Salafis seek power in Egypt

South Sudan contemplates new capital

Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez of the Civil Rights Divison Speaks on the Justice Department’s Investigation into the SEATTLE Police Department

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us. The purpose of today’s call is to announce that we have alerted Mayor McGinn and the Seattle Police Department that the Justice Department is launching a comprehensive investigation of the SPD concerning allegations of the use of excessive force and discriminatory policing.

As you all know, the Civil Rights Division, along with U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan’s office, conducted a preliminary review over the last several months. Based upon information gathered during our preliminary review, we believe a formal investigation is warranted to determine whether there has been a pattern or practice of violations of the Constitution or federal law.

When conducting investigations such as this one, we aim to gather as much information as possible from as many sources as we can. We will examine department policies and practices, review records and observe police officers in the field. We will talk to department leadership and rank and file officers. We will also engage with the community – a critical part of the process of determining whether violations have occurred and how a police department can be improved.

Our goal with this investigation – as with all of our police pattern and practice investigations – is simple: to ensure that the community has an effective, accountable police department that controls crime, ensures respect for the Constitution, and earns the trust of the public it is charged with protecting.

We do not prejudge our investigations – rather we gather all available facts to determine whether violations have occurred. If we determine that they have, we will work with the city and the Police Department to develop a plan to remedy them. Our experience has shown that, when we have cooperation from a city and its police department, we can more efficiently conduct our investigation.

Effective, accountable policing is critical for any healthy community. The Justice Department’s interest is ensuring that the people of Seattle can rely upon their police department to protect public safety and respect their rights.

Civil rights enforcement is a joint venture between the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorneys. We have worked very closely with U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, a critical partner to the Civil Rights Division, who will talk more about the investigation.

Justice Department Opens Investigation into the SEATTLE Police Department

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a pattern or practice investigation into allegations of use of excessive force and discriminatory policing by members of the Seattle Police Department (SPD), pursuant to the pattern or practice provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the anti-discrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Justice Department will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law by officers of the SPD. During the course of our investigation, the Justice Department will consider all relevant information, particularly the efforts that Seattle has undertaken to ensure compliance with federal law. The Justice Department has taken similar steps in a variety of state and local law enforcement agencies, both large and small, in jurisdictions such as New York, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia and California.

Today’s announcement is separate from any ongoing federal criminal investigation involving the Seattle Police Department.

This matter is being investigated jointly by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The Department welcomes any information from the community. If you have any comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us at Community.seattle@usdoj.gov or 855-203-4479.

11-403                                                                                                                Civil Rights Division

The Obama Administration’s Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future

“Today, my Administration is releasing a Blueprint for A Secure Energy Future that outlines the comprehensive national energy policy we’ve pursued since the day I took office. And here at Georgetown, I’d like to talk in broad strokes about how we will secure that future."

-- President Obama from speech (full video above) at Georgetown University, March 30, 2011 --
______________________________________________
President Obama's Energy Blueprint - Link here or click title:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/blueprint_secure_energy_future.pdf

New Orleans Ex-Cop Gets 25 Years in Post-Katrina Shooting

Edna Glover, center, mother of Henry Glover, talks to reporters with family outside the courthouse. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

story by Associated Press
written by Michael Kunzelman

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A former New Orleans police officer was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday for shooting a man to death without justification after Hurricane Katrina, and his ex-colleague was given 17 years for burning the body.

Former officer David Warren was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of Henry Glover, 31, outside a shopping center less than a week after the August 2005 storm. Ex-officer Gregory McRae was found guilty of burning Glover's body in a car near a police station.

Warren faced a maximum sentence of life in prison while McRae could have received 50 years.

Lawyers for the men argued they deserved some leniency, partly because of the horrific conditions they faced in the chaos that followed the hurricane.

The judge said he didn't believe Warren's testimony that Glover posed a threat. "He was not at the strip mall to commit suicide, he was there to retrieve some baby clothing," U.S. District Judge Lance Africk said. "You killed a man. Despite your contentious arguments to the contrary, it was no mistake."

Glover's family sat in the courtroom as he was sentenced.

"I forgive these men because if I don't forgive them Jesus won't forgive me," said his mother, Edna Glover.

Jurors also convicted former Lt. Travis McCabe of writing a false report on the shooting. His sentencing has been postponed while his lawyers seek a new trial based on what they say is newly discovered evidence.

The jury cleared Lt. Dwayne Scheuermann of charges he burned Glover's body and beat one of the men who brought the dying Glover to a makeshift police compound in search of help after the Sept. 2, 2005, shooting. Robert Italiano, a retired police lieutenant, was acquitted of charges he submitted a false report on the shooting and lied to the FBI.

Prosecutors said Glover was unarmed when Warren, 47, shot him in the back. But the former officer said he opened fire because he feared for his life. Warren said he was guarding a police substation at a shopping mall when Glover and a friend, Bernard Calloway, pulled up in a stolen truck and started running toward a gate that would have given them access to the building. He testified that the men ignored his commands to stop and that he thought he saw a gun in Glover's hand before he fired one shot at him from a second-floor balcony.

His partner that day, Officer Linda Howard, testified Glover and Calloway weren't armed and didn't pose a threat.

McRae, 49, admitted he drove Glover's body from the police compound to a nearby Mississippi River levee and set it on fire. The car belonged to one of the men who had driven Glover to the compound. McRae said he burned the vehicle because he was weary of seeing rotting corpses after the storm. Another officer, however, testified he saw McRae laughing after he set the fire.

McRae's attorney argued his client deserved some leniency for accepting responsibility and admitting during the trial that he set Glover's body on fire.

"Your conduct was barbaric," Africk told McRae. "The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina was made uglier by your disturbing actions. At a time when more was expected of you, you failed miserably."

Warren has been in custody since his indictment last year. McRae has been free on bond but was immediately taken into custody after sentencing.

A total of 20 current or former New Orleans police officers were charged last year in a series of Justice Department civil rights investigations. The probe of Glover's death was the first of those cases to be tried.

Next week, two officers are scheduled to be tried on charges stemming from the July 2005 beating death of a 48-year-old man. And a trial is scheduled to start in June for five current or former officers charged in deadly bridge shootings and an alleged plot to make the shootings appear justified.

Police shot and killed two people and wounded four others on the Danziger Bridge less than a week after Katrina. Five other former officers already have pleaded guilty to participating in a cover-up of the shootings.

Eleven More PPM Markets Receive MRC Accreditation

Today we are announcing that the Media Rating Council has accredited 11 additional PPM markets: Atlanta; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; Milwaukee-Racine; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo; St. Louis; and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater.

These 11 markets join Houston-Galveston; Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Riverside-San Bernardino as accredited markets for Arbitron's PPM ratings service, bringing the total number of MRC-accredited PPM markets to 14.

One reason we have earned MRC accreditation in these additional markets and have maintained our current accreditations is the improvements in sample quality delivered by our continuous improvement programs. These programs are very important to our continued success.

Arbitron is committed to continued involvement with the MRC as we work to increase the number of accredited markets. The MRC staff and members of the audit committee, as well as other customer input, have played an important role in helping us develop a number of our quality initiatives.

These programs can be as involved as our targeted in-person recruitment effort or as straightforward as the use of text messages to encourage panel compliance. All of them have contributed to the enhanced quality of our PPM services.

If you had the opportunity to attend our March 24 PPM client briefing, you know that we continue to focus on meeting or exceeding quality benchmarks. By way of a single example, the average PPM daily in-tab rate for persons aged 6 and older is now 84.4%—11% higher than in 2008. For persons aged 18 to 34, the average is 80%—16% higher than 2008.

There is more work to be done. Thirty-four PPM markets have yet to be accredited by the MRC. We will continue to work with the MRC, with the goal of achieving accreditation for our Portable People Meter radio ratings across all PPM markets.

You may read the press release here. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call your Arbitron representative.

Sincerely,



Bill Kerr
President & Chief Executive Officer
Arbitron Inc.

The Greatest Pitcher You've Never Heard Of

story by The Post Game
written by John Klima

The greatest pitcher nobody has ever heard of is buried in section 7, lot 1, row 17, grave 97 of Burr Oak Cemetery, where for more than 30 years, barely a soul knew about the man resting in an unmarked corner grave, his story buried alongside Chicago trumpeters and outfielders.

Then he had a visitor.

The first time Peter Gorton walked onto the cemetery grass, he couldn’t escape forgotten feelings of indignity. He was drawn to this quiet parcel of land and the history beneath his feet, and for years, unearthing this man’s memory has motivated him. They have little in common, but when the white 41-year old workaday dad and weekend ballplayer discovered the black left-hander who pitched his way into folklore a century ago, he found his baseball calling. Here rests John Donaldson, and nobody remembered his name.

“THE GREATEST COLORED PITCHER IN THE WORLD"

There was a time when John Donaldson was as famous as Satchel Paige. He was heralded as the “famous colored twirler,” whose only crime was playing his best years before 1920, when the Negro Leagues were officially created. Not only did Donaldson miss his chance to pitch in front of large crowds, he missed the chance to cement himself into contemporary baseball history. The pitcher who won more than 350 games and had 4,500 strikeouts has largely been lost to time.

In the days before black baseball became the economic force that motivated white baseball to integrate in 1947, Donaldson was one of its original stars. Newspaper accounts compared his change-up to that of Christy Mathewson and his fastball to that of Rube Waddell -- both dominant pitchers of the 1900s. In the early years of black baseball, Donaldson was a trailblazer for the trailblazers. And because he played his best baseball in small towns instead of big cities, he faded like his change-up.

Donaldson became famous when he pitched on diamonds carved out of farmlands in the Midwest, in front of fans sitting on picnic blankets and on the hoods of Model-Ts. Donaldson pitched off shoddy mounds and perfected a high arm angle, so that his fastball roared down a fearsome slope. The local bush leaguers had never seen anything like him before. He left thousands of strikeouts behind him.

Almost 30 years after Donaldson was laid to rest, Gorton, a Minnesota native, began hearing stories in small-town Minnesota about a smoke-throwing left-hander from the Negro Leagues. Armed with a passion for baseball and a strong sense of history, Gorton visited a historical society in Bertha, Minn. where he got his first look at Donaldson, on a yellowing advertisement for the pitcher’s barnstorming troupe:

JOHN DONALDSON; GREATEST COLORED PITCHER IN THE WORLD.

What Gorton discovered next changed his life. When he asked the curator if he could take the poster off the wall for a closer look, he noticed a familiar face -- himself. Beneath Donaldson’s feet was a photo of the 1987-88 District 24 Champion Staples Fighting Cardinals High School basketball team. The gangly Gorton is fourth from the right, almost directly below the face of the greatest pitcher nobody has ever heard of. Donaldson hadn’t been under Gorton’s feet – Gorton had been under Donaldson’s nose.

“Right then and there, I was tied to it,” Gorton says. “I felt from that day there was something I was drawn to.”

"IF I ACT THE PART OF A GENTLEMAN, AM I NOT ENTITLED TO A LITTLE RESPECT?”

Gorton discovered fans had once loved Donaldson, who was born Feb. 29, 1892 in Glasgow, Missouri, a small town near the Mason-Dixon line. Donaldson sprouted into a physical powerhouse with a positive demeanor whose options did not match his optimism. He grew up striking out the town team and joked in later years that he had been born with a ball in his hand. By the time he was a teenager, he knew his lightning left arm might take him far away from home.

A young black ballplayer’s best bet back then was to catch on with a barnstorming team. Donaldson joined the Tennessee Rats in 1911 and ventured deep into the Midwest, pitching against town teams in the rural Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Rats played as many games as they could book, lived in the bus, ate out of paper bags, and considered themselves lucky.

Derogatory experiences were a way of life. Even the team name was meant to convey filth to white fans. Various newspapers called them “darkies.” The Rats survived off gate percentages and passed the hat when somebody hit a home run -- sometimes courtesy of Donaldson, who played centerfield when he wasn’t pitching.

Donaldson understood that discrimination was part of the deal, and years later, he recalled how fans paid admission for the right to say what they wanted, but he refused to be anything less than dignified. “When I go out there to play baseball,” Donaldson said, “It is not unusual to hear some fan cry out, ‘Hit the dirty n-----.’ That hurts. For I have no recourse. I am getting paid, I suppose, to take that. But why should fans become personal? If I act the part of a gentleman, am I not entitled to a little respect?”

Donaldson’s dignity moved Gorton, who traveled to Glasgow and interviewed anybody in the town of 1,263 who said they had a memory of the hurler. Gorton read every edition of the local newspaper from 1905 until 1930. He found no descendents, but did find a rich oral history.

“He got along with everyone,” Gorton says. “People who I talked to said they didn’t see him as a black person, they saw him as a great baseball player and they wanted him to play on their team. That was remarkable to me.”

So were Donaldson’s exploits. Gorton collected what he could and then began a one-man letter-writing campaign to public libraries and historical societies throughout the Midwest, providing strangers with leads if Donaldson had been to their town, and asking for their help. One headline at a time, Donaldson’s games arrived in Gorton’s mailbox, and the lefty came back to life.

“Donaldson, the left handed colored man, registered the phenomenal record of nineteen strikeouts.”

“Struck out, by Donaldson, 16.”

“One of the greatest pitchers in the bush today.”

“Donaldson, the southpaw, did the twirling act and he had the best of them guessing.”

“Donaldson was again on the mound and those who witnessed the game say he was as strong at the end of the twelfth inning as he was at the beginning of the game the day before.”

Soon, the forgotten pitcher had a volunteer army. Gorton’s network unearthed an 18-inning, 31-strikeout game, a 27-strikeout game and four 19-strikeout outings. But a bigger world awaited Gorton when his group began unearthing Donaldson’s career with the All-Nations team, which was the forerunner to what became Negro League baseball’s most prestigious club.

"I WOULD GIVE $50,000 FOR HIM AND THINK I WAS GETTING A BARGAIN.”

The All-Nations were an inter-racial barnstorming team formed in 1912 that sold tickets on the gimmick that black, white, Latino, and even female ballplayers could play together. Donaldson teamed with a Cuban right-hander, Jose Mendez, to form one of the period’s most dominating duos. Donaldson continued to rack up strikeouts, and nearly a century later, Gorton continued piecing his career together:

“Struck out, by Donaldson, 28”

“Donaldson is credited with twenty-five strikeouts.”

“Struck out - by Donaldson, 22”

Over the past decade, Gorton’s network has uncovered about 1,900 games in which Donaldson pitched, many for the All-Nations, where Donaldson won his greatest fame and left ghosts to chase.

“He went from being this small town guy to this historically significant guy,” Gorton says. “I’d start tracking the All-Nations and found hundreds upon hundreds of games from all over. He was an automatic 10-strikeout-a-game guy.”

Gorton soon received a tip that helped put Donaldson’s physical ability in proper perspective. He heard from a man in St. Paul whose grandfather had taken motion picture film footage of Donaldson pitching. Gorton raced to the scene. The man “plopped me on the couch, told me not to say a word, and to just watch,” he says.

Gorton was stunned when he saw the greatest pitcher nobody ever heard of flicker to life, firing a few fastballs in 1925. When Gorton showed the video to a couple of veteran scouts, one said that Donaldson reminded him of a left-handed Bob Gibson.

“It’s amazing that nitrate film survived for 80 years in some moldy basement,” Gorton says. “I love watching it.” Then he offers hopefully, “There might be more! He has reels and reels.”

Still other evidence eludes Gorton, including a game against the New York Giants sometime around 1915 when Giants manager John McGraw is believed to have offered the light-skinned pitcher a contract if he would agree to pass as Cuban instead of black at a time when there were a handful of Cuban major leaguers.

Gorton can’t find the game, but he did find Donaldson’s version of the story, published in 1932. “One prominent baseball man in fact offered me a nice sum if I would go to Cuba, change my name and let him take me into this country as a Cuban,” Donaldson said. “It would mean renouncing my family. One of the agreements was that I was never again to visit my mother or have anything to do with colored people. I refused. I am not ashamed of my color.”

Donaldson’s dignity moves Gorton as much as Donaldson’s stuff moved McGraw, who is quoted as saying, “If Donaldson were a white man or if the unwritten law of baseball didn’t bar Negroes from the major leagues, I would give $50,000 for him and think I was getting a bargain.”

Gorton admires Donaldson’s vibrant elegance as much as All-Nations owner J. L. Wilkinson did. When he decided he wanted to rename the All-Nations, Donaldson suggested a title that would befit the grace and class he strove to inspire.

“Donaldson suggested the name ‘Monarchs’ one day when we were feeling around for a name,” Wilkinson told the Kansas City Call in 1948. “Right away, the name sounded good and we adopted it.”

Thus were born the legendary Kansas City Monarchs.

Satchel Paige became the most famous Monarch, but Wilkinson always believed that Paige would have to wait for his turn if he was in the same rotation with his former ace. “John Donaldson was the most amazing pitcher I ever saw,” Wilkinson said.

"HOPEFULLY THIS WILL END WITH DONALDSON IN THE HALL OF FAME"

After years of research, Gorton’s path finally led him to section 7, lot 1, row 17, grave 97. It was the first time he visited Donaldson’s unmarked gravesite at Burr Oak Cemetery. Gorton arrived with the conviction that began driving him a decade ago.

“From a modern perspective I still can’t understand how it could have ended up the way it did,” Gorton says. “It’s not right. Thousands of newspaper articles say how famous this guy was. How could somebody who was as prominent and at the front of an incredible period of change in this country end up in that situation?”

Donaldson finally gained a small measure of respect in 2004. Researcher Dr. Jeremy Krock, who leads the Negro League Baseball Grave Marker Project, learned that Donaldson was buried at Burr Oak. Krock credits Gorton’s work for bringing Donaldson’s career to light. A donation was made to purchase a head stone. The greatest pitcher nobody has ever heard of finally had a name again.

“Pete Gorton has single-handedly kept the John Donaldson name alive,” Krock says. “Pete championed the case for [Donaldson’s inclusion on] the Hall of Fame ballot in 2006 and started the Donaldson network going with a large number of dedicated volunteers. Hopefully this will end with Donaldson in the Hall of Fame.”

Gorton doesn’t consider the work done. Donaldson wasn’t elected in 2006, but Gorton firmly believes Donaldson belongs enshrined with half-brothers Rube and Willie Foster, both Hall of Fame Negro League left-handed pitchers. He wants Donaldson to be included more often in discussions of the best pitchers in Negro League -- and baseball -- history.

“We may never finish digging,” he says.

Gorton’s network discovered that Donaldson was the first fulltime black scout in baseball history when the White Sox hired him in 1949. When the White Sox learned that Donaldson had been one of their own, they paid $2,000 for the headstone.

Donaldson signed Negro Leaguer veterans Sam Hairston, Bob Boyd and Connie Johnson for the White Sox, but he couldn’t get the front office to commit to signing Birmingham Black Barons outfielder Willie Mays in 1950. Donaldson also knew about Henry Aaron and Ernie Banks when they were rookie Negro Leaguers, but couldn’t get the White Sox to let him sign younger black players. Frustrated, he resigned, and worked for the Post Office until his death in Chicago in 1970.

While researching in Memphis, a member of Gorton’s network saw a handwritten letter Donaldson wrote about Mays. Donaldson never lost his dignity even when he lost the player who would have made him famous all over again.

In the letter, he thanked the Black Barons owner for the opportunity to scout Mays. The closing of the letter speaks to Donaldson’s pride, in words he could have spoken just as easily to the visitor at grave 97, Peter Gorton, the man who trumpeted his forgotten name:

I am respectfully your friend,

John W. Donaldson

Live Video of Donaldson here or click title: http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201103/greatest-pitcher-youve-never-heard

To learn more about pitcher John Donaldson or to contact the Donaldson Research Network, visit http://johndonaldson.bravehost.com/.

Egypt Reaches Out to Renew Iran Ties

story by AS/AGB

Newly appointed Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi has said that his country is ready to promote ties between Tehran and Cairo.

In his first press conference as the country's foreign minister on Tuesday, al-Arabi said Cairo is ready to open "a new page with Iran," IRNA reported.

The official went on to say that the Egyptian government does not see Iran as an enemy state, noting the two countries have historically rooted relations.

He further stated that the establishment of diplomatic ties depends on the Iranian side.

Earlier in March, head of Iran's Interest Section in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, Mojtaba Amani said long-stalled relations between Iran and Egypt can be expanded.

"In view of the current developments in Egypt, the time is ripe for expansion of relations between Tehran and Cairo," Amani said.

The Iranian official stated that diplomatic ties between the two states have only been limited to interest sections since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, but it is high time the two sides made appropriate decisions based upon the current events and developments in Egypt.

Eighteen days of anti-government protests in crisis-hit Egypt resulted in the historic overthrow of the 82-year-old former President Hosni Mubarak, who quit on February 11, handing over power to a military council.

Tehran and Cairo have not had full diplomatic relations since 1979.

Iran severed ties with Egypt after Cairo signed the 1978 Camp David Accords with Israel and provided asylum to Iran's deposed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Nordegren buys $12M home in Florida

stroy by FoxSports

Nordegren, 31, purchased the beachfront home in the Seminole Landing community of North Palm Beach in February, eight months after she finalized her divorce from the philandering golfer.

The Swedish beauty and her two children with Woods plan to move into the 17,000 square foot home in the next few weeks.

The golfer's former wife will join celebrity neighbors in the exclusive, gated community that include former New York Giants running back Tucker Frederickson and West Virginia playboy and coal magnate Christopher Cline.

"It's a non event," Frederickson, the president of the homeowner's association, told the Post when asked about the latest celebrity addition to the neighborhood.

Earlier this month, the surprisingly private Woods revealed to fans that he was prepping to make a move of his own to a new home in Jupiter Island, Fla., that features a custom-built practice facility.

"Pretty soon, I'll be moving into my new home in Jupiter, Fla.," Woods, 35, wrote on his website. "I'm excited about that and even more excited about my new practice facility. It's phenomenal."

BREAKING NEWS: Washington’s WTOP is radio’s highest-billing station.

story by Inside Radio

For the first time in radio history, an all news station on FM is radio’s top billing station. Bonneville’s WTOP, Washington was 2010’s largest revenue generator.

The folks at Hubbard Broadcasting have to be happy as they anticipate taking control of all-news WTOP, Washington, DC, after bringing in $57 million in revenue.

The hard work and creativity of the Bonneville station’s staff and management notwithstanding, the success of the all-newser in market #9 outbilling stations in much larger markets such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago is indicative of what many believe is the PPM-friendliness of the all-news format.

The ability to spread spots out and not cluster them in big spot sets is endemic to the news format and many radio managers and PPM analysts believe this, along with the public’s desire for the day’s news, traffic and weather in big commuter markets like DC, make all-news a format conducive to ratings success in big PPM markets.

Still, there are all-news stations in other major markets and WTOP outbilled them all. Moving to FM played a key role in WTOP's 2010 success.

Top 10 Radio Station Billers for 2010 Ranked by BIA/Kelsey 

01 - Bonneville all-newser WTOP, Washington, D.C. - $57,225,000, out of a market total of $255,000,000. That means WTOP is now hauling in more than 22% of the market’s total radio revenue.

02 - Clear Channel CHR KIIS-FM, Los Angeles - $54,000,000.
03 - CBS Radio’s all-news WCBS-AM, New York - $49,000,000.
04 - Clear Channel’s talk KFI, Los Angeles - $46,000,000.
05 - Clear Channel’s AC “Lite” WLTW, New York - $44,300,000.
06 - Clear Channel CHR “Z100″ WHTZ, New York - $43,000,000.
07 - CBS all-news WBBM-AM, Chicago - $42,500,000.
08 - CBS all-news “1010 WINS”, New York - $41,000,000.
09 - CBS all-sports “Fan” WFAN, New York - $40,500,000.
10 - CBS alternative KROQ-FM, Los Angeles - $39,000,000.

President Obama Speech on Libya 3-28-11

The President’s Address to the Nation on Libya

National Defense University

Washington, DC

March 28, 2011

Good evening. Tonight, I’d like to update the American people on the international effort that we have led in Libya – what we have done, what we plan to do, and why this matters to us.

I want to begin by paying tribute to our men and women in uniform who, once again, have acted with courage, professionalism and patriotism. They have moved with incredible speed and strength. Because of them and our dedicated diplomats, a coalition has been forged and countless lives have been saved. Meanwhile, as we speak, our troops are supporting our ally Japan, leaving Iraq to its people, stopping the Taliban’s momentum in Afghanistan, and going after al Qaeda around the globe. As Commander-in-Chief, I am grateful to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and their families, as are all Americans.

For generations, the United States of America has played a unique role as an anchor of global security and advocate for human freedom. Mindful of the risks and costs of military action, we are naturally reluctant to use force to solve the world’s many challenges. But when our interests and values are at stake, we have a responsibility to act. That is what happened in Libya over the course of these last six weeks.

Libya sits directly between Tunisia and Egypt – two nations that inspired the world when their people rose up to take control of their own destiny. For more than four decades, the Libyan people have been ruled by a tyrant – Moammar Gaddafi. He has denied his people freedom, exploited their wealth, murdered opponents at home and abroad, and terrorized innocent people around the world – including Americans who were killed by Libyan agents.

Last month, Gaddafi’s grip of fear appeared to give way to the promise of freedom. In cities and towns across the country, Libyans took to the streets to claim their basic human rights. As one Libyan said, “For the first time we finally have hope that our nightmare of 40 years will soon be over.”

Faced with this opposition, Gaddafi began attacking his people. As President, my immediate concern was the safety of our citizens, so we evacuated our Embassy and all Americans who sought our assistance. We then took a series of swift steps in a matter of days to answer Gaddafi’s aggression. We froze more than $33 billion of the Gaddafi regime’s assets. Joining with other nations at the United Nations Security Council, we broadened our sanctions, imposed an arms embargo, and enabled Gaddafi and those around him to be held accountable for their crimes. I made it clear that Gaddafi had lost the confidence of his people and the legitimacy to lead, and I said that he needed to step down from power.

In the face of the world’s condemnation, Gaddafi chose to escalate his attacks, launching a military campaign against the Libyan people. Innocent people were targeted for killing. Hospitals and ambulances were attacked. Journalists were arrested, sexually assaulted, and killed. Supplies of food and fuel were choked off. The water for hundreds of thousands of people in Misratah was shut off. Cities and towns were shelled, mosques destroyed, and apartment buildings reduced to rubble. Military jets and helicopter gunships were unleashed upon people who had no means to defend themselves against assault from the air.

Confronted by this brutal repression and a looming humanitarian crisis, I ordered warships into the Mediterranean. European allies declared their willingness to commit resources to stop the killing. The Libyan opposition, and the Arab League, appealed to the world to save lives in Libya. At my direction, America led an effort with our allies at the United Nations Security Council to pass an historic Resolution that authorized a No Fly Zone to stop the regime’s attacks from the air, and further authorized all necessary measures to protect the Libyan people.

Ten days ago, having tried to end the violence without using force, the international community offered Gaddafi a final chance to stop his campaign of killing, or face the consequences. Rather than stand down, his forces continued their advance, bearing down on the city of Benghazi, home to nearly 700,000 men, women and children who sought their freedom from fear.

At this point, the United States and the world faced a choice. Gaddafi declared that he would show “no mercy” to his own people. He compared them to rats, and threatened to go door to door to inflict punishment. In the past, we had seen him hang civilians in the streets, and kill over a thousand people in a single day. Now, we saw regime forces on the outskirts of the city. We knew that if we waited one more day, Benghazi – a city nearly the size of Charlotte – could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world.

It was not in our national interest to let that happen. I refused to let that happen. And so nine days ago, after consulting the bipartisan leadership of Congress, I authorized military action to stop the killing and enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1973. We struck regime forces approaching Benghazi to save that city and the people within it. We hit Gaddafi’s troops in neighboring Ajdabiya, allowing the opposition to drive them out. We hit his air defenses, which paved the way for a No Fly Zone. We targeted tanks and military assets that had been choking off towns and cities and we cut off much of their source of supply. And tonight, I can report that we have stopped Gaddafi’s deadly advance.

In this effort, the United States has not acted alone. Instead, we have been joined by a strong and growing coalition. This includes our closest allies – nations like the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Turkey – all of whom have fought by our side for decades. And it includes Arab partners like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, who have chosen to meet their responsibility to defend the Libyan people.

To summarize, then: in just one month, the United States has worked with our international partners to mobilize a broad coalition, secure an international mandate to protect civilians, stop an advancing army, prevent a massacre, and establish a No Fly Zone with our allies and partners. To lend some perspective on how rapidly this military and diplomatic response came together, when people were being brutalized in Bosnia in the 1990s, it took the international community more than a year to intervene with air power to protect civilians.

Moreover, we have accomplished these objectives consistent with the pledge that I made to the American people at the outset of our military operations. I said that America’s role would be limited; that we would not put ground troops into Libya; that we would focus our unique capabilities on the front end of the operation, and that we would transfer responsibility to our allies and partners. Tonight, we are fulfilling that pledge.

Our most effective alliance, NATO, has taken command of the enforcement of the arms embargo and No Fly Zone. Last night, NATO decided to take on the additional responsibility of protecting Libyan civilians. This transfer from the United States to NATO will take place on Wednesday. Going forward, the lead in enforcing the No Fly Zone and protecting civilians on the ground will transition to our allies and partners, and I am fully confident that our coalition will keep the pressure on Gaddafi’s remaining forces. In that effort, the United States will play a supporting role – including intelligence, logistical support, search and rescue assistance, and capabilities to jam regime communications. Because of this transition to a broader, NATO-based coalition, the risk and cost of this operation – to our military, and to American taxpayers – will be reduced significantly.

So for those who doubted our capacity to carry out this operation, I want to be clear: the United States of America has done what we said we would do.

That is not to say that our work is complete. In addition to our NATO responsibilities, we will work with the international community to provide assistance to the people of Libya, who need food for the hungry and medical care for the wounded. We will safeguard the more than $33 billion that was frozen from the Gaddafi regime so that it is available to rebuild Libya. After all, this money does not belong to Gaddafi or to us – it belongs to the Libyan people, and we will make sure they receive it.

Tomorrow, Secretary Clinton will go to London, where she will meet with the Libyan opposition and consult with more than thirty nations. These discussions will focus on what kind of political effort is necessary to pressure Gaddafi, while also supporting a transition to the future that the Libyan people deserve. Because while our military mission is narrowly focused on saving lives, we continue to pursue the broader goal of a Libya that belongs not to a dictator, but to its people.

Despite the success of our efforts over the past week, I know that some Americans continue to have questions about our efforts in Libya. Gaddafi has not yet stepped down from power, and until he does, Libya will remain dangerous. Moreover, even after Gaddafi does leave power, forty years of tyranny has left Libya fractured and without strong civil institutions. The transition to a legitimate government that is responsive to the Libyan people will be a difficult task. And while the United States will do our part to help, it will be a task for the international community, and – more importantly – a task for the Libyan people themselves.

In fact, much of the debate in Washington has put forward a false choice when it comes to Libya. On the one hand, some question why America should intervene at all – even in limited ways – in this distant land. They argue that there are many places in the world where innocent civilians face brutal violence at the hands of their government, and America should not be expected to police the world, particularly when we have so many pressing concerns here at home.

It is true that America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs. And given the costs and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what’s right. In this particular country – Libya; at this particular moment, we were faced with the prospect of violence on a horrific scale. We had a unique ability to stop that violence: an international mandate for action, a broad coalition prepared to join us, the support of Arab countries, and a plea for help from the Libyan people themselves. We also had the ability to stop Gaddafi’s forces in their tracks without putting American troops on the ground.

To brush aside America’s responsibility as a leader and – more profoundly – our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are. Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries. The United States of America is different. And as President, I refused to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.

Moreover, America has an important strategic interest in preventing Gaddafi from overrunning those who oppose him. A massacre would have driven thousands of additional refugees across Libya’s borders, putting enormous strains on the peaceful – yet fragile – transitions in Egypt and Tunisia. The democratic impulses that are dawning across the region would be eclipsed by the darkest form of dictatorship, as repressive leaders concluded that violence is the best strategy to cling to power. The writ of the UN Security Council would have been shown to be little more than empty words, crippling its future credibility to uphold global peace and security. So while I will never minimize the costs involved in military action, I am convinced that a failure to act in Libya would have carried a far greater price for America.

Now, just as there are those who have argued against intervention in Libya, there are others who have suggested that we broaden our military mission beyond the task of protecting the Libyan people, and do whatever it takes to bring down Gaddafi and usher in a new government.

Of course, there is no question that Libya – and the world – will be better off with Gaddafi out of power. I, along with many other world leaders, have embraced that goal, and will actively pursue it through non-military means. But broadening our military mission to include regime change would be a mistake.

The task that I assigned our forces – to protect the Libyan people from immediate danger, and to establish a No Fly Zone – carries with it a UN mandate and international support. It is also what the Libyan opposition asked us to do. If we tried to overthrow Gaddafi by force, our coalition would splinter. We would likely have to put U.S. troops on the ground, or risk killing many civilians from the air. The dangers faced by our men and women in uniform would be far greater. So would the costs, and our share of the responsibility for what comes next.

To be blunt, we went down that road in Iraq. Thanks to the extraordinary sacrifices of our troops and the determination of our diplomats, we are hopeful about Iraq’s future. But regime change there took eight years, thousands of American and Iraqi lives, and nearly a trillion dollars. That is not something we can afford to repeat in Libya.

As the bulk of our military effort ratchets down, what we can do – and will do – is support the aspirations of the Libyan people. We have intervened to stop a massacre, and we will work with our allies and partners as they’re in the lead to maintain the safety of civilians. We will deny the regime arms, cut off its supply of cash, assist the opposition, and work with other nations to hasten the day when Gaddafi leaves power. It may not happen overnight, as a badly weakened Gaddafi tries desperately to hang on to power. But it should be clear to those around Gadaffi, and to every Libyan, that history is not on his side. With the time and space that we have provided for the Libyan people, they will be able to determine their own destiny, and that is how it should be.

Let me close by addressing what this action says about the use of America’s military power, and America’s broader leadership in the world, under my presidency.

As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than keeping this country safe. And no decision weighs on me more than when to deploy our men and women in uniform. I have made it clear that I will never hesitate to use our military swiftly, decisively, and unilaterally when necessary to defend our people, our homeland, our allies, and our core interests. That is why we are going after al Qaeda wherever they seek a foothold. That is why we continue to fight in Afghanistan, even as we have ended our combat mission in Iraq and removed more than 100,000 troops from that country.

There will be times, though, when our safety is not directly threatened, but our interests and values are. Sometimes, the course of history poses challenges that threaten our common humanity and common security – responding to natural disasters, for example; or preventing genocide and keeping the peace; ensuring regional security, and maintaining the flow of commerce. These may not be America’s problems alone, but they are important to us, and they are problems worth solving. And in these circumstances, we know that the United States, as the world’s most powerful nation, will often be called upon to help.

In such cases, we should not be afraid to act – but the burden of action should not be America’s alone. As we have in Libya, our task is instead to mobilize the international community for collective action. Because contrary to the claims of some, American leadership is not simply a matter of going it alone and bearing all of the burden ourselves. Real leadership creates the conditions and coalitions for others to step up as well; to work with allies and partners so that they bear their share of the burden and pay their share of the costs; and to see that the principles of justice and human dignity are upheld by all.

That’s the kind of leadership we have shown in Libya. Of course, even when we act as part of a coalition, the risks of any military action will be high. Those risks were realized when one of our planes malfunctioned over Libya. Yet when one of our airmen parachuted to the ground, in a country whose leader has so often demonized the United States – in a region that has such a difficult history with our country – this American did not find enemies. Instead, he was met by people who embraced him. One young Libyan who came to his aid said, “We are your friends. We are so grateful to these men who are protecting the skies.”

This voice is just one of many in a region where a new generation is refusing to be denied their rights and opportunities any longer. Yes, this change will make the world more complicated for a time. Progress will be uneven, and change will come differently in different countries. There are places, like Egypt, where this change will inspire us and raise our hopes. And there will be places, like Iran, where change is fiercely suppressed. The dark forces of civil conflict and sectarian war will have to be averted, and difficult political and economic concerns addressed.

The United States will not be able to dictate the pace and scope of this change. Only the people of the region can do that. But we can make a difference. I believe that this movement of change cannot be turned back, and that we must stand alongside those who believe in the same core principles that have guided us through many storms: our opposition to violence directed against one’s own citizens; our support for a set of universal rights, including the freedom for people to express themselves and choose their leaders; our support for governments that are ultimately responsive to the aspirations of the people.

Born, as we are, out of a revolution by those who longed to be free, we welcome the fact that history is on the move in the Middle East and North Africa, and that young people are leading the way. Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States. Ultimately, it is that faith – those ideals – that are the true measure of American leadership.

My fellow Americans, I know that at a time of upheaval overseas – when the news is filled with conflict and change – it can be tempting to turn away from the world. And as I have said before, our strength abroad is anchored in our strength at home. That must always be our North Star – the ability of our people to reach their potential, to make wise choices with our resources, to enlarge the prosperity that serves as a wellspring of our power, and to live the values that we hold so dear.

But let us also remember that for generations, we have done the hard work of protecting our own people, as well as millions around the globe. We have done so because we know that our own future is safer and brighter if more of mankind can live with the bright light of freedom and dignity. Tonight, let us give thanks for the Americans who are serving through these trying times, and the coalition that is carrying our effort forward; and let us look to the future with confidence and hope not only for our own country, but for all those yearning for freedom around the world. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Top 5 Radio Advertisers

1. ATT -- $504 million
2. Verizone Wireless -- $405 million
3. McDonalds -- $321 million
4. Comcast -- $286 million
5. Safeway -- $245 million

Teddy Pendergrass final song

"I Am Who I Am" link: http://frequencynews.com/musiclibrary_detail.cfm?LabelID=106&ArtistID=359&AlbumID=322&SingleID=881

President Obama Weekly Address 3-26-11: The Military Mission in Libya?

Howard Stern vs. Sirius XM – Let the Games begin

n March 22 Howard Stern’s production company filed a lawsuit against his employer, Sirius XM Radio, Inc. seeking payment of what could be determined to be as much as hundreds of millions of dollars. In his lawsuit Stern alleges that Sirius violated his previous contract with by failing to pay bonuses tied to the number of Sirius subscribers. The timing of the lawsuit is somewhat curious because Stern had, only a few months earlier, signed a new contract with Sirius after the expiration of his initial contract. Stern has been broadcasting on Sirius satellite radio since 2006 after signing a contract with them in 2004 following a tremendously successful career on terrestrial radio. Stern’s contract with terrestrial radio company Infinity Broadcasting Corporation (now CBS Radio) expired at the end of 2005.

_________________________________________

story by Talkers Magazine

written by Steven J.J. Weisman
stevenjjweisman@aol.com
_________________________________________

In order to understand the lawsuit it is important to review the history of Stern’s relationship with Sirius. Satellite radio was in its infancy in 2004 when Stern signed with Sirius after being courted by both Sirius and its then sole satellite radio competitor, XM Satellite Radio. In the year prior to Stern joining Sirius, its subscribers numbered less than 700,000 while XM had 2.5 million subscribers. Upon the announcement in October of 2004 that Stern would be broadcasting on Sirius beginning in 2006, Sirius’ stock went up a whopping 15%. After a year of trumpeting his journey to Sirius radio, Howard Stern had his initial broadcast on Sirius in January of 2006. By this time the number of subscribers to Sirius had risen to well over three million.

The bidding war between XM and Sirius for the services of Howard Stern had been extremely competitive with Stern able to leverage a five-year contract estimated to have been worth as much as $500 million in cash and stock. A major provision of Stern’s 2004 contract with Sirius was a bonus provision by which Sirius would make substantial stock payments to Stern if Sirius exceeded its subscriber estimates in any year by more than two million subscribers. Following the first year of the contract, Sirius paid the stock bonus payment to Stern’s production company based upon its estimates of subscribers at 3,707,000 and the number of actual subscribers by the end of 2006 reaching more than six million. Since that time no bonuses were paid under this provision of Stern’s contract even though the number of new subscribers in 2007 exceeded Sirius’ estimates by more than three million, bringing the total Sirius subscribers at that time to more than eight million.

Despite the success in the numbers of subscribers the viability of satellite radio as a business was seriously in doubt. In 2008, after approval by the United States Justice Department and the FCC despite stiff opposition from those in terrestrial radio, a merger of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Radio was approved and consummated. Suddenly the number of subscribers to the new entity, Sirius XM Radio Inc. rose dramatically to 18.5 million subscribers and therein lays the crux of Stern’s dispute with Sirius. Stern alleges that the new subscribers attained through the merger of the companies, which went on to reach 20 million subscribers in 2010, should be counted toward the bonus provisions of his contract while Sirius denies this contention. Prior to the merger, Sirius’ subscribers numbered 8.3 million. After the merger this number leaped to 18.5 million subscribers.

Despite this apparent success, the satellite business model was still far from viable and by the end of 2008 Sirius was seriously considering declaring bankruptcy following the drop of its stock in value to as low as 12 cents per share in 2008. According to Stern’s complaint, he decided not to demand payment of bonuses owed him at that time due to the financial precariousness of the company and not wanting to jeopardize the company’s ability to obtain the necessary financing to remain in existence. By 2010, Liberty Media came to the financial rescue of Sirius and the stock value increased. As of the date of the writing of this article the stock is now valued at $1.71 per share.

According to Stern’s lawsuit, in March of 2010 his agent had asked Sirius general counsel Patrick Donnelly why the bonuses had not been paid for 2008 and 2009. Donnelly reportedly told Stern’s agent that it was the position of Sirius that the XM subscribers were not to be considered in the determination of the number of Sirius subscriptions for purposes of Stern’s contract’s bonus provisions. Despite this rather substantial disagreement, in December of 2010 Stern and Sirius signed a new five-year contract that did not deal with the bonuses alleged to be due from the previous contract.

The potential fallout from the lawsuit could be devastating to Sirius XM. The very next day after the lawsuit was filed a number of stock analysts downgraded the company’s stock. The possible financial consequences to Sirius XM could reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars if Stern were to be successful in his lawsuit. Adding more fuel to the fire, if the allegations contained in Stern’s lawsuit were to be proven, Sirius could be liable in a class action that could be brought on behalf of its stockholders against Sirius for failing to disclose to shareholders the substantial risk presented by Stern’s claims.

With so much at stake here for both Stern and Sirius and with so much to lose by a prolonged legal battle that would only serve to further depress the value of the stock that is a major part of Stern’s compensation, it would seem in the best interests of all concerned to ultimately work out a settlement. How long such a settlement might take to arrive at, however, is anyone’s guess. So stay tuned.

On 'Meet the Press' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defence Robert Gates talk of their "Humanitarian Military Intervention in Libya", and Ted Koppel asks "why no H.M.I. in Sudan, the Congo, or the Ivory Coast where millions of civilians were killed?"

Nate Dogg Bid Farewell By Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Warren G

Dr. Dre and DJ Pooh at Nate Dogg's Memorial

story/video by MTV

written by Rahman Dukes

photos by the Poetess and Rahman Dukes

_____________________________

LONG BEACH, California — On a dark and damp Saturday morning (March 26), thousands of family, friends and fans turned out for one last show from their hero, rap legend Nate Dogg, who was laid to rest in his hometown of Long Beach.

Nate Dogg's funeral today in Long Beach, California

Inside the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, lights shined down on the wooden coffin adorned with red and white flowers. Two jumbo screens on opposite sides of his casket flashed six different photos of the singer from a childhood boy, when he was known to family as "Buddy," to the platinum singer known to the world as Nate Dogg.

West Coast rap artists including Dr. Dre, Game, DJ Quik, Mack-10 and WC, DJ Pooh, Battlecat and others were on hand to pay their respects to the singer with platinum vocal chords.

"1986, Poly High School, that's where we connected for the first time," an emotionally distraught Snoop reflected on his friend. "We didn't know each other, but the music connected us. We built a brotherhood, a friendship."

Snoop first met Nate along with his best friend Warren G at the school where they would go on to form the rap trio 213. Warren G spoke briefly, reminding mourners in attendance what a great man the music world has lost.

fans mourn Nate Dogg with comforting words embedded on shirts

"It hurts me so much to see this," Warren G said somberly while looking down at the casket. "We been through a whole lot and that was my dog. He stayed down with me from the bottom to the top. I didn't ever think I would have to sit at a funeral for one of my dogs. All I can say is that was my friend, me him and Snoop was 213 from the balls to the walls. The music industry lost an incredible artist."

Nate Dogg with DJ The Poetess

Several of Nate's closest friends, relatives and colleagues including Xzibit, Daz and Kurupt, Butch Cassidy, Los Angeles radio station personality Big Boy from Power 106, and producer FredWreck all shared memorable stories of their friend, who they said made an important impact on their lives. Xzibit recalled a time during the Up in Smoke Tour when Nate was arrested, but hours later somehow magically appeared at the show's next date. A teary-eyed Kurupt said Nate was the father figure who raised him.

VIP Records pays tribute to local Long Beach, California hero Nate Dogg

Manager Rod McGrew acted as Nate's manager throughout his professional music career and was with him up until his last days.

"He fought a hard fight," McGrew said. He also thanked Dr. Dre and Eminem, in addition to Snoop, Warren G and Xzibit, for assisting the family in getting through the past several days. "The last three years were unbelievable. He didn't give up. He just had a talk with God and gave up. Two hours before that he was fine."

Rapper King Tee and DJ The Poetess at Nate Dogg's Memorial

McGrew said that with Nate's passing, the singer's three wishes will now be granted.

"He wanted to go to heaven and hang with his boys," McGrew said. "He loved Tupac. He recorded with him. He wanted to hang with Biggie. But the most important thing is that he can walk around heaven with his favorite artist of all time, Michael Jackson."

With his deep, melodic voice and smooth soul rumble, Dogg was one of the key elements in the rise of the West Coast G-Funk sound pioneered by Death Row Records in the early 1990s. Along with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Warren G, Nate was a critical participant in a number of major left-coast gangsta hits, including G's "Regulate" and Dre's iconic solo debut, 1992's The Chronic.

Words of respect and love for Nate Dogg from fans at VIP Records in Long Beach

The hip-hop singer passed away earlier this month after suffering multiple health setbacks in the past several years stemming from separate strokes.

The choir that sang during Nate's home-going was handpicked by the singer himself. One of its members, Jacob Lusk, is currently a contestant on "American Idol."

Snoop Dogg's tattoo of Nate Dogg on Snoop's arm

"He was a loving caring individual," said Snoop. "If you listen to his music, he took church melodies and flipped it with hip-hop. I'm so honored, so happy that you gave me the opportunity, God, to know Nate Dogg. I want to stand here and cry, but I have to have the strength for you Nate Dogg. It's 213, DPG for life."

Former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro dead at 75

Geraldine Ferraro, recently known as the lady that cost Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton from becoming the first woman President of the United States, has dead at age 75.

In March of 2008, Hillary Clinton was the clear favorite to win the Democratic Nomination, until Clinton staffer and former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro stirred up a major controversy. Ferraro stated that: "Senator Barack Obama achieved his high status in the 2008 presidential race because he is Black."

Many Civil Rights leaders took exception to Ferraro's statement, especially those African-Americans that ran unsuccessfully for President prior to Obama. No Black candidate prior to President Obama from Dick Gregory and Shirley Chisholm, to Jesse Jackson, Senator Carolyn Mosely Braun, and Rev. Al Sharpton have ever had a chance of becoming President of the United States.

Because of Ferraro's racial comments, Senator Hilary Clinton kicked the former three-term New York Congresswoman off of her Presidential campaign staff, though remaining as a consultant.

In 1984, largely due to the controversial tax issues by Ferraro, the Reagon-Bush1 Republican ticket convincingly defeated the Mondale-Ferraro Democratic ticket in the biggest Presidential landslide in U.S. history. In 1984, Reagon-Bush won 49 of the 50 States to capture their second Reagon-Bush term.

Ferraro's Vice-Presidential run was beset by ethical questions, first about her campaign finances and tax returns, then about the business dealings of her husband John Zaccaro. Ferraro -- even then -- attributed much of the controversy to bias against Italian-Americans in the United States.

Zaccaro pleaded guilty in 1985 to a misdemeanor charge of scheming to defraud in connection with obtaining financing for the purchase of five apartment buildings. Two years later he was acquitted of trying to extort a bribe from a cable television company.

Ferraro's son, John Zaccaro Jr., was convicted in 1988 of selling cocaine to an undercover Vermont state trooper and served three months under house arrest.

Some observers said the legal troubles were a drag on Ferraro's later political ambitions, which included her unsuccessful bids for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in New York in 1992 and 1998.

Ferraro died at in Boston at Massechusetts General hospital this morning at 10am surrounded by her family.

The Marvelettes - Hunter gets captured by the game

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin celebrates 69th birthday

Aretha Franklin celebrates her 69th birthday, in New York, Friday, March 25, 2011.

story/photo by AP
written by Nekesa Mumbi Moody

NEW YORK – Aretha Franklin proved her voice is still divine at 69 as she gave a brief but rousing performance at a swank birthday party in her honor.

Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, Clive Davis, Bette Midler, Al Sharpton, and Gayle King were among the celebrities on hand to pay tribute to the Queen of Soul on Friday night at a late-night birthday party at a Central Park Hotel.


"It's a fabulous moment," said Franklin, showing off her noticeably thinner frame in a flowing white and gold gown as she sat at a table with several gifts.


Bennett, who called Franklin "one of a kind" was one of those who came with a present — and his was unique.


"I also paint, so she knows about that," he said. "A long time ago, she said, 'I'd love to have you do a painting of me,' and I remembered that, and when I heard I was coming here, I just knocked off a quick sketch tonight and gave it to her tonight."


More than 100 friends and family gathered to celebrate Franklin, who just a few months ago underwent surgery for an ailment she has declined to disclose. In recent weeks, she's made more public appearances and is set to resume her stage performances in May. At the party, Franklin seemed full of energy, greeting guests and dancing to the music.


Franklin wasn't billed as the evening's entertainment. Instead, she had other acclaimed musicians on hand to perform for her: jazz musician Roy Ayers, singer Nnenna Freelon, and Tito Puente Jr. all gave mini-concerts at the soiree.


But after former Temptations frontman Dennis Edwards serenaded her with a couple of riveting songs, she joined him and they both sang "The Way We Were."

Afterward, Edwards and the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to Franklin, and she cut her birthday cake.

The Detroit native planned to stay in New York for at least a day more, but don't expect much more celebrating for Franklin.

"I will be in a horizontal position tomorrow, all day!" she said.

Lawrence Tanter sets the tone for the Lakers, and jazz station

Lakers announcer Lawrence Tanter has been a part of the Lakers' in-game… (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

 

The Lakers public address announcer for 28 years is classically old school, stating the facts in a pitch-perfect voice. He brings the same passion to his other job as program director at KJazz.

story by LA Times
written by Chris Erskine

The man with the trombone voice straddles two American art forms, jump shots and jazz, not quietly, mind you, for that horn of his is probably incapable of a mere whisper. But deftly and slyly, with frequent 16-hour workdays spent juggling two wildly divergent careers.

Lawrence Tanter has been the Lakers' public address announcer for 28 years, and over that time you've probably heard him croon "Koooo-Beeee Bryant" or "Laker Girrrrrrls" hundreds of times. As the gold standard of NBA stadium announcers, he introduces the teams, then keeps you up on developments during the game.

Simple, right? Not so much. His job involves reading hand signals from the scorekeeper and making sense of NBA refs. Try it some time. It's like serving tea at a bar brawl.

Fortunately, Tanter is the classic old-school announcer, calmly dishing out stats, scores and substitutions with the rich, chug-a-chug rumble of an idling Harley. There's also a little Lou Rawls in that pitch-perfect voice.

"The PA gig has changed around the league," the 61-year-old notes. "It's morphed into a sort of cheerleader position. Dr. Buss has never told me to change, so I haven't."

For that, we can be thankful, because Tanter brings a big-market professionalism to his job — a touch of West Coast cool. Indeed, it'll be a lousy day when Lakers games no longer feature that soulful "voice of God" narration. It fits just right. Like Dyan Cannon's sweaters (trivia morsel of the day: Before games, Cannon brings brownies to him and the scorekeepers).

But although his Lakers persona is well-known — and sometimes taken for granted — there's another side to Tanter's life that you probably didn't realize. Indeed, the man with the trombone voice doubles as program director at KJazz (KKJZ, 88.1 FM), one of only five full-time jazz stations left in the country.

He has been there since August and, as program director, is responsible for the announcers, the playlists and the public service pleas for such things as Red Cross aid. Pretty much anything that goes out over the air comes virtue of one of Tanter's computer keystrokes in his Cal State Long Beach office.

"I'm more Phil Jackson, and our station manager is more Mitch Kupchak," Tanter says in explaining his role.