It will probably end up being a conventional campaign, but there are some signs of potential wackiness in 2012.
Leading the charge, of course, is Donald Trump, who is getting the lion's share of the news coverage. Oddly, the reality show host seems uninterested in running as a Republican, as he has quit the party and joined the Reform Party created by Ross Perot. Also officially joining the Reform Party is its former nominee Pat Buchanan...
Trump officially joins Reform Party
October 25, 1999
http://articles.cnn.com/1999-10-25/politics/trump.cnn_1_reform-party-donald-trump-independence-party
Another interesting entry in the field: former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, a Republican with an extreme Libertarian streak (and that is meant as a compliment.) Like Ron Paul, Johnson embraces real libertarianism (not the phony kind sold by the Astroturf Teabagger leaders) that would both be good for the GOP and have some strong Democratic and independent crossover. Unlike Paul, he has actually been a political executive before, and thus has shown how he could practically apply his philosophy in practice, and did so in a particularly effective fashion:
"Johnson, 58, said during two terms as New Mexico governor, he eliminated the state’s budget deficit and cut the rate of state government growth in half while reducing the state workforce by more than 10 percent without laying off a single qualified state worker."
Gary Johnson announces presidential bid, plans to ski Tuckerman Ravine
Thursday, Apr. 21, 2011
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=9f95c903-3cb9-4467-8b36-6b17283a3eed&headline=Gary+Johnson+announces+presidential+bid%2c+plans+to+ski+Tuckerman+Ravine
Besides these two, there are some other possibilities: Ron Paul again, either as a Republican or as independent, Jesse Ventura as an independent, either alone or on a ticket with Paul, Michael Bloomberg as an independent, and perhaps the most entertaining choice of all, Charlie Sheen, who has hinted at a run based on outlawing the IRS and the Fed. No word yet from Lindsay Lohan, but she has our vote...
Showing posts with label Donald Trump. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Donald Trump. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Poll: Hillary Would Crush Obama
http://nation.foxnews.com/hillary-clinton/2010/11/08/poll-hillary-would-crush-obama
November 08, 2010
Poll: Hillary Would Crush Obama
Hillary Clinton would trounce fellow Democrat President Barack Obama by a 20-percentage-point margin in a head-to-head race for the presidency, according to a Newsmax/SurveyUSA poll conducted after Tuesday's midterm elections.
Newsmax conducted the survey to find out how several well-known political and celebrity figures, ranging from Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Bill Gates to Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, and Glenn Beck, would fare if they ran against Obama for the White House.
The survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted Nov. 3-4, after Republicans won the House and gained six seats in the Senate - results widely interpreted as a rejection of Obama and raising questions about whom the Democrats might field as a candidate in 2012.
In the poll, respondents were asked: "If there were an election for president of the United States today, and the only two names on the ballot were Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, whom would you vote for?"
The poll found that, overall, 60 percent of respondents chose Secretary of State Clinton, while 40 percent chose Obama.
November 08, 2010
Poll: Hillary Would Crush Obama
Hillary Clinton would trounce fellow Democrat President Barack Obama by a 20-percentage-point margin in a head-to-head race for the presidency, according to a Newsmax/SurveyUSA poll conducted after Tuesday's midterm elections.
Newsmax conducted the survey to find out how several well-known political and celebrity figures, ranging from Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Bill Gates to Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, and Glenn Beck, would fare if they ran against Obama for the White House.
The survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted Nov. 3-4, after Republicans won the House and gained six seats in the Senate - results widely interpreted as a rejection of Obama and raising questions about whom the Democrats might field as a candidate in 2012.
In the poll, respondents were asked: "If there were an election for president of the United States today, and the only two names on the ballot were Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, whom would you vote for?"
The poll found that, overall, 60 percent of respondents chose Secretary of State Clinton, while 40 percent chose Obama.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Homes of the Billionaires
http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/109053/homes-of-the-billionaires
Homes of the Billionaires
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Warren Buffett epitomizes living modestly in today's tough economic climate. Despite a $47 billion fortune, the legendary investor -- and the world's third-richest man -- lives in the same five-bedroom, gray stucco house he bought in Omaha, Neb.'s Happy Hollow suburb in 1958 for $31,500.
This folksiness is in line with his famous investing philosophy. "If you don't feel comfortable owning something for 10 years," he once told a reporter, "then don't own it for 10 minutes."
But Buffet, who also professes a love for pub fare like burgers and Cherry Coke, is the exception. Few billionaires are as frugal. Even in these tough times, modesty is a relative term among the superrich.
Computer mogul Michael Dell is a prime example. Dell claims to live simply, yet his Austin, Texas, residence built in 1997 is a 33,000-square-foot manse -- a home that locals call "the castle" because of its high walls and tight security that guard the 20-acre estate.
Megamansions
With an estimated billion-dollar cost, Mukesh Ambani's under-construction 27-story Mumbai skyscraper eclipses previous records for the world's most expensive homes.
No two floor plans for the inside of the lavish tower -- known as Antilla--are alike and each space uses different materials, such as one bathroom's Gingko-leaf sinks with stems guiding the running water into their leaf basins.
In the U.K., Russian-Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev owns the Palladio, an extravagant 17,000-square-foot manor outside London, which he bought for $65 million in January 2008. (That works out to $3,824 per square foot.) The home has a bulletproof front door, a gold-plated pool, an indoor cinema and a hair salon for good measure.
Nifty amenities like these drive up a home's price, something steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal knows all about. In 2004 he shelled out $124 million to buy his 12-bedroom spread in London's posh Kensington neighborhood, replete with extravagant Turkish baths and garage space for 20 cars.
American Estates
On this side of the Atlantic, Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison built a 23-acre, 10-building, Japanese-inspired imperial villa in Woodside, Calif.
But he didn't stop there. In recent years Ellison has spent an estimated $200 million more snapping up a dozen commercial and residential properties to create his own compound in the ritzy beachside enclave of Malibu, Calif.
The West Cost is also home to Bill Gates' 66,000-square-foot compound in Medina, Wash. Visitors to this estate have the option of climbing 84 stairs to get to the ground floor or simply riding the personal elevator.
Some billionaires, such as Star Wars director George Lucas, put their mansions to good use by both living in and working from them. Lucas' 5,156-acre Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, Calif. houses his personal residence as well as Skywalker Sound, a postproduction outfit that even has its own fire brigade.
Star sightings are the norm here. In 2000 Tom Hanks taped sound effects for Cast Away and Sean Penn paid a visit before releasing Into the Wild in 2007. Hollywood memorabilia, such as Charlie Chaplin's cane, a prop whip used by Rudolph Valentino and Indiana Jones' Holy Grail, can also be found in the main house.
Of course, no list of billionaire homes would be complete without mention of real estate magnate Donald Trump. His penthouse apartment in Manhattan's Trump Tower is a monument to marble and gold and has an entire floor designated to Trump's fifth child, Barron. This floor's decor is inspired by -- who else? -- Louis XIV.
Despite the costly details, Trump might say his apartment's best feature is its location, which allows him to ride the elevator to his offices in the same skyscraper. That's the true luxury of being a billionaire: an extravagant home and a short commute.
Warren Buffett
Omaha, Neb.
Net Worth: $47 billion
Rank: 3
The world's third-richest man still resides in the 6,000-square-foot, five-bedroom gray stucco home he bought in 1958 for $31,500. The home has everything the 79-year-old needs, including his very own handball court that he uses to keep fit. An intruder armed with a fake gun tried to break into the modest, ungated property in 2007 but was ultimately thwarted by security.
Bill Gates
Medina, Wash.
Net Worth: $53 billion
Rank: 2
Gates' 66,000-square-foot compound is built into a hillside on the edge of Lake Washington, near Seattle. Its enviable amenities include: a 60-foot swimming pool with an underwater music system, a 2,500-square-foot gym and a 1,000-square-foot dining room, which seats 24. For a personal touch, out-of-shape visitors can skip the 84-step hike to the ground floor and opt for an elevator ride instead.
Lakshmi Mittal
London, England
Net Worth: $28.7 billion
Rank: 5
In 2004 Mittal paid $128 million for his 12-bedroom townhouse in London's luxe Kensington district. Mittal's mansion, tucked between Kensington Palace and the Sultan of Brunei's spread, has an indoor pool, Turkish baths and garage space for 20 cars. The super-home is also embellished with marble taken from the same quarry that supplied the Taj Mahal.
Larry Ellison
Woodside, Calif.
Net Worth: $28 billion
Rank: 6
Over the last few years the Oracle co-founder has dropped $200 million by some estimates on near a dozen properties in Malibu to create a custom compound. His 23-acre estate in Woodside, pictured here, is inspired by the Japanese city of Kyoto and is reminiscent of a 16th-century imperial Japanese palace. It reportedly cost upward of $200 million to build.
Michael Dell
Austin, Texas
Net Worth: $13.5 billion
Rank: 37
Built in 1997, Dell's 33,000-square-foot hilltop manse sits on a 20-acre spread close to where he founded his eponymous computer company. The eight-bedroom house equipped with a conference room and both indoor and outdoor pools is known locally as "the castle" thanks to its high walls and tight security.
Homes of the Billionaires
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Warren Buffett epitomizes living modestly in today's tough economic climate. Despite a $47 billion fortune, the legendary investor -- and the world's third-richest man -- lives in the same five-bedroom, gray stucco house he bought in Omaha, Neb.'s Happy Hollow suburb in 1958 for $31,500.
This folksiness is in line with his famous investing philosophy. "If you don't feel comfortable owning something for 10 years," he once told a reporter, "then don't own it for 10 minutes."
But Buffet, who also professes a love for pub fare like burgers and Cherry Coke, is the exception. Few billionaires are as frugal. Even in these tough times, modesty is a relative term among the superrich.
Computer mogul Michael Dell is a prime example. Dell claims to live simply, yet his Austin, Texas, residence built in 1997 is a 33,000-square-foot manse -- a home that locals call "the castle" because of its high walls and tight security that guard the 20-acre estate.
Megamansions
With an estimated billion-dollar cost, Mukesh Ambani's under-construction 27-story Mumbai skyscraper eclipses previous records for the world's most expensive homes.
No two floor plans for the inside of the lavish tower -- known as Antilla--are alike and each space uses different materials, such as one bathroom's Gingko-leaf sinks with stems guiding the running water into their leaf basins.
In the U.K., Russian-Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev owns the Palladio, an extravagant 17,000-square-foot manor outside London, which he bought for $65 million in January 2008. (That works out to $3,824 per square foot.) The home has a bulletproof front door, a gold-plated pool, an indoor cinema and a hair salon for good measure.
Nifty amenities like these drive up a home's price, something steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal knows all about. In 2004 he shelled out $124 million to buy his 12-bedroom spread in London's posh Kensington neighborhood, replete with extravagant Turkish baths and garage space for 20 cars.
American Estates
On this side of the Atlantic, Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison built a 23-acre, 10-building, Japanese-inspired imperial villa in Woodside, Calif.
But he didn't stop there. In recent years Ellison has spent an estimated $200 million more snapping up a dozen commercial and residential properties to create his own compound in the ritzy beachside enclave of Malibu, Calif.
The West Cost is also home to Bill Gates' 66,000-square-foot compound in Medina, Wash. Visitors to this estate have the option of climbing 84 stairs to get to the ground floor or simply riding the personal elevator.
Some billionaires, such as Star Wars director George Lucas, put their mansions to good use by both living in and working from them. Lucas' 5,156-acre Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, Calif. houses his personal residence as well as Skywalker Sound, a postproduction outfit that even has its own fire brigade.
Star sightings are the norm here. In 2000 Tom Hanks taped sound effects for Cast Away and Sean Penn paid a visit before releasing Into the Wild in 2007. Hollywood memorabilia, such as Charlie Chaplin's cane, a prop whip used by Rudolph Valentino and Indiana Jones' Holy Grail, can also be found in the main house.
Of course, no list of billionaire homes would be complete without mention of real estate magnate Donald Trump. His penthouse apartment in Manhattan's Trump Tower is a monument to marble and gold and has an entire floor designated to Trump's fifth child, Barron. This floor's decor is inspired by -- who else? -- Louis XIV.
Despite the costly details, Trump might say his apartment's best feature is its location, which allows him to ride the elevator to his offices in the same skyscraper. That's the true luxury of being a billionaire: an extravagant home and a short commute.
Warren Buffett
Omaha, Neb.
Net Worth: $47 billion
Rank: 3
The world's third-richest man still resides in the 6,000-square-foot, five-bedroom gray stucco home he bought in 1958 for $31,500. The home has everything the 79-year-old needs, including his very own handball court that he uses to keep fit. An intruder armed with a fake gun tried to break into the modest, ungated property in 2007 but was ultimately thwarted by security.
Bill Gates
Medina, Wash.
Net Worth: $53 billion
Rank: 2
Gates' 66,000-square-foot compound is built into a hillside on the edge of Lake Washington, near Seattle. Its enviable amenities include: a 60-foot swimming pool with an underwater music system, a 2,500-square-foot gym and a 1,000-square-foot dining room, which seats 24. For a personal touch, out-of-shape visitors can skip the 84-step hike to the ground floor and opt for an elevator ride instead.
Lakshmi Mittal
London, England
Net Worth: $28.7 billion
Rank: 5
In 2004 Mittal paid $128 million for his 12-bedroom townhouse in London's luxe Kensington district. Mittal's mansion, tucked between Kensington Palace and the Sultan of Brunei's spread, has an indoor pool, Turkish baths and garage space for 20 cars. The super-home is also embellished with marble taken from the same quarry that supplied the Taj Mahal.
Larry Ellison
Woodside, Calif.
Net Worth: $28 billion
Rank: 6
Over the last few years the Oracle co-founder has dropped $200 million by some estimates on near a dozen properties in Malibu to create a custom compound. His 23-acre estate in Woodside, pictured here, is inspired by the Japanese city of Kyoto and is reminiscent of a 16th-century imperial Japanese palace. It reportedly cost upward of $200 million to build.
Michael Dell
Austin, Texas
Net Worth: $13.5 billion
Rank: 37
Built in 1997, Dell's 33,000-square-foot hilltop manse sits on a 20-acre spread close to where he founded his eponymous computer company. The eight-bedroom house equipped with a conference room and both indoor and outdoor pools is known locally as "the castle" thanks to its high walls and tight security.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Ed McMahon's New Landlord: Donald Trump!
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b23930_ed_mcmahons_new_landlord_donald_trump.htmlEd McMahon's New Landlord: Donald Trump!
Thu., Aug. 14, 2008
by Natalie Finn
Ed McMahon's Beverly Hills home is about to become one of the best houses in the world.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Donald Trump, he of the gold-plated everything, has agreed to buy McMahon's mansion so that the financially strapped TV icon can avoid foreclosure and continue to live there.
And they aren't even golf buddies!
"I don't know the man, but I grew up watching him on TV," Trump said Thursday. Helping him would "be an honor."
The real estate tycoon said that he plans to buy the six-bedroom, five-bathroom residence from the lender and lease it to the former Tonight Show wingman and his wife, Pamela, who are behind on more than $640,000 in payments on a $4.8 million mortgage loan.
It wasn't the Apprentice honcho's original plan—the deal reportedly went down after McMahon's listing agent flew to New York to propose the idea to Trump in person. But Ivanka's pop proved to be the man for the job.
"When I was at the Wharton School of Business, I'd watch him every night," Trump added. "How could this happen?"
No one is sure, although McMahon has said that spending more than he made over the years probably did it. That, and he hadn't been able to work until recently because of the broken neck he suffered in a fall about 18 months ago.
The one-time Star Search host's home has been on the market for more than two years, most recently listed at $4.6 million. He reportedly paid $2.6 million for it in 1990.
Since his financial troubles came to light, McMahon has been sued at least three times over unpaid loans and legal fees. He has also filed suit against the owner of the home where he fell and against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which he accuses of providing him with shoddy care for his injuries.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Eastwood's termination
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-clint26mar26,1,6197147.story
Eastwood's termination: 'Somebody got a bee under their bonnet'
The actor says he was surprised at his removal from the state parks board in the wake of his opposition to a toll road. But he says he holds no hard feelings toward Schwarzenegger.
By Michael Rothfeld
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 26, 2008
SACRAMENTO — After Clint Eastwood learned last week that his friend Arnold Schwarzenegger no longer wanted him on the state parks commission, he spoke with Bobby Shriver, the governor's brother-in-law, who had also been dropped. Somewhat incredulous, they joked about it, each saying the other should be more offended.
"I talked to him the day we were not reappointed, or as Donald Trump would say, 'You're fired,' " Eastwood said in an interview, his gravelly impression of Schwarzenegger's Austrian accent producing a kind of Dirty Harry-meets-the Terminator effect.
"So we laughed about it," Eastwood said, "and I said, 'Me? But you're his brother-in-law!' and he said, 'But you're his friend and longtime mentor!' "
The governor has said that he decided not to reappoint the men, who were first named to the Park and Recreation Commission in 2001 by then-Gov. Gray Davis and reappointed by Schwarzenegger in 2004. He said their terms had expired and he wanted to give others a chance to serve.
But Eastwood and Shriver have attributed the governor's move to their opposition to a plan to build the Foothill South toll road through San Onofre State Beach, a park in Orange County that is popular for its surfing and scenery. The project was defeated by the California Coastal Commission in February.
"I think it was just somebody got a bee under their bonnet at the right moment, so there we are," Eastwood said. Of the governor, he added: "I guess he felt we were going to be guys who were going to be obstructionists for anything through state parks."
Schwarzenegger declined to be interviewed Tuesday. He and other supporters say the six-lane toll road, which would have run past the Trestles marine estuary, would have relieved traffic in Orange County. The governor also asserted that it would have reduced global warming.
Eastwood seemed at peace with last week's events. He said there are no hard feelings between him and Schwarzenegger, 60, a fellow Republican and "a friend of mine for a very long time."
But he seemed perplexed because his opposition to the road predated by more than two years the governor's endorsement of it in January. He said that he told Schwarzenegger long ago of his reservations and that the governor urged him to follow his conscience.
"You're not going to get people who are interested in state parks who want to build freeways through state parks," Eastwood said. "So I don't know what the big surprise was there."
Several environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Surfrider Foundation and the California State Parks Foundation, said they submitted a letter to state Senate leaders Tuesday requesting a hearing into the oversight of state parks. They based their request on Schwarzenegger's treatment of the two commissioners, his proposal to close 48 parks because of the state's fiscal crisis and his support for development in parks.
"It is difficult to recall any time in California's history when our world-class system of parks has been more at risk from a range of threats," says the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Times. The governor's office said he has backed billions of dollars in spending to protect and preserve parkland.
Eastwood, 77, the former mayor of Carmel, has advocated for parks under four governors in both political parties, starting with George Deukmejian. He has made public service announcements and appearances, including one created by environmental groups opposing the toll road. In that clip, he spoke of surfing at San Onofre with James Arness of "Gunsmoke" fame and guys with nicknames like "Hammerhead," after he arrived in Los Angeles as a young man in the 1950s, before surfing was a craze.
Eastwood, who refers to himself as a conservationist, said he is by no means obstructionist. Though he agreed with the Coastal Commission on the toll road, he clashed with that board as recently as 2006, when it rejected a golf course and housing development that he and business partners had proposed at Pebble Beach, near his home in Monterey County. Adversaries in that fight praise his work for parks.
"From everything I saw, he was a terrific parks commissioner," said Peter Douglas, the Coastal Commission's executive director. "It just happened that when he was calling the shots on that project at Pebble Beach, he wasn't listening to what we were saying about what the law allows and doesn't allow. But that's behind us now."
Mark Massara, director of the Sierra Club's coastal programs, fought Eastwood on the Pebble Beach project and worked with him against the toll road. "He has a reverence for open space and public property," Massara said. "It's deep and abiding and sincere."
Although Eastwood said he first learned that he would not be reappointed from one of the governor's aides, Schwarzenegger called later and apologized that the situation had played out as it did. Eastwood said he told Schwarzenegger not to worry about it.
"I'm a grown person," Eastwood said. "I'm not a kid."
"The parks is a voluntary job, and it's just a job you do, when they need you. It was fun. . . . They make changes, and that's their prerogative. It's not like I need a day job."
michael.rothfeld@latimes.com
Eastwood's termination: 'Somebody got a bee under their bonnet'
The actor says he was surprised at his removal from the state parks board in the wake of his opposition to a toll road. But he says he holds no hard feelings toward Schwarzenegger.
By Michael Rothfeld
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 26, 2008
SACRAMENTO — After Clint Eastwood learned last week that his friend Arnold Schwarzenegger no longer wanted him on the state parks commission, he spoke with Bobby Shriver, the governor's brother-in-law, who had also been dropped. Somewhat incredulous, they joked about it, each saying the other should be more offended.
"I talked to him the day we were not reappointed, or as Donald Trump would say, 'You're fired,' " Eastwood said in an interview, his gravelly impression of Schwarzenegger's Austrian accent producing a kind of Dirty Harry-meets-the Terminator effect.
"So we laughed about it," Eastwood said, "and I said, 'Me? But you're his brother-in-law!' and he said, 'But you're his friend and longtime mentor!' "
The governor has said that he decided not to reappoint the men, who were first named to the Park and Recreation Commission in 2001 by then-Gov. Gray Davis and reappointed by Schwarzenegger in 2004. He said their terms had expired and he wanted to give others a chance to serve.
But Eastwood and Shriver have attributed the governor's move to their opposition to a plan to build the Foothill South toll road through San Onofre State Beach, a park in Orange County that is popular for its surfing and scenery. The project was defeated by the California Coastal Commission in February.
"I think it was just somebody got a bee under their bonnet at the right moment, so there we are," Eastwood said. Of the governor, he added: "I guess he felt we were going to be guys who were going to be obstructionists for anything through state parks."
Schwarzenegger declined to be interviewed Tuesday. He and other supporters say the six-lane toll road, which would have run past the Trestles marine estuary, would have relieved traffic in Orange County. The governor also asserted that it would have reduced global warming.
Eastwood seemed at peace with last week's events. He said there are no hard feelings between him and Schwarzenegger, 60, a fellow Republican and "a friend of mine for a very long time."
But he seemed perplexed because his opposition to the road predated by more than two years the governor's endorsement of it in January. He said that he told Schwarzenegger long ago of his reservations and that the governor urged him to follow his conscience.
"You're not going to get people who are interested in state parks who want to build freeways through state parks," Eastwood said. "So I don't know what the big surprise was there."
Several environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Surfrider Foundation and the California State Parks Foundation, said they submitted a letter to state Senate leaders Tuesday requesting a hearing into the oversight of state parks. They based their request on Schwarzenegger's treatment of the two commissioners, his proposal to close 48 parks because of the state's fiscal crisis and his support for development in parks.
"It is difficult to recall any time in California's history when our world-class system of parks has been more at risk from a range of threats," says the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Times. The governor's office said he has backed billions of dollars in spending to protect and preserve parkland.
Eastwood, 77, the former mayor of Carmel, has advocated for parks under four governors in both political parties, starting with George Deukmejian. He has made public service announcements and appearances, including one created by environmental groups opposing the toll road. In that clip, he spoke of surfing at San Onofre with James Arness of "Gunsmoke" fame and guys with nicknames like "Hammerhead," after he arrived in Los Angeles as a young man in the 1950s, before surfing was a craze.
Eastwood, who refers to himself as a conservationist, said he is by no means obstructionist. Though he agreed with the Coastal Commission on the toll road, he clashed with that board as recently as 2006, when it rejected a golf course and housing development that he and business partners had proposed at Pebble Beach, near his home in Monterey County. Adversaries in that fight praise his work for parks.
"From everything I saw, he was a terrific parks commissioner," said Peter Douglas, the Coastal Commission's executive director. "It just happened that when he was calling the shots on that project at Pebble Beach, he wasn't listening to what we were saying about what the law allows and doesn't allow. But that's behind us now."
Mark Massara, director of the Sierra Club's coastal programs, fought Eastwood on the Pebble Beach project and worked with him against the toll road. "He has a reverence for open space and public property," Massara said. "It's deep and abiding and sincere."
Although Eastwood said he first learned that he would not be reappointed from one of the governor's aides, Schwarzenegger called later and apologized that the situation had played out as it did. Eastwood said he told Schwarzenegger not to worry about it.
"I'm a grown person," Eastwood said. "I'm not a kid."
"The parks is a voluntary job, and it's just a job you do, when they need you. It was fun. . . . They make changes, and that's their prerogative. It's not like I need a day job."
michael.rothfeld@latimes.com
Monday, December 31, 2007
Rosie Named 'Most Annoying' Celebrity
http://news.aol.com/entertainment/television/tv-news-story/ar/_a/rosie-named-most-annoying-celebrity/20071228151209990003?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Rosie Named 'Most Annoying' Celebrity
(Dec. 28) - A recent online poll asked readers to weigh in on the biggest pop culture stories and personalities of the year and the votes have been counted.
Nearly 2,000 people responded to Parade magazine's questions and when it was all over, Rosie O'Donnell was voted the "most annoying celebrity?" by 44 percent of readers. What it is about O'Donnell is unclear, but she found herself at the center of several controversies in 2007.
Possibly Nominated For: Feuds with Donald Trump, Bill O'Reilly, etc.; frequent political outbursts
During a March episode of 'The View,' O'Donnell echoed the belief of 9/11 conspiracy theorists that World Trade Center tower 7 was imploded and in April she was accused of "anti-Catholic bigotry" for complaining about the number of Catholics on the Supreme Court.
She and co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck got into an argument in April after O'Donnell criticized the Bush administration by asking, "655,000 Iraqi civilians dead. Who are the terrorists? ... If you were in Iraq and another country, the United States, the richest in the world, invaded your country and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you call us?"
After seeing the coverage of her fight Hasselbeck, O'Donnell asked for and received an early release from her contract with 'The View.'
Despite voters finding her "annoying," there's no denying that O'Donnell helped the show immensely, with ratings rising significantly during her tenure.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Conn. home 20-times larger than average
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070901/ap_on_re_us/mammoth_mansion
Conn. home 20-times larger than average
By DAVE COLLINS, Associated Press Writer
Sat Sep 1, 2007
The enormity of the house Arnold Chase is building on Avon Mountain isn't fully apparent from the outside, where only 17,000 square feet of it lies in plain view.
It's the two-level, 33,500-square-foot basement complex, complete with a 103-seat movie theater, ticket booth, concession stand, game room and music annex, that will make it New England's largest occupied single-family home.
At nearly 50,900 square feet, the Chase home will be slightly larger than billionaire Bill Gates' home in Washington, about 4,000 square feet smaller than the White House and 20 times larger than the average-size home in America.
The average U.S. home measures about 2,500 square feet — up from 1,995 square feet in 1988 — according to the National Association of Home Builders. But while houses are getting bigger, rarely are they built as big as the new Chase house.
"What you're talking about is mega homes," said Gopal Ahluwalia, the home builders association's vice president for research. "There are few homes larger than 50,000 square feet."
The brick and stucco colonial can be seen easily from the road. But the Hartford-based businessman, who plans to vacate a comparatively tiny 8,900-square-foot home when he moves, doesn't want too many people to know about it. He refused an interview and had a freelance photographer seeking permission to photograph the house for The Associated Press cited for trespassing.
Besides the two-tiered movie theater, soda fountain and men's and women's bathrooms, the Chase home will include a 400-square foot "observatory," five bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and five half bathrooms, according to documents filed with the West Hartford planning office. The game room, in the "upper" basement, will take up nearly 4,900 square feet — nearly twice as big as the average-size house.
"It's the same thing as why people buy a $150,000 car when the same function can be performed by a $25,000 car," Ahluwalia said. "I can afford it. I can have it. I want to have the biggest house in the world. Things like that."
Some question the morality of building a private home that large.
"Do you actually need to have that amount of space to live a good life?" said Susan A. Eisenhandler, a sociology professor at the University of Connecticut. "There are homeless people. There are impoverished people. There are serious social concerns, and we're not addressing that."
The only single-family residential structures in New England larger than Chase's are two mansions in Newport, which are now museums and no longer occupied.
The largest private home ever built in the United States is the Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C., comprising more than 174,000 square feet. Also on the national list are the 109,000-square-foot Oheka Castle in Huntington, N.Y., and Donald Trump's 80,000-square-foot Maison de l'Amitie in Palm Beach, Fla.
The Chase house was designed by Allan Greenberg's architectural firm in New York, which has worked on notable projects at the White House, State Department and the Holocaust Memorial in New York. The firm declined to comment.
Conn. home 20-times larger than average
By DAVE COLLINS, Associated Press Writer
Sat Sep 1, 2007
The enormity of the house Arnold Chase is building on Avon Mountain isn't fully apparent from the outside, where only 17,000 square feet of it lies in plain view.
It's the two-level, 33,500-square-foot basement complex, complete with a 103-seat movie theater, ticket booth, concession stand, game room and music annex, that will make it New England's largest occupied single-family home.
At nearly 50,900 square feet, the Chase home will be slightly larger than billionaire Bill Gates' home in Washington, about 4,000 square feet smaller than the White House and 20 times larger than the average-size home in America.
The average U.S. home measures about 2,500 square feet — up from 1,995 square feet in 1988 — according to the National Association of Home Builders. But while houses are getting bigger, rarely are they built as big as the new Chase house.
"What you're talking about is mega homes," said Gopal Ahluwalia, the home builders association's vice president for research. "There are few homes larger than 50,000 square feet."
The brick and stucco colonial can be seen easily from the road. But the Hartford-based businessman, who plans to vacate a comparatively tiny 8,900-square-foot home when he moves, doesn't want too many people to know about it. He refused an interview and had a freelance photographer seeking permission to photograph the house for The Associated Press cited for trespassing.
Besides the two-tiered movie theater, soda fountain and men's and women's bathrooms, the Chase home will include a 400-square foot "observatory," five bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and five half bathrooms, according to documents filed with the West Hartford planning office. The game room, in the "upper" basement, will take up nearly 4,900 square feet — nearly twice as big as the average-size house.
"It's the same thing as why people buy a $150,000 car when the same function can be performed by a $25,000 car," Ahluwalia said. "I can afford it. I can have it. I want to have the biggest house in the world. Things like that."
Some question the morality of building a private home that large.
"Do you actually need to have that amount of space to live a good life?" said Susan A. Eisenhandler, a sociology professor at the University of Connecticut. "There are homeless people. There are impoverished people. There are serious social concerns, and we're not addressing that."
The only single-family residential structures in New England larger than Chase's are two mansions in Newport, which are now museums and no longer occupied.
The largest private home ever built in the United States is the Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C., comprising more than 174,000 square feet. Also on the national list are the 109,000-square-foot Oheka Castle in Huntington, N.Y., and Donald Trump's 80,000-square-foot Maison de l'Amitie in Palm Beach, Fla.
The Chase house was designed by Allan Greenberg's architectural firm in New York, which has worked on notable projects at the White House, State Department and the Holocaust Memorial in New York. The firm declined to comment.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Beast of the Month - July 2007
Beast of the Month - July 2007
The View, Annoying Daytime TV Talk Show
"I yam an anti-Christ... "
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) of The Sex Pistols, "Anarchy in the UK"
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." So said Charles Dickens at the start of A Tale of Two Cities, and it could easily describe the boobtube landscape during the decade of zeroes. Far from The Boss' dire prediction of "57 channels and nothin' on" in a 1992 song, thanks to DirecTV and TiVo, there's 500-plus channels to surf with almost always something worth watching. Of course, that sometimes may be hard to believe with the countless inane reality shows that seemingly dominate the dial. Still, with all due respect to Temptation Island, Joe Millionaire, and Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (as well as the atrocious family drama 7th Heaven) the most annoying TV show of the decade, hands down, would have to be The View, the female gabfest talk show created by Barbara Walters and The Konformist Beast of the Month.
About here we should insert a disclaimer about gender bias. Yes, a look at Konformist Kontributing Editors over the years would reveal a male-dominated species. Fair enough. So with that acknowledged, the general consensus view of The Konformist staff is thus: for all the crimes against humanity unleashed by Michael Bay in Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, we still firmly believe a pop-culture decided by nine-year old boys is infinitely superior to one dominated by middle-age women. (As proof, we present as exhibits Josh Groban, Michael Bolton and Steel Magnolias.) Further, we bluntly declare that the whole so-called purpose of The View, to allow a group of women to speak what's on their minds, is misguided. Frankly, we think women spend way too much time speaking about what they're thinking and feeling to begin with. If that be sexist, so be it.
(And in a similar vein, we cite Grey's Anatomy, an insufferable experience for any man to watch - made all the more insufferable due to the only reason any guy watches it is he's being forced to by some woman. By the way, here's a tip to networks on how to make shows more appealing to men: don't have characters with nicknames like "McDreamy" and "McSteamy" in the cast.)
Making The View all the more unappetizing to men: any female on the show that even begins to appeal to guys soon leaves. The most noted example: Lisa Ling (who is still often referred to as "the hot Asian chick on The View") was perhaps the only non-obnoxious female besides Babs to co-host the show, after she replaced the annoying Debbie Matenopoulos. Despite her harmless personality and disarming looks, she left after only three seasons. Her replacement, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, though a noted babe since her stint on Survivor, prattles on about her right-wing political beliefs that neutralizes any appeal she may have. (Though she comes off as a more attractive but less shrill Ann Coulter, that's still not a compliment.) Then there's the curious case of Star Jones, who for years was an obese, controversially combative member of the cast. In 2006, her contract was not renewed, coincidentally when a diet and exercise regiment (and by that we mean gastric bypass surgery) turned her suddenly a sexy svelte. Looking at all this, one has to wonder if The View is some kind of twisted joke created from the nightmares of Sam Kinison in hell to torture all men.
That seems to be the explanation for what happened after the bland Meredith Vieira left the show at the end of the 2006 season to replace Katie Couric on The Today Show. (She, along with Walters, Jones and the shrill Joy Beyhart, was a co-host of the show since its debut 1997 season.) Where oh where could they find someone that could turn what was already a black joke on men even worse? They seemingly found the perfect answer in Rosie O'Donnell, the loudmouthed former talk-show host and alleged comedian. Here was someone with an uber-obnoxious personality that was like Star Jones on steroids, minus the dark skin and weight loss.
Perversely, the hiring of O'Donnell worked, as oddly this hefty, adversarial lesbian has a huge following among soccer moms. (Again, evidence that middle-aged women shouldn't control our popular culture.) Ratings skyrocketed to record levels, fueled by a media catfight between Rosie and a hissy Donald Trump. And then surprise hit, which turns the whole tale of The View into a truly Beastly affair.
At some point in 2007, Rosie, long a critic of George W. Bush and the Iraq Quagmire, apparently became interested in 9/11 conspiracy theories, and in late March repeated some of the juiciest 9/11 con claims and evidence on the show. She elaborated on it further on her blog. Though right-wing mouthpieces (most notably the falafel-loving Bill O'Reilly) demanded show boycotts and her firing for her utterance, The View suffered no loss of popularity following the controversy.
Despite the record ratings, deemed overwhelmingly due to O'Donnell's giant fan base, it was publicly announced less than a month later her one-year contract would not be extended by ABC. Officially, the sticking point was money and contract length: Rosie wanted a one-year, $10 million contract, ABC three years for $18 million. But in closer examination, this doesn’t make sense. To begin with, like her or not, $10 million still would be a bargain for someone with a proven following like Rosie. As for the contract length, there's no reason this should be a deal-breaker, as one season of Rosie guaranteed is still better than none. All in all, the gap between the two parties was pretty normal for contract negotiations.
One widely believed rumor is that ABC had demanded that Rosie clamp down on her 9/11 conspiracy talk, to which she rightfully refused. This, and not money, was the big issue. Making this theory all the more plausible: according to the New York Post Page Six, Rosie had booked the makers of the 9/11 conspiracy documentary Loose Change for the May 24 episode.
Unfortunately, the Loose Change makers never got their chance to promulgate con theories to soccer moms, as on May 23, Rosie had a televised meltdown in a now infamous battle of words with Hasselbeck on the show. The knock-down drag-out was instigated by right-wing mouthpieces that were increasingly trashing Rosie for her high profile criticism of the Iraq War, twisting her words to claim she viewed American soldiers as "terrorists." Rosie denounced Elisabeth as "cowardly" for not sticking up for her in a heated exchange that lasted well past what should have been the commercial break. (As the argument enfolded, the two were shown together on split screen.) After the episode, it was announced that her contract with ABC would end early and she would no longer appear on the show.
Let it be said that though Loose Change is (unsurprisingly) very popular among most Konformist Kontributors, it does have its critics over both its methods and conclusions. This shouldn't be a surprise, as there is among the Konformist editors widely different views about what happened on 9/11 and who was behind it. But if the merits of Loose Change can be summed up in one phrase that unites the Konformist staff varying viewpoints, it's that while it may not have all the right answers, it definitely asks all the right questions, questions that have both a right and a need to be asked.
Likewise, The Konformist may prefer to have someone besides Rosie be the face of 9/11 conspiracies (someone noted for their good judgment, classy sophistication and intellectual depth - like, say, Charlie Sheen) but like it or not, she's become it, and has done more than anyone since Michael Moore to encourage questioning and examination of the 9/11 story. For this, she should be saluted. The evidence suggests that it was her speaking her mind (which was what she was hired to do) that ended her relationship with The View, a relationship that had shown no signs of faltering or advertising backlash. In other words, ABC had no legitimate reason to release her from the show. While there is room for speculation, it appears that ABC wimped out to appeal to the right-wing mob mentality, much like its parent company Disney did with Michael Moore and Fahrenheit 9/11.
The punch line is, like with the Mickey Mouse Fahrenheit wimp-out, the cave-in has backfired. Within two weeks of Rosie's departure, the show's audience has tanked over 400,000, with advertising revenues surely soon to fall. (This is contrast to the Don Imus firing, which was preceded by a sudden bailing of big advertisers over his racist snickerings.) But, as with the Michael Moore flick, it appears Disney is more interested in schmoozing right-wing political interests for governmental favors than present a popular, albeit provocative, viewpoint.
While speculation continues over where Rosie will go next (a solo talk show, perhaps, or maybe The Price Is Right) or who will replace her (one disturbing name floated by Babs: Paris Hilton) The View clearly has jumped the shark culturally and lost any worth as something more than women babbling about Dancing with the Stars. It's kind of sad: despite her dubious credit as creator and co-host, Ms. Walters has long been among the most thoughtful and empathic voices in the mainstream media (male or female.) Thanks to Rosie, Babs' show was finally presenting something that made it almost worth watching. But just when it got interesting, it switched gears and removed the one thing that wasn't shrill brain-rot for bourgeoisie housewives. But hey, what else can you expect from a bunch of women?
In any case, we salute The View as Beast of the Month. Congratulations, and keep up the great work, ladies!!!
Special Konformist Note: For the writing of this article, Konformist Editor Robert Sterling was forced to do something men don't normally do, which is watch The View (via clips on Youtube.com.) While he sacrificed his own health for the good of Konformist readers, he doesn't advocate other men do the same, for they may suffer the effects of estrogen poisoning. If, for some reason, you are someday forced to watch The View (most likely by the same woman who forces you to watch Grey's Anatomy) we recommend that you keep something nearby that will give you the necessary hormonal boost to counteract the effects of the show. In particular, Jean-Claude Van Damme action films on video seem to do the trick.
The View, Annoying Daytime TV Talk Show
"I yam an anti-Christ... "
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) of The Sex Pistols, "Anarchy in the UK"
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." So said Charles Dickens at the start of A Tale of Two Cities, and it could easily describe the boobtube landscape during the decade of zeroes. Far from The Boss' dire prediction of "57 channels and nothin' on" in a 1992 song, thanks to DirecTV and TiVo, there's 500-plus channels to surf with almost always something worth watching. Of course, that sometimes may be hard to believe with the countless inane reality shows that seemingly dominate the dial. Still, with all due respect to Temptation Island, Joe Millionaire, and Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (as well as the atrocious family drama 7th Heaven) the most annoying TV show of the decade, hands down, would have to be The View, the female gabfest talk show created by Barbara Walters and The Konformist Beast of the Month.
About here we should insert a disclaimer about gender bias. Yes, a look at Konformist Kontributing Editors over the years would reveal a male-dominated species. Fair enough. So with that acknowledged, the general consensus view of The Konformist staff is thus: for all the crimes against humanity unleashed by Michael Bay in Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, we still firmly believe a pop-culture decided by nine-year old boys is infinitely superior to one dominated by middle-age women. (As proof, we present as exhibits Josh Groban, Michael Bolton and Steel Magnolias.) Further, we bluntly declare that the whole so-called purpose of The View, to allow a group of women to speak what's on their minds, is misguided. Frankly, we think women spend way too much time speaking about what they're thinking and feeling to begin with. If that be sexist, so be it.
(And in a similar vein, we cite Grey's Anatomy, an insufferable experience for any man to watch - made all the more insufferable due to the only reason any guy watches it is he's being forced to by some woman. By the way, here's a tip to networks on how to make shows more appealing to men: don't have characters with nicknames like "McDreamy" and "McSteamy" in the cast.)
Making The View all the more unappetizing to men: any female on the show that even begins to appeal to guys soon leaves. The most noted example: Lisa Ling (who is still often referred to as "the hot Asian chick on The View") was perhaps the only non-obnoxious female besides Babs to co-host the show, after she replaced the annoying Debbie Matenopoulos. Despite her harmless personality and disarming looks, she left after only three seasons. Her replacement, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, though a noted babe since her stint on Survivor, prattles on about her right-wing political beliefs that neutralizes any appeal she may have. (Though she comes off as a more attractive but less shrill Ann Coulter, that's still not a compliment.) Then there's the curious case of Star Jones, who for years was an obese, controversially combative member of the cast. In 2006, her contract was not renewed, coincidentally when a diet and exercise regiment (and by that we mean gastric bypass surgery) turned her suddenly a sexy svelte. Looking at all this, one has to wonder if The View is some kind of twisted joke created from the nightmares of Sam Kinison in hell to torture all men.
That seems to be the explanation for what happened after the bland Meredith Vieira left the show at the end of the 2006 season to replace Katie Couric on The Today Show. (She, along with Walters, Jones and the shrill Joy Beyhart, was a co-host of the show since its debut 1997 season.) Where oh where could they find someone that could turn what was already a black joke on men even worse? They seemingly found the perfect answer in Rosie O'Donnell, the loudmouthed former talk-show host and alleged comedian. Here was someone with an uber-obnoxious personality that was like Star Jones on steroids, minus the dark skin and weight loss.
Perversely, the hiring of O'Donnell worked, as oddly this hefty, adversarial lesbian has a huge following among soccer moms. (Again, evidence that middle-aged women shouldn't control our popular culture.) Ratings skyrocketed to record levels, fueled by a media catfight between Rosie and a hissy Donald Trump. And then surprise hit, which turns the whole tale of The View into a truly Beastly affair.
At some point in 2007, Rosie, long a critic of George W. Bush and the Iraq Quagmire, apparently became interested in 9/11 conspiracy theories, and in late March repeated some of the juiciest 9/11 con claims and evidence on the show. She elaborated on it further on her blog. Though right-wing mouthpieces (most notably the falafel-loving Bill O'Reilly) demanded show boycotts and her firing for her utterance, The View suffered no loss of popularity following the controversy.
Despite the record ratings, deemed overwhelmingly due to O'Donnell's giant fan base, it was publicly announced less than a month later her one-year contract would not be extended by ABC. Officially, the sticking point was money and contract length: Rosie wanted a one-year, $10 million contract, ABC three years for $18 million. But in closer examination, this doesn’t make sense. To begin with, like her or not, $10 million still would be a bargain for someone with a proven following like Rosie. As for the contract length, there's no reason this should be a deal-breaker, as one season of Rosie guaranteed is still better than none. All in all, the gap between the two parties was pretty normal for contract negotiations.
One widely believed rumor is that ABC had demanded that Rosie clamp down on her 9/11 conspiracy talk, to which she rightfully refused. This, and not money, was the big issue. Making this theory all the more plausible: according to the New York Post Page Six, Rosie had booked the makers of the 9/11 conspiracy documentary Loose Change for the May 24 episode.
Unfortunately, the Loose Change makers never got their chance to promulgate con theories to soccer moms, as on May 23, Rosie had a televised meltdown in a now infamous battle of words with Hasselbeck on the show. The knock-down drag-out was instigated by right-wing mouthpieces that were increasingly trashing Rosie for her high profile criticism of the Iraq War, twisting her words to claim she viewed American soldiers as "terrorists." Rosie denounced Elisabeth as "cowardly" for not sticking up for her in a heated exchange that lasted well past what should have been the commercial break. (As the argument enfolded, the two were shown together on split screen.) After the episode, it was announced that her contract with ABC would end early and she would no longer appear on the show.
Let it be said that though Loose Change is (unsurprisingly) very popular among most Konformist Kontributors, it does have its critics over both its methods and conclusions. This shouldn't be a surprise, as there is among the Konformist editors widely different views about what happened on 9/11 and who was behind it. But if the merits of Loose Change can be summed up in one phrase that unites the Konformist staff varying viewpoints, it's that while it may not have all the right answers, it definitely asks all the right questions, questions that have both a right and a need to be asked.
Likewise, The Konformist may prefer to have someone besides Rosie be the face of 9/11 conspiracies (someone noted for their good judgment, classy sophistication and intellectual depth - like, say, Charlie Sheen) but like it or not, she's become it, and has done more than anyone since Michael Moore to encourage questioning and examination of the 9/11 story. For this, she should be saluted. The evidence suggests that it was her speaking her mind (which was what she was hired to do) that ended her relationship with The View, a relationship that had shown no signs of faltering or advertising backlash. In other words, ABC had no legitimate reason to release her from the show. While there is room for speculation, it appears that ABC wimped out to appeal to the right-wing mob mentality, much like its parent company Disney did with Michael Moore and Fahrenheit 9/11.
The punch line is, like with the Mickey Mouse Fahrenheit wimp-out, the cave-in has backfired. Within two weeks of Rosie's departure, the show's audience has tanked over 400,000, with advertising revenues surely soon to fall. (This is contrast to the Don Imus firing, which was preceded by a sudden bailing of big advertisers over his racist snickerings.) But, as with the Michael Moore flick, it appears Disney is more interested in schmoozing right-wing political interests for governmental favors than present a popular, albeit provocative, viewpoint.
While speculation continues over where Rosie will go next (a solo talk show, perhaps, or maybe The Price Is Right) or who will replace her (one disturbing name floated by Babs: Paris Hilton) The View clearly has jumped the shark culturally and lost any worth as something more than women babbling about Dancing with the Stars. It's kind of sad: despite her dubious credit as creator and co-host, Ms. Walters has long been among the most thoughtful and empathic voices in the mainstream media (male or female.) Thanks to Rosie, Babs' show was finally presenting something that made it almost worth watching. But just when it got interesting, it switched gears and removed the one thing that wasn't shrill brain-rot for bourgeoisie housewives. But hey, what else can you expect from a bunch of women?
In any case, we salute The View as Beast of the Month. Congratulations, and keep up the great work, ladies!!!
Special Konformist Note: For the writing of this article, Konformist Editor Robert Sterling was forced to do something men don't normally do, which is watch The View (via clips on Youtube.com.) While he sacrificed his own health for the good of Konformist readers, he doesn't advocate other men do the same, for they may suffer the effects of estrogen poisoning. If, for some reason, you are someday forced to watch The View (most likely by the same woman who forces you to watch Grey's Anatomy) we recommend that you keep something nearby that will give you the necessary hormonal boost to counteract the effects of the show. In particular, Jean-Claude Van Damme action films on video seem to do the trick.
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