Daily News

Senate passes health care bill

2009-12-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

Senate passes health care bill | Senate Democrats passed a health care bill

Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill in a climactic Christmas Eve vote that could define President Barack Obama's legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for the first time in the country's history. "We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people," Obama said shortly after the Senate acted. "This will be the most important piece of social legislation since Social Security passed in the 1930s," said Obama, standing with Vice President Joe Biden in the State Room of the White House.

The 60-39 vote on a cold winter morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It also followed a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point. Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents voted "yes." Republicans unanimously voted "no." An exhausted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., initially cast a "no" vote by mistake, then quickly corrected himself as fellow senators burst out laughing. The tally far exceeded the simple majority required for passage. The Senate's bill must still be merged with legislation passed by the House before Obama could sign a final bill in the new year. There are significant differences between the two measures but Democrats say they've come too far now to fail.

NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 | NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 to track Santa Claus

2009-12-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 | NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 to track Santa Claus

The North American Aerospace Defense Command's (known as NORAD) 2009 will be keeping Santa TrackerNORAD Santa Tracker 2009: Santa Has Begun Delivering Presents
Date: December 31, 1969 track of Santa Claus delivering presents around the globe. NORAD's 2009 Santa tracking began on Christmas NORAD Santa Tracker 2009: Santa Has Begun Delivering Presents Date: December 31, 1969 Eve,at 5 a.m. EST. This is the time NORAD indicates Santa embarks on his gift-giving mission.

Santa Tracker consists of a world map, with a Santa icon that moves as Santa does. Gift boxes indicate where jolly St. Nick is expected to stop. The packages will be lit up with a glow, wherever Santa stops. This allows you to follow a highlighted trail of Santa's global journey. The Santa Tracker is also tricked out with several features that allow you to keep dibs on Santa. The bottom of the map will tell you where Santa currently is and where his next stop will be. NORAD will also add pictures and video captured during Santa's 2009 Christmas Eve trek. If you are curious about the locations Santa visits, there is also a Wikipedia link to explore.

The NORAD Santa Tracker 2009 offers updates of Santa's stops through Twitter and Facebook. There is also a mobile alert option, which will send text messages to your cell phone. If you or your child would prefer to call in to NORAD for Santa's coordinates, call NORAD's Santa Operations Center at 1-877-HI NORAD (1-877-446-6723). You will be able to speak to a live NORAD representative. The NORAD website claims that they are able to keep track of Mr. Claus using Rudolph's glowing red nose and satellite imagery. The tracker indicates he has already been to the Polonos Islands, Micronesia, Russia and Japan.

Chelsea hit with shock transfer banned from FIFA

2009-09-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

Chelsea hit with shock transfer banned from FIFA

Chelsea have been banned from registering any new players for the next two transfer windows in a shock move by FIFA after being found guilty of inducing a French teenager to breach his contract with another club. Gael Kakuta (pictured), 18, joined Chelsea from Lens two years ago after which the French club lodged a complaint with FIFA.

Now FIFA's dispute resolution chamber has ruled that Kakuta breached his contract with Lens and that Chelsea induced him to do so. They now cannot make any signings until January 2011, while the player has been fined £682,000 and banned for four months. Chelsea havea right to appeal the decision directly to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

FIFA said in a statement: "The French club had lodged a claim with FIFA seeking compensation for breach of contract from the player and requesting also sporting sanctions to be imposed on the player and the English club for breach of contract and inducement to breach of contract respectively. "The DRC found that the player had indeed breached a contract signed with the French club. Equally, the DRC deemed it to be established that the English club induced the player to such breach.

"As a result the player was condemned to pay compensation in the amount of 780,000 euros (£682,000), for which the club, Chelsea, is jointly and severally liable, and sporting sanctions were imposed on both the player and Chelsea in accordance with art. 17 par. 3 and 4 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.

"A restriction of four months on his eligibility to play in official matches is imposed on the player Gael Kakuta while the club Chelsea is banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the two next entire and consecutive registration periods following the notification of the present decision. "Furthermore, Chelsea, has to pay RC Lens training compensation in the amount of 130,000 euros (£114,000)."

Giancarlo Fisichella joined Ferrari

2009-09-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

Giancarlo Fisichella joined Ferrari

Giancarlo Fisichella has been given the green light by Force India to race for Ferrari for the remainder of the season, with immediate effect.

"Following extensive discussions over the past 24 hours, the Force India Formula One Team has agreed to release Giancarlo Fisichella from his contract to join the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team for the remainder of the 2009 season, starting with immediate effect," Force India said in a statment. Force India team boss Vijay Mallya said that he would not have stood in the way of the Italian taking a race seat with Ferrari.

"Giancarlo and his management team approached me yesterday with the proposal from Ferrari," Mallya said. "For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this. "Furthermore the agreement will secure Giancarlo's long-term future with Ferrari and it would be incorrect to jeopardise this, particularly when Giancarlo has made such a vital contribution to Force India."

Amazingly, Mallya said that there had been no financial settlement with Ferrari over the switch of Fisichella, who caused a minor sensation when running Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen close in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix for Force India's first ever championship points. "This agreement has been made in good faith and for the good of Giancarlo and the sport in general," Mallya insisted. "A competitive Italian driver in a Ferrari for Monza is a positive story for Formula One, which can only help raise the sport's profile in these difficult times."

Fisichella would now be expected to make his Ferrari debut at the next Formula One Grand Prix at the Italian circuit of Monza on September 13. The 36-year-old replaces Luca Badoer as Kimi Raikkonen's team-mate, after the Italian test driver filled in for two races following Felipe Massa's accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Stand-in Badoer, 38, struggled in his two races as a replacement for Massa. Making a comeback after almost a decade away from grand prix racing, he qualified last in Valencia and Belgium and was also last to take the chequered flag in both races. Force India are yet to announce who will replace Fisichella for them for the remainder of the season.

Watch Carling Cup Live Streaming

2009-08-11T07:08:00.000-07:00

Watch Carling Cup Live Streaming

Tuesday August 11, 2009, Kick off: 19:45

Crystal Palace vs Torquay United

Accrington vs Walsall

Huddersfield Town vs Stockport County

Rotherham United vs Derby County

Tranmere Rovers vs Grimsby Town

Sheffield Wednesday vs Rochdale

Bury vs West Bromwich

Notts County vs Doncaster Rovers

Lincoln City vs Barnsley

Scunthorpe United vs Chesterfield

Preston North End vs Morecambe

Crewe Alexandra vs Blackpool

Sheffield United vs Port Vale

Cardiff City vs Dagenham and Redbridge

Wycombe Wanderers vs Peterborough United

Southampton vs Northampton Town

Barnet vs Watford

Hereford United vs Charlton Athletic

Bristol Rovers vs Aldershot Town

Millwall vs Bournemouth

Gillingham vs Plymouth Argyle

Colchester United vs Leyton Orient

Exeter City vs Queens Park Rangers

Cheltenham Town vs Southend United

Brentford vs Bristol City

Yeovil Town vs Norwich City

MK Dons vs Swindon Town

Swansea City vs Brighton and Hove Albion

Shrewsbury Town vs Ipswich

Carlisle United vs Oldham Athletic

Reading vs Burton Albion

Watch Live Streaming

Michael Jackson Pepsi Commercial 'Hair on Fire' Video Finally Found

2009-07-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Michael Jackson's Pepsi commercial 'hair on fire' incident is now 25 years old. When Michael Jackson had his hair on fire in the infamous Pepsi commercial shoot, it was regarded as the beginning of the end. 25 years later, the Michael Jackson 'hair on fire' Pepsi commercial shoot is more infamous than ever with Michael Jackson gone. Now, the damaging Pepsi commercial, and the moments where Jackson's hair was on fire, is even more infamous with the video of that moment finally found.

US Magazine posted the long awaited video of when Jackson actually had his hair caught on fire during the Pepsi commercial filming in 1984. As every Michael Jackson fan and follower knows, the pyrotechnics for the Pepsi commercial went terribly wrong, as Jackson's hair was on fire after an early explosion.

Michael Jackson suffered terrible burns to his hair and head on that day in January 1984. The Pepsi commercial hair on fire incident was the first negative bump in Jackson's rise to ultimate power. Before that Pepsi commercial accident, Jackson was still best known for his music and for the "Thriller" craze.

25 years later, many are convinced that when Jackson's hair caught on fire, it was the shape of terrible things to come. Reports have been out for years that Jackson began his addiction to painkillers after his hair caught on fire that day. With Jackson's death, and suspicions still around his pill addiction as the cause of his death, the Pepsi commercial is being regarded as the incident that started it all.

Now, at long last, people can actually see Michael Jackson's hair caught on fire, thanks to US Magazine. The timing is pretty suspicious, as no one had been able to find this video from the shoot for 25 years, and now US Magazine has it a month after Jackson's death.

The US Magazine video shows that Jackson kept dancing for a few seconds after his hair caught on fire, then danced around in pain before he was surrounded by a mob of people. The video even catches a shot of Jackson's burned scalp in the aftermath.

source : associatedcontent

Michael Jackson Autopsy Picture: Is it right to look?

2009-07-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

There are a number of websites on the Internet who claim to have a Michael Jackson autopsy picture, firstly I cannot imagine that one of these photos would be leaked and second, is it right to look? Fans of Michael Jackson would not want to see their idol in this way, while others have a sick addiction to something like this.

There have been a number of reports as to how bad the state of Jackson’s body was; The Sun reported that the “King of Pop” was a virtual skeleton. It was alleged that he had hardly eaten and only had pills in his stomach. However, we have to wonder how much truth there is in this story.

It is no secret that the mystery surrounding Michael Jackson’s death has yet to be solved, and for those who claim to have images of his autopsy should be ashamed. The images that The Sun had in their newspaper of what Jackson was meant to look like without his makeup and wig were sick.

source : inentertainment

British Open 2009: Leaderboard and Live Scores

2009-07-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Following on from our recent article that Tom Watson is leading the British Open 2009; there is an easier way for you to stay up-to-date with the live scores. The Open Championship has a Leaderboard web page that refreshes automatically with real-time scores.

What better and easier way to see how your favorite player is doing at the world’s oldest major championship. The British Open 2009 could become a special year for Padraig Harrington, as he is trying to win the Championship in three consecutive years, this will only be the second time that this has been achieved in almost 100 years.

Padraig Harrington will have a number of players aiming to make that task difficult, one such player is Tiger Woods. The No. 1 player in the world is aiming to make this his 15th golf major, if he wins then he will equal Roger Federer’s 15 grand slam titles

source : inentertainment

Tour de France Stage 12: Lance Armstrong recovers from tire trouble

2009-07-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Lance Armstrong avoided disaster in Thursday's 12th stage of the Tour de France after puncturing a back wheel tire with just 37 miles left in the 131-mile ride from Tonnerre to Vittel.

Armstrong was still third overall and riding comfortably in the main pack when a wheel-flat forced the seven-time Tour champion to the side of road for repairs as the pack sped away to Vittel.

Fortunately for Armstrong, his Astana teammates were right there to fix the punctured tire and help Armstrong catch up without suffering a significant loss.
"It is stressful with the crashes, on a stage like this where you have nothing to gain and then you lose everything because of a crash or a split in the group," Armstrong had warned before the start of the stage. "You have to pay attention and try to avoid a crash."

That is just what Armstrong did, despite the perilous puncture to his tire on the stage's final stretch. Armstrong remains in third, eight seconds off the lead of Italy's Rinaldo Nocentini, with the famous Alps mountain stages approaching.
Armstrong has historically excelled in the Alps, and is well within striking distance to overtake the yellow jersey.

Armstrong's teammate and budding rival Alberto Contador of Spain stayed in second place overall, six seconds off the lead. Nicki Sorensen of Demark won the stage for his first individual win at the Tour, finishing 48 seconds ahead of France's Laurent Lefevre.

source : www.nydailynews.com

Emmy Nominations 2009 - Complete Nominees List

2009-07-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

The 61st Primetime Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday, July 16, 2009, by Grey’s Anatomy star Chandra Wilson and Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons. The awards show hosted by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris will air live Sunday, September 20, 2009 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on CBS from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. Live.

Emmy Nominations 2009 List Below

Drama Series: “Big Love,” HBO; “Breaking Bad,” AMC; “Damages,” FX Networks; “Dexter,” Showtime; “House,” Fox; “Lost,” ABC; “Mad Men,” AMC.

Comedy Series: “Entourage,” HBO; “Family Guy,” Fox; “Flight of the Conchords,” HBO; “How I Met Your Mother,” CBS; “The Office,” NBC; “30 Rock,” NBC; “Weeds,” Showtime.

Miniseries: “Generation Kill,” HBO; “Little Dorrit” PBS.

Made-for-TV Movie: “Coco Chanel,” Lifetime; “Grey Gardens,” HBO; “Into the Storm,” HBO; “Prayers for Bobby,” Lifetime; “Taking Chance,” HBO.

Actor, Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad,” AMC; Michael C. Hall, “Dexter,” Showtime; Hugh Laurie, “House,” Fox; Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment,” HBO; Jon Hamm, “Mad Men,” AMC; Simon Baker, “The Mentalist,” CBS.

Actress, Drama Series: Sally Field, “Brothers&Sisters,” ABC; Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer,” TNT; Glenn Close, “Damages,” FX Networks; Mariska Hargitay, “Law&Order: Special Victims Unit,” NBC; Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men,” AMC; Holly Hunter, “Saving Grace,” TNT.

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: William Shatner, “Boston Legal,” ABC; Christian Clemenson, “Boston Legal,” ABC; Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad,” AMC; William Hurt, “Damages,” FX Networks; Michael Emerson, “Lost,” ABC; John Slattery, “Mad Men,” AMC.

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Rose Byrne, “Damages,” FX Networks; Sandra Oh, “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; Chandra Wilson, “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC; Dianne Wiest, “In Treatment,” HBO; Hope Davis, “In Treatment,” HBO; Cherry Jones, “24,” Fox.

Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS; Jemaine Clement, “Flight of the Conchords,” HBO; Tony Shalhoub, “Monk,” USA; Steve Carell, “The Office,” NBC; Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” NBC; Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS.

Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” CBS; Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?” ABC; Sarah Silverman, “The Sarah Silverman Program,” Comedy Central; Tina Fey, “30 Rock,” NBC; Toni Collette, “United States of Tara,” Showtime; Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds,” Showtime.

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Kevin Dillon, “Entourage,” HBO; Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother,” CBS; Rainn Wilson, “The Office,” NBC; Tracy Morgan, “30 Rock,” NBC; Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock,” NBC; Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS.

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies,” ABC; Amy Poehler, “Saturday Night Live,” NBC; Kristin Wiig, “Saturday Night Live,” NBC; Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock,” NBC; Vanessa Williams, “Ugly Betty,” ABC; Elizabeth Perkins, “Weeds,” Showtime.

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Kevin Kline, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” PBS; Brendan Gleeson, “Into the Storm,” HBO; Ian McKellen, “King Lear,” PBS; Kevin Bacon, “Taking Chance,” HBO; Kiefer Sutherland, “24: Redemption,” Fox; Kenneth Branagh, “Wallander: One Step Behind,” PBS.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Chandra Wilson, “Accidental Friendship,” Hallmark Channel; Shirley MacLaine, “Coco Chanel,” Lifetime; Drew Barrymore, “Grey Gardens,” HBO; Jessica Lange, “Grey Gardens,” HBO; Sigourney Weaver, “Prayers for Bobby,” Lifetime.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Ken Howard, “Grey Gardens,” HBO; Len Cariou, “Into the Storm,” HBO; Bob Newhart, “The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice,” TNT; Tom Courtenay, “Little Dorrit,” PBS; Andy Serkis, “Little Dorrit,” PBS.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Marcia Gay Harden, “The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler,” CBS; Jeanne Tripplehorn, “Grey Gardens,” HBO; Shohreh Aghdashloo, “House of Saddam,” HBO; Janet McTeer, “Into the Storm,” HBO; Cicely Tyson, “Relative Stranger,” Hallmark Channel.

source:bumpshack

Michael Jackson to be buried without his brain

2009-07-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson, who died of a suspected cardiac arrest at his Beverly Hills mansion on June 25, is going to be buried – without his brain.

As the late King of Pop's family prepares for the singer’s funeral on Tuesday, they have been told his brain would be held back for tests.

The family was given the choice of either waiting up to three weeks for Jackson’s brain to be returned to them or go ahead and bury him without it – which they have decided to do.

Los Angeles Coroner’s spokesman Craig Harvey said that neuropathology tests are going to be conducted to see if it holds any clues to the exact cause of his death.

However, the examination cannot start until at least two weeks after the death when the brain has hardened sufficiently to slice it open.

Sources at the coroner’s office revealed that his brain was removed before his body was released to relatives the next day.

Jackson’s death is believed to have stemmed from a suspected overdose of painkillers.

Jackson’s brain will be tested by a forensic neuropathologist for past drug use and whether he has suffered overdoses in the past.

The brain can also show any past abuse of alcohol or if the singer had suffered from any one of a number of diseases.

Source : IBN

What's open and what's closed on July 3 and 4

2009-07-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July falls on a Saturday this year, but some community and government agencies will recognize the holiday on Friday, July 3. Here's a list of what will be open and what will be closed on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4:

Banks: Open Friday and closed Saturday, though some branches inside grocery stores might be open limited hours.

Government Offices: King County offices are recognizing July 3 as a holiday and will be closed both Friday and Saturday. In addition, most King County buildings and services will be closed Monday, July 6, for one of the 10 furlough days being taken this year. Metro transit will be operational on July 6, however, and the King County Courthouse also will be open.

Garbage Collection: Will proceed as usual on both Friday and Saturday.

Shopping Malls: Most malls are open regular hours on Friday and will be closing slightly early on Saturday. Bellevue Square will open Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Westlake Center and Alderwood, Northgate and Tacoma malls will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Ferries: Depending on the route, some ferry schedules have been modified to accommodate expected holiday traffic. The Seattle-Bainbridge Island run will operate on a Saturday schedule both July 3 and 4, while the Edmonds-Kingston run will sail a holiday schedule on July 3 and return to normal Saturday service July 4.

There will be no passenger-only service between Seattle and Vashon on Friday, July 3, but the Seattle-to-Bremerton route will operate on a normal schedule all weekend. For more detailed holiday information on all Washington State ferry runs, please visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/06/WSDOT+Ferries+Division+and+Washington+State+Patrol+plan+for+busy+Fourth+of+July.htm.Metro Transit: Buses and Access Transportation will operate on Sunday schedules July 3, while the King County Water Taxi will be on a Saturday schedule. If you are a subscriber to Access Transportation and your service area is not available on Sundays, special arrangements can be made for those who call 206-205-5000 or 206-749-4286 by 5 p.m. today. Metro will operate its regular Saturday bus service on July 4. For more information, please visit http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/holidays/h-07-4thjuly.html.

Community Transit: Community Transit and Dial-a-Ride transportation will run on Sunday schedules July 3. There will be no commuter service that day. Buses will operate on their regular Saturday schedules July 4.

Postal Service: All post offices will be open July 3, but many will close at noon to observe the holiday. Regular Friday mail delivery will be unaffected by the change in hours. All post-office locations will ben closed July 4 and will open and resume delivery on Monday, July 6. Only Sunday/Holiday Express mail will be delivered on the Fourth of July.

Department of Licensing: Department of Licensing offices will be closed Friday and Saturday.

Liquor Stores: Washington State liquor stores will be open normal business hours on July 3 and open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. July 4.

Source : seattletimes.nwsource.com

‘Lights on the Lake' one of nation's best fireworks shows

2009-07-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

South Lake Tahoe's Fourth is second to none. The 28th annual “Lights on the Lake,” the South Shore's Independence Day fireworks display, will illuminate the skies over the blue waters of Lake Tahoe.

Not only is “Lights on the Lake” the largest fireworks extravaganza on the West Coast, it's drawn national attention: NBC's “Today Show,” Travel + Leisure magazine, USA Today, yahoo.com, MSNBC.com and ForbesTraveler.com all rank the display among their top Fourth of July celebrations. In addition, the American Pyrotechnics Association includes “Lights on the Lake” as one of the top five fireworks show in the nation.

Vantage points include Tahoe's two paddlewheelers, the Tahoe Queen and the M.S. Dixie II, which offer dining packages for the show; the Tallac Historic Site off Emerald Bay Road has an east-viewing perspective, while Baldwin Beach has picnic tables and fire pits nearby; Nevada Beach State Park has a sandy shoreline and picnic tables; Regan and El Dorado beaches fill up fast; and Bijou Community Park has a skatepark, disc golf course, municipal golf course and playground.
Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course invites guests to watch the fireworks and enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet with Jamaican jerk chicken, soy-marinated salmon, hamburgers and hot dogs. Tickets are $50 for adults, $20 for kids and younger at southtahoe.activitytickets.com.

From those vistas, visitors and locals can see the fireworks explode into the shapes of jellyfish, stars, butterflies and smiley faces as local radio stations KRLT-FM 93.9 and KOWL-AM 1490 simulcast the soundtrack to the pyrotechnics.

That's not all the music available for the holiday: Abbracadabra, “the ultimate ABBA experience, will perform July 2-3 and 5 in Harrah's South Shore Room. Last One Picked performs original American rock, blues and country July 3-4 at the Lakeside Inn and Casino, with no cover charge.

Big Blue Summer MusicFest will continue at the Tallac Historic Site, with “Red White and Toccata-Tahoe Blue,” a holiday presentation by the Orchestra and Community Chorale of the Tahoe Area featuring the music of American composers in the Boathouse Theater.

Activities will continue almost every week throughout the summer, including the 20th annual American Centruy Championship golf tournament July 14-19 and Labor Day fireworks Sunday, Sept. 6. For more information on what's going on around the South Shore, contact the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority at (800) 288-2463 or visit www.bluelaketahoe.com.

Source : www.tahoe.com

Wimbledon Semi Finals Live for Men's Final Four

2009-07-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Wimbledon semi finals are live for today, as the live men's semi finals try to match the Wimbledon women's semi finals. Today's live Wimbledon semi finals could see history being made in both matches, setting things up for an even more historic Wimbledon final.

The Wimbledon semi finals have Roger Federer trying to move closer to a record 15'th Grand Slam, but he will not be the crowd favorite. The real main event in Britain for the Wimbledon semi finals is Andy Murray, whom the whole country will be cheering for live later today.

For the first of the Wimbledon semi finals, Roger Federer tries to take care of business. Federer is the heavy favorite against the most unlikely player in the semi finals, 24'th seeded Tommy Haas. However, Haas may have come to play, as Federer had to work hard to beat Haas 7-6 in the first set.

A Haas win would knock Federer out in the Wimbledon semi finals for the first time in many years. The Wimbledon crowd may root for it, since Haas is the underdog - and since Haas may be an easier opponent in the Wimbledon finals for Andy Murray.

But Murray has to get through the Wimbledon semi finals first, as his live match will likely be at around noon est. The villain going against him will be Andy Roddick, as he continues to try and get his second Grand Slam title.

If Federer gets through the semi finals, he may want to root for Roddick to win. This is partly because no one will root for Federer against Murray, and because Murray has beaten Federer frequently in his career - while Roddick loses constantly to Federer in Grand Slams.

No matter what, a Federer-Murray final may even surpass the hype of Federer-Nadal last year, at least in Britain. Even though Murray is Scottish, he is Britain's adopted son, as he tries to be the first British Wimbledon champion since the 1930's.

Source : www.associatedcontent.com

Authorize.Net Goes Down

2009-07-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

As a lot of e-commerce businesses and Twitter users are noticing, the entire Authorize.Net infrastructure crashed a few hours ago. For anyone who makes a purchase online, this is huge; Authorize.Net is the largest service for accepting credit cards and e-checks through the web. This means that millions of web-based transactions and purchases have come to a halt.

Luckily, Authorize.Net understands the usefulness of social media in situations like these. They set up a new Twitter account, @AuthorizeNet, earlier today to keep users informed about the recovery of one of the web’s most important payment systems. So what took Authorize.Net down anyway? And when will it be 100% back?

According to AuthorizeNet, the cause of the outage was a fire at their datacenter in Seattle. This impacted not only their website and transaction platforms, but even their backup center. Couple this with the fact that today starts the 4th of July holiday weekend, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Luckily, it seems that transaction processing has returned, although global processing is still down. This is the most important aspect of the outage – without the payment system, merchants couldn’t accept credit card payments, which could result in millions of dollars lost among all of its vendors. The website is still down, meaning that accounts can’t be accessed. Luckily, the company had the foresight to use Twitter to keep merchants and users informed. We will update this post with any new developments on the situation.

Source : Mashable

Duct Tape Prom Dresses in Online Contest

2009-06-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Some students around the country this year planned for their proms in an unusual way -- they made their own duct tape dresses. Theone-of-a-kind dresses have been popping up on prom night for years and now offer students a chance at a $3,000 scholarship.

In Grafton, Ohio, Rachel Cunningham and her date, Billy Oliver , wore their homemade creations to the Midview High School prom in early May. The pair chose the theme of Mother Nature and Father Time for their outfits, which used 47 rolls of duct tape in 18 colors.

"It took a lot of trial-and-error," Cunningham said to The Morning Journal . "But I got better and better at it as I went."

The colorful outfits also got them selected for a national contest sponsored by the maker of Duck brand duct tape.

Two Flathead High School students in Kalispell, Mont. , are also among the finalists in a national duct tape prom-wear contest. Charden Wood says it took about a month to create her flamenco dress and her date's pin-striped suit. Her date, Steven Quade, said duct tape doesn't breathe, and his suit was very warm. "My suit was really hot, duct tape doesn't breathe at all."

The "Stuck at Prom" contest is down to 10 finalist, out of over 200 entries. The winning couple and school will each receive $3,000 scholarships. Online voting is available at www.stuckatprom.com . The last day for voting is July 2, and winners will be announced July 9.

If you are planning to make your own duct tape dress , a do-it-yourself fashion blog offers some instruction.

Source:myfoxmemphis

Katherine Jackson seeks custody of Michael's kids

2009-06-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

In the continuing story of life after Michael Jackson, his mother, Katherine Jackson, asked a Superior Court judge to name her administrator of her son's estate so she can ensure that his three children become its beneficiaries.

Court documents state that Katherine Jackson "intends to marshal assets of the decedent for the exclusive use of the decedent's three children -- her grandchildren -- after payment of debts and expenses of administration."

Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff, who has already granted her request to assume temporary guardianship of her son's children, scheduled hearings for July 6 and Aug. 3 to take up the matters, including whether to approve her request to become permanent guardian of the children.

Also on Monday, investigators with the Los Angeles County Coroner's office emerged from Michael Jackson's rented home bearing two large plastic bags, possibly containing medications, the latest move in an investigation that may continue for several weeks.

Jackson, 50, died after suffering cardiac arrest Thursday at UCLA Medical Center, although questions remain about what part prescription drugs may have played in his demise.

As Jackson's family takes the first steps to lay claim to the sprawling estate and seemingly parentless children he left behind, it seems clear that the pop icon's sudden death will be no less complicated than his troubled life.

The funeral

Joe Jackson spoke at the Jackson family's home in Encino, Calif., yesterday and said his son's funeral would not be closed to the public. But he also said no funeral will take place until results from a privately ordered autopsy become available.

"We're not ready for that yet, because we're trying to wait on something else," Joe Jackson said, according to MyFoxLA, the Web site of a Los Angeles-based television station. "We're searching to see what happened to Michael," he added. "We don't have the time frame yet 'cuz I want to see how the autopsy's coming out, you know, the second autopsy."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who flew in from Atlanta on Sunday to discuss with the Jacksons a possible worldwide celebration of the singer, said: "It is the determination of the family to be careful and deliberate on how they plan his celebration of life, because we're talking about a historic figure that really changed pop culture around the world."

The will

Jackson's parents believe he died without a valid will, according to a court filing. But the Web site TMZ.com claimed that Jackson's onetime lawyer, John Branca, was rehired by the singer about three weeks ago and holds a will signed by the late superstar.

Specifics of the alleged will have not been revealed, but Branca reportedly intends to file it within 30 days.

The case

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said his team entered the home to retrieve medications because of information developed by a police investigation, along with questions the coroner's office had. Winter wouldn't say what type of medications, or how much, were retrieved, nor would he identify where in the home they were found. But he did say the investigation would continue for four or five weeks.

The images

A gaunt but smiling Jackson can be seen in a series of pictures taken at Los Angeles' Staples Center during a rehearsal for the singer's ambitious run of 50 concerts -- dubbed "This Is It!" -- that were scheduled at London's O2 Arena.

The photos, taken by Kevin Mazur on behalf of AEG Live, provide hints of an elaborate, career-spanning show that reportedly would have included more than two dozen sets, numerous costume changes, pyrotechnics and 20-foot-tall puppets.

News also surfaced of a five-week video shoot, called "Dome Project," that Jackson completed two weeks before his death.

The video reportedly features four sets -- including a cemetery recalling the "Thriller" video -- and is said to be in postproduction with a release date of July 15.

source:Fox43

Michael Jackson Leaked Autopsy

2009-06-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

British tabloid paper, The Sun was quick to report that Michael Jackson’s autopsy report was leaked. E! Online confirms that the report is false and it was followed by a confirmation by the website TMZ.com. who first reported Michael Jackson had a cardiac arrest and being taken to the hospital.

The earlier reports where Jackson was “emaciated, lost all his hair and filled with needle scars” may or may not be true. “Bruises and scars due to a possibility of a recent fall” cannot be confirmed as well. A second autopsy report was ordered and there is no confirmation that the autopsy report was leaked in any shape or form.
TMZ.com do say that the “story is developing” and will announce any findings as soon as reports are received.

Seattle Police seized-items auctions make more online

2009-06-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

Inside the Seattle Police Department's property room, rows of bicycles, Christmas decorations, wheelchairs and other unclaimed or seized items gather dust until they're put up for auction. But bargain hunters no longer have to wait for police, or the King County Sheriff's Office, to schedule a public auction to score a deal. They now merely need to log onto a computer.

Seattle police and the Sheriff's Office contract with PropertyRoom.com, a California-based Web site that receives items from the property rooms of 1,600 law-enforcement agencies in the U.S. — 124 in Washington state — and sells them online.

Proceeds are split between the police departments and the Web site.

Before, the Seattle Police Department and Sheriff's Office periodically held auctions to sell off unclaimed items — and there wasn't even a guarantee they could sell it all.

"It's a lot easier for them [PropertyRoom.com] to come and take it all than for us to auction it off," said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart "It's a very efficient way to dispose of excess property we get."

"It's a very green way to do it," added Cindy Granard, detective sergeant of evidence for Seattle police. "It's recycling old material and giving it to someone new."

When Granard wants to give items to PropertyRoom.com, she compiles a list and calls the Web site, which sends a truck to get them. The truck then takes the items to a facility in Seattle, where they move from one truck to another that goes to PropertyRoom.com's processing facility in Los Angeles.

"We usually wait until we have pallets full of stuff before we give to them." Granard said.

Once the items arrive in Los Angeles, Gemological Institute of America-trained specialists look over items containing precious stones to ensure they are real. They are then listed for auction on the Web site.

Once an item sells, the originating law-enforcement agency receives 50 percent of the proceeds if the item sells for less than $1,000, and 75 percent if it's more than $1,000.

Since using PropertyRoom.com starting in July 2003, Seattle police have seen their profits go up. From 2004 to 2005, for example, police recorded about a $28,000 increase in auction profit. In 2004, the department's auction profit was $29,951. In 2005, it was $57,974.

Proceeds from the sale go toward the department's pension fund.

PropertyRoom.com is set up as a kind of eBay for police auctions. Items are sold in categories including jewelry, fine art, tools, bicycles, watches and "everything else." The site was founded by former police officers, including Daryl Gates, former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, according to its Web site.

Since many of the items were stolen but never reclaimed, PropertyRoom.com will return them to their owners provided they can prove ownership of an item shown online.

When the site started in 2001, it had contracts with 100 departments and profits of $3 million. Now, the company has contracts with nearly 2,000 departments, 25,000 new bidders each month, and last year reported a profit of $35 million, according to company spokeswoman Cher Murphy.

Connie Hamzy

2009-06-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Connie Hamzy is exceptionally caring to her loved ones and in her love relationship she always searches devotion and security. She always provides promotional and warm atmosphere to her loved ones. Hamzy always cares to hang on with other and try to stop them from changing.

Connie Hamzy’s interests are to providea good affection physically, touching and closeness and she always has a good movement to eat too much during the sensual pleasures and comforts. Food has most often been substituted by Hamzy to get love and emotional relieve. In her starting years, most probably she was used to travel a lot or something like that is in her background which has enabled her to understand the different types of cultures and people.Hamzy always has a thirst for those things which are foreign or far away from her or for those things which she has never used before. Connie always wants to throw herself fully into the tastes and feelings of every new place instead of being collecting the facts and figure or a thinker appreciation. She has a restless personality emotionally.She is very determined and her power is in her feelings. May be she has a feeling that she has to emphasize herself without thinking about the risks that could be involved. Connie is not probably agree to compromise on those tensions which have been given by the others. Probably she has a wrongly theory about that world which is around her and due to this probably she suffered a lot of regrets.

source : makli

This Revolution Will be televised

2009-06-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

Internet coverage of the election in Iran is sweeping the globe in spite of the Iranian governments attempts impose an international media blackout. This is one of the first large scale examples of the true power of global social media, and its ability to change the world.

There is a saying in urban culture, "The revolution will not be televised", which first appeared on the 1970 album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, by Scott-Heron. The phrase has since attached itself to pop culture in reference to the common political strategy to control the media in times of crisis.

Just think "Good Morning Vietnam." In the film Robin Williams character Adrian Cronauer witnesses a bombing and rushes into the army radio station to report the story. He is stopped by the censors who say:

"What do you think you're doing? You know you're forbidden to read anything not checked by this office."

"What was there to check? I was there."

"You know the rules, airman. If this is a legitimate news story, it must go through proper channels."

"Look, tweedledee, it's an actual event." Cronauer replies while pointing to the blood stains on his shirt. "What do you think this came from? Shaving? It's the truth. I just want to report the truth. It'll be a nice change of pace."

"This is not official news, airman. As far as I'm concerned, it didn't happen."

Cronauer retaliates, "It did happen... What are you afraid of Dickerson? People might find out there's a war going on?"

That of course, is exactly what Sergeant Dickerson and his Army censors were afraid of, and what all military tacticians know to be an important element of maintaining control. Censorship and propaganda are weapons as powerful as any bomb.

All throughout history those in power have attempted to control the free flow of information, from the burning to the great libraries of Alexandria to the Iranian election of last week. Spin doctors are the NBA all stars of global politics. Press releases and newsfeeds from the top are manipulated to seem like they came from "the grass roots." The gatekeepers choose what goes into print and what appears on television, spinning it either right or left, based on the beliefs of editorial boards and people in power pulling the strings. Oh yes, that is not to say we lack dedicated and honest news people out there. Quite the contrary: They are legion. But any old time news hound will tell you, the walls of censorship do exist, and the fight to report unbiased truth is the eternal battle of ages.

In the old days, a three channel television and a one newspaper town were common. The people took in what was spoon fed, and developed their opinions accordingly. But that has all changed. The Genie has been let out of the bottle. The post election riots in Iran this week are a perfect example. In spite of the fervent attempts of the Iranian Government to cut off the flow of information about the election protests, the people have pushed back. After the election, text messaging was blacked out in Iran, social networking sites like Facebook were shut off, cell phone and land line service became spotty, and satellites for major networks like the BBC were jammed, preventing newsfeed transmissions from getting out of the country. On Italian television station reported their interpreter was beaten by police while confiscating their video tapes. At least four reporters are known to have been arrested inside the country and the whereabouts of ten others are currently unaccounted for.

But this time the media blackout did not work. The rise of the geeks has begun. Young tech savvy progressives are finding ways around every blockade, reporting first person accounts on blogs, Youtube and twitter, they are finding ways around the old guard attempts to control. They are circumventing downed networks, and uploading thousands of videos and pictures live from the scene. The gatekeepers no longer hold the keys. The uncensored voices on the internet are unstoppable, growing like a magic beanstalk, beyond any earthly means of control.

Yes folks, this revolution will be televised. The people have spoken, and in the process, they are changing the global face of power forever.

source : huffingtonpost

Boston Breakers score with fans

2009-06-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

The halfway point of the Boston Breakers inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer season came Wednesday night in front of 3,128 fans at Harvard Stadium.

Boston, one of the better teams in the league on paper, started strong and remained in second place until two weeks ago. The Breakers now sit tied for fourth place with two other teams with a 3-4-3 record heading into tonight’s (Saturday’s) game at Chicago.

Wednesday night, the Breakers got a late goal from Jenny Nobis, her first of the season, to come back and earn a tie with FC Gold Pride. England’s Kelly Smith, Boston’s leading scorer, launched a well-placed corner kick to the far corner of the box in the 76th minute and Nobis leaped up over a pack of defenders to knock the ball into the net. Heading into Wednesday game, Nobis had played in only two of Boston’s first nine matches.

“One of the things I like to do is head balls, and I know if I’m in the box, give it to my head, not my feet,” Nobis said. “I saw it in the air, and one thing to do is get a body on it and hope that someone gets on the end of it.”

Boston played perhaps its most sluggish and sloppy first half of the season Wednesday. The team conceded a goal in the 15th minute after failing to clear a ball sent along the top of the 18 from Gold Pride’s Tiffeny Milbrett. Canadian international Christine Sinclair jumped on a deflection from Boston’s Candace Chapman and one-timed a rocket past Boston keeper Alli Lipsher, in her first start of the season.

Ed McMahon: A salute to the king of sidekicks

2009-06-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Although he did other things in his 86 years, Ed McMahon, who died Tuesday in Los Angeles, will be remembered mostly as the man who sat next to Johnny Carson, except when more important celebrities came between them.

Notwithstanding the dozen years of hosting "Star Search," a role in the 1997 Tom Arnold sitcom "The Tom Show," a high-profile Cash4Gold ad during the last Super Bowl and all that knocking on people's doors in the name of the Publishers Clearing House, McMahon was a professional sidekick, a less-than-equal partner in an enterprise of which he was nevertheless a vital part: Thinking of Johnny, one proceeds quickly and naturally to Ed, who by dint of association was almost as famous as his boss -- I say "almost" to include that fraction of the world that may have seen or heard of Carson but never watched his show.

It's easy to underestimate his accomplishment -- or even to wonder whether it should be called an accomplishment at all. We live in a nation of aspiring quarterbacks, pitchers, lead singers and presidents, where we are told to dream big and have it all. (The vice presidency of the United States is regarded as a rarefied form of failure.) But in a world where everyone is innately a star, what does it mean to settle for life as a mere moon?

And yet, just as the moon plays upon the Earth, animating its tides and its werewolves, the sidekick is not without power of his (or her) own. His very presence is the proof that his presence is required. He may come as a straight man, a stooge, a teacher, an apprentice, a servant or pal, but he completes the star-hero in some way to their mutual advantage -- as a counterweight, an anchor, a witness, a frame for the picture, a setting for the stone. Like Jiminy Cricket, a conscience. Who is Prince Hal without Falstaff, Don Quixote sans Sancho Panza? Little John and Robin Hood, Horatio and Hamlet, Friday and Crusoe, Watson and Holmes, Tinkerbell and Peter Pan, Ethel and Lucy, Barney and Fred, Barney and Andy, Ed and Ralph, Rhoda and Mary, Willow and Buffy, and all those traveling companions to Doctor Who -- unequal, perhaps, yet inextricable.

We may reflexively regard him as slower, dumber, less handsome than the hero he shadows, but in practice the sidekick may be the smarter, funnier, faster, better-looking or more practical one. Less bound by convention or expectation, flexible rather than stiff-necked, he is free in ways forbidden the hero. His life is simpler, his soul less troubled. Ed Norton may be a dimwit, but he isn't tormented, like Ralph Kramden, by desperation and desire. Spock is cooler than Kirk. It seems like the better job.

Not every talk show host has employed a sidekick in the McMahon mold. Merv Griffin had Arthur Treacher, a very tall British character actor who earlier specialized in butlers, appropriately, and, after McMahon, the best of the breed. Regis Philbin played second banana to Rat Packer Joey Bishop on his short-lived 1960s late-night show. But Dick Cavett was a solo act; Mike Douglas relied on changing celebrity co-hosts; and Jay Leno had no one on his couch. Still, it seems a sign of respect to McMahon (and to the institution he served) that when Conan O'Brien took the reins of "The Tonight Show," he had a partner in place, original "Late Night" sidekick Andy Richter.

Ed and Johnny were "as close as two non-married people can be," as McMahon wrote in his book, "Here's Johnny: Memories of Johnny Carson, 'The Tonight Show' and 46 Years of Friendship." McMahon, who was only two years older than Carson, began working as his announcer in in 1957, on the game show "Who Do You Trust?" and accompanied him to "The Tonight Show" in 1962, where they kept on for 30 years..

An uncharitable or undiscerning critic might say McMahon had an easy job: Laugh at the boss' jokes, read a few cue cards, sell a little dog food, cheerfully absorb whatever cracks are made at his expense, slide further down the couch as the evening's guests arrive. (Phil Hartman's "Saturday Night Live" impression of him -- the over-hearty laugh, the booming "You are correct, sir" -- has replaced the actual McMahon in the minds of a couple of generations of viewers.) But the way McMahon told it, that was the point: "My role was to make him look good while not looking too good myself," he wrote, and "to get Johnny to the punch line while seeming to do nothing at all." Carson, for his part, left the air saying, "This show would have been impossible to do without Ed."

There is a kind of genius in knowing how to live with a genius. Did anyone want to grow up to be Ed McMahon? Maybe not. (Though I would rather be Illya Kuryakin than Napoleon Solo.) But they also serve who only sit and laugh -- and cry "Hey-yo!" once in a while. Of all the things Ed provided Johnny, continuity was perhaps the most meaningful: Guests came and went; wives came and went; the world turned. But where there was Johnny, there was always Ed, the witness, the audience, one of us.

Tehran protesters die for democratic ideals our senators in Albany

2009-06-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

Think of our do-nothing state Senators up in Albany, trivializing democracy. Then watch the video of Neda Agha-Soltan dying on a street in Tehran. See the life drain out of her. Listen to the anguished cries of the music instructor who was standing next to her. Consider that the person who shot the video was risking his life. Ponder the risk faced by each and every person sending pro-democracy messages out of Iran. Remember other brave believers at other times and places, heroes such as the lone man who stepped before a tank in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Do not forget the many thousands of Americans who sacrificed all in the cause of liberty, in our city going back to the 400 young soldiers who charged into certain death in the long ago Battle of Brooklyn.

Think again of those 62 senators who sit in Albany. Each of those mutts owes his or her position to a system built on courage and sacrifice. Each took a solemn oath to faithfully discharge his or her duties. And there they sit in a disgraceful stalemate. As if they owed nothing to the gallant souls who made this democracy possible. As if liberty were the freedom to finagle and self-deal rather than a sacred right for which people in other lands are even now risking all. They are Republicans and Democrats who betray the republic and democracy. Compare their lame excuses and tired lies in the state Senate to some of the Tweets coming out of Iran Monday: "Clashes...street fires & tear gas - shooting heard - many militia." "Situation in Tehran very tense today - many roadblocks." "If you weren't old enough to appreciate the gravity of Tiananmen, pay close attention." "THIS IS THE DAWN - this is the new beginning - have hope and prepare." "Two young men injured...one dies...GRAPHIC VIDEO."

The video shows a young man who was shot in the upper thigh and another with grievous wounds in the back and head. As some comrades bend over them, others hold up cell phone cameras to keep the whole world watching. More shots erupt, but the comrades do not just flee. They pause to lift the wounded and carry them down a passageway, a camera recording it all. The young man hit in the head leaves a trail of red spatters. "If you want to help but are frightened of the streets - give blood - this is big help." To read these messages is to be taught anew childhood lessons about the universal human need for liberty and the nobility of those who place it before their very lives. The Internet was calling Agha-Sultan "the Fallen Angel of Freedom" and carried an interview with her fiance. "Neda wanted freedom and freedom for all," Kasamin Makan is quoted as saying. He said she favored no particular side in the disputed election and was just a bystander when she fell victim to a bullet. She was buried in Behesht-e-Zahra Cemetery yesterday as spiritual kin to the host of innocents who have died during other struggles for freedom, and to those sure to perish in the time to come.

Meanwhile, those mutts in Albany continued to behave as if such sacrifices meant nothing, as if there were nothing sacred about the votes that put them in office.The one action they have managed to take in recent days has of course been on behalf of themselves, ensuring they get paid. The mutts are due to get their regular paychecks tomorrow, along with a $160 for each day of a special session, a gross misnomer if there ever was one. The law says they have to be paid, but it does not say how. Give them pieces of silver.

Bella Vita: what does La Bella Vita mean?

2009-06-23T01:54:00.000-07:00

La Bella Vita or La vita è bella refers to “The Beautiful Life”. It is incidentally tattooed on Lindsay Lohan’s body. The Italian phrase “la bella vita” is scripted on Lindsay’s lower backwith a little flourish. This simple, black ink tattoo means “life is beautiful” and Lindsay intended the tattoo to be a dedication to and remembrance of her Italian grandfather.

La vita è bella is also a 1997 Italian language film which tells the story of a Jewish Italian, Guido Orefice, who must employ his fertile imagination to help his son survive their internment in a Nazi concentration camp.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Lindsay Lohan has got a sixth tattoo on her left wrist “Everyone’s a star and deserves the right to twinkle.”

Nine dead in D.C. Metro rail crash

2009-06-23T01:45:00.000-07:00

A Metro commuter train smashed into the rear of another at the height of the capital's Monday evening rush hour, killing at least nine people and injuring scores as the front end of the trailing train jackknifed into the air and fell atop the first.

Cars of both trains were ripped open and smashed together in the worst accident in Metrorail's 33-year history. District of Columbia fire spokesman Alan Etter said crews had to cut some people out of what he described as a "mass casualty event." Rescuers propped steel ladders up to the upper train cars to help survivors scramble to safety. Seats from the smashed cars spilled out onto the track.

The District of Columbia Fire Department said rescue workers located three more bodies in the wreckage late Monday night. All three were declared dead at the scene.

Earlier Monday, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said six were confirmed dead. They included the operator of the trailing train, Jeanice McMillan of Springfield, Va., a Metro official said.

Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said rescue workers treated 76 people at the scene and sent some of them to local hospitals, six with critical injuries.

Washington City Councilman Jim Graham described the wreckage with a single word: "Horror."

The crash around 5 p.m. EDT took place on the system's Red Line, Metro's busiest, which runs below ground for much of its length but is at ground level at the accident site, near the Maryland border.

Metro General Manager John B. Catoe Jr. said the first train was stopped, waiting for another to clear the station ahead, when the second train plowed into it from behind. It was unclear how many people were aboard.

Riders described chaos. In the train that was struck, passengers said the train had stopped three times in the moments before the crash. After the impact, many passengers had to jump from the side of the train to the ground. Other riders helped lift them down safely.

Tom Baker, 47, a District resident, was in the first car of the train that rear-ended the stopped train.

"You could hear all this crashing and glass breaking," Baker told the Washington Post. "I didn't hear any brakes at all." He said he couldn't gauge how fast the train was moving but said it was traveling at moderate speed. He saw the train lift into the air, he said.

"When the dust settled, the entire front of the train was gone" and riders could see down to the train below them.

More than 200 firefighters from D.C., Maryland and Virginia converged on the scene.

Jervis Bryant, a Prince George's County teacher, told the Baltimore Sun that he heard the collision from a house 2 1/2 blocks away and got to the scene within five minutes.

"We saw the folks banging on the windows trying to get out," he said, referring to the second train.

Rescuers pried the door open, he said, and people streamed out. "They just bum-rushed it."

Passenger Jodie Wickett, a nurse, told CNN she was seated on one train, sending text messages on her phone, when she felt the impact. She said she sent a message to someone that it felt as if the train had hit a bump.

"From that point on, it happened so fast. I flew out of the seat and hit my head." Wickett said she stayed at the scene and tried to help. She said, "People are just in very bad shape."

"The people that were hurt, the ones that could speak, were calling back as we called out to them," she said. "Lots of people were upset and crying, but there were no screams."

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating and has assigned a railroad investigator and two specialists from its office of transportation disaster assistance.

Investigators will probably focus on a failure of Metro's computerized signal system, designed to prevent trains from coming close enough to collide, as well as operator error, according to former Metro officials.

The system relies on electronic relays -- each about the size of a hardcover book -- aboard trains and buried beside the tracks along each line. When a train gets too close to another train, the system is designed to automatically stop the approaching train. It should work whether trains are being operated manually or by computer.

But even if the signal system failed to stop the train, the operator should have intervened and applied emergency brakes, safety experts familiar with Metro's operations told the Post.

The position of the second train after the crash -- the fact that its first car came to rest atop the other train -- indicates that the second train was traveling at high speed. In the section of track where the accident occurred, the speed limit is supposed to be 58 mph. Metro officials would not say how fast the trains were going because of the ongoing NTSB investigation.

President Obama sent condolences to the victims.

"Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in northeast Washington, D.C., today," Obama said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy."

Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said less than two hours after the crash that federal authorities had no indication of any terrorism connection.

Lucas Glover gained focused, friendly style in SC

2009-06-23T01:41:00.000-07:00

Lucas Glover always led the way in practice and workouts at Clemson, his former college coach says. So it's no surprise to Larry Penley that his former All-American became the first Tiger to win a major championship with his U.S. Open victory Monday.
"Lucas was pretty much out front in everything, first one to practice, first one to work hard," Penley said through tears after watching Glover's victory.Glover capped a grueling week with a 3-over 73, securing a two-stroke victory at Bethpage Black over Phil Mickelson, David Duval and Ricky Barnes.

Glover is a Greenville native who learned to play from his grandfather, Clemson football Hall of Famer Dick Hendley.The 82-year-old Hendley remembers his grandson having good balance when he put a club in his hand at 3 years old."I thought he had something special that a lot of children don't have," Hendley said by phone from his home Monday.When Glover was 9, Hendley took him to the late golf teacher Dick Harmon — who was instrumental in Lucas' development until his death in 2006. After excelling at Wade Hampton High, Glover signed to play golf at his grand dad's college in 1997.

The Tigers were in the midst of producing several PGA Tour regulars, including Glover's Clemson teammates Charles Warren, Jonathan Byrd and D.J. Trahan.Right away, Penley saw the steely, cap-pulled-low focus on display at Bethpage on Monday.Penley recalled how Byrd and Tiger golfer John Engler were tossing a football on the practice range once while Glover was hitting balls. Each time the ball came a little closer — and Glover grew a bit more irritated.Finally, Glover picked up the football "and threw it, I mean a frozen rope, about 75 yards," Penley said.There were few as dogged and determined when it was time to get down to business, Penley said.Glover won three consecutive South Carolina amateur titles from 1998 to 2000."Never been done before," Hendley said with pride.

He helped the Tigers finish in the top 10 nationally three of his four seasons there. He exhausted his eligibility in 2001 and was still four credits shy of his bachelor's degree. So after gaining his PGA Tour card and in the midst of a breakout season in 2005, Glover chose to finish school.Glover took classes online and came to campus after tournaments or during off weeks to complete his requirements with a biology class. He walked with Clemson graduates that December, two months after his first career victory in the Funai Classic at Disney.In 2007, Glover joined his grandfather in Clemson's hall of fame, the first grandfather-grandson duo enshrined.
Many thought Glover was poised for more victories and bigger things. Instead, Hendley said his grandson put too much pressure on himself and his game. While Glover earned more than $5 million the previous three seasons, he could not break through. When Glover didn't make the Ryder Cup team last summer, he took the rest of 2008 off.

"He was disgusted and discouraged," Hendley said. "I told him, 'Luke, that's the best thing you could do.'"Glover spent time at home with family and reset his mind. Turned out to be just what he needed. Hendley said Glover returned to the game sharper yet less burdened by expectations.Soon after his win on Monday, South Carolina's U.S. Senators, Republicans Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint, introduced a resolution congratulating Glover for bringing "great pride and honor to his family, friends, his alma mater Clemson University, and the citizens of South Carolina with his victory."Hendley watched his grandson's clinching two-putt on the 72nd hole. He didn't make the trip because the course's layout was too hilly for him, but he called at Glover through the TV.

Crooked Houses on Jon and Kate Plus 8

2009-06-23T01:39:00.000-07:00

While Crooked Houses probably weren't aware their product would be showcased side-by-side with the downer of the Jon and Kate divorce announcement, those were the cards they were dealt, and while cute whimsical playhouses and the dissolution of a family of 10 aren't simpatico, the company certainly gained a lot of eyeballs on their product.

So what are they?, It's actually a neat idea that takes a structurally sound playhouse and puts a facade on the outside that makes it look ramshackle and as if kids had built it themselves. I'm a big fan of whimsical stuff, and think this would make a great addition to my backyard.
At least, I thought it would, until I saw the price tag.

It seems you have to make Jon and Kate type money if you want a custom design such as the ones that appeared on the show -- a custom Crooked House runs about $5,000. So easy math there -- $5,000 x 4 houses = $20,000 worth of free stuff for the Gosselin kids.

If that's a bit out of your league you can pick up an original Crooked House for a "modest" $1,249. The one pictured which includes dormer and porch will set you back $2,549.

Sharks just like sea-rial killers

2009-06-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

GREAT white sharks have killer instincts to hunt down their prey just like Jack the Ripper, scientists have found. Researchers used methods copied from criminology to show that great whites pick their targets in a highly focused fashion. Prolific killers such as the infamous 19th century beast who stalked London's East End and Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper", behave in much the same way.

The scientists adapted geographic profiling, a mathematical technique used to track down serial criminals, to investigate the hunting habits of great whites. They observed the location of 340 shark attacks and used the data to locate the sharks' "anchor points".

In criminal investigations, a series of linked crimes - usually murder, rape or arson - is used to determine the rough location of the perpetrator's "anchor point". Most often this is a home or place of work. Serial killers or rapists tend to operate within a confined area around the anchor point, so knowing its location allows police to avoid being swamped with suspects and prioritise those who live or work in certain areas.

The shark scientists linked the "crimes" of great whites off the South African coast - attacks on seals - and found that the sharks had a well defined search base. Their "anchor point" tended to be 100 metres seaward of where the seals accessed and left the island where they lived.

Smaller, younger, sharks exhibited more dispersed search patterns and were less successful hunters.

The research, led by Dr Neil Hammerschlag, from the University of Miami in the US, is reported in the Journal of Zoology, published by the Zoological Society of London.

Dr Steven Le Comber, an expert on geographic profiling at the School of

Biological and Chemical Sciences at Queen Mary, University of London, said: "Geographic profiling is an interesting new way to study patterns of animal foraging, and especially predation.

"Shark hunting patterns are extremely difficult to study and the work here will have important implications for our understanding of the ways in which predators hunt their prey."

Geographic profiling was developed by former Canadian "beat" policeman Kim Rossmo, now Professor of Criminal Justice at Texas State University.

It is extremely useful for whittling down lists of suspects and now routinely used by law enforcement agencies around the world.

In the Yorkshire Ripper case in the 1970s and 1980s police amassed a total of 268,000 potential suspect names and 4.5million vehicle registration numbers.

Coming soon: Cars which would allow drivers 'to eat and sleep'

2009-06-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Imagine cars that would allow you to eat, read, watch television and even sleep behind the wheel while travelling at a speed of 70 mph on the highway.

Your imagination could someday turn into a reality, thanks to scientists who claim to have developed lasers-guided vehicles, using a system which will lock cars using sensors as well as wireless technology, allowing up to ten at a time to cruise in "car train" convoys.

And, according to the scientists at Volvo, the sensors will synchronise each car to follow in the wake of the vehicle which is directly ahead, with a laser calculating the speed relative to other cars at a rate of 50 times a second.

Interestingly, the only steering and braking would be done by a professional driver at the front of the convoy.

"It would be the same as sitting on a bus or a train, with the big difference that when you come to your exit you take over and you go directly to your destination without having to switch vehicles.

"The professional driver leading the convoy will be responsible for the safety of those behind him. But, those joining the convoy will be taking only the same sort of risks that those jumping on a bus or tube are taking," Jonas Ekmark, a safety researcher at Volvo cars, told the Daily Mail.

Volvo expects the cars to drive just three feet apart in order to stay in contact. The drivers would then join the convoy at the back and allow the system to lock them in to the steering and braking patterns of the vehicles ahead.

At the point where the driver has booked to leave the convoy, their car would be guided by the new technology on to their chosen slip road, the scientists said.

The system would even allow the car train to overtake slow-moving vehicles, according to them. Volvo and six other companies — including British technology firm Ricardo UK — are working on the project.

They hope to start testing the system at Volvo's practice roads outside Gothenburg, in Sweden, in late 2010 and expect to launch a prototype in 2011. The technology could then be rolled out across Europe by 2018.

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanocon Definition!

2009-06-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanocon a real word? What is the definition of pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanocon?, As covered on TV tonight, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis is a real word. This word was created by Everett M. Smith in 1935 and was recognized as as a 45 letter word in the New York Herald Tribune that year which wrote as follows:

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis succeeded electrophotomicrographically as “the longest word in the English language recognized by the National Puzzlers’ League at the opening session of the organization’s 103rd semi-annual meeting held yesterday at the Hotel New Yorker. The puzzlers explained that the forty-five-letter word is the name of a special form of silicosis caused by ultra-microscopic particles of silica volcanic dust.”

It then appeared in the 1939 supplement to the Merriam-Webster New International Dictionary, Second Edition.

There are two spellings to the word:
1. pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis
2. pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

So is Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanocon a real word? Not according to Wiktionary, Wikipedia, Merriam Webster, or Ask.com’s Dictionary.

UFC "Ultimate Fighter 9" finale: Diego Sanchez survives Clay Guida, Brits sweep reality show finals

2009-06-20T23:27:00.000-07:00

After an interesting ninth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” it was finally time to determine the winners of the Lightweight and Welterweight divisions Saturday night. In addition to the six-figure contracts that would be awarded to the winners, there was a certain degree of national pride on the line, as this season was dubbed “U.S. vs. U.K.”

For most of the season, most fans didn’t really care about the match-up of nations, because the American team obviously didn’t represent the country’s best talent, plus the U.K. guys were generally more likeable and respectful anyway. The only thing that really got the patriotic juices flowing was U.K. coach, and former TUF winner, Michael Bisping, who was either talking trash or whining every time he was on camera. DeMarques Johnson was the only American fighter to make it into the finals. He faced James Wilks for the Welterweight contract, while Brits Ross Pearson and Andre Winner battled it out for the Lightweight crown. The most anticipated action of the night came in a couple of featured Lightweight fights. Nate Diaz and Joe Stevenson squared off, while Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida got medieval in the main event.

Lightweights: Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
This fight had a weird connection to the main event, as Diaz lost his last fight to Guida, while Stevenson was most recently beaten by Sanchez. The loss to Guida was the first of Diaz’ career, but Stevenson had suffered a string of defeats (he lost to B.J. Penn and Kenny Florian prior to Sanchez) recently. Needless to say, both fighters were hungry for a win. The first round was spent grappling with Stevenson dominating most of it. The last two rounds were very similar, with lots of grappling and transitions, but Stevenson almost looked like he took a page from Clay Guida’s playbook. He never really threatened to end the fight, but he was relentlessly stifling. I had him winning the first two rounds going away and squeaking out the third. In the end, all three judges scored it 29-28 in Stevenson’s favor.

TUF Lightweight finale: Ross Pearson vs. Andre Winner
Two former training partners squared off to determine the Lightweight winner of the season. Winner is a technical striker, while Pearson is more of a stereotypical, tough brawler. Coming into the fight, my inclination was that it was going to come down to heart, which I felt Pearson had more of. All three rounds were extremely close. The only real consistent advantage that I saw was Winner keeping Pearson backed up against the cage while they were clinching. Pearson came on strong late in the third round, but I honestly had no idea how the rounds had been scored. Ultimately, all three judges saw Pearson as the winner and awarded him the decision.

Welterweights: Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns
Lytle held a distinct experience advantage in this fight, but Burns showed very quickly that he was a game opponent. In fact, Burns landed a punch that dropped Lytle with just under a minute left in the first round, but Lytle was able to hang on until the bell. Lytle came back with a solid second round, methodically attacking the mid-section of Burns, who was visibly slower by the ten-minute mark. A big right from Lytle opened a nasty cut next to Burns’ left eye early in the third round. He carried on, though, and after a few more minutes of brawling, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards. All three of them had Lytle winning by a score of 29-28.

TUF Welterweight finale: DeMarques Johnson vs. James Wilks
As mentioned in the intro, Johnson represented the U.S.’ only hope to win one of the contracts on the line. Wilks is the stereotypical, smug Brit that Americans love to hate, but he represented a very serious threat to Johnson’s hopes. Wilks overwhelmed Johnson with submission attempts in the first round and shockingly, submitted him with a rear naked choke just eight seconds from the end of the round.

Lightweight Main Event: Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez
On paper, I was almost as excited about this fight as any other fight this year. Guida’s high-energy, caveman style is notorious, as is Sanchez’ pseudo-Zen master persona. It always cracks me up when commentators make serious statements about the mental strength of Sanchez. Personally, I think he’s a few Fruit Loops short of a necklace, but I always enjoy watching him fight. They came out like Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots, but Sanchez definitely got the better of the first exchange. Guida was visibly shaken, but as he always does, rallied and got a take down. After they stood back up, Sanchez landed a left high kick right across Guida’s jaw. On nothing but heart, Guida survived the first round, but it could easily have been scored 10-8 in Sanchez’ favor. Guida got an early take down in round 2 and spent almost all of the five minutes on top. Sanchez landed some vicious elbows from the bottom, but it was still Guida’s round in my book. The third round was all over the place, but ended up with Guida on top again. The scoring possibilities were all over the place and there was not only the potential for either guy to win, but also for a draw. In the end, Sanchez got it via split decision.

Bad Seed, The (1956) starring Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack & Eileen Heckart

2009-06-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

Little Rhoda Penmark (Patty McCormack) will do anything to attain material goods. However, would this sweet and proper young girl resort to murder to get what she wants? The Bad Seed (1956) sets this thriller in the suburbs and explores the age-old questions of the effects of nurture and nature on behavior and how they relate to the criminal mind (indeed, the methods and tone of voice that Rhoda uses to blackmail and scheme could fit into an old gangster film).

When a boy at Rhoda’s school mysteriously drowns and the “perfect little lady” begins to behave in tell-tale ways, Christine Penmark (Nancy Kelly) begins to suspect her daughter of murder. Should she turn her child over to the police? Should she handle it herself?

Eileen Heckart, as the drowned boy’s distraught mother Mrs. Daigle, practically steals the show with only two scenes. Mrs. Daigle has decided to drink away her sorrows and arrives at the Penmark’s upper middle class residence to talk to the little girl who she heard was the last to see her son. Class issues arrive with Mrs. Diagle, who at one time worked in a beauty parlor and was frowned upon as “that frumpy blonde” by her son’s teacher. In her constant inebriated state, Mrs. Daigle remains remarkably lucid. The overwrought mother finds clues, questions, investigates and speaks her mind when no one else seems able or willing to discover what really happened on the forbidden wharf.

Seed is based on Maxwell Anderson’s 1954 Broadway hit of the same name, and employs all , except one, of the play’s principal actors. The film received a few Oscar nominations, including a nod for the young Patty McCormack.

Despite the amusing broad acting which garners the Camp classification that this film gets today, Seed tackles serious questions of behavior, heredity, childrearing and class warfare that can resonate with people in any era. It is really the story of two families who each lose their only child: one to drowning and one to a chilling psychosis.

Release Date: September 12, 1956

Studio: Warner Brothers

Screenwriter: John Lee Mahin

Director: Mervyn LeRoy.

Cast: Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Henry Jones, Eileen Heckart, Evelyn Varden

Sea Dream Yacht Club

2009-06-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

SeaDream Yacht Club, a small entrepreneurial company, set up shop in August 2001 and a month later took possession of two luxury ships originally known as the Sea Goddess I and II. The line offers “ultra-luxury cruises on mega-yachts,” and potential cruisers need only look to see who’s in charge here to get an idea of what’s in store for them. The owner of SeaDream is Norwegian industrialist Atle Brynestad, at one time the largest shareholder of the old Royal Viking Line and the founder, in 1987, of Seabourn Cruise Line. Chairman, CEO and co-owner is Larry Pimentel, who worked for Brynestad as the president of Seabourn. That luxury line is now owned by Carnival Corp., which sold the two 116-passenger ships to Brynestad and Pimentel.

Now named SeaDream I and II, the vessels were gorgeously transformed.
SeaDream promotes its style of cruising as “yacht-like” with a “resort-casual” dress code (read: no formalwear required) and upscale cuisine and amenities. “We are not a cruise line” is the mantra repeated by top executives who also tout the hallmarks of the vessels: “unstructured and free-form.” That means itineraries are somewhat flexible, allowing the captain to linger in a port if passengers wish or to depart early if rain spoils plans. Beverages, shore excursions and tips are included in the cruise fare. Seating is open for meals, and caviar and champagne are always available — even in the surf during beach visits.

The Fleet
Two identical vessels, the 110-passenger, 4,260-ton SeaDream I and II, were built in 1984 and 1985 but underwent renovations - SeaDream II in January 2002 and SeaDream I in April 2002. Since then, ships have undergone regular refreshenings to ensure quality maintenance though no new major features have been introduced since the first massive refurbishments.
Capacity was reduced a bit, to 110 passengers max, because a few large suites were added. The ships have no private balconies because the vessels were built before they became standard features and frankly, they’re not really missed. There’s so much deck space that there’s plenty of room for passengers to find a nook or cranny outdoors. And cabins, which mostly feature portholes, have been so beautifully decorated (with high tech toys, luxurious bedding, and a bathroom with a shower-for-two), are genuinely cozy and welcoming.

SeaDream is aggressively pursuing the lucrative corporate and incentive charter markets, but will designate one ship primarily for those groups and the other for individual passengers. If nearly every aspect of SeaDream is a plus this is potentially one minus: more than occasionally, the line will cancel a regular sailing if a charter gets booked — and it can throw off vacation plans of individual cruise travelers. On the other hand, if you have 100 or so close friends who can all chip in for a group cruise — what a blast!

Onboard
Casual, sophisticated and unpretentious, the SeaDream experience is highlighted by outstanding service, delicious cuisine and little of that “you must be here now” traditional cruise sensibility. If, rather oddly, there’s a reluctance to serve room service in cabins, passengers can order items from a comprehensive menu to be delivered anywhere else on board — and caviar, with all the trimmings, enjoyed poolside is a treat.

There’s no dress code — though plan on elegant casual by day and, well, casually elegant by night. All meals are open seating and there are many tables for two — which makes SeaDream a terrific choice for the romantically inclined. On the other hand, the ship’s intimate size fosters a lovely community it’s very easy to meet others.

SeaDream is one of the more all-inclusive lines in cruising so beverages, including cocktails, gratuities, activities such as equipment offered at the water sports platform and DVDs for in-cabin viewing, are part of the fare. You will shell out for treatments at the small but well appointed spa, super premium liquors and wines, shore excursions and…well, that’s all we can think of!

Fellow Passengers
What passengers tend to have in common is the fact that they’re well-heeled, well-traveled, sophisticated — and laid back. Age spans the gamut between 30s and infinity.Most of the cruises are seven nights in length which is good for those for whom vacation time is at a premium. For those who want longer voyages, SeaDream’s varying port of call schedules make SeaDream an attractive option for a back-to-back cruise,

Itineraries
The two ships spend warm weather months in Europe (offering varying voyages to the Eastern Mediterranean, Western Mediterranean and a combination of both). Both are in the Caribbean during the winter season.

Fiat launches its premium small car Grande Punto in India

2009-06-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Italian car maker Fiat has launched Grande Punto, its first premium small car in India, in both petrol and diesel variants. The models are priced between Rs3.99 lakh and Rs6.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The launch of the Grande Punto comes a week after Honda introduced its small car Jazz. Grande Punto was first launched in Europe in 2005. The small car segment comprises 70 per cent of the Indian market

The car would be rolled out from Fiat's plant at Ranjangaon in Maharashtra in four variants each in both petrol (1.2 / 1.4 litre) and diesel versions (1.3 litre).

Commenting on the launch of the car, Fiat India Automobiles' chief executive officer Rajeev Kapoor said, "The launch of Grande Punto marks a new milestone for Fiat in India as we bring the quintessentially Italian designs to Indian shores."

Fiat believes the small-car segment is under-tapped, and there is demand for international brands on Indian roads, he added.

Grande Punto is a hatchback and a joint venture Fiat and Tata Motors. The car comes with premium features like anti-lock braking system and electronic brake distribution.

The petrol version has 1.2 litre and 1.4 litre engines delivering 65hp and 77hp respectively and would cost Rs3.99-5.61 lakh. The diesel variant comes with a 1.3 litre multijet diesel engine and would cost Rs4.85-6.11 lakh.

Fiat India Automobiles is a 50:50 joint venture between Italy-based Fiat SpA and Tata Motors.

The new car will have as competition other premium hatchback models like Honda Siel's Jazz, Skoda's Fabia, Maruti Suzuki's Ritz, and Hyundai's i20. (See: Maruti Suzuki launches India's first BS-IV compliant small car, Ritz)

Toyota Kirloskar is also set to enter the small car market by end-2010. (See: Toyota Kirloskar to join small car bandwagon by end-2010, launches Land Cruiser)

Grande Punto would be available at over 100 Tata-Fiat dealers network across India.

The Ranjangaon facility can produce two lakh cars and three lakh engines in a year. Palio Stile and Linea are currently manufactured at the plant.

The Bangles, '80s hitmakers, still making sweet harmony

2009-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

While shoulder pads and big hair are no longer part of the Bangles' repertoire, those glorious harmonies remain. The '80s band (whose members aren't entirely sold on that description) recently powered through a set at Sirus XM Radio's New York headquarters as part of the company's "Artist Confidential" series.

An audience of happy fans watched from outside a studio as Susanna Hoffs and sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson attempted to rattle the glass walls with the melodious "Manic Monday" and an electric "Hazy Shade of Winter."

The Bangles broke up at the end of the decade, after also having hits with "Eternal Flame" and "Walk Like an Egyptian," but re-formed in 2000. In 2003, they released the album "Doll Revolution." They've just started on a new CD. These days, there are only three members; bassist Michael Steele left the group in 2005.

Hoffs, now 50 but looking nowhere near it, celebrates the release of a side project next month: a collection of '70s covers with musician Matthew Sweet called "Under The Covers Vol. 2."

The Bangles talked to CNN about fine wine, being horrified by the decade that made them and stumbling across embarrassing photos on the Web.

Cindy Hampton Mistress of John Ensign Affair

2009-06-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Nevada Senator John Ensign has confessed to an affair after his mistress' husband approached him about money, according to reports.

Senator John Ensign, married to wife Darlene, has admitted to having an affair last year with a campaign aide when he and his wife were separated. The aide, Cindy Hampton, was married to John's former legislative aide, Doug Hampton.

According to John, the affair lasted several months until John reconciled with his wife, at which time he paid Cynthia a severance package and went his separate way.

According to Right Celebrity, it is reported that sometime later, Ensign met with the husband of his lover, Doug Hampton, and had what some described as a 'positive encounter' although what that means in circumstances like this, I am not quite sure. Supposedly, Doug Hampton, the husband of John Ensign's Affair, subsequently asked Ensign for a substantial sum of money - at which point John Ensign decided to make his affair public.

Ensign confessed: "Last year, I had an affair."

"I violated the vows of my marriage. It is the worst thing I have ever done in my life. If there was ever anything in my life that I could take back, this would be it. I take full responsibility for my actions."

John's wife Darlene said of the affair in a statement: "Since we found out last year, we have worked through the situation, and we have come to reconciliation. This has been difficult on both families. With the help of our family and close friends, our marriage has become stronger."

The Real Housewives of New Jersey' Season Finale: Food Fight!

2009-06-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

The short season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” ended with a bang.

Since Teresa’s marble and onyx palace still wasn’t completely decorated, she decided to have the housewarming party at her favorite restaurant. Using the kind of reasoning typical among people who sign on to appear in reality shows, she invited nearly everyone’s best enemy, Danielle, who proceeded to ruin the party by plopping on the table a copy of “Cop Without a Badge,” the book that for most of the season had inspired gossip about Danielle’s allegedly shady past life.

The ensuing catfight/train wreck was just as painfully enjoyable to watch as the countless previews had made it seem. But the producers made us wait a while for the good stuff.

The season finale started with Dina’s visit to Teresa’s new house. “I feel like I’m visiting Oz,” Dina said, as she approached a door that looked like the entrance to the Wizard’s audience room. “You’ve got onyx coming out of you’re a—,” she told Teresa.

In an interview, Dina confided that she had been worried the house might not be tasteful, but then said that Teresa has great style. “I love the way she dresses,” she said, before the producers cut to a shot of Teresa in her cutoff shorts and “Jersey Girl” T-shirt (“where you wish you came from”).

Dina had presented Teresa with the traditional housewarming gift of bread and salt—the former so that she would never go hungry, the latter to keep “evil people” away. Speaking of which, Teresa told Dina of her plans to invite Danielle to her housewarming party. “I figured I’d give Danielle the benefit of the doubt,” Teresa said in an interview. “Do I want to be friends with her? No. But I’m not a rude person.”

Cut to Danielle’s house, where she had decided to show her daughters—Jillian, 10, and Christine, 14—photos from her days as a model and actress. The photos were blurred out for us viewers, but something about them made the girls’ jaws drop. Doing damage control because of “the book,” Danielle then told them that modeling is a potentially dangerous field, saying, “I did fall victim to a lot of things.”

Coming clean in an interview, Danielle said, “I did strip, I got arrested, and I did change my name.” When she told the girls that other people might say things about her, Christine, a breathtakingly levelheaded girl, said, “I will. Trust you. Above. Anyone else.”

A shot of Jacqueline saying that she’s trying to remain neutral led to a segment about her parents’ visit from Las Vegas. After parking their enormous motor home, they provided a refreshing note of sanity, warning Jacqueline not to do too much cosmetic surgery and advising her that if she was going to give her daughter, Ashley, a car, she should say that it’s actually not her car. Jacqueline and her husband, Chris, seemed to follow that advice, telling Ashley that she could use the car only if she kept to the straight and narrow.

Dina and Caroline’s segments weren’t very notable. Dina helped her daughter, Lexi, throw out a lifetime’s worth of stuffed animals, and Caroline showed off her new attack dog. “If someone attempts to have any kind of altercation with me,” she said, “bring it on. Bring it on.” (Did somebody say “foreshadowing”?)

We caught a glimpse of the man who helped the family find the dog, Bernard Kerik, who was described only as the best friend of Caroline’s husband. Kerik is the former New York City police commissioner who withdrew himself from consideration as the first secretary of Homeland Security and who later pleaded guilty to accepting gifts from a New Jersey construction company that was attempting to do business with the city.

Later, Dina and Lexi went to see Caroline in a restaurant, where Dina said she was considering stopping work so she could spend more time with Lexi and that husband we never see. “As of today,” she said in an interview, “I’m officially a retired girl and, um, just a housewife.”

But because no one had discussed “bubbies” for several minutes, Dina, after pointing out Lexi’s “big-girl haircut,” told Caroline, “We made an appointment for breast augmentation next week.”

“Go with Teresa,” said Caroline.

“I just can’t believe she has bubbies,” said Dina, gesturing toward Lexi. “See what I mean? I turn around for five minutes at work and all of sudden she’s got t—s.”

That topic continued when we finally got to the party at the restaurant. Despite the event’s ostensible purpose—to celebrate Teresa’s new home—the discussion was all about her breast augmentation. “Look at your bubbies,” said Jacqueline. “They look great. I love them.”

“I have to admire the bubbies,” said Dina while approaching Teresa. “First of all, your high beams are coming on.”

“They weren’t on before?” asked Teresa.

The discussion grew to include the bubbies of pretty much everyone in the room. “Mine are real,” said Caroline. Her adult sons kept saying they’d prefer it if the subject were dropped. Many viewers were probably feeling uncomfortable that some of the wives’ younger children were present too.

The entrance of a former stripper with an arrest record actually classed up the proceedings momentarily, even though Danielle was particularly sullen. “No kisses?” said Teresa.

After someone ordered oysters, things were back in the gutter. “Just put it in your mouth and swallow,” Chris told Teresa. “I’m not big on swallowing,” she replied. (Ixnay! There are kids in the room!)

When someone mentioned that oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac, Teresa said her husband, Joe, shouldn’t eat any “because he already wants it like three times a day … I’m sore.” Joe got frisky as soon as she got home after her operation, said Teresa. “I’m like, ‘I just got surgery. Can I heal?’”

“You didn’t have surgery down below,” Danielle noted sensibly. “You had surgery on your bubbies.” But Teresa kept going, discussing who was going to be on top and why neither option really worked.

It was almost a relief when Danielle pulled out “the book” (she actually used air quotes at one point). “I want to talk to all of you,” she announced. “I feel the need to clarify things.” She acknowledged that there had been a lot of gossip about the book, which, she said, was full of lies. “There are two truths in this book: I was arrested, and I did change my name.” (She seemed to have forgotten the stripper part.)

Danielle went on about how angry she was that people spread rumors about her without talking to her first. When Dina tried to interrupt, Caroline surprisingly told her to let Danielle have her say, but Dina kept repeating, “I never had the book in my hands,” which sounded like one of those half-truths that people tell when they think their adversary doesn’t know the whole story. In an interview, Dina said that she felt Danielle was aiming all her accusations at her.

(At this point, Teresa suggested they send the minors outside, although one kid said, “I’m not leaving. I want to watch this.”)

After more back and forth, Danielle told Dina, “I sat at home alone, throwing up with diarrhea for three weeks, because of you.” In a second surprise move, Caroline said to Danielle, “Can you do me one favor? Look at me, because I’m the one who told them.”

In an interview, Jacqueline said that she couldn’t decide whether to stick up for her friend Danielle or side with her family. (She’s married to Caroline and Dina’s brother.) She finally went at Dina, saying that she had told her about the book and concluding with “You’re such a liar, Dina.”

Then Teresa stepped in. “Why did your ex-husband write that book?” she asked Danielle. “Obviously, something in that book is true.”

Danielle told her to pay attention, which set Teresa off. “I am paying attention,” she said, her voice rising. “Obviously, there has to be something else. It’s not just name change and arrested: stripping, prostitution whore. You were f—-ing engaged 19 times, you f—-ing stupid b——.”

Here we finally saw the shot of her lifting the dinner table and slamming it down, which had been the centerpiece of so many teases this past week. Joe got up and pushed her away from the table (again showing little concern for her surgery).

“She’s a f—-ing pig,” Teresa ranted. “F—-ing pissing me off. She doesn’t know what the f—- she’s f—-ing with.”

That helped quiet Danielle down. “I’m going to pray for you,” said Dina nastily, setting off Jacqueline again. Finally, Chris intervened, saying, “I don’t want to hear any more of it,” and pointing out that they all had good health and were enjoying a nice dinner. That basically put a stop to the fighting.

Oddly, except for that effort and Joe’s physical restraint of Teresa, the husbands had mostly kept their heads down during the catfight. They all look like the kind of guys you wouldn’t want to be in a business dispute with, but they evidently know enough to stay out of the way when their wives go at it.

Bravo reportedly hasn’t signed the Jersey housewives for a second season. Tonight’s show ended with the following epilogues, which read as if this might indeed have been the final episode:

“Dina is enjoying being just a ‘housewife’ again. She devotes her time to her charity, her family and her cats.”

“Teresa is still helping her daughter, Gia, with her acting career. Her new bubbies did the trick, she and Joe are expecting!”

“Caroline stands by her decision to expose the book. She says she would do it again.”

“Danielle continues to look for her ‘soul mate.’ She and Dina still go to the same hair salon but have not crossed paths.”

“Jacqueline and Chris are expecting baby number three. The pregnancy has brought the family closer together again.”

Despite that apparent finality, Bravo has scheduled a “supplemental edition” of the series, titled “Last Supper: Second Helping,” to air this Thursday at 9 p.m. It will feature unseen footage of the dinner-party disaster. If the channel thinks we have such an appetite for this kind of TV, a second season seems inevitable.

Who Is Cynthia Hampton?

2009-06-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Sen. John Ensign, a conservative Republican from Nevada, has admitted to having an affair with a married woman. He said it was "the worst thing" he has ever done in his life, though he has no intention of resigning due to the extramarital affair.

The woman in question was not named by Ensign, but multiple reports name her as 46-year-old Cynthia Hampton. According to those reports, the affair was well known in Nevada political circles.

Politico reported that Hampton is married to Douglas Hampton, who worked in Ensign's Senate office. Both no longer work for Ensign.

According to Politico Hampton served as the treasurer for Ensign's re-election campaign and for his political committee. Also it is believed that Ensign's affair with Hampton took place between December 2007 and August 2008. FEC records show that she ended her affiliation with the two committees in early 2008.

Her husband Douglas Hampton served as Ensign's administrative assistant in his personal office from November 2006 to May 2008, around the same time Cynthia Hampton left Ensign's committees.

At a press conference Tuesday in Las Vegas, Ensign stated that "I will not mention any names but the woman who I was involved with and her husband were close friends and both of them worked for me. Our families were close. That closeness put me into situations which led to my inappropriate behavior. We caused deep pain to both families and for that I am sorry."

There have also been reports that Ensign went public about the affair because of blackmail threat. FoxNews.com reports that "two Senate Republican sources close to Sen. John Ensign of Nevada told FOX News that a former employee had asked Ensign for money in what both sources described as a case of 'extortion.'"

Ensign has been considered a potential presidential candidate, recently speaking at events in Iowa. He is a member of Promise Keepers, a group that promotes marital fidelity.

iPhone 3.0 release time

2009-06-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

Apple users are awaiting anxiously for the best kept secret of the new millennium, Apple’s iPhone 3.0 release time. Apple’s Vice President, Scott Forstall, made the announcement that the new iPhone 3.0 OS would be released sometime today, June 17, 2009. Users are waiting with iPhones connected to their pcs to be first in line for the software download.

Though the release time hasn’t been officially announced, many believe it will be between 12:00 and 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Why the reason for the secrecy, you ask? More than likely, it is to prevent their servers from crashing or overloading when the release is made public. Yeah, like iPhone users haven't heard of Twitter!

True Blood recap, season 2, episode 1

2009-06-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

Well, the writers at HBO seem to have crawled into my head to give me what I love: sex, action, blood and Lafayette (at least for now). For that, I am eternally grateful.

But more on all of that in good time. Let’s do like the Good Witch says and start from the beginning. The episode kicks off with Tara and Sookie having a match of wills to see who can scream the loudest over the discovery of a dead body in Officer Andy’s car. We quickly find out that the corpse doesn’t belong to Lafayette—like we all not-so-secretly expect—but can be claimed by Miss Jeanette, the woman who exorcised the demons living in Tara and her mother. That can all be summed up with this: sad face for the lying, cheating clerk at the drug store. Happy face for Lafayette.

Next we’re taken over to the Bon Temps police station where the questioning begins. Tara and her mother are both there sharing memories and having not-so-maternal moments. Let’s suffice it to say that Mama sees this as a personal challenge and another reason to pray, prey and be condescending. Tara sees it as a chance to come clean, which she tries to do. She confesses that she knew for a while that Miss Jeanette was a fake—something that is not welcomed to mama. But before Tara can pull another self-depreciating moment with her mom, in swoops Maryann with some jaw-dropping insults. “Devoid of human compassion” is the nicest thing that crosses her lips.

Next we get a little look at what the past two weeks have been like for Jason. The Bible, brainwashing and blood have all been key words. And now, under the guidance of the much-loved Rev. Steve Newlin, Jason is considering dropping more money than he’s ever had on a church camp. A church camp that promises to turn him into a vampire-hating, Jesus-loving Right Winger. Woot, woot. (More on where the money comes from in just a second.)

Next, things start getting interesting. We have our shape shifting Sam having flashbacks to his younger, more naked years where he was prone to breaking and entering, robbery and sex with strange women. There’s also something about a headless statue and an orgasmic, vibrating Maryann. Why she flickers like a 1980s Daewoo TV, I know not, but I hope to find out soon. All we are privy to for now is that she’s coming back into Sam’s life, and she doesn’t want the cash that his kleptomaniac self took 20 years ago.

Over at the Land of Maryann and False Hopes and Dreams, Tara is still playing with her boy toy, as long as man servant Carl isn’t serving up towels. And when he does—at a most inopportune moment—Maryann is quick to lay the smack down. Literally. To the point that Carl hits the ground. Remind me not to mess with her.

In another fantasy land not so far away, Bill continues his training of protégé Jessica. Things still aren’t cozy, but they are getting a little better. He plays bartender and forces his new vamp to find a mix of Tru Blood that doesn’t taste like “ass.” All of this is news to Sookie, who comes over one day after work to uncover the new redhead living down the street, among other interesting discoveries. Her second revelation: That Bill took out her great uncle Bartlett. You remember him; he was the creepy wheelchair-bound guy who once upon a time molested Sookie. (His meager bankroll is what’s sending Jason to church.) Somehow Sookie is upset by the news that Chester the Molster is dead, and that Bill has the blood on his hands. Something about valuing human life, yadda yadda yadda. But a well-timed bit of groveling on Bill’s behalf keeps Sookie from walking out forever. That moment turns into crazy hot vampire sex, where Anna Paquin gets naked. Let me repeat that. Anna Paquin got naked. NAKED. HBO, I can’t imagine what you paid for that, but I don’t doubt that it was worth it in ratings.

Anyway, I’ve saved the best for last. Back in Bon Temps we get a few flashes of where Lafayette has been kept for the past two weeks. It’s not a pretty place. There are chains, and a cog and slave labor. We know there are vampires, but the reason for the internment isn’t clear right away. After one of the captives makes some smart comment about busting out, in comes Eric—blond, scary, vampire Eric. He mouths off something fierce about justice for the three brethern who were killed in the last season, and we can assume that’s why these folks are being kept in the dungeon. I’m assuming this is the basement of Fangtasia, but I can’t tell for sure. Anyone know?

OK, so those are the highlights: Lafayette is alive and being tortured. Sookie and Bill are still in love and still biting. Jessica is still around, and slightly less annoying. Maryann=creepy. Sam is a naked thief. Tara is horny and in need of approval, and Miss Jeanette is dead. Where that will go next week, we’ll have to wait and see.

Bollywood Actor Shiney Ahuja Arrested On Rape Charges

2009-06-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

The girl informed that on Sunday when Shiney Ahuja’s wife was not present in the house, the actor took her to his bedroom and physically assaulted her. Earlier on Sunday evening, the 18-year-old filed an FIR against the actor in the Oshiwara police station in Andheri (West). According to police sources, the investigation is on and Shiney Ahuja will be produced before a magistrate’s court later today.

While interacting with the media, additional commissioner of police, Amitabh Gupta informed that the maidservant had been working in Ahuja’s house for nearly a year. He added that on Sunday evening, she approached the Oshiwara police station and complained that the actor had raped her. The girl informed that on Sunday when Shiney Ahuja’s wife was not present in the house, the actor took her to his bedroom and physically assaulted her.

After the incident, the 18-year-old went to her relatives’ place and from there she went to police station accompanied with other girls. After the FIR, the police called Shiney Ahuja for an enquiry. Meanwhile, the maidservant was sent to the Nagpada police hospital for a medical examination. As per a senior police official, the preliminary tests conducted on the maidservant confirmed sexual assault. Shiney Ahuja is a married man and got much of fame for his roles in films like ‘Hazaroon Khwaishe

Lakers parade costs to reach to reach around $2 million

2009-06-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

Following the Los Angeles Lakers 99-86 victory in Game 5 Sunday over the Orlando Magic in the 4-1 series, league MVP Kobe Bryant has captured the Lakers’ fifteenth NBA title. “This really feels like a dream,” Bryant told reporters. “This doesn’t even feel real right now. It’s unbelievable.”

As the Magic’s defeat silences Orlando, Los Angeles is preparing for a three-hour celebration leading fans from the Staples Center to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The police union and some residents, however, have complained of the celebration’s cost. “We can't afford to cover the costs,” City Councilwoman Jan Perry told the Los Angeles Times. “How could we make a decision about people's jobs and then sponsor the parade?” In spite of this, it is unlikely that these concerns will prevent the city’s many basketball fans from paying tribute to the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Times reports that expenses, split between the team and the city, are expected to reach around $2 million, part of which will go toward renting the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mark Szabo, spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced that the city would pay for police, transportation and general staff. Responding to critics of the price tag, Mayor Szabo said it was “untenable” not to have a parade. Nevertheless, some city officials have said that a victory party would cost too much at a time when the city is struggling to cut expenditures. “We can't afford to cover the costs,” City Councilwoman Jan Perry told the Los Angeles Times. “How could we make a decision about people's jobs and then sponsor the parade?

If all goes as planned, the city of Los Angeles will host a victory parade on Wednesday June 17th. An exact start time has not been set, but it will likely begin around midday

Leaked photos of Meghan Fox- Fox relies on Karma

2009-06-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

The publication of topless photos of Hollywood actress Megan Fox has not upset her enough to sue anyone. She has decided not to take any action against the person who has leaked these pictures to the tabloid. Her believe in Karma made her take such a decision. Though she now seems cool over the issue it did initially stir her. She was shocked to see her topless photos from her upcoming movie Jennifer’s Body online. The ‘Transformers’ star had then considered taking legal action.

The change in her decision was brought about by a second glance she took at the photos. She realized the photos were not that disturbing as it earlier appeared to be. The reason being the use of silicon stickers that covered her private parts. She has said “I had booby stickers on. They make these silicone stickers that go on over your nipple.” Fox was further quoted by Contactmusic saying “If I’d been actually topless, I would have sued someone… I know who, and I never did anything about it. It’s her karma to deal with, not mine.”

However this controversy over Megan Fox’s nude photos splashed across was waiting to happen. Her ‘Transformers’ co star Michael Papajohn was quoted saying that he wished she put more clothes on. He had earlier said to Fox News at the Palm Pre launch event at Hollywood’s Raleigh Studios “I can honestly tell you she’s beautiful, but my buddies are still calling me and emailing me going, ‘Hey, how hot is she?’ and the verdict is I stayed in character the whole time.” He further added “So I just looked at her from a father’s point of view and I just kept saying in my mind, ‘Oh Megan, I wish you’d put more clothes on’. But I did text my buddies back and said ‘good genes, what can I say?”

Demi Moore Bush Picture Becomes Hot Internet Search Phrase

2009-06-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

Demi Moore Bush picture somehow became the top search item on the Web the last two days. A Demi Moore Bush picture might make one believe at first that Demi Moore met with President Bush somehow. But there is a cruder meaning to a Demi Moore Bush picture, of course. In this case, the idea. Demi Moore Bush Picture Becomes Hot Internet Search Phrase of searching for a Demi Moore Bush picture came from television, as Comedy Central's newest Internet based show gave tips to Web users everyone on how to find a particularly noteworthy "Demi Moore Bush picture"

Comedy Central's new show Tosh.0 has comedian Daniel Tosh surfing the Internet for embarrassing, noteworthy items that Internet users can find and enjoy. In the second episode of Tosh.0 this Thursday, Tosh sent his viewers on a Google search for the term "Demi Moore George Bush"

Tosh then suggested to viewers to take the "George" out of the search term and see what happens. Many people did just that, turning "Demi Moore Bush" into the hot search item on Google.

When searching for this term, the first result that comes up is a webpage called "Downtown Alleys" with an article called "Demi Moore has a huge bush" The picture was posted in 2005, and is a picture of Demi Moore from the 1980's, with one breast exposed, as well as full frontal exposure as well.

The shot of the full frontal in question - and the size of the search item in question - shows just why Daniel Tosh wanted his viewers to see it. And it appears he either has millions of viewers already, or that his precious Internet is quick to spread the word.

Demi Moore is no stranger to nudity or having fans see her nude, since she seemed to get naked at some point for half her films while she was a big star in the 90's. But it wasn't usually to this extent, and didn't reveal quite so much as what this picture from the 80's did.

The Internet has been a useful tool for Moore and husband Ashton Kutcher, given the massive following they have on Twitter. But this time, the Internet was used to dig up something embarrassing on Moore, or at least Daniel Tosh did with his Demi Moore Bush picture tips.

England vs India Twenty20 WorldCup Live Streaming

2009-06-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

England vs India Twenty20 WorldCup Live Streaming

England v India

ICC World Twenty20 - 20th Match, Group E

Lord's, London
14 June 2009 - day/night

England squad :

PD Collingwood*, JM Anderson, RS Bopara, SCJ Broad, JS Foster†, RWT Key, AD Mascarenhas, EJG Morgan, GR Napier, KP Pietersen, AU Rashid, OA Shah, RJ Sidebottom, GP Swann, LJ Wright

India squad :

MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, G Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, RA Jadeja, KD Karthik, Z Khan, P Kumar, PP Ojha, IK Pathan, YK Pathan, SK Raina, I Sharma, RG Sharma, RP Singh

ICC Twenty20 WorldCup Live Scorecard

ESPN programming reveals Nebraska wrestling scandal and Danny Almonte

2009-06-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

OTL will examine the dismissal of two Nebraska wrestlers who accepted money to pose on a pornographic Web site frequented by gay men. According to ESPN, their OTL report found a pattern of disciplinary leniency in the wrestling program. When wrestlers Paul Donahoe and Kenny Jordan accepted money to promote their images on the porn site, they violated NCAA regulations.

Coach Mark Manning tells OTL the two wrestlers were released for a multitude of reasons, including a previous NCAA violation and academic and behavioral issues. Jordan and Donahoe contend the coach's inability to cover up the Internet appearances was the main reason for the dismissals.

David Amber reports. "I threatened them, and said 'I'll be on the 6 o'clock (news). Turn the TV on. I'll talk about the illegal (expletive) you guys do.'" -- Paul Donahoe, former Nebraska wrestler, on what he told his coach after being dismissed from the team “We didn’t kill anybody. We didn’t put anybody in the hospital. We’re not selling drugs. We’re not bad kids. We did some porn, get over it.” – Kenny Jordan, former Nebraska wrestler, now attending Purdue “Oh, there’s people that walked out with eight, nine-hundred, a grand, easy.” – Jordan, on alleged gambling among Nebraska wrestlers and coaches. ESPN.com’s Paula Lavigne writes: “If the scenarios presented by Donahoe's coaches, teammates and others are true, his isn't necessarily a story of a student-athlete denied a second chance. It's a story about a chronic troublemaker given multiple chances to change his ways."

In 2001 Danny Almonte amazed all by throwing a perfect game in the Little League World Series. The wonder kid then found himself in the middle of a scandal when it was revealed that he was 2 years older than the League age limit. Now 22, Almonte plays for the Alaska Baseball League and still dreams of a career in the pros.

4800 Calorie Burger: More than Just a Heart Attack Waiting to Happen

2009-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

A recent trend seems to be developing in the restaurant world. Whether this practice has always been in place, or is just coming more to the forefront due to America’s increasing problem of obesity, one thing is clear: it’s a dangerous following. What I’m talking about is “larger-than-life” foods.

A couple of examples: In Michigan, the West Michigan Whitecaps minor league baseball team has created a promotional 4,800-calorie burger with 300 grams of fat. If you are able to consume the whole thing, you get a T-shirt.

CBS recently covered a story on a restaurant called, "Heart Attack Grill" in Tempe, Arizona. They offer the “Quadruple Bypass Hamburger," which boasts a whopping 8,000 calories. You won’t get a T-shirt for finishing it, but they will offer you a ride to your car in a wheelchair if you’re just too full and bloated to walk.

Keep in mind that the average number of calories that an active, healthy man should get on a daily basis is 2,500; for a woman it’s no more than 2,000. For the whole day.We’ve all heard that foods like these – larger-than-life steaks and burgers – are just “a heart attack waiting to happen.” But recent research indicates that a diet rich in red meat may do much more than that.

A study performed by the United States National Cancer Institute has recently linked Alzheimer’s and stomach ulcers to have a red meat diet. The study also showed staggering numbers when an individual reduced their meat consumption altogether to that taken in by the bottom twenty percent. It showed that it would save 11 percent of men’s lives and 16 percent of women’s lives.

This study justifies the findings of the World Cancer Research Fund, American Institute for Cancer Research, and the American Cancer Society. Those organizations highly recommend reducing the consumption of red meat. It is believed that this is something new in the sense of mortality. As with previous studies these too have found that red meat is often associated with cancer incidence. This was confirmed by a study conducted by vegetarian groups.

A study conducted last year by the United States Cancer Institute showed that eating a quarter pound hamburger or a small pork chop each day could easily put you are an increased risk of getting a variety of cancers. The American Meat Institute negatively reacted to the results claiming that they were notoriously unreliable. They also went on to state that meat was an excellent source of B12, zinc, iron, and other essential vitamins and minerals.

Another study showed that individuals eating the highest amount of red meat were thirty one to thirty six percent more likely to die from any cause than those individuals eating the least amount of red meat. That study stated that the causes of death could be any of the following: diabetes, ulcers, pneumonia, liver disease, HIV, influenza, Alzheimer’s, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and tuberculosis. The research also determined that the chances of dying from cancer were twenty two percent higher for men who ate the highest amount of red meat and twenty percent for women who ate the most amount of red meat.

The lesson? By eating such a diet rich in red meat, and indulging in mammoth burgers and steaks, you’re certain to get much more than a T-shirt. In fact, you may just be solidifying your death sentence.

No date set for Penguins parade

2009-06-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Officials this morning were discussing plans for a parade honoring the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins, a spokeswoman for Mayor Luke Ravenstal said.

The spokeswoman, Joanna Doven, said an announcement will be made as soon as plans are confirmed.

The Pens last night defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-to-1 in Detroit, a seventh-game victory that triggered spontaneous street celebrations in the South Side, Oakland and other parts of the Pittsburgh region. It was the Penguins first Stanley Cup win in 17 years.

Beer Bike Crash In Amsterdam

2009-06-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

The bike, with eleven women on board, hit the roof of a bike tunnel at high speed. A beer bike operated by a different company from the one on this news itemThree of the women werebeer bikeejected by the force of the crash.They have taken to a hospital where they were treated for neck injuries.

A beer bike (bierfiets) is a mobile, pedal-powered bar. The bike was rented by the women to celebrate a bachelor party.

Hoping to more easily cycle up the incline on the other end of the bike tunnel, the women gathered speed on the downward incline — not realizing that the roof of the tunnel was too low for the beer bike to negotiate.

Among the injured women is the driver of the bike.

Police have reportedly started an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Beer bikes can be rented from several companies. They can transport up to seventeen people, bar keeper and driver included, and are powered by ten sets of bike pedals.

Lineup for Statue Cruises' Statue of Liberty crown tickets: Visitors not allowed since 9/11

2009-06-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

In another smoke and mirrors effort to divert our attention from important issues, our government, through Statue Cruises, is again allowing "we the people" into the crown of the Statue of Liberty. We own the Statue of Liberty, and it is supposed to represent our liberty . Yet, a bunch of white guys in Washington (some are women or people of color just acting like all the white guys who have gone before them) have restricted us from touring the crown.

Now, people are lining up to purchase coveted tickets to the top of Miss Liberty. I wonder what kind of search they will have to pass through to actually get in? Perhaps this picture is not far from the next government restrictions reality.

In order to get the most publicity from this new government stunt and help us to forget we are a warmongering country waging two wars abroad and not able to feed, house, educate or provide health care for our own people, the Statue of Liberty's crown opens to the public on July 4. So, step right up and get in line to worship at the head of the hottest babe in New York harbor.

May we all experience true liberty and freedom, free from government restrictions, and may that genuine liberty pervade our entire Spaceship Earth soon.

Patrick Kennedy again receiving treatment

2009-06-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who has struggled with depression, alcoholism and addiction for much of his life, said Friday that he has checked into a medical facility for treatment.

The Rhode Island Democrat, who sought treatment three years ago after an early-morning car crash near the U.S. Capitol, said in a statement that his recovery is a "lifelong process" and that he will do whatever it takes to preserve his health.

"I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery," Kennedy said. He did not say exactly what he was being treated for, and did not disclose the facility's location.

Kennedy, who has wrestled with alcoholism, bipolar disorder and an addiction to prescription drugs, has often spoken publicly about his recovery and the importance of removing any stigma associated with mental illnesses.

He has been a leading voice in Congress on mental health issues, championing legislation to require insurance companies to treat mental health on an equal basis with physical illnesses, when policies cover both.

The measure passed last October as part of a $700 billion financial bailout.

"I hope that in some small way my decision to be proactive and public in my efforts to remain healthy can help remove the stigma that has served as a barrier for many Americans reluctant to get the help they needed," he said.

Kennedy's office declined to offer any details about the congressman's health or what prompted him to seek treatment. He sought the treatment in the last few days, his office said.

"He takes his health very seriously and had conversations with his doctors, and they thought it was best for him to step away from his work right now and go in and get some medical care," said Jack McConnell, a lawyer, longtime Kennedy friend and former campaign manager.

"I'm incredibly proud of him for doing it," he added.

He said no particular incident or relapse prompted his decision to seek treatment.

In May 2006, Kennedy, the son of Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., crashed his 1997 Ford Mustang into a security barrier on Capitol Hill in the early morning hours. He entered into a rehabilitation program at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He agreed to a plea deal on a charge of driving under the influence of prescription drugs and received a year's probation.

He earlier disclosed he went to rehab as a teenager for an addiction to cocaine, and has since said he was in recovery for depression and alcoholism. In 2000, he was accused of shoving an airport security guard in Los Angeles and trashing a yacht.

Kennedy continues to enjoy high popularity ratings in Rhode Island, cruising to an eighth term in last November's elections.

News of his treatment was first reported by The Providence Journal.

The congressman's latest treatment comes as his 77-year-old father is battling brain cancer.

source : google news

Megan Fox has freaky thumbs

2009-06-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Would you still hit it? New photos of Megan Fox show the Transformers actress might not be so perfect after all, because she has rather odd thumbs.

The promotional shot above shows that Fox has what some sites are describing as a “toe thumb.” The odd thing about the whole Megan Fox toe thumbs story though is that it hasn’t been noticed before, but then again maybe she hasn’t posed with her thumb that close to her face either.

Experts say that the short fat thumb thing is inherited, and no, she hasn’t had her big toe removed and surgically placed there.

Tosh.0 and the Demi Moore NSFW pic

2009-06-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

On Tosh.0 last night, Daniel Tosh sent viewers on a NSFW Google scavenger hunt for pictures of Mrs. Kutcher, Demi Moore.

Coyly instructing viewers to Google permutations of “Demi Moore” and variations on George Bush, Tosh lead viewers to what appears to be a vintage nude pic of Moore from the terrifying good old days when Brazilian waxing was not de rigueur.

Is the pic real? Holy hell, I hope not. I used to do bikini waxing and that is a nightmare-inducing, 200% gratuity situation right there. While I won’t link to the pic in question, I will tell you if you follow Tosh’s instructions, it’s first in the Google results. And it is pretty alarming.

The Tosh.0 clip can be found here. With apologies to Demi Moore and Mr. Bush.

Recycled homes, one box at a time

2009-06-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Magoline Hazelton is used to people driving by her home just to take a look. She's also known as the "house lady" by her fellow residents in North Charleston, South Carolina.

From the outside, Hazelton's home doesn't seem much different from the rest of the neighborhood. But there's one big difference. Her house is made from cargo shipping containers.

Using containers to build homes has increasingly become a trend in the past several years because it can be cheaper and faster than using traditional construction methods. There are also plenty of containers at most major ports.

About 18 million containers are used worldwide to transport a variety of everyday products, such as cars, toys and food. Because the United States imports more than it exports, many containers end up stacked at ports.

SG Blocks, a company whose name stands for safe and green blocks, has made a business from the container overflow. Co-founder David Cross previously worked as a merchant marine and spent a lot of time at sea, dealing with shipping containers.

"As you're looking down the deck of the vessel, you see hundreds to thousands of containers perfectly configured," Cross said. "They were stacked nine high below deck, five or six high on deck, and I just kept seeing hotel after hotel on the deck of our ship."

Cross also saw value in the strength of the material.

"The containers are designed for hostile dynamic life at sea ... capable of carrying 60,000 pounds. It just made imminent sense, that with minor modification, it could become a multi-family living system."

In 2003, Cross partnered with engineer Steve Armstrong to help bring the idea to fruition. A year later, Hazelton's house was built in South Carolina.

According to Cross, modifying containers into homes uses significantly less energy than melting them down.

"These containers weigh about 9,000 pounds, and it takes about 9,000 kilowatt hours of energy to melt down 9,000 pounds of steel," Cross said. "We modify that existing piece of steel with approximately 400 kilowatt hours of energy input. [That's a] 95 percent energy footprint reduction."

The energy saved by transforming a single container into a home, rather than melting it down, can power a standard 70-watt lightbulb for up to 15 years.

The time it takes to assemble a container home can vary, according to Cross. Hazelton's home took 10 weeks to build. Generally, SG Blocks has found that recycled homes cut construction time in half.

"Typical homes can take four to eight months [to build]," Cross said. "For container homes, it's usually two to four months."

According to Armstrong, who is president of SG Blocks, the cost of building a single family container home is comparable to a traditional home.

"But you get a steel home instead of a wood home," he said. "So, it's more durable and has a lower carbon footprint. It's also water resistant and termite resistant."

The construction becomes cheaper as you get into multi-family homes. According to Armstrong, multi-family mid-rise units cost 10 to 15 percent less than typical "stick frame" homes.

"That's a lot to do with speed and ease of construction," he said.

Companies around the world are using shipping containers as building materials to create offices, army barracks, dorms and even designer homes.

"[We] can make these look like anything you want. [We] can put a pretty dress on any skeleton," Armstrong said. "So, if you want it minimalistic, so you can see the container walls, we can do that. If you want stucco or brick or siding, [we] can do that as well."

While each container has its own roof, when multiple containers are put together side by side, there are gaps between the boxes. Therefore, a traditional roof is put on top of the entire home, providing additional safety in inclement weather.

"When the boxes are joined together, the gaps are sealed, so even if you lose your roof above, you'd have some protection," said Armstrong.

The second roof also provides another benefit. Hazelton finds she can't even hear the rain hitting her home when it's pouring outside.

Her house has been almost maintenance free since she moved in.

"The only thing I've done here is exchanged the hot water heater. Nothing else I've had to do in the last five years ... so far, it's pretty good."

source : www.cnn.com

Kendhal Beal: Assaulted

2009-06-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Beauty queen Kendhal Beal was assaulted on Tuesday June 9th by trust fund billionaire Paris Hilton. Hilton allegedly threw ice and bar food at the victim who is said by witnesses to have been a non-aggressor in the situation.

Hilton became upset after hearing her boyfriend Doug Reinhardt was at the bar with Kendhal Beal and a group of friends, having drinks and watching the Lakers on television.

Hilton stormed into the bar and initiated a confrontation with Reinhardt then stormed out.

Her Bio (From her website):

Kendhal Beal, model and aspiring actress, was born in Houston, Texas. She has two sisters and two brothers. Her family is very important to her and is her support in everything that she does.

Kendhal began modeling when she was fourteen years old with Neal Hamil Modeling Agency in Houston, Texas. Neal Hamil Modeling Agency sent her to New York at age nineteen where she worked for Cosmopolitan, Wella, Celebrity Hairstyles Magazine and many other well known clients.

Along with modeling, Kendhal also majored in Biology at Lamar University studying to be an Orthodontist. She also competed in Miss Texas USA where she placed 2nd runner up and Everything But Water Swimsuit Winner for the years 2005 and 2006. Her main focus was bringing awareness about ITP which is a blood disorder that her youngest sister was born with.

Kendhal currently lives in Studio City, California where she is modeling and taking acting classes as she hopes to branch out into the acting world

Beatle news briefs: Keep a rockin'

2009-06-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

On the Citi Field show, here are the ticket prices, from low to high: Promenade Center: $49.50, Promenade Side: $59.50, Field Center Sterling: $99.50, Field Center: $99.50, Excelsior: $125, Field Side: $175, Floor Side: $175, Floor Center: $275. You can see the seating chart here.

And in addition to the presale at 507tixx.com, American Express has one listed on their page going from 10 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday, a bit longer than the other presale, which ends Saturday.

Look for a special interview with former Wings guitarist Laurence Juber here later today. He'll talk about his career and his time with Wings.

Yoko Ono was given a lifetime achievement award Thursday from MOJO magazine, reports the BBC.

Two Beatle fans talk about seeing the Beatles in Detroit in 1964 in the Detroit News.

Yoko Ono tweet on Thursday: "When you say 'I love you', you are not just saying it to that person. You are saying 'I love you' to yourself, the planet & the Universe."

The Museum at Bethel Woods in upstate New York, the site of the original Woodstock Music Festival, is featuring an exhibit of Gerry Deiter's photos of John Lennon and Yoko at the Montreal bed-in. The Associated Press has a short slide show.

Ken Dashow talked to Yoko recently about the "John Lennon: The New York Years" exhibit. You can hear his interview here.

The Seattle tribute band Crème Tangerine are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles "Abbey Road" by performing the album live from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 27th in the Queen’s Show Lounge aboard the M.S. Amsterdam in the Port of Seattle’s Smith Cove cruise terminal. The event coincides with the release of the group's new album, "The Abbey Road Project." The show will be hosted by Spike O’Neill of Seattle’s "Bob Rivers Show" and a portion of the proceeds from the album release date will benefit Junior Achievement of Washington. Tickets can be purchased through Junior Achievement at http://www.jawashington.org.

Former Monkee Peter Tork's cancer has returned, reports the Hartford Courant, but "doctors have given him an excellent chance, 80 percent, of containing this new tumor and shrinking it," said his publicist.

There's something cool about reading that the great Little Richard, 76, also a huge influence to the Beatles, is still gigging. Here's a review from a concert he did this week in the Washington Post. Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and B.B. King, a group containing some big influences on the Beatles, recently appeared at a special tribute concert in New Orleans at the end of May to help support a charity by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to improve local playgrounds and recreation sites in New Orleans. We added pictures of the four performers to the slideshow at the bottom. Glad to see them still rocking away.

We'll close out with this excerpt from Warren Zanes' liner notes for "Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison" that, we think, reveals a little about the purpose behind the disc. "With recordings collected by friends and family, "Let it Roll: Songs by George Harrison" is a gathering of material that takes us far into the territory that was unique to George Harrison ... The more we listen, the more we want deeper insight into George Harrison's world. And left curious, we're pulled back into the music again. The music is and always will be where the best clues remain, clues telling us something about who George Harrison was -- and is."

Federer makes history with French Open triumph

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

Roger Federer makes history, winning the French Open completing the Career Slam and tying Pete Sampras' record. And, just as important, suddenly, it doesn't look like he's done winning anytime soon. We like our heroes to show resilience? After losing the 2008 Wimbledon final -- conceding the top ranking, and showing some mortality, facing so many doubts -- Federer has won two of the last three Slams and may well regain the No. 1 spot. And, somehow, it was fittingAndre Agassi presented him with the trophy.

So a month ago, Federer had yet to win a title, appeared annoyed and distracted, and his new wife was expecting. Nadal -- winner of the previous Major -- was building his points lead by racking up clay-court titles, as per usual. If I were to have told you one of the guys would beat the other to win Madrid, win the French Open and come to Wimbledon on a hot streak while the other would drop two straight tournaments and pull out of a tune-up with an injury, who would have made the correct identifications? Gotta love this era in the men's game.

Quite apart the title, Federer's absurd streak of twenty straight Major semifinal appearances was thrown into sharp relief by the losses of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. To me, this streak bolsters his GOAT candidacy as much as the Career Slam achievement.

Bonnie Richardson Defends 1A Team Track Title

2009-06-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

The best small high school track team in Texas is once again a freckle-faced girl named Bonnie Richardson. Valedictorian of her 14-student senior class in the tiny farming town of Rochelle, Richardson won the Class A girls team state title by herself for the second consecutive year Saturday by single-handedly beating 56 other schools.

Her reward was a second state championship trophy she won't have to share with anyone — there are no other girls on the Rochelle High School track team. "It's great. It's over. It's done," Richardson said. "It's nice that I can relax now."

The daughter of a Rochelle High teacher and a rancher, Richardson won four individual medals in five events: gold in the long jump and high jump, silver in the discus and bronze in the 200 meters. She also finished fourth in the 100 meters. Since becoming the first girl in state history last year to win a team title solo, her celebrity has put her in national magazines and gotten her a Texas A&M track scholarship. It may even lure more than one girl next year to replace Richardson on the Lady Hornets team. For Richardson, repeating the feat Saturday was perfect until she stood atop the medal stand and the public address announcer implored the crowd to applaud this amazing accomplishment by ... Bonnie Singleton?

Richardson laughed. Besides, she's now looking forward to some anonymity.
"I still get phone calls, and that kind of creeps me out because I don't know how they got my number," she said.Rochelle is a small, unincorporated farming town about 140 miles northeast of Austin. The high school doesn't even have a proper track for Richardson to train. She runs on a circular path of hard, rutted caliche — a type of soil — that the McCulloch County commissioner smooths out about a once a year. So eager were other coaches to groom their own one-athlete team that they called Rochelle's school wondering about this track surface they never heard of.
"They read in the paper that she runs on caliche, and they call saying, 'How do we get one of those caliche tracks?'" said Steve Butler, superintendent of the Rochelle school district. "They think it's something fancy. They can have this one."

Television's King Norman Lear

2009-06-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

"All In The Family" was a huge hit for Norman Lear - KING LEAR, you could call him, considering the respect that he enjoys in the world of entertainment. Bill Whitaker has a Sunday Profile:
There's gotta be story behind the hat … and there is.

Norman Lear's wife bought him his signature hat to keep him from scratching his head while he writes.

But he's a man who has worn many hats over the years: TV, movie & music producer, political activist, family man. At 86, you'd assume he'd done it all. But ask Norman Lear and he'll tell you he's only just begun.

"No, there's no slowing down," Lear told Bill Whitaker.

"Why not? You've earned the right to say, 'You know, I want to sit back and watch all these things come to fruition.'"

"I've earned the right to do what I want to do,' is another way of saying what you just said," Lear responded. "And what I want to do is wake up every morning of my life to do something that I think matters."

The man best known for creating hit after TV hit in the 1970s is occupied these days with music. He bought into a record company 10 years ago, and today his greatest passion is Concord Record group's latest project: Playing for Change, little-known street musicians recorded separately around the world, brought together in song.

It's had 12 million hits on the Internet, a tour is planned … a CD. Profits help build schools for music in the third world.

Lear wants nothing less than to inspire - no, change the world through music.

"I've never shown that - [and] I've shown it to a lot of people - where they haven't been emotionally connected when it was over," he said.

Lear has been connecting with audiences for decades. He grew up with TV, writing for stars like Jerry Lewis, making us laugh at his characters while making us look at ourselves.

Lear first became a household name back in 1971 with his insurgent little sit-com, "All in the Family." The language was shocking; the topics - racism, rape, homosexuality, miscarriage - never seen on TV before, all spinning around the unapologetically politically incorrect, working class, blowhard, bigot next door, Archie Bunker, played by the late Caroll O'Connor.

It was the number one show for five straight years.

"What made you think that bigotry could be funny?" Whitaker asked.

"It wasn't bigotry per se," Lear said. "It was the state of the man's mind. He was afraid of tomorrow."

Lear took our anxiety at the social upheaval at the time - Vietnam, the women's movement, civil rights - and invited us to face it with a laugh, always pushing our buttons, and always pushing the envelope.

In the mid-'70s he had seven hit shows on the air: "Sanford & Son," "Maude," "Good Times," "The Jeffersons," "One Day at a Time," and the late night soap opera spoof, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman."

He was probably the hardest working man in show business, running from one taping to the next. He even did the warm-up acts.

It paid off. Some weeks four of the top-five shows were Lear's.

"Did you plan to topple old taboos when you put these shows on the air?" Whitaker asked.

"No. You know, you could hear anything we were saying in a schoolyard. What was the big surprise?"

"I think the big surprise was that you put it on TV, the first to do it."

"OK, I 'fess up," he said.

"For him to say that he didn't have an impact on not only television, but society is, you know, it's a little too humble," said Rob Reiner.

Reiner got his show business break when Lear tapped him to play Archie's foil, Michael Stivic. Later, Lear produced Reiner's first string of hit movies and remains a friend and mentor.

"We were a nation of 200 million people, and we were drawing 45 million people to watch our show every week," Reiner said. "Now we're a nation of over 300 million and if you get 15, 20, 25 million you're a massive hit. He was the king of television at a time when television was more important, or at least more viewed, that it is now even."

But in 1980 the king turned his back on his TV empire to go in a completely different direction.

He grew alarmed as evangelical Christian preachers grew more visibly and vocally involved in politics, with views and tactics he found divisive. He responded the way he knew best - on television.

His TV advertisement ("There's gotta be something wrong when ministers try to tell you you're good Christians or bad Christians depending on your political point of view") spawned People for the American Way, his grassroots civics organization to keep Americans aware and protective of their rights.

"You are not saying that religious people should not be engaged in political life?" Whitaker asked.

"No, I'm saying anything but that," Lear said.

He says all voices should be heard. As proof, he turns to the original document: one of 25 remaining original printings of the Declaration of Independence, which he bought for $8.1 million.

"I never know whether I'm going to cry or just tear up," he said, showing the document, which he called "our nation's birth certificate."

"'All men are created equal, endowed by their creator with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' I mean, come on!"

And just as this original sheet was used in 1776, Lear takes it around the country for as many Americans as possible to see and read its message.

We were with him the night he brought it to students at the USC communications school, which, by the way, has a research center named for Lear.

Buying the Declaration spawned Declare Yourself, a Lear organization that has registered more than 4 million young voters - in states red and blue - since 2004.

And while his own politics are decidedly liberal, he preaches that democracy only truly works when everyone is involved. His latest endeavor: Born Again American, using song to get Americans off the sidelines and engaged in civic life.

"It's totally bipartisan," he said. "I think of myself, by the way, as a bleeding heart conservative. You will not mess with my Bill of Rights!"

He defends everyone's rights: those like him, who support President Obama ("Barack, you know? Who could have guessed five years ago we were going to have an African American as president?") and those who don't.

"What would Archie Bunker say [about a black president]? Boy, I've thought about that," Lear said. "You know, I think he'd find some way of saying, 'The guy isn't really black.' Ha ha ha! You know? 'He's half-black, that's a big difference. And you don't know if that ain't the biggest half.'"

But that's looking backward.

"You know, I'm occupied with 'now' and 'next,'" he said - more voters to register, more movies, more music.

"I want to matter every day," Lear said. "That brings me great pleasure."

Thai Rath publishes disturbing photographs of David Carradine

2009-06-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

The family of the late David Carradine seem to be outraged over the pictures of David’s dead body that were published by the Thai newspaper Thai Rath.

The Thai Rath newspaper, which is a regional newspaper published in Bangkok in Thai language, ran disturbing pictures of Carradine’s corpse in the front and as well as in its inside pages. The pictures published on the Saturday cover of the newspaper Thai Rath shows a naked body of Carradine suspended from a clothes bar in a suite closet. The hands apparently bound together above the head and feet on the floor. While the face is blacked out, other more explicit parts of the picture are censored. And, the relatives of late Carradine do like any part of it.

“The family is outraged about the release of these photos,” said the lawyer for the Carradine family. The lawyer further added that the “family will be filing a suit for invasion of privacy and emotional distress if the David Carradine death photo is run in a United States publication.”

Carradine’s dead body discovered on Thursday, 4th June inside the closet of his suite by a chambermaid at the Bangkok’s Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel. The authorities were immediately alerted, who after some investigations, ruled out foul play saying that the cause of death could be suicide.

However, the family is not satisfied with the investigations done by the Thai police. According to Mark Geragos, an attorney to Carradine’s half brother Keith Carradine, “The family will seek an independent autopsy by famed forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to determine whether another person could have been involved.”

Roger Federer vs Robin Soderling: French Open final 2009

2009-06-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Head to head: Federer leads Soderling 9-0, which includes a 2-0 mark when matches are played on clay.

Here is my problem with tomorrow's final everyone: Federer should win this thing no doubt, but when the factor of pressure is put into play, the outcome may not be as clear cut as once thought.

Roger has undoubtedly proven his ability to deal with all the obstacles that have been thrown at him (except Rafa Nadal of course), during his long and illustrious career.

But the one missing achievement which has haunted the 13-time grand slam champ up until this point has been his faux pas in France.

Although losing to Nadal in four consecutive French finals, is nothing to be ashamed of ...losing to Robin Soderling (regardless of his current level of play) would be catastrophic.

The favorite role is often times the most difficult card to play; because if you win, you were expected to; lose, and the scrutiny begins.

Soderling has one huge element going for him in the tomorrow's final, which is he has nothing to lose. He has exceeded all expectations to the highest degree, and anything from here on in, is well... gravy.

He may never get another chance like he has on Sunday (see Martin Verkerk), and must optimize his efforts and execution. He has lived and died with his go-for-broke game style thus far, and one has to think that tomorrow will be no different.

In terms of strictly a match up, Federer's domination over Soderling has primarily consisted of the exact same advantage he had in his most recent victory over del Potro: movement.

Soderling at times looks like a laboring duck trying to cover court on Chatrier; with Federer's liquid and graceful strides having no close second.

The good news for Soderling is that he does one or two up Federer in many categories. He gets a check for brute power factor, with his backhand being far superior.

The Swede can also hit thunderous serves at will; eclipsing Roger's mph averages by a wide margin. So why has this guy lost nine in a row to Federer?

Well simply put Roger loves pace; he eats it up frankly. Federer has always dealt well with the likes of Roddick, Blake and Karlovic, because they play perfectly into the strike-zone of the Swiss.

Glorious night of TV on the Radio

2009-06-07T04:07:00.000-07:00

It's hard to know, exactly, where to begin when talking about everything TV on the Radio did right at a sold-out House of Blues Thursday night. Or why the Brooklyn quintet's breathless cross-pollination of rock, funk, electro-pop, and soul worked so wonderfully, seamlessly, well.

Was it the band's gritty energy and brash command of groove that hit you not just in the legs and solar-plexus (where it should), but also the head? Was it the outfit's internalized mastery of older sounds wrapped in new sonic threads - the nimble keyboards and Prince-ly falsettos that made "Crying" gallop gleefully as dance music for the indie-rock set?

Could it have been frontman Tunde Adebimpe's old-school soul revue showmanship - his feverish shimmies across the stage, arms twisting toward, and beckoning the audience on "The Wrong Way"? Or, with a jerking thrust of his arm, punctuating a satisfying guitar riff from the epically bearded Kyp Malone on "Wolf Like Me"? Or perhaps it was David Sitek's pedal-pushing electric architecture, coaxing squalls and walls of feedback from his guitar like the Jesus & Mary Chain crashing a P-Funk party on "Halfway Home"?

The fact that drummer Jaleel Bunton, in perpetual motion, and bassist Gerard Smith, who lent a marvelous thrum and thump to every song he touched, were greased cogs at the core of TVOTR's polyglot mix of machinery goes without saying.

Ultimately, what made the band's 80-minute performance Thursday so brightly and brilliantly charged with electricity was all of the above elements, hard-wired to connect through, and to, multiple outlets. When a band makes you think of Sly Stone and Gnarls Barkley ("Red Dress") as easily as it does Phil Spector and sleigh bells ( "Family Tree" and "Young Liars"), you've got a unique group on your hands.

The last time TVOTR was in Boston, playing the Wilbur Theatre in October, it brought a horn section. This time, stripped back to the formidable essentials, the band sounded like a glorious street symphony, an orchestra unto itself.

"Well, there's a golden age comin' round," sang Adebimpe in his fluttering tenor, repeating the last two words like a mantra, as if willing the promise real. Meanwhile, the tune's dancing melody bopped infectiously around him, engulfing him and enveloping us. "Let it move right in. Let it kiss your face. Let it sow your skin in perpetual embrace. . . . The age of miracles. The age of sound . . . Comin' round, comin' round, comin' round."

Suddenly in that instant, in the glorious sway and bend of sound, the waiting was over. The moment - golden and gleaming - had finally, fully arrived

David Carradine Death Photo - David Carradine Hanging Photos

2009-06-07T04:05:00.000-07:00

An American Hollywood Actor David Carradine recently death in June 3, 2009. He was body found in his room at the Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel on Wireless Road, in central Bangkok, Thailand on June 4, 2009.

The BBC reports that a hotel maid discovered the American actor in a closet with a rope around his neck and body. A Thailand police official said he was found hanging by a rope in the room's closet and the Bangkok Post reported that his body was found curled up in the wardrobe with a shoelace tied around his genitals and neck.

Carradine 72-years-old actor famous for his work in the 1970's television series Kung Fu and recently in the Kill Bill films. He workedmoe than 100 films and he was nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award.

David Carradine’s family is horrified that a photo has been published that shows the dead actor hanging, according to a RadarOnline.com report.

A tabloid newspaper in Thailand published Carradine photo Saturday, shadowing much of the body, but still showing explicit details of the death scene.

Groundbreaking Book: Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein 1914

2009-05-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Published in 1914, Tender Buttons is one of the great Modern experiments in verse. Simultaneously considered to be a masterpiece of verbal Cubism, a modernist triumph, a spectacular failure, a collection of confusing gibberish, and an intentional hoax, the book is perhaps more often written about than actually read.

Divided into three sections—"Objects," "Food," and "Rooms"—the book contains a series of descriptions that defy conventional syntax. William Gass notes that these are, respectively, "things external to us, which we perceive, manipulate, and confront," "things which nourish us," and "things which enclose us."

An American by birth, Gertrude Stein lived as an expatriate in Paris for most of her life. At once a novelist, an essayist, and a poet, she was famous for hosting evening salons that gathered together the great thinkers, painters, and writers into one room, and sparking (and recording) their exchange of ideas. Besides Tender Buttons, her major works in verse include Patriarchal Poetry and the somewhat more accessible Stanzas in Meditation.

Tender Buttons is not frequently anthologized, perhaps because it is meant to be read as a single, long prose-poem. However, notable selections include "Suppose an Eyes," "A Carafe, That is a Blind Glass" in which she seemingly announces her intentions towards Cubism, as well as "In Between," which is often read as a feminist poem because of its strong (though abstract) themes of sensuality. Another noteworthy poem is "Orange In" from "Food," which contains both the repetition and word-combining that many consider to be cubist.

Still avant-garde and experimental ninety years since its first publication, Tender Buttons has inspired generations of experimental poets, providing inspiration for the Language movement, as well as a variety of imitations— both successful and not. She is beloved and cited as influence by many poets and novelists, including William Gass, Sherwood Anderson, E. E. Cummings, Ernest Hemingway, and Harryette Mullen.

Agatha Sangma: Youngest minister fumbles, but earns applause

2009-05-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

She went slow and fumbled twice, but the entire hall at Rashtrapati Bhavan erupted in applause and smiles as Agatha Sangma, the

Agatha Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma, waits to take the oath as the youngest minister in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet. (AFP Photo)
youngest minister in the Manmohan Singh government, took oath on Thursday.

Wearing a traditional stole and sarong in beige and white, 28-year-old Sangma folded her hands into a gentle namaste for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi sitting in the front row, before taking her place beside President Prathibha Patil to take oath in Hindi.

However the mike had to be specially adjusted for the petite first-time minister.

Daughter of former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma, who was present at the swearing-in ceremony Thursday and looked on appreciatively as his daughter took oath, Agatha hails from Meghalaya and is a lawyer by profession.

Quite a few faces had an anticipatory look as Agatha Sangma fumbled more than once mid-sentence. However, Sonia Gandhi kept smiling throughout her oath taking, nodding appreciatively and then clapping with everyone else as Agatha completed her oath taking.

Walking back to take her seat, a number of people either folded their hands into a namaste to greet her or shook hands with the young minister.

Team Manmohan was finally inducted on Thursday with 14 cabinet ministers and 45 ministers of state taking oath at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to wrap up the 79-member council of ministers that will shepherd the Congress-led UPA's second tenure in office.

Powerball: One Winner in South Dakota

2009-05-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

Many Alabamians raced to the border to buy a chance at winning the $232 million dollar Powerball jackpot drawn Wednesday night. One ticket matched the winner numbers, but it was sold in South Dakota. The winner has yet to come forward. Several tickets matched five numbers, winning 200-thousand dollars. None of those tickets were sold in Tennessee.

Here are the winning numbers for Wednesday, May 27, 2009: five, six, twelve, 16 and 21. The Powerball was seven.

Powerball is played in 30 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Visteon Corp Files for Bankruptcy

2009-05-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

Auto supplier Visteon Corp., a former unit of Ford Motor Co., put its U.S. operations into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Fellow auto supplier Metaldyne Corp. also sought Chapter 11 protection Thursday.

Chrysler’s sale hearing kicked off Wednesday and will continue Thursday. At Wednesday’s hearing, former Chrysler president Tom LaSorda testified that the partnership with Fiat will make Chrysler a stronger company. Read the Daily Bankruptcy Review story here.

U.S. lawmakers are considering banning the controversial practice of bankruptcy “forum shopping” by requiring companies to seek protection from their creditors in their home states. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is circulating a measure that seeks to “combat” forum shopping, an attorney familiar with the legislation told DBR.

Some California lawmakers are pushing a plan that could make it tougher for cities and counties to seek bankruptcy protection, WSJ reports.

The former head of K-mart testified Wednesday that he kept directors fully informed of the company’s financial woes in the months leading up to its 2002 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, according to the Associated Press, via USA Today.

French fashion house Christian Lacroix has sought protection from its creditors in France,

Girls using sex as currency

2009-05-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Right under our noses, girls are trading oral sex for pretty shirts and sex for money.

For her new book and film Oral Sex is the New Goodnight Kiss, Canadian journalist Sharlene Azam interviewed teenage and pre-teen girls about sexual attitudes and found many who use sex as currency.

Even in middle-class Canada, girls are being recruited — often by other teens — to provide sexual services to groups of men and boys.

“I was most surprised to learn that there are girls recruiting other girls,” Azam told Metro. “It is chilling to sit across from a teenage girl who talks about targeting a pretty, popular girl at her school because she thinks she has everything and is jealous of her.”

Parents often believe that their daughters are safe when they are at school, at the mall or chatting on the Internet. But Azam found girls as young as 12 were actually giving oral sex to groups of boys and telling their parents they were hanging out with friends. All the boys had to do was say they “want a piece” of her, and she’d perform oral sex while the others watched, reports Azam, who splits her time between Los Angeles and Vancouver. She also interviewed girls who were willing to pose nude on their webcam and get paid to send the pictures to anonymous men.

“There is very little education or awareness of what is happening to girls because the problem is so new and it is well hidden.”

Why are girls today more promiscuous than in the past? “The Internet has sped up teens’ sexual willingness and behaviour,” says Azam. “Girls are surrounded by a hypersexualized culture where they are being groomed and encouraged to think of themselves as: Hooter’s Girl, Stripper, Porn Star. Exposure affects behaviour.”

Girls who are looking for attention know that a sexy video or picture can give them power and launch them into fame.

This behaviour can have long-term health effects. It could affect the girls’ ability to trust men later in life and to have normal, living relationships, says Azam, who is married with a young daughter. In addition, many girls are getting STDs. One public health nurse told her that at the four schools she visits, hundreds of kids have Chlamydia.

Azam suggests that parents pay close attention to their daughters during their teen years and have regular conversations with them about sex. “The parents that I interviewed wished they had paid attention to the warning signs. When you learn that your daughter has traded sex for $60 or has sold her virginity for $1,000, your whole life stops,” she says.

Woman who fired a gun at President Gerald Ford

2009-05-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

The woman who fired a gun at President Gerald Ford in 1975 says in an interview that she believed the country would change only through a violent revolution.

Sara Jane Moore tells NBC's "Today" show that she now realizes the world did not share the radical views that many people held in California in those turbulent times.

The interview broadcast Thursday was her first TV interview since she was released on parole in late 2007, NBC said.

In September 1975, Moore, then 45, fired on Ford as he waved to a crowd in San Francisco. A man near her knocked the pistol out of her hand and the shot went astray. On politics, she said she now knows she was hearing only one side of the story. The radicals were calling for change and she genuinely thought that shooting Ford "might trigger that new revolution."

Jet America Airlines To Fly For 9 Dollar Tickets

2009-05-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

Low cost airlines start to fly in the travelers' radar as Jet America Airlines introduces 9 dollar fares and will start operations on July 13. One wonders how is Jet America going to make money with 9 dollar fares? Or is this only to create some initial buzz about cheap airline tickets?

Jet America Airlines 9 dollar cheap tickets will get the discount travelers from Newark, NJ to Toledo. There will be only nine seats in each flight that will cost nine dollars each. According to Tampabay Jet America Airlines will make money from additional fees, just like other low cost airlines.

Jet America Airlines opens for business today. Airline ticket reservations can already made from its website and some aspects of its business is modeled by other low cost successful European airlines such as Ryanair. Tampabay.com writes that "Jet America will charge an additional $20 for a round-trip with an assigned seat, $20 to buy a ticket by phone and $10 to book on the Web site (www.jetamerica.com). The airline will begin with one leased jet and grow to four planes in a year, said chief executive John Weikle, former boss at now-defunct Skybus. The four initial cities — Toledo, Ohio, South Bend, Ind., Lansing, Mich., and Melbourne on Florida's east coast — are subsidizing Jet America by waiving airport fees and helping with marketing and advertising."

According to Jaunted.com Jet Ameria Airlines is on track to deliver air passengers on July 13 in a Boeing 737-800 jet from Toledo to Newark, N.J., Melbourne, Fla., Lansing, Mich., and South Bend, Ind.

By the way, don't confuse Jet America Airlines with the private jet service Jet America LTD. The later's website is Jetamerica.net while the website of Jet America Airlines is Jetamerica.com, which we could not access at this point. Probably many travelers are trying to book a flight.

Florida Powerball Winning Numbers May 27!

2009-05-28T04:58:00.000-07:00

Here are tonight’s May 27 2009’s Florida Lottery Powerball Winning Numbers. Florida Powerball’s winning numbers tonight could net someone the highest purse in years.

$232 million is on the line, the biggest Powerball paycheck in one year, and second biggest in two years. Powerball is currently in 30 U.S. states.

Moments ago press confirmed for tonight there was only ONE winning ticket, sold in South Dakota. There are also over 12 who matched 5 of the six numbers that will net them $200,000 each. Those tickets were sold in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

Tonight’s winning numbers are:

5-6-12-16-21
PB7 x3

Earthquake in Honduras, Belize

2009-05-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

A strong earthquake killed at least one man early Thursday as it collapsed homes in Honduras and Belize and sent people running into the streets in their pajamas as far away as Guatemala City. The magnitude-7.1 quake struck at 3:24 a.m. (0824 GMT) at the relatively shallow depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. The epicenter was 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of La Ceiba, Honduras.

"People were running for the door," said Alfredo Cedeno, an employee at the Gran Hotel Paris in La Ceiba. "You could really feel it and you could see it — the water came out of the pool." A man died after his house collapsed in Pineda de la Lima, 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of the capital, Tegicugalpa, according to Carlos Gonzalez, deputy director of Honduras' Permanent Emergency Commission. A neighbor's house also collapsed, he said.

"Dozens of workers have been evacuated from factories in San Pedro Sula (in northern Honduras) because the buildings have cracks," he said. "There are cracks in the roads in several cities." Juan Sevilla, a spokesman for Honduras' firefighters, said wooden homes collapsed in Puerto Cortes, 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Tegucigalpa, as did a stadium wall in Comayagua, 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of the capital.

Osman Hernandez, a spokesman for the mayor of El Progreso, told Radio Satelite there was "serious damage" to Democracy Bridge, a 1957 span across Honduras' biggest river, the Ulua. He did not provide details of the damage.Tegucigalpa Mayor Ricardo Alvarez appealed for calm as officials reported electricity, telephones and Internet connections were cut across a large part of Honduras."It was an earthquake of great proportions that was felt in almost the entire country," said Ana Maria Rivera, spokeswoman for the emergency commission.

In Belize, people rushed from their homes as glasses and framed pictures crashed off of shelves. At least five wooden houses on stilts collapsed in three towns and a water tower toppled in the town of Independence, local officials said. Electricity was out all the way to the Mexican border. "I urge you not to panic, but to remain calm," National Emergency Minister Melvin Hulse said on the radio. "Your government is monitoring the situation and will be keeping you informed."

A tsunami watch was discontinued for Honduras, Belize and Guatemala. Raul Gonzalez, a receptionist at the Gran Hotel Sula in San Pedro Sula, said guests ran into the streets in their pajamas. "I ran out of the building and kept going for about a block before I looked back and everything had calmed," he said. "It was really strong. I have never felt anything like that." He said the hotel did not suffer damage. A two-story warehouse caught fire in San Pedro Sula but no injuries were reported, according to firefighter Lt. Col. Daniel Flores.

People ran into the streets as far away as Guatemala City, but firefighter Byron Juarez said a survey of firefighting offices throughout Guatemala revealed no reports of major damage. The quake occurred in a region where the North American and Caribean plates come together, according to Gonzalo Cruz, head of geophysics at Honduras' National Autonomous University. The USGS said a magnitude-4.8 aftershock struck off Honduras about three hours after the quake.

The Portable Spin Gym by Forbes Riley

2009-05-28T04:25:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a cheap and easy way to tone and strengthen the muscles on your upper body, then you should check out the Portable Spin Gym by Forbes Riley. The product states that it is portable, and it is not wrong, as it is small enough to be carried in your purse, briefcase or even your pocket.

The gadget comes fully assembled and is ready to use once you remove it from the box. The Spin Gym weighs less than one pound, but is able to produce over 20lbs of resistance per pull. Just a five-minute workout is all it takes to re-energize yourself.

The Spin Gym by Forbes Riley allows you to sculpt and tone your abdominals, arms, back, chest, shoulders and much more. The SpinGym comes with an additional strength cord, instruction and Training guide, “Anywhere in a Chair” workout DVD all in a neoprene carrying bag.The SpinGym can be yours for just $29.95