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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Rosanne Cash Book "Composed" out Aug 10th

For over three decades Rosanne Cash has been one of the most compelling figures in popular music, having moved gracefully from Nashville stardom to acclaim as a singer-songwriter and author of essays and short stories. Her remarkable body of work has often been noted for its emotional acuity, its rich and resonant imagery, and its unsparing honesty. Those qualities enable her to establish a unique intimacy with her audiences, and it is those qualities that inform her long-awaited memoir.
Composed is the story of an artist finding her voice—both figuratively and literally—in the context of her family legacy, of the commercial imperatives of the music business, and of a desire to preserve some measure of privacy in a life that has been too often subjected to public scrutiny. Beginning with a childhood spent on an almost surreal, snake-infested Southern California hilltop, Cash traces her fraught relationship with her father, country legend Johnny Cash, whose frequent absences and struggles with drugs left her mother, Vivian, disappointed and bitter. She shares her memories of a comical stint at a job in London, a hapless twenty-year-old desperate to find her own style, and of cutting her own first record on a German label. She recalls gradually working her way to chart-topping success, her marriage to Rodney Crowell—a union that made them country music’s premier couple—and the composition and recording of the landmark album Interiors. After leaving Nashville and Crowell for New York, she confronts the loss of her parents, charting the course of her mourning through music, and finds fulfillment in motherhood and in her husband and musical collaborator, John Leventhal.

Mayberry Sherrif Supports ObamaPlan

Actor Andy Griffith has a new role: pitching President Barack Obama's health care law to seniors in a cable television ad paid for by Medicare. The TV star - whose role as sheriff of Mayberry made him an enduring symbol of small-town American values - tells seniors that "good things are coming" under the health care overhaul, including free preventive checkups and lower-cost prescriptions for Medicare recipients. Polls show that seniors are more skeptical of the health care law than are younger people because Medicare cuts provide much of the financing to expand coverage for the uninsured. That could be a problem for Democrats in the fall congressional elections, because seniors vote in large numbers. Medicare says the national ad is not political, but part of its outreach to educate seniors about new benefits available next year. The ad is slated to run on channels seniors watch, such as the Weather Channel, CNN, Hallmark and Lifetime, at an initial cost of $700,000. Not even the 84-year-old Griffith could keep the ad from being pulled into the partisan politics of health care. Said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky: "It's going to take more than slick taxpayer-funded ads to convince skeptical seniors that cutting a half-trillion dollars from Medicare is good for them." But presidential adviser Stephanie Cutter said the law strengthens Medicare by reducing wasteful spending. "Seniors were the target of a major misinformation campaign," she wrote on the White House blog, saying the ads will help correct the record.

Alleged Gore Grope Goes Unpunished

Former Vice President Al Gore won't be prosecuted over allegations by a masseuse that he groped and assaulted her in his Portland hotel room in 2006, the county prosecutor said Friday.District Attorney Michael Schrunk said the case has numerous problems and isn't appropriate for a criminal prosecution.Among the difficulties that Schrunk cited: Although the red-haired masseuse said she was terrified of Gore, she also said she called him after their encounter and told him to "dream of redheaded women."Schrunk also said the woman -- Molly Hagerty -- told the hotel she appreciated the business referrals it had given her, and didn't mention any problems with Gore just two nights earlier.Gore denied the charges, including under questioning July 22 by local detectives. His aides welcomed the news."Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago," spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said in a statement. "He respects and appreciates the thorough and professional work of the Portland authorities and is pleased that this matter has now been resolved."There were questions about the veracity of the accuser's claims from the start.Detectives investigated the claims in 2006 and 2009 but decided not to pursue the case because of what they called the accuser's lack of cooperation and erratic behavior. She waited two months after the alleged incident to contact police, then canceled several meetings only to finally meet with officers three years later.It's still unclear whether she sought compensation to tell her story, and whether she received payment from any publication; news reports indicated she had sought $1 million from the National Enquirer, which broke the story about her accusations against Gore.The Portland Tribune said it thoroughly investigated her allegations -- including interviewing the accuser -- only to determine it wasn't responsible to move forward with a story. The paper reported that she failed a polygraph test. At least one other news organization also declined to publish a story.

Nashville: Teen on Teen Murder

NASHVILLE NEWS: Metro detectives in Nashville arrested 14-year-old Donquise Alexander on a charge of criminal homicide for the July 8th fatal shooting of 14-year-old Vincent Lewis outside an apartment building at 1611 6th Avenue North.
Three weeks of continuous investigation by Detective Robert Anderson and his colleagues, which included numerous interviews, led to the identification of Alexander as the suspected gunman. Upon learning of last evening’s issuance of a Juvenile Court arrest order, Alexander’s mother surrendered her son to detectives at 11 p.m.
The investigation into the homicide is continuing. Robbery may have been a motive.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Poll: Tennessean's Don't Want Guns in Bars

A law that allows handguns into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol is proving to be unpopular with Tennesseans.




Seven in 10 voters in a survey by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research said they oppose a law passed this year that lets people with concealed-carry permits take weapons into any establishment that sells alcohol.



Supporters say the law will make the state safer, but voters said in interviews that mixing guns and alcohol is too dangerous.



“No one wants them there,” said Carol Yager, a Brentwood woman who took part in the poll taken by Mason-Dixon for the Tennessee Newspaper Network.

Quick Change Artist Gets Nearly $1,000

Quick Change Artist Gets Nearly $1,000


July 30, 2010

2-Walmart cashiers were quick changed out of close to $1,000. A quick change artist is someone who steals money by confusing cashiers while they are making change. They’re called "artists" because they are amazingly good at what they do.



The quick change act occurred at the Walmart on South Rutherford Blvd. Reports show the culprit was a black male between the age of 25 and 35. He was seen driving a 2000 model Ford Taurus.

Hair Makeover for $55

Deal Location
3756 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville, TN 37215
Elan
Hair Makeover: Haircut, Single-Color Partial Highlight, Conditioning Treatment, and Blowout Styling
$ 55 buy now

Jim Morrison said it first: Some of the worst mistakes of our life have been haircuts. But we promise today's deal is a no-brainer -- and one of the best decisions you could make for your hair. Pay $55 for a hair makeover, valued at $165, at ultra-sleek and stylish Elan salon. (Recently voted one of America's top 100 salons in ELLE Magazine) The deal includes a haircut, single-color partial highlight, conditioning treatment, and blowout styling. Says one Citysearcher: "Straight, honest information and not the least bit pretentious... You can tell these folks all love what they do and enjoy making you look your best!" So go ahead, break on through to the other side of bad hair days.

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Thursday, July 29, 2010

55% Off Dry Cleaning

Deal Locations
  • 3201 Clarksville Pike, Nashville, TN 37218
  • 547 Hwy 46 South, Dickson, TN 37055
  • 2130 Bandywood Drive, Nashville, TN 37215
Executive Cleaners
$55 to Spend on Dry-Cleaning Services
$ 25 buy now

Do you groan when you notice that cute blouse on the sales rack sports a "dry clean only" tag? Who has time to hassle with dry cleaning? Well, today's deal will change your groans to glee. Executive Cleaners is offering $55 worth of dry-cleaning services for only $25. And with two locations in Nashville (Green Hills and Bordeaux) and one in Dickson -- plus free pick-up and delivery service -- Executive Cleaners irons out all of your I-don't-have-time excuses. This family-owned biz has been around since 1975, so they know their way around a stained and wrinkled shirt. With the money and time you'll save, perhaps you can go shopping for your next new favorite pieces of dry-clean-only apparel.

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

55% Off Tee's Fireside Cafe

Deal Location
7114 Hwy 70 South
Suite 109
Nashville, TN 37221
Tee's Fireside Cafe
$20 to Spend on Food and Drink
$ 9 buy now

Back in the day, Franklin Delano Roosevelt dished up fireside chats to help comfort a country starving through the Great Depression. Whether or not ol' FDR's chats actually calmed any nerves or filled any tummies is for historians to decide. But courtesy of today's deal you can have your own fireside chats in the face of economic malaise. With $20 worth of food and beverage for only $9 from Tee's Fireside Café, neither your tummy nor your wallet will go empty. Revered for its cranberry and sage chicken salad with celery, onions, and pecans on wheat-berry bread, Tee's also serves up California avocado sandwiches, tuna melt paninis, veggie quesadillas, burgers, and delicious soups of the day. Gather round Tee's fireplace in Bellevue Plaza and make FDR proud.

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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Go-Karting or Mini-Golf for $20

Deal Location
621 Old Hickory Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37209
Europa Go-Karts & Golf
$40 Worth of Go-Karting or Mini-Golf
$ 20 buy now

Admit it: You've been waiting for the perfect moment to prove to your cousins Danica and Dale Jr. that you still rule the asphalt track of your glory days. Well, now's the time to start up your engines and rev up with today's 50% off deal -- it's so cheap you could even afford to intimidate, er, treat them by paying for their tickets, too. Head to Europa Go-Karts & Golf in Bellevue for an unlimited day of family fun. Spend just $20 to get $40-worth of go-karting and/or mini-golfing. Once you've reclaimed your go-kart racing crown, you can show off your prowess with the putter on the ol' mini golf links. It'll pretty much be a day of win-win-win. Unless, of course, they win. In which case, it'll still be fun-fun-fun.

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Monday, July 26, 2010

Rod Blagojevich's Barrister Blows His Cool!

CHICAGO—The judge in Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial has clashed with an attorney for the former Illinois governor about what the lawyer can say in closing arguments.


Judge James Zagel sent the jury home for the day Monday after Blagojevich's attorney Sam Adam Jr. complained the judge was gutting his closing arguments. Adam said he intended to mention witnesses that prosecutors did not call—even though the judge previously warned him not to do so.



Adam also says he would be willing to go to jail for contempt if the judge didn't change his mind.



Blagojevich and his brother, Robert Blagojevich, have pleaded not guilty to charges including an alleged scheme to sell the Senate seat President Barack Obama gave up when he was elected president.






CHICAGO (AP)—A prosecutor wrapped up his closing arguments in Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial Monday after focusing on shooting down the former Illinois governor's defense, saying that Blagojevich need have made no money or gotten a high-profile job in order for his alleged schemes to be illegal.



Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Niewoehner told jurors that they shouldn't be concerned whether Rod Blagojevich actually managed to trade the appointment to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat for an ambassadorship or a Cabinet post or any money—only that he made the effort.



"You don't have to be a successful criminal to be a criminal," he said.



Nor, he said, should jurors be concerned that they did not hear Blagojevich outright tell those he is accused of shaking down for money what he was doing.



"It does not have to be x for y," he said.



For example, of allegations that Blagojevich was trying to elicit campaign donations from businessman Raghuveer Nayak in exchange for appointing Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to the Senate seat, he said if the governor never specifically said the appointment was tied to the contributions, he didn't need to.



"You do not have to say to Raghu Nayak, I will give you the U.S. Senate seat if you give me a million dollars.' It's the message that's important, not the specific words," Niewoehner said.



He said that message got through to Nayak, as it did to the Children's Hospital executive that if he didn't come up with a $25,000 campaign contribution, it would cost the hospital millions in state funding.



As Niewoehner described the sometimes profanity-laced language on FBI wiretap tapes, Blagojevich showed little emotion, sometimes biting his lip or rocking slightly in his defense table chair. His wife, Patti, sat a few feet to his left holding their youngest daughter on her lap, sometimes handing her pieces candy. It was the first time his two daughters have been in court.



Niewoehner started his closing Monday by citing the most famous comment on FBI wiretap plays played in court, Blagojevich calling the Senate seat "(expletive) golden" and saying he wouldn't give it up for nothing.



"He did his absolute best to turn (his) newfound power into something golden for himself," Niewoehner told jurors.



He said Blagojevich was "at the center of corrupt individuals."



"When you agree with someone else to commit a crime, you committed one," said Niewoehner, in a direct attack on the defense argument that all the governor did was talk. "Talking is the crime."



Niewoehner also countered suggestions that Blagojevich never acted on any alleged schemes, displaying a list under the headline, "Blagojevich Actions in Senate Shakedown." It included Blagojevich allegedly telling aides to try to negotiate with those he believed were White House emissaries.



Blagojevich, 53, has pleaded not guilty to scheming to trade or sell Obama's old Senate seat and illegally pressuring people for campaign contributions. If convicted, he could face up to $6 million in fines and a sentence of 415 years in prison, though he is sure to get much less time under federal guidelines.



Blagojevich's attorneys said their message to jurors will be simple: "First and foremost, the government has proved nothing," Sam Adam Jr. said over the weekend.



The former governor's brother, Nashville, Tenn., businessman Robert Blagojevich, 54, has pleaded not guilty to taking part in the alleged scheme to sell the Senate seat and plotting to illegally pressure a businessman for a campaign contribution.



Earlier Monday, prosecutors dropped one of five counts against Robert Blagojevich, a count of wire fraud. They said the count pertained to a Dec. 4, 2008 phone call that he did not take part in directly.



Robert Blagojevich's attorney, Michael Ettinger, said in his closing argument that jurors never heard any testimony, any tapes in which Robert Blagojevich said of any campaign contributions: "This is in exchange for something."



"Raising campaign funds is not illegal. It is not against the law," he said.



Niewoehner had told jurors earlier that Robert Blagojevich lied when he denied knowing about the alleged attempt by his brother to sell or trade an appointment to the Senate seat. He said the two were trying to get money or a job for the former governor in exchange for the appointment, and that Robert Blagojevich knew his brother was going to trade the appointment for "something good."



Many jurors jotted down notes as Niewoehner spelled out what specifically they should be looking at in trying to match evidence with each of the 24 counts against Rod Blagojevich.



The governor, in debt and desperate for money, tried to shake down everyone from Obama to a racetrack owner to a children's hospital executive, Niewoehner said as he methodically reviewed the highlights of the seven-week trial. Niewoehner also said Blagojevich lied to the FBI about the alleged schemes.



The prosecutor noted that thanks to legal bills and his own lavish spending habits, Blagojevich was deeply in debt. "He needed this golden ticket," he said

400 New Jobs In Franklin,TN

FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- An insurance company's expansion to Williamson County will mean 400 new jobs to the area. Jackson National Life Insurance said they have already received 2,500 resumes for the positions.




The company began in Lansing, Mich., and is moving its' regional headquarters to Franklin in the Cool Springs area.



The company specializes in retirement, including tax rates, accumulation rates and mortality risks.



Starting this August, employees will begin working in the Franklin office.



Company officials said job applicants should start hearing soon whether they have been hired

One Month of Tanning for $15

Deal Locations
  • 6800 Charlotte Pike , Suite 104, Nashville, TN 37209
  • 101 Creekside Crossing , Suite 600, Brentwood, TN 37027
Eurobronz Tanning Studio
One-Month Unlimited Tanning or Two Spray Tan Sessions
$ 15 buy now

You bowed out of your annual spring jaunt to Cannes, and a getaway to the Greek Isles is looking as likely as the near possibility of Greece's financial stability. But with today's deal, your skin will be so sun-kissed and radiant that people just might want to peek at your passport. Pay just $15 for $40 worth of unlimited tanning for one-month (in a KBL 3500 bed imported from across the pond), or pay just $20 for two spray tan sessions at Eurobronz Tanning Studio. Enjoy getting your bronze on at one of the tanning salon's two locations in West Nashville and Brentwood. Now that's what we call a good euro-to-dollar conversion.

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Friday, July 23, 2010

Solar Roofs Buck Recession!

Despite the recession, new U.S. solar installations are rising, as are new jobs and new economic growth. Data from the Solar Energy Industries Association show that total U.S. solar electric capacity from photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies climbed past 2,000 megawatts (MW) in 2009. Solar industry revenues also surged despite the economy, climbing 36%. Another sign of optimism is that venture capitalists invested more in solar than any other clean technology in 2009 – over $1.4 billion. For an industry with a total U.S. volume of $4 billion, that signals huge optimism about near-term growth.
The solar industry accounts for about 46,000 jobs in the U.S., and is expected to rise to 60,000 by the end of 2010. North Carolina, a state that has embraced renewable energy development, projects that as many as 28,000 new jobs and a 10 million ton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions will be achieved by 2030 if the state can draw 14% of its electricity from solar sources.
These figures are impressive, but the development of solar energy in the U.S. remains heavily aligned with federal and state incentive programs and policy. Between 2002 and 2008 over $70 billion of federal tax dollars went towards fossil fuels and just $1.2 billion towards solar power. New nuclear plants get more than triple the government subsidy that new solar plants get.
Still, there are some bright signs. The federal ARRA stimulus legislation has deployed more than 46 MW of solar power with the help of Section 1603 Treasury grants in lieu of investment tax credits. Solar equipment manufacturers have been awarded $600 million in manufacturing tax credits under ARRA, representing investments in new and upgraded facilities of more than $2 billion.
Property assessed clean energy financing, or PACE, legislation has been enacted in a growing number of states. PACE provisions will allow homeowners and businesses to finance solar energy systems through municipal or government-backed bonds via an assessment on their property taxes. This ensures the availability of credit, reduces up-front costs and facilitates transfer of the solar system to new property owners. 
There is some innovative legislation in Congress too. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) recently introduced a bill aimed at getting 10 million new solar rooftop systems and 200,000 new solar hot water heating systems installed in the U.S. in the next 10 years.  The cleverly titled "10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act" will provide rebates that cover up to half the cost of new solar systems, along the lines of incentive programs in California and New Jersey, the #1 and #2 states for installed solar in the country.
The bill also includes measures to insure that those who receive assistance get information on how to make their buildings more energy efficient. The passage of this bill would dramatically re-orient our energy priorities. When fully implemented, this legislation would lead to 30,000 MW of new PV, tripling our total current U.S. solar energy capacity. It would increase by almost 20 times our current energy output from PV panels. The legislation would rapidly increase production of solar panels, driving down the price of PV systems and it would mean the creation of over a million new jobs.
Here's how the Ten Million Solar Roofs Act works: take the example of a homeowner who decides to install a 5-kilowatt solar system which, depending on location, would produce enough electricity to cover most, if not all, of an average electric bill (the solar panels would produce excess power during the day that can be sold back to the utility, covering some or all of the cost of electricity when the sun is not shining). That system today costs roughly $35,000 to purchase and install. The federal tax credit of 30% reduces the system cost to $24,500. Most states offer additional tax incentives.  For example, if a homeowner could get an additional rebate of $1.75 per watt, the system cost is now reduced to $15,750.
The Ten Million Solar Roofs Act would provide an additional rebate of as much as $1.75 per watt, covering up to 50% of the remaining cost. The result: the consumer now pays $7,875 for the solar system. That's pretty attractive for a family that plans to stay in its home or wants to increase its home value or a small business looking to stabilize its energy costs.  Plus, our nation would benefit by reducing expensive construction of new power plants and lowering health care and other costs associated with air and water pollution from fossil fuels.
When Ben Franklin stared at the half sun on the back of George Washington's chair, he proclaimed "I have the happiness to know that it is indeed a rising, not a setting, sun."  The power of the sun is here to harness. If we do so wisely, our nation will have the energy capacity to continue to rise as well, just as our Founding Father intended.

Hot Air Balloon Ride for $125

Ace High Ballooning
Hot Air Balloon Adventure
$ 125 buy now

LivingSocial crew, please prepare for lift-off. Today's deal will have you on cloud nine: Pay $125 for a $250 hot air balloon ride by Ace High Ballooning. Adventures depart from the Franklin, Brentwood, or Arrington areas and take a total of about three hours, with nearly an hour spent gliding high above. Please turn off and stow all electronic devices -- after all, when you're sailing through the friendly skies with your sweetheart or best buds, we promise you won't need any extra stimulation. On landing, you'll be treated to a Traditional Champagne Ceremony (or sparkling cider). Just be careful when disembarking, as your perspective may have shifted in flight.

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