No Thanksgiving Love For Arbitron & Ed Towns…

Wednesday, November, 25, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

(Thanksgiving Edition)

There will be no breaking of bread on Thanksgiving Day for Ed Towns and Arbitron now that the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee Chairman has set a hearing for December 2 on Arbitron’s PPM and its “effect on diversity in radio broadcasting.” So who is this guy Towns? Ed Towns represents Brooklyn’s 10th district as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York. Towns is a bulldog who has the best interests of underserved Brooklyn communities. Towns has been targeted by various Democratic Party constituencies, including factions led by his political rival Al Sharpton and national and local labor unions who resent his support for passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. According to Wikipedia, he has been heavily criticized for taking money from telecom PACs and opposing net neutrality…

Towns is new to his new position as Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, assuming office this past January. He replaced a tough act to follow - Henry Waxman, who doesn’t pull punches. Could be that Towns is trying to make a statement by taking on Arbitron’s PPM methodology or he’s just following his calling in life — you be the judge. I would suggest the former…

Used to having a target on their backs, Arbitron “welcomes the opportunity to discuss the importance of electronic measurement, the effectiveness of the Portable People Meter service, the value of the data it produces and our responsible approach to the deployment of the service.” They stopped short of saying they’re thankful for Ed Towns…

10 Timeline Memories: 

1. 1789] 1st Thanksgiving: A day of Thanksgiving is set aside by President George Washington to observe the adoption of the U.S. Constitution (11/26)…
2. 1925] Debuted on this date: The longest running live music show debuts on WSM Nashville when host George Dewey Hay invites an 83-year old Civil War veteran to play fiddle for an hour. The ‘WSM Barn Dance’ begins (11/28). In 1927 its name is changed to the “Grand Ole Opry“. Willie Nelson will make his debut 39 years to the date that the ‘Barn Dance’ debuted (1964)…
3. 1934] A Thanksgiving Day tradition begins: The Detroit Lions begin an annual NFL tradition, dropping a 19-16 decision to da Bearsss. It was the first NFL game aired on national radio. Brent Mus-sorry, Graham McNamee did the play-by-play (11/29)…
4. 1942] Play it again Sam: “Casablanca” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman debuts at the Hollywood Theater in Manhattan (11/26)…
5. 1942] Down in flames: A devastating and deadly fire destroys the Cocoanut Grove night club in Boston, taking nearly 500 lives (11/28)…
6. 1963] Laid to rest: The body of President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery (11/25)…
7. 1978] City Hall massacre: San Francisco mayor George Moscone and City Hall Supervisor Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist, are shot to death inside City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White (11/27)…
8. 1980] No mas, no mas: Sugar Ray Leonard defeats Roberto Duran for the welterweight crown after Duran pleads “no mas, no mas” in the 8th round, ending the fight (11/25)…
9. 1999] Elian gets his 15 minutes: 6-year old Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez is rescued by a pair of sport fishermen off the coast of Florida. The saga of Elian begins (11/25)…
10. 2001] “Happy Trails“: Beatle George Harrison loses his battle with cancer at 58 (11/29)…

Music Memories:

• 1949] Debuted on this date: “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” - Gene Autry is played on the radio for the first time (11/25)… 
• 1964] Number One on this date: “Ringo” - Lorne Green (11/29)…1967] “Incense & Peppermints” - Strawberry Alarm Clock (11/26)…1969] “Come Together“/”Something” - Beatles (11/29)…1972] “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” - Temptations (11/29)…1994] “I’ll Make Love To You” - Boyz II Men (11/26)…
• 1965] Released on this date: 1965] “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice” - Lovin’ Spoonful (11/27)…1970] “My Sweet Lord” - George Harrison (11/28)…1970] “Your Song” - Elton John (11/28)…1970] “All Things Must Pass” LP - George Harrison (11/27)…
• 1986] Recorded on this date: 36 British and American stars (including Paul Young, Phil Collins, Boy George, Sting, U2, Duran Duran, Bono, George Michael & James Taylor) get together as Band-Aid to record “Do They Know It’s Christmas” with proceeds going to Ethiopian famine relief, conceived by Bob Geldof) (11/25)…








Happy Birthday…happy birthday: (11/25) Barbara and Jenna Bush (28), Christina Applegate (38), Jill Hennessy (41), Amy Grant (49), Bucky Dent (58), John Larroquette (62), Ben Stein (65) and Percy Sledge (69)…(11/26) Harry Carson (56), John McVie (64), Jean Terrell (65), Tina Turner (70) and Rich Little (71)…(11/27) Jaleel “Urkel” White (33), Samantha Harris (36), Robin Givens (45), Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (52), Jayne Kennedy (58) and Manola Blahnik (67)…(11/28) Jon Stewart (47), Judd Nelson (50), S. Epatha Merkerson (57), Paul Shaffer (60), Randy Newman (66), Bruce Channel (69), Gary Hart (73) and Berry Gordy Jr. (80)…(11/29) Mariano Rivera (40), Don Cheadle (45), Kim Delaney (50), Howard Johnson (49), Howie Mandel (54), Gary Shandling (60), Suzy“Chapstick” Chaffee (63), Felix Cavaliere (67), Chuck Mangione (69), Vin Scully (82) and Minnie Minoso (87)…










Timeline Countdown: Happy Thanksgiving, 16 days until Hanukah, 27 days until winter and 30 days until Christmas…

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