Thursday, May 31, 2012

PETER DINKLAGE'S WALK FOR FARM ANIMALS

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STARS WITH A HEART
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 Peter Dinklage



As fans of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones eagerly await Sunday night’s season finale surprises, the show’s breakout star, Peter Dinklage, is already gearing up for his next challenge: speaking up for farm animals as national spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary’s Walk for Farm Animals. The actor, who has been vegetarian since he was 16, has filmed an exclusive new video (watch it here) to promote this series of fun, community-focused events aimed at changing the way society views and treats farm animals. The Walks will take place in more than 35 North American cities this Fall, as well as virtually.



“I love animals and the way they are treated on factory farms is not OK with me,” says Dinklage, who currently graces the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. “Numerous studies have shown that cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and other farm animals possess the same intelligence and capacity for fear, pain, and joy as dogs and cats, yet the meat industry uses expensive ad campaigns and clever marketing to hide the reality that animals used for food are treated like unfeeling machinery. Fortunately, we can think for ourselves and challenge the status quo by making choices that don’t hurt animals. Please join me in making the world a kinder place for farm animals by registering to participate in a Walk for Farm Animals.




For more than 25 years, Farm Sanctuary has rescued and provided sanctuary for abused farm animals, educated the public about the routine cruelty they endure on factory farms, and advocated on their behalf. The Walks bring together thousands of people from different backgrounds in cities all across the U.S. and Canada to raise vital funds to support the organization’s life-saving work and promote kindness towards farm animals.



To view Peter Dinklage’s exclusive new video and learn more about Farm Sanctuary’s Walk for Farm Animals, visit walkforfarmanimals.org.



About Farm Sanctuary 



Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, promotes legislative, policy, and individual lifestyle changes to help farm animals. Farm Sanctuary’s shelters in New York and California provide lifelong care for more than 1,300 rescued farm animals. For more information, please visit farmsanctuary.org.

THE THEATRE WORLD AWARDS STAR POWER

Stephanie Umoh



Brian Stokes Mitchell
The 68th annual THEATRE WORLD AWARDS, which will take place on Tuesday, June 5th at 2 pm at The Belasco Theatre, 111 West 44th Street, NYC., will include special performances by Broadway favorites Brian Stokes Mitchell, Howard McGillin and Stephanie Umoh. The by-invitation-only ceremony will present Theatre World Awards to 12 actors for their Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut Performances during the 2011-2012 theatrical season. The event also includes presentation of the 4th Annual Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence. This year The Theatre World Awards will have ASL interpretation.





The 2012 TWA presenters will include Theatre World Award winners John Cullum, Victor Garber, Josh Grisetti, Leslie Uggams, Tony Sheldon, David Alan Grier, John Rubinstein, Wesley Taylor and Lizbeth Mackay (with more presenters to be announced).



Phillip Boykin



The previously-announced 2012 THEATRE WORLD AWARD are: Tracie Bennett (End of the Rainbow), Phillip Boykin (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess), Crystal A. Dickinson (Clybourne Park), Russell Harvard (Tribes), Jeremy Jordan (Bonnie & Clyde), Joaquina Kalukango (Hurt Village), Jennifer Lim (Chinglish), Jessie Mueller (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever), Hettienne Park (Seminar AND The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism & Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures), Chris Perfetti (Sons of the Prophet), Finn Wittrock (Death of a Salesman), and Josh Young (Jesus Christ Superstar).



Stacy Keach


Stacy Keach will present 2012 The Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence to Susan Pourfar (Tribes).



For the second year, illustrator Justin ‘Squigs’ Robertson has created a special commemorative poster featuring the TWA winners (shown at top of this release). 2012 TWA posters will be available for purchase at the awards.



The THEATRE WORLD AWARDS presentation on June 5th will again be hosted by Peter Filichia, with Barry Keating directing, and Mary K. Botosan and Erin Oestreich co-producing.




Rosemary Harris



 First presented in 1945, The THEATRE WORLD AWARDS are the oldest awards given for outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway debut performances. The THEATRE WORLD AWARD winners are chosen by the Theatre World Awards committee, currently comprised of David Cote, Joe Dziemianowicz, Peter Filichia , Harry Haun, Matthew Murray, Frank Scheck and Linda Winer. The accomplished stage performers who have won the Theatre World Award at the beginning of their careers include Meryl Streep, Rosemary Harris, Marlon Brando, Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Anne Bancroft, James Earl Jones, Liza Minnelli, Alan Alda, Zoe Caldwell, Christopher Walken, Alec Baldwin, Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Al Pacino, Grace Kelly and so many more.





The Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater, which honors an outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway performance, is chosen by the Trustees of The Dorothy Loudon Foundation, Lionel Larner, Executive Director, together with recommendations from the Theatre World Awards committee. Ms. Loudon had the unique talent of being able to make audiences laugh and cry and most of all love her…from her Broadway debut in Nowhere to Go But Up (for which she won a Theatre World Award), to such hits as Noises Off, West Side Waltz, Ballroom, to her incomparable ‘Miss Hannigan’ in Annie for which she won the TONY.



The Theatre World annual remains the definitive record of the American theatre season, including photos and statistics from Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway, and regional companies, in addition to special sections dedicated to obituaries, long-running productions, and major theatrical awards. Theatre World is edited by Ben Hodges and Scott Denny, published by Theatre World Media and distributed by Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, a division of Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group. Theatre World Volume 67: 2010-2011, the most complete pictorial and statistical record of the American theatre season, is currently available at all major booksellers and online.



The THEATRE WORLD AWARDS’ Board of Directors is: Barry Keating (President and Director), Erin Oestreich (Vice-President and Producer), Tabitha Falcone (Treasurer), Mary K. Botosan (Co-Secretary and Producer), Alden Fulcomer (Co-Secretary), Dale Badway, Kimothy Cruse, Tom Lynch (Founding Board member), Lisa Rothe and Stephen Wilde. The THEATRE WORLD AWARDS Inc is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization.



The THEATRE WORLD AWARDS Board encourages theater lovers to “LIKE” the Theatre World Awards fan page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @TWAwards.



For more information about The Theatre World Awards visit www.theatreworldawards.org.



Photos By: Walter McBridce/Retna


 

ANN ROTH TO RECEIVE RUTH MORLEY AWARD

 Ann Roth With Jane Fonda




On Thursday June 7, 2012, the League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW), a non-profit organization committed to promoting visibility and increasing opportunities for women in the professional theatre, is pleased to recognize the talents of two outstanding women: the LPTW Lucille Lortel Award and accompanying grant will be presented to Rachel Reiner, Artistic Director of Resonance Theatre; and the Ruth Morley Design Award will be given to Tony Award-winning scenic designer Ann Roth. These awards will be presented at the League’s 2012 Awards Luncheon, featuring special guest, Tony Nominee Elizabeth A. Davis, to be held from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 7 at Sardi’s Restaurant (Sardi’s Restaurant is located at 234 West 44th Street, and the event will be held in the Eugenia Room on the 4th floor). Tickets (and photos) are available HERE.

The Ruth Morley Design Award was initiated in 1998 in honor of costume designer Ruth Morley, one of the profession's leading designers for theatre and film who also served on the LPTW Board of Directors. Ann Roth won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for The English Patient and has received five Tony nominations.

In April 1999, the LPTW received a bequest from the Lucille Lortel estate to establish a fund, which would annually provide a grant to an aspiring woman in any discipline of theatre who is showing creative promise and deserves recognition and encouragement. The recipient of this year’s Lucille Lortel Award is Rachel Reiner, the Artistic Director of Resonance Ensemble, the goal of which is to weave a thread between the theatre’s past, present and future; the company celebrates is 10th anniversary this year.

Tickets to attend the luncheon and awards ceremony are $65 for members $70 for non-members, and are available online or by phone: 1-800-838-3006 option 1 (use event code 175569). All service charges are included in the ticket price. Online and Phone Purchases must be made by Friday, June 1st at 6:00PM.





President Barack Obama Paying A Price In The Polls And With The Public For Scathing Attacks On Rival Mitt Romney


Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama

Republican challenger in the U.S. presidential election, Mitt Romney, is ironically benefiting from more negative attacks from President Barack Obama, as the two duel for the White House in America. Political pundits are noting the fact, Romney is gaining on Obama with the public, over negative attacks on his wealth, which came from years of work in the financial sector and jabs at his years as Governor of Massacheuttes.

Obama launched scathing attacks again this week, due to Romney's business and government experience being touted as a selling point for him as president. Technically, Romney does hold an advantage over Obama, as he has years more governing experience. 

 
Mitt Romney

President Obama needs to remember, it's one thing for political pundits and bloggers to tear into a candidate's experience and record, because, well, we aren't running for office and are allowed to be jerks (no, that's not the word I'm looking for) snarky (well, not really) investigative (yea, that's it, an official sounding word for being a pain in the butt). However, when a candidate gets mean and critical, things don't always turn out well with the desired effect.

The Mismanagement Of The FBI



Robert S. Mueller

The mismanagement of the FBI, has cost America plenty. Approximately $8 billion a year in budget, with next to no results to show for it, making it a rip-off. Terrorism cases have widely been criticized by the press as frame ups of stooges, to aide the FBI in meeting arrest quotas, while the real terrorists run free. The FBI absolutely failed regarding several dangerous terrorists, such as the 9/11 hijackers, Nidal Hasan and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who made an awful mark on the unsuspecting nation.

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller has also damaged relationships of agents, via his ridiculous, nonsensical policy of forcing agents to uproot their families, children included, to move to Washington, DC to work at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's headquarters. Families have been pushed to the limit, relationships strained, kids displaced, divorce papers filed, as a result of this stupid policy Mueller enacted, when agents who known their local communities would be more effective at home, rather than in the nation's capital.

The FBI is routinely hauled into and slammed in congress for unconstitutional criminal activity, such as extensively and illegally spying on the American people and covering up cases for corrupt reasons.

FBI agents and executives have quit the agency, when they discovered the criminal activity Mueller has been getting up to and ordering others that work at the Federal Bureau of Investigation to carry out, in violation of U.S. and international law. 

It has created a brain drain at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI employees who have left the agency have also commented that Mueller is very mentally ill. Yet, the U.S. Congress keeps madman Mueller in the post, which is going to lead to a terrible international scandal.

Rupert Murdoch's Right Hand Man Andy Coulson Arrested And Charged With Perjury In Phone Hacking Scandal



Andy Coulson arrested again

The police are closing in on Rupert Murdoch's circle of business associates and friends. First Rebekah Brooks was arrested twice, then charged. Now former News International/News Corp executive, Andy Coulson, who was another of Rupert Murdoch's key employees before resigning, has been arrested for a second time in the phone hacking case and charged with perjury. 

Coulson was arrested at his luxury South London home and taken to a "high security" police station in Scotland. The Judiciary Report wrote about Coulson on the site a few weeks ago after encountering him in public (News Corp's Andy Coulson From The Phone Hacking Scandal Is Struggling With Mental Illness).


Rupert Murdoch thinks he's so hot. He's so wrong.

This latest arrest stems from Coulson lying in court, regarding British politician Tommy Sheridan, in a case that directly involves the current phone hacking scandal. It is clear the Metropolitan Police are not amused by the damage the case has caused them. Coulson and Brooks need to start cooperating and maybe the police and prosecution will go easier on them.

Once again, Murdoch is not worth this grief and the prospect of prison and financial loss. It's time to speak up and stop covering for him.The Judiciary Report knows Murdoch and others in his clandestine Kabbalah cult, are the ringleaders behind the phone hacking scandal, having learned these criminal ways from convicted private investigator and Mafioso, Anthony Pellicano. However, Brooks and Coulson, among others, never should have trusted Murdoch and co. and went along with it.

The Body Language Of Madonna's Boyfriend Says He Is Not In Love With Her At All

(Who Could Be)


Madonna's boyfriend doesn't look happy. She should pay him to actually smile in pictures, as it gives away the game he doesn't want to be with her.

Recently published pictures of Madonna's latest boyfriend, who is on her payroll, reveals he is not in love with her or remotely interested on her on a genuine level (who in their right mind could be regarding someone so mean and horrible). He barely looks at her. His gaze is always somewhere else. It's like he is embarrassed to be seen with his mom her.


Bored to the point of yawning

He looks sad and miserable, like he wants to be somewhere else, but gives the appearance of someone tolerating something (for the money). Whereas she is completely clingy and desperate, in trying to get his attention. Too bad she didn't stage the pictures better, as people online are having a field day mocking her for trying to buy love, with someone who could clearly care less.


Still looking away from her

PURE STYLE WITH THE EAST HAMPTON STUDIO

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THE HAMPTONS GOSSIP
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 East Hampton Studio




Long Island’s premier multimedia production and event venue is East Hampton Studio! Owner Michael Wudyka recently partnered with top event companies to offer the best all-in-one production services from leaders in the industry including: Empire Entertainment Incorporated, industry leader in promoting and producing headline concerts and events; BML Blackbird, full-service lighting video production service company; Ocean Productions, in-house production management and state-of-the-art sound service experts; Carlyle Off The Green, the premier caterer on Long Island; WVVH-TV Hamptons Television, reaching five million homes from New York to Montauk; Splashlight, top video and photography production services; In The Mixx, in-house TV and web series with exclusive coverage on celebrities, fashion, and events; and Enclave Inn, the premier Hamptons hotel with four locations.



The studio is an 18,400-square-foot facility located at 77 Industrial Road in Wainscott. This state-of-the-art media powerhouse is the largest indoor facility in Suffolk County and can hold 3,200 people plus seat up to 1,200 people. The facility houses WVVH-TV, a recording studio, a green room and an event stage. The studio is the perfect location to produce or host film and music videos, television series, private parties, events, concerts, art shows, photo shoots, fashion shows and more.



East Hampton Studio was initially built as a conceptual idea for East Hampton resident Alec Baldwin to house movie and TV productions that was to include Shortcut to Happiness with Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Anthony Hopkins. Although Shortcut to Happiness didn’t quite work out at the facility, East Hampton Studio became a favorite among the film and television industries. The studio has filmed many notable productions including: Something’s Gotta Give with Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves and Amanda Peet; Paper Man with Lisa Kudrow, Jeff Daniels, Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone; The Romantics with Katie Holmes, Josh Duhamel, Adam Brody, Elijah Wood and Anna Paquin; Suburban Shootout directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starred Judy Greer, Kelly Preston and Michael Weaver ; AT&T Commercial with Tahlia, and was a final contender for the next season of America’s Got Talent with Sharon Osbourne, Howie Mandel and East Hampton resident Howard Stern. The facility has also hosted numerous events including Hamptons International Film Industry events; Hamptons Rocks for Charity featuring Crosby, Stills and Nash; Fran Drescher’s Cancer Schmancer 2011; The Creative Coalition; Wings Over Haiti; and The Hamptons Jams Concert Series featuring Blue Coupe, New Life Crisis and Sweet Cyanide. East Hampton Studio recorded a live album for Jimmy Buffet, who also prepped for a tour at the studio.



LAURA CROFT HOSTS VEGAS BIKINI CONTEST

 Laura Croft



Laura Croft was snapped hosting the bikini contest at Pleasure Pool at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada the other day.



SKY BLU AND MISS USA 2011 IN LAS VEGAS

Sky Blu and Miss USA 2011 Alyssa Campanella
 



Sky Blu and Miss USA 2011 Alyssa Campanella pictured as SKY BLU kicks off his residency party, 'Who Came To Party?!" at Pure Nightlcub iin Las Vegas, NEVADA.


AARP CHATS WITH THE ORIGINAL DALLAS CAST

 The Original Dallas Cast



Iconic show “Dallas” is back in full force this summer, and so are its original stars! AARP The Magazine recently sat down with June/July cover stars Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman, and Linda Gray, to discuss the old days as J.R., Bobby, and Sue Ellen, the new show, and what it’s like to return to the famed Ewing ranch!

Also, see below for a link to some exclusive behind the scenes shoot shenanigans!



On the new reboot: 


“The fun is just beginning."

"Let's be honest," says Duffy. "The only reason Dallas is being done now is because they can get J. R. back on the air. That character is as iconic as the ranch itself."


On why “Dallas” works even today:


"My theory," says Hagman, "is that everybody has a jerk like J.R. in the family, and they can identify with that." 


On the original “Dallas” cast: 


“"The turd doesn't fall far from the horse! The hardest part is sitting at the head of the table at Southfork, because Jim [Davis, playing Jock Ewing] always occupied that place — and the plots revolved around making Daddy proud." 


MARK WEINBERG SHOULD BEG POSNER TO STOP

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THE CHICAGO GOSSIP
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 Kathy Posner



Chicago is known not only for crooked politicians but also for a section on prestigious north Michigan Avenue known as the Magnificent Mile. The 12 block stretch contains the city’s largest shopping district with approximately 3,100,000 sq. ft. of retails shops (460 stores), 275 restaurants, 51 hotels and many cultural attractions. It is estimated that approximately 22,000,000 people visit the area annually. To paraphrase bank robber Willie Sutton, “That’s where the money is.” So besides shoppers and tourists, the area is a Mecca for panhandlers. But are they allowed to beg there? Is it their space also?


First some history. In 1991 the city enacted a panhandling ordinance. In 2001, on behalf of three beggars who had been arrested or ticketed over the years, Mark Weinberg, an attorney who represented the panhandlers, filed a suit in defense of their First Amendment right to beg. He later got the suit certified as a class-action. That ordinance was repealed in 2002.


In 2003, The City of Chicago settled the suit and the $500,000 the city had to pay was divided up with $375,000 going to the attorneys with the meager rest to the panhandlers. The nearly 5,000 members of the class-action were allowed to files claims for $400 if they had been arrested or $50 if they had been ticketed.


In 2004, Chicago passed a new panhandling ordinance. Under this version, panhandlers can be ticketed if they ask for money within 10 feet of bus stops, ATMs, currency exchanges or banks. They are barred from begging for money from people in restaurants, sidewalk cafes and gas stations. They cannot be overly aggressive, rude, use profanity or touch the person from whom they are begging. It also bars two or more panhandlers from soliciting money together.


The law does not place any geographic restriction on begging. So when Chicago police attempted to tell panhandlers that it was illegal to beg on Michigan Avenue the panhandlers did the smart thing. They secretly taped police officers telling them to move on.


That video formed the basis for another federal class-action suit and an emergency injunction was filed this week seeking to defend the beggars’ rights. “The Chicago Police Department is presently engaged in a constitutionally abusive practice of illegally removing panhandlers from select portions of Michigan Avenue by fraudulently telling them that it is illegal to panhandle there and threatening to arrest them if they do not move," reads the complaint.


And who is the civil rights attorney representing the panhandlers? The same Mark Weinberg who collected $375,000 in fees from the panhandling suit he won in 2003.


"People do find panhandlers a nuisance," attorney Mark Weinberg told ABC Chicago. "But, the question is, Do we sacrifice Constitution rights because we find them a nuisance? And my answer is no."




Panhandlers have the legal right to beg on Michigan Avenue, but should an attorney be allowed to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars if he wins a suit and the plaintiffs who were aggrieved basically get nothing? Weinberg was the one who arranged for the undercover taping so he set up his own potential huge fee.


The real story shouldn’t be about the panhandler’s Constitutional right to beg on the Magnificent Mile but about who should protect them from an attorney who keeps all the money. Attorney Mark Weinberg might say that people find panhandlers a nuisance, but to him they are a gold mine.

GET INTO THE HOT HAMPTONS DRIVERS SEAT

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 THE HAMPTONS CHEF

THE DRIVERS SEAT

62 Jobs Lane
Southampton Village, NY
(631) 283-6606

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 The Drivers Seat



A local favorite since its establishment in 1960, The Driver’s Seat embodies the effortless style of East End dining, perfect for those looking for the quintessential experience. Sunlit and airy, the eatery—now owned by restaurateur Irma Herzog—offers a menu of traditional American fare, peppered by a selection of International cuisine. With Executive Chef Hortensia Martinez at the wheel, guests will find classic summer favorites including: Lobster Roll Sandwich, New England style roll stuffed full with as all Lobster meat salad; Baked Clam Casserole, crab meat broiled with house blend; Mexican quesadillas and fajitas made with steak, chicken and shrimp, and their famous Driver’s Seat Burgers. Purchasing all of their ingredients from local farmers and preparing dishes onsite, The Driver’s Seat ensures Hampton locals and vacationers alike that they will enjoy the freshest dishes possible.



New for the 2011 summer season, The Driver’s Seat has revamped its interior with modern renovations and additions using owner Irma Herzog’s own personal aesthetic and vision. Redesigning the restaurants back patio, as well as landscaping a beautiful garden with live flowers, Irma has given The Driver’s Seat a refreshing change to a classic Hamptons staple. Perfect for afternoon drinks and refreshments during the summer months, The Driver’s Seat rear patio boasts an open-air backyard bar.



Open year round, seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the venue is a must visit during the week, offering indoor and outdoor Happy Hour from 5:00PM to 6:00PM—sure to be favorite cocktail include their signature Long Island Ice Tea, a Southampton favorite with The Driver’s Seat’s own sour mix—and Sunday Brunch with a complementary homemade Bloody Mary and or Mimosa from 11:30AM to 5:00PM.



For further information regarding The Driver’s Seat, please visit: www.thedriversseatrestaurant.com.






VERIZON IS THE EVIL UN-AMERICAN COMPANY

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Verizon can not even give good service in the Communications
capital of the world Times Square

Bitching By: James Edstrom
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 Un-American Verizon




I have had the week from hell with Verizon. After a wonderful trip to Dune Point Fire Island, I headed back to NYC. My Internet then went out in Times Square.



WHY I WENT TO VERIZON



I left RCN who labels themselves as the Communications Giant of the world because their Internet kept going out. Hundreds of times. I had tech guys here so many times for RCN, and the last straw with them was when their so-called tech guys were here three times in one month for the Internet and when my new bill came, they raised my rates. Not just a little, a huge rate increase.

I finally said to myself, enough is enough. When I called RCN, they went on and on what a great company they were and I just said goodbye. Paying almost $150 a month for TV and Internet was just too much for something that never worked right. I went to their store, returned the equipment and said farewell. Days later I got a nasty letter demanding payment for the rest of my bill or they would ruin my credit. As much as they did not deserve any payment, I went online and paid it, just to get rid of the company that claimed to be the Communications Giant Of The World and could not even provide Internet service in the communications capital of the world Times Square.



VERIZON HIRES IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND FIRES IN AMERICA AND THEIR INTERNET SUCKS


So I timed everything perfectly so Verizon would kick in and I could say goodbye to RCN. Right away the trouble started. I would be working and the Internet would go out. I would call Verizon and I got someone in India. Everytime I called Verizon, I got someone in India.


 I am not putting down anyone in India. This is not what this is about. They are nice people and tried to help, but I could not understand them with their accent. So as time is rolling along, the Internet keeps going in and out hundreds of times. I just ignored it, I was in no mood to call repair and wait online for someone from India, who I could not understand anyway.

I go away to Dune Point Fire Island for a wonderful trip. I am away almost a month and I come back to NYC refreshed and ready to work. Late last Thursday night the Internet goes out. My kid is complaining and I tell him it will come back on. I told him to wait for the morning and if it's not on, I will call Verizon. So we go to bed.

The next morning, nothing is working. I call Verizon. I get someone in India once again. They tell me to do this step and that step. I told them I did all of that before I called you and it's not working. They insist I do it all again. Un-plug the modern for a minute, restart the computer. I do it all again and still nothing. They do their checks and then tell me it's not on their end, it's in my apartment. I tell them it's not in my apartment. The Verizon Phone line is working. Everything is the same, nothing was touched, no wires, no cables, no nothing. I get dis-connected several times. Everytime I have to call back and listen to these recordings and wait and wait for hours at a time. The recordings are saying I can find out more information on the status of my Internet online at Verizon.com. Imagine that. I have no Internet and they are telling me to go to the Internet. Each and every call the robots ask for my phone number. I give it to them. After a hour or so, I get someone in India and they ask for my phone number. I say, "I gave that to your robot already". They insist I give it to them. 

So I now know what all these robot questions are all about. It's about keeping the customer busy so he thinks they are getting somewhere, when in reality they are getting no-where. The Un-American Indian representative insists they have to send someone to my apartment. As much as I argue, they want to send someone here. 

They make a appointment for yesterday. I was so upset, I have so much work to do and now I am expected to go without the Internet for almost a week. I was also worried they would not show, RCN did this so many times, I can not count. So I called almost everyday to confirm that they would be here Wednesday between 9am and 11am. After so many hours on the phone with India, they all confirmed my appointment. Tuesday night I am still worried. I have a afternoon doctors appointment that I could not really cancel on Wednesday, so I call them Tuesday night. They confirm their Verizon Tech guys would be there as planned and I could make my doctors appointment. I spent another two hours on the phone with India, but I thought it was worth it to make sure I had help coming. I tell my kid that we have to get to bed early so we can wake up. I thought all was well in Verizon land. How wrong I was!

We wake up early and start to move furniture so Verizon can get to the wires. 9am, 10am,11am and no one here. I call Verizon India again. Another hour on the phone. They say the tech guy was running late on another job and would be here. I demand to speak to someone in America. Almost another hour on the phone waiting. They do not hire many Americans anymore, so they had a hard time locating one. I speak to a Richard in California. He insists someone will be here. No one shows. I call again and insist to speak to someone in America. Another hour wasted while they try to find someone, but they found Richard again. He insists they are working on the problem and someone will be here. 

We wait and wait. Nothing. No Verizon, no updates. I call again and by this time I am yelling my ass off at these people in India. I want someone in America now. Another hour waiting, but they found their token American again Richard. He said they had decided the problem was in the office and not in my apartment. I hit the roof. I yelled about the least they could do was to inform me and not keep putting me through this crap. He said he was very sorry. I told him he would be sorry when Verizon replaced his job for someone in India too. The sad thing was, I think he knew this. The sound in his voice told me this. For now he was the token American for Verizon, but soon he could be the un-employed American.

Our token American Richard tells me the problem would be fixed by morning. I was livid. This all could have been done a week ago when I told them it was on their end and not mine. They were so insistent that it was my lines, I brought everything new and replaced everything, hoping that maybe they were right and my Internet would come back. I ran from store to store getting the right wires and spent money that I did not need too. Richard tells me how sorry he was, but he will be the one sorry when Verizon replaces him with someone in India.

 Late that evening I get a text, My Internet is working it says. It is not. Once again I call India, insist on someone from America, and they make me wait for another hour. I am ready to smash everything tech in my apartment and I get Richard once again. He says I have to set up all my computers once again and takes me through the steps. I complain that Verizon should have told me this in the text, but at this point I feel the Internet coming closer and I just want it up and running. Finally everything clicks in. Lights start blinking, Times Square Gossip is on the screen again, and I just want to start working as my readers must be wondering where we are. I say goodnight to my token Verizon American. 



THE END IN SIGHT



 I am looking at other ways to get the Internet in Times Square. We do not have many choices. The big companies have eaten up all the smaller companies and the FCC allows this. This gives us little choices. I am really considering filing a small claims case against Verizon. I had to cancel Doctors appointments and spend untold hours on the phone with people in India. I could not work and the aggravation caused was just a horror. I am sure when I call Verizon, they will tell me they will credit me with the time everything was out. This is not good enough. They need to be held accountable. 


DON'T HIRE AMERICANS AND YOU DO NOT HAVE AMERICAN CUSTOMERS



America is hurting. More and more American companies are hiring in other countries. What these big corporations do not understand, if Americans do not have a job, they can not afford their product. It is a sin that they want our business but they do not want to hire us. I never once got a American on the phone until I demanded it and then it took so long for them to find one. They are in reality cutting their own throats. Sooner or later it will all catch up with them. We won't have jobs and we won't be able to afford Verizon. Their outsourcing is a horror to Americans and it is time we speak up. I know it's hard, but it is time to leave these companies that do not hire American. By leaving these corporations, the job you save might be yours!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

THE REAL LAS VEGAS FACE BEHIND DEADMAU5

 Joel Zimmerman AKA DEADMAU5



Joel Zimmerman AKA DEADMAU5 performs at Encore Beach Club at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas in Nevada.


KELLY CLARKSON'S HEALTHIEST NEW LOOK YET

 Kelly Clarkson



The new issue of Us Weekly, which looks at how Kelly Clarkson lost 30 pounds! After enduring constant weight scrutiny ever since she nabbed the inaugural American Idol crown in 2002, the 30-year-old has revealed her healthiest figure yet. Thanks to a five-days-a-week training schedule and a portion-control diet, the 5-foot-4 singer has shed a remarkable 30 pounds in the last six months. “She feels better about herself than she ever has,” a source says of Clarkson, now just 10 pounds away from her ultimate goal weight. And the Burleson, Texas, native has someone to celebrate with when her scale hits that dream number: her Nashville-based beau, Brandon Blackstock, 35. Clarkson credits the talent manager (son of her own longtime manager, Narvel, and stepson of Reba McEntire) with inspiring her slimdown. “No one likes to be not toned when you are dating someone,” she says. And when that someone is as encouraging as Blackstock, who manages Blake Shelton, staying motivated is a snap. Says the insider, “Brandon is the first guy ever who tells her how beautiful and sexy she is. She wants to look good for him.”


Kim Kardashian


Also there is a feature about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West continuing to defy naysayers as they flaunt their love. They “are the real deal,” says a confidant. “I’ve never seen her like this.” And now that West has won over the woman he’s told friends is his “dream girl,” he’s playing for keeps. “He waited for Kim,” says a West pal. “He knows they’re meant to be.” “They’re seriously talking marriage,” says the West pal, “and yes, she would.” He’s also hot to start a spinoff family of their own. “Kanye says he can’t wait to see her carrying his child,” says the source. “He says she will look beautiful pregnant.”



Also included below are this week’s Hot Stuff items which include the scoop on Simon Cowell being worried about Britney Spears’s behavior on The X Factor, Bachelorette Emily Maynard’s family feud, Mark Zuckerberg’s quirky honeymoon, and Tom Cruise’s less than stellar bowling skills.




HOT STUFF



Simon Cowell



SIMON COWELL: Worried About Brit

The erratic, “zoning out” pop star has Cowell concerned

Oops, she did it again: Britney Spears is back to behaving badly! An insider says The X Factor creator Simon Cowell is already anxious about Spears’ unpredictable behavior. “He wonders if hiring her was a mistake,” says the source. The trouble began May 24 at auditions in Austin. “When a contestant botched her hit ‘Hold It Against Me,’ she just left,” says a witness. “She missed the next four auditions. People weren’t sure if she was coming back.” (Spears, 30, later tweeted: “LOL was just taking a little break people.”) Another issue? Her judging style. A witness says that while Cowell, 52, L.A. Reid, 56, and Demi Lovato, 19, critiqued contestants, Spears “always said nice things, even telling one mediocre singer he could be ‘bigger than Justin Bieber.’ Simon was shocked!” While an X Factor insider counters, “Simon doesn’t regret hiring Britney, and as a judge, she had strong opinions,” the first source cautions, “I don’t know how she’s going to handle the live shows!”



Her Family Feud


As Emily Maynard’s love life heats up on The Bachelorette, her family ties are cooling off. The parents of her late fiancé, Ricky Hendrick, are “livid” the mother, 26, of their granddaughter Ricki, 6, has returned to reality TV. “When Emily first went on The Bachelor, they weren’t pleased, but they supported her,” a source tells Hot Stuff. “Now that she went back, they’re not speaking.” And though another insider insists, “The family has a great relationship with her,” the source maintains, “This is really not the way they saw Emily’s future.”



MARK ZUCKERBERG: His Quirky Honeymoon!


What’s not to “like”? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, worth $19 billion when his company went public May 18, put his money to work during his Italian honeymoon with Priscilla Chan. The couple, who wed on May 19, stayed at Rome’s $1,000-a-night Portrait Suites hotel before flying, via private jet, to Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast. But Zuckerberg, 28, and the med school grad, 27, also made some budget-friendly buys. The newlyweds spent just $40 at kosher eatery Nonna Betta on May 26. “They shared a plate of ravioli,” owner Umberto Pavoncello tells Us, adding that instead of celebrating with cocktails, the couple sipped water and tea!



Tom’s Problem With the Pins


How does Tom Cruise roll? Apparently, right into the gutter! When the Rock of Ages cast hit Miami’s Lucky Strike for a wrap party last summer, the star, 49, totally tanked. “He was horrible,” says a witness, adding that the actor threw zeroes on many frames. Still, the source adds that when he joked with Cruise about his score, “he just looked at me and smiled!”



SNEAK PEAK AT 'TRIASSIC PARQ THE MUSICAL''

Triassic Parq The Musical Cast



Walter McBride got a sneak peak at the 'Triassic Parq The Musical' Rehearsal at the CAP21 Studios in New York City the other day.


WYCLEF JEAN ADDED TO SUMMERSTAGE GALA

 Wyclef Jean



City Parks Foundation (CPF) is pleased to announce the SummerStage Gala, an annual fundraising event that supports CPF’s free year-round arts programming. The SummerStage Gala will take place held at Rumsey Playfield on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. This special event will pay tribute to The Music of Jimi Hendrix, featuring the legendary guitarist and musician’s songs as performed by an eclectic group of well established musical legends and up and coming stars.

Featuring an intriguing mix of soul, funk, bossa nova, jazz and folk singers, this unique night of performances is sure to thrill with unique interpretations of numerous classics from Jimi Hendrix’s famed catalogue of songs.

The performance component of the gala is produced by Michael Dorf, who has successfully produced a series of similar tribute concerts at Carnegie Hall over the past decade.


Artists



Bebel Gilberto • G. Love & Special Sauce •Amel Larrieux Living Colour • The Roots • John Scofield • Keller Williams • Wyclef

Plus other special guests

Featuring Soulive as house band

Seated Concert Tickets Available Starting at $50



For event information, including ticket sales, please visit: www.summerstage.org or contact Shahna Sherwood at 212-360-8170, or by email at SSherwood@CityParksFoundation.org.

A cocktail party for table purchasers will begin at 6:00 PM in the pergola area. Tables of ten will be provided with a full dinner starting at 7:00 PM. Concert will begin at 8:00pm with doors opening at 7:00pm for bleacher ticket purchasers. Bleacher seats for the concert are available for purchase for $50. SummerStage is located at Rumsey Playfield (72nd Street, mid-park).




About SummerStage


Produced by City Parks Foundation, SummerStage is New York’s largest free performing arts festival, bringing over 100 performances to eighteen parks throughout the five boroughs. Every year we reach more than 300,000 New Yorkers and since its inception in 1986, more than six million people have enjoyed SummerStage. This year, our 27th, we kick off a major awareness campaign about the vital role City Parks Foundation plays in offering free programming in NYC parks and the important niche that SummerStage plays in the summer landscape. Please join us for a psychedelic celebration of the music of Jimi Hendrix and to raise funds for this necessary summer institution. 


About City Parks Foundation


City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. CPF works in over 750 parks citywide, presenting a broad range of free arts, sports, and education programs, and empowering citizens to support their parks on a local level. Programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 people each year, contributing to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City.


About City Winery and Michael Dorf Presents


City Winery and Michael Dorf Presents are back to produce the 2012 SummerStage Gala. They produced the 25th annual Gala in 2010 with “The Music of Simon and Garfunkel”. City Winery is the innovative 20,000 sq ft mixed-use winery, music venue and event space founded in 2008 by Michael Dorf. The winery will be creating a special commemorative wine for the SummerStage Gala; in addition City Winery will be the EXCLUSIVE wine sponsor for the 2012 season of SummerStage events at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. The award winning wines produced at City Winery are handcrafted in Soho at the only commercial custom-crush facility in New York City.

DINING AT NEW YORK'S BAHRCHE RESTAURANT

 bahrche-nyc



A new addition to the contemporary wine bar scene, showcases its comprehensive selection using dramatic wine walls resembling a wine cellar and displaying nearly 1,500 varieties of wines from around the world. This new downtown wine haven located on the ground floor of the Gwathmey Siegel apartment complex at 26 Astor Place, features exotic cheeses, charcuterie, foie gras and an assortment of amazing desserts and chocolates sourced from some of the best purveyors in the New York City metro area including D’Artagan, Murray’s Cheese, and Bouchon Bakery.



Owner Camille Glickman teamed up with Richard Bloch, a James Beard Award-winning architect and principal of RBA, an interior design firm in New York City, to create the perfect wine bar. The result is a cleanly-designed space that is unique, contemporary and subtly elegant. Master Sommelier, Fred Dexheimer has also contributed his expertise and experience to the creation of bahr |ché. Well known in the industry, Dexheimer is credited as a taster, commentator, contributor, panelist, and is featured in many of the world's leading wine publications including “The New York Times”, “Food and Wine,” “Wine and Spirits,” “Wine Spectator,” “Beverage Media,” “Food Arts,” “Sommelier Journal” and “Wine Enthusiast”.



bahr | ché offers its customers a diverse, expansive wine list and a relaxing atmosphere; making it more than just a quaint wine bar. bahr | ché’s amazing wines and paired meals, include Lobster and Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Warm Goat Cheese Salad, Warm Japanese Eggplant and Salmon Tartar Duo. bahr | ché reinvented the traditional wine bar, offering custom created plates that leave the palette craving more from bahr | ché’s expansive list of international wines.



bahr | ché’s warm décor, and cozy atmosphere make it the perfect destination for a fun night out, or a romantic evening with a loved one. Discover bahr | ché and experience one of the 1,500 wines they have to offer.



For more information about Bahr Ché please visit www.bahrche-nyc.com.

Mitt Romney Is Officially The Candidate To Run Against President Obama In The 2012 Election


U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden

Is Mitt Romney the next President of the United States of America. It certainly looks that way, as many polls have him in the lead, especially important public opinion and tabulating houses, such as Gallup and Rasmussen. Romney has won the nomination by a clear margin, as was expected this year.


Mitt Romney

President Obama has illustrated he is weary of the Romney challenge, as a series of negative ads, seeking to punish his rival Romney for being a wealthy businessman backfired. What President Obama needs to do is turn the U.S. economy around, rather than running a negative campaign, because such action would permit voters to see actual results, rather than bitter public statements, in support of another term in office.

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