A revolution might be coming this Wednesday, April 15. Antitax protests, known as tea parties, have been brewing around the country, and they could boil over on tax day. T.E.A. stands for "taxed enough already."
On Wednesday, conservatives around the country will evoke the spirit of the American Revolution. Some of the transgressions of congress and the president to be protested include: voting for a $500 billion tax bill without even reading it; spending trillions of borrowed dollars; wanting government-controlled health care; trying to take wealth and redistribute it to others; and appointing a defender of child pornography to the number-two position in the Justice Department.
Basically there's a lot going on. Some sample slogans offered by TeaPartyDay.com? Party Like it's 1773. Obamanomics: Chains You Can Believe In. Commander and Thief. Your Mortgage Is Not My Problem. Liberty Is All the Stimulus We Need.
Economist Paul Krugman thinks the Tea Parties, which he calls AstroTurf — aka fake grass(roots) — should be mocked. To see why, read more
Sounds like Iron Chef wines will need to make room for some company: Top Chef wines. The New York Times reports that Bravo is moving beyond mere product placement on its shows, and is licensing its own line of products. Besides wine, the cable network's planning floral arrangements, cutlery, and cooking classes. In case your screen wasn't sufficiently overwhelmed with product plugs from Glad, Swanson, and Diet Dr Pepper, future Top Chef episodes will feature food-and-flora arrangements (such as a mix of daisies and brussels sprouts) in the background, with an onscreen graphic telling where to purchase the products.
Want to chop like a cheftestant? There'll also be branded knives from Master Cutlery and online cooking classes led by the contestants. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show while sipping on TC wines by Terlato Wines International, the group behind big labels like Santa Margherita and Rutherford Hill.
With waning advertising revenue, a number of media brands have turned to product licensing to bring in much-needed profits. In the past, Bravo charged a fee for featuring the likes of Glad and Swanson on Top Chef. But with its new licensing arrangements, the network will ring in even more money, receiving cuts from the sale of all its products sold online.
Do you think this will be a successful strategy for Bravo? Could you see yourself buying Top Chef-branded knives, wine, cooking classes, or flower arrangements?
The 1.5 million Americans with relatives in Cuba will soon be able to travel freely to Cuba and transfer money to their family members on the island. The Obama administration hopes that the ease in restrictions will help reduce Cuban dependence on the communist regime, eventually making way for political change.
Under Bush, Cuban-Americans were only allowed to travel to Cuba for two weeks every three years.
The administration will also allow US telecom companies to provide cell phone and television services to Cubans.
An official announcement will come later today. Do you think it sounds like a good plan? Should all Americans be able to travel freely to Cuba?
I'm no rocket scientist, but I do know that if you start an open naming contest, fans of Stephen Colbert will quickly beam the comedian to first place. That's what happened to NASA when it decided to ask the public for suggestions on what to name a room in the space station, now called Node 3.
"Colbert" won the contest, but NASA still has the option to reject the write in winner. Tonight, a real-life scientist will go on the Colbert Report to share NASA's decision.
What does Stephen think NASA should do? He said: "Certainly I hope NASA does the right thing. Just kidding. I hope they name it after me."
The first family invited 30,000 friends (and a handful of bunnies) over today to participate in the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This is the first year that tickets to the event were distributed online. The White House boiled and dyed 13,000 eggs for the roll, and all children under 10 will receive a wooden egg souvenir.
The Obamas are also using the tradition that dates back to 1878 as a chance to highlight healthy living. There are kid yoga classes, dance workshops, basketball games, and other physical activities planned. The kids were also treated to a performance by Fergie and a presidential reading of Where the Wild Things Are.
Check out some pictures from the South Lawn!
This past weekend's Washington Post featured a quaint (yet lengthy) piece about a retired couple living the "simple life" in a quiet Texas suburb. Oh yeah, the retirees also happen to be former President and First Lady, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Bush.
The couple has settled into a nice routine at 10141 Daria Place in Preston Hollow. One recent dinner party went something like this:
The main dish was chicken potpie. George and Laura Bush left their cul-de-sac in the back of a dark sedan, exited through a Secret Service checkpoint and rode down streets bordered by lawn signs adorned with gigantic W's to welcome them home.It had been a bad week for the country. President Obama spoke on television about the burdens he had inherited in office: anti-American sentiment, two wars, a recession. But it had been a good week at 10141 Daria Place. The Bushes shared stories over dinner about their return to Texas after eight years in Washington. They had improved their sprinkler system and hung custom-made green drapes. Neighbors had brought over homemade cookies and a potted houseplant.
That's got to be one heck of an adjustment, going from national security briefings to custom drapes deliberations. But the Bush's are transitioning just fine into their golden years, which also includes fundraising gigs for his $300 million presidential library.
Would you like to sit down to some chicken potpie with the new retirees?
In January we learned that Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, would be taking a leave of absence for five months to focus on his health. Although Apple has continued to release new products with Apple's chief operating officer Timothy Cook at the helm, I still can't help but wonder how Steve is doing and what he's been up to.
With only two months left in Steve's medical leave, Apple insiders have revealed that although Tim Cook takes care of day to day duties at Apple's headquarters, Steve is still very much a part of company strategies and products from home. They also noted that Jobs stays busy reviewing products and was very involved in the development of the iPhone's latest OS user interface. And the best news? Apple is currently working on a new device that's about the size of a Kindle.
