plus 4, Adam Lambert -- media darling or victim? - EDGE Boston

Adam Lambert -- media darling or victim? - EDGE Boston
Sweeten-Shults: Disney (finally) to unveil first black princess in ... - Wichita Falls Times Record News
Make My Day - American Reporter
Battle over mountaintop mining slowly gains ground - RealClearPolitics
Make 'Em Say My Name - Crimson White Online

Adam Lambert -- media darling or victim? - EDGE Boston

Posted: 06 Dec 2009 11:22 PM PST

On February 1, 2004, Janet Jackson shocked the nation when her nipple - planned or by accident - was exposed on live national television for a millisecond. CBS cried foul, politicians cried for FCC fines, and the very same America that claimed to be offended talked and joked about the incident for months and months and months.

Then, for about five years, pretty much nothing else happened. Sure, we fought two wars on two fronts, elected our first African American president, and continued to build the International Space Station; but nothing got tongues wagging a la Janet until November 22, 2009 - when American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert gave an unforgettable performance at the American Music Awards.

That the song he sung, "For Your Entertainment," was utterly forgettable, matters not. It was a same sex kiss with his asexual keyboardist, the groping of a female dancer, and the momentary positioning of a male dancer's face in Mr. Lambert's crotch that got America's dainty moral knickers in a tight, righteous bunch.

Over 1,500 complaints poured in to ABC the next day - dwarfed by the deafening silence from the rest of the show's 14.2 million viewers - but enough to loom large in numerous stories which used the 1,500 statistic as proof positive of America's outrage.

After the fact, Lambert - that self-proclaimed resurrector of glam rock whose eye shadow and attitude gets more press than his musical abilities - defended himself by proclaiming "I think there's there's a double standard going on in the entertainment community right now."

"It's a shame"
In a November 22 L.A. Times Music Blog article), Lambert said "It's a shame. Female entertainers have been risqué for years. Honestly, there's a huge double standard ...It's 2009, it's time to take more risks. It's about entertainment. People want to be surprised. It's too bad that people are so scared."

Is Lambert right? Will gays forever be shunned from public displays of affection that their female counterparts get away with simply because the most hardened homophobe doesn't mind seeing two ladies getting it on? Is the entertainment industry, the press, and the moral fabric of America engaged in hypocrisy when it takes a gay man to task for staged actions no more explicit than the famed Madonna/Britney Spears MTV Awards kiss?

Like any juicy issue, the truth of the matter is up for debate; and the answer you give to the above questions depends upon your sexual, religious and ideological beliefs. Likewise, the sort of editorial perspective you got in the days following "Lambertgate" depends upon the political leanings of the newspapers, websites, television shows and blogs you frequent.

Some considered Lambert's performance - and his claims of a double standard - as legitimate. Some simply labeled him as an opportunist who used his performance as a way to generate attention. Some merely yawned while pointing out that it is, after all, called "show business" - and stirring the sexual pot in your stage show has always been good for business.

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Sweeten-Shults: Disney (finally) to unveil first black princess in ... - Wichita Falls Times Record News

Posted: 06 Dec 2009 10:03 PM PST

Once upon a time, princesses portrayed a certain image.

With a pouffy ball gown at the ready, a kind heart and the ability to sing like an angel and enchant all modes of forest creatures — something, certainly, a dark-hearted, evil stepmother could never do — she was the iconic fairy tale image that has so defined little girls' images of themselves.

But the fairy tale is changing in Disney's latest, "The Princess and the Frog," and it's a wonder it took so long.

"The Princess and the Frog," headed to theaters Friday, features Disney's first black princess — a big change from "Snow White," the first princess the company debuted more than 70 years ago.

Not that Disney hasn't explored princesses of other races and cultures before, as with Princess Jasmine in "Aladdin," Pocahontas and Mulan.

Princess Tiana's debut comes at a pivotal time in American history, when the first black family occupies the White House, including a fashionable first lady who is redefining elegance among the often stiffly-dressed suit-and-skirt political set, and two young daughters in the prime age for embracing fairy tales.

You kind of have to ask Disney, what took so long?

The marketing machine has given us black Barbies and other black dolls, Hollywood has released more films with the black audience in mind, and Oprah pretty much rules the world.

What seems different this time is that in the cases of Pocahontas and Mulan, Disney didn't quite give little girls the traditional princess tale with the big pouffy gown and handsome prince. Worried about political correctness, possibly, they wanted to pay homage to the cultures and time periods they were representing.

And so with Pocahontas — historians still wonder if she was even a "princess" at all — young audiences got a history lesson. The same with Mulan, based on Chinese folklore of a woman who became a warrior and saved her nation. Both were strong images of women, for sure, but where was the pouffy dress?

"The Princess and the Frog," from a look at the publicity images preceding the film, goes back to the princess imagery of old.

Where an attempt at the historic representation of folklore might have gotten in the way of Pocahontas and Mulan, this time around, Disney is paying heed to the fairy tale that has resonated with little girls for centuries — the beautiful gown and crown, the good heart and the dream that they're not just little girls but elegant princesses.

Not that Disney isn't modernizing the tale, too.

This latest animated feature, which is drawn in old-school 2D fashion, finds Tiana, an aspiring chef in 1920s Jazz Age New Orleans, seeking a voodoo queen in the dark swamps after she kisses a frog and then turns into one herself. In the film, Tiana discovers that not only does she want a prince to make her happy but she also would like a career, too. Oh and she has the pouffy gown.

Not quite historically accurate, but fairy-tale accurate, sure.

You're probably thinking, what's the big deal, anyway? It's just a cartoon.

If you doubt Disney has the power to influence a generation, just take a look at Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake, all "Mickey Mouse Club" alums. Take a look at Miley Cyrus, one of Disney's biggest stars.

The Hollywood industry thinks it's a big deal, pop culture critics and scholars, too, and the consumer machine.

And though little girls might not quite understand the significance of the first black Disney princess — they're probably just loving the pouffy dress right now — they will when they grow up. They'll remember the same fairy tale dreams that other girls, of whatever race, have shared before them.

"The Buzz" is a pop culture/entertainment column. "The Buzz" writer Lana Sweeten-Shults can be reached at (940) 720-3462 or by e-mail at shultsl@timesrecordnews.com.

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Make My Day - American Reporter

Posted: 06 Dec 2009 09:27 PM PST

Make My Day
PARIS FOR PREZ
by Erik Deckers
American Reporter Humor Writer
Indianapolis, Indiana

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- It was the snit heard 'round the world. The snarky, scantily-clad video response that got pundits tongues wagging about something other than politics, at least until their wives saw them. Maybe its echo has faded from the news, but it still makes me wake up screaming in the middle of the night.

Paris Hilton says she's running for President.

The vapid blond heiress and star of "The Simple Life," announced her candidacy in a spoof video on FunnyOrDie.com. Hilton said she was running because that "wrinkly white-haired guy" - John McCain, for those of you emerging from under your rocks - used her image in a television spot against his opponent, presumptive President of the United States, Barack Obama.

"Hey America, I'm Paris Hilton, and I'm a celebrity too," she said without a sense of irony or shame. "Only I'm not from the olden days, and I'm not promising change like that other guy. I'm just hot."

Oh man, this is really bad. I've always been a big supporter of third party candidates, but my one litmus test is whether they can even spell "candidate." And that they haven't starred in an Internet sex video/ I swear, if she wins, I'm moving to Canada with Alec Baldwin, unless he chickens out like he did last time. (Big wussy. The guy swore up and down he would move to Canada if George Bush became President, but we're stuck with him and his 17 brothers.) Still, I don't think she's got a real shot, so I'll probably be here for a while.

"But then that wrinkly white-haired guy used me in his campaign ad, which means I guess I'm running for President," she continued. Yeah, right. By that logic, since her boyfriend used her in that sex video, I guess that would make her a slut. . .

Uh, oh. This is worse than I thought! Do they get the NFL in Canada? Can I get the Dish Network to work up there?

"So thanks for the endorsement, white-haired dude, and I want America to know I'm, like, totally ready to lead."

Oh, good, as long as you're totally ready. I mean, we wouldn't want someone who was , like, only concerned about whether certain other world leaders are, like, hot, or whether the White House clashes with her outfits. She'll probably appoint Extreme Makerover's Ty Pennington the Secretary of the Department of the Interior to make sure.

"I'll see you at the White House," she concluded. "Oh, and I might paint it pink."

Looks like I've got a tough decision to make. Do I go for the big city or the small town? I've been to Toronto, and it's a nice city with a strong arts community. But if I lived in a smaller town, I'd be closer to nature and some really good fishing. Dryden, Ontario is gorgeous in the summer.

But even as I pace the floor and gnaw on my fingernails, I have to admit, her energy policy made some sense.

"We can do limited offshore drilling with strict environmental oversight, while creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars. That way, offshore drilling carries us until the new technologies kick in, which will create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved. I'll see you at the debates, bitches."

But then she, like, totally shot herself in the foot when she said she was considering Rihanna, the R&B artist, as her vice presidential nominee.

Come on! Rihanna?! Are you kidding me? Everyone knows she doesn't have the foreign affairs experience needed to re-establish the U.S. as a world leader. Plus, she was born in Barbados, so she's not a natural-born American citizen, which means she can't take on that role.

While some people would say Britney Spears, Hilton's fellow celeb and John McCain commercial target, is the emotional favorite, I think Cameron Diaz is the better choice. She can shore up the Hispanic vote and improve relations with Latin America. Of course, you'll also need Ashton Kutcher to head up the Department of Homeland Security (Hey Iran, you've been punk'd!). And what do you think of Scarlett Johansen as the Secretary of State... ?

Uh, excuse me. I don't know what came over me. If anything, I'm worrying too much about something that will never happen. Hilton is only 27, eight years too young to run for president, which means I don't have to worry about a global disaster for eight more years. But with her sordid past, I doubt she could even be elected dogcatcher of Putnam County.

Besides, I'm hoping Lindsey Lohan will be out of rehab and ready to run for Senate by 2016.

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Battle over mountaintop mining slowly gains ground - RealClearPolitics

Posted: 06 Dec 2009 10:03 PM PST

December 07, 2009

Battle over mountaintop mining slowly gains ground

Vicki Smith

Environmental activists gained more momentum this year than in the past decade against the destructive, uniquely Appalachian form of strip mining known as mountaintop removal, though they have yet to mobilize the millions of supporters they want.

The activists have harnessed the power of the Web, social networking and satellite phones. They've chained themselves to heavy equipment, blocked haul roads and climbed trees to stop blasting. They've marched for miles, hung banners and been arrested.

They've even enlisted support from celebrities like actress Darryl Hannah, country singer Kathy Mattea and attorney Robert Kennedy Jr., who is expected to attend a rally Monday at the state Department of Environmental Protection in Charleston.

And yet they struggle to overcome the collective indifference of average Americans, plugged in to affordable electricity produced largely by coal-fired power plants.

Consumers, it seems, aren't debating mountaintop mining at the dinner table.

"It's not part of the national conversation yet, but it definitely needs to be because it's an indication of what's wrong with our country — corporate greed," says ex-Marine Bo Webb, whose Naoma home sits below a mountaintop mine and within 10 miles of three coal-waste dams.

In mountaintop removal mining, forests are clear-cut. Explosives blast apart the rock, and machines scoop out the exposed coal. The earth left behind is dumped into valleys, covering intermittent streams.

Coal operators say it's the most efficient way — in some cases, the only way — to reach some reserves. They also argue they reclaim the land so it can be redeveloped. Critics say the land is ruined forever, and that people, property and the environment suffer unnecessarily.

"This is sort of the quiet apocalypse that is happening in the hills and hollows of West Virginia that people in Los Angeles don't know about," says Nell Greenberg of the San Francisco-based Rainforest Action Network. "We're trying to take the shroud off."

Greenberg says she senses a "bubbling up" of national interest that dovetails with growing demand to replace fossil fuels with clean energy sources. One day last month, she says, more than 65,000 people e-mailed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Her group has chapters in Philadelphia and Atlanta taking regular action, "and MTR isn't happening there," Greenberg says. "But they get the connections."

So why don't others?

Although the practice may seem tailor-made to stoke public outrage, it lacks a cuddly mascot. Its victims are not photogenic polar bears or spotted owls; they are people and places.

Mountaintop mining occurs in sparsely populated parts of Appalachia, places tourists don't visit. It is rugged, unglamorous country, filled with valuable natural resources, yet slow to inspire passion.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Americans voiced strong opinions on whether oil companies should drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. People cared because the debate pitted $4-per-gallon gasoline against Alaska's majestic, snowcapped mountains.

But there is no sticker shock at the light switch. The cost of electricity has grown slowly and steadily. Tolerably, even.

"A lot of people who live directly in the shadow of this do spend time wondering why the rest of America doesn't care," says Vivian Stockman, of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition in Huntington. "They wonder out loud whether the sort of 'hillbilly' stereotype helps people dissociate themselves from what is happening here."

But plenty of people with power are paying attention.

"The practice of mountaintop removal mining has a diminishing constituency in Washington," Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., warned last week. "Most members of Congress, like most Americans, oppose the practice."

Just before Thanksgiving, a federal judge ruled the Army Corps of Engineers broke the law by failing to give the public enough of a say before issuing permits. The corps was already considering rules to end a fast-track system for obtaining such permits, and the EPA was already holding up 79 strip mine permits in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee for additional scrutiny.

The environmentalists are "waking up a pretty big industry that has maybe taken the opposition from some of these groups for granted," says Chris Hamilton, senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association.

The industry fights back by equating support for coal with patriotism, and by portraying opposition to mountaintop removal as opposition to gainful employment.

Virginia-based Massey Energy organized a "Friends of America" rally on Labor Day. A "Faces of Coal" ad campaign focuses on people whose jobs the industry says are at risk. TV ads tout the ways the industry benefits communities.

"Although the industry has always had challenges," Hamilton says, "I'm not sure they've been quite as dramatic or as threatening as they are today."

Ten years ago, when environmentalists began the mountaintop removal fight, few people knew the term. Now they get nods of recognition. But Stockman says cutting through an "infotainment culture ... where news is dominated by what's going on with Britney Spears' navel or Tiger Woods' private life" is still a challenge.

And that, says fellow activist Webb, is why Kennedy's visit matters.

"We have to play that game, 'What does America want to watch?'" he says. "Do they want to watch Darryl Hannah get arrested? Yes, they do. Do they want to watch Bobby Kennedy screaming at the DEP headquarters parking lot? Yes, they do."

___

On the Web:

W.Va. Coal Association: http://www.wvcoal.com/mountain-top-mining/what-is-moutain-top-mining.html

Coal River Mountain Watch: http://www.crmw.net/

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Make 'Em Say My Name - Crimson White Online

Posted: 06 Dec 2009 09:34 PM PST

Adrian Garcia 12/6/09 11:15 PM

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Britney Spears photoshoot for Elle's January edition have finally hit the internet! The global superstar is featured in a storybook pictorial and graces the cover with her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James!

Although no interview is included with the pop star, Jason Gay wrote an editorial, Britney Has Done It Again, on Britney's impact this decade:

"A decade after her titillating debut in pigtails and a plaid Catholic school skirt, we find ourselves cheering on Britney Spears once again. There have been, of course, speed bumps in recent years—a divorce, feuds with family, a very public breakdown—but the past 12 months have witnessed a cautious yet emphatic comeback."

"This is no small turnabout. Rare is the artist who can pirouette from teen idolhood to a discerning adult audience; not even Madonna, Britney's idol, had to do that. But Britney was a teen pop princess who knew how to build an image (the virginal temptress) and sell it through videos (her 1999 breakout "…Baby One More Time") that nimbly walked the line between sweetness and provocation.

"Now, at 28, her sound is grittier (as in the throbby 2008 hit "Womanizer") and her lyrics reveal a confident sexuality. Britney may have sung "I'm not that innocent" on her 2000 single "Oops!… I Did It Again," but today, there's no argument, with frank lyrics such as those on "3": "Merrier the more/ Triple fun that way/ Twister on the floor."

The pictorial features Britney in several couture pieces including a Valentino goat-skinned coat with fox fur and marabou-feather trim (Oh, no! Peta!) along with her two sons.

In my opinion no interview was needed! The photos speak for themselves!

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