Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Political Racket /Dirty Tricks:

The FBI released over 23-hundred pages of files on Sen TED KENNEDY yesterday, containing information on everything from credible threats against the senator's life to wild rumors involving FRANK SINATRA and MARILYN MONROE.
   At least a quarter of the pages in the files are about death threats to Kennedy. Among the most startling revelations is that ROBERT KENNEDY's assassin, SIRHAN SIRHAN, plotted from prison to kill Teddy too by offering a fellow inmate $1 million and a car to carry out the deed. Also, in 1979, a stalker twice broke into Kennedy's Virginia home while the senator was not home.

Conspiracy Corner:

Are NASA scientists quietly issuing a warning about a catastrophic event due sometime in the next three years? London's Daily Telegraph reports that NASA scientists have issued a new warning about likely solar flares and storms that --if previous cycles repeat themselves-- could render just about every piece of electronics inoperable, effectively crippling society.
   So is this the catastrophe that the Mayans predicted would happen around 2012? (Pacelli)

Culture Shock:

Like a creepy sequel, the sailing saga of 16-year-old ABBY SUNDERLAND started bearing an uncanny resemblance to "balloon boy's" wild ride when it turned out that her father LAURENCE SUNDERLAND had previously signed a contract for a reality TV show called "Adventures in Sunderland."
   The NY Post claims that even before Abby set off on her trip, her father was shopping the reality show. Sunderland, a sailing instructor himself, has seven children and his wife is pregnant, and said the show would revolve around his family. At some point, he said, it might incorporate his daughter Abby's trip, but he insisted he did not send his daughter to sail solo around the world as a stunt for the cameras.
   Meanwhile, his wife was lamenting the fact that the family can't afford the cost of Abby's rescue, which could run to as much as $300-thousand. Abby made headlines last week after hitting a storm in the Indian Ocean. In an interview on Sunday, Sunderland said she thought she'd be lost at sea for weeks.
   Reportedly, the studio that initially agreed to back the TV show isn't returning phone calls. (Maiman)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

Who could possibly replace LARRY KING on CNN? How about "America's Got Talent" judge, PIERS MORGAN?
   The London Daily Telegraph reports Piers has signed a four-year, $8 million deal to host the show, although some tabloids set the figure at as much as $14 million. Insiders say it was Piers' interview with former Brit Prime Minister GORDON BROWN on his talkshow, "Piers Morgan's Life Stories," which tipped the scales in his favor.
   CNN bigwigs are said to be looking to replace the suspendered host after his ratings dropped 43% in the first quarter of the year.

Remember when MTV premiered back on August 1st, 1981? They had VJ's or Video Jocks instead of DJ's. Well, nearly 29 years later, the network is about to hire its first TJ or Twitter Jockey.
   MTV is on the lookout for what it calls a "social media maven" who can be the link between the network's executives and the viewers. 18 candidates have already been chosen with the audience now asked to pick two more.
   The 20 candidates will compete with each other in a series of online challenges, with the final five in a live showdown on August 8th. The winner will be named MTV's official TJ and hired full time. He or she will also be on MTV every now and then. (Marino)