The Obama administration will require drug companies to reveal all payments to doctors; the Costa Concordia’s death toll has reached 11; and protestors in South Carolina commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. with a voting rights rally. Meanwhile, Elton John’s attacks on Madonna continue; Jay-Z will stop using the “b-word;” and Daniel Radcliffe sort of comes to Lana Del Rey’s defense.
Caitlin
CRUCIAL:
Cruise disaster: five further bodies pulled from Costa Concordia, http://tgr.ph/w9jLH3
Five more bodies have been found on the sunken Costa Concordia cruise ship. The death toll is now 11. Divers found the bodies while the Italian navy blasted holes in the ship in an attempt to find any survivors before a storm comes. Meanwhile, Italian newspapers have released a transcript of the coast guard speaking with with the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino. In the conversation, Schettino begs to not return to the sinking ship. The officer reportedly told Schettino “it is an order. Don’t make any more excuses.”
U.S. to Force Drug Firms to Report Money Paid to Doctors, http://nyti.ms/wFSn3o
As part of the new healthcare law, the Obama administration will mandate that drug companies reveal the payments they make to doctors for research, consulting, speaking, travel, and entertainment. According to The New York Times, nearly 25% of doctors take cash payments from pharmaceutical and device companies while nearly 66% accept gifts of food.
SC Rally Marks MLK Day With Voting Rights Message, http://bit.ly/zyIBCd
Thousands of people commemorated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a rally for voting rights outside of South Carolina’s capitol. Keynote speaker Eric Holder said, “The right to vote is not only the cornerstone of our governance, it is the lifeblood of our democracy. And no force has proved more powerful, or more integral to the success of the great American experiment, than efforts to expand the franchise. Let me be very, very clear – the arc of American history has bent toward the inclusion, not the exclusion, of more of our fellow citizens in the electoral process. We must ensure that this continues.”
Mitt Romney rivals try to plant doubts about him in debate, http://wapo.st/xPlq6h
At last night’s debate, the GOP candidates tried to get all of their Romney jabs in before South Carolina’s upcoming primary. Although Romney was the main target, the candidates wasted no time calling each other out as well. At the debate, Gingrich said that a vote for Santorum was a vote for Romney and teased him about losing Pennsylvania’s senatorial race. Santorum then highlighted Gingrich’s losses in Iowa and New Hampshire. Everyone, including the candidates and audience, attacked Ron Paul after he criticized the killing of Osama bin Laden. Currently, Romney has a 2-1 lead over Gingrich and Paul.
(via POLITICO Morning Tech) SOPA/PIPA CHANGES COMING: With public sentiment on the bill shifting in recent weeks and an implicit veto threat now emerging from the White House, congressional staffers are resigning themselves to writing replacement language or possibly entirely new bills, Reuters reports. http://reut.rs/ydGck
Dave Heller says, “Fox News’ John Stossel is Wrong About Millennial Voters: Young People Are Vital in 2012,” http://bit.ly/xzIvU6
CULTURAL:
David Furnish: Madonna Win Was A Fix, http://bit.ly/wKSKGq
Iran cautious over Golden Globe film “A Separation,” http://reut.rs/w32EAl
‘No man will degrade her’: Rapper Jay-Z vows to stop using the word ‘b***h’ following birth of daughter Blue Ivy, http://bit.ly/zPKqrl
Daniel Radcliffe: Lana Del Rey Wasn’t THAT Bad on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ http://bit.ly/w6u1qw
Nick Cannon back at work, talks health with Howard Stern, http://usat.ly/ycqUWH
Tags: a separation, blue ivy, costa concordia, Daniel Radcliffe, dave heller, david furnish, Elton John, Eric Holder, FOX News, francesco schettino, golden globe, howard stern, Jay Z, john stossel, lana del rey, Madonna, martin luther king jr., Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Nick Cannon, Osama bin Laden, pipa, rick santorum, Ron Paul, saturday night live, sopa
 |
Caitlin Maguire Bio: Caitlin is the Marketing & Operations Manager for Rock the Vote @caitlinmagu Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com |
