[Illustrations by ALEX FINE] SIFY NEWS: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told US President Barack Obama that Pakistan should to act on information provided by Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley in order to stop anti-India terrorist activities. Raising the issue during his meeting on Sunday with Obama on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, the prime minister [pictured, below left] said Pakistan should show its commitment to stopping anti-Indian terrorist activities to promote dialogue between the two neighbours. “They spoke about the ongoing interrogations about the activities of David Coleman Headley and said that both India and the US […]
EARLY WORD: Viva Las Vegas!
Jeebus! It’s like 1995 never stopped!
SCRAPPLE TV NEWS: With A.P. Ticker
A.P. cracks wise about hospital infections, the Feds gunning to put Fumo in an iron maiden, and Larry Platt’s testicles. Plus sports: Phils suckage, Vick’s ” ‘All White’ birthday party shooting, and Tiger to take on 18 local holes. Only watch if you like to laugh.
MEDIA: King Of The Softballs To Go Dark
[photo by RAY FISHER] LOS ANGELES TIMES: After a quarter century as host of “Larry King Live,” the centerpiece of CNN’s prime-time lineup and a required stamping ground for striving politicians and contrite celebrities, the 76-year-old announced Tuesday that he will be leaving the program this fall. In a nod to how much the medium has changed since King began broadcasting in 1957, he broke the news himself on Twitter. “The daily grind is tough,” King said in a phone call moments after his tweet went out. “And there are aspects of it, you know, when you’ve got to do […]
WILL THE REAL LADY GAGA PLEASE STAND UP: Matt Taibbi Calls Out CBS’ Lara Logan And Her Notion Of The Media As The Obedient Lapdog Of Power
MATT TAIBBI: See, according to Lara Logan [pictured, below left], not only are reporters not supposed to disclose their agendas to sources at all times, but in the case of covering the military, one isn’t even supposed to have an agenda that might upset the brass! Why? Because there is an “element of trust” that you’re supposed to have when you hang around the likes of a McChrystal. You cover a war commander, he’s got to be able to trust that you’re not going to embarrass him. Otherwise, how can he possibly feel confident that the right message will get […]
SCRAPPLE TV NEWS: Life Lessons
Your life coach AP Ticker on why he loves, loves, loves sum, sum, summertime!
SIDEWALKING: Top Of The World
Top of the Mellon Bank Building, 18th and Market, 11:30 AM yesterday, by JEFF FUSCO
KILL YOUR TELEVISION: How To Cut The Cord
PBS: Anyone who gets cable TV or satellite in the U.S. has noticed a pronounced trend over the years: their monthly bill keeps going up. Sure, you can get lots of channels, plus HD channels and DVR functions, but those usually cost extra. According to research from Centris (PDF), the average digital cable bill was nearly $75 last year, and the average monthly satellite TV bill was $69. What’s causing those bills to skyrocket? A lack of competition among cable and satellite providers, and the rising costs of programming. Like other traditional media, TV networks (both cable and broadcast) are […]
HIGH TIMES: Go West, Young Man
NEW YORK TIMES: One of the odder experiments in the recent history of American capitalism is unfolding here in the Rockies: the country’s first attempt at fully regulating, licensing and taxing a for-profit marijuana trade. In California, medical marijuana dispensary owners work in nonprofit collectives, but the cannabis pioneers of Colorado are free to pocket as much as they can — as long as they stay within the rules. The catch is that there are a ton of rules, and more are coming in the next few months. The authorities here were initially caught off guard when dispensary mania began […]
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Passion Pit At The Mann
BY JAMIE MANN I went to a Passion Pit show last night at The Mann. Now, let me tell you, Passion Pit fucking blow. Lets be honest. They’re basically a bunch of Berklee School of Music grads, who found out how to sound like the eighties and sing like an android who regularly shoots up helium. Now, perhaps I’m going too far, say you, people of the world. “Sleepyhead is a top tune,” you might say. “That wobbly synth riff after the chorus is sweet,” you might say. You could say all these things, and you would be half right. […]
Disgraced Health Care Exec Spends $16 Million To Hide History Of Fraud & Now Leads Florida Gov. Race
MIAMI HERALD: As he meets Republicans around Florida, Rick Scott, the new front-runner in the Florida governor’s race, has been greeted with applause — and with blunt questions about his past. At a recent GOP breakfast in Tampa, Scott was confronted — not for the first time — about his role in the scandals at Columbia/HCA, the massive healthcare company that Scott ran for 10 years. Scott resigned in 1997 amid an FBI probe that ultimately led to the company paying a record $1.7 billion in criminal and civil fines for Medicare fraud. It’s the paradox of Scott’s upstart campaign: […]
BLONDEGATE: Ed Has No One To Blame But Ed
DAILY NEWS: He said he brings Snow to fundraisers to add “pizzazz” – in EdWorld, a compliment; in the real world, an insult to professional women and akin to calling Snow eye candy. He said that rumors about him are unfair to attractive women, inexplicably adding, “I should go out and find an unattractive woman to have an affair with.” What’s that supposed to mean? New hope for unattractive women? His comment that he gets “hit on by women all the time” I’ll let stand, except to note that the last time I heard talk like that was in a […]