Tuesday 20 October 2009

Sarah Palin, money, houses... (and a PS)


So our Sarah is building a chateau nextdoor to the house Todd built and has designs on another adjacent house...

OK. She can do that. She could build an island in the middle of lake Lucille and put a castle there, it would look great, really regal!

But these things cost a lot of money and I'm worried Sarah may have some trouble with that. A real state developer from Alaska estimates the price of the plot where the construction is going on at around $200,000. Add the cost of materials and contractors and we're talking big money. These things always cost more than the initial estimate, don't they?

Sarah Palin made a few dollars with one of her thousands speaking engagements, but that would cover just the purchase of the land. Yes, she may have pocketed a handsome advance for her book, but she would have to sell a pile of books to earn the advance before she makes any actual money out of the deal. Since "Going Rogue" went on pre-order sale, the price has been slashed to less than half of the original cover value and Newsmax is offering free copies to people who subscribe to their magazine. It doesn't bode well.

I'm not sure her appearance at a Milwaukee right to life gig will bring in enough badly needed dollars. According to her Linkedin profile, she's looking for job opportunities. Let's not forget that Todd is unemployed, which is not very helpful when paying for building materials and contractors. At least I expect they're paying the contractors on this occasion. Their original house was built by Todd and his buddies, but in the absence of building permit requirements in Wasilla, we don't know exactly what happened there. Well, Sarah is nothing if not transparent...

Another source of dollars is the Alaska Fund Trust. Yes, yes, it was supposed to pay her legal fees, but the wording of the trust document is somewhat vague and it could really be used for anything, provided the trustee approved. The trustee is beauty queen, dairy industry expert and real estate agent extraordinaire Kristan Cole. She would approve anything Sarah Palin asked for, no questions asked.

The accounts and list of donors were supposed to have been made public in July. Has anybody seen them? Me neither. I find the whole thing a bit odd. Sarah wrote "thank you" notes to a number of donors to the fund with which she had no involvement but her trustee failed to disclose anything about any of it as promised on the official Sarah Palin legal fund website. The last we heard about it was that it was frozen and they had not touched a cent of the money, pending some investigations regarding the legality of the legal fund itself.

I know it's rude to discuss other people's money troubles, but I'm curious...

Sarah Palin owed half a million dollars in legal fees. Is her lawyer still waiting for his money? Did she pay him out of the book advance she hasn't earned back yet? Did she pay him with the money she was paid for the Hong Kong speech? How did she pay for the land nextdoor to her house? If she's going to buy the white house, where is the money going to come from? How did she pay for the materials for the chateau? Are the contractors being paid?

Unless Murdoch considers her book advance a gift and doesn't expect the sales to earn the money back, it doesn't seem prudent to be spending at the present rate...

PS - Are there any tax experts/book contract experts who could help clarify the conjectures about tax-free gifts and clauses that may be included in book contracts regarding advances? Your input is most welcome...

(Kristan Cole photo: AP)
.

161 comments:

Anonymous said...

And don't forget she's probably paying out BIG money to keep those in the know quiet. Maybe the Wasilla T-Bell is hiring?

Anonymous said...

There's that nasty tax man to consider too! Palins probably won't know what hit them come April 15th if they're still getting advice from the local H & R Block office.

colidii said...

She claims $500K legal bills, but is it really that much? And wouldn't the state handle the legal defense for official acts of the governor? Why would she need a private attorney? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's interesting that the SarahPac webpage has highlighted a link to the Alaska Fund Trust. They may prefer donations to the Alaska Fund Trust because it's easier for them to play with that money than it is to play with PAC money.

As I learn more about this half-term former governor, I sometimes wonder whether Rev. Muthee got all the witches out of her! There has to be an explanation for these scandals. What can it be?

Anonymous said...

OT, but I noticed that the last post on Blow-Pop-Palin was dated October 11th.

Hey Galileo, where are you?

Anonymous said...

The Alaska Fund Trust needs a in-depth audit.

The AFT slush fund is worded where it allows almost any payment for any reason. It could be paying for the new house (legal office).

The AFT also may have Bristol and Todd on payroll.

What government agency needs to be contacted?

This fund needs to come clean about donors and expenditures.

ProChoiceGrandma said...

http://community.adn.com/adn/node/144138

Palin legal defense fund lives on
Posted: October 15, 2009 - 3:30 pm
From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage –

“The fate of Sarah Palin’s legal defense fund remains a mystery, as the fund's web site continues to solicit donations more than three months after an investigator hired by the state said it appeared to be in violation of state ethics law.
The state personnel board has taken no public action on the July 14 report by its investigator, Tom Daniel, that found “probable cause” the Alaska Fund Trust was in violation of statute. All that’s known is that the personnel board has not followed up on the report with the filing of any formal accusation, which would trigger a potential hearing or penalties.”

One thing that's clear is that the disclosure of who contributed to the fund never happened. Kristan Cole, the trustee of the fund, said this summer that there would be disclosures four times a year, with the first likely coming in mid-August.

“The matter still remains under advisement,” Cole said this week when asked about whether the plan to disclose had been abandoned.

Cole did not respond to questions about the status of the fund or how much it’s raised to this point."


I especially enjoyed some of the comments on this article.

regina said...

PCG,

Thanks for the link, I've added it in the post.

colidii said...

As far as I can tell, there doesn't appear to be a requirement to use the Alaska Fund Trust money for legal bills; it appears that the money can be used for anything. Annual withdrawals less than the maximum gift limit are claimed to be tax free; presumably more than that limit could be withdrawn each year as long as the taxes are paid. But hey! Who wouldn't mind paying taxes on free money?

regina said...

colidii,

If each beneficiary of the fund (i.e. her whole famuly plus friends) withdraws up to the maximum tax free amount, it could run into over 200,000 or more very easily...

ProChoiceGrandma said...

How many turrets does that buy? ;-)

Anonymous said...

regina, it could be an angle for the IRS to investigate. Is the $12000/year per beneficiary - whatever it is - really a gift? They might consider it income and tax any withdrawal! But for me, the preferable solution is that the Alaskan government will find that the fund is illegal and force them to return the money.

colidii said...

That was me at 14:42 -- I will look into getting a blogger ID.

A gift, from the IRS point of view, may have to be something with no strings attached. I know the legal language doesn't require the money to be spent on legal expenses, but on the webpage they do try to create the impression that a donation to the fund is for legal expenses. The impression they created in the minds of donors who didn't read the legal language is that there was a string attached, that is, that the contribution would be used for legal expenses, so that could be grounds for an IRS ruling that money cannot be withdrawn tax free, because it was not a gift.

Anonymous said...

Sad to say (in this case), an advance is an advance. It might have been structured with a certain % when the contract was signed and a certain % when the manuscript was delivered, but it does not depend on sales.

collidii said...

"You make a gift if you give property (including money), or the use of or income from property, without expecting to receive something of at least equal value in return."

IRS Gift Information

So my idea that the intent of the donor might come into play is a non-starter. Rats!

Anonymous said...

Murdoch may not care whether he makes money on an advance for a politician's book, if he considers it an opportunity to buy some influence. A book advance is an easy way to put cash in the candidate's pocket. But he probably didn't expect Sarah to quit and wreck her career. Too bad.

Anonymous said...

I think you should always use the picture of Kristen Cole when she is in a bar and her left breast is about to fall out of her blouse.

Her real estate photo is too bland and dull.

Anonymous said...

I am quite sure that there is a federal agency who frowns upon bilking people out of their hard earned cash to pocket it tax free -- I mean, the ATF appears to be set up to pay legal fees, but we all know that the money can be spent on anything.

The legal fees were never disclosed in the first place, and they were her own doing as she brought in the big wig lawyers from out of state (the AK gov would have paid for her legal defense had she not chosen to go all big DC high-powered lawyers). No one has ever given an amount for the legal fees that she brought on herself.

She claims millions, but we saw that she was a liar when she said that last summer. We still don't know the exact amount though.

Also, too, she got stuck with that legal bill that the McCain campaign urged her to incur (to re-do Trooopergate with her own people so she could claim innocence)-- that's where this came from. She could hve gone after McCain for it, but of course, she has the Palin clown Show Posse running things, and Meg isn't good for much more than getting the bump-it and snarling at anyone who asks HRH what she reads.

ProChoiceGrandma said...

If I were to donate my hard-earned money to someone who claimed to be in dire circumstances (i.e. legal fees) and then come to find they used the money instead to buy a luxury item such as a new car (or new home), I would be livid. The fact that the actual legal document differed from what appeared on the begging site is fraud in my eyes. I would think at least some of Sarah’s contributors would be miffed about the bait and switch.

Anonymous said...

I had a dream last night.... it was an "iconic image" of Trig being carry away in a UFO shaped balloon.

Who knows, maybe Sarah will use this hoax in the future to get more donations.

Sarah is a fraud

Anonymous said...

If I remember correctly, Kristan Cole said that she liked cows when she was asked about her qualifications to the agricultural board.

I think a big problem Alaskans are faced with is that $arah stuffed a lot of positions with her high school pals. APOC, which is considering the Alaska Fund legality is an example.

regina said...

Anon@15:57,

It was Franci Havemeister who said she loved cows.

http://www.mahalo.com/franci-havemeister

Anonymous said...

HOw do we force the review people of the ATF to respond formally?

Perhaps that's an ad that needs to be taken out in the ADN. Right now, it looks like they're hoping they can let Sarah grift her way into the cover of darkness. They need to know that they will all be held accountable for her fraud.

All exposed. All accountable.

Just how many ex boyfriends are on that council anyway? Or am I thinking of something else? she's got her ex lovers scattered all over state government. Todd must be so pleased.

midnightcajun said...

The money Sarah received from her book advance--whether it is $1.5, 2, or 7 million--is hers to keep even if the book doesn't make a dime. If the book "earns out," then she will make more money on top of her advance, in the form of royalties.

Authors do not typically receive their cut on books that are deeply discounted by the publisher. However, this book is being slashed to $9 by Walmart and Amazon, NOT by Harper Collins. That means that Walmart and Amazon are eating a huge loss, but Sarah will still make her 10% of $29, or nearly $3, on every book they sell.

Therefore, if they sell a million copies, Sarah will be credited with $3 million dollars , even if Walmart and Amazon lost millions in the deal. In fact, the deep discounts actually mean she will make more money on this book than if it were selling at its cover price, since more of her poor devotes will be able to afford to buy it.

So the deep slash in the book's price is not hurting Sarah, it is helping her. The ones being hurt are the booksellers. And I know what I'm talking about here, guys; Harper Collins is my publisher, too.

Say NO to Palin in Politics said...

Well, however the arrangements are being made, you can bet Scarah's bottom dollar it's set up to make the most and pay the least tax dollars with as many deductions as possible, like business losses.

colidii said...

Here is a HuffPo article about Kristan Cole (she uses a bumpit, too!). At her business site, I learned that she is one of Todd's Iditarod sponsors.

regina said...

midnightcajun,

Oh dear, so Sarah Palin is really rich? What a pity, there are so many excellent struggling authors who deserve to make some money and so much of it goes to the likes of Sarah Palin?!

Ay ay ay ay ay...

Anonymous said...

Without a disclosure on the donors to the fund, how can anyone know whether the $150/individual is being enforcced? There is something known as bundling (unbundling?) where a large contributor could give $150, say, to each of 100 employees and require each of the employees to contribute to the fund, which would give the fund $15000.

Anonymous said...

If its the booksellers who are losing money, why bother selling the book at all?

To line Palins pockets??

Anonymous said...

Kristan Cole tweets

Anonymous said...

Some time ago, John Coale, Greta's husband and the guy who set up Sarah's funds, was bragging that the moment he put up the Legal Fund it snagged hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations.

He also revealed that Sarah's legal bills were more like $125,000.- surely under $200,000. and they had all been paid. Yes, the terms say that the manager of the fund (BFF Kristie Cole) has the ability to award leftover money to any charity or cause. Big question then is, if awarded BFF Sarah, does the money qualify as a gift?

Here's the deal about giving gifts. Tax free up to $12,500. per person, per year. So, she could give that amount to Sarah, Todd, Bristol, the babies, and so on. Remember how Ensign's mother and father "paid off" the family that Ensign had the affair with: $96,000. divided among four people. Gifts and taxes can be very tricky.

A question for Midnight Cajun, since you know about the publishing world: Book seller assumes half, publisher half in terms of book sales. Do the royalties apply to full retail price ($25.95) or just the retailer's half (let's say $13.)?? Yes, when the book seller drops the price, he assumes the lack of profit, but I understand that when the price drops below a certain point (depending on the contract) royalties no longer apply.

If Sarah's contract also includes a book signing tour and promotion, she could personally make up for sagging sales. On the other hand, Harper Collins may not want to waste any more money on her--
The Wall Street Journal seems to think that her book will be a mega-seller. Then, we know who publishes the WSJ.

If we have to describe Sarah's finances and planning, I think it follows the pattern of doing what she wants until told she can't. They, let someone try and take it away from her. Has she given back all the Republican Convention clothes yet? Has she made a public accounting of her PAC and Trust Fund yet? No, she just opens another fund raising tool and keeps on asking for more and more money.

Anonymous said...

There's a connection with C4P. Seth Adam Smith is there in the tweets.

midnightcajun said...

From today's Publishers Weekly:

"Target Joins Price War as Sears Offers A Twist, and BN Prepares Nook

"Target joined the pre-order bestseller price war, though in more limited fashion. They're matching Walmart.com's $8.99 offer with free shipping included, but on just six November pre-order titles. Boulder Bookstore buyer Arsen Kashkashian has suggested via Twitter that fellow indies cancel their publisher pre-orders on these deep-discounted forthcoming titles and take advantage of their competitors' loss leaders. Bookstores will save money, he reasons, while helping Amazon and Walmart.com lose more.

"This morning Sears offered their own twist on the discounts. Buy an "eligible book" at tempting discount from Sears.com or their competitors at Target.com, Walmart.com and Amazon.com and e-mail the receipt to Sears and they will give customers a $9 credit at Sears.com for any merchandise "so it's like getting the books for free." SVP for Online at Sears Holdings Imran Jooma, says, "We believe this program will benefit the thousands of customers who buy books every day by putting more money into their pockets." Called Keep America Reading, they are promoting it on the Sears.com home page. Cleverly, while Sears is highlighting the same ten forthcoming November releases as their competitors, from their own site they are listing all the titles for $17.98 (tempting consumers to help the other sites lose money on the book sales and then coem over and buy something else from Sears.com to use the extra credit.)"

Anonymous said...

Wow...begging the public for money to pay you legal fees while spending your money on a new home complete with turret.

What a slap in the face to those who are giving her money.

That's like giving a "friend" money because they say they are desperate, and then you find out that they are buying expensive items for themselves that you would never think of buying for yourself.

I wonder how many of her fans, that give her money, are building a second home...with a turret...on a lake...with a hanger for their private plane. Yet, Palin takes their hard earned money and lives the high life off of their backs, so she doesn't have to work.

What suckers.

Anonymous said...

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

"A budding activist in the cause to prevent teen pregnancy, she says she hopes to go to an area college for a two-year business degree and then a job, possibly in real estate."

...do the google on "kristan cole mother embezzlement".

Does anyone know what 2 jobs Bristol is working? Are Bristol and Track the only ones with jobs at the Palin compound?

Anonymous said...

If booksellers are doing large scale, below cost sales below and if they are public corporations, don't the shareholders have a complaint against the book sellers? A corporation has a responsibility to its shareholders. Now, I know about loss-leaders, but when this discounting is done widely and on a massive scale, then there is something more than a loss-leader involved. Shareholders could also legitimately complain if the money went to line $P's pockets at their expense.

Anonymous said...

Kristan Cole Talks to The WSJ

Nice picture there of Sarah fading from view!

Anonymous said...

What this woman gets away with is absolutely astonishing

Anonymous said...

How much money does the Palin klan collect from Alaska's Permanent Fund?
Which I get confused with Cole's Alaska Fund trust. The APF was mixed up with the Wasilla teams sex lives if memory serves me right. Was that Sarah or Todd's illicit affairs or another close friend?

I can't wait for an unauthorized bio that will try to straighten up all the clandestine sex and money. If someone is sitting on a sex tape, you are obstructing. Is there no protection or something. You could be karmically responsible for the total destruction these corrupt politician are putting on our nation. Please, find a way to get the truth out and save the planet.

Does Track pay rent with his government salary?

Just wondering how much more the taxpayers are putting into this compound.

Anonymous said...

LOL, "Critics are spinning, so hang in there as they feed false info on the right decision made as I enter last yr in office to not run again," Gov. Palin tweeted Sunday. -- From Kristan Cole's article in Wall Street Journal

----

1/2 term Gov. Palin spinning furiously about the spinners, there. She also quit in that speech! Another 1/2 truth for the list.

Anonymous said...

Kristan Cole talking to the WSJ is as unique as Sarah Palin talking to Hannity or Beck on Faux. Can't they do better? They are putting everyone to sleep except for those that want the corruption exposed.

Watching spinners spin... ho hum Sarah writers, Sarah is missing! Not a new thought in her team's brain. Too bad they can't face the failing poll numbers.

Anonymous said...

Many people do not understand how book advances work. An author, or so-called author, is given an advance. The advance is based on the publisher's estimation of probable sales. If they really are printing 1.5 million copies or so as has been reported, then the publishers anticipated large sales and gave her a corresponding advance. For example, for a very standard $50,000 advance a publisher might only print 20,000 or 30,000 copies (not sure of the exact number, but in this ball park). So that suggests that Sarah did, in fact, get a hefty advance, in the high 100,00s or million+.

She will get all of this money even if the book flops. The publisher sells at cost to the bookstore. The bookstore then adds their markup. The big retailers generally get really good discounts, I think 50% or more off the cover price. So they can hike it or lower it a great deal and still make money. If they are anticipating a lot of volume, they would still profit on a lower selling price.

If the books do not sell, the publisher then has the right to return the book to the publisher and be credited back the cost.

This again will not affect Sarah's advance, but it would affect when, and if, she ever sees royalties. Unless it is a huge seller it's questionable whether she will ever receive royalties. 1 million+ or whatever it is may, in all likelihood, be all she ever gets. But still, even if it's a flop, that much much more money than the standard diet book writer who might get a $30,000 advance, sell 100,000 copies (considered a best seller) and maybe make another few tens of thousands in royalties.

For her bank amount whether it sells doesn't matter.

Also, the way she is paid is typically like this: 1/3 upon signing the contract, 1/3 upon delivering the manuscript (one reason for rushing it?) and 1/3 upon publication. She seems to have accumulated this all in one year, which is rare. For a normal book, the payments might be spread over 1 1/2-2 years depending upon the timing of all these steps.

I am curious as to why the book was rushed. It is very strange to me since that would have inconvenienced the publishers a bit. Normally they like to have a book in their catalog which is published six months in advacne of release date. I would find it a little hard to believe that they rushed it to get ahead of some impending prosecution or something since it seems unlikely that her publishers were be privvy to something like this, although you never know. Seems more likely that there seemed to be some very important reason to be able to capitalize on sales so soon...xmas gifts?...new organization?...hard to tell what would be THAT important to rush a full 4-6 months early.

but suffice it to say, if she got a million plus, it appears that she will be able to pay for all the legal and housing expenses and then even have some left over..

Anonymous said...

Card board cut outs are the best they can do. There is no Sarah Palin. Only ghost writers and they are working on a cut out with a moving mouth to go to speak in private with strict rules like Meg read in some old commie Russian manual on leadership.

Anonymous said...

Is there a math wiz in the house?

Palin jumped her claim to owing $600,000 in legal fees right before she quit.

Her legal woes and tab started when she placed that ethics complaint on herself back in September 2008(?) right?

What are Van Flea's hourly rates? Wouldn't he have had to work 7 days a week, at least 10 hour days, every day of the month (We know he was on call July 4th weekend)even holidays to have that many billable hours?

Anonymous said...

The book could have been rushed because she quit and flopped in Hong Kong. With the discounting and now that she's tanking in the repub. polls, they might want to rush it even more. Could they have fact checked it adequately in a rush? It is being billed as non-fiction!

Anonymous said...

It would be interesting to know what the state's attorneys told her about initiating the ethics complaint against herself. Did she even ask them? Did she proceed against their advice?

midnightcajun said...

As a follow on to Anon at 19:11, I would point out that the accelerated publishing schedule means that Sarah will have received all three parts of her advance--signing, acceptance/delivery, and publication payments--in one year. That has serious tax implications that savy authors/agents try to avoid, especially when dealing with a one-book wonder like Sarah. HC may have wanted to rush the publication to take advantage of the Christmas season, but it would have been much smarter for Sarah tax-wise to spread the advance out over two years.

So I suspect the decision to rush the book into print came from HC. Either that, or Sarah was in serious need of fast cash.

Anonymous said...

Could they rush the book because they know of another book or article to come out that will be announced later? Don't the lawyers get together to hash out the potential trouble spots that could lead to slander or libel? Jus' wondering if there aren't back room talks about what someone else wants to tell. The lawyers know what is coming, but not the public?

Anonymous said...

To anon 19:11 I think that there were a couple of reasons to rush Sarah's book out as fast as possible rather than wait until spring. Her star is fading fast, and there is little time to cash in. At least, people are still paying attention to her now (can't imagine why) and in a few more months, she may disappear as quickly as the balloon boy.

There was an interesting article that described all of the post production processes, once the manuscript is submitted to the publisher. Fact checking, polishing the wording, revision, all take weeks and months. A close relative works for a newspaper; everything he writes also goes through a legal department which can take a week or two.

If that book was dashed off so quickly, I don't think that it was worth their time to try to fix it up, improve on it, or check it in anyway-- I can hear them now, "Let's just get rid of it!"

This is just a guess on my part, but when the people who can read the market at Harper Collins saw that Sarah's book would enjoy a quick burst and then plummet, they decided to cut their costs by cutting back on those post production details and expenses.
They are going to enjoy some short term shot-in-the-arm publicity for a while, maybe some sales (how do you do autographs when the book is in the bargain basket?).

But, if we have to be serious about what Sarah is really going to be worth, judging from the two (maybe) speaking engagements that have been announced, she has fallen quite a way from $100,000 or more in Hong Kong. Sarah was very smart to take the money and run.

Anonymous said...

Book recalled and book tour cancelled after discovery that a memoir is fictional.

Anonymous said...

Not to worry, Srah doesn't pay taxes like the rest of us. Remember, she's EXEMPT from taxes on gifts, per diem, free cars, and I'm sure now exempt from paying taxes on income.

As for her state attorney's office advising her, the McCain camp overrode everyone in the state, trying to squash Troopergate. they turned that investigation into a circus to find her innocent at any cost.

Once again, they never cared about the truth.

And she was found guilty before she was found guilty but off.

Anonymous said...

Is it too late for HC to announce Going Rogue as fiction on the 16th or 17th of November?

“This is something much bigger and much more important than a local story. This is a national embarrassment. Think about how much money was invested, not just in the advance for the writer, which I am sure will have to come back. But many hundreds-of-thousands of dollars were spent on a book that is now being recalled.”

Sarah Palin would not be lonely in the world of book hoaxsters.

"Kessler notes that just last week, a best-selling author who wrote a Holocaust survival memoir admitted she made up her story - and in fact, she wasn't even Jewish.

The literary world is still reeling from the fallout a couple of years ago from James Frey and his exaggerated memoir 'A Million Little Pieces.'

But Weich, with Powell's Books, says the saddest part, for him, was that he wasn't surprised by the news.

Dave Weich: “The question that we all asked and that anyone really asks, is why isn't there more fact-checking going on."


WHY isn't there more fact-checking going on?

Kelly said...

Ugh. I was hoping Oprah would blow her off, but she isn't. Palin will be in her show November 16th.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the reason she rushed to get the book out is the same reason she quit being governor...she needs to get the big bucks while she still can.

It certainly helped that she was bored of being governor.

Sarah has dollar signs in her eyes.

Anonymous said...

The Palins are on a roller-coaster ride. They truly know how to spend money fast. Many years spent commercial fishing in Alaska teaches one how to spend money fast or pay taxes on it. THey are expert at writing off expenses that so far has not come back to slap them hard. Sure Q-Gino had to pay back a few dollars but look how much money she charged the state to live home while on the job as GOV.

She is bold,
She is careless,
She is quick,

She lies,
She hides,
She glides,

She uses,
She abuses,
She refuses,

She winks,
She smiles,
And she smell of ethical misconduct and corruption !

She has found the money well. She might fall in and drowned, but little leaks in the well have not slowed down the flow. Don't forget about the Holy water that is going to be flowing in the very near future! LACK OF MONEY IS NOT HER ISSUE.

Anonymous said...

Oprah has been duped before.

Anonymous said...

"The book club has also been connected to several well known literary controversies such as Jonathan Franzen's public dissatisfaction with his novel The Corrections having been chosen by Winfrey, and the now infamous incident of James Frey's memoir, A Million Little Pieces, a 2005 selection, being outed as partly fabricated. The latter controversy resulted in Frey and publisher Nan Talese being confronted and publicly shamed by Winfrey in a highly praised live televised episode of Winfrey’s show."

Oprah's Book Club

Anonymous said...

I don't think it is a good sign when you see someone in too much of a hurry.

She has found some willing cash cows. She can bring in money from behind bars as happens with cons.

Anonymous said...

I think it costs a lot to maintain a politically drunk narcissistic wannabe. Frankly, I'm enjoying the thought of her people's pensions and piggy banks being emptied into the compound.

Anonymous said...

What happens with Oprah will be interesting. If her cardboard cut out is busy she might need to show up. Did Meg and Van Flea approve and let the minions know it is official?

Anonymous said...

If her book contains a lot of self-glorification over basketball there could be problems. Someone wrote that when Greta talked to Todd about her play he said something like, "Don't go there," because the stats don't support claims?

Anonymous said...

Here Here !!!

Cheers to all of those who are currently dissing Palin - in broad daylight in front of the whole world.

I am more enlightened each day I see her being swept into her wing nut corner. She's self destructing quite nicely at a national level as far as this Alaskan is concerned. I see hope in her lack of big financial attention these days.
Alaskan Sisu

Anonymous said...

Palin is going on Oprah Nov 16. Make sure to Email Harpo tell her EVERTYTHING abouit babygate.

Email and ask her not to cop out about anything, hold Palin accountable.

Send EVERYTHING legit now so her staff has time to source and fact check.

Anonymous said...

Do you think everybody in the audience at Oprah's show will get a free copy of 'going rogue'? If so, I'd say thanks but no thanks!

Anonymous said...

Oprah reads the books of her guests before promoting them on her show
so..
the Wild Ride has to be in that book.. she should zero in on that subject :D
or, knowing Sarah Pain.. it wont be.. just the miraculous mini pregnancy and the aftermath of a bouncing rosy downs baby

Yes, I agree.. not only send stuff to her show (this Gate stuff) but get on her message board and start the conversations rolling :D

Oprah may just coddle her as she is not longer an immediate threat to Pres Obama (like last year when she wouldnt have her on her show.. didnt want to promote her in any way) ..
but she is also a wise lady, she knows about all the hate filled rally's and Palin's snug relationship with hate tongue Rush and whacko Glen who called the Prez a racist..

Fingers crossed we get a new version of the Katie interviews :D
I wanna see Palin stumped on national tv !!

I wont get home until after the show airs but look forward to a blessed juicy followup on these blogs.. please don't dissapoint us Oprah!

Anonymous said...

Miss Wasilla gets away with stuff because she didn't abort a down's child. And that is why the rest of us who are disgusted with her hate speech, want babygate to blow so we can end her threat.

Anonymous said...

Someone wrote about Palin getting 10% of the GROSS or retail amount of the book sales.

That's not true.

Many of the book contracts which I've seen is 10% of the WHOLESALE cost.
Which is by far less.

If the book is selling for $30 the wholesale cost is approximately $15 which means she would receive $1.50.

As for the advance... it is just that. It's an advance against FUTURE EARNINGS.

This means before she earns $1, the initial books sales profits will go to pay back her publisher of the advance she received. This will certainly take some time.

What you all don't think of is that, WALMART has every right to send back unsold books to the publisher. Just because Walmart ordered them doesn't mean they will keep them.

The book industry is notorious for returns. The publishers are forced to take back the returns and give back the money too.

Walmart is the worst in the game for doing this. They typically place a big order, then send huge amounts back which didn't sell.

Anonymous said...

https://www.oprah.com/plugform.jsp?plugId=220

"WE HEAR YOU: OPRAH'S MAIL
It's an all new season of The Oprah Show—tell us what's on your mind! Do you have something you want to say to Oprah? Did you see something on the show that has you all fired up and you want to get it off your chest? Was there something you recently saw on the show that stopped you in your tracks? Have you and your friends been talking about something lately that you want Oprah to know about? Write to Oprah now!"

Anonymous said...

From C4P:

Lipstick (on a dipstick)
Oh, good it is live.

Sarah will do fine. I still think a list of questions would be wise.

Also, there needs to be some type of agreement on the audience. NO STACKING THE AUDIENCE WITH HATERS.

No questions from the audience.

Still think question parameters need to be set up. No Levi or family questions or how it makes her feel to see the hate and truther talk about Trig.

I am ver protective of Sarah, but she is a big girl so I should just let her handle it. ;)

I think if Oprah pulls any crap that Sarah will set her straight. In a very nice way.
===================================
Man, what world do they live in?

Anonymous said...

Basketball Video with ESPN

Interesting:

She only scored once in the game.
She played with a fractured ankle.
She was team co-captain.


co-captain may not be a job for the better player.

Did she get to play while better players were on the bench?

Playing with a fractured ankle may indicate that she put desire to play ahead of the team's performance.

This interview has the "wired that way" comment.

Patrick said...

Sarah on Oprah! Olala! Here we have some news!

Please don't forget to

SEND A MESSAGE TO THE OPRAH SHOW

and tell them what subjects you would like to see covered in the conversation with Sarah Palin!

I will also do my very best and give them a big pile of information. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I hope Oprah is not overloaded. They may have already nixed anything babygatish.
Good succinct questions about subjects they can approach is great.

Allegedly, Sarah is to go after Levi and McCain people in the book.

If this interview happens and people feel like it is some big snow job on the public I don't see that helps either of them in the end. They may make some money on the performance but bad for both over all.

I guess they are both going for WIN-WIN for both parties? Oprah's ratings will fly and that won't hurt Palin. After all is said and done I don't want to feel it is part of another hoax.

Anonymous said...

I hope people will also post open letters to Oprah and/or Sarah.

What a golden opportunity.

Anonymous said...

"Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
point guard on the high school basketball team."

From the Anne Kilkenny letter, which has appeared in Huff. Post and the ADN.

ArmchairJane said...

@ anon 20:31,
That was me that made the comment about Greta's interview with Todd when she talked with him about how both he and Sarah played high school basketball.

Greta asked something that invited Todd to say what a great basketball player Sarah was. But he apparently realized people might check on that claim, and so what he said was something along the line of "if you looked at the stats, you won't see her high up there. It was more in the locker room, that she showed her leadership".

So he did essentially warn Greta "don't go there as far as the stats", even if he didn't use those exact words.

As far as co-captain being a position that is not necessarily for the better player, here was my experience:

Our school had two squads. One the better "varsity" type team that was the one to compete in state etc events. And also a second-string team that played in intra-murals and from which the varsity could groom younger players.

The varsity tended to be the older grades and really good younger players. The "B" team was mostly younger, as well as the older girls who did not make the varsity team.

I was a middling player but good with people. I was offered the choice between playing on varsity, but probably I would have been spending some time on the bench. Or, I could instead play on the "B" team, and if I played there I would be the captain of that team.

So my guess is that SP probably was not one of the "stars", but was rewarded for playing hard with the "co-captainship". And perhaps also being one of the popular girls and daughter of big sports Daddy Chuck Heath was also a factor ;-)

To me, "Sarah Barracuda" makes me think she might have liked fouling people hard. But I might be influenced because of her history since then of using people up and then discarding them, as well as stomping on enemies.

Anonymous said...

Nah don't hesitate send Oprah everything you can think of that has some kindof reality. Oprah will not cower to the likes of Palin.

LMAO, that C4P thinks Oprah won't rip Palin a new one.

Contract or not beforehand Oporah WILL ASK EVERYTHING.

Anonymous said...

Oprah coud ask about "tight abs" and pregnancy. A lot of people might be interested in how to duplicate that feat.

Patrick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

I think we should focus our Oprah campaign on the Wild Ride. The known facts and Sarah's own words describing it. What woman of advanced maternal age with a high risk fetus would fly at all in her 8th month, let alone with fluid leaking? Any bypassing Neo-natal ICUs to fly and then drive home to her hometown community hospital for her high risk, premature infant to be delivered by a GP? It's insane, and any rational person knows it.

These are the known facts that Sarah has admitted to. Let Oprah know the published FACTS about the Wild Ride and maybe her research team will find their way, naturally, to Babygate.

Patrick said...

Anon 21:48

There is no danger of "overloading" Oprah in my opinion.

The more people will write to Oprah, the better!! Don't hesitate!

Anonymous said...

Oprah can ask and Sarah can practice all the hard questions and answers.

If they like how it goes it will show Palin as a states person meeting in the other sides territory. Now why can't Obama do the same on Fox? See how much more Presidential Palin is?

If Palin flunks it will be the evil liberal conspiracy who is out to get good and trusting Sarah Palin.

ArmchairJane said...

Wow, oh wow! I just watched that ESPN link above. Here I had somehow gotten it my head that Palin sank the winning shot as a result of a drive to the basket, maybe because so many times it is said that "Sarah sunk the winning basket with 10 seconds to go".

Turns out instead that she was fouled and sank a free throw for one point when her team was already ahead by 4 points, with 10 seconds to go. So she did indeed make "the last basket", but it was her only point of the game, and realistically the team would likely have won whether she got fouled and sank that free throw or not. The other players got the other 57 points toward the 58-53 victory. If this was typical, no wonder Todd said that Sarah was not going to be high in the stats.

And this is nothing against all the players who play hard and are not stars. What gets me is that you just know a lot of people think Palin was some big basketball star, thanks to her always talking about this big game and the championship. And how this game somehow helped make her suitable as VP/Prez material.

The same thing bugs me about the people who seriously seem to believe that being Mayor of a town like Wasilla means she was one of the best candidates for high office in years. Did they ever read about all the shenanigans she pulled, firing everybody she didn't like, expensive "bordello" remodel, got rid of building permits, boondoggle both legally and financially of the Sports Complex, etc etc.

Anonymous said...

Oprah should do one of those This Is Your Life Segments, lol, bring out the old scrapbook.


http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/17/is-sarah-palin-a-racist-well-she-ended-our-conversation-when-she-learned-i-was-black/


In the very least have a globe on hand to see if Palin learned where Africa is yet.

Anonymous said...

HURRY HURRY HURRY TMZ is answering live QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. Ask about Palin and her NEW CASTLE they will come after her in Alaska. TMZ is one of the outlets that went after her in China and New York.

Anonymous said...

Sarah Palin Doesn't Understand Basketball

Anonymous said...

I sent this...lets get the paps up to Alaska with their super lenses. Palin will be big tabloid fodder for the next month. They will come up after her.

HARVEY Sarah Palin is going on Oprah. Oprah probably won't ask will you bring up LIVE how she is still BEGGING on her ALASKA FRAUD FUND site for money to cover her legal bills all the while building her own Alaska Kennedy Compound turret and all without having a full time job and her husband just QUIT his?

http://palingates.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Palin's Juneteenth and racist issues:

http://tiny.cc/kM0b3

Anonymous said...

How much "Profit" would Palin get off a $9.00 sale price?

Hit Amazon's book forums for Going Rogue and biographies, top sellers posting about all her ills.

AP is linking almost exclusive Amazon as a source for Palin's book and these forums are getting traffic by various medias.


One of the forums is here.
http://www.amazon.com/Going-Rogue-American-Sarah-Palin/forum/Fx3E3OH20WLDQX/-/1/ref=cm_cd_t_h_dp_t?_encoding=UTF8&cdItems=25&asin=0061939897

Posting here at Palingates and posting Palingates at the most reviewed Associated Sites WILL GET THE TRUTH OUT!!!


Palin doing a tour right now getting press is the best time to take advantage. MSN CNN Oprah forums are hOT RIGHT NOW.

Anonymous said...

"Carney, part of an extended and prominent Wasilla-area family that has seen many children through public schools, said Palin's high-school nickname came from her efforts to get more playing time on the basketball court."

Palin Scrubs Her Own Wikipedia Entry?

---

I can imagine her saying, "Coach, Jane made a mistake. Put me in!

Palin' around with coaches?

Anonymous said...

Whatever came of Shannyn's meeting with the c4p head mucky-mucks?

Anonymous said...

Done! Letter to Oprah, sucessfully submitted. Keep 'em coming people. You do need to give all your info though to submit. WTH. I gave it.



When Sarah Palin appears on Nov 16th, please ask her questions about her last pregnancy. As a pediatric nurse, I am appalled actually that, in her own words, she was leaking amniotic fluid in her 5th pregnancy (a high risk by age pregnancy, carrying a trisomy 21 fetus) and flew on not one but Two long airplane rides. I am also, incrdeulously stunned that her family physician, Dr. Cathy Baldwin-Johnson alledgedly approved this travel without having Sarah examined prior to flight. Sarah also bypassed hospitals with NICUs Seattle and Anchorage to deliver a trisome 21 baby prematurely without a pediatrician or high risk ob attending MD.
Sorry but this is bad judgement and speaks to Sarah's critical thinking abilites. Please know that there are hundrend and hundreds of healthcare workers and moms in America who are appalled with Sarah's "wild ride" and the bravado which she spoke about her actions. At the very least they are irresponsible. Her doctor should make a statement that "no one should try this at home". Imagine if a fan of Sarah pulled a similar stunt with tragic consequences. Oprah - you have a unique opportunity to ask Sarah about her actions and do a "public service" by showing the folly of the doctors advice - (if indeed the doctor actually gave the advice. As she has never denied it, she must have).
Also, I think Sarah's statement that she didn't show in her last pregnancy because she has, in her own words, "tight abs" needs to be questioned. The physiology of pregnancy precludes a woman from not showinf, regardless of how tight her abs are. Sarah is incredibly silly for making such a smug statement.
As a healthcare provider, I hope you take your opportunity to ask some tough questions.
Thank you Oprah and staff.

Anonymous said...

'Sarah Barracuda' -- she's proud of that name now, she uses it in her campaigns," said her former mentor. "But she got that name from the way she conducted herself with her own teammates. She was vicious to the other girls, always playing up to the coach and pointing out when the other girls made mistakes. She was the coach's favorite and he gave her more playing time than her skills warranted. My niece was on her team; she was a very good player. I used to sit there in the stands, and I would wonder, Why on earth is Sarah getting so much playing time? -- Nick Carney

Sarah Palin's Wasteful Ways

Anonymous said...

Palingates owners these guys YOU want to send pics of the NEW HOUSE to. X17 are notorious for being ballsy (READ illegal) getting pap shots in extreme climates and they are agressive.

They are less PC than TMZ and gorilla in their photo taking. Give them the scoop and they will come and get the exclusive on the ground pics of Palin's palace.

http://x17online.com/celebrities/oprah_winfrey/sarah_palin_going_on_oprah_to_promote_book-10202009.php

Anonymous said...

Don't forget to add to Oprah about that insane Email Palin sent in the voice of God to family/co-workers down playing Trig's special needs less than a day after birth or that Palin dragged that baby with a known heart defect & Jaundice that by her own doctor said needed to be treated with special lights or that at a mere 2/3 months old she was feeding him Stage 2 baby food....to a premature infant with an undeveloped gag reflex.

Anonymous said...

Whatever came of Shannyn's meeting with the c4p head mucky-mucks?

Kool-Aid?

Anonymous said...

anon @ 23:37. Thank you. I think the "tight abs" and "wild-ride" questions are excellent and hope that Oprah asks them.

Anonymous said...

Continued to include: Dragged Trig to her office in Anchorage at less than three days old with those ailements/prematurity to a crowd of dozens during a flu outbreak.

Frank LI NY said...

You do realize sp has a history of no-shows. If I were her reading this, I would probably come down with the flu on the 15th.

Just sayin

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't a front page pic on the next copy (Right before her Oprah, I am just one of you all tours) of the National Enquirer of Palin's new castle drive her insane & eff up her folksy book tour.

Anyone have the Enquirer contact info and ability to send HD pics?

Anonymous said...

Sarah Palin on Oprah: Will you watch? Yes
46% No
43% Maybe
9% Created on Oct 20, 2009
Total Votes: 1,267

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/10/oprah-sarah-palin.html

LOL, that Meg has yet to confirm the apperances.

Anonymous said...

Finally, we'll get some good close-ups on Palin's cosmetic surgery or "procedures" when she appears on OPRAH. Are you ready for her close-up, Mr. Murdoch?

Anonymous said...

I can't believe no one cares about the environmental issue from someone who is pretending to be an energy expert.

I guess it is too painful to face the facts of what is happening to the planet.

China and Alaska are big. Who cares how they pollute?

Anonymous said...

If the glaciers melt a little faster I will have beach front property. I can sell it at a much better price, I only have ocean view as it is now. Our city showed us where the ocean will be after the Tsunami's start coming. Those are the best case scenarios.

What are the prospects for the Anchorage/Wasilla area for the next bad earth quake?
As the glaciers are melting what is the projection of the effects on Anchorage/Wasilla?

I can't wait to see the close ups on Oprah.

Anonymous said...

Not to be indelicate, but what about her remark "Sambo beat the bitch" when Obama ran against Hilary? It's been reported. Maybe Oprah's team could find a witness. At least ask about the report?

Also, didn't she ridicule some woman with cancer?

Anonymous said...

Do they do soft focus on Oprah or the guests? It might be worth getting HDTV!

Anonymous said...

what about the smoking gun website? Do they have all of this info?

Anonymous said...

Lol on MSN Palin freaks are trying to do Your Mama jokes about Oprah and EPICALLY FAILING.

http://boards.msn.com/TVboards/thread.aspx?threadid=1328330&boardsparam=Page%3d15

Anonymous said...

Q-GINO will bring Piper and Trigg along. She might even bring Track for his first ever public outing in uniform. Don't get you hopes up people. Palin is a slippery women that knows how to be pretty and calm in front of the lights and cameras.

This is going to be a test, a interesting test. She loves the drama, this is what feeds her disorder.

She will deflect harmful questions and give a self righteous holy patriotic spin for her bace to cheer about.

If she is successful with Oprah, there will be more cracks in the door. Her money well, will grow deeper.

Anonymous said...

US Weekly brings it down to a character issue and points out that Sarah Palin was less than courteous to the president of the Alaskan Senate, laughing along with a radio DJ who made fun of the woman, a cancer survivor, by calling her a “cancer” and “a bitch” and mocking her size. When it came time to apologize Sarah Palin did it half-heartedly, doing one of those “I’m sorry if you misinterpreted” type responses:

On January 15, Alaska governor Sarah Palin laughed along with an Alaskan shock-jock DJ who called her political rival Lyda Green a “cancer,” a “bitch” and ridiculed her weight. (Green is a cancer survivor.)

“People were so nice and were mortified. Newspapers that were never Lyda Green-friendly, they demanded that [Sarah] apologize,” Green told Us.

Palin Character Issue

I looked for an audio link, found one, but it had been taken down for a copyright issue. It may still be out there, somewhere.

Dianne said...

Sent a link to palingates to Oprah. Maybe if she gets a lot of them she'll take a look. Perhaps already has but one can't be too sure. http://www.oprah.com/contactus

Anonymous said...

May be a little off-topic, but during the VP campaign there was a 'CNN Presents' with soundbites from Wasilla area residents; however, they did mention that Sally Heath had been told not to talk to reporters; nevertheless, Chuck Heath said that he provided the discipline and Sally provided the religion. That is an interesting contrast to the French video we had where he says that Sally provide the love while he provided the discipline. I don't know whether he equates love with religion. Looking for a transcript or video ...

Also, a sister mentioned something about how if they damaged anything or got hurt while the parents were gone that they would straighten up and be nice and get their stories straight before the parents got home.

It's been a year, so I want to find the video or transcript to check whether what I remember is 100%.

Anonymous said...

Someone would have to write a book and put in all the things they want discussed before it will come up on Oprah's show. They need to get an invite to the show as well. Then Oprah could ask them. Not Sarah.

Oprah will pretty much give Sarah a cake walk, may be a little smack for a good show. It will probably all be what Sarah can turn into making herself look good. All that is with the assumption Meg has given the go ahead and that queenie will be there.

Someone who works in television knows how they prep for a show. There is more material then they could ever do.

I would think they will focus on what is in the book and what they negotiate with the handlers.

Suggestions for other shows is something else.

This is about two celebrities meeting for the first time over a book. How many minutes in an hour show? They both need to stay with the rules of the game that they agree on if they want to look professional and credible.

There is always a wild card with Palin. Oprah will stay with agreements and hold her own if something comes up.

Anonymous said...

oprah winfrey and her staff are far too savvy to let sarah palin redeem herself on this huge stage. i'm guessing oprah will hit hard on the inflammatory rhetoric that has fanned the class/race division in this country and the increasingly dangerous atmosphere created. that is palin's (and mccain's) biggest sin. we're not going to hear about her phony cover pregnancy. i predict we'll see oprah in her "disgusted but let's try to give you room to explain" mode. in other words, giving her a forum which will totally expose her, once and for all.

Anonymous said...

Another Palin myth I'm curious about. It's been said that there was an ESPN job, but it was in Connecticut, too far from Alaska. If I remember correctly, she stated that she had a dream of working for ESPN. I wonder:

Was she offered a job with ESPN?
Did she interview with ESPN?
Was there an opening at ESPN?

People with a "dream" will often go anywhere in the hope of fulfilling the dream, so what's the problem with going to Connecticut?

I've watched a video of her sports coverage at the Anchorage station and, frankly, she wasn't really good enough for that job, IMO. Did she quit that job? Get fired?

Anonymous said...

Oprah: During the Democratic presidential primaries, it's been reported that you said, "Sambo beat the bitch." That's made many people uncomfortable. What do you have to say about that?

Sarah: uh, um, ... the democrat party uh, health care is the reason for the bailout ... we've got to make jobs ... and, uh, and drill, baby, drill!

Patrick said...

Here is another important link that Oprah should not miss:

Andrew Sullivan: It is part of Palin's record to demand the marriage license of a fellow Republican

Sullivan: "So it is part of Palin's record to demand the marriage license of a fellow Republican, but to ask for any medical confirmation of the mysterious birth of Trig earlier this year, any affidavit from the obstetrician, any objective evidence at all that Trig is indeed Sarah Palin's biological child is, well, in the words of John Podhoretz, "virtually unspeakable." "

Anonymous said...

Patrick,

That's so shameful. She didn't even try to act like a governor. And the guy was hoping she'd disappear ... and said he knew what Palin thought but couldn't say, so he says ...

Lynn said...

I sent my suggestions to Oprah. It took a lot of trimming of my ideas to get it down to the limit of 2000 characters!! I'm counting on others to hit what I missed. I hope she gets flooded!! You know the C4p'ers will be writing...

wow, my wv is ovenesto oven nest o
Like the nest Palin is making is really an oven--OH!!

Anonymous said...

There's no way she shows up on Oprah. Smart women scare her, black people scare her, people who can put together complete sentences scare her. She's a coward and she could never hold her own against Oprah. She couldn't even handle Katie Couric!

Anonymous said...

Found this at the urinepond:

http://tinyurl.com/yka3oty

Not sure which I would enjoy more, Oprah smacking down SP, or Keith smacking down Zeigzit. I think I'll take KO since it would be for charity!

Anonymous said...

anon @2:10--if she shows it will be with the help of beta blockers!

Anonymous said...

It's possible that Scarah doesn't want to do a live interview with Oprah, but her book deal requires her to appear wherever the publisher books her.

I am hoping for karmageddon !! The end of Sarah's times !!!

Anonymous said...

OHHHHH SHT!!!

"I didn't spend 7 years slaving over noetics and symbology just so some glacier-snipe could dictate to a ghost writer for three weeks and wallow in first place."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-mirvish/sarah-palin-vs-dan-brown_b_307287.html

Anonymous said...

haha! I suspect that Sarah Palin's hairdresser does know Sarah's little secret...

More twittering indiscretion from JessicaBeehive

"JessicaBeehive I've got a question for all you political buffs..... Who am I? I am under 45 yes old, I luv the outdoors, I hunt, I am a Republican reformer"

"JessicaBeehive I have taken on the Republican Party Establishment, I have many children, I have a spot on the national ticket as Vice President w/ less"

Note the reference to many children and not five children!

Anonymous said...

"I'm like, OK, God, if there is an open door for me somewhere, this is what I always pray, I'm like, don't let me miss the open door. Show me where the open door is. Even if it's cracked up a little bit, maybe I'll plow right on through that and maybe prematurely plow through it, but don't let me miss an open door." -- Sarah Palin

Don't Let The Door Hit You ...

sjk from the belly of the plane said...

every penny she grifted to pay for the "legal" bills will have to be considered a gift and taxes paid. and megamouth hasnt confirmed anything yet. even the peee heads are confused!

Anonymous said...

Didn't the Republican women announce Sarah was going to be at a celebration event at the Reagan Library? How is this Harpo announcement different?

All power is delegated to Meghan to say what Sarah will do. Did Harpo get punked, too, also?

sjk from the belly of the plane said...

Imagine...."And now the Oprah show presents former AK Gov. sarah palin! ....polite applause...

"And for the first time on Oprah, we are proud to present Dr. Rachel Maddow who will conduct the interview with Oprah...STAY TUNED...."

And now back to reality

Anonymous said...

skj-- you made my night!

To coin a phrase from Herself: Oh, Lord make a way for Rachel Maddow to be so bold on the Oprah show! Looord, open the door! woo hoot!

ProChoiceGrandma said...

sjk, what a lovely dream!

Anonymous said...

Sarah Palin To Go On Oprah, Winfrey's Fans Aren't Pleased by Noel Sheppard

That dude list some of Oprah fans comments. Not one worth mentioning. Then he ends it with
"Such a tolerant bunch, dontcha think?"

WV HYPES

ProChoiceGrandma said...

I remember someone said Todd "and his buddies" built their current house in 3 weeks. Where did it say 3 weeks?
I wonder if this new turret house will be finished by professional contractors within that same time period? Maybe we can make a countdown clock. Does anyone know when they began on the new house? Just to see if Todd and "his buddies" are better than professionals. Unless of course, these are the same "buddies".

Anonymous said...

Oprah is probably where the publisher booked her and she's contractually obligated to go. My guess she's praying mightily for a storm to shut down Anchorage airport. If this is something she chose, then she's desperate.

Anonymous said...

This explains it all. Governor Palin Right all Along About Global Warming

Anonymous said...

http://wonkette.com/411717/this-hard-work-u-at-which-sarah-palin-will-speak-one-must-never-go-there#comments

How can Sarah speak at work at U, if they don't believe in extra-marital sex? don't they know that she had an affair? oopsie.

Maybe god said it was OK for Sarah because she is their chosen one.

Anonymous said...

Hi, this is anonymous 19:11 again.

Several people mentioned that the publication was rushed and so little time for fact checking. Publishers do little, if any, fact checking. Any one can write anything they want and they get published. This happens all the time with health books, esp diet and fitness books, which is why so much misinformation is perpetuated. A book can have actual factual errors and still get published. Occasionally the copyeditor who checks for grammar, or the editor, who oversees the project, may have a question or two about something based on their personal knowledge base--but no formal fact checking is done.

With newspapers, very very little fact checking is done. The journalist is typically trusted to have done it on their own.

Magazines--major magazines by the large publshing house, that is--do A LOT of fact checking. They have whole fact checking departments and typcially call every expert quoted to read back their quotes (although no one is ever shown the full article in advance, usually), journalist must provide research study copies of any health facts they cite, and transcripts of the interviews they conduct. Mags have a month of more--plus dedicated staff--for the process. So you can usually trust a magazine more than any other publication (not that that is foolproof--they still mislead and leave things out out of context sometimes--especially because they are biased in trying to be positive--and therefore make lots of promises to sell the mags--women's mags, anyway.

ALSO, an advance is 'an advance on royalties.' So let's say she gets $2 million. Well the publisher would have to sell $2mill worth of books before she starts getting any royalities. The publishers will have predetermined that amount. So in this case, maybe 1.5 million books--or probably close to what the initial print run is. But her advance is guaranteed, so even if bookstores return half of all those books they 'ordered' because they did not sell, she does not have to give back the advance money.

She will only make royalities after the advance is paid for. of course, this could take a long time if it doesn't sell and pubs return books. Which is why I said she may never make another dime. But her advance is so high, it seems, it might not matter.

If, in fact, it sells 4 million, or many more than expected, she will make royalties above an beyond whatever number covers her initial advance. The percentages /fee varies, and it also graduates according to the cost of the book. This is somewhat standard but can be negotiated by the agent. OH, good chance that she had an agent's fee deducted (any reports of an agent?) This would be 15-20% of each of her payments at all points in time.

But generally the book royatlies would be $1-2 per book or somesuch--depends on the book price, what it's sold for to whom and the level of sales she's reached. Sometimes there is a reward for having made a bestseller list--a higher percentage of royalty.

Sometimes they make the author pay for the photoshoot (perhaps why she aPPEARS to have such cheap photos for the cover)

Also, her ghostwriter will have been paid. My guess is that it would be around $100,000, more or less.
Also, it's likely that the publishers are paying for the costs of her book tour to promote it.

No matter how you slice it, unfortunately, quitting was a profitable move for her--she's struck gold with this book deal. Even if it flops. Not many people can collect $1million+ for what, 4 months 'work' (while vacationing in San Diego by the pool.)

Anonymous said...

No way the original house was built in three weeks. This is Alaska, goods must be shipped, floors poured, granite cut. Just doesn't happen.

Anonymous said...

How come my posts at Oprah are not showing up?

Anonymous said...

anon 4:50

Agreed.. Having a "stick built" house constructed up here is an enormous hassle no matter who your connections are. There is no way in HELL "Todd and his buddies" built that house in 3 weeks. It would take that long to rough wire and plumb it. What a talented dude that Todd is for someone who barely made it through high school. Just amazing

Anonymous said...

Oh boy, I was just on Team Sarah Chat and they are so worried that Oprah is setting her up. Love it!

AKPetMom said...

To Anon at 4:50

Just wanted you to know what building materials are available to me in Wasilla within a 5 mile radius:

There is a pre-cut granite floor and counter top vendor at the end of my street in wasilla. (I live 2.5 miles from the Palins).

There is a complete lumberyard (Spenard Builders Supply) 2 miles away from my house, plus a Lowes and a Home
Depot equidistant.

There is a closeout building supply store only 4 miles away that sells leftover building supplies at a discount.

My neighbor works for a company that pours foundations year round; from Talkeetna to Anchorage.

If one has the resources to purchase goods, the goods are here to be purchased, anytime of year.

I still have to giggle when people think that we have to have stuff shipped up for individual projects. It's all here waiting to be purchased, even in Wasilla....

Anonymous said...

Um, rumor is she got a $7,000,000 advance. I Think that more than covers it. Not to mention, she would have no problem making a career out of running for president for the next 4 years if she wants to. I don't think the Palins are too worried about money these days. Personally, I can't wait to read the book. Palin is a remarkable and fascinating figure.

Anonymous said...

@5:19, it's time to wipe the rose color from your glasses and get real. Rumors about Palin are rarely true. Do you really think she'll be running for 4 years? If so, that puts her in 2013, one year past the next election. Hey, that sounds just like her. You could be right.

Anonymous said...

7 million? LOL. yeah, that might have been if it sold out and they reordered it over and over again.

Palinistas are so obvious in their attempts to defend her. But, I am counting until he comes back to swear at us and threaten us. That's what you get when you mess with the Dominionist pro-lifers. Nasty pieces of work there.

hey, Palinista, enjoy your reading for the next four years. Make sure you don't quit till you get to the end. Quitting is for your Queen, not for her subjects. Someone has to work for her. It might as well be you. Oh, and she probably needs another donation for plastic surgery or house number 6. Do donate ASAP.

Anonymous said...

"Palin is a remarkable and fascinating figure."

Palin is remarkably stupid and even Todd is no longer interested in her fascinating figure

QUESTIONS said...

Is Sarah being set up by her handlers to crash and burn? They finally saw something that told them to stop her, as soon as possible. Murdoch or Wendi saw something and they want her off of their game board. They bought her handlers off?
So the "Palin is getting punked" thing might not have been all that wrong.

AKPetMom said...

Remember Oprah's Favorite Things from Saturday Night Live in 2007?

Perhaps for Sarah's visit Oprah will throw out Bumpits and Bibles!

If you want to revisit the classic sketch, here is the link:

http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l53/MrBrightSide1980/videos/?action=view&current=Oprah39sFavoriteThings.flv

ProChoiceGrandma said...

"Their original house was built by Todd and his buddies in three weeks, but in the absence of building permit requirements in Wasilla, we don't know exactly what happened there."

Regina, do you know the source of the "three weeks"?

Anonymous said...

When the Palins began building a new family home off Lake Lucille in 2002-at the same time that Palin was running for lieutenant governor and in her final months as mayor-Spenard supplied the materials, according to Antoine Bricks, who works in its Wasilla office. Spenard actually filed a notice “of its right to assert a lien” on the deed for the Palin property after contracting for labor and materials for the site. Spenard’s name has popped up in the trial of Senator Stevens-it worked on the house that is at the center of the VECO scandal as well.

Todd Palin told Fox News that he built the two-story, 3,450-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bath, wood house himself, with the help of contractors he described as “buddies.” As mayor, Sarah Palin blocked an effort to require the filing of building permits in the wide-open city, and there is no public record of who the “buddies” were. The house was built very near the complex, on a site whose city purchase led to years of unsuccessful litigation and, now, $1.3 million in additional costs, with a law firm that’s also donated to Palin collecting costly fees from the city.

Dorwin and Joanne Smith, the principals of complex subcontractor DJ Excavation & Development, have donated $7,100 to Palin and her allied candidate Charlie Fannon (Joanne is a Palin appointee on the state Board of Nursing). Sheldon Ewing, who owns another complex subcontractor, Weld Air, has donated $1,300, and PN&D, an engineering firm on the complex, has contributed $699.

Ewing was one of the few sports-complex contractors, aside from Spenard, willing to address the question of whether he worked on the house as well, but he had little to say: “I doubt that it occurred, but if it did indirectly, how would I know anyhow?” The odd timing of Palin’s house construction-it was completed two months before she left City Hall and while she and Todd Palin were campaigning statewide for the first time-raises questions, especially considering its synergy with the complex.

Salon’s David Talbot recently visited the complex, which, he said, resembled “a huge airplane hangar” so far away from the city’s center that kids can’t bike or walk there. It’s adorned by a plaque commemorating Palin. Even as a governor, she was still such a champion of the complex-which loses money every year-that she just steered state funding for a new kitchen to it.

Anonymous said...

I hope that Sarah or her peeps read Palingates, because she ought to know one little thing about Oprah's show. Harpo Studios are in Chicago, Barack Obama's home town. It is 99% Democratic; there hasn't been a Republican Mayor in Chicago since, I can't remember if there ever was one. And, guess who shows up in Oprah's audience!

Oprah campaigned for Barack Obama. She wept at his acceptance speech in Grant Park. She went to all the ceremonies in Weashington DC. And, I am sure that she just loved the racial rhetoric and hate filled comments offered up by Sarah during the campaign.

If you think that Sarah is controlling and has rules about which questions can't be asked, Oprah is much more controlling. Oprah is worth Billions compared to Sarah's whatever it is now. Quess which gal has more experience in control and conversation. Guess which gal knows how to get a good audience reaction, girl friend!

Welcome to Chicago, Sarah, you can look forward to a crowd that will not welcome you. Come to think of it, anyone in the Midwest who has interest in showing up at Harpo studios could make the news just forming a sidewalk welcoming committee for Sarah with appropriate welcoming signs such as "Why did you quit?" and "Who's the Mama?" Chicago may not have won the 2012 Olympics, but they play a good game of politics!

Anonymous said...

To anon 19:11 You know much more about the publishing world than I do. But, I do have a close relative who works for a major newspaper. He was part of a major story that uncovered years of a coverup in an important industry. They had regularly, knowingly exposed their workers to harmful substances, causing illness and early death.

The story was documented when someone in the business died, and in cleaning out his attic, civic minded relatives found 15 years of interoffice memos that detailed the coverup, what to say and especially, what not to say. It was a bombshell!

Our relative was the lead reporter working on the team, and it took a full week to put together the entire story. The story ran in segments, there was so much material. And, for every day that they spent writing, an equal amount of time was spent in legal and rewrite making sure that newspaper could not be sued for anything at all!

He has worked on other important stories which disclosed important information on national candidates which was not flattering-- and had to clear legal to make it to print.

So, to set the record straight, newspapers are operating on hard times. They often just reprint a story taken directly from a wire service without checking it at all. There are fewer reporters to do real good investigative work; it costs money. But, there still are some dedicated workers who release powerful stories which need to be accurate.

And I do recall a magazine article which detailed normal publishing procedure and how it had been cut short in rushing out the Palin book. Some books may hit the market without rewriting, fact checking and all that other stuff. The books that my relative has been involved with did not follow the Palin model, and benefited from post-production improvements. I think that there must be some of each out there. As in all cases, let the buyer beware.

Anonymous said...

Looks like hanging out with the Quitter Queen is taking a toll on Kristan Cole as well. Hopefully the Alaska Fund Trust is being investigated right now.

Anonymous said...

Sarah gets set up from the inside and they blame it on others. It is a pattern.

regina said...

PCG,

I can't remember where I saw the 3 week thing. If I can't find the source, I'll edit the post. I must have read it somewhere because it stuck in my head!

Anonymous said...

The only way the 3 week build could apply is,if he meant exterior build. Meaning,frame,windows,roof,and siding. Any thing else equates out to thousands of man hours. It's just not possible with a handful of friends.

winkwinkWA said...

Anon 4:50- you are right , even here in Eastern Wa. it takes 3 mo. for a contractor to build a house from ground up, I live in a new neighborhood with all new homes and each one takes at least 3 mos. to build. You wait for supplies and inspections, electrical, plumbing, everything needs to be inspected. No way in hell did Todd build that house in 3 weeks time!!
My father is building a house (1500 sq. ft.)in Fairbanks and in 5 weeks he had the dirt work done, heated floor poured, the walls and roof up and shingled , no windows, waiting for an order, siding-waiting for the color he wanted, nothing is done inside and he is closing it up till spring. He was hoping to heat it to work in side during the winter but without windows it can't be done!
The new house the Palin's are building had to be in the works, planning and ordering material, for a long time(probably before she quit and when she signed for the book). Remember that stimulus pkg. she didn't want because of the strings on new construction, her new house was probably planned before then. Can't have any nasty stings getting in her way!!!

Barb Dwyer said...

I wonder how long it took Todd and his buddies to build the boat? Perhaps they should look into combining their talents and build and ark before the end of times.

Those "strings attached" probably had something to do with NOT having gigantic windows facing into fierce arctic winds. I'm sure the fuel that house consumes for heat could supply a small village

Amy1 said...

Just to confirm what some have said earlier: SP got a book contract specifying an advance (my guess originally was $7M, and I have seen some confirmation for approx this amount, but we do not know for sure). Advances usually are delivered to the author on something like the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 schedule described above, but there can be variations (like a 1/4 etc schedule with different milestones). And the money is hers no matter what the sales are, so long as she delivers the manuscript, lives up to whatever else the contract specifies (usually not much else, but in her case I would guess some appearances to boost sales). *IF* sales exceed some stated level (usually measured in number of books rather than a $ amount, so all this price low-balling is to her huge advantage), she can get more. But not less. My guess re the rush is that Rupert and his pals decided on the change in publication schedule. They of course would know everything, the whole picture. And have no need to explain the logic to underlings in the publishing house. My guess: get it out so it hits when the scandals break, but not too soon before and not too late after. If SP can survive the scandals (as she is so far doing, we have to admit [to my huge regret and chagrin!]), her name recognition and exposure could benefit. If the book fails to make money? It's just another tax deduction, not a big problem for Rupert.

I was just traveling for a week, and I mentioned SP's name to strangers whenever I could. I was shocked and dismayed that although many people do not think of her as their favorite candidate, they were ALL unaware of the level of scandal we are discussing here. We still have a LOT of work ahead of us.

Amy1 said...

Also my guess: if I were Rupert and knew the whole picture, I would have some odds in my mind re how possible is it that SP might survive all her scandals and remain a viable political force. If she does, I (Rupert) have created a valuable asset for my plans.

If she does not, I'd rather know that sooner than later, so the accelerated book schedule might be in the nature of a test balloon. SP will either sink or swim after the book and all the brouhaha it produces have their day. After that, Rupert will know if we bloggers (on this particular subject) have any teeth or are merely noise. Will the MSM finally weigh in on some of the subjects we think need addressing? Or do Rupert and pals have those channels under control? This is perhaps the scariest part of all of it for me. Because I can see that he DOES seem to have it under good control, to suit his purposes.

Amy1 said...

Also, let's say the total book advance is $7M. So each of her payments probably goes something like this: 1/3 of $7M = $2.33M. Deduct 20% for the agent, who I thought was reported to be Barnett, so it's $1.87M. Now deduct taxes of 25% (taxes could be way different, depending) and she has $1.4M. Now deduct some of those expenses which she might have (legal? pay back the travel allowance she pocketed in error? living a little beyond her means for awhile?) and we still have $1M. Deducting the (assumed) $100K for the ghost writer, and it's $900K. How much of that has to be paid as hush money or other pending obligations? All of a sudden, we still have a nice piece of change but not the astronomical amount she seemed to start with.

A million just ain't what it used to be. Boohoo.

Anonymous said...

Sarah Palin wants her own compound:

It's the grifter's version of Hyannis Port.

Anonymous said...

Another topic for a guest post might be her church's beliefs and their implications. There are videos, links to Max Blumenthal and to Leah's blog (on the blogroll).