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WGA to writers: Avoid Ozzy's new show
WGA leaders warned members Wednesday that working on the Osbourne clan's new comedy-variety show on Fox could put their membership with the guild on shaky ground.
At issue with the WGA is the show's producers, FremantleMedia North America, who according to the union offered a "sub-standard contract" asking that writers be treated as if they were working on "half-scripted" shows, which would greatly reduce their writing fees.
The writing on the show, which has a working title "The Osbournes: Loud and Dangerous," would traditionally be covered under the guild's basic agreement, used in the past for such shows as "The Carol Burnett Show" and "Laugh-In," according to WGA West president Patric Verrone and WGA East president Michael Winship. But Fremantle, according to the WGA, wanted to treat other portions of the show as "reality content," which would not be covered. Fremantle indicated it would be responsible for writing that part of the show. The WGA refused.
This isn't the first Fremantle show the WGA has had issues with.
While some shows produced by Fremantle have been covered by the guild contract, there are many others, including "American Idol" and "The Price Is Right," that are not covered by the WGA contract. Over the summer, the WGA went on a bus tour, dubbed the American Idol Truth Tour, which followed the show's auditions all over the U.S. and Puerto Rico, talking with the public about what they claim are substandard working conditions for writers and other behind-the-scenes employees.
"Now it is clear that Fremantle's intention is to bring their low-cost, nonunion business model into traditional genres -- first games shows, then comedy-variety," the letter states. "Soon, no WGA-covered writing will be safe from their aggressive undermining of our contract. We cannot allow this encroachment to continue."
Fremantle's David Shall, general counsel and executive vp of business operations, accused the WGA of continuing a campaign of "defamation and negative propaganda" against the company. The WGA, Shall said, was contacted in good faith by Fremantle with the hopes of hiring WGA writers for the "nontraditional" Osbourne show, which mixes variety with reality TV.
"Unfortunately, after only a few phone conversations with our representatives, the guild chose to end discussion, ordered its membership to not write for the show and implemented their usual mendacious strategy of feeding misleading and erroneous information to the press," Shall wrote. "We are disappointed that our effort to meet the guild halfway has been summarily rejected and, as such, we don't believe the guild's membership has been served."
To read more click on the link:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/new... WGA leaders warned members Wednesday that working on the Osbourne clan's new comedy-variety show on Fox could put their membershi... more -
Isola dei famosi. Ciavarro è lontano dal gruppo e tutti sono contenti. Luxuria ano...
Il massimo, senza Massimo?
Gli uomini vanno a caccia di esche per la pesca. Trovano qualche granchio e un’abbondante quantita’ di paguri che Rossano, non ricordando il nome, chiama palughi. Leonardo, che sui paguri non sente ragioni, consiglia di usarli con parsimonia. Chiara sta meglio e spiega a Carlo le ragioni del suo miglioramento di umore: La’ [a Laguna Cacao] ero con gente normale estranea a questo mondo come lo ero io e ci si doveva aiutare a vicenda. Qua all’isola loro [i Vip] sanno come ci si muove e sanno darti delle dritte. Io mi accollo tanto ai consigli che ... continua Il massimo, senza Massimo? ... more -
Da stasera torna La Talpa ma gli addetti ai lavori sanno che sarà un flop.
Ebbene sì, amanti dei reality show e dei game in generale.
La talpa sta per tornare, per sabotare i piani del gruppo e per mandarci su di giri con riflessioni e piani per scovarla. Manca davvero poco all’inizio della terza edizione di quello che siamo stati soliti vedere come il reality più sfortunato della televisione italiana. Una terza edizione che vedrà vitastasera, sugli schermi di Italia1, ma che agli stati primordiali della sua formazione scorgeva all’orizzonte non un destino roseo. Lo stesso che poi ha avuto, per la gioia dei più. Proprio ... continua Ebbene sì, amanti dei reality show e dei game in generale. ... more -
Keeping It Wise - Is America a Christian Nation?
Mahdi Ahmad refutes the claim that America is a Christian nation.
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Americans and reality
Robert Parry: The Reagan presidency further detached Americans from world reality. Part 3
Robert Parry is an American investigative journalist. He was awarded the George Polk Award for National Reporting in 1984 for his work with the Associated Press. In 1995, he established Consortium News as an online ezine dedicated to investigative journalism. From 2000 to 2004, he worked for the financial wire service Bloomberg. Major subjects of Parry's articles and reports on Consortium News include the presidency of George W. Bush, the career of Army general and Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell (with Norman Solomon), the October Surprise controversy of the 1980 election, the Nicaraguan contra-cocaine investigation, the efforts to impeach President Clinton, right-wing terrorism in Latin America, the political influence of Sun Myung Moon, mainstream American media imbalance, United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, as well as international stories . Parry has written several books, including Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, the Press & "Project Truth." (1999) and Secrecy & Privilege: Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq (2004).
See Part 1 at: http://current.com/items/89369029_america_pays_the_pipe...
See Part 2 at: http://current.com/items/89370644_america_pays_the_pipe... Robert Parry: The Reagan presidency further detached Americans from world reality. Part 3 ... more -
Silvia Burgio la transex del Gf8 al Bagaglino. Nella corte televisiva di Pingitore...
L’aveva proposto lei stessa a Pingitore, proprio in un’intervista nei nostri studi. E ora Silvia Burgio, una delle protagoniste del Grande Fratello 8, l’ex trans di nome Giuseppe che, dopo varie operazioni è diventato donna e ha cambiato identità, sarà una delle presenze femminili del Bagaglino. Lo rivela il portale Cinemotore che anticipa anche la presenza nel cast, accanto all’immancabile ... continua L’aveva proposto lei stessa a Pingitore, proprio in un’intervista nei nostri studi. E ora Silvia Burgio, una delle protagoniste del Gr... more
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Isola dei famosi. Infortuni e malanni a non finire. Anche Daniele lascia.
I naufraghi si preparano per affrontare la Prova leader. Non parteciperanno Carlo e Sonia perche’ sono in nomination, il reparto infermeria (Antonio e Daniele, ancora fuori per controlli) ne’ Valeria perche’ e’ fuori gara. Leonardo vorrebbe che Valeria facesse anche le prove e lei promette che le prossime le fara’. I partecipanti al gioco partono sulla barchetta. Il mare e’ mosso e ci sono le onde alte. In uno dei sobbalzi della barca Maria Grazia prende un colpo alla schiena. Alessandro la soccorre subito, ma Maria Grazia si lamenta che ... I naufraghi si preparano per affrontare la Prova leader. Non parteciperanno Carlo e Sonia perche’ sono in nomination, il reparto infer... more
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Michelle Obama starts rally in Colorado, a Battle State.
BOULDER — 12:20 p.m. - Michelle Obama ended her talk urging the students to get to work.
"Let's start working, because we're going to need you," she said. "We're going to need your prayers, we're going to need your work. We're going to need you to pray, we're going to need you to work. And then after you work, pray a little more. And then after you've prayed, keep working."
12:13 p.m. - Michelle Obama gets to the heart of her rally, talking about voter registration.
"This is a swing state - and we want some swinging to go on right here," she said. She then talked about George W. Bush's slim margin of victory in Colorado in 2004.
"With 170,000 students alone, we can make the difference," she said. "What we're asking right here on the CU campus, register right now. We have a goal of registering 4,100 students on this campus. We are half way there. I am asking you - personally - let's get that goal."
12:10 p.m. - The largest cheers so far came when Michelle Obama addressed the war in Iraq.
"There is only one candidate has a clear timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq responsibly," she said. "And take the $10 billion we are spending every month in Iraq and spending it here."
11:50 a.m. - On stage in front of several hundred Barack Obama supporters, Michelle Obama told a rally at CU that her husband understands working families and the struggles they face.
She said the issues facing the country "are not just politics, it's personal."
The crowd cheered when she said Obama was building his economic plans around the working class.
"There's only one candidate who is talking about that," she said. "There is only one candidate who is talking about health care," and there's only one candidate who is talking about "a comprehensive education progre
Jared Polis, the Democratic nominee in the Second Congressional District, came onto the stage to urge everyone to vote - and vote early.
"The youth vote will make the difference this election," he said, receiving loud cheers. "Let's bring change from CU to D.C."
Maggie Fox, wife of Congressman and U.S. senate candidate Mark Udall, called her husband a "true son of the West" and reminded people that "registering isn't voting." She called on everyone in the crowd to not only vote for the Democrat at the top of the ticket but those all the way down.
Hundreds of middle-aged couples sporting tie-dyeds and Khakis, senior citizens clad in baseball hats and a sprinkling of college students wearing jeans and T-shirts are starting to flood into Farrand Field on the University of Colorado campus to see Michelle Obama. The wife of Democratic presidential
candidate Barack Obama is expected to start speaking at noon, but the line to get into the event is still winding down and around the bike path that cuts through the campus.
Though students on bikes and skateboards zig-zag around the field on their way to class, it appears few of them are actually attending the event.
Obama's presidential campaign is focusing on voter registration in Colorado this week as the deadline to register approaches.
Monday is the deadline for Coloradans to register to vote for the Nov. 4 general election.
This Saturday, the campaign is bringing Hollywood stars to the state. Actors Eva Longoria of "Desperate Housewives," Kal Penn of "House" and the "Harold and Kumar" films, and Adam Rodriguez of "CSI: Miami," are scheduled to speak to students on Saturday at Auraria Campus in Denver, Northern Colorado in Greeley and Colorado State in Fort Collins.
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Keep it going Michelle!! BOULDER — 12:20 p.m. - Michelle Obama ended her talk urging the students to get to work. ... more -
Soros floats alternative bailout plan with Dems
The billionaire financier George Soros, a major Democratic financial backer, is floating his own rescue plan among Democratic lawmakers who are uncertain what to do in the wake of a surprise defeat of a proposed $700 billion rescue package proposed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
Soros has outlined his plan in an opinion editorial in the Financial Times and circulated a concept paper among decision-makers.
Specifically, the liberal philanthropist has proposed that government funds should be used to recapitalize the American banking system by purchasing equity in banks and investment firms...
Read the rest at link... The billionaire financier George Soros, a major Democratic financial backer, is floating his own rescue plan among Democratic lawmaker... more -
Why aren't Americans buying the bailout?
The $700 billion financial bailout package failed because most Americans wanted it to fail. Before the vote, members of Congress were getting calls 100 to 1 against the bill. The question is: why? It's easy to see why bailing out rich bankers doesn't feel super, but why, despite all the efforts of all of the country's leaders to fill them with fear of an economic apocalypse, did Americans not see a failure to act as a serious threat to their livelihoods?
Traditionally, human beings are not great at assessing this kind of risk - a peril that has not yet arrived and that is, in any case, hard to viscerally imagine. Witness people's reluctance to evacuate before hurricanes, and weather forecasts portend a danger far easier to comprehend than failing investment banks.
But there are methods of communicating risk in a way that stills the heart, with words that inject dread into the populace. And Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr., Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and President George W. Bush used none of them. "The case wasn't made as to why the little guy needs this," says Paul Slovic, author of The Perception of Risk and a psychology professor at the University of Oregon. "The numbers and vague warnings are too abstract."
The most effective warnings are like the most effective TV ads: easily understood, specific, frequently repeated, personal, accurate, and targeted. Paulson and his grim reapers managed only to repeat themselves frequently. They were not easily understood, partly because the problem is so complex. They did not personalize or target their warnings. And, as they themselves admitted, they did not know if their warnings were necessarily accurate, due to the novelty and unpredictability of the crisis.
But their biggest mistake was a lack of specificity. They never clearly told the American people what...
Read the rest at link... The $700 billion financial bailout package failed because most Americans wanted it to fail. Before the vote, members of Congress were ... more -
US general in Afghanistan wants more troops ASAP
The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday that he needs more troops and other aid "as quickly as possible" in a counterinsurgency battle that could get worse before it gets better.
Gen. David McKiernan said it will take more than adding troops to stabilize Afghanistan — including efforts to strengthen the Afghan government, improve the economy and build its military and police forces.
Speaking to Pentagon reporters, the head of NATO forces in Afghanistan said there has been a significant increase in foreign fighters coming in from neighboring Pakistan this year — including Chechens, Uzbeks, Saudis and Europeans. And he said he needs the more than 10,000 additional forces he has requested, in part, to increase his military campaigns in the south and east where violence has escalated.
"The additional military capabilities that have been asked for are needed as quickly as possible," he said, adding that he is hoping to get units that will be able to both fight the insurgents and serve as trainers for the Afghan Army and police.
McKiernan, who is scheduled to meet with President Bush late Wednesday... The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday that he needs more troops and other aid "as quickly as possible... more -
How much is $700 billion?
The short answer: a lot. The long answer: depends on how you look at it.
Whatever your viewpoint, here's how $700 billion - the figure inked in the initial dead-in-the-water government bailout bill for Wall Street - compares to other vast sums.
NASA in fiscal year 2009 will launch several missions into space and pay for hundreds of people to operate a host of space telescopes and even remote robots on Mars and run a PR and media department that puts most large corporations to shame. The agency's budget: $17.6 billion, or 2.5 percent of the bailout sum.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has an annual budget of...
Read The Rest at Link... The short answer: a lot. The long answer: depends on how you look at it. ... more -
Uomini e donne. Quella “patta” blindata come una cassaforte di Cristian Galella.
Ai più strenui telespettatori di “Uomini e donne” non sarà certamente sfuggito l’ultimo look di Cristian Galella, Si sa che molte volte i giovani tendono ad uscire dall’omologazione indossando capi d’abbigliamento a volte particolarmente eccentrici oppure particolarmente chiassosi o, come nel nostro caso, o meglio, quello di Cristian Galella, certamente eccentrici. Non potrà esservi sfuggito ... continua Ai più strenui telespettatori di “Uomini e donne” non sarà certamente sfuggito l’ultimo look di Cristian Galella, Si sa che molte volt... more
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Isola dei famosi. La grande fuga con la Marini che ci passa 7 giorni di ferie…
E’ stata una puntata (la terza) de L’isola dei famosi senza respiro, ricca di colpi di scena, dichiarazioni “cult”, momenti trash, ritiri sofferti ed evitati a fatica. Bisognava contrastare in tutti i modi la prima puntata di Zelig e si è ricorso a tutti gli ingredienti tipici di un reality per tentare di tenere il pubblico incollato al video.
LO SHOW DI VALERIA MARINI.
Valeria Marini appare subito dopo la sigla truccata, con un abito da sera e i tacchi mentre una macedonia di frutta e la piscina fanno da sfondo: “E’ un fotomontaggio, sono dietro lo studio! Ho accettato così io e Simona Ventura siamo di nuovo amiche” … continua E’ stata una puntata (la terza) de L’isola dei famosi senza respiro, ricca di colpi di scena, dichiarazioni “cult”, momenti trash, rit... more -
Valeria Marini sbarca sull’Isola dei famosi e si parla di compenso favoloso.
Eccola Valeriona nostra, è stata avvistata questa mattina presto all’areoporto di Malpensa, in compagnia del suo manager, mentre era in procinto di fare il check-in per un volo con destinazione Roatan, Honduras. Ed è di questa mattina la conferma che sarà proprio Valeria Marini il vip che domani sera sbarcherà in diretta a Cayo Cochinos, sull’Isola dei Famosi e secondo voci insistenti calata ... continua Eccola Valeriona nostra, è stata avvistata questa mattina presto all’areoporto di Malpensa, in compagnia del suo manager, mentre era i... more
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SHUT UP... BE HAPPY
Released in 1989, this track featuring Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy's is from Ice T's Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say album... (in my opinion, his best... Sire records). The lyrics are is becoming more and more valid and eerily familiar.
Take the time to let this buffer...
Listen closely to the whole track and comment. I've been playing this track (this album) for 20 years, and it still holds up... because it's closer to reality now, then it was then. Released in 1989, this track featuring Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy's is from Ice T's Freedom of Speech... Just Watch ... more -
Games less virtual, more reality
While most massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) are based on fantasy worlds, there is a growing trend for a new kind of game that merges the real world with the virtual.
Rather than taking on the persona of a mythical character who goes on quests, players of this new breed of game compete against one another in real sports, based in the real world.
At first glance, these games resemble racing simulations, but - with unparalleled realism and the ability to race against a large number of people, including professionals - they represent a cut above the rest.
iRacing is an internet-based auto racing simulation system in which drivers can race against dozens of other online participants on race tracks modelled on the real thing. This is the latest offering from Dave Kaemmer, who is responsible for other racing simulation video game titles including NASCAR Racing. While most massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) are based on fantasy worlds, there is a growing trend for a new kind of game that... more -
THE X-RATED GRANDMA - When I Started Stripping
I love Opal....how many people have the balls, let alone a senior citizen, to sit in front of a camera in their underwear and bra, while drinking coffee, talking about their stripping days from 35 years ago? I love it....
Keep 'em coming, Opal!!! Keep blowing minds!!!
Can't wait for the feature film.... I love Opal....how many people have the balls, let alone a senior citizen, to sit in front of a camera in their underwear and bra, whi... more -
Isola dei famosi. Con Luxuria che fa la “regina foggiana” il sociale non viene fuo...
I naufraghi si riuniscono per mangiare il riso. Vladimir, divertita e divertente: Mangio con le mani senza perdere la femminilita’! Poi esclama: Buono! Un po’ al dente, con ricetta nuova: acqua di mare diluita con acqua dolce. Flavia, sempre preoccupata dall’eccessivo consumo di acqua, indagatrice: Quanta?! Vladimir, prendendola in giro: Tantissima, al punto che oggi alle cinque non ci sara’ ... continua I naufraghi si riuniscono per mangiare il riso. Vladimir, divertita e divertente: Mangio con le mani senza perdere la femminilita’! Po... more
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Politico gay o ragazzo del ‘68, Luca Argentero fa il pieno al cinema.
Conversazione con l’attore, che ha fatto anche il giurato nel concorso “Young Directors Project”: che bello l’entusiasmo di quei ragazzi… Nei prossimi mesi lo vedremo in tre film, tra cui quello di Placido sulla contestazione. “Non mi imbarazza aver partecipato al Grande Fratello, ma non lo consiglierei”. Avrebbe potuto non avere il (meritato) successo cinematografico da cui è stato baciato, Luca Argentero. Non liberarsi mai quel marchio di “ex” Grande Fratello, che sembra perseguitare coloro che sono transitati per la più celebre Casa ... continua Conversazione con l’attore, che ha fatto anche il giurato nel concorso “Young Directors Project”: che bello l’entusiasmo di quei ragaz... more
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