My Apple iTV Life

Below, L-R: Scenes from Mad Men: Left & right - parking lot (right - with Betty Draper);












Betty Draper discovers the sensational sexuality of an unbalanced washing machine (sit on it girl!)


Vagabondblogger noted in another post (here), the hissy fit NBC and Apple had over their iTunes contract. Obviously, NBC did not read Vagabondblogger's memo. There's nothing quite like being ignored, is there?

Vagabondblogger downloaded a bunch of free shows from iTunes. She liked several so much, she decided to subscribe. For awhile Vagabondblogger had tried to access the new episodes of HOUSE, which is shown on the FOX Channel, but no new episodes were offered on iTunes. On the other hand, new episodes of My Name Is Earl, which is shown on NBC, were offered. That's because HOUSE is produced by Universal Studios a subsidiary of NBC, and My Name Is Earl is produced by Twentieth Century. After doing a little research, here's what Vagabondblogger discovered: The following shows are produced by Universal Studios a subsidiary of NBC, and thus the new season will not be offered on iTunes:

30 Rock (NBC) / Andy Barker, P.I. (NBC) / Angela's Eyes (Lifetime) / Battlestar Galactica (SciFi)
The Black Donnellys (NBC) / Curious George (PBS) / Eureka (SCI FI) / Friday Night Lights (NBC)
Heroes (NBC) / House (FOX) / The Land Before Time (Cartoon) / Law & Order (NBC)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent / Law & Order: Special Victims Unit / Monk (USA)
The Office (NBC) / Psych (USA) / Raines (NBC)
American Dreams (NBC) / Complete Savages (ABC) / Committed (NBC) / Crossing Jordan (NBC)
Las Vegas (NBC) / Law & Order: Trial by Jury (NBC) / The Office: An American Workplace (NBC)
Will & Grace (NBC)
Blow Out (Bravo) / The Biggest Loser (NBC - Reveille) / Dennis Miller (CNBC)
Fear Factor (NBC) / Last Call With Carson Daly (NBC) / Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC)
Nashville Star (USA-Reveille) / Queer Eye For Straight Guy(Bravo) / Queer Eye For Straight Girl(Bravo)
Saturday Night Live (NBC) / The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC)

Notice Project Runway, Top Chef,and Top Design are not on the NBC Universal Lists, even though they are played on BRAVO, a member of NBC Universal. Why is that? These shows are all produced by independent companies. On the other hand, The Black Donnellys (see above list) was a mid-season offering by NBC, which after ooh, say three weeks (?) they cancelled, but offered the continuing saga on, iTunes! NBC cancelled Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, which was not a huge hit, but had a good following and excellent reviews, and then substituted The Black Donnellys - same, same, as they say here in the Middle East. Maybe NBC should rethink their programming, cuz some of us out here are starting to think that they don't know what they want, or what the viewers want. Maybe they don't care either, but they are starting to display some very unstable tendencies. Here's another example of NBC's total insanity, for those of you making your own YouTube videos - beware. NBC Universal has become so anal, and zealous about prosecuting copyright violations, some people have decided to fight back: Standing Up To Takedown Notices

On a chilly February day, Stephanie Lenz decided to show her family and friends what her bouncing baby boy could do. She plopped 13-month-old Holden, then learning to walk, on the floor, cranked up Prince's song "Let's Go Crazy" and whipped out the digital camera.

In the 29-second YouTube video that resulted, Holden smiles and bobs up and down to the music. According to Universal Music Publishing Group, he also helps his mom commit a federal crime: copyright infringement.

"The idea that putting a little video of your kid up on YouTube can mean you have to go to court, and maybe declare bankruptcy and lose your house, is just wrong," Lenz said. "I don't like being made to feel afraid, and I don't like being bullied."

Thanks go out to NBC for not only trying to squeeze the consumers dry, but for assaulting perfectly innocent people in their quest to make another buck! Copyright has little to do with NBC Universal's strategy. This type of move just puts the capital g on the word Greed! Aw - let's just capitalize the whole word: G-R-E-E-D!

Now that Vagabondblogger has vented her anger (again), at NBC Universal, let's look at the bright side of TV life. Not only is the 'Colbert Report' going global, but the Daily Show is actually on Showtime daily now! Last week Vagabondblogger was flipping channels, and saw Jon Stewart, on the Daily Show, interviewing Ben Affleck about his new movie Gone Baby Gone! It has happened that fast folks!

The new 40-episode half-hour has been especially adapted for international auds and will be distributed alongside the original series, which has been picked up by CTV in Canada and Foxtel in Australia since its international launch last year.

The "global edition" concept has proved a success for "The Daily Show," which has built a strong following on international broadcasters such as CNN,Blighty digital web More4, CTV in Canada and France's Canal Plus. Most recently MTV Nets Intl. has struck deals for the series with broadcasters including Showtime in the Middle East, DBS in Israel, CNBCe in Turkey, DR in Denmark, OBN in Bosnia and Norway's NRK.

Also, the latest show on Vagabondblogger's favorites list, Mad Men, is now airing locally (in the Middle East / Africa) on MBC 4 ! It started October 21st. Vagabondblogger had hoped to get this post out in advance. Here's an article from TimeOut Abu Dhabi with more information. And the good news doesn't stop there: AMC Renews Mad Men For a Second Season. The second season will consist of 13 episodes beginning in the summer of 2008. The Season One finale aired on Thursday, October 18th at 10PM | 9C.

Ever since the show started Vagabondblogger was able to download her show on Friday evenings here in Cairo. Two weeks ago a glitch occurred. I'm sure Apple received loads of angry letters (not from Vagabondblogger though) since the new show did not become available until that next Wednesday. Then on Friday, as usual, the most recent one became available too. Apple sent Vagabondblogger an apology, and credit for a free TV download of her choosing. For anyone who questions Vagabondblogger's recommendations, let her add that this show is produced and created by the same man (and many of his staff) responsible for the Sopranos. It was offered up to HBO, and other networks first. They have no idea what they lost. A.M.C. will start re-running Mad Men early November for those in the U.S.A.. As they say, "check your local listings."

From Salon Magazine: (Vagabondblogger is quoting here bits taken from the article, without divulging any spoilers. Salon.com requires a subscription.)

You really have to hand it to the writers of "Mad Men" for offering us scenes that are not only utterly original and imaginative, but that also reflect, with every word, the central premise of the show: Is it possible to foster close connections in a society that, for all of its potential, is built on the laws of supply and demand and is, therefore, cold and unforgiving by nature?

In each scene, the writers revisit the impossibility of living an honest life in an essentially corrupt world.

The sad message of the show is that, in a world built on lies, ethics are a barrier to both success and happiness.

The characters of "Mad Men" are thus resigned to live double lives, and the more comfortable they are with their deceit, the happier they'll be.

This is what a good dramatic work should do: ask important questions that have no easy answers. But that's not all we get from "Mad Men." We get weighty, nuanced scenes that we've never seen before, and that we can't predict as they're unfolding. We get fantastic acting, incredible art direction, and dynamic, fun storytelling with a wicked sense of humor. "Mad Men" is easily the best new show of the year, a true work of art grounded by sharp social commentary and poetic insights into the American experience.

You can also watch some of your favorite shows on the Internet, since Networks Start to Offer TV on the Web. The article lists each major player, and needless to say, NBC comes on the scene a bit late, and with little to offer. For you expats out there, these Web shows are only available for Internet users in the U.S.A.

The TV networks have begun to put programs on the Web. The selections are crisp, clear, legal and free. But there aren’t many choices, and they don’t stay on the Web long enough.

I've listed channels and times for both Mad Men and the Daily Show at the end of the blog, using GMT.

Since plenty of new shows have started their new seasons, Vagabondblogger has been asked over and over again, "what are you watching?" Everyone has a list of what's on their iPod playlist, well this is what's loaded onto Vagabondblogger's iTV:
Kitchen Nightmares - FOX (as usual with an "in your face" dose of Gordon's tyranny);
I Love New York- VH1 (purely brazen, trashy entertainment - New York is definitely a skank);
America's Most Smartest Model - VH1 (dumber than dumb but with Ben Stein, who is actually smart, a radical Republican, but still funny),
Mad Men-AMC (need I say more on this one),
Aliens in America - CW (reminds Vagabondblogger of That 70's Show, but with sentimentality),
Numbers-CBS (I can't explain why I love this show - Okay, Okay - mathematician brother reminds Vagabondblogger of Number One Son.)

Below L: Gordon Ramsey does not like the Korombiedes made by the Greek owner's mom, at the Seascape Restaurant.
Below R: Tiffany, I mean, New York, who apparently got fitted for her outfit before her breast enlargement surgery!

Middle East / Africa Schedules:GMT
Mad Men: MBC4
>Sundays: 20:00, 23:30 / Mondays: 14:00 / Fridays: 02:00
The Daily Show: Showtime Comedy Channel:
Mondays: Global Edition 19:00 / Tuesday - Friday: 19:00
The Daily Show: Showtime Comedy Extra:
Mondays: Global Edition 21:00 / Tuesday - Friday: 21:00


Okay, while Vagabondblogger was writing this post, and watching TV, she saw an ad for a totally great show, Big Love, on America Plus. (Yes, we have both Orbit and Showtime, but in different rooms.) Those of you out there reading this, who have more than one wife, will totally relate! Warren Jeffs, the overlord of his sect,only wishes he had it this good, but, like NBC he got a bit greedy, and decided to marry many more woman, including underage girls (which equals rape.) The Boss Man would like three wives too, but can't afford it, plus Vagabondblogger thinks he has does not have the stomach for all the cat fighting that goes on. Or maybe he would, if it was all about him. But then, on the other hand, the main character requires Viagra to keep up with all of his husbandly duties.

MAD MEN CAMPAIGN (Arabic)

Memo To NBC

Ever since Vagabondblogger was one of the top ten finalists for the Project Runway Fan Blog last season, she kept receiving surveys from NBC about what she watches on TV. Since she's no longer in the States, she doesn't really watch TV like most American viewers. She downloads shows (sometimes whole seasons - not available in Cairo,) from iTunes, and watches them on TV via her Apple TV.

Since NBC sends Vagabondblogger e-mails regularly asking her opinion about their inconsistent programming, here's a question they don't want to ask:

"Vagabondblogger, how do you feel about our decision to try to squeeze you dry when you download our shows?"

Gordon Ramsay couldn't have said it better when he found out the nature of the restaurant atmosphere in his newest show, Kitchen Nightmares. Vagabondblogger feels the same way regarding NBC 's behavior in it's contract dispute with ("bringing it to the people") Apple.

"Fuck me!"

NBC and Apple got into a snit recently, when it was time for NBC to renew their contract with Apple. Some reports stated that NBC wanted to charge $4.99 per episode (an episode currently costs $1.99), which is outrageous, when you consider buying a full season, vs. buying the DVD set. Think about it. That's $49.00 for ten shows - no way NBC. NBC, Apple play game of brinkmanship

NBC never said that it would pull out of iTunes, but only that it was dissatisfied with the financial terms Apple offered. Then Apple raised the stakes by announcing it would not offer NBC's shows for the upcoming TV season and alleged that NBC Universal was asking for a price hike that would have required Apple to raise retail prices from $1.99 to $4.99.

When it comes to public relations battles, Apple is a devastating counter-puncher. The revelation about NBC Universal's demands is almost certain to rally consumers around Apple. To them, it appears that Jeff Zucker, NBC Universal's CEO, wants to stick his hands deeper into their pockets and Steve Jobs is protecting them.

Another article stated that Apple wanted to lower the price for all shows to .99, (yes folks, that's that's 99 cents per episode). Apple's reasoning being that making each episode cheaper would allow viewers to download more shows, thus exposing them to more options, and more sales for NBC.

NBC didn't buy it, and decided not to renew the contract, which would go into effect in January. In turn, Apple decided not to offer any new shows from NBC. Since Vagabondblogger is addicted to a few shows on BRAVO, and we know BRAVO is affiliated with NBC, will this affect the shows offered on BRAVO, as well? Vagabondblogger believes NBC will try to stick it to us any which way they can.

As a counter punch (and a pretty measly one at that): NBC to Offer Downloads of Its Shows

The service, which is set to start in November after a test period in October, comes less than three weeks after NBC Universal said it was pulling its programs out of the highly successful iTunes service of Apple Inc. That partnership fell apart because of a dispute over Apple’s iTunes pricing policies and what NBC executives said were concerns about lack of piracy protection.

But the files, which would be downloaded overnight to home computers, would contain commercials that viewers would not be able to skip through. And the file would not be transferable to a disk or to another computer.

The files would degrade after the seven-day period and be unwatchable. “Kind of like ‘Mission: Impossible,’ only I don’t think there would be any explosion and smoke,” Mr. Gaspin said.

The programs will initially be downloadable only to PCs with the Windows operating system, but NBC said it planned to make the service available to Mac computers and iPods later.

In a second phase of the NBC rollout, customers would pay a fee for downloads of episodes that they would then own, and the files would be transferable to other devices. NBC hopes to offer this service by mid-2008, depending on how quickly the company can put in place the secure software necessary to allow payment by credit card.

Mr. Crotty said NBC had come across to consumers as “highly greedy” in its dispute with Apple. Apple reported that NBC was insisting it raise the price of some downloads on NBC shows to $4.99 from the $1.99 iTunes charges for all programs.

For anyone overseas, who has tried to download free TV shows offered on ABC, or other channels, it's a no go. They're only offered to people located in the U.S.A. Here's what the NBC message says: "We're sorry, but the clip you selected isn't available from your location."

A sampling of the current iTunes charges for shows Vagabondblogger has downloaded compared to the prices for the full DVD set (no, Vagabondblogger has not downloaded all episodes of all these shows. She has downloaded, in some instances, only the episodes she missed. This is just an example):

NBC:
30 Rock Season of 21 episodes cost $34.99 - Retail $49.98, available at Amazon for $32.49

The Black Donnellys Season of 13 episodes cost $23.99 - Retail $49.98, available at Amazon for $34.99

FOX:
House, Season 3, 24 episodes, $42.99 - Retail List price $52.98, available at Amazon for $37.99

VH1:
Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School 12 episodes $16.99 - (not available on DVD)
I Love New York Season 1, $22.99 for 12 episodes - Retail list Price of $38.99, at Amazon for $29.19
Surreal Life: Fame Games, $14.99 for 10 episodes - (not available on DVD)

BRAVO:
Project Runway, Season 3: 15 episodes for $22.99 - (Not available on DVD yet)

Here comes FOX, with an offer of their own: Fox to Offer Season Premieres on iTunes

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The season premieres of seven Fox Broadcasting shows will be offered on Apple Inc.'s iTunes store for free in the latest example of TV networks using the Web to create interest in their shows.

The shows will be available for one week.

Who's smarter here - NBC or FOX?

Vagabondblogger took up the offer from FOX, and downloaded Kitchen Nightmares staring Gordon Ramsay the all time mean ass chef, who says after tasting a tasteless dish, and hearing a fight in the kitchen, "fuck me." Who doesn't enjoy watching Gordon rough up a few insecure people? Or a few snots? Or just anyone who gets in his way? Vagabondblogger would like to see Gordon and Anthony Bourdain go at it for an all time major "Who's the cockiest chef smack-down!" Who knows, maybe it would end up being a love fest?


From the New York Times, To Perk Up a Restaurant, Add Luster Where Lacking:

The thrill of watching Mr. Ramsay is in witnessing someone so at peace with his own arrogance. Adapted from a series he starred in for British television, “Kitchen Nightmares” has Mr. Ramsay trying to turn around nondescript restaurants in about a week by imparting his high standards and dictatorial imperatives.

The subtext of “Kitchen Nightmares” is that ordinary middle-class business owners need brash and brilliant moguls to save them from a sad reliance on their own mediocrity. It is an ugly message that Mr. Ramsay makes undeniably hypnotic.

Lastly NBC, we get The Today Show here in Cairo (Egypt,) "live" on the Orbit News Channel. Here's some more of Vagabondblogger's opinion (cover your ears): How did the power of personality take over the main focus of presenting the news?
1) Ann (I like to pose in my new clothes) Curry: she's one of the most pathetic, smarmy, sorry excuses for a news woman Vagabondblogger has ever seen. When interviewing people, the interviewer asks the questions, while the interviewee answers them. Why don't you give Ann her own show called, "An Interview With Myself, " then you can get rid of all the informative guests who can't get a word in edgewise, and Ann can do all the posing she wants, to boot!
2) Dr. Nancy (I'm so smug) Schneiderman aka let me lecture America about how to live their lives, and yes, I sneer at behavior I disapprove of too: Nancy just looks down her nose at anything that's fun. She's a stick in the mud who has no idea what "living" is. Vagabondblogger wants to screech like her old Chevy, on a cold morning with a bad water pump when that woman is doling out her patronizing advice.
3) Last, but not least, iVillage sucks! Are you kidding? You made a show with a bunch of losers sitting around a funky amusement park, amusing themselves with what - the funky peadophiliac characters? The presenters are all so full of themselves too (who the fuck are they?) Paaleeese, do the real "village" a favor and can this one.

Oh, BTW, thanks for getting rid of Katie Couric and screwing up Vagabondblogger's life even more. - Now Vagabondblogger can't stand watching CBS News either, which was her favorite. You could have done Vagabondblogger a favor and kept Katie, so Vagabondblogger could just avoid one show (The Today Show) instead of two (The Today Show and CBS Nightly News.)

Here's an article from the New York Times on how TV shows are becoming so popular they have turned into defining samples of a person's tastes, much like music used to be.
You Are What You Watch

Television used to be dismissed by elitists as the idiot box, a sea of mediocrity that drowns thought and intelligent debate. Now people who ignore its pools and eddies of excellence do so at their own peril.

Apparently, that makes Vagabondblogger a Top Chef in Kitchen Nightmares with a bunch of Mad Men.

On another note, thanks to the operators of Orbit (the Saudis?) for taking Fashion TV off for Ramadan. Every time Vagabondblogger sees this channel, she just wants to scratch her own eyes out!

What is the purpose of fashion TV, anyway?

Weekend News Roundup

As usual, articles that caught my attention, plus censorship. Last week, I edited and edited and edited and my blog was spaced erratically. Blogger has solved the problem which includes more editing of the html. Sheesh! So I've decided to let it be. If it runs together so be it.


The photo of the cat, is one feral animal that has decided to sleep on my bedroom porch. It's a Cairene cat, fairly small, and I'm a dog lover, so this little animal annoys me. On the other hand, after hearing all the screeching that goes on here nightly, I figure the poor thing needs some rest, especially after I spotted it in the yard, with the top of it's ear chewed off. The photo of the jar of cherries, yes might look similar to what we Greeks call "visinada", a cherry syrupy drink, but no. I soak my sour cherries, in the sun, with sugar and vodka for over a month, and then add some brandy to let it brew a couple of weeks thereafter. That's how I like my cherry drink and it should be done just in time for the kids' arrival. But for the non-alcoholic version, check out the article below.


I've tried to shorten the quotes, since they seem to take up a lot of room and with Blogger being idiosyncratic these days, I decided to take it easy. The links are there for anyone wanting the full article.


And, alhamdullilah! Egypt has decided to ban female circumcision. Why is it that it always takes death to make us pay attention? Also, we see the stupid well in the U.S. deepen. Lawmakers can set dates for everyone to have passports, but can't get their own act together in anticipation. We've experienced that stupidity ourselves in my own family, here, and here. I will admit, Awesome Daughter had much better experience, with a two week, or so turn around time. On the other hand her application went to the Kentucky servicing facility and who the hell in Kentucky is applying for a passport? My guess - no one.


Plus, the Chinese connection to Sudan? "Oil, black gold", Sudanese.... Get a new perspective on what's fueling some of the problems in Sudan. And much ado about Rupert - Murdock, that is.



Egypt Bans Female Circumcision

The death of a 12-year-old Egyptian girl at the hands of a doctor performing female circumcision has sparked a public outcry and prompted health and religious authorities to ban the practice.

Her mother, Zeniab Abdel Ghani, told the Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper that she paid about $9 to a female physician to perform the procedure.

Female genital mutilation usually involves the removal of the clitoris and other parts of female genitalia. Those who practice it say it tames a girl's sexual desire and maintains her honor.

After the girl's death, the country's supreme religious authorities stressed that Islam is against female circumcision.
"Its prohibited, prohibited, prohibited," Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said on the privately owned al-Mahwar network.

Egypt's renowned feminist activist, Nawal el-Saadawi, 76, who has published a biography on her own experience with circumcision, wrote: "Badour, did you have to die for some light to shine in the dark minds? Did you have to pay with your dear life a price ... for doctors and clerics to learn that the right religion doesn't cut children's organs."

Study Traces Cat’s Ancestry to Middle East

All the world’s 600 million housecats are descended from the subspecies known as Felis silvestris lybica, scientists have concluded based on new DNA research.

The wildcat DNA closest to that of house cats came from 15 individuals collected in the deserts of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the researchers say.

Since the oldest archaeological site with a cat burial is about 9,500 years old, the geneticists suggest that the founders of the five lineages lived around this time and were the first cats to be domesticated.

Until recently the cat was commonly believed to have been domesticated in ancient Egypt, where it was a cult animal. But three years ago a group of French archaeologists led by Jean-Denis Vigne discovered the remains of an 8-month-old cat buried with its human owner at a Neolithic site in Cyprus. The Mediterranean island was settled by farmers from Turkey who brought their domesticated animals with them, presumably including cats, because there is no evidence of native wildcats in Cyprus.

The date of the burial far precedes Egyptian civilization. Together with the new genetic evidence, it places the domestication of the cat in a different context, the beginnings of agriculture in the Near East, and probably in the villages of the Fertile Crescent, the belt of land that stretches up through the countries of the eastern Mediterranean and down through what is now Iraq.

TRAVEL AND DRINK:
Spas Enliven Jordan’s Salty Shore

Playing catch-up to the spas on the Israeli side, four hotels have been erected along Jordan’s eastern muddy shores, offering a multitude of affusion showers and aromatherapy sessions.

The Road Back to Damascus

From its ancient ruins to its surprising night life, Syria is archaeologically stunning, budget friendly and, equally important, largely safe for Western tourists.

“New York, great city!” he said. “Ahlan wa sahlan bi Sham.”

...Syria remains a tightly controlled society that is largely devoid of street and organized crime, due in part to extensively deployed police and undercover intelligence services. Militant groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood are officially banned and suppressed — sometimes very brutally — by the nation’s ostensibly secular Baathist leadership. For travelers, the risk of theft, attack or even harassment remains small. In my own travels, I never felt threatened and never once heard of any other tourists being accosted.

Traveling With Fluffy or Fido? Be Prepared

A follow-up to last month’s column with Cesar Millan on traveling with pets and a sampling of readers’ responses.

Although Cesar Millan condoned sedating dogs traveling in the airplane cabin — as long as the owner was careful to test the medication and monitor the pet’s reaction to it before traveling — some readers were adamantly opposed.

The Cherries of Persia

The drink I chose — a sour cherry confection — had the taste of summer. Bitingly tart and soothingly sweet rather than sour, it blocked out the noise and heat and rules of the Islamic Republic just outside the doors of the ayatollah’s house.
Recipe: Sour Cherry Syrup

Taste of Colonialism

FR.OG, a SoHo restaurant and bar that opened in April introduce the Sazarak — a Middle Eastern riff on the sazerac, the canonical New Orleans cocktail.

“I was only able to find one distributor for arak,” Mr. Lewis said. Sometimes called the “milk of lions” in the Middle East, arak is an anise-flavored spirit in the same family as ouzo, sambuca and pastis.

Article includes recipe.




In Quest for Passport, Patience, Time and Contacts Count

New travel restrictions for U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and countries in the Caribbean have resulted in a backlog of passport applications.

New travel restrictions for citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and countries in the Caribbean, who previously had not needed passports to re-enter the United States, have doubled the turnaround time for an application to 12 weeks from 6.

The result is a backlog of nearly three million applications — including those of people like Colonel King, who are not traveling to countries affected by the new restrictions. Many travelers have turned to their Congressional representatives to get appointments at one of the 14 regional passport agencies or to arrange for expedited service.

OIL:

In Sudan, China focuses on oil wells, not local needs

The Chinese are far from the first to be accused of taking advantage of this continent. In fact, they are walking down a path well traveled by many of those very nations now pointing an accusatory finger at them.

"I would not say this is colonialism, as that term was specific to a particular place and time," he says. "But I would call it apostcolonial exploitation, in which the Chinese are stripping the continent of raw material as fast as they can and are fairly ruthless about bringing their own laborers for projects and ignoring locals."

CENSORSHIP:

For those of you who have not lived in the Middle East before Orbit TV, there was only one: STAR TV, owned by Rupert Murdock. For more on what media Murdock owns, look here. For those of you who want a long story made short and don't want to read all the articles, just watch Keith. He sums it up pretty well.

Keith Olbermann on Rupert Murdock, Part 1




Keith Olbermann, Part 2:





Bill Moyers, On Murdock:

But the problem isn't just Rupert Murdoch. His pursuit of The Wall Street Journal is the latest in a cascading series of mergers, buy-outs, and other financial legerdemain that are making a shipwreck of journalism. Public minded newspapers are being dumped by their owners for wads of cash or crippled by cost cutting while their broadcasting cousins race to the bottom. Murdoch is just the predator of the hour.

TIME Magazine,
Exclusive: Rupert Murdoch Speaks:

"They're taking five billion dollars out of me and want to keep control," Rupert Murdoch was saying into the phone, "in an industry in crisis! They can't sell their company and still control it — that's not how it works. I'm sorry!"

This page has links to more:
Murdoch vs. Family-Owned Newspapers
Why the Wall Street Journal Deserves Murdoch
THE BATTLE OF NEW YORK


And it doesn't end there. For more on the press sucking up to the powers that be see the article down farther: Free Press In France: The Right To Say What Politicians Want

Bending to Power

How Rupert Murdoch built his empire, and how he uses it
But it is linked to the history of a few great newspapers, The Wall Street Journal being a prime example. The argument for Murdoch’s qualification to control the Journal seems to be predicated on his stewardship of another great newspaper, The Times.

But The Times is only the ghost of a great newspaper, which died decades ago, and which has not come back to life after a quarter century in Murdoch’s hands. It did try to revive itself, under a great editor, just after he bought it. And as we’ve seen it that was quickly suppressed, for fear of offending the politicians in power.

A Marine Tutorial on Media ‘Spin’

Military hearings on the murders of 24 Iraqis in Haditha in November 2005 have unearthed a memo complete with “talking points” and a searing view of American journalists.

Second Case Brought Against Saudi Religious Police in Death of a Suspect

The kingdom's religious police enforce a strict interpretation of Islamic law. With 10,000 members in almost 500 offices across the country, they make sure restaurants and stores are closed during prayer times and enforce bans on prostitution, consumption or sale of alcohol, and pornography.

The force enjoys wide support among Saudi conservatives, who fear the encroachment of Western values and feel the kingdom's Islamic mores would erode without it. The commission's mandate is based on a Koranic ruling.

But religious police have also long been resented for their zealous involvement in people's private affairs and the free rein they enjoyed until recently.

And, for good measure, Iranian Cyberfeminist Multimedia

"Change for Equality: The Site of the One Million Signatures Campaign, Change for Equality, has been blocked once again. This latest effort at censorship marks the 6th time that the site of the Campaign has been blocked by authorities.

Russian Probe Shuts Media Foundation

MOSCOW -- A Russian nonprofit organization funded by the U.S. government to train journalists and improve management at local television stations has been shuttered by a criminal investigation that critics charge is politically motivated.

"There are certain cases that are key cases," said Kuznetsov. "This case is a litmus test. It defines the condition of this society, the justice system, censorship, openness, freedom of speech, the basic values of a society and a democracy."

Free Press in France: The Right to Say What Politicians Want

The issue of self-censorship has come into sharp relief because of declining circulation and a concentration of media ownership among the new president’s allies.

Text Messages Giving Voice to Chinese

Opponents of Chemical Factory Found Way Around Censors

Despite efforts by local Public Security Bureau technicians to block the cellphone campaign, thousands of people heeded the alarm during the last days of May. Despite warnings from city hall and a large turnout of uniformed and plainclothes police, they marched in hot, muggy weather through the streets of Xiamen to protest the chemical factory being built on Haicang, an industrial and residential island across a narrow strait from downtown Xiamen.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful, except for pushing against policemen lined up to stop the march, witnesses said. About 8,000 to 10,000 people participated the first day and half that many the second day. But something unprecedented occurred that gave the demonstrators a power even they had not envisioned: Citizen journalists carrying cellphones sent text messages about the action to bloggers in Guangzhou and other cities, who then posted real-time reports for the entire country to see.

Wen said he and his friends have since concluded that if protesters had been armed with cellphones and computers in 1989, there would have been a different outcome to the notorious Tiananmen Square protest, which ended with intervention by the People's Liberation Army and the killings of hundreds, perhaps thousands, in the streets of Beijing.

New Zealand:
New Censorship: It Ain’t Your House You Creeps

Back To Cairo & FOX News v. Obama Update

Vagabondblogger is returning to Cairo, Egypt. Number 1 son and Doggie are going, as well.

The Nevada Democratic debate, which was to be hosted by FOX News has been cancelled. John Edwards pulled out of the debate earlier this week, 250,000 signatures were gathered in protest and the leadership of the Democratic Party (Harry Reid) voiced their concerns, forcing the Nevada Democratic Party to cancel the show, so-to-speak. Of course, FOX is now claiming the Democratic Party has been taken over by extremists. An article in the New York Times quotes FOX Chairman Roger Ailes making a joke about Obama on Thursday, where he compares him to Osama bin Laden. This is the straw that broke the camel's back and at this point the Nevada Democrats had had enough of FOX's "fair and balanced" take on Obama.

Roger Ailes: “It is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don’t know if it’s true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, ‘Why can’t we catch this guy?’”

A new Expat Profile will be published in a few days.

Must See T.V. - Fox Attacks Obama

Fox News attacks Obama - this is a must see mix of Fox News attacks on Barak Obama. This video is great.