Monday, March 23, 2009

Bill on the Big Screen, Condi Appears on Leno, Cheney Told to Pipe Down, Jenna's Secret Service Gets Towed, and more...

After a bit of a hiatus, ATG is back - and with a vengeance...

Check this out, just found out that there's a movie in the making about Bill Clinton's time in the White House. Oh how juicy this is gonna be - particularly if the whole story is told. And you know the only part anybody wants to see deals with a particular, raven-haired intern named Monica. And you can't wait to see Hillary's reaction. Good times in DC!

The movie will be titled "Special Relationship," which will be written and directed by Peter Morgan (of Frost/Nixon). Rumor has it that Dennis Quaid is in the running to play Slick Willie and Julianne Moore will play Hillary.


Here's another former politico on the screen: Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice will make an appearance on Jay Leno's Tonight Show Tuesday night (March 24). According to an NBC, Condi will be discussing "her years of high-profile public service, and her new areas of focus following the Presidency of George W. Bush." Should be interesting. Time for Tivo.

Big Dick Cheney is ruffling some feathers again - and this time it's members from his own party! According to The Hill, Congressional Republicans are telling Dick Cheney stick a sock in it and go back to his undisclosed location, leaving them alone to rebuild the Republican Party without his input. It seems many Republicans are displeased with the former vice-president's recent media appearances. They say he's hurting GOP efforts to reinvent itself after back-to-back electoral drubbings.

According to UPI, Jenna Bush's Secret Service vehicles were ticketed outside her home. Authorities confirmed that two "undescribed vehicles," believed to belong to Jenna's Secret Service detail, were ticketed outside of her Baltimore home.

Adrienne Barnes from the Baltimore City Department of Transportation confirmed that two vehicles outside of the residence were ticketed and one was actually towed - a measure that is typically only taken after a vehicle has incurred three or more unpaid tickets, WMAR-TV, Baltimore, reported Monday.

City Department of Transportation officials said a Secret Service agent paid to have the car released from impound and promised to pay all of the outstanding fines. (Photo from Pixar)

Say it ain't so! According to AP, the Plains Visitor Information Center pays tribute to Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer-turned-president, and it also stands as a reminder that even one of the most sacred names in Georgia politics can fall victim to a budget crisis. Despite a campaign led by leaders of Carter's hometown — and the Democrats who represent his district — the center is on the verge of losing its state funding. The latest budget proposal passed by the House on March 18 strips the center of $186,000 it cost to run last year. Yikes!

Former British Prime Minister made quite a lengthy trip recently to Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines to make a speech, entitled "The Leader as a Nation-Builder in a Time of Globalization." Blair talked about his experiences and how in today's world, no nation is powerful enough to move forward on its own. All our problems, from the fight against terror to global warming, all need a concerted effort and meaningful cooperation among nations if we are to succeed. (Photo from Ateneo de Manila University)

That's all for now, folks.
--atg

Saturday, March 7, 2009

We Heart Barbara...

Yes, it's been all over the news now: Former First Lady Barbara Bush had open heart surgery a few days ago. We here ATG feel obligated to report this news as we consistently scour the web for any Barb news -- and she certainly came through for us with her surgery. We're happy to announce that she has left the ICU and is resting comfortably. Here's a short video from CNN on her surgery status from a few days ago along with #41 getting emotional about his bride...



And it wouldn't be a normal ATG without Al Gore making some headlines -- and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. Towing his global warming/green living line, Al has suggested providing an ".eco" domain suffix for eco-focused websites. In an interview with BBC, Gore said, "This is a truly exciting opportunity for the environmental movement and for the internet as a whole."

The application to ICANN - the regulatory body that oversees domain names - for .eco will take place later in 2009. Good luck!

Here's a nice nugget on former power VP Dick Cheney: According to the New York Times, Cheney attended a fundraiser dinner for the American Museum of Fly Fishing. Last Wednesday night on "The Late Show," David Letterman let loose on the American Museum of Fly Fishing's decision to invite the former vice president to their annual fundraising dinner.

"Cheney has now been invited to speak at the American Museum of Fly Fishing. After his speech, he's going to demonstrate how to waterboard a trout," Letterman joked.

That's all for now.
--atg