Walter Payton

Walter Payton (July 25, 1954 – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football. Payton, a nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, once held the league's record for most career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, yards from scrimmage, all-purpose yards, and many other categories. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Hall of Fame NFL player and coach Mike Ditka described Payton as the greatest football player he had ever seen—but even greater as a human being.

Payton began his football career in Mississippi, and went on to have an outstanding collegiate football career at Jackson State University where he was an All-American. He started his professional career with the Bears in 1975, who selected him as the 1975 Draft's fourth overall pick. Payton proceeded to win two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards, and won Super Bowl XX with the 1985 Chicago Bears. After struggling with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis for several months, Payton died on November 1, 1999, aged 45, from cholangiocarcinoma. His legacy includes the Walter Payton Award, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and a heightened awareness of the need for organ donations.

Early life

Payton was one of three children born to Edward and Alyne Payton in Columbia, Mississippi. His father was a factory worker who had played semi-professional baseball. Payton was an active member of the Boy Scouts, Little League, and his local church. At John J. Jefferson High School, Payton played drums in the marching band, participated in the track team and sang in the school choir. Outside of school, he played drums injazz-rock groups.

During his first few years at high school, his older brother Eddie was on the football team, and Payton did not play partly to avoid competing with him. After Eddie graduated, the football coach asked Payton to try out for the team, and he agreed on condition that he be allowed to continue playing in the band. Once he began to play football, as a junior, he achieved instant success as a running back. At 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), he was not especially large, but his speed and strength made him one of the team's featured players. Jefferson High School was integrated with neighboringColumbia High School that year; Payton and his teammates were upset that their head coach, Charles L. Boston, had become an assistant and Payton boycotted some of the spring practices in protest, but returned during the fall season. He then earned state-wide honors as a member of Mississippi's all-state team, leading Columbia to an unexpected 8-2 season. His performance helped ease the local tensions surrounding desegregation.

And the 'America's Got Talent' winner is

(SPOILER ALERT: if you haven't seen the finale yet, go no further)

So Who's Got Talent this summer?
Among the four finalists -- Sinatra crooner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., body-lighted Team iLuminate, band PopLyfe, which stumbled Tuesday on its Queen cover medley; and shadow dancers Silhouettes -- the winner of this season's $1 million and Vegas contract grand prize:

Murphy, who did it his way all the way to the top.

On the season finale of the NBC summer hit, the 36-year-old Murphy -- whose inspirational backstory brought him from a West Virginia car wash to a national stage -- got to perform with Patti LaBelle; iLuminate, with Cobra Starship; Silhouettes reshaped themselves to LeAnn Rimes; and PopLyfe jammed with Stevie Wonder. And last summer's sensation, the operatic Jackie Evancho, who took second place but won a big career and fame, returned for a soaring encore.

PopLyfe was eliminated first, and Team iLuminate took third place

New 'America's Got Talent' winner named

Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., won't be washing cars again — unless they're his own.
The soulful vocalist who once supported himself by washing cars at an auto dealership sang his way to victory on Wednesday on "America's Got Talent."
"Thank you so much for just believing in me," he said upon hearing his name announced at the end of the NBC talent competition.

"It's been a long, hard journey," he went on, barely holding back his tears as the audience roared, "ever since I was a kid. And it's finally paying off."

Murphy, a native of Logan, W.Va., wins $1 million and a Las Vegas headlining contract.

With his rich voice and mild-mannered persona, Murphy had been a favorite of the judges and the audience all season. He beat three other finalists on the season-ending telecast. They included The Silhouettes, a troupe of youngsters from Arvada, Colo., who use shadow dancing to illustrate music. This enormous group, more than three dozen strong ranging in age from 3 to 19 years old, had charmed the audience with its visual effects.

Moments earlier, the other two acts had been cut. They were teenage rock band PopLyfe from Oakland, Calif., as well as Team iLuminate, whose dancing performers equip themselves with wearable wireless lighting systems.
Viewers had cast their votes after Tuesday's performance show, when Murphy sang Frank Sinatra's "My Way."
On Wednesday's broadcast, Murphy performed "You're All I Need to Get By" in a duet with Patti LaBelle.
He will headline in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace next month, with the other three finalists also on the bill.

COPS TO TAREQ: Michaele Salahi WAS NOT Kidnapped

Michaele Salahi was NEVER abducted ... so say police in Virginia ... who claim Michaele has contacted law enforcement and told them she DID NOT want her husband to know where she was.

The Warren County Sheriff's Dept. just released a statement saying one of their deputies spoke with Michaele  .... and "She seemed calm, was engaged in conversation, and assured the deputy that she had left the residence with a good friend and was where she wanted to be."

The WCSD adds, "Mrs. Salahi advised that she did not want Mr. Salahi to know where she was."

Cops say Michaele expressed she was "very sorry" that the Sheriff’s Office had to be involved, but "she did not want to be home right now."

The WCSD says officers have made contact with Tareq and "advised him that he had spoken with Mrs. Salahi and told him that she was fine."

Still, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office says it is working with the FBI "in an attempt to make additional contact with Mrs. Salahi to assure her well being."

Oasis auction set for Sunday

A court-ordered auction of equipment and wine from Oasis, the Hume winery of noted White House party crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi, is scheduled to occur Sunday.
As an outcome of Oasis Vineyards Inc.'s 2008 filing for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the liquidation of assets through the sale was to take place at the discretion of auctioneer N.T. Arrington, according to an April filing.
Online bidding for the wide variety of personal property has begun, and the live auction is set for noon Sunday at the vineyard, at 14141 Hume Road.
The Salahis, who own a house on Scenic Overlook Drive west of Linden, garnered national attention after making it past the Secret Service without an invitation for a dinner party that President Obama held in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009. Mrs. Salahi later starred in Bravo TV's "Real Housewives of D.C."
The couple was back in the limelight Wednesday after Tareq Salahi reported his wife missing to the Warren County Sheriff's Office at 11:55 p.m. Tuesday.
A news release from Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron states that a deputy made contact with Mrs. Salahi soon after the report and she assured him that she was safe, but did not want to be home.
The Oasis property itself is not a part of the auction, as the building is owned by a Salahi family partnership, said Kevin McCarthy, the trustee in the Oasis Vineyards Inc. bankruptcy. According to www.oasiswine.com, the Salahis plan to have a grand reopening of the winery on Sept. 24.
McCarthy said he was not involved with that website, and an email to an address on the site seeking additional information was not returned Wednesday. A link from the site quotes Tareq Salahi as stating that the auction items are either "beyond repair" or "garbage."
The auction features kitchen and catering equipment including tables, stools, wine rack displays, beverage coolers and steam ovens; wine making, processing and storage systems including an automated bottle line, more than 60 oak barrels, a grape press, tanks with capacities as large as 1,200 gallons, labels, corks, wires and electric transfer pumps; approximately 5,000 bottles of unfinished sparkling wine, 100 cases of Cabernet and 50 cases of mixed and assorted wines; and trucks and tractors.
Court records state that the value of the property to be sold is more than $300,000.
The public is invited to bid on auction items, but only those holding ABC licenses can receive the wine. For more information and to link to the online bidding

NFL Big night for Brady: 517 yards

Tom Brady threw his first interception since October, so he wasn't perfect in the Patriots' opener.

He was close, though.

Brady threw for a team-record 517 yards and four touchdowns, including a 99-yarder to Wes Welker, and the reigning AFC East champions started with a victory for the eighth consecutive season by beating the host Dolphins 38-24 on Monday.

Defensive end Jared Odrick picked off a deflected pass to set up a Miami touchdown and end Brady's NFL-record streak of 358 passes without an interception. Otherwise, Brady and the Patriots picked up where they left off last season, when he threw for 36 TDs and his team led the league in scoring.

New England totaled 622 yards, the most in franchise history and the most allowed by Miami.

Brady's performance overshadowed Miami's Chad Henne, who threw for 416 yards. The 906 net yards passing by both teams was an NFL record.

Brady, who went 32-for-48, became the 11th quarterback to throw for at least 500 yards. Norm Van Brocklin set the record of 554 yards in 1951.

"We're pleased to have him on our side," teammate Danny Woodhead said with a smile.

The capper came with 5:44 left and the Patriots leading 31-17. After they stopped Miami on downs at the 1-foot line, Brady lined up in the shotgun on first down and threw to Welker near the 20-yard line.

Welker caught the pass in stride, shook off Benny Sapp and sprinted untouched the rest of the way.

Newcomer Chad Ochocino had only one catch for 14 yards, but Welker made eight receptions for 160 yards, and tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Ron Gronkowski combined for 189 yards on 13 catches.

Season-ending injuries: Chiefs safety Eric Berry will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during the first quarter of Sunday's 41-7 loss to Buffalo. ... Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding is out for the season after injuring his left knee during the season's opening kickoff, a 103-yard touchdown return by the Vikings' Percy Harvin. ... Panthers linebacker Jon Beason will miss the rest of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon in his team's 28-21 loss at Arizona.

Source: Ramirez arrested in Florida

Former All-Star slugger Manny Ramirez was arrested in Broward County, Fla., on Monday night and charged with domestic battery, law enforcement sources confirmed to FOXSports.com.

Ramirez was booked into the jail shortly before 9 p.m. ET and will be held overnight, sources said. Bond has not been set in the case, but Ramirez is expected to appear before a magistrate on Tuesday for that purpose.

According to a police report obtained by the Associated Press, Ramirez and his wife were arguing in their bedroom when he slapped her face, causing her to hit her head on their bed's headboard. She told the deputy she was afraid the situation would escalate and called police.

Ramirez denied hitting his wife, according to the police report, telling a deputy she hit her head after he shrugged her. Ramirez's wife had injuries consistent with her story, but did not want medical treatment.

A source confirmed to FOXSports.com that Ramirez lives in the home with Juliana and his sons Lucas and Manny Jr.

Ramirez, 39, retired from baseball earlier this year following a second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. His use of banned substances, which came to light late in his career, has called into question achievements that would have otherwise resulted in election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ramirez was the 2004 World Series MVP, made 12 All-Star teams, and hit 555 home runs in a 19-year career.

MANNY RAMIREZ Arrested for Domestic Violence

Former World Series MVP Manny Ramirez has been arrested for allegedly committing domestic violence  ... TMZ has learned.

Witnesses tell TMZ Ramirez was taken out of his Weston, Florida home at around 7 PM ET in handcuffs.  We're told Ramirez' wife was in the house.  Two witnesses tell TMZ Ramirez and his wife were involved in an altercation.

Ramirez' wife, Juliana, left the house shortly after Ramirez was taken away in the back of a police car.

Miss Universe 2011: Miss Angola Leila Lopes wins title

The culmination of Donald Trump's year-long pageant-palooza unfolded Monday (Sept. 12) evening in Sao Paolo, Brazil when Miss Angola Leila Lopes was named Miss Universe 2011. She beat out Miss Ukraine Olesia Stefanko for the title.

Rounding out her royal court are second runner-up Miss Brazil Priscilla Machado, third runner-up Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup and fourth runner-up Miss China ZiLin Luo.

Lopes, a native of Benguela, Angola, is a business management student in Great Britain where she was also crowned Miss Angola U.K.

Judges of this year's pageant included Brazilian IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves, erstwhile news anchor Connie Chung, Brazilian modelIsabela Fontana, actress Vivica Fox, "Real Housewife of Beverly Hills" Adrienne Maloof, Filipina singer Lea Salonga and 2003 Miss Universe (Dominican Republic) Amelia Vega.

The event was co-hosted by NBC's Natalie Morales and Bravo's Andy Cohen.

Relive her crowning moment:

Miss Universe 2011 contestants are a catty bunch

In an effort to let viewers get to know the 89 Miss Universe 2011 contestants a bit better, they each shot a web interview that was then posted online. Each clip consists of the same three questions: Do you believe in life on other planets? What advantage do women have over men? If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

The first question appeared to confuse several of the young women, although the ones who weren't gave some hilarious answers. (Hey, Miss Canada, you don't even have difficulties with English to fall back on for that "plantation" answer.) The second established that childbirth and the fairer sex's ability to multitask are unparalleled. But it was the third that the contestants really seemed to get into.

Korea (oyster) and Thailand (plankton) get points for originality, while the Bahamas (phoenix), Mexico (unicorn) and the US Virgin Islands (mermaid) didn't let themselves be limited to real animals.

"You didn't say it couldn't be a fictional sea creature," US Virgin Islands' Alexandrya Evans says.

Dolphins and birds were also popular choices (especially penguins seeing as how they mate for life), but nearly half said that they wanted to be some kind of cat, lions and tigers more specifically.

"If I was an animal, I would be a lion," says Egypt's Sara El Khouly. "For two reasons. Because of Simba in 'Lion King.' He was the cutest lion ever. And then because I would eat all the animals in the jungle and no one would eat me so I don't have to be scared of being eaten by other animals."

Really, though, it might have been so they show off their wildcat impressions since last we checked that's not one of the Miss Universe events.

One thing learned from watching all the videos: The folklore about cats having nine lives is not a worldwide thing. Some have to settle for six or se

Beyonce Wore “Prosthetic Baby Bump” at VMAs?!

“BeyonceFAKED IT… She used a PROSTHETIC Baby Bump at The MTV Awards!!” blares another “World Exclusive” fromMediaTakeOut, which isconsistently wrongwhen it comes to reporting about the singer.

According to a “top industry insider,” “The word BEHIND THE SCENES at the VMAs was that Beyonce was wearing a PROSTHETIC BELLY.”

The supposed source claims that while Beyonce is in fact expecting, “She is NOT in her second trimester – she’s only a little more than 8 WEEKS pregnant,” adding, “She wanted the announcement to be dramatic, so she made sure she had a baby bump.”

Actually, the really shocking thing here is that Beyonce is only just showing now, considering that MediaFakeOut wrongly reported she was pregnant in March 2010, and then AGAIN in April.

After so many unsuccessful attempts to impregnate Beyonce, the site now expects us to believe it’s intimately familiar with exactly how far along she is?

Not a chance.

A source close to Beyonce assures us she was absolutely NOT wearing a “prosthetic belly” at the VMAs.

The only thing FAKE here is MTO’s “insider.”

Miss Angola Leila Lopes Wins Miss Universe 2011

Leila Lopes of Angola was crowned Miss Universe on Monday night.

The 25-year-old Lopes is the first Miss Universe from Angola. She beat out contestants from 88 other countries to win the title on the pageant’s 60th anniversary.

And it was a question about beauty that helped her take the crown.

When asked what physical trait she would change, Lopes replied, “Thank God I’m very satisfied with the way God created me, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” She added, “I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family, and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life.”

The first runner-up after Lopes was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine, followed byPriscila Machado of Brazil, where the competition was held.

Lopes replaces last year’s Miss Universe, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.

Miss Universe is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC.

Miss Angola Leila Lopes wins Miss Universe 2011

Miss Angola wins Miss Universe 2011! Congratulations Leila Lopes!




Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup was the third runner up. We love you Miss Philippines!




Watch the video here of Leila’s winning moment:

NFL Scores Week 1: Steelers Vs. Ravens

LeGarrette Blount had just 15 yards on five carries. For more on the Lions, check out Pride of Detroit. To see how Bucs fans are taking the loss, visit Bucs Nation. And visit SB Nation NFL for all of the NFL's Week 1 Scores.

The Chicago Bears picked up where they left off in 2011, throttling the Atlanta Falcons behind an opportunistic defense and Jay Cutler's arm.

After that series, the two teams got back to the gritty kind of play that defines what might be the best rivalry in the NFL, for a little while anyway. Before the end of the first quarter Baltimore added another seven points to the scoreboard.

After that series, the two teams got back to the gritty kind of play that defines what might be the best rivalry in the NFL, for a little while anyway. Before the end of the first quarter Baltimore added another seven points to the scoreboard.

NFL Scores: Three Plays That Defined Kansas City Chiefs Loss To Buffalo Bills

Three momentum-changing plays that helped the Buffalo Bills blow out the Kansas City Chiefs at home by a score of 41-7.

Follow @sbnkansascity on Twitter, and LikeSB Nation Kansas City on Facebook.

Sep 12, 2011 - The Kansas City Chiefs were thoroughly beaten in every facet of the game by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon. From the opening kickoff that was fumbled by Chiefs returner, Dexter McCluster, it seemed as if things were just going to go the Bills was on this day. And it did. There's no other way to explain this game but to say that the Bills were the more physical, more disciplined, and more hungry team on the day. They flat-out seemed as if they wanted to win this game more than the Chiefs.

The Chiefs were put in a reactionary mode from the opening kickoff with McCluster's fumble. But any energy garnered from the home crowd on opening day was immediately taken away when Buffalo scored on a four-yard touchdown reception on third and goal from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to tight-end Scott Chandler. It calmed a crowd that was hoping to see more of the team that beat the Chargers during the home opener in 2010, instead, they saw a similar team as the second-half Chiefs against the Ravens in the playoff game that ended the Chiefs season a year ago.

While things weren't necessarily looking great at the beginning of the game for the Chiefs, there were still a few plays during this game that kind of defined how things went on the day.

One of those plays was early in the second quarter with the Chiefs behind 14-0. Just after a pass that was originally ruled as a touchdown from Matt Cassel to Leonard Pope was reversed because Pope didn't maintain control of the ball heading to the ground. Matt Cassel took a 12-yard sack that made a would-have-been 37-yard field goal attempt, a 49-yard attempt. Needless to say that Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop missed the field goal and squashed any possible-momentum that getting on the board may have provided at this point in the game.

It's hard to say whether or not this play would have changed anything regarding the outcome of the game, but at the time it seemed to take a little wind out of the sails of the Chiefs players and the fans at Arrowhead Stadium.

The next time that the momentum really seemed to sway towards the Bills and ultimately began to see the Bills pull away from the Chiefs was a Chiefs drive early in the 3rd quarter. They were trailing 20-7 at the time and on 1st and 10 Matt Cassel's pass was batted at the line of scrimmage right back at him, which he caught and was tackled. This 4-yard loss wasn't a good look on 1st and 10 and ultimately it was this play that stalled the drive, forcing the Chiefs to punt and give the ball back to the Bills.

The next swing was from the Bills very next drive. The Chiefs knew that going down 27-7 would ultimately put them all but out of the game and forcing a field goal would at least keep some sliver of hope alive.

The Bills drove the ball all the way down to the Chiefs one-yard line, then proceeded to have a couple of penalties that pushed them back and force a 3rd and goal from the 11-yard line. The Chiefs blitzed seven on the next play and it seems from the replay that Chiefs safety Kendrick Lewis was the one defender that wasn't locked up on a Bills receiver. That may have been why Scott Chandler caught a wide-open touchdown pass to break the game open and pretty much seal the deal for the Bills as they took a 27-7 lead.

The Buffalo Bills were the better team for the majority of snaps on Sunday and these three particular plays seemed to be key to their victory over the Chiefs. You've got to give the Bills credit for going out and making plays, but you also must wonder how long it will take for the light to come on for the Chiefs. They now have a weeks worth of practice to get ready for a Detroit Lions team they'll face next week in Detroit.

'SPARTACUS' STAR ANDY WHITFIELD Dead at 39

who left the show "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -- died today in Sydney, Australia. He was 39.

Whitfield's wife issued a statement, saying her husband died on a "sunny Sydney morning" in the "arms of his loving wife."

Chris Albrecht, President and CEO of Starz (which aired "Spartacus"), released a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield. We were fortunate to have worked with Andy in 'Spartacus' and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life."

Andy Whitfield Was an 'Inspiration to All of Us,' Says Network Exec

Andy Whitfield was as brave off screen as he was on it, says the president and CEO of Starz, which is mourning its lost star, who died of cancer on Sunday. 

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield," Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht says in a statement about the Welsh-born actor, who was 39. "We were fortunate to have worked with Andy inSpartacus and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life." 

"Andy was an inspiration to all of us as he faced this very personal battle with courage, strength and grace," the statement continues. 

Albrecht adds: "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. He will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and fans." 

Whitfield, who lived in Australia, played the lead role during the first season ofSpartacus: Blood and Sand. He withdrew from the second season when he had a recurrence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the blood cancer that would eventually take his life. 

Whitfield's wife Vashti said in a statement that the "beautiful young warrior" died on a "sunny Sydney morning" in the "arms of his loving wife."

R.I.P. Andy Whitfield Of Starz’s ‘Spartacus’

In the arena as Spartacus, he was invincible. But in real life, formerSpartacus: Blood and Sand star Andy Whitfield has lost his battle with cancer. The Welsh-born actor, who was beloved by fans of Starz’s gladiator drama, passed away today in Sydney, Australia, where he had lived since 1999. “On a beautiful sunny Sydney spring morning, surrounded by his family, in the arms of his loving wife, our beautiful young warrior Andy Whitfield lost his 18 month battle with lymphoma cancer,” Whitfield’s wife Vashti said in a statement. “He passed peacefully surrounded by love. Thank you to all his fans whose love and support have help carry him to this point. He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was.” Whitfield was 39.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield,” Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht said in a statement. “We were fortunate to have worked with Andy in Spartacus and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life.  Andy was an inspiration to all of us as he faced this very personal battle with courage, strength and grace. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. He will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and fans.” AddedSpartacus creator Steven DeKnight via Twitter, “No words to express the depth of such a loss. You will be deeply missed, my brother.”

Whitfield got his big break when he was cast as the title character on Spartacus: Blood and Sand. But during a routine checkup in March 2010 just before production on Season 2 was to begin, he was diagnosed with what was described at the time as treatable Stage 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Production was put on hold while Whitfield underwent treatment. He eventually went into remission and was days away from starting filming on Season 2 when his cancer came back and he had to resume aggressive treatment. Despite that, he remained positive, while the Spartacus role was eventually recast with Liam McIntyre.

In June 2010, when he had just been given a clean bill of health after his first round of cancer treatment and was actively training for his return to the show, Whitfield did an interview with Deadline in which he talked about his illness. “After the initial shock — I was a healthy young man and had no idea that this could happen — it was frustrating that the first season was ending on such a high note and we could’ve been rolling into Season 2.” But after that initial shock came “time to heal, figure things out and spend time with my family,” he said. The experience thought him some important lessons, he said, like: “Stay in the now and enjoy every moment.”

Debt Ceiling Debate May Have Been Won Or Lost In Twitterville

In a town of 200 million folks, Twitterville is more than twice the size of Canada and two-thirds the size of the U.S. The difference being, members of the the microblogging site speak their minds daily to a global audience, while American citizens can only grumble amongst a handful of friends and family, at best.

I reported back in June, that our Chief of State, Barack Obama unaffected by how some lawmakers have mishandled themselves in Twitterville (e.g. the recent WeinerGate scandal), he has embraced the social network in a big way. In this YouTube video of July 6, he made history by becoming the first president to live tweet.


Subsequently, with the recent 'debt ceiling' wranglings heating up, he has ratcheted up his activity on Twitter by jumping in with tweets a' blazin'... and, in the 11th hour, he's made an attempt to mobilize his 9.4 million followers to force the GOPs hand in coming up with a necessary compromise - less the nation fall into default.   

So in a flurry of 140 characters-briefs to the nation, Obama urges both Democrats and Republican citizens to vigilantly utilize all the technological means available to them, including Twitter.


He then followed up with this plea by posting over 100 Twitter messages listing the Twitter handles of 232 GOP lawmakers, urging his followers to contact and express their concern over the delay in making some type of a compromise.


No one was spared . . . not even his previous opposition in the 2008 election race.


According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, one of McCain's fellow Republicans from Arizona labeled the use of Twitter: "a silly gimmick." Representative Trent Franks said Obama should have spent more time engaging directly with House Republicans and putting specifics on paper. Then in a flip-flop reversal of his distaste for the use of the microblogging site, Franks stated, "I wish the president would tweet us. . .he is AWOL in this discussion."

This set off a series of retaliatory broadcasts by the GOP who also joined in the Twitterville chatter. Senator Dan Coats, an Illinois Republican tweeted to his followers that he was not pleased with the President's speeches, and instead preferred a concrete plan.


Ronald Yaros, a professor of new media and mobile journalism at the University of Maryland in College Park noted that he felt Twitter had evolved into a mass medium that can mobilize average citizens in real-time. "It's a very effective, efficient way to get the word out, and to let the network of existing followers be the disciples for, without waiting for the television camera to turn on," Yaros stated.

Perhaps having exhausted the idea of individual tweets listing the Republican legislators individually, one of the President's most recent tweets (before this post) included a hyperlink that provided a directory to view the entire roster collectively.


Noting, "we need to keep it up until we have a deal, so we've created a directory of members of Congress on Twitter. Find your legislator in the list below and tweet them to let them know it's time to come to a compromise and get this thing done."

Well, this shows you the president is a firm believer in the power that hails from Twitterville. What do you think? Can 200 million folks be mobilized to press the House and the Senate to act in a responsible way? Or is this just a minor blip on the political stratosphere that doesn't carry the heft required to counter the looming crisis affecting this entire nation's future?

UPDATE - Bloomberg - July 31 - Not everyone was a fan of the president’s message blitz. Obama’s campaign Twitter feed lost 33,243 followers July 29, according to Twitter Counter, a website that tracks statistics for more than 10 million Twitter users. By 7 p.m. Washington time, the site had gained 10,786 followers, according to Twitter Counter.  (note: what might have been the reason for the marked drop-off could have been due to the frequency of tweets listing the GOP lawmakers' twitter handles. Some reports indicated they could have easily flooded a followers' Twitter stream - as the 200+ were sent within minutes of each other - this is lesson to be learned by the President the next time he considers using this method of communication!)

Hotel 626: the Online Haunted House

Frito-Lay of North America presents a Snack Strong production that you won't soon forget.  This truly unique and innovative use of multiple online medias is a really cool experience (especially if you like scary movies and such).  The site, Hotel 626, requires you to use a webcam, a microphone, and register with the site so that they can immerse you properly into this hellish nightmare.  Don't worry it's not that hellish.  In fact, it's pretty fun!