College Happenings

Dick Cheney’s Suite Demands
Veep’s “rider” requires Sprite, 68 degrees, TVs tuned to Fox News

MARCH 23–After posting the performance contracts of artists like Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, and U2, The Smoking Gun has finally obtained the backstage demands of a real rock star. That’s right, below you’ll find a copy of Vice President Dick Cheney’s standard “tour” rider. The document is provided to hotels where Cheney will be bunking and lists how the Republican pol’s “Downtime Suite” needs to be outfitted. While the vice president’s requests are pretty modest (no extract-the-brown-M&M demands here), Cheney does like his suite at a comfy 68 degrees. And, of course, all the televisions need to be preset to the Fox News Channel (what, you thought he was a Lifetime devotee?). Decaf coffee should be ready upon his arrival along with four cans of caffeine-free Diet Sprite. And when Cheney is traveling with his wife Lynne, the second family’s suite needs an additional two bottles of sparkling water. Mrs. Cheney’s H2O should be either Calistoga or, curiously, Perrier, a favored beverage of French terrorism appeasers. The document, prepared by the vice president’s advance team, was obtained by TSG after it was provided to a hotel employee prior to a Cheney visit. When we asked Cheney spokesperson Jenny Mayfield about the document’s reference to gifts that hotels might leave in the suite for the vice president, she told us she was unable to address that question since she had not seen the “downtime requirements” rider (she asked for a copy, which we declined to provide in advance of its publication here). At our source’s request, we’ve blacked out the handwritten name and Washington, D.C. phone number of a Cheney staffer. As for the notations regarding extra lamps, specific newspapers, and a carafe, it is unclear whether they were added by an advance team staffer or a hotel official.
To read more and see documents click here to go the smoking gun.

Just because a guy makes light easy listening music doesn’t mean he is an easy going kind of a guy.

This is from Yahoo News.

MANALAPAN, Fla. – The musician Yanni was arrested at his home after an alleged domestic dispute with his girlfriend, authorities said.

Yanni, whose legal name is John Yanni Christopher, was arrested early Friday and faces a domestic battery charge, according to a police report.

The Greek-born singer-pianist denied the allegations.

Yanni asked his girlfriend, Silvia Barthes, to leave his beachfront home in Manalapan on Thursday night, the police report said. Barthes, 33, told police she attempted to pack her clothing but the 51-year-old musician threw it on the ground.

She told officers he then grabbed her arms and shook her, throwing her on the bed, and jumped on top of her, according to the report.

Yanni told police Barthes kicked him, and he believed he injured his finger during the incident, the report said.

No one answered a call to a telephone listing for a John Christopher in Manalapan late Monday. But the musician said in a statement he was innocent.

“These allegations are cruel, false, without merit and baseless,” said the statement released by his manager, Danny O’Donovan. “At a more appropriate time and place, I hope and pray I will have an opportunity to address my fans and colleagues all over the world.”

Sam McManis of the Sacramento Bee recently wrote a piece regarding 18-to-34-year-olds lack of interest in the news and current events. Despite medias attempt to modernize itself by going online, creating podcasts and blogs.

CNN even elevated Anderson Cooper to its main anchorman apparently trying to take advantage of his so-called good looks.

Media is grappling for ways to connect with the younger audience and coming up short. The younger audience is full of reasons why they are not tuned it. They don’t have time, they don’t want to pay for a newspaper or they can check the news online when they want it and don’t need to watch a 30 minute newscast.

So what is the media to do? How can they capture this audience? Perhaps they should forget about that audience. Focus on reporting honestly and accurately. Don’t hype the news so it can be sold. Do the best job possible for the people who are paying attention.

What about David T. Z. Mindich’s argument? Mindich is the author of Tuned out: Why Americans Under 40 Don’t follow the News Our democracy depends upon an informed citizenry. He asks the question, “How do you hold the government and its leaders accountable if you don’t follow the news?�

Many people are informed on current events. Are they making a difference? Is anyone really able to hold the government accountable? It appears that the government went to war in Iraq based on a lie. The lie that said there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Those weapons have yet to be uncovered, and there have been no consequences for our administrations lies.

An audience may be informed, but that doesn’t mean that they will have an impact on the government and its leaders.

The only saving grace the country has is that at the end of this term we will have a new administration.

NEW YORK – Britney Spears defended photographs showing the pop star driving with her infant son on her lap, saying she was dodging the paparazzi.

Several photos published Tuesday showed Spears driving her SUV in Malibu, Calif., with son, Sean Preston, on her lap, rather than strapped into a car seat in the back. Spears said she did it because of a “horrifying, frightful encounter with the paparazzi.�

The photos show Spears holding the wheel of the car with one hand, and her 5-month-old baby in the other. A person is shown sitting in the passenger seat next to Spears.

“I was terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger,� Spears said in statement released late Monday.

“I instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm’s way, but the paparazzi continued to stalk us,� she said. “I love my child and would do anything to protect him.�

The agency that snapped the photos, X17, had a different account.

“These pictures were taken in a very peaceful context, in which photographers exhibited no aggressive behavior,� the agency said in a statement released to “Access Hollywood.� “We believe that the pictures speak for themselves.�

Ahh Britney, why do we love you so. It is obviously not for your intelligence…and there has been a lot of talk about your lack of a hot body. It must be your music.

Some of you may wonder how I ended up with a blog, or how I even knew what blogging was.

The first time I heard the word blog was at the 2004 Pollner Lecture at the University of Montana. The speaker was from the Washington Post and she talked a bit about Wonkette.

That was the first blog I had ever heard of.

This past semester Chris Boese from CNN was the Pollner Proffesor. She is nuts about blogs. Passionate about the whole blog movement. I learned alot in her class.

She taught the history of blogs and we discussed the furture of blogs. She taught the class how to set up our own blogs and how to maintain them.

She asked lots of good questions. Like are blogs the savior of Journalism? I don’t think so, but they certainly are good at smoking out the truth. That, if anything will improve the state of journalism.

Often times I think blogs are just second hand news with witty or snarky comments added to it.

Below are links to some of my favorite blogs. They are all pretty original and not political. I do enjoy a few political blogs, but I’ll save those for another day.

Post Secret …this one is so different, I love it.

girlspoke …a bit naughty

everday goddess …she’s cool

this fish …New York cutie

dragon girl
cool aussie chick

This is one of those email get to know you things.
You can learn interesting things about people sometimes.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 8:30am
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? ??
4. What is your favorite TV show? Desperate Housewives
5. What did you have for breakfast? toast
6. What is your middle name? Ann
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian
8. What foods do you dislike? Brussel sprouts
9. Your favorite Potato chip? Ruffles
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? The Holly’s
11. What kind of car do you drive? Chevy

12. Favorite sandwich? Tuna fish

13. What characteristics do you despise? Manipulative people
14. Favorite item of clothing? A worn out sweatshirt

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
where would you go? French Mediterranean area
16. What color is your bathroom? White

17. Favorite brand of clothing? This brand my Aunt Jill sent me last year. It is under shirts and pj bottoms, I can’t remember the brand, but they are so comfy.

18. Where would you want to retire to? Haven’t been to enough places to know yet.
19. Favorite time of day? Mornings…if no one bugs me

20. Where were you born? Custer, SD

21. Favorite sport to watch? nascar

24. What laundry detergent do you use? Tide

25. Coke or Pepsi? Dr. Pepper

26. Are you a morning person or night owl? Morning now a days

27. What size shoe do you wear? 9

28. Do you have pets? 1 wonderful lazy eyed cat and 2 stupid ducks.
29. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with
everyone? Hmmm…
30. What did you want to be when you were little? A scientist, then a writer.
31. Favorite Candy Bar? Twix
32. What is your best childhood memory? Christmas with my family, and Glenn walking into numerous poles.
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Oh my gosh where should I start. Paper girl, maid, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Ole’s, landscaper, secretary, there are so many more. It is ridiculous.
34. What color underwear are you wearing? None of your business.
35. Nicknames: James and Jaime like it is said in Spanish, ya know with an H sound.
36. Piercing? Ears

37. Eye color? Hazel

38. Ever been to Africa? No
39. Ever been toilet papering? no
40. Love someone so much it made you cry? yes

41. Been in a car accident? no

42. Croutons or bacon bits? Both

43. Favorite day of the week? Friday
44. Favorite restaurant? Olive Garden
45. Favorite flower? Tulip

46. Favorite ice cream? Yuck
47. Disney or Warner Brothers? Warner Brother

48. Favorite fast food restaurant? Fireside

50. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? twice

52. Which store would you choose to max out your
credit card? Bed Bath and Beyond

54. Bedtime? 10-11

56. Last person you went to dinner with? My perfect man.

58. What are you listening to right now? People talking, (I’m at the gym) and classic rock
59. What is your favorite color? pink

60. Lake, Ocean or River. ????

61. How many tattoos do you have? 2

62. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Chicken

I was checking out everydaygoddess, a blog I like and she had an interesting post. There was a quiz to take that determines the state you should live in.

According to my answers, I should live in Wyoming. Odd, cause I am from there, but I don’t want to live there. It is beautiful and all, but really unless you’re a straight, white, conservative male it isn’t such a great place to live. Well unless you don’t mind working at Wal-Mart for the rest of your life.

Here are my results. I was sad to see no Montana on my list. I even took it twice and said I was gay to see if it would add it, no such luck. I bet maybe if I marked that I would gamble my wife and kids away maybe it would show up.

My results:

The Cowboy State – Wyoming

Wyoming – 67%
Washington – 67%
Nevada – 42%
Florida – 42%
California -33%
Utah -33%
Louisiana -33%
New York – 25%

Let me know what state was at the top of your list. Please.

Click below to take the quiz.

What state should you live in?

Created by QuizFarm.com