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United Nation Secretary-General Kofi Annan, left, listens as former U.S. President Bill Clinton speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative Summit Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005 in New York City. Organizers of the Clinton Global Initiative say they expect financial commitments from participants to surpass $500 million, that would go toward more than 100 initiatives that tackle key global problems.

Who in their RIGHT mind would donate money to these goof-balls?

Technorati Tags: Bill Clinton, Kofi Annan, Clinton Global Initiative

Blythe Danner: “”I know Bruce (Paltrow) would want me to pay tribute to New Orleans, his favorite city, and all the Gulf Coast and our kids in Iraq. Let’s get the heck out of there. Thank you all.” — Emmy winner Blythe Danner of “Huff.”

Gwyneth Palthrow: “…I feel like we’re really in trouble. I just had a baby and thought, ‘I don’t want to live there.’(in the United States). “Bush’s anti-environment, pro-war policies are a dis. . . .”.

Moonbat Morons of a feather……..

Technorati Tags: Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Palthrow, Hurricane Katrina, President Bush

Bill Clinton is feeling better, Bush is way down in the polls because of Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq War…… so why not pile on…….

Unprecedented for a former President.

What a moron.

The Los Angeles Times has Geffen Eyes Another Medium: The Times.

He helped build the careers of Joni Mitchell and the Eagles, created a record company and then joined a couple of other entertainment moguls to form a movie studio.

Now, could David Geffen really want to own a newspaper — specifically, the Los Angeles Times?

Three well-known civic figures in Los Angeles said they had heard Geffen in recent weeks talking about how he would like to take control of The Times, owned by Tribune Co.

Geffen met with Tribune Chief Executive Dennis J. FitzSimons this summer to say he was interested in buying the paper.

“We had a meeting at his request, with no disclosed reason in advance,” FitzSimons confirmed in a telephone interview. “At that point, he indicated his interest in the paper. And I told him it was not for sale.”

Could Geffen do any worse than current management?

In the last five years since Tribune Company purchased the newspaper, circulation has declined from 1,018,000 to 902,000 and advertising sales have declined. The Editor, John Carroll and Editorial Editor, Michael Kinsley, were recently canned and the paper’s online presence is behind even local community papers.

Then, there is the issue of local ownership.

Stay tuned.

H/T Mayor Sam

Stop by and check out Dafydd ab Hugh’s new blog, Big Lizards.

Flap knows you will be glad you did.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger addresses the state Republican convention, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, in Anaheim, California. Photo Courtesy of SactoDan.

Previously Flap had California Republican Party Convention Watch: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Endorses Proposition 75.

During the convention weekend Flap met and conversed with many professional MSM journalists. All were collegial, some were guarded and inquisitive but none were hostile to the bloggers – a new form of journalism and media. The blogging community (blogosphere), with full press credentials is making its presence known alongside our MSM brethren.

So, what is the big deal with the BLOGS?

Is there a difference?

And since the answer to the previous question is YES, how are the blogs different?

As an academic exercise Flap thinks it would be appropriate to post the links of the stories written by my colleagues in the MSM on covering the Governor’s luncheon speech. Read them all and pay partcular attention to the background, research, angles, asides and SPIN from either the writers and/or their editors.

After reading these stories Flap will discuss the differences and how the BLOGS are making a difference in politics and media.

Onto the links:

The ASSociated Press – Beth Fouhy

The San Francisco Chronicle – Carla Marinucci and John Wildermuth

Los Angeles Times – Michael Finnegan and Robert Salladay

The Sacramento Bee – Laura Mecoy

ContraCosta Times – Lisa Vorderbrueggen

Dan Walters Column of the Sacramento Bee

An interesting selection of pieces.

All spun with a different perspective, a selective set of facts and omitted material/disclosures.

Differences between the bloggers and MSM – you betcha.

1. While the MSM reporters were covering the Phil Angelides news conference across the street in Anaheim, the bloggers had already posted their pieces on Arnold’s speech and his endorsement of Proposition 75.

2. Bloggers had news on the internet many hours before pieces were posted on the newspaper’s web sites. Bloggers had a scoop with immediacy, while the MSM folks wrote, edited and either printed or posted belatedly to a website – some requiring registration.

3. The Spin – you know who is writing and editing the piece in the blogs. The reporters of the MSM, although named (by-lined) are virtually anonymous, except in the case of long-time columnists Dan Walters, and the reader cannot discern who is responsible for the piece’s copy……is it the reporter/writer or the editors who have rewritten, redirected and respun the material.

Do bloggers belong with our MSM brothers and sisters?

YES…….. and thanks to the California Republican Party for recognizing this fact and granting all of us full press credentials and access.