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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check
October 9, 2009
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Your tax dollars at work:
Earlier this year, you heard President BARACK OBAMA warn your local government not to spend their share of the stimulus package money on stupid things. But his warning hasn't stopped some from trying. The NY Daily News put together a list of the "most inane bailout requests."
- Sumter, South Carolina, requested $33-thousand dollars to install toilets that flush automatically.
- Chula Vista, California, sought $500-thousand bucks to build a park for dogs.
- Brockton, Massachusetts, hoped to get more than $2-million dollars for two new skateboard parks.
- Maui, Hawaii, asked for $6-million dollars to heat their county's swimming pools.
- Austin, Texas, planned to build a disc golf course with an $850-thousand grand bailout check.
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas, requested more than $1-million dollars for a kids water park. (Couchman)
Guilty Pleasures:
No winner in Tuesday night's drawing for the Mega Millions Lottery. That means tonight's drawing is valued at $145 million ($93.1 million cash value). Mega Millions is played in 12 states: CA, GA, IL, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, OH, TX, VA, WA. Chances of winning the big prize are 1 in 175.7 million.
The Economy:
A slight sigh of relief in stores across the country yesterday: Retail sales were up in September for the first time in more than a year.
Lured by back-to-school specials, discounters did well, but for the first time in many months, department store retailers and even teen retailers posted solid numbers, suggesting that the holiday shopping season may not be quite so bad after all. (Maiman)
On, Off, and way off Broadway:
"The Phantom of the Opera" is back, and this time he's haunting Coney Island. ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER has written a sequel to his mega-hit Broadway musical called "Love Never Dies." The plot line has the Phantom leaving the Paris Opera House and hiding out with the Cyclone roller coaster and Nathan's Hot Dogs in Brooklyn. The New York Daily News says NICOLE SCHERZINGER of the PUSSYCAT DOLLS may be up for the female lead. The show opens in London in March 2010, then moves to Broadway in November. (Marino)
Broadcast, cable and video news:
Another day, another remake of a classic TV show. This time, CBS is redoing the cop series "Hawaii Five-O," which starred JACK LORD as Steve McGarrett and ran from 1968-80.
The Hollywood Reporter says the guys behind the recent "Star Trek" reboot are also writing the pilot for the new version of "Hawaii 5-0."
ABC has picked up COURTENEY COX's "Cougar Town," and PATRICIA HEATON's "Modern Family" for the rest of the season. Each show had aired three times to favorable ratings.
Longtime "Simpsons" fans will shocked to hear that mama MARGE is selling out. E! Online's MARC MALKIN reports the blue-haired domestic maven is set to "pose nude" in the November issue of Playboy magazine, will get a full three-page pictorial and give a telling interview. (Lee)
Off the beaten path:
The president of the Maldives says he and his entire cabinet will don scuba gear and hold a meeting underwater. It's meant to raise awareness about climate change.
The Maldives could be mostly underwater by the year 2100 if sea levels continue to rise. It's the lowest lying nation on Earth.
The meeting is set for the 17th. The cabinet members will be about 20 feet underwater. (Maiman)
Problems with underwater cabinet meetings (Maiman):
- Secretary of the Navy won't stop spear fishing
- Political opponents in boat overhead throw raw meat into water to attract sharks
- Instead of blowing hot air, now blowing bubbles
- Meeting cancelled when vice president gets caught in trawling net
- "Quick! The Health Minister's running out of air!"
- President's aide gets the bends
- Nobody can remember who invited SpongeBob SquarePants
- Disagreements settled with time honored political procedure, the "Who Can Hold Their Breath the Longest" game.
- Giant octopus taking notes of the meeting
- Interns in bikinis
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