Blog Archive

Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors of 2011

Ever wonder who in Hollywood makes more money than they're worth? Well, Forbes has calculated the top 10 most overpaid actors of the year. Who do you think tops the list?

Breaking news: Andy Rooney dead at 92.

Date: 5 Nov. 2011

Andy Rooney is dead. The low rent Examiner said he wasn't long for this world in the middle of last month, so this counts as another correct death prediction. Rooney is the fourth person predicted to be dead soon in 2011 who has actually died. Dozens have been slated for death this year and are still alive, many with much more certainty than the prediction for the 92 year old Rooney.

Will Adele sing again?

Publication: Weekly Life & Style
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

Welcome to American gossip hell, Adele!  The British pop singer gets her first appearance on the cover of an American gossip rag with a story about surgery and the concern that she might not be able to sing again.

Bells Done Rung™: Oprah's marriage shocker!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 14 Nov. 2011
 
The Enquirer has some fresh trash about Oprah, an alleged marriage some 30 years ago.  Here are the headlines.
  • Secret husband she has been hiding for 30 years
  • picture revealed inside
  • Exclusive: Husband speaks to Enquirer


Kick SEVERAL corpses, why don'tcha? Paul Newman's secret affairs.

Publication: National Examiner
Date: 14 Nov. 2011
Welcome to gossip hell, Paul Newman!  The low rent Examiner caters to its target demographic with some seriously old Hey Old Timer Gossip.  They say Newman, who was just about too gorgeous for words in his younger days, had secret affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Natalie Wood.  I count Hey Old Timer Gossip as trash about anyone famous before I graduated high school.  With this foursome, all their careers got started before I was born and I'm old.

On the Rocks alert: Rob & Kristen: Inside their tortured love

Publication: Us Weekly
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

It's been nearly a half year since a Rob and Kristen story has been on the cover of an American gossip rag, but as the release of the latest film draws nigh, I expect there will be a few more over the coming weeks.

Sad News - Bob Forsch



Bob Forsch, an unsung great Cardinals pitcher of the 70s and 80s, died suddenly today at the age of 61.   Forsch was never the best pitcher in the game, never won a Cy Young or, to my knowledge, got close to one.   Yet, if you look at his career, his stats match up very well to other Cardinals pitchers with much higher profiles.   Forsch had a record of 168-136 as a starter, with an ERA of 3.76, and he threw two no-hitters in his career.   In 1982, he went 15-9 for the Cardinals' World Series champions; he also was a starter in 1985 and 1987 when the Cardinals won the NL pennant.   Chris Carpenter, who has a Cy Young and, like Forsch, has pitched in three World Series for the Cardinals, has a much higher profile and is considered a "star."   He also was making $15 million a year for the Cardinals this year, while Forsch's top contract was $750,000.   Yet Carpenter's overall record is only 144-92 with the same 3.76 ERA, and he's never thrown a no-hitter.   Carpenter does have a deserved reputation as a big-game pitcher, and his post-season record of 9-2 far outshines Forsch's 3-4.   But you have to wonder.... what would a guy like Forsch who reliably gave the Cardinals 200 innings per year (7 times between 1975 and 1986).... what would a guy like that have been worth today?  

A sad day in Cardinals land.   But, then...  Forsch did get the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at Game 7 last week.    My thoughts are with his family, but, seriously... what a way to go out!  

RIP.

More Solyndra B.S.

Powerline blog has a good post up about the bonuses that Solyndra executives received in the months before the company went bankrupt.   It makes for appalling reading:

Solyndra’s executives [paid themselves] substantial bonuses shortly before their company declared bankruptcy, having run out of your money. The taxpayers likely will be stuck with a $530 million bill. Here is where some of it went:
Karen Alter, senior vice president of marketing, received two $55,000 bonuses on April 15 and July 8 of this year, on top of her $250,000 annual salary.
If it weren’t our money, this would almost be funny: how can you award someone in charge of marketing $110,000 in bonuses when the company wasn’t making enough sales to stay out of bankruptcy? Ms. Alter’s recent political contributions, according to Open Secrets: Barack Obama, $2,300; David Sanders (D), $1,000; Alan Khazei (D), $3,000.
Ben Bierman, executive vice president of operations and engineering, received $120,000 in bonuses this year on top of his $276,000 salary.
Mr. Bierman’s recent political contributions, per Open Secrets: Barack Obama, $2,300; DNC Services Corp., $1,950; Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $1,950; Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, $2,750; Priorities USA Action, $500; Women Vote!, $250.
Paula Camporaso, vice president of information technology — $80,000 in bonuses on top of her $107,000 salary.
Dave Sanat, vice president of supply chain — $80,000 in bonuses on top of his $111,000 salary.
Bill Stover, the company’s CFO who took the fifth before Congress at a September hearing, was awarded at least $120,000 in bonuses on top of his $367,000 salary.
And, finally:
The document also reveals that Chris Gronet, one of Solyndra’s founders, was “transitioned to the role of adviser and consultant” from his position as CEO on July 1, 2011, and negotiated a severance package worth more than $450,000.
Mr. Gronet’s recent contributions: Barbara Boxer, $1,000.

I’m sure they all really appreciate your tax dollars.

My father built his small business without government handouts over thirty years.   He employed 20-25 people, giving them health insurance and a pension plan and a living; he served his community in a variety of ways (too numerous to list); and he always (I mean always) paid himself less than he might have, because he never wanted to be caught short and be unable to pay either his creditors or his employees.   In short, he was an ethical, honest businessman.   He didn't think of himself as special in that way; honesty was important in the real world, and was expected.

That ethos still exists in parts of America, but it obviously didn't exist at Solyndra, a Potemkin Village of a company created, it appears in retrospect, solely for the purpose of giving liberal elites an opportunity to access taxpayer dollars.   It's almost as if the company was set up purely to get government grants that you could turn into bonuses to executives who could then recycle that cash back into Democratic campaign coffers.

Ya think?

OWS Imploding

The Occupy Wall Street mob scene -- that's what you have to call it -- is appalling, and it's amazing to me that Mayor Bloomberg has not acted yet to shut it down and move these vagrants off the street and away from the homes and businesses of the citizens of the Zuccotti Park area.   They are doing real damage, not just to the neighborhood, but to the reputation of New York, which has been hard-earned over the past thirty years since I lived there:


A deranged homeless man who has been squatting among the Occupy Wall Street protesters in lower Manhattan went on a violent, early-morning rampage yesterday, cursing incoherently and kicking down tents.... It was just the type of increasingly violent incident that has downtown residents -- already bombarded by megaphones, incessant drumming, graffiti and public urination -- feeling on edge as the OWS takeover of Zuccotti Park enters its third month.

Here's a video from the New York Post about the most recent incidents in the parade of horribles that is OWS-New York:

Meanest story nominee: Chaz Bono has four years to live!

Publication: National Enquirer
Date: 14 Nov. 2011
 
The Enquirer has published several bad stories about Chaz Bono's health this year and now puts the 42 year old on the Expiration Date list, giving him four years to live.  This is a strangely long time for these kinds of stories.  The longest expiration date before this were two years to live. Among the people who have gotten the "two years to live" treatment are Oprah Winfrey, Rush Limbaugh and Chaz' mom Cher.

Here are the headlines.
  • Breaking news! Chaz Bono Only 4 years to live!
  • Liver damage agony
  • Dancing With The Stars made his health crisis worse
Best wishes to Chaz, his family and friends.  This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.

Meanest story nominee: Miss Loretta Lynn has weeks to live.

Publication: Globe
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

For those of you keeping track, this is now the fifth story in two years in the gutter press predicting the death of Miss Loretta Lynn.  What it really means is there is some over-dramatic Judas with a connection to Miss Lynn who is making money funneling mean stories to the Globe and the low rent Examiner.  Here are this week's headlines.
  • Loretta Lynn dying!
  • New hospital drama!
  • Only weeks to live - pals fear
Let me note that it was two months ago when the headline about Miss Loretta read "THE END".  By saying "weeks to live", I've given this post an "Expiration Date" label and I arbitrarily set the date at the end of the year.

Best wishes to Miss Loretta Lynn, her friends and family, from a fan.  I exclude the "friends" who keeping blabbing bad stuff about her to the tabloids.

This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.



Meanest story nominee: Robin Gibb THE END

Publication: Globe
Date: 14 Nov. 2011
Welcome to gossip hell, Robin Gibb.  The 61 year old member of the Bee Gees was recently hospitalized and looks very thin, so the Globe gives him no chance to live for much longer. Here are the headlines.
  • Robin Gibb THE END
  • Bee Gees tragedy!
  • Now 97 lbs!
Best wishes to Robin Gibb, his family and friends, from a fan.

This is a nominee for Meanest Story of the Week.



Bundle of Joy alert: Woman claims Justin Bieber is the father of her child.

Publication: Star
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

Back in the 1990s, Bill Clinton's penis got him in so much trouble it got its own nickname, the Clenis.

Here in the 2010s, we may have to start referring to the Bienis.  Star has uncovered a young woman who says Justin Bieber is the father of her child.  Here are the headlines.
  • Justin Bieber is the father of my baby!
  • World exclusive
  • Baby Tristin and mom Mariah
  • 20-year-old's shocking lawsuit
  • Where they met
  • The paternity test
  • 'He told me it was his first time'
  • Official court documents
This might become one of the major scoops of the year if it isn't complete nonsense.  This blog takes a wait and see approach at present.



Love Bird Alert™: Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves

Publications: OK!, Star
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! One of the first rules of the gossip rags is that if two people are willing to have their picture taken together, things of a fluid exchange nature must be taking place behind closed doors.  
 
Welcome to gossip hell, Keanu Reeves!  He had a dinner date with his Speed co-star Sandra Bullock, so they must be doing the nasty.  Here are the headlines.
  • OK!: Sandra moves on: Happy with Keanu
  • Star: Sandra hooks up with Keanu
I don't buy it for a minute.

Solyndra Update

Why, why, why are we worrying about whether Hermann Cain hit on a secretary in the 1990s?   There is staggering corruption going on in the nation's capital under our eyes.   The tip of the iceberg is the Solyndra scandal,which is metastasizing as we speak:


And we're worried about whether Hermann Cain made some woman "uncomfortable" by something he said -- we don't know what yet -- back in the 1990s, i.e., back when we were running budget surpluses and had low unemployment and had just won the Cold War and before 9/11 and... well, you know.   Maybe Mark Steyn is right; maybe we are more frivolous than the Greeks.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

It was the Regular Daughter's 12th birthday last month, and the Regular Grandma visited.   A grand time was had by all, as you can see.   Now, today it's the Regular Grandma's turn.    Happy Birthday, Mom!   You're the greatest!

Mark Steyn Does Not Think the Glass is Half Full... Not Hardly


No, that's not Mark Steyn, but this puppy/angry bear captures the sentiment.

Remember the budget deal in August that was supposed to move us onto a path toward fiscal sanity?   Mark Steyn remembers, and he's less happy than the hound:

I am officially the voice of pessimism. In fairness, I see myself as more of a the-glass-is-one-sixteenth-full type.... The prevailing bounds of American politics do not allow for meaningful course correction. Instead:

1) Months are expended in a dramatic media showdown over the debt crisis with network anchors warning of ever more looming deadlines over footage of various eminences shuttling between the White House and the Capitol.

2) At the last minute, a deal is triumphantly announced.

3) The deal allegedly saves $1 billion from FY2012 — or approximately what the Government of the United States borrows every five hours. So in less time than it takes to run the press release for the breakthrough deal off the photocopier, we’ve borrowed back all the money it saves. But hey, it’s a start. And it’s the thought that counts.

4) Months later, the actual bill goes through, and — whaddayaknow? — the cheeseparing austerity package of spending cuts turns out actually to increase spending by $10 billion.

5) Lather, rinse and repeat.

... In 2011, the United States government took in $2.17 trillion but blew through $3.82 trillion — and that’s before Entitlement Armageddon shows up down the road. If you’re spending $4 trillion but only raising $2 trillion, you need to be cutting government in half or you’re not serious. Washington is not serious. Indeed, it’s far more frivolous than Athens.

Sex Sells

Sex sells.  Hermann Cain may or may not have had a sexual harassment problem in his past.   I don't know the man, so I don't know what he may or may not have done.   I do know that sexual harassment charges have been thrown about loosely over the past two decades (see Thomas, Clarence), with innocuous, if gross, behavior labeled as predatory.   I also know that there's a double standard for behavior between Republicans and Democrats (see Kennedy, Ted; see Clinton, Bill). 

That being said, what's really irritating about the Cain story is not the effect on a Republican candidate.  It's that this mini-scandal, because of the media's obsession with sex, is distracting the media from investigating and reporting on real and important scandals in the Obama administration -- Solyndra, Fast and Furious, Corzine-gate (where exactly did $900 million go to out of MF Global, the investment firm run by the former New Jersey Senator and current Obama bundler?), not to mention the ongoing scandal of Obama's support for the increasingly criminal and dangerous Occupy Wall Street movement.   And, of course, it's distracting us from the real issues -- the financial meltdown in the Eurozone, our crushing national debt and runaway entitlement programs, the increasing danger of a nuclearized Iran, the fallout from the Arab Spring which is turning into an Islamist Winter.   Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.  

Bun In The Oven Alert™: More stories about Jennifer Aniston's alleged pregnancy.

Publications: OK!, In Touch
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! Some people will point out that sometimes the gossip rags print rumors that are denied but turn out to be true.  This blog exists to point out they get stuff right sometimes and they get stuff wrong as well, with the wrong guesses outnumbering the correct stories by a significant margin.  While the supermarket mags were all over Jessica Simpson's obvious baby bump, they also can't help themselves trying to get America's favorite spinster Jennifer Aniston pregnant, though the actress has denied the rumors.  Here are this week's headlines.
  • OK!: Jen pregnant: medical center drama
  • In Touch:  Exclusive pictures of Jen's nursery!
She has denied these stories and unlike Jessica Simpson, Jen's denials sound convincing for two reasons.  Jen doesn't look particularly heavy in recent pictures and Jen isn't a dim bulb.

Bells are Ringing alert™: Jessica's wedding dress meltdown.

Publication: In Touch
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays! About a year ago, the story was being told that Jessica Simpson was rushing into marriage with Eric Johnson, the former football player.  They are still not married but they are still together, so she's at least two points up on Kim Kardashian in that regard. In Touch says she's having trouble with the wedding dress, which could have something to do with her being pregnant and showing quite a bit.


Bun in the Oven Alert: Jessica Simpson admits her pregnancy.

Publications: People, Us Weekly, OK!
Date: 14 Nov. 2011

Fresh trash on Thursdays!  Jessica Simpson and Kim Kardashian helped prove a point this week.  If you want publicity about something in your life, announce it on a Monday.  This gives the supermarket rags exactly enough lead time to get the story on the cover of the magazines that will be announced on their websites on Wednesday and available on newsstands on Thursday.  
 
People, Us Weekly and OK! have stories about the pregnancy which Jessica has finally confirmed after a month of rumors which this time turned out to be true.  Here are the headlines.
  • People: Baby update! Jessica Simpson
  • Us Weekly: Jessica Talks: "I can't wait to meet my baby!"
  • OK!: Jess having twins
The website GossipCop says the twins part is not true.

Best wishes to all concerned.



Kimmie Meissner Profile and Pictures 2011

Kimmie Meissner

Profile
Full name : Kimberly Claire Meissner
Country represented : United States
Born : October 4, 1989 (age 22)
            Towson, Maryland
Home town : Bel Air, Maryland
Height : 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Coach : Chris Conte
Former coach : Richard Callaghan,
                          Todd Eldredge
                          Pam Gregory
Choreographer : Chris Conte
Former choreographer : Lori Nichol
                                         David Wilson,
                                         Nikolai Morozov
Skating club : University of Delaware FSC

Pictures

 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
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 Kimmie Meissner 
 Kimmie Meissner 
Kimmie Meissner 

Daniele Matias Hypolito Profile and Hot Images 2011

 Daniele Matias Hypolito

Profile
Full name : Daniele Matias Hypolito
Nickname(s) : Dani
Country represented : Brazil
Born : September 8, 1984
           Santo Andre, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Age :  27
Discipline : Women's artistic gymnastics
Level : Senior international
Club : Flamengo
Head coach(es) : Georgette Vidor
                             Ricardo Pereira
                             Oleg Ostapenko

Images

 Daniele Matias Hypolito
Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito
 Daniele Matias Hypolito


David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne ,

David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne

David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne
David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne
David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne
David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne
David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne
David De Gea With His Girlfriend Edurne

David De Gea Wallpapers 2011--

David De Gea Wallpapers 2011

David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011
David De Gea Wallpaper 2011

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