Muqtada al-Sadr’s Militia parading through Basra in an undated photo. [via ALTERNET] U.S. is propping up unpopular regime; Sadr has support because of his platform One of the ironies of the reporting out of Iraq is the ubiquitous characterization of Muqtada al-Sadr as a “renegade,” “radical” or “militant” cleric, despite the fact that he is the only leader of significance in the country who has ordered his followers to stand down. His ostensible militancy appears to arise primarily from his opposition to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. He has certainly been willing to use violence in the past, but the […]
PAPERBOY EXTRA: Channel 3 Pink-Slips 11 Jobs?
Did CBS3 just lay off 11 employees? We’ve got a call in to Station Manager Michael Colleran and will update you when he does. In the meantime, feel free to give us the skinny in the comments or via email, if you’re the shy type.
CHINESE DEM: Dr. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Man
NME: Axl Rose has responded to an offer by soft drink company Dr Pepper in which they promised a free can of their drink to every American — except Slash and Buckethead — if the band releases their ‘Chinese Democracy’ album this year. Rose said he was “surprised and very happy” about the offer, but denied the record label or himself were involved in the pledge. Posting on Guns N Roses‘ website, Rose stated: “We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper with our album ‘Chinese Democracy’, as for us, this came totally out of […]
SHILLING: Tom Waits For Purina Butcher’s Blend
UPDATE: Last week we ran this YouTube with question a mark, and endeavored to determine if this was in fact the voice of Tom Waits, or just an incredible simulation. We have just heard back from Mr. Waits’ publicist — the lovely and capable Tresa Redburn — and she confirms that YES that is in fact the voice of Tom. It was done back in 1980-81, and it was the first and last commercial he would ever do. In fact, she says, he spoke disparagingly about the experience and vowed never again in THIS interview. Go figure.
HEIL HANNITY: Fox News Pitbull Tied To Neo-Nazis
HUFFINGTON POST: The folks over at NewsHounds have been watching their Fox News Channel quarry dither over Senator Barack Obama’s associations with pastor Jeremiah Wright, and noted Fox’s own Sean Hannity getting himself tripped up in the guilt-by-association tango. Seems that one of Hannity’s close chums is a neo-Nazi named Hal Turner who used to be a radio host, is apparently the top man in Bergen, NJ white-supremacist circles, and probably spends a lot of his time in his basement with Star Wars action figures acting out Holocaust-denier versions of The Return of the Jedi. In short, just the sort […]
DIGITAL DIVIDE: Municipal Wireless A Bridge Too Far
NEW YORK TIMES: It was hailed as Internet for the masses when Philadelphia officials announced plans in 2005 to erect the largest municipal Wi-Fi grid in the country, stretching wireless access over 135 square miles with the hope of bringing free or low-cost service to all residents, especially the poor. Municipal officials in Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and 10 other major cities, as well as dozens of smaller towns, quickly said they would match Philadelphia’s plans. But the excited momentum has sputtered to a standstill, tripped up by unrealistic ambitions and technological glitches. The conclusion that such ventures would not […]
SHILLING: Tom Waits For Purina Butcher’s Blend?
Or an amazing simulation? Standby for word from the man himself.
MEDIA: Kia Gregory Is Movin’ On Up!
INQUIRER: We’re very pleased to announce that Kia Gregory, a columnist and reporter for the Philadelphia Weekly, will be joining The Inquirer as a City Desk reporter on April 4. Kia grew up in Philadelphia, graduated from Dobbins Vocational Technical High School, at 22nd and Lehigh, and worked for seven years as an accountant before the journalism addiction got her as a night student at Temple University. There, Kia’s gift for writing and her dedication to the craft became immediately apparent to all who came in contact with her. One of her professors, our own Howie Shapiro, remembers giving Kia […]
NEWS CLUES: ‘So Local It Hurts’ Edition
WANTED: 1,000 Cheese Steak-Chomping Fat Guys To Say Dumb Shit On Camera Stephen Colbert is headed back out on the campaign trail. No, he assured viewers of “The Colbert Report” last night, he is not reviving his presidential campaign. That was snuffed out last fall when Democratic officials in South Carolina voted him off the state’s primary ballot (and just before the television writers went on strike). Mr. Colbert said he is going to Philadelphia to report on the Pennsylvania primary for a few days in mid-April before the April 22 vote. He’ll be broadcasting his nightly comedy show from […]
VOGUING: This Is Progress?
ASSOCIATED PRESS: LeBron James is striking a pose. The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ superstar will appear on the April cover of Vogue, joining actors Richard Gere and George Clooney as the only men to do so in the influential fashion magazine’s 116-year history. Wearing a tank top, shorts and sneakers from his own Nike clothing line, James appears on the cover dribbling a basketball and screaming as if in game mode while throwing one arm around supermodel Gisele Bundchen with Tom Brady nowhere to be found. The pairing of the All-Star forward and the runway icon was shot in January by famed […]
EAVESDROPPING: How Obama’s Spin Doctors Do Brain Surgery On The Fourth Estate Over The Phone
BY JONATHAN VALANIA Today I listened in on another one of those campaign conference calls to reporters, this time from the Obama people. Same deal as the Hillary campaign conference call, you get an email announcing, with little or no warning, that the conference call is happening in 40 minutes, along with an 800 number and a special code to punch in. Representing Team Obama was Chief Strategist David Axelrod and Communications Director Robert Gibbs. Axelrod pointed out that Clinton Chief Strategist Mark Penn yesterday raised the issue of transparency, while assuring reporters that Senator Clinton has been ‘fully vetted.’ […]
EAVESDROPPING: How Clinton’s Spin Doctors Do Brain Surgery On The Fourth Estate Over The Phone
GIVE ‘EM HECK, HILLARY: Clinton in Scranton, Monday, by VIC SUEDE BY JONATHAN VALANIA So, I couldn’t get anyone on the line today for our Keystoned Cell Phone Poll — all four of the guys in Pennsylvania named John Doe must have day jobs or are still sleeping off last night, and likewise with the eight guys named Mike Hunt and the two Jane Does. Man, this polling is hard work! So instead, I sat in today on one of those Hillary campaign conference calls to reporters that you have no doubt read about or heard referenced by columnists or […]
MONEY: NIN Don’t Need No Stinking Record Company
Nine Inch Nails’ 36-track instrumental opus Ghosts I-IV, released March 2 via NIN.com, has amassed a first week total of 781,917 transactions (including free and paid downloads as well as orders for physical product), resulting in a take of $1,619,420 USD. “These figures represent the most relevant and contemporary metric for measuring how Nine Inch Nails’ music is reaching its fans,” said NIN manager Jim Guerinot. NIN’s label The Null Corporation will not be releasing traditional sale figures to soundscan. As previously reported, the $300 Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition of Ghosts I-IV immediately sold out its run of 2500. The $5 […]