This made me think

Evangeline Lilly about to be killed out of Lost

2009-02-27T14:25:00.003+01:00

Is it rumors? is it true? one minute it is "Confirmed as true" the next, "she is definatly staying" Why the mixed messages and who is sending them? Then again is anyone really dead in Lost?

Loch is dead. or is he? The writers have brought the show to a point where they can kill of anybody and then change thier mind. But I hope they keep here - She is damn pretty!

Evangeline Lilly plays a big part on Lost, specifically the part of the pretty girl who can’t convey emotion too well.

But no actor is safe on Lost. Just look at what the show did to Charlie. Or Mr Eko. Or that moany bloke who blew himself up with dynamite. Any Lost character can bite it at any point - and recently there’s been speculation about Evangeline Lilly getting the chop soon.

But relax, because Evangeline Lilly’s rep has denied everything, hinting that she’ll stay on Lost until the last episode, when the smoke monster will kill her. Oh, spoiler alert.

As Lost gets progressively sillier and sillier with each new episode - oh, there’s Jin in the past! Oh, Locke’s resurrected himself! Oh, Jim Robinson from Neighbours seems to be the baddie now! - Evangeline Lilly’s role has never been so important.

Because, regardless of how brain-crampingly intellectual Lost gets, it’s a safe bet that every six weeks or so we’ll get an episode about Evangeline Lilly whining and looking a bit arsey and getting off with Jack or Sawyer or Anonymous Policeman Husband Number One or Ben. Oh, spoiler alert. Anyway, Evangeline Lilly’s episodes always ground Lost when it threatens to get all out of hand.

Which is why it was so weird that reports started emerging yesterday stating that Lost was going to kill off Evangeline Lilly and that she was already looking for other work. Zap2it reported:

Rumor has it, Kate might not live “ever after” at all. Solid sources tell me exclusively that Evangeline Lilly is auditioning for pilots … pilots that are intended to launch this fall. And Ms. Lilly’s people apparently told producers she will be available. Say wha–??

Now, obviously it’d be a gigantic shock if Lost killed off Evangeline Lilly before the final episode next year. Although, having said that, we’ve already compiled our top three favourite ways that we’d like to see Evangeline Lilly leave Lost:

1 - Kate realises that her mother is Sabrina The Teenage Witch’s aunt and realises her destiny lies not in enigmatic time-travelling mysteries, but having a best friend who’s a sarcastic animatronic cat and pretending to be a schoolgirl until she’s obviously in her mid-forties.

2 - Kate kills herself when Jack and Sawyer, sick of her constantly playing with their emotions, gay up and deliberately bum each other in front of her.

3 - Kate has it off with so many men that she develops a severe case of bacterial vaginosis and she’s clubbed over the head by Richard Alpert because it stinks so much.

However, it looks like those three options will have to remain firmly in the realm of disturbing internet fan fiction, because Evangeline Lilly’s rep has issued a statement claiming that any rumours of her leaving Lost before it finishes have no validity whatsoever.

So it looks like Evangeline Lilly will remain a part of Lost right up until the end, then. Unless, you know, someone spikes her juice with vodka and she gets arrested for DUI. Because if she does that she’ll definitely be killed straight away just like Mr Eko and Michelle Rodriguez and that other one. Oh, spoiler alert.

Turkish airliner crashes at Amsterdam airport, 9 dead

2009-02-26T10:29:00.003+01:00

A nother plane crash this time in Europe, Netherlands to be precise. Only 9 people dead. Only.

Thats probably hundreds of lives affected by the loss of those 9 people. but still with a 200 ton metal tube filled with 124 people slammes into the ground at 250 mph it's a miracle that anyone gets out.

A Turkish Airlines plane with 134 passengers and crew aboard crashed in light fog while trying to land at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring dozens.

Officials said some 84 people were taken to hospitals, including 25 who were severely hurt, when flight TK 1951 from Istanbul crashed into a field short of a runway at Schiphol, Europe's fifth-largest airport by passenger volume.

Six were in critical condition.

"We cannot say anything about the cause at the moment," acting local mayor Michel Bezuijen told reporters. "The priority...is providing help and care."

The bodies of three crew members, left in the cockpit amid the plane's wreckage for investigation, were later taken out. Dutch media said the pilot and co-pilot were among the dead.

Officials said they had found the plane's flight data recorder and that it would be analyzed.

Earlier, Dutch officials said 135 people were on board the plane, but that was revised to 134.

Dutch television showed what appeared to be covered bodies on the ground near the crumpled, single-aisle Boeing 737-800.

At least four Americans, who work for the plane's manufacturer Boeing, were on the plane, an official said.

The airliner lay in three parts, with the tail section of the fuselage ripped off, and a wide crack just behind the cockpit. The engines had broken off and no fire was visible.

The plane broke up when it collided with the ground north of a runway at Schiphol, which is 20 km (12 miles) southwest of Amsterdam's center. Survivors were rushed to hospitals in Amsterdam as well as nearby Haarlem and other cities.

"We fell suddenly and stopped," said a passenger who gave only his surname, Mutlucan. "There was a lot of screaming. We crashed and landed in what looked like a field."

"The pilot told us we would be landing in 15 minutes, but seven or eight minutes later we hit the ground."

LIGHT WINDS

Weather reports at the time of the crash indicated decent visibility despite misty conditions, and light winds.

"I thought it was a car collision. We heard a sort of loud and strange sound," eyewitness Randy Cordes, 14, told Reuters. "I saw one engine that was burning but the fire died quickly."

Officials said late on Wednesday they were still trying to confirm passenger identities, which included Dutch, Turkish and U.S. nationals.

A flight from Istanbul carrying relatives of crash victims was to land later on Wednesday.

The Turkish airliner crashed 1 mile short of the "polderbaan" runway, the furthest from terminal buildings, on an approach from the north between Schiphol and Haarlem.

Dutch Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings has said Turkish Airlines met all safety regulations at Schiphol, but added in a statement that the cause of the accident will be investigated.

"The pilot is an experienced one who is a former member of the Turkish Air Force," Turkish Airlines Chief Executive Temel Kotil said.

Wednesday's crash was the 11th accident involving a Turkish Airlines flight in the past 20 years, the NLR Air Traffic Safety Institute in Amsterdam said in a statement.

Turkish Airlines had a troublesome safety record in the 1970s, with 608 lives lost in around two years, but the modern airline's safety record has improved. Wednesday's crash was its second fatal incident this decade, according to the Flight Safety Foundation.

The crash appeared to be the worst at Schiphol since an El Al cargo plane crashed into high-rise apartment blocks in 1992, killing 43 people, 39 of them on the ground.

Octuplet mom fears hospital may not release babies

2009-02-26T10:07:00.002+01:00

Octuplet mother Nadya Suleman is making the news again, and frankly I don't know why. This story has been exhausted. What we need is a paternety battle. Who is going to step up to the plate and claim to be the father? At least Dr Phil is on the case.

Nadya Suleman has voiced concern that the hospital where her octuplets are being cared for may prevent her from taking them home when they're healthy enough in coming weeks. But in reality, hospitals don't prevent healthy children from going home — child protective services do.

And that's only if a complaint has been filed. Hospital employees are mandated to report to county authorities any concerns they have about unsuitable home environments, a mother's emotional or psychological instability, or any other situation that could result in harm to a child.

According to talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw, the 33-year-old unemployed mother called him Tuesday and said hospital officials were worried that her current living arrangement wouldn't be suitable.

Stu Riskin, a spokesman for Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, said the agency cannot comment specifically on Suleman's situation and could not confirm whether a case had been opened on her family.
But in the event a child welfare complaint is made for a baby ready to leave the neo-natal intensive care unit, it's followed by interviews with family and doctors and in-home visits in an effort "to leave no stone unturned so that we can make the best possible assessment," Riskin said.
If a home is determined to be unsuitable, the county first looks to relatives willing to care for the children. If none is found, a foster home is sought, Riskin said.
Suleman gave birth to the octuplets at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center on Jan. 26, when they were nine weeks premature. She has six other children, lives in her mother's three-bedroom home in Whittier and has relied on food stamps and disability income to provide for her family.

She expects the children to come home within the next two weeks, she told McGraw in a show that aired Wednesday. Part two of the interview is scheduled to air Thursday.
Kaiser Permanente spokesman Jim Anderson refused to provide details of Suleman's case, citing privacy concerns, and further refused to elaborate on the health provider's normal procedure for discharging neo-natal infants.

But according to experts and information published on the health provider's Web site, typical protocol for babies discharged from NICU is that the hospital's hired social workers and discharge planners work with parents to coordinate the child's return to the home.
"This discharge plan has to account for the fact that these children, because they're small, they might require special consideration," said Lizelda Lopez, spokeswoman for the state's Department of Social Services, which oversees the county-run child welfare programs. "The hospital has to plan for that and has to work with Ms. Suleman."
It is normal for hospitals to provide parents of premature babies with a host of services to prepare them to care for the babies at home, according to Vicki Bermudez, a neo-natal intensive care unit nurse at the Kaiser hospital in Roseville and a California Nurses Association regulatory policy specialist.

That includes environmental assessments and parenting instruction. Home consultations or home visits from nurses are not unusual, Bermudez said.
"This whole issue has been very emotional, and there have been many judgments made by the public. But nurses and doctors aren't there to make judgments," she said. "They just want to make sure the children and family are getting the services they're entitled to and what's in the best interest of those babies."

The babies must be medically stable before they can be released, which means they should be feeding well and able to breathe on their own, though they are sometimes sent home with oxygen or monitoring equipment, said California Nurses Association co-president Geri Jenkins, also a registered nurse.
"The bottom line is they won't be sent home until the medical team is sure — and they're evaluated to make sure — they're strong enough to eat and grow and thrive," Jenkins said.

In a video posted on the celebrity news Web site RadarOnline.com on Wednesday, cameras went from room to room at Suleman's home, showing cramped quarters and clutter.
In the video, Suleman says the home is "obviously too small" but has a large backyard where the children can play. She also says she's looking for a larger home to rent.
"I want the house to be ready, so my whole head is swimming with ideas," Suleman said in the video.

She has not responded to repeated interview requests from The Associated Press. Her phone has been disconnected and though she said on "Dr. Phil" that she has a publicist, the show only identifies him as "Victor" at his request. Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.

Record-breaking stingray caught

2009-02-26T09:44:00.003+01:00

This is some fish, Well done Ian Welch. A 771 lbs Stingray. You should of kept it you could of had ray and chips for the rest of your life.

A record-breaking stingray capture, by the numbers:

1 rod and line

90 minutes for British biologist Ian Welch (with help) to reel in the freshwater fish

13 men to drag said fish onto a boat

125 pounds—that's the difference between the stingray's weight at 771 pounds and the previous record rod-&-reel capture of a catfish

The Thailand capture of the massive female stingray was part of a program to tag such Maeklong River residents. The captive, part of a "vulnerable species" listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, measured a hefty 7 feet by 7 feet. That doesn't include the 10-foot-long poisonous tail.

Such creatures are dangerous, of course: Famed Australian TV personality Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin died from a stingray barb at the Great Barrier Reef in 2006.

The numbers currently put one Ian Welch on the world record books. (Pictures of Welch posing with his female companion can be found here.) The stingray's resistance nearly dunked Welch into the river, and he was literally saved by the seat of his pants when a crewmate grabbed his trousers.

Another reason that this marine fish is so huge: She's pregnant. (Cue soap-opera gasp.) After she had been towed to the bank (too big to be onboard the boat), she was duly marked, had DNA samples removed, and returned to the river whence she unwillingly came. Welch gave her a farewell smooch, then spent the rest of the day with a cold beer and memories of her.

By the way, one number isn't known: the exact stingray population count, which has shrunk 20 percent in the past decade. With this lady's help, at least one more will be added to this number...and with a tale to tell.

GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal calls Obama's plan irresponsible

2009-02-25T08:53:00.003+01:00

There they go agian, complaining and criticising without actually adding any constructiveness to the equasion. Ok, we heard you bobby - but give us an alternative, give us a nother way to solve the problem at hand rather then just giving out about the atempts being made.

Republican leaders continued their attacks on President Barack Obama's handling of the economy Tuesday, calling it irresponsible and certain to increase taxes and federal debt.

Responding in advance to Obama's televised speech to a joint session of Congress, top Republicans said the president relies too heavily on spending, and not enough on tax cuts, to try to revive the gasping economy. They said they want to work with Obama, and sometimes blamed congressional Democrats more than him. But their criticisms were sharp and plentiful.

"The way to lead is not to raise taxes and put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who gave the Republican Party's official response, said in excerpts released early. The massive economic stimulus bill recently enacted by Obama and congressional Democrats, Jindal said, will expand the government, "increase our taxes down the line, and saddle future generations with debt."

"It's irresponsible," said Jindal, who is eyeing a presidential bid in 2012.

The tone of the Republicans' response was in keeping with their nearly unanimous opposition to the $787 billion economic stimulus bill, which was backed by only three Republicans in the Senate and none in the House. Some Democrats and independents think the Republicans are blundering and misreading most Americans' sentiments about the need for massive government action to help the economy.

In the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, about three-fourths said Obama was trying to be bipartisan, and almost as many faulted the response of Republican officials, which was seen as politically motivated.

Despite such findings, GOP lawmakers say they believe they will be proven right in the long run.
House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said Tuesday that Republicans want to help Obama find "responsible solutions to the challenges facing our nation, but thus far congressional leaders in the president's own party have stood in the way."

Boehner, Jindal and other Republicans repeatedly accused Democrats of wanting to raise taxes, but the Obama-backed stimulus package has extensive tax cuts.

Jindal acknowledged that to some degree, Republicans deserved the drubbing they took in the last two national elections.

"Our party got away from its principles," he said. "You elected Republicans to champion limited government, fiscal discipline, and personal responsibility. Instead, Republicans went along with earmarks and big government spending in Washington." But that is changing, he said.

Taking advantage of his moment in the national spotlight, Jindal publicized a Web link Tuesday () allowing respondents to receive early excerpts of his planned televised response, and to donate to his political organization. Jindal also collected their e-mail and postal addresses, which could prove handy in a presidential race

Possible Octuplet Dad Gave Sperm Because He Was in Love With Suleman

2009-02-24T08:59:00.004+01:00

Oh oh, Look at me, I want to be famous to, it was me I donated the sperm. I knocked up Chantelle all while dressed as Joaquin Phoenix on steroids.. Fool. Good luck anyway. your on the internet now. Happy?

Denis Beaudoin, the man who says he could be the biological father of Nadya Suleman's octuplets, said he donated his sperm to her three times without asking questions because he was young and in love.

Beaudoin said he thought it was "out of the ordinary" when she asked him to donate. "But I cared about her so much. And I mean, we were, we were in love. I mean, I loved Nadya very much," he told Chris Cuomo in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America."

Beaudoin said he and Suleman had a "serious" three-year relationship from 1997 to 1999 when he was in his early 20s.

Though he and Suleman never talked about marriage, Beaudoin said when he donated the sperm he thought it would be part of "starting a family" together at some point.

He called Nadya "a really great girl" and thought she would make a good mother. His friends nicknamed her "Giggles" for her laugh.

"She really had a really infectious laugh. You know, just her laugh would, it would make you crack up. It's kind of like she had a real high-pitch, squeaky cartoon voice. And, you know, she was a lot of fun to be around. Just her whole bubbly outward personality was really, really cool," Beaudoin said.

But now Beaudoin said he sees a very different woman, both in appearance and demeanor, than the one he knew.

"She looks different, sounds different. You know, it's just not the Nadya I remember," he said.

Nor did Suleman express a desire to have a lot of children, he said.

McCain questions Obama about helicopter at summit

2009-02-24T08:46:00.002+01:00

Ofcourse the man needs new Helicopters. Pimped ones with 22" alloys and a descent sound system too. McCain is only complaining cause he didn't get to pick the color. I'm sure there are many other military spendings that can and should be reviewd, but as soon as a black man wants 28 new helicopters white america gets scared and puts the brakes on. Tell them they are for killing arabs and nobody will care..

President Barack Obama never had a helicopter, which he says might explain why he's perfectly happy with the current White House fleet and doesn't need a more costly one. At the conclusion of a fiscal summit Monday, Obama faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including his former presidential rival, Sen. John McCain.

McCain bemoaned cost overruns in military procurement. The new fleet of 28 Marine One helicopters being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. — now over budget at $11.2 billion — will cost more than Air Force One.

Obama said the helicopter he has now seems adequate, adding that he never had a helicopter before and "maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it."

Obama said he has already talked to Defense Secretary Robert Gates about reviewing the program and its ballooning costs.

"It is an example of the procurement process gone amok, and we're going to have to fix it," Obama said.

The Navy — which is in charge of overseeing the helicopter program — reported to Congress in January that its price tag had nearly doubled. That notification triggered a formal process mandating the program be re-certified as a national security requirement by senior Pentagon leadership.

The Navy waited nearly a year before formally disclosing the information to lawmakers as it sought to find ways to keep the program within budget. Those efforts failed.

Gates already has warned of tough cuts in the upcoming fiscal 2010 budget as the Pentagon faces the pressure of paying for two wars during a recession.

Lockheed Martin spokesman Troy Scully said in a statement, "We are committed to the program's success and are confident we can deliver the required number of helicopters compliant with the specifications that emerge from the ongoing review."

A Navy spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment Monday evening.

The helicopter, which will be outfitted with communications equipment, anti-missile defenses and hardened hulls, is dubbed Marine One whenever the president is on board. The aircraft is expected to be similar to Air Force One, unlike the 30-year-old helicopters they would replace.

Shares of Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin fell $3.88, or 5 percent, to $73.87 Monday.

The sad story of tight end Brian Mandeville

2009-02-23T22:40:00.002+01:00

How is this news? The story of the guy who didn't make it. Why is it making its rounds around the internet? there must be thousands of young athletes every year who are told similar news.
I'm sorry Brian, Your not special. you won't be a football pro, along with millions of others.

Northeastern University is not exactly a professional football factory. Dan Ross and Sean Jones came through there, but after that, the cupboard's bare.

The Huskies went 2-10 last year, and haven't had a winning season in five years. So when a guy from Northeastern even gets an invite to the combine, it's a big deal ... which, unfortunately, makes this even sadder.

Tight end Brian Mandeville waited and waited for his invite to the combine, and finally, it came. He ventured out to California to prepare at the Velocity Sports Performance Center. And when the time came to show up at the combine and impress everyone, doctors instead told him that he should retire before he even got started.

How's that for soul-crushing? A guy gets an invite to the combine, which is essentially an audition to make a career out of playing football, and when he gets there, the first thing that happens is that they tell him he has no chance to make a career out of playing football. That's like getting a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Dance right before your advisor takes a baseball bat to your knees.

Doctors performing a routine exam found an issue with one of Mandeville's heart valves and advised him that he should give up football. The issues, according to his agent, aren't life-threatening, but they are career-killing. Even his agent grants that it's unlikely now that Mandeville will have a career in football.

It's a shame. By all accounts, he's a bright and capable young guy, so I'm sure he'll carve out a place for himself in the world. And of course, we all wish him luck with that.

'Slumdog' celebrations fill Mumbai's crowded slums

2009-02-23T22:24:00.004+01:00

As happy as I am for the cast of 'Slumdog' I can't help but wonder is this rich America clearing its own conscience. There are a 100 million starving people there - but at least we gave them an Oscar. We did our bit. I don't wish to detract from the performances and efforts of every one involved you all did a fantastic job, but are you being rewarded for the wrong reasons?
Congratulations Slumdog Millionaire.

MUMBAI, India – In the narrow lanes behind the Mumbai train tracks, the slum's first Oscar party turned into a raucous celebration of two hometown heroes, complete with Bollywood dance moves and squeals of joy from old friends.

Every time the big-eyed girl who calls this slum home appeared on TV, her friends gawked, beamed, shouted — and danced.

Rubina Ali, 9, was plucked from the tin roof shack she shares with her parents and six siblings in this squalid Mumbai slum to star in "Slumdog Millionaire," the darling of this year's Academy Awards.

Her friend and neighbor, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, was also chosen for the film, and both were flown to Los Angeles to watch "Slumdog" nab eight Academy Awards, including the Oscars' highest honor for best film.

Crowds gathered around the few television sets in the slum and it took barely a minute for word of each award to spread through the slum's winding lanes.

"It seems like happiness is falling from the sky," said Sohail Qureshi, a neighbor who said he had watched Rubina grow up.

The Bandra slum could not be farther from the Hollywood glitz, stretch limousines and designer dresses of the Oscars.

Azhar lives in a lean-to made of plastic tarpaulins and moldy blankets. Rubina's home is perched above an ocean of trash. Dirty train tracks and a clogged highway form the slum's borders.

Hordes of journalists descended on the neighborhood Monday. TV tripods straddled the thin stream of sewage outside Rubina's home while rows of satellite trucks idled outside a usually sleepy tea stall.

"Normally, no one talks to us and no one comes here, but now everyone is here," Mohammed Ismail, Azhar's father, said before a bouquet of flashing bulbs.

If the Oscar excitement brought a sheen of glamour to the community, it vanished Monday shortly after the final award was announced.

The journalists left, the dancing stopped and life pressed on as always. The sweatshop men hunched over humming sewing machines. Squatting children relieved themselves by the train tracks. Mothers washed their dishes in murky water.

"I am poor," Fakrunissa Sheikh, 40, said inside her lean-to next to Azhar's.

About 65 million Indians — roughly a quarter of the urban population — live in slums, according to government surveys. Health care is often nonexistent, child labor is rampant and inescapable poverty forms the backdrop of everyday life.

Although everyone from the local butcher to the prime minister called the Oscar coup a proud day for the country, "Slumdog Millionaire" was hardly a phenomenon with Indian audiences.

"Hit in the West, flop in the East," read a front page headline in DNA's Sunday newspaper. The film was a tough sell in Indian movie theaters because it was largely in English, featured few giant stars, and skimped on the dance numbers.

Many people here also objected to its gritty portrayal of India, as well as its title, which some took as derogatory. The film sparked protests in Mumbai and at least one north Indian city by slum residents who said the movie demeaned the poor.

"No one can call me a dog," Sheikh said Monday. "I work very hard."

A widow and mother of seven, Sheikh is a housekeeper who said she earns 600 rupees (US$15) a week.

She said the movie has been good for the families of Azhar and Rubina, but that her days are as difficult as ever.

"Look at my house," she said, pointing to the walls made of rags and the mud floor covered with a thin plastic tarp. "What has changed?"

The "Slumdog" filmmakers said they wrestled with the complications of working with children from impoverished families. Danny Boyle — who won the Oscar for best director — and producer Christian Colson decided to help Azhar and Rubina by securing them spots in Aseema, a nonprofit, English-language school in Mumbai.

Rubina's parents were thrilled with Boyle and his team.

"Whatever a parent could have done, they have done much more than that," Rafiq Qureshi said during the run-up to the awards.

Neighbors said they were nothing but happy for the child actors.

"It's Rubina's fate," said Mohammed Muzzammil, 22. "We don't want anything from her success."

Rubina's best friend Saba Qureshi wants something, however — lots of stories and pictures from Los Angeles.

"My eyes couldn't believe that I was seeing Rubina in America," said Saba, who led her sisters in Bollywood dance numbers throughout the morning. "She looked like an angel."

"When she comes back," Saba said, "we will have the biggest party."

Ben Stiller as Joaquin Phoenix at the Oscars

2009-02-23T22:06:00.003+01:00

This is fantastic, not only is it hilariosly funny but it also adds to the mystery of Joaquin Phoenix. Has he realy lost his mind? is it a spoof? if it is, why is Ben Stiller spoofing the spoof? to add to the confusion..? I persume Joaquin wasn't at the Oscars himself? Anyway, this clip is hilarious:

Oh, and congratulations to Slumdog Millionaire for the Oscar

Oscar night - last chance.

2009-02-23T01:15:00.002+01:00

Ok, the celebs are arriving on the red carpet as I am typing, so this is your last chance to read up and impress your friends with your knowledge of the Oscar ballot and your ability to pick a winner.

If you are out of the Oscar loop this year, don't worry. You don't have to see the nominated movies and performances to pick the Academy Award winners. You just have to know something about the past and have a sense of the present media buzz.

If you have seen many of the nominated pictures, remember to set aside your own preferences. Instead, imagine yourself as a Hollywood actor. They make up the largest voting segment of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Actors like movies that employ a lot of actors. They are suckers for comeback performances and revere indelible characterizations. They appreciate the difficulty of making a critically acclaimed movie on a small budget as well as the hardship of making a blockbuster with a cast of thousands.

So, before tonight's Oscar party, check out the official oscar ballot and squint like Clint Eastwood as you check out our prediction tips.

Best Actor
The nominees: Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor"), Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon"), Sean Penn ("Milk"), Brad Pitt ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler").

Tip: Vegas odds are on Mickey Rourke.

Richard Jenkins' moving portrayal of a lonely widower was overshadowed by the performances of leading men in movies released later in the year. Sean Penn won the Screen Actors Guild award, which makes him the favorite to take home the Academy Award. On the other hand, Vegas oddsmakers are picking Rourke. Penn's portrayal of a gay politician earned him a batch of trophies, but Rourke's fellow actors will identify with his up-and-down career and reward him for his emotional comeback performance as hard-luck wrestler Randy "the Ram."

Best Actress
The nominees: Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), Angelina Jolie ("The Changeling"), Melissa Leo ("Frozen River"), Meryl Streep ("Doubt"), Kate Winslet ("The Reader").

Tips: Traditionally, the winner of this award has no previous wins in this category. Films related to the Holocaust often collect Oscars.

Despite the fact that Streep already has two Oscars (one for leading actress and one for supporting), she's still a top contender because she won a SAG award for her portrayal of a protective, suspicious nun in "Doubt." Streep has a record 15 Oscar nominations but will not win her third Oscar this year.

Jolie, Hathaway, Leo and Winslet have never won an Oscar for best actress. The winner will be Winslet, who has six career Academy Award nominations. Streep won an Oscar for the Holocaust-related movie "Sophie's Choice"; Winslet will win her first Oscar for playing Hannah Schmidt, a former German guard at a Nazi prison camp.

Best Supporting Actor
The nominees: Josh Brolin ("Milk"), Robert Downey Jr. ("Tropic Thunder"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Doubt"), Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight"), Michael Shannon "Revolutionary Road").

Tip: This category will defy trends because of Ledger's unforgettable, last performance as the Joker in 2008's blockbuster hit.

Normally, the youngest actor doesn't win this category. But Heath Ledger, who died of an accidental overdose at age 28 in January 2008, is the odds-on favorite for a posthumous Academy Award.

Best Supporting Actress
The nominees: Amy Adams ("Doubt"), Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Christina Barcelona"), Viola Davis ("Doubt"), Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), Marisa Tomei ("The Wrestler").

Tip: First-time nominees in this category usually win.

That means Adams, who played a young nun, and Tomei, who played a stripper, are not likely to win. Adams was previously nominated for a supporting part in "Junebug," and Tomei was nominated twice in this category, winning for a role in "My Cousin Vinny."

Cruz was hilariously tempestuous in Woody Allen's movie. Although she was nominated in the Best Actress category previously, she's a newcomer in this category. She has momentum and luck on her side. Mark your ballot for Cruz.

Best Picture
The nominees: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader," "Slumdog Millionaire."

Tip: If the movie has swept previous awards, look for it to take home the top Academy Award.

"Slumdog Millionaire" won the Golden Globe, an ensemble award from the Screen Actors Guild and the best picture award from the Producers Guild of America, which knows something about making a movie. Unless the movie's buzz has peaked and is on the downslide, it should be a shoo-in as Best Picture.

Best Director
The nominees: Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), Stephen Daldry ("The Reader"), David Fincher ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), Ron Howard ("Frost/Nixon"), Gus Van Sant ("Milk").

Tip: Most of the time, the director of the movie that wins the Best Picture Academy Award also wins the directing prize.

The winner of the Directors Guild Award also is a good indicator. With that in mind, look for British filmmaker Danny Boyle to make an Oscar speech.

Best Animated Feature
The nominees: "Bolt," "Kung-Fu Panda" and "WALL-E."

Tip: Big box-office and major buzz herald the winner.

If Hollywood doesn't give the animated feature Oscar to "WALL-E," which many contend deserved a spot on the Best Picture ballot, fans should storm the red carpet.

Best Visual Effects
The nominees: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man."

Tip: I doubt if you need one, but here it is: The splashiest, most technically awesome work in a box-office hit is usually recognized.

There was no movie bigger last year than "The Dark Knight," and it got snubbed for Best Picture.

Best Cinematography
The nominees: "The Changeling," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "The Reader," "Slumdog Millionaire."

Tip: Choose the cinematographer who won the American Society of Cinematographers' prize.

Mark your ballot for Anthony Dod Mantle of "Slumdog Millionaire." Besides the ASC prize, he won the best cinematography award from the British Academy of Film and Television.

Best Costume Design
The nominees: "Australia," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Duchess," "Milk," "Revolutionary Road."

Tip: One word — corsets.

Period movies usually win this category. Since all five films take place in the past, choose the one with elaborate wigs, fancy hats and bulging bosoms.

"The Duchess."

Best Makeup
The nominees: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army."

Tip: Pick the movie that will get shut out of other prizes, including Best Picture.

The voters will throw "Benjamin Button" a bone for the makeup artistry involved in making a baby look freakishly old and Brad Pitt look homely.

Best Song and Best Score
Tip: Both music Oscars will go to the Best Picture winner.

"Slumdog Millionaire."

Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay
Tip: The Writers Guild Award winners will also win the Oscars.

The WGA recently handed its original screenplay prize to Dustin Lance Black for "Milk" and gave the adapted screenplay award to Simon Beaufoy for "Slumdog Millionaire."

With Landmark Trial Half Over, Pirate Bay Crew Celebrates Early Victories

2009-02-21T14:13:00.002+01:00

This is an interesting story to anyone who has ever shared a file over the internet. It seems a massive cock-up on the prosecutions side to prepare a trial for three years and after day one of the actual trial drop half of the charges, only realizing now he has not got enough evidence?

Oh well, good luck to the boys anyway.

STOCKHOLM -- As the landmark trial of The Pirate Bay wrapped up its first week Friday, the prosecutor fought to tie the last two defendants to the daily operation of the world's most notorious filesharing site.

Four defendants in all are accused of contributory copyright infringement for allegedly deliberately facilitating the making available of copyrighted works to the public. Establishing intent is crucial for a crime to have been committed under Swedish law, and the prosecutor and civil plaintiffs have tried to show that the overriding purpose of The Pirate Bay is to encourage unlawful sharing of copyrighted material.

With the Pirate Bay trial half over, the defendants have reason to be hopeful. First, the government stunned observers on Tuesday by dropping half the charges in the joint criminal-civil prosecution, resulting in a partial acquittal. And despite aggressive questioning by the prosecutor and a battery of entertainment industry lawyers, defendants Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and Fredrik Neij stuck to the story that the sole purpose of The Pirate Bay is to let internet users transmit whatever material they want.

Warg and Neij were never public people, and that showed in their sometimes awkward testimony. But Friday's first witness, Peter Sunde, aka Brokep, is The Pirate Bay's official spokesman, and he's accustomed to the spotlight. He wore a grey hoodie as he took the stand to defend the website, even as he sought to distance himself from its operations.

The first questions posed to Sunde by prosecutor Hakan Roswall focused on his ideology, prompting Pirate Bay supporters in the blogosphere to cry foul. Referring to the open-culture activist organization that founded The Pirate Bay the prosecutor asked: "Is it correct that the Pirate Bureau discusses copyright and is critical of copyright as it is today?"

"What is your personal opinion on copyright?" the prosecutor followed up.

When recording industry lawyer Peter Danowsky asked the same question later, Sunde fired back. "That is a political question," Sunde said. "Is this a political trial or a legal trial?"

Danowsky's answer: "In what way is copyright a political question?"

Danowsky then produced printouts of news articles on The Pirate Bay, pointing out statements made by Sunde. One exhibit came from a 2006 Wired.com article, from which Danowsky read the last paragraph aloud: "We're also into educating people about the consequences of piracy. We're teaching them how to do it."

Sunde said that he meant that The Pirate Bay educates people about filesharing in general. He quoted the paragraph before to show that his statement was a response to MPAA, which claimed that it was "educating people about the consequences of piracy and getting involved."

Likeable with a boyish face, Sunde can argue with die-hard enemies on TV and still carry a winning smile while his opponent resorts to cursing. He testified Friday that he was "only" a media contact for the website, and that he never actively participated in the acts charged by the prosecutor --namely, "organizing, systematizing, programming, financing or running " Pirate Bay. But Danowsky confronted Sunde with e-mail printouts taken in the 2006 police raid, which seemed to show that Sunde was more involved than he's acknowledged.

Carl Lundström, a wealthy 48-year old businessman, has a far more tenuous connection to the site, and he did not face any ideological questions on the stand. The prosecutor tried to tie Lundström to The Pirate Bay as a "co-owner," but Lundström claimed that he has only sold hosting and internet services to the site's operators.

Fredrik Neij, one of the young defendants, was hired by Lundström's CTO as a network technician in 2004, while Neij was already running the then-tiny filesharing site.

Lundström admitted giving The Pirate Bay's crew moral support and sympathy, but said he'd rejected becoming a business partner with them, finding the prospect too legally risky. "I didn't want to get into potential illegal things when I had 50 employees," he stated.

The court adjourned for the weekend, with testimony set to resume Tuesday afternoon. Among the scheduled witnesses is John Kennedy, the chairman of the International Federation of Phonographic Industries - the international version of the RIAA. The trial is expected to wrap up at the end of next week. The three civilian law judges, and a fourth professional judge, will decide the defendants' guilt or innocence by a majority vote. In the event of a tie, the professional judge's vote will prevail.

Friday night, Sunde will play DJ at a party arranged by the Pirate Bureau. Stockholm's digerati are expected to turn up to show support for The Pirate Bay.

Arrest Near In Chandra Levy Case?

2009-02-21T14:02:00.003+01:00

This is an old one, I had completely forgot this one... nice to see that the police seem to be doing their job. Nice for Chandras family aswell I guess.

Reports: D.C. Police Eyeing Inmate In 2001 Murder Of Washington Intern

Authorities in Washington, D.C. may be close to an arrest in the murder of former government intern Chandra Levy, a case that made headlines, and brought down a congressman eight years ago.

There are reports that D.C. police have submitted evidence to the U.S. Attorney's Office in an effort to get an arrest warrant for a man identified as Ingmar Guandique.

He's behind bars, convicted of assaulting two women jogging in Washington's Rock Creek Park.

An inmate serving time with Guandique reportedly told investigators that Guandique told him he killed Levy, but Guandique is said to have told police he saw Levy in the park, but didn't harm her.

Levy was an intern at the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

She was 24 when she disappeared from her D.C. apartment. Her remains were found more than a year later in Rock Creek Park by a man walking his dog.

D.C. cops were sharply criticized at the time for saying they'd searched that park, and found nothing.

Levy's disappearance has remained a mystery ever since, but it also revealed an affair with then-California Rep. Gary Condit. That cost him his seat.

For many weeks, Condit appeared to be the prime suspect in her disappearance. For months, he said little about his relationship with Levy, except for repeating over and over that he had nothing to do with her death or disappearance.

On The Early Show Saturday Edition, CBS News legal analyst Lisa Bloom speculated a jailhouse snitch, like the one cited in news accounts, could have been the source of the new evidence police are apparently using to target Guandique.

"My guess would be two things," Bloom said. "One, new statements from the suspect behind bars, possibly linking him to Chandra Levy. The other would be developments in forensic science, which has grown by leaps and bounds in the last eight years. Maybe they have something new on him ... something linking him to the remains of Chandra Levy. When her remains were found in Rock Creek Park, they were highly decomposed. ... Nevertheless, hair, bone samples, dental records, something linking him to her remains. Otherwise, it's hard to understand what could be new -- statements perhaps made behind bars to other inmates, a jailhouse confession, something of that nature."

Canada Welcomes Obama On First Foreign Trip

2009-02-21T10:00:00.004+01:00

I think America has a lot to learn from Canada. And I think Obama is the man who would listen and learn. Anyways Norhern American relations could sure do with some improvments and I reckon Barack will make it happen.

President Barack Obama tried to calm fears about American protectionism and assure Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper that he wants to grow trade between the two nations during his first foreign trip as president, reports the AP.

Obama says he told the Canadian leader during talks in Ottawa that there is nothing in the stimulus package that would run counter to that goal.

Obama had caused some nervousness in Canada by pledging during the presidential campaign to renegotiate NAFTA, the trade agreement linking the U.S., Canada and Mexico, to get better labor and environmental standards.

Both leaders said Thursday that as economies around the world face challenges, it's important for the U.S. and others to resist calls for protectionism.

President Barack Obama touched down in Ottawa, Canada this morning for his first foreign visit as commander-in-chief.

The day-long trip is jampacked. So far, Obama has met with Canada's Governor-General, Michäelle Jean and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In a longer lunch meeting later today, Obama will discuss a variety of issues including climate change, the Afghanistan War and trade with the leader of our northern neighbor, according to the Winnipeg Sun.

Obama made a quick entrance to Parliament Hill and failed to greet the crowd of more than 500 Canadians who gathered to catch a glimpse of the new president and prime minister, a Globe and Mail blog vented.

The two men waved ever so briefly to the assembled group from behind a newly-installed pexiglass. That's it. That's all. You can go home now.

Obama hopes to reconcile with Canada on the environmental issue, specifically, and repair the damage done by the Bush administration, the Globe and Mail reported.

A day earlier, Mr. Harper said Mr. Obama's presidency is ushering in a new era of North American co-operation against climate change after George W. Bush's inaction held back Canada's ability to tackle greenhouse-gas emissions.

In Mr. Obama's first foreign trip as President, the two leaders are expected to task officials with exploring North American co-operation on energy and the environment - which Mr. Harper's government hopes will be the first step to a broader pact.

The Washington Post reports that trade will be a major focus of the discussions today as well, especially in light of the "Buy American" clause in the newly passed Stimulus Plan that has ruffled some feathers in Canada.

A top Obama aide said this week that the president's main message to Harper will be to reassure Canadians that the United States intends to maintain a robust trading relationship with its neighbor.

"This is no time to -- for anybody to give the impression that somehow we are interested in less rather than more trade," said Denis McDonough, deputy national security adviser. "And that's what -- that's the message that he'll underscore."

Obama will also have a longer meeting with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff to discuss border issues, Afghanistan and the environment, reported Canada TV.

"I don't think you advise the president of the United States, you defend Canadian interests and the key Canadian interest that I see is the border," Ignatieff said. "It's becoming a choke chain for both our economies and we have to work together to reduce the barriers between the United States and Canada."
The Globe and Mail reports that Ignatieff, who would like to be seen as a contender for the prime minister position, will benefit the most from Obama's visit because he will win valuable media time during his meeting with President Obama.

Every leader of the Opposition wants to be seen as a prime-minister-in-waiting. A presidential visit helps immensely, particularly for a leader who's still introducing himself to Canadians.

"It puts him on an equal level, at least in a visual sense, with an American president, and therefore makes him look like a stand-in for the head of government, so people can literally begin to visualize this person as prime minister," said Strategic Counsel pollster Peter Donolo.

'Slumdog' kids ready for the Oscars

2009-02-21T09:53:00.002+01:00

Even if they don't win an Oscar this is proving to be a real rag-to-riches story. I realy hope it does change the lives of these kids and its not just conned out of them by someone else. Also the film has great so I hope to see them all acting in the future. But then again since I don't get to see that many Bollywood productions I will probably never see them again. Oh well, Good Luck

Two of the child actors from hit film "Slumdog Millionaire" are expected on the red carpet at Sunday's Oscars, experiencing riches and glamour a world away from their lives in Mumbai's shantytowns.
But who wins a coveted golden statuette under the bright lights of Hollywood's Kodak Theatre is largely immaterial for Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, who plays the young Salim, elder brother of the film's central character Jamal.

He has more pressing concerns. The city authorities recently razed his family's neighbourhood.

"My hope is that we'll be able to get a house to live in," the boisterous 10-year-old told AFP TV at the tarpaulin-covered lean-to he now calls home before leaving for the United States.

"Slumdog Millionaire" has captivated audiences around the world with its rags-to-riches tale of true love lost and found, sweeping the board at the Golden Globes and Britain's BAFTAs, and bagging 10 Oscar nominations.

But concerns have been expressed that Azharuddin -- Azhar to his friends -- and nine-year-old Rubina Ali, who plays the younger version of Jamal's love interest Latika, still live in poverty in the sprawling slums.

There have also been court petitions and protests about the use of the word "slumdog" for being derogatory to slum-dwellers, as well as criticism of Western portrayals of Indian poverty.

About half of Mumbai lives and works in the patchwork of communities of precariously-built brick houses, bamboo and corrugated iron-roofed huts, many without running water and surrounded by open sewers and garbage dumps.

"Slumdog" director Danny Boyle, producer Christian Colson and others involved in the film insist that no offence was intended in the title and that they are providing for the two children.

Azhar and Rubina are currently attending an English-medium school for underprivileged children and a trust fund has been set up for them until they are 18. They also get a monthly stipend.

But the money Azhar earnt for filming has already gone to daily expenses, said his father, Mohammed Ismail Mohammed Usman, who sells cardboard to eke out a living.

"The only thing that happened was that I became well-known because of my son. That's it. Nothing else changed. My kid became a hero and I'm living like a zero. This is my shack," he said.

For India's film industry, Sunday's Oscars ceremony provides a chance to showcase the best of the country's talent, the chief executive of Fox Star Studios Vijay Singh told AFP.

It could also see the acclaimed composer A.R. Rahman, dubbed the "Mozart of Madras," become only the second Indian after filmmaker Satyajit Ray to win an Oscar.

Ray was given an honorary award just weeks before his death in 1992. Rahman is up for three awards in the best musical score and song categories.

Bollywood star Anil Kapoor, who plays the quizmaster in "Slumdog," said the British film with a cast of actors virtually unknown in the West was on a par with the 1982 epic "Gandhi," which won 11 Oscar nominations and eight awards.

"Sir Richard Attenborough did a great service to Mahatma Gandhi, his legacy and our country by making 'Gandhi.' But the kind of frenzy 'Slumdog' has evoked in the US is far bigger," he told the Hindustan Times daily Friday.

"It's like a tidal wave, a movement... almost historic."

For the winners, Oscar success brings fame and sometimes huge fortune. For Azhar, the stakes are much higher.

"Other people will see me in this film -- big, big people. If another good director sees me, then they may take me. This film will be very useful to me," he said.

Police photo of Rihanna leaked on the internet

2009-02-21T09:28:00.003+01:00

Harrowing, or is it. Most pictures of celebreties out makeup look pretty bad, with dark circles around thier eyes and blemished skin. Im not saying Chris Brown didn't knock her about, but maybe it's not as bad as this picture portrays - you be the judge.

A harrowing image of Rihanna with deep bruises on either side of her forehead, blackened areas around her eyes and what appears to be blood at the corners of her mouth was posted Thursday night on the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com.

The picture matches descriptions of a police photo taken after the "Umbrella" singer's alleged assault at the hands of boyfriend Chris Brown on Feb. 8, the morning of the Grammys.

Police declined to deny its authenticity but issued a stern statement.

"The LAPD does not and will not release any victim's photos. It's that simple. We have not," said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jason Lee.

Brown, 19, was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats while the Grammys carried on without his scheduled appearance. He was released on $50,000 bail.

Police never identified Rihanna, who turns 21 Friday, as Brown's alleged victim, saying only that an unidentified woman was "visibly injured" when they responded to a 911 call and found her battered and alone on a street in Hancock Park.

Barbados-born Rihanna, a striking beauty regularly photographed with a megawatt smile, has not confirmed the assault publicly but is cooperating with police, a music industry source told the Daily News

Brown issued a statement of apology and said he would seek counseling.

The Los Angeles District Attorney is expected to review the case before Brown's March 5 court date and make a decision on formal charges.

Jade Goody, British Reality Star, Dying Of Cancer On TV

2009-02-21T09:13:00.005+01:00

I say - Good on ya Jade! I myself cant stand the woman, but media addiceted as I am I will be following the story. And if anyone cared enough about my death to pay me millions of dollars for the story - I would be cashing in too, for my family. It´s a tragic story but hopfully her kids will benefit from it and also get to choose thier own involvment with the media.

LONDON — A brash British reality show star whose ups and downs captivated the nation is approaching her death the same way she has lived _ on television.

Dying of cervical cancer that has spread to her liver and bowels, 27-year-old Jade Goody sees no reason to turn the cameras off now.

Her first foray into the spotlight was in 2002, when she lost at strip poker on Britain's version of "Big Brother." She went on to write her autobiography, star in fitness videos, release a perfume and appear on "Celebrity Big Brother," where she was accused of racism and bullying a Bollywood star, Shilpa Shetty.

To make amends, she went to India last summer to star in its version of "Big Brother." It was there _ in a shocking diagnosis captured on television _ that she found out about her cancer.

Bald and pale from chemotherapy, pictures of Goody have since been daily fodder in the British press. She says the publicity and profits made from selling her story will help her sons, 4-year-old Freddie and 5-year-old Bobby Jack, and raise awareness of cervical cancer.

On Thursday, a television show documented the weeks before she learned she only has months to live. On Sunday, the cameras will roll at her wedding to 21-year-old boyfriend, Jack Tweed _ recently released from prison after serving time for assault and wearing an electronic monitor. Goody will take her vows in a designer dress donated by Harrods owner, Mohamed Al Fayed.

While neither are scheduled to air in the U.S., video clips of her wedding shopping spree and cancer battle _ including one where she breaks into sobs as she stares at her balding head in her bathroom mirror _ have been widely viewed on YouTube. Photos of the nuptials are to be printed in OK! magazine, which along with television deals are believed to have earned Goody $1.4 million.

Her actual death is not expected to be televised or photographed, her publicist said.

People will say I'm doing this for money," Goody told the Sun tabloid earlier this month. "And they're right. I am, but not to buy flash cars or big houses. It's for my sons' future."

Some have said Goody should spend time with her family rather than staying in the spotlight. But most have also praised her commitment to her sons and her effort to draw attention to the need for regular Pap smears, which can catch cervical cancer in its early, treatable stages.

"I may have questioned the wisdom of Jade treating the media as confidantes in her final days," wrote Allison Pearson in the conservative Daily Mail. "But I have nothing but respect for her decision to accumulate enough money for the boys to enjoy the very best education."

The media, who are now so firmly in Goody's corner, were not always so kind. She was ridiculed for being vulgar, uneducated and crass; even after her cancer diagnosis, it was suggested she was capitalizing on her illness to regain the public's affection.

From the beginning, Goody's tortured childhood provided kindling for reality TV. She grew up in a tough part of London, the daughter of drug users. Her father, who served time in prison, died from a drug overdose.

With her in-your-face attitude and willingness to share the tawdriest details of her life, the buxom brunette both fascinated and repelled Britain. Her lack of education sometimes made her an object of ridicule, such as when she asked where the English region of East Anglia _ less than a two-hour drive from London _ is located, and pronounced it "East Angular."

"She's a kind of product of our time," said her publicist Max Clifford. "I suppose, when I started out, it was all about talent, but Jade was the one who proved that you don't need to have talent to be someone in Britain today. She's famous for just being herself."

There was admiration, even from the prime minister, for Goody's sheer determination to make a better life for herself.

"It's very sad and indeed tragic that someone so young has got this deadly disease of cancer and it's very sad indeed that the treatment that has been given has not been successful," Gordon Brown said Wednesday at his monthly news conference.

"I think everyone has their own ways of dealing with these problems and her determination to help her family is something that we've got to applaud," he said. "I wish her well and I wish her family well and I think the whole country will be worried and anxious about her health."

The Guardian newspaper _ which appeals to the left-leaning intelligentsia _ weighed in on Goody's decision to publicize her impending death, praising her for confronting her mortality.

"The ostentatious rituals of mourning and public graveyards of earlier eras are not part of modern life," it said in an editorial. "Today, mortality is as finite as before, but has somehow been marginalized."

In Bermondsey, the neighborhood near London Bridge where Goody grew up, residents still consider her one of their own. Nearly all support her choice to stay in the spotlight.

"She's like one of us. We all feel for her. It's not fair," said 40-year-old Janine Stacy, a special education teacher. "It's totally her choice."

Clifford said that Goody may consider doing other deals after the wedding. "We are in discussions to do a final documentary ... She's very keen to do it, providing she's well enough," he said.

New York Post Chimp Cartoon Racist or Not?

2009-02-19T17:50:00.005+01:00

Im going to have to side with the New York post on this one: With all the hassle of going back and forth amending and re-amending you would think they had a team of monkeys employed on the hill figuring this all out. There in lies the joke.

That Barack Obama happens to be an African American and that racists have likend them to monkeys is in this case irrelevant. It would be ok to ridicule George Bush, because he is just an idiot. Easy target - George, you monkey!

We still need to be able to be satirical about our government, race, religion or species.

A cartoon likening the author of the stimulus bill, perhaps President Barack Obama, with a rabid chimpanzee graced the pages of the New York Post on Wednesday.

The drawing, from famed cartoonist Sean Delonas, is rife with violent imagery and racial undertones. In it, two befuddled-looking police officers holding guns look over the dead and bleeding chimpanzee that attacked a woman in Stamford, Connecticut.

"They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," reads the caption.

An email to Delonas and a call to the New York Post went unreturned. The cartoon appears both on the New York Post website and page 12 of the Wednesday paper.

At its most benign, the cartoon suggests that the stimulus bill was so bad, monkeys may as well have written it. Others believe it compares the president to a rabid chimp. Either way, the incorporation of violence and (on a darker level) race into politics is bound to be controversial. Perhaps that's what Delonas wanted.

Rev. Al Sharpton has weighed in on the cartoon in a statement:
"The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys. One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."

"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?"

Woman mauled by pet chimp Travis in critical condition after surgery at Conn. hospital

2009-02-19T09:39:00.003+01:00

This is truly scary - have they not seen the film Link? Everyone knows that chimpanzees can be vicious animals. It sure does bring into focus the laws (or lack of) that allows individuals to keepp these beasts in thier homes. And in this case the ape had escaped and caused mayhem on previous occasions. Why where they allowed to keep it? It is a wild animal.

The Connecticut woman brutally mauled by a gigantic pet ape remained in critical condition Tuesday, officials said.

Charla Nash, 55, suffered massive injuries to her face and hands after her friend's 200-pound chimp, Travis, suddenly pounced on her Monday.

Nash had surgery last night at Stamford Hospital and was doing "okay," her sister-in-law, Kate Nash said.

Nash suffered what Stamford Mayor Daniel Malloy described as "life-changing, if not life-threatening injuries" after Travis got his hands on house keys and escaped from his home.

Travis attacked Nash as soon as she got out of her car to try to help his owner, Sandy Herold, get the ape back in his cage, said Stamford, Conn., police Capt. Rich Conklin.

Herold, stabbed Travis with a butcher knife and struck him with a shovel in a bid to end his rampage, police said.

But the normally docile chimp, who starred in a TV commercial for Old Navy cargo shorts and enjoyed human activities like drinking wine and surfing the Internet, could not be stopped.
When cops drove up around 4 p.m., the burly ape tore off a cruiser's side mirror and opened the door.

The officers had "nowhere to retreat," Conklin said, and shot him several times.

Bleeding from stab wounds and gunshots, 15-year-old Travis staggered down the driveway and into Herold's house, where he collapsed and died in a zoolike cage the size of a room.

Conklin said it wasn't clear what set the chimp off, but theorized Travis' bout with Lyme disease - which can cause panic attacks, paranoia, personality changes and mood swings in people - could be connected. Travis was taking medication for the disease, Conklin said.

"These actions have not been seen in the chimpanzee before. This animal had been raised as a member of the family," Conklin said.

Herold, 70, had given the pyscho simian tea with Xanax to calm him down just before Nash arrived, cops said, and called 911 as the chimp mauled her friend.

A 911 dispatcher could hear the animal screaming in the background as he ripped into the victim.
Herold told cops that Travis may not have recognized Charla Nash because she wore her normally long, flowing hair up Monday.

Herold and her husband, Jerome, who treated Travis almost like a child after the death of their daughter more than a decade ago, were distraught.

Conklin said the couple had owned Travis for close to 14 years.

Herold's friend Lynn Mecca said Travis had known Charla Nash for years.
"I don't know why he would do that," she said.

But Mecca's ex-husband Don Mecca said the ape had a mean streak and often was aggressive. He said he had warned Nash to be careful around Travis. "I told her, 'Charla, don't get close to that monkey when he is not in that cage,'" Mecca said.

Nash's brother Steve said his sister was aware Travis could be moody.
Travis was known to the town cops because they worked with the Herolds' towing company, Desire Me Towing. He would ride in the trucks, waving.

When the Herolds' daughter was killed in a car crash, the ape appeared to mourn, holding her photo sadly, they told the paper.

In October 2003, the chimp made headlines when he jumped out of his owners' SUV and commandeered a major intersection, holding cops at bay for two hours.

Travis had been in the vehicle when it stopped at a light, and someone in the next vehicle threw something at him, hitting him through an open window.

He unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the vehicle, wanting to play.
Cops arrived in a dozen cruisers but could not corral Travis, who was capering in the street, occasionally rolling on his back and charging at officers.

Officers, who had no tranquilizer gun, tried using cookies, macadamia nuts and ice cream to lure Travis into a cruiser. Nothing worked until he tired and got back into the Herolds' SUV.

No charges were filed in that case. It is not illegal to own an exotic pet in Connecticut.
"That was more mischievous than vicious," Conklin said. "It became something of a legend."
Travis was also something of a celebrity in his younger days.

He co-starred with Morgan Fairchild in an Old Navy ad, filmed a TV pilot and appeared on "The Maury Povich Show."

"Our closest relatives, we would like to think they can be domesticated," Malloy said Monday night.
"Unfortunately, this is not always the case."

'American Idol' selects first 3 finalists

2009-02-19T09:17:00.003+01:00

I havn't actually seen this years Idol contestants. but is it not getting a bit boring? Its the same thing over and over, with Simon Cowell insulting people, trying to get a reaction out of people.

Borinng!

Tatiana Del Toro had something else to cry about. The emotional 28-year-old crooner from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was one of nine "American Idol" semifinalists sent packing Wednesday. Del Toro, whom judge Simon Cowell called a "drama queen" after her performance Tuesday, bawled after she wasn't selected to continue in the "Fox" singing competition.

"It's up to America," she told host Ryan Seacrest before the results. "It's up to the power of love."

No tears were shed by the first three finalists of season eight: Alexis Grace, the soulful 21-year-old single mother from Memphis, Tenn.; Michael Sarver, the beefy 27-year-old oil rig worker from Jasper, Texas; and Danny Gokey, the spikey-haired 28-year-old church music director from Milwaukee. The trio received the most viewer votes.

Recent widower Gokey overwhelmed the judges with Mariah Carey's "Hero" at the conclusion of Tuesday's ho-hum performance episode. They were also impressed with Grace's take on Aretha Franklin's "Never Loved a Man," comparing her to first "Idol" Kelly Clarkson. Sarver, who sang Gavin Degraw's "I Don't Wanna Be," received a mixed reaction from the panel.

"I think if you get through, it's because people like you," Cowell told Sarver on Tuesday.

Next week, 12 more semifinalists will vie for three spots in the competition's top 12, but Del Toro and the other dismissed semifinalists, such as Anoop Desai and Ricky Braddy, may have another chance. After the first nine finalists are selected by viewer votes, the judges will pick the last three finalists following a wild card round March 5.

Bristol Palin Interview: Hardly the Typical Teen Pregnancy Hardship Story

2009-02-17T23:48:00.006+01:00

Boohoo.. This is a good article though, read it. Poor little Bristol should read up on little Alfie Patten for advice on teen pregnancies, or not. And 50 out of 1000 births is not considerd low in europe where the UK has one of the highest with 28 and low and behold Sweden, one of the most unreligious (and therefore imoral) countrys in the world has 7 teen pregnancys per 1000 births.
In fact the US has one of the highest in the developed world. Why

The New York Times blog, the Caucus, noted today that Bristol Palin sat for her "first interview since giving birth to Tripp" last night when she went on the air with FOX's Greta Sustern. Bristol Palin is the 18 year old daughter of former vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin created a public stir when she announced during the presidential campaign that her teen daughter was pregnant.

But back to the Bristol Palin interview. First interview? Since when do we expect teens whose only public "accomplishment" is becoming pregnant out of wedlock and giving birth to give series of interviews? Do we expect that teens like Bristol Palin who make the mistake of unintentionally becoming pregnant become some sort of instant experts on teen pregnancy?

Other than the tabloid factor, why should anyone care what this one particular teenage mom says about teen pregnancy? Bristol Palin is one of hundreds of thousands of teens who experience teen pregnancy each year. Is there anything that makes her story compelling?

And what sort of expert is Bristol Palin on the occurrence of teen pregnancy? In her interview with van Sustern, Bristol Palin says abstinence is the best policy but it's not realistic. When pressed for a reason, Palin finally said that it [having sex] is so accepted now.

Perhaps Bristol Palin did not get the word that teen pregnancy is in fact near a historic low although it did increase slightly in 2006. According to the Centers for Disease Control, of the 41.9 live births per 1000 women ages 15-19 in 2006 (435.427 total), 80% were unintended.

Is Bristol Palin even close to typical? No. The typical pregnant teen- unlike Bristol Palin- receives minimal prenatal care. The typical pregnant teen- unlike Bristol Palin whose mother is a governor- lives in poverty. And Bristol Palin has a large network of extended relatives to help her care for her baby so she can continue her schooling, unlike the average pregnant teen who drops out of school. Smoking, low birthweight, these are issues associated with teen pregnancy- issues off Bristol Palin's radar.

Bristol Palin may be losing some sleep and be adjusting to her new identity as mom first, teen second, but she is hardly the face of teen pregnancy in America.

The Bristol Palin interview added nothing to the national discussion of causes or prevention of teen pregnancy. Greta van Sustern of FOX may believe she attained a quasi celebrity coup by interviewing Bristol Palin, but if she wanted to know the true hardship of teen pregnancy, she should have chosen a more typical pregnant teen to interview.

Obama signs stimulus bill, readies homeowner plan

2009-02-17T23:41:00.003+01:00

Lots of news of stimulus bill being signed awaiting aproval, being approved, being amended. Mean while we are all sitting here waiting for the results. How long will it take is the real question!

President Barack Obama put his own indelible imprint on the nation's distressed economy Tuesday, signing the huge recovery package into law, readying a $50 billion proposal to help homeowners fend off foreclosure and awaiting emergency restructuring plans from flailing automakers. Obama said the sprawling legislation, which congressional Democrats pushed to passage last week over near-unanimous opposition from Republicans, would "set our economy on a firmer foundation."

Obama's first major piece of legislation, it's a $787 billion mix of tax cuts and one of the biggest public spending programs since World War II.

"I don't want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems. Nor does it constitute all of what we have to do to turn our economy around. But today does mark the beginning of the end, the beginning of what we need to do to create jobs for Americans scrambling in the wake of layoffs," Obama said.

The setting for the signing was the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, with solar panels on its roof, underscoring the investments the new law will make in "green" energy-related jobs. Workers in solar, wind, and other renewable-energy industries joined Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at the bill-signing ceremony.

Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters the White House was open-minded about another stimulus effort. But he stressed that there were no plans in the works for one.

Meanwhile, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC raced to complete recovery plans they were due to submit as part of their deal to receive billions of dollars in government loans. It was not clear they would make Tuesday's deadline.

The two automakers have been living off a combined $13.4 billion in federal bailout loans. They must persuade the administration that they can remain viable. Detroit's third major automaker, Ford Motor Co., did not request government help.

With the economy dominating Obama's first weeks in office, the president on Wednesday will unveil another part of his recovery effort — a $50 billion plan to help stem foreclosures.

All the activity also is allowing Obama to get away from Washington, with its intense partisan wrangling, and be cheered by people who may benefit from the huge government intervention.

Obama planned to outline his plan to help struggling homeowners in a speech in Arizona, one of the states hardest hit by home foreclosures that are at the center of the nation's economic woes.

The $50 billion program was mentioned last week by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as part of a wide-ranging financial-sector rescue plan that could send $2 trillion coursing through the financial system. But details were not announced at the time.

Obama's announcement is expected to include details about how the administration plans to prod the mortgage industry to do more in modifying the terms of home loans so borrowers have lower monthly payments.

More than 2.3 million homeowners faced foreclosure proceedings last year, an 81 percent increase from 2007, and analysts say that number could soar as high as 10 million in the coming years, depending on the severity of the recession.

As for Tuesday's stimulus package, it will pump money into highway, bridge and other infrastructure projects, health care, renewable energy development and conservation.

It includes a $400 tax break for most individual workers and $800 for couples, including those who do not earn enough to pay income taxes. It will distribute tens of billions of dollars to states so they can head off deep cuts and layoffs and will provide financial incentives for people to start buying again, from first homes to new cars to shoes and cereal. It also provides help to poor people and laid-off workers, with increased unemployment benefits and food stamps, and subsides for health insurance.

Separately, GM and Chrysler raced to finish restructuring plans to present to the federal government but seemed unlikely to complete deals with debtholders and union workers by the government-imposed deadline on Tuesday.

Gibbs, Obama's press secretary, told reporters aboard Air Force One that he wouldn't rule out bankruptcy for Detroit automakers. Gibbs said the administration looks forward to reviewing GM and Chrysler's restructuring plans. Gibbs said it is important for the economy to have a strong and viable auto industry and that it's up to automakers to make choices about what is most helpful to their recovery.

GM earlier received $9.4 billion in government loans and Chrysler $4 billion. GM picked up the second installment of its loans, $4 billion, on Tuesday, according to Gibbs.

The Obama team had weighed appointing a "car czar." But Sunday night, the White House instead announced a task force to oversee the companies' restructuring.

The back-to-back government moves to try to lift the economy from a crippling recession had been eagerly awaited by Wall Street. But with the programs now being put in place, investors seemed concerned the impact might not be fast enough or big enough and stocks tumbled on Tuesday to near their November lows.

A-Rod: Cousin gave me drugs

2009-02-17T23:29:00.004+01:00

Aha! so it was the cousin who done it. or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the rope?
Or perhaps it was mr Rodriguez himself? And who cares if its Bola or boli. BooYa!
It was six years ago, can we move on now?

Alex Rodriguez said on Tuesday that he was injected with steroids from 2001-03 by a cousin who purchased the drugs in the Dominican Republic, but he denied knowing they were steroids, didn't know how they impacted his performance and refused to name his cousin.

Rodriguez made the comments in a packed, emotional, 35-minute press conference at the Yankees' spring training complex in Tampa, Fla.

"I didn't think they were steroids," Rodriguez said. "That's part of being young and stupid. It was over the counter. It was pretty basic. It was amateur hour.... It was two guys doing a very amateur thing ... All these years I never thought I did something wrong."

Rodriguez said his cousin injected him twice a month for three years. He later clarified that it could have been fewer than twice a month or more than twice a month in certain months.

"It was injected," he said. "To what degree it helped, I don't know." He did admit he had more energy.

Ripped Fuel
Rodriguez also said he used Ripped Fuel, an off-the-shelves muscle-building supplement created by a Hauppauge-based company called Twinlab, during his years with the Seattle Mariners.

Ripped Fuel was eventually taken off the shelves because it contained ephedra, an amphetamine that stimulates the central nervous system and was cited in the death of Baltimore pitcher Steve Bechler in February 2003. Twinlab went bankrupt later that year and their Hauppauge office closed in 2005.

A-Rod said his cousin procured the drugs from the Dominican Republic at his request.

"He basically took instructions from me. He thought he was doing something that was helpful, not hurtful."

Primabolan
He said in 2001 his cousin told him about a substance he could buy that would give him a boost. Rodriguez said it was known "on the streets" as "boli" or "bola." He said his cousin was also the person who injected him with the drug.

"Bowl-ee" or "bowl-ah," as pronounced by Rodriguez, apparently is steroid-user's slang either for Primabolan or Dianabol, both anabolic steroids banned as performance-enhancing substances by baseball.

"We consulted no one," Rodriguez said. "It was pretty evident we didn't know what we were doing. . . I didn't think they were steroids. I know we weren't taking Tic Tacs. It could potentially be something that perhaps was wrong."

"It was basically amateur hour," Rodriguez said. "We used to do it about two times a month. I don't even know if that's the right way to take it."

"He's a huge investment. So he's an asset, and this is an asset that's currently in crisis," general manager Brian Cashman said. "So we will do everything we can to protect that asset. ... If this is Humpty Dumpty, we've got to put him back together again, to get back up on the wall."

Rodriguez held his first news conference since a Feb. 7 Sports Illustrated report that he tested positive for steroids in 2003. In an interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons Feb. 9, Rodriguez admitted his steroid use from 2001-03 while with the Texas Rangers, but he was not specific about what he used or for how long. He also claimed not to know what he was taking.

SI.com reported Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, testosterone and Primobolan, in 2003.

A-Rod started the press conference on Tuesday by saying, "First, bear with me. I'm a little nervous - or a lot nervous." Then he read a prepared statement. After that, he took questions from the 200 or so assembled media members.

Rodriguez, 33, has been called one of the greatest baseball players of all time and has long been considered a lock for the Hall of Fame. Rodriguez, who is on pace to break the all-time home run record, is a career .306 hitter with 553 home runs, 1,606 RBIs and 1,605 runs scored -- plus nine years left on his Yankees contract.

Rodriguez was joined by Yankees officials Hank Steinbrenner, Felix Lopez, Cashman, manager Joe Girardi and teammates, including Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Johnny Damon.

Specifically addressing his teammates, Rodriguez said, "I thank you, I love you. I look forward to putting this day behind us and having an amazing season."

"After today," Rodriguez said, "I hope to put this behind me and focus on baseball."

The Simpsons' new opening sequence

2009-02-16T22:17:00.004+01:00

Check out the new Simpsons opening sequence as it aired in HD last night.
It's pretty cool. There are a lot more charachters added and they will probably shorten it later but here it is in all its yellow tanned glory

After 20 years the Simpsons have changed their opening sequence. Tonight the show had its premier in HD and with it brought the first revamp of the main titles since 1989.

While some of the old parts remain (Bart still writes on the chalk board, Lisa still saxes her way out of music class, and Homer still throws radioactive material down his shirt) most of it has changed to catch up on 20-seasons worth of character additions. Apu's octuplets now appear in the opening as do Maggie's nemesis, the unibrow baby, and the crazy Texan millionaire, all added since the original sequence was created.

As a side note to fans, check out Marge's groceries, they have changed to include tomacco juice, and Mr. Sparkle detergent.

Hong Kong woman's airport hysterics a hit on YouTube

2009-02-16T16:45:00.003+01:00

But what is even more fun is that Yahoo news post the link to the YouTube clip on their site (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbVw7entkxg) and it ends up in the top five searches of the day only because people are pasting it into the search field rather than the address field. Well I have included the actual video below.

HONG KONG – A Chinese woman who freaked out at Hong Kong's international airport after missing her flight has hit the big time on YouTube after her hysterics were filmed and uploaded to the video sharing website.
The middle-aged woman was seen charging at a security guard at the departure gate, before screaming "aieyyahhhhh," at the top of her lungs in a rant that lasts about three minutes.

The woman, sprawled on the ground, was seen wailing. An elderly man travelling with her tried to pull her to her feet but she shouted in Cantonese: "I want to go, I want to go."
Cathay Pacific said it had already closed the aircraft's doors and had offloaded the woman's baggage, and so was unable to allow her to board the flight to San Francisco.
"Don't be so upset, don't be so emotional," a male Cathay Pacific staff member is heard saying on the video.
Cathay Pacific said the incident occurred earlier this month, and the video appeared to have been loaded onto YouTube late last week. By Monday, the "woman going insane after missing her flight video" had over 400,000 hits.
In 2006, another sensational outburst by a stressed-out Hong Kong man captured the imagination of many people in this fast-paced, money-obsessed, Asian financial capital.
The middle-aged man, who chastised and swore at a youngster in a six-minute-long diatribe aboard a double decker bus, was dubbed "Bus-Uncle" and a video of the incident received close to two million hits.
His quote "I have pressure, you have pressure" became a catch-phrase and sparked navel-gazing at the pressure that many over-worked Hong Kong citizens suffer.
As for the woman at the airport, Cathay Pacific said it put her and her two travel companions on a later flight to Los Angeles, at no extra cost.

British, French nuclear subs collide in Atlantic

2009-02-16T16:21:00.005+01:00

This is the month for unlikely collisions, first satellites then submarines. Both equally impossible. At least the satellites where unmanned, uncontroled, on a pre set orbit. In the submarine case its two huge metal tubes designed to hide in the depth of the vast oceans and actively stay away from other vessels awaiting their orders to release nuclear fury on the world and still they manage to collide? Well piloted! Maybe they where trying to create a little Anglo-french minisub.

LONDON – Nuclear-armed submarines from Britain and France collided in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month, authorities acknowledged Monday — touching off new concerns about the safety of the world's deep sea missile fleets.

The HMS Vanguard, the oldest of Britain's current nuclear-armed submarine fleet, and the French Le Triomphant submarine, which was also carrying nuclear missiles, both suffered minor damage in the collision. No crew members were reported injured.

Britain's most senior sailor, First Sea Lord, Adm. Jonathon Band, said the underwater crash posed no risk to the safety of the submarines' nuclear reactors and nuclear missiles. But he offered no explanation of how the rare incident might have occurred.
"The two submarines came into contact at very low speed," Band said in a statement. "Both submarines remained safe."

France's defense ministry said the ballistic missile submarines had been carrying out routine patrols when they collided.
"They briefly came into contact at a very low speed while submerged. There were no injuries. Neither their nuclear deterrence missions nor their safety were affected," France's defense ministry said Monday in a statement.

The Vanguard — which is capable of carrying up to 16 nuclear-armed Trident missiles — was towed back to a submarine base in Scotland with visible dents and scrapes, the BBC reported.
The Le Triomphant suffered damaged to a sonar dome in the front of the submarine but returned under its own power to its base on L'Ile Longue on France's western tip, according to the French military.

Neither France nor Britain would confirm the exact date of the collision, but said it took place earlier this month. France issued a brief statement Feb. 6 saying the Le Triomphant had struck "a submerged object" that was probably a shipping container.

Naval experts were amazed by the collision.
"This really shouldn't have happened at all," said Stephen Saunders, a retired British Royal Navy commodore and the editor of Jane's Fighting Ships. "It's a very serious incident, and I find it quite extraordinary."

He said while NATO countries let each other know what general area of the Atlantic they are operating in, neither submarine would have had a precise position for the other.
Saunders said submarines don't always turn on their radar systems or make their presence obvious to other shipping.

"The whole point is to go and hide in a big chunk of ocean and not be found. They tend to go around very slowly and not make much noise," he said.
Lawmakers and disarmament advocates demanded an explanation of how the submarines could have failed to detect each other.
Britain's government "needs to explain how it is possible for a submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction to collide with another submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction in the middle of the world's second-largest ocean," lawmaker Angus Robertson of the opposition Scottish National Party said.

Stephane Lhomme, a spokesman for the French anti-nuclear group Sortir du Nucleaire, said its activists were on alert for any signs of radioactive leaks near French shores.
"This reminds us that we could have a new catastrophe with a nuclear submarine at any moment. It is a risk that exists during missions but also in port," he said. "These are mobile nuclear reactors."

Britain's Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to end his country's nuclear submarine patrols of the Atlantic.
"This is a nuclear nightmare of the highest order," said Kate Hudson, the group's chair. "The collision of two submarines, both with nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons onboard, could have released vast amounts of radiation and scattered scores of nuclear warheads across the seabed."

All-Star Shaquille O'Neal pops and locks with Jabbawockeez

2009-02-16T16:14:00.004+01:00

Check out Jabbawockeez featuring Shaq on the NBA All-Star reserve selections player introduction. This guy is huge. Poping and locking.

Shaquille O'Neal highlighted the NBA All-Star reserve selections this year by moving past Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Jerry West into second place in league history with his 15th All-Star appearance. As a small token of his appreciation, he danced with the season one champs of America's Best Dance Crew, Jabbawockeez, during player introductions.

The Pirate Bay trial to begin in Sweden

2009-02-16T16:03:00.003+01:00

It's a landmark trail, but is ot going to make any diffrance to filesharers around the world? - I think not. The lawsuit is against the creators of the site not against the site itself. so even if they do get fined or even inprisoned (highly unlikely) the thepiratebay.org will still exist and people will continue to download stuff of the internet. or off each other computers in this case.

File-swappers are expected to be keeping their eyes on a court in Sweden this week as a landmark copyright-infringement trial gets under way.

The four men behind the popular file-sharing site The Pirate Bay go on trial Monday in Stockholm, accused of helping millions of Internet users illegally download protected movies, music, and computer games. The defendants--Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Peter Sunde Kolmisoppi and Carl Lundström--face up to two years in prison and a fine of 1.2 million kronor ($143,529) if convicted of being an accessory and conspiracy to break Swedish copyright law.

Two of the defendants insisted during a Webcast news conference in Stockholm on Sunday that their site was legal and that the trial's outcome would have no impact on the site's ability to operate.
"What are they going to do about it? They have already failed to take down the site once. Let them fail again," Gottfrid Svartholm Warg said, according to highlights of the event printed by TorrentFreak. "It has its own life without us."

The Sweden-based BitTorrent indexing site has defiantly linked to pirated copies of films, TV shows, music videos, and other content while often boasting that it ignores Hollywood's requests to remove them. While The Pirate Bay does not host any unauthorized content, the site is accused of facilitating piracy by directing its some 22 million users to protected movies and music.

A civil claim brought by a group of media giants is also being heard with the prosecution. The plaintiffs--Warner Bros. Entertainment, MGM Pictures, Columbia Pictures Industries, 20th Century Fox Films, Sony BMG, Universal, and EMI--seek 120 million kronor ($14.3 million) in compensation for lost revenues.

The Pirate Bay has already weathered several attempts by the governments of Sweden and the United States to shut down the site. Yet, this is likely the largest civil challenge the Web site has ever faced.
"It does not matter if they require several million or one billion. We are not rich and have no money to pay," said Peter Sunde, another defendant. "They won't get a cent."
John Kennedy, chairman of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, said in a statement that the case was about protecting the interests of the artists.

"The criminal prosecution of The Pirate Bay is about protecting creators from those who violate their rights and deprive them of their deserved rewards," Kennedy said. "The Pirate Bay has hurt creators of many different kinds of works, from music to film, from books to TV programmes. It has been particularly harmful in distributing copyrighted works prior to their official release. This damages sales of music at the most important time of their lifecycle."
Prosecutors expect the trial to last 13 days.

Effects of stimulus will be seen soon

2009-02-15T17:59:00.003+01:00

David Axelrod - besides haveing a name that sound like he should of been a mechanic. He manages, in more or less the same sentence say the economic stimulus plan will soon show positive effects and things are going to get worse before they get better.
Very politician. try to cover the truth with what they want to hear.
Go Grease Monkey!

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's senior White House adviser, David Axelrod says Americans will soon see positive effects of the massive economic stimulus plan passed last week by Congress.

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," David Axelrod said signs that the $787 billion economic stimulus program is working will be obvious as work begins on infrastructure and other programs that are ready to begin around the country.

Yet, Axelrod warns, it's going to take time for the effects to register in employment statistics and the economy is likely to get even worse before it begins to rebound.

He says he expects the rise of unemployment to be slowed by the bill's passage and implementation.

Daytona 500 starts what may be tough NASCAR season

2009-02-15T17:53:00.002+01:00

This is something that needs explaining to me - what is the facination with cars wizzing around and around and around forever. Everyone waiting for the crash so they can get thier moneys worth. explain it to me!

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The million-dollar motorhomes still crowd the infield at Daytona International Speedway, and the FanZone has hosted a steady stream of cash-carrying customers.

The hospitality village is up and running, ready to host VIPs who helicopter in before NASCAR's version of the Super Bowl.

On the surface, nothing seems amiss as today's season-opening Daytona 500 approaches.

Is it all just a mirage?

NASCAR, like most businesses, is certainly feeling the affects of the economic crisis as America's most popular racing series heads into yet another season. Budgets have been slashed and hundreds of crew members are out of work. Teams that existed in November have folded, while others have merged to stave off a similar fate.

But Daytona is a difficult place to measure just how rough 2009 could be. Pomp and circumstance still surround the biggest event of the season, creating an appearance of normalcy that might be misleading.

"I think the Daytona 500 is such a big event in and of itself that it seems like you always have more here than you have other places," veteran driver Jeff Burton said. "It's hard to compare the Daytona 500 to other places. But we know there are companies that aren't doing the hospitality they did last year. We know there are people who aren't going to be able to buy the race tickets they did last year.

"I think that will show up more at the Californias, the Atlantas, the places like that is where we'll see it."

Indeed, the talk during the weeklong buildup to the 500 has been a worried whisper about sluggish ticket sales next week at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., or next month in Atlanta. Both venues have traditionally struggled to fill the grandstands, and the respective owners swapped their late-season dates this year in an effort to lure fans to their races.

Across the entire industry, track promoters are concocting clever pricing schemes, reducing concession costs and convincing hotel operators to lower their rates to create an affordable weekend.

"There's no doubt this is going to be a difficult year to sell tickets," said Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage. "But it's going to be difficult in every sport, not just NASCAR, where it appears to be more pronounced because our venues are so much larger. But it's not the toughest times this sport has ever faced, not by a long shot.

"There are far more teams right now with far more money. NASCAR has a finger on the pulse of the problems the industry is facing, and the drivers are willing to do their part. I've had calls from many drivers asking 'Do you need something? Can I help with something?' I've never had that in 30 years."

Regardless, people in every corner of the garage recognize the sport — which is so heavily dependent on corporate sponsorship — has a challenging season ahead. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin all informed owner Rick Hendrick they'd be willing to take a reduction in salary if it would help the organization maintain its hold as the most dominant team in NASCAR.

"I certainly don't want Rick to be in a position where he can't do things for the race team because he has to pay Jeff Gordon," the four-time series champion said. "And I certainly don't want sponsors to not come into the company because they can't afford the rates."

So far, at least at the front of the field, the sponsorship dollars are still flowing. There's no hiding that some teams are struggling to find significant funding, but there are companies still willing to spend, said David Abrutyn, senior vice president of IMG Consulting, which works with NASCAR sponsors Allstate and Coca-Cola.

"Sports is still a very powerful marketing tool, and NASCAR reaches a tremendous fan base," Abrutyn said. "You can't do business without advertising your brand. During these times, the goal is trying to do it smart, efficiently and figuring out how to maximize your spend. NASCAR provides that opportunity."

Gossage is concerned corporate executives, gun-shy about the negative perception of hosting lavish parties at big sporting events, will scale back at-track hospitality at venues across the country. But Abrutyn said the functions are still essential.

"Is there less hospitality? Yes. But entertaining 50 to 100 of a company's best customers, or Coca-Cola honoring its distributors at a race, is still an effective tool," he said.

Continued involvement will also be linked to the actual on-track product, which through three non-points races has so far been pretty good. And it's helped that Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch — three of the sport's biggest names — each won a trip to Victory Lane in the days leading up to the Daytona 500.

It was the first win since October 2007 for Gordon, who last year suffered through his first winless season since his 1993 rookie campaign. Busch, meanwhile, won for the first time since the late-season collapse that cost him his first NASCAR championship.

NASCAR's success is often tied to the success of its most popular drivers, so good racing and likable winners could be the tonic the sport needs. The first step is an exciting Daytona 500, and NASCAR chairman Brian France won't exactly be rooting for the favorites.

The weakened economy has opened the door for independent team owners to get a foot in the sport, proven when Scott Riggs and Jeremy Mayfield both earned spots in the Daytona 500. Mayfield formed his own team less than a month ago, while Riggs was persuaded to drive for former crew chief Tommy Baldwin, who found himself out of work when Bill Davis Racing folded in late December.

France believes NASCAR will prosper if the underdogs can find some success.

"That's very encouraging for us," France said. "Someone who says, 'I didn't have the biggest budget but was still competitive,' that would be a wonderful story to see unfold in 2009."

Of course, those kind of stories are part of NASCAR's legacy, dating back to the days when racers scraped together every last penny just to make it to the racetrack. The minimal purse winnings rarely went toward the grocery bill, often being used on a new set of tires or next week's entry fee.

Earnhardt Jr. grew up in that style of NASCAR, watching his grandfather and father eke out a living through racing.

"I pull hard for the underdog," he said. "If there is a time when it can get back to single-car teams with minimal funding competing, this is it."

NTSB: Plane didn't dive, but landed flat on house

2009-02-15T11:29:00.001+01:00

CLARENCE, N.Y. – An investigator says the plane that crashed on a house in New York state landed flat on it and was pointed away from the airport where it was supposed to land.

Steve Chealander (CHEE-lan-duhr) said Saturday that Continental Connection Flight 3407 did not dive into the house, as initially thought.

Chealander says the New Jersey-to-Buffalo flight was cleared to land on a runway pointing to the southwest. But the plane crashed with its nose pointed to the northeast.

He also says the catastrophic nature of the crash means it could take three or four days to remove human remains.

Forty-nine people on the plane and one person in the house died in the fiery crash late Thursday.

Crash investigators picked through incinerated wreckage Saturday, gathering evidence to determine what brought down a commuter plane that plunged into a home and exploded.

It could take days to recover all human remains from the plot of land where a single-family home stood before Continental Connection Flight 3407 nose-dived into it late Thursday, National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Steve Chealander said.

Experts were analyzing data from the black boxes, including statements by crew members about a buildup of ice on the wings and windshield of the plane, Chealander said.

But authorities have yet to pin that as the cause of the crash, which occurred during a light snow and mist, killing 49 people on the flight and one man in the home.

Ice on wings can cripple an aircraft and has been blamed for several previous plane crashes. Other aircraft in the area Thursday night told air traffic controllers it also experienced icing around the time that Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J., to Buffalo went down.

Icing is one of several elements being examined by investigators, who plan to remain in Buffalo for another week before shipping plane parts to locations around the country for study, Chealander said. A full report will likely take a year, he said.

"We're in the very early stages of the investigation," he said. "The icing and other things are just preliminary focuses."

One aspect of the investigation will focus on the crew, how they were trained and whether they had enough time to rest between flights. Other investigators focused on the weather, the mechanics of the plane and whether the engine, wings and various mechanics of the plane operated as they were designed to.

But recovery of the bodies will take priority over the investigation, Chealander said.

The remains-recovery effort was being led by Dennis Dirkmaat, a forensic anthropologist from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa., and a nationally renowned expert who led the recovery effort after United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pa., on Sept. 11, 2001.

The crash site remained off limits Saturday, with police barring reporters and photographers from the neighborhood.

Authorities still haven't released a list of the victims of the nation's first deadly air crash in 2 1/2 years, but reminders of the disaster were visible all around the Buffalo area.

Flags flew at half-staff outside Buffalo Niagara International Airport and at Clarence Town Hall, the site of a command center set up by police.

Family members of the victims were sequestered in a hotel Saturday where they were scheduled to meet with representatives of Continental Airlines. Police turned away reporters.

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft was operated by Colgan Air, based in Manassas, Va. Colgan's parent company is Pinnacle Airlines of Memphis, Tenn.

Rihanna's Father Takes His Turn with the Press

2009-02-15T10:23:00.002+01:00

This story will not go away. Now their parents are having their say. Nobody cares!! Well actually a lot of people do I guess. Thats why this story continues to sbore high in search engine polls. So who am I to argue..

Earlier, we told you what Chris Brown's father, Clinton Brown, had to say about the Grammy-night incident between his son and girlfriend Rihanna. Clinton Brown told People magazine his son was "very remorseful" and would "take from this situation and learn from it." Now, Rihanna's father is speaking out to People.

In an interview with the magazine, Rihanna's dad, Ronald Fenty, says he was stunned when he first heard about the incident between his daughter and Chris Brown. "I didn't believe it," Fenty said.

Speaking about Brown, he said, "You think you know somebody, but you really don't."

Fenty confirmed that Rihanna has been in her native Barbados. As for her condition, Fenty said, "There is some bruising. She will be alright. I think so."

He said he hoped his daughter would move on from her relationship with Brown and use the experience to help other women who may be victims of domestic violence. "At some point, she will speak out. I hope she will stand up for women all over the world."

Fenty said they last time he saw the couple they seemed happy. "I don't know what went wrong," he said.

A sentiment that's been shared by many this past week

Slumdog Millionaire and The Dark night are Oscar favourites

2009-02-14T19:25:00.008+01:00

I saw Slumdog Millionaire only a couple of nights ago and Batman I saw last year. I wasn't that impressed with any of them. Slumdog was alright. Infact it was quite good. But thats it "quite good" isn't good enough for an Oscar, then again they do love there underdog stories...

Batman was too long and the only thing that keept me watching was Heath Ledger. Great performance. Tradgic loss and If they give him an Oscar it will detract from his performance. Ony because he is dead they'd give him an Oscar for voicing a Pizza hut commercial and in the case of Dark night he deserved an Oscar not cause he's dead but because it's one of his finest bits of acting ever. Did that come across right?

The Dark Knight is the box-office behemoth with the deceased acting front-runner whose name everyone knows. Slumdog Millionaire is the out-of-nowhere surprise with a cast no one ever heard of before.
Thursday's Academy Awards nominations could set up a duel between those two rarities: One a superhero saga so esteemed that it has lifted the comic-book genre into best-picture territory, the other a tiny tale whose rags-to-riches theme mirrors the film's rise to success.
On the one-year anniversary of Heath Ledger's death, he is expected to earn a supporting-actor nomination for his feverish performance as Batman's archenemy, the Joker, in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight."

Ledger has been the solid favorite throughout awards season. The film had been considered a longshot in other top categories, but it has gained momentum for best picture, director and screenplay as it grabbed across-the-board nominations for awards from one Hollywood guild after another.
"Slumdog Millionaire" leaped onto the awards radar as it premiered at film festivals late last summer, while "The Dark Knight" was soaring beyond the half-billion mark at the domestic box office.

Directed by Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire" became a darling of critics, and the film has climbed to nearly $50 million at the box office playing in narrow release compared to the theater blitz of "The Dark Knight" and other studio blockbusters. It swept its four categories at the Golden Globes, including the prize for best drama.

"The Dark Knight" continues the story Nolan started with "Batman Begins," starring a top-name cast that includes Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman.

"Slumdog Millionaire" features a cast of unknowns in the story of a youth rising to fame and fortune after terrible hardships on the streets of Mumbai, the heart of India's Bollywood film industry.

Other best-picture contenders could include two films about fallen political figures: the Richard Nixon drama "Frost/Nixon" and the Harvey Milk tale "Milk." Also in the running are the Roman Catholic drama "Doubt," the marital tragedy "Revolutionary Road" and the romantic fantasy "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Frank Langella as Nixon in "Frost/Nixon" and Sean Penn as the slain gay-rights pioneer in "Milk" are likely best-actor nominees.

Kate Winslet has a shot at two nominations, best actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for the Holocaust-themed drama "The Reader." Winslet won both prizes at the Golden Globes.

Among other acting prospects are Winslet's "Titanic" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio for "Revolutionary Road," Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett for "Benjamin Button," Anne Hathaway for the family drama "Rachel Getting Married" and Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams for "Doubt."

The Oscars also might offer a classic Hollywood comeback story. A pariah for years because of bad-boy behavior that wrecked his career, Mickey Rourke has returned to grace with the sports drama "The Wrestler," which earned him the Globe for best dramatic actor.

Oscar nominees are chosen in most categories by specific branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, such as actors, directors and writers. The academy's full membership of about 6,000 was eligible to vote for best-picture nominations and can cast ballots for the winners in all categories at the Oscar ceremony itself.

The 81st Oscars will be presented Feb. 22 in a ceremony airing on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

This year's Oscars already present a departure from previous shows. Rather than a comedian, such as past hosts Billy Crystal, Chris Rock or Jon Stewart, the emcee this time is Hugh Jackman, star of the "X-Men" flicks and a Tony Award winner for best actor in a musical.

Baby-faced boy Alfie Patten is father at 13

2009-02-14T14:02:00.006+01:00

Here is a story from good auld England, but it could have happened anywhere. Its getting a lot of headlines over there but frankly I don't see what the big deal is myself. Sure it was irresponsible, but is it really going to impact thier lives that much? It's going to be harder on their parents who are going to have to take the brunt of the costs and efforts. While Alfie and Chantelle continue there schooling etc. I'm sure they didn't lick this kind of behavour of a stone though... Did you see the pictures of thier parents?

Baby-faced Alfie, who is 13 but looks more like eight, became a father four days ago when his girlfriend Chantelle Steadman gave birth to 7lb 3oz Maisie Roxanne.

He told how he and Chantelle, 15, decided against an abortion after discovering she was pregnant.

The shy lad, whose voice has not yet broken, said: “I thought it would be good to have a baby.

“I didn’t think about how we would afford it. I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10.”

Alfie, who is just 4ft tall, added: “When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.

“I didn’t know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.”

Alfie's story has sparked a huge political storm with Tory leader David Cameron saying: "When I saw these pictures this morning, I just thought how worrying that in Britain today children are having children.

"I hope that somehow these children grow up into responsible parents but the truth is parenthood is just not something they should be thinking about right now."

PM Gordon Brown refused to comment directly on the story but said it was important that the Government did all it could to prevent teenage pregnancies.

Alfie’s dad Dennis yesterday told how the lad does not really understand the enormity of his situation — but seemed desperate to be a devoted and responsible father.

He wanted to be the first to hold Maisie after the hospital birth. He tenderly kisses the baby and gives her a bottle.

And Dennis, 45, said: “He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day.”

Maisie was conceived after Chantelle and Alfie — just 12 at the time — had a single night of unprotected sex.

They found out about the baby when Chantelle was 12 weeks pregnant.

But they kept it a secret until six weeks later when Chantelle’s mum Penny, 38, became suspicious about her weight gain and confronted her.

After that Alfie’s family told only those closest to them for fear he would be “demonised” at school.

Chantelle gave birth to Maisie on Monday night after a five-hour labour at Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex.

Last night she told The Sun: “I’m tired after the birth. I was nervous after going into labour but otherwise I was quite excited.”

Chantelle told how she discovered she was expecting after going to her GP with “really bad” stomach pains. She said: “Me and Alfie went. The doctor asked me whether we had sex. I said yes and he said I should do a pregnancy test. He did the test and said I was pregnant. I started crying and didn’t know what to do.

“He said I should tell my mum but I was too scared.

“We didn’t think we would need help from our parents. You don’t really think about that when you find out you are pregnant. You just think your parents will kill you.”

But Penny figured out what was going on after buying Chantelle a T-shirt which revealed her swelling tum.

Chantelle admitted she and Alfie — who are both being supported by their parents — would be accused of being grossly irresponsible. She said: “We know we made a mistake but I wouldn’t change it now. We will be good loving parents.

“I have started a church course and I am going to do work experience helping other young mums. “I’ll be a great mum and Alfie will be a great dad.”

Chantelle and Maisie were released from hospital yesterday. They are living with Penny, Chantelle’s jobless dad Steve, 43, and her five brothers in a rented council house in Eastbourne. The family live on benefits. Alfie, who lives on an estate across town with mum Nicola, 43, spends most of his time at the Steadmans’ house.

He is allowed to stay overnight and even has a school uniform there so he can go straight to his classes in the morning.

Alfie’s dad, who is separated from Nicola, believes the lad is scared deep down.

He said: “Everyone is telling him things and it’s going round in his head. It hasn’t really dawned on him. He hasn’t got a clue of what the baby means and can’t explain how he feels. All he knows is mum and dad will help.

“When you mention money his eyes look away. And she is reliant on her mum and dad. It’s crazy. They have no idea what lies ahead.”

Dennis, who works for a vehicle recovery firm, described Alfie as “a typical 13-year-old boy”.

He said: “He loves computer games, boxing and Manchester United.” Dennis, who has fathered nine kids, told how he was “gobsmacked” when he discovered Alfie was to be a dad, too.

He said: “When I spoke to him he started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex, that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that could come.

“I will talk to him again and it will be the birds and the bees talk. Some may say it’s too late but he needs to understand so there is not another baby.”

Chantelle’s mum said: “I told her it was lovely to have the baby but I wish it was in different circumstances. We have five children already so it’s a big financial responsibility. But we are a family and will pull together and get through.

“She’s my daughter. I love her and she will want for nothing.”

Last night Michaela Aston, of the anti-abortion Christian charity LIFE, said: “We commend these teenagers for their courage in bringing their child into the world.

“At the same time this is symptomatic of the over-sexualisation of our youngsters and shows the policy of value-free sex education just isn’t working.”

Today Sussex Police and the local council's children services said they have investigated the case and pledged continued support for the young parents.

Britain’s youngest known father is Sean Stewart. He became a dad at 12 when the girl next door, 15-year-old Emma Webster, gave birth in Sharnbrook, Bedford, in 1998. They split six months later.

3 Sexy Valentine's Day Gifts

2009-02-14T13:50:00.002+01:00

If you ask me Valentine's day is a complete waste of time, (No Im not single). The whole thing is a marketing gimick by halmark cards to sell more I love you items.
Whoever if you are going to buy in to the whole valentine thing, why not be a bit daring rather then roses and a box of chocholates read this:

Valentine's Day is this Saturday. Have you made your reservations, picked out your lingerie and stocked up on condoms? Wait, did we hear you say that you haven't made plans? You haven't even bought a gift? Stop the presses, this just in: some women aren't into romance!

If you love V-Day you started making plans weeks ago. If you don't care about Cupid's big day Saturday'll pass like any other weekend night (just don't try to go to a restaurant). But what if you're in the middle—you're not into the whole chocolates and roses thing, but you'd kinda like to do something special? How about making the day especially sexy? Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to try out a new position, enact your fantasy, or buy a new sex toy. Below are Love Buzz's three picks for a fun, sexy Valentine's day. They start pretty G-rated and end in out-of-control pleasure… literally.

Sexy Love Sox. If you can get past the name these little guys could be your ticket into foot-massage heaven. The socks show you how to stimulate your erogenous zones using reflexology, the idea that the entire human body is influenced by the soles of your feet. A map on the bottom of the socks is supposed to correspond to certain areas of your body, and they stretch so they should fit both dainty and gorilla-sized tootsies. The packaging explains reflexology and includes a "6-minute seduction" line-up that instructs you to "press each area in the following order." Click here for more info or to buy.

Form 6. Single this V-day and want to treat yourself to a delicious new vibrator? Or perhaps you're coupled, and you want to add a little reverberation to your love-making? No matter what you're going for, the Form 6 is an excellent vibrator, and it's out in pink, just in time for the holiday.

This vibe is smooth, so any surface can be bused for pleasure, and it's curved for perfect G-spot stimulation. The best part, though, is that unlike normal vibrators that only pulsate at one end, this baby shakes it up at both ends and each side has its own controller, so you can pleasure both inside and out at the same time but with different intensities. Plus, it's waterproof. What more could you ask for?

If you're up for something adventurous this V-day, consider the Cry Baby. Another strangely named but fun toy, the Cry Baby is a remote controlled vibe. You wear the pink-bullet vibe inside you and a plastic string hangs down for easy retrieval. Your partner holds an inconspicuous remote—it could be an iPod or a small phone—which controls various vibration intensities and pulsation patterns that he can turn on and off at his will. Talk about a spicy meal… Click here for more info or to buy.

Beverly Eckert, a 9/11 widow and activist, among those killed in plane crash

2009-02-13T20:40:00.005+01:00

This story is just sickening, after going through all that and pulling yourself up, just to be killed in a plane crash. Two members of the same family killed by an airplane. What are the odds? Your probably more likely to get hit by a defunct out of control, russian communications satellite.

Eckert, whose husband was in the World Trade Center on 9/11, was flying to Buffalo to launch a scholarship in his memory. She had met with President Obama last week to discuss anti-terror measures.

Last week, Beverly Eckert was at the White House to talk with President Barack Obama about how the new administration could deal with those suspected of terrorism.

This morning, Eckert, the widow of a man who died in the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, was among the 50 people killed when a commuter plane crashed outside Buffalo, N.Y.

"Beverly was gentle, loving and fragile," said Christy Ferer, another 9/11 widow who knew Eckert. "She was still in pain from her 9/11 loss and consequently pulled back a bit from her 9/11 activities. She was loved and respected by so many."

Eckert's husband, Sean worked at Aon Corp., a risk management firm, on the 98th floor of the World Trade Center's south tower. She often cried when she told how Sean, her high school sweetheart, telephoned her on the morning of the attacks, said he loved her. A loud explosion then silence ended the call.

She was on Continental Connection Flight 3407 to Buffalo to mark her husband's 58th birthday and to launch a scholarship in his memory, President Obama said this morning.

"Tragic events such as these remind us of the fragility of life and the value of every single day," Obama said in televised remarks to the Business Council.

"One person who understood that well was Beverly Eckert, who was on that flight and who I met with just a few days ago. You see, Beverly lost her husband on 9/11 and became a tireless advocate for those families whose lives were forever changed on that September day.

"I pray that her family finds peace and comfort in the hard days ahead," the president said.

Eckert was among the group of relatives of those who died in the terror attacks who worked to make Congress more responsive to the threat from terrorism. The group's work helped push the 2004 reform of the U.S. intelligence system.

When it was over and they'd won passage of the intelligence reform law, Eckert said she would end her high-profile role to return to a quieter life.

"I did all of this for Sean's memory, I did it for him," she said. "I just wanted Sean to come home from work. Maybe now, someone else's Sean will get to come home."

Economic Stimulus package headed for House vote on Friday

2009-02-13T10:54:00.004+01:00

Almost there, but is this the answer to all our prayers? What happens next? All these nay sayers who are against the bill keep telling us it is bad for the taxpayers and bad for future taxpayers, but how? Elaborate please! and no comments about Barack Obama not being a natural born American citizen please.

$790 billion economic stimulus plan delayed

Reluctant to call it quits, key lawmakers bargained into overtime Thursday on the $790 billion economic stimulus legislation before reaching final agreement more than 24 hours after first announcing a deal.

Lingering controversy over school-modernization money and a scaled-back tax break for businesses forced a delay in final votes on the legislation.

But by nightfall, with Democratic leaders eager for final passage by the weekend, all issues were reported settled. House leaders announced a vote for Friday, with the Senate to follow later in the day or over the weekend.

Republicans, lined up to vote against the bill, piled on the scorn. "This is not the smart approach," said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader. "The taxpayers of today and tomorrow will be left to clean up the mess."

"Approval of the bill will allow companies grow again"
President Barack Obama delivered what has become a daily call for congressional action, this time from the industrial heartland. With approval of the bill, he said in Peoria, Ill., companies "may be able to start growing again. Rather than cutting jobs, they may be able to create them again."

He spoke at Caterpillar Inc., the heavy machinery giant that has announced 22,000 layoffs. The president has said in recent days the company has promised to rescind some of them once the stimulus passes, but Chief Executive Jim Owens said there probably would be more layoffs before that can occur.

At the Capitol and in an atmosphere of uncertainty, provisions were coming to light that had not been included in the original bills that passed the House or Senate -- or that differed markedly from earlier versions, or that appeared to brush up against claims of the bill's supporters that no pet projects known as "earmarks" were included.

$3.2 billion tax break for GM
One last-minute addition was a $3.2 billion tax break for General Motors Corp. that would allow the ailing auto giant to use current losses to claim refunds for taxes paid when times were good. GM got a $13.4 billion federal bailout late last year -- and is expected to receive more in 2009 -- and argued that without the provision, its government-financed turnaround plan could force the company to pay higher taxes.

The legislation does not mention GM specifically, but the company has been lobbying hard for the provision for months, with help from Michigan's representatives in Congress. "We wanted to make sure that the restructuring wasn't counteracted," said Rep. Sander M. Levin, D-Mich., a supporter of the provision.

It was not immediately clear why the provision had not been included in the bill that cleared the House several weeks ago.

Negotiators sweetened another tax break at the last minute, doubling to $1.6 billion a provision that would benefit businesses that buy their own debt at a discount. It was a major priority of business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which argued it would help firms and banks clear debt from their balance sheets and begin to hire workers and lend money to customers. The business group announced its support of the bill, despite the heavy opposition from its customary Republican allies in Congress.

Another late addition was a quadrupling to $8 billion, at the behest of Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., of money to construct high-speed rail lines. Reid's office issued a statement noting that a proposed Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas rail could get a big chunk of the money.

While heavily lobbied, such provisions were largely around the edges of a bill that supporters said would save or create 3.5 million jobs and that Obama has made a centerpiece of his economic recovery plan.

Increased unemployment benefits and food stamps
The bill includes billions of dollars for victims of the recession in the form of increased unemployment benefits and food stamps, subsidies to defray the cost of laid-off workers who want to continue their private health insurance and expanded government-financed coverage for the poor.

Billions more would head off deep cuts in services by the states, many of which face deficits of their own because of the recession.

The bill also included Obama's signature tax cut, although on a slightly reduced scale. It will mean a $400 break for most individual workers and $800 for couples, including those who do not earn enough to pay income taxes.

Democratic leaders had originally hoped to vote on the bill on Thursday, then announced it would be Friday. There was no schedule for the Senate vote.

There was no evidence that the bill's passage was in jeopardy, although Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, whose vote is critical to Senate approval, issued a statement at midday that said she was "continuing to press for changes" that would broaden a tax break that was drafted to apply only to certain small businesses. The provision allows firms operating at a loss to claim refunds for taxes paid when times were profitable, and negotiators agreed during the day to let more companies qualify.

Snowe's office released the statement at about the same time House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told a reporter that bargaining was finished.

Pelosi herself was involved in a continuing disagreement over the use of federal funds for school modernization -- the issue that caused her to withhold support from the compromise on Wednesday for more than two hours after key senators had announced it.

Due to the insistence of Senate Republican moderates, an attempt to create a new federal program for school construction was scrapped in final negotiations. As a compromise, money from a $40 billion fund for local schools could be used for school repairs.

But Democrats wanted assurances that the states would allocate the money according to need, rather than at a governor's sole discretion, leading to renewed negotiations.

LA police to investigate death threats to octuplet mom

2009-02-13T10:42:00.004+01:00

This is mad, people spend to much time worrying about other peoples problems. What is a death threat going to accomplish? or worse what is killing her going to prove? Are people upset becuase she is having kids while being unemployed or that she is having 8 at once, or 8 more?
She's going to have a hard time as it is without a load of nazi yokals sending angry emails.
I say good luck with the soccer team Nadya.

LOS ANGELES – Police said Thursday they will investigate death threats against octuplet mother Nadya Suleman and advise her publicist on how to handle a torrent of other nasty messages that have flooded his office.

Word that the 33-year-old single, unemployed mother is receiving public assistance to care for the 14 children she conceived through in vitro fertilization has stoked furor among many people.

Police Lt. John Romero said officers were meeting with Suleman's publicist Mike Furtney about the flood of angry phone calls and e-mail messages against Suleman, her children and Furtney.

"We are aware of the media accounts of the threats, and that they are being sent to the West Los Angeles detectives for appropriate action," Romero said.

Furtney said 500 new e-mails were received early Thursday.

"We're talking to the Los Angeles Police Department to get their best advice as to how to regard these messages," he said as the phone in his office rang constantly.

He is also consulting with a security professional to get advice on any precautions that might need to be taken.

Suleman is living in an undisclosed location and spends time with all her kids every day, Furtney said. The octuplets are expected to remain in the hospital for several more weeks.

Not all the calls have been angry. One family from the Midwest has invited Suleman and her brood to live on their farm, Furtney said.

"One thing that keeps me from jumping out the window is that we've heard from many people offering some kind of support: clothing, food, financial or other help," he said.

Suleman has been supporting her six other children with $490 a month in food stamps and receives Social Security disability payments for three of the youngsters that could total $2,379 a month.

She has estimated her in vitro fertilization procedures have cost $100,000.

Suleman has said she saved for the treatments by working double shifts and also used money from a disability award exceeding $165,000 that she received after an on-the-job back injury.

The benefits were discontinued last year.

The Suleman octuplets' medical costs have not been disclosed, but in 2006, the average cost for a premature baby's hospital stay in California was $164,273, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Eight times that equals $1.3 million.

For a single mother, the cost of raising 14 children through age 17 ranges from $1.3 million to $2.7 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Airliner crashes into home in upstate NY, killing 49 people

2009-02-13T08:59:00.006+01:00

Where these Dash-8 planes not i some kind of trouble last year with scandinavian airlines, where Bombardier had to fork out loads of compensation for faulty construction or something - any airplane buffs out there who can tell me more? Who's ever fault it was it's still a tradgedy though.

A Continental Express flight from Newark to Buffalo crashed into a home 4 to 6 miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Thursday night, killing 49 people, officials said.

The plane carried 44 passengers and a crew of four, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Ted Lopatkiewicz, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, said at midnight that he did not know if there were any survivors on the plane. The Erie County executive, Chris Collins, later said at a news conference that 49 people were killed, including one on the ground.

Collins said the plane, Continental Airlines Flight 3407, crashed about 10:20 p.m., five minutes before it was due to land. The house it crashed into was still engulfed in flames at 12:30 a.m., and Collins said that about 12 houses were evacuated and a limited state of emergency was declared.

Trooper John Manthey of the New York State Police said the plane went down in the hamlet of Clarence Center.

"It was just like a huge, great big crash, a boom," said Sandra Baker, who lives two blocks from the crash site on Railroad Street.

Both of her sons, volunteer firefighters, were at the scene.

"There was this banging sound" before the crash, she said. Then, she said, there was a boom, then a dark cloud and flames and the acrid smell of fuel and fire wafting through the air.

She said she believed the two people who lived in the home where the plane crashed made it out safely, but she was not sure; she did not know them personally, but said people had seen them watching their home burn with their neighbors.

Another woman who lives nearby described the sound before the crash as "a loud roar over my house."

"It was like the whole house shook," said the woman, Jennifer Clark, who also lives on Railroad Street. "Then there was silence."

Clark said she looked out of her window and saw a ball of flames rising into the sky.

She woke up her husband and said, "I think a plane just crashed."

Baker described the town as "small town U.S.A.," a place that will reel from what she was sure would be the biggest tragedy the town has ever seen.

The plane went down in light snow, Lopatkiewicz said.

A joint investigation was being conducted by the New York State Police, the Erie County Sheriff's Office and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. A safety board team of investigators will arrive in Buffalo this morning, he said.

The plane was a De Havilland DHC-8-400 Dash 8, a 74-seat, twin-engine turboprop, operated by Colgan Airways, a feeder airline for Continental.

Colgan also flies as a feeder for US Airways and United Airlines. Colgan's Web site said the airline operates 51 turboprops, including the Q400, which is a newer version of the Dash 8.

The last fatal crash involving a scheduled carrier in the United States was a ComAir regional jet in Lexington, Ky., in August 2006. The crew picked a too-short runway for takeoff; 47 passengers and two of the three crew members were killed.

Juaquin Phoenix on the Late Show with David Letterman

2009-02-12T19:44:00.003+01:00

This one is definatly a wind-up.. There is no way this is serious, he is promoting something.. or maybe just having a laugh at David Letterman's expence. Either way it's hilarious to watch.
Has anybody seen or heard anything about this rap career? Me thinks its all a big hoax. A viral hoax. Enjoy the video:

Dave: "Joaquin, I'm Sorry You Couldn't Be Here Tonight"

If you thought Joaquin Phoenix was bizarre before, his behavior during an interview on the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Wednesday didn't do much to dispel the notion that the actor, at times, isn't all there.

In by far one of the weirdest interviews Letterman has ever conducted, Phoenix appeared detached, aloof and at times irritated during a seven-minute sit-down that had the audience rolling and Letterman searching for some way to get meaningful answers.

Was it all possibly a put-on by the talented actor? Not likely. It's hard to imagine anyone going in front of a national television audience and purposely making himself look that bad. But then again, Hollywood is Hollywood. One never knows.

Phoenix came out dressed in all black, with long hair, a shaggy beard and wearing dark shades, sort of like a Blue Brothers get-up on steroids.

Letterman started out by saying it had been three years since Phoenix had been on the program. The veteran host started in playfully on the actor's beard, asked if it was comfortable or itchy. Phoenix seemed completely aloof and unaware that Letterman was even talking to him. Letterman asked if the beard was comfortable.

"I'm okay with it, but now you're making me feel weird about it," Phoenix said.

Letterman then joked that he can't possibly be the first person to make him feel weird about it, to which the 34-year-old star of such films as "Gladiator" and "Signs," said, "No, I guess not."

Phoenix scratched the left side of his face and Letterman pointed out that's what he was referring to. Is the beard uncomfortable? Phoenix said the scratching was just a nervous tick.

Letterman then lauded Phoenix for his new movie, "Two Lovers," that he stars in alongside Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow. Phoenix, however, seemed completely detached, like he didn't realize Letterman was speaking to him.

"Oh yeah, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw," Phoenix said after a long pause and adjusting his shades.

Letterman told Phoenix he loved the movie and his acting. Phoenix just replied, "Thank you."

At that point the audience was beginning to catch on that something just wasn't right with the entire interview. Laughter began to dictate Dave's questions. Phoenix, however, seemed unfazed by the whole thing, lost in whatever world he was currently occupying.

After a long pause, Letterman, clearly puzzled by Phoenix's lack of focus in the interview, got in one of the best zingers of the conversation.

"So what can you tell me about your days with the Unabomber?"

Phoenix just stared into space.

Later, Letterman said he hoped after Phoenix took some time off from acting, as he had said he plans to do to pursue a music career, he would reconsider and return to the big screen because, Letterman said, Phoenix is one of the best actors in Hollywood.

Phoenix didn't reply, even as the audience members encouraged him with cheers and applause.

Letterman continued his prodding and asked Phoenix what he plans on doing while taking a sabbatical from acting.

"Well, I've been working on my music," he said through a stutter.

Letterman then praised Phoenix for his work in the Academy Award-nominated flick "Walk The Line" and asked if that style of music is something Phoenix wants to pursue.

"No, no … I do more of hip-hop music," he replied.

The audience snickered and Phoenix looked generally surprised and said, "What is that, a joke?" He then looked at Letterman and said, "What do you have them on? What do you gas them up with?"

Phoenix later uttered a simple "yes" when asked if it was fun to act alongside "Two Lovers" co-star Isabella Rossellini.

Letterman then asked Phoenix if he has any fun stories to tell the audience. Again, Phoenix looked lost, as if he didn't understand the question.

Letterman asked the actor to keep the "Late Show" in mind when his new hip-hop career takes off because "we want to be there."

"Well, I'd love to come on this show and perform," Phoenix said, setting the stage for some of the most uncomfortable moments of the interview.

Letterman quickly responded, "You know that seems unlikely," to huge laughs.

Phoenix tried to say he's seen some of the other guests perform, as if to say if you'd give them the chance why not me? But Letterman quickly segued into something else.

"I'll keep you in our Rolodex," Letterman said to huge laughs.

Letterman, as he customarily does with guests on his show, asked Phoenix to help set up the clip he was about to show. Phoenix had no idea and took exception to Paul Shaffer's laughing. "Are you ------ kidding? Are you serious with that maniacal laughter? I don't know what the clip is."

Letterman explained it was a clip with Paltrow, to which Phoenix said, "You're doing fine." Letterman fired back, "That's high praise, coming from you."

That response clearly irked Phoenix, who tried to get an explanation from Letterman for his sarcasm. The host said, "Relax. We're having fun."

"I'll come to your house and chew gum," Letterman added.

Phoenix took the gum out of his mouth and put it under Letterman's desk.

Letterman closed the interview by saying, "Joaquin, I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight."

Phoenix smiled a bit, looked down and said, "He's funny. He's a funny dude."

Barack Obama looks to Abraham Lincoln while launching presidency

2009-02-12T15:07:00.005+01:00

And why not? Abraham Lincolon represents everything that is good about America, Why wouldn't Obama want to cash in on some of that 'feel god factor'. There are worse presidents to follow. And I think Obama is certainly, or will prove to be, just as historic. I think he should grow a beard and wear a stove pipe hat.

When Barack Obama launched his presidential campaign, he did it in Abraham Lincoln's hometown. When he arrived in Washington, he followed the train route Lincoln used in 1861. When he needed a Bible for his swearing-in, Obama picked Lincoln's.

Heck, even Obama's lunch on Inauguration Day was modeled after Lincoln's favorites, right down to the seafood stew.

Clearly, the 44th president wants Americans to know how much he admires the 16th.

Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin thinks that reflects Obama's genuine affinity with Lincoln — for his willingness to learn and grow, his ability to communicate with the nation, his insistence on having strong-willed, independent advisers.

"Somehow Lincoln has worked himself into Obama's heart and mind, and it's a good thing to have Lincoln as your mentor," said Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Team of Rivals," a Lincoln book that Obama says has influenced his thinking on how to govern.

But for a new president trying to reassure people during another time of crisis, highlighting Lincoln can also be a signal to the nation: If one skinny Illinois lawyer could guide the country through the Civil War, then maybe another one can handle today's problems.

In a sense, Obama has associated himself with one of the most popular political brands in Illinois, says Bruce Newman, an expert on political marketing at DePaul University. Evoking Lincoln reassures voters that Obama shares their values and will try to emulate their hero.

Obama spent Wednesday evening at a performance saluting the renovation of Ford's Theatre, where Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. He reminded the crowd that even in the middle of the war, Lincoln insisted on devoting scarce resources to finishing the Capitol as a symbol that the nation would emerge united.

"For despite all that divided us — North and South, black and white — he had an unyielding belief that we were, at heart, one nation and one people," Obama said.

Obama is hardly the first president to display an affection for Lincoln, whose 200th birthday is Thursday.

Teddy Roosevelt, for instance, was sworn in wearing a ring that contained a strand of Lincoln's hair, and he surrounded himself with busts of Lincoln. Woodrow Wilson and Richard Nixon identified with him, too.

Historian Richard Norton Smith said admiring Lincoln is practically routine for presidents, particularly embattled ones. "I'm not sure how much it matters to voters. I suppose it's better to associate yourself with Lincoln than Millard Fillmore," he said.

But no other president can match the emotional connection of a black man following in the footsteps of the president who ended slavery. It helps complete what Smith called "the unfinished part of the Lincoln agenda" — bringing America closer to real racial equality.

Then there are the more mundane links.

Both Lincoln and Obama were lawyers who served in the Illinois Legislature. Both had brief Washington careers before running for president. Both started out as relative unknowns who were criticized as inexperienced, yet managed to win the White House.

Obama has highlighted his interest in Lincoln at key moments.

He launched his presidential campaign in at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., where Lincoln served. He returned there to reveal his pick for vice president. He quoted Lincoln in his campaign speeches and in his victory speech on election night.

He has kept up the Lincoln emphasis since then, even making an unannounced nighttime visit to the Lincoln Memorial with his family a few days before his inauguration.

On Thursday, Obama was delivering remarks at the Lincoln bicentennial celebration at the Capitol Rotunda. He planned to return to Springfield on Thursday night to deliver the keynote address at the Abraham Lincoln Association's annual banquet.

Smith, who was the first director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, sees a potential risk in Obama's public admiration of Lincoln.

"To the extent that you are seen as wrapping yourself in the Lincoln flag or, worse, presenting yourself as a latter-day Lincoln, you set the bar terribly high and you invite legitimate criticism," said Smith, now a scholar in residence at George Mason University.

But both he and Goodwin said they think Obama has successfully walked that tightrope so far.

"It's not that he's comparing himself with Lincoln," Goodwin said. "It's rather that he's just saying, here was a man who ... faced a time of crisis and came through it so extraordinarily, and I can learn from him."

Obama can do more than learn from Lincoln, said Springfield attorney Richard Hart, president of the Abraham Lincoln Association. He can also remember during dark times that Lincoln succeeded against the longest of odds.

"I hope he can have Lincoln as his pal as he goes through that lonely process of being president," Hart said. "I hope that Lincoln provides some strength to him."

Satellite collision over siberia

2009-02-12T14:36:00.005+01:00

Has anyone said cover up yet? A satellite part of the Iridium satcom fleet. A system that nobody realy knows what it does but, I quote "It is critical to many specialist applications today - many of them involving the military and intelligence communities" is hit buy a defunct russian satelite, over russia- I wonder, statisticly, what is the chance. Is there something we are not being told? Why were we told at all? read the artical, please comment.

A defunct Russian satellite has collided in orbit with another from the Iridium satcomms fleet, according to reports. Both spacecraft were wrecked, creating two large clouds of hazardous high-speed debris. The International Space Station (ISS) is not thought to be in danger, however.

US Military tracking debris
US air force colonel Les Kodlick has been quoted as saying that the American military is tracking an additional 500 to 600 pieces of orbital debris as a result of the collision, adding to the 18,000 other objects already logged.

"We believe it's the first time that two satellites have collided in orbit," the colonel added.

The collision reportedly took place at 1655 GMT on Tuesday, at an altitude of 490 miles above Siberia.

Critical to many specialist applications
The Russian satellite was a Cosmos telecoms bird launched in 1993 and no longer in service. The other sat dated from 1997 and was an active part of the Iridium network, which was originally intended to be the world's first global mobile phone system. However, GSM roaming beat Iridium to the punch and the network went bankrupt before being reborn with US government backing.

Iridium does have advantages over other satcomms systems, however, as it requires only a small antenna rather than a dish or other directional apparatus. It is critical to many specialist applications today - many of them involving the military and intelligence communities, perhaps giving a clue as to why the US government was so keen to revive the system.

The Iridium Satellite corporation told AFP that it expected only minor outages as a result of the collision.

Limited disruption to service
"This satellite loss may result in very limited service disruption in the form of brief, occasional outages," the firm said, adding that the company expects to have a network solution in place by Friday, and will move one of its in-orbit spares to permanently replace the destroyed satellite within 30 days.

NASA officials said that the ISS was not thought to be in significant danger as it orbits at an altitude of 220 miles, well below that of the satellite wreckage clouds. Should any debris threaten the space station, it has the ability to manoeuvre so as to avoid being struck: this has already happened on eight occasions.

The event seems sure to provide excellent conspiracy-theory fodder at any rate. Just for starters, here's one: the Russians deliberately rammed the Iridium sat to prevent a particular satphone call/tracker-bug message/submarine data upload getting through

Salma Hayek Breastfeeding

2009-02-12T00:31:00.009+01:00

Is this so popular because we get to see Salma Hayeks breasts or is it the issue of starving children. I guess its the former. If it was rosie O'Donnell Breastfeeding nobody would give a hoot. Average Joe couldn't care less about starving children in Sierra Leone, or thier supersticios parents - But show us a boob of a celebrety and you've got a story! Sad but true.

Since ABC's "Nightline" aired a story last week about Salma Hayek's goodwill trip to Sierra Leone, there has been a world-wide outpouring of reaction. Newspapers from Europe to Australia have made headlines out of a portion of the story in which Hayek breastfeeds another woman's newborn son on camera.

The clip of Hayek nursing a very hungry baby boy (ironically born on the same day as her own daughter) has surfaced on YouTube as well as on dozens of other web sites, drawing thousands of comments.
The actress and producer was told by doctors in Sierra Leone that many mothers stop breastfeeding their infants within the first few months after birth because of pressure from their husbands. Tradition has it, in some areas, that it is not acceptable to have sexual relations with breast feeding women.
Sierra Leone has the highest infant mortality rate in the world, in part fueled by malnutrition. Physicians there told Hayek they would like to see mothers breastfeed for a full two years but that stigma too often gets in the way.

Salma Hayek on Breastfeeding
Hayek said her decision to breastfeed another woman's child was an attempt to diminish the stigma placed on women for breast feeding. At the time she was still breastfeeding her 1-year-old daughter.

She told "Nightline" co-anchor Cynthia McFadden that she thought her daughter wouldn't mind sharing her milk. "Am I being disloyal to my child by giving her milk away?" Hayek said. "I actually think my baby would be very proud to share her milk. And when she grows up I'm going to make sure she continues to be a generous, caring person."

Hayek told McFadden that that the idea of helping a child in this way had a long tradition in her family. She related a story about her great-grandmother many years ago in Mexico saving the starving baby of a stranger by breastfeeding the child.

What Others Are Saying
A blogger on EW.com, the web site for Entertainment Weekly, declared the video clip winner of the "biggest eyebrow-raiser award" and called Hayek cool "because her left breast has now done more for humanity in a few minutes than I've done in roughly my life."

People commenting on mom and parenting web sites also had kudos for Hayek. "I got warm fuzzies when I saw this video," wrote Ribbiee78 on iVillage.com. "Awesome, just awesome. Even that little bit will help this baby boy."

Jennifer Perillo, who is the food editor at Working Mother magazine and writes blogs for NYC Moms Blog, The Mama Chronicles and The Daily Juggle, called Hayek's act "one of the greatest gifts you can give...a piece of yourself." Perillo is currently nursing her nine-month old baby.
She's also happy to see the attention shifted away from the octuplets mom. "Here's one person using her body to feed whatever emotional issues she has," Perillo said about Nadya Suleman, who added eight babies to the six she already had. "The flip side is a woman whose body is producing something naturally who is actually using it in such a powerful and positive way."

Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, the OB-GYN expert on momlogic.com, finds the whole thing an ironic twist on America's history of breastfeeding, which includes black wet nurses forced to breastfeed the slave owners' children during slavery and Victorian-era women who paid other women to nurse their children so they didn't have to be stuck at home.
"God bless Salma Hayek, who can go stick her boob in some poor African baby's mouth," Dr. Gilberg-Lenz said. "I think it's completely crazy. But I say, 'You go." She made a point and she made it loud and clear. And look, it's started a conversation about how breastfeeding is good and women should have a choice about it and we shouldn't be so afraid of our bodies."
Here's the originial "Nightline" story about Hayek's trip:
Salma Hayek's 'Heartbreaking' Mission

When actress and producer Salma Hayek arrived in Sierra Leone in September, she was not whisked off to a movie set.
She was there not as a celebrity, but as a humanitarian, to see firsthand a leading cause of death in the developing world: tetanus.
"Nightline" co-anchor Cynthia McFadden went along to document the journey.
To most people in the United States, tetanus brings to mind rusty nails and a quick trip to the doctor's office for a shot. But in developing countries like Sierra Leone, maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) is a top cause of death among mothers and their babies.
Hayek said that she didn't know what to expect from the trip.
"I was just open to this experience and it's been quite an amazing one," she said.

Netanyahu, Livni declare win in Israeli election

2009-02-11T12:40:00.004+01:00

I dont know much about the diffrent parties other then one being more right wing then the other. Will it make any diffrence to the palestine problem - Israel will always see itself as the victim, the country surrounded by arab enemys and will do anything to protect itself. And all with the backing of the US. Im not trying to legitemize hamas in any way, but .. but I don't know what I'm trying to say. Good Luck.

JERUSALEM – Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and hard-line rival Benjamin Netanyahu both claimed victory Tuesday in Israel's parliamentary election, but official results showed a race so close it could be decided by a third candidate — a rising power among the hawks.

Right-wing parties — including Netanyahu's Likud Party — appear to have won a clear majority of 65 seats in the 120-seat parliament, which would give Netanyahu the upper hand in forming the next government.

However, with 99 percent of the votes counted, Livni's centrist Kadima Party had 28 seats, while Likud had 27. Those results could change by a seat or two — enough to alter the outcome — when soldiers' votes are tallied Thursday evening.

The winner of the election wasn't clear in part because Livni could try to form a coalition with hawkish parties. It appeared ultranationalist Avigdor Lieberman, who based his campaign on denying citizenship to Israeli Arabs he considers disloyal, could single-handedly determine the country's next leader with his decision of whom to join.

He declared after the vote that he spoken to both Livni and Netanyahu and told them he could be persuaded to join either one, but he added that he wanted a "nationalist right-wing government."

Whoever comes out on top, the political wrangling was likely to drag on for weeks, and with it the fate of international Mideast peace efforts.

A win by Livni, who favors giving up land to make room for a Palestinian state, would boost President Barack Obama's goal of pursuing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

A government led by Netanyahu, who opposes concessions to the Palestinians, could put Israel and the U.S. on a collision course. Netanyahu says he would allow West Bank settlements to expand and is seen as likely to contemplate military action against Iran.
"With God's help, I will lead the next government," Netanyahu told a raucous crowd of cheering supporters chanting his nickname, Bibi. "The national camp, led by the Likud, has won a clear advantage."

Soon after, Livni took the stage before a crowd of flag-waving supporters and flashed a V for victory sign. "Today the people chose Kadima. ... We will form the next government led by Kadima."

Even if Livni could overcome the formidable obstacles and become Israel's second female prime minister after Golda Meir, she would almost certainly be hindered by right-wing coalition partners opposed to her vision of giving up land in exchange for a peace deal with the Palestinians.

The election was called after she failed to put together a ruling coalition when scandal-plagued Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced he was stepping down last fall.
Nevertheless, applause, cheers and whistling erupted at Kadima headquarters in Tel Aviv as television stations began reporting their exit polls, with supporters jumping up and down and giving each other high-fives and hugs.

In his speech, Netanyahu told his supporters that he was proud of the gains by his hard-line party. He called for a broad-based coalition, but said he would first turn to his "natural partners in the national camp," a reference to other hard-liners opposed to peace concessions.
The partial results marked a dramatic slide for Netanyahu, who had held a solid lead in opinion polls heading into the election.

Israelis vote for parties, not individuals. Since no party won a parliamentary majority, the leader of one of the major parties must try to put together a coalition with other factions — a process that can take up to six weeks.

In coming days, President Shimon Peres will ask a candidate to try to put together a government. Peres, who hails from Kadima and served for decades in the dovish Labor Party, could lean toward Livni as opposed to Netanyahu — who once defeated Peres in the 1996 election — as the candiate most capable of forming a government. But if a parliamentary majority tells him it favors Netanyahu, he will have to pick the Likud leader.
If Livni's projected victory holds, it is likely due to a strong showing by Lieberman, who appears to have taken a sizable chunk of votes that would have otherwise gone to Netanyahu.
The partial results gave Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu Party 16 seats, placing it in third place behind Kadima and Likud — and ahead of Labor, the party that ruled Israel for decades. That gives Lieberman a key role in coalition building.

Lieberman said his party's strong showing means he holds the key to forming the new Israeli government. Lieberman could serve in a Livni government because he is not a classic hawk who rejects any compromise with the Palestinians. Like Livni, he favors giving up parts of the West Bank. Lieberman and Livni converge on other issues that could for a basis for cooperation.
"It is up to Lieberman who will form the next coalition," said Menachem Hofnung, a professor of political science at Hebrew University. "Lieberman has emerged as the kingmaker. He is the winner of these elections, and it depends on who he sides with over the next few weeks as to who will be prime minister."

Netanyahu, who was prime minister a decade ago, portrayed himself as the candidate best equipped to deal with the threats Israel faces — Hamas militants in Gaza, Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and behind them an Iranian regime that Israel believes is developing nuclear weapons.
He has derided the outgoing government's peace talks as a waste of time, and said relations with the Palestinians should be limited to developing their battered economy.
Livni, who has led Israel's peace talks the past year, has pledged to continue the negotiations with the moderate Palestinian government in the West Bank. At the same time, she advocates a tough line against the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip, and was one of the architects against a bruising Israeli military offensive in Gaza last month.
At Likud headquarters, activists dismissed Kadima's edge and predicted Netanyahu would be tapped to form the next government.
"I am certain that Netanyahu will be the next prime minister," said Likud lawmaker Gilad Erdan. "Netanyahu has a clear advantage because the right-wing parties have a larger bloc. The test is not which party gets the most votes, but which candidate has the best chance to form a coalition, and that person is Benjamin Netanyahu."

Kadima lawmaker Haim Ramon predicted the party would lead the next government.
"We are the only party that can approach both the right wing and the left," he told Channel 2 TV. But he acknowledged the results would make it difficult for anyone to govern.

Israel's Palestinian peace partners in the West Bank said the next Israeli government would have to stop building settlements in the West Bank before talks could resume.
"We now have clear conditions for whoever heads the Israeli government," said Rafiq Husseini, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "The conditions for negotiations to resume begin with the immediate halt of settlement activities."

Peace talks have not included the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers, who do not recognize Israel's right to exist and recently were the target of a devastating Israeli military offensive.
In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the election results don't make a difference in the lives of Palestinians because Israel "is still working to eliminate the Palestinian existence.
"Anyone who thinks that new faces might bring change is mistaken," Barhoum said, before the exit polls were released.

$3 trillion - Obama, Federal reserve and Senate attack

2009-02-11T10:25:00.006+01:00

That sure is a lot of money, will it fix the problem. I would like to hear your comments on this one. I do like the very american comment in the last paragraph though: "The goal of this program is to make it easier for consumers to buy cars" -When the economy is faltering the enviroment goes out the window - Let them buy cars! problem solved...

WASHINGTON – On a single day filled with staggering sums, the Obama administration, Federal Reserve and Senate attacked the deepening economic crisis Tuesday with actions that could throw as much as $3 trillion more in government and private funds into the fight against frozen credit markets and rising joblessness.

"It's gone deep. It's gotten worse," President Barack Obama said of the recession at a campaign-style appearance in Fort Myers, Fla., where unemployment has reached double digits. "The situation we face could not be more serious."
If any more emphasis were needed, Wall Street investors sent stocks plunging, objecting that new rescue details from the government were too sparse. The Dow Jones industrials dropped 382 points.

The president spoke shortly after Senate passage of an $838 billion emergency economic stimulus bill cleared the way for talks with the House on a final compromise. In a display of urgency, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel traveled to the Capitol for meetings that stretched into the night with Democratic leaders as well as moderate senators whose views — and votes — will be key to any deal.

Separately, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner outlined plans for spending much of the $350 billion in financial bailout money recently cleared by Congress, and the Federal Reserve announced it would commit up to $1 trillion to make loans more widely available to consumers.
Taken together, the events marked at least a political watershed if not an economic turning point — the day the three-week old administration and its congressional allies assumed full control of the struggle against the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
The vote was 61-37 in the Senate to pass the stimulus, with moderate Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania joining Democrats in support.

Even before the vote, Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Obama at the White House to go over the task ahead.
The Democratic leaders have long pledged to have legislation on Obama's desk by mid-month, and some Democrats said there was an informal target of Wednesday for agreement on a bill that would likely wind up in the range of $800 billion.
The political urgency bumped up against other obstacles, though.
The House measure includes roughly $70 billion more spending than the Senate's, but it lacks Senate-approved tax breaks totaling more than $100 billion for new car buyers, home purchasers and upper middle income families.

In a further obstacle, Collins and other Senate moderates — in both parties — signaled they will work to hold the cost of the final bill below $800 billion. That's less than the $820 billion in spending and tax cuts combined in the bill that cleared the House as well as the $838 billion legislation the Senate wrote.
Additionally, Obama has campaigned particularly energetically to include funds for school construction in the bill. At the insistence of Collins, the Senate measure omitted money for that purpose, and it wasn't clear whether she had eased her position on the presidential priority.
Whatever the cost of the final bill, it will add to the deficit, and that created another little-mentioned dilemma for the administration and Democrats.
Future spending bills on domestic programs or tax cuts will probably have a far more difficult time gaining the support necessary to pass without offsetting spending cuts or tax increases that would hold the deficit level.
Obama has campaigned energetically in recent days for passage of the stimulus bill, at the White House, on visits to other federal agencies, in his trip to Florida and a similar appearance Monday in a high-unemployment area of Indiana.

Reid depicted a president deeply involved in the compromise effort as well. He said Obama had "certain set ideas as to what he thinks should be done" but declined to elaborate.
The president set the context for the unfolding events Monday night at his first presidential news conference when he said, "With the private sector so weakened by this recession, the federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back into life."
Geithner outlined some of the details, although he and aides left numerous questions unanswered.
"We have to both jump-start job creation and private investment, and we must get credit flowing again to businesses and families," Geithner said at a news conference. He pledged to "fundamentally reshape" the financial industry bailout that began last fall under the Bush administration, and he announced that at least $50 billion would be spent helping homeowners facing foreclosure. He also said new steps would hold banks accountable for their use of bailout funds.

One element of the administration's approach calls for using as much as $100 billion in federal bailout funds to give banks, hedge funds or other investors the incentive to purchase so-called toxic assets carried on the books of other financial institutions. The goal is to return struggling banks to health so they can resume making loans, and an administration fact sheet said the amount of government and private funds combined will be "on an initial scale of up to $500 billion, with the potential to expand up to $1 trillion."
The Federal Reserve announced it would commit up to $1 trillion to purchase bonds or other assets backed by consumer loans. The Treasury will guarantee a portion of the Fed investment by putting up $100 billion, an increase from a $20 billion commitment that Bush administration had announced.

The goal of this program is to make it easier for consumers to buy cars or obtain student loans, small business loans or other types of credit that have dried up in recent months.
Geithner said $50 billion in bailout funds would be dedicated to an effort to prevent mortgage foreclosure of "owner-occupied middle class homes." Few details were provided.

Jeremy Lusk X-Games Crash Video

2009-02-11T10:05:00.004+01:00

Here we go again, cureing our morbid facinations with watching other people hurt them selfs in the hope that we might witness a fatality. Well, we got what we wanted.. How does it feel? I feel sick, yet I will watch it again.

And for the same reason the freeway comes to a stand still every time there is an accident because of people slowing down to catch a glimps. Jeremy lusk is becoming famous not for being a great athlete but for dying on youtube. Vultures!

What a sad day. What is to be a happy event turned into disaster when Freestyle motorcross rider Jeremy Lusk sustained head injuries during the X-Knights event in Costa Rica. Performing Seatgrab Indian Backflip Jeremy Lusk lost control and crashed. He died as a result. Jeremy Lusk is only 24 years.

He was brought to the hospital, in the ICU at the Calderon Hospital San Jose but did not make it. He died February 9,2009.

It must have been very painful for Jeremy's family, his parents, his wife Lauren Lusk, and for his fellow riders and his fans. Lusk won the X Game gold in the FMX event and silver in Moto X best trick in the year 2008. More impressively was that Jeremy Lusk was named FMX rider of the year and appeared in the Transworld Motocross Magazine in this January 2009 Issue.

Will Google control your power grid as well as your internet consumption

2009-02-10T22:48:00.011+01:00

This is really cool and terrifying at once, Your whole house run over the your own intranet. Where you can control everything from your PC or your iPhone. Or from work. Also you will let google now everything about you. what times you come and go( based on lights comming on and off in the house), how many hours a day your tv is on, when you eat. then again, is this a bad thing? You decide:

Google will announce its entry Tuesday into the small but growing business of "smart grid," digital technologies that seek to both keep the electrical system on an even keel and reduce electrical energy consumption.

Google is one of a number of companies devising ways to control the demand for electric power as an alternative to building more power plants. The company has developed a free Web service called PowerMeter that consumers can use to track energy use in their house or business as it is consumed.

Google is counting on others to build devices to feed data into PowerMeter technology. While it hopes to begin introducing the service in the next few months, it has not yet lined up hardware manufacturers.

"We can't build this product all by ourselves," said Kirsten Olsen Cahill, a program manager at Google.org, the company's corporate philanthropy arm. "We depend on a whole ecosystem of utilities, device makers and policies that would allow consumers to have detailed access to their home energy use and make smarter energy decisions."

"Smart grid" is the new buzz phrase in the electric business, encompassing a variety of approaches that involve more communication between utility operators and components of the grid, including transformers, power lines, customer meters and even home appliances like dishwashers.

"They've been putting a chip in your dishwasher for a long time that would allow you to run it any time you want," said Rick Sergel, chief executive of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, an industry group that sets operating standards for the grid.

If the utility could "talk" to the dishwasher, it might tell the machine to run at 2 a.m. and not 2 p.m., or it might tell the homeowner how much money would be saved by running the dishwasher at a different hour.

"It provides an opportunity to create dancing partners that will help the system balance itself," he said.

It also might be useful for plug-in hybrid cars, which will draw significant amounts of energy, perhaps doubling the electric demand of a small household. A smart grid would recognize the car wherever it was plugged in, the way a cellphone network recognizes a mobile phone when it is turned on.

The grid could bill the owner of the car for recharging the battery no matter where the car was plugged in. It would charge the owner a rate based on the time of day or night. If the car were left plugged in, the grid could decide when to charge it at the lowest rate.

The stimulus bill now going to a House-Senate conference committee has allocated $4.4 billion for "smart" technologies, including four million of these next-generation monitors, called smart meters. Proponents say that could make more effective use of existing power lines and generate employment.

"You can hire a lot of people to install smart meters," said James Hoecker, a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has some jurisdiction over transmission lines.

Bar Refaeli in Sports Illustrated swimsuit 2009

2009-02-10T22:22:00.006+01:00

Man alive.. Forget Barack Obama, stimulus plans or bush fires in Australia - this is what the internet is really for - lightly clad women. And men ofcourse, don't want to come across sexist.
Googles image search is going to get a lot of hits on Ms Refaeli me thinks..
Now do I lable this as sport, Israel or fashion? I think I'll just stick to entertainment. Sorry. I wonder if she voted today?

NEW YORK – The world knows a lot more about Bar Refaeli today than it did yesterday, including where her tiny tan line falls. Sports Illustrated Swimsuit unveiled the 23-year-old Israeli, who has been romantically linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, as a first-time cover girl on Tuesday.

This gig, more than top fashion or entertainment magazines, can be career-altering as it puts a model's face (not to mention, her fantastically toned body) in front of millions of eyeballs, appealing to both men and women, sports fans and fashionistas.

It's the cover that matters most, says SI group editor Terry McDonell, but each model — 19 for this issue — gets an equal shot at the cover. Refaeli wears a string bikini by Missoni — and the strings on the bikini bottom are being tugged south.

"The cover has to reflect the athleticism and sexiness of the culture. This photo is modern, her hair and swimsuit look natural. You see her freckles. Her body is amazing and she looks intelligent," McDonell said.

It's also purposeful, he noted, that the models have healthy, sometimes curvy, figures. "A skinny waif won't work here."

McDonell, along with Swimsuit editor Diane Smith and SI creative director Steve Hoffman, sifted through 90,000 photos this year. In consumer testing, it's inevitable that the raciest one is the favorite, but that's not the one that lands on the front. "There are marketplace considerations," McDonell explained. "I want to be at the front of the store, not the back."

"This is the one I felt the most comfortable with," said Refaeli, who twice before was featured on the inside pages of the magazine. "You have the beach, blue water and a body. That's it. I liked that the top of the suit was on."

You can be sexy without revealing too much skin, said veteran supermodel Cheryl Tiegs, who first appeared on the Swimsuit issue cover in 1970 — and then again in 1975 and 1983.

That shot happened at the end of a full day shooting in Hawaii, and she was cold. Someone gave her long-sleeve top to warm her up and when the photographer asked her to take it off, Tiegs refused — and she wouldn't take off her sunglasses either, she recalled. That photo, she said, really captured a moment, though.

"I remember walking by the newsstand and seeing I was on the cover and picking up a copy or two. That was the celebration then. ... But I'm still signing covers for fans," Tiegs said.

SI's swimsuit issue began in 1964, when February marked the low point of the sports seasons. The NFL ended in December, there were no national televised hockey games and the NBA had only a half-dozen teams. After putting safe-driving tips and dog shows on the cover, SI decided to put an attractive female on the cover and call it a "skin-diving story," recalls Smith.

It was popular from the start, but Smith thinks it was Tiegs' cover that made it a phenomenon. However, it was Kathy Ireland in a white strapless bikini in 1989 that remains the best-selling cover.

"I've done many, many, many different covers in the fashion world ... but never had as big a splash as Sports Illustrated," said Heidi Klum, the cover model in 1998. "I went to `(The Tonight Show with Jay) Leno,' the morning shows in New York and LA — it was a huge thing — suddenly I became a household name," she said.

But more than the fame, Klum said she appreciates from SI the professionalism shown to a relatively untested model wearing next to nothing. "I had wanted it to be so good. I'd arch so hard ... but they'd say, `Look sexy with your eyes. Don't overpose. Be yourself and have fun.'"

There's a balance between wholesome and sexy the editors are always straddling, without ever being sleazy, Hoffman said.

The magazine spends an average of three days shooting each model, each with an average wake-up call of 4:30 a.m. because the light is best at dawn, and have about 10,000 bathing suits to choose from.

And even with the outfits so small, SI spends an average of $2,000 in overweight baggage fees per location.

"The logistics are horrifying ... but the Swimsuit issue is probably the healthiest of all the Sports Illustrated franchises, and it's good to be with things that work, especially these days," said McDonell.

‘No Stimulus Petition’ is blowing up as Obama faces full-court press

2009-02-10T09:43:00.003+01:00

The two hottest searches on Google today are for Americans for Prosperity and No Stimulus Petition, which links you to the anti-Obama stimulus package movement and an online petition. Evidence enough that Barack Obama faces an uphill battle for the hearts and minds, as his White House has allowed the anti-stimulus package forces to define the legislation and the terms of battle. Classic framing theory, and surprising to see just how rookie the Obama Administration handled it.

One reason is likely that he won’t/can’t stand up publicly to the self-destructive House Democrats. Sure, less than 1 percent of the House bill was really pork. But it was pork that was indefensible, and at a total tab of more than 800 billion, it was pork that individually ran into the tens of millions of dollars.

Out in Real America, that kind of cash is still big money and can’t be p’shawed away so easily. For the past week, my email inbox has been stuffed with pointed, funny and (mostly) successful anti-stimulus propaganda: The Libertarian Party, “America’s third largest party tonight urged Senate Republicans and Democrats to scrap plans their joint plans for a $780 billion package of wealth transfers and expanded government spending;” the National Black Republicans, “The fierce urgency of pork;” and the new House Republican plan website that “details the smarter, simpler stimulus plan proposed by House Republicans that will create twice the jobs at half the price “

So as Obama preps for his Fort Myers dog-and-pony on Tuesday and a prime-time news conference tonight to try to take back the high ground in his first major legislative battle, here are 10 Talking Points for what he must say and commit to do:

Obama must admit that the House leadership screwed up and included some projects that it shouldn’t have, and that he is disappointed in his Democratic colleagues, that even in the toughest of times, they can’t break their habits.
After that, Obama must say that even if the Democrats are guilty of throwing the first punch, Republicans responding disproportionately by going nuclear. The rhetoric from the GOP has been transparently clear, that, for many of the Republican congressmen, this is about giving Obama a black eye and not about what’s best for the U.S. economy.
Then admit that it is a failure of your first two weeks in office that you didn’t enforce your voter mandate for change properly by bitch-slapping both sides.
Announce that the bill must shrink further. The public has gotten the message that borrowing all this money is going to screw up our country in about a decade. Hell, even the Congressional Budget Office is saying this. And cutting either the Senate plan or the House plan further is going to require you to cut some welfare-related spending, in food stamps and health care. (Florida alone is in line for more than $5.3 billion in such funds.) Yes, those monies would go directly into the economy, as poor people have no choice but to spend them right away. But voters aren’t going to buy borrowing lots of cash today to expand safety nets. It seems to make more sense to build infrastructure, which will always be there once built, vs. providing safety-net help, a more ephemeral expenditure.
Obama must reject the tax cut-happy Republican plans as being, at best, inefficient in achieving short-term economic stimulus. Yes, go ahead and bring up President Bush’s poorly thought out stimulus tax rebate last year that gave us all $600 or $1,200 or some amount in between or lower and that mostly found its way into saving accounts or paying down credit card debt without any impact in the broader economy.
Play up the personal tax cuts in the House package, a $500 per worker cut that would be paid out in lower withholding over a period of months. Yes, it’s not instant stimulus; but studies overwhelmingly show that when workers believe they will have more money going forward (rather than in a one-time check) they are more likely to spend additional dollars into the economy. So in simple language, Obama has to tell the peeps: A one-time rebate wastes our valuable borrowed money, and my plan will give you a little more for a longer time.
And then promise longer-term tax adjustment when the economy rebounds. No reason to bankrupt the nation even further now, but folks deserve a reward for buckling down during this period. (Jeffrey Sachs disagrees, saying that taxes in the future will have to rise.) The only way to do this kind of cut is to follow through on your promises to critically analyze government functions and right-size the federal government.
Tell your Democratic congressional leaders to beef up (just a little) tax breaks for small companies. The House plan had a pretty good cut but it could be better, and it would both stimulate the economy and NFIB Republicans happy.
Talk a lot about the hundreds of billions in bricks-and-mortar projects that will transform our communities and nations to prepare us for the century ahead. The roads. The better energy grid that will allow us to really use solar and wind technologies under development. The transit systems that will take pollution-spewing cars off the roads. Naysayers are branding such government spending as “socialism,” but Salon has a nice answer to that in this slideshow. The projects, and the science/engineering innovation that they will fuel, will pay both short-term and long-term dividends.
Did I mention to talk about the science and engineering for the infrastructure? This is our generation’s shot “at putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade.” The infrastructure spending isn’t just about cutting the backlog of planned state construction projects, although there is some of that; it is about a new future direction for the nation’s energy and transportation. And is anybody out there really happy either with energy or transportation?

Google Sync - Good news for iPhone and Google Calender users

2009-02-10T00:32:00.001+01:00

Google has finally launched a way for iPhone and Windows Mobile smartphone users to sync their Google Contacts and Google Calendar information over the air to the native calendar and contact applications on their devices. The company says that the new app uses push technology, meaning that any changes you make online will appear automatically on the handset within minutes and vice versa.

Configuration for iPhone and Windows Mobile devices is easily performed via their respective ActiveSync and Exchange configuration features, but there are a couple of caveats you should know about first. For starters, setting up your phone to sync up with Google's servers will wipe out any existing contacts and calendars from your device and after syncing Google's contact manager becomes the one place where all contacts are stored. Also, the service only currently supports up to five user calendars and there are already a few known issues when synchronizing the calendar.

Google Sync has been available for BlackBerry users since some time last year and apparently it also works on other SyncML enabled devices such as Nokia S60 and Sony Ericsson smartphones. It is currently in beta and right now it notably lacks support for push email, but if you give it a try be sure to share your thoughts in the comments.

Chris Brown Allegedly Assaults Rihanna

2009-02-10T00:19:00.003+01:00

Amid thousands of cases of domestic violance in this country every day, as soon as its a famous person it becomes headline news, we like to think we are reporting on crime and social issues but unless we publish news on every other case of batterd wife - the following is just gossip. Who's dating who? who's devorcing who? And who's hitting who? Gossip, enjoy:

Noticeably absent from last night’s Grammy awards were singers Chris Brown and his girlfriend Rihanna. Both were scheduled to perform last night with Rihanna previously scheduled as the opening act. The singers pulled out of the awards show last night after Brown was arrested on allegations of violence.

Evidently a 911 call was issued for a disturbance after Clive Davis’ star-studded pre-Grammys party around 12.30am Sunday morning. A statement released by the LAPD said that Brown and his alleged victim "became involved in an argument. After stopping his car, Brown and the woman got out and the argument escalated. The woman suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker." Brown had evidently already left the scene, but a woman with 'visible injuries' - who has not been named - identified him as her assailant. Brown turned himself into police on Sunday evening and was taken into custody. The singer was charged with making criminal threats, after which he was released on $50,000 bail. Further charges may be forthcoming.

Was the woman in question Rihanna? An LAPD officer has stated: "The identity of the victim will not be released. Any victim who's involved in a domestic violence incident is entitled to confidentiality." Rihanna’s people have issued a statement that the singer was involved in a traffic mishap but was "fine."

Stimulus bill survives Senate test, moves ahead

2009-02-10T00:12:00.002+01:00

I know there is a lot of people out there with opinons on this economic stimulus bill. Is it good? is it bad? Can it be improved? I cant see how it can be a bad thing, but please comment, tell me what you think and why.

An $838 billion economic stimulus bill backed by the White House survived a key test vote in the Senate Monday despite strong Republican opposition, and Democratic leaders vowed to deliver legislation for President Barack Obama's signature within a few days.

Monday's vote was 61-36, one more than the 60 needed to advance the measure toward Senate passage on Tuesday. That in turn, will set the stage for possibly contentious negotiations with the House on a final compromise on legislation the president says is desperately needed to tackle the worst economic crisis in more than a generation.

The Senate vote occurred as the Obama administration moved ahead on another key component of its economic recovery plan. Officials said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner would outline rules on Tuesday for $350 billion in bailout funds designed to help the financial industry as well as homeowners facing foreclosure.

Monday's vote was close but scarcely in doubt once the White House and Democratic leaders agreed to trim about $100 billion on Friday.
As a result, Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania broke ranks to cast their votes to advance the bill.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., battling a brain tumor, made his first appearance in the Capitol since suffering a seizure on Inauguration Day, and he joined all other Democrats in support of the measure.
"There is no reason we can't do this by the end of the week," said Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. He said he was prepared to hold the Senate in session into the Presidents Day weekend if necessary, and cautioned Republicans not to try and delay final progress.
He said passage would mark "the first step on the long road to recovery."
Moments before the vote, the Congressional Budget Office issued a new estimate that put the cost at $838 billion, an increase from the $827 billion figure from last week.
"This bill has the votes to pass. We know that," conceded Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican who has spoken daily in the Senate against the legislation.
As if to underscore its prospects for passage, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a prominent and powerful business group, issued a statement calling on the Senate to advance the measure.
Even so, in the hours before Monday's vote, Republican opponents attacked it as too costly and unlikely to have the desired effect on the economy. "This is a spending bill, not a stimulus bill," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.
All 36 votes in opposition were cast by Republicans.

The two remaining versions of the legislation are relatively close in size — $838 billion in the Senate and $819 billion in the House, and are similar in many respects.
Both include Obama's call for a tax cut for lower-income wage earners, as well as billions for unemployment benefits, food stamps, health care and other programs to help victims of the worst recession in decades. In a bow to the administration, they also include billions for development of new information technology for the health industry, and billions more to lay the groundwork for a new environmentally friendly industry that would help reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil.
At the same time, the differences are considerable.

The measure nearing approval in the Senate calls for more tax cuts and less spending than the House bill, largely because it includes a $70 billion provision to protect middle-class taxpayers from falling victim to the alternative minimum tax, which was intended to make sure the very wealthy don't avoid paying taxes.
Both houses provide for tax breaks for home buyers, but the Senate's provision is far more generous. The Senate bill also gives a tax break to purchasers of new cars.
Both houses provide $87 billion in additional funds for the Medicaid program, which provides health care to the low income. But the House and Senate differ on the formula to be used in distributing the money, a dispute that pits states against one another rather than Republicans against Democrats.
There are dozens of differences on spending.

The Senate proposed $450 million for NASA for exploration, for example, $50 million less than the House. It also eliminated the House's call for money to combat a potential flu pandemic.
On the other hand, the Senate bill calls for several billion more in spending for research at the National Institutes of Health, the result of an amendment backed last week by Specter.

The Annual 2009 Grammy award winnners

2009-02-09T17:05:00.006+01:00

The 51st annual Grammay awards have been and gone. Did you watch it? did you agree. do you care? Like the Oscars is it not just a nother way for the industry to pat its own back and say: Well done, we did it again, dispite the evil threat of thePirateBay and filesharing internet pirates around the world we made a couple of billion dollars!

Anyhow, it makes a good show though.. And Coldplay are great..

Gwyneth Paltrow's favorite band Coldplay racked up serious statue numbers at last night's 51st annual Grammy Awards.

The British band won for Best Rock Album, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

They celebrated their win with a medley performance of their songs "Lost" and "Vida La Vida", accompanied by esteemed rapper Jay-Z, a friend of lead singer Chris Martin and his wife Paltrow.

Another big winner, proving that old dogs can learn new tricks, was ex-Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant.
His album with Allison Krauss, Raising Sand, won three Grammys including Best Album.

Lil' Wayne stomped home with four Grammys including Best Rap Album for Tha Carter III.
Brit singer Adele took home Best New Artist (as well as Best Female Pop Vocal), and dueted with Grammy winners Sugarland on her signature song Chasing Pavements.

Here's a list of the major winners:

Album of the Year: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand
Best Rap Album: Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: John Mayer, "Say"
Record of the Year: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Please Read This Letter"
Best New Artist: Adele
Best Rock Album: Coldplay, Viva la Vida
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, "Rich Woman"
Song of the Year: Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group: Sugarland, "Stay"
Best R&B Album: Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson
Industry Icon Award: Clive Davis
Best Rock Song: Bruce Springsteen, "Girls in Their Summer Clothes"
Best Metal Performance: Metallica, "My Apocalypse"
Best Hard Rock Performance: The Mars Volta, "Wax Simulacra"
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Kings of Leon, "Sex on Fire"
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance: John Mayer, "Gravity"
Best Alternative Music Album: Radiohead, In Rainbows
Best Pop Vocal Album: Duffy, Rockferry
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Adele, "Chasing Pavements"

Generals Seek To Reverse Obama's Iraq Withdrawal Decision

2009-02-08T22:36:00.006+01:00

The worst thing you could possible do as a president, in my opinion, is to change your election winning policies. It seems Barack has the brains to realize this and the strenth to stick to it.

Gorege W, might have been puppeted by his advisors but president Obama seems to know what he wants. Don't be bullied! -

CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months at an Oval Office meeting Jan. 21.

But Obama informed Gates, Petraeus and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen that he wasn't convinced and that he wanted Gates and the military leaders to come back quickly with a detailed 16-month plan, according to two sources who have talked with participants in the meeting.

Obama's decision to override Petraeus's recommendation has not ended the conflict between the president and senior military officers over troop withdrawal, however. There are indications that Petraeus and his allies in the military and the Pentagon, including Gen. Ray Odierno, now the top commander in Iraq, have already begun to try to pressure Obama to change his withdrawal policy.

A network of senior military officers is also reported to be preparing to support Petraeus and Odierno by mobilising public opinion against Obama's decision.

Petraeus was visibly unhappy when he left the Oval Office, according to one of the sources. A White House staffer present at the meeting was quoted by the source as saying, "Petraeus made the mistake of thinking he was still dealing with George Bush instead of with Barack Obama."

Petraeus, Gates and Odierno had hoped to sell Obama on a plan that they formulated in the final months of the Bush administration that aimed at getting around a key provision of the U.S.-Iraqi withdrawal agreement signed envisioned re-categorising large numbers of combat troops as support troops. That subterfuge was by the United States last November while ostensibly allowing Obama to deliver on his campaign promise.

Creator of iconic Obama portrait arrested

2009-02-08T22:04:00.005+01:00

Isn't that a bummer.. "On his way to his first solo exhibition" - And now he faces 3 years in prison. One would hope that President Obama puts in a nice word for him at his trial.

The artist who created an iconic red, white and blue portrait of President Barack Obama that appeared on thousands of posters and T-shirts was arrested in Boston on graffiti charges on Saturday.

Shepard Fairey, a Los Angeles artist whose "Hope" image of Obama hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, was arrested on Friday night while traveling to the Institute of Contemporary Art to kickoff his first solo exhibition.

Police accuse Fairey of damaging property with graffiti in several locations and issued warrants for his arrest on January 24, Boston police spokesman James Kenneally said.

An arraignment is scheduled on Monday. If convicted on all charges, he faces up to three years in jail, Kenneally said.

Fairey made headlines this week when The Associated Press claimed his Obama portrait infringed on its copyright to a photograph used for the artwork and that it should be compensated for its use.

Fairey has acknowledged that his image was based on an April 2006 Associated Press photograph of Obama.

Fairey was to appear as a guest disc jockey at a museum event on Friday to launch the 20-year retrospective of his artwork. He spent the past two weeks in Boston installing the exhibit, giving public talks and creating outdoor art including a banner on the side of City Hall, according to a museum statement.

The museum said Fairey was arrested "in connection with his efforts posting his art in various areas around the city."

"We believe Shepard Fairey has made an important contribution in the history of art and to popular thinking about art and its role in society," the statement said.

NFL lifts TV blackout as Pro Bowl nears sell out

2009-02-08T21:15:00.000+01:00

The NFL has lifted the local TV blackout for Sunday's Pro Bowl, with the all-star game close to being sold out for the 30th straight year.

The league had granted two extensions before lifting the blackout for Hawaii. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy says only a few hundred tickets remained as of Saturday.
The Pro Bowl has sold out, usually weeks in advance, every year since moving to the 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium in 1980. It will be televised on NBC.

There has been only one blackout in the history of the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. The 1982 game, which was the year of the players' strike, was blacked out locally, although it was sold out by kickoff.

10 Most Awesome iPhone Apps of 2008

2009-02-08T12:45:00.006+01:00

An iPhone is certianly at the top of my list of things I want - Currntly my financial situation does not allow it and I will have to get used to using the phone I have, living in daly hope that someone will give me one for free.

And in case you needed another 10 reasons to get an iPhone (I have enough) here is a list of the 10 most awsome iPone Apps of 2008

The iPhone alone is an amazing device. But it's the phenomenal App Store that's made the iPhone truly revolutionary, by giving thousands of independent developers the ability extend and transform the device with their creativity.

Not even half a year old, the store has surpassed a milestone of 10,000 pieces of software available. Since the beginning, Wired.com has paid close attention to the gems that shine among the dross.

We've plucked out a list of 10 apps — from mapping software to musical instruments to games — that deserve applause for their quality, innovation and breakthrough achievements. Here they are — Jay Leno style — with our top pick at the very bottom.

10. Stanza
A book reader that grabs free titles from public domains, Stanza has soared in popularity — making the iPhone a worthy competitor to Amazon's Kindle. And if those free books aren't enough, Stanza recently expanded to incorporate a store to purchase commercial titles. The app did a good job pleasing Wired.com's Charlie Sorrel, who modified his Moleskine notebook so he could embed his iPod touch in it. (That way, he could read e-books at the cafe while exuding an aura of pretentious artiness, instead of pretentious geekiness.)

9. SayWhere
You get used to typing on the iPhone after some time, but punching in addresses to look up directions is by far the biggest drag. DialDirections was the first to introduce speech-recognition capabilities to the iPhone with SayWhere, which translates users' speech into queries for Google Maps, Yelp, Traffic or Yellow Pages. It's a nifty app, especially for keeping drivers' eyes on the road rather than the iPhone's virtual keyboard.

8. Tweetie
Twitter, a new form of micro-blogging, became more legitimate when it broke the news of the deadly Mumbai attacks. And Tweetie is the best app we've found to follow your Twitter friends. The app neatly separates Twitter feeds into categories, and the interface resembles the bubbly iChat interface that most of us have come to love. It even lets you search Twitter and save those searches for later. A must-have for Twitterholics.

7. NetShare
This app is so cool you can't have it anymore. Nullriver's NetShare, an application that turns your iPhone into a wireless modem, disappeared from the App Store shortly after its release. Later, we learned Apple banned the app because NetShare violated AT&T's terms of service agreement. So only a lucky few (including some Wired.com staff) got the benefits of unlimited iPhone tethering, which normally costs about $30 a month, for a one-time price of $10. Bummer!

6. Shazam
Everyone's familiar with this scenario: You hear a really catchy, unfamiliar song on the radio and you have no idea what it's called. You hum it to yourself repeatedly and attempt to memorize the lyrics, only to forget it after slamming a few shots at the bar. Shazam will never leave you struggling to recollect these thoughts again: Hold the iPhone up to a speaker playing the unknown tune and the app will identify it — album, artist and song title — just like that.

5. Ocarina
The hottest music app in the App Store, Ocarina thought beyond the iPhone's touchscreen and found a unique way to use the handset's microphone. Blowing into the mic simulates the experience of tooting into a flute; you play around with four virtual "holes" on the screen to change the note. Ocarina users around the world can even hear what you're playing in a globe mode. It takes a while to get a hang of it, but Ocarina gives away just how creative iPhone apps can get so long as developers have enough imagination.

4. TapTapRevenge
You'd have to be living on a different planet (or a retirement home) if you haven't heard of Guitar Hero, the game that gets players to twitch their fingers compulsively along with the beat of their favorite songs. Developer Tapulous took the same idea to make an extremely addictive rhythm game called Tap Tap Revenge. Tapping blinking lights on a screen to catch tunes isn't exactly the same as rocking out on plastic guitars and drum pads, but it's still highly addictive. And Tap Tap Revenge is so popular it's even offering the option to download new tracks to tap to, similar to Guitar Hero and Rock Band's music stores.

3. Trism
Trism is such an addictive and appealing game that it blessed its developer Steve Demeter with $250,000 in profit in just two months. And deservedly so, because the game's really well designed and plays something like a Bejeweled with an accelerometer to move around the puzzle pieces. It wouldn't be fair to call it one game, either: There are three different modes to keep you hooked.

2. Pandora
Whoa whoa whoa — free downloaded music on a portable device? You don't say. Pandora's alternative music distribution made this happen, and the app is cool as hell on the iPhone. Add a station for an artist you like, and the app will play that artist's music as well as similar tunes you might like. What better way to find new music with the wealth of new bands out there?

1. Google Earth
When Steve Jobs called the iPhone "Your life in your pocket," he probably didn't expect Google to deliver the world in your pocket. Well, virtually. Displaying satellite imagery around the world in a 3-D globe, Google Earth is one of the most intense, mindblowing apps that truly shows off the powers of the iPhone. If you want to impress your grandmother with a demonstration of just how far technology has come since she was a girl, this ought to do the trick.

Australian bush fires claim more lives

2009-02-08T12:06:00.004+01:00

Wow am I glad I live in a part of of the world that is generally excused from natural disasters. No Earthwakes, volcanos, tsunamis or mudslides. No Hurricanes and no wildfires! 700 homes destroyed in a day is totally incomprehensible to me. In my limited mindset if there is a fire, the firemen put it out either before or after the the building burns down. A tradgedy in its own right it usually results in one or half a burn down house. But seven hundred!?

HEALESVILLE, Australia -- Towering flames razed entire towns in southeastern Australia and burned fleeing residents in their cars as the death toll rose to 76 on Sunday, making it the country's deadliest fire disaster.

At least 700 homes were destroyed in Saturday's inferno when searing temperatures and wind blasts produced a firestorm that swept across a swath of the country's Victoria state, where all the deaths occurred.

"Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters as he toured the fire zone. "It's an appalling tragedy for the nation."

Thousands of exhausted volunteer firefighters were still battling about 30 uncontrolled fires Sunday in Victoria, officials said, though conditions had eased considerably. It would be days before they were brought under control, even if temperatures stayed down, officials said.

Government officials said the army would be deployed to help out, and Mr. Rudd announced immediate emergency aid of 10 million Australian dollars (US$7 million).

The tragedy echoed across Australia. Leaders in other states -- most of which have been struck by their own fire disasters in the past -- pledged to send money and volunteer firefighters. Funds for public donations opened Sunday quickly started swelling.

Underscoring Australia's size and its often-harsh landscape, thousands of residents of tropical northern Queensland state watched the blanket news coverage of the fires from homes soaked by floodwaters after weeks of drenching storms.

In Victoria, witnesses described seeing trees exploding and skies raining ash on Saturday as temperatures of up 117 Fahrenheit combined with blasting winds to create furnace-like conditions.

Police said they were hampered from reaching burned-out areas to confirm details of deaths and property loss. The official toll climbed higher in steps during the day, reaching 76 at 20 locations by Sunday evening, according to a police statement. It was expected to keep rising.

Australia's previous worst fires were in 1983, when blazes killed 75 people and razed more than 3,000 homes in Victoria and South Australia state.

Police said they believed groups of bodies had been found in cars in at least two places -- suggesting families or groups of friends were engulfed in flames as they tried to flee.

At least 80 people were hospitalized with burns. Dr. John Coleridge of Alfred Hospital, one of the largest in the fire zone, said injuries ranged from scorches on the feet of people who fled across burning ground to life-threatening burns. At least three would probably die, he said.

The fires were so massive NASA took satellite photographs of the smoke cloud.

Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said police suspected some of the fires were set deliberately. Victoria Country Fire Authority official Stuart Ord told Sky News some 460 square miles had been burned by Sunday.

Marysville, a former gold rush town that was home to about 800 people 80 miles north of Melbourne, was almost completely wiped out.

"Marysville is no more," Senior Constable Brian Cross said as he manned a checkpoint Sunday in nearby Healesville on a road leading into the town. No deaths were reported in Marysville, but police sealed it off because they feared bodies would be found there.

Television footage from Marysville showed a scene of utter devastation: house after house was a smoking ruin, with wooden beams in cinders, piles of blackened bricks and iron roofing sheets twisted in the heat. The police station, schoolhouse and pub were gutted. Burned-out cars littered the streets

Townships in the Kinglake nearby district, a normally sleepy region of farms and weekend-getaway spots where at least a dozen people died, were also ruined.

Victoria Country Fire Service spokesman Hayden Lane said 640 houses had been confirmed destroyed -- 550 in the Kinglake district -- and that tally was expected to rise.

Residents reported the fire tearing through the region at high speed, burning everything before it.

Temperatures in the area dropped to about 77 Fahrenhei on Sunday, but along with cooler conditions came wind changes that officials said could push fires in unpredictable directions.

Dozens of fires were also burning in New South Wales state, where temperatures remained high for the third consecutive day. Properties were not under immediate threat.

Wildfires are common during the Australian summer. Government research shows about half of the roughly 60,000 fires each year are deliberately lit or suspicious. Lightning and people using machinery near dry brush are other causes.

Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003

2009-02-08T10:46:00.005+01:00

This one has sports fans in two camps. Sports Illustrated claims they have multiple independent sources saying he tested positive in 2003. Half say its terrible, what is the sport comming to etc. The other half are saying: so what, this is nothing new, nobodys is surprised.
Read the article and make up your own mind:

In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.
When approached by an SI reporter on Thursday at a gym in Miami, Rodriguez declined to discuss his 2003 test results. "You'll have to talk to the union," said Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman since his trade to New York in February 2004. When asked if there was an explanation for his positive test, he said, "I'm not saying anything."
The MLBPA issued a statement on Saturday, saying "Information and documents relating to the results of the 2003 MLB testing program are both confidential and under seal by court orders. We are prohibited from confirming or denying any allegation about the test results of any particular player[s] by the collective bargaining agreement and by court orders. Anyone with knowledge of such documents who discloses their contents may be in violation of those court orders."

Rob Manfred, MLB's Executive Vice President of Labor Relations, also released a statement on Saturday, saying, "We are disturbed by the allegations contained in the Sports Illustrated news story which was posted online this morning. Because the survey testing that took place in 2003 was intended to be non-disciplinary and anonymous, we can not make any comment on the accuracy of this report as it pertains to the player named."

Though MLB's drug policy has expressly prohibited the use of steroids without a valid prescription since 1991, there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003. The results of that year's survey testing of 1,198 players were meant to be anonymous under the agreement between the commissioner's office and the players association. Rodriguez's testing information was found, however, after federal agents, armed with search warrants, seized the '03 test results from Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., of Long Beach, Calif., one of two labs used by MLB in connection with that year's survey testing. The seizure took place in April 2004 as part of the government's investigation into 10 major league players linked to the BALCO scandal -- though Rodriguez himself has never been connected to BALCO.
The list of the 104 players whose urine samples tested positive is under seal in California. However, two sources familiar with the evidence that the government has gathered in its investigation of steroid use in baseball and two other sources with knowledge of the testing results have told Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez is one of the 104 players identified as having tested positive, in his case for testosterone and an anabolic steroid known by the brand name Primobolan. All four sources spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the evidence.

Primobolan, which is also known by the chemical name methenolone, is an injected or orally administered drug that is more expensive than most steroids. (A 12-week cycle can cost $500.) It improves strength and maintains lean muscle with minimal bulk development, according to steroid experts, and has relatively few side effects. Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse employee who in 2007 pleaded guilty to illegal distribution of steroids to numerous major league players, described in his recent book, Bases Loaded: The Inside Story of the Steroid Era in Baseball by the Central Figure in the Mitchell Report, how players increasingly turned to drugs such as Primobolan in 2003, in part to avoid detection in testing. Primobolan is detectable for a shorter period of time than the steroid previously favored by players, Deca-Durabolin. According to a search of FDA records, Primobolan is not an approved prescription drug in the United States, nor was it in 2003. (Testosterone can be taken legally with an appropriate medical prescription.)
Rodriguez finished the 2003 season by winning his third straight league home run title (with 47) and the first of his three MVP awards.
Because more than 5% of big leaguers had tested positive in 2003, baseball instituted a mandatory random-testing program, with penalties, in '04. According to the 2007 Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball, in September 2004, Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players' union, violated an agreement with MLB by tipping off a player (not named in the report) about an upcoming, supposedly unannounced drug test. Three major league players who spoke to SI said that Rodriguez was also tipped by Orza in early September 2004 that he would be tested later that month. Rodriguez declined to respond on Thursday when asked about the warning Orza provided him.
When Orza was asked on Friday in the union's New York City office about the tipping allegations, he told a reporter, "I'm not interested in discussing this information with you."
In its statement on Saturday, the MLBPA said, "As we have explained previously, in detail and in public, there was no improper tipping of players in 2004 about the timing of drug tests. As set forth in our letter to Chairman Waxman of the House Government Reform Committee, in September 2004 MLBPA attorneys met with certain players, but we are not able to confirm or deny the names of any of the players with whom we met."
Anticipating that the 33-year-old Rodriguez, who has 553 career home runs, could become the game's alltime home run king, the Yankees signed him in November 2007 to a 10-year, incentive-laden deal that could be worth as much as $305 million. Rodriguez is reportedly guaranteed $275 million and could receive a $6 million bonus each time he ties one of the four players at the top of the list: Willie Mays (660), Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762), and an additional $6 million for passing Bonds. In order to receive the incentive money, the contract reportedly requires Rodriguez to make extra promotional appearances and sign memorabilia for the Yankees as part of a marketing plan surrounding his pursuit of Bonds's record. Two sources familiar with Rodriguez's contract told SI that there is no language about steroids in the contract that would put Rodriguez at risk of losing money.
Arguments before an 11-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pasadena are ongoing between government prosecutors and the players' association over the government's seizure of the test results from the Long Beach lab. The agents who collected the material had a search warrant only for the results for the 10 BALCO-linked players. Attorneys from the union argue that the government is entitled only to the results for those players, not the entire list. If the court sides with the union, federal authorities may be barred from using the positive survey test results of non-BALCO players such as Rodriguez in their ongoing investigations.

Complete List of Oscar Nominations

2009-02-07T11:36:00.005+01:00

So, Oscars Night is coming around, Feburary 21st I think. I thought Id Publish a complete list of Nominees for this 81st awars show. its long so bear with me..

NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor" (Overture Films)
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon" (Universal)
Sean Penn in "Milk" (Focus Features)
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Josh Brolin in "Milk" (Focus Features)
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder" (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.)
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling" (Universal)
Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Meryl Streep in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (The Weinstein Company)
Viola Davis in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler" (Fox Searchlight)

Best animated feature film of the year
"Bolt" (Walt Disney) Chris Williams and Byron Howard
"Kung Fu Panda" (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount) John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
"WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Andrew Stanton

Achievement in art direction
"Changeling" (Universal) Art Direction: James J. MurakamiSet Decoration: Gary Fettis
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Art Direction: Donald Graham BurtSet Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Art Direction: Nathan CrowleySet Decoration: Peter Lando
"The Duchess" (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films) Art Direction: Michael CarlinSet Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
"Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage) Art Direction: Kristi ZeaSet Decoration: Debra Schutt

Achievement in cinematography
"Changeling" (Universal) Tom Stern
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Claudio Miranda
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Wally Pfister
"The Reader" (The Weinstein Company) Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Anthony Dod Mantle

Achievement in costume design
"Australia" (20th Century Fox) Catherine Martin
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Jacqueline West
"The Duchess" (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films) Michael O'Connor
"Milk" (Focus Features) Danny Glicker
"Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage) Albert Wolsky

Achievement in directing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) David Fincher
"Frost/Nixon" (Universal) Ron Howard
"Milk" (Focus Features) Gus Van Sant
"The Reader" (The Weinstein Company) Stephen Daldry
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Danny Boyle

Best documentary feature
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)" (Cinema Guild)A Pandinlao Films Production Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
"Encounters at the End of the World" (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment)A Creative Differences Production Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
"The Garden"A Black Valley Films Production Scott Hamilton Kennedy
"Man on Wire" (Magnolia Pictures)A Wall to Wall Production James Marsh and Simon Chinn
"Trouble the Water" (Zeitgeist Films)An Elsewhere Films Production Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

Best documentary short subject
"The Conscience of Nhem En"A Farallon Films Production Steven Okazaki
"The Final Inch"A Vermilion Films Production Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
"Smile Pinki"A Principe Production Megan Mylan
"The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306"A Rock Paper Scissors Production Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

Achievement in film editing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Lee Smith
"Frost/Nixon" (Universal) Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
"Milk" (Focus Features) Elliot Graham
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Chris Dickens

Best foreign language film of the year
"The Baader Meinhof Complex" A Constantin Film Production - Germany
"The Class" (Sony Pictures Classics) A Haut et Court Production - France
"Departures" (Regent Releasing) A Departures Film Partners Production - Japan
"Revanche" (Janus Films) A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production - Austria
"Waltz with Bashir" (Sony Pictures Classics) A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production - Israel

Achievement in makeup
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Greg Cannom
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" (Universal) Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance" (Paramount Vantage) James Newton Howard
"Milk" (Focus Features) Danny Elfman
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) A.R. Rahman
"WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman Lyric by Peter Gabriel
"Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Music by A.R. RahmanLyric by Gulzar
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam

Best motion picture of the year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
(Paramount and Warner Bros.)A Kennedy/Marshall Production
Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers

"Frost/Nixon"
(Universal)A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production
Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers

"Milk"
(Focus Features)A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production
Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers

"The Reader"
(The Weinstein Company)A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production Nominees to be determined

"Slumdog Millionaire"
(Fox Searchlight)A Celador Films Production Christian Colson, Producer

Best animated short film
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"A Robot Communications Production Kunio Kato
"Lavatory - Lovestory"A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production Konstantin Bronzit
"Oktapodi" (Talantis Films)A Gobelins, L'école de l'image Production Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
"Presto" (Walt Disney)A Pixar Animation Studios Production Doug Sweetland
"This Way Up"A Nexus Production Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

Best live action short film
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)" (Hamburg Shortfilmagency)An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production Reto Caffi
"Manon on the Asphalt" (La Luna Productions)A La Luna Production Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
"New Boy" (Network Ireland Television)A Zanzibar Films Production Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
"The Pig"An M & M Production Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
"Spielzeugland (Toyland)"A Mephisto Film Production Jochen Alexander Freydank

Achievement in sound editing
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Richard King
"Iron Man" (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment) Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Tom Sayers
"WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
"Wanted" (Universal) Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
"WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
"Wanted" (Universal) Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

Achievement in visual effects
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
"The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
"Iron Man" (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment) John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Adapted screenplay
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.) Screenplay by Eric Roth Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
"Doubt" (Miramax) Written by John Patrick Shanley
"Frost/Nixon" (Universal) Screenplay by Peter Morgan
"The Reader" (The Weinstein Company) Screenplay by David Hare
"Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight) Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Original screenplay
"Frozen River" (Sony Pictures Classics) Written by Courtney Hunt
"Happy-Go-Lucky" (Miramax) Written by Mike Leigh
"In Bruges" (Focus Features) Written by Martin McDonagh
"Milk" (Focus Features) Written by Dustin Lance Black
"WALL-E" (Walt Disney) Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

James Whitmore dies at the age of 87

2009-02-07T11:04:00.005+01:00

To be honest I couldn't place the name James Whitmore when I first read it. Maybe its just my generation, but I had to look it up on imdb.com - then I realised. Its Brooks Hatlen from The Shawshank Redemption - One of the greatest films of all time. Not to mention the other films in this article..

Rest in Peace Jimmy.

James Whitmore, the veteran Tony and Emmy award-winning actor who brought American icons Will Rogers, Harry Truman and Theodore Roosevelt to life in one-man shows, died Friday. He was 87.

Mr. Whitmore died of lung cancer at his home in Malibu, said his son, Steve. He was diagnosed with the disease a week before Thanksgiving.

"He cared about acting; his whole life was dedicated to the theater and to movies," said actor David Huddleston, a longtime friend who appeared in Mr. Whitmore's 1964 movie "Black Like Me," and did a couple of plays with him.

James Arness, who appeared with Mr. Whitmore in the movies "Battleground" and "Them!," said Mr. Whitmore was "an actor's actor," adding that "it was always a treat to work with him."

Arness also remembered the "great intensity" Mr. Whitmore could bring to a role.

"When we wanted to get an actor to play a character who had that quality, Jimmy was the guy you'd think of," said Arness, who starred in "Gunsmoke," a TV series that Mr. Whitmore appeared on a number of times.

A stocky World War II Marine Corps veteran who bore a resemblance to Spencer Tracy, Mr. Whitmore earned early acclaim.

In 1948, he won a Tony award for outstanding performance by a newcomer in the role of an amusingly cynical Army Air Forces sergeant in the Broadway production of "Command Decision."

Mr. Whitmore's Broadway success brought him to Hollywood, where he received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in his second movie, the hit 1949 World War II drama "Battleground," in which he played a tobacco-chewing, battle-weary Army sergeant.

He appeared in movies including "The Asphalt Jungle," "Them!," "Kiss Me Kate," "Battle Cry," "Oklahoma!," "Planet of the Apes," "Tora! Tora! Tora!," "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Majestic."

A frequent guest actor on television, Mr. Whitmore also starred in three series: the 1960-62 legal drama "The Law and Mr. Jones," the 1969 detective drama "My Friend Tony" and the 1972-74 hospital sitcom "Temperatures Rising."

In 2000, Mr. Whitmore won an Emmy award as outstanding guest actor in a drama series for "The Practice," and he received a 2003 Emmy nomination in the same category for "Mister Sterling."

An avid flower and vegetable gardener, Mr. Whitmore also was known as the longtime commercial pitchman for Miracle-Gro garden products.

Although he starred in plays such as "Our Town," "Inherit the Wind" and "Death of a Salesman," Mr. Whitmore was best known for his three one-man shows: as Truman in "Give 'em Hell, Harry!," as Roosevelt in "Bully" and as Rogers in "Will Rogers' U.S.A."

The 1975 film of "Give 'em Hell, Harry!" earned Mr. Whitmore a best actor Oscar nomination.

Born in White Plains, N.Y., on Oct. 1, 1921, Mr. Whitmore later moved to Buffalo, N.Y., where he attended public schools until his senior year of high school, when he attended the Choate School in Wallingford, Conn., on a football scholarship.

He was a pre-law major on an athletic scholarship at Yale University but had to quit playing football after suffering two knee injuries.

Mr. Whitmore joined the Marines during his senior year in 1942 and served in the South Pacific. After his discharge, he eventually moved to New York City and used the GI Bill to study acting.

In 1947, he married his first wife, Nancy Mygatt, with whom he had three sons. They were divorced after 24 years. After Mr. Whitmore's second marriage in the 1970s, to actress Audra Lindley, he and his first wife were remarried but divorced after two years.

In addition to son Steve, Mr. Whitmore is survived by his wife, Noreen, sons James Jr. and Dan, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Barack Obama appoints gay man to office

2009-02-07T10:40:00.008+01:00

Go Obama! An openly gay black man to office. Can it get any better? well it can, he has managed to get the word faith in there as well. To bad he isn't jewish or muslim or worse, openly atheist!?. That would realy infuriate the religous south.
oh well, Black and gay is good enough. small steps.

Obama names Fred Davie to council on faith-based and neighborhood partnerships

Fred Davie, the openly gay president of Public/Private Ventures, has been named to serve on President Barack Obama’s Policy Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Davie will work to provide objective, nonpartisan advice to the president on a variety of public policy matters, including strategies to increase the effectiveness of social services delivered by community and faith-based organizations.

Public/Private Ventures is an organization that creates and strengthens programs to improve the lives of residents in low-income communities. P/PV is composed of research, policy and program development experts who specialize in education, employment, prisoner reentry, juvenile justice, public health, youth development and more.

President Barack Obama speaks about spending

2009-02-07T10:23:00.005+01:00

Here is some more news on President Barack Obamas comments on the stimulus plan. He speaks of spending but is his wallet where his mouth is. I dont understand, poltics or finance, but would you just fix the problem already! You cant make it much worse than Gorege W Bush already has. God Luck to you and here follows the article in full

President Barack Obama's soft-sell pitches to Republicans haven't gotten him very far on his economic stimulus plan, so he's resorting to a sharper tone that is at odds with his vow to make Washington less partisan.

Stopping just short of a take-it-or-leave-it stand, Obama has mocked the notion that a stimulus bill shouldn't include huge spending. He's also defended earmarks as inevitable in such a package. And he's pointedly reminded Republicans about who won the November election.
The heightened rhetoric reflects White House frustration that Obama's earlier efforts, which included high-profile visits to House and Senate Republicans last month, yielded not a single House GOP vote for the legislation. In the Senate, Obama and his allies were battling Friday for just a handful of Republican votes to avoid a bill-stopping filibuster.

"He's going on offense," Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said after listening to Obama's more combative speech Thursday at a House Democrats' retreat. "I think the president decided that it's time to lay out the facts to the American people, as he did going into the campaign, and take control of this debate."
"We can't sit back and just let them define us," Clyburn said.
Some Democrats believe Republicans have done just that by highlighting questionable items in the roughly $900 billion package and using them to depict it as a pork-laden extravagance that won't do enough to stimulate the economy quickly.
Obama and his Democratic allies agreed to kill a few such provisions, such as money to resod the National Mall, in hopes of winning some Republican senators' support. Around midweek, however, Obama began changing his tone. Democrats need not apologize or compromise further except on small items, he said.
Some critics, he said at Thursday's retreat, contend the bill "is full of pet projects. When was the last time that we saw a bill of this magnitude move out with no earmarks in it? Not one."
Ratcheting up the sarcasm, the president said: "So then you get the argument, 'well, this is not a stimulus bill, this is a spending bill.' What do you think a stimulus is?"
"That's the whole point," he said, as the audience hooted and applauded.
Obama warned Republicans not to "come to the table with the same tired arguments and worn ideas that helped to create this crisis." Americans, he said, "did not vote for the false theories of the past, and they didn't vote for phony arguments and petty politics."
"They sent us here to bring change," he said.
Congressional Democrats in close touch with the White House say Obama would welcome more Republican support for the stimulus bill but has lost patience and feels Republicans have slapped his open hand of friendship. White House officials now talk of trying to win just the few GOP Senate votes needed to cut off a filibuster and pass a bill that could be reconciled with the House version.
Both sides, it seems, are ready to let voters -- and history -- cast their judgments on a dispute where the two sides differ widely. Both sides say polls support their positions.
Backers of the Obama stimulus plan "haven't been listening to the American people, who clearly want major changes in this bill," said House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio.
House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana said Friday he was disappointed that Obama had abandoned bipartisanship and "resorted to tough political rhetoric to pass the Democrats' so-called stimulus bill."
Democrats, however, say Boehner and Pence are trapped in an echo chamber of conservative talk shows and rock-ribbed Republican districts.
"There's a great disconnect between the way this plan is being perceived by the American people and the way it's being bantered about ... on the cable channels," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
While Obama is aiming harsher words at Republicans in general, he has kept the fight from becoming personal.
Asked Friday who Obama felt was being "petty," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs demurred, and simply cited the need to stop job losses.
But Gibbs did not quarrel with a description of Obama's new tone as a "fist-in-a-velvet-glove approach."
"The president's tone denotes the economic crisis that we face," Gibbs said.
Even some of Obama's strongest supporters don't know if the tougher tone will prove more effective than the softer tone.
"It's a work in progress," Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., said of the stimulus package, which must be reconciled by the House and Senate. With Obama continuing to make personal appeals to lawmakers, he said, "it's still cooking."

2009-02-03T13:55:00.001+01:00

I am thinking....