Wild, Wacky and Wonderful

Kate Gosselin Bikini Pics

2009-06-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Kate Gosselin Bikini PicsThe co-Star of Jon and Kate Plus 8, Kate Gosselin was recently pictured in a bikini at Bald Island in North Carolina. I must say she looks really good for someone who had 8 kids.
The reality show star is going through some tough times after learning about her husbands extra-marital affairs with young college students. Jon Gosselin, who has been accused of carrying on affairs with college students all over the nation is somehow still with his wife after 10 years.

Original Source : http://www.manolith.com/2009/06/02/kate-gosselin-bikini-pics/

Brooks Perlin

2009-06-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

Brooks PerlinThings continue to heat up between Katie Couric and her entrepreneur boyfriend Brooks Perlin. The couple have become more affectionate in public, even going as far as to allow pictures taken of them kissing.

Couric is 50 years old, making her 17 years Perlin’s senior. "The age difference scared her off at first," says a friend of the CBS Evening News anchor, who agreed to have dinner with Perlin a few weeks after chatting with him at a Manhattan cancer fund-raiser in September.

"Perlin is a nice guy," says Couric's friend. "He's extremely smart. He's honest. He doesn't play games. He's sweet. Normal. Really grounded. It's a drama-free relationship."

Perlin is a highly educated entrepreneur from Connecticut; he attended Williams College.

Some people remain skeptical as to how healthy these large age gap relationships can really be. Is true love blind to age?

Original Source : http://www.alternativehealthjournal.com/article/brooks_perlin__update/3410

Super Mario Galaxy 2

2009-06-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M head to Wii.

Nintendo led off its Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 press event with New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii, a co-op heavy side-scrolling platformer. As Nintendo's press event wrapped up, the publisher trotted out two arguably even more sought after titles, announcing Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M for the Wii.

While Nintendo typically limits its flagship 3D Mario titles to one per console generation, the publisher said that it was making an exception for the Wii with Super Mario Galaxy 2. The 3D platformer draws its aesthetic heavily from the highly acclaimed first installment in the Galaxy series, with a brief trailer for the game showing Mario and his dinosaur friend Yoshi navigating a variety of interstellar planets.

A hallmark of the Mario franchise, the game features a number of themed levels, with the demo showing a snow-coated planet, an underwater section, a haunted castle, and a lush, flora-heavy world. Super Mario Galaxy 2 also maintains the original's puzzle design, showing Mario and Yoshi grappling with tricky environmental hazards and wandering enemies. Nintendo did not reveal a release window for Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Closing out its E3 press event, Nintendo surprised attendees with the unexpected announcement of Metroid: Other M. Nintendo has tapped Tecmo's Team Ninja studio--best known for its Ninja Gaiden franchise--to develop the 3D action adventure. The game is expected to arrive for Nintendo's console in 2010.

Team Ninja is known for delivering intense gameplay, and that reputation was on full display with the brief Metroid: Other M trailer that was shown. After a cutscene shows a young woman later identified to be Samus in a sci-fi military base, the trailer shifted to in-game action of Samus in her iconic armor battling a variety of enemies both with ranged and melee combat.

Original Source : http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6210841/super-mario-galaxy-2-metroid-other-m-head-to-wii-

Air France Flight 447

2009-06-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Air France Flight 447Air France Flight 447 disappears from air, presumed to have crashed.

Air France Flight 447 flying from Brazil to France lost contact after its takeoff, reported to have crashed with 228 aboard.

According to Reuters, Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-200, went missing early Monday after disappearing from the skies and is presumed to have crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

On board of the missing Air France plane were 216 passengers and 12 crew members, according to Air France company spokeswoman Brigitte Barrand.

Reuters reported that Air France expressed condolences to passengers’ families, implying that the airline did not expect to find any survivors from the alleged crash.

According to an Air France spokesman who relayed the information to press, several plane mechanisms had malfunctioned, and that “a combination of circumstances” caused the plane to crash into the Atlantic Ocean

According to the BBC, Air France Flight 447 left Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s Galeao International Airport at 7 p.m on May 31st. It was scheduled to land at Paris Charles de Gaulle at 11:10 a.m., but reportedly entered a “thunderous zone with strong turbulence,” according to an official Air France statement.

The jet had last contact with Brazil’s Air Force around 9:30 p.m. May 31, but Air France Flight 447 did not state where the plane was, according to Yahoo! News.

About four hours after its takeoff, the plane sent out an automated message specifying that there was an “electrical circuit malfunction” on board.

Though the Air France spokesman said that a lightning strike could be conceivably responsible Air France Flight 447’s crash, most experts said that the likelihood that lightning brought the plane down is slim.

Bill Voss, president and CEO of Flight Safety Foundation, told the Associated Press that while issues surrounding lightning have been discussed since aviation’s dawn, lightning issues “were far more prevalent when aircraft operated at low altitudes.”

Additionally, Voss told the AP that lightning strikes “are less common now, since it’s easier [for planes] to avoid thunderstorms.” Since Planes have specific measures built in to dissipate electricity if a plane is struck, Voss told the AP that he could not “recall in recent history any examples of aircraft being brought down by lightning.”

Additionally, the fact there was no reported mayday call means that the cause of the crash came quick;y. Chris Yates, who is an analyst for Jane’s Aviation, told the AP that “something catastrophic happened on board that has caused this airplane to ditch in a controlled or an uncontrolled fashion.”

A Pentagon official in Washington, D.C. said he hadn’t seen any indication of terrorism or foul play, Yahoo! News reported.

Seven hours after the automated message was received, Paris airport officials declared the plane to be missing, according to BBC News. Shortly thereafter, Brazil’s Air Force confirmed a search and rescue operation near the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha.

The head of investigation for Brazil’s Civil Aeronautics Agency, Douglas Ferreira Machado, that the plane could have been near the coast of Africa by the time contact was lost, based upon the plane’s speed.

Machado told Globo TV that carrying out the search would “take a long time,” adding that the plane’s “black box will be at the bottom of the sea.”

French President, Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his “extreme worry” and planned to visit the Charles de Gaulle airport later Monday, according to Yahoo! News.

The aircraft, registered F-GZCP, had been in operation since April 2005, according to BBC News.

Original Source : http://www.collegenews.com/index.php?/article/air_france_plane_disappears_from_air_and_whereabouts_are_unknown_060120091157/

Tallulah Bankhead

2009-06-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

Tallulah BankheadValerie Harper Tallulah Bankhead!

Valerie Harper reportedly shines on stage as Tallulah Bankhead in LOOPED. Tallulah Bankhead was the original Hollywood train wreck.

Looped is from the writer of the hit play Tea at Five!

The play’s description is reportedly as follows:

Looped tells the story of Tallulah Bankhead, the original celebrity bad girl, being called into a sound studio to “loop” one line of dialogue for what would be her last film. Southern, but by no means a belle, Ms. Bankhead was known for her wild partying that outshined even today’s superstars. Relish in the promiscuity, scandal and outrageous wit of this sultry-voiced stage and film star.

Reviews have been incredible.

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times:

“Entertainment value is guaranteed! Valerie Harper brings Tallulah Bankhead’s outrageousness and glamour to life!”

Jay Reiner, The Hollywood Reporter:

“Harper has found the second role of a lifetime in Matthew Lombardo’s riveting new play!”

Bob Verini, Variety:

“Harper’s comedy chops eclipse even Tallulah’s!”

How bad was Tallulah? Says the Washington Post today:

“To start, Bankhead was a drunk. And a coke-head. She had affairs with both sexes and never gave a flip about discretion. She appalled studio heads in the 1930s and ’40s, refused to wear underwear and regularly answered her door buck naked.”

The production began touring earlier this year in California and is from playwright Matthew Lombardo.

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/06/01/valerie-harper-tallulah-bankhead/

Kim Kardashian Engagement Ring

2009-06-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Kim Kardashian Engagement RingKim Kardashian shopping for her own engagement ring.

Kim Kardashian says she’s just saving time and stress — by shopping for her own engagement ring.

The celebrity socialite is not yet engaged to boyfriend and NFL star Reggie Bush, but she told E! Online recently she’s ready to show him just what kind of ring she wants.

"It's just easier," Kardashian says. "Isn't it easy if someone's like, 'This is exactly what I want.' It'll make your life so easy."

Kardashian has also clued sisters Kourtney and Khloe in to which baubles she's after, figuring Bush will ask them for their ideas when he’s ready to pop the question.

"She found one the other day and she was like, 'It's only $20 million,' " Kourtney tells E!.

Kardashian is best known for her reality series, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” on the E! cable network.

Original Source : http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/1601310,w-kim-kardashian-engagement-ring-bush-060109.article

Clint Hurdle Dismissed

2009-05-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Clint Hurdle DismissedRockies dismiss Hurdle; Tracy gets helm.

Colorado's poor start leads to end of eight-year run as skipper.

The Rockies dismissed manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with bench coach Jim Tracy on Friday. The official announcement was made during a news conference at Coors Field.

The last straw for the Rockies was being swept at home in a three-game series this week by the Dodgers, with the Rockies being outscored by a combined 31-13. At 18-28, the club is a season-worst 10 games below .500, last in the NL West, and trailing the first-place Dodgers by 14 games.

Tom Reynolds, manager of the Rockies' Triple-A team in Colorado Springs, will be named bench coach to replace Tracy.

Hurdle, 51, went 534-625 (.461) as Rockies manager after taking over for Buddy Bell on April 26, 2002. He finished with one winning season. That was a doozy.

In 2007, the Rockies seemed headed once again for also-ran status, but they won 14 of their final 15 regular-season games. The last game was a 9-8, 13-inning victory over the Padres in a one-game showdown for the NL Wild Card. The Rockies swept the NL Division Series and Championship Series before being swept by the Red Sox in the World Series.

But the Rockies didn't maintain that momentum in 2008. With injuries to several key players during the first two months, inconsistent pitching and poor performances with men in scoring position, they fell to 74-88 last year. An offseason of coaching changes has not paid off in 2009.

Tracy, 53, is in his 32nd season of professional baseball as a player, coach and manager. The Rockies hired him as bench coach amid a flurry of changes during the offseasons.

Tracy has managed the Dodgers (2001-05) and the Pirates (2006-07), going 562-572. He led the Dodgers to the 2004 NL West crown with a 93-69 record. The Cardinals beat those Dodgers in the NL Division Series, three games to one.

Tracy came to Colorado along with hitting coach Don Baylor, third base coach Rich Dauer and bullpen coach Jim Wright.

Original Source : http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090529&content_id=5025916&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Ukulele

2009-05-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

UkuleleUkulele meets Cello to make beautiful music.

Think ukulele and images of a garlanded Elvis Presley gyrating with the tiny guitar-looking instrument may come to mind.

But the stringed instrument is more than one to be relegated to the realms of simple tunes.

In Singapore to get people to sing a different tune to the ukulele is James Hill, who is regarded as one the world's top composer and ukulele players.

Lesson one on the instrument - getting its name right.

It is pronounced "uku-lele" in the Hawaiian way.

According to Hill, it is made up of two words, 'uku' and 'lele' which translate into "The Jumping Flea".

With such a fun name, it can only mean that this is one friendly instrument.

If you've always wanted to play a musical instrument and either didn't have the time or think you're not too musically inclined - the ukulele is an instrument for you.

"Within five minutes (of learning the ukulele), you can be playing a song and for a lot of people" says Hill.

Having played the ukulele for more than just five minutes, Hill took his love for music and the intrument and teamed it with his other love, cellist Anne Davidson, for a remarkable blend.

Hill and Davidson met at music school and after dating, slowly warmed up to the idea of playing together.

"For three years, we never even considered playing together because it would seem so odd" said Hill.

"But slowly, we got on to the idea with the duo thing and realized what a good combination it is."

The combination of casual ukulele and classic cello may seem like chalk and cheese but these two seemingly incompatible instruments complement beautifully.

"When people come to our concert, they do not know what to expect, or worse, they don't expect," said Hill.

Playing on this doubtfulness is what allows both Hill and Davidson to surprise their audience and change conventional thinking.

"The ukulele has a higher range where the cello has a lower range" said Davidson.

"I also have the capability of using the bow to create long sustained sound which compliments the plucking sound of the ukulele."

Unlike the cello which has a long history, the ukulele is a 'young' 120-year-old in the music world, which explains its unorthodox style, which allows its player to invent his own particular style.

This freedom opened the way for Hill to create his style which he calls 'mono-strumming'.

"Instead of strumming where you can hear all the strings, you only hear a note as you mute the rest of the sound" he explains.

Sounds intriguing? Have a listen to the couple on their only stop in South East Asia, with their "melting of genres" performance on Friday 29 May, 8pm at the DBS Auditorium.

Original Source : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/432548/1/.html

Lana Clarkson Killer Phil Spector Gets 19 Years

2009-05-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Lana Clarkson Killer Phil Spector Gets 19 YearsSpector gets 19 years to life for Clarkson's death.

Music producer Phil Spector has been sentenced to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.

A Los Angeles judge sentenced Spector on Friday to 15 years to life for second-degree murder and four years for personal use of a gun. The judge is also ordering restitution payments.

A jury convicted the 69-year-old Spector in the fatal shooting of Clarkson at his home in 2003.

Spector plans an appeal.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Six years ago, Phil Spector was barely a blip on the American celebrity radar screen. Although his music lived on, his name and face were only dimly recalled by rock music aficionados until a shooting at his Alhambra mansion propelled him to notoriety.

Now he faces sentencing Friday on second-degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson, a conviction that suggests to some that California prosecutors have broken a decades-long string of celebrity murder case losses. The names O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake come to mind.

But Spector is in a class of his own. He was not a performer, not a sports star with a following or a singer who captivated the public. He was a music producer, a behind-the-scenes guy whose ideas changed the sound of rock music. He invented the "Wall of Sound," a revolutionary recording technique. And he was known for bizarre behavior. Famous, yes. A celebrity? Not in today's pop culture.

Spector is a frail and ailing 69-year-old for whom the mandated minimum sentence of 15 years would likely be a life sentence. His lawyer says he is enduring jail by focusing on his plans to appeal.

"He's doing fairly well," said Doron Weinberg. "He's adjusting to the circumstances and settling down to wait out an appeal with high hopes. He feels he will win the appeal."

Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has little leeway in sentencing. The 15-years-to-life sentence is mandated by law. Fidler's only decision is whether to add three or four years for personal use of a gun. The prosecution has asked for four and the defense has said three years is appropriate.

Spector had two trials with essentially the same evidence. His first in 2007 was televised gavel to gavel and spectators flocked to the courtroom. But when the jury deadlocked after a five-month trial, his legal "dream team," which at times numbered half a dozen lawyers, bailed out.

By the time the second trial started in 2008, interest had waned. The judge ordered cameras turned off and only a handful of spectators and reporters stopped in sporadically to watch testimony.

The retrial lasted the same length of time as the first trial, but there was only one defense lawyer: Weinberg, a well-regarded veteran from San Francisco. A young woman prosecutor, Truc Do, was brought in to work with Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson. Most importantly, there was a new jury. The forewoman wept after the guilty verdict but gave no hint of what tipped the scales on the panel's decision except to say it was based on "all the evidence, all the testimony."

During jury selection, only a few panelists remembered Spector's heyday as producer of teen anthems including "To Know Him is to Love Him," The Ronette's "Be My Baby," The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron" and The Righteous Brothers' classic, "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin'." Spector also worked on a Beatles album with John Lennon.

Ironically, Clarkson didn't know Spector's music legacy either when she met him only hours before she wound up dead at his Alhambra "castle." The 40-year-old actress had starred in Roger Corman's 1985 cult film "Barbarian Queen," but in 2003 she was working as a hostess at the House of Blues nightclub, where she had to be told by a manager that Spector was an important man.

His time had passed. And Clarkson's career was also ebbing. Their fateful meeting, recounted in both trials, led to her death and the end of his life as he knew it. For the next six years he spent millions on lawyers as he sought to prove that Clarkson killed herself.

But what had happened inside his house was never clear. Clarkson's body was slumped in a chair in a foyer. A gun had been fired inside her mouth. Spector's chauffeur, the key witness, said he heard a gunshot, then saw Spector emerge holding a gun and heard him say: "I think I killed somebody."

Weinberg said forensic evidence proved that Clarkson shot herself and cited her desperation at not being able to get acting work. Jackson said the shooting fit the pattern of other confrontations between Spector and women, and Do said Spector would become "a demonic maniac" when he drank.

Much of the case hinged on the testimony of five women from Spector's past who said he threatened them with guns when they tried to leave his presence. The parallels with the night Clarkson died were chilling even if the stories were very old — 31 years in one instance.

Weinberg said Spector's appeal will assert that the judge erred in allowing the women to testify.

Original Source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ik5pa7VefNfBxsKkfKVQWE9QET4wD98G2KHG0

Canon Powershot A480

2009-05-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Canon Powershot A480

Canon Powershot A480 is designed for people who want to shoot pictures without fussing over camera settings. It's a dead-simple, reasonably stylish point-and-shoot camera to have on hand when you're hanging out with friends and family.

The boxy PowerShot A480 measures 3.6 by 2.4 by 1.2 inches and weighs just under 5 ounces. Its lens, whose focal length ranges from 37mm to 122mm (35mm equivalent), retracts into the body when you turn off the camera. The A480 slips easily in and out of a pocket. Its plastic body feels solid, and the raised metal plate emblazoned with "10.0 MEGA PIXELS" acts as a grip for securing your hold on the camera.

The A480's controls are basic and uncomplicated. The shutter and on/off buttons are located on top of the camera. The back has zoom controls; a playback button; a four-way button that acts as a navigation control when you are in the software controls or want instant access to set ISO, flash, or timer, or to toggle between macro, normal, and landscape modes; a Function/Set button; a mode button for switching shooting modes; and a menu button. The button layout is clear and you'll learn it quickly as you tap the buttons with your right thumb.

Most users of the A480 will rely on the camera's Auto mode to determine the proper camera settings for a shot. Alternatively, you can choose from 12 scene modes: Aquarium, Beach, Fireworks, Foliage, Indoor, Kids&Pets, Long Shutter, Portrait, Night Snapshot, Snow, Sunset, and Super Macro. Though these modes sound friendly, you shouldn't take the names absolutely literally. For example, the Aquarium shooting mode is useful for more than just taking pictures of fish in a tank; it sets the camera so that it can better shoot anything behind glass.

Aside from the Auto and Scene modes, a Program mode lets you tweak settings such as aperture (ISO 80 to 1600), white balance, exposure, light metering, and color effects. While testing the A480, I used the Program mode more frequently than I expected. The Scene modes do a good job overall, but I got better results using the Program mode and adjusting the white balance, ISO, and light metering as appropriate.

The A480's design encourages users to set the shooting mode and forget about it. The camera doesn't have a wheel for quickly switching modes--a drawback when you step out of a museum, say, and into the bright daylight of a park. To switch modes, you have to press the Mode button, and then choose from among four on-screen selections: Auto, Program, Scene, and Movie. If you want to switch to one of Scene modes, you then have to navigate the Scene menu to find the scene you want. This process can take 7 to10 seconds, whereas with a mode wheel you can make the switch in a second.

When you power on the A480, it's ready to shoot almost instantly, and there's no shutter lag. I noticed about a 1-second gap between shots with the A480 operating in Continuous Shooting mode.

The A480 lacks one major feature: image stabilization. This wasn't a problem for me when I was shooting posed subjects while standing still in good lighting: Even subtle movements of the camera didn't diminish image quality. But in low light, or when the camera's movements were move pronounced, pictures were blurry.

The absence of action shooting modes, a somewhat slow Continuous Shooting mode, and the omission of image stabilization means that the A480 is a poor choice at sporting events or any type of event involving fast movement. The A480 works best as a casual snapshooter.

In our lab tests, the A480 finished neck-and-neck with the Nikon Coolpix L20 and the Canon Powershot A1100 IS for best overall image quality among sub-$200 cameras. It was in the top bracket in our tests for Color Quality, Distortion, and Exposure. The one weak spot was the A480's performance in our sharpness test, where the camera earned middle-of-the-pack scores.

The camera can record video (in AVI format) at 640 by 480 or 320 by 240 resolution, both at 30 frames per second. The video quality is good, but since there's no image stabilization, movies suffer from the jitters if you hold the camera in your hand while recording. Zoom is disabled in movie mode, and in my testing the built-in microphone was sensitive to wind.

If you're a tripod-shooter, a steady-handed photographer, or just want a bargain-bin camera with good image quality, the PowerShot A480 is worth a look. Its lack of image stabilization and some modes, however, may cause action photographers to pass it up.

Original Source : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/26/AR2009052602848.html

Cyber Czar

2009-05-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

Cyber Czar
“President Barack Obama will announce on Friday the creation of a ‘cyber czar’ position, stepping up his administration's efforts to better protect the nation's computer networks,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The cybersecurity chief will report to both the National Security Council and the National Economic Council, a compromise resulting from a fierce White House turf battle over the responsibilities and powers of the new office.” More: “Mr. Obama won't announce on Friday the person who will fill the new job. That isn't expected for at least a few more days.”

It’s now or never on health care, Obama said yesterday, per the AP. “President Barack Obama warned Thursday that if Congress doesn't deliver health care legislation by the end of the year the opportunity will be lost, a plea to political supporters to pressure lawmakers to act. ‘If we don't get it done this year, we're not going to get it done,’ Obama told supporters by phone as he flew home on Air Force One from a West Coast fundraising trip.”

The Boston Globe front-pages, "Obama tells Israel to halt expansion." The paper adds, "But hours before the two men met, the Israeli government flatly rejected the demand. Spokesman Mark Regev said that "normal life in those communities must be allowed to continue," including some construction. The exchange has set the stage for one of Obama's toughest foreign policy challenges. As he prepares to fly to the Middle East next week to give a speech on his policy toward the region and US-Muslim relations, it seemed clear yesterday that his administration is willing to risk prickly relations with one of the closest US allies -- and possible anger from some Jewish voters -- to try to create a Palestinian state."

The AP called it Obama "deepening his involvement in the quest for a difficult peace." Asking for concessions from both sides: "Obama pushed Palestinians for progress, too, including a direct call for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to reduce anti-Israeli sentiment in schools and mosques." The AP gets Abbas' reaction: "Abbas told The Associated Press after the session with Obama that no meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were on the horizon. Abbas said he is meeting his commitments under the road map and that Israel should do the same."

With the president today attending a hurricane preparedness meeting at FEMA, the group SmarterSafer.org is urging Obama to make mitigation the centerpiece of federal efforts managing hurricane and disaster preparedness. “For decades, federal policies have incentivized construction in hurricane-prone, environmentally sensitive areas,” the group says in a press release. “It’s time to update these policies to emphasize smart mitigation measures that protect the environment, put Americans to work and make current coastal residents safer.”

Original Source : http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/05/29/1947059.aspx

John Rich Alleged Assault On Jared Ashley

2009-05-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

John Rich Alleged Assault On Jared AshleyJohn Rich charged for alleged 'Nashville Star' assault.

Country star John Rich of Big & Rich was charged on May 28 with assault and harassment, E! Online reports. Rich allegedly smacked former Nashville Star contestant Jared Ashley in the face; he has denied the charges. "I trust that the truth will come out through the process of our American justice system and that I will be completely exonerated at the end of the day," the singer said in a statement.

Original Source : http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/05/john-rich-assau.html

Susan Boyle Meltdown

2009-05-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

Susan Boyle Meltdown

Susan Boyle Meltdown: Susan Boyle Tantrum.

Susan Boyle had a meltdown on Wednesday in the middle of a hotel lobby. She cursed up a storm for hundreds of guests to hear.

Susan Boyle has certainly become a media sensation ever since her first appearance on Britain’s Got Talent. It all began with her amazing voice that left you in awe, then she received a make over that was the talk of the town, and now she flipped out at a hotel lobby and had a complete and utter meltdown.

The frumpy looking singer went on a cursing tantrum in the middle of the Wembley Plaza Hotel lobby in North London, cursing up a storm for hundreds of hotel guests to witness. Police arrived on the scene and approached the boiled Susan Boyle, at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, after two strangers set out to “wind her up”, according to Fox News.

When one of the cops asked Susan if there was a problem, she snapped back

“Of course there’s a f***ing problem.”

Personally, I feel kind of bad for the Susan Boyle, she became an over night sensation never really learning how to handle being in the spotlight properly; which appears to be a key factor behind this outburst. One can’t help to wonder though, was she cursing in key, while in the midst of her meltdown.

Original Source : http://tv.rightcelebrity.com/?p=2657

Google Wave

2009-05-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

Google WaveGoogle Reinvents Email, Docs with 'Google Wave'

What would e-mail look like if it were invented today, rather than several years ago? Meet Google Wave, a preview application shown off Thursday at the Google I/O conference.

The Google Wave site is now up and running, although access to the application will be restricted. Google Wave was developed by the Google Maps team, led by Lars Rasmussen and his brother Jens.

"One of the best times of my life was in 2005, just after the launch of Google Maps, when developers started doing crazy things with the APIs," Rasmussen said, adding that he hopes developers will do the same with Wave.

What is Google Wave? Think of an open-source version of Gmail constructed via instant messaging. To start a wave, two users start what is essentially an instant-message session, which can be archived as a conversation. Other users can then be invited to join each wave or conversation, and there's even a "playback" feature to track the process of the conversation. Google also said it intends Wave to be a platform as well as a protocol, with the appropriate tools and extensions for each.

In fact, it might not even be accurate to call it a reinvention of e-mail. Google executives tied the instant-message/e-mail model to real-time document collaboration, even search, and extended it to the Web and to blogs.

Not surprisingly, images can be attached easily. What's fascinating, however, is that those images or embedable objects can also be Wave gadgets: for example, in a demo, a Google Map of Bora Bora was dropped into a wave. However, Rasmussen was able to manipluate the map in real time from his own screen, and the changes showed up dynamically on the screen of Stephanie Hannon, the project manager.

Real-time updates seem to be a critical element of Wave. Not only can conversations be updated in real time, but users who allow others access to their wave can allow those users the ability to update thier waves in real time.

Rasmussen displayed the design document overseeing Wave, which featured not only collaborative editing but also embedded conversations within Wave, an interesting tweak to the collaborative toos already inside Microsoft Office and other suites.

Want to publish a wave to a blog? No problem. A tool called "Bloggy" allows you to publish the entire wave, which can itself be updated like a normal wave.

Rasmussen and Hannon also said that the Google Wave model will be extended to Android for mobile updates. Integration with Firefox was also demonstrated as well.

Google will provide APIs so that developers can integrate their own code in to Google Wave. One of the ones demonstrated was with Twitter.

Tools called "Searchy" and "Linky" also will allow embedded links and real-time search. Google has come up with extensions called robots, which are embedded tools. The search is real-time, too: in one demo, Hannon searched for "wave". Rasmussen, on his screen, saved his wave as "wav," then again as "wave". When he added the final "e", the document showed up in Hannon's search. Saving it again as "wav" instantly removed it from the list of search results. The team even added a real-time spell-checker.

Waves can be made private. Although Google monitors the ongoing waves so that it can add links and other real-time capabilities, making a wave private blocks Google from viewing it at all, Hannon said.

In an amazing closing demonstration, adding a robot called Rosie allowed real-time translation, character by character. That closing demonstration earned Rasmussen and Hannon a standing ovation from the assembled developers.

No word yet on when Google Wave will be launched, but all I/O attendees will be given accounts for a more in-depth preview, most likely on Friday.

Original Source : http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2347795,00.asp

Jet America Airlines Website

2009-05-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

Jet America Airlines WebsiteJet America Airlines Website: Are these cheap tickets too good to be true?

Who says you can't go on vacation because travel is too expensive? John Weikle, the former founder of the failed airline Skybus has created a new low-cost airline carrier called Jet America Airlines.

Ticket prices are low, and by that, I mean dirt-cheap. You can travel non-stop, one-way between six U.S. cities for just $9! Who doesn't love a deal? Or is it too good to be true? Would you trust an airline that offers tickets for under $10? Until I've confirmed that there have been no plane crashes by this airline over the next year, I just might have to skip out on this one.

Original Source : http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977694352&grpId=3659174697244816

Sara Jane Moore

2009-05-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Sara Jane Moore
Woman who tried to assassinate Ford speaks out.

Sara Jane Moore, the woman who tried to assassinate President Ford in San Francisco in 1975, emerged in public this morning and offered an apology for her actions.
In an interview on the "Today" show, Moore, now 80, described what life has been like since she was released from prison at the end of 2007 and tried to explain why she tried to kill Ford.

“I still believe if I hadn’t done it, someone else would.... It was a time people don't remember. We had a war in this country, the Vietnam War,” she told "Today." “The only way it was going to change was by revolution.”

The only woman to fire a shot at a president said it was only later, while spending time in solitary confinement, that she “had begun to realize that I'd been used.” “I think that I was misled, that I was mistaken. I think I made a serious error,” she told "Today's" co-host Matt Lauer. “I had to learn later that everyone else didn't feel that way.”

Moore said she realized in prison that what she had done was wrong. "I think it was a serious error," she said.

The terms of her parole are very strict, requiring that she complete paperwork when she travels and let her parole officer know where she is at all times, Moore said.

She said she knew some people didn't think she should have been paroled.

“We have a Constitution, and we have laws. Regardless of who you are, there were conditions to be met for me to be paroled, and I met those conditions," she told "Today." “If people object to that, write your congressman and ask that your law be changed.”

Original Source : http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/05/woman-who-tried-to-assassinate-ford-speaks-out.html

Honduras Earthquake

2009-05-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

Honduras EarthquakeHonduras earthquake rattles nerves of divers, anglers throughout Caribbean.

When the 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean region at 2:24 a.m. today, scuba-diving tourists near the epicenter on the island of Roatan fled from dwellings and those on the island's low-lying west end ran into the hills.

Residents and employees did too.

"Everybody got out of the house instantly, " said PJ Rowntree, owner of Coconut Tree Divers on the small island beyond Honduras, which received the most damage. "Many of them ran off in their night clothes."

The earthquake, centered offshore beyond Honduras, reportedly killed at least two people and toppled more than two dozen homes in Honduras and Belize to the north. It also collapsed a bridge spanning Honduras' largest river, the Ulua. However, in Belize, which also is a diving and fly-fishing paradise, tourist areas seemed to weather the shaking.

Jake Sinna, general manager of Turneffe Flats resort on a small offshore atoll, said, "I thought it was a thunderstorm moving in, but when the house shook for about 10 seconds I realized that it must be something else, like an earthquake. After inspection of my surroundings, I quickly turned to others who might be in need of assistance."

Sinna said, "Everything is back to normal" on Turneffe Atoll (pictured) and seemingly throughout Belize City.

In Honduras and remote areas in Belize, however, residents were being urged not to panic. The earthquake, which was felt elsewhere in Central America as well, occurred four months after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake killed dozens of residents and stranded hundreds of tourists in remote areas of Costa Rica.

Thankfully, the Honduras quake, because it was centered offshore, was not so destructive. Outposts will try to update this item later today.

Original Source : http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/05/honduras-earthquake-rattles-nerves-of-divers-anglers-throughout-caribbean.html

Goldbase.be

2009-05-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

Goldbase.beDon’t check Goldbase.be (Goldbase dot be). Goldbase dot be is the Facebook Phishing Scam hitting this Sunday. Goldbase is yet another .be domain that joins Redbuddy.be and Dynasale.be on Saturday and Whitemart.be on Friday afternoon. First it was the .at domains, now it’s the .be domains. Do Facebook Phishing Scams go on vacation for Memorial Weekend? Apparently not.

Facebook users should not visit the site along with previous scam sites as reported. Those include:

Goldbase.be
Redbuddy.be
Dynasale.be
Brunga.at
Areps.at
ponbon.im
151.im
check151.im
junglemix.in
fblight.com
fbstarter.com
fbaction.net

Do not accept nor follow Goldbase.be or any of the above links either.

Junglemix.in had redirected users to fblight.com which then sent to you a fake Facebook sign in or to a malware page.

In the case you get infected, clean all temporary internet files and scan you hard drive with an internet virus program or malware program before restarting your computer.

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/05/24/check-goldbasebe-goldbase-dot-be/

Jim Nabors

2009-05-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

Jim NaborsCastroneves wins his third Indy 500.

Helio Castroneves completed a storybook spring on Sunday, winning the Indianapolis 500 for the third time only six weeks after being acquitted on federal tax evasion charges.

Castroneves, who began the day on the pole, dropped back a bit after leading the first seven laps, but took the lead for keeps with 142 laps to go. After a final pit stop, he held off Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick for the victory.

"Thank you, God, thank you," Castroneves said through his car radio after taking the checkered flag. He became the sixth three-time winner, joining Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser.

A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears all have four Indy 500 victories.

Castroneves' crew joined him in climbing the outside fence after the victory, a celebration that earned Castroneves the nickname "Spider Man" after his first two victories in 2001 and 2002.

Townsend Bell finished fourth, followed by Will Power, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Ed Carpenter and Paul Tracy.

Jim Nabors had barely finished singing the traditional "Back Home Again (in Indiana)" when two drivers made a quick exit from the race.

After the original start of the race was waved off because the field wasn't bunched, the cars of Mario Moraes and Marco Andretti made contact in the very first turn. Moraes' car was taken back to the garage area on a wrecker; Andretti's was receiving repairs in the pits.

“The kid doesn’t get it; he never will,” Andretti said of the 20-year-old Moraes. “All the work, all the hopes, it’s over just like that. This place can just be so hard on you.”

Moraes and Andretti started the race in the third row, having qualified seventh and eighth, respectively. But they never got up to speed on Sunday. “It’s so disappointing,” said Andretti. “The guy (Moraes) is clueless.”

Said Moraes: “I was in front, I was holding my line, and he just hit me.”

Andretti was hoping to win the race on the 40th anniversary of his grandfather Mario's lone victory in 1969.

On lap 55, another of the young stars of IndyCar racing crashed out. Graham Rahal, son of 1986 winner Bobby Rahal, hit the wall hard for the second consecutive year. He started fourth and was running sixth, but was placed 28th on the grid after the crash. Last year, as a rookie, he started 13th but was the first car out with a crash on lap 36.

The stands were full at Indianapolis beneath partly cloudy skies.

Original Source : http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/may/24/andretti-crashed-out-500/

Aisha Tyler

2009-05-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

Aisha TylerActress-comedian Aisha Tyler, who most recently starred in Bedtime Stories, will headline her own talk show, The Aisha Tyler Show, for ABC.

The pilot, which is being described as a cross between daytime and late-night talk shows, will include comedic political commentary, produced segments, and an Internet-related aspect (viewers will be able to talk to Tyler through sites like Facebook and Twitter).

ABC sources are hoping that that Tyler will make it to syndication or cable.

Original Source : http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/05/aisha-tyler.html

Amazon Mechanical Turk

2009-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Amazon Mechanical TurkHow to make money from Amazon Mechanical Turk?

Amazon Mechanical Turk is yet another way of aggregating service providers and buyers in one place ‘online’ where you can make money depending on your area of expertise.

Business week mentions "people can offer payment for businesses and services that require a human element rather than computing power".

Amazon Mechanical Turk calls these assignments Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs). A lot (actually 86584) HITs are available as of now for people to work upon. So, what you have to do is fairly simple. Find a task that’s interesting for you. Some real examples are writing reviews, creating metadata information about a product etc. Just complete those tasks and earn money.

Some of the assignments are very interesting like the one about " Data Collection about famous people." Tasks like these require only your time and basic english and internet skills but can pay 20 cents per HIT. The review assignments can pay upto $5 per HIT.

Original Source : http://www.newspostonline.com/world-news/how-to-make-money-from-amazon-mechanical-turk-2009052356192

RedBuddy

2009-05-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

RedBuddyParades, mayors and Civil War Days.

Before settling down with my morning coffee and the headlines of the daily newspapers, I hit the sidewalks in our subdivision, briskly following our 10-pound Papillion on her leash.

That's when I try to rid myself of yesterday's cobwebs that clutter my mind, in awe of the nature of my surroundings that trigger my imagination. And I wonder what on Earth I will experience today for the first time.

This season, I'm always refreshed with the return of flora and fauna, reminding me of the outdoor labs for my field biology course at Murray State University. Sometimes our lab met along the shoreline of Kentucky Lake near the wildlife refuge where I was tested to identify birds by sight and sound. Today I wonder what happened to all that knowledge as I consult my handy "Birds of Illinois" field guide.

Now before I cram a weekend of observations into this space, let me back up to last week's column about Community Heritage Month.

Thanks to readers who paid attention to my Naperville trivia quiz. When I asked for the names of the five mayors -Kenneth Small, Chet Rybicki, Peg Price, Sam Macrane and George Pradel - elected since 1969, several folks wondered why I failed to mention Naperville Mayor Milton Stauffer. Stauffer, elected in 1967 when we had a Mayor-Commissioner form of government, led our city to referendum in 1969 to adopt Council-City Manager form of government.

For information about Naperville's government since the days of Joe Naper, visit the council offices at the Naperville Municipal Center where you'll find four handsome framed documents featuring the progression of elected officials who have served the city.

Early Saturday morning, as I headed to a seminar titled "Women and Investing," the sidewalks of 21st-century downtown Naperville were dotted with costumed re-enactors headed to Civil War Days at Naper Settlement.

The striking historical contrast between two uncertain times in America was mind-boggling.

Though, of course, I don't personally go back 140 years, I'm certainly old enough to have experienced many economic cycles. Heck, when we purchased our first home in Chatham, N.J., in 1981, we locked in interest rates at 16.75 percent!

At any rate, I opened my mind to the wealth of information packaged in Saturday's seminar. Presentations focused on financial independence, FDIC coverage, spending and saving money in today's world market as well as Internet protection and identity theft, awareness I'll consider as the days go forward.

Though I adamantly promote shopping and dining locally, here's one safety tip I gleaned from Saturday: if you must order online, open a separate credit card to use only for Internet purchases.

Sunday brought glorious sunshine for the 8th Annual 5K Run for Reading, held for the second year at River Woods Elementary School. The run for all ages - this year participants ranged from 4 to 77 - benefits the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy.

As a record 550 runners lined up at the starting line, Councilman Bob Fieseler, serving as emcee, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and "God Bless America."

I couldn't help but think about how fortunate we are to have the freedom to assemble for charity runs, educational seminars, church services and all.

Sunday afternoon as I trekked along Quincy Avenue to the Rotary Sunrise Drive to the Future Car Show, I spotted an easily identifiable red-winged black bird perched in the open field.

Then as I admired the shiny vintage, classic and not-so-recognizable new cars, I was saddened that the American auto industry has taken such a terrible turn.

Looking ahead, remember the annual Memorial Day Parade steps off in downtown Naperville at 10:30 a.m. May 25.

And beginning today, veterans again will promote the artificial red Buddy Poppy to benefit their Relief Fund. According to Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 Buddy Poppy Chairmen Jan Barbour and Mike Barbour, the local goal this year is $25,000, all of which will be dedicated to help disabled veterans and their families as well as local troops on active duty.

Look for veterans at the train stations and local supermarkets. I hope you'll thank them for their service and their sacrifices - again and again.

Original Source : http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=294382

Boston Latin School Closed

2009-05-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Boston Latin School ClosedThe Boston Latin School will be closed until Wednesday, May 27 because approximately 260 students were absent today, said a source familiar with the situation.

Yesterday only about 200 students were absent and on average about 80 students are absent from BLS, which has a student population of about 2400.

Mayor Thomas Menino, the Boston Public Health Commission, as well as Dept. of Public Health officials will join together at 2:45 p.m. to talk about preventing the spread of the H1N1 flu aka the swine flu.

All families and staff have been notified of the closing via automated phone calls and letters home.

Original Source : http://home.wickedlocal.com/2009/05/19/breaking-news-boston-latin-school-closed-amid-swine-flu-fears/

Ryan Church Blunder

2009-05-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ryan Church BlunderMets Dumbfounded by Their Mistakes.

His shoulders slumped, his eyes heavy, his goatee likely grayer than it was just four hours earlier, Jerry Manuel emerged from the Mets’ clubhouse late Monday night and spotted a massage table.

“I need to lie down,” Manuel said.

No wonder. The Mets arrived at Dodger Stadium in first place in the National League East. They left, after a 3-2 loss to the Manny Ramirez-less Dodgers in 11 innings, leaving Manuel wondering if he was managing a team sponsored by Chico’s Bail Bonds. The carnage included a season-high five errors — including two in the 11th, which led to the Dodgers’ winning run — one decisive base-running blunder by Ryan Church and countless slack jaws, head shakes and dumbfounded looks in a solemn clubhouse.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Carlos Beltran said.

And neither had anyone else. To be fair, Manuel said he had seen his former charges, the Chicago White Sox, commit five errors, not that he was boasting of that achievement or anything. But no, he had never seen a player completely miss tagging third base on his way home as Church did in the top of the 11th. That gaffe canceled what would have been the go-ahead run, ended the inning and breathed life into the Dodgers. Not that, on this night, they needed any extra help. The five errors were the Mets’ most since they committed six on Sept. 16, 2007, against Philadelphia.

“The guy missed third base, that’s unbelievable,” Manuel said. “I can’t explain why or how or anything, but he actually missed the base. To me, it’s just hard to miss third base. I know there are guys who miss first because they’re looking for the ball, that type of thing, but I don’t remember if I’ve ever seen a guy miss third base in a situation like that.”

Then he clarified. No, he had not. Church, for his part, said he thought he nicked the side of the bag as he rounded third, heading home on Angel Pagan’s gapper to right-center. But the third-base coach Razor Shines did not complain when the Dodgers appealed, and Manuel did not argue the call.

“I just feel terrible because touching the bag is a simple thing to do and I didn’t do it,” Church said.

Making the simple difficult since 1962 — that could be the Mets’ motto. At times this season, the Mets (21-17) have turned that act into an art form, missing cut-off men, failing to slide and running into outs. But they have played better recently, even as injuries have caused two of their stars — Jose Reyes (right calf tendinitis) and Carlos Delgado (right hip surgery) — and a valued utility player, Alex Cora (torn right thumb ligament), to miss time. In their stead, Manuel has been forced to mix and match, starting players at unfamiliar positions because he has little choice.

Which is how it came to pass that Ramon Martinez, who arrived at 6:45 p.m. — 25 minutes before the first pitch — after being recalled from Class AAA Buffalo, was playing shortstop Monday night and committed two errors. And how Pagan was getting his first major-league start in more than a year. And how Jeremy Reed, who now has a total of 16 1/3 innings of major-league experience at the position, came to be playing first base in the 11th inning.

From that post, Reed gazed out toward left-center field as Xavier Paul’s fly ball started to plummet. Pagan and Beltran converged. Beltran said he called the ball, “like, six times,” but Pagan did not move.

“Pagan was still in the middle and I couldn’t see the ball,” Beltran said. “If Pagan would have called that ball, my job is to get out of the way. Basically he stood in the middle and I just couldn’t see the ball.”

The ball dropped between them, and Mark Loretta, who had walked against Brian Stokes to lead off the inning, scooted to third. Paul zipped to second, and the Dodgers had the winning run on third. Not so fast, though. Juan Pierre was walked intentionally, loading the bases, and Rafael Furcal flied to shallow left. One out. The Mets should have — could have — escaped when Orlando Hudson followed by tapping a grounder to Reed.

Reed fielded the ball perfectly. He got into throwing position immediately. However, “looking back on it now, I probably just rushed,” he said.

His throw home sailed wide of the catcher, Ramon Castro, and Loretta scored. Dodgers 3, Mets 2. A premonition of these fill-ins being exposed that Manuel had offered a few hours before Monday’s game had come true.

“I haven’t practiced that,” Reed said. “But I should be able to do that. I pride myself — wherever he sticks me, I can make plays.”

The Mets have not hit a home run in five straight games, which would be an irrelevant piece of trivia if not for the fact that the last two nights have proven that they actually could really have used one. Their situational hitting skills must have played hooky Sunday, skipped the short flight from San Francisco and — even aware that Delgado is out indefinitely — made little effort to arrive in time for Monday’s game.

In 48 hours, Manuel has seen a dramatic shift in the tenor of his team’s offense. In winning the opening three games in San Francisco, the Mets went 19-for-47 with runners in scoring position, slapping singles and lining doubles all over the field. In losing their last two games, the Mets have gone 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position, magnifying what has been a season-long dearth of power. The Mets entered Monday with 26 homers, ahead of only Pittsburgh, Oakland and San Francisco.

“I think you need a little power here and there, I think you need that, but I think it’s dangerous to ask the group that’s not sluggers to be sluggers,” Manuel said. “I think we have to continue to preach the type of baseball that we played in San Francisco, because we have the ability to play that type of game.”

The lone bright spot for the Mets was Tim Redding, who in his debut showed that he could be a capable fifth starter. After giving up two runs in the first, Redding shut down the Dodgers, allowing just two hits over six innings in emerging with a quality start. The Mets evened the score at 2-2 in the eighth, on an infield single by Gary Sheffield. Four Mets relievers combined to hold the Dodgers scoreless until the 11th, when, as Redding said, in beautifully understated fashion, “a couple things didn’t go our way tonight.”

If only it were a couple. Then Manuel may not have needed a rest.

“It was a bad game on our part,” Manuel said. “Very bad.”

Original Source : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/sports/baseball/19mets.html?em

Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome

2009-05-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome
What is Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome? Brooklyn writer Carla Sosenko shares facts about condition.

Carla Sosenko, a freelance writer and full-time copy editor at Bauer Publishing who lives in Brooklyn, has revealed in the new issue of Marie Claire that she is suffering from a potentially fatal disorder called Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome.

Sosenko explains in the Marie Claire piece that she was born with the disorder.

“For me, it means my right leg is larger than my left and trails slightly when I walk,” Sosenko writes in Marie Claire. “My back is an uneven, fatty slab with a dense lump above the waist (which a guy in high school once called a meatball); and a gigantic port-wine stain reaches around my broad torso and down toward my right thigh.”

KTS is a congenital circulatory disorder that typically presents with abnormal benign growths on the skin, arteriovenous abscesses and varicose veins, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. There may also be fused toes or fingers, or extra digits, in patients with KTS, according to the Institute.

Although there is no cure for KTS, it is believed to occur early in the developmental stage of an embryo.

The progressive disorder is treated symptomatically. Skin lesions can be treated with laser surgery, and discrepancies in limb size may be treated with surgery or orthopedic devices.

Blood clots and skin infections are common in KTS, according to Boston Children’s Hospital’s Web site, and both pain and heaviness in the affected limbs are a big concern with the majority of patients.

The complications of KTS can be life-threatening, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

In Sosenko’s case, the writer had kept her devastating health news private until recently. Sosenko, who is currently working on a memoir, doesn’t let the disease get in the way of living life.

“My story doesn't begin or end with K-T,” she writes in Marie Claire. “I have a full social calendar, a job that I love, excellent clothes, a teeny-tiny nose ring, a filthy mouth and a badass triangle pose.

"Most important, I have family and friends who care about me - and if one of them were in my position, I'd tell her that any man who judges her as harshly as she judges herself isn't worth knowing - and I'd mean it.”

Original Source : http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/05/19/2009-05-19_what_is_klippeltrenaunay_syndrome_brooklyn_writer_.html

Patrick Swayze

2009-05-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Patrick SwayzePatrick Swayze death rumor denied.

A spokeswoman for Patrick Swayze issued a statement Tuesday refuting "severely reckless" reports that the cancer-stricken actor died.

The statement from publicist Annett Wolf read, “This is to confirm that Patrick Swayze did not pass away this morning contrary to severely reckless reports stemming from a radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. Patrick Swayze is alive, well and is enjoying his life and he continues to respond to treatment.”

In addition to the unspecified Jacksonville radio station, a German TV news channel also repeated the incorrect news, which went viral via Twitter as well.

Wolf could not be reached for comment.

Swayze most recently starred in the A&E series "The Beast."

Original Source : http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i8c1b0c018a8f1298e2bdf3eae2f665c9

Aubrey Louis Berry

2009-05-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

Aubrey Louis BerryAubrey Louis Berry Dolla!

Aubrey Louis Berry arrest in the rapper Dolla Beverly Cetner shooting was broke by LALATE last night. Aubrey Louis Berry 23 of Georgia is still being held on $1 million bail.

Rapper Rapper Dolla was shot dead in the head at the Beverly Center late Monday afternoon while waiting in the valet area with fellow rapper D.J. Shabbazz.

Police then quickly said a grey SUV Mercedes carried one person of interest, reportedly en route to LAX. As LALATE first reported, two individuals were spotted leaving the Beverly Center after the shooting. The Times reports Berry is one of those two in the silver Mercedes-Benz SUV. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, says another male and a female with Berry have been questioned but not charged.

Inside Terminal 1 at LAX Aubrey Louis Berry was then reportedly arrested after admitting to have a handgun in possession. “Aubery” was initially used by press on Monday is now being reported as “Aubrey”. LAPD says Berry was arrested on suspicion of murder prior to boarding a plane.

Dolla had signed with Jive Records and Akon’s Konvict Muzik to release his debut album, Dolla & A Dream. Dolla had said of his music:

“I make ‘me’ music. I can do street music or pop music, but I make music from the heart — meaningful songs, songs with substance. I rap about the struggle, like being five years old, seeing your father killed before your eyes and instantly becoming a man on the streets.”

Dolla delivered the 2008 hit “Who The F Is That” (feat. T-Pain & Tay Dizm) and most recently “Good P–sy”

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/05/19/aubrey-louis-berry-dolla/

CSK vs KKR

2009-05-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

CSK vs KKRFact Sheet: CSK Vs KKR

Here is a preview to IPL Game 51 of IPL's Season 2:-

Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Chennai Super Kings:

International players: MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, L Balaji, Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma, Albie Morkel, Muttiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini, Jacob Oram, Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina, Thilan Thushara, M Vijay.

Players who will be missing: Andrew Flintoff.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

International players: B McCullum, Chris Gayle, Sourav Ganguly, Brad Hodge, Ajit Agarkar, Sanjay Bangar, Aakash Chopra, Moises Henriques, David Hussey, Murali Kartik, Charl Langeveldt, Mashrafe Mortaza, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Ishant Sharma, Laxmi Ratan Shukla.

Players who will be missing: Aakash Chopra, Sanjay Bangar, Chris Gayle.

Previous meetings: CSK 2, KKR 0

Match #11, 2008 – Chennai – Chennai Super Kings won by 9 wickets

Match #41, 2008 – Kolkata – Chennai won by 3 runs (D/L Method)

Match #13, 2009 – Cape Town – No Result (Match abandoned because of rain)

Talking points:

Chennai Super Kings have in their line-up Matthew Hayden (Orange Cap holder) and Suresh Raina (the second highest run-scorer in the competition).

Chennai Super Kings have a 100% record at Centurion – they’ve played two matches here and have won both of the games (against Rajasthan Royals and against Kings XI Punjab)

Matthew Hayden, the current Orange Cap holder, struggled in the early part of his previous two innings (against RCB and MI), but persevered and went on to make 60 and 60*.

Kolkata Knight Riders are now on a 9-match losing streak – that’s the longest losing streak in the IPL.

Kolkata Knight Riders, despite showing signs of improvement, just can’t seem to get across the finishing line. They should have won their last two matches, but finished on the wrong side – against the Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Kolkata Knight Riders finally seem to have discovered the right combination; Sourav Ganguly and Brendon McCullum at the top, followed by Brad Hodge, David Hussey, Yashpal Singh, Wriddhiman Saha and then the allrounders and bowlers.

The Knight Riders included Shoaib Shaikh in their XI in their previous match, but he neither got to bat or bowl.

Chennai have been the best batting unit to make use of the fielding restrictions. They average 51 runs in the first six overs – that’s the highest average score in the first six overs amongst the eight teams in the tournament.

Albie Morkel has been great with the new ball. He has picked up a wicket in his first over in six out of seven innings he has bowled the first or the second over of the innings.

Chennai will be concerned that their middle order hasn’t quite fired in the tournament so far; Badrinath has had two decent innings (45 and 59*), Dhoni himself has had only three decent hits, while Oram and Morkel are yet to make a significant contribution with the bat.

Chennai brought in Parthiv Patel to open the innings in place of M Vijay, but he was out for a first ball duck against the Mumbai Indians. Will they revert to Vijay again?

Chennai’s Makhaya Ntini is yet to get a game in the competition, despite the tournament being played in South Africa.

Kolkata Knight Riders have struggled to contain the runs in the first six overs. They concede on an average 49 runs in the first six overs – that’s the highest average among the eight teams in the competition.

Only two players from Kolkata Knight Riders’ 22-member squad – Rohan Banerjee and Charl Langeveldt - are yet to get a game in the IPL.

Charl Langeveldt will have fond memories of playing at Centurion, the venue for today’s match. He has taken a hat-trick in a domestic T20 match here.

Ajit Agarkar is one of the most expensive bowlers in the IPL – his economy rate is 9.74.

Mashrafe Mortaza’s spell of 0/58 against the Deccan Chargers is the most expensive spell in IPL 2009.

Spin bowlers were difficult to get away in the previous match under lights at Centurion – spinners only conceded 94 runs in 18 overs in that match (at a rate of 5.22).

Remaining matches:

For Chennai Super Kings - against Kolkata Knight Riders and v Kings XI Punjab.

For Kolkata Knight Riders - against Chennai Super Kings and v Rajasthan Royals.

Original Source : http://www.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2009/may/news-20090518-301.html

Tony Kornheiser

2009-05-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Tony KornheiserJon Gruden to replace Tony Kornheiser on 'Monday Night Football'

ESPN is making a big change in its Monday Night Football announcing booth.

Former Bucs coach Jon Gruden is in, while Tony Kornheiser is resigning, according to ESPN, after three seasons.

Play-by-play man Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski are staying in the booth.

"I am totally grateful for the MNF opportunity that I truly enjoyed the last three seasons," Kornheiser said in a statement. "I feel we got better each year. My fear of planes is legendary and sadly true. When I looked at the upcoming schedule it was the perfect storm that would've frequently moved me from the bus to the air. I kept looking at the schedule the past month and wanted to find a way to quietly extricate myself. If I could handpick a replacement of a football guy, I would cast a net and drag in Jon Gruden."

Kornheiser will remain as the co-host of Pardon the Interruption for ESPN.

Gruden, fired by the Bucs after last season, was an analyst with the NFL Network during the NFL draft.

"Jon is one of the best football minds in the game, he has a natural ability to communicate that knowledge and he brings great enthusiasm – everything you want in an analyst,” ESPN VP Norby Williamson said in a statement.

“Combining Mike, one of the top play-by-play commentators in TV and radio, and Jaws, arguably the NFL’s best X’s and O’s analyst, with Jon, a Super Bowl-winning head coach, will create a must-watch Monday Night Football booth during the 40th season and in the years ahead."

Original Source : http://blogs.usatoday.com/thehuddle/2009/05/jon-gruden-to-replace-tony-kornheiser-on-monday-night-football.html

Cabin Fever

2009-05-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Cabin FeverCabin fever is an idiomatic term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in, for an extended period. Symptoms include restlessness, irritability, forgetfulness, laughter, and excessive sleeping.

Cabin fever can also be known as a term for a lack of sexual intercourse. The phrase is also used humorously to indicate simple boredom from being home alone. The term was first recorded in 1918.

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_fever

Farrah Fawcett

2009-05-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

Farrah FawcettFarrah Fawcett update: Exec producer says NBC documentary wasn't what Farrah wanted.

Now we know why "Farrah's Story" left out what it should have said about cancer. It wasn't Farrah's fault. Executive producer Craig Nevius — who is suing over loss of creative control of the documentary — says the show that aired on NBC was not the story Farrah Fawcett wanted to tell.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the producer says NBC told Farrah, "This is your story. We'll tell it your way, in your words." He emphasizes:

She was adamant about one thing: She wanted this edited like a movie using her diary for narration. She didn't want the talking-head format with its abrupt interruptions."

But talking heads is what she got. Lots of them.

Her diary was used only as punctuation in a narrative that was dominated by Ryan O'Neal and Alana Stewart speaking for her, plus some ratings-worthy spots with "Charlie's Angels" pals Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. Nevius says most of that footage was added after Ryan grabbed creative control of the film six weeks ago by claiming Farrah was too ill to continue and wanted him to make the decisions.

The worst part is that Farrah's message didn't get out. She didn't want a tribute to herself. She wanted to make a difference by emphasizing the apalling lack of effective, affordable cancer treatment in this country. Nevius says:

"Farrah wants to know why chemotherapy sensitivity tests are done in Germany and elsewhere, but not here in America. ... Why do some medicines cost 10 times more in the United States than they do in Germany? Aren't we limiting cancer treatment to the rich? 'Why aren't we encouraging mad-scientist thinking?' she likes to ask. Farrah wanted this TV special to have an impact. She wanted this to affect change in the medical world."

Shame on these squabbling producers for taking away the last chance Farrah may ever have at making a real difference. Shame on them for taking away what may have had a powerful impact for all cancer patients. And shame on them for turning what might have been an important film into a sentimental, prime time tribute video. Shame. Shame. Shame.

In case you missed it, you can watch "Farrah's Story" on YouTube. It's in 11 segments.

Original Source : http://www.examiner.com/x-264-Celebrity-News-Examiner~y2009m5d17-Farrah-Fawcett-update-Exec-producer-says-NBC-documentary-wasnt-what-Farrah-wanted

Alltel

2009-05-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

AlltelAT&T to take over Alltel in area in 2010.

Just in time for Christmas 2010, Verizon Wireless service in Pratt, surrounding counties and most of western Kansas will be switching to AT&T.

A definitive agreement was reached May 8 for AT&T to purchase Verizon Wireless assets for $2.35 billion in cash.

The transaction is not finalized and will have to have regulatory approval before the purchase is complete, said Kerry Hibbs, AT&T spokesman.

The final approval and acquisition should be complete by the end of 2009 with the conversion to AT&T service expected to take until the end of 2010, Hibbs said.

Verizon purchased Alltel earlier this year. The AT&T purchase will affect 1.5 million Alltel customers in 79 service areas across 18 states including practically the entire western half of Kansas including Pratt, Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa and Stafford Counties.
“This will have a big impact on western Kansas,” Hibbs said.

It is unknown at this time the order counties and towns will switch over to AT&T service.

As part of Verizon/Alltel purchase agreement Verizon is required to sell 79 Alltel services areas to meet regulatory approvals.

AT&T won the bid for those markets and once the purchase is approved will make a change over in service that is not expected to take more than 12 months, Hibbs said.

The change over is expected to require a capital investment of $400 million.

It is too early to determine what impact, if any, the change over will have on customer’s bills but AT&T has a wide variety of service plans, Hibbs said.

When the AT&T system is in place the new customers, mostly rural, will have access to the “world’s fastest 3G network” for smartphones, including iPhones, free Wi-Fi service at over 100,000 hotspots, retail stores, hotels, airports and other locations around the planet and be able to take advantage of AT&T rollover minutes, Hibbs said.

Customers don’t need to run out and pick up an iPhone just yet but subscribers will be able to enjoy largest 3G network in the nation. The worldwide network features high-speed data transmission for sending pictures, graphics and data.

It will be some time before customers have any decisions to make. When the time comes they will be notified.

“As we get closer to something actually happening, Alltel customers will get notification from AT&T,” Hibbs said. “The change over will be seamless for customers. There’s nothing the consumer has to do or worry about.”

The states affected by the acquisition are Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

Original Source : http://www.pratttribune.com/news/x529238980/AT-T-to-take-over-Alltel-in-area-in-2010

Chrysler Dealerships Closing

2009-05-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

Chrysler Dealerships ClosingChrysler Dealerships Closing In Connecticut.

Chrysler LLC's plan to cut 789 of its 3,200 U.S. dealerships includes at least one in Connecticut that's already closed — Holley Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Middletown went out of business on April 17, owner Robert G. Holley said today.

Holley was one of seven Connecticut Chrysler dealerships that the failing Detroit automaker said it would be closing, according to documents it filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York Thursday.

The others are in Newtown, Naugatuck, Woodbridge, Torrington, Enfield and New London.

Chrysler says its network of dealers has too many stores competing with each other.

Dealers can appeal the move. Chrysler has received $4 billion in federal loans and has been operating in bankruptcy protection since April 30. The company says many of the dealers' sales are too low. It says just over 50 percent of the dealers account for about 90 percent of the company's U.S. sales.

Holley, who owned the Middletown dealership since 1987, said he had previously hoped to stay in business as a used car dealer. But Chrysler wanted him to make an additional investment of $400,000 to qualify for further financing for the cars he would sell, he said.

"I don't have $400,000," he said.

He said he was retiring and that his son, his partner in the dealership, would find other work in the auto industry.

Holly said he formally gave up the franchise on April 17. He and all 25 of his employees lost their jobs.

"It's a horrible market out there," he said.

Original Source : http://www.courant.com/business/hc-connecticut-chrysler-dealerships-closing-0514,0,6325070.story

Maria Verchenova

2009-05-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Maria VerchenovaIs Maria Verchenova the new (pretty) face of women's golf?

Quick.

When's the last time you watched women's golf for any extended period of time that didn't include you falling asleep on the couch after watching the college basketball game that preceded it?

I'll go out on a limb and say it's been a while.

Maria Verchenova, a young Russian golfer may give dudes everywhere reason to tune in soon, as she attempts to become to golf what Maria Sharapova is to tennis.

She is not only proving herself a fine player in her own right, she is also paving the way for other young Russian girls - her sister Anna included.

Verchenova admits that tennis star Sharapova is a role model - but she is adamant about the reasons.

"I am looking at Maria, not because of the way she looks but because of the way she plays," Verchenova explains. "I think Russian women are strong mentally. They are trying really hard and they are achieving things."

Verchenova is the first Russian to become a full-time member of the Ladies European Tour. She contended against golf heavyweight Anna Sorenstam at the 2008 Dubai Ladies Masters.

I'm not sure how good that makes her. It's been awhile since I watched golf.

Her favorite food is sushi, she likes watching Ellen Degeneres on television, and her favorite movie is "The Bodyguard."

Original Source : http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/05/is_maria_verchenova_the_new_pr.html

Ewings Sarcoma

2009-05-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Ewings SarcomaBC linebacker Herzlich fighting cancer.

Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year, revealed Thursday that he is battling cancer.

Herzlich, a senior, was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a cancer most often found in bone or soft tissue.

"Obviously, I was shocked. I had been extremely focused on preparing for my senior season at Boston College and for life beyond that. Now, I must channel all that energy into facing my toughest opponent yet, and that is exactly what I will do," Herzlich said in a statement released by the school.

Herzlich has returned to his native Pennsylvania to be near his family and undergo tests to determine a course of treatment.

Herzlich was a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker, last season. He led the Eagles with 110 tackles, six interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

"When people think of Mark Herzlich, they think of a fearless individual who is always ready to take on a tough opponent. His integrity, determination and focus are unmatched. I know he will face this challenge with that same attitude," Boston College coach Frank Spaziani said.

Herzlich said he was unsure what his illness meant for his football future.

"At this point, I do not know what this means for my football future, but I am determined to rid my body of this disease so that I can put that uniform back on," he said. "Thank you in advance for your prayers and concern. Together, we will fight this and win."

Original Source : http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4166736

The Torment Of Saint Anthony

2009-05-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

The Torment Of Saint AnthonyKimbell Museum Michelangelo

This image provided Wednesday, May 13, 2009 by the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas shows the 1487 oil and tempera painting on a wood panel ”The Torment of Saint Anthony” by Michelangelo, believed to be his earliest known work. The Kimbell will be the first U.S. museum to display a Michelangelo painting after it acquired this rare piece.

Original Source : http://suomenkuvalehti.fi/kuvat/2009/05/13/kimbell-museum-michelangelo

LAX Baggage Accident

2009-05-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

LAX Baggage Accident

LAX Baggage Accident: Metal Baggage Container Sucked into Jet Engine.

An LAX Baggage Accident happened Monday when the vacuum from an engine on a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 sucked a baggage container off the cart and into the engine.
No Injuries Reported in LAX Baggage Accident

The baggage accident happened at LAX at around 1:30pm local time as the Japan Airlines Boeing 747 was preparing for takeoff. There were 245 passengers and 18 crew on the plane at the time but no injuries were reported.

Airport officials said the LAX baggage accident happened when the vacuum created by the air intake of the left outboard engine on the 747 was so strong it pulled the empty container off a baggage cart. The cart was either parked or driven too close to the aircraft. The metal box, which is used by airline baggage handlers to haul luggage to and from aircraft, measures approximately 5 feet by 5 feet by 4 feet.

After the baggage accident, Japan Airlines took the crippled 747-400 out of service and made other flight arrangements for the passengers and 18 crew members, who were returned to the Bradley terminal. The airplane, which has four engines, was towed to a hangar for inspection.

Original Source : http://www.inquisitr.com/23955/lax-baggage-accident-metal-baggage-container-sucked-into-jet-engine-video/

Bill Seidman

2009-05-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Bill Seidman
Bill Seidman, former FDIC chairman, dies.

Former FDIC Chairman and CNBC Chief Commentator L. William "Bill" Seidman died Wednesday in Albuquerque, N.M., after a brief illness. He was 88.

"Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather devoted himself to education, to the business community, to the service of his country, and most of all to his family and friends," his family said in a prepared statement. "He was an extraordinarily gifted and generous man whose wit and wisdom touched all who knew him. For our family, the loss is immeasurable."

Mr. Seidman was born April, 29, 1921, in Grand Rapids, Mich. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, his LLB from Harvard University and his MBA from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.

During World War II, Mr. Seidman served in the U.S. Navy as a communications officer on a destroyer and received the Bronze Star while serving in the invasion of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

He later served in the White House as President Gerald R. Ford's Assistant for Economic Affairs from 1974 to 1977. He also served with President Ronald Reagan as co-chair of the White House Conference on Productivity in 1983 and 1984.

From 1985 to 1991, Mr. Seidman served as the fourteenth chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Under President George H.W. Bush, Seidman was tapped to head up the newly created federal agency called the Resolution Trust Corp. (RTC), which landed the mammoth task of cleaning up the S&L mess.

While at the RTC, he supervised the creation of an agency of 8,000 employees handling more than $400 billion in assets from failed S&Ls. The experience led to his 1989 book "Full Faith and Credit" (Random House). He also was the author of "Productivity-The American Advantage" with Steven L. Shancke, (Simon & Schuster, 1989).

Mr. Seidman made literally hundreds of appearances on CNBC over the years, weighing in on some of the biggest business stories of the last two decades. In October 2008 he penned his first CNBC.com blog. Sitting at a desk in the CNBC studios, he put pen to paper and wrote his blog, "How Good a Landlord Will Treasury Be?"

Among many other accomplishments, Mr. Seidman was also managing partner of Seidman & Seidman Certified Public Accountants (now BDO Seidman), New York, from 1968 to 1974. Under his stewardship, the firm expanded from a small family enterprise to become a national public accounting firm.

Also of note, Mr. Seidman was an avid cyclist, biking to work almost daily. He said he did it because he loved to be around young people.

At his death, Mr. Seidman was a consultant to RWB Capital Management. He formerly served as a consultant to the World Bank, Deposit Corporation of Japan, Morgan Stanley (Asia), Ernst & Young, Nippon Credit Bank, Freddie Mac, and the Capital Group. He also was a member of the board of directors of InteliData, Fiserv, Clark/Bardes, Quepasa.com., GMAC Mortgage, and LML Systems.

He is survived by his wife Sally, six children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Original Source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30727123/

Steve Neild, Kate Gosselin

2009-05-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Steve Neild, Kate GosselinKate Gosselin on Cheating Rumors: "I Am Horrified"

Kate Gosselin is trying to put the kibosh on the latest round of rumors before they even start.

Apparently, the tabs will soon be following up their adultery stories on her husband, Jon Gosselin, with tales of the matriarch's tryst with bodyguard Steve Neild.

The claims, the star of TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8 says, are false.

"The next story coming out from the animals that stalk us is about our security person and his family," she tells People. "Already the allegations they're making about me are disgusting, unthinkable, unfathomable, and I am horrified."

This report comes just one week after Jon's supposed mistress, Deanna Hummel, insisted she and the reality star are "just friends."

Kate Gosselin explains that her family's relationship with Neild's is close, and only natural given their proximity.

"These are people who absolutely love us and want to see us through to the end," she says. "Of course, both of them travel with us at times, we've spent holidays together, because, in this situation, your circle grows smaller and smaller, and it's very natural to become friends with your manager, your publicist, your security team."

The mother of twins and sextuplets admits to leaving her family open for scrutiny by signing up to lead a public life, but she fears the effect it has had on her friendships and other family members.

"We willingly made a conscious decision to put this out there. Our friends and family did not. I had no idea we would potentially take down the people that we love around us."

While she attempts, in the interview, to put an end to rumors of her straying from her marriage, she claims she's uncertain how to end the current tabloid fascination with her family.

"The scary thing for me is [the tabloids] are going to take information and create a story," she told the magazine. "It's a matter of 'when will they stop?' They're going to keep going, and they'll make up stuff to connect the dots."

As far as the reality show goes, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that production was running behind schedule as producers scrambled to decide how to handle all the scandalous rumors contextually. However, a rep for TLC tells E! News the show is still in production and the new season will premiere on May 25.

Original Source : http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b123423_kate_gosselin_on_cheating_rumors_i_am.html

NTSB

2009-05-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

NTSB

NTSB: Pilots spoke of fears moments before icy crash.

Cockpit voice recorders reveal the pilot and first officer of a doomed commuter flight were making small talk against regulations as they tried to land. It happened in February outside Buffalo, New York, before a crash that killed all aboard. Today, the National Transportation Safety Board released details of its investigation.

When Colgan Air Flight 3407 slammed into a house outside of Buffalo in February, the man at the helm had previously failed five flying competency tests and it seems he may have made the wrong decision when the plane stalled.

All 49 people aboard and one person on the ground were killed when the plane crashed during an ice storm.

Captain Marvin Renslow was flying the plane low, then, a stall warning sounded, and an airplane computer pushed the nose of the plane down to gain speed. Renslow apparently pulled the plane's nose back up -- the wrong thing to do in that situation. Renslow, sources tell ABC News, had never been trained to handle that situation.

Moments before the plane went down, the captain and first officer could also be heard chatting about their careers and their fear of flying in icy weather.

Colgan defends the Captain, saying they did not know about three of Renslow's failed tests when he was hired.and they say he had passed six safety checks in the months prior to the accident.

Relatives of the victims met with New York Senator Chuck Schumer about the investigation.

Original Source : http://www.necn.com/Boston/Nation/2009/05/12/NTSB-Pilots-spoke-of-fears/1242148666.html

Carrie Prejean

2009-05-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Carrie PrejeanUpdate | 12:28 p.m. And back in New York … At the end of a nearly half-hour ceremony cum press conference, Donald Trump slung a glittery white “Miss California USA” sash across Carrie Prejean. Then they hugged and kissed.

It was a happy ending to what Ms. Prejean and Mr. Trump had described as a traumatic period of “abuse” of her because she had said honestly that she believes marriage should be between one man and one woman. Ms. Prejean noted that both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton share that view.

In a question-and-answer period, Mr. Trump declined to state his own view on same-sex marriage. “This isn’t about me,” he said, to some laughter among the news media.

“Come on, Donald, say it,” Ms. Prejean prodded, but to no avail. He said that gay marriage is a big, complicated issue, and that he understands both sides.

Meanwhile, if Ms. Prejean wants to speak publicly about same-sex marriage in the future, she will have to go through the Miss California USA pageant officials to discuss the platform where she will speak and how she will present her opinion.

“We’re not changing our rules for Carrie,” Keith Lewis, a co-executive director of the California pageant, said in an interview. “We’re bringing her back into compliance with her contract; every appearance is approved by us, every statement is a reflection of us.”

He said that if she is asked about her views, she should answer honestly, but that pageant officials would help her “fine tune” her response so that it “is accommodating to both parties.”

Ms. Prejean said she was “not going to be speaking out” against same-sex marriage but would “stay true to who I am.” She said the publicity about the issue over the last few weeks had not given her any reason to re-think her position.

At the news conference, both Mr. Trump and Ms. Prejean accused Perez Hilton, a gay blogger and judge in the Miss USA pageant who had asked her about same-sex marriage, of self-promotion. But that clearly is not a crime in Mr. Trump’s book; he said he would “love” to have Mr. Hilton back as a judge again, and more or less dismissed the whole controversy as Mr. Hilton just “doing his thing.”

“We’re all doing our thing,” he shrugged.

Ms. Prejean said she forgave Mr. Hilton but said she has not spoken to him. She also spoke emotionally about the importance of standing up for your beliefs.

Update 2 | 11:59 a.m. | Meanwhile in Tehran Just a quick interjection here from Robert Mackey — to point out the very great difference between the spectacle taking place in New York this morning involving Miss California USA and another one in Tehran, where Roxana Saberi, the journalist who was once Miss North Dakota, briefly addressed her supporters and the media today. Elsewhere on our Web site we have video of Ms. Saberi — in the right column of this blog’s home page — and an article on her first public statement since being released from Evin prison yesterday.

Update | 10:40 a.m. She’s safe!

Donald Trump just declared that Carrie Prejean will remain as Miss California USA. He said that she had given an honest answer to a tough question, and that there’s nothing wrong with the pictures of her. “We’re very proud of her,” he said, calling her strong, tough, smart and very beautiful.

Ms. Prejean is now giving a lengthy response. “I would like to thank God for trusting me with this large task and giving me the strength to stand by my beliefs,” she said. She also blasted Perez Hilton for asking her a question that she said was politically charged and hid his own personal agenda.

“I am convinced more than ever of the importance of standing up for your beliefs and convictions,” she declared.

We’ll be back shortly with more from her speech.

The scene, by the way, is taking place in a lower level corner of the Trump Tower, at the bottom of a well of glassy escalators and soaring rosy marble walls. It’s jammed with at least 100 photographers, reporters, videographers, cameramen and sound guys. One TV producer who was here for the final “Apprentice” episode on Sunday night tells us there are way more cameras here for this. Ms. Prejean’s
parents are sitting in the front row.

Scores of people are lining the upper tiers, staring down at the scene as if we are animals in the zoo.
Mr. Trump said the turnout was evidence that Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants had become “so relevant.”

Original Post | 9:34 a.m. Pull up a seat with us here at the Trump Tower while we await the big news of the day — whether Donald Trump will snatch back the tiara from Carrie Prejean, the Miss California USA who does not believe in same-sex marriage. Mr. Trump is to announce his decision at 11 a.m. Eastern time; check back with us then to learn her fate.

Those of you following this saga will immediately notice something different this morning. The stage set has switched overnight from sunny California to the gaudy Trump Tower building in midtown Manhattan. And the star of this show is no longer Ms. Prejean, the runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, but the flamboyant Mr. Trump, who has a knack for getting screen time whenever a juicy melodrama starts churning and drawing cameras (Hello, Rosie!).

How, you may wonder, did we go from “Beach Blanket Bingo” to a morality episode of “The Apprentice”?

Well, in this case, the Donald actually has a legitimate claim to a role. He is a co-owner of the Miss Universe Organization, the parent of the pageants in question. So it falls to him to decide whether Ms. Prejean, 21, of San Diego, gets to keep her Miss California USA tiara.

Of course, there are no rules that say Mr. Trump must announce his decision at an elaborate news conference in front of dozens of cameras at his Fifth Avenue fortress. But that’s the way it works in Trumpland. And so here we sit, jammed between the cameras, waiting for the drum roll. Everyone wants to see if Mr. Trump will utter his signature phrase — “You’re fired!”

Careful viewers will remember that Mr. Trump had the chance in 2006 to lop off the crown of another young beauty queen — and didn’t do it. Tara Conner, who was Miss USA at the time, had supposedly been drinking (she was underage) and hanging out in bars. Mr. Trump let her keep the crown, but sent her to rehab.

Here are a couple of things to consider as he weighs Ms. Prejean’s future. For one thing, he is a Republican, though he hasn’t spoken publicly about the issue. For another, he has called Ms. Prejean “a seriously good-looking woman.” If he dumps her, the tiara — and the spotlight — go back to California. If he keeps her, Ms. Prejean owes him every day of her reign.

While the clock ticks to the big moment, here’s a quick re-cap of the story so far.

At the Miss USA pageant last month, one of the judges — Perez Hilton, a gay blogger — asked Ms. Prejean if she thought that all states should move toward allowing same-sex marriage, to reflect the new law in Vermont.

“I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other, we live in a land that, you can choose, same-sex marriage or opposite marriage,” she said. She then added: “In my country and in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman.”

(By the way, 55 percent of registered voters nationwide oppose legalizing same-sex marriage, according to a Quinnipiac poll late last month, while 57 percent support same-sex civil unions. Various polls suggest that support for same-sex marriage is increasing as more states legalize it, but so far, the ranks of the opposed still include President Obama and the vast majority of Democrats on Capitol Hill, not to mention Republicans.)

In any case, Ms. Prejean was not named Miss USA, but runner-up. She said her answer about same-sex marriage cost her the crown, but that it nonetheless reflected her values, and she would not change it if she could.

The whole thing snowballed from there. Mr. Hilton danced in the end zone and trashed Ms. Prejean on his celebrity blog. He told Larry King that he wasn’t criticizing her for her beliefs but for not having given a more inclusive answer.

Ms. Prejean became the instant poster girl for “traditional” marriage, and said she had come under attack for her Christian beliefs.

Then, several pictures of her posing partially nude made their way to the Internet. In them, she was facing a wall with her arms over her chest, wearing underwear.

She made no apology for the pictures.

“I am a Christian and I am a model,” Ms. Prejean said in a statement. “Models pose for pictures including lingerie and swimwear photos. Recent photos taken of me as a teenager have been released surreptitiously to a tabloid Web site that openly mocks me for my Christian faith.”

In various television interviews, she has said she wants to use her newfound notoriety to campaign for traditional marriage.

Last week, the Miss Universe Organization revealed that it had “sent a cease and desist letter to the National Organization for Marriage regarding the unauthorized use of copyrighted material from the 2009 Miss USA® television program” in this ad featuring Ms. Prejean’s answer:

On Monday, California pageant officials said that she violated her contract by lobbying on behalf of an anti-gay-marriage group and by posing in her underwear (although, as one blogger pointed out, she did not do these activities simultaneously).

The California officials said they did not have the authority to take back Ms. Prejean’s crown, but they pushed her halfway off the runway: they appointed Tami Farrell, her runner-up, as “Beauty of California Ambassador” to fulfill any duties that Ms. Prejean might not be able to carry out. They said Mr. Trump had the final authority, and that moved the ball to his court.

Original Source : http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/the-donald-carrie-prejean-and-the-tiara/?hp

Rev. Alberto Cutie

2009-05-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

Rev. Alberto CutieFather Cutié's fall prompts celibacy debate.

Miami is abuzz over the plight of one Father Cutié (no kidding -- Father Cutie, with an accent) -- the hunky and popular pastor of a South Beach parish who was photographed bare-chested and cuddling with a woman on the sunny sands of Florida. The Rev. Alberto Cutié is no ordinary priest -- he was a friend of celebrities, a frequent television commentator, and the popular author of a book, "Real Life, Real Love,'' whose subject matter earned him the moniker "Padre Oprah." His downfall is now attracting more attention than his smile, with the predictable debate ensuing over the viability of mandatory celibacy for priests.

The Miami Herald conducted a poll, and found broad support for the priest:

"Days after the Rev. Alberto Cutié admitted he had a romantic relationship with a woman, an overwhelming number of Miami-Dade Catholics still view him favorably, a poll conducted for The Miami Herald found.

Nearly 80 percent of those polled had a favorable view of Cutié, with 10 percent saying they looked at him unfavorably.

...A substantial majority -- 74 percent -- of those surveyed, including Hispanics and non-Hispanics, oppose the Roman Catholic Church's prohibition of priests marrying or having any type of sexual relations. Only 22 percent said they supported the prohibition, while 4 percent said they were unsure or gave no answer."

Not so fast, blogs Thomas Peters at American Papist:

"Of course, the answer to violating the vows of celibacy ... is to observe the vows of celibacy. Not to toss them out! That's why the public improprieties of Fr. Cutié constitute such a grave scandal - they diminish the witness of the Church to the world.

Yes, we ought to pray for Fr. Cutié, but let's also re-double our prayers for the noble young men (and women) who are faithfully living lives of celibacy as they study to become priests (and professed women religious).

Let us also pray for those who have already taken on the vow of celibacy that they remain faithful to it and thereby provide the world with a wonderful (and so needed) witness!"

Father Cutié has acknowledged the relationship in several interviews:

"'Falling in love is not something that I chose to do. It's something I have been struggling with for a long time,' Cutié told The Miami Herald Friday, at the end of a week of seclusion, prayer and tough talks with Miami Archbishop John Favalora and other church leaders.

But now those telling snapshots are out there, the priest -- a star of radio and TV talk shows -- is offering the kind of plain language that has been the cornerstone of his popularity with millions of Spanish-speaking fans across the United States and Latin America.

He says he wants to get married and start a family."

Original Source : http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2009/05/father_cuties_f.html

Millvina Dean

2009-05-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Millvina Dean"Titanic" stars donate to final survivor.

"Titanic" stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and the film's director James Cameron have responded to a challenge and donated $30,000 to support the last survivor of the Titanic in her last years, a representative for DiCaprio said on Monday.

The survivor, 97-year-old Millvina Dean, has reportedly resorted to selling her autograph to pay her nursing home bills in Southampton, the English city from which "Titanic" began its fateful maiden voyage in 1912.

Dean was only 9 weeks old when her family traveled on Titanic in hopes of beginning a new life in the United States. Her father was one of the 1,517 casualties after the supposedly unsinkable ship hit an iceberg in the Atlantic.

DiCaprio, Winslet and Cameron made their combined $30,000 donation after Irish author and photographer Don Mullan publicly challenged them to match his donation, said Ken Sunshine, a spokesman for DiCaprio. Mullan, who photographed Dean for an exhibition, made his appeal last month in the Irish Independent newspaper.

The 1997 drama "Titanic" made more than $1.8 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing film of all time in figures not adjusted for inflation. It went on to win 11 Oscars, including best picture.

Original Source : http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE54A63J20090511

Gary Dell Abate

2009-05-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Gary Dell AbateGary Dell'Abate First Pitch Becomes Internet Sensation.

Baba Booey's First Pitch Blunder Turns into Internet Thunder

Longtime Howard Stern show producer Gary Dell'Abate threw out the ceremonial first pitch Saturday at the Mets game and now the wildly thrown pitch is the latest Internet sensation. Indeed, the Gary Dell'Abate first pitch is buzzing the web like nobody's business.

Before we delve in to the reasons why the Gary Dell'Abate first pitch is such a hit, it needs noting that Mr. Dell'Abate was at the game because he was the host of Autism Awareness Day. So it seems that there is some truth to the old saw that no good deed goes unpunished. But in his usual self-deprecating manner, Dell'Abate brushed off the hilarious blunder by noting on Mondays show that the ball managed to stay in the frame.

I started listening to Howard Stern in the early 90s (I was late to the party) and immediately took notice of the fact that Howard teased his producer, Gary Patrick Dell'Abate, with merciless zeal. But, it was also very clear that Stern did so because of his great affection for Gary Dell'Abate. When he's not ripping Gary, he's commending him for his crackerjack management skills.

This is typical guy behavior, by the way. Many of us guys are uncomfortable displaying overt affection for our male friends, so we express it by putting them down. It's a rather bewildering dynamic (women probably have a hard time relating to it) but it is universal. And it almost seems that the more a guy is liked, the more he is teased.

Well, Gary Dell'Abate, who is now becoming known to a wider audience due to the Gary Dell'Abate first pitch sensation, is clearly very liked, because the teasing is viciously unrelenting. Gary is constantly being ripped a new one for having big teeth, enormous lips and horrendously bad breath. What an outpouring of guy love!

And, of course, Howard Stern fans have joined in on the fun. According to Wikipedia, one fan took to wearing a gorilla mask at Gary's public appearances. One could argue, I suppose, that Gary does resemble a gorilla (now I'm joining in on the fun), but Gary's much better looking. Sort of.

Original Source : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1735496/gary_dellabate_first_pitch_becomes.html

Alysha Castonguay

2009-05-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

Alysha Castonguay
Alysha Castonguay's Maxim Shoot OK, But Carrie Prejean's Pics Are Not?

Alysha Castonguay says Carrie Prejean is being unfairly judged for her scandalous photos.

Miss California Carrie Prejean may lose her crown after a website posted semi-nude pictures of the beauty queen, yet no one seems so riled over suggestive pictures of Alysha Castonguay, Miss Rhode Island, that appeared in the men’s magazine Maxim.

Castonguay posed for the magazine before her pageant competition and, to ensure she didn’t find herself embroiled in a scandal, showed them to pageant officials herself, Fox News reports. They approved them.

Asked about the Prejean controversy, Castonguay said she thinks people are targeting Miss California because of her controversial response to a question about gay marriage: Prejean said she thought nuptials should remain between a man and a woman, an answer that sparked a firestorm across the Internet.

What do you think, reader? Is this a double standard at play?

Original Source : http://www.wowowow.com/politics/alysha-castonguays-maxim-shoot-okay-carrie-prejeans-pics-arent-292884

Shuttle Launch

2009-05-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

Shuttle Launch'High-Risk' Shuttle Launch to Be Streamed Live.

NASA's latest shuttle launch is set for today at 2:01 PM EDT. The self-assessed "high risk" mission is an attempt to repair the Hubble telescope one final time.

According to the weather reports for Cape Canaveral, there's a 90 percent chance of favorable launch conditions.

The 11-day mission will include five spacewalks, at up to 7hours each. "This will be the most challenging servicing mission that's been faced by our astronauts in terms of the total amount of work," said mission manager, Preston Burch. If the mission succeeds, it will add up to five years onto the life of the 19-year-old telescope.

NASA is running a live feed of the launch all day with commentary over on its official site.

Original Source :

Statue Of Liberty

2009-05-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Statue Of LibertyStatue of Liberty's crown to reopen July 4.

The National Park Service is planning a lottery for those wishing to climb the narrow, circular staircase of 168 steps inside the statue to its crown, which has been closed since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Reporting from Washington -- The lofty crown of the Statue of Liberty, closed to the public since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, will reopen July 4, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced this morning.

Salazar announced the reopening, with the National Park Service planning a lottery for those wishing to climb the narrow, circular staircase of 168 steps inside the statue to the crown, in an appearance inside the crown this morning on NBC News' "Today" show.

Admission will be "egalitarian," the secretary said of a planned lottery for visitors wishing to make the staircase climb.

The reopening of the crown atop the statue, a gift to the United States from France in 1885 and a symbol of freedom standing on its island in New York City's harbor since then, will take place on Independence Day -- the anniversary of July 4, 1776, the date inscribed on the tablet that Lady Liberty holds in her hand.

Salazar, acknowledging that standing in the crown this morning gave him "goose bumps," said Park Service employees are being trained on ways to usher selected visitors up and down the single narrow stairway inside the statue.

He acknowledged that this would entail "risks" but also said that everyone allowed inside would have undergone "double screening" for security purposes at a national monument whose pinnacle has been closed to the public since terrorists attacked the World Trade Center towers in New York with hijacked airliners.

Although the crown has remained closed, the base, pedestal and lower observation deck have since been reopened.

NBC's Matt Lauer also asked Salazar, a former Colorado senator whom President Obama appointed Interior secretary, whether he wanted to be considered for the nomination to the Supreme Court that Obama now was weighing.

Salazar said he liked his job. Asked by Lauer if "that's a no," the secretary said, "That's a no."

Original Source : http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-statue-of-liberty9-2009may09,0,3151604.story

Mars Candy

2009-05-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Mars CandyNeil Patrick Harris makes life sweeter with Real Chocolate Relief Act.

Enough of the free KFC grilled chicken. How about some free Mars chocolate?

"How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris hands out free Mars candy bars in New York as part of Mars' Real Chocolate Relief Act, which aims to improve the world's mood through candy.

Mars has announced that the company will give away a quarter-of-a- million full-size packages of real chocolate on Free Chocolate Fridays.

Americans can claim one of 250,000 coupons each Friday beginning on May 8 at 9 a.m. by visiting RealChocolate.com.

Coupons, which will be mailed to consumers, will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis and are redeemable for any full-size Mars real chocolate product. The coupons will be limited to one per person, per week.

We give them this: NPH is way less creepy than Johnny Depp in "The Chocolate Factory."

And thank heavens there are no scary Oompa Loompas to frighten the children.

We're waiting for the free hybrid cars and free homes.

More free dish:

Chicken Riots overstated, says KFC. Gimme that drumstick!

Original Source : http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2009/05/neil-patrick-harris-makes-life-sweeter-with-real-chocolate-relief-act-.html

Top Baby Names 2009

2009-05-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

Top Baby Names 2009
Top baby names 2009: "Emily" finally dethroned.

"Emma" (and "Isabella," for that matter) has ended "Emily's" 12-year reign as the top name for baby girls. Jacob kept its spot for the 10th year in the row for boy names.

Some interesting tidbits from the Social Security Administration's baby names report for 2009:

--"Barack" didn't make the top 1,000, but it did move up a record 10,126 spots, to No. 2,409.

--"Elvis" is still in the building, but it fell from 673 to 713.

--"Miley," you know, like as in teen queen Miley Cyrus, moved up 152 spots to No. 127. (Her stage name, "Hannah" fell from No. 9 to No. 17.)

--This year’s winner for the biggest jump is Khloe, which is undoubtedly related to the popularity of Khloe Kardashian from the show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Khloe with a K increased 469 spots to number 196 in 2008, up from 665 in 2007 and 960 in 2006 (the name's first year on the list).

-- Biblical names dominate the top choices for boys while popular culture appears to have influenced some of the girls' names.

BOY NAMES

Top five: Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua and Daniel.
New to the top 10: Alexander
Gone from the top 10: Andrew
New names debuting in the top 1,000: Aaden (343), Chace (655), Marley (764) Kash (779) and Kymani (836). Beckham debuted at 893, perhaps a nod to the British soccer star, David Beckham, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

GIRL NAMES:

Top five: Emma, Isabella, Emily, Madison and Ava
New to the top 10: Chloe
Gone from the top 10: Isla (623), Mareli (718), Milagros (731), Dayami (750) and Nylah (821).

But don't be fooled by these "top" baby names 2009 from the Social Security Administration. The list doesn't take into account the same name spelled differently.

So you can still expect to run into a bunch of Braidens and Braydens and Katelyns and Kaitinns when your kid reaches the preschool years.

Original Source : http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_momsatwork/2009/05/top-baby-names-2009-emily-finally-dethroned.html

Players Championship

2009-05-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Players ChampionshipIn Body, But Not In Spirit.

Sounding like a man who'd rather be somewhere else, Sergio Garcia arrives at the scene of his greatest success struggling on and off the course.

He doesn't look happy. He doesn't seem happy. He doesn't talk happy.

In fact, to catch Sergio Garcia smiling at the Players Championship, you can try one of two things. He is the defending champion, so there are various pictures of him on signage throughout the Stadium course--hoisting the trophy last May, kissing his putter, giggling after thanking Tiger Woods for being absent.

Or, if you wish to elicit some cheer from Garcia, you can leave the subject of golf -- the sooner the better -- and go directly to soccer. "You mean, futbol," he says. By about 2 p.m. Tuesday, Garcia evacuated the premises, as if sick to the stomach, to watch Arsenal and Manchester United in the European Champions league semi-final. (Manchester United won 3-1, as you probably know.) On Wednesday, Garcia planned a similar drill to view Barcelona vs. Chelsea.

"I plan my practice here around those games," he said. "No problem." The problem is, come Thursday, Garcia has to play golf. He still loves golf, but golf has not been loving him in return. "Yeah," he went on, "I love golf, but it has been resisting me more than usual lately. I'm not having much fun, but everybody goes through that. It's a stage. I'm going through a stage."

Garcia's exemplary performance toward the end of last year lifted him to No. 2 in the world rankings, behind You Know Who. But Garcia has not done much on the PGA or European Tour in 2009, and his mood is not a lot better than his scores. In March, his relationship ended with Morgan Norman, daughter of Greg. Sergio's friends say he was shaken, and still is. "I don't like to talk about my personal life in the media," he says. "That's part of what's going on. My parents are concerned, my close people around me. I haven't been myself, but things will change. I am, by nature, happy."

Garcia isn't kissing his putter anymore. That's already changed. He's using a putter that is about 4-6 inches longer in the handle, yet still gripping it normally. The portion extending above his hands, toward the belly he does not have, helps him load the club for a truer strike. "Maybe I can find something and get some confidence," says Garcia, who missed the cut at the Quail Hollow Championship, his first event since another unsuccessful attempt to make friends with Augusta National.

After his T-38 at the Masters, Garcia aired some of this frustrations, then took grief, then apologized. He is not the lone ranger in this trap. If an athlete dispenses only banalities, he's dusted for being dull. But if he offers candid opinions, he's also scolded, even if dozens of other players are thinking likewise, just not talking.

"What can I say?" Garcia goes on. "I am who I am, and there are times when I make comments I should keep to myself. I'm still learning." Garcia has been through the good, bad and ugly before. Nobody tiptoed into Garcia's bedroom and stole his talent while he slept. More importantly, nobody stole his television. "It's almost that time," Garcia says, glancing at his wristwatch. More soccer. "Futbol, futbol," he says. And he can't wait. "My team, Real Madrid, got knocked out. But Barcelona. Unbelievable how they play. If I wasn't playing golf, that's what I'd like to be playing."

Original Source : http://www.golfdigest.com/golfworld/columnists/2009/05/golf_players_garcia_verdi_0506

Deanna Hummel

2009-05-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Deanna Hummel'Jon & Kate Plus 8' star Kate Gosselin 'very hesitant to believe' Jon Gosselin is cheating.

Kate Gosselin says she's "very hesitant to believe" her husband is a cheater.

"We're dealing with it just like everybody else does," the unusually subdued "Jon & Kate Plus 8" star said on the "Today" show Thursday.

Kate's husband Jon has vehemently denied reports that he's having an affair with a 23-year-old, but failed to appear on "Today" beside his wife, as scheduled.

"We're not perfect," Kate later said. "I don't have all the answers... We're doing our best and learning how we go."

Allegations that Jon is cheating on Kate have reached a fevered pitch among his alleged other woman and her brother.

Third grade teacher Deanna Hummel has been having an affair with Jon for months, her brother and roommate Jason tells Us Weekly.

"She's a nice girl, not a homewrecker," he says. "[Jon] is a bad liar. This isn't healthy for her. But she is refusing to help herself, so here I am trying to help her myself. I hope this clears the air."

Us also published photos of Gosselin hanging out with a bikini-clad Deanna - and leaving a house IDed as her's early in the morning after reportedly spending the night.

But Deanna's says her sib is a big, fat liar.

"My brother is making this all up," she tells People magazine. "He has no credibility ... I can't even stomach the lies he's saying about me."

Deanna says her brother is "very shady ... he has no job. He has a criminal background. He was charged for drug distribution. He's on probation right now."

Jason later admitted he has a rocky past, but told Us, "I have no reason to lie."

Gosselin tells "Extra" the allegations are "false and just plain hurful," adding, "I did not cheat on Kate."

The reality star publicly apologized to his family last week for his "poor judgement" after late-night photographs captured the TV dad out alone - sans wedding band - with Hummel.

After spotting photographers, Gosselin was overheard yelling, "Hey, babe! Babe! Give me my jacket!" before climbing into his car, Us reported. He then urged Deanna to "get in the car!" before speeding off without turning on his vehicle's headlights.

"Like most people I have male and female friends and I'm not going to end my friendships just because I'm on TV," Gosselin said in a statement.

Deanna previously told People that the twosome are "just friends."

"It's absurd that anyone would think otherwise," she added.

But her brother begs to differ.

According to Jason, married father of eight Gosselin is over at his house in Reading, Pa., fairly often to see Deanna.

The couple "pretty much stay locked away like two teenagers," he said. "It was weird. He's a grown man."

Adds Jason, "A lot of the time, it was pretty, um, gross listening to her, you know, um — how do I say this? The walls are thin. Let’s just say that. I mean, no one wants to hear his sister having sex, let alone with a married dude who's, like, almost twice her age and who has eight kids and a maybe-crazy wife."

This isn't the first time Gosselin has been accused of cheating on his wife, Kate.

The TV dad came under fire in February for allegedly flirting with - and attempting to kiss - several students at Huntington, Pa.'s Juniata College. The reluctant TV star reportedly told one undergrad that he was getting divorced.

Kate recently confessed to Entertainment Weekly that the photo of Jon and Deanna caused friction for the couple.

"Jon's poor judgment and irresponsible behavior has also without a doubt caused some added tension and stress between the two of us."

Original Source : http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/05/07/2009-05-07_jon__kate_plus_8_star_jon_gosselin_is_cheating_with_deanna_hummel_brother_says.html

Manny Ramirez

2009-05-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

Manny RamirezDodgers Outfielder Manny Ramirez Suspended for Drug Use.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games after violating a drug policy, Major League Baseball announced Thursday.

In a statement released through the Major League Baseball Players Association, Ramirez, 36, said he did not take steroids but waived his right to challenge the suspension, which involves Section 8.G.2 of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspension will begin immediately.

"Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue," Ramirez's statement read. "He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was okay to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now.

"I do want to say one other thing; I've taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons," Ramirez's statement continued.

Click here for photos.

MLB commissioner's office did not immediately disclose specifics of the violation by Ramirez, who will lose roughly one-third of his $25 million salary this year, or $7.7 million.

Ramirez, a 12-time All-Star who is widely considered to be a sure-fire Hall of Fame selection, also apologized to the Dodgers' owners and fans, as well as manager Joe Torre.

"LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed," Ramirez's statement continued. "So am I. I'm sorry about this whole situation."

Click here to see players suspended for MLB drug policy violations since 2005.

The hulking right-handed outfielder with 533 career home runs will not be eligible to return to the team until July 3, according to The Associated Press. He signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Dodgers in March.

The suspension follows Alex Rodriguez's acknowledgement in February that he used steroids from 2001 to 2003.

Calls to Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, were not immediately returned Thursday.

Major League Baseball's drug policy requires a 50-game suspension for a player's first positive drug test, a 100-game suspension for a second and a lifetime ban for a third. The suspensions are without pay.

Ramirez is the third player suspended this year under MLB's drug testing program.

Original Source : http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519343,00.html

KFC Coupons

2009-05-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

KFC CouponsOprah gives KFC’s grilled bird a boost.

With a name like Oprah, this chicken has to be good.

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s new grilled bird may fly high thanks to talk-show superstar Oprah Winfrey, who is partnering to give away coupons for a free grilled chicken meal.

This afternoon, Oprah KFC coupons were the fifth most popular search on Google.com.

KFC Spokesman Rick Maynard said “millions” of coupons have been downloaded already; the online giveaway expires at midnight tonight.

Maynard wouldn’t disclose details of Oprah’s relationship with the historic chain other than saying she wanted to give Americans a free meal, while KFC was looking to promote its latest product.

“I’d say the response has been exactly what we expected, and we expected it to be great,” he said.

The coupons, which get you two pieces of grilled chicken, two sides and a biscuit, can be downloaded at www.unthinkkfc.com and www.oprah.com. They are redeemable through May 19, except on Mother’s Day — the restaurant’s busiest day of the year, Maynard said.

Check with your local restaurant first, as not all KFCs are carrying the new product. However, it’s available in more than 95 percent of KFC’s roughly 5,200 locations, he said.

Original Source : http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/05/06/kfc_oprah_chicken_coupon.html

Nikki Catsouras

2009-05-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

Nikki CatsourasNikki Catsouras Crime Scene Photos Haunt Deceased Teen's Family.

A tragic event that occurred nearly three years ago continues to disturb a family in Orange County, Calif. Despite every effort, they are unable to move past the tragedy because the Internet will not allow them to reach closure. Actually, the World Wide Web itself is not to blame as much as the morbid and insensitive individuals who hide on its darker side.

The events surrounding this story began to unfold on October 31, 2006. On that day, 18-year-old Nikki Catsouras (photo here) fatefully grabbed the keys to her father's Porsche 911 Carrera and walked out the front door of her parents' home. Nikki had been forbidden to drive the sports car, and her judgment on that day will forever remain in question.

As a child, Nikki was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Tests showed the growth to be benign; however, she still had to endure radiation treatment which, doctors warned, could cause her to have difficulty with impulse control - issues which may have contributed to the cocaine-induced psychosis that she suffered in 2005. Despite her hospital stay after that incident, Nikki again experimented with cocaine in October 2006. In response, her parents scheduled an appointment with a brain disorder specialist. Unfortunately, Nikki never made the appointment.

It will never be known whether the accident was the result of teen disobedience or a lack of judgment caused by her brain disorder. Regardless of the reason, Nikki got behind the wheel of her father's car and backed it out of the family's garage. Nikki's mother, Lesli Catsouras, heard the commotion outside and ran out, only to see her daughter speeding down the road. Lesli immediately phoned her husband, Christos, who called 911. During the call, the dispatcher informed him that a black Porsche had been involved in an accident on the 241 toll road in Lake Forest. Christos' heart immediately sank to the pit of his stomach.

According to police, Nikki was traveling at approximately 100 mph when she lost control of the car. She hit a Honda driven by a lone man before tumbling over the median and slamming into a concrete toll booth. The accident was so severe that Nikki was nearly decapitated upon impact (those photos will not be shown here). Her remains were in such a horrific state that the coroner would not allow her family to view her body.

The driver of the Honda was transferred to a hospital with minor injuries. He seeks to recover damages in a pending lawsuit against the Catsouras family.

As tragic as Nikki's death was, it was only the beginning of a long road of suffering that her family would have to endure.

In the weeks that followed the accident, Christos received an e-mail that he assumed was related to his real estate business. However, when he opened it, he was confronted by a gruesome crime scene photo of his daughter and a caption that read, "Whoohoo Daddy! Hey Daddy, I'm still alive."

That e-mail set the stage for a wave of harassment which has targeted each member of Nikki's family. In addition, one particularly sick individual took the time to set up a fake MySpace page in Nikki's name in order to poke fun at her death. Within the comment section, one visitor wrote, "What a waste of a Porsche," while another comment read, "That spoiled rich girl deserved it."

The release of the nine crime scene photos was traced to two California Highway Patrol dispatchers - Thomas O'Donnell, 39, and Aaron Reich, 30. In response, the CHP sent a letter of apology to the family and suspended O'Donnell for 25 days without pay. According to newsweek.com, Reich quit his job for unrelated reasons.

The crime scene photos have since gone viral and can be found on thousands of Web sites. Despite the family's best efforts, they have been unable to have them removed from the Internet. With little remaining recourse, they filed a lawsuit against the CHP for negligence, privacy invasion and infliction of emotional harm.

In March 2008, the Catsouras' case was dismissed by a superior court judge who ruled that rights of privacy do not extend to the dead. The court response to the family's appeal is expected on June 1.

In the wake of the case's recent media coverage, Russian cyber criminals attempted to exploit the situation by registering a domain name to distribute malware under the disguise of a "video" of the crime scene. According to trendmicro.com, the site in question has been optimized to appear as the first result in Internet searches for "Nikki Catsouras." The malware contains several variants of worms and viruses. Perhaps the site is actually doing the family a favor by luring those who wish to view the video. After doing so, they will surf away with a PC full of computer viruses.

Meanwhile, Nikki's parents and siblings have all enrolled in therapy so that they might eventually be able to come to terms with the situation or at least begin travelling the road to closure.

Morbid curiosity is one thing, but to turn Nikki Catsouras' death into a twisted Internet phenomenon is another. The incredible cruelty that the Catsouras family has suffered as a result of this chain of events is inexcusable. The individuals who are responsible should be charged with harassment. Their lack of empathy leaves me utterly speechless.

Original Source : http://blogs.discovery.com/criminal_report/2009/05/nikki-catsouras-crime-scene-photos-haunt-deceased-teens-family.html

Justfuns.in

2009-05-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

Justfuns.inJustfuns.in: Another Facebook Scam Strikes [ALERT]

Yet another Facebook (Facebook reviews) scam? This is starting to get repetitive.

It seems that Facebook users have been receiving new messages from Facebook spammers. Although this one doesn’t seem to steal your username and passsword, it’s still annoying, potentially dangerous, and a bad reflection on Facebook’s security and spam filters.

The attack is sending spam messages to inboxes across Facebook with just one message: justfuns.in. The domain, which we advise you NOT to visit seems to be random in where it redirects you. Some people have arrived at Viagra ads, while others have arrived at travel search engines. There’s really no telling what the goal of Justfuns.in is, except that it probably doesn’t have wholesome intentions.

The scam seems to be widespread - justfuns.in has been a top Google search trend for at least the last hour. It’s tough to tell exactly who is affected, so please remember to report any spam you receive on Facebook and to never enter your Facebook username and password anywhere except on Facebook.com.

There seems to be a recent trend of Facebook scams. Not even a week ago, we had the Fbaction.net phishing scam and the next day, the very similar Fbstarter.com phishing attempt. This is not only getting repetitive, but it’s potentially damaging to users and their Facebook accounts.

Spam is notoriously tough to fight, but Facebook needs to step up its efforts before a more severe scam hurts more of its users and damages Facebook’s reputation. To Facebook’s credit, a recent blog post outlines some steps that the company is taking to address the issue.

In any event, we’ll update here if we learn more about the Justfuns.in scam.

Original Source : http://mashable.com/2009/05/04/justfunsin-scam/

Janet Jackson Wardrobe Malfunction

2009-05-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

Janet Jackson Wardrobe MalfunctionJustices send Jackson 'wardrobe malfunction' case back for review.

The Supreme Court wants a lower court to re-examine its decision throwing out a $550,000 fine against CBS over Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" incident, the Associated Press reports.

The lower court had ruled in CBS' favor, saying the Federal Communications Commission had strayed from its long-held approach of applying identical standards to words and images when reviewing complaints of indecency. The FCC had fined the network over Jacksons' breast-baring performance at the 2004 Super Bowl.

The order to revisit the case follows the Supreme Court's ruling last week that narrowly upheld FCC's policy of threatening fines against even one-time uses of curse words on live television, the AP writes.

Original Source : http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/05/top-court-wants-new-ruling-in-janet-jackson-wardrobe-malfunction-case.html

Kryptos

2009-05-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

KryptosMission Impossible: The Code Even the CIA Can't Crack.

The most celebrated inscription at the Central Intelligence Agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, used to be the biblical phrase chiseled into marble in the main lobby: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." But in recent years, another text has been the subject of intense scrutiny inside the Company and out: 865 characters of seeming gibberish, punched out of half-inch-thick copper in a courtyard.

It's part of a sculpture called Kryptos, created by DC artist James Sanborn. He got the commission in 1988, when the CIA was constructing a new building behind its original headquarters. The agency wanted an outdoor installation for the area between the two buildings, so a solicitation went out for a piece of public art that the general public would never see. Sanborn named his proposal after the Greek word for hidden. The work is a meditation on the nature of secrecy and the elusiveness of truth, its message written entirely in code.

Almost 20 years after its dedication, the text has yet to be fully deciphered. A bleary-eyed global community of self-styled cryptanalysts—along with some of the agency's own staffers—has seen three of its four sections solved, revealing evocative prose that only makes the puzzle more confusing. Still uncracked are the 97 characters of the fourth part (known as K4 in Kryptos-speak). And the longer the deadlock continues, the crazier people get.

Whether or not our top spooks intended it, the persistent opaqueness of Kryptos subversively embodies the nature of the CIA itself—and serves as a reminder of why secrecy and subterfuge so fascinate us. "The whole thing is about the power of secrecy," Sanborn tells me when I visit his studio, a barnlike structure on Jimmy Island in Chesapeake Bay (population: 2). He is 6'7", bearded, and looks a bit younger than his 63 years. Looming behind him is his latest work in progress, a 28-foot-high re-creation of the world's first particle accelerator, surrounded by some of the original hardware from the Manhattan Project. The atomic gear fits nicely with the thrust of Sanborn's oeuvre, which centers on what he calls invisible forces.

With Kryptos, Sanborn has made his strongest statement about what we don't see and can't know. "He designed a piece that would resonate with this workforce in particular," says Toni Hiley, who curates the employees-only CIA museum. Sanborn's ambitious work includes the 9-foot 11-inch-high main sculpture—an S-shaped wave of copper with cut-out letters, anchored by an 11-foot column of petrified wood—and huge pieces of granite abutting a low fountain. And although most of the installation resides in a space near the CIA cafeteria, where analysts and spies can enjoy it when they eat outside, Kryptos extends beyond the courtyard to the other side of the new building. There, copper plates near the entrance bear snippets of Morse code, and a naturally magnetized lodestone sits by a compass rose etched in granite.

Original Source : http://norfolk.va.mycitytalk.us/article/News/US/Mission_Impossible_The_Code_Even_the_CIA_Cant_Crack/22934

Hydroxycut Recall

2009-05-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hydroxycut RecallIt's a popular weight loss pill and now government health officials are issuing a recall for Hydroxycut.

Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. It accounts for about 90 percent of the market for weight loss supplements. Now, the Food and Drug Administration says there have been reports of liver damage and other health problems. The FDA is warning customers to stop using the product immediately.

Original Source : http://www.cbs12.com/news/hydroxycut-4717425-recall-pill.html

Danny Gans

2009-05-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

Danny GansDanny Gans died early this morning, after a family member called 911 to say Danny was having trouble breathing. By the time paramedics arrived, he was dead.

A ticket rep at Steve Wynn's Encore hotel tells us they just got the call and the entire staff is "shocked and upset."

Gans is a legend in Las Vegas -- the self described "musical impressionist" signed a $150 million contract in 2000.

We're told Gans died at 3:00 AM at his home in Vegas. There are reports his wife discovered his body and called for help.

Gans was named "Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year" a record 11-times in a row. He did not perform last night.

Besides being a gifted entertainer, Gans was a pretty good athlete -- in fact, he was drafted by the KC Royals out of high school and played minor league ball.

UPDATE: TMZ has learned a 911 call was made by a family member at 3:44 AM for a 52-year-old man who was "having trouble breathing." By the time medics arrived, Gans had already passed away.

UPDATE: TMZ received the following statement from The Mirage, where Gans performed for years: "All of us in The Mirage family are deeply saddened to learn of Danny's passing. We all knew of his devotion to his family and our hearts and prayers are with his wife and children."

Original Source : http://www.tmz.com/2009/05/01/danny-gans-dies/

El Pollo Loco

2009-04-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

El Pollo Loco
Big lines today for El Pollo Loco 2-chicken freebie.

El Pollo Loco seems to have won Round 1 in the initial battle of the birds contest with KFC.

While all was quiet yesterday when KFC was giving away its free grilled chicken, I’m hearing reports today of long lines at El Pollo Loco restaurants in Orange County. The Costa Mesa-based chain is giving away two pieces of chicken (a leg and thigh) until 8 p.m. today.

The offer is good for dine-in only, so don’t bother getting in a drive-through.

I just got back from an El Pollo Loco in Orange, where the parking lot was jammed as cars tried to find a spot. To control lines inside the restaurant, customers were forced to wait outside. Still, my store seemed to be prepared. I got in and out within 15 minutes.

While waiting for my meal, I chatted with Jacob, Brenda and Miguel Alvarado. The family (shown above) didn’t know about the deal, but was happy to take advantage.

“We lucked out,” said Miguel.

El Pollo Loco said the chain was “thrilled” with the popularity of the Taste the Fire event, an expensive marketing tactic aimed at deflecting buzz away from KFC’s new grilled chicken.

“It’s all hands on deck today in our restaurants and we expect to be able to handle the crowds,” El Pollo Loco spokeswoman Julie Weeks said.

In case restaurants run out of chicken, which is not likely, Weeks said restaurants are prepared to issue “rain checks” just in case.

Tip: For $1, El Pollo Loco will add a small side or small drink to your Freebie Meal today.

Baskin-Robbins freebie alert: Don’t forget: On April 29, Baskin-Robbins will offer customers a 2.5 ounce scoop of ice cream for 31 cents. Deal good from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Original Source : http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/2009/04/28/big-lines-today-for-el-pollo-loco-2-chicken-freebie/19325/

David Poole

2009-04-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

David PooleLongtime Writer David Poole Passes Away.

HardcoreRaceFans.com would like to extend its condolences to the family of motorsports journalist David Poole. The 50-year-old writer passed away Tuesday at his home in Stanfield, N.C. as a result of a heart attack.

One of the most prominent voices in the NASCAR media, David Poole lived and breathed racing. Born in Gastonia, N.C. Poole covered NASCAR for the Charlotte Observer for thirteen seasons and served as the host on “The Morning Drive” weekday mornings on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio. A student of the sport, Poole did everything he could to learn all he could about the history of NASCAR. The four-time winner of the NMPA George Cunningham Award – which recognizes the organization’s writer of the year – Poole had a presence in the media center unlike anyone.

While this writer is fairly new to the close-knit world of the NASCAR media, David Poole was always someone I have looked up to. From my early days in New Jersey, I would somehow get my hands on Poole’s commentaries, insights and race reviews to get the inside scoop.

When I first got the chance to do what I do today, I found myself in a media center unsure of what to do, where to go or what to say. Sitting only a few chairs to my left, David Poole served as one of the leading examples of what a true motorsports journalist is supposed to be.

His unique voice and incredible style will be greatly missed, but perhaps much more will be his presence amongst his peers.

"The NASCAR community is stunned and saddened by the loss of David Poole," Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO said in a statement. "David was as passionate about NASCAR as anyone and had very definitive opinions about the sport. He served the industry, and most importantly the fans, through his reporting and commentary in the Charlotte Observer and Sirius Satellite Radio. Our thoughts and prayers go out to David's family and friends. He will be missed."

Cheryl Carpenter, Observer Managing Editor offered these words, “David’s expertise and character have become part of racing’s story.”

Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Original Source : http://www.hardcoreracefans.com/nascar-cup-news/4049-longtime-writer-david-poole-passes-away

Swine Flu Orlando

2009-04-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu OrlandoNo Swine Flu Orlando!

Reports of Swine Flu at Disney in Orlando Florida are not confirmed, says reports. Swine Flu in Orlando Florida reports swirled out of control shortly pass 2 PM EST Tuesday.

To recap, Dr. Loran Hauck, Chief Medical Officer at Florida Hospital had first said in an email:

“a case was diagnosed here in Orlando today on a tourist from Mexico who came to Disney attractions two days ago to visit.”

But that was reportedly followed up by a quick press conference today to correct that email by saying - no - there are no confirmed cases of swine flu in Orlando

“In this case, if it was implied that it was swine flu, that was a misstatement. We have not had any confirmations from the CDC. We’ve had two or three cases of positive influenza. We should know about these in 48 hours.”

Again, Florida state officials say there is no confirmation, emphasis confirmation, as they are awaiting testing.

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/04/28/no-swine-flu-orlando/

Shadow Hare

2009-04-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

Shadow HareMan Buys Unitard, Declares Himself a Superhero.

This is either really, really noble -- or really, really stupid. Or both.

Some gangly dude in a spandex outfit who calls himself the "Shadow Hare" is roaming the streets of Cincinnati -- dedicated to ridding the city of evil-doers. Seriously.

Here's the catch -- he's 21-years-old, he's built like a math tutor, and he has no known super powers.

But Shadow Hare -- who refuses to reveal his true identity -- still bravely/stupidly patrols the streets, carrying legal items like handcuffs, tasers and pepper spray.

The guy even busted his shoulder trying to stop a guy from beating up a woman. And he hands out food to the homeless.

But he's not alone -- Shadow claims he's part of the "Allegiance of Heroes" which includes Aclyptico in Pennsylvania, Wall Creeper in Colorado and Master Legend in Florida.

Shadow Hare recently told WLWT that he's even teamed up with Mr. Extreme in California to "track down a rapist."

So the big question -- is he noble for standing up for good and trying to protect his community ... or is he just some delusional moron who's gonna hurt himself?

Original Source : http://www.tmz.com/2009/04/28/man-buys-unitard-declares-himself-a-superhero/

Arlen Specter

2009-04-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

Arlen SpecterArlen Spector to Switch Parties: Reaction.

Democrats Nearing a 60-Vote, Filibuster-Proof Senate Majority.

Larry J. Sabato, political analyst and director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, was online Tuesday, April 28, at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat.

Sabato is the author of the new book, "The Year of Obama: How Barack Obama Won the White House," released last week.

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Larry J. Sabato: Hello to all. It's another exciting day in politics on Obama's 99th. I'm here to answer questions on, and also listen to what you have to say about, Arlen Specter. His switch to the Democratic party has been rumored as a possibility for some time--but clearly came as a surprise anyway. Larry Sabato

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Claverack, N.Y.: Should we assume Gov. Rendell has assured the senator he'll have an uncontested Democratic primary? Otherwise Sen. Specter would run into the same primary problems he had with Toomey on the right, only from the left.

Larry J. Sabato: Great question. I am wondering the same. But I believe we are safe in assuming that Specter and Rendell have talked, and both know how to make a deal. Remember, Rendell had given just a token contribution to one D candidate, and he wasn't much enthused about the field. Rendell can't empty the D field for Specter, but he can sure help Specter win the primary.

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Charlottesville, Va.: What significance does the timing of Specter's switch have? Why do it now, as opposed to earlier this year? Why not wait until closer to November?

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Larry J. Sabato: This gives the Democratic activists time to adjust, and it gives Gov. Rendell time to work whatever magic is needed. Remember, the GOP right may hate Specter, but the D activists don't love him either. He votes their way some of the time, and they'd prefer a senator who was with them over 90% of the time. Let's see what changes appear in Specter's Senate voting record in the months to come. Card-check won't change, Specter says, but there may be some other concessions to Democrats.

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WDC: What does this mean for the Senator's committee assignments? What will his role be on the Judiciary Comittee?

Larry J. Sabato: I can only assume that Harry Reid has promised to secure those assignments and guarantee Specter's seniority, but we'll have to wait for an announcement.

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Cincinnati, Ohio: Do you expect Specter's switch to spark more antagonism between Senate Republicans and Democrats? Could we end up just as divided as during the Bush years, or is this a wake-up call to overhaul the Republican party's substance and not just its image?

Larry J. Sabato: The antagonism level, already high, will just remain there. The second part of your question is key. How did the Republicans lose the 60th vote (Franken is already #59, just not sworn in yet)? They lost it because the very conservative GOP base of activists wouldn't even listen to Sen. John Cornyn, a dyed-in-the-wool Texas conservative who heads up the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He tried to get Pat Toomey NOT to challenge Specter in the 2010 GOP primary, because he knew Toomey was a November loser and only Specter could hold the seat for the GOP. Did they listen? Is the Pope Samoan? And now yet another Senate seat is gone with the wind for the GOP.

Perhaps I should say the Republicans shot themselves in the foot--but they ran out of feet a long time ago. If this kind of stupidity continues, the Republican party will be a rump instead of a party. That's bad news for all of us, even the partisan Democrats (who won't agree). Neither party can be trusted with complete power over time. Arrogance and corruption always develop when one party is guaranteed dominance. We need two strong, competitive parties. But the GOP can't be that until it remembers a metaphor provided by nature: Neither a bird not a party can soar with just one wing.

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Westlake Village, Calif.: Hi, Larry! Is there any reason to suspect that more NE Republicans (i.e., the ladies from Maine) may be thinking of following Specter's lead? Is there any inkling that more Republican congressmen outside the South may begin thinking along these lines?

Larry J. Sabato: Smart question. Here's the logical answer: If Maine's conservative Republicans decide to challenge either Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins (just reelected) in a future GOP primary, and polling shows they are in trouble, then they can run as Independents or switch to the Democratic party. Believe it or not, there are plenty of GOP base activists who would gladly see their party lose the two Maine seats so the party could be even more 'pure'.

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Charlotte, NC: Will Specter have trouble adjusting to life in a different party? How have others dealt with a switch in the past?

Larry J. Sabato: There will be some bumps but let's remember, politicians switch parties for two reasons: (1) They will be happier in the other party ideologically; and (2) They will have better job security. Sounds like a formula for happiness to me!

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Fort Mill, S.C.: Doesn't the party in power typically lose seats in midterm elections? Why is there no discussion around that as the "filibuster proof" majority is talked about in the media as it relates to Sen. Spector?

Larry J. Sabato: I encourage you to read my Crystal Ball, www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/, where we recently did a three-part analysis of the 2010 Senate contests. Democrats have quite a good chance to add Senate seats next year. It's really because of the specific states coming up and the pattern of GOP retirements. But in the House, the Republicans ought to be able to add some House seats, though no one currently believes they have any real chance at a takeover. We'll see. It's too early to know the conditions that will prevail in November 2010.

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Eau Claire, Wisc.: Sen. Specter has stated he is opposed to the Employee Free Choice Act. Does his decision to switch parties make it more likely he could vote for this bill?

Larry J. Sabato: All I know is that Sen. Specter said today he will continue to oppose the bill in its current form.

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Atlanta: With so much at stake with regard to the massive expansion of government pushed by the President and the fact that this move will give the Democrats the opportunity to pass nearly any legislation they want, shouldn't Specter have resigned his seat and then Pennsylvania could have held a special election, in which he could have run as a Democrat?

It just seems unfair to the country that one Senator decides to switch parties and the possibilities of what can and cannot be passed changes dramatically. This almost makes Specter one of the most powerful people in Washington as he himself can decide what passes or doesn't, or at least what comes to a vote or not.

Larry J. Sabato: Strom Thurmond (SC) did that in the early 1950s, but normally, when senators from either party switch parties, they do not resign. Gee, I wonder why?

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Soon to be Independent: I have to say I identify with Sen Spector. I have been a Republican my entire adult life. But because I have libertarian views on social issues (I think government should not try to legislate morality), I would be considered a RINO, as Spector was often called. Do the Republicans realize they are dirving many Foreign Policy and Economic conservatives out of the party because of our social views? If only social conservatives are left, than the party will be completely irrelevant.

Larry J. Sabato: Many GOP leaders with whom I have spoken understand exactly what you have just expressed. But they fear the GOP right-wing base in their own states and districts. They can be challenged in party primaries and conventions from the right, and lose. But they are fiddling while the GOP's Rome burns.

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as a Democrat: I'm amused by the concept of a filibuster proof majority. Since when have the Democrats done anything in lockstep? That's one area where the Republicans have managed their members better than we have. So while it's something to trumpet, it probably will never happen.

Larry J. Sabato: Good point. The Democrats theoretically have 60 votes to shut down a filibuster (after Franken is sworn in). And I theoretically could choose to retire this year, despite the size of my 101k (formerly my 401k).

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Bethesda, Md.: What's the latest on the Franken seat? And any chance either of the Maine senators or other moderate GOP will jump?

Larry J. Sabato: I am fond of Minnesota and have many friends there, but no one is going to tell me they have a recount system that works. I'll bet most people in MN wish they had had a run-off election like Georgia did last November, or maybe even instant run-off (rank-ordering the candidates at the first election). But it is too late for that! The MN Supreme Court is taking its nice sweet time about Norm Coleman's appeal, and it is going to be probably another 6 weeks before a resolution.

No, I don't think Snowe or Collins will switch unless, like Specter, they are pushed by the right.

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Washington, DC: Specter published an article today taking issue with how powerful the office of the president has become. Does that mean he's likely to ensure tough hearings on President Obama's judicial appointments? Are there any other ways that this balance-of-powers issue he wants to advance may cause troubles for the President, even though they're now of the same party?

Larry J. Sabato: Specter can be a contrarian, and you never know, but somehow I'll bet he becomes quite accommodating on most issues to the Democrats and the Obama administration. He isn't going to want to stir up a D primary challenger for himself next year.

Come to think of it, Specter's timing delivers a 100th day-eve anniversary present to President Obama. And you want to tell me that's a coincidence?

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Washington, DC: I wonder Sen. Specter considered that at his age of 79, it's time to think of retirement and moving aside to let the chips fall where they may. I'm happy to see Democrats gain strength, but not about the fossilization of our political structures.

Larry J. Sabato: As you know, we now have the oldest Senate in American history (average age). Thanks to us, the taxpayers, senators have the nicest retirement home in America. What a sweet life--and power, too!

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Orono, Maine: Larry,

The chances that either Snowe or Collins will switch is pretty minimal. There are still moderate Republicans here and both are extremely popular.

My question is what does this for the Minnesota Senate seat that's currently in litigation.

Larry J. Sabato: Agreed on Collins and Snowe, as I said earlier.

For MN, the GOP already had all the incentive it needed to draw out the proceedings for as long as possible. This really doesn't add much more.

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Minneapolis: Can we expect to see Specter break from some of his previous positions as part of the deal to bring him over? I assume that Specter must be willing to toe the party line on some issues in order to make it worthwhile to clear the field in 2010.

Larry J. Sabato: I'd love to know the deal, but don't. We'll just have to watch Specter's voting record as it evolves--and maybe wait for the leaky sieve called Capitol Hill to deliver some gossip.

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Naive human interest questions: Does this mean Specter has to change his office space? How about staff, will he have to fire and rehire? How does it work on the Senate floor, does a desk physically get moved over to the other side?

Larry J. Sabato: It's highly doubtful that this will force Specter to do much of anything in terms of offices and seniority. Some Republican staffers will almost certainly leave him; otherwise they will switch parties, too.

As far as his desk, with tongue only half in cheek, I'd recommend Specter seat himself in the middle of the Democratic majority to insure his physical safety.

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Minneapolis: Doesn't the fact that the Democrats are willing to take in Specter -- who voted for the war in Iraq, for the Military Commissions Act, for the renewal of the Patriot Act, for telecom immunity, for NSA warrantless wiretapping, and for the Bush tax cuts -- say as much about the desire for raw power among Democrats as it does about the conventional wisdom about the Republicans losing the "moderates"?

Larry J. Sabato: Sure, you can draw that conclusion. But the American party system, as opposed to the classical British party system of Edmund Burke, is all about winning. Score a big one for the Dems, subtract a big one for the GOP.

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Hampton, Va.: Professor Sabato,

Do you think Specter will face any difficulties in being reelected as a Democrat?

Larry J. Sabato: This is a test for Gov. Ed Rendell, Sen. Bob Menendez of the Dem Senatorial Committee, and others. Can they clear the field of POTENT challengers? We'll see. But remember, as long as Pat Toomey is the GOP nominee, count this one in the Democratic column come November 2010, whether the D is Specter or another prominent Democrat.

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Suburban DC: What bills are more likely to get through now come June when Franken is seated (climate change, a free choice bill without a card check, health care, etc.)? Also with this switch how much will NIH's budget increase? I am assuming his medical causes will be assured proper funding.

Larry J. Sabato: Again, this is so new I don't have the answers for you. My instinct tells me that Democrats will be marginally better off in getting their agenda passed, but let's keep in mind that Specter already has a lot of influence and seniority, and he already defects to the Dems on some big ticket items. Is this a revolution in the Senate? No. It really has greater implications for the sad state of the Republican party, and the GOP's inability to make room for a moderate and independent corps of officeholders and voters that can actually get it back into power in the future.

We have a party-and-a-half system right now, instead of a healthy two-party system.

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Washington, D.C.: Has Specter already switched parties or is he just planning to do so in time for the 2010 election?

Larry J. Sabato: Specter's statement speaks of the switch both in the present tense, and also as an intent to run in the D primary in 2010. But can you really imagine Republicans letting him into their next caucus lunch? From their perspective, he's a traitor and a spy. He'd better be well armed if he goes.

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Alexandria, Va.: Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele made the following statement about Specter's decision:

" Some in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not. Let's be honest-Senator Specter didn't leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record."

Do you think that kind of statement will help the GOP gain new support ? How long do you think Steele will be around ? And who is the real GOP leader ?

Larry J. Sabato: And in Steele's statement, we find the GOP's problem in a nutshell--just as I've already described.

A large majority of the Republican leaders who are out-front on TV or grabbing the headlines as "leaders" are old divisive faces from the past, not fresh younger faces of the future. Until that changes, expect the GOP to make little progress in changing its image.

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Reading, Pa.: People in Pennsylvania are not dumb or forgetful. We know what a Republican lapdog Arlen has been all these many years. He was a Nixon defender for goodness sake. I'm as yellow dog as they come but no way in hell will I vote for this jerk.

Larry J. Sabato: It will be interesting to see how many Democrats feel the way you do in PA, and whether they sponsor a strong, well funded candidate in the D primary in 2010.

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Wait, what?: The Democrats could reject his switch? That makes no sense. They could certainly reject working with him but they can't refuse someone entry into the party can they?

Larry J. Sabato: Of course they will welcome him with open arms. But that doesn't mean the D party activists in PA will necessarily re-nominate him for the Senate in 2010. We'll see.

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San Jose, Calif.: Could a libertarian and nonreligious party rise from the ashes of the Republican party - either a new party, a splinter off the Democrats, or a nonreligious Republican party? Or is this just a pipe dream?

Larry J. Sabato: I heard this in the 60s after Goldwater. I heard it in the 70s after Watergate. I'm hearing it again. Most observers would say no, but maybe the third time is the charm.

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Tipping point?: Any clue what finally pushed Sen. Spector over the edge? (Snowe says she's "devastate" and Brownback says he's "stunned" so they were not confidants prior to the big switch.)

Larry J. Sabato: About a dozen public and private polls that showed he would lose overwhelmingly in the 2010 GOP primary that would be dominated by right-wing activists.

Original Source : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/04/28/DI2009042801805.html

2009 Kentucky Derby Contenders

2009-04-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

2009 Kentucky Derby ContendersKentucky Derby 2009 Contenders, Entries, Favorites Odds Preview: On Sunday morning, the Kentucky Derby 2009 added a new member to this year’s race at Churchill Downs. A bronze, 1500-pound statue honoring the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbado was unveiled today in the same place where he became a legend almost three years ago.

Barbado spent the last 8 months of his life battling to stay alive after braking down during the Preakness in 2006. The horse’s struggles brought renewed attention to track safety and breeding practices in horse racing that will help all future Kentucky Derby entries.

The 135th edition of the Kentucky Derby will take over the headlines on May 2nd beginning at 6 PM ET (3 PM PT) and it can be seen live in High Definition on ABC-Sports. Gate assignments for all 2009 Kentucky Derby contenders will be drawn this Wednesday. Going into this year’s Kentucky Derby, another thoroughbred is getting all the media and fan attention, but for all the right reasons. “I Want Revenge” is listed among the top Kentucky Derby favorites and has been listed at 11 to 4 odds by online racebook Bodog.com.

This week, all of the various 2009 Kentucky Derby entries hit the track at Churchill Downs to get in one of their final major workouts before the race on May 2 but all eyes will be on "I Want Revenge". Last Tuesday, the 3-year-old colt covered five furlongs in 1:01 3-5 seconds with jockey Joe Talamo (19 years old). Despite the track being a little muddy from heavy downpour the day before, I Want Revenge trainer Jeff Mullins said he was pleased with the practices.

At Bodog.com, oddsmakers have put together a great batch of Sports Odds to make your 2009 Kentucky Derby odds wagering experience a memorable one. Will any horse win the 2009 Triple Crown? Is a question oddsmakers at Bodog.com want to know! What do you think? Here’s a hint: Yes [+600 ML], No [-1000 ML] .

Here’s another great one: What will be the Kentucky Derby 2009 Official Winning Time? OVER 2:01.60 [-190 ML] or UNDER 2:01.60 [+155 ML]? Can’t get enough Kentucky Derby 2009? Fine, I will give you one more: What will be the Kentucky Derby 2009 Winning Saddlecloth Number? Would it be Odd Number [-120] or perhaps an Even Number [-120]?

Here are other notable betting odds on the top 2009 Kentucky Derby contenders from online racebook Bodog.com:

QUALITY ROAD [11:2]

DUNKIRK [11:2]

FRIESAN FIRE [6:1]

PIONEEROF THE NILE [7:1]

Original Source : http://sports-odds.com/racing/042709-kentucky-derby-2009-contenders-entries-favorites-odds-preview.html

Jayson Williams

2009-04-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

Jayson WilliamsEx-Nets star Jayson Williams 'suicidal' at Manhattan hotel; Tasered after showdown with NYPD cops.

Cops Tasered ex-NBA star Jayson Williams Monday after the troubled hoopster went nuts in his luxury Manhattan hotel room, police sources said.

The popular New Jersey Nets center, who beat the rap trial for shooting his chauffeur in 2002, was rushed to St. Vincent's Hospital in handcuffs after cops found suicide notes and empty bottles of pills in his room, sources said.

"He was barricaded, drinking, taking pills. He was overwhelmed," a police source said. "It all came crashing down."

Police were called to the Hilton Embassy Suites in Battery Park City at 4 a.m., after a female friend called security to report a disturbance in Williams' 15th-floor suite, the sources said.

Williams, 41, trashed his room, forcing Emergency Service Unit officers to subdue the former All-Star with a Taser gun, sources said. It took two sets of handcuffs to restrain the husky star, cops said.

Cops found several suicide notes, including a message scrawled on the wall. They said he was distraught over his divorce, his parents' illnesses and his impending retrial in the chauffeur-shooting case.

Guests arrived home to find the posh hotel transformed into a crime scene. "There were about cop cars and an ambulance outside," said Annette Peters, 29, of Minneapolis.

It was not immediately known if he injured himself or if he was armed.

A few hours later, Williams' manager insisted the troubled ex-athlete was on the mend.

"Jayson is doing fine. He said he was fine," said Akhtar Farzaie, his manager and friend, outside the hospital emergency room. "All of us are here to be by his side as friends."

His ex-wife, Tanya Young Williams, also arrived at the hospital to join him.

In 2002, Williams was charged with gunning down 55-year-old limo driver Costas "Gus" Christofi at the former player's sprawling "Who Knew?" estate in Alexandria Township, N.J.

Williams, who was hosting a party for a charity basketball game that included several Harlem Globetrotters, had hired to Christofi to drive for the event.

Prosecutors charged that Williams was goofing off with a shotgun while giving a tour of this palatial home and the weapon went off, killing Christofi.

"I always expected that he would do something violent again if he wasn't stopped," said Andrea Adams, Christofi's sister. "He's very careless. He's violent and he doesn't care."

Williams was cleared of the most serious charges. The jury deadlocked on the count of reckless manslaughter.

In 2006, a New Jersey appeals court ruled Williams could be retried on that charge. No trial date has been set. The hoop star paid Christofi's family $2.75 million to settle a wrongful death suit.

"He had a lot of demons, a dark side that would surface every now and then," said a person who knew Williams when he played eight seasons for New Jersey.

The Nets source said Williams is usually a gregarious and fun-loving person, but seems to need a structured lifestyle.

"He needs something to fill his time," the source said. "You hate to see him hurt himself, but this was a guy with a lot of demons."

Earlier this year, Williams' estranged wife claimed in divorce papers he once threatened to kill her and their two daughters.

Tanya Young Williams claimed in court papers that her husband punched out a car window while the couple's daughters sat inside and hurt himself while coming home drunk.

Williams, who became a city high school basketball star at Christ the King High School in Queens, went on to star at St. John's University. He was drafted in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft and debuted with the Philadelphia 76ers. He blossomed into a star with the New Jersey Nets after a 1992 trade and remains one of the franchise's all-time leading rebounders.

Original Source : http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/04/27/2009-04-27_exnets_star_jayson_williams_.html

Mexico City Earthquake

2009-04-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

Mexico City EarthquakeMagnitude 5.6 Earthquake Hits Mexico.

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook Mexico City early Monday afternoon, sending frightened residents into the streets and saturating phone lines, but causing no apparent significant damage.

The quake rattled nerves of Mexicans already coping with an outbreak of the swine flu that has killed an estimated 149 people.

The combination of the higher death toll from the flu and the quake weakened the peso, which had lost nearly 5% from Friday's close to MXN13.975 per U.S. dollar.

The quake briefly interrupted a press conference in which Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova was giving an update on the flu emergency situation.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero, home to the resort of Acapulco, which lies roughly 360 kilometers from Mexico City.

The earthquake's depth made serious damage less likely, said Jim Dewey, a research geophysicist with USGS.

"Certainly strong shaking could be perceived, but it wouldn't likely cause extensive damage," Dewey said. "It was 25 miles deep, so that puts some distance between it and the surface of the ground."

Telephone service in parts of Mexico City was lost briefly. A spokesman for phone company Telefonos de Mexico (TMX) said lines were temporarily saturated with call volume, as usually happens after earthquakes, and that there was no reported damage to exchanges.

Mexicans, accustomed to earthquakes, largely shrugged off the tremor, worried more about the killer flu. "Ah, we're accustomed to earthquakes around here," said Leopoldo Garcia, a 70-year-old retiree walking around the city.

Mexican state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos is operating normally despite an earthquake that hit Mexico Monday and the flu outbreak, said a company spokesman.

"We haven't seen any damage yet," said the spokesman, adding that the company is still checking for earthquake damage and that it's premature to rule out any incidents.

Original Source : http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090427-714613.html

Ellis Hobbs

2009-04-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ellis HobbsEllis Hobbs analysis.

The Patriots’ logjam at cornerback has been broken with today’s trade of Ellis Hobbs to the Philadelphia Eagles for two 2009 fifth-round draft choices (which were later traded).

A starter in 2008, Hobbs was set to return to a crowded situation this season. Competition figured to be fierce at the position.

The Patriots drafted cornerback Darius Butler in the second round, signed Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden in free agency, and had 2008 draft picks Terrence Wheatley (2nd round) and Jonathan Wilhite (4th round) returning to the fold.

Springs would seemingly be a lock for one starting spot, with Hobbs probably battling Bodden and Wheatley for the other. Either Bodden or Hobbs would then compete with Butler and Wilhite as slot options.

The Patriots’ secondary struggled last season – the team was 26th of 32 teams on third down – and this trade seems to reflect how the Patriots felt Hobbs contributed to that statistic.

Finances also could have been a factor here.

After reaching escalators in his contract, Hobbs was due to earn $2.54 million this season. This is the last year of his contract.

One other note on this trade: The Patriots lose their top kickoff returner.

Original Source : http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2009/04/ellis_hobbs_ana.html

Hampton University Shooting

2009-04-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hampton University Shooting3 Va. men hurt in shooting at Hampton University.

Officials say three men are hospitalized after an overnight shooting in a dormitory at Hampton University in Virginia.

Police say the suspect is an 18-year-old Richmond man who shot a 62-year-old Hampton man and a 43-year-old Hampton man and then turned the gun on himself. No students were injured.

School spokeswoman Yuri Rodgers Milligan says that police believe the shooter is a former student, and that one victim is the night manager of Harkness Hall.

Officials do not know the motive for the shooting, reported around 1 a.m.

All students, faculty and staff were notified about the situation via text message and e-mail.

The school remained on lockdown Sunday morning while police investigated.

Hampton University is a private school with about 5,700 students.

Original Source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gBHdDlCKjJdw2PKMLxL2_5-u481gD97Q67DO3

Kraig Urbik

2009-04-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Kraig UrbikTwo holes fixed early on second day.

The Steelers addressed some specific needs with their first two picks of the third round. Updates will be provided throughout the day.

PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers moved to improve their dreadful short-yardage run game by making Wisconsin guard Kraig Urbik their first pick of the second day of the draft.

Urbik is a 6-5 ¼, 328 pounder who was a four-year starter at Wisconsin, where he played right tackle as a redshirt freshman before moving to right guard. He made 45 consecutive starts and was going for the school record of 50 when he injured his knee last season against Penn State and missed two games.

Urbik finished the season by being named second team All-Big Ten Conference for the second time. He’s an alert, strong, durable, versatile and hard-working player. He’s not considered a mobile, get-to-the-second-level player, but Urbik will add necessary muscle up front.

“I love him,” said Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. “Big, tough, nasty. If you watch him play one-on-one, you’re not going to pick him on your team. But it’s about playing together and this kid understands football.”

Arians said that Urbik will also learn the center position to give him the versatility of playing four positions, but Arians also said that Urbik will compete for the starting right guard position this season.

With the second pick of the third round, the Steelers drafted a more exciting player in Ole Miss wide receiver/return specialist Mike Wallace, a 6-0 3/8, 199-pounder with 4.31 speed and a vertical jump of 40 inches.

“He’s a burner,” Arians said. “He’s not gone over the middle a lot but he’s an outside-speed guy who’s an excellent return guy. We really, really like him.”

Arians said that he wrote down the two names – Urbik and Wallace – three weeks ago, “and I just watched them drop,” he said.

Wallace comes from a tough upbringing in New Orleans and landed at Ole Miss where he spent the last two seasons as one of the top kickoff return men in the SEC, as well as one of the top receiving deep threats. He led the SEC with a yards-per-reception average of 18.8 in 2007, and improved to 20.1 last year. He caught 101 passes for 1,910 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career and averaged 23.2 yards per kickoff return and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

“He’ll work on his punt returning but he’s primarily a kickoff returner,” Arians said. “We’re looking for someone to replace Nate (Washington) outside and he’s a candidate. Inside, that takes time.”

With their final pick of the third round, the Steelers selected cornerback Keenan Lewis of Oregon State. Lewis, a 6-1, 198-pound cover guy, was actually a high school teammate of Wallace. The Steelers compare him favorably to Ike Taylor.

Original Source : http://pit.scout.com/2/860192.html

Arbor Day

2009-04-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

Arbor DayArbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Arbor Day originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States and is celebrated in a number of countries.

The national holiday is celebrated every year on the last Friday in April; it is a civic holiday in Nebraska and was founded by Julius Sterling Morton. Each state celebrates its own state holiday. The customary observance is to plant a tree. On the first Arbor Day, April 10, 1872, an estimated one million trees were planted.

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Day

Hungry Girl

2009-04-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Hungry Girl'Hungry Girl' Has Found the Way To a Snacking Nation's Heart.

The country's best-selling cookbook right now is for people who don't really cook, written by a hyperkinetic 43-year-old former TV producer named Lisa Lillien, who once upon a time hated the fact that she couldn't fit into her skinny jeans. "I was that person who would sit at the computer and eat an entire bag of fat-free pretzels and think I was doing a good thing," Lillien says. "I wasn't."

She lost 25 pounds eight years ago, and in 2003 she started sending her friends low-fat recipes and tips for finding healthful food in mainstream supermarkets. She then very smartly turned herself into a cartoon character on the Internet called Hungry Girl. Now Lillien has almost 700,000 subscribers to her daily Hungry Girl e-mails, and she employs a staff of nine.

As foodies seek eco-revelation in the local and organic, Hungry Girl speaks the language of chips, cake, cereal, breakfast sausage, taco shells, easy noodles. By doing so, she acknowledges something we all know about ourselves: For all our slow-cooking, sustainable gardening ambitions, we are a nation of snackers. We eat stuff out of bags and cans. Lillien has turned her conviction that she can lose weight while still eating her favorite foods -- or at least some version of them -- into the latest entry in the highly competitive and ever-changing diet field.

"I know exactly what people will like," she says. "I just know. I'm that way. When I taste something, I can say, 'You know what? I like it okay, but only 20 percent of the people will like it,' or 'If I really like it, then 99 percent of people will like it, too.' " She is absolutely sure of her taste buds and absolutely skeptical of nutrition labels.

This all started when, like in a "Seinfeld" rerun, Lillien drove 40 miles to have her favorite low-fat pastries tested at a lab. They weren't low-fat at all. She felt burned (and chunky). "People lie," she says. "Whether or not it's malicious, there's a lot of mislabeled stuff out there." Thus Hungry Girl was born.

Out of seemingly nowhere, Hungry Girl is now the queen of processed food. Manufacturers beg Lillien for her imprimatur on low-cal, low-fat or otherwise "healthy" food. They don't always get it. They send her bags of baked tortilla chips, boxes of snack bars. A rave on Hungry-Girl.com can phenomenally alter a product's sales, but the only hitch is that Lillien has to like it. When she touted House Foods brand tofu shirataki noodles last year, the response was so strong that the manufacturer put the Hungry Girl cartoon logo on the package. When she bestowed favor on Holey brand low-fat doughnuts, the maker said it caused his biggest sales day ever, better than when his product was featured on cable TV shows and in People magazine.

Last year, a compilation of Lillien's most successful recipes, "Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World," sold more than 200,000 copies -- more than two new cookbooks by "30-Minute Meals" queen Rachael Ray. Lillien's latest, "Hungry Girl 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories," will debut at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list May 3.

The world headquarters of the Hungry Girl empire is located in an unmarked 1,600-square-foot rental apartment not far off the 101 freeway in the San Fernando Valley, where, on a recent Tuesday morning, a few of Hungry Girl's employees sit working at computers in what would be the dining room.

In the open kitchen, a food assistant works on today's test recipe, a version of a Planet Hollywood appetizer from the carbed-out 1990s known as Chicken Crunch (and informally as "Cap'n Crunch Chicken").

"It was good. We used to order it all the time," Lillien says fondly, but with a grimace of caloric regret.

The smell of chicken and sugar quickly fills the room, and the recipe's secret is one of Hungry Girl's trademark leaner workarounds -- blending the pulverized Cap'n Crunch with her favorite healthful breading ingredient, Fiber One cereal.

This is all exactly what it seems: fast recipes, with names such as "chocolate pudding crunch explosion" and "swapcorn shrimp," using mostly processed ingredients to assemble shame-free nosh. Hungry Girl recipes approximate the foods Lillien knows her adherents (mostly women) crave, such as fried calamari, onion rings and that totem of post-feminist gastronomic fetishes: cute cupcakes.

"It's a pink Web site, but it's not too girly-girl," Lillien says. "The copy isn't written in that 'Hey, girlfriend' stuff."

Marion Nestle, a New York University nutrition professor, author and proponent of the never-shop-the-center-aisles approach to food, took a look at Hungry Girl's site the other day and was not thrilled by all the pink freneticism and exclamation points. Nor could she hide some of her skepticism: "Really? A pizza with only 400 calories?"

But then she thought about what we all know about food consumers in America: There are two kinds. More than half of them are more like Hungry Girl. The rest (and Nestle includes herself here) can often be snobs.

"I'm glad people are interested in food and in nutrition," Nestle says. "If this helps them reach that point, then okay."

Lillien knows she has critics out there. "People are hypocrites," she says. "They say 'shop the perimeter of the store, never eat anything that's not organic,' but it's B.S., because people can't live like that forever."

She insists she will not expose her readers to any product she doesn't run through her own standards: How does it taste, and will it make me fat? She imposes her own simple, Internet-age ethic, walking a line between editorializing and advertising. She says she won't accept payment for any brand mentioned in her editorial content and won't sell advertising space on her Web site for products she wouldn't eat herself.

In an online cacophony of self-started Web sites offering strong opinions about what to eat-buy-do, Lillien is one of those rare profitable breakouts. Hungry Girl occupies a new frontier between consumer news and retail sales, blowing past traditional media. The site does for a new yogurt what Chromewaves does for new music releases, or Naturally Curly does for a new hair conditioner, or Net-a-Porter does for the newest shoes.

Lillien grew up on Long Island. Her mother was (still is) a yo-yo dieter who did Scarsdale, grapefruit, Nutri-System, Optifast, losing the same weight over and over. Her sister went to fat camp one summer. Her brother ate all he wanted. ("Like, an entire box of Lucky Charms, in a salad bowl, with a carton of whole milk," Lillien recalls, with envy. "And he was a stick with a big head, who never gained weight, wearing a swimsuit with a belt on it.")

Young Hungry Girl loved the commercials for Dolly Madison Zinger snack cakes that aired with Charlie Brown TV specials. (It was an off-brand Twinkie.) "You couldn't get Zingers where we lived," she says. "We had to wait until we went to our summer house."

It was that sort of life. It was that sort of food. It was many up-and-down pounds ago.

Lillien is married with no children. She and her husband, Daniel Schneider, the creator of Nickelodeon's "iCarly," go out for sushi three nights a week. When grocery shopping, she likes to peek in other women's baskets, a never-ending quest for likeminded Hungry Girls who are looking for healthful options. She always reminds her readers that she isn't a nutritionist -- she's just bossy. "I think of myself as everyone's crazy best friend," she says, "who will go get the answers to what they want to know but don't have time to get themselves."

Last month, she added a video studio in an apartment down the hall from her office. A Hungry Girl television show, at some point, is not out of the question. Neither is a line of Hungry Girl grocery items. "And I still have people from my life who ask me what my day job is," Lillien says. "They have no idea how big this has become."

The Cap'n Crunch Chicken is done. But is it -- to use one of Hungry Girl's favorite words -- yumtastic?

Lillien examines a piece, squints at it, nibbles, considers it, then frowns. "Did you mix the spices first?" she asks her aide. "The Cap'n Crunch is still too chunky. It needs to be smoother. But it's a good start."

Original Source : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042304636.html?hpid=topnews

Timothy Wright

2009-04-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

Timothy WrightTimothy Wright, Grammy-nominated gospel singer, dies at 61.

Grammy-nominated gospel singer and composer the Rev. Timothy Wright died yesterday at Bronx Veterans Hospital at the age of 61. The Brooklyn-born singer was critically injured in a three-vehicle car accident last summer that claimed the lives of his wife and grandson and put the singer on a respirator. Wright's 1994 record, Come Thou Almighty King, recorded with the New York Fellowship Mass Choir, cracked the Billboard Top 20 for gospel albums and grabbed a Grammy nod for best traditional soul gospel album. He was nominated again in that category in 1999 for Been There Done That, recorded with the B/J Mass Choir and featuring Myrna Summers. His best-known songs include "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," "Who's on the Lord's Side," and "You Must Come In at the Door."

Original Source : http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/04/timothy-wright.html

Myrtle Beach Fire

2009-04-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

Myrtle Beach FireWildfires Hit Myrtle Beach Area.

Wildfires swept through a coastal region of South Carolina on Thursday and headed for North Myrtle Beach, destroying more than 40 homes and forcing more than 2,500 people to evacuate, state officials said.

Gov. Mark Sanford declared a state of emergency in Horry County, which includes the Myrtle Beach area, and officials of North Myrtle Beach were scrambling to get residents to pack up and flee.

No injuries have been reported since the fire began on Wednesday, but the blaze jumped a state highway and rapidly headed toward a heavily concentrated residential and tourist area, prompting the mass evacuations and the closing of schools and businesses in North Myrtle Beach.

The blaze began along the coast just west of Myrtle Beach around noon on Wednesday and quickly spread, fueled by 25 mile-an-hour winds and extremely low humidity.

“Our public safety department went door to door and we asked everyone to leave,” Mayor Marilyn Hatley of North Myrtle Beach said at a news conference Thursday. “We tried our best to remove everyone as soon as possible.”

Although the blaze has moved quickly along the coast, it stopped just sort of the Intracoastal Waterway separating the mainland from the coastal area, which firefighters were hoping would act as a natural barrier.

“We realized right away that it had huge potential, that it was a very dangerous fire,” said Russell Hubright, a spokesman for the South Carolina Forestry Commission. “The other serious part is that there’s quite a lot of homes in that immediate area there.”

Todd Cartner, a spokesman for the Horry County Fire Rescue, told The Associated Press that the blaze was the worst to hit the area since 1976, when about 30,000 acres, or 47 square miles, burned.

Typically, wildfires claim about 35 homes a year in South Carolina, Mr. Hubright said, adding that the wildfire that began on Wednesday claimed at least 40 homes and damaged another 100 in barely 24 hours.

“This is the worst fire on record as far as loss of homes,” he added.

Mr. Hubright said that fire and forestry officials responded quickly the blaze, and contained about 25 percent of it by late Wednesday, but that the fire burned vigorously overnight, and by Thursday morning containment was below 10 percent.

By early Thursday, officials said that the blaze had engulfed about 15,000 acres.

Many tourists who had been vacationing in the area --known for its golf courses and beaches and which generates about $16 billion a year in business -- were forced to flee. Officials were directing evacuees, including tourists and local residents, to three nearby shelters.

In the meantime, firefighters tried to fence in the flames with tractor plows and a helicopter equipped with a 750-gallon water bucket. But dry and gusty weather conditions that were expected to continue through Thursday were threatening to stoke the flames. Firefighters said they were concerned that the low humidity and strong winds would allow the fire to “spot,” or send out embers as far as a quarter mile away, causing the blaze to spread more quickly.

“When you’re out there trying to contain a fire and you’ve got fire jumping ahead of you, that makes it even more dangerous,” Mr. Hubright said.

Original Source : http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/us/24blaze.html?hp

Caz Pal

2009-04-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

Caz PalCaroline Caz Pal. Is Pal Michael Phelps’ girlfriend? Caroline Caz Paul of Palms Moon Nightclub Las Vegas photos were broke first by LALATE’s VEGASLATE last year.

Back in fall 2008, Pal joined reported boyfriend Michael Phelps for Thanksgiving.
Miss USA runner-up Miss California Carrie Prejean has been reported this week as the now girlfriend of Phelps after her grandmother Jeanette Coppolla tells RADAR she and Phelps hang out.

“Carrie and Michael have been out to baseball games and lunch.He always calls her when he is in town and they go out. Carrie knows that he has dated a lot of girls but she enjoys going out with him and isn’t serious about being in a relationship with him. He’s a nice guy and she likes him.”

And what about Pal and Phelps? Are they together? No comment by either last year or now.

In fall 2008 People Magazine claimed

“The Olympic champ has been dating Las Vegas cocktail waitress Caroline “Caz” Pal, 26, for about two months. … Along with dating Pal, a waitress at the Palms Casino Resort’s Moon Nightclub, Phelps is spending time in Vegas working on his poker game.”

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/04/23/caroline-caz-pal-pictures/

Bride Sues Guest

2009-04-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

Bride Sues Guest

Bride Sues Guest Sandrina Purdum Jennifer Angevine!

I do … sue you! Bride Sandrina Purdum sues her wedding guest Jennifer Angevine for ruining wedding? Sandrina Purdum’s lawsuit against Jennifer Angevine sounds a bit like another wedding lawsuit LALATE told you in 2007.

In 2007, LALATE reported on New York bride Elana Glatt who sued her wedding florist because the flowers were the wrong color. The New York bride claimed it all ruined her wedding.

Now another New York bride is suing mad again.

Sandrina and Harold Purdum got married in September last year but during the ceremony Sandrina claims Harold’s then boss and wedding guest Jennifer Angevine threw a drink on another guest and exclaimed that she slept with Harold, allegedly shouting:

“Me and Harry were good together.

“You had to ruin everything by marrying him. You f- - -ed everything up,”

Purdum is reportedly suing for slander and inflicting emotional distress and battery and her hubby says he never slept with Jennifer.

Don’t mess with New York brides! No comment by Jennifer.

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/04/22/bride-sues-guest-sandrina-purdum-jennifer-angevine/

Bo Jackson

2009-04-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

Bo Jackson
Bo knows … banking? Introducing the Bank of Bo Jackson. Bo Jackson’s Burr Ridge Bank & Trust is a new bank Bo has founded in Burr Ridge Illinois.

Jackson who lead the Raiders and in MLB played for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and California Angels is now launching a bank. His own bank, thank you.

The Bank’s CEO says about fan / depositor’s reactions:

“I walked through there, and it was like the place stopped. (Traders) are shouting, ‘Bo! Bo!’”

NFL? MLB? Na, you haven’t made it til you have your own bank.

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/04/22/bo-jackson-banking/

Earthlink

2009-04-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

EarthlinkEarthLink suffers Earth Day crash.

Internet service provider EarthLink Inc. was hit with a major outage on Wednesday, with users unable to access their e-mail or any Web pages hosted by the company.

(See slideshow: "Worst moments in network security history.")

The cause of the crash was unknown. The company's Web page was knocked offline, and its phone numbers have also apparently been disconnected. Inquiries to the company's public relations department were not immediately returned.

EarthLink users first started reporting problems with their e-mail accounts on Twitter at around 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

"Wake-up call to EarthLink," wrote "

"EarthLink down on Earth Day," noted tweeter QuiCacet. "Coincidence or dastardly conspiracy?"

Atlanta-based EarthLink serves an estimated 2.8 million subscribers in the U.S. The company provides several different kinds of connections, including dial-up, cable and Digital Subscriber Line. It also offers Web hosting and voice-over-IP services.

Original Source : http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131976&intsrc=news_ts_head

Ira Einhorn

2009-04-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

Ira Einhorn

Earth Day Philly Style.

Environmentalist Loved Planet, Murdered Girlfriend.Today is Earth Day, a holiday created to honor the planet and to raise the consciousness of man’s effect on the environment. Philadelphia has a very strong tie to this day. One of its native sons, Ira Einhorn, was a co-founder of the environmentalist jubilee.

But Mr. Einhorn has another line on his resume. In addition to being a environmental guru, he is the Unicorn Killer.

While a student at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Einhorn dated a Bryn Mawr College graduate by the name of Holly Maddux. When the affair ended in 1977, Mr. Einhorn went into a jealous rage and murdered her.

He concealed his crime for 18 months by stuffing Ms. Maddux’s body in a trunk that he kept in his apartment. The foul odor of the decomposing corpse coming from Mr. Einhorn’s Powelton Village apartment caused neighbors to complain. In 1979, police found the trunk stored in a closet in Mr. Einhorn’s apartment.

Ira Einhorn, member of the counterculture pantheon, one of the founders of the environmentalist movement, icon of the liberal intelligentsia, was charged with murder. But it was not just a simple murder, it was a gruesome case of domestic violence.

At the bail hearing, Mr. Einhorn was praised by a contingent of luminaries — all testifying to his character. There were Ivy League professors, an Episcopalian minister and corporate executives who worked with Mr. Einhorn raising funds. They all stated under oath that he was a man of the greatest integrity.

Arlen Specter, currently Pennsylvania’s senior United States Senator, was Mr. Einhorn’s attorney. He managed to get the bail set at the unheard of amount of $40,000 for the suspected murderer. Only 10 percent was needed to free him. Barbara Bronfman, heiress to the Seagram liquor fortune, paid it.

Proclaiming his innocence, Mr. Einhorn told all that he was framed. He said it was the CIA or the FBI who committed the murder and they were trying to frame him for it because of his political activities.

Some will note that another notorious Philadelphia murderer, Mumia Abu Jamal, used this defense a few years later. Like Mumia, Mr. Einhorn had no shortage of leftist followers.

Mr. Einhorn skipped bail and left Philadelphia in 1981. More than a decade passed when the DA's office tried Mr. Einhorn in absentia after being unable to locate him. He was convicted in 1993.

Several years after the absentia conviction, in 1997, Mr. Einhorn was located. He was living in France with a new girlfriend — a Swedish woman. The District Attorney’s office in Philadelphia immediately asked to have him extradited. However, the humane French refused to extradite Mr. Einhorn. French officals cited the use of capital punishment in Pennsylvania and the conviction in absentia as reasons for their refusal.

Mr. Einhorn was able to convince the French courts not to extradite him until he received the promise of a new trial. A Pennsylvania legislator, Dan O’Brien, introduced a bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly that allowed granting Mr. Einhorn a new trial, if he asked for it, and if the French extradited him. The bill did not vacate the original verdict.

When France began extradition, Mr. Einhorn’s representatives requested the European Court of Human Rights to review the case. The request was denied.

He was extradited to Pennsylvania in July 2001. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison October 17, 2002.

But there is a little mentioned irony about the Einhorn saga.

Ira Einhorn was arrested for murder March 28, 1979, the day the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident occurred. Ira Einhorn, environmentalist, was charged with murder during the same period as one of the greatest environmental accidents in United States history.

But the real irony is that more people died in the apartment of Ira Einhorn, co-founder of Earth Day than at Three Mile Island. The environmentalist killed more people than the so-called environmental disaster.

Happy Earth Day.

Original Source : http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/04/22/top_stories/doc49eebca59bdb3868756314.txt

Yannique Barker Stack$!

2009-04-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Yannique Barker Stack$!Here are pictures of rapper Yannique Barker aka Stack$ (Stacks). Brooke Hogan and Stack$ were photographed this week - but are they dating?

While chatter is asking if the two are dating, one thing is for sure - snaps of the two were taken as Brooke shot her new music video for the label that Stack$ owns - SoBe Entertainment.

MTV says of Stack$:

Yannique Barker, a/k/a STACK$, was about to enter his third year at the prestigious USC School of Film and Cinematography when he decided to pursue his lifetime passion for music full-time. By chance, Stack$ met super-producer Scott Storch (Fat Joe, The Roots Mario, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre.) The two became fast friends and eventually Storch decided to executive produce his newfound protégé’s entire first album, and enlisted the help of a number of celebrity friends. Now STACK$ is set to release his debut, CraZee and ConfuZed. The album features cameos from stars like The Game, Diddy, Busta Rhymes, Trick Daddy, PitBull, Paul Wall, and Twista, as well as tracks produced by the likes of Scott Storch, Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes, Timbaland, Jazze Pha, and Red Spyda.

Hogan’s July 2009 album Redemption is on SoBe Records for which Barker is CEO. Other artists on his label include Jah Cure, LP, The New Rivals, Urban Mystic, and Phyllisia.

Stacks told press about his upbringing back in a 2007 interview:

“When you rap, you’re supposed to come from poverty, in impoverished situations and go through struggles. Okay, well, I wasn’t born poor. I was very fortunate to be blessed. But somehow you don’t realize that when you do have money, there is a struggle that comes with it. It’s a struggle that I’ve been going through for the past five or six years.”

Original Source : http://news.lalate.com/2009/04/21/yannique-barker-stack/

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Earth Day 20092009 Earth Day is special, says green jobs czar.

A former Oakland activist now serving as President Barack Obama's "green jobs czar" said this week's Earth Day observance is special because of the new administration.

"As we move forward, one of the big differences is that we recognize now that the debate over whether we can do right by the environment and right by the economy at the same time is over," said Van Jones, appointed in March as special adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

"This Earth Day is for everybody ... for those of us who are concerned about the natural world in the traditional sense, but also for laid-off workers," he said, as well as for home and business owners who could save on energy costs through weatherization and energy-efficiency measures, and for entrepreneurs who can capitalize on economic-recovery funds to provide those services.

Jones' conference call with reporters Tuesday was part of his first big media blitz since he left Oakland for Washington, D.C., last month; he was on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Monday night.

Jones, 40, until last month was CEO of Green For All, an Oakland-based nonprofit organization he founded to promote green-collar jobs and opportunities for the disadvantaged; his recent book, "The Green Collar Economy" made The New York Times nonfiction hardcover best-seller list. Earlier, he cofounded and was the longtime executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, now based in Oakland, which deals with issues such as juvenile justice reform, police reform and youth-violence prevention.

In his current post, he's charged with helping to shape and implement job-generating climate policy; working to ensure equal protection and equal opportunity in the administration's climate and energy proposals; and publicly advocating the Obama administration's environmental and energy agenda.

There's more to celebrate this Earth Day, Jones said, and more reason to recommit to environmental protection and economic growth.

"All across the country now, you're seeing people begin to get the actual benefits of the recovery package," he said, citing a Kansas City, Mo., project in which $200 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money has been dedicated to retrofitting and weatherizing 150 blocks of blighted, low-income neighborhoods.

Such an initiative creates jobs, lowers residents' energy costs, improves property values and is good for the environment, he said: "They're calling it a 'Green Impact Zone' ... showing you can fight pollution and poverty at the same time."

"There's a wingspan on these jobs that goes from the GEDs to the Ph.D.s," he added, noting that finding ways to save energy is as important as finding new, cleaner ways to generate it. "Caulking guns are an equally important part of the agenda ... as are solar panels."

Original Source : http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12192511

Bioidentical Hormone

2009-04-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

Bioidentical HormoneBioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a layman's term for the treatment of the hormone deficiencies caused by menopause and andropause using only molecules that are identical to the endogenous hormones found in the human body. BHRT differs from traditional hormone replacement therapy which includes animal-derived and invented molecules that are similar to, but not identical, to human hormones. The primary bioidentical hormones replaced in human females, estradiol and progesterone, are available in both FDA-approved and individualized pharmacy-compounded products. "BHRT" is sometimes use more generally to describe the practice of using only bioidentical hormones in the treatment of all hormone deficiencies.

BHRT proponents argue that studies show significant differences between bioidentical and non-bioidentical hormones, and that replacing hormones lost due to menopause not only relieves symptoms but can improve health and quality of life. The actress Suzanne Somers has been a prominent advocate of BHRT in the media.

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioidentical_hormone

Andrew Bynum And Rihanna

2009-04-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew Bynum And RihannaAndrew Bynum Is Rihanna Boyfriend.

Meet Andrew Bynum, an American professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of NBA. Bynum is the youngest player to play an NBA game. He is reportedly dating singer Rihanna.

Bynum and Rihanna reportedly went on a date last Friday and if sources are to be believed, they are becoming closer to each other every day and Rihanna seems to have moved on after her breakup with Chris Brown.The couple dined at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. When they left together, a witness reports that they looked “very couple-y, sitting real close to each other in the car.”

The two also showed up together at Byron Davis’ birthday party last week.

As a biography, Andrew Bynum was born on October 27, 1987 in Plainsboro, New Jersey so his age is 21. He attended St. Joseph High School and was named to the 2005 McDonald’s All-American team. He averaged 22.4 points, 16.8 rebounds and 5.3 block in his senior year and decided to go directly to NBA. He was selected 10th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bynum was trained by none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during his initial stay at the club. He became the youngest player to appear in an NBA game in November 2005. He was not exactly consistent during his rookie season but went on to display good dominating skills in the games.

Bynum averaged 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in his 2007-08 season with the Lakers. He suffered from a knee injury in January 2008 and was virtually out of the whole season, only to return in September and resigning a contract with the club worth $58m for four years. He then scored career-high 42 points in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in January 2009.

Original Source : http://sports.rightpundits.com/?p=2396

Megan McAllister

2009-04-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Megan McAllisterFiancee Megan McAllister on accused Craiglist killer Philip Markoff: 'He wouldn't hurt a fly'.

Accused "Craigslist killer" Philip Markoff is due in court today, where he will be charged with murder, kidnapping and gun possession in the shooting death of masseuse Julissa Brisman in a Boston hotel last Tuesday. But the murder suspect's fiancee says he is innocent.

Megan McAllister told the Boston Herald:

Philip is a beautiful man inside and out. He is intelligent, loyal, and the best fiance a woman could ask for. He would not hurt a fly!"

The couple, both of whom are 22-year-old med students, plan to marry in August. She told the Herald:

I will stand by Philip as I know he is innocent. I love him now and always will.”

She also sent an e-mail to ABC’s "Good Morning America" today, saying basically the same thing.

The 26-year-old victim advertised massage services on Craigslist and had a massage table set up in the room where she was shot.

Original Source : http://www.examiner.com/x-264-Celebrity-News-Examiner~y2009m4d21-Fiancee-Megan-McAllister-on-accused-Craiglist-killer-Philip-Markoff-He-wouldnt-hurt-a-fly

William Parente

2009-04-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

William ParentePolice identify 4 dead in Md. hotel as NY family.

Four people found dead in a hotel room near Baltimore were members of a New York family, police said Tuesday, and they continued to investigate the case as a murder-suicide.

Those killed were identified as William Parente, 59; Betty Parente, 58; Stephanie Parente, 19; and Catherine Parente, 11; all of Garden City, N.Y., on Long Island, the Baltimore County Police Department said.

Police said the victims were related, although they did not say how. Next-door neighbor Mary Opulente Krener said in a phone interview that William and Betty Parente were a couple and Stephanie and Catherine were their daughters.

"I can't tell you how heartsick I am," she said. "This is the most wonderful family, the most kind and loving family. I'm astounded."

She said William Parente was a real estate attorney in New York. A call to his office was not immediately returned.

Autopsies were planned for Tuesday.

Staff at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson, a Baltimore suburb, found the bodies Monday afternoon in a locked guest room after the occupants didn't check out as expected.

Several hotel employees declined to comment.

"This is just a terrible tragedy and our team is terribly saddened by this event," said K.C. Kavanagh, spokeswoman for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. "We're doing all we can to assist the police and it's a matter that's in their hands at this time."

Nick Gelston, 30, an electrician from Bel Air, said he stayed at the hotel Saturday night to attend a friend's wedding. He was back Monday afternoon because his car had broken down and he left it there.

"I hope it was nobody who was with us," Gelston said. He said he wasn't aware that any of the wedding guests had stayed on the 10th floor where the bodies were found.

Melanie Morris of Birmingham, Ala., checked into the hotel Monday afternoon and was "a little scared" to see police cars outside.

"The front desk said there was an incident on the 10th floor and there was no immediate danger to the guests," Morris said.

Original Source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jxQQjjyY9vp7_w7Gz1ECphvVYI8QD97MUAR80

Kronur

2009-04-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

KronurThe króna (plural krónur) (sign: kr; code: ISK) is the currency of Iceland. The króna is technically subdivided into 100 aurar (singular eyrir), but in practice this subdivision is no longer used.

The word króna, meaning "crown", is related to that of other Nordic currencies (such as the Danish krone, Swedish krona and Norwegian krone) and to the Latin word corona ("crown"). The name "Icelandic crown" is sometimes used, for example in the financial markets.

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronur

Detroit Lions

2009-04-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Detroit LionsPoor Lions! Another tough decision to make.

The Detroit Lions didn't get to 0-16 by drafting wisely — think Charles Rogers, Joey Harrington, Mike Williams and the like.

Now they face a dilemma. Even if they make what's considered the "right" pick with the first selection in Saturday's draft, they could prolong their decade-long agony.

That's because having the No. 1 overall spot commits the Lions to guaranteeing more than $30 million to an unproven player. If it's potential franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford of Georgia, it's hardly a guarantee.

Stafford has all the tangibles: big, strong-armed, reasonably mobile. He worked out wonderfully at his pro day, the orchestrated party his university threw for scouts. Then he worked out wonderfully when the Lions had him in.

But his career at Georgia was a mild disappointment — he was so-so in some of his biggest games, making bad reads, throwing key interceptions and demonstrating that what you see in shorts isn't necessarily what you get when the game is played for real.

The Lions could play it safe by taking Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith or Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, and use Daunte Culpepper at QB. Smith could be this year's Jake Long, a solid left tackle with a dozen good years ahead of him. And Curry is likely to be a starting linebacker for 10-12 years even though he's not spectacular; he's never been used as a pass rusher, for example.

So Stafford is the likely choice: pass rushers, left tackles and, of course, QBs tend to be the most coveted players.

Yet the failure rate for first-round quarterbacks is still pretty high.

Basically, there are good years and bad years, 2004 being a good year with Eli Manning, Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, 2006 being not so good with Vince Young and Matt Leinart sitting on benches in Tennessee and Arizona. Even Jay Cutler, the third QB taken that year and by far the most successful on the field, has issues. Cutler got himself traded to Chicago after owner Pat Bowlen got tired of his non-responsiveness to messages.

Smith and Curry are safe picks. But Detroit gambles on ...

MATTHEW STAFFORD, QB, Georgia.

Just for fun, this first round includes seven players from a state that normally doesn't produce NFL players the way Florida, Texas and California do. (Answer at the bottom). For those who keep score and mock everybody's mocks, please note that these are for guessing purposes only. One trade or one unexpected pick and everything is thrown off.

2. ST. LOUIS: Orlando Pace was released. JASON SMITH, T, Baylor, is drafted. Easy transition. Or so the Rams hope.

3. KANSAS CITY: This should be simple. AARON CURRY, LB, Wake Forest, is the obvious choice. But he was an outside LB in college, so where does he fit in the 3-4 defense that Scott Pioli and Todd Haley, the new GM and coach, plan to install? Probably inside between newly obtained veterans Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas. He could drop if the Chiefs go for someone like offensive tackle Eugene Monroe.

4. SEATTLE: Matt Hasselbeck has a bad back. MATT SANCHEZ, QB, Southern Cal, might not be ready yet, but he fits Seattle's West Coast offense and may have a higher upside than Stafford.

5. CLEVELAND: The Browns are trying to trade Braylon Edwards. MICHAEL CRABTREE, WR, Texas Tech, is insurance, although he's recovering from a stress fracture in his foot.

6. CINCINNATI: The Bengals used to be able to score. Even with Carson Palmer back, they need help up front. EUGENE MONROE, OT, Virginia.

7. OAKLAND: The draft is now a three-month process, which is why ANDRE SMITH, OT, Alabama, can fall from a top five pick to the bottom of the round, then rise again.

8. JACKSONVILLE: What the Jags need are wide receivers. Even if they sign Torry Holt, they take JEREMY MACLIN, WR, Missouri.

9. GREEN BAY: The Packers dropped last year because of defensive failures. Switching to the 3-4, they take a 330-plus pound nose tackle, B.J. RAJI, DT, Boston College.

10. SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers' defense isn't bad. But Manny Lawson, a No. 1 three years ago, hasn't quite fit, so they clone him with BRIAN ORAKPO, DE/LB Texas.

11. BUFFALO: How do you complement T.O? By beefing up the defense. ROBERT AYERS, DE, Tennessee.

.

12. DENVER: Suddenly the Broncos are a team that needs a young QB, although Josh McDaniels may like Kyle Orton enough to consider this less than a major need. AARON MAYBIN, DE/LB, Penn State, for a defense that STILL needs all the help it can find.

13. WASHINGTON: The Redskins are old on the OL and slow on the DL, even with Albert Haynesworth. EVERETTE BROWN, DE/LB, Florida State, for some outside speed.

14. NEW ORLEANS: Reggie Bush will never be an every down back. BEANIE WELLS, RB, Ohio State, is from the Deuce McAllister mold.

15. HOUSTON: No premium pass rushers left to supplement Mario Williams. So take a cover man in VONTAE DAVIS, CB, Illinois.

16. SAN DIEGO: Lost Igor Olshansky to Dallas, replace him with TYSON JACKSON, DE, LSU.

17. NEW YORK JETS: The Jets need a quarterback and this is probably where Stafford deserves to go. But if you can't take a pitcher, get a catcher, PERCY HARVIN, WR, Florida.

18. DENVER: Josh McDaniels likes Orton, the QB he got from Chicago for Cutler. But JOSH FREEMAN, QB, Kansas State, has an upside that, in a couple years might make him this draft's best quarterback.

19. TAMPA BAY: BRIAN CUSHING, OLB, Southern California, is bigger, stronger and a bit slower than Derrick Brooks. He fits a rebuilding Bucs defense.

20. DETROIT: The Lions no longer have Shaun Rogers. PERIA JERRY, DT, Mississippi, may be as good. He certainly has a better attitude.

21. PHILADELPHIA: The Eagles need someone who can push the pile and take the load off Brian Westbrook. KNOWSHON Moreno, RB, Georgia, is a steal this low.

22. MINNESOTA: Even with Antonio Winfield, the secondary needs help. MALCOLM JENKINS, CB, Ohio State.

23. NEW ENGLAND: Bill Belichick likes his players versatile. CONNOR BARWIN, DE-LB-TE, Cincinnati, has been rising quickly and is the perfect replacement for Mike Vrabel, who played all three of those positions. Barwin also might last to No. 34, the pick the Patriots got for Matt Cassel.

24. ATLANTA: Keith Brooking and Michael Boley are gone, which provides a slot for CLAY MATTHEWS, LB, Southern California.

25. MIAMI: Relatively simple, assuming DARIUS HEYWARD-BEY, WR, Maryland, is still around.

26. BALTIMORE: Bart Scott went to the Jets with Rex Ryan. REY MAUALUGA, LB, Southern California, replaces him.

27. INDIANAPOLIS: BRANDON PETTIGREW, TE, Oklahoma State, is an old-fashioned type who can block and catch and allows Dallas Clark to do what he's been doing anyway — function as a wide receiver.

28. BUFFALO: Traded Jason Peters. His long-term replacement is MICHAEL OHER, T, Mississippi.

29. NEW YORK GIANTS: The Giants have a lot of extra picks for an Edwards trade. If this choice doesn't go to Cleveland, LARRY ENGLISH, OLB, Northern Illinois, to solidify a position where they need a playmaker. Not enamored of local kid Kenny Britt, a WR from Rutgers, although Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina could fit here.

30. TENNESSEE: Did a lot last season with no deep threat. BRITT may take a year or two, but he has size and speed.

31. ARIZONA: DONALD BROWN, RB, Connecticut. Plenty of first-rounders from UConn in the NBA and WNBA but never before in the NFL. He's also the seventh first-rounder from the trivia state.

32. PITTSBURGH. ALEX MACK, C, Cal, is the quintessential Steelers pick.

Raji, Monroe, Cushing, Moreno, Jenkins, Britt and Brown all grew up in New Jersey.

Original Source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ivnpO3-mNMHxR0OB8iXRYYb1w8rQD97MBU100

Stephen Hawking Very Ill

2009-04-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Stephen Hawking Very IllReports: Stephen Hawking 'Very Ill," Hospitalized.

Noted physicist Stephen Hawking has been described as "very ill" and has been hospitalized, according to reports.

The report was confirmed to the BBC by Cambridge University, which employs Hawking as its Lucasian Professor of Mathematics.

Hawking, 67, has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, often fatal after a few years. Hawking has survived for more than 40 years with the disease, CNN reported.

A Cambridge University spokesman said that Hawking had "been unwell for a couple of weeks," according to the BBC.

An iconic scientist both for his intellect and his ability to coexist with a debilitating disease, Hawking entered the popular consciousness with his 1988 book, A Brief History of Time.

Original Source : http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345574,00.asp

Scoot Coupe

2009-04-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

Scoot CoupeIf Market Motors is successful, brightly colored three-wheeled vehicles soon will be tooling around the Mid-Ohio Valley this summer.

Market Motors is set to unveil Scoot coupes to potential customers in Ohio and West Virginia.

Bill Waldeck, owner of Market Motors, described the vehicles as a cross between a motorcycle and a Volkswagen.

"There is really nothing else like them." he said.

The three-wheeled, two-passenger coupes are similar to a motorcycle, with a set of handlebars instead of a steering wheel. Helmets must be worn and drivers must have a required motorcycle license.

Unlike scooters and motorcycles, the coupes are more stable and allow passengers to ride beside the driver. The coupe's features include seat belts, a locking trunk and glove box and a roll bar. Models can also be accessorized to accommodate an iPod.

The Scoot coupes can reach a top speed of 55 mph and gets up to 75 miles per gallon. Waldeck said a Scoot coupe will go about 110 miles on a tank of gas.

The vehicles are certainly eye-catching, manufactured in vived blue, green, yellow and red colors.

Market Motors has been stocked with the coupes since January and is ready to open its doors. Waldeck said they are still waiting on approval from the state.

"If we had our license, we would have sold about 36 of these by now," he said. "The hold up with the state getting the license has been a major headache."

Waldeck said Market Motors has been getting calls from all over, Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland, from buyers interested in purchasing the coupes.

"We want them to come to Parkersburg," he said.

In addition to fielding calls from prospective buyers, curious onlookers stop by daily, peering inside their 925 Market St. location.

Waldeck said they clean the glass daily, but nose prints from people seeking a better look at the coupes quickly reappear.

"We get notes shoved inside the door from prospective customers," he said. "Most people that see it just can't believe it."

The Scoot coupe was created in 2004 by Panther Motors, a Florida company. Waldeck became friends with the company's CEO and was interested in carrying the line in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Waldeck said Market Motors will serve West Virginia and Ohio. He's optimistic the vehicles will eventually be assembled in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

"Maybe a lot of jobs," he said.

The Scoot coupes come with 50cc or 150cc engines and a Fiberglas body. Coupes have a one-year, 12,000 mile warranty. Models, which have a pricetag of about $6,000, are available in four bright colors and a limited edition black, all of which are on display.

Waldeck said the vibrant colors make the coupe standout.

"You can recognize them on the street and see them coming down the road," he said.

One of the drawbacks is the lack of a top, making it less than ideal for rainy days or cold weather.

"It is a late March to October vehicle," Waldeck said.

In addition to selling the vehicles, Market Motors has a parts department, including a mechanic and garage that can work on the vehicles. Market Motors also offers custom accessories, floor mats, covers, chrome package, shirts and hats.

"We are doing all the after market stuff," he said.

Once Market Motors receives its license Waldeck said it will be open Monday through Friday from 9 to 3 and on weekends by appointment. Once the operation begins running the company will add a second salesman and open seven days a week.

Market Motors will also add Micargi bicycles to its product line.

Original Source : http://newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/516349.html?nav=5054

Boston Marathon

2009-04-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Boston MarathonDeriba Merga, Salina Kosgei win at Boston Marathon.

Ethiopia's Deriba Merga overcame the disappointment of his Olympic fade to win the Boston Marathon on Monday, and Kenya's Salina Kosgei won the closest women's race in the 113-year history of the event while Americans took third in both races for the best U.S. finish since 1985.

Merga, who was passed in the last quarter-mile and finished fourth in Beijing, pulled away before Heartbreak Hill and won in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 42 seconds — almost a full minute ahead of Kenya's Daniel Rono and American Ryan Hall.

Kosgei won a sprint with defending champion Dire Tune, trading the lead several times in the final blocks of Boylston Street before hitting the tape less than a stride ahead of the Ethiopian in 2:32:16. American Kara Goucher led the three as they crossed the MassPike into Kenmore Square with one mile to go, but she was outkicked down the stretch and finished 9 seconds back.

The winners will take home $150,000, but Merga had to wait for his traditional laurel wreath: The women's pace was so slow and the men finished so fast that he crossed the finish line before Kosgei had a chance to climb the champion's podium.

Kosgei said the weather conditions made for a difficult finish.

"The wind was a bit stronger. ... So, it was very hard," Kosgei said. "I decided I must try. So, I tried."

No American has won in Boston since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach in 1985, when the U.S. women swept the top three and the men came in second and third. The 2009 race was the slowest since then, a pace that had the men's leaders passing the female stragglers and approaching the final mile as the women were hitting the tape.

Goucher burst into tears and was consoled by her husband, and Tune fell to the pavement for several minutes after the final sprint. Race spokesman Jack Fleming said Tune would not be available because she was receiving medical attention; he did not elaborate.

Goucher's voice cracked repeatedly in the postrace news conference.

"I just wanted it for everybody that wanted it for me," she said. "I'm proud of how I did. I just wanted to be the one that won for everybody."

Original Source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hDQ4UyM4PTYJNfyTk0OaCEUYBRTQD97MAFGO0

A Joyous Easter For Hostage Families

2009-04-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

A Joyous Easter For Hostage FamiliesWith news that Capt. Richard Phillips had been rescued unharmed after being held for five days by Somali pirates, a lawn sign in the captain's hometown of Underhill, Vt., that read "Pray for Captain Phillips' release and safe return home" was changed to read, "Capt. Phillips rescued and safe."

A spokeswoman for the Phillips family, Alison McColl, said Phillips and his wife, Andrea, spoke by phone shortly after he was freed.

"I think you can all imagine their joy and what a happy moment that was for them," McColl said outside of the Phillips home. "They're all just so happy and relieved. Andrea wanted me to tell the nation that all of your prayers and good wishes have paid off, because Capt. Phillips is safe."

The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet said Phillips, 53, was resting comfortably after a medical exam on the San Diego-based USS Boxer in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia.

In Mombasa, Kenya, Phillips' 19 crewmen, who said the captain offered himself as a hostage to safeguard the crew, gathered on the lower deck of the Maersk Alabama. They whistled and pumped their fists in the air and fired two bright red flares into the sky from the ship.

"We made it!" shouted ATM "Zahid" Reza, from Hartford, Conn., pumping his fist in the air as he stood among about a dozen crewmen who came out to answer questions from the throng of journalists and television cameras.

Another crew member, who declined to give his name, said he was not surprised Phillips had made it out alive, but said the captain had been "in a 120-degree oven for days."

Capt. Joseph Murphy, the father of Phillips' second-in-command Shane Murphy, thanked Phillips for his bravery.

"Our prayers have been answered on this Easter Sunday," Murphy said. "If not for his incredible personal sacrifice, this kidnapping and act of terror could have turned out much worse."

Murphy said both his family and Phillips' "can now celebrate a joyous Easter together."

"This was an incredible team effort, and I am extremely proud of the tireless efforts of all the men and women who made this rescue possible," U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said in a statement.

He called Phillips and his crew "heroic."

Terry Aiken, 66, who lives across the street from the Phillips house, fought back tears as he reacted to the news.

"I'm very, very happy," Aiken said. "I can't be happier for him and his family."

Original Source : http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-woside1312647328apr18,0,225445.story

Anti-Blindness Therapy

2009-04-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Anti-Blindness TherapyAnti-blindness stem cell therapy perfected.

British scientists say they have developed a stem procedure that will reverse the most common cause of blindness, age-related macular degeneration.

The procedure, pioneered by the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London and Moorfields eye hospital, involves replacing a layer of degenerated eye cells with new ones obtained from embryonic stem cells, The Sunday Times of London reported.

The newspaper said pharmaceutical research company Pfizer this week will announce financial backing to bring the therapy to patients.

"This is a huge step forward for patients," Tom Bremridge, chief executive of the Macular Disease Society, told The Sunday Times. "We are extremely pleased that the big guns have become involved, because, once this treatment is validated, it will be made available to a huge volume of patients."

More than 500,000 Britons are affected by age-related macular degeneration and that number will increase significantly as people live longer, observers say.

Original Source : http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/04/19/Anti-blindness-stem-cell-therapy-perfected/UPI-82961240165626/

Amber Hagerman

2009-04-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Amber HagermanAmber Alert system for missing children.

An Amber Alert system is to be set-up for missing children following a recommendation from the Garda Inspectorate.

Kathleen O'Toole said that when a child goes missing in high-risk circumstances it is vital that the gardaí can immediately get the assistance of key networks in alerting the community.

She said that much could be done to establish the system without incurring additional cost.

The ISPCC has welcomed the move but added that we also need to ensure that other mechanisms that are operational across Europe are used here, including the introduction of the 116 000 telephone number.

The number has been in place for more than two years in a number of European countries but not in Ireland.

The ISPCC says Ireland falls short of adequate policies, procedures and services that deal with missing children.

The Amber Alert system was first introduced in the US and is named after nine-year-old Amber Hagerman who was abducted from her Texas home in 1995. It also stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.

In the US the alerts are broadcast on radio and television news bulletins as well as on road signs and usually contain a description of the child and of their alleged abductor.

Original Source : http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0415/missing.html

USS Stockdale

2009-04-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

USS StockdaleChristening Saturday for USS Stockdale.

Navy destroyer named after Abingdon native.

The USS Stockdale, a guided-missile destroyer, will be commissioned Saturday at Port Hueneme, Calif.

The destroyer is named after Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale, an Abingdon native famous for the 7 years he spent as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War in Hoa Lo Prison, the infamous Hanoi Hilton. According to the Web site for the new destroyer, he was physically tortured no fewer than 15 times. He was kept in solitary confinement, in total darkness, for four years, chained in heavy, abrasive leg irons for two years, malnourished due to a starvation diet, denied medical care and deprived of letters from home in violation of the Geneva Convention.

The ordeal began on Sept. 9, 1965, when then-Commander Stockdale catapulted his A-4E Skyhawk off the flight deck of the U.S.S. Oriskany. Approaching his target, his plane was hit repeatedly with anti-aircraft fire.

“Within seconds, his engine was aflame and all hydraulic control was gone,” according the Web site.

Upon his release in 1973, Stockdale received the Medal of Honor, along with 26 personal combat decorations, including four Silver Star medals.

Stockdale’s wife also is known for her bravery and actions during her husband’s captivity. Sybil Stockdale campaigned for respectful treatment for the families of POWs by founding the League of Families. Sybil Stockdale was presented with the U.S. Navy Department’s Distinguished Public Service Award by the Chief of Naval Operations, the only wife of an active-duty officer ever to be so honored.

The Navy announced in 2006 that the destroyer would be named after the late Vice Adm. Stockdale. Since then, according to the Web site, Sybil Stockdale and her family have kept a close relationship with the ship and crew. The family visited the ship while it was under construction in Maine and during the ship’s christening in May 2008.

The U.S.S. Stockdale’s home port will be San Diego. The newest addition to the U.S. 3rd Fleet’s destroyer force, destroyers like the Stockdale provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities and can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups and underway replenishment groups.

Commander Fred W. Kacher will be the Stockdale’s commanding officer and Lt. Commander Brandon S. Bryan will be executive officer.

“Over the past two years, we have had the privilege of getting to know the Stockdales and they have been wonderful to our ship, which bears the name of their father and grandfather and a genuine American hero. We are so grateful to commander, Third Fleet for allowing us this opportunity to bond with the Stockdale family at sea,” Kacher said.

Stockdale was a member of the class of 1946 at Monmouth College, where the student center was named in his honor in 1989.

Original Source : http://www.galesburg.com/news/x50621451/Christening-today-for-USS-Stockdale

Celtics Beaten

2009-04-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

Celtics BeatenBulls beat Celtics 105-103 in OT in Game 1.

Derrick Rose scored 36 points in his playoff debut and helped the Chicago Bulls do something not even Michael Jordan could: beat the Boston Celtics in the postseason.

Rose had 11 assists to go with his career high in points, and Tyrus Thomas made a jumper from the corner with 51 seconds left in overtime to lead the Bulls to a 105-103 victory over the defending NBA champions in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series.

Rajon Rondo scored 29 points with nine rebounds and seven assists for Boston, which was without Kevin Garnett and without much help from the rest of the Big Three, either.

Paul Pierce scored 23 points on 8-of-21 shooting, but missed the potential game-winning free throw at the end of regulation and had a potential game-tying basket blocked with 3.7 seconds left in overtime. Ray Allen, who scored four points on 1-for-12 shooting, had a chance to send it into a second overtime but his jumper from the right side bounced off the back of the rim.

Game 2 is Monday, the anniversary of the 1986 playoff game when Jordan scored 63 points against Boston — in a Bulls loss. In fact, Chicago had not beaten the Celtics in 10 postseason games since the Chicago Stags beat the Celtics in the 1948 NBA quarterfinals.

Too hurt to play and too frustrated to watch, Garnett took refuge in the locker room after the first half while his teammates rallied from an 11-point deficit. Rondo hit a short jumper over Joakim Noah in the lane to give the Celtics a 96-95 lead, but Rose put Chicago ahead on two free throws with 9.4 seconds left in regulation.

Noah fouled Pierce with 2.6 seconds left, but after tying it 97-all with the first free throw the Celtics captain missed the second and the game went into overtime.

Thomas scored six of Chicago's eight points in the overtime and finished with 16 points. Noah, who was also making his postseason debut, scored 11 with 17 rebounds for the Bulls.

Garnett injured his right knee on Feb. 19 and played just 66 minutes, 18 seconds over the last two months of the regular season as the Celtics tried to get him back in shape for the playoffs. But the team kept pushing back the date of his return — from the final three games, to the last two and then to one before coach Doc Rivers shocked everyone on Thursday when he announced that Garnett wouldn't be back in time for Saturday's playoff opener and probably not at all.

Garnett hasn't traveled with the team or been on the bench during his recovery, but Rivers and the players all said that it would be vital to have him out there to cheer them on. That lasted for 24 minutes of fist-pumping, ear-chewing and butt-slapping before Garnett decided he couldn't take it any more.

He missed Rose hitting a hanging jumper in the lane to give the Bulls a 55-44 lead before Boston cut the lead to four points and, with an 8-0 run later in the third, take a 68-67 lead on Rondo's 3-pointer with four minutes left in the quarter.

With the loss at home, the Celtics showed they are in for a long road — and probably a short playoffs — without Garnett. As the No. 2 seed in the East, a team that has two All-Stars and won 62 games — Boston was expected to advance to the conference finals and a potential matchup with Cleveland.

On the other hand, the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks took the Celtics to seven games in the first round last year, and that proved to be a mere speed bump en route to their unprecedented 17th NBA title.

Notes: Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, who suffered a mild heart attack on Thursday, was not at the game. His absence was acknowledged by an announcement and a big cheer from the crowd in the first quarter. ... Bulls F John Salmons played with a sore groin. ... The arena was quickly cleared so the Bull Gang could set up for Saturday night's Bruins playoff game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Original Source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hANBFBIp7zECMGuMMM7WEvYgxFGAD97L34F80

Dogwood Festival

2009-04-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Dogwood FestivalThe 73rd Annual Dogwood Festival in Atlanta Moves Back to Piedmont Park.

The 2009 Atlanta Dogwood Festival is Taking Place on April 17, 18, & 19 to Celebrate Its 73rd Year.

The 73rd annual Dogwood Festival is now underway in Atlanta, Georgia. Taking place back in Piedmont Park, where the festival has had so much success in the past, the annual festival is expected to see thousands in attendance during its three day run. The 2009 Atlanta Dogwood Festival is going to run on April 17, 18, & 19 and will show off some of the best artists from around the country, all coming to help celebrate as the Dogwoods go into bloom. Tents are up, the music is playing, and people are already enjoying the first day of the 2009 Dogwood Festival.

The 73rd annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival will be held for three days, and has specific hours where events will be taking place at Piedmont Park. The festival will run from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, and from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday. During that time there will be various forms of entertainment available to the crowds, including music, canine competitions, and kids activities. There will even be interactive drumming sessions taking place on Saturday and Sunday that attendants can go enjoy.

Some of the bigger events of this year's Dogwood Festival include an open air comedy club at the Lake Clara Meer Dock Stage. This will take place on Friday night (April 17th) at 8:00 p.m. and will have a half-hour comedy show by Jess Justice and his group, followed by an hour long improv session from Dad's Garage Theatre Company. There will be cocktails and an art bar available, but act quickly, because tickets could go fast, selling at a price of $12 in advance, or $15 at the door. From there attendants can go enjoy the Friends of Dogwood, which will be taking place in the Pavilion and showing off the best food options the area has to offer. (The restaurants that will be serving are listed below).

The 73rd annual Dogwood Festival will be a great opportunity to take in the Dogwood's while they are in bloom, all while having fun with friends and family while enjoying some great food. It's a way to celebrate the community and hang out with your neighbors in a structured setting.

Original Source : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1659847/the_73rd_annual_dogwood_festival_in.html?cat=8

Aneesh Chopra

2009-04-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Aneesh Chopra
Obama names Chopra, Zients to top posts.

President Barack Obama named two men who have been executives at Washington-area businesses to lead efforts to improve the government’s use of technology and the performance of federal employees.

In his weekly Saturday morning radio address, Obama said he appointed Aneesh Chopra, Virginia’s secretary of technology and former managing director of the D.C.-based Advisory Board Co., to the position of federal chief technology officer.

Also in the radio address, he announced the appointment of investor Jeffrey Zients, former CEO of the Advisory Board Co. and former chairman of the Arlington-based Corporate Executive Board Co. , as federal chief performance officer.

The Corporate Executive Board is a research and consulting organization that helps companies improve their decision-making and business practices. The Advisory Board also provides research and analysis to foster better corporate leadership. Much of its work is with hospitals and health systems.

In March, Obama selected the District’s chief technology officer, Vivek Kundra, to be the federal chief information officer.

The president wants Chopra to promote technological innovation to help meet national goals such as health care reform, homeland security and job creation. Zients is being asked to help the government streamline its processes, reduce costs and follow “best practices” in management.

“Aneesh and Jeffrey will work closely with our chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, who is responsible for setting technology policy across the government, and using technology to improve security, ensure transparency, and lower costs,” Obama said in his remarks for the radio address, as posted on the White House Web site. “The goal is to give all Americans a voice in their government and ensure that they know exactly how we’re spending their money – and can hold us accountable for the results.”

As Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine’s technology secretary, Chopra oversees projects that include the use technology to improve state government and the promotion of technology-related economic development. At the Advisory Board, he led the company’s Financial Leadership Council and the Working Council for Health Plan Executives. He also was involved in the introduction of a business intelligence software called Compass.

Chopa earned a bachelor’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University and has a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

The job of federal chief technology officer is a newly created position.

Zients is managing partner of Portfolio Logic LLC, an investment company that concentrates on health care and business services. Zients founded the company after he left the Advisory Board in 2004, where he had served as chairman since 2001. Previously, Zients was chief operating officer of the Advisory Board from 1996 to '98 and CEO from 1998 to 2001. He was chairman of The Corporate Executive Board from 2000 to '01. He currently serves on the board of Sirius XM Radio Inc.

A group led by Zientz and D.C. venture capitalist Fred Malek made a bid to become the owner of the Washington Nationals in 2006 but lost out to a group led by the Lerner family.

Zients wasn’t Obama’s first choice for chief performance officer. The president nominated Nancy Killefer, senior director in the D.C. office of management consulting business McKinsey & Co., for the position in January, but she withdrew the next month because of the publicity over tax problems related to her household help.

The chief performance officer also serves as deputy director of management in the Office of Management and Budget.

Original Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/04/13/daily103.html

Craigslist Killer

2009-04-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Craigslist Killer‘Numerous’ tips on Craigslist killer probed.

As a grand jury convened to interview witnesses in the horrifying murder of aspiring actress and model Julissa Brisman, cops were chasing down leads yesterday from “numerous tips” that poured in from people who think they know who the Craiglist killer is.

Police believe the killer is the same john who bound and robbed at gunpoint a 29-year-old hooker from Las Vegas in her room at the Westin Copley Place April 10. Like Brisman, she had advertised services on craigslist.org.

Investigators do not believe any business was conducted between Brisman, who advertised as a masseuse, and her visitor before she died, a source told the Herald.

Police are urging other women who may have been victims and who recognize the man to come forward.

“There is a possibility that maybe women in this scenario are not reporting what happened to them,” said Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll. “We’re hoping more information might lead to his arrest.”

Driscoll said victims who work as prostitutes need not fear that coming forward will incriminate them.

As it is unclear how many victims and crimes eventually might be attributed to the same man, Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley, assured, “All aspects of (Brisman’s) homicide and any potential links to any other cases are under investigation.”

Northeastern University criminologist James Fox said the Craigslist killer appears to have killed Brisman to cover his tracks. “If he was concerned she was screaming and someone was gonna hear, one of the quickest ways to quiet someone is with a bullet,” he said.

Brisman’s friend, Mark Pines, wasn’t so sure. “I know if someone was robbing her and there was a threat, she would not resist,” he said. “She’d give them the money, which is why I feel she didn’t get killed over a robbery, and that she got killed over this person’s violent needs.”

Original Source : http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_04_17_%E2%80%98Numerous__tips_on_Craigslist__killer_probed/srvc=home&position=also