Week of July 1, 2008

It’s revealed that the U.S. is using spy satellites to monitor the movements of the

American-backed Iraqi army.

Barack Obama does a re-do interview as he struggled to explain his plan to end

the war in Iraq, calling a rare-do-over news conference. He insists that he was

not softening his campaign pledge to withdraw al combat troops within 16 months

of becoming president.

In Colombia - Armed forces disguised

as rebels rescue former Colombia

contractors and 11 other hostages held

by leftist insurgents in a daring operation.

Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers a clear

message to her constituents: I Love New

York. Nearly a month after her historic

bid for the presidency came to a

disappointing end, Clinton returned to

upstate New York and focused on local

concerns.

Campaigning - Sen. John McCain

promises a forceful national strategy to

combat global warming and end U.S

dependence on foreign oil.

The United States begins rallying the

U.N. Security council to impose

sanctions on President Robert Mugabe

and his close supporters if he doesn’t reconsider his disputed claim on

Zimbabwe’s highest office.

Passing - Jesse Helms - former North Carolina Senator.

Advertising Trend - More freebies for “America” - Coke says everyone can get a

free bottle of Coke Zero if one of its sponsored drivers wins a NASCAR event. A

few months ago, Dr. Pepper promised a free soda to everyone in America if Axl

Rose put out a new Guns N’ Roses album in 2008. Taco Bell did it twice, most

recently last year during the World Series, offering a free taco to everyone in

America - the first time someone stole a base.

Week of July 1, 2008

Amid sagging sales, Starbucks says it plans to shut 600 under performing U.S.

stores. In a previous announcement, it said it planned to shutter 100 stores. The

total equals about 12,000 jobs.

Technology -

Apple cuts $500 off the price of the upgraded version of its supermodel-thin

MacBook Air laptop to $2,598.

Radio news -

Rush Limbaugh signs a lucrative deal, believed to be $38 million a year with

Premiere Radio Networks that keeps on the air until 2016.

Entertainment news - Tatum O’Neal pleads guilty in NY to disorderly conduct

stemming her drug arrest in June.

Music news -

forgoing traditional record industry alliances to

sign a multimillion-dollar long-term contact

with promotion giant Live Nation. It’s a 10-year

contract that will handle her concerts,

recordings and merchandising.

Top TV -

America’s Got Talent - 11.68 million viewers

Wipeout (Tue.) - 9.98

60 Minutes - 9.42

Two and a Half Men - 9.22

Celebrity Family Feud - 8.82

So You Think You Can Dance (Thu.) - 8.63

Million Dollar Password - 8.48

So You think You Can Dance (Wed.) - 8.29

CSI: Miami - 8.19

I Survived a Japanese Game Show - 8.00

Baby Borrowers 7.94

Criminal Minds - 7.94

NCIS - 7.85

Hell’s Kitchen - 7.80

CSI: NY - 7.70

48 Hours Mystery (Tue.) - 7.55

Week of July 1, 2008

Television news -

NBC Universal and two partners say they had reached a deal to buy the Weather

Channel from Landmark Communications Inc. the purchase price was about $3.5

billion. NBC’s partners were Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.

Aaron Ferguson - a former accountant for

million lawsuit saying he was forced out of

his job because he has an eating disorder.

Passing - Larry Harmon - The creator of

“Bozo the Clown.” He was 83.

AMC will remake the 1960’s series - “The

Prisoner” this time, starring Jim Caviezel as

#6 - the character originally played by

Patrick McGoohan.

At the movies this week in 2008 -

Hancock

Wall-E

Wanted

Get Smart

King Fu Panda

The Incredible Hulk

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

Sex and the City: The Movie

You Don’t Mess With the Zohan

Week of July 1, 2008