A Tuesday night hearing at the Shiloh Community Missionary Baptist Church in Homewood addressed upcoming legislation for more police transparency. Pittsburgh Councilman Ricky Burgess' bill would establish policy for off-duty police, and compel the Pittsburgh Police Bureau to produce an annual report on the make-up of the police force; any legal action against police officers; average response times; arrests by charge, race and gender by zone and specialized units; conviction rates and traffic stops as well as recruitment and retention.
Burgess says that a lot of people are interested in the duties and requirements of off-duty police officers. "I think there needs to be a clear policy that states what off duty police officers should and should not do, and what is the responsibility and the city's commitment to them so that both sides are clear. I think that recent events have lead us to need to have that process clarified."
He says that the majority of his constituents are behind him and that he has not yet heard from the opposition directly. Burgess is willing to make compromises to his legislation but believes that the conversation and public discussion is incredibly important.
Councilman Burgess' legislation was proposed after allegations of police brutality against 18 year old Jordan Miles, who was allegedly beaten by 3 plain clothed officers while walking to his grandmother's house in Homewood.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
"Watson" Goes for Win
The language-computing computer Watson will attempt to hold on to its lead tonight in the final episode of a three-part Jeopardy! series pitting the computer versus two of the shows greatest champions, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.
Carnegie Mellon University professor Eric Nyberg is a contributor in the creation of Watson, and says he will watch with excitement, though he already knows the result.
Nyberg along with CMU students Nico Schlaefer and Hideki Shima work with IBM on the development of the computer which has earnings of $35,734 after 2 rounds of Jeopardy compared to $10,400 for Rutter and $4,800 for Jennings. The 3 episodes were filmed last month, so Nyberg and other contributors to the computer’s creation know the results. Nyberg was surprised by Watson’s success on the second day.
“I think my expectation was really that it would be like what you saw on day one where it was sort of a neck and neck kind of thing where Watson did very well in some categories and didn’t really answer anything in some of the other categories,” Nyberg says. “That’s actually quite characteristic of Watson’s performance overall.”
The language computing computer processes the clues using a vast knowledge of the English language, programmed by people like Nyberg. Watson then calculates a confidence level for the answers it’s considering and buzzes in if it seems sure.
Nyberg says the research has been great for the field of language computing technology and he says CMU has already implemented improvements to the model idea.
“One of the things we’re working on at Carnegie Mellon is a technique that basically helps Watson to study for a particular topic,” Nyberg says. “You can give Watson documents that are on topics that you want him to learn about and then we have another tech that will go out and find other relevant texts that are available.”
However if Nyberg wants viewers to know anything, he jokes that Watson’s intelligence is nothing to fear.
“It’s not going to take over the world, it’s not dangerous and nobody’s going to give any launch codes to Watson when it thinks that grasshoppers eat kosher and Toronto is a U.S. city.”
School Vouchers Debated
Pennsylvania’s Senate Education Committee is in the midst of a day-long hearing on a high-profile school vouchers bill.
The measure would divert state education money to private school vouchers for low-income students in failing school districts.
Republican sponsor Jeff Piccola has aggressively challenged opponents of the measure, at times comparing them to supporters of communism. Democrat Anthony Williams co-authored the bill and defended the rhetoric he’s used comparing public education to Jim Crow-style segregation.
"Those who chastise me by injecting the civil rights comments that I do on occasion: separate but unequal is what we have. And it’s not simply urban schools. Rural schools. This country is in crisis, when it comes to delivery of education. or segregation."
Early in the hearing, Democrat Daylin Leach pushed back, saying he and others have legitimate concerns about the voucher system.
"That we’re creating a huge new entitlement. A government entitlement in a time of recession. We’re taking money from the poorest schools, and leaving those still there with even fewer resources to try and make their education a little better."
Governor Corbett’s nominee for Education Secretary, Ronald Tomalis, testified in favor of a vouchers program, though he stayed away from wading into the specifics of Piccola’s measure.
The legislation, labeled Senate Bill 1, would gradually expand the voucher program over a three-year period.
The measure would divert state education money to private school vouchers for low-income students in failing school districts.
Republican sponsor Jeff Piccola has aggressively challenged opponents of the measure, at times comparing them to supporters of communism. Democrat Anthony Williams co-authored the bill and defended the rhetoric he’s used comparing public education to Jim Crow-style segregation.
"Those who chastise me by injecting the civil rights comments that I do on occasion: separate but unequal is what we have. And it’s not simply urban schools. Rural schools. This country is in crisis, when it comes to delivery of education. or segregation."
Early in the hearing, Democrat Daylin Leach pushed back, saying he and others have legitimate concerns about the voucher system.
"That we’re creating a huge new entitlement. A government entitlement in a time of recession. We’re taking money from the poorest schools, and leaving those still there with even fewer resources to try and make their education a little better."
Governor Corbett’s nominee for Education Secretary, Ronald Tomalis, testified in favor of a vouchers program, though he stayed away from wading into the specifics of Piccola’s measure.
The legislation, labeled Senate Bill 1, would gradually expand the voucher program over a three-year period.
Sirius Higher Enterprise Value Than Other High Growth Stocks (NASDAQ: SIRI)
NEW YORK - The enterprise valuation of Sirius Satellite radio has risen considerably over the last two years. The valuation at its low in 2009, before being saved by Liberty Media was approximately $3.2 billion but today it is over $12.8 billion which means it a higher valuation than Netflix.
Enterprise value, though seldom used is the best true indicator of the value of a company. Enterprise value is calculated by market capitalization + Debt + Preferred shares. For instance General Motors had a market capitalization of $1 billion but it debt in excess of $100 billion meaning the company's true value was $101 billion. This means the shareholders owned a tiny fraction of the company's value.
According to the contract between Sirius and Liberty Media, which signed in 2009; Liberty Media has the right to be issued up to 40% of the outstanding common shares of Sirius.
Considering the company has 3.9 billion shares outstanding a 40% piece of the common shares would balloon the share count to 5.4 billion (3.9*1.4). The Liberty Media stake will be converted into common shares, since the liquidation preference on the preferred share stake is 0.001 cent and the shares are worth close to $3 billion.
This gives Sirius a true market capitalization of $10 billion and with debt of $2.8 billion the company's enterprise value is $12.8 billion. Netflix which is overvalued has a market capitalization of $12.6 billion.
Netflix has quadruple the earnings power and is expecting 41% growth compared to 6% for Sirius in 2011.
To see the full Sirius report click here.
Enterprise value, though seldom used is the best true indicator of the value of a company. Enterprise value is calculated by market capitalization + Debt + Preferred shares. For instance General Motors had a market capitalization of $1 billion but it debt in excess of $100 billion meaning the company's true value was $101 billion. This means the shareholders owned a tiny fraction of the company's value.
According to the contract between Sirius and Liberty Media, which signed in 2009; Liberty Media has the right to be issued up to 40% of the outstanding common shares of Sirius.
Considering the company has 3.9 billion shares outstanding a 40% piece of the common shares would balloon the share count to 5.4 billion (3.9*1.4). The Liberty Media stake will be converted into common shares, since the liquidation preference on the preferred share stake is 0.001 cent and the shares are worth close to $3 billion.
This gives Sirius a true market capitalization of $10 billion and with debt of $2.8 billion the company's enterprise value is $12.8 billion. Netflix which is overvalued has a market capitalization of $12.6 billion.
Netflix has quadruple the earnings power and is expecting 41% growth compared to 6% for Sirius in 2011.
To see the full Sirius report click here.
Corker could have Tea Party trouble
If Tea Partiers decide to make Bob Corker a target next year he's vulnerable to it. 43% of Republican primary voters in the state say they'd prefer to nominate a more conservative alternative to Corker next year, compared to just 38% who say they'd rather put Corker forth again.
It's not that Republican voters are particularly negative toward Corker. He has a a 60/19 approval spread with them and 55% think he's ideologically 'about right' compared to just 23% who think he's 'too liberal.' But a plurality of them would like to replace him with someone further to the right anyway.
Taking down Corker is not something just anyone is going to be able to do though. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. has made noises about challenging him, but trails Corker 66-13 in a hypothetical match up. A more traditional name we tested- Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn- does a lot better but still trails Corker 50-30.
Those leads against a pair of hypothetical opponents shouldn't leave Corker feeling too reassured though. That 60% approval rating with the Republican base is less than the 77% approval Lisa Murkowski had with them in January 2010 and the 69% Mike Castle had with them in March of 2010. Those better numbers didn't keep the two of them from being primaried and Corker could be too- but only if a strong candidate decides to do it and has meaningful financial and institutional support. If folks like the Club for Growth or Tea Party Express decided to sit this one out Corker might be ok.
When it comes to the Republican Presidential field in the state, Mike Huckabee holds a wide lead with 31% to 17% for Sarah Palin, 11% for Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, 10% for Ron Paul, 3% for Mitch Daniels, and 1% for Tim Pawlenty. We wondered when we started doing these 2012 GOP Presidential polls if Gingrich's potential presence in the race would really hurt Huckabee's strength in the South but that does not seem to be the case. Polls we've conducted over the last three months have now found Huckabee at the top in North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and now Tennessee.
These numbers are also another data point showing that Romney's strategy for winning the nomination night have to hinge on racking up delegates in the West and Northeast. His favorability rating in Tennessee is only 47%, putting him way behind Huckabee's 74%, Palin's 67%, and even Gingrich's 52%. He has hovered right around the 10% mark in a lot of our Southern state polls and just does not seem likely to fare very well in the region next year.
Full results here
It's not that Republican voters are particularly negative toward Corker. He has a a 60/19 approval spread with them and 55% think he's ideologically 'about right' compared to just 23% who think he's 'too liberal.' But a plurality of them would like to replace him with someone further to the right anyway.
Taking down Corker is not something just anyone is going to be able to do though. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. has made noises about challenging him, but trails Corker 66-13 in a hypothetical match up. A more traditional name we tested- Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn- does a lot better but still trails Corker 50-30.
Those leads against a pair of hypothetical opponents shouldn't leave Corker feeling too reassured though. That 60% approval rating with the Republican base is less than the 77% approval Lisa Murkowski had with them in January 2010 and the 69% Mike Castle had with them in March of 2010. Those better numbers didn't keep the two of them from being primaried and Corker could be too- but only if a strong candidate decides to do it and has meaningful financial and institutional support. If folks like the Club for Growth or Tea Party Express decided to sit this one out Corker might be ok.
When it comes to the Republican Presidential field in the state, Mike Huckabee holds a wide lead with 31% to 17% for Sarah Palin, 11% for Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, 10% for Ron Paul, 3% for Mitch Daniels, and 1% for Tim Pawlenty. We wondered when we started doing these 2012 GOP Presidential polls if Gingrich's potential presence in the race would really hurt Huckabee's strength in the South but that does not seem to be the case. Polls we've conducted over the last three months have now found Huckabee at the top in North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Missouri, Virginia, and now Tennessee.
These numbers are also another data point showing that Romney's strategy for winning the nomination night have to hinge on racking up delegates in the West and Northeast. His favorability rating in Tennessee is only 47%, putting him way behind Huckabee's 74%, Palin's 67%, and even Gingrich's 52%. He has hovered right around the 10% mark in a lot of our Southern state polls and just does not seem likely to fare very well in the region next year.
Full results here
“One Book” Takes up “Charity and Kindness”
Every year for the last nine years, the Allegheny County Library Association has chosen a single book as a focal point for a community-wide discussion on a given topic. This year’s theme for the “One Book, One Community” effort is “Charity and Kindness” and the book chosen to represent that theme is Cami Walker’s ’29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving can Change Your Life.” At the age of 33 Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and a friend gave her a “prescription” to give away 29 gifts in 29 days. She took on the challenge and wrote the book as a result of her life-changing experience. Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) Community Partnership Coordinator Charity Leonetti says this is not just a story of giving away things. “What begins to emerge is how Cami’s interaction and attentiveness to other people in her life really changed her perspective,” says Leonetti.
Libraries throughout the county will be launching their own One Book, One Community events and the ACLA will sponsor events April 6th and 7th with the author. The association will also be partnering with Leadership Pittsburgh for a community discussion. Details on all the events can be found Online. Several libraries in the system have purchased extra copies of the book for their patrons. To help local libraries the ACLA has built book club kits that can be checked out for up to five weeks.
The book has spawned an international movement with people taking their own 29-day challenge. “In the end of the book there are some comments and testimonies from people who have taken on the 29-day challenge themselves and how it has made a difference in their lives,” says Leonetti.
Gurudas Kamat Releases Stamps On Six Legendary Indian Cinema Actresses
Minister of State for Communication and Information Technologies Gurudas Kamat has published a series of six stamps in six of the legendary film actresses india here last night.
Those legendary heroines of Indian cinema is a chicken Devi, Devika Rani, Savitri, Meena Kumari, Nutan and Leela Naidu.
Two legendary heroes past and Asha Parekh Vaijayantimala Bali honored at the players and remembrance and the work culture in those days.
Tajdar Amroh, family member of Meena Kumari and family members Savithri was also present on the occasion.
Equipment also published a coffee table book "Pigeon Post" Steve Borgia postal history of India at this time.
Devika Rani was the star and the late manager of Bombay Talkies, where he dominated the first decade of Indian cinema sound, and set the standard for post-1950 Hindi film heroine.
Daughter of Colonel Choudhury, surgeon of Madras, and niece of Tagore, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Royal Academy of Music (London) and also has a degree in architecture and was a successful designer paisley fabric. Himanshu Rai were married in 1929.
His first film produced by Rai and directed by Osten, as was the costume designer (and probably not included) for "Prapancha Pash" (1929). In Germany, where the film was edited, Rani saw Fritz Lang, and Sternberg GWPabst to work and helped Marlene Dietrich on the set of "Deblau Angel" (1930).
Chicken Devi, actress and singer, he started as Kananbala. He made his debut as a child actress Radha Joydev He has worked in film, where he served as Jyotish Bannerjee Films. PC Barua did not accept him in his role as Paro in "Devdas" (1935), but has played a leading role in his next film, Mukti, which made him a star and launched its long tradition in the New Theatre.
Meena Kumari was born in Bombay, a daughter of the Parsi stage actor, singer and music teacher Ali Bux and dancer Iqbal Begum, who has his finger on the problem and who live near Ali Bux Rooptara studies sought his three daughters in the film.
His most important character was built thanks to films like Kamal's Amroh "Daer, Bimal Roy 'Yahud and Guru Dutt's" Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ", which culminated in his most famous film," Pakeezah ".
Amroh married, who directed some of his best work. The couple completed the film designed together, "Pakeezah in 1971, just before his death.
Nutan, top 60 Hindi film star was presented to her mother, Shobhana Samarth in Hamari Beti. Her screen image was shaped by Bimal Roy (Sujata, Bandini) and those who continued the tradition of Roy: Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Anari), Bimal Dutt (Kasturi) and Sudhendu Roy (Saudagar).
Savithri Telugu-Tamil actor and director, was born in Chirravuru, Guntur District, AP in a wealthy family. She taught music and dance during Sista Purnayya Sastry and gave some public performances as a child in Vijayawada.
Leelu Naidu was the actor who starred in a small amount of Hindi and English movies, such as Merchant "families" Ivory Productions, the first film.
Selected in Femina Miss India 1954, has been featured in Vogue with the Maharani Gayatri Devi, the list of "ten of the world's most beautiful women, and remembered for its classic beauty and subtle acting style
MAXSpeed Group Appoints Bill Wright As Promoter For 2011 Rotax Pan-American Challenge
THREE OAKS, MI (February 15, 2011) – The MAXSpeed Group, United States Distributor for Rotax Kart Products, has appointed Bill Wright, of Formula Kart Productions, as promoter and organizer for the 2011 Rotax Pan American Challenge.
“Bill has been instrumental in the growth of the Rotax program through his work developing the extremely popular Florida Winter Tour series and he was our first choice in tackling the Pan Am events,” said Michel Boisclair, Partner of MAXSpeed Group. “The purpose of this series is to continue to grow the stature of karting on the U.S. stage and the international status of America the program
Wright’s experience as a promoter and producer of the Florida Winter Tour and the “FWT Live!” show is expected to help elevate the participation and exposure of the Pan Am Challenge. Schedules and announcements regarding the Rotax Pan American Challenge will be released soon from Formula Kart Productions. Visit http://www.gorotaxchallenge.com/ for more information or contact Bill Wright at (850) 258-0846 or info@formulakart.com
Clement A vs E Roger Vasselin Soccer Match
A very interesting match between two very good players who play very experiomentati very spectaculos.Clement tennis player who is currently ranked 104, while the other side is the player who occupies Roger Vesselin opzitia 122.
Clement is a tennis player practicing professional in 1996 is unnul of the most experienced players in this momend of ATP, it leached by Boris Vallejo estrus, Pierre Cherret.De other side of this match Edwards's opponent is the player Vesselin which is currently training with Boris Vallejo, Pierre and is a player faorte Cherret spectaculos.
Cei two players so far met three times or more, this time leading Vesselin Clement with the score 2-1.Ultimul match between the two players was in 2010 where the Vesselin imposed after a match in three sets very spectacular and very echilibrat.
Asadar however I bet on this game because I think Edwards Vesselin a tennis player who play much better and has a service that's very strong and I Create cirerd a decisive advantage in winning this match, more than that mutli clmeent is the player who prefers a game of bottom land on such a surface but as I do not think Marseille will have great chance to establish itself against a much stronger player and a much stronger work than his forecast clement.
In my conclusion is win this match in two sets Roger Edwards Vesselin without big problems and nvedere score with two players of the game more spectacular and it Vesselin practice.
Obama vulnerable...
Despite his recent popularity spike there should be no mistaking it- Barack Obama is vulnerable for reelection. The problem for the GOP is that he's a lot more vulnerable against generic Republicans than the actual Republicans looking at the race. Nevertheless there's plenty of time for a lesser known GOP contender to rise from the back of the field and prove to be a strong contender, or maybe even for one of the current front runners to have an image makeover that makes them more viable in a general election.
Republican chances of taking down Obama are going to depend a lot on the type of candidate the party puts forward. Tested against a generic Republican we find Obama tied at 47%. When you ask about a couple more specific types of GOP candidates though the numbers move in different directions. Against a generic moderate Republican candidate Obama actually trails by 2 points at 46-44. But when you ask voters whether they'd go for Obama or a Tea Party conservative Republican he leads by 4 points at 49-45.
There's a particularly large difference in how independents lean depending on the type of nominee the GOP ends up going with- they prefer a moderate Republican over Obama by 7 points, but they prefer Obama over a Tea Party style GOPer by 5 points. There's no doubt Republican chances of defeating Obama will be best with a centrist. Whether the party base is really going to be willing to sacrifice some ideological purity to get that candidate is another question.
He may be tied with a generic Republican but Obama leads against all of the named candidates in this poll. He has a 3 point advantage over Mike Huckabee at 47-44, a 5 point one over Mitt Romney at 46-41, a 9 point one over Newt Gingrich at 49-40, a 9 point one also over Ron Paul at 48-39, a 12 point one over Sarah Palin at 52-40, a 14 point one over Jeb Bush at 50-36, and a 14 point one over Donald Trump at 48-34.
Obama does better against the real Republicans than the generic ones for a very simple reason: with the exception of Huckabee voters just don't like any of those folks. Huckabee does have a positive favorability rating, at 36/30. The rest are all in negative territory: Jeb Bush's net favorability is -8 (29/37), Mitt Romney's is -9 (33/42), Ron Paul's is -21 (24/45), Sarah Palin's is -22 (34/56), Newt Gingrich's is -25 (27/52), and Donald Trump's is -29 (27/56).
Trump is pretty strongly disliked across the political spectrum. 61% of Democrats, 53% of Republicans, and 52% of independents have a negative opinion of him. At least you can say he's a unifier.
The big takeaway from this poll: Obama is certainly still vulnerable but whether the GOP's going to be able to take advantage of that vulnerability is an open question. And the Republican base might be its own worst enemy when it comes to whether it's willing to nominate the kind of candidate who can win in November.
Full results here
Republican chances of taking down Obama are going to depend a lot on the type of candidate the party puts forward. Tested against a generic Republican we find Obama tied at 47%. When you ask about a couple more specific types of GOP candidates though the numbers move in different directions. Against a generic moderate Republican candidate Obama actually trails by 2 points at 46-44. But when you ask voters whether they'd go for Obama or a Tea Party conservative Republican he leads by 4 points at 49-45.
There's a particularly large difference in how independents lean depending on the type of nominee the GOP ends up going with- they prefer a moderate Republican over Obama by 7 points, but they prefer Obama over a Tea Party style GOPer by 5 points. There's no doubt Republican chances of defeating Obama will be best with a centrist. Whether the party base is really going to be willing to sacrifice some ideological purity to get that candidate is another question.
He may be tied with a generic Republican but Obama leads against all of the named candidates in this poll. He has a 3 point advantage over Mike Huckabee at 47-44, a 5 point one over Mitt Romney at 46-41, a 9 point one over Newt Gingrich at 49-40, a 9 point one also over Ron Paul at 48-39, a 12 point one over Sarah Palin at 52-40, a 14 point one over Jeb Bush at 50-36, and a 14 point one over Donald Trump at 48-34.
Obama does better against the real Republicans than the generic ones for a very simple reason: with the exception of Huckabee voters just don't like any of those folks. Huckabee does have a positive favorability rating, at 36/30. The rest are all in negative territory: Jeb Bush's net favorability is -8 (29/37), Mitt Romney's is -9 (33/42), Ron Paul's is -21 (24/45), Sarah Palin's is -22 (34/56), Newt Gingrich's is -25 (27/52), and Donald Trump's is -29 (27/56).
Trump is pretty strongly disliked across the political spectrum. 61% of Democrats, 53% of Republicans, and 52% of independents have a negative opinion of him. At least you can say he's a unifier.
The big takeaway from this poll: Obama is certainly still vulnerable but whether the GOP's going to be able to take advantage of that vulnerability is an open question. And the Republican base might be its own worst enemy when it comes to whether it's willing to nominate the kind of candidate who can win in November.
Full results here
Poll: 53% Think Tax Hike Needed to Balance PA Budget
A new survey indicates support is growing for Tom Corbett who became Pennsylvania's new governor a month ago.
A Quinnipiac University poll shows 65% of those questioned are optimistic about the state, up from 59% in December, a month before he took office.
A month into the Corbett Administration, half of the poll participants said they had no opinion yet of Corbett's performance. But of those who have formed an opinion, the job approval rating is 3-1 in favor.
The governor is to release his budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and has said he would not raise taxes. However, Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Polling Institute, says by a 53% to 33% margin those surveyed don't believe Corbett will be able to balance the budget without a tax increase. That's a slight change (55% to 31%) from December's poll.
The sampling error margin is plus or minus 2.7 %.
Steve Mathews Launches New Website for Race fans
For immediate release - Sunday January 29, 2011 - The anticipation has built up for the release of the new stevemathews.ca to the public and race community. A new year has begun and with the 2011 race season just around the corner, Steve Mathews and Mathews Motorsports are proud to officially announce the launch of their website to the world wide web. Fans, and sponsors/marketing partners are what make the sport of auto racing possible, and the website is intended to keep both in touch and interactive with Steve Mathews and Mathews Motorsports. The website features media, schedules, news, blogs and social media, a fanzone and many more aspects for followers. With the season fast approaching, stay tuned in with Steve for any new announcements or news.
After competing in a limited amount of NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races in 2010, Mathews is excited to take his experience and apply it against the best racers in North America during the 2011 season. The 20 year old NewLiskeard, Ontario native plans to race in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, with all other plans still tentative. As Mathews Motorsports is preparing for 2011, they are also in search of marketing partners and are a prime organization if you or your company would like to see the results and benefits of motorsports marketing. Enjoy the website and visit regularly as video, blogs, pictures, and news will be constantly updated. Steve looks forward to seeing everyone at the racetrack soon enough, and presenting them with exciting news throughout the offseason.
http://www.stevemathews.ca/
Facebook: Mathews Motorsports
Twitter: @15Mathews
Youtube: MathewsMotorsports
AG's Office Would Take Over Gaming Investigations
A bill changing the way casino license applicants are screened has passed the Pennsylvania House 126-72 and is moving to the Senate.
The measure eliminates the Gaming Control Board’s investigative unit, and shifts its responsibilities to the Attorney General’s office.
Many Democrats argued the change would add politics to the investigative process. “Many of my constituents to not believe that the Attorney General’s office is, in fact, nonpartisan or bipartisan,” said Representative Margo Davidson of Delaware County, alluding to the AG’s investigation of petition fraud by Congressman Patrick Meehan’s campaign. Some Democrats have argued the investigation was less than thorough, due to the fact Meehan is Republican.
The bill’s author, Republican Mike Vereb, responded by pointing out Gaming Board members are all appointed by lawmakers or the governor. “We elect our courts, we elect our governor, we elect our Attorney General. The State Police Commissioner is appointed by the governor. At some point, someone who’s elected has a role in making sure these units operate,” he said
The change would cost $2 million, which many Democrats say the state can’t afford. Republican supporters point out the money comes from gambling revenue, and not the state’s general fund, and Majority Leader Mike Turzai of Allegheny County questioned the figure’s validity.
Republican Senator Jane Earll of Erie has said she opposes the shift. She chairs the Senate’s Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee, which oversees gambling. Turzai insisted he’s confident the bill can still move forward. “We’re going to be prioritizing legislation for both houses to look at, and our relationship with the Senate leadership and their team, I think, is very very good. And I think any proposal gets an opportunity to be heard and voted on by the House is certainly something that everybody will take a look at,” he told reporters.
The measure eliminates the Gaming Control Board’s investigative unit, and shifts its responsibilities to the Attorney General’s office.
Many Democrats argued the change would add politics to the investigative process. “Many of my constituents to not believe that the Attorney General’s office is, in fact, nonpartisan or bipartisan,” said Representative Margo Davidson of Delaware County, alluding to the AG’s investigation of petition fraud by Congressman Patrick Meehan’s campaign. Some Democrats have argued the investigation was less than thorough, due to the fact Meehan is Republican.
The bill’s author, Republican Mike Vereb, responded by pointing out Gaming Board members are all appointed by lawmakers or the governor. “We elect our courts, we elect our governor, we elect our Attorney General. The State Police Commissioner is appointed by the governor. At some point, someone who’s elected has a role in making sure these units operate,” he said
The change would cost $2 million, which many Democrats say the state can’t afford. Republican supporters point out the money comes from gambling revenue, and not the state’s general fund, and Majority Leader Mike Turzai of Allegheny County questioned the figure’s validity.
Republican Senator Jane Earll of Erie has said she opposes the shift. She chairs the Senate’s Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee, which oversees gambling. Turzai insisted he’s confident the bill can still move forward. “We’re going to be prioritizing legislation for both houses to look at, and our relationship with the Senate leadership and their team, I think, is very very good. And I think any proposal gets an opportunity to be heard and voted on by the House is certainly something that everybody will take a look at,” he told reporters.
Basketball: Tuesday Playoff Night Scoreboard
VivaLoudoun Tuesday Night Basketball Playoff Scoreboard
Proudly a dunk free zone
Tues. Feb. 15
Boys Basketball
Cedar Run District Semifinals
#1 Osbourn 50, #4 Loudoun Valley 26
#2 Battlefield 73, #3 Stonewall Jackson 46
Liberty District Quarterfinals
#1 Langley 60, #8 Marshall 39
#4 Fairfax 62, #5 TJ 60
#3 South Lakes 63, #6 Madison 44
#2 McLean 50, #7 Stone Bridge 46
Girls basketball
Cedar
Proudly a dunk free zone
Tues. Feb. 15
Boys Basketball
Cedar Run District Semifinals
#1 Osbourn 50, #4 Loudoun Valley 26
#2 Battlefield 73, #3 Stonewall Jackson 46
Liberty District Quarterfinals
#1 Langley 60, #8 Marshall 39
#4 Fairfax 62, #5 TJ 60
#3 South Lakes 63, #6 Madison 44
#2 McLean 50, #7 Stone Bridge 46
Girls basketball
Cedar
Hearing Scheduled Over Marcellus Drilling
Marcellus Shale protest groups gathered at Allegheny County Council’s meeting at the County Courthouse Tuesday evening to voice their concerns to council members and to call for a public hearing. Council agreed to do so and scheduled the hearing for March 10 at 5 p.m. in the Gold Room of the Courthouse.
Elizabeth Schneider of Marcellus Protest requested that all thirteen members be in attendance for the entirety of the hearing.
“This is a very, very important issue and your constituency deserves full attention as elected officials,” Schneider says. “Part time job or not your have three weeks to clear your schedules, 1.2 million people’s future depend on it.”
Not all council members attended the last public hearing on the issue in July.
Many constituents expressed concern about the effect drilling might have on water quality, and the health effects of chemicals that may become present as a result of drilling. The majority of those who spoke last night considered it a lapse in thought by council to consider allowing the Southwestern Pennsylvania region to fall into a similar polluting trend as those that the turn of the century steel mills produced.
Bradley Wilson said it is against Pittsburgh’s “green” standards to move forward with potentially polluting drilling.
“It is amazing to me that in this so called age of the green revolution in which we find ourselves building green arenas and convention centers, how quickly we fall into old industrial habits,” Wilson says. “We found a way to extract gas and generate a lot of money and jobs for the region, but this is a problem. It always is about money and jobs first, and about environment and our health second.”
The residents also spoke of the need to maintain the 2000 foot area between drilling wells and public residences should drilling not be halted altogether. There are proposals for 200 or 500 foot minimum distances from residences.
Elizabeth Schneider of Marcellus Protest requested that all thirteen members be in attendance for the entirety of the hearing.
“This is a very, very important issue and your constituency deserves full attention as elected officials,” Schneider says. “Part time job or not your have three weeks to clear your schedules, 1.2 million people’s future depend on it.”
Not all council members attended the last public hearing on the issue in July.
Many constituents expressed concern about the effect drilling might have on water quality, and the health effects of chemicals that may become present as a result of drilling. The majority of those who spoke last night considered it a lapse in thought by council to consider allowing the Southwestern Pennsylvania region to fall into a similar polluting trend as those that the turn of the century steel mills produced.
Bradley Wilson said it is against Pittsburgh’s “green” standards to move forward with potentially polluting drilling.
“It is amazing to me that in this so called age of the green revolution in which we find ourselves building green arenas and convention centers, how quickly we fall into old industrial habits,” Wilson says. “We found a way to extract gas and generate a lot of money and jobs for the region, but this is a problem. It always is about money and jobs first, and about environment and our health second.”
The residents also spoke of the need to maintain the 2000 foot area between drilling wells and public residences should drilling not be halted altogether. There are proposals for 200 or 500 foot minimum distances from residences.
Corbett Fires 6 State Workers Over Clinic Controversy
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett is making 18 changes to Health and State Department policies, in response to an investigation of why state inspectors ignored warning signs about a Philadelphia abortion clinic where a doctor allegedly killed live babies.
Corbett’s new policies will require annual inspections of abortion clinics, and the public posting of the reports on the Department of Health website.
Regulators will need to review complaints of serious events at any clinic within 48 hours of an initial report, and then visit the facility on-site within five business days.
Corbett is also ordering the Health and State Departments to share information with each other on a monthly basis, and work toward conducting joint investigations of facilities.
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams says he applauds Corbett’s actions.
The governor calls Health and State Department regulators’ failure to follow up on complaints about Kermit Gosnell’s clinic “despicable.”
The Administration has fired six state workers, and action is pending against eight others.
"People died because people did not a) follow the law, and agencies of government did not do their job and inspect to protect those individuals."
The Administration has fired six state workers, and action is pending against eight others.
"People died because people did not a) follow the law, and agencies of government did not do their job and inspect to protect those individuals."
"We boiled it down to this: people need to do their jobs. It’s not enough to prosecute the wrong-doing. We need to change the culture. That starts here. That starts now."
Corbett’s new policies will require annual inspections of abortion clinics, and the public posting of the reports on the Department of Health website.
Regulators will need to review complaints of serious events at any clinic within 48 hours of an initial report, and then visit the facility on-site within five business days.
Corbett is also ordering the Health and State Departments to share information with each other on a monthly basis, and work toward conducting joint investigations of facilities.
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams says he applauds Corbett’s actions.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Far From Ordinary: A Danny Boyle Profile (Part 2)
Trevor Hogg profiles the career of Academy Award-winning British director Danny Boyle in the second of a two part feature... read part one here.
“I like extreme films, where you put somebody in the most extreme circumstances you can imagine and see what they can do with it,” explained Manchester-born director Danny Boyle who expanded the opening two lines of a zombie horror script into a dramatic twenty-minute sequence. “A guy wakes up in a hospital and there’s not a single person in the whole city. What a great starting point for a film.” 28 Days Later (2002) follows a small group of survivors trying to find a safe haven four weeks after a mysterious virus spreads throughout the United Kingdom. The $8 million production written by novelist Alex Garland (The Beach) stars Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins), Naomie Harris (Miami Vice), Christopher Eccleston (Elizabeth), Noah Huntley (Event Horizon), Brendan Gleeson (Green Zone), Megan Burns (Liam), Justin Hackney (The Descent), Toby Sedgwick (Safe Conduct) and David Schneider (A Knight’s Tale). Filming desolate landmarks such as Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Horse Guards Parade, and Oxford Streets were achieved by closing sections of a street for minutes at a time during the early morning. “He is a big zombie fan,” said Boyle of his screenwriter Garland. “Alex is obsessed with them and I’m not; that’s a good balance to have.” The British moviemaker sheepishly admitted, “There are certain things we did that I didn’t even realize were complete steals from [George] Romero [Night of the Living Dead].”
“It was wonderful to work on digital,” stated Danny Boyle. “I’m very proud of the fact that’s the first proper widely-distributed release on digital, and on a very inferior digital format. It suited the guerrilla nature of the story and that was cool, doing it like that. I began to learn how to contradict film culture just in the way films are made. I got much more into doing it in what you would call an unprofessional way. I’m not a big fan of the tautly professional films that do things ‘the right way.’” Grossing $83 million worldwide, 28 Days Later proved to be so popular that the picture was re-released months after its initial run with an alternative ending. On the awards circuit, the fifth theatrical feature helmed by Boyle won the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film as well as nominations for Best Director and Best Writing at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films; the British Independent Awards nominated it for Best Achievement in Production, Best Director and Best British Independent Film. 28 Days Later was lauded with Best British Film, and received a nomination for Best Newcomer (Cillian Murphy) at the Empire Awards while the MTV Movie Awards and Irish Film and Television Awards respectively nominated Cillian Murphy for Breakthrough Male Performance and Best Actor in a Film. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote “28 Days Later is a tough, smart ingenious movie that leads its characters into situations where everything depends on their [and our] understanding of human nature.” The DVD for the film includes three alternative endings. A sequel was released called 28 Weeks Later (2007) as well as a comic book series called 28 Days Later: The Aftermath (2009) which bridges the gap between the two stories.
“It felt very personal, even though it’s not a script I wrote,” remarked Danny Boyle when recounting the origins of Millions (2004). A young boy who has visions of various Catholic saints discovers a mysterious bag filled with money. “All the iconography of the saints in Millions is very familiar to me,” stated the director. “We wanted the saints to have personality; we didn’t want them to be pious or sacred or sanctimonious.” Boyle added, “The spiritual message of the film…has more to do with having faith in people and that goodness can come out of that.” Performing along with James Nesbitt (Bloody Sunday), Daisy Donovan (Death at a Funeral), Christopher Fulford (Scoop), Pearce Quigley (The House of Mirth) and Jane Hogarth (Married 2 Malcolm) are child actors Alex Etel (The Water Horse) and Lewis McGibbon. “You can’t force them to say things the way you want them to be said,” remarked the filmmaker on how he worked with Etel and McGibbon. “You have to let it emerge from them.” The British comedy-drama which earned $12 million worldwide was crafted for mass appeal. “I wanted it to be seen by as many people as possible because I am very proud of it.” At the British Independent Film Awards, Millions won Best Screenplay and received a nomination for Most Promising Newcomer (Alex Etel); while the British Film Critics Association Awards nominated Alex Etel for Best Young Actor. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “It’s a film about real ideas, real issues and real kids. It’s not sanitized brainless eye candy. Like all great family movies, it plays equally well for adults.”
“What interested me was the idea that it could get to a point when the entire planet’s survival rests on the shoulders of one man and what that would do to his head,” said Alex Garland who wrote the screenplay for Sunshine (2007) which stars Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne (Knowing), Chris Evans (The Losers), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai), Benedict Wong (Dirty Pretty Things), Troy Garity (Bandits), Mark Strong (The Way Back), and Cliff Curtis (Whale Rider). A group of astronauts are sent to re-ignite the dying sun. “It’s funny, most directors only ever seem to make one space movie,” contemplated Danny Boyle when he first agreed to direct the sci-fi picture. “And then you make one and you know why: they are merciless, the demands on you. More than any other genre, it’s really narrow. Your options as a storyteller are incredibly limited, plus you’ve got these technical limitations you’ve got to get right, every detail – how your shoelace behaves in weightless conditions, how your hair behaves. The precision you have to bring is migraine-inducing, and the patience you have to have while you wait for CG [computer graphics].”
Asked how he determined the cinematic colour scheme for the story, the director replied, “The classic look is the James Cameron-Ridley Scott blue/gray/steel look. That’s the diet everyone expects to be fed in a science fiction movie. We deliberately didn’t have anything inside the ship apart from the carrots that were orange or gold. So, when you went outside, it was shocking to have this colour again. It was like going to colour from black and white.” Boyle referenced a number of classic films when making Sunshine. “The three big ones are 2001 [1968], the first Alien [1979] film, and Tarkovsky’s Solaris [1972].” A German World War II submarine tale directed by Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire) also had a major impact on the British moviemaker. “The obvious thing was to try and make it like Das Boot [1981], the classic claustrophobia film.” Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “The interactions are the weakest elements in Sunshine, which is strongest when it focuses on the sheer enormity of the mission and its consequences.” The $40 million production grossed $32 million worldwide and was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films; at the British Independent Film Awards it won for Best Production Design and received a nomination for Best Actor (Cillian Murphy). Empire Awards nominated Sunshine for Best British Film and Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Film while Cillian Murphy was nominated for Best Actor in a Film by the Irish Film and Television Awards. As for Danny Boyle, he competed for British Director of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards.
“The Beach [2000] was a very interesting stepping stone for me to Slumdog Millionaire [2008], because we went to Thailand and we took a huge crew from the West,” revealed Danny Boyle. “When you take a crew like that, you are an invading army. There is no other way you can be seen by the local population. You are this huge, brute force with big elbows coming in. It didn’t suit me, that. And it was compounded by the fact that the characters, I didn’t get to know them for some reason. I’m a city boy and I find myself making a film about paradise hippies. I tried to shift the film to be more about what Thai people thought of them, but you can’t do that with a $55 million film. It’s a huge oil tanker, you can’t move it around. It just goes steadily on its way. So when I made Slumdog, I took 10 people because I didn’t want to have that role of the invading army again.”
Based on the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup, Slumdog Millionaire stars Dav Patel (The Last Airbender), Freida Pinto (Rise of the Apes), Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor (Taal), Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Tanay Chheda (My Name Is Khan), Irfan Khan (The Warrior), and Rubina Ali (Bollywood Hero). In an effort to find his lost love, a young man from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? “In the book, the spine of the story is the [game] show, whereas in this it’s the love story because that’s his real agenda,” said Danny Boyle who conducted the principle photography for the $15 million production in India. “I was determined to make the film in real places because otherwise how was I going to understand or recreate it as a Westerner?” The country left a lasting impression on the director. “You leave India, but it never leaves you. It’s an extraordinary place and you learn about yourself as a person and as a filmmaker. It’s an incredibly generous place and it’s an incredibly contradictory place. And these contradictions are on a viciously extreme scale: the poverty and the wealth, the nuclear status — no toilets. Half the population of Mumbai have no toilets. I was trying to capture some of that, really, and we did it by some extreme storytelling. People say, ‘How can you go from the deliberate maiming of a child to a big Bollywood song and dance in the end?” Well, you don’t try to smooth the path from one to the other. I was trying to put all the elements into the film that belong to the city, that are a part of that city.”
“They tend to film in studios because the crowds get out of hand with the movie stars there,” said Danny Boyle. “We were lucky because none of our actors were known apart from Anil Kapoor who plays the host of the show.” Boyle contrasted the project to his previous cinematic efforts. “A lot of people compared it to Trainspotting [1996] for obvious reasons – there’s a toilet scene, there’s an energy in it.” There is another film of his that comes to mind for the director. “There’s also a fantastical, slightly irrational element to it as well, which we didn’t get quite right in A Life Less Ordinary [1997].” Producer Andrew Macdonald marvels at the creative flexibility of his frequent collaborator. “Boyle takes a subject that you’ve often seen portrayed realistically, in a politically correct way, whether it’s junkies or slum orphans, and he has managed to make it realistic but also incredibly uplifting.” Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), who visited India while conducted research for the script, said, “I wanted to get [across] the sense of the huge amount of fun, laughter, chat, and sense of community that is in these slums. What you pick up is a mass of energy.” A Hollywood Studio had major doubts about the drama. “We had this disaster in post [production] when Warner Bros. abandoned the film, they closed Warner Independent.” A savior was found in Fox Searchlight which agreed to release the picture which won the admiration of Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times who wrote, “Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire hits the ground running. This is a breathless, exciting story, heartbreaking and exhilarating at the same time, about a Mumbai orphan who rises from rags to riches on the strength of his lively intelligence.”
Earning $378 million dollars worldwide, Slumdog Millionaire caused Danny Boyle to become one of seven directors to win a Golden Globe, a Directors Guild of America Award, a BAFTA Award and an Oscar for the same movie. At the Academy Awards, the cinematic adaptation won Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay; it received a nomination for Best Sound Editing as well as a second nomination for Best Original Song. The BAFTAs lauded Slumdog Millionaire with Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Music, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Sound as well as nominations for Best Actor (Dev Patel), Best Production Design, Best Supporting Actress (Freida Pinto), and Best British Film. British Independent Film Awards presented the drama with Best Director, and Most Promising Newcomer (Dev Patel) while handing out nominations for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Most Promising Newcomer (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar); at the Golden Globes it won Best Director, Best Picture – Dramatic, Best Original Score and Best Screenplay. Slumdog Millionaire was presented with British Director of the Year, British Film of the Year, and Screenwriter of the Year while contending for British Actor of the Year (Dev Patel), and Director of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards; the Young Artist Awards lauded it with Outstanding International Feature Film Ensemble. Danny Boyle was presented with the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at the 2008 Austin Film Festival; at the same event, Slumgdog Millionaire was named the Audience Award winner.
“What you do is take the power it gives you…and use it to make a film that you believe in,” explained Danny Boyle who was riding a wave of international acclaim. “The danger is that you use it on a vanity project that nobody wants to watch.” The director returned to a project he had been trying to make since 2006, a cinematic adaptation of the autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place by mountain climber Aron Ralston who was trapped underneath a boulder for five days until he resorted to a drastic measure to free himself. “[Ralston] wanted to narrate it and be interviewed like in a documentary,” stated Boyle of his initial attempt to film 127 Hours (2010). “The problem is that if you turn it into a documentary you’ll be able to control it and it will be absolutely accurate but the audience won’t feel it other than as a spectator.” Boyle wanted to turn the story into a first-person drama. “The power you get from telling stories with skilled actors is phenomenal; it’s transformational and cathartic.”
“James [Franco] wasn’t an obvious choice,” admitted Danny Boyle who originally planned to select Cillian Murphy as his leading man, “but when he read the script you could hear that he could do it. So we cast him.” To get a better sense of what Aron Ralston went through, the director and Franco watched the actual video messages created by Ralston while he was trapped; the footage had a profound affect on them. “I thought this would be a man on the edge breaking down and crying.” Boyle found himself to be greatly mistaken. “Just what was in his eyes; he was trying to be himself and yet there was this slow inexorable agenda of death going on.” Close attention was paid to recreating the moment when Raltson amputates his trapped arm, using a blunt knife and the weight of the boulder. “I remember reading the chapter and I thought – we’ve got to do it very accurately. We got to reflect the fact that it’s not instant, in reality it took him over forty minutes.” The filmmaker did not regret his casting decision. “What happens in the scene itself is that he occupies these plateaus of pain so brilliantly…that people imagine it’s the sound effects that are [putting them] on the edge – and they obviously contribute to it. But the real issue is that it’s an extraordinary performance by Franco.” The sequence made headlines in the media. “What is astonishing, we did have a few people fainting, early on, but more importantly I don’t remember anyone walking out.” Boyle is quick to point out that the reporting of the fainting incidents was not part of a studio promotional campaign. “Fox Searchlight would have loved to have had the power the studios used to have where they could kill the story. But you can’t now, there are tweeters in the room! It’s out before the paramedics even get there.”
Though James Franco (Howl) spends most of the screen time by himself, other actors in the biopic are Amber Tamblyn (The Ring), Kate Mara (Transsiberian), Sean Bott (Heber Holiday), Treat Williams (Deep Rising), Kate Burton (Stay), and Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls). “As a director, you like having a real story because that’s what makes it more powerful,” said Danny Boyle. “But it’s also hard because you know you’re dealing with someone’s life.” The director snuck Aron Raltson into the first test screening, “It was incredibly intense. When he cuts his arm off, this being America, they cheered…I looked across at Aron and the tears were pouring down his face. He said what he found hard to cope with was the weird mixture of distance, watching it on the screen, and then sudden engagement, where he gets overwhelmed with it all again.” Aron Ralston was pleased with the cinematic treatment of his story; he remarked, "The movie is so factually accurate it is as close to a documentary as you can get and still be a drama." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “Franco does a good job of suggesting two aspects of Ralston’s character. (1) He’s a cocky, bold adventurer who trusts his skills and likes taking chances, and (2) he’s logical and bloody-minded enough to cut through his own skin and bone to save his life. One aspect gets him into his problem, and the other gets him out.” Ebert also praised the work of the movie’s film editor, “John Harris achieves the delicate task of showing an arm being cut through without ever quite showing it. For the audience the worst moment is not a sight but a sound. Most of us have never heard that sound before, but we know exactly what it is.”
“This is a film about how precious life is,” declared Danny Boyle. “And it’s only precious because of other people.” Boyle explained further, “He doesn’t survive because he is on his own; he survives because he finally realizes how important it is to get back to the people he cares about.” Made on a production budget of $18 million, 127 Hours was nominated for Best Film at the London Film Festival; it also received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Song, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards. At the BAFTAs, 127 Hours was nominated for the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music, the David Lean Award for Direction, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound; while the Academy Awards nominated it for Best Picture, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The real life drama contended at the Golden Globes for Best Actor – Drama (James Franco), Best Original Score, and Best Screenplay; at the Independent Spirit Awards it received nominations for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor (James Franco). James Franco also received a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for Outstanding Performance for a Male Actor in a Leading Role.
Danny Boyle next heads back to where he started his career by directing a stage production for the National Theatre in London. “The last time I worked in the theatre was with the writer Nick Dear, who adapted Don Juan. We did it at the RSC [Royal Shakespeare Company], fifteen years ago. Back then we started thinking about doing an adaptation of Frankenstein [2011]. We approached Nick Hytner with it and it all started happening.” On alternative nights, actors Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement) and Jonny Lee Miller (Endgame) switch between the roles of the creature and Dr. Victor Frankenstein. “It’s from the creature’s point of view, which has never been done before,” remarked Boyle. “In a weird way in the theatre you have a lot less control. You do what you can in rehearsal, but as soon as the actors are in front of an audience they push you away.”
Another project for the Manchester native is one that has international importance as he has been appointed the artistic director for the opening ceremony at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Commenting on the epic approach used by China at the 2008 Olympic Games, Danny Boyle said, “The thing is about the stadium is that it has the same number of seats as Beijing but is half the size. It is a more intimate space…We want to keep it on a human scale.” As for the tone of the opening ceremony, Boyle slyly stated, “What I do know is that after a couple of years of this [British] coalition government we may well be looking for a bit of light relief.”
“I want my films to be life-affirming,” remarked Danny Boyle who does have one overriding concern. “The worry I have is that I’ll make the same film again and again.” Rumours persist that Boyle will do a sequel to Trainspotting as well as turn 28 Days Later into a trilogy. “I would find that really difficult to do [a sequel], certainly not without a long gap. You want to approach it with a fresh set of guidelines or rules for yourself.” However, success is never a guarantee. “When you do one you just hope that you get the chance to do another one.” As for offering advice, the director who counts Apocalypse Now (1979) as his favourite movie, pushes the idea of never taking the easy route creatively. “To be a filmmaker…you need to lead. You have to be psychotic in your desire to do something.”
Read our review of Danny Boyle's latest Academy Award-nominated film 127 Hours, along with a report from its screening at the London Film Festival 2010.
Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.
“I like extreme films, where you put somebody in the most extreme circumstances you can imagine and see what they can do with it,” explained Manchester-born director Danny Boyle who expanded the opening two lines of a zombie horror script into a dramatic twenty-minute sequence. “A guy wakes up in a hospital and there’s not a single person in the whole city. What a great starting point for a film.” 28 Days Later (2002) follows a small group of survivors trying to find a safe haven four weeks after a mysterious virus spreads throughout the United Kingdom. The $8 million production written by novelist Alex Garland (The Beach) stars Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins), Naomie Harris (Miami Vice), Christopher Eccleston (Elizabeth), Noah Huntley (Event Horizon), Brendan Gleeson (Green Zone), Megan Burns (Liam), Justin Hackney (The Descent), Toby Sedgwick (Safe Conduct) and David Schneider (A Knight’s Tale). Filming desolate landmarks such as Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Horse Guards Parade, and Oxford Streets were achieved by closing sections of a street for minutes at a time during the early morning. “He is a big zombie fan,” said Boyle of his screenwriter Garland. “Alex is obsessed with them and I’m not; that’s a good balance to have.” The British moviemaker sheepishly admitted, “There are certain things we did that I didn’t even realize were complete steals from [George] Romero [Night of the Living Dead].”“It was wonderful to work on digital,” stated Danny Boyle. “I’m very proud of the fact that’s the first proper widely-distributed release on digital, and on a very inferior digital format. It suited the guerrilla nature of the story and that was cool, doing it like that. I began to learn how to contradict film culture just in the way films are made. I got much more into doing it in what you would call an unprofessional way. I’m not a big fan of the tautly professional films that do things ‘the right way.’” Grossing $83 million worldwide, 28 Days Later proved to be so popular that the picture was re-released months after its initial run with an alternative ending. On the awards circuit, the fifth theatrical feature helmed by Boyle won the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film as well as nominations for Best Director and Best Writing at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films; the British Independent Awards nominated it for Best Achievement in Production, Best Director and Best British Independent Film. 28 Days Later was lauded with Best British Film, and received a nomination for Best Newcomer (Cillian Murphy) at the Empire Awards while the MTV Movie Awards and Irish Film and Television Awards respectively nominated Cillian Murphy for Breakthrough Male Performance and Best Actor in a Film. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote “28 Days Later is a tough, smart ingenious movie that leads its characters into situations where everything depends on their [and our] understanding of human nature.” The DVD for the film includes three alternative endings. A sequel was released called 28 Weeks Later (2007) as well as a comic book series called 28 Days Later: The Aftermath (2009) which bridges the gap between the two stories.
“It felt very personal, even though it’s not a script I wrote,” remarked Danny Boyle when recounting the origins of Millions (2004). A young boy who has visions of various Catholic saints discovers a mysterious bag filled with money. “All the iconography of the saints in Millions is very familiar to me,” stated the director. “We wanted the saints to have personality; we didn’t want them to be pious or sacred or sanctimonious.” Boyle added, “The spiritual message of the film…has more to do with having faith in people and that goodness can come out of that.” Performing along with James Nesbitt (Bloody Sunday), Daisy Donovan (Death at a Funeral), Christopher Fulford (Scoop), Pearce Quigley (The House of Mirth) and Jane Hogarth (Married 2 Malcolm) are child actors Alex Etel (The Water Horse) and Lewis McGibbon. “You can’t force them to say things the way you want them to be said,” remarked the filmmaker on how he worked with Etel and McGibbon. “You have to let it emerge from them.” The British comedy-drama which earned $12 million worldwide was crafted for mass appeal. “I wanted it to be seen by as many people as possible because I am very proud of it.” At the British Independent Film Awards, Millions won Best Screenplay and received a nomination for Most Promising Newcomer (Alex Etel); while the British Film Critics Association Awards nominated Alex Etel for Best Young Actor. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “It’s a film about real ideas, real issues and real kids. It’s not sanitized brainless eye candy. Like all great family movies, it plays equally well for adults.”
“What interested me was the idea that it could get to a point when the entire planet’s survival rests on the shoulders of one man and what that would do to his head,” said Alex Garland who wrote the screenplay for Sunshine (2007) which stars Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne (Knowing), Chris Evans (The Losers), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai), Benedict Wong (Dirty Pretty Things), Troy Garity (Bandits), Mark Strong (The Way Back), and Cliff Curtis (Whale Rider). A group of astronauts are sent to re-ignite the dying sun. “It’s funny, most directors only ever seem to make one space movie,” contemplated Danny Boyle when he first agreed to direct the sci-fi picture. “And then you make one and you know why: they are merciless, the demands on you. More than any other genre, it’s really narrow. Your options as a storyteller are incredibly limited, plus you’ve got these technical limitations you’ve got to get right, every detail – how your shoelace behaves in weightless conditions, how your hair behaves. The precision you have to bring is migraine-inducing, and the patience you have to have while you wait for CG [computer graphics].”Asked how he determined the cinematic colour scheme for the story, the director replied, “The classic look is the James Cameron-Ridley Scott blue/gray/steel look. That’s the diet everyone expects to be fed in a science fiction movie. We deliberately didn’t have anything inside the ship apart from the carrots that were orange or gold. So, when you went outside, it was shocking to have this colour again. It was like going to colour from black and white.” Boyle referenced a number of classic films when making Sunshine. “The three big ones are 2001 [1968], the first Alien [1979] film, and Tarkovsky’s Solaris [1972].” A German World War II submarine tale directed by Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire) also had a major impact on the British moviemaker. “The obvious thing was to try and make it like Das Boot [1981], the classic claustrophobia film.” Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “The interactions are the weakest elements in Sunshine, which is strongest when it focuses on the sheer enormity of the mission and its consequences.” The $40 million production grossed $32 million worldwide and was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films; at the British Independent Film Awards it won for Best Production Design and received a nomination for Best Actor (Cillian Murphy). Empire Awards nominated Sunshine for Best British Film and Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Film while Cillian Murphy was nominated for Best Actor in a Film by the Irish Film and Television Awards. As for Danny Boyle, he competed for British Director of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards.
“The Beach [2000] was a very interesting stepping stone for me to Slumdog Millionaire [2008], because we went to Thailand and we took a huge crew from the West,” revealed Danny Boyle. “When you take a crew like that, you are an invading army. There is no other way you can be seen by the local population. You are this huge, brute force with big elbows coming in. It didn’t suit me, that. And it was compounded by the fact that the characters, I didn’t get to know them for some reason. I’m a city boy and I find myself making a film about paradise hippies. I tried to shift the film to be more about what Thai people thought of them, but you can’t do that with a $55 million film. It’s a huge oil tanker, you can’t move it around. It just goes steadily on its way. So when I made Slumdog, I took 10 people because I didn’t want to have that role of the invading army again.”Based on the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup, Slumdog Millionaire stars Dav Patel (The Last Airbender), Freida Pinto (Rise of the Apes), Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor (Taal), Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Tanay Chheda (My Name Is Khan), Irfan Khan (The Warrior), and Rubina Ali (Bollywood Hero). In an effort to find his lost love, a young man from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? “In the book, the spine of the story is the [game] show, whereas in this it’s the love story because that’s his real agenda,” said Danny Boyle who conducted the principle photography for the $15 million production in India. “I was determined to make the film in real places because otherwise how was I going to understand or recreate it as a Westerner?” The country left a lasting impression on the director. “You leave India, but it never leaves you. It’s an extraordinary place and you learn about yourself as a person and as a filmmaker. It’s an incredibly generous place and it’s an incredibly contradictory place. And these contradictions are on a viciously extreme scale: the poverty and the wealth, the nuclear status — no toilets. Half the population of Mumbai have no toilets. I was trying to capture some of that, really, and we did it by some extreme storytelling. People say, ‘How can you go from the deliberate maiming of a child to a big Bollywood song and dance in the end?” Well, you don’t try to smooth the path from one to the other. I was trying to put all the elements into the film that belong to the city, that are a part of that city.”
“They tend to film in studios because the crowds get out of hand with the movie stars there,” said Danny Boyle. “We were lucky because none of our actors were known apart from Anil Kapoor who plays the host of the show.” Boyle contrasted the project to his previous cinematic efforts. “A lot of people compared it to Trainspotting [1996] for obvious reasons – there’s a toilet scene, there’s an energy in it.” There is another film of his that comes to mind for the director. “There’s also a fantastical, slightly irrational element to it as well, which we didn’t get quite right in A Life Less Ordinary [1997].” Producer Andrew Macdonald marvels at the creative flexibility of his frequent collaborator. “Boyle takes a subject that you’ve often seen portrayed realistically, in a politically correct way, whether it’s junkies or slum orphans, and he has managed to make it realistic but also incredibly uplifting.” Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), who visited India while conducted research for the script, said, “I wanted to get [across] the sense of the huge amount of fun, laughter, chat, and sense of community that is in these slums. What you pick up is a mass of energy.” A Hollywood Studio had major doubts about the drama. “We had this disaster in post [production] when Warner Bros. abandoned the film, they closed Warner Independent.” A savior was found in Fox Searchlight which agreed to release the picture which won the admiration of Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times who wrote, “Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire hits the ground running. This is a breathless, exciting story, heartbreaking and exhilarating at the same time, about a Mumbai orphan who rises from rags to riches on the strength of his lively intelligence.”Earning $378 million dollars worldwide, Slumdog Millionaire caused Danny Boyle to become one of seven directors to win a Golden Globe, a Directors Guild of America Award, a BAFTA Award and an Oscar for the same movie. At the Academy Awards, the cinematic adaptation won Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay; it received a nomination for Best Sound Editing as well as a second nomination for Best Original Song. The BAFTAs lauded Slumdog Millionaire with Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best Music, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Sound as well as nominations for Best Actor (Dev Patel), Best Production Design, Best Supporting Actress (Freida Pinto), and Best British Film. British Independent Film Awards presented the drama with Best Director, and Most Promising Newcomer (Dev Patel) while handing out nominations for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Most Promising Newcomer (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar); at the Golden Globes it won Best Director, Best Picture – Dramatic, Best Original Score and Best Screenplay. Slumdog Millionaire was presented with British Director of the Year, British Film of the Year, and Screenwriter of the Year while contending for British Actor of the Year (Dev Patel), and Director of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards; the Young Artist Awards lauded it with Outstanding International Feature Film Ensemble. Danny Boyle was presented with the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at the 2008 Austin Film Festival; at the same event, Slumgdog Millionaire was named the Audience Award winner.
“What you do is take the power it gives you…and use it to make a film that you believe in,” explained Danny Boyle who was riding a wave of international acclaim. “The danger is that you use it on a vanity project that nobody wants to watch.” The director returned to a project he had been trying to make since 2006, a cinematic adaptation of the autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place by mountain climber Aron Ralston who was trapped underneath a boulder for five days until he resorted to a drastic measure to free himself. “[Ralston] wanted to narrate it and be interviewed like in a documentary,” stated Boyle of his initial attempt to film 127 Hours (2010). “The problem is that if you turn it into a documentary you’ll be able to control it and it will be absolutely accurate but the audience won’t feel it other than as a spectator.” Boyle wanted to turn the story into a first-person drama. “The power you get from telling stories with skilled actors is phenomenal; it’s transformational and cathartic.”“James [Franco] wasn’t an obvious choice,” admitted Danny Boyle who originally planned to select Cillian Murphy as his leading man, “but when he read the script you could hear that he could do it. So we cast him.” To get a better sense of what Aron Ralston went through, the director and Franco watched the actual video messages created by Ralston while he was trapped; the footage had a profound affect on them. “I thought this would be a man on the edge breaking down and crying.” Boyle found himself to be greatly mistaken. “Just what was in his eyes; he was trying to be himself and yet there was this slow inexorable agenda of death going on.” Close attention was paid to recreating the moment when Raltson amputates his trapped arm, using a blunt knife and the weight of the boulder. “I remember reading the chapter and I thought – we’ve got to do it very accurately. We got to reflect the fact that it’s not instant, in reality it took him over forty minutes.” The filmmaker did not regret his casting decision. “What happens in the scene itself is that he occupies these plateaus of pain so brilliantly…that people imagine it’s the sound effects that are [putting them] on the edge – and they obviously contribute to it. But the real issue is that it’s an extraordinary performance by Franco.” The sequence made headlines in the media. “What is astonishing, we did have a few people fainting, early on, but more importantly I don’t remember anyone walking out.” Boyle is quick to point out that the reporting of the fainting incidents was not part of a studio promotional campaign. “Fox Searchlight would have loved to have had the power the studios used to have where they could kill the story. But you can’t now, there are tweeters in the room! It’s out before the paramedics even get there.”
Though James Franco (Howl) spends most of the screen time by himself, other actors in the biopic are Amber Tamblyn (The Ring), Kate Mara (Transsiberian), Sean Bott (Heber Holiday), Treat Williams (Deep Rising), Kate Burton (Stay), and Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls). “As a director, you like having a real story because that’s what makes it more powerful,” said Danny Boyle. “But it’s also hard because you know you’re dealing with someone’s life.” The director snuck Aron Raltson into the first test screening, “It was incredibly intense. When he cuts his arm off, this being America, they cheered…I looked across at Aron and the tears were pouring down his face. He said what he found hard to cope with was the weird mixture of distance, watching it on the screen, and then sudden engagement, where he gets overwhelmed with it all again.” Aron Ralston was pleased with the cinematic treatment of his story; he remarked, "The movie is so factually accurate it is as close to a documentary as you can get and still be a drama." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “Franco does a good job of suggesting two aspects of Ralston’s character. (1) He’s a cocky, bold adventurer who trusts his skills and likes taking chances, and (2) he’s logical and bloody-minded enough to cut through his own skin and bone to save his life. One aspect gets him into his problem, and the other gets him out.” Ebert also praised the work of the movie’s film editor, “John Harris achieves the delicate task of showing an arm being cut through without ever quite showing it. For the audience the worst moment is not a sight but a sound. Most of us have never heard that sound before, but we know exactly what it is.”“This is a film about how precious life is,” declared Danny Boyle. “And it’s only precious because of other people.” Boyle explained further, “He doesn’t survive because he is on his own; he survives because he finally realizes how important it is to get back to the people he cares about.” Made on a production budget of $18 million, 127 Hours was nominated for Best Film at the London Film Festival; it also received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Song, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards. At the BAFTAs, 127 Hours was nominated for the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music, the David Lean Award for Direction, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Sound; while the Academy Awards nominated it for Best Picture, Best Actor (James Franco), Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The real life drama contended at the Golden Globes for Best Actor – Drama (James Franco), Best Original Score, and Best Screenplay; at the Independent Spirit Awards it received nominations for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor (James Franco). James Franco also received a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination for Outstanding Performance for a Male Actor in a Leading Role.
Danny Boyle next heads back to where he started his career by directing a stage production for the National Theatre in London. “The last time I worked in the theatre was with the writer Nick Dear, who adapted Don Juan. We did it at the RSC [Royal Shakespeare Company], fifteen years ago. Back then we started thinking about doing an adaptation of Frankenstein [2011]. We approached Nick Hytner with it and it all started happening.” On alternative nights, actors Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement) and Jonny Lee Miller (Endgame) switch between the roles of the creature and Dr. Victor Frankenstein. “It’s from the creature’s point of view, which has never been done before,” remarked Boyle. “In a weird way in the theatre you have a lot less control. You do what you can in rehearsal, but as soon as the actors are in front of an audience they push you away.”Another project for the Manchester native is one that has international importance as he has been appointed the artistic director for the opening ceremony at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Commenting on the epic approach used by China at the 2008 Olympic Games, Danny Boyle said, “The thing is about the stadium is that it has the same number of seats as Beijing but is half the size. It is a more intimate space…We want to keep it on a human scale.” As for the tone of the opening ceremony, Boyle slyly stated, “What I do know is that after a couple of years of this [British] coalition government we may well be looking for a bit of light relief.”
“I want my films to be life-affirming,” remarked Danny Boyle who does have one overriding concern. “The worry I have is that I’ll make the same film again and again.” Rumours persist that Boyle will do a sequel to Trainspotting as well as turn 28 Days Later into a trilogy. “I would find that really difficult to do [a sequel], certainly not without a long gap. You want to approach it with a fresh set of guidelines or rules for yourself.” However, success is never a guarantee. “When you do one you just hope that you get the chance to do another one.” As for offering advice, the director who counts Apocalypse Now (1979) as his favourite movie, pushes the idea of never taking the easy route creatively. “To be a filmmaker…you need to lead. You have to be psychotic in your desire to do something.”
Read our review of Danny Boyle's latest Academy Award-nominated film 127 Hours, along with a report from its screening at the London Film Festival 2010.
Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.
Michelle Pfeiffer in talks for Tim Burton’s ‘Dark Shadows’
Tim Burton’s new movie, a big-screen version of the 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, is set to start shooting in April and we are getting regular announcements regarding the cast. Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Catwoman in Burton’s 1992 film Batman Returns, is in negotiations to star as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the reclusive matriarch of the Collins family. Pfeiffer is currently shooting Welcome to People, the directorial debut of screenwriter Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek, Transformers, Cowboys & Aliens) and written with writing partner Roberto Orci, in which she plays the widowed mother of Chris Pine’s character who returns home for his father’s funeral.
Tim Burton often casts actors he has worked with previously in his films. There are rumours that his partner Helena Bonham Carter may be getting a role in Dark Shadows, which would make it their 7th film together.
Long-time Burton collaborator Johnny Depp is playing the lead character, Barnabas Collins, a self-loathing vampire searching for his lost love. Also confirmed are Jackie Earle Haley as conman Willie Loomis, Eva Green as Angelique the witch and Bella Heatcote as Victoria Winters, a young governess at the Collins estate.
What do you think about Tim Burton regularly casting the same actors in his films, such as Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter?
'Hitler Begins' with Dawn of Evil: Rise of the Reich
Up-and-coming German actor Tom Schilling (The Baader Meinhof Complex) stars as a young Adolf Hitler in Dawn of Evil: Rise of the Reich, a biopic recounting the early career of the most infamous dictator in history, tracing Hitler's transformation from humble origins as an aspiring art student to a power-obsessed and ruthless egomaniac. Premiering at the Montréal Film Festival back in 2009 under the title Mein Kampf, Dawn of Evil will arrive on these shores with a DVD release later this month. It is of course rare for German cinema to tackle the rather sensitive subject of the former Führer and while we aren't expecting Downfall: The Beginning, this could still be worth checking out. Let's face it, if anyone could do with a reboot it's this guy.
Take a look at the synopsis and official trailer...
"Rejected by the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, the young, dictatorial and strikingly untalented Adolf Hitler is befriended by a Jew, Schlomo Herzl who at the time is working on a novel entitled 'Mein Kampf'. Herzl's concern for the sad young Hitler leads him along a new path which will lead to disaster in world history."
Dawn of Evil: Rise of the Reich is released on February 28th.
Sanofi/Genzyme: The End Is Nigh !?!
The blogosphere erupted Tuesday afternoon with the news that – finally! finally! – Sanofi Aventis and Genzyme appear to have reached rapprochement -- and it's only going to cost the French pharma $19.2 billion upfront.“This is a happy end with a deal that is good for both companies,” Genzyme shareholder Lionel Melka, co-manager of Bernheim, Dreyfus and Co.’s Diva Synergy Fund, told IN VIVO Blog on February 15.
But just how good a deal is it for Sanofi shareholders at $74-a-share?
That’s just one of the many questions swirling ahead of any official disclosure of the acquisition, details of which are expected to be announced in concert with Genzyme’s quarterly earnings call February 16.
Oh, we know that Genzyme provides Sanofi with access to a basket of lucrative marketed products, but these assets are also mature and facing competition from upstarts who have capitalized on the big biotech’s manufacturing missteps. At this undeniably rich price tag, how easy will it be for Sanofi to extract full value from the deal? Given the months of bitter back-and-forth, can the French pharma integrate Genzyme and retain important people like COO David Meeker and Senior VP, Quality, Ron Branning, who are essential to helping Sanofi make the big biotech a successful US subsidiary?
There’s no question this is a good deal for Termeer, who saw his company’s share price slide from a high in August 2008 of $83.25 to around $48 in the wake of 2009 manufacturing difficulties that sent sales of top drugs Cerezyme and Fabrazyme tumbling and, ultimately, resulted in a consent decree. Were the deal not to transpire, it’s highly likely he would have been forced out by activist shareholders like Icahn Partners. Now he can face shareholders with a straight face and tell them he restored a good chunk of the stock's value as a result of this transaction, thereby justifying what’s likely to be a handsome exit package.
But Sanofi shareholders may not be so happy; reports in recent weeks indicate some were less than enthusiastic about the possibility of a sweetened offer, believing the initial $69-a-share tender provided fair value. Viehbacher seemed to be trying to allay their concerns as recently as a month ago when he addressed the biopharma community at the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference. “We will only do a deal if both Genzyme shareholders and Sanofi shareholders feel there is value for both,” he said.
Interestingly, in that same address, Viehbacher also noted during that break-out session that M&A hasn’t generated value for big pharma shareholders, in part because in an era of “cheap debt” it’s not hard to make any deal look accretive to earnings. “We’ve tried to be much more disciplined and we start to evaluate these deals not just on the basis of accretion,” he said.
Those comments may or may not come back to haunt him. In the interim, the onus is on Viehbacher to provide in specific detail an answer to a question Sanofi shareholders are almost sure to ask: how will the nearly $20 billion acquisition of Genzyme position Sanofi, a company trying even now to scale a significant patent cliff, for future growth?
Undoubtedly, Genzyme’s expertise in rare diseases, an area that has become au courant for big pharma, will come up. “As somebody said to me this morning, actually, we’re all ultimately going to be in rare diseases,” Viehbacher told JPMers. “As we develop biomarkers and narrow the population and the price per patient goes up, this is probably a model that we are actually going to see outside of the classic orphan drug business.”
Far be it from IN VIVO Blog to argue with the estimable Viehbacher on that point. However, does expertise in rare disease require spending $20 billion? Can't a company as externally focused as Sanofi claims to be obtain the skills via some other route? Indeed, as GSK’s initiatives in the rare disease space show, another alternative to a costly and time consuming acquisition is an alliance-driven model, where partnerships provide access to products that are now in vogue in part because they are largely protected from health care reform and generic competition, and, as such, have high pricing power.
Let's assume it's better to acquire than ally. Aren't there potentially cheaper acquisition candidates for the plucking? (Alexion and BioMarin are just two possibilities that come to mind.) Viewed alongside the proposed take out of Genzyme, Shire's 2005 acquisition of Transkaryotic Therapies for $1.57 billion and a 31% premium looks like a veritable bargain. And maybe that's the rub; late to the rare disease party, Sanofi has little choice but to overpay to get access to these niche-y products.
Of course there's another reason for Sanofi’s interest in Genzyme: accessing its biologics manufacturing facilities. Every big pharma is amassing greater biologics capabilities, lured by the specialty nature of the products. But building plants is not only expensive – it takes time. (Look how long Genzyme’s been building its Framingham site.) “By acquiring Genzyme, Sanofi gets the manufacturing capability right away,” says Salveen Richter, an analyst with Collins Stewart. “They probably believe they can use their fill/finish and manufacturing expertise to ameliorate the current manufacturing issues at Allston,” the Genzyme manufacturing site currently operating under a consent decree.
Based on Richter’s sum-of-the-parts analysis, which values Genzyme between $72 and $84 a share, she believes the sweetened offer is a fair deal for both sides. In all likelihood, it will be months before that assessment can be made -- and the answer will hinge mightily on how Sanofi manages the integration of Genzyme. Viehbacher and his team would do well to look at recent past history – AstraZeneca/MedImmune, Roche/Genentech, Takeda/Millennium Pharmaceuticals – for some pointers.
-- Ellen Licking and Joseph Haas
Image courtesy of flickrer jasongrahamhowell used with permission through a creative commons license.
Youth Sports - Gymnastics - APEX Sweeps Team Event in Pennsylvania; Sends 3 to Finals at Landover Event
(Feb. 15, 2011) - The APEX gymnastic teams Levels 5, 6 and 7 team completed a sweep of the team gold medals in the Hershey Hug and Kiss Meet in Pennsylvania over Valentine's Day Weekend.
The Level 5 Team won an additional nine gold medals and placed many gymnasts in the top three podium finishes. The level 6 and 7 teams brought home an additional 12 first place medals and topped the all around
The Level 5 Team won an additional nine gold medals and placed many gymnasts in the top three podium finishes. The level 6 and 7 teams brought home an additional 12 first place medals and topped the all around
News: VHSL Appeals Subcommittee Denies Western Albemarle and Fluvanna County Appeals; Affects Region II Basketball Seeding
Charlottesville (Feb. 15, 2011) - The top-seeded Western Albemarle High School girls basketball team and the top-seeded Fluvanna High School boys basketball teams must forfeit first round victories in the Jefferson District tournament after the school's had appeals denied by the Virginia High School League Tuesday afternoon.
The decision affects Region II tournament seeding as the Division 3 and
The decision affects Region II tournament seeding as the Division 3 and
The Optics of Health Care Reform
Going over a cliff is one thing. Seeing over it should be much easier.
But, at least for now, Wall Street isn’t ready to take in the view. How else to explain the drumbeat of headlines about the negative impact of health care reform on pharma during the 2011 year-end conference call season?
“No one is really looking beyond the cliff today,” Sanofi Aventis CEO Chris Viehbacher declared during his company’s year-end earnings call at the start of February. “I haven't sensed anybody in the investment community really trying to figure out who's going to win in 2014 and '15. That's just not there.”
Viehbacher made those comments in explaining why he intends to wait until mid-year to offer a longer term outlook, until the company is more completely over its own patent cliff. In Sanofi’s case, that means a full-year of Lovenox generics, resolution of the uncertain status of generic Taxotere, and the end of the line for Plavix. (For more on the company’s overall performance, read "The Pink Sheet" DAILY story, here.)
“I would suspect as we get through a bigger chunk of the patent cliff, and we get closer and closer to 2012 and 2013, I think we're going to have more of a receptive audience to that, and that's why I think we want to do it then. I just think we'd be shouting in the wind a little bit if we tried to do it today.”
It’s not that the patent cliff is unexpected or dramatically worse than predicted. “Two years ago I stood up in front of a lot of you and said 20%-25% of the sales of this company are going to disappear between now and 2013 because of generic competition,” Viehbacher noted.
Rather, there is an overall negative sentiment, he believes.
“This is an industry that tends to focus on the negative. People start worrying about patent expires the day after you launch a new product. If you're any good in R&D, they're not going to give you any value for it in your portfolio. And if you're not any good at it they're not going to like you either.”
That negativity may be overstated, but there is no denying that investors have taken a decidedly glass-half-empty approach when it comes to the impact of health care reform on biopharma companies.
To be fair, the up-front costs of the law are significant—and a real crimp on the profitability of an already challenged sector. (See “Taking Lumps From Health Care Reform,” The RPM Report, June 2010.)
The health care reform implementation also includes a number of elements that further accentuate the negative. It isn’t just the size of the impact from bigger rebates, the new “market share” fee and the Medicare Part D donut hole discount. It's what they do to the P&L statement.
The health care reform impact, essentially, hits the trifecta for what analysts don’t want to see in a quarterly report:
(1) Lower gross margins. The increased Medicaid rebate and the donut hole discount represent an off-the-top reduction in revenues, with no associated reduction in costs. The same number of units are sold, just at lower prices. That makes for reduced gross margins across the board.
(2) Higher SG&A expenses. The market share fee (which begins in 2011) is accounted for as a sales cost and recorded on the expense line. At a time when manufacturers across the board are trying to show their seriousness about cost-cutting, the fee offsets some of those savings. While that is no different in profit terms from an off-the-top-line revenue adjustment, it further clouds the picture for companies trying to show that they are delivering on past promises to downsize.
(3) Higher taxes. The market share fee is (by law) not tax deductible. That means most pharma companies will report an effective tax rate that is at least a percentage point higher than it was in 2010. Again, that doesn’t change the magnitude of the hit, but it makes yet another closely watched variable look worse instead of better. Viehbacher observed wryly that another industry headwind—European price cuts—at least include an associated reduction in tax liabilities. (On the other hand, with corporate tax reform on the table in Washington, this isn't such a bad time for companies to report higher effective tax rates.)
Lower gross margins. Higher expenses. A higher effective tax rate. You can see why Wall Street isn’t loving health care reform right now.
Still, the impact of reform pales in comparison to the impact of the patent cliff. And, unlike a cliff, there is an upside to reform. All those discounts, rebates and fees helped buy an innovator friendly intellectual property system for biologics and biosimilars, improvements in insurance coverage (especially for high drug cost seniors who fall into Medicare’s “donut hole”), and, eventually, a much larger insured population to buy pharmaceuticals.
It is just that that all that happens on the other side of the cliff.
When investors are ready to look that far forward they may be in for a surprise. At least for some companies, what looked like a cliff may turn out to be a valley, with real growth prospects on the other side of the patent expiry period.
image from flickr user andrea trassati used under a creative commons license
Colorado Republican Numbers
Mitt Romney's shown strength among Republican primary voters in the West in most of our recent polling throughout the region and Colorado's no exception. He leads the GOP field there with 19% to 16% for Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, 12% for Newt Gingrich, 9% for Ron Paul, 7% for Tim Pawlenty, 4% for John Thune, and 3% for Mitch Daniels. Romney's lead in Colorado adds to first place finishes we've found for him in Arizona, California, and Nevada since the beginning of the year. Only in New Mexico have we found Romney out of first place in a western state.
Romney manages leads, albeit narrow ones, with both conservative and moderate voters in Colorado. Among conservatives he gets 18% with Palin right behind at 17%, Huckabee at 15%, Gingrich at 13%, and Paul with a rare performance hitting double digits at 10%. With moderates Romney has 22% to Huckabee's 20%, and 10% for Palin and Gingrich.
In some states where Romney leads he doesn't have the highest favorability of the Republican candidates but is first anyway because he's seen as more Presidential than some of the other folks who are better liked. But that's not the case in Colorado- he's first for the nomination choice and first in popularity. 60% of primary voters have a favorable opinion of him with Palin and Huckabee at 59% and Gingrich at 54% coming in further behind.
Full results here
Romney manages leads, albeit narrow ones, with both conservative and moderate voters in Colorado. Among conservatives he gets 18% with Palin right behind at 17%, Huckabee at 15%, Gingrich at 13%, and Paul with a rare performance hitting double digits at 10%. With moderates Romney has 22% to Huckabee's 20%, and 10% for Palin and Gingrich.
In some states where Romney leads he doesn't have the highest favorability of the Republican candidates but is first anyway because he's seen as more Presidential than some of the other folks who are better liked. But that's not the case in Colorado- he's first for the nomination choice and first in popularity. 60% of primary voters have a favorable opinion of him with Palin and Huckabee at 59% and Gingrich at 54% coming in further behind.
Full results here
Promise Scholarships Going Up
The Board of Directors of The Pittsburgh Promise has approved doubling the potential dollar amount of scholarships from the current maximum of $20,000 per student over 4 years to a maximum of $40,000 beginning with the class of 2012.
Promise Executive Director Saleem Ghubril says they committed four years ago to the doubling of the maximum amount...
"We stipulated that the additional 20 thousand would be given to those who provide evidence of...this if the language of the agreement...'mastery of subject matter.' So, we're ready now to say alright folks show us the proof of mastery."
To qualify for the first $20,000, the student must be a resident of Pittsburgh, graduate a city high school with at least a 2.5GPA and have a 90% attendance record.
To receive the second $20,000, the student must score "advanced" on the PSSA reading, math and writing tests. Ghubril says if they don't score "advanced," the students can still qualify for the addition scholarship money by scoring 600's on their SAT's in reading, math and writing.
Ghubril says in the first 3 years of The Pittsburgh Promise, they've given scholarships to more than 2,400 students who are "performing at (delightfully) high levels."
Promise Executive Director Saleem Ghubril says they committed four years ago to the doubling of the maximum amount...
"We stipulated that the additional 20 thousand would be given to those who provide evidence of...this if the language of the agreement...'mastery of subject matter.' So, we're ready now to say alright folks show us the proof of mastery."
To qualify for the first $20,000, the student must be a resident of Pittsburgh, graduate a city high school with at least a 2.5GPA and have a 90% attendance record.
To receive the second $20,000, the student must score "advanced" on the PSSA reading, math and writing tests. Ghubril says if they don't score "advanced," the students can still qualify for the addition scholarship money by scoring 600's on their SAT's in reading, math and writing.
Ghubril says in the first 3 years of The Pittsburgh Promise, they've given scholarships to more than 2,400 students who are "performing at (delightfully) high levels."
Wrestling: Six Loudoun Athletes Crowned Region II Champion; Freedom Finishes 4th
Loudoun County's Keton Perez won a regional title at 160
(Feb. 15, 2011) - Loudoun wrestlers represented very well at the Region II meet over the weekend at Orange County High School as six area athletes were crowned champions and Freedom High School finished a solid fourth place.
The Eagles -- with two individual champions as did Loudoun County and Potomac Falls -- scored 150 points to
Thoughts on... Blue Valentine (2010)
Blue Valentine, 2010.
Directed by Derek Cianfrance.
Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.
SYNOPSIS:
The story of love found and love lost told through past and present moments in time.
During the 26th Annual Sundance Film Festival, many films were introduced to the world. Many films that went on to do well among public audiences. Films such as Winter’s Bone, Waiting for Superman & Happythankyoumoreplease. Another film, directed by Derek Cianfrance, entitled Blue Valentine also seemed to get a lot of attention due to its deep drama induced story about a married couple played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. After a good showing at Sundance as well as other festivals, Blue Valentine finally found its way into theaters nationwide.
The story begins with the couples’ daughter Frankie (Faith Wladyka) looking for her dog, Megan, who has gotten out of the yard. After not finding her, she wakes up her father, Dean (Ryan Gosling) who playfully disturbs the slumber of his wife, Cindy (Michelle Williams). The audience is then introduced to the occupation of both; Cindy is a nurse while Dean is a painter. Like every other married couple, they go through their trials and tribulations as we are taken through a routine day in their life. The story is filmed in such a way that shows the two as they are in the present while flashing back to tell the origin of how they came to be.
The road that they traveled on to come to be together was not an easy one. From the time that they met they were tested by serious occurrences and major life decisions. One coming in the form of an unexpected pregnancy after a bad break-up between Cindy and a former boyfriend right before she met Dean. A chance encounter between Cindy and that same ex-boyfriend in the present brings up some bad memories and adds to an already seemingly growing rift between her and Dean. Now as the past is revisited, they must make more tough choices about their relationship, little girl and future together.
The script for this film was actually written back in 2006 and won the Chrysler Film Project award. Co-written by Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, the story begins sort of slow but aids the growth of intrigue from the audience as it flows along. I actually think the slow and usually steady pace adds to the realness of the film. It relates to real life issues and problems encountered by everyday couples, not just those who are married.
The performances by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams went along with the intentions of the story very well. Intentions which seemed to be meant for the audience to feel as if they were the characters in the film going through their drama. The pair of actors actually rented a home, brought their own belongings and staged out arguments in order to prepare for their roles. It seemed to have worked because they were pretty believable as two people who have been married for quite some time.
Blue Valentine was released in Australia before making its American debut in December of 2010. Not knowing quite much about this film, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it but am glad that I spent the time to watch it. The only real grievance that I might have with it is that it seems to have an inconclusiveness to it on some aspects. But I won’t dive into that area not wanting to give anything away. I’m sure it can be assumed that it was shot that way purposely to add even more to the authenticity of the movie. Another detail I can attest to is that it definitely earns its R rating, but in a romantic way, if you know what I mean. I give Blue Valentine “4 love & marriage-induced arguments out of 5”.
“In my experience, the prettier a girl is, the more nuts she is, which makes you insane.”
Sean Guard
Follow me on Twitter @SilentScribbler
Movie Review Archive
Directed by Derek Cianfrance.
Starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.
SYNOPSIS:
The story of love found and love lost told through past and present moments in time.
During the 26th Annual Sundance Film Festival, many films were introduced to the world. Many films that went on to do well among public audiences. Films such as Winter’s Bone, Waiting for Superman & Happythankyoumoreplease. Another film, directed by Derek Cianfrance, entitled Blue Valentine also seemed to get a lot of attention due to its deep drama induced story about a married couple played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. After a good showing at Sundance as well as other festivals, Blue Valentine finally found its way into theaters nationwide.
The story begins with the couples’ daughter Frankie (Faith Wladyka) looking for her dog, Megan, who has gotten out of the yard. After not finding her, she wakes up her father, Dean (Ryan Gosling) who playfully disturbs the slumber of his wife, Cindy (Michelle Williams). The audience is then introduced to the occupation of both; Cindy is a nurse while Dean is a painter. Like every other married couple, they go through their trials and tribulations as we are taken through a routine day in their life. The story is filmed in such a way that shows the two as they are in the present while flashing back to tell the origin of how they came to be.
The road that they traveled on to come to be together was not an easy one. From the time that they met they were tested by serious occurrences and major life decisions. One coming in the form of an unexpected pregnancy after a bad break-up between Cindy and a former boyfriend right before she met Dean. A chance encounter between Cindy and that same ex-boyfriend in the present brings up some bad memories and adds to an already seemingly growing rift between her and Dean. Now as the past is revisited, they must make more tough choices about their relationship, little girl and future together.
The script for this film was actually written back in 2006 and won the Chrysler Film Project award. Co-written by Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis, the story begins sort of slow but aids the growth of intrigue from the audience as it flows along. I actually think the slow and usually steady pace adds to the realness of the film. It relates to real life issues and problems encountered by everyday couples, not just those who are married.
The performances by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams went along with the intentions of the story very well. Intentions which seemed to be meant for the audience to feel as if they were the characters in the film going through their drama. The pair of actors actually rented a home, brought their own belongings and staged out arguments in order to prepare for their roles. It seemed to have worked because they were pretty believable as two people who have been married for quite some time.
Blue Valentine was released in Australia before making its American debut in December of 2010. Not knowing quite much about this film, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it but am glad that I spent the time to watch it. The only real grievance that I might have with it is that it seems to have an inconclusiveness to it on some aspects. But I won’t dive into that area not wanting to give anything away. I’m sure it can be assumed that it was shot that way purposely to add even more to the authenticity of the movie. Another detail I can attest to is that it definitely earns its R rating, but in a romantic way, if you know what I mean. I give Blue Valentine “4 love & marriage-induced arguments out of 5”.
“In my experience, the prettier a girl is, the more nuts she is, which makes you insane.”
Sean Guard
Follow me on Twitter @SilentScribbler
Movie Review Archive
Upcoming Spider-Man reboot is officially 'The Amazing Spider-Man'
Next year's reboot of Spider-Man has now been officially named - Andrew Garfield will star as the epoynymous webslinger in The Amazing Spider-Man. The title is interesting because it harks back to the comic-book source of Spidey and will further stoke expectations about the new series.
Spidey's latest outing has been lamented in some quarters as following too soon after Sam Raimi's sometimes great, sometimes awful Spider-Man trilogy, which came to a close in 2007.
A new image has also been released by Sony, giving another view of Spider-Man's newest costume:
The darker colouring is immediately apparent, and it is interesting to note the mechanical web-shooters, opposed to the fan-grating choice of biological goo shooters of Raimi's films.
With the title now locked in and the new image's seeming closer adherence to Spider-Man comic book lore, The Amazing Spider-Man looks to be evoking an intriguing, somewhat faithful reading of everybody's favourite neighbourhood webslinger.
Starring in the reboot alongside Garfield's Peter Parker/Spider-Man is Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, with Martin Sheen (Uncle Ben), Sally Field (Aunt May), C. Thomas Howell (Ray Cooper), Denis Leary (George Stacy), Irrfan Khan (Nels Van Adder / Proto-Goblin) and Rhys Ifans (Dr. Curt Conners / The Lizard), while Philip Seymour-Hoffman is rumoured as Venom (!?).
Spidey's latest outing has been lamented in some quarters as following too soon after Sam Raimi's sometimes great, sometimes awful Spider-Man trilogy, which came to a close in 2007.
A new image has also been released by Sony, giving another view of Spider-Man's newest costume:
The darker colouring is immediately apparent, and it is interesting to note the mechanical web-shooters, opposed to the fan-grating choice of biological goo shooters of Raimi's films.With the title now locked in and the new image's seeming closer adherence to Spider-Man comic book lore, The Amazing Spider-Man looks to be evoking an intriguing, somewhat faithful reading of everybody's favourite neighbourhood webslinger.
Starring in the reboot alongside Garfield's Peter Parker/Spider-Man is Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, with Martin Sheen (Uncle Ben), Sally Field (Aunt May), C. Thomas Howell (Ray Cooper), Denis Leary (George Stacy), Irrfan Khan (Nels Van Adder / Proto-Goblin) and Rhys Ifans (Dr. Curt Conners / The Lizard), while Philip Seymour-Hoffman is rumoured as Venom (!?).
Wrestling: Stone Bridge Senior Pat Taylor Qualifies for AAA State Meet
Stone Bridge wrestlers medal at Regionals (photo courtesy Karen Faul)
(Feb. 15, 2011) - Stone Bridge High School 145-pound senior Pat Taylor has qualified for the VHSL AAA state wrestling meet this weekend at Robinson High School with a fourth place finish last weekend at the Northern Region meet.
Stone Bridge had two other medal winners as Garrett Maged (112) and Jonathan Faul (152) both
Corker looks good, except against Bredesen
Democrats could pick up a Senate seat in Tennessee next year...but it would require the biggest recruiting coup of the cycle. Recently retired Governor Phil Bredesen leads Bob Corker 46-41 in a hypothetical contest. If Bredesen isn't in the mix Corker is in pretty good shape, leading the other five Democrats tested against him by margins ranging anywhere from 15 to 23 points.
Corker's popularity is pretty average for a US Senator, with 42% of voters approving of the job he's doing to 36% who disapprove. His numbers break down much as you would expect- 62% of Republicans give him good marks and an almost equal number of Democrats at 57% think he's doing poorly. Independents are split nearly even with 43% rating Corker positively to 41% with a negative opinion. In a state that's trended increasingly red over the last few years average popularity is probably going to get you reelected as a Republican incumbent.
That is, unless you have to run against a politician with transcendent popularity- and that description applies to Bredesen. His overall favorability is certainly impressive, with 63% of voters holding a positive opinion of him to only 19% with a negative one. But what's more impressive is how the numbers break down along party lines- 71% of Democrats, 61% of independents, and 57% of Republicans like Bredesen. Politicians with that kind of universal appeal across the aisle are few and far between these days. As a result Bredesen gets 83% of the Democratic vote while Corker can only keep 73% of Republicans in line, and Bredesen leads by nine points with independents. That gives him his overall five point lead.
When you get beyond Bredesen Democratic hopes don't look as good. The next closest to Corker is admittedly pie in the sky as a potential candidate Al Gore, who trails by a 53-38 margin. It's safe to say feelings toward Gore on the home front haven't thawed since he lost the state in the 2000 Presidential race- only 40% of voters have a favorable opinion of him to 51% with a negative one.
Another Democrat who has fallen far out of favor with Tennessee voters is Harold Ford Jr. He came quite close to winning this seat in 2006 but has firmly established himself as a New Yorker now and would trail Corker by 23 points in a rematch at 55-32. Ford's favorability is now down all the way to 26%, while 42% of voters say they see him in a negative light.
The other folks we tested are Congressman Jim Cooper who trails 50-32, country singer Tim McGraw who trails 50-28, and former Congressman Bart Gordon who trails 52-29. McGraw is a Democrat and has said he might be interested in running for office in the future. He is quite popular in the state with 38% of voters expressing positive feelings toward him to only 16% who rate him negatively. Democrats, Republicans, and independents all give him good marks. But he would have some work to do to establish himself as a credible political figure. Cooper (53% of voters with no opinion) and Gordon (58% with no opinion) are both largely unknown at this point.
Corker's not in huge peril by any means but this one at least has the potential to be interesting, and it would certainly be if Bredesen got into the field.
Full results here
Corker's popularity is pretty average for a US Senator, with 42% of voters approving of the job he's doing to 36% who disapprove. His numbers break down much as you would expect- 62% of Republicans give him good marks and an almost equal number of Democrats at 57% think he's doing poorly. Independents are split nearly even with 43% rating Corker positively to 41% with a negative opinion. In a state that's trended increasingly red over the last few years average popularity is probably going to get you reelected as a Republican incumbent.
That is, unless you have to run against a politician with transcendent popularity- and that description applies to Bredesen. His overall favorability is certainly impressive, with 63% of voters holding a positive opinion of him to only 19% with a negative one. But what's more impressive is how the numbers break down along party lines- 71% of Democrats, 61% of independents, and 57% of Republicans like Bredesen. Politicians with that kind of universal appeal across the aisle are few and far between these days. As a result Bredesen gets 83% of the Democratic vote while Corker can only keep 73% of Republicans in line, and Bredesen leads by nine points with independents. That gives him his overall five point lead.
When you get beyond Bredesen Democratic hopes don't look as good. The next closest to Corker is admittedly pie in the sky as a potential candidate Al Gore, who trails by a 53-38 margin. It's safe to say feelings toward Gore on the home front haven't thawed since he lost the state in the 2000 Presidential race- only 40% of voters have a favorable opinion of him to 51% with a negative one.
Another Democrat who has fallen far out of favor with Tennessee voters is Harold Ford Jr. He came quite close to winning this seat in 2006 but has firmly established himself as a New Yorker now and would trail Corker by 23 points in a rematch at 55-32. Ford's favorability is now down all the way to 26%, while 42% of voters say they see him in a negative light.
The other folks we tested are Congressman Jim Cooper who trails 50-32, country singer Tim McGraw who trails 50-28, and former Congressman Bart Gordon who trails 52-29. McGraw is a Democrat and has said he might be interested in running for office in the future. He is quite popular in the state with 38% of voters expressing positive feelings toward him to only 16% who rate him negatively. Democrats, Republicans, and independents all give him good marks. But he would have some work to do to establish himself as a credible political figure. Cooper (53% of voters with no opinion) and Gordon (58% with no opinion) are both largely unknown at this point.
Corker's not in huge peril by any means but this one at least has the potential to be interesting, and it would certainly be if Bredesen got into the field.
Full results here
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