ConnieTalk news blog is the source for news you can use, what you need to know, and how you can change your world. Latest issues on politics, civil rights, animal causes, and more. http://www.connietalk.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:06:49 -0400 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:05:13 -0400 FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.9) http://www.feedforall.com Michael Jackson adopted Bubbles, a then 3-year-old chimpanzee that Jackson rescued from a research clinic that tested on animals. Michael and Bubbles grew so close that Bubbles was present in the studio for the recording of the Bad album, and there was a stuffed toy version of Bubbles the chimp in the Michael's Pets collection--which Michael arranged for $1 per sale to go to a children's charity. Jackson even taught Bubbles how to do the moonwalk. http://www.connietalk.com/what_became_of_bubbles_070209.html AAA9B9A2-E75C-4A9D-A15B-13E8A79A2A16 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:05:13 -0400 Remember Tracy Sanders? We've been keeping up with her quest to be a Momtrepreneur on Kelly Ripa's upcoming TLC reality show, where real life mothers look for manufacturers to make their products, and then will be marketing their wares live on HSN. http://www.connietalk.com/mom_inc_hands_out_green_cards_070209.html 87F06432-B778-47CA-8F32-E8FF44DC9B77 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:03:43 -0400 You know her face...Helen Thomas has covered every President since JFK as a member of the American media. She asks the hard questions, the often unpopular questions. She was a tough criticizer of George W. Bush and once famously stated 'The day Dick Cheney is going to run for President, I'll kill myself.' But she's certainly not putting on kitten gloves for Barack Obama's administration, either. http://www.connietalk.com/helen_thomas_calls_press_op_shameful_070209.html A57565F1-1ADD-4AAE-A127-CE3C56F36DB2 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:01:43 -0400 We know you're looking for the best 4th of July quote to put on your Facebook page...yes, that is the modern world that we're living in, yet reading over some inspirational phrases about freedom is also a great way to reflect on how far we've come as a nation. http://www.connietalk.com/independence_day_quotes_070209.html E095095E-6E24-41B8-9AA7-62A49A56C3D3 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:59:47 -0400 Which is worse for you: smoking a cigarette; or psychiatric problems, depression, and/or suicidal thoughts? The FDA tacked black box warnings onto two prescription quit smoking drugs yesterday, Chantix and Zyban, for carrying the potential of causing the side effects above. The new label will highlight the risk of serious mental health symptoms from use of the products. http://www.connietalk.com/prescription_antismoking_side_effects_070209.html A37A4E1F-FD53-4D9E-8DB1-48892EC8584A Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:58:08 -0400 We are loving Polyvore, a free site we recently came across that allows you to set up a collage of fashion, interior design, art, or other theme by searching for, adding, and drag/dropping items onto a blank canvas. http://www.connietalk.com/polyvore_virtual_dressing_room_070209.html 4235E0A9-A4AF-43A3-8EC9-2F08F27CB102 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:57:51 -0400 Almost every Petland store in the country is buying from puppy mills, either directly from commercial breeding facilities or indirectly through middleman brokers, the HSUS states. Over 80 stores were linked directly to Hunte Corporation; they even found at least two Petland stores in Florida still buying dogs from the facility associated with Kathy Bauck in New York Mills, Minnesota - Bauck has been convicted of multiple counts of animal torture and one cont of animal abuse. http://www.connietalk.com/petland_puppies_still_suffering_063009.html 04E1330F-6EFB-46BA-BEBA-5979E1DA0A22 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:16:24 -0400 Vibe was an entertainment magazine that featured R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and entertainers. Famous faces that graced it's cover were Mary J. Blige, TLC, Aaliyah, Brandy, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Lil Wayne, The Fugees, Eminem, and Michael Jackson, among many others. The magazine also used to host the Vibe Awards and the Best Rapper Alive tournament. http://www.connietalk.com/vibe_magazine_goes_under_063009.html 1C521175-05B7-49CA-AE2A-BF2C5BC389A1 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:14:59 -0400 More than 36 million Americans are dealing with hunger every day because of a lack of financial means to properly feed their families - and 40% of them are employed. The working class in America has seen an increase in the working poor since the economic decline, and while we'd all like to see an end to world hunger, we're instead seeing more of it here at home. http://www.connietalk.com/fighting_hunger_in_america_063009.html C13F7544-42EB-492E-9152-83166B3B50D7 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:12:19 -0400 What's wrong with this picture is that the camel her people are using for the shot is wearing a thick crocheted muzzle covering its mouth and nostrils, in weather that ranged between 100 and 112 degrees Fahrenheit. And moreso, that no one posting this picture on the celebrity blogs seems to notice or care. http://www.connietalk.com/paris_cruel_camel_ride_063009.html 538CD206-5ACE-4364-AAFB-4A413EEAEEDE Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:09:05 -0400 In Washington, D.C. this month, Angelina Jolie celebrated World Refugee Day by listening to other speakers and talking herself of her experience with refugees, and the state of displaced people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Darfur, and elsewhere worldwide. http://www.connietalk.com/angelina_jolie_refugee_speech_063009.html AB98AF06-8357-490E-94C9-877AB524BD9F Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:03:49 -0400 Last night we saw Brooke Shields in three commercials for three separate products within an hour or two: Colgate Total? Check. Coppertone? Check. Latisse? Wait, what? http://www.connietalk.com/brooke_pushes_thicker_fringe_063009.html EE964B7F-38E0-4A6A-BC20-AA725AC0E3B7 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:03:26 -0400 President Barack Obama has proposed new mandates in health care. While the majority of Americans have shown in polls to be in support of reforming the health care system, there are a few points in the proposed bill that need some attention. http://www.connietalk.com/obama_health_care_bill_062309.html FE00130B-A24C-471D-A52C-DCEE914FF405 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:29:12 -0400 Texas Congressman Ron Paul drafted a Federal Reserve Transparency Act, HR 1207, that has now been cosponsored by a majority of members in the House of Representatives. The 218th cosponsor that gave the proposed bill House majority was Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich - fitting, really, since Kucinich was the fellow presidential candidate that, although of a different party, Ron Paul said most closely resembled his own political ideals. The number of cosponsors has now been bumped up to 237. http://www.connietalk.com/ron_paul_audit_the_fed_062309.html EF7C9848-0672-4C12-8D14-6DA685C91BAF Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:27:30 -0400 Yes, you read that right: while millions of Americans are biting their nails over recent or potential layoffs, New York-based Goldman Sachs (the single largest recipient of AIG's bailout money from the Fed, to the tune of $12.9 billion) advised their London staff that they can look forward to bumper bonuses, and their biggest payouts in the firm's 140-year history. http://www.connietalk.com/goldman_sachs_bonuses_scheme_062309.html 2BED0A3C-CB97-477D-AA94-111C8EFBFE4B Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:25:44 -0400 Okay, so the Hydrogen tank is bulky...but isn't most new technology bulky? Not that it's brand new...in fact, this Japanese water-powered car has been around for a little over a year. The Genepax debuted in Osaka last June, with an onboard energy generator called a 'membrane electrode assembly' that extracts hydrogen from water by a 'chemical reaction.' http://www.connietalk.com/water_powered_cars_062309.html 73E32222-BF11-40B3-B8B2-B591D1445F89 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:23:04 -0400 Last year the House of Representatives issued an official apology for slavery in America's history, and now the Senate has unanimously passed a similar resolution sponsored by Senator Bill Harkin (D - Iowa)...except that this resolution addresses the topic of reparations, by advising none can be sought. http://www.connietalk.com/senate_slavery_apology_062309.html FE015E6D-2AFA-405F-8BC2-4C176F2D70C0 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:15:49 -0400 A change in Jon Gosselin seemed to happen pretty quickly. An earring in each ear, an evolution into skater and skull clothing, a motorcycle, keeping company with young women at bars until the early morning, a change from the mute, passive, accommodating husband he once was into an angry, defensive Jon who said on last night's hour long Jon & Kate special, 'I don't hate Kate' unconvincingly. http://www.connietalk.com/jon_and_kate_separate_062309.html 0A4DDF5A-87C2-4C89-9365-95E18963C342 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:15:13 -0400 New excerpts have been released from a 2007 Combatant Status Review Tribunal in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that reveal startling testimony by Abu Zubaida, a detainee that George W. Bush once called 'al-Qaeda's chief of operations.' http://www.connietalk.com/torture_transcript_revealed_061609.html AF113F98-7DB9-4250-BF03-7914B77F4943 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:57:26 -0400 Last year, the US Postal Service lost $2 billion dollars. And according to MSN's Money Central blog, the USPS is considering job cuts of up to 3,100 offices, first class mail volume is plummeting, and broadband internet 'will probably eventually finish off the Post Office.' http://www.connietalk.com/postal_service_revenue_bad_061609.html 323C78F5-8FBE-442E-885E-ECCF2D6156EE Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:55:35 -0400 There are a lot of job seekers out there right now, and just as many scammers looking to take advantage of the multitudes of resume posters in these rough economic times. Not a minute after she put an ad up with her professional experience and resume attributes on Craigslist, Randi got an e-mail from a phisher attempting to hack her personal information through a work-at-home scam offer. http://www.connietalk.com/craigslist_phishers_perservere_061609.html A3209C8C-5AC6-41D5-80BE-2FE504832752 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:52:47 -0400 White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said today that the federal government is not going to be able to assist California in their current budget crisis. Looks like the Digital Textbook initiative will be underway in August! http://www.connietalk.com/fed_cant_help_california_061609.html E72DF9E3-999E-4A5C-8BFB-A0E9ED2D34D8 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:51:08 -0400 Myth: if you buy eyeglasses from FramesDirect.com or any other website claiming to sell eyeglasses on behalf of Danny Gokey, he has no affiliation with it. So sayeth the American Idol contestant on Twitter, regarding recent unauthorized uses of his image to promote glasses, some who even claimed the proceeds would go to Danny's charity, Sophia's Heart Foundation. http://www.connietalk.com/fake_danny_gokey_lenses_061609.html F240DBB6-C96F-427F-826B-690EBA778B1E Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:49:12 -0400 Well, you knew this one was coming. Either that, or you don't watch TLC and/or the morning shows. The Duggar family is expecting another baby. But it's not from who you think. Joshua, 21, the oldest of the 18 Duggar kids and the one featured in a wedding episode with his wife, Anna, 20, are the ones with the baby news. http://www.connietalk.com/more_duggar_on_the_way_061609.html B29DB6B1-7615-4EED-B579-4C74AE8262BC Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:48:44 -0400 Young Americans are getting more and more involved in politics these days, and the YAL - Young Americans for Liberty - are are expanding in turn. After Texas Congressman Ron Paul ran for President, a movement across college campuses and among students to promote libertarian values and emphasize the role of the Constitution in government led to the organization of students in the YAL, which now has over 500 chapers across the US, from high schools to universities. http://www.connietalk.com/updates_yal_ron_paul_061509.html C6CA28EA-8642-43A2-A128-43F827C1E396 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:56:35 -0400 We were wondering what was up with Six Flags when the amusement park giant pulled out of Ohio...the former Sea World, former Geauga Lakes and now Wild Water Fun is a prime location. Well, it's been announced that the New York-based chain of US parks, headed up by Dan Snyder (also owner of the Washington Redskins), has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. http://www.connietalk.com/six_flags_files_bankruptcy_061509.html B54565EC-9218-4402-8C11-467D3FBC6FD1 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:54:26 -0400 We wouldn't exactly expect 75-year old Karl Lagerfeld to know what's in or out anymore...but he could at least run his comments by a modern publicist before 'Heidi Klum is no runway model. She is simply too heavy and has too big a bust. And she always grins so stupidly. That is not avant-garde - that is commercial!' He went on to make a beyond rude comment about Heidi's husband Seal's complexion (a result of discoid lupus erythematosus), saying, 'I am no dermatologist but I wouldn't want his skin. Mine looks better than his. He is covered in craters.' Not cool at all. http://www.connietalk.com/karls_fashion_faux_paux_061509.html ABE5F85D-ECD5-4079-AF7B-8A1582EC832D Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:52:05 -0400 You can find a lot of people that consider aspartame - an artifical sweetener in many diet soft drink products - to be harmful. FDA officials have said, however, that aspartame is 'one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved,' and consider it safe. Now, though, a brand new controversy is bubbling: are there harmful ingredients in Coke Zero? http://www.connietalk.com/diet_soda_contains_what_061509.html DD7F9E87-9A5F-473B-8708-07994A96FEC1 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:50:23 -0400 Has Arnold Schwarzenegger gone back to hitting the peace pipe? What is he thinking? If you haven't heard, the Arnold has revealed a plan to get rid of regular textbooks in school. The plan is called California's Digital Textbook Initiative, designed to assist the budget woes in CA, and would swap out those hardcover schoolbooks for online learning material. http://www.connietalk.com/california_digital_initiative_061509.html 4C177479-60C1-461B-8017-A317AB541CF3 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:48:46 -0400 In situations of animal abuse, it is common for the animal victims to be from a household where domestic abuse actually took place, too. Last year, the Humane Society of the US launched a campaign to promote allowing pets into shelters for families and victims of domestic abuse. Certainly an already-difficult situation would be further strenous with the added parting from a beloved pet. It's a doubly ideal situation: the human victim gets to keep their companion, and the pet doesn't end up homeless. http://www.connietalk.com/shelters_for_pets_and_people_061509.html 66F317F1-2E49-4BED-AB06-5D75CC72A2AC Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:47:14 -0400 So Ashton Kutcher took to his Twitter last week and wrote, Truth...autographs are annoying. http://www.connietalk.com/ashton_kutcher_fan_diss_061509.html 9663C22B-0037-4087-A827-2D7C309AB57B Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:45:28 -0400 Lauryn Hill is so talented...but off-the-charts talent often comes with turmoil. The R&B singer had a tour scheduled for Europe this summer, including the Stockholm Jazz Festival, but has canelled the tour dates, citing health reasons. http://www.connietalk.com/lauryn_hill_cancels_tour_061509.html 867BBCA6-34F9-4117-B727-1D08FE1C933E Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:43:44 -0400 No African-American woman has been married to the President, and I don't think there's been an African-American woman who's been married to the biggest movie star http://www.connietalk.com/jada_pinkett_talks_michelle_obama_061509.html D89DCDDC-9D96-47BF-A546-7CE078EE0547 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:43:24 -0400 When the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Orlando Magic at home at the Q Arena in Northeast Ohio, TNT broadcast announcer Charles Barkley made a major faux paux. He insulted Cleveland. Big time. http://www.connietalk.com/barkley_blasts_cleveland_052809.html 1E747A1C-DF34-49E4-A8E2-5D8055A943B4 Thu, 28 May 2009 17:21:27 -0400 Not even designers to the stars are immune to the global recession. The U.S. establishment of Christian Lacroix, French fashion couturier, filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors today in a court in France. http://www.connietalk.com/christian_lacroix_goes_under_052809.html 502C9091-5FAA-4AAC-96B1-A88150B553F0 Thu, 28 May 2009 17:19:36 -0400 This is the cover of Brooke Hogan's new album, The Redemption. No, seriously! I would not joke about carny airbrush art from the 1980's. http://www.connietalk.com/brooke_hogan_airbrushed_angel_052809.html BC9DBF7D-FF91-4192-9A2A-B13BD2040882 Thu, 28 May 2009 17:16:48 -0400 The Michigan House voted yesterday to ban smoking in all workplaces - including bars and restaurants - except for casinos. The House and Senate, however, are in disagreement over whether or not Detroit's casinos should be smoke-free. http://www.connietalk.com/michigan_smoking_ban_052709.html D6D006EB-5DAD-409B-9013-B9029D5B4B7C Thu, 28 May 2009 17:16:27 -0400 Since the U.S. Campaign for Burma was founded, they have reported on the use of rape as a weapon for war, forced labor, torture, and the displacement of thousands after more than 3,300 ethnic minority villages were destroyed in Burma. http://www.connietalk.com/obama_support_burma_inquiry_052009.html 9A7C9B3F-EECD-4DAA-B281-526E66287053 Wed, 20 May 2009 16:48:15 -0400 On the Rachel Maddow show on Friday, Maddow revealed some new developments in the controversy of harsh interrogation techniques/torture sanctioned by the George W. Bush and Dick Cheney administration. http://www.connietalk.com/cheney_sought_link_in_iraq_052009.html EF580A67-3645-4C9C-839F-701C67563177 Wed, 20 May 2009 16:43:52 -0400 Is there nothing sacred any more? I mean really!!! Next time you check your local list for sex offenders you might find a familiar face from your childhood days of innocence. Yes, it is true. (GASP!!) A woman has filed a lawsuit against Chuck E Cheese, claiming the beloved mouse character at a child-themed restaurant put his paws where they didn't belong. It seems we now know that Chuck E Cheese is a breast man. http://www.connietalk.com/chuck_e_cheese_scandal_052009.html 4636B0BE-D388-4733-AAF4-3F4B82FF5747 Wed, 20 May 2009 16:40:53 -0400 Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z, rapper, songwriter, record executive, and mogul, on not segregating genres of music. http://www.connietalk.com/jay_z_on_uniting_music_052009.html 3D7D1101-1C40-4E1B-B4ED-E3A9B97CB553 Wed, 20 May 2009 16:38:58 -0400 This month, the White House Correspondents dinner was hosted at the Washington Hilton, and the guest list included Chace Crawford (star of the CW's Gossip Girl), Kevin Bacon (no introduction needed), and Owen Wilson (complete with his own security). http://www.connietalk.com/celebrities_mingle_in_dc_052009.html 5B15B712-C45A-4FE7-A4D7-A7F83D4F2B57 Wed, 20 May 2009 16:35:14 -0400 The United States District Court of New Jersey has ruled that the ETF (early termination fee), generally of $200, that was charged to T-Mobile customers between July 1999 and February 19th of 2009 was unlawful. http://www.connietalk.com/redeem_your_robust_refund_052009.html 3F8950CD-19AC-4A06-A74F-99FE71B12C1C Wed, 20 May 2009 16:33:28 -0400 For the love of baseball...this needs to stop! The Seattle Mariners Major League baseball team has been airing a commercial called The Secret featuring a chimpanzee. While chimps look really cute smiling and performing antics, the sad news is that in order to learn these feats they are taken from their mothers as babes, and routinely physically abused (you don't want the details) in order to be trained. http://www.connietalk.com/leave_chimps_out_of_commercials_052009.html E4D08046-8E66-4060-80CF-1F95BB67827E Wed, 20 May 2009 16:33:07 -0400 In February, the Barack Obama administration ordered the 19 biggest banks in America to undergo stress tests to see if they could withstand any further economic strain. Last week, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System released their results. http://www.connietalk.com/banks_stress_test_051109.html 78FDFDF0-B1A0-4525-940C-D45569C9ED8B Mon, 11 May 2009 16:23:54 -0400 We're not trying to one-up Jay Leno or anything like that...these hilarious headlines were sent to us as a forward. Check them out and get a good laugh! http://www.connietalk.com/someone_actually_wrote_these_051109.html 0EAE652D-7C49-45C5-9A53-74E7C7C4B40E Mon, 11 May 2009 16:21:53 -0400 Atlantis and Endeavour got prepped this morning for Atlantis' planned flight to the Hubble Space Telescope this week (Endeavour the backup/rescue shuttle in case Atlantis is damaged during launch or in flight). Atlantis took off at 2:01 pm today, and NASA.gov has a blog up about the trip. If successful, the repairs to Hubble should keep it functioning until somewhere between 2013 and 2021, when it will be replaced by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the new-fangled infrared version. http://www.connietalk.com/space_exploration_051109.html D2B9E644-C442-4DDE-9048-B7E0BD7E7334 Mon, 11 May 2009 16:19:52 -0400 So sad. While the European Union passed a victory for seals last week, the European Parliament also voted to allow millions of animal experiments to proceed without the requirement of formal approval. Moderate and Severe primate experiments will need government approval, but over 4 million animals will still be tested on with no central authority oversight. http://www.connietalk.com/parliament_buckles_under_051109.html C23FBC80-BEF9-4B0B-B511-4F902F58243F Mon, 11 May 2009 16:19:04 -0400 On the day KFC was offering 1 free piece of grilled chicken to every customer (no purchase necessary and no coupon needed) I went there and purchased a 6-piece grilled chicken meal and asked for my free piece. Little did I know I would wait for over half an hour only to be screamed at and accused of being a fraud. http://www.connietalk.com/kfc_guest_blog_saga_051109.html C214C0DF-D942-40EC-B98A-5989C9221276 Mon, 11 May 2009 16:14:55 -0400 A U.S. soldier is in military custody after reportedly shooting at his own troops this afternoon in Baghdad, Iraq. Five soldiers were killed before the suspected gunman was taken into custody. http://www.connietalk.com/camp_liberty_tragedy_051109.html 20AABED5-9782-4CB6-83AA-686058286A0D Mon, 11 May 2009 16:12:58 -0400 Mia Farrow had announced that she was going on a fast for at least 21 days to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. However, an acquaintance is picking up where she left off and is supposed to pass it on after that, creating a chain of fasts. http://www.connietalk.com/mia_farrow_eats_again_051109.html DD7FBE95-CCD1-45A7-BFF2-42C61B14ECC5 Mon, 11 May 2009 16:11:06 -0400 VH1's new reality series Tough Love ended last week. Steven Ward and his mother JoAnn of the Philidelphia-based Master Matchmakers was the show's host and matchmaker, and put the female contestants through Tough Love Boot camp, with the promise of finding them true love if they abide by his instructions. http://www.connietalk.com/tough_love_wraps_051109.html 7EBD91C8-DF3D-47D6-971E-C61F3C7C3C78 Mon, 11 May 2009 16:10:30 -0400 I know you would be surprised to read from someone relatively unknown to you, it opens. My name is Sgt. David, a member of the U.S. Army USARPAC Medical Team, which was deployed to Iraq at the beginning of the war in Iraq. As you can see we both bear the same surname, that is the major reason I have chosen you to help out in this venture. http://www.connietalk.com/sergeant_scammer_050809.html 9A67C213-254E-4021-B390-C0DC28CCFC87 Fri, 8 May 2009 16:04:15 -0400 This week (May 3rd to 9th) is Be Kind To Animals Week. And since none of us want our children to grow up to be axe murderers, it's positive to share this week with our youth and remind each other to regard the life of every living creature with worth. http://www.connietalk.com/be_kind_to_animals_050809.html 68EBED03-C56C-414D-B745-376C0CBEE49B Fri, 8 May 2009 16:02:11 -0400 Have you ever read Spencer Johnson's 'Who Moved My Cheese?' Lots of people consider it to be some sort of business bible. I, personally, thought it was extremely overrated (and not very nice to mice, either, not that that was the point of it); but it spent five years on the New York Times Business Best Seller List. Well, apparently, Adolf Hitler's autobiography 'Mein Kampf' ('My Fight' or 'My Struggle') is becoming sort of a 'Who Moved My Cheese?' in India. http://www.connietalk.com/hitler_autobiography_best_seller_050809.html 9A3F50F6-971C-4BF6-941D-F58D7D7CE79D Fri, 8 May 2009 15:58:56 -0400 Eminem admits in a new interview with Vibe Magazine. Vicodin is a prescription painkiller; Valium, used for treating anxiety, insomnia, and withdrawal; Ambien, a sleep medication; all are extremely addictive. http://www.connietalk.com/eminem_i_had_a_problem_050809.html 2C19104D-9F44-4A78-8620-CE82225788BD Fri, 8 May 2009 15:55:52 -0400 President Barack Obama has announced a new website that will assist unemployed Americans in furthering their education in hopes of climbing the career ladder. People already receiving unemployment benefits may be eligible for a special hand in paying for education and training. http://www.connietalk.com/further_your_education_050809.html F39205D8-5936-40B8-8A3A-66C47BAE3892 Fri, 8 May 2009 15:53:19 -0400 One of our favorite sites out there making a difference is Care2, and with Mother's Day right around the corner (this Sunday, May 10th!) it is the perfect time to take advantage of their offer: for each FREE eCard you send, Care2 will donate to save 1 square foot of rainforest. http://www.connietalk.com/care2_cards_rainforest_050809.html 2E82BB4A-04CB-4F80-9E0A-82AB1EBF37C7 Fri, 8 May 2009 15:51:33 -0400 The hope that Manny Ramirez is innocent of utilizing performance-enhancing drugs (or PED) is looking bleaker. The substance that Ramirez was using which showed in his urine samples, according to the New York Times, was human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a fertility drug for women. http://www.connietalk.com/no_manny_no_050809.html AE645244-15F7-4AE6-A4C6-9B8BBFCE5532 Fri, 8 May 2009 15:44:33 -0400 With the debate over same-sex marriage raging nationwide, Pat Robertson - founder of the ACLJ (American Center for Law and Justice), CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network), and other organizations and corporations - is likening non-heterosexual unions to polygamy with regard to how they should be dealt with under the law. http://www.connietalk.com/bad_move_pat_050809.html 2205EE45-A22D-43E4-8CED-841E8FC4C779 Fri, 8 May 2009 15:44:04 -0400 We can't tell you how pleased we are that you've joined us, because truth be told there are over 70 million blogs out there to choose from. For information junkies, that's gold. For the newspaper industry...not so much. Yesterday newspaper advocates appeared before the Senate in a Commerce subcommittee hearing to complain that bloggers, Google, Yahoo!, AOL and other news aggregators have parasitically sucked up revenue that newspaper publishers need. http://www.connietalk.com/should_government_govern_media_more_050709.html A16ADC2F-8CC8-4CCA-B478-D79857C5FEA8 Thu, 7 May 2009 17:07:57 -0400 And then you have the WHO come out and say that 'humanity itself is threatened' [by the swine flu]...It's funny, though, the day Joe Biden said that, I was on a subway in New York, and this guy was coughing, and I've got to tell you: people almost strung him up. http://www.connietalk.com/anderson_on_swine_flu_050709.html DFB5F38D-B079-457F-8557-EE4EA5C93EAD Thu, 7 May 2009 17:06:04 -0400 Hopefully you're not desensitized by all the bison you saw in the crosshairs on Oregon Trail (pass the laudanum, please!)...because the American buffalo needs your help! On the Horse Butte peninsula by Yellowstone National Park in Montana, wild bison and their offspring are grazing to their heart's content. http://www.connietalk.com/stop_buffalo_hazing_050709.html ECD533C7-1476-4CA9-A80C-7863C473EB5E Thu, 7 May 2009 16:58:57 -0400 Having a summer (or spring) bash this year? There are now solar-powered speakers that can work with your laptop, iPod, or PC, powered by photovoltaic panels...and they look super-sleek and modern, too! http://www.connietalk.com/solar_powered_speakers_050709.html B08C7855-5618-460D-8148-D3B6B4519DFA Thu, 7 May 2009 16:56:48 -0400 Today the MLB confirmed that Manny Ramirez, recently signed from the Boston Red Sox to the LA Dodgers, has been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. It will cost Manny $7.7 million. Ramirez said that the reasoning is honest: he received medication from a doctor. http://www.connietalk.com/manny_ramirez_suspension_050709.html 2B646389-41A3-4A30-8DE1-3E1BCD02DBA8 Thu, 7 May 2009 16:53:51 -0400 A partially nude photograph of 21-year-old Miss California USA Carrie Prejean surfaced on celebrity blogs, where Carrie is wearing panties and no top, her back partially to the camera and her arms around her chest. Prejean is claiming that these pictures were modeling pictures leaked by opponents of her view that marriage should be between a man and a woman. http://www.connietalk.com/miss_california_usa_050709.html 54DBAAE0-0158-486E-9221-1D07648CC5AD Thu, 7 May 2009 16:50:07 -0400 Oh, Oprah Winfrey. We heart you, but you should have known better than to get involved with KFC! Ms. O offered a PDF coupon for two free pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken's Grilled bird; you already know this because if you didn't see it on TV, hear it on the radio, or read it in the paper, someone called you or e-mailed you about it. http://www.connietalk.com/kfc_oprah_drama_050709.html 369B45E5-84F0-4D18-B087-B5A58C8C2F26 Thu, 7 May 2009 16:49:44 -0400 The Commission welcomes today's vote by the European Parliament...banning the trading of seal products within and into the European Union. The aim of the regulation is to ensure that products derived from seals hunted for commercial purposes are no longer found on the European market. http://www.connietalk.com/the_seals_win_050509.html C06F513D-E223-40A0-AF90-83D076A4C177 Tue, 5 May 2009 13:23:02 -0400 There is no country nor territory that receives more military aid from the United States than Israel. And the amount of monetary support is increasing: nearly $3 billion is allocated in the 2010 budget. http://www.connietalk.com/us_aid_to_israel_050509.html 0668601E-2B14-4D6A-A7C2-587F9BAFA5EA Tue, 5 May 2009 08:05:59 -0400 The Supreme Court is busy at work...they've just announced that they'll hear a case regarding dog fighting and animal cruelty this fall, and today they advised they will be taking on a very human case as well: should juveniles who commit crimes that do not involve murder be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole? http://www.connietalk.com/supreme_court_on_juveniles_050409.html 8BDCAB99-1C24-4066-AEEE-9E3720058EB2 Tue, 5 May 2009 08:04:17 -0400 He's only 24 years old, and LeBron James is the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for 2008-09. In 2008 he was the NBA Scoring Champion, and with King James' help, the Cleveland Cavaliers are fighting their way through the playoffs right now. http://www.connietalk.com/lebron_is_our_MVP_050509.html 0585B0DF-D265-4B2B-AA52-E7DC2989B3B4 Tue, 5 May 2009 08:00:21 -0400 Just in time for Mother's Day, Salary.com has calculated the national base salary of a stay at home Mom. After computing the wages and hours spent for each responsibility, Salary.com breaks down the average total earning power of a Stay-At-Home Mom at a whopping $122,732. http://www.connietalk.com/crime_mapping_050109.html E5D6E1FF-9C33-4A92-A912-D74CE217B5E9 Tue, 5 May 2009 07:57:58 -0400 Residents of La Gloria, Mexico City are neighbors to a compound that houses 7.200 sows and their piglets, part of a chain of farms owned by Granjas Carroll de Mexico (GCM) and the US' Smithfield Foods. And, after hundreds of the villagers complained of flu-like symptoms, Edgar Hernandez, five years old, was the first confirmed case of H1N1 (or, the new swine flu). The reason we bring up this subject is not to fuel the hysteria but to ponder whether or not this is the farm Tiffany Pollard will get sent to on the next episode of VH1's New York Goes to Work... http://www.connietalk.com/swine_flu_new_york_etc_050509.html F9E20DBC-71E2-4064-A636-2C7E7E630875 Tue, 5 May 2009 07:55:20 -0400 The Discovery Channel is offering you a chance to both test your knowledge of being Green-friendly, and potentially learn at the same time, with a How Green Are You? quiz at PlanetGreen.discovery.com. http://www.connietalk.com/how_green_are_you_050509.html AC78D482-4778-4583-A719-BD415521AF2D Tue, 5 May 2009 07:53:28 -0400 Brandon Boyd and the gang are standing the test of time: ten years after their 1999 album Make Yourself, Incubus is still rocking. http://www.connietalk.com/black_heart_inertia_video_050409.html 57B28A43-1259-4482-B1AE-9659DC8363A2 Tue, 5 May 2009 07:53:08 -0400 May is, among other things, National Physical Fitness and Sports month. It's time to get in shape again for the annually-dreaded bathing suit season coming up! But what do you do if you're sitting in one place behind a desk all day? http://www.connietalk.com/ways_to_stay_fit_at_work_050209.html 20FF9774-1093-4F58-9472-52E32B4CEB29 Sat, 2 May 2009 17:12:26 -0400 As part of a campaign to assist job hunters, office giant Staples is offering each individual 20 free printed resumes and 40 free business cards each. http://www.connietalk.com/staples_wants_you_hired_050209.html D1359375-E5F4-4BBD-8314-8B713D3EE022 Sat, 2 May 2009 17:10:17 -0400 If this was the national anthem, I wouldn't post it. It would be treasonous. Here is a video clip of Denise Richards singing Take Me Out To The Ball Game at a Chicago Cubs vs. Florida Marlins game yesterday. http://www.connietalk.com/denise_richards_at_cubs_game_050209.html 8D883357-A66A-4F1E-AB37-286AA7F99EF4 Sat, 2 May 2009 17:07:04 -0400 We may be the squeaky wheel, but we're stopping seals from being turned into oil! (And fur pelts - this means you, Donatella Versace!) For the first time ever, legislation has been proposed in Canada to support an end to the annual commercial seal hunt. http://www.connietalk.com/seals_are_being_saved_050209.html 54E446E7-900B-4F5B-BD53-7B7F23446F6E Sat, 2 May 2009 17:05:11 -0400 Does Elliott Yamin look different now, or what? I don't want to say it, but is that a mullet? The 30-year-old former American Idol contestant has a new album, Fight For Love. coming out on Tuesday, May 5th. http://www.connietalk.com/elliott_yamin_video_050209.html 054DEBBA-9407-49B4-9F4A-4EF52D87C6B3 Sat, 2 May 2009 17:02:17 -0400 Eight major companies signed on to the Harkin-Engel Protocol (or the Cocoa Protocol) internationally as well as Rep. Eliot Engel and Sen. Tom Harkin, the Ambassador of the Ivory Coast, and other officials like Free the Slaves and the Child Labor Coalition to prevent the exploitation of child labor and the physical abuse that takes place towards workers in the production of cocoa. But the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) reports that not all companies are delivering on the promise to do something about it, including M&M, Mars, Hershey's and Nestle. http://www.connietalk.com/change_cocoa_practices_050209.html E505ABF0-84C9-4A0E-B4C8-E683957EAF00 Sat, 2 May 2009 16:32:16 -0400 The balloons, Mariah! The balloons were not necessary! It is this-close to being a crime in the age of going Green to release 1,000 latex balloons into the sky. http://www.connietalk.com/mariah_releases_balloons_050209.html 54497DE8-5327-46F2-8A02-18F78B42247E Sat, 2 May 2009 16:31:38 -0400 Well speaking of Ron Paul, he is still in Congress blazing trails, and yesterday he sent an e-mail out to followers of his Congressional Campaign with an update in his fight for oversight on the Federal Reserve. http://www.connietalk.com/hr_1207_gains_momentum_050109.html 47E383BE-7FDF-4848-80D6-DA8904572E4E Fri, 1 May 2009 08:35:44 -0400 What God has joined together, let no man put asunder...except Ashley Madison? Imagine my surprise this week at opening my inbox to see a message titled, We guarantee that you will SLEEP with a married woman. http://www.connietalk.com/assley_madison_emails_us_050109.html CAECA27F-2272-4771-8FC0-CE7B1D3ADD92 Fri, 1 May 2009 08:33:32 -0400 If you're out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes, that's one thing. If you're in a closed aircraft or closed container, a closed car, a closed classroom, it's a different thing, said Vice President Joe Biden of the swine flu epidemic http://www.connietalk.com/sneeze_heard_round_the_world_050109.html 7A1998E5-CC08-403C-AFE8-1D8F7164AF9B Fri, 1 May 2009 08:31:55 -0400 Have you heard of CrimeMapping.com? It's interesting - it's like a variation of the Rotten Neigbor website, where it uses Google Maps to show you occurrences in your area, except instead of showing you where reportedly bad neighbors are (well, maybe that, too), it shows you where criminals live around your area. http://www.connietalk.com/crime_mapping_050109.html 13BEAA8D-E663-4429-9E0C-303DE0164C0C Fri, 1 May 2009 08:30:14 -0400 Sarah Palin made a guest appearance on TLC's series American Chopper, with Paul Teutul Sr. paying a visit to Governor Palin's Anchorage, Alaska office.. And during the short visit, Palin was actually casually leaning on the back head of a dead bear. http://www.connietalk.com/palins_carcass_lounging_050109.html ADE5C6B2-3FBA-4ABE-826F-6B5E882418E0 Fri, 1 May 2009 08:28:25 -0400 Three month-old yellow lab mix puppy Teddington was found homeless, wandering the streets of Cleveland. English Spring Spaniel and American Bulldog mix Nyah was tied outside to a fence post in a Northeast Ohio neighborhood with no food or water, left at an abandoned house for over 2 weeks and ready for death. http://www.connietalk.com/dogs_in_need_of_homes_050109.html 96152265-974D-4BF5-A249-5920CD05CF28 Fri, 1 May 2009 08:26:42 -0400 Well, if you're reading this you've all made it to May 1st, 2009. How does it feel? Here are some holiday celebrations of this month. http://www.connietalk.com/holidays_in_may_050109.html 97784B2C-98D3-4932-85B9-7D4D0119C316 Fri, 1 May 2009 08:22:42 -0400 Pennsylvania documentary filmmaker Robert Stevens was arrested after producing videos of pit bulls in graphic dog fighting scenes, in violation of the 1999 Depiction of Animal Cruelty Act, which bans the creation, sale or possession of material that depicts animal cruelty. http://www.connietalk.com/supreme_court_takes_on_cruelty_043009.html 00960883-3196-46B8-A3A8-433CECE2285C Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:57:10 -0400 You know that we're hot under the collar over illegal surveillance. But when it comes to parenting, it's a whole different story: and Tina Meier, the mother of 13-year-old Megan who killed herself in 2006 after being bullied by a neighbor on MySpace, wants parents out there to know that they need to keep track of their children's online activity, too, not just where they go and what they do. http://www.connietalk.com/tina_meier_antibullying_043009.html FC5080E3-EE48-4D46-88C3-304B4B937A8E Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:55:28 -0400 Well, experts said this day would come. Automaker Chrysler (remember our beef with them two years ago, for outsourcing?...guess that didn't go so well) announced today that they are filing for bankruptcy protection, and simultaneously entering into agreements with Italian auto company Fiat. Chrysler's status on Wiki has been updated to: Fate: Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. http://www.connietalk.com/chrysler_seeks_assets_protection_043009.html 017F09DB-2655-411E-A04E-BBF1E866800D Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:52:26 -0400 The CPAC Straw Poll results for this year? 20%, the most of any candidate, voted for former Governor Mitt Romney. Coming in second was LA Governor Bobby Jindal. And, tied for third, Texas Congressman Ron Paul and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. http://www.connietalk.com/cpac_results_2009_042909.html 17507069-6F4E-4751-A9E1-046A4248DF75 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:49:43 -0400 Didn't know this, either, but for some reason Google Trends is volcanic with this question today, so you know we had to get the scoop for you. What does Obama mean in Japanese? http://www.connietalk.com/obama_japanese_translation_043009.html 75EDEE4A-9065-493E-9A9A-FB0080CC7B8C Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:45:53 -0400 Now, you know we've got to show off Halle Berry because she's from our home city of Cleveland, Ohio...and the 42-year old mother is looking the epitome of F-I-E-R-C-E! Halle went solo to this week's screening of X-Men Origins: Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Ryan Reynolds, in LA. http://www.connietalk.com/halle_berry_fierceness_043009.html 4CECC091-83A0-44B1-9302-B2B007F94F9A Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:45:29 -0400 Case in point, JPMorgan Chase. So far, we taxpayers have delivered $25 billion to this financial institution. They are promised $50 million over the course of 3 years. To show their gratitude to the American People for the sizable donation, JPMorgan recently announced a new program of job creation. Wow! This is great! The problem is JPMorgan is sending the jobs to India. http://www.connietalk.com/jpmorgan_goes_to_india_042909.html ADABBA2C-31F8-4325-8051-A73CF42B24D0 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:47:24 -0400 What in the world...? Yesterday North Korea announced that they are beginning a second nuclear project, a uranium enrichment program, unless the United Nations lifts the sanctions against them. Their first was in 2006, against a written agreement not to pursue nuclear ambitions (American official claim the missile failed and blew up 40 seconds after blastoff; North Korean claims disagree). http://www.connietalk.com/north_korea_nuking_042909.html 1EC41006-21BF-460D-853E-7F3FDC435DA7 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:45:35 -0400 This is the kind of story that makes you shake your head in disbelief. For a federal government photo opportunity - and if you've ever checked out the White House's website (which has been newly redesigned after President Barack Obama's inauguration, by the way, made spiffier) - Obama's Boeing 747 escorted by two fighter jets zipped down over Manhattan at 10:00 am Monday. http://www.connietalk.com/obama_plane_terrifies_NYC_042909.html 8ED57063-543A-4B92-A9DC-A17B07C7F73C Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:43:37 -0400 Speaking of the swine flu, no, Madonna does not have it. Spammers will think of everything, and their latest anecdote is that her Madge-esty has the swine flu. So if you get a message saying Madonna caught swine flu in the subject line, delete it without opening it. http://www.connietalk.com/madonnas_no_swine_042909.html ACB8CE40-23C1-430B-9AAE-05F8070ACA43 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:41:44 -0400 Don't worry, I'm just being facetious with the accompanying photo. But it doesn't look like Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer will be on TV anytime soon. We are curious to know what you think of the recent Supreme Court ruling. As you may have heard, the Court ruled this week that the FCC has the power to crack down on profanity (yes, you may have no idea what the standup comedian is saying when you watch Comedy Central from now on). The vote was 5-4 in favor of allowing big fines for fleeting expletives. http://www.connietalk.com/fcc_cursed_ruling_042909.html E76DB64F-C787-466C-B9ED-BF25FD74598E Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:39:32 -0400 Mia Farrow - famous actress, humanitarian, former fashion model and ex-wife of Frank Sinatra and Woody Allen - is tired of sitting around doing nothing about the crisis in Darfur. Beginning on Monday, the 64-year old icon is beginning to fast. For at least 21 days, Farrow says she will drink water only. http://www.connietalk.com/mia_farrow_on_darfur_042909.html 3D553F89-99CC-46CB-A071-9FB9702B587C Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:32:16 -0400 The swine flu frenzy - akin to ghosts of mass media's overboard past such as the Avian bird flu, mad cow disease, E-coli, Y2K (see illustration) - is an influenza, but though hospitals in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, New Zealand and Israel have all reported cases of the swine flu, its 'outbreak' has caused only mild symptoms. http://www.connietalk.com/here_we_go_swine_flu_042809.html 58FD06F4-F63C-45E3-BB7F-57EAA984A5EB Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:28:29 -0400 Sean Hannity of FOX's Hannity & Colmes has perhaps put his foot where his mouth ought to be, and during an interview with Charles Grodin (though it seemed, to be honest, that Grodin was the one conducting the interview) consented to be waterboarded. http://www.connietalk.com/sean_hannity_grobin_interview_042809.html 526257F8-820F-4AEE-8477-F4A6D70E7830 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:25:44 -0400 We recently posted an article about how Kelly Ripa landed a new upcoming series on TLC, where real life mothers will be featured coming up with products, finding a manufacturer, and marketing their wares. http://www.connietalk.com/eminem_new_video_042809.html 897AB585-D68D-4A41-8CDB-23004ED97692 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:23:33 -0400 A remembrance month celebrating the life of Lisa Left Eye Lopes, formerly of the girl group TLC alongside Tionne T-Boz Watkins and Rozonda Chilli Thomas, so that others can post comments and reflect. We're happy to oblige. http://www.connietalk.com/remembering_lisa_lefteye_042809.html 1F420EC0-A997-493E-B28E-F4D419371158 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:20:36 -0400 Awesome Bret Michaels impression! We're a fan of the first Amendment, so we like to check in now and again on what Marshall Mathers aka Eminem is up to. Okay, he may be vulgar and outlandish, but sometimes he has quite a point. Sometimes. http://www.connietalk.com/eminem_new_video_042809.html A820A3C1-E01D-463F-9099-2B4F306D4EDC Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:18:05 -0400 You may have already seen this photo, since everything the Jolie-Pitt's do is splashed all over magazines and television, so much so that we see the outfits they will wear in upcoming films like a year before the movies come out. http://www.connietalk.com/angelina_goes_faux_042809.html F6E68C85-DCF0-4412-9C3C-EAE539F270E5 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:17:38 -0400 Last year alone, commercial banks made over $50 billion from consumers for overdraft fees and insufficient funds / negative balance charges - their number one source of income. In February of 2007, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D - NY) introduced H.R. 946 to Congress, the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act, which would have extended the protections of the Truth in Lending Act to overdraft protection programs, services and fees. prohibiting the systematic manipulation in the posting of debits and fees. http://www.connietalk.com/lets_hold_banks_accountable_042309.html 8B9BBA33-2208-42B4-AA30-C688A67CE287 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:56:36 -0400 Former Vice President Dick Cheney gave an interview to FOX News (who else?) regarding the recently declassified internal CIA memos that reveal harsh interrogation techniques such as waterboarding that many consider to be torture. http://www.connietalk.com/cheney_hot_air_on_memos_042309.html 789E3AE9-6A35-4B92-A8AF-91C5600B912C Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:54:55 -0400 Finally someone at General Motors may have realized that they're making too many freaking cars! In November of '08 we reported that despite GM's sales having dropped 45% (now up to 48.8%), they were still producing more than 7 vehicles per minute (at least 284,000 more per year than reasonably needed). With the state of the economy, people are buying less automobiles, and there's no reason to continue inflated production when there aren't enough buyers for the vehicles being manufactured. http://www.connietalk.com/gm_may_close_plants_042309.html F6A0977E-4F42-45B3-9779-C3844137B860 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:53:20 -0400 This week, the Supreme Court of Arizona reversed the decision, ruling in favor of the fourth Amendment: Gant was not asked by the officers if they could search his vehicle, and the State Supreme Court found the search unreasonable because the search was not justified by either the interest of officer safety nor the interest of preserving evidence. http://www.connietalk.com/court_rules_warrantless_search_042309.html F994EC5F-2486-4AF1-9537-2060E6C2FA6F Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:51:27 -0400 Paul McCartney after signing his full support to the petition to ban the cruel trade in seal products, organized by the Humane Society International UK and Respect for Animals. http://www.connietalk.com/mccartney_signs_seals_petition_042309.html CC4748A1-67E1-4799-942E-16431713B02B Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:50:58 -0400 Although, at that time, the George W. Bush administration did proceed to auction off these leases in the Arctic off of Alaska's coast, a federal Court of Appeals panel in Washington has just ruled that the Interior Department did not properly assess the environmental impact of these leases. http://www.connietalk.com/federal_court_stops_drilling_042209.html 7A2D58FC-CBE1-451E-A5C4-A075F66C6D72 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:00:09 -0400 First the victory for Arctic wildlife, now this...you People are changing the world all over the place! Last we posted an article (Why Do We Give TV Shows to Criminals?) and mentioned that it was up to Judge James B. Zagel whether or not freshly impeached Former Governor Rod Blagojevich could bend the rules and fly to Costa Rica to make $80k / week on a celebrity reality show in the midst of his corruption trial. (We included the Honorable Judge's contact info, of course.) http://www.connietalk.com/no_costa_rica_during_trial_042209.html 91B488A6-C165-4378-A252-1EB13D8A5291 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:58:25 -0400 To read up on ways to celebrate Earth Day, including helping to create a billion acts of Green, Making the No Coal Call, helping to bring healthy food to our schools, and others, just visit earthday.net or earthday.gov. http://www.connietalk.com/leona_gives_to_pooches_042209.html 2D9286DB-20C6-4F00-BCFF-F1827047E1E9 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:56:49 -0400 Leona Helmsley, once dubbed the Queen of Mean, is still giving, nearly two years after her death at the age of 87. Although, for the pooches, it's not as much as intended. http://www.connietalk.com/leona_gives_to_pooches_042209.html F50D17FB-53E0-4EAE-8587-8629C477E146 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:55:03 -0400 Thank you for contacting Sprint, he writes. I understand your frustration and discomfort regarding civil liberties and the basic tenets of human freedom. http://www.connietalk.com/sprint_saga_III_042209.html 33204AE8-BD1C-4F82-833A-0A2F8BF045F3 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:53:10 -0400 The reason I did it is I see Washington [D.C.] as the only growing place in the United States. They're going to own the banks; they're going to own the car companies; they're going to own everything. -Donald Trump http://www.connietalk.com/donald_trump_on_dc_042209.html C07F8911-8A8F-4E56-B0AE-571DBC99661C Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:52:39 -0400 You know the type: in fact, I can pull one from my inbox right now without searching hard. Let's see...wow! It is actually the first item in my email, entitled 'Want to leave the thankless job in the dust and earn 6figures [SIC] instead?' http://www.connietalk.com/work_at_home_get_ripped_off_042009.html DDE4A689-E7D3-4FB3-9C3B-143FAB4C13CB Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:17:22 -0400 First the Sprint customer service rep announced that he had forwarded my concern to the appropriate department, and that as soon as my concern was received it would be addressed. http://www.connietalk.com/no_prior_authorization_here_042009.html 07DED271-513B-4C0B-92C3-47897FCCA22E Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:13:14 -0400 Over just a few days in March, 66 wolves were killed in Alaska, either shot down by helicopters or planes with aerial gunners. Alaska's recent Board of Game meeting concluded with the approval of using gas bombs to kill wolves and their pups hiding in their dens. Under Governor Sarah Palin's administration, record numbers of these animals are facing death by deadly snares, poison gas, and gunfire. http://www.connietalk.com/why_are_we_slaughtering_wolves_042009.html 8D4D4892-463F-4E1A-9A11-55734007A861 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:11:19 -0400 Whatever your relationship or lack thereof to cannabis, you likely know that today is 420, the counterculture holiday of marijuana, if just by what's on TV. G4TV is showing a marathon of reefer-related comedies, starting with Half-Baked and going onward all night. http://www.connietalk.com/its_that_day_in_april_042009.html FA121A18-D970-4C9E-8C5E-AD6B6D94DEFD Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:08:36 -0400 Ron White in his latest standup, Behavioral Problems, which is out now on DVD and just premiered on Comedy Central. http://www.connietalk.com/ron_white_on_deficit_042009.html 0C973BFF-442E-479E-A116-B03DF2C83885 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:07:52 -0400 T.I., Michael Vick, Rod Blagojevic...Remember the Son of Sam law, designed to prevent criminals from profiting from their crimes by, for example, selling their stories to publishers? It looks like the laws need to be updated to address an era of reality junkies. http://www.connietalk.com/message_crime_pays_041709.html 320B8E12-9B34-4C51-BC16-0FBAC2CA110E Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:21:49 -0400 The Barack Obama Administration has released the long-awaited CIA memos that reveal interrogation techniques that some call harsh, and others (including the ACLU) call torture. http://www.connietalk.com/memos_sent_from_whom_041709.html D82AF804-127C-4E33-9DB3-6D81D476E9AB Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:19:37 -0400 Author Charles Clemans, after Napolitano apologized for offending U.S. military veterans through a report that called their return a reintegration challenge. http://www.connietalk.com/clemans_pits_napolitano_against_reno_041709.html 70A3B30C-3045-4C42-B7DF-A0D796307288 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:17:45 -0400 Every ten seconds in America an animal is abused. Every ten seconds! April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month. http://www.connietalk.com/prevent_cruelty_to_animals_041709.html E67ECDEF-6847-4D95-9DED-569E063F6E54 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:15:56 -0400 When I first heard the word 'twitter,' I thought it was some new brainchild of the makers of Blackberry, or our friends at AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. I shelved it in my mental To Look Up Eventually list, like parents mutter 'LMAO' to themselves to decode when they get around to it. http://www.connietalk.com/twitter_is_booooming_041709.html C288D903-C091-41D1-BA83-4DAE21A0BC73 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:13:42 -0400 Under the law, wild horses are protected by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. But citing escalating costs and budget cuts, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is actually spending millions of American taxpayer dollars each year to 'manage herds' by holding about 10,000 of these beautiful animals nose to rear in holding pens. http://www.connietalk.com/save_the_wild_horses_041609.html 817B139E-60CB-4B75-A694-2E48EF5674CF Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:11:31 -0400 Nationwide numbers show around 1 million people participated in tea parties this week across America, in all 50 states and about 700 cities, more than we originally predicted. http://www.connietalk.com/tea_party_week_041609.html EE7E653E-A213-4ABD-B786-082EDF12D742 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:11:03 -0400 The geniuses at wireless phone company Sprint may have outdone themselves by producing a new advertisement that could leave more people feeling uneasy than intrigued. The commercial reveals that over 200,000 people are currently sending an e-mail containing the words 'miracle banana diet.' Two million people are sending a text message during a business meeting, with their most popular subject being diapers. http://www.connietalk.com/asking_the_telecoms_some_questions_041409.html 70A24E1E-8A7E-4826-99EF-367B5F313107 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:49:05 -0400 Too often, people surprise us with their capacity for cruelty. But let it not be said that sympathy - and kindness - are not a part of the American spirit. In Ohio, at least, those polled have consistently disagreed that John Demjanjuk, the accused Nazi camp guard, should be deported from Cleveland, Ohio to face court proceedings in Germany. To the tune of about 67%. This astonished us. http://www.connietalk.com/public_doesnt_want_deportation_041509.html 8371CC9C-D28A-49F0-936C-EF8BCD3556CE Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:46:22 -0400 Not a bad way to go green, is it? Madonna isn't the only celebrity turning to auction giant eBay to raise money for a good cause. Leonardo DiCaprio has his own outlet through Global Green USA, a US affiliate of Mikhail Gorbachev's Green Cross International, of which Leo is a board member. Joining in on the action, Gwyneth Paltrow is auctioning off a wardrobe full of Jimmy Choo, Valentino and Roger Vivier to benefit the Robin Hood Foundation, and Ellen DeGeneres is putting up for bid 25 items per week through May 8th whose proceeds will go to The Humane Society. http://www.connietalk.com/green_things_from_leo_041509.html DAB3456D-D784-44C9-AB80-948A9D85842B Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:43:50 -0400 There are at least 6,552 news articles this morning about tax protests. From Santa Maria, California to San Angelo, Texas, to Columbus, Ohio, Long Island, New York, and Concord, New Hampshire, there are rallies scheduled (and massively organized over the web, we might add) all across the country of people protesting the payment of their income taxes. http://www.connietalk.com/what_you_do_on_tax_day_041509.html F8E2FB74-ED9A-417C-B6BA-DE374E480E2D Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:40:59 -0400 Kelly Ripa is teaming up with HSN, TLC, and Milojo Productions (her production company co-owned with husband Mark Consuelos) for a new reality TV show called Mom, Inc., to premiere next winter. http://www.connietalk.com/ripa_reality_show_041509.html BE2DDA84-4A83-45AC-9678-119AA8B795CF Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:39:06 -0400 We may sound like a broken record, begging you to help put a stop to the massive seal hunts time and time again. But for once there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. http://www.connietalk.com/fight_for_seals_making_progress_041509.html D5177F05-B727-44F1-B193-84C19D952569 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:37:16 -0400 And it's kinda awkward, you know, because he [was] the most unpopular President in the history of President's, and that's the one I get my photograph taken with...'Cause that photograph, you know it's going to happen: I have a son, he's seven years old, he's going to grow up, he's going to see a photograph of me and George W. Bush, Craig Ferguson jokes. http://www.connietalk.com/craig_ferguson_makes_a_funny_041509.html E3D81836-C62A-421B-B1E0-185CD96436D7 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:36:34 -0400 At the Fort Myers airport in sunny Florida recently, I took off my shoes, put my purse and carryon bag into gray tubs on the conveyer belt along with my sandals and flight itinerary, and took two steps forward through the metal detector with my hands up and a goofy smile at the security guard beckoning me forward. http://www.connietalk.com/visiting_the_airport_041409.html E9BB9D19-F9CE-408B-AD59-68CEA62C81B0 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:16:48 -0400 The Republican National Committee is sending out a 2009 State of the Republican Party Survey to the American public, wanting to know what you think of the current GOP and how they can improve on a multitude of issues. http://www.connietalk.com/gop_survey_041409.html 05651229-D902-4F34-9CA2-2050DBD2C12F Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:14:57 -0400 In an effort to raise money for The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls, her Madge-esty Madonna is auctioning off items that include workouts, spa days, signed books, a private tour and more. http://www.connietalk.com/madonnas_malawi_auction_041409.html 152E2B8A-A419-4106-8609-875014B9005E Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:13:07 -0400 Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Many people in the developing world, usually women and children, walk more than three hours every day to fetch water that is likely to make them sick. http://www.connietalk.com/clean_water_is_a_basic_right_041409.html D7023FC6-0201-4A71-A8CD-9C96EC8545A1 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:11:00 -0400 President Barack Obama finally put the puppy curiosity to rest by releasing a photograph of the family's new dog, a 6 month old Portuguese water dog that ten-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha named Bo. http://www.connietalk.com/presidential_pup_041409.html 64EE119B-E8C9-406B-92A5-15A52355C74A Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:10:32 -0400