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Philippine BAR EXAMINATION RESULT

2010-03-26T07:45:00.001-07:00

To those who have a relatives in the Philippines who take the BAR exam here is the link where you can view the result for 2010 examination. Good Luck!

Robert Culp Death: the “I Spy” actor dies at 79

2010-03-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

Posted by contributor001

Robert Culp, of the 60s TV series “I Spy” fame, died March 24 at a L.A. hospital after he suffered a fall outside his Hollywood home. He was 79.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the hugely popular TV actor was out for a walk in his neighborhood when he suddenly fell down and hit his head in the fall. A fellow jogger noticed Culp and called the police. Culp was declared dead shortly after he was taken to Queen of Angels hospital in Los Angeles.

Culp began his career at Broadway and acted on stage and in films sporadically. But his claim to fame rests mainly as a TV actor. His role as Kelly Robinson on “I Spy,” aTV series to run for three years starting from 1965 on NBC and in which he plays, along with Bill Cosby, a secret agent, is regarded as his best achievement. He was nominated for three consecutive Emmy awards for the role, but each time Cosby walked away with the honour for his role in the same series.

His other famous TV appearances include his roles as FBI agent in “The Greatest American Hero” and as Ray Romano’s father-in-law in “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

Source : http://www.entertainmentandshowbiz.com/robert-culp-death-the-%E2%80%9Ci-spy%E2%80%9D-actor-dies-at-79-2010032643668

Missing Purdue student's body found in car

2010-03-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) - The body of missing Purdue student Patrick Trainor was found inside a vehicle that was pulled out of a retention pond Wednesday afternoon. The pond is located within the gated community of Breakwater.

At a press conference Wednesday, Sgt. Randy McFarland of the Fishers Police Department said investigators monitored surveillance video shot from the entrance of the neighborhood and noticed that Trainor's vehicle was seen entering the neighborhood but never leaving.

The pond is very near the home where Trainor attended a party Saturday night. That was the last place he was seen alive ( scroll down below the story to view a map detailing the location of the pond and the location of the party)

Trainor was driving his 1999 electric green Ford Mustang that night. Police say the license plate on the car found in the pond matches his vehicle.

Police have contacted Trainor's family. They have since arrived near the area.

Crews have been searching several areas over the past four days searching for any leads to his whereabouts.

A candlelight vigil has been set up for Patrick Trainor. It will be held at Purdue University at the Sagamore Ridge Apartments at 2501 Soldiers Home Road Wednesday night from 7:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Source : http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/hamilton_county/search-for-missing-teen-resumes-on-foot

Alexis Pilkington died at field

2010-03-23T08:47:00.001-07:00

Alexis Pilkington a 17 year old girl is a member of All Country West Islip Girls Soccer Team. She is a soccer player and stands out among the other players. According to the latest reports bitter strain on field causes Alexis Pilkington death.

Alexis Pilkignton is an promising female soccer player, collapsed on the pitch during an NCAA Division IA Football Championship game. Tim Horan director of West Islip Athletic said that the news of Alexis Pilkington death was devastating and her death was mourned by lot of people.

Alexis, known to be an ‘Lexi’ by her teammates. Alexis wants to earn scholarship for college by using soccer skills but the dream was broken sadly. She was very energetic and jaunty in the diversion of soccer.
Recently her team won the Long Island high school soccer championship and she lead her team very well in that competition. Alexis Pikington death investigation still in the process.

Source : http://www.starcelebritys.com/201003/alexis-pilkington-died-at-field.html

2010 MMOD: Mens NCAA Tournament March Madness On Demand - Watch Free Live Streaming CBS Sports Video Online Here

2010-03-18T12:31:00.001-07:00

Here is where you can find all the MMOD or March Madness On Demand information you need to watch Live Streaming Video online for free of the 2010 mens NCAA basketball Tournament. March Madness On Demand is brought to you free courtesy of CBS Sports and the NCAA. You can watch the games live online, as they happen, for free.

All that is required to watch the games is a high speed internet connection capable of a 600 kbps transfer rate. Here is what you have to do to watch the games. First, log onto the March Madness On Demand website and sign up for a free account. The site works on a "first come, first serve" basis. Once the viewing capacity is reached, viewers who can't watch will be put into a queue and they will have access to watch once someone else stops watching.

Source : http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978113263

The Carla Moran Story

2010-03-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

Carla Moran was said to be just a fictitious name of a woman who really lived to experience whatever it was that was stated in the book entitled "The Entity".

The story of Doris Bather (aka Carlotta "Carla" Moran) became well known during the 1970s. It was said that during 1974 she was visited by ghosts who attacked her. It was said that the visits came about in average three per visit with a powerful entity being their leader. She then became a victim of repeated violent attacks that seemed to be rape.

due to this attacks she sought psychiatric help and while in a bookstore incidentally met Barry Taff and Kerry Gaynor who were parapsychologists specializing in haunted house and poltergeists.

Taff and Gaynor volunteered to investigate the said case and took pictures of her home both when the said ghosts were there and when they were not. The pictures taken when the said visitors were there were blurry while the one which were taken when they were absent were clear. After the said visit of Taff and Gaynor the visits became minimized and Bither then relocated to Texas (however she was still visited from time to time and was sexually assaulted). She was later diagnosed with cancer.

During an interview by George Noory to Barry Taff, on Coast to Coast AM November 17, 2006, it was confirmed that Bither had died July 24, 2006 from multiple myeloma. This ended research in the attacks.

EX-PARA EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR FORGOTTEN CASUALTIES

2010-03-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

Published Date: 23 February 2010

EX-PARATROOPER and care home millionaire Tony Banks has warned psychologically wounded servicemen from the conflicts in the Falklands and Iraq are in danger of becoming forgotten casualties as Afghanistan continues to command the headlines.

Tony, who served with 2 Para in the Falklands and has since amassed a £50 million fortune through the Forfar-based Balhousie Care Group in Scotland, starred in an episode of Channel 4's 'The Secret Millionaire' last year where he visited Anfield, Liverpool.

He said: "While living undercover in Liverpool I met 29 year-old Lee Sanger, a veteran of the Iraq war who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"At the end of my visit I personally donated £30,000 to a charity of Lee's choice - he chose 'Combat Stress'."

Tony has continued to support 'Combat Stress' and last month returned to the Falklands with fellow veterans Wayne Rees and Jim Foster.

Tony continued: "Wayne, Jim and I returned to the islands for the first time since 1982 and we walked the route of the Paras' famous 'tab' to Port Stanley.

"We hope to raise £10,000 for the armed forces charity 'Combat Stress' and are well on the way with £5,923 being donated already.

"The awful thing about the Falklands is that more servicemen have died from suicide than from the actual fighting, which highlights the vital work being carried out by charities such as 'Combat Stress'.

"The money we raise will be used to care for British Veterans who have been profoundly traumatised by harrowing experiences during their service career."

The money raised will specifically be used to send patients on adventurous training/outward bounds courses. This helps with their treatment as they build up camaraderie, something that is often missing in their day to day lives.

Many veterans leave the Armed Forces with highly debilitating conditions such as PTSD depression and anxiety disorders.

Their problems can remain masked for years, and they and their families are often struggling to deal with matters at home.

The eight-year occupation of Afghanistan has so far accounted for 261 deaths amongst British servicemen.

The 74 day conflict in the Falklands in 1982 resulted in 255 dead serviceman.

Tony will be appearing in a new instalment of Secret Millionaire, in which he returns to Anfield to assess the effects of his philanthropy.
The programme is due to be screened in April, and will include footage of his 'yomp' across the Falklands.

Tony added: "We're extremely grateful for any donations, especially as every single penny donated will be going to Combat Stress."
Anyone wishing to make a donation to Combat Stress should visit www.justgiving.com/Tony-Banks or www.combatstress.org.uk

Source : http://www.kirriemuirherald.co.uk/people/EXPARA-EXPRESSES-CONCERN-FOR-FORGOTTEN.6096554.jp

Temple Stampede in India: dozens injured, 63 dead

2010-03-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

LUCKNOW, India-A stampede occurred out a Hindu Temple in India last Thursday killing 63 and leaving many injured. The said victims, who were mostly women and children, were jostled, together with thousands of people there as they make their way to get free food and clothing.

Reports from the said stampede knocked down a gate in the said temple compound, a result of the strong force.

Senior police Mahesh Mishra said in his statement that there were 37 dead among the children and 26 on women. Witnesses said that children fell first due to the impact of the crowd. The women fell next in their attempt to save them. Their deaths were led with either being crushed by the fallen gates of beaten by being stepped as they try to crawl from underneath to escape.

After the crowd was cleared by local police, residents nearby helped rush the injured to nearby hospitals. It was said that the police had a difficult time clearing the temple premises.

The said temple is found in Kunda, a small town 110 miles (180 kilometers) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

Stampedes are said to be very common in India especially during temple celebrations. The said gather in Kunda last Thursday was to mark the death anniversary of the religious leader Kripalu Maharaj.

BACHELOR SEASON 14 FINALE: JAKES PROPOSED TO VIENNA

2010-03-02T07:24:00.000-08:00

Jake Pavelka proposes to Vienna Girardi on the season Finale of the Bachelor 2010.

Before the finale, Jake was faced with the dilemma of whom to choose. Both Vienna Girardi and Tenley Molzahn are very special girls in their own way however the big difference between them set the problem on who to choose much more higher than what was expected. It was up to Jake's family then to give him the advice he needs to see whom he should choose.

Meeting Tenley seemed like a breeze for Jake's family. From his mom to his dad to his brothers and their wives, all of them completely adored Tenley. She was sweet and very touching and all of them completely fell in love with her. Jake's mom had to admit that when Vienna's time came with them it was going to be hard to equal the time they had with the first girl their son introduced.

Jake's family during Vienna’s time with them was in full scale in their observation. She was after all the girl whom everyone had a conflict with from the beginning. Jake's sisters-in-law take her as someone who's confrontational and her mom was actually turned off when she said "the girls hated me from the beginning". However after their second take of Vienna, given the personal conversations with her, they apologized for their thoughts of her and their guards all placed up when she came. They thought of her differently from how they first saw her and take her as someone who loves and truly cares for Jake.

It was a dramatic finale, but in the end, March 2, 2010, Jake pulled everything through and chose Vienna Girardi, the 23 year-old girl whose beauty and honest personality has captured this heart throb's heart.

Michael Sigala set to die for the murder of Brazilian couple

2010-03-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Huntsville

Michael Sigala is set for execution on Tuesday evening in Huntsville for the death of Kleber Santos. Kleber Santos, 28, a Brazilian engineer and her wife were killed in the attack at their Plano apartment nearly ten years ago. Sigala, 32, was on probation for robbery at the day when he killed newly wed couple. Sigala was allowed to leave a substance abuse treatment center for the purpose to find a job, according to authorities.

Santos’ wife, a 25-year-old woman was raped and shot to death with her hands tied with telephone wire. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the case while no new appeals were filed. Debbie Harrison, a Collin County assistant district attorney, said last week,

“It was pretty sad, especially when you think of your husband being killed in front of you, then you’re dragged off, your clothes taken off, being tied up and who knows what.”(Source: FOXNews)

Sigala would be the third Texas prisoner to receive lethal injection in the year 2010.

Source : http://news.puggal.com/michael-sigala-set-to-die-for-the-murder-of-brazilian-couple-25660/

Killer Whale Kills Trainer Footage: Dawn Brancheau's Last Moments Alive

2010-02-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (CBS) A tourist visiting Orlando's SeaWorld captured whale trainer Dawn Brancheau's last moments alive.

Photo: Amateur footage of Dawn Brancheau and Tilikum moments before he killed her.

PICTURES: Dawn Brancheau SeaWorld Trainer Killed

Todd Connell videotaped seven minutes of footage which shows Brancheau working with Tilikum the killer whale. He told Orlando television station WESH, which is running the footage, that he shut off the camera seconds before Tilikum grabbed Brancheau by the pony tail and dragged her underwater.
The 40-year-old died of multiple traumatic injuries and drowning Wednesday.

Photo: Dawn Brancheau with an unnamed whale.

PICTURES: Dawn Brancheau SeaWorld Trainer Killed

"It was terrible. It's very difficult to see the image," said Brazilian tourist Joao Lucio DeCosta Sobrinho. He and his girlfriend said they watched the whale show at the park two days earlier and came back to take pictures. But on Wednesday the whales appeared agitated.

"He was thrashing her around pretty good. It was violent," witness Victoria Biniak told the Orlando Sentinel. The whale "took off really fast in the tank and he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing (her) around," she told the paper.

She said the attack was so violent that Brancheau's shoe flew off.

Some workers hustled the audience out of the stadium while the others tried to save Brancheau, but it was too late.

Posted by Neil Katz
Source : http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/26/crimesider/entry6246908.shtml

A touch—Let’s make it a HUG—keeps the Doctor away?

2010-02-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

I’ve once read in a magazine about the story of new born twins: one was a very healthy baby boy and the other was a baby girl who was expected to live for only a night. The nurse, who was stationed at the nursery, did the unthinkable (something that the hospital didn’t allowed). She placed the healthier twin on the crib together with the younger for the idea that maybe this could help. When morning came to check on the weaker twin, nurses and doctors found the twins holding hands and the girl definitely stronger—she then lived happily with her twin brother and her family.

My cousin was a freelance writer for magazines which allowed me to read such fine selections from them. At this point, now that’s she’s in abroad while I’m miles away, a friend of hers shares this story of people who asks for hugs. These are people who are found on sidewalks with placards stating “HUG ME”. Whoever who are not used to such or may have thought of them as weird or annoying; disrupting the thoughts we had flowing; but in truth they are the one doing us a favor.

According to Psychologist Virginia Satir, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” A touch they say does the trick and a smile gives more meaning however giving hugs can do more as warmth from someone shows the difference between “stressed out and looking for someone to care” to “totally taken cared of”. Yup we do need hugs.

Hugging someone actually relieves tension as it helps our body released oxytocin which is known as the bonding or cuddle hormone which then perks up our loving and caring feeling. It also reduces blood pressure as told in another study conducted year 2000. Studies show that babies who were hugged during while running blood test on them are calmer and their heart rates steadier. Both elevated levels of cortisol and high blood pressure have been linked to various diseases and hugging do wonders by decreasing chances of having these.

Yup something good for the heart; just when we thought oatmeal and exercises will do just fine. There are certain stuffs which we must also consider at great length, one of which is the principle that no man should be an island (although kidding aside we always wanted something to be named after us even an island).

There are people who have through great lengths just to give a hug. A certain advertisement once showed a man with a placard asking for hugs. At first nobody wanted to then one girl turned back at the guy and started hugging him. Sooner he was hugged by almost anyone who passed his way till it reached a certain point that he had more than what he seemed he wished for. Everyone who had hugged him that day had big smiles on their faces—there are even those who jumped joyfully as they do this with the guy. At the end of the commercial wrote the message on AIDS and how people should understand them. The hugs and those who gave them are definitely much more appreciated by people with certain illness who are at times discriminated. These give them hope more than a person could imagine that during their last years on earth they felt loved and understood. It’s definitely time to live, love and hug some more than the usual—hugs hugs hugs!!!!

NV gov takes woman named in divorce papers to D.C.

2010-02-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

LAS VEGAS -- Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has acknowledged that a woman to whom he sent hundreds of text messages several years ago accompanied him on his recent trip to Washington, D.C., where he attended the National Governors Association conference over the weekend.

Gibbons, who was approached at the Reno airport by KLAS-TV late Monday after returning from the trip, originally said Kathy Karrasch, of Reno, was not in Washington while he attended the conference.

In video of the confrontation, Gibbons responded to a reporter's questions about the trip and his travel companions, saying, "What's it to you?"

The station reported Karrasch was also at the airport Monday night and left in a state-owned vehicle.

On Tuesday, the governor issued a statement to the station, saying Karrasch traveled with him to the nation's capital but the state did not pay for her expenses.

"I apologize for any ambiguity or confusion caused by my answers to your questioning of me late last night" the governor said Tuesday. "I had just finished three days of arduous meetings and a cross-country flight when I was suddenly confronted with your questions."

Gibbons told reporters he had paid for Karrasch's trip, keeping a promise he made to take her to the conference, according to the Las Vegas Sun. He said he and Karrasch live near each other and she was given a ride home as a courtesy.

Gibbons, who is divorcing first lady Dawn Gibbons, acknowledged in 2008 that he sent 867 text-messages to Karrasch over a six-week period the previous year. The governor reimbursed the state $130 for the text messages and issued a publicly apology. He denied the messages were "love notes."

The governor filed for divorce in May 2008, citing incompatibility with his wife. She accused him of having affairs with a former Playboy model and Karrasch - allegations the governor denied.

Karrasch also denied the accusation, calling it false and hurtful to her family.

"Kathy Karrasch has been a long time friend of mine and will continue to be a friend of mine," the governor said Tuesday.

Source : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/24/AR2010022401496.html

Pakistan captures another Taliban leader

2010-02-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

By Reza Sayah, CNN

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Another senior Afghan Taliban leader has been arrested in Pakistan, two Pakistani intelligence officials told CNN on Monday.

Security forces arrested Mullah Abdul Kabir last week from a religious school in the district of Nowshera, 54 miles (88 km) northwest of Islamabad, the officials said.

Nowshera is located in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.

The intelligence officials asked not to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

Mullah Kabir served on the Taliban's Council of Ministers and governed the eastern zone of Afghanistan during the Taliban rule of the 1990s, said Imtiaz Gul, head of the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies.

The eastern zone included the provinces of Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar and Laghman.

Kabir is the fourth Afghan Taliban leader to be arrested by Pakistani security forces in the past several weeks.

Last week, U.S. and Pakistani officials confirmed the arrests of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Mullah Abdul Salam and Mullah Mir Muhammad.

"This arrest underscores a change in Pakistan's policy," Gul said. "This suggests their level of cooperation with the U.S. is much better than in the past."

Gul said the new level of cooperation could be in response to Washington's recent decision to tone down its criticism of the Pakistani military.

"The Pakistani military has finally convinced the U.S. military establishment not to publicly condemn it," said Gul. "When you criticize the Pakistani military publicly, it reduces room for maneuvering for Pakistan's institutions. It becomes difficult for the military to motivate the lower and middle rank officers. Finally, there is a much better equation between both military establishments."

In a statement to CNN, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied that Mullah Kabir had been arrested.

Source : http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/22/taliban.arrest/index.html?hpt=T2

After 2 years: Student wounded in NIU grounds due to gun shot

2010-02-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

A shootout happened early morn of February 19, 2010, at Northern Illinois University campus. the said incident, which caused a short period of panic, reportedly injured one person.

It was said that the shootout was actually isolated between two indivuduals. According to the press briefing, which was proceeded by NIU president Dr. John Peters, both involved party were students of the said Campus: one was staying within the school premises while the shooter was an off campus resident.

At 3:29 am the shooting happened outside of Stevensons North Residence hall, at a nearby lake. police responded at around 3:30. four minutes after, the suspect has been apprehended, however the University was prohibited from stating the name of the shooter until as of the moment.

at 3:48 am, as protocol. the NIU police stated giving text message alert to its 12,000 subscribers informing them about the incident. The School was now at total lock-down.

the NIU website started posting, in its website, information regarding the said insident at around 12:30 pm. However a more elaborate update, together with the advice that the university will resume its classes was posted at around 5:03pm

At the end of the press briefing by Dr.Peters he stated his message regarding campus violence: "violence continuous to play college campuses and society, across the country, and it is very important that we continue to be vigilant in providing a safe and secure college community..." it can be recalled that two years ago a shooting incident which ended with 5 students killed and 19 wounded. the suspect who was a graduate student then shot himself after he had done this at the lecture hall.

At present the victim is being treated at Kishwaukee Community Hospital. there is still no update on his situation at this moment.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100219/SPORTS17/2190359/1065/Sports17/Todays-Olympics-TV-schedule-(2-19)

2010-02-19T08:27:00.000-08:00

NBC

(Channel 4 in Detroit)

3-5 p.m.: Cross-country skiing, women's 15K pursuit (live), men's figure skating final analysis.

8-11:30 p.m.: Figure skating, compulsory dance (live), men's and women's skeleton (live), skiing, men's super G and ski jumping, individual large hill.

12:05-1:30 a.m.: Medal ceremonies.

1:30-5 a.m.: Prime-time replay.

CNBC

5 p.m.-1 a.m.: Men's curling, U.S. vs. France (live), men's hockey, Latvia vs. Czech Republic (live), women's curling, Denmark vs. Canada (live).

MSNBC

3-5:30 p.m.: Men's hockey, Belarus vs. Sweden (live).

Midnight-3 a.m.: Men's hockey, Finland vs. Germany (live).

USA

Noon-3 p.m.: Women's curling, U.S. vs. Russia (live).

Universal Sports

10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Live updates and news ticker; "The Vancouver Figure Skating Hour," 2-3 p.m.

Today's events

Listed in Detroit time; Vancouver is 3 hours behind.

Alpine skiing: Women's super G, 2:30 p.m.

Cross-country skiing: Women's 15K pursuit, 4 p.m.

Curling: Women (at noon) -- Germany vs. Britain, Russian vs. United States, China vs. Denmark. Men (at 5 p.m.) -- Germany vs. Switzerland, Denmark vs. Canada, France vs. U.S., Norway vs. China. Women (at 10 p.m.) -- Sweden vs. China, Britain vs. Denmark, Norway vs. Switzerland, France vs. Canada.

Figure skating: Ice dance, compulsory dance, 7:45 p.m.

Hockey: Men -- Belarus vs. Sweden, 3; Czech Republic vs. Latvia, 7:30; Finland vs. Germany, midnight.

Skeleton: Women's third run, 6:45 p.m., fourth run, 7:45, men's third run 9:20 and fourth run, 10:30.

Ski jump: Individual qualification (large hill), 1 p.m.

Thursday's medalists

Alpine skiing: Women's super combined -- Gold: Maria Riesch, Germany. Silver: Julia Mancuso, U.S. Bronze: Anja Paerson, Sweden.
Biathlon: Women's 15K -- Gold: Tora Berger, Norway. Silver: Elena Khrustaleva, Kazakhstan. Bronze: Darya Domracheva, Belarus. Men's 20K -- Gold: Emil Hegle Svendsen, Norway. Silver: Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway. Bronze: Sergey Novikov, Belarus.

Figure skating: Men -- Gold: Evan Lysacek, U.S. Silver: Evgeni Plushenko, Russia. Bronze: Daisuke Takahashi, Japan.

Snowboarding: Women's half-pipe -- Gold: Torah Bright, Australia. Silver: Hannah Teter, U.S. Bronze: Kelly Clark, U.S.

Speedskating: Women's 1,000 meters -- Gold: Christine Nesbitt, Canada. Silver: Annette Gerritsen, Netherlands. Bronze: Laurine van Riessen, Netherlands.

Team Michigan

Jeremy Abbott: Figure skater from Detroit Skating Club finished ninth overall after earning 149.56 points in the men's free program.

Pavel Datsyuk: The Russians played Slovakia at midnight.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White: Team from Arctic FSC in Canton competes in compulsory dance tonight.

Mark Grimmette: Luger from Muskegon finished 13th in doubles Wednesday night.

Angela Ruggiero: Defenseman from Harper Woods had two assists and took two penalties in the U.S. women's 6-0 victory over Finland.

Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates: Team from Ann Arbor FSC competes in compulsory dance tonight.

Team Sweden: Men's hockey plays Belarus today.
Team USA: U.S. men's hockey team defeated Norway, 6-1. See box on this page. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir: Team from Arctic FSC in Canton competes in compulsory dance tonight.

Source:http://www.freep.com/article/20100219/SPORTS17/2190359/1065/Sports17/Todays-Olympics-TV-schedule-(2-19)

Perry, on campaign trail, reacts to Austin plane crash

2010-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

Austin Bureau chief Christy Hoppe, who is traveling with Gov. Rick Perry as he campaigns, reports that Perry just took a moment in Sugar Land to make a statement about the plane crash in Austin.

Perry said he was trying to be very cautious with information and was still finding out details himself. But "anytime you have an aircraft that hits a building particularly after 9/11, there is always great speculation about how or why that occurred."

"Our hope is that the days of flying aircraft into buildings or some structure is over," Perry said. "But you always have some exposure in a free society."

The governor appeared to be getting updates by e-mail from his homeland security and emergency preparedness officials. He also appeared to take a long phone briefing before his appearance at the Sugar Land Chamber of Commerce.

Perry told Hoppe afterward the pilot is thought to be local to Austin. Some initial reports suggested he might have come from Waco.

Source : http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/02/perry-on-campaign-trail-reacts.html

Olympics Medal Counts 2010 Shows Germany On Top of Leaders

2010-02-17T08:52:00.000-08:00

The Olympics medal counts 2010 has increased today with Germany taking the lead over the U.S. and France. Germany has racked up 9 Olympic medals count at the 2010 Vancouver winter games followed by the United States closely behind with 8 medals.

(Media-Newswire.com) - The Olympics medal count 2010 has increased today with Germany taking the lead over the U.S. and France. Germany has racked up 9 Olympic medals count at the 2010 Vancouver winter games followed by the United States closely behind with 8 medals.

The Germany team has won three gold medals so far in five days of the Olympic games. Magdalena Neuner won two medals in the Biathlon with a silver in the Women's 7.5km Sprint and a gold medal for winning the Women's 10km pursuit Biathon event.

In the luge, the men's gold went to the Germany team member Felix Loch with the silver going to his teammate David Moeller.

The U.S. team has won two gold and two silver medals so far in this day 6 of the games. Hannah Kearney won a gold medal in the Women's moguls with Shannon Bahrke winning the bronze at the same event.

Seth Wescott won a gold at the Men's Snowboard cross event.

Source: http://media-newswire.com/release_1112546.html

Fat Tuesday, Paczki Day and National Pancake Day: Happy Mardi Gras!

2010-02-16T08:18:00.001-08:00

Fat Tuesday, Paczki Day, National Pancake Day, Fastnacht Day and Shrove Tuesday are all names for the last day of happy Mardi Gras celebrations. Earlier I shared my Fat Tuesday organic pancake recipe before Lent and Ash Wednesday. A recent Happy Mardi Gras tour around Gather taught me about Paczki Day and Happy Mardi Gras traditions around the world including Fastnacht Day!

We are celebrating National Pancake Day with lowfat organic pancakes and yummy ham steaks. Other will be eating delicious Polish Paczki for Paczki Day. On my diet, I wondered about Paczki calories. I discovered they have about 500 calories each!

In Germany, Mardi Gras is called Karneval with Fastnacht Day celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday. Parades are held on Lundi Gras, also called Fat Monday.

Whatever you decide to call the day and however you celebrate it, Happy Mardi Gras!

Here is YouTube video of New Orlean Mardi Gras 2009 and Fat Tuesday in the French Quarter:

Source : http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978050364&grpId=3659174697244816

Aquarius Krewe to take a trip through time

2010-02-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

By Frances Powell
Contributor

Published January 31, 2010

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Galveston’s second oldest Krewe of Aquarius with the theme being “Silver Anniversary Memories.”

Founding members Merlin Lidstone and son Johnny Lidstone are excited about all the hype celebrating 25 years of this fantastic Krewe’s existence.

King and Queen XXV, Ronnie and Stephanie Blasé, were crowned at the Krewe’s coronation ball on Jan. 23 at the Galveston Island Convention center.

Guests were treated to a procession of costumed characters and the presentation of 25 years of Krewe Royalty.

The extravagant pageant featured the 2010 Royal Court in full Mardi Gras regalia paying tribute to themes of the past 25 years.

The krewe is preparing for what will be its largest parade to date on Feb. 6 when the Seawall Boulevard will be graced by the Mardi Gras pageantry for which Aquarius is well known.

Float Captains Hope Cook, Chip Shearrow, Pat Saenz, Phyllis Santos, Mari Berend, Harry and Marian Millo, Fran Grabiel, Michelle Loubiere, Pat Collier, Marc Hopkins, Jackie Friesenhahn and Rhonda Sykes will proudly show floats depicting themes from previous years: 1988’s Galveston Past, Present and Future; 1995’s “Aquarius Awakens the Far East;” 1998’s “The Roaring ’20s;” 1999’s “Aquarius plays Vegas;” 1996’s “A salute to New Orleans,” and 2004’s “Rock ’n’ Roll Revue” among many others.

Parade Capt. Johnny Lidstone promises great entertainment when 20 marching bands take to the street for the big parade.

Mardi Gras revelers do not want to miss out on the specially minted Aquarius 25th anniversary beads and souvenir cups.

C’bration At Bishop’s Palace For Leopold

Galveston Historical Foundation gathered a palatial crowd to herald longtime mem of GHF Bill Leopold’s 85th b’day at the Bishop’s Palace aaaannnddd the dedication ceremony for the official naming of the William E. Leopold Visitors Center at the Palace.

Bill’s charming family mems there were Nelson and Patricia Leopold and Scott And Sherry Leopold and family and William and Ronald Leopold.

Mingling in the music room with chair Becky Maixner were Beth Shriner, Kim and Fred Raschke, John Gorman, Margaret Doran and Divafaves Don and Nancy Mafrige.

Gathered in the music room were other keepers of the past and protectors of our future, those jolly good guys, were Lise Darst, Burke Evans, VJ Tramonte, George Maida, Gale and Mary Jane Rogers, CJ and Jeannie Poirer, Larry Jantzen, Victor Lang and JoAnn and John Hyatt.

The 1892 Bishop’s Palace, managed by the Galveston Historical Foundation since 2007, is recognized as one of the most important Victorian buildings in America.

Its elaborate tile roof, a highly distinctive feature of the “Chateauesque-style” house consisting of 10 individual styles of tile, is badly in need of repair.

The foundation has been awarded a $380,000 grant, to be matched dollar-for-dollar by other donations, from the Department of the Interior’s “Save Americas Treasures” program to help undertake an overhaul of the roof.

A member of an OGF, BOI Joe Opperman, president of a firm that specializes in historic architecture, will oversee the project, which will cost $1.2 million to complete.

He gave a talk at the Palace outlining the problems with the roof and how they will be addressed.

Party Hearty At Mardi Gras With ETC

Getcha beads ready for a fun-filled evening at Island ETC’s prime parade-viewing location.

Party honchos are Mary Jo Singleton, Amy Grant and Eric Kirkpatrick, Sharla Kimbrough, Jennifer Daugherty, Kevin Daugherty and Kim Mytelka.

Their prime people-watching and bead-throwing location (one can toss beads from the upstairs windows, as well as be down on the street for prime bead catching) will feature a Cajun-style dinner.

Come comfy and casual. For tix and deets, contact 409-762-3556 or 888-762-3556 or islandetc.org.

Next on the boards at ETC is the hit musical “Rent.” There’s a fabbo cast, almost everyone new to ETC (a cast member in temporarily from Connecticut) and another lead commutes from Bryan.

Kim Mytelka is directing, with Carol Daubert musical director and Jennifer Daugherty choreographer.

“Rent” opens March 5 and runs through April 3. Due to the popularity of the show and advance ticket sales, we recommend that everyone purchase their tickets early.

Nod To Hollywood By Kiddie Parade

Salute to Hollywood is the theme of the Firefighter’s Children’s Parade (Feb. 14), it was inadvertently left out of the Mardi Gras program from the Park Board. Call Charlie Olsen, 409-789-1265. More to come next Scenes.

Source :http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=f8f379fd3b276ac4

BEFORE THE BELL: US Stock Futures Up, Deal On Greece Reached

2010-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

U.S. stock futures pointed to small gains Thursday ahead of a report on employment as a top European official said a deal to help Greece has been reached.

S&P 500 futures rose 4.1 points to 1,067.50 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 7 points to 1,751.70. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 38 points.

At a meeting of European leaders in Brussels, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy read out a statement saying that no direct aid will be delivered to Greece but that European governments stand ready to assist the country if needed.

The European Commission and the European Central Bank will monitor Greece's budget cutting efforts--a first assessment will come in March--and the International Monetary Fund will provide technical assistance.

In the U.S., weekly jobless claims data are due at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. The Dow Jones consensus forecast is for a drop of 12,000 claims from last week.

There was merger activity Thursday. FirstEnergy (FE) said it'll buy Allegheny Energy (AYE) in an all-stock deal that values the smaller power company at $8.5 billion, including debt.

Air Products (APD) went hostile with a $5.1 billion for rival Airgas (ARG).

Viacom (VIA) rose 5% on a stronger than forecast profit, while Boston Scientific (BSX) fell over 7% on worries over the loss-making firm's outlook.

There was a busy day for earnings in Europe, where Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) and Air France-KLM issued disappointing outlooks while Smith & Nephew (SNN) and Rio Tinto (RTP) were more optimistic.

Asian markets ended higher, with Hong Kong and Chinese stocks rising after data showed a moderation in the mainland's consumer price inflation, while Australian shares received a boost from a solid jobs report.

The dollar held to a tight range while oil futures reclaimed the $75-a-barrel mark.

Europe stocks also rose, led by mining and health companies.

U.S. stocks closed with small losses during a snow-filled Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 all retreating between 0.1% and 0.2%.

Testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke hinted at a gradual tightening of monetary policy, probably by other measures besides the main Fed funds rate.

Strategists at Credit Suisse said a recent pullback in markets--the S&P 500 is down 7% from its highest levels of the year--may continue in the short term.

"We think the period of consolidation may last another month: Tactical indicators are neutral and typically markets consolidate by 9% for 3 months around the first phase of monetary tightening (which this time is brought about by the People's Bank of China and the end of quantitative easing)," they said.

The Credit Suisse strategists said fears of a sovereign-credit crisis, China tightening, the end of quantitative easing, bank regulation and stalling U.S. employment momentum are overdone.

"We can understand these fears, but nonetheless believe clients should be buying on dips even if the tactical indicators are not giving a near-term buy signal," they said.

-By Steve Goldstein;44 20 7842 9424; AskNewswires@dowjones.com
Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100211-707240.html

Small Earthquake Hits Near Chicago

2010-02-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

By JENNIFER PRESTON and JACK HEALY
Published: February 10, 2010

A small earthquake in northern Illinois set off car alarms, knocked books off the shelves and jolted scores of people awake at 4 a.m. Wednesday, but otherwise caused no serious damage, officials said.

The United States Geological Survey reported that the earthquake, which had an estimated magnitude of 4.3, was centered near Virgil, about 50 miles northwest of Chicago, at a depth of about three miles. There were no immediate reports of aftershocks.

Sarah Evans, 29, of the northwest Chicago suburb of Elgin, said she was awakened at about 4 a.m. when her house started trembling.

“I popped out of bed,” she said. “I felt extreme shaking. I shook my husband, and said, ‘Oh my God, I think it was an earthquake.'” She said the dogs didn’t bark but it seemed as if everything in her 100-year-old single-family home was shaking, as if a train was roaring by.

Ms. Evans, who is the owner of Sevans Strategy, a public relations strategy firm that guides companies on how to use Twitter and other social media, said she then reached for her iPhone and posted a message on Twitter. “Seriously weird,” she wrote. “Something that felt like a minor quake just woke us up. Can anyone else in the CHI area/burbs confirm?”

Soon, she said, many people were trading information about the quake through the forum.

Pat Gengler, a spokesman for the Kane County sheriff, said the switchboards had been lighting up with calls, but he said there were no immediate reports of any damage.

“Right now the only reports we were getting were some people a little startled at 4 in the morning when their house started shaking,” he said. “We got a lot of snow out here and we had a little earthquake, so it’s been an interesting 12 hours.”

Amy Vaughan, a geophysicist with the agency, said that the tremor was only the second notable earthquake in more than 30 years to rattle the area. Even though the quake was relatively small, it was felt by residents as far away as southern Wisconsin, according to news reports.

“This is not a very seismically active area,” Ms. Vaughan said. “We don’t know what fault system this is, but there are faults everywhere throughout the world that can slip at any given time.”

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/us/11chicago.html

Steve Phillips "Moves On" By Spilling His Guts To Matt Lauer

2010-02-08T10:30:00.001-08:00

Steve Phillips made it out of sex rehab alive and has definitely seen the error of having sex with people who aren't your wife. So he went on "Today," because this is information that America needs to hear.

You see, sex addiction rehab is traditionally followed by "image rehabilitation" and that begins with a mealy-mouthed pseudo-apology on national TV. Sex addiction is not an excuse, except when you need to explain away a single extra-marital affair and maybe try to convince someone to give you a job. The worst part, however, is all the media attention that gets placed on your family three months after everyone stopped talking about you. Why won't these vultures stop conducting live one-on-one interviews with him?

"Baseball Tonight" probably isn't calling back, but maybe he and Eliot Spitzer can start a scouting service together.

[Thanks to Gawker.tv and NBC for the clips]

Source: http://deadspin.com/5466687/steve-phillips-moves-on-by-spilling-his-guts-to-matt-lauer

Calvin Barnett flips to Arkansas

2010-02-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

By: Stephen Spiewak

10:34 a.m. EST There's lots of talk that Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) defensive tackle Calvin Barnett is switching from Oklahoma State to Arkansas today.

Barnett's stock has risen greatly recently. He was expected to be a defensive cornerstone of the Cowboys' recruiting class. A late push by Arkansas was enough to seal the deal.

It's also likely that the Hogs land fellow defensive lineman Byran Jones, which should give Arkansas a nice boost in the team rankings.

Source: http://www.maxpreps.com/news/et9xoBDZEd-UswAcxJTdpg/calvin-barnett-flips-to-arkansas.htm

Gates' budget to rebalance US defense posture & 'backdoor taxes to hit middle class' story taken down

2010-02-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, (KUNA): Gates' budget to rebalance US defense posture & 'backdoor taxes to hit middle class' story taken down. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday that the defense budget for 2011 reflects the administration's goal to rebalance America's defense posture in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gates affirmed before Congress that the base budget request reflects the Pentagon's major institutional priorities which are "reaffirming and strengthening the nation's commitment to care for the all-volunteer force, rebalancing America's defense posture by emphasizing capabilities needed to prevail in current conflicts while enhancing capabilities that may be needed in the future and continuing the department's commitment to reform how it does business."

His remarks came in a testimony before the Senate armed services committee along with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen and Under Secretary of Defense Robert Hale to discuss defense authorization request for the year 2011, the Quadrennial defense review and the ballistic missile defense review.

The fiscal year 2011 defense budget request, unveiled by the White House yesterday, included USD 549 billion for the base budget and USD 159 billion for the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to a 2010 supplemental request of USD 33 billion to fund the additional 30,000 troops to support the White Houses Afghanistan policy announced last December.

Gates noted that measurement of progress in Afghanistan are the recruitment goals and ongoing training for the Afghan national security forces.

Asked about Afghan and Pakistani skepticism over the United States maintaining a long term strategy in the region, Gates affirmed that "there definitely is such a deficit of trust with Pakistan and I think it is historical" and added that the July 2011 of US troops from Afghanistan is "the beginning of a process and that there is no deadline on that process." "But there also is an acknowledgment by some of the Afghans that they needed that kind of wake-up call in order to begin to realize they were going to have to take responsibility themselves for defeating the Taliban, that this was not something that everybody else could do for them," he added.

Meanwhile, top Republican and Democratic Senators held a news conference on Capitol Hill calling to cut off funding to the White House for the trials of the 9-11 conspirators in civilian courts.

The Senators included Lindsey Graham, John McCain, Jim Webb, Blanche Lincoln, Jeff Sessions, Jim Demint, Joseph Liberman and Orin Hatch.

"All of us have something in common on the stage today; we believe we are at war. The law enforcement model being used by the Obama administration should be rejected. We are not fighting a crime; we are fighting a war and to criminalize this war puts our nation at risk," said Graham.

"I believe it is inappropriate to give the mastermind of 9-11 full constitutional rights of an American citizen. We reject the law enforcement model. Civilian trials of non-citizen enemy combatants captured on the battlefield is a stark departure from past precedent has never been used by our nation before," he added.

Mayor Bloomberg reversed last week his initial position and expressed concern over having the trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a federal court in lower Manhattan, blocks from the World Trade Center, saying "it would be great if the federal government could find a site that did not cost a billion dollars, which using downtown bill." Media reports hinted that the US administration backed off from taking this step but there is no official confirmation by the White House or the Justice Department yet.

Graham further noted that civilian trials "are necessarily dangerous, messy, confusing and expensive" and added that military commissions "can be held at Guantanamo Bay quickly, securely and will add very little additional cost."

In the meantime Reuters carried a story under the headline ‘Backdoor taxes to hit middle class. Within hours of it being posted, the story that criticizes Obama administration for its budget bungling was withdrawn and a small note was put on the place of the story instead.

Source : http://www.khabrein.info/news/Gates_budget_to_rebalance_US_defense_posture___backdoor_taxes_to_hit_middle_class_story_taken_down_1265138805/

InStyle's Grammy best-dressed list

2010-02-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

By Hal Rubenstein

(InStyle) -- All eyes were on Lady Gaga at this year's Grammys and, as expected, pop's newest sensation pulled off something most unexpected: a partnership with the last designer anyone would ever have dreamed of pairing her with -- Giorgio Armani.

In fact, the self-installed Queen of the Fame Monsters, whose crystal-shard-in-your-face stage antics are as deliberately avant-garde as they are rivetingly entertaining, was outfitted not once, but three times in out-of-this-galaxy Swarovski-drenched outfits by the venerable white-haired lion of Milan.

See more looks from the show

We don't know whose canniness to applaud first: the 75-year-old maestro of streamlined red-carpet glamour for stitching so far out of the box, or pop's newest shot-from-guns sensation for hitting up the most famous designer in the world as insurance that no one would come close to knocking off her look, or looks, of the night.

Not since Madonna has anyone pushed the limits so far while maintaining a poker face, and last night, knowing Gaga was in the house, almost every female artist made sure her presence wouldn't go unnoticed.

Most stylish acts of the night

On the red carpet, Jennifer Hudson sported a black architectural peplum dress from Victoria Beckham Collection, while Ciara worked a cascade of huge iridescent black pailettes and lace from Givenchy that was a cross between a gown and body stocking.

Top 5 Grammy looks

Katy Perry's nude Zac Posen gown was studded with bronze metal flowers.

Fergie's electric blue Emilio Pucci micro-mini was held up and ensnared by one thickly rolled silver strap.

Even country princess Carrie Underwood had on a white Edition by Georges Chakra gown with asymmetrical metallic geometrics.

And Beyonce exaggerated her curves to graphic novel drool-worthy proportions in a dramatic, form-fitting satin gown from Stephane Rolland.

Onstage, the women made sure they weren't about to be caught in the shadow cast by Gaga's mountainous, glittering green Armani shoulders.

Beyonce's stalked the stage in battle armor (actually a leather mini-dress from Versace Atelier) that would have made Spartacus cower.

Pink's aerial act, in which her gauzy gown transformed into a sling from which she dangled in nothing but a water-dripping bedazzled catsuit and Rene Caovilla heels, was nearly as hypnotizing as the sight of her in the shimmering, soaked body stocking itself.

Fergie suited up in futuristic-looking jumpsuit, and even the Titanic voiced Celine Dion donned a petal-to-the-metal eye-catcher rather than risk sinking without a trace amidst such hot-wired company.

Now if you were watching the Grammy telecast to pick up fashion tips from your idols, you watched the wrong show. But as performance art, theater, eye candy, or as a parade of potential costumes for anyone who has ever sung into a hairbrush and played air guitar and swore they heard the roar of thousands, it was sensational. The Grammys had us all aGaga with delight.

See the full gallery at InStyle.com

Source:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/02/01/in.style.grammys.best.dressed/

Jeffcoat hooked on Texas

2010-01-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

By Gerry Hamilton
Scouts Inc.

PLANO, Texas -- Jackson Jeffcoat, the No. 2 prospect in the ESPNU 150, walked to a table on the Plano West basketball court decorated with his No. 42 helmet on one side and a wolf head on the other. With his letter jacket full of all-district, all-region and all-state patches seemingly covering every inch, he sat down with a sense of relief on his face.

With his family -- dad Jim, mom Tammy, and sisters Jacqueline and Jasmine -- surrounding him, Jackson Jeffcoat took in the moment. His announcement that he would play football (and basketball) for the University of Texas would come moments later. But the ability to enjoy the moment was one too good to pass up. And something his family worked too hard to make sure would happen.

"Well, I kept it all under control," said Jim Jeffcoat, a former Dallas Cowboy and current assistant coach at the University of Houston. "I know how these things can go overboard and how things can get out of control. I just tried to make sure he wasn't stressed out. I wanted him to enjoy his senior year and that was the main focus for me because in this process, I didn't get that opportunity to enjoy my senior year and I wanted to make sure he had that opportunity. I don't really take much into all this stuff because you are ultimately evaluated by what you do on the field, and that is more important to me and I know that is more important to him and I stressed that."

So Jackson was able to sit quietly, confidently at a table with TV cameras, reporters and hundreds of students, friends and coaches watching as he picked the Longhorns over Oklahoma and Houston.

"I felt the most comfortable at Texas," he said after thanking his parents, sisters and brother Jaren, who wasn't at the ceremony because he plays basketball at Norwich University in Vermont. "Not that I didn't feel comfortable everywhere else because they all are great. They all have great schools, but I just felt right at home at Texas."

In choosing Texas, Jeffcoat, a five-star defensive end, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Brian Orakpo, a first-round pick in 2009's NFL draft, and senior Sergio Kindle, who is a likely first-round pick in April's NFL draft. Jackson, 6-foot-4, 230-pounds, played in a 3-4 scheme for Plano West, often times lining up head up on the tackle or an inside shade. At Texas he will get the opportunity to play more in space and rush the passer off the edge.

"Well, they have always told me I can play that 'Buck' position. They have had a lot of success with Brian Orakpo, who is in the Pro Bowl, and Sergio Kindle, who is projected to be a first-round pick. They have had a lot of success at that position," Jackson Jeffcoat said. "Here (at Plano West), we had more of a read-and-react system. At Texas, I'll be more out in space. We play a 3-4 here and they run the 'Buck' position and I'll line up in more of a 4-3, but also get to drop in coverage and rush off the edge."

Plano West defensive coordinator David Knaus thinks Jeffcoat will make a quick scheme adjustment and excel in Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's scheme.

"As a player in the University of Texas' four-man front, he'll be outstanding. He's so skilled. He did a lot for us and we tried to get him on the outside as much as we could, but our situation dictated that he play a role on the inside for us and he did it so unselfishly," Knaus said. "I think he not only has the skills to be successful on the edge, but he is so knowledgeable and learns so well. For all of the knowledge his dad has given him, he's going to do great."

Jim Jeffcoat says he offered pros and cons for each school Jackson considered, but that was all he did. There was no extra recruiting or influencing done. In fact, just the opposite. Jim just wanted to make sure his son was as pressure-free as possible during the process and comfortable with his decision.

"No, it was all him. It was his decision," Jim Jeffcoat said. "We run similar schemes (at Houston). It was what he wanted to do. It was all about him. My wife and I gave plusses and minus for each place, but it was all him."

Source : http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=4869874

J.D. Salinger Quotes: Best Sayings From 'Catcher In The Rye' Author

2010-01-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

In honor of J.D. Salinger, who died today at 91, HuffPost Books collected some of the best Salinger quotes.

You may want to share these Salinger quotes with loved ones as a tribute to the author, best known for "Catcher in the Rye":

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

"Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's a phoney. I could puke every time I hear it"

"I hope to hell that when I do die somebody has the sense to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetary. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody."

"If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she's late? Nobody."

"I'm sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect."

"I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life."

"It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to."

"It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it."

"That's the whole trouble. You can't ever find a place that's nice and peaceful, because there isn't any. You may think there is, but once you get there, when you're not looking, somebody'll sneak up and write "F*** you" right under your nose."

"You take somebody that cries their goddam eyes out over phoney stuff in the movies, and nine times out of ten they're mean bastards at heart."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/28/jd-salinger-quotes-best-s_n_440771.html

Paul Shirley: Haiti Can Go Help Itself!

2010-01-27T13:20:00.000-08:00

Paul Shirley, a former journeyman NBA basketball player turned writer, is under fire today for recent comments about earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

Namely, they put themselves in this mess, so he's not going to be donating any money. He has a right to that opinion, certainly, but his word choice?

In an essay published at FlipCollective, he says he "has not donated a cent" to Haiti and likens it to giving a homeless guy money. It's a lost cause.

"I don't think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either," he says.

The questions posed by his missive as a whole - whether events like the Hope For Haiti telethon are worthwhile, and whether a certain level responsibility for such a disaster lies with the victims of the disaster - are not entirely off base.

However, Paul Shirley might have considered an alternate ending.

In arguing that there should be some discourse on how the millions poured into Haiti will be spent, he writes a hypothetical message from the world to Haiti:

Dear Haitians –

First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded.

As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it's possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?

Sincerely,
The Rest of the World

Damn, P-Shir. Was the condom bit necessary? ESPN has already said he won't be back as a freelancer, and we suspect he may find other gigs hard to come by.

Source : http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2010/01/paul-shirley-haiti-can-go-help-itself/
Posted by Free Britney

When it comes to Melinda Duckett, Nancy Grace is camera shy

2010-01-26T13:22:00.001-08:00

CNN talking head Nancy Grace is not one to keep her opinions to herself, but when it comes to having to answer for her words she'd rather not do it on camera, thankyouverymuch.

In 2006, a 21-year-old Florida woman, Melinda Duckett, was interviewed by Nancy about her missing 2-year-old son.

Nancy didn't like the answers Melinda was giving her and accused the woman of being evasive and trying to hide something.

The day after the interview -- hours before it was scheduled to air -- Melinda shot and killed herself.

Her family is suing Grace for wrongful death, saying that the interview and Nancy's "intentional infliction of emotional distress" drove her to take her own life.

Now, Grace -- a former prosecutor herself who contends that guilt was what led Melinda to kill herself -- doesn't want there to be cameras present when she gives her deposition in the case.

One of the Duckett family's attorneys, Kara Skarupo, tells ABCNews.com that if the judge does allow the deposition to be filmed, Grace's lawyers "want us to sign a blood pact that it won't get out."

The judge is expected to make his ruling on Tuesday (Jan. 26).

Source : http://blog.zap2it.com/thedishrag/2010/01/when-it-comes-to-melinda-duckett-nancy-grace-is-camera-shy.html
Posted By Brill Bundy

James Mitchell Of 'All My Children' Dies

2010-01-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

James Mitchell appeared on classic soap for three decades.

James Mitchell of All My Children died Friday night at age 89. Mitchell played the character Palmer Cortlandt, and he appeared on All My Children's 40th anniversary episode in early January. We have the details of James Mitchell's death here.

James Mitchell died Friday from complications due to pneumonia and a history of heart disease. His cause of death has been listed as "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated by pneumonia," according to one source.

Mitchell's All My Children role of Palmer Cortlandt saw him as the patriarch of the affluent Cortlandt family. Mitchell was also known to have starred in many classic Broadway productions, such as Brigadoon and Oklahoma! (Of his Oklahoma audition Mitchell once said, "Well, I really hadn't too much familiarity with that but I threw myself across the floor and about the third or fourth pass, [the choreographer, Agnes de Mille] cried 'Stop' and summoned me over and said 'Where on earth did you get your dance training?'") He was also a professional dancer.

James Mitchell was a native of Sacramento, California. Mitchell leaves behind his All My Children cast (he was an actor on All My Children from 1970 until 2010), but it's said a funeral episode is behind held for him. The last episode on which he appeared was the January 5, 2010 40th anniversary episode.

Eighty-nine-year-old James Mitchell is survived by his longtime partner, Academy Award-winning costume designer Albert Wolsky (Revolutionary Road).

Meanwhile there's another shocker in quasi-soap opera television: Rob Lowe is leaving ABC's Brother's & Sisters!

Source : http://www.limelife.com/blog-entry/James-Mitchell-Of-All-My-Children-Dies/32409.html

Billboard with Charles Phillips and mistress YaVaughnie Wilkins yanked from Times Square

2010-01-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

The bizarre Times Square billboard featuring a high-powered New York business exec canoodling with his mistress has been yanked.

The billboard was pulled a day after it emerged that Oracle software president Charles Phillips' ex-gal pal YaVaughnie Wilkins put up the sign in an apparent act of revenge.

Rising above W. 52nd St. near Times Square, the giant sign showed Phillips hugging Wilkins under the words "Charles and YaVaughnie" and a purported quote from him: "You are my soulmate forever."

The billboard touted the Web address of an online photo album containing what appears to be eight years worth of pictures of the duo vacationing, dancing, drinking and singing karaoke.

There were also dozens of florist cards signed "Charles" bearing messages like "I'm sorry, please forgive me," "I'm crazy about you" and "We're going to have a great life, stick with me."

Court records show that Phillips' wife, Karen, filed for divorce in June 2008, but no further action has been taken.

Charles Phillips, 50, a member of President Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, admitted that he had a mistress.

"I had an 8 1/2-year serious relationship with YaVaughnie Wilkins," Phillips said in a statement released Thursday. "My divorce proceedings began in 2008. The relationship with Ms. Wilkins has since ended and we both wish each other well."

It's unclear whether the other billboards Wilkins put up - in Atlanta and San Francisco - were also removed Friday. Wilkins, 42, who lives in California, could not be reached.

There was no answer at Phillips' Upper West Side brownstone. Karen Phillips' lawyer declined comment.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/01/22/2010-01-22_billboard_with_charles_phillips_and_mistress_yavaughnie_wilkins_yanked
from_time.html#ixzz0dRDoHPQs

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/01/22/2010-01-22_billboard_with_charles_phillips_and_mistress_yavaughnie_wilkins_yanked_from_time.html

Bobsled Split pants

2010-01-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

The pants don’t split, they deliquesce away. It’s a TV effect. acknowledgment yankeesuck Joined: 2/21/08 Team: Boston Red Sox 11:52 am. a thong during bobsled? actual kinky. acknowledgment jeff 10:34 am. HAhahahaha classicwww.electriccigaretteinc.com . Thank advantage we accept BarbaraS on, a arch apple able on bobsled starts, allegory this video with an unparalleled akin of cogent analysis. By the way Babs, this is the ‘Female’ team. I achievement this accessory absurdity doesn’t could cause you to be . Besides, if you can do a ???do over??? just by accepting yourpants split, Martha Coakley disregarded a abundant befalling appropriate there. Obama should go aback abaft the blind and say ???due to a bolt malfunction, the chase has been stopped.??? . She does bobsled with assistant Nicola Minichiello. And the Scottish damsel was already a appealing acceptable clue and acreage athlete. But what she will now be always accepted as the babe who breach herpants as she angled over just abnormal afore jumping .

Resource : http://www.timesasia.net/bobsled-split-pants-4608574.htm
Posted by adam

New 6.1-quake hits Haiti, people flee into streets

2010-01-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The most powerful aftershock yet struck Haiti on Wednesday, shaking more rubble from damaged buildings and sending screaming people running into the streets eight days after the country's capital was devastated by an apocalyptic quake.

The magnitude-6.1 temblor was the largest of more than 40 significant aftershocks that have followed the Jan. 12 quake. The extent of additional damage or injuries was not immediately clear.

Wails of terror rose from frightened survivors as the earth shuddered at 6:03 a.m. U.S. soldiers and tent city refugees alike raced for open ground, and clouds of dust rose in the capital.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday's quake was centered about 35 miles (60 kilometers) west-southwest of Port-au-Prince and 6.2 miles (9.9 kilometers) below the surface — a little further from the capital than last week's epicenter was.

"It kind of felt like standing on a board on top of a ball," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Steven Payne. The 27-year-old from Jolo, West Virginia was preparing to hand out food to refugees in a tent camp of 25,000 quake victims when the aftershock hit.

Last week's magnitude-7 quake killed an estimated 200,000 people in Haiti, left 250,000 injured and made 1.5 million homeless, according to the European Union Commission.

The strong aftershock prompted Anold Fleurigene, 28, to grab his wife and three children and head to the city bus station. His house was destroyed in the first quake and his sister and brother killed.

"I've seen the situation here, and I want to get out," he said.

A massive international aid effort has been struggling with logistical problems, and many Haitians are still desperate for food and water.

Still, search-and-rescue teams have emerged from the ruins with some improbable success stories — including the rescue of 69-year-old ardent Roman Catholic who said she prayed constantly during her week under the rubble.

Ena Zizi had been at a church meeting at the residence of Haiti's Roman Catholic archbishop when the Jan. 12 quake struck, trapping her in debris. On Tuesday, she was rescued by a Mexican disaster team.

Zizi said after the quake, she spoke back and forth with a vicar who also was trapped. But he fell silent after a few days, and she spent the rest of the time praying and waiting.

"I talked only to my boss, God," she said. "I didn't need any more humans."

Doctors who examined Zizi on Tuesday said she was dehydrated and had a dislocated hip and a broken leg.

Elsewhere in the capital, two women were pulled from a destroyed university building. And near midnight Tuesday, a smiling and singing 26-year-old Lozama Hotteline was carried to safety from a collapsed store in the Petionville neighborhood by the French aid group Rescuers Without Borders.

Crews at the cathedral recovered the body of the archbishop, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, who was killed in the Jan. 12 quake.

Authorities said close to 100 people had been pulled from wrecked buildings by international search-and-rescue teams. Efforts continued, with dozens of teams hunting through Port-au-Prince's crumbled homes and buildings for signs of life.

But the good news was overshadowed by the frustrating fact that the world still can't get enough food and water to the hungry and thirsty.

"We need so much. Food, clothes, we need everything. I don't know whose responsibility it is, but they need to give us something soon," said Sophia Eltime, a 29-year-old mother of two who has been living under a bedsheet with seven members of her extended family.

The World Food Program said more than 250,000 ready-to-eat food rations had been distributed in Haiti by Tuesday, reaching only a fraction of the 3 million people thought to be in desperate need.

The WFP said it needs to deliver 100 million ready-to-eat rations in the next 30 days, but it only had 16 million meals in the pipeline.

Even as U.S. troops landed in Seahawk helicopters Tuesday on the manicured lawn of the ruined National Palace, the colossal efforts to help Haiti were proving inadequate because of the scale of the disaster. Expectations exceeded what money, will and military might have been able to achieve.

So far, international relief efforts have been unorganized, disjointed and insufficient to satisfy the great need. Doctors Without Borders says a plane carrying urgently needed surgical equipment and drugs has been turned away five times, even though the agency received advance authorization to land.

A statement from Partners in Health, co-founded by the deputy U.N. envoy to Haiti, Dr. Paul Farmer, said the group's medical director estimated 20,000 people are dying each day who could be saved by surgery.

"TENS OF THOUSANDS OF EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS NEED EMERGENCY SURGICAL CARE NOW!!!!!" the group said in the statement. It did not describe the basis for that estimate.

The reasons are varied:

• Both national and international authorities suffered great losses in the quake, taking out many of the leaders best suited to organize a response.

• Woefully inadequate infrastructure and a near-complete failure in telephone and Internet communications have complicated efforts to reach millions of people forced from their homes.

• Fears of looting and violence have kept aid groups and governments from moving as quickly as they would like.

• Pre-existing poverty and malnutrition put some at risk even before the quake hit.

Governments have pledged nearly $1 billion in aid, and thousands of tons of food and medical supplies have been shipped. But much remains trapped in warehouses, or diverted to the neighboring Dominican Republic. Port-au-Prince's nonfunctioning seaport and many impassable roads complicate efforts to get aid to the people.

Aid is being turned back from the single-runway airport, where the U.S. military has been criticized by some of poorly prioritizing flights. The U.S. Air Force said it had raised the facility's daily capacity from 30 flights before the quake to 180 on Tuesday.

About 2,200 U.S. Marines established a beachhead west of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to help speed aid delivery, in addition to 9,000 Army soldiers already on the ground. Lt. Cmdr. Walter Matthews, a U.S. military spokesman, said helicopters were ferrying aid from the airport into Port-au-Prince and the nearby town of Jacmel as fast as they could.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the military will send a port-clearing ship with cranes aboard to Port-au-Prince to remove debris that is preventing many larger aid ships from docking.

The U.N. was sending in reinforcements as well: The Security Council voted Tuesday to add 2,000 peacekeepers to the 7,000 already in Haiti, and 1,500 more police to the 2,100-strong international force.

"The floodgates for aid are starting to open," Matthews said at the airport. "In the first few days, you're limited by manpower, but we're starting to bring people in."

The WFP's Alain Jaffre said the U.N. agency hoped to help 100,000 people by Wednesday.

Hanging over the entire effort was an overwhelming fear among relief officials that Haitians' desperation would boil over into violence.

"We've very concerned about the level of security we need around our people when we're doing distributions," said Graham Tardif, who heads disaster-relief efforts for the charity World Vision. The U.N., the U.S. government and other organizations have echoed such fears.

Occasionally, those fears have been borne out. Looters rampaged through part of downtown Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, just four blocks from where U.S. troops landed at the presidential palace. Hundreds of looters fought over bolts of cloth and other goods with broken bottles and clubs.

USGS geophysicist Bruce Pressgrave said nobody knows if a still-stronger aftershock is possible.

"Aftershocks sometimes die out very quickly," he said. "In other cases they can go on for weeks, or if we're really unlucky it could go on for months" as the earth adjusts to the new stresses caused by the initial quake.

___

Associated Press writers contributing include Paul Haven, Michael Melia, Jonathan M. Katz, Michelle Faul and Vivian Sequera in Port-au-Prince; medical writer Margie Mason in Hanoi, Vietnam; Charles J. Hanley in Mexico City; Lori Hinnant in New York; Tales Azzoni in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations; and Seth Borenstein, Pauline Jelinek, Anne Flaherty and Jennifer Loven in Washington.

(This version CORRECTS location as west-southwest of capital sted northwest.)

Posted by: PAUL HAVEN and MICHELLE FAUL, Associated Press Writers
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cb_haiti_earthquake

Cayman Islands Earthquake Shakes Region Still Further

2010-01-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

The Cayman Islands were hit by 5.8-magnitude earthquake which struck Tuesday at 9:23 AM EST. The quake's epicenter was 40 miles form the capital, George Town at a depth of 6.2 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The Cayman Islands earthquake is just the latest in the Caribbean Region, which is still recovering from the Haiti earthquake of a week ago.

On Monday, a 6.0 earthquake hit Guatemala and parts of El Salvador. In that earthquake, however, no damage was reported. At this time there have been no reports of more than minor damage or any injuries in the Cayman Island earthquake event.

The Cayman Islands are a three-island chain in the Caribbean. George Town is on the western shore of Grand Cayman Island. The other islands are Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, and they are located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica.

A tsunami alert was briefly issued and then canceled after the Cayman Islands earthquake struck. Prior to this one, the last earthquake to hit the Caymans was on December 14, 2004. That was a 6.8 magnitude earthquake just three months after the Cayman Islands were devastated by Hurricane Ivan. The 2004 quake itself did little damage, however.

All of these recent quakes have struck on or near the fault which lies between the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates. The Cayman Islands earthquake was at the approximate depth as the Haiti quake. However, the fault which affected Haiti runs right through the island. The Cayman Islands are a British overseas territory.

Written by Michael Santo
HULIQ.com

Original Post : http://www.huliq.com/3257/90606/cayman-islands-earthquake-shakes-region-still-further

Guatemala Earthquake Rocks Parts of Guatemala & El Salvador

2010-01-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

GUATEMALA CITY - A 6.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Guatemala and parts of El Salvador, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Monday morning.

However, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage in either country.

The rattler hit offshore Monday morning about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Guatemala City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's website.

Guatemalans and El Salvadorians reported that they could feel the earthquake as it was happening.

There were reports of shaking as far out as the Guatemalan countryside and in areas pf El Salvador as well.

Civil protection officials in the two countries says so far there are no reports of injuries or damage, but authorities are still checking.

(The Associated Press & KSAX Eyewitness News)

www.ksax.com
http://ksax.com/article/stories/S1370030.shtml?cat=10230

Oklahoma Earthquake

2010-01-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Oklahoma City

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake shook central Oklahoma on Friday morning. The U.S. Geological Survey says that the epicenter of the quake was recorded about 3 miles northeast of Jones, OK. Jones is located about 17 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. The earthquake struck at 9:18 a.m. at a depth of about 3 miles. No damage or injuries have been reported.

National Weather Service office employees in Tulsa say they felt the quake. Ashley Copelin at 61st and Garnett in Tulsa, said,

“I felt it this morning while I was lying in bed, twice! It felt like my whole apartment shifted.”

This is now the third earthquake in Oklahoma this week. A 2.8 earthquake was recorded in Logan County on Thursday morning and a 3.3 earthquake struck near Jones on Monday.

Earthquake in Haiti: Death Toll Could Top 500,000

2010-01-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

The full-scale of the horror that has overtaken the Caribbean island of Haiti since the massive earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hit them on Tuesday, is only just becoming apparent now, with scenes of sheer devastation.

Many traumatized Haitians spent last night sleeping in the streets and in parks, in pure fear that aftershocks would claim yet more lives. Residents were trying to rescue people who were trapped under the rubble, clawing at the concrete with their bare hands.

Sixteen Britons are said to be among the tens of thousands of people, who have been missing since the earthquake ripped the island apart. According to dailymail.co.uk, they had all been living in the capital Port-au-Prince when the disaster struck.

Us Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, described the damage in Haiti as “biblical,” and likened it to the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster. “This is going to be one of the highest in terms of loss of life in recent years,” she went on to say.

In fact, leading politician Senator Youri Latortue, even suggested that the death toll could well rise as high as 500,000. Bodies that had been pulled from the collapsed buildings were being laid at the side of the road, and covered in sheets.

You can read the full story here

Written by Tina Chubb
Original Post : http://www.onlykent.com/20100114/earthquake-in-haiti-death-toll-could-top-500000/

Wyclef Jean asks for help for Haiti earthquake victims in his homeland

2010-01-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

BY Cristina Everett
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, January 13th 2010, 11:11 AM

Kempin/Getty

Wyclef Jean wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning that he is en route back to his homeland in Haiti.

The devastating earthquake that left Haiti's capital in ruins Tuesday has hit too close to home for Wyclef Jean.

The singer, who was born in the Caribbean country, describes the magnitude-7.0 quake as a "natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced."

Believed to be the strongest quake in Haiti in more than 200 years, the trembler struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince at 4:53 p.m. Two powerful aftershocks measuring 5.9 and 5.5 soon followed, further damaging structures weakened by the initial quake.

The singer has sent out an urgent plea asking others to help his damaged homeland.

"I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now," Jean said in a statement.

"President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands 'ready to assist' the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible," he added. "The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible."

Since establishing the non-profit Yele Haiti Foundation in 2004, Jean has been active in helping the charity to provide scholarships for the country's children. He has also worked with the United Nations World Food Programme to send food assistance to the island.

Jean is encouraging other to text "Yele" to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund or visit Yele.org and click "donate" to help.

Original Post : http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/01/13/2010-01-13_wyclef_jean_asks_for_help_in_haiti_after_his_homeland_is_rocked_by_70_earthquake.html

Brittny Gastineau Meets 20-Year-Old Half-Brother for First Time

2010-01-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's been more than two decades since Brittny Gastineau's father Mark, the legendary New York Jets player, left Brittny's mom Lisa for actress Brigitte Nielsen. But it wasn't until last week that Brittny met the fruit of that union: her half-brother Killian Marcus Gastineau, who's now 20.

Brittny had never before seen or spoken to Killian, who lives in Italy and works at a wine and champagne company. "I've always known I have a half-brother, I was told as a kid, but he was totally off the radar. It was like he didn't exist," Brittny tells PEOPLE.

But Brittny's mom bumped into Nielsen at Ivana Trump's wedding last year, and they exchanged phone numbers – and, surprisingly, pleasantries. Then, last week, Nielsen "texted my mom and said Marcus is in town and he'd love to meet me," says Brittny.

So, Brittny and her mother met Nielsen and her husband Mattia Dessi, along with Marcus, for dinner at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills.

"It was very weird and surreal," says Brittny, who hasn't been in touch with her father for several years. "I didn't cry. I'm too tough to cry. But we hugged, we talked about old stories. He said he watched Gastineau Girls in Italy, so he knew what I looked like."

"I made some changes with regards to the picture"

Posted By David Caplan
Original post : http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20336270,00.html

WOMX Scott & Erica Morning Show recipe of the week: Coffeecake

2010-01-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

The more the merrier in the Orlando Sentinel test kitchen! That’s why I have teamed with the fabulous Scott McKenzie, Erica Lee and Jay Edwards to offer the WOMX Mix 105.1 “Scott & Erica Morning Show” recipe of the week.

Today, check out Cranberry Orange Streusek Coffeecake here and at Mix1051.com.

CRANBERRY ORANGE STREUSEL COFFEECAKE

Yield: 12 servings.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup undiluted evaporated skim milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) margarine, melted

4 egg whites

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cranberries

Streusel topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons melted margarine

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1. Combine ingredients for streusel topping. Set aside.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Whisk together evaporated milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg whites, peel and vanilla. Add to flour mixture; stir well. Stir in berries.

4. Spread half of batter into greased 9-inch square baking pan; sprinkle with half of the topping. Spread with remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining topping.

5. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.

Original Post : http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_food_blog/2010/01/womx-scott-erica-morning-show-recipe-of-the-week-coffeecake.html
Posted by hmcpherson on January, 6 2010 9:19 AM

Suicide Bombing Puts a Rare Face on C.I.A.’s Work

2010-01-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON — In the fall of 2001, as an anguished nation came to grips with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a slender, soft-spoken economics major named Elizabeth Hanson set out to write her senior thesis at Colby College in Maine. Her question was a timely one: How do the world’s three major faith traditions apply economic principles?

Scott Roberson had worked as a narcotics detective in Atlanta.

Ms. Hanson’s report, “Faithless Heathens: Scriptural Economics of Judaism, Christianity and Islam,” carried a title far more provocative than its contents, said the professor who advised her. But it may have given a hint of her career to come, as an officer for the Central Intelligence Agency specializing in hunting down Islamic extremists.

That career was cut short last week: Ms. Hanson was one of seven Americans killed in a suicide bombing at a C.I.A. base in the remote mountains of Afghanistan.

In the days since the attack, details of the lives of the victims — five men and two women, including two C.I.A. contractors from the firm formerly known as Blackwater — have begun to trickle out, despite the secretive nature of their work. What emerges is a rare public glimpse of a closed society, a peek into one sliver of the spy agency as it operates more than eight years after the C.I.A. was pushed to the front lines of war.

Their deaths were a significant blow to the agency, crippling a team responsible for collecting information about militant networks in Afghanistan and Pakistan and plotting missions to kill the networks’ top leaders. And in one sign of how the once male-dominated bastion of the C.I.A. has changed in recent years, the suicide bombing revealed that a woman had been in charge of the base that was attacked, Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost Province.

On Wednesday, the operational leader of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan issued a statement praising the work of the suicide bomber, Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, and said that the Khost bombing, which also killed a Jordanian intelligence operative, was revenge for the killings of a number of top militant leaders in C.I.A. drone attacks.

“He detonated his fine, astonishing and well-designed explosive device, which was unseen by the eyes of those who do not believe in the hereafter,” said the statement from the Qaeda leader, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, which was translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.

Those who died came from all corners of the United States but were thrown together in one of the most dangerous parts of the world. Several had military backgrounds. One of the fallen C.I.A. employees, a security officer named Scott Roberson, had worked undercover as a narcotics detective in the Atlanta Police Department, according to an obituary, and spent time in Kosovo for the United Nations. Postings on an online memorial site describe a hard-charging motorcyclist with a remarkable recall of episodes of “The Benny Hill Show.”

Another, Harold Brown Jr., was a former Army reservist and father of three who had traveled home from Afghanistan briefly in July to help his family move into a new home in the Northern Virginia suburbs.

Mr. Brown’s mother, Barbara, said in an interview that her son — she had believed he worked for the State Department — had intended to spend a year in Afghanistan, returning home in April. He did not relish the work, she said, and talked little about it.

“The people there just want to live their lives. They’re normal people,” she recalled him saying, adding that he had told her parts of Afghanistan were “just like back in biblical times.”

The base chief, an agency veteran, had traveled to Afghanistan last year as part of the C.I.A.’s effort to augment its ranks in the war zone. After consulting with the C.I.A., The New York Times is withholding some identifying information about the woman. The agency declined to comment about the identities of any of the employees. Some of the names were disclosed by family members. Ms. Hanson’s name was first reported in The Daily Beast, an online magazine.

In a telephone interview, her father, Duane Hanson Jr., said an agency official called several days ago to let him know that his daughter, who he said would have turned 31 next month, had been killed. He knew little of her work, other than that she had been in Afghanistan. “I begged her not to go,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Do you know how dangerous that is? That’s for soldiers.’ ”

The other woman killed, the chief of the Khost base, was, before the Sept. 11 attacks, part of a small cadre of counterterrorism officers focused on the growth of Al Qaeda and charged with finding Osama bin Laden.

Working from a small office near C.I.A. headquarters, the group, known inside the agency as Alec Station, became increasingly alarmed in the summer of 2001 that a major strike was coming. One former officer recalls that the woman had a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of Al Qaeda’s top leadership and was so familiar with the different permutations of the leaders’ names that she could take fragments of intelligence and build them into a mosaic of Al Qaeda’s operations.

“She was one of the first people in the agency to tackle Al Qaeda in a serious way,” said the former officer, who, like some others interviewed for this article, spoke on the condition of anonymity because the victims’ identities remain classified.

Two of the dead, Jeremy Wise, 35, a former member of the Navy Seals from Virginia Beach, Va., and Dane Clark Paresi, 46, of Dupont, Wash., were security officers for Xe Services, the firm formerly known as Blackwater.

The company did not respond to a request for comment about the deaths, but they have been widely reported in local newspapers. The Jeremy Wise Memorial on Facebook had 3,189 fans on Tuesday, filled with recollections of Mr. Wise’s childhood as the son of a doctor in Arkansas; his parents currently live in Hope, Bill Clinton’s hometown.

“RIP, Jeremy Wise, American hero,” one wrote.

The suicide bomber has been identified as a Jordanian double agent who was taken onto the base to meet with American officials who thought he was an informant.

In a message to the C.I.A. work force after the attack, President Obama told agency employees that “your triumphs and even your names may be unknown to your fellow Americans.” And indeed, some relatives and friends of the dead did not seem to know of their agency connections.

Ms. Hanson’s economics professor, Michael Donihue, said he was shocked to discover her career path. At Colby, from which she graduated in 2002, she paired her economics major with a minor in Russian language and literature.

“She was a thoughtful person; she had an intellectual curiosity that I really liked,” Professor Donihue said.

Officials in Afghanistan and Washington said the C.I.A. group in Khost had been particularly aggressive in recent months against the Haqqani network, a militant group that has claimed responsibility for dozens of American deaths in Afghanistan. One NATO official in Afghanistan spoke in stark terms about the attack, saying it had “effectively shut down a key station.”

“These were not people who wrote things down in the computer or in notebooks. It was all in their heads,” he said. The C.I.A. is “pulling in new people from all over the world, but how long will it take to rebuild the networks, to get up to speed? Lots of it is irrecoverable. Lots of it.”

James Risen and Eric Schmitt contributed reporting from Washington, and Alissa J. Rubin from Kabul, Afghanistan. Kitty Bennett contributed research.

Orinal Post : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/world/asia/07intel.html

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and MARK MAZZETTI

ESPN 3D to show soccer, football, more

2010-01-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

Sports broadcasting will enter a new dimension in 2010 ... the third dimension, as ESPN will unveil the industry's first 3-D network.

ESPN 3D will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match, featuring South Africa vs. Mexico, ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer announced.

Other events to be produced in 3-D include the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, college basketball and football contests, up to 25 World Cup matches and the Summer X Games. Additional events will be announced at a later date.

"ESPN's commitment to 3-D is a win for fans and our business partners," Bodenheimer said in a statement. "ESPN 3D marries great content with new technology to enhance the fan's viewing experience and puts ESPN at the forefront of the next big advance for TV viewing."

ESPN has been testing ESPN 3D for more than two years, even showing a USC-Ohio State college football game in select theaters and to 6,000 fans at the Galen Center on USC's campus.

"This is a turning point for 3-D," Consumer Electronics Association CEO Gary Shapiro told USA Today.

Original Post: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4796555

Posted By : espn.com

Jim Zorn and Steve Czaban have something in common these days

2010-01-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

What do the Redskins' Jim Zorn and Fox Radio's Steve Czaban have in common?

(AP Photo/Chris Park)

What do Jim Zorn and Steve Czaban have in common?

According to Google Trends, first there is the fact that both Jim Zorn and Steve Czaban are high on the rankings of popular searches this morning, which means that there must be something making them popular today. Sadly, it is bad news for both of them.

Jim Zorn has lost his job as the coach of the Washington Redskins after a 23-20 loss to the San Diego Chargers that put an end to a season in which the football team only managed to win four games.

According to Reuters, the Redskins' general manager Bruce Allen said, "The status quo is not acceptable," adding, "I felt it was necessary to not waste a moment of time to begin building this team into a winner." Allen has been the team's manager for three weeks.

Steve Zorn had one year left on his contract. But after a 12-20 score in two years he did not get the chance to see that contract come to its completion.

Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan might replace Jim Zorn.

So, what about Steve Czaban?

According to Hoops World, Steve Czaban said, “My contract with Fox Sports Radio has not been renewed. The last day of the Steve Czaban Show is scheduled for December 23rd.” He will be replaced by Stephen A. Smith.

What do you think about these news? Leave a comment, share a thought!

Posted from West Palm Beach Pop Media ExaminerEarl Linnell

Original Post : http://www.examiner.com/x-33652-West-Palm-Beach-Pop-Media-Examiner~y2010m1d4-Jim-Zorn-and-Steve-Czaban-have-something-in-common-these-days

Brad Pitt Coming to 'Sherlock Holmes 2'

2009-12-29T06:57:00.000-08:00

Posted By: Rob Shuter

What could make 'Sherlock Holmes' and all of its bare-chested (and perhaps not-so-straight) detective work even sexier? How about the addition of Brad Pitt in the sequel? Yep, you heard it here first: Papa Pitt is set to reunite with Guy Ritchie once things get underway on the 'Holmes' sequel. Details after the jump, along with info on Martin Sheen's broken heart and Spencer Pratt's wounded ego.

'Sherlock' Sequel Starring Brad Pitt

After 'Sherlock Holmes' managed to uncover more than $65 million in its opening weekend, 'Sherlock Holmes 2' is being planned with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law already committed. But the big surprise will be the addition of Brad Pitt as Professor Moriarty.

"The director, Guy Ritchie, loves Brad," an industry source tells me. "He has worked with him before and thinks he is one of the most underrated actors working today. Guy knows that everyone thinks of as a Pitt as a pretty boy and can't wait to turn him into the world's greatest supervillain. It will definitely make the sequel a must-see."

Pitt and Ritchie worked together on 2000's 'Snatch,' in which Pitt played a mumbling, can't-understand-a-word-he-says Irish gypsy fighter. He definitely wasn't a 'pretty boy' in it, and hopefully that's exactly what Ritchie can pull out of him again.

As for Brad, an insider tells me he's "very interested in taking on the role and happy they aren't considering his kick-ass partner Angelina for the part."

Charlie Disapoints Dad Again

Poor Martin Sheen. Friends tell me the acting legend is devastated by the recent accusations and arrest of son Charlie on Christmas Day.

The distraught father who famously issued a public appeal for fans to pray for his son and reported him for a violation of his parole in 1998, resulting in his own child's arrest, is said to not only to be worried about his son but also his twin grandchildren, Bob and Max, who were born in March 2009.

"Martin wants his son to get help and be happy. He thought his son's long history of drug and violence were a thing of the past when he married Brooke. The wedding was one of the happiest days of Martin's life. What's going on now is breaking his heart," someone close to Martin tells me.

Here's hoping for a new, happier beginning for Charlie, Brooke, Bob, Max and Papa Martin in 2010.

Spencer Pratt vs 'The Situation'

Sources tell me the self-loving Spencer Pratt (one-time PopEater hater but now our BFF) from MTV reality show 'The Hills' is livid with MTV over the recent success of its new show, 'Jersey Shore.'

"Spencer can feel the press moving away from him and on to the cast members of 'Jersey Shore.' He is desperate to keep his 15 minutes going. It's all he has and blames MTV for paying more attention to the new show than to his old show," laughs a TV executive.

Spencer, darling, I have been wanting to say this to you for a long, long time: "Bye, bye" ... But I can't talk now -- Al Rocker is on the other line.

Got a tip for Rob? Email him at NaughtyNiceRob@aol.com
Follow Rob on FaceBook: www.hs.facebook.com/rshuter
Who's Rob Shuter? Read His Bio

Original Post here : http://www.popeater.com/2009/12/29/brad-pitt-coming-to-sherlock-holmes-2/

Trades In Haiku: Milton Bradley Is Gone!

2009-12-18T12:30:00.000-08:00

Finally, Milton Bradley is flying away from Wrigley Field

A Chanukah gift?
Perhaps it's a miracle
Milton Bradley's gone

Last week I posted my request for some Chanukah miracles, and now one has actually happened! Sort of. It's not much of a miracle when we pick up a crappy pitcher with his own huge contract. But the good news is, Milton Bradley is gone.

Now we've got Silva
One of baseball's worst pitchers
Who's owed lots of dough

Carlos Silva stinks it up at the World Baseball Classic - this picture was taken after he gave up 5 runs in the first inning pitching for Venezuela against Korea.

Al Yellon at Bleed Cubbie Blue, while trying to be hopeful that the trade will work out for the Cubs, calls Silva "one of the worst pitchers in baseball the last two years ... the Cubs won't get any decent production out of him." Plus, Silva's contract is even richer than Bradley's. Bradley is owed about $23 million for the last two years of his contract. Silva is owed about $25 million for the last two years of his.

But wait - there's some cash
The Cubs will get nine million
To help ease the pain

It's reported that the Mariners will give the Cubs about $9 million to take Silva off their hands, so that means we're about $7 million ahead on the deal. Maybe Ricketts can use those funds to find an outfielder.

I was one of those
Who wanted Milt to leave town
But this could be worse

My initial reaction was that this had to be good - the alleged "cancer" gone from the clubhouse. But as Justin Bridgman at Talking Chicago Baseball suggests, "Every single game Silva pitches is more or less a loss, and if one more Cubs pitcher gets injured Silva, Tom Gorzelanny, and Jeff Samardzija will be the majority of our starting rotation. Bad, bad, bad."

So this much is clear
Even with Carlos Silva
We need more pitching

At this point, I'm going to remain optimistic. I'm going to hope that Jim Hendry makes some decent moves during the rest of the off-season. Of course, if we remember back to last winter there is no good reason for holding out such hope. But for Cubs fans, forgetting the past is necessary if we are to avoid going crazy.

A short memory
Is something all Cubs fans need
Just to remain sane

So let's stay patient
For no good reason at all
Except, we're Cubs fans

Posted By: Ed Nickow
Original Post : http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-sports-in-haiku/2009/12/trades-in-haiku-milton-bradley-is-gone.html

Quantum mechanical version of Borromean Rings finally proved Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/quantum-mechanical-version-of-bo

2009-12-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

Houston, Dec 16 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Physicist Vitaly Efimov’s theory has finally been proved after almost 40 years. Efimov had predicted a quantum-mechanical version of Borromean rings, a symbol that first showed up in Afghan Buddhist art from around the second century. The symbol depicts three rings linked together and if any ring were removed, then they would all be undone.

Efimov had theorized an analog to the rings using particles: Three particles (such as atoms or protons or even quarks) could be bound together in a stable state, even though any two of them could not bind without the third. The physicist first proposed the idea, based on a mathematical proof, in 1970. Since then, people have tried their best to prove this theory but they didn’t succeed for almost 4 decades.

But now physicists at the Rice University have used atoms at temperatures colder than deep space. And they have delivered concrete proof for a once-ridiculed-at theory that’s become a hotbed for research some 40 years after it first appeared in 1970. In a paper available online in Science Express, Rice’s team offers experimental evidence for a universal quantum mechanism that allows trios of particles to appear and reappear at higher energy levels in an infinite progression. The triplets, often called trimers, form in special cases where pairs cannot.

“It’s such a remarkable phenomena,” said team leader Randy Hulet. “There are examples, like the Borromean rings, where having a third component is crucial. Any two of the rings will unbind if the third is removed, and these trimers are similar. The particles want to bind, but no two can do it. They need the third one to make it happen.”

Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/quantum-mechanical-version-of-borromean-rings-finally-proved_100290497.html#ixzz0Zr2iACTb

Posted by: Aishwarya Bhatt
Original post : http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/quantum-mechanical-version-of-borromean-rings-finally-proved_100290497.html

The Truth About Climate Change And East Anglia

2009-12-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

The controversy surrounding the stolen emails from the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit continues to swirl, but it's important to see the issue within the context in which scientific discovery occurs. That process underscores the importance of collective knowledge, more than single discoveries, and the role of the Scientific Method in continually challenging orthodoxy.

Last week Professor Phil Jones, director of the Unit, stepped down from his position at the research facility pending the outcome of an independent investigation into charges that data about global warming had been manipulated. Earlier this week one of the world's leading authorities on climate change dismissed the controversial emails as simply colleagues "letting off steam" and re-affirmed his confidence in the Unit's research.

Rajendra Pachauri, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), went on to tell CNN that there was simply no way that any manipulated data from the Unit could have made it into the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report, the most authoritative report on climate change. "There are so many checks and balances in the processes and procedures that we follow at the IPCC, there is not one iota of possibility that something like this would happen."

Despite the obvious embarrassment and turmoil caused by the emails, the scientific process is not dependent on any one set of research data. Even as Professor Jones stands by his data, the scientific process is structured to challenge new discoveries.

Articles are peer-reviewed before they're published in scientific journals. Checks and balances are commonplace, and a wide range of evidence and scholarly sources are relied upon. As Professor Jones told the Guardian:

"That the world is warming is based on a range of sources: not only temperature records but other indicators such as sea-level rise, glacier retreat and less Arctic sea ice. Our global temperature series tallies with those of other, completely independent, groups of scientists working for NASA and the National Climate Data Centre in the United States, among others. Even if you were to ignore our findings, theirs show the same results."

Moreover, the most convincing argument for anthropogenic influence in global climate change is based on hard physics, i.e. carbon dioxide does absorb long-wave radiation in the lab and in the atmosphere, and warmed air does allow evaporation of water to put more water vapor into the atmosphere, which is also a greenhouse gas that in turn substantially expands the initial warming that CO2 provides.

Global climate change is real. There's no getting around that fact. The earth's atmosphere today contains roughly three times the carbon dioxide (CO2) than it did at the start of the Industrial Revolution about 250 years ago. Here are some additional, irrefutable facts:

• The East Antarctic ice sheet was reasonably stable, but a satellite survey shows that it is losing around 57 billion tons of ice a year;
• Bristlecone pines have grown faster in the past 50 years than at any time in the last 3.7 millennia - an effect of climate change;
• The Greenland ice sheet is losing its mass faster than in previous years and making an increasing contribution to sea level rise;
• The last time CO2 levels in earth's atmosphere were this high was 15 million years ago.

Outside the realm of pure mathematics, all "facts" are approximations, but scientifically verified facts are painstakingly arrived at through the Scientific Method. At its most basic, this method involves: seeing and measuring things, developing ideas and drawing implications about those things, and then rigorously testing those ideas and implications.

Employing the Scientific Method to explain the natural world is a precise and demanding job, and there's no better way. It is becoming even more demanding every year, as the relatively "simple" problems of the past are solved, allowing us to face ever more complex challenges.

With climate research we now understand a lot about the mechanisms of everyday weather - high and low pressure zones, cold fronts, el niños and the like. But there is so much that we still don't understand about the exponentially more difficult problem of predicting how earth's entire climate will behave over time.

Complex science problems like this require teams of researchers. Mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists, climatologists, biologists, chemists and researchers from many other disciplines increasingly are drawn together and must learn to communicate, commiserate and debate across their traditional boundaries. This process was clearly going on with the East Anglia unit, as they attempted to reconcile various data sets, which is a very legitimate process.

In earlier times, these messy scientific conversations would have taken place down at the local pub, and the resulting cocktail-napkin doodles would have been tossed in the trash. Today we wrestle with the increasingly difficult task of getting an accurate intellectual fix on the most complex properties of nature, while electronic communications both increase the ease of interaction and intellectual dialogue and preserve a record for later release by hackers at politically expedient moments.

But in the end the Scientific Method wins out. Even if there had been actual intent to defraud in the East Anglia affair, it would have been uncovered quickly by rival scientists. Given the broad outlines of the climate problem we face, and the fact that our current understanding is formed from many independent and tested sources, using the East Anglia incident to indict all climate-change research amounts to little more than a propaganda ploy.

Original post here

James M. Gentile, Ph.D., is president and CEO of Research Corporation for Science Advancement, America's second-oldest foundation (www.rescorp.org.).

Health Care Reform on Life Support

2009-12-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Fox News

Dick Morris

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," December 7, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: President Barack Obama took a break from his normal weekend golf routine on Saturday to attend a rare meeting with Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill, but it appears the closed door pep rally was not enough to win over members of his own party on the issue of federal funding for abortion.

And that brings us to our headline tonight, "Life Support." Now in a move that has outraged his fellow Democrats, Ben Nelson has filed an amendment to the Senate health care bill that would prohibit taxpayer dollars from funding abortions.

Now Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey and eight Republicans co-sponsored the measure which was modeled after the Stupak Amendment in the House. Now a vote on this proposal could take place as early as tomorrow.

Democrats claim that they will be able to defeat the anti-abortion amendment but doing so could reportedly cost them Ben Nelson's vote on the final legislation. You talk about a meltdown.

Joining us now is the author of The New York Times bestseller "Catastrophe", a great Christmas gift, by the way, Fox News contributor, the one and only, Dick Morris.

Dick, good to see you. Could abortion be what kills this?

DICK MORRIS, "CATASTROPHE" AUTHOR: Well, eventually, yes. Not right now. The Democrats are going to somehow or other pass this in the Senate. The problem is, the goal is to make them pass a bill that can't pass the House. And then to get the constituency so inflamed over it the compromise becomes impossible.

• Video: Watch Sean's interview

HANNITY: Yes.

MORRIS: And that's the context of this vote tomorrow. Because if the anti-abortion constituencies go completely berserk over this bill because the Stupak Amendment fails in the Senate, then you really have a chance that some of these conservatives might have a hard time supporting it.
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Look, this bill will be defeated, in my judgment, if it is in the conference committee where the liberals will be unable to give up on things like public option, the conservatives will not give up on things like abortion.

HANNITY: Wait a second. Stop one second. Why do you think in conference? Blanche Lincoln is going to go for this. Ben Nelson is going to go for this. Mary Landrieu is going to go for this, you know, all the — Evan Bayh will go for this?

MORRIS: We have a good chance at each of those votes . What is most likely going to happen is that Reid will give them anything they want in the Senate bill, give them anything, because he knows he'll gut it in conference.

HANNITY: A few hundred million dollars?

MORRIS: Not money, that he 's already tried.

HANNITY: Yes.

MORRIS: I'm talking about changing the provisions, no public option, a trigger, all kinds of stuff to make it good for them. Knowing that he'll gut that stuff in the conference committee. But if Reid passes a bill in the Senate that can't pass the House, all that's happening is Obama is postponing the day of reckoning.

And while he's doing that, the sand is running out on this thing. We have an add-up on my site, DickMorris.com, where we have Katie talking to Obamacare and Katie is a kid in her 20s and she says, what's this about $1,000 fine if I can't — if I don't have health insurance? And he says, well, it's good for you, it will teach you responsibility.

And then she says, and what about 12 percent of my income I have to pay? And the guy says, shared sacrifice. And then Katie says, and what's this jail stuff? And the guy says, consider it tough love.

Now that ad eroded about 30 points of under 30 vote support in the three states we've run it.

HANNITY: Pretty amazing.

MORRIS: You have the young people running out on this bill in droves.

HANNITY: And so are the old people because Medicare.

MORRIS: Old people have been against it from the summer.

HANNITY: Almost from the get-go. All right, let me ask you, there are some conservatives that are really unhappy with the way the Republicans are managing this bill in the Senate. The headline, our friend, Eric Erickson at Red State, you know, Senate Republicans fiddle while America burns.

In other words, they feel like by going through this amendment process and not just outright opposing this thing, that they're making a strategic error, you agree with that?

MORRIS: No. No. I think it was very important to put Nelson of Florida, Florida, on the record voting against eliminating the Medicare cuts.

HANNITY: Yes.

MORRIS: When the senator from Florida votes for $500 billion of Medicare cuts, you know that he's signing his own death warrant. And if there was a general bill, he could say oh, I opposed that provision. But when McCain said, OK, Nelson, are you for this or against it? And the senator from Florida endorses half a trillion of cuts in Medicare.

HANNITY: Smart move.

MORRIS: Yes.

HANNITY: All right. Now we're going to get into it in a second and Karl Rove is going to join us, and we're going to talk about Harry Reid compares Obamacare critics to slavery, although I'll save that for Karl. But now we've got this Copenhagen issue. Now in light of this big massive Climate Gate fraud and all these e-mails that evolved, you know, even with all of that — you've got all the world socialists and globalists meeting in Copenhagen.

Here's the question, are all the conspiracy theorists that were are saying they want a one-world government and they want to tax a rich country like America, does it turn out that they're right?

MORRIS: Yes, you know, I mean I'm waiting for the black helicopters. I mean.

HANNITY: But you're saying they're right?

MORRIS: No, there's substance to it. Let me give you a statistic that I just unearthed that's dangerous to talk to me when my wife and I are writing a new book but I'm researching it. Everybody said the Kyoto accords, 1991 or 1993, were an impossible target to set, we could never reach them.

Well, under Kyoto, the United States has to lower its carbon emissions from 6,000 to 4,700. You know where they're at now? 5,400. We're halfway to meeting the Kyoto without — no government, free market, no taxes, no cap-and-trade, and that's the worst news the environmentalists have ever had because they want to use this as an excuse to regulate, and here with the free market, we're about to reach the goals.

HANNITY: Let me ask you a question about Democratic corruption. Like for example, we have Max Baucus over the weekend, you know — by the way, folks, he nominated his girlfriend to be a U.S. attorney in his home state. Of course only on the merits.

MORRIS: Yes, right.

HANNITY: That's what he says. But there's been a lot of Democratic corruption. Corruption hurt the Republicans in 2006.

MORRIS: Yes.

HANNITY: A lot of people would point at the Mark Foley scandal and say, you know, that was a defining moment.

MORRIS: Yes.

HANNITY: You know, one congressman with $100,000 in his freezer, and we can go through the whole list of Democrats, we've discussed all of them.

MORRIS: Yes.

HANNITY: Is corruption for the Democratic Party — when you look at their low poll numbers, generic ballot, right track, wrong track — has the Democratic Party lost their moral base?

MORRIS: Oh yes, I think they're well in the process of doing it. And it relates, also, to the difference in the way these things are punished. Wolfowitz, the president's nominee to head the World Bank was forced to resign because he recommended his girlfriend for a job in the State Department.

Baucus recommends his girlfriend for a U.S. attorney position and nothing happens. Who is the head of the Ways and Means Committee now? Charlie Rangel. He's writing our tax code. He forgot to declare a house in the Caribbean. It slipped his mind that he had four apartments. And he's only allowed to have one under the rent law.

HANNITY: Dick.

MORRIS: All slipped his mind. He's writing our tax code. So that you have these guys who never get punished. Chris Dodd is carrying the health care bill, one free house too many.

HANNITY: A friend of Angelo. By the way, he's got houses, we're talking about here and in Ireland.

MORRIS: For which he doesn't pay for. He has.

HANNITY: That was a good deal.

MORRIS: The person — we said in "Catastrophe" the guy who paid for the house in Ireland got $57 million in stimulus money.

HANNITY: Unbelievable. You really think that you can get to 10 — I'll ask Karl Rove about this. You think that 10 senators can lose?

MORRIS: Yes.

HANNITY: Democratic senators.

MORRIS: I think you have low-hanging fruit, Dodd, Specter, Burris, Colorado, Arkansas, and Nevada. And Delaware. Seven low-hanging fruit.

HANNITY: Then you got California.

MORRIS: Then you have Gillibrand who is vulnerable, there just needs to be an opponent. Dorgan who is vulnerable. Just have to get Hoeven to run for that they could walk into the Senate. And then you have Boxer, Murray and Widen out on the coast. And the possibility that Lou Dobbs who used to work for some TV station.

HANNITY: New Jersey.

MORRIS: . might run against Menendez.

HANNITY: Can Dobbs win?

MORRIS: Well, for the first time I'm backing him for a higher ratings.

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: I'm going to tell him you said that. All right, Dick Morris, appreciate you being here.

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Tiger Woods Overdose? Is Tiger Woods Addicted To Prescription Drugs?

2009-12-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

As allegations of serial infidelity continue to mount, there are now questions about Tiger Woods’ possible addiction to painkillers and other prescription drugs. What role did controlled substances play in the golfer’s Nov. 27 car crash? Did the world’s most prolific golfer suffer an overdose?

While TMZ.com claims Tiger may have been high after a possible overdose of Vicodin and Ambien when he slammed his Cadillac Escalade into a tree and hydrant, last month, Gerald Posner — Chief Investigative Reporter for The Daily Beast.com –tells Access Hollywood that reports of Tiger’s addiction to pills and sleeping agents have floating around for ages and the Florida Highway Patrol should have done a better job of investigating the sportsman’s suspicious accident.

“The Florida Highway Patrol didn’t do their job. They didn’t give him a breathalyzer, a urine test or blood test so no test that night on Tiger Woods to see if in fact he was on any type of medication that he shouldn’t have been on,” Posner said in an interview with the newsmagazine on Monday.

Tiger has a history of knee problems going back to his childhood. He has had four surgeries, including knee reconstruction after the 2008 U.S. Open. Posner suggest Tiger may have become dependent on prescriptions around that time:

“One doctor felt concerned enough to raise the question with him of whether he was using painkiller medications and also sleeping agents at too fast of a rate and whether he might become addicted,” Posner claims. “He plays through U.S. open… He grimaces at times on different holes, 91 holes. He wins, it becomes a legendary victory,” he added. “But there’s little doubt that he could not have gone through that Open without some type of prescription pain help.”