Today on the Menu: News of White House Intimidation, Wonky Entertainment Reporting, Rupert’s Stupid Pay Wall Plan, More!

This morning we covered some of the big news you’ll be sure to pay attention to this week.

&#151 In brief, the White House has basically been accused of threatening Democratic consultants who’ve appeared on Fox News Channel. The nuts is that the consultants may have been defending the White House, but they are the veritable Skarks to FNC’s Jets. That means they’re fighting until some hot brunette starts singing. Mrs. First Lady, your people are waiting.

&#151 Rupert Murdoch says Google’s ‘fair use’ of the Wall Street Journal’s back-end is going to stop. He hates that commoners can slip in there and pump his site for all its worth, leaving WSJ.com open to what amounts to semi-drunken-anal-times. But he’ll let you continue this practice for a bit longer.

&#151 Holy crap, GE and Comcast may have come to a deal regarding the value of NBC Universal. The means GE (80% owner) and Vivendi (20%) could sell the thing, network and theme parks and Al Roker, oh my, soon.

&#151 Gawker’s John Cook put Nikki Finke in her place, but then like some creepy Disney movie, the veneer around this contentious blogger faded away and Cook realized he had never moved her at all. She stayed in the same place all the time. See what we mean, right now.

&#151 Literary journal The Paris Review is losing editor Philip Gourevitch, who will not do valuable things with his time. Job opening!

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