Yes, after a bit of a delay, After the Glory has returned with a glorious video. Former President George HW Bush (aka #41) is back to his old tricks again. HW went skydiving on his 85th birthday yesterday (June 12, 2009). Like him or not, you gotta give him some props for jumping out of a plane at 85. Good on ya, 41! Check out the raw video below.
Don't want to soil 41's moment in the sun with any other ATG news. So this will be it for now.
- ATG
Saturday, June 13, 2009
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
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
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
Friday, February 27, 2009
Laura Misses Obama's First Speech, W Turns Down Hardware Store Job, Bill Gets Vetoed on Test Drive, and Condi Cashes in on Book Deal......
First up today is a recent interview with former First Lady Laura Bush by ABC News. In her first interview since leaving the White House last month, she talked about such topics as life in the private sector, Americans shouldn't give up on Afghanistan, and she forgot to watch Obama's speech to the nation and congress last Tuesday night. If you have 3 minutes to spare, check it out when you get a chance...
In labor news, it was reported in the Wall Street Journal this week that more than 3,000 former Bush-Cheney staff members are contributing to the nation's unemployment numbers - still looking for work. Bush, however, was reported to be offered a part-time job as greeter at a Elliott's Hardware Store in Dallas, Texas. Unfortunately, he turned it down. So he, too, remains jobless. Check out the CNN video...
Bill Clinton was in the news this week. While his wife, Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, travels about the globe, Bill was in Los Angeles eager to test drive the ultra sports car, Tesla Roadster. According to Edmunds.com, the Secret Service, however, acted as the dreaded "cutoff man" in Bill's desire to take the Tesla Roadster for a spin.
General Manager of the Tesla Store in LA, Jeremy Snyder, reports that he was at an event with Bill, who "announced he was eager to take the Roadster for a ride around the block."
"After the event, while others crowded around to take photos, I handed the keys to America's 42nd president and urged him to join in test-driving the coolest car on the planet," wrote Snyder in his Tesla Motors blog. "Unfortunately, at that very moment, the Secret Service told him he had to depart." (Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors.)
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is going to be writing a lot in the next few years. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Condi is cashing in, reported to have signed a $2.5-million, three-book deal with Crown Publishers. Her first book, scheduled for release in 2011, will be a memoir about her years working in the Bush administration.
Condi's other two books will be more personal, as she is planning a memoir about her family. Both those books are scheduled for release in 2012. Rice’s personal story will tell of her childhood in Birmingham, Ala., where she was born in 1954, and attended a segregated school. The memoir will follow on through her adult years as she went on to become provost of Stanford University and then the first black woman to be secretary of state.
That's all for now.
--atg
In labor news, it was reported in the Wall Street Journal this week that more than 3,000 former Bush-Cheney staff members are contributing to the nation's unemployment numbers - still looking for work. Bush, however, was reported to be offered a part-time job as greeter at a Elliott's Hardware Store in Dallas, Texas. Unfortunately, he turned it down. So he, too, remains jobless. Check out the CNN video...
Bill Clinton was in the news this week. While his wife, Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, travels about the globe, Bill was in Los Angeles eager to test drive the ultra sports car, Tesla Roadster. According to Edmunds.com, the Secret Service, however, acted as the dreaded "cutoff man" in Bill's desire to take the Tesla Roadster for a spin.
General Manager of the Tesla Store in LA, Jeremy Snyder, reports that he was at an event with Bill, who "announced he was eager to take the Roadster for a ride around the block.""After the event, while others crowded around to take photos, I handed the keys to America's 42nd president and urged him to join in test-driving the coolest car on the planet," wrote Snyder in his Tesla Motors blog. "Unfortunately, at that very moment, the Secret Service told him he had to depart." (Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors.)
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is going to be writing a lot in the next few years. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Condi is cashing in, reported to have signed a $2.5-million, three-book deal with Crown Publishers. Her first book, scheduled for release in 2011, will be a memoir about her years working in the Bush administration.
Condi's other two books will be more personal, as she is planning a memoir about her family. Both those books are scheduled for release in 2012. Rice’s personal story will tell of her childhood in Birmingham, Ala., where she was born in 1954, and attended a segregated school. The memoir will follow on through her adult years as she went on to become provost of Stanford University and then the first black woman to be secretary of state.
That's all for now.
--atg
Friday, February 20, 2009
Hillary Snubs Bill for the New Boss, Gore May Get Sued...
Good day, ATG fans. Our cup runneth over in today's post...
We discovered this entertaining video on YouTube of our new Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, snubbing former President Bill Clinton - her husband! - for a little love from the new boss, President Barack Obama. Guess that's what happens when your glory days are behind you. This event took place a few months ago, so it might be a bit dated. We apologize. But its a prime clip, nonetheless. Also, if you look closely at Obama toward the end of the clip, it seems there's a piece of paper attached to the back of his jacket. Is there a prankster in the midst? Check it out...
In other news, Bill's former second-in-command and environmental megaphone, Al Gore, may be getting sued by 30,000 scientists who don't believe his global warming movement. San Diego's KUSI weatherman, John Coleman, who also founded the Weather Channel, was interviewed by Fox News on this topic yesterday. If you have five minutes, check out the discussion...
And even W is back in the news -- not directly, though. The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at 43 a month or so ago had his day in court to defend himself. According to The Washington Post, here's what Muntadar al-Zaidi had to say in court...
"I did not mean to kill the leader of the occupation forces," Zaidi said, speaking clearly and forcefully from a wooden cage before a packed courtroom. "I was expressing what's inside of me and what's inside the Iraqi people from north to south and from west to east."
Throwing his shoes, fastball style, at the leader of the free world was not, Zaidi argued, a crime.
Zaidi, 30, who is charged with assaulting a foreign head of state, posited that Bush's Dec. 14 trip to Baghdad was not an official visit by a foreign dignitary because he arrived in the country without prior notice and didn't leave the Green Zone, which at the time was still under U.S. control.
Now many Iraqis have created a new tradition and raise their shoes in support of Zaidi. Here's the link to the rest of the article ... http://www.truthout.org/022009N
In the warm and fuzzy news department, it seems that retired Gen. Colin Powell will get an elementary school in El Paso named after him. According to the El Paso Times, local education and civic leaders are honoring the service of the former Secretary of State at a ceremony Friday (today) in Northeast El Paso, where they'll break ground for the new elementary school. This is the fourth Texas public school named for Powell. The other Texas schools named for Powell are elementary schools in Grand Prairie and The Woodlands and an intermediate school in Little Elm.
Ahhh, we feel better, now, ending on that positive note. Thank you, General!
That's all for now.
--atg
We discovered this entertaining video on YouTube of our new Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, snubbing former President Bill Clinton - her husband! - for a little love from the new boss, President Barack Obama. Guess that's what happens when your glory days are behind you. This event took place a few months ago, so it might be a bit dated. We apologize. But its a prime clip, nonetheless. Also, if you look closely at Obama toward the end of the clip, it seems there's a piece of paper attached to the back of his jacket. Is there a prankster in the midst? Check it out...
In other news, Bill's former second-in-command and environmental megaphone, Al Gore, may be getting sued by 30,000 scientists who don't believe his global warming movement. San Diego's KUSI weatherman, John Coleman, who also founded the Weather Channel, was interviewed by Fox News on this topic yesterday. If you have five minutes, check out the discussion...
And even W is back in the news -- not directly, though. The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at 43 a month or so ago had his day in court to defend himself. According to The Washington Post, here's what Muntadar al-Zaidi had to say in court...
"I did not mean to kill the leader of the occupation forces," Zaidi said, speaking clearly and forcefully from a wooden cage before a packed courtroom. "I was expressing what's inside of me and what's inside the Iraqi people from north to south and from west to east."
Throwing his shoes, fastball style, at the leader of the free world was not, Zaidi argued, a crime.
Zaidi, 30, who is charged with assaulting a foreign head of state, posited that Bush's Dec. 14 trip to Baghdad was not an official visit by a foreign dignitary because he arrived in the country without prior notice and didn't leave the Green Zone, which at the time was still under U.S. control.
Now many Iraqis have created a new tradition and raise their shoes in support of Zaidi. Here's the link to the rest of the article ... http://www.truthout.org/022009N
In the warm and fuzzy news department, it seems that retired Gen. Colin Powell will get an elementary school in El Paso named after him. According to the El Paso Times, local education and civic leaders are honoring the service of the former Secretary of State at a ceremony Friday (today) in Northeast El Paso, where they'll break ground for the new elementary school. This is the fourth Texas public school named for Powell. The other Texas schools named for Powell are elementary schools in Grand Prairie and The Woodlands and an intermediate school in Little Elm.
Ahhh, we feel better, now, ending on that positive note. Thank you, General!
That's all for now.
--atg
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Despite Protests, Bill Speaks at San Diego Hyatt...
As promised we have video of the Prop 8 protestors in front of the San Diego Manchester Grand Hyatt, where former President Bill Clinton spoke to the International Franchise Association on Sunday, February 15. At the heart of the issue is Clinton's support for the gay community during his presidency and that very community returning the favor by voting for him for two terms. But now that he spoke at the Manchester Hyatt (owner Doug Manchester supported the "Yes on Prop 8" initiative to ban gay marriages) and not moving his speech to another location, the gay community feels like they were stabbed in the back by Bill. Well, they don't call him Slick Willie for nuthin'. Bill left town without any comment to the media. That's politics. Check out the video below for more details...
It's been well-reported the past couple of days that former VP Dick Cheney is still a bit miffed that former President George W Bush didn't pardon former Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr. (pictured) for his illegal activities. (I wonder what the "I" stands for.) Scooter was convicted of four felony counts in March 2007 for obstruction, perjury and lying to investigators looking into the leak of Valerie Wilson’s employment with the CIA. W actually commuted Libby’s sentence, wiping out the 30-month prison term imposed by a judge. But W didn't wipe out the conviction and lesser penalties, which meant Scooter, a once-influential lawyer, can no longer practice. My advice to W, don't go on any hunting trips with Cheney for a while.
Former President Jimmy Carter is still ruffling some feathers - even on his book tour. He told a Phoenix radio station yesterday that he's against Bill Clinton's request for the return of the Fairness Doctrine. The policy, originally introduced in 1949, required that radio and television stations with a broadcast license air contrasting views on matters of public importance. President Ronald Reagan abandoned the doctrine in 1987 because he felt it was unnecessary and unconstitutional. Now Jimmy is supporting that measure as well. We'll see what happens.
Here's a juicy story that's totally meant for ATG. CSPAN conducted a survey of the best to worst presidents ever. Let's give the run down of our past leaders...
1. Lincoln
2. Washington
3. FD Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Truman
6. Kennedy
7. Jefferson
8. Eisenhower
9. Wilson
10. Reagan
11. LB Johnson
12. Polk
13. Jackson
14. Monroe
15. Clinton
16. McKinley
17. John Adams
18. George HW Bush
19. John Quincy Adams
20. Madison
21. Cleveland
22. Ford
23. Grant
24. Taft
25. Carter
26. Coolidge
27. Nixon
28. Garfield
29. Taylor
30. Harrison
31. Van Buren
32. Arthur
33. Hayes
34. Hoover
35. Tyler
36. George W. Bush
37. Fillmore
38. Harding
39. WH Harrison
40. Pierce
41. A. Johnson
42. Buchanan
Just because Buchanan was the only president not to be married, doesn't mean he has to bring up the rear - although he did create kind of a mess that sparked the Civil War. As Lincoln succeeded Buchanan as president, how ironic is it that Lincoln is #1 and Buchanan is #42 on this list.
That's all for now.
--atg
It's been well-reported the past couple of days that former VP Dick Cheney is still a bit miffed that former President George W Bush didn't pardon former Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr. (pictured) for his illegal activities. (I wonder what the "I" stands for.) Scooter was convicted of four felony counts in March 2007 for obstruction, perjury and lying to investigators looking into the leak of Valerie Wilson’s employment with the CIA. W actually commuted Libby’s sentence, wiping out the 30-month prison term imposed by a judge. But W didn't wipe out the conviction and lesser penalties, which meant Scooter, a once-influential lawyer, can no longer practice. My advice to W, don't go on any hunting trips with Cheney for a while.Former President Jimmy Carter is still ruffling some feathers - even on his book tour. He told a Phoenix radio station yesterday that he's against Bill Clinton's request for the return of the Fairness Doctrine. The policy, originally introduced in 1949, required that radio and television stations with a broadcast license air contrasting views on matters of public importance. President Ronald Reagan abandoned the doctrine in 1987 because he felt it was unnecessary and unconstitutional. Now Jimmy is supporting that measure as well. We'll see what happens.
Here's a juicy story that's totally meant for ATG. CSPAN conducted a survey of the best to worst presidents ever. Let's give the run down of our past leaders...
1. Lincoln
2. Washington
3. FD Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Truman
6. Kennedy
7. Jefferson
8. Eisenhower
9. Wilson
10. Reagan
11. LB Johnson
12. Polk
13. Jackson
14. Monroe
15. Clinton
16. McKinley
17. John Adams
18. George HW Bush
19. John Quincy Adams
20. Madison
21. Cleveland
22. Ford
23. Grant
24. Taft
25. Carter
26. Coolidge
27. Nixon
28. Garfield
29. Taylor
30. Harrison
31. Van Buren
32. Arthur
33. Hayes
34. Hoover
35. Tyler
36. George W. Bush
37. Fillmore
38. Harding
39. WH Harrison
40. Pierce
41. A. Johnson
42. Buchanan
Just because Buchanan was the only president not to be married, doesn't mean he has to bring up the rear - although he did create kind of a mess that sparked the Civil War. As Lincoln succeeded Buchanan as president, how ironic is it that Lincoln is #1 and Buchanan is #42 on this list.
That's all for now.
--atg
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Bush Comes Out for a Peek in Canada...
Rising like a Phoenix from his controversial two-term presidency, George W. Bush will pop up in Canada for his first post-presidency speaking engagement. According to ViveLeCanada, Bush is to speak to an anticipated audience of 1,500 at a private event in Calgary on March 17. "W" plans to talk about his take on the world since he left office a month ago.
As for W's First Lady, Laura Bush is getting her own sculpture made. San Angelo (Texas) artist, Scott Susek is creating a life-size sculpture of her to be placed on the steps of a new library near Austin, Texas. Susek was able to meet the First Lady for an hour at her and W's Crawford Ranch. From that meeting he was able to create the life-size statue from clay, sending her photos of its progress and getting feedback from her. The sculpture is essentially finished now but is in the process of being bronzed for the unveiling sometime early this summer. Look forward to those photos.
Guess who's coming to town -- at least for those who live in San Diego? Former President Bill Clinton will step back into the spotlight at the San Diego Manchester Grand Hyatt for a speaking engagement on Sunday, Feb. 15. But wait, he may experience some resistence. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, union officials and gay-rights activists behind a boycott of the Hyatt hotel urged Clinton to cancel his appearance before the International Franchise Association – or at least move to another location. Clinton campaigned against Proposition 8 (same sex marriages which hotel owner Doug Manchester is against) last year and said that if the hotel or owner Doug Manchester had extended the invitation – rather than the trade group – Clinton would not have accepted. But Bill is moving ahead with his speech and will definitely experience a bit of backlash during his visit to America's Finest City. We'll keep you posted and we're sure there will be plenty of video to show.
According to the New York Times, Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, told CNBC in a documentary to be shown tonight (Thursday, Feb. 12) that he did not fully understand the scope of the subprime mortgage market until well into 2005 and could not make sense of the complex derivative products created out of mortgages. Greenspan acknowledged that he could have done something to avert the housing crisis, but he says his hands were tied.
“If we tried to suppress the expansion of the subprime market, do you think that would have gone over very well with the Congress?” Greenspan told CNBC. “When it looked as though we were dealing with a major increase in home ownership, which is of unquestioned value to this society — would we have been able to do that? I doubt it.”
Greenspan said that if he had taken steps to prevent the crisis, the outcome would have been painful.
Hmmm ... could it have been any more painful than what we're going through now? Enjoy your retirement, AG.
Attention: A Jimmy Carter bookstore book signing update! Yes, Jimmy is as busy as ever hawking his "how to" mideast peace book "We Can Have Peace in The Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work." Today the former president stopped in Seattle at the University of Washington Bookstore for a meet and greet - and sign a book or two. He's a busy guy. If you have 9 minutes to kill, check out the video of him in a local Seattle news interview he did during his visit.
And finally, it wouldn't be a complete ATG report without former VP Al Gore receiving an award. So we will not disappoint. The NAACP awarded Gore as an Honoree for his environmental efforts at the organization's 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards Thursday, Feb. 12. Unfortunately, there are no pics for proof, but we'll take their word for it.
That's all for now.
--atg
As for W's First Lady, Laura Bush is getting her own sculpture made. San Angelo (Texas) artist, Scott Susek is creating a life-size sculpture of her to be placed on the steps of a new library near Austin, Texas. Susek was able to meet the First Lady for an hour at her and W's Crawford Ranch. From that meeting he was able to create the life-size statue from clay, sending her photos of its progress and getting feedback from her. The sculpture is essentially finished now but is in the process of being bronzed for the unveiling sometime early this summer. Look forward to those photos.Guess who's coming to town -- at least for those who live in San Diego? Former President Bill Clinton will step back into the spotlight at the San Diego Manchester Grand Hyatt for a speaking engagement on Sunday, Feb. 15. But wait, he may experience some resistence. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, union officials and gay-rights activists behind a boycott of the Hyatt hotel urged Clinton to cancel his appearance before the International Franchise Association – or at least move to another location. Clinton campaigned against Proposition 8 (same sex marriages which hotel owner Doug Manchester is against) last year and said that if the hotel or owner Doug Manchester had extended the invitation – rather than the trade group – Clinton would not have accepted. But Bill is moving ahead with his speech and will definitely experience a bit of backlash during his visit to America's Finest City. We'll keep you posted and we're sure there will be plenty of video to show.
According to the New York Times, Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, told CNBC in a documentary to be shown tonight (Thursday, Feb. 12) that he did not fully understand the scope of the subprime mortgage market until well into 2005 and could not make sense of the complex derivative products created out of mortgages. Greenspan acknowledged that he could have done something to avert the housing crisis, but he says his hands were tied.“If we tried to suppress the expansion of the subprime market, do you think that would have gone over very well with the Congress?” Greenspan told CNBC. “When it looked as though we were dealing with a major increase in home ownership, which is of unquestioned value to this society — would we have been able to do that? I doubt it.”
Greenspan said that if he had taken steps to prevent the crisis, the outcome would have been painful.
Hmmm ... could it have been any more painful than what we're going through now? Enjoy your retirement, AG.
Attention: A Jimmy Carter bookstore book signing update! Yes, Jimmy is as busy as ever hawking his "how to" mideast peace book "We Can Have Peace in The Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work." Today the former president stopped in Seattle at the University of Washington Bookstore for a meet and greet - and sign a book or two. He's a busy guy. If you have 9 minutes to kill, check out the video of him in a local Seattle news interview he did during his visit.And finally, it wouldn't be a complete ATG report without former VP Al Gore receiving an award. So we will not disappoint. The NAACP awarded Gore as an Honoree for his environmental efforts at the organization's 40th Annual NAACP Image Awards Thursday, Feb. 12. Unfortunately, there are no pics for proof, but we'll take their word for it.
That's all for now.
--atg
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