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Professor Scott Galloway: 'Elon Musk is a full-stop genius. But he sets a terrible example for young men'
By Alfred Tong 3 August 2020
Professor Scott Galloway is the thought leader whose predictions are uncannily accurate – and that should terrify the tech titans, as he thinks Twitter's Jack Dorsey will be fired by the end of the year and one CEO will be arrested
Every once in a while, a business guru makes it out of the financial pages and into prime time pop cultural prominence. In the early 2000s, Malcom Gladwell and his bestseller The Tipping Point spawned a whole industry of trend forecasters and futurologists who kept big business ahead of the big consumer lifestyle trends. Remember when "viral" referred to something cooked up in a marketing department? You can blame Gladwell for that.
In 2020, the mantle of "business guru for people who aren't interested in business" arguably belongs to Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at New York University's Stern School Of Business, tech startup veteran, brand consultant and bestselling author. A graduate of UCLA and UC Berkeley HAAS School Of Business, Galloway has been at the forefront of the digital economy since its earliest days.
In 1997, he founded Red Envelope, one of the earliest ecommerce sites. In 2005, he founded Firebrand Partners, an activist hedge fund which invested more than $1 billion in US consumer and media companies, and has sat on the board of the New York Times and Urban Outfitters.
His 2017 bestseller, The Four: The Hidden DNA Of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, And Google, revealed their terrifying power from an tech insider's perspective, which helped to galvanise the backlash that has led to the forthcoming antitrust hearings in the US Congress, whom many are billing as the industry's "Big Tobacco" moment of reckoning.
I discovered Galloway via his hard-hitting commentary of the WeWork IPO debacle. He explained how the CEO, Adam Neumann, managed to convince SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son that "WeWTF" was in fact an innovative technology company, as opposed to a shared office space supplier.
According to Galloway's analysis, this "idolatry of innovators" contributed to "WeWTF's seriously loco" $47bn valuation. In his blog, No Mercy, No Malice, he described the bankers who prepared the IPO as people who "stand to register $122 million in fees flinging feces at retail investors". Retail investors, FYI, are people like you and me who might do a little investing on the side with an app on our phones (more on that later).
In case you hadn't noticed, that's not how someone from the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times would usually speak. Not since Gordon Gekko have we had a business figure so full of killer one-liners. However, Scott Galloway more often than not gets the market spot on. He predicted correctly that Amazon would acquire Whole Foods at a cost of $12bn – even though the company had previously never made an acquisition of greater than $1bn.
Most recently on his Pivot podcast, which he cohosts with New York Times tech columnist Kara Swisher, he predicted Twitter would move to a paid-for subscription model. And lo, last week news emerged that Twitter was hiring programmers "to lead the payment and subscription client work" on a mysterious new project called Gryphon. Lemonade, the online home insurance provider highly rated by Galloway, had one of the most successful IPOs of recent years, registering a 139 per cent increase in the value of its stock in the first week of trading.
He gets it wrong too, most notably on the Tesla stock, which he thought would flop but has instead shot up to be worth more than Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Ferrari, General Motors, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen combined. However, he remains adamant that Tesla is overvalued. Full disclosure: I bought several stocks off of Galloway's analysis and all of them seem to be doing quite well. My rationale was this: if I had bought £100 worth of Amazon stock in 1997 instead of spending it on Patrick Cox loafers (£135), my stake would be worth, at time of writing, £200,000. Previously, all I knew about investing was "Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel".
Galloway, however, is at his best when critiquing the worst excesses of Big Tech and the devastating impact on workers' rights, mental health, political debate, democracy and so much more. He argues passionately for a better kind of capitalism which serves the greater good. He recently spoke movingly about the tragedy of Alex Kearns, a 20-year-old student of the University Of Nebraska who committed suicide earlier this year after running up losses of almost $1m on the millennial-focused trading app Robinhood, which recently shelved its plans to expand into the UK.
Quite simply, Galloway connects with vast numbers of business-savvy millennials like no other analyst before or since: forget Malcolm Gladwell, this is Gordon Gekko with a social conscience. I caught up with him on the phone just before he was about to take a holiday with his family in Colorado, to hear his big predictions for the post-corona economy.
Robinhood has just shelved its plans to come to the UK. Why should we be glad?
Professor Scott Galloway: There are specific features you can engineer into an app that increases its addictive qualities: random rewards, a sense of urgency – act now. When you log on to the Robinhood app, which is very sleek and colourful, it is "Get your free share of stock now". When you buy something, confetti and fireworks appear on the screen. They even have a feature where if you tap a button 100 times in a 24-hour period, you unlock access to a high-yield checking account. So when you're on that app, you're literally a rat in a lab. They've engineered addictive features into the fundamentals of the app.
So, in effect, they've gamified investment?
They are promoting financial instruments that basically take it from investing to gambling. A call/put option is just not something a 21-year-old investing his unemployment cheque should be utilising. Those trades tend to mean bigger commissions. The majority expire worthless and most investment professionals use them as means of hedging.
So how did a 20-year-old with no collateral end up losing $1m?
Brokerages will pay for deal flow, meaning if you're a brokerage and you send them 1,000 options contracts to execute, they come up with a price, they make a market. They will pay more for options flow from Robinhood – why is that? The obvious answer is these financial intermediaries have determined that the people buying these options from Robinhood don't know what they're doing, and they like taking the other side of these trades to make money. It's tantamount to the drug dealer giving out free crack to get people hooked. Look at the power dynamic here: there is the supplier, the manufacturer and there is the user. These addictive features can lead to very ugly places, as evidenced by Alex's [Kearns] suicide. This company has raised $700m at a market capitalisation of $9bn. I believe they have an obligation to do more than just donate $250,000 to suicide prevention.
You're famous for your predictions. What's the secret?
Just over the course of marinating in the data and the news around these industries, you come up with hypotheses. Then I try to validate or nullify them with my team, a group of young people who are old enough to have great data skills but young enough to detach themselves from any history.
Is that how you predicted Amazon's unprecedented acquisition of Whole Foods?
My only advice is from Yoda and that is "Forget what you know". Amazon had never made an acquisition of greater than $1bn and they buy Whole Foods for $12bn. And it just made all kinds of sense but you could have easily have said, "Well, Amazon has never made an acquisition of over a billion" and it doesn't matter. It can happen; there could be a first.
But are you not also in a position where you can influence the future?
The best way to predict the future is to make it. Frankly, I'm now in a position where if I say Twitter is going to a subscription model, board members and senior executives call me. I have advised the CEO of Walmart, so it's not difficult for me to predict that what I've suggested they do will come to fruition.
What have you got wrong?
Oh, my gosh, there is a lot. I thought Amazon would acquire a beauty company or department store for access to luxury goods and that has not happened. I thought Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey would have been fired or stepped down by now, although I think it will happen by the end of the year.
You've been extremely critical of some tech CEOs who seem to get away with all kinds of questionable behaviour, a phenomenon you've dubbed "the idolatry of innovators".
I think a tech executive is going to be detained and charged on criminal or civil charges, but I think it's going to happen on foreign soil. I think it will likely happen in Europe.
What do you think about Kanye West running for president?
It seems outrageous, but the reality is Kayne is more qualified to be president than Donald Trump when he ran. So if Kayne was to get one per cent or two per cent he could effectively give the election to Trump. So, just as Ross Perot and Ralph Nader handed the election to Bill Clinton and George Bush, the same thing could happen here. If Kayne shaves off two or three per cent with a substantial proportion of the black vote, or two or three per cent of the entire electorate, he could throw the election to Trump. So what do I think of it?
What do you think Jeff Bezos should do with his money?
Date a hot woman, buy a man cave in New York and buy himself a spaceship and become an astronaut. Oh, wait, he's doing all those things, so what should he do? Exactly what he's doing. He's having the mother of all midlife crisis.
Is Elon Musk an idiot or a genius?
Oh, he's definitely a genius. Any guy who can land two rockets on two barges and get the world to give up, or get a lot of people to trade in, internal combustion engines for electric engines and convince the market that company is worth more than Exxon or Toyota on a fraction of the revenues: full-stop genius.
So is that an example of "idolatry of innovators" gone right?
I think he's an example of both. You can think he's a genius but you can also decide that he shouldn't be the CEO of a publicly traded firm if he's going to commit market manipulation and tweet out that he's taking the company private, when that was not true, or that he should be held accountable when he slanders people who are trying to help children by calling them a pedophile to his 35m followers. We have a tendency to think he's either good or bad.
He's both?
He's both and he should be subject to the same standards as every other CEO. And I think it sets a terrible example for mostly young men. I mean, Steve Jobs kind of started it all. Steve Jobs was an asshole and he's the Jesus Christ of this innovation economy, so young people all model their Jesus, including the asshole behaviour. In technology, a CEO who is considered brilliant is a CEO who is brilliant, and a CEO who is brilliant and an asshole is considered iconic. So very talented people have decided the fastest line to being an icon is to be an asshole.
Maybe that was part and parcel of the whole package?
Well, my kids have not decided to be assholes, unless their mother steps in on a bi-minute basis to correct their behaviour. I feel as if the SEC, investors and press have not set any guardrails or limits for Mr Musk.
Do you think the share price of Tesla is justified?
So, a couple of things: no I don't, and, two, I have been incredibly wrong about Tesla. I predicted Tesla would crash when it was $350 a share and went to $230 in the next 30 days, and I was patting myself on the back, and now it's $1,300. With respect to Tesla stock, I officially have no comment. I have gotten that one and wrong again.
What's the future of the luxury and fashion business?
After this economic culling, the big houses in fashion are going to get even bigger. So the LVHMs, Richemonts and Kerings will consolidate power. They'll pick up some strong companies which are struggling on sale. But just as antitrust in America has been focused on tech, I wouldn't be surprised that if these firms continue to grow more powerful, antitrust becomes an issue. It has become very difficult for small or legacy beauty or fashion brands to survive in what I call a "Game Of Thrones environment" with three realms: LVMH, Kering and Richemont. But my advice to anyone in the fashion or luxury industry is don't do it unless you have to.
You've talked up the prospects for the luxury market in the past – why?
It's been the perfect storm of good things for luxury, and that storm still seems to be brewing. Specifically, you have an emerging middle class in developing markets who are willing to take the bus to work if they can buy one Birkin bag a year, and you have the top one per cent earning more and more of the world's GDP. So you have this perfect storm. Will it slow down? Yeah. But to a certain extent the industry that's caught the most wind in its sails from income inequality is probably luxury. And so brands which address the top on per cent of the population, who control, at this point, 50 per cent of the world's income, are booming, as are the brands that will bring you just more for less, whether it's Amazon or Zara. Everyone else gets crushed.
Amazon has been threatening to enter the fashion and beauty business for a number of years now. What's your take?
It makes all sorts of sense from their standpoint because ecommerce profitability is a function of the value-to-weight ratio. It's hard to make money on couches with ecommerce. It's much easier to make money with mascara or a silk top. So they see that and they salivate. But the luxury conglomerates have come to the correct conclusion that Amazon partners with a sector the way a virus partners with the host.
The best you can hope for is that the virus decides to keep you alive. But it's not a net positive and I think luxury, because of some of the consolidation we discussed, and the big houses have said "no", including the big beauty guys – the L'Oréals and Estée Lauders of the world. So I think they will probably continue. I mean, it depends how deep the recession will get – if the recession gets so terrible that the prospect of incremental volume becomes too great to resist. But the big houses are financially fine. I think they are going to continue to wave the middle finger in Amazon's face, as they should.
What about the smaller and newer businesses of fashion?
Well, the two kinds of features of a zero-to-$100m beauty and fashion brand is number one: it has to be a fantastic, beautiful product – that hasn't changed. But the rocket fuel has changed, and the rocket fuel is now a mixture of Instagram and capital-light distribution on a place like Amazon. It's just incredibly expensive to open stores right now.
You made the big prediction about Twitter going towards a subscription model. What do you see happening to other social networks?
Facebook and Google will consolidate the market and go from 60 per cent of all-digital marketing spend to something between 75 per cent and 80 per cent, coming out of this pandemic. Twitter has got to move to the subscription model. I think they will replace Jack Dorsey and the stock doubles from here. And, by the way, they won't give up on advertising: they will just launch subscription products alongside them. If the fastest-growing part of their business is subscription, their stock will double. I think with Pinterest, Snapchat and potentially Twitter, there'll be M&A activity. Either they'll acquire or they begin merging and acquiring. If you think of Twitter, Pinterest and Snapchat as independent publishers in the 1990s, they can't survive on their own, they just don't have the scale they need.
What about TikTok?
TikTok is a juggernaut. I think it appears they are planning to go public by bringing in the guy from Disney to be their president. And there's just no doubt about it: it's a juggernaut.
Your latest book is about the post-pandemic world. What are the main insights?
Covid-19 is not a change agent, it's an accelerant. You just really need to take trends and accelerate them by ten years. But it's dramatic. So, in the US, 18 per cent of all retail was done via digital channels and it took us 20 years to get there and that was in March. However, by May it was 28 per cent, so we had a decade of progress in ecommerce in eight weeks. And that's happening across nearly every business.
China seems to have benefited hugely from the pandemic…
So, on a very meta level, in ten years people predicted that China would be the dominant superpower globally. Well, that's wrong. It's actually passed in the last eight weeks, in my view. Just as the US is withdrawing from global organisations and treaties, China steps forward and funds the World Health Organization for $1bn. They're offering to loan money to countries that have been stricken and have registered a lot of damage from the pandemic. They're playing offensive as we're playing defence.
So this pandemic has huge ramifications for our lives?
The shifts are going to be enormous. You talk about fashion and luxury – if anybody wanted to be in that business, I would say to go into homewares. Basically everybody is now at home thinking, "I didn't realise how shitty that carpet was," because we are home for much longer. You're going to have huge shifts in capital. If you think we're going to spend between ten to 30 per cent more time in our home, it's logical to think we're going to spend ten to 30 per cent more money on our home.
It's not just WFH, then?
This trend to "remote" is one of the biggest trends in the past 30 years. The bigger shift will be "work from home" to "heal from home". Post-pandemic, we're going to find that 99 per cent of the people who contracted and developed antibodies against the novel coronavirus happened without them entering the doctor's office, much less the hospital. And so remote health and telemedicine are about to become massively invested in.
You also believe that this will happen to further education?
The same thing is going to happen in education when eleven million US freshmen who are supposed to show up in campuses in six weeks but don't show up and two-thirds of them start taking the courses online. The restraints of education tied to the physical campus – those shackles are going to be broken and it's going to create tremendous innovation and tremendous chaos in education. The work-from-home movement is going to be big and it's been covered a lot. What hasn't been covered is the "heal" and "learn from home" that's going to happen.
What will happen to university education?
Well, Harvard is about to become the world's most expensive video streaming platform. It's basically a streaming platform which spends hundreds of millions of dollars on content and delivers it digitally via broadband. But you don't get access to a better life by watching a shit-ton of Netflix. You do have access to a better life when Harvard awards you the certification. So the real value out of a place like Harvard or Yale or Oxford or Cambridge is all that value is registered when you get admitted.
So not dissimilar to a diffusion line from a luxury brand?
It's the certification that is the value of an elite university. In terms of a diffusion brand, yes. So, Wharton has a Singapore campus, NYU has a campus in Abu Dhabi, and then we have sub brands called executive education and continuing education, where we take working professionals and overcharge them so they can feel like they're students again.
The class aspirations and sense of exclusivity of a university are similar to those of a luxury brand.
Yeah, I mean, the Ivy Leagues and the elite universities are more about spectacle and history. There's only 64,000 students enrolled in the Ivy League and there are 55,000 students at Florida State and 55,000 at Ohio State. So if you want to talk about real change in education, you're talking about the public-grant schools. The elite universities we talk a lot about are luxury brands, which means their primary means of creating value is in exclusivity. So, really, they're no longer public servants, they're luxury brands.
What's the future for brands and marketing?
Well, the era of brands has passed and we will speak about it nostalgically. The primary algorithm for shareholder value creation from 1945 to the advent of Google was to take a mediocre beer, salty food or car and then wrap it in amazing brand codes, whether that was American ruggedness or European elegance, and then use this incredibly efficient medium called broadcast and print to pound away at those associations. That meant you could sell eights cents of shitty beer for $1.79 or sell 30 cents' worth of peanut butter paste for $3. With the introduction of Google, I no longer need to defer to the brand of the Four Seasons when I got to London: I can go on to Tripadvisor or Google and find out that the Haymarket Hotel is better for a guy like me because it has a better gym and a design aesthetic that appeals to me for 70 per cent of the price. So we kind of re-entered this product age, if you will, where a brand's product is the new bomb.
Unfortunately, Google and Facebook have led to a monopoly age. Because of weak regulators they now own the markets they compete in, and, as any company would do, they take advantage of their monopoly power. Now, we are entering an even more dangerous age, the "exploitation age". Show me a company which is adding tens of billions of dollars in revenue – there'll be exploitation. Whether it's ride-hailing apps that skirt minimum-wage laws, or photo-sharing apps resulting in a higher level of self-harm in teenage girls, or trading apps that put financial instruments similar to a Ferrari in the hands of a kid who has just got his driver's permit, you have this very, very unhealthy shift from our tech community that used to be what I would describe as an innovation economy – Google and Instagram are in fact "ten times better products" – to an exploitation economy, where they opt for growth over any concern for the commonwealth or wellbeing for young people.
You often describe a grim future dominated by Big Tech…
So, just to give you some data there, we're already here. If you look at the stock market bounce back since the lows in March, 99 per cent of that recovery since then has been driven by ten companies – and 70 per cent by five companies. So, in the US, it's no longer the S&P 500, it's basically the S&P 7. There are 50 per cent fewer publicly trading companies than there were 20 years ago and of that smaller sample set only a handful drive the markets.
Well, I think in general, countries should not make the same mistake we've made in America, and that is let Big Tech overrun Washington and regulators. We need to apply the same standards that are applied to other industries and then decide if taxes regulation are warranted to address those problems. But because the pace of technology is faster than the government or our ability for our instincts to catch up, we end up being overrun. As consumers we were water-skiing behind the boat; right now, we are being run over by it. Typically the government steps in and so the lesson here is that there is no reason why governments need to adopt the US model of this again. I will call this "gross idolatry of innovators".
Any messages of hope for the future?
Yeah, well, I believe the world isn't what it is; the world is what we make of it. And I'm hopeful we're producing a younger generation who recognise the importance of our species' superpower: co-operation. And also that we will once again join arms with our brothers and sisters in Europe and in parts of Asia and that this generation will embrace the pursuit of truth and science and will embrace the best of the worst system of its kind: capitalism with empathy that sits on top of democracy.
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Democrat Wendy Davis has several Hollywood celebrities backing her bid to become the next Texas governor, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The state senator's latest campaign filing shows she has a long list of major donors among the elite of the entertainment and film world as she faces an uphill battle to defeat Republican Greg Abbott in the November election to take over from outgoing Gov. Rick Perry.
Director Steven Spielberg and his actress wife, Kate Capshaw, donated $25,000 to Davis' gubernatorial race. Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife, Marilyn, who hosted a fundraiser earlier this year for Davis in California, gave the same amount.
Actress Jennifer Garner, wife of film star Ben Affleck, also contributed $25,000, while Matt Damon and Marlo Thomas gave $5,000 each.
"Two and a Half Men" actress Holland Taylor, who wrote and starred in the one-woman play "ANN!" about former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, donated $2,500.
Davis also received $1,000 apiece from actresses Carrie Fisher and Elisabeth Shue, and the same figure from filmmaker Judd Apatow. Tom Hanks and Leonard Nimoy gave Davis $500 each.
Texas country music legend Willie Nelson, who has performed at a Davis fundraiser, made an "in-kind" contribution of $250,000 while singing legend Barbra Streisand donated $1,000, said the newspaper.
Davis raised $11.2 million in her latest filing, covering the period from the May primary through June 30. Abbott, raised about $11 million but has $35.6 million in the bank, compared with $13.1 million on hand for Davis, said the Morning News.


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News You May Have Missed
Posted on 30 August 2021 by NYMHM team
News You May Have Missed: August 29, 2021
"Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors."" by meghla_akashe_pori_:) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.
Any issue comes into focus when you ask what it will mean for children. Food insecurity, pesticide exposure, evictions, biases around gender identity, illnesses, racial inequity–all have particular impact on children, who have the fewest resources to cope. Even voting rights, which can only be exercised by those over 18, affect children, as those parents who brought their children to Saturday's March on DC clearly knew. Those of you in California who must vote soon on the recall of Governor Newsom might want to read the New York Times voter guide through the lens of the consequences for children to see what the implications of replacing the governor could be. And remember our database of the many pieces of voting rights legislation that are going to become extremely important if the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which the House passed last week, stalls in the Senate.
1. 1 in 7 children—10.7 million—go hungry. New funding may help.
Children in American have become more food-insecure since the pandemic. With schools closed, poor children did not get the breakfasts and lunches that they depended on, and food banks reported distributing 43 per cent more food, according to the AP. The Children's Defense Fund reported in May that one of seven children lives in a food-insecure household, meaning that members of the household do not get enough to eat. The rate is double that for Black and Latino children. (See the chart on food insecurity state by state from FeedingAmerica.org, a network of food banks.)
Beginning in October, recipients of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, colloquially known as "food stamps") will be receiving increased benefits based on a new assessment of basic nutritional needs and their costs. For example, previous food cost estimates for the program assumed recipients would be using cheaper dried beans, rather than canned, when in reality most families receiving food stamps don't have the time to prepare dried beans. The new estimates assume the cost of beans to be the cost of canned beans. While all recipients will see some increase in benefits, these will vary by state. The New York Times reported that the average benefit of $121 a month will increase to $157—just shy of a 30% increase. The Times also includes United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics that show most families have used up all food stamps by midway through the month—and 43% of food stamp benefits cover children, who are unlikely to be able to add to the family income. S-HP/RLS
Thank the USDA for this increase that more accurately acknowledges the needs of American families: Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence SW, Washington DC 20250, (202) 720-2791. And donate to your local food bank.
2. The Supreme Court allows massive evictions. Children's health will suffer.
Hundreds of thousands of people could be evicted–in a pandemic–as a result of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Biden administration's ban on evictions, the New York Times reports. While funds have been earmarked to keep people in their homes, only 11% have reached renters, due to various bureaucratic snafus, NPR reports. As Child Trends, a research institute on children's issues points out, unstable housing is detrimental to children's well-being. Housing Matters, a branch of the Urban Institute, points out that when families are late on rent, endure multiple moves, or become homeless, the health of children suffers. Their data precede the pandemic, so the consequences of families doubling up with other family members or living in shelters for the spread of COVID have not been calculated. The Court believes that Congress needs to pass an eviction moratorium for it to be legitimate. RLS
You can urge your members of Congress to address the issues of evictions immediately. Find your representative here and your senators here.
3. Pressley bill would put mental health staff, not police in schools
Having police in public schools does not make children safer, research shows. Instead, it tends to criminalize children of color and traumatize children who have already had negative contact with police, according to the Healthy Schools Campaign.
Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) has introduced the Counselling Not Criminalization in Schools Act (H.R.4011), which would prohibit the use of federal funds to pay for law enforcement officers in public schools. Instead, schools would have access to a grant program to help replace law enforcement with personnel and services that are trauma-informed and designed to support mental health. When we talk about defunding police (this writer's language, not the language of the legislation), we are talking about programs like these that reduce the burden on law enforcement and that put in place professionals in services like mental health. This legislation is currently with two House committees: Education and Labor and Judiciary. S-HP
If you want to get involved in this issue, you can thank Representative Pressley for introducing this legislation, urge swift, positive action by the committees currently considering it, check whether your Representative is a cosponsor and thank/nudge as appropriate [note: Representative Panetta is not a cosponsor]: Addresses are here.
4. Drone strike kills children
Seven children were among the civilians killed by a U.S. drone strike against an Islamic State car bomb; along with their family, they were getting out of a nearby car, the New York Times reported. At least 90 civilians–along with 13 U.S. military personnel–were killed by the Islamic State attack on the Kabul airport. Meanwhile, the Afghan health care system is at risk, as the closure of banks means that hospitals cannot pay workers or buy supplies, as woman health workers stay home, and as foreign donors (including the World Bank and European Union) stop providing funds in the wake of the Taliban takeover, Al Jazeera reports. The WHO and Doctors Without Borders have had difficulty flying medical supplies into the region. RLS
5. US arms sales to Saudi Arabia harm children, could be blocked
Between 2015 and 2020, the U.S. sold $10.7 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia, most of which it used in the catastrophic war again Yemen. As a consequence of that war, half of the children under 5 in Yemen are malnourished, and 400,000 could die if they do not receive immediate treatment, according to Forbes.
In April, the House passed the Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act (H.R.1392), which blocks arms sales to Saudi Arabia and requires actions in response to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was a Saudi journalist and official U.S. resident. Since leaving the house, this legislation has been with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has not yet acted upon it. S-HP
If you think there should be action on this issue, remind the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the importance of protecting journalistic freedom globally, urge swift, positive action on H.R.1392 by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and tell your Senator you want to see their support for H.R.1392 when the legislation reaches the Senate Floor. Addresses are here.
SCIENCE, HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY & THE ENVIRONMENT
6. Most important back-to-school supplies: Masks
As kids too young to be vaccinated head back to in-person school, the possibility that COVID will spreading among them is of grave concern. As the Toronto Star points out, whether kids are likely to transmit COVID depends in part on the vaccination rates in the community around them. (The Star offers a school-by-school analysis of vaccination rates in each Toronto community, while the Local offers a list of high-risk schools.)
In the US, ten states require masks in schools while eight–Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Florida, South Carolina, Texas and Utah–forbid districts from requiring them, according to the Pew Trusts. In July, the CDC recommended that in view of the Delta variant and the increased numbers of COVID cases that are filling up hospitals, masks should be required in schools.
With 32 states leaving decisions about requiring masks up to individual districts, Mom's Rising recommends that parents write their superintendents and their school boards, download a vaccine fact sheet to share with other parents, and urge that children old enough be vaccinated.
You can find the petition, sample letter and other recommendations for action at the Mom's Rising website.
7. Children of color more likely to die from flu
Children of color are more likely to hospitalized and are three to four times more likely to die from the flu, according to Consumer Reports, citing a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The youngest children are the most vulnerable. The researchers, who were affiliated with the CDC and 18 other academic institutions and health departments, looked at 113,352 flu hospitalizations; they note that the most important strategies to prevent flu deaths in children are immunizations and anti-viral treatment. The flu kills 12, 000 to 61 ,000 people (both children and adults) each year. RLS
8. Use of pesticide that damages children's brains now must be drastically reduced
Beginning in February, agricultural use of chlorpyrifos in the U.S. will be cut by over 90%. Chlorpyrifos, a pesticide, is known to cause neurological damage in children and is correlated with low birth weight, lowered IQs, and developmental problems in children, according to the New York Times. During Trump's administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chose not to ban chlorpyrifos, despite overwhelming evidence of the dangers it presented. In response, a suit was filed challenging that decision. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has now ruled that evidence of chlorpyrifos' dangers is so overwhelming that unless the administration can demonstrate new, convincing evidence of its harmlessness, most agricultural uses of the chemical must be ended. The Biden EPA chose not to challenge this decision. Because the change is the result of a court ruling, there will be no mandatory public comment period, which could have allowed continued use of chlorpyrifos while a proposed ban worked its way through the federal rule-making process. S-HP
It is worth thanking the current EPA for refusing to support the Trump EPA's misleading claims about chlorpyrifos and for agreeing to ban most uses of the chemical: Michael S. Regan, Director, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania NW, 20460, (202) 564-4700.
Heather Cox Richardson has some excellent reflections on the March on Washington and voting rights.
The International Rescue Committee is working to assist refugees caught in the violence in Afghanistan.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has a useful FAQ about COVID-19 and the vaccines.
Mom's Rising has a summer postcarding campaign that may interest you, along with a five simple, clear actions you can take each week.
Data on refugees in the US: Pew Research Center. Refugee statistics worldwide: UNHCR.
No More Deaths/No Más Muertes' three-part report, Left to Die, details how asylum-seekers in the desert are abandoned by the Border Patrol. Though 911 calls are routed to them, they did not respond in 63% of cases. Lee Sandusky's piece of literary journalism, "Scenes from an Emergency Clinic in the Sonoran Desert," eloquently describes the work No More Deaths/No Más Muertes does.
The National Lawyers Guild has a series of webinars on issues from the global repression of voting, the local suppression of voting and the detention of immigrants.
A trans hotline with both Canadian and US numbers–and with operators who speak Spanish–provides services by and for trans people. You don't need to be in crisis to call, and if you are a friend or a family member of a trans person, you can also call to find out how to support them. If you would like to know more about the organization, see their staff bios here.
The Americans of Conscience checklist has new actions every other week that will enable you to make your voice heard quickly and clearly. In addition, they have a good news section that will help you keep going.
Among the organizations that supports kids and their families at the border is RAICES, which provides legal support. The need for their services has never been greater. You can support them here.
Al Otro Lado provides legal and humanitarian services to people in both the US and Tijuana. You can find out more about their work here.
The Minority Humanitarian Foundation supports asylum-seekers who have been released by ICE with no means of transportation or ways to contact sponsors. You can donate frequent-flyer miles to make their efforts possible.
The group Angry Tias and Abuelas provides legal advice and services to asylum-seekers at the border. You can follow their work on Facebook and see the list of volunteer opportunities they have posted.
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Acknowledgements for header images

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


72,000 in Central African Republic (1996). Total users in all countries: 142,000.
Ouham prefecture: Markounda subprefecture; Ouham-Pendé prefecture: Paoua subprefecture.
Different from Kaba Deme [kwg], Sara Kaba Náà [kwv], Kulfa [kxj] (Kaba So), Sara Kaba [sbz], Laka [lap] (Kabba Laka), or Kaba [bcq] of Ethiopia, a dialect of Bench.
70,000 in Chad (1993 census).
Logone Oriental region: La Nya Pendé department, Goré subprefecture, Goré area and southeast.
Different from Kaba Deme [kwg], Sara Kaba Náà [kwv], Kulfa [kxj], or Laka [lap].


How many Processors are supported by Windows NT Workstation?
How many Processors are supported by Windows NT Server?
How many Processors are supported by Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition?
How many Processors are supported by Windows NT Server Terminal Server Edition?
What is the Physical Memory supported by Windows NT Workstation?
What is the Physical Memory supported by Windows NT Server?
What is the Physical Memory supported by Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition?
What is the Physical Memory supported by Windows NT Server Terminal Server Edition?
What is the Number of Concurrent Client Network Connections that are available for Windows NT Workstation?
What is the Number of Concurrent Client Network Connections that are available for Windows NT Server?
What is the Number of Concurrent Client Network Connections that are available for Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition?
What is the Number of Concurrent Client Network Connections that are available for Windows NT Server Terminal Server Edition?
What additional layered Services are available on Windows NT Workstation?
What additional layered Services are available on Windows NT Server?
What additional layered Services are available on Windows NT Enterprise Edition?
What additional layered Services are available on Windows NT Terminal Server Edition?
You could look this all up on the Microsoft web site but here is what I know off hand.
NT Enterprise will only handle 4 CPU's. Technically it was designed to handle 32 but no one builds a HAL to allow that to happen. I have seen an NT Enterprise Server functioni ng using 8 CPU's but nothing higher.
NT Server will handle more than10,000 connections but 10,000 is a practical limit published by Microsoft. Its more a SAM databse access issue rather than any other physical issue. These connections include users, machines and RPC connections, so your practical limit will be less than 10,000 users.
Memory wise NT Workstation will handle up to 1 gigabyte (could be more but I don't have the stats in front of me). NT Server will handle up to 4 gigabytes. NT Enterprise Server will handle up to 4 gigabytes with the ability to limit its memory to 1 gigabyte and provide 3 gigabytes for your database.
NT Enterprise Server includes Microsoft's version of Wolfpack for server fail-over.
I haven't worked with terminal server.


text:
Kennedy Center to honor Oprah, Paul McCartney
On Sunday, December 5, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will celebrate "five individuals who have spent their lives enriching, inspiring and elevating the cultural vibrancy of our nation and the world" as part of the 33rd annual Kennedy Center Honors gala.
Oprah Winfrey, whose daytime talk show will come to an end in 2011, is among the honorees, which also include country musician Merle Haggard; composer and lyricist Jerry Herman; dancer, choreographer and director Bill T. Jones; and legendary songwriter/musician Paul McCartney.
"For more than 25 years, Oprah Winfrey has established one of the most innovative careers in the entertainment world, with distinctive accomplishments in television and film," the Kennedy Center's Chairman David M. Rubenstein said in a statement.
"The honesty of Merle Haggard's music and poetic lyrics has helped to shape the world of country music for nearly five decades," and "Jerry Herman's musicals rank him in the pantheon of Broadway's Golden Age and will keep audiences humming along for generations to come," Rubenstein went on.
Bill Jones, Rubenstein added, has had "an invaluable impact on the varied landscapes of dance and theater," whereas "Sir Paul McCartney is one of the most influential and successful songwriters and musicians of all time, whose work has continuously altered both the creation and perception of music all over the world."
The annual gala will take place at the Kennedy Center Opera House, and President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be in attendance (they'll also receive the honorees at the White House before the event). You can catch the two-hour special on Tuesday, December 28 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
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May 9, 2012 at 4:00 pm | Report abuse | Log in to Reply
Jerry Lewis is clearly the most incredible name not yet part of the Kennedy Center Honors. #1 – Huge Stand-Up Comedy career w/ Dean Martin. #2 – Huge Movie Career w/ Dean Martin. #3 – Huge Movie Career just Jerry Lewis #4 – Technical Innovations to the Film Industry #5 – Charity Pioneer – Muscular Dystrophy.
Any one of these would make Jerry Lewis eligible if you think about many of those that have already been honored. But all 5!!!!! Somebody has a bone in the wrong place.
March 13, 2012 at 4:26 pm | Report abuse | Log in to Reply
Colegios bilingües en México
This is a smart blog.
http://www.alexanderbain.edu.mx/
ebonja
Why wasn't Ringo at the Kennedy Center honoring Paul?
December 29, 2010 at 2:11 am | Report abuse | Log in to Reply
Just out of curiosity..did any of you ever wonder why Oprah would start a school in Africa? A place no one will visit and nobody has ever heard of..and as far as her humanitarianism goes...why not do something is this country?? There are so many who need help here..the disabled, our Vets, the menatlly ill..the elderly..so on and so on!! It didn't stop her from building a $150 million estate to show off..why the hell would one person need a residence like that? Just to rub it in?? evidently
December 5, 2010 at 11:45 pm | Report abuse | Log in to Reply
Bikergal44
Amen, suzy diamond. Celebrity worship it is! OK, Oprah is a successful businesswoman – that's all! What about all the unsung heroes that go above and beyond every day and never get one iota of recognition! The only reason Oprah is able to do as much as she does is because she's a billionaire – yeh baby – a billionaire! Money talks! She won't get my vote – ever!
Congrats to everyone being honored.Can't hate, u have to work too! hard to do that.
Is it Saint Oprah yet? Has she been canonized yet? I don't care WHAT she's done, this celebrity worship is RIDICULOUS!
joelw
Great. That's all we need. Something else to feed Oprah's monstrously gigantic, spectacularly narcissistic, nauseatingly self-absorbed ego.
Ruby M. Fletcher
The only commnt I would like to say is the People in charge of this service award/artist or whatever has the right to acknowlege whom ever they desire. Its none of your business. I am so tired of negative people. Its getting worst. Jealous
is a dangerous act to have towards another person. I basically feel sorry for all haters. Life is a journey, enjoy it and stop the HATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coach Lew
THIS IS STUPIDITY AT IT'S WORST. WHAT HAS SHE DONE EXCEPT PROMOTE AFRICA. HAS SHE TAKEN IN ONE HOMELESS VETERAN, NO.
longtimeHonorsfan
The awards previously were for contributions to THE PERFORMING ARTS, not for humaniarian efforts (although those sometimes are highlighted in the performances and biographies). I notice that the description has been rewritten for wiggle room. I know some people have turned them down in recent years, so maybe that was out of necessity. It is still depressing to see.
Pooprah
McCartney receiving the award is great and very much deserved? Oprah? Come on..... What talent does she have? She talks! That's awesome! I'm sorry, but I just cannot respect someone who "gives away" things that others actually paid for. Oh and her magazine? She is on EVERY cover. She is so full of herself it's pathetic, not to mention she is also so full of all the twinkies she's eating 🙂
MNgal
Love Oprah! Love Paul! Well deserved!
WoW America! Some of the sick comments are just vicious! And people...spell check please! And get some psychological counseling!
To all the John Lennon supporters, I disagree with you saying that he was brave to speak out politically. He was very influencial, i'll give him that but he was a trouble maker. He's Brittish not American. Yet he came here to the US pointing out flaws that were apparent. In his song asking us to "imagine no religion" is an insult to the very core of what our nation was founded on. And that is why I think he was a trouble maker. Congrats Paul!!!
I don't get why Oprah is getting this honor. Sure, she may have done many wonderful things, but as regards the ARTS, I'm sorry, you need more than a movie role or two to qualify. This award is supposed to recognize significant contributions to the arts, and I don't see how Oprah can sit next to the likes of Paul McCartney or the other artists that will be honored.
If Oprah or Paul could read the comments made....They would be laughing while lounging in their million dollar homes. In the time that it took to write one negative word...they are making millions while driving around in their luxury cars...excuse me...being driven around in their luxury cars. They could care less what we think. Congratulations to all the honorees anyway.
CH, Tell me my brother/sister....you said "us lazy bums need to go back to school and maybe we can be like Oprah." Tell me, what college does that fat heffer have?
She graduated from Tennessee State University.
OPRAH???? Racist,race card playing Oprah?? She was nothing more than a Maury-check out her old stuff, who got a BIG break....NOTHIN' SPECIAL ABOUT OPRAH-PERIOD.
sowhatelseisnew
Yep – time to celebrate the knuckleheads and culturally shallow graves we universally recognize as the lofty pinnacles of American contribution to humanity, culture and civiliatzation. Cannot imagine how a Bach or Beethoven would do these days (of course, 99% of americans think bach's first name is barbara and 'what's a bay toven?')
Oprah proved that you can come from nothing and have something. Her influence stretches worldwide and she has done good for a countless number of people! Maybe some of you should get off your lazy bums and go back to school!! Maybe you can have the great success that Oprah has had!!
Hey guys, will you visit SaveStan.ORG a man with 4 young babies is fighting for his life……… Thanks
KennyG
I thought that the award was to honor American artists. Oprah is an artist? She is talk show hostest, with liberal views and a great fan of our president (Opps, that's how she got selected)...
Ames Wolff
Great...just what we need...a vegetable and a weed held in high esteem. Okra and Pothead Paul.
26_third_street
Why would we give Paul McCartney this award?? Not only is he not that good an entertainer on his own, he has no manners (the last time Obama and his Cabal gave him a stage to speak from he made disparaging remarks about a former President – George Bush). He is simply rude, crude and not very good at what he does.
apollo c vermouth
......Why would we give Paul McCartney this award?? Not only is he not that good an entertainer...he has no manners.....he made disparaging remarks about a former President...He is simply rude, crude and not very good at what he does.
So some comment you didn't agree with (a joke) means everything?
And you try to pad your stance with other laughable reasons.
How shallow can one be?
I think Oprah is just as deserving at Julie Andrews. Oprah has done much more than her to influence and make a difference. Her show is on around the globe. She has helped many disadvantaged kids get an education. She has inspired many women in business, struggling with weight and all sorts of women issues! She is a trailblazer! She took syndication to another level. She was one of the 1st women billionaires (self-made). How many talk show host can even say they have done one of those things successfully! Some of the people writing on this blog only think about a talk show. Some only think of a black women. She means so much to women white or black!!!
Julie Andrews has a LONG established career on Broadway and in the movies. She was the original Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, she played Guinevere opposite Richard Burton's King Arthur in Camelot and she received an Oscar for playing "Mary Poppins". Oh and there was that movie where she played a nun named MARIA!! I would put her career in the "performing arts" up against Oprah's career in the "performing arts" any day!!!!
And Oprah has a 25+ years in the TV, movie and broadway (with a little show called Color Purple, that just happen to put her on the map as an actress). Julie Andrews has influenced who actually? I don't want to take anything away from her, because I do think that she is a terrific actress and entertainer. I enjoyed the Sound of Music and countless of other musicals. I feel even better about Oprah. Many of these entertainers have money and give their money to charities, but not many start schools and build houses and personally make a difference in the lives of many. Most of them throw the money at a charity and keep walking. Which is not bad, but sometimes it's the effort too. I think Oprah could've sat their and did that but she didn't. She believed in education so much she started a school. She believed in teachers so much she gave to many of them. It is simply the fact that we can put a face on the numbers that Oprah has helped. Who has Julie Andrews helped? What charities did she donate to? Just a point to make.
blk24K
WoW to judge someone we really don't know is harsh. Wouldn't it be easier to just be happy for them.
All the recipients are deserving.
Life is much too short to be so hateful. I'm sure most of you have given little awards to your parents or friends and it made there day. All the ones named above have done more for many. So applaud them! They made a difference.
alittlegrace
5 deserving people, each in their own right, are going to be honored. All I've read so far is mostly vitriol, racism, anger, hostility towards one or more of these honorees. What is wrong with you people??? These people have contributed something amazing to society, whether you agree or not. Congratulate them politly and move on. Begin to do something amazing with your own lives. Make the world a better place.
Why not Michael Jackson? Look at what he as done over the entire course of his career donating millions and millions of dollars, and his time to world organizations. Even before it was the fashionable thing to do! Sir Paul? Makes no sense. Just another potical move, as always!!
juney
Yes, Calvin, I posted in reply to someone else above that I agree MJ should receive this honor even though he is no longer with us. It would be long overdue. There are a lot of uneducated and unwilling-to-be-educated people in this world who just want to regurgitate the same untruths and lies about Michael that permeated the entire second half of his life. Rather ironic that Sir Paul McC gets the honor in view of the fact that Michael's purchase of the Beatles catalog was the catalyst for the demonic slandering of this good and charitable individual. RIP Michael.
The Kennedy Center Honor is not awarded posthumously. Chosen honorees have to be living.
Really this is to Suzie who replied to me – sounds very simple,doesn't it? One needs to be living to be honored? Somehow I don't think John Kennedy woudl approve. If it's so, that the person needs to be "living", then they should re-write the rules.
Calvin. you are so correct, he is so much more deserving than most, one of our most generous humanitarians, he quietly gave all that he could, and as a artist, globally he is at the top.
SuzyQ, George Carlin, the comedian was honored after he passed away, so........not so sure how when that rule is enforced and when it is not.
December 29, 2010 at 12:47 am | Report abuse | Log in to Reply
joe rizzo
Oprah is nothing more than a TV personality who was in the right place at the right time. What performing art has she provided?
how does paul mc cartney gits a kennedy center honor for musical innovations and lil richard doesn't? without little richard there would be no beatles or paul mccartney
....how does paul mc cartney gits a kennedy center honor for musical innovations and lil richard doesn't? without little richard there would be no beatles or paul mccartney
But then what about Little Richard's dad?
Without him......
Of course you can go on and on this way....what' about (someone else who's older)?
tcaros
So, we have a daytime drama queen (probably lezbo) who probably caused more divorces with her ill advice than a mother in law.
We have a hillbillie.
Two fine examples.
Hasheem
For years I have been angry with white racist and the hatred the spread cowardly in comment box around the web. But lately I have begun to look at it from a point of compassion and pity for a group of people so hateful. I encourage fair minded and well breed whites to fight this disease in their coummities,famalies,work environments and etc. Let these cowards know they will be called out and their behavior will not be tolerated.and they won't be able to hide under some fake name on the web.
hmmmmm.
I'm white and disliking blacks come natural. To the point, I almost wrote to nibisco about the oreo cookie. I think the cookie should be vanilla and the cream chocolate.. just my 2 cents.
u all negative people get a life
Since when is being a talk show considered a "performing art"? I can think of a long list of performers who have yet to be recognized, who have made huge contributions towards the performing arts, notably Kris Kristofferson, Neil Diamond, Carole King, and many others. I think the committee needs some help...ALSO, giving to charity is not a performing art...
LaWandah
You so right on Su! Oprah is nothing for nothing but a sistah playing it pale!
All Oprah did was flap her jaws about men and she's been a lezbo the whole time.
Karalina
You alls fools! None of these phoneys should get the award statute. These peoples just playahs. Give it to the Househos of Atlanta bitoches! Cause these sistahs got it down and not fakers neither. All these dead folks like Orpah and them gay dance bo9ys! Go ATL! Hottchey mamas rules!
why some people are so negative oprah deserve it she open my eyes saying yes i can just like obama did if u dont have nuthing good to comment u negative people shut ur mouth
Veronda
We gonnas crack your head open and show it be empty you fool talking nut bag! Okrah is the fakes shaizzizzles!
Gail Trotter
I am not an Ophra fan. This will probably be my first Kenneddy Honors I will miss. There are many more talented peoplein this US than Oprah. It takes not a lot of talent to do a talk show and use your clout when needed. I am very gald this is her last year. But I am sure she will not go gently into that good night.
R Brown
TO ALL OF THE OPRAH HATERS, NO ONE HAS SEEN YOUR NAME FOR ANY KIND OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS!
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR SOCIETY? DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE THE GAME!
Bebop1
Hey Boocat – so you're thinking Ringo is a top-flight drummer, eh? Then why did George Martin bring in famous Jazz/Funk/R&b drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie to play on a lot of their recordings???Maybe cuz Ringo wasn't able to play what was required by the music???
Never happened.
Urban myth.
i guess people forget about the dead. even though they are they should be honored cuz too many influential people like Michael Jackson don't get the credibility even though people like him would just do to help others for no reason but to do it thdu should still be honored
Susan, YOu are an idiot. What you met her on her show or a brief tour of her office or something?? Unless you are close friend you dont know her anymore than anybody who has never met her. Of course she will be kind to company and she is actress get a grip. Again I am not saying she is bad or horrible and nobody can dispute the fact she has done good but come on...................And what does your having to be white have to do with anything? Are you indicating that so people wont think you are black and you only like her because she is black. I know plenty of black people who done like here, whats that got to do with anything? Why does color always come into it.....
And furthmore.........she is self righteous, gives advice on topics she has no experience of knowledge of. She was a wild loose teenage who was pregnant at age 14 or 15 I believe. She has tried cocaine. She lives with a man she has no intentions of marrying. And I am not saying she is horrible or criticizing her for mistakes in her life.......Im just pointing out to all your followers, shes a human being just like everybody else with flaws. She is not God, she is not perfect. She got where she is with some hard work, some luck and being in the right place at the right time and stepping on people along the way to get there. Nobody gets to a place of hers without having used some people as stepping stones. Again, it is her life, it is her money and she can do what she wants with it but dont make her out to be a God.
You people who bash Oprah, have you met her, I have, she is great. Oh by the way I am white.
Veronda Shades
Why do you keep having to justify that you are white? Do you assume you have to prove that white people can like black people? You sound like a self hating racist! You as goofy as Okra girl!
Satina Toyles-Johnson-Jones
Rock on Veronda! You got it down with this chubby chunker Susan! Bet she got it going for some heave ho brotha! These chubby white chicks just loves our mens! Go sistah go gets the biotch!
a.y.harrison
To begin Congradulations Oprah,
You deserve this honor, as an african american female, I can truly say I am proud of you and your accomplishments.
You have given so many african american women hope, and other women as well. I can attest to this, because of your influenential nature on television, I went back to school and I now have a doctorate degree As for all you haters get a life, because it's obivious that you don't have one. I'm truly having a hard time with the fact that after 2011, you will no longer have your talk show. For me this is like grieving a death, even though I know you'll venture into new areas, this has got to be one of the hardest for me. I wish you much success in your new endeavours.
Rahiq Syed
You have a doctorate degree and you spell congratulations as "Congradulations"? Oprah does appeal to the lowest common denominator like Michelle Shaniqua Obama.
lucious
get a grip a.y.h.ole. Oprah is a scam and pockets millions from the sponsors so they can say they support someone black!
DC John
Primary reason John Lennon is not getting an award....You are required to be 1-alive and 2-attend the events. Irving Berlin was asked several times before he died and he told people to mail it to him...so he was never honored. As properly mentioned, you do not need to be a US citizen to be recognized. Many people still have time to be recognized: in no particular order...Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, Meryl Streep,
Oprah is a complete fraud. The only thing she has accomplished is to pile on the pounds and pollute the airwaves with her drivel. Next!
Saquetia
Amen amen and pass the biscuits!
Rahiq Syed- did you just fake your name to make Muslims look stupid??? And what have you done to make society better? Oprah has done plenty......
Rahiq Syed- did you just fake your name to make Muslims look stupid??? And what have you done to make society better? Oprah has done plenty to deserve this honor......
what about the greatest entertainer who ever lived and who gave billions to charities one of the most generous, influential, humanitarians Michael Jackson
LaRocco
For pedophile washed-up crotch-grabbing druggie of the year he'd get my vote for sure! Barely beating out the Lohans!
Yes, Michael Jackson gave quietly to many organizations and individuals, paid for surgeries when patients could not afford them, paid for funerals when families could not afford them, supported worldwide hunger projects with millions of dollars, homeless projects, AIDs projects, orphanages worldwide; gave all his net proceeds of just about every world tour he performed to charity. Difference between Michael and Oprah is that he did it quietly, never wanted the attention; only after his death is this information becoming known. You people who post negatively about Michael Jackson should take your time, read an educate yourselves not only about his creative genius but his philanthropic endeavors that will not and cannot be matched. And make no mistake, I'm of the 60's generation and love Paul McCartney but in my estimation he does not match up to Michael Jackson in any capacity. Michael also was instrumental in race relations in America; if there was no Michael Jackson, there would be no Oprah (or Tiger Woods for that matter either); Michael was the crossover artist who revolutionized musical culture as we know it.
Junie, I completely agree, I could not have said it better.
You Oprah worshipers are a bunch of followers with no minds of your own. Its what annoys me the most are people who think she is a God doing, saying, acting no wrong and anything she says is true and to be believed and followed. You cant make a decision on your own but if she says so well then follow what she says because as you think she is always right. If it took one woman to make other women believe in themselves its a pretty sad world. She is no better than any of the rest of us. Trust me she is getting huge tax breaks for all her spending or she might not be doing it.
thank god they are recognizing jerry herman. What a true talent and master of the Lyric. I got no problem with Oprah getting it and as for Paul,,,,,,he deserves it!
Sounds like Dylan personally knew the Beatles. After recording Love, Sir George Martin said that he thought Ringo was one of the best drummers EVER. Ringo played an important part in the formation and image of the Beatles.
I vote Jack an idiot, too. Lennon was a genius in his own right, but he didn't live long enough to let us hear what he could do in later life. Paul is still going.
Emerald Falcon
WOW, the hateration from folk who have contributed absolutely nothing to society but to hate on another human being. Stop asking what's wrong with the kids today. Just read the hateration and lack of self esteem and self respect displayed here and there's your answer.
Wonder if Gail will be sitting with her that special night. Surely not Stedman.
Margo Channing
She and Gail should come out of that closet. Gettin awful stuffy with their pals Tom C and John T. Hey if I could get car companies to donate stuff, I can play big shot and "give" it all away. Okrah is such a pathetic fraud! Shame on her blind followers. Hey this sounds like she qualifies as the antichrist! That would be a hoot. Never thought of an L word a.c.!
Obama is president.....Oprah is a billionaire and a huge Obama supporter. No rocket science here folks..................
I see alot of the credit for Oprah's success going to a father who told her C's were not acceptable grades in his house because she was capable of being better than average. Living up to that got her where she is.
Oprah getting this award is just like Obama getting his Noble Peace Prize........ FOR WHAT?
sure why not give oprah one, they gave obama a peace prize for no reason too! don't get me wrong, i'm a dem and voted for obama but we seem to be in an awarding nothing rut!
Let's see. Where are the following previous winners from: Julie Andrews (2001), Itzhak Perlman (2003), Elton John (2004), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2006), Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry (2008)? Since its inception, the Kennedy Center Awards have never operated in an "American-only" vacuum.
Kennedy Center honors? More like those who kissed the HNIC's butt the most.
This is for Jack . . . are you serious? I am guessing you didn't see Roger Daltry or Pete Townsend receiving their Kennedy Center Honors. Next time, please google stuff like this before you make a statement that makes you look kinda ignorant.
johnnyhouse
Oprah is living proof that you can be what you want to be if you are willing to work at it. I hope she has a long, long life and keeps doing for the needy as she has done in the past.She is one of the best ever.She knows that education is the answer to so many of the world's problems.
What in the world
What a bunch of haters commenting. My two cents are simple, give us people to honor. I thank god every day for Oprah even though i am not african american I am a woman of color. Oprah opened my eyes that I can be somebody and I am. Paul mccartney deserves alot of credit because music isnt easy to read write harmonize or play left handed. If there are stil public haters regarding the beatles get over yourself! Take some of that energy and field a campaign to keep Lennons killer in prison. For all the death destruction and calamitys in this world today, lets be thankful for the good too.
Past recipients have included Johnny Carson so there is precedent for giving it to Oprah, although she would not be my first choice. Glad to see that Jerry Herman is being recognized. One of his stars – Carol Channing – should be recognized too. Another legend who should be recognized is actress/singer Barbara Cook who is still going strong at 82. Another person who would also be deserving of the award is Jerry Lewis for his contributions in films, television and nightclubs. Seeing him on the telethon this past weekend reminded me of his legendary entertainment career.
Did any one bother to tell these guys that Paul McCartney is NOT an U.S. citizen...yep giving an American award to a foreigner. I guess that is like the Democratic (Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)) representative giving away money not only to her relatives but also outside her district where as she said, there was no one deserving. Guess that is a habit now. No one deserves it in the U.S. so we go to Britain.
YOU ARE QUITE THE FOOL JACK!! IS YOUR LAST NAME A$$!!
What?! Are you going to say next that should not have given Mel Brooks one because he is Jewish, or one to Oprah because she is black?! Sir Paul McCartney affected people all over the world. He was a huge influence in the United States, so why the hell not?!
It is not an award given only to U.S. citizens – go to the Kennedy Center website and learn who receives this award.
boocat
I don't care if McCartney was born on Mars. Your comment is just plain ignorant. If you check the list of Kennedy Center honors over the years, Paul McCartney is not the first non-American to get such an honor. And what the hell difference does it make?
Bob, why Oprah? Because she changed the lives of millions of viewers around the world and refocused the television broadcasting industry to produce shows that helped and benefited the well being of the audience in additon to making millions in profit. Whether you are willing to admit it or not The Oprah show has been immensely profitable, provided jobs for hundreds and moved a generation of women to believe that there are innumerable options for living a better life. That's why she deserves an honor bestowed on those for making a difference in this country. What have you contributed to make this a better world?
A Kennedy honor for a daytime tv show? When is Monty Hall gonna get his for "Let's Make a Deal"?
Oprah? You have got to be kidding! There are many people more deserving that have done so much more! Surly the KCO is not that desperate.
McCartney influential? Altering creation and perception of music around the world? Guess they're not counting his "Wings" period and the fact that Lennon was the creative brains behind the Beatles. Bleah!
Wayne Chan
Actually, you're wrong about Lennon being the creative brains behind the Beatles. They were both equal in that regard. Who introduced avante garde music to John? Paul. Who thought up the disparate chord build up on "A Day in the Life"? Paul. Who was the better musician? Paul. Who wrote more hits during the Beatles run? Paul. Who conceptualized the Sgt Pepper album, generally considered the best rock album ever made? Paul.
Because of his tragic death, a lot of uninformed people have cannonized John at the expense of Paul, and it's not fair. You should know your music history before running your mouth off.
You are totally ignorant. Get a life!!
My last comment was for Renee. You are so misinformed it is scary!!
DYLAN RIVIS
Renee, I agree with Wayne in that you have to be careful not to confuse the creative abilities of the two most influential Beatles with their personal abilities. on the other hand i disagree with wayne's comment re the public's 'cannonization' of John. It was he and he alone that rose politically to deserve such credit. He died as a result of THE brave political statement 'The Beatles are more famous than Jesus' (a deeply political statement about the priorities of the modern world) which in a truly 'free' USA ought he ought to be perfectly free to speak. Unfortunately Mark Chapman focused on John, mistakenly, as the center of his own demons and subsequently robbed us of a man willing to voice unpopular yet totally relevant opinions, shared by many.
Maccaman
Actually, I totally agree with Wayne. I have been a life long Beatles fanatic as well as a musician. It is quite true that Paul was not only the musical genius of the band, he was more the intellectual than most think. While John was living out in Weybridge with all the stock brokers, it was Paul who stayed in London and hung out with all the artists. It was paul who helped start the International Times. It was Paul who had the interest in Indica Galleries. It was Paul who came up with Sgt Peppers. It was Paul who Yoko was first interested in! John was a genius too, but not to the degree Paul was. Lennon was confrontational. he ALWAYS had to slip something in against "the esablishment". John was quick witted, but not so highly intellectual. Lennon would be the first to tell you, words in songs like "I amthe Walrus" were just gobbligoosh. Meant nothing. Sounds very poetic, but were just words that came out. I loved John's work, but the main talent was McCartney. read Geoff Emericks book! John grew up middle class while the others were the ones who had an edge from their lower class upbringing. It was John's mom, Julia's death, that gave him his edge, one that Paul also shared with the death of his mom. Wayne's right, read your history before jumping to conclusion. Unfortunately, in society, we like a "story" about a weird or exotic personality and that is John! Paul was rather normal in his personal skills, yet bled musical genius.
It's apparent you know nothing about the Beatles. The Sgt. Pepper album was totally McCartney's idea, from the name of the album to the concept. Around the time that the Fabs were working on Pepper, John Lennon was taking so much LSD that even some of the other members worried about him. So McCartney stepped in and took "leadership." McCartney would never deny that Lennon was a great song writer (nor would anyone else who knows Lennon's work) but to say the McCartney had no major input in the band's records IS JUST PLAIN DUMB!! McCartney also wrote the song "Yesterday" which is the most covered song in history (check out the Guinness Book of World Records if you think I'm l ying). And one more thing, it was McCartney who designed some of the suits the Fabs performed in. Must be where his daughter, Stella, got her designing talent. You apparently should brush up on your Beatles knowledge because you have virtually none.
Darkhorse57
I think ALL the Beatles should be included in the honors. Period.. They came along at the right time, after JFK was blown away. It helped the US in the healing process of losing JFK. But, the only thing that always got me, was the small contribution allowed for George. We were, I think deprived of some great tunes on Beatle albums. The best Beatles solo album? All Things Must Pass. For evidential proof watch the Concert for George. A great catalogue of music played by some of rocks best musicians. As for Paul- so what if he wrote some silly love songs. He was and continues to be amazingly busy. Paul yes for KC Honors. The Beatles? A bigger yes. Peace and Love to you all
September 11, 2010 at 10:04 am | Report abuse | Log in to Reply
Kennedy Center honors ...............BIG WHOOP.
So why did you read the article?
Big B
Every one needs a good laugh, AKC!
OPRAH.....FOR WHAT. You are kidding everyone, right?
Oprah has been a such a humanitarian and has given so much to so many people! Feeling like you do is such ashame,since her genorosity and charities have helped people all over the world. It's a pity that people like you just
don't get it!!
Oprah, much as I feel she has recently diminished her personal stature as much as she has fattened her bank account, was a talented actress, best known for her role in 'The Color Purple'. Nevertheless she is a model of economic and business success in the USTV industry to her Afro American community and , it could be argued, represented the rise of blacks in a universally controlled white USA, a rise begun in a fictional character who threw off the chains of oppression, from both cultures, in the movie mentioned above.
Yea, right Dylan. Talented actress. I see it doesn't take much to impress you. Her head wore out three bodies.
I have no problem with Oprah getting this honor. I just don't appreciate how she publicizes all of her good works. It's totally classless. It's like she wants everyone to know what a charitable human being she is. Personally, I do not like her show and I do not like her.
Like her or not, she is watched world wide and is a breath of fresh air to Islamic countries where many topics were taboo. She has stimulated thought and discussion including but not limited to gay rights and women's rights.
Oprah is a fake. Whenever she "gives away" stuff, she doesnt pay for it. She gives reduced fee advertising for the donator! She is the perfect example of an inflated personality. ANYONE can do what she does – she was just lucky enough to be the right place right time. And the right shade of skin – ie affirmative quotas on the news!
Laronda
Of course she is a fake. Let he come out of the closet for once and for all – and start sharing that loot she robbed from the public. Eve here Africa school is a fraud – its UN money people! She gives nothing of herself but throws herself lavish parties. Share that with the homeless sistah!
Where have you been for 25 years? Do you not know about the humanitarian efforts this BLACK woman has done? Go read!!!!
JennyK
Yes, Oprah does display humanity towards minorities. She doesn't promote racism or prejudice yet her display of humanitarian actions draws lines between cultures/ skin color. This is not displayed in the guests on her show but rather who is benefiting from charities, give aways, and whatever else that allows her to be put on a pedestal. She would be a wonderful representative for the RACE exhibit – where children that are not of a certain race feel just terrible and ask why she/he has to white. Yes it is brilliant that Oprah is "unaware" of the message she is sending. Kudos for her achievement.
My aunt is Chita Rivera. What a thrill when she got hers!
Your aunt is/was a MEGA talent! WTG.
Saw her one woman show on Broadway a few seasons back (and also saw her in the original CHICAGO). She was amazing and still going strong. What a true legend!
Ohsnap
She is one awesome talent.
Once again Ringo gets snubbed
Puleeez !! Ringo ? Sheesh ! Ringo was SO lucky that Pete Best was ousted and he took his place. On all levels he is a much, much lesser talent than the other three Beatles.Compared to John, George and Paul Ringo had little to offer. He cannot sing worth a damn and his drumming could have been replaced by hundreds of far more talented musicians. Ringo provided comic relief and the simpleton 'everyman' touch, if anything. Paul was by far the most technically musically talented ( as shown by his later foray into classical scoring,and he and John proved the old adage of 1+1=3, BUT on his own he is revealed as merely a lite-pop musician with little of substance to say and what he did have to say continues to be palpably trite. I don't think of Paul as exactly a deep thinker. George was by far the most the spiritually thoughtful of the group but it was John that deservedly garners the most respect in that was such a huge intellectual , politically aware and deeply personal person, willing to challenge the political times as well as his own inner demons.
Dylan – knock Ringo all you want. Ask any drummer. He's one of the best ever. If you know anything at all about rock and roll music, you would know that normally the bassist and the drummer play in tangent. Ringo played with McCartney (in my opinon, the best bassist who ever lived) who is the most melodious bassist in rock and roll and for that reason, Ringo was just not keeping the beat. He was playing the song! One case in point – listen to the drums on "A Day in the Life." Phil Collins (another good drummer) said that when he talks to young drummers today, they have no idea how Ringo did what he did on that song.
I have to agree about Ringo. I always thought he rode on the coattails of the others, esp John and Paul. He's a mediocre drummer and he can't sing. Don't begrudge him his living but NO Kennedy Center Honors. He hasn't earned it.
how would one get tickets to this Kennedy center shin dig?
Man, this would be a tough choice.
The Bagles as musicians or Pam Anderson as an actress.
Tough, really tough!
Ruth Judy
All I want to know is when Vikki Carr will get her award. She has been in the business 50yrs, sang for the Queen of England and 5 US presidents. She has also won 3 grammys and a lifetime achievement award. Did I mention since 1972 she has given many scholarships to young people to go to college. She of all people deserves to be honored.


Dear Nigerians: "Corruption" Is Not The Problem And It Never Has Been!
I wrote this 6,000 word piece for a large national daily last week but I was told it was too "controversial" so I should either water it down or it would not get published. I did that annoying thing writers do and insisted on the sanctity of my editorial license. So it didn't run. Anyway here it is, open and free for the benefit of the world. Hope this makes a tiny bit of difference to the life of someone somewhere.
Once upon a time in a remote African island State, there once lived a close-knit fishing community. Blessed with an over-abundance of the world's most sought-after seafood, the community prospered and grew in size, wealth and influence. One day when all adults were out on the sea fishing as usual, a tsunami wave unexpectedly came in and submerged most of the island. The adults managed to survive, but the children, who were at school on the island all perished. Every adult who had a child at school lost their child that day.
"Corruption" is in fact a symptom of Nigeria's real problems, and not the problem itself.
3. A large, undocumented population addicted to religion and fake ethnic identity.
Now the point of all that was to illustrate that we are trained from birth to be ignorant of history and contextually amnesiac. We are trained to think that there was this large expanse of land sitting there, and then one day God created this special creatures called "Nigerians" and dumped them on it after painting them green and white. Because we think we have no historical context, our problems today are inevitably handled in the same cack-handed, fundamentally incompetent manner of Drunkard Island.
"Yoruba" is actually a Hausa word used to describe the vastly diverse people of South-Western Nigeria. That word was borrowed and converted by the British into a brand identity for several different groups of people to merge into one entity. No matter that the language spoken in my native Badagry is a completely different language to that spoken in Ekiti, which itself is a completely different language to that spoken in Ibadan – we are all to identify ourselves as "Yoruba" and do the things that "Yoruba" people supposedly do, be it possessing a love of grandiosity over substance, or being permanently insecure about "Igbo" people or having a completely unwarranted ethnic superiority complex over everyone else.
The cultures and dialects varied greatly, but they shared some broad similarities, much like the case in the Southwest. They never needed to identify as a single bloc entity, and in fact this would have been in direct conflict with the nature of their civilisation, which encouraged individual freedom and co-existence, as against consensus and conformity. Knowing that the most important part of the process of colonization is the dilution and eventual loss of identity, the British then criminalized their native languages and spirituality.
In fact to this very day, some parts of the so-called "Igbo land" remain very suspicious and fearful of other parts, accusing them of trying to dominate and erase them. And they are completely correct. That is exactly what the colonial "Igbo" identity was designed to do. Like the "Yoruba" identity, it was designed to erase all its constituent cultures and take up a role of fighting its perceived external "enemies" who happen to be other fake ethnic groups in the same country.
Does this story of buying shiny imported items without gaining production capacity sound familiar today? It should, because that is exactly what we have been doing since we gained flag independence. We have been exporting raw, unrefined petroleum and importing champagne, whisky, bulletproof SUVs, flat screen TVs, "high fashion" clothing and everything in between. Just like before, the day will come when the world either does not need our resources again, or is able to get them without paying. If you need an example of how that works, take a look at Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
Lee Kuan Yew, the Singaporean Prime Minister credited with transforming the island state from a literal Drunkard Island to one of the world's most developed countries, stated many times that the easy part was awarding contracts to build shiny new building and roads and infrastructure. Attracting foreign investment too, was not the most difficult part. The most difficult part he says was developing the minds of the people of Singapore. They had to invest in education and they had to convince people to buy into the vision. They had to buy into the concept of being Singaporean as against being colonized British subjects of the Island of Singapore. He himself dropped his birth name "Harry" in favour of the Chinese name we all know him by. And this brings us to the second huge problem facing Nigeria.
Vision is having the ideas – big and small – and following through religiously, making sure to deliver on the promise of those ideas. Nigerian leadership is trained to be verbose, bombastic, loose-lipped and grandiose, while having absolutely nothing to back the braggadocio with. So don't be surprised to find out that Nigeria has a comprehensive nuclear policy (and an atomic energy agency that adds to the federal civil service recurrent wage bill every year), while in reality Nigeria is as close to harnessing nuclear power as Finland is to a tropical rainstorm.
Do not also be surprised that at a time when Boko Haram and their merry band of allied hell raisers have brought security to the forefront of national consciousness, the Nigerian Police still does not have any form of centralized electronic database where all suspects who have been arrested can have their details and thumbprints taken for future reference. Be unsurprised to learn that a Boko Haram suspect that is arrested by the police can walk out of police detention on bail and there will be no record anywhere to say that he or she was ever arrested. Nigeria has no criminal record database.
In a country as resource-stacked as Nigeria, constructing a 25 kilometer asphalt road should not be a problem, budgetary constraints or not. All it takes is a little creative thinking. There is no reason why Nigeria has to wait for China or India to pay for crude oil in US Dollars before being able to mobilise the natural resources under our feet to construct motorable roads or basic healthcare facilities or village schools. Who has the wealth? The person with dollar bills or the person with the resources those dollar bills are to buy?
Our leadership from President to local government councilor has no real intellectual investment in the success of Project Nigeria. They have no solid and realistic idea of what to do with the corporate organisation of Nigeria in order to achieve better results than we have seen for the past six decades. In the absence of the needed intellectual heavy lifting capacity, what we have is a whole lot of fluff, bluster and assorted nothings.
The unpalatable truth that most Nigerians do not want to hear about their religion is that the religions we adhere to are first and foremost a reflection of our upbringing, which is why the lady from Enugu will likely be Catholic while the bloke from Katsina will almost certainly be Sunni Muslim. There is really nothing special or mystical about one of the most basic processes of human socialization. The way and extent to which we take our beliefs seriously more often than not, is a reflection of our personal experiences and ideology.
These religions are not ours. They were imposed and forced on our ancestors often at gunpoint. The people who imposed them on us do not practice them the way we do. Certainly the average Algerian Muslim would look at his counterpart from Katsina and wonder why he cannot read and write. He would be shocked to find out that the society in Katsina finds it more important to give children Koranic education than the secular education that gives them a fighting chance at having a meaningful life.
A British Christian would be mortified to learn that certain types of physical and sexual abuse, which are not sanctioned or implied anywhere in the Bible are now commonplace in Nigerian churches, which seem to have evolved their own peculiar brand of the Christian faith. To anyone with a holistic understanding of history, it is not that shocking because the circumstances under which the religion was introduced to the population determine how they practice it. If the religion was flogged into you and reinforced with trauma, you will practise it with a demented zeal and violence, and you will flog it into your children as well. They will in turn flog it into their children and…here we are – a nation of overzealous, traumatised fanatics!
So while Islam to a Kuwaiti Arab is merely a religious projection of his own indigenous culture, to a colonized Hausa man, it is a perfect and unattainable target, which he must spend his life trying to prove himself worthy of, and his kids dare not practise it with less zeal than him lest he flog them with the rage the Arabs flogged his ancestors with. Certain types of knowledge are passed down genetically after all. To European Christians, Christianity is little more than their cultural heritage, but to a colonized Yoruba man, it is something that was literally flogged into his ancestors, and he must practice it accordingly. Our experiences of the way the same religions are practiced in Africa and outside are vastly different!
When I was a student in England, I attended church services a few times and they were intimate, quiet, somewhat pleasant sessions where we had long chats about internal spirituality and global events. Prayer was viewed as something personal and private between yourself and God. In Nigeria, the few church services I have attended have been raucous, high profile, power-dressing, supercharged affairs where an inordinate amount of emphasis is placed on giving money and SCREAMING OWT TOO DEE LAWD ALMIGHTEE! So a Nigerian Christian will claim to practice the same religion as an old lady from Pontefract, but this is not the case in practice at all!
The implication of rejecting ancestral knowledge to chase foreign chimeras is that there will always be a spiritual emptiness in the soul of the "believer" that they will try to fill with primitive accumulation. Nothing they have will ever be enough and they won't know why. Nature abhors a vacuum. When you cannot have enough of anything and you are constantly looking for more, what will it lead to inevitably?
The other implication is that in the absence of a genuine, non-hypocritical peace which colonial religions cannot give, the only way to live with oneself and justify what one deep down does not believe in, is to become a fanatic and a bigot. Nigeria is utterly flooded with bigots for this singular reason. You don't need me to tell you why this is dangerous. To put it very bluntly, our insistence on clinging to the definition of the colonial religions that were flogged into us is one of the three biggest causes and helpers of corruption in Nigeria. So you want to "fight corruption"? Start from putting down that Bible and Quaran and taking up a social or economic cause instead. If that is too much for you to do, then you must understand that you are aiding and abetting corruption.
You do not need "anti corruption messiahs". You do not need saintly dictators who will go around flogging "corrupt" people with horsewhips. You do not need yet another "war on corruption" leadership myth sold to you to add to the ones you bought in 1984, 1993, 2007 and 2015. What you need to do is attack the problem. Not the symptom.