Media-Whore D'Oevres



(image: Dean Deacon at The Whitney)

"Iran conducted a successful test launch of what it has publicly identified as the Kavoshgar 1 (Explorer 1) research rocket on 4 February - the same day it inaugurated its first domestically constructed 'space terminal' ... The city of Semnan is located approximately 175 km east of Tehran. To the southeast of the city is a missile development and test facility (reportedly located at 35 23 24 N, 53 44 03 E) that has been active since the mid-1980s. Initially the facility is reported to have worked on domestic rocket development during the early stages of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and subsequently on the development of the Oghab rocket with Chinese assistance. More recently it has been associated with test launches of the Shahab missile system." (Janes)

"Jason Rae is a typical junior in college. He spends several hours a day in class at Marquette University in Wisconsin where he is majoring in history and political science. He is closely following the Marquette basketball team and has the Golden Eagles' schedule memorized. But not many 21-year-olds start their Monday with a personal breakfast with Chelsea Clinton, as Rae did this morning at the student union at the nearby University of Milwaukee. Rae got the one-on-one treatment from the former -- and possibly future -- first daughter because he is a Democratic National Committee member from Wisconsin and thus a "super delegate," one of the 796 free agents who can back any candidate in the race for the Democratic nomination." (ABCNews)-

"HEATHER Mills CHEATED on Sir Paul McCartney for SIX months with a secret lover, the News of the World can sensationally reveal today. Our bombshell exposé of her secret betrayal explodes as the couple prepare for a showdown week in their bitter multi-million-pound divorce battle. We can reveal that Mucca romped with handsome film editor Tim Steel THE NIGHT BEFORE joining Macca on a romantic Caribbean Valentine's holiday." (Newsoftheworld)

"After 14 weeks of warfare, labor peace has come to Hollywood. TV showrunners head back to the office today, and the scribe tribe officially resumes work Wednesday. As word of the tentative agreement began spreading Saturday morning, the town breathed a collective sigh of relief and started making plans to resume production. The strike's end also means the Feb. 24 Oscars can proceed without fear of picketing and with scriptwriters for the kudocast." (Variety)

"Which of the perverse telecast's random pairings was the looniest—Alicia Keys and dead Sinatra, Alicia Keys and half-dead John Mayer, or Carrie Underwood and the refugees from Stomp?" (Musto)

"If there was a revolution in the streets over the weekend, its origin can be traced to the Fashion Week portable toilets. Fashionistas late for the Zac Posen show Thursday night tried to cut the 40-person bathroom line, where only about three of 14 units appeared to be working. As the scene devolved into a near riot, says a witness: 'The harridan who was doing security in the area, Maggie, who did not appear to speak much English, started waving a dirty plunger around to keep the line in order.'" (Gatecrasher)