has amended its existing 504 loan program, which was originally created to encourage small- to medium-sized business owners to acquire commercial property by providing them with long-term, fixed-rate financing. One of the biggest accommodations is that these loans required a minimal equity requirement and the size of the loan correlates directly to the borrower's impact on the community, including revitilizing and stimulating local business, improving and diversifying the district, and expanding a minority-, woman-, or veteran-owned business. The new loan program has now been doubled to a maximum of $4 million to borrowers who reduce energy consumption by 10 percent or generate renewable energy. This opens up whole new avenues to businesses that focus on sustainable design, reduce energy consumption, and promote renewable energy generation. This is where some of the federal government's stimulus programs' rubber is beginning to meet the road. Although the SBA 504 loan program was originally intended to revitalize local areas through its financing program, this new expansion literally broadens these possibilities on an exponential level. Sustainability, in a way, has been considered a minority class on a pure business level. Now the seeds are being planted in order to invigorate a model that is not only essential on an environmental level, but on a profitable business level as well. The biggest issue that many owners will have is how to navigate the program. However, there are firms already working to see that it can succeed. For example, Partner Energy, a Los Angeles-based company, is a local company that works with owners and users of real estate to build energy-efficient models for a proper capital investment return. This kind of access to models of energy efficiency makes it easier for business owners to secure an SBA 504 loan. There are many detractors that believe that the stimulus programs are nothing more than handouts. However, as more and more of these financing programs begin to hit the field level of main street business, these enterprises will begin using the monies towards future investment and growth. Jonathan A. Schein is the publisher of MetroGreenBusiness.com and GreenBusinessCareers.com More on Small Business
 
Dennis Palumbo: Hate-Speech: The Real Pandemic Top
Reading Frank Rich's recent, gripping essay in The New York Times on the growing frenzy of hate-speech aimed at President Obama, I was struck by one paragraph in particular. Following Obama's recent address in Cairo, Rich writes, "It was a prominent former Reagan defense official, Frank Gaffney, not some fringe crackpot, who...claimed that the President---a lifelong Christian--- 'may still be' a Muslim and is aligned with 'the dangerous global movement known as the Muslim Brotherhood.' Gaffney linked Obama by innuendo with Islamic 'charities' that 'have been convicted of providing material support for terrorism.'" What's so disturbing about Gaffney's remarks is that, as Rich points out, he's not "some fringe crackpot." But, like some other GOP leaders---and practically every commentator on Fox News, particularly Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and those silly twits on the network's morning show, "Fox and Friends"---he might as well be. Not only are these prominent people and their ilk giving "aid and comfort" to America's lunatic fringe, they're fanning the flames of hatred. None of this is news to anyone with access to a radio, TV or the Internet. What is news, however, is the unchecked level of rancor, and the seeming lack of interest in how this wave of hate-speech may well contribute to more tragedies like the recent shooting at the Holocaust Memorial Museum. After all, a case could be made that Bill O'Reilly's relentless attacks on Dr. George Tiller contributed to the atmosphere that spawned his unrepentent assassin. As Rich reminds us, O'Reilly called the doctor "Tiller the baby-killer...likening him to Nazis, on 29 of his shows before the doctor was murdered at his church in Kansas." No wonder there's a growing concern among responsible citizens that the similar, increasingly acrid commentary and criticism leveled at the Obama administration might very well put the president in mortal danger. As a therapist, I see daily the fear and frustration caused by uncertainty about the future and the changes it may bring---socially, culturally and financially. However, my patients---indeed, the vast majority of people---work hard to address their concerns with a healthy perspective, and to develop the kind of flexibility necessary to be a viable part of that future. They adapt, change and grow. That's what being an American has always been about. It's one of our nation's greatest strengths. But a strident handful of Americans don't see it that way. As Rich goes on to write, these people "are irrationally fearful of the fast-moving generational, cultural and racial turnover Obama embodies---indeed, of the 21st century itself." As research has demonstrated time and again, when people feel threatened by change they don't comprehend, they retreat to the dubious comfort of simple, demonizing slogans and reactive beliefs. They nurse imaginary grievances, give rein to paranoia, and blame all their unhappiness on "the other," on those who are different than themselves. One likes to imagine these people living in relative isolation, without exposure or access to the larger society. The unsettling reality is that now they have their own shows on right-wing talk radio, or on cable news programs, or in myriad blogs. They're noted people who guest on Meet the Press , give interviews to national newspapers, and hold leadership positions in major political parties. In other words, like other pandemics, the rhetoric of hate is spreading from the fringes to the mainstream. And, to give Frank Rich the last word, "it is getting louder each day of the Obama presidency. No one, not even Fox News viewers, can say they weren't warned."
 
Francesca Biller-Safran: What "Never to Say" at a Job Interview Top
I'm afraid of technology, especially computers and phones, but I am a really good "people" person. My birth certificate says that my name is Lucille Rosy Baby, but since my operation I'm known as Chad Bruce Ford, and don't you forget it. Is it okay that I parked my donkey outside in Valet parking? I haven't had a car since 1972. Do you have any hot looking daughters? My 27 year-old adult soon still lives at home and I'd do anything to marry him off, or at least have him shack up somewhere else. I have never really liked people, but I'm willing to try if you give me this job. If a guy names Luigi calls here and asks for me, tell him it wasn't me who sold his brother up the river. I'm anti-government, so don't expect me to fill out no damn employee tax form ID paper things. The only experience I have is life experience, baby, and a lot of it. I have an issue with staring, am I staring right now? I'm sorry, give me something to stare at so I don't bother you. Oh, I know, I'll stare at this gun in my jacket instead. I'll have to take Friday's off; that's the day I mud wrestle for lottery tickets. I have no childcare so I will be bringing my toddlers to work - but I checked out the lunch room, there's plenty of space. I will have to leave each day by 4 pm - Maury Povich is beginning his 20th season special for paternity testing for triplets from bi-racial, special needs dwarf homosexual couples who lean Republican. If my name comes up on any websites under America's Top Ten Hate Group's, I swear, it's been a month since my last blog. I think that General Motors deserves only really bad things, like all corporations and businesses, except yours of course. Just to let you know, sometimes I hear voices in my head, but I never answer them, unless it's yours, Mr. Boss man. I am not a follower, I am a leader! Like when I went to the DMV to take my driving test, I told the instructor that I was the leader! Not him, even though he was the one telling me where to go! I am not interested in office politics, don't worry. In fact, I didn't even vote in the last elections, I think it was all orchestrated, kind of like the winners on American Idol and that Holcaust story. If the FBI comes looking for me, tell them I am not a spy, I am God. I know I may come off as overqualified, but that's just because I am, and probably more than anyone else here. So how about it, when can I start dude? More on Taxes
 
'Bruno' Paris Premiere: A Rave Review, Glittery Hotpants And Roman Polanski (PHOTOS) Top
Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Bruno' had its Parisian premiere Monday night as an early review gave it a rave. As always, Cohen was in character in Paris as the flamboyant fashion journalist. He wore legless gold glittered lederhosen and was joined by a lederhosen-wearing entourage of models. Also at the premiere, but arriving separately, was Cohen's fiancee Isla Fisher, director Roman Polanski and Zach Galifianakis. The Sun has a first review , calling the film "unmissable": To say Brüno makes uncomfortable viewing is an understatement of Battle of Britain proportions. When I wasn't giggling like a 14-year-old, I was cowering behind my hands. PARIS PHOTOS: Follow HuffPo Entertainment On Twitter! More on Zach Galifianakis
 
US Turns Down California's Requests For Aid Top
The Obama administration has turned back pleas for emergency aid from one of the biggest remaining threats to the economy -- the state of California.
 
Boston Globe For Sale, But At What Price? Top
BOSTON — Anyone looking to buy The Boston Globe would get one of the nation's most prestigious newspapers, with a popular Web site, 20 Pulitzer Prizes and a 137-year history of breaking stories that have exposed corruption and public betrayal. A buyer also would inherit an operation losing tens of millions of dollars a year, readers who are migrating to other news sources and a disgruntled newsroom whose union has vowed to press what could be a costly and lengthy fight to avoid pay cuts. So if the Globe's owner, The New York Times Co., can draw interested buyers and shed the Boston operation, partially to better focus on its flagship newspaper, just what might the price be? Analysts say it could be anywhere from just a few million dollars to $100 million. "For the right buyer, it could be a bargain, depending on what their resources are," said Tom Corbett, media analyst at Morningstar Inc. "There's value there, in real estate. There's value in the masthead, there's a brand there." The Times Co. recently renegotiated contracts with most of the Globe's unions and imposed a 23 percent pay cut on its largest labor union to slash $20 million in annual expenses. The Times Co. said the step was needed to avoid closing the Globe, which had $50 million in operating losses in 2008 and was on track to lose $85 million this year. Shortly after finalizing the cuts last week, the Globe reported the Times Co. had hired investment bank Goldman Sachs to manage the newspaper's sale. A list of potential buyers quickly surfaced, including Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca, Partners HealthCare chairman Jack Connors and Stephen Taylor, a former Globe executive whose family sold the newspaper to the Times Co. in 1993. Connors and Taylor declined to comment, while Pagliuca did not return messages left by The Associated Press. A spokeswoman for the Times Co. also declined to comment. The Times Co. bought the Globe for $1.1 billion _ the highest price for an American newspaper and a figure that drives home just how much the industry has changed. At the time, the Globe was seeing big gains in advertising, especially lucrative classified ads. The Globe's ad revenue jumped nearly 36 percent from 1993 to 1998, to $433 million. But like many newspapers, the Globe has been stung by sharp drops in revenue as more advertisers shift to less expensive options on the Internet. Ad revenue for the New England Media Group, which includes the smaller Worcester Telegram & Gazette, last year totaled $319 million, a 35 percent drop from a peak of $494 million in 2000. The Times Co. knows it's unlikely to salvage much of its investment in the newspaper. Management has lowered the New England Media Group's estimated value by $975 million since 2006. The Globe accounts for most of the New England division's revenue. In the most recent report from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the Globe's average weekday circulation dropped nearly 14 percent to 302,638 from the previous year. Sunday circulation was down more than 11 percent at 466,665. In a December research note, Barclays Capital credit analyst Hale Holden valued the Globe at $12 million to $20 million. But estimating how much the Times Co. could now sell it for is difficult, partly because there has been a dearth of recent newspaper sales to compare, said Ken Doctor, media analyst with Outsell Inc. In March, the parent company of The San Diego Union-Tribune agreed to sell the 270,000-circulation newspaper to a private equity firm. The price was not disclosed, but Doctor estimated it at about $50 million. However, "the value of that paper was mainly thought to be in real estate," he said. The Globe has some real estate that could be enticing: its headquarters and plant in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood and a smaller printing plant in Billerica that the Times Co. is in the process of closing. According to city and town records, the Boston property has an assessed value of $47.7 million, while the smaller plant was valued at $17 million. David Begelfer, chief executive of NAIOP-Massachusetts, a commercial real estate development association, said the value of the properties declined as the recession worsened, rents dropped and credit needed for new development became nearly impossible to get. "Yes, it has value," Begelfer said. "But it's going to be a discounted value." He doubted potential Globe buyers would make offers based only on the real estate holdings, partly because he estimated it would take at least five years to raise enough money to begin construction on new developments. "If it was a real estate deal only, it would be a better investment for (the Times Co.) to hold on to the real estate and sell it at a later time," Begelfer said. In an effort to raise cash and deal with its debt, The Times Co. recently sold 21 floors of its new headquarters in Manhattan for $225 million, then leased much of that space back. The company also put up for sale its 17.8 percent stake in a partnership that owns the Boston Red Sox and related sports properties. But Doctor said the Times Co. doesn't want to sell the Globe to raise more cash. "I think the Times wants to move it because the Times wants to concentrate on the Times," he said. He estimated the Globe could sell for an announced price of $50 million to $100 million, though the actual price could be much less depending on how many financial obligations, such as debt or pensions, the Times Co. would be willing to keep on its books. One key asset in the Globe is Boston.com, which ranks among the 25 most-read news Web sites in the country. That has helped the Globe capture some of the ads that have moved to the Internet from print, but the online gains haven't come close to offsetting the revenue losses on the print side. Boston.com will probably sell at least $25 million in ads this year, Doctor said. "That has value," Doctor said. "They just don't have enough value right now." There also is the Globe's reputation for excellent journalism. Buyers could leverage the Globe masthead as it expands to new digital platforms, from Kindles to cell phones, Doctor said. Any new owner would probably be forced to further reduce costs, likely shrinking the Globe's newsroom even more. The newsroom has already lost more than 200 jobs this decade, and had about 380 people when the year began. And further reductions could hurt Boston.com, which relies heavily on Globe print stories for content. But with a new, heavily digital business model and a lower cost structure, Doctor said the Globe could at least break even in the near future. Corbett, the Morningstar analyst, pointed out that whatever the Times Co. is willing to take now from a buyer would fluctuate greatly, depending on how the Globe performs in the coming months. "If ad revenues and ad spending stabilizes, they might be willing to sit and wait a little bit more," Corbett said. More likely, though, the Times Co. will become more desperate to shed the Globe, especially if advertising revenue continues its steep decline, Corbett said. "I think it's going to be more not so much what someone is willing to pay for The Boston Globe," Corbett said, "but how anxious is The New York Times to jettison that unprofitable asset to preserve its core franchise, its crown jewel." ___ AP Business Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report. More on Newspapers
 
Seattle Times Sells Maine Newspapers Top
PORTLAND, Maine — The financially struggling Seattle Times Co. on Monday sold its Blethen Maine newspapers, including the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram, to an investor group led by a Pennsylvania publisher. Terms of Monday's sale were not disclosed. The Seattle Times was reported to have paid upward of $200 million in 1998 for the former Guy Gannett chain, but the price that newspapers fetch has declined sharply amid a drop in ad revenues and the migration of readers to the Internet. Guy Gannett was a family-run business with no connection to the much bigger Gannett Co. Richard Connor, a Bangor native who is editor and publisher of the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., signed a purchase agreement in November, but the sale was put off while he scrambled to line up financing. Blethen Maine also includes the Kennebec Journal in Augusta, the Morning Sentinel in Waterville and the mainetoday.com Web site. "We are very pleased to invest in an exceptional portfolio of media and real estate assets, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead our new company," Connor said in a statement. "I've known these papers my entire life and understand their considerable value as critical information sources within their community and throughout the state." Connor declined to comment further Monday but planned to discuss details at a news conference Tuesday, said Dennis Bailey, his spokesman in Portland. In lining up financing, Connor teamed up with HM Capital Partners, a private equity firm in Dallas that also owns the Wilkes-Barre paper. Connor formerly served as president and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Seattle Times Publisher Frank Blethen said his family was reluctant to sell the Maine newspapers but needed to focus its attention on its newspapers in Washington. He noted that his great-grandfather Alden Blethen, who founded the Seattle Times in 1896, was a Maine native and his family had a special affinity to Maine. "Local, independent newspaper ownership best serves communities, and we are pleased Rich Connor was able to put together a group to buy Blethen Maine Newspapers," Blethen said. The closing of the sale followed a vote late last month by the Portland Newspaper Guild to accept a 10 percent pay cut and other contract concessions in return for a 15 ownership stake in Connor's new company, MaineToday media. "Our ownership stake will motivate workers and increase morale across the new company. We are proud of what we have accomplished here and are excited about the future," said Tom Bell, union president. The Maine newspapers, like many across the country, have undergone a series of layoffs in recent years, and additional job losses are anticipated. The newspapers have about 500 employees and a combined circulation of nearly 100,000 daily and 135,000 Sunday. Burdened by debt, the Seattle Times put Blethen Maine on the market in March 2008. Connor's team, which initially included former Department of Defense Secretary William Cohen, quickly emerged as the most likely buyer and was given exclusive rights to negotiate a sale. Independent newspaper analyst Alan Mutter, who's based in San Francisco, said the Maine newspapers are the predominant ones in their market and can have a successful future as long as their cost structure is under control. "If there's any place that's the sweet spot of the publishing business, it's in a fairly isolated market where there are limited other sources for local news and limited other vehicles for advertising," Mutter said. More on Newspapers
 
John David California, Author Sued By Salinger, Submits Defense: Parody, Not Ripoff Top
NEW YORK — An author being sued by J.D. Salinger for copyright infringement is asking a judge to let his book be published. Attorneys for Fredrik Colting, who writes under the name John David California, submitted a 33-page "defendants' memorandum" Monday in federal court in Manhattan. The papers say that his novel "60 Years Later" is a legally protected commentary and parody of "The Catcher In the Rye," and not an unauthorized sequel _ a "rip off," Salinger has alleged. Colting's novel tells of a "Mr. C," presumed to be Holden Caulfield as an old man, and of an author named "J.D. Salinger" who contends with his character's enduring fame. Salinger, 90, has sued Colting, his publisher and his distributor, asking that the book's release _ scheduled this summer _ be halted.
 
Dick Van Dyke Memoir Planned Top
NEW YORK — Cue the theme music: Dick Van Dyke is writing a memoir. The star of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and such films as "Mary Poppins" and "Bye, Bye Birdie" will tell of his long career in a memoir scheduled to be published in the fall of 2010 by Harmony Books, which announced the release Monday. The 83-year-old Van Dyke is also known for the TV series "Diagnosis: Murder" and for the movies "Night at the Museum" and "Curious George." Van Dyke lived in Carefree while producing and starring in "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" in 1971. The book is currently untitled and financial terms were not disclosed. Harmony Books is an imprint of Random House Inc.
 
Lee Stranahan: Sarah Palin Named As Nation's First Humor Czar Top
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a hastily called press conference, Sarah Palin - the Governor of Alaska and a key to Republican success in the 2008 Presidential election -- was today named as the United State's first "Humor Czar"; a newly created position in The Department Of Homeland Security. Palin, who is as well known for her intellect as her sense of humor, will be responsible for overseeing and approving all of America's "jokes, gags, satire, mirth, merriment, irony, one liners, bits, sketches and other humor related materials." Humorists including David Letterman, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Rock, Will Durst, Andy Borowitz, Andy Cobb, Lee Camp, Whoopi Goldberg and Obama Girl could not be reached for comment as they were all being transported to Guantanamo Bay, newly rechristened "Budd Friedman's The Improv At Guantanamo Bay." Early reports are all expected to plead guilty on Palin's upcoming "Showtime At The Tribunal!" special and have asked supporters to please tip the waitresses, because they work hard out there. At the news conference, Palin was flanked by comedians Larry The Cable Guy and Dennis Miller. Both expressed support for Palin and agreed comedy had gone 'too far' in a direction they called "un-funny, un-American and un-good." When asked by reporter Tommy Christopher about the ramifications of mass censorship, Mr. The Cable Guy replied, "Censorship? Git 'er done!". Most reporters chuckled, especially when Governor Palin glared at them with a wide, twisted grin on her face. In a dramatic twist at the press conference, comic Dennis Miller caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror standing with Palin and Larry The Cable Guy. A look of sudden recognition came over his face before he grabbed a loaded revolver from a Secret Service agent, made a quick reference to 13th century French architect Jean de Chelles and then blew his own brains out. Palin roared with laughter. Palin made a brief statement in which she said that jokes about rape clearly crossed a line, particularly since rape was so serious a crime that women should be required to pay for their own rape kits and should be forced to carry a pregnancy to term if they were raped. She said that it wasn't funny that Alaska's rate of rape and sexual assault were high above the national average and that it also wasn't humorous in any way that her promotion of 'abstinence only' sex education had resulted in her teenage daughter becoming an unwed teenage mother. Reporters sat quietly since none of this was, in fact, funny and Palin has recently banned irony. Palin responded to questions about whether Letterman had unfairly exploited her children for publicity by throwing her baby with Down's syndrome at Helen Thomas's head, then pointing in another direction and screaming 'Socialist!' a high screechy voice. When asked about her former running mate John McCain having made a joke in 1998 about Chelsea Clinton being 'ugly', Czarina Palin pointed out that jokes about the Clintons are funny. A nearly dead Dennis Miller agreed. The announcement of Pain's new position was made by Governor Palin's husband, Todd. It's not clear if the Obama administration is aware of the appointment. More on David Letterman
 
Lending By Bailed Out Banks Fell In April: Treasury Top
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The value of loans held by the 21 largest institutions getting support from the government's $700 billion bailout fund fell in April, the fifth decline in six months. The Treasury Department's monthly report of lending activity on Monday showed that average loan balances at the 21 institutions totaled $4.34 trillion in April, down 0.8 percent from March.
 
Craig Newmark: Senator Mark Warner: "Enhancing health care choices for seniors" Top
Hey, another step to health care reform, proposed new legislaton from Senator Mark Warner, Enhancing health care choices for seniors The Senior Navigation and Planning Act of 2009 will: enhance Medicare and Medicaid coverage of advanced illness care management services; require doctors to provide patients with information on living wills and other planning tools; give providers incentives to achieve accreditation and certification in hospice and palliative care; encourage more comprehensive discharge planning; and increase public awareness about the importance of end-of-life planning.
 
Guy Laliberte, Billionaire Cirque De Soleil Impresario, Sues Over Sex-And-Drugs Biography Top
He created one of the most breath-taking and lucrative franchises in show-business. But the once-penniless street performer behind Cirque du Soleil is involved in an intriguing legal spat over the colourful acrobatic manoeuvres that allegedly take place in his bedroom.
 
Puppy Flushed Down Toilet And Survives (VIDEO) Top
Scroll down for video (LONDON - Associated Press) A British pup had a narrow flush with disaster after his 4-year-old master decided to give him a bath in the toilet. Daniel Blair was quoted as telling Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid that he tried to clean the muddy 1-week-old cocker spaniel because he was muddy, and he flushed him down the drain. His mother Alison was quoted as saying she thought the dog was dead, but a drainage firm was able to locate the beleaguered animal in a pipe 20 yards away from the house using specialist camera gear. Pictures of the wet, frightened-looking puppy trapped in a pipe were posted to the firm Dyno-Rod's Web site and broadcast on British television Monday . The company says the dog is now fine. Watch the video: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy
 
Daniel Levy: Bibi's Baby Step: What Next After Netanyahu's Speech? Top
By Daniel Levy and Amjad Atallah "One giant leap for Benjamin Netanyahu, but just one small step for Middle East peace." That was how commentators in both of Israel's leading dailies, Yehidot Ahronot and Ma'ariv, chose to describe the Prime Minister's address yesterday. One thing can definitely be concluded from the speech, Ben Rhodes has not been on loan from the White House and stationed in Jerusalem for the last week. It was a poor speech stylistically. Even the historical and biblical quotes were of the predictable and plodding kind, it lacked grandeur or any sense of occasion. More importantly, it was also a mean-spirited, often petty and parochial speech in its substance, "a speech without a gram of nobility," as commentator Ofer Shelach wrote in Ma'ariv . Israel has just lived through two prime ministers who made significant journeys from their right-wing roots and even if neither entered the promised land of peace, both made gestures in that direction. Ariel Sharon acknowledged the occupation as did his successor Ehud Olmert, who went much further in recognizing a Palestinian narrative and displaying some empathy to, for instance, the Palestinian refugees. Judging from the Bar-Ilan University speech, Benjamin Netanyahu has barely set out on that journey. For him, there was no occupation, talk of Judea of Samaria but no West Bank, and there was no sense of humanity in his approach to the Palestinians. Although they are his neighbors and even 20% of his own citizenry, their world would seem to be totally alien to him. He called, for instance, on the Arab world to develop together joint tourist sites, such as, "around the walls of Jericho and the walls of Jerusalem," with no apparent appreciation for the irony of referring to walls in this context. Netanyahu, perhaps understandably, spoke to a lowest common denominator - Jewish Israeli consensus, and his right wing coalition was sleeping easy last night. And yet, he uttered those two magic words, Palestinian state. The list of conditionalities surrounding the establishment of that state may have been so extensive as to drain the very idea of statehood of any meaning but still, he said it. The Obama administration had asked for two things: on a settlement freeze they received a blunt 'No'; on Palestinian statehood, it was a highly conditioned 'Yes, but...'. As Israel TV and Ma'ariv analyst Ben Caspit put it, "welcome Mr. Prime Minister to the 20th century. The problem is that we're already in the 21st." So what happens next? What are the consequences of this speech and what can be done in its wake? Here are five suggestions, most of them for the Obama administration but a thought also on the Palestinian response. First, as the White House Press Secretary immediately did, pocket that Palestinian statehood commitment. However minor it may seem, however wrapped in negatives, it is something to build on. It is also clearly something that cannot be left to the parties themselves to translate into a workable plan for actually realizing a two-state reality. That will be a job for the US and its international and regional allies. Second, treat the Israeli Prime Minister's emphasis on security issues and conditionalities as an invitation. Once he got past the historical lecture, Benjamin Netanyahu actually laid out some reasonable concerns with regard to the security arrangements and guarantees that a peace agreement would have to address. Netanyahu spent three paragraphs outlining the demilitarization, monitoring, air-space requirements, and other security factors weighing on his mind, and Netanyahu made a direct plea, "today we ask our friends in the international community, led by the United States for what is critical to the security of Israel." The Obama administration should respond and present a detailed plan for answering Israel's legitimate security concerns in the context of a two-state solution. There will of course be a parallel ask of Israel from its "friends in the international community led by the United States" - end the occupation, agree to a border based on the '67 lines with only minor reciprocal modifications, including arrangements for Jerusalem, and for the refugees, and for real Palestinian sovereignty. Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday opened the door for this kind of an arrangement. He also notably did not mention the effort of American General Keith Dayton or the Palestinian Security Forces. The message is clear. Security will have to be an internationally-led effort and capacity-building in the Palestinian security sector should from now on be treated as something that is perhaps useful but of a secondary order of magnitude. Third, the Obama administration and the Quartet must push back in response to Netanyahu's settlement freeze rejectionism. Netanyahu promised there would be no new settlements or additional land confiscations but there would be a normal life, which is referred to in the technical jargon as "natural growth". The settler leadership understood this ruse for what it is, and when Israel Channel One cut from the speech to settler leaders in Ma'aleh Adumim, they were celebrating. "We do not need new land or new settlements," said local mayor Benny Kasriel, former head of the settlers' council, "just to keep building." One can see his point. The West Bank settler population has increased from 111,000 to over 290,000 since the Oslo process began in 1993 (the number reaches almost 500,000 including East Jerusalem). The vast majority of that was under the rubric of natural growth, and there are vast expanses of land annexed to settlement municipalities awaiting construction. The Obama administration needs to stick to its principle of a total freeze, whether in public or private conversation, and as former ambassador Daniel Kurtzer pointed out in Sunday's Washington Post, there are no previous understandings on this matter between Washington and Jerusalem (and supposed friends of Israel, like Elliott Abrams, are a danger to Israel and to the America-Israel relationship when they claim otherwise). There can be only one place for a discussion of the future of settlements and that is delineating a permanent status border between Israel and Palestine. Fourth, Netanyahu's speech should provide a spur for Palestinian national reconciliation and unity (though we doubt this will be the case). The disappointing PA response, while understandable, was somewhat beside the point. The Palestinian leadership in the West Bank and Gaza have heard an Israeli national narrative and position. Adhering to Palestinian divisions, and a strategy exclusively based on negotiations has even less logic or credibility as of yesterday. The Palestinians will need to find a way to sufficiently unify their own national narrative. Simultaneously they need to develop a common position on negotiations in parallel with a willingness to use nonviolent struggle in opposing the continued occupation (as President Obama hinted at in his Cairo speech ). Finally, the Obama administration should interpret both the venue of Netanyahu's speech (the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies) and his repeated reference to Begin-Sadat as a subliminal message. Benjamin Netanyahu is asking to go down in history as a historical leader of Israel just as Menachim Begin did, and this time by securing a comprehensive peace and final borders with all of Israel's neighbors, including the Palestinians (Menachem Begin settled for just Egypt). Begin never thought he would withdraw from all of the Sinai and evacuate the settlements there, but with American guidance, it happened and has vitally served Israel's interests. After only one month of American complaint regarding settlements, Netanyahu has already said the magic words - Palestinian state. Now at the Begin-Sadat Center he was signaling that he wants to be carried further, all the way in fact, and his non-mention of the Golan Heights was another hint that it's a comprehensive peace he wants America to lead him to... well, maybe not. But we prefer this interpretation to all of the alternatives.
 
Ryan Haydon and Stefani Piermattei: The Bachelorette - June 15th Recap Top
Ten guys left. I know what you're thinking: are there enough helicopter rides? What if I told you that Jillian Harris would take one of her Bachelors up in a plane? Is that something you'd be interested in? Harris started by taking the puppy Michael out ziplining. No, this wasn't the regular old lining that she and Robo-Ed did off that building. Her and Michael went over 4 kph (that's kilometres per hour - we ARE in Canada). Afterwards, Michael put on his Tuesday best and, to no surprise, Boozehound Harris wanted to sup in a wine cellar. He managed to get a rose by BS-ing about being committed and whatever so, yeah, awesome! The group date was 10 or 15 minutes of snowmobiling. Tanner managed to remind Jillian that he knows who has a girlfriend and no, he won't tell her. I think then he followed it up with a "nanny-nanny-boo-boo". A step up from drooling on her toes, I guess. Speaking of drooling, Harris couldn't keep her tongue in her mouth when looking at Kip, so she decided she'd stick it in his. Wes reminded her that he was there for the right reasons, even if it wasn't his idea to be on the show (he claims it was his sister). The rose went to Ed, who sort of was glad he got it, kind of (more on Ed in a minute). Jesse got the other 1 on 1 date and the set off on a helicopter airplane ride to a glacier, so that they could do all of those great glacier activities like... lie in the snow. Yes, the most romantic thing ABC had to offer was a flashback to elementary school snow days. Ed decided that his job was worth more than a 1 in 10 chance at being in love with Jillian Harris. Or did he? We're thinking HE was the one with a girlfriend and decided that this was the best way to weasel out of the show. I know, I know, we're nutty conspiracy theorists. Really? We think he realized that Jillian Harris is no DeAnna. The Rose ceremony was quickly done with only one Roseless with Robo-Ed going back to his "job". Tanner Mark was sent home. And then there were eight. Biggest Non-Loser: Tanner (4 points) In honor of the lackluster episode, we feel like there wasn't a winner, but there certainly was a non-loser. Throughout the episode, we thought for sure that Tanner was gone. If he's not talking about feet, he's trying to rat out the other guys without completely being a rat... He hasn't once said anything about Harris above her ankle. Hell, I don't even know what his day job is. Why is he still here? Seriously, people. Discuss in the comments below. Honorable Mention: Wes (7 points). He's there for the right reasons. Seriously, Jill. You gotta believe him. He swears. Big Loser: Mark (4 points) One week after surprising and surviving the deathmatch date, Mark was quietly shown the door. Seriously, Jill would rather spend time with Tanner? That's gotta sting. Honorable Mention: Tanner (4 points). You guessed it, we don't like him. Don't forget, we liveblog each week so join us for realtime commentary and Bachelor Point tallying! Scoreboard: Team Ryan continues to fight a war of contrition with a larger roster, taking the week 34 to 24 Fantasy Bachelor Points. This brings the margin to a razor thin advantage for Team Stef. Team Stef 150 - Team Ryan 149 TEAM Stef (24 points this week, 150 overall) KIPTYN (8, 35) MICHAEL (6, 18) JAKE (4, 17) ED (6, 25) ELIMINATED GONE DAVID (0, 25) ELIMINATED MIKE (0, 12) ELIMINATED BRAD (0, 9) ELIMINATED TANNER F. (0, 5) ELIMINATED SIMON (0, 2) ELIMINATED BRIAN (0, 2) ELIMINATED TEAM RYAN (34 points this week, 149 overall) WES (7, 28) JESSE (12, 23) ROBBY (4, 20) REID (5, 18) TANNER P. (4, 17) MARK (2, 15) ELIMINATED JUAN (4, 19) ELIMINATED SASHA (0, 7) ELIMINATED MATHUE (0, 2) ELIMINATED JULIEN (0, 0) ELIMINATED you can find a explanation of Bachelor Points at the bottom of this post More on Reality TV
 
Bill Maher Tells Olbermann Why He's Criticizing Obama (VIDEO) Top
Scroll down for video Bill Maher appeared on "Countdown" on Monday night to discuss his disappointment with President Obama, asserting that if Obama doesn't act boldly on health care reform and other progressive issues, the Democrats could lose the midterm elections in 2010. He was critical of Obama's speech to the American Medical Association today, since they're a lobbying group that he claims has obstructed previous efforts at health care reform. "When I heard the president get that round of applause at the AMA today, that's when I knew we were in trouble." Maher said that his editorial criticizing Obama on "Real Time With Bill Maher" on Friday night was greeted with cheers, which surprised him since his "very liberal Southern California audience" usually boos when he goes after the president. "They're getting to the point where they're saying 'Yeah, we still like Obama. He's our guy. We're glad he's our president. But where's the beef?" And it's easy to make speeches. What's hard to do is stand up to corporations. Corporations and their incredible strength are what have ruined this country so far. And this president we thought might be the one to stand up to them. I'm losing hope. I still have audacity but my hope is fading." Maher repeated his concerns that Obama was "caving in to corporations and lobbyists. The track record so far is not good," slamming the president for "not putting it on the line and standing up to the energy companies, the health care industry, the banks." The lack of initiative could cause political harm, warned Maher. "If he doesn't act boldly, then he's probably going to lose the midterm elections. If he can't shove some progressive legislation down their throats now, I don't know when it's going to happen." As he did on Friday night, Maher said that Obama could use a little of Bush's decisiveness - without the misguided policies. "When he wanted to get something done, he got it done... If Bush could go to war in Iraq when nobody was thinking about it, how come this president can't get through something like health care reform in a way that the people really want when people are actually for it." Watch the video: More on Video
 

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