Martin’s Last Hurrah Is Canceled…

Monday, December, 15, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin wisely canceled the agency’s December 18th public meeting.  Martin, you might recall, was hoping to vote on an item that would make changes to program-access complaint rules, including installing a shot clock on the FCC’s handling of complaints.  He was also opening an inquiry into a related proposal to prohibit cable programmers from dictating placement on programming tiers as a condition of carriage agreements.  And let’s not forget his pet plan to create a free broadband service as part of a wireless spectrum auction that would include a content filter to protect minors from inappropriate content.  A proviso that many believe would have set the Internet back to the stone age…

Martin was forced to cancel the December 18th public meeting because of some hefty opposition.  The tipping point was the letter from Senate Commerce Committee member, Senator Jay Rockefeller and House Energy & Commerce Committee member, Congressman Henry Waxman.   Rockefeller and Waxman are the future heads of the committees which oversee the FCC…

Martin says “in light of the letter, it does not appear that there is a consensus to move forward and the agenda meeting has been canceled.  The items will remain on circulation and the Commissioners can still vote on them.”  What are the odds against that happening?  Probably as good as Blagojevich remaining Governor of Illinois… 

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1791] Right on: The Bill of Rights, the 1st 10 amendments to the U.S. constitution, takes effect following ratification by Virginia (the state)…
2. 1890] “Happy Trails“: Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull and 11 other tribe members are killed by the Native American police in Grand River (SD). Sitting Bull was 59…1944] Bandleader Glenn Miller, 40, disappears over the English Channel in a thick fog. Miller was in a U.S. Army plane…1966] Walt Disney dies from cardiac arrest at 65. Contrary to popular belief, Disney’s body was not frozen…2001] Ledendary R&B singer and disc jockey Rufus Thomas passes away from a heart attack at 84…
3. 1939] Premiered on this date: “Gone With The Wind“, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh has its world premiere at Loew’s Grand Theater in Atlanta…
4. 1961] Guilty as charged: Former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann is sentenced to death by an Israeli court. Eichman is hanged in 1962…1988] James Brown is sentenced to a 6-year jail term for leading police on a late-night chase. He will be released on February 27, 1991.  JB was in another jam and under the influence in this clip…
5. 1982] Curtains: Paul “Bear” Bryant announces his retirement as coach of the University of Alabama football team. Bryant was the winningest college football coach in history at the time. The Bear will suffer a fatal heart attack at 69, one month later…1993] John Williams conducts the Boston Pops for the final time.  No date is given for this performance…
6. 1982] Signed, sealed, delivered: Bill Parcells becomes the Giants 12th head coach and press conferences will never be the same…
7. 1985] Wedding Bells: Sylvester Stallone and Brigitte Nielson shadow box down the aisle. This marriage ends in a KO in the 18th month…1990] Rod Stewart asks Rachel Hunter, do ya think I’m sexy? Apparently she does. She marries him. Not believing in quickie divorces, the couple’s divorce becomes official in November of 2006…2004] Sprint and Nextel tie the $35 billion knot…
8. 2003] Proof is in the DNA pudding: The late Senator Strom Thurmond’s family acknowledges Essie Mae Washington-Williams’ claim that she was Thurmond’s illegitimate mixed-race daughter…
9. 2005] Election Day: Millions of Iraqis turn out to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful election…
10. 2007] HGH to the rescue: Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte admits using human growth hormone to recover from an elbow injury, two days after the release of the Mitchell Report. People become suspicious when they see Pettitte with two left elbows…

Music Memories:

• 1959] Recorded on this date: The Everly Brothers record “Let It Be Me” in New York City. It’s their first record session outside of Nashville…
• 1962] Number One on this date: “The First Family” LP - Vaughn Meader. This parody of the Kennedy’s stays #1 for 12 weeks…
• 1969] Curtains: John Lennon gives his last performance in England at a UNICEF benefit in London.  Earlier, on September 1, John returned his MBE award…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Adam Brody (29), Rodney Harrison (36), Mo Vaughn (41), Don Johnson (59), Dave Clark (66), Cindy Birdsong (69), Tim Conway (75) and Jerry Wallace (80)…

Timeline Countdown: 6 days until winter, 7 nights until Hanukah, 10 shopping days until Christmas, 16 nights until New Year’s Eve and 19 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs…

Posted in Today's Post | No Comments »