The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike after its first contract talks in four months with Hollywood studios failed despite the help of a federal mediator.

Federal mediator Juan Carlos Gonzalez adjourned the talks between SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers shortly before 1 a.m. after two marathon sessions failed to produce an agreement. No new talks are scheduled.

The SAG, representing more than 120,000 actors in movies, television and other media, said in a statement that it will launch a “full-scale education campaign in support of a strike authorization.”

Talks broke down after the studios sought the right to create productions for new media, such as the Internet, using nonunion actors and without paying residuals, said Doug Allen, SAG national executive director and chief negotiator.

Residuals are payments to actors that are made every time a production airs, such as TV reruns. Many SAG members rely on residuals for more than half of their income, Allen said.

“They’re asking us to bless a system we believe would be the beginning of the end of residuals, and that’s a very scary thought for working actors,” he said.

The producers’ alliance condemned the SAG decision and said it remains the only major Hollywood guild without a labor deal this year.

“Now, SAG is bizarrely asking its members to bail out the failed negotiating strategy with a strike vote – at a time of historic economic crisis,” a producers’ statement said. “The tone-deafness of SAG is stunning.”

SAG’s national board has already authorized its negotiating committee to call for a strike authorization vote if mediation failed. The vote would take more than a month and require more than 75 percent approval to pass.

SAG wants union coverage for all Internet-only productions regardless of budget and residual payments for Internet productions replayed online, as well as continued actor protections during work stoppages.

But the AMPTP said it was untenable for SAG to demand a better deal than what writers, directors and another actors union accepted earlier in the year, especially now that the economy has worsened.

The producers’ group this week said it had reached its sixth labor deal this year, a tentative agreement on a three-year contract with the local branches of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, accounting for 35,000 workers.

The stagehands alliance accepted Internet provisions that were modeled on agreements with other unions, the producers group said.

Actors in prime-time television shows and movies have been working under the terms of a contract that expired June 30, with the hope of avoiding a repeat of the 100-day writers strike which shut down production of dozens of TV shows and cost the Los Angeles area economy an estimated $2.5 billion.

(source: http://www.popeater.com/movies/article/could-an-actors-strike-be-looming/254293)

NEW YORK – Tina Fey’s husband is talking about something the “30 Rock” actress would rather not discuss: the scar on her left cheek.

In an interview in Vanity Fair, Jeff Richmond says a stranger slashed Fey’s face when she was 5 years old. He says the incident occurred in the front yard of her house.

Says Richmond: “That scar was fascinating to me. This is somebody who, no matter what it was, has gone through something. And I think it really informs the way she thinks about her life.”

Fey says talking about the attack would seem like exploiting it.

Says Fey: “It’s really almost like I’m able to forget about it, until I was on-camera, and it became a thing of ‘Oh, I guess we should use this side’ or whatever. Everybody’s got a better side.”

(sources:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27997545/)

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Its the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

Its the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Its the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

Its been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and hes fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nations promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nations next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House. And while shes no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what youve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didnt start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

TO FULL SPEECH CLICK HERE

(Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/04/obama-victory-speech_n_141194.html)

Kate wrote and recorded a new song, ‘Lyra’ which was featured as part of the soundtrack to the major fantasy film The Golden Compass, released December 7th 2007. Kate’s new double album AERIAL was released to fantastic reviews on November 7th 2005 and entered the UK album chart at number 3, and the European chart at number 2. Kate’s single KING OF THE MOUNTAIN was released on October 24th 2005 and reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. Both the single and album were produced by Kate. Aerial was nominated for Best British Album at the 2006 Brit Awards, Kate was also nominated for Best British Female Solo Artist. Kate says: “I’m so pleased with everyone’s work on this record. There are some lovely performances and I hope you will all feel it’s been worth the wait. Bertie keeps me very busy, he is so much fun”. Contributors to the new album include drummer Stuart Elliott, jazz percussionist Peter Erskine, John Giblin, Eberhard Weber and Bosco D’Oliveira. Paddy Bush and Lol Creme provide vocals. The late Michael Kamen wrote the string arrangements for two tracks which will appear on the new album – Kate recorded what she has described as “some beautiful orchestral movements” with him and the London Metropolitan Orchestra at Abbey Road in October 2003. Chris Hall plays accordion on one track. Classical musicians Emma Murphy and Susanna Pell have also recorded for the album. Del Palmer engineered.

On May 23rd 2002 Kate received the Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contribution To British Music By A Songwriter. Kate appeared live for the first time in almost 15 years singing Comfortably Numb as David Gilmour’s special guest at his Royal Festival Hall concert on January 18th 2002. Kate won the Best Classic Songwriter award at the 12th Annual Q Magazine awards on 29th October 2001. In an interview in December 2001 a happy Kate talked about progress on the new album and her happiness with her son Bertie. After receiving a standing ovation at the Q Awards she said: “This is just great, I am making an album but it is just taking a little longer than I thought and I have been having a great time with my son.” We warmly congratulate Kate on all the recent awards and recognition from her industry peers!

(source:http://www.katebushnews.com/katenews.htm)