tuberaider video

Do you know what happens to people who don't turn their clocks back when daylight savings time hits? Bad thing, bad things happen. So when I ask, did you remember to turn your clock back, you better have the right answer.

Once a man in Idaho forgot to turn his clock back, and the next day he was late for church, and got struck by a bolt of lightning. A woman in Cleveland forgot to turn her clock back, missed a hot date the next day and went on to live out her years alone, talking to her house full of cats. Don't let this happen to you. Turn your clock back, now!

Did You Remember to Turn Your Clock Back?
wikipedia

Daylight saving time is the practice of advancing clocks so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn. Modern DST was first proposed in 1895 by George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist. Many countries have used it since then; details vary by location and change occasionally.

Did You Remember to Turn Your Clock Back?

A week after being kidnapped by Somali pirates, a Briton is reporting back to her family that the pirates are "hospitable, and that she and her husband are okay and friends need not worry.

Talks are being held with the Somali pirates, but Britain's foreign office is refusing to comment on whether any rescue plans are being readied for the couple, who were kidnapped last week from their yacht. There is speculation that the British government refuse to pay ransom, but others say the kidnapppers have not even made their ransom demand yet.

Briton: Pirates 'Hospitable'
independent

A tearful Rachel Chandler told her family not to worry about her as she made contact for the first time since being taken captive by Somali pirates a week ago. The Briton said the pirates are hospitable and added: "Please do not worry about us. We are managing..." Gunmen boarded the couple's yacht as they sailed from the Seychelles towards Tanzania.

Briton: Pirates 'Hospitable'

Hillary Clinton took heat from Pakistan this week over America's use of Predator drone aircraft missions that launch guided missiles in Pakistani territory, but Clinton held her ground against the crititiques.

Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State has fallen nicely into the role of bad cop in the good cop-bad cop team with President Obama, and was more than willing to face up to beef in Pakistan about the drones. At a press conference she was asked whether America's droone attacks, which allegedly have killed civilians, should be considered terrorism, and faced charges that the US presence is bad for the region Clinton steadfastly refused to discuss specifics on the drone attacks, but sternly reminded her Pakistani audience that "we have been fighting your war."

Hillary Clinton & Drones in Pakistan
dawn

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton came face-to-face Friday with Pakistani anger over US aerial drone attacks in tribal areas along the Afghan border, a strategy that US officials say has succeeded in killing key terrorist leaders...

Hillary CLinton & Drones in Pakistan

A rapper who was a childhood friend of his has released a video directed by Heath Ledger, filmed just a bit before Ledger died. You can see the video below, along with more info on how it came about.

The rapper, N'fa Forster-Jones grew up with the famed actor in Australia, and benefitted from Heath Ledger's passion for directing videos by lesser known artists he wanted to support. Now as N'fa released the video he is also telling the story of how hsi friend Heath Ledger came to be working with him on this special memory:

Rapper Releases Video Directed by Heath Ledger
msnbc

An Australian rapper who was a boyhood friend of Heath Ledger has released a music video the star directed shortly before his death. N'fa Forster-Jones posted the 3 minute, 31 second-clip for his song "Cause An Effect" on his YouTube and MySpace pages on Thursday...

Rapper Releases Video Directed by Heath Ledger

How many holidays can you name that were inspired by a comic strip? Wellm one you might know is Sadie Hawkins Day, which was invented in the Andy Capp strip in Life Magazine.

Andy Capp's Lil Abner comic strip first mentioned Sadie Hawkins day in 1937, and only a few years later it had swept the country as a favorite holiday, inviting women too chase men down and ask them on dates, which back then was never done. Nowadays those gender roles are a little looser, but some people still celebrate Sadie Hawkins day almost 75 years after Andy Capp birthed it in Life Magazine...

Sadie Hawkins Day, Capp & Life Magazine
wikipedia

In 1939, only two years after its inauguration, a double-page spread in Life magazine proclaimed, "On Sadie Hawkins Day, Girls Chase Boys in 201 Colleges" ...by the early 1940s the comic strip event had swept the nation and acquired a life of its own. By 1952, Sadie Hawkins Day was reportedly celebrated at 40,000 known venues.

Sadie Hawkins Day, Capp & Life Magazine

It's November, which means we're working up to Black Friday, busiest Saturday of the year for holiday shopping.

Stores and business are hoping for an extra busy Black Friday this year, with shoppers taking advantage of sales and deals for Christmas presents, and helpin get the economy going again. Many stores will start Black Friday off with midnight sales, and hope to see shoppers rushing in like the bulls of Pamplona once again. Although hopefully nobody will get trampled, as has happened in the past. Craven consumerism is okay in moderation but let's not go too crazy!

Black Friday: Busiest Saturday for Shopping!
npr

Today is "Black Friday," a term used by merchants who've been in the "red" most of the year to describe their hopeful outlook for the holiday shopping season. NPR's Tony Cox gets a holiday retail outlook from Brett Pulley, senior editor at Forbes magazine and a specialist on entertainment finance and electronic retail...

Black Friday: Busiest Saturday for Shopping!

The King family tradition carried on this weekm as MLK's daughter Bernice was elected to head the historic civil rights group from her father's era, the SCLC

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference elected Bernice King as their leader decades after her father became their original head. A member of the SCLC said: "She seems to have renewed her commitment to the ideas and legacy of her father ... There was a time that she was not as interested in the movement, but she talked to us about going back and reading her father's books and studying her father's message."

MLK's Daughter to Head Civil Rights Group
telegraph

Bernice King has been chosen as the first woman to head the civil rights organisation that her father, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, co-founded. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference announced the election of Miss King as its eighth president on Friday morning.

MLK's Daughter to Head Civil Rights Group

A father who recently lost his son found a unique way to remember him: by using his ashes in a tattoo.

The British man lost his son to a rare disease at the age of two, but found that a local tattoo parlor in Greater Manchester was willing to help him work through the tragedy with a special tribute, getting a tattoo of his son drawn on his chest, with his late son's ashes mixed in with the ink. For the full story and photos see below.

Father Uses Son's Ashes in Tattoo
BBC

A father from Herefordshire is to have a portrait of his dead son tattooed on his chest using the child's ashes. Mark Richmond, 39, and his wife Lisa, 31, said they wanted to do something as a lasting tribute to their son Ayden...

Father Uses Son's Ashes in Tattoo

Scandal at the Tower of London, as some of their famous beefeaters are accused of harassment of their first female member.

Moira Cameron, the first woman chosen to join the legendary beefeaters or yeoman warders at this historic landmark and British tourist attraction, reports that she was severely harassed and bullied by her male co-workers, who resented a woman joining the team. Such predictable behavior from my fellow males, sorry to say, it seems like we just can't help but show our stupidity in situations like this. And it seems especially absurd for so much ugly male ego to manifest around what is basically a tour guide job. Get over yourselves, guys!

Tower of London Beefeaters Harassment!
ap

If charges made Monday are true, the Tower of London - a popular tourist attraction and home to Britain's Crown Jewels - will add bullying and harassment to the list of foul deeds committed there. The victim: the first woman selected to join the all-male ranks of the Tower's yeoman warders, popularly known as "Beefeaters."

Tower of London Beefeaters Harassment!

Sad news for Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, as the news comes in that his mother, Jackie Standley, is facing up to 20 years in prison for drug charges.

Jackie Standley was arrested last year in Nebraska for trying to sell methamphetamine to an undercover cop, who had come to see her at her apartment. Terrible news for baseball star Joba Chamberlain just as his Yankee team tries to close out the World Series. Since it seems like his mother has a liflong history of her own drug addiction and abuse problems, maybe the right thing to do is for her to be palced in drug rehab, and get treatment at a drug addiction treatment center, instead of going to prison for these drug charges.

Joba Chamberlain & Jackie Standley
honolulu advertiser

The mother of New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain faces up to 20 years in prison on a felony drug-sale charge. The Lincoln Journal Star reported today that Jackie Standley pleaded no contest yesterday to delivery of a controlled substance in Lincoln, Nebraska...

Joba Chamberlain & Jackie Standley

As several key states hold elections for their Governor posts today, watchers of politics wonder what the results will show for the future of Obama's Democrats?

In two key races, Virginia and New York, an incumbent Democrat is facing a possible loss just a year after the Dems huge wins in the Obama election. Corzine in New Jersey is bacrely breaking even against his Republican challenger Christie, and in Virginia, Deeds is expected to lose in a landslide to his GOP foe.

So the question is, does this show that the country is disillusioned with the change they voted in last year? Or is this simply a case of two races that had their own particular history and reasons for turning out how they did. Either way, issues like the economey, jobs and uneployment, and the impact of the financial bailout clearly continue to be on people's minds, and the Democrats will need to restore confidence in their handling of the economy if they hope to stay on top, as well as moving decisively but wisely on Afghanistan.

Democrats & Governor Posts: Trouble for Obama?
bloomberg

Governor's races today in Virginia and New Jersey are anticipated as barometers of next year's midterm congressional elections...The New Jersey campaign has been a referendum on Democratic Governor Jon Corzine, 62, and his record on property taxes, roads and jobs. In Virginia the race has turned on traditional concerns of taxes and transportation...

Democrats & Governor Posts: Trouble for Obama?

The nation's biggest banks are facing a Feb. 1st deadline, on letting the Federal Reserves in on their plans for employee compensation so that the Feds can assure they are in line with government policies aimed at curbing excessive risk.

The Federal reserve is trying to change the infrastructure of the financial industry, and needs cooperation from the major banks to bring stability to our economy again, making sure their financial advice and investment strategies do not creat excessive risk for banks and their customers. but some say the federal reserve is being excessive in their regulations of major banks, and bankers will not be able to function under these expectations...

Banks Face Feb. 1 Deadline on Compensation
msnbc

Banks face a February deadline for submitting employee compensation plans to the Federal Reserve, sources say...Under the Fed proposal, banks including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. would develop plans to make sure compensation for executives, traders, loan officers and others doesn't spur undue risk taking....see more Fed Reserve analysis in the video here.

Banks Face Feb. 1 Deadline on Compensation

More drama in hip-hop's high profile divorce, as rapper Nas seeks to block spousal support to his wife Kelis, who is seeking large sums of money as well as sole custody of their newborn child.

Kelis and Nas made big news with their start studded marriage, then even bigger news when they went into divorce court with their divorce lawyers right as their child was being born. Kelis came out with a judge's order for Nas to give over $40,000 a month in spousal support, and she is seeking an even higher total figure over $70,000. But Nas is trying to avoid this fate, and his attorneys are seeking to block her from taking the support, and he's also vying for joint custody of the kid. One hopes that in the long run they can resolve this marriage/divorce drama, if only for the sake of the kid.

Nas Blocks Spousal Support To Kelis (VIDEO)
xxlmag

Nas is fighting back. The recently divorced father is trying to block his ex-wife Kelis from receiving any spousal support. The "Milkshake"singer is asking for $72,728 a month, reports tmz.com, a number that has forced The N to file legal papers to the judge in their divorce case...

Nas Blocks Spousal Support To Kelis (VIDEO)

Bad news from Johnson & Johnson as they take drastic measures to deal with the economic downturn. The latest measure from J&J: 7,000 jobs being cut to offset the losses caused by decreasing consumer spending. Even though, ironically, that decreased consumer spending is due largely to people's jobs being cut.

J&J produces a vast array of over-the-counter drugs, health products, make-up, cosmetics & skin care products, but is now forced to resort to layoffs and add to the unemployment rate as their profits shrink in this economy. A spokesman said: "We want to make sure we can fully capitalize on investments to drive new products, getting to a more normalized spend level."

J&J: 7,000 Jobs Cut
bloomberg

Johnson & Johnson, the world's largest health-products company, will fire more than 7,000 workers as consumers cut spending on items ranging from drugs to skin care amid the global recession. J&J will shrink its 117,000-member workforce by 6 percent to 7 percent..

J&J: 7,000 Jobs Cut

Best Buy will take a shot at competing with Netflix, as a partnership between Best Buy & CinemaNow allows the chain to offer movie downloads to their customers.

The Best Buy/Cinema Now partnership will allow consumers to watch movies on many devices: computers, DVD or Blu Ray players, smartphone devices similar to the iPhone and portable MP3 players.

Up until now Best Buy has failed to do well with digital delivery of media, and they will have lots of competition as others already offer this service, including Netflix, Blockbuster and Apple, not to mention perhaps the biggest competitor: illegal downloads from places like bittorrent.

Best Buy, CinemaNow Deal
nytimes

Best Buy sells a lot of DVDs, but it is taking another step to get ready for the day when that business shifts online. The giant electronics retailer on Tuesday is announcing a partnership with Sonic Solutions' Roxio CinemaNow service to deliver first-run DVDs streamed online directly to consumers...

Best Buy, CinemaNow Deal

Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Whitney Isleib was perhaps only trying to have some harmless fun dressing up like a favorite rapper Lil Wayne, but her darkened-skin Halloween costume is bringing lots of controversy over its similarity to the age-old racist tradition of wearing blackface.

It seems clear the young cheerleader just didn't know any better when she dressed up this way, even it's hard to imagine not realizing the historical baggage behind this sort of makeup. I hope that she can just own up to her mistake and apologize, and then be allowed to learn from it and move on.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Lil Wayne & Blackface..! (VIDEO)
cbsnews

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Whitney Isleib has inadvertently stepped into a Halloween controversy by reportedly dressing up as soon-to-be incarcerated rapper Lil' Wayne in black-face. Photos of the cheerleader turned hip-hop impresario were posted to Facebook and eventually made their way to sports blog Deadspin.com...

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Lil Wayne & Blackface..! (VIDEO)

One of Obama's first actions as President, that continues to have a major impact that is hotly debated, was when Obama signed the $787 Billion stimulus into law.

It was an emergency measure designed to halt the global economic crisis that began abruptly during 2008's campaign season (though some financial experts had predicted it for quite a while before that). Much debate was held over the best approach, and arguments continue today over whether it was too money, not enough, and whether the money went to the right places and with the proper regulations and strings attached. It may well be years before we can really tell how successful the stimulus package was, but hopefully the initial signs that the worst is already behind us will prove accurate.

Obama Signs $787 Billion Stimulus Into Law
msnbc

Obama focused on the $787 billion stimulus plan, an ambitious package of federal spending and tax cuts designed to revive the economy and save millions of jobs. Most wage-earners will soon see the first paycheck evidence of tax breaks that will total $400 for individuals and $800 for couples...

Obama Signs $787 Billion Stimulus Into Law

Another of the most pivotal moments in Obama's term so far was the moment when Obama introduced health care reform in the 2010 budget.

This move to emphasize health care reform was doubted by some, who felt it was premature with such economic hardship still left to be dealt with, but the issue of health care has been many politico's passion for decades, including of course the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, so it may have been inevitable that the season of Ted's passing would be when a President finally makes a strong push to bring proper health care to all Americans. It remains to be seen how well it will work out, but I believe that once Obama gets something (anything) passed, it will be remembered as a victory for him despite all the turmoil that has led up to the final vote.

Obama Introduces Health Care Reform in 2010 Budget
cnn

The budget for fiscal year 2010 includes substantial investments in health care reform, renewable energy and education. The budget also includes big cuts for some programs, setting the stage for major political battles as political patrons fight to save budget items in the months ahead...

Obama Introduces Health Care Reform in 2010 Budget

Two of the most loved and hated Presidents will square off against each other for the first time, as Bill Clinton and George W. Bush meet for a once-in-a-lifetime debate on Feb. 25th at Radio City Music Hall.

The debate, billed as the biggest debate event in history, will be a moderated question and answer session that is sure to draw massive attention. Many haters of Bush saw Clinton as his polar opposite, bringing a fierce intellectual rigor to his arguments on every issue that came his way, and able to speak extemporaneously on anything you threw at him. Whereas bush was seen as clumsy when having to speak off the cuff, and known for his many malaprops and verbal flubs. But George W. Bush is quicker than people give him credit for, and actually came out even in most of his debates, so seeing him square off against Bill Clinton at Radio City Music Hall should be a fascinating show to say the least..I hope this will also be televised or video taped?

Bush and Clinton to Debate, Radio City
newsday

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush won't be joining the Rockettes' kickline, but they will bring their traveling road show to Radio City Music Hall in February. Clinton and Bush plan to debate each other on key political issues on Feb. 25 at the venue better-known for high-kicking dancers and Christmas pageants...

Bush and Clinton to debate, Radio City

Mayor Mike Bloomberg was re-elected yesterday for a third term as Mayor of New York, but the big news may be how small his margin of victory was, after Bloomberg spent more then $100 million in the most expensive self-financed campaign in American history.

Bloomberg, after a controversial move to remove his city's term limits, spent the massive sums of his own money to defeat the rather nondescript Democratic contender Bill Thompson, and as a New Yorker I can attest to the constant barrage of election mailers that clogged our mailboxes every single day, as well as radio/TV ads, robocalls and volunteers ringing doorbells.

But even after that huge expenditure of over $100 million against a much lesser known opponent, Bloomberg still only eked out a victory by a few percentage points. Estimates are that Bloomberg spent over $150 per vote, where Thompson spent about $13. Hard to say Bloomberg has much of a mandate with these results, and it has to raise questions about the role of big money in our electoral system, but in the end I suppose a win is still a win.

Bloomberg Spent More Than $100 Million Most Expensive Self-Financed Campaign
nytimes

Michael R. Bloomberg, the Wall Street mogul whose fortune catapulted him into New York's City Hall, has set another staggering financial record: He has now spent more of his own money than any other individual in United States history in the pursuit of public office...

Bloomberg Spent More Than $100 Million Most Expensive Self-Financed Campaign

The town of Breckenridge Colorado has the Nation buzzing, no pun intended, after confirmation that Breckenridge votes to legalize marijuana in this yesterday's election day.

Breckenridge citizens passed Measure 2F by a wide margin, getting rid of criminal penalties for possessing a small amount of marijuana, and the laws against bongs and other pot-smoking accessories.

Heartwarming news for the many Americans who believe that marijuana, though it should be regulated, ought not be treated the same as harder drugs like cocaine or heroin, and especially that the many uses of medicinal marijuana should be recognized, as it is known to be helpful as an alternative medicine treament for nausea, glaucoa, high stress and anxiety and many other ailments. Personally I do not partake of the drug, but I see no reason why it should be treated worse than cigarettes, which have a much clearer track record of damaging people's health.

Breckenridge Votes to Legalize Marijuana
denver channel

Breckenridge is drawing national buzz after voters by a nearly 3-to-1 margin legalized the adult possession of marijuana Tuesday night. Breckenridge voters passed Measure 2F, which removes criminal penalties from the town code for the private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults 21 and older. The ordinance also removes criminal penalties for the possession of bongs, pipes and other drug paraphernalia...

Breckenridge Votes to Legalize Marijuana

Horrible breaking news from Texas this afternoon, as a shooting at Fort Hood has reportedly left 7 dead and over 20 wounded.

There are not many details available yet but an Army spokesman said ""There's a lockdown in place on the base. Whatever this is started at Howze Movie Theatre, in one of the 'family readiness areas' on base - meaning places families go for entertainment, etc." but another representative reported that the shooting started elsewhere on the base and then a second incident was at the hteater.

Apparently two people were involved with the Fort Hood shooting, one of whom is was captured at the army base and is now in custody. See the link below for details, and likely updates as new details emerge on this terrible story. Condolences to all who were affected by this tragedy.

Shooting, Fort Hood Army Base, 7 Dead
cbsnews

Seven people are reported dead and at least 20 wounded in a shooting at the Ft. Hood Army post in Killeen, Texas, the Army has confirmed. A public information officer said that there were two shooters and one was in custody. The army post is on lockdown...

Shooting, Fort Hood Army Base, 7 Dead

In heartwarming news that we could all use today, given the other big story of the afternoon, after being missing for 5 days, a baby was found under a bed in Florida, at the home of her babysitter.

Police say they were stunned to find the baby in a box under the woman's bed, where she as apparently trying to hide it. Officers were reportedly crying on the scene, saying they'd never seen anything like it and feeling full of relief that the baby was found alive...

Baby Found Under Bed
NPR

Investigators spent five days searching dense vines and marshes for a missing infant, only to find her lying quietly in a 2-foot by 3-foot cedar box that had been shoved under her baby sitter's bed.

Baby Found Under Bed

Details keep coming in on the horrific shooting today at Fort Hood, where a suspected gunman as been identified by authorities as Major Malik Nadal Hasan.

Major Malik Nadal Hasan was killed at the scene where two other shooters were apprehended after a terrifying shooting spree at the Army Base, that has left many people dead and wounded. apparently Hasan was due to go overseas into combat and was distressed about it. More details and photos are sure to emerge, so check the links below that has resources for more info.

Fort Hood Suspected Gunman: Major Malik Nadal Hasan
business insider

The suspected gunman in the Fort Hood shooting has been identified as Major Malik Nadal Hasan. According to Army Spokesman Lt. General Robert W. Cone. A defense official speaking on condition of anonymity to the AP says Hasan was a mental health professional -- an Army psychologist or psychiatrist....

Fort Hood Suspected Gunman: Major Malik Nadal Hasan

More arrests in the high profile Galleon case came today, with 14 charged in the insider trading sting.

The case, that centers around famous hedge fund manager and financial analyst Raj Rajaratnam, now has over 20 people facing charges or being investigated for connections to this insider trading operation that brought huge profits in the financial sector for its alleged members. An informant from inside the alleged Wall St creime ring gave information that led to these arrests, for securities fraud and other related crimes based on using inside info illegally as financial advice that gives an unfair advantage in playing the stock market.

14 Charged in Insider Trading
fox

Criminal charges have been filed against 14 people, including attorneys and Wall Street professionals, in a widening $53 million insider trading case that has already snared one of the richest men in America, federal prosecutors said Thursday...Rajaratnam has denied through his lawyer participating in the scheme to use inside information to trade stocks at a profit ahead of public announcements....

14 Charged in Insider Trading

If you are a homeowner who faces foreclosure, new changes in the rules will now allow you to consider renting your home from Fannie Mae instead of losing it outright.

The new plan for dealing with the aftermath of the real estate crisis, called the "Deed for Lease" plan (since "this for that" themed plans apparently work really well for fixing the economy) So if you can't qualify for a home loan under the new regulations, but want to try and keep your home, you will now get a one year rental period from Fannie Mae, that gives additional time and opportunity to work towards keeping your home that you've invested so much in.

Freddie Mac has had a similar deal in place for some time as well, with somewhat different regulations on how the home can be rented after it is fully foreclosed. Hopefully more such compromises can be found, so that the many hard working families caught up in this crisis will not have their lives turned upside down.

Fannie Mae Rental Program
st louis hotel room

housands of borrowers on the verge of foreclosure will soon have the option of renting their homes from Fannie Mae, under a policy announced Thursday. The government-controlled company, through its new "Deed for Lease" program, will allow borrowers to transfer ownership to Fannie Mae and sign a one-year lease, with month-to-month extensions after that...

Fannie Mae Rental Program

The son of slain NFL legend Steve McNair is now set to carry on his father's tradition, as the McNair son prepares to attend Southern Miss on a football scholarship. Steve McNair Jr. mulled over many offers from big name colleges but decided to stay close to home at Southern Miss and bring his promising skills as a wide receiver to the Golden Eagles.

McNair Jr's father was a top quarterback for the Houston Oilers in the NFL, but his son has gone a different route, choosing to catch passes instead. And coming from a royal football family he got to play catch with many great players in his life, including catching passes from Brett Favre in recent years.

After all the tragedy and turmoil around Steve McNair's death, it's good to see some positive news as his son moves on to such good things.

McNair Son: Southern Miss Bound!
nbcsports

Steve McNair Jr. has decided to accept a football scholarship from Southern Miss, according to Rivals.com.

"I'm going to Southern Miss," McNair said. "It's close to home, and my family and my coaches can all come and see me play every week." The son of the late Titans quarterback had offers from many big programs from around the country, including Minnesota, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

McNair Son: Southern Miss Bound!

George Lopez & Wanda Sykes are set to invade the late-night TV talk world thie month, as they each debut new shows. Whatare their chances of succeeding?

Wanda Sykes is debuting a Fox show on Saturday nights, while George Lopez (whom I especially loved in his Reno 911 cameos.) is planting his flag on TBS. I agree with the blog post below, that success for these new shows hosted by people of color lies in resonating with today's cultural landscape, which is a post-Obama-victory landscape specifically in TV terms a post-Chappelle landscape. David Alan Grier and D.L. Hughley felte like they were trying to pick up a10-15 year old conversations, that just didn't fit in 2009.

I'll be watching both shows and rooting for George and Wanda to win! Always thought they were smart, funny performers.

George Lopez & Wanda Sykes (VIDEO)

With the (apparent) success of The Mo'Nique Show, will Wanda Sykes and George Lopez similarly excel in late night, or will they go the way of other recent shows by comedians of color, like David Alan Grier's short-lived Chocolate News and CNN's dull DL Hughley Breaks the News? They'll have to be edgy and interesting: the problem with Grier and Hughley was they were too soft for a post-Chappelle age...

George Lopez & Wanda Sykes (VIDEO)

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum was cited for Marijuana charges this week, after being pulled over at a traffic stop in Washington.

Lincecum, the ace pitcher for the Giants squad, was cited for a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. An officer approached his car ad claimed to smell marijuana smoke, leading to a search and the discovery of about 3 grams of marijuana which is a very small amount, far less than would be necessary to file serious charges.

Critics of current drug policy would cite this as an example of perfectly harmless marijuana usage that shouldn't lead to such drama, but defenders of the system will say the law is the law and he should be accountable for breaking it. But with new legalization bills passing in this last election once again, perhaps after a while these stringent drug laws won't be around anymore in the same form.

Tim Lincecum Cited: Marijuana
espn

San Francisco Giants star pitcher Tim Lincecum is facing misdemeanor marijuana charges following a traffic stop in his home state. Washington State Patrol spokesman Steve Schatzel said Thursday that the 2008 Cy Young Award winner and former star at the University of Washington was

Tim Lincecum Cited: Marijuana

Bluefin tuna have been on the endangered species list for some time now, but new studies show that the people in charge of protecting the species of fish have actually been the ones who put the tuna on the brink of extinction.

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, who was placed in charge of preserving Bluefin Tuna, is accused by scientists of setting yearly quotas for tuna fishing that were far too high than was acceptable to preserve the species, going against the advice of experts each year.

Here are the lyrics from a song recently released on the topic, by a local band from Portland named the Fishmonger Crew:

Bluefin Tuna Extinction Agenda
nat geo

Established to protect Atlantic tuna, an international fisheries group has actually driven the bluefin tuna to the brink of extinction, environmentalists announced Thursday.

The night before a meeting in Brazil of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), an accusation was made by environmentalists saying that the group brazenly ignored the advice of its own scientists...

Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna put your dishes in the sink

I eat tuna, I heat pumas, I seek schooners
I reap rugers, I keep coopers.
Fish be gettin caught in nets ridiculous
We mistreat the environment, conspicuous
I tell listeners don't be so mischevous
respect ecology, reflect the pottery
we wear the wallabees, be scared? you gotta be
cuz these tuna they deserve an apology

Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna they be going extinct
Bluefin tuna put your dishes in the sink

Bluefin Tuna Extinction Agenda

Joe Jackson, the father of the late Michael Jackson, is seeking to get a stipend or monthly allowance from his dead son's estate, to cover his life expenses.

Joe Jackson was well known for having been abusive of Michael, as Mike discussed in various interviews. He seems to be less than popular among other members of the family, including the mother who no longer lives with him. but his lawyers contend he still justly deserves to benefit from his late son's riches, as Michael's estate continues to generate millions on a monthly basis, as it perhaps will for all eternity given how beloved Michael Jackson's music is. So does Joe Jackson deserve a stipend? What is your take? See the link below for more details.

Joe Jackson Stipend?
ksdk

Michael Jackson's father seeks an allowance from Michael's estate to cover expenses that exceed $15,000 a month, according to court documents. The request seeking an unspecified amount for Joe Jackson was filed by lawyer Brian Oxman, who said there was no apparent reason for the administrators of the estate to not seek an allowance for the Jackson family patriarch...

Joe Jackson Stipend?

Fla. Coach Meyer fell victim to a new SEC rule barring criticism of officials, as he received a hefty fine for speaking to reporters about what he felt was a blown call in the last Florida game.

Coach Meyer believed a call against Tim Tebow was a boner of a mistake, and decided to pursue it be sending tapes to be reviewed by the SEC, but then he took it further by complaining to reporters about the bum call, which placed him in violation of the league's new "no snitching rules" in a manner of speaking. Meyers has said he respects the ruling and will abide by it.

Fla. Coach Meyer: Fine
wn.com

Urban Meyer of Florida became the first coach to be disciplined under the Southeastern Conference's new policy regarding criticizing officials. The league fined Meyer $30,000 on Friday, two days after he said referees missed a late hit against quarterback Tim Tebow in No. 1 Florida's 41-17 win against Georgia...

Fla. Coach Meyer: Fine

Gold prices, which have bucked other trends and remained on an uptick as the economy waned in many other ways, hit a new high of $1,000 this week, spurring hopes that it would be a bellwether for better economic times to come.

As the global recession continues to have long lasting impact, many have looked to gold prices as a measure of whether recovery is approaching, so this rising price is interpreted by some financial experts as a positive sign. But many other indicators continue to be stagnant, at best, so the economic prognosis continues to be unclear.

Gold Prices: $1,100
ft

Gold hit a fresh peak above $1,100 an ounce yesterday but crude oil prices fell as a disappointing rise in US unemployment fueled concerns about prospects for a recovery in the world's largest energy consumer. Gold hit $1,100.90 a troy ounce before easing back to $1,095, up 4.8 per cent this week and gaining 24.7 per cent this year amid hopes for a new round of buying by central banks in emerging economies...

Gold Prices: $1,100

A miraculous story from France, where doctors for the first time pulled off a new gene therapy, and found it halts 2 boys' rare brain disease.

The boys suffered from adrenoleukodystrophy, also known as ALD, a serious brain disease made famous in the movie "Lorenzo's Oil." Normally the disease is untreatable, but these doctors in France figured out how to use the HIV virus, change it so it does not transmit AIDS but instead simply carries this new gene into the boys bodies so it will fight the brain disease!

Here's hoping research will continue to succeed in realm of medical science, and politics annd such won't keep this work from getting funded.

New Gene Therapy Halts 2 Boys' Rare Brain Disease
abcnews

French scientists mixed gene therapy and bone marrow transplants in two boys to seemingly halt a brain disease that can kill by adolescence. The surprise ingredient: They disabled the HIV virus so it couldn't cause AIDS, and then used it to carry in the healthy new gene...

New Gene Therapy Halts 2 Boys' Rare Brain Disease

Now that he has turned 13, America is talking about the world's tallest teen, Brenden Adams. As seen below, he was even on Oprah recently!

Brenden Adams is the newest addition to the Guinness Book of World Records after reaching a height over 7'4" at the age of 13. Brenden has an unusual condition of a 12th chromosomal split, that causes much more rapid growth than most young people have.

Doctors are using hormones to force an early start of puberty, hoping to slow down the world's tallest of teens' growth so he can be healthy. But in the meantime Brenden Adams says he's happy, and "person, just like everybody else."

I only have three words for the world's tallest teen: best of luck! Oh and also three other words: New York Knicks!

World's Tallest Teen Brenden Adams

A 13-year-old Washington State boy was recently named the World's Tallest Teen by the Guinness Book of World Records. Brenden Adams, of Ellensburg, Wash., is already 7 feet 4.6 inches tall, and still growing, according to a story on CNN. The teen's super-tall stature is all due to his 12th chromosome, which split in half.

World's Tallest Teen Brenden Adams

In Mongolia, horse meat is being used to fight H1N1 as the country seeks folk remedies to combat the swine flu that is hitting their country harder than perhaps anywhere else in the world.

The illness has claimed over 600 lives in Mongolia, and as traditional medicine and doctors fail to stop the spread of the contagious disease, Mongolians are hoping the horse meat folk remedy will save them, causing prices to rise exponentially. Vaccines have not been made available quickly enough in the country, allowing its spread to reach epidemic proportions.

Mongolia Horse Meat H1N1
reuters

The price of horse meat has risen in Mongolia, as a surge in H1N1 cases and dearth of vaccines has people turning to folk remedies. Seven people died and 630 cases have been treated in the two weeks since the H1N1 strain of influenza first appeared in Mongolia, forcing the government to close kindergartens...

Mongolia Horse Meat H1N1

Sad story from the National Zoo in rock Creek Park, after video was posted where a deer jumps into the lion exhibit and is chased down by the lions.

The baby deer was caught on video getting lost in the lion's area of the zoo, and grabbed by a couple of lions before it managed to escape into the moat. The crowd at the zoo can be heard cheering for the deer as it escaped the lion exhibit, after which zoo staff finally arrived and took the deer to be treated. Sadly though, latest reports say the deer's injuries were too severe, and it had to be put to sleep :( At least it will go down in history as a hero, though! I'll give my little animal and extra hug in his memory.

Deer Jumps into Lion Exhibit
msnbc

The last place a wild baby deer wants to find itself in is a lion exhibit at the National Zoo. Unfortunately, that's exactly where one ended up Sunday afternoon after it wandered out of Rock Creek Park and jumped in...Two female lions went after the deer and severely injured it, but the deer got away from its predators and made a mad dash for the moat...

Deer Jumps into Lion Exhibit

This week the Supreme Court will hear a crucial case about whether the sentence of life without parole juvenile suspects face is an excessive punishment.

The legal case being reviewed involves two convicted criminals in Florida, who are serving life without parole for crimes they committed as children. Many believe this is excessive, and anyone who was a child when they committed their crimes should have some chance to be rehabilitated, no matter how bad the crime they committed. Ta Nehisi Coates says: ... In the juvenile death penalty case Judge Kennedy said that even the most heinous crime isn't evidence of a child that cannot be rehabilitated....

But others say justice must be served no matter what, and defense attorneys shouldn't be able to get someone off the hook just because of their age. This juvenile life without parole case will be a crucial test of the new Supreme Court, and a measure of where they stand on social issues in our legal system.

Life Without Parole, Juvenile (VIDEO)
miami herald

Lawyers for two Florida men who were sentenced to life without parole as juveniles will argue to the U.S. Supreme Court Monday that the penalty is cruel and unusual...On Monday, the lawyers for two Florida men who, as juveniles, were sentenced to life without parole for nonhomicides will ask the nation's highest court to declare the practice of incarcerating juveniles for the rest of their lives cruel and unusual, as well...

Life Without Parole, Juvenile (VIDEO)

Anh 'Joseph' Cao has suddenly become famous as the lone Republican to vote for the Democrats health care bill, but long before this Anh Cao and his family showed even more courage, embarking on a mission to America as Vietnamese refugees.

Anh Joseph Cao, who defeated the notoriously corrupt William Jefferson to become a congressman from Louisiana, came to America when he was a young child, as his family sought to escape the turmoil coming as Saigon fell back home in Vietnam. Then another life changing experiencec came when Cao worked with poor people in Mexico. Cao says "I worked in extreme poverty and had a faith struggle, with the situation of human suffering: Why did a loving and powerful God create a world with so much human suffering?"

Here's hoping there is more history to come for this Vietnamese refugee who is now showing his fellow Republicans the way back home.

Anh 'Joseph' Cao, Vietnamese Refugee
huffpo

On Tuesday, more than 30 years after therefugee child escaped aboard a U.S. military transport plane with his uncle, brother and sister, leaving their parents behind, Joseph Cao was sworn in as the first Vietnamese-American to serve in Congress...

Anh 'Joseph' Cao, Vietnamese Refugee

The bodies found in Anthony Sowell have now left the Ohio suspect indicted on 5 counts of murder and numerous other charges. And as Sowell's lawyers scramble to find a defense against all this damning evidence, police and prosecutors continue to seek new leads in other cities where Sowell lived in the past.

Anthony Sowell, the Ohio suspect indicted in this case, also lived in other towns as an active miltary member, including California, Japan and the North and South Carolina. So authorities are now looking into whether he may be tied to unsolved murders in those cities as well.

A hideous story, but hopefully more investigation can at least bring a tiny amount of peace to families who never saw their cases solved.

Ohio Suspect Indicted
chicago tribune

Authorities are investigating whether an Ohio murder suspect whose home and yard harbored the remains of at least 11 people is connected to any killings in places he lived while in the military, including California, Japan and the Carolinas...He was indicted Monday on one count of attempted murder, two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of felonious assault...

Ohio Suspect Indicted

Years after his attacks terrorized Washington DC and the nation, the state of Virginia has the D.C. sniper set for execution by lethal injection tonight, for the random killing sprees that scarred the beginning of this decade.

the D.C. sniper's attorney Jon Sheldon is still holding out hope for a stay of execution by the Governor, TIm Kaine, but says if this final measure fails he will attend the execution to see off the man he's worked so hard for these years, whom he still sees as a human being who was mentally ill and not a monster, despite the horrible things done by John Allen Muhammad.

But for most who are there, tonight Greensville Correctional Center will be a time of closure and justice, with the execution set for the D.C. sniper who took many innocent lives.

D.C. Sniper Set for Execution
wxia

Unless Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine steps in, the D.C. sniper set for execution, John Allen Muhammad will be executed for the sniper attacks that terrorized the nation's capital region for three weeks in October 2002...

D.C. Sniper Set for Execution

At the height of the D.C. sniper case, a threat rang out against the children of the D.C area, but schools and parents had mixed feelings about how to address the threat and whether to close schools or let life continue on.

Many parents wondered if it was best to protect their children by closing schools as the sniper case continued on, but ultimately it was decided that letting the kids' day to day life continue so they could have a sense of normalcy and sanity. Said one principal at the time, in the NY Times, ''There is a lot of pressure in the atmosphere, but I think the students can find refuge in having a routine.''

Parents Fear Closing Schools: Sniper

As the police in Montgomery County, Md., confirmed the sniper's threat, first reported in The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Los Angeles Times, school officials in the Washington area decided against shutting schools or taking even more drastic steps than they have since the sniper first began killing strangers. And most parents seemed to agree with the decision.

Parents Fear Closing Schools: Sniper

In the aftermath of the D.C. sniper case, the younger of the two killers shocked the world, as sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo's confession transcript revealed stunning details of the twisted world these murderers created inside their minds.

in the transcript of the confessions, sniper Lee Boyd Malvo is found bragging, boasting and laughing as he recounts victims being shot in the head, and he described their partnership in the killing spreee as a military-style operation where either man could do the shootings or oversee the plan and call the attack off. Lee Boyd Malvo is now serving life in prison, as his fellow convicted sniper suspect John Muhammad is set to be executed tonight. Malvo's confession transcript will be left behind as the document of their twisted evil.

Sniper Suspect Lee Boyd Malvo's Confession Transcript
CNN

It is coming out of the sniper case, Lee Boyd Malvo, the man who is now 18 but who was the 17-year-old suspect in that case. The defendant was in a special hearing last week. A judge has made a decision concerning a confession that he allegedly made...

Sniper Suspect Lee Boyd Malvo's Confession Transcript

Joe Cada became the youngest World Series of Poker winner ever last night, beating out a competitor twice his age to take home the $8 million first place prize.

The young Joe Cada, whose mother is a pro poker dealer, and who plays dozens of games online every day, broke the record for youngest winner ever in the WSOP, once held by the legendary (or should I say infamous) Phil Hellmuth, who was on hand and took pictures with the new champion.

Cada one the final hand when his pocket 9s saw an all-in from his opponent who held two suited overcards, and Cada's pair survived through the river. That's poker action at its best! Always fun to watch this display of card-playing strategy every year.

Youngest World Series of Poker Winner
daily news

A 21-year-old Michigan poker professional who chose cards over college won the World Series of Poker main event in Las Vegas early Tuesday, winning $8.55 million and becoming the youngest player to win the tournament in its 40-year history...

Youngest World Series of Poker Winner

The victim of the chimp attack in which a woman's pet primate brutally assaulted her friend before being killed by police is appearing in public for the first time, as she speaks to Oprah Winfrey about her ordeal.

Since the day of the attack, the chimp victim has understandably pursued a million dollar lawsuit, for restitution on the horrible life altering injuries she suffered as the chimp brutalized her face and hands. It may be an act of God's mercy that she does not recall the attack, but the effects of it will still live with her forever, and she certainly ought to be provided for as well as is possible.

Oprah Winfrey: Chimp Victim "Doesn't Recall Attack"
msnbc

A Connecticut woman who was mauled and blinded after a 200-pound chimpanzee attacked her in February is set to appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Chicago-based Harpo Productions said in a Monday statement that Charla Nash will appear on Wednesday's episode of Winfrey's talk show...

Oprah Winfrey: Chimp Victim "Doesn't Recall Attack"

Restaurants across the country offer free meals today on Veteran's day, for any soldiers or military people who visit their restaurant. Many major restaurant chains were offering this special deal, including Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse and Krispy Kreme. For a complete list see the article linked below.

Veterans Day Free Meals
fox news

FREE ARBY'S: Current and former members of the military can present a valid military ID at any local Richmond Arby's to receive the free Regular Roast Beef Sandwich.

FREE APPLEBEES: Applebees restaurants across the country are offering free meals to Veterans and active Military on November 11th. Just show proof of military service.

FREE KRISPY KREME: Veterans and active military personnel who visit any participating U.S. Krispy Kreme store on Veterans Day will receive one free doughnut of any variety.

Veterans Day Free Meals

Good news from Rome for Catholics who believe in UFOs, as word comes that according to the Vatican, alien life is possible, or at least believing it's possible does not contradict Catholic beliefs.

Belief in alien life has long been considered contradictory to Catholic teachings, but a new statement from the Vatican says life on Mars, for example, could have been created by God and offer no contradiction to current Catholic religious lessons. The Vatican's official astronomer (who knew they had one of those?) says it's even possible these alien beigns could be born free of sin. The headline of the article was "Aliens Are My Brother'.

Vatican: Alien Life Possible!
bbc news

The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out. Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space...

Vatican: Alien Life Possible!

Demi Moore says no matter how much younger her boyfriend is, you shouldn't call gher a "cougar." The official new title for Demi Moore: Puma

In an interview with W magazine, Demi said of her relationship with Ashton Kutcher "I'm certainly not the first person to be in a relationship with a younger man, but somehow I was plucked out as a bit of a poster girl I don't know why that is. But I just kind of step back sometimes and say, 'There is some reason, and what is it that I have to share in a positive way? ... I'd prefer to be called a puma."

More power to her! If a guy does it he's just a plain old successful guy, but if a woman does we have to make up names for her? Might as well let the woman pick her own animal.

Demi Moore: Puma, not Cougar
azcentral

Demi Moore, 47, knows that when people picture her with husband Ashton Kutcher, they imagine the 31-year-old actor nestled comfortably between the velvety pads of Moore's cougar paws. But the actress has a message for the social taxonomists behind the "Field Guide to Mature Hollywood Females." She's no cougar. She's a puma...

Demi Moore: Puma, not Cougar

A charity auction took us one step closer to justice in the Bernie Madoff case this week, with some valuable Madoff items auctioned to raise money for the victims of his financial schemes.

Bernie Madoff's financial investment scams victimized hundreds of people hoping to make money on Wall Street, before he was finally exposed. Now some of his victims hope to gain a bit of their money back as Madoff's belongings are auctioned off. Madoff's 3 yachts will be auctioned, along with one that belonged to an associate in his financial dealings.

Madoff Items Auctioned for Victims
usa today

In the continuing effort to raise money for victims of Madoff's Ponzi scheme, an auction of jewelry and other items formerly owned by the disgraced financier or his relatives is scheduled to be held in New York City on Saturday.Three former Madoff yachts are to be sold in a separate auction next week in Florida.

Madoff Items Auctioned for Victims

The new disaster movie 2012 shows yet another Hollywood vision of the world coming to an end, but could these 2012 movie apocalypse predictions be a truthful prediction of things to come?

December 12th, 2012, has long been known as the end of the Mayan calendar, when according to some interpretations, global disasters are predicted to take place. Many conspiracy theorists have latched onto this as the end date for the world as we know it, while others believe it will be a transformative moment that ushers in a new and better world.

Scholars of Mayan culture, though, say these amateur apocalypse theories are misinterpreting the Mayan's beliefs, and scientists say there is no scientific basis for the doomsday theories either. But as John Cusack says in the film, when they tell you not to panic, that's when you run! So it's up to you to decide what to believe. If you are planning to hide in an underground bunker forever or something like that, starting on 12/12/2012, I'd be glad to hold all your money and car keys for you starting on December 11th. You know, just to make things easier for you.

2012 Movie Apocalypse Predictions
wikipedia

The 2012 phenomenon is a range of beliefs that cataclysmic events will occur in 2012. The forecast is based primarily on the supposed end-date of the Mayan Long Count calendar, according to a mix of amateur archaeoastronomy, alternative interpretations of mythology, numerological constructions, and alleged prophecies from extraterrestrial beings... [in other words a bunch of hogwash.]

2012 Movie Apocalypse Predictions

Three Tennessee football blayers were arrested this week, as the three college freshman were accused of attempted armed robbery, of all things.

According to arrest reports, the three freshman football players walked up to a car in front of a convenience store, and attempted to rob the three men inside at gunpoint. But when the men showed their empty wallets and claimed to have no money, the robbers ran off and drove away, and when police went after the car they found the three football palyers in it, along with one other woman. Perhaps it's possible they found the wrong car, but if not, what a massively boneheaded move by these young men, wasting an opportunity millions of kids would love to have. They will need some serious legal help to salvage their future after this.

Three Tennessee Football Players Arrested
seattle PI

Three Tennessee football players were arrested Thursday morning in Knoxville on charges of attempted armed robbery. Janzen Jackson, Mike Edwards and Nu'Keese Richardson -- all freshmen -- were charged Thursday after an early-morning incident.

Three Tennessee Football Players Arrested

In the new book "Fall to PIeces" Mary Forsberg Weiland tells the riveting story of her life as a survivor of bipolar disorder and drug addiction, in her marriage to equally an troubled husband, rock star Scott Weiland.

She talks frankly and vividly about alcohol and drug addiction, being diagnosed with mental illness that is often misunderstood, and the story of her life-long relationship with Scott Weiland, who met Mary when they were 16 years old, and proposed to her soon after her 7th stay in drug rehab.

Mary Forsberg Weiland told CNN about the book, "After my bipolar diagnosis, I read countless books on the subject. I had a difficult time connecting to them because my story often lacked the intense mania that so many people struggle with. I'm hoping that someone who may be wrestling with similar demons to mine can find even an ounce of hope in 'Fall To Pieces'."

"Fall to Pieces" - Mary Forsberg Weiland Tells All!
blabbermouth

In "Fall To Pieces", which was written with Larkin Warren, mother, model, bipolar disorder survivor and recovering drug addict Mary Forsberg Weiland tells the story of her life with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/former VELVET REVOLVER frontman Scott Weiland. Mary reveals the extreme highs and lows of her life with refreshing candor and unflinching detail.

"Fall to Pieces" - Mary Forsberg Weiland Tells All!

Parents are wondering Mattel was thinking, as the toy company prepares to offer kids a new version of their Ken doll, suggestively named "Sugar's Daddy Ken." And as many are sure to notice, this is suspiciously similar to "Sugar Daddy Ken." And in photos of the new doll, Ken certainly looks like a "sugar daddy" too.

As seen in the link here, Sugar's Daddy Ken is a new companion for Barbie in the latest "Malibu Beach" line of Barbie dolls, seemingly patterned after the hoity-toity Paris Hilton socialite world. And Sugar's Daddy Ken comes complete with one of those little dogs everyone like that always has, hence his name since the dog is named sugar. But it's easy to suspect Mattel set up that little wordplay on purpose, and really mean it as a reference to wealthy sugar daddies. Is this a bad message to give to kids who will want these new toys for a christmas present? That'll be for each parent to decide. Surely can't be any worse than the sugar daddies they'll meet in those Grand Theft Auto games.

Sugar Daddy Ken (PHOTO)
abc

This year is Barbie's 50th anniversary, but lately, it's been the iconic doll's companion, Ken, that's been getting all the attention: A new Ken doll called "Sugar's Daddy Ken" is prompting snickers for its suggestive-sounding name...In fact, several Web sites refer to the doll, which is due to make its official debut next year, by a slightly different name -- "Sugar Daddy Ken."

Sugar Daddy Ken (PHOTO)

Mean Joe Greene will finally receive an award for his classic coke commercial, awarded to him before the Steelers game this Sunday.

Joe Greene will receive a Clio award, the award given each year to the best commercials and advertisements, for his role in one of the most famous TV ads ever, his legendary Coca-Cola ad where a young boy gives him a bottle of Coke, and then he tosses the kid his football jersey (whichc would now be a pretty sweet throwback jersey). The Clio was actually awarded 30 years ago when the ad first hit TV sets, but somehow Joe Greene never got his award, so the Clios are taking this opportunity to make things right on the thirtieth anniversary.

Joe Greene to Receive Award (VIDEO)
nfltouchdown

Prior to the Bengals-Steelers game this Sunday, Hall of Fame defensive tackle "Mean" Joe Greene will be on hand to accept his Clio award (thirty years after the fact!) for his work in the legendary 1979 Coca-Cola commercial that featured nine-year-old boy Tommy Okon offering Greene his Coke, and Mean Joe tossing his Steelers jersey to Okon as a gesture of thanks...

Joe Greene to Receive Award (VIDEO)

There are many words you are not supposed to say in school, but I bet you didn't know "meep" was one of them! But that's just the situation at a New England high School where a Principal bans meep, after students apparently made a plan to disrupt the school with this magical nonsense word.

The word "meep", best known as the entire vocabulary of Beeker from the Muppet Show, was allegedly spread around Facebook in a plan to disrupt the school assembly. And when students continued wielding their "meep" weapon over the principal's protestation, the principal saw no choice but to leave a message on all the parents' answering machines, warning against future usage of "meep." One would have to imagine that getting the principal to do that was the greatest victory of all for the students. Game, set and match!

Principal Bans Meep
boston.com

The word "meep" has been banned at Danvers High School in Massachusetts after students said it to repeatedly interrupt school. Principal Thomas Murray says the word was part of a disruption planned using Facebook...

Principal Bans Meep

The University of Virginia, as part of their ongoing study of American Comedy (and Tragedy), is planning to record an oral history of the Bush Presidency, as their Presidential Oral History Program has done for various previous Presidencies.

Bush himself was on hand to help announce the plans for an oral history of his Presidency, which it is explained will include interviews with dozens of the most important figures in Bush's 8 long, long years in office. No word yet on whether it will be narrated by Will Ferrell.

Oral History of Bush Presidency (VIDEO)
msnbc

The University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs will record an oral history of President George W. Bush's presidency. The center and the George W. Bush Foundation announced the project Thursday. About 100 interviews are planned, including key figures of the Bush White House and Cabinet...

Oral History of Bush Presidency (VIDEO)

By now everyone has heard about the heroism of Sergeant Kimberly Munley in facing down the Fort Hood killer, but now new witnesses are giving credit to her partner Mark Todd as well, saying Sergeant Mark Todd shot fort Hood suspect Malik Hasan, after he had shot down his partner Munley and was fumbling with his pistol.

The original report by the authorities had Munley returning fire herself, after being wounded by Hasan, but now a witness has reported seeing Todd as the one who neutralized Hasan as he was attempting to reload his gun, saving his partner as well as the many others still alive on the base. No word yet on why, if true, this was not reflected in the initial reports. But I see no need to quibble too much, certainly there's enough room to call them both heroes.

Mark Todd Shot Fort Hood Suspect
nytimes

A witness, who asked not to be identified, said Major Hasan wheeled on Sergeant Munley as she rounded the corner of a building and shot her, putting her on the ground. And then Senior Sgt. Mark Todd, a veteran police officer, rounded another corner of the building, found Major Hasan fumbling with his weapon and shot him...

Mark Todd Shot Fort Hood Suspect

Suzanne Somers' latest book knockout gives some very controversial advice about cancer treatment, claiming that cancer patients should avoid getting chemotherapy even when their doctors recommend it. But Suzanne Somers' Book concerns American Cancer Society representatives, who say her unqualified amateur advice could be harmful to anyone who reads it.

Says Dr. Otis Brawley: "I am not critical of the concept of alternative and complementary medicine. When used wisely, it can be useful. Indeed, open-mindedness to other ideas is how we advance conventional medicine...My problem is with some and not all of the advocates of alternative and complementary medicine. My problem is with those who reject the scientific method...While conventional medicine is by no means perfect... the wise use of proven conventional therapy is responsible for a tremendous decrease in the mortality rate over the past century."

Hopefully a balanced discussion will continue to be aired, and cancer patients will hear all sides before deciding how to care for themselves. Personally I find Dr. Brawley more persuasive, but that's just me.

Suzanne Somers' Book Concerns American Cancer Society
examiner

Suzanne Somers released her 19th book last week. Entitled Knockout , the book takes on the emotionally charged issue of cancer treatments. Somers believes that traditional medicine uses too much chemotherapy. [But Dr. Brawley of the American Cancer Society] says that his biggest fear is that people who know Ms. Somers as a celebrity may take her advice over the recommendations of their medical doctors. This could mean risking there very lives...

Suzanne Somers' Book Concerns American Cancer Society

One of the most embarrassing episodes of Oprah's career came just recently, when she had Suzanne Somers as a guest on her show, and seemed to endorse Somers' rather dubious advice on how women should treat menopause. A scathing critique appeared later in Newsweek, and the Newsweek Oprah menopause article was perhaps the harshest and most damaging criticism Oprah has faced, with the magazine claiming her faulty women's health advice was putting her viewers in danger.

Countless doctors and medical experts expressed outrage and shock and Oprah's biased and distorted, in their view, coverage of this issue, on which she and Somers promoted giving women hormone therapy in much higher doses than doctor would recommend, to counteract menopause and help women stay youthful. You can see the link below for much more detail in newsweek, and video of the controversial Oprah episode.

Newsweek Oprah Menopause Article
news week

The resulting spectacle disappointed many doctors who thought Winfrey had higher standards for the quality of medical information she dispersed--or, at least, more of a commitment to balance. Some said they were particularly upset because doctors had complained to Winfrey's production company about what they saw as misinformation disseminated during the show she did on hormone therapy two weeks before that featured Dr. Phil McGraw's wife, Robin...

Newsweek Oprah Menopause Article

Black Friday shoppers for this holiday season are in for some serious savings, as news leaks of the $3 appliances Target will offer in this year's big holiday sale!

If you want to buy kitchenware like toasters and coffeemakers you'll only have to shell out $3 to bag one, and clothing will be 50% off along with many toys that are perect for Christmas. And best of all for my personal needs, there are expected to be major deals for low price HD television sales. Just in time for me as I've ben planning to get an HDTV, probably a 36 inch LCD or thereabouts. Hope they have a good sale for me! A little Blue Ray action would be nice too.

$3 Appliances: Target Sale!
cnn

Target is hoping to lure this year's Black Friday shoppers with $3 toasters and coffeemakers, deep deals on high-definition televisions, and discounts of 50% on clothes and toys, according to a Web site that says it has received a leaked copy of the retailer's circular...a Web site that markets itself as one of many "official" Black Friday deal sites, said Wednesday that he received a copy of the discount retailer's ad...

$3 Appliances: Target Sale!

A sad story played out this week in the National Zoo at Rock Creek Park, where a video was captured in which a deer jumps into lion's cage and barely escapes being chased down by lions.

The baby deer was caught on videotape after getting lost in the lion's cage at the zoo, and then was grabbed and attacked by lions before the deer managed to escape and jump into the moat. The crowd at the zoo is cheering for the deer as it escaped the lion exhibit, after which zoo staff arrive and take the deer to be treated. Sadly though, latest reports say the deer's injuries were too severe, and it had to be put to sleep :( At least it will go down in history as a hero, though! I'll give my little animal an extra hug tonight in that brave deer's memory.

Deer Jumps Into Lion's Cage
weekly world news (but the story is true)

A wild deer was attacked after jumping into a lion enclosure! The young female deer jumped into the lion area on Sunday. It landed in the moat, but was attacked by two lions after it swam ashore! Onlookers began rooting the deer on as it fought to get free. "Everyone was cheering, 'Go, go, go' " to encourage the deer, witness Josh Shpayher said. "Everyone was rooting for the deer."

Deer Jumps Into Lion's Cage

A campaign is picking up steam in the NBA to give up #23, in honor of their greatest player Michael Jordan.

The movement is being led by none other than current NBA all-star Lebron James, who says he believes the NBA should have every team retire the number 23 out of respect for the best player who ever lived, Michael Jordan. Many other top players have expressed agreement with this notion, and say they wonder why the NBA didn't retire the number outright before this. Seems like a worthy tribute to me, and a great excuse for the NBA to make new money off of promoting sales on throwback jerseys and such, so should be a win win for everybody!

NBA: Give up 23 for Jordan! (VIDEO)
star tribune

LeBron James wants NBA players to give up their No. 23s to honor Michael Jordan. The Cavaliers superstar, who has worn 23 since he was a high school sophomore, believes players should pay tribute to Jordan for the Hall of Famer's impact on the game...

NBA: Give up 23 for Jordan! (VIDEO)

A chilling report has come from the BBC in Pakistan, about a 14 year old boy who agreed to become a suicide bomber for the Taliban.

The report, based on interviews with the boy himself, has not been verified, but paints a harrowing picture of a 14 year old boy being threatened with death if he didn't join their terrorist cause and agree to become a fellow suicide bomber. According to the boy they told him directly 'You have two choices. We will behead you, or you will become a suicide bomber.'

At first the boy refused, but after 5 days of beating and abuse he finally gave in and said he would do it. He finally escaped though, and lived to tell the tale, thank goodness! The full story can be seen in this article:

14-Year-Old-Boy Agreed To Become A Suicide Bomber??
bbc

A 14-year-old boy in the tribal region of Bajaur, in north-west Pakistan, says he was detained by Taliban forces who tried to turn him into a suicide bomber. The boy is now in army hands. He provided a detailed account to BBC correspondent Orla Guerin. His story cannot be independently verified...

14-Year-Old-Boy Agreed To Become A Suicide Bomber??

Russia has always been known as the widest country in the world, that covers the most time zones. but now they have a plan that calls for Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev reducing time tones so that business and trade in the country can run more efficiently.

The country of Russia stretches from Moscow on one end of the world to Vladivostok on the other, with 7 time zones in between. But under Medvedev's new plan, that would be reduced to only 4 time zones. In related news, New York City is trying to get another time zone added to America for themselves, so they can see Tv shows before everybody else.

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev Reducing Time Zones
boston.com

President Dmitry Medvedev is proposing reducing the number of time zones in Russia to increase economic efficiency. Russia is the world's largest country and has 11 time zones, stretching from the Western exclave of Kaliningrad to its eastern tip in Chukotka. Medvedev stressed Thursday in his state-of the-nation address that first it is necessary to objectively assess the economic advantages of such a move...

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev Reducing Time Zones

After years of complaints that the current method of lethal injection is too cruel, there are now plans in Ohio to switch to single drug lethal injection execution, rather than the three steps with three drugs in the current standard death penalty procedure.

The current system, in which one drug knocks the person out, the next one paralyzes them and then the next one kills them, is intended to be humane. But critics, especially death penalty opponents, say this procedure too often causes excruciating pain in the inmate's last moments, as they are paralyzed and thus unable to let people know they're still conscious, and then suffer terribly when the third injection is given.

So now Ohio will try a new, untested method with only a single dose given, similar to giving someone an overdose of anesthetic. Hopefully this will be one step closer to a humane justice system.

Ohio to Switch To Single Drug Lethal Injection Execution
wtop

Ohio waded into uncharted territory Friday when it announced plans to switch from the usual three-drug cocktail used to execute inmates to a one-drug method that death penalty opponents praised as a step forward _ albeit one that has apparently never been tried on prisoners...

Ohio to Switch To Single Drug Lethal Injection Execution

After a life devoted to charity work, Paul Newman was remembered by his many friends with a Paul Newman posthumous fundraiser soon after he passed.

The celebrity studded charity affair raised money for a children's camp founded by Paul Newman, dedicated to helping kids who suffer from life-threatening illnesses. Newman was famous throughout his career for giving tremendously to charity, especially through his wide range of "Newman's Own" foods on sale pretty much everywhere.

Said Danny Glover ""We expected Paul to be with us and so this kind of turned into kind of a tribute. This is the first time we are doing this without Paul--there is a void there, without a doubt." But there is no doubt Newman will always be present in the world, both through his artistic work and his humanitarian work.

Paul Newman Posthumous Fundraiser
atpictures

A host of stars including Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, JULIA ROBERTS and Sean Penn turned out for an annual fundraiser for late actor Paul Newman's children's charity. Newman died after a battle with cancer on September 26, at the age of 83. The gala was held on Monday night in San Francisco to benefit The Painted Turtle, a camp for children...

Paul Newman Posthumous Fundraiser

Celebrities are known both for their huge egos and sometimes their tireless charity work, but when it comes to celebrity charity work, who does the most of all?

According to a Parade magazine report, the #1 most charitable celebrity is Oprah Winfrey, who through here Oprah's Angel Network gives tons of money to help education programs and other efforts to help children in need. Other names topping the list include Brad and Angelina of course, Barbara Streisand and Mel Gibson, who all give millions as well. For the complete list, see below:

Celebrity Charity Work: Biggest Givers
socialvibe

It's no surprise, Oprah Winfrey came in first with a whopping $52 million donated to charity last year...Winfrey gave to various charities, including her own Oprah's Angel Network, which provides education, health care and advocacy for women and children worldwide. Parade's list was compiled by The Giving Back Fund from public records of donations given during 2007...

Celebrity Charity Work: Biggest Givers

Mel Gibson has been in the news for many reasons, some more flattering than others. But he is sure to be popular among supporters of a certain Catholic Church in California, as Mel Gibson and the Holy Family Catholic Church in Agoura Hills have developed a relationship that brought the church over $5 million from Gibson.

The church offers an alternative version of Catholicism for those who like Gibson and his father do not believe in the modern day Vatican. Mel Gibson and his father have been very controversial with some of their religioous and poplitical beliefs, including the father's reported denials that the Holocaust happened. Gibson has tried to distance himself from this but controversy remains, especially since his own bizarre statement about Jews after his drunken arrest a few years ago.

Mel Gibson and Holy Family Catholic Church, Agoura Hills
foxnews

Mel Gibson made so much money from "The Passion of the Christ" that he's now putting it where his mouth is, so to speak. He's continuing to build a religious compound in Malibu for Catholics who reject Vatican II, and is implicitly endorsing his controversial father's beliefs by helping him launch a similar church in Pennsylvania...

Mel Gibson and Holy Family Catholic Church, Agoura Hills

Right on the heels of Demi Moore announcing she's "not a cougar" comes this pronouncement from sex symbol Megan Fox: "Not a Tigress."

Megan Fox was talking about her much talked about similarities to another sex symbol actress, Angelina Jolie. Many people make much of their similar look, sexiness and sass, but Megan Fox believes the two are quite different. Megan says she is more lighthearted and fun where Angelina often shows her serious side. She also talked about her feud with Michael Bay and the negative rumors he allegedly spread about her. For more of her latest quotes, and photos of Megan Fox, see the article below:

Megan Fox "Not A Tigress"
msnbc

Megan Fox may be an action star, a brunette beauty with striking blue eyes and an actress that the men's magazines go ga-ga over, but she doesn't think she has much in common with another actress with a strikingly similar past pedigree. "People compare me to Angelina Jolie, and she's so serious and stoic," Megan told the New York Times Magazine. "I'm the opposite...

Megan Fox "Not A Tigress"

As he continues to be prosecuted for his horrific crimes against Jaycee Dugar, we keep hearing one word from Phillip Garrido: sorry.

Garrido released another wriitten apology this week, but it was not entirely clear what he thought he should be sorry for. He continues to be an all around creepy and evil sonuvabitch, who doesn;'t seem to realize whenever he talks, he digs his hole that much deeper. Hopefully it won't belong before Phillip Garrido's sorry self is locked somewhere we won't hear him yap ever again, and then Jaycee Dugard can get on with the rest of her life in peace. Thank goodness she still has so much of her life ahead of her.

Phillip Garrido Sorry
nbc

Convicted rapist and accused kidnapper Phillip Garrido is apologizing again but it's unclear what he's sorry about. "First off I would like to apologize to every human being for what has taken place." Those are the words Garrido wrote in a third handwritten letter to Sacramento TV station KCRA. Garrido is accused of kidnapping Jaycee Dugard...

Phillip Garrido Sorry

Tough times these days for the mighty and fearsome Church of Scientology, as a French fraud case and Paul Haggis defection are bringing unheralded turmoil to the hyper protective religion.

One of their most prominent devotees, Paul Haggis, announced his plans to leave the church, reportedly because he was offended by some of the church's policies, especially around gay members. And then they lost a court case in France relating to fraud. For details see below, and then log off the internet before the Scientology secret police see you were reading about them. They will come for you, in the night! Wait, who's that knocking at my door...

Scientology, French Fraud Case & Paul Haggis Defection
catholic.org

Tuesday was a bad day for Scientology. One of their Hollywood faithful renounced his affiliation and they were found guilty of fraud in France. Director Paul Haggis announced his desire to leave the church, and also on Tuesday, the French branch of the Church of Scientology was convicted in a Paris court of fraud and fined close to $900,000. There are approximately 45,000 adherents of the controversial group in the country.

Scientology, French Fraud Case & Paul Haggis Defection

Losing a billion dollars might not sound like good news, but financial experts are hailing the good tidings today from General Motors, with the third quarter earnigns report from GM. $1.2 Billion is their reported loss, which might sound bad but is actually a sharp improvement from their previous financial woes, and is taken as a sign that the car manufacturer is beginning to turn around.

General Motors says the boost came largely from cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro and the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, that have done well at new car dealerships around the country. GM says they are ready to start paying off money loaned by the government as their business continues to improve5

GM: $1.2 Billion Loss (VIDEO)

GM said its improved performance was fueled by new products including the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car, and the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain midsize crossover vehicles. The company's top sellers through October were the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and Impala full-size car...

GM: $1.2 Billion Loss (VIDEO)

Everyone's talking about Scientology's latest troubles, and wondering if some of their celebrity acolytes will soon be leaving the religion. But which famous Scientologist might be the one to go? An Irish bookmaker regarded as a top prognosticator is laying odds on top stars including John Travolta choosing to leave the controversial faith.

Paddy Power puts the odds quite high on Travolta leaving, after well-publicized controversy around the tragic death of his son, and also sees Katie Holmes and Lisa Marie Presley as among the more likely escapees from Scientology island. For more see the article here:

Paddy Power: Most Likely Celebrity to Leave Scientology
telegraph

John Travolta is the most likely celebrity to leave the Church of Scientology, according to the bookmakers Paddy Power, who are taking odds on stars abandoning the troubled religious organisation founded by L Ron Hubbard. There have been rumours of tensions between Travolta and the Church since the tragic death of his son, Jet...

Paddy Power: Most Likely Celebrity to Leave Scientology

France struck a blow against the fearsome Church of Scientology this month, as they were fined $900,000 In French fraud case.

Scientology has long been frowned upon by French authorities, and prosecutors were hoping for the religion to be banned outright, but the French court backed away from going that far. Other European countries such as Germany and Belgium have explicitly labeled Scientology a cult, and there remain hopes the religion might be prohibited entirely in one of these European countries...

Church of Scientology Fined $900,000 In French Fraud Case
wjz

A Paris court convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it more than $900,000 on Tuesday but stopped short of banning the group as prosecutors had demanded. The group's French branch immediately announced it would appeal the verdict...

Church of Scientology Fined $900,000 In French Fraud Case

Strange and confusing news for millions of American women, as governments experts are calling for new mammogram advice, and a radical shift in how we think about breast cancer.

It has long been taken for granted that women in their 40s and beyond should do regular self-checks for lumps in their breasts, to prevent breast cancer. But this new government study says that these self checks are useless, and are not necessary before the age of 50. And they say going in to the doctor for a mammography is also not necessary before 50, and should only be done every two years after a woman turns 50. The government task force says the cost and health risk associated with the testing far outweighs the benefit.

But the American Cancer Society still recommends annual mammograms starting at age 40, and has no plans to change that recommendation. So what are women to do? I'm sure this will continue to be debated on days and weeks to come.

New Mammogram Advice (VIDEO)
newsday

A government task force said Monday that most women don't need mammograms in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50 -- a stunning reversal and a break with the American Cancer Society's long-standing position. What's more, the panel said breast self-exams do no good, and women shouldn't be taught to do them...

New Mammogram Advice (VIDEO)

The SEC is cracking down on Wall Street investment schemers who pretended to offer eco-friendly investment opportunities in a "Green Ponzi Scheme."

Two financial investment firms are involved in the sting, which accuses the financial advisers of tricking elderly people into putting their retirement money into supposed green initiatives in Pennsylvania, and convincing the investors of huge returns due on their investments. The crooks' assets are now being frozen, and they are likely to face steep punishments for their crimes, as well they should!

'Green' Ponzi Scheme
cleantechbrief

A group of alleged fraudsters has been using "green" to make themselves some "green." The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday charged four individuals and two companies involved in perpetrating a $30 million Ponzi scheme in which they persuaded more than 300 investors nationwide to participate in purported environmentally-friendly investment opportunities...

'Green' Ponzi Scheme

Going Rogue appears to be going platinum, as it were, with sales projections that foresee the Sarah Palin book best seller bound.

Even before the book officially went on sale today, Sarah Palin's autobiography immediately hit the top of the best seller list charts through advance sales online at outlets such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Reviews have been mixed so far, with many questioning the accuracy of some claims in the book, but surely that won't matter much to her many fans who simply want to get to know her better, with a book that focuses more on the personal than wonky political details. I may not buy one myselfm but I will at least spend some time in the bookstore thumbing through it. Sarah Palin is many things, but never boring.

Sarah Palin Book: Best Seller List Topper!
hello

Going Rogue: An American Life - the autobiography by Sarah Palin - has taken the number one spots on Amazon and Barnes & Nobles' websites thanks to advanced sales. The memoir from the former Republican vice-presidential candidate is already the best selling book despite the fact it does not go on sale for a month and a half - on November 17....

Sarah Palin Book: Best Seller List Winner!

A teacher in Clayton county is being charged for allegedly threatening to put a "hit" on a student and threatening him with physical harm, a day after asking the boy questions about his sexuality.

The high school teacher based in the Atlanta area, Randolph Forde, allegedly pulled dthe 15 year old out of class and asked him whether he was gay, and then the next day got into an altercation with the boy that led to physical threats. Authorities are planning a hearing to decide whether he will continue to teach, and he will be appearing in court under charges of making terroristic threats.

Clayton Teacher Charged for "Hit" (VIDEO)

Clayton County schools are investigating charges a teacher threatened a student after questioning the teen's sexuality...Randolph Forde, a teacher at Mundy's Mill High School, remains on administrative leave with pay, schools spokesman Charles White said Monday...Jail records show Forde was arrested last month of charges of terrorist threats and released on a $10,000 bond...for a video report on the story see here, from the local news station.

Clayton Teacher Charged for "Hit" (VIDEO)

Cocaine dealers in Pittsburgh found a clever way to combine drug addiction with gambling and sports addiction, as their cocaine ring used sports codes to identify the various drugs they were selling to the addicts they served.

The dealers woiuld have their customers call a quarter ounce (7 grams) of cocaine a "Michael Vick" or a "Ben Roethlisberger jersey" because both players wear the number 7. Thirteen people were charged n the drug ring and their attorneys are trying to find a way out of some serious jail time. Maybe now the addicts who made them rich can join the "Old Timer's League" aka drug rehab, and these dealers can tell themselves prison is the "Hall of Fame"...

Cocaine Ring Used Sports Codes
wkbn

Attorney General Tom Corbett says his office busted a $2.2 million Pittsburgh-area cocaine ring whose customers used coded references to prominent football players. Corbett says customers would order a quarter-ounce of cocaine -- roughly seven grams -- by asking for a "Ben Roethlisberger jersey" or a "Michael Vick." Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, and Vick, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, both wear uniform number 7...

Cocaine Ring Used Sports Codes

Most of New York's major newspapers were raided for corruption this week, as part of an ongoing investigation into union corruption in the newspaper business.

The circulation offices of the NY Times, the Daily News, spanish language paper El Diario and others were all the targets of raids set off by the Manhattan District Attorney's office, as they investigate possible corruption in the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union, who are responsible for distributing newspapers around the country. That union works underneath their parent union the Teamsters, who are known for doing important work on behalf of their members but have also had their share of controversy over the years. None of the papers raided for corruption seem to be directly linked to the alleged dirty dealings, which was limited to the distribution aspect of the business, not the editorial.

Newspapers Raided for Corruption
msnbc

Investigators in New York City raided circulation offices at some of the nation's largest newspapers Tuesday as part of a union corruption probe, a law enforcement official said. Police officers working with the Manhattan district attorney's office searched circulation offices of The New York Times in Queens, the New York Post and the Daily News in Manhattan, and El Diario in Brooklyn...

Newspapers Raided for Corruption

Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane has become one of the hottest stars and one of the most controversial, how many of you know who "Gucci Mane" really is?

Those who are in the know will tell you Gucci Mane's real name Is Radric Davis. Radric was born in Alabama but spent most of his life in Atlanta, and is now one of the city's foremost ambassadors in the hip-hop world. his debut album Trap House (a reference to his former place of business as a drug dealer) dropped in 2005, and since then he has risen to the top of the charts, recently featured as one of MTV's top ten hottest emcees.

Radric Davis has also run into legal trouble though, after his connection to a shooting in 2005 led to an assult conviction, and more recently he was sent to prison or a year after a parole violation. Radric is hoping to be released after 6 months, and resume his career on the straight and narrow from there.

Gucci Mane's Real Name Is Radric Davis
mtv

A day before his debut album, Trap House, is slated to hit stores, Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane is in a Georgia jail facing a murder rap. Mane (whose real name is Radric Davis) turned himself in to DeKalb County police on Thursday night after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with a May 10 shooting at a local residence that left a 27-year-old man dead, according to his lawyer.

Gucci Mane's Real Name Is Radric Davis

As top rapper T.I. continues to serve out his sentence for weapons charges, big news is coming about about his plans for after he gets released.

In addition to jumping back into his acting and musical careers, now T.I. is planning to finally get married to his longtime girlfriend, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle. Tameka is also famous in her own right as a former member of the singing group Xscape, and now as co-star of the reality show, "Tiny and Toya." So after he is released from this sentence on weapons charges, hopefully this news means T.I. will stick to wielding cupid's bow form now on.

T.I. Released? Weapons Charges News

In addition to getting his career back on track, T.I. apparently has one more thing to look forward to when he's released from prison on his weapons charges bid next summer, with news of a wedding. Tip's longtime girlfriend, former Xscape singer Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, with whom he has two children, recently told XXL magazine that she is planning a "fairy-tale" wedding to the King of the South when he gets sprung....

T.I. Released? Weapons Charges News

Lil Wayne may be the hottest rapper in the world, but that won't help him escape the long arm of the law. In fact it may have brought that long arm towards him even more quickly, as he is the latest of many rappers pursuit by authorities. After being busted on gun charges, Lil Wayne expects a one-year sentence to be handed down any day now.

The bust came in 2007 in Manhattan, when police "just happened" to pull over his tour bus, and found unlicensed weapons on board. Wayne originally faced 3.5 years, but his defense attorneys helped him reach a new deal where he pled guilty and got a chance at a shorter sentence. Many suspect Wayne was the latest of many rappers who have been specifically targeted by NY's "hip-hop cops", who go out of the way to bust artists for what are really minor offenses.

Lil Wayne Expects One-Year Sentence
mercury news

The Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted weapon possession on Thursday, and expects to receive a one-year jail sentence. He previously had pleaded not guilty to illegal gun possession charges that carried at least 3.5 years in prison upon conviction. Police said a gun was found on his tour bus in Manhattan in 2007...

Lil Wayne Expects One-Year Sentence

One of the great hip-hop moments of this year was the classic Lil Wayne & Katie Couric interview, that brought new heights of awkwardness to the realm of celebrity interviewing.

The interview segment aired shortly before the Grammys, and featured Kaute Couric pressing Lil Wayne on a variety of issues, and nodding her head politely as she pretended she understood where he was coming from, as the intelligent but sometimes evasive (and often mood-altered) Lil Wayne dropped such gems as "I'm a gangsta, Miss Katie, and gangstas don't ask questions." Words really can't do it justice though, so you should watch the video for yoruself.

Lil Wayne, Katie Couric Interview (VIDEO)
prefix

Katie Couric's full interview with Lil Wayne in promotion of the Grammy's aired last night, and surprisingly, the thing was pretty entertaining--Katie didn't let Wayne off the hook for sipping syrup or smoking weed, and he actually came off as intelligent and thoughtful. She also hit every talking point when it comes to Wayne, so now maybe your grandma "gets" him...

Lil Wayne, Katie Couric Interview (VIDEO)

Quit possibly. If you are a T-Mobile customer, there's a pretty good chance that T-Mobile sold data and information about you to third party companies without your consent.

T-Mobile has now confirmed, in fact, that their staff gave information about thousands of customers to thrd parties interested in using the data for market research and the like. This data about cell-phone and mobile app customers could have great value for other companies hoping to sell cell-phone service and other such portable devices and wifi connectivity hookups.

Apparently the action was taken by individual t-mobile staff members for their own personal gain, and the company was unaware of it until now. They insist this selling of customer data goes against their policies and they will make sure it does not continue. Has to make you wonder how safe your information is with any of these companies, though...

T-Mobile Sold Data
bbc

Staff at mobile phone company T-Mobile passed on millions of records from thousands of customers to third party brokers, the firm has confirmed. Details emerged after the firm alerted the information commissioner, who said his office was preparing a prosecution...

T-Mobile Sold Data

According to a new report, more than 49 million Americans regularly go hungry, in one of the most sobering revelations yet about the state of our economy.

The federal report says that about one in 4 children is regularly at risk of going hungry, and nearly 50 million Americans in all often struggle to have enoguh to eat. These numbers mean that over 15% of Americans are not fully able to get proper nutrition, and may often straight-up go hungry.

According to the Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, "these numbers are a wake-up call . . . for us to get very serious about food security and hunger, about nutrition and food safety in this country."

49 Million Americans Hungry
washington post

The nation's economic crisis has catapulted the number of Americans who lack enough food to the highest level since the government has been keeping track, according to a new federal report, which shows that nearly 50 million people -- including almost one child in four -- struggled last year to get enough to eat...

49 Million Americans Hungry

The Great American Smokeout has been around since the 70s, but exactly How The Great American Smokeout began depends on who you ask!

Many place the birth as being in 1977, which is when the American Cancer Society held their first officiak version of the event, dedicated to encouraging all Americans to quite smoking and avoid all the many health problems that come with it. But it could also be traced back to 1971, when a local event in a small town in Massachusetts gave birth to the idea. It is also sometimes pegged at 1976, when the Cancer Socety held a precursor to the national event, except this one was only in California. But wherever started, I hope it keeps going strong..until the day comes when everyone has wised up and stopped smoking already, but that day seems pretty far off still. Wake up, people!

How The Great American Smokeout Began wikipedia

The Great American Smokeout is an annual event in the United States to encourage Americans (of whom 45.8 million smoke) to quit tobacco smoking. The American Cancer Society held its first Smokeout in 1977. The event challenges people not to smoke cigarettes for 24 hours, hoping their decision to quit will last forever. It is held annually on the third Thursday in November.

How The Great American Smokeout Began

The Buffalo Bills have finally decided enough is enough, and fired head coach Dick Jauron after a dreadful half season that sees the once promising football squad now at a woeful 3-6, in a season that is pretty much over already despite a team packed wth high-priced talent.

The firing is expected not to be the last, as several other teams have performed far worse than expected in 2009. If the Broncos lose a few more I might start getting nervous, if I were out there...

Dick Jauron Fired (VIDEO)
boston globe

The Buffalo Bills fired coach Dick Jauron yesterday and named defensive coordinator Perry Fewell interim coach...Fewell was given the job hours after Bills owner Ralph Wilson fired Jauron after the team's 3-6 start. In his 12th NFL season, and fourth with Buffalo, Fewell becomes the team's first black coach. The shakeup came two days after a 41-17 loss at Tennessee...

Dick Jauron Fired (VIDEO)

According to the CDC, the percentage of Americans who smoke has dropped to unprecedented lows recently, but is still far too high for the nation's overall good health.

Their latest reports place the percentage Americans smoke at about 20%, the lowest total ever so far. But this still places one in five Americans at risk of lung cancer, emphysema adn the many other ailments that come with smoking cigarettes..hopefully everyone will keep getting the message, bit by bit, so at least I can go out without coming home to find my clothes all smell like nasty cigarette smoke, because of you people!

Percentage Americans Smoke
webmd

The percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes has fallen below 20% for the first time since at least the mid-1960s, according to a new report. The CDC says the prevalence of smoking fell in 2007 to 19.8%, nearly a full percentage point from 20.8% in 2006. "This is good news," Matthew McKenna, MD, MPH, director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, tells WebMD. "But deaths related to cigarette smoking are still increasing. Almost one in five adult Americans smoke..."

Percentage Americans Smoke

Merry vaccines to all, and to all a flu shot, is what America's Santa Clauses are hoping for this year, as the Santas lobby for H1N1 vaccines to be delivered early for them, so they can stave off the many germs that come with all the young kids soon to inhabit their laps.

The Santas are hoping parents will keep sick kids at home, but in the meantime they are stocking up on hand sanitizer, taking lots of vitamins and doing anything else they can to keep their health up as the little kid germ invasion gets set to launch. Hopefully they won't be bringing home any swine flu back with the reindeer. Ok I'm all out of bad puns now.

Santas Lobby: H1N1 Vaccine For Christmas!
msnbc

Forget cookies and milk. Santa wants the swine flu vaccine. Many of the nation's Santas want to be given priority for the vaccine and not just because of those runny-nosed kids. There's also the not-so-little matter of that round belly. Research has suggested obesity could be a risk factor...

Santas Lobby: H1N1 Vaccine For Christmas!

Are the makers of the original horror classic the exorcist about to reteam for a new Exorcist miniseries? Interviews with the movie's creators seem to indicate yes:

William Peter Blatty, mastermind of the original exorcist movie (that you should immediately buy on DVD if you haven't seen it) said the following: "...I've written an Exorcist miniseries script that not only faithfully includes all the main elements of the novel, but also some rather spooky new material and scenes, as well as a totally new (and perhaps much more satisfying) ending. I've also updated it. Billy Friedkin has agreed to direct."

Here's hoping it comes together! I'm gonna program my DVR to start looking for it now..hopefully this won't attract Satan into the Tivo.

Exorcist Miniseries

William Peter Blatty and director William Friedkin might be re-teaming for another take on The Exorcist...word is that Blatty has been working on a (spec?) script for a new Exorcist project for some time now, and that Friedkin may be on board to helm it for a TV miniseries...

Exorcist Miniseries

A happy birthday for the original cartoon movie star, as Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse turns 81.

The world's first superstar mouse, originally known as Steamboat Willie, was born in 1928, and went on to star in movies and TV specials that continue to sell tons of Walt Disney DVDs, as well as myriad other Disney toys and merchandise, and of course countless tickets to Disney Land and Disney World on family vacations. Perhaps Mickey Mouse's finest moment was when he reached the level of High Art in his "Night on Bald Mountain" segment in Fantasia. Here's to 81 more, Mickey!

Mickey Mouse Turns 81
gather

Mickey Mouse birthday celebrations are today as this famous cartoon mouse turns 81. The Mickey Mouse birthday marks when he was created in 1928. Mickey Mouse is an icon for the Walt Disney Company and the head of the Mickey Mouse Club with famous alumni such as Annette Funicello and Britney Spears. Mickey celebrates his birth on November 18, 1928 with the release of Steamboat Willie...

Mickey Mouse Turns 81

Despite recent controversy around the H1N1 flu vaccine, vaccines in general are bigger business than ever, with new ones reportedly in the works for many of the most common illnesses including shots for Alzheimer's and shots for AIDS!

Increased interest in and demand for vaccines are becoming a major boon to the drug industry, and funding new research into various diseases and health issues. Reports are also coming in that the next generation of vaccines are more likely to come in convenient forms like patches, pills or nasal sprays instead of the good old shot in the arm we're used to, or rather, never get used to.

There still remains distrust for these big pharma companies, and in some cases with good reason, but hopefully the profit-driven instinct and the push to improve everyone's health can go hand-in-hand instead of working against each other, as new vaccines including possible shots for AIDS make their way to the public.

Shots for AIDS
daily news

The government's list of recommended vaccines for children since has more than doubled since 1985 to 17, with half-dozen vaccines for everyone over 18. The last decade brought breakthrough vaccines against pneumococcal disease and rotavirus -- two of the world's top killers -- meningitis, cervical cancer and more., like MRSA and C. difficile, even ending addiction to cocaine and nicotine. Success on some vaccines in development, particularly for Alzheimer's and AIDS, likely would bring billions a year in sales...

Shots for AIDS

The Democrat's health care bill is here, and you may need your heart pills before you see the price tag. The projected cost of Harry Reid's Health Care Bill: $849 Billion!

But believe it or not this is actually considered a low estimate, by many, and a good sign for the bill. In fact Dems were pleased to announce this plan would cut down the Federal deficit instead of adding to it as many health care critics claim. The controversial bill's goal is to bring wider access to proper health care for as many Americans as possible, while reducing cost and improving efficiency.

Among cost-cutting measures in the $849 Billion health care bill would be a Medicare payroll tax hike for people who earn over $200,000 a year, and increases enforced on high priced health care coverage plans known as "Cadillac plans..."

Health Care Bill & $849 Billion
CNN

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled a sweeping health care bill Wednesday that would expand health insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans at an estimated cost of $849 billion over 10 years. Reid and other Senate Democrats cited an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for the coverage and cost figures...

Health Care Bill & $849 Billion

A stunning, horrifying story from Missouri, as the state struggles over the question of what to do with a 15-year-old-girl indicted for the murder of her 9-year-old neighbor.

Though she did well in school Alyssa Bustamante had been a troubled child with mental health issues, reportedly attempting suicide at 13 and compulsively cutting herself. But nobody saw it coming what she was arrested for this week: strangling and stabbing to death her next-door-neighbor who was only 9 years old. Now the state, lawyers and child psychiatrists are grappling whether to try her as an adult for the murder charges or treat her as a minor, what sort of facility to house her in and other questions. And families are left to piece together the wreckage left behind by this unthinkable act...our hearts go out to them as they deal with this and find the way to live on.

15-Year-Old Girl Indicted
fox news

Alyssa Bustamante strangled 9-year-old neighbor Elizabeth Olten without provocation, cut the girl's throat and stabbed her, prosecutors said. Why? "Ultimately, she stated she wanted to know what it felt like," Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. David Rice testified Wednesday during a court hearing over the slaying...

15-Year-Old Girl Indicted

Americans are in a panic with the news that a waffle shortage is imminent. Kellogg's has officially announced that their Eggo Waffles will be scarce until next summer, due to problems with their waffle bakeries and factories.

The breakfast treat made famous by its "Leggo my Eggo" ads have long been a family breakfast favorite, but many homes may have to do without them for many months now.

Honestly though, we could also take this as an opportunity to seek out affordable and healthy breakfast tips, and consider that Eggo Waffles are a pretty unhealthy breakfast and our families might be better off without them. Plus there are many other brands that are better and a bit healthier, including the Kashi brand of waffles and other breakfasts which I'm a big fan of personally.. and I wasn't paid to say that (but I'm open to offers!).

Waffle Shortage!
boston.com

Kellogg Co. says there will be a nationwide shortage of its popular Eggo frozen waffles until next summer because of interruptions in production at two of the four plants that make them. The company's Atlanta plant was shut down for an undisclosed period by a September storm and several production lines at its largest bakery in Rossville, Tenn., are closed indefinitely for repairs...

Waffle Shortage!

Jennifer Hudson is set to star in a new Winnie Mandela biopic, telling the story of Nelson Mandela's famous and controversial longtime wife.

Winnie Mandela became an important symbol and activist in her own right, as her husband spent 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activism. But in later years she faced major controversy over alleged connections to the death of another activist, and corruption charges, and their marriage ended soon after Nelson was released.

But the Oscar-winning actress and singerJennifer Hudson hopes to show Winnie's complexity and her heroic and human side as well, as she takes the lead making a movie out of this complex and important story.

Winnie Mandela Biopic
telegraph

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson is to play Winnie Mandela in a biopic of the controversial ex-wife of South Africa's first black president. "Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I'm honoured to be the actress to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told." ...News of the film comes as Hollywood prepares to release "Invictus" a Clint Eastwood-directed drama about Nelson Mandela...

Winnie Mandela Biopic

Two of the Biggest Losers are hoping to be winners together now, as a Biggest Loser romance leads to a marriage between top contestants Matt Hoover and Suzy Preston.

Hoover and Preston, who won both money and a new lease on life with their success on the weight loss reality show Biggest Loser, became close during the competition and now plan to spend their lives together. Both had amazing success with their exercise and diet plans on the show, and their newly fit bodies should look great at the wedding! Best of luck to them at keeping the weight off and the romance on.

'Biggest Loser' Romance
msnbc

They competed against each other during this season of NBC's "The Biggest Loser." But now, it looks like Matt and Suzy are a team. "Biggest Loser" winner Matt Hoover and third-place finisher Suzy Preston, who together lost a combined 248 pounds on the show, are a couple, according to People magazine...

'Biggest Loser' Romance

Fantasia Barrino: American Idol Winner, Singing Star...and Home Wrecker? That's the accusation as reports abound of Fantasia with a married man.

Fantasia met the manm Antwaun Cook, at the always romantic local T-Mobile cell phone outlet, and they hit it off so well that Antwaun allegedly left his wife and two kids (ages 4 and 1!) behind so that he could move into Fantasia's million-dollar mansion down there in Charlotte. Not the most flattering picture of a relationship, and Fantasia's reportedly getting his name tattooed on her posterior doesn't paint a picture of good judgment either.

But at the end of the day, it's hardly ever possible for us to know the real story of people's relationships by watching them through the media..so although this certainly sounds bad, I think it makes more sense for us to mind our business instead of jumping in and passing judgment on them.. but of course if we choose to do that, lots of people in the media gossip business can't earn a living, so maybe we should keep being nosy in the name of preserving the economy.

Fantasia Married Man
tv.com

Former American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino is reportedly dating a married man! Fantasia reportedly met Antwaun Cook, a married father of two, at a T-mobile store in August. Not long after, Cook reportedly ditched his wife and kids to shack up with Barrino...

Fantasia Married Man

After controversial comments from Lebron James, Cleveland Browns fans are hoping he'll suit up and others are telling King James to stay on the sidelines, after his boasts that he thinks he could play in the NFL.

After watching the admittedly woeful Cleveland Browns disgrace his current hometown on Monday Night football, Lebron James (who was a star wide receiver in high school) said he'd be "really good" in the NFL and joked about joining the Browns to help out with this disastrous season. The Browns coah actually welcomed the offer and played along with the joke, asking him to please join in.

But others, especially the ever outspoken (to put it kindly, perhaps) Jeremy Shockey, felt Lebron James and the Browns were making a mockery of the sport, and King James should put a sock in it. For Shockey's full quotes and more detail, see the link below. Seems to me this was all in good fun, and though Lebron's such a natural athlete I wouldn't bet against him, he surely knows he's better off staying on the NBA hardwood.

Lebron James: Cleveland Browns Bound? (VIDEO)
heraldtribune

LeBron James, NFL player. Just a fantasy, says New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey. The Cavaliers' All-Star forward caused a stir this week by saying he could be "really good" if he committed himself to playing football. The remarks set off debate about James' football talents and prompted Browns coach Eric Mangini to joke that James should "come on down" and help his 1-8 team. Cleveland nose tackle Shaun Rogers initially sacked James' belief. Now Shockey has piled on....

Lebron James: Cleveland Browns Bound? (VIDEO)

Despite endless protestations that they are just friends, more and more sources are indicating the New Moon romance rumors are true, and the Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are a couple.

Reports are coming in from many Hollywood move industry and celebrity gossip sources, including Ted Casablanca from E!, that the co-statrs of the huge Twilight movie smash, now out on DVD with the sequel hitting theaters (not to mention all the Twilight books still flying out of book stores), are hooking up romantically. Rumors also abound about other cast members, but frankly I'm too old to figure out who's who and blog about it. Kristen and Robert do seem like a cute couple though!

New Moon Romance Rumors
celebritycafe

Despite their repeated attempts to convince tabloids that they are just friends and costars, New Moon leads Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart continue to be romantically linked, MSN Wonderwall reported. E!'s Ted Casablanca insists that there is "something smoldering" between the leading man and leading lady.

New Moon Romance Rumors

Kristen Stewart, actress and star of the Twilight movies, has a rep for being somewhat media shy and uncomfortable in interviews. But she was quite direct and to the point on her stance about gossip mongers that ask about her personal life, especially her possible relationship with Twilight movie co-star Robert Pattinson.

Stewart has seen how excessive the demands of the tabloid gossip machine can be, and knew right away she didn't want to feed it, even though normally she might be okay with discussing her relationships. She said " I'm not going to give the fiending an answer. I know that people are really funny about 'Well, you chose to be an actor, why don't you just f--ing give your whole life away?! "

I think (despite the slightly Palinesque phrasing) this is an pretty respectabe response from Kristen Stewart, as she learns to deal with all the gossip and media scrutiny that comes with her Twilight movie superstardom.

Kristen Stewart Said "I'm Not Going to Give the Fiending an Answer"
ew

Asked about the endless rumors of her supposed off-screen romance with Pattinson, for instance, Stewart got nicely fired up. "I probably would've answered it if people hadn't made such a big deal about it," she said. "But I'm not going to give the fiending an answer. I know that people are really funny about 'Well, you chose to be an actor, why don't you just f--ing give your whole life away?! Can I have your firstborn child?'"

Kristen Stewart Said "I'm Not Going to Give the Fiending an Answer"

From looking at her you'd think Stephenie Meyer is barely older than the zillions of teens who read her Twlight novels. But this young writing phenom has already sold more than 85 millions books with her record setting vampire love stories.

For someone who's achieved such success so quickly at the age of 35, Stephenie still seems quite well grounded, and lives in a small town in Arizona, which I guess makes sense for an author who needs to block out the world and focus on creating her own worlds for us to jump into. She rarely does press but seems quite down to earth when she does, and I hope we'll see lots more success for her as she keeps cranking out that vampire lovin'. Much more detail about Stephenie at the link below:

Stephenie Meyer Has Sold More Than 85 Million Books!
dailymail

For a woman who has sold more than 85 million books and has been hailed as the new J. K. Rowling, it is a remarkably modest home...Last year Meyer sold an astonishing 27million books in 37 countries - eclipsing even the Harry Potter series - and when a film version of Twilight was released it grossed over $200 Million, which is expected to be matched by the sequel "New Moon."

Stephenie Meyer Has Sold More Than 85 Million Books!

First Eggo Waffles disappear, now they're taking pumpkin pie away? That's the news from Nestle, who is alerting America that this year's bad weather will lead to a major pumpkin pie shortage.

Nestle reported that this year's pumpkin crop was too damaged by a heavy rain season, and they had to call off picking any more pumpkins for this year. So Nestle's "Libby" pumpkin pie products, including their filling that is used in most pumpkin pie recipes, will not be available until next year's crop comes through. See what happens when we don't listen to Al Gore? Mother Nature takes thanksgiving away!!

Pumpkin Pie Shortage
newsday

The holidays may not be so sweet this year. Nestle -- which sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the U.S. -- says poor weather hurt its harvest, creating a potential shortage of its Libby's pumpkin pie products through the holidays. The company announced this week that it would not pack any more pumpkins for the season -- which means it may be hard to find its canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling product until next year's harvest...

Pumpkin Pie Shortage

To the average American, they may not sound so serious. But worldwide, Pneumonia and Diarrhea are child killers more deadly than any other disease. How can we help stop this?

ACcording to UNICEF these common diseases don't get enough attention form charities and aid workers, who are caught up in preventing higher profile diseases like AIDS. SO many in the international medical community are calling for a change in priorities, so the vaccines that could greatly reduce these deaths are distributed where they are most needed. Here's hoping that message is heard! Click below for more info.

Pneumonia and Diarrhea: Child Killers

Diarrhea doesn't make headlines. Nor does pneumonia. AIDS and malaria tend to get most of the attention. Yet even though cheap tools could prevent and cure both diseases, they kill an estimated 3.5 million kids under 5 each a year globally -- more than HIV and malaria combined...

Pneumonia and Diarrhea: Child Killers

Huge protests in California, where college students are outraged over a threatened 32% tuition hike.

More than 50 students were arrested, in widespread protests that saw numerous campus areas taken over. The college students are protesting a huge increase in tuition across the board at all University of California schools. Numerous professors and campus workers also joined in the protests. Certainly it is understood that there is a financial crunch right now, especially in California, but such a severe blow to educational opportunities ought to be done only as the last possible resort, I would have to agree with the protestors. For more info see below.

32% Tuition Hike: Unfair
cnn

Students were occupying buildings Friday on several campuses of the University of California system in protest of a 32 percent tuition hike. Students had take over portions of buildings on campuses in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Davis late Thursday, and at least some were still occupied Friday morning...

32% Tuition Hike: Unfair

A terrible accident befell the Miley Cyrus tour, as the teen pop star Miley Cyrus' tour bus crashed and overturned on the highway, in a high speed wreck that left one passenger dead and several others injured.

Miley Cyrus herself was not on board when the bus apparently hit an embankment and skidded on its side for hundreds of feet before winding up in a ditch. There is no word yet on whether Miley will continue with her upcoming concert tour dates, but our heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedy.

Miley Cyrus Tour Bus Accident

One person was killed Friday when a tour bus belonging to entertainer Miley Cyrus overturned, but the 16-year-old "Hannah Montana" star wasn't on board...The accident occurred around 8:15 a.m. in Dinwiddie County, about 40 miles south of Richmond. Speed and weather weren't considered factors...

Miley Cyrus Tour Bus Accident

Quarterbacks and running backs may get most of the hype, but for those who really know football it's another position that really matters most,. Do you know which one it is?

The most important position of all, to many football experts, is the left tackle on the offensive line, because left tackles protect a right handed quarterback in an area he can't see. Since a right handed QB has his back turned to linebackers from the left side, he needs the best blocking possible on that "blind side," making left tackles among the highest paid NFL players even though most casual fans might never know their names. The new movie "Blind Side" about Michael Oher is a reference to this crucial role played by left tackles.

Left Tackles Protect A Right-Handed Quarterback In an Area He Can't See
nflrush

When a right-handed quarterback draws his arm back to throw a pass, he has a blind spot behind his back where he can't see if the other team's defender is coming for him. The left tackle has to protect the quarterback's blind spot and keep the defense away from him...

Left Tackles Protect A Right-Handed Quarterback In an Area He Can't See

Michael Oher has become one of the most inspiring stories in sports, with his rise from homeless youth to NFL star that is documented in the new movie "The Blind Side." But his biological parents, sadly, doesn't get to share in this newfound happiness, as Michael Oher doesn't speak to his biological mother Denise, and his father was murdered years ago.

Michael Oher was homeless and had nothing going for him in life when he was adopted by the Tuohy family, and gt a chance to turn his life around. But his mother, a crack cocaine addict for most of her life, remained on the opposite path, and now the two never speak anymore. A tragic side to this story, but sometimes you have to accept that everyone cannot be saved, and focus on saving the ones you can. Which is usually the ones who are ready to save themselves, and just need you to help give them that shot.

Michael Oher Doesn't Speak to Biological Mother Denise Oher, & His Father Was Murdered
usatoday

Michael Oher is the subject of a best-selling book --The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, which is being turned into a movie -- but until a few years ago was legally Michael Williams. Among 13 siblings from the poorest part of Memphis, he never knew his father, whose murder he learned of months after the fact in high school. His mother, Denise Oher, was addicted to crack cocaine. The kids were scattered about...

Michael Oher Doesn't Speak to Biological Mother Denise Oher, & His Father Was Murdered

As debate continues over whether PTSD caused the horrible Fort Hood shootings, one military experiment is aiming to understand why PTSD happens, and come up with a formula for predicting PTSD

PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, affects thousands of individuals who have suffered some sort of serious psycholofigical/mental trauma, which is most often veterans of a war but can also involve violent crime victims, those who suffered serious accidents and other trauma. It is a debilitating mentall illness that can permanently alter someone's mental health and affect the rest of their lives, especially if not identified and properly treated.

Hopefully this experiment can shed a little more light on how to give help to PTSD sufferers, and maybe in the long run lead to having less trauma in the world.

Predicting PTSD (VIDEO)
azcentral

Mental health experts have started a military experiment to try to predict who's most at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder. Understanding underlying triggers might help reduce the burden of those who return psychologically wounded - if they can get early help...

Predicting PTSD (VIDEO)

On the heels of controversial new theories on breast cancer screenings comes another expert report, saying women can start pap smears at 21 and have them once every two years instead of yearly checkups.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists handed down these new recommendations strictly by coincidence right after the unrelated breast cancer report. This pap smear report says that cervical cancer grows slowly enough that yearly checkups are not needed in that age range, and you can coordinate with your doctor to check one every two years instead. But many still worry that the medical establishment is just trying to cut corners with our health care, especially with these two similar reports coming out at once. For full details see below:

Pap Smears at 21?
msnbc

Most women in their 20s can have Pap smears at 21, and every two years instead of annually, say new guidelines that conclude that's enough to catch slow-growing cervical cancer. This is controversial as there have been widespread concerns that the government is trying to cut health costs by limiting cancer screening for women...

Pap Smears at 21?

If you use Vicks, you need to read below and see if you are affected by the Vicks nasal spray recall.

THe voluntary recall of the cold medicine affects over 100,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex spray, because ot trace amounts of bacteria found. They say no customers have been affected and it is strictly precautionary, but you should still make sure not to use the spray in question, and instead contact the company for a refund on the medication. See below for full details on Vick's nasal spray recall.

Vicks Nasal Spray Recall
cbs4

The Procter & Gamble Co. has recalled some 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after the company found bacteria in samples during routine testing. Spokesman Tom Millikin described the voluntary recall as a precaution after small amounts of the B. cepacia bacteria were found in the over-the-counter product at the German plant where it's made...

Vicks Nasal Spray Recall

Google just keeps getting bigger! First they start their new Chrome browser, then they debut the Chrome OS, now they apparently debuted exclusive new Google Toilet Paper, in Vietnam!

Well not exactly. The Engadget site found a Vietnamese blog that found some local bathroom hygiene products named after the top search engine. Specifically "100% Virgin Pulp" toilet paper. I'm still hoping there's also a Google Bidet in the works, but in the meantime we'll see if Microsoft comes out with their own toilet paper to compete. See the link below for a photo of the google toilet paper.

Google Toilet Paper in Vietnam (PHOTO)
huffington post

A Vietnamese blog posted this picture of a package of 'Google' brand "bathroom paper." According to EnGadget's attempt to translate the text printed on the wrapper using Google Translate, the product's description reads, Very long, soft, smooth. Of high vacuum, because you always!

Google Toilet Paper in Vietnam (PHOTO)

Bargain hunting shoppers, listen up! Stores are starting their big Black Friday sales early this year, in response to reports that Recession Means $682.74 On Holiday-Related Shopping vs. $705.01 last year.

Best Buy is starting some big sales early, including great prices on new flat screen TVs and HDTVs. Sears is offering great holiday prices if you hit the store before noon, and many other top stores have doorbuster sales coming on kitchen appliances, Plasma TVs and Blu Ray recorders. So get those credit cards out and help us save this economy! Yes we can!

$682.74 On Holiday-Related Shopping vs. $705.01?
msnbc

It's looking a little like Black Friday, even though the unofficial holiday for bargain hunting is still a week away. Stores with Black Friday sales trying to grab a piece of the shrinking holiday shopping budget. Consumers are expected to spend $682.74 on holiday-related shopping this year, down from $705.01 last year...

$682.74 On Holiday-Related Shopping vs. $705.01?

As all the big Black Friday sales come around again, one hopes we'll take a minute to remember the poor family who lost a loved one at Walmart's Black Friday last year.

Walmart offered the "Black Friday" Family $400,000, and put up over a million to change security measures, after Jdimytai Damour was trampled by bargain-hunting crowds while working security at the store. Some say Walmart still should have done more to prevent such an accident, but defenders argue there's nothing they could've done, and the store has made up for it. Either way, we should all take it as a reminder that spending money and hunting for bargains isn't really what this holiday season is all about.

Walmart "Black Friday" Family Gets $400,000
daily news

Wal-Mart agreed to implement new security plans and pay $1.2 million to avoid criminal prosecution in the trampling death of a Long Island security worker at a Black Friday sale. The retailing giant also set aside $400,000 to compensate the family of victim Jdimytai Damour, 34, and other injured victims..."

Walmart "Black Friday" Family Gets $400,000

A year after a tragic death in a Walmart, the big Black Friday sales are back around. And this time, the National Retail Federation has new guidelines for crowd control on Black Friday.

The Federation is urging stores to have dress rehearsals with employees before the big sale day, so they'll be ready for all the holiday sale bargain hunting, and offered many other suggestions. Their rep said ""Retailers are very much trying to make themselves stand out in an environment like this," but "retailers need to understand that many of these sales and promotional periods might draw customers who are more insistent about getting a good deal." Hopefully we will help them out as well and have a year of safe shopping! All the best presents mean nothing if we don't have each other around to give them to.

National Retail Federation: Crowd control, Black Friday Guidelines
nytimes

This year the National Retail Federation created a comprehensive set of guidelines for crowd control at stores. The guidelines note that special markdowns and historically low discounts have led to larger crowds...Aggressive shoppers are common the day after Thanksgiving. So crowd control plans, which vary by retailer, are especially important now, given the economy. Newly frugal consumers want more for less, and stores plan to drum up sales with stunning deals...

National Retail Federation: Crowd control, Black Friday Guidelines

The Big Black Friday sales are supposed to offer huge deals for holiday shoppers seeking gifts for the family. But according to Consumer Reports, 66% of Black Friday shoppers are only buying holiday gifts for themselves!

28% of adults shop in stores on the day after Thanksgiving, the biggest day of the year for deals and bargains. And in these hard times, stores will take that money however they can get it, so I'm sure nobody will mind that we all shop for our own greedy selves. But I hope we'll find someone to at least show our new toys off to, at least.

Consumer Reports: 66% Black Friday Shoppers Are Selfish
msn

Of the half of Americans who plan on shopping in stores or online over the Black Friday weekend, 66 percent say they'll be shopping for themselves according to the latest Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll...

Consumer Reports: 66% Black Friday Shoppers Are Selfish

Walmart's big Black Friday sales are about to start, and this year it'll be even easier to get at the bargains as the superstore stays open all 24 hours on this biggest shopping day o the year.

Last year there was a tragic death as one employee was trampled by shoppers running after the holiday sales, so this year Walmart is easing the pressure and keeping the store open longer, so you can get at all those Flat screen TV deals and all the other furniture, electronics and other goodies at super low holiday prices. Shop for bargains safely this year, and remember to save a little for New Year's.

Wal-Mart Black Friday: 24 Hours!
usa today

Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) said Wednesday it will keep its stores open 24 hours and take new crowd-control measures Thanksgiving weekend after a temporary employee was trampled to death in a Black Friday rush last year. The world's largest retailer says day-after-Thanksgiving sales will begin at 5 a.m. Nov. 27, but most U.S. stores will be open 24 hours to prevent a mad dash...

Wal-Mart Black Friday: 24 Hours!

The big holiday sales are back again as Black Friday rolls around and shoppers get ready to go nuts. But will we avoid the excess of past years, where bargain hunting escalated into Black Friday Violence?

Walmart and other stores are starting their holiday sales earlier than other years, and keeping stores open 24 hours a day while beefing up security and training staff to keep shoppers safe (from themselves). For details on past Black Friday violence, and video, see below. And please shop safely, for pete's sake.

Black Friday Violence
uncoveror

The day after Thanksgiving is considered the first day of the Christmas/Holiday shopping season. It is often called "Black Friday" because it is when retailers that have been operating in the red first turn a profit for the year. A lot of retailers open before the sunrise that day for big sales ending later that same morning. This year it got ugly, very ugly. Across the nation, people stampeded when doors were opened, and riots broke out when items the crowds were seeking had run out...

Black Friday Violence

One liberal comic showed he's not afraid to take shots at our new President, as Stephen Colbert called Obama the "Meryl Streep of Presidents" on the David Letterman show.

It wasn't too strong a jab, just a little friendly sarcasm as Stephen Colbert talked about going to the White House to film a skit with the President, and describing Obama's confidence as an actor,m refusing offers for help and knocking out his lines in one take, hence the "Obama = Meryl Streep" comparison. See the video below for the full conversation. I'm rooting for Obama to be a repeat winner like Meryl Streep as well, but we'll see. BTW, given recent news, I guess Bill Clinton could now be called the David Letterman of Presidents? (Sorry Dave)

Stephen Colbert - Obama "Meryl Streep of Presidents" (VIDEO)

Stephen Colbert talks about working with the "Meryl Streep of Presidents" on Late Night with David Letterman.

Stephen Colbert - Obama "Meryl Streep of Presidents" (VIDEO)

Most people are dying to get rid of their extra body fat, but some criminals believe your fat quite valuable. So valuable that they'd kill you for it! For at least one Peru gang, fat is big business. Or so they hope.

Authorities in Peru say gang members are killing people so they can sell the victim's body fat for use in the cosmetics industry. Experts say there wouldn't be much demand for this fat, as huge amounts of body fat are available from liposuction and other similar cosmetic surgery, so the criminals will probably not benefit much from their murderous fat harvesting. Hopefully somebody will tip them off to this, so no more innocent lives are lost!

Peru Gang: Fat Pirates?
msnbc

Police say a gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people and draining fat from the corpses to sell on the black market for use in cosmetics, although medical experts say they doubt a major market for fat exists thanks to the plentiful fat available from liposuction procedures...suspects were arrested carrying bottles of liquid human fat and told police it was worth $60,000 a gallon. The fat was sold to intermediaries in Lima, and police suspect it was then sold to cosmetic companies in Europe.

Peru Gang: Fat Pirates?

We already know Black Friday is the best day to shop for holiday bargains at department stores, but experts say you should also remember Black Friday as the best day to buy a car.

If you want to buy a new SUV, hybrid car or even a truck, Black Friday is filled with great new car deals at many car dealerships around the country. The studies showed a good car to shop for this year bargainwise, are the 2009 Audi Q5, or the 2010 BMW 1-series. Make sure you get a car with enoguh room for all your presents!

Black Friday: Best Day to Buy A Car
suntimes

Thinking only of hitting the malls the day after Thanksgiving? It's also a good day to shop for a car, according to TrueCar, which tracks new-vehicle auto sales and compares price data. TrueCar.com compared daily car, truck and SUV prices for several years and found the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, is the day with the biggest discounts...

Black Friday: Best Day to Buy A Car

Of all the unhealthiest tasty treats in the world, there's can't many worse than the French Fry Coated Bacon on a Stick, aka the French Fries Bacon Hot Dog. I just had a minor heart attack from typing those words in the same sentence.

Sometimes made without the hot dog to make room for extra bacon, which I'm not sure is better or worse, this tribute to American ingenuity and self destructiveness, will give you a weks worth of cholesteral and saturated fats in one serving. Run. Just run for your life. If your cardiovascular system is still capable of such strenuous activity. See below for a photo of the hot-dog'less variant:

French Fries Bacon Hot Dog
lastappetite

I present to you french fry coated bacon on a stick. Originally I was planning on making a French fry coated, bacon-wrapped hot dog, but thought that the inclusion of the hotdog was largely pointless. Why not just head straight for the bacon...

French Fries Bacon Hot Dog

Do you take this Nintendo DS to be your lawfully wedded gaming console? That's the vow one groom from Japan will apparently be taking, as the man marries hsi virtual girlfriend in a one-of-a-kind ceremony in Guam.

The man who's name is, err, Sal9000...met his, err, bride.. on a Nintendo DS video game named Love Plus, in which players go on dates with an imaginary virtual girl, and try to form relationships with them. And these virtual dates must have gone remarkably well, since he is ready to tie the knot! With a girl who doesn't exist! I'm not one to judge though, so best of luck to uhh, both of them, I suppose.

(By the way Is it wrong that when I saw this headline, even before I read the story I immediately assumed it was about someone in Japan?)

Man Marries Virtual Girlfriend
foxnews

A man who calls himself SAL9000 has married his virtual girlfriend with a public reception, MyFoxDFW.com reported. The man reportedly fell in love with a virtual girl named Nene Anegasaki and plans to hold a public wedding reception in Tokyo. Since the girl doesn't really exist, SAL9000 reportedly took his Nintendo DS to Guam for a legal ceremony and honeymoon, and will livecast the upcoming wedding reception online...

Man Marries Virtual Girlfriend

Paula Deen is known for inventing unknown foods like Deep Fried Butter, but now she may also be known for introducing the world to Deadly Flying Ham, after a rough little accident in Atlanta.

The Paula Deen ham incident, which actually wasn't very funny and looked painful, has spread around the internet showing an accident at a charity food event in Atlanta, where Paula Deen was donating food to a local charity. In a stunt for the cameras people were throwing the frozen ham over to be put in a big freezer, but but TV cooking show star Paula Deen didn't see the ham coming and it hit her square in the face. The chef, known for her delicious southern recipes, walked off holding her nose, but hopefully wasn't hurt seriously.

Critics of Paula Deen's fattening recipes, bound to cause heart problems and health issues, might say this Paula Deen ham attack was a case of dietary karma. But I think she seems like a nice geniune person, and doesn't really deserve to be mocked for this accident at an event where she was trying to do good for hungry people.

Paula Deen Ham Attack! monstersandcritics

Popular TV Chef Paula Deen caught a flying ham right in the face. Proving that no good deed seemingly goes unpunished, Ms. Deen was gamely helping the less fortunate in a charity food drive, when the holiday recipe in projectile form caught her unaware...

Paula Deen Ham Attack!

A former aide o Duchess of York Sarah Ferguslon escaped from prison this week, years after being convicted of murder in a shocking case from someone so close to the royal family.

Jane Andrews was convicted in 2002 of killing her millionaire boyfriend, with a cricket bat and a knife, after he refused to marry her. Her trial received a lot of notoriety thanks to her proximity to the Royal family as a former aide to the Duchess of York, but the Duchess of course had no connection to the crime. It must be frightening to have someone who once worked closely with you turn out to be capable of such a thing! Hopefully she will be apprehended again soon.

Former Aide to Duchess of York: On The Lam!
salon

A convicted murderer who once served as the personal assistant to the duchess of York has escaped from a low-security prison in southern England, British officials said Monday. The Ministry of Justice said Jane Andrews was found missing during a Sunday evening roll call at the East Sutton Park open resettlement prison, a mansion about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of central London...

Former Aide to Duchess of York: On The Lam!

The internet is aflutter with news of Nelly Furtado & Madonna butting heads, but is this beed all its cracked up to be?

Nelly Furtado was quoted talking about what a woman has to do to stay marketable in the music industry and said she wouldn't be willing to work as hard as Madonna to fight the aging process. Nelly said "Unlike Madonna, I wouldn't be willing to do Pilates round the clock, just to slow down the deterioration of my body. I prefer to sit in the kitchen, drink tea and eat biscuits."

Which is a little wrong of Nelly, to assume that Madonna only stays fit so she can be marketable. It's not like Madonna is getting lots of unhealthy surgeries and such, what Madge does to stay looknig fit is perfectly healthy, things everyone ought to do just for their own sake (though of course everyone can't hire personal trainers and dietitians to make it easier). But I think maybe Nelly Furtado didn't even mean this as an attack, and the press is blowing it out of proportion.

Nelly Furtado Madonna Beef?

Nelly Furtado has blasted Madonna over her reluctance to age naturally. The 30-year-old 'Maneater' singer insists she won't try to make herself appear younger in order to boost her career and would rather enjoy tea and biscuits than undertake a grueling exercise regime. "

Nelly Furtado Madonna Beef?

Have you seen these Katie Couric dance pics?

As seen in the video montage below, the Gawker blog hath brought a plague upon the world, with their posting of these scandalous(ly awkward) Katie Couric dance photos. The news anchor, journalist, and slayer of Sarah Palin was captured ripping up the dance floor at a recent party, and the pics capturing the event have gone viral in a big way. According to Gawker, the Katie Couric dance action was found on a Facebook page, and are from a party 3 years ago when she first started her CBS anchor job. See for yourself below..who knew Katie Couric could get so funky?

Katie Couric Dance! (VIDEO)

When CBS News anchor Katie Couric isn't asking Sarah Palin gotcha questions, she's doin' Da Butt, or the Lambada, or whatever white ladies do when the Black Eyed Peas are on the sound system. More unbelievable images after the jump...

Katie Couric Dance! (VIDEO)

In her latest movie, "The Burning Plain", Charlize Theron bares her body and her soul, in this story ofba woman dealing with guilt over past trauma. But in interviews she said her movie nudity is not so sexy as its cracked up to be.

Talking about her nudity in the latest movie, she said ""I'm not some exhibitionist. I think people think I just love walking around naked," ...I had to sit there and think about myself and these men watching me, I think that would make me insecure. I'm just like every other girl out there. I would cringe."

The press loves to make headlines out of stuff like this, but I think if you watch Theron's films it's clear she's a good and serious actress, and doesn't go nude gratuitously. Umm, not that I would complain if she did. Wait, scratch that last part.

Theron Bares Her Body, Past (For A Movie) VIDEO usatoday

Charlize Theron is comfortable in her own skin. Even when that's all she's wearing. In the opening scene of her new film, The Burning Plain (in theaters Friday), Theron is emotionally naked. Her character, Sylvia, is trying to escape a guilt-ridden past, which challenged Theron to reflect on her own childhood. Theron is also physically naked. Similar to her Oscar-winning portrayal in Monster. And in Reindeer Games. And in Head in the Clouds. And in Cider House Rules, in which she bares her body each time.

Theron Bares Her Body, Past (For A Movie) VIDEO

Al Roker was always known for his weather forecasting and weight loss, but now the biggest news is an Al Roker murder mystery!

Not because Al Roker or anyone else was actually murdered thank goodness, but because the Today show host wrotr a mystery novel that is set to hit bookstores just in time for the big holiday shopping season. His book is named "The Morning Show Murders" and is loosely based on himself, except the character is a TV chef instead of a weatherman. Al Roker has always had a great sense of humor on the show, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with this book!

Al Roker Murder Mystery
msnbc

Is there nothing Al Roker will stop at to get ahead, and nothing he can't do? Until Tuesday, his friends, coworkers and TODAY co-hosts would have drawn the line at murder. But now, with the publication of his first novel, a whodunit titled "The Morning Show Murders," they're not so sure...

Al Roker Murder Mystery

Dalia Dippolito (seen below) is now infamous for her alleged plot to have her husband murdered by a hitman, and as details emerge it turns out Dalia Dippolito was a professional escort when she met her future (and now past) husband.

Dippolito, whose plot was foiled before she was able to carry it out, had one professional encounter with her future husband, and they started dating right after, according to Mr. Dippolito. He said the got along great and were on the "fast track to marriage," but that turns out to have been overly optimistic, just a tad. Instead, allegedly, she soon began stealing his money, then plotting to have him killed, before her plans were broken up by police. For full story, see the link and video below.

Dalia Dippolito, Professional Escort (VIDEO)
palm beach post

How does a woman meet the man she's going to marry and then be accused of trying to have killed? In Dalia Dippolito's case, as a professional escort, says her jaded husband. In a sworn interview with Boynton Beach Police detectives, Michael Dippolito said he met his future wife -- now charged with trying to kill him via a hitman -- when he paid for her escort services one day at his office.

Dalia Dippolito, Professional Escort (VIDEO)

Dalia Dippolito is now in jail, charged with a plot where she hires a hit man to kill her husband, after Michael Dippolito seeks divorce and gives her $100,000.

After meeting when she was working as an escort, Daria and Michael Dippolito entered a whirlwind romance, marrying after only 4 months. But she turned out to be plotting against him all along, She offered to take $100,000 from him, and pay off some a debt of his for him, but after he gave her that money she kept it for herself. Soon after that Michael Dippolito filed for divorce, and his wife was busted by cops for plotting to kill him. See below for the full story.

Michael Dippolito Seeks Divorce, And Gave Her $100,000
sun sentinel

Dalia Dippolito tried kill her husband, steal $240,000 from him and take his house, court documents say. Now Michael Dippolito wants a divorce. But it's not so easy. The Boynton Beach couple is in divorce court after Dalia Dippolito allegedly tried to hire a hitman to kill her newlywed husband in August...

Michael Dippolito Seeks Divorce, And Gave Her $100,000

Dalia Dippolito has achieved infamy for her brazen attempts to kill her husband, before finally being busted for the alleged conspiring by police. And in addition to seeking out a hit man and other strangers to kill the man, the wife of Michael Dippolito also tried to poison him with antifreeze in his Starbucks tea.

This plan might have worked well, since there would be no noticeable difference in the taste of the tea (just kiddng, Starbucks tea is not bad), but the antifreeze only causes some stomach upset, rather than a fatality. Now the husband who thought he was lucky to find his dream girl, is feeling lucky just to be alive. For full story, see below:

Wife of Michael Dippolito: Tried to Poison With Antifreeze in Starbucks Tea!
msnbc

Dalia Dippolito was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder in August after ...she tried to poison her husband's Starbucks tea with anti-freeze and when that failed, she tried to persuade two strangers to knock off her better half. Neither attempt succeeded of course, but Dippolito gets an "A" for effort - or more appropriately, a jail cell...

Wife of Michael Dippolito: Tried to Poison With Antifreeze in Starbucks Tea!

Daria Dippolito, the constantly scheming wife who plotted to murder her husband, reportedly fell for a scheme herself, when Dippolito was tricked into signing a tv show waiver that let her arrest be shown on COPS.

Daria was filmed being duped by the police into believing her husband died, and was seen putting on a dramatic show of theatrical grief, before police revealed he was still alive and they were onto her alleged plot to kill him. she at some point signed over permission for the footage to be used by COPS, but her lawyer says she did not know what she was signing. i'm sure we are all crying her a river. for full details see the link below.

Dippolito COPS TV Show Waiver (VIDEO)
orlando sentinel

An attorney for Dalia Dippolito, the 26-year-old real estate agent whose arrest last week caused a media sensation, says she was tricked into signing a waiver that gave the TV show COPS permission to air their footage of her on national TV...

Dippolito COPS TV Show Waiver (VIDEO)

Many people know Chia as the plant people grow as a pet (at least according to TV ads), but did you know the Chia is also a Central American plant renowned for its medicinial properties?

Chia was used traditionally by native communities in Centram America as alternative medical treatment for various ailments, and used to boost energy and strength, much like a vitamin supplement. It was also used to treat fevers and infections among other health issues. Seems a shame we now only use Chia to sell late night infomercial goodies!

Chia: Is Central American Plant Renowned for Its Medicinal Properties
gardenguides

The Diegueño took chia seeds on journeys where a few seeds kept in the mouth and periodically chewed, would keep up their strength (Hedges & Beresford 1986). One tablespoon of chia seed is said to be enough to supply a person with 24 hours worth of energy...Europeans quickly adapted medicinal uses of chia; and learned how to make an infusion from chia seeds to treat fevers....

Chia: Is Central American Plant Renowned for Its Medicinal Properties

THey say 3 things in life are certain: death, taxes and bad workplace gifts. But what are the all-time worst gifts people get on their day jobs?

According to the bottomlinevine blog, the worst possible workplace gifts are:

10. Anything Monogrammed.
9. Any electronic camera combo gadget, such as camera phones.
8. A donation in your name.
7. Meat Gift Boxes or Smoked Meat Logs (yuck!)
6. Weight Loss Books
5. Golf equipment
4. Office decorations
3. PIctures of yourself (this should never happen)
2. Anything handmade
1. Lingerie.

For the full explanations of why these are such bad workplace gifts see the link below! And happy shopping.

Bad Workplace Gifts
bottomlinevine

Here are the top 10 worst possible workplace gifts during thew holidays. While you peruse this list if you see the blatant absurdity, then pat yourself on the back. If you think some of these are cool gifts, then don't move a muscle. Sit right there and wait for my "What to Buy" suggestions!

Bad Workplace Gifts

Are you shopping for summer sausage gift boxes? Really? Are you absolutely positive this is what you want to do? Okay then, here's some info on where to buy these dubious gifts for the holiday season.

There are many places online to orer a summer sausage log, but I recommend Lodi Sausage, a high end meat market based in Wisconsin. THey use high quality meat and take care to get it to you in good condition. Or at least so I've heard. Check out the site and judge for yourself..or maybe rethink this whole idea..? Sorry ignore me, I shouldn't judge. No right or wrong when it comes to taste!

Summer Sausage Gift Boxes

Established in 1931, Lodi Sausage Co. & Meat Market specializes in sausage making, catering and custom processing of beef, pork and venison. Our Award Winning #1 ALL BEEF Summer Sausage. You have not had summer sausage till you try ours. We start with very lean beef and add our secret award winning recipe. It then is cooked in our smoke house in small batches to provide the best flavor. You will be amazed by the taste and freshness.

Summer Sausage Gift Boxes

Are you thinking of entering the dangerous world of "regifting? Well before you re-give that crappy gift somebody gave you last year, you should read these bad regifting stories, preserved as a cautionary tale for those who feel the temptation.

The walletpop site collected some of their readers worst regifting stories, and among the umm winners were: a clock with the gift-givers name and job title engraved on it; a box of chocolates that had been in the closet for 30 years(!); cologne bottles that were so old the cologne had all evaporated (I didnt know that was possible); and a Target gift card that had already been used for most of the money on it. For the full stories see the link below!

Bad Regifting Stories
walletpop

Have you ever "recycled" an unwanted gift only to discover you've accidently given it back to the person who originally gave it to you? AOL users outed themselves (and others) as they shared their embarrassing stories of regifting gone wrong -- both on the giving and receiving end...

Bad Regifting Stories

If you're in the kitchen and having trouble cooking your holiday turkey, don't fret The good people behind one of the biggest turkey providers have set up a Butterball help lime at 1-800-BUTTERBALL where you can get adfice on all your turkey needs.

Whether you're making it in the normal style, deep frying your turkey or making a turducken, the Butterball help line should be able to guide you step by step through the thanksgiving turkey process. Just don't ask them about Tofurkey! For more info see below:

Butterball help line: 800-BUTTERBALL
mahalo

The Butterball turkey brand has a toll-free help line for those having trouble cooking their holiday turkey. Turkey experts are available at 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) through the months of November and December, to help avert turkey cooking disasters for anxious Thanksgiving or Christmas cooks...

Butterball help line: 800-BUTTERBALL

Toyota owners who care about their safety should look at the details below about this recent Toyota Tundra recall.

OVer 100,000 toyota tundras are being recalled for safety reasons, after discovering that problems with excessive rust could cause the car's spare tire to fall out while driving. Which would be bad. This comes only a short time after 4 million toyota's lexus cars and trucks were recalled because of a problem that could make the acceleration get stuck. A bad blow to Toyota's credibility at at time whe ncar companies can hardly afford to lose more of the public's trust. But maybe with some good enough sales on their new cars, Toyota can stay in the game.

Toyota Tundra Recall
latimes

Toyota said it would recall 110,000 Tundra pickup trucks because excessive rust on the frames could cause the spare tire to fall into the roadway and create a hazard for other vehicles. Earlier this month, Toyota suffered another blow when none of its vehicles were named top picks in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's tests of 2010 model cars and light trucks...

Toyota Tundra Recall

So many people around the country are being hit hard by the recession. it's easy to forget the invisivble victims who may suffer most of all.

The thousands of pets who go homeless in the recession, as their caretakers decide that cannot afford to care for the animal anymore, and often just dump it on the humane society's doorstep and run away. For the ful sad story see below:

Pets Go Homeless, Recession
msnbc

A spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States said...there is anecdotal reporting from members organizations of increases in pertys going homeless since the recession started. And press reports on overloaded shelters from Tampa to Albuquerque, and Houston to Bangor, Maine suggest it's a broader trend. With as many as 600 or 700 animals arriving each month -- sometimes 30 animals in a single day...

Pets Go Homeless, Recession

According to the partner of infamously crooked NBA referee Tim Donaghy, he wasn't the only dirty ref in the league. In fact, there were 13 referees tied in to the NBA betting scandal.

When NBA referee Tim Donaghy was busted, the NBA insisted he was the only ref involved in betting on games. But now his partner in crime is saying there were no less than 13 refs participating in the gambling ring, with a team of 5 especially reliable for fixing the NBA games and ensuring a winning bet. The partner is writing tell-all book, and saving the full story for that, but it sounds like the NBA will be none too happy when the rest of his story is revealed. For more of the story see below:

NBA Referees, 13: Betting Scandal
whdh

Tim Donaghy's partner, gambling ringleader Jimmy "The Sheep" Battista, says he was working with 13 referees and not just Donaghy, as the NBA has claimed. The source says Battista showed him what the gambler claims are phone records and game notes confirming the names of all 13 referees involved. The source also tells 7Sports that Battista claimed to have a "Big 5" of "dependable" referees and that Donaghy was the "King," delivering a winning bet in 78 percent of the games he officiated...

NBA Referees, 13: Betting Scandal

A key player was lost in the effort to close Guantanamo Bay, as Phillip Carter resigns.

Carter was the defense department official in charge of guiding global policy on moving the terrorism suspects and other detainees out of Guantanamo Bay. He was well known as an activist on the issue before joining the Obama administration, and resigns (apparently without notice) right after Obama's announcement that the January deadline will be missed for closing Guantanamo. Many are speculating that Carter is disillusioned with Obama, after his administration has shifted towards some of the same policies Carter fought against during the Bush presidency, but he has not confirmed this. For more info see below, and also this piece by Glenn Greenwald.

Phillip Carter Resigns
washington post

Phillip Carter, who was appointed deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee policy in April, said in a brief telephone interview that he was leaving for "personal and family reasons" and not because of any policy differences with the administration. He tendered his resignation Friday, Pentagon officials said...

Phillip Carter Resigns

The days of just dropping a quarter into that red bucket are in the past, as the iconic Christmas charity enters the 21st century with a new way to help the Salvation Army: credit card donations.

This year, anyone who wants to give to the Salvation Army will be able to swipe their credit card right there on the spot. The charity believes this will bring bigger donations thanks to the convenience, and the receipt it provides, that makes it easier to put it in as tax-deductible. As the Salvation Army attempts to keep donations high in tight economic times, the new credit card reading buckets seem like a logical step.

Salvation Army: Credit Card Ready!
daily finance

This year, the Salvation Army has expanded the card reading bucket program to thirty cities. The machines, which take Visa (V), Mastercard (MA) and American Express (AXP), also allow no-fee debit card transactions...

Salvation Army: Credit Card Ready!

As if college kids didn't have enough pressure already, seniors at one school now have a whole new reason to worry" being told they are too fat to graduate!

At Lincoln University these students were accountable to a mandatory "Fitness for Life" program that measured their BMI (body mass index) and aimed to teach them about fitness and healthy diet, and help with weight loss programs if their BMI was above 30. But some students failed to get their BMI below 30 before they were ready to graduate.

Not letting them get their degree sees excessive, but we need to keep innovating when it comes to helping our kids get healthy and fit, and overcome obesity. This program should be studied to see how it can be adapted to work better, perhaps, and help students without being to divisive.

Too Fat To Graduate? (VIDEO)
momlogic

Lincoln University, the nation's first historically black college in Oxford, Pennsylvania, has decided that a handful of students won't be getting their diplomas this spring. ... This group of over two dozen African American students will not get to walk across the stage and shake hands in front of their proud parents because they're fat...

Too Fat To Graduate? (VIDEO)

Details are trickling in on a car crash last night in which Tiger Woods was "seriously injured" outside of his home.

Reports say Tiger Woods was driving hsi car out of his own driveway at 2:30 AM last night, and hit a fire hydrant and a neighbor's tree. The airbag did not deploy, which suggests he was drving under 33mph. But he is said to be in "very serious condition" in the hospital due to injuries from the car accident. Authorities are said to be considering charges, but not related to driing while intoxicated.

This news about Tiger Woods' car crash is just started to reach the public, and as always the details may change quite a bit from initial reports so stay tuned. In the meantime best wishes to Tiger for a full recovery, certainly is scary waiting to hear for sure he is okay.

Tiger Woods Car Crash
fox sports

Authorities say Tiger Woods has been seriously injured in a car wreck in Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol says the PGA star hit a fire hydrant and a tree as he pulled out of his driveway early Friday in his 2009 Cadillac sport utility vehicle. Woods was taken to Health Central Hospital...

Tiger Woods Car Crash

Paula Deen is caught on camera with food all the time, but rarely does it look as painful as this video where Paula Deen is hit by ham, in projectile form.

The video comes from a charity food event in Atlanta, where Paula Deen was donating food to a local charity. In a stunt for the cameras people were throwing the frozen ham over to be put in a big freezer, but but TV cooking show star Paula Deen didn't see the ham coming and it hit her square in the face. Some may say she is bad for America with all her fattening food advice & recipes, but surely she didn't deserve this! Ouch.

Paula Deen Hit By Ham

monstersandcritics

Popular TV Chef Paula Deen caught a flying ham right in the face. Proving that no good deed seemingly goes unpunished, Ms. Deen was gamely helping the less fortunate in a charity food drive, when the holiday recipe flew in midair and caught her unaware...

Paula Deen Hit By Ham

Authorities say Peru gang members are killing people for their fat, so they can sell the victim's body fat for use in the cosmetics industry. Experts say there won't be much demand for this fat, as huge amounts of body fat are available from liposuction and other similar cosmetic surgery,but apparently these gangs have found some people willing to pay.

Peru Gang, Fat

msnbc

Police say a gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people and draining fat from the corpses to sell on the black market for use in cosmetics, although medical experts say they doubt a major market for fat exists thanks to the plentiful fat available from liposuction procedures...the fat was sold to intermediaries in Lima, and police suspect it was then sold to cosmetic companies in Europe.

Peru Gang: Fat Bandits

On Thursday a Florida jury penalized Philip Morris $300 million in damages to be awarded to a 61-year-old ex-smoker, Cindy Naugle, now wheelchair-bound thanks to the effects of emphysema.

The severe emphysema suffered by the plaintiff is one of many major health risks that come with smoking cigarettes, a highly addictive substance as anyone knows that tried to quit smoking. Tobacco companies like Philip Morris have long histories of deception and corruption in promoting their deadly trade, and I support any verdict like this that holds them accountable in lawsuits by victims of their product.

Philip Morris $300 million
yahoo news

A Florida jury has ordered tobacco giant Philip Morris to pay almost 300 million dollars (200 million euros) in damages to a former smoker ...The jury ordered the company to pay punitive damages of 244 million dollars plus compensatory damages amnounting to 55 million dollars, all to the ex-smoker who suffers from severe emphysema.

Philip Morris $300 million

Did you ever think it would be hot to see Katie Couric dance? These photos may surprise you.

The Gawker blog posted of these scandalous(ly awkward) Katie Couric dance photos, that come from her premiere party in 2006 after Couric's debut as the CBS newqs anchor. Kate Couric's attempts to get jiggy were photographed, and just recently found on a Facebook page and leaked to Gawker, after which Katie Couric's dance moves set the internet on fire. I hope Kaite Couric can take this in stride and not feel embarrassed by it. Maybe an appearance on Dancing With The Stars can come next for her after her anchor job ends.

Katie Couric Dance! (VIDEO)
gawker

When CBS News anchor Katie Couric isn't asking Sarah Palin gotcha questions, she's doin' Da Butt, or the Lambada, or whatever white ladies do when the Black Eyed Peas are on the sound system. More unbelievable images after the jump. These photos are saucy!

Katie Couric Dance! (VIDEO)

You survived the Thanksgiving feast and the Black Friday stampedes, now it's time to go online for the Cyber Monday sales rush!

The Monday after Black Friday is now when many major stores offer their best deals online, and places like Best Buy, Walmart, Target and Sears will all be offering exclusive online only sales for things like HDTVs, Blu Ray players and lots of other holiday sales.

"Cyber Monday" was originally a holiday sales gimmick invented by stores and merchants, and basically didn't really exist, but in the last few years it has become a real shopping. phenomenon. Many of the best deals will be one-day sales, so if you want to get your consumption on you'll have to jump in early from your office on Cyber Monday! You can wait until Tuesday get back to actually working.

Cyber Monday Ads 2009
merinews

Cyber Monday 2009 is the Monday after Thanksgiving's Black Friday weekend. Major retailers like Walmart, Target, Sears, Best Buy and Macy's will offer the best holiday sales deals in their Cyber Monday 2009 sales. Apple's Cyber Monday 2009 ads with deals on Mac products are also expected to offer great savings...

Cyber Monday Ads 2009

Do you need some tips for smart holiday spending, how to find the best bargains and holiday sales without breaking the bank?

According to experts, when you go shopping for these holiday sales, make sure not to do all your shopping in one day, and don't shop when you are tired and impatient, or you will make bad judgments. You should also make a list beforehand of what you plan to get, and stick to your shopping list without fail.

Another smart holiday spending tip: make sure you only shop on secure shopping sites, when you shop for christmas bargains online. And always check the fine print to make sure there are no extra charges!

In this holiday season there is never a shortage of people telling you to spend as much as possible. So make sure to take this advice on how not to waste money and stay within your budget, when you go out there for the big holiday shopping season. For more smart holiday spending tips, see the PDF below:

Smart Holiday Spending
creditcounsellingcanada.ca

The holiday season doesn't have to be a time of year when your budget goes out the
window. There are many simple - and budget-friendly- ways to enjoy this season without
facing a mountain of credit card debt in January. Use only one credit card - limit your spending and keep track of how much you are spending...

Smart Holiday Spending

As America continues to struggle through this recession and work towards recovery, experts say the data points to slow (but steady) economic rebound in the months and years to come. But is the emphasis on the slow, or the steady? Depends who you ask.

Economists say the soaring jobless rates show employers are hesitant to hire even though signs of economic recovery have appeared. And data points to factories having trouble returning to their previous levels of productivity, even as demand starts to increase.

What does this mean in the long term? Consumer spending and some other indicators have starting improving, but the prospects for a quick and thorough economic rebound are looking quite grim. For more details see below:

Data Points to Slow But Steady Economic Rebound
stltoday

Discouraging new reports on unemployment and manufacturing Thursday reinforced worries that job losses and meager factory output will make for a weak recovery as the nation climbs out of the worst recession in decades. "The economy is not moving quickly from recession to expansion. It is moving in a very halting way," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com.

Data Points to Slow But Steady Economic Rebound

Thanksgiving brought another historic moment for this new presidency, as the holiday became occasion for the first ever Obama Turkey Pardon.

In an age old tradition for American Presidents, Barack Obama held a ceremony sparing the life of one lucky Turkey, who then got to fly to Disneyland to be in the Rose Parade. What a cute, heartwarming story! Although a Courage sandwich sounds really good right about now.

Obama Turkey Pardon
cnn

In a holiday tradition, the president pardoned the turkey at the White House, saving it from ending up as Thanksgiving dinner. This is the first turkey pardon for Obama. He appeared at the ceremony with his two daughters, Sasha and Malia. The president granted the pardon to a turkey from North Carolina named Courage...

Obama Turkey Pardon

Philip Morris is often in the news for being on the wrong ewnd of lawsuits, but this time they're the ones suing, as they try to shut down widespread counterfeit cigarette salesm of their Marlboro brand.

The legal action focuses on te NY area, where counterfeiting allegedly runs rampant because of the huge taxes imposed on cigarettes there. As my fellow New Yorkers will know, one pack of cigarettes can cost over ten dollars here! Not that I care, since I value my own life and thus do not smoke. [/self-righteousness]

Seriously though, I recommend getting over your addiction and quitting smoking, buty if you must smoke you probably shouldn't buy these counterfeits Philip Morris is going after, because who knows what might be in them! I eanhere might be some kind of poison, that causes cancer or emphysema or- oh wait...

Philip Morris: Counterfeit Cigarette Lawsuit!
abc news

Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest tobacco company, said Thursday it has filed federal lawsuits accusing 10 New York and New Jersey retailers of selling counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes...

Philip Morris: Counterfeit Cigarette Lawsuit!

After announcing a disastrous recall on millions of their new car sales, Toyota is now preparing to replace 3.8M gas pedals, to correct the flaw that made so many of their bestselling cars dangerous to drive.

Toyota was always known as a safe and reliable brand of car, but this recent recall was one of the biggest ever and damaged their credibility for today's drivers who are new car shopping. So Toyota is hoping this repair, making the 3.8M gas pedals shorter so it won't get caught on the floor mat, will help restore car buyers' confidence in their new Lexus and the many other new car deals they will offer in 2010.

Toyota: 3.8M Gas Pedals Disaster!
abc news

Toyota plans to replace gas pedals on 4 million vehicles across America, because the pedals can get stuck in floor mats and cause sudden acceleration, making this the sixth-largest recall ever in the U.S.These repairs are a critical step toward restoring the reputation of Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, after suffering a blow when the recall was announced in September...

Toyota: 3.8M Gas Pedals Disaster!

Shopping for the best deals on "Cyber Monday"? Check below for the latest Cyber Monday news.

Last year consumers spent $800 million on cyber monday holiday shopping, and this year's online deals are expected to bring even bigger returns. In addition to the usual sales on HDTVs, Blu Ray players and other electronics, there are many deals on new cars and even on vacations and hotel reservations, as many hotel chains (Starwood Affinia) are offering special one day bargains. Some deals are not all they appear though, so shop carefully, and see this video for more cyber monday info:

Cyber Monday News
nbc chicago

This year, there are more online bargains than ever on Cyber Monday-- with nearly nine out of ten retailers offering special online promotions for Monday, November 30th (according to the National Retail Federation). The day marks the traditional kick off to the online holiday shopping season...

Cyber Monday News

Uh oh. Four new cases in North Carolina may be evidence of a swine flu mutation, meaning a new strain of H1N1 that can't be stopped by the medicine currently used to fight it.

Up until now Tamiflu has been used successfully to combat swine flu, but these four cases, all at the same North Carolina hospital, are said to be resisting Tamiflu, and may be a new mutation of the virus that is resistant to current drugs. Each of the patients was said to be very sick already, so it is not conclusive that a new strain is the cause, so doctors will continue to study so they can provide the best health care possible. See below for more of the story.

Swine Flu Mutation cbs news

Four North Carolina patients at the same hospital tested positive for a type of swine flu that may be a mutation, as it is resistant to Tamiflu, health officials said Friday. The cases were reported at Duke University Medical Center over six weeks and make up the biggest cluster seen so far in the U.S. Tamiflu - made by Switzerland's Roche Group - is one of two flu medicines that help against swine flu...

Swine Flu Mutation

Whoops! An adventurer from Switzerland took an unfortunate dip into the ocean, after trying a craqzy stunt with self-designed jet-powered wingds on his back.

This mad scientist version of pilot Sully Sullenberger was planning to fly from Morocco to Spain, but the rocket man and Spain were just not meant to meet, as his homemade flying gear pooped out 5 minutes into his 15 minute flight, and he plummeted into the Atlantic. Thankfully he was able to be saved and was not seriously injured.

Hopefully this will be a lesson to him, because even though it's a pain to pay all these extra baggage fees now on airline tickets, but taking matters into your own hands is usually not going to work out so well. Just try searching online for better travel agent deals, maybe.

Rocket Man and Spain
msnbc

A Swiss daredevil went down into the Atlantic ocoean Wednesday after trying to fly from Morocco to Spain with some jet-powered wings strapped on his back. Rescue helicopters successfully pulled him out of the water unhurt. The rather eccentric tourist, Yves, took off from Tangiers but five minutes into his planned 15-minute flight he had to ditch into wind-swept waters...

Rocket Man and Spain

If you want to stay healthy the same way superstar athlete Lance Armstrong does, you don't need to spend hours at the gym on fancy machines or lifting weights. According to this Livestrong 10-Minute Workout, all you need is this simple set of fitness routines once or twice a day.

The exercises recommended by Lance Armstrong's trainer are:

1. Chair Pose
2. Glute Bridge
3. Plank
4. Back Extension
5. Hip Flexor Stretch
6. Wall Squat
7. Negative Push Up

For complete instructions on how to do each exercise in this workout, see the link below. And also check the video for more fitness advice from livestrong.

Livestrong 10-Minute Workout (VIDEO)
chicago tribune

You don't need 30 minutes exercising on an elliptical or making your way around the weight machines at the gym. This 10 minute no-equipment program works the entire body, thanks to Peter Park, fitness expert for livestrong.com and superstar Lance Armstrong's strength and conditioning coach...

Livestrong 10-Minute Workout (VIDEO)

Tiger Woods has been refusing to talk to authorities about his mysterious car crash, that may or may not have involved an altercation with his wife. But we can hear the audio of the Tiger Woods 911 call the night of his accident.

In the recorded phone call, you hear what seems to be Tiger Woods' neighbor calling in that there has been a car accident and the driver seems to be unconscious. It is difficult to determine from the tape exactly what took place, but you can listen to the 911 call and judge for yourself.

Whatever happened, I'm just glad to know Tiger Woods is okay, and I hope he and his family will have enough time and space to try and work out whatever is going on, so that a car is the only thing wrecked by this situation. Cars can always be replaced! Families, not so much.

Tiger Woods 911 Call (AUDIO)

After giving his side of the car-crash story and asking that it be treated as "a private matter," Tiger Woods is still not in the clear. Troopers arriving at his Isleworth home requesting an interview were turned down for a third straight day, but the Florida Highway Patrol said it will continue to investigate...

Tiger Woods 911 Call (AUDIO)

The battle for this year's Heisman trophy is coming down to the wire, and many now expect to see Colt McCoy Heisman bound.

This is the first year where the vote is being held electronicaly, with the just under 1,000 expert voters transmitting their votes in digitally this week. And the college football field is wide open with lots of talent competing for the biggest prize a college star can get. Quarterback Colt McCoy has been considered the favorite, but pundits believe it could still break for another top player very easily. Since Tim Tebow already got one, many are rooting for Colt to finally get his.

Colt McCoy: Heisman? (VIDEO)
ny times

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy emerged last week as the favorite, but veteran voters have deemed this one of the most wide-open races in the award's 75-year history. The field of finalists will be known two days earlier than usual; the electronic voting will allow Heisman officials to announce the finalists by Monday night.

Colt McCoy: Heisman? (VIDEO)

Lately Hollywood has given us a steady stream of children's books made into movies. But which ones are worth seeing, and how do you make a good one?

The first problem is fleshing out the short story into a full length movie, which usually involves adding a lot more dialogue, characters and story compared to the original children's book. Some movies to better than others at this, as you can see comparing movies like Jumanji, Where the Wild Things Are, and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, or others that are now on DVD like Madeline and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The Grinch movie was a critical failure though it made lots of money, and Jim Carrey seems like he learned from it and came out with a better adaptation for his new children's book movie, A Christmas Carol. For a longer list of children's books that wre made into movies, see here:

Children's Books Made Into Movies

pittsburgh live

How do you turn a 32-page children's book that takes about 10 minutes to read into an 81-minute 3-D movie? In the case of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," and others, you add a whole lot of characters and back story that the book never touched on...

Children's Books Made Into Movies

You are probably familiar with the many movie versions of Alice in Wonderland, but have you ever seen the silent films based on Alice in Wonderland?

The most famous version of Alice in Wonderland came in 1951, and a new versions is expected in theaters soon. But there were older versions dating all the way back to a silent film version in 1903, that fit the story into a ten minute movie as you can see below.

Alice in Wonderland Silent Films (VIDEO)
wikipedia

Alice in Wonderland (1903) silent film directed by Cecil Hepworth and starring May Clark in this version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. There are special effects of Alice shrinking and growing in the doll house. Parts of the movie are lost but what remains is available as a bonus feature on the 1966 BBC DVD.

Alice in Wonderland Silent Films (VIDEO)

The latest of many children's books to come to Hollywood is Eloise, a classic long forgotten since the original book in 1955, but now coming back to life as a Hollywod movie.

The Eloise original book in 1955, and its sequels, told the story of the precocious girl causing trouble on trips abroad. Now it will be made into a kid's movie starring Uma Thurman, featuring Eloise going to Paris, France. For more background on the original Eloise book series see the detailed history below:

Eloise Original Book: 1955
infoplease

Kay Thompson's Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown-Ups was published in 1955 and quickly followed by three sequels. Eloise in Paris (1957) and Eloise in Moscow (1959) saw the city child wreaking havoc in other world capitals, while Eloise at Christmastime (1958) detailed her holiday fun atop the Plaza. But author Kay Thompson withdrew the three later books from the market in the mid-1960s...

Eloise Original Book: 1955

Another children's classic is coming to the big screen as "Eloise Goes to Paris" soon hits theaters, with Uma Thurman front and center in the starring role of nanny for the troublesome Eloise.

The movie is based on the classic 1950s books, that set the lovable girl on adventurous travelogues throughout Europe. This one is based on her trip to Paris, France, and is also shot on location in New York and London. With all the questionable material coming out of Hollywood nowadays, it's nice to see them seking out classic family fare like this too, so we can all enjoy good quality movies together.

'Eloise Goes to Paris' and Uma Thurman
monstersandcritics

Thurman has signed on to play Nanny in the upcoming Eloise in Paris big screen adaptation of the children's novel series. Variety reports Thurman's Nanny character is the caretaker of Eloise - who is the central figure in the popular children's series by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hillary Knight...

'Eloise Goes to Paris' and Uma Thurman

The White House party crashers who snuck into Obama's gala dinner, were hoping for reality show stardom, but now they may face a less desirable form of attention, from law enforcement.

The couple was being filmed by Bravo, apparently for a planned Real Housewives on Washington DC show, but with all the negative attention around this stunt they may hve put their fame-for-no-reason aspirations in jeopardy. Will Bravo want to be associated with this story that has inspired so much anger? There seems to be more interest in seeing the White House crashers face criminal charges then there is in seeing them on TV. And they are already being called before Congress to testify and explain themselves.

The Secret Service clearly has a lot to answer for in the this party crashing episode, and some say the White House fumbled by not having their social secretary there to confirm names on the guest list. Either way, this will put the "all publicity is good publicity" rule to the test, both for the White House and these now infamous crashers.

White House Party Crashers
ny post

Crashing the party at the White House earned Tareq and Michaela Salahi an invitation to Congress today.

The couple has been called to testify at the House Committee on Homeland Security Thursday along with representatives of the Secret Service. "This is a time for answers, recognition of security deficiencies past and present, and remedies to ensure the strength of the Secret Service and the safety of those under its protection," said Rep. Bernie Thompson (D-Miss), chairman of the committee...

White House Party Crashers

In what many are calling an embarrassing and shamefuk development for Switzerland, voters there have approved a law banning minarets, the traditional adornment built on the top of musim mosques.

300,000 Muslims live in Switzerland, mostly from Bosnia, Kosovo and Turkey, and this vote seems to show increasingf prejudice against them, and fear of their religion as Islam is the target of so much recent negativity. Juan Cole, an expert blogger on Arab and Muslim affairs, says this "Swiss Islamophobia Betrays Enlightenment Ideals" and "Islam is not new to Europe. Parts of what is now Spain were Muslim for 700 years, and much of the eastern stretches of what is now the European Union were ruled by Muslims for centuries and had significant Muslim populations...with minarets dotting the European landscape for many centuries." Which means the muslim community should not be looked down upon as some newfound evil invaders. Hopefully reason will prevail, but this Swiss vote seems like a bad sign for the region.

Swiss Vote on Minarets
reuters

Swiss voters have approved a right-wing-backed proposal to ban construction of new minarets, initial projections showed on Sunday, a surprise result that could damage Switzerland's economic ties with Muslim states. If confirmed, the result would be a huge embarrassment for the neutral Swiss government...

Swiss Vote on Minarets