Jersey Helps Pay for "Jersey Shore"

The state of New Jersey's Economic Development Authority will pay $420,000 in costs associated with the production of the hugely popular (and hugely controversial) MTV series "Jersey Shore."

News that the government will help pay for a show that does little to enrich the state's image hasn't gone unnoticed. According to Philadelphia's WPVI-TV, Republican Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon told the statehouse bureau of the Star-Ledger of Newark and the Record newspaper he can't believe taxpayers are paying "for fake tanning for 'Snooki' and 'The Situation.'"

Democratic state Sen. Joe Vitale is asking GOP Gov. Chris Christie to veto the tax credit. According to NorthJersey.com, Vitale said the show is "disparaging to Italian Americans."

Andre' DiMino, president of the Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition, said, "The Economic Development Authority has abrogated the public trust by awarding a tax credit to a show that not only stereotypes Italians, but promotes violence and cast members who revel in openly breaking the law."

Christie is aware of the controversy. But, according to a spokesperson quoted in the New Jersey Star-Ledger, he can't veto an EDA action "that is in compliance with non-discretionary, existing law."

But there is a reason behind the tax break. Kenneth Hershey, the mayor of Seaside, New Jersey, claims the show helps his town's economy. "The boost to the economy certainly shows. When they are here, this place is busy. A lot of the business folks here appreciate that."

The show, currently in its fourth season, remains hugely popular, despite public outcry that it paints Italian Americans in a negative light, not to mention anyone who goes to a tanning salon.a

Photographer Creates Landscapes Good Enough to Eat

Image via Wikipedia
For Carl Warner, it all started with a portabella mushroom. The London-based advertising photographer had gone to the produce market looking for objects to shoot in a still life. But the fungus caught his eye for another reason. "I thought it looked like a tree on an African savanna," he recalled recently, from his home in England. So the ad man took home the 'shroom and shot it the way he saw it.

That first creation, "Mushroom Savanna," made 12 years ago, was the beginning of a food odyssey that has evolved into a complex, imaginary world where ordinary foods like broccoli, parmesan cheese, and kale are transformed into eye-popping scenes of the city of London, a Tuscan village, or a craggy American landscape. But look closely: Everything in the photos is made from food.

The efforts have become a book, "Carl Warner's Food Landscapes", and a series of photographs of the food landscapes can be seen here.

Over the years, the foodie said that the work has evolved into a more sophisticated process that involves a model-maker, a food stylist, and sometimes a team of assistants to create one foodscape.

The London skyline sure wasn't built in a day: The buildings, made from elements like string beans and asparagus, were made fresh and photographed as they were constructed: held together by superglue and pins. The entire photograph was shot over a series of five days. By day five, the Parliament building was withered.

This isn't just a labor of love: Food companies like Nestle and Unilever hire the edible artist to create campaigns. The Tuscan village was commissioned by an Italian food company. Their one constraint: Everything in the photos had to be ingredients in their pasta sauce.

The elements that make up the portrait usually relate with a wink to the theme of the picture. "Cereal Dust Bowl", an iconic vision of the American West, includes Slim Jims for telephone poles, an Airstream trailer made from crusty white bread, and a dusty ground cover of oats and cereal flakes. The sky is a rib-eye steak.

Warner says he's learned some tricks of the food photography trade over the years. Curly kale makes a robust forest canopy. But coriander, a favorite herb of the photog (who laments he is losing his sense of smell), is "troublesome" because it wilts quickly under the hot lights.

The Liverpool-born author has turned his attention to a children's foodscape book and even an animated TV show that he hopes will "do for food education what 'Sesame Street' has done for numeracy and literacy."

The 48-year-old harbors dreams of doing more foodscapes on a grand scale. One vision: " I'd love to make Venice out of pasta -- the Rialto bridge, the gondolas, all the wonderful architecture." He added, "The more I've done, the more I realize there are so many to do. It's a life work. There are so many places that have yet to be made out of food."

Hugh Jackman's Mighty Fist

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Let it never be said that Hugh Jackman won't do anything to promote a movie. The star of the upcoming "Real Steel," a futuristic boxing flick opening next month, had a guest appearance on WWE "Raw" on Monday night. And you better believe Hugh came out swinging.

Jackman assumed the role of a temporary manager for wrestler Zach Ryder, an underdog who was about to take on the hated Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler appeared to be winning the match against Ryder when Jackman noticed that the ref (Can somebody remind us why they have refs in pro wrestling?) was distracted. So Jackman punched Ziggler right in the kisser.

Boom! Down goes Ziggler, and Ryder wins the match. The Huffington Post points out that the confrontation was certainly staged, but the results may not have been. After the event, Ziggler tweeted that he had a possible fractured jaw thanks to Jackman's vicious hook.

Whether or not that's true is anybody's guess (wrestlers have been known to exaggerate from time to time), the punch is certainly worth a look. Check out the video below. Gotta be the first time a host for the Tony Awards did something so macho.

Hulu

Hulu is a website and over-the-top (OTT) subscription service offering ad-supported on demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and many other networks and studios. Hulu videos are currently offered only to users in Japan and the United States and its overseas territories.[4] Hulu provides video in Flash Video format, including many films and shows that are available in 288p, 360p, 480p, and in some cases, 720 HD. Hulu also provides web syndication services for other websites including AOL, MSN, MySpace, Facebook, Yahoo!, and Comcast's xfinityTV.
Hulu is a joint venture of NBCUniversal (Comcast/General Electric), Fox Entertainment Group (News Corp) and Disney-ABC Television Group (The Walt Disney Company),[5] with funding by Providence Equity Partners, which made a US$100 million equity investment and received a 10% stake.[6] By the Federal Communications Commission, NBCUniversal and Comcast are required not to exercise any right to influence the conduct or operation of Hulu.[7]
Contents [hide]
1 Name
2 History
3 Features
3.1 Hulu on TV
3.2 Hulu Desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux)
3.3 Hulu on Tablets
3.4 Hulu on Smartphones
4 Programming
4.1 Networks and channels
4.2 Producers and distributors
5 Availability
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
[edit]Name

The name Hulu comes from two Mandarin Chinese words, hulu (simplified Chinese: 葫芦; traditional Chinese: 葫蘆; pinyin: húlú; Wade–Giles: hu-lu) "calabash, bottle gourd" and hulu (simplified Chinese: 互录; traditional Chinese: 互錄; pinyin: hùlù; Wade–Giles: hu-lu) "interactive recording". The company blog explains:
In Mandarin, Hulu has two interesting meanings, each highly relevant to our mission. The primary meaning interested us because it is used in an ancient Chinese proverb that describes the Hulu as the holder of precious things. It literally translates to "gourd", and in ancient times, the Hulu was hollowed out and used to hold precious things. The secondary meaning is "interactive recording". We saw both definitions as appropriate bookends and highly relevant to the mission of Hulu.[8]
[edit]History

The Hulu venture was announced in March 2007 with AOL, MSN, Facebook, and Yahoo! planned as "initial distribution partners."[9] Jason Kilar was named the CEO in June.[10][11] The name Hulu was chosen in late August 2007, when the website went live, with an announcement only and no content. It invited users to leave their email addresses for the upcoming beta test.[12] In October, Hulu began the private beta testing by invitation, and later allowed users to invite friends.[13] Hulu launched for public access in the United States on March 12, 2008.[14]
Hulu began an advertising campaign during NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIII with an initial ad starring Alec Baldwin titled "Alec in Huluwood".[15] The ad intended to humorously reveal "the shocking secret behind Hulu", portraying the site as being an "evil plot to destroy the world" by suggesting that Baldwin is really an alien in disguise.[16] Advertisements have since aired featuring Eliza Dushku, Seth MacFarlane and Denis Leary.
On April 30, 2009, Disney announced that it would join the venture, purchasing a 27% stake in Hulu.[5]
At an industry conference on October 21, 2009, News Corporation Deputy Chairman Chase Carey stated that Hulu "needs to evolve to have a meaningful subscription model as part of its business" and that it would likely start charging for at least some content by 2010.[17] Carey's comment jibes with other News Corp. heads, including Rupert Murdoch who has expressed a desire to charge for content with a number of on-line units.[18]
Early in 2010, Hulu chief executive Jason Kilar said the service has made a profit in two quarters, and that the company could top $100 million in revenue by summer 2010, more than its income for all of 2009. ComScore says monthly video streams reached 903 million in January 2010, over three times the figure for a year earlier,[19] and second only to YouTube.[20]
Hulu Plus, a monthly subscription service, was launched in beta (preview) on June 29, 2010 and officially launched on November 17, 2010. Like the free version of Hulu, the video available on Hulu Plus also contains commercials. However, it offers subscribers an expanded content library in the form of full seasons and more episodes of shows already available through Hulu. Hulu Plus is available on a wide range of platforms, including:
Blu-ray players (network-enabled)
Televisions (network-enabled Smart TVs)
Smartphones
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game consoles
Roku Streaming Player
WD TV Media Player
As of January 17, 2011, Hulu has streamed its own in-house web series The Morning After, a light-hearted pop-culture news show. It is produced by Hulu in conjunction with Jace Hall's HDFilms and stars Brian Kimmet and Ginger Gonzaga. Producing the show is a first for the company, which in the past has been primarily a content distributor.[21]
Hulu has been identified as a possible candidate for an IPO by 2013.[22] On August 16, 2010, a report revealed that Hulu is planning an Initial Public Offering (IPO) which could value the U.S. video viewing site at more than $2 billion.[23][24]
On June 21, 2011, The Wall Street Journal reported that an "unsolicited offer" caused Hulu to begin "weighing whether to sell itself."[25]
Starting August 15, 2011, viewers of content from Fox and related networks will have to authenticate whether they subscribe to a paid cable or satellite service wherever Fox streams episodes, including Hulu, to be able to watch them the morning after the first airing. Non-subscribers will see those episodes delayed a week before they are viewable.[26]
[edit]Features

Hulu distributes video both on its own website and syndicates its hosting to other sites,[27] and allows users to embed Hulu clips on their websites.[14] In addition to NBC, ABC and Fox programs and movies, Hulu carries shows from other networks such as Current TV, PBS, USA Network, Bravo, Fuel TV, FX, NFL Network, Speed, Big Ten Network, Syfy, Style, Sundance, E!, G4, Versus, A&E, Oxygen and online comedy sources such as Onion News Network.[28] Each supplier gets 50 to 70 percent of advertising revenue resulting from its content.[19]
In November 2009, Hulu also began to establish partnerships with record labels to host music videos and concert performances on the site, including EMI in November 2009,[29] and Warner Music Group in December 2009.[30]
In early March 2010, headlines were made when Viacom announced that they were pulling two of the website's most popular shows,[31] The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, off Hulu.[31] The programs had been airing on Hulu since late 2008.[32] A spokesman for Viacom noted: "In the current economic model, there is not that much in it for us to continue at this time. If they can get to the point where the monetization model is better, then we may go back." [32] In February 2011, both shows were made available for streaming on Hulu once again.
[edit]Hulu on TV
Since Hulu's inception, consumers have been able to watch Hulu on their TVs by simply connecting a computer with a streaming capable video card to the TV via HDMI or other connection. Additionally, the Hulu Plus service, fully launched in November 2010, allows first-party access to Hulu from a variety of Blu-Ray linked TVs, integrated into Internet-connected televisions, iOS devices, gaming consoles, and set-top boxes.
In late June 2010, it was announced that a version of Hulu would be available to the iTunes App Store for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch running iOS4 or higher. Viewing the content on Hulu, however, requires a subscription.[33]
On November 2010, Orb Networks announced the Orb TV box which streams Hulu on the TV for free when used in conjunction with a computer and a smartphone.[34]
[edit]Hulu Desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux)
Hulu has released a beta version of Hulu Desktop, a standalone program for watching Hulu programming without a web browser. The program uses a 10-foot user interface and is designed to be compatible with existing computer remote controls. It requires a Flash player and runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. Hulu Desktop does not currently support all content accessed through normal browser means.
The latest version of the software was released on February 10, 2011, bringing the version number to 0.9.14. The new version includes both bug fixes and also support for the new Hulu Plus subscription service.
[edit]Hulu on Tablets
Hulu Plus, the monthly subscription package, unlocks the iPad application that allows streaming of some, but not all Hulu content from Wi-Fi and Wireless data networks via a dedicated iPad app.
[edit]Hulu on Smartphones
Hulu Plus, the monthly subscription package, unlocks the iPhone and iPod application that allows streaming all Hulu content from Wi-Fi and Wireless data networks via a dedicated app users may download freely. Hulu Plus is also available on the Android platform.

Pandora Radio

Image via CrunchBase
Pandora Radio is an automated music recommendation service and custodian of the Music Genome Project available only in the United States. The service plays musical selections similar to song suggestions entered by a user. The user provides positive or negative feedback for songs chosen by the service, which are taken into account for future selections.
While listening, users are offered the ability to buy the songs or albums at various online retailers. Over 400 different musical attributes are considered when selecting the next song. These 400 attributes are combined into larger groups called focus traits. There are 2,000 focus traits. Examples of these are rhythm syncopation, key tonality, vocal harmonies, and displayed instrumental proficiency.
The Pandora media player is based on OpenLaszlo. Pandora can also be accessed through many stand-alone players, such as the Roku DVP (formerly Netflix player) Reciva-based radios (from companies like Grace Digital, Sanyo, and Sangean), Frontier Silicon-based connected audio systems, Slim Devices, and Sonos[3] product(s). On July 11, 2008, Pandora launched a mobile version of their software for the Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch through the iTunes App Store. Pandora is also available for Android phones[4], BlackBerry platforms, HP webOS (used on the Palm Pre, Palm Pixi, Palm Pre 2, and HP Veer), and Windows Mobile devices. Pandora was the provider for MSN Radio until MSN discontinued their internet radio service on June 18, 2008.[5] A modified version of Pandora has been made available for Sprint Nextel.
The service has two subscription plans: a free subscription supported by advertisements, and a fee-based subscription without ads. There are also advertisements in "Pandora Mobile" for mobile phones and the "Pandora in The Home" computer appliance. Most users choose the free subscription.[6]
As of IPO, Pandora had 80,000 artists, 800,000 tracks in its library and 80 million users.[7]
In May 2010, Pandora was named in Lead411's "2010 Hottest San Francisco Companies" list.[8] In January 2011, Pandora met with bankers to consider a possible $100 million IPO.[9][10] The company officially filed with the SEC for a $100mm IPO on February 11, 2011.[11] Pandora officially began trading on the New York Stock Exchange with ticker symbol "P" on June 15, 2011 at a price of $16/share, giving them a valuation of nearly $2.6 billion.[12]
During its 2011 fiscal year, Pandora reported $138 million in revenue with a $1.8 million net loss, excluding the cost of a special dividend associated with the IPO. [13]
Contents [hide]
1 Using and tuning
2 Limitations
2.1 Mobile devices
3 Other features
4 Royalty developments since 2007
5 Similar organizations
6 References
7 External links
[edit]Using and tuning

A station is set by specifying an artist or song, or a combination of multiple items of any kind in a single station. Listeners can tune into pre-made genre stations and other users' stations. Each track played can be responded to with favorable (thumbs up) or unfavorable (thumbs down) buttons, which determine if it should be played, and how much should similarly classified songs be played in the station. A second negative response to the same artist will ban that artist from the selected station unless the user has marked the artist positively on another occasion. No response is applicable to musical attributes or to albums. An unfavorable response immediately stops play of the track.
In addition, a menu is provided with the choices: I'm tired of this song, Why was this song selected?, Move song to another station, New Station, and Bookmark. A Buy button is located at the top of each song block. From there, listeners can click on links to buy the song from iTunes or Amazon.
There is a setting in each member's account regarding whether the user wants songs with explicit lyrics played. This, however, does not apply exclusively to albums with the parental advisory label, as other songs with censored versions will have that version played. An example is "Jet Airliner" by the Steve Miller Band, which had one word censored for radio play. With explicit lyrics off, that version will play, despite the album itself not having a PA label.
[edit]Limitations


This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. (Consider using more specific cleanup instructions.) Please help improve this section if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (July 2010)
Pandora serves users in the United States. Initially this was enforced lightly, by requiring a U.S. ZIP code at registration, but since May 3, 2007, Pandora has blocked non-U.S. IP addresses.[14]
The Vista sidebar gadget does not affect the listening limit. Rewind or repeat is not possible. Until May 2009, six skips per station were allowed per hour (up to 72 skips every 24 hours); giving a "thumbs down" response, or a "don't play for a month" response, count as "skips". On May 21, 2009, the skip limit was altered such that it counts total skips from all stations with the limitation of twelve total skips every 24 hours (an average of one skip every two hours). If a listener gives a song a thumbs-down or "don't play for a month" after the limit has been exceeded, the song will continue to play; it's only after the song has completed that it becomes subject to the listener's restrictions. This limit was not applied to the Vista gadget. Originally, this was determined per account, but has since been determined per IP address. For the Vista gadget, skips can be reset by closing the gadget and adding it again. However, doing this too frequently will result in an error that will prevent usage of both the Vista gadget and the internet player for up to thirty minutes.
Play of a single artist is limited. Pandora provides similar music, not a play-on-demand service.
As of 2009, the mini player is only available with Pandora's subscription service. Free accounts include advertising. These include simple interruptions, with the ad listed on the stream; advertising skins, which do not interrupt the stream; and Java popup ads. The Vista player has no ads and does not have the listening limit. Listening to Pandora on mobile devices does not have the listening limit.
[edit]Mobile devices


Pandora iOS App
The Pandora Mobile for BlackBerry application is limited to AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, and U.S. Cellular U.S. carriers, but visiting the Pandora website directly from other providers' BlackBerry users have been successful downloading the fully operational application. Likewise, the Windows Mobile client is limited to a select number of handsets, however the installer is available from 3rd party sources and works fine or with only minor display glitches on most devices.[15]
[edit]Other features

Pandora Podcast (2007-2009), a musicology show that updated every few weeks in the form of a podcast. It was hosted by Kevin Seal of the band Griddle. Each show was based around a specific music topic, and featured guest musicians and Pandora experts who normally analyzed the music featured on the Pandora website.[16]
A Facebook application developed to allow users to put their Pandora radio stations on their Facebook profiles.[17]
Pandora released a sidebar gadget for Windows Vista and Windows 7. This player retains the original skip limit, has no ads, and does not affect the hourly listening limit. However, many of the features (such as about the artist or adding to the station directly) are not included. Originally, an ad for Netflix was featured on the bottom of the player, but it has since been removed.
Pandora can be played on home CE devices such as WDLivePlus, Roku, and Blu-ray players. Many HDTVs can also stream Pandora.
A Pandora app can be downloaded via iTunes. It retains the original skip limit as well as having no interruptions (although "sponsored links" appear at the bottom) and does not affect the listening limit.
[edit]Royalty developments since 2007

In 2007, a federal panel agreed with a SoundExchange request and ordered a doubling of the per-song performance royalty that Web radio stations pay to performers and record companies. Under this scheme, internet radio would pay double the royalty as satellite radio.
Because of recent Copyright Royalty Board rulings that increase fees and ask for licensing guarantees, the Pandora service is no longer available in countries other than the United States.[18][19] These rulings affect all U.S.-based Internet-based radio stations (terrestrial radio is not affected).
As of July 2008, Pandora is in talks with major music labels regarding royalty issues to allow a return to the European market. Costs remain a concern because of European royalty standards and a low demand for paid music services.[20]
In 2008, the founder of Pandora stated that the company may be on the verge of collapse.[21]
On September 30, 2008, a bill was passed by the U.S. House and Senate to allow sites like Pandora to continue negotiations with SoundExchange into 2009.
On July 7, 2009, Pandora announced that an agreement had been reached regarding the royalty issue, which would significantly reduce the royalty rate, making it possible for Pandora to stay in business. Also announced was that free listening would be limited to 40 hours per month, but can be extended to unlimited for that month for USD$0.99. "The revised royalties are quite high," the company's blog notes, "higher in fact than any other form of radio".[22] The extended listening fee differs from "upgrading", which also disables advertisements, increases the bitrate to 192 kbps, and provides a dedicated music player (as opposed to listening through browser). This service, known as "Pandora One", costs $36 and is billed annually.[23]
On Sept 20, 2011, Pandora announced they have removed the 40 hours listening cap[24] and extented it to 320 hours. If you then reach the 320 hour listening cap, Pandora will then contact you, via email, to warn that you're abusing the system.[25]
[edit]Similar organizations

Console.fm
Deezer
fizy
Grooveshark
The Hype Machine
iLike
Jango
Last.fm
LAUNCHcast
List of Internet stations
List of online music databases
Live365
MeeMix
MOG
Music Genome Project
Musicovery
OurStage.com
play.it
Radiolicious
Rhapsody
ShareTheMusic
Slacker
Songza
Spotify
Stitcher Radio
WhoSampled

Prince Michael Jackson

Cover of Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson[1] (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, dancer, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5, then the Jacksons in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, contemporary R&B, and rock artists.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.
Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series This Is It, Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had been administered drugs including propofol and lorazepam. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide, and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death

Todd Palin

Todd Mitchell Palin (born September 6, 1964)[3] is the husband of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the 2008 vice-presidential nominee of the Republican Party. He is an American oil field production operator, commercial fisherman and champion snowmobile racer, winning the Tesoro Iron Dog race four times.
Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Public life
3.1 Voter registration
3.2 Husband of the Governor of Alaska
3.3 Other
4 Champion snowmobile racer
5 Personal life
6 Public Safety Commissioner controversy
7 References
[edit]Early life

Palin was born and raised in Dillingham, Alaska to James F. "Jim" and Blanche Palin (née Kallstrom).[4][5]
His father, a native of Seattle, Washington,[6] is a former general manager of Matanuska Electrical Association.[7] His mother, a former secretary of the Alaska Federation of Natives, is one-quarter Yup'ik, and his maternal grandmother, Helena (Bartman) Andree, is a member of the Curyung tribe.[8] His paternal grandfather, Frederick William Palin, was born in Hartney, Manitoba, Canada in February 1905.[9][10]
In 1982, Palin graduated from Wasilla High School, which is the same alma mater of his wife and their eldest two children, son Track and daughter Bristol. He has taken some college courses but does not have a degree.[5]
[edit]Career

Palin was a union member and belonged to the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (United Steelworkers).[11]
For eighteen years, he worked for BP in the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. In 2007, in order to avoid a conflict of interest that related to his wife's position as governor, he took a leave[12] from his job as production supervisor, when his employer became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with his wife's administration.[5] Seven months later, because the family needed more income, Todd returned to BP. In order to avoid potential conflict of interest, this time, he accepted a non-management position as a production operator.[2][12] He resigned from his job on September 18, 2009, with the stated reason as a desire to spend more time with his family.[13]
He is also a commercial salmon fisherman at Bristol Bay on the Nushugak River.[5]
[edit]Public life

[edit]Voter registration
Palin first registered to vote in 1989. From October 1995 through July 2002, except for a few months in 2000, he was registered to vote as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party.[14] In late August 2008, The Politico reported that Palin was registered to vote as an independent (undeclared), and had never registered as a Republican.[15] In her memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life, Sarah Palin confirms this, writing, "My husband... isn't registered with any party, for sound reasons, having been an eyewitness to the idiosyncrasies of party machines."[16] Sarah Palin reaffirmed that Todd is not a registered Republican again in her February 6, 2010, keynote address to the national Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tennessee.[17]
[edit]Husband of the Governor of Alaska


Palin in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Palin was First Gentleman (or "First Dude," as he was often nicknamed) for two and a half years. Early on in that role, he encouraged young Alaskans who could not afford college to consider jobs in the oil and gas industry as an effective training ground, and advised the Governor on workforce development issues for the natural gas pipeline she supported.[18]
In February 2010, the state of Alaska released to msnbc.com reporter Bill Dedman about 1,200 e-mails, which totalled 3,000 pages, that Palin exchanged with state officials. Almost 250 additional ones were withheld by the state, under a claim that executive privilege extends to Palin as an unpaid adviser to the government.[19] Gregg Erickson, columnist for the Anchorage Daily News, said, in September 2008, that Palin "obviously plays an important role… I've seen him in the governor's office and I know that she's conducted interviews in the governor's office with him present."[20] The emails showed Palin discussing a wide range of activities: potential board appointees, constituent complaints, use of the state jet, oil and gas production, marine regulation, gas pipeline bids, wildfires, native Alaskan issues, the state effort to save the Matanuska Maid dairy, budget planning, potential budget vetoes, oil shale leasing, "strategy for responding to media allegations," staffing at the mansion, pier diem payments to the governor for travel, "strategy for responding to questions about pregnancy," potential cuts to the governor's staff, "confidentiality issues," Bureau of Land Management land transfers and trespass issues and requests to the U.S. transportation secretary.[21][22]
[edit]Other
As of late 2009, Palin was a community volunteer who worked in youth sports, coached hockey and basketball.[23] He was a judge in the 2008 Miss Alaska pageant.[24]
[edit]Champion snowmobile racer

Palin is a four-time champion of the Tesoro Iron Dog, the world's longest snowmobile race.[18][25] and traces the path of the Iditarod race with an extra journey of several hundred miles to Fairbanks added.
Palin has competed in the Tesoro every year since 1993.[18] His racing teammate is Scott Davis, with whom he won in 2007.[26] He has previously raced with Dusty Van Meter in the race, and they were co-champions in 2000 and 2002.[27] In 1995, Palin partnered with Dwayne Drake for his first win.[27]
In 2008, 400 miles (640 km) from defending his Tesoro Iron Dog championship, he was injured and broke his arm[28] when he was thrown 70 feet[29] from his machine.[30] He was sent to the hospital but managed to finish in fourth place.[31]
[edit]Personal life

In 1988, Palin married his high school sweetheart, Sarah Heath.[32] The Palins have five children: Track Charles James (b. 1989), who has enlisted in the United States Army and deployed to Iraq on September 11, 2008; Bristol Sheeran Marie (b. 1990);[33] Willow Bianca Faye (b. 1994); Piper Indy Grace (b. 2001);[18] and Trig Paxson Van (b. 2008), who has Down syndrome;[34][35][36] and two grandchildren: Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston, born in 2008 in Palmer, Alaska, to Bristol and Levi Johnston[37] and Kyla Grace Palin, who was born to son Track and his wife, Britta, in 2011.
Palin fishes and holds a Private Pilot Certificate.[38][39] He also owns his own aircraft, a Piper PA-18 Super Cub.[40]
Palin's stepmother, Faye Palin, ran unsuccessfully in 2002 for the position of Mayor for Wasilla, Alaska, to succeed Palin's wife, Sarah, who was term-limited. Faye Palin, who is pro-choice and a registered Democrat, lost to Dianne M. Keller, a candidate endorsed by Sarah Palin.[41]
[edit]Public Safety Commissioner controversy

Main article: Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal
Todd Palin's name has appeared in news reports regarding the firing of Commissioner Walt Monegan and the actions of Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten.[42][43][44] At one point, Todd Palin brought information prepared by himself and a private investigator to Monegan.[42]
On September 12, 2008, the Alaska Legislature subpoenaed Palin to testify on his role in the controversy.[45] On September 18, the McCain/Palin campaign announced that Todd Palin would refuse to testify because he does not believe the investigation is legitimate.[46] State senator Bill Wielechowski said that the witnesses could not be punished for disobeying the subpoenas until the full legislature comes into session, then scheduled to be in January 2009.[46]
On October 10, 2008, Palin was cited in special investigator Stephen Branchflower's report[47] to the Legislative Council. One of Branchflower's four main findings was that Governor Palin violated Alaska's Ethics Act when she "wrongfully permitted Todd Palin to use the governor's office...to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper Wooten fired."[48][49] Blanchflower also states: "Todd Palin is not an employee of the (Alaska) executive branch, so his conduct is not a violation of (the Ethics Act)." and " . . . I make no finding as to Mr. Palin's conduct.".[50]