Batangas Today: “US Postal Service rescue from new Congress needed, losing $25 million everyday, Postmaster General says” plus 7 more |
- US Postal Service rescue from new Congress needed, losing $25 million everyday, Postmaster General says
- Jay-Z and Beyonce spend $1 million a year for baby Blue Ivy nursery rent at Barclays Center, reports say
- Kimmel slams Leno in Rolling Stone magazine interview, “He totally sold out”
- Rare teenage Princess Diana photo with ‘not to be published’ to be sold in RR Auction, mystery man identified
- Trillion-dollar coin creation campaign launched to avoid US debt ceiling, White House petition says
- 170 Billion Tweets Collected by Library of Congress Since 2010
- Psy buys L.A. condo: Gangnam Style Singer $1.2M Property Near Beverly Hills (Photo)
- Giant yellow duck: Sydney Festival 2013 Floating Attraction at the Harbor (Photo)
| Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:25 AM PST The US Postal Service needs rescue from the new Congress, with Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe noting on Thursday, January 3, 2013 that the USPS is now losing $25 million everyday. The appeal comes after its announcement last October that US stamp prices will go higher again starting January 2013.  US Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe Image Credit: ABC video According to a post by the USPS on its official website that day, Patrick Donahoe, who officially became the Postmaster General since January 14, 2011, released a statement on his concerns on the financial crisis of the US Postal Service, urging the new 113th Congress to prioritize making a postal reform. “The 112th Congress adjourned without having passed postal legislation. Such legislation could quickly restore the Postal Service to profitability and put the organization on a stable, long-term financial footing. This lack of action is disappointing.” Donahoe was quoted at USPS.com. “The Postal Service has worked closely with the Congress over the past two years to advance a framework for a viable business model that will allow us to quickly respond to the evolving needs of our customers.” Donahoe added, noting that there were approximately 60,000 jobs cut over the past two years. “As we look to the coming year, we are on an unsustainable financial path. We are currently losing $25 million per day; we have defaulted on $11.1 billion in Treasury payments and exhausted our borrowing authority.” The Postmaster General further said; with cost reduction measures include closing some of its offices. As we all know, the USPS is an independent agency of the United States government and has not directly received money from US taxpayers since the early 1980s. The declining mail volume is being brought about by the increase use of email and other electronic forms of communication via the Internet.      |
| Posted: 05 Jan 2013 08:17 AM PST Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles are reportedly spending $1 million a year for nursery rent for their daughter Blue Ivy Carter at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, where the celebrity couple regularly watches the Brooklyn Nets games. Incidentally, their first baby will turn one year old on Monday, January 7, 2013.  Beyonce and daughter Blue Ivy Image Credit: Iam.Beyonce.com As noted at US Magazine on Friday, January 4, a source told them about the pricey payment of Beyonce and Jay-Z for Blue Ivy‘s nursery room, complete with toys and a crib, along with other amenities. It is being considered as the most expensive rent space at Barclays Center. “Jay rents a luxurious basement suite for $1 million a year. It has an area for Blue filled with toys. It’s all glass with a champagne bar and TV screen. Jay lets friends use his digs when he’s not there.” The source was quoted in the report, adding that the VIP space also serves as a party place for the couple’s friends. The lavishing expenses may not be surprising to someone like Jay-Z, whose net worth was estimated at nearly $500 million by Forbes back in April 2012, with the couple reportedly having a combined net worth of around $775 million. Last December, Forbes reported that Beyonce made $40 million from May 2011 to May 2012. Jay-Z, 43, besides one of the most financially successful hip-hop artists, he is also among the very successful entrepreneurs in the US. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide and received 14 Grammy Awards. He co-owns the 40/40 Club and is a part-owner of the NBA team Brooklyn Nets. On the other hand, Beyonce, 31, is a former member of Destiny’s Child, which is being considered as one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time. As a solo artist, she has sold over 13 million albums in the US and over 75 million records worldwide. She is set to perform at the 2013 Super Bowl halftime this coming February 3.    |
| Kimmel slams Leno in Rolling Stone magazine interview, “He totally sold out” Posted: 05 Jan 2013 03:37 AM PST Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel slams Jay Leno, during a recent interview by Rolling Stone magazine, and apparently called him as “totally sold out.” Interestingly, Kimmel expressed his admiration towards David Letterman, who recently called Leno as the ‘most insecure’ person he ever knew.  Jimmy Kimmel Image Credit: Randy Holmes/ABC As noted at the New York Daily News on Thursday, January 3, 2013, which obtained an advanced copy of the Rolling Stone magazine with an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” show host slammed Leno, whom he will be directly competing each other in the new time slot, along with David Letterman. “Leno hasn’t been a good stand-up in 20 years. As a comedian, you can’t not have disdain for what he's done: He totally sold out. He was a master chef who opened a Burger King.” Jimmy Kimmel was quoted in the report, during the interview by Rolling Stone magazine, which went on sale this Friday, January 4. Apparently, this is not the first time Kimmel slams Leno. Back in January 2010, he also mocked Leno while impersonating him on his own show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at ABC. Two days later, he appeared at the now defunct show “The Jay Leno Show” at NBC, and criticized Leno for his plans to return to the “The Tonight Show.” But as usual, Jimmy Kimmel expressed his high respect for Letterman, saying, “If I beat David Letterman in the ratings, does that mean I’m better than Letterman?. No f***ing way.” For Jimmy Fallon, Kimmel said he considers him as a “very worthy competitor.” As announced by ABC back in August 2012, Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be moving from 12:35 a.m. to 11:35 pm ET starting this Tuesday, January 8, putting the show in direct competition with The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at NBC and Late Show with David Letterman at CBS.    |
| Posted: 05 Jan 2013 01:46 AM PST A considerably rare photo of Princess Diana during her teenage years, as shown below, will be up for sale through RR Auctions in New Hampshire later this month. Interestingly, the rare black and white Princess Diana photo has a handwritten message “not to be published” on it. As noted at Daily Mail on Thursday, January 3, 2013, the rare Princess Diana picture is believed to have been taken between 1979 and 1980 when then named-Lady Diana Spencer was assumed to be 18 or 19 years old that time. Teenage Diana can be seen lying on a bed looking at the camera, and a young man is reading a book that rests on her left shoulder. Apparently, the name of the photographer was not known and why it was marked as “not to be published.” The said photo was reportedly sold to the Daily Mirror on February 26, 1981, two days after her engagement with Prince Charles was announced. It was later bought by Caren Archive, which puts the item for auction. “It’s an intimate photo – I don’t know the man in the picture and he could be a friend or a boyfriend. This would certainly not be the way the Royal Family would have wanted Diana to be presented at that moment, given that two days before her engagement had been announced.” Caren Archive owner Eric Caren was quoted in the report. However, a report at Guardian this Friday, January 4, said that the mystery man on the rare Diana photo was identified by Andrew Morton, an English journalist and biographer of celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Monica Lewinsky, and Princess Diana; and sent an email to them, which a portion can be read below.
Meanwhile, the Princess Diana photo auction sale at RR Auctions will be from January 17 to 24, 2013. The bid for the said photo starts at $200, but observers noted the final selling price will be much higher.  Teenager Princess Diana ‘not to be published’ photo Image Credit: Caren Archive    |
| Trillion-dollar coin creation campaign launched to avoid US debt ceiling, White House petition says Posted: 04 Jan 2013 09:40 PM PST A US trillion-dollar coin creation is now the subject of a new White House petition, and is being believed to solve the US debt ceiling, which is now under debate among the politicians and President Barack Obama. The hashtag #mintthecoin was spread on Twitter, calling the US Treasury to mint a $1-trillion platinum coin. “With the creation and Treasury deposit of a new platinum coin with a value of $1 trillion US Dollars, we would avert the absurd-yet-imminent debt ceiling faceoff in Congress in two quick and simple steps!” A statement reads on the White House ‘Mint the Coin’ petition, which was created on Thursday, January 3, 2013. “While this may seem like an unnecessarily extreme measure, it is no more absurd than playing political football with the US — and global — economy at stake.” The trillion-dollar coin petition added, which has 3,268 signatures as of this writing, but needs 25,000 signatures by February 2, 2013 before White House can respond. Apparently, the trillion-dollar coin proposal was first heard in 2011 to avoid the US Congress to raise the country’s borrowing limit. However, it became more popular in the late 2012 until Rep. Jerrold Nadler, (D-NY 10th District) formally suggested it, emphasizing that he is very serious about the idea. “There is specific statutory authority that says that the Federal Reserve can mint any non-gold or -silver coin in any denomination, so all you do is you tell the Federal Reserve to make a platinum coin for one trillion dollars, and then you deposit it in the Treasury account, and you pay your bills,” Rep. Nadler earlier told Capital New York. Interestingly, the creation of trillion-dollar coin is legal, as stated on the US Code (31 U.SC. Section 5112), stating that “The Secretary may mint and issue bullion and proof platinum coins in accordance with such specifications, designs, varieties, quantities, denominations, and inscriptions as the Secretary, in the Secretary’s discretion, may prescribe from time to time.” But is it practical? Can it really solve the US debt ceiling? Or is it just another ridiculous suggestion from those who do not fully understand the principles of economy? No worries, most observers noted that it is very much unlikely to happen.  White House petition to US Treasury to mint a trillion-dollar coin Screenshot Credit: Petitions.WhiteHouse.gov    |
| 170 Billion Tweets Collected by Library of Congress Since 2010 Posted: 04 Jan 2013 06:50 PM PST  Library of Congress Twitter Profile Image Credit: Twitter.com The Library of Congress collected about 170 billion tweets since it started archiving all Twitter messages in 2010, with two compressed copies of the data of about 133.2 terabytes, according to Fast Company reports, January 5, 2012. "It's a few cabinets of tape. It's not a roomful or roomfuls. And that's just a testament of the storage capacity of tape", Robert Dizard, Library of Congress' deputy library mentioned in a statement. According to reports, since the library signed an agreement with Twitter in 2010 giving access to historical tweets, Library Congress' staffs have been working to establish a sustainable process for acquiring and storing tweets. With the large volume of tweets they archive everyday, librarians have been developing a system to preserve and organize the collection, according to reports. Our mission is to collect, preserve, and provide access to creative and historical record of America. We're looking at Twitter from a research and scholarship perspective as providing a reflection of everyday life as well as showing the development and impact of significant events. You also have the record and recordings of individuals. Which are also valuable", Robert Dizard added.    |
| Psy buys L.A. condo: Gangnam Style Singer $1.2M Property Near Beverly Hills (Photo) Posted: 04 Jan 2013 06:43 PM PST  Psy buys L.A. condo Image Credit: TMZ Gangnam Style singer Psy buys a condo in L.A. worth $1.249 million, according to a TMZ report two weeks ago. The Korean pop superstar reportedly acquired the 2,700 square feet condo near Beverly Hills. Psy‘s newly purchased luxury property in the famous Blair House is one way of proving that he is not an anti-American. Reports say that the condo was bought entirely in cash, through wired transfer from Korea. Psy reportedly earned $7.9 million for his Gangnam Style music which broke YouTube video records. As of posting, his YouTube Gangnam Style video has over 1.1 billion views. He dislodged Bieber from being number one on YouTube. The Korean singer signed a record deal with Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber’s manager, last September 2012.    |
| Giant yellow duck: Sydney Festival 2013 Floating Attraction at the Harbor (Photo) Posted: 04 Jan 2013 04:25 PM PST A giant yellow duck will be an added attraction for the 2013 Sydney Festival that will open on Saturday, January 5, 2013.  Giant Yellow Duck Image Credit: Florentijn Hofman The giant floating duck, called “Rubber Duck“, was placed at the Sydney harbor and will be formally unveiled on Saturday. Sydney Festival is an annual exposition of arts and music that will run until January 27. Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is the man behind the five-story, yellow duck. His artistic design made from PVC material was created in New Zealand. It reportedly took three weeks to construct and 30 minutes to inflate the giant duck. In his website, Hofman described his creation by saying,
His giant yellow duck has earlier made appearances in Japan, Brazil and throughout Netherlands. A 10-ton barge keeps the giant duck in place at the Sydney Harbor. It will stay in the area until the end of January. Do you think that this giant yellow duck will attract more visitors at the nearly month long 2013 Sydney Festival?    |
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