Does anybody really know what time it is?

In Memory of Ed

Tiger's Toadies - (real friends or real jerks?)

Q.) What do you call a person who purposefully surrounds themselves with ass-kissers so they can be king?

A.) King of the ass-kissers!


Tiger's 'pals' are toadies
By PHIL MUSHNICK
December 3, 2009

Hiya, kids! Your pal Tiger here again. Ready for your Be A Good Sport Tip of the Day? Today, let's work on our driving:

Say you're out for a spin at 2:25 in the morning and, oopsie, you smash up the car, knock over a lamppost and maybe a mailbox.

Now, when the police ask you to answer a few questions, do what Tiger does: Tell the police to buzz off!

And tell Mom and Dad you want Tiger Woods-signature Nike clothing and equipment for Christmas! Just Do It! Your pal - Tiger.

So what's the cost of good advice that it's too expensive for Tiger Woods? It seems that all he had to do was face the music before it became deafening. Disarm the alarm quickly, honestly, openly: "We're having some marital issues. Things, right now, are not good, but we hope to resolve them, one way or another. I've cooperated with the police in this matter. Thank you."

Chances are that much of what's blowing in would've blown itself out by now. Some of it wouldn't have even caught the wind. "Hey, from the start, he admitted his marriage is on the rocks, didn't he?" Or did Woods & Co. really think that they could keep the lid on a can of half-opened stink? Why, because he's Tiger Woods?

Woods was long ago attached to a climate-controlled, rep-firm-at-work immaculate image. Some recognized it from the start as nauseatingly bogus. It figures that Team Tiger on Saturday came up with a plan to send Woods into a bunker that no sand wedge, even in Tiger Woods' hands, could beat. But hadn't Woods & Co. always gotten its way? This would be just another sweet up and down to save par.

Playing the Phoenix Open in 1999, Woods, starting his third full year as a pro but already identified as extra super special, hit his drive behind a boulder. His approach to the green was blocked. No problem. A dozen spectators teamed to shove that boulder out of his way. A boulder that took 12 men to move was deemed, as per The Rules of Golf, "a loose impediment" -- it was for Tiger Woods.

On TV, that day, and for weeks to come, the announcers thought that boulder-shoving scene was great. Most media did, or so they claimed. So what that such an unnatural advantage wouldn't have been extended to some anonymous schnook who was trying to make a paycheck in that tournament, everyone loves Tiger!

But that was never the point. A few party poopers -- I was one -- didn't see the sport in what had happened. It set a bad example -- for Woods. He didn't have to deal with a boulder that was in his way; boulders are for the other guys to deal with.

I was hoping that Woods would have called the do-gooders off that rock, that he'd have recognized that such use/misuse of the rules is excessive, that it violated the "spirit of the rules" (failed the smell test).

But Woods passed on this golden opportunity to prove that he's a sportsman, that he'd do as everyone else must, that under the circumstances, he'd just have to do the best he could.

Ten years later, that boulder is back. This time, though, he had to deal with it, do the best he could. Unaccustomed to such circumstances, he didn't deal with them very well.

But when you grow accustomed to having it your way, every time, all the time, and you're surrounded by those who either serve that end or established it and maintain it, good advice isn't allowed past the gatehouse.

I've often wondered whether Donald Trump, for all his dough, has a real-deal best friend, the kind who can tell him when he's acting like a jerk and remain his best friend. Or does he surround himself with acolytes he confuses as friends, backslappers who tell him what he wants to hear -- or risk excommunication? I suspect it's the latter.

And I suspect that began to become Woods' reality, too. Woods' "pals" allowed him to think that he could beat this because he's Tiger Woods. A real friend wouldn't have allowed him to think such a foolish thing.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/jerk_pals_are_toadies_lfLSiR6Ryu4HUkRNrmLZPM
Copyright 2009 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

Who is Rosi Golan?

Rosi Golan is an Israeli born singer songwriter who has made many stops in her travels, including Germany, Paris, and finally ending up in Los Angeles at the age of nine, where she grew up. During her travels, she not only managed to hone her infectiously melodic songwriting, but also learned to speak three languages fluently: French, Hebrew and English.

Rosi Golan is the sensuous voice behind the very popular TV commercial for State Street Global Advisors. You know...the one with the cute dogs and the buried treasure. Have a look.



Many have asked if the song in that commercial is available in it's full length, and for now according to Rosi the answer is...well, no...at least not yet. We need not worry 'bout that anyway, because Rosi is everywhere, and thankfully so. If you would like to hear or download a short uncut version of the Buried Treasure theme song here is the link from the State Street website. Buried Treasure

Buried treasure indeed. For more Rosi, check out her debut CD (2008), The Drifter and the Gypsy. An 11-song record that has already yielded 7 placements on such shows as One Tree Hill (“Come Around”, “Been A Long Day” and “Hazy”), Private Practice (“Lullaby”) and Ghost Whisperer (“Come Around”). Her song “Shine” is the anthem for the international Pantene campaign and “C’est L’amour” is currently licensed to Chicco Clothing with ads in Italy, Portugal and Sweden. You can also look for Rosi in an ad campaign this Christmas from J.C Penny.

Rosi, a Kobalt Music writer, has co-written numerous songs for other artists, including “Let Me Out”, a single from Ben’s Brother debut CD (EMI/Virgin). The song was featured on Grey’s Anatomy and nominated for the prestigious Ivor Novello songwriting award for Best Song.

Rosi has recently toured with William Fitzsimmons (who duets with her on “Hazy”) as well as Greg Laswell, Ari Hest and Jay Nash. She's been featured in Billboard Magazine and Performing Songwriter and her song “Think of Me” was the recipient of the ASCAP’s first Robert Allen Award for songwriting.

Here is the version of HAZY, featuring William Fitzsimmons...



If that doesn't get you, check out this beautifully performed cover.



Bravo! Very well done. I Thank you for that!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Here are the lyrics and chords for Hazy:

HAZY - A song by Rosi Golan

It’s a pretty simple song.

GUITAR - capo 5th fret
INTRO - G-D-Em-C
VERSE - G-Em-C-D...repeat, then...C-D-C-D
REFRAIN - G-D-Em-C 3 times, then at "oh" ...Am-C, then at humming...G-C-G-C
STRUMMING PATTERN - down, up, up, down, up, up, down, up, down

Capo 5

INTRO: G-D-Em-C

VERSE:

G.............Em.......C...............D
I watched you sleeping quietly in my bed

G.............Em................C...................................D
You don’t know this now, but there’s some things that need to be said

C..................D
It’s all that I can hear

C.......................D
It’s more than I can bear

REFRAIN:

G...........D.................Em
What if I fall, and hurt myself?

..........C.................G
Would you know how to fix me?

D................Em
What if I went and lost myself?

......................C
Would you know where to find me?

G...........D..........Em......................C
If I forgot who I am, would you please remind me?

Am..............C
Oh, cause without you things go hazy

G-C-G-C
Humming

Repeats again with the guy singing.
Then with both singing the refrain to end the song.

It’s a very awesome song and great duet song. Enjoy :)

COCA-COLA: THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE REAL THING

A CNBC Original, "COCA-COLA: THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE REAL THING" will premiere on Wednesday, November 11th at 9PM. It will re-air that night at 10PM, 12AM and 1AM. (ALL TIMES ARE ET)

The show will also repeat on the following dates:

Thursday, November 12th at 8PM

Sunday, November 15th at 10PM

ABOUT THE SHOW

With unprecedented access, CNBC pulls back the curtain on Coca-Cola, the most recognizable brand on the planet. In an original one-hour documentary, "Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing," CNBC's Melissa Lee reveals never-before-seen labs, secret archives and high-tech product testing. Cameras follow Coke's urgent campaign to reinvent itself after years of losing ground to arch-rival Pepsi in the race to develop new, blockbuster beverages. Meet the men and women whose mission it is to put the buzz back in the bottles and see how Coke gets its drinks into the mouths of people in the farthest corners of the globe. From the production line to "Cola Wars," discover the secret that makes Coke pop.

Coke’s Innovation Lab

People say “yes” to coke more than a billion times each day around the globe. But for Coke, that’s not enough. We visit Coca-Cola’s innovation lab --- a war room where Coke plots how to get you to buy more and buy it more often.

An American Classic

Perhaps no product is more embedded in the history of American culture than Coca-Cola. The classic curvy shape of a bottle of Coke is recognized around the globe. A visit to the company’s archives is a lesson in how powerful marketing can turn something as simple as soda into an icon.

The Pepsi Challenge

In the early 1980’s Coca-Cola began an epic battle with Pepsi. The Pepsi Challenge was all too real. Coke conducted its own taste tests and the order was given to change Coke’s 99-year old formula – resulting in one of the great blunders in American business.

Bottlers

The bottlers do something the Coca-Cola company doesn’t do: make Coca-Cola. Not only do the bottlers make the secret blend of ingredients that give Coke its flavor, but they also distribute the entire line of Coke beverages to retailers.

Show Time... Monday... 9:30 AM...

DOW 10,000: "We suspect the food is tainted..."

The stock rally could have legs after a line of better-than-expected third-quarter earnings reports, but Art Cashin, head of floor operations at UBS, said he isn't yet convinced.

"The banquet looks stupendous, I hear the wine is great," he said. "You guys can party on, but some of us are going to sit on the sideline like wallflowers."

High Places (((revisited)))

The Birdmen

In the latest craze that has killed several extreme adventurers, men don wing suits, jump off mountain tops and glide at speeds of 140 miles per hour.

60 Minutes' Steve Kroft reports, "Some people call them "birdmen," -- and we first learned about them on the Internet."

Transcript:

To the extent that Holmes and the others ever get nervous, it usually comes at a time that many people might consider one of the most mundane legs of the trip, when the end is in sight.

When asked what the most dangerous part of the jump is, Holmes said, "The most important thing is to open that parachute, you know. Just that moment, when you reach back. And throw the pilot chute out there, which extracts your parachute. That's the most critical thing. I mean, if you don't do that, you're not gonna live through it."

But getting down the mountain, which only takes a minute or so, is just part of the extreme sport. The much longer and arduous part involves scaling the mountains you are going to jump off.

"How long does it take to get up to the ledge where you go from?" Kroft asked.

"This one's about an hour and a half. But, you know, some of 'em are up to four, five, six hours for the big, big mountains around here," Holmes explained.

There are no chairlifts, which explains why Holmes, Julian Boulle, and Tom Erik Heiman are members of such a small and exclusive club. You have to be a skilled climber, an accomplished skydiver and an experienced outdoorsman to even attempt to do this.

"You know, it's that first view, looking over the edge that really hits you. You're like, 'Whoa, cool. This is an amazing spot to fly,'" Holmes said.

"Money can't buy you this experience," Boulle explained. "You've got to have the passion to do your time. If you haven't done the time, you just can't get there. You can't arrive with like $10,000 and buy a wingsuit experience."

"What do you have to know? What kind of skills do you have to have to be able to do what you do?" Kroft asked.

"You need to just have some mountain sense. You know, 'How long am I gonna be? What if something goes wrong? How long is it gonna be until I can get back if the weather comes in?' You need to know yourself. 'How much water do I need to have? Can I realistically walk up this mountain for two hours? Or is that not within my physical capabilities?'" Holmes said.

It looks spontaneous, but the birdmen put together a detailed plan every time they jump.

Full Transcript at CBS.com


(((Older Post)))

(((Base Jumping)))

Something you will never see

Not Your Ordinary Love Story:(

Capitalism: A Love Story is the newly released title of Oscar-winner Michael Moore’s latest documentary feature. In Capitalism, Moore returns to the issue that began his career: the disastrous impact that corporate dominance and out-of-control profit motives have on the lives of Americans and citizens of the world.

Moore has said that this film was made for an audience of one. When asked, what he means by that, Moore answered, "I wanted to scare Obama. I didn't make this for the general audience, I made it for him. I want him to know that we know, and that he is on notice. If he ultimately sides with Wall Street in all of this, my next film will make Fahrenheit look like a Disney movie."

So when all is said and done, I suppose we can look forward to at least one more docudrama from Michael Moore. May I suggest a working title? How 'bout calling it 'OOPS!'.

...............

"The main point Moore wants to make, the thing that drives him craziest, is his notion that capitalism, far from being a system that rewards excellence, is a scheme set up to make a profit on absolutely anything. "

Los Angeles Times
- Kenneth Turan

...............

"No matter what side of the political fence you're on or what you think of Moore as an activist and provocateur, a film that explores the economic meltdown and its historical roots is something most of us can get our heads around."

USA Today
- Claudia Puig

...............

Capitalism: A Love Story
Opened October 2, 2009 -- Runtime:2 hr. 7 min.
Rated R (language)

No tears for Polanski: here's my vote

You do the crime, you do the time -- or at least pay the bill.

Roman Polanski said he'd pay to end victim's lawsuit
Then failed to live up to the terms of the agreement
By Harriet Ryan and Joe Mozingo, Los Angeles Times

Roman Polanski agreed to pay the victim in his child-sex case at least $500,000 as part of a civil settlement, but then failed to live up to the terms of the agreement, according to court filings reviewed Friday. The documents leave open the question of whether the fugitive filmmaker has ever paid the money he promised in the confidential 1993 settlement with Samantha Geimer. In 1996, she was still trying to get the funds and even attempted to garnish his pay from movie studios. The deal they hammered out called, in part, for Polanski to pay Geimer $500,000 with interest no later than Oct. 11, 1995, according to filings by her attorney. The deadline came and went with no check from Polanski, her attorneys alleged in court documents. A court ordered a formal judgment against Polanski for the amount plus interest -- just over $600,000. The following year, her attorneys enlisted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in an attempt to garnish money intended for Polanski from movie studios, his agent and the Screen Actors Guild, the records show.

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

The first ever wild card entrant to win the U.S Open, Kim Clijsters celebrates her Grand Slam victory in Times Square -- NYC style.

What A Difference A Day Makes

Kim Clijsters beats Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-3 taking the grand slam title last night at the U.S. Open.

Serena Williams (2) gets Cl_sters F_cked -- U.S. Open Semifinal Style -- 6-4, 7-5

Talk about foot fault. How 'bout foot in the mouth fault?

Not a lot of love last night in Flushing Meadows as Serena Williams was defeated by her, -- as Ralph Kramden would say -- "Biiiiiig Moooooouth".

Williams lost by default, although it was obvious to all that Kim Clijsters was going to win the match, regardless.

Serena Williams was serving at 5-6, 15-30 in the second set, faulting on her first serve. On her second serve, a line judge called a foot fault, making it a double-fault, which made the score 15-40, putting Kim Clijsters one point from victory. Serena then turns to the line judge yelling, cursing and threatening the judge.

Williams said, “I swear to God I’m [F_cking] going to take this [F_cking] ball and shove it down your [F_cking] throat, you hear that? I swear to God.”

The line judge was called over to the chair umpire, tournament referee Brian Earley and Serena Williams joined them, and was heard defending herself, saying, “Sorry, but there are a lot of people who’ve said way worse. I didn’t say I would kill you. Are you serious? I didn’t say that.”

The decision was made. Serena got a point penalty for a code violation of unsportsmanlike conduct. Kim Clijsters wins by default, overshadowing the fact that she clearly out played Serena, her victory celebration -- only moments away -- was marred because of what had happened.

Tournament referee Brian Earley stated “She was called for a foot fault, and a point later, she said something to a line umpire, and it was reported to the chair, and that resulted in a point penalty, and it just happened that point penalty was match point. It was a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.”

It is what it is, -- unsportsmanlike conduct -- okay, unacceptable conduct, but let's face it, after all is said and done, Serena exibits a desired level of excitement to an otherwise blandish sport.


Serena Williams Interview

Saturday, September 12, 2009

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. To the best of your knowledge, what did you say to the lineswoman out there?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I said something that I guess they gave me a point penalty. Unfortunately it was on match point.


Q. What did you say?

SERENA WILLIAMS: What did I say? You didn't hear? Oh.


Q. What is your consideration of what the linesperson did? Obviously you had a problem with it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah. Clearly just -- in all year I don't -- I've never been foot faulted, and then suddenly in this tournament they keep calling foot faults.

I'm not saying I don't, but like -- I don't know. You know, I'm not going to sit here and make an excuse. If I foot fault, I did. It was what it was, and that's basically all it was.


Q. Do you think that the lineswoman had any reason to feel threatened? Apparently she says she felt threatened.

SERENA WILLIAMS: She says she felt threatened? She said this to you?


Q. I'm just repeating what has been said that she told the chair umpire.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I've never been in a fight in my whole life, so I don't know why she would have felt threatened.


Q. Is it your impression that the chair umpire called her to get her side of it, or did she volunteer her side of it to the chair umpire?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I think she volunteered and went over there and said some things. I don't know. I wasn't there. I was getting ready for the next point.


Q. How devastated are you that a match of this caliber had to end that way?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, you know, I'm just clearly not happy, but it was -- I don't know. Like, I mean, obviously I wanted to fight.

I always fight when I'm down and keep going. I planned on hitting a couple of aces, but I guess it didn't work out.


Q. Kim looked absolutely stricken, too.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't think she understood maybe. I don't think she actually understood it was a point penalty, which meant that I lost that point, which meant that I lost the match.

So that was kind of the whole thing. And I think maybe the umpire should have said something.


Q. Did you say something to the umpire to be misconstrued as a threat? Did you say something to the linesperson that could be construed as a threat?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't threaten. I didn't say -- I don't remember anymore, to be honest. I was in the moment. And, you know, everyone's fighting for every point. It was a really crucial point, 15-30, actually.

And, you know, at that point you just kind of keep going.


Q. Did you realize when the linesperson went to the net and went to the chair umpire that you already had the violation from the first set and that this could mean a point penalty in the end of the match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I didn't think I would get a point penalty. I didn't think about it. So, you know, I've been more positive on the court lately.

You know, today was a tough day. I didn't play my best. I kind of felt like I had more errors today I think than all my matches combined.

And it was just -- it was just really tough for me out there.


Q. What degree do you think this taints defeat?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't think it does. I think that Kim played really well, and I think she came out with a really big plan. I think that, you know, the next time we play I'll know a little bit more about her game, what to expect, and, you know, what to do.


Q. Do you regret losing your temper though both after the first set and after the foot fault?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I haven't really thought about it to have any regrets. I try to -- I've done -- you know, I try not to live my life saying, I wish, I wish. But, you know, I was out there and I fought and I tried and I did my best.


Q. To what extent do you think maybe the weather and maybe uncertainty of the matches contributed to you maybe losing your temper?

SERENA WILLIAMS: What? That's like the craziest question I ever heard. Weather make you lose your temper? Usually if it's hot you lose your temper, not when it's cold. Come on.


Q. Did it affect your focus?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it didn't necessarily affect my focus. I'm a really, really intense player, and I always have been. I mean, my idol is John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova, so -- and Monica Seles, actually. It's kind of a big mixture.

But I just am a really intense person, and I give 200% in everything I do, whether I'm playing tennis or whether I am doing something else. I just go for it.


Q. You've always prided yourself on being an extremely forthright player, and with us here in the press room. Could you tell us what you said on court, please?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't think that's necessary for me to speak about that. I've let it go, and I'm trying to better -- to, you know, to get -- to move on.


Q. On court it was picked up where you said, I would never say such-and-such to you.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Because I think she said I would kill you, and I was like, What? I was like, Wait a minute.

But then I had misheard. She had never said that. So that was just something -- I was like, Whoa. Because I was like, Wait a minute. Let's not -- because I'm not that way. So.

She was like, No, I didn't say that. She said something else. I said, Oh, okay. I get it. And I was totally fine, because at that point I realized I got a point penalty and it was match point.

What can I do? I'm not going to complain. It was what it was.


Q. What did she say you said?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. Like I said, I wasn't there. I was actually at the baseline preparing my serve, and I think maybe she went to the umpire at that point. Actually I didn't even see her walk over to the umpire, so I have no idea what she did.


Q. Are you surprised what a high level Kim plays after being out of the game for two and a half years? You know her from before.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, no, I think that -- I mean, I wasn't surprised, because I saw her play I think in Cincinnati, and she played incredible. I thought, wow, you know, this is someone to watch out for.

I think it's really good to have her back on the tour. Maybe we can get together and have some calming lessons.


Q. Kim seemed not to want the match to end that way. What did she say to you when you went up to shake hands?

SERENA WILLIAMS: She said she was sorry, and I was like, it wasn't her fault. It was just a point penalty, just at a bad time, basically.

So I just said, Good luck.


Q. What did Venus have to say for you after the match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, you know, I don't -- that was between me and V.


Q. Do you feel like others have been more angry in tennis matches and not lost them on a code violation?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. You know, I'm not -- I feel like there's been -- you know, I was watching lots of matches just because of all the rain coverage. There have been a lot of things out there, a lot of arguments in the past. And, you know, they unfortunately -- well, fortunately didn't lose the match.

But, you know, I just -- like I said, you know, things always -- I don't know. It's fine. I'm moving on.


Q. How will you look back on this, Serena? How will you look back on this match and the way it ended?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Um, I haven't had a chance to think about it. I feel that I could have played better again. I feel that Kim played an incredible match, and, you know, she definitely came out with a plan. I'm glad I got a chance to play, because now I know what to expect and what to do and what to work on.

I think there's so many things that I can do on the court to actually do better, so that's why I can think about what I can do better and learn from it, which I think is actually exciting.


Q. Just to follow on this, how much of your body language on the court, you know, played a part in her thinking otherwise on what happened out there today?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Honestly, I don't understand your question, and I'm sorry. I just didn't... I couldn't relate to it.


Q. Let me ask the question like this: If you were to do anything different than what happened out on the court, what would you do?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think I would come to the net a little bit more. I think I didn't play aggressive enough tennis, and I would try not to make any errors. I didn't -- I wasn't at my A game or B game today, so that's what I would do different.


Q. Your book talks so much about how you've learned from different experiences and really advanced your life. Aside from the X and is Os of strokes, what do you think you'll learn from this situation?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think that I'll learn that, you know, it pays to always play your best and always be your best and always act your best no matter what.

And I think that I'm, you know, I'm young and I feel like in life everyone has to have experience that they take and that they learn from, and I think that's great that I have an opportunity to still be physically fit to go several more years and learn from the past.

I like to learn from the past, live in the present, and not make the same mistakes in the future.


Q. Who actually informed you? Was it the umpire who informed you of the point penalty?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, it was -- is it -- it was Brian Earley who said I had a point penalty. I was like, Okay, wait. That means the match. And so it was him that informed me.


Q. Do you think it was an unfair decision apart from when it happened?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Um, the system -- the system goes if you have a code violation, then I guess the next one -- well, usually goes warning, then -- I don't know. Whatever.

So I guess I was at the next stage, and I just think it was at a bad time.


Q. You seemed to let go very quickly right after the match. Being the last point, match point, does that have anything to do with if it wasn't the match point you still would have been able to let go of it so quickly? That was pretty impressive when you think about it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. And I appreciate you saying that. But if I -- you know, it was a situation where -- I lost my train of thought. Can you repeat that question?


Q. You were able to let go of the emotions. You're very calm now. It was, Hey, you know, you lost.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I try to be really professional. I think Kim played a wonderful match, and I think I played good, too. I think I could have played better, and I actually feel like I can go home and I can actually do better, which I'm really excited about.

There's someone out there that makes me want to go home and makes me want to work out and makes me want to run and do better. I can't wait to do that. I think that when I was down, you know, what was I -- I'm not the beggar, like, Please, please, let me have another chance, because it was the rules, and I play by the rules.

If I get hit, I say I got hit, you know. I play by the rules. That's what it was.


Q. How do you think Kim is playing in comparison to how she played before she retired?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I, um, live in the moment a little too much. I don't quite remember how she played before she retired, but I think now she's playing incredible. I remember her being a wonderful mover, and she's moving really well now, as well. So I think she's -- I don't know.


Q. Do you think the lineswoman deserves an apology?

SERENA WILLIAMS: An apology for?


Q. From you.

SERENA WILLIAMS: From me?


Q. For the yelling and what you said.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, how many people yell at linespeople? So I think, you know, if you look at -- I don't know. All the people that, you know, kind of yell at linespeople, I think it's -- kind of comes sometimes. Players, athletes get frustrated. I don't know how many times I've seen that happen.


Q. How does this compare to seeing the tiebreaker count get lost at Wimbledon?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, this is no comparison to that. That was completely absurd. It wasn't Venus at fault at all. This was a point where I had a point penalty just on match point.


Q. If you could say something now to that linesperson, what would you say now that you've calmed down and had a chance to think about what happened?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, yeah, I haven't quite thought about that yet, and, you know, maybe I'll see her.


Q. Have you ever had a point penalty before?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Um, I'm not quite sure. Have I, do you think?

I used to have a real temper, and I've gotten a lot better. So I know you don't believe me, but I used to be worse. Yes, yes, indeed.


Q. How many times were you called for a foot fault during this tournament?

SERENA WILLIAMS: A lot. I mean, compared to all year? A lot. I haven't been called for a foot fault all year until I got to New York, so maybe when I come to this tournament I have to step two feet back.


Q. Would you be interested to see if you actually foot faulted?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm pretty sure I did. If she called a foot fault, she must have seen a foot fault. I mean, she was doing her job. I'm not going to knock her for not doing her job.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interviews/2009-09-12/200909121252748398140.html

Welcome Back To Reality...

You know what they say. Believe in one hand, sh!t in the other, and see which one fills up first. I wonder if that can fit on a pair of sneaks.

Build 'em up, tear 'em down. That's the way of the world!

Oudin - Petrova 1-6, 7-6, 6-3

The Cinderella story continues as Melanie Oudin creates magic in Flushing Meadows, New York. Down goes Dementieva. Down goes Sharapova. Down goes Petrova.

America's sweetheart does it again with another three set victory, getting plenty of mileage out of her sneaks, and slamming her way to the quarter finals.

Oudin - Sharapova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 (BELIEVE)

Oudin's latest win was the biggest so far: She knocked off three-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 Sharapova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 Saturday to reach the U.S. Open's fourth round.

"I can compete with these top girls," Melanie Oudin said. "And if I believe in myself, and my game, then I can beat them."

She's wearing pink-and-yellow sneakers with the word "BELIEVE" stamped near the heel -- it was her boyfriend's idea -- and that mantra clearly has served Oudin well.

"I just had a blast," said Oudin, who buried her face in a towel and sobbed on the sideline when the match ended.

"I don't even know what to say right now," Oudin said, choking back tears in her post-match interview in Arthur Ashe Stadium. "Thank you so much for cheering for me."

It wasn't all that long ago that Sharapova was the up-and-comer, the 17-year-old who won Wimbledon, then tried to make a cell phone call to Mom right there on Centre Court.

So heed Sharapova's words when she says of Oudin: "I certainly think she has a great future ahead of her."

Oudin - Dementieva 5-7, 6-4, 6-3

Melanie Oudin, a 5-foot-6, blond 17-year-old from Marietta, Ga., wearing customized yellow and purple sneakers adorned with the word 'believe' has suddenly forced her way into the conversation.

Despite playing with a strained illitibiol band in her left leg, Melanie Oudin pulled off the biggest upset of this U.S. Open by defeating No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 on a beautiful sun-splashed afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Double-Dip Recession???

"Tell me a story!"

Don Hewitt (December 14, 1922 – August 19, 2009)

The founder and executive producer of 60 Minutes, Don Hewitt died at age 86.

Hewitt wrote in his 2001 memoir Tell Me a Story. "We could make news entertaining, without compromising our integrity."

3 Days, 30 Years - Happy Anniversary! :)

Performing Songwriter

After 16 years and 118 issues, the independently published Performing Songwriter magazine ceased publication with the June 2009 issue.

As founder Lydia Hutchinson said, “It has never been just a magazine. It’s the community that formed around it and supported it, and it just wore the clothes of a publication. The community is still there, steadfast and strong; it’s simply time to change clothes.”

NO EXIT

No Exit is the source of perhaps Sartre's most famous quotation, "l'enfer, c'est les autres." "Hell is other people."

No Exit would have been far less meaningful, metaphorically, if the one locked door had not swung open at the end of the play, showing us that the continuation of any state of existence is as much a matter of choice as it is anything else.

SIRI - Chasing Sirius - Beware The "Bird Pattern"

Yeah Baby!!!

Dr. Doom - Nouriel Roubini

Those who believe in a second half recovery this year "are delusional" he says.

The man who predicted the current financial crisis said the US recession could drag on for years without drastic action.

Among his solutions: fix the housing market by breaking "every mortgage contract."

"We are in the 15th month of a recession," said Nouriel Roubini, a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, told CNBC in a live interview. "Growth is going to be close to zero and unemployment rate well above 10 percent into next year."





Echoing a speech he made earlier in the day, Roubini said he sees "no hope for the recession ending in 2009 and will more than likely last into 2010."

Roubini, who is also known as "Dr. Doom," told CNBC that the risk of a total meltdown has been reversed for now but that the economy is going through "a death by a thousand cuts." He also said that "most of the U.S. financial institutions are entirely insolvent."

"The market friendly view for the banks is nationalization," said Roubini. "Temporarily take over the banks, clean them up and get them working again."

"We could end up ... with a 36-month recession, that could be L-shaped stagnation, or near depression," Roubini said. He puts the chance of a severe U-shaped recession at 66.7 percent, and a less severe L-shaped recession at 33.3 percent.

"If you expect prices to be lower tomorrow, why would you buy today?", asked Roubini. He says it's easier to break out of am inflationary cycle than a deflationary one, and while a year of deflation "is okay," longer would be "a disaster."

So what can the government do? The easy part is lowering interest rates and buying toxic assets. The hard part, he says, will be tackling housing. Roubini says that the housing market, like a company restructuring in bankruptcy, needs to have "face value reduction of the debt." Rather than go through mortgages one by one, he says reduction has to be "across the board...break every mortgage contract."

Roubini also took issue with the $800 billion stimulus package, saying it's not enough. For one thing, there's only $200 billion upfront, and half of that is a tax cut, which Roubini calls "a waste of money" that is not going to make a difference.

Finally, while he says there will be "a light at the end of the tunnel", it'll probably get worse before it gets better.

Those who believe in a second half recovery this year "are delusional" he says.

In fact, based on Roubini's calculations, we could conceivably see the S&P 500 at 500, the Dow at 5000.

The Bigger They Are...The Bigger They Are! "America's best days lie ahead."

Berkshire Hathaway Reports Worst Year Ever
By SCOTT PATTERSON

Mr. Buffett, in his annual letter closely read by shareholders and nonshareholders alike, said he didn't expect an improved economy any time soon but did expect better times eventually.

"Our country has faced far worse travails in the past," he said. "Without fail, however, we've overcome them." He declined to draw a correlation between stocks and economics, saying that while he was certain the economy would be "in shambles for 2009" that "does not tell us whether the stock market will rise or fall."

Mr. Buffett credited the federal government for stepping in with massive assistance last year, saying the intervention was "essential" to avoiding a total breakdown. But he cautioned there could be "unwelcome aftereffects," such as inflation.

Berkshire's annual net income fell to $4.99 billion in 2008 from $13.21 billion the previous year amid poor results from the firm's insurance holdings and big declines in stock holdings such as Coca-Cola Co. and American Express Co. Berkshire also owns See's Candy, Fruit of the Loom and Benjamin Moore paint, which are privately held, but its insurance businesses (GEICO) generate the bulk of the parent company's results.

Mr. Buffett conceded in his letter that he "did some dumb things" in the past year, such as boosting the company's holdings of the oil giant ConocoPhillips when oil prices were near their peak. Since then, oil prices have tumbled and shares of ConocoPhillips and many other energy outfits are down sharply.

He also said he made a $244 million investment in two Irish banks "that appeared cheap." At year-end, Berkshire wrote the holdings down to their market value of $27 million, an 89% loss on the investment.

The letter also provided new details on some moves Mr. Buffett made in late 2008 as the credit crisis worsened. Berkshire invested $14.5 billion in fixed-income securities from companies such as General Electric Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. To fund the purchases, the letter says, he sold part of his holdings in ConocoPhillips, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble Co.--"holdings I would have preferred to keep," he said.



Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA and NYSE: BRKB) is a conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. Berkshire Hathaway's core business is insurance, including property and casualty insurance, reinsurance and specialty nonstandard insurance. The Company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years, while employing large amounts of capital, and minimal debt.

Warren Buffett is the company's chairman and CEO. Buffett has used the "float" provided by Berkshire Hathaway's insurance operations (a policyholder's money which it holds temporarily until claims are paid out) to finance his investments.

Berkshire's class A shares sold for $96,600 as of December 31, 2008, making them the highest-priced shares on the New York Stock Exchange, in part because they have never had a stock split. Shares closed over $100,000 for the first time on October 23, 2006 and closed at an all-time high of $150,000 on December 13, 2007.

Berkshire's CEO, Warren Buffett, is respected for his investment prowess and his deep understanding of a wide spectrum of businesses. His annual chairman letters are read and quoted widely.



The following is an excerpt from Warren Buffett's 2008 Shareholder Letter

To the Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.:

Our decrease in net worth during 2008 was $11.5 billion, which reduced the per-share book value of both our Class A and Class B stock by 9.6%. Over the last 44 years (that is, since present management took over) book value has grown from $19 to $70,530, a rate of 20.3% compounded annually.*

The table on the preceding page, recording both the 44-year performance of Berkshire’s book value and the S&P 500 index, shows that 2008 was the worst year for each. The period was devastating as well for corporate and municipal bonds, real estate and commodities. By yearend, investors of all stripes were bloodied
and confused, much as if they were small birds that had strayed into a badminton game.

As the year progressed, a series of life-threatening problems within many of the world’s great financial institutions was unveiled. This led to a dysfunctional credit market that in important respects soon turned non-functional. The watchword throughout the country became the creed I saw on restaurant walls when I was young: “In God we trust; all others pay cash.”

By the fourth quarter, the credit crisis, coupled with tumbling home and stock prices, had produced a paralyzing fear that engulfed the country. A freefall in business activity ensued, accelerating at a pace that I have never before witnessed. The U.S. – and much of the world – became trapped in a vicious negative-feedback cycle. Fear led to business contraction, and that in turn led to even greater fear.

This debilitating spiral has spurred our government to take massive action. In poker terms, the Treasury and the Fed have gone “all in.” Economic medicine that was previously meted out by the cupful has recently been dispensed by the barrel. These once-unthinkable dosages will almost certainly bring on unwelcome aftereffects. Their precise nature is anyone’s guess, though one likely consequence is an onslaught of inflation.

Moreover, major industries have become dependent on Federal assistance, and they will be followed by cities and states bearing mind-boggling requests. Weaning these entities from the public teat will be a political challenge. They won’t leave willingly.

Whatever the downsides may be, strong and immediate action by government was essential last year if the financial system was to avoid a total breakdown. Had that occurred, the consequences for every area of our economy would have been cataclysmic. Like it or not, the inhabitants of Wall Street, Main Street and the various Side Streets of America were all in the same boat.

Amid this bad news, however, never forget that our country has faced far worse travails in the past. In the 20th Century alone, we dealt with two great wars (one of which we initially appeared to be losing); a dozen or so panics and recessions; virulent inflation that led to a 211⁄2% prime rate in 1980; and the Great Depression of the 1930s, when unemployment ranged between 15% and 25% for many years. America has had no shortage of challenges.

Without fail, however, we’ve overcome them. In the face of those obstacles – and many others – the real standard of living for Americans improved nearly seven-fold during the 1900s, while the Dow Jones Industrials rose from 66 to 11,497. Compare the record of this period with the dozens of centuries during which humans secured only tiny gains, if any, in how they lived. Though the path has not been smooth, our economic system has worked extraordinarily well over time. It has unleashed human potential as no other system has, and it will continue to do so. America’s best days lie ahead.

Friday - Feb 27, 2008 close
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.(Public, NYSE:BRK.A)
78,600.00 +250.00

Yes. That's $78,600.00 per share. Symbol BRK.A
Can't short that...

Rocky Mt News - Final Edition - Creative Destruction??? (no news, is no news!)

Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.

After 149 years and 311 days, the Rocky Moutain News published its FINAL EDITION on February 27, 2009

"The unthinkable has become commonplace"..."An uninformed society breeds a lot of social evils"...Very sad.

Slumdog Millionaire: "D. It is written"

Slumdog Millionaire cleaned up at Sunday night’s Oscars, taking home eight Academy Awards.

Best Picture, Directing, Song, Score, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Cinematography, and Writting (adapted screenplay).

A film made for $13 Million, a nonexistent publicity budget, no recognisable stars, subtitled in Hindi, based on a book written by a part-time writer...if there was one movie that was destined not to sweep the Oscars, surely it was "Slumdog Millionaire".

So, how did it do it?

A. The filmmakers cheated

B. They got lucky

C. It's a work of genius

D. It is written

The story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik became a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" -- an endeavor made without prize money in mind, rather, an effort to prove his love for his friend Latika, who is an ardent fan of the show.

As the movie ends in the happy reunion of Jamal and Latika, the woman he loves, the answer is: "D. It is written".

With Sunday night's success, life imitated art in spectacular fashion.

Winner, Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Hi gang. Thank you very much indeed. There are certain places in the universe you never imagine standing. For me, it's the moon, the South Pole, the Miss World podium and here. It's a tremendous honor, so thank you to the Academy. I certainly wouldn't be standing here tonight without Vikas Swarup, who wrote the book, without which none of Slumdog would ever have happened. So thank you, Vikas.

Tessa Ross from Film4 who shoved the manuscript to my hand and said this is yours, you must go to India. Thank you. My parents who've always supported me throughout everything. My wife Jane, for whom repressed English writers have to write love stories 'cause they can't really say what they mean. Susan Landau and Charlotte Knight, both my manager and my agent, um, and of course, the wonderful Dev, the wonderful Latika and the cast and crew of the film who have taught me so much about India and so much about writing, so they've all sort of changed my life. And finally, um, thank you so much to Danny and Christian, the other two musketeers. Thank you very much.

Slumdog Millionaire - August, 15, 2007 draft script by Simon Beaufoy (based on the novel by Vikas Swarup) - hosted by: Fox Searchlight - in pdf format

The Greatest Depression

www.trendsresearch.com

Gerald Celente is a trend forecaster, author, and CEO of The Trends Research Institute.

Celente was born in The Bronx. His early political experience has included running a mayoral campaign in Yonkers, New York.

In 1979 Celente heard President Carter call The Shah of Iran "a bastion of stability in the Middle East." Celente had been to Iran and saw that a revolution was imminent. He realized Carter was believing what was politically convenient for him to believe and at that point Celente declared himself "a political atheist." Celente invested in gold and oil which he correctly ascertained would soar in value when the Iranian Revolution took place. He took the money he earned and began the Trends Research Institute in 1980.

Gerald Celente founded The Trends Research Institute (initially called the Socio-Economic Research Institute of America) in 1980 in Rhinebeck, New York. Its successful predictions include Black Monday, the fall of the Soviet Union, the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the dot.com bubble burst, the subprime mortgage crisis, and the financial Panic of 2008 including the statement that "corporate giants would tumble to their death." The Trends Research Institute publishes the Trends Journal, a publication that identifies, forecasts and analyzes business, socioeconomic, political, consumer, environmental and other trends. The purpose and focus of the Trends Journal is to inform readers of future trends and provide strategies on how to prepare and profit from what lies ahead.

Celente has criticized the core Consumer Price Index because it does not integrate statistics for food and fuel. He accuses the Federal Reserve of "jive talk" about interest rates, claiming that they are in a "rate trap" where lowering interest rates crashes the dollar and raising them crashes the economy. He claims the Fed is exacerbating the economic crisis of 2008 by "bailing out their buddies with cheap money". He also believes that the general populace has more wisdom regarding the crisis than Wall Street, the media, and the political world. He has repeatedly said the public should not be looking for solutions to the economic crisis from people who failed to see it coming in the first place. Celente is on record with the Hudson Valley Business Journal and UPI presswire service as having stated on November 12, 2007 that the coming year would bring the beginning of an economic crisis "the likes of which no one alive has ever seen."

On November 14, 2008, Celente appeared on Fox Business Network and predicted economic depression, tax rebellions, food riots, and more concern for buying food than Christmas presents by 2012 in the United States. Celente also has predicted in his Top Trends of 2009 newsletter that governments across the country would be squeezing the little guy for every last dime wherever it could.

Celente also predicts in 2009 and beyond food-producing gardens will become common on people's lawns, as resources generally become more scarce. Celente says to escape the mood of economic depression people will be delighting in entertainment and alcohol. Other predictions for 2009 and beyond include a possible revolutionary advance in renewable energy technologies, miracle cures from stem cell research, a shift toward holistic healing practices, and a crash of the overpriced college-industrial complex.

It's a dog-eat-dog world...Sirius(ly)

UPDATE: Sirius XM Reiterates Bankruptcy Potential On Tuesday
February 13, 2009: 02:23 PM ET
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200902131423DOWJONESDJONLINE000825_FORTUNE5.htm

(Updates throughout with details, background and comments from hedge fund manager and analyst)

By Nat Worden and Andrew Edwards

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Gamesmanship between media moguls in a high-stakes standoff over control of the satellite radio industry continued Friday as Sirius XM Radio Inc. (SIRI) reiterated that it could file for bankruptcy as early as Tuesday if it can't reach a deal to meet its mounting debt obligations.

That disclosure came as the embattled satellite-radio provider announced it exchanged $172.5 million in notes that come due in December for new notes that come due in June 2011.

The move doesn't address the $175 million in bonds that mature Tuesday and are majority-owned by satellite mogul Charles Ergen, according to The Wall Street Journal. Because of the pending bond payment Tuesday, many see Sirius's fate being decided this weekend.

The Journal reported Friday that Sirius XM has significantly narrowed the divide in negotiations with Ergen, who controls Dish Network Corp. (DISH) and EchoStar Corp. (SATS), over a deal to save itself from bankruptcy. But the country's sole satellite radio operator continues to discuss a rival offer from Liberty Media Corp., which is controlled by John Malone.

The situation pits Ergen and Malone - two longtime, asset-swapping rivals in the media business who are both based in Englewood, Colo. - against each other with Sirius XM Chief Executive Mel Karmazin trying to salvage his equity holdings in the company along with his legacy.

A spokesman for Sirius XM didn't respond to inquiries. Marc Lumpkin, a spokesman for EchoStar declined to comment, as did Courtnee Ulrich, a spokeswoman for Liberty Media.

A hedge fund manager with a stake in the outcome of the negotiations who declined to be identified said Friday's announcement likely means Sirius XM likely is telling debt holders that it's on the verge of a deal to avoid bankruptcy.

"You can't give them a new security and then go bankruptcy three days later," he said.

XM Sirius said it will pay debt holders accepting the exchange offer a fee of $9.45 million, with $5.07 million paid in cash and the rest in Sirius XM common shares. The company's stock was recently trading up 3 cents to 10 cents. Sirius XM's 9.625% coupon 2013 bonds traded up 13% to 46 cents on the dollar, according to Market Axess.

Ergen began acquiring Sirius XM debt in the fall. He has offered to inject about $500 million into Sirius XM and restructure the debt he holds in the company in return for control. His offer is contingent on the successful renegotiation of about $600 million in Sirius bank loans and about $200 million in other debt. Also, he is reportedly prepared to let Karmazin, who took the reins at Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. in 2004 and guided it through its arduous merger with XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., keep his job.

Ergen had made an unsolicited offer to take control of Sirius XM last year, but the company rebuffed it.

Liberty Media, which controls Dish Network rival DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV), has said it would make an investment that would enable Sirius XM to meet its credit obligations in exchange for a sizable stake, a person close to the situation told the Journal earlier this week.

Neither offer involves buying out Sirius's equity holders.

After the landmark satellite radio merger was approved in July, the company emerged from the regulatory process with its growing business buried under a crushing debt load that now amounts to $3.25 billion. Plans to refinance its debt were quickly dashed as the financial crisis began to envelop Wall Street, making it all but impossible for companies to tap the credit markets.

Meanwhile, deals with a number of major automakers have left the company's fortunes largely intertwined with the U.S. auto industry, which is fighting a weakening global economy.

"There is real value to Sirius XM underneath all its debt," said Frederick Moran, analyst with the Stanford Group Co. "Karmazin is doing the best he can to stave off bankruptcy, but it has been an uphill battle given the company's slumping subscriber growth and lack of cash flow and profitability."

Moran said the satellite television providers don't compete with Sirius XM, but they do see an opportunity in the company's troubles to get into a business that is complimentary to their own.

"[Satellite radio and television assets] could gel together nicely," Moran said. "If you're one of the two largest satellite TV providers with a multimillion subscriber base, you could move into radio and cross-market your offerings while sharing programming resources, and you could utilize your satellites and radio transmissions more fully."

-By Nat Worden and Andrew Edwards, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5216; nat.worden@dowjones.com

(Kerry E. Grace contributed to this story.)


(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-13-09 1423ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

It's Time To Get Sirius

No offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities or securities derivative products of any kind, or any type of trading or investment advice, recommendation or strategy, is made, given or in any manner endorsed by "Hello_World", or any of its affiliates. Past performance, whether actual or indicated by simulated historical tests of strategies, is no guarantee of future performance or success.

Get Sirius...now! NOW!

To Serve Man (it's a cookbook)

The Sirius Question 2009???

Satellite Radio Still Reaches for the Payday
By TIM ARANGO

DID you hear what Howard Stern said the other day? Neither did we. But we read about it on a blog.

...by switching to satellite radio three years ago, Mr. Stern swapped cultural cachet for big money.

Then — poof! — Mr. Stern all but disappeared. Even Jay Leno, during a recent interview with The New York Times about his decision to stay at NBC to host a prime-time show, cited Mr. Stern as an example of the dangers of obscurity.

“On radio, Howard to me was a populist. The truck driver, the average guy would listen in the cafe, the truck, the old car that’s 50 years old and still has an AM radio,” said Mr. Leno in the interview. “But I don’t hear him quoted anymore. People don’t say: ‘Hey, did you hear what Howard said today?’ ”

The company has never turned a profit and cannot predict when it ever will.

“I don’t think that the performance of the stock is related to the performance of the company, it’s related to the balance sheet of the company and the need for the company to refinance.” - Mel Karmazin

Sirius XM simply isn’t a blue-chip stock like General Electric, so the interest the company would have to pay to raise funds is likely to be exorbitant. Mr. Karmazin said many lenders are willing to refinance, “but they are interested in it at very unattractive terms.”

...Sirius XM does have a serious flaw in its capital structure. Its costs, which include servicing its pile of debt, appear to be too high to make the business viable.