Rupert Murdoch has decided to close the paper News of the World after the paper hacked into the cellphone of a missing teenage girl. British Prime Minister David Cameron and media tyrant tycoon Rupert Murdoch have since been in the midst of political turmoil. Today, Andy Coulson, a former editor at the paper and the prime minister’s senior adviser until he stepped down in January, was arrested. Cameron and Murdoch are even bigger doodooshit because the government is planning to make dramatic changes to media regulation and the massive television buyout by Murdoch’s News Corporation that a week ago was set to gain government approval is now a doubt.—-
Cameron has promised to launch a full inquiry into the matter and is disappointed in the press police, not the paper. “Let's be honest. The Press Complaints Commission has failed. In this case, the hacking case, frankly it was pretty much absent ... I believe we need a new system altogether,” Cameron said.
The 168-year-old paper is was the world’s best-selling English language newspaper and its closure will leave around 200 editorial jobs in limbo. In response to speculation that The Sun would publish on Sunday, a spokeswoman said, "That's a matter for the future, we're not commenting beyond the statement today." In a statement, operating officer and Rupert’s son, James Murdoch said, “The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when came to itself.”
Michele Bachmann is the first Republican candidate to sign the list of demands issued by Iowa’s somehow influential radical religious group The Family Leader. The pledge is called, “The Marriage Vow-A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family.” Those who sign the pledge must agree to personal fidelity to his or her spouse, the appointment of “faithful constitutionalists” as judges, opposition to any redefinition of marriage, prompt reform of uneconomic and anti-marriage aspects of welfare policy, tax policy and divorce law. Those who didn’t sign the pledge included Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman who says he never signs any pledges, while Newt Gingrich said, “You never know.”
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Thursday voted against beginning debate on a measure that would have the Senate declare that the rich should share the pain of debt reduction. "I hear how they're so caring for the poor and so forth," Hatch said in remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, in reference to Democrats. "The poor need jobs! And they also need to share some of the responsibility.” Panhandle harder, you lazy bums!
Bill Clinton on Wednesday said that the Republicans' policies created the huge budget deficits that the GOP is now using to demand potentially economically harmful spending cuts. "Why aren’t we talking more about the economy and less about this?" Clinton said during a speech to liberal youth activists in Washington. "Partly because the Republicans who control the House and have a lot of pull in the Senate have now decided, having quadrupled the debt in 12 years before I took office and doubled it after I left, that it's all of a sudden the biggest problem in the world."
The United States will go up against Brazil on July 10 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinals and face a tall order with Brazil’s Marta on good form but with Lauren Cheney and Abby Wambach finding their stride in the group stage. It should be an enthralling contest.
