Britney Spears brings paparrazi into the bathroom with her 
Thursday, September 27th, 2007

Oh, Britney.  Looking for love in all the wrong places.  Whining that he was "so cuuuute," Brit-Brit dragged a member of the paparrazi into a Quizno's bathroom with her on Tuesday, for no apparent reason - or maybe there was a reason, but once she saw the guy's camera was rolling, she promptly pushed him back out.  But wait!  Check out her hand!  Isn't that her wedding ring??

Britney went to the Quizno's to use the bathroom (or to get attention, one of the two) with no one else with her.  There was a nanny in the car waiting with the boys.  Tables and chairs were turned over, and everyone wanted a picture.  Some say Britney was asking the photog to get something from her car for her, but whatever he handed to her, she emerged just seconds later.

Now that a judge has ordered her to undergo random drug and alcohol testing, maybe she has to find other forms of entertainment.  Or maybe this paparrazo will become the next K-Fed.  Anyhow, video of the strange bathroom encounter has leaked, and we've got the exclusive footage for you!  Go ahead, pat yourself on the back for checking our site everyday.  Or, if you didn't, give yourself a good kick in the arse.  And for those of you who are hear for news on issues you can make a difference on - well, there's just no changing Britney Spears, but sadly we get e-mails for news about her every day:

Shilpa Shetty arrested for being kissed on the cheek by Richard Gere 
Thursday, September 27th, 2007

This is really strange.  Shilpa Shetty, Bollywood star, was arrested today in India for being kissed by Richard Gere at an AIDs awareness event earlier this year.  Shilpa, 32, was swept backwards and kissed several times on the cheek by Gere.  Afterwards, crowds burned posters of the two stars in protest, and conservative Hindus claimed that the two stars violated the country's anti-obscenity laws.  After the incident, a court issued a warrant for Gere, and Shilpa was barred from leaving the country.

Today, Shilpa was arrested and held at Mumbai Airport by immigration officials who were not aware of the Supreme Court ruling that overturned the ban on her leaving the country - they said she was still wanted on obscenity charges.  Gere's warrant was also overturned by the Supreme Court.  Shilpa's spokesman, Dale Bhagwagar, said:

"She called me in the middle of the night and was in tears.  [She told me] 'I can understand something like this if I'd committed a criminal offense.  But what was my offense, when I'm just an actor, going to perform a musical on foreign land?'"

Really, what she do?  We don't get it!  Because she laughed when he kissed her instead of - what?  What was she supposed to do?  They can wear clothing with their entire sides bare and revealed, and cleveage to the nines, but they can't get a kiss on the cheek?  Watch the clip for yourself...I see no obscenity here:

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Kiefer Sutherland busted for fourth DUI 
Thursday, September 27th, 2007

There is just no excuse for this.  None whatsoever.  Kiefer Sutherland, for the fourth time now, is joining the likes Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, Lindsay Lohan, Busta Rhymes, Eve, Vivica Fox, and a long, long list of celebrity DUI's.  "24" star Kiefer Sutherland was arrested on Sunday night for driving under the influence.  Like we said, for the fourth time.

Kiefer has been pulled over for DUI three other times:  in 1989, 1993, and 2004, for driving with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.  The '89 and '93 cases were dismissed. This time, he was still on probation for the 2004 incident.  He was stopped in Los Angeles for making an illegal U-turn, and proceeded to fail a field sobriety test.  Sutherland, 40, was pulled over at just after 1:00 in the morning, and was released at 4:00 a.m. after posting $25,000 bail.

Here's why there is absofreakinglutely no excuse for this.  Amongst his other projects, Sutherland pacted last year to executive produce and star in the "24" series through season eight, and the deal was worth about $40 million.  Then he moved on to shoot "Mirrors."  This dude has money coming out of his eyeballs, and he chooses to get behind the wheel without a designated driver?!  Not only could he afford to have one taxi him around 24/7, but he's arguably a household name, and could knock on any door in America and probably score a ride home.  What is with these people?  I don't drive drunk, and I'm just a lowly news blogger who couldn't afford a hayride home!  Wait, hayrides are cheap, right?

Four Red Cross workers are kidnapped in Afghanistan 
Thursday, September 27th, 2007

Reuters is reporting that four Red Cross workers woh were on their way to help secure the release of hostages, were kidnapped themselves yesterday, and are being held by the Taliban.  The staff members of the Internation Committee of the Red Cross were captured southwest of Kabul, the Afghan capital.  But then Reuters goes on to say that a Taliban spokesman revealed today they did not know that they were Red Cross workers, and will be releasing them shortly.

"Our mujahideen detained the Red Cross workers in Wardak province without knowing they were ICRC," the Taliban spokesman, who chose to remain anonymous, said.  "We have nothing against the Red Cross and we are going to release them soon."

The Taliban has spokespeople?  Did you know this?!

The stars come out for the Clinton Global Initiative 
Thursday, September 27th, 2007

Politics, planning to solve the planet's most pressing problems, and Brangelina all rolled into one:  we love it!  The third annual Clinton Global Initiative is bringing 1,300 delegates from 72 countries together to address and attempt to improve issues that are affecting the world today.  It doesn't come cheap for these do-gooders:  each had to pay $15,000 for membership, and each must design their own specific project to work on between each annual conference (including backing it financially).  And if they don't make good on their commitment, they're actually barred from coming back the next year.

Yesterday, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie spoke alongside the minister of education in Afghanistan, and the president of Colombia, and said that the amount of money spent in Iraq in just a few hours could have educated thousands of children.  "To put things into perspective and maybe help to understand why we maybe need to adjust the way we're doing things in the world, the conflict in Iraq has displaced over four million people," she said.

Jolie said that an appeal by UNICEF, the United Nation's fund for children, to address educational needs of children was nothing compared to the cost of U.S. military spending in Iraq.  "The entire appeal equals about eight hours of current spending in Iraq.  So just a few hours would send 150,000 children to school."

"Nothing wins more hearts and minds and nothing gives more freedom than education and nothing is a better deterrent for conflict than an educated child."  The world, she said, needs to get its "priorities in order."  Her commitment, the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict, which she co-chairs, will educate more than 1 million children around the globe.  It even includes a plan to bring "Sesame Street" to Afghanistan.

"They say education is not lifesaving," she said.  "All of us would beg to differ."

Her partner, Brad Pitt (as if you didn't know), spoke on the session for climate change, and pledged $5 million toward the rebuilding of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

"We're prepared to break ground by the end of the year, but we need your help," he said.  "We will match dollar for dollar any and every single contribution up to $10 million."  His "Make it Right" project, teamed up with real-estate deveoper and philanthropist Steve Bing, will ensure that "residents who wish to return to the Lower Ninth Ward can do so without further financial hardship."  The website for his project is here.

For more info on the annual Clinton Global Initiative, you can visit their website.  Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, tennis star Andre Agassi, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and many others are on the guest list this year.  But you don't have to be a celeb or head of state to make a difference.

The Clinton Global Initiative has also introduced mycommitment.org, where anyone can make commitments, big or small to help change the world.

Kid Nation reality show is child endangerment for entertainment  
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

The Washington Post has called CBS' reality tv series Kid Nation an "appalling monstrosity."  USA Today says "all hype, no entertainment."  ConnieTalk says:  "have you signed the petition yet?"

CBS's "Kid Nation" put 40 children between the ages of 8 to 15 in an abandoned New Mexico desert town alone, with no parental supervision, forced to fend for themselves.  Four of the children were injured after drinking bleach that was left in an unmarked soda bottle; one was burned by hot grease when trying to cook.  And the parents of the forty kids participating in the show all signed blanket liability waivers that stated they cannot sue CBS if their child is severely injured, contracts a Sexually Transmitted Disease, or dies during the filming of "Kid Nation."

The waivers also consent to the network making their own medical treatment decisions on behalf of the minors, including surgery, and make no promise as to "the qualifications or credentials" of the medical personnel on staff.  They sign away even their privacy, unless they are "in the process of showering, bathing, urinating, or defecating."  Regardless of whether or not CBS or whomever says that adults were close enough and nothing more than pulled muscles and being homesick will happen to them - the truth of the danger is in the waivers.

Each child was paid only $5,000 for appearing on the show, save for a few of them that earned $20,000 bonuses for challenges presented during the 13 episodes.  You can read the actual release that these parents signed at The Smoking Gun.  The New Mexico Department of Labor has said the children worked up to 14 hours per day and were taken advantage of, because statutes protect theatrical and film productions from child labor restrictions.  Twelve of the forty children are ages 10 or younger.

CBS is now casting for Kid Nation 2, and there's no telling what neglect and injury those children could suffer, all because there are parents out there willing to turn their children's lives over to make a buck.

Every one of us has a choice.  We can choose to do nothing.  We can choose to watch it, therefore contributing to the ratings and giving the media the message that we are okay with child endangerment for entertainment.  Or, we can choose to boycott it.  The network completely sickens us at this point.  With this show, and the recent developments with Dan Rather's termination, we have stopped watching CBS altogether.  If you have something interesting for us - we'll see you on YouTube, CBS.

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Pentagon asks Congress for billions more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan   
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

Perhaps these issues ought to voted on by the American people from now on.  We'll see what becomes of this one, but today U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (you know, the guy that took over after Donald Rumsfeld slinked off with his tail between his legs) asked Congress for almost $190 billion more for spending in the Iraq War & Afghanistan.  But here's what makes it so debatable:  Gates says the Bush administration is seeking the money for training, equipment, and new armoured vehicles to better sustain against bomb blasts.  Most Americans are tired of funding the war - but no one wants our troops to go without.

However, they also want to use the money to train and equip Iraqi security forces, and "consolidate our bases in Iraq."  Bush was already seeking $42 billion more for the coming fiscal year, so now they are increasing the request to $189 billion.  Do any of us trust this administration to allocate these funds properly for what our soldiers need?  And to distribute it as claimed?

"I know that Iraq and other difficult choices America faces in the war on terror will continue to be a source of friction within the Congress, between the Congress and the President, and in the wider public debate," Gates said.  You bet your ass it will.  Because the money doesn't just come from money trees planted on the Capitol's lawn.  It comes out of our pockets, our paychecks, our currency value, our economy.  And most importantly, funding this war means we are also giving the lives of our family, our friends, our neighbors, our sisters and brothers - it enables the current administration to occupy Iraq and Afghanistan throughout 2008.

"Like all of you," Gates continued, "I always keep our troops - their safety and their mission - foremost in my mind every day."  Bullshit.  If their safety was foremost in your mind, that would mean they'd be above the religious and political chaos we've fueled (not started, but definitely fueled) in the Middle East.  Instead of enabling Bush, you would encourage him to backpedal, make peace, and try to bandaid the wounds we've created, instead of giving Iraq and Afghanistan the false hope that we can occupy and be their safety net forever.

Our troops are brave, they're proud, and honorable, and deserve to be protected.  Protected doesn't mean spending $11 billion dollars for 7,000 new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles.  It means getting them the hell out of there.  It means making peace so they don't have to fight, and it means not pulling on our heartstrings and abusing our patriotism as a guise for funding your illegal war.

Please excuse my language slips in this article...we try to keep it clean, but I am just so tired of this. God bless the troops.

Michael Moore will be on Oprah tomorrow discussing healthcare in the U.S.  
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

Fire up the TiVo!  Controversial film director Michael Moore - whose been laying relatively low recently - will appear on Oprah's talk show tomorrow to discuss nationwide healthcare in the U.S.  He'll also be debating with an insurance lobbyist in a healthcare face off.  Retired steelworker Stephen Skvara, who received a standing ovation from a crowd of around 15,000 when he asked Democratic Presidential candidates what they plan to do to change healthcare, will make an appearance to give an update on his situation.

Skvara, 60, retired on disability from LTV Steel after 34 years, due to a crippling auto accident that left him walking with two canes.  He told the potential Presidential candidates that he hasn't been able to afford to pay for his wife's health insurance since LTV went bankrupt, and asked, "What is wrong with America, and what will you do to change it?"  The video clip circulated, and Skvara became somewhat of a poster child for health care issues.

"Every day is something new," Skvara has said.  "It's kind of interesting for a retired guy.  All of a sudden something happens and people want to hear you talk."  Awwwwww!  How cute is he??

Three other people will discuss their fights with insurers.

The Weinstein Company announced this month that "SICKO," one of the most talked-about films of the year, has moved into third place for the most popular documentaries:  it became the third highest grossing documentary of all time, taking in $24.2 million in the U.S. since it debuted June 29th.  The record took the place of the previous record holder, bumping down the Emmy award-winning "An Inconvient Truth."  Sorry, Al Gore - but you should have reformed health care when you were the Vice President...karma's a biatch!  The top two highes grossing documentaries are "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "March of the Penguins," both of which are also Michael Moore films.

We told you, fire up the TiVo!  The most popular documentary director chatting with Queen O...timeless!

GM reaches deal with UAW workers, union strike comes to an end  
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement this morning, putting an end to the two-day strike by 73,000 workers.  Just after 4 a.m. ET, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger announced the agreement to the cheering crowd at the UAW headquarters in Detroit that a deal was reached around 3:05 am.  He confirmed the strike to be officially in recess, and said that the agreement has the unanimous support of both the union's leadership and it's negotiation team.

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