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17 Feb 2012 10:56

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U.S.: Family matters: Son tries to evict 98-year-old mother from home

  • I didn’t think he would do it. My husband worked hard, difficult jobs to buy this house. He built the garage and did a lot of work on the house and he told me never to leave it.
  • 98-year-old Mary Kantorowski • Discussing her 71-year-old son, Peter, who attempted to evict her from her own Connecticut house a couple of months ago. She’s lived there since 1953. The son says he’s concerned for his mother’s well-being, claiming that she’s living in poor conditions and is disoriented. Peter, who owns the house, tried evicting her in an effort to get her to move in with him, or into a nursing home. Instead, she got a lawyer involved and is actively fighting her son’s efforts. Peter says that his intentions are noble, but his brother Jack claims otherwise, suggesting he’s simply trying to sell the home: “There are no other words to call him. He’s just a scumbag.” Does not sound like a good family situation. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Feb 2012 11:19

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World: In Canada, politician uses classy tactic to push online surveillance bill

Regarding his Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act, which would force ISPs to hand over personal info without warrants, MP Vic Toews fought off critics by saying people “can either stand with us or with the child pornographers.” Seriously. (ht papastain) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Feb 2012 20:04

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Politics: CNN suspends Roland Martin for offensive Super Bowl tweets

  • Roland Martin’s tweets were regrettable and offensive. Language that demeans is inconsistent with the values and culture of our organization, and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful consideration to this matter, and Roland will not be appearing on our air for the time being.
  • A statement issued by CNN • Explaining their decision to suspend Roland Martin from their network, following a series of Super Bowl tweets that landed Martin in hot water with GLAAD, among other LGBT advocacy groups. He said if you knew a guy who liked David Beckham’s underwear ad, you ought to “smack the ish out of him.” Martin insisted, while apologizing for the offense, that he was attempting to be disparaging of soccer fans, not a man  sexually attracted to Beckham, but these excuses fell in deaf ears when it came to his employer. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Feb 2012 10:31

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U.S.: Today in bizarre adoptions: A polo club owner adopts his adult girlfriend

  • story A wealthy Florida polo club owner, involved in a car crash that killed a 23-year-old man a year ago, is facing both criminal charges and a wrongful death suit in the case. He could face up to 30 years in prison for vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of the crime; he ran a stop sign and was driving under the influence at the time.
  • twist In a legal maneuver which probably has no prior precedent, back in October, 48-year-old John Goodman legally made his longtime 42-year-old girlfriend … his adopted daughter. Officials believe this is an attempt to shield his wealth from a civil suit. Also, the math doesn’t work out on that father-daughter relationship. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Feb 2012 14:27

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Politics: Mitt Romney provides his opponents with tailor-made gaffe

  • I’m not concerned about the very poor; we have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich; they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.
  • Mitt Romney • Speaking to CNN’s Soledad O’Brien this morning. There’s a few different reasons this will, and likely should, be seen as a gaffe. Romney’s political opponents now have footage of him saying he’s not concerned about the very poor, which isolated from his broader point feeds the very narrative that is most damaging to him, that of the disaffected millionaire. Snipping the quote and excising his real point about the Americans in between would be somewhat disingenuous. Even taken in full context, though, he is suggesting the very poor and very rich are somehow equally undeserving of a President’s attention, which is a peculiar philosophical position in and of itself, and one we suspect won’t play well with a great deal of people. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Jan 2012 13:54

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Politics: Mitt’s latest (involuntary) weapon against Newt? Tom Brokaw

  • We’re sorry, this is just low: Back in 1997, Newt Gingrich faced a tough punishment for ethics violations similar to those that caused his predecessor’s downfall. So, clearly, with Mitt needing some strong ammo to hold him off in Florida, this is probably the right line of attack. Problem is … well, what the hell does Tom Brokaw have to do with this? Mitt’s latest ad in Florida is just a long replay of a news clip from that era, with a little bit of dramatic music to really sell the whole thing. Brokaw is understandably pissed: “I am extremely uncomfortable with the extended use of my personal image in this political ad,” he said in a statement. “I do not want my role as a journalist compromised for political gain by any campaign.” We’re pissed for him —Romney just co-opted his trusted image to score some cheap points. Not cool. NBC has asked the Romney campaign to remove their news footage from the clip, and they better. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Jan 2012 20:48

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Culture: Marketing experts: Paula Deen’s diabetes switch-up a weird branding choice

  • I think it’s completely gross that Paula Deen made $$$ pushing food that makes you sick and will now make $$$ pushing the medication for it.
  • Twitter user @BradWalsh • Discussing TV chef Paula Deen’s decision to announce that she suffers from diabetes — and at the same time using the opportunity to play spokeswoman for a major diabetes drug company, Novo Nordisk AS. Branding experts think this is an poor way to handle the issue. “It’s a big change to expect consumers to buy into,” said Allen Adamson, managing director of branding firm Landor New York. We’re with the branding dude. It’s as if she’s trying to reboot herself because she’s in a corner. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

11 Jan 2012 10:59

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Culture: Girl Scout encourages cookie boycott because the group allows transgenders

  • Looks like someone isn’t getting their “tolerance” badge: This 14-year-old Girl Scout from California is calling for the boycott of her own group for allowing a transgender child to serve as a Girl Scout, which is fairly progressive for the group, but something they only allowed after initially denying the child. Progress comes with resistance, guys; here’s the resistance. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Jan 2012 11:01

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Culture: Dear Beyonce, Jay-Z and new baby: You’re angering other parents

  • They just used the hospital like it was their own and nobody else mattered.
  • New father Neil Coulon • Speaking out against Beyonce and Jay-Z’s entourage, because it was preventing him from seeing his own prematurely-born twins. The famous couple, who welcomed Blue Ivy Carter into the family on Saturday night, asked for a strong amount of privacy from Lenox Hill Hospital, forcing the hospital to block off the neonatal intensive care unit and putting a number of other rooms on lockdown. This probably was not the best way for the hospital to handle this situation, to put it lightly. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Jan 2012 16:08

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Biz: PayPal told dissatisfied buyer to destroy violin rather than return it

  • $2,500 violin destroyed, at PayPal’s behest source
  • » Bad policy, lazy practice? An eBay seller named Erica recently complained, in a letter to Regretsy, that her attempted sale of an antique violin ended with the violin smashed to pieces, apparently at the direct instruction of PayPal. The buyer had disputed the violin’s label, which Erica claims is common and matters little in the world of violins, and that it was “examined and authenticated” before being sold. That aside, PayPal declared the violin “counterfeit” and instructed the buyer to destroy it to receive his money back, which the buyer did. Meaning Erica came away with nothing: “…my main goal in writing to you is to prevent PayPal from ordering the destruction of violins and other antiquities that they know nothing about. It is beyond me why PayPal simply didn’t have the violin returned to me.”
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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