New Names, Faces Added to Vegas Strippers & Hustlers Ball

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/a-modern-day-blackout/

NFL implements new code of conduct for fans at games









NEW YORK (AP) -- The NFL implemented a new code of fan conduct Tuesday, warning that spectators who misbehave will be ejected from stadiums and barred from coming back.

The policy, first recommended by commissioner Roger Goodell at league meetings in April, is aimed at conduct that the league said "detracts from the gameday experience."

It includes bans on:

-- Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal.

-- Drunkenness and signs of alcohol impairment that result in irresponsible behavior.

-- Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures.

-- Interference with the progress of the game, including throwing objects onto the field.

-- Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel.

-- Verbal or physical harassment of fans from the opposing team.

"The in-stadium experience is critically important to the NFL, our clubs and our fans and it will be a major focus this season," Goodell said in a statement. "We are committed to improving the fan experience in every way we can -- from the time fans arrive in the parking lot to when they depart the stadium."

The league also left teams the option of adding additional provisions to the code based on local circumstances. It said the guidelines would be contained in mailings to fans and signs posted at stadiums.

DAVID WEIDNER'S WRITING ON THE WALL
The no-loss sell rule
Commentary: What if we tried a new strategy in the next six months?
By David Weidner, MarketWatch
Last update: 12:01 a.m. EDT July 31, 2008
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- What follows is not a real conversation that recently took place in the Oval Office.
The President of the United States: Gentlemen, I've only got a few months left in office, and this banking and credit crisis is not the way I want to go out. The reason I've called you here is to tell me what you've done to get us out of this mess and what strategery we need to make it through the next six months.
Tommy, you're up.
Video: The No-Loss Sale Rule
After the SEC extended a rule against short-selling, Wall Street Columnist David Weidner discusses another plan to help lift stock prices. (July 30)
Timothy Geithner, President of the New York Federal Reserve Bank: Me? (Looks around) Oh. OK, I guess my contribution was putting together the talks that led to the rescue of Bear Stearns Cos. by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM
JPMorgan Chase & Co
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JPM) By doing that, I think we avoided a domino effect on Wall Street that would have led to panic selling and a lot of bank failures. You see, Bear's counterparties heard a rumor ...
POTUS: Not my kind of party. Bor-ing. Is there a Walter Lukken here?
Walt Lukken, Chairman of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission: Yes, Mr. President.
POTUS: Talk turkey, Walt.
Lukken: I think, considering how gas prices have really hurt ordinary Americans, everyone here is in agreement that trading in the oil futures market has been a big issue, especially with the price of oil topping $140 not too long ago. At CFTC we've been cracking down on manipulation in these markets. Just the other day we charged a Dutch trading firm with price manipulation in the oil and gas futures markets. We're also looking into reports that a major Wall Street broker dealer has been driving prices higher by setting sky-high price targets.
POTUS: Agreed, Wilt. There's a lot of future in oil. Big Ben, whatcha got?
Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve: Where to begin? I've cut rates, proposed reforms that would give the Fed greater control over many credit markets. But mostly I've been offering discounts -- the discount window that is. I've kept it open for all financial firms to borrow against should they experience a liquidity crunch like Bear did. Of course, I can't keep the window open forever. It's closing Jan. 30. All sales are final.
POTUS: Double pane or storm? Heh. Don't tell Laura. She can't resist a discount. I'm going broke from all the money she's saving me. Chris, I've heard the only thing that comes out of Connecticut is people on their way to New York or Cape Cod, is that true?
Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee: Very funny, Mr. President and thank you for inviting me here. I can give you my thanks in person for signing the Dodd-Shelby housing bill on Wednesday. By providing mortgage relief for as many as 400,000 Americans and their families, it's a big step toward easing the housing and credit crisis in this country.
POTUS: Housing bill? No worries. I can pay it. I'm not in danger of foreclosure, Chris, but the next tenant might have some trouble. Heh. Heh. Hammerin' Hank, what's going on over there at Treasury? Remember, before I leave office I want to roll around naked in a mountain of money.
Hank Paulson, U.S. Treasury Secretary: We're working on it. Uh. And I've also been working on Fannie Mae (FNM
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FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE
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FRE) . I've come up with a plan that would back up these companies. That plan will allow Americans to borrow for a home and that will help keep the housing market from collapsing. I guess you could say we're making good on a promise we never really made, but people thought we did.
POTUS: Kind of like Iraq. Coxy, haven't really heard from you. What's shaking at the Securities and Exchange Commission?
Christopher Cox, SEC Chairman: I'm glad you asked. I've just convinced the commission to extend an emergency rule against naked short selling.
POTUS: Hey!
Cox: That's not what I mean. We put the rule in place to stop people from spreading nasty rumors and then trading on that information. And Ben and Hank sent me a list of their 19 favorite banks to put on the list. And would you believe it? It's worked. Most of the stocks are up or haven't fallen as far as they probably would have otherwise on bad news. Merrill Lynch & Co. (MER
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MER) is a good example. I thought about expanding it to all companies, but...
POTUS: But?
Cox: But I was getting a pedicure the other day and I thought, 'Why not just short selling?' What about ALL selling?' Why not make a rule that prohibits selling a stock for a price lower than the last trade. We'd stop losses altogether. Everyone would make a profit. Unlike some of these other measures you've heard today, it wouldn't cost taxpayers a penny. So, what do you think of the Cox No-Loss Sale rule?
Bernanke, Paulson, Geithner, Lukken: Mr. President --
POTUS: (holds his hands up) Hold on. Hmmm. Can we call it the Bush-Cox No-Loss Sale rule?
Cox: I think so.
POTUS: Do it. Effective until Jan. 19. End of Story
David Weidner covers Wall Street for MarketWatch.

Labels: POTUS

Job Opening at 20th Century Fox Television: Assistant to Head of Marketing and Communications. Email resumes to: gabe.nies@fox.com

Description: excellent opportunity for candidate with interest/experience in marketing and communications to work inside a large and active studio and support department head in broad range of activities including new media, advertising, DVD development, publicity, and events. Candidate should have strong creative and writing skills, must have previous experience on a desk, basic understanding of the entertainment business, be extremely organized, be able to handle broad range of activities in a high-pressure environment and be comfortable dealing directly with executives in other departments, divisions and organizations.

Court tosses FCC 'wardrobe malfunction' fine

Jul 21 01:15 PM US/Eastern

By JOANN LOVIGLIO

Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A federal appeals court on Monday threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp. for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson's breast-baring "wardrobe malfunction."

The three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal Communications Commission "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" in issuing the fine for the fleeting image of nudity.

The 90 million people watching the Super Bowl, many of them children, heard Justin Timberlake sing, "Gonna have you naked by the end of this song," as he reached for Jackson's bustier.

The court found that the FCC deviated from its nearly 30-year practice of fining indecent broadcast programming only when it was so "pervasive as to amount to 'shock treatment' for the audience."

"Like any agency, the FCC may change its policies without judicial second-guessing," the court said. "But it cannot change a well-established course of action without supplying notice of and a reasoned explanation for its policy departure."

The 3rd Circuit judges—Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica, Judge Marjorie O. Rendell and Judge Julio M. Fuentes—also ruled that the FCC deviated from its long-held approach of applying identical standards to words and images when reviewing complaints of indecency.

"The Commission's determination that CBS's broadcast of a nine-sixteenths of one second glimpse of a bare female breast was actionably indecent evidenced the agency's departure from its prior policy," the court found. "Its orders constituted the announcement of a policy change—that fleeting images would no longer be excluded from the scope of actionable indecency."

In a statement Monday, CBS said it hoped the decision "will lead the FCC to return to the policy of restrained indecency enforcement it followed for decades."

"This is an important win for the entire broadcasting industry because it recognizes that there are rare instances, particularly during live programming, when it may not be possible to block unfortunate fleeting material, despite best efforts," the network said.

The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Andrew Jay Schwartzman of the Media Access Project, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of a group of TV writers, directors and producers, said the ruling "is an important advance for preserving creative freedom on the air."

"The court agreed with us: the FCC's inconsistent and unexplained departure from prior decisions leaves artists and journalists confused as to what is, and is not, permissible," Schwartzman said in a statement Monday.

The FCC had argued that Jackson's nudity, albeit fleeting, was graphic and explicit and CBS should have been forewarned. Jackson has said the decision to add a costume reveal—exposing her right breast, which had only a silver sunburst "shield" covering her nipple—came after the final rehearsal.

At the time, broadcasters did not employ a video delay for live events, a policy remedied within a week of the game.

In challenging the fine, CBS said that "fleeting, isolated or unintended" images should not automatically be considered indecent.

But the FCC said Jackson and Timberlake were employees of CBS and that the network should have to pay for their "willful" actions, given its lack of oversight.

The $550,000 fine represents the maximum $27,500 levied against each of the network's 20 owned-and-operated stations.

Shortly after the 2004 Super Bowl, the FCC changed its policy on fleeting indecency following an NBC broadcast of the Golden Globes awards show on which U2 lead singer Bono uttered an unscripted expletive. The FCC said at the time that the "F-word" in any context "inherently has a sexual connotation" and can trigger enforcement.

NBC challenged the decision, but that case has yet to be resolved.

In June 2007, a federal appeals court in New York invalidated the government's policy on fleeting profanities uttered over the airwaves in a case involving remarks by Cher and Nicole Richie on awards shows carried on Fox stations. The Supreme Court will hear the case this fall.

___

On the Net:

http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/opinarch/063575p.pdf
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Gene Simmons On His 'Ladies'

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4247508n

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