30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Pregnant Snooki's First TV Interview
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Though her pregnancy wasn't planned, the pint-sized "Jersey Shore" star says she sees the benefits of having a child at a young age. "I'm only 24 so it happened kind of quick," she said on MTV's "Jersey Shore After Hours" Thursday night. Snooki, who is expecting her first child with fiance Jionni LaValle, also believes her hard-partying past has helped her prepare for pregnancy. 1Snooki is looking forward to being a "MILF" when she gives birth to her first child.
Bobby Brown Shopping Around Biopic Following Whitney Houston's Death
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There's a report out there that Bobby Brown is trying to cash in on Whitney Houston s death by shopping around a script on his biopic. 1Bobby Brown has put pen to paper, written a script about his tumultuous life and is now shopping it to Hollywood studios. Bobby would even like his 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina to appear in the movie, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting. The script entitled The Bad Boy of R&B: The Bobby Brown Story was initially being sent out to potential backers late last year but received very little interest.
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Beyonce and Jay Z Take Their Little Bundle Blue Ivy for Family Meal at Nobu
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With the recent early burst of warm spring weather in NYC, Beyonce has been spotted out and about frequently with daughter Blue Ivy Carter, 2 months. But the instantly famous baby's actual face hasn't been seen since her mom, 30, and dad Jay-Z shared intimate family pics of their newborn with the world on Feb. 10. 1Beyonce Knowles believes her baby Blue Ivy is "changing" constantly but admits she does look like her father, according to singer Melanie Fiona. 2And the little girl is already living the high life with her superstar parents Beyonce and Jay-Z and today the family enjoyed a meal together in New York. 3Beyonce's Daughter Blue Ivy "Looks Just Like" Dad Jay-Z (US Magazine)Beyonce Thinks Blue Looks Like Jay-Z (Female First)Beyonce and Jay Z Take Their Little Bundle Blue Ivy for Family Meal at Nobu (Daily Mail)
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Why Adam Levine Decided to Do a Fragrance
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The only thing lamer than celebrities with their own fragrances? Stars who think they're too cool to launch a scent. That's according to Adam Levine, who after slamming the trend on Twitter last year, changed his mind and revealed plans to do a fragrance masterbrand called 222 by Adam Levine in May 2013. 1The 33-year-old Maroon 5 singer - who has previously expressed his distaste for celebrity scents - admits he wasn't keen until curiosity got the better of him. " But at the end of the day, I thought that it was a cop-out to say, Oh, that's lame.
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Tori Spelling Pregnant With Fourth Child Five Months After Giving Birth
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Just five months after giving birth to daughter Hattie Margaret, Tori Spelling is pregnant with her fourth child, she announced on her website Friday. " Dean, Liam, Stella, Hattie, and I are beyond thrilled to announce that another little McDermott is on the way. Love, Tori xoxo, " read the announcement, which was accompanied by a pic of Spelling's burgeoning bump. 1Tori and Dean, 45, married back in May 2006 and are already the proud parents of three children ".
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26 Mayıs 2012 Cumartesi
TV’s ’48 Hours’ Brings Mystery to the iPad
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One of the more fascinating apps to arrive recently for the iPad is 48 Hours Mystery from the folks at CBS Interactive. The free app includes information and video clips from the popular true-crime series. Best of all, an in-app purchase unlocks full-length episodes and other premium features.
Launched quietly last month, 48 Hours Mystery is the perfect companion to one of television’s most interesting and understated long-term series. In its freebie form, the app includes previews of upcoming shows and extra video clips not included in the on-air broadcast.
For $4.99 per year, however, the 48 Hours Mystery app transforms itself into something different, with on-demand access to full episodes from the current season. In addition, members are able to search and browse the archive of episodes dating back to 2005. Subscribers also get:
While some may reject the app for its in-app purchase component, we think $4.99 per year is more than reasonable. For crime story buffs, the 48 Hours Mystery app is perhaps the must-have app of the year.
Source is
http://mashable.com/2011/11/22/48-hours-ipad-app/
One of the more fascinating apps to arrive recently for the iPad is 48 Hours Mystery from the folks at CBS Interactive. The free app includes information and video clips from the popular true-crime series. Best of all, an in-app purchase unlocks full-length episodes and other premium features.Launched quietly last month, 48 Hours Mystery is the perfect companion to one of television’s most interesting and understated long-term series. In its freebie form, the app includes previews of upcoming shows and extra video clips not included in the on-air broadcast.
For $4.99 per year, however, the 48 Hours Mystery app transforms itself into something different, with on-demand access to full episodes from the current season. In addition, members are able to search and browse the archive of episodes dating back to 2005. Subscribers also get:
- View previews of upcoming shows
- Access written transcripts of each episode
- View photo galleries related to the crimes
- Video extras include footage, evidence and interviews not available on-air
- Post comments about the episode and see what other fans have posted
- Share your reactions to each episode with your friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter or via email.
While some may reject the app for its in-app purchase component, we think $4.99 per year is more than reasonable. For crime story buffs, the 48 Hours Mystery app is perhaps the must-have app of the year.
Source is
http://mashable.com/2011/11/22/48-hours-ipad-app/
TiVo records subs increase for first time in four years
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Despite the fact that the company is ubiquitously known to the point of becoming a verb like Hoover, TiVo has just recorded its first increase in total subscriptions since 2007.
For its third quarter ended 32 October 31 2011, TiVo reported total net subscriptions of 2.04 million, with approximately 117,000 additions, a huge swing-around compared with the 33,000 subscription losses in the previous quarter.
For the third quarter, the digital video recorder (DVR) pioneer posted service and technology revenues of $51.8 million, up 25% year-over-year. The company had issued a guidance of $49 million to $51 million, $41.3 million for the same quarter in 2010 and $49.6 million in Q2 2011.
However, TiVo reported a net loss of $24.5 million, compared to guidance of a net loss of $27-29 million and a net loss of $20.6 million in the same quarter last year.
The subs growth is largely attributable to major contract wins with operators over the last few months in particular with Virgin Media in the UK who deployed TiVo-based services to more than 220,000 subscribers; RCN expanding its TiVo product offering through the deployment of a whole-home solution; live implementations at Spanish operators ONO and Grande. Charter Communications will also begin initial deployments shortly and DirecTV intends to launch its TiVo offering in select markets in December with a nationwide rollout to follow early in 2012.
Commented TiVo President and CEO Tom Rogers: "Our efforts to get TiVo in more homes globally continues to accelerate…Our mass deployment efforts are proving successful and gaining momentum with pay-TV operators worldwide. These operators recognise the need to retain their position as the key providers of a video experience for consumers…We believe that penetration within our current distribution deals and potential new deployment deals along with stabilising our TiVo-Owned business, where churn has slowed and new subscriptions have come in at much higher subscription fees, is setting the foundation for the long-term growth.”
Going forward, TiVo says that it will focus on four key areas, namely executing on current distribution deals; signing new distribution deals; reducing R&D and litigation spend over time; protecting our intellectual property.
Source ishttp://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2011112417351/tivo-records-subs-increase-for-first-time-in-four-years.html
For its third quarter ended 32 October 31 2011, TiVo reported total net subscriptions of 2.04 million, with approximately 117,000 additions, a huge swing-around compared with the 33,000 subscription losses in the previous quarter.
For the third quarter, the digital video recorder (DVR) pioneer posted service and technology revenues of $51.8 million, up 25% year-over-year. The company had issued a guidance of $49 million to $51 million, $41.3 million for the same quarter in 2010 and $49.6 million in Q2 2011.However, TiVo reported a net loss of $24.5 million, compared to guidance of a net loss of $27-29 million and a net loss of $20.6 million in the same quarter last year.
The subs growth is largely attributable to major contract wins with operators over the last few months in particular with Virgin Media in the UK who deployed TiVo-based services to more than 220,000 subscribers; RCN expanding its TiVo product offering through the deployment of a whole-home solution; live implementations at Spanish operators ONO and Grande. Charter Communications will also begin initial deployments shortly and DirecTV intends to launch its TiVo offering in select markets in December with a nationwide rollout to follow early in 2012.
Commented TiVo President and CEO Tom Rogers: "Our efforts to get TiVo in more homes globally continues to accelerate…Our mass deployment efforts are proving successful and gaining momentum with pay-TV operators worldwide. These operators recognise the need to retain their position as the key providers of a video experience for consumers…We believe that penetration within our current distribution deals and potential new deployment deals along with stabilising our TiVo-Owned business, where churn has slowed and new subscriptions have come in at much higher subscription fees, is setting the foundation for the long-term growth.”
Going forward, TiVo says that it will focus on four key areas, namely executing on current distribution deals; signing new distribution deals; reducing R&D and litigation spend over time; protecting our intellectual property.
Source ishttp://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2011112417351/tivo-records-subs-increase-for-first-time-in-four-years.html
5 apps for finding your favorite TV shows
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More than 60 percent of viewers watch TV with a computer in their laps or a mobile device in their hands. So why not use those devices to figure out what to watch next? A growing number of apps are being built to provide recommendations for users trying to figure out what to watch on TV and on their mobile devices. Here are five of our favorites:
BuddyTV got its start by building a TV news and community site, but has expanded to create mobile apps built for personalized recommendations of TV shows. By taking into account which shows viewers have checked into, as well as those they’ve rated, BuddyTV can suggest new TV shows that are airing whenever they open the app. And since it tracks viewership, it will surface shows users already have shown an affinity for when those shows are on air.
Dijit’s mobile app was launched primarily to be used as a remote control for a wide range of devices. Paired with the Griffin Beacon IR controller, Dijit can be used to control anything from your TV to your Blu-ray player to your Roku streaming media box. But in addition to the channel grid, which can be used to search and navigate what’s on TV at any given time, Dijit has added a social layer on top, allowing viewers to check in and comment on their favorite shows. It also provides social recommendations based on Facebook integration, suggesting new shows for users to watch.
While it’s not necessarily used to find or watch shows on the TV, the Fanhattan app provides a way to search for content within applications from services like Netflix and Hulu Plus on a user’s iPad or iPhone. With a universal search functionality, users can search TV shows and movies without having to jump in and out of different apps for the information they want. It also provides a wealth of cast and crew data, ratings and multimedia assets related to the content users are searching for.
While most people are looking for the best content available when they turn on the TV, some want to know when their favorite shows air. Enter Fav.tv. The startup’s iOS and Android apps offer the ability to keep track of when new episodes are airing and mark off episodes they have already watched. The app also provides news about shows from around the web, as well as the ability to share comments about shows with their friends within the app.
Yap.tv
Yap.tv has taken a decidedly social approach to aggregating TV listings, showing its users which shows are most popular, while also letting them set favorites and see what friends are watching. Its guide is also a lot more visual than most other TV apps, highlighting cover art for each of the shows represented. Once viewers choose a show, they can take polls, see tweets from other viewers and participate in live chats as well.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/five-apps-for-finding-tv-shows/
BuddyTV
BuddyTV got its start by building a TV news and community site, but has expanded to create mobile apps built for personalized recommendations of TV shows. By taking into account which shows viewers have checked into, as well as those they’ve rated, BuddyTV can suggest new TV shows that are airing whenever they open the app. And since it tracks viewership, it will surface shows users already have shown an affinity for when those shows are on air.Dijit
Dijit’s mobile app was launched primarily to be used as a remote control for a wide range of devices. Paired with the Griffin Beacon IR controller, Dijit can be used to control anything from your TV to your Blu-ray player to your Roku streaming media box. But in addition to the channel grid, which can be used to search and navigate what’s on TV at any given time, Dijit has added a social layer on top, allowing viewers to check in and comment on their favorite shows. It also provides social recommendations based on Facebook integration, suggesting new shows for users to watch.Fanhattan
While it’s not necessarily used to find or watch shows on the TV, the Fanhattan app provides a way to search for content within applications from services like Netflix and Hulu Plus on a user’s iPad or iPhone. With a universal search functionality, users can search TV shows and movies without having to jump in and out of different apps for the information they want. It also provides a wealth of cast and crew data, ratings and multimedia assets related to the content users are searching for.Fav.tv
While most people are looking for the best content available when they turn on the TV, some want to know when their favorite shows air. Enter Fav.tv. The startup’s iOS and Android apps offer the ability to keep track of when new episodes are airing and mark off episodes they have already watched. The app also provides news about shows from around the web, as well as the ability to share comments about shows with their friends within the app.Yap.tv
Yap.tv has taken a decidedly social approach to aggregating TV listings, showing its users which shows are most popular, while also letting them set favorites and see what friends are watching. Its guide is also a lot more visual than most other TV apps, highlighting cover art for each of the shows represented. Once viewers choose a show, they can take polls, see tweets from other viewers and participate in live chats as well.Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/five-apps-for-finding-tv-shows/
Verizon’s Xbox Live rollout lacks broadcast content
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Verizon is taking a big step toward making its FiOS TV service available through connected devices, with the launch of a new app for Microsoft’s Xbox Live next month. But viewers who are excited about getting rid of their old set-top boxes and streaming directly to the game console will likely be disappointed, as the Verizon app will be missing a lot of the most popular networks and shows.
Verizon was one of the first TV operators to join Xbox Live, and its app is expected to become available when the next update of the service goes live on December 6. And, at least in the US, it’s the first to deliver live TV to the Xbox game console. Comcast, which will also have an app, is only giving its subscribers access to its video-on-demand service, not its live channels.
The operator announced Tuesday that its app will have 26 live TV channels available, which is a far cry from its entire channel lineup. Channels available at launch include BET, Boomerang (whatever that is), Cartoon Network, Cinemax, CNN, Comedy Central, DIY, ESPNews, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HBO, HBO 2, HGTV, HLN, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Spike, TBS, TCM, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land and VH1. For those keeping track, that means Verizon has secured deals with Viacom, HBO, Scripps and Turner.
But the app won’t include broadcast networks ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC at launch. That means viewers who watch the most popular channels and shows will be left out in the cold. Also missing are some cable networks like AMC, USA and FX, which have come into their own with original scripted programming.
While it will only have 26 channels at launch, Verizon expects to add more content as time goes by. A Verizon spokesperson wrote via email that the company is working with content partners to make additional channels available on the Xbox. But the lack of some of the most popular programming underscores a common issue that is cropping up between content owners and distributors, as they negotiate rights for the next generation of TV screens.
As more and more content is available to stream via IP, cable, satellite and IPTV providers argue that when distributing live channels to a device like the Xbox or the iPad, the delivery method and the viewer’s device shouldn’t matter. But content owners are trying to get paid more for access on these new devices.
I have to side with the operators on this one: At the end of the day, how video gets to the consumer’s house — whether it be over the traditional cable plant or streamed over the Internet — won’t matter. Nor will the screen it’s watched on. It’ll all just be video. Which is why these skirmishes over rights for certain devices or delivery methods seem short-sighted.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/verizon-xbox-live/
Verizon is taking a big step toward making its FiOS TV service available through connected devices, with the launch of a new app for Microsoft’s Xbox Live next month. But viewers who are excited about getting rid of their old set-top boxes and streaming directly to the game console will likely be disappointed, as the Verizon app will be missing a lot of the most popular networks and shows.Verizon was one of the first TV operators to join Xbox Live, and its app is expected to become available when the next update of the service goes live on December 6. And, at least in the US, it’s the first to deliver live TV to the Xbox game console. Comcast, which will also have an app, is only giving its subscribers access to its video-on-demand service, not its live channels.
The operator announced Tuesday that its app will have 26 live TV channels available, which is a far cry from its entire channel lineup. Channels available at launch include BET, Boomerang (whatever that is), Cartoon Network, Cinemax, CNN, Comedy Central, DIY, ESPNews, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HBO, HBO 2, HGTV, HLN, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Spike, TBS, TCM, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TV Land and VH1. For those keeping track, that means Verizon has secured deals with Viacom, HBO, Scripps and Turner.
But the app won’t include broadcast networks ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC at launch. That means viewers who watch the most popular channels and shows will be left out in the cold. Also missing are some cable networks like AMC, USA and FX, which have come into their own with original scripted programming.
While it will only have 26 channels at launch, Verizon expects to add more content as time goes by. A Verizon spokesperson wrote via email that the company is working with content partners to make additional channels available on the Xbox. But the lack of some of the most popular programming underscores a common issue that is cropping up between content owners and distributors, as they negotiate rights for the next generation of TV screens.
As more and more content is available to stream via IP, cable, satellite and IPTV providers argue that when distributing live channels to a device like the Xbox or the iPad, the delivery method and the viewer’s device shouldn’t matter. But content owners are trying to get paid more for access on these new devices.
I have to side with the operators on this one: At the end of the day, how video gets to the consumer’s house — whether it be over the traditional cable plant or streamed over the Internet — won’t matter. Nor will the screen it’s watched on. It’ll all just be video. Which is why these skirmishes over rights for certain devices or delivery methods seem short-sighted.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/verizon-xbox-live/
What happens when video gets democratized?
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Today, TV might be where people go to be entertained. But make no mistake about it: New entrants are building ever-larger audiences without being burdened by the cost structure of the traditional TV ecosystem, making them more nimble and a potential threat to some of the big media players.
We’ve seen this movie before: In the newspaper and magazine industry, the wide availability of self-publishing tools like WordPress and Blogger allowed anyone to instantly create his or her own media empire. Suddenly digital publishers could reach huge audiences over the Internet, with very little cost involved.
That’s allowed new media companies like Gawker Media, AOL and yes, even GigaOM! to go up against the old guard of print publishers, which has had a devastating effect on the industry. Unable to compete with the relevance and immediacy of online news and information, and burdened by an unsustainable cost structure, local newspapers and weekly news magazines have struggled to stay alive.
So what happens when the video industry is democratized? It’s already happening, as the cost of high-quality video cameras, production and editing equipment has fallen dramatically. Furthermore, platforms like YouTube are making it easier than ever for anyone to build an audience and monetize those videos.
The key takeaway is that the video industry is ripe for disruption. New content creators, emboldened by cheap production and editing tools and the ease of reaching a huge number of people online, are emerging as real competition for the traditional TV marketplace. In my latest piece for GigaOM Pro, (subscription required) I explore who wins and who loses in this brave new world.
Just as The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have held fairly strong in the face of online competition, it’s unlikely that the big broadcasters will see audiences flee en masse. But smaller networks, especially those in niche categories like food or lifestyle, could see serious audience erosion as viewers find Internet-delivered video channels that are more relevant to them. A vegan cooking show, for instance, might not last long at a cable network, but it could be a goldmine online.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/video-democratization/
We’ve seen this movie before: In the newspaper and magazine industry, the wide availability of self-publishing tools like WordPress and Blogger allowed anyone to instantly create his or her own media empire. Suddenly digital publishers could reach huge audiences over the Internet, with very little cost involved.
That’s allowed new media companies like Gawker Media, AOL and yes, even GigaOM! to go up against the old guard of print publishers, which has had a devastating effect on the industry. Unable to compete with the relevance and immediacy of online news and information, and burdened by an unsustainable cost structure, local newspapers and weekly news magazines have struggled to stay alive.
So what happens when the video industry is democratized? It’s already happening, as the cost of high-quality video cameras, production and editing equipment has fallen dramatically. Furthermore, platforms like YouTube are making it easier than ever for anyone to build an audience and monetize those videos.
The key takeaway is that the video industry is ripe for disruption. New content creators, emboldened by cheap production and editing tools and the ease of reaching a huge number of people online, are emerging as real competition for the traditional TV marketplace. In my latest piece for GigaOM Pro, (subscription required) I explore who wins and who loses in this brave new world.
Just as The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have held fairly strong in the face of online competition, it’s unlikely that the big broadcasters will see audiences flee en masse. But smaller networks, especially those in niche categories like food or lifestyle, could see serious audience erosion as viewers find Internet-delivered video channels that are more relevant to them. A vegan cooking show, for instance, might not last long at a cable network, but it could be a goldmine online.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/video-democratization/
23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Chopped Season 9 Episode 16 Duck for Dinner
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Chopped Season 9 Episode 16 Duck for Dinner, Duck confit is among the mystery ingredients.
In a special holiday-themed episode, the chefs find gingerbread houses in their mystery baskets for the Appetizer round and a prized piece of meat and a beautiful vegetable for the Entrée round. The remaining two chefs contend with often-disparaged holiday classic in their Dessert baskets.
I Hate My Teenage Daughter Season 1 Episode 3 Teenage Cotillion
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I Hate My Teenage Daughter Season 1 Episode 3 Teenage Cotillion, When Sophie earns a spot on the high school cheerleading squad - but Mackenzie doesn't - tensions run high between mothers Annie and Nikki. Meanwhile, Matt and Gary want to fire the worst guy on their basketball team, which happens to be Jack.
In an effort to reconnect with the girls, Annie reinstates an old tradition of "Family Night," even though the adults are all now divorced. Of course, nothing goes right: the girls try to escape; Nikki becomes outraged after learning that Gary is dating someone new; and Annie is thrown for a loop when Jack shows up with a hot date.
Psych Season 6 Episode 9 Neil Simon's Lover's Retreat
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Psych Season 6 Episode 9 Neil Simon's Lover's Retreat, Shawn and Juliet's romantic getaway vacation from casework and the SBPD is interrupted when their hotel room is robbed and a dead body surfaces at a nearby winery.
Shawn and Gus hide a witness at a remote commune populated by eccentric intellectuals while they investigate a murder that the witness claims occurred in broad daylight.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 2 Episode 11 Hearth's Warming Eve
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 2 Episode 11 Hearth's Warming Eve, The six friends are honored to put on Canterlot's most important play of the season, the Hearth's Warming Eve's holiday pageant that illustrates how Unicorns, Pegasus and Earth Ponies put aside their differences and founded Equestria.
It's Spike's birthday, and he's thrilled at all the great swag he receives from his friends. However, Spike's appreciation soon turns to greed, along with an all-consuming obsession to hoard everything available. Can the ponies make Spike resist his dragon heart's instincts before he turns into a full-fledged monster?
The High Low Project Season 1 Episode 14 The DeMeo's Dream Family Room
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The High Low Project Season 1 Episode 14 The DeMeo's Dream Family Room, Julia and Billy DeMeo's family room lacks personality. Designer Sabrina Soto designs their dream family room, complete with a $25,000 price tag - but that's not in the DeMeo's budget. Sabrina then recreates the DeMeo's family room, piece by piece, for their $4000 budget.
Sabrina Soto helps the McNaught family surprise their mom, Kathy, with her dream living room for Christmas. First, Sabrina creates a luxury dream design by borrowing from her top design contacts but it cost $30,000. Using her design know how, she then recreates her design, piece by piece for the Mcnaught's $5000 budget.
17 Mayıs 2012 Perşembe
14 Arrested In Death Penalty Protest at Supreme Court
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Inside, the Supreme Court was hearing arguments in a dusty federal tax case. Outside, police were arresting 14 death penalty protesters who unfurled a 30-foot wide banner with the message "STOP EXECUTIONS!" on the Court's marble plaza. One by one this morning, the demonstrators were escorted or dragged away for violating the federal law (40 U.S.C. 6135) that forbids "processions or assemblages" on Supreme Court grounds.The protest marked the 35th anniversary of the Utah execution by firing squad of Gary Gilmore, the first execution since the high court's reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. It was a repeat of a similar demonstration five years ago, and in between, numerous others -- from Princeton philosopher Cornel West to demonstrators dressed like Guantanamo detainees -- have been arrested in the same location.The demonstrators assembled beforehand at the nearby United Methodist Building where they discussed what to expect when arrested, and held hands in prayer. Bethesda, Maryland solo practitioner Mark Goldstone, longtime lawyer for Court protesters, briefed the group on the legalities, and told them, as he put it later, "It's too bad you aren't corporations, because then you would have more First Amendment protections."Shortly after 10 a.m., the protesters ambled over to the Court to begin a process that they knew would end in arrest. In a 1983 decision United States v. Grace, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a no-protest zone on Court property. It allowed demonstrations on the public sidewalk in front of the Court, so the protesters today probably knew they were breaking the law as soon as they walked onto the Court's marble plaza.Court police were out in force in anticipation of the protest, but they allowed the demonstrators to enter the plaza and begin climbing the majestic steps, even though the steps are no longer used as an entrance. Suddenly, one of the group took the rolled-up banner out from under his coat and the demonstrators, now facing the street, unfurled the banner for all to see. Encouraged nearly 100 demonstrators on the sidewalk, they chanted "Abolition now!" and "They say death row, we say hell no!"Court police watched intently, but did nothing to stop the protest or to confiscate the banner. After a few minutes, Court police chief Ross Swope came out from the Court building with a bullhorn to warn those holding the banner that they were in violation of the law and "will be arrested." After 10 more minutes of chants, the police started to move in with plastic handcuffs. The arrests came one at a time at one end of the banner. As each protester was taken away, those remaining spread out to keep the banner aloft. When only two protesters were left, they dropped it. As they were taken away, Court police folded up the banner neatly. After processing inside the Court building, the arrestees were expected to be detained overnight by D.C. police and arraigned on Wednesday.Goldstone, a veteran observer of these demonstrations, said he was generally pleased with the conduct of the Court police. "They seemed very relaxed, and didn't prevent the demonstration from happening," Goldstone said, adding that he was impressed by their respectful handling of the banner. "They didn't just grab it away or treat it like an incendiary device."Photograph: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Inside, the Supreme Court was hearing arguments in a dusty federal tax case. Outside, police were arresting 14 death penalty protesters who unfurled a 30-foot wide banner with the message "STOP EXECUTIONS!" on the Court's marble plaza. One by one this morning, the demonstrators were escorted or dragged away for violating the federal law (40 U.S.C. 6135) that forbids "processions or assemblages" on Supreme Court grounds.The protest marked the 35th anniversary of the Utah execution by firing squad of Gary Gilmore, the first execution since the high court's reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. It was a repeat of a similar demonstration five years ago, and in between, numerous others -- from Princeton philosopher Cornel West to demonstrators dressed like Guantanamo detainees -- have been arrested in the same location.The demonstrators assembled beforehand at the nearby United Methodist Building where they discussed what to expect when arrested, and held hands in prayer. Bethesda, Maryland solo practitioner Mark Goldstone, longtime lawyer for Court protesters, briefed the group on the legalities, and told them, as he put it later, "It's too bad you aren't corporations, because then you would have more First Amendment protections."Shortly after 10 a.m., the protesters ambled over to the Court to begin a process that they knew would end in arrest. In a 1983 decision United States v. Grace, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a no-protest zone on Court property. It allowed demonstrations on the public sidewalk in front of the Court, so the protesters today probably knew they were breaking the law as soon as they walked onto the Court's marble plaza.Court police were out in force in anticipation of the protest, but they allowed the demonstrators to enter the plaza and begin climbing the majestic steps, even though the steps are no longer used as an entrance. Suddenly, one of the group took the rolled-up banner out from under his coat and the demonstrators, now facing the street, unfurled the banner for all to see. Encouraged nearly 100 demonstrators on the sidewalk, they chanted "Abolition now!" and "They say death row, we say hell no!"Court police watched intently, but did nothing to stop the protest or to confiscate the banner. After a few minutes, Court police chief Ross Swope came out from the Court building with a bullhorn to warn those holding the banner that they were in violation of the law and "will be arrested." After 10 more minutes of chants, the police started to move in with plastic handcuffs. The arrests came one at a time at one end of the banner. As each protester was taken away, those remaining spread out to keep the banner aloft. When only two protesters were left, they dropped it. As they were taken away, Court police folded up the banner neatly. After processing inside the Court building, the arrestees were expected to be detained overnight by D.C. police and arraigned on Wednesday.Goldstone, a veteran observer of these demonstrations, said he was generally pleased with the conduct of the Court police. "They seemed very relaxed, and didn't prevent the demonstration from happening," Goldstone said, adding that he was impressed by their respectful handling of the banner. "They didn't just grab it away or treat it like an incendiary device."Photograph: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Execution Watch Jan. 26: Rodrigo Hernandez
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Rodrigo Hernandez
By Execution Watch
After a hiatus of more than two months, Texas will gear up its death machine Thursday for the state killing of Rodrigo Hernandez. Execution Watch will provide live coverage and commentary on KPFT FM-Houston, starting at 6 p.m. Central Time.
The show may be heard online at http:executionwatch.org > Listen.
It will be the first execution of 2012 in the busiest death chamber in America. Six other executions are on the calendar in Huntsville over the next three months.
Show Preview:
EXECUTION WATCH
"Unless a stay is issued, we'll broadcast ..."
Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, 6-7 PM CT
KPFT Houston 90.1 FM, HD-3
Listen online: www.executionwatch.org > Listen
*** Join the Execution Watch discussion on Facebook ***
TEXAS PLANS TO EXECUTE:
RODRIGO HERNANDEZ, 40, condemned following his 2004 conviction in the murder of a Frito-Lay saleswoman in San Antonio a decade earlier. The U.S. Supreme Court declined in 2010 to hear his appeal. Background at executionwatch.org > Backpage on Rodrigo Hernandez.
SHOW LINEUP
Host: MARLO BLUE is news anchor for KPFT, where she interviews major newsmakers and helms the live Local News broadcast each weekday at 4:00.
Legal Analyst: JIM SKELTON, a legal educator and retired attorney, the native Texan has seen capital trials from both the prosecution defense tables. Joining him, attorneys SUSAN ASHLEY and LARRY DOUGLAS.
Featured Interview: PROF. ROBERT BOHM is the author of the just-released fourth edition of DEATHQUEST, the first textbook dedicated to capital punishment. Prof. Bohm, who once worked as a corrections officer, teaches criminal justice at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Reporter, Death House, Huntsville: GLORIA RUBAC founder and leader, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, abolitionmovement.org.
Reporter, Vigil, Houston: DAVE ATWOOD, a founder of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, will report from the vigil the group sponsors in Houston, www.tcadp.org.
NEXT SCHEDULED EXECUTION
On Feb. 1, Texas plans to execute DONALD NEWBURY. We’ll broadcast the details, including any unresolved issues. Details: executionwatch.org
PRODUCER: Elizabeth, eliza.tx.usa @gmail.com.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Otis, omaclay @gmail.com.
STUDIO ENGINEER: Doyle.
THEME: By Victoria Panetti, SheMonster International, myspace.com/shemonster.
WEB: http://executionwatch.org
FACEBOOK: Execution Watch
KPFT FM-Houston is a flagship station of the nonprofit Pacifica Network.
(END)
Rodrigo HernandezBy Execution Watch
After a hiatus of more than two months, Texas will gear up its death machine Thursday for the state killing of Rodrigo Hernandez. Execution Watch will provide live coverage and commentary on KPFT FM-Houston, starting at 6 p.m. Central Time.
The show may be heard online at http:executionwatch.org > Listen.
It will be the first execution of 2012 in the busiest death chamber in America. Six other executions are on the calendar in Huntsville over the next three months.
Show Preview:
EXECUTION WATCH
"Unless a stay is issued, we'll broadcast ..."
Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, 6-7 PM CT
KPFT Houston 90.1 FM, HD-3
Listen online: www.executionwatch.org > Listen
*** Join the Execution Watch discussion on Facebook ***
TEXAS PLANS TO EXECUTE:
RODRIGO HERNANDEZ, 40, condemned following his 2004 conviction in the murder of a Frito-Lay saleswoman in San Antonio a decade earlier. The U.S. Supreme Court declined in 2010 to hear his appeal. Background at executionwatch.org > Backpage on Rodrigo Hernandez.
SHOW LINEUP
Host: MARLO BLUE is news anchor for KPFT, where she interviews major newsmakers and helms the live Local News broadcast each weekday at 4:00.
Legal Analyst: JIM SKELTON, a legal educator and retired attorney, the native Texan has seen capital trials from both the prosecution defense tables. Joining him, attorneys SUSAN ASHLEY and LARRY DOUGLAS.
 |
| Prof. Robert Bohm |
Reporter, Death House, Huntsville: GLORIA RUBAC founder and leader, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, abolitionmovement.org.
Reporter, Vigil, Houston: DAVE ATWOOD, a founder of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, will report from the vigil the group sponsors in Houston, www.tcadp.org.
NEXT SCHEDULED EXECUTION
On Feb. 1, Texas plans to execute DONALD NEWBURY. We’ll broadcast the details, including any unresolved issues. Details: executionwatch.org
PRODUCER: Elizabeth, eliza.tx.usa @gmail.com.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Otis, omaclay @gmail.com.
STUDIO ENGINEER: Doyle.
THEME: By Victoria Panetti, SheMonster International, myspace.com/shemonster.
WEB: http://executionwatch.org
FACEBOOK: Execution Watch
KPFT FM-Houston is a flagship station of the nonprofit Pacifica Network.
(END)
Former Death Row prisoner Tim McKinney has a new trial date - April 9, 2012
To contact us Click HERE
The struggle to stop the execution of Troy Davis last fall showed the brutal reality of innocent, African-American men on death rows across this country. Now we face yet another urgent case: the time is now to stand with Tim McKinney. Tim McKinney is an innocent man who was on Tennessee's death row for over a decade. He is going to be re-tried for murder on April 9, 2012.
We are seeking help negotiating this new stage in Tim’s struggle for justice and would appreciate your advice and contribution. How can we PACK THE COURTS April 9th?!
------------------------------
Our efforts include securing pro-bono counsel for his appeals process with the international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell (read more at http://www.davispolk.com/pro-
At this time we are reaching out to the TN community to get support in anticipation of a challenging process in the courts. Being granted a new trial is a huge victory but Tim has faced additional challenges in Memphis. We kindly ask that you take the time to look over Tim’s case and consider how you or other TN activists and professionals might help our cause. Please let me know what I can do to assist you in joining our campaign. We know your time is valuable.
How can we PACK THE COURTS April 9th?!
------------------------------
The struggle to stop the execution of Troy Davis last fall showed the brutal reality of innocent, African-American men on death rows across this country. Now we face yet another urgent case: the time is now to stand with Tim McKinney. Tim McKinney is an innocent man who was on Tennessee's death row for over a decade. He is going to be re-tried for murder on April 9, 2012.
We are seeking help negotiating this new stage in Tim’s struggle for justice and would appreciate your advice and contribution. How can we PACK THE COURTS April 9th?!
------------------------------
Our efforts include securing pro-bono counsel for his appeals process with the international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell (read more at http://www.davispolk.com/pro-
At this time we are reaching out to the TN community to get support in anticipation of a challenging process in the courts. Being granted a new trial is a huge victory but Tim has faced additional challenges in Memphis. We kindly ask that you take the time to look over Tim’s case and consider how you or other TN activists and professionals might help our cause. Please let me know what I can do to assist you in joining our campaign. We know your time is valuable.
How can we PACK THE COURTS April 9th?!
------------------------------
Help Stop the Execution of Hart Turner
To contact us Click HERE
At the request of Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, the MS Supreme Court has set the execution of Edwin Hart Turner for 6 pm on February 8. Hart is on death row for killing two men at a Mississippi gas station in 1995. He had no prior criminal history.
Just six weeks before the crime, Hart was released from a three-month stay at a mental institution after his second suicide attempt in five years. Upon release Hart felt “upbeat” and those around him were hopeful that he was finally recovering from the mental disturbances which had plagued him since childhood.
He wasn’t. Hart’s behavior grew increasingly bizarre and manic. He attributed his new energy to the Prozac prescribed by the hospital but said that he “could not sleep because his mind was going too fast” and that he “couldn’t think right” or “make a complete sentence in his head.” A few days before the crimes, Hart broke down and sobbed uncontrollably for hours – “shift[ing] back and forth many times from ‘I am not a bad person’ to ‘I am a bad person,’” before eventually falling asleep fully clothed, awaking the next morning with no memory of what happened.
Hart’s mental disturbance wasn’t surprising given his background. Though Hart was a “considerate and affectionate boy” who would “hug you when he saw you,” he was raised in an environment of abuse and trauma. His family tree was littered with mental illness – his grandmother and great-grandmother were each committed to the State Hospital at Whitfield on numerous occasions. Hart was raised by alcoholics who fought in his presence and threw furniture at each other constantly. Hart’s mother attempted suicide twice, and when Hart was twelve his father was killed in a dynamite explosion that his family has come to believe was actually suicide.
Hart’s own struggles with mental illness began early – his mother took Hart to the hospital on two occasions when Hart was fifteen, reporting that he was “acting funny,” and Hart told doctors he was having trouble sleeping and his generally good grades were falling. Throughout adolescence, Hart was repeatedly hospitalized for what was called “agitated depression.” At 18 Hart attempted to kill himself with a rifle. The barrel of the gun slipped enough to spare his life, but the bullet blasted through his face leaving him permanently disfigured. From then on, Hart wore a towel wrapped around his face to hide the scars, which he never removed, choosing even to leave the room to eat or drink rather than expose his face to his family.
Five years, and several unsuccessful treatments, later, Hart slit his wrists. He was hospitalized and treated for an impulse disorder. Hart was discharged then readmitted pursuant to court order, diagnosed as having a major depressive disorder and personality disorder, and prescribed Prozac. Hart’s Prozac dosage was quickly doubled. Then Hart was again released, reported “feeling so good,” and defied orders to attend outpatient appointments. His mania deepened. Hart acted erratic and impulsive, and even stripped off all his clothes (and his face-shrouding towel) and danced in a local bar. Six weeks after his release, Hart, who had no prior criminal history, shot and killed Everett Curry and Eddie Brooks, in an irrational and impulsive crime. Hart, dressed in his tell-tale face towel and thus immediately recognizable to the residents of his small Mississippi town, was well-off financially after his father’s death and had no particular reason to commit the robberies and homicides.
Hart was immediately arrested and tried for capital murder. The jury deciding Hart’s fate heard simply that he was depressed, that his depression was “well-controlled” at the time of the murders, so the killings could only be explained by the fact that Hart simply “lacked moral brakes.”
In the 17 years since Hart’s trial, legal technicalities have blocked the courts from taking evidence and squarely deciding the question of whether Hart suffered from a mental disorder which impacted his capacity for judgment and/or was able to control his conduct at the time of the crime. At the same time it scheduled Hart Turner for execution, the Supreme Court refused to order an official medical exam to determine his mental condition and report to the Court.
Numerous mental health experts have reviewed the case and have reached the conclusion that Hart was suffering from a severe mental disorder at the time of the crimes which would have impacted his moral and legal culpability. These experts agree that at the very minimum, Hart’s history demonstrates the need for a searching mental health review. They point to a laundry list of facts that merit further inquiry:
* Hart’s own documented history of mental disturbances, bizarre behavior leading up to the offense, and repeated hospitalizations throughout adolescence for impulsiveness, agitated depression, and suicidal thinking and actions.
* Hart’s family history of mental illness, including a grandmother and a great-grandmother who were institutionalized with diagnoses of schizophrenia, prevalent addiction in the family, and suicide attempts from both parents.
* Hart’s documented history indicative of traumatic brain injury, including being unresponsive and potentially anoxic at birth, hospital treatment on at least three occasions for head injuries, battles with substance abuse including gasoline huffing as a young teenager, a shotgun blast to the face and head, and an 18-point drop in performance IQ (from 108 to 90). At the time of his offense, neither PET scans nor fMRI were in wide use, or used on Hart.
* Hart’s exposure to traumatic events during childhood, including witnessing intense physical fights between his parents, his father’s horrifying death and his mother’s threats to beat him if he cried about it. Hart has never been evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder.
* Developments in the treatment of mental illness since 1995 which demonstrate the danger that anti-depressants (like Prozac) may actually compound mania when prescribed to individuals with bipolar disorder.
Without intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court or by the Governor of Mississippi, Hart Turner, a man suffering from a life-long, hereditary and crippling mental illness, will be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Please help!
| For more information, please contact: Jim Craig, Louisiana Capital Assistance Center 636 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70113(504) 558-9867 jimc@thejusticecenter.org | Contact the Governor:The Hon. Phil BryantGovernor of Mississippi Phone: 601.359.3150Camp.Murphy@governor.ms.gov |
At the request of Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, the MS Supreme Court has set the execution of Edwin Hart Turner for 6 pm on February 8. Hart is on death row for killing two men at a Mississippi gas station in 1995. He had no prior criminal history.
Just six weeks before the crime, Hart was released from a three-month stay at a mental institution after his second suicide attempt in five years. Upon release Hart felt “upbeat” and those around him were hopeful that he was finally recovering from the mental disturbances which had plagued him since childhood.
He wasn’t. Hart’s behavior grew increasingly bizarre and manic. He attributed his new energy to the Prozac prescribed by the hospital but said that he “could not sleep because his mind was going too fast” and that he “couldn’t think right” or “make a complete sentence in his head.” A few days before the crimes, Hart broke down and sobbed uncontrollably for hours – “shift[ing] back and forth many times from ‘I am not a bad person’ to ‘I am a bad person,’” before eventually falling asleep fully clothed, awaking the next morning with no memory of what happened.
Hart’s mental disturbance wasn’t surprising given his background. Though Hart was a “considerate and affectionate boy” who would “hug you when he saw you,” he was raised in an environment of abuse and trauma. His family tree was littered with mental illness – his grandmother and great-grandmother were each committed to the State Hospital at Whitfield on numerous occasions. Hart was raised by alcoholics who fought in his presence and threw furniture at each other constantly. Hart’s mother attempted suicide twice, and when Hart was twelve his father was killed in a dynamite explosion that his family has come to believe was actually suicide.
Hart’s own struggles with mental illness began early – his mother took Hart to the hospital on two occasions when Hart was fifteen, reporting that he was “acting funny,” and Hart told doctors he was having trouble sleeping and his generally good grades were falling. Throughout adolescence, Hart was repeatedly hospitalized for what was called “agitated depression.” At 18 Hart attempted to kill himself with a rifle. The barrel of the gun slipped enough to spare his life, but the bullet blasted through his face leaving him permanently disfigured. From then on, Hart wore a towel wrapped around his face to hide the scars, which he never removed, choosing even to leave the room to eat or drink rather than expose his face to his family.
Five years, and several unsuccessful treatments, later, Hart slit his wrists. He was hospitalized and treated for an impulse disorder. Hart was discharged then readmitted pursuant to court order, diagnosed as having a major depressive disorder and personality disorder, and prescribed Prozac. Hart’s Prozac dosage was quickly doubled. Then Hart was again released, reported “feeling so good,” and defied orders to attend outpatient appointments. His mania deepened. Hart acted erratic and impulsive, and even stripped off all his clothes (and his face-shrouding towel) and danced in a local bar. Six weeks after his release, Hart, who had no prior criminal history, shot and killed Everett Curry and Eddie Brooks, in an irrational and impulsive crime. Hart, dressed in his tell-tale face towel and thus immediately recognizable to the residents of his small Mississippi town, was well-off financially after his father’s death and had no particular reason to commit the robberies and homicides.
Hart was immediately arrested and tried for capital murder. The jury deciding Hart’s fate heard simply that he was depressed, that his depression was “well-controlled” at the time of the murders, so the killings could only be explained by the fact that Hart simply “lacked moral brakes.”
In the 17 years since Hart’s trial, legal technicalities have blocked the courts from taking evidence and squarely deciding the question of whether Hart suffered from a mental disorder which impacted his capacity for judgment and/or was able to control his conduct at the time of the crime. At the same time it scheduled Hart Turner for execution, the Supreme Court refused to order an official medical exam to determine his mental condition and report to the Court.
Numerous mental health experts have reviewed the case and have reached the conclusion that Hart was suffering from a severe mental disorder at the time of the crimes which would have impacted his moral and legal culpability. These experts agree that at the very minimum, Hart’s history demonstrates the need for a searching mental health review. They point to a laundry list of facts that merit further inquiry:
* Hart’s own documented history of mental disturbances, bizarre behavior leading up to the offense, and repeated hospitalizations throughout adolescence for impulsiveness, agitated depression, and suicidal thinking and actions.
* Hart’s family history of mental illness, including a grandmother and a great-grandmother who were institutionalized with diagnoses of schizophrenia, prevalent addiction in the family, and suicide attempts from both parents.
* Hart’s documented history indicative of traumatic brain injury, including being unresponsive and potentially anoxic at birth, hospital treatment on at least three occasions for head injuries, battles with substance abuse including gasoline huffing as a young teenager, a shotgun blast to the face and head, and an 18-point drop in performance IQ (from 108 to 90). At the time of his offense, neither PET scans nor fMRI were in wide use, or used on Hart.
* Hart’s exposure to traumatic events during childhood, including witnessing intense physical fights between his parents, his father’s horrifying death and his mother’s threats to beat him if he cried about it. Hart has never been evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder.
* Developments in the treatment of mental illness since 1995 which demonstrate the danger that anti-depressants (like Prozac) may actually compound mania when prescribed to individuals with bipolar disorder.
Without intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court or by the Governor of Mississippi, Hart Turner, a man suffering from a life-long, hereditary and crippling mental illness, will be executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Please help!
A very moving description of a recent visit with Mumia Abu-Jamal who is now in general population
To contact us Click HERE
By Johanna Fernandez.
Comrades, Brothers and Sisters:
Heidi Boghosian and I just returned from a very moving visit with Mumia. We visited yesterday, Thursday, February 2. This was Mumia's second contact visit in over 30 years, since his transfer to General Population last Friday, Jan 27. His first contact visit was with his wife, Wadiya, on Monday, January 30.
Unlike our previous visits to Death Row at SCI Greene and to solitary confinement at SCI Mahanoy, our visit yesterday took place in a large visitor's area, amidst numerous circles of families and spouses who were visiting other inmates. Compared to the intense and focused conversations we had had with Mumia in a small, isolated visiting cell on Death Row, behind sterile plexiglass, this exchange was more relaxed and informal and more unpredictably interactive with the people around us...it was more human. There were so many scenes of affection around us, of children jumping on top of and pulling at their fathers, of entire families talking intimately around small tables, of couples sitting and quietly holding each other, and of girlfriends and wives stealing a forbidden kiss from the men they were there to visit (kisses are only allowed at the start and at the end of visits). These scenes were touching and beautiful, and markedly different from the images of prisoners presented to us by those in power. Our collective work could benefit greatly from these humane, intimate images.
When we entered, we immediately saw Mumia standing across the room. We walked toward each other and he hugged both of us simultaneously. We were both stunned that he would embrace us so warmly and share his personal space so generously after so many years in isolation.
He looked young, and we told him as much. He responded, "Black don't crack!" We laughed.
He talked to us about the newness of every step he has taken since his release to general population a week ago. So much of what we take for granted daily is new to him, from the microwave in the visiting room to the tremor he felt when, for the first time in 30 years, he kissed his wife. As he said in his own words, "the only thing more drastically different than what I'm experiencing now would be freedom." He also noted that everyone in the room was watching him.
The experience of breaking bread with our friend and comrade was emotional. It was wonderful to be able to talk and share grilled cheese sandwiches, apple danishes, cookies and hot chocolate from the visiting room vending machines.
One of the highlights of the visit came with the opportunity to take a photo. This was one of the first such opportunities for Mumia in decades, and we had a ball! Primping the hair, making sure that we didn't have food in our teeth, and nervously getting ready for the big photo moment was such a laugh! And Mumia was openly tickled by every second of it.
When the time came to leave, we all hugged and were promptly instructed to line up against the wall and walk out with the other visitors. As we were exiting the prison, one sister pulled us aside and told us that she couldn't stop singing Kelly Clarkson's line "some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this." She shared that she and her parents had followed Mumia's case since 1981 and that she was overjoyed that Mumia was alive and in general population despite Pennsylvania's bloodthirsty pursuit of his execution. We told her that on April 24 we were going to launch the fight that would win Mumia's release: that on that day we were going to Occupy the Justice Department in Washington DC. She told us that because she recently survived cancer she now believed in possibility, and that since Mumia was now in general population she could see how we could win. She sent us off with the line from Laverne and Shirley's theme song - "never heard the word impossible!"- gave us her number, and asked us to sign her up for the fight.
We're still taking it all in. The journey has been humbling and humanizing, and we are re-energized and re-inspired!!
In the words of City Lights editor, Greg Ruggiero:"
"Long Term Goal: End Mass Incarceration.
Short Term Goal: Free Mumia Abu-Jamal!"
--Johanna Fernandez
Comrades, Brothers and Sisters:
Heidi Boghosian and I just returned from a very moving visit with Mumia. We visited yesterday, Thursday, February 2. This was Mumia's second contact visit in over 30 years, since his transfer to General Population last Friday, Jan 27. His first contact visit was with his wife, Wadiya, on Monday, January 30.
Unlike our previous visits to Death Row at SCI Greene and to solitary confinement at SCI Mahanoy, our visit yesterday took place in a large visitor's area, amidst numerous circles of families and spouses who were visiting other inmates. Compared to the intense and focused conversations we had had with Mumia in a small, isolated visiting cell on Death Row, behind sterile plexiglass, this exchange was more relaxed and informal and more unpredictably interactive with the people around us...it was more human. There were so many scenes of affection around us, of children jumping on top of and pulling at their fathers, of entire families talking intimately around small tables, of couples sitting and quietly holding each other, and of girlfriends and wives stealing a forbidden kiss from the men they were there to visit (kisses are only allowed at the start and at the end of visits). These scenes were touching and beautiful, and markedly different from the images of prisoners presented to us by those in power. Our collective work could benefit greatly from these humane, intimate images.
When we entered, we immediately saw Mumia standing across the room. We walked toward each other and he hugged both of us simultaneously. We were both stunned that he would embrace us so warmly and share his personal space so generously after so many years in isolation.
He looked young, and we told him as much. He responded, "Black don't crack!" We laughed.
He talked to us about the newness of every step he has taken since his release to general population a week ago. So much of what we take for granted daily is new to him, from the microwave in the visiting room to the tremor he felt when, for the first time in 30 years, he kissed his wife. As he said in his own words, "the only thing more drastically different than what I'm experiencing now would be freedom." He also noted that everyone in the room was watching him.
The experience of breaking bread with our friend and comrade was emotional. It was wonderful to be able to talk and share grilled cheese sandwiches, apple danishes, cookies and hot chocolate from the visiting room vending machines.
One of the highlights of the visit came with the opportunity to take a photo. This was one of the first such opportunities for Mumia in decades, and we had a ball! Primping the hair, making sure that we didn't have food in our teeth, and nervously getting ready for the big photo moment was such a laugh! And Mumia was openly tickled by every second of it.
When the time came to leave, we all hugged and were promptly instructed to line up against the wall and walk out with the other visitors. As we were exiting the prison, one sister pulled us aside and told us that she couldn't stop singing Kelly Clarkson's line "some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this." She shared that she and her parents had followed Mumia's case since 1981 and that she was overjoyed that Mumia was alive and in general population despite Pennsylvania's bloodthirsty pursuit of his execution. We told her that on April 24 we were going to launch the fight that would win Mumia's release: that on that day we were going to Occupy the Justice Department in Washington DC. She told us that because she recently survived cancer she now believed in possibility, and that since Mumia was now in general population she could see how we could win. She sent us off with the line from Laverne and Shirley's theme song - "never heard the word impossible!"- gave us her number, and asked us to sign her up for the fight.
We're still taking it all in. The journey has been humbling and humanizing, and we are re-energized and re-inspired!!
In the words of City Lights editor, Greg Ruggiero:"
"Long Term Goal: End Mass Incarceration.
Short Term Goal: Free Mumia Abu-Jamal!"
--Johanna Fernandez
13 Mayıs 2012 Pazar
Beccaria - A Poetry project in Philadelphia, PA
To contact us Click HERE
The Leeway Foundation site states the intention of the chapbook "is to make a powerful artistic statement that could potentially encourage those that read it to consider whether the death penalty truly serves the needs of victims or the community at large."
Read a review of Beccaria here
Beccaria contributers:
Delbert Tibbs, David Keaton, Mary DeWitt, Reginald Lewis, Jan Williams, Devon Williams, Elizabeth Johnson, Hasan Shakur, Aja Beech
About this project
Beccaria is a chapbook of poetry which brings awareness to the death penalty in Pennsylvania. The chapbook is a compilation of the art and poetry of murder victims' family members, current death row inmates and exonerated death row prisoners. The first printing of the chapbook was funded through a Leeway Art and Change Grant. This project is to fund the second printing and will be available for purchase and available for the first time to prison inmates by May 2012.The Leeway Foundation site states the intention of the chapbook "is to make a powerful artistic statement that could potentially encourage those that read it to consider whether the death penalty truly serves the needs of victims or the community at large."
Read a review of Beccaria here
Beccaria contributers:
Delbert Tibbs, David Keaton, Mary DeWitt, Reginald Lewis, Jan Williams, Devon Williams, Elizabeth Johnson, Hasan Shakur, Aja Beech
US online video viewing hits all-time high
To contact us Click HERE
During the month of October, the total US internet audience viewed 42.6 billion videos, representing an all-time high.
184 million US Internet users watched online video content in October for an average of 21.1 hours per viewer, according to comScore. This equals to 86.2% of the total number of internet users in the country.
Google sites, driven primarily by video viewing at YouTube.com, ranked as the top online video content property in October with 161 million unique viewers and reached a record high of 20.9 billion videos viewed.
Facebook.com ranked second with 59.8 million viewers, followed by VEVO with 57 million, Microsoft sites with 49.1 million and Viacom Digital with 48.2 million.
More than 42 billion videos were viewed during the month, with the average viewer watching a record 21.1 hours. Google sites demonstrated the highest engagement with 7.1 hours per viewer.
The October 2011 YouTube partner data revealed that video music channels Vevo (54.2 million viewers) and Warner Music (30.4 million viewers) maintained the top two positions.
Gaming channel Machinima ranked third with 17.7 million viewers, followed by Schmooru with 9.9 million, Maker Studios with 9.4 million and Demand Media with 7.4 million.
Within the top 10 partners, Machinima demonstrated the highest engagement with 65.1 minutes per viewer on average, while accounting for the second highest number of videos viewed (277 million) after VEVO.
Other notable findings from October 2011 include: the duration of the average online content video was 5.5 minutes, while the average online video ad was 0.4 minutes. Video ads accounted for 14.9 percent of all videos viewed and 1.4 percent of all minutes spent viewing video online.
Source is
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/11/28/us-online-video-viewing-hits-all-time-high/
184 million US Internet users watched online video content in October for an average of 21.1 hours per viewer, according to comScore. This equals to 86.2% of the total number of internet users in the country.
Google sites, driven primarily by video viewing at YouTube.com, ranked as the top online video content property in October with 161 million unique viewers and reached a record high of 20.9 billion videos viewed.
Facebook.com ranked second with 59.8 million viewers, followed by VEVO with 57 million, Microsoft sites with 49.1 million and Viacom Digital with 48.2 million.
More than 42 billion videos were viewed during the month, with the average viewer watching a record 21.1 hours. Google sites demonstrated the highest engagement with 7.1 hours per viewer.
The October 2011 YouTube partner data revealed that video music channels Vevo (54.2 million viewers) and Warner Music (30.4 million viewers) maintained the top two positions.
Gaming channel Machinima ranked third with 17.7 million viewers, followed by Schmooru with 9.9 million, Maker Studios with 9.4 million and Demand Media with 7.4 million.
Within the top 10 partners, Machinima demonstrated the highest engagement with 65.1 minutes per viewer on average, while accounting for the second highest number of videos viewed (277 million) after VEVO.
Other notable findings from October 2011 include: the duration of the average online content video was 5.5 minutes, while the average online video ad was 0.4 minutes. Video ads accounted for 14.9 percent of all videos viewed and 1.4 percent of all minutes spent viewing video online.
Source is
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/11/28/us-online-video-viewing-hits-all-time-high/
Apple TV or Roku Set-top Box: Which is Right for You?
To contact us Click HERE
Keen as some of us are about Apple and its products, the second-generation Apple TV ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice ) is not the only set-top-streaming-media game in town.
For the same or less money than the Apple TV, you can still stream music and video to your television--and from many more places than the Apple TV. So which media streamer is right for you, the Apple TV or a less-expensive alternative like one of Roku's offerings ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice )? Or, depending on your needs, you may want two--one of each.
Models
The Apple TV comes in a single $99 configuration. You get a small, black, streaming-only device (you can't store content on it because it has no hard drive). It carries HDMI, optical audio output, 10/100Base-T ethernet, and Micro-USB ports on the back. It additionally offers 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networking, plays 720p HD video, and includes Apple's latest Apple Remote hardware.
Roku makes four Roku player models--the $50 Roku LT, $60 Roku 2 HD, $80 Roku 2 XD, and $100 Roku 2 XS. All models include 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, an HDMI port, a hardware remote control, and support at least 720p video. The Roku 2 XD and XS devices additionally support 1080p video from channels that offer it, and include a microSD card slot for storing extra games and channel settings. All Roku 2 models support games controlled by a Bluetooth remote control (it comes with the XS model, and Roku offers the Roku Game Remote as an add-on for the HD and XD models as well, as part of a $30 bundle that also includes a 2GB MicroSD card). The top-end XS model also includes both ethernet and USB ports.
Local Content
The Apple TV was designed with local and iTunes content in mind. When you fire up your Apple TV and associate it with your computer's iTunes library, you'll find the contents of that library sorted under Movies, TV Shows, and Music headings on the Apple TV. Choose some media and it streams from your computer through the Apple TV to your tethered TV. (This means that to access this content your computer and iTunes must be running.)
In regard to streaming local content, the Roku models don't do a terribly good job. They can't play content protected with Apple's DRM, and even setting up the devices to find the content stored on your computer can be a cumbersome process.
Internet Content
Conversely, the Apple TV is limited in what it can stream to you from the Internet. If all you want is content from the iTunes Store, the Apple TV serves admirably. It additionally streams Netflix, NHL, MLB, WSJ Live, NBA, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, and Internet radio content (some of which require additional subscriptions). But if you're looking for more from the Internet, the Apple TV isn't the best choice.
Roku 2Roku 2The Roku boxes can stream more than 300 channels of content including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Pandora, Mog, Disney, Facebook, and TWiT.TV. You can additionally add "hidden" channels if you know the correct code. And Roku recently added support for HBO Go (although neither Comcast nor DirecTV allows its customers to stream HBO Go using a Roku device).
Purchased Content
As much free video content as there is floating around on the Internet, people still rent and purchase stuff. Each device allows you to buy or rent some media, but not all. With an Apple TV you can rent movies but not purchase them. (If you want to purchase movies, you must do so from your computer and then stream them to the Apple TV.) Conversely, you can purchase TV shows, but not rent them. When you purchase a TV show, it resides on Apple's servers, ready to stream to your Apple TV and iOS devices. If you want to download a copy, you do so within iTunes on your computer by clicking the iTunes Store link, clicking the Purchased link on the Store's main page, selecting the show you've purchased episodes for, and then download all or a selection of the show's episodes.
Amazon Instant Video is the closest thing for Roku owners. Using Amazon's channel you can rent as well as purchase movies. This content is stored on Amazon's servers and streamed to the Roku. Unlike with the iTunes Store, Mac users can't download video purchased from Amazon. Instead, they must stream this content to their Macs in a Web browser.
iOS Streaming
One huge advantage the Apple TV has over Roku set-top boxes is AirPlay. Using AirPlay you can stream media from your iOS device to your Apple TV. And on the iPad 2 or iPhone 4S, you can mirror the content of your device's screen on your TV via the Apple TV.
External Storage
Although the Apple TV bears a Micro-USB jack, Apple maintains that it be used for service purposes only. You can't use it to attach a USB drive full of media to your Apple TV. If you have a Roku 2 XS, however, you can connect a hard drive to its USB port and play supported media from that drive (MPEG-4 and H.264 video, AAC and MP3 audio, and JPEG and PNG images).
Where You Go From Here
Broadly speaking, which path you take will be determined by your desire for local or Internet media. If you have nearly all the media you want in your iTunes library or on an iOS device--and can make up for the media you don't have with Netflix streaming video--then the Apple TV is a good fit. If, however, you seek nearly everything the Internet offers in regard to streaming media, the Roku devices deliver exactly that.
Source is
http://www.pcworld.com/article/244861/apple_tv_or_roku_settop_box_which_is_right_for_you.html
For the same or less money than the Apple TV, you can still stream music and video to your television--and from many more places than the Apple TV. So which media streamer is right for you, the Apple TV or a less-expensive alternative like one of Roku's offerings ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice )? Or, depending on your needs, you may want two--one of each.
Models
The Apple TV comes in a single $99 configuration. You get a small, black, streaming-only device (you can't store content on it because it has no hard drive). It carries HDMI, optical audio output, 10/100Base-T ethernet, and Micro-USB ports on the back. It additionally offers 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networking, plays 720p HD video, and includes Apple's latest Apple Remote hardware.
Roku makes four Roku player models--the $50 Roku LT, $60 Roku 2 HD, $80 Roku 2 XD, and $100 Roku 2 XS. All models include 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, an HDMI port, a hardware remote control, and support at least 720p video. The Roku 2 XD and XS devices additionally support 1080p video from channels that offer it, and include a microSD card slot for storing extra games and channel settings. All Roku 2 models support games controlled by a Bluetooth remote control (it comes with the XS model, and Roku offers the Roku Game Remote as an add-on for the HD and XD models as well, as part of a $30 bundle that also includes a 2GB MicroSD card). The top-end XS model also includes both ethernet and USB ports.
Local Content
The Apple TV was designed with local and iTunes content in mind. When you fire up your Apple TV and associate it with your computer's iTunes library, you'll find the contents of that library sorted under Movies, TV Shows, and Music headings on the Apple TV. Choose some media and it streams from your computer through the Apple TV to your tethered TV. (This means that to access this content your computer and iTunes must be running.)
In regard to streaming local content, the Roku models don't do a terribly good job. They can't play content protected with Apple's DRM, and even setting up the devices to find the content stored on your computer can be a cumbersome process.
Internet Content
Conversely, the Apple TV is limited in what it can stream to you from the Internet. If all you want is content from the iTunes Store, the Apple TV serves admirably. It additionally streams Netflix, NHL, MLB, WSJ Live, NBA, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, and Internet radio content (some of which require additional subscriptions). But if you're looking for more from the Internet, the Apple TV isn't the best choice.
Roku 2Roku 2The Roku boxes can stream more than 300 channels of content including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Pandora, Mog, Disney, Facebook, and TWiT.TV. You can additionally add "hidden" channels if you know the correct code. And Roku recently added support for HBO Go (although neither Comcast nor DirecTV allows its customers to stream HBO Go using a Roku device).
Purchased Content
As much free video content as there is floating around on the Internet, people still rent and purchase stuff. Each device allows you to buy or rent some media, but not all. With an Apple TV you can rent movies but not purchase them. (If you want to purchase movies, you must do so from your computer and then stream them to the Apple TV.) Conversely, you can purchase TV shows, but not rent them. When you purchase a TV show, it resides on Apple's servers, ready to stream to your Apple TV and iOS devices. If you want to download a copy, you do so within iTunes on your computer by clicking the iTunes Store link, clicking the Purchased link on the Store's main page, selecting the show you've purchased episodes for, and then download all or a selection of the show's episodes.
Amazon Instant Video is the closest thing for Roku owners. Using Amazon's channel you can rent as well as purchase movies. This content is stored on Amazon's servers and streamed to the Roku. Unlike with the iTunes Store, Mac users can't download video purchased from Amazon. Instead, they must stream this content to their Macs in a Web browser.
iOS Streaming
One huge advantage the Apple TV has over Roku set-top boxes is AirPlay. Using AirPlay you can stream media from your iOS device to your Apple TV. And on the iPad 2 or iPhone 4S, you can mirror the content of your device's screen on your TV via the Apple TV.
External Storage
Although the Apple TV bears a Micro-USB jack, Apple maintains that it be used for service purposes only. You can't use it to attach a USB drive full of media to your Apple TV. If you have a Roku 2 XS, however, you can connect a hard drive to its USB port and play supported media from that drive (MPEG-4 and H.264 video, AAC and MP3 audio, and JPEG and PNG images).
Where You Go From Here
Broadly speaking, which path you take will be determined by your desire for local or Internet media. If you have nearly all the media you want in your iTunes library or on an iOS device--and can make up for the media you don't have with Netflix streaming video--then the Apple TV is a good fit. If, however, you seek nearly everything the Internet offers in regard to streaming media, the Roku devices deliver exactly that.
Source is
http://www.pcworld.com/article/244861/apple_tv_or_roku_settop_box_which_is_right_for_you.html
Will usage-based pricing kill the streaming video star?
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Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are attracting more eyeballs every month, stealing attention away from traditional TV. But cable providers could soon fight back, by basing their pricing on how much a given user streams every month.
comScore reported earlier this week that viewers watched a record-high 42.6 billion videos online in October, with YouTube leading the way. Viewers watched an average of 21 hours of online video a piece during the month, which is a far cry from the four or five hours a day that they watch of broadcast TV. But its a 50 percent increase from the 14.5 hours of video that online viewers averaged in December 2010.
Pay TV services finally on the decline?
As online viewership has increased, there’s evidence that it’s finally causing some viewers to avoid paying for cable. Credit Suisse analyst Stefan Anninger forecast in a research note this week that the multichannel video industry will lose 200,000 subscribers in 2012, which is a big about-face from the 250,000 new subscribers that he previously estimated cable, satellite and IPTV providers would gain next year. The reason? Economically driven “cord avoiders” who can’t afford cable or satellite TV, as well as “cord nevers” — young people who get their first homes but choose not to pay for TV, choosing to stream video over broadband instead.
That’s led to a new round of concerns about the future of the pay TV industry — and what cable companies might due to combat potential threats from streaming competitors. And it’s prompted more speculation that an increased focus on broadband could lead cable companies to institute usage-based pricing that links the amount of bandwidth users consume with the amount that they pay. The latest comes from Sanford Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett, who said in an interview with Bloomberg that at least one cable provider will institute that type of pricing model over the next year.
The specter of usage-based pricing
For years, usage-based pricing has loomed as a threat to the mostly unlimited broadband Internet plans that users subscribe to today. While cable companies like Comcast have long instituted caps to limit the amount of data some of its users consume, they’ve stopped short of charging more based upon customer usage. But now more than ever, it seems like operators are finally ready to pull the trigger on usage-based pricing.
One big reason is the ever-growing amount of video traffic popping up on their networks. Earlier this year, Sandvine reported that Netflix users, on average, stream about 40 GB a month, and that the streaming provider makes up about a third of all peak downstream Internet traffic.
Killing two birds with one pricing model
Not only do services like Netflix clog their pipes, but they’re also competing with traditional TV services. For that reason, usage-based pricing is being promoted as a way to kill two birds with one stone: By effectively raising rates that customers pay to access streaming services, the effect could be less competition with their video services, while also possibly decreasing the amount of traffic that goes over their pipes.
Services like Netflix and Hulu Plus are attractive in part because they’re cheap: At $7.99, both services are significantly less expensive than the $70 on average that cable subscribers pay. But if more streaming means higher broadband prices, those services don’t look as cheap.
There are other reasons for cable companies to pitch broadband services, of course. They have better margins than traditional video services, and that profitability isn’t threatened by content costs that continue to rise. It’s also a key differentiator from satellite competitors who can’t bundle their own Internet services with TV packages. But as streaming video continues to gain consumer adoption, carriers will be looking to slow that growth and make competing online options less attractive.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/will-usage-based-pricing-kill-the-streaming-video-star/
Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are attracting more eyeballs every month, stealing attention away from traditional TV. But cable providers could soon fight back, by basing their pricing on how much a given user streams every month.comScore reported earlier this week that viewers watched a record-high 42.6 billion videos online in October, with YouTube leading the way. Viewers watched an average of 21 hours of online video a piece during the month, which is a far cry from the four or five hours a day that they watch of broadcast TV. But its a 50 percent increase from the 14.5 hours of video that online viewers averaged in December 2010.
Pay TV services finally on the decline?
As online viewership has increased, there’s evidence that it’s finally causing some viewers to avoid paying for cable. Credit Suisse analyst Stefan Anninger forecast in a research note this week that the multichannel video industry will lose 200,000 subscribers in 2012, which is a big about-face from the 250,000 new subscribers that he previously estimated cable, satellite and IPTV providers would gain next year. The reason? Economically driven “cord avoiders” who can’t afford cable or satellite TV, as well as “cord nevers” — young people who get their first homes but choose not to pay for TV, choosing to stream video over broadband instead.
That’s led to a new round of concerns about the future of the pay TV industry — and what cable companies might due to combat potential threats from streaming competitors. And it’s prompted more speculation that an increased focus on broadband could lead cable companies to institute usage-based pricing that links the amount of bandwidth users consume with the amount that they pay. The latest comes from Sanford Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett, who said in an interview with Bloomberg that at least one cable provider will institute that type of pricing model over the next year.
The specter of usage-based pricing
For years, usage-based pricing has loomed as a threat to the mostly unlimited broadband Internet plans that users subscribe to today. While cable companies like Comcast have long instituted caps to limit the amount of data some of its users consume, they’ve stopped short of charging more based upon customer usage. But now more than ever, it seems like operators are finally ready to pull the trigger on usage-based pricing.
One big reason is the ever-growing amount of video traffic popping up on their networks. Earlier this year, Sandvine reported that Netflix users, on average, stream about 40 GB a month, and that the streaming provider makes up about a third of all peak downstream Internet traffic.
Killing two birds with one pricing model
Not only do services like Netflix clog their pipes, but they’re also competing with traditional TV services. For that reason, usage-based pricing is being promoted as a way to kill two birds with one stone: By effectively raising rates that customers pay to access streaming services, the effect could be less competition with their video services, while also possibly decreasing the amount of traffic that goes over their pipes.
Services like Netflix and Hulu Plus are attractive in part because they’re cheap: At $7.99, both services are significantly less expensive than the $70 on average that cable subscribers pay. But if more streaming means higher broadband prices, those services don’t look as cheap.
There are other reasons for cable companies to pitch broadband services, of course. They have better margins than traditional video services, and that profitability isn’t threatened by content costs that continue to rise. It’s also a key differentiator from satellite competitors who can’t bundle their own Internet services with TV packages. But as streaming video continues to gain consumer adoption, carriers will be looking to slow that growth and make competing online options less attractive.
Source is
http://gigaom.com/video/will-usage-based-pricing-kill-the-streaming-video-star/
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