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The Times Herald Extra is where we feature additional coverage of news and events that our readers may find useful and more informative.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Live: Gun control hearing in Senate

Live: Senate gun control hearing (Gabby Giffords testifies)Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyView "Live: Senate gun control hearing (Gabby Giffords testifies)" on Spundge

Labels: Gabby Giffords, gun control, Senate, Wayne LaPierre

Greatest Super Bowl halftime shows

View the story "Five memorable Super Bowl halftime shows" on StorifyFive memorable Super Bowl halftime showsFrom Michael Jackson to Janet Jackson's, well, you know...Storified by Digital First Media· Wed, Jan 30 2013 07:08:40DenverpostWhen Beyonce takes the world stage on Sunday for the second time in as many weeks, the R&B superstar will surely do more than just “sing.” That is, if she sings at all. The Internet is drowning in speculation as to whether Beyonce’s Super Bowl XLVII halftime performance will find the star lip-synching -- as was the case during President Barack Obama’s inauguration on Jan. . But the key word in that sentence is, of course, “performance.”More than a display of vocal prowess, the Super Bowl halftime show is a multi-faceted explosion of postmodern culture. There’s the major corporate presenting sponsor (this year, Pepsi), the multi-layered, multimedia stage, the myriad camera angles, and, in recent years, surprise guests that can make or break the whole thing. It’s a far cry from the various marching bands that entertained spectators during halftime at Super Bowls I through IX. Those early shows slowly evolved to include artists like Carol Channing ( 970, ‘7 ), Ella Fitzgerald ( 97 ), Andy Williams ( 97 ) and, for a whopping five times, Up With People, until taking on a more traditional pop format in 99 with the erstwhile relevant New Kids On The Block.In advance of Beyonce’s big moment, here’s a look back at five particularly memorable halftime shows in Super Bowl history.5. Chubby Checker, the Rockettes, grand pianos, two collegiate marching bands, 9 In many ways, 9 ’s “Something Grand” production during Super Bowl XXII was an allegory for the excess of the 9 0s. More than 00 individual performers overtook the field. Eighty-eight grand pianos were played in unison, arranged in an artful formation to create two mega-pianos from a bird’s eye view. For even more symmetry, Rockettes tap danced on oversized piano keys. Chubby Checker sang “Let’s Twist Again” in a glitter shirt, then another song -- about twisting, of course -- with Super Bowl lyrics peppered in. It was nothing but ear-to-ear grins for minutes and change, both on-screen and off.Time machine - Super Bowl Half-time Show "Something Grand" / The Rockettes (Jan 31,1988)4. Prince and the Florida A&M marching band, 007Between 005 and 0 0, Super Bowl halftime producers avoided any and all sense of surprise. Many critics contend that this was a conscious move in response to Janet Jackson’s infamous wardrobe malfunction in 004 (see below). Indeed, a single, partially-exposed breast likely begat years of canonical yet unimaginative geezer rock: Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen and the Who all performed during this span. But sandwiched within this hearty loaf of white bread came Prince -- an artistic, outside-the-box choice in 007. Prince performed an expert medley in which his dazzling guitar skills took center stage -- no gimmicks necessary to make this one pop. And with a few choice covers like “We Will Rock You,” “Proud Mary” and “All Along The Watchtower,” it was a refreshing break from years of style rather than substance.(Purple Rain)Superbowl Halftime Performance - PrinceSuperbowl Halftime Performance - Prince. Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, 004The name “Janet Jackson” and the phrase “halftime show” became forever linked after a fateful night nine years ago. The moment seemed too shocking to be staged; too choreographed to be accidental. When Justin Timberlake exposed Jackson’s breast in the final seconds of the final song during halftime at Super Bowl XXXVIII, the world let out a collective gasp. The split-second shot drew even more attention than the legendary game, itself (the Patriots topped the Panthers - 9 on a last-minute field goal). It sparked outcry and returned antiquated American ideals like “family values” and “decency” to the forefront of the conversation in this late-MTV era. (The performance, fittingly, was produced by MTV.) Here’s a question: Does anybody even remember seeing P. Diddy, Nelly and Kid Rock on that stage?Janet Jackson - Super Bowl halftime 2004 (VIDEO LIVE).. U , 00 In the months immediately following Sept. , 00 , nearly all facets of the entertainment industry -- and music, in particular -- held a distinctly reverent tone. This period began with Bruce Springsteen’s aching performance of “My City of Ruins” at the first 9/ telethon in mid-September and reached its apex with U ’s Super Bowl halftime performance some five months later. The names of ,000 American victims streamed behind the band and crawled up the Superdome, symbolically ascending toward heaven. U offered a trifecta of “Beautiful Day,” “MLK” and “Where The Streets Have No Name” on a heart-shaped stage from the band’s Elevation Tour. At the end, Bono proudly flashed an American flag print on the inside of his leather jacket, the camera zoomed in close, and chills were felt in living rooms far and wide.U2 at XXXVI Superbowl 2002 (Full halftime show). Michael Jackson, 99 When Michael Jackson magically appeared in the center of the Rose Bowl amidst a hail of sparks and smoke on a quintessential Southern California evening in 99 , it was the moment. Jackson famously held his stance for almost two minutes -- hours in TV airtime -- before dramatically removing his sunglasses and launching into “Jam.” He moonwalked his way through a few bars of “Billie Jean.” He stood atop air tunnels during “Black and White” (while dressed head-to-toe in black and white). Jackson’s choreography would be replicated for decades to come -- from *NSYNC in 00 , to his own sister in 004, and likely, to Beyonce this week, whose stage moves have been heavily Jacksonian since the start of her career. Jackson did not perfect the art of the halftime show so much as he set the gold standard for what can be accomplished in a matter of minutes, on a quickly assembled stage, when a statement like “the world is watching” has never felt more real. This was Jackson as an American entertainer at the height of his popularity (his first allegations of child sex abuse would come months later), and this was the definition of American entertainment.Michael Jackson - Super Bowl (Complete Version) (HQ)

Labels: Super Bowl

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Immigration plan: How 1986 amnesty compares to Senate proposal

View the story "Immigration plan: How 1986 amnesty compares to Senate proposal" on StorifyImmigration plan: How 1986 amnesty compares to Senate proposalThere are some major differences between the Senate proposal to overhaul immigration and a 1986 amnesty for undocumented immigrants.Storified by Digital First Media· Tue, Jan 29 2013 10:01:29A bipartisan group of senators put forward a plan Monday to give many of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship. This blueprint has sparked comparisons to a 1986 law which gave amnesty to 2.7 million people.There are some major differences, however. The Senate proposal is much tougher in several aspects than the law signed by President Ronald Reagan.

How the two programs would be similar

DenverpostPresident Ronald Reagan gestures during a news conference at the White House in 1986. (AP Photo/Scott Stewart)

Immigrants must not have a criminal background

1986 law: Undocumented immigrants could not qualify for temporary or permanent residence if they had been convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors in the U.S. Senate proposal: The blueprint states that individuals with "a serious criminal background" or who "pose a threat to our national security" will not be eligible and may be deported.

Immigrants must have an understanding of English and civics

1986 law: Undocumented immigrants needed to meet "minimum requirements for an understanding of English and a knowledge of American history and government" or show they were studying those subjects. Those 65 and older were exempted. Senate proposal: The blueprint states that individuals would need to "learn English and civics" before they were eligible for permanent residency, but not for a probationary status.

Immigrants must show a history of employment

1986 law: Undocumented immigrants were not eligible if they could not show a history of employment or otherwise looked like they might be likely to end up on public assistance.Senate proposal: The blueprints states that individuals will need to "demonstrate a history of work in the United States, and current employment" to be eligible.

There is a separate process for agricultural workers

1986 law: Undocumented immigrants who had worked at least 90 days in seasonal agriculture in the previous year were allowed to apply in a separate program. Approximately 1.1 million people qualified under this provision.Senate proposal: The blueprint says agricultural workers will be "treated differently" and handled through a "different process" to become citizens because of the role they play in providing food for Americans. It does not give details.

How the 1986 law was tougher

DenverpostA crowd of 1,566 people are sworn in as U.S. citizens in New York City on Sept. 3, 1986. (AP Photo/Rick Maiman)

Immigrants were required to have lived continuously in the U.S.

1986 law: Undocumented immigrants had to have lived continuously in the U.S. since before Jan. 1, 1982, though brief trips out of the country were excused. Approximately 1.6 million people qualified under this provision.Senate proposal: The blueprint does not list any requirements for having lived continuously in the United States or having moved here before a certain date.

There was no separate process for people brought as children

1986 law: Nothing in the 1986 law differentiated between adults and children who were undocumented immigrants.Senate proposal: The blueprint states that "

Labels: Immigration, immigration plan

posted by Ashley Campbell at 11:21 AM 0 Comments

Monday, January 28, 2013

Immigration deal: What’s in the Senate proposal?

Labels: Immigration, Senate

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Why it matters that Joe Biden has never cast a tie-breaking vote

View the story "Why it matters that Joe Biden has never cast a tie-breaking vote" on StorifyWhy it matters that Joe Biden has never cast a tie-breaking voteJoe Biden is one of just three vice presidents who haven't cast a single tie-breaking vote in the Senate during a complete term. But it's not just a trivia item. Here are seven reasons why this is important.Storified by Digital First Media· Thu, Jan 24 2013 06:41:28

1. It's literally his only job.

Go(Getty Images)Under Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, the vice president breaks any ties in the Senate. (As former Vice President Al Gore used to joke, whenever he had to vote, he always won.) Other than taking over if the president dies or falls ill, casting tie votes is literally the vice president's only constitutional duty.

2. Of 47 vice presidents, only 12 never cast a tie-breaker.

DenverpostVice President Dan Quayle and wife Marilyn arrive in Tokyo in 1990. (AP Photo/Sadayuki Mikami)In most cases that was because they served less than a year: John Tyler, William King, Andrew Johnson, Thomas Hendricks, Teddy Roosevelt and Gerald Ford. Others didn't serve a full term: Calvin Coolidge, Lyndon Johnson and Nelson Rockefeller. Only Charles Fairbanks, Dan Quayle and Biden served a full term, but weren't called on to vote.

3. It's a sign of how aggressive Democrats were at first.

DenverpostSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)Between 2009 and 2010, Democrats had between 57 and 60 votes in the Senate (including independents who caucused with them), a comfortable margin to pass legislation. In 2011 and 2012, that narrowed to 52 or 53 votes, however.

4. It's also a sign of how much the filibuster is used.

Bernie Sanders' "Berniebuster" Filibuster on Keith Olbermann -- 12/10/10mmflintThe increasing use of the filibuster in the Senate means that it often takes 60 senators to bring a bill to a vote. It's mathematically unlikely that a piece of legislation could overcome a filibuster but then tie 50-50 on the actual vote.

5. And it's a sign of congressional gridlock.

DenverpostThe U.S. Capitol is lit at night in 2011 as members work late to avert a government shutdown. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Eric Ostermeier, a professor of politics at the University of Minnesota and author of the Smart Politics blog, says it's also notable that the last Congress was the least productive on record, in part due to the filibuster."The lack of 'productivity' of the 112th Congress generally and the increasing use of filibuster in the Senate means less votes and thus less opportunities for a tie," he wrote in an email.

6. The lack of tie-breaking votes could hurt Biden.

DenverpostVice President Al Gore in 2000. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)Other than succeed the president in the event of his death, the vice president's official job duties are pretty light, so Biden may regret not having more opportunities if he runs for president in four years, as expected. In his 2000 campaign for president, Gore raced back to Washington using his duties as a pretext, as Newsweek explained: "Gore wanted to be on hand, just in case he was needed to cast the tie-breaking vote on an abortion-rights amendment being considered by the Senate. The amendment passed easily, 80 to 17, but that didn't prevent Gore from grandstanding on his role. 'My job is to preside over the Senate. And in the event there is a tie vote, the Constitution provides that I am the vote,' Gore said. 'The issue is so important and I am not going to take a chance to see it fail.'"

7. On the other hand, it might help him.

DenverpostVice President Joe Biden in 2013. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)Gore cast another tie-breaking vote to require federal background checks at gun shows, a measure that failed in the House. He trumpeted that vote in his primary campaign against Bill Bradley, but then faced criticism during the general election campaign against George W. Bush. When he lost to Bush, many Democrats backed away from gun control as an issue.

Labels: Joe Biden

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Women allowed in combat: Things to know about US military lifting the ban on female fighters

View the story "Pentagon chief lifts ban on women in combat: Some things to know" on Storify

Key moments from Hillary Clinton's testimony on Benghazi

View the story "Hillary Clinton's testimony on Benghazi " on StorifyHillary Clinton's testimony on Benghazi Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified on the Benghazi attacks before the Senate on Wednesday. Here's what you need to know about her testimony.Storified by Digital First Media· Wed, Jan 23 2013 08:42:20

Clinton is more popular than ever.

Denverpost(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)As Clinton headed to Capitol Hill, a poll showed that she had a 67 percent favorability rating, with 28 percent viewing her unfavorably and 6 percent having no opinion, as the Washington Post reports:"Clinton has nearly unanimous support from fellow Democrats — 91 percent — in the new poll, also a career best. She also scores a gaudy 65 percent approval score among independents and more than one in three (37 percent) of Republicans believe she is doing a good job. That’s more than double the number of Republicans who approve of the way President Obama is doing his job."

Benghazi probably won't damage her reputation in the long term.

Denverpost(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)After two decades in the public eye, Clinton knows how to survive a scandal, as the National Journal points out: "She did the smart thing and appointed an Accountability Review Board headed by the likes of Mike Mullen, the retired admiral and former Joint Chiefs chairman, and the legendary diplomat Thomas Pickering. There’s no better `scandal' management then leading the charge to get to the bottom of things."

Clinton choked up during her prepared remarks.

Hillary Clinton Chokes Up At Benghazi HearingstpmtvReading from her prepared remarks, Clinton choked up when talking about the four deaths: "For me, this is not just a matter of policy ... it’s personal. I stood next to President Obama as the Marines carried those flag-draped caskets off the plane at Andrews. I put my arms around the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters."

She also had a heated exchange with Sen. Ron Johnson.

Hillary Clinton Erupts At Ron Johnson Over Benghazi AttacktpmtvSen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Clinton that U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice was "purposefully misleading" when she appeared on Sunday talk shows after the attack. Clinton raised her voice in response:"With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans. What difference at this point does it make? It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again, Senator."

Sen. Rand Paul harshly criticized Clinton.

Rand Paul: Benghazi Was The 'Worst Tragedy Since 9/11'tpmtvSen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., took the harshest line of attack against Clinton, saying a review of Benghazi showed a "failure of leadership" for "the worst tragedy since 9/11." Here's what he said:"I'm glad that you're accepting responsibility. I think that ultimately with your leaving you accept the culpability for the worst tragedy since 9/11, and I really mean that. Had I been president at the time, and I had found that you did not read the cables from Benghazi, you did not read the cables from Ambassador (Chris) Stevens, I would have relieved you of your post. I think it's inexcusable."

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Texas college shooting: Multiple people shot on campus

Texas shooting UPDATE 2:39: ABC affiliate KTRK reports two victims suffered multiple gun shot wounds, but were conscious when they arrived at the hospital and have been taken into surgery. Police reported a third person, a suspect, was shot, and there remained another suspect at large.BREAKING UPDATE: Official tells @khou 3 shot, including 1 suspect; 1 suspect at large.— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) January 22, 2013 A live stream of coverage can be found at KHOU and KTRK.AP initially reported: A Texas college ...View "Texas shooting" on Spundge

Labels: Lone Star College, shooting, Texas

Watch President Barack Obama's 2nd inaugural address in 163 seconds

Missed the presidential inauguration yesterday? Here's a 163-second recap of the president's second inaugural address:

Blogs > Times Herald Extra

Live: Gun control hearing in Senate

Greatest Super Bowl halftime shows

Immigration plan: How 1986 amnesty compares to Senate proposal

Why it matters that Joe Biden has never cast a tie-breaking vote

Women allowed in combat: Things to know about US military lifting the ban on female fighters

Key moments from Hillary Clinton's testimony on Benghazi

Texas college shooting: Multiple people shot on campus

Watch President Barack Obama's 2nd inaugural address in 163 seconds

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