- Old fogeys of America, this would be the optimum time to take a pass on complaining about those young whippersnappers on their skateboards, with their long hair, sagging pants and loud rock music. As it turns out, those kids can actually do some good with their skateboards and that good will benefit a lot of foster children. The effort has its origins in Alhambra, Calif., where a group of local skateboarders is preparing to skateboard across the country in a record-setting 20 days. Known as "The Great Skate," the project is attempting to set that record to raise money for Friends of Foster Children, Inc., an organization that helps foster kids. Starting Monday, members of the project will start from Oregon and make their way relay-style across the country to New York City. One member of the group will skate at a time while the others ride in a van alongside them. The hope is to have each person ride about 30 to 40 miles a day, which should allow them to meet their goal of completing the trek in 20 days. Members of “The Great Skate” are hoping to succeed where they fell short last year, as they attempted the same journey but did not complete the trip in 20 days or raise as much money as they were hoping for. This year’s goal is $20,000 and reaching it would be especially meaningful to at least one member of the group. "I'm a foster child myself. I was in the system for about a year-and-a-half," skateboarder Mark Juvinall explained. "Once I was adopted, I really just had this big, deep feeling in my heart that I really needed to start giving back, giving these kids an inspiration... that helped them achieve things they didn't think were possible." Juvinall pointed to the mountainous terrain of the Rockies and consistent humidity as the two biggest challenges from last year’s trip and hopes to overcome those hurdles this time around. Maybe if they’re really fortunate, the participants of “The Great Skate” will even manage to ruffle the feathers of some crotchety, bitter old timers who hate long-haired skateboarders……………
- Oh international soccer, how you and your rampant corruption amuse us. In a sports world where greed, corruption and deceit reign and the cheaters are always one step ahead of those chasing them when it comes to illegal performance-enhancing drugs, it is good to know we can always look to you as a bastion of (no) integrity and revel in your thoroughly fraudulent nature. After all, what non-corrupt group awards the hosting of its premier event to a country with no real soccer tradition, temperatures sure to surpass 120 degrees during said event and the heat-beating solution of UFO-like, man-made clouds? Handing the hosting gig for the 2022 World Cup to Qatar may have been the most emphatic and obvious sign that FIFA - international soccer’s governing body - is corrupt to the core, but rest assured it is far from the only indicator that something shady is always going on among the organization’s powers that be. The recent election for FIFA’s next president provided ample evidence of that. In the election, incumbent Sepp Blatter and challenger Mohamed bin Hammam were both accused of corruption and bribery (in matters relating to the election and otherwise) to the point that members worried they may have to call off the election for a lack of candidates if both men were forced to withdraw. Blatter ultimately found a way to duck the allegations against him (more bribes?) and stay in the election, but bin Hammam was forced to withdraw and now he will be taking a more permanent break from the organization after FIFA banned him from soccer for life after finding him guilty of bribing presidential election voters. FIFA ruled that bin Hammam - coincidentally enough, hailing from Qatar - conspired to pay Caribbean officials $40,000 cash bribes to back his challenge Blatter. Bin Hammam is the most senior FIFA official convicted of corruption in its 107-year history, which is shocking given how many scandals and underhanded activities have undoubtedly gone on during that century-plus of soccer governance. Needless to say, bin Hammam isn't taking the decision well. He didn't cooperate with the FIFA investigation or attend his hearing Friday and wrote on his website Friday that he expected a guilty verdict and would appeal……………
- When in danger of being slapped with stricter federal laws and regulation, what is a telecommunications company to do? Hurl more money into lobbying Congress, of course. That’s the plan AT&T has embraced over the past few months as it faces increased regulatory scrutiny for its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile. To head off that scrutiny, AT&T has been whoring itself out to Congress even more than usual. According to its latest quarterly disclosure report, AT&T spent $4.9 million to lobby the federal government in the second quarter of 2011, a whopping 58 percent from the amount spent during the same time period last year, $3.1 million. On the heels of dishing out $6.8 million in spending on lobbying during the first quarter of the year, that figure is a sure sign that AT&T executives realize the pressure they could soon be under. In addition to bending congressmen’s ears about T-Mobile-related matters, AT&T is also lobbying in support of proposals that would free up more wireless spectrum for the company to use for its various mobile broadband services, including mobile apps and online video and on measures to support the creation of a national wireless broadband network–based on a 10 Mhz, $3 billion chunk of 700 MHz commercial wireless spectrum known as the "D Block." The “D Block” (not D-bag) concept would allow emergency personnel priority access to the spectrum during emergencies, which actually does seem like something worth lobbying for. At present, draft legislation related to the matter is currently calling for an auction of the D Block instead of a exclusive allocation of the spectrum to public safety agencies. T-Mobile is doing its share of lobbying as well, with its own spending on lobbying up 66 percent from the second quarter of last year. Top senators have spoken out against the proposed AT&T-T-Mobile merger, so maybe more lobbying is in order…………
- Not that Justin Bieber and his total lack of actual musical talent (But he’s so dreamy, right girls ages 10-15?) should be turning down any movie offers coming his way while his 15 minutes of fame last, but it would be difficult not to double-clutch when the person doing the offering is known freak/pedophile Pee-wee Herman. Somehow, Herman has latched on to producer Judd Apatow and together they have created a movie concept chock full of celebrity cameos. They want Biebs as one of those guest stars and Herman broke the news amongst the pale, pasty, virginal, never-kissed-a-girl dweebs in superhero and Wookie costumes this week at Comic-Con in San Diego. "I can't really tell [what the cameo is], but he makes an appearance toward the end of the film," Herman (a.k.a Paul Reubens) said. "He doesn't know about it yet, so if you're watching this, Justin!" Herman has clearly set his hopes high for the film, admitting that a hack-tastic 8-year-old Canadian pop singing chick isn't the biggest fish he hopes to land. "There's a party scene in the film that I think will have a lot of the stars. We just wrote President Obama into them. We have an offer out to him," Herman proclaimed. "Sarah Palin wasn't asked. I have to draw the line somewhere, and unfortunately that's where it was drawn. I'm sorry, Sarah, I'm sorry." Hmm, something tells me the commander-in-chief will have to pass on that offer, what with the movie not even having been officially picked up by a studio yet. Universal Studios is reportedly considering the project and Herman optimistically projected that filming could begin within the next couple of months. Having hitched his cinematic wagon to Apatow (and how great it will be to see the embarrassing photos of Apatow that Herman used to blackmail him into this project) will certainly help and apparently, Apatow has already been dishing out some sage directorial advice. “He's given us the same advice over and over again, which is 'emotional arc,' " Herman declared. "He wants the character to go through an emotional arc and to come out on the other end arced. So that's what we're doing. We're adding an emotional arc. Emotional growth, so there's a change in Pee-wee Herman during this film. Pee-wee makes a change." Oh good, because more Pee-wee in our lives is something we’re all seeking…………
- What gives, Somalia? Do you so relish your Third World nation status and leader in the race for nation with the most emaciated, malnourished children appearing in disturbing refugee camp photos that you’re blocking aid from reaching those most in need of it? According to the World Food Program, that’s exactly what you’re doing. The WHP says it cannot reach 2.2 million Somalis in desperate need of aid in militant-controlled areas of Somalia, leaving those weakened, desperate souls to attempt dangerous journeys across the border to Kenya and Ethiopia. Those camps are being flooded with thousands of new refugees each week. Those in Somalia's expanding famine zone are in dire straits, enough to motivate entire familes to attempt dangerous treks that can last days or weeks just to reach refugee camps. Drought conditions in south-central Somalia have amplified to problem and Josette Sheeran, the executive director of WFP, does not see much hope on the horizon for the refugees. She visited eastern Kenya on Saturday and saw firsthand the scene in the drought-stricken town of Garissa and the world's largest refugee camp, Dadaab. "I walked 25 days to get here. I have no money," a translator quoted a refugee as telling Sheeran. The chief culprit, other than the drought, in the food problems in Somalia is the militant group al-Shabab, which won't allow aid in. These ass hats deny a famine is taking place and insanely dispute the U.N.'s view that tens of thousands of people have already died. Perhaps they have never heard of the Internet or cable television, both of which directly contradict their claims with gruesome images. Because of al-Shabab’s resistance, Sheeran has labeled Somalia "the riskiest environment we operate in the world today" and said 14 WFP employees have been killed there since 2008. Not only are al-Shabab a bunch of giant ass hats living in a world of absurd denial, but they are also hypocrites and indecisive bastards who said earlier this month they would accept previously banned aid groups before reversing field Thursday and saying groups like WFP are not welcome. A staunch refusal to accept aid from Western and "Christian" aid groups means millions could starve or die on long walks to Kenya, Ethiopia or Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Kenyan officials have already begun demanding that aid groups set up refugee camps on the Somali side of the border for fear the influx of Somalis will lead to the consumption of resources needed for their people. A report from the U.N. refugee agency published Saturday seems to confirm those fears, as it states that some 13,000 tents need to be shipped to the Ethiopian refugee camp of Dollo Ado to provide emergency shelter for up to 65,000 people due to the high influx of Somali refugees. The situation is becoming more dire by the day and yet, those controlling whether or not aid reaches those in need seem to have no interest in fixing the problem or admitting it exists at all…………
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