Election Predictions

Every four years, media celebrities participate in America’s World Cup of punditry by predicting the winner of the U.S. presidential election. So how did they do?

Tax Returns? Romney Won’t Even Reveal His Real Name.

According to CNN, sleazy magazine publisher and free speech activist Larry Flynt is “offering up to a million dollars in cash for documented evidence concerning Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s unreleased tax returns and/or details of his offshore assets, bank accounts and business partnerships.”  Mr. Romney, Republican Presidential candidate, has only released one complete year of tax returns, refusing to reveal more unless he’s elected. Details about the candidate’s offshore bank accounts in Switzerland, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands have prompted calls for more complete tax record disclosure, most recently by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

It’s unlikely Mr. Romney will reveal more tax returns; he won’t even reveal his real name. He’s been telling us his first name is Mitt, but it’s really Willard. Don’t believe that? Okay, ask to see his birth certificate.

Related:

“2 Percent of Voters Thought Mitt Romney’s Real Name Is ‘Mittens,’” Dino Grandoni, The Atlantic Wire

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Palin Canceled by Fox News?

When Sarah Palin, the former Temp-Governor of Alaska, was signed by Fox News as a political commentator, it looked like God’s Own Plan. The word now is that Mrs. Palin may be fired by Fox or, more precisely, her contract will not be renewed. We should have known after the conservative cable outlet scratched her spots at the GOP Convention and she responded with a Facebook snit.

The Discovery Network canceled Sarah Palin’s Alaska after a single season, a half-season longer than she lasted as Alaska’s Governor. An attempt to sell another “reality” show (America’s Got Moose or something) failed.

There is no truth to the rumor that Fox is replacing Sarah Palin with Tina Fey, since we just made that up. You read it here first.

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Bedtime, Grandpa Clint?

Clint Eastward opens for Mitt Romney at the Republican National Convention. More Gran Torino than Dirty Harry. More rambling Grandpa at Thanksgiving dinner than either.

Awkward.

Reporters Kicked Out of Romney Event at the Newseum

In Washington today, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney hid from the press behind a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment at the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue. The mission of the Newseum is “educating the public about the value of a free press in a free society ….” Mission accomplished.

More:

“Reporters Kicked Out Of Mitt Romney Event At Newseum,” Huffington Post

“Weirdly, Newseum Isn’t The Friendliest Location for Campaign Reporters,” Adam Martin, Atlantic Wire

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Pulitzer Prize for Brenda Starr?

A Pulitzer Prize for reporter Brenda Starr? Hold page one!

Wait — hold everything. The 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary was awarded to Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich, who wrote the Brenda Starr comic from 1985 until the strip’s demise in 2011.

Mary Schmich, a former Nieman Fellow, has reported for the Orlando Sentinel and Chicago Tribune and has written a column for the Trib since 1992. The award cites “her wide range of down-to-earth columns that reflect the character and capture the culture of her famed city.” She says she’s grateful to the people of Chicago, whose stories she tells in her column. Somewhere, Brenda Starr is tearing up.

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Guacamole

Stop-action video recipe by PES (Adam Pesapane).

PES on Facebook.

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Online Film Festival

The PBS Online Film Festival has begun, and new independent films will be added each Monday until there are 28 in all. Start watching here.

What’s Ahead for 2012

It’s 2012. While Baby Boomers and other geezers keep asking for their jetpacks and flying cars, most pundits try to keep their 2012 predictions more down-to-earth:

“2012 predictions worth discussing,” Jon Tarlton, Seattle Times

“NBA Predictions for 2012,” Patrick Buscone, Bleacher Report

“A Quick Look At The Year Ahead,” NPR

“Ten 2012 Predictions,” James Poulos, Daily Caller

“Tech Predictions for 2012,” Meredith Popolo, PCMag.com

“15 faith-based predictions for 2012,” CNN

Woman of the Year 2011

BBC News named its Women of the Year for 2011. The list: Gabrielle Giffords, Adele, Eman al-Obeidi, Sarah Burton, Nafissatou Diallo, Jelena Lecic, Princess Charlene, Pauline Pearce, Rebecca Leighton, the Duchess of Alba, Corporal Kelsey de Santis, and Sweetie the panda (aka Tian Tian).

As you might expect, the last choice endeared The Beeb to women in the UK and worldwide.

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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