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Fonda Irritated With Canceled QVC Appearance

Jane Fonda Irritated

Jane Fonda took went to her personal blog on Saturday, July 16, to speak out against QVC canceling her appearance on Saturday where she was set to promote her latest book “Prime Time.”

The 73-year-old Academy Award-winning actress and author claims her appearance was canceled over her previous activism against the Vietnam War which happened years ago.

“The network said they got a lot of calls yesterday criticizing me for my opposition to the Vietnam War and threatening to boycott the show if I was allowed to appear,” Fonda wrote. “I am, to say the least, deeply disappointed that QVC caved to this kind of insane pressure by some well funded and organized political extremist groups.”

“I have never shied away from talking about this as I have nothing to hide. I could have pointed out that threats of boycotts are nothing new for me and have never prevented me from having best selling books and exercise DVDs, films, and a Broadway play,” Fonda added. “Most people don’t buy into the far right lies. Many people have reached out to express how excited they were about my going onto QVC and hearing about my book.”

Fonda continued by saying, “I do not understand what the far right stands to gain by continuing with these myths. In this case, they denied a lot of people the chance to hear about a book that can help make life better, easier and more fulfilling. I am deeply grateful for all of the support I have been getting since this happened, including from my Vietnam Veterans friends.”

However, the QVC network tells The Associated Press that Fonda’s appearance was canceled due to a routine programming change not what Fonda is saying was the issue.

QVC spokesman Paul Capelli confirmed Fonda’s cancelled appearance to the wire service and he said, “It’s not unusual to have a schedule change … with little or no notice.”

Fonda regularly spoke out against the Vietnam War in the 70s and was once dubbed “Hanoi Jane” after she visited the North Vietnamese capital and made radio broadcasts in which she criticized U.S. leaders and their policies. She also visited an anti-aircraft gun area site that was used to shoot down American pilots.

“I will go to my grave regretting that. The image of Jane Fonda, Barbarella, Henry Fonda’s daughter, just a woman sitting on an enemy aircraft gun, was a betrayal,” Fonda said about visiting the gun site in a “60 Minutes” interview during 2009.

The actress said later that she does not regret making the radio broadcasts, “Our government was lying to us, and men were dying because of it.” Fonda added, “And I felt that I had to do anything that I could to expose the lies, and help end the war. That was my goal.”

Fonda’s book “Prime Time” is set for release next month. In the book, she tells about plastic surgery she recently underwent, which she has not discussed in detail, as well as tidbits about her health and fitness habits.

Americans Are Stiffing Preventative Care For Picking Botox

Care For Picking Botox

Americans are starting to see their doctor again, but more often than not it is for cosmetic procedures, such as Botox treatments, rather than cancer screening and other life-saving preventive care.

Healthcare company executives who were attending the Reuters Health Summit this week painted a sobering picture of healthcare use among patients who are struggling to afford medical care.

While the jobless rate remains high, still many Americans are postponing treatment, and that is not likely to vary in the short term, they said.

But when it comes to smoothing out wrinkled brows, the market is rebounding, according to chief executive of Botox maker Allergan Inc. (AGN.N) David Pyott.

“Happily, for all of the facial aesthetics and even breast aesthetics markets, we are now at a place that we are beyond the peak pre-recession,” Pyott tells the Reuters Summit.

Pyott said demand for cosmetic procedures hit bottom in the spring of 2009 in the wake of the U.S. global financial crisis. Now sales of Allergan’s dermal fillers are 20 percent above where they were at when they peaked before the recession.

NHNHeHe said the Botox revival is being fueled not just by the super-rich, but by consumers with annual household incomes of around $50,000.

“It’s correlated with people’s confidence about the future, maybe how much money they have got on their credit card at the time,” Pyott continued.

“Of course, when you think about it we all want to look better, right?

Pyott compared a $400 Botox injection or an $800 wrinkle filler to treating the entire family to a baseball game or really fancy dinner, calling them “one of life’s little luxuries”.

June Gets A Terrible Job Report… It’s Very Bad!

Terrible Job Report

Analysts who were surveyed by Bloomberg News had predicted that in June the economy would add 100,000 jobs.  This is about half the number of jobs the economy needs to be producing to keep up with the population growth.  It is however an improvement over May where the economy added only 54,000 jobs and the unemployment rate was 9.1 percent.

Unfortunately the analysts completely missed the mark.  The actual jobs report shows that the economy added only 18,000 jobs and unemployment rose to 9.2 percent.  Public sector employment took a downward dip while private sector industries remained stagnant.  There was an actual loss of 39,000 jobs.

Unemployment for Latinos and blacks remains at 11.6 and 16.2 percent respectively.  About 272,000 people dropped out of the labor force so they are not included in the unemployment calculation either.  This kept the unemployment rate lower when in fact it should be a bit higher.  And as the icing on the cake, May’s job growth was revised downward from 54,000 to a mere 25,000 jobs created.

If the country had its senses a job report like this would have lawmakers deeply panicking and scrambling to do something for the growing number of unemployed people.  Today, Democratic lawmakers are not willing to spend energy on efforts to reduce unemployment while Republican lawmakers have put stakes in the ground against any federally funded job creation.  Even President Obama doesn’t want to address the reality when he was speaking in his radio address saying:

Government has to start living within its means, just like American families do. We have to cut spending we can’t afford so we can put the economy on sounder foothold, and give our businesses the confidence they need to grow and create jobs.

“The average American does not view the economy through the prism of GDP or unemployment rates or even monthly jobs numbers,” added senior political adviser to the president, David Plouffe. “People won’t vote based on the unemployment rate; they’re going to vote based on: ‘How do I feel about my own situation? Do I believe the president makes decisions based on me and my family?’”

Casey Anthony Verdict Found Not Guilty… Why?

Casey Anthony Not Guilty

Since acquitting Casey Anthony the jurors keep declining to talk to reporter.  Casey Anthony was acquitted of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse.  Now many people are wondering why did the jury find Casey Anthony not guilty?

If Casey had been convicted of first-degree murder, she would be facing the death penalty and according to Charles Rose legal expert who is a professor at Stetson University, there just was not enough evidence to prove a capital murder case.

“They did not have cause of death or time of death and they still chose to go for a capital one murder charge,” said Rose. “They chose to roll a big dice.”

Rose believes that if the child’s body had been found one day or even a week after she went missing, all of the questions that everyone is asking would be answered. Instead when the body was found, there remained only bones and circumstantial evidence.

According to Rose, the prosecutors should have gone for negligent homicide, where the state would only have to prove Casey wasn’t watching Caylee properly and this is what led to her death.

Though jurors refused to speak with reporters after their decision, an alternate juror told NBC’s “Today” show today that he thought they came to the right verdict. Russell Huekler told the network he did not think the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to uphold a murder charge.

“When they explained to us what reasonable doubt was, I definitely had reasonable doubt then,” Huekler added.

Huekler also said he didn’t think prosecutors offered a motive for why Anthony would want to kill her daughter.

“Just because Casey was a party girl did not show why she would possibly kill Caylee,” Huekler commented.

“I believe that [the jury's decision] is an affirmation of the way justice works in the United States,” said Rose.

Prosecutors challenged that Casey Anthony suffocated her daughter Caylee with duct tape because she wanted to be free to go to the nightclubs and also to spend time with her boyfriend. Defense attorneys argued that the child drowned accidently in the family swimming pool.

Anthony is not likely to face any additional time in jail.

Review of ‘Citizen U.S.A. – A 50 State Road Trip’

Citizen U.S.A.

Right in time for July 4^th, filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi along with HBO brings to you a homemade patriotic valentine.  It is complete with streamers, ribbons and enough flag waving to create a breeze emanating from your flat screen television.

“Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip” began when Pelosi’s husband who is Dutch born realized, upon the birth of the couple’s first child that a green card is not enough.  To avoid being “a foreigner in my own family,” he became an American citizen. Pelosi tells us that his naturalization changed him so she decided to travel the U.S. to see if this experience was shared by the approximately 1 million people who become American citizens in each year.

Pelosi is contently crashing a series of naturalization ceremonies in various states asking newly minted citizens what they like the best about America.

Pelosi reports that the answers are as diverse as each country that these new Americans represent.  One young man from Afghanistan thinks it’s rhapsody to be able to walk down the street holding his girlfriend’s hand.  One man from Albania can’t believe the variety of food we have to offer him while a Thailand woman loves that when she calls 911 someone comes to rescue her.  One man from Nigeria is grateful for clean water.  But what unites all of them is a sense of still-astonished gratitude that America is a place of opportunity and abundance.  This is a tone of both admonishment and celebration.  We are told those born as Americans take their freedom for granted.

If you don’t get that from the interviews you will hear it on the soundtrack.  It is one of the varieties that usually accompany a fireworks display.

While it is important to know that the United States is still considered as the land of opportunity by this diverse group of people.  Like the generations of immigrants that were before them, they create the dream even as they live it out.  “Citizen U.S.A” is more of a video album and less of a documentary. Pelosi known for being of the point-and-shoot school in filmmaking, this plays more like a student project and less like a serious film.

Pelosi wanted to create a joyful movie about America and one can’t imagine a better way than by filming it at the moment of citizenship.   Pelosi is the daughter of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.  She enjoys interviewing people fresh from the rigors of the citizenship application.

For The Risks They Take, Transit Workers Deserve More Than A Token Raise

Transit Workers

MTA executives believe that transit workers should get a series of big fat zeros when their contract is up for negotiation late this year.  How about some questions for the six-figure MTA executives when they try to convince people of the notion?

Ask them, when was the last time someone tried to burn down their office when they were in it?

Two punks streaked gasoline on a Prospect Park station token booth in Brooklyn before morning dawned last week then set it on fire with a female clerk inside.

It was an act of stupidity and depravity, an apparent attempt to get the clerk – who put out the flames with a fire extinguisher – to open the door so the young men would be able to scoop up whatever cash was inside from the MetroCards sales during the overnight shift. However shocking, it was hardly extraordinary.

Back in 1979 two clerks were killed as two teenagers sprayed gasoline through the change slot in the booth at the Queens’ Broad Channel station, then ignited it.  The act was for revenge because one of the teens received a summons for jumping a turnstile just the night before when a clerk alerted a police officer.

In 1988, another 39 year old clerk was killed when a robber torched her booth at the Brooklyn Halsey Street L-train station.

In 1995, another clerk who was working overtime to pay for his son’s college tuition got burns on over 80% of his body in another robbery attempt by subway predators armed with gasoline and matches.  He survived an agonizing two weeks before he passed away.  He left behind his wife Stella and a 17 year old son named Adrian.

Crews Working to Contain ExxonMobil Oil Spill Under Yellowstone River

ExxonMobil Oil Spill

Near Billings, Montana crews are working diligently to contain the damage caused by an oil spill from a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline which runs under the Yellowstone River.

The company is sending clean-up crews to mop up the wide band of oil at the banks of the Yellowstone River near Laurel, Montana.

“We’ve shut down the pipeline and the segment where the release occurred has been isolated. And, obviously, we’ve been working in concert with all appropriate state and federal authorities on this,” Kevin Allexon, ExxonMobil Pipeline spokesman said.

“Obviously we are very, very, regretful that this has happened and we are working hard, in collaboration with all the local authorities to make sure we mitigate the issue,” Allexon added.

Allexon added that ExxonMobil does not know what has caused the pipe to break.

“That’s obviously subject of an on-going investigation at this point,” Allexon said.

The break in the pipeline which is twelve inches in diameter has released an uncertain amount of oil in the river before ExxonMobil workers could shut it down.

Teams are now placing booms in spots to stop the leaked oil from spreading any further.

Oil is washing up on shore from Pompeys Pillar to Laurel and caused a temporary evacuation on Saturday morning.

The fire chief of Laurel which is about twelve miles east of Billings has said that the break in the pipeline happened on late Friday night nearly a mile south of Laurel is what Brent Peters told The Associated Press.

Peters continued to say that there were concerns about possible explosions and overpowering fumes caused 140 people to be evacuated in the district.  The evacuations started about 12:15 AM on Saturday.

Evacuees were allowed to return around 4 AM once instruments showed that fumes had decreased.

Since the cause of the break in the pipeline is still unknown, Peters told The Associated Press that speculation is being focused on the possibility of high water levels in the Yellowstone River could have gouged the river bed and exposing the oil pipe and it could have been hit by debris.

“I haven’t seen it this high for at least 15 years,” Peters commented.

The affected area has been going through widespread flooding recently as they experienced record rainfall amounts as well as melting snowpacks from the mountains.

Unexpected Layoff’s Happen – Get Geared Up For A Job Hunt

Unexpected Layoff's Happen

Should you start looking for a job before you actually need one.  The problem is that most employed people do not plan or prepare for a job hunt.  What happens when the unexpected layoff happens?

They were complaining they didn’t have time or energy before to look or prepare, but they should have time now.  Somehow being unemployed creates a much more sense of urgency but an effective job hunt requires preparation.  You have to invest time and energy in the right ways to proactively manage your own career.

Putting forth some effort in key areas can make a huge difference to making your job search more effective and faster.  Consider these tips:

Keep track of your major projects and their outcomes.  Focus on detailing your roles and responsibilities and contributions to those projects.  Look to see if there are common themes among the projects you worked on.  If so, this could tell you what area to focus your new job search on.  It will also help in making your resume writing much easier.

Look at performance reviews which you should always keep handy.  Keep your own collection of project summaries or project plans or other reports which can remind you of the effort you put into them and the outcomes of your participation.

Keep a professional list of contacts and keep their contact information up-to-date.  If you have a lot of contacts you can choose to do them in small chunks to get them done.  You can download a copy to a flash drive if your company allows it.

Connections are vital to any job search, especially since most positions are filled by referrals or by someone who knows someone else.  Keep track of who is connected in your industry.  Don’t just connect with people, but build relationships within your industry.  Go to industry events and attend conferences.   Volunteer for professional activities within your groups.

Be careful what you post on your personal social media pages.  Don’t have pictures or comments which could be detrimental to any job search you do.  But take time to beef up your LinkedIn profile, which most professionals prefer over Facebook, etc.

Maria Shriver Seeks Joint Custody As She Files For Divorce

Maria Shriver Joint Custody

Maria Shriver filed for divorce against the former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday, with the divorce outlined as “irreconcilable differences.”

The couple who have been married 25 years announced that they were separated in May.  Maria separated from Arnold shortly after she learned that Arnold was the father of a child who was born more than a decade ago with a member of their longtime household staff.  She moved out of their Brentwood mansion upon learning about the child.

Maria Shriver’s attorney, Laura Wasser, filed the petition for the dissolution of their marriage in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Ms. Shriver’s petition requested that her and her estranged husband share joint legal and physical custody of their two sons, ages 13 and 17.

There is some property that will be considered separately which includes jewelry and personal items as well as earnings that Shriver accumulated after the couple separated.  There are additional separate assets that have not even been determined yet.

The former Governor told the media last month that he was the father of a boy that he fathered over a decade ago with one of their household staff.  The lady had worked for the famous couple for 20 years and retired in January.  She now lives in Bakersfield with their son.

“After leaving the governor’s office, I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago,” Schwarzenegger announced in a statement that he was the child’s father. “I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.”

Casey’s Father’s Alleged Mistress Says He Told Her About The Accident

Casey Anthony’s Trial

Before police uncovered the skeletal remains of Caylee Anthony’s two-year old body, her grandfather mentioned to his alleged mistress that Caylee’s situation was “an accident that snowballed out of control,” the alleged mistress told the courtroom on Thursday.

This testimony was heard on the final and 13^th day of the defense’s case during the month-long trial for murder by Casey Anthony who is the Florida mother who is accused of murdering her young daughter.

Shortly following the mistress’ testimony the defense rested its case after telling that Ms. Anthony would not testify.

Krystal Holloway, the alleged mistress volunteered in the search for Caylee, she told the courtroom that she and George Anthony, Caylee’s grandfather had been intimate in 2008.

Holloway was surprised as Mr. Anthony told her that the child’s disappearance was an accident.  It was at this same time that Mr. Anthony and Cindy, his wife, were helping to lead a national effort as well as making media appearances under the assumption that the young girl was kidnapped but still alive.

Holloway told that George Anthony’s statement was made while the two conversed quietly in her home near Thanksgiving in 2008.  “We were talking about his daughter and I mentioned that I didn’t think he could raise somebody that was capable of harming her child,” Ms. Holloway told the courtroom. “That’s when he said it was an accident that snowballed out of control.”

Holloway said the comment surprised her. “I was caught off guard by it, and when I looked up he had tears in his eyes,” she added.

To try to confirm the relationship the Defense Attorney named Jose Baez showed new evidence which was a text message apparently from George Anthony to Ms. Holloway.  It said: “Just thinking about you. I need you in my life.”

The message was received on Dec. 16, just five days after the child’s body was found in a wooded area.

On Tuesday during his testimony, George Anthony categorically denied ever having the affair with Ms. Holloway. He also denied that he had made any statement about the child’s death.

“Did you tell Krystal Holloway that Caylee’s death is an accident that snowballed out of control,” Defense Attorney Jose Baez asked Mr. Anthony.