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Archive for March, 2009

Well, It’s Not Like They Carried Much Science Fiction Anyway

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Television

The Sci Fi Channel is changing it’s name:
In some universe, the name “Syfy” is less geeky than the name “Sci Fi.” Dave Howe, president of the Sci Fi Channel, is betting it’s this one.
To that end, the 16-year-old network—owned by NBC Universal—plans to announce that Syfy is its new name March 16 at its upfront [...]

U.S. Military Gets Ready To Fire Phasers

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Star Trek, Technology

Well, not Star Trek-like phasers, yet, but the military is making big advances in battlefield laser technology:
Huge news for real-life ray guns: Electric lasers have hit battlefield strength for the first time — paving the way for energy weapons to go to war.
In recent test-blasts, Pentagon-researchers at Northrop Grumman managed to get its 105 kilowatts [...]

Palin Rejects Half Of Alaska’s Stimulus Funds

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics, Sarah Palin

In what many will undoubtably take as a signal that she is positioning herself for a White House run in 2012, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has announced that she will reject nearly one-half of the stimulus funds allocated to her state:
Gov. Sarah Palin just told reporters that she’s accepting only 55 percent of the federal [...]

Obama’s Diplomacy FAIL

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Barack Obama, Foreign Affairs, Politics

If you’re going to give a gift to the leader of America’s oldest ally, perhaps you should make sure it’s something they can actually use:
While not exactly a film buff, Gordon Brown was touched when Barack Obama gave him a set of 25 classic American movies – including Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins on his recent [...]

Your Bailout Dollars At Work, At Your Local Movie Theater

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics

TARP-fund recipient Bank of America is subsidizing tickets to an upcoming Dreamworks movie:
[W]hy in the world are American taxpayers helping foot the bill to promote a big-budget 3-D DreamWorks Animation movie? Well, it appears the reason is because the president of the Jeffrey Katzenberg-led Hollywood animation studio just happens to be Bank of America’s former Vice [...]

Obama Gives Away Another $ 5 Billion Bailout

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics

This time, it goes to the auto parts industry:
DETROIT — The Obama administration moved on Thursday to stabilize the American auto industry by creating a $5 billion fund to support troubled parts suppliers.
The Treasury Department said the program would guarantee payments to suppliers for products shipped to ailing car companies.
The supplier fund is the first [...]

Girl Scouts Battle Cookie Entrepreneur

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under In The News

When it comes to Girl Scout Cookies, there are apparently some sales techniques that aren’t allowed:
It has been a tough year for that classic American snack, the Girl Scout cookie.
With the cost of flour, oil and cocoa rising, Thin Mints, Trefoils and Peanut Butter Sandwiches now come in smaller boxes, with two fewer cookies. Do-Si-Dos [...]

How To Tell If Your Interest In Star Trek Has Turned Into An Unhealthy Obsession

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Star Trek

It happens when you resemble, even in the smallest degree, one of these people:
THERE is nothing particularly unusual about the living room of the two-story town house that Scott Veazie shares with his wife in Washougal, Wash., except for one piece of furniture in a corner: a full-size replica of the captain’s chair from the [...]

House Passes Tax Bill Aimed At AIG Bonuses

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics

Not surprisingly, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at taxing away the vast majority of the bonuses paid by AIG:
The House today passed a bill that would impose a 90 percent income tax on $165 million in bonuses distributed to employees of the troubled insurance giant American International Group, the first of [...]

Ron Paul On The AIG Bonuses

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Filed under Credit Crisis, Economics, Politics, Ron Paul
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