Pat Quinn - new governor of Illinois

Meet Pat Quinn, new governor of Illinois

Pat Quinn

The 41st governor of Illinois to be exact. And, wow. Wikipedia already has him listed as taking the oath of office on their website.

Pat Quinn was born in Hinsdale, a DuPage County suburb of Chicago in 1948, graduated from Fenwick Catholic High School in Oak Park, Georgetown University in 1971 and Northwestern University school of law in 1980. He is divorced and the father of two sons.

He began his political career as an aide to Governor Dan Walker, was elected state treasurer and served for four years, 1991-1995. He ran for senate but lost to Dick Durbin in the democratic primary in 1996.

Pat Quinn began his career crusading against utility companies and organizing petition drives, including one that cut the size of the Illinois House by one-third - putting dozens of politicians out of work.

He won the race for Lt. Governor in 2002, but even though this office is the consitutionally mandated successor should the governor not finish his term, Pat Quinn and Blagojevich were not close, Pat Quinn says they have not spoken in more than a year. Blago said last year that Pat Quinn was not even part of the administration.

Say Hello To Pat Quinn, The New Governor Of Illinois

Despite his long career in politics, he was never seen as a powerhouse. He was more of a "goo-goo" -- one of those "good government" liberal populist reformers. He was dismissed as a gadfly, an odd-duck publicity-seeker, not especially known as a team player. Certainly not a go-along-to-get-along type of guy. He made his share of political enemies, many from his own Democratic Party.

But he is Pat Quinn, and Pat Quinn is now Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn. His ascension became official today when the state Senate, by a unanimous 59-0 vote, officially ended the governorship of Rod Blagojevich.

If Blagojevich was vain and over the top, Pat Quinn, 60 years old, is a mostly humor-challenged pol. He is an outsider who spent many years, and many elections, trying to make it on the inside. He champions the little guy, the powerless, with his longtime support for citizen initiatives, and he has spent a career battling special interests.

But he is not the most popular pol in Springfield either. His successful effort to cut the size of the state Legislature left him with some bitter enemies. And now he has become the most powerful person in Illinois state government.

Campaign record. In 1986, he sought the Democratic nomination for Illinois state treasurer but finished third in the primary to Jerry Cosentino. In 1990, with Cosentino running for secretary of state, Pat Quinn was elected treasurer (with, by the way, the help of strategist David Axelrod).

Four years later he took the same route as his predecessor Cosentino: He ran for secretary of state. But he lost to Republican George Ryan, later the governor and later convicted of corruption. In 1996, Sen. Paul Simon (D) retired, and Pat Quinn jumped into the primary to succeed him. But he got clobbered by a downstate congressman, Dick Durbin, now the Senate majority whip. In 1998 he lost a bid to become lieutenant governor.

But four years later, in 2002, he tried again, and he won the Democratic primary for LG and found himself on the same ticket as the party's gubernatorial candidate, Congressman Rod Blagojevich. Had it been an ordinary year, Pat Quinn could have once again gone down to defeat. But by 2002, the Republlicans in Illinois were reeling, the governor under a corruption investigation that would eventually send him to prison. The Blagojevich-Quinn ticket won, and despite the hints of the governor's ethics woes throughout much of his first term, they were re-elected in 2006.

But by his own admission, he hasn't been close to the governor. At the time of Blagojevich's arrest on Dec. 9, Pat Quinn said the two hadn't spoken in a year. He certainly didn't hesitate to talk about him, though, saying that the governor should resign his office.

He wouldn't. The Illinois state Senate decided the issue by convicting him today. And now Pat Quinn, gadfly outsider, is governor.

One of the interesting aftermaths of all this is the looming presence of 2010. Lisa Madigan, the state attorney general and a longtime Blago foe, had been preparing to run for governor next year, taking on Blagojevich in the primary if she had to. Now, with Pat Quinn as governor, that dynamic has changed. Stay tuned.

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How Tall is Jessica Simpson

how tall is jessica simpson ???

Many are curious about the height of Miss Jessica Simpson. Jessica Simpson is not really tall. She wears high heels so the height can be really confusing. According to some people, Jessica Simpson's height is 5'3". Some says she's 5'2". Others claims she is 5'4" . Comparing Jessica Simpson with other celebrities, one can say that she's somewhere between 5'1" to 5'5". That's the range. Jessica Simpson does look taller on tv and in her pictures and movies. You check out some photos of Jessica Simpson with some other celebrities to get an idea of her height.

Is Jessica Simpson Fat?

This morning I was listening to the radio and for nearly five minutes, the DJs on the morning show were complaining about how Jessica Simpson gained weight. One estimated 30 pounds, another said 50. When I got to my computer, I had to see what all the fuss was about. Here are photos of Jessica Simpson that everyone is talking about that I found on PerezHilton.com and TMZ:

Personally, I think it's mostly the outfit. The pants and the belt are a terrible choice - they make her look bigger than she really is. It does look like she's gained a little bit of weight, but I didn't think that was a big deal. I was more concerned that in this photo she was performing at a chili cook-off in Florida! What's happening to her career?

Jessica Simpson's weight gain: PW's inaugural 'ShePop' post

Jessica Simpson's the new Jennifer Love Hewitt, thanks to some much curvier photos of the pop singer performing at a recent Florida chili cook-off. The pics have prompted all kinds of internet talk about her weight -- and we're not about to pile onto that or condone it, of course.

If the girl wants to eat chili -- if she finds the country music scene more forgiving of non-stick-figures, if she likes sharing Southern cooking with much-discussed boyfriend Tony Romo -- then God bless her for not starving herself. (God bless her also for just enjoying being ridiculously gorgeous, whatever her size.) But it also begs the question, in this very specific case:

When a star has made herself famous by selling her personal life, where will the public dissection stop? And if you're a conspiracy theorist (one who reads lots of tabloids), you might even wonder if she wants us to be having this exact discussion right now...?

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Kirsten Gillibrand - Senator ???

Kirsten Gillibrand

PIX News in New York is reporting that Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, who represents upstate New York, will be chosen by Governor David Paterson to replace Hillary Clinton as New York’s junior senator. The announcement is to be made at noon Friday in Albany.

Speculation is that the governor’s thinking is that it benefits to have a senator from upstate, and that Hillary Clinton, herself, supports Kirsten Gillibrand as her successor. Carolyn Maloney, the New York City congresswoman who was also up for the job, will also be in Albany Friday. I wonder if Kirsten Gillibrand would have been chosen had Caroline Kennedy not pulled out. Or was it that Kirsten Gillibrand had already chosen and Kennedy, who has been vague about her reasons for withdrawing, did so to save face?

Kirsten Gillibrand - Senator from New York?

Word is Kirsten Gillibrand will be chosen by Governor Patterson to replace Hillary Clinton as New York’s junior Senator.

Patterson has really been dragging out this process, and the Caroline Kennedy fiasco has made nobody look good. Phillip Anderson at the Albany Project sums it up:

I’d add the Governor. This mess didn’t need to drag on anywhere near this long. Also, it was pretty obvious that in addition to not being “ready for prime time”, Kennedy never really seemed to even want it all that much. Paterson should have politely taken a pass. He didn’t and it has now blown up in his face. (Knickerbocker SKD should have as well, but at least they were billing.)

Kirsten Gillibrand is better, I guess. But she’s been wrong on FISA. Wrong on Free Choice. Wrong on immigration. Wrong on gay marriage. But, she does hail from one of the most conservative congressional districts in New York, and word is she’s more progressive than she lets on. And she’s a woman (which I guess is fitting) and she’s a great fundraiser. Here’s hoping she’ll represent the entire state of New York - which means being a significantly more liberal Senator than she was a Representative.

Either way, tomorrow at noon, us New Yorkers will have a new Senator.

Academy Awards 2009 Nominations

Academy Award 2009 Nominations Review

2009 Academy Award Nominees Announced; 2009 Oscar Nominees Unveiled in Hollywood Thursday Morning. While most of us were still bleary eyed, slurping down our first cups of coffee (if we were even awake) Forest Whitaker and Academy president Sid Ganis announced the nominees for the 2009 Academy Awards live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater Thursday.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Nominees

- Richard Jenkins–The Visitor

- Frank Langella–Frost/Nixon

- Sean Penn–Milk

- Brad Pitt–The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- Mickey Rourke–The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Nominees

- Josh Brolin–Milk

- Robert Downey Jr.–Tropic Thunder

- Philip Seymour Hoffman–Doubt

- Heath Ledger–The Dark Knight

- Michael Shannon–Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Nominees

- Anne Hathaway–Rachel Getting Married

- Angelina Jolie–Changeling

- Melissa Leo–Frozen River

- Meryl Streep–Doubt

- Kate Winslet–Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Nominees

- Amy Adams–Doubt Penelope Cruz–Vicky Cristina Barcelona

- Viola Davis–Doubt

- Taraji P. Henson–The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- Marisa Tomei–The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR Nominees

- David Fincher–The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- Ron Howard–Frost/Nixon

- Gus Van Sant–Milk

2009 Oscar Nominees Unveiled in Hollywood Thursday Morning

- Stephen Daldry–The Reader

- Danny Boyle–Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Nominees

- Frozen

- Happy-Go-Lucky

- In Bruges

- Milk

- Wall-E

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Nominees

- Eric Roth–The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- John Patrick Shanley–Doubt

- Peter Morgan–Frost/Nixon

- David Hare–The Reader

- Simon Beaufoy–Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM Nominees

- Bolt

- Kung Fu Panda

- Wall-E

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR Nominees

- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- Frost/Nixon

- Milk

- The Reader

- Slumdog Millionaire

Leading the 2009 Academy Award nominees was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with 13 Oscar nominations. Button was followed up with Slumdog Millionaire with 10 Oscar nominations.

Perhaps the biggest surprises are the snubs for both Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Revolutionary Road. Dark Knight was also overlooked for both Best Picture and Best Director, as was Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino. First time Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway was a surprise as well, being recognized for the under-the-radar pic Rachel Getting Married.

As many predicted, Heath Ledger was nominated in the Best Actor category. The nod fittingly comes on the anniversary of his untimely death last year. For the most part, however, Dark Knight was largely ignored by the Academy proving that big budgets, big names and big box office don’t always predict Oscar gold.

The 81st Academy Awards are being held on February 22 and will be hosted by “Sexiest Man Alive” Hugh Jackman.

2009 Academy Award Nominees Announced; 2009 Oscar Nominees Unveiled in Hollywood Thursday Morning. While most of us were still bleary eyed, slurping down our first cups of coffee (if we were even awake) Forest Whitaker and Academy president Sid Ganis announced the nominees for the 2009 Academy Awards live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater Thursday.

Barack Obama oval office

Obama oval office

Barack Obama entered the Oval Office as president for the first time Wednesday morning at around 8:35 a.m., according to Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

It was a later arrival than his predecessor, George Bush, who was often in the Oval Office before 7:00 a.m. But President Obama had a late night Tuesday, returning to the White House after dancing at a series of inaugural balls around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Time alone in the Oval

The new president spent about 10 minutes alone in the Oval Office which looks much as it did when George Bush was president. Mr. Obama decided to keep both the massive desk, made of timbers from the British ship Resolute, and the cheery rug designed by Laura Bush that were in his predecessor’s office.

After ten minutes alone, at 8:45 a.m. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel entered the room to brief the president on the events of the day. Michelle Obama joined the president in the Oval office at 9:10.

Starting the day with prayer

The first official business for the couple was to attend a national prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral. The Obama’s sat in the first pew along with Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, fomer President Bill Clinton, and Hillary Clinton.

Later in the day, the new president is expected to meet with top military officials including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, and General David Petraeus. They will discuss the new commander in chief’s plans for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama Oval Office PHOTO!

The first White House photo of President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. To our eye he's changed nothing in the decor. The man at left is White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. We'll offer a caption for this photo, borrowed from an earlier post here: "Now, The Hard Part." How would you caption this photo?

Inaugural Luncheon Menu

President's Inaugural Luncheon Menu

Following the swearing in, our new President Barack Obama, will be enjoying his first Presidential luncheon in the Statutary Hall. We couldn't find a picture of the new President dining anywhere fancy, but we did manage to find one of him enjoying a piece of pizza for an informal "presidential luncheon." Back to affairs, or should I say "meals of state... " For those whose enquiring minds wish to know, the following will be the substance of the Presidential Inaugural meal:

Apparently, the courses reflect the tastes of Abraham Lincoln, rather than our new President. Here is a brief rundown of what Obama and his guests will be genteely ingesting. For the first course there will be a seafood stew which will include Maine lobsters, sea scallops, large shrimp and black cod (which seems to be a favorite menu item here in the city at the moment also). Along with carrots, celery, leek and Idaho potato and heavy cream, the seasonings will include nutmeg and dry vermouth.


For the second course, there will be a brace of American birds: Pheasant and duck. These will be served with sour cherry chutney and Molasses sweet potatoes. This will be paired with Goldeneye, a 2005 Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. The State Department did not state whether this was implying any connection between our President and James Bond, an interesting choice, nonetheless.

Dessert will be an Apple Cinnamon Sponge cake, served with sweet cream glace and paired with a California champagne (sparkling wine) from Korbel: which will be a special inaugural cuvee. A further California connection is provided with the hanging of a picture: "View of Yosemite Valley" in Statutary Hall where the President and his guests will dine.

Despite reports of inaugural tickets being sold for up to $1,000 on Ebay, the above, alas, is probably the closest most of us will ever get to joining the President for lunch... I know, I know, the invitation was in the mail...

The inaugural luncheon menu

It may be a bit crazy, but I've always been kinda fascinated by what presidents eat. I read the presidential Thanksgiving and Christmas menus. I make sure to check out the menus for state dinners. I read about White House chefs and presidential food preferences. It's just interesting to me.

Here's the luncheon menu for today's inaugural lunch:

The first course, a seafood stew filled with lobster, scallops, shrimp and cod, will be served with Duckhorn Vineyards's 2007 Sauvignon Blanc.

"The wine was released April 3, 2008. It's the only white wine we make as a company. It's a little richer, there's some barrel fermentation and I think it has benefited from being in the bottle a little longer," Duckhorn's chief winemaker Bill Nancarrow said of the harvest that yielded 30,000 cases.

"They've had Duckhorn wines at the White House before, so they know us. But still this is quite something," he added.

The main course, a brace of duck and pheasant served with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes, will be accompanied by Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir, from California's Anderson Valley.

"I have to say that among the many honors and awards in the world of wine, this is one of the most gratifying," Zach Rasmuson, Goldeneye's 35-year-old chief winemaker, said.

"I didn't know anything really about the selection until we found out last week. They didn't ask us to submit anything," he added.

"But I think, especially when I heard it was going to be served with duck and the sour cherry sauce, that our wine will go great with that dish. One of the descriptors of Pinot Noir is sour cherry."

Korbel's Heck, who has been in the wine business for 43 years, said he had sent about 18 magnum cases to Washington to be served with the dessert course - an apple cinnamon sponge cake with sweet cream glace.

"It's the same wine as in our Korbel Natural. These are just special bottles," he said.

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Another Cinderella Story

Another Cinderella Story Tonight on ABC Family


Can you imagine Cinderella dropping and leaving behind her MP3 player instead of her glass slippers? Imagine no more, as ABC Family brings a re-imagining of the classic fairy tale in the form of Another Cinderella Story, a 2008 romantic comedy film that debuts on the small screen tonight at 8pm. Wizards of Waverly Place's Selena Gomez stars as the titular character, along with Drew Seeley as the pop idol in place of Prince Charming Joey parker and Jane Lynch as Mary's evil legal guardian Dominique.

In Another Cinderella Story, the modern fairy tale takes place in present day Beverly Hills, with humble and downtrodden servant girl Mary (Gomez) dreaming of becoming a world-class dancer. Just like the old fairy tale, her evil stepmother and washed up diva Dominique (Lynch) alongside her equally evil daughters Bree and Britt stand in her way. When pop star Joey parker goes to town, he announces that he's hosting a contest to find the most talented dancer to star in his new music video. Mary sneaks into the studio to learn the dance moves, and, later, has an encounter with the pop star at the school's masked Black and White Ball. In true Cinderella fashion, she flees the scene and leaves behind her MP3 player.

Selena Gomez, 16, plays Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place and is currently working on her debut album. The Grand Prairie, Texas-native was cast as the mayor's daughter in the animated feature Horton Hears a Who and will star in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie slated for release this year.

Another Cinderella Story: Selena Gomez & Drew Seeley Interviews

After tonight’s premiere of “Another Cinderella Story” on ABC Family, I went looking for behind-the-scenes interviews of the movie’s stars Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley. These two interviews are by christinaaa28 at YouTube, who caught Selena and Drew when they were filiming at her high school (Vancouver, CANADA). Can you imagine Selena and Drew coming to your school?